[yasr_overall_rating]
In a post-apocalyptic America, former U.S. Marine Gabriel Drummer searches desperately for the whereabouts of his son, accompanied by his best friend and a survivor.
Shia LeBeouf is back, if only for the sake of delivering bold indie flicks. But that’s the only good news there is to tell, because unlike in “American Honey,” there is absolutely no entertainment factor in the psychological thriller “Man Down.” With a rather favorable cast of supporting actors (Kate Mara, Gary Oldman, and Jai Courtney), where the film goes wrong is in its messy portrayal of events, muddled structure, a plethora of unintelligible dialogues, and a severe lack of heart. “Man Down” gets so caught up in unraveling itself that it leaves the audience behind, ensuing confusion, disinterest, and frustration – so much so that the big reveal at the end seems like nothing more than a manipulation of the viewers’ emotions.
The film, although difficult to precisely articulate, follows U.S. Marine Gabriel Drummer (LaBeouf)’s journey from Marine strong to deranged and disturbed as he and his fellow Marine and best friend, Devin (Jai Courtney), search for Gabe’s wife and son in what remains of the earth after a “bio-terror pandemic.” Structured in three realities and revealed through puzzle pieces, if you will, the plot is almost entirely unclear until the very end, when all the senseless pieces click into something that adds up. The issue is that the audience is not given a fair shot at solving the puzzle – the structure is just too out there – and it results in a disengaging viewing experience. It’s truly unfortunate because there was so much potential in the concept, and even a promising cast, but poor direction and a subpar script weakened the project.
Performance-wise, Shia LeBeouf does his job well; he stays consistent and believable throughout (even within the constraints of the crippled plot), and he has a few strong moments in the film, mostly the ones with the character of his son. Kate Mara is nothing special, but only because the role itself is nothing special. Jai Courtney is completely forgettable as the afterthought that haunts Gabriel, and Gary Oldman is a nearly unwatchable cliché. In terms of there being a connection, some form of relatability to the characters of the film, there is none.
All in all, “Man Down” is one of the most grueling one-and-a-half hour viewing experiences there can be – one that will probably leave you wanting a refund of your hard earned money. Any other option will be more fruitful for movie night than this. Fortunately, there’s no lack of good movies running at a cinema near you.
In select theaters Friday, December 2nd
