Dumb and Dumber To
2014
**
Director: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly
Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Rob Riggle, Laurie Holden, Kathleen Turner, Don Lake, Steve Tom, Rachel Melvin
Dumb and Dumber (1994) was a long and tasteless but sweet comedy about two dimwits, which became a massive hit. 20 years later, Harry and Lloyd go on another cross-country road trip when Harry learns that he fathered a child 22 years ago. This unnecessary and mechanical sequel includes numerous callback to the original, but very few fresh ideas. There are a few jokes that land, but just too many that don't.
The Purge
2013
*½
Director: James DeMonaco
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Adelaide Kane, Max Burkholder, Arija Bareikis, Tom Yi, Chris Mulkey, Edwin Hodge, Rhys Wakefield
In the near future, for one night every year, all crime (including murder) is legal. During these 12 hours, a wealthy family faces threats from the outside and from within their fortified home. James DeMonaco's horror movie has a clever premise, but sadly he is not interested in exploiting any of its intriguing and potentially thought-provoking possibilities. Instead he gives us a conventional and predictable home invasion story with characters who have no psychological depth whatsoever. No person appears to use the Purge for financial gain, but only for an indiscriminate killing spree. The 85-minute running time is pretty much the only positive. Followed by The Purge: Anarchy (2014) and Purge: Election Year (2016), The First Purge (2018), and The Forever Purge (2021).
Promised Land
2012
**½
Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand, Rosemarie DeWitt, Hal Holbrook, Scoot McNairy, Titus Welliver, Terry Kinney
Steve Butler and his colleague travel to a rural farming town to convince the local landowners to lease their land for fracking, a controversial method of extracting oil and natural gas, but they encounter unexpected resistance from an environmental activist. Through Steve's personal journey, this interesting but ultimately disappointing drama attempts to deal with the potential environmental and health risks of fracking. Steve is a well-drawn if slightly oblivious character, and the story builds up nicely. However, the stupid and predictable twists in the last 15 minutes leave a bad aftertaste. Matt Damon and John Krasinski, the stars of the film, also wrote the screenplay.
War for the Planet of the Apes
2017
***
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Toby Kebbell, Judy Greer, Karin Konoval, Terry Notary, Gabriel Chavarria, Amiah Miller, Roger Cross
The prequel trilogy kicked off with the surprising and captivating Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but the story has since taken a more predictable and disappointing direction. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes introduced a dystopic future, where the remaining apes and humans would inevitably clash. The third part is about the survival of the species, and it's like a cross between Apocalypse Now and The Great Escape. Two more years have passed and the apes are engaged in an extended battle with military troops led by the Colonel (Kurtz?). Caesar must decide whether he seeks personal revenge or leads his tribe to safety. Caesar remains a wonderful character throughout the trilogy, and the special effects are amazing. However, there was potential for more. This is the longest and most static of the films.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
2008
**½
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Cast: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Liz Cackowski, Da'Vone McDonald, Paul Rudd, Jack McBrayer, Maria Thayer
Peter takes a trip to Hawaii to get over a traumatic break-up, but ends up in the same resort with his ex and her new boyfriend. This is a very typical 21st century romantic comedy: the jokes revolve mostly around sex and the protagonist is a plain-looking loser who is somehow irresistible to two beautiful women, played by Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis. Jason Segel gives a likeable performance in the lead, but his script is too predictable.
The Magnificent Seven
2014
***
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, Peter Sarsgaard, Haley Bennett
When a ruthless gold mining tycoon attempts to seize control of Rose Creek and its inhabitants, the townsfolk hire a group of gunmen to protect the town. This remake of the 1960 Western, which itself was a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954) puts a 21st century twist on the old story. That is, the group of seven are now a diverse group of men in terms of age, race, and ethnicity. The resulting Western is predictable and unspectacular, but it builds towards a long and entertaining climactic shootout.
Nowhere Boy
2009
**½
Director: Sam Taylor-Wood
Cast: Aaron Johnson, Anne-Marie Duff, Kristin Scott Thomas, David Threlfall, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Morrissey, Ophelia Lovibond, Andrew Buchan
This well-acted but somewhat pointless biographical drama covers John Lennon's early years from 1955 to 1960. The protagonist is a famous real-life musician, but even a devout Beatles fan will struggle to defend this generic story about a rebellious teenager who has mommy issues with two different women, his biological mother (who gave him up) and his aunt (who brought him up). We see Lennon become a musician, but there are no songs by the Beatles on the soundtrack. Neither is there a major character who speaks with a Liverpudlian accent.
The Deepest Breath
2023
***½
Director: Laura McGann
Cast:
Competitive freediving is without a doubt one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Laura McGann's documentary tells the story of two people who meet through the sport and fall in love. Alessia Zecchini is a driven Italian freediver who aims to break the world record. Stephen Keenan is a fearless Irishman who finds his calling as a safety diver. McGann's film, which kicks off with a breathtaking opening scene, introduces a free diving community, who are willing to take insane risks for personal fulfilment. It is clear from the start that the story will not have a happy ending, but the way it all unfolds feels extremely manipulative.
Café Society
2016
**½
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Jeannie Berlin, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, Ken Stott, Sheryl Lee
Young Jewish man from New York moves to Hollywood to work for his talent agent uncle, but he ends up in a complicated relationship with his uncle's assistant. Woody Allen's 47th film is a passable romantic comedy drama, which offers no surprises if you are familiar with the director's recent works. The characters fall in love, break-up, and long for each other, but I'm not moved one way or another. Like Magic in the Moonlight (2014), this uncomfortably autobiographical story features a middle-aged man who is dating a young woman. The film was shot by Vittorio Storaro, and it looks terrific.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
2021
***
Director: Mike Rianda
Cast: Danny McBride, Abbi Jacobson, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric André, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend
A new line of AI-powered home robots plan to capture all humans and take over the world, but they forgot to factor in the Mitchells, a family of four on a road trip. Mike Rianda's directorial debut is an entertaining but disposable animation. The premise is funny and clever, but the characters are disappointingly clichéd, and the sentimental father/daughter relationship treads a familiar path. The film is long at 114 minutes, and yet it feels like it rushes from one scene to the next at breakneck speed.
Living
2022
**½
Director: Oliver Hermanus
Cast: Bill Nighy, Aimee Lou Wood, Alex Sharp, Tom Burke, Adrian Rawlins, Hubert Burton, Oliver Chris, Michael Cochrane
Mr. Williams is a drab and lifeless County Council bureaucrat, who must reassess his life choices when he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Bill Nighy, as Mr. Williams, gives a dignified and understated performance, but the drama around him is as slow, dreary, and dull as the protagonist. The story is set in 1953, perhaps because this is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1952 film Ikiru.
M3GAN
2022
**½
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Stephane Garneau-Monten, Lori Dungey
When robotics engineer Gemma cannot connect with her 8-year-old niece Cady, who is now in her care, she gives her M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), an overly protective A.I.-powered robot doll. Akela Cooper's script mixes elements from I, Robot, A.I.– Artificial Intelligence, and a number of creepy doll horror movies. The story offers some nice satire on modern tech-dependent parenting, but otherwise it is maddeningly predictable. Once we see M3GAN's emotionless face, it is clear what is going to happen, and once we are introduced to the rest of the characters, it is obvious who will not have a happy ending.
The Wonder
2022
***
Director: Sebastián Lelio
Cast: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Elaine Cassidy, Dermot Crowley, Brían F. O'Byrne, David Wilmot, Ruth Bradley, Caolán Byrne, Josie Walker, Ciarán Hinds, Toby Jones, Kíla Lord Cassidy
In 1862, an English nurse travels to remote Ireland to examine and observe a fasting girl, who has allegedly not eaten for four months. Sebastián Lelio begins and ends his pariod film on a sound stage to show that this story is all fiction. This framing device is baffling, pointless, and pretentious. However, for most of the running time this is a well-acted and beautifully shot but incredibly slow-paced drama, which is gripping but not entirely believable. Based on Emma Donoghue's 2016 novel
The Founder
2016
****
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Linda Cardellini, B. J. Novak, Laura Dern, Patrick Wilson, Justin Randell Brooke
In 1954, travelling salesman Ray Kroc goes to San Bernardino, California to eat at the groundbreaking restaurant set up by the McDonald brothers. With dollar signs in his eyes, Kroc wants to take the business national. This fact-based drama depicts the creation of the McDonald's franchise, and the story is gripping, fascinating, and unexpectedly depressing. Michael Keaton gives an excellent performance as Kroc, who becomes less and less likeable as the story goes on.
Minions: The Rise of Gru
2022
***
Director: Kyle Balda
Cast: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Julie Andrews, Alan Arkin, Michelle Yeoh
In 1976, an 11-year-old Gru wants to join the Vicious 6, but instead he ends up being pursued by the very same supervillain team. The sequel to Minions is the fifth release in the Despicable Me universe. Gru has been a reformed villain for most of the main franchise, so his origin story seems pointless at this point. However, this short and adequately entertaining animation offers another scattershot collection of gags. The Minions remain irresistibly goofy characters.
Hot Tub Time Machine
2010
*
Director: Steve Pink
Cast: John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Crispin Glover, Lizzy Caplan, Chevy Chase, Collette Wolfe, Sebastian Stan
Adam, Lou, and Nick, whose lives didn't pan out quite like they expected, take a nostalgic trip to a ski resort, where the three friends and Adam's slacker nephew Jacob are transported back to 1986. This is the set-up for a formulaic, misogynistic, and depressingly unfunny gross-out comedy, which features three unpleasant and uninteresting man-children. Paying homage to the Back to the Future trilogy is one thing, ripping it off at every turn is a different matter. Jacob runs into his horny mother, Nick sings a song from the future, Lou puts money on future events he knows are going to happen, and Crispin Glover appears in a quirky supporting role. The ending made me want to throw up. Followed by a 2015 sequel.
Tangled
2010
****
Director: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard
Cast: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Brad Garrett, Ron Perlman, Jeffrey Tambor, Richard Kiel, M. C. Gainey, Paul F. Tompkins
Rapunzel, a young princess with magical long hair, has been locked in a tower by a vain woman she thinks is her mother. When a cocky thief named Flynn Rider climbs into her tower, Rapunzel forces him to show her the world outside. This Disney animation is based on Rapunzel, an 1812 fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm. It's a familiar story which gets the Disney treatment. There's romance, adventure, songs, and reliable comedy sidekicks. The film doesn't really include one surprise, but it's entertaining and likeable nonetheless.
The Infiltrator
2016
***
Director: Brad Furman
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Diane Kruger, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt, Yul Vazquez, Amy Ryan, Jason Isaacs, Joe Gilgun, Daniel Mays, Yul Vazquez
In the 1980s, U.S. Customs special agent Robert Mazur goes undercover as a corrupt businessman to uncover a money laundering operation that involves an offshore bank and the Medellín Cartel. This interesting but predictable drama shows that infiltrating a crime organisation is extremely dangerous and all-consuming business. Like Donnie Brasco, Mazur begins to enjoy the life of his undercover persona a bit too much. Ellen Brown Furman's script, which is based on Mazur's autobiography, is occasionally confusing as it attempts to juggle all the numerous underworld characters. Bryan Cranston gives a solid lead performance, though. Incidentally, the story is set in the same era as American Made, and Barry Seal is briefly mentioned on TV news.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
2012
***½
Director: Lorene Scafaria
Cast: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Adam Brody, Derek Luke, William Petersen, Connie Britton, Rob Corddry, Melanie Lynskey, Martin Sheen
As a massive asteroid is about to hit the Earth, Dodge is abandoned by his wife. While the clock is ticking, the forlorn Dodge ends up on a road trip with Penny, his next-door neighbour. Lorene Scafaria's directorial debut is dark romantically flavoured comedy about the end of the world. The subject matter is grim, but her film offers some laughs on the way to the moving finale. Steve Carell and Keira Knightley give likeable performances in the lead.
Barbie
2023
**½
Director: Greta Gerwig
Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Simu Liu, Helen Mirren, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell
When Stereotypical Barbie, who lives happily in the matriarchal Barbieland with other Barbies and Kens, begins to develop dark thoughts, she must venture out into the real world, where men seem to be in charge. Greta Gerwig's third solo feature is a light and bubbly feminist comedy, which is based on Mattel's iconic dolls. The screenplay by Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach offers clever satire, visual gags, and film references, and yet I was only mildly amused throughout. This is certainly not as funny and subversive as The Lego Movie, which was also an extended toy commercial. Nevertheless, the sets and costumes are delightful, and the songs are catchy.
Beast
2022
***
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Cast: Idris Elba, Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley, Leah Jeffries, Naledi Mogadime
Just when the recently widowed Nate brings his two daughters to a safari in South Africa, where he originally met their mother, a rogue male lion has gone in an indiscriminate killing spree after its pride was killed by poachers. This silly and formulaic survival story is passable fun, and thankfully only 90 minutes long. As it turns out, the lion is indestructible and the humans are susceptible to making stupid decisions. Idris Elba is commanding in the lead and the CGI-created lions look surprisingly convincing.
Ticket to Paradise
2022
**½
Director: Ol Parker
Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Maxime Bouttier, Billie Lourd, Lucas Bravo
David and Georgia were briefly married, but now they can't stand each other. When their daughter Lily is about to throw away her career to marry a seaweed farmer from Bali, they join forces to sabotage the wedding. This affable romantic comedy has an appealing cast and it was shot in beautiful locations in Queensland, Australia. However, the screenplay is maddeningly formulaic. One surprise or twist would be nice, but things play out exactly like I thought they would.
Into the Ice
2022
***½
Director: Lars Ostenfeld
Cast:
This Norwegian documentary follows glaciologists who explore the Greenland ice sheet to assess the effects of climate change. Jason Box leads the film crew across the hostile surface and Alun Hubbard takes them down to a massive moulin. Lars Ostenfeld's images are mesmerising but his ability to weave a compelling narrative around them is not always on the same level.
Oppenheimer
2023
*****
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke
J. Robert Oppenheimer was a theoretical physicist who was hired to lead the Manhattan Project. During the McCarthy era, his continued calls for international arms control and his past associations with the Communist Party turned the father of the atomic bomb to an outcast. Most biopics offer a superficial run-through of a person's career and/or private life. Christopher Nolan's insanely ambitious and beautifully constructed drama provides a biographical story and a horrific history lession. Nolan's script is based on American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, and it intercuts between three timelines: the development of the atomic bomb, the 1954 security hearing by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, and the 1959 Senate confirmation hearing for Lewis Strauss, who became Oppenheimer's political adversary. The midsection about the Manhattan Project is the obvious dramatic high point, but the film offers solid cinematic brilliance throughout its 3-hour runtime. The cast is amazing. Cillian Murphy is excellent as Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt gives a brave performance as his alcoholic wife Kitty, and Robert Downey Jr. gives a memorable turn as Strauss. Ludwig Göransson's powerful score is the icing on the cake.
En man som heter Ove (A Man Called Ove)
2015
***
Director: Hannes Holm
Cast: Rolf Lassgård, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg, Ida Engvoll, Tobias Almborg, Klas Wiljergård, Chatarina Larsson, Börje Lundberg, Stefan Gödicke, Johan Widerberg, Anna-Lena Bergelin
Ove is a grumpy and confrontational 59-year-old widower, who has lost his will to live following the death of his beloved wife. When a lively young family moves in next doors, Ove slowly begins to break out of his shell. This Swedish drama comedy is quite enjoyable but highly implausible. The way these characters fall in love, suffer injuries, or take abuse does not reflect reality. Nevertheless, Rolf Lassgård is great in the lead. Remade in Hollywood as A Man Called Otto (2022).
Operation Finale
2018
**½
Director: Chris Weitz
Cast: Oscar Isaac, Ben Kingsley, Mélanie Laurent, Lior Raz, Nick Kroll, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Aronov, Joe Alwyn
In 1960, Israeli authorities receive reliable intel that Adolf Eichmann is hiding in Argentina. A team of Mossad and Shin Bet agents devise a plan to find, capture, and fly the infamous Nazi war criminal to Israel to be tried for his role in the Holocaust. This dramatically embellished real-life story is like a cross between The Debt and Argo. The story is compelling, and Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley give interesting multi-layered performances. However, the film drags badly in the middle when the team are forced to lay low in Buenos Aires for 10 days until they can fly Eichmann out in a predictably over-dramatic finale.
The Beguiled
2017
***
Director: Sofia Coppola
Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice, Addison Riecke, Emma Howard
During the Civil War, a wounded Union soldier finds refuge in an all-girls Southern boarding school. The womenfolk initially welcome him, but his presence begins to stir jealousy, rivalry, and lust. This intriguing story is based on the 1966 novel by Thomas P. Cullinan, which was previously filmed in 1971 with Clint Eastwood in the lead. Sofia Coppola's gripping version has a very impressive international cast and high production values, but the story feels a bit rushed at 94 minutes.
The Pale Blue Eye
2022
**
Director: Scott Cooper
Cast: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Robert Duvall, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Simon McBurney, Hadley Robinson, Timothy Spall
Augustus Landor is a retired detective and widower whose daughter ran away. In October 1830, he is summoned to West Point Military Academy when a cadet is found hanged and his heart cut out. Landor gets help from another cadet by the name of Edgar Allan Poe. This murder mystery takes a real-life historical figure and places him in a fictional set-up. Although the film is beautifully shot, staged, and acted, it ultimately delivers a very disappointing shaggy dog story. Based on Louis Bayard's 2006 novel.
Babylon
2022
***
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P. J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Tobey Maguire
Just as the movie industry is transitioning from silent to sound, a number of people attempt to make a life in Hollywood. These include a hard-working jack-of-all-trades Manny Torres, a supremely talented but uncontrollable rising star Nellie LeRoy, and a washed-out icon of the silent era Jack Conrad. Although it looks great and doesn't include a dull moment, Damien Chazelle's epic drama about the hedonistic excesses of Hollywood has no business being more than 3 hours long. There are several memorable set pieces, but also some cringey and deliberately over-the-top sequences. The film's most obvious reference point is Singin' in the Rain (1952), but it also draws influence from the likes of Sunset Boulevard, The Artist, and The Great Gatsby. While Diego Calva gives a likeable breakthrough performance as Manny, Margot Robbie's exhausting character is like Harley Quinn on steroids.
Alone
2020
**½
Director: John Hyams
Cast: Jules Willcox, Marc Menchaca, Anthony Heald
The recently widowed Jessica packs her stuff and goes on a long road trip to start over, but her journey takes an unexpected turn when she becomes the target of a relentless stalker. This relatively gripping thriller doesn't outstay its welcome, but it is not original or surprising enough to leave a lasting impression. It starts like Duel, then briefly turns into Room, before ending as Deliverance.
To Leslie
2022
***
Director: Michael Morris
Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Andre Royo, Owen Teague, Stephen Root, James Landry Hebert, Marc Maron, Allison Janney,
Six years after winning \$190,000 in a lottery, Leslie has drunk it all away and alienated her friends and family in the process. With nobody to fall back on, she receives help from a kind stranger who runs a motel. Andrea Riseborough's Academy Award nomination raised some controversy, but there is no denying that she is very good as Leslie, who is not an easy person to like. This drama about her redemption is gritty and believable, apart from the ending, which leaves no problem unsolved.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
2023
****½
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Henry Czerny, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Cary Elwes, Greg Tarzan Davis
When advanced, self-aware AI known as the Entity goes rogue, Ethan Hunt and his team must secure two halves of an activation key and discover the location of the Entity, but they are not alone. Tom Cruise and his Mission: Impossible franchise seem to get better with age. Once again, the plot, although incredibly topical, is nothing but an excuse to zoom from one place to the next to find a McGuffin. However, the CGI-lite set pieces are inventive and exciting, and Cruise's physical stunts are amazing. The scenes at the airport and onboard the train are my personal favourites. Part Two comes out in 2024.
Freaky
2020
*
Director: Christopher Landon
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Katie Finneran, Celeste O'Connor, Alan Ruck, Uriah Shelton, Melissa Collazo, Dana Drori, Michelle Ladd
When a middle-aged serial killer nicknamed the Blissfield Butcher stabs Millie with an ancient dagger, the two swap bodies. Millie learns that she has just 24 hours to reverse the curse, or she is stuck in his body for good. Body-swap comedies are nothing new, but this slasher version is safe, formulaic, boring, and unfunny beyond belief. The real Millie is a nerdy high school student who is bullied by students and teachers alike. When the serial killer Millie puts on a red leather jacket, she becomes the most awesome girl in school, who obviously kills all the bullies and no one else. Vince Vaughn as a teenage girl is about as much fun as a real serial killer.
X
2022
**
Director: Ti West
Cast: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, Scott Mescudi, Simon Prast, James Gaylyn
In 1979, three men and three women drive to a Texas farm owned by an old couple. While the visitors shoot an adult movie in the guest house, the elderly owners behave in an increasingly odd manner. The opening scene reveals that the visit didn't end well. Ti West's film has an interesting premise and a nicely slow build-up, and then it turns into a slasher by the numbers. The young people turn into idiots and the old folks gain super speed and strength, when required by the plot. Mia Goth, who appears in a dual role, returns in Pearl (2022), which is a prequel.
Emancipation
2022
**
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Will Smith, Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Steven Ogg, Mustafa Shakir, Jayson Warner Smith, Gilbert Owuor
Although President Lincoln has issued the Emancipation Proclamation to end slavery in January 1863, it's business as usual in Louisiana. A Haitian man named Peter and two other slaves flee a plantation and hope to navigate through the swamps to the Union Army in Baton Rouge. Antoine Fuqua's film offers an awkward and implausible mix of historical drama and action entertainment. The main character is loosely based on a former slave, whose scarred back was captured in a famous photograph. However, I doubt the real Peter wrestled any alligators on his way to freedom. No matter how deep Peter walks into the swamp, he always seems be just a few feet away from a path where the slave catchers wait on horseback. William N. Collage's script also has some structural issues. Just when I thought the story was over, there is another long and extremely violent Civil War section to sit through. Robert Richardson's washed-out visuals get boring pretty fast.
