Project Power

Kamurai

Sep 1, 2020

7/10

Good watch, could watch again, and can recommend. This is a weird one to categorize as it's a "super power" movie, but not a "super hero" movie. This actually mimics a lot of "Black Lightning" with more of a Marvel's "mutant growth hormone" vibe without feeling ANYTHING like a Marvel movie. Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon Levitt are great and carry the movie well, but I honestly found everyone else in the movie a bit lacking, which is a shame as Dominique Fishback has a lot of potential, but I don't think we see it: she didn't do badly, but it wasn't great either. The story it self is interesting, and some of the characters are interesting, but this is definitely more of an action based movie where they can flash some effects and cool imagery to try to distract the audience until it gets more interesting. It's really more of a drug movie with the occasional "burst" of super powers as they only last a rather arbitrary 5 minutes, exactly. It's a gimmick movie, but it isn't bad. This is a good way to keep an action flick memorable and refreshing.

This movie had such promise. It could have spawned a new TV series akin to that of Heroes or the more recent comic book adaptation The Boys. Instead it got trapped in a generic plot with a lot of unrealized potential. The story isn't bad. It's just not particularly unique, especially for a power-based fantasy like this one. A man trying to take the shadow corporation that is distributing the drug called **Power** and a local cop trying to maintain order in a corrupt neighbourhood. The two inevitably meet and their goals align. It's a pretty standard formula, that is quite frankly, in need of revision. The characters are interesting. Interesting enough to warrant their own movies. Jamie Foxx is pretty awesome as the rogue vigilante, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt holds his own as the good detective whose charisma is just as much of a power as the one he gets from the drug. But the standout performance is from Dominique Fishback, who connects with both characters almost equally. Fishback plays a young dealer of the aforementioned Power, as a way to make ends meet for herself and her mother. In the meantime, she desires to become a rapper, and the actress more than delivers on the talent. This is definitely a character that I would like to see more of... but maybe not in this find of movie. While she is a major character, she does not play a major role, which makes one question her place in this story. Is she meant to represent the viewer? The one who witnesses the insanity of super-humans in the streets of New-Orleans? Or was she supposed to be Robin to Foxx's Batman, something she herself, suggested? It doesn't really feel like she belongs. Despite handling Power for most of the movie, she never experiences it, and her dream of being a rapper is not truly touched upon. The rest of the cast are largely forgettable, except for Rodrigo Santoro, the main distributor of the drug. This is unfortunate, because he gets less screen time than he deserved. His personality is smooth and enjoyable. You want to get to know him better, as well as his power. But his story is quickly cut. Rather messily, I might add. Machine Gun Kelly is only notable because of his name more than anything else, and his sole purpose is to introduce us to the dangers of Power. Something that is never really brought up again. The location is dull, though the history is not. It is a pity that there isn't more detail of the effect that Hurricane Katrina had on the people of New Orleans. And although this movie is supposedly set in the not-so distant future, there is nothing that suggests it is, aside from the drug itself. Combat and special effects are perhaps the best part of this movie. Seeing each character's power unleashed, and how they use it, is done better than some major motion pictures. Each power not only represents a personality, but is derived from a specific animal. (I had no idea how crazy a pistol-shrimp really was, but you'll have to watch the movie to know what I mean). The action is well-executed, though Art sometimes feels too good, removing a sense of tension whenever he gets into a scrum. The downside is that very few powers are actually seen in this film, and the ones we do see are very typical in the superhero genre. The music is decent, if not a little on the nose. That's really all that can be said there. While Fishback's raps are catchy, and there is a great moment for her, they don't do anything to drive the plot. The conclusion is as predictable as they come. I won't spoil it, though I suppose I already have, in which case, I apologize. I find it strange, that despite not enjoying this movie, I want to see what happens next. Especially since there is nothing. On another note, I am now concerned for the upcoming Batman movie. Mattson Tomlin's writing is far from stellar, and while he has potential, I doubt it has improved in such a short span of time.

An interesting premise and some decent acting, but in the same year as The Old Guard and right on the heals of Synchronic, this is just way too similar. Also, on that same note, I'm sick of these same lame "everyday superhero" films. Come up with something new.