Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: The Batman. The Riddler (Paul Dano) shocks Gotham by killing the mayor just days before the election, the first in a series of high-profile crimes exposing corruption at the city’s highest levels. Batman (Robert Pattinson) assists Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) with the police investigation. While following the Riddler’s clues, he tangles with Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz), a cat burglar looking for answers of her own.

The Batman is a superhero crime thriller set in a new version of the DC Universe. The film delves deeper into the seedy underbelly of Gotham: the corruption of its political elite, the madness stalking its streets, and the crime bosses like Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) and the Penguin (Colin Farrell) fueling it all. New ideas, a grounded setting, and a winding mystery make The Batman a solid entry into the franchise.

The Batman takes a different approach than previous incarnations of the character. Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne is very much an outsider, all but eschewing his civilian identity to spend his nights stalking the streets of Gotham. The film amplifies his outsider status in countless subtle ways, from his body language to the way the camera frames him. The result is someone who feels both more human and more alien than the average superhero.

The plot takes notes from other crime thrillers. The Riddler is reimagined as a serial killer with an agenda, and his riddles are a way of drawing Batman closer to the truth. The dynamic works surprisingly well. Each riddle deepens the mystery, while the competing agendas of Batman, Selina, The Riddler, the police, and Carmine Falcone make the situation volatile and unpredictable.

The Batman also scores points with its atmosphere and setting. Its version of Gotham is a sordid place where suffering is rampant and secrets lurk around every corner. Despite Bruce’s vigilante crusade, crime rates have continued to soar, and his father’s philanthropic legacy is all but dead. The film supplements its gritty setting with attentive camerawork that shows the characters and the city in a new light.

Still, the film has a few limitations. Pattinson’s take on Batman will not suit everyone. Young, intense, and tormented, he’s still a long way from the paragon of justice seen in other media. The combat vacillates between superhero rules and something a little closer to reality, leading to odd moments where Batman comes across as too human. And while the world and plot are both handled well, there is nothing truly iconic to latch onto.

The Batman may not be the best incarnation of the character, but it is an engaging one. Fans of superhero movies, action movies, or the crime genre will find something to like. The effort it puts into its world, its characters, and its story allow it to cover a lot of ground. While The Batman may not resonate with everyone, it makes its mark on the franchise with a healthy blend of new and classic ideas. Give it a try if you’re interested.

For another crime-oriented take on Batman, try Batman Begins or The Dark Knight. For a version of the character that’s older, more accomplished, and even more isolated, try Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. For an animated superhero movie with a similar sense of mystery, try Batman: The Long Halloween or Batman: Hush.

[8.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877830/). I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for a strong mystery, a rich world, and a fresh direction for the character.

“Yes, man. Get it, man.” —Obike Fixx

Today’s quick review: Futuresport. Ten years after Obike Fixx (Wesley Snipes) invented Futuresport, Tre Ramzey (Dean Cain) has become its star. But in the process, he has alienated Alex Torres (Vanessa L. Williams), his ex-girlfriend and a dedicated reporter. Tre and Alex are forced to set aside their differences when Eric Sythe (J.R. Bourne), the leader of the Hawaiian Liberation Organization, targets them for his latest terrorist attack.

Futuresport is a sci-fi sports action movie set in the year 2025. The titular sport is a violent mix of handball and skateboarding used to settle disputes between street gangs. The plot revolves around Tre, an egotistical Futuresport champion who must return to his roots to foil the plans of the HLO. Futuresport is a light movie that earns points with its outlandish vision of the future but squanders them with mediocre craftsmanship.

Futuresport’s flaws are numerous. Tre makes for an oddly static protagonist. His character arc is supposed to be about him learning to be a team player, but his cocky attitude never changes. The props, sets, and special effects look flimsy, resulting in blatantly artificial action scenes. Even the sport itself is dealt a bad hand; the movie rushes through its Futuresport games, and they are never given the weight they deserve.

Still, for all its faults, Futuresport has a charm that only a handful of other movies attain. The world-building is audacious, daring to rearrange geopolitics in ludicrous ways. The plot is optimistic, positing that one athlete can change the world through the love of his sport. The characters are designed around specific personality traits and never deviate from them. The end result is a movie that’s cheesy in all the right ways.

Futuresport is ultimately a movie with niche appeal. If you go into it looking for sensible speculation, resonant characters, and polished action, you will be sorely disappointed. But those with a taste for schlocky sci-fi may find that it’s a fun movie, even if not for the right reasons. Give it a shot if you’re curious.

For another science fiction movie about a violence, futuristic sport, try either version of Rollerball. For a similarly wild use of Wesley Snipes, try Demolition Man. For another offbeat vision of the future, try Johnny Mnemonic, Judge Dredd, Super Mario Bros., or Escape from L.A. For another high-stakes game with more intentional comedy, try Space Jam.

[4.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158409/). I give it a 5.5 for flaky quality offset by unexpected charm.

Today’s quick review: The Detonator. Sonni Griffith (Wesley Snipes), a DHS agent known for his cowboy tactics, travels to Romania to investigate Jozef Bostanescu (Tim Dutton), a millionaire arms dealer. To keep Griffith out of trouble, Shepard (William Hope), a CIA agent, and Flint (Michael Brandon), the CIA station chief, assign him to protect Nadia Cominski (Silvia Colloca), a CIA witness that Bostanescu wants dead.

The Detonator is an action thriller starring Wesley Snipes. While on a mission to Bucharest, Griffith is ambushed, forcing him to go on the run with the woman he was meant to protect. The Detonator colors within the lines when it comes to the action genre. Everything from the hero to the villain to the plot twist obeys convention. With that said, the movie does a fair job with the formula, especially given what appears to be a limited budget.

The Detonator’s greatest strength is that it avoid the missteps seen in other budget picks. Griffith is competent at both combat and tactics, making him a fine character to follow. Bostanescu resorts to generic villainy a little too much, but the story does a good job of making him a threat. The plot is not especially deep, but it does have a tangible progression. And while the action isn’t novel, there is quite a bit of it.

The result is a fine but highly forgettable action flick. Give The Detonator a shot if you’re a fan of the budget side of the action genre. It comes closer than some of its peers to the standard set by more ambitious films. But it fails to add anything new to the genre, making it a poor choice for fans looking for something new.

For a more compelling story about betrayal at a CIA safe house, try Safe House. For an action thriller about a killer protecting a wanted woman, try Hitman, Hitman: Agent 47, or The Transporter. For a Wesley Snipes thriller in a similar vein, try The Contractor, The Marksman, or 7 Seconds.

[4.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345461/). I give it a 6.0 for generic but functional action.

Today’s quick review: Hard Luck. The sole survivor of an arms deal gone bad, Lucky (Wesley Snipes), a reformed criminal, gets away with two cases containing $500,000 in cash. Along the way, he carjacks Angela (Jacquelyn Quinones), a stripper who demands a share of the money. But their flight from the law takes a bad turn when they cross paths with Cass (Cybill Shepherd) and Chang (James Hiroyuki Liao), a pair of sadistic serial killers.

Hard Luck is a crime drama with black comedy elements. Wesley Snipes stars as Lucky, a New York hustler who made an honest effort to turn his life around, only to get dealt a bad hand. On the run from a crooked cop (Kevin Chapman) and an honest one (Mario Van Peebles), Lucky’s only ally is a stripper who barely trusts him. Stylized presentation and a suitably convoluted plot are offset by mismatched plot threads and an uneven tone.

Hard Luck has the makings of a fun movie. Lucky and Angela get along well: two strong, flawed personalities who are neither as cruel nor as greedy as the people around them. Seeing them gradually come to trust each other is satisfying, as is seeing them try to find a way out of the bind they are in. Hard Luck also spruces up its story with an active presentation style, using music, color, and camerawork to keep things fresh.

Where Hard Luck runs into problems is figuring out what to do with its setup. The movie attempts to marry two very different plots: Lucky’s race to get away with the cash, and Cass and Chang’s spree of kidnapping and torture. What it ends up with is jarring. Cass and Chang’s story is far darker than anything else in the movie. By indulging in it, Hard Luck not only sacrifices its jaunty tone but robs the main plot of a much-needed climax.

Hard Luck has the ingredients of a interesting crime flick, but it gambles them away on a darker and less compelling secondary plot thread. Those with a taste for the twisted will get something out of it, as will those who are willing to put up with the darker parts for the sake of the lighter ones. But anyone looking for a breezy adventure or a fully realized story will want to try elsewhere.

For a stylized crime drama and black comedy with similar ideas, try 68 Kill. For a thriller about a boy caught in a world of rapists and killers, try Running Scared. For a winding crime drama with better presentation, try Pulp Fiction or Jackie Brown. For a more comedic one, try Get Shorty. For a noir mystery with similar snatches of style, try The Big Bang. For a surreal satire about two loving serial killers, try Natural Born Killers.

[5.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489070/). I give it a 6.0 for likable characters, snatches of style, and a mishandled tone.

Today’s quick review: The Marksman. The Painter (Wesley Snipes) is an American soldier who specializes in painting targets for air strikes. His skills get put to use when Johnathan Tensor (William Hope) orders him to Chechnya, where Igor Zaysan (Dan Badaru), a rogue Russian general, plans to turn an abandoned nuclear reactor into a bomb. But when the evac is sabotaged, the Painter and his team are dropped into the jaws of a trap.

The Marksman is a budget action movie starring Wesley Snipes. A team of American soldiers infiltrates Chechnya to set up an air strike, only to run into unforeseen complications. The Marksman is a basic action flick with no frills. Cheap stunts, a generic hero, and a plot with exactly one twist let it check the boxes of the genre without going to much trouble. The result is a serviceable but unexceptional watch with limited appeal.

The Marksman shows its budget in countless subtle ways. The bombed-out buildings and crumbling concrete structures are justified by the setting, but they still feel a little too abandoned. The firefights are passable but not especially creative, relying on basic gunplay and a few explosions for most of the thrills. Finally, while the movie avoids any glaring plot holes, some of the details don’t line up very well.

Nothing in The Marksman disqualifies it, and fans of the budget action genre will get almost exactly what they were promised. But aside from the one plot twist and some very mild intrigue about the Painter’s past, the movie has nothing memorable or attention-grabbing. Most viewers will do better elsewhere.

For Wesley Snipes as a similar character, try Unstoppable, The Contractor, or 7 Seconds. For a higher-profile action thriller about an American operation to recover Russian nukes, try The Peacemaker. For a budget action thriller with some of the same flavor, try Direct Contact.

[4.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457090/). I give it a 5.0 for mediocre action and an adequate but uninspiring story.

Today’s quick review: 7 Seconds. Jack Tuliver (Wesley Snipes), an American thief working in Romania, hits the jackpot when his armored car robbery turns up a lost Van Gogh. But his elation proves short-lived when Alexsie (Pete Lee-Wilson), a Russian gangster, kills Jack’s team and kidnaps his girlfriend Suza (Georgina Rylance). Meanwhile, Kelly Anders (Tamzin Outhwaite), an unlucky NATO officer, tries to track down Jack to clear her name.

7 Seconds is a budget action thriller about a thief trying to extract himself from a tight spot. His plan in shambles, his team dead, and the police hot on his heels’, Jack must use the Van Gogh as a bargaining chip to convince Alexsie to release Suza. 7 Seconds features energetic action scenes and a plot that’s full of twists and turns. However, a host of minor flaws keeps it from taking full advantage of its premise.

To its credit, 7 Seconds delivers on action. From the moment Jack kicks off the robbery, the movie never slows down for long. His chases through the streets of Bucharest, his fights with Alexsie’s men, and his verbal and physical sparring with Kelly are enough to keep the adrenaline pumping. None of the stunts are groundbreaking, and there are places where they fall flat, but the quantity and energy are high for a budget title.

However, 7 Seconds overplays its hand. Every time it comes up with a clever plot hook or an interesting dynamic, it runs it into the ground. What appears to be a simple betrayal unravels into an overly complicated gambit with too many parties to keep track of. The action scenes are flashy but tend to overstay their welcome. And while the flirting between Jack and Kelly is cute at first, their relationship never grows past that stage.

7 Seconds is a fine pick for fans of Wesley Snipes or budget action movies in general, but critical viewers will find its quality lacking. 7 Seconds has three major points in its favor—a viable setup, action that actually moves, and a dash of mystery—but it never figures out what to do with them. As such, it finds itself handily outclassed by action movies that have a clearer vision.

For a more balanced heist movie about a betrayal among thieves, try The Italian Job. For another action thriller about a robbery gone bad, try Momentum. For another Wesley Snipes movie about a criminal on the run in Europe, try The Contractor. For a tighter action thriller, try Wanted or John Wick.

[4.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417395/). I give it a 6.0 for high energy action hurt by miscalibrated storytelling.

Today’s quick review: Zig Zag. Louis “Zig Zag” Fletcher (Sam Jones III), a teenager with a learning disability, spends time with his mentor Singer (John Leguizamo) to get away from his abusive father David (Wesley Snipes). But when Louis steals $9000 from his boss Mr. Walters (Oliver Platt) and loses the money to his father, Singer has to help Louis come up with a plan to pay it back.

Zig Zag is a drama about the life of a special teenage boy. Battered by his father and disenchanted with school, Louis gets by with the help of Singer, a warehouse worker suffering from cancer, and the handful of other people who treat him with respect. The movie does a good job of showing the world from Louis’s perspective and exposing him to new ideas. However, its meandering plot will not be for everyone.

Zig Zag’s strength lies in its characters. Louis may take a while for the audience to get used to, but he ultimately makes for a likable character. His unique perspective on the world puts an innocent spin on what would otherwise be a depressing story. For his part, Singer is a loyal friend. He has his flaws, but he always puts Louis’s needs above his own and does his best to prepare Louis for an uncaring world.

Still, Zig Zag can be a little too realistic for its own good. The plot follows the chaotic rhythm of Louis’s life, lurching from work to home to Singer and back. To the extent that there is a main plot thread, it involves the lump of cash that Louis stole from his boss. But between a passive main character and the many distractions along the way, the movie has a hard time building up momentum or reaching an effective climax.

Zig Zag holds niche appeal. If you are interested in a character-driven drama that involves hardship, Zig Zag may be an interesting pick. Although it lacks the emotional richness that it could have had, its characters are pleasant to spend time with and its story has a quirky appeal to it. But the same aspects that make Zig Zag unique make it a less-than-appealing watch for those just looking for something easy. Approach with caution.

For a drama about a man with a similar disability, try Rain Man. For a surreal crime thriller about a boy on his own in a dangerous city, try Running Scared. For a sports drama about a man mentoring inner city children, try Hardball. For a tonally similar drama, try Hard Surfaces, The High Cost of Living, or Powder Blue.

[5.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0271885/). I give it a 6.5 for good character work and a hit-or-miss story.

Today’s quick review: Liberty Stands Still. Liberty Wallace (Linda Fiorentino), the vice-president of a gun company, has her shady dealings catch up with her when Joe (Wesley Snipes) uses a sniper rifle and a bomb to trap her in the middle of a park. As the police and the media gather around, Joe explains to Liberty that he holds her and her husband Victor (Oliver Platt), the CEO of the company, responsible for the shooting of his daughter.

Liberty Stands Still is a crime thriller about a woman held hostage by a sniper. Over the course of an hour-long phone call, Joe walks Liberty through his demands while orchestrating a media circus to get his message out. Liberty Stands Still features strong acting, deftly handled suspense, and just enough of a mystery to keep the plot moving. But even though its execution is capable, one or two flaws mar its value as a story.

Liberty Stands Still does a skillful job of keeping the tension high. Although Joe keeping Liberty in his crosshairs is necessarily static, the film comes up with clever ways to keep things interesting. The gradual escalation of the police response, Victor’s corporate answer to Joe’s demands, and the slow revelation of what Joe wants and what Liberty and her husband are guilty of all make for a gripping thriller.

However, Liberty Stands Still has a couple of issues that hold it back. One is that it has an axe to grind. The movie is overtly political, using Joe as a mouthpiece to talk about gun violence. Rather than asking questions that could give the situation nuance, it takes his stance as a given. The other main shortcoming is that Liberty has very little counterplay. She stands and talks to Joe while other characters act around her.

Liberty Stands Still has the skill to be an interesting watch, but how much you get out of it will vary. Although the movie does not have the kind of masterful plot work seen in similar crime thrillers, its acting and presentation carry it a long way. Ultimately, it is worth a watch for the curious but easy to skip for those not interested in either its premise or its political message.

For another thriller about a sniper with an agenda, try Phone Booth or Grand Piano. For a cat-and-mouse thriller about a vengeful father who uses violence to attack a corrupt system, try Law-Abiding Citizen. For a dramatic black comedy about an ordinary man who snaps, try Falling Down. For a crime drama about the gun trade, try Lord of War.

[5.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280870/). I give it a 6.5 for good tension offset by a few missteps.

Today’s quick review: New Jack City. As a cocaine epidemic sweeps New York, Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) takes his drug empire to new heights, setting up shop in a fortified apartment complex and letting his brother Gee Money (Allen Payne) run the operation. But Nino faces his first real threat when Scotty Appleton (Ice-T) and Nick Peretti (Judd Nelson), a pair of unruly cops, recruit a drug addict (Chris Rock) to infiltrate his operation.

New Jack City is a crime drama about a cocaine kingpin and the undercover narcotics officers determined to take him down. Wesley Snipes stars as Nino Brown, a criminal whose brains and ruthlessness have taken him to the top of New York’s underworld. New Jack City follows Nino as he makes a series of dangerous gambits to expand his empire, as well as the police as they take chances of their own.

New Jack City’s greatest asset is Nino himself. Wesley Snipes is a perfect fit for the part, bringing just the right mixture of cunning, violence, and hubris. No matter how often the movie tries to put Scotty in the driver’s seat, New Jack City is Nino’s story. He has the same dark appeal as other criminal protagonists, and the numerous failed attempts to bring him down only make the character work better.

Unfortunately, the police do not fare as well. Scotty and Nick are thin characters, ineffectual cops who spend their time arguing and lecturing each other about drugs. They show glimmers of humanity here and there, such as Scotty’s earnest attempt to rehabilitate his informant. But as a rule, they are placeholders who are there to drive the plot, rather than well-developed foils to Nino’s egomania.

Even though it fumbles with its heroes, New Jack City does well overall. Its explicit content, drug use, and violence place it on the mature end of the genre, but anyone looking for a gritty rise-to-power crime drama would do well to give it a shot. Just do not expect the depth or nuance of the best films in the genre.

For another crime drama about a criminal empire, try American Gangster, Scarface, or King of New York. For an even more violent action movie about a police raid on a drug kingpin’s stronghold, try The Raid or Dredd. For a more intricate crime drama about an undercover cop, try The Departed. For another look at the drug trade, try Blow or Traffic.

[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102526/). I give it a 6.5 for a compelling villain.

“Ain’t no champ in here but me!” —George Chambers

Today’s quick review: Undisputed. Heavyweight boxing champion George “Iceman” Chambers (Ving Rhames) loses everything when he is convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison. Determined to get out and reclaim his title, Chambers jumps at the opportunity when Mendy Ripstein (Peter Falk), a cantankerous mobster, offers him early parole in exchange for fighting Monroe Hutchen (Wesley Snipes), the California prison champion.

Undisputed is a crime drama about a prison boxing match. Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes square off as the world champion and a prison favorite, respectively. Undisputed uses flashy presentation and a cutthroat setting to set the stage for their match. While the plot is linear and has few frills, solid characters, tight fight scenes, and a nice sense of progression make it an interesting watch.

Undisputed gets most of its strength from its leads. Chambers and Hutchen are opposites in every way. Chambers is a menacing fighter who relies on strength and dominance to cow his opponents. Hutchen, on the other hand, is a level-headed convict who rarely speaks and uses speed and technique in the ring. Seeing them size each other up and get ready for the fight is one of the main draws of the movie.

Undisputed’s main shortcoming is that the stakes are not as high as it makes them out to be. Hutchen, serving out a life sentence, has nothing on the line except bragging rights, while Chambers cares more about the payout than the fight itself. As such, the movie is missing the personal angle needed to make it truly satisfying, putting it a step below the best fight movies.

Give Undisputed a shot if you’re in the mood for a fight. Undisputed is short on some of the niceties that other sports stories have, but the movie scores with its leads and presentation. Still, its lack of subplots or personal stakes leaves it a little thin, so exacting viewers may want to steer clear.

For a less intense movie about prison sports, try The Longest Yard. For a prison drama without the boxing angle, try The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Cool Hand Luke, or The Last Castle. For another boxing movie, try Rocky, Creed, or Real Steel. For a much more violent, ludicrous prison competition, try Death Race. For an action movie about a fighter just out of prison, try Blood and Bone.

[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281322/). I give it a 6.5 for a credible bout between two tough opponents.