Gringo: South of the Border Farce, with a Body Count

Apparently, smoking marijuana takes too much effort for Millennials. If only they could just pop a pill and be done with it. As it just so happens, Harold Soyinka’s dodgy pharma company has developed exactly such a product in its ultra-sketch lab south of the border. A lot of tough customers would like to get their hands on a sample. As a result, this will be a very bad time to fake an abduction, but Soyinka always had bad timing. However, the drastic turn of events just might have a liberating effect on the trod-upon worker drone in Nash Edgerton’s Gringo (trailer here), which opens today in New York.

Soyinka starts out as an early Walter Mitty, putting up with his exploitative boss, Richard Rusk, because he condescendingly pretends they are friends. Yet, Rusk has secretly seduced Soyinka’s grasping wife Bonnie, who is on the verge of leaving her sad sack husband. That does not sit well with Elaine Markinson, Rusk’s corporate co-president and possessive lover. Having gotten wind of an impending merger, Soyinka tries to fake his own abduction, but it will be more convenient for Rusk if his supposed pal is killed down there. That is really bad O. Henry-esque news for Soyinka, especially when he is kidnapped for real.

It is just one darned thing after another for Soyinka. Things will look up when he is ostensibly rescued by Rusk’s merc-turned-social worker brother Mitch, but he is still in more danger than he realizes. At least he rather enjoys crossing paths with Sunny, an American tourist who might be even more naïve than he is. However, her drug mule boyfriend Miles is up to his snide neck in a scheme to smuggle out some of Rusk’s pot pills.

Gringo is about a millimeter deep, but screenwriters Anthony Tambakis & Matthew Stone pack each second with a plot reversal or a violent bit of slapstick humor. Edgerton cranks the pace up to warp speed and the spritely upbeat soundtrack takes the rough edge off a lot of the cartel violence. At times, it comes perilously close to becoming a Ben Stiller parody of Sicario, but poor Soyinka’s peril is always quite real and pressing.

Indeed, Gringo showcases David Oyelowo as we have never seen him before—as a cringy doormat. Sometimes, he is just hard to take. On the other hand, it is jolly good fun to watch Charlize Theron vamp it up as the emasculating Markinson. Joel Edgerton also oozes slime as Rusk. Frankly, Sharlto Copley is almost too charismatic for the ethically ambiguous Mitch Rusk, albeit in a weird way, but Amanda Seyfried is appealingly sweet and earnest. In contrast, Harry Treadaway’s Miles is perhaps the most abrasive character in a film overflowing with duplicitous sociopaths.

Much has been made of Paris Jackson’s film debut in Gringo, but keep in mind she has maybe two minutes of screen time in what amounts to a cameo. Nevertheless, she shows some promising screen presence and on-the-beat comedic delivery. Viewers will laugh during the film and leave feeling satisfied with the pay-offs, but a year from now, probably the only thing most folks will remember would be Theron cranking up the femme fatale dials to eleven—but that is something. Recommended as a screwball diversion, Gringo opens today (3/9) in New York, at multiple theaters, including the AMC Empire.

MoMI Winter Warrior: Kubo and the Two Strings

It was hard being a troubadour in Edo-era Japan. Remember the blind biwa player in Kwaidan? Life ought to be easier for Kubo. At least he still has one good eye (and he plays the shamisen). However, his mean old immortal grandfather and his two wicked aunts have their sights set on that remaining peeper (and his soul to go with it). When his faltering mother can longer protect him, Kubo must set of on an archetypal fantasy quest in Travis Knight’s Kubo and the Two Strings (trailer here), which continues screening this afternoon and tomorrow at the Museum of the Moving Image.

Kubo grew up believing his father was Hanzo, a heroic fallen samurai, but it is hard to say how much stock he should put in what his mother Sariatu says. She somehow saved him from the roiling seas during the prologue, but the head injury she sustained apparently caused progressive damage. Nevertheless, Kubo takes care of her as best he can with the proceeds of his storytelling performances. Unfortunately, it turns out everything Sariatu said was true, as Kubo finds out when he is finally caught outside after dark.

When her father the Moon King finally detects Kubo’s presence, Sariatu uses the last of her magic to whisk Kubo away and animate his snow monkey charm to serve as his protector. To face his grandfather, Kubo will have to recover an enchanted sword and the matching breastplate and helmet. Fortunately, he will have the help of “Little Hanzo,” an origami samurai apparently invested with the vestiges of Hanzo’s spirit, through Kubo’s own magic. Along the way, they will recruit the help of “Beetle,” one of Hanzo’s comrades-in-arms, who was magically transformed into an amnesiac insectoid warrior, but remains quite handy with a bow and arrow.

Kubo is easily the best film from the Laika animation studio yet, representing a quantum leap improvement over The Boxtrolls. Technically, their work has always been accomplished, but the story and characterization of Strings are considerably richer and weightier. Some will say the “twists” are too obvious, but they are not meant to be surprises, but rather to deepen the sense of tragic fate.

Even though Kubo plays the shamisen, it is impossible not to hear echoes of Kwaiden and scores of other Japanese myths and legends in Strings. Yet, the structure is as comfortable as a lived-in sweater for fans of Tolkienesque fantasy. The voice-over performances are all first-rate, with Charlize Theron really surprising with “Monkey’s” feistiness. It might be slightly problematic for some that Asian voice talent was only cast in supporting roles, including George Takei and Minae Noji (a General Hospital alumnus) vocally portraying villager Hosato and his namesake daughter Minae, but big names like Theron and Matthew McConaughey really help sell and book commercial animated properties (and one could argue anime dubs offer plenty of precedent).

The animation has never been an issue for Laika, but the way they integrated stop-motion for the figures and CG for the backdrops in Strings constitutes their best work yet. There is a reason why it keeps coming back (MoMA’s Contenders, MoMI’s Winter Warrior workshops and screenings). It definitely deserves to be in contention for best animated feature, ranking between the prepackaged studio hits and GKIDS’ sophisticated gems. Recommended for animation fans of all ages, Kubo and the Two Strings screens this afternoon and tomorrow at MoMI. Happy New Year.

Not Quite the Fairest: Snow White and the Huntsman

These dwarves do not whistle while they work.  They are not so hot when it comes to comic relief in general, but they are still devoted to a certain princess, as is most of their fairy tale realm.  That is why she is such a threat to the despotic Queen Ravenna, her wicked stepmother. Straying from familiar Disney territory, the latest live action adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale takes on overtones of Joan of Arc as the protagonist rallies the troops in Rupert Sanders’ Snow White and the Huntsman (trailer here), which opens today nationwide.

King Magnus, Snow White’s widower father chose the wrong second wife.  He does not even make it to the honeymoon.  The narcissistic Ravenna’s reign is harsh, even depressing the natural environment around her imposingly cinematic castle.  However, she gets a rather unwelcomed surprise from her magic mirror when Snow White comes of age.  She is no longer the fairest of them all.  The prisoner of the North Tower is.  Thanks to the help of sundry beasts and birds, Snow White escapes her captivity, only to find herself in the supernaturally ominous Dark Forest.

Wanting Snow White’s purity for uncanny purposes, the Queen sends in Eric, a drunkard huntsman who happens to be one of the few mortals to venture through the forest and live to tell the tale.  Fortunately, the Huntsman does not take direction well.  As a result, he will have to contend with her loyal Game of Thrones-ish brother, his armored forces, and a fair number of monsters.  A small band of short eccentrics might be able to help them.  There is also some business with an apple.

This is Snow White, done kind of-sort of faithfully.  However, it spends far too much time aimlessly trudging about the Dark Forest.  Frankly, the film really starts to take off when it diverges from Grimm, becoming an old fashioned fight-for-freedom epic.  Indeed, it is refreshing to see a less passive Snow White, leading the resistance into battle like its St. Crispin’s Day.

In fact, Kristen Stewart rather exceeds expectations balancing vulnerability and a suitably regal presence as Snow White.  Chris “Thor” Hemsworth might not be venturing too far out of his comfort zone here, but he swings the battle axe as well as the war hammer.  Though played by great (full sized) actors like Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Bob Hoskins, and Eddie Marsan, the dwarves just look weird.  They are not funny, but they are still rather shticky.  However, it is Charlize Theron who really puts a stamp on the picture, vamping it up and chewing the scenery with sheer evil delight as Ravenna, while her apparent age yo-yo’s up and down (getting a crucial assist from the crack team of make-up artists).

Graduating from commercials to big special effect-laden features, Sanders creates a richly detailed fantasy world, particularly the striking castle, in both interior and exterior shots.  However, one has to wonder just who is the intended audience for a dark brooding version of Snow White, served with a reasonable helping of hack and slash action.  In fact, those looking for happily-ever-after romance might find the film leaves them cold, while the laughably clunky dialogue is not likely to do much for anyone.

Snow White and the Huntsman is an odd assortment mismatched parts, but some of those pieces are admittedly entertaining.  Ironically, it would not be a good date movie because those who are reluctantly dragged into it might find it more enjoyable than expected, whereas their dates will likely be disappointed by it.  A mixed bag best saved for post-theatrical viewing options, it opens nationwide today (6/1), including the AMC 34^th Street and AMC Kips Bay in New York.