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The Adam Project Review – Minor Spoilers

As with most people, I recently watched the Adam Project over the weekend. Directed by Shawn Levy, the film stars Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner. It is a time travelling adventure where Ryan’s character, Adam Reed, crashes in 2022. He then has to fix the future by fixing the past. Anyway, enough with the recap shit, lets dive into the film.

For some reason as I was watching this film, I thought it would be perfect to do a SWOT analysis of. So if you ever did a business subject, this is for you.

Strengths

This film is fucking entertaining. I can safely say I was never bored watching this and was on board from the get-go. I think this is down to a few key factors. Firstly, the pacing. The Adam Project is paced extremely well. The 30 writers and Shawn Levy keep you locked in the entire time. As a great man once said, it feels like a theme park ride. And I think this is a good thing. Similar to Levy’s other work, it is designed for children. It supposed to be breakneck speed with little breathing room. As a result, it doesn’t give you time to reflect on some of plot holes.

The film also has Ryan Reynolds. He truly has to be one of the biggest draw cards in the box office right now. If you simply slap his face on any project people are going to watch it (Red Notice, I am looking at you). But in this he feels a little different. As expected, Ryan is playing the same character as usual however he takes the emotional scenes much further. Maybe it’s because I have only seen his big performances, but he is really going for it in those deeper moments. It adds a level of realism that I never really see in his characters in films like Free Guy, Deadpool and most of his other work. Also, his whole character is very appealing. I love how he has become the complete opposite to his younger self and even his father. Every little detail shows how much he wanted to be different from his Dad.

Building on from this, the movie has some solid dramatic moments. Any scenes between young Adam and his parents are pretty brutal and also Ryan and his wife. But the key theme that really hit me was the regret Adam has towards his parents. Maybe its just a personal thing, but this is such a depressing and realistic portrayal of grief. Adam has all this unexpressed love for his father – who passed – and also his mother. Its so simple yet grounds the story perfectly.

The Adam Project also looks like a real movie. By that I mean it doesn’t look like your standard shitty Netflix Film. I even like its over stylised and bright coloured look. Also, the rest of the cast smashes it. Especially Mark Ruffalo. He is just so charismatic in what ever he does.

Weaknesses

Holy fucking shit, whose idea was it allow that deep fake garbage in the film. It is so distracting and shitty looking that it completely removed me from the scene. Even worse, it took me away from what could’ve been a great villain. Catherine Keener is such an excellent actress, and she is completely wasted in this film. We see her for about three scenes and when we do, she is overshadowed by a Madam Tussauds Wax Figure of her. JUST USE MAKEUP!

I also thought the writing of Mark Ruffalo’s character was a bit whack. Maybe I am just dumb, but I was very confused if he was supposed to be a shit dad or a good one. They made him out to seem like he neglected Adam but to me he seemed like just a normal Dad who is working hard.

There is one line in this film that triggered me to my core. I mean that literally. As young Adam lands in the final acts, he says the words ‘Superhero Landing.” Now obviously, this is a direct call to Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. They did it in Free Guy as well with the captain America shield and lightsabres. I HATE THIS SHIT. Its so forced and has no relevance in this world. Like why would a young Adam say “superhero landing” in this film? Producers do this shit because they think its what nerds like. Instead, it is completely forced and just made me realise that this is still at Hollywood blockbuster at its heart.

Opportunities

For this segment, I want to talk about Shawn Levy and the announcement he is directing Deadpool 3. Now I think a lot of his work is solid. Free guy is very average, but I have always liked films like Reel Steel and the Night at the Museums, even if they don’t appeal to critics. After looking at his IMDB, I realised that through the majority of his work, Levy loves looking at everything through a child’s eyes. Similar to Spielberg, he always has core themes about parents and their kids. Which for the most part seems to work for him (it definitely did in the Adam Project.) However, I don’t know if this will apply to Deadpool 3. Maybe they will bring back Julian Dennison as Rusty or look at Deadpool’s childhood? Honestly, I would just love for him to bring his take to it. Not try and be like the first two films but instead follow his own path.

Threats

Honestly the biggest threat is maybe to Ryan Reynolds. He is now literally playing himself no matter what role he is in. It gets very distracting. Personally, whenever I watch a movie of his I do not view his character as a real person. Instead, it is simply just Ryan on screen. Obviously, his career is his decision, but I would love to see him diversify more like he used to.

So should you watch it tonight?

Yeah absolutely. I think this movie definitely appeals to the “majority” of film viewers. It is not a challenging watch and very uplifting and funny.

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Stand By Me: A Different Type of Nostalgia

There are few scenes in film history that I think can impact someone on a much deeper level. And after watching “that” scene from Euphoria it reminded me of one of them. No.. this article is not about Euphoria. It is about one of my favourite films, Stand By Me.

So after watching that super super super romantic scene it reminded me how amazing this film truly is and that I should definitely rewatch it. And guess what, I did – for probably the fourth time in my life.  This movie just isn’t talked about enough. At a glance, stand by me could be viewed as a kid’s film. Sure, it has an ensemble of children and some kid humour, but I would never classify this movie as a children’s film. Its just to sad. And not sad in your Marley and Me sense or the NoteBook. It’s different. Let me explain.

How the Characters are Written

The film has four main characters, Chris, Gordie, Vern and Teddy. What is so clever about these four boys is how they echo their parents. Chris comes from a family of thieves and is constantly battling with the path he wants to follow. Teddy’s father is an abusive WW1 veteran which bleeds onto Teddy who has similar chaotic patterns and an obsession with war. And finally, Gordie. Gordie is dealing with the neglect of his parents after the death of his older brother. Now these are all instantly horrible things to be dealing with, but it’s how screenwriters Raynold Gideon and Bruce Evans address it. The three boys don’t really talk about. Occasionally, we see Gordie and Chris break down but nothing more. Exactly as a kid would, they simply keep it to themselves. These characters bury their deep rooted issues. And sure, at a glance it seems like there is a complete character arc but truthfully, I don’t think they ever overcome these problems. That’s what’s so bitter. They are trapped in the shells of their parents. Gordie is still obsessed over his brother’s death; Teddy ends up doing time for chaotic behaviour and Chris? Well Chris does overcome his deep-rooted issues. He is the only one. And what happens to him? He is rewarded by being murdered for doing the right thing. No one gets a happy ending.

Nostalgia

What is perhaps most depressing about this film is its relatability. The way the boys interact, their demeanour and the adventure at hand, it all just feels so real. Everyone has experienced that same banter you have when your 12 or doing stupid shit you definitely shouldn’t be doing. Thereby, we are instantly linked with these characters. It is a realistic nostalgia. A not so good example of this is Stranger Things. Every season, they seem to cram more and more nostalgic shit down your throat. They create this unrealistic view of the 80s where everyone wore the same clothes and talked about Ghostbusters all day. Stand By Me is different. It makes the audience nostalgic for childhood, not the physical objects or time period. Essentially, it is a longing to have the same shared optimism you have when you’re a child. Nostalgic for an emotion, not objects – something much more powerful.

The Ending

Rob Reiner now has you exactly where he wants you. You are linked with these characters whether you realise it or not. When this final scene starts rolling it is a punch in the gut. As the gang all say goodbye to each other and Gordie explains how Chris died we understand what this film is all about. Saying goodbye to childhood. It is so brutal because everyone has been in that same situation before. The last time you ever go out to play together. And most of the time, you don’t even realise it. But what is so sad, and not talked about enough, is something so simple. The Title. Rob Reiner purposefully changed the name from the Body to Stand By Me after Ben E King’s amazing song. But the boys don’t stand by each other. In the end, they go their separate ways into adulthood. It is dramatic irony in the most perfect sense. And exactly what happens to all of us.

Maybe it’s just me but Stand By Me evokes a new kind of emotion. Not necessarily a sadness for the past but instead a longing for that optimism and wide-eyed attitude you had as a kid. Now I know I’m only 19 and sound like a knob saying this, but for me, Stand By Me is the quintessential nostalgic movie.

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The Euphoria Rant  

Euphoria has been talked about to death. And here I am, about to write another article on this insanely popular TV show. And why? Because it’s a perfect TV show to talk about. It is designed stir up as much controversy and discussion as possible. It’s designed to split people. So lets dive in.

SEASON 1

Now I started watching this Show when season 2 had finish so my experience was very different to other people. I watched the show very spaced out over 2 months, mainly because I found it so boring. But there were a couple things that really stood out to me about season 1. The opening of each episode is a perfect way to start a show. It launches you into this world instantly and makes you care about each of these characters in 12 minutes. People are not appreciative of how hard that is to do. For all his faults, Sam Levinson smashes that opening. To me, it reminds of me of the Good Fellas opening – something I know has been done 1000 times before. But essentially, its so effective because it launches you into their lives instantly. You know these characters like a close friend in a way that can take some shows 4 seasons to crack. Big tick from me.

I also think the acting in this show is amazing. A standout for me is Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs – and that’s not just because he is from Brisbane. He plays a psychopath perfectly. That calm quiet demeanour with fits of rage is horrifying. As a great villain does, he really makes you hate him. The comparison is always how Delorse Umbridge is he out of 10? Nate Jacobs is a solid 8. He even makes some of the shitty writing sound less shitty. Everyone else is very good as well, no one stands out in a bad way. I do feel sorry for how much crying Sydney Sweenie has to do… every single scene, all the time.

Speaking of cast, the side characters are what make this show good. Personally, I just didn’t care about Rue. Maybe I’m heartless or biased because I haven’t experienced these things, but her story was just so fucking boring. It feels like everything that happens with her character takes place in the first two episodes, and then its just on repeat for the rest of the season. Her story with Jules is good and I like the “will they won’t they get together” aspect (an easy way to keep fans watching) but after about episode 4 I just didn’t care for either of them. Once again, maybe I am an asshole but their relationship just feels dry and yet also over the top. Also, they take up way too much screen time when you have characters like Fez, Chris, Kat and Nate carrying this show. There stories are the only part of the show that kept me watching. Every scene with Rue just felt like a distraction from this amazing ensemble.   

SEASON 2

I know it’s not controversial but hey guess what, season 2 is absolute garbage. I hate shitting on movies and tv because I know how hard people work, but season 2, fuck me what a miss. Nevertheless, the show grabbed me straight away. With Fezco and Cal’s story it hooks you right in. They are honestly the two best character openings of the whole show and the highlight of all of season 2. In particular Cal. He is such an interesting and engaging character that I am so glad they explored more.  Obviously, Fez is top tier. He is charismatic in such a natural way, and I think that’s because he just isn’t acting. I mean seriously this man is the exact same in real life.

So where does this season go wrong? I think there are two reasons this second season is such a flop.

Number one, Sam Levinson had not idea where to go with this show. If someone can honestly watch this season and tell me he knew where to take it I will give you a sticker. This season is completely lost. We are exploring things we have seen completed in the first season. We are watching scenes on repeat – episode after episode. We are spending time with none of the engaging character from the first season. We are dragging simple stories out just to fill up episodes. We are forcing over the top soap opera drama every single second. Just imagine for one second that this show ended on season one. Think of how effective it would be, how critically acclaimed Sam would be. Just like Fleabag, and every great British show, if you don’t have anything better to follow up with MAYBE JUST STOP.

Number 2, the editing. This point has been talked to death, so I will just briefly mention it. In this season, there is a captivating scene where Rue does a eulogy for her fathers’ death. Her performance is great, the writing (of this scene) is good, and it looks incredible. But you know what’s not so incredible? SEEING THIS SAME SCENE 5 TIMES ACROSS THE SEASON. I have now idea what Sam Levinson was going for but it was not effective. It was so predictable that I  knew the next words coming out of her mouth. It felt like Levinson watched Christopher Nolan for the first time and wanted to experiment with some time shit. No tick from me.

Also, this season dives way to much into Lexi Howard. I know she was a big hit in the first season and appealing but in the second she’s the writing of her character is weird. She has this stupid naivety to her about the play that makes no sense. Hear me out, this character is supposed to be extremely clever and yet she does realise this play is going to offend people? WHAT???

The play is also just a complete mess. How the fuck did Sammy think it was a good idea to spend an ENTIRE EPISODE about a play recapping a season we have witnessed. It is just showing us scenes we have already seen but done worse? If it was me, I would have had the play happen completely off screen. Thereby, you see the devastation it causes and the audience kind of creates this monstrosity in their heads.  Almost like reading a book. Maybe in the after-credit scene you release a 20minute special that shows the whole play, like in Hawkeye. But hey, that’s just me.

Final Thoughts.

Before I wrap up, I need to talk about the cinematography and lighting. It is… flashy. Its over the top and distracting but still kind of cool. Some scenes pull you out of the drama because of how unrealistic it looks. Honestly there’s only one way to describe it, a music video. The whole show looks like a music video and ultimately it comes down to whether you like that style or not. For me, not so much.  Also, the music is very good. Not my taste but clearly effective as it appeals to a younger audience (which is what this whole show is trying to do ((be as cool and edgy as possible)).

So the final question…

SHOULD YOU WATCH EUPHORIA INSTEAD OF REWATCHING THE OFFICE?

Maybe just the first season, then jump right back into that sweet sweet comfort show.

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The Next Best Australian TV Show

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Why Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the most beautiful in the series

Harry Potter is my favourite film franchise. I would even argue that it is the best film franchise of all time. While Star Wars is always a classic, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is fun, we all got to grow up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and I think that is something purely magical. The Prisoner of Azkaban, a turning point in not only the development of the characters, but the whole franchise, is also in my opinion one of the most beautiful movies ever made. And here’s why.

Stuff like this isn’t made today

Green screens, studio executives, cash-grabs and ‘soft-reboots’ all plague the modern cinema landscape – audiences are spoon-fed entertainment like they are Dudley Dursley scooping out chunks of Harry’s 11th birthday cake.

But not this film.

From start to finish, you can tell that the director Alfonso Cuarón has poured his heart and soul into the production of this film; carefully planning out every little detail so that it services the story and not the Hollywood hegemony.

Take the opening shot – a dim light flickering in the distance, revealed to be Harry learning how to cast the spell “Lumos Maxima”. For a film with deep psychological undertones, about Harry’s journey to finding his inner strength, finding the happiness, the love and the light that lays inside of him, so he can fight off the Dementors – a physical symbolism of depression – this opening shot reveals the entirety of Harry’s forthcoming arc.

Visual Storytelling

This dichotomy between light and dark permeates throughout the rest of the film’s narrative in a striking and dreamlike way. The thing I love about Cuarón’s direction is that he often foreshadows events and themes of the film through his visual storytelling. For example, take Dumbledore’s famous quote: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.”

Notice how he gently waves his hand over the candle – a man with a tormented past, yet a man who whole-heartedly believes in the power of love, in his mind, the strongest magic of all.
Now look at Harry as he learns how to cast a Patronus, repeating the same shot as before. Similar to Dumbledore, his past is filled with pain and torment. Unlike Dumbledore, he still has to find his inner strength and embrace Dumbeldore’s quote in order to defeat the dementors.

And this isn’t the only instance.

This one is pretty straight-forward, footsteps in the snow shown before The Marauder’s Map is revealed.
Spiral imagery – as often depression is a psychological spiral where one loses control – taking inspiration from Hitchcock’s Veritgo.
If you rewatch the film, look at all the hidden clues hinting that Lupin is in fact a Warewolf.

Where is you know who?

What also sets this movie apart from the others, is that there is no real villain. While you could argue Worm-Tail, or the threat of Sirius Black could be villains, the real threat are the dementors – a pervasive, destructing force that continuously reminds Harry that the way to win this battle is through finding the light inside of him.

And this scares Harry.

For much of the film, he is often pictured isolated, in a black hoodie (not too dissimilar to the black hoodie dementors wear) and as alone and afraid.

This marks a turning point for Harry, and a change from the light-hearted fantasy adventure of the first two films, to something far more raw, dark and relatable. Where no longer is he fighting a reincarnation of Voldemort, but his own demons and trauma.

Lonely specs of starlight that glitter against the eternal black canvas of space.

I can’t help but think Rowling looked to the stars when writing this story. Having suffered from depression herself, the symbol of light at the end of the tunnel is a beautiful and heartfelt reminder that love always wins out.

Take the character Sirius Black. Sirius is also the name for the brightest star in the sky, and black, well that is pretty straight-forward. For a character, who has lost almost everything, to still hold on to the love he has for his friends, and the love he has for Harry is something truly profound.

If Sirius is the stars, and Remus is the moon, then Harry is the milky way (notice how his spell looks like a galaxy – continuing the spiral visual).

During the climax of the film, where Harry sees Sirius’s literal soul being sucked away by the Dementors, he only has one choice, and that is to cast Expecto Patronum. This one scene in my opinion is the best in the entire franchise. It encapsulates Harry’s growth from boy to a man as he realises that nobody is there to save him, not his Dad, not Dumbeldore, but only his pure inner strength and his appreciation of the love his parents gave him.

John Williams’s score echoes throughout this scene like churchbells in The Vatican. The music builds together in a climax, with a pervasive ticking in the background, reminding the viewer that Harry is running out of time. Until finally, he advances his leitmotif of “A Window to the Past” as Harry fights off hundreds of cloaked incarnations of death in a bad-ass fashion. I also love the pulsating effect they gave to the Patronus charm in the movie – it reminds me of a warm heartbeat. I can’t help but get chills every time I watch this scene.

As humans, we have an innate negativity bias, and it is often a struggle to remember the good. The idea of losing yourself in a happy memory, finding your inner strength and believing in love is something that carries across from the screen and into our lives.

As Trent Dalton put it: “Love is a complete mystery. Love is our most important mystery. Love is the answer to every question.”

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4 Underrated Movie Moments

For this list, it is only scenes I think people don’t know or don’t appreciate enough. More specifically, they are scenes I watch or think about almost daily. Enjoy…

or don’t it’s up to you really.

4. Moneyball – It’s a process

Before you start punching the screen hear me out. I know Moneyball is a big movie, but I still believe this scene gets overshadowed.

It is truly one of the most motivational scenes I have ever seen. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are perfect in this. They nail that inspiring coach that we have all seen countless times before. In particular is Brad’s line delivery. How he interacts with the players feels so natural and authentic. You feel as if he knows exactly what he is talking about – a true baseball player. But what is so amazing is his delivery in the locker room.

“I hate losing, I hate losing more then I want to win” and “It’s a process”

He delivers them with such passion that you feel the weight of how important this game is to him. 

Also, the music has this drive to it. This motivation passion. It feels as if it is pushing the characters forward and in turn inspiring the audience to accomplish their goals. Or maybe I just listen to this soundtrack to much.

3. Brothers Bloom – Card Trick

Apart from Good Will Hunting, this is my favourite monologue I have ever seen. It is a masterclass in using visual ques and music to keep the audience engaged. Essentially, without the card trick this scene would not retain the attention of the audience. It uses the card trick to disarm them, so they pay attention to this very pivotal moment in the film

On top of this, it has this beautiful flow to it. Everything combines together to give off this bittersweet emotion. The contrast of their facial expressions, the haunting story and even the upbeat music. It all combines to encapsulate this character. We now know everything about her, in the space of 2 minutes.

2. Old man and The Gun – Prison Escape

I would honestly say this entire movie is underrated. But in particular is this singular moment. It is simply just creative. Supposedly, David Lowery had the goal of showcasing Robert Redford’s entire career as it was his last starring role. But I believe it does so much more than that. To me, it showcases the entirety of prison films. References to Shawshank, the Great Escape and Escape from Alcatraz are littered throughout this montage.

On top of this is Daniel Harts amazing theme. I have spoken about it before in my Going Solo pitch but this song slaps so hard. Like Mychael Danna’s It’s a Process, this song has such a sense of drive and motivation. The slow build-up brings this scene to life perfectly.

  1. The Way Way Back – Go your own way

Most people if they watch this scene will be very confused as to what I am talking about. If you haven’t seen the movie, I have no idea if its effective– I have seen it to many times.

To me, it is extremely powerful. It is the final development in a character who is deeply struggling. The final piece that finally fixes him and sends him on the right path. Such simple words have honestly stayed in my heard ever since I heard them.

“Go your own way.”

I’m not going to dive into any poetic or philosophical shit.  But these words embody the entire theme of the film and what I have tried to focus on as well. Carve your own path. Take your own road. That is why this scene slaps so hard that my hand is red. It is a simple reminder of what is truly important.

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The Film Bible

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The Greatest Piece of Filmmaking Advice

DON’T PANIC. I am not going to be the one giving the advice. Given the fact I know fuck all about film I think its for the best. Instead, I am going to let someone with “slightly” more experience then me do it.

Akira Kurosawa.

To preface, I am just stealing this from an interview. If you don’t want to listen to me ramble, the video is just below (one day I will turn this into my own edit on youtube).

Unlike a lot of directors Kurosawa admits how much harder it is to make films now.

“It costs a great deal of money to make films these days and its hard to become a director.”

Older directors seem to give the same piece of advice. Go out and shoot films every weekend and edit it and then you have a movie blah blah blah. This sounds cool right? But realistically there is a huge over saturation with how many shitty short films are being made and uploaded out there (myself included). I just think in this day and age you need at least a solid setup to make something that grabs people’s attention. But Kurosawa offers much better advice.

“If you genuinely want to make films then write screenplays”

Kurosawa emphasises that all you need is a paper and a pencil. Nothing more. More importantly, by writing scripts you learn the structure of a film. You learn more deeply what keeps people engaged and how to make a good picture.

I believe that if you are a great writer, you will at least be a good director. For example, Sorkin, Koffman, Tarantino. It just goes hand in hand. Similarly, Spielberg gives the same advice to young directors. These guys are masters in their field and know how much a good script can change the world.

WRITING IS HARD!

Once again, Kurosawa is on it. Who would expect it from one of the greatest filmmakers of all time? Most writers emphasises the importance of writing every day. But it’s very hard and he admits this – especially for young people who have no attention span.

“The most essential and necessary thing is the forbearance to face writing on word at a time”

Patience. Writing is extremely hard, and you need this skill if you want to write an entire screenplay.  When you climb a mountain, you are told never look up at the mountain or you will be disheartened. Instead, you take one step at a time. Writing is the same, one word at a time. The tedious task of writing has to become second nature to you.

“If you give up once, that will be it”

While this is directed towards writing, I think it applies to all of film. If you quit once it becomes a habit. Every time things get challenging you will just bail. Honestly, it is simply about routine, nothing more.

“Do a certain amount of reading”

While Kurosawa emphasises reading widely in literature and in particular Russian literature, reading at all is pivotal to becoming a writer and also a filmmaker. He explains that unless you have a rich reserve within you can’t create anything. Essentially, you need a place for the idea to come from. This can either be literature or memories. Your next film idea is not just going to appear in front of you. By reading different authors, it sets of that light in your head.

Kurosawa’s advice ultimately changed how I view writing. I accepted how challenging I found it which made it easier to do. It sounds weird but if you just built it into your daily routine, you will see a jump in what you are producing.

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An Honest Review of My First Short Film

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Why did the King’s Man did not slap?

SPOILERSSSSSSS

I think Mathew Vaughn is truly an incredible director. His pacing and style is so unique and refreshing when compared to other blockbusters. If you don’t know his other work Mathew has directed Kick Ass, X Men First Class, The Kingsman movies and most importantly, StarDust (If you haven’t seen this film do yourself a favour). Not to mention, his production achievements of Lock Stock, Eddie the Eagle and Rocketman. You could say my expectations were high going into this. Apart from the second Kingsman, I have loved all his films. But before I start, I am not just going to shit on this film – I hate reviews that do that. Plus, I have never made a film and know fuck all about it. Plus plus, I didn’t hate it at all, I just feel like there was just something missing. So therefore, I am going to do a multilayered insult sandwich.

Con

This movie takes way to long to get going. The first 30-40 minutes feel so weird and slow paced. Its like when a teacher or instructor spends 20 minutes explaining a game when all you want to do is fucking start the game. I was watching it thinking, when is this going to get moving, and honestly it didn’t really. The pacing stays in this kind of slow and drawn-out process. When the movie finished, I sat there thinking, why is the first 1/3 not just cut.

The whole film is spread out over the entirety of WW1. A very odd choice. It makes the audience feel like the movie has no direction. Instead of focusing on a specific aspect, it tries to squish 4 years into 2 hours.

PRO

The action scenes in this movie are genuinely amazing. Like with all of Vaughn’s work, they have this unique dance to them. You can feel the choreography but it’s still so enthralling to watch. There are three in particular that really stand out to me.

  1. The fight against Rasputin
  2. Silent War Battle
  3. Final Battle

But the problem is, there is not enough. In a 2 hour an 10 minute action film there is barely any action. When its there, its amazing but…

Bruh

CON

I think my biggest issue with this film is what its going for. I have a theory that Vaughn wanted to make this a serious war drama. To me, that’s just stupid. What works about the first two Kingsman is how over the top and bat shit crazy they are. The gore, the action, the writing. All of it shows this exaggerated version of James Bond. It essentially works because audiences are sick of the same old James Bond. I get that he wants to try something new but don’t do it with a franchise people already have expectations for.

PRO

The performances in this film are very good. Ralph (Rafe) Fiennes is exceptional, as usual. In particular, the moments of real drama when he loses loved ones shows how good of an actor he really is. He always does this really unique and weird yelling with his voice that I really love. (Think of Avadacadabra in Harry Potter).

I think the George Mckay look alike (known as Harris Dickinson) is good as well. It felt believable when he was showing the pure fear of being in battle. Also, the young ignorance and naivety of a teenage boy was spot on.

Rhys Ifans as Rasputin stole the show. I know it was over the top but I like when actors just go for it. Its engaging when they don’t hold back and give their interpretation and perspective of the character. He had this perfect mix of both menace and stupidity – a precise summary of Rasputin.

Rhys Ifans as Rasputin in 20th Century Studios’ THE KING’S MAN. Photo credit: Peter Mountain. © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Everyone else was good. #moredjimonhounsou 

Con

On the other side of this, is SOME of the writing. There is a huge focus on the dynamic between the father and son. Desperately wanting to go to the war, the Duke repeatedly denies Conrad in fear of him dying. Its smart and interesting but it happens like 5 times. It felt I was watching the same scene on repeat. Conrad says he is joining the war, the duke says no and gives him a lecture then Conrad comes to an understanding. It’s just repetitive and becomes monotonous.

Pro

BIG SPOILER

When Conrad was shot, I was sitting there like what the fuck. It completely got off me off guard – something that is getting harder to do in films. A shocking death in a movies is very hard to do as audiences constantly see it coming. However, this one was out of nowhere and completely heartbreaking. He wasn’t even killed by enemy which adds this sense of regret of wasted life to the audience.

It also served a purpose. Without the death of his son, it would not make sense why the Duke would start up the Kingsmen. Good writing.

The Final Con

There is something included at the end of this film that blew my mind – in the worst possible way. When the Duke meets the big villain at the end, there is a very interesting and extremely obvious plot twist. The villain is the creepy evil dude in the background. SURPRISE SURPRISE. I don’t understand why Vaugh did this. It doesn’t add anything, it is not surprising, it literally has no effect whatsoever on the film. It feels exactly like a Scooby Doo reveal at the end of an episode. Glaringly obvious and equally pointless.