by Daniel V. Garcia
Daily Lobo
You've probably noticed several trends in filmmaking as of late.
One is to remake an old flick based on the assumption that the current generation is too young to remember the original. The other has been to feature once-prominent actors in an effort to bring in audiences based on the performers' former drawing power. This is done in the hope movie viewers will make a connection between the good cast and the movie, and will assume that the movie is good by default.
The forthcoming action/mystery flick "Lucky Number Slevin" makes this mistake. Its cast includes the impressive Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Bruce Willis and Lucy Liu, but this still isn't enough to redeem the movie from mediocrity. However, the actors still do a fantastic job with their parts, especially Kingsley as the Rabbi affecting a Brooklyn persona complete with a flawless accent.
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The film concerns Slevin, played by Josh Hartnett - a man who is confused for another by two separate and antagonistic organized crime syndicates that are headed by Freeman and Kingsley and to whom this other person owes money. It's a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time - tell me if you've ever heard of that one before. Thankfully, Slevin has girlfriend Lucy Liu to help ease his trials and to fill the role of obligatory eye candy, not necessarily listed in order of importance.
The elements of the film, ranging from Tarantino-like absurdity to the Coen brothers' "Miller's Crossing" plot twists are present and probably looked good on paper. They just aren't arranged well.
This is especially true when certain shots are recycled and the real movie doesn't begin until about 15 minutes after a long and jarring opening sequence. This is necessary to fill the subsequent holes in the plot, but it is otherwise unimportant and it actually impedes the progress of the film.
The Coen brothers were able to avoid obtuse prologues like this by means of carefully crafted dialogue and brilliantly executed pacing. Paul McGuigan, director of "Lucky Number Slevin," would have done well to pay more attention to their stylizations.
McGuigan's former work includes "Wicker Park," another film starring Hartnett, who appears as pallid and ineffectual in "Lucky Number Slevin" as he did in that film.
Hartnett could use some acting lessons. He can deliver his lines well, but he is far too soft-spoken to be the cocky kid with lip he is supposed to portray. Add to his lack of presence, McGuigan's sloppy lighting, and one begins to wonder why these films have not been direct-to-video projects.
Thankfully, the use of suspense redeemed "Wicker Park" from total loss, and it does so here in Slevin. But even this is not enough to elevate the film above casual yawner to moderately gripping thriller.
