Mortal Kombat Gives Fans A Serviceable Reboot While Strengthening The Original 1995 film.

 

      When it comes to video game based movies, it's exceptionally rare for Hollywood to churn out ones that can be considered satisfactory to being overall decent. The few exceptions that have emerged are the original 1995 Mortal Kombat, 2006's Silent Hill, 2018's Tomb Raider, Sonic The Hedgehog, and Detective Pikachu. While none of those films were perfect video game movie adaptations by any means, they garnered a warmer than expected response with their ultimate qualities standing out in a genre that's mostly known for poor live-action adaptations of popular based games. With the newest Mortal Kombat reboot, expectations are high for it to deliver a rejuvination for the franchise that's​ worthy of the legacy of the classic video game series. The last time that audiences saw a Mortal Kombat film back in theaters was 24 years prior with 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation with that films poor reception putting the franchise in development hell for over two decades. Fast-forward to 2021, audiences finally get to witness a new Mortal Kombat film on the big screen that's more violent and bloody in the style of the games than the original films were. Although the newest film serves as being a serious upgrade over those films in regards to its depiction of the games violence and fatalities, its victory is not completely flawless. The newest Mortal Kombat gives the hardcore fans of the game much of what they've been wanting to see on film, but the overall experience is one that's decent but ultimately not a great one. Whereas the 2021 reboot marks itself as being a strong improvement over the original film in certain areas, others has the 1995 movie still standing as being superior when it comes to both the acting and chemistry of the main cast despite it being senseless fun with cheesy dialogue.

      Based on the popular 1992 video game, the newest Mortal Kombat reboot centers around MMA fighter Cole Young (Lewis Tan) seeking out Earth's greatest champions in an effort to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes tournament involving warriors from both realms in a battle for the universe. The plot for the 2021 reboot stays true to the main storyline of the games, while incorporating many of the familiar iconic characters into the mix. One of the key elements of the Paul Anderson's 1995 original Mortal Kombat film that made it effective in terms of being a faithful adaptation of the games, was the fact that it established a main hero at the center of its story with Robin Shou's Liu Kang. From that films opening sequence until the end credits, audiences found themselves connecting with and rooting for that character because they understood his plight with him wanting to avenge his brothers death at the hands of soul-eating sorcerer Shang Tsung. The opening sequence of the 2021 reboot starts off effectively with getting audiences hooked by showing the wiping out of Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpions family at the hands of Sub-Zero. Whereas that scene proves effective in establishing Sub Zero as being the films prominent villain in addition to making the audience feel sympathy for the formers character, the film takes what's both an unexpected as well as questionable turn in introducing an entirely new character to the Mortal Kombat universe with the introduction of Cole Young and making him the main focus of the story. By making this switch, audiences lose the immediate connection they had for Scorpions character with them being forced to connect with a descendant of his family who comes across as being less interesting of a character. The key difference between the storylines of the 1995 film and the 2021 version is with the character of Liu Kang in the original Mortal Kombat, audiences were invested in his character arc from the start because the film never switched the main leads. The character of Cole Young has an outlining that could've​ potentially make him into a strong main character, except the script doesn't​ do a very good job of making his character feel less cliched and generic. Where Mortal Kombat thrives as both a film and story is the combination of all the different variety of characters from the games being brought together on the big screen in a larger-than-life fashion. The film carries a tone to it that feels respectful to the source material, as well as being nostalgic with all the Easter eggs and references to the games being put on the screen. The films fight sequences along with the fatalities shown, cast a significant upgrade over the previous films and will please fans of the games. Although far from being perfect and in some ways losing to its original 1995 predecessor in key aspects of storytelling, the newest Mortal Kombat establishes itself as being a fairly entertaining and serviceable reboot that's appropriately violent as well as nostalgic for those who've played any type of Mortal Kombat video game. Though as a film that fans were forced to wait nearly 25 years to see on the big screen, the newest reboot can't shake off the feeling that its somewhat of a letdown in a sense.

      Outside of the films impressive fight sequences and packing of excessive amounts of gore, the cast for Mortal Kombat is appealing and stands as being one of the films greatest strengths. While the acting isn't anything incredible to write home about and is about what one​ would expect from a film based on a fighting game, the performances for the most part manage to range anywhere from being passable to decent efforts. Out of the films ensemble, the best performances come from Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Supergirl's Mechad Brooks as Jax, and Josh Lawson in a scene-stealing performance as Kano. Besides the lackluster writing for the character of Young, Lewis Tan makes the most of his part and creates a main character who at the very least is a sympathetic figure in the story despite his presence in the film being a far cry from Robin Shou's as Liu Kang in the original 95 film. Both McNamee and Brooks feel perfectly casted in their roles as Sonya and Special Forces Major Jax with the two working well off each other, along with adding some depth to their characters. Lawson however, dominates every scene with his performance and nearly walks away with the film. His constant moments of sarcasm, wittiness, and pop culture references will leave audiences in stitches. Other effective performances from the supporting cast despite a lack of character depth are Tadanobu Asano as the God Of Thunder Lord Raiden, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Chin Han as villain Shang Tsung, Max Huang as King Lao, and Sisi Stringer in a minimal yet scene-stealing moment as Mileena. Though they play their roles well with what their given, Asano and Lin's performances as Raiden and Kang pale in comparison to the performances delivered by both Christopher Lambert and Robin Shou in the original Mortal Kombat film with their reduction in story arcs being profoundly underwhelming. Some of the more understated performances in the film go to Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Sub-Zero along with Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion. Though the latter receives a shorter amount of screentime compared to his counterpart, both his performance as well as his character leave a huge impression with audiences with them wondering why he wasn't placed as being the central character of the story. In terms of acting, the overall cast of Mortal Kombat deliver performances that add believability to the story, even if some of the characters feel shorthanded in regards to their development. Audiences do find themselves liking many of the characters in this story and feel the energy and enthusiasm that the cast brings to the film. Despite Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Mechad Brooks, and Josh Lawson appearing to work well together and share some solid chemistry, it doesn't top the amount that the original Mortal Kombat film shared between Robin Shou, Bridgette Wilson, and Linden Ashby shared on screen that made them so engaging to watch as a team. Although not all of the key characters in the film receive their proper amount of development, everyone makes their best attempt to leave an impact on the screen with their roles. As far as the acting in video game movies go, Mortal Kombat isn't perfect but it gets the job done with it ultimately making the film more fun and entertaining to watch.

      Directed by Simon McQuoid who picks up the franchise reigns from previous filmmakers Paul W.S Anderson and John R. Leonetti, he gives the film a tone that feels appropriately more violent and gorier than the previous film adaptations of the popular game. With the reboot, McQuoid doesn't shy away from the gratuitous nature of the games and gives audiences want they want in regards to stacking up the fatalities. Whereas the previous two Mortal Kombat films boasted respective PG-13 ratings, the latest effort bears a hard R with extremely gruesome scenes including an intense sequence involving a fight in an abandoned warehouse where a main character experiences their arms being frozen and ultimately ripped off. While such a moment would be a shockingly​ brutal one for regular audiences, fans of the video game would understand the context of showing such a gruesome moment and appreciate the filmmakers boldness in showing it. The films fight scenes are well-shot and choreographed with stunning cinematography that also captures bloody moments such as the audience witnessing characters heads splattering after an intense hand to hand combat sequence, along with a woman being shown to be cut in half by a saw with both blood and matter being shown. The sequences in which people become encased in ice by Sub-Zero are stunning to watch, and ranks as being among the films strongest moments visually. On a visual front, McQuoid doesn't disappoint and brings his A game in presenting the games mystical universe on the big screen with him showing human fighters and magical beings fighting against each other using both weapons and special powers with the other person being defeated in the most gruesome ways. The editing gives the film a rapid pace that keeps the story moving at a brisk pace, which never let's up until the very end. The film wastes no time in both introducing as well as establishing key characters, though the film begins to feel rushed near the films third act with its climactic battle feeling underwhelming in comparison to the originals end battle between Liu Kang and Shang Tsung. Another area of the film that ultimately lets down is the films soundtrack by George S. Clinton which despite being serviceable, fails to pack both the high energy and powerful punch that the original Mortal Kombat soundtrack delivered with its unforgettable 90's theme. In terms of the films overall look, McQuoid gives the film the right atmosphere with the audience feeling as if they're being transported to Out world. Whereas Paul W.S Anderson had restraint in showcasing the gory details of the tournament due to the originals restrictive PG-13 rating, McQuoid does the opposite and goes all in with presenting a vision of the world of Mortal Kombat that's more true to the version that fans knew from playing the video games. On a visual front, the film delivers with both the costume and set designs being noteworthy additions to the film. When it comes to the films physical appearance and graphic imagery, Simon McQuoid proves to be a filmmaker who effectively rises to the occasion with him giving the story the appropriate attention to detail that the material requires. However, when it comes to juggling the numerous amount of characters in the story, along with properly spacing out and staging the fights, Paul W.S Anderson proves to be more skillful with his old school version of Mortal Kombat.

      Despite the films minor faults regarding its technical elements, the movies greatest flaws like within its scriptwriting. The screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham from a story written by Oren Uziel and Russo, often feels as if it has much going on in terms of wanting to establish numerous character arcs that its running time often denies it the opportunity to do such. Part of this issue can be attributed to the fact that the filmmakers chose to create an entirely new character who never appeared in the games to be the main focus of the story with the invention of Cole Young. The writing team behind the new Mortal Kombat go to extreme lengths to make this character the face of the new franchise with fans questioning the need for his character when there's so many other great characters already established in the games, that they can make into the main hero/heroine. The character of Cole Young is given a strong backstory to make his character appealing to fans, as well as being worthy of the Mortal Kombat mythology with him being revealed to be not just an orphan but a descendant of Scorpion. Though one can see the reasoning behind the creation of Young's character given that his character fits a more modern setting compared to the former, his character can't help shake the fact that he feels forced with both cliched and tired character tropes such as his character being a once great MMA fighter who fell off, but conveniently gets his skills back and becomes a strong warrior in Mortal Kombat. Such a subplot has been done to death in the past, that it doesn't work very well in making Young appear to be a strong character. Not to mention that his presence takes away from other side characters that would've been a more fitting choice for the main lead such as an an expanded role for Scorpions character, Sonya or Jax taking the lead together or even utilizing Liu Kang again as the films central character. The presence of the latter in the newest reboot feels underwhelming in comparison to the strong dominance that Liu Kang's character had on the plot for both previous Mortal Kombat movies. The newest Liu Kang is reduced to a side character role with the outline of his character being likable, but him lacking the depth and character elaboration that Robin Shou's character had in the 90's films. The same criticism can be directed towards that of Shang Tsung with both the actors performance and character lacking the charisma, the manipulative side, the cunningness, and the presence of Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's Tsung. The dialogue also appears to be both a hit-and-miss effort with much of the films best moments of dialogue coming from the character of Kano, who arguably serves as being the films comedic relief despite his character being twisted in nature. When the script introduces characters and attempts to explore the origins behind some of the fan favorites, the film works at its strongest. The scripts biggest problem is its struggle in developing all of the central characters introduced with the end result proving to be a mixed bag. The story also doesn't quite feel as straight-forward nor as focused as Paul W.S Anderson's film. The screenplay introduces interesting concepts such as key characters not having their special abilities at first with them receiving their powers later on in the story or non chosen fighters who don't bare the dragon symbol becoming apart of the tournament after proving themselves to be victorious in battle. Those subplots such as the one involving Sonya Blade are interesting, but feel underdeveloped in addition to being problematic in a sense that the one central character who isn't allowed to participate in the tournament being a female. The newest Mortal Kombat works in reestablishing the universe along with reintroducing all of the series key players in addition to newer faces that hadn't been introduced in prior films, but not everyone gets the proper screentime and development that are required in making the audience connect with them. Hopefully the sequel manages to rectify these issues while continuing to build upon the fairly solid foundation already established here. 

       For every mistake or detail of the game that the 1995 Mortal Kombat film either makes or gets wrong, the 2021 reboot notably corrects. Though by doing so, it leaves several glaring issues involving both plot and character development that were ultimately handled better in the original movie. Although Paul W.S Anderson's film wasn't a groundbreaking work of art by any stretch of imagination and contained faults of its own, the one thing that can't be denied about it is how it gets those who watch it invested in both its story and characters. Audiences found themselves hooked from the start and were siding with Liu Kang from the beginning cause of the visual being shown of his brother being murdered at the hands of Shang Tsung. That opening sequence properly establishes its main character from the start and never attempts to trade him with anyone else for the lead, while introducing the other side characters. The newest Mortal Kombat misses a sizable opportunity to build upon the character arc of Scorpion with the films brilliant opening establishing his character arc, and instead trades his lead for the development of Cole Young's character. Fans of the game can only imagine what the storyline would've looked like had the films plot been a Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero story with both being equal in terms of being the pictures hero and villain. Mortal Kombat 2021 isn't a terrible film by any means nor a failure as it works as being a fairly decent reimagining of the video game movie franchise, it's just not as good as it could've been especially considering that fans had to wait nearly 25 years to see this universe again on the big screen. There's enough of the games brutality and nostalgia to entertain as well as please fans for the time being, but one sincerely hopes that the sequels continue to branch out and explore these characters more in depth. Love or hate the original 1995 Mortal Kombat, that film despite all its cheesiness and imperfections, possessed heart at the core of it. Audiences cared about Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Raiden while despising Shang Tsung as a villain and fearing Goro with the latters role being reduced to a minimal cameo in the reboot with him being easier to defeat. Even though the original film might not have carried the gory aspects of the game, it still managed to be a faithful adaptation of it and ultimately worked. Mortal Kombat 2021 carries the look and feel of the game, but the overall experience despite being entertaining overall, still feels as if its trying to locate its soul. It isn't a perfect Mortal Kombat film nor does it exceed the first on screen attempt, but as a new attempt at bringing the video game to the big screen in a form that's more faithful to the games as well as a better representation of the main characters in regards to their ethnic background, it serves as being an honorable effort.

Final Verdict: Fans of the Mortal Kombat game will find things to appreciate and love about the newest reboot, while also directing criticism to certain aspects of its execution.

Nobody Is A Stylishly Filmed And Desirable Action Flick That's Elevated By Bob Odenkirk's Surprising Turn As An Action Star

 

      With all action movies comes the distinctive style that each one is given, along with the mass appeal of their main stars anchoring the story. These two elements are essential to the success of both an action flick, or an action movie franchise as a whole. An example of both working together so effectively is the John Wick trilogy with the films kinetic action working well with the charismatic presence of its main character in the lead. Another example is 2008's Taken with Liam Neeson solidifying himself as being one of the most bankable action stars working today. With the genres latest installment Nobody, the filmmakers place Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk in the main role while giving the story the same kind of fast-paced and high level action vibe as the John Wick series. Though it can be said that the plot for Nobody isn't anything groundbreaking to write home about and often finds itself treading on familiar territory in regards to its stories formulaic structure, its filmmakers still manage to make its plot feel fresh and exciting with Odenkirk proving to be an ideal choice in the main role of playing a middle-aged action hero in the same vein as Neeson. While Nobody presents nothing new in the action genre, it successfully combines all of the elements that have proven to work thus far and craft an enjoyable action experience that's explosive, funny, and ultimately shows that there's still surprises that can be pulled within its genre. 

      The plot for Nobody centers around a bystander (Bob Odenkirk) intervening to help a young woman being harassed by a group of drunkenly violent men with him becoming the target of a vengeful drug lord. When watching Nobody, the films that come to mind when looking at its storyline are Charles Bronson's Death Wish mixed with John Wick. Although the film doesn't break any new ground in terms of innovativeness, it delivers enough of a visceral impact with its violence and action to largely entertain and thrill audiences while proving that Bob Odenkirk has what it takes to be an action star. Odenkirk is compelling to watch and channels Liam Neeson's style of ass-kicking in terms of both outsmarting and battling his opponents. Nobody is clever, funny, brilliant, and fast-paced with not just telling its story, but throwing explosive action at the audience that feels undeniably exciting. Despite the films formula being overly done as well as its style of filming action scenes, Nobody still manages to make its concept feel fresh while giving audiences a main character whose smart, sympathetic, vulnerable, and badass in how he defeats his opponents and ultimately wins. Those looking for something exciting to watch will find themselves genuinely surprised to discover how well Nobody works as being popcorn entertainment, that's engaging and wonderfully executed. While it won't transcend the genre nor inspire any new trends, the end results works as being a rollicking good time with both guns and fireworks blazing.

       Along with the films stylishly filmed action sequences, the acting by its main cast standout with Bob Odenkirk totally shocking audiences with his electrifying and charismatic performance. Whereas the performances from the supporting cast are reliably noteworthy, it's ultimately Odenkirk's that holds the film together and makes the experience feel fun as well as fresh. Odenkirk is both fantastic and sympathetic in his role as Hutch "Nobody" Mansell, a former government assassin for the CIA. Odenkirk is undeniably convincing in playing the part of an ex-agent who willingly left the agency behind in order to be a boring husband and family man, yet later realizes that he can't escape his past as being an assassin. Odenkirk does an impressive job of selling his role along with showing audiences that his character is putting up a facade in pretending to be happy at living a single life when in actuality he misses the thrill of being an agent, and is secretly thirsting for action. The success of the film was always going to hinge on the strength of its main lead and here, Odenkirk proves to be more than capable of switching from being the straight family guy part to being a certified badass. The rest of the cast turns in solid work with Connie Nielsen being likable as Hutch's successful and beautiful wife Rebecca Mansell. Nielsen is believable as the faithful wife who may be aware of her husband's secrets, yet chooses to be complicit in keeping his past from their children. Both Odenkirk and Nielsen are appealing as the films married couple who appear at first to be going through the motions of a stale marriage before Odenkirk begins to spice things up after his first taste of action in a long time with the bus incident. Nielsen's performance as Odenkirk's wife is refreshing in the sense that she doesn't play the stereotypical wife whose up in arms over her husband's secretive past, but goes with it creating suspicion with the audience that she knows all about her husband's past as a spy. Aleksei Serebryakov proves effective as the films antagonist Yulian Kuznetsov, the Russian Mob boss who ends up targeting Hutch and his family after his brother is fatally wounded in a battle with the latter on the bus earlier in the film. Though Aleksei's character often feels like a generic villain in the more recent action films such as John Wick and Taken, Serebryakov makes his character interesting as he's allowed to with the amount of depth and screentime given to him. Other surprisingly admirable performances include RZA as Hutch's half-brother Harry, Christopher Lloyd in a scene-stealing performance as Hutch's father David Mansell, Gage Munroe as Hutch's teenage son Blake, Paisley Cadorath as Hutch's daughter Sammy, and Michael Ironside as Hutch's father-in-law and boss Eddie. As far as performances go, the cast for Nobody makes the most of their roles with everyone giving performances that are not only effective, but add to the films energy. One can absolutely see upon watching the film that the cast is having a blast with this story, making it even more thrilling to watch. Despite the efforts of the supporting cast, this is Bob Odenkirk's vehicle with him completely seizing the opportunity to show audiences that he can be a legitimate action star whose charismatic, likable, and sympathetic.

      Along with the films strong acting, the directing put forth by Llya Naishuller serves as being well-crafted with a style that feels similar to that of a Guy Ritchie film. The action scenes are filmed in a similar fashion to John Wick including long-takes of action sequences mixed with quick cuts and excessive amounts of gore. The violence is presented in a form that makes it appear more extreme and intense as the film progresses with the deaths of the baddies becoming more over-the-top and gruesome. Naishuller brings the goods in regards to showcasing the different forms of action in the film with the violence largely consisting of traditional shootouts, stabbings, fist-fights, explosions, and an endless display of guns. The films cinematography is elegant in its glorifying of the films key action scenes involving bullets flying and buildings exploding. The pacing is perfect with how it keeps both the story and action moving with the film never feeling overlong nor moving too slow for it's 92 minute running time. The films soundtrack is effective in adding to both the excitement and thrills of the story with much of the music consisting of rock and roll hits and Americana classics. As far as the films directing goes, Llya Naishuller does an admirable job of creating a mood that feels fresh and borderline satirical in the sense that the film appears to be poking fun at itself while unfolding. Nobody appears as being a film that's​ aware of the fact that its absurd and embraces it rather than trying to hide it. The story knows that its over-the-top and Naishuller seizes every opportunity to exploit that aspect of the film while steadily building up the action to the point where the scenarios feel silly and outrageous but in the best way. Naishuller doesn't hesitate in giving the film its appropriate tone, and gives the story a macho type feel that pays homage to the classic action film of the 1980's. For those who enjoy fast-paced action with heavy doses of both masculinity and adrenaline, Nobody is aimed specifically for them with Naishuller designing the film to appear as such with an almost satirical feel to it.

      Written by Derek Kolstad, the script for Nobody carries a formula that feels very similar to that of John Wick with sprinkles of Charles Bronson's Death Wish added to the mix. The film takes the whole suburban middle-aged husband/father turned vengeful concept, and puts a new spin on it while utilizing many of the same generic character plot points from other action movies with similar storylines. Nobody's plot covers themes pertaining to hiding one's true nature from friends and family, organized crime, covert operations, protecting one's family, and the use of violence with the films ultimate message being one that says not to judge a person by their appearance alone. The character of Hutch is written as being frustrated, as well as pushed to the brink after his home is broken into. He's later shown to be looking for an outlet to unleash his rage for what occurred with him taking it out on the group of young guys drunk driving and terrorizing a young female passenger on a bus. Though the scene is reminiscent of the Subway sequence in Jodie Fosters The Brave One with a group of young men terrorizing the passengers on a New York Subway train, prompting Fosters character to take action by shooting the young men, Nobody takes a similar approach with that scene and manages to do its own thing while being creative. Although much of Nobody's plot has been lifted from other films, the script finds ways to add new twists and turns to familiar plot points. The character of Hutch and his family despite appearing as being a traditional surburban family, are likable and sympathetic to the audience with Odenkirk's character being shown to slowly ease back into his role of being a former CIA agent with his fighting skills appearing rusty at first, but become more progressively advanced with the more action Hutch's character becomes exposed to. In addition to his character becoming less bored of his everyday routine and begging for more violence, he also becomes a better husband and father as his character realizes the lack of spark that's been absent in his marriage recently, along with him atoning for the fact that he told his son to not fight back against the burglars, prompting him to get attacked in return. The main villains shown in the film come across as being stereotypical Russian baddies with minimal enough development to make them effective in allowing the audience to despise their characters, while also prompting them to hope that they're killed off in a creative fashion by Odenkirk's character. The scripts most thrilling moments are the ones in which the audience see the transformation with Hutch's character in which he goes from being an emasculated husband/father who watched his home get invaded to him becoming a vengeful and thirst for action type figure, that he once was in his days as a CIA agent. It's the steady progression of his character as well as the building up of the films insane action that make Nobody a desirable action movie experience.

       Despite the fact that Nobody recycles the same formula and overall story-structure from other revenge films both past and present, it still finds ways to be surprising while demonstrating a healthy dose of creativity and sheer brilliance behind the execution of its story. It's success in doing so wouldn't be possible without the combined talent and efforts of director Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk's spot-on performance. The film is clever in how it gives the impression that it aspires to be ridiculous without doing so completely. It gives audiences constant winks in regards to its true intentions while poking fun at concepts such as toxic masculinity. The film reinforces these notions with key elements in its plot regarding the main character driving a classic sports car along with him having a collection of guns. The film unabashedly embraces these cliched macho elements that have dominated past action films, and finds new ways to make them feel both surprising and fresh to the story rather than tired and played out. While it can be said that Nobody treads familiar territory and often leans too close to John Wick for comfort, it still manages to pack a huge punch with audiences in providing it's own form of entertainment that compliments the better works within its genre. Although it may not be considered a groundbreaking piece of storytelling, there's much that Nobody offers audiences that's engaging and wonderfully fun to watch with Bob Odenkirk delivering a surprise turn with his performance. Anyone who enjoys a solid action flick will find Nobody to be a thoroughly enjoyable and richly satisfying experience as it successfully manages to balance both style and substance. With the film achieving that so eloquently, there's nothing else that audiences could really ask for out of the experience. 

Final Verdict: To action fans as well as those who enjoy Bob Odenkirk as an actor, Nobody is a must see action flick that bears the style of John Wick and presents audiences with a new form of action hero while utilizing the best elements of the genre. 

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Is A Stellar Blues Drama With Viola Davis And Chadwick Boseman Giving Career Best Performances

      When it comes to movies centered around real people based on historical setting, the one thing that generally makes each film standout from the other is the distinct stamp that each respective filmmaker places on the stories they're telling. In the case of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, the 2020 American Drama starring Black Panther's Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis, the film not only serves as being a powerful and intimate portrayal of the blues legend, but also as a celebration of black culture as a whole. With such an opportunity to tell this specific story being a rare one in Hollywood, the filmmakers rightfully seize the chance to explore the origins of blues music with the films depiction of iconic music figure Ma Rainey, whose generally regarded as being the "mother of blues music". The end result is both an entertaining and powerful story that's exceptionally well-told and masterfully acted with both Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman delivering Oscar worthy performances. Given that this is the latter's final performance before his passing, he cements himself as being one of the most talented black actors of his generation with a final performance that's bound to garner him a posthumous Oscar win in a style similar to Heath Ledger's posthumous win for The Dark Knight. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom impressively earns its rank as being one of 2020's most well-executed and affecting dramas.

      Based on the play written by August Wilson, the plot for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom centers around the rising tensions between Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), her ambitious horn player Levee (Chadwick Boseman), and music producers whose determined to control Ma despite her uncontrollable and demanding ways. The story for Ma Rainey's​ Black Bottom is one that's well-rounded and predominantly grounded in one setting long enough for audiences to get a firm grip on all the key players in the story. Despite the film boasting an ensemble cast, the heart of the story revolves around the characters of Ma and Levee with them being shown to often clash with each other in regards to the direction they desire to take the music. Although the film contains strong directing and writing, it's the performances of the main cast that bring the story to life and ultimately make it thrive. The film is directed with complete respect and admiration for its main subject with the cinematography, costume, and set-design giving the story an authentic feel that effectively places audiences in 1920's Chicago. The filmmakers behind Ma Rainey's​ Black Bottom don't just aim to adapt August Wilson's play on the big screen, they aspire and enormously succeed in creating an experience for the audience that's absorbing, insightful, and heartbreaking in showing the birth of the blues era of music, while shedding light on the unspeakable amounts of racism and pain that helped birth it as evidenced by the testimonies of those involved in the story. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a rich story that can best be summed up as being a highly effective piece of art that's powered by the presence of its main stars on screen, as well as the devotion its filmmakers in bringing the story to the big screen. Although the story may not fully shed its stage play feel to it, it does a very strong and noteworthy job of transcending the material from play to screen in a form that feels real and is totally believable from star to finish.

      As well-told as the story is, the films power comes from its hugely talented ensemble cast who all deliver stellar performances, that showcase strong amounts of emotion. The cast is what brings the story to life and ultimately connects audiences with the characters during the films time period. The best performances in the film automatically come from Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman with both delivering their most powerful work here. Davis completely transforms into character with her role as Ma Rainey, and is absolutely stunning to watch as both the aggressive and stubborn mother of the blues whose shown to be calling all of the shots and not willing to compromise with her white music producers, nor the rest of the band in regards to altering the songs. Davis not only brings Ma Rainey to life on the screen, but does so in a way which the audience understands her characters behavior and way of thinking. Like Boseman, her Oscar nomination is well-earned with her showing audiences her wide emotional range as an actress. Along with Davis, Chadwick Boseman steals the show with a sensational performance that's​ not only incredible to watch, but also serves as being heartbreaking for audiences with the realization that they lost a phenomenally talented actor, who was steadily rising in stature. Boseman's performance as Levee covers a wide range of emotions from being charming and funny to both dramatic gripping. When Davis isn't on screen, Boseman commands the story and inspires everyone else to rise to the occasion with their work. Some of his most powerful moments in the film center around him telling the group the story about his mother being raped by a gang of white men with his father secretly plotting revenge. For the audience, the sequence is fantastic to watch due to the way Boseman's character tells the story, along with the emotion shown on his face. Another great moment with his character is him questioning the existence of God with his character demanding where was he when his mother was being raped continuously while begging for mercy. It's those moments, as well as the final ones in the film with his character that make Boseman's performance truly compelling as well as being ultimately something to see in addition to his characters constant clashes with Ma. The rest of the cast give strong and notable performances with Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and Michael Potts all shining with their respective screentime as Ma's band members Toledo, Cutler, and Slow Drag. Each actor adds something extra to the film with their performances, and all feel natural together as a Jazz band. Jonny Coyne, Taylour Paige, Jeremy Shamos, and Susan Brown also deliver strong performances as Ma's desperate producer Mel Sturdyvant, who owns the studio with Paige playing Ma's girlfriend Dussie Mae, Shamos as Ma's other producer Irvin whose less tolerant of her attitude, and Brown as Ma's nephew Sylvester. Much of why the film works so well as being a historical period drama, has to do with the sheer effort and talent that its cast put into making their roles work. Everyone brings their A game here with no performance feeling uninspired or lacking in substance. There also appears to be a huge amount of respect directed towards the source material with the everyone wanting to present the best performances possible. That very much appears to be the case here with both Davis and Boseman giving career-defining performances, along with putting their heart and soul into their roles.

      Along with the films terrific acting performances, the directing by George C. Wolfe comes across as being well-handled and confident in bringing the story to the big screen. Wolfe succeeds in drawing audiences back to a time period where blues music was still in its creation period, along with the time being tougher for African-Americans to make it in society. Wolfe provides the actors with an enormous amount of freedom in playing their parts, while effectively establishing the films jazzy atmosphere and tone. As far as the films look goes, Wolfe makes every effort to give the films 1927 Chicago setting a look that feels authentic and real. Both the set and costume designs are stellar with the cinematography capturing the expressions of rage, wear, and frustration on both Davis and Boseman's faces. Each actors expression is shown with the lighting being cleverly lit with the films limited settings. The outdoor scenery of the story however, have a near deliberate look of appearing as sets with the films closed spaces inside the studio being extremely muggy and hot with the characters being shown to be sweating, further emphasizing in a symbolic fashion the oppression that African-Americans have experienced throughout their lives in trying to get by. The pacing is slow-burning despite the films 94 minute length, allowing sufficient time for the story to progress, as well as each actor and actress to have their key moments in the film. As far as technical aspects go, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is well put together with the overall look and feel of the film carrying a 1920's Chicago appearance. In terms of the handling of the actors performances and key dramatic scenes, Wolfe directs the film with a steady hand, allowing for the actors performances to speak for themselves with the progressing of the tension between Ma and Levee's characters until it hits a boiling a point that proves to be compelling for the audience. The music by composer Branford Marsalis is effective in weaving with the films time period, as well as staying within the tradition of blues music while emphasizing the different approach that the films key characters have in regards to both recording and changing the style of the music. The best thing that can be said about George Wolfe's directing of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is the amount of detail that he puts into making the story appear authentic to its respective era, while doing the original play justice.

      The screenplay by Ruben Santiago-Hudson is strong in setting up the clashing approaches and tension in regards to Levee's desire to switch up the music with Ma refusing to do so with her wanting to remain traditional. Though every character in the studio gets their opportunity to shine with a key scene or moment, the bulk of the film explores the personalities of both main characters with the audience getting the opportunity to understand their way of thinking. Some of the themes explored in the films script include the exploitation of black musicians, particularly early ones in Chicago with the script also exploring elements of racism in the 1920's including violence, rape, North vs South, financial hardship, the exploitation of early black musicians in Chicago, same-sex relationships, and financial hardship with the film emphasizing how hard Ma Rainey fought against white oppression and exploitation in building the foundation of blues music in America. Although the story is specifically aimed at exploring the early days of blues music in America, the script makes numerous efforts to dive into the discrimination and oppression that blacks endured at the time as evidenced by Levee's story of his mother being raped with the film also tackling the topic of religion with the latters character questioning whether God actually cares about black people, noting his absence when his mother begged for his intervention during her traumatic experience, or Cutler's story regarding the priest who was forced to dance continuously for a group of racist white men who cornered him and ripped his Bible from his hand. On Ma's side of the story, the script shows how she basically took control of her career and demanded that everything was up to her liking or standards. While audiences may find her attitude to be rather unpleasant, they also understand her reasoning for being untrustworthy of her producers, nor willing to compromise on changes to specific music with Rainey's character stating her belief that black musicians are used and abused for personal financial gain than immediately disregarded afterwards when they're not needed anymore. What the script for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom does so well in terms of its writing is giving each character a soul in which audiences are able to connect with them and ultimately see these individuals as people  who are relatable, as well as a product of their times. The film within its main focus of the creation of blues music, shows the hardships as well as the trials and tribulations that African-Americans endured in a society that openly discriminated against them both vocally and systemic. Some of the scripts most powerful moments involve intensely emotional scenes, which include several key characters recollecting stories of racism and trauma that other African-Americans have experienced. What's most significant about these scenes is not just the main characters telling these stories, but the reactions the stories generate from the ones listening with characters either shown as being angry at the injustices other blacks endured, or reserved with conversations being sparked regarding the concern for both the future and fate of the black community​. There's much that the film unfolds with its side themes and storylines that make the story appear much more appealing than being just a standard biographical music drama, but an experience that reflects on the past while showing that even talented and famous black figures weren't immune to both the subtle and literal racism they constantly endured in less tolerant times with much of the same issues plaguing the main characters lives continuing to occur in present day.

      To say that Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is solely a film about blues music is an understatement. The film is very much about the legacy and work of Ma Rainey, but also serves as being a celebration of black culture as well as a representation of the experience that many African-Americans endured in the stories time period. The story is extremely well-crafted with the writing being on par with the films directing along with the performances being simply fantastic. The film brings out some of the best acting of Davis and Boseman's careers with the rest of the cast making the most of their time on screen, while responding to the performances of both stars. Ultimately, what makes this film as strong as it ends up being is the soulful performances delivered by the main cast with in addition to its thoughtful screenplay that not only does the original August Wilson play justice but presents some hard truths at the core of its story/writing. The film isn't without moments where its theatrical stage format looms over the production of the film from its dialogue-heavy character monologues to its simple stage settings, but the overall presentation is handled so well that audiences easily overlook those minor issues and become engulfed in the experience. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a film that has much to say within its plot, and doesn't waste any moment in getting its main points across. It serves as being both a well-acted and powerful experience that should be seen by blues fans, as well as anyone wishing to celebrate black culture or learn more about the hardships and struggles that African-Americans endured during the early 20th century with themes that carry strong relevance to not just the past but the present. As a piece of filmmaking, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a gem that will not only entertain but blow audiences away with its presentation of a trailblazing era in blues music. For Boseman, the film works as being a bittersweet yet fitting cap off to a remarkable acting career, that will be celebrated for generations to come with the same being said about his final work. 

Final Verdict: Film buffs and fans of both Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman will find Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to be a solidly entertaining and rewarding experience with hugely affecting performances from its main stars. 

Godzilla vs.Kong Delivers In Giving Audiences With The Intense And Exciting Matchup They Waited Anxiously To See

      When it comes to Hollywood's most bankable genres of films, the one in particular that always appears to be reliable with bringing audiences to the Cinema, as well as being timeless is that of monster films. Films such as the original 1933 King Kong and 1954 Godzilla continue to entertain and dazzle audiences while spawning numerous sequels and remakes. With the birth of the monsterVerse which got off the ground in 2014 with the second attempt at introducing Godzilla to American audiences, the series has continued to get bigger and bolder with solidly entertaining follow-ups such as Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. Fast-forward seven years after the launch of the monsterVerse, audiences finally are treated to the years most ambitious and thrilling matchup with Godzilla vs. Kong. Originally was positioned to be released in Spring 2020, the film experienced several delays due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic before finally landing a simultaneous release on both theater/HBO Max. With Godzilla vs. Kong finally receiving its moment to shine on the big screen, the question arises of whether the film manages to live up to the hype placed upon it. For fans of both monsters as well as those who eagerly waited in anticipation for the films release, the answer is both an enthusiastic and resounding yes. Although Godzilla vs. Kong isn't perfect by any means and still finds itself tilting towards the human side of its story moreso than the monster one, it packs more than enough of a powerful punch to make for thrilling popcorn entertainment along with living up to both franchises legacies as being a exciting and potent thrill ride that screams blockbuster. 

      A modern remake of the classic 1962 film that focused on the battle between the two titans, the plot for Godzilla vs. Kong revolves around the real Godzilla being provoked by the creation of Mechagodzilla, an AI version of the fire-breathing lizard. Alarmed at the latter's robotic presence, he finds himself rampaging through numerous city blocks and ships in the ocean with him engaging in extensive MMA fights with Skull Island titan Kong. As expected for this type of monster flick, the plot for Godzilla vs. Kong is designed specifically to bring these two iconic figures together in a way that feels serviceable while making their matchup appear believable. With a film like this, audiences aren't looking for elaborative character development and story. The most common criticism that each film in the monsterVerse has received up until this point (With Godzilla vs. Kong included), is that even though the stories present their monsters in a larger-than-life form, the films often rely too much on the establishing of both plot and characters rather than just letting the monsters dominate the story. Although the newest entry makes the strongest effort to balance out its amazing fight scenes with human interaction, the film can't escape the feeling that it still falls into the same trap that the other films within the monsterVerse ended up in despite Godzilla vs. Kong being made purely for grand popcorn entertainment. Although it carries this same common issue that has plagued the monsterVerse thus far, there's still a significant amount of monster mayhem to behold with the films visual effects being purely groundbreaking to watch along with the story being powered by Tom Holkenborg's electrifying score. In a time where audiences are craving for a film that will lure them back to the theaters after a long absence due to the emergence of Covid-19, Godzilla vs. Kong firmly establishes itself as being the years main event to bring audiences back with the film representing everything that they go to the movies for. The film takes its two main titans and presents them in a form that feels larger-than-life​ while celebrating both of their respective franchise legacies. As a film that aims to deliver on its promise of providing audiences with epic destruction sequences and visual galore, Godzilla vs. Kong lives up to its promise while being the most confident film out of the monsterVerse in terms of what it desires to show and ultimately aspires to be without swatting away plot and character development

      Despite the filmmakers being aware that audiences will unquestionably be more focused on the main titans themselves rather than their human counterparts, they still manage to assemble both an appealing and talented cast of actors to help sell the believability of the plot. The performances from the cast are solid with everyone showing genuine enthusiasm as well as excitement for the story. In helping to maintain continuity with the other previous Godzilla films in the monsterVerse, the filmmakers bring back a few key characters from the previous film to build upon their arcs while introducing newer ones with just enough development for audiences to find them appealing enough to not be bored while waiting for the next giant destruction or fight sequence. Some of the films returning faces from Godzilla: King Of The Monsters include Millie Bobbie Brown as Madison Russell, daughter of scientist Mark and his late wife Emma Russell Played by Vera Farmiga in the previous film. Brown once again delivers a likable performance as a more older and independent Madison in comparison to King Of The Monsters with her advocating for Godzilla in this film, along with trying to discover his reasonings for being aggressive. Kyle Chandler continues to do well as Madison's father Dr. Mark Russell despite Chandler's role being minimal this time in comparison to his time in King Of The Monsters with Brown receiving a mini coming-of-age style subplot with her character in comparison. The new faces to the story all deliver performances that are top-notch despite the limitations of the screenplay in regards to character development. Alexander Skarsgard is solid as Monarch geologist and chief cartographer Dr. Nathan Lind, who works closely with Kong and charts a mission which follows him into Hollow Earth. Skarsgard plays his character as being a reluctant hero whose not equipped to handle the situation that arises involving the emergence of Godzilla and Kong's rivalry, but becomes a more likable figure as the story progresses. Rebecca Hall appeals as Monarch anthropological linguist Dr. Ilene Andrews, who also serves as being the adoptive mother of Jia's character. Kaylee Hottle is both charming and totally sympathetic as Jia, a young, deaf native Iwi orphan whose shown to form a special bond with Kong, along with serving as Ilene's adopted daughter. Damien Bichir is always reliable in delivering a strong performance regardless of the size of the part he plays. Here he proves to be no exception with his role as the films main antagonist Walter Simmons, CEO, and founder of Apex Cybernetics, a tech organization that's behind the creation of Godzilla Mechagodzilla. Bichir plays his character as being a visionary entrepreneur who wishes to help humanity by making it a safer place with him seeing Godzilla as being a direct threat to it. Brian Tyree Henry steals the show as socially awkward and conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes, a former Cybernetics technician at Apex who turned conspiracy theorist with him aiding both Madison and Josh to expose Apex. Henry portrays his character as essentially being a crackpot, but also someone who possesses heart and loyalty with him aiding the young characters in exposing the sketchiness behind Apex. The rest of the cast give noteworthy performances with Julian Dennison as Madison's nerdy friend Josh, Shun Oguri as Mechagodzilla's telepathic pilot Ren, and Eiza Gonzalez as top-tier Apex Cybernetics executive and daughter of Walter Simmons Maia. The efforts that the cast for Godzilla vs. Kong put into making the story work along with balancing out the human aspect of the film with the monster side, are noble and ultimately prove to be effective in keeping audiences in suspense between each key sequence involving the creatures. Considering that human characters in monster flicks are generally viewed as only being useful in moving the plot along, the cast for Godzilla vs. Kong attempts to make the strongest effort in giving audiences characters that the audience can become connected to while waiting for the next major fight sequence. 

      As far as the films visual look and style goes, director Adam Wingard gives the story the appropriate tone and flare needed to make Godzilla's​ rivalry with Kong one that's both completely engaging and compelling to watch from start to finish. Wingard knows what audiences want and molds the film to have the look and feel of a popcorn style blockbuster. On a technical note, the film is stunning to watch with the cinematography capturing some really cool visual moments such as the ones involving Godzilla and Kong's main fights, as well as the latter visiting Hollow Earth. The cinematography makes those sequences breathtaking to watch with Tom Holkenborg's score adding to the suspense as well as the emotional core of the story. He gives the music an electronic feel to it that fuels the adrenaline of some of the films key action sequences, while managing to bring things down to a more human level when the film shifts back to the human characters. The films editing ends up being fairly decent with Godzilla vs. Kong spawning the shortest running time of the monsterVerse batch of movies with the story running a total amount of 113 minutes. With the editing, Wingard tries his hardest at balancing both the human and monster aspects of the story with the intent of making them feel nearly equal without one overwhelmingly dominating the other. In terms of the creatures design, the looks of both Godzilla and Kong remain true to the traditional style of their characters with both appearing significantly larger in size (Kong in particular) with the intent of making the fights between them feel more even grounded. The visual design of Mechagodzilla is also impressive with the other creatures on Hollow Earth adding to the films visual flavor. As far as the films directing goes, Adam Wingard proves himself to be the perfect man for the job with his visual look of the film being spot-on , along with his handling of the human character arcs. When it comes to the films scenes involving destruction during one of the titans main brawls, Wingard doesn't hesitate in giving audiences the goods. He makes both opponents appear as being equally strong and appearing as being the winner of their match up, only to have the other one come up with a surprise move or punch. With his work on the film overall, Wingard puts a powerful stamp on the film both in nostalgic terms for those who grew up watching the original 1962 version of Godzilla vs. Kong or the franchise as a whole, along with giving the story a rich and potent feel of being a blockbuster with its experience being best enjoyed to maximum effect on the biggest screen possible with the loudest speakers due to the films monstrous sound effects.

      Whereas Wingard nails the films visual appearance, the screenplay by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein based off a story by Terry Rossio, Michael Dougherty, and Zack Shields is serviceable in regards to establishing both plot and characters that are plausible enough in padding the film to where it feels like one giant rollercoaster ride. The story essentially feels like the ultimate cap off to the Hollywood Godzilla franchise, while building upon key events from those movies. It can be said that the writers try their hardest to develop the human characters in the story so that the audience becomes invested with them without losing sight of the films main focus, which is putting the two monsters against each other. The writers seize the opportunity to build upon the storylines of the previous two Godzilla films, along with further developing old characters such as Millie Bobbie Brown's character Madison with her being shown to be more stronger and independent since the events of the second film, which resulted in the loss of her mother. Although Kyle Chandler's character returns as Madison's father, his role is minimal in comparison to his presence in King Of The Monsters with his only purpose appearing to be bridging the two films together for continuity sake. The newer characters introduced are appealing ones that are given a fair amount of development and backstory, which proves to be reasonably effective in maintaining the audiences interest in the plot. The most interesting characters introduced with effective subplots are the arc between Jia and Kong with Jia being revealed as the one person who can communicate with Kong in a spirit similar to E.T. The character of Bernie is also entertaining to watch with him best representing the online group called Anonymous, who aspire to unmask the corruption occurring within the government. In Bernie's case, he strives to reveal the corruption behind Apex. The subplot involving both him, Madison, and Josh is fun to watch, along with giving the story an ounce of humor with a mystery/adventure feel that bears similarities to Indiana Jones. The script also plays with themes such as the advancement of technology, cybernetics, greed, the exploring of conspiracy theories, and the creation of doomsday machines that's evident with the creation of Mechagodzilla with the film preaching an underlining message, which says that some men's obsession with power can ultimately become more dangerous than giant creatures. What the script for Godzilla vs. Kong does well with is establishing a plot that's both digestible and easy for the audience to digest in bringing all these classic monsters together, while providing character development that's serviceable enough to keep the films momentum going. Despite the films efforts to balance out the human side of the story as well as the spectacle one, the film can't help but find itself still leaning towards the human characters dominating the story rather than the fire-breathing reptilian and the giant ape. While it's noble that both Wingard and the writers aim to give audiences characters that are just palatable enough to move the story along with keeping people engaged, they unintentionally take audiences away from the main attraction of the story which is to see both Godzilla and Kong in action. In the realm of all the pair up movies made, Godzilla vs. Kong possesses one of the stronger and more respectable efforts in the writing department. 

      Despite the films issues, the end result proves to be a largely satisfying and thrilling experience that delivers on its promise to give audiences solid popcorn entertainment with the overall film itself standing as being the strongest film in the monsterVerse yet. What could've easily been a forgettable rivalry monster flick surprises with how compelling it is in delivering its action, while keeping the audience in suspense with regards to whose the true winner/king of the monsters. Those looking for deep storytelling and character depth should avoid Godzilla vs. Kong as the film is designed to get right to the point with its plot with not an excessive amount of elaboration or thinking going into its themes. The film not only takes but combines the best elements of Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King Of The Monsters to deliver an experience that's genuinely thrilling to watch, while honoring the legacy of both titans franchises. While Godzilla vs. Kong may not be groundbreaking in regards to storytelling, its devotion to giving audiences a rollercoaster thrill ride is undeniable with it ultimately getting more right than it does wrong, while leaving audiences craving for more films taking place within the monsterVerse. With no future monsterVerse movies announced yet along with the strong likelihood of this being the end of the line for the franchise, one can't think of a better cap off to the series as Godzilla vs. Kong takes all the elements that made the previous films work and weaves them together in a film that works best as being an enjoyable monster fest.

Final Verdict: For fans of both Godzilla and Kong Kong's film franchises, Godzilla vs. Kong lives up to expectations in delivering explosive entertainment, which raises the monsterVerse to newer heights while making a strong cause for its continuation.