Mar 2019 *
I've watched Dragged Across Concrete twice now since it was released to streaming this past Friday. It's not quite as good as Zahler's previous Brawl in Cell Block 99, but it's still pretty damn good.
Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn play cops who get suspended after someone records them on a cell phone using excessive force during a drug bust. They also may or may not be racists. They certainly aren't politically correct. Financially, the suspension is a problem for both of them. Gibson and Vaughn have people in their lives they care about and some extra money would do a lot to improve those people's lives. As a result, Gibson drags Vaughn along on a scheme to make some money in a not-so-legal method.
Then you have Tory Kittles and Michael Jai White. Kittles gets released from prison and soon discovers that people in his life could also use money. With the help of his friend, White, he's given an opportunity to make money. But like all good crime movies, Gibson/Vaughn and Kittles/White inevitably cross paths and some violent shit goes down.
It's great to see Mel Gibson again. I know he's had a lot of issues in his personal life, but I'm still a fan of his movies, particularly the Lethal Weapons and Mad Maxes. Where's Lethal Weapon 5 (7)? Vince Vaughn's not as cool in this as he was in Brawl in Cell Block 99, but this is still a huge improvement over the shit he used to make. "Anchovies."
I'm not really familiar with Tony Kittles or Michael Jai White. White played Black Dynamite, but outside of that and some small roles, I'm clueless. Apparently he was in Toxic Avenger Part 2 and 3 though. Nice start.
As I said, Dragged Across Concrete is good. Compared to Zahler's previous films, it's not as good as Brawl in Cell Block 99, but it might be a little better than Bone Tomahawk. If anything hurts Dragged Across Concrete, it's the length (two hours, thirty-eight minutes) and slow pacing. In my opinion, it's Zahler's slowest movie so far. Fortunately, the slowness is filled in with great dialogue.
I don't know what else to say besides, I'm drunk. I drank a bunch of whiskey during the second half of my rewatch of Dragged Across Concrete and because I felt bad about that, but I still wanted to drink, I switched to beer. I might have a problem. It's also past 7 AM here. Fuck sleep. As Ron Perlman says in Alien: Resurrection: "Sleep when you die, man." (I'll no doubt require a nap sometime between when I wake up this afternoon and before I sleep again. Irresponsibility is fun like that.)
Oh yeah, I remember what else I was going to mention: Zahler's next movie, Hug Chickenpenny. It sounds really different compared to his first three movies. According to what little I can see on IMDbPro without signing up:
"Hug Chickenpenny is an anomalous child. Born from tragedy and unknown paternity, this asymmetrical and white-haired baby inspires both ire and pity at the orphanage, until the day that an elderly eccentric adopts him as a pet. The upbeat boy's spirit is challenged in his new home as he is exposed to prejudiced members of society in various encounters."
I don't know what to expect. It doesn't sound anything like the movies he's made so far. Very... not violent. Is it fantasy? Animated? I'm sure we'll find out more soon enough.
Anyway, if you liked Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99, go watch Dragged Across Concrete. You'll probably like it as well.
Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn play cops who get suspended after someone records them on a cell phone using excessive force during a drug bust. They also may or may not be racists. They certainly aren't politically correct. Financially, the suspension is a problem for both of them. Gibson and Vaughn have people in their lives they care about and some extra money would do a lot to improve those people's lives. As a result, Gibson drags Vaughn along on a scheme to make some money in a not-so-legal method.
Then you have Tory Kittles and Michael Jai White. Kittles gets released from prison and soon discovers that people in his life could also use money. With the help of his friend, White, he's given an opportunity to make money. But like all good crime movies, Gibson/Vaughn and Kittles/White inevitably cross paths and some violent shit goes down.
It's great to see Mel Gibson again. I know he's had a lot of issues in his personal life, but I'm still a fan of his movies, particularly the Lethal Weapons and Mad Maxes. Where's Lethal Weapon 5 (7)? Vince Vaughn's not as cool in this as he was in Brawl in Cell Block 99, but this is still a huge improvement over the shit he used to make. "Anchovies."
I'm not really familiar with Tony Kittles or Michael Jai White. White played Black Dynamite, but outside of that and some small roles, I'm clueless. Apparently he was in Toxic Avenger Part 2 and 3 though. Nice start.
As I said, Dragged Across Concrete is good. Compared to Zahler's previous films, it's not as good as Brawl in Cell Block 99, but it might be a little better than Bone Tomahawk. If anything hurts Dragged Across Concrete, it's the length (two hours, thirty-eight minutes) and slow pacing. In my opinion, it's Zahler's slowest movie so far. Fortunately, the slowness is filled in with great dialogue.
I don't know what else to say besides, I'm drunk. I drank a bunch of whiskey during the second half of my rewatch of Dragged Across Concrete and because I felt bad about that, but I still wanted to drink, I switched to beer. I might have a problem. It's also past 7 AM here. Fuck sleep. As Ron Perlman says in Alien: Resurrection: "Sleep when you die, man." (I'll no doubt require a nap sometime between when I wake up this afternoon and before I sleep again. Irresponsibility is fun like that.)
Oh yeah, I remember what else I was going to mention: Zahler's next movie, Hug Chickenpenny. It sounds really different compared to his first three movies. According to what little I can see on IMDbPro without signing up:
"Hug Chickenpenny is an anomalous child. Born from tragedy and unknown paternity, this asymmetrical and white-haired baby inspires both ire and pity at the orphanage, until the day that an elderly eccentric adopts him as a pet. The upbeat boy's spirit is challenged in his new home as he is exposed to prejudiced members of society in various encounters."
I don't know what to expect. It doesn't sound anything like the movies he's made so far. Very... not violent. Is it fantasy? Animated? I'm sure we'll find out more soon enough.
Anyway, if you liked Bone Tomahawk and Brawl in Cell Block 99, go watch Dragged Across Concrete. You'll probably like it as well.
