Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Colm McCarthy
Cast: Sam Claflin, Antonia Thomas, Sharon D Clarke, Steven Cree, William Hope, Adelle Leonce, Peter McDonald, Henry Pettigrew, Caréll Rhoden
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 October 2024

Synopsis: For centuries and across cultures, parents have warned their children of the legendary Bagman, who snatches innocent children and stuffs them into his vile, rotting bag-never to be seen again. Patrick McKee (Sam Claflin) narrowly escaped such an encounter as a boy, which left him with lasting scars throughout his adulthood. Now, Patrick's childhood tormentor has returned, threatening the safety of his wife Karina (Antonia Thomas) and son Jake (Caréll Rhoden). 

Movie Review:

We don’t really understand why anyone would want to live in a big house in the middle of nowhere surrounded by lush greenery. Maybe it’s the vast space it offers or the quietness of things. While we do not have a clear answer to that, the premise does provides a solid location for a horror story.

Along with his wife Karina (Antonia Thomas) and toddler son Jake (Carnell Vincent Rhodes), Patrick McKee (Sam Claflin) has to move back to his childhood home and work for his brother Liam (Steven Cree) at their family lumber yard due to some financial problems.

It’s not just the lack of money that is haunting Patrick. Someone or something sinister is making loud noises at his yard. Light starts to flicker on and off in his house and his long lost childhood carved wooden owl somehow appears in his room. Even a creepy doll is found. Patrick suspects it’s the “bagman” that is coming after Jake. The evil entity that feeds on good kids in which Patrick himself encountered when he was young is back haunting him and his family.

Bagman is portrayed as an evil folklore horror figure in the vein of The Curse of the Weeping Woman and The Babadook. Though it’s barely seen in the entire movie, it’s basically a dark hooded figure with a set of really bad teeth and carries a sack. Since Patrick’s father and the grandfathers that came before him attest to it, we believe bagman did exist even if three quarters of the movie is set in the dark.

However the movie’s biggest shortcoming is that the whole movie plays like a cheap home invasion thriller. Majority of the happenings took place in the prior said house. Loud strange noises. Flickering lights. Police being called numerous times. Patrick getting pissed. There isn’t much Sam Claflin and Antonia Thomas can do with the cliched and limited script despite the two being far more capable actors than merely putting on some shock and frustrated expressions throughout. In this aspect, the house at least performs better.

Perhaps lacking a significant budget, the “bagman” is surprisingly humanlike, sprinting to his lair with a bag on his back like an evil Santa Claus. The monster is even portrayed like a psychopath breaking and entering a premise to kidnap Jake in a truly laughable sequence. Simply put, it’s not a particularly impressive and chilling way to justify a mysterious evil entity in this manner.

Largely devoid of true scares, little creativity to the story and character development, Bagman should have relegated straight to streaming. The mythology is too basic for any horror fans to latch on even the idea seems to be an interesting one.

Movie Rating:

(Bag this into your streaming list instead)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Crime/Comedy
Director: Potsy Ponciroli
Cast: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tim Blake Nelson, Uzo Aduba, Simon Rex, Nina Arianda, Jim Gaffigan, Joey Lauren Adams, José María Yazpik
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 10 October 2024

Synopsis: When the eclectic residents of a small, picturesque island town must navigate a sensational murder and the discovery of a million dollars, a series of increasingly bad decisions upend the once peaceful community. 

Movie Review:

Director Potsy Ponciroli and writer Mike Vukadinovich’s Greedy People is marketed as sort of a Coen brothers’ dark comedy. It has the characters, the premise and the motive. Still it lacks a certain spark to make it a memorable effort.

Will Shelley (Himesh Patel) has just relocated to a seaside town with his pregnant wife, Paige (Lily James). Working as a local cop, he’s paired up with an uncouth partner Terry Brogan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). On his first day on the job, Will accidentally kills the wife of a local seafood entrepreneur, Wallace (Tim Blake Nelson). Terry suggests they staged the crime scene as a break-in and takes the million dollars that is lying on the floor.

Things it seem is not that simple after all. In fact, Wallace has earlier engaged the service of a hitman dubbed the Columbian to kill his wife and the money is meant for him. Apparently, no one is that decent in this small town and that includes Paige who harbours her own intention on what to do with the dirty loot.

We can’t deny the first half of Greedy People is ridiculously fun and absurd. Terry having a quickie during office hours with a married Chinese woman, watching the two cops fumbling over the crime scene. So far so good. The narrative is decent enough and it makes you curious as to what these two goons are going to do next. Hide the money and blame the crime onto Wallace who is also having an affair with his secretary before things go out of control? Maybe but maybe not.

Yet the goofy comedy elements are hampered by half a dozen characters coming to play. Let’s see. In addition to the Columbian, there’s a himbo masseuse (Simon Rex) and another low-rent hitman dubbed The Irishman (Jim Gaffigan) thrown into the frenzy. Ultimately, the only decent person in the whole movie is the town’s police chief, Murphy (Uzo Aduba).

If the first half of the movie is a comedy then the second half is well, dark. The situation soon turns unexpectedly unhinged. We are not going to spoil it for you but the onscreen nastiness might be a shock to you consider the light-hearted first half. Still, we did enjoyed the darker aspects of it despite the shift in tone. At least the filmmakers stayed true to the title. Greed after all is a dangerous thing. A couple of wrong decisions can lead to something far more deadly than you can imagined and that’s what happened to Will, Terry and Paige in the end.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues to be a shining beacon onscreen. He is clearly having fun playing the “bad” guy and he easily outshone his co-star Himesh Patel who is sort of muted even it marks his second pairing with Lily James after Yesterday. Honestly, Greedy People did has its fair amount of flaws with the crime and comedy elements mostly lopsided. Yet it’s overall a genuinely enjoyable effort.

Movie Rating:

(A crime dark comedy that comes much darker than expected)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Crime
Director: Isaac Florentine
Cast: Frank Grillo, Robert Patrick, Rhona Mitra, Leeshon Alexander, Matthew Marsh, Urs Rechn, Steven Elder
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 12 September 2024

Synopsis: Their covert operations have been instrumental in toppling governments, eliminating key undesirables, and igniting wars for economic gain. But now, their own master wants them dead. This is a story written in blood.

Movie Review:

I suppose templates for movies liked Hounds of War can be purchased for cheap in the dark underbelly of Hollywood. Else how you explain this generic, DOA action thriller starring Frank Grillo and Robert Patrick. Note that Grillo who has been keeping himself with lots of DTV works also produced this.

In Hounds of War, Grillo plays Ryder, a mercenary sort of tough guy who joins his brother for a covert operation in Malta. Under the command of Colonel Hart (Patrick), Grillo and his bunch of middle-aged, overweight buddies are assigned to kill a warlord hiding in a bunker on the pretext of saving the world kind of nonsense.

In the end, Grillo and company is betrayed by Hart who has for no reason actually worked out a deal with the warlord. Everyone on the team is killed and Ryder hopes to “break the system” with the help of his equally tough-as-nails, ex- girlfriend, Selena (Rhona Mitra). In simpler terms, the man is out for revenge.

VOD expert Isaac Florentine (Undisputed II, Acts of Vengeance) definitely knows how to maximise the action without breaking the bank. In most cases, with the limited amount of money on hand. Florentine delivers a deafening sequence where Ryder and gang stormed the bunker. Thousands of shots are fired but none of the masculinity are displayed to their finest. Hilariously, Ryder managed to escape unscathed just because his brother sacrificed himself with a grenade.

Florentine continues to keep things busy with a fist fight in Selena’s bar, a police foot chase and a finale wild goose chase which took viewers on a scenic city tour of Malta. There’s honestly no lack of action scenes as Ryder embarked on his path of vengeance. But the choreography and editing deserves much more to keep viewers immersed. While there are still effort being put in, the general feeling is that it’s just a few points above an average JCVD and Seagal VOD work.

Hounds of War also lacks a strong, compelling story to company the action. It’s hard to really care for Ryder’s plan, Hart’s motive in this messy conspiracy and the President’s cause. Generally, the plotting is as straightforward as they come, it doesn’t mean much to the average audiences with all the above inconsequential fillers stuffed in-between the action.

The breath-taking shots of Malta’s architectural and landscapes perhaps is the only saving grace of this yawnfest. Grillo is serviceable as he always has been. Mitra makes a decent comeback and Patrick is chewing the scenery in the usual baddie role (similar to the one in Reacher season 2). Ultimately, we more or less confirmed Hounds of War will never break the system or mould to be the next action franchise. More importantly, Florentine and Grillo only wants to deliver a decent DTV actioner.

Movie Rating:

(A perfect tourism commercial for Malta. The movie not so much)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Drama
Director: Aaron Schimberg
Cast: Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson, Miles G. Jackson, Patrick Wang, Neal Davidson
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 10 October 2024

Synopsis: Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

Movie Review:

Maybe it’s not such a bad thing that Sebastian Stan isn’t the main guy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Known for his role as Bucky Barnes aka Winter Soldier, whom many regard as second fiddle to his on screen buddy Steve Rogers aka Captain America (played Chris Evans), the Romanian American actor has managed to prove himself to be quite an actor. He pulled off a menacingly absurd performance in I, Tonya (2017), played morally corrupt lawman that left a deep impression despite a limited screen time in The Devil All The Time (2020), and was perfectly cast as a charismatic sociopath in Fresh (2022).

In this black comedy written and directed by Aaron Schimberg, Stan delivers yet another standout performance that may the best we have seen from the 42 year old actor. He plays Edward, a man with neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that left him with a disfigured face. It turns out that Edward is an actor, and one can only imagine how challenging it is for Edward to get jobs. And of course, it isn’t just showbiz that’s cruel to Edward – the loner gets alienated by the world around him as well.

So when Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), a new neighbour who moves in to the unit next door, displays kindness to the otherwise socially isolated Edward, he begins opening up. The plot then sees Edward receiving an experimental medical treatment that transforms him into a charming man (who looks like Sebastian Stan!), and he decides to take on a new identity of a man named Guy. He informs people that Edward has committed suicide, and the next thing we know, we see Guy living the dream life as a successful real estate agent, having no problems getting the girl, and being envied by people around him.

We won’t say what happens next in the 112 minute movie, because it is going to be a riveting experience as you follow Guy in his new skin, as he connects with Ingrid again. Along the way, another man with neurofibromatosis named Oswald shows up, and things get dramatically twisted. What’s interesting here is that Oswald is played by Adam Pearson, a British actor (Under the Skin) with neurofibromatosis who has been involved in outreach programmes to prevent bullying associated with deformities.

There were several moments during the movie, especially when there are close up shots of Edward (that’d be Stan in makeup) and Pearson, when we pondered whether the filmmakers are being exploitative of what may make some viewers uneasy. There is much to discuss here, considering where to draw the line in the name of telling a good story and the role of ethics when it comes to creating shock value. There is no easy answer, but we feel that this movie has done a fine job in striking that balance.

It is also notable that Stan serves as executive producer together with Schimberg on this highly recommended movie, suggesting that it is a project that he truly feels for. That probably explains his mesmerising performance that changes from being psychologically secluded and vulnerable to being charmingly confident. It doesn’t stop there, as the character becomes insecure and increasingly obsessed after a series of incidents, and Stan’s portrayal of a character whose inner world changes due to an external transformation is spot on. He was recognised with the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, and we would love to see him receiving more awards for his compelling display of talent.

Movie Rating:

(Featuring a compelling performance by Sebastian Stan, this emotionally abosorbing and boldly told story questions how external transformations can impact the soul)

Review by John Li 

SYNOPSIS: George Clooney and Brad Pitt reunite for the action comedy WOLFS. Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high profile crime. But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Wolfs reunites real-life BFFs, George Clooney and Brad Pitt since their Coen Brothers outing back in 2008. For sure, it’s cool to see them pairing up once again and working with a filmmaker liked Jon Watts who is known for successfully rebooting the Spider-Man franchise. But Wolfs generally seems more like an extended polished advert than a proper crime comedy.

Wolfs got on to a strong start, a Quentin Tarantino kind of prologue which setup the mood, a potential intriguing narrative with a bunch of dialogue. A powerful district attorney Margaret (Amy Ryan) calls in a fixer (Clooney) after her escort, a half naked young man (Austin Abrams) is presumingly dead after getting high on cocaine. Clooney’s fixer, let’s call him fixer A does any real clean-up, the posh hotel’s owner arranged for another fixer to cleanup the crime scene. And that’s where fixer B (Pitt) arrives to the surprise of all of them.

Both fixers are same same but different. Fixer A is meticulous while Fixer B is more chill though both suffers from a bad back. Despite their lone wolves nature, both fixers had to work together to clean up the mess which is of course the dead body and surprise, a bag full of cocaine. Apparently, the young man didn’t really die and he went on a really long sprint across Chinatown. Not really a spoiler since you probably saw the trailer. Anyway, our two dear fixers have to think of first returning the drugs and perhaps resolved their implication in the whole entire saga.

Eventually, the trio has to overcome their odds and work together and Watts for the most part probably has the most enjoyable time coming up with the constant back-and-forth dialogue between Clooney and Pitt’s characters. The bickering is fun but it gets a bit repetitive. Clooney and Pitt of course plays the mismatched buddies to a tee so it’s not entirely their fault. I blamed it on Watts’ scripting and the extreme relaxed pacing.

Things did turned a bit heated when some Croatian and Albanian mobs are mentioned and introduced. Just when you thought Wolfs is finally getting some serious action, the whole entire conspiracy miraculously resolved by itself without the need for the fixers to do much heavy lifting. Since audiences never have the chance to get to know more about our wisecracking duo or the criminal underworld, a sequel is planned for the fixers to return. A huge letdown consider Wolfs is just a mere appetiser.

The story which is set in one single night allows cinematographer Larkin Seiple to indulge his lens in the wintry city of New York. The two A-listers look perfect and their playful chemistry is the only thing that helps to keep Wolfs afloat. It’s simply a crime caper that deserved more. If you watched enough QT and Coen brothers, you won’t be impressed by Watts has assembled. Still, it’s a well-shot, breezy watch and it’s always nice to see the stars in a feature movie beside their usual coffee machine ads.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Drama
Director: Kang Bo
Cast: Xiao Yang, Song Jia, Ni Dahong, Wu Yue, Wu Yufang, Zhou Yiran, Ding Jiali, Liu Dan, Liu Jun, Liu Bateer
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 October 2024

Synopsis: A couple, Luo Yu (played by Xiao Yang) and Bai Hui (played by Song Jia), get involved in a legal dispute over embryo ownership during their divorce cooling-off period, with Luo as a lawyer and Bai as a doctor. As the cooling-off period draws to a close, they gradually gain new insights into themselves, their marriage, and their family.

Movie Review:

Do not be fooled by the movie poster of this Mainland Chinese production directed by Kang Bo. Although it features happy colours and the characters are holding on to balloons, take a closer look and you will realise that all of them appear to have some emotional baggage weighing them down. The Chinese title of the movie means “wishing you happiness”, and the English title simply reads “Enjoy Yourself” – this also suggests that you will be feeling warm and fuzzy watching the movie, but it will not be the case.

Instead, there are many heavy hearted moments during the 112 minute movie that will have you thinking about the strained relationships you may have with your loved ones, and the regret that things will never go back to the way they were before.

The movie’s protagonists are Luo Yu (Xiao Yang) and Bai Hui (Song Jia), a lawyer and doctor respectively. When we first meet them, they are preparing to sign divorce papers and you know things are not looking good with their sullen expressions. The two of them then become involved in a case where the elderly parents of another couple are fighting over an embryo.

It turns out that the embryo belongs to a young man and woman who have met with an unfortunate accident. The man lost his life and the woman is in a vegetative state – how’s that for tragedy? Things turn unpleasant when the married couple’s parents argue over the ownership of the embryo, with Luo Yu and Bai Hui thrown into the picture to further complicate things.

There are many moments in the movie where the characters unleash their pain through dramatic breakdowns. The ensemble cast which also includes Ni Dahong, Wu Yue and Wu Yufang deliver emotionally crushing performances that will leave you empathising with their characters. You probably won’t be siding with any party because you wouldn’t want to be put in a similarly painful situation which they are going through.

One memorable scene involves Luo Yu and Bai Hui as we find out what happened in the past that resulted in their estranged relationship. Although the story is told through the tried and tested approach of flashbacks, it still stings when you witness the event happening on screen. Kudos to Xiao and Bai for being able to tug at viewers heartstrings with their portrayal of a broken couple.

The movie will be especially retable for parents because of their love for children whom they have brought to this world, and also everything they have done to raise their kids. While life may be unpredictable sometimes, trying to come to terms with tragic events is often easier said than done, and this drama explores the pain and healing that is involved in the journey. There are no simple solutions or clear resolutions for individuals who have experienced similar heartbreak, and perhaps this movie is a reminder that while the hurt is inevitable, there may be others who are going through the same ordeal and trying their best to stay strong.

Movie Rating:

(The ensemble cast delivers emotionally engaging performances in this heavy-hearted drama that may just offer solace to individuals who have experienced similar heartbreak)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: In 1930s Oklahoma amid the region's horrific dust storms, a woman is convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) produces and stars in this mystery drama about….dust? You read that right. Dust.

It’s 1933, Oklahoma. Margaret (Paulson) and her two daughters, teen Rose (Amiah Miller) and younger one, Ollie (Alona Jane Robbins) lives in a small town that is constantly ravaged by dust storms. Food is scarce as the cow is not producing enough milk hence the man of the house has to leave to find work elsewhere.

That leaves Margaret who also suffers from insomnia and is on sleeping pills to deal with the raging storm, her kids and the grief of losing her third child to scarlet fever. It doesn’t help that the eldest Rose also brought up a ghost story of a Grey man and a rumour of a stranger murdering people from the ladies at church.

Hold Your Breath is a strange concoction of supernatural, psychological and religion that it ended up as unsatisfying on all accounts. A drifter (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) disguises himself as sort of a healing preacher appears in Margaret’s barn midway. He is very much an interesting character to add on to the paranoia. Is he a conman, the supposedly grey man in human form or something less sinister? Questions, questions and more questions.

Unfortunately, the drifter is abandoned after a brief appearance. There’s no direct answer as to why but Hold Your Breath apparently turned into a psychological thriller by the third act given Margaret’s state of mind is in obvious disarray. All of the sudden, the so-called Grey man and murderers are sweep under deep layers of dust resulting in a wobbly thriller that serves little to no purpose.

Paulson and the two young actresses are great especially the former. Given the tight budget, the production design and effects are at least decent. Directing duo Karrie Crouse and Will Joines who also wrote the script incorporates too much into the story that it lacks an obvious focus in the end. The unravelling is weak and there’s little scares and thrill for a movie that runs efficiently at 90 minutes. The sound mix is fantastic however it’s more for keeping you awake than offering genuine shock.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Parker Finn
Cast: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Gore)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 October 2024

Synopsis: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.For centuries and across cultures, parents have warned their children of the legendary Bagman, who snatches innocent children and stuffs them into his vile, rotting bag-never to be seen again. Patrick McKee (Sam Claflin) narrowly escaped such an encounter as a boy, which left him with lasting scars throughout his adulthood. Now, Patrick's childhood tormentor has returned, threatening the safety of his wife Karina (Antonia Thomas) and son Jake (Caréll Rhoden). 

Movie Review:

Of course there’d be a sequel to Parker Finn’s 2022 movie which made a whopping $217 million worldwide on a budget of $17 million. People love scaring themselves in a dark theatre with a good horror flick, and that’s what the movie about a psychiatrist who uncovers a terrifying curse that manifests through smiling did – the simple concept was effective in making audiences cower in fear while wanting more.

And judging from the reactions of the viewers during the preview screening of this louder and evidently more pompous sequel (thanks to a bigger budget), Finn is likely to be given a pat on his back for delivering yet another worthy scare fest.

If you have watched the first movie, you don’t need any introduction to the premise. After an opening sequence which adequately links one of the surviving characters from the original to this sequel, we are introduced to Skye Riley (Naomi Scott, whom you may fondly remember as Princess Jasmine from the 2019 live adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin), a pop star who is trying to let go of a traumatic accident that happened while she was at the peak of her career.

When we first see Skye, she has just returned from a break and is ready to embark on a world tour. She even gets interviewed by Drew Barrymore on her talk show. Needless to say, terrible things begin to happen and the poor girl becomes increasingly engulfed by the curse. If you have seen the movie trailer, the violent scenes are just a teaser for the many gory (and hence, scary) sequences you can expect from the 127 minute horror thriller.

The story written by Finn doesn’t offer anything new, but it is not a problem because the scares are so well executed, you forgive the filmmakers for banking on what already works. Scott gives her all to play Skye (she even gets to show off her vocals in some songs specially written for the movie), a victim of her own pursuit for fame in showbiz. It’s what you usually read in media – a celebrity who turns to substances while trying to stay afloat in the cruel industry.

Here, Scott does a fine job in portraying someone who spirals into insanity, no thanks to the monstrous curse. You will peer on in dread as Skye goes through one mental breakdown after another, and be startled as the effective jump scares happen. It’s probably more fun if you are in a crowded theatre where other audiences will break out in screams and nervous laughter with you.

It is also recommended that you watch this movie in a theatre with a good sound system, because your experience will be greatly heightened during scenes where sound design is emphasised to make you feel all jittery in your seat. One recurring action sees Skye scratching her head and literally pulling her hair out, and the screeching sound effect may be particularly disturbing to some.

No prizes for guessing that the movie ends on a note which leaves room for a sequel. Let’s see whether this will be an upcoming horror franchise that will leave fans craving for more.

Movie Rating:

(Scream your heart out as Naomi Scott delivers a committed performance in this bigger, louder and gorier sequel)

Review by John Li 

SYNOPSIS: Follows three players who knew each other when they were teenagers as they compete in a tennis tournament to be the world-famous grand slam winner, and reignite old rivalries on and off the court.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Watching a Luca Guadagnino movie can be both a rewarding and frustrating experience. While not known for having a specific style, the Italian auteur is known for Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All. And for his latest outing, he is all of a sudden helming a sports romance drama if you can call it that.

The narrative of Challengers is presented in a non-linear format, skipping back and forth between the present and years earlier making it somewhat a “challenge” to sit through. The three main characters look somewhat the same over the decades which makes it a bit hard to differentiate unless you are paying full attention to the details.

It’s hard to narrow down the central theme here. The script by Justin Kuritzkes can be probably be summarised as a study on complicated interpersonal human relationships as say a movie on competitive tennis or romance.

Best friends Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) has been playing tennis for the longest time until they meet a rising tennis superstar, Tashi (Zendaya). Both guys sort of fall in love with Tashi but Art finally gets his girl and Tashi went on to become his coach, manager, wife and mother of their young daughter. Patrick on the other hand ends up homeless and has to play some cheap matches to keep his finances alive. There’s even a hint of homoeroticism between Patrick and Art that is mostly forgotten until the movie’s climax.

Believe it or not, there is no specific storyline here and what the audiences have is a sexually charged movie about one woman and two guys. It’s a complicated three-way relationship where lies, manipulation, betrays took place. Tashi seems to be still in love with Patrick despite their constant disagreements while Art is fast losing his appeal in tennis. It’s not exactly an erotic movie either despite the rating. The touted threesome is not an expected Wild Things copycat and the nudity factor applies entirely somewhere else.

Tennis lovers will still find something to like in Challengers as the matches are wonderfully choreographed like a real sweaty exhausting Wimbledon match. Meanwhile, the stylishly composed soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is honestly far more intense than the onscreen happenings.

The cast looks great especially Zendaya although she is much more convincing in Euphoria. No doubt Challengers is a beautiful, sexily assembled movie set in the world of tennis. A Luca Guadagnino movie is never that accessible to the general audiences, the abrupt ending of Challengers only add to the list. Still, it’s a watchable piece in the comfort of your home.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: John Crowley
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Grace Delaney, Lee Braithwaite, Aoife Hinds, Adam James, Douglas Hodge, Amy Morgan, Niamh Cusack, Lucy Briers
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 7 November 2024

Synopsis: Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley's decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.

Movie Review:

When we first saw the trailer of this romantic drama starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, we had an inkling how the movie is going end. In one shot where the location looks like a doctor’s consult room, Pugh’s character is seen looking defeated, while Garfield’s character tries to comfort her. The next shot in the same location sees Pugh still looking down trodden, but her head is shaven this time round. Garfield holds her hand, and things still don’t look too cheery for the couple.

Without reading the synopsis of the movie directed by Irish filmmaker John Crowley, it doesn’t take a genius to guess how the story is going to pan out. The screenplay by British playwright Nick Payne shows snippets of Tobias (Garfield) and Almut’s (Pugh) lives as a couple over a course of 10 years.

In a truly charming setup, we see how Tobias is hit by a car driven by Almut after he buys a pen to sign divorce papers, and how the two of them fall in love with each other before becoming a couple. Then we see how Almut discovers she has ovarian cancer and chooses to receive treatment. Fortunately, it goes into remission and the couple manages to conceive a daughter after an initial disagreement over having children.

Life wouldn’t be that smooth sailing in a movie of this genre. Just as Almut’s career hits an all time high with her position of head chef in a restaurant, her cancer becomes worse and she has to undergo chemotherapy before the tumour can be surgically removed. As with all medical procedures, there is no guarantee that she will survive the ordeal. At this time, Tobias proposes to her and they plan for a wedding. To complicate matters, Almut is given the opportunity to participate in a world chef championship, and the finals are taking place on the same day of their ceremony.

Did we just relate almost the entire story of this 108 minute movie? Yes we did, but there aren’t really much spoilers here, because we are guessing that the filmmakers’ intent is to let the viewers experience the ups and downs Tobias and Almut go through as a couple. You also probably know how their tale is going to end, and the last scenes of the film shouldn’t bring any surprises.

What’s interesting about the movie is that it is presented in a nonlinear narrative, which means you see events unfolding non chronologically. One moment, you will be seeing Tobias and Almut getting anxious over the results of a pregnancy kit. In the next sequence, you will see them trying to cope with grief as Almut’s condition deteriorates. The scenes seem to play out randomly, but they flow well enough without distraction.

A large part of why this movie works is because of the extremely likeable main leads. We have seen how Garfield’s puppy eyes work wonders in other movies, and fans would love how endearing he is as Tobias in this movie. Pugh has exuded her magnetic charisma in different genres, and here, she is the enigmatic woman who is fighting hard for her daughter to remember her as an accomplished individual. Both stars deliver competent performances which have audiences going along for the couple’s emotional journey.

Movie Rating:

(Despite the story’s predictability, audiences will be drawn to the protagonists’ emotional journey, thanks to Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s charisma and charm)

Review by John Li