A Most Violent Heist.
125 Mins. Starring: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund & Pedro Pascal. Director: J.C. Chandor.
Hanks, Smith, Depp, Hardy, Tatum, Wahlberg, Ali. Names like those may have passed on this, but other bigs would enlist.
Batman himself, Ben Affleck. The best actor of the moment Oscar Isaac, reuniting with 'A Most Violent Year' (one of the best pictures of the last half decade) director J.C. Chandor. The brotherhood band of the twin like talents of the Hollywood heartthrobs turned heroic actors, Garrett Hedlund and Charlie Hunnam (put them together and you get Boyd Holbrook. Who I was convinced for about half the runtime was in this movie). And the brilliant Pedro Pascal who's in Samuel L. Jackson action just about everything right now. With bromance bordering camaraderie from these co-stars during their tiring press junket tours. You haven't seen casts this good since the one everyone signed when you broke your leg in school. This macho seal roll call passes the eye test. But is there any depth to this Navy military unit? Or is it a submerged 'All Is Lost' case for the Robert Redford old man and the sea dog director J.C. Chandor in this 'Margin Call'? Well those sinking with your gold strapped to you greed themes (think Ben's 'Boiler Room', Gekko 'Wall Street' homage with special forces sealed in) are plumbed with the depths of Jude Law's great Scot submarine commander and band of barnacles, vessel shipmates in the claustrophobic confides of the great 'Black Sea'. There's even a moment of money in the wall madness, were greedy hands stripping away at the plaster wall coming down makes these dollar stacks look like the map of the United States. Money greases the oil slick wheels that makes that corrupt world go round symbolism anyone? But this time they are being picked off like fruit in a tropical forest like a Predator was stalking them (Boyd Holbrook?) between a cartel and a border place. After following a cash grab, 'Widows' making heist that is outstandingly orchestrated in direction like an Affleck bank job in 'The Town', the 'Heat' is on in a hail of gunfire for a man under new direction who has an awesome artillery when firing and setting up these set-pieces himself that 'Live By Night'. So with plenty in the clip and more than just a Hollywood big-three, 'Triple' looks to set scores of Netflix streams in the double. 'Roma' it may not be. But as you roam between the likes of original pictures like 'Velvet Buzzsaw' and officially licensed 'Narcos' series' to binge this side of 'Mexico', this leave your brain at the "continue watching" button is the perfect film for a Friday night in to watch whilst chilling with a Bud and your boys or girl. It's not exactly a new frontier. But it's the old tried and tested ground of familiar territory that's always nice to come home to after a long wage slave day of working for the man.
Which is kind of how these band of bros feel. Risking life and limb for country and returning home with not much more to feed their families. Something has to give...or in this case take, as matters, own hands and all that. And oh how they trade hands here in a machine gun manifest for their own illegal take on the riches of the American dream on the wrong side of the border tracks in a Trump age where walls are put up to all our own. There are messages here, albeit muddied in all the morals that do not Anakin have or take the high ground a sniper is perched on. Save that scope for the Oscars. It's blockbuster season now. And after 'Captain Marvel' showed us a new America, the scorching like the future in her palms summer is set off with a bang for bucks in this rainforests endgame. We're in it now. Like a brooding, bulking Ben Affleck with restrained resignation here. Who is feeling the flame heat of the pressure like his character on a real life rescue mission in 'Argo' did. Or in his own actual real life when he was tasked with writing, directing and acting as 'The Batman', which we wish we could still see from the perfect isolated and created Bruce Wayne. Bring back his Bat, back up to the mound. Because like the start of this article we will always call him that. Just like the president's club of Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, erm... George Clooney (?), Christian Bale, of course the one and only Adam West and whichever Jake or Josh has got next. Here showing his previous dynamic directions acclaimed acting that he 'Runner, Runner' goes with whenever his critically underrated and cruelly disregarded (oh hey 'Gone Girl!) hard working talent is 'Accountant' called up for duty. The disrespect he has received is a disservice to not only the great man he is, but why we really enjoy entertainment. But he's fighting back now. And this time by his Academy Award winning side is Oscar. The inspired Isaac of 'Star Wars' and 'Ex Machina' sci-fi fame after his Cohen coming out party 'Inside Llewyn Davis'. The closest to DiCaprio who is also a Netflix deal darling thanks to the likes of one of last year's best 'Annihilation' and his 'Operation Finale' as unanimously underrated as his perfect 'Promise' with Christian Bale and Charlotte Le Bon. Here the American-Guatemalan actor with a job for you and the Ben that is back is pulling all the strings as he opens the shipping container doors to this illegal smuggling. And the closest thing to the halfway house between a Pacino and De Niro 'Godfather' is still stirring like the pot with an offer you can't refuse like this streaming services monthly charge for your new way to watch big budgets.
All blown up here in 'Trip Frontier' all the way down to the wire you can't see your foot touch like a landmine. Epic, explosive escapism is served here from some of the most soulful actors around. Who even though despite being devoid of some here, are all still purple bruised hearts with that courage under fire. The motor muscle of 'Sons Of Anarchy' star rider and 'King Arthur' himself Charlie Hunnam and thus hunk distinct tone provides amongst the growl some much needed gravitas and questioned conscience. Like he and Oscar 'Best Actor' Oscar winner Rami Malek did in the McQueen and Hoffman 'Papillion' remake. Or like when along came a spider in Tom Holland for the 'Lost City Of Z' journey with Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller, that showed the real discovery in this movie was the relationship between father and son. Whilst 'Tron: Legacy' and 'Four Brothers' star Garrett Hedlund with a band of one's here, rain and soil soaked returns for his second string Netflix big picture after getting 'Mudbound' with one of the greatest stories of the last couple of campaigns, regardless of the platform. And he brings that same warm charm of southern drawled charisma, the abuse of vice still can't dull, no matter the circumstance that he had in that movie here. Scene jacking with a disarming, contagious smile or cowboy song. One of the best young, thirtysomething maturing leading men is one hit away from his own best picture. All this and then the crew is complete with dual 'Game Of Thrones' and 'Narcos' T.V. hitman Pedro Pascal, who has been making the small to big screen transition switch of late with the 'Kingsman' and 'Equalizer' sequel fares. And electric whip smart he is the great equaliser here too in this sum of parts. Providing the rounds for the best battalion of a blockbuster that on the surface looks as 90's nostalgic as Brie Larson's Carol Danvers', but below all that's hidden in deception reveals the war wounded soldiers of fortune who without one to call their own themselves looks to plant their own as the flag has forgotten them. This in some ways is rancid aluminium as real and raw as it gets until the merc is wiped off the mouths of these warriors coming out to play until the glass bottle falls and breaks. Bunkered against claymore odds that can't cargo carry past the great rocks of the Andes. The tension ratchets up as this chopper descends into moral quicksand on the four legs of some '12 Strong' donkeys and you can't horses ass tell who the bad guy is from wrong. Chandor's candor behind the camera may not be as compelling as usual, but it still draws you in for one last job, for better or hearse. War declaration signed, Navy sealed and folded flag delivered. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'A Most Violent Year', 'Black Sea', 'The Town'.
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