Owen Wilson stars in his first non-comedic role since 2001's Behind Enemy Lines.
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| "Damn, bitch. You're heavy." |
What could have turned out to be another end of summer cinematic low point, turns out to be one of the best movies of the season and the most taut action thriller of the year.
Set somewhere in Asia (it's never named), No Escape captures current fears and violent political turbulence in a realistic light not felt in quite some time. With scene after scene of constant tension, brutally graphic violence, and the best theatrical performance of Wilson's career, No Escape captures a feel and tone that will keep audiences teetering in their seat while only taking one small breather before taking the story right back to the edge of madness. Just when the summer is winding down, No Escape comes along and redefines Wilson and Lake Bell's respective careers as verifiable dramatic stars. Backed by a superb performance from Pierce Brosnan, this is a 2015 standout feature.
Centered on human fear and bloodshed, director John Erick Dowdle enigmatically charges ahead with a movie that takes no prisoners. From neverending head shots, to murderous beatings, to explosions, to vehicular manslaughter, all the way to skull splitting acts of sheer vengeance, Dowdle captures man's inherent need to survive with perfect clarity and a realistic grit lacking in most of today's releases. With a story centered around modern themes of a riotous political coup, No Escape is a perfect rendering of every father's fear and duty to his children. Despite the face crushing and bombastic human on human brutality, Dowdle's dedication to creating a story where all men are not evil shines a new light on Wilson's new found dramatic skills and makes a strong point for proving a father's worth when pitted against unrelenting odds.
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| "Damn!! Bond got scruffy, yo." |
In stunning realism, No Escape moves like a high speed bullet train armed to the teeth with great cinematography, a mind numbing score, and fictional eastern savagery not felt since the last Rambo movie. No Escape is seething with energy from front to back, giving Lake Bell and Owen Wilson plenty of theatrical fat to chew on. Much like 2012's The Impossible, the focal point is set on a family's struggle to beat the unimaginable. No Escape never fails in that regard, giving us a massive amount of astute action packed into a short run time that serves the purpose of the film with absolute precision.
Going into this with almost no expectations, No Escape delivered the goods. This is an exceptional specimen of team work between a talented director, a cast that features two name stars and a couple young children that know how to act. If you can stand edge of your seat thrillers that bear the markings of mankind's malevolent leanings, I can't recommend this highly enough. No Escape is a no holds barred, kick them in the teeth type of movie that never lets up from beginning to end. If you want a good way to close out the summer movie season, this is it. Make sure to wear diapers and take a Xanax first. You're gonna need it.
Score
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