Lazy Film Critic Movie Reviews
Hell or High Water
So I just got back from David Mackenzies latest film, Hell or High Water. Now I wasn't originally going to see this movie, it looked like just another No Country for Old Men-ish Texas crime thriller, however after hearing about how great it was, I decided to give the movie a chance. And I gotta say, this movie impressed the hell out of me. If I'd known this was by the director of Starred Up, I probably would have watched it sooner. The film is also written by Taylor Sheridan (writer of Sicario), and stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges.
A lot of these Texas-set crime thrillers are specifically character based films, and with that it's kind of a given that the performances should be good. And luckily for Hell or High Water, the acting in this film is not only good, but it's some of the best I've seen all year. Ben Foster is as good as ever, and Jeff Bridges delivers one of his better performances in a long time. The real standout to me was Chris Pine, who has in my opinion proven himself as a talented actor in his other films, but here he's absolutely outstanding. His character is really quiet so Pine has to do a lot of the acting with facial expression and body language, and thankfully he does an outstanding job. I have no problem saying that this is the best I've seen from him as an actor, and I hope this opens the door for him to be more of a dramatic and emotionally driven actor.
Taylor Sheridan proved with Sicario that he's more than capable as a writer, and that he can write compelling narratives, back it up with engaging and well developed characters, and string it all together with fantastic dialogue. And Hell or High Water is no exception, for a film with only a few moments of intensity or action, this film is immensely compelling. The dynamic between the brothers was fantastic, the dynamic between the two cops was just as great, both because all of the characters are unique and well written so seeing them play off one another was great to watch. Even the more minimal interactions, characters having conversations with more minor characters, it all felt real and it all felt engaging.
On top of it all, Hell or High Water is hands down one of the most well directed films I've seen all year. The shots and composition take full advantage of the vast landscape opportunity that comes with the films setting. The way the scenes are staged is nearly pitch perfect, the attention to detail is meticulous here, and it's made all the more impressive by the amount of things going on off screen during a particular scene. There's so much co-ordination and so much timing that went into making each scene in this movie work, and it more than pays off. This attention to detail is also carried over into the way this film is edited, which is also utterly fantastic. The sound design alone is some of the best I've seen all year, and I hope more people go see this movie so the effort that was put into everything by its director will get the recognition it deserves.
Final Rating
Hell or High Water is far and beyond one of the best movies of not only Summer 2016, but 2016 in general. It showcases some magnificent performances from all three of its lead actors, the script is consistently engaging and features compelling and unique characters, and the direction is some of the best I have seen in 2016 in general. In terms of films released this Summer, I'd say it's absolutely one of the best. If I didn't see The Nice Guys or Neon Demon, I'd say it was absolutely the best of the Summer. Hell or High Water earned my seal of approval, and I think everyone should go check it out.
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