MovieChat Forums > Gunpowder Milkshake (2021) Discussion > I didn't enjoy this, unfortunately (spoi...

I didn't enjoy this, unfortunately (spoilers)

posted 3 years ago by JakeSWITCH (504)
4 replies | jump to latest

Navot Papushado went from co-directing ‘Rabies’ and ‘Big Bad Wolves’, which are both awesome, to solo directing ‘Gunpowder Milkshake’, which is not. At best, it could be described as high-calorie/low-nutrition entertainment.

Carla Gugino rocks a cardigan, the fine cast (including Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, and Adam Nagaitis) is enthusiastic and a couple of the action set pieces are fun, but overall, this is not a very fun movie. The majority of the action sequences lack any sense of unique, bold creativity. They’re all reductive of better action films that came before. The dialogue is poor (“fudge you!”) and the script is weak - instead of feeling like it’s building a world a la ‘John Wick’, every line is a cliche and every character’s story is connected in simplistic ways that make the world seem smaller, rather than bigger. The aesthetic is candy-colored neon mania. The climactic brawl only serves to remind you how sub-‘Birds of Prey’ it all is.

Thinly textured and occasionally technically proficient, with a cartoonishness that takes it out of the real world, ‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ is definitely a Netflix movie that exists.

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You can read all of my latest film reviews here: https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/about/Jake

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8350) 3 years ago

I thought the "fudge you!" line was actually amusing and creative, but I agree with your assessment of it as "high-calorie, low-nutrition."

The first mistake the film makes is taking too long to get going. The first 45 minutes have a pacing problem and I ended up getting bored enough by it that I paused it and finished it the next night.

In terms of story, the screenwriter(s) liberally borrowed from John Wick and then added in a few well-worn tropes that we've seen in a ton of other movies to craft a pretty basic, no-frills narrative. And then the director stacked a bunch of highly-stylized elements on top of that and boom -- movie.

It's not bad but I was also hoping for more. It lacks soul. I feel like it's basically a 6.5 that deserves some extra credit for the style and cast, but I can't bring myself to give it a 7. I guess a 6.75 would be appropriate. Or a C+.

Oh, also WOKE REPORT: All the women are good, all the men are bad. Vagina = good, penis = bad.

[–] JakeSWITCH (504) 3 years ago

I’m not sure if a feminist action film that’s written and directed by men can even be considered “woke”. It seems misjudged at best, cynical at worst.

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You can read all of my latest film reviews here: https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/about/Jake

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8350) 3 years ago

Plenty of women have decided to prostrate themselves in front of the altar of wokery. You say yourself it's a feminist movie.

And I am cynical -- cynical because of all the political bullshit in movies today.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (16320) 3 years ago

I was kind of surprised at how similar it was to Birds of Prey by the end. And this may be controversial, but I think that Birds of Prey did it much better.
I mean yeah, the script is very similar, but BoP was willing to be more colorful and ott. Plus Margot Robbie is just more interesting to watch than Karen Gillan in this (I know she's a good actress but she's kind of sullen in this).
I do like the supporting cast in this though. It's cool seeing these four great actresses play badasses together and I liked Paul Giamatti. The guy playing the main villain has such a cool presence and deserves better work.