Boss Level (2020) will let you watch Mel Gibson get killed a few times
Directed by Joe Carnahan; written by Chris Borey, Eddie Borey, et al.; starring Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, and Naomi Watts
Waking up with someone attacking you has to be a hell of a time. Add on that it's the same day and there's half a dozen someones who may also be connected to your ex wife (Watts) and her military boss, and things get dicey. Good thing that Roy (Grillo) is ex-Delta Force and overall good at rolling with things. Your standard Groundhog Day time loop, but with hyper-violent swordfights and a likable lead, Boss Level is a fun fucking ride with ample action and wise cracks to fill the runtime.
Here's my notes; beware spoilers and such
Great Voice Over
Generally I dislike voiceover. It can be lazy and just information dumpy. A boring way to give information to the audience. Here, though, Grillo really has a handle on the character and the voice over is less information and more character talking to the audience.
Stubbed Toe
After seeing our badass hero with muscles and veins for days (seriously, Grillo is jacked here), it was just great to see him stumble.
8 Bit is Shit
The whole gaming thing gets a mention throughout the movie, yet besides the hero dying over and over and "getting good" and the father/son stuff, I dunno. This did not seem very thematic overall. Just more of a commentary on these types of plots rather than something integral to the story.
Teeth Pulling
Oh shit this was gnarly and really damn funny it happened the first time. Just the fact that that guy stuck around in the bathroom to watch this madness is funny enough.
Hitler's Gun
I know we have to give the bad guy's memorable quirks, but giving Pam Hitler's gun felt both over the top and hilarious. I'm for it, but only because this movie reaches for the fences every damn time.
Suicide - weird
Seems like suicide would have been something he did way before, just because of how pragmatic he seems to be. Still, the drive to carry on is strong.
Hell of a Sword Fight
Fuck yeah it is. I am Roy, and I have done this.
Father Son Bonding
Not gonna lie, I thought this would drag, but it turned out to be a nice break from all the action. On top of that, it showed a more sensitive side to Grillo that I don't think I've seen in other movies.
She's Dead for Real
My last note because I loved the hell out of this movie, I was surprised that they had the balls to kill his wife. This is me actively showing restraint talking about this because I really enjoyed watching this movie with all its surprising turns.
