A Working Man

 

This review may contain spoilers!

A Working Man is an adaptation of Chuck Dixon's 'Levon's Trade' and follows Levon Cade, a former military operator turned construction worker. When the daughter of Levon's employer is kidnapped by human traffickers, Levon goes on a one-man mission to hunt down those responsible and save Jenny.

Like any good action movie, watching a Jason Statham character go on a rampage is a lot of fun. The character doesn't have to be super developed to feel a thrill watching a mean-spirited hero mete out some old-school justice. A Working Man also revels in its own absurdity at times. I had some fun in the moments that felt silly.

Jason Statham, who played Levon Cade, leads this film well enough in his usual surly and gruff manner; Statham has that harder, mean edge to him that makes you believe he'd win in any fight. Jason Flemyng, who played Wolo Kolisnyk, is a really venomous player amongst the Russian antagonists; Flemyng plays to wild bouts of rage and pride that result in a phenomenal face-to-face between him and Statham. Cokey Falkow, who played Dougie, is the sort of henchman role that I really enjoy; Falkow is quick with a one-liner that matches him beat for beat when facing off against Statham.

However, the best performance came from Maximilian Osinski, who played Dimi Kolisnyk. I think the Russian gangster antagonist is a trope that has been done to death, especially in Hollywood productions. Heck, it gets done to death multiple times over in this film alone. Yet Osinski finds something quite clean and with a few extra layers in Dimi. When we are first introduced to Dimi, he is an impassive figure, a Russian criminal who commands a room and can hold a man's life in his hands. He deals in business well, and Osinski lends a cool edge to him that marks him as a keen negotiator. But I like that the film unravels Dimi from here, showing him to be reckless and an outcast within the Russian Bratva. The moment Osinski is confronted by Statham's true identity, he plays to a frantic kind of fear well, which transitions seamlessly to a tired exterior in the face of torture. I really appreciated Osinski's futile exchange with Statham in his final scene, an almost proud moment of defiance that feels unexpected but quite worthy.

When the writing credits of David Ayer and Sylvester Stallone pop up during an intro sequence that looks like a goofy AI-generated opening credits, you know you're in trouble. This film harks back to the old B-grade action films of the 70s and 80s, with one big name tumbling through various action sequences, shouting one-liners that make no sense while the most underwhelming plot ever told plays out in the background. This whole film feels like that time when Chris Pratt gave that tone-deaf quote about there not being enough blue-collar representation in Hollywood. This film makes Levon Cade the most sympathetic action hero; you'd think he was running for office next year or something. This is a hard-working leader in the construction industry, a former military operator, his Latino employers see him as family, he is a widowed father, his best buddy is a blind guy, and he kills so many Russians in a bid to stop human trafficking. This is literally the everyman action hero I think ChatGPT would give me if I asked it to write an American action movie script. The film is a slog, watching Levon not really change nor grow nor be challenged for two hours. Instead, Levon drives a vehicle from one location to another, not actually building up to a major antagonist but trying his best to find the glorified henchmen who kidnapped the woman he has been tasked to save. The fact that this film even propels Levon into a one-man mercenary mission is quite funny because no work is done to make this a believable or reasonable premise. All of the characters act in exaggerated ways, from a completely wild and blind former marine, to a cartoonish ensemble of Russians and right up to a gangster sitting atop a throne made out of motorbikes (yes, really). The script never stops being flawed, Levon just goes from point to point and doesn't have to work to advance the plot - he's just that good.

David Ayer's style feels like it has gotten shabbier with time. This is quite an ugly-looking action movie, with fight sequences coming off as shaky or blurred and no dialogue shots looking particularly interesting at all. The editing for this film sets a slow pace, and once again, the action moves at a crawl, which doesn't help the film keep you on the edge of your seat. The score isn't very much to speak of; it's mostly pretty quiet with some generic blares of sound to wake you up. The soundtrack shoots for a rugged manly sound but just seems an odd jigsaw of tracks you might hear rattling about in a bar playlist.

Michael Peña and Noemi Gonzalez, who played Joe Garcia and Carla Garcia respectively, are pretty bland as the stereotypical grieving family; it is quite a shame to see Peña slumming it in roles like this when his talent is much greater. David Harbour, who played Gunny Lefferty, gives the worst portrayal of a blind man I have seen in a while; Harbour spouts some tough-sounding dialogue here and there without ever sounding like he knows what he is talking about. Arianna Rivas, who played Jenny Garcia, isn't particularly interesting as the kidnapped plot point of the film; Rivas has a few moments of 'fighting back' in the story that don't really feel well-earned. Isla Gie, who played Merry Cade, almost feels like an afterthought at times; Gie and Statham don't have a natural chemistry that evokes a feeling of a father/daughter duo. Emmett J. Scanlan and Eve Mauro, who played Viper and Artemis respectively, are completely average casting choices for the main antagonists of the film; Mauro in particular goes far too over the top with making her character this rageful presence. Andrej Kaminksy, who played Symon Kharchenko, is quite the heightened presence in his portrayal of a Russian Bratva higher power; Kaminsky's mysterious presence and cry of disappointment at the end make him a barely human figure in all of this. Greg Kolpakchi and Piotr Witkowski, who played Danya Kharchenko and Vanya Kharchenko respectively, were cartoon-like henchmen roles; these brother characters were goofballs and greatly reduced the impact of the Russian antagonists. Chidi Ajufo, who played Dutch, is another character who felt more bizarre than anything else; Ajufo presented a role that barely felt grounded in anything resembling reality. Ricky Champ and Max Croes, who played Nestor and Karp respectively, just seemed a bit obvious as the 'dangerous' henchmen types; these two were more meant to be the aesthetic of real menace than actually breathe life into anything resembling characters. Richard Heap, who played Dr. Jordan Roth, is an unusual rival for Statham in amongst all of this; Heap has created a very strange, bad father-in-law character for audiences to muse upon. Wayne Gordon, who played Tobias Garret, feels like an excessive role at the point of his introduction; Statham's role having 'one more guy' to call in got pretty ridiculous. 

Someone needs to get David Ayer as far away from a film set as possible. I would give A Working Man a 2.5/10.

Snow White

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Snow White is the latest adaptation of the famous Brothers Grimm fairytale and a remake of the 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In this adaptation, Snow White finds herself a rival to the Evil Queen and, after an attempt on her life, tries to take back her kingdom from the Queen's cruel reign.

Snow White is one of the oldest properties in Disney's animated history; it's not just part of the bricks and mortar - it's right there in the foundations. I greatly enjoyed this remake when it found the moments in which presenting an homage worked, while simultaneously heightening the story with modern elements. Scenes like the Evil Queen interacting with her magic mirror, Snow White fleeing through the woods, or even the Dwarfs meeting Snow White for the first time evoked a feeling of being caught in the tale. It's a feeling that I shared as a kid, watching the original animated classic. Making Snow White a more autonomous character was a worthy call as well, the character is something modern audiences can see themselves within a little more. I also really liked that the film paired Snow White with Jonathan, the leader of the Resistance. The romantic chemistry felt very present throughout, and it was nice to see this subplot evolve naturally from the story rather than present with a character who shows up in all of two scenes. I especially loved how this film does the Seven Dwarfs; they are a wonderful ensemble, and the focus on Dopey's character draws a decent emotional reaction from the audience.

Marc Webb knows how to craft a blockbuster on a grand scale that looks well-tailored to a theme. This film is very special effects-heavy heavy and yet it never feels terribly artificial. Snow White is filmed in a way that is colourful and frames these picturesque moments, even replicating iconic frames from the original animated feature. This movie opens with a storybook, and Webb paints that for the audience. The special effects all look very charming, notably the woodland creatures Snow White befriends. I found the Dwarfs rather uncanny at first, but they grew on me too. Their animation allows for expression, and their design very squarely makes them present as mythical beings. I was also entirely taken with the musical numbers across this film, not only some of the familiar tracks, but the incredible new additions that had such heart and character to them.

Andrew Burnap, who played Jonathan, is a much better replacement for the Prince Charming role; though the charm has not been removed, as his chemistry with Zegler is utterly electric. Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Jeremy Swift and Andy Grotelueschen, who voiced Dopey, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc and Sleepy respectively, are a wonderful ensemble cast to capture the magic of these famous dwarfs; Feldman is particularly striking as the soul of the film with his portrayal of Dopey finding his voice. 

However, the best performance came from Rachel Zegler, who played Snow White. Zegler is a very promising up-and-comer with a real capacity for range and committing entirely to a role. This is one of the first roles in which she top bills a movie solo, and she takes that responsibility on admirably. Watching her version of Snow White grapple with living under subjugation while feeling she has abandoned her people is quite intriguing. Zegler defines this role as someone who wants to resist through compassion and fair treatment of her kingdom. Within all of that, however, Zegler preserves the sweet and charming qualities of the original animated character, a young princess filled with optimism and a sunny disposition. She is trusting and truly good. But if all of that doesn't make Zegler stand out as our latest Disney princess, her singing is absolutely next level and will blow you away.

There's a lot of Snow White that should work; there are tweaks that bring this film into the modern age, which aren't inherently bad and pad out the runtime in a meaningful way. Yet, it tips too far in the other direction and overcomplicates the need for a new story within Snow White. This film presents Snow White's kingdom as an overly cheerful place where nothing was ever bad, all reigned over by Snow's parents. Things begin to alter and change: Snow's mother dies, the Evil Queen marries her father, and the reign of the Evil Queen begins as Snow White is forced to be a scullery maid. The years of servitude feel much more like Cinderella in some scenes than Snow White, but that's not glaring enough to really make me find this movie to be very average. It's the storyline around the Queen's reign, the resistance against her and how Snow White comes to overthrow her. Snow White is weirdly positioned in this movie, often having no power but always being around to voice her opinion on important kingdom-related matters. She becomes entangled in the resistance, which is odd for several reasons. The resistance feels awkwardly jammed into this movie, and there are only eight of them. It feels like this extra element was pushed into the classic tale to make the story work harder. When Snow eventually confronts the Queen, it becomes this big uprising crowd scene, in which Snow awkwardly overthrows the Queen by remembering people's names and occupations while the Queen even offers Snow the chance to take the kingdom by stabbing her in a very Game of Thrones-esque moment. This long-running narrative shift around who governs the kingdom and what is 'fair' rule feels complicated at best, and at worst, it is a large coat of grey in an otherwise colourful children's film.

Emilia Faucher, Hadley Fraser and Lorena Andrea, who played Young Snow White, Good King and Good Queen respectively, introduce the film in a very one-note bubbly way; Faucher is particularly disappointing in introducing no memorable character traits for Zegler to expand upon. Gal Gadot, who played Evil Queen, hasn't presented a good display of acting in years, and nothing has really changed here; her line delivery is horrid and worse than that: they gave her a song. Ansu Kabia, who played the Huntsman, might be the most unintimidating version of this role I've ever seen; Kabia really struggles to make himself stand out in amongst all that is going on. George Appleby, Colin Michael Carmichael, Samuel Baxter, Jimmy Johnston, Dujonna Gift, Idriss Kargbo and Jaih Betote, who played Quigg, Farno, Scythe, Finch, Maple, Bingley and Norwich respectively, are the surplus to requirements ensemble cast that forms the resistance; this band of fighters fail to add a single thing to the film as a whole. 

Despite Rachel Zegler's powerhouse leading performance, this is just another reminder that the Disney live-action remakes aren't going well. I would give Snow White a 6/10.

Novocaine

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Novocaine follows Nathan Caine, a reclusive assistant bank manager with a rare genetic condition that prevents him from feeling pain. When Nathan's girlfriend, Sherry, is taken hostage during a bank robbery, he goes across the city on a rampage to save her.

Novocaine is the sort of film that wants to have fun with itself, or at least the premise at work here. The moment the action and comedy are allowed to play into one another we start to get a few good scenes. This film is best when it draws a laugh from the audience, even if the laughter comes from a place of shock or surprise.

The soundtrack used here is a lot of fun. It often ramps up the novelty of action sequences or provides extra levity. The intro song, 'Everybody Hurts' by R.E.M., was a fitting choice.

Matt Walsh, who played Coltraine, isn't in this much, but every scene he is in lifts Novocaine up; Walsh is a master of comedic timing and delivering a side-splitting line.

However, the best performance came from Jack Quaid, who played Nate. It's not often we see Quaid at the centre of a feature, he usually is paired against or sits in support. Yet I will admit that while this wasn't the gripping action lead some may hope for, Quaid performs excellently within the material he has. The character of Nate is awkward and decidedly introverted from living quite a reclusive life. I enjoyed seeing how morally good and sincere Quaid made Nathan, it really bonds the audience to this unlikely action hero. Quaid's perfect at playing the awkward lead in to finding first love, the way his character falls head over heels for Midthunder's Sherry is entirely convincing. This first love is a perfect trigger point for his obsessive pursuit to 'get her back'. I also think the moments of fun are Quaid enjoying the absurdity of the 'no pain' gimmick as much as the audience. A lot of making this work really does fall on just how much Quaid gives.

Novocaine is the sort of movie that seems to be holding its breath when it starts. The movie knows what it really wants to do, which is not set up the characters or really sit in the narrative for long. This movie wants to make good on the gimmick it centres on. Putting a guy who can't feel pain through scenarios where he should be feeling extraordinary levels of pain, all while dishing it out in a comedic manner to the bad guys. The movie is unbearably simple and just frames the moments of violence in rather repetitive ways. The story is also rather predictable, you never expect Nathan to not eventually reach Sherry and the one betrayal twist is pretty clichéd. The only moment in the film where I felt genuine surprise was when a comedic side character suddenly dies, which barely has any bearing on the main story. This movie isn't really all that interested in presenting a story, which might be fine if the action was something to write home about. The action sequences feel like simple stunt work, with all the leg work being done by special effects, make-up and prosthetics. We're meant to look at the gruesome injuries and go "Oooo, what a killer scene!" But nothing much has really transpired. This sums up the tale of Novocaine really, it's a poorly thought-out premise with an entirely lacking attempt at a script.

This is an ugly film to look at most of the time, there are scenes with stale establishing shots and dull dialogue mids pepper the feature. I also felt this film was visually a poor action movie, it often relied on slow-motion shots to make the action seem more impressive than it really was. There were even entire sequences shot through a window where you had reflection glare, which seems pretty amateur for a major release film. The editing is rather slow-paced and quite static, which interferes with the urgency of the action component of the feature. The score is quite stereotypical, with an intense droning sound that rattles in the background when punches are being thrown.

Amber Midthunder, who played Sherry, is squandered in this simplistic over-the-top first-glance romance with Quaid's lead; even when Midthunder gets to pivot in an Act 2 twist it feels a bit tired and obvious. Ray Nicholson, Conrad Kemp and Evan Hengst, who played Simon, Andre and Ben respectively, just weren't much more than two-dimensional goons when they should have been the main antagonists of the film; even Nicholson comes off as too campy to make a convincing bad guy. Jacob Batalon, who played Roscoe, might be fighting against type for most of his career; the awkward best friend type to an awkward leading role gets a bit stale when you've seen it before. Betty Gabriel, who played Mincy, is too dramatically serious for this film; Gabriel tries to play this like a crime procedural and it makes her one of the dullest characters in the cast. Lou Beatty Jr., who played Earl, feels like an easy stereotypical portrayal of an elderly wise character placed to teach the young lead a lesson; there isn't much emotional weight behind Beatty Jr.'s performance despite Earl's backstory. Garth Collins, who played Zeno, staggers through his scene waiting for the action to really start; even Collins looked like he didn't believe Quaid could take him down in a fight scene.

It did not take long for this absurd action-comedy to do nothing more than just lean into its only gimmick. I would give Novocaine a 3.5/10.

Black Bag

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Black Bag is a spy thriller about George and Kathryn, a couple who work for the Intelligence agency MI6. When it comes to light that Kathryn might be a traitor to the nation, George takes it upon himself to find the truth.

I really liked the second half of Black Bag quite a bit, this is a film that works itself well when the mystery is given a bit of gas. When things start speeding up and the mystery is given the focus it deserves, things become far more engaging. George is a very clinical and detached protagonist, I almost suspected him to be bland at first. But with time the film really shows how such a calculating personality handles the rug being pulled out from under him, the moments in which he loses and how he recovers. The fact this film made it more of a personal frantic struggle for George and Kathryn in the back half makes it easier to care from an audience perspective. I also loved the polygraph scene, that is the best scene of the film by a mile. It is a moment that ramps us up to the final reveal, weaving a montage of intense scrutiny and wit in equal measure.

Steven Soderbergh's films are often visually stunning and all have decent variety to them too. Black Bag is no different. Black Bag has a distinct orange and blue colour palette that filters this into a tasteful attempt to evoke the classics in the spy genre. I also found David Holmes' score to really creep up on you, it gets progressively more anxious and off the wall as the film moves along.

Michael Fassbender, who played George Woodhouse, is quite an unusual and interesting lead role; Fassbender plays a very neutral and calculating figure who is driven by an unwavering sense of love and loyalty. Tom Burke, who played Freddie Smalls, is one of the funnier characters in the film; Burke is quite quick with his delivery and dabbles into a sour attitude that belies his true self. Naomie Harris, who played Dr. Zoe Vaughan, really makes so much of this film her own; Harris feels like she is walking an emotional tightrope so carefully from start to finish in what was an incredible display of skill.

However, the best performance came from Marisa Abela, who played Clarissa Dubose. Among a host of veteran performers, Abela stands out quite a bit. This is a young Intelligence technician with a very sharp tongue, she is a fiery spirit and mischievous in equal measure. From the first scene she is introduced as the younger partner to an older man in the Intelligence field, she is seen as a new flame of sorts. But she is quick on her retorts and not one to really be trifled with. In the face of being mistreated, she is very retaliatory against her partner, shifting to a random and impressive display of violence. Abela crafts a wholly toxic individual, someone who seeks to cheat outside of her relationship and who doesn't play by the rules very well. Abela also plays to a more professional environment well, delivering a very believable scene in which she plays the technician component of her role. Watching Clarissa in the polygraph scene was one of the very best parts. Abela is a cut above in this film and I cannot wait to see her in another project.

I spent a lot of Black Bag thinking David Koepp probably heard the term 'Black Bag' for the first time and hounded for a loose concept in which to use it, any old way would do. The convoluted concept behind these interlocking relationships with such a gross abuse of position felt unrealistic, nothing about these character relationships really resembled anything real. It's a massive focus of the film but it's not something that represents our cast of characters very well. I found it very difficult to like this cast at first too, the characters are all very conceited and arrogant. Black Bag is a bit of a snobby film, not very well aided by the ridiculous dialogue at play. The way characters talk isn't really how people speak, resulting in this heightened narrative that I struggled to find a way into. The film also gets a bit cartoonish the moment you learn what the big conspiracy is all about and what MI6 is afraid of; a moment that really undercuts a lot of what is working up until then.

The editing on Black Bag really plods along, it feels tired and it can linger on a frame for far too long. The soundtrack is a nightmarish mish-mash of classical pieces and modern soft pop music, so scattered that it doesn't feel very considered.

Gustaf Skarsgård, who played Philip Meacham, is a very restrained performance; Skarsgård is quite on the periphery playing a role that really doesn't make a lot of sense in the grand scheme of the narrative. Cate Blanchett, who played Kathryn St. Jean, really surprised me by giving a pretty simple attempt at a sultry spy; Blanchett was someone I expected to bounce back after Borderlands but she seems to have lost her way. Regé-Jean Page, who played Col. James Stokes, used to be an actor of intrigue and can now barely play to a plot twist; Page really just jumps from monotony to exaggerated anger and little else. Pierce Brosnan, who played Arthur Stieglitz, is perhaps the most outlandish character and performance in the cast; Brosnan is a seasoned actor so it was hard to believe he could deliver dialogue so cartoonishly.

For masters of the craft, Soderbergh and Koepp deliver a presentable if not stale spy thriller. I would give Black Bag a 6/10.

Mickey 17

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Mickey 17 is the film adaptation of the novel 'Mickey 7' by Edward Ashton. In this dystopian sci-fi, Mickey Barnes seeks an escape from a failing Earth on a space colony ship. However, to get aboard, he must sign up to be an 'Expendable'. Mickey's job is to be placed into situations in which he can die, be reprinted and assigned a new life-threatening task. But in a system like this, how long can one man stand dying for a living?

This film has a fascinating approach to sci-fi, that off-kilter world design that made Bong Joon Ho's Snowpiercer so famous. The ship Mickey is a part of is a very interesting culture, where sex and food are closely monitored, the science team conducts random experiments at inappropriate times, drug dealers are trading oxygen from flamethrowers, and most of the community is following a cult-like religion. Within all of this you have the plight of Mickey Barnes, the guy who gets 'paid' to die over and over again. The work of this community falls behind a half-crazed senator who failed in his earthly political aspirations and desired to become a leader of a colony off-world. This political leader, Kenneth Marshall, is a wild fanatic leader who randomly staggers through speeches and has his wife and advisors feed him most of his ideas. The whole society spins around control and inequality, those who work have no power, and Marshall's will exerted over them. There is a scene in which Marshall reprimands Mickey for not dying, which is a clear commentary on the class divide that really sits at the heart of this film. There is also a very interesting storyline around the alien species on the colony planet: the Creepers. The Creepers prove to be a very empathetic and helpful race, but due to their appearance and inability to communicate, they are treated as hostiles. Which ignites probably the best theme of the film: a sharp critique of colonialism and the othering of native people. Marshall is intent on the eradication of the Creepers to appear strong, while the Creepers rise to retaliate against the injustices being done to their people. Mickey seems an inactive protagonist for much of the film, things happen to him, but he manages to secure himself 'a good life'. But when he is left for dead on a mission, an extra Mickey is printed out, resulting in two Mickey Barnes. This pair functions as two sides of Mickey; one who accepts grievances done to him but holds a sense of empathy for wrongdoing inflicted on others, while Mickey 18 is more reactionary and seeks to actively resist the wrongs that have been done to him. The end result is a human who tries to fix the situation between the human colonists and the Creepers, and the same human who is willing to oppose Marshall. This storyline is exceptionally creative, a bit of an oddball but immensely satisfying to watch.

Bong Joon Ho has a way of shooting sci-fi that leaves you feeling very engaged, I found the way a camera moved through sets or CGI landscapes to actually be quite immersive. The special effects are well-designed, the spaceship is nice, but the real star is the creature design of the Creepers. Those little alien slugs actually have so much going for their appearance and wind up becoming quite characteristic. I cannot even begin to describe how good the score presented by Jung Jae-il is, when the track 'Mayhem' plays, you really feel a strong sense of chaos unfolding.

Steven Yeun, who played Timo, is absolutely brilliant as this scoundrel who weasels out of every bad situation; watching Yeun ham up his role's pleading or emotional outbursts is very entertaining. Patsy Ferran, who played Dorothy, is a very sincere scientist role that I came to really enjoy; Ferran does little more than show a role learning to resist by being kind and that worked wonders. Tim Key, who played Pigeon Man, is a hilarious side character who really suffers at being an adoring fan of Ruffalo's Marshall; Key subjects himself to some ridiculous performative moments in conveying the character's sincerity to the cause. Naomi Ackie, who played Nasha, is a real powerhouse role that is step for step with Pattinson; Ackie can be wild and sexy in one moment or entirely driven and a bit of a fighter in the next. Toni Colette, who played Ylfa, seems to really understand the balance between the comedy and drama of her role; Colette presents a sensational and wild political leader who can also become very dangerous if the scene compels it.

However, the best performance came from Robert Pattinson, who played Mickey Barnes. I know Pattinson has had the shadow of Twilight over his career for some time now, but there have been several projects that have left me questioning his ability to lead a film. But along comes Mickey 17, along comes Mickey Barnes. Pattinson presents a few different versions of Mickey within this film, but the one we are most attached to is 17 and 18. The seventeenth Mickey is our protagonist and perspective from which the story is told. Across this Pattinson conveys this Mickey as someone who is very meek, he is the type who shelters himself inwards and has a nervous energy about him. He's very reflective, has a kind nature to him and sees things through a slightly romantic lens. Pattinson also does a great job of building him up to be a more honourable figure and someone who is motivated by empathy. Mickey 18 on the other hand is very reactionary, and prone to solving things via violence. Pattinson does a great job of presenting a new Mickey who feels wronged by everything that has been done to him and has this anger bubbling just below the surface. Watching Pattinson build a more noble streak to this Mickey means we got to see Pattinson take two leading roles on a very rewarding journey of character development. This is my current favourite performance by Robert Pattinson and I'm looking forward to what I see from him next.

The problem I had with this film is that I can see a really decent film, but the script struggles to be subtle at times. At others, it plain just doesn't hit the mark by awkwardly attempting commentary on a very broad theme. Bong Joon Ho often presents a film about social class, if there's anything consistent in his works, it is that. But there are whole moments here where the social commentary just feels a bit plain, the dramatic equivalent of low-hanging fruit. There is a clear intent here to do a big jab at the American political system as it stands right now, particularly how the lower class, poorly educated or religious members of society are easily led astray by a performative individual in a position of power. But in this film these moments are quite obvious to the point it feels more like parody than a well delivered theme. This film is funny, but it leans on this, and ultimately comprises the story. Marshall as an antagonist could have been something really worth talking about, but it's a bit of an obvious Donald Trump joke instead of a more biting reflection on that political situation. I mean the crew are all wearing red caps when he gives an address, it just needed to try a little more. Mickey 17 also shoots to have a bit of a church and state commentary, in which the main political leader uses a religion to indoctrinate his crew. But it feels like this theme was slapped in without much thought. It has so much potential and winds up saying a lot of nothing at all.

Mark Ruffalo, who played Kenneth Marshall, gives one of the worst performances I have seen from him in a while; Ruffalo presents this fanatical and over the top political leader with all the range and skill of an SNL performance. Anamaria Vartolomei, who played Kai Katz, plays a very odd romance subplot within this film; Vartolomei doesn't serve very well as this romantic prop for Pattinson and Ackie to rival against. Steve Park, who played Zeke, had so much potential to be an interesting performance but he doesn't get enough opportunity to shine; Park's storyline around resisting the Marshall's deserved more air time than other aspects of the film.

Bong Joon Ho's latest foray into sci-fi is yet another intriguing commentary on social class and capitalism. I would give Mickey 17 a 7.5/10

Tinā

 This review may contain spoilers!

Tinā follows Mareta Percival, a choir teacher who loses her daughter in the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Jumping forward three years, Mareta has fallen on tougher times and inadvertently finds herself confronted with a new career opportunity: teaching at a private school. Through her compassion and dedication to the students, a choir is formed that helps heal those involved with it.

I'm so used to a very detached quality when I sit back and watch a movie, a movie often has to invite me into the world it is crafting or impress me with a complete escape from reality. The thing about Tinā is that it really sits so close to home, this is a story set not only in my very country but in my home city. It becomes very easy to form bonds with aspects of it, while measuring it up against tremendous expectations elsewhere. This is a drama that is strongly motivated to tell an inspirational narrative, something that will leave you smiling despite the tears when the credits roll. I think the character of Mareta was a wonderful point of inspiration, she is strongly motivated by a duty of care that uplifts her students and in doing so, allows them to share in her passion. She becomes this force of change, not only in coaching choir, but in setting an example for life that improved the lives of her students in turn. Mareta is also faced with incredible tragedy throughout this film, her story starts by forever being altered by tragedy. Watching her endure while carrying that tragedy is something quite special. She doesn't just lose the grief, she learns to be strong alongside the grief. An element of this tragedy stems from the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, and despite some personal mixed feelings I have about fictionalising a death in the collapse of the CTV building, I felt this film really captured the emotion held by the city from this event in a way no other fictional content has achieved. The film also does a great job at analysing Christchurch private schools, not holding back from saying they are governed by success over wellbeing or a duty of care. I really loved seeing traditional private school values challenged without ever tarring the students themselves as being overtly problematic. The film does a good job of remembering these are teenagers, still shaping their identities and capable of growth. I saw so much of my city in Tinā and I was very proud of what Miki Magasiva accomplished.

There is a very real sense of beauty to this film. You would struggle to see a scene in which there isn't a piece of artistic camerawork, or in which something is beautifully framed. Even in that bare wooden choir room you have these gorgeous ensemble shots of rehearsal, the breathing scene is a particular triumph. Music is at the core of this film and it stands as one of the greatest strengths. Speaking to the elements that were more 'soundtrack', the choir recordings are majestic, these incredible tracks that draw strong emotion from the audience. The score for this movie holds great beauty too, but it often denotes the struggle Mareta and other characters are wrestling with beneath the surface.

Dalip Sondhi, who played Alan Hubbard, was fascinating as the gentle mannered but ill-advised principal on the cusp of retirement; I enjoyed Sondhi developing his role to learn what Mareta's teachings meant to his students. Nicole Whippy, who played Rona, is a force to be reckoned with in this; Whippy's fierce care for Mareta that often brought the two to conflict as well was a beautiful portrayal of genuine friendship. Jamie Irvine, who played Peter Wadsworth, was fantastic as the primary antagonist; he had a cruel bend towards difference in his school that I felt was an interesting force to see Mareta oppose. Zac O'Meagher, who played Anthony Bull, presents a young man forced to give everything to the reputation of his school; seeing his love for the choir and rejection of harmful expectations was a very worthy subplot.

However, the best performance came from Anapela Polataivao, who played Mareta. This was a career high character performance from Polataivao, a role that she could really inhabit and make her own. When first we meet Mareta Percival, she seems a little restrained and I wondered how this role was going to occupy my attention for two hours. Then Polataivao showcased how deeply she could show grief, that raw scene in which she weeps floored me. Across this movie, Mareta is a woman deeply depressed, her world has been obliterated. Polataivao steadily develops her character on a new path, where she demonstrates care for a new group of students and imparts the passion she has for choir to them. I also really loved how good Polataivao's comedic timing and delivery were, the film really was funniest when she had a funny line or moment. Polataivao finds Mareta a broken woman and takes her on a journey of healing, one in which she uplifts others. This might be a character performance leading a film but it really is such a well-realised one, in no small part due to Polataivao.

Tinā is a movie that is pretty comfortable sitting in the realm of predictability, and that's not the end of the world. You start watching Tinā and it's pretty reasonable to expect that going back to teaching will heal Mareta and that she will in turn raise her students up. Throw in a couple of easy antagonistic private school deputy principal/board members and this film does come off as a bit safe at times. I felt it still performed extremely well, but it isn't really too much more than what it says on the box. I also found the subplot of Mareta investing so much in a student due to the loss of her daughter to be a bit strange. It felt like it made that relationship more complex and emotionally charged than it had any business being. When the film tries to be funny it really struggles to draw forth a laugh from the audience, sometimes the movie needed to recognise that its strength sat with drama. One major nitpick I had was the city really looks nothing like it did in 2014, we still looked quite broken even then. That's the issue of being a local watching, I guess.

This film is one of my all-time favourites from this year, but it does have some of the worst editing I have seen, with abrupt cuts or transitions that can be jarring at times. Poor linear editing also caused continuity to break in some moments, which was a glaring fault and the one I struggled to look past.

Antonia Robinson, who played Sophie, is a young performer that this film probably showed a bit too much faith in; Robinson gives a very generic portrayal of teen angst and mental health struggle. Beulah Koale, who played Sio, was a character whose bond with Polataivao just didn't really feel that engaging; Koale's moments of comedy also fell extremely flat for me. Matthew Chamberlain, who played Father McAfee, was an odd side character to get the screen time that he did; was there something so impressive in watching a Palagi priest speak Samoan in such a performative way?

A piece of cinema from home that will stand apart all year long. I would give Tinā an 8.5/10.

The Monkey

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Monkey is an adaptation of Stephen King's short story of the same name. It centres on a toy monkey that can randomly kill an individual every time it plays its drum. The film follows twin brothers Hal and Bill, who inherit the monkey and explore how they use it.

I enjoyed the concept behind The Monkey, which explored the theme of intergenerational trauma. It is interesting to explore something that hovers over a family, can't be gotten rid of, persists no matter how ignored, and ultimately must be acknowledged and embraced.

The one thing I have to praise about an Osgood Perkins film is how visually well-designed they are. The shots in this one all have a real emphasis on framing, pulling you to the centre so you cannot look away from the horror of it all. It also toys with the fringes really well, sometimes holding something malicious just on the edge. The soundtrack is admittedly quite lively and places us neatly in the earlier time period at the beginning of the feature.

Theo James, who played Hal and Bill, is not in his best role here but manages to competently lead the feature; James' work as the more meek and misguided Hal is what really leaves a strong impression watching this work. Zia Newton, who played Dwayne, is a surprisingly good bit of comedy; his part as the stoned out Gen Z store manager having an awkward emotional conversation with James really lands.

However, the best performance came from Elijah Wood, who played Ted. I enjoy some of the absolutely bananas roles Wood has found himself in since his time as Frodo Baggins. Nothing could have equipped me for the semi-macho, semi-fatherhood guru role that Wood embodies here. We get this caricature of a parenthood celebrity, the type of author or speaker who advises other poor parents exactly how to do it. Wood commands the screen and the other actors, lording himself as the father supreme of young Petey. As conflict starts to erupt between Wood and James's characters Wood starts leaning into the macho, domineering father role. His attempts to convince James to arm wrestle him are quite hilarious. The only complaint I have about the performance is that there wasn't more of it.

The Monkey feels like an absurd work of horror from the very first scene. At all turns it wants to be scary, but struggles to be more than cruel and gory, and at others, it wants to be darkly comedic but fails to elicit a laugh. The movie seems very confused about what it wants to be, often dabbling into different genres at extremely offbeat and ill-considered moments. The main storyline around one twin accidentally killing his mother leaving the other brother to desire years for many years could have worked, if everyone involved wasn't so darn deplorable. You would be hard-pressed to find a character worth the audience getting invested in amongst the main cast. I also found the core conflict to be relatively shaky as a premise, there's a clear resolution and it cartoonishly struggles to get there. As a film, the struggle seems to stem from adaptation, how to stretch a light work into a feature film. Osgood Perkins answers that question by delivering a film that feels more like a montage of death sequences rather than a narrative vehicle.

The editing is very inconsistent, it almost seems to liven for a big death scene and then move to a sluggish pace in terms of cutting outside of that. I felt very little about the score, it seemed barely present and struggled to set a unique tone or put me on edge. 

Tatiana Maslany, who played Lois, feels like a really warped and impossible-to-pin-down depiction of a mother role; there was no character here but rather a blunt instrument. Christian Convery, who played Young Hal and Young Bill, has the opposite problem of James; Convery's Hal is hard to buy into while his Bill is decent if not unfocused. Colin O'Brien, who played Petey, is pretty insufferable as James' onscreen son; O'Brien constantly seems capable of portraying this one disappointed and mildly depressed state of being. Rohan Campbell, who played Thrasher, is an odd side character in all this; at best an unusual lackey and at worst a ridiculous death scene. Sarah Levy and Osgood Perkins, who played Aunt Ida and Uncle Chip respectively, just feel entirely separate and awkwardly included as more of the Shelborn family; Perkins is only really here to do a hash job as a comedic presence. Tess Degenstein, who played Barbara, holds a lot of potential here but isn't really allowed to grow out of being a caricature; Degenstein's role being a parody of an overly exuberant real estate agent is transparent and limiting. Danica Dreyer, who played Babysitter Annie, isn't here for much more than a visual kill; her significance to the young boys is often expressed but never really shown within the performance. Nicco Del Rio, who played Rookie Priest, feels like a stand up comedian bombing; Del Rio is clearly here to be funny but he tries to hard and loses any chance the scene has of succeeding. Laura Mennell, who played Petey's Mum, feels like someone who should be more active in her scene but isn't; Mennell is more used as an important background prop than a mother character. Adam Scott, who played Captain Petey Shelborn, really goes over the top for the films opening scene; Scott makes it clear this project is one of buffoonery and nonsense. 

Osgood Perkins is one of the most overhyped directors in the horror film genre right now. I would give The Monkey a 3/10.