Antlers review

ANTLERS:

HOLY COW, THIS IS ONE CREEPY CREATURE FEATURE, BUT IS A BIT MESSY ALSO! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Keri Russell battles one pissed off demonic, moose monster in Antlers

 

            A monster is on the loose in a small Oregon town in Antlers, the new horror film directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace, Black Mass) and produced by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy 1 and 2, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water). Originally scheduled for an April 2020 release and then a February 2021 release, but both times the release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic until finally landing an October 2021 release just in time for Halloween. 

            I was hyped to see this movie ever since I saw a trailer for it back in 2019, del Toro, one of my favorite filmmakers producing it being one of the reasons while the other being the ingenious move of never showing the monster in any of the trailers. You got a few glimpses of it here and there, but that’s about it, you had to go see the movie to see what the monster looked like, which 100% sold me. 

            Now that the movie is finally released after being delayed twice, I can gladly say that Antlers is…good! The screenplay isn’t really anything to write home about as it does rely on a lot of cheap horror movie gimmicks (Jump scares, side characters making dumb decisions, etc.), but there is just enough gorgeous albeit bleak atmosphere that manages to be both pretty and creepy at the same time, suspense, excellent acting from the cast, and a very imaginative-looking monster design to make for a truly effective creature feature. 

            The film is set in a small town in Oregon and follows a young boy named Lucas (Newcomer, Jeremy T. Thomas) whose father had mysteriously gotten sick (also ravenous) and has been caring for him and his younger brother behind a locked door in their home. This catches the attention of Lucas’ school teacher, Julia (Keri Russell-Mission: Impossible III, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) and her sheriff brother, Paul (Jesse Plemons-Breaking Bad, Black Mass, Judas and the Black Messiah) who become embroiled by her enigmatic student. 

            However, as they dig deeper and deeper into learning about Lucas’ past, they end up on a terrifying one-way path to a legendary ancestral creature who was here before them. 

            The film also stars Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves, Maverick, The Green Mile) as Warren Stokes, Scott Haze (Midnight Special, Only the Brave, Thank You for Your Service) as Frank Weaver, Rory Cochrane (Dazed and Confused, Empire Records, A Scanner Darkly) as Dan Lecroy, and Amy Madigan (Twice in a Lifetime, Field of Dreams, Gone Baby Gone) as Principal Booth. 

            Overall, Antlers is definitely one of the most interesting horror/thriller films you’ll see all year and plot structure wise, it’s kind of a mess, but the acting, imagination, and terror does make up for most of its flaws. However, what keeps it from being great to me other than the lack of screen-time for the monster (Although, most of the human characters kept my interest despite this), it’s the screenplay and some of the plot holes.  

            This feels like a much longer movie that was trimmed down in editing to a 99-minute runtime because some plot elements are either left unresolved or abandoned halfway through the film, most notably the teacher’s backstory feels very incomplete despite it being one of the most haunting moments in the entire film, it didn’t feel like there was much of a conclusion to that other than to echo the hard times the Lucas character is going through. Also, the film at times relies on tiresome horror movie clichés such as the inevitable jump scares (One in particular I found very effective and they’re fortunately few and far between), dumb decisions made by idiotic side characters, and the one-dimensional bullies (Though, there’s a very satisfying payoff regarding one of the bullies in this movie!). 

For the most part, the main characters are extremely likable and compelling, can’t say the same for the side characters though. While nobody in the film portrays their characters badly, some of the side characters are the typical horror movie trope/plot device, one character goes to the old house where Lucas is keeping his dad and younger brother (Who have practically become monsters) and it was a murder site on top of that…take a wild guess what this character does, if you guess she goes inside the house and upstairs to where the monsters are then you know your horror movie clichés, the rest of the movie was so strong and suddenly they throw this bullshit into it! 

Nothing extremely negative, just a few noticeable things as I was watching it, the rest of the film I think is quite solid. The film does a splendid job at keeping you in suspense and anticipation until the monster is revealed, which has a legitimately cool and horrific design, the main characters are interesting, the acting is excellent, and it’s short and sweet without wasting people’s time. 

I especially love the atmosphere in this movie which captures a very bleak but at the same time beautiful Oregon town with a lot of gray skies, rain, and clouds. It’s nice to look at while also having a very eerie and mysterious tone as well. 

As previously mentioned, the acting from the cast is great particularly from Keri Russell, Jeremy T. Thomas, and Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas in his first starring role does an excellent job balancing being innocent and mysterious as at times you’re not certain if what he’s doing is justifiable, he adds a refreshing new spin on the tired creepy kid cliché, Keri Russell as his teacher is this movie’s equivalent of Rebecca Hall from The Night House, she owns every moment and you feel her determination to uncover the truth about Lucas, she’s definitely one of the most likable and relatable horror movie protagonists and her character even has a tragic backstory that mirrors Lucas’ a little, while Jesse Plemons plays her supportive brother and sheriff of the town, just a typical nice guy performance of his who wants to help Julia and Lucas, he plays the part well.

Antlers could have been better, but I’m glad it wasn’t a huge disappointment also, it’s a perfectly serviceable creature feature with a lot of tension, suspense, and compelling characters. You just have to excuse the semi-underwhelming narrative and cheap horror movie clichés to get to those effective moments. 

The twist is it’s actually a sequel to the movie, Tusk…actually no, not really! 

Last Night in Soho review

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO: 

EDGAR WRIGHT MAKES THE 60s COME ALIVE IN THIS CHILLING AND INGENIOUSLY CRAFTED THRILLER! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy in Last Night in Soho

 

            Director, Edgar Wright (Cornetto trilogy, Scott Pilgrim VS the World, Baby Driver) takes us back in time to the whimsical albeit mysterious 1960s in Last Night in Soho. This is one of Wright’s most ambitious films (Which is saying something given his filmography!) as it’s his first venture into the thriller genre which is very much like when Jordan Peele and Paul Feig surprised moviegoers with Get Out and A Simple Favor. 

            This along with Antlers (Which I will be reviewing next time) were my two most anticipated movies of 2021 ever since I saw the trailers. The trailers for this grabbed me and made me feel like I was in for the ride of my life as this London girl somehow gets transported into the 1960s and must piece together clues related to an incident that occurred during that era. 

            Not sure how I’d rank it with Wright’s other movies, but after seeing it I can gladly say that I absolutely love this movie. Granted the third act isn’t quite as strong compared to the rest of the film, but I was completely engrossed in the film and invested in the story and characters all the way through, not to mention it has a kicking soundtrack mostly of music popular at the time and this is quite possibly Edgar Wright’s most stylish film, visual wise. 

            The film follows Ellie (Thomasin McKenzie-Leave No Trace, Jojo Rabbit, Old), a girl who aspires to become a fashion designer and has a strange sixth sense (*whispers* She sees dead people!). Anyway, she travels to London to study in fashion design, but whenever she goes to bed, she is suddenly whisked away to London in the 1960s where she learns about a dazzling wannabe singer named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy-The Witch, The Queen’s Gambit, The New Mutants) who turns Ellie’s world upside-down. 

            Ellie soon discovers these aren’t dreams she’s been having; they’re visions of events that occurred in Sandie’s life and realizes that underneath the 1960s London glamour hides a dark secret. With only her wits, Ellie must piece together the clues and solve the mystery of what happened to Sandie all those years ago. 

            The film also stars Matt Smith (Doctor Who, Terminator: Genisys, Morbius) as Sandie’s boyfriend and manager, Jack, Terence Stamp (Superman II, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Big Eyes) as The Silver Haired Gentleman, the late, Diana Rigg (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Breathe) as Ms. Collins, Rita Tushingham (A Taste of Honey, Doctor Zhivago, Being Julia) as Ellie’s grandmother, Peggy, Jessie Mei Le (Shadow and Bone, All About Eve) as Lara, Synnøve Karlsen (Medici, Clique) as Ellie’s roommate, Jocasta, the late, Margaret Nolan (Goldfinger, The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night, Carry On franchise) as Sage Barmaid, Lisa McGrillis (Hebburn, Inspector George Gently, Mum) as a Female Detective, and James and Oliver Phelps (Harry Potter franchise) as Charles and Ben. 

            Overall, Last Night in Soho is a mind-blowing experience and Edgar Wright’s most experimental film since Scott Pilgrim (Although that movie for sure feels more like an Edgar Wright project than this one). It doesn’t any of his trademark fast editing or visual gags showcased in most of his other films, and it isn’t a comedy which is why as I was watching it, I kept thinking back to Paul Feig and A Simple Favor where it felt like an excuse for these filmmakers usually known for comedies to venture out into the great unknown and express their darker side…and have it pay off. 

            Edgar Wright captures the magic as well as the sense of mystery of 1960s London whenever it’s onscreen through the production design, camera work, and lighting. I especially love how it contrasts with the somewhat gritty and less glamorous London of the present day (In the movie’s world!), the 60s London looks like something right out of a fairy tale and Ellie getting whisked away to it in her sleep feels very reminiscent to Alice ending up in Wonderland or Dorothy finding herself in Oz and quite often it’s like you (The audience) was transported alongside Ellie as well, this is easily the best-looking of Edgar Wright’s films. 

            However, as gorgeous, and lovely this film is to look at, it also doesn’t shy away from the more suspenseful moments since this is technically a horror movie. While I wouldn’t really call this a “scary movie”, its subject matter and themes can often be quite disturbing, you got depictions of murder (Sometimes shown in graphic and bloody detail), ghosts, mistreatment of women, abusive relationships, etc. It’s unlikely anyone will be having nightmares after watching this film, but a lot of the imagery and themes can be quite unsettling. 

            The acting is excellent, especially from Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie, this is probably the best I’ve ever seen Anya Taylor-Joy in anything whether a movie or show, she is electrifying as Sandie. She has this mysterious presence whenever it flashes back to her in the 60s (Honestly, there’s a much larger mystery regarding the character herself more than the events that happened related to said character) and the spotlight is always on her every time she’s onscreen…oh, and she’s got a great singing voice also! 

            Thomasin McKenzie, hot off Jojo Rabbit and Old just kills it as Ellie in one of her first starring roles (If not, her first). If Anya Taylor-Joy’s character is supposed to be the kinda sort-of bad girl, then McKenzie is the wide-eyed innocent of the film who observes everything that happens, and she plays the part very well. 

            I think she’s one of the most likable and endearing protagonists I’ve seen all year, she’s kind and very charismatic, but she has her limits and has a sense of determination to solve the mystery revolving around Sandie. Both McKenzie and Taylor-Joy shine and I look forward to seeing them in other films and shows in the future. 

            Much like another Edgar Wright-directed film, Baby Driver, the soundtrack also plays a huge part in this movie which mostly consists of popular songs from the 1960s which does help make 60s London come alive. In fact, I love the soundtrack so much that I went ahead and bought it from iTunes upon coming home from the movie, that is how good this music is. 

            If I had to point out a few nitpicks, it’d be the lack of reasoning behind Ellie’s ability to see dead people other than to get the plot rolling and that the third act gets a little…silly, I’ll just leave it at that. But you know what? I was so engrossed and invested in the first two acts that I honestly don’t care if the final act is a bit weak. 

            I adore pretty much everything about Last Night in Soho, it might even be the best movie I’ve seen in 2021 which I’m probably a small minority on but I don’t care. This is one trip you’ll never forget. 

The French Dispatch review

THE FRENCH DISPATCH: 

WES ANDERSON’S LOVE LETTER TO JOURNALISM IS AS DELIGHTFULLY QUIRKY AND EMOTIONALLY AFFECTING AS YOU’D EXPECT!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

The various stories of a 20^th century French city will be brought to life in The French Dispatch

 

            Director, Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel) brings his whimsical and melancholic directing style to France to pay tribute to the world of journalism in The French Dispatch, an anthology film that collects three stories set in a fictional 20^th century French city that were published in the titular French Dispatch newspaper. I’ve always been a fan of Anderson’s work since at least high school, films like The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom and Bottle Rocket(Which is very underrated, BTW!) to name a few are among some of his best movies in my opinion, and other films like The Darjeeling Limited, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Isle of Dogs are also great watches. 

            Since Fantastic Mr. Fox, I had seen every one of his films in theaters and this one is no exception, and I was very intrigued to hear that it would be an anthology film that tells multiple stories that all correlate with one another. Like the France equivalent of The New York Stories, Twilight Zone: The Movie, and to a lesser extent, Four Rooms, but given Anderson’s storybook-esque directing style, I’m honestly shocked he had never tried something like this before. 

            So, how does Wes Anderson’s first anthology film fare out? While I don’t think it’s one of his absolute best, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie a lot. 

            This is arguably the most Wes Anderson a Wes Anderson movie has ever gotten, I’m not sure if he had full creative control on it, but it certainly feels like he’s gone completely off his rocker and does just about every kind of filmmaking technique possible in this one film. You name it, some of the most gorgeous cinematography and production design out of any Wes Anderson film with various things in the background that can tell a story of their own while you’re watching the main story, several different camera shots used all throughout the film like if Wes was a child using a video camera for the first time, a star-studded cast (Mostly of Wes Anderson regulars), and even black-and-white and animated segments, it pretty much has something for everyone. 

            The film is broken up into three parts, the first part, The Concrete Masterpiece as told by Tilda Swinton (Adaptation, The Chronicles of Narnia, Marvel Cinematic Universe) follows a mentally disturbed artist known as Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio del Toro-Sin City, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sicario 1 and 2) who is serving a prison sentence for murder and his muse and prison officer, Simone (Léa Seydoux-Inglourious Basterds, Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, James Bond franchise). When Moses paints an abstract nude portrait of Simone, it catches the attention of art dealer, Julien Cadazio (Adrien Brody-The Pianist, The Village, Midnight in Paris) and becomes a sensation, but at the same time he struggles with inspiration. 

            The second story, Revisions of a Manifesto follows journalist, Lucinda (Frances McDormand-Raising Arizona, Burn After Reading, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) who has a brief romance with a self-styled leader of a student protest going on in the streets known as Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet-Men, Women & Children, Call Me by Your Name, Dune (2021)) and secretly helps him write his manifesto. Lastly, the final story, The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner follows a food journalist known as Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright-James Bond franchise, Boardwalk Empire, The Batman) and policeman, The Commissionaire (Mathieu Amalric-Munich, Quantum of Solace, The Grand Budapest Hotel) attending a public dinner, but that dinner is soon interrupted when The Commissionaire receives a phone call saying his son has been kidnapped and held for ransom by criminals led by a man known as The Chauffeur (Edward Norton-American History X, Fight Club, The Incredible Hulk), and now they have to bring him back in quite possibly one of the most entertaining chases you will ever see in a Wes Anderson film…I’ll just leave it at that. 

            The film also stars Bill Murray (Ghostbusters franchise, Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation) as French Dispatch editor, Arthur Howitzer Jr., Owen Wilson (Zoolander 1 and 2, Wedding Crashers, Midnight in Paris) as Herbsaint Sazerac, Elisabeth Moss (The West Wing, Mad Men, The Invisible Man (2020)) as Alumna, Jason Schwartzman (I Heart Huckabees, Marie Antoinette, Klaus) as cartoonist, Hermes Jones, Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, James Bond franchise) as art collector, Paul Duval, Willem Dafoe (Platoon, Spider-Man, The Lighthouse) as prisoner and underworld accountant, Albert the Abacus, Saoirse Ronan (Hanna, Lady Bird, Little Women (2019)) as a member of The Chauffeur’s kidnapping gang and Showgirl, and too many others to count, and narrated by Anjelica Huston (Prizzi’s Honor, The Addams Family/Addams Family Values, The Witches). 

            Overall, The French Dispatch is definitely one of Wes Anderson’s most ambitious films and it’s impossible not to admire his efforts not just on a technical level, but on a narrative and character level as well. The best way I can describe the film as a whole is a love letter to the world of journalism as the film was heavily inspired by articles from The New Yorker that Wes read as a teenager and many of the characters are based off of real-life New Yorker reporters and editors, most notably Murray’s Arthur Howitzer Jr. who is based on New Yorker editor, Harold Ross. 

            Production design and cinematography wise, I think this is the best-looking Wes Anderson movie since The Grand Budapest Hotel. From the architecture of the buildings to the colors that really pop and resemble that storybook-esque style Anderson is known for, and his attention to detail in both the production design and camera shots is almost overwhelming, I can literally just watch the backgrounds and point out everything in it for 2 hours and still be satisfied. 

            The performances by the cast are all excellent but given how this is an anthology film with different stories and characters, there isn’t much time devoted to specific actors and characters, but it mostly consists of Wes Anderson alumni, so you know you’re going to get a very colorful cast of characters and actors portraying said characters. 

            I don’t know what more to say, The French Dispatch just put me in the greatest of moods while watching it, but it also doesn’t shy away from the more emotional and dramatic elements. I can see the anthology structure being a bit of a turnoff point for some viewers, but fans of Wes Anderson will have a delightfully quirky time with this colorful and witty fable.  

Dune review

DUNE:

DENIS VILLENEUVE’S RETELLING OF CLASSIC SCIENCE-FICTION NOVEL IS AMBITIOUS AND DAZZLING IF NOT A LITTLE CLUNKY AT TIMES! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Jason Momoa, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Oscar Isaac in Dune

 

            The world of Frank Herbert’s beloved science-fiction novel has been retold in the new film adaptation of Dune, brought to us from director, Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) and features an all-star cast. This wouldn’t be the first time Herbert’s book was adapted to the screen as there was previously a 1984 film based on Dune that was directed by David Lynch which was undoubtably ambitious especially at the time, but plot wise, was a huge mess…though it does have its fans. 

            I’ve never read the book before, so I won’t be able to compare this film to the source material though I am familiar with Lynch’s adaptation so I might make a few comparisons to that film in this review. Thankfully, you don’t have to watch the 1984 movie prior to this one as it’s a retelling of the original book and not a remake of the previous film. 

            I will say Villeneuve’s film does a much better job fleshing out the story and establishing the worlds and (most of the) characters than in the Lynch version. Keep in mind this is only “Part One” of a planned two-part adaptation of the story which is very important to know when going into it and will hopefully lead to a Part Two if the film is successful enough. 

            Much like Villeneuve’s previous film, Blade Runner 2049, if you’re going in expecting this grand, epic movie with non-stop action, lasers, and explosions, it’s not that kind of movie. It is definitely grand, and it is epic (Especially in theaters), but it’s a very slow-burn, character driven film that’s more about world building and atmosphere rather than flashy space action, I can see that as a turnoff point for many, I just want to make that clear to those expecting a non-stop action film. 

            The film follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet-Men, Women & Children, Call Me by Your Name, Lady Bird), a brilliant and gifted young man who was born into a great destiny beyond his understanding as well as his imagination. His mission is to travel to Arrakis, the most dangerous planet in the galaxy, but is the only planet with spice, a valuable and vital substance that’s required for interstellar travel and extends human life, to ensure the future of his family and his people. 

            However, as dark forces begin to rise in a conflict regarding the spice, only those who can conquer their own fear will survive. Paul will have to use all of his wits and skills to accomplish the mission and rise up to fulfill his father’s goal of bringing peace to Arrakis. 

            The film also stars Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation/Fallout, The Girl on the Train, Doctor Sleep) as Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex-Machina, Star Wars sequel trilogy) as Leto, Josh Brolin (True Grit (2010), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Deadpool 2) as Gurney Halleck, Stellen Skarsgård (The Hunt for Red October, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as the Baron, Dave Bautista (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spectre, Stuber) as Glossu Rabban, Zendaya (Spider-Man trilogy (MCU), The Greatest Showman, Space Jam: A New Legacy) as Chani, Jason Momoa (Stargate Atlantis, Game of Thrones, DC Extended Universe) as Duncan Idaho, Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Skyfall, Mother!) as Stilgar, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Bad Girls, EastEnders, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as Dr. Liet Kynes. 

            Overall, Dune may not be Denis Villeneuve’s best work and at times the narrative does get a little clunky at times, but it’s nonetheless a very well-crafted movie…no, wait, movie doesn’t cut it…this is a spectacle! From the size and scope to the dazzling visual effects and imaginative worlds and creatures, this is a movie that 100% belongs on the big screen, DO NOT stream it on HBO Max as you are only getting a fraction of the Dune experience. 

            Whether it’s standard, 3D, IMAX, etc. this film is breathtaking in the visuals department and the size and scope of the big screen makes it feel like you’re right there. 

As a film, it gives more context to how this world works and is a lot better paced compared to the Lynch film. It also hits a lot of familiar beats as the 1984 movie such as the tooth that unleashes poison gas, stopping the dart, etc. and honestly, I was shocked at how similar both these movies are in terms of certain story elements, this one just executes them way better. 

             This version is also better paced than the 1984 film and does a stronger job establishing the characters, environments, and situations. Especially because this is only half of a much-larger story which gives the film more time to breathe and add in as much from the source material as possible. 

            For the most part, the acting is top notch as this film features an all-star cast, Josh Brolin with his dry sense of humor, Jason Momoa’s charismatic, bro-like persona, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, and Oscar Isaac are all excellent while as compelling Zendaya is as Chani, she isn’t in much of the movie other than during the third act which may disappoint some, but in the few scenes that she’s in, she knocks it out of the park. 

If I had to criticize one of the characters, it’d be Paul himself, Timothée Chalamet plays the character fine, but for me I found him to be kind of a blank slate and basically another one of those chosen one characters who isn’t all that interesting, but everyone glorifies him and says that he has been chosen for a reason. Much like Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, or Neo from The Matrix, and a common case of the protagonist not being as interesting or compelling as the side characters, he’s not bad, just very generic. 

            I also found the second half to be a bit underwhelming, the first half did such an amazing job luring me into the story and characters while the second half is a long, drawn-out teaser for the second movie (if it gets made), this is a two-and-a-half-hour movie and once it got to the third act, I did start to notice the runtime a little. 

            It may not be for everyone, and it does have some flaws, but this new version of Dune is something that must be seen on the biggest screen possible. Boasting a star-studded cast, gorgeous cinematography, dazzling special effects, and plenty of ambition, this is easily the best Dune film (Though that’s not much of an accomplishment) and I look forward to hopefully seeing Dune: Part Two. If you’re a fan of sci-fi adventures and especially a fan of the book or any of the previous adaptations, this is one trip to Arrakis not to be missed. 

The Last Duel review

THE LAST DUEL: 

RIDLEY SCOTT’S LATEST EPIC IS AS THOUGHT-PROVOKING AS IT IS EXHILARATING! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Ben Affleck, Jodie Comer, Adam Driver, and Matt Damon in The Last Duel

 

            Director, Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, The Martian) returns to his epic filmmaking ways in The Last Duel, a historical drama based on the 2004 book of the same name by Eric Jager which chronicles the true events of Jean de Carrouges, a knight in medieval France who challenges his friend-turned-enemy and squire, Jacques Le Gris to not just a duel, but the last legally sanctioned duel in France’s history. I’m not overly familiar with the actual story nor have I read the book so I’m going into this film as a moviegoer and a fan of Ridley Scott’s previous epics such as Gladiator and the Director’s Cut of Kingdom of Heaven. 

            Given the epic scale and emotional depth of some of his previous films, how does The Last Duel hold up compared to them? I think it’s good! 

            I don’t think it’s quite on par with some of Scott’s other movies and I do have some issues with the narrative and pacing, but I found this to be a very solid entry in his filmography with some excellent acting and an interesting balance between a powerful historical drama and a swashbuckling epic. What’s really interesting about this movie is that it’s told from three different perspectives and is broken up into three chapters which may throw some people off if they only saw the trailers and didn’t read up on how the film is structured. 

            Set in 1386 France, the film chronicles the lives of knight, Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon-Bourne franchise, The Departed, The Martian) and squire, Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver-Star Wars sequel trilogy, BlacKkKlansman, Marriage Story) and the events leading up to a duel to the death between Carrouges and Gris after Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer-Killing Eve, My Mad Fat Diary, Free Guy) accuses Gris of raping her. The events leading up to the duel are broken up into three chapters with the first two revolving around Carrouges and Gris while the third focuses on Marguerite with themes such as sexism, abuse, and systemic misogyny all leading up to a gruesome but historic duel. 

            The film also stars Ben Affleck (The Town, Argo, Gone Girl) as Count Pierre d’Alençon, Harriet Walter (Sense and Sensibility, Atonement, Rocketman) as Nicole de Buchard, Nathaniel Parker (Hamlet (1990), The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Merlin) as Sir Robert de Thibouville, Sam Hazeldine (The Monuments Men, The Huntsman: Winter’s War, The Hitman’s Bodyguard) as Thomin du Bois, Michael McElhatton (Albert Nobbs, Game of Thrones, Togo) as Bernard Latour, Alex Lawther (Howard’s End, The End of the F***ing World, Goodbye Christopher Robin) as King Charles VI, Marton Csokas (XXX, Kingdom of Heaven, The Equalizer) as Crespin, Oliver Cotton (Son of the Pink Panther, Steamboy, Wonder Woman 1984) as Jean de Carrouges III, Željko Ivanek (Oz, 24, Heroes) as Le Coq, Clive Russell (King Arthur (2004), Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Game of Thrones) as King’s Uncle, and Adam Nagaitis (The Terror, Chernobyl, Suffragette) as Adam Louvel. 

            Overall, The Last Duel may not be one of Ridley Scott’s strongest work, but it is arguably his most relevant as it covers some very serious topics that are still being discussed today, the most obvious one being misogyny. As previously mentioned, I’m not familiar with the actual story, but I found the film as well as its message to be quite effective and transfixing. 

            I can understand that a film told from multiple perspectives with a lot of rewinding may be a turnoff point for some viewers especially when the film itself is long (Like this one) and at times the pacing can be slow, but it was never to a point where I felt bored. I was excited during the battle sequences, invested in the plot, and flat-out disturbed during…those scenes, and all the reactions the film got out of me felt earned.

            For the most part, I was into the whole three perspectives structure with this film, even though at times it can get a little repetitive seeing some of the same scenes over and over again. I like how the perspectives tell a different side of the story and shrouds the main characters in mystery, like what if Damon’s character was kind of a prick to his wife or how about one where Marguerite is mildly attracted to Driver’s Gris character as he’s going to town? You’re never really sure which side of the story is true, and it will likely lead to some very interesting conversations and debates between your fellow film buff friends. 

            The acting is superb, Matt Damon as this knight who’s outraged that his wife has been sexually assaulted by not only a squire but one who happened to be his best friend, he plays the part very well, Adam Driver is both electrifying and unnerving as Jacques Le Gris, the man who raped Carrouges’ wife and I like how half of him is this sick, despicable man while the other half is this lost, confused individual who wants to do what he think is right, but unlike Kylo Ren in Star Wars, I can’t see his character in this getting any sort of redemption for his actions. Jodie Comer in my opinion is the standout performance in this film as Marguerite, she has this commanding, almost authoritative presence whenever she’s onscreen and all throughout the film you want to her to see justice served because of what Gris did to her, I can see her as a potential Oscar nominee next year and rightfully so. 

            I thought this was a really solid entry in Ridley Scott’s filmography, but The Last Duel isn’t without its flaws. Other than the three-perspective structure being a little repetitive, the film itself is quite long (Clocking in at about 2 hours and 33 minutes) and there is a good 30 minutes of the film that drags on for a while and could have been trimmed down, had the film been a little shorter and better paced, I think this could have been on par with Gladiator, but as is it’s still a really good movie with a few overly drawn-out scenes. 

            Also, while there are some spectacular battle sequences in this film, they are very few and far between so if you’re going into this and expecting a big, action-packed blockbuster, this might be a bit too long and slow for you. 

            The Last Duel may not be one of Ridley Scott’s best films, but it could easily go down in history as his most relevant film because of its subject matter and timely message. It’s an interesting balance between powerful historical drama and epic medieval war film with gorgeous scenery and phenomenal acting from the cast, this is one “Duel” you’ll never forget. 

Halloween Kills review

HALLOWEEN KILLS: 

DESPITE SOME CREATIVE KILLS AND EXCELLENT ACTING, THIS HORROR SEQUEL FEELS MORE LIKE A STEP BACKWARDS FROM ITS PREDECESSOR!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND MIRAMAX

Michael Myers is back in town in Halloween Kills

 

            Infamous serial killer, Michael Myers is back for more blood in Halloween Kills, the latest installment of the Halloween franchise and follow-up to the 2018 film where Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Freaky Friday (2003), Knives Out) reunited with the killer in a (supposed) final confrontation. Quick thoughts on the 1978 and 2018 films before we dive into this one, Halloween (1978) directed by John Carpenter I feel needs no introduction, it’s a horror movie classic that popularized the slasher movie genre and became one of the most iconic scary movies to watch during the Halloween season, while the 2018 film is a direct sequel to it that brought the franchise back to its roots after several ups and downs and for the most part, I thought was a worthy continuation of the story. 

            Now we have this sequel to the 2018 film with John Carpenter returning as a producer, David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Joe, Our Brand is Crisis) back in the director’s chair, and Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role from the original and 2018 film (and the now non-canon, Halloween H2O) as Laurie Strode. Since the last film pretty much breathed new life into the franchise, clearly this one will advance the story even further and raise the stakes…Eh, not quite! 

            Halloween Kills is far from being one of the worst Halloween sequels and there are some genuinely creative and gruesome kills as well as solid acting from the cast, but compared to the high bar set by its predecessor, this one is a bit of a letdown and cares more about setting up the inevitable conclusion, Halloween Ends which is scheduled to be released next October, if Halloween (2018) was like what Jurassic World was for the Jurassic Park franchise, then this one is the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom of the Halloween franchise. 

            The film is set immediately after the events of the previous movie where Laurie has set her house ablaze with Michael Myers (Nick Castle-Escape from New York, The Last Starfighter, Major Payne) burning inside…or did he? Yeah, a group of firefighters unwittingly free him from the burning Strode residence and his reign of terror continues once more…that’s not a spoiler by the way as it was shown in the trailers and marketing. 

            Anyway, Laurie Strode (Curtis) has been taken to a hospital by her daughter, Karen (Judy Greer-Dawn of/War for the Planet of the Apes, Jurassic World, Ant-Man 1 and 2) and granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak-666 Park Avenue, Orange is the New Black, Blue Bloods), due to life-threatening injuries during her last confrontation with Michael. However, when news breaks out of Michael’s escape from Laurie’s trap, she fights the pain and prepares to defend herself and her family from his terrors once again, while inspiring the people of Haddonfield to rise up against Michael by forming a mob that sets out to hunt him down hence the phrase “Evil dies tonight!”. 

             The film also stars Will Patton (The Punisher (2004), Falling Skies, Minari) reprising his role from Halloween(2018) as Deputy Frank Hawkins, Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club, Edward Scissorhands, The Dark Knight) as Tommy Doyle, Dylan Arnold (Nashville, The Purge (TV series), You) reprising his role as Cameron Elam, Charles Cyphers (The Fog, Death Wish, Major League) reprising his role from the original film and Halloween II as Sheriff Leigh Brackett, Kyle Richards (The Car, Eaten Alive, The Watcher in the Woods) reprising her role from the original film as Lindsey Wallace, Nancy Stephens (Escape from New York, D2: The Mighty Ducks, A Time for Dancing) reprising her role as Marion Chambers, Omar Dorsey (The Blind Side, Django Unchained, Selma) as Sheriff Barker, Jim Cummings, Not to be confused with the voice actor! (13 Cameras, Thunder Road, The Beta Test) as Pete McCabe, Scott MacArthur (The Diabolical, Answers to Nothing, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie) and Michael McDonald (MADtv, Scrubs, Clone High) as Big John and Little John, and Brian F. Durkin (Flight, The Internship, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues) as Deputy Graham. 

            Overall, Halloween Kills at best is perfectly average and might appeal to slasher movie fans, but for a follow-up to the movie that brought the Halloween franchise back to basics and gave the Michael Myers legend some fresh blood (quite literally actually), this one sadly falls short and feels more like a desperate attempt to get to Halloween Ends as quickly as possible. This is where the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom comparisons came in as I felt the screenwriters had a lot of ideas for this movie but didn’t quite know how to work them all into the story, so the plot just becomes a huge mess with very unnecessary and hammered-in social commentary and quite possibly the most anticlimactic ending in a horror film since the Candyman remake from a few months ago. 

            The kills are nice and gory and there is a huge body count in this film, might even be the most out of any of the Halloween films. In fact, some of them did get audible reactions out of me in the theater so even if the movie itself is all over the place, it at least exceeds in gore. 

            Most of the acting is excellent, particularly from Curtis, Greer, and Hall, but there is one thing I was extremely disappointed about regarding a certain character. The last movie had a badass Laurie ready to go full Sarah Connor on Michael Myers’ ass, what does this movie have her do? Lay in a hospital bed throughout the entire runtime and give a speech at the end…that’s pretty weak! 

            Even the trailers built it up like Laurie was going to have a final confrontation with Michael and it never happens. She just lays in that hospital bed while everyone else does all the work, way to suck most of the fun and intrigue out of that character, guys! I was extremely disappointed that they set Curtis off to the side in this movie, especially given that she’s the lead in the film. 

            The film does try to pay homage to the Halloween franchise as a whole with various actors reprising their roles from earlier films or by dropping references to them, some of them work while others are painful. Again, this film feels entirely focused on fan service and setting up the next movie rather than tell a coherent story with this one. 

            Halloween Kills may satisfy slasher movie fans, but those looking for a worthy continuation of the Halloweenlegacy will probably be disappointed by this unfocused and standard follow-up that has a lot of good ideas but fails to stick the landing or offer a good payoff in the long run, sorry Mike, maybe next year will be better. 

            

No Time to Die review

NO TIME TO DIE: 

NOT DANIEL CRAIG’S BEST OUTING AS JAMES BOND, BUT HE GOES OUT ON AN ACTION-PACKED AND EMOTIONALLY AFFECTING NOTE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

MGM

Daniel Craig as James Bond for the last time in No Time to Die

 

            Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Knives Out) hands in his gun and hangs up the suit in No Time to Die, the fifth and final chapter of Craig’s run as MI6 agent, James Bond and the twenty-fifth film overall in the long-running James Bond franchise. The production and especially the release of Daniel Craig’s last outing as 007 is quite an interesting one because not only was Danny Boyle originally attached to direct but was replaced by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Jane Eyre (2011), True Detective, Beasts of No Nation) due to creative differences and Craig injuring himself during production, but it was one of the first films that was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

            The release date for No Time to Die was originally for an April 2020 release, but then COVID hit and changed the plan drastically, then the film was scheduled for a November release, and one more attempt at an April release the following year, until finally landing an October 2021 release. Between the releases of 2015’s Spectre and this movie, No Time to Die holds the record for the longest gap between Bond films (Six years), surpassing the gap between License to Kill and Goldeneye.

            Now that the film is finally released, does it give Daniel Craig a proper sendoff especially after the divisive responses to his previous film, Spectre or will this farewell be about on par with Pierce Brosnan’s final Bond film, Die Another Day? The answer is not the latter! 

            While I may prefer films like Casino Royale and Skyfall more because those films, I think have the strongest narratives, No Time to Die is a fitting conclusion for his run as the character that ties up most of the loose ends from his previous films and brings everything to an action-packed and emotionally powerful close. Not quite on the same level as something like Avengers: Endgame or Logan, but close enough. 

            The film is set five years after the events of Spectre and follows now retired MI6 agent, James Bond (Craig) enjoying a peaceful life in Jamaica. Unfortunately, his vacation is cut short when his old friend from the CIA, Felix (Jeffrey Wright-The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Syriana, The Hunger Games franchise, reprising his role from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace) shows up asking for his help and gives him a mission. 

            That mission is to rescue a kidnapped scientist (David Dencik-The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Chernobyl) who has developed a bioweapon known as Project Heracles which is only deadly to a specific target’s DNA, but ruthless terrorist leader, Safin (Rami Malek-Night at the Museum trilogy, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Little Things) plans to weaponize it even further to kill millions and start a new world order. This leads Bond to reunite with Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux-Inglourious Basterds, Midnight in Paris, Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, reprising her role from Spectre) who is now a single mother with a five-year-old daughter and has a history with Safin, and with the aid of Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris-Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Moonlight, Venom: Let There Be Carnage), M (Ralph Fiennes-Harry Potter franchise, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The King’s Man), Q (Ben Whishaw-Paddington 1 and 2, Suffragette, The Danish Girl), CIA agent, Paloma (Ana de Armas-Knock Knock, Blade Runner 2049, Knives Out), and a new 007 in the form of Nomi (Lashana Lynch-Brotherhood, Still Star-Crossed, Captain Marvel), James will do whatever he can to stop Safin and Project Heracles in an action-packed and emotional final stand. 

            The film also stars Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, Alita: Battle Angel) reprising his role from Spectre as Ernest Blofeld and Rory Kinnear (Broken, The Imitation Game, Peterloo) reprising his role as Bill Tanner. 

            Overall, No Time to Die isn’t the deepest story wise, but it’s nonetheless an exhilarating and emotionally satisfying final chapter of Daniel Craig’s James Bond series. It’s easily the best final film for a James Bond actor, which sadly isn’t saying much because Diamonds Are Forever, A View to a Kill, and Die Another Day while entertaining to an extent were quite underwhelming conclusions to those eras of Bond actors. 

            What makes No Time to Die work as a conclusion to Craig’s run as Bond compared to earlier films is because his movies are direct sequels to one-another with a continuing story arc that shows how Bond evolves as a character throughout the five films from a stone-cold assassin to…kind of a decent human being and gives closure to the events in previous films. 

Besides Bond, the side characters are also very likable and most of them have a decent amount of screen-time in the film, some of my favorites being Ana de Armas as Paloma and Lashana Lynch as Nomi. Despite not being in the movie for very long, De Armas owns the few scenes that she’s in as this rookie CIA agent who’s irresponsible but is also very free-spirited and often quite funny to the point where I kind of wished she was the Bond girl in this movie, maybe we’ll see more of her in future Bond films, while Lashana Lynch’s Nomi, a younger and cockier 007 compared to Bond and has a bit of a playful rivalry with him which is especially applicable during a chase in Cuba where Bond and Nomi are racing on foot to catch the scientist who made Heracles and both of them are trying to 1-up each other during this sequence, like a much less violent version of the rivalry between Idris Elba and John Cena in The Suicide Squad. 

The action sequences are spectacular with the highlight being the pre-title sequence where Bond is fighting off Spectre assassins in Matera and a lengthy chase involving a bridge, a motorcycle, and an Aston Martin DB5 car that goes on for a good 15 minutes, and a shootout reminiscent to that of John Wick or The Raid: Redemption, very exciting sequences especially on the IMAX screen. 

The villains, however, are hit-or-miss, Rami Malek is giving his all and at times he can be threatening, but he’s a very generic, almost cartoonish Bond villain that’s more like a villain of the week type of character rather than the be all, end all Bond foe. Malek’s a great actor but he doesn’t quite have the menace or even charisma of someone like Javier Bardem from Skyfall…oh, and Christoph Waltz from Spectre is wasted again…that’s kind of lame! 

No Time to Die is a fitting sendoff for Daniel Craig as Bond, even if the plot is a bit messy and the runtime is a little long, I was thoroughly entertained and still can’t believe this is the end of an era, Craig has portrayed James Bond for fifteen years now, so it only figures in his last film he’d go out on a high note, which he did. I’m looking forward to seeing who the next Bond will be, though it will be very difficult for someone to fit that tux. Farewell Mr. Craig! 

The Many Saints of Newark review

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK: 

SOPRANOS PREQUEL IS EXHILARATING IF NOT A LITTLE UNFOCUSED! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES, NEW LINE CINEMA, AND HBO FILMS

Michael Gandolfini and Alessandro Nivola in The Many Saints of Newark

 

            The origin of infamous mobster, Tony Soprano is finally revealed in The Many Saints of Newark, the new crime drama and prequel to the HBO TV series, The Sopranos created by David Chase (who also produced and wrote the screenplay for this film). The film is directed by Alan Taylor (Palookaville, Thor: The Dark World, Terminator: Genisys) and stars Michael Gandolfini (Ocean’s 8, The Deuce, Cherry) as a young Tony Soprano, who was portrayed by his late father, James Gandolfini in the series, and follows the origins of how he became the all-powerful mob boss we know, hate, and kind of love. 

            I’ll be completely honest, I have never seen The Sopranos show before, I know of it and I got the basic gist of what it’s about, but I’ve never actually sat down and binged it (Aside from maybe a few random episodes I watched one night years ago). So, I went into this film completely blind and will (attempt to) judge it as a standalone film and determine if it’s a movie where you need to have watched the show prior to it or if it works on its own merits. 

            And hey, since this is an origin story about a young Tony Soprano then it could probably be a good entry point for a newcomer to get into the series, right? Yeah, it’s okay!

            There are great moments in this film with spectacular acting from the cast, but plot, pacing, and execution wise, it’s a bit of a mess. Also, if you saw the trailers and posters thinking it’s going to be a 100% Tony Soprano movie, it is not that kind of film, Tony is in it, but he’s not in it that much as he is a very minor character in the film, and instead the movie focuses more on the character of Tony’s uncle, Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola-Face/Off, Jurassic Park III, Doll & Em) and shows the connection Tony has with him. 

            I’m totally fine with it being a Dickie Moltisanti movie and as previously mentioned there are a lot of excellent scenes in it that made me glad, I saw it, but what keeps it from being great to me is that the film’s narrative is cluttered and feels very choppily edited. It constantly shifts back and forth between plotlines, one minute you’re with Dickie, the next you’re following this person, and then that person, and now this plot point, and now that plot point and the film never really gives enough time to establish all these plotlines going on, it’s very unfocused. 

            Set in 1967, the film follows Tony Soprano (Gandolfini), a young boy growing up in one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark history, the 1967 Newark riots and becoming a man just as rival gangsters being to rise up to challenge the DiMeo crime family’s hold over in the increasingly race-torn city. Caught in the middle of the chaos in Newark is Tony’s uncle that he idolizes, Dickie Moltisanti (Nivola) who tries to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities and whose influence on his nephew will eventually transform this teenager into the all-powerful crime boss we all know. 

            The film also stars Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton, Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Harriet) as Harold McBrayer, Vera Farmiga (The Departed, The Conjuring trilogy, Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)) as Livia Soprano, Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Punisher (TV series), Baby Driver) as Johnny Soprano, Corey Stoll (House of Cards, Ant-Man, Black Mass) as Junior Soprano, Ray Liotta (Field of Dreams, Goodfellas, The Place Beyond the Pines) as twins, “Hollywood Dick” and Salvatore “Sally” Moltisanti, Billy Magnussen (Game Night, Aladdin(2019), No Time to Die) as Paulie Walnuts, John Magaro (The Big Short, Orange is the New Black, The Umbrella Academy) as Silvio Dante, Michael Imperioli (Goodfellas, Bad Boys, The Basketball Diaries) reprising his role from The Sopranos as Christopher Moltisanti (Who also narrates the film), Samson Moeakiola as Pussy Bonpensiero, Joey Diaz (My Name is Earl, Spider-Man 2, The Longest Yard (2005)) as Pussy’s father, Buddha, Alexandra Intrator as Janice Soprano, Lesli Margherita (Boogeyman 2, Zorro, Matilda the Musical) as Iris Balducci, Talia Balsam (Little Manhattan, All the King’s Men, No Strings Attached) as Mrs. Jarecki, Kathryn Kates (Seinfeld, Orange is the New Black, Shades of Blue) as Angie DeCarlo, Nick Vallelonga (The Godfather, Goodfellas, Green Book) as Carmine Cotuso, Ed Marinaro (Queens Logic, The Protector, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary) as Jilly Ruffalo, and Robert Vincent Montano, Chase Vacnin, Oberon K.A. Adjepong, and Lauren DiMario as Sopranos characters, Artie Bucco, Jackie Aprile, Frank Lucas, and Carmela De Angelis. 

            Overall, The Many Saints of Newark is a well-crafted and riveting crime drama with solid performances by the cast and plenty of fan service for fans of the series, but for a movie that’s either aimed at Sopranos aficionados or as an entry point for someone who wants to get into the show, it leaves a lot to be desired. Keep in mind, I thought a good half of this movie was extremely solid, but I thought the plot and character development could have been a little better. 

            The plot jumps around from character to character and that probably would have been fine for a TV series where you have multiple episodes to establish these characters and story elements, but for a 2-hour movie, it doesn’t really give us much time to grow attached to these characters when the plot keeps jumping back and forth and often feels very choppy in the editing. However, when the film focuses on Dickie, Tony, or any of the other characters from the show, I was into it and most of the actors they chose to play younger versions of their television counterparts are excellent and some are almost uncanny to how much they look like the characters (I’ve seen pictures of what many of the Sopranos characters look like and compared them to the actors that play them in this film). 

            Alessandro Nivola in this movie is amazing as Dickie, a violent gangster who gets his hands quite dirty, but is also very charismatic and you feel a strong connection between him and Tony whenever they’re onscreen together. Despite only appearing in a handful of scenes, Michael Gandolfini is not only phenomenal as a young Tony Soprano, but it’s also eerie at how much he actually looks like his father and even though I’m not overly familiar with the show, some of the things he does I can see a young Tony Soprano probably do like hijack an ice cream truck. 

            Whether a longtime fan of The Sopranos or a newcomer, The Many Saints of Newark might be worth at least a viewing and the scenes that work really work. But, given how there’s also various story and character development issues, maybe just watch it at home on HBO Max for free, you don’t need to flock to the cinema for this middle-of-the-road Sopranos prequel. 

Venom: Let There Be Carnage review

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE: 

SEQUEL TO SPIDER-MAN SPIN-OFF HAS A LITTLE MORE BITE THIS TIME AROUND! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

COLUMBIA PICTURES AND MARVEL

Venom is back to deal with some serious “Carnage” in Venom: Let There Be Carnage

 

            Marvel’s favorite “Odd Couple” is back for seconds in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the second installment of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and follow-up to the 2018 film, Venom. If you read my review of the first film when I reviewed it back in 2018 then you may remember I wasn’t the biggest fan of it as I kept seeing the potential of what it could have been as this deep, disturbing, and interesting character study about a man and an alien symbiote and the decision between using it for good or letting it consume him and being evil, basically a really adult comic book movie that just happens to be Spider-Man-related…that is not the film we got! 

            What we got was a cheesy throwback to comic book and superhero movies from the 90s with all the clichés and tropes, not to mention this badass Marvel anti-hero as pretty much the superhero version of Hitch. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t entertained by it despite the first film getting so many things wrong with the character and the Spider-Man property, the confused intentional/unintentional humor, the bizarre but surprisingly effective chemistry between Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road, Dunkirk) and Venom, and hammy dialogue made the first film a very entertaining so bad it’s good comic book movie, still better than his treatment in Spider-Man 3. 

            Despite mostly negative reviews from critics and fans of the character, the film was a huge success thus a sequel and a new cinematic universe were inevitable with films like Morbius and Kraven the Hunter soon to follow. That’s where this film comes in after a stinger at the end of the first film. 

            The film reunites Hardy, Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Shutter Island, My Week with Marilyn), and Reid Scott (My Boys, Veep, Late Night) reprising their roles as Eddie Brock/Venom, Anne Weying, and Dan Lewis and with Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Planet of the Apes (2011 trilogy), Marvel Cinematic Universe) taking over directing duties from Ruben Fleischer. 

            Is Venom: Let There Be Carnage an improvement over its predecessor or is it the cinematic equivalent of a turd in the wind? A bit of both actually! 

            It’s hard to say it’s a good film, but I was very entertained by it for some of the same reasons why I enjoy the first film and a few things that are improved this time around. Ultimately, it still doesn’t quite offer the gritty and dark Venom movie the character deserves, but as a dumb popcorn movie, it gets the job done. 

            Sometime after the events of the first film, we see Eddie Brock (Hardy) and Venom having a…complicated relationship together with Eddie wanting to live a normal life while Venom wants to be free to do as he pleases without Eddie’s rules about not eating people. However, trouble comes when serial killer, Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson-Zombieland 1 and 2, The Messenger, The Hunger Games franchise) gets a symbiote of his own, a much more violent creature bent on destruction and…Carnage!

            Eddie and Venom, with the help of Eddie’s ex-fiancé, Anne Weying (Williams) and her current fiancé, Dr. Dan Lewis (Scott) must figure out a way to put aside their differences in order to stop Carnage’s reign of terror before he and Cletus destroy everything Eddie loves. Oh, and Cletus also has a fiancé with breathtakingly powerful screaming known as Frances Barrison/Shriek (Naomie Harris-Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, James Bond franchise, Moonlight), there’s that too! 

            The film also stars Stephen Graham (Snatch, Public Enemies, The Irishman) as Mulligan, Serkis, the film’s director providing the voice for Carnage, and Peggy Lu reprising her role from the first film as convenience store owner, Mrs. Chen. 

            Overall, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is only a slight improvement over its predecessor as this one has a much stronger villain that’s memorable in both human and symbiote forms and better camera work during the action sequences, especially during the climax. But it still has all the chaotic, mindless insanity that the first film had, only this time they fully embrace the stupidity, you don’t have to wait about 45 minutes to get to all the crazy Venom stuff as it pretty much starts off with it and it only gets sillier and sillier as the film goes. 

            The movie literally starts with Hardy arguing with Venom in a women’s restroom stall about not eating people while a woman in the stall next to them is listening to the whole conversation, a completely absurd fight scene between Eddie and Venom inside their apartment, and Venom partying at a rave…I am not making this up! It’s complicated, because the film improves on a few things from the first film, but it somehow gets even crazier at the same time. 

            The acting for the most part is solid, which was something I praised about the first movie especially Tom Hardy’s performance as eccentric reporter turned symbiote host, Eddie Brock and I enjoyed the chemistry between Hardy and Venom, which is still the case in this movie. However, what can you do to balance one crazy performance…with another in the form of Woody Harrelson as Cletus/Carnage is a delightfully deranged, scenery-chewing villain and the banter between him and Hardy is a lot of fun and very reminiscent to Nicolas Cage and John Travolta in Face/Off. 

Unlike Riz Ahmed in the first film where he starts off as a fun, clichéd business villain who turns into a dull monster once he gets the symbiote, Harrelson’s Cletus is memorable in both human and symbiote form with Carnage’s role basically like a rebellious son to Venom who hates him in the same way a son would resent his father, as he was created by Cletus biting Eddie’s hand and licking a drop of his symbiote-infested blood. I will admit, there is something during the climax regarding Harrelson and Carnage’s bond that I thought was kind of smart and dumb at the same time that echoes Eddie and Venom’s relationship. 

The action sequences are very CG-driven, but they are shot a lot better than in the first film. Unlike, the final battle in the first movie where it was too close and cluttered, I was able to make most of the action out during the climax with no obnoxious camera gimmicks. 

The post-credits scene made the whole movie for me, much like how the ending of Venom included a scene from the then-upcoming, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Without giving major spoilers, let’s just say, Eddie and Venom discover that there is “No Way Home”.