ClaimDream

BOCA RATON, FL – On August 5, 1997, Robert “Bobby” Goodman, left his home in Boca Raton after an argument. He was last seen on August 3, 1997. Family and friends looked for Goodman for two days before contacting the Sheriff’s Office to report him missing. Goodman left on foot and has not been seen or heard from since.

At the time, Goodman was living in the 9300 block of Affirmed Lane, Boca Raton. At the time of his disappearance there was no indication of drug/alcohol dependency issues nor was he affiliated with any high-risk criminal activity.  Goodman was classified by family members as having a bad temper but no other issues. 

Currently, the whereabouts of Bobby remain unknown. He was 18 years old at the time of his disappearance.  An age progression image was crafted by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Imaging Unit.

Anyone with information on Bobby Goodman’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS or you can remain ANONYMOUS by downloading our new app “PBSO” for your Apple or Android Smart Phone and using the “See Something” feature. The app can also be downloaded from www.pbsoapp.com.

DON’T HAVE A GOOD DAY,

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

---

 

Over the years, Hollywood has produced and struggled with the idea of translating a popular video game franchise into a lucrative and entertaining cinematic endeavor. From “game to screen”, the translation of this has allude many in feature films and what becomes pantomime parody of some kind by trying to cater to both the causal moviegoer and the gamer fan. The results have always been mixed, with many projects seeing mediocre results; never truly striking “gold” with critics, viewers, and box office numbers alike. Whether it’s from bad directing, a flat presentation, a bland story, terrible scripts handling, poor execution, over-the-top acting, and weak characters, it’s numerous points of criticisms can fall and weigh heavily on the likeability of the film’s adaptations. This includes Mortal Kombat (the 1995, 1997, and 2021 version), 1993’s Super Mario Bros., 2001’s Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, 2007’s Hitman, 2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chung-Li, 2016’s Assassin’s Creed, 2016’s The Angry Birds Movie just to name a few. However, there have been a few exceptions to this: finding some feature films to rise above the mediocrity level of a video game movie, including like 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph, 2018’s Ready Player One, and 2019’s Sonic the Hedgehog, among several others. Now, 20^th Century Fox and director Shawn Levy presents the latest offering of a video game movie with the release of Free Guy. Does the movie rise to challenge of being #1 in this cinematic arena or is it too derivate and simplistic that it falls prey to filmmaking conventions?

THE STORY

---

Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a friendly Non-Playable Character in the popular online game “Free City”, going about his business in the same routine every day with a pleasant and cheerful disposition towards the violent and havoc events that happen around. He also enjoys his time as a bank teller, working with his friendly pal, security guard Buddy (Lil Rei Howery) to pass the time. Tearing through the city streets are the infamous “Sunglasses People”, who are actually the players in the game, with one in particular, Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer), catching Guy’s fancy, inspiring him to acquire the eyewear that allows him to participate in the antics of a player in Free City’s landscape. Experiencing an overwhelming education on how the game is actually played and how to “level up”, Guy works hard to impress Molotov Girl, who’s actually Millie Rusk in the real world, a game designer that once partnered with Walter “Keys” McKeys (Joe Keery) to create a special virtual world, only to have their code stolen by the devious / zany mogul business owner of Soonami Games named Antwan (Taika Waititi), who turned their surreal project into what became Free City. Trying to acquire evidence of this theft, Millie makes her way deep into Free City’s underbelly, soon joined by Guy, whose newfound liberation has turned him into an online celebrity amongst players across the web. However, to reach her goal, Millie soon finds out that she needs Guy’s unique ability to help her secure what she claims, but uncovering the truth of Guy’s “free will” existence might just her undoing; placing her, Guy, and Walter on a collision course that will change everything.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

---

In comes as no surprise that I like both movies and video games, with the marriage between the two being something of an interest for me. While I’m more of a movie / film aficionado, I’m actually more of just a casual gamer. Not saying there is nothing wrong with those hardcore gamers out there, but I can only play a video game for like half hour or 45 minute…. maybe an hour if I’m trying to get passed a level / mission before I lose interest and want to do something else to pass the time. Anyway, back to the main point of this paragraph, video game movies have more of a “curse” than a blessing, with result being a somewhat mixed to bad reception; finding most to be difficultly in bridging a proper medium between video game and movie. Of course, there has been some that have been entertaining such as some of my personal favorite ones like Sonic the Hedgehog, Wreck-It Ralph, and Tomb Raider, but then there are some that are just plain bad like Mortal Kombat Annihilation (although one scene in the movie I like) and almost completely unrecognizable to its source material like 1993’s Super Mario Bros.; something that put a “nail in the coffin” from Nintendo in translating their games into feature films. Another problem of video game adaptations are in its appeal to the masses vs. its fanbase; collectively creating problems to a more singular grouping of viewers out there that might not cater to the general moviegoer populace. Prime example of this problem can be found in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children or Warcraft. Both are good movies (in my opinion), but feel more dedicated to its fanbase rather than general viewers. Still, for better or worse, adapting popular video games into movies is something that Hollywood isn’t going to stop anytime soon; aiming to one day claim to break the so-called “video game movie curse”.

This, of course, brings me back around to talking about Free Guy, a 2021 a action adventure comedy feature film and the latest offering from the video game movie veins. I think it was a while back when I first heard about this project, with director Shawn Levy being attached to a movie about a online video game setting. It was all a bit vague as it was in the early stages of development. After that, I do remember hearing that actor Ryan Reynolds was signed onto the movie in the lead role, which (like many) gained my interest. Sometime after that, I saw the film’s first movie trailer, which I believe that was attached to the theatrical release of Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, with the upcoming being promoted for a July 3^rd, 2020. However, due to the shuttering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Free Guy was delayed and pushed several times, including a December 11^th, 2020, release and a May 21^st, 2021 release before it was finally confirmed to be theatrical released on August 13^th, 2021. While that movie was released on my birthday (Yeah!), I decided to wait a week to see the movie as I was busy with work and celebrating my birthday weekend. So, I saw Free Guy the following week, but then (like the movie delayed releases), I decided to push back doing my review for the film, for (again) I was busy with work and with my upcoming vacation…. I wanted to get some other movies of 2021 completed. Thankfully, I did and now have some spare time to share my thoughts on Free Guy. And what did I think of it? To me, I really liked the movie. Despite the abundance of familiarity, Free Guy was great and entertaining action-comedy that delivered on its fun premise and video game aesthetics. It does come close to being my favorite video game movie endeavor….and that’s good thing and think many will agree on that.

Free Guy is directed by Shawn Levy, whose previous directorial works include the Night at the Museum trilogy (2006-2014) as well as The Internship and Date Night. Given his background of directing feature films that stray to the more comedic genre, Levy seems like a suitable choice for helm a project like Free Guy; approaching the film with a great sense of comedy and video game nuances to make the feature rivel in its zany and boisterous tale of a self-aware NPC character. To that end, Levy definitely succeeds; brightening the movie with plenty of eye-popping visual candy throughout the feature that are reminiscent of video games as well as narrative that has a good proportionate balance between its action and comedy. On the latter point, Levy is good at, especially in the comedic aspect; finding Free Guy to have a lot more laughs than other comedy movies of 2021. This is where the movie excels and plays to Levy’s strengths, given the director’s background, with Free Guy having a ton of humorous moments of one-liner jokes, rapid-fire banter, and physical sight gags. Naturally, some of the best parts of the movie is during the first half, with the juxtaposition of chaotic / rampaging scenes happening in Free City against the normalcy of the NPC characters going about their daily routine business. Plus, the film’s comedy hits a lot of more of its targets than misses, which makes for those moments to pure enjoyment rather than cringeworthy.

In the video game aspect, Levy does make a grandiose gesture to the gamers out there in the movie and I think he does a good job; shaping Free Guy to have plenty of Easter Egg-like cameo, callbacks, and references to popular video games of recent such as Cyberpunk 2077, Grand Theft Auto, Fortnite, and World of Warcraft just to name a few. This makes the film’s realization of Free City, the film’s online video game realm, feel both familiar and creatively fun to watch, with Levy staging scenes and events throughout the movie in a well-timed manner. This also provides plenty of video game-esque action sequences that are utilized to create some fun and entertaining blockbuster style, with Levy playing around with the commonplace tropes of “open world” gaming, including chaotic action, a large inventory of weapons / tools at a “players” disposal, the interacting of both players and non-playable characters alike, and the almost “Wild West” aspect that the online open world video game that makes up Free City just to name a few. It these moments that also shine through in the movie; finding Levy’s direction fun and embracing those “gaming” nuances in a entertaining way. Also, i felt that Levy makes the film light and breezy within all of its various aspects, especially with the movie having a runtime of 115 minutes (one hour and fifty-five minutes). Thus, Free Guy feels more enjoyable and doesn’t get entangled within unnecessary subplots or going off on unwanted tangents, with Levy keeping his “camera’s lens” focus on the task at hand.

The story of Free Guy is one of familiarity and breeds some predictable notions (more on that below), but I think that was intention behind this movie; drumming up ideas and scenarios that were utilized (or at the very least that play on the video game / online adventure premise, but with the movie putting its own spin on those tropes. The idea of a NPC character breaking free of the constraint of what he’s always done (day after day) and seeing him interact with “players” is something hilarious to see and the movie puts that notion front and center, especially in the first half of the feature. In this regard, I think that the film does succeed and certainly showcases that notion. Interestingly, the film’s script also touches upon some themes throughout Free Guy, especially ones that touch upon corporate greed and how the industry is more invested in churning out sequels rather than generating something new or original. It’s definitely a poignant one as this can translate into many various facets that are not just out online video game.

In the presentation category, Free Guy is a solid endeavor; utilizing the heavy CGI visual effects shots and sequences smartly to build the feature’s background setting throughout the movie. This is the primary case with the film’s main setting of Free City, which showcases the classic urban city landscape, which is “amped” up with colorful / flashy video game aesthetics and aspects. Everything looks slick and visual fun to watch, which makes the background setting compelling to view throughout the feature. So, it goes without saying that Free Guys is a visually movie and its color palette and other flashy nuances keep a viewer’s eyes glue; dazzling with blockbuster flair. Naturally, the other important pieces of a filmmaking help bolster the movie’s setting, including the “behind the scenes” team like Steve Cooper and Beat Fruitger (art direction), Ethan Tobman (production design), Kimberly Leonard and Leslie E. Rollins (set decorations), and Marlene Stewart (costume designs), which are all represented well. Additionally, what also helps the film’s visual setting is the cinematography work by George Richmond, which definitely adds a lens of dramatic for some of the film’s more unique and cinematic moments. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Christopher Beck is a solid one; finding the movie’s musical composition fitting for the feature’s story it is telling….be it quiet character scenes or loud action sequences.

There are problems that I noticed that Free Guy can’t overcome and lessen the film’s creativity ways in how it presents its narrative, characters, and film altogether. What I immediately noticed about the movie is how similar the film is with other feature movies out there that dealt with video game worlds and / or online presence on the world wide web. How so? Well, as the movie’s story slowly unfolds, Free Guy travels down a very familiar path that has been somewhat done before in several other feature film endeavors, including Wreck-It Ralph, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Ready Player One. It’s not a complete “deal breaker” as I kind of expected this, especially giving the premise of Free Guy’s story. Still, the film’s script, does fall prey to some of those recycled ideas and scenarios from those previous video game / online scenarios, which causes a lot of familiarity and predictable plot points that follow. This includes a programmed character going against parameters, the discovery of what a “player” can do, the events that takes place in the “real world,” and a climactic battle where the entire world is watching…. just to name a few. It’s clear of where the movie’s narrative will go and its easy to see how it all be resolved before it actually happens. Thus, there is a touch of formulaic notion that permeates the entire film. That being said, I sort of knew that it was going to be like this, but it would’ve been a beneficial if the film’s script was a bit more refined and push away from those similar style feature film narratives. Maybe a deeper understanding of its theme, online video gaming, or creative notions. They’re all present in the movie, but not fully.

Additionally, the movie does fall prey to a few more nuances aspect, which the movie struggles to shake off. One such aspect is in the latte half of the feature, with large emphasis on the “real world” setting / characters as the film’s story begins to reach its climax. In truth, the stuff that happens in the “real world” is that quite compelling. Yes, there is a lot of important stuff that goes on and does effect that outcome in Free City, but neither Levy’s direction nor the feature’s script makes the “real world” scenes that compelling. I think that there could’ve been more substance in the area and almost had a better blend of the “real world” and the “game world” like what Ready Player One was able to achieve. That’s more of a minor criticisms. Also, I felt that the back half of Free Guy struggles and gets weighed down a bit within its own machinations. What’s presented works and I do like it, but I felt that there’ could’ve been something a bit “more.” More action, more stakes, more elements from the MMO fanfare. There’s just something of that special “It” factor that Levy doesn’t quite capture correctly; resulting in a few missteps throughout Free Guy’s second half.

The cast in Free Guy is relatively small (the main players of the film), but that doesn’t mean the acting talents selected for these particular characters aren’t effective. Quite the contrary, the cast is solid across the board, with all given some type of character performances in their respective roles. The only downside is that some of the “real world” elements (as I mentioned above) don’t translate quite well into character-built time. Leading the charge in the movie (and headline the feature) is actor Ryan Reynolds, who plays the film’s protagonist hero character…Guy. Reynolds, who is known for his roles in Deadpool, The Proposal, and Buried, has certainly had his difficulties with movies, with some defining his acting career, while others have completely missed their marks. Personally, I think it all depends upon the material that Reynolds is given for the role and how his character is portrayed throughout the film’s narrative. Luckily, Reynold’s involvement in Free Guy is definitely one of his better roles in his career, especially with some of his more recent endeavors, makes for a such a fun and naively charming character as Guy, a loveable / yet optimistic non-player character in Free City. Reynolds isn’t snarky or super crass like in Deadpool or the Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, but plays up his more likeable charisma and joyful screen presence in Free Guy, which is clearly represented in him playing Guy, who is sweetly naïve, yet still grows to be a compelling and endearing character to root for in his journey. Thus, it goes without saying that the movie’s likeability rest on Reynold’s shoulders, which the actor holds up firmly with pride; charming his way throughout the entire film and seems to be having a blast in the role. Overall, I think that Reynolds was fantastic as Guy and definitely made the movie what it is: a fun and comedic charm of delight.

Behind Reynold’s Guy, actress Jodie Comer comes as a close second in the most screen time in Free Guy, playing the dual character role of Molotov Girl in Free City and Millie in the “real world”. Comer, who is known for her roles in Killing Eve, The White Princess, and The Last Duel, does a terrific job in playing the role of Molotov Girl, who acts as the classic badass “femme fatale” action heroine character. It’s fun and easy to see that Comer is having a blast in this role. Plus, her and Reynolds share some good on-screen chemistry with each other; projecting the right amount of witty “back and forth” banter every now and again, which is fun to watch. Comer’s “real world” counterpart character of Millie is a bit more straightforward and a tad conventional. That’s not to say that Comer doesn’t play the role effectively well as she does, but it’s something a bit formulaic and not quite as strong as Molotov Girl (visually or well-rounded). Still, regardless of that, I think that Comer was terrific in the movie and playing two very distinct character roles in the film.

Behind her, actor Joe Keery (Stranger Things and After Everything) plays the character of Walter “Keys” McKeys, Millie’s fellow co-creator of a program that was stolen from Soonami Games. Like Comer’s Millie, the character of Keys fits into the “real world” scenes and is played up a bit too straightforward as the “daring” young person who battles against the devious CEO owner. Again, that didn’t bother me as much, but I felt that there could’ve been more depth into his character. Still, I think that Keery was good in the role and, given with the material that he was given, help elevate the character of Keys from what was presented on the film’s script. In truth, the most memorable “real world” character in the movie would have to be the character of Antwan, the flashy and cooky CEO owner of Soonami Games. Played by actor / director Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit), Antwan is humorous because quite eccentric in the movie, with Waititi fully embraces that idea within his performances, including his goofy costume attires outfits, zippy one-liners, and just an all-round solid / committed performance. The character itself is a bit cliched at times, with Antwan become just another “big bad” character who doesn’t care about the creative process and more interested money. Although, I kind of figured that going into the movie, so it didn’t bother me as much. Regardless of that, I think that Waititi was great in the role of Antwan and was probably the best “real world” in Free Guy solely based on his wacky performance. Good job Waititi!

With a vast majority of the film focusing primarily on these players (heroes and villains), Free Guy doesn’t exactly have a whole lot of supporting players. The only exception of this comes in the form of two characters, with one being the character of Buddy, a bank security guard in Free City / best friend to Guy and who is played by actor Lil Rel Howery (Uncle Drew and Get Out), and the other being Mouser, a programmer at Soonami / friend to Keys and who is played by actor Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect and Brittany Runs a Marathon). Both characters are created for amusement / one-line zingers here and there, which, given the comedic atmospheric nature of the film’s identity, seems appropriate, while the acting talents of Howery and Ambudkar are good respectfully. Nothing to complain about their characters nor their performances. The rest of the supporting players in the movie are made up of a lot of fun and interesting cameo-like appearances from celebrities. Some are recognizable, while others are downright hidden. There is a ton of these scattered throughout the movie and it’s kind of fun (when you do figure who is in this movie) of their involvement in Free Guy. I won’t spoil as that would ruin it the fun of trying figure out those cameos, but just be on the look out for throughout the movie.

FINAL THOUGHTS

---

The world needed a hero….and we got guy! The tale of video game NPC’s liberation from his set path and discovering the life of a “player” becomes much more than intricate and important to the future of artificial intelligence in the movie Free Guy. Director Shawn Levy’s latest film takes the setting of an online video game arena and combines that aspect with the comedic charm of romantic comedy and a blockbuster; concocting something that is fun and entertaining. While the movie does struggle slightly in its narrative layer (predictable and formulaic) as well as a few minor nitpicks, the film still rises above the rip-off variant degree and becomes something more unique, thanks to Levy’s direction, the aesthetics of the video game realm, a solid presentation, humorous jokes / sight gags, and a good performances from its cast (especially Reynolds). Personally, I liked this movie. It has some familiar beats, and some elements aren’t exactly original / polished, but I felt that the film was loads of fun to watch and it was some good popcorn blockbuster entertainment. Plus, I felt that all the anticipation and delays for this movie was well worth the wait. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is charmingly “highly recommended” as it’s something that many can watch (casual moviegoers or gamers) and achieve the same outcome about this movie (relatively speaking). In the end, Free Guy, might be one of the better movies within the video game film adaptation endeavor making; delivering some charming and fun story beats and a well-balanced action and comedy narrative that proves more well-rounded than to be first expected. More to the point, Free Guy is a great and fun to watch with simplistic nature of movie escapism…. plain and simple. Just remember…. don’t just have a good day…. have a great day!

4.2 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended)

 

Released On: August 13th, 2021

Reviewed On: October 5th, 2021

Free Guy  is 115 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for strong fantasy violence throughout, language, and crude / suggestive refences

Get ready to uncover a mystery and find your magic as Walt Disney Animation Studios releases the official trailer for their upcoming animated film Encanto. View trailer below.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto,” is the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The all-new original film features the voice of Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel, an ordinary 15-year-old who’s struggling to find her place in her family. “Mirabel is a really funny, loving character who also deeply yearns for something more,” says Beatriz. “She’s also not afraid to stand up for what she knows is right—something I love and relate to very much.

Surprisingly. I totally forgot about this movie. So, seeing a new trailer for this upcoming film is a welcomed sight. Much like what I said about the first preview, I’ve always liked Disney movies (a special place in my heart) and always looking forward towards what the “House of Mouse” can deliver, especially with their recent endeavors. This new trailer showcases plenty of new footage, revealing more of the central plot of the feature and all the various characters to play a part of the story. The animation looks stunning! Overall, I’m looking forward to see what Encanto has to offer in the form of animated storytelling and to see the mystery behind this magical house.

Encanto  arrives in theater on November 24th, 2021

IN THE NAME OF THE MOON…

---

 

Sailor Moon, the magical “Pretty” guardian of the Moon who fights for love and justice. Based on the original manga creation by Naoko Takeuchi, the story follows the adventures of a schoolgirl named Usagi Tsukino as she transforms into Sailor Moon. Leading a group friends / comrades known as the Sailor guardians, Usagi battle against the various evil forces who are seeking her legendary Silver Crystal (the source of her power) and the destruction of the Solar System. While the manage was highly praised, most viewers found out of this magical girl with 90s era anime series (i.e., Sailor Moon), which ran for five seasons (200 episodes) and had three feature films released. In 2014, Sailor Moon was revived for a new audience, with the release of Sailor Moon Crystal, a remake anime series that reimagined the original anime series. Since its release, Sailor Moon Crystal has covered the three seasons, the Dark Kingdom arc (1-14), the Dark Moon arc (15-26), and Deathbusters / Infinity arc (27-39). Now, Toei Animation and director Chiaki Kon present the fourth season of Sailor Moon Crystal, which is presented within the format of a two-part feature film in the release of Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie. Does this “double feature” anime film fight for love and justice (in Sailor Moon’s name) or is it just a flashy and unwarranted endeavor that never gets off the ground?

THE STORY

---

It’s April in Tokyo and the cherry blossoms are in bloom; finding the Japanese capital in a festive mood, as the celebratory the largest Total Solar Eclipse of the century. As the new moon appears, obscuring the sun, and gradually dims its lights, Usagi Tsukino / Sailor Moon (Stephanie Sheh), Chibiusa / Sailor Chibi Moon (Sandy Fox), and Mamoru Chiba / Tuxedo Mask (Robbie Daymond), receive a vision from a winged Pegasus horse named Helios (Brian Beacock), who is in search of a chosen Maiden who bares the Golden Crystal in order to save his kingdom of Elysion from darkness. At the same time, a mysterious circus troupe called the Dead Moon Circus appears in town, with the circus’ ringleader Zirconia (Barbara Goodson) sending forth the Amazon Quartet, consisting of CereCere (Cassandra Lee Morris), PallaPalla (Xanthe Huynh), JunJun (Erika Ishil), and VesVes (Erica Lindbeck), to hatch a nefarious plan to scatter nightmare incarnations as Lemures across the city in order to size the “Legendary Silver Crystal”, and rule over the moon and Earth. Calling upon the other Sailor Guardians, including Ami Mizuno / Sailor Mercury (Kate Higgins), Rei Hino / Sailor Mars (Cristina Vee), Makoto Kino / Sailor Jupiter (Amanda C. Miller), and Minako Aino / Sailor Venus (Cherami Leigh), Usagi and Chibiusa fight against the Dead Moon Circus’s forces and help Helios’s from his imprisonment from the Dead Moon’s master, Queen Nehelenia (Laura Post). New enemies to face, old allies return, and beautiful dreams must be saved, with Sailor Moon and the other guardians facing their toughest challenge yet.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

---

Yes, yes…. I’ll be the first to admit that I do like Sailor Moon. It wasn’t just first anime series that I’ve watched (I think the first one was Ronin Warriors), but did see it when I was younger and became one of top tier series as a sort of “introduction” to anime during the mid to late 90s (alongside Dragon Ball Z, Pokémon, and Digimon). I wouldn’t go so far to call me a “Moonie” (a hardcore Sailor Moon fan) and I haven’t read the original manga, but I do like the series; finding the story / character to be interesting, compelling within the whole “magical girl” anime niche. I first grew up watching the DiC English dubbed and probably love those ones the most, for I like the voice cast and the reworked soundtrack. Plus, I still prefer the more English character names better, especially comparing the names like Serena and Darien vs. Usagi and Mamoru. While DiC only covered the first two season of the series (Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon R), I was super excited when Cloverway / Pioneer picked up the English Dub for Sailor Moon and did the next two seasons (Sailor Moon S and Sailor Moon Super S), but more focused on S series, which covered the “Infinity” story arc as I love introduction of the Outer Sailor Guardians and the season being built up for Sailor Saturn’s awakening. To this day, Sailor Moon S is my favorite season of the series. I was always super bummed that Sailor Moon Stars (the fifth and final season) wasn’t dubbed into English (until very later on), I actually bought the original DVD Japan release that had English subtitles to finally see the ending conclusion to Sailor Moon. Then years later, Sailor Moon Crystal came along, and I fell back into watching Sailor Moon all over again. I did like the new updated style of animation and how each season was shorter compared to the original (I definitely think that 40 episodes per season was a bit much) and I do have to admit that the original series had a lot of “filler” episodes. Sailor Moon Crystal, however, is a more condensed iteration and, while everything comes a bit faster, it gets more to the point in both story and action. I, for one, like Sailor Moon Crystal. As a sidenote, around the time of when Sailor Moon Crystal arrived, Viz Media, went back and redubbed the original series, including Sailor Moon Stars. Of course, I have all of them.

This, of course, brings me back to talking about Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie, a 2021 action fantasy anime feature and the continuation of Sailor Moon Crystal franchise. While I was totally thrilled over Sailor Moon Crystal’s interpretation of the “Infinity” / “Deathbuster” story arc (love the whole awakening of Sailor Saturn in the version), I was curious to see if this new series continue further into whole “Dream” arc of Sailor Moon Super S. To my surprise (and almost to everyone), it was announced that the “Dream” arc would be a part of the Crystal series, but not in the traditional episodic fashion…. rather in feature film as a two-part film endeavor. Definitely very curious, but that didn’t bother me as the Super S’s narrative was probably my least favorite of the Sailor Moon Saga and my only favorite part (of the originals series) was first several episodes in Sailor Moon Stars, which dealt with Queen Nehelenia’s return, the reappearance of the Outer Guardians, and the birth of Eternal Sailor Moon. Beyond that, I wasn’t too interested in Sailor Moon Super S. So, regardless of how the unorthodox approach for Crystal, I was looking forward to seeing what Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie was ultimately going to shape up to be. Of course, it looks some time for this project to materialize (due to production and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and I was wondering how it was going to be released. Soon after that, an English dubbed trailer was released, which showcased the feature’s presentation, and it announced that the film was going to be released on Netflix for those North America. Naturally, I was very excited to see this movie and I decided to watch it during the first weekend it got released in the US on June 3^rd, 2021. However, my work schedule got busy and pushed my review back for this movie for quite some time. Thankfully, I’ve finally caught up and now have some time to share my thoughts for this new Sailor Moon Crystal movie. And what did I think of it?  Well, I liked it. Despite a few problems with the film’s condensed storytelling, Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie is a beautifully anime film endeavor that’s visually stunning and a solid addition under the Crystal brand.

Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie is directed by Chiaki Kon, whose previous works include directing several episodes for Sailor Moon Crystal as well as When They Cry and Golden Time. Given his background in being a part of the Crystal remake, Kon seems like a suitable choice to helm an anime project like this; approaching the “Dream” arc storyline with a same type of stylish bravado and appeal to what made the Crystal endeavor likeable / popular. In this regard, Kon definitely succeeds as he makes Eternal a great continuation to what Crystal left off at; presenting the Super S’s storyline from the original anime in the guise of an updated reimagining….as well as adapting said story into a film structure. The result is something ultimately works. Yes, there are hiccups that the movie format of the “Dream” arc can’t overcome (more on that below), but what’s presented definitely works; finding Kon’s efforts to match the precedents of what past Crystal TV seasons set, while establishing a new visual appeal towards this double feature film. As I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t too interested in the whole “Dream” arc in Super S, but I did find the movie’s style of storytelling to be compelling and maybe even slightly better in a few areas than in the original anime series. Still, looking beyond those points, Kon still retains a lot of mantra identity and colorful background aesthetics of what makes Sailor Moon…. well Sailor Moon. The bad guys are still outlandish and eccentrically “over-the-tope” evil, the transformation sequences are still fantastic to watch, the iconic attacks are still engaging, character banter is still amusing and fun, and the story of love and justice is still just as compelling and entertaining as it was in the 90s. This, of course, what makes Eternal both familiar and different at the same time; creating the right amount of nostalgia, while staying true to being a remake.

Perhaps one of my favorite parts about Eternal is the film’s inclusion of the Outer Sailor guardians who were completely absent (beyond a special credited episode) from Super S. They did, however, come back at the beginning of Stars to fight Nehelenia, but were never shown in the entire 40-episode span of the Super S. So, to have them involved in Eternal feels great and love how they were reintroduced at the beginning of Part 2. Also, unlike the censorship that American audiences saw with the release of Sailor Moon, Eternal stays tried and true to the film’s characters of Haruka and Michiru (Uranus and Neptune) on their romantic relationship, including their mannerisms and wardrobe attire. Plus, we finally (yes, finally) get to see Sailor Saturn’s transformation. Hotaru has always been my favorite character and Sailor Saturn is my favorite Sailor guardian. I totally geeked out when I saw that.

Like what has come before in the Sailor Moon lore (both in the original anime and in the Crystal remake), the story in Eternal focusing on such universal themes of love and friendship, but the script also is able to tackle a few other issues by examining personal struggles of several characters of going from teenage years to adulthood, which is found within most of the Sailor guardians characters. Combined with the message of loyalty, self-worth, and togetherness, Eternal does find a good rhythm by highlighting the fear of inner nightmares and racing towards beautiful dreams…..it’s just all wrapped up within a vibrant anime world of magical girls.

In terms of a visual presentation, Sailor Moon Eternal is perhaps the best-looking Sailor Moon iteration to date. While the Sailor Moon Crystal series brand has certainly updated the animation style (still not the hugest fan of how “lanky” all the Sailor guardians look like. Just seems a bit odd to me), Eternal is giving more of “film” budget, which means that the detail and visual aspect of the feature is giving a bit more “oomph” in almost every scene. The result is something strikingly beautiful as literally every sequence (be it a quiet character dialogue moment or a bombastic action scene) is crafted well and intricately detailed in stunning animation. I mean the various Sailor guardian transformations and their special attack animation have never looked so clean and detailed. The animation style and rendering is truly gorgeous and definitely adds some visual flair to Eternal’s color palette and appeal. Interestingly, the film’s cinematography was done by two people, with Shigemitsu Hamao and Takashi Yanagida handling those cinematics aspects in Eternal, which does come across in a very positive way. Again, I can not stress enough beautiful this anime movie looks like. Lastly, the film’s score, which was done by Yasuharu Takanasahi, who had previously done the music for the Sailor Moon Crystal series, creates a palpable musical composition for Eternal. The movie definitely speaks to the updated iteration of Crystal, but also carries its own thematically charge melodies and pieces that make for a great anime film soundtrack.

Unfortunately, Sailor Moon Eternal does have a few faltering steps that draws criticisms within both its undertaking and in its execution. Perhaps the biggest one (the one that I sort knew right from the get-go) was the simple fact of the narrative being compressed within the storytelling structure of a film. The Crystal remake series had already condensed down the original Sailor Moon anime from a 40-episode season story arc into roughly a 13-to-14-episode presentation; getting more to the point and moving at faster pace than to its predecessor. The problem is even further expanded upon in this movie, which sees the entire “Dream” arc storyline compressed within a double-feature film concept. Thus, with the two movies combined having a runtime of roughly 3 hours in total, there’s a lot to unpack within that particular timeframe…. from character arcs (both major and minor), battle confrontations scenes, exposition moments, and the resolution of the story. This is where Sailor Moon Eternal falters the heaviest as the presentation struggles to fully allow the narrative it wants to tell (in a nutshell) “breathe” and to flow correctly. This is mostly found within the Part 1 of the presentation, which has more of an episodic chapter feeling, but is trimmed down for character-built moments that last 15 minutes or shorter. It’s clear what the movie wants to say, but can’t expand upon those ideas because of its limitations of a feature film.

This criticism also expands upon in Part 2 of the presentation, which moves rather quickly and starts to feel quite rushed as it tries to bring everything together to reach the climax / resolution of the story. Certain events feel quite short and don’t have the complete resonating feeling that the original anime series was able to achieve…. or even what the Crystal TV series had done. This is clearly represented when the first appearance of Eternal Sailor Moon, which only last for a few minutes. It’s a bit anti-climactic and I was kind of wanting to see more, especially since the Crystal TV series puts a larger emphasis on its battles and focusing on presenting a better overall “bigness” or “grandiosity” in its execution.  Thus, the entire final confrontation with the Sailor Guardians against Queen Nehelenia feels very rushed and (again) could’ve been easily expanded upon. Heck, I kind of felt like the project should’ve been presented like the rest of the Sailor Moon Crystal series….as an anime TV season, which could’ve allowed for the narrative to explore more character and storytelling elements properly. Even at the very least, Sailor Moon Eternal could’ve benefited from having a Part 3 installment; acting more of a limited series. That’s just my opinion. In addition, with the entire “Dream” arc being framed within a feature film endeavor, creates problem when its trying to explain of what’s going on….in the exposition format. Yes, there is plenty of exposition dumps in Sailor Moon Eternal and, while its good for helping explain the narrative a bit more, it becomes a bit too tedious as there is numerous exposition dumps scattered throughout.

As a minor criticism, Sailor Moon Eternal is, for lack of a better term, meant for the fanbase and not so much the casual viewer / streamer out there. Yes, it kind of easy to piece together who are the heroes and villains of the story, but the movie isn’t made exactly for the non-initiated of the Sailor Moon lore. The installment picking up after the events of Sailor Moon Crystal: Season III, the film wastes no time to get right into the story, which may confuse those non-fans of the popular anime series. Who’s who, why is Chibusa important, why such a large emphasis on Sailor Saturn’s reawakening, the importance of the Outer Guardians, and a few other aspects. Again, I kind of figured this was going to be the case as movies that are based TV series (be it a continuation of the original story or in a self-contained narrative for the film) is mostly meant for the fans, and not so much on non-fans. Basically, if you’re looking to find out what Sailor Moon is all about, Eternal isn’t the movie for you. Just a very minor quibble.

The voice cast for Sailor Moon Eternal is actually really good, with most of the acting talents that voiced the characters from both Sailor Moon Crystal series and the Viz Media’s English dub of the original Sailor Moon series returning to reprise their character roles. While the longstanding debate over the original Japanese voices over English dubbed depends upon the viewer’s preferences, but I usually like watching the English dubs more, especially since the dubbing acting / lip synching has gotten better over the years. Naturally, the film’s main protagonist character of Usagi Tsukino / Sailor Moon headlines the feature, with voice actress Stephanie Sheh (Your Name and Bleach) playing the role. Personally, I prefer the other voices Usagi / Serena better like Terri Hawkes from the DiC dubbing production and Linda Ballantyne from the Cloverway dubbing production. Still, Sheh is committed to the role as she’s done both the redubbing of the original anime series (under Viz Media) as well as Crystal series, so definitely knows the character of Sailor Moon inside and out. For that, I think she did another good entry for Eternal.

Likewise, the characters of Chibiusa and Mamoru have always been solid in their respective roles in the Sailor Moon saga, causing relationship to clash, romance to blossom, and allies found in the heat of battle. Naturally, the voice acting is also solid once again; finding voice actress Sandy Fox (The Asterisk War and Aldnoah.Zero) and voice actor Robbie Daymond (Final Fantasy XV and Spider-Man) to be great and definitely lend weigh to their respective characters in the movie. Naturally, both Chibusa and Mamoru have the important roles to play in Dream arc storyline, which is showcased in Eternal and does offer some compelling moments, especially in show character growth moments in Chibiusa’s personal journey.

In supporting roles, the Inner Sailor guardians help bolster Usagi, Chibiusa, and Mamoru during Eternal in which these characters get their moments to shine, especially in the part 1 endeavor by showcasing them in their dealings with the Amazon Trio’s tricks as well as aiding in the fight against Nehelenia’s Dead Moon Circus. Much like before, the voice talents of Kate Higgins (Blaze and the Monster Machines and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) as Ami Mizuno / Sailor Mercury, Cristina Valenzula (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir and RWBY) as Rei Hino / Sailor Mars, Amanda Celine Miller (She-Ra and the Princess of Power and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) as Makoto Kino / Sailor Jupiter, and Cherami Leigh (Temple Grandin and Pokémon) as Minako Aino / Sailor Venus, are spot on and I do like the voices for these particular characters, especially since they voiced them (their respective characters) for quite some time.

As I mentioned, I love how the Outer Sailor guardians returned for Eternal and their inclusion is a welcomed one indeed. Plus, I felt like the voice talents of Erica Mendez (Erased and Hunter x Hunter), Lauren Landa (Attack on Titan and Street Fighter V), Veronica Taylor (Pokémon and The Slayers), and Christine Marie Cabanos (Beyblade Burst and Fate / Extra Last Encore) in the roles of Haruka Tenoh / Sailor Uranus, Michiru Kaiou / Sailor Neptune, Setsuna Meioh / Sailor Pluto, and Hotaru Tomoe / Sailor Saturn respectfully. All the Outer Sailor guardians get their moments (character / dialogue scenes) during Part 2, and all are presented / acted well. I love it!

The only voice talent that did not return for Sailor Moon Eternal was Chris Niosi, who provided the voice for Pegasus / Helios in the Viz Media dubbing of Sailor Moon Super S. He is replaced for this movie by Brian Beacock (Sword Art Online and Zak Storm), who I actually thinks does a great job in the part. Definitely carries the same sounding voice that Niosi did and has a good fit for voice of graceful winged horse in Pegasus as well as the human form of Helios.

Sadly, the limitations of Sailor Moon Eternal makes several characters rather generic, reducing their involvement in the story, and not as well-rounded as they were in the original Super S / Dream arc series or what could’ve been to expand upon in the Crystal brand name. The ones that suffer the most are the Amazon Trio (Tiger’s Eye, Hawk’s Eye, and Fish’s Eye), the first main troupe of the Dead Moon Circus before the Amazon Quartet. Eternal basically reduces their involvement tremendously; making the trio of characters more like side-kick bad guy characters rather than the main threat that the original anime series presented them as. Even their somewhat redemption arc from Super S is completely omitted, which was disappointing. On the plus side, voice actors John Eric Bentley (Days of Our Lives and Baki), Michael Yurchak (Club Dread and Beerfest), and Erik Scott Kimerer (Accel World and Raiden V) return to reprise their roles of Tiger’s Eye, Hawk’s Eye, and Fish’s Eye respectfully. It’s just a shame that the Amazon Trio’s screen presence in Eternal is minimal. As for main antagonist of Eternal, the character of Queen Nehelenia is also reduced to a more generic villain. Of course, voice actress Laura Post (Persona 5 Royal and Dino Girl Gauko) does great job in voice such a wicked character by chewing through dialogue lines with ease, but the character is rather flat and comes across as just another evil that wants power / dominion overall, which (again) disappointing as the original Sailor Moon series revealed her backstory (one that was quite compelling for a bad guy) and almost had a redemption notion in the first few episodes of Sailor Moon Stars. Thus, Queen Nehelenia in Eternal is rather stock-like main villain and that’s it.

Faring better in the villain category than those character in the grouping are the members of the Amazon Quartet, who seem more of the focus of Eternal’s bad guys. This foursome received a lot of screen time in the film and are such as fun and mischievously evil as their original anime counterparts. Plus, have the returning voices of Cassandra Lee Morris (DC Super Hero Girls and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir) as the flower master CereCere, Xanthe Huynh (Persona 5 and Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day) as the ball balancer Pallapalla, Erika Ishii (Deathloop and Destiny 2) as the acrobat Junjun, and Erica Lindbeck (ThunderCats Roar and Pacific Rim: The Black) as the beast tamer VesVes, are great and definitely make the characters fun. Also, the character of Zirconia, the ringleader of the Amazon Quartet and servant to Queen Nehelenia, makes her appearance in Eternal and who is once again voiced by Barbara Goodson (Akira and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers). The character is still a bit shallow, but I think this merely designed for both the original anime series and for this Crystal remake iteration. Still, for better or worse, Zirconia is a good (yet serviceable) bad guy character. I always still find it out that the Cloverway / Pioneer release that the character had a male voice rather than a female.

Additionally, other side characters, including actress Michelle Ruff (Akira and Bleach) as Usagi’s cat Luna, actor Johnny Yong Bosch (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Akira) as Minako’s cat Artemis, actress Debi Derryberry (F is for Family and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius) as Chibiusa’s cat Diana, and actress Wender Lee (Akira and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie) as Queen Serenity. These players in Eternal are more secondary minor characters, so, with so much time spent with the main cast, these characters get limited screen time. Still, I do think that they were voiced acted correctly, especially since all had previously worked on Sailor Moon before….so they understand their respective minor characters accordingly.

FINAL THOUGHTS

---

To protect the world, and those we hold dear…. beautiful dreams will be reborn eternal in the movie Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie. Director Chiaki Kon’s latest project takes the entire “Dream” arc from Sailor Moon Super S and presents it within a double feature presentation; highlighting the events of the Sailor guardians as they battle against the Dead Moon Circus and freeing Helios. While the endeavor does struggle when it comes to plotting out its fully narrative within the condensed time restriction of a movie as well as numerous exposition dumps and some characters that gets pushed to wayside, the film itself is a fun return to the Sailor Moon property, especially thanks to the feature’s visually beautiful animation, a story that’s both familiar yet still refreshing to follow, Kon’s direction, and solid voice acting. Personally, I liked it. As I mentioned, I wasn’t a super big fan of the whole Super S / Dream arc in the original anime, but I was quite impressed in how this two-part movie translated the story into a comprehensiveness (though still compressed) narrative. Plus, the animation is visual great, and I love it, while the movie’s journey is still a Sailor Moon endeavor …. “In the name of the moon” ….and all other fanfare moments in-between. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is a solid “recommended” one; finding the project to fun and great to fully experience on whatever platform you view it on as it great to catch up Sailor Moon and all the rest of the Sailor guardians in their fight for love and justice. With the conclusion of Eternal, all eyes look to what Sailor Moon Crystal will do next? Will they go back to a more traditional episodic TV season for adapting Sailor Moon Stars or will they continue the trend and present it as a feature movie. Whatever the case, I’m looking forward to seeing how Crystal shapes Stars to be. In the end, Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie is a feel-good adventure anime double feature film that is worth the wait and will surely delight all the “Moonie” fans (both casual and hardcore) out there; reinforcing the ideas of falling in love, kicking justice butt, cherishing friendship, and beautiful dreams to make for a compelling anime movie to get lost in everyone’s favorite magical girl series.

3.9 Out of 5 (Recommended)

 

Released On: June 3rd, 2021

Reviewed On: September 29th, 2021

Sailor Moon Eternal: The Movie  is 160 minutes long and is rated TV-14

WELL DONE, MY BRAVE KNIGHT!

---

 

The names of Camelot, Excalibur, Lancelot, Morgana, Merlin, and Arthur Pendragon are some of the main staples to the many different iterations of the Arthurian legends of King Arthur. Taking inspiration from many the tales of British folklore, the legend of King Arthur has been told and retold through a multitude of accounts, finding its origins within 12^th century medieval England. With the passing of the tale, the story of Arthur has passed through the ages, reimagined and refined the British figure into a legend in both folklore and in literary. While many novels and books have written on the legend of King Arthur, none is more famous than version written by English novelist T.H. White titled “The Once and Future King”, which consist of the widely and well-known part of the Arthurian tale (i.e., The Sword in the Stone). Much like the literary world, Hollywood as a plethora of cinematic tales (made for the big and small screen) that represent the legend of King Arthur. This includes Disney’s 1963 animated feature The Sword in the Stone and 1998’s Quest for Camelot, the films 1995’s First Knight and 2004’s King Arthur, 2017’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, 2019’s The Kid Would Be King, and 1998’s television movie Merlin amongst many others. Now, A24 Studios and director David Lowery present a new cinematic representation of the Arthurian mythos with the release of The Green Knight; based on the epic tale Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Does the movie provide some new insight into this old legend or does the feature’s unorthodox methods of storytelling weigh the movie down?

THE STORY

---

Years after the events King Arthur (Sean Harris) pulling the sword from the stone, it’s Christmas Day in Camelot, with glad tidings for celebration and merriment on this yuletide holiday. Joining the king is his wife, Guinevere (Kate Dickie), his stepsister Morgan le Fay (Sarita Choudhury), his nephew Gawain (Dev Patel), and a host of his knights. While the celebration is in full swing, a sudden appearance shrouded the joyous event when the Green Knight (Ralph Ineson), a mystery and enigmatic knightly being, appears in Camelot, issuing a challenge to those who can strike him down. Gawain answers the challenge and cuts the knight’s head off, only pick up his own head and issuing that the challenge is not complete. The Green Knight states that Gawain must seek him out in the Green Chapel, knight’s forest grove dwelling, a year from now to finish the challenge before riding off and steadily departs Camelot. A year passes by and Gawain, who is hesitant of face such a looming challenge, ventures forth on a journey that will test the young knight’s faith, courage, and self-worth; facing obstacles and fantastical situations that are leading him closer to his reunion with the Green Knight and the ultimate sacrifice he must make…. his own life.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

---

Okay, so this might sound familiar, but taken some piece of this paragraph (and the opening paragraph) from my review for both King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and The Kid Who Would Be King, for both serve in what I wanted to convey in those reviews about Arthurian legend and does so again in this review. So, trust me, I’m not just simply “cutting and pasting” because of I’m lazy (scouts honor). So…. with my love of all things fantasy, the various Arthurian legends of King Arthur have definitely crossed my paths many, many times through my life. Like many my age, my first introduction to the story was through Disney’s animated film The Sword in the Stone, finding the tale of Arthur (commonly known as Wart) and his wacky adventures with the mystical Merlin a gateway into the broader legend of King Arthur. From there, I’ve read, learned, and watched several other variations of the King Arthur, including several cartoon series (most notably with Disney’s Gargoyles) and films (First Knight and the TV movie Merlin). I still haven’t read T.H. White’s “The Once and Future King” novel yet, but I do plan to someday. Thus, by now, I’m somewhat well-versed in the Arthurian legend (and its many adaptations) to get the main gist of the legendary tale of Arthur Pendragon.

This brings me back to talking about The Green Knight, a 2021 medieval fantasy film and a A24 studio release. I can’t remember exactly when I first heard about this movie, but I do remember hearing that A24 studios, a movie studio that is renowned for their artistic integrity within their feature films, was going to be adapting an Arthurian style narrative into a movie. I then later learned that the project was going to be focusing on the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I wasn’t too familiar with the original epic, with the only inclination being it was from the Arthurian legend, so I knew it was going probably feature characters from the King Arthur mythos (i.e., Arthur, Merlin, Morgan Le Fey, etc.). After that, I really didn’t hear much beyond that actor Dev Patel was attached to the project and was going to be the main lead…. assuming he was playing Gawain. Then the film’s movie trailer appeared online and, while I didn’t pay much attention the first trailer, the second one definitely caught my interest; showcasing some intriguing imagery that looked to be a darker and gritter take on the Arthurian narrative. So, when the movie was released, which was around July 30^t , 2021 in the US, as I saw the film (in theaters) a few after its release. Sadly, with my busy work schedule, getting my review for The Green Knight got pushed aside and ultimately delayed getting it done completely. Now, that I’m starting to play “catch up” with all my reviews, I finally have a chance to explain (and explore) what I thought of this film? So, what did I think of this movie? Well, I actually really kind of liked it. While its presentation is wonky at times and steeped in a few confusing ambiguity, The Green Knight is a masterful stroke of cinematic proportions; garnishing a very atmospheric and gritty reimagining of the classic Arthurian tale. It’s definitely not for everyone, but the journey presented feels creatively done and more original than most cinematic endeavors…. making the movie itself worth a look.

The Green Knight is directed by David Lowery, whose previous directorial works include such films like Pete’s Dragon, A Ghost Story, and The Old Man & the Gun. With the exception of Pete’s Dragon, I was unfamiliar with Lowery’s directing skills, with many finding A Ghost Story and The Old Man and the Gun to be more of his “artistic” approach and gained credibility in that way. So, I kind of went into The Green Knight with very little pre-conceived knowledge of Lowery’s directing, so I couldn’t pass judgement on what was his unique styles of helming a project like this. That being said, his style is made perfectly clear within the feature’s opening few minutes; projecting a more gritty and realistic narrative that juxtaposes a fantasy epic. Perhaps the one very unique aspect that Lowery does with The Green Knight is how he makes it his own by choosing to present the movie in somewhat non-traditional manner. Well, not non-traditional isn’t the right word, but rather a different approach to what many studio would’ve done with this Arthurian tale. To be sure, the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is ripe for a cinematic treatment as many major Hollywood studios would’ve chosen a more straightforward interpretation of this classic tale, including a more blockbuster-ish feeling of a multitude of CGI characters / construct creations, characters exposition dumps, and a more happy, conclusive ending., all of which would be to capture a wider net of viewers. Lowery’s The Green Knight isn’t that and that is really good thing, with the director approaching the source material in a way that differentiate itself from what many would try to present the story with. One example of this is that…. the movie doesn’t linger too long the whole King Arthur mythos, with opening of the film stating that this not the movie (tale) about “the boy who pulled sword from stone”. Characters like Arthur, Guinevere, and Morgan Le Fey are present in the film, but Lowery makes them for secondary supporting players in the movie; keeping the focus on Sir Gawain and his personal journey that he must undergo. Thus, the filmmaking style is very different (and do mean very different) from the norm and the pay off actually works; finding the movie to be effective it what Lowery’s vision is and creates something that feels more original and even creative than a lot of film releases of 2021. In my reviews, I usually draw criticism towards movies on how “generic” they are or how “predictable” they are. Well, I really didn’t feel that way with The Green Knight and that is probably why I enjoyed it. Yes, there were some things that I knew that were going to happen, but it wasn’t like that for a great majority of the film, which kept me invested in the movie’s journey from start to finish. Plus, I do have mention that the movie’s ending climax sequences is beautifully handled, and I do have to give Lowery some great big kudo points; presenting a montage scene that captivating and haunting at the same time. Good stuff!

Lowery also pulls “double duty” on The Green Knight acting as both director and the script writer for the feature. As I mentioned above, I somewhat knew of the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by name only and really didn’t delve into the story itself. I actually did read the summary of it after I saw this movie, so I became a bit familiar with the original source material. To be sure, Lowery does take a few liberties in transition Sir Gawain’s tale into a cinematic feature film, but also does expand upon the original story, especially in the side quests that Gawain goes on throughout his journey to meet the Green Knight. In that regard, I do applaud Lowery’s work by showcasing more trials and hardships that the young knight must face overcome before reaching his fated reunion with the enigmatic knight. That’s not to say that Lowery devoid the feature of the universal themes and messages that the original epic evokes. In fact, it’s quite the opposite as the film’s narrative is steeped with thematic elements that are wrapped together in this medieval fantasy. How so? Well, there’s themes of acceptance, self-worth, loyalty, temptation, seduction, and honor….and that’s quite a lot of thematic messages and lessons to be presented in a movie. However, Lowery’s script for the film works it all in and delivers such a powerful message along the way. Some are more subtle than others, but there are quite clear when piecing together the growth of Gawain character and the journey he undergoes throughout the course of the movie. Looking beyond that, Lowery makes the film have that fairytale-esque feeling, but it set in a more realistic world with a darker / adult elements lingering throughout its texture and atmospheric tendencies. Thus, it goes without saying, it’s a good idea to go into this movie with a more opened minded approach in how everything is not going to be very straightforward. Basically, Lowery’s The Green Knight is something akin Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water or maybe even a little bit of Tim Burton’s Big Fish; thematical themes that are set within a more sometimes fantastical surreal (dream-like) events and / or grounded with more darker adult themes.

In its presentation, The Green Knight is gorgeously rendered to behold by blending realism and fantasy-esque imagery together within its film’s world. Visually speaking, the realism tone that Lowery convey in his movie feels life-like and organic; depicting the naturalistic feel of a medieval setting rather than a fanciful fairytale-esque world that (as I said) that Hollywood would’ve decided to choose. Because of this, the movie’s background setting has some grit within its landscape and set pieces; feeling a bit worn down, but something more natural. That’s not to say that feature’s fantasy appeal isn’t there, with the visual flairs of picturesque forests and locations popping in and out of the story as well as fantastic creatures for Gawain to encounter. Thus, the film’s “behind the scenes” team, including Louise Matthews, Christine McDonagh, and David Pink (art direction), Jade Healy (production design), Jenny Oman (set decorations), and Malgosia Turzanska (costume design) for their efforts in shaping The Green Knight’s visual world in both a surreal dream-like way and grounded in realism. Additionally, aiding in that notion is the cinematography work by Andrew Droz Palermo that helps further bringing this medieval world to cinematic life. There are a few technical problems and aesthetics that Palermo that become a distraction (I’ll mention that below), but his work keeps the feature visually entertaining and definitely lends credit into Lowery’s vision of this Arthurian legend. Lastly, the movie’s score, which was composed by Daniel Hart, is quite compelling soundtrack; presenting a musical arrangement of pieces together, with some being hauntingly unease and others being beautifully soft….all are which wrapped in a medieval style-esque melodies, including a few songs. Definitely a good soundtrack for the movie soundtrack fans out there.

Unfortunately, The Green Knight, despite its unique presentation and filmmaking setup, will have many (and I do mean many) drawing criticism for the film artistic flourishes and vague nuances. How so? Well, for lack of a better of a term, the movie is steeped in that whole “arthouse” aspects and nuances, which can be distracting throughout the entire film. This includes a lot of cinematography work, including elongated scenes, odd camera angles, and perplexing filmmaking techniques, that are heavily utilized to capture this style of cinematic storytelling. That’s not to say that Lowery’s direction isn’t solid nor is cinematographer by Palermo for creating such a visual medieval world, but the movie spends a lot of time of trying to establish its unique arthouse aesthetics that it becomes obstruction of sorts; finding The Green Knight more interested visual appearance (staging and execution) rather than the story / narrative it wants to tell. As I said, the film is released under the A24 studio, which is quite known for their homage / perception of loving the arthouse style of feature films, so I kind of expected this. That being said, it is a little distracting and could’ve been slightly reduced in those nuanced flourishes.

Coinciding with that knowledge of the feature being a A24 release, The Green Knight is definitely a strange (almost bizarre) experience. While I did mention how I liked how the movie was different from what mainstream Hollywood would’ve done with this story, there is no denying the fact that Lowery’s interpretation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is truly perplexing by offering some vague explanations and confusing ambiguity. There is a plethora of odd scenarios that Gawain faces along his journey to the Green Chapel, with Lowery staging plenty of “WTF” moments that are bit of a headscratchers in my opinion. Because of this, the movie itself is not very straightforward with what it wants to convey (both what its in front of the camera and in its script shaping), which causes a lot of problematic elements. Discerning the feature’s story (side quests and sometimes the main quest of Gawain) is definitely perplexing, which will mostly cause a lot of moviegoers to lose interest in the movie altogether. Thus, one might have to fully prepare for the movie that there about to watch; mentally walking into the movie with an adult fairytale story vague notions of what lies in store for the film’s journey. Certain things aren’t fully explained, character disappears / reappear without much notice, and some scenarios are just plain downright odd. A result of this vague / non-straightforward is that The Green Knight feels quite long and is considered to be a “slow burner”; slowly unfolding Gawain’s narrative in a very non-rushed manner. And, with a film runtime of 130 minutes (two hours and ten minutes), the movie definitely feels like; slowly moving with a couple of pacing issues. Again, I kind of figured that would be the case (with the film being released under the A24 banner), so I wasn’t too upset by it. However, it feels like the movie could’ve been more refined in how it was ultimately shaped. Overall, Lowery’s direction for The Green Knight is an ambitious one, but its vague nuances of storytelling setup will leave many out there divided on the feature’s likeability.

Also, as a minor sidenote of criticism, I felt that the film’s final scene ended rather abruptly was bit of odd choice. The ending for the film itself is great and I loved how Lowery decided presenting the feature’s climatic moments within this frame. That being said, where The Green Knight ultimately ends feels ambiguous and unclear. Maybe that’s part of Lowery’s grand masterplan for this feature, but it just felt so sudden and abrupt that it left me a tad disappointment. Who knows…. that might be just me.

The cast in The Green Knight is surprisingly really good and, while the film isn’t quite crystal clear in a few of its character motivations and develop (due to the feature’s ambiguity), what’s presented works and the performances of its various actors and actresses selected for this project helps elevate those missteps. Leading the charge in the movie is actor Dev Patel, who plays the film’s central protagonist role of Sir Gawain. Patel, who is known for his roles in Lion, Chappie, and Slumdog Millionaire, has certainly made a new for himself; establishing his acting career and appearing in a wide variety of projects, with most being juicy character roles for him to immersive himself into. The Green Knight is no exception to the notion; finding Patel prime and ready to tackle such a character like Gawain wholeheartedly and his performance definitely shows that. How Gawain is written in the movie actually plays a part in Patel’s performance, with the character being first introduced as quiet, hesitant, and naïve, but grows throughout his journey; realizing the trials that lay before him are test in his endurance as a man that the duty (as a knight) he must overcome. Patel reflects these thematical emotions beautifully in the movie and result is something captivating. Like the movie itself, Patel plays the role of Gawain with more subtlety and nuance, never overacting nor fully completely bloated with long-winded character dialogue moments; letting his physical performance and facial expressions speak for themselves. In the end, I think that Patel gives such a powerful and great nuanced performance as Gawain and is probably gives the most memorable performance in the entire movie.

Behind Patel’s Gawain, actress Alicia Vikander and actor Joel Edgerton play solid character roles in more supporting roles in the movie. Vikander, who is known for her roles in Ex Machina, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and The Danish Girl, actually plays two characters roles as Essel, a young, common woman who his romantic in love with Gawain, and character simply known as “the Lady”, a character who offers temptations for the young knight in his journey. Vikander plays both roles with ease, showcasing her acting talents in playing dual characters and how she and Patel interact with each other is great. Likewise, Edgerton, who is known for his roles in Warrior, The Gift, and The Great Gatsby, is equally effective as simply known as “the Lord”, a kind lord who takes in Gawain to rest up before completing his journey to the Green Chapel. Edgerton plays the character with charm and easiness; a sort of gleaming “twinkle” in his eyes as if he knows more than what he initially saying. Since his character (as well as Vikander’s second character Lady, who is married to the Lord) are presented towards the end of the film, there both presented as a “final test” for Gawain to overcome / learned from, and I think that Lowery does a good job in evoking that notion.

Of course, I could not go without mentioning the character of which this film’s namesake comes from…. the Green Knight. I personally thought he was such an amazingly cool character. Yes, the feature doesn’t delve into the character’s background and / or legend, but that’s a good thing as Lowery keeps the character shrouded in mystery and a formidable being that Gawain has to face when he reaches his journey’s end. Surprisingly, Lowery made the decision to not use much CGI visual effect shots for the Green Knight, which means he’s mostly brought to life by ways and means practical effects such as heavy costume apparel and prosthetics. The result is something that makes for a more striking and haunting character that looms large and formidable whenever he’s on-screen. Heck, even the actor who plays, Ralph Ineson, who is known for his roles in The Witch, Ready Player One, and Game of Thrones, is fantastic in the role and creates such a unique voice for the Green Knight that definitely compliments his visual appearance. In the end, I thought that Lowery did a great job in bringing this enigmatic being to life in a way that’s beautiful and intimidating.

The rest of the supporting players, including actor Sean Harris (Mission Impossible: Fallout and Prometheus) as King Arthur, actress Kate Dickie (Game of Thrones and Prometheus) as Queen Guinevere, actor Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk and Eternals) as the young scavenger boy, and actress Erin Kellyman (Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as Winfred, and actress Sarita Choudhury (Homeland and Lady in the Water) as Gawain’s mother / Arthur’s stepsister Morgan Le Fey, are secondary characters in the movie. Naturally, all of these acting talents play their respective well and the performances are solid, but all of these characters are more subtle, with not such a heavy emphasis on them. Again, this goes back what I said earlier where Lowery doesn’t super focus on other Arthurian characters and are merely in The Green Knight as sort of “window dressing”. Still, regardless of their screen time, these players are still vital to the narrative (to a degree) in play their parts in Gawain’s tale.

FINAL THOUGHTS

---

One year hence…. are the words echoed from the mysterious knight as Sir Gawain soon embarks upon a quest that will test his courage and honor in the movie The Green Knight. Director David Lowery latest film is a visual stunning and ambitious film adaptation of the classic Arthurian tale; delivering a unique endeavor that is steeped in heroic quest nuances, but rich in its gritty and shaded dark underlining that permeates the entire film. While the film does struggle within its artistic approach as a arthouse endeavor and wallowing in a confusing ambiguity aesthetics, the movie still manages to be quite riveting in its own right, thanks to Lowery’s direction / vision for the feature, its powerful themes, a solid presentation, practical effects, and a great cast, especially Patel’s performance. Personally, I liked this movie. Yes, there are some truly bizarre stuff that happens in the movie (stuff that I can’t fully wrap my head around just yet), but I do appreciate Lowery’s vision for this tale and Patel’s performance is fantastic. However, I definitely can see why some viewers will be “turned off” by this ambitious projects. That being said, my recommendation for this movie is an “highly recommended” as well as an “iffy choice” as the movie itself isn’t bad or mediocre, but because it will have polarizing effect on moviegoers everywhere, with some liking it (like myself) and others confused by it. It will definitely have viewers divided on what they watched and is probably one of the most decisive (and probably debated) features of the 2021 film releases. And maybe that’s good thing! Again, if you liked movies Pan’s Labyrinth or The Shape of Water, you’ll definitely find this film to your liking. In conclusion, The Green Knight is a visionary take on the classic Arthurian legend; one that delves into powerful themes and solid performances that’s wrapped in a stunning cinematic tale that will leave an impression on its viewers. Whether or not that impression is good or bad is left up to the viewer’s artistic taste of the cinematic variety.

 

Also, as a personal side note, The Green Knight is my 600th movie review since I’ve started blogging. This is truly a huge and celebratory milestone for me! I wanted give a special thank you to all my readers, followers, and fellow bloggers for reading my movie reviews and giving me this platform to share (with you guys) my views on cinematic tales.

4.3 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended / Iffy Choice)

 

Released On: July 30th, 2021

Reviewed On: September 28th, 2021

The Green Knight  is 130 minutes long and is rated R for violence, some sexuality and graphic nudity