Wednesday, November 24, 2010

MOVIE REVIEW ... WILD TARGET

 

wild-target-movie-poster-1020550768 Without doubt comedy is the hardest genre to pull off.  Everyone has their comedic taste and what works for some almost always never works for others.  Wild Target is a good example.  Having a great cast with situations ripe for hilarity, it unfortunately falters in execution.  Credit to everyone for trying though as they work hard to conjure laughs.  This continual air of desperation underscores why it’s never a good idea to force humour in an attempt to jab the funny bones.

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Mild mannered Victor (Billy Nighy) is one of the world’s most formidable assassins.  Hired by a gangster, Ferguson (Rupert Everett), to eliminate con artist Rose (Emily Blunt), he thinks it’s another routine assignment.  Taking a shine to the impish lass, he reverses a lifetime of habit in order to protect her.  With garage attendant Tony (Rupert Grint) joining the fray and becoming an enthusiastic apprentice, Victor has to dodge Ferguson’s wicked goons whilst sorting out what is becoming a very strange mid-life crisis.

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Director Jonathan Lynn is no stranger to comedy.  Having directed hits such as ‘My Cousin Vinny’ and ‘Clue’, you’d think he’d know what should work.  Unfortunately his mojo appears missing with Wild Target - one of his least memorable efforts.  It seems odd why this should be as its characters and set-up are well thought out.  Even the main actors are likeable with Nighy, Blunt and Grint generating genuine chemistry.  Everyone can only be as good as the material they’re given however with this remake of a 1993 French film only raising slight smiles.

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Its main error is in its grafting of drama in the mix.  This doesn’t work as it isn’t dense enough to be engaging and has the effect of detracting from the obvious comedic punch-lines.  When they never materialise, the feeling of disappointment is palatable.  There are some good scenes – sadly there aren’t enough of them with the lethargic pacing sinking what should have been a very fun enterprise.

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Wild Target is a stilted comedy wasting its potential.  Some laughs are evident although this is a fairly bland effort where its’ lifeless delivery of gags is a mistake riskier comedies would astutely avoid.

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Movie Review Rating  5  /  10

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

WILD TARGET released in Australia on Thursday 11 November 2010.

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