The Films of Ariel Vroman

Simple Lies

Danika

The Iceman

Click here for review.

Criminal (April 19/16)

Boasting as legitimately bananas a premise as one can easily recall, Criminal manages to overcome a few minor deficiencies to become a seriously engaging little action flick - with the movie benefiting substantially from the efforts of an impressively all-star cast that includes, among others, Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, and Alice Eve. The story, which basically follows Costner's Jericho Stewart as he reluctantly embarks on a quest to prevent a hacker (Michael Pitt's Jan Stroop) from kicking off World War III, kicks off with an impressively enthralling sequence detailing Reynolds' character's efforts at evading nefarious pursuers, with the film, from there, segueing into an admittedly erratic midsection revolving around the sci-fi-oriented central conceit and the impact it has on the various characters. It's clear that Criminal's less-than-tight atmosphere is allayed by an ongoing emphasis on superb stand-alone sequences, including several palpably exciting action sequences and even a few better-than-expected dramatic interludes (eg Jericho visits the wife of a fallen CIA operative). And although the lack of judicious editing paves the way for a somewhat flabby third act, Criminal bounces back with an absolutely captivating (and, of course, action-packed) climax that ensures the movie ends on a high note - which certainly, in the wake of the equally entertaining The Iceman, confirms Vroman's place as an up-and-coming director worth watching.