Skip to main content

Locke (2013)

Locke is about a construction manager who makes a few phone calls during a midnight drive to a certain destination.

Steven Knight took a lot of risks in writing and directing a movie like this. Because it's a single location film the direction can take a few steps back and rely on the acting and storytelling. It was good that the film was able to keep the attention of the audience when the idea is so basic. He made construction site drama actually interesting. This sort of writing makes me excited for his next movie World War Z 2. I kinda hope that's not the title but whatever.

Tom Hardy is the only person you see throughout the film and it's his expressions and behavior that really sell him as the lead only actor. Sure there are voiceovers for people that he's talking to, including Tom Holland. The frustration he has when dealing with work and the calmness that he musters during the conversations he has with his son are just spot on. The surprising thing is that Hardy only spent six days on set to film the movie and each shot was in a single take. I doubt there are many actors out there that could pull off a film like this in only one take.

There's a movie that just released a trailer coming out that stars Tom Hardy and has Tom Holland in it called Venom and it reminded me that this film also had those two. Even if the trailer isn't up to stuff at least this film will rest your mind on Hardy being a good actor. Side note, did you know that Hardy chose to do this film in exchange for Knight being the writer of Hardy's show Taboo?

Result: B+ (While other people might get bored because there are no explosions, the film stands on its own two legs)


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Animals (2026)

Animals is written and directed by Ben Affleck , who has shown with films like Argo and The Town that he can be a solid filmmaker when everything comes together. Unfortunately, Animals is all over the place. The movie is filled with race pandering, victim blaming, West-hating dialogue, and situations that fall apart if you spend more than five minutes thinking about them. The characters frequently make decisions that do not make sense, and the story struggles to convince you that any of this is unfolding naturally. Ben Affleck is equally inconsistent as an actor. There are moments when he is on point, but others where he veers into overacting. His crying, in particular, feels more annoying than emotionally convincing. Instead of making the audience feel what his character is going through, the performance can pull you right out of the scene. It is frustrating because Affleck has demonstrated that he can deliver much stronger performances, but this is not one of them. Gillian Ande...
Post a Comment
Read more

Forgotten Island (2026)

Forgotten Island is another animated misfit-girl movie, this time pairing a rebellious, misunderstood girl with a nerdy, misunderstood girl. It feels like another Turning Red , Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken , or Nimona , and this is starting to become a pretty obvious trope. Not every animated movie needs to revolve around an outcast girl discovering herself while everyone else fails to understand her. The movie also leans into the isekai trope, sending its characters into another world, but the writing never does enough to make the familiar premise feel fresh especially with the predictable betrayal. Thankfully, the animation is great, and the cinematography does an excellent job making the world visually interesting. The directors also seem to think they are Edgar Wright , with transitions that occasionally feel more interested in showing off than serving the story. H.E.R. delivers the best performance of the main cast, bringing plenty of personality to her character. Unfortunately,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Angel and the Badman (2026)

Angel and the Badman is a remake directed by Julio Quintana , bringing a new take on the classic Western originally associated with John Wayne . This version stars Zachary Levi and Neal McDonough , two actors who have often been described as blacklisted in Hollywood. The movie takes a different approach from what you might expect, placing less emphasis on action and more on its underlying message. While there are a few scenes that could have been shortened, I can understand what Quintana was trying to accomplish with this remake. Zachary Levi , best known for Chuck and Shazam! , is charismatic and fits the role well. His portrayal of John Wayne's original character gives the film a different personality without making it feel like he is simply trying to imitate Wayne. Levi carries the movie effectively, and his performance is one of the main reasons the remake works as well as it does. Neal McDonough , known for Band of Brothers and his many villain roles, brings a sinister q...
Post a Comment
Read more