Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, Ned Dennehy, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Grant Bowler
Distributor: Monster Pictures
Runtime: 92 mins. Reviewed in Mar 2020
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You don’t see the word akimbo in a film title everyday – nor every year. In fact, in this violent action drama, guns are akimbo all the time. However, this relates especially to the central character, re Miles (Daniel Radcliffe), a rather nerdish type who is attacked by a media vigilante group and guns are brutally fixed to his wrists so that in all his actions, his hands are guns akimbo.
This is a film about social media reality shows. They are presented as grim, humans relentlessly pursuing humans, competitions, bets made, the number of on-line hits and likes ever-increasing. From that perspective, guns akimbo is critical of such programs let alone the reality of the hunts in real life.
From another perspective, the film is actually relishing in presenting ever-mounting violence. It is something of a situation, as with many such films, of the having one’s cake and eating it syndrome.
The film was made by New Zealand director, Jason Lei Howden, is set in a contemporary city that looks more American than any New Zealand city. And, Daniel Radcliffe performs with a New Zealand accent. But, there are some supporting characters, especially a genial drug addict in the streets, who definitely speaks with a local tone.
Miles works in an office, is the victim of jokes from the boss, a quiet nerd (a nerdish derivative, one might say, of Harry Potter). He is knowledgeable computer games, and tunes into the particular program where assassins pursue their victims, Skism.
The leader of the program, a former prisoner, shaved head, gaunt, continually sinister, is in charge of the logistics. On the one hand, he is absolutely brutal, murderous in intent. On the other, he has his driving ambition for the best online program, cameras, equipment, drones, angles for pursuit…
The film builds up to a final chase, a young assassin released from jail, played by Samara Weaving, intense, angry, set up to pursue Radcliffe.
Obviously, there are lots of comic moments as Radcliffe tries to do ordinary things but with his hands tied to the akimbo guns – how can he dress? How can he eat? And if he goes out in public how will the public respond, what will the police make of his guns…? He does get some help and encouragement from the genial drug addict who has been mentioned.
The effect of the pursuit, the dangers, the continued threats, the drones, have an effect on Miles so that he becomes something of a radicalised shooter himself. He encounters the young woman many times – but, fortunately, there are some plot twists, especially about her father, that bring them together.
In the meantime, we are shown so many of the fans, old and young, mainly male, all happily watching and cheering, many of them even salivating about the violence.
This is a film for those who enjoy the variations on the old Most Dangerous Game narrative, human pursuit. Others may find it too much even if they identify with the criticisms of this kind of reality social media.
Peter Malone MSC is an Associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting.
12 Random Films…
