Ryan Reynolds

  • Red Notice (2021)

    Red Notice (2021)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, December 2021) Clearly, Netflix now has the money to buy not only a constellation of low-end independent movies, but the kind of audience-friendly high-budget releases that used to be the bastion of Hollywood studios. Sporting multiple shooting locations around the world, a very audience-friendly quippy script, copious special effects and (more importantly) three authentic stars with clear screen personas, Red Notice couldn’t be better titled — a notice to Hollywood that the big red N is out to eat their lunch. Acquired after a bidding war, Red Notice is also a further reminder that the universe of serious buyers for expensive film projects now includes not only the major studios, but a bevy of tech giants primarily looking for a stream of content rather than any affinity for cinema, let alone artistic ambitions. As a project, Red Notice is a good sell — the kind of standalone action/adventure skirting the edges of comedy, driven by characters that lean into the screen persona of likable stars. Dwayne Johnson plays a taciturn muscleman, Ryan Reynolds quips his way through the film and Gal Gadot looks gorgeous — you can’t really ask for much more in terms of audience appeal. Put these three into a broadly accessible plot about con artists, thieves, precious relics and action sequences and Red Notice looks a lot like the platonic ideal of a tentpole summer release, before shared universes and superhero films took over everything. Despite the formula, it’s easy to like — competently written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, a three-time Johnson collaborator whose projects keep getting better and better, Red Notice hits just the right spot for Netflix, for audiences and for its stars as well. Compared to previous Thurber/Johnson collaboration Skyscraper, it’s considerably funnier, smoother, and more compelling. Some great cinematography helps accelerate the pacing, and the special effects help in creating expansive action sequences. The plot certainly doesn’t hold up to scrutiny with its cumulative betrayals, but this is about as close as we’ve gotten to a National Treasure 3, so there’s that to consider. Let’s not bet against sequels — aren’t they the logical next move from Netflix?

  • The Voices (2014)

    The Voices (2014)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (In French, On TV, November 2021) Dark comedy is a tricky genre, and it doesn’t take much to send it flying into distasteful territory. Of course, The Voices goes far beyond “just a bit too much” in depicting the last few days of a schizophrenic serial murderer as he goes about stabbing female co-workers, dismembering them and keeping their decapitated heads for conversation. It’s about as funny as it sounds, which is to say — not much. Comic book artist turned director Marjane Satrapi (far better known for more wholesome fare) does play into the material as written — the film is strange in unpleasant ways, with the absurdity of the protagonist discussing morality with his pets (the dog — good; the cat —evil) and the heads of his victims. Perhaps the most interesting thing about The Voices does remain the lead performance of its star Ryan Reynolds: As an awkward young man troubled by mental health issues, Reynolds dials down his usual charm to deliver a borderline-repellent performance that we are very unlikely to see again since he has now ascended to nice-guy superstardom. Gemma Arterton and the ever-lovable Anna Kendrick also show up in supporting roles—but don’t ask what happens to their characters. Everyone in the film is clearly working in the same direction, delivering about as good a take on the written material as it was possible to do. But the point remains that I don’t really care about humanizing a serial killer, nor do I get any enjoyment at all from seeing young women turned into dismembered corpses. The Voices is terrifyingly dark and no amount of humour will remove the queasiness of the premise. Reynolds completists (even those with a liking for the rude-and-crude Deadpool) may have an even harder time than others making it through this.

  • Free Guy (2021)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Disney Streaming, October 2021) Hollywood hasn’t always known what to do with videogames. (Perhaps one day, we’ll gain perspective on the relationship between the two rivals for their audience’s time, and talk about it in the same way we look at Hollywood’s early efforts to talk about television without dismissing it.)  But that’s changing, as videogaming is firmly into the mainstream, and more filmmakers have experience playing games. Free Guy is interesting in many ways, not the least of them being how it acknowledges the toxicity of online gaming, while still delivering a fundamentally optimistic and upbeat film. A comedy taking a very fanciful look at an online gaming universe that spawns a self-aware non-playing character, Free Guy makes a lot of mileage out of having Ryan Reynolds as its headliner. His irrepressible charisma, combined with his well-established smiling personas, makes him an ideal actor for the role of a character coming to life and changing the virtual world around him. (Taika Waititi also has a featured role as an overbearing tech magnate.)  Crammed with more jokes, references and cameos than I could grasp, Free Guy is a buoyant science-fiction comedy that feels very much of the moment—the merger of Disney with Fox having happened as the film was in production, it’s barely a surprise if the film throws in a few references to the Avengers and Star Wars under the common umbrella of the Mouse. It’s simply a fun film, and that does set it apart (slightly) from a lot of the doom-and-gloom of the moment. I had a surprisingly good time watching it (despite being annoyed at some of the plotting along the way) and Free Guy should appeal even to those without an encyclopedic knowledge of videogames.

  • Turbo (2013)

    Turbo (2013)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, July 2021) I’m always surprised at the films that fell in-between the cracks of my avid movie-watching. To be fair, animated family film Turbo came out at a time when I was busier raising an infant than going to the theatres. It was part of my Netflix watchlist for years, but it just didn’t feel essential. Honestly, even after watching it, Turbo still doesn’t feel essential—but the result is entertaining enough in a wholly familiar key. Blending a comic high-concept (a fast… snail!) with the icky creatures and racing hardware so beloved of the boys more likely to be the film’s audience, Turbo tells us about a snail with aspirations to race the Indianapolis 500. Obviously, we’re not aiming for strict mimetic realism here, so by the time the film uses a Fast and the Furious-type scene to infuse the protagonist’s snail DNA with nitrous oxide, you either hop on for the ride or get left behind. A few complications are required in order to make the result’s running length commercially acceptable, and those take the form of a taco restaurant co-owner and a half-dozen other snails (not nitro-DNA infused) with a thirst for speed. By the time the DreamWorks Animation film finally makes its way to Indianapolis, the ensemble cast of voice actors (led by Ryan Reynolds, but with notables such as Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Peña, Snoop Dog and Michelle Rodriguez all making themselves heard) has had the chance to deliver a few gags. Aimed at the under-12 set, the plotting relies a lot on a selective take of “There ain’t no rules saying a snail can’t race!” (Ignoring the rather detailed technical specifications dictating what can race in the Indy 500) but then again: not mimetic realism. What Turbo does amount to, if you’re willing to give it a chance, is a reasonably entertaining kid’s adventure with plenty of side gags to bolster a straightforward narrative. The technical details are convincing, and the film makes a surprising amount of mileage on anthropomorphizing creatures that, well, aren’t known to be cuddly and cute. It’s a rare Hollywood film to feature a French-Canadian character, but I have problems with Bill Hader’s terrible accent, considering that it smacked more of a caricature of European French than Canadian French. Still, much of Turbo works rather well — fast pacing, comic complications, great animation and done: an animated family film that’s worth watching if you haven’t already.

  • The Croods: A New Age (2020)

    The Croods: A New Age (2020)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, June 2021) I don’t recall being overly impressed by the first film in the Croods series, but sequel The Croods: A New Age does feel like a step-up. Now that the tedious origin story is done, the script seems freer to go in interesting directions, and so this one brings the Croods in contact with more modern counterparts. The result occasionally feels a lot like a modernized version of The Flintstones, what with stone-age inventions meant to highlight comic anachronisms. While A New Age doesn’t quite let go of the sentimentalism of the first film, it manages to integrate it far better with the jokes and the narrative — as a result, there are fewer dull moments and a climax that does bring everything in service of a strong finish. Vocally, the standout duo here is Nicolas Cage going against Peter Dinklage, although Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds are also distinctive. Still, much of the film’s fun is in the sight gags and energetic animation — with a few recurring gags, such as the antagonists taking every opportunity to learn from the protagonists’ efforts to escape. It’s not exactly a great family movie, but it’s more than good enough to be worth a look, and it’s entertaining throughout without losing itself along the way. While I didn’t exactly ask for A New Age, I’m now not completely against a third one in the series…

  • School of Life (2005)

    School of Life (2005)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On TV, May 2021) I thought I was reasonably up-to-date on Ryan Reynolds movies, but I had managed to skip School of Life. It’s not an unforgivable oversight, considering that the film was originally made for TV (at a time when such distinctions mattered more than today) and only plays these days because Reynolds played in it during the ascendant phase of his career. The curious aspect of his role is that, despite it being from Reynold’s pre-fame days, it’s very much in-line with his persona. He plays an inspiring, sarcastic teacher who quickly charms students and faculty of a small private school through unusual teaching techniques and creates a rapport with everyone. What’s interesting, however, is that Reynolds is not the film’s main character, nor is the film built around him inspiring students. No, School of Life’s main character is another teacher (played by David Paymer), struggling to get away from his later father’s all-encompassing legacy over the school. Much of the film is spent chronicling our protagonist’s evolution from boring biology teacher to inspiring “life sciences” mentor, facilitated by the example set by Reynold’s character. The film itself would be merely fine if it wasn’t for Reynolds — a heartwarming kind of thing with an adult focus that does much to ensure that it’s watchable by the entire family. But Reynolds’ supporting performance is highlighted for a good reason — it brings the entire film up a notch with his ridiculously easy charm and quippy repartee. I suspect that much of his material was tailored for him, so clearly does it fit with the screen persona he developed over the next fifteen years. It does make School of Life worth a look if ever it pops up on the schedule: it’s not purely a comedy for spoilerish (but predictable) reasons, but it does remain interesting even despite some less-polished moments along the way.

  • 6 Underground (2019)

    6 Underground (2019)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, December 2020) Even in the best circumstances, I have very mixed feelings about Michael Bay movies. 6 Underground is a good example of that: moments of visual kinetic brilliance, constantly undermined by an ugly script and an even more loathsome attitude. To be fair, we’ve known since Bad Boys II that Bay, when given an R rating, will turn into an outspoken psychopath: it’s not enough to have violence when there can be gory violence, and black comedy cedes way to sociopathic disregard for elemental human decency. But 6 Underground takes it another step further by wallowing into ugliness from top to bottom: Troublingly enough, it adopts vigilantism as an ethos, making a hero out of a billionaire who eschews any kind of accountability in favour of globetrotting unsanctioned violence. Having that character played by Ryan Reynolds certainly softens the blow, but anyone taking a step back from the film’s unquestioned assumptions should be worried: killing people in increasingly grand-guignolesque ways seems to be all right as long as you’ve got money and impeccable justification, which only works in the movies. 6 Underground has a fetish-like devotion to the idea of characters faking their deaths, which apparently grants them superhuman powers or something like that. Much of its most pretentious musings could have been acceptable in a more tonally controlled film, but 6 Underground doesn’t have the patience or the focus to be consistent: it veers from juvenile comedy to eyeball-gouging violence in an instant, barely stopping to make good use of its own strengths. Because, yes, for all of the immature bloodthirstiness and glorification of unaccountable murder, there are a few good moments here and there. True to his reputation as a purveyor of Bayhem, there are two strong sequences that rival anything else in the contemporary action cinema canon: a fast-paced car chase through Florence, and a gunfight atop a high-rise with an ominously large aquarium. Trim the excessive violence and you’d have something significantly better. (I’d like vigilantism to go as well, but I’m being realistic – America will only give up its dreams and aspirations to arbitrarily kill anyone it wants from its cold dead hands.) I am interested in 6 Underground for its technical prowess in assembling a fast-paced action film, and utterly repulsed at its embrace of psychopathy at all levels. It wouldn’t be a Michael Bay movie otherwise.

  • Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

    Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Cable TV, January 2020) I don’t have much direct experience with Pokémon (I was clearly too old to respond to the craze when it first hit North America in the late 1990s), and that places me in a strange position in trying to evaluate Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. On the one hand, I clearly don’t have enough knowledge to evaluate how well the film reuses the series’ mythology on the big screen. On the other hand, I had quite a good time immersing myself in the imagined world portrayed here in which humans co-exist with fantastic creatures. Showcasing a Science Fiction noir atmosphere is another surefire way to get my interest. The plot itself is very familiar and toned down somewhat to address a younger audience, but fortunately, there’s more than the plot to take in. Namely, we have Ryan Reynolds providing colour commentary as Pikachu, coming closest (as many others have said) to reprising Deadpool for the PG set. Reynold’s irreverent patter does a lot to elevate Detective Pikachu from the usual doldrums of contemporary fantasy movies for kids—the sass and reaction lines are often genuinely funny and add a lot to the result. Once you throw in the numerous special effects that manage to create the reality of the film’s world (and throw in a vertiginous forest-set action sequence), the result is a bit better than expected and more distinctive than many others. Director Rob Letterman keeps a lot of things going and the result is simply fun for the entire family. I’m glad I got my first full-sized introduction to the franchise through Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. By the time the sequel rolls in, I expect my daughter to have schooled me in the finer aspects of the mythology.

  • The Nines (2007)

    The Nines (2007)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, March 2019) It took me twelve years to make my way to The Nines, and I’m glad I eventually did. I guarantee you won’t guess where it ends from where it begins, as it starts with Ryan Reynolds playing an actor on house arrest, but then becomes weirder as clues accumulate that we shouldn’t take that reality for granted. Eventually, we end up in science-fiction thriller territory, with three stories crashing into each other in ways that are increasingly strange. It does make sense in the end, even though the final impact is lesser than could have been anticipated twenty-five minutes in. One good reason to watch The Nines is the number of pre-stardom actors showing up: Reynolds lends his charm to three linked roles, while Octavia Spencer uncharacteristically shows impressive cleavage, and most notably Melissa McCarthy shows up here as a rather sweet character before her post-Bridesmaids screen persona settled (at least temporarily) on an abrasive nature. Her stripped down, classically traditional performance will make converts of those who couldn’t stand her in the 2010s. Taking a step back, there’s a quite a bit of fun in putting the various said and unsaid layers of the story together—the “Nine” symbolism isn’t hard to see (although 9 as “I, X” or if you prefer “I, an unknown” isn’t dwelled upon) but the film has fun blending together acting, writing and videogames into a panopticon of assumed identities. I’m a bit annoyed that it took me twelve years to see The Nines—while it’s not the greatest film ever made, it’s a happy discovery and one that may play better now than in 2007 due to the rising fortunes of its stars and how we perceive them … adding another layer to writer-director John August’s film.

  • Deadpool 2 (2018)

    Deadpool 2 (2018)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (On Cable TV, February 2019) One of my reactions to the first Deadpool film was a vague foreboding that this was the kind of movie you could only do once—that the joke would quickly overplay itself in a sequel. Now that Deadpool 2 is here, well, it does manage to avoid most of the problems that it could have had. It doesn’t take things easy—although with a bigger budget to play with, the bigger scope shouldn’t come as a surprise. Obviously, it does acknowledge its own status as a sequel and visibly tries to do what it can to avoid common sequels pitfalls. There’s a real emotional scaffolding built to support the crass jokes, and it does lead to a surprisingly involving conclusion that plays both with emotions and laughs. Surprisingly enough, the result does not overstay its welcome. The commentary on a few more years’ worth of superhero movies is something only a Deadpool film could get away with, and the script once again finds a sweet spot between parody and doing its own thing. Thanks to director David Leitch, of John Wick fame, the film has some spectacular action/CGI sequences—perhaps the best being a mad truck sequence through a city. Ryan Reynolds is up to his usual mix of charm and good-natured profanity, and he gets two good assists from the fantastic Zazie Beetz and a growling Josh Brolin—who manages to create as a credible antagonist in a comedy film. While I’m still not entirely comfortable with the amount of gore and language in Deadpool 2, it’s true that Deadpool would not be Deadpool without them. Considering the results, I’m surprisingly more upbeat than I thought I’d be at the prospect of an inevitable Deadpool 3.

  • The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017)

    The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, July 2018) You’d be forgiven for thinking that The Hitman’s Bodyguard would end up being another one of those run-of-the-mill action/comedy hybrids, with decent but not overwhelming amounts of both and a tendency to aim for the middle in a bid to make sure that the comedy crowd doesn’t get too disturbed along the way. But within moments, it becomes obvious that this film is going to play the action angle as hard as it can, showcasing a far bloodier kind of violence than is the norm for these movies. The action is a bit more elaborate and frantic, and the body count is definitely higher to the point of settling for a very dark kind of comedy. (Behind the scenes, much is explained by the fact that the film had its origin as an action drama, with the comedy added after casting was finalized.) Fortunately, in other ways, The Hitman’s Bodyguard does play it safer: by featuring Ryan Reynolds as the bodyguard and Samuel L. Jackson at the hitman, the film can rely on both actors’ established screen personas, Reynolds quipping like the best of them while Jackson curses up enough of a storm to be commented upon by his partner. Their back-and-forth is as good as these things usually get. Salma Hayek also brings a bit of expected spice as a fiery character cheerfully playing into her own persona and cultural heritage—it’s familiar, even stereotypical stuff, but it certainly works. I also liked Élodie Yung, but that’s because I like Élodie Yung in general—her character is a bit blander than the others, perhaps because the film’s overstuffed with strong personalities as it is. And that goes for the film as well—while it would have been a bit better without so much bloodshed, the result is surprisingly engaging, even in the middle of yet another car chase and familiar banter. Amsterdam makes for a fun backdrop, the action is furious, the comedy works and the actors deliver what they’re hired for. I don’t think that The Hitman’s Bodyguard will have much of a long shelf-life (although a sequel is coming, so that’s that), but it’s an entertaining enough diversion—although, once again, I could have used a bit less blood along the way.

  • Life (2017)

    Life (2017)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Video On-Demand, July 2017) I really wanted to like Life more than I did. After all, while I’m not all that fond of yet another monster-in-space horror/SF movie, the idea of making such a film following the hyper-real example of Gravity (which Life really wants to emulate down to very similar opening tracking shots and South-Asian finale) is intriguing, and so is the cast, leading with the always-sympathetic Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal. I’m even open to downbeat finales, provided they make some kind of thematic and plotting sense. But from the first few moments, something is off with Life, and the problems just escalate from there. The issues start with a needlessly obscured “catch the satellite” sequence that barely makes physical sense, but then they get worse as a magical alien life form shows up with no other goal than to kill everyone in increasingly gruesome ways. The impossibly intelligent creature soon makes mincemeat out of the crew, helped along with an absurd succession of dumb character/screenwriting decisions that clearly show that the deck is stacked against a happy ending. The horror sequences are more stomach-churning than entertaining, and the downbeat conclusion depends on a flip of a coin. While it’s kind of daring to kill off your most charismatic character first, and to doom the entire human race by the end, it doesn’t really make for an entertaining movie. Life ends by leaving viewers with the impression of having brushed against something repulsive … which really doesn’t help repeat viewings. For all of the high-tech gloss that makes Life so intriguing, director Daniel Espinosa’s halfway competent execution doesn’t really mask the problems with the script. My tolerance for unhappy endings is growing smaller and smaller every year (and it was never really all that forgiving in the first place), so when an everybody-dies-horribly film like Life comes along, I find it ever easier to dismiss it almost completely.

  • Deadpool (2016)

    Deadpool (2016)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, October 2016) The behind-the-scenes context surrounding Deadpool (a passion project for Ryan Reynolds, his occasion to atone for Wolverine and Green Lantern; perhaps his last chance to establish himself as a blockbuster lead megastar; the risky bet of an R-rated superhero movie; the unexpected box-office triumph of the film; the provocative comparisons with Batman vs Superman; and so on…) is almost more interesting than the film itself … which is saying something considering how successful the result on-screen can be. Deadpool arrives at a perfect time in the evolution of superhero movies—a time when the basics have been covered, a time at which superhero fatigue is settling in and experimentation can be rewarded. Hence the success of a satirical (but not parodic) take on the usual superhero origin story, commenting on its predecessors, frequently breaking the fourth wall and delivering far more R-rated violence, sexual content and vulgarity than is the norm in mainstream superhero PG-13-land. Ryan Reynolds finally crackles and shines as the lead character, using charm and humour to enliven a character that could have been unbearable played by someone else. Morena Baccarin more than holds her own as the female lead, playing a more interesting character than usual for this kind of role. Deadpool is all about its irreverence, and it consciously dials down the scale and scope of its story in favour of finely tuned execution. It certainly works, what with structural backflips, taut editing, rapid-fire gags and enough satirical jabs to confound anyone who hasn’t been seeing enough superhero movies. It’s not perfect, almost by design: the profanity-laced humour doesn’t always avoid feeling juvenile, the lightweight story is familiar despite its successful execution and it’s very much a film made for the comic-book crowd. (More general audiences aren’t necessarily excluded, but trying to explain even short jokes like “Stewart or McAvoy?” can take a while.) Still, it’s a fun movie to watch, and it certainly meets the considerable expectations that it had to meet from its core audience. Unfortunately, there will be a sequel … and that one will have to try twice as hard not to become an ugly parody of itself. We’ll see.

  • Criminal (2016)

    Criminal (2016)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Video on Demand, July 2016) There’s something unintentionally amusing in seeing Ryan Reynolds in Criminal as a man whose personality gets transferred into a new body … given that’s pretty much what happened to his characters in Self/Less, RIPD and The Change-Up as well. There are a few crucial differences, though, and the first being that actor Reynolds is sent home early in Criminal after a short thrilling sequence that concludes with his death. The film’s real lead is Kevin Costner, as an unredeemable psychopath who ends up being an ideal memory transfer subject. Much of the movie is a standard terrorist chase through London, but there are enough wrinkles here to keep anyone interested: In particular, the dramatic tension between Reynolds’s do-good protagonist and Costner’s morally empty anti-hero is surprisingly compelling. There’s an impressive roster of known actors in small roles, from Tommy Lee Jones as a reluctant scientist to Gary Oldman as a CIA manager intent on cracking the case, with Gal Gadot as a non-super-heroic turn as the wife of Reynold’s character. As a blend of thrills and SF ideas, Criminal is competent. Less fortunately, director Ariel Vromen seem content in doing things conventionally, and it wouldn’t have been difficult to imagine the film playing out more grandiosely, taking fuller advantage of its set-pieces. The action scenes are fine, but they could have been done better. Still, wasted potential is more interesting than no potential, and if Criminal didn’t do blockbuster business during its brief theatrical run, it’s got enough of a budget, stars and ideas to make it a more than decent cable-TV choice.

  • Self/Less (2015)

    Self/Less (2015)

    ByChristian Sauvé Movie Review

    (Netflix Streaming, May 2016) If you ask written Science Fiction fans why they’re so frequently annoyed by media SF, you’re likely to get variations on a common theme: Media SF doesn’t do much with the ideas it plays with. It’s rare to see a SF movie that plays with ideas longer than the duration of a trailer: More often, the SF premise leads to an intensely familiar plot transplanted from other genres almost as-is. A representative example of this problem can be found in Self/Less, which barely has time to explain its premise (Rich old dying man transplanted in younger body, discovers that the body belonged to someone else and vows to fight those who lied to him before then exterminate him) before settling into a very familiar chase thriller. It’s not exactly a new premise (although viewers should be forgiven if they don’t remember 1966’s Seconds), but the execution’s lack of wit instantly relegates Self/Less to undistinguished bargain bin status. Too bad for Ryan Reynolds, who once again doesn’t have much of a role to play. Too bad for Ben Kingsley, who deserves better. Too bad, too for director Tarsem Singh, who delivers perhaps the blandest film of an otherwise colourful career: Aside from some memory flashes, there’s little in Self/Less to justify using a strongly visual director like Singh. The result, sadly, is almost instantly forgettable: The plot is bland, the action sequences are dull and the emotional beats are intensely predictable. For a film based on class exploitation (as in “being rich enough to buy a new body”), Self/Less doesn’t seem particularly interested in exploring them, nor anything else moderately interesting. While Self/Less is competently made, it’s also safe to the point of being featureless. No wonder SF fans often prefer turning to a good book.