April Review Roundup
The Northman: Based on the folk fable that inspired Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Northman follows Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) on his journey of revenge against his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang), the man who stole his kingdom. Much like David Lowry’s The Green Knight, Robert Eggers has adapted an age-old fable with a vision that is as timeless as the tale itself. Beautiful and brutal to behold, Amelth’s tale is one that blends the mythic with an authentic story of male delusion and toxic masculinity, as well as questioning if there can be a life beyond the purpose we have contrived in our own head. Every frame is so keenly constructed, immersing the viewer within this harrowing, yet mystifying world. Skarsgård as Amleth is no hero, he is rage incarnate, only driven for a taste of revenge that too makes us as driven to see how this quest will conclude. Nicole Kidman too is a standout for one scene in particular which I will not spoil here and Anya Taylor Joy’s, Olga, provides some much-needed warmth to this bleak adventure. The Northman is a tremendous spectacle, one drenched in violence, hate and anger, that solidifies Eggers’ talents as a filmmaking visionary.
Score: 9/10
Happening : Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei), is a promising young student who is well on her way to starting university so long as she passes her exams. Anne’s life is taken off track however, when she discovers she is pregnant, facing the challenges of abortion when it was still illegal in France in the early 1960s. Happening is a powerful, personal feature detailing the cruel nature of an imposed choice on a young individual. Vartolomei gives a powerhouse performance as Anne, displaying a struggling rejection of vulnerability, which is a challenging feat to convey. The personal quality of the film is aided by Laurent Tangy’s natural camera work and Géraldine Mangenot’s subtle editing that gives scenes a non-disruptive, intimate quality. Happening also demonstrates a particular feeling of isolation, rooted in a societal taboo that adds another tragic tint to the feature. Happening is undoubtedly a tough watch, but a rewarding and insightful piece, showcasing the importance of choice and its necessity as a human right.
Score: 8/10
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent : Starring Nicholas Cage as Nicholas Cage, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent follows the star on his quest to retain relevancy and reignite his career. Cage’s luck runs out when his dream role is denied, but another chance arises when he is offered one million dollars to attend a millionaire’s birthday, by the name of Javi (Pedro Pascal). However, Javi’s true identity is unclear as Cage is soon recruited by the CIA who inform him that Javi is the leader of a European drug ring. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a splendid meta comedy that is at its best when it explores the ego of its central character. There are plenty of inside jokes to those who are familiar with Cage’s work, but it does not alienate those out of the know, riding that line between niche and universal quite well. The relationship between Nicholas and Javi also brings a lot of humour and heart to the picture, with Pascal playing Javi with a puppy dog like quality. It is when the film reaches its third act that it becomes rather disinteresting, as the plot devolves into a bland action flick. Even with an underwhelming finale, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is still a fun, meta dive into one of the world’s most eccentric actors.
Score: 7/10
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The iconic blue hedgehog returns in this safe sequel to the 2020 original. Having settled on Earth with his newfound family, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is quickly thrown back into the fray as the devious Dr Eggman (Jim Carrey) returns with a new ally Knuckles (Idris Elba), who in turn are both looking for the all-powerful Master Emerald. Sonic is not alone however, as he too has a new friend, Tails, a young and gifted engineer who must band with Sonic in an effort to retrieve the Master Emerald. The first Sonic the Hedgehog was a perfectly serviceable family picture, spearheaded by a likeable duo in Ben Schwartz and James Marsden. However, its sequel feels tiresome, filled with painstakingly dated jokes and references that make it seem like the producers were desperate to appear relatable to kids. The result is a film that is cringier and more tiresome than its predecessor, exhausting itself with a needlessly long runtime. Whilst the additions of Tails and Knuckles are welcome and add something a little refreshing to the film, the overall result is something rather pedestrian. Then again, it is kinetic and flashy enough to keep kids entertained for a few hours.
Score: 4/10
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: The Fantastic Beasts franchise returns with this third instalment which sees Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and their small rag-tag group come together to try and stop Grindelwald becoming the president of the Magic World. Yes, that is the plot. However, claiming this film has a plot is rather generous. For two films in this franchise, we have gone absolutely nowhere, having about as much substance as an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. This is precisely the problem with The Secrets of Dumbledore is that it feels like a filler episode of a TV show, ending almost exactly where we started with some minor character arcs being resolved. This is David Yates’ seventh film in the Harry Potter universe and, much like the film itself, a rut has clearly set in, as almost none of the action holds any weight or thrills. The climax of the film is especially bizarre as the whole cast just stand around watching things unfold with no agency or desire to save their friends. The whole film is simply uninspired and confused as to what to do with itself. The film’s visual effects are also somehow worse than any of the Harry Potter films - a franchise that ended ten years ago. The political parallels to current real-world politics are also so painstakingly unsubtle and surface level that they offer absolutely nothing new or interesting in terms of social commentary. Overall, The Secrets of Dumbledore is one of the most unremarkable films so far this year. Dull and hollow in almost every aspect of storytelling that it too will leave you feeling empty and unsatisfied once the credits roll.
Score: 3/10
Morbius – Dr. Michael Morbius has spent his whole life suffering from a rare blood disease and now time is running out. In the hopes to save his life, Michael utilises the blood of vampire bats that not only cure him of his disease, but transforms him into Morbius the living vampire. What is there left to say about Morbius that has not already been said? For months the film has been memed and joked about even before its release, as everyone expected this to be a hilarious trainwreck of a film. What is most shocking however is that Morbius couldn’t even live up to those expectations. What we are left with is a superhero origin movie so void of style or originality that it feels like a lost comic book film from the early 2000s.If you have seen Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Batman Begins or most superhero origin movies, then you have seen a far more interesting movie than Morbius. From its drab colour palette to its murky visual effects, Morbius can only be described as a grey blob of a film. Jared Leto is serviceable as Michael Morbius but lacks any sort of charisma or energy for you to care about him. Matt Smith is clearly having a lot of fun as the central villain and Jared Harris too is giving his all in a script that does not deserve it. Sony is continuing this 2022 trend they started with Uncharted, in producing the most vapid and routine blockbuster features imaginable.
Score: 2/10