“Love Hurts” is directed by Jonathan Eusebio (300, The Fall Guy) and this is his directorial debut. The film stars Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story, Wish), Daniel Wu (American Born Chinese, Into the Badlands), Mustafa Shakir (The Deuce, Luke Cage), Lio Tipton (Warm Bodies, Two Night Stand), Cam Gigandet (Reckless, The O.C.), Marshawn Lynch (Bottoms, Westworld), and Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). This film is about a realtor whose past comes back to haunt him when he receives a message from his former partner-in-crime.
Everyone loves a comeback story, although in the case of Ke Huy Quan, I am going to channel LL Cool JJ and say that he has been here for years. The reality is, whether we knew it or not, Ke Huy Quan has remained the slightest bit active behind the scenes leading up to his big return in front of the camera, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” If it were not for the deserved success of that movie, chances are we would never get a film like “Love Hurts,” which I was looking forward to. It kind of had a mainstream, 2010s, 2020s-esque action flick feel that you would get out of a film like “John Wick” or “Nobody” with some twists and turns, but like those movies, the choreography and scenes looked stellar in the marketing.
As off and on as I am about “star power” in a movie, Ke Huy Quan is the reason why I watched “Love Hurts.” But how could he not be? The actor played a significant role in my favorite film of 2022, won an Oscar, and when he is not busy taking names, he is taking selfies with every star he can find. This is part of why I am disappointed to say that “Love Hurts” is not that great.
“Love Hurts” is not horrible, but if I have any real highlights for the film, they certainly would not be for the characters. Some could argue that since this is an action movie one does not always come for the characters, but the way I see things, the less engaged I am with the characters, the less engaged I am with the action. I will defend the action scenes from a technical perspective. I do not think there was a single bad sequence. In fact, there are a couple that I am still thinking about and find to be incredibly creative. But this film seems to be more concerned in showing off what its talent can do, as opposed to what its characters can do.
If you are seeing this movie solely for Ke Huy Quan, then he is probably not going to disappoint you. Other parts of the movie might, but I do not think Quan is going to be one of them. Not only does Quan solidify himself as a buttkicking action star with his role of Marvin Gable, but he is charismatic. He brings a unique energy to this genre of filmmaking. A lot of our modern action stars like Jason Statham, Keanu Reeves, and Liam Neeson tend to have this obviously masculine aura to them both in terms of the way they look and act on screen. Ke Huy Quan very much screams cute, but not cuddly. I think the movie was smart to make him a dedicated real estate agent. Even if his character was not hiding something underneath, I think Quan is a good fit to play someone working in that industry.
This is a movie that I cannot see myself revisiting in its entirety, but instead rewatching certain clips on YouTube. Because there are a couple cool scenes where we see Marvin Gable either trying to defend his award, or dodge some baddies while trying to keep a house together for example. The movie goes at a brisk pace, and with an 84 minute runtime, that should not be a shocker. For the most part, the film is simple and effective in terms of progressing the narrative. It is not a unique narrative. But does have a soft flair one does not typically find in these types of action movies. As the film continues, however, things get more convoluted, and therefore, unmemorable.
Also, Ariana DeBose is in this film, a great actress in her own right, but I am convinced she needs a new agent. Yes, she was fantastic in “West Side Story.” But just about everything afterwards was critically panned or unmemorable. Between “Argylle,” “Kraven the Hunter,” and now this… She is not on the hottest of streaks. Yes, I liked “Wish.” I stand by that opinion. Yes, I liked “I.S.S.,” but not a lot of people thought it was worth seeing considering it failed to make its budget back. As I am writing this paragraph, I forgot the name of her character. That is not the best of signs. Granted, I have also forgotten the names of characters for movies I enjoy, but I bring this up because you might as well just name this character “the love interest” or “the girl.” The movie could have fleshed out this character more and individualized her to a better degree. It does however do okay when it comes to establishing Ke Huy Quan’s infatuation with her, but sometimes the film tells such a concept when it really should just show it.
Interesting enough, for those who do want to know the name of DeBose’s character, that, my friends, is Rose. For the record, I know people named Rose, and I am aware it is not the most uncommon name. But that has to be on purpose. It reminds me of a theory my dad has about Cliff Booth in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” He thinks the character, who is accused of killing his spouse, has the last name Booth, just so the script can allow for someone else to refer to him as “John Wilkes Booth” in a scene.
The film is centered around Valentine’s Day, and this presents a potential problem for rewatchability in the same way I look at Christmas movies. I have nothing against watching “Fred Claus.” But I would not watch it outside of November or December. Unfortunately, “Love Hurts” is barely good enough for February. If you want a good Valentine’s Day-centric action movie, there is one already, and it is called “Deadpool.” Heck, it could even be a good watch around Christmas. Or literally any day of the year, it is perfect.
“Love Hurts” is the directorial debut from Jonathan Eusebio. I do not think he should automatically give up directing based on this one lackluster product. Although if he were to continue, I hope his sophomore outing is better than this. On the bright side, Eusebio at least has some credibility in the industry. He has shown his talents helping coordinate stunts and choreography in films like “The Fall Guy,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” and the first three “John Wick” installments. Some of this film’s strongest elements are the action scenes, and it comes as no surprise knowing who helped direct said scenes.
In the end, “Love Hurts” neither left me infatuated or brokenhearted. If anything, the movie is just okay. If you put the film on silent, I would still pay attention to the visuals. But as I said before, this movie packs a lot in it by the time it is over that I did not really care about the film’s substance. I would love to see Ke Huy Quan in more projects. I am glad he is voicing a character in the upcoming “Zootopia” sequel, but I would also be open to more live-action roles as well. I think he is talented and would not be a surprise if he puts another Oscar on his shelf in the future. However, I do not think anyone will be winning any Academy Awards for this film. I am going to give “Love Hurts” a 5/10.
“Love Hurts” is now playing in theaters. Tickets are available now.
Thanks for reading this review! My next reviews are going to be for “The Brutalist” and “I’m Still Here.” Stay tuned! If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Love Hurts?” What did you think about it? Or, who is an actor that has not done any work in a while that you think has a pretty good chance of making a comeback? Is there anyone you would like to see who has not been on screen in a while? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Kraven the Hunter” is directed by J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Margin Call) and stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Godzilla, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story, Wish), Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus, Gladiator II), Alessandro Nivola (Amsterdam, Jurassic Park III), Christopher Abbott (Girls, The Sinner), and Russell Crowe (Thor: Love and Thunder, Gladiator). This film is about Sergei Kravinoff, AKA Kraven the Hunter, and explores his complex relationship with his father in addition to how he uses his hunting skills to find targets and seek revenge.
Have you guys ever heard the saying “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,”? That phrase could almost apply to my experience with the Sony Spider-Man Universe. Note the use of the word almost. I say this because I basically go to see Sony’s Spider-Man villain standalone films out of obligation. Very rarely do I look forward to these movies. I think the closest I got to actually looking forward to one of these movies was “Morbius,” which ended up being my worst film of 2022. Although now that I think about it, I was intrigued by at least one trailer for “Venom: Let There be Carnage” before it came out. At least there is that.
For those playing catchup, let me give you the rundown so far on my thoughts on all the movies in the Sony Spider-Man universe… First “Venom” movie… Terrible! A lot of people seem to think it is okay. I think it is one of the most bland, boring, and horribly polished comic book movies ever made. Second “Venom” movie… Actually, pretty good. I thought the action was fun, it ups the one good thing about the original movie, specifically the humor. And it contains maybe the greatest PG-13 f-bomb in cinematic history. “Morbius…” A big fat joke! Other than Jared Leto’s performance and parts of the first act, there is nothing redeeming about this film. Oh yeah, let’s not forget that the marketing lied to its audience and the film may be responsible for the most tacked on and abysmal end credits scenes of all time. “Madame Web…” somehow WORSE than “Morbius!” Not even big name actors can save this abomination! Also, for some reason, this schlock saw the light of day despite being written by the same team who wrote “Morbius.” Bad dialogue, okay at best action, horrible camerawork, and another case of deceptive marketing. Genuinely one of the worst films I have ever seen, and if you think I am saying this for dramatic effect, I have some magic beans to sell you. And lastly, “Venom: The Last Dance…” Safe to say, I was immensely bored. Other than the chemistry between Eddie and the titular character on top of one admirable motivation between them, I thought this threequel was a waste of time. Add on a whole Area 51 subplot that nearly put me to sleep, then you have a recipe for, surprisingly, the second best Sony Spider-Man Universe movie. How sad.
Thus far, the Sony Spider-Man Universe, or whatever you want to call it at this point, is one for five. People say the recently finished DCEU sucks compared to the MCU? Oh, boy oh boy, this universe WISHES it were the DCEU! That universe has cinematic bangers like “Wonder Woman” and “The Suicide Squad!” The DCEU even spawned the incredible TV series “Peacemaker!” While definitely inconsistent, when that cinematic universe fired on all cylinders, it was on the right track. But “Kraven the Hunter” had something attached to it that the other movies did not… An R rating! Yeah! That “Morbius” nonsense? That is for babies! Now it is daddy’s turn! If “Deadpool” can get away with an R, so can “Kraven!”
Having seen the movie, it may be able to get away with an R, but it certainly is not getting away from my infinite rage. This is yet another epic fail for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Though am I really surprised?
Sony, how many times do we have to do this same old song and dance before it becomes stale? I think this is a great question.
…If I were an imbecile!
This whole Sony Spider-Man Barrel of Monkeys was already stale from the first of these wannabe “Spider-Man” flicks. I ask this question specifically to you guys. Genuinely! What on earth are you doing?! What is it going to take for this saga of nonsense to end?! I understand that the rights to “Spider-Man” are your most valuable asset, but if you keep making movies like these, then this whole property is going to be a joke. Tom Holland is not going to be playing the character forever. The “Spider-Verse” series can only go on for so long. You can only do so many crossovers involving the three live-action Spider-Men before they stop acting. The solution is not to continue making cheap, boring anti-hero movies featuring villains as the main character. Movies like “Kraven the Hunter” justify cases where movies like “Batgirl” get scrapped by the studio for a tax write-off.
Honestly, if someone popped me the question as to which movie I would want to watch more, and I had to pick between the first “Venom” and “Kraven the Hunter,” I might go with “Venom!” At least in “Venom,” you had some occasional funny lines and some decent chemistry between the two main characters. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is clearly giving the lead role his all here. But he does not have a great script to back him up. While Aaron Taylor-Johnson is playing the lead role, he is not even the most high profile actor on the roster. The film also features Russell Crowe, and I think it is safe to say that I was not entertained by his completely one-dimensional so-called character. Crowe plays Kraven’s father, and not only is he unworthy of even a Dollar Tree card on Father’s Day, but he has incredibly repetitive, cliche dialogue. The movie clearly establishes him as far from the finest father figure. That seems to be the point at times. But I cared so little about the story and characters of this film to the point where Crowe’s character comes off as a joke.
Then you have Ariana DeBose, who is one of the most dynamic, lively, energetic talents working today. The woman in the past couple years deservedly won an Academy Award for “West Side Story.” She was also pretty good in other films following that, even if they did not get the best reviews. Unpopular opinion, I really liked “Wish…” I said what I said. DeBose, to my shock and amazement, plays one of the most forgettable core characters of a comic book film I have ever seen. If you were to ask me what the purpose of this character was in a few years from now, I will probably refer to her as the boring tarot card lady or something, because while her presence serves the story, it does so in maybe the dullest way possible. Shoutout to Sony for making two movies in the same year that somehow made me give me even less of a crap about tarot cards than I already do. Anybody remember the film “Tarot” from earlier this year? No? If you are loyal to this blog you will hear about it again soon on the top 10 worst movies of 2024 list once I get finished with that. You know, kind of like this atrocity some like to call a comic book movie.
Going back to what I said about “Madame Web” and how a big name cast could not save the film from being bad. I think “Kraven the Hunter” somehow takes that inferiority to another level. Because yes, Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney have been in big projects. Some good, some bad. That is the classic life of an actor, but they are both lucky enough to achieve their level of fame. Sweeney has been nominated for a couple Primetime Emmys so congrats to her. That said, “Kraven the Hunter” is much more excruciating to think about because while “Madame Web’s” Sweeney has gotten some awards attention, “Kraven” has multiple actors who have actually have prestigious awards on their mantle.
Again, you have Russell Crowe who has an extended career, an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globes. Circling back to Ariana DeBose, it was like watching Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy in “Batman & Robin,” but worse. Because while Thurman was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in “Pulp Fiction,” a couple years before that flopbuster came out, DeBose actually WON her Academy Award. I do not think DeBose’s performance is Razzie-worthy. There is nothing extreme about it that makes it stand out as one of the worst performances of all time. The best word I can use to describe it would be “tiring.” I guess that is one reason to watch this movie again. If I am really tired and want to catch some z’s, “Kraven the Hunter” might make for solid background noise.
I will be fair to Crowe, however. As infuriating as his character is to watch, I must admit he makes the most of a crappy script with his chops. Crowe does his best with the material to the point where I almost cannot imagine anyone else in his role. So… Yay?…
Another actor I enjoyed watching in this hot mess? Aaron Taylor-Johnson. No, it is not because of his abs. He legit does an okay job as the lead. Again, his character is not written well. But I buy him in the role. He is not perfect, but he definitely has an inkling of charisma. I just wish such charisma were saved for something that would not be a waste of my time and money. That is another consistency with these Sony movies. As much as I do not like “Venom,” I still think Tom Hardy is well cast as the lead role. Same goes for Jared Leto in “Morbius.”
For those of you who saw the first eight minutes of the movie when it dropped online, you would know it starts off with, admittedly, a halfway decent action sequence. That adjective might as well be used to describe a good amount of the action in this film. The action does not reinvent the wheel. There are a couple cuts that I thought were a little too quick, but for the most part, the action is one of the better parts of the movie. “Kraven the Hunter” sometimes finds its footing in some places, but when it comes to structure, that is definitely not one of those places. Sure, the movie starts off with a decent action scene that could likely hook viewers into the story. But then we get to the part of the film that dives into Kraven’s origins. The timing of this transition feels abrupt and out of place. Given the length of these moments and how long it deviates from what we already saw in Kraven’s adulthood, I would have preferred for the final cut of the film to start with Kraven’s origins. It would allow me to more easily know and understand the characters that way if we were to get to an action sequence like the one we see at the beginning, I would probably care a little more about the people in the scene and possibly the sequence itself.
I will give props to Sony for not hiring Mark Sazama and Burk Sharpless to write this film. Although to be fair, they were probably already busy figuring out how to beat the odds and make a worse screenplay for “Madame Web” than they did for “Morbius.” Spoiler alert, they did. Instead, this film has three writers. You have Richard Wenk, known for writing the “Equalizer” movies starring Denzel Washington. I have not watched those films, but I have heard good things. His resume contains some other notable work, but oddly enough, I cannot give my opinion on any of his titles because I never watched any of them. As for the other two writers, you have Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. These are two of the four writers responsible for one of the better Marvel Cinematic Universe films, “Iron Man.” Although the rest of their resume is not particularly great. There is “Men in Black: International,” which I actually liked. But there are also a lot of people who would challenge my unpopular opinion. They just did “Uncharted,” which has a couple cool action scenes, but the screenplay has nothing that stands out about it. The film itself is rather unmemorable. Then we travel back in time to my least favorite movie of theirs, “Transformers: The Last Knight.” My biggest problem with the film is with the headache-inducing use of IMAX technology that honestly leaves no one but Michael Bay to blame. But if I had another notable problem, it is that the film’s script repeats the problems of the previous movies, but somehow delivers maybe the least engaging journey the franchise has given yet. Going back even further to a movie I did not see, these two even did “Punisher: War Zone,” which was not only poorly reviewed, but with more than $10 million total, it made less money at the box office than any other movie based on Marvel Comics. Part of me is convinced that Sony could be having a streak of bad luck, but then I look at the resumes of the people they hire and I think either their options are limited, they are choosing the wrong people, or they have better options out there and do not want to spend more money on them. I have no clue.
In all seriousness though, this trio of writers managed to join forces to create one of the most snore-inducing films of the year. I do not think there is any way to sugarcoat this. It is also full of Academy Award-level lines like “I’m a hunter.” In addition to Russell Crowe repeatedly telling his boys, and therefore the audience, that their mother died and she was weak. As I watched this movie and came to realize the director and cast handled their material, I honestly thought “Kraven the Hunter” has a feel that is kind of similar to “The Room.” I say kind of because unlike “The Room,” the chances of me ever watching “Kraven the Hunter” again are pretty slim. But this is a movie that I can honestly watch, acknowledge how bad it is, and sometimes burst out laughing for the wrong reasons. If you want a more genre-related example, I will go back to the recently mentioned “Batman & Robin.” It definitely makes me laugh, but the humor sometimes feels accidental.
You know the Island of Misfit Toys from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?” If there were ever a place I could associate with this universe, that would be it. I assume most inhabitants, or in this case, filmmakers, actors, producers, crew, etc., that make it up are kind, but compared to the toys Santa delivers to kids on Christmas, which in this case would be Disney’s MCU and Warner Brothers’ DCEU, Sony’s got its own little private island full of outcasts. I have not gone back to watch a single Sony Spider-Man Enigmaverse movie since seeing them in the theater, other than “Venom: Let There be Carnage” when it was airing one time on cable. It is like that scene from “Toy Story 2” where Andy picks up Woody and says he does not want to play with him anymore, except in this case, the toy is fresh out of the box and has barely been used.
This is why I ask Sony not to sell the rights to “Spider-Man…” I really want to see them pump out that third “Spider-Verse” movie. Instead I would like Sony to stop with these standalone villain spinoffs. These are not movies, these are corporate products designed by people trying to fill a release slot and keep the rights just a while longer. “Kraven the Hunter” is the latest example of this. If you are looking for Spider-Man connections in this film, all you are getting are secondary characters who appear in various Spider-Man properties who are poorly executed, and one scene where a ton of spiders are on screen. It is not even a good scene! Spider-Man is not in this movie. Peter Parker is not in this movie. Although the Rhino is in this movie. This time around is better than how the character was presented in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” but that does not really say much.
Speaking of which, let’s talk about the CGI… This movie is chock-full of distractingly noticeable visuals. Going back to Rhino, that is one example. You can definitely tell he has fake skin, but I would not even consider that the worst CGI in this film. This film has multiple scenes containing animals, including a lion I thought looked somewhat artificial, but at most I would consider to be tolerable. The animals that stood out to me the most in terms of how offputting they looked are the buffalo. And there are a lot of them in this movie. There is this scene where this buffalo is holding steady in front of Kraven. They are in the middle of a field. When that buffalo is staying still, all that allows me to do is take in as much detail as possible to realize that the creature looks like something out of a video game. When Kraven is looking at this buffalo, he comes off like he is staring at a picture instead of something live.
Sony, please. Just stop! I have had it up to here at this point! This year is the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures. When it comes to celebrating it, this, “Venom: The Last Dance,” and “Madame Web” were clearly not the best ways to do it on the Marvel front. I am thankful they brought all the old “Spider-Man” movies back to theaters. I went back to watch “Spider-Man 2” and “Spider-Man 3” in the theater this year. If for whatever reason Sony decides to do some anniversary screening for “Kraven the Hunter,” I am going to give it a hard pass.
In the end, “Kraven the Hunter” sucks. Plain and simple. It is a poorly structured, badly edited, laughably acted, shoddily directed misfire that I would not recommend to anyone. I will honestly watch “Venom: The Last Dance” three more times before turning this movie on again. Yes, there are positives. The action is okay. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a good choice to play Kraven. And even though Russell Crowe plays an unlikable character, he at least acts like he is giving two squirts of urine about his role. “Kraven the Hunter” is not a movie. It is a series of scenes spliced together by a corporation to continue preserving franchise rights. If this is the last movie we see in the Sony Spider-Man Insert Clever Name Here, good riddance. I am going to give “Kraven the Hunter” a 2/10.
“Kraven the Hunter” is now playing in theaters. Tickets are available now.
Thanks for reading this review! My next reviews are going to be for “Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” and “Flow.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Kraven the Hunter?” What did you think about it? Or, what are your 2024 comic book movies ranked? What a terrible question that must be… That is like ranking your children, and you are choosing your favorite child based on which one you find the least irritating. I will admit, I did not even see “The Crow” this year. I think I dodged a bullet with that one. That said, there were plenty of awful comic book films this year to make up for whatever that one would end up being. If you have a ranking, list your top movies down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Argylle” is directed by Matthew Vaughn and stars Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Bryce Dallas Howard (Spider-Man 3, Jurassic World), Sam Rockwell (The Bad Guys, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Bryan Cranston (Malcom in the Middle, Breaking Bad), Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek, Beetlejuice), Sofia Boutella (Atomic Blonde, The Mummy), Dua Lipa (Barbie), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story, Wish), with John Cena (Peacemaker, Blockers), and Samuel L. Jackson (Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Avengers). This film centers around a notable spy novelist named Elly Conway who finds out the events she happens to be writing in her next book are similar to those that are playing out in front of her.
I have not seen all of Matthew Vaughn’s work, but I am a fan of the “Kingsman” movies. Particularly “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” I have nothing against the second one. I had fun with “The Golden Circle” even though I think there are one or two moments I would rather have not sat through. Elton John alone was worth the price of admission for me. But I would rather honestly forget about Vaughn’s latest feature film, “The King’s Man,” a prequel to those two other movies. If you asked me what the heck happened in that last movie, I honestly would not be able to tell you. I was immensely bored with it and I cannot believe it even got made.
Nevertheless, I was looking forward to “Argylle.” Vaughn’s been on a bit of a downward trend lately, but I figured a fresh idea could give him a boost. You have new characters, a fresh story, but you also have some of Vaughn’s directorial trademarks making a comeback. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” definitely has a flashy, glitzy, in your face style, but it does not mean the movie lacks a good story to back it up. The good news about “Argylle” is that if you like Matthew Vaughn’s style, you will find it here. The bad news, the story ends up falling flat on its face.
I will be fair though. The story is not all bad. If anything, the first act of the film is easily my favorite part. It is the part where I had the most fun, emitted the most laughs, and not once was I ever taken out of it. I like how they handled Elly Conway’s mannerisms and point of view throughout between how she visualizes her stories, how she puts one thing and another together, and there is also a neat first-person perspective shot gimmick that comes into play. I like those techniques. There is also some good action. There is a fight on a train that is nothing short of a thrill ride. It also introduces us to my favorite character in the film, Aidan, played by Sam Rockwell. I have not seen everything Rockwell has done, but one of my favorite works of his is his performance in “The Way Way Back,” a coming of age comedy where he plays a waterpark employee. Having seen “Argylle,” his mannerisms here reminded me of how he executed his more comedic lines in “The Way Way Back.” He is very much a scene stealer and while it is in the trailer, the way he utters, “I love this book!”, got a genuine laugh out of me in the film.
Unfortunately, once the first act concludes, the whole movie enters this spiral of madness that almost gave yours truly a headache. I saw the film in IMAX, and while I love the IMAX experience, I must say that this one was on the verge of breaking me. It was almost too loud, too zany, and too rambunctious. I love when a story keeps you guessing, when it is full of twists and turns, but there is a sense of novelty that is lost once we find out where the movie is taking its characters. The movie is twisty. No doubt about it. A tagline for the film is “FROM THE TWISTED MIND OF MATTHEW VAUGHN.” But the movie throws so much at you all at once that is overwhelming. It is like sitting through ten AP classes at once and being forced to digest those subjects at the same time! I could only take so many notes! Yeah, there are elements to this charade that stick the landing, but there are plenty of others that leave a bit to be desired.
Also, if I have to be real, while the movie has great action in the beginning, I felt it became too much to handle by the end. Going back to “Kingsman,” one of the reasons why I find “The Secret Service” to be a better movie than “The Golden Circle” is because “The Secret Service” had action sequences that appeared to consistently exist in their own reality. They were ridiculous, but they were fun. “The Golden Circle” still has good action, but there are moments where the movie tends to jump the shark that lack a sense of heightened realism. It’s almost as if they broke some sort of rulebook. By the end of this film, “Argylle” felt more akin to “The Golden Circle” than “The Secret Service.” Yeah, there were a couple stylistic moments that pop, but there are others that are too flashy and do not emit much emotion.
There is a moment at the end of the film where it basically pulls a “Batman & Robin.” Unfortunately, as far as I can recall, there is not a single ice pun in the entire film. That’s not cool at all. But what I mean is, if you remember “Batman & Robin,” there is a moment that the titular characters conveniently emit ice skates from their boots to take down some baddies. There is a moment in “Argylle” that instantly triggered a memory of that, and how stupid that instance truly is. There is something involving skates in “Argylle” that is so played up, so over the top, so ridiculous, that it had me shrugging angrily in the middle of the theater! I was dumbfounded by this! How is this convincing?! You kind of have to see it yourself to fully embrace and grasp the feeling I got as soon as it came up. I wanted to roll my eyes.
Unfortunately, “Argylle” basically feels like an adolescent girl’s cringeworthy spy fantasy brought to life, but they gave the keys to Matthew Vaughn to tidy up the writing and make a $200 million movie out of it. It’s flashy, it’s shiny, and everything is all over the place. There’s cats! There’s good-looking men like Henry Cavill and John Cena! There is a kind-hearted, but somewhat shy woman in the center of it all! But unfortunately, those elements do not come together to make a neat package. The film kind of reminded me of Guy Ritchie’s “The Gentlemen,” which from a filmmaking perspective, looks nice, but I cannot say I appreciated the story.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, if you want a fun spy movie with Matthew Vaughn, watch “Kingsman: The Secret Service!” In fact, here is another thing that movie does better! Let’s talk about animal companions! Remember how in “Kingsman: The Secret Service” all the spies had to have a dog alongside them? The way they went about that story tactic was essential and delivered plenty of emotion to everyone’s journey in the film. “Argylle” makes it clear that our character is a cat lady, but when it comes to the cat itself, it was almost like watching a Disney animated film trying to utilize its most merchandisable character to the point where the film essentially becomes a commercial. For the record, I am not much of a cat person. So you could say I am biased in my assessment here. But I will also remind you that I am the furthest thing from a dog person! I am even allergic to dogs! Despite that, I can say that “Kingsman: The Secret Service” does a significantly better job at utilizing its animal companion than “Argylle” does in spades. If you want me to be real about “Argylle,” when it comes to fare prominently featuring cat characters, this is not as catastrophic as 2019’s “Cats.” But, this movie certainly had me angrily hissing by the time it was over.
In the end, “Argylle” is just plain bad. This movie has so much gloss and glamour to the point where they just put a bunch of people on sets and forgot to make a movie. I like the cast. Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Samuel L. Jackson. These are all big names. And I imagine much like some recent action fare on Netflix such the intolerable “Red Notice,” this could factor into why the film has a $200 million price tag. Honestly, for all I know, Apple is a great streaming service. I have never used it to watch a show. But I have heard titles like “Ted Lasso” and “For All Mankind” are worth seeking out. But their movies are for the most part, forgettable. The one exception was “CODA,” which despite some cliches, was one of the most emotionally powerful movies I have seen in the past couple years. It was perfect. But from “Killers of the Flower Moon” to “Napoleon” and now this hot mess, Apple needs to get their ducks in a row and unleash a good movie. If you know me in real life, you know that I use an Android phone. I use Windows computers. I stream most of my music through YouTube. To get me to buy or invest my time in an Apple electronic would be like getting Howie Mandel to shake my hand. It would be nearly impossible. I wonder if the same fate could be coming to Apple’s movies if they continue to be this sloppily executed and poorly contrived. I am going to give “Argylle” a 3/10.
“Argylle” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.
Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for “American Fiction!” I have seen so many titles in 2023, but this was not one of them. I had to wait until this year to watch it. But I will have my review up very soon! By the way, I will not give away my final score on the film, but let’s just say that it has already been nominated for a couple Jack Awards! Which leads me to say…
THE JACK AWARDS ARE NEXT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25th! If you have not already done so, cast your vote now for this year’s Best Picture! Hope you tune in! Be there or be square! If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Argylle?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite Matthew Vaughn movie? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“I.S.S.” is directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish, Our Friend) and stars Ariana DeBose (West Side Story, Wish), Chris Messina (Alex of Venice, The Mindy Project), John Gallagher Jr. (Come Play, Underwater), Masha Mashkova (McMafia, For All Mankind), Costa Ronin (The Americans, Homeland), and Pilou Asbæk (Overlord, Game of Thrones). This film centers around a group of American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts who work together at the International Space Station, when suddenly, conflict breaks out between their respective nations back on Earth. Meanwhile, both sides are ordered to take over the space station no matter the method or cost.
If you have known me or followed Scene Before for some time, it is no secret that I love space movies. Some of my favorite movies include “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “Interstellar,” and “Star Wars.” When it comes to cinema, I may have a predisposed bias to anything that takes place in space, but it does not mean I am guaranteed to like it. For example, “The Space Between Us” stands as one of the worst travesties I have ever witnessed in the sci-fi genre. But I should note that the movie came out in February 2017. As I and others have noted, February is one of the worst months for films. Right alongside that rathole is its next door neighbor, January, so going into “I.S.S.,” I had to temper my expectations despite the trailer looking decent.
Nevertheless, “I.S.S.” has a presentable concept. I like the idea of taking an object in space that has been the subject of years of collaboration and having war break out on it between its two respective parties. The Americans and the Russians. And when it comes to handling this concept, I have to say the film is very well done. If you asked me if I wanted to go space one day, the answer is a resounding yes. But after watching this movie, it reminds me of my slight fear toward the idea. Because depending on how things go, that childlike dream can potentially become a nightmare. While it is not my favorite of the recent space fare, one movie that has always stuck in my mind both from its technical power and storytelling mastery, is “Gravity.” “I.S.S.” very much reminds me of “Gravity” because the story is not only gripping on paper, but the way it is told allows for some scary moments. “I.S.S.,” much like “Gravity,” is not the best space film I have seen. In fact, I think “Gravity” is the superior watch of the two. But I am going to be thinking about this movie for some time because some of the imagery is vividly haunting. On top of that, the way it goes about handling its characters easily strikes fear as to what could potentially happen if something goes wrong in our world, and eventually makes its way into space. Regardless of how realistic this movie is in its execution, it is one that got me thinking, and I appreciate it for that.
One reason why I think this film is good, but not as good as the recently mentioned “Gravity,” is that I am looking back at the characters, and I have to say they are not the film’s strongest asset. Do not get me wrong, they are not an insult or anything. But as I look back on the film, I do not think I will remember anybody’s name within the next month. The movie sometimes does an okay job at establishing character quirks, individualities, those sorts of things. But sometimes it feels surface level. There is one astronaut, Christian, played by John Gallagher Jr., who we learn has two daughters. They are obviously a driving force for his journey and role. But it is also hard to fully appreciate the character because we are simply told about these characters and never get a visual or audio reference to the daughters themselves.
At the beginning of the review, I mentioned one of my favorite films was “Interstellar,” and one reason why I adore that film so much is because it took its time in letting its audience get to know not just Cooper, the main astronaut, but it also let the audience know about his family. So whenever the film references his family or children, either through his mouth, or simply by showing them, the impact is so much bigger. One of the strengths of “I.S.S.” is that the film is tightly paced in its 95 minute runtime. So if you are looking for a short movie that gets the job done, this is not a bad watch. But the film sometimes suffers from its short runtime, and the more I think about it, its limited scale. The film lets us spend time with a select number of characters, but it also prevents us from having a full-fledged story. Granted, when I look back at “Gravity,” one of its standout scenes is when Ryan and Matt are just having a conversation while floating through space and we learn about Ryan’s backstory about what she does, her origins, and how her dad wanted a boy. But not only was that well written, but the movie does a fantastic job at unleashing memorable performances out of Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. The performances in “I.S.S.” serve the movie quite well. But when it comes to main protagonists, Kira Foster (DeBose) is no Ryan Stone.
But if you want me to be real, the performances, while not legendary, are genuinely good all around. The chemistry between everyone in the cast is perfect. DeBose breaks a leg in the lead role. I thought on the Russian side, Masha Mashkova and Pilou Asbæk were the two most prominent standouts. The moments where all the astronauts meet and get to know each other make for some fun bonding scenes.
Another problem I have with this film is the ending. The ending is not the worst I have seen. But it concludes in such an abrupt manner to the point where I can simply go, “Well, it’s over.” It neither left me wanting more nor did it leave me passionately angry. It just happened. It is like the movie did not how to wrap up so it just whipped something into shape really quickly and said, “Here you go!” Enjoy! Except it was not as enjoyable as it probably could have been. That’s just the reality. “I.S.S.” is both paced well enough to justify its runtime, but lacks just enough depth to make me wish it was longer.
In the end, “I.S.S.” is not the best space movie in recent times, but it is one that I do not regret seeing. The film is not getting the best scores from audiences, and while I can understand why, I cannot say I am in line with those audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 62% critic score and a 44% audience score. I am going to have to lean towards the critics on this one. This is not to say I loved the movie, but I would give it a thumbs up. As a thriller, it is exciting. As a space movie, it is riveting. And while it is not as terrifying as some recent horror fare, it has its moments of chills. Everyone in the film’s small cast does a good job and there are select characters I almost cannot see anyone else playing. Does the film have problems? Yes. But I will not deny that it had my eyes on the screen the entire time. For that reason alone, I would describe my experience with “I.S.S.” to be a positive one. I am going to give “I.S.S.” a 6/10.
“I.S.S.” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.
Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for the brand Matthew Vaughn spy flick, “Argylle.” I found myself giving the trailer a lukewarm response, but I have to admit in the past decade, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” has stood out as one of my more rewatched action flicks, so I cannot deny that I at least had some excitement about checking this film out. Was it worth the watch? You will have to find out yourself. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “I.S.S?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite space movie? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
“Wish” is directed by Chris Buck (Frozen, Frozen II) and Fawn Veerasunthorn and stars Ariana DeBose (West Side Story, The Prom), Chris Pine (Star Trek, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves), Alan Tudyk (Wreck-It Ralph, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Angelique Cabral (Life in Pieces, Enlisted), Victor Garber (The Orville, Alias), Natasha Rothwell (Sonic the Hedgehog, The White Lotus), Jennifer Kumiyaya (The Sessions, Awkward), Harvey Guillén (Blue Beetle, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), Evan Peters (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Kick-Ass), Ramy Youssef (Mr. Robot, Ramy), and Jon Rudnitsky (Catch-22, Saturday Night Live). This film is about a young girl named Asha who wishes upon a star only to have said wish unleash complete and utter chaos on her homeland.
My history with Disney is not as prolific as some others. Of course, as they have bought various properties over the years like “Star Wars” and Marvel, I became more inclined with the company as they produced more things I’d be predisposed to enjoying. But I was born in 1999, and as a kid, I was not as into Disney’s projects as some other people. I am male, and therefore was not inclined to embracing princess leads or royal stories. Television-wise, I was more of a Nickelodeon kid than a Disney kid if you had to ask which of the cable channels I’d be more likely to torture my parents with. And even as I aged, most of the movies in my growing collection would come from other studios for certain periods of time. I did watch “Power Rangers,” which for a time aired on Disney-owned channels and was owned by them. But when it comes to the more historic Disney properties, I never bothered with them as a kid. I still haven’t bothered with a lot of them now. I still have not watched “Aladdin,” as much as I try to. I still have not seen “The Little Mermaid.” I have not watched “Dumbo.” Despite Studio Chizu’s “Belle” being my favorite film of the decade so far, I still have not gone back to watch Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” Maybe I had these titles on in the background somewhere as a kid and just don’t remember it, but I can never say I watched any of these films and had the urgency to call it a core memory. They were just never my thing. I watched game shows as a kid. When I was young, I did not want to fly like “Peter Pan,” I wanted to buy vowels on “Wheel of Fortune.”
But Disney is now a hundred years old, and their newest animated title, “Wish,” comes with an ooze of specialty attached. It is practically a celebration of a century of Disney as a brand. Now, this is its own story that introduces new characters, new places, new ideas, even if it does take inspiration from other stories. Though as I watched this movie, one thing I will say, as someone who knew the significance of sorts regarding it, is that the movie is an appropriate title to release to commemorate such an occasion. The movie is about wishes and sort of represents an idea that Disney has represented for decades. Taking wishes and dreams and making them come to life. If I were in a pitch meeting for a movie celebrating such an occasion, this would be a foundation I would emphasize. But the movie has to be as good as its backbone, and thankfully, I had a good time with it.
“Wish” is not the best not best Disney movie of all time, but if you ask me, I like it better than their previous couple of animated outings. As much as “Encanto” dominated a certain sphere of pop culture in recent years, I have had no urges to go back to it after one viewing. As for “Strange World,” I would say that film did not even deserve one viewing. It was easily one of the biggest bores and wastes of time I had in that year of moviegoing. “Wish” is a film that works because of its characters, specifically its relationship between the protagonist and antagonist.
Asha wants to be the apprentice for King Magnifico, the most revered of her land’s people as he is able to grant wishes. I thought the way this movie starts off the relationship between these two, as they conduct an interview, unleashes some phenomenal chemistry between them. Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine work well together. But when their relationship goes awry, we continue to see a divide in their personalities and thoughts, which in the case of Chris Pine’s character, Magnifico, brings forth one of my favorite antagonists of the year. The reason why I love Magnifico as an antagonist is the same reason why as much as I rooted for the Avengers in “Infinity War” and “Endgame,” I understood, and sometimes agreed, with where Thanos was coming from in those movies. Magnifico, as mentioned, grants wishes. It’s his thing. But Magnifico refuses to grant every single wish that is given to him, including one given by Asha’s grandfather that I probably would have granted if I were in that kind of position. The reason he gives for not granting it, specifically its elusiveness, is not one I necessarily would side with, but that’s his choice. But the reality is, even though this, in addition to a sudden revelation, understandably enrages Asha, I am on Magnifico’s side when it comes to wish granting. What if someone wished for world domination? What if someone wished for the extinction of bees? What if someone wished for the resurrection of Adolf Hitler? These are outright dangerous or terrible things that most sane people who have a knowledge of how things are supposed to work would tend to avoid desiring. But at the same time, from Asha’s point of view, her grandfather’s wish, while Magnifico may see it one way, she sees it another way that can only be described as positive. I understand where she is coming from. But this also results in a mixed message of the film. Sure, you should be able to follow your dreams, but you better make sure that dream is a good one. It is a bit of a coin toss of a message when broken down.
“Wish,” like many Disney titles over the years, is a musical, and I have to say some of the songs in this film are quite good. Not all of them stand out, but I cannot name one that I outright thought couldn’t even achieve mediocrity. Whether it was the song itself or the visuals that accompanied it, everything had a place in the film. My favorite of the film is the one that was often used in the advertising, specifically “This Wish.” And I should not be surprised that I am giving this much praise to the song, because it is sung by Ariana DeBose, who has a musical background, including an Oscar-winning (and Jack Award-winning) role in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” Her singing power is marvelous and instantly emits classic Disney vibes. It is perfect. Speaking of incredible songs, my runner-up for this category would have to be the villain song, “This Is the Thanks I Get?!.” Not only does it encapsulate a particular spiral into madness Magnifico experiences, but Pine’s range in his voice throughout the song is a standout. This is not Pine’s first time singing in a Disney movie, as he previously did so in 2014’s “Into the Woods.” I have not seen “Into the Woods,” but I was delightfully surprised here at Pine’s singing abilities. He’s not the best I’ve heard, but he is much better than I could have imagined him being. But then again, having seen him in other roles, I often get the sense that Pine easily oozes charisma. So maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.
If I have to note one thing in the movie that is kind of hit or miss, it is the humor. Now, maybe if I were a kid it would land with me better, but there are jokes in this film that are probably going to hit more with younger viewers. That said, it is less insulting than some other jokes I have seen in some animated movies in recent years so it gets points there. There’s not much, if anything, that made me roll my eyes. Some jokes just stuck the landing better than others. Although my favorite exchange in the movie comes about thirty, forty minutes in where Asha explains the cause behind everything that is going on. She says “I wished upon a star.” In response, her friend, Gabo, asks, “What are you five?” Between the brief pause, the context of the scene, and the line delivery, this could not have been more perfect. I loved this moment. Speaking of voices, most of the cast of this film does a good job, but Alan Tudyk is a standout as Valentino the goat. I think his voice, no matter the role, is a thing of beauty. Here, he tends to use the same voice he uses as Clayface in Max’s “Harley Quinn” series, which if you have not watched, you absolutely should. Despite the similarity, the voice is appropriate for the character and adds a comedic edge for his lines. His lines are not laugh out loud funny, but they do deliver a chuckle here and there. I am not going to go into detail, but I have seen better, more satisfying climaxes out of Disney movies. Though if you recall certain details about this movie’s lesson I mentioned earlier, that is a partial reason why I find this climax to be inferior.
Sticking with the idea of Disney 100, this film’s animation style very much reflects the company’s history. It is a bit of a mish mash of what they have done over the years. The character designs reflect various eras of the company, and so do the minute little details surrounding the image. I do think there is an unfortunate shortage of 2D animated movies. If I had my way, we would more 2D animated movies, and fewer Disney live-action remakes. When it comes to this hybrid style, there are glimmers of beauty, but there is an obvious gimmicky feel to it. DreamWorks’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” which is much more 3D-esque than this movie on the surface, manages to pack a more palatable outlook when it tries to implement 2D tricks. It feels much more seamless. While there are a lot of good-looking shots in “Wish,” in fact there is one about 20 to 30 minutes in that is one of my favorite shots I have witnessed in any movie this year, the movie makes me think that the animation style should not be given any more attempts in the near future. But if I have to say one thing, between this, “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” “Puss in Boots 2,” and the recent “Spider-Verse” movies, I am noticing more studios taking cracks at unique animation styles in recent years. I will give credit where it is due. I often say that having good animation is a requirement nowadays considering how much we have evolved over the years, but I am glad that when it comes to style, even if it emits inferior results, that we are seeing more unique projects being made.
In the end, “Wish” is not the brightest star of this year’s animated slate. But it comes packed with plenty of glowing qualities. “Wish” has the significance of doubling as a 100 year celebration of Disney, and I think it is a lovely tribute to the company, but it pales compared to a ton of their newer animated fare like “Wreck-it Ralph” and “Zootopia.” I am admittedly probably on an island of a lonely opinions because when I look back at Pixar’s release this year, “Elemental,” I think Disney proper’s “Wish” is the better of the two films. But if you look at Rotten Tomatoes, the scores for both critics and audiences are higher for “Elemental.” It goes to show the subjectivity of art. I think visually, the film works. Sound-wise, it packs a punch. The music puts its best foot forward. But what makes me want to go back to this movie despite its technical beauty is its two leads, because both of them are compelling. Earlier in this review, I said I never once had any urges to go back and watch “Encanto” a second time. I cannot say the same about “Wish.” I might even buy it on 4K Blu-ray if I had the chance. I am going to give “Wish” a 7/10.
“Wish” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.
Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for Taika Waititi’s latest directorial effort, “Next Goal Wins.” Stay tuned! Also coming soon, I will have my thoughts on “The Holdovers,” “Napoleon,” “Godzilla Minus One,” and “Ferrari!” If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Wish?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite Disney animation? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
Hey everyone, Jack Drees here! Welcome to the final installment of Steven Spielberg Month! You know what that means? It is time for shameless self-promotion! If you are interested in checking out more of my Steven Spielberg-related reviews for the month, this is your opportunity to read up on my thoughts regarding “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” and “The Post.” With that out of the way, it is time to introduce the last review of the themed event. It is one of Spielberg’s most recent outings, “West Side Story.” I would have reviewed this film last year if I had the time to. Unfortunately, I could not make it happen. Although I am glad to finally be able to give myself an opportunity to release my thoughts on it, and for you to finally find them out. Ladies and gentlemen, here is my review of “West Side Story.”
“West Side Story” is directed by Steven Spielberg (Lincoln, Ready Player One) and is based on a 1957 play by Jerome Robbins. The film stars Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Rita Moreno, and Rachel Zegler as Maria, a young Puerto Rican girl who falls in love with New York native Tony (Elgort). These two are caught in the middle of rivaling gangs, conflicting sides, and altering identities. While these two may be star-crossed, the turmoil beyond their relationship heats up.
I saw this movie on December 6th, 2021 during a free IMAX fan event screening in Boston. The screening took place days before the film’s wide release. This was my first time seeing anything related to “West Side Story.” Prior to rewatching this film for review purposes, not to mention after, I still have not watched the 1961 “West Side Story” adaptation, despite its acclaim. The film won ten Oscars, including Best Picture. In recent months, Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” sort of followed in its footsteps. The 2021 remake won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in addition to earning other categorical nominations. One such nomination was Best Picture, which the film lost to “CODA,” which I have no problem with as that film was brilliant.
Having rewatched “West Side Story,” it honestly was more fun than it was the first time around. And that says something because that first viewing was a great time. Did I mention that my most recent watch of the film is not my second, but my third time? I went to go see the film in theaters twice, and both times it knocked my socks off. Therefore, it should be no surprise that I am handing the film this much praise.
I am so glad to finally get to talk about “West Side Story” after being busy during the tail end of 2021, partially because it is my favorite musical movie of that year. I had fun with “In the Heights” and I admired “Tick, Tick… BOOM!”, but “West Side Story” takes the cake as the most serotonin-emitting of these films. When I first heard about a remake for “West Side Story,” I had mixed thoughts, and slight indifference as I had not seen the original film. When you announce that you are about to remake something iconic or highly acclaimed as this, it begs the question as to how you can make something that is on par with what the prior material provided. Again, I did not see the 1961 movie, so I cannot compare and contrast these two films together. Although as a standalone movie, “West Side Story” 2021 is one of the most finely crafted creations of the decade thus far. The decade has only started, but if things continue to go in a certain direction, “West Side Story” could end up in my top 50, maybe even top 25 films of the 2020s by the time the ten year span ends.
The cast of “West Side Story” could not be better. Every actor is perfectly placed in their role, they feel at home, and they play their part to the best of their ability. Rachel Zegler is a goldmine of adorableness as Maria. Not only is Zegler a ridiculously talented singer, which is an ability that is somewhat expected in a film like this, but she is also unspeakably beautiful. Every time I glance at Zegler in this movie, I can sense that not only is Zegler happy to be in the movie, I can sense her character is always in the moment. Even during an occasional sense of hardship, every time I look at Rachel, I am, assumingly, as happy as her. She is always either upbeat or expressive, which for a musical, is an appropriate set of emotions. Part of the recently mentioned adorableness not only has to do with Rachel Zegler herself, her character, or her acting ability, but also the costume design.
The costumes in this film are designed by Paul Tazewell, who also designed costumes for the musical “Hamilton.” Tazewell’s designs feel straight out of the 1950s. To go along with the extravagant, larger than life feel of a story like this, some of the costumes feel attractively glitzy. Again, Zegler’s costumes, such as her white dress from the first act, are standouts. All the costumes from the dance in the gym are easy on the eyes. Another one of my favorites is Anita’s yellow outfit that she wears during the “America” scene. It goes well with the atmosphere and the time of day. Everything feels intricately planned.
Speaking of Ariana DeBose, she and Zegler pretty much tie for the greatest performance in the film. DeBose won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as Anita, which is undoubtedly deserved. Everything from her physicality to her line delivery to her overall charisma makes for one of the best performances I have ever seen in musical film. The past couple times I watched “West Side Story,” every line out of DeBose’s mouth, even minor ones, made me smile. There is a saying about movies providing escapes for audiences. Anita in “West Side Story” is synonymous with such a philosophy. Every time she spoke, I instantly transported to another world. I am going to continuously debate as to whether Zegler or DeBose gave my favorite performance in the film, but as far as non-lead roles go, DeBose may have given the greatest of them all in 2021.
Despite having story in its name, the story of “West Side Story” is not the most original when you break it down. Not just because it is remaking a 1961 movie based on a 1957 play. If anything it is a spin on the “Romeo and Juliet” formula with different characters and dance fighting. If anything, this latest iteration of the musical is a fantastic spin, and even saying that is arguably an understatement. As I have said before, you can always supply a cliché story, or a story that has been done in the past. What matters is the execution. If you deliver something great with familiar elements, then job well done. This is exactly what Steven Spielberg did, I was on the edge of my seat during scenes that could have potentially come off as goofy. Dance fighting is a concept that to my surprise, successfully highlighted much of the tension between characters. Not only that, but the music used as a backdrop sounded great. It kept my attention.
This movie is shot by Janusz Kaminski, a brilliant cinematographer who has worked with Spielberg for years. The wides in this film are beautiful. The opening sequence is one of the most intriguing of the year based on the camera movements alone. The scope of the film would not be as massive if it were not for some of Kaminski’s long takes. One of my favorite shots of the film is when we get into the gymnasium and see everyone dancing. The camera swoops around the entire place non-stop until we arrive on our core characters like Anita, Bernardo, and Rachel. Looking back on it and what that one moment was able to capture, is jaw-dropping to say the least. Also, if you ever watch the scene, note the use of color. There is a sense of consistency between the colors of various outfits throughout the shot. It almost comes off like a painting. Again, credit goes to Paul Tazewell for how well he handled the film’s costume design.
Musicals, including this one, often thrive based on the spectacle. “West Side Story” has a ton of poppy moments where the cinematography and musical numbers keep my eyes on the screen. That is despite there being a sense of danger throughout the movie. “West Side Story,” at its core, centers around two star-crossed lovers. Although this film effectively encapsulates how their connection affects the people around them. The rivalry between the Jets and Sharks was already heading for trouble, but as soon as we see Rachel and Tony together for the first time, we also begin to see how various supporting characters handle this matter. Even though it should barely affect them on paper, it ends up resulting in increased calamity. As for said calamity, it made for a great movie.
If you ask me, based on everything I presented so far from the costumes to the shot selection to the editing to the acting, this is a sign that Steven Spielberg has brought together one of the greatest directorial efforts of his career. Or, as some might call it, just another Tuesday. “West Side Story” is apparently a part of Spielberg’s childhood, and it shows. The numbers are handled with grace, the characters are well realized, and the aesthetic of the film has a perfect blend between lighter and darker moments in addition to tones. There is no surprise that a sense of passion was present in every scene.
Aside from the cliché elements and familiar story treads, there are not many noticeable flaws with “West Side Story.” This might not be my favorite Steven Spielberg movie, but I cannot help but recognize how massively bonkers and fun this movie is. At the same time, it also successfully hits emotional beats. Performances from Rachel Zegler and Ariana DeBose highlight this. One of my favorite elements of the film, as someone who watched it perhaps the way Spielberg intended, is that when the characters speak in Spanish, they do not provide subtitles to aid in regard to what they are saying. I have taken a screenwriting class in college, and one thing my professor noted is that dialogue does not always matter. Sure, movies can have great lines that enhance the experience. Whether they are funny, dramatic, or emotionally charging. Although what makes “West Side Story” great is its tendency to use Spanish, a language which I do not understand, without subtitles, and nevertheless compel me into the scenes in which such a language is spoken. Given select moments and the supposed attitudes of various audiences, this sounds like a big risk. As someone who dropped out of Spanish class in high school for Sociology, I have been moved by this choice and its execution.
Big risk, big reward.
One might as well make the conclusion that this is what the whole movie sounded like from the beginning. A big risk. Sure, when you have Steven Spielberg in the chair, he makes everything look easy. Sure, name recognition is definitely a selling point in modern media. The film did not do well at the box office for various reasons. COVID-19, competition with other movies, and controversy with Ansel Elgort are contributing factors. However, this film is now available to watch at home and if you ask me what movie in the musical genre you should watch nowadays, this is one of the first I can think at the top of my head. It is that good. I do not know if Spielberg will make another musical, but if he does, I wonder how the heck he could top this one.
In the end, “West Side Story” is one of the best musical films of this century. Why should I be surprised that this movie is as solid as it is? Steven Spielberg is at the helm. Then again, maybe I should be surprised. After his many previous monumental successes, Spielberg has yet to create a film in the musical genre. He has done a variety of genres prior to “West Side Story” like science fiction (Close Encounters of the Third Kind), period pieces (Lincoln), adventure (Raiders of the Lost Ark), war (Saving Private Ryan), drama (The Post), and you could even argue that “Jaws” would be considered a horror film. By today’s standards, it is not the most terrifying option on the table, but it has its eerie moments. The man has done everything, and yet he continues to pump out gold. For some filmmakers, this would be an achievement. But I cannot call it that for Spielberg after watching “West Side Story.” As far as Spielberg is concerned, his efforts have amounted to another day at the office. That is how effective of a filmmaker he continues to be. Spielberg could have ended his career at say “Jurassic Park” and have an endlessly celebrated library of films. But that is not the case. His adaptations of songs like “Somewhere,” “Cool,” and “America” have stayed in my memory for a long time, and will likely continue to do so. The look of the film is stunning, the shots are beautiful, and the cast is incredible. Again, I have yet to see the 1961 film, so I cannot confirm if this is better or worse, but I can hardly think of a single problem I have with Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” So much so, that the film is worthy of a 10/10.
Musicals are not my genre, but this is a film that I liked the first time, adored the second time, and found myself eating up by the third time. I am floored by this film’s craft and how extravagantly immersive it is, even when watching it at home. I feel bad for skipping this review last year, but I am more than happy to have gotten my thoughts out by now. Although some of you reading this might not be that surprised that I liked the movie so much, because I ended up nominating it in a few categories during the 4th Annual Jackoff Awards. If you want to see what the film did or did not win, check out the post!
“West Side Story” is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Blu-ray. The film is also available to rent or buy on VOD. For those who have the services, it is also available to watch on Disney+ and HBO Max.
Thanks for reading this review! This is officially the end of Steven Spielberg Month! But this November, we will be seeing the latest addition to Spielberg’s neverending library. That my friends, is “The Fabelmans.” The film is loosely based on Spielberg’s childhood, and the trailer looks phenomenal. Between this and Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon,” this awards season is likely going to have lots of talk about Hollywood’s self-indulgence. Whether such self-indulgence will be successfully utilized, is a question waiting to be answered.
Also, my next review is going to be for the all DC film “Black Adam.” Be sure to stay tuned for the nine-millionth superhero movie I will be reviewing in my blogging journey. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “West Side Story?” What did you think about it? Or, did you see the 1961 “West Side Story?” What did you think of that? How would you compare the two movies? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!
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