The Bad Guys Review

The Bad Guys

Dir: Pierre Perifel

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, Alex Borstein, and Lilly Singh

1h 40m

Director Pierre Perifel introduces the cartoon caper “The Bad Guys” with a breakneck scene involving all the familiar moves of some of the greatest heist films in cinematic history. A calculated setup involving complex schemes leads to a city-wide car chase. All the players are introduced in fun moments detailing their skillset; it’s fast-paced, humorous, and clever right out of the starting gates. The crew crazy enough to conduct this crime caper is a group of scary animals: a wolf, a snake, a piranha, a spider, and a shark.

Adapted from the acclaimed children’s graphic novel from author Aaron Blabey, “The Bad Guys” offers an impressive cast of voice actors and a clear understanding of why heist films are so appealing, even with a gang of the most often feared creatures in the animal kingdom as characters. While “The Bad Guys” often falls into familiar territory with its story motivations, especially for more mature movie fans who have connected with “Oceans 11” or “Despicable Me,” the pacing of the story has the energy to keep one entertained and comic book designs offer a refreshing animated look for these capering creatures. 

The cunning group of master thieves, led by the dashing Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), are a notorious group of criminals known for hatching a perfect heist and, most frustrating for the city police chief, never getting caught. The most wanted band of bad guys also boasts the master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), the safecracking expert Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), the short-tempered “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and the expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina). The crew is ready to score the biggest heist of their careers, but they are caught at their getaway, forcing Mr. Wolf to hatch a plan to save his crew from jail. The solution: The Bad Guys will turn into The Good Guys.

“The Bad Guys” begins in a diner, with Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake bantering back and forth in a booth like two friends who have known each other for a long time. They leave their table en route to rob a bank across the street while the restaurant-goers cower in fear. In this opening scene, director Pierre Perifel establishes all the themes that the film uses for inspiration. Fast-talking bad guys with charming characteristics, frenzied car chases up, down, and all around the screen frame, and humor utilized within every dangerous scenario. The beginning moments of “The Bad Guys” establish an animated feature riffing on all the elements of beloved genre heist movies, and it accomplishes it with skill and entertainment.

Unfortunately, the promising introduction doesn’t continue farther than the halfway point of the film, which transitions into familiar trappings like introducing supplemental characters that feel unnecessary and a big bad with motivations that aren’t as interesting as watching the primary characters interact with each other. While the steam ultimately runs out of the narrative places this film can go, the characters are so enjoyable that the missteps don’t seem so noticeable when the Bad Guys are plotting a heist during a dance scene or mocking each other during a birthday party. 

“The Bad Guys” is an enjoyable romp with silly scenarios and slapstick comedy to keep the kids laughing and enough charming characters and ingenious designs to keep parents engaged. 

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Poltergeist (2015) Review

Poltergeist

Dir: Gil Kenan

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Saxon Sharbino, Kyle Catlett, Kennedi Clements, Jane Adams, and Jared Harris

93 Minutes

PG-13

“They’re here”. The 1982 horror classic “Poltergeist”, directed by Toby Hooper of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" fame and highly influenced by Steven Spielberg, has been an influence for many horror films since its release. It's no surprise, especially for a horror film, that a remake would be inevitable.  How does one fill the shoes of the original “Poltergeist”? You don’t. It’s impossible. Director Gil Kenan, who directed 2006’s animated “Monster House”, takes on the unenvied task of updating “Poltergeist”. And, aside from a few accomplished scenes and set pieces, this updated product hits all the highlights but looses all the substance that made the original a portrait of quaint suburban life turned into a nightmare.

The Bowen family moves into a suburban community and strange occurrences begin happening in their new home. Eric (Sam Rockwell) is looking for a fresh start after being recently laid off from his job and his wife Amy (Rosemarie DeWitt), a stay at home mom, is struggling to accomplish her dream of writing a book. They have three kids, a moody teenage daughter named Kendra (Saxon Sharbino), a timid younger son named Griffin (Kyle Catlett), and an inquisitive younger daughter named Madison (Kennedi Clements). The strange events heighten in severity and young Madison is taken captive by the entity. The Bowen’s, with the assistance of a group of paranormal researchers, must come together to take back their family.

The pacing for this new update is noticeable faster. It’s only a matter of minutes before the first jump scare is employed. The scares are reproductions from the original, the clown doll makes an appearance as does the spooky tree, but their scary effect is diminished because of their familiarity. The best setup is one of the only originally composed scares in the film, one that involves a drill and a hole in the wall. It’s an effective and welcome scare. Where the original film slowly and meticulously built the terror, playing on perceived apprehensions with blindsiding imagery accomplished primarily through practical special effects, this updated film utilizes a more contemporary style with the usual digital approach that has come to define many theatrical horror releases today. Still, amidst the familiar beats are glimpses of originality. Like the portal to the other dimension which is now investigated by a flying drone and envisioned with pulsing strobes peering into the darkness. Or the promising introduction that hints at underlying strains for this family due to a damaged economy. It’s unfortunate that the narrative doesn’t try to incorporate more imaginative or creative ideas. Instead of building on the established concepts and turning this film into something freshly modernized, a quality that all the best remakes have, it feels content with being basically a carbon copy of highlights from the original.

Sam Rockwell is good here, composing a character that smiles brightly to mask the stress and anger that creeps through when his family isn’t looking. The children in the film do a decent job as well, especially young Kyle Catlett whose fear and worry are conveyed nicely with movement and expression. Jared Harris has the most difficult job, filling the shoes of Zelda Rubinstein. It's an awkward and subdued attempt that functions as a movement into the final act of the film.

The problem with the remake for “Poltergeist” is the past it has to live up too. If it weren’t called “Poltergeist” the film would be less harshly judged. There is an expectation that exists with remakes; to what extent does the creative team remain dedicated to the source verse being original. The balance for remakes lies somewhere in between, look no further than the 1978 “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”, “The Thing” in 1982, or recently the 2013 version of “Evil Dead” for successful examples.  The 2015 version of “Poltergeist” isn’t the worst update but it is far from the best, an example of another misguided remake attempt.

Monte’s Rating

1.50 out of 5.00