The Russo brothers’ new feature film is fun, but forget that the film needs to develop a story beyond the explosions of each scene
When the Russo Brothers introduced themselves to the world, in Captain America: Winter Soldier, they turned a hitherto bland Marvel hero into a very interesting action character in a great spy story. With a good script, they’ve made Captain America and Chris Evans himself emblematic figures in this role as an agent betrayed by the same system he’s sworn to defend and needs to escape in a fight against everything and everyone.
And covert agentthe new film by Netflix directed and scripted by brothers Joe and Anthony replicates exactly the same formula – including a few repeated stickers – and takes the idea to a new level. It’s a move that works, but without the same impact.
The feature film is one of the major streaming bets of the year and a ferocious assault within action cinema, bringing not only big names behind the cameras, but in front of them as well. In addition to Chris Evans himself, we have Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas and even Brazilian Wagner Moura embarking on a truly breathtaking storyline.
& nbsp;
without stopping to breathe
And this expression is something that makes a lot of sense in what Netflix offers. It seems that the idea of covert agent is to leave the viewer breathless, bringing about such unbridled action that you barely have time to breathe amidst so much shooting, beating and shelling – and herein lies the main annoyance.
While it’s a good movie, it feels like a runaway truck that keeps speeding up scene after scene, so each tries to be exponentially bigger than the last. and you can’t help but get excited, especially when the Russo brothers are so good at filming moments like this. They know how to create great sequences and give each one the right proportion and they control the camera very well to make you feel right there in the middle.
The destruction of Prague is a good example of this. There is a lot to do at the same time, and you don’t feel lost in the middle of the chase or siege of three different factions in the central square. And all this in the midst of car turns and unusual shots that give a truly unique dynamism to everything.
Alone, what’s going on? It’s a lot of fun to see this near-apocalyptic level of destruction, but a movie doesn’t stop there. And what is left when you isolate the explosions and shots? We have the story of the agent trained to kill being hunted down by his own agency and having to defend what he has closest to a family, which is interesting but very underdeveloped. And this is where the problems come from covert agent begins to appear.
The film is an adaptation of the book The gray man, the first in a series of espionage written by Mark Greaney. And while it’s a very familiar starting point, the premise is still interesting: Court Gentry (Gosling) is an agent who was released from prison years ago to join a covert CIA initiative, the Sierra program. Basically, he was training homeless criminals to become lethal agents capable of carrying out special missions around the world, a kind of 007 with Suicide squadgenerally.
And this comparison is important, as it shows the potential that exists in the film and that has certainly grown Netflix’s gaze on this universe. covert agent has the potential to kick off a new streaming franchise, being this kind of American version of the good old James Bondbut subverting some points, such as the much less heroic character of the thing and presenting the agency itself as a threat.
This is all quite interesting and it’s easy to see the spark of something bigger. The problem is that almost none of this was actually developed because it is content with being an explosive film. Everything else that could give more personality to the hero and his universe is relegated to the background and almost forgotten in the midst of this frenzy that the dozens of action scenes impose.
This is very evident in the attempt (or not) to build relationships that involve the protagonist with the supporting actors. It is established that Gentry – or Six, as the whole movie is called, as it is code-named on the Sierra show – sees the man who recruited him (Billy Bob Thornton) as a father and that this causes him and Claire ( Julia Butters) are like brothers.
The problem is, it doesn’t bother to go any further. They are relationships built like a crutch just to justify the hustle and bustle and not to grow their protagonist. This is because, in fact, nothing develops. It is such a constant sense of urgency and danger that there is no time to breathe, nor to grow the characters and their relationships. The script’s only concern is adapting to Six’s next move and showing how he’ll be cornered.
There is an attempt to create a mystery about Six’s past to support his devotion to his old mentor, but he gets lost in this script which is more about action than story. It is noted in a few moments that he has committed a barbaric crime and that this is related to the toxic relationship he had with his father – and that, therefore, the man who let him out of prison becomes this father figure that she does not have. never really had.
It’s a point that it would be very nice to see worked on, but that seems to be thrown here and there without any significant weight in the narrative. It does not generate conflict for the character, internal or external, and it serves no purpose for the plot. He’s there to try and add a level to the hero, but it turns out to be just a patch to justify why he nearly destroyed Europe to save his former master – and it’s something you buy for other reasons.
Nice smiles between the explosions
So, it is no exaggeration to say that the story of covert agent it’s a rag. It’s a movie about the hero running and blowing things up to save his “family”, but there is no evolution beyond the one presented at the beginning. The focus is purely and exclusively on the madness that this rescue mission entails.
The important point is that the film relies on the charisma of its protagonists. The dynamic between Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, who plays an adorably hateful villain, is fantastic and the Russo brothers know how to take advantage of it in their script, bringing those same agile, sarcasm-filled dialogue and humorous jokes that they brought into the movies. wonder.
At the same time, Ana de Armas is very good in this role which sounds a lot like a livelier bond girl. Even though her character gets a little lost in the story, she plays well this role as a self-handling agent that she would have liked to see her better in 007: No Time to Die, for example.
Except they’re all just that pretty face in the midst of a lot of explosions and little development. Nobody has a real story to tell and there is very little besides charisma that really makes you worry about what’s happening to them. And for a film that relies on that sense of constant danger, that’s a bit of a problem.
dangerous imbalance
In the end, covert agent It’s a good action movie, but it doesn’t go very far. With very competent directing, but an on-average script, it’s just another feature that blows everything out of so many in this genre that seems too lazy to bring anything new. It’s that movie you play for your uncle who went to your house for lunch on Sunday and he asks you to put something good on TV. This is the rule that Netflix seems to want to fulfill.
The important thing is that you notice in the midst of this madness an attempt to get a franchise – which already exists in the books – and you see that there is room for that. The problem is that the lack of further development prevents you from becoming attached to that universe and its characters. After all, why would I want to see more?
covert agent try to emulate 007 with a Marvel flavor, but forget that both in one franchise and in others there are well-developed characters who converse with the public. We’ve been following these films for so long because in relationships with their heroes – and there’s little room for that here.
So, if Netflix really wants to create a new series, it’s easy to see where it needs to go in the future. The only problem is that, for this, it will have to cut a lot of edges. You need to control this runaway truck before it capsizes forever.
covert agent is available on cNetflix catalog.
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Source: Terra
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
