Plot: What’s it about?
There aren’t many directors that have the varied slew of films they directed that match Gore Verbinski. I still maintain that the scariest scene I’ve ever seen in a movie is this one right here. I still cringe when I look in a closet. But it’s a testament to the director of The Ring that gave us that scene. Verbinski’s first major Hollywood film was back in 1997 with Mousehunt which was surprisingly entertaining. He put Brad and Julia together for the second time in a year (2001) with The Mexican before really going mainstream with the Pirates of the Caribbean films. From the few few films mentioned, it’s clear that the projects he undertakes have a lot of range, though I think we’re still trying to figure out what the motivation for The Lone Ranger was. At any rate, here we are with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. If anything the title itself is catchy. What’s it about, you ask? That’s a good question. Let’s get started.
We meet a crazed-looking man from the future (Sam Rockwell) as he walks into a diner looking more like a homeless person. He’s wearing a jacket wrapped with wires and tubes and claims to be from the future. He announces that he’s been here before and is hoping to find just the right combination of volunteers to help him save the world. From what? An artificial intelligence program has gone rouge and is therefore threatening the world. That’s the opening scene and it gets weirder from there. The time traveler (his name is never revealed) does manage to find that “perfect” combination of volunteers, however, in Susan (Juno Temple) who seems to believe him. Joining her are married teachers Mark (Michael Peña) and Janet (Zazie Beetz) and Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson), a punker, clings along as well mainly just to see what’ll happen. At the risk of copping out, I don’t want to get too much further in the plot – lest it be ruined for everyone involved.
The film is “on” from the opening credits to the end. It’s exciting, but also exhausting for the viewer. There’s really not a lot of “down time” for the audience to catch its breath. That can be good, but when a movie is 134 minutes long – maybe…not so good. The film also makes some social commentary which I won’t really get into, but I realize that films are a bona fide way of sending a message. It’s up to you to see how you want to handle it. The cast is great and I find it difficult to believe that anyone other than Sam Rockwell could fulfill the title role. The seasoned entourage does a fine job as well. This might not be Gore Verbinski’s best work, but it’s one of the more entertaining. The film has a lot to say, but I think it went about some of the messaging in the wrong way. You be the judge.
Video: How’s it look?
Gore Verbinski’s films generally have a very unusual color palette associated with them. Blues and browns for the Pirates…films, green for The Ring and orange(?) for this one? OK, I can dig it. There’s a lot going on here visually and this 4K image handles everything that’s thrown at it. We get a vast array of, shall we say, interesting sequences that showcase what the 4K format is all about. Flesh tones appear warm and natural, color depth is accurate and contrast is strong. The film might have left a few questions dangling, but visually this one is spot on.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The film’s Dolby Atmos soundtrack pulls no punches either. There are several examples of great, dynamic audio that help propel the film along. And is is justs me or does everyone else love the sound of Sam Rockwell’s voice? It’s probably just me. Nevertheless, each and every one of your speakers will get a workout thanks to this uncompressed mix. LFE are active, surrounds pound throughout and the front stage offers a nice array to compliment the rest of the mix. It’s a great mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- The Making of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die – The main players from the cast dish on the project, some of the costumes as well as working with Gore Verbinski. Running just a shade over 5 minutes, there’s not a lot of substance to this one.
The Bottom Line
Running a little over two hours, the film is certainly an experience. There aren’t many times when the movie calms down and lets the viewer take a proverbial breath. By the end, you’re somewhat exhausted. And the film is thought-provoking, albeit a little “off” as well. Universal’s disc sports reference-quality visuals and audio, though it’s also extremely light on supplements.
