Boss Level

The story looks like it was written by two 10 y.o. boys and Joen Carnaham helped them to turn that into a script. Even if that was the case, it would be fine, really, because Boss Level is mostly good fun (I’m seriously lacking comedies among the genres) with only the occasionally unlikeable Frank Grillo. (31/03/2023)

A tight action B-movie with a time loop reminiscent of a video game with the excellent Frank Grillo, who has quite possibly the best performance of his career. The main character wakes up every morning with a bunch of assassins trying to kill him for reasons unknown, and when he fails, his day resets again. Very entertaining and playfully with lots of ideas, fine lines, and decent action, even though there are no proper fights or shootouts, it's mostly very spectacular and quick disposals, but it doesn't matter too much. Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts are just for show, but even in such a small space Mel managed to impress me, especially with his story with the snake. Good fun. Story****, Action****, Humor****, Violence***, Entertainment****, Music***, Visuals****, Atmosphere****, Suspense****. 8/10. (24/11/2020)

Original, fast-paced, fun. Understandably, it doesn't surpass the conceptually similar Edge of Tomorrow, the plot is too trivial for that, but that was not the intention. Carnahan sets the viewer on a sarcastic note from the start and doesn't take his foot off the gas until the very end, which is appropriately weird. The buffed-up Grillo shows that he can be a pretty likeable dad in addition to a perfect figure, so for daring to take his acting creations a step further, it's definitely a thumbs up. Gibson, meanwhile, plays his grizzled bad-ass standard of recent years. (11/12/2020)

Hmm, that a film called Boss Level doesn’t have, well, a boss level was quite a surprise. Otherwise, this is a likeable action time loop with a video game logic, where Frank Grillo has many attempts to overcome numerous obstacles in order to reach the final boss performed by Mel Gibson. And, as it’s clear from the opening statement of this review, the climax with Mel Gibson was not very satisfactory. But yeah, I had fun, I was in the mood for something this silly and easygoing, so bugger it, 4*, though I can imagine I would trash it if I were in a different mood; objectively, it’s bollocks after all… (29/11/2020)

Carnahan’s early Xmas gift to connoisseurs. Even though this is rather a cheap, nostalgically bloody production with just average special effects and an uncomplicated, nineties story, it has so many nods and so much self-parody that it’s easy to forgive. The time loop is the catalyst, but Boss Level is more about love of action, old video games and family. Frank Grillo is great as both ultimate killer and caring father. He reels off great one-liners, one after another, so you can’t help but root for him. Gibson enjoys himself greatly in the role of colonel with a savior complex who likes listening to himself speak. Naomi Watts manages to chisel out the most complex of characters in just two scenes. Great fun, but I’m very sad that I won’t be able to see it in the movie theater, thanks to Covid. There's something I don't like about him. He has that... trait. ... The overachiever who makes up for a lack of talent with hustle. (23/11/2020)