Consume enough entertainment and everything starts to feel derivative of something else. Doubly so within the superhero genre. It’s not easy to stand out. Netflix original Project Power takes the “street level super powered beings” trope and creates its own lane with it. The ideas aren’t necessarily groundbreaking and the movie hits all the beats one expects, but credit is due for a fresh take on a stale genre. The movie posits that if superpowers existed in the real world and were activated via pill, how long would it take before a nefarious organization attempted to monetize the powers? It’s an interesting premise and the movie explores it with aplomb and benefits from relatable characters reacting believably to the fantastical moments and set pieces throughout the films breathlessly paced 2 hour runtime. Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt crackle with energy and their action scenes sizzle. The films presentation and cinematography have a kinetic feel and showcase excellent use of atmospherically catchy music that elevates the already impressive direction and shot composition. New Orleans is a fitting backdrop. Remember the name Dominique Fishback. She is a star in the making.
Project Power receives a score of 7/10 for general audiences and an 8/10 if you can appreciate a superhero film that takes effort to carve it’s own place into the bloated genre.
Whenever I overhear or read someone describe a pure action film as dumb my inner monologue counters with “do you think they were trying to make a smart movie? The answer in this imaginary back and forth is often no. Sometimes the answer is “kind of.” Sometimes you just need enough backstory to make us truly care about the fate of the protagonist. And Chris Hemsworth. In the 80’s and 90’s all an action movie needed was a star for the poster and enough oomph to the story to create real stakes. Sam Hargrave, Extraction director and second unit director of season 2 of The Mandalorian, picked up on this and smartly returns with Extraction to this old school type of actioner that cares little about dazzling us with the script. Its only want is to provide a logical and emotionally compelling canvas on which to unleash an A-list action star. In this case it’s Hemsworth. There are many other modern examples. John Wick in Keanu Reeves. Liam Neeson in Taken. Denzel Washington in The Equalizer (my personal favorite modern action franchise – I hope we get a third). As long as the story is coherent and the dialogue isn’t completely stilted these films succeed because they live and die on star power and ingenuity of stunt choreography. Sam Hargrave cut his teeth collaborating with the Russo Brothers as stunt coordinator on MCU films such as Captain America: Winter Soldier. That film has inarguably the best hand to hand combat of any MCU film and now we know why. When it comes to hand-to-hand fight choreography incorporating bladed weapons and firearms, Hargrave delivers over and over and gives us what we want. Yes, much of Extraction is nameless henchmen dispatched in increasingly complex and thrilling sequences. It absolutely works. Hemsworth is electric and Extraction is the best Netflix-produced action film to date. Aspiring action film makers will watch this film for inspiration.
Extraction receives a score of 8/10 for general audiences and a 9/10 for a smart script that knows it’s target audience and delivers.
Love, Guaranteed is a completely forgettable film that is funny at times but happily pedestrian most others. It turns momentarily into a borderline bad film at the third act’s onset, choosing to lean into standard rom-com clichés rather than charting its own territory. I do credit the film for at least attempting to be set in the real world – many so-called romantic films and tv shows set in present day seem to intentionally avoid acknowledgment of the undeniable ubiquity of online dating/endless swiping and thus miss the mark of telling relatable stories of modern romance. Love, Guaranteed begins with promise and had the chance to do something different with the online dating premise but can’t stick the landing. Rachel Leigh Cook and Damon Wayans, Jr. are so darn likable that the film is still a decent choice for your next Netflix and Chill evening. Predictable as it was, only the most jaded of movie-watchers will roll their eyes at the ending.
Love, Guaranteed receives a rating of 5.5/10 for general audiences and 6.5/10 for fans of Cook, Wayans or romantic comedies that send you home happy.