Directed By Julius Avery

Starring – Sylvester Stallone, Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, Pilou Asbaek

The Plot – Thirteen-year-old Sam Cleary (Walton) suspects that his mysterious and reclusive neighbor Mr. Smith (Stallone) is actually a legend hiding in plain sight. Twenty years ago, Granite City’s super-powered vigilante, Samaritan, was reported dead after a fiery warehouse battle with his rival, Nemesis. Most believe Samaritan perished in the fire, but some in the city, like Sam, have hope that he is still alive. With crime on the rise and the city on the brink of chaos, Sam makes it his mission to coax his neighbor out of hiding to save the city from ruin.

Rated PG-13 for strong violence and strong adult language

Samaritan – Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube

POSITIVES

To me, diversity among superhero projects is the key to keeping the genre alive, and while “Samaritan” doesn’t fully commit to conjuring something freshly innovative for the subgenre, it does elicit a few opportunistic aspects that Marvel and D.C simply don’t have the fortitude to submerge themselves in. The first is the environment of Granite City, which in design looks about as uninspired as any computer-generated backdrop will channel, but here with various impulses and social commentary elaborated on within the city, gives it a lived-in grit that has unfortunately fell victim to anarchy as a result of the absence of superheroes watching over it. Aspects like these were always the case with 80’s and 90’s superhero narratives, where a city on the brink of disaster is the perfect setting for a showdown that holds its urgency and vulnerability simultaneously in its clutches, and with the case from Avery’s latest project, that devastating impact could never be truer in both its citizens and its infrastructure, which feel like they’re holding onto the same hope for a warrior to rise from the ashes once more. From there, I also appreciate the stand-alone aspect of this film that doesn’t feel hindered by the need to prepare for a future it might very well not see. Sometimes with the two big studios, they foreshadow in ways that often hinder the prominence of the film in front of them, and thankfully here that necessity isn’t included, as this is a one-off film with no company allegiance, that involves all of the stakes and circumstances of the characters included. In addition to this, the dynamic between Joe and Sam is easily the most rewarding in terms of circumstantial impact, garnering a nourishing heart for the experience that not only works wonderfully in balance with the aforementioned brutality of its setting’s streets, but also magnifies a chemistry in bond between the co-stars that helps to evade some of the hinderances of its mediocre performances. Because of such, the action is often reserved for specific moments, and instead this story caters to more of the down time moments between characters that help them grow and develop, but never in ways that feel sacrificial to the film and audience invested in it. Finally, while much of the script sticks it close to the chest in terms of predictability, the addition of a last second twist re-evaluated the character dynamics in a way that worked cohesively with the evolution of the movie’s tone. For the last ten minutes of this film, it essentially turns into a John Wick movie, where all bets are off, and you truly feel the anger and suppressed identity of this protagonist brought to life in a way that transcends the age and gravitational limitations of his handicap, all for a climax that doesn’t disappoint in both the background and foreground of the narrative.

NEGATIVES

Unfortunately, “Samaritan” is hindered by conveyor belt production and surface level exposition that keeps it from breaking out on its own from the pick of the litter that frequently dominate the box office within this subgenre. The minimal special effects are a great idea, but when they do materialize, they’re as hollow and artificial as even the relaxed eye can coherently interpret, in turn leading to off-beat color consistencies that repeatedly took me out of the dedication to my engagement. Likewise, the lack of compelling style or cinematography from the depiction felt stagnant and lazy from the rumored 50-million-dollar budget that should’ve elicited with it a more palpable visual flare of personality that appealed to the originality of the concept. Most importantly, however, the dialogue is meandering in spoon-fed sentiments, frequently halting the progress of the narrative for these long and drawn-out excerpts of meaningful importance that not only don’t feel natural in the way they’re conceived, but also feel rebounding to the influence of the one-dimensional musical score, which echoes how you’re supposed to feel about a certain character long before you’ve ever actually met them. Aside from technical hinderances, the antagonist completely underwhelmed me, which says a lot considering I am a fan of Pilou Asbaek, and often seek out a film from his influence alone. The problem here is he’s given so little to work with, combining stock villain lines and a reserved personality that never elicited appeal within the mayhem to his madness, in term underselling the conflict with Stallone in ways that don’t in the slightest feel balanced, even with the addition of a second act plot device that might as well be kryptonite itself. Finally, while there’s many intriguing aspects within the commentary of the script itself, as well as the titular character, it’s self-sabotaged in a way that wastes most of the opportunity that it was given with surface level delves that never made me feel at one with the lack of depth from the script. Because Joe is approached with an air of mystery to his character, we rarely ever spend time with him and him alone, in turn wasting away the unique aspects of his character design, which are heavily burdened with an air of monotony and ambiguity that sadly isn’t shed by film’s end, even with a compelling twist to its benefit. It leaves the film feeling like the first episode of a television pilot that will never further be elaborated on, giving us the steak, but none of the sizzle to cook it all of the way through.

OVERALL
“Samaritan” had the capability of flying on its own, without any of the requirements of two major studios to back it, but its superpowers are clipped with a mediocre looking execution and surface level exploration that directly underwhelm the sum of its compelling parts, in turn leaving Sly incapable of saving it from its own villainous intentions.

My Grade: 5/10 or D