Risk And Redemption Along The Trail

“Sometimes I envy the finality of death. The certainty. And I have to drive those thoughts away when I wake.” ~ Rosalie Quaid

“I’ve killed everything that’s walked or crawled. If you do it enough, you get used to it.” ~ Captain Joseph Blocker

Westerns certainly aren’t what they were at their height, from the 30s into the early 60s when it seemed that every other movie featured cowboys, Indians, dusty towns, white hats versus black hats, and saloon fights. That’s not really a bad thing, because over-saturation of the genre nearly destroyed it, and the films we see now in that genre tend to be more thoughtful, and certainly shades of grey as opposed to the white hat versus black hat simplicity of stories that never caught the tone of the real West. Hostiles is a new film out in theatres, initially in limited releases in 2017, and it takes its place as a great film in the genre, telling the story of a small group of people travelling through achingly beautiful landscapes… towards different destinies. Along the way, we find that there are no heroes or villains, and that redemption and reconciliation can come in unusual ways.

The film opens up in 1892, with Comanches killing a man and his children, while his wife Rosalie (Rosamund Pike) evades capture and hides herself. At a New Mexico fort, a cavalry captain, Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) receives an unwelcome assignment. His commander, Colonel Abraham Biggs (Stephen Lang) informs him that he is to escort a dying Cheyenne chief, Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) and his family back to their homelands in Montana. Blocker, who’s spent his life fighting Indians, doesn’t want the assignment, but doesn’t really have a choice- the President wants the job done, and Blocker will be drummed out of his job and lose his pension if he doesn’t do it. He gathers up a group of soldiers for the ride north with the Cheyenne, and their journey will bring them to cross paths with the angry and emotionally scarred Rosalie in the wilds of a West that is supposedly tamed.

Scott Cooper directed and wrote the screenplay, which finds its source material in an unpublished manuscript by the late screenwriter Donald Stewart, who had a hand in scripts for The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear And Present Danger. Stewart won an Oscar for another screenplay, Missing, a historical drama that dealt with the 1973 Chilean coup.  The story makes use of the era- the 1890s, when the frontier was supposedly closed and Indigenous peoples brought to heel. It examines the tensions between the American military and those they have subjugated, but also tensions between Indigenous groups. Where a John Ford western might have gone for the simplicity of treating all Indians the same, a more nuanced look like this film clearly shows the differences- the Cheyenne don’t particularly care for the Comanche, and their lives and cultures are quite different. The two Johns, Ford and Wayne, would have never bothered with that sort of notion.

The story also takes full advantage of the beauty of the western landscape- and contrasts that with the turbulence of human bitterness, anger, and world weariness. Blocker’s personality is that of a man who’s killed too often in service of his country that he’s stopped counting, while Rosalie, shattered by the deaths of her family, starts out from that broken place, counting any Indian as the same. Both characters, as well as those around them, have to come out of their initial viewpoints and see things differently. The story is one that definitely plays to the complexity of the history of the West, with shades of grey all around, with indigenous peoples examined in detail in ways that would have never been done in a film sixty years ago. Yes, it does move into that movie cliché of white people finding themselves by saving native people, but it does so in ways that are refreshing, while respectful of those native people.

Cooper’s background as a director suits him well to the material. He started out as an actor but moved into writing and directing. The acclaimed character study Crazy Heart is one of his previous works, as is Black Mass. This film shows his strengths- his cinematography in capturing the wild, rugged beauty of changing western landscapes, is well done, and his experience as an actor shows itself in how he handles actors, bringing out terrific performances in them. There’s a lot of attention to detail throughout- the clothing, equipment, and locations all feel authentic, as if we’re looking a century plus into the past. Even the score feels very much drawn out of the old West.

The cast throughout the film are well chosen for their parts. Stephen Lang is authoritative and tough, but also somewhat sympathetic as Colonel Biggs. Timothee Chamalet plays a young private, the wide eyed Phillippe DeJardin, nicknamed Frenchie, with a naïve quality that you might expect out of a new soldier on his first assignment far from home. Jonathan Majors plays Corporal Henry Woodson, a Buffalo Soldier who’s brought in on the detail, and plays the character with a calm energy.

Rory Cochrane makes an impression as a sergeant, Thomas Metz, who’s known Blocker for a long while. He’s as war weary as the captain, but reliable and steady as you’d expect out of a career soldier. Ben Foster, who worked with Bale in the western 3:10 To Yuma, appears as Sergeant Charles Wills, not as part of the military detail, but now marked as a criminal, and he’s brought along on the trip in custody to await judgment, which makes the character something of a wild card for the story.

Adam Beach appears as Black Hawk, the son of the dying chief, a man who’s seen his people subjugated and broken down, but retains his own dignity in the face of all that. Q’orianka Kilcher plays his wife, Elk Woman, supportive and strong in her own way, a steady presence throughout the film. These are indigenous people with lives of their own, fully realized people that are far beyond the stereotypes we would have seen in a Western of the classic era.

Wes Studi first made an impression on audiences as a ruthless Pawnee warrior in Dances With Wolves, and followed that up with his most well known role. Playing the antagonist Magua in Michael Mann’s The Last Of The Mohicans, Studi played the character as a ferocious force of energy, a man driven by the pain of his own past into revenge. A villain Magua might have been, but his actions are understandable. Studi would later play an iconic figure of the West, Geronimo, in the film Geronimo: An American Legend, opposite Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, and Robert Duvall, commanding the screen every time we saw him. Here he gets a great part as Yellow Hawk, a fully fleshed out man nearing the end of his life. We can see why he’s respected among his people as a chief, a man who’s sacrificed much for them, who has seen the days of his people pass into something he could not have imagined as a child. There is a weariness in the character, but strength and dignity too, even as he finds himself in a lowly place at the end of his days, part of a military detail taking him home to die.

Rosamund Pike gets a fine part to play and makes the most of it as she goes along. Her Rosalie is a woman who finds her world completely shattered in a terrible moment. Her husband and children have been killed, and she’s witnessed it. In some ways it’s broken her spirit, driven her mad- something that is understandable. She holds a grudge, viewing all Indians the same- her initial hostility towards the Cheyenne family reflects that. Her journey as a character requires her to deal with her grief and emotional state- as well as come to terms with the fact that her anger is at times misdirected. The actress plays to that, bringing the grief stricken widow who forges on to vivid life. It’s a role that’s quite different from some of her previous work- Die Another Day, Pride & Prejudice, Gone Girl, or Wrath Of The Titans- but she makes it a compelling role to watch.

Christian Bale is a perfect choice for Blocker. As an actor he possesses that ability to disappear into the role in an understated way, and his character here is a world weary, cynical soldier who’s spent his life fighting and killing for his country- so much so that he’s lost count of the dead. He’s the sort of man who believes in God, and yet curses God’s creation. And he comes across, even though he doesn’t want the assignment, as the sort of officer who’s capable in his command. Blocker is the sort of officer that soldiers will follow, and Bale plays to that, as well as to the cynical weary quality of the man. It becomes a powerful performance, yet another one in a career of strong roles that is continuing to see the actor as one of the best of his profession.

Hostiles is not a light hearted film. Dark, powerful, and brooding, it contrasts the achingly beautiful landscapes of the west with the brutality and callousness of human nature. The story presents no traditional Western hero and villain, but a complicated shades of grey tale where everyone has complicated nuances with flaws and virtues. With its themes of agonizing grief, journeys, aching for home, and redemption, it proves to be one of the best Westerns in the genre.

When In Doubt, Send The Lunatics

“Are you the devil?” ~ Harley Quinn 

“All you need to know is you work for me.” ~ Amanda Waller

“Oh, I’m not gonna kill ya, I’m just gonna hurt ya. Really, really bad.” ~ The Joker

“I’m a soldier, and you’re a serial killer who takes credit cards.” ~ Rick Flag

“Let’s go save the world.” ~ Deadshot

“I’m known to be quite vexing. I’m just forewarning you.” ~ Harley Quinn

In the latest of DC and Warner Studio’s efforts to play catch up with the Marvel cinematic universe, Suicide Squad has made it to theatres. The title, which dates back decades in the comics universe, mostly has to do with the idea of paroling perennial costumed criminals by making them carry out highly dangerous missions on behalf of the government. Think The Dirty Dozen mixed with a bit of Mission Impossible and apply that to comic book rules, and that’s the book. It’s been an idea with legs, and now in the midst of DC’s attempts to establish a cinematic universe (while casting aside their various television properties in favour of recasts), the team has ended up in theatres, with things about the end result that are likable... and things that are a mess.

This picks up in the wake of Superman’s death at the end of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (spoiler note: he’s not actually dead). Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), a tough as nails intelligence operator, has a new concept in mind, placing a soldier, Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) in charge of a group of imprisoned dangerous criminals as a black ops task force. Each of the criminals are considered disposable- to the point where they have small bombs implanted in them to take them out should they get any bright ideas.

The team is a mixture of sane and insane, of ruthless and unstable. Deadshot (Will Smith) is an assassin with some conflicted feelings on how he makes a living. El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) is a former gangster with pyrokinetic abilities; he feels he must do penance over his past. Killer Croc (Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje) is a cannibalistic monster with a reptilian look. Slipknot (Adam Beach) is a specialist mercenary with a mix of skills. Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) is a mentally unstable archaeologist with possession issues. Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) is a mouthy thief with an attitude and a talent with weapons. And Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, stealing pretty much the whole movie) is the lunatic girlfriend of the Joker (Jared Leto), demented in her own way. Along with the criminals is one volunteer, Katana (Karen Fukuhara), a sword wielding martial artist acting as Flag’s right hand woman. She luckily does not have to put up with the notion of having explosives implanted in her.

David Ayer wrote and directed the film. He’s had either role (or both) in films as diverse as Training Day, End Of Watch, and Fury. The script does have that Dirty Dozen feel to it. These characters are by and large not that likeable. Being career criminals will have that effect for you. But that applies to some of those acting legally and legitimately. Amanda Waller is thoroughly ruthless and doesn’t care what she has to do to get her goals done, which isn’t an admirable quality in a human being. Even Flag, a career soldier, can be less than ethical. The criminals themselves are mixed in what drives them. Some are inherently selfish, others are cynical, and into that is the notion of penance and making up for past sins.

The story is, however, muddled at times, but that feels like less the problem of the writer and director and more like the interference of studio executives trying to pack too much in at once. Some of the characters have more depth and characterization to their performances than others, who are getting the short end of things. The tone of the movie changes as things go along, and that contributes to the muddled feel of the story- it has a subversive streak at first that ends up becoming predictable. The film’s undoubtedly nihilistic- having this many villains bantering with each other will do that- and ultimately the motivations of the primary antagonist reflect the murkiness of the story. In a film that was marketed for its dark humour, some of the actual humour of the story feels more unintentional.

Ayer filmed on location- a lot of it was done in Toronto, so some of the streetscapes were familiar, while other location work was done around Chicago. He can handle action, which is certainly in play throughout the film, but at the same time the action sequences and general pacing of the film doesn’t come near to matching the Marvel cinematic films- another nod to the fact that DC is desperately trying to play catch up instead of developing things in a coherent, natural way. Again, it feels more like studio interference than the fault of the director- crowding the film with characters (two or three could have been removed entirely) seems to be a studio edict, and it ends up hindering the film here and there.

The visual look in a lot of the film tends to be murky, which is appropriate, given the circumstances. Some characters have the look down just right- Harley’s whole look suits her demented mind, and Deadshot’s look has an efficient, worn sensibility that actually fits in with the character. Croc has to be part CGI, a mass of muscle and reptilian skin often hidden beneath oversized clothes, but fitting with various interpretations from the comics. El Diablo’s look is appropriately nightmarish, even if it doesn’t quite fit the man himself.

The cast are hit and miss- and that reflects the simple fact that some of them get more attention than others in terms of the story, while others are highly overshadowed. Jared Leto isn’t part of the team, though he does factor into the story, as the Joker. He turns up here and there in the film, and the actor plays him as thoroughly demented, pathologically psychotic, and totally unredeemable. It’s not as good a take on the character as Heath Ledger or Mark Hamill’s extensive voice work (the latter being what I deem to be the definitive take on the Joker, ever), but Leto makes the most of his relatively brief time through the film.

Cara Delevingne gets underwritten as the Enchantress, to the point where the film does the actress and the character an injustice. The comic book version has straddled the line between villain and anti-hero, with her own mental issues. Here the character is taken in a direction that just doesn’t feel right, and smacks of all the interference of studio marketing chimps. Adam Beach, who’s an interesting actor in his own right, also suffers having his character bypassed and overlooked as the film goes along. Slipknot comes across as efficient and professional (even if he is a crook), but the story isn’t giving him as a character or Beach as an actor time to shine. Jai Courtney, who played the son of John McClane in the last Die Hard film (and made one think the kid was switched at birth), plays the character of Captain Boomerang in the way that fits who the character is in the comics- pretty much an unpleasant dirtbag.

Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje has had a long history of character roles in film and television, and has been in the comic book adaptation world before, having had played Kurse in Thor The Dark World, as well as the  memorable henchman in The Mummy Returns, a pivotal cameo in The Bourne Identity, and the enigmatic Mr. Eko in the television series Lost. Here he gets to play Killer Croc, hidden beneath prosthetic makeup and CGI. The character’s a monster (in the comics he’s a perennial Bat-villain), and yet despite all that, there’s something about him that can still be sympathetic. The same  quality of sympathy applies to Jay Hernandez’ take on El Diablo. The character’s power over fire is mixed in with shame over the horrors of his past and the crimes he has committed, and he’d much rather stay out of the fight than go into it. Yet at the same time he views the opportunity as a chance to make amends.

Karen Fukuhara gets a role that is a bit underwritten as Katana. The character in the comics is somewhat complicated, with a whole lot of history among heroes of the DC universe. She’s a samurai and sword fighter with tragedy in her past. That does come across in the cinematic version, who’s on the team but not one of them- unlike the others, she’s not a criminal, so it makes her a bit of an outsider. She’s a ferocious fighter, but has morals and ethics- as well as coming across as a strong right hand to the team leader.

Viola Davis gets the character of Amanda Waller right. Amanda’s a long time comic character, a ruthless and tough intelligence operator who dislikes the superhuman community (and is disliked and distrusted by them in turn). In her mind, doing whatever it takes to achieve her goals is acceptable, human rights be damned. And that’s how Davis plays her, as a force to be reckoned with and the sort of person you don’t want to cross.

This is the first time I’ve seen Joel Kinnaman in anything. His character, Rick Flag, is a special forces veteran brought in to manage the unruly team of criminals and lunatics. He carries the role with authority, and while he takes his orders from the ruthless Waller, he doesn’t always agree. I like that he’s occasionally conflicted with his mission, and some of the different ways he interacts with other characters, particularly Deadshot, who’s something of a darker reflection of him- the two characters find their ethical points of view going back and forth.

Will Smith is written well as Deadshot, a character who has a lot of history in the DC universe, sometimes as an outright villain, sometimes as an anti-hero mercenary. In the film, the character is more sympathetic than some of his counterparts, conflicted in terms of what he’s done for a living. He also comes across as cynical and world weary at times, but also professional and highly efficient in his ways. The different ways the character spars with Flag and Harley in particular work well, and seem to fit in with Deadshot’s general personality.

Margot Robbie pretty much steals the entire film as Harley Quinn, the deranged occasional paramour of the Joker. The character’s origins date back to the animated Batman series of the 1990s as a sidekick of the clown prince of crime, before she was moved into the comics. She’s done a whole lot since then, even carrying her own solo series at the present. In the film, she’s thoroughly unhinged, with little care for social boundaries or manners, and the actress plays her with a gleeful streak of destructive energy and chaotic dialogue.

Suicide Squad has its ups and downs. It’s bleak and murky at times, both storywise and visually, which one can expect out of a team that’s not largely sympathetic. Aside from a couple of well placed cameos meant to further things along for the Justice League film, most of its characters aren’t really that well known to the general audience. Some of those characters get more exposure than others, who are seriously underwritten. It is predictable, and it reflects the fact that DC’s cinematic properties are still trying to play catch up to Marvel’s cinematic universe- the Marvel studio films have yet to have a misstep, unlike some of the company’s characters licensed to other studios. That said, the film works well enough on its own, with a demented kind of tone that fits many of its characters. Perhaps at its heart the movie reflects the old saying, send a thief to catch a thief. Or send lunatics to stop another lunatic, in this case.