“No Escape” (R) 3 1/2 stars (out of four)
There’s no escaping the intensity of “No Escape,” a taut action thriller directed and produced, respectively, by Minnesota brothers John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle. Known predominantly for their horror films “Quarantine,” “Devil” and “As Above, So Below,” the Dowdles – who also co-wrote the film – effectively create real-life terror as it follows an American family being hunted during a coup in Southeast Asia.
Owen Wilson stars as Jack Dwyer, a struggling U.S. businessman forced to relocate with his wife (Lake Bell) and young daughters (Claire Geare and Sterling Jerins) to work on a project in an unnamed third world country. Less than a day after they arrive, the prime minister of the country is assassinated and the family is suddenly caught in the middle of a bloody, violent coup, where the insurgents want all foreign visitors – particularly Americans – dead.
With only the aid of a mysterious British citizen (Pierce Brosnan) and his friend (Sahajak Boonthanakit) to depend on, Jack and his family find themselves on the run from a large group of rebels, who are out for blood when it is discovered that the company Jack works for is trying to privatize the country’s water supply.
Like most action thrillers, “No Escape” no doubt has its share of outrageous action moments and instances of characters conveniently being in the right place at the right time. But elevating “No Escape” above other films in the genre is a smart script that weaves in narratives that mirror such earth-shattering events like the Fall of Saigon, the desecration of U.S. soldiers at Mogadishu, and the raid on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi (a particularly prophetic scene, since the Dowdles conceived the film seven years ago). In the middle of it all is a vulnerable family with no particular set of skills, a la Liam Neeson, which makes the frightening scenarios all the more relatable for the film’s audiences.
Perhaps the smartest move, though, was a role reversal of sorts, which found Wilson in more of a dramatic part and Brosnan delivering the comic relief. It’s particularly jarring to see Wilson’s character resort to doing some very bad things in order to protect his family, and showing much more range from the actor than we’ve ever seen before. In film world filled with so many cookie cutter action thrillers, it’s refreshing to see a pair of filmmakers like the Dowdles reconfigure the mold.
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“We Are Your Friends” (R) 1 1/2 stars (out of four)
An aimless plot keeps spinning ’round and ’round in “We Are Your Friends,” a hapless millennial drama about an aspiring club DJ (Zac Efron) who wants to escape his humble confines in California’s San Fernando Valley, and find fame and fortune in Los Angeles, and eventually, the world. A movie tailor-made for the teen/twentysomething demographic, the film is about as one note as the singular, monotonous Euro beat that drives its soundtrack. It’s an hour-and-a-half of hipster hell.
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“American Ultra” lives up to its billing, at least in name: An unapologetic ultra-violent action comedy, it liberally uses shock and awe that will either have you cringing in your seat, bursting out in laughter, or both. And while “American Ultra” is far from a perfect movie, you’ll at least leave the theater with the feeling that an honest effort was put forth to entertain, save one dreadful performance by its lead actress.
The film has three smarmy leads to warm up to: Jesse Eisenberg as Matt Howell, a stoner convenience store worker who can’t seem to leave the confines of his small town without retching and having panic attacks; Kristen Stewart as his patient girlfriend, Phoebe Larson; and Topher Grace as power-hungry CIA official Adrian Yates who orders Matt be wiped off the map.
It turns out Matt actually is a top-secret government experiment in the “Ultra Program,” which erased the minds of ne’er-do-wells like the habitual drug offender and turned them into killing machines without them even knowing it. But in a bid to save Matt’s life, the program’s head, Victoria Lasseter (a wonderful Connie Britton) heads off Yates’ hit by “activating” her test subject with a few simple code words, giving him the ability to dispatch any bad guy or gal who tries to kill him with razor-sharp precision.
After a relatively mild 20 minutes, the remaining 75 of “American Ultra” turns into hard-hitting bloodbath that it increases with intensity with every kill. Playfully scripted by John Landis’ son, Max Landis, the plot unfolds with a few twists and turns as Matt seems to get himself into deeper and deeper trouble with the authorities, winding down to a fairly predictable conclusion.
As brutally violent as “American Ultra” gets, director Nima Nourizadeh clearly intended to give the film a wicked satirical edge, and its irreverent tone makes the movie feel like the wonderfully funny “R.E.D.” meeting whacked out versions of “The Borne Identity” and “The Manchurian Candidate.” It’s the sort of material that fits Eisenberg’s acting talents well, as once again he effortlessly rattles off his lines with the just right amount of snark that keeps him just on this side of believable and likeable.
Stewart, on the other hand, gives yet another bloodless performance, which, of course, all began as the would-be vampiress Bella Swan in “The Twilight Saga.” What continues to land this mopey, one-note actress work is one of Hollywood’s greatest mysteries, and “American Ultra” is the latest baffling chapter. Thankfully, she’s surrounded by talented actors like Eisenberg, Britton, Grace (he’s one-note, too, but effective) and Bill Pullman in a small, but pivotal role, who all keep us distracted from Stewart’s obvious lack of talent. This girl is in serious need of ultra-acting lessons.
“The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” (PG-13) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)
Another 1960s TV spy series gets the big screen treatment following “Mission: Impossible” with “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” a Guy Ritchie film that oddly enough, doesn’t feel much like a Guy Ritchie film. Far less gritty and stylish than Ritchie’s previous work (the writer-director’s recent movies include the underrated “RocknRolla” and the hit “Sherlock Holmes” films), “U.N.C.L.E.” is sustained by the undeniable presence of Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander and to a lesser extent, Hugh Grant.
“Man of Steel” star Cavill slips comfortably into the role of Napoleon Solo (played by Robert Vaughn on the TV series), a dashing, Cold War-era CIA agent who reluctantly teams with Russian KGB Agent Illya Kuryakin (Hammer, assuming David McCallum’s role from the series) in a bid to stop a mysterious global crime organization from carrying through with its world-dominating nuclear ambitions. Left with few people they can trust, including each other, Solo and Kuryakin must put their faith in Gaby (Vikander), the estranged daughter of the missing German scientist who designed the weapon, although it becomes quickly apparent that she may have an agenda of her own.
While the producers of “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” are probably hoping the title alone with be a draw, at least for diehard TV fans and Baby Boomers (millennials sure the hell won’t know anything about the original NBC series), that small segment of the audience won’t make or break this reimagining of the “U.N.C.L.E.” as a film franchise. After all, the film is essentially an origins story that methodically introduces its characters on its way to forming the “U.N.C.L.E.” (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement) by the conclusion of the film; serving merely as a springboard to what Ritchie surely hopes will be a franchise, a la “Mission: Impossible.” Name recognition or not, the film stands on its own.
One thing’s for certain: “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” while not completely remarkable, fares far better than the first installment in the “Mission: Impossible” series, which was downright confusing. And while the tone is dramatically different than the Tom Cruise movie franchise (while there’s action and adventure here, it feels more like a tongue-in-cheek Roger Moore James Bond film), there’s no doubt Solo and Kuryakin can succeed with some more big screen adventures if Ritchie brings the sort of cinematic edge he’s built his resume on. With winning performances by Cavill, Hammer (although he’s a bit bland when toe-to-toe with Cavill) and Vikander (whose career continues to soar after “Ex Machina”) – as well as Grant in the pivotal role of British Secret Service honcho Alexander Waverly, and Elizabeth Debicki as the deliciously evil villain Victoria – the foundation is certainly there. If Ritchie doesn’t open things up a bit, somebody better hold the clapboard above his head until he says, well, “Uncle.”
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“Straight Outta Compton” (R) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)
While the gangsta rap music that fuels the movie is less than to be desired, there’s no question, the back story of the pioneering rap group N.W.A. is a fascinating one, if not for any reason for its lurid, behind-the-scenes look at the music business and its warts-and-all portrayal of man group members Ice Cube, Easy-E and Dr. Dre. Admittedly not a fan at all of rap, I am a fan of good stories, and there are enough in “Straight Outta Compton” – from accounts of crooked management and run-ins with police, to dangerous encounters with fearsome Death Row Records founder Suge Knight – to fill the film’s exhaustive two-and-a-half hour run time.
O’Shea Jackson Jr. plays his father Ice Cube in “Straight Outta Compton,” which tracks the origins of N.W.A. and its rapid rise to the top, giving the sort of voice to a group of ghetto youths that had never been heard before. But while stirring up controversy and calls for social change with inflammatory songs like “F— Tha Police,” based on their personal experiences with law enforcement – the group members become consumed by their own jealousies, greed and mistrust of one another, leading to long-running feuds with each other and people close to their inner-circle, and the group’s eventual demise.
The three leads in “Compton” are outstanding. Jackson is a dead ringer for his dad – the lyricist – with maybe less of a scowl; while Corey Hawkins is given the most range to play with as the group’s easy-going creative force who eventually develops the balls to stand-up to a highly volatile Knight (R. Marcos Taylor). Jason Mitchell shows the most vulnerability as the group’s money man and leader Easy-E, who puts his unwavering trust in his shifty manager Jerry Heller (the always great Paul Giamatti).
The timing of the release of “Straight Outta Compton” is almost frightening in a way, because the film – while not afraid to portray its leads as deeply flawed individuals – plays heavy on the rifts the group had with police. The specter of Rodney King looms heavy over the film, as real-life footage of the beating and subsequent riots after the verdict acquitting the police officers appears prominently.
There’s no question the group’s surviving members and director F. Gary Gray wanted to make a statement with “Compton” in the wake of Ferguson and Baltimore; and one can only hope that the likes of Ice Cube and Dr. Dre will step up with voices of reason should the movie – and the revival of “F— Tha Police” – galvanizes people in the wrong sort of way. For N.W.A. in “Straight Outta Compton,” anyway, the whole idea of their music was about freedom of speech – not the freedom to destroy and wreak havoc. If the film teaches us anything, it’s OK to be angry about perceived social injustices, so long as it’s not in a destructive sort of way.
“Fantastic Four” (PG-13) 1 1/2 stars (out of four)
An origins story tailored to attract the teen demographic, the Fox-produced Marvel superhero reboot of “Fantastic Four,” unlike the Disney-owned Marvel properties “The Avengers” and most recently, “Ant-Man,” takes itself way too seriously. As a result, “Fantastic Four” comes off as a clunky, overwrought melodrama that could very well be the worst superhero movie in years.
“Fantastic Four” picks up with boy genius Reed Richards in middle school, where he befriends a young Ben Grimm, who helps supply the budding scientist with the parts he needs for his teleporting experinment from his family’s scrap yard. Fast forward to their teen years, Reed (Miles Teller) is recruited to join the Baxter Institute by Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg. E. Cathey) and Sue Storm (Kate Mara) to help implement his ideas into a machine that will teleport objects into alternate universe. This so-called fourth dimension apparently holds the promise of energy and the key to the survival of Earth in the future.
In the company of Victor Von Doom (Tobey Kebbell), Sue’s brother, Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan), and Ben (Jamie Bell), Reed takes a test run to the alternate dimension, where the experiment goes horribly awry and alters their physical makeup. Reed suddenly has the ability to stretch his limbs, while Johnny can quickly burst into a ball of flames, and Ben takes the form of rocks. Sue, who manages to get the crew back to safety, is contaminated by the teleporting craft upon its disastrous return to Earth, giving her the ability to turn invisible and create force fields. Despite detesting their new abilities, the team will need them to fight off Doom, who harnessed the greatest powers of all of them by absorbing electricity.
While fanboys groused about the 2005 version of “Fantastic Four” and its sequel, “Rise of the Silver Surfer” in 2007, at least the films – which starred Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis and Ioan Gruffudd as the “First Family of Superheroes – were entertaining. The tone was lighter and there was a real playfulness to the films, unlike this new reboot, which completely lacks a sense of humor.
On top of that, there’s just no real chemistry between the actors, and the special effects come off as something you’d see in a Roger Corman film from the 1970s. Add in some bad acting and the same old, lame-o storyline where the team fights Dr. Doom yet again, “Fantastic Four” is really lacking in inspiration. There has to be reason co-creator Stan Lee suspiciously doesn’t turn up in a cameo for this. He’s probably embarrassed.
“Ricki and the Flash” (PG-13) 3 stars (out of four)
Meryl Streep wields a might axe in “Ricki and the Flash,” a tale of redemption about an aging musician who tries to reconnect with her adult children years after she abandoned her family to pursue her rock ‘n’ roll dreams. Scripted by Diablo Cody and directed by Jonathan Demme, “Ricki and the Flash” has a surprisingly weak narrative, yet what it lacks in story it makes up with some stellar performances.
Streep stars as Ricki, a California-based musician by night and grocery cashier by day struggling to get by. Her life is completely turned upside down, though, when she gets a call from her ex-husband, Pete (Kevin Kline), who wants her to return home to Indiana because the couple’s only daughter (Mamie Gummer) was jilted by her new husband and is going through a crisis. Also reuniting with her two estranged adult sons (Sebastian Stan and Nick Westrate), Ricki seeks forgiveness from her family for her past misgivings, even though their wounds run deep.
Streep proves once again that she can virtually nail any role with “Ricki and the Flash,” and from the get-go she comes off like a seasoned rock guitar player and singer. Of course, she has the benefit of being backed by some expert studio musicians like Joe Vitale, as well as Rick Springfield, who is impressive both as Ricki’s sideman on-stage and boyfriend off.
If there’s any problem with Streep’s performance, she comes off as so damn likable that you feel guilty rooting for her, especially considering that Ricki selfishly left her family for her own benefit. Audra McDonald, thankfully, crashes the feel-good party as Pete’s longtime wife and step-mom who raised the kids, reminding the audience just how much of a lout Ricki really is.
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“Shaun the Sheep Movie” (PG) 4 stars (out of four)
Aardman Animations has molded a new classic with “Shaun the Sheep,” a bleating brilliant stop-motion adventure comedy that easily ranks among the best films of the summer if not the year. Making his big screen debut after a number of years as a hit BBC series, “Shaun” follows the title character and his fellow flock members on a big city adventure to rescue their owner, Farmer, who is suffering from a bout of amnesia.
Like the TV series, “Shaun the Sheep Movie” doesn’t have any dialogue, yet it. Smart, funny and even a bit poignant, “Shaun” is a shoo-in for a Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination come awards season.
“Dark Places” (R) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)
The page has unfortunately turned in the wrong direction for “Gone Girl” author Gillian Flynn with “Dark Places,” a murder mystery thriller that starts out with a load of potential, but unravels in the film’s third act. Charlize Theron stars as Libby Day, a woman who is forced to confront her past 25 years after the brutal murders of her mother and two sisters in a Kansas farmhouse. Theron feels one note as the ice-cold Libby, who because of her dwindling finances is forced to take part in the morbid investigation of the murders, which were pinned on her older brother (Tye Sheridan as a teen, Corey Stoll as an adult) but likely committed by someone else.
Like “Gone Girl,” Flynn has crafted a twisty narrative with “Dark Places,” but the film falls apart in the hands of director Gilles Paquet-Brenner, who also adapted the screenplay. By the time “Dark Places” conveniently wraps up, you can’t help but think how much better it would have been under the direction of somebody like “Gone Girl” director David Fincher. Despite a talented cast (which also includes Christina Hendricks and Chloe Grace Moretz), the film is a real disappointment.
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Original Interviews, Reviews & More By Tim Lammers
