Month: July 2024

Today’s quick review: Blackhat. When a cyber attack takes down a power plant in China, Captain Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) of the PLA recruits his sister Lien (Tang Wei) and his college roommate Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth), a convicted American hacker, to track down the criminal responsible. Following a trail of digital clues, the trio travels around the world to catch up with the hacker and prevent him from walking away with millions of stolen dollars.

Blackhat is an action movie and cyber thriller directed by Michael Mann. The story serves up a blend of conventional action and digital forensics, making for a solid thriller with a couple of good twists. The seriousness with which the movie treats its subject matter is a point in its favor, as is its willingness to throw hard setbacks at its characters. However, a slew of minor flaws keeps it from capitalizing on its strengths.

Blackhat tries too hard to be dramatic, which ends up costing it in other ways. Instead of concentrating its drama on the moments that matter, the movie tries to inject everything with tension, even its more mundane moments. This slows the pacing to a crawl and keeps the characters from having a chance to breathe. As such, the audience has no reason to invest in the character themselves, only the investigation they are a part of.

Blackhat is a decent pick when you are in the mood for a thriller, but its awkward pacing, lackluster character work, and overly dramatic presentation style keep it from flowing the way the best thrillers do. Those willing to put up with its foibles will find that it’s an unusually sober take on the cyber thriller genre, albeit one peppered with action. But thanks to its flaws, casual viewers will want to approach with caution.

For a more colorful crime movie about an ex-hacker getting back in the game, try Swordfish. For a lighter crime movie about digital crime, try Sneakers. For an action thriller with something of a similar flavor, try The Peacemaker. For a globe-trotting action thriller with a more sympathetic protagonist, try The Bourne Identity.

[5.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2717822/). I give it a 6.0 for a solid plot let down by an overly dramatic style.

Today’s quick review: My Name Is Thomas. Thomas (Terence Hill), an old man on a pilgrimage to the Spanish desert, breaks his own rule and picks up a hitchhiker: Lucia (Veronica Bitto), a young woman on her way to Barcelona to visit her aunt. As the two travel by motorcycle across Spain, they connect with each other and share their perspectives on life. But it isn’t long before Lucia’s health issues threaten to cut the trip short.

My Name Is Thomas is an Italian drama about a pensive old man and a troubled young woman who find common ground. The movie aims to be a bittersweet reflection on life, religion, and dying. The minimalistic story gives Thomas and Lucia plenty of time together, and their conflicting personalities are the backbone of the movie. However, poor fundamentals undermine the movie’s efforts, making it a dry and somewhat confusing watch.

My Name Is Thomas never lays the groundwork it needs to make its story work, beginning with its title character. Thomas is framed as a modern-day cowboy, an aging but capable man with a keen sense of honor. But although his character comes across just fine, his personal circumstances do not. The audience is left wondering who he is, why he is going to the desert, and what the book he takes with him is supposed to mean.

The same confusion applies to the story as a whole. There is no hook to reel the audience in and no target for the story to aim for. Instead, My Name Is Thomas meanders without purpose. Lucia causes trouble for Thomas in a series of forgettable incidents, and the two engage in philosophical conversations that are not properly grounded in the story. Topping it all off is some heavy-handed symbolism that adds little to the movie.

My Name Is Thomas falls short of the goals it sets for itself. Its characters have potential but never do anything of note. Its story works as a vehicle for introspection, but it doesn’t have anything meaningful to say. And while it sets up one or two emotional moments later on, they rely on the audience forming a connection with characters they never truly understand. As such, My Name Is Thomas will be a miss for most viewers.

For a dramatic comedy about a man who connects with a mentally troubled hitchhiker, try Arthur Newman. For a more poignant drama about the process of dying, try Seven Pounds or I Want to Eat Your Pancreas. For a more iconic role for Terence Hill, try My Name Is Nobody.

[5.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6292090/). I give it a 4.5 for poorly framed drama.

Today’s quick review: Croupier. Struggling to make ends meet, Jack Manfred (Clive Owen) shelves the novel he is writing and takes a job as a dealer at a casino, where his technical skill and professional demeanor make him an excellent employee. But the nightlife soon drives a wedge between Jack and his girlfriend Marion (Gina McKee), a problem compounded when he meets Jani (Alex Kingston), an alluring gambler who needs his help.

Croupier is a crime drama about a detached writer who takes a job at a casino. Observing the gamblers, getting to know his fellow dealers, and losing himself in the spin of the roulette wheel, Jack gradually morphs into a different person. Croupier is an introspective movie about gambling, the creative process, and one man’s transformation. Interesting ideas and capable acting are hurt by an aimless plot with a mediocre resolution.

What sets Croupier apart is the way it peeks inside Jack’s head. He is not a gambler, but he is every bit as addicted to the game as the customers he serves. The atmosphere of the casino encourages him to take risks with his job and his relationship, all while he observes the changes and uses them for his writing. Jack has a very particular set of values that make him interesting to watch, and Clive Owen’s performance grounds the character nicely.

Croupier has a few issues with its story that will diminish some viewers’ enjoyment. The plot meanders without a clear destination in mind, focusing on Jack’s mental state as he deals with a series of loosely related incidents. This results in stagnant stretches where there is little progression to be had, and the movie tends to break them up with arbitrary developments that create loose ends later on.

How much you get out of Croupier will depend on your taste in storytelling. Those interested in character-focused stories with literary stylings and the apparent randomness of real life will get the most out of the movie. Viewers who prefer tighter plotting and full character arcs may find that the story never quite clicks.

For a darker, more surreal drama about a writer forced to choose between his artistic ideals and a paycheck, check out Barton Fink. For another story about a frustrated writer who turns to other means to achieve success, try The Words. For a drama that explores the temptations of gambling from the other side of the table, check out The Gambler, Rounders, or The Hustler.

[7.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159382/). I give it a 6.5 for sound character work with debatable story decisions.