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Film reviews

The Instigators Review

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Matt Damon ( left) and Casey Affleck (right) in The Instigators

A flick with a heist and troublemakers always has quirky misdirection when its characters are alumni of Good Will Hunting. That film is The Instigators, directed by Doug Liman. Matt Damon and Casey Affleck reunite for the thrill ride of many errors of spellbinding fun. The Instigators made me feel “instigated.” With all the routines of questioning behavior going awry and no end in sight, there is a lot in The Instigators. It is like Damon and Affleck revisiting their hometown in Boston, and their behaviors have gotten more dangerous since Good Will Hunting. It is not detrimental to show and is to make money. The Instigators will boil the screen of the comedic aspects of Damon and Affleck.

In The Instigators, Damon is Rory; Affleck is Cobby. Rory is an ex-Marine; Cobby is an ex-con. Rory has debt. Rory has scenarios ranging from divorce, child support, missed fees, and just debt piling up. Cobby is just one who needs to get his life together, and he feels he does not find common sense in his daily routines. Cobby’s time is at a bar at all hours of the day. He even fakes his breathalyzer tests. The hardship side of its characterizations loops in a conspiracy to have a heavy component in The Instigators—if it goes well, everyone goes home with money to help them get by.

The crime boss is Mr. Besegai (played by Michael Stuhlbarg). He assigns the game plan of the heist to Rory and Cobby. The plan involves Mayor Micelli (played by Ron Perlman). The robbery went wrong. Rory and Cobby are on the run after the failed mission. They are searching for places to hide. They stroll through the Boston area repeatedly. As this goes on, the feds are after them, and on top of that, Mr. Besegai finds himself in a pattern where he considers trying to run or hide. That is sadly more difficult than it seems. Especially with how national news takes over, and the city of Boston has tons of witnesses. The superior character to the feds is Francis (played by Ving Rhames). Francis has got the tanks, and the crew, and it is more than Boston could handle. The question is who survives.

The film keeps its momentum of rollercoaster fun. It keeps the misdirection of events turning into circles, characters questioning who to trust, and the ball rotates courts throughout the failed crime. The chase builds. The biggest twist is Rory’s therapist takes part in this runaway. The therapist is Dr. Donna Rivera (played by Hong Chau). Her presence in all of this brings in a layer of thought. There are conversations where she mentions liability, insurance, and her duties—how much damages will be compensated for all the typhoon madness in The Instigators? Liman’s direction always has a knack for selecting characters that are street smart. Not those who are book smart. “Street smart” works to the advantage of the title itself. The many rounds of car accidents and explosions are continuous throughout The Instigators. It is unstoppable in its tracks.

The Instigators is an adventure. It is joyful and entertaining for a flick with Damon and Affleck. It is silly in moments. The writing is dry in some. I enjoyed it, but I did not love it. I feel, however, that it is the right approach to tying in an exciting adventure with Damon and Affleck reunited once again. How crazy is the heist? How smart is everyone associated? Is there a cut in the money? Find out in The Instigators. Two-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Napoleon Review

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After 23 years director Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix are reunited in Napoleon. Phoenix starred as Commodus in Scott’s Gladiator in 2000. Twenty-three years later Phoenix rises as Napoleon Bonaparte, a role where he simmers with that quiet tone of anger and power. The seriousness of Phoenix’s performance led Scott to rewrite the script. But even with the rewrites, Napoleon is one of the most historically and chronologically accurate biopic adventures audiences will experience. With outstanding cinematography and faithful writing, Napoleon soars with wonder.

The plot of Napoleon gears of course on French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, a daring character who refused to lose and always got what he wanted. Napoleon embarks on a journey of power and conquering. He initiates a military campaign that is unparalleled in human history.

In addition to his military activities, the film also focuses on Napoleon’s relationship with his wife, the Empress Josephine (played by Vanessa Kirby). Even Josephine cannot bear the reputation he is gaining as he creates a landscape of despair that serves to benefit Napoleon, but not those around him and certainly not the people he conquers. That doesn’t matter to Napoleon though, as his self-absorption burns up the screen through the eyes of Joaquin Phoenix’s performance, with the film’s audience knowing that there is going to be more and more war, and more tension between Napoleon and Josephine.

Napoleon is enthralling to an almost overwhelming extent, but it is a film that is hard to look away from. Napoleon proves that he is a person with incredible power and authority. But to gain all that he is involved in corruption of politics that causes the film to become a rollercoaster, especially around the historic moments the film visits. The events range from the invasion of Russia to the Battle of Waterloo. Violence is of course the tactic that Napoleon uses and Scott’s directing speaks volumes in Napoleon.

Although there are many battle sequences in Napoleon, they are not repetitive like some may anticipate, especially if they have seen Scott’s other films ranging from Kingdom of Heaven (2005), The Last Duel (2021), and more. Here there are realistic fight scenes that only Scott could produce. The weaponry in Napoleon has an impact, but so does the weather. The lighting is often surreal, especially where there is a war on a winter front. In one scene there is a stampede of war over a frozen river blended with a treacherous snowstorm that is stunning. There is gun powder, cannons, and ultimate destruction to the masses. Napoleon’s lust to conquer serves him well for his evil purpose of as his power continues to rise.

As I mentioned, the film is two-sided, showing his warring powers contrasting with his relationship struggles with the Empress Josephine. As she gives him what he desires but also questions what he is doing on the battle front, she proves that it is impossible to fulfill Napoleon’s satisfaction. Being a ruler is the only thing that really matters to Napoleon. Not Empress Josephine’s happiness, but his lust for power.

Napoleon is simply a triumphant adventure of history and a mind-blowing experience. The film soars with wonder, and it starts with Joaquin Phoenix’s amazing performance. It is simply unforgettable. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Killers of the Flower Moon Review

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Killers of the Flower Moon is yet another Martin Scorsese masterpiece. Unique and authentic, many years in the making, the murder-thriller brought mixed feelings and loads of suspense. It’s always great to see Leonardo DiCaprio and Scorsese working together and in this, their first film since Wolf of Wall Street back in 2013, there is truly a lot in store. Especially with Robert De Niro thrown in the mix.

Killers of the Flower Moon takes place in Oklahoma in the 1920s. Members of the Osage tribe are being murdered after oil is found on their land. The murders are grisly, the town is in shock, and the members of the tribe are scared for their life.

The film introduces its audience to Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) and William Hale (De Niro). Ernest is back in town after serving in the war and he starts working with William, who is his uncle. William is a big shot in the town, but he has some shady business practices, and maybe worse. He also resents sharing the land with the Osage tribe and this creates problems. Wealth and greed start to take center stage, and that is what William is all about. Ernest is married to a Native American, Mollie Burkhart (played by Lily Gladstone), and that adds to his problems. He’s also doing some of William’s dirty work, which puts he and Molly at risk. Law enforcement is lacking for a while, but nothing stays hidden for long in Killers of the Flower Moon.

Eventually the Bureau of Investigations (precursor to the FBI) begins to investigate the Osage murders. When Det. Tom White (played by Jesse Plemons) comes to town the tension grows for Ernest and William. The fear experienced by the Osage people is palpable and William’s desire for their land, and what he is willing to do to get it, is the cause of much of this fear. Ernest is mostly on the same page as William, but he doesn’t have the same personality as his uncle and their different personalities bring them down a road of conflict and deceit. The heightening anxiety that flows for the characters in Killers of the Flower Moon is also anxiety-provoking for the audience.

As a die-hard fan of the films of Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon made me think of The Departed, my favorite Scorsese film of all time. The chemistry that DiCaprio has with De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon is almost like the chemistry DiCaprio had with Jack Nicholson in The Departed. This one has a similar vibe, but the intensity is more mentally invigorating in this one than the extreme violence of The Departed. There is of course violence, that comes with territory, but Killers of the Flower Moon is relentless, thought-provoking, and truly dazzling on a psychological level. Some of the outcomes will also take its audiences by surprise. Three and a half out of four stars for Killers of the Flower Moon.