40
theory

"Those Who Wish Me Dead" - A Little Too '90s, or Just Right?

Okay, so I finally got around to "Those Who Wish Me Dead." Straight up, felt like I'd hopped in a time machine back to the late 90s. You got your kid on the run, ruthless assassins who are maybe a little too cartoonishly evil (seriously, are they trying out for the next Bond flick?), and a rugged Angelina Jolie doing her best 'woman of action' thing. Reminded me a LOT of "The River Wild" with Meryl Streep, but with more fire. And less water, obviously. Here's my theory: I think they were intentionally channeling those old-school action thrillers. Remember when movies didn't need ten layers of CGI and shaky cam to keep you entertained? This felt like that. The whole Montana wilderness setting added to it. Gorgeous landscapes, but also genuinely dangerous. That fire scene? Legit scary. Maybe that's why I dug it more than the average Gen Z'er. My problem is the execution got a bit… clunky? The assassins felt like they were phoning it in half the time. And the kid, while good, didn't have the same… weight? as, say, Edward Furlong in "Terminator 2" (yeah, I went there). But the Jolie/Bernthal dynamic was nice, even if it leaned a little too hard on the 'tortured past' trope. They actually sold the desperation. So, am I crazy for thinking this was a conscious attempt to recapture that '90s action vibe? Or am I just getting old and nostalgic again? Either way, it wasn't terrible, but could've been better with a bit more nuance. I'd give it a solid, like, 6.5 out of 10. What do you guys think?

moviebuff_marc
2 months ago
4 comments
374 views
Sign in to join the discussion

Comments (4)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!