American Ultra
2015 · Directed by Nima Nourizadeh
Original language: English
- action
- comedy
The story
Mike is an unmotivated stoner whose small-town life with his live-in girlfriend, Phoebe, is suddenly turned upside down. Unbeknownst to him, Mike is actually a highly trained, lethal sleeper agent. In the blink of an eye, as his secret past comes back to haunt him, Mike is thrust into the middle of a deadly government operation and is forced to summon his inner action-hero in order to survive.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-washed suburban daylight gives way to grubby motel rooms, convenience-store fluorescents and dim, smoky interiors, with the camera mostly handheld and close on Jesse Eisenberg's nervous face, so the comedy feels intimate and jittery. The palette is warm and slightly dirty, all faded browns, cheap-beer amber and sudden splashes of arterial red when the action breaks out, and the score leans on loud, propulsive electronic beats that snap into quiet between set pieces. Its vibe is scruffy, hyperactive and goofy, with a stoner's dazed warmth undercut by sudden jolts of violence. It suits a lazy Friday night with friends, a comfort rewatch when you want something silly, or a bit of chaotic fun after a long week. Pacing is brisk and scrappy, the tone flips between slacker banter and abrupt, brutal action, and the central arc follows a directionless young man discovering he is far more capable than he believed, with his relationship at the heart of it. Violence is frequent and bloody, with gunfights, stabbings and gore played for shock and laughs, plus crude sex jokes and strong language. It is for viewers who enjoy irreverent genre mash-ups and do not need anything gentle.
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