Film Review by RL. Interceptor
Today’s review does not hark to Oscar gold, or massive fandom lovers, or even a masterpiece of storytelling. Instead I shall reintroduce you to the joys of popcorn flicks.
What, you may ask, is a popcorn flick?
Hold on, because here we go.
The Marine, a 2006 release, rolled into theaters on a simple and tried formula. Plenty of action and explosions. A chiseled hero. A damsel in distress. Bad guys galore. Humor. And a plot so generically obvious that the film could be muted and still be viewed without missing much. Of course at that point you would miss the wonderful puns. Both the great one liners and the groaners that still elicit a smirk of amusement.
For example:
Manu Bennet’s character exclaims, “this guy is like the terminator”.
Robert Patrick’s character looks in the mirror.
And if you don’t get that, you should skip this review.
I jest …
Or am I?
Back to the movie in question.
Interceptor (2022)
Rating: 3.5/5
Director: Matthew Reilly
Cast: Elsa Patakay, Luke Bracey, Aaron Glenane
The film starts slow, not a recommendation for the popcorn flick genre. But those turning in are either going to know Mrs. Patakay’s work, and are fans, or know her private life. I am going to leave private life out of it. She’s earned it.
Now if you make it the two handfuls of minutes in you start to get to the popcorn munching, carbonated drink swilling, chocolate covered fingers, adrenaline pumping parts.
It’s cheesy and cheeky. The villain is likable in that, I want to see him die a horrible death but not til the end cause he's funny, sorta way. The sidekick(s) are amusing and fun.
The plot is simple. Stop bad guys from blowing up a significant portion of the earth. And like any great popcorn film, there is a timer.
Seriously, this film checks the boxes for this genre.
Intellectually I know that Mrs. Patakay is a wee wisp of a woman. 5’3 and … well I grew up in the south in a household of women. So I know to never even gander a guess at a weight. That’s a Death Wish (see what I did there? Another popcorn flick franchise). My wisdom infused guess would be lighter than three feathers.
Regardless, she is not a large, physically imposing woman.
How am I supposed to suspend any form of credible belief and pretend that she could stand up against an unnumbered force of armed villany?
Then my mind hearkens back to yonder year. A movie called “Fast Five”.
Elsa Patakay co-starred in the film where her character shared screen time with not one, but two rather large, physical men with enough testosterone to overdose a college football team. None other than Vin Diesel and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson.
And to her credit she was neither cowed or broken by their presence. Instead she stood strong and tall and feminine. (A trend that I do like in the Fast and Furious franchise)
Back to Interceptor.
So yeah, Mrs. Patakay kicks some major booty, makes you think she can do it, and looks good whilst doing it. The small cast and fast pace are potentially two major stumbling blocks. And yet Patakay and company turn these hurdles into strengths. Initially I randomly clicked this film out of curiosity but stayed for the fun, the quips, the action, and the pleasure.
Will this movie win acclaimed awards? Most likely not. Will it hit the #1 streaming slot for Netflix? Already has. Will this film be remembered? Absolutely, in the annals and halls of Popcorn Flicks in Video Valhalla.
(See what I did there?)
