This Movie IS For:
- Those looking for fantastic over-the-top action but in a less bloody style than the director’s previous outing, Bullet Train
- People who want to see just how ripped Ryan Gosling can get (spoiler: very)
This Movie is NOT For:
- Anyone wanting a serious look at the stunt industry that’s going to make you think
- People expecting Bullet Train 2.0
A Brief Review With No Spoilers
Practical sets, effects, and action reign supreme in a cinematic world overrun by cheap CGI and cut corners. So, naturally, my interest peaked when I saw a trailer for a film about the workers who make practical effects—well, practical. The Fall Guy pulled me in with its premise of unrealistic action shot realistically, but kept me intrigued with humor, a plot so meta, American Fiction got jealous, and a clichéd action rom-com sensibility. It’s a fun popcorn movie without much depth, and it’s the perfect way to kick off the summer.
Watching trailers for The Fall Guy, it would be easy to write this off as another bland action film with hot people being hot. Don’t get me wrong, it is that, but it’s also more. The humor is reminiscent of Tropic Thunder down to fake trailers, movie stars playing caricatures of themselves, and over-the-top action. But the core of The Fall Guy is what makes it different. Yes, this is a movie that contains insane stunts, but it’s the ‘will they won’t they’ moments between stars Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling that make the core of the film. They’re overacted, cheesy, and right at home.
Where the film… falls… sorry, is in its length. Amazing action scenes keep the film engaging, but much of the plot feels muddled, and a fair bit of it is unnecessary. There were easily 10-20 minutes that could have been shaved off this movie to make the whole thing a tighter experience (he said, never having made a film or knowing much about editing). Yes, the movie points out when it’s doing clunky exposition as a meta bit, but that doesn’t entirely excuse the fact that it is still clunky exposition.
Even so, despite the longer runtime, The Fall Guy is enjoyable from start to finish. For fans of any of the lead actors or action cinema, this is a must-see. Everyone from the mains to the side characters knows their bit and sticks to it. The action looks incredible because the stunts were meticulous, and the movie never takes itself too seriously. I’m always happy for another popcorn action flick and would love to see more like this.
4/5 Stars – Yes, I do want to see Ryan Gosling trip balls and follow a unicorn
Like action and adventure? My book series, The Nick Ventner Adventures, is all about action spectacle, monsters, and a good whisky. There’s even a novella available in audiobook and included in Spotify Premium to help you get started. You can also buy signed copies on my site to support charity.
Ashton Macaulay 