Guns Akimbo (2020) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Jason Lei Howden
Written by: Jason Lei Howden
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Samara Weaving, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Ned Dennehy, Grant Bowler, Edwin Wright, Rhys Darby
Runtime: 95 min
Synopsis: Miles' (Daniel Radcliffe) nerdy existence as a video game developer takes a dramatic turn when he inadvertently gets caught up as the next contestant with SKIZM, an underground gang live-streaming real-life death matches. While Miles excels at running away from everything, that won't help him outlast Nix (Samara Weaving), a killer at the top of her game.
As it becomes more and more common nowadays, I have to start this review by stating that no controversy surrounding this film affected my opinion in any way. I’m feeling a bit exhausted about the fact that almost every movie has some sort of external problem entirely unrelated to its story or characters. You can watch whatever you want, no one will make you watch this or that film. As long as you don’t purposefully give a negative review based on something that has nothing to do with the movie itself, I’m fine with people skipping them. That said…
I really enjoyed Guns Akimbo! I mean, how can someone not feel entertained by Daniel Radcliffe dressed in his robe with guns attached to his hands? Or by Samara Weaving taking a step up in craziness compared to Ready or Not? There’s no denying that this film is extremely violent, bloody, and it doesn’t shy away from having a clear social commentary. The latter is not only evident, but it undoubtedly demonstrates something everyone knows it’s true: Internet trolls are the worst!
Actually, I wish Jason Lei Howden would have gone even further. There’s a lot of potential in a movie like this, and while it’s safely above average, it could have been at the top of the most entertaining films of the last few years. Still, I wholeheartedly love this take on a subject that everyone (online film critics especially) unfortunately has to deal with every day. A part of me wished it was real… Every time a “troll alert” was activated, that person would have to leave its comfortable, safe couch, and battle TO THE DEATH other online cowards in real-life… okay, maybe not that extreme, but you get my point.
The action is as crazy as the concept itself. It goes by without saying, but obviously, this is one of those flicks which asks the viewer to simply accept and enjoy the unrealistic, far-fetched, no-way-he-could-have-survived-that action. The camera work (cinematography by Stefan Ciupek) suits the videogame-style employed by the action, and even though some sequences are admittedly way too over-the-top, the majority of these scenes are either pure entertainment or truly hilarious. Oh, and Michael Bay, if you’re reading this: Guns Akimbo gives a neat demo on how to make explosions look really cool AND advance the narrative.
The two leads are fantastic and share great chemistry. Daniel Radcliffe has been doing some overlooked/underrated work post-Harry Potter (definitely check out Swiss Army Man), and he’s very funny throughout the whole runtime. On the opposite side, Samara Weaving apparently found his comfort zone in portraying completely lunatic, insane psychopaths. Both deliver incredibly entertaining performances, carrying the whole movie through all of its wild action and comedic bits.
Jason Lei Howden isn’t able to control the film’s pacing very well, but it never becomes overwhelming. However, the tone is spot-on. Guns Akimbo never tries to be something more than what it actually is. It keeps the narrative simple and fun without complex layers or extreme romantic endeavors. It never says to the viewer, “I know the action is absurdly over-the-top, but here’s a really emotional scene that you’re supposed to care about”. It’s an entertainment-driven story with no real emphasis on character development, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Final Thoughts
Guns Akimbo is the craziest movie of 2020, so far. Jason Lei Howden doesn’t hold back on the brutal, violent, bloody, extremely over-the-top action, and as long as the viewer is able to accept this purposefully unrealistic depiction of a real-life videogame death-match, it’s a blast of pure entertainment. The social message is evident, and it’s perfectly suited for today’s online trolls, who hide behind their monitor. Daniel Radcliffe and Samara Weaving are amazing together, both delivering hilarious performances. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t reach its full potential. It lacks control of its pacing, but I genuinely wish Howden would have gone all-out regarding the social thematic. It’s a good, fun movie, but it could have great. Still, it’s undoubtedly a recommendation of mine, unless the (dumb) controversy surrounding this film clouds your judgment. In this case, just skip it and let others enjoy it.
