Apparently, a software update crashed my little site the day I left town and, unfortunately, it wasn’t something I could deal with on the road. Thankfully, that’s all resolved for the time being and we’re up and running again.
I have missed a few titles I would have otherwise covered such as POKEMON Detective Pikachu, The Hustle, and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. While I do my best to get caught up with those films over the coming days and weeks, there were some thoughts I wanted to share on a few films from before my vacation.
THE INTRUDER
In one of the more laughable efforts in recent memory, Michael Ealy struggles to tread water with Meagan Good and Dennis Quaid weighing him down on either side in this ridiculous attempt at a thriller.
While there were some fairly strong filmmaking techniques occasionally on display from Director Deon Taylor, the script by David Loughery is a mess. It misses the mark in just about every department but it all starts with some poorly designed characters. Good isn’t really known for her acting chops and she’s a bad fit playing the impossibly naive Annie. Quaid certainly isn’t a bad actor but Charlie Peck is a character whose depth is stripped away in favor of a convoluted backstory and unrewarding payoff.
Tonally, the whole thing was just off. Music Supervisor/Soundtrack Producer Bobby Francis was certainly trying to move some units on the back end with a very contemporary R & B vibe but it didn’t remotely fit the narrative of the film. Add to that, Good’s ridiculous costuming by Seth Chernoff put her in the most impractical of outfits no matter the situation and the suspension of any remaining disbelief went right out the window.
Recommendation: If you’ve seen this already, I’m sorry. If you’re considering it, don’t. The year is young but we certainly have a lead horse in the race for Worst Film of the Year.
Hotel Mumbai
Reliving one of the most horrific terror attacks in recent memory, the film works as a compelling thriller. As a result of its effectiveness, I’m sure dramatizing the events and turning into a Hollywood movie reopened some wounds for members of that community and their families. Even for those who are familiar with the vents of that day, the movie is executed with a brutal and frightening precision that gets the heart racing.
Dev Patel leads an otherwise underwhelming but effective cast including Armie Hammer and Jason Isaacs with standout performances from Anupam Kher and Nazanin Boniadi. The script by John Collee and Director Anthony Maras focused heavily on the attackers, their radical Islamist approach, and their indiscriminate violence which allowed the cast to serve in a reactionary capacity. As a result, the audience is thrust into the situation with them and the ensuing panic flows naturally.
While there have been ethical questions raised in regards to the profit motive for this movie, its effectiveness as a film is undeniable. Had the film not been based on true events, its place in the public eye may have been significantly limited but powerful narrative style would have remained.
Recommendation: It is hard to watch at times but still one of the more compelling thrillers of recent years. It probably won’t be too far away from home release.