Plot: What’s it about?
You know, the more I think about it I think that Ethan Hawke might be one of my favorite actors. Maybe it’s that we’re relatively the same age, so that the films he’s done are on par with where I was in that time of my life. I’m talking about Dead Poet’s Society, Alive, Reality Bites and the like. All of those films had a special meaning to me and in no small part due to his performances. In 1997 Hawke teamed with writer/director Andrew Niccol and then his beau Uma Thurman in Gattaca. As Hollywood has a tendency to do, those two are now no longer an item though I think they have a few children together (I’m a fan, not an obsessed fan). It’s been nearly twenty years since the futuristic film where your DNA determined your ultimate fate and now Niccol is back with an even more topical film with Good Kill. Though not many people have heard of the film, I jumped at the opportunity to give it a look – was it worth the wait or should Niccol and Hawke have quit while they were ahead?
Major Thomas Egan (Ethan Hawke) is a pilot and a damn good one. He’s flown a half dozen missions in the Middle East but now finds himself relegated to a steel box outside the Las Vegas city limits. He’s now a “drone pilot” in which he sits at a computer terminal deciding which people to drop bombs on (from half a world away). He’s not very happy with his job, he misses the action and feels that this new way of doing combat is both unethical and unfair. Still, as an Air Force officer it’s his duty to follow orders and not question them. Things aren’t much better at home as his wife (January Jones) tries to be caring and compassionate, but it seems that Thomas is drifting further and further away. Now under the direction of the FBI (only referred to as “Langley”), the missions have gotten even more questionable. Will Thomas fight the system or continue to follow orders and hope his family life remains intact?
In truth, there’s a lot more going on in the film than what I wrote above, but the nuts and bolts of the movie are there. It’s strange, actually, how much modern warfare has changed. It’s even referenced in the movie by a character saying “people used to sign up, see the world and do combat. Now all we do is sit at computer screens.” It’s frightening, actually, that if in the wrong hands, someone from a half world away can zoom in on you and drop a bomb. Boom. Just like that you’re gone. Evidently this isn’t fiction, either. The military is actually recruiting gamers as opposed to people who actually want to serve. In a sad state of affairs, the military is now operating more like a video game as opposed to the flag waving patriots we’ve become so used to. I’d asked in the end of the first paragraph if Niccol and Hawke should have made this movie or quit while they were ahead. It’s clear there was a story here and I’m glad for it.
Video: How’s it look?
There isn’t a lot of diversity in the film as the majority of it takes place at the Air Force base outside of Las Vegas. There are some ariel shots of Egan’s house (which seem to have a very Edward Scissorhands look and feel to it) and a few interior scenes as well. The 2.35:1 AVC HD encode looks razor sharp, though the earthy tones seem to give the film a bit of a grainy look to it. This isn’t bad, though. The detail in the transfer shows the wrinkles on Hawke’s forehead and we can see the lines on Bruce Greenwood’s face as well. Contrast and black levels are solid which make way for a good-looking image.
Audio: How’s it sound?
About half way through the movie I realized that there wasn’t really a lot of depth to the included DTS HD Master Audio mix. I was actually thinking that it was more like a mono track since all I really picked up on was the dialogue. Then again this isn’t a traditional war movie as we see all of the action taking place on a computer screen. Yes, I’m sure they could have shown the actual damage to get that effect, but I think that would have defeated the purpose of the film. There are a few ambient sounds from the surrounds that make for a nice, effective mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Good Kill: Behind the Scenes – Sadly this is the only feature on the disc and it’s about what you’d expect. Hawke and some of the other members of the cast and crew are joined by Writer/Director Andrew Niccol as he tells us what inspired him to write the film. It’s interesting to say the least, but I’d have welcomed some more supplemental material.
The Bottom Line
Good Kill is a movie that will make you think and those are rare these days. It’s certainly a topical look at the modern military and how things are being done in the age where you don’t even need to be in the same hemisphere to take out an enemy (or one even thought to be an enemy). The Blu-ray offers up a nice-looking picture with modest sound though the lack of supplements might make for a rental first.
