BOSS LEVEL (2020) - Movie Review

Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, Naomi Watts, Will Sasso, Ken Jeong, Annabelle Wallis, Selina Lo, Michelle Yeoh
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Writer: Chris Borey, Eddie Borey, Joe Carnahan
Runtime: 100 min
Rated: TV-MA
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) uncovers clues about a secret government project that could unlock the mystery behind his untimely death. In a race against the clock, Pulver must hunt down Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson), the powerful head of the government program, while outrunning skilled ruthless assassins determined to keep him from the truth in order to break out of the loop, save his family and live once again for tomorrow.

Review:

From director Joe Carnahan, best known for "Narc" and "The Grey", comes the incredibly fun and surprisingly complex "Boss Level", a video game inspired "Groundhog Day" style sci-fi actioner. Frank Grillo takes the lead as a former special forces operative forced to relive the same day over and over. Unfortunately for him, this never-ending loop always results in his death at the hands of several comic book-ish contract killers that reminded me a lot of Carnahan's "Smokin' Aces".

The film pretty much follows the "Groundhog Day" template, at least up to a point, as Grillo's character, Roy Pulver uses the infinite number of do-overs to adapt, learn and improve himself both as a skilled killer, and in becoming a better person. The way Roy gets better at evading and turning the tables on his assassins is no different from a gamer repeating the same level over and over again, improving their skills with each restart, until they're able to clear it and beat the big bad boss. Hence the film's title and its video game connection.

The script by Carnahan and Chris and Eddie Borey is smarter than you might think, filled with a lot of personality and clever subversions of cliches. Also, it's not all just crazy stunts and cool fights, as the story gives Pulver room to grow and become a fully realized character, with flaws and vulnerabilities that make him more human than the average action hero. Grillo is great, convincing as a physical badass but capable of unexpected depth and nuance. He is such an underrated actor. Naomi Watts delivers the usual fine performance you expect from her in a supporting role as Pulver's wife, while Mel Gibson is snarling and menacing as the movie's villain. Gibson effortlessly exudes the gravitas needed for the role, but I wish there was more to his character than just an intimidating presence and a couple of delicious monologues. Michelle Yeoh also stops by in a very small but fun role.

Carnahan is usually very good at crafting solid action sequences, and here he doesn't disappoint with an almost non-stop barrage of car chases, gunfights, hand-to-hand combat and swordfights. It's all expertly staged, with immersive and dynamic camerawork, and some of the most inventive kills I've seen outside the "John Wick" franchise. There's also plenty of dark humor packaged with the action. I wouldn't exactly call this an action comedy, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's tongue-in-cheek and self-aware, and there are plenty of chuckles to be had with Grillo's deadpan delivery.

"Boss Level" is perhaps not a masterpiece, but it's definitely a fine example of a good action movie with a sci-fi twist. It's one of the better movies built around the concept of a temporal loop, and an unabashedly foul-mouthed and ultra-violent good time.

SCORE: 8/10