POSITIVES
Filled with flights of indulgent plot diversions and idiosyncratically eccentric characters, this movie that’s somewhat based on real historical facts is a fascinating piece of cinematic storytelling.
The plot can be a bit much in how the narrative handles it, but the more things unfold, the more it invites you into getting more and more invested with wanting to see what’s going to happen next.
Following the dialogue can be entertaining by themselves. The lines given to the actors really do enhance the movie and make it into something more than just the story being told.
It’s got solid leads in this with a good supporting cast, and I dare say that it was Christian Bale who completely saved this movie. Bale was truly the main draw for me, and he continues to prove that he is one of the best actors of our time now.
I can absolutely get behind the messaging of this story. Once it was obvious what this movie was actually all about, was the point where I started to feel invested with it. There’s a great speech and a monologue that spells it out for you if you somehow don’t get it.
NEGATIVES
Plot progression and narrative can be a bit all over the place. It’s like it didn’t know what kind of movie it’s actually telling us. So it just threw everything in it and hoped they would just stick.
Sad to say that the romances featured in this story just didn’t work. Maybe on paper and plot-wise they did, but not in execution.
Maybe there are too many shots of actors talking directly at the camera? Felt distracting to see.
Speaking of distracting. The supporting cast were filled with so many cameos, stunt casting, or very familiar character actors, that it constantly took me out of the movie. Is Chris Rock relegated to only doing jokes about racism now?
The conclusion felt like it was just crushed under the unwieldy weight of this film’s vision.
loveditenjoyedit LIKED IT itsokayitsmehitsterrible
