MONOLITH: Follow the Black Brick Road

MONOLITH (Blu-ray)

2022 / 94 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie😺

In Monolith, Lily Sullivan plays the only on-screen character, who’s never named and simply identified in the end credits as The Interviewer. She’s a journalist who soiled her reputation by publishing an incendiary story without verifying her sources. Moving back into her parents’ house, she now hosts a podcast where she skeptically entertains conspiracy theories and regularly takes calls from a variety of crackpots.

A cryptic email puts her in contact with Floramae, a former housekeeper who recounts events from 20 years ago, when her employers fired her and kept a mysterious black brick she found while working there, later selling it to an art dealer. Floramae is convinced the brick was actually meant for her, and for reasons she can’t explain, losing it changed her life. The Interviewer contacts the art dealer next, who explains that many others have acquired similar bricks, each with markings that seem to be intended for those they end up with. 

None of these people know exactly how they came in possession of a brick, though it’s revealed later in the story. So is the ultimate purpose of these bricks, which I won’t reveal here. What transpires is an interesting, sometimes ominous one-sided investigation by The Interviewer, who becomes increasingly distraught when it connects to her personally. 

Maybe using Gorilla Glue to stick all this up was a bad idea.

For the most part, Monolith is engaging lo-fi sci-fi built around a dedicated performance from Sullivan. Taking place almost entirely within the confines of a house, it’s driven by intriguing ideas and intelligent writing, though the denouement might be seen as sort of a letdown, since it bears more than a passing resemblance to the basic concept The Ring…with a little Invasion of the Body Snatchers tossed in. 

But as they say…sometimes the journey matters more than the destination. As such, Monolith gets high marks for methodically building tension and establishing its only character as more than a simple investigator (without giving too much away, one ultimately might even see The Interviewer as the villain). Derivative conclusion notwithstanding, this Australian film is a great example of thought provoking, horror-tinged sci-fi on a limited budget.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Matt Vesely, writer Lucy Campbell and producer Bettina Hamilton

TRAILER

POLAR RESCUE Doesn't Deserve Donnie

POLAR RESCUE (Blu-ray)

2022 / 103 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie😾

Ever since starting this site and reviewing more Asian action films than I care to remember, I’ve become a pretty big fan of Donnie Yen. Not only is he a consummate modern era ass-kicker, he’s got the acting chops to back up the fighting skills. It’s probably a big reason he’s been tapped for quite a few American films of late (though Hollywood still hasn't had the balls to give him a lead role).

Conversely, 2022’s Polar Rescue is the first film - of those I’ve seen, anyway - that is totally devoid of Yen’s badassery. He actually gets his ass handed to him on a few occasions. As De, he’s simply a desperate dad trying to find his eight-year-old son, who’s gone missing in the snowy mountains during a storm. As such, he nails the role and is easily the best part of the film. In fact, Yen is the only reason it might - might - be worth watching at all.

The rest of Polar Rescue is undone by a messy narrative, clunky dialogue and a slew of irritating, unpleasant characters…beginning with De’s own son. The opening set-up firmly establishes the kid as an obnoxious little shit before conveniently disappearing. And it gets worse. When De and wife Xuan (Cecilia Han) go for help, the police almost immediately badger & berate him for wanting to be involved in the search. In fact, as the rescue effort grows increasingly perilous, damn near everyone blames De for endangering them in the first place. How dare he hold out hope that his boy is still alive!

When you make the effort to hide but no one seeks you.

Ridiculously, authorities and the media focus more on De’s shortcomings as a dad than the rescue itself. Even Xuan gets into the act, asking point blank if he ever loved his son at all, to which De doesn’t reply. Instead, we get flashbacks showing him as an indifferent father, thus making the movie’s lone sympathetic character someone not entirely likable. By this time, the story has grown repetitive and interminable, despite a late effort to liven things up with an avalanche.

A shame, really, because Yen’s performance is excellent, deftly conveying the frustration, determination and desperation any parent would feel in this situation…all without delivering a single body blow or roundhouse kick. Unfortunately, Polar Rescue repeatedly sabotages his efforts, resulting in a movie that isn’t worthy of such dedication.

ONE-PERCENT WARRIOR: Meta Mayhem

ONE-PERCENT WARRIOR (Blu-ray)

2022 / 85 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie😼

Tak Sakaguchi is evidently a big deal in his home country of Japan. On this side of the pond, he’s probably most known for the cult film, Versus, but the only thing I remember him from is Crazy Samurai: 400 vs 1. Boasting a 77-minute fight scene, it was gimmicky, monotonous junk that played more like a live-action first-person video game than a movie.

The good news is One-Percent Warrior is better than that, with an actual story that begins pretty cleverly. Tak plays a thinly veiled version of himself as Takuma Toshiro, an action star who once made a classic film, but his obsession with “authentic” action & fighting has since made him almost impossible to work with. 10 years later, he has trouble even landing roles as an extra.

Mr. Badwrench

So with apprentice & only fan Akira (Kohei Fukuyama) in tow, Takuma decides to put together a real action movie with some financial backing. But the action becomes very real when he and his crew arrive at the shooting location - an abandoned factory on a remote island - at the same time as two warring Yakuza clans. Seeing this as an opportunity to show off his skills in a real situation, Takuma goes to work while Akira films it all.

It’s more-or-less at this point that One-Percent Warrior turns into an extended brawl, allowing Sakaguchi ample opportunities to demonstrate his formidable fighting abilities. But however impressive, a little of this goes a long way. The action grows increasingly repetitious and at no point is the outcome ever in question. 

It’s ultimately the meta aspects of the film that work best, along with Sakaguchi's apparent willingness to poke fun at himself. Hence, the early scenes tend to be more engaging. The rest of One-Percent Warrior should keep hardcore fight fans amused.

EXTRA KIBBLES

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE - At 25 minutes, it's much more substantial than the usual promos included by Well Go.

TRAILER

DR. CHEON AND THE LOST TALISMAN: The Beginning Of A Franchise?

DR. CHEON AND THE LOST TALISMAN (Blu-ray)

2023 / 98 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Pepper the Poopy😽

Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman is based on a popular Korean “webtoon,” and after watching this one, it’s clear that those behind it have franchise aspirations. Whether or not it actually becomes one remains to be seen, but if viewers keep their expectations in check, these characters might be worth revisiting in another adventure. 

The premise is pretty straightforward. The title character (Gang Dong-won) is the grandson of a legendary shaman, but doesn’t actually believe in all that spiritual hokum. Instead, he uses his knowledge and skills as a fake exorcist, visiting families who pay him to save “possessed” loved ones. We see Cheon and beleaguered tech savvy assistant Inbae (Lee-Dong-hwi) at work during an amusing prologue, which sort of sets the tone for the rest of the film.

Too cheap to hail a cab.

His next client, Yoo kyung (Esom) offers Cheon a huge sum to perform an exorcism on her little sister. In a plot turn that will surprise no one, the girl turns out to be really possessed. This demonic entity, Beom-Cheon (Huh Joon-ho), has also taken control of an entire village with his ability to possess people at-will to do his bidding. Not only that, flashbacks reveal he’s the man who killed Cheon’s grandfather and wants his half of a broken sword that banished him to the netherworld in the first place.

Storywise, there aren’t many surprises. Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman is mostly a fantasy film with a few vivid horror elements, along with welcome bits of humor that seldom feel shoehorned in (the banter between Cheon and Inbae is especially amusing). The film is briskly paced, with likable main characters and decent special effects. And of course, the door is left wide open for a sequel or two.

Will Dr. Cheon and the Lost Talisman leave viewers waiting with bated breath for another chapter (if there is one)? I dunno…this one isn’t likely to knock your socks off or leave a lasting impression. But even though the film serves up little we haven’t seen before, it’s generally pretty entertaining. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

CHARACTER BIOS

TRAILER

THE MOON Walks a Fine Line

THE MOON (Blu-ray)

2023 / 123 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie (the bastard)😺

Walking a fine line between the plausibility of Gravity and the silly spectacle of Armageddon is Korea’s The Moon. But even though this stranded-in-space epic requires an increasing suspension of disbelief, it’s pretty entertaining. 

Five years after a tragic space disaster, South Korea is making a second attempt to land on the moon. But during this voyage, solar flares disrupt most of the on-board systems. Two of the crew are killed, leaving the least experienced one, Hwang Seon-woo (Do Kyung-soo), on his own. Meanwhile, mission control coerces former flight director Kim Jae-guk (Sol Kyung-gu) out of seclusion to talk Hwang through restoring the systems to survive. Still reeling from the previous tragedy, for which he feels partially responsible, Kim has a personal stake in bringing Hwang back home alive.

However, Hwang decides to complete the moon mission himself, which results in further peril when a meteor storm cripples his lander. Realizing they are now unable to rescue Hwang with their own resources, Kim implores his estranged ex-wife, Moon Young (Kim Hee-ae), who works at NASA, for assistance. But despite her efforts, the other NASA bigwigs sternly refuse…at least until one of Hwang’s radio transmissions is leaked and goes viral on social media. 

Hwang forgets where he parked.

For the most part, the film is exciting and suspenseful, boasted by excellent special effects and - once things get rolling - a lively pace. For a while, Hwang’s dilemma is similar to those in such classics as Apollo 13 and Gravity. It does grow sillier as it goes along, though, especially the sequences taking place on the moon, which might even elicit a few chuckles. But by now, we’re invested enough in the story to just roll with it.

While Kim is a well-realized main character - played with appropriate pathos by Kyung-gu - some others are either needlessly stupid (including Hwang) or over-the-top caricatures, such as the two perpetually screaming Korean officials. Worst of all is NASA's deputy director, who threatens and sneers like a Bond villain (hamfistedly establishing NASA as the bad guys).

Still, The Moon is a lot of fun. We don’t buy everything we see and hear, but the film is well-directed, looks great and features solid performances (save for Paul de Havilland’s hilariously distracting one-note turn as the aforementioned NASA man). Alternately gripping and outlandish, at least it’s never boring.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Behind the Scenes; Character Bios.

TRAILER

A CREATURE WAS STIRRING Exists for the Twist

A CREATURE WAS STIRRING (Blu-ray)

2023 / 95 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat😾

Everything in A Creature Was Stirring is obviously guiding the viewer toward a twist ending that, depending on how many horror movies one has seen, is either mind blowing or predictable. Either way, we know one is coming.

While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with a film that exists for the twist, the inherent challenge is to make it worth the wait, which director Damien LeVeck and writer Shannon Wells struggle to do. The story has snowbound single mother Faith (Chrissy Metz) caring for her teenage daughter, Charm (Annalise Basso), who suffers from either an extreme psychological disorder or an affliction that turns her into a vicious, porcupine-like monster (the narrative deliberately keeps things ambiguous).

Later, two siblings, Liz & Kory, (Scout Taylor-Compton & Connor Paolo) break into the house to escape the raging blizzard outside. At first, Faith wants them gone, but Liz convinces her to let them stay. Meanwhile, there are bizarre doings around in the house, particularly a red-eyed creature that may or may not be stalking them. While Liz & Kory turn out to be a couple of holier-than-thou evangelicals - convinced Charm is possessed - several hallucinatory scenes have the viewer suspecting Faith might be a few cans short of a six pack (which, in a way, telegraphs the narrative punches in advance).

Faith takes Spring Training a little too seriously.

The film is atmospheric and features a few pretty cool sequences (though it's seldom all that scary). But while these characters' perplexing actions (and reactions) eventually make sense once the big reveal is presented, getting there is often a chore. For the most part, Faith gains our sympathy (even after flashbacks reveal a disturbing past), but the other characters are simply irritating, especially Liz and Kory, even though their deliberate awfulness is contextually relevant. 

Good performances and neat-looking creatures help a bit, and I suppose the film is somewhat rescued by that ending. Until then, however, endless scenes calculated to keep us guessing grow a little tiresome after a while, especially if the viewer has already figured out where everything is heading (and a lot of you will). By the way…festive title notwithstanding, A Creature Was Stirring doesn’t have anything to do with the holidays other than colorful decor to enhance the setting.

This is YOUR LUCKY DAY

YOUR LUCKY DAY (Blu-ray)

2023 / 90 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Mr. Bonnie😺

Whenever the Powerball jackpot grows too big to ignore, my wife and I will usually grab a couple of tickets, inevitably pondering what we’d do with such an unfathomable amount of money. It’s all in fun and we never “play for investment purposes” (unless I happen to be having a seriously shitty day at work). Still, both of us agree that if we were to actually win, we wouldn’t tell a soul. 

As Your Lucky Day immediately and effectively demonstrates, keeping your sudden good fortune to yourself is a damn good idea. Walking into a convenience store at night, a guy checks his lottery ticket and discovers he just won $156 million. He loudly announces it to everybody else in the store, including down-on-his-luck drug dealer Sterling (Angus Cloud). 

Sterling pulls a gun and demands the ticket, but when beat cop Cody (Sterling Beaumen) comes out of the store restroom, he draws his own gun and accidentally kills the ticket holder. Sterling shoots Cody, then orders everyone else into the back room. At first, he plans to have the camera footage deleted, tie everybody up and make a quick exit with the ticket, at least until he’s told it will be worthless after what just transpired. So he offers to share the winnings with them.

Someone didn't have the courtesy to flush.

Store owner Amir (Mousa Hussein Kraish) agrees, and after some convincing, so does the young, expectant couple, Ana & Abraham (Jessica Garza & Elliot Knight). Together, they come up with a plan to dispose of both bodies and get rid of the lottery winner’s SUV. However, Cody isn’t quite dead. He calls his father, Dick (also a cop), informs them of the situation and pleads for help. Dick and a couple of SWAT buddies gear-up and head over, not just to save Cody, but to grab the winning ticket for themselves. This is where the fun really begins.

Your Lucky Day has a few perfunctory things to say about the current state of America, but where it really excels is how it depicts the lengths seemingly normal people will go for sudden wealth. Writer-director Daniel Brown does a good job presenting his protagonists as fallible, their values and sense of morality compromised by greed. Still, part of us empathizes with them, including Sterling, who sees the ticket as his only escape from a miserable life. The viewer might even find themselves wondering if they’d do the same thing in their situation.

Despite peripheral (sometimes heavy-handed) social commentary offered throughout the narrative, the film is ultimately a tight, gritty little thriller that makes great use of the claustrophobic setting (almost all of it takes place within the store). There’s not a lot of action per se, but the stand-offs and conflicts are intense and sometimes pretty bloody. One thing is certain…if you do happen to be fortunate enough to win the lottery, Your Lucky Day might have you thinking twice about announcing it.

THE CHILDE is Wild

THE CHILDE (Blu-ray)

2023 / 118 min

FROM WELL GO USA

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😸

Everybody seems to be after Marco (Kang Tae-joo), a struggling young man who makes his meager living fighting in illegal boxing matches. He’s derogatorily known as a ‘Kopino,’ half Filipino-half Korean, and has long been searching for his estranged father in hopes the man will help pay for a life-saving surgery for his ailing mother.

But as it turns out, Marco’s dad, Chairman Han, is searching for him. Very wealthy but gravely ill, he sends some of his men to escort Marco to Korea. However, a mysterious assassin, ‘Nobleman’ (Kim Seon-ho) is also after him, as is another mysterious woman (Go Ara). It’s not immediately revealed who they work for or whether or not they’re trying to kill him, but both assure Marco that he is eventually going to die. Meanwhile, Han Yi-sa (Kim Kang-woo), Chairman Han’s vicious son and the heir to his massive empire, is trying to bring Marco to his father…but not for any kind of reunion. 

"You, my unfortunate friend, are double parked."

For a majority of The Childe, the viewer is as in-the-dark about what’s happening as Marco is, which is part of the fun. In the meantime, the film is mostly an extended pursuit filled with car chases, guns and plenty of bloody, close-quarters fighting. We’re required to suspend our disbelief quite a bit, but compensated by the intriguing plot with plenty of surprises and a tone similar to a Tarantino film. But the real treat is Seon-ho as the Nobleman. Alternately menacing and hilarious, he steals the entire movie. 

Though I’ve seen my fair share of Korean films, I had no idea who Kim Seon-ho was, but my wife - a big K-drama fan - came into the room halfway through the film and said, “Hey, I love that guy! He was in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha!” Apparently, a manic assassin is atypical of his usual roles and she was intrigued enough to want to check out the movie herself. And The Childe was good enough that I was more than happy to turn around and immediately watch it again.

It was just as enjoyable the second time. Another winner by director Park Hoon-jung (whose The Witch: Subversion was another recent gleefully bloody slab of action), The Childe wins no awards for plausibility, but damn, it’s fun. With hindsight, it’s the best action movie of 2023.

WOLF PACK: Bloody Fun with Hired Guns

WOLF PACK (Blu-ray)

2022 / 105 min

FROM WELL GO USA 

Review by Mr. Bonnie😺

Once you work your way through some implausibilities and a story that’s initially kind of confusing, Wolf Pack is a fun, exciting Chinese action thriller. 

Troubled doctor Ke Tong (Aariff Lee) is kidnapped by an elite group of mercenaries led by Diao (Max Zhang), who coerces him into joining them. Their latest mission is to prevent a terrorist organization from sabotaging a Chinese natural gas pipeline. In almost no time, Ke Tong goes from hapless emergency surgeon to skilled soldier and part of the team. 

That’s probably the biggest narrative implausibility, but not a big deal. Between gunfights and chases, watching him get chummy with this eclectic group - sporting nicknames like Bombshell and Monstrosity - is highly enjoyable.

Some of the action is kind of implausible, too, starting with the initial kidnapping, an outrageous sequence where Ke Tong is tethered to a hot air balloon and snatched away by a helicopter. That’s no big deal, either, because one doesn’t necessarily have to believe it to enjoy it, especially since the ample action sequences are extremely well executed. 

Diao decides to turn right.

Because of this, we don’t mind so much that the plot is kind of difficult to follow at first, particularly during scenes where the dialogue switches from Mandarin to English delivered with thick accents. But that’s also no big deal. By the suspenseful final act, the agendas of both sides of the conflict are clear.

Wolf Pack won’t win any awards for originality, but it’s never dull. Even during the downtime, the ensemble cast injects enough personality into their characters for us to really like them. The story also includes an interesting subplot revealing Diao’s reason for recruiting Ke Tong in the first place. He knew the guy’s father, as well as how he died (something that’s been tormenting Ke Tong for years). Do we ultimately need such a sidebar? Maybe not, but it does reveal a bit of humanity behind Diao’s steely exterior.

Fans of Chinese action may notice stylistic similarities to such other recent military-based films as Wolf Warrior and Operation Red Sea, to which this one compares quite favorably. One also gets the impression that we haven’t seen the last of this team. Here’s hoping that’s the case, because it could be a fun franchise.