Project Power, the new film from director duo Henry Josst and Ariel Schulman, contains a concept that lives outside the comfort zone for most action/sci-fy features. A corrupt government entity known as Teloisis is conducting clinical drug trials unbeknownst to the population of New Orleans in the form of a pill known as “Power”. A group of dealers shop the drug through each sector of the city garnering customers desiring living out childhood fantasies of being a superhuman or criminals looking for unbeatable ways to get away with illegal activity. The police are fighting an unwinnable war with no response to equal the playing field, living at the mercy of superhuman criminals running around with a cheat code. A military veteran, high school student, and a passionate police detective stand as the best barricade against the threat of Project Power becoming mainstream and violent chaos becoming routine in every part of the world.
Nice to see Joseph Gordon Levitt back into acting for a consistent stretch after a bit of hiatus from Hollywood. In this film, his performance does not carry the interesting factor to stand alongside the passionate ethos of Jamie Foxx’s tortured character. Uninteresting to the point of feeling nonessential to the wavelength of the narrative; doing flubbed country hick and “Dirty Harry” Clint Eastwood impressions paint the actor in a state of awkwardness. Foxx does a good job of giving everything he possesses in charisma, action hero presence, and emotional gravity to his journey of rescuing his daughter from the grips of a corrupt government. Certain scenes allow Foxx to open up a can of physical acrobats that bring me promise for his eventual handle on the story of Mike Tyson. The name that will ring loud and clear from this film is Dominique Fishback who constructs a supporting performance sure to bring buzz to her stock; funny and charming enough to outshine her two established co-stars while getting a few minutes outside of the main story to display stellar wordplay improvisation.
The storyline of medical experimentation on black bodies rings in the same arena of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman who in the 1950s was discovered to have an immortalized cell line due to unwitting treatment carried on by surgeons at Johns Hopkins. As an oppressed population in the history of the United States, African Americans have been treated like unwilling guinea pigs all for the sake of advancing medical science. From the invasive experiments done to black women in the days of slavery, The Tuskgee Syphilis Experiment, and The Holmesburg Prison Experiments; it has been an ugly history that still inspires mistrust among African Americans in the modern-day. The writing mentions these historical parallels in passing which doesn't distract from the main appeal of its science fiction/action mashup but lacks the umph needed to convey that message to the audience. The impact would reverberate louder if these stories carried more of a cloud over everything instead of just a passing mention.
While much can be said in the promising aspects the film can offer for anyone looking for a fun couple of hours, the editing mishaps, exposition filled story, and overboard stylish trappings of the action leaves a bit of irritation. Surprises and twists are spelled out by characters before the said plot development occurs, cheating the viewer out of suspense and compelling storytelling. At times, the action turns into a messy collage of throbbing handheld angles and weird cuts that keep the action from being readable. Otherwise, there are some sequences that inspire “awe” in the visual design of explosions and powers in full form. Southern-inspired cinematography complete with beautiful choices in lighting that shows the city of Mardi Gras in her long-lasting elegance. Tributes are given throughout through the use of New Orleans Saints gear in the wardrobe department, city lingo, and musical touches that conjure the head to bob back and forth.
“Project Power” had the ingredients to really push forward more of an impact outside of an underwhelming mix of unfinished ideas and visual wonkiness. Foxx and Fisher make well with their runtime but the materials surrounding them, including Gordon Levitt, muster a blank scoreboard of victories.
RORSCHACH RATING:
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Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. This post was edited by Erica Burkey. Project Power is property of Netflix. We do not own nor claim any rights. Project Power is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.
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