Plot: The movie references still felt a little too lazy, obvious, and repetitive, and it's clear that the directors have a bit of work to do when it comes to directing full-on action scenes. The ending is also a bit uneven. I didn't mind the sentimentality, but it's too stretched out for my liking.
Watches
May 29, 2024
Somewhat better the second time around, without the expectations and the hype bearing on the film. It was easier to enjoy the boundless enthusiasm and the bold confidence of both directors, though I still feel the execution wasn't quite up to par, which keeps the film from becoming a personal favorite.
There's also a lot to love though. The film is crammed with crazy ideas, the editing is insane, the level of creativity is mental and the film has a rhythm of its own. As eager as it is to refer to other films, there's nothing really like it and with so many memorable scenes and moments, it's impossible not to fall for its charms.
May 19, 2022
Not a bad film, but a tremendous disappointment nonetheless. I really liked the Daniels' previous work, I sure love myself a bit of Michelle Yeoh and the rumors about this being batshit crazy were encouraging. Maybe a bit too much, in a time when truly odd and strange films are regularly slashed and discarded, one would get a little suspicious about so much praise. And one would be right.
There were too many pop culture references (and many not doing justice to the original, like the Gozu gag or the Kar-Wai/Doyle moments), the execution was a little lacking and the secondary cast wasn't that great. It's still a fun film, one that deserves credit for trying out something different, just don't expect to see top tier weirdness. No matter how hard the Daniels tried, the film ended up feeling a little underwhelming.