masonsaul Reviews

American Wedding (2003)

The raunchiest and sincerest

[7/10 · 8 May 2024]

American Wedding isn't like either of its predecessors and a lot of that is to do with how it looks and the fact some of the characters are missing. By simultaneously being the raunchiest and most sincere, it keeps the franchise moving along nicely. Watching these characters grow whilst losing none of their charm is a real joy.

Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan are cute together and it's really nice that the film avoids the usual pitfalls as they plan their wedding. Eugene Levy remains an immensely supportive movie dad and Sean William Scott has only gotten worse which makes him better. When he threatens to wade into caricature, the film wisely knows to give him an arc.

Jesse Dylan's direction finally gives these films some actual stylistic flair. There are some great sequences that are staged wonderfully and the film is generally more ambitious visually. The film looks so much slicker than the other two and by including a dance off, it can really cheat with the soundtrack by including a lot of great songs In quick succession.

Unfrosted (2024)

Right time, should be stronger

[6/10 · 7 May 2024]

Unfrosted couldn't arrive at a better time. A full on parody of the buyopic genre right as they start to become a constant staple. Unfortunately, it's not as good as that premise should be but it commits to the bit and gets enough jokes out of it. It's like a late stage episode of the Simpsons where it's entertaining even with a lot of luls, helped by a load of celebrity cameos.

Jerry Seinfeld gives himself the lead role with mixed results. He is undoubtedly trying to match the tone of the film with his exaggerated performance but the timing is off and the delivery a little flat. The strongest roles are Bill Burr's surprisingly good JFK impression, Hugh Grant proving he really is up for anything and a few really talented child actors who outshine a lot of the bigger names.

Jerry Seinfeld's direction crafts a film that operates like an extended TV episode. It's nice that he got a pretty significant budget to make something so specific to him however, once this bottomless pit of Netflix money eventually runs out people are gonna look back on films like this and wonder why those blank checks weren't used for more daring stuff.

Deja Vu (2006)

Tenet before Tenet

[8/10 · 7 May 2024]

Déjà Vu is a great action thriller with a genuinely high concept premise. If this was made now it'd be a streaming film with no style, designed to be as generic as humanly possible. It makes every detail of this version so much more entertaining, like how the film really takes its time with an extended opening credits sequence that streamers would never let exist now for fear of the audience losing interest.

All that really matters with this concept is that the twists work in the moment and it achieves this in a constantly engaging manner. It doesn't matter if they fall apart under intense scrutiny and to be honest, the part of this narrative that's the hardest aspect to buy into is the romance. Even then though, the shades of Vertigo make it work better than it should.

A film like this needs a movie star to lead it and Denzel Washington is the perfect actor to do it. He's the coolest character in any scene, immensely believable with his character's expertise and yet he's still the best one to experience this slightly futuristic world through. The little things are just as eye-catching with his performance, all the way down to the way he holds a gun.

The supporting cast really understand how to play it when it comes to how serious to take this. There's no doubt that the premise requires some suspension of disbelief so having the mildest bit of humour courtesy of Adam Goldberg whilst Val Kilmer, Elden Henson, and Erika Alexander all playing it completely straight creates the ideal tonal balance.

A significant portion of this film has people staring at screens and watching so Tony Scott directing on maximalist mode ensures everything remains highly cinematic. He had a unique talent for this kind of filmmaking and the car chase that simultaneously takes place in past and present not only showcases his greatest strengths but guarantees the film doesn't squander the premise on that scene alone.

Saint Maud (2019)

Religious horror meets Taxi Driver

[7/10 · 7 May 2024]

Saint Maud is a really effective, slow burning descent into madness where the outcome is inevitable but the way it reaches that conclusion and how it executes it certainly aren't. It's a strong debut for writer-director Rose Glass, showcasing her talents on the page and the screen by being a religious horror by way of Taxi Driver.

Morfydd Clark gives a terrific lead performance, holding the whole thing together whilst burning it down. She's so quiet and seemingly kind at first to clearly hide a dark past that's never too far away from returning. The way she portrays Maud's ecstasy with her newfound faith results in disturbing scenes that you can't take your eyes away from.

Rose Glass' direction cleverly creates a clear contrast between Maud's fantasy and the reality of situations. Sequences of divine faith are quickly followed by the bleak reality and the most intense moments are crafted with a blink-and-you-miss it quality that gives you no time to process what you just witnessed. That's all aided by a suitably Baron score by Adam Janota Bzowski that matches the grey seaside setting.

Glory (1989)

Unashamedly sentimental

[8/10 · 5 May 2024]

Glory is a product of its time in ways that both hinder and help. Considering the story it's telling, focusing on Matthew Broderick's Robert Gould Shaw as the lead doesn't result in the best version of itself; however, there's a level of earnest sentimentality that wouldn't exist in a more modern version. After a slow start it really finds its footing and only gets stronger.

Despite being outshone by the supporting cast, Matthew Broderick is still a great lead who's arc is predictable but no less satisfying. Denzel Washington is incredible, arriving with so much presence, angry at the world and is still given his fair share of quieter, deeply human moments. Morgan Freeman plays to his strengths with a role that leans into his wisdom.

Edward Zwick's direction stages large scale battles in a way that never glorifies war and with cinematography by Freddie Francis, the film looks beautiful with striking shots reflected through puddles. James Horner's score is recognisably him and completely unafraid to be melodramatic, going for broke in its biggest moments with no fear of it being seen as too much.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (2024)

Star Wars at its darkest

[8/10 · 4 May 2024]

Like Tales of the Jedi before it, Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is a story of two halves where one is noticeably stronger than the other. The added edge here is this show being completely unafraid to go to some really dark territory. Star Wars hasn't been this dark since Revenge of the Sith and just like that film, hope is still present deep down.

Diana Lee Inosanto's Morgan Elsbeth and Meredith Salenger's Barriss Offee were thinly sketched characters but thanks to just 30 minutes of screen time for each of them they've got so much more depth and both actors are given a lot to work with. Diana Lee charts a strong course through the journey of the dark side and Meredith Salenger brings a wise presence to the redemption of Barriss.

The Clone Wars animation style only gets better with every new show that uses it. The level of detail in the environments is incredible and the character designs at this stage have none of the stilted nature that the show started off with. Kevin Kiner's score is amazing with a more mournful quality as the show spends almost all of its time in the bleakest parts of the Star Wars timeline.

The Fall Guy (2024)

An ideal start to the 2024 summer movie season

[8/10 · 3 May 2024]

Whatever problems The Fall Guy has really aren't an issue when the final product is this much fun. It's a loving tribute to the never ending selflessness of stunt people wrapped inside of an endearing romantic comedy and meta action film. If David Leitch and 87 North did all the action in cinema the world would be a better place.

Ryan Gosling achieves new levels of perfection by merging the reserved stunt man character of Drive with his natural Kenergy. His version of Colt is just so lovable, especially because he's completely unafraid to be open in his vulnerability which makes him more relatable whilst being really funny. His comedic timing continues to be faultless, proving he can make any joke land.

Emily Blunt thankfully also gets a lot to do. Any scene she shares with Gosling is effortlessly charming and she has her own brand of bona-fide movie star charisma. Winston Duke is a great movie referencing support to Gosling, Aaron Taylor-Johnson does a hilarious McConaughey impression and Hannah Waddingham's cartoonishly over the top producer really works.

David Leitch's direction plays squarely to his strengths and after the disappointment of The Gray Man, it's extra satisfying to see Gosling be given some actually good fight scenes. Stunt designer Chris O'Hara and the whole stunt team really accomplished some breathtaking feats that are only made more impressive by seeing how they shot them during the credits.

La haine (1995)

Stunning, influential, poignant

[9/10 · 3 May 2024]

La Haine is a scathing critique of police brutality wrapped inside a thoroughly engrossing story of a day in the life of three young friends, all desperate to leave their mark in different ways. It only gets tougher to watch on repeat viewings and refuses to offer easy answers. Influential, iconic and stunningly composed from the first frame with a faultless ending to finish it off.

Vincent Cassel and Saïd Taghmaoui are excellent at portraying the aimlessness of their characters. All the stories they tell are greatly exaggerated in an attempt to sound more experienced than they are and the way it's constantly getting under Hubert Koundé's skin is terrific. He's the only one with a clear goal and the lack of false bragging on his part shows he really understands the cost of taking a life.

Despite this growing distance between the three of them, they still have a completely believable rapport. The way they bounce off each other feels so natural and even with the clashing ideologies they're still friends who'll help each other out or get a good laugh out of tormenting each other. Both the scenes where a drunk person helps them steal a car and the gentleman tells them a story in the toilet are major standouts.

Mathieu Kassovitz's direction is amazing, setting the scene with a world set ablaze by a molotov. The way the characters are constantly trying to draw attention to themselves even when in the backgrounds is so gripping that you almost don't notice Pierre Aïm's accomplished cinematography that moves effortlessly through the scenes and pulls off some pretty incredible manoeuvres.

Dredd (2012)

Near perfect execution

[9/10 · 3 May 2024]

Dredd is extremely confident in its gory execution. Within a few moments it's obvious that this is going to be better than the previous adaptation and its greatest skill lies in telling a story that feels like just another day for Judge Dredd rather than doing an origin story. The fact that this flopped proves we can't have nice things.

It's a real testament to Karl Urban's humility that he's totally fine with spending the whole film under a mask. It's also a testament to how good his grizzled grimace is that that's enough to communicate everything required of him. Olivia Thirlby is a great rookie, her dynamic with Dredd is the strongest aspect when it comes to keeping you invested.

Alex Garland's direction finds something incredibly distinct in the way it visualises the slow mo drug. The higher frame rate makes those scenes so stunning and the action in between those moments is unflinchingly violent so all of it leaves a mark. Paul Leonard-Morgan's score is the final piece of the puzzle, helping to coalesce everything with tonally perfect music.

Wild Card (2015)

Just enough action here

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

Wild Card is a serviceable Jason Statham vehicle that often feels like it's spinning its wheels for the majority of its run time but in actuality the film is well past the halfway point when that becomes obvious. After that realisation there's just enough action here to keep it moving until its satisfying conclusion.

Yet again Jason Statham carries this. He's an actor who always sticks to the same wheelhouse and has admitted this. However, this character feels slightly different to most of his other roles as he's more self-destructive and that movie star charisma is replaced with a defeated nature. The physicality is intact though as the Stath fights half a dozen guys with only a fish knife and a spoon.

Stylistic choice or not, it was certainly a weird choice to have this film be so excessively grey. Other than that though, Simon West's direction is good with a real skill for making poker feel cinematic and with the assistance of Corey Yeun, the few action sequences here are strong enough to leave an impression.

American Pie 2 (2001)

A sequel that's a lot funnier

[7/10 · 30 April 2024]

American Pie 2 is a lot stronger than the original. It's got that same balance of raunchy and heartfelt moments whilst doing some of the same jokes from the first but on a slightly bigger scale. It's smart enough to make sure most of the humour is at the expense of the main characters opposed to anyone else, which allows it to kinda avoid potentially icky situations with some grace.

It's not as evenly distributed this time around between its main characters which thankfully isn't a problem. Jason Biggs' physical humour is so much better here, Seann William Scott has only gotten funnier and Eugene Levy truly is one of the best movie dads. Plus Thomas Ian Nicholas, Chris Klein and Eddie Kaye Thomas still get enough to do.

You can't really tell this has swapped directors as the construction is pretty much identical to the first one however, director J. B. Rogers still manages to make an impression thanks to generally stronger comedic timing. The soundtrack remains a highlight, it's a real time capsule of the moment in which these were made and it imbues the film with a lot of personality.

Boy Kills World (2023)

Knows exactly what it is

[8/10 · 30 April 2024]

Boy Kills World is a total blast. A winning combination of brutal violence and weird humour tied together in a story that does enough to make you care about the characters. It moves efficiently, has some clever twists and an unforgettable fight involving a cheese grater. Like all the best action comedies, the zany humour disguises the beating heart at the centre.

Bill Skarsgård proves he doesn't need dialogue to communicate. He can do so much with just his eyes and the fact that it all syncs up really well with H. Jon Benjamin's suitably over the top voice over is just a bonus. Plus he has an adorable rapport with Quinn Copeland. Andrew Koji isn't given a chance to show off his physical prowess but is given the time to show how surprisingly great he is at comedy.

Mortiz Mohr's direction nails the balance between self awareness and sincerity, translating some of the language of video games to cinema effectively. With cinematography by Peter Matjasko, the camera moves with the action rather than against it. It's always fluid and bloody inventive, saving the best fight for last. It's the kind of final fight where the choreography is impeccable, the blows are nasty and it goes on for so long it's exhausting in the best ways.

Ghost Rider (2007)

Peak 2000s comic book movie

[6/10 · 29 April 2024]

Ghost Rider is the epitome of 2000s comic book movies pre Iron Man & The Dark Knight. In both good and bad ways it's a relic of a time when they still hadn't figured out how to make these so they just threw everything at the wall to see what sticks. It's a romance, a monster movie and a horror all moulded into something clearly inspired by Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films.

Nicolas Cage's gonzo performance and his excessively southern drawl are the biggest reason why this film is so watchable. He gives the character so many random idiosyncrasies that makes him more unique than his initially overly generic character. The villains suck and the supporting characters are thinly sketched so Cage's manic screen presence single-handedly carries this.

Mark Steven Johnson's direction has no authoritative style or vision but it's so scared of any scene feeling boring that there's so many different ideas thrown into the mix that it works. Christopher Young's score goes unnoticed for the most part however, it still delivers during the most important moments. It's ridiculously close to his own work on Spider-Man 3 though.

Mechanic: Resurrection (2016)

Mindless entertainment with a totally game Statham

[6/10 · 27 April 2024]

Mechanic: Resurrection takes a while to get going but once Jason Statham goes on his one man killing spree it's totally worth revisiting this franchise for 90 minutes of mindless entertainment. Since this is about a bald assassin travelling the globe to dispatch people and make it look like an accident, it's also the best Hitman adaptation currently.

Jason Statham can do this in his sleep so the fact that he still gives 100% is really appreciated. With a supporting cast filled with big names who aren't given much, Statham essentially has to carry this one and does it effortlessly. Tommy Lee Jones is only in it for about 10 minutes at the most and it's obvious he doesn't care which is actually pretty fun.

Dennis Gansel's direction is solid overall. The action is choppier than the first and there are some distractingly poor CG backdrops interspersed with all the luxurious locales. His greatest strength lies in ensuring the film has one really memorable set piece which was basically the whole marketing campaign for this one.

Challengers (2024)

Electrifying

[10/10 · 27 April 2024]

Challengers is a real odyssey of sex, lies and tennis. Its central tennis match is thrilling and everything surrounding it only makes that match more intense as it shows you what's really at stake for everyone involved. A sweaty, sexy tale of three people who are addicted to each other in a love triangle that goes in every direction.

Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor are all incredible. Their chemistry is ridiculously palpable and their performances are very layered. Zendaya is a master manipulator who still feels human, always knowing exactly what to say to both of them to get the desired outcome. Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor turn from friends to enemies in a very believable fashion.

Faist manipulates in his own way and tries to hide his growing sense of defeat but it always seeps through in the present day sequences. O'Connor is endlessly charming as someone who's completely confident in their sense of self, flaws and all. He knows exactly what he is and yet that doesn't stop his confidence shining through with his smug grin remaining. Effective.

Luca Guadagnino clearly believes subtlety is for cowards with his direction here and every creative choice is a big swing that pays off massively. The tennis match is shot from first person, below the court and from the perspective of the ball bouncing back and forth which makes the sport more cinematic than it's ever been or will be.

Marco Costa's editing moves between multiple timeliness with grace. Jumping around as frequently as this film does could've been confusing or chaotic; however there's a lot of subtle details that help you regain your footing with each jump. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross craft an electrifying club style score that makes everything even more heated.

In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023)

Old school western

[7/10 · 26 April 2024]

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is an Irish Western that prioritises its characters over any action which makes it one of the better Liam Neeson vehicles of recent memory. It covers familiar ground in an effectively old fashioned way, operating as a slow burn and all the better for it.

Liam Neeson is on top form here. He's consistently engaging even if nothing is happening and with this focusing on the character work, he gets to show off more of his dramatic chops. Jack Gleeson has a roguish charm and Kerry Condon is a pretty ruthless villain despite the odd bit of sympathy.

Robert Lorenz's direction is thoroughly old school, all the way down to playing the credits over a final extended scene. It's workmanlike in its construction with some gorgeous scenery. Diego Baldenweg's score has a mournful quality that's an ideal fit for a film that's obsessed with the emotional toll of the violence opposed to the thrill of it.

Abigail (2024)

Bloody good spin on vampire lore

[7/10 · 26 April 2024]

Abigail really shouldn't have revealed it's big twist in the trailer however, this is still bloody good fun that finds a slightly fresh angle for vampire movies. It's got a great cast of characters, plenty more surprises beyond the big reveal and really good humour that makes up for the drawn out conclusion.

The main reason it should've kept the twist a secret is because Alisha Weir's performance is just so convincing. It's a performance of two halves as she initially appears to be innocent and then does a complete 180. She's thoroughly believable when pretending to be scared and even better when she's revelling in all the bloodshed.

The rest of the characters may be willing to kidnap a child for money but the cast does a really good job keeping you invested despite that fact. Melissa Barrera adds another terrific final girl to her résumé, Kevin Durand is an endearing gentle giant, Kathryn Newton brings the right amount of self-awareness and Dan Stevens is amazing as an irredeemably corrupt (former) cop.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have real confidence with their direction here, offering further proof of how good they are at maintaining tension to an unbearable length. There's a lot of fun to be had in the way they play with vampire lore, cherry picking which things to keep. Making a 12 year old ballerina vampire feel like a threat isn't easy and yet they pull it off flawlessly.

I.S.S. (2023)

Solid thriller that could've been better

[6/10 · 26 April 2024]

I. S. S. Has a very strong premise that should result in Crimson Tide in space but it goes for a very different and simpler set of thrills that prevent it from fully achieving its potential. Instead, it's a solid 90 minute thriller with enough tension to still be entertaining in spite of all that and a nothing ending.

Ariana DeBose does a good job in the lead role, elevating a fairly bland moral centre into someone who's easy to root for. Pilou Asbæk gets a welcome opportunity to show what he's really capable of with a role that goes far beyond his usual Hollywood offerings. His looks of anguish say everything and he sells the premise more than anyone.

Even with some shoddy effects, which is understandable considering the low budget, Gabriela Cowperthwaite's direction is still able to create some effective existential imagery with shots of an Earth ravaged by nuclear war. Anne Nikitin's score is suitably bleak as it really hones in on how dark the whole situation is as mankind destroys itself on the ground and above it.

American Pie (1999)

At its strongest when being sentimental

[6/10 · 24 April 2024]

In a shocking twist, American Pie is kind of a slow burn. There's enough jokes to sustain itself but considering it's got the ideal run time for a comedy, it drags in places. The greatest strength is that there's a real sentimentality that is hidden beneath all the vulgarity that gets it a lot further.

Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas and Eddie Kaye Thomas work really well together. There's a genuine camaraderie between them when they actually open up to each other as well as when they're clearly enjoying seeing one of them suffer. Seann William Scott is more one note but it's counterbalanced by him having some of the funniest moments.

Directors Chris & Paul Weitz do a fine job, there's nothing inherently wrong with their direction but at the same time more stylistic flair would've given the film a bit more life. The soundtrack is the biggest highlight. It's so of the time in a good way and definitely the only aspect that gives the film any energy.

Star Trek (2009)

This is how you reboot

[10/10 · 24 April 2024]

Star Trek successfully modernizes the franchise with a genuinely thrilling blockbuster that quickly charts its own course to free itself of the burden of continuity whilst still being a loving homage to what came before. Everything here is at operating at full power to create the ideal reboot that's great on it's own terms.

Everyone here is so perfectly cast, embodying the key parts of their characters and still making them their own. As they are essentially co-leads, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are the standouts. Pine has the charm of Kirk in spades with a yearning to be more hidden behind the cocky exterior. Quinto nails the cold and calculating nature of Spock that masks all the pain, wit and rage that comes with his human side.

J. J. Abrams is a real showman as a director here. He really knows how to build to an epic moment and is a master at juggling multiple things at once. With Dan Mindel's cinematography every single scene is dynamically staged and with editing courtesy of Maryann Brandon & Mary Jo Markey the pacing is flawless. It feels like the film has been trimmed down to just it's core components and yet it doesn't feel even remotely rushed.

The CGI is amazing, every penny of that $150 million budget is seen on screen with immensely detailed and gorgeously rendered starship designs. Michael Giacchino's score boldly goes into uncharted territory to create music that feels completely unique within the greater franchise. To put it simply, Star Trek has never sounded better than his work on these films.

Blood Simple (1984)

The Coen brothers arrive fully formed

[8/10 · 24 April 2024]

Blood Simple is a deceptively simple morality tale that announces the Coen brothers as fully formed filmmakers. It's thrillingly unpredictable as it constantly shifts perspectives and withholds information to keep you second guessing. It covers so many of the preoccupations that would become staples of their work from the incompetence of the characters to some of the frequent collaborators who portray them.

Frances McDormand debuts with the start of a wonderful creative partnership as the closest thing to a moral centre of this film. The best moments come from John Getz and Dan Hedaya during a prolonged sequence in the middle without any dialogue. It's both tense and funny to witness this cacophony of errors that's rife with guilt and clumsiness.

Joel Coen's direction feels like a first time director in the best ways. There's a clear desire for him and cinematographer Barry Sonnenfield to announce themselves with their meticulous shot composition that draws attention to itself without taking it away from anything else. The editing on display by the Coen brothers and Don Wiegmann is terrific as it always finds inventive ways to transition.

First Love (2019)

Slow to start but worth it

[7/10 · 22 April 2024]

First Love takes too long to actually get going but it's ultimately worth it once it does. A twisted tale of true romance with a colourful cast of characters and brutally cartoonish violence. This is a better Yakuza movie than Takashi Miike's actual Yakuza adaptation, especially when it comes to its tonal balance.

Masataka Kubota and Sakurako Konshi are great leads who are easy to root for however, in a film like this it's the characters who are truly deranged who make the biggest impression. Becky's vengeance obsessed Julie and Jun Murakami's coolest Yakuza ever are the most over the top characters and therefore run away with the whole film.

Director Takashi Miike excels at balancing wildly different tones here. Moving from creepy hallucinations to bloody sword fights and pretty moving emotional beats whilst still finding time for some comedy. His trademark love of shoddy CGI remains intact and he comes up with a very clever way to work around the lack of budget when it comes to a late stage car chase.

The Mist (2007)

Bleak, scary and heartbreaking

[8/10 · 21 April 2024]

The Mist is a lovecraftian horror that's so bleak and has real teeth to its commentary on how quickly society can devolve in extreme circumstances. It quickly gets to the inciting incident, withholds answers long enough and then gets more and more disturbing as it goes along. It's one of the best examples of mankind being just as bad as apocalyptic monsters.

The cast is so strong, they're the reason you're glued to the screen in fear. Thomas Jane is always trying to do the right thing but occasionally can't help his fear getting the better of him. Toby Jones is unexpectedly brilliant in handling the situation and Marcia Gay Harden portrays one of the most horrible characters in all of cinema.

Writer & director Frank Darabont takes a break from showing the warmth and perseverance of humanity to depict it at its worst, plus some gross body horror for good measure. With Rohn Schmidt's cinematography the camera revels in the chaos and even on a smaller budget is really effective at making the characters feel so small in the face of this event.

Scoop (2024)

Good until its gripping

[6/10 · 20 April 2024]

Scoop has noble intentions and is generally well made but it can't escape the fact that it doesn't really need to exist, especially with the interview itself still easily accessible. The build up to the interview is okay but it's the interview itself where it really comes to life. Even with a well known outcome it's still shocking to witness.

Gillian Anderson and Keeley Hawes are really good however, it's Billie Piper and Rufus Sewell who are the standouts. Sewell completely dissappears under all the makeup and nails the clueless, creepy nature. Piper is the heart of the film as she fights so hard to get this interview to happen and is pretty speechless when it's happening.

Philip Martin's direction is fine. Everything about this film's construction is how'd you expect. It's pure formula in a way that makes Netflix the ideal home for this. The strongest part is the interview because that's when all the air is sucked from the room and the simplicity of its construction really works in its favour.

The Book of Clarence (2023)

Really good even if it struggles at balance

[7/10 · 20 April 2024]

The Book of Clarence struggles to balance its religious satire/stoner comedy aspirations against its sincere retelling of the bible. Even if it doesn't entirely coalesce it's still a lot of fun whilst using its deliberate casting choices to draw parallels from the Roman empire to 21st Century America and has an investing story of a nobody trying to become a somebody.

LaKeith Stanfield is an endlessly watchable screen presence and the fact that there's two of him here only makes it better as he has some great arguments and emotional beats with himself. Omar Sy is so damn likeable here with both the coolest moment and one of the best jokes. James McAvoy comes into the film late and uses every minute to make sure his villainy still leaves an impression.

Jeymes Samuel's direction has plenty of style and uses Tom Eagles' snappy editing to great effect. It starts with a chariot race that emphasises the crashes with a first person perspective and then continues to look gorgeous as it goes along. Just as he did with The Harder They Fall, Samuel's score takes the classic sound of the genre and modernises it beautifully.