Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
3.0
An hour and forty minutes (that feels like two and a half) of my life that I will never get back…
Runescape level graphics, straight up lazy writing, uninspired performances, culminating in a hot mess of a movie. There was a reason I was the only one in the theater to see this one. If I didn’t have AMC A-List I would have felt even more ripped off.
7.5
Pretty much exactly what I expected… which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
I feel like I forgot how good of an actor Dennis Quaid is. John Voight as a Russian spy was an interesting choice, but Quaid turns out to be a perfect pick.
What I was afraid was going to fall into the trap of being pure “Boomer Bait” in the first half actually lets some punches fly in the second half. I figured they would shy away from the skeletons in the closet of one of the more conflicting legacies in American politics, but they actually went there. From calling in the National Guard as Governor, to losing his jelly beans (Alzheimer’s) likely before departing the White House, to running guns and destabilizing Central America, South America, and the Middle East in just 2 terms… I figured “Narcos” and “Sicario” were going to be the only projects willing to admit we created our own enemies for the last 50 years trying to “fix” things.
The framing device of an old Russian recounting his life’s work was a weird choice, but fades more into the background as things take off, and you’re left with a mildly entertaining, albeit long biopic.
8.4
I’m not going to lie… I was worried about this one. The original “Twister” was lightning in a bottle. In the midst of the late 90’s renaissance of insane action films (The Rock, Con Air, Face/Off, etc.) , it was the perfect concoction of chaos. Yet, here we are…
Glen Powell can really do no wrong at this point. There’s a genuine likeability factor at play that’s hard to fake. The combination of Zac Efron’s looks and Tom Cruise’s love of the cinema and both of their dedication to the craft of filmmaking. He’s at the height of his powers here, and is so damn perfect in this role. Daisy Edgar-Jones as the co-headliner was a surprisingly powerful pick. In the first act, I had my doubts, as the story takes a bit to get going and for the characters to fully open up. But when they do, both Powell and Edgar-Jones are the only ones you can see playing these parts by the time the credits roll. Their chemistry is just the right amounts of mutual respect and mutual sass. They’re a reincarnation of the couple we all fell in love with in Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. The bridge between the second and third act is a gear I didn’t think either of them had as performers, and brough a weight and depth to the film I did not expect.
Thank God they included a “Suck Zone” reference. It wouldn’t have been a Twister film without it and would have been an enormous slight to the legendary Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Personally, I could have done without the Faster Horses level of bro country in the soundtrack, but that was small potatoes overall. The beauty and the sheer scale of this film is meant to be seen on the largest screen with the loudest sound system possible. Summer spectacle at its finest! Bravo!
7.8
Where the Purge series seemed to shy away from going full purge – welcome to A Quiet Place grabbing you by the shirt collar and never letting go for 2 hours of nonstop anxiety inducing terror. You’re dropped right alongside our main characters in never feeling safe the entire time. What this series does better and more consistently than most is environmental immersion and character. This film really rounds out the trilogy by maintaining and even growing these strengths. Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn really hold down the fort as leads, and give such rich performances that it lends itself to intensifying the terror when even the slightest sound is made, inciting the potential violence that lurks just out of frame. You care so much about the characters that it really makes everything else that much more effective. A great example of attention to detail and care.
7.5
Was this batshit insane? Yes. Yes it was.
Did it still work? Hell yes it did!
What could have easily fallen into stupid territory somehow ended up in so stupid its fun territory that the “Fast & Furious” franchise has been aiming for for years now. The cast is perfect. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence really have these characters figured out, and the supporting cast they’ve assembled fire on all cylinders to deliver a powerhouse ensemble performance. I’m not sure the plot really matters. What matters is the creativity in the cinematography and the almost constant risk taking that pays off at every turn. They had fun with this one, and it comes through in almost every frame. A breath of fresh air in the middle of blockbusters trying to take themselves too seriously. Well done!
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 