MOVIE REVIEW: BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE

 

Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Henry Douthwaite, Anthony Welsh, Sheldon Shepherd, Quan-Dajai Henriques, Nia Ashi

Release Date: February 14, 2024 

Genre: Biography, Drama, Music

Rated PG-13 for marijuana use and smoking throughout, some violence and brief strong language.

Runtime: 1h 44m

Review:

Bob Marley: One Love is solid albeit fairly straightforward snapshot biopic buoyed by excellent performances from Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch.  Reinaldo Marcus Green treats his central subject with the sort of reverence and respect you'd expect especially with Marley’s widow and son serving as executive producers.  Green's directs the film with a steady, self assured hand which makes the film an easy watch from start to finish especially since Marley's songs are interspersed throughout.  Green does add in a few visual flourishes in the form of a recurring vision that Marley sees which is visually impactful enough to make you wish he'd added more throughout the story.  A handful of flashback to Marley’s early years, with solid performances from Quan-Dajai Henriques and Nia Ashi, add some texture to his story of his upbringing before moving back to its central story carried Kingsley Ben-Adir.  Ben-Adir is excellent throughout, showing a full level of commitment to the role.  He captures Marley's persona, speech patterns and unique style of performing during his concerts.  He manages to go above mimicry when the film gives him a chance to dig into some of the meatier portions of the man.  Lashana Lynch is just as strong as Marley's wife, Rita, with the two sharing some intense and insightful moments later in the film.  Sadly, there isn't enough of those sequences as we are left with the feeling that we're only scratching the surface of their relationship and ultimately Marley's motivation and turmoil.  The film's final act, especially after his cancer diagnosis, moves unusually fast as it rushes to the finale which ends with a combination of archival footage and title cards.  It’s a strange choice since the film barely started scratching deeper into the man and it ultimately keeps Bob Marley: One Love from being the in depth dive into the man as opposed to a quick overview. 

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE WOMAN KING

 

The Woman King is a 2022 American historical epic film about the Agojie, the all-female warrior unit who protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey during the 17th to 19th centuries. Set in the 1820s, the film stars Viola Davis as a general who trains the next generation of warriors to fight their enemies.

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Cast: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega

Release Date: September 16, 2022

Genre: Action, Drama, History

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing material, thematic content, brief language and partial nudity.

Runtime: 2h 15m

Review:

The Woman King is a bit of a throwback to old fashion historical epics.  Gina Prince-Bythewood's film hits the standard beats by delivering a handful of well done action set pieces in between quieter moments that make up the larger part of the actual film. She keeps a keen focus on the characters and she gives the audience time to get to know a handful of them.  Viola Davis's General Nanisca gets the lion share of the attention and for good reason. Davis's world-weary façade and imposing physicality make her tailormade for the role.  She's the perfect actress to capture the ferocity of the role while balancing the quieter more vulnerable moments.  Lashana Lynch and Sheila Atim both deliver solid supporting roles as warrior and confidants to Nanisca with each getting plenty of screen time to leave a memorable impression. John Boyega isn't asked do much outside of sound and look regal which he accomplishes with general ease. Thuso Mbedu plays a young woman given to the female troop with her sub plot increasing in importance as the film moves on.  Mbedu does her best, but she feels miscast since she's never able to believably exude the strength her character is supposed to have.  It doesn't help that the script is thin on characterization, giving each character a few traits but very little else in terms of depth. Additionally, there are pacing issues that pop up especially in the final act where the film noticeably drags in spots making it feel much longer than its 2 hour and 15 minute runtime.  Even with its faults The Woman King is a solid addition to the genre anchored by a strong central performance.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: NO TIME TO DIE

 

James Bond is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service. However, his peace is short-lived as his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter, shows up and asks for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond on the trail of a mysterious villain who's armed with a dangerous new technology.

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Cast: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Rory Kinnear, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas

Release Date: October 8, 2021

Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some strong language, disturbing material and suggestive references

Runtime: 2h 43m

Review:

Daniel Craig's much delayed swan song as James Bond, No Time to Die, is an expansive wide-reaching finale that provides a true series capper to his run in the tuxedo.  Cary Joji Fukunaga directs the film with a steady hand, delivering the expected exotic locals and massive set pieces.  Those action set pieces are incredibly fun but mostly relegated to the film's first act before it moves into a heaty bit of exposition in its second act.  Fukunaga's film is visually appealing throughout even in its quieter moments as there's a palpable sense of finality and mortality.  Craig is more comfortable than ever with his world-weary take on the character feeling more at home here even as he drops sly quips with relative ease.  The script works in lighthearted moments even in the mist of more dramatic sequences to keep the entire thing from becoming overbearing.  Craig is able to work both ends of the spectrum easily and having a game supporting cast makes his job all that much easier.  Léa Seydoux returns as his primary love interest though her character doesn't carry as much emotional heft as she should.  Faring much better are Lashana Lynch, Naomie Harris and Ana de Armas who each leaving a strong impression with the film giving them ample time to shine.  Rami Malek though is saddled with undercooked villain who reeks of the worst clichés of Bond villains complete with a secret island base.  The script works in large portions of the film as it caps off story threads from Craig's run but it's also unfocused, causing the film to drag in its nearly 3 hour runtime which borders on attrition.  Those issues aside, No Time to Die brings a solid sense of closure and completion rarely seen in the Bond franchise

B

MOVIE REVIEW: CAPTAIN MARVEL

Captain Marvel is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

  

Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg,  Jude Law

  

Release Date: March 8, 2019

  

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

  

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language

  

Runtime: 2h 4 min

  

Review:

Captain Marvel is a solid if bland origin story.  That's not to say that there isn't fun to be had but the plot does telegraph some of the biggest reveals.  At the center of the film is Brie Larson who is typically a strong performer.  Here though, she's mostly wooden and she never really gives her character much personality.  As such, the titular character and star isn't all that interesting for the majority of the film.  Thankfully the supporting characters give the film a lot more life.  Sam Jackson finally gets his proper due in the MCU by giving us a look at Nick Fury as a young SHEILD agent.  The film is at its best when it pairs Larson and Jackson in a sort of buddy comedy, which really gives the film some life.  The real surprise though is a Ben Mendelsohn who brings a lot more to the table than you'd expect.  His character looks like a standard baddie but there's much more depth at play than at first glance.  Throw in a scene stealing cat and you get film that's better in it's final act than it was in the previous two portions.  The soundtrack is bound to make certain people nostalgic even if it plays like a copy of "Now that's what I call Music 90s."  Ultimately the film does a workman like job of checking all the boxes on a origin film but with a clever feminist twist even if it's not a natural or organic as say Wonder Woman.

B-