Review of American Ultra (2015) by Maco M — 06 Sep 2015

Theres a dilemma in reviewing American Ultra because you really run the danger of giving everything away in this mindblower without a mind. American Ultra starts nice and easy, with stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, co-stars in 2009's Adventureland, delivering a winning slacker romance. Then everything flies off the rails and basically goes to shit when the vibes go from sweet and slacker to blood and mayhem of the Michael Bay order.

Eisenberg is stoner Mike, living in East Bumfuck, West Virginia where he numbs the dullness of his job by writing a graphic novel about a superhero monkey. He goes home every night to Phoebe (Stewart, pretty damn good), who gives him a lot of unearned patience and sexual gratification. She even shows him forgiveness for ruining their vacation to Hawaii after he has one of his panic attacks before they're even on the plane.

If you're having a hard time believing such a tough lady would really out up with this loser, you aren't alone. Mike and Phoebe both have secrets, that no review should spoil. But director Nima Nourizadeh (Project X) and screenwriter Max Landis (Chronicle) can't wait to get to the action. Mike takes on two hitmen in a parking lot, armed only with a spoon and ramen noodles. 'There's a chance I might be a robot,', Mike says. Uh huh. The CIA then show up in the form of Connie Britton and Topher Grace (doing a bang up job as a bureaucratic wacko). Then any charm and goodwill the movies had gives way to gore gore gore. It's all pretty pointless. Stewart and Eisenberg manage to stay appealing, but the movie can't keep up.