TWISTERS (2024)

July 18, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Those that have lived through one often describe it as sounding like the roar of a freight train. Of course, they are referring to a devastating tornado … or “twister”. Oscar nominated director Lee Isaac Chung (MINARI, 2020) and writers Mark L Smith and Joseph Kosinski take on the follow up to Jan de Bont’s fan favorite TWISTER (1996). The earlier film featured a screenplay from renowned writer (the late) Michael Crichton and his then-wife Anne-Marie Martin, and the cast included the late Bill Paxton, the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Helen Hunt, Cary Elwes, and Lois Smith.  In that one, we learned Aunt Meg’s gravy is a food group, and are left with the memorable line, “We got cows”.

Chung’s opening sequence is frenetic and powerful … just as we’d hope and expect. Oklahoman Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, 2022) is leading her team dangerously close to a tornado so that she might obtain enough data to earn the grant needed to keep her dream alive. Hers is a dream of affecting tornadoes in such a way to minimize their power, and thereby minimize the death and destruction. The team is young and smart and passionate; however, they pay the price for the unpredictability of the same storms they are chasing and studying.

Five years later, we find Kate stuck in a NYC cubicle as a bullpen meteorologist. She’s given up on her dream of minimizing the effects of tornadoes. Well, at least until her old storm chasing teammate Javi (Anthony Ramos) shows up with a funded and credentialed team. All they need is Kate’s extraordinary ability to read storms so they can realize the dreams they had years ago.

Once in Oklahoma, Kate realizes that storm chasing is now entertainment for locals, and a social media ego trip for root’n toot’n cowboy Tyler Owens (Glen Powell, who has seemingly appeared in every single movie over the past two years, including TOP GUN: MAVERICK, 2022). Owens is a cult figure with one million followers as he broadcasts live while creating a spectacle in the storm. Soon enough we and Kate (although she’s a bit slow on the uptake) figure out that Javi’s well-funded team, including snooty MIT grad Scott (future SUPERMAN David Corenswet) is not what it seems (rich guys are evil), and of course, neither is Tyler Owens (there’s a tender heart buried in that ego).

The storm effects here are quite stunning. We feel the power and danger. It’s a remarkable technical achievement. Admittedly, this is a wild and fun ride … one filled with tense action and breathtaking visuals. On the other hand, most of the non-storm parts didn’t work for me, often dipping into a cheesy level. Daisy Edgar-Jones comes across as an Anne Hathaway knock-off, while Glen Powell re-deploys his 1970’s Burt Reynolds imitation filled with grins, smirks, struts, and self-satisfying charm. Both actors are lovely to look at, however, the connection comes across as fabricated. The character interactions and story depth stand in contrast to the original, and it’s impossible to avoid comparison.

Director Lee Isaac Chung last delivered a beautiful film with MINARI. In my review of that film, I called it “gentle story grounded in realism”. Obviously, his latest film was never meant to be that, but it’s a shame some of that couldn’t have been captured here. Perhaps the easiest way for me to explain this is by noting the similar feelings I had for the recent ROAD HOUSE remake of the 1989 original. Both of these new versions have exaggerated characters and hyper-action scenes. On the bright side, this difference is likely one that will only bother me and a few others, as I expect TWISTERS will be a massive late summer hit and one most will find thoroughly entertaining … despite replacing cows with chickens.

Opening in theaters on July 19, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

SLEEPING DOGS (2024)

March 21, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s easy to forget that Russell Crowe was once Oscar nominated three years in a row, winning Best Actor for Ridley Scott’s epic, GLADIATOR (2000), and has probably deserved two or three additional nominations. His reputation has not won him many industry friends over the years, but to his credit, he keeps plugging away – some minor roles in big films, and some lead roles in smaller films. Crowe can still command the screen with his presence, even when the material is slight (see THE POPE’S EXORCIST, 2023).

This project from writer-director Adam Cooper (writer, EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS, 2014) and his frequent writing partner Bill Collage has been adapted from Eugen O. Chirovici’s 2017 novel, “The Book of Mirrors”. It’s Cooper’s directorial debut, and it’s entertaining enough, especially if one can avoid comparisons to other similar crime drama films, especially the classic MEMENTO (2000). In this one, Crowe stars as Roy Freeman, a former homicide detective who lost his badge after a drunk driving accident. He has recently undergone an experimental brain procedure designed to help him regain some of the memories Alzheimer’s has robbed him of. Roy’s apartment has notes posted everywhere. These notes remind him of his name, remind him of his shoe size, and remind him that his Hungry Man dinners are hot when they come out of the microwave. Turns out, it’s too late for a note to remind him not to put the TV remote in that same mircrowave.

A ten year old case he worked is brought up by a group looking to prevent an innocent man from being executed. Roy has no memory of the case, so he re-visits the files and tracks down his old partner, Jimmy Remis (played by Tommy Flanagan, in a reunion of GLADIATOR actors). What follows is a sufficiently intricate web of characters to keep us interested and guessing. The murder victim was Professor Wieder (Marton Csokas), and the usual suspects include his PTSD-suffering handyman Wayne Devereaux (Thomas M Wright), Wieder’s research assistant and lover Laura Baines (Karen Gillan, Nebula in the Marvel Universe), Laura’s other lover Richard Finn (Harry Greenwood) who is writing a book on the murder, and a couple other characters tossed in to knock Roy and us off track.

Flanagan and Csokas are two of my favorite character actors – both always bring something interesting to their roles, and here it’s Gillan’s Laura that seems to offer the most intrigue – changing names, locales, and personalities, all while publishing a book on a theory of how ‘bad’ memories can be replaced with good ones, or erased altogether (think of another classic film, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, 2004). Roy’s flashbacks are handled by quick spurts of moments that he struggles to assemble, which allows us to struggle right alongside him. Roy’s plight leaves us with the thought that it’s possible to find yourself, and not like what you see. Memory is obviously crucial to the story, and for a second-level crime thriller, there is enough here to keep us going until the conclusion.

In theaters beginning March 22, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

LOVE LIES BLEEDING (2024)

March 12, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Rose Glass was delayed almost two years due to COVID, but when SAINT MAUD hit in 2021, we knew immediately she was a filmmaker to watch. Along comes her second feature, co-written with Weronika Tofilska, and as a rare lesbian neo-noir, it’s sexy and violent and stylishly filmed … confirming Glass as one to follow.

To ensure that every viewer knows that glitz and glamour will not be featured, we are introduced to Lou (Kristen Stewart) as her gloved hand is elbow deep in a clogged toilet at the gym she manages. The gym is filled with sweaty bodies pumping iron, and Lou looks on mostly disinterested, save for gym rat Daisy (Anna Baryshnikov, Misha’s daughter) who is obsessed with Lou thanks to their previous amorous interactions. Though Daisy is smitten, Lou is clearly disinterested, while being as nice as possible. As one lonely heart looking for love, Lou’s eyes light up when she spots drifter Jackie (Katy O’Brian, “The Mandalorian”) working out one evening. Jackie is making her way to Las Vegas to compete in a bodybuilding competition, and she and Lou hit it off that first night.

The film is set in the late 1980’s in some nowhere town in New Mexico, where nefarious doings are the only path to survival. In fact, the most nefarious of the bunch is Lou’s father, Lou Sr (Ed Harris). Sporting shoulder length hair that gives him a “Tales from the Crypt” aura, Lou Sr runs a shooting range, while also running guns across the border, and in an unusual choice for a hobby, he collects live bugs. As the local crime lord, Lou Sr has a favorite spot for dumping the bodies of those who cross him.

One other local scumbag on display here is JJ (Dave Franco), husband to Lou’s sister Beth (the great Jena Malone). JJ is a world class wife-beater and the source of much angst for Lou … this despite Beth’s constant willingness to forgive her husband, due to her fear of being alone. JJ is the lowest form of life, and when he puts Beth in the hospital, it sends Lou into emotional turmoil, which in turn forces her new lover Jackie to turn She-Hulk, and flash the dark side from her past.

Just about anything that can go wrong for these folks, does. It’s an endless stream of bad luck, bad decisions, and just plain bad; however, it’s mesmerizing to watch. We see a four-way battle: guns versus muscles versus love versus inner-strength. Some characters get what they deserve, while others just wallow in the mess. Daisy shows she is not as ditzy as she seems once she gains leverage, yet she also proves she’s not as clever as she thinks.

The performances here are quite fun to watch – Stewart, (especially) O’Brian, Harris, Baryshnikov, and Malone are all superb, and bring heft to an already creative and heavy-duty story. The score from Clint Mansell is a perfect fit, and Rose Glass’s film bears a slight tonal resemblance to the Coen Brothers’ classic BLOOD SIMPLE (1984). As in that one, the characters here often zig when we assume they will zag, and though the final act likely jumps the shark for some viewers, there is so much good here, that it prepares us for Glass’s future visions.

In theaters beginning March 15, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

5LBS OF PRESSURE (2024)

March 7, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. With a setting in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn (though filmed in Manchester, UK), writer-director Phil Allocco has adapted his own 2005 short film THE MIRROR into a gritty and violent feature length crime thriller. For fans of the genre, there is enough here to make it worth watching.

Luke Evans stars as Adam, recently paroled after committing murder 16 years prior. He is 5 years clean, and against all better judgment, he returns to his old neighborhood. Why would he make this choice? Well, he hopes to reconcile with his ex, Donna (Stephanie Leonidas, “American Gothic”) and get to know his grown son, Jimmy (Rudy Pankow, who I also watched this week in ACCIDENTAL TEXAN). Donna not only rebuffs Adam’s attempts to re-connect, but she begs him to stay away from Jimmy, who she desperately wants to prevent from falling into Adam’s old ways. No one seems to believe Adam has turned over a new leaf, and the only job he can secure is as bartender at a dumpy pub called The Mirror.

Allocco begins the movie with an exterior shot of The Mirror Bar where we see and hear gunshots. We then flash back to four days earlier with Adam’s parole. The question the opening scene leaves us with is – who is on the wrong end of those gunshots? Slowly (sometimes too slowly) the players in the hood come into focus. Mike (Rory Culkin, the underrated COLUMBUS, 2017) is a rocker wannabe spending his time running risky errands for his Uncle Leff (Alex Pettyfer, MAGIC MIKE, 2012), a drugs and gun dealer who, after his sister’s OD, promised to look after her son despite having little faith in him. Mike’s friend Eli (Zac Adams) was a witness to his older brother getting shot by Adam all those years ago … and he remains filled with anger and bitterness. That bitterness shows in how he treats his girlfriend Lori (Savannah Steyn), who mostly just wants a change of locale. Other players here include bad guy ER (Gary McDonald) and Adam’s PO played by Julee Cerda.

If you are thinking that’s a lot of players in a story about an ex-con, you’d be right. Adam’s story is at the center, but there are so many other things being affected by both his presence and the violent nature of street crime, that we feel like we are being introduced to loser after loser. The weight of the past is always hovering, and the themes of crime, revenge, forgiveness, and a desire for a fresh start, all lead to the vicious and endless cycle we’ve come to expect from these movies. We learn what the title refers to, and how art can act as a bonding agent if given a chance. Adam and Mike are the film’s most interesting characters, yet most of the others get a bit shortchanged.

Opening in theaters, on digital and OnDemand beginning March 8, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

BAD HOMBRES (2024)

January 25, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. January releases are always a bit of a gamble – not just for filmmakers, but also for viewers. A few gems are often buried in the indie dump, so an open mind is especially beneficial and necessary this time of year. Landing somewhere in between the hidden gems and the muck is this B-movie crime thriller from writer-director John Stalberg Jr, and his co-writers Rex New and Nick Turner.

Like so many immigrants to the United States, Felix (Diego Tinoco) is a bright-eyed man, desperate to work and save enough money to relocate his family from Ecuador. At a local convenience store one morning, Donnie (Luke Hemsworth) offers a job (digging a hole in the desert) to Felix and another day-laborer named Alfonso (Hemky Madera, “Queen of the South”). While Felix seems eager and friendly, Alfonso is grumpy and hardened, but it’s Donnie and his cohort who turn out to be psychopaths and criminals. Things turn violent with a blast of gunfire and a pickax to the chest. Felix and Alfonso find themselves knee deep in a botched drug deal and are forced to become partners in order to survive.

Alfonso’s secret past as ‘God Killer’ works to their advantage, and soon enough he has called in a favor from a skittish scumbag (Thomas Jane) who runs a junk lot with a car crusher. He also has a contact for a local veterinarian (Nick Cassavetes) who is on-call for, um, non-pet medical emergencies. On their tail is a fixer (Tyrese Gibson) who works for the “gringos” on one side of the drug deal gone wrong. Working to the film’s advantage is that the actors are all fully engaged and never distract from a situation that most of us can’t exactly relate to (thank goodness).

Felix has a dream of bringing his family to the states and opening a restaurant that features his specialty: chicken with pumpkin. While I will likely never try his signature dish, I found this little movie surprisingly easy to watch – despite the violence and low budget (and inconsistencies with Hemsworth’s arm).

Opening in select theaters and VOD on January 26, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE (2023, Germany)

January 24, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. The intensity and stress of everyday life and of everyday people are on full display in this film from writer-director Iler Catak and co-writer Johannes Duncker. They have brilliantly crafted a terrific suspense thriller from the most unexpected setting and group of characters … a junior high school and the faculty and students.

Teacher Carla Nowak (Leone Benesch, THE WHITE RIBBON, “Babylon Berlin”) is new to the school, originally hailing from Poland. She’s the type of teacher who motivates students by having them think creatively and from different perspectives. We can immediately tell she’s as idealistic as she is passionate about her profession. When one of her students is accused of stealing money, she’s at odds with school principal Dr Bohm (Anne-Kathrin Gummich) on the interrogation of students, as well as the conference with the accused student’s parents.

It turns out there is quite an epidemic of theft and dishonesty at the school, and it extends to the titular teachers’ lounge where Carla herself witnesses an occurrence. Carla decides to set a trap using her laptop’s camera and her unattended wallet. When the camera ‘catches’ the sleeve of an unusual blouse print, Carla confronts the ‘obvious’ culprit, school administrator Ms. Kuhn (Eva Lobau), who adamantly denies the accusation. Further complicating matters, Carla shows the video to Dr Bohm, who promptly suspends Ms. Kuhn, who also happens to be the mother of Carla’s favorite student, Oskar (Leonard Stettnisch).

Carla’s best intentions seem to backfire at every turn. She believes in right and wrong, and also in forgiveness and second chances (especially for kids). Her anxiety heightens at each misstep, whether by her, the administration, or students. Soon, even Oskar is lashing out and threatening her, despite Carla’s attempt to shield him. Many find Carla’s use of the laptop camera more offensive than the actual theft, and the student newspaper journalists seize on this opportunity to incite rebellion and independence.

Much of what we witness on screen is the result of actions taken out of our sightline – we are left to make assumptions right alongside Carla. Film Editor Gesa Jager deserves special recognition for keeping us just a bit off balance. Emptying the teacher’s coffee fund, cheating on a test, defying the truth … all of these (and more) actions are used by filmmaker Catak in delivering a snapshot of a society where we no longer trust one another. Morality, integrity, misplaced concern, racism, classism … these all play a role here in delivering the message. Leone Benesch is exceptional in the lead role, and Eva Lobau goes full throttle in her attempts to show she was wronged. It’s a Rubik’s Cube that serves up our final message, as well as providing some hope that good intentions do sometimes pay off. Yesterday, it was announced that the film has been Oscar nominated for Best International Feature Film. A well-deserved honor.

Opens in theaters on January 26, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

CONCRETE UTOPIA (2023, S Korea)

December 6, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Dropping ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances is sure to generate some interesting cinematic results, and that’s what writer-director Tae-Hwa Eom and co-writer Lee Shin-ji do in South Korea’s official submission to this year’s Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The film opens with a devastatingly powerful earthquake in 2020 Seoul.

When the dust settles, the Hwang Gung Apartment building is still standing. This is in stark contrast to the surrounding rubble as far as the eye can see. The city lies in ruins, at least in this section of the heart of town. Initially things go as you’d hope with neighbors helping neighbors and families re-grouping and embracing. However, with temperatures dropping and other shelter impossible to find, the residents of the Hwang Gung Apartments become concerned about the influx of ‘outsiders’. As everyone becomes anxious about resources and supplies, the building residents begin to organize, and have soon voted to evict the outsiders, while naming one man, Yeong-tak (Lee Byung-hun) as the Delegate (leader) of their cause. This, after he is seen courageously sacrificing his own safety to put out a fire in an apartment.

The initial neighborly courtesies transition to self-preservation and protection of family. Much of the story focuses on one young couple, Min-sung (Park Seo-jun) and his wife, altruistic nurse Myung-hwa (Park Bo-young), who shows concern about human nature exposing the dark side for many of the fellow tenants. The apocalyptic or dystopian environment brings out the worst of many who seem unwilling to consider the proverbial ‘shoe on the other foot’. The residents organize into factions: anti-crime, rations, medical, maintenance, and waste management. The organization provides not just a way to occupy minds and keep residents alive, but also an ‘us against them’ mentality.

When Hye-won (Park Ji-hu), a Hwang Gung resident who was not there when the quake hit, makes her way back home, the tone shifts and the organization is exposed. She brings information about the Delegate, implying that he may not be the hero they presume him to be. This segment brings some flashbacks to just before the quake hit, allowing context that helps us understand more. Her arrival makes the third act even more emotional and frantic.

The politics of South Korea living spaces is touched upon in the opening, but director Eom is much more focused on exploring human nature … those ordinary folks in an extraordinary situation. Desperation leads to irrational thought and survival mode overrides all logic. Normal people become more militant, more unforgiving, and less charitable. What the apartment residents did not consider is that those “outsiders” (or “roaches”, as they are called) become even more desperate and their aggressiveness is certain to rise along with their will to survive.

Those living in South Korea will surely have an appreciation for the political aspects of the film, and everyone will recognize the warning signs of human nature when things go sideways – as they seem to quite frequently these days. Whether it’s political commentary or a precautionary tale, filmmaker Eom makes the points effectively.

Opening in NYC and LA on December 8, 2023 and nationwide on December 15, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

SALTBURN (2023)

November 21, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Emerald Fennell won an Oscar for her original screenplay of her dark and divisive debut feature film, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020). She’s back as writer-director of her second feature film, and it’s every bit as dark, and even more scathing in its takedown of the rich and entitled. We are also treated to yet another awkwardly disturbed character for the growing resume of Barry Keoghan.

Oliver Quick (Keoghan) is a newly arrived student of the Class of 2006 at Oxford, and it’s clear from the first moment that he doesn’t really fit in, whether it’s his clothes, not smoking, his uneasiness with his tutor, or his social ineptness. He becomes transfixed on the BMOC, Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi, fresh off his turn as Elvis in PRISCILLA). Felix is tall, handsome, charming, and rich. Life comes easy for him, and students are drawn to him – both male and female. He’s a modern-day aristocrat, and one day Oliver helps him out of a jam. This leads to a bonding, or more like worlds colliding. The first act is devoted to the development of this unexpected friendship, and leads to Felix inviting Oliver to spend the summer at his family estate … Saltburn.

Saltburn is nothing short of a magnificent castle. Felix’s eccentric family includes Farleigh (Archie Madekwe, GRAN TURISMO), an adopted “cousin” fellow Oxfor student who sees all but would never blow this gig; Venetia (Alison Oliver), the total mess of a daughter and sister; Poor Dear Pamela (Carey Mulligan), the total mess of a houseguest who has overstayed her welcome; Sir James Catton (Richard E Grant), the childlike father; and Espeth Catton (Rosamund Pike), the former model drama queen passive-aggressive mother. It’s a motley crew that puts ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ to shame for entitlement.

As the summer progresses, we see Oliver in action as he weasels his way into the good graces of some, while creating leverage over others. His non-descript looks, quiet demeanor, and background story lead some to protect him at the same time others distrust him. As viewers, it’s obvious to us that something isn’t right with Oliver, yet director Fennell and Keoghan’s performance keeps us hopeful that things won’t become too skewed. Those hopes are dashed once we see Keoghan’s first bathtub scene (and subsequent disturbing moments), and Fennell serves up multiple references to his mouth in letting us know it’s not to be trusted.

The third act goes full dark in a deliciously wicked manner with Fennell and Oscar winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren (LA LA LAND) creating an Old World style within a contemporary world. The film is perfectly cast with Elordi quite magnetic as Felix, the not-so-obscure object of Oliver’s desire. Madekwe is spot on as the turf-protecting Farleigh, and Grant and Pike make the perfectly mismatched couple of privilege. Alison Oliver delivers the film’s best scene with her bathtub monologue, while Keoghan nails the creepy Oliver (in line with his roles in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER, and THE BATMAN. He has become the go-to psychopath. He even combines humor and horror for his happy naked castle dance in this film that has THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY (1999) as its most obvious comparison. Ms. Fennell strikes another blow against the entitled elite, although we do wish she hadn’t spelled out everything to end the film … a bit of mystique would have worked.

Opening in theaters on November 22, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER (2023)

November 3, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Karen Dionne’s 2017 bestselling novel is the source of this film from director Neil Burger (THE ILLUSIONIST, 2006), and it has been adapted for the screen by co-writers Elle Smith and Mark L Smith (THE REVENANT, 2015). Having not read the book, I am unable to offer a comparison, however, it’s probable that the film moves at a faster pace and that the book fills in much detail that the two-hour runtime is forced to skip over. Typically, neither of this would result in an improvement, yet the performances are strong enough to generate enough tension and suspense to satisfy most viewers (if not the book’s fans).

Opening with some very cool shots through the marshlands, the story takes us deep in the forest as a father (Ben Mendelsohn) teaches survival skills to his 10-year-old daughter, Helena, played by Brooklynn Prince who was so memorable in THE FLORIDA PROJECT (2017). One of the lessons ends with the father proclaiming, “You must always protect your family.” Yes, it’s about as obvious as foreshadowing can get. There is a level of creepiness to the off-the-grid cabin living of Jacob, his daughter Helena, and Helena’s mother (Caren Pistorius, SLOW WEST), and once we realize the situation, it leaves us wishing we had experienced a bit more of the misery and fear that will ultimately determine the future of these three people (plus some others). In other words, the film shoots through this first act a bit too quickly.

We then flash forward twenty or so years, and find a grown-up Helena (Daisy Ridley) married to Stephen (Garrett Hedlund, MUDBOUND) living a comfortable suburban life as they raise their young daughter Marigold (Joey Carson). Helena has chosen not to tell Stephen her past, and that secret comes crashing down when her father Jacob (known as The Marsh King) escapes from prison and comes looking for her. Father and daughter reunite at the old cabin in the woods, and things go a bit bonkers; however, that earlier foreshadowing comes into play, and Helena finds herself utilizing those early daddy lessons against that same daddy.

Daisy Ridley has the physicality required to pull off this role and her resemblance to young Brooklynn Prince is uncanny. Mendelsohn is, as always, a menacing presence using subtle movements and that remarkable voice. A supporting nod goes to Gil Birmingham (HELL OR HIGH WATER, 2016) for a key role as well. At its best, the film (and I assume the book as well) captures the sometimes remarkable contrast between childhood perspective and that of a grownup. We can only hope that for most folks, it’s not similar to that of Helena.

Opening in theaters on November 3, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE KILLER (2023)

October 27, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. There is a reason I choose not to interview directors, writers, actors, or anyone else involved with the movies I watch and review. It’s because I prefer to evaluate based on what we see on screen rather than whether it’s the product of someone likable or not, quick witted or not, or passionate about their work or not. Anytime I start to waver on this approach, I’m quickly reminded why the decision was made. David Fincher is unquestionably one of the finest filmmakers working today. His work includes such films as SEVEN (1995), THE GAME (1997), FIGHT CLUB (1999), PANIC ROOM (2002), ZODIAC (2007), THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010), THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011), GONE GIRL (2014), and MANK (2020). Despite this remarkable resume of successful films, each new one deserves to be judged on its own … there is no extra credit for past brilliance.

The all-too-brief and remarkably cool opening credit sequence sets the stage for a film that looks absolutely marvelous. This leads us to an extended opening sequence where we learn about our titular cold-blooded assassin played by Michael Fassbender. It’s through his redundant narration that we learn about his meticulous and detail-oriented approach to a job that has made him a very wealthy man. He listens to various songs by The Smiths, does yoga in the dark, and repeats his mantras to keep himself centered and focused on the job at hand. After all, he cautions us that this job is only for those who can handle boredom – as if committing cold-blooded murder is somehow a more natural trait than handling down time on the job.

Getting to know the quirks and nature of this hitman is actually the highlight of the movie, because he botches this job in the worst possible manner, and then must step outside his norm to handle this ‘new’ development. When he discovers that his partner has been seriously wounded as fallout for his blown job, the Killer conveniently drops his ‘nothing personal’ mantra and proceeds to pursue very personal revenge.

SEVEN screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker has adapted the graphic novel written by Alexis Nolent and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, and Fincher is clearly having fun with the material. It’s not accurate to call this a dark comedy, but there are some comedic elements included to lighten things up a bit. Most of these struck me as a bit lame: shots at our societal dependence on name brands (Amazon, WeWork, Starbucks, etc), the Killer’s disguise as a ‘German tourist’, and the endless string of 1970’s sitcom names used in his travels (think “The Odd Couple”, “Happy Days”, and even “The Partridge Family”).

To ensure no viewer is left behind, the film is divided into six chapters highlighted by the geographic location and the reason for being there: Paris – the Target, Dominican Republic – the hangout, New Orleans – the lawyer, Florida – the brute, New York – the expert, and Chicago – the client. Each of these chapters involves a piece of the revenge puzzle, and include fine actors Charles Parnell, Tilda Swinton, and Arliss Howard. Ms. Swinton’s segment offers the most, but her presence is over much too soon. It’s the mano-y-mano fight with the brute that is the weakest, since the fight is so over-the-top that neither would walk away … yet Killer departs with only a scratch over his eye.

While most of the story seems too familiar and kind of ludicrous, the film itself is a work of art. Fassbender perfectly captures the icy killer, and Oscar winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt (MANK, 2020) delivers in the multitude of locales, as well as the action shots. Two-time Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross handle the score of this film that will undoubtedly be regarded more highly by most other critics than by me, since a line like WWJWBD simply falls flat in my mind.

Opens in theaters on October 27, 2023 and on Netflix beginning November 10

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Posted by David Ferguson

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