A former soldier teams up with a cop to find
the source behind a dangerous pill that provides temporary superpowers.
Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
Dominique Fishback, Colson Baker, Rodrigo Santoro, Amy Landecker, Allen
Maldonado
Release Date: August 14, 2019
Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
Rated R for violence, bloody images, drug
content and some language
Runtime: 1 h 51 min
Review:
Project Power is the type of film that
instantly feels dated even though it’s trying so hard to be edgy and
kinetic. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
direct this film like they are trying to emulate early 2000 era Michael Bay. It’s not as garish or stylized as those films
but it gets really close. The weird part
is that Bay’s bombastic style typically elicits some sort of reaction whether
it be enjoyment or revulsion. Project
Power though doesn’t do that, instead it leaves you generally disinterested. The conceit is basically a superhero movie mixed
with the same general idea from Limitless.
The film’s logic is spotty at best and the actual plot feels generic and
tired. There’s not a single moment
during this nearly 2 hour mess that feels fresh or new. It’s all been done before and typically much
better than presented here. The film’s
saving grace is Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt who dive into the film and
roles with noticeable gusto plus a strong supporting turn from Dominique
Fishback keeps it from being a total mess.
It’s a shame because Project Power could have been a much more fun movie
than what’s on the screen.
C-
