The Midnight Man

I was expecting a weak thriller also-ran, but instead I got a very entertaining, unusual drama. A lot of movies are challenged by how to inform the viewer about what's going on, but the addition of a hostage is well engineered and gives us our everyman for exposition. She also provides a fantastic foil for a somewhat complex idea and has great chemistry with the protagonist.

A very unusual concept sets the movie apart but doesn't mire us down in overlong explanations or monologues. In fact many ideas that might have been over-dramatic in other movies are efficiently dispatched with a few lines. For example, establishing that our hostage has a young daughter (and thus a vulnerability) is handled in about three lines of dialog. I say this as a compliment, as the screenwriter has expertly relied on the audience to pick up on things instead of spelling out every single detail. This gives the dialog (and the movie) a very comfortable, natural feel.

The biggest twist of all was learning who wrote and produced the movie - a fantastic first outing for a pretty talented actress. I hope we see a lot more from her in the future.

In a world where action movies become more visceral, more demanding in their production and cinematography, "The Midnight Man" employs a sluggishly poor combat. Nevertheless, it also offers a few funny exchanges with solid script and presentable acting performance. The end product is a somewhat enjoyably one night stand with glaring flaws which are forgivable depending on your expectation.

Grady (Will Kemp) is a fixer for a mob boss with unique ability to not feel pain. In one bad night, he must eliminate four targets that may have more connection than he thinks. There's a shade of Ryan Reynolds here, as Will Kemp dons a similar witty agent while running from one bizarre situation to the next. He gets the jester part right, although there's some shoddy moments when trying to emulate a hardened criminal.

Brinna Kelly as Zan, the unlucky paramedic who got caught in the crossfire, is a fairly decent love interest and weird partner. Usually, this kind of Jason Statham's Transporter suave romance doesn't pay off, but the acting and chemistry makes it work more often than not. The supporting cast like Doug Jones and William Forsythe also deliver on the outlandishly named and portrayed characters.

The problem, and it's a rather significant one, comes when it tries to do action sequences. It's utterly horrible, bordering on Bollywood level. This makes the sturdy, flamboyant or charismatic characters into feeble men trying to deliver a punch and fail. At a couple of points it becomes ridiculous, which perhaps might be serendipitous or even intentional, but it betrays the serious thriller tone it just builds for five minutes.

Messy and sketchy, but hilariously entertaining at times. it's a sloppy trudge through a peculiar night elevated by its clever and humorous script.

This is a bit of a strange movie. A few minutes in and we were undecided as it was a little offbeat! At first I was thinking, hmmm, what's the caliber of the acting here, but it doesn't take long to realise that it's actually great given it's intentions. This is a great mix of humour and action and really really original. I found it refreshing to see something that made me think "hey, there are still people out there making movies that involve a bit of thought!".

The 2 lead actors are both excellent in their roles and play well together. But it's also some of the minor parts that really made me grin. And a good ending. So rare. So pleasing when you feel that the end warrants the (easy) investment. I would say that anyone that thinks this is mediocre doesn't get the point of this movie. For us, it was a movie that made us feel like we were part of the fun. Not many movies make me chuckle a lot, this did. Suspend your belief and just enjoy it!

I watched this movie on accident rofl. i meant to watch the horror movie that came out in the same year with the same name. i was surprised when it turned out to be a fun action movie instead of a horror, i figured i made a wrong assumption based on the name. the movie wasn't horrible, it had some enjoyment, but was pretty sucky overall (1 viewing)

"Do you know , Ezekiel always says that there's bad and then there's me. You see, your boss Pearl over there. He was very, very bad. I'm worse."

You think Grady (Will Kemp) is the new Batman? Or the successor of Spiderman? Maybe a reborn Superman or Ant-Man? So could he be a new super hero? No, not at all. Not in the strict sense of what we mean by a superhero. The only thing that makes him unique is a genetic disorder, which makes him totally numb. He feels absolutely no pain. Or the pleasure of a hot shower. Or even the blissful feeling of soft velvet sheets. Well, so erotic feelings won't please him either. You can say, he's the ideal assassin. Someone who laughs away the toughest tortures used by opponents who captured him. And that's how this highly original film starts. The first thing I thought was: "What the hell is this?".

Let me get straight to the point. This was a unique film that scores highly in terms of humor. The creativity meter is set to maximum, if you just look at the main topic. This is a typical example of an "under the radar" movie you eventually watch in a dismayed state. It's such a film you'll watch with a "ok-we-will-see" feeling and afterwards you come to the conclusion that you've witnessed something unique. My expectations were very low. If you're assuming this is just another crappy B-movie, you'll surely be pleasantly surprised. First the cast. Will Kemp, Brinna Kelly (besides looking extremely delicious, she's also a talented writer who co-wrote the script) and Doug Jones were totally unknown actors to me. But they played an outstanding role. There are also some well-known actors such as William Forsythe and Vinnie Jones. But lets be honest, the two protagonists are the shining stars in this entertaining film. Will Kemp was sublime. Grady is a cold-blooded hit-man with some fighting experience and skills. He surely could be accepted as a member of "The expendables". But above all, his sense of humor and imperturbability appealed to me the most. He has this sort of "Bruce Willis" attitude. The correct dose of dry humor. A feature that the original Willis apparently forgot about.

But Brinna Kelly was also perfect for the role as Zan. A nurse at the wrong place and time who gradually helps Grady with the task he must accomplish for Ezekiel (Brent Spiner). The funny thing is that Grady got some kind of medication which resulted in him having his sense of feeling back again. Not exactly an advantage if you're in the middle of a job with a deadline and you are aware there might be some painful confrontations. A nice twist in the story. And trust me, it's not the only one. The moment you think you know how the story is put together, a new and surprising twist shows up and turns the whole story upside down. I don't mention this often, but this time I can only admire the work the scriptwriters did here. Rarely I've seen such an original, creative and entertaining film. And this because of the unique script and the excellent performances.

I surely recommend "The midnight man". It's an entertaining mix of action, gory bits (no imagination needed to figure out what you'll see when they use nails during a torture session) and meticulously used humor. Once again a proof that among those films that aren't placed in the spotlights and countless movie lovers are awaiting for, you can discover a pleasant surprise. So go watch this movie and enjoy!

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