GRINGO

Joel Edgerton     Charlize Theron     David Oyelowo     Thandie Newton     Amanda Seyfried     Sharlto Copley

     Ugly Americans and Mexican cartels go head to head in this crime story that also wants to be a comedy.  Richard Rusk (Edgerton) and Elaine Markinson (Theron) co-lead a company that is not averse to doing extra-curricular deals.  They have a product being sold in Mexico for them, but when it looks like U.S. states are going to legalize marijuana, they want to market Cannabax (ha-ha--Get it?) in the U.S. and hugely increase their profits.  That will leave no product for the Mexican trade.  Their middle manager Harold (Oyelowo) has been working with the Mexicans for a long time, establishing confidence and gaining their trust, but suddenly Richard and Elaine want to accompany him on the trip to explain to the Mexicans why they are going to stop selling to them.  Harold is left out of all these plans—and many others as the plot proceeds, all while Richard keeps calling him his best friend and making promises of untold wealth.  Call him a dupe.  Go ahead.

     The plot by writers Anthony Tambakis and Matthew Stone gets heavily convoluted by incorporating multiple betrayals, Mexican cartels, an amateur American trying to smuggle dope into the US from Mexico (no connection to the other operation), and the DEA into the story.  Oh, yes, and at one point, Richard’s brother Mitch (Copley), is called upon to abandon his altruistic activities in Haiti to help his brother reclaim the kidnapped Harold.  (This is not the only kidnapping that will take place.)

     The movie, directed by Nash Edgerton (Joel’s brother), attempts to be slick, funny, and entertaining.  And I think it does achieve the latter, but I was not impressed with the intricacies of plans and subterfuges; and the “funny” is successful in drawing chuckles at times, but it borders on stereotypical portrayal of blacks.  This is Oyelowo really trying to show his comedic chops, and he is funny until you stop and think…

     The acting is top-notch by Edgerton, Theron, and Oyelowo, with Edgerton being the profligate with a swagger, Theron with a cold, hard perspective using her sexuality and attractiveness to get what she wants, and Oyelowo with high ideals passed down from his father trying to be noble.  The supporting cast is noteworthy, particularly Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables) and Sharlto Copley (Chappie), who are two of the only genuine figures in this production. 

     It’s puzzling why the amateurish drama of a reluctant, naïve drug carrier (Harry Treadaway) and his girlfriend (Seyfried) were included in the mix.  Their paths cross with Harold’s in a sometimes touching way, but they don’t really fit into this story.

For a lightly entertaining romp, Gringo might be your movie choice—just don’t plan to take it too seriously.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

FREE FIRE

Brie Larson     Armie Hammer     Cillian Murphy     Sharlto Copley   Enzo Cilenti   Sam Riley   Michael Smiley   Babou Ceesay

     Pandemonium ensues during an arms deal in an old warehouse between two gangs.  With little plot, British comedy among the players is the entertainment during 90 minutes of continuous deafening gunfire, explosions, arson, and general mayhem.  This seems to be a spoof about puffed up men and their need for guns.

      In the beginning of their encounter, they quarrel mightily, which stalls the deal until finally the buyers accept the guns that were delivered, which weren’t what they ordered.  But after testing one out with about 20 rounds of shots, they pay with a case full of cash, the guns are carried from one vehicle to another (an orange van) and they start to walk off.  But hold on—a gang member spots one from the other team with whom he had an altercation the night before.  All it takes is for one gun to fire, and off they go.  Everyone is wounded to varying degrees, and there are near deaths, resurrections, and final deaths. 

      The comedy is led by the leader of one gang, well dressed, well spoken, meticulous Ord (Hammer) who manages to keep a cool head, but is clearly most concerned about his own well being.  “Is no one wondering how I am?” he shouts out at one point.  The other leader is older, somewhat befuddled Frank (Smiley), who seems generally inept but tries to appear smart and shrewd.  Other high points of comedy are offered up by annoying babbling Vernon (Copley), Ord’s sidekick with a South African accent. 

     The one “bird” involved is Justine (Larson), who has arranged the whole transaction.  She maintains some control over the crowd, partly because she’s a woman and attractive, but she’s also a crackerjack shot.  One of her accomplices, Chris (Murphy) is smitten with her, and keeps pestering her for a date.  They finally agree to have dinner after the deal, but there will be a lot of crawling around on the floor just trying to survive before that will happen.  The slapstick comedy rests on their bumbling when they continually wound one another, crawl around in the dirt, glass, and whatever is on the floor.  Few can walk because of their wounds. 

     Director Ben Wheatley wrote the unusual script with Amy Jump, choreographing the gunfire and writing bursts of dialog that are like a series of stand-up comedy skits.  The talented actors carry the show, and should be praised for being willing to crawl around in the filth for however long it took to film it. 

     Free Fire is not for everyone, but will appeal to those who appreciate the characteristic British humor and think playing with guns can be hilarious.

A British spoof on bumbling males and their reliance on guns over conversation.

Grade:  D+                        By Donna R. Copeland

CHAPPIE

Sharlto Copley     Dev Patel     Hugh Jackman     Sigourney Weaver     Yo-landi Visser     Ninja

 

Chappie is an unusual sci-fi movie by Director Neill Blomcamp that achieves a good balance among action scenes, computer-generated effects, and social commentary.  Blomcamp says he likes using science fiction films to get across some of his sociopolitical points.  As in District Nine and Elysium, he shows the effects of robots on people, a city where crime has gotten out of hand, and the evil intentions that lurk in the minds of some.  He has stated, perhaps cynically, that it is likely to be robots that save the world; not the human mind.

            Patel plays the part of Deon, a scientist working in a robot production plant.  His dream is to create consciousness in Chappie as a scientific and humane advancement.  He requests to do this with a robot that is going to have to be destroyed, but the CEO (Weaver) denies him that right.  Going against her refusal, he surreptitiously takes Chappie home to experiment.  Unbeknownst to him, an envious co-worker, Vincent (Jackman), sees what he has done and makes plans to sabotage him.  At the same time, a group of thugs (including an utterly charming and intriguing blonde female, Yolandi) have the bright idea of stealing the remote control for a robot to enlist its help in a heist that will be necessary to pay off another thug, and they zero in on Deon and Chappie and kidnap them. 

            This part reminds me of Oscar Isaac’s character in A History of Violence, where he has the best of intentions, but he is constantly being thwarted in his efforts to stay honest and lawful.  At any rate, Deon tries to program the robot not to harm anyone, thinking he can trust it not to be contaminated by the crooks.  He explains to them that Chappie is like a newborn child who needs to be trained in understanding language and proper behavior.  This delights Yolandi, whose motherly instincts surface and she teaches him to call her “Mommy.”  It is quite hilarious to see Yolandi and her mate Ninja trying to get around Chappie’s “maker’s” instructions.  For instance, when it refuses to shoot a gun, they introduce a knife and tell him he can use that, and it will put the person into a nice sleep.

            Eventually, chaos reigns in the city when the nasty Vincent deprograms all the police robots and a reign of criminal terror begins.  There are long gun battles among various groups, including Chappie, the police, Vincent, and even the gentle Deon.  Consistent with Blomcamp’s hunch that robots will be able to solve our knottiest problems, Chappie does indeed come through and helps to save the world.

            Hans Zimmer’s music and a South African rap-rave group, Die Antwoord, achieve a very fine accompaniment to the story.  Blomcamp has consistently used the cinematographer Trent Opaloch in his films to enhance the artistic effects.  The motion-capture sequences with Chappie (Copley) are fascinatingly realistic.

A sci-fi film with substantive social points.

           

Grade:  A-            By Donna R. Copeland