I went to see the new film adaptation of The Running Man the
other day. I'd been looking forward to it since I first saw the
trailer a few months ago. What sold me on the film was the simple fact
that Edgar Wright co-wrote and directed it. Most people get excited
about movies because certain actors are in them. And I'm certainly one
of them. And as much as I liked the actors in the cast, the premise of
the movie didn't look like it would be something I would like. However,
when I found out Wright was behind it, that no longer mattered. I knew
that I would be treated to two hours of properly mixed action and
humour backed by a killer soundtrack. I was not wrong.
Wright first made a name for himself (at least in this country) with 2004's Shaun of the Dead,
the first film in what unofficially became known as "The Cornetto
Trilogy." I didn't see it until many years after its initial release,
but I was convinced to see it because I had enjoyed some of his later
films. And as much as I'm not a fan of zombie films, I have to say I
really enjoyed Shaun. Looking back on that now, I have a
sneaking suspicion that if almost anyone else had directed some of his
other movies (specifically The Running Man and 2021's Last Night in Soho),
I probably wouldn't have gone to see them for the simple reason that,
based on the trailers (which are basically ads trying to convince me to
go see movies), they would not have appealed to me. However, if a
director is someone whose work I admire, I'll likely open my mind enough
to give it a shot.
I
feel that Wright is often an underappreciated director. I think part
of that is because most of his films can be aptly described as
action/comedies--two genres that don't get a lot of love from the
Academy come awards season. I thought 2017's Baby Driver was one
of the best-directed films I'd seen in some time--and that was just the
car chases! And while the film was nominated for three Oscars, they
were all in sound and film editing categories. Films like that don't
typically get nominated for the big categories like Best Picture or
Director. (To be fair, Kevin Spacey is in the movie as a malicious
crime boss, for lack of a better term, and the film came out around the
time of his fall from grace, which probably didn't help it.
Still--excellent heist film. Amazing soundtrack.)
In
spite of all the amazing movies he's made in the last 20+ years, this
week's film was the first of his that I saw and it's still my
favourite. When the film came out, I didn't know who Wright was. My
cousin Aaron, who saw the film with me, told me about Shaun of the Dead and
that it was directed by the same guy. But, based on the trailer, it
looked like something I would like given the fact that I'm a fan of cop
films from the 1970s and 1980s like Dirty Harry, Die Hard, and Lethal Weapon.
It was everything I hoped it would be and I still enjoy it all these
years later. It was action-packed, incredibly funny, and a wonderful
homage to the genre. Even the film's casting showed that Wright was a
bigger film geek than I am. There are subtle little references to past
action thrillers throughout the movie--the geekier you are, the more
you'll appreciate it.
This film is the second of "The Cornetto Trilogy" and, like both its predecessor (Shaun of the Dead) and successor (2013's The World's End),
Wright co-wrote it with his mate Simon Pegg who also co-stars with
their other mate, Nick Frost. The film also features a number of actors
such as Paddy Considine, Rafe Spall, Martin Freeman, and Bill Nighy who
worked with Wright in the past and/or would work with him in the
future. Also starring Jim Broadbent, Olivia Coleman, Billie Whitelaw,
Edward Woodward, Stuart Wilson, Paul Freeman, Bill Bailey, and Timothy
Dalton (with some unrecognizable cameos by Cate Blanchett and Peter
Jackson), from 2007, please enjoy Hot Fuzz.
Until
next week, stay safe, be good to your neighbours, and please remember
that if at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for
you.
Yours in peace, love, and rock 'n' roll!
The Reverend Will the Thrill
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