Samaritan, 2022.
Directed by Julius Avery.
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Javon Walton, Pilou Asbæk, Dascha Polanco, Moisés Arias, Martin Starr, Jared Odrick, Michael Aaron Milligan, Sophia Tatum, Michael Aaron Milligan, Henry G. Sanders, Abraham Clinkscales, Shameik Moore, Frederick Williams, Kevin Mikal Curry, Roger Payano, Dwayne A. Thomas, and Aria Seymore.
SYNOPSIS:
A superhero long thought dead, makes a comeback when the city he helped protect falls into chaos.
When people in their mid-thirties (myself included) have a hard time engaging in a casual jog, Hollywood action legend and septuagenarian Sylvester Stallone still manages to convincingly pull of physically demanding roles, like he does here in Samaritan.
The film follows thirteen-year-old Sam Cleary (Javon Walton), the only child of a single mother, who hails from a less privileged part of Granite City. It is an urban sprawl choked with poverty and smothered by crime, where danger lurks behind every corner. A bit like Gotham, except you know, without the incessant rain.
In a place of that nature, impressionable youth have a tendency of gravitating towards a life of crime to earn a quick buck, and that is exactly what happens to Sam. The lad’s bad life choices, however, lead him down a treacherous road where he not only gets to cross paths with the city’s notorious criminal mastermind Cyrus (Pilou Asbæk), but also the former super-powered guardian of this ailing community, Samaritan (Sylvester Stallone).
After 2018’s critically acclaimed Overlord, a madcap period horror film set in World War II, Aussie filmmaker Julius Avery was eyed to helm the remake of cult-classic Flash Gordon for 20th Century Fox. The project, unfortunately, was shelved indefinitely with Disney’s acquisition of Fox’s assets in 2019 and Avery found himself drifting to other prospects.
Flashforward four years later, and we find ourselves watching Samaritan, a dark superhero movie headlined by none other than Sly Stallone. In a day and age where efforts in this genre tend to sacrifice drama in favor of a few ill-timed moments of levity, it is actually refreshing to see Avery pursue a more serious tone for his latest venture.
Writer Bragi F. Schut’s script is neither perfect nor original but Avery certainly finds creative ways to use the material in an effective manner. But the success of Samaritan, is owed largely to Stallone who injects his character with the right amount of gruff humor and tortured pathos, that makes you totally root for the guy. All in all, the chap credibly sells the whole world weary ‘I-ain’t-doing-this-shit-anymore’ superhero schtick.
Javon Walton who plays Stallone’s Short Round-esque sidekick does a decent job playing second fiddle to the veteran actor without coming off as too annoying, as most child actors tend to do. But the weakest link of the film by far is its primary antagonist portrayed by Pilou Asbæk. Lacking any form of clear motivations or engrossing backstory, this baddie is as bland as they come. Asbæk is talented enough, but his performance here is nothing short of forgettable.
With regards to the technical aspects, David Ungaro’s cinematography is appropriately moody and grim, while Jed Kurzel and Kevin Kiner’s electrifying score pulsates with its own manic life. The action set pieces, though small in scale, kick total ass and the VFX that accompanies them isn’t too shabby either.
Even with a PG-13 rating slapped on the package, Samaritan still manages to maintain a genuine hard-edged tone with surprising effectiveness, delivering entertaining superhero escapism that is a far cry from the neutered, humor driven drivel seen these days.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Hasitha Fernando is a part-time medical practitioner and full-time cinephile. Follow him on Twitter via @DoctorCinephile for regular updates on the world of entertainment.
