A Stuntman Gets into Some Off-Camera Action

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in 
"The Fall Guy"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

For big-budget films, one of the most important aspects is having a committed stunt team.  They’re the ones who make the intricate movements of the characters possible.  As viewers, we sit there thinking to ourselves that there’s no way we could ever pull off such death-defying work, but when you see it up there on the screen being performed by people who stare danger in the face as soon the cameras roll, you’re left in awe that such feats have been captured.

The work of stunt teams is the basis of director David Leitch’s new comedy, “The Fall Guy,” which is based on Glen A. Larson’s TV show of the same name, which ran from 1981-1986.  With Leitch’s typical flair for action, he brings us on an energetic ride that’s loaded with thrills, wit, and a superb connection between its two stars.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a stuntman whose latest job has him working with his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), who’s making a sci-fi action film as her directorial debut.  When the film’s lead actor, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) goes missing, Colt is tasked with finding him before the over-budget production gets shut down.

Gosling gives a humorous and kinetic performance as the talented stuntman, once again displaying his movie-star charm with ease as he swaggers his way through the memorable dialogue and big-budget set pieces.  Gosling displays a ruggedness and confidence that’s faultless throughout, giving us a protagonist who’s comically endearing.  His work in the past has shown that he possesses equal talents with action, comedy, and romance, and Gosling proves once again that he can pretty much shine in any kind of genre.

Gosling and Blunt have wonderful romantic and comedic chemistry.  Whenever they interact, they display a bond that’s both funny and heartfelt, giving you an idea of the loving relationship that they shared before the events of the movie.  Even when their characters are at odds with each other, Gosling and Blunt exhibit a connection that’s as fiery as the pyrotechnics on Jody’s movie set.

The screenplay by Drew Pierce does well in establishing the two lead characters and the bond that they used to have and are trying to rebuild.  He sets them up in such a way that makes you want to get to know them more, and he does this with some well-placed meta humor.  And, although that aspect of Pearce’s humor doesn’t always hit the mark, it still works well in other places.  One of the best examples of this is when he mixes meta humor that’s both verbal and visual during a phone conversation between Colt and Jody that uses the split-screen technique in a clever way that highlights their emotional distance from each other.  Besides the romance, there’s an enticing conspiracy plot that has plenty of excitement as you wait to see how it unfolds.  Each set piece that Pearce brings us delivers on the enjoyable insanity of the situation, terrifically melding a likable lead character with a comically dangerous scenario.

Leitch, who has extensive experience as a stuntman, is the perfect fit for a film such as this, creating a love letter to both stunt teams and moviemaking.  He frames his action with the help of lensing from Jonathan Sela and editing by Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, both of whom have been frequent collaborators with Leitch.  With Sela’s lensing and Ronaldsdóttir’s editing, the action is captured in such a way where it maintains the thrills, but are still comprehensible when it comes to knowing where everything and everyone is and what’s going on.  While all of the action scenes are fun, one of the most memorable is a fight sequence in a neon-lit nightclub, complete with some humorously trippy visuals.  Through this talented trio, they also offer a couple of eye-catching long takes that highlight the depth of the details of the film sets.  These extended takes allow us to see all of the comings and goings of the people involved with the film production, bringing us into the hectic nature of such environments.

When it comes to “The Fall Guy,” you won’t need air conditioning in the theater because this movie is as breezy as it gets.

Grade: A-

In the Future, Primates Lead the Animal Kingdom

Noa (Owen Teague, left) and Raka (Peter Macon) 
in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Nearly 13 years ago, the “Planet of the Apes” franchise was given new life in the form of a prequel with director Rupert Wyatt’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”  In what seemed like just another attempt to revive the series after Tim Burton’s lackluster 2001 remake of the 1968 original, it nevertheless proved to be a thrilling and intelligent film that boasted some groundbreaking visual effects.  It began as the story of a highly intelligent chimpanzee named Caesar (through a motion-capture performance by Andy Serkis), only to then spawn two sequels from director Matt Reeves in 2014 and 2017, titled “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “War for the Planet of the Apes.,” respectively.  With these three films, we were given one of the best trilogies of modern cinema.

It turns out this series still has some stories left to tell because we now have the latest installment, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Wes Ball.  With typically beautiful visual effects, emotional performances, and an epic scope, we have a great start to a whole new narrative within this decades-old series.

Several generations after the events of “War,” the story follows a young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague), a hunter and heir to his ape clan.  When his community is attacked by an enemy clan and he’s left for dead, Noa teams up with a reclusive orangutan, Raka (Peter Macon), and a young woman, Mae (Freya Allen), to take on an ape society that’s ruled by a bonobo ape, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).

Even though Serkis doesn't return as Caesar, Teague takes up the mantle in a strong performance as a young ape who comes of age by having to save his tribe.  Right from the beginning, Teague exhibits his character’s fun-loving nature mixed with an adolescent bravery as he swings and climbs through his environment, and we can sense that this is a character who could very well grow into a superb protagonist going forward.  Teague shows Noa’s attempt to grasp a world he has yet to understand as he ventures into it, having to come to terms with re-examining his beliefs when other people tell him differently and show his beliefs in a different light.

Macon gives a tender performance as Raka.  Just as Noa replaces Caesar, Raka fills in for the role of Maurice, an orangutan who befriended Caesar throughout the previous trilogy.  Macon brings across a low-key piousness as he displays someone whose beliefs remain unshaken in a changed world.  Throughout this, he also has touches of humor that offer some levity here and there as he imparts some wit and wisdom on to Noa.

When it comes to the main villain, Durand offers an intimidating presence as Proximus.  Durand exhibits the beastly formidability of a primate who leads his kingdom with a countenance that’s a mix of a king and a fervent religious leader.  It’s a performance where Durand inhabits the full commanding nature of his character, being able to render a space quiet whenever he has a word to give.

As the two humans at the center of the story, Allen and William H. Macy give fine performances that further emphasize the complicated nature between humans and apes, something that will come into play even further in future installments.

While the screenplay by Josh Friedman could’ve offered a little more time to the antagonist, he makes up for it by giving us details into Noa’s society and the loved ones he has in his life.  Between what we see in Noa’s community and the lands through which he travels, Friedman maintains the figurative presence of Caesar throughout, whether it be through dialogue or visual motifs.  With this, it’s fascinating to see how the world has been influenced by Caesar many, many years since his death.  We’re provided with a view into how his teachings have been followed to their true meanings with one ape clan, and how they’ve been twisted by another.  Through that aspect, the story touches upon religion and how certain people restructure their beliefs to fit their own desires.  Friedman manages this through moments that get the point across without it being heavy handed, adding to the thematic depth that has been maintained in the newer films.  By doing so, Friedman’s screenplay explores the outline and ideals of this world in a way that promises a compelling view into how this setting might unfold in later films.

Despite it being almost 13 years since the release of “Rise,” this series still leaves you in awe of what the special-effects team can accomplish.  Between the texture of the fur on the apes and the look of their environments, these effects look astonishingly real and continue to break barriers for what visual effects can do.  The effects immerse you in this world right from the opening scene, where you travel with Noa and his friends through forests and vegetation-laden buildings.  With this introduction, it’s evident that we’re in for a gorgeously realized journey.

The cinematography by Gyula Pados, who provided the camerawork for Ball’s second and third “Maze Runner” films, captures stunning views of the lands that nature has overtaken since the fall of civilization.  Pados’ lensing is meant for the big screen, providing eye-popping environments throughout, from the lush greenery of Noa’s home to Proximus’ seaside kingdom that’s composed of the rusted ruins of beached ships.  He captures every detail of the special effects, providing shots that have us marvel at the world that’s been created, a world that looks both beautiful and grim.

Ball, who up until this point only had experience directing young-adult fare with the three “Maze Runner” films, shows a new talent for thoughtful blockbuster filmmaking.  His work here exhibits a confidence in putting his stamp on this famed sci-fi series, displaying an ability to capture the scope of what has come before.  Between the way in which he handles the thrilling action set-pieces and the dramatic interactions amongst the characters, he maintains that balance the previous trilogy did so well, and it’s clear that he’s up to the task of ushering us into this enduring franchise’s new phase.

While Caesar’s story offered a captivating trilogy, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” gives a reason for the franchise to continue beyond that.  If the care for the story and characters remains, we’re in for a further evolution of this series.

Grade: A-

A Love Triangle Has Tennis Players Caught in a Net of Romance

Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O'Connor 
in "Challengers"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When it comes to tennis, it’s hard to imagine there’s anything else for the spectator, other than just sitting in the stands simply watching a ball go back and forth on the court.  However, there’s a little more to it than that.  With tennis, you’re watching a game of constant movement as the players hustle from front to back and side to side as they chase the ball to get another swing at it.  To be in that environment, the energy and tension is fun to experience.

Director Luca Guadagnino captures all of that and much more in his romantic sports drama, “Challengers.”  With a trio of spark-inducing leads, a complex and emotional narrative, and some exciting technical work, we have the latest sports movie that can appeal to both fans of the game and everyday moviegoers.

Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) is a talented tennis player who retires early after a knee injury.  Now, her tennis-playing husband Art (Mike Faist), is staging a comeback, with the help of her coaching.  As he makes his way through a series of matches to the final face-off, he realizes he’ll have to go up against his former best friend, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), who also happens to be Tashi’s former boyfriend.

Zendaya gives an electric performance as a tennis star who exudes a competitive persona.  She exhibits unshakable fierceness when she’s on the court, showing the audience how committed she is to her game and won’t let anything stand in her way to greatness.  In the scenes that show the dramatic side to her character, we see someone where it’s obvious that tennis has become the core of who she is, someone who expresses her romanticized view of the game when she first meets Art and Patrick.  When it comes to those two characters, Zendaya has great chemistry with them.  Whether she’s working with one or both of them in a scene, Zendaya shows an attitude that shakes up the screen as Tashi maneuvers through the affections and eventual relationships of her suitors.

I can’t get into deep detail about the performances of Faist and O’Connor without going into spoilers with their character arcs, but I’ll say that they have terrific competitive energy as two players who are pitted against each other.  Whenever they share the screen, you can see the evolution of what was once a great friendship that has now turned into something very damaged.  As the film goes on, you can sense the strain getting tighter and tighter around their bond as their athletic kinship slowly starts taking a backseat to fierce animosity when their mutual love for Tashi corrodes the connection that they’ve built.

The screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes utilizes a non-linear narrative as an intriguing method to let us know the history behind these characters.  The way in which this story goes back and forth through time gives it the feeling of a tennis match as your attention is pulled between different moments of these characters’ lives.  This keeps us immersed throughout the film as we watch certain scenes play out, and then go back in time to see why such things happened the way they did.  This adds a depth to the frame story of the game between Art and Patrick, with Tashi sitting with the spectators and acting as the audience surrogate as she and the viewers watch the two former friends and analyze where it all went wrong.  The narrative offers plenty of time to set up the dramatic stakes, having us get to know the three characters who are involved in the love triangle, as well as how the relationships, both platonic and romantic, are created and dismantled as we get closer to the big match.

One of the strong points of the screenplay is how Kuritzkes uses many small details that appear and then return later on.  Not only do the multiple appearances of these details add layers to the narrative on a thematic level, but they also show how times have changed the characters.  These details take on bigger meanings when they pop up again, encouraging you to compare the first time and second time that they appear and what they all stand for in the greater scope of the story.

The cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom provides standout camerawork that adds to the tension both inside and outside of the tennis sequences.  He provides some excellent long takes, be they dramatically tense encounters or scenes on the court.  These scenes allow for the fullest emotion of the characters to unfold as their situations become more and more complicated, and the audience will watch a scene evolve from one thing into something else entirely.  One of the most memorable instances of Mukdeeprom’s cinematography comes near the end of the final match between Art and Patrick, when the camera shifts to the POV of the tennis ball as it continues to get hit across the court.  In a scene that’s already overflowing with energy, this brings some extra visual flair to the sequence as the match reaches a boiling point.

The editing by Marco Costa transitions between timelines with an abundance of ease.  Costa juggles several time periods in such a way that doesn’t lose the audience, but instead keeps us invested in the layers that are constantly being pulled back as we’re brought further into the past events that lead up to the frame story.

The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, as usual, comes loaded with a techno vibrancy that gets your blood pumping as you watch the tennis matches and the confrontations between the main characters.  Just like with the camerawork and editing, their music makes sure that the tension doesn’t abate when we’re off the tennis court, but continues as the trio of characters sorts through the difficulties that their relationships face when their competitiveness spirals out of control.

This is a movie that comes with an equal amount of drama and laughs.  Just as the editing does well with its switches between timelines, Guadagnino has an expert dexterity when going between the humor and emotion, the seriousness and witty awkwardness.  It’s a whirlwind of tones that Guadagnino is able to keep under control as he brings us through the increasing chaos of the personal and professional lives of the three main characters.  Even though this is a romantic drama at heart, Guadagnino certainly knows how to mix in some great sports action that will absorb the viewers into the game, staging it with a fine eye for movement that’ll make your heart race as the aggressiveness of the players grows with each serve.

For “Challengers,” Guadagnino has assembled a talented group that presents us a movie that’s about more than tennis.  He combines the abilities of the writer, actors, and technical crew to give us a romance-based sports film where you feel the weight of everything that’s being said and done to the characters.  Once the movie is over, you’ll see there isn’t anything that’s not left on the court.

Grade: A