film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Matt Conway

  • Monster Hunter: Another Review

    Monster Hunter: Another Review

    Ever since Mario and Luigi made their awkward big-screen transition (seriously, what were they thinking with those Goombas), video game movies have served as cannon-fodder for critics and diehard gamers alike. Between bad filmmakers’ clumsy-conceived visions (looking at you Uwe Boll) and a lackluster understanding of what makes the respective source material work, studios continue to cycle through properties with mostly disastrous results. Leave it to shlock extraordinaire Paul WS Anderson, who served as the primary visionary behind six Resident Evil films, to crack the video game curse with his latest Monster Hunter. Anderson’s colorfully crafted popcorn film hits that guilty-pleasure itch through its over-indulgent spectacle.

    Monster Hunter follows Lieutenant Artemis (Milla Jovovich), a decorated special forces leader who is suddenly transported into a different world. When she and her team discover gargantuan creatures, they must fight for their survival while teaming with a mysterious hunter (Tony Jaa) to plot their escape.

    Most video game movies can’t convey their source’s unique strengths, often truncating a thoughtfully-constructed narrative into an underbaked mess. Considering the Monster Hunter games exist as a vessel for conquering larger-than-life creatures, the brand makes an ideal canvas for Anderson to unleash his signature carnage. The director’s shamelessly kinetic voice finds a perfect partner within the monster movie genre’s vibrant appeals. A well-tuned balance between broadly self-aware setpieces and daffy comedic frames ensures this B-movie never drifts into falsely self-serious territory.

    Anderson is not foreign to criticism for his presentation choices, with audiences often dividing over his big-screen offerings (the Resident Evil franchise is equally beloved and loathed by fans). While some of his efforts present untamed technical prowess, Monster Hunter finds Anderson creating an assured blend of controlled chaos. His mixture of wide-shots and intimately framed shaky cam presents the impressive design work while throwing audiences into the flurry of each action beat. The sped-up slow-motion and frenetic edits won’t please everyone, but I love the ways Anderson gleefully embraces the excess of big-screen blockbusters. Big props also to Anderson’s design crew, as the team transform this barren desert landscape into an intriguing steam-punk flavored world.

    Monster Hunter’s cheeky appeals could easily fall apart in the wrong hands, but star Milla Jovovich ably carries the narrative on her shoulders. This is a part Jovovich could perform in her sleep at this point, continuing her run as one of the genre’s most composed action stars. Her firm presence adds gravitas to Artemis’ shallow journey home, while co-star Tony Jaa operates as an effective comedic foil to Jovovich’s stern persona. The supporting cast also has fun within their archetype roles, including Ron Pearlman boasting a hilariously convoluted hairstyle (the second you see him with a mullet and sideburns will lead to instant laughter).

    Monster Hunter is a joy to watch, but Paul WS Anderson’s abilities as a director are often undercut by his falterings as a screenwriter. I don’t take issue with the film’s straight-forward, video game-esque plotting, but Anderson fails to bring much personality to the materials’ formula. Most of the characters serve as blandly-coated stereotypes while the few humorous frames land with a clunky corniness. When the action isn’t flying onscreen, Anderson struggles to keep his routine narrative engaging.

    Thankfully for audiences, Monster Hunter’s relentless pace rarely ensures much boredom. Equally opulent and mindless, Anderson crafts an endearingly silly blockbuster for genre fans to embrace.

  • American Dream: Review

    American Dream: Review

    Few themes represent Americana like the pursuit of one’s dreams. A mantra of blind hopefulness often drives people to their breaking point in order to accomplish the so-called “American Dream“. This universal conceit acts as a narrative crux for several big-screen endeavors, including the latest crime/thriller American Dream. Similar to the blunt title, Dream sloppily handles universal sentiments in a misguided borefest.

    American Dream follows Nicky (Michael Huisman) and Scott (Luke Bracey), two American entrepreneurs on the verge of losing their apartment complex. After trying to secure a deal with wildcard Yuri (Nick Stahl), the two face the wrath of a scorned mobster who sets out to destroy their livelihoods.

    Two-time Oscar-winner Janusz Kaminski served as the visual lens behind Steven Spielberg’s best films (Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List). Now, the famed cinematographer slums his talents as a director-for-hire for this routine VOD pulp fest. Kaminski admittedly creates a pleasing visual aesthetic, his dingey lighting and intimate framing convey the flurry of angst and anger facing Nicky and Scott on their odyssey.

    He may show his visual expertise, but Kaminski lacks tactfulness in his shallow approach. The director never engages with the material’s thoughtful conceits, often allowing screenwriters Mark Wheaton and Duncan Brantley’s heavy-handed dialogue to take center stage. Some scenes awkwardly strain themselves in the process, straddling the relatively talented cast with clunky archetypes to work with (Bracey and Huisman share lived-in chemistry while Stahl serves as a fittingly unhinged advisory). None of the simplistic elements land with the authenticity or verve required for the material to stay afloat.

    I can get down with a taunt, relentlessly paced thriller, even if it’s lacking in substantive dynamics. That being said, Kaminski’s overly-machismo delivery lands in uncomfortably exploitative territory. American Dream props up its cruel rivalry as Yuri commits senseless acts throughout the running time. Most of these acts degrade the film’s thinly-developed female characters, throwing them through the wringer only to serve as hapless victims. The dated mean-streak often taints any enjoyment from Kaminski’s straightforward yarn.

    Destined to be forgotten amongst a wave of VOD titles, American Dream represents bottom of the barrel contrivances for the crime thriller genre.

  • Tony Parker The Final Shot: Review

    Tony Parker The Final Shot: Review

    As a sports fanatic, I eagerly anticipate films that construct a behind-the-scenes viewpoint of sport’s lavish world. We fans may see one truth on the court, but there’s always a complex reality outside of our preconceived notions. Director Florent Bodin’s latest documentary Tony Parker: The Final Shot attempts to uncover the French point guard’s unprecedented journey to superstardom. There’s a fascinating tale of perseverance and self-discovery within Parker’s story, but Bodin’s effort mostly settles for simplistic truths.

    The Final Shot examines the career of Tony Parker. After becoming a fixture on the youth basketball scene, Parker would become an unheralded draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs. His determination led him to become arguably the greatest French basketball player, earning multiple championships on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

    For audiences unaware of Parker’s history, The Final Shot capably lays out a snapshot of his storied career. Similar to the guard’s acrobatic finishes, Bodin’s visual slickness presents archived footage with an uptempo pace. His usage of zeitgeist songs and speedy edits properly convey basketball’s exciting allures. The balance of high-flying highlights and emotive reflection also works ably enough to draw audiences in. When Bodin goes behind the current, themes of personal evolution and acceptance are ripe for deeper examinations (I particularly enjoyed the scenes set in 2019, where Parker wrestles with starting over on a new team).

    The Final Shot sadly misses the net on any meaningful exploration. Similar to other recent documentaries, Bodin’s effort indulges in shameless hero worship that says little of note about Parker’s life. Throughout the slapdash narrative (the film haphazardly jumps around his timeline), Bodin hits Wikipedia milestones without ever delving beneath the surface of these events. I’d love to know what drew Parker towards basketball or any potential hardships that he encountered along the way, but the buttoned-up timidness prevents audiences from learning much of anything about the guard (a certain controversial publicity moment is never even addressed).

    I don’t know who The Final Shot is for. The film’s target audience of diehard basketball fans already knows about Parker’s many milestones, while the shallow dive into his image leaves nothing personal for uninitiated audiences to attach to. I am sure there are fascinating wrinkles to the star’s journey, yet the presentation represents a fairly by-the-numbers tale desperately lacking in specificity.

    I love basketball as much as the next person, but The Final Shot‘s formulaic delivery restrains its intriguing subject at every turn.

  • If Not Now, When? – Review

    If Not Now, When? – Review

    The plights of modern black women are rarely highlighted on screen, placing extra pressure on the seldom offerings to capture lightning in a bottle. The dearth of authentic tales makes Tamara Bass and Meagan Good’s newest venture If Not Now, When? a delightful surprise. As an earnest exploration of sisterhood and familial difficulties, Bass and Good touch upon genuine sentiments with their well-versed offering.

    If Not Now, When? follows four friends (Bass, Good, Meagan Holder, and Mekia Cox), who met in high school and are bonded by their difficult upbringings. They are suddenly forced back together when one of them suffers a crisis, putting their delicate friendship to the test as the four search for self-fulfillment.

    A narrative encompassing addiction, marital disconnect, and personal acceptance could be combustible in the wrong hands. Thankfully, the film never drifts towards maudlin territory. Bass and Good’s sure-handed delivery ensures authenticity at every turn, examining familiar dynamics with an effectively empathetic eye. Bass’ screenplay allows each conflict to breathe with thoughtful complexion, never offering cheap answers to its universal problems.

    Whether it’s small-knit exchanges or grandly emotional frames, the dialogue threads an impressive balance between raw power and seamless interplay. If Not Now, When? rarely feels false, offering intimate examinations of characters who are often underserved by Hollywood norms.

    The fruitful material prospers under the cast’s sensitive hands. Meagan Good grounds Tyra’s addiction subplot through her sensitive delivery, never allowing the intimate struggle to reach overly-theatric territory. For Tamara Bass, Mekia Cox, and Meagan Holder, their warm performances should serve as a much-deserved breakout. The three stars grab the screen with effortless chemistry, naturally capturing the highs and lows of a decade-long friendship. The central four’s effervescent appeals carry the narrative load capably.

    If Not Now, When? develops a strong core for audiences to invest in, but its strengths are underserved by clumsy craftsmanship choices. Good and Bass offer competent imagery and a deft handling of tonality (their film has steaks without ever feeling hopeless). However, the duo’s debut doesn’t always embrace the material’s simple strengths. Dramatic frames are often overwhelmed by overbearing song choices, leaving audiences digging through theatrics to reach insular developments. I wish Good and Bass trusted their material enough to avoid the constant overselling, though I am confident the two can evolve with further experience.

    While somewhat marred by technical hiccups, If Not Now, When? comfortably reaches its emotionally resonant sentiments. I hope to see Good and Bass direct again in the future.

    IF NOT NOW, WHEN? is On Demand and Digital on January 8.

  • Redemption Day: Review

    Redemption Day: Review

    Meshing an action movie sensibility with real-world international strife, Hicham Hajji’s debut film Redemption Day attempts to nail a finite tonal balance. While zeitgeist ruminations centered on the Middle East oil crisis are well-intended, Hajii misguidingly molds his conceits into a stale, cookie-cutter actioner.

    Redemption Day follows Brad Paxton (Gary Dourdan), a decorated U.S. Marine captain who embarks on a daring mission to save his kidnapped wife Kate (Serinda Swan) from terrorists in Morocco. Behind the scenes, Ambassador Williams (Andy Garcia) attempts to manage the situation while maintaining his economical interest.

    There’s a shell of a meaningful experience here. Hajii’s rah-rah presentation reads of machismo jingoism at first glance, but his screenplay ultimately acts as a critique of the US’s malicious behind-the-scenes practices (throughout the hostage situation, government officials try to exploit the situation for oil). One can see how a clever filmmaker could juxtapose cheesy action frames with the hard-hitting truths buried underneath, potentially critiquing the ways our government sells its militarized identity to the populous. Hajii’s debut never displays the required craft or thought to ruminate on its subject matter.

    Even as the film wrestles with heavy ideas, Redemption Day possesses a B-movie clunkiness. Hajii confuses self-seriousness for artistic purpose, straddling the relatively flat cast with over-written diatribes that rarely ring true (Gary Dourdan brings presence, but has little to work with as the straight-laced dad dealing with PTSD). The material strains for thoughtful platitudes, yet the dramatic frames feel robotic in their overly-schematic design. Haji’s indistinct voice behind the camera doesn’t help either, as he often undercuts competent stunts with shaky camerawork and wonky special effects (the gunshot wounds clipart-level of detail took me out of the movie).

    Redemption Day never satisfies either of its genre approaches. As an action film, the been-there-done-that concept lacks the dynamism or grit to mask the obvious technical limitations. As a drama with a greater political purpose, the clunky insights rarely connect to meaningful statements. I give Hajji credit for taking risks within the action genre machinations, but his film lands in a murky morass of mediocrity in nearly every facet.

    Fans of low-rent actioners may find something to cling to, but Redemption Day‘s shallow delivery rarely conveys the promise behind its premise.

    Saban Films will release REDEMPTION DAY In Theaters January 8, 2020 and On Digital and On Demand January 12, 2020.