We have another diverse batch of new releases this week. The highlight is Western, which explores the tensions that arise between a group of German migrant workers and the local community of the Bulgarian village they’re based in. Turning the usual east-west immigration dynamic on its head, it’s a fascinating look at how some allow themselves to be divided by culture while others embrace cultural differences.
From Indonesia comes Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, which mixes elements of spaghetti westerns with Japanese samurai dramas. A woman seeks justice after killing her rapist, only to find herself targeted by her friends. It’s a timely drama with a unique aesthetic.
French drama Custody begins like Kramer Vs Kramer and ends like Freddy Vs Jason, turning a divorce drama into a horror movie as an unstable man becomes increasingly volatile in his attempts to reunite with the wife and children he physically abused. First time director Xavier Legrand does a great job of building slow burning tension, but the film climaxes in an over the top sequence that feels like it belongs in a different movie.
You don’t expect a video game adaptation to be a classic, and Rampage is no classic. Based on the ’80s arcade staple, it sees Dwayne Johnson battle three giant mutated animals. The premise has a lot of potential for dumb fun, but the movie expends far too much energy on attempts to spin a plausible plot when it should be embracing the ridiculousness of its premise.
A very generic teen horror movie, Truth or Dare sees a group of young friends targeted by a supernatural curse after partaking in the titular game. Again, the premise has potential for some fun scares, but it’s another movie that sees no less than four writers over-complicate what should be a simple popcorn flick.
By Eric Hillis of themoviewaffler.com