First two thirds of this were Battle of Algiers meets La Haine, and it doesn't really get better than that. Last act doesn't keep up the pace or the power. And then the final scene, absolutely fucks it and makes me rethink the whole film. Never been so genuinely blown away and then so disappointed by the same movie before.
There is a good film hidden in there somewhere; great practical effects, lovely future-retro aesthetic, nice couple of well-acted main characters, all within a solid standalone storyline.
But it's absolutely obscured by fan-service nonsense, callbacks, references, and wink-wink nudge-nudge nods to the audience about the films that have come before.
Absolutely infuriating, just fucking make a good film, don't pander to a non-existent focus group of nerds.
When he finished the line and said "... you bitch" I nearly shouted 'fuck off' and left. I should have, tbh.
One of my favourite books of all time, so I was hesitant about this when I first heard about it.
Then when the glowing reviews started coming out, I was relieved but a bit nervous.
Finally saw it last night on lovely 35mm at the GFT and it was... very good.
I'll need to re-read the novel, but I feel like the film reduces some of the more complex feminist and socialist themes for the more obvious and simplistic 'woman…
