Displaying items by tag: Russell Crowe

KRAVEN THE HUNTER

US, 2024, 127 minutes, Colour.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Arianna DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, Levi Miller, Billy Barratt.

Directed by J.C.Chandor.

Kraven the Hunter was created by veteran Marvel Comics expert, Stan Lee. As the title suggests, he is a Hunter, literally of animals as well as of human beings, a foe of Spiderman.

The Spiderman series was made in collaboration with Marvel Studios by Sony. The Sony Marvel action films have been far less successful than the others, beers, Venom, Madame Webb and, now Kraven. In fact, Sony executives have commented that the press “crucified” Madame Webb as well as Kraven making them financial flops, both in 2024.

And, this is a pity with Kraven because it is actually an action show more than a superpowers show, even though Kraven himself has received the capacity for extraordinary climbs and leaps.

Perhaps the central character is not too sympathetic – although Morbius and Venom are not the most attractive superpower heroes.

The film opens strikingly, a convoy of prisoners in the Russian snow and isolation, a harsh Gulag, and Kraven, a sturdy presence and performance by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, suddenly appearing, killing several gangsters in the prison, escaping in a plane. And then this screenplay goes back to an origins story, 16 years earlier.

There are two young Russian boys in the New York elite school, visited by their father, a big Russian drug dealer played with quite some heft and heaviness by Russell Crowe. He makes demands on his sons, especially the older, Sergei (played here by Australian Levi Miller). On safari in Ghana, the young man is mauled by a lion, allegedly legendary, eventually killed by his father keeping it is a trophy. But, Sergei is saved by a mysterious African young woman, Calypso, with tarot cards and a special potion.

Sergei then becomes Kraven, isolating himself, living in Russia, a Hunter, able to be hired to pursue criminals. But, every year, he comes to New York to visit his brother, now a musician and lounge singer, in New York and some contact with his father.

Then various complications ensue, the abduction of the younger brother, the emergence of an arch-criminal, rivalling the father, Rhino (Alessandro Nivola who also has had some strange injections and, unless tempered, his skin becomes like that of a rhinoceros). He also hires a killer, The Foreigner (Christopher Abbott) who can mesmerise his opponents through gazing at them and overpowering them.

What follows is action adventure, the kind that Liam Neeson and other actors used to get involved in, scenes in Turkey, Russia, a rescue for the younger brother, double Cross, Calypso (Ariana DeBose) to the rescue… And a final confrontation with the father. And the importance for Kraven to establish his own moral code.

Which means then that the scenario is ready for an action adventure with Kraven and a confrontation with Spiderman.

1. Kraven and his place in marvel comics, as a hunter in himself, and the conflicts with Spiderman? This film is an origin story for Kraven?
2. The Marvel tradition, the hero, origin, superpowers, confrontations with the villains, personal relationships, testing, exercise of power responsibility, the temptation of the dark side?
3. The range of settings, link Russian countryside, Eastern Europe and the forests, Kraven space, the privileged school in the United States, the sequences in London, homes, the club, the monastery in Turkey? The musical score?
4. The introduction to Kraven, the prisoners, the bus, his challenge, in the prison, sharing the cell, three days, the fights and his abilities, confrontation with the authorities, the gang Lord, the deaths, the abilities of his escape, the flight?
5. 16 years earlier? The back story of Kraven and his brother, the elegant school in New York, their careers of the school, their future? The visit of their father, the demanding man? The story of their mother, Russia, the property, the decline, death? The father, domineering, his business deals, drugs?
6. The father and his expectations of his sons, Ghana, the hunt, testing his sons, the legendary lion, stalking, the attack, Sergei and the vicious mauling, the rescue? Healing? But the father killing the lion, having it a trophy in his home?
7. Calypso, a young girl, her grandmother, the tarot cards, the potions, the quest for her? Her seeing Sergei, attending him, his recovery?
8. Sergei, his retreating to Russia, alone, his home, his discovering his powers, superpowers, his skill as a hunter, his career, employed, hunting down criminals? The return to the Russian prison and his killing the criminals and his escape by plane?
9. The exercise of his powers, climbing, leaving…?
10. Kraven the Hunter, vigilante, returning to New York, his relationship with his brother, his brother in the club, pianist, singing, the visits from their father?
11. Dimitri, different, singing, his being abducted, the plan for the rescue?
12. The issue of the ransom, the father refusing to pay, Sergei going to see Calypso, her work as a lawyer, her contacts, getting information, willing to help Sergei?
13. The character of Rhino, seeing him as young and diffident on the hunt in Ghana? The experience, his being transformed, his skin like the rhinoceros? His power? His henchmen, his plans? The rivalry with Sergei’s father? The contact with The Foreigner?
14. The Foreigner in action, strong, his of hypnosis, the eyes? Swift movement, his attack? The money, wanting to lure Kraven, the information, Calypso given the false information? Dimitri imprisoned?
15. The action to Turkey, the taking of Kraven, the dominance of The Foreigner, the buildup to the confrontation?
16. Kraven, Calypso, the escape, the confrontation with his father, his father and the betrayal, the bear and the attack?
17. Rhino, the confrontation, his being destroyed?
18. The next encounter with Dimitri, his change of attitude, becoming more like his father, setting up a confrontation with his brother?
19. Kraven, getting the vest, the fur, from his father, ready for the future – and the conflict with Spiderman?

THE EXORCISM

US, 2024, 93 minutes, Colour.

Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, David Hyde Pierce, Adrian Pasdar, Samantha Mathis.

Directed by Joshua John Miller.

The Exorcism was released in 2024 although information is at hand that it was filmed at the end of 2019. Russell Crowe appeared as the Vatican exorcist in 2023, The Pope’s Exorcist. This seems to have offered an opportunity for The Exorcism to be released.

Interestingly, the film has been cowritten and directed by Joshua John Miller. He is the son of the actor, Jason Miller, who played Father Karars in The Exorcist – although Joshua John Miller was born the year after the film’s release but he may have been drawing on family discussions in the ensuing years about the film and its effect on his father.

The film opens eerily with an actor walking through the various storeys of the set, rehearsing his lines, then suddenly attacked and killed. Which means that there needs to be re-casting.

This is a film about the making of the film with some scenes of the film within the film. There is an elaborate set, the multi-storyed and a basement, the basement used, of course, for a dramatic climax. On the whole, the film is, literally, very dark. The apartment of the actor is full of shadows, sometimes sinister. Most of the action takes place on the set with some interior darkness. While there are some moments outside the apartment and the studio, they are generally night scenes, also dark.

And, the theme of the film is dark. Russell Crowe plays an actor, a back story of alcoholism and addiction, neglected wife and daughter, to rehab, being offered the role of the exorcist priest in the new film – which has links to the original, the screenplay in the film called The Georgetown Project. The name of the actor is Tony Miller – same surname as the director.

Tony Miller is diffident, is interviewed, does readings, gets the role, ups and downs in performance, some reconciliation with his daughter (Ryan Simpkins), suspended from school, attracted to the young actress who is playing the possessed victim in the film (Chloe Bailey). Things begin to go more wrong, the actor becoming more and more possessed, building up to an exorcism confrontation, especially with the priest adviser to the film, an unexpected appearance by David Hyde Pierce.

Final dramatics and melodramatics of exorcism. Compared with of the Exorcism films, this one seems rather slight in its imagination, not an essential exorcism film at all, but it must be said that Russell Crowe certainly gives his serious best in his performance.

1. Continued audience interest in films of exorcisms? The references here to the original Exorcist? The Georgetown Project? And the writer-director, son of Jason Miller, Father Karas?
2. A film about the making of the film and the film within the film?
3. The opening, the priest, rehearsing his lines, going through the set, the eerie experience, his death?
4. The focus on Tony Miller the introduction, his back story, Catholic, altar boy, abuse and the flashbacks to the sequences, alcohol, the death of his wife, neglect of his daughter? Rehab? Only going to the confessional, after 40 years, the return to the confessional? The offer of a comeback? Diffidence? Preparing the lines, his daughter returning, her suspension, his reactions? Rehearsing his lines with her? Encouraged by her? Making her his PA?
5. The director, his background, intentions, the choice of Tony, the discussions, the readings, interviews? The decision for Tony to act in the film?
6. The darkness of the film, even in the brief outdoor sequences, at night? The apartment dark? The set, the house with its several storeys? The musical score?
7. The signalling of the days of shooting? Tony, the scenes, his renditions, the director and his advice, dissatisfaction? The effect on Tony and his performance? At home? The temptation to drink? His finally succumbing?
8. The actress, Blake, the role of the possessed woman? Friendship with Lee, sharing, the sexual encounter?
9. Tony and his gradual deterioration, his becoming possessed? Not himself, the threats to others, confrontations, with Lee, her desperation?
10. Father Conor, expert advice, Tony asking about why he became a priest, his heroes? His study of psychology? The discussions with the Lee, the confrontations with Tony?
11. The desperation of the film crew? The pressure to get the film made?
12. The buildup to the climax, the basement in the set, the eerie atmosphere, Lee going down, Fr Conor offering himself? The behaviour of the possessed Tony, the priest and Blake, paralysed? Lee and the confrontation? Prayers, the litany of the saints, Tony recovering, Fr Conor and his being overcome, destroyed?
13. The culmination of the experience, this film as an exorcist and possession film, and the speculations about the effect of such a theme on the cast and crew?

SLEEPING DOGS

Australia/US, 2024, 110 minutes, Colour.

Russell Crowe, Karen Gillan, Marton Csokas, Tommy Flanagan, Thomas M.Wright, Harry Greenwood, Pacharo Mzembe, Lynn Gilmartin.

Directed by Adam Cooper.

The metaphor of the title indicates that sometimes it may be better to leave past events as they are because we do not know what revelations will appear if the past is stirred. And that happens here -in an interesting and evocative way.

This is a very American story, the police, death row and executions, investigating cold cases, psychology and experimentation, drugs to suppress PTSD memories, experiments to reactivate memory. However, Sleeping Dogs was, in fact, made in Australia, with a mainly Australian cast with New Zealand’s Marton Csokas, Karen Gillan and Tommy Flanagan from Scotland – no American in the cast. (Of interest, Harry Greenwood is the son of Hugo Weaving; Thomas M. Wright was a writer-director of the award-winning drama, The Stranger, 2022).

But it stars Russell Crowe in a very interesting performance as a former police officer of 20 years, Roy Freeman, involved in a drink-driving accident, damage to his skull and brain, now undergoing a particular therapy to try to reactivate his memory, to redirect the neural paths of his brain. We see him at home, notes everywhere around his apartment indicating how he is to act, his name, preparing a meal… We see him undergoing his treatment and moments when memory begins to return.

However, the key to the drama is a prisoner coming to appeal to Roy to reopen his case because he is about to be executed and professes his innocence, Roy thinking that this was an expected ploy. However, something alerts him and he begins to investigate.

Which, clearly, is the point where a reviewer has to go no further with the narrative. Rather, there can be a whetting of the audience appetite to indicate who the central characters are. Marton Csokas’s appears as Dr Wieder, a very talented psychologist who is working on the program for suppressing PTSD memories. Karen Gillan is his equally talented associate in the research. There is the enigmatic writer, played by Harry Greenwood. At his home, there is an Iraq war veteran, played by Thomas M. Wright, doing repair jobs.

Tommy Flanagan plays Roy’s former partner approached by Roy to help him pursue the case. And the case is the murder of Dr Wieder in his home – and, all of the above characters, involved each in their own way.

So, a different kind of police investigation, unearthing different clues, some plot twists, and, depending on how many films one has seen, an expected or unexpected ending!

1. The metaphor of the title, leaving past events lie unless, when roused, there is greater trouble?
2. An American setting, the police and investigations, psychology and medicine, prison, death penalty?
3. But the film made in Australia, locations for the US, the cast, Australian, New Zealand, Scotland? No American cast?
4. The atmosphere of the American city, homes and apartments, the streets, police precincts, universities, lecture rooms, laboratories? The musical score?
5. The situation, Roy Freeman, a Russell Crowe performance, his situation, the drunk driving accident, his injuries, skull and to the brain, his undergoing experimental therapy, to retrain the neural paths, to regain memory? Seeing him in his apartment, all the notes around the room to indicate who he was, meals, refrigerator, domestic details?
6. The visit of the condemned criminal, Roy not remembering him, the man about to die on death row, his plea for Roy to help him, proclaiming his innocence, that there was someone in the house when he went to confront Dr Wieder who had testified against him? Roy not believing him, thinking it was a usual plea to prevent his execution?
7. The structure of the film, the action in the present, Roy and his investigations, his continued treatment, beginning to remember some details, his pursuit of the case, looking at the records, getting the documents on the case? The signature of Jimmy Remis?
8. His going to see Jimmy again, Jimmy off the force, in decline, the death of his wife, the memories of the case, his reluctant agreement to help Roy?
9. The filling of the background of Dr Wieder, his experiments to help people six our past memories (and the contrast with Roy’s treatment to recover memories)? His work with the Laura, her academic collaboration, the relationship? Dr Wieder and his personality? His helping Wayne Devereaux, his background in Iraq, PTSD, working for Dr Wieder?
10. The film following through on the characters connected with Dr Wieder, Laura and her disappearance, Roy finding her again, memories of having met her in the past, the new identity, her book, the reviews, the issue of the credit for the work with Dr Wieder, the flashback to her visiting the authorities after his death and claiming authorship, and Roy later visiting the authority and interviewing her and getting her perspective?
11. Wayne Devereaux and his disappearance, finding him again, his explanations, the phone call, in the truck, trying to knock down Roy, Roy and his gun, shooting, the identification of Devereaux, the mystery of his attempt to kill Roy, Roy and the police interviews?
12. Laura as Elizabeth, her meeting with Roy, taunting him, the gradual revelations about her, her seeming to be a suspect, the plausibility, yet her alibi, her being the house, leaving?
13. Mystery of Richard Finn, his connection with Dr Wieder, the encounter with Laura, her advance, the relationship, tensions, her disappearance, we are going to see Richard’s widow, the impact of his death? The connections? Roy at the funeral, his brother, the manuscript, the dramatising of the manuscript, his story, especially about Laura and Dr Wieder, Roy giving it to Laura, her denying its truth? Richard and his ambitions as a storyteller, creating the story and memories of a life? (Contrasting with Dr Wieder of liberating, Roy’s therapist resurrecting?)
14. The visualising of the murder suspect, drugged, hiding, being present at the death?
15. The complications with Jimmy, his being the only signature on the documents whereas Roy always co-signed, gradual revelations about Jimmy, the contact with Laura, the money issues, her confronting Dr Wieder?
16. The gradual revelation of why Roy did not sign the documents, Jimmy’s role and support, but Roy in his seeking out, turning against Jimmy? Jim’s death? Laura?
17. The memory coming back, this discovery of himself, the issue of his wife at the diner, her death, the photo with his wife and the smashed glass over her face, his removing it, the final truth and the brutal visualisation of the murder? And the meaning of the title?