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STARRING: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott and Russell Crowe. Written by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway from a story by Richard Wenk. Budget $110-130 million. Running time 127 minutes.
This is a good news, bad news kinda film. First the good news. This is better than either Madame Web or Morbius. Now the bad news, that's really all it has going for it. That said, it's really not awful, terrible, or even that golden egg of all bad films, 'so bad, it's good', no sadly it's just mediocre. A middling little romp where everyone involved, except for Russell Crowe, seems to be giving a solid 60%.
The film gives us the origin story of not one but two Marvel supervillians, although one of them is supposed to be a secret only revealed in the final scene, not that you'll care should you make it that far. Instead we get the story of how two boys brought up by the Russian Mafia father, Russell Crowe grew up damaged after the suicide of their mother lead the eldest Sergei to run away from home and live in a fabulous Eastern Russian forest along side a very judgement herd of bison. Cut to 16 years later and Sergrei has grown up to be Aaron Taylor-Johnson rocking the single worst American accent in living memory. Anyway, when he's not moping about angst-ridden cos of his dad he's killing bad men who are on his naughty list.
Oh wait! I forgot, there's a bit where we see Sergrei get his superpowers. When he was a kid he got bitten by a big old lion and a girl whose grandmother did Tarot card readings gave her a bottle of magic potion which the girl poured into the mauled boy's mouth. And viola he gains magical powers of some sort which means he sort of communicates with animals, has super speed, strength and agility. Seriously.
Anyway back to the 16 years later and Sergei is now the feared Hunter who hunts down bad men and kills them. And his brother Dimitri played by Fred Hechinger, who just so happens to be an amazing mimic able to sound like anybody, runs a nightclub in London. So Sergei who's been avoiding his dad for 16 years turns up at his brother's birthday and there's an awkward reunion but the next day Dimitri is kidnapped by henchmen working for another Russian gangster called Alekse Sytsevich who just who happens to be Rhino. Anyway he wants The Hunter killed so he hires another person with super powers called The Foreigner who can cloud men's minds and then there's loads of running around London and Africa chasing after Dimitir, it all builds to a conclusion where people die who need to die and a final scene sees Sergei confront his father before Dimitri reveals his true identity as another supervillian, one whose ability to perfectly mimic another person makes him an ideal candidate for.
That's the plot, I think, hard to remember I saw this film 2 hours ago and already it's just a dim memory.
I was struck by how shit the supporting actors were, how awful Aaron's woeful American accent was, I mean it's so jarring you're aware of it every time he opens his beautiful mouth. And just how pedestrian the whole thing is, how generic, how dull and bland. Added to that, the production values are boring, the special effects aren't that special and there's nothing really stand out or amazing, that's not to say that this is a terrible film, indeed if I had to praise one thing it would be Aaron Taylor Johnson whose fabulously honed body is a delight to oggle, it's obvious that between takes he's pumping his guns to perfection, and I'd happily watch him shirtless just posing really nice. And Russell Crowe is great value for money eating the scenery with a delightfully OTT performance, and giving everyone else a master class in how to steal a scene. Cos everyone else looks as uncomfortable as a first timer in an Am-Dram production of Les Mis.
Apart from that, this is an middling film, it's okay, it's a trifle too long. Plus there's no post credit sting.
This is a good news, bad news kinda film. First the good news. This is better than either Madame Web or Morbius. Now the bad news, that's really all it has going for it. That said, it's really not awful, terrible, or even that golden egg of all bad films, 'so bad, it's good', no sadly it's just mediocre. A middling little romp where everyone involved, except for Russell Crowe, seems to be giving a solid 60%.
The film gives us the origin story of not one but two Marvel supervillians, although one of them is supposed to be a secret only revealed in the final scene, not that you'll care should you make it that far. Instead we get the story of how two boys brought up by the Russian Mafia father, Russell Crowe grew up damaged after the suicide of their mother lead the eldest Sergei to run away from home and live in a fabulous Eastern Russian forest along side a very judgement herd of bison. Cut to 16 years later and Sergrei has grown up to be Aaron Taylor-Johnson rocking the single worst American accent in living memory. Anyway, when he's not moping about angst-ridden cos of his dad he's killing bad men who are on his naughty list.
Oh wait! I forgot, there's a bit where we see Sergrei get his superpowers. When he was a kid he got bitten by a big old lion and a girl whose grandmother did Tarot card readings gave her a bottle of magic potion which the girl poured into the mauled boy's mouth. And viola he gains magical powers of some sort which means he sort of communicates with animals, has super speed, strength and agility. Seriously.
Anyway back to the 16 years later and Sergei is now the feared Hunter who hunts down bad men and kills them. And his brother Dimitri played by Fred Hechinger, who just so happens to be an amazing mimic able to sound like anybody, runs a nightclub in London. So Sergei who's been avoiding his dad for 16 years turns up at his brother's birthday and there's an awkward reunion but the next day Dimitri is kidnapped by henchmen working for another Russian gangster called Alekse Sytsevich who just who happens to be Rhino. Anyway he wants The Hunter killed so he hires another person with super powers called The Foreigner who can cloud men's minds and then there's loads of running around London and Africa chasing after Dimitir, it all builds to a conclusion where people die who need to die and a final scene sees Sergei confront his father before Dimitri reveals his true identity as another supervillian, one whose ability to perfectly mimic another person makes him an ideal candidate for.
That's the plot, I think, hard to remember I saw this film 2 hours ago and already it's just a dim memory.
I was struck by how shit the supporting actors were, how awful Aaron's woeful American accent was, I mean it's so jarring you're aware of it every time he opens his beautiful mouth. And just how pedestrian the whole thing is, how generic, how dull and bland. Added to that, the production values are boring, the special effects aren't that special and there's nothing really stand out or amazing, that's not to say that this is a terrible film, indeed if I had to praise one thing it would be Aaron Taylor Johnson whose fabulously honed body is a delight to oggle, it's obvious that between takes he's pumping his guns to perfection, and I'd happily watch him shirtless just posing really nice. And Russell Crowe is great value for money eating the scenery with a delightfully OTT performance, and giving everyone else a master class in how to steal a scene. Cos everyone else looks as uncomfortable as a first timer in an Am-Dram production of Les Mis.
Apart from that, this is an middling film, it's okay, it's a trifle too long. Plus there's no post credit sting.
A disappointing but not hateful 5/10
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