REVIEW: “Extraction” (2020)

April 27, 2020 by Keith Garlington

I was only a few minutes into Netflix’s new action flick “Extraction” and I could already see the markings from several movies that came before it. The main character, the story’s central conceit, even the ending to a degree are elements we’ve seen before. But not every movie needs to shatter the mold especially when making a genre film. Sometimes it’s enough to do what you’re doing well. “Extraction” does what it does well.

The film reunites Chris Hemsworth with Anthony and Joe Russo, the sibling duo known for directing some of the best films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (“Infinity War”, “Endgame”, and the last two Captain America pictures). Here the brothers serve as producers with the younger brother Joe writing the screenplay. In the director’s chair sits Sam Hargrave who was the stunt coordinator on “Endgame” and “Captain America: Civil War”. So as you as you can see, there are several big budget connections at work on “Extraction”.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Hemsworth plays Tyler Rake (yep, that’s his name), a hard-drinking mercenary who is hired to retrieve and extract the teenaged son of a drug lord. The boy, named Ovi (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), was kidnapped in Mumbai and taken to Dhaka, Bangladesh by a rival gangster named Amir Asaf (Priyanshu Painyuli). From prison Ovi’s father threatens his top henchman Saju (Randeep Hooda) – “You want your son to see his next birthday? Then get mine back.”

Tyler gets the contract from his colleague, Nik Khan (the always enjoyable Golshifteh Farahani). It’s a high-stakes job but nothing a cash-strapped loner with a death wish would pass up on. So Tyler heads to Dhaka and grabs the kid in a thrilling hyper-violent exchange that sets the table for the R-rated carnage to come. Things ratchet up when it becomes clear Ovi’s father doesn’t intend to pay the contract. Instead Saju is in Dhaka to kill Tyler and take the boy. Meanwhile Asaf gets wind that Tyler has Ovi and orders the corrupt local police to lock down the city and hunt them down.

Despite the boy now being expendable Tyler refuses to leave him, promising Ovi he’ll get him out of Dkaka. It’s partly paternal instinct, but mostly a quest for redemption. So with two enemies closing in, Tyler takes Ovi into the heart of the crowded city. It culminates in one of the best action scenes I’ve seen in years – an electrifying 10-minute sequence shot as one continuous take. It starts with a car chase, moves to a shootout, throws in a knife fight before finishing with another car chase. It’s a work of brilliance from Hargrave and his DP Newton Thomas Sigel.

Aside from being exceptionally well-choreographed, the action works because Hargrave shoots it clearly and distinctly. No frantic quick-cuts or headache-inducing shaky cams. It’s allowed to play out in front of the camera instead of being chopped up in the editing room. It’s an applause-worthy choice and a welcomed change from what we often get. The action is also helped by the physicality Hemsworth brings. Neatly shorn and Mjölnir-free, the Aussie fights with a ferocity and grit unlike anything he’s done before.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Performance-wise Hemsworth is limited by a role that mainly asks him to show intensity and brood. It makes sense within the story. He’s a broken and tortured man with bullets whizzing by in nearly ever frame. Thankfully there a couple of scenes where he gets to soften a bit and the script gives us a glimpse inside of his character. Hemsworth sells them well. Outside of the nameless, faceless contributors to the body count (and there are a ton of them), the main antagonist does fare as well. He’s more of a thinly sketched caricature – evil and abhorrent but without an ounce of depth.

But in the movie’s defense, it is very self-aware. It doesn’t want to be character study or a think piece. It’s not interested in commentary or metaphors. Instead “Extraction” is a throwback to the better action movies of the late 80’s to mid-90’s. It’s straightforward, unapologetic and an absolute blast. At the same time, debut director Sam Hargrave pushes his film to be more than just another genre entry. He brings an expertise and enthusiasm that shows itself in every fight, every shootout, and every chase.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “Atlantics” (2019)

April 24, 2020 by Keith Garlington

In 2019 French-African director Mati Diop had the distinguished (and overdue) honor of being the first black woman to compete for the main prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Impressively, her first feature film “Atlantics” finished in second place behind Bong Joon Ho’s exceptional “Parasite”. That’s quite the debut.

“Atlantics” is a genre defying drama that opens like a documentary and ends as a poignant supernatural romance. In between we get a police procedural, a creepy ghost story, an examination of class injustice, and a rarely-seen look at Europe’s refugee crisis. Diop sets her film in the Senegalese coastal capital of Dakar where an ultra-modern skyscraper is being built. This is where we first meet a poor construction worker named Souleiman (Ibrahima Traore).

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

The film opens at a pretty high temperature as we see Souleiman and other frustrated laborers confronting their foreman. It turns out they’ve been stiffed out of three months worth of wages by the wealthy businessman in charge who refuses to answer the foreman’s calls. Discouraged and fed up, Souleiman and his friends head back to their village on the outskirts of the city.

Diop makes a surprising shift by introducing Ada (Mame Bineta Sane) and making her the lead character. She and Souleiman are in love but cultural/religious tradition has her set to marry the wealthy Omar (Babacar Sylla). The day before her arranged wedding Souleiman and several fellow construction workers vanish after secretly hopping a boat for Spain. Strange events begin to occur following their disappearance including a series of fires which police detective Issa (Amadou Mbow) is called to investigate.

It’s here that Diop makes yet another unexpected shift which I won’t spoil. It’s an interesting twist (if you want to call it that) even if it doesn’t come across as fully thought out. It brings a supernatural element that’s never really explained in a satisfying way. I’m not saying I need rules and thorough guidelines to how things like this work in a movie. But here it’s required that we simply go with it and I couldn’t help but have some questions.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

While the final act of “Atlantics” may lack some narrative detail, the film as a whole lacks nothing when it comes to its visual style. Diop has such a clear and perceptive eye. She and cinematographer Claire Mathon use the camera as an essential storytelling tool. Some scenes are shot with a dreamy haze imbuing them with an evocative, otherworldly quality. Others simply focus on the gentle ceaseless sway of the Atlantic Ocean as various levels of sunlight dance on the surface.

The metaphor-rich imagery speaks to many of the feelings at the heart of Diop’s film – loneliness, betrayal, an ever-present longing. But they also convey a silent rage towards the many injustices vividly portrayed throughout this haunting tale. It’s one of several indicators that this the work of smart and savvy filmmaker we all should keep our eye on.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Lost Husband” (2020)

April 23, 2020 by Keith Garlington

After watching the trailer for Vicky Wight’s new film “The Lost Husband” I was immediately left with a “no thanks, seen it before” impression. But over the years trailers have proven that looks can be deceiving and I love being surprised. Now I’m not claiming this movie brings anything particularly fresh or is breaking any new ground. But it’s a thoughtful, feel-good story which is something we all could use right now.

Much of the story is built around a pretty familiar framework. A hurting woman meets a hunky man. They clash at first but then that inevitable spark is ignited. You know the rest. But Wight makes one pivotal choice that ends up setting her film apart from so many of its kind. She puts her focus squarely on her lead character Libby (Leslie Bibb). It turns out this isn’t a movie about a woman finding love. It’s about a woman finding her way. The prospect of love is certainly an ingredient, but it’s hardly the emphasis.

Photo Courtesy of Quiver Distribution

Libby is still reeling from the death of her husband Danny. In the opening scene she and their two children are leaving her mother’s house in Houston and heading to her Aunt Jean’s (Nora Dunn) farm in rural central Texas. There is a lot of family baggage that goes with her and the movie spends much of its time unpacking it. Suffice it to say Libby and her domineering mother Marsha (Sharon Lawrence) don’t get along. To make matters worse, an ugly scar from their past has left sisters Marsha and Jean at each other’s throats.

Libby only plans to stay at the farm until she can get on her feet. Jean, a widow herself, needs a new farmhand, but before putting her to work Libby needs to be trained. Enter James O’Conner (Josh Duhamel), Jean’s “farm manager”. He reluctantly (it’s always reluctance) agrees to show his city slicker pupil the basics on milking goats, pitching hay, and the importance of opening and shutting gates. That last one provides a metaphor that becomes more obvious as the movie moves forward.

Yes, an attraction springs up between Libby and O’Connor. Yes, we get some of the predictable ‘city girl on a farm‘ humor. Yes, nearly everyone has a secret. But those things are made bearable by Wight’s clear-eyed intent. Her movie never loses sight of Libby’s plight, even during the scattered moments of cheesiness and the couple of scenes that feel like they belong in a different movie (take a strange seance sequence for instance). Grief, family conflict, reconciliation – just some of the prominent themes Wight thoughtfully navigates.

Photo Courtesy of Quiver Distribution

It helps to have an engaging performance from your lead. There’s something a little different about Bibb’s work that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It took some time for me to get in step with it, but I ended up drawn to the personality she brings to her character. And Duhamel brings a pickup truck full of charm but there is a subtly to his performance that keeps him out of cliche territory. And it’s very much a supporting role, further emphasizing the movie’s broader interests.

If you skip the forgettable trailer and misleading title you’ll find that “The Lost Husband” has more to offer than you might think. It is hampered by a couple of standard-issue genre tropes, some spotty child performances, and a couple of story angles that needed more attention. But at the core of the movie is a solid story centered on a lead character you root for from the start. And while not perfect, there couldn’t be a better time for a movie like this to come along.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

First Glance (kinda): “Venom…2”?

April 22, 2020 by Keith Garlington

I’m not going to spend much time on this and will do a proper First Glance once we get the final trailer. But let me just say this is how you first tease your movie! Venom, Carnage, that ominous music, the blood red Symbiote. Enjoy!

RETRO REVIEW: “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1989)

April 22, 2020 by Keith Garlington

Imagine pitching this idea to studio heads – two air-headed slackers use a time-hopping telephone booth to gather great historical figures for their end-of-the-year history project. I wouldn’t call that the easiest sell. But what originated as a college stand-up routine ended up turning a nice profit, spawned a sequel, an animated TV series, even a breakfast cereal. I wonder who ever saw that coming?

“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” came from the writing duo of Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. The two college friends conceived the idea, winning over director Stephen Herek who told The Hollywood Reporter that he knew the film was “either going to be a huge hit or a huge flop“. After a roller-coaster production including hundreds of auditions, budget constraints, and a rewritten ending, “Bill & Ted” released in February of 1989 to mediocre reviews. But over time it has been reevaluated and the two lovable goofballs have found themselves a following.

Photo Courtesy of Orion Pictures

Set in San Dimas, California 1988, best buddies Bill S. Preston Esquire (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves) are more interested in their not-so-good rock band Wyld Stallyns than something silly like passing their history class. But they get a rude awakening when their teacher (the always fun Bernie Casey) informs them that if they don’t get an A+ on their history project they will flunk his class. Even worse, Ted’s draconian father threatens to send his son with military school in Alaska if he doesn’t pass the course.

While studying outside of their local Circle K, a time machine phone booth suddenly appears and out of it walks George Carlin (of all people). He plays Rufus, a time traveler from 2688 who has come back to help Bill and Ted ace their history project. Why you ask? Turns out that future humanity now live in utopian bliss thanks to the music of Wyld Stallyns. If the boys fail, Ted gets sent to Alaska, Wyld Stallyns never happens, you get the picture.

So Rufus gives Bill and Ted the keys to the phone booth. Things start a little rocky after they inadvertently bring Napoleon Bonaparte back to modern day. But it ends up inspiring the duo (not exactly known for their genius). They begin making other stops in the past, scooping up some of history’s greatest (and in same cases most notorious) celebrities including Socrates (affectionately mispronounced “so -crates”), Billy the Kid, Beethoven, Genghis Khan, Sigmund Freud, Joan of Arc (played by Jane Wiedlin from The Go-Go’s), and of course Abraham Lincoln.

Photo Courtesy of Orion Pictures

Obviously such a ridiculous plan will have its share of kinks and the filmmakers have fun working them out. But what really makes the movie click is the playful buddy chemistry between Reeves and Winter. Charmingly dimwitted from start to finish, their silly banter and “most triumphant” air guitar rewards those who come at the story with a lighthearted approach. If the duo doesn’t work for you, neither will the movie. Everything else is pretty much dressing and/or part of the joke. It’s Bill and Ted’s movie from start to finish.

“Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” is every bit as absurd as it sounds, and that’s a compliment. Rewatching it, I was quickly reminded why it didn’t win any awards. Its skin-deep storytelling doesn’t have an ounce of nuance and the special effects definitely reflect the budget. But I was also reminded of why the movie still has a vocal, fun-loving following. It’s such a happy, good-natured escape that couldn’t take anything serious if it tried. Is that enough to make it worth your time? Totally!

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Love Wedding Repeat” (2020)

April 21, 2020 by Keith Garlington

I like romantic comedies. I genuinely do. They have been around since practically the beginning of movies. In fact I cut my classic cinema teeth on several early rom-coms including “Bringing Up Baby”, “The Philadelphia Story”, and “It Happened One Night”. But over the last few years romantic comedies have arguably become the most frustrating genre and finding a good one is getting harder and harder.

That’s not to say we don’t still get a few winners. But unfortunately too many end up like the new Netflix Original ” Love Wedding Repeat”, a promising yet exasperating movie that comes off as an R-rated Hallmark Channel flick and a “Four Weddings and a Funeral” knock-off. Writer-director Dean Craig puts a handsome cast together, but some spotty chemistry and dreadfully uneven humor undermine everything else. It’s kind of like a wedding cake – beautifully decorated but bland and tasteless.

A prologue begins with an Englishman named Jack (Sam Claflin) looking into a bathroom mirror and giving himself a pep talk. Turns out he just spent a magical weekend in Rome with Dina (Olivia Munn), an American friend of his sister and an aspiring war journalist. The two have really hit it off and now he hopes to seal it with a kiss. During their romantic nighttime stroll they stop by a fountain. The music swells and their eyes lock. The two move in closer and……in pops an obnoxious college buddy to shatter the moment. It’s one of those maddening movie instances that could have been fixed with one glaringly obvious line of dialogue. We don’t get it, so Jack and Dina go their separate ways.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Fast-forward three years. It’s wedding day for Jack’s manic sister Hayley (Eleanor Tomlinson) who is set to marry Roberto (Tiziano Caputo) at a posh Italian villa. Jack is essentially the wrangler, not only tasked with walking his sister down the aisle, but keeping things together and making sure the wedding goes off without a hitch. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to quickly figure out where things are going.

Guests start arriving which is the film’s chance to introduce the side characters, all with parts to play in the inevitable avalanche of complications and (attempted) comic mayhem that’s on the way. First we meet Bryan (Joel Frey), Jack’s neurotic best friend and Hayley’s maid/man of honor. There’s Jack’s hot but catty ex-girlfriend Amanda (Frieda Pinto) along with her sulky, insecure boyfriend Chaz (Allan Mustafa) who’s consumed with the size of his privates. We get a chatterbox in a kilt named Sidney (Tim Key). And then you have Rebecca (Aisling Bea), a daffy looker whose connection to the family still eludes me.

Oh, and I can’t forget Dina who Jack hasn’t seen since that squandered night in Rome three years earlier. He’s determined not to let her slip through his fingers again but first he has to pull off this wedding. That becomes significantly harder once Hayley’s coked-up ex-boyfriend Marc (Jack Farthing) shows up, uninvited and intent on causing a scene. A panicking Hayley comes up with the most logical solution (please note to dripping sarcasm). She talks Jack into slipping a powerful sedative into Marc’s drink, putting him to sleep and saving her big day.

Of course that’s not how it plays out. Of course the wrong person gets roofied. Of course chaos ensues. But just as things mercifully seem to be playing out, we suddenly get a weird “Groundhog Day” moment where Craig basically rewinds and asks “What if it happened this way? What if someone else mistakenly took the sedatives?” Sadly the reset doesn’t fix anything. It’s basically the movie changing course and bowing down to every predictable expectation and outcome.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

The sad thing is we get really good efforts from the cast but they mostly go to waste. The writing ranges from adequate to juvenile to mind-numbing and not one single character makes it out unscathed. The closest is Frey’s Bryan who is fun to watch and provides the film’s lone laugh-out-loud moment. But even he gets hit with a lame, tawdry bathroom scene that is nothing short of embarrassing. On the other end you get Mustafa’s Chaz who is hands-down one of the worst characters I’ve seen in ages. His one-note blathering about his bedroom insecurity never stops.

Others do the best they can with what little they’re given. Claflin shows some legitimate leading man chops, but he’s handcuffed by a script that would rather bounce him from one absurd scenario to another instead of letting him set his feet and build his character. Munn has always had a fun and witty personality, but this movie barely utilizes it. And by never playing to her strengths she’s left spinning her wheels with a character who never moves forward. And then Tomlinson, an eye-catching actress I wasn’t familiar with but who definitely deserved better material.

Strangely, “Love Wedding Repeat” isn’t a boring movie. It actually keeps your attention. You just keep waiting and waiting for it to get better only to be frustrated when it never does. I found it easy to root for the cast who deserve a ton of credit for keeping the film afloat. But even they can’t sustain it among a deluge of half-witted gags, crass and shallow dialogue, and uninspired storytelling. It’s a baffling experience. So many good parts are in place, but without the underpinning of a good story and good direction there’s nowhere for it to go but down.