Today’s quick review: American Ultra. Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg), a drug-addled grocery store clerk, lives in West Virginia with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart). Unaware that he is the product of a shuttered CIA program, Mike gets a rude awakening when Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton), the former head of the program, activates his latent training to save him from killers sent by her successor Adrian Yates (Topher Grace).
American Ultra is a violent action comedy about a dimwitted man who becomes the target of a CIA cover-up. Even more confused than usual, Mike races to get out of town with Phoebe in town before Laugher (Walter Goggins) and Yates’ other killers can eliminate him. American Ultra mashes up gory action, drug-fueled philosophy, and an oddly touching love story to spin a niche but enjoyable yarn.
American Ultra gets a lot of its power from its characters. Mike is an irresponsible slacker plagued with memory issues and panic attacks, but he is redeemed by his fundamentally good nature and his love for Phoebe. No matter what happens to him, he never loses his sense of wide-eyed innocence. Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart make for a natural couple, and their connection with each other makes Mike and Phoebe worth rooting for.
American Ultra supplements their story with stylized action, courtesy of Mike’s assassin training, and a hefty dose of chaos. Between Yates’ botched cover-up and Mike’s questionable decisions, what should have been a quiet mission instead turns the town into a war zone. The scale of the story is still modest, limited to Mike and Phoebe’s attempts to leave town, but the destruction and the mayhem make it an entertaining watch.
American Ultra is not for everyone, but it is a hidden gem for the right viewer. Anyone with a high tolerance for violence, drug use, and dark humor will find it to be an interesting and occasionally touching watch, even if it doesn’t reach as far as other movies. Sensitive viewers and anyone looking for a polished, sensible story should look elsewhere.
For a more serious action thriller about a man with hidden training, check out The Bourne Identity. For a straightforward teen action thriller with a similar premise, check out Abducted. For another black comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg, try The Art of Self-Defense. For a more satirical comedy about a government attempt to create supersoldiers through the power of mind-altering drugs, try The Men Who Stare at Goats.
[6.1 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3316948/). I give it a 6.5 for unexpected charm.