Nobody 2

A formulaic but decently entertaining action film.

Nobody 2 is a polished and well-choreographed action film. That’s fine, but I found it to be the same movie as the first Nobody, which I already couldn’t love because it seemed to borrow so heavily from John Wick and Taken. The only difference is that the protagonist is on vacation this time, and his family is thrown into the primary conflict.

The star, Bob Odenkirk, looked tired and bored to me. I was surprised that some critics felt that he carried the film. I thought he looked like he was collecting a paycheck, or getting over a hangover.

The fight sequences are fun and wildly inventive enough to distinguish this from straight-to-streaming action movies. The climax is rife with death and carnage that seemed carefully and deftly mapped out. It’s impressive that the filmmakers took so much time to film the story’s carnage with such precision and creativity, but I wish they took that same effort to make a refreshing narrative.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen this movie before, in spite of some good action. The plot of a seemingly ordinary guy living a double life as an assassin just felt tired to me. And I’d seen it done better in the John Wick movies.

Still, there are worse ways to spend two hours on a Saturday afternoon.

5/10

Superman

An amusing and serviceable take on the DC superhero.

I was excited when Warner Bros studios announced James Gunn would take over the DC Universe. I thought his Suicide Squad film was the best overall DC movie of the last decade. I would even put it in the same tier as The Dark Knight, not for its philosophy but for its sheer fun.

Gunn’s first major DC film, Superman, is a mostly fun action spectacle. There’s plenty of entertainment and a little heart lurking below the surface.

The comedy was hit-and-miss for me. Lex Luthor’s girlfriend constantly taking selfies wasn’t so much funny as it was mildly amusing. The same applies to Superman’s dog, Krypto. I liked the dog, but the “dog attacks Superman at inopportune times” schtick was a little overdone and wore out after awhile.

The sharp dialogue is a highlight, but because the film is so stuffed with action and spectacle, there are times that characters still seem thin when they shouldn’t be. Clark’s parents, for example, seemed more like Midwest caricatures than real people, leaving me missing past versions of them.

The casting in the film was excellent, and fortunately, Lex Luthor is a compelling villain. Nicholas Hault’s portrayal of Luthor is my personal favorite so far on the big screen.

Gunn is also a master at creating quirky and likable side characters, and Mr. Terrific arguably drove the second act of the film (so much so that at times I wondered if the movie should’ve been named after him). At times the movie felt like Guardians of the Galaxy Featuring Superman. That isn’t all terrible, as I did enjoy those films. It just left me wondering whose film this really was.

The movie ended and I was mostly just relieved that it was entertaining. It was very much a superhero movie, and it was a fun one that left me ready for more installments.

7/10

Fantastic Four

An entertaining Marvel romp with a unique visual flare.

I wanted to hate Fantastic Four. It’s the third revamp of these superheroes, and I’m growing weary of movies that reek of film executives in a boardroom discussing the easiest possible path to half a billion (of note is that it looks like the film will fail to hit half a billion at the box office).

I actually enjoyed this one though. It had just enough visual uniqueness to keep me engaged. It’s set in some sort of retro-futuristic alternate universe, which allows the movie’s visual effects artists to have some fun. It’s also convenient for keeping the narrative separated from the other Marvel superheroes (thankfully). The movie is all the better for being a standalone.

I’ve read some banter online of Pedro Pascal fatigue (because he seems to be everywhere). Here’s my take. He’s an excellent actor, and I thought his performance as Reed Richards (Mister Fanastic) was a highlight of the movie. I also thought he was the only reason to keep watching Max’s show, The Last of Us. And he was a highlight in the Nic Cage meta film, Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. So I can only conclude that he’s simply a great actor who gets a lot of roles because he’s talented. No problem there.

Narratively, the movie was a bit overstuffed. It’s tough to feel much emotionally for four superheroes in a film that’s going to be heavy on special effects and spectacle. Something has to give. I left the theater thinking that I liked all of the characters, but only got glimpses of each of them. Hey, it’s a Marvel film. What can you expect?

That almost made me wonder if the project would’ve been better as a television series. It seemed as though a lot was left on the cutting room floor, and there was obviously a lot more in this universe to explore. A series arc would’ve really given us a sense of what makes these superheroes tick.

But hey, at the end of the day, it’s a movie about a stretchy guy and an alien that eats planets. It isn’t meant for high art. And as such it’s a perfectly fine afternoon diversion.

6/10

Dream Scenario

Nicolas Cage stars in this surprisingly quiet and melancholy comedy.

While I was expecting quick and punchy SNL-style humor after reading that the film also features Tim Meadows and Michael Cera, this film is dark, contemplative, and slow-paced, with humor also sprinkled throughout an otherwise cerebral piece.

Nicolas Cage turns in an Oscar-worthy performance as an ordinary professor who starts appearing in the dreams of everyone around the world, causing him to gain social media fame and become a part of meme culture.

When Cage is on, he’s legendary, and this film ranks among his best performances.

It’s a well-acted and well-scripted film that takes some unexpected turns and has something to say about the modern desire to “go viral.” I’ve always been a Cage fan because I like someone who is utterly unpredictable and willing to take risks.

9/10