PROJECT POWER : Sunday 16th August 2020.

'PROJECT POWER' is an American Superhero Sci-Fi film distributed by Netflix that was released on the streaming service on 14th August. Directed by the pairing of Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost who have shared Directorial credits on such films as 'Paranormal Activity 3', 'Paranormal Activity 4', 'Nerve' and 'Viral' the film was made for a budgeted US$85M, and has so far generated mixed or average Reviews.




In a not too distant future New Orleans, a mystery distributor offers a sample of free 'Power' to a group of gathered drug dealers late at night, on the basis that they try it for themselves which will very quickly convince them of the marketability and street value that this new drug will have. The 'Power' pill, it turns out, grants superpowers, albeit unpredictable ones, for just five minutes by simply ingesting a capsule that alters the physical make up of the host subject - but reactions are mixed and even some of the subjects literally explode from within upon taking the drug.

Newt (Colson Baker) was one of the drug dealers present that night, and six weeks later, his teenage cousin Robin Reilly (Dominique Fishback) who has become a Power dealer, is nearly robbed by a gang of youths wanting to procure a supply of the drug. She is rescued by NOPD Officer Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who happens to be one of her regular customers and who becomes bullet proof via super hardened skin when he ingests Power. Meanwhile, Art (Jamie Foxx) is on the search for the distributor Biggie (Rodrigo Santoro), which leads him to the home of Newt. Newt has the ability to set fire to himself and rain down hellfire on anyone or anything in his way. However, after a struggle through his apartment block, he is eventually overcome by overdosing on the drug and coming to a very wet end under a shower and over a bathtub at the hands of Art.

In the meantime, Frank foils a bank robbery by a Power-enhanced thief who has the chameleon like ability to blend in to his surroundings rendering him almost invisible. Frank is shot at very close range in the head by the thief while trying to make a getaway, but having taken Power immediately before the pursuit he is rendered bullet proof, but is subsequently suspended for using Power himself by his Captain. Captain Crane (Courtney B. Vance) reveals that government personnel are pressuring him to terminate any investigation into Power, and gives Frank a picture of the man they suspect to be the source of the drug, Art.

Art uses Newt’s phone to locate and kidnap Robin, eventually forcing her to take him to the drug cartel's safehouse. Involved in a shoot out with a number of cartel henchmen, Art is shot in the shoulder. Before exiting the scene, he discovers that Power users throughout New Orleans are being closely monitored as test subjects for the drug. Art bonds with Robin as she treats his wounds and stitches him up (a skill she learned while working in a vet clinic with her mother), and tells her that after leaving the military, he was recruited by Teleios, a private defence contractor who experimented on him to create superpowers. His daughter Tracy, who was born after the experiments were conducted, showed powers without needing the drug, and was abducted by Wallace (Tait Fletcher), a Teleios operative, for the purposes of further research and experiments.

Art and Robin track down Biggie holding a private demonstration of Project Power for a potential buyer in the basement of some clandestine bar. Biggie claims that the pill’s powers are derived from the abilities of animals, such as the chameleon or wolverine frog. As the demonstration begins, a woman locked in a glass encased chamber ingests a pill and immediately starts to freeze, breathing icy cold air and turning everything she touches to frost. A gun fight breaks out with Art gaining the upper hand. He then interrogates Biggie at gunpoint and learns of a ship, the Genesis on which his daughter is located, but Frank wades in, having tracked other users to the demonstration. As Frank is about to handcuff Art and lead him out of the club, Biggie takes a dose of Power rapidly turning him into a malformed creature of immense size and strength. This results in Art, Robin, and Frank fleeing the scene as Art kills Biggie in an gas explosion. The girl in the glass case ultimately freezes to the spot and shatters. 

Frank duly arrests Art and on the way to the Police station in a patrol car informs his Captain, but Art explains that the Power epidemic now gripping New Orleans is really mass testing in an attempt to stabilise the drug, and that his daughter Tracy is the source of the drug’s powers. In turn Art is able to convince Frank that his Captain is in all reality taking orders from Teleios.

At a roadblock which Art was able to accurately predict, he has himself purposely captured by Teleios henchmen and taken aboard the Genesis. Frank and Robin meanwhile infiltrate the ship, and Art is able to persuade a guard to free him. Frank and Art kill Wallace, while Robin locates Tracy and reunites her with her father.

As the four search for a way off the ship, Robin is captured by Dr. Gardner (Amy Landecker), the head of Project Power, who demands Tracy in exchange for Robin’s life. Art confronts Gardner, revealing that Power gives him the ability to launch directed, super-heated air that incinerates upon touch which upon swallowing a pill he uses to kill Gardner and her men and rescue Robin. Using his power, however, costs Art his life, but Tracy brings him back to life with her own powers, and they all escape the ship in a lifeboat, leaving the stricken Genesis to limp idly forward, smouldering. The next day Frank intends to expose Project Power to the press, while Art decides to move on wanting to put the whole sorry and sordid affair behind them, telling Frank that New Orleans is only the tip of the iceberg! He gives Robin his truck and a bag full of money to cover her mother's medical needs, as she needs a lifesaving operation and they don't have medical insurance. Art and Tracy drive off, free at last.

I have to say that I got up off my sofa after almost two hours feeling 'meh!'. 'Project Power' is a mash up of familiar superhero tropes; of the criminal underworld wanting to rule over all mankind with some ill conceived weapon, or super drug, or some megalomaniacal superwealthy criminal mastermind or a combination of all three; while leaving it to the few do gooders left on this mortal coil to fight fire with fire and win the day. The film is all style over substance with the action set pieces and requisite Power effects well executed, but the plot is third rate, predictable and when the climatic ending comes it can't come soon enough. Dominique Fishback gives a grounded performance of a star on the rise, and Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt add weight to a film that perhaps should take a leaf out of its own book and swallow a pill and invigorate itself for five minutes and let the movie it really wants to be, out!

'Project Power' merits two claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

UNCORKED : Thursday 21st May 2020.

In these very trying and testing times for us all that has seen many cinema's, Odeon's, and movie theatres around the world close their doors for the foreseeable future because of the escalating threat of the COVID-19 Coronavirus taking an ever increasing hold on the world at large, many film and television productions halted in their tracks indefinitely, and new film releases pushed back to some future date when some sense of movie going normalcy is expected to resume, I have, needless to say, had to adapt to this new world order. And so with my usual Reviews of the latest cinematic releases being curtailed, instead I will post my Review of the latest release movies showing on Netflix until such time as the regular outing to my local multiplex or independent theatre can be reinstated.

In the last few weeks then, a number of new feature films have landed at Netflix - of which I review as below 'Uncorked' which went live on the streaming service on 27th March and which I saw from the comfort of my own home on Thursday 21st May.

'UNCORKED' is an American drama film Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Prentice Penny in his feature film directorial debut. Due to have its World Premier screening at South by Southwest in mid-March, but cancelled due to the grip of the coronavirus pandemic, this original Netflix film was released on the streaming service at the back end of March. The film has garnered largely positive Reviews.

The film opens up in a bottle shop in Memphis where works Elijah (Mamoudou Athie) who is painstakingly placing bottles of wine on the display shelves, attending to customers enquiries, taking sales and engrossing himself in a world he clearly loves. In walks two young girls looking to make a purchase but are completely clueless about wine. Elijah strikes up a conversation with one of the young women, Tanya (Sasha Compere) and begins to tell her the difference between Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Riesling. She walks out with a bottle of Riesling under her arm, and a few days later comes back and is persuaded to join the shops Wine Club for which she must hand over her all important phone number, e-mail address and home address. The pair have clearly hit it off and soon thereafter begin dating.

Elijah also works at his fathers barbecue restaurant alongside his father Louis (Courtney B. Vance) and his mother Sylvia (Niecy Nash). He works there somewhat reluctantly although Louis has his heart set on Elijah taking over the reins of the restaurant when he needs to retire, just as his father passed on the restaurant to him. It's a successful thriving business where patrons line the street outside waiting to get in, but despite this Elijah isn't interested but has not yet plucked up the courage to tell his dad outright.

One day while on a date, Elijah recounts to Tanya what first sparked his interest in wine, about five years ago and ever since then he has been hooked, reading up about the many different wines of the world, wine growing regions, grape varietals, specific vineyards and absorbing as much knowledge as he can about the subject. He goes on to tell her that he aspires to become a Master Sommelier, of which there are only 230 worldwide, but is fearful of the cost, the time and the dedication needed to learn his craft to be able to take the year long course and pass what is probably the hardest exam in the world. Tanya tells him to follow his dream. And so he takes the entrance exam, and passes earning him entry into a local Sommelier School. He announces his entry to the school over a family dinner, and after some hilarity because the family was unaware what a Sommelier is or does, everyone is congratulatory especially Sylvia and except for Louis who derides his son.

After a number of initial lessons, Elijah is approached by Harvard (Matt McGory) to join his study group. Hesitant at first, he sees the draw card of being in a study group and joins together with Richie (Gil Ozeri) and Leann (Meera Rohit Kumbhani). After a few months the study group of four is offered and exchange programme with their sister school in Paris, France. Elijah worries about the US$10K minimum cost of travel, accommodation and associated costs and says that he's unable to attend, and his parents couldn't afford to contribute either. So he sits on the sidelines until Harvard makes him an offer to help split their costs 50/50. Elijah advises his parents of the scheduled trip and Sylvia agrees to start a fund raiser to enable him to attend. At his leaving party Elijah is presented with US$3.5K in cash, plus the proceeds from the sale of his car, means that he can go secure in the knowledge that he has sufficient funds to cover his expenses.

Things go well in Paris for the study group mates, until Harvard announces that he has to leave because his father has set him up with a job back home. Harvard is none to pleased with this prospect but has little say in the matter and it also means that he is now backing out of his 50/50 arrangement with Elijah. While in Paris Elijah remains in periodical contact with his mother but his father for the most part remains distant, having alienated himself ever since his son announced he was not interested in taking on the family restaurant in the longer term. Elijah meanwhile has got himself a job in a kebab shop to try and earn a crust to support himself through the remainder of the exchange period.

In Paris, Elijah learns that his mothers cancer has returned and that she is now hospitalised. He speaks to his mother who is undergoing chemotherapy and is largely confined to bed, and tells him to remain in Paris and continue with his studies. She also wires him US$1.5K to help further fund his tuition and living expenses. Louis finds out about the money sent and chastises his wife. A short time later Sylvia dies.

Elijah returns home to attend the funeral. Recognising that his father is now struggling to run the restaurant, plus open a new more upmarket barbecue restaurant in a more well to do suburb, he increasingly supports his father so neglecting his Sommelier classes. Elijah is forced to withdraw from the programme.

Seeing his renewed commitment to him and the family business Louis relents and begins supporting Elijah with his studies, as does Tanya and the owner/manager of the bottle shop where he works, which in turn leads Elijah to sitting for the Master Sommelier exam. He takes the exam which involves a theory test, a service test and a blind tasting of three red wines and three whites which need to be identified in 25 minutes.

Ultimately Elijah failed the exam having missed out on the blind tasting with some elements of service and theory lacking as well. Elijah returns to his two jobs in the bottle shop and the family's now two restaurants, and some time later is seen in the classroom sampling and identifying a wine having enrolled once again in the Sommelier course.

Amongst the films centred around the wine industry 'Uncorked' is not going down in the history books as a great vintage, but having said that it is a charming medium bodied film that has been well researched, finely crafted and evenly balanced by Writer and Director Penny. The two central themes around which the film revolves - the Memphis barbecue restaurant(s) and the Sommelier programme are delivered in a completely convincing and believable manner and the performances by Athie, Vance and Nash are first rate as the latter two respond to the formers desire to pursue his dream from opposite sides of the same coin. The references to various wines and the worlds regions from which they originate are educational in themselves, and the unfolding dynamic between the often divided parents and their son adds further authenticity to the storyline. There are no car chases, guns, knives, explosions, fist fights, sex, drugs, thumping soundtrack or cussing in this film - instead we have a simple story, well told and deftly handled about a young man chasing his career goal through legitimate means - hard work, study and recognising the importance of family.

'Uncorked' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapboard, out of a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-