Film Review: “Free Fire”

Starring: Sharlto Copley, Brie Larson and Armie Hammer
Directed By: Ben Wheatley
Rated: R
Running Time: 90 minutes
A24

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

Guns, swearing and an ensemble cast. Sometimes that’s all you need. At least that might have been the idea behind “Free Fire,” a 90-minute dark comedy meant to entertain and amuse those sick enough to sift through its violence to unearth the humor and enjoy the over-the-top gunplay. “Free Fire” is heavy on style and short enough to justify the full-fledged warehouse shootout, but its lack of storytelling substance and handful of one-dimensional characters risks shooting it down entirely.

Chris (Cillian Murphy) and Frank (Michael Smiley) are representatives with IRA, in Boston to purchase weapons from gun runner, Vernon (Copley). Mediating for the gun runner is Ord (Hammer) and Justine (Larson) for the IRA. Each side has their own underlings to schlep the merchandise around and nothing seemingly goes right during the late night meet-up. Things come to a head when underlings from both sides know one another and before you know it, the bullets start flying.

There are enough off-the-cuff remarks to understand that a few people in the overall group are a part of an underlying double cross, even before things go South. However, there’s just not enough information to fully understand the backstabbing that was about to take place before all Hell broke loose. The secondary plot at work seems inconsequential when everyone’s ready to kill each other off until the bitter end. It’s a story full of bullet holes, but I doubt “Free Fire” was concerned about that.

The movie is written and directed by Bill Wheatley, who certainly has a unique and perceptive style. “Free Fire” is so tightly filmed; it truly feels like a never ending gun battle without a dull moment in sight, unless of course you loathe brainless violence. Wheatley’s no stranger to content that will certain hook some while completely turning off others. “High-Rise” is a movie that’s intentionally repugnant, rewarding those that dig through the putrid humanity for the meaning and infuriating for those that prefer a much cleaner, deeper message.

“Free Fire” doesn’t serve a purpose other than to entertain and pay homage to late-night action movies of the 70’s and 80’s. It’s certainly a movie that Quentin Tarantino would have watched at the video store he was employed at if “Free Fire” had come out about four decades ago. Of course that would have influenced Tarantino to make a better movie. I would have preferred a story to “Free Fire” and much meatier characters so that their sass had more of a bite and their deaths were more consequential.

If “Free Fire” fails at the box office, it’ll surely become a cult classic, but if it succeeds, it’ll be shuffled to the side as a retro tribute to bygone action films. Regardless, “Free Fire” is crass escapism with some of the best filmed gunplay in recent memory. If you’re hoping for a little oomph to the plot and characters, outside of witty one-liners, you’ll be disappointed. If I could make a recommendation with what should accompany this movie, it would be alcoholic beverages and friends who bring out the immaturity in you.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: armie hammer, Ben Wheatley, brie larson, cillian murphy, film review, free fire, ...

Film Review: “The Void”

Starring: Aaron Poole, Kathleen Munroe and Kenneth Welsh
Directed By: Jeremy Gillespie and Steven Kostanski
Rated: R
Running Time: 90 minutes
Screen Media Films

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

If John Carpenter’s creatures, Clive Barker’s perversions and the 80’s Satanic panic bent the laws of nature and had an unholy baby, it’d be “The Void.” For horror aficionados and special effects gore hounds, “The Void” is a visual buffet. But for those wanting a little bit more in terms of storytelling, they’ll find “The Void” to be full of empty calories. As someone who can appreciate both, I feel that “The Void” is a scene setter for an idea bigger than what the directors could envision.

Officer Daniel (Poole) is awoken from a casual nap in his police cruiser by an injured man stumbling out of the woods. He rushes the blood-soaked stranger to an area hospital where the night shift is more focused on a different, new hospital they’ll soon be operating in. The old hospital is on the cusp of closing down after a mysterious fire. The barebones staff can’t wait to pack everything up and move.

The key players is Daniel’s emotionally distant wife, Alison (Munroe), whose sought comfort in Dr. Powell’s (Welsh) sage advice and comforting demeanor. There’s also a pregnant teenager, a clumsy CNA, a vengeful father and a decent handful disposable side characters. They hunker down as trouble arrives in the form of cloaked cult members armed with knives. They gather ominously outside the hospital, attacking anyone who dares attempt to leave, but that’s not the worst of their problems. That comes in the form of a monstrous blood-soaked blob made up of various limbs, body parts and tentacles stalking the hospital halls.

The storytelling is suspect. It’s a Frankenstein of nearly all body horror films from the 80’s, like “Hellraiser,” “The Thing,” “Re-Animator,” and “Night of the Demons.” Most other times I’d be frustrated that a movie would so blatantly steal page after page out of different movies scripts, but it’s clear that there’s a level of reverence and homage to these movies. Everything from the special effects to the tropes is out of respect and admiration, not parody or theft.

But the non-existence of originality in “The Void” hurts it a lot. The lack of personal ingenuity on the director’s end makes the movie forgettable. It’s a great throwaway, midnight creature feature, but the story and its characters yearn for to have their own novelty. The relationship between Officer Daniel and Alison should feel more exclusive, rather than a side note on a lengthy journey through religious evil and hell on Earth.

There are moments that hint towards a grander scheme at work as well as a few simple aesthetics to create an exclusive experience for fans of horror. For 90 minutes, it’s a wonderful sensory experience in terror, but there’s nothing narratively juicy enough for me to sink my teeth into and chew on. “The Void” is an ambitious project, deserving of praise for what it does right, but it’s difficult to overlook its failure to satisfy the tastes of those who crave more.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: aaron poole, film review, jeremy gillespie, jeremy werner, kathleen munroe, kenneth welsh, ...

Film Review: “Power Rangers”

Starring: Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott and RJ Cyler
Directed By: Dean Israelite
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 124 minutes
Lionsgate

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

As a Millennial, I watched the “Power Rangers,” but I was not old enough or smart enough yet to do it ironically. Every day after school I’d plop my butt in front of the TV and watch a mindless repackaged Japanese TV show and enjoyed it like it was high art. My mom even suffered through the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie” in theaters so I could get my fix. But here’s the thing, I couldn’t tell you a single Ranger’s name, villain or plot from the shows or movie. So it wasn’t memorable for me, but I’m sure the agony of having to endure it still lingers with my parents. Well, they’ll be happy to know what goes around has come around.

A prologue, millions of years in the past on Earth, sets the stage. We see that circular crystal discs are what give powers to the Rangers, an elite class of protectors. Cut to the future where we meet the next batch of Rangers, but they don’t know it yet. This is the movie’s first mistake as it spends an awful lot of time setting up Jason (Montgomery), a directionless high school football superstar who plans a juvenile prank that ruins his life. He ends him flipping his truck, damaging his knee and being relegated to detention, seemingly forever.

In detention he meets Kimberly (Scott), a former cheerleader who’s betrayed her friend’s trust, and Billy (Cyler), a brainy, yet slightly autistic student who we’ll eventually come to find out is the only originally pure of heart teenager in this movie. “Power Rangers” eventually introduces Trini (Becky G) and Zack (Ludi Lin), but never cares enough to give us any background information on them until right before the third act. But by that point it feels unnecessarily crammed in, like most of the film’s character development.

The movie sometimes chooses to be subtle with its character’s traits, yet at other times slaps audiences across the face with thick intelligence insulting exposition. But this is one of many problems plaguing “Power Rangers.” The movie never seems to settle on if it’s for a new generation of young “Power Ranger” fans or nauseous nostalgia for those who grew up in the 90’s. It’s a mix of both, but the direction choices clash so much, it makes for a jarring cinematic experience.

At times we get that TV safe Saturday morning feel from our future Rangers, like cutesy physical humor montages and a “Kingpin” joke about “milking” a cow, but other times we get blasts of teenage reality like the fallout of revenge porn and drowning your sorrows in beer. I’ll admit that the latter makes the characters a lot more human and relatable, but none of it feels natural. The happenstance of how they all meet and become friends is about as logical as a Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Banks playing intergalactic warriors who’ve been comatose for millions of years, simply waiting for the right moment to awake.

Cranston, as Zordon, is mildly wasted here, as his only on-screen performance is on a green-screen set covered in thick make-up. He shows up throughout the rest of the movie as a disembodied voice attached to a CGI grid screen, dispensing plot points and ridiculing the teenagers for not being able to come together as a team. Cranston’s delivery is too serious, never taking on the role as mentor. However, he’s complimented by the jokey robot, Alpha 5 (Bill Hader), who seems to fluctuate between hammy and cynical.

Banks plays the movie’s main villain, Rita. She’s the only one in the movie who chews on the green screen scenery. There are moments where Rita is truly delightful to watch because of how cheeky Banks’ delivers her dialogue, but there are certain elements to Rita that are unnecessarily included like when she commits cold-blooded murder or when she crawls across the screen like Regan spider walking in “The Exorcist.”

“Power Rangers” is glum and tonally frustrating, relying on concepts found in the recent trend of gritty reboots while attempting to be a self-serious homage to the original TV show. There are obvious editing flaws that even the average moviegoer should notice. It’s either bad storytelling and pacing or a baby playing with the buttons in the editing studios. Compounding these frustrations is a blatant product placement that would make NASCAR cringe. Was a “Power Rangers” movie ever supposed to be good? No. But it’s not supposed to be this bad.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: becky g, bill hader, bryan cranston, dacre montgomery, dean israelite, elizabeth bank, ...

Film Review: “Table 19”

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson
Directed By: Jeffrey Blitz
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 87 minutes
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

The indie dramedy genre is generally characterized by it’s portrayal of a dysfunctional family, a haphazard group of friends or a bumbling arrangement of strangers in a scenario where there are multiple revelations, declarations and betrayals, soaked in sappy sentimentality and feel-good moments. Very rarely do the movies give audiences a cathartic release or genuinely move our hearts and soul. However, a few do. “Little Miss Sunshine” comes to mind. But most of these films are a dime a dozen, floundering on their own predictability or offering audiences brief, but humorous escapism. “Table 19” does both.

“Table 19” is named after the wedding table where the people who got an invitation, but should have known better and declined the offer, showed up. It’s the final table to be set and have it’s food delivered at the wedding. It’s brushed to the corner of the banquet hall, near the bathrooms and out of sight. The table 19 occupants are equally as random as their connection to the bride or groom. It almost makes you wonder if the nicer thing would have been to just never have sent an invitation at all.

There’s the heart-broken, former best friend of the bride and ex-maid of honor, Eloise (Kendrick). To her left is the Kepps, Bina (Kudrow) and Jerry (Robinson), whose marriage is struggling so bad they don’t even bother keeping up the appearance of smiling happiness or tolerable hatred anymore. To Eloise’s right is the adolescent Rezno (Tony Revolori), who’s only at the wedding because his mom didn’t think he had a chance of scoring a date or dance at his junior prom. Rounding out the table is ex-convict, Walter (Stephen Merchant) and a nanny from the past, Jo (June Squibb).

There’s a lot of emotion and backstory to unpack, but “Table 19” reveals a lot of it without sacrificing a handful of entertaining moments. Most of it unfolds naturally, in a manner that’s logical to the scant plot. Jerry loves mystery novels and wonders why such an oddball group would be stuck at the worst table. Eloise provides the answer, while withholding some secrets as to why she, a jilted lover, would bother showing up to the wedding her ex-boyfriend is at and why the couple even broke up in the first place.

Kendrick, as usual, is bubbly, likable and cute. It’d be interesting to see if she’d be able to pull off the villain in a movie someday. Merchant’s awkwardness as Walter provides some much needed comic relief that isn’t Jerry’s sardonic bluntness about the whole situation. The audience will surely relate with a lot of the characters on screen, but only because their plights are so generic. Despite my complaints about its reliance on indie tropes, I found myself enjoying the funny quirks each character carried as well as how the story resolved. The conclusion is the one thing I couldn’t quite predict.

The movie is written by the Duplass brothers, who’ve worked on a lot of indie dramedies, some bad and some well-written. What’s missing from their brand is the uncomfortable comedy that should be populating their envisioned settings. That’s where director Jeffrey Blitz comes in, whose work includes episodes of “The Office.” Together, the writers and director, create a passable movie, skirting on secondhand embarrassment, but nothing memorable or outstanding.

“Table 19” has some heartfelt performances and some jaunty comedic moments, but too often it finds itself lost in its own plotting and backstory. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if we’re supposed to enjoy the characters company because they’re emotionally disfigured buffoons or sympathetic damaged souls. Even at 87 minutes, it feels like it takes too long to tell a simple story. At times its sappy like any love story culminating at a wedding, but sometimes you feel like you’ve shown up to a wedding you don’t want to be at.

 

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: anna kendrick, craig robinson, film review, jay duplass, jeffrey blitz, jeremy werner, ...

Film Review: “Get Out”

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams and Catherine Keener
Directed By: Jordan Peele
Rated: R
Running Time: 103 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 4 out 5 Stars

Something’s not right. It’s not just the subtle and blatant racism by Rose’s (Williams) family, but it’s the growing sense of dread that the audience experiences through the eyes of Chris (Kaluuya). Every other African-American that Chris encounters wears clothes straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting and speaks in uncomfortable pleasantries. Even worse is that when talking to these African-American’s Chris feels like he’s talking with every other white person he’s encountered at the family event.

Despite the blunt, and comedic, warnings of one of his friends, Chris is visiting the relatives of his five-month girlfriend. Rose tells him that she hasn’t mentioned she’s dating a black guy to her family, but she assures him it’s perfectly OK. She even tells him that her father (Bradley Whitford) would have voted for Obama for a third time if he could have. He later shoehorns that racially motivated banter into conversation as a way to get to know her daughter’s new boyfriend, as if her father assumes all black people voted for the 44th President. The awkward remarks and comments aren’t fooling Chris though. Something’s definitely not right.

For those familiar with Jordan Peele, who’s worked in television sketch comedy for over a decade, it might come as a surprise that his directorial debut is satirical horror, that’s a lot heavier on the tension than it is the jokes. The comedy is served up as a way to divide viewer apprehension, which there’s plenty of. Peele has a keen eye for unnerving the audience with numerous close-up shots, specific musical arrangements in even more specific spots, and performances that convey a sinister plot hidden deep in suburbia.

Peele, throughout his comedic career, has dropped muted and blunt horror movies references and “Get Out” is no different. For horror aficionados, there are plenty of nods, homages and stylistic choices reminiscent of Wes Craven, Stanley Kubrick and others. But for those in on the trick of the trade, you’ll find more to “Get Out” than its director’s love of scares as the film progresses. The social and racial commentary is sprinkled throughout and just not in Rose’s eerie, grinning family.

Chris, as well as his friend who keeps in constant contact with back home, seem to be the only ones that understand racism is still a thing. It’s seen early on with a policeman taking a statement after Rose hits a deer with her vehicle. Despite her being the driver, the officer still asks for Chris’ ID. That’s a more obvious statement by the film, but there are plenty of other moments shrouded behind smiling faces and looks, demeaning questions, and using undignified nicknames when talking with Chris.

The boogeyman in “Get Out” isn’t anything supernatural, but very real. As a white man who’s sat through plenty of horror movies, rarely do I ever get two distinct impressions. One, I am the boogeyman. Two, this is what the average black man deals with. The movie even begins with a nod to the Trayvon Martin incident as a black man walks through suburbia at night, thinking out loud about what George Zimmerman is lurking just around the corner.

As politically and socially carnivorous as “Get Out” is, it’s never victimizes black people or vilifies white people. The terror is real, projecting minority’s real world fears onto a plot revolving around body horror, brainwashing and 21st century slavery. It helps that Chris doesn’t find himself in the stereotypical backwoods, but in a picturesque homestead where everyone’s educated, nice and welcoming. But as I stated at the beginning, something’s not right. If “Get Out” is any indication, Peele is not only a refreshing voice for horror, but may have just steered the genre in a completely new direction that’s wildly exciting, scary and ferocious.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: allison williams, blumhouse, bradley whitford, catherine keener, Daniel Kaluuya, film review, ...

Film Review: “The Red Turtle”

Directed By: Michael Dudok de Wit
Rated: PG
Running Time: 80 minutes
Sony Pictures Classic

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Since 2013, Studio Ghibli has been without Hayao Miyazaki. The creatively diverse, ever-promising studio has seemingly been stuck in a holding pattern. When a found is no longer present, it’s understandable for a production studio to shuffle its feet while trying to find some new footing. Ghibli’s first theatrical step since Miyazaki’s departure may have come in the form of a multi-national collaboration.

“The Red Turtle” isn’t really a story, more than it’s a visual journey. In many ways, it’s a fable without dialogue, taking viewers on a curious excursion. The movie begins with an unnamed man, clinging to life in a furious sea storm. He awakens, stranded on an island that has the most basic of essentials; a small cluster of ponds to drink fresh water from, various fruits to quell his hunger, and bamboo to craft a getaway raft. The only thing preventing his escape is an expressionless red turtle.

Someone with rudimentary observational skills would view “The Red Turtle” as simplistic storytelling without purpose. But the removal of dialogue requires the viewer to take in more than they normally would. You pay more attention to the thinly drawn facial expression changes, the grunts, the various orchestral selections and the nameless man’s dreams that spill into reality. I can tell you what “The Red Turtle” means to me, but this is multi-layered movie that relays a different message for those willing to watch.

I viewed the “The Red Turtle” as a thoughtful reflection about mankind’s need to reconnect with nature in a meaningful way, less we want to wind up alone on this floating blue ball called Earth. It’s not necessarily an environmental message that I took away, but one of humanity’s casual disrespect. We merely take what we need and seem frustrated when nature responds, not with violence, but with curiosity about why we don’t stop in breathe it all in. Once the nameless man works with nature, instead of against it, he begins to be happy and see the island as a miniature slice of heaven.

But like I said, others will take away a much different and distinct opinion from the subtext. This kind of opinion is true for most films, but “The Red Turtle” is crafted in such a way that if there is a true message to be consumed, it’s cleverly hidden beneath a lot of optical substance. Without giving too much away, there are deep themes about family dynamics, the destructive habits that nature and mankind reciprocally share, the mutual survivalism every creature on Earth is enduring, and that’s just a few.

While “The Red Turtle” is a metaphorical delight, it’s pace sometimes is slower than a casual stroll, seemingly padding it’s runtime so it could be considered a feature length film. This is a story that may have benefitted from a shorter runtime, but then again it may have lacked a lot of philosophical richness that viewers would be able to sink their teeth into. “The Red Turtle” is not only a stellar animation endeavor, but a soothing delight that reflects the human soul.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: film review, hayao miyazaki, jeremy werner, michael dudok de wit, studio ghibli, the red turtle, ...

Film Review: “The Girl with All the Gifts”

Starring: Gemma Arterton, Glenn Close and Sennia Nanua
Directed By: Colm McCarthy
Rated: R
Running Time: 111 minutes
Saban Films

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

If it bites like a zombie, moves like a zombie, and growls like a zombie, it’s probably a zombie. That’s not the case though in “The Girl with All the Gifts.” Their zombies haven’t necessarily died and become reanimated monsters that crave human flesh and/or brains. Instead, a fungal infection is the culprit behind the mindless, violent masses stalking this post-apocalyptic world. The spores sprout and creep into the brain, like a vine weaving its way into a home’s foundation, causing a human to lose their mental prowess and become monotonous cannibals.

While the sight of a human would usually send a stereotypical film zombie into a tizzy, the zombies in “The Girl with All the Gifts” only react to scent and sound. Also in this dystopian future, where the last remaining humans have stowed away in heavily guarded forts, there’s a third, hybrid group that co-exists. It’s made up of second-generation children, born from a human turned zombie. They’re almost like a bridge between the two, exhibiting human emotions and intellect, but excited to sink their teeth into flesh and organs at a moment’s notice.

The elementary and middle-school aged children keep their inhibitions in check, but just the mere whiff of someone’s stench sends them chomping at flesh, snarling at people and attempting to escape their restraints. The most intelligent and articulate of the group is Melanie (Nanua). She’s also the best at keeping her animalistic urges in check while her entire class acts like starved sharks when a drop of blood hits the water.

Most everyone at the military base, whether its army men with assault rifles, apprehensive school teachers or scientists, is petrified of the children; except two people. Miss Helen (Arterton) sees humanity’s salvation in them. While Miss Helen may pine for the days before the apocalypse, she thinks that these kids are more than just a potential cure, but have true value in shaping the future of the world. Dr. Caldwell (Close) on the other hand picks the brains of the children, literally and intellectually.

“The Girl with All the Gifts” is based on a book of the same, where the writer most likely stole a few pages out of “The Walking Dead” playbook, incorporating emotion, character study, and morality into the zombie genre. Video gamers will get more of a Deja vu feeling as the fungal infection and foliage rich cities feel reminiscent of the PlayStation 3 game, “The Last of Us.” Despite some of the clear and possible influences, “The Girl with All the Gifts” avoids a lot of cliché pitfalls and is a solid addition to the zombie genre that’s been struggling to find anything fresh lately

Even with the star power of Glenn Close, the movie is led by the heartfelt, yet terrifying, performance of a 12-year-old actress. Sennia Nanua counterbalances the dire outlook in “The Girl With all the Gifts” with a curious coming-of-age story. If Melanie didn’t have dried blood on her lips and face half the time, she could be the Katniss of the zombie world. Melanie faces a lot of stark realizations about the real world as the movie progresses. Her adolescent transformation is quick, nuanced and captivating.

Melanie’s fresh grasp of the world, past, present and future, is integral, but it’s her relationships with Miss Helen and Dr. Caldwell that set-up a profound third act. It takes a while to get to the crux of it because the story meanders, but during that downtime, there are some solid moments. It’s there we find out about how the human mind and spirit can overcome carnal urges. It helps the audience better understand the painfully tragic choices we have to make when reality stares us down in the face.

The outcome will most likely be viewed as grim, but it’s important to keep in mind the lessons that Melanie picks up along the way. It’s interesting to watch a genre, generally rich with fear and cynicism, find a more impactful message about humanity’s selfish existence and fear of nature. “The Girl with All the Gifts” adds some intelligence to the brain dead genre by being more sensitive and curious about the human story developing on screen than it is with making the audience jump in their seats.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: colm mccarthy, film review, gemma arterton, glenn close, jeremy werner, sennia nanua, ...

Film Review: “The Great Wall”

Starring: Matt Damon, Tian Jing and Willem Dafoe
Directed By: Yimou Zhang
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 103 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

12th century China looks weird. And it’s not just because of Matt Damon’s scraggly face sticking out like a sore thumb. There’s been a lot of vocal concerns by the mainstream media that “The Great Wall” is whitewashing history, but don’t worry. The movie isn’t historical in any way shape or form. But it does manage to explain why Damon’s character is there. He’s a European merchant in search of gunpowder. He talks about how gunpowder is a rumor, fantasized about by Western powers. If someone were to find it, take it, and bring it back, they would receive untold fortunes.

That’s logical. In fact it’s the only logical thing in this illogical movie. Sure Damon has a bland accent that disappears half the time and it’s not quite clear what nationality his character is, but it’s not the explosive controversy that’s being portrayed on “Good Morning America” right now. This movie is about as historically accurate as Mel Brook’s “History of the World, Part I.” It solidifies that fact when we’re introduced to the CGI asteroid demon creatures that have been spent centuries attempting to invade China.

That’s not a glaring typo or a misplaced sentence fragment from another review. There are green monsters that come from a lemon lime radiating space rock populating the screen. These creatures are of a hive mind, following orders from an ominous queen. These green monsters apparently want to invade ancient China because…well…the movie never answers that. It’s frustrating because the writers couldn’t even bother to steal a page from the “Starship Troopers” playbook.

The queen alien, who’s very unimpressive compared to her underlings, isn’t just some animalistic creature without a shred of intellect. There’s a drive behind her as she meticulously plans out traps, devises battle plans, and evolves her army’s military tactics over decades. “The Great Wall” explain too much without ever explaining any of the basic groundwork. This should be stupid fun time at the movies, but it’s interjections of seemingly random alien rationale and ramshackle attempts at historical precedent are befuddling.

“The Great Wall” can never make up its mind on if it wants to be a serious attempt at a summer blockbuster or fantasy alternative history. It can’t be both and fails at being either one. I didn’t expect much walking in. I truly didn’t. I expected a 2017-style “Gods of Egypt” tax write off for Universal, but that’s not what I got. Even while my brain was on cruise control I managed to pick up on the poor plot pacing and subpar storytelling. That’s not a good thing.

The saving grace in “The Great Wall” is its half-hearted attempt at likable characters. It helps that Damon most likely knew they were filming hot garbage and played into its schlock. But I lacked beer and friends to appreciate the pricey travesty I was witnessing on screen. There’s no doubt that it’s visually intense and the set designs are meticulously detailed and gorgeous, but this is a rough movie to like or even recommend.

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Filed Under: Film Reviews, Movies Tagged With: film review, jeremy werner, matt damon, the great wall, tian jing, willem dafoe, ...
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