Hostiles
3/4
Starring: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Ben Foster, Adam Beach, Q'orianka Kilcher, Stephen Lang
Rated R for Strong Violence, and Language
"Hostiles" opens up with a brutal scene: a family living on the plains is brutally murdered by a band of Comanche warriors. Only the mother survives. Cue the opening title card.
It's an intense scene and indicates that this movie is not for children or the squeamish. Scott Cooper's new film deals with heavy themes that, while not revolutionary, are effectively presented and strange as it sounds, timely.
Captain Joseph Blocker (Bale) is inches away from retirement when his commanding officer, Colonel Abraham Briggs (Lang) sends him on one final mission. Yellow Hawk (Studi), a Cheyenne chief, is dying of cancer and wishes to spend his final days at home in Montana. Under orders from the President, Briggs allows him to do so and sends Blocker to get him and his family there in one piece. Blocker, who is all too familiar with Yellow Hawk's past savagery, initially refuses. But faced with prison time and a loss of his pension, he reluctantly agrees. Bringing along Rosalie Quaid (Pike), the traumatized mother from the opening scene, the party sets out for Montana.
Scott Cooper's thesis for the film is that people demonize those we don't know or understand, but through continued interaction, we can form a bond with even our most hated enemies. It's a truism that we all forget, and in our bitterly divided political climate, one that we need to hear. The problem is that Cooper focuses on the relationship between Joseph and Rosalie rather than Joseph and Yellow Hawk. I have nothing bad to say about Bale or Pike, but Cooper is ignoring some untapped potential here.
The performances are strong, which considering the talents of Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, and character actors like Wes Studi and Ben Foster, shouldn't be surprising. As the world-weary Blocker, Bale is at home, although Cooper lingers a bit too much on his reluctance and internalized emotions. In addition to stretching out the running time, it pushes some scenes uncomfortably close to self-parody. Rosamund Pike, looking strikingly similar to Miranda Otto, is in fine form as a woman who lost everything and is trying to find her way back to humanity. Wes Studi, with his commanding presence, is the perfect choice for War Hawk. Ironically, he only has a handful of lines and for a character with such importance, says almost nothing substantial. Stephen Lang steals his one scene, and Ben Foster creates another genuine psycho.
It was always clear to me that Scott Cooper had talent. Although I didn't think either of his previous films, "Out of the Furnace" or "Black Mass" worked, he showed promise. The main flaw in both of those movies was trying to do too much. I always encourage filmmakers to take risks and are more lenient when they do so. With "Hostiles," Cooper has learned that lesson. This is a more focused movie with a narrower vision. It's just that he concentrates on the wrong thing.
Still, this movie never bored me and was engaging on some level. It certainly isn't flawless, since it's virtually impossible to see much in the nighttime scenes and nameless characters traveling with the group seem to change in the middle of nowhere. But despite all that, it worked for me.
Starring: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Ben Foster, Adam Beach, Q'orianka Kilcher, Stephen Lang
Rated R for Strong Violence, and Language
"Hostiles" opens up with a brutal scene: a family living on the plains is brutally murdered by a band of Comanche warriors. Only the mother survives. Cue the opening title card.
It's an intense scene and indicates that this movie is not for children or the squeamish. Scott Cooper's new film deals with heavy themes that, while not revolutionary, are effectively presented and strange as it sounds, timely.
Captain Joseph Blocker (Bale) is inches away from retirement when his commanding officer, Colonel Abraham Briggs (Lang) sends him on one final mission. Yellow Hawk (Studi), a Cheyenne chief, is dying of cancer and wishes to spend his final days at home in Montana. Under orders from the President, Briggs allows him to do so and sends Blocker to get him and his family there in one piece. Blocker, who is all too familiar with Yellow Hawk's past savagery, initially refuses. But faced with prison time and a loss of his pension, he reluctantly agrees. Bringing along Rosalie Quaid (Pike), the traumatized mother from the opening scene, the party sets out for Montana.
Scott Cooper's thesis for the film is that people demonize those we don't know or understand, but through continued interaction, we can form a bond with even our most hated enemies. It's a truism that we all forget, and in our bitterly divided political climate, one that we need to hear. The problem is that Cooper focuses on the relationship between Joseph and Rosalie rather than Joseph and Yellow Hawk. I have nothing bad to say about Bale or Pike, but Cooper is ignoring some untapped potential here.
The performances are strong, which considering the talents of Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, and character actors like Wes Studi and Ben Foster, shouldn't be surprising. As the world-weary Blocker, Bale is at home, although Cooper lingers a bit too much on his reluctance and internalized emotions. In addition to stretching out the running time, it pushes some scenes uncomfortably close to self-parody. Rosamund Pike, looking strikingly similar to Miranda Otto, is in fine form as a woman who lost everything and is trying to find her way back to humanity. Wes Studi, with his commanding presence, is the perfect choice for War Hawk. Ironically, he only has a handful of lines and for a character with such importance, says almost nothing substantial. Stephen Lang steals his one scene, and Ben Foster creates another genuine psycho.
It was always clear to me that Scott Cooper had talent. Although I didn't think either of his previous films, "Out of the Furnace" or "Black Mass" worked, he showed promise. The main flaw in both of those movies was trying to do too much. I always encourage filmmakers to take risks and are more lenient when they do so. With "Hostiles," Cooper has learned that lesson. This is a more focused movie with a narrower vision. It's just that he concentrates on the wrong thing.
Still, this movie never bored me and was engaging on some level. It certainly isn't flawless, since it's virtually impossible to see much in the nighttime scenes and nameless characters traveling with the group seem to change in the middle of nowhere. But despite all that, it worked for me.
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