OBSERVER: Rourke’s Reviews
The Surfer (MA). 101 minutes. Now available on Stan.
Nicolas Cage, after churning out dozens of forgettable-to-bad movies over the last decade or so, is starting to make some interesting choices again as an actor. From Mandy to Longlegs to Dream Scenario, Cage has once more begun to show what a genuinely great actor he can be, and although his latest release doesn’t quite hit the bullseye, the Oscar winning star delivers another excellent performance. Cage plays the title character, an office worker who, after a number of decades in the U.S., returns to Lunar Bay, his home town located on the coast of Western Australia. We first see the surfer arrive at the Lunar Bay beach with his teenage son (Finn Little), wanting to reconnect, but also to give the youngster the good news he is going to buy the house he lived in as a child. The two are confronted by a group of young men known as the Bay Boys, who tell them that only locals can surf there. The father is humiliated, and causes his son to return home embarrassed. The surfer, while waiting on his offer for the house to be accepted, stays at the beach car park to observe the intimidating group, which is lead by local entrepreneur Scally (a surprisingly effective from the late Julian McMahon), who rules his minions like a cult leader. The more he tries to defeat all the obstacles that surround him, the more the surfer’s mindset starts to fall apart, to the point where we wonder if what is happening is real or not. Thomas Martin’s script sets up a number of interesting ideas, such as one’s sense of self and identity, debilitating attempts to deal with failure and trauma, an inability to deal with outsiders, and toxic masculinity. Unfortunately, none of these themes are properly developed, so as the story goes on, a shallow nature begins to take over. Lorcan Finnigan employs a 70’s Drive-In style aesthetic to try and present a life (and mind) slowly disintegrating before our eyes, but while creating an immersive atmosphere, never really gets under the surfer’s skin. This mutes the material’s potential power, and to get truly lost in the character’s fractured mind. Also not helping matters is a running time which is at least fifteen minutes too long. Cage dominates throughout, convincingly mixing his known craziness with something much more grounded, making for a memorable, engaging performance. Reminiscent of Wake In Fright (1971), The Long Weekend (1978) and even Jacob’s Ladder (1990), The Surfer has its moments, but doesn’t fully focus on its multiple themes, resulting in a film that is both frustrating and mesmerising.
RATING – ***
Sinners The Surfer
n (MA). 101 minutes. Now available on Stan.
Nicolas Cage, after churning out dozens of forgettable-to-bad movies over the last decade or so, is starting to make some interesting choices again as an actor.
From Mandy to Longlegs to Dream Scenario, Cage has once more begun to show what a genuinely great actor he can be, and although his latest release doesn’t quite hit the bullseye, the Oscar winning star delivers another excellent performance.
Cage plays the title character, an office worker who, after a number of decades in the US, returns to Lunar Bay, his home town located on the coast of Western Australia.
We first see the surfer arrive at the Lunar Bay beach with his teenage son (Finn Little), wanting to reconnect, but also to give the youngster the good news he is going to buy the house he lived in as a child.
The two are confronted by a group of young men known as the Bay Boys, who tell them that only locals can surf there.
The father is humiliated, and causes his son to return home embarrassed.
The surfer, while waiting on his offer for the house to be accepted, stays at the beach car park to observe the intimidating group, which is lead by local entrepreneur Scally (a surprisingly effective from the late Julian McMahon), who rules his minions like a cult leader.
The more he tries to defeat all the obstacles that surround him, the more the surfer’s mindset starts to fall apart, to the point where we wonder if what is happening is real or not.
Thomas Martin’s script sets up a number of interesting ideas, such as one’s sense of self and identity, debilitating attempts to deal with failure and trauma, an inability to deal with outsiders, and toxic masculinity.
Unfortunately, none of these themes are properly developed, so as the story goes on, a shallow nature begins to take over.
Lorcan Finnigan employs a 70’s Drive-In style aesthetic to try and present a life (and mind) slowly disintegrating before our eyes, but while creating an immersive atmosphere, never really gets under the surfer’s skin.
This mutes the material’s potential power, and to get truly lost in the character’s fractured mind. Also not helping matters is a running time which is at least 15 minutes too long.
Cage dominates throughout, convincingly mixing his known craziness with something much more grounded, making for a memorable, engaging performance.
Reminiscent of Wake In Fright (1971), The Long Weekend (1978) and even Jacob’s Ladder (1990), The Surfer has its moments, but doesn’t fully focus on its multiple themes, resulting in a film that is both frustrating and mesmerising.
RATING – ***
Sinners
(MA). 137 minutes. Now available on selected digital platforms.
Ryan Coogler, who impressed with his low budget 2013 debut feature, Fruitvale Station, before confidently crafting the quality box-office hits Creed (2015) and Black Panther (2018), now dives into horror with Sinners, and by blending a number of different genres, themes and styles, delivers big, if at times convoluted, entertainment.
The story centres on twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan), WWI veterans who have made a name for themselves, along with a load of money, working for Al Capone in Chicago.
Returning to their home ground in the Mississippi Delta, the duo use their wealth to purchase a rundown sawmill and hopefully turn it into a successful juke joint. With help from their cousin Sammie (Miles Caton), and the hiring of an eclectic, enigmatic staff (which includes Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku and Omar Benson Miller), the group’s plans look promising.
But just when business looks like taking off, they will be visited by an intimidating company who turn out to be more than they appear, and once this happens, things turn decidedly bloody.
Horror fans wanting nothing more than frequent carnage and bloodletting will be disappointed, as writer/director Coogler takes his time setting up his large gallery of characters and the locale where everything is set, threading a suffocating, oppressive racism that blanketed America in the 30s through the material, and the vampire elements are effectively used as a metaphor.
Coogler however never forgets to show the passion he has for the genre, and he is definitely influenced by films such as From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) and Angel Heart (1987), while its relevant commentary is reminiscent of Spike Lee’s terrific BlacKKKlansman (2018). That love flows through to its superb production, namely the music by Ludwig Goransson (Oppenheimer, Tenet), cinematography by Autumn Durald Arkapaw and production design by Hannah Beachler (Dark Waters, Moonlight).
Jordan commands the screen in his dual roles, but everyone is convincing.
The music at times feels like a major part of the story, and helps create an immersive atmosphere (just like the incredibly moody Angel Heart did), seeping into everything the viewer is experiencing.
Sinners may prove too much for some, but others will embrace Coogler’s full-blown passion for both the story being told and the genre chosen to present it.
RATING – ****
Aaron Rourke