Rosamund Pike

Hostiles

Versatility. Range. To me, these are the hallmarks of great acting – and they have served Christian Bale (The Big Short) well, from The Fighter to American Hustle. Hostiles marks his return to the Western, his first since 2007’s 3:10 to Yuma. One would hope that the genre has evolved enough to be devoid of stereotypes, while maintaining historical accuracy in a way that doesn’t sacrifice artistic merit. Hostiles didn’t break new ground within the genre, but emotional dramatic turns from Bale and co-star Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) make it a worthwhile film.

Set in 1892, the film depicts a rough and tumble American landscape of centuries past. Bale stars as Joseph Blocker, an Army captain tasked with a final mission before retirement, which he begrudgingly accepts. He must transport a dying Apache chief and his family back to their home state of Montana, as the elder is riddled with Cancer and has been granted mercy to die on his homeland. Violent and racist, Blocker’s visceral contempt for Native Americans could not be more obvious, and he pleads in futility to be excused from the mission. His superior officer ignores those complaints, and Blocker leads a small party of soldiers in the transport of Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi, A Million Ways to Die in the West) and his family, including his adult children and grandson.

Historical accuracy is important, and while it is true that some early Native Americans terrorized White settlers expanding West, it is equally true that White colonizers terrorized the indigenous populations already here. Be that as it may, the film did an effective job in its first act, presenting both sides of a philosophical coin in its depiction of brutality. In a riveting opening scene, a Comanche tribe descends upon a family to steal their horses. They slaughtered them all, save for Pike’s character Rosalie, now a grieving mother and widow. Blocker and company encounter the woman en route, and she joins their small, weary procession.

Hostiles is quite simply a movie about a journey from point A to point B. The strength of the film is in the richness and depth of the characters and the performances. The Captain is a figure whom you can’t quite root for or against. Initially Blocker is cruel, failing to see the humanity in his charge. However, in moments with the soldiers under his command and in his interaction with Rosalie, we see genuine affection and tenderness, a reminder of the complexity of human nature and the duality that lies within all of us. He is an effective leader, engendering loyalty that is met with a deep and loving gratitude. As they encounter peril in their journey, circumstances force Blocker to amend his dealings with Yellow Hawk and to forge a new, albeit begrudging respect as they face a common enemy together.

An air of sadness hangs over the film, giving it a somber tone throughout. I was moved by its theme of reflection, as several characters bleakly assessed their own careers and lives, burdened by the weight of loss. I was particularly struck by a poignant scene between two lieutenants, as the younger (Jesse Plemons, The Post) reflects on his first killing. The contrast between the two men was powerful, the older immune to regret over certain lives but not others. This emotional compartmentalization exemplified the cynicism of war and of life generally, and it was portrayed beautifully.

My critique of the film boils down to a matter of taste, of whether or not one can get past the limitations of the genre and the fact that it isn’t a “feel good” movie.  Hostiles was a fine film, featuring another excellent performance by Christian Bale, and a rich emotional turn from Rosamund Pike, which may be enough for some moviegoers.

Grade: B+

Gone Girl

Movies provide a familiar comfort for me, even if the subject matter isn’t warm and fuzzy. Thrillers in particular give me a nice buzz of excitement, and they’re my favorite. When I saw the trailer for Gone Girl, I was drawn in by the promise of a suspenseful thriller and thought: my kind of movie. David Fincher has been one of my favorite directors for a long time. From Se7en and Panic Room to his remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher has proven time and again that he’s a 21st century master of suspense – no disrespect to the late great Alfred Hitchcock. With Gone Girl, he’s simply outdone himself.

I hadn’t read Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, and I went in to the movie ‘cold.’ My opinions are solely based on Fincher’s dramatic interpretation and Flynn’s adapted screenplay. Fincher masterfully manipulated the viewer’s emotions by crafting a very specific perception of the main characters and in the sequential narrative he wanted to tell. The movie opens with no pretense, quickly establishing the essential plot. It’s the day after Independence Day, and Nick Dunne’s wife Amy (Rosamund Pike, The World’s End) has gone missing. Nick (Ben Affleck, Runner Runner) and his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon, The Leftovers) don’t seem too broken up about her disappearance, though people admittedly express grief and anxiety in different ways. Nick does the “right” things after noticing signs of a struggle at their home by informing the authorities, and he co-operates with their investigation, at least initially.

As the film unfolds, my opinion of Nick began to shift – and this was a testament to an outstanding screenplay from Flynn and flawless direction from Fincher. While people grieve differently, at some point the shock wears off and real emotions come out. That never happened with Nick, and I assumed that he must’ve had something to do with his wife’s disappearance. Circumstantial evidence mounted, and it was apparent from minute one that Nick and Amy weren’t happy. Juxtaposed with current happenings were narrative excerpts from Amy’s diary, and these musings were dramatized through flashbacks. We see how Nick and Amy first met, and witness the undeniable chemistry they once shared. We know that something changed along the way, but for the longest time we don’t know how or when. Nick sure looks guilty, but things aren’t always what they seem.

A movie rife with mystery and twists such as this needn’t be spoiled, so I’ll leave the plot synopsis where it stands. I’ve lauded the writing and direction, but the performances were similarly excellent. For whatever reason (maybe it’s the memory of J. Lo and Gigli), most people don’t think much of Ben Affleck. But I think he’s extremely talented behind the camera (The Town) and in front of it as well. His initial aloofness was contemptible, but as the plot unfolded he became a sympathetic character, and his performance was unwavering. But the real linchpin of this movie was Pike, whose veneer of warmth belied an icy core. Her versatility and depth were impeccably nuanced, and she was a revelation. Even Tyler Perry was impressive as Nick’s shrewd defense attorney. Carrie Coon also made the most of her supporting role, and the entire cast was perfect, from top to bottom. I’ve talked to a couple of people who didn’t like the ending, but for me – a resolution doesn’t have to be popular to be effective. What more can I say? Make this the next movie you see. Grade: A

Jack Reacher

Sometimes it’s hard for me to separate the artist from the work.  If I dislike the way an actor conducts themselves outside of their movies, I don’t really look at their movies the same way, if at all.  Clint Eastwood pisses me off now.  I think he’s an ornery old cracker.  His movies are dope, but I just don’t rock with him like that.  Which brings me to Tom Cruise (Rock of Ages), my old favorite up until recently.  I have always liked Cruise, the venerable star whose movies were sure blockbusters.  And then he started to seem like a kooky scientologist.  Granted, I never heard of him doing anything really bad; he just seemed kind of weird.  But dammit, I couldn’t completely give up on him.  I liked him in the last Mission Impossible movie, because he’s still a great action star.  He’s charismatic and capable and seems like he performs his own stunts.  I’m sold on him in these types of roles, so when I saw the trailer for Jack Reacher, it looked worth checking out.

Cruise stars as Jack Reacher, a military investigator who is “off the grid.”  He served honorably, receiving numerous medals of distinction.  He hasn’t been definitively heard from or seen in a couple of years, and only resurfaces after being requested by a domestic terror suspect.  The movie begins with a vivid and terrifying sequence of events where members of the public are seemingly shot at random.  In light of the recent shootings in Connecticut, I’m sure this scene was particularly disturbing for some.  It reminded me of the DC Sniper, as we see the killer hunt his victims as they engaged in routine activity.  First he trained his sight on a woman walking alone, then on a man seated on a bench, and so on and so forth.  At first it seemed that he was bypassing his targets, whimsically sparing each one – but he quickly retraced his steps and picks off each victim in rapid succession.  He makes his getaway quickly, and soon the wrong man is arrested for the heinous crime.  We know this right away, but what we don’t know is why this unsuspecting former soldier named Barr was chosen as the fall guy, or why he wants Reacher to help him.

Rosamund Pike (Wrath of the Titans) and David Oyelowo (Lincoln) round out the cast as Barr’s lawyer Helen and the detective who wants to put him away, respectively.  They were serviceable in their roles, though something about Pike annoys me.  I think I haven’t forgiven her for replacing Gemma Arterton in Wrath of the Titans, which is unfair.  Nevertheless, I was glad that her character and Reacher kept it professional throughout the movie.  I didn’t notice any particular chemistry between the two, which was in keeping with Reacher’s solitary nature.

Reacher was similar to some of Tom Cruise’s past characters, in that he was a skilled antihero, a good guy who isn’t afraid to punish mercilessly when pushed by an adversary.  Despite his toughness, I liked that Reacher was more of a thinker than a bruiser; he only used violence as a last resort.  His mysteriousness only heightens the suspense of the movie, and I thought much of it was smart and well done.  However, after mulling it over with a friend who also saw it – I have to admit that certain scenes were foolish and didn’t quite make sense.  One fight scene between Reacher and two foes looked like something out of the Three Stooges, and it dumbed down an otherwise smart movie.  I’m not sure why the scene played out that way, though writer/director Christopher McQuarrie is brilliant to me, on the strength of The Usual Suspects alone.  I thought the writing was very sharp for the most part, but I was admittedly sucked in from the opening scene, so I may have had blinders on.

Tom Cruise is like a timeless, cryogenic wonder.  He is either genetically blessed, or he has the best plastic surgeon in Hollywood – because he still looks great and is believable.  At the age of 50 he is still convincingly playing the action hero, which is pretty impressive.  I’m not familiar with the series by which the movie was inspired, but I understand there was some backlash from its fans about his casting.  The Reacher of literary note was a blonde behemoth – which clearly does not describe Cruise.  Like I said, I’m not familiar with the books, so I share no such disappointment.  In sum, I thought Jack Reacher was pretty good, but it’s not a must-see.  Grade: B.