GOOD
SPOILERS DOWN THE PATH; THE DISCUSSION BELOW WILL NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE WITHOUT IT.
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SPOILERS DOWN THE PATH; THE DISCUSSION BELOW WILL NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE WITHOUT IT.
TREAD CAREFULLY. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
After giving birth to an Alien sequel and Blade Runner's future universe, Ridley Scott sends off 2017 with a true kidnapping story about the grandson of one of the richest man in history of mankind, J. Paul Getty.
To immerse ourselves into the picture is a little tough in the beginning. Structure's jumping across different timelines randomly. Conflicts are bare. The initial set of abductors poses no threat, keeping the stakes at an all-time low. Coupled with the fact that the victim boy is passive, we find it hard to care for him. During this first section of the film, what engrosses our attentions is the character of J. Paul Getty, portrayed by the masterful Christopher Plummer!
This man has an unputdownable personality! He is extremely protective of his money! No arguments out there he can't counter! He rather purchase a painting than redeem his blood with ransom. A unique villain. Stingy. Hard. Stubborn. Materialistic. And most of all, a believable character with flaws. He requires inheritance, but doesn't want and know how to give. He is in need of love, attention and care like everyone, but we totally understand him when he says objects are far more trustable than people will ever be! With all these being said, we would love to see how Kevin Spacey acted this character out in his style.
Heat officially starts picking up only upon the 'urination' scene. Afterwards, it all goes on a rapid fire! Bargaining process, Gail Harris (Michelle Williams) attempting to sell the allegedly priceless statue, settlement deal and climax search hunt are examples of intense sequences! When the boy takes his first step towards escaping, he automatically became someone we could root for. After going through an immensely torturous ear mutilation up till the final run for life, we really feel sorry and pitiful of him towards the end.
It's beautiful to see how each and every slice of this society we witness in the movie ties itself to the theme of money. How one perceives it or how one uses it or why one needs it are shown in contrast. Dariusz Wolski's lush cinematography boasts immaculate colors and pristine settings!
Little touches such as the soft side inside a kidnapper puts a smile on our faces. Again, it's traits like this that make a character human. Look closely, you'll notice at each confrontation episode between Chase (Mark Wahlberg) and Getty, the former forms an arc bending from total obedience to complete rebellion. However, Michelle William's performance should have been stronger to sell the pain convincingly, effectively and successfully to the audience members.