May wraps up with a set of movies about hunting humans, and other fun. This set of write-ups includes a couple of gory action comedies, a time-travel gangster action comedy (I know, another one of those), an indie comedy-drama, and a psychological thriller. The following features reviews for They Will Kill You, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, Home Delivery, and Heel.
They Will Kill You: 6 out of 10
The Setup: A woman (Zazie Beetz) answers a cryptic ad for a housekeeping job at a luxurious yet foreboding New York City high-rise. Upon arrival, she discovers residents have vanished without a trace for decades, fuelling whispers of a satanic cult lurking in the shadows.
Review: We’ve got a few movies about people hunting other people this week, but they’re not as similar as they may seem from the ads. Kirill Sokolov’s They Will Kill You actually has more in common with The Raid than it does the Radio Silence sequel coming up next. It’s essentially a game of cat & mouse with a supernatural twist. Much of it thrives on Beetz’s great work in the lead role, along with the heavy dose of style the film affords. Along with elaborate camerawork emphasizing Beetz and the rest of the cast’s (and stunt team’s) physicality, there are also many choices made regarding the soundtrack, production design, and use of color. It’s not exactly at Tarantino levels of clever pastiche filmmaking, but the extra effort in this regard goes a long way.
As far as the whole supernatural angle goes, while that choice affects the film’s actual stakes, I would never say it became dull simply because of the variety of choices made about why the action occurs, who is involved in these throwdowns, and the aforementioned stylistic choices on display. That doesn’t take away from the thinness of the story and characters or the somewhat underwhelming ending, but there’s enough here to keep one entertained. If anything, this is more of a calling card for Sokolov’s abilities as a director, which can hopefully be put to good use, as there are certain ideas aplenty, even if certain budgetary limitations mean we don’t get to see the expansion on things like what the other floors contain after being introduced to the orgy floor. Regardless, fun was had here.
Where To Watch: Now playing in theaters.
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come: 6 out of 10
The Setup: After surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game, and this time with her estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), by her side. To survive, Grace must keep Faith alive and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are also hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins will rule it all.
Review: While seven years in reality may have proven to be too long of a wait for audiences, this film picks up immediately where the first left off, yet does enough work to establish what’s needed and make it fairly simple for anyone to come into this superior entry and be able to go along with the twisted ideas in mind as far as combining a game of hide-and-seek with devil worship. I enjoyed the 2019 original fine, but this feels like an improvement from directors Matt Bettinelli-Opin and Tyler Gillett for a few reasons. The kills are more creative, and the leaning on the explosion of bodies never fails to delight. Looking at this cast of recognizable faces (Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Nester Carbonell, Kevin Durand), it’s a major strength of the film that its somewhat broader star power makes up for the need to get a lot across in a short amount of time. Most importantly, however, the addition of Newton as Weaving’s sister not only makes the stakes come alive but allows both characters to add further depth to who they are, along with a fun dynamic rooted in how estranged they have become.
True to form, the film is still quite nasty in terms of how far it’s willing to go with the violence. None of this stops anyone from showing off the clear glee they have in leaning into villainy. Additionally, aside from one major sequence that struggles to avoid being a huge plot contrivance, there are enough fun turns in the story to keep it still feeling quite fresh and thrilling, even with the emphasis on humor at every turn. I’m not sure if there’s anywhere else to go with this storyline following this film, but as it stands, the ending is as strong as it needs to be for this wacky, goretastic series. Plus – bonus points for letting Elijah Wood function well as a weird little rulekeeper making sure everything stays in line.
Where To Watch: Now playing in theaters.
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice: 7 out of 10
The Setup: Two friends (James Marsden and Vince Vaughn) navigate the dangerous world of organized crime, testing their loyalty and survival skills as they get deeper into the criminal underworld. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine.
Review: Along with having a clever premise that pays off in terms of the comedic elements as well as the sci-fi ones when it comes to appreciating the effort that goes into delivering a solid time travel story, I have to say – this movie looks great. Shot by Larry Fong, director BenDavid Grabinski took what could be a neat little crime-comedy-sci-fi-action flick and made it much more simply by having a great DP and by placing extra emphasis on the staging of its various scenes, including the action, which is also very well handled.
As far as the rest of the film goes, I wouldn’t want to say too much, as there’s a lot of fun in the discoveries that occur throughout, but this is a satisfying feature in a variety of ways. The whole cast is game to play along with what’s occurring, even while nailing the areas that require a bit more sincerity. On top of that, there’s just plenty going on in the way things are presented that adds to the rewatchability, which certainly feels rare in straight-to-streaming features. I may have issues with the film’s ridiculous title, but this is a fun movie to time-travel with.
Where To Watch: Now streaming on Hulu.
Home Delivery: 6 out of 10
The Setup: Ellye Ferguson (Melanie Field), a world-famous plus-size supermodel, has lived her life in the spotlight, but nothing prepares her for her most personal moment yet—motherhood. Choosing to share it on her own terms, she invites her loud, opinionated family into her lavish home to witness the birth of her first child, only for old tensions and clashing personalities to erupt.
Review: Heading in a different direction, this comedy-drama manages to deliver more than just a baby over the course of its runtime. Thanks to a very solid cast of character actors and a script that balances the broad with wit, Home Delivery is ultimately a winner. Writer/director Thom Harp has brought together a fine ensemble that includes Donald Faison, Jimmi Simpson, Lesley Anne Warren, Joe Pantoliano, Lindsay Sloane, Peter MacNicol, and Rainn Wilson. Each is in a position to deliver a memorable turn, but that’s not without strong enough reasons for being in the film and something to add to this troubled family dynamic.
Some of this certainly falls into old tropes. Still, when there’s fun to be had with all the different interactions and the ticking clock that is the eventual birth, it’s easy just to roll along with the intended fun being generated by all involved. Some areas do falter, with some of the jokes feeling just a bit off, and nothing too fancy is being done with the feature’s overall direction. Nonetheless, there’s enough working here to keep things light and fun, with dashes of drama that help ground it all for the better.
Where To Watch: Now playing in select theaters.
Heel: 7 out of 10
The Setup: A 19-year-old criminal named Tommy (Anson Boon) is kidnapped and forced into a bizarre form of rehabilitation at the hands of a married couple (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough).
Review: I’ve heard mention of Yorgos Lanthimos in relation to this film, given its offbeat premise and similarity to a couple of his films. I suppose that’s not far off track and could even be an influence of the writers or director, Jan Komasa. However, the key difference lies in the range of emotions each character demonstrates. Lanthimos may not be completely cold, but there’s a more difficult line to cross in that area in his features. With Heel, an important aspect of this film comes from how we observe a clear change in behavior and attitudes on both sides of what’s happening.
To say more would be to reveal more that’s needed, though the film makes things pretty clear after ten minutes have passed, revealing the crux of the story. Still, what matters most is the commitment to the performances, and there’s not a weak link here. There’s strong work going into this film, which is a great way to balance the oddity of what’s taking place here. Once again, Graham shows just how amazing he is as a performer, letting his character’s vulnerabilities lead him to both drastic and heartfelt actions. The rest of the cast follow his lead, and as things develop, I was actually quite please by how the movie doesn’t just give up by its finale, but instead makes some considered choices. Lock this one down if you have the chance to catch it.
Where To Watch: Now available on digital and VOD.
