Review of American Ultra (2015) by James R — 26 Dec 2016

About what I was expecting. American Ultra struggles between becoming a full fledged dramedy, or an action packed movie. The trailers make it look like a huge stoner comedy which maybe it is to a point, but the film is largely an action film with just a couple of reidiculous moments, not to mention a really corny plot.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner living with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart). Mike has no recollection of his past and has constant panic attacks whenever he tries to leave the city. Meanwhile Adrian Yates (Topher Grace) a government agent is sending in a clean up crew to kill Mike.

Why you may ask? Well turns out Mike is a sleeper agent who's program was shut down because of some previous failures. Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) Mike's ex-program director gets word of Yates plan and travels to meet Mike.

She activated Mike by saying a phrase and from there Mikes crazy ass abilities kick back in and he's once again a killing machine. Mike soon begins to question his very own existence. The movie was entertaining I'll give it that, but it was more like.

...does it eventually get any better? And the answer to that was....not really. It has some pretty violent scenes and some light comedy mixed in. Eisenberg and Stewart actually have some pretty good chemistry, but the rest of the cast is kinda just there.

Grace especially is just a bit too ridiculous with the F word being every third word he says. It's a rent at best, but nothing you're missing out if you end up not seeing it!