BOSS LEVEL (2021)

BOSS LEVEL (2021)

Tagline:  Running out of time, and lives.

(Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi) [R]

I am Guan Yin, and Guan Yin has done this.

The actual rating given by HULU for this movie was [MA-14], but due to the number of F-bombs, I am pretty sure a theatrical release would have easily warranted a [R] rating. 

In this one, a retired special forces officer wakes up every day with scores of highly trained crazy assassins trying to kill him. Each day he begins to reluctantly and frustratingly embrace new clues and hints that enable him to live just a little longer finding out more about his situation. As the tale unravels we discover that if Roy cannot find out how to break the time loop cycle in time, it will lead to the end of the world. 

After seeing the previews for this one I was intrigued, but it didn’t really get my attention till I heard others saying it was a bit of a cross between SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD and GROUNDHOG DAY. Needless to say, outside of the video game premise, it didn’t remind me of either. For me, this was closer to EDGE OF TOMORROW if it had happened on the streets of Los Angeles and didn’t have aliens. What this movie also has is a good helping of KILL BILL-like characters that keep it both interesting and oddly heartfelt at the same time. Some of them feel like they were ripped from CW’s version of the Suicide Squad in the early ARROW days. Roy (played by Frank Grillo best known for CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER) is the epicenter of what some would call “toxic masculinity” but we care about him anyway and he does experience some awesome character growth in this wildly action-packed adventure. 

One issue that gets hard to avoid when you are doing “today is going to repeat itself” movies is that for the view it can become very dull and even have us just saying…” Why, why the heck are they showing this same sequence over and over”. I felt that way with EDGE OF TOMORROW at times, but both these films still manage to make it new, and interesting while still pushing the film forward. BOSS LEVEL is superb in its execution of this concept. They skip parts they can skip, and they skip making the film pace feel break-neck and as if we are getting somewhere with each new sequence. We do get introduced to Roy’s x Jemma (played by Naomi Watts best known for KING KONG) and she plays a vital role in the film. I also like that they gave this thing heart adding Frank Grillo’s real-life son Rio as his son Joe in this movie. Not that they couldn’t have chosen some other actor, but this method of doing things gave us some welcome authenticity. This movie also has a good amount of humor, so this thing has a layered approach to the ideas being presented. 

BOSS LEVEL is a shoot-em-up full-blown action flick but in spite of the numerous beheadings provided by Guan Yin (excellently played by Selina Lo from THE SCORPION KING 3: THE BATTLE FOR REDEMPTION), this movie isn’t overly gory as you might expect. It is however loaded with F-bombs and ultra-aggressive language so it might not be suitable for younger kids as the rating makes clear. Mel Gibson plays the main antagonist Clive Ventor, but his assassins are actually far more interesting. Michelle Yeoh is also in this as-is Ken Jeong although both briefly. 

We get a bit of everything you’d want in a shoot-em-up flick in this movie and it's pretty flawless execution-wise, the pacing and cinematography are all extremely well done, but the dialog is rough at times. I did find the ending lacking but I understand why they handled it the way they did.

If you are looking for an unexpected gem to arrive in 2021, you probably haven’t seen SHADOW IN THE CLOUD or RUN, HIDE, FIGHT yet, but this is right up there as well. 

Regarding the re-watch factor, I will give this a 6 out of 7. 

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF WAR PARTY FILMS AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY. 

Please check out the link below by clicking on the picture. Because no one should die buttonless.