From Groening to MacFarlane: "Dumb and Dumber To" Review

Dumb and Dumber is probably THE movie that I've seen THE most times. I followed the exploits of Harry and Lloyd from the theaters to the VCR, never wearing myself out (though maybe I wore out the tape). Endlessly quotable to me, I'd be willing to bet that I could perform a live reading of the film, straight from memory. My repetitive viewings were never obsessive, but always affectionate. There's something cute about two hapless dopes, "eking their way through life", then going on a friendship affirming trip/adventure. This gem didn't work because the characters were buffoons who got into shenanigans, but because of their dimwitted/oblivious resolve and childlike innocence; they aren't man children in arrested development but rather heightened versions of Tom Hanks' dilemma from Big. It's really a sweet movie.

Growing up, I had many an idea for a potential sequel, the main one being that Harry and Lloyd come across a fortune and open up their worm store, possibly in a leased building from a scheming villain, and have to do something that unknowingly stops him. As the years turned into decades, I kinda cooled on anything to do with a follow up, and even came to the conclusion that our heroes walking down the road was the perfect conclusion.

Too bad Bobby and Peter Farrelly disagreed.

#HYFF2014 Q&A: Michael Domangue and Colt Cabana

From November 12th - 16th, New Orleans will play host to the comedy event Hell Yes Fest, spread out across multiple venues. Like last year, a film fest will occur, showcasing several comedy flicks from several talented filmmakers. I chatted with film fest programmer Michael Domangue (MD) AND special guest presenter / pro wrestler / comedian Colt Cabana (CC) over email about the ins and outs of HYFF and what we can all expect!:

#NOFF2014 Q&A: Sean Hanley

Every year, the New Orleans Film Festival features workshops to help educate and inspire local filmmakers and novices in specific areas of the medium. Sean Hanley of MONO NO AWARE, in partnership with Cinema Reset, put on experimental technique workshops during the opening weekend of the fest. I chatted with Sean about this project:

#NOFF2014 Spotlight: "61 Bullets" and "Big Charity"

Two great local documentaries. One great local festival:

61 Bullets

Beneath the top headline of a newspaper, ink faded from time, lies a small subtitle: “Baton Rougean evidently was possessed of hallucination.” It’s an article about the funeral proceedings for one Dr. Carl Weiss, whom readers may recognize as the man who assassinated Senator Huey Long. A sentence like the one quoted above, I imagine, could not have been written with a straight face or an in check code of proper journalism. Was it a Hearst outlet? Long Family controlled?

At the start of 61 Bullets, a class of young students are guided through the halls of the Louisiana State Capitol Building, where the supposed assassination took place. “Has everyone gotten a chance to touch the bullet holes?” a guide asks aloud. How demented. While the kids are investigating the walls, our guide whispers to the camera that it’s all for show, but it helps them learn. How truly demented.

A Creature Birthed From Smoke: "Tusk" Review

One of the things I liked about Clerks 2 (and I liked many things) was how it both capped off and started a new era of filmmaking for Kevin Smith. Once the color faded in over the Quick Stop window, a process began of Smith showing off skills he had developed since the first Clerks, but hadn’t utilized fully in a single movie; a roaming camera, the planning out of where actors ought to be placed for said camera, edits and transitions that kept scenes — individually and collectively — at a good pace, etc. This was a more polished Kevin Smith, from writer who directs to director who orchestrates. 

Fast forward a few years and a few movies, and we have Tusk. Hmm.

An Exercise in Exorcism: "The Dance of Reality" Review

Jodorowsky's Dune, a documentary of interviews about Alejandro Jodorowsky's planned adaptation of 'Dune', is about 90 minutes of talking that feels like 2 1/2 hours of wonderful flashbacking. Jodorowsky, even when subtitled in English, has such a command of words; every sentence spoken by him is evocative and filled with purpose. Mundane moments of casually meeting someone are made alive and important, with every detail necessary to the story. This is a man not worried about time, but still concerned enough to not waste it.

Why isn't he making more movies?

When the conversation of who was to direct Man of Steel was held, the first names to jump to my mind were Clint Eastwood and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Both men have vastly different styles and agendas when it comes to making film, but they do share a certain reflective quality, a thoughtfulness, that I was looking for in a Superman story (which I still liked, by the way). Actually, the hero would've been a mere vessel for the filmmakers, as they explore themselves the more they examine the star.

Seriously, why isn't Alejandro making more movies?

The Clones of Josef K: "The Double" Review

In the book 'Kafka Goes to the Movies', an author investigates journal entries and letters, written by Franz Kafka himself - the tortured soul behind 'Metamorphosis' and 'The Trial' - to piece together his thoughts and feelings regarding the new form of entertainment: cinema. Someone who wrote such nightmarish prose, filled with anxiety upon anxiety, would surely have a perspective more critical than that of the masses. Would he even be able to enjoy watching this parlor trick?

Actually, yes. Yes he was.

According to the book, he wrote about his time watching moving pictures - some as simple as a young woman looking pretty - with *shock* joy. And it's joy at something superficial, too. Amazing. If Kafka could time travel, would he be stuffing his face with popcorn, laughing at Michael Bay robot testicle jokes?

It's scary to think of, but might be easily explained with, ironically, Kafkaesque logic. At least, I hope it can.

Decayed Contrast: "The Great Flood" Review

As I sat in a theater filled with mostly middle aged festival goers, halfway through The Great Flood, I came to some conclusions:

• Bill Morrison is THE filmmaker who could possibly settle the digital vs. film debate.
• People make their own stories, with or without a camera being present.
• Intent isn't always relevant.

It's amazing the kind of work and study that went into this movie - hours upon hours of footage, carefully chosen sequences edited in specific order, music scored along with it all, etc. When I add the three bullet points above, the images presented take on startling depth. Who is responsible for this depth? The original cameramen? The modern editor? The people and objects depicted? The effects of time on the film stock itself?

All of the above.

St(alk)ing and Occupying: "Buzzard" Review

"What do you do at Wal Mart?"

"I'm a night stalker."

At this point in the film Buzzard, our "hero" Marty has been living off of his skills as a scam artist for a few
days, on the run from trouble with a previous con. He's been caught by the manager of a check cashing place, and is being held in the back office until the cops arrive. During some chit chat, he comes up with several stories, one of them about a job at Wal Mart. In passing, it's not all that important, as he just wants out of the building. But, when asked the specifics of his job, he pronounces stocker as "stalker".

This takes the manager back a bit, who responds with a what and a smirk. To us, it was only a matter of time.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" VS. "Star Wars: Episode VII"

Two different movie franchises. One monolithic conglomerate.

Marvel and LucasFilm are now owned by Disney. While the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) has been rolling along the last several years, churning out story after story and learning from creative mistakes, the Star Wars series has laid dormant with the aftertaste of the prequel trilogy and the failed 3D release. That being stated, much has been learned from the success of Marvel, and is being applied to the next installment of the Skywalker saga.

But, with so much content being pushed so close together by Disney, will one project over shadow the other?

Two subsidiaries in competition for the same audience - Marvel and LucasFilm. Two movies similar in genre - Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Wars: Episode VII.  In my opinion, it's Lucas Film at the disadvantage. It's Star Wars with everything to prove. It's Guardians of the Galaxy that will capture the torch.

Well, in my mind anyways...

For one reason and one reason only I, personally, compare and contrast these two films: The Mos Eisley Cantina. Allow me to elaborate a bit.

That F***ed up bar

Guardians of the Galaxy is set beyond the familiar reaches of the MCU, deep into space, on worlds where creatures beyond imagination exist. It's a frontier that Earth bound men have yet to conquer. A wild west almost. Bounty hunters, galactic police, thieves and bootleggers run amok. Sound like a place you know of?

I've put these two films together in my mind not only because they share so much, but because one is directly inspired by the other. Star Lord, kidnapped at a very young age and raised by aliens, was a product of the Return of the Jedi and E.T. generation. If anything, real life Earth would be boring and uncomfortable to him. But, as an adult on planets beyond our own, he's at home. This is the stuff he imagined. Han Solo was his idol, creatures like Chewbacca didn't freak him out and The Mos Eisley Cantina would be his favorite hang out. It's commentary on and the ultimate expression of kids who grew up on The Goonies, and the worlds they wanted to live in. Guardians - 1, Episode VII - 0.

In a way, it might be the most personal film for director James Gunn, who is himself part of that generation. Kinda like how J.J. Abrams' most personal film Super 8 is inspired by and a fond nostalgic trip into Spielberg's catalog.

Unfamiliar territory

This year has been filled with more sequels, remakes, reboots and adaptations than I care to think about. While I'm sure there is math to support claims of over saturation and lackluster audience response, I've actually felt this in theaters. The Amazing Spiderman 2, while surprising and enjoyable, was barely half full at the screening I went to, and is showing disappointing financial returns.

Now, I'm sure Episode VII will make a bundle by default, but the fact remains: it's a property we all know about. Only super comic book fans are really aware of Guardians. How will people react when they see Rocket Raccoon talk smack or a space adventure with Wars or Trek printed on the poster? Honestly, it could go the way of cult favorites like Dune, or it could be a smash hit oddity. It's a toss up. Episode VII is riding that wave of being a "guaranteed slam dunk", while uncertainty surrounds Guardians.

When the prequels were rolled out, they made plenty of dough, but didn't reach the heights of something like Marvel's The Avengers. Why? A) Bad word of mouth fought hand and fist with the recognizable brand name and B) It was something everyone had seen already. If there is one thing going for Episode 7, it is the uncertainty of where the story goes. At the same time, it is the high expectations associated with this that could spoil the success. With Guardians, among the general moviegoing public, it's not a recognizable brand and isn't a story we've seen before. Where the uncertainty harms Star Wars, it helps Guardians. 

I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and will always be one. But, this is a series that has a huge wall to climb over. The MCU has provided some of the most wonderfully entertaining and absolutely joyous fantasy stories I've seen in a while, and Guardians looks to put it all over the edge. Either way, Disney wins both of my tickets, but which one will be a classic in my heart?

My score: 2 - .5 in the favor of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Feel free to comment below, contact me on twitter @neauxreelidea and visit/share/support my page on Patreon.

audioBoo Reviews: "The Raid 2", "The Final Member" and "Oldboy"

At the moment, #cineNOLA Weekly is on hiatus. In the interim, here is a new series, using audioBoo, that will focus on movies I missed in theaters, didn't get to write about previously, or classics I'd like to talk about. Enjoy!

Visit my patreon page for more information on how you can support this blog.

Review PLUS: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

Up to the point of Thor: The Dark World, the current incarnation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been, almost entirely, pop entertainment. Awesome pop entertainment, yes, with some wonderful character arcs and relationships, but anything that transcends beyond? Not much. 

The one aspect of the series that has been challenging with regards to modern society and politics has been S.H.I.E.L.D. - the organization that out NSA's the NSA. The organization's director, Nick Fury, is so shadowy and ethically questionable, he rides the fascism line HARD. Dealing with such a group must be a trial even for someone as strong as The Hulk.

The star spangled hero Captain America, a man left over from the WW2 generation, is especially uneasy with this group, and even more so with a world that accepts it as necessary. THIS is what he fought for?

In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Cap has reluctantly joined with Fury's team with the goal of serving his country (when life throws a lemon...). He has concerns, but swallows them for the greater good - this struggle is read not just on his face, but in the way he walks when not on the job. The dejected disappointment and tragic trudge of someone who is basically superhuman makes for quite a performance, and Chris Evans gives it his all.

Soon, a conspiracy within the ranks confirms and exceeds Cap's suspicions. Instead of spoiling what happens, here's a quote from William Burroughs:

You see control can never be a means to any practical end. ... Control can never be a means to anything but more control ... like junk.

The transcendence of this movie comes from the deeper questions posed by the villains. It's a statement on where we've been, where we are now and where we could end up. Government surveillance, preemptive strikes, borderless wars, and even hacktivism are covered. In The Dark Knight, Batman was presented as being forced to use super surveillance tech to capture a mad man. If seen as commentary, you could take it as the U.S. "not wanting" to do this, but having "no choice", which is B.S. In The Winter Soldier, Captain does an epic amount of dismantling, which some real life politicians might call treasonous. Talk about REALLY having "no choice".

Part of accomplishing this progressive move was the choice of filmmakers. The Russo Brothers were previously known for directing TV shows and You, Me and Dupree. To perfectly tackle the feat of a comic book movie with an espionage thriller edge and non intrusive direction was a happy surprise to see from this duo. There's a confident command going on here, without the need to show boat - very much in common with Captain America himself. Simple execution but not generically textbook. And the one element executed expertly? Suspense.

Tension is thick here. The dilemma and crisis Captain confronts might be the strongest a superhero has faced since The Dark Knight. In that movie, it was Batman's personal code and soul at stake. In The Winter Soldier, it's what the Captain represents - the high standard that he has put on himself, for his country and fellow man. Both conflicts were traumatic turning points for these characters, and the conclusions are more bittersweet than anything. The difference between the two? Captain has no time for brooding and self doubt - there's a mission to accomplish.

Marvel's Phase 1 was pop, and Phase 2 has been a time of change - not just for The Avengers but the creative talents picked to helm these projects. Many chances are being taken, and rightfully so. This is a sequel that, I hope, will be copied and piggy backed for years to come. Hail MCU.

5 / 5 *s

PLUS - When Simple Beat Style: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" vs. "Man of Steel"

An article on ScreenCrush came to my attention recently. In it, the author made the argument that it was only after watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier that his opinion on the handling of Superman in Man of Steel went sour. It came down to Captain *spoiler* choosing not to finish off Bucky vs. Superman snapping Zod's neck. One was an affirmation of a character's code, and the other an out of place moment.

While I still contend that Man of Steel was a good take on Superman (though I might knock a star off in hindsight), the article's comparison made me think about what else The Winter Soldier may have done better - this time, with the language of cinema. I submit to you the following examples:

Superman = Jesus

There are two "infamous" shots in Man of Steel that floored many a critic, and made many an audience member laugh. The first was in a church, where Clark Kent seeks advice from a young priest. It's a well written scene, and makes sense for the character to reach out in this manner, considering the problem he faces. However, our hero is framed in front of a glass portrait of Jesus Christ. THIS IS TOO OBVIOUS. It's almost film school level framing, actually. Now, looking more closely at it, it seems that Jesus is on his knees in that portrait, meaning to express Clark's doubt in a deeper way. That spec of detail almost forgives the childish attempt at depth, until...

... Superman floats away from the Kryptonian ship, arms extended from his sides, with music playing that makes you think about church. This character has always been compared to Jesus and other religious figures, and there's nothing wrong with that. What IS wrong is BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA. There are other ways to get across this similarity than the superficial.

Captain America and his feelings

In the review above, I touched on the performance of Chris Evans, and how, early on, he carried on his shoulders the weight on Captain America's emotions, all without moping. There was some great body language, sure, but there was more at play here to establish tone, atmosphere and feeling - all to connect us with our hero.

For starters, the sequel feels far different from the first movie. The First Avenger was stylistically designed to have classic cinematography and color schemes. No matter what we all thought of the overall film, the mood was set to give us an old school FEEL. In The Winter Soldier, we have some very modern camera movements and colors to match what's happening in the portion of the story we're watching. Ironically, this too is film school like, but appropriately so. It's textbook in technique, but creative in execution.

There is a feeling of cold detachment to the first act, which makes sense because of Captain's thoughts on the world at the time. He feels alone, so the environment should reflect that to make us experience that. His apartment looks sterile, clean and clear, so we FEEL that way too. His trip to a museum exhibit on his past exploits is shot in a sweeping and slow manner, giving us time to absorb the images, think on them and FEEL what they mean. And, by feeling, we understand without having to be beaten over the head.

What does the tone and atmosphere say about a film? How about of the filmmakers? In Man of Steel's case, it tells me that it's a bit impatient to get information across, slightly clumsy and that Zack Snyder gets lost when trying too hard (despite being a tad restrained). In Captain America: The Winter Soldier's case, it tells me that underestimating the audience's intelligence is wrong, cinema is a universal language that ALL can UNDERSTAND, and The Russo Brothers know how to engage without being obnoxious.

So, in this way, yes, Captain America beat Superman. And he didn't have to snap a neck to do so ;)

If you liked this review, feel free to leave a comment below and visit patreon.com/neauxreelidea to learn how you can support my film criticism efforts.

#cineNOLA Weekly - Episode 2

On this, the second episode of #cineNOLA Weekly, I rundown some more film screenings and review one of the few movies to get New Orleans right, Flakes. The editorial segment will return next week.

If you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to write one below. Be sure to follow the conversation on twitter using the hashtag #cineNOLA:

#cineNOLA Weekly - Episode 1

Just a few weeks ago, I attended a meeting of local New Orleans cinema presenters and aficionados. It was fun, getting to meet those I've interviewed in the past in person. Many ideas were suggested, but the one that has carried over onto an email chain has been the creation of a twitter hashtag - #cineNOLA.

We've been pushing it pretty aggressively, mostly on posts that promote film events in town. In an effort to continue the conversation beyond the 140 character twitter limit, I took it upon myself to produce a new podcast, debuting here on the blog.

This first episode features reviews of Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombie, Curio Shop: A Post Apocalyptic Acid Western, an editorial and a rundown of some events for the week. This is a work in progress - please leave a comment if you have any suggestions for future episodes. Thanks, and enjoy!




If you liked this podcast, feel free to visit patreon.com/neauxreelidea for information on how you can support my efforts!

Review: "Tennessee Queer"

The more things change, the more they stay the same. I’ve heard and used this phrase more times than I care to count, but, much like its meaning, it never gets tired despite the more it’s used. And yet, the lessons that can be learned from it often go in one ear and out the other. Repeating a phrase over and over to people who are constantly repeating the same actions over generations makes me ask; Is an uphill battle worth fighting?

With a sense of humanity and an optimistic radiance, Tennessee Queer says yes.

The strong willed aspect is best expressed through the character of Jason Potts. He’s from a town in Tennessee called Smyth, where high schoolers have a decades old ritual called “Smear the Queer”. It’s a place he has since moved on from, living now in New York with his loving boyfriend. Oh, Jason is gay, by the way. This fact is never presented in an over the top fashion or outrageously stereotypical manner - it’s all very casual and, dare I offend someone, normal. Is sexual preference blindness a thing?

During a visit home, he’s confronted with a family intervention, moderated by a church pastor. I was kinda programmed to expect prejudice to appear here, but that gets subverted quickly; the family just wants Jason to move back to town. They support and love him? Yes. Twice my expectations of cliches were squashed in favor of something much richer. The family tries to impress upon Jason how the town has changed, but they do so with some caution, which he catches on to. Before heading back to New York, Jason proposes to the city council a gay pride parade, mostly in jest and  to mess with their heads. To his surprise, the parade is a go, and he’s now in charge. What felt like a backfired burden at first becomes a chance to provide the youth of his hometown an example of courage, and to show the people of Smyth that they’ve been worried over nothing.

On the flipside, we have the main antagonist, an opportunistic conservative councilman who once bullied Jason (and who I wrongly suspected had unrequited feelings for him). He is, more or less, a bumbling foil for our fingers to point at. An amalgamation of all the regressive and despicably unintelligent politicians that constantly get voted into office. Is he a victim of his environment, merely trying to, in his mind, protect the soul of his town? Is he a person we can feel for? It certainly doesn’t seem so.

This councilman only exists to have awkward moments at gay bars and be made fun of. It’s part deserved and part disappointing. We need to take the piss out of this kind of behavior, sure, but can’t we do so in a less cartoonish way? On second thought, CAN we do so in a less cartoonish way? Is there a false equivalency I’m trying to draw? No matter - while he represents the dying breed of old thought, the parade protesters in this movie represent the heart underneath the hate; the possibility of open minds, shown in a beautiful climax.

Movies like Tennessee Queer are hard to come by. It’s a story that is confident in its stance, knows what’s right and understands that baby steps can be giant leaps forward. Sure, change is slow, but it happens all the same. More and more.

4 / 5 *s

Tennessee Queer will be screening at The Prytania on February 10th at 7:30PM. Visit tennesseequeer.popslice.com/screenings for information on future events.

If you enjoyed this and other reviews, feel free to visit patreon.com/neauxreelidea.

Review: "Life Itself"

In his review of the 3D re-release of Titanic, film critic Roger Ebert wrote:

"James Cameron's film is not perfect. It has some flaws, but I hate the way film critics employ that word "flaw," as if they are jewelers with loupes screwed into their eye sockets, performing a valuation."

This is a line that I not only agree with wholeheartedly, but something I have taken as advice when criticizing
a movie. In college, a good friend of mine would often ask me to define what art is, and if it can be confined to just a few mediums. The answer lies in the mind of the beholder - anything can be considered art, from brick laying to murder (my college friend suggested that last one). To expand further, an art form should not and cannot be confined to a strict standard. Sure, there are basics in storytelling and expression through film, but they can be creatively manipulated and re-imagined in all sorts of ways. Basically, movies are not to be examined as one would a diamond. A movie can be more than one thing.

Roger Ebert spent his career as a film critic observing and picking apart cinema, explaining why and how, from his point of view, what kind of thing or things a particular movie was. His body of work was elegant, evocative and accessible, enlightening many a reader. This I knew. What I didn't know was that Roger was initially assigned to be a film critic. Fate?

In Life Itself, the documentary on Ebert's life and times (which premiered at Sundance just prior to the writing of this review), we learn that the most well known film critic in America is, like the movies he loves and hates, more than just one thing. It's silly thinking such a thing; that it's a surprise to discover a famous person was about more than what we knew them for. That they are people after all. Why keep that wall up between reality and fiction? In between a few hospital stays near the end of his life, the movie unfolds almost from Roger's mind, as if during rehab and doctor visits, he is going over memories painstakingly, to try and make sense of it all. Much like in a film about a biographer visiting their elderly subject. Almost beat for beat, it follows this pattern. To not only have a biopic made ABOUT you, but to also STAR as you, I can only imagine ONE question you might ask yourself; was it a life WORTH TELLING?

We get the fullest scope of the man as possible. From being a barfly to being a grandfather, from losing the ability to speak to strengthening the ability to communicate. Two moments showcased gave, for me, the clearest picture of all.

In the first one, we are witness to an extended reel of footage. It's of Roger and Gene Siskel, recording promos for their groundbreaking television show. In it, they spew more passive aggressiveness and verbally claw into one another more than I thought was possible. Throughout their partnership, Gene would often push Roger's buttons. There indeed was truth to their on screen dual persona of opposites. On TV, they'd argue back and forth on a movie's merits, and would continue debating once the cameras stopped. To order lunch, a coin toss would have to be conducted.

In the second moment, it's another extended reel of footage of the two men recording TV promos. This time, they are joyfully playing with one another, throwing good natured barbs back and forth, and sharing many a smile. At the end, something unexpected happened - it's revealed to be part of the same antagonistic promo shoot. In what was probably considered just mundane b roll to the television crew, Roger's personality and humanity are exposed. I get the strong sense of learning and growth from his relationship with Gene, one that I and many others can relate to. Like Roger, I've treated people both unfairly and friendly, and wished to have done things better. 20/20 perspective never comes during, but after. Damn.

I just read that Chaz Ebert, Roger's wife, spoke after the Sundance premiere. She said that he would often say a good movie leaves an audience member as a much truer person. I agree absolutely with that. The advice on using the word "flaw" when reviewing a movie still stands, and really can be applied to, well, life itself. Hopefully, I'll learn exactly how to apply that one day. It's true.

5/5 *s

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Review: "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"

There is much I can (and have already) said about America's post 9/11 attitude towards global politics. Despite term limits and all, Dick Cheney's empirical plan for perpetual war appears to still be in effect, and worst of all, wholeheartedly believed in and endorsed by a populace frightened over another attack. Through all of the preemptive bravado and violent rhetoric (and bombs), there was a sliver of time when fighting felt, gasp, like the right thing to do.

In Hollywood's latest prequel/continuation/reboot/re imagining, this gung ho spirit is infectiously presented and executed.


Jack Ryan - portrayed previously by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck, now Chris Pine - was one of many young men and women to witness the 9/11 attacks, and decide to enlist as soon as possible. Some time later, he is injured in combat, and sent to rehab. His feelings toward this hospital stint are painted on his body; he was told to rehab, but all he heard was he'd be unable to serve his country. Every painful walking attempt is filled with defeat and anger.

At the right moment, CIA official Kevin Costner offers him a new way to help... as a covert analyst. I don't recall the details of Ryan's job in previous adaptations, but in this contemporary setting, being "covert" says so much. He's told not to tell anyone of his position, which places him as a data decoder (or analyst) in a financial firm, but what does it matter? Couldn't he work for a contracted think tank, or in an actual agency facility? Why play this game? Are we doing it for defense, or self fulfilling purpose?

Just brush these questions and concerns away, as the movie doesn't care, and may even be an unaware victim of this psychological syndrome.

For example: Jack uncovers a terrorist plot that he is 100% sure of (and correct about) by having read a series of transaction data. Normally, this information would just be pondered over as some kind of business world conspiracy, and lead to something bigger. Instead, it's taken by Jack's boss as spot on. Is it sweet or sickening witnessing such naivety? Even our villain, Russian Kenneth Branagh, has his intellect hijacked by an unquestioning and idealistically loyal sense of nationalism.

A deeper statement about the state of the War on Terror, by showing how blindfolded all the players are, would've been a brilliant turn. But that's not what is happening. What we have is the origin story of a clean cut American, almost boy scout even, who uncovers information and foils plans with effortless efficiency and wide eyed pride, in a scenario with no double crosses, trickery or ulterior motives. Maybe Branagh (who directed this) thought he was making another Marvel film - this time, Captain America.

It's this flag saluting spirit and appealing idealism that saves this otherwise generic and awfully simple film from being another January throwaway. In fact, it might be a perfect example of the "shut your brain off and enjoy" movie. This approach also describes how best to view current global politics - if you want to live stress and care free, that is. For your family, your community and your country.

3/5 *s

If you enjoyed this review (and/or the previous ones, as well as podcasts), consider supporting my work on Patreon.com/neauxreelidea.