Zack Snyder loves a director’s cut. Most of his movies have received some manner of alternate cut over the years, but there’s still one project he’d like to make a proper director’s cut of — Sucker Punch.
Sucker Punch didn’t receive the best reviews upon release in 2011, but Snyder told Empire that he’d love to “fix” the movie if given the chance. “The only movie I would change is Sucker Punch, because it never really got finished correctly,” Snyder said. “Even the director’s cut is not really the correct cut. It’s really just an extended version. If I had the chance, I would fix that movie.”
Snyder added that he already has everything he requires to assemble a director’s cut of Sucker Punch; all he needs is permission. “I have the footage already shot: they just have to let me put it together,” Synder said. “We ask every now and then. We have to ask again. I think there has to be a window when no-one’s got the movie.” Is this something Snyder’s legions of fans could make happen? “If they want to start a campaign, that’s alright,” he said.
Sucker Punch starred Emily Browning as Babydoll, a young girl who is institutionalized by her abusive stepfather and retreats into an alternative reality as a coping strategy and envisions a plan to help her escape. The film also starred Abbie Cornish as Sweet Pea, Jena Malone as Rocket, Vanessa Hudgens as Blondie, and Jamie Chung as Amber. Zack Snyder spoke last year of the divisive reaction that Sucker Punch received. “It was a very polarizing film,” he said. “To be frank, the people I’ve run across who’ve come to me and said ‘Sucker Punch is my favorite movie’ are normally angsty teenage girls. It’s like a Morrissey song or something.“
The release of the director’s next project is just over a week away, with Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver set to debut on Netflix on April 19th. A handful of character posters for the sequel were released earlier today, which you can check out right here.
As for Sucker Punch, would you like to see a proper director’s cut of the film?
Jackie Chan may have turned 70 just this week but the dude is timeless. He exudes the youth that he had when he broke out in a big way in the ‘70s with movies like Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, so much so that when he turned up earlier this year with white hair and looking plenty worn – hey, decades of death-defying stunts’ll do that to ya – fans just assumed he was in bad health. But fear not because Jackie Chan is dismissing any notions that he is the frail old man you saw, revealing it was all for a movie.
Jackie Chan took to Instagram this week to address fan concerns, posting, “Not so long ago, a lot of friends saw some recent photos of me on the internet, and they were all concerned about my health. I want to take this opportunity to let everyone know, don’t worry! It’s just a character appearance for my latest movie. The character requires me to have white hair, white beard and look old.” While Chan didn’t say what the movie was, it’s likely not for the much-discussed Rush Hour 4. Now, why he would be decked out in makeup for a speaking engagement is anybody’s guess…
The mass reaction over Jackie Chan’s part-time look also allowed the action star to take a trip – likely hanging from a helicopter without a harness – down memory lane, accompanying his post with several photos. “Recently my staff have been going through my photo archives and found so many memorable photos. I’ve selected a few to post with this message. Looking at these photos brings back so many fond memories. All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all.”
It really does say something that fans would be surprised that Jackie Chan had white hair, considering it’s a natural part of aging, or that he might actually start to look his age. But because Chan always had such a dynamic and youthful onscreen presence, it was a shock…and it’s now even more so that he’s still in such incredible shape for being 70!
We here at JoBlo want to wish Jackie Chan another Happy Birthday and thank him for the endless supply of action he has given us. What would you pick as the ultimate Jackie Chan movie? What is the greatest stunt he ever pulled off? Let us know in the comments below!
Jackie Chan may have turned 70 just this week but the dude is timeless. He exudes the youth that he had when he broke out in a big way in the ‘70s with movies like Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, so much so that when he turned up earlier this year with white hair and looking plenty worn – hey, decades of death-defying stunts’ll do that to ya – fans just assumed he was in bad health. But fear not because Jackie Chan is dismissing any notions that he is the frail old man you saw, revealing it was all for a movie.
Jackie Chan took to Instagram this week to address fan concerns, posting, “Not so long ago, a lot of friends saw some recent photos of me on the internet, and they were all concerned about my health. I want to take this opportunity to let everyone know, don’t worry! It’s just a character appearance for my latest movie. The character requires me to have white hair, white beard and look old.” While Chan didn’t say what the movie was, it’s likely not for the much-discussed Rush Hour 4. Now, why he would be decked out in makeup for a speaking engagement is anybody’s guess…
The mass reaction over Jackie Chan’s part-time look also allowed the action star to take a trip – likely hanging from a helicopter without a harness – down memory lane, accompanying his post with several photos. “Recently my staff have been going through my photo archives and found so many memorable photos. I’ve selected a few to post with this message. Looking at these photos brings back so many fond memories. All I can say is: I love making movies and I love you all.”
It really does say something that fans would be surprised that Jackie Chan had white hair, considering it’s a natural part of aging, or that he might actually start to look his age. But because Chan always had such a dynamic and youthful onscreen presence, it was a shock…and it’s now even more so that he’s still in such incredible shape for being 70!
We here at JoBlo want to wish Jackie Chan another Happy Birthday and thank him for the endless supply of action he has given us. What would you pick as the ultimate Jackie Chan movie? What is the greatest stunt he ever pulled off? Let us know in the comments below!
CinemaCon 2024 is officially in full swing, and Crunchyroll leads the charge with exciting news about new movies and animated projects coming to theaters and streaming! Today’s presentation was Crunchyroll’s first time at CinemaCon, and they did not disappoint fans looking forward to details about upcoming releases. To kick things off, Crunchyroll announced the acquisition and select theatrical dates for three new films: HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle, BLUE LOCK THE MOVIE -EPISODE NAGI- and OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom.
Crunchyroll, the ultimate home for anime worldwide, announced today at CinemaCon that it has acquired the North American and select international theatrical rights for HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle, based on the beloved volleyball series HAIKYU!! Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will release the film in North American theaters beginning May 31, 2024. Additional international territories have also been announced!
Here’s the official synopsis for HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle courtesy of Crunchyroll:
Shoyo Hinata joins Karasuno High’s volleyball club to be like his idol, a former Karasuno player known as the “Little Giant.” But, Hinata soon finds that he must team up with his middle school nemesis, Tobio Kageyama. Their clashing styles turn into a surprising weapon, but can they beat their rival Nekoma High in the highly anticipated “Dumpster Battle,” the long awaited ultimate showdown between two opposing underdog teams?
Crunchyroll also announced in recently acquired the North American and select international theatrical rights for the highly anticipated soccer anime film Blue Lock The Movie – Episode Nagi!
Here’s the official synopsis for Blue Lock The Movie – Episode Nagi:
“That’s a hassle.” That was second-year high schooler Nagi Seishiro’s favorite phrase as he lived his dull life. Until Mikage Reo, a classmate who dreamed of winning the World Cup, discovered Nagi’s hidden skill, inspiring him to play soccer and share his outstanding talent. One day, he receives an invitation to the mysterious BLUE LOCK Project. What awaits him there is an encounter with the finest strikers assembled from across the country. Nagi’s dream of becoming the best, alongside Reo, will take this prodigy to a world he’s never known.
A prodigy can only be shaped when someone discovers him….now, striker Nagi Seishiro’s incredible talent and persona will set the soccer world ablaze.
Credits: Directed by Shunsuke Ishikawa. Original story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro. Manga by Kouta Sannomiya. Character Design by Yusuke Nomura. Composition and Screenplay by Taku Kishimoto. Music by Jun Murayama. Produced by Eightbit.
Finally, Crunchyroll announced it had acquired North America and selected international theatrical rights in EMEA and Latin America for the video game fantasy film OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom!
OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom, the first theatrical film from the fan-favorite OVERLORD franchise based on the light novels by Kugane Maruyama, is a continuation of the series picking up after the conclusion of season 4. The story follows Momonga, a regular salary man who finds himself transported into his favorite video game.
Here’s the official synopsis for OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom courtesy of Crunchyroll:
After twelve years of playing his favorite MMORPG game, Momonga logs in for the last time only to find himself transported into its world playing it indefinitely. Throughout his adventures, his avatar ascends to the title of Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown.
Once prosperous but now on the brink of ruin, The Sacred Kingdom enjoyed years of peace after construction of an enormous wall protecting them from neighboring invasions. But, one day this comes to an end when the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth arrives with an army of villainous demi-humans.
Fearing invasion of their own lands, the neighboring territory of the Slane Theocracy is forced to beg their enemies at the Sorcerer Kingdom for help. Heeding the call, Momonga, now known as the Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown, rallies the Sorcerer Kingdom and its undead army to join the fight alongside the Sacred Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy in hopes to defeat the Demon Emperor.
During Crunchyroll’s presentation, Mitchell Berger, the SVP of Global Commerce, commented on the never-ending war between Subtitled and Dubbed releases, saying it’s a personal choice regarding which format fans prefer. Berger acknowledges that Japanese and English voice acting is very different, and whichever gets people watching is great for the anime genre.
Crunchyroll also emphasized that while streaming is a significant market, theatrical releases have greatly impacted how they do business. The company pointed out that the fans continue to elevate anime alongside outstanding creators. During the pandemic, anime fans were the first to come back to theaters, with Demon Slayer being a rare theatrical hit during the pandemic.
To top things off, Crunchyroll reiterated to CinemaCon fans that Spy x Family Code: White film opens on April 19, 2024! After receiving an order to be replaced in Operation Strix, Loid decides to help Anya win a cooking competition at Eden Academy by making the director’s favorite meal to prevent his replacement. Oh, Loid, you always know what to do!
There’s never been a better time to be an anime fan, and Crunchyroll is ready to keep bringing fantastic titles and characters to its streaming platform. Let’s go!
The video game adaptation Five Nights at Freddy’s (read our review HERE) quickly became Blumhouse Productions’ highest-grossing movie when it reached theatres and the Peacock streaming service back in October, surpassing the likes of Split, The Invisible Man, The Black Phone, M3GAN, the recent Halloween sequel trilogy, and the Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and The Purge franchises with its haul of $295 million. So of course they’re developing a sequel, even if one hasn’t been officially announced yet. Five Nights at Freddy’s star Josh Hutcherson already said back in January that they were “nailing down the story” and hoping to get into production as soon as possible. Now Blumhouse founder Jason Blum has shared a picture that was taken at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, the company that provided the animatronic creatures for the first film, that shows something being constructed… leading fans to believe that creatures are already being put together for Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.
JoBlo’s own Mike Conway is a huge fan of the Five Nights at Freddy’s games and lore. When he saw the image Blum shared, he said, “I’m willing to bet anything this dude is making Mangle, who first appeared in FNAF 2.”
Jim Henson’s Creature Shop is working their magic again! We aren’t sure what they’re working on, but we know it will be great! pic.twitter.com/CQKAHoEJS6
Five Nights at Freddy’s stars Hutcherson alongside Matthew Lillard (Scream), Mary Stuart Masterson (Benny & Joon), Elizabeth Lail (You), Piper Rubio (Holly & Ivy), and Kat Conner Sterling (A Week Away). The film follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through.
Stunt performers Kevin Foster (WandaVision), Jade Kindar-Martin (Interview with the Vampire), and Jess Weiss (Mayfair Witches) play the animatronics Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie, and Chica.
The video game takes place in Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, a darker version of Chuck-E-Cheese, where an animatronic animal band performs kiddy songs by day, and goes on murderous rampages by night. The goal of the game is survive a night locked inside, knowing that a furry death machine might jump out of the dark at any moment.
The adaptation was originally set up at Warner Bros., where Gil Kenan (Monster House) was going to direct the film from a screenplay he was writing with Tyler Burton Smith (the Child’s Play remake). Then the project moved over to Blumhouse, where Chris Columbus (Home Alone) was attached to direct it for several years. It finally went into production with Emma Tammi – director of The Wind, Into the Dark: Delivered, and Into the Dark: Blood Moon – at the helm, working from a screenplay she wrote with Seth Cuddeback (Mateo) and video game creator Scott Cawthon. Tragedy Girls writers Tyler MacIntyre and Chris Lee Hill share story credit with Cawthon.
Five Nights at Freddy’s was produced by Blumhouse, in association with Striker Entertainment. Cawthon is a producer alongside Blumhouse founder Jason Blum. Russell Binder is executive producing. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop handled the special effects that help bring the homicidal animatronic animals to life on the screen.
Are you a Five Nights at Freddy’s fan, and are you hoping to see Mangle in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
It’s finally happening! Renée Zellweger (Empire Records, Jerry Maguire, Chicago), Hugh Grant (Wonka, Notting Hill, The Gentlemen), and Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee, Cruella, Sense and Sensibility) are returning for another chapter in the Bridget Jones saga with Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Universal Studios and Working Title are the studios, with Michael Morris (Better Call Saul, 13 Reasons Why, Bloodline), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, Dirty Pretty Things, Serenity), and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus) joining the cast.
Inspired by Helen Fielding’s popular novels and a previous column she wrote as the title character for The Independent, the Bridget Jones film series revolves around Zellweger’s Bridget Jones, a hapless single woman lost in love who explores a complex web of relationships. The series began in 2001 with Bridget Jones’s Diary, followed by the sequels Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones’s Baby,debuting in 2004 and 2016. The trilogy was a surprising box office banger with $760 million worldwide in ticket sales.
According to Deadline, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy “picks up with Bridget in her early fifties, as she navigates the challenges of modern life while juggling the responsibilities of motherhood.”
Zellweger returns as the bumbling yet endearing Bridget Jones, Hugh Grant plays the antagonistic Daniel Cleaver, and Emma Thompson plays Dr. Rawlings. Meanwhile, Ejiofor and Woodall’s characters remain a secret. The plan is to release Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy in international theaters and on Peacock in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day 2025.
This film is a significant move for Renée Zellweger, who’s acted in a few projects since turning heads with her stellar performance as Judy Garland in Rupert Goold’s biographical drama Judy. Zellweger starred in six episodes of the TV mini-series The Thing About Pam while her next project, The Back Nine, develops. Michael Patrick King and Maria K. Singh direct The Back Nine, focusing on how Casey Jones gave up a golf career for her husband. One morning, she finds her 25-year-old marriage in free fall and her son off to college. She dusts off the clubs she tossed aside years ago and redefines the “back nine” of her life.
Are you surprised the band is getting back together for another chapter of the Bridget Jones film series? Let us know in the comments section below.
Following a limited theatrical release, director Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire (read our review HERE) was released through the Netflix streaming service back in December. Viewers will get the chance to find out what happens in the second half of the story when Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver reaches the service on April 19th – and with that date swiftly approaching, Snyder took to social media to unveil a batch of character posters. You can check them out at the bottom of this article.
Snyder has always been open about the fact that he’s hoping “a massive IP and a universe that can be built out” from the foundation of Rebel Moon. He crafted the story for Rebel Moon with 300 co-writer Kurt Johnstad, and the pair wrote the screenplay with Army of the Dead co-writer Shay Hatten. The events of the two films, which draw inspiration from Seven Samurai, are set in motion when a peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy is threatened by the armies of a tyrannical regent named Balisarius. Desperate, the colonists dispatch a young woman with a mysterious past to seek out warriors from neighboring planets to help them make a stand.
Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver continues the epic saga of Kora and the surviving warriors as they prepare to sacrifice everything, fighting alongside the brave people of Veldt to defend a once peaceful village, a newfound homeland for those who have lost their own in the fight against the Motherworld. On the eve of their battle, the warriors must face the truths of their pasts, each revealing why they fight. As the full force of the Realm bears down on the burgeoning rebellion, unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge, and legends are made.
Snyder has previously described this one as “a war movie“.
The films star Sofia Boutella (The Mummy), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Djimon Hounsou (A Quiet Place Part II), Ray Fisher (Justice League), Doona Bae (The Host), Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), Staz Nair (Supergirl), E. Duffy (whose previous credits are all short films), Charlotte Maggi (MaveriX), Sky Yang (Tomb Raider), Michiel Huisman (Game of Thrones), Alfonso Herrera (Ozark), Cary Elwes (Saw), Corey Stoll (Ant-Man), Ed Skrein (Deadpool), Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal), and Stuart Martin (Army of Thieves).
Will you be watching Rebel Moon: Part Two – The Scargiver when it reaches Netflix later this month? Take a look at the character posters, then let us know by leaving a comment below.
After following Cal Kestis into enemy territory in Respawn Entertainment’s 2023 action platformer Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment will invite fans to embark on a new adventure in a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars Outlaws, an upcoming open-world video game launching on August 30 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Today, Ubisoft debuted a Star WarsOutlaws story trailer depicting the shadowy dealings of Kay Vess, a scoundrel with a taste for deception, theft, and committing crime.
Star Wars Outlaws takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, during the height of the Empire. Kay Vess causes trouble for a lethal crime lord.
In the Star Wars Outlaws story trailer, Kay Vess is forced to buy her freedom. To do so, she decides to steal a small fortune from the Zerek Besh, a criminal syndicate with iron fists and axes to grind. Kay assembles a small team of like-minded criminals to accomplish her mission to get the job done. The madness leads to harrowing chases, death-defying escapes, and unlikely partners in a part of the Star Wars universe overrun with lawbreakers and villains.
Here’s the official description for Star Wars Outlaws courtesy of Ubisoft:
Experience the first-ever open-world Star Wars game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.
The description continues to describe aspects of the game by saying:
Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
Today’s Star Wars Outlaws story trailer hits all the high notes for fans of the franchise filled with space wizards and charismatic alien scum. Outlaws presents a unique opportunity to give players control of a character exploring the slums and the vast cosmos, interacting with species and objects untouched by the Star Wars video game library. With danger lurking around every corner and new characters to meet, Star Wars Outlaws could be the game industry’s unexpected hit of the year.
What do you think about today’s Star Wars Outlaws story trailer? Are you excited to meet Kay Vess and stir up some sh*t in the seedier parts of the galaxy? Star Wars Outlaws hits on August 30. Pre-orders are available now!
The action thriller In the Land of Saints and Sinners was recently given a limited theatrical release in the United States, and JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to talk to one of the film’s stars: Jack Gleeson, who may be best known for playing the role of Joffrey Baratheon on 27 episodes of Game of Thrones. You can watch Bumbray’s interview with Gleeson in the video embedded above, and you can read his 8/10 review of In the Land of Saints and Sinners at THIS LINK.
Reuniting Liam Neeson with his The Marksman director Robert Lorenz, In the Land of Saints and Sinners was written by Mark Michael McNally and Terry Loane (with revisions by Matthew Feitshans). It tells the following story: Ireland, 1970s. Eager to leave his dark past behind, Finbar Murphy leads a quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, far from the political violence that grips the rest of the country. But when a menacing crew of terrorists arrive, led by a ruthless woman named Doirean, Finbar is drawn into an increasingly vicious game of cat and mouse, forcing him to choose between exposing his secret identity or defending his friends and neighbors.
Neeson and Gleeson are joined in the cast by Ciaran Hinds (Tinker TailorSoldier Spy), Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Desmond Eastwood (Normal People), Sarah Greene (Bad Sisters), Colm Meaney (Star Trek: The Next Generation), and Niamh Cusack (Heartbeat). Neeson plays Finbar, while Condon takes on the role of Doirean.
The producers on the film are Facing East’s Philip Lee and Markus Barmettler; Bonnie Timmermann, Geraldine Hughes, Terry Loane (Prodigal Films Limited) and Kieran Corrigan. Executive producers include Robert Lorenz, James Demasi, Marc Jacobson Marcel Gloor, Daniel Fluri, Adrian Grabe, Hannah Perks, Victor Hadida, Ehud Bleiberg, Nicholas Bennett and Danny Dimbort. The film was financed by RagBag Pictures, London Town Films and Facing East.
Let us know what you thought of our Jack Gleeson interview by leaving a comment below – and if you have seen In the Land of Saints and Sinners, let us know what you thought of that as well!
PLOT: After being gravely injured, a stuntman named Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) tries to win back his ex, a movie director named Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), by finding the star of her mega-budget action movie, who’s gone missing after falling in with a dangerous crowd.
REVIEW: The Fall Guy is director David Leitch’s love letter to the stunt profession. For those not in the know, Leitch, before becoming a director known for blockbusters like Bullet Train and Deadpool 2, was a stuntman, having worked on a slew of action classics. With this, he pays homage to an industry that was best described recently by Nicolas Cage, who said in an interview, “Every movie star needs to be a stunt man, every stunt man needs to be a movie star.”
Of course, it’s also a big-budget remake of a classic TV show, which ran for many years and starred the Six Million Dollar Manhimself, Lee Majors, as a stuntman who moonlit as a P.I. He even sang the theme song, which is warbled here by Blake Shelton. The buzz on this one has been through the roof, with raves coming out of SXSW and none other than Steven Spielberg saying he loved it. As such, it arrives at CinemaCon making a bit of a victory lap for exhibitors, who are no doubt hoping some of the Barbenheimer magic rubs off on it as it unites two of the stars from those movies. So, is it worth all the anticipation and hype?
Indeed, The Fall Guy is an impeccably made comedic actioner elevated by superb chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Gosling has fun playing the nearly-indestructible Colt, who is trying to get back on his ex’s good side after ghosting her due to his insecurity over nearly being crippled in an accident. If the film has a failing in that regard, it’s that Colt’s recovery from his broken back is so complete that he’s jumping from building to building with ease, doing flips, crashes and hits without any limitations whatsoever. Alas, it’s a movie, and it has to be said that Leitch and his crew at 87North have put together some amazing set pieces.
The action highlight of the film is an amazing sequence where Gosling fights a bad guy on the back of a truck while being dragged, all of which is scored by Phil Collins’ ‘Against All Odds’, juxtaposed with the heartbroken Blunt singing it when she thinks she’s been stood up for a date. The plot is pretty good, with Seavers being turned into a quasi-gunshoe by an untrustworthy producer (played by Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham), who wants him to find Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s movie star, Tom Ryder. Ryder seems informed by perhaps all the stunt people involved with this worst idea of a stuntman, being one who takes all the credit by none of the risk – a sort of anti-Tom Cruise.
The premise is basically an excuse for nonstop action, but it works well and aligns with the kind of plots Lee Majors’s Colt Seavers used to get embroiled in. Notably, the film is also very much a romance, with Colt and Jody’s relationship at least as important as the carnage and mystery, which is refreshing given how unromantic most modern action movies are. With the old-school action, minimal CGI, and real-deal stunts, this feels like a throwback to nineties action in the best way.
Through it all, Gosling and Blunt show themselves as real deal movie stars, with the charisma on both cranked up to eleven. Colt Seavers is a fun enough character that it could turn into a franchise for Gosling. He is portrayed as clever, uncomplicatedly heroic, and more than able to handle himself in a fight or two dozen.
If I have any complaints, it’s that the bar for the action keeps getting set so high that, as the film comes to its conclusion, you almost start to get numb to it, as it’s almost exhausting to keep up with. But, running just over two hours, The Fall Guy never wears out its welcome and looks bright and beautiful, with colourful locations in Sydney and a polished, slick look.
The Fall Guy really is a terrific summer action movie and a throwback to a different (better) time in genre movie-making. More than anything, it’s a tribute to the stunt industry and a demand that it gets the recognition it deserves, with the point made over and over that CGI action is lame and can’t hold a candle to the old ways. I’m inclined to agree.
