IR Film Review: GUNS AKIMBO [Saban]
The trajectory of high octane, almost video game mentality genre has its great moments. A couple years ago "Hardcore Henry" showed at Toronto Film Festival, the extreme levels from which a lot of ideas could flow. Ryan Reynolds' upcoming "Free Guy" will appproach it from another perspective but one with more money and mainstream humor. "Guns Akimbo" is much more gritty but takes its point of view from similar approach. Daniel Radcliffe plays a mousy if not slightly passive game/code designer who trolls website with the implication that he will eventually be called on his miscredence. The overarching villain aspect of the piece is a form of Death Death Kill where opponents are set against each other in the real world trying to kill each other. The big winner is Nix, played by Samara Weaving of "Ready Or Not", going full bore into a nightmare version of Tank Girl mixed with Harley Quinn. One can see glimpses of her uncle, Hugo Weaving in some of her viscosity. After "Ready Or Not", this almost seems too archaic for her, though definitely powerful and comedic.Ultimately the progression is about subverting expectations. Although some of plot twists start to play melodramatic so they can be ripped to shreds, the losses and stakes never really add up to much. The pace is fairly fast and furious. Some of the set pieces, especially a road race per se where Radcliffe can barely drive the car because guns are nailed to his hands, uniquely gratifying. These nailed hands is the main visual structure of the piece and Radcliffe embraces them as possible. When it was announced, the film was expected to played to its graphic novel beats. Radcliffe as always picks material not necessarily for the character itself but its concept within the world. Within the trinity trio of Harry Potter, he has been the one who has taken the most risks though Emma Watson has gone for bigger budget fare with varying success. The thematics here of identity and who we want to be and who we think we are definitely integrate into the story. The resolution is typical graphic novel style overload but undeniably entertaining with the set up ripe for engagement and continuation. "Guns Akimbo" is good fun with its tongue-in-cheek, a good sense of itself and a flagrant style.B-
By Tim Wassberg
