There's nothing more disappointing than a movie you've been waiting months, or even years, to see...only for it to be a piece of crap. Quantum Of Solace. The Happening. Escape From L.A. Oh how you should have been great. On the flip side, there's the films you weren't expecting much from that turn out to be amazing. The Losers is one of the latter. The reviews for this medium budgeted bullshit actioner were distinctly average; a three-stars-out-of-five kind of a deal. There will be tons of action, a bare bones, brain dead plot and some corny quips and throw-away dialogue... and that will be that...or so I thought. For, while The Losers is all of those things, it's so much else too, making it the biggest, most welcome surprise hit movie of the year.
The ensemble are uniformly excellent, recalling the easy, warm banter of the Firefly crew, The Robin of Sherwood outlaws and the Colonial Marines of LV426. They might bicker...but they love each other really, and they can read each others minds when it comes to executing a fluid military operation. And that's down to the amazing casting of Jeffery Dean Morgan (a gruff Clooney-type), Idris Elba (argumentative and opinionated), Chris Evans (never better...or funnier), Zoe Saldana (never more bad-ass or more sexy), Columbus Short (all heart and humour) and Oscar Jaenada (the quiet one). To counter-act the brilliance of our beloved good guys there's the mega-evil Jason Patric, whose trademark, dead-eye delivery is utterly perfect for channelling the sarcasm and contempt he has for all other human beings. His Bondian-styled villain trading barbed quips with henchman Holt McCallany are among the movie's best moments, setting a tone which is out and out comic book in nature (appropriate given it's based on a DC picture book).
The script is another reason for it's success being constantly witty in even the most routine and formulaic of scenes. Moments in the story that might ordinarily be obligatory in order to get the team from point A to point B become ingrained on the memory thanks to astute choices in music (Skunk Anansie, Street Sweeps Social Club...and surprisingly, Journey), wardrobe (Morgans suit/Saldana's pants), location...or mainly cause there's a bunch of gung-ho lads (Saldana included) having a grand ol' time. Director Sylvian White gives the film a distinct gritty-yet-colourful look, adding lots of post-modern touches and keeps a sure hand on the editing process to ensure that the comic timing is at 100% and the action gripping.
As you'll know from this blog, I'm a huge fan of the "Action Bullshit" genre, of which The Losers fits in snugly. In fact, if the genre ever needed a contemporary champion to show other film-makers the way, then this little beauty is ranks up there with Crank in terms of mixing the funnies with the frantic.
1 comment:
Sodding loved this film. Pure shit eating grin time. And Saldana gives me the horn...especially when she's firing a rocket launcher. Mmmm rocket launcher!
Post a Comment