Tag: Glen Powell

THE RUNNING MAN (2025) – Review

Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures’ “THE RUNNING MAN.”

Seems only a couple of weeks ago we saw a remake of a early 1990s classic thriller, THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. Oh yes, it was just a couple. Well, with only a few weeks left, Hollywood is unleashing another one. Ah, but this is going right to the multiplex, not “straight to streaming” like CRADLE. Oh, and this one’s original “take” (aside from the literary source material) was a few years earlier, 1987 to be precise. Plus, this new flick has a link to last week’s box-office champ. Arnold Schwarzenegger had a busy 1987, going from PREDATOR to this week’s new remake’s “inspiration”. This 2025 “edition” is getting a lot of “heat” since it’s helmed by a cult movie icon and stars an “up-and-coming” screen star. But can he somehow move faster than Arnold as a “2.0” spin on THE RUNNING MAN?


In the not too distant future, the gap between the “haves” and “have-not” seems to have lengthened considerably, especially now that a few corporations have their fingers in everything from the media to law-enforcement. One of the “have-nots” is hard-working stiff and struggling family man Ben Richards (Glen Powell). When we meet him, he’s begging that his former boss rehire him and take him off “the blacklist” for the unforgivable “crime” of meeting with a union rep over safety issues at the factory. But the answer is no, despite Ben bringing along his flu-stricken infant, Cathy. Ben returns to the Co-Op City slums where he shares a tiny broken-down apartment with his wife Shelia (Jayme Lawson) who’s working double shifts at a “gentleman’s club”. The frustrated papa clicks on the tube to catch some “Freevee”. Watching promos for the network’s slate of game shows, Ben believes that the only way to earn some quick medical funds for his daughter is to audition on a show. Promising Shelia that he won’t try out for the most dangerous of these programs, “The Running Man”, Ben heads downtown to the network studios, The staff there notices his fiery temper and sends him right up to the swank office of their big boss, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) who wants him for that most violent show. Dangling a possible billion dollar prize jackpot, Ben reluctantly agrees. He’ll be one of the new trio of contestants on “The Running Man”. But with a heavily armed squad of “hunters” on his trail, along with a citizenry eager for a bit of the “bounty”, can Ben stay alive for thirty days (no one has yet) and return to his loving family?

So, this truly makes it official. Powell is the “real deal” as a movie star, going from the frothy rom-com ANYONE BUT YOU to action lead here, with a slight detour in between into front the disaster-thriller TWISTERS. He brings us into Ben’s heart, willing to do anything to save his struggling family. But there’s no halo over his head, as Powell conveys that bubbling angry frustration that suddenly boils over. There’s also a touch of a charming rascal during the quieter comic interludes, before Powell displays his physical prowess in the many action set pieces. He’s also a great “team player” as Powell shares the screen with an impressive supporting ensemble. Brolin’s a focused business baddie who keeps his evil impulses cloaked, using his “goon army” led by a surly Lee Pace at the ready. Colman Domingo appears to be having a blast as the cynical, flamboyant game show MC “Bobby T”, doing a flashy “peacock strut”. As for the folks in “Ben’s corner”, William H. Macy is the surly, but soft-hearted tech wiz who is something of a father figure to him in a pivotal early scene. Much later, we meet the very intense Michael Cera as an “underground rebel” who balances “old school” methods (dropping pamphlets) with some creative weaponry (a “super-squirter”…really). And in the finale, a somewhat indifferent “have” played by Emilia Jones (CODA) has her mind and heart opened up by Ben. Also of mention are the excellence comic performances of Katy O’Brian and Martin Herlihy (SNL’s “Do Not Destroy”) as Jenni and Tim, Ben’s “less lucky” game show competitors.

That cult icon filmmaker at the helm is Edgar Wright (BABY DRIVER), who co-wrote this adaptation of the Stephen King (as his alias Richard Bachman) novel with Michael Bacall. Wright seems to be having fun as he plays in this big, flashy, sometimes grimy futuristic toy box. It’s a slightly satirical take on current pop culture extremes, though it may be relevant today after the 21st century rise of the reality completion shows, from “Survivor” to “Squid Game”. And without directly calling out the tech terror, Wright also shows the dangers of “AI” as footage of Ben’s battles and video screeds (he has to record himself every day and drop it in a “drone/mailbox”) is manipulated to serve the game’s “narrative”. Yes, some of the parody is almost “shooting fish in a barrel”, especially with the cutaways to a Kardashian-like program, but Wright builds on the media-skewing that ROBOCOP also did so well in 1987 (what was in the “water” that year). Many of the action sequences are inspired, as Ben rigs up found objects in an almost Rube Goldberg fashion to harm the “hunters”. But unfortunately it gets a tad tiresome as the story limps along to a finale that’s way too convoluted with (another action flick problem) far too many endings. Those fans of the original should get a kick out of this spiffy more modern take (though it’s hard to match iconic game-show host Richard Dawson back in the day), but the casual film fans may just feel worn out as hints of “test market tinkering” try to hinder the brisk marathon-pace of THE RUNNING MAN.

2.5 Out of 4

THE RUNNING MAN is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of THE RUNNING MAN – Starring Glen Powell

GET READY TO EXPERIENCE EDGAR WRIGHT’S THE RUNNING MAN ON THE BIG SCREEN!

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

Based on the Novel by Stephen King.

Directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Sean Hayes, Katy O’Brian with Colman Domingo and Josh Brolin, THE RUNNING MAN IS IN THEATRES, DOLBY CINEMA, 4DX, PREMIUM LARGE FORMAT AND IMAX ON NOVEMBER 14, 2025.

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM on Monday, November 10th at the Alamo Drafthouse City Foundry.

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: https://gofobo.com/TRMWAMG

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, and sexual references.

L-r, Katy O’Brian, Glen Powell and Martin Herlihy star in Paramount Pictures’ “The Running Man.”

©2025 Paramount Pictures. All Right Reserved.

See The New Trailer, Poster And NYCC Video For Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN – Score From Composer Steven Price

Paramount Pictures has released a thrilling new trailer for director Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN.

Streamed live from New York Comic Con, the NYCC panel for The Running Man featured Glen Powell, Lee Pace, and Edgar Wright in a conversation about the making of the film, along with an early look at this fall’s adrenaline-fueled action thriller, arriving only in theaters this November 14.

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

Based on the novel by Stephen King, the score is from Oscar-winning composer Steven Price (GRAVITY, BABY DRIVER, THE WORLD’S END and the upcoming COYOTE VS ACME).

Wright shared this photo of himself and long time collaborator Price on Instagram.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 10: (L-R) Edgar Wright, Glen Powell and Lee Pace attend “The Running Man” New York Comic Con Presentation at the Javits Center on October 10, 2025, in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN Trailer Is Here And Its So Much Fun! – Stars Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, And Colman Domingo

Paramount Pictures has dropped the first trailer for director Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN.

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television – a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite – and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

The cast includes Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, Michael Cera, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson with Colman Domingo and Josh Brolin.

“Welcome To The Running Man!!” This looks so GOOD!! People want fun movies and this definitely looks FUN.

THE RUNNING MAN is based on the Novel by Stephen King.

The original 1987 movie is celebrated for its cheesy 80s action, memorable characters, and surprisingly relevant themes, making it a cult classic that continues to be discussed and analyzed. This version starred Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) as a helicopter pilot framed as the “Butcher of Bakersfield” after refusing to fire on unarmed civilians during a food riot. He becomes the reluctant star of “The Running Man.” His signature one-liners and physical prowess are on full display; Damon Killian (Richard Dawson) as the ruthless and charismatic host of “The Running Man,” expertly played by Dawson (known for “Family Feud”). Killian embodies the manipulative and power-hungry nature of the media in this dystopian society. He’s a highlight, often stealing scenes with his smarmy charm and Amber Mendez (Maria Conchita Alonso) as an ICS (the state broadcaster) employee who initially believes Richards is guilty but eventually uncovers the truth and joins his fight.

But the best thing about the film were the villains. The Stalkers were colorful array of themed assassins providing memorable and often over-the-top challenges for Richards, including:

  • Subzero (Professor Toru Tanaka): A hockey-themed killer.
  • Buzzsaw (Gus Rethwisch): A chainsaw-wielding biker.
  • Dynamo (Erland van Lidth): An opera-singing, electrically charged stalker.
  • Fireball (Jim Brown): A flamethrower-wielding stalker.
  • Captain Freedom (Jesse Ventura): A former stalker who refuses to fight Richards dishonorably.

Some of the more memorable scenes were the Introduction to “The Running Man” show: The bombastic and spectacle-driven opening of the game show, with dancers, a cheering crowd, and Killian’s grand pronouncements, sets the tone for the brutal entertainment; Richards vs. the Stalkers: The various confrontations with the unique stalkers, often ending with Schwarzenegger delivering a classic one-liner after dispatching them. Highlights include the fight with Buzzsaw where Richards famously says, “He had to split.”; The “winners” reveal: The shocking discovery by Amber that the supposed past “winners” of The Running Man were actually murdered, exposing the show’s complete deception and The Resistance: Richards’ eventual alliance with the underground resistance movement, led by Mic (Mick Fleetwood), who work to expose the government’s lies. And finally The climactic confrontation andRichards’ final showdown with Killian, which sees Killian forced into a rocket sled and launched into the game zone, meeting a fiery end.

See THE RUNNING MAN on November 7.

TWISTERS – Review

(From left) Lily (Sasha Lane) and Tyler (Glen Powell) in TWISTERS, directed by Lee Isaac Chung. Courtesy of Universal Pictures

It’s summer, and tornadoes might be on the news and on your mind, so if a studio is releasing a disaster film with blockbuster hopes, tornadoes and storm-chasing are a good bet. There was just such a blockbuster hit back in the ’90s, TWISTER, starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. TWISTERS, starring the rising star of the moment, Glen Powell, and the cute Daisy Edgar-Jones, is a kind of decedent of that action thrill ride, although not exactly a remake nor a sequel but a hybrid of both. Of course, the real star is the visual effects, many generations advanced from the original, with flying objects and terrifying, unpredictable power of tornadoes. In sequel and remake mad Hollywood, you have to wonder what took them so long

The original action thriller had Helen Hunt as a research meteorological scientist chasing storms and grant-funding and Bill Paxton as her estranged husband, a researcher turned weatherman who is done with storm-chasing, plus competition from a corporate weather research company headed by a former colleague. Directed, surprisingly, by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar-nominated writer-director of MINARI, TWISTERS has some echoes of that original film but no academic researchers this time and a very different romance in the story. Instead, we have a professional meteorologist, Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) working with a private company and a tornado chaser Tyler Owens (from Texas, no less – Glen Powell), who meet on the windswept plains of Oklahoma. She isn’t there for academic research but to aid an old friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos) whose private weather research company is testing some new equipment and needs her expertise. The two have different reasons for being there, different style, different methods, different equipment, but both are there to chase tornadoes.

Glen Powell plays a showboat YouTube channel sensation, who along with his motley crew, chases tornadoes for their daredevil social media show, selling tee-shirts and trinkets along the way. Daisy Edgar-Jones is a professional in meteorology, now a respected figure working out of a high-tech office in New York, but once a storm-chasing Oklahoma graduate student, until a field test of her theory on how to “kill” a tornado goes tragically wrong, a traumatic experience that we see at the opening of the film.

But she is lured back to into the field, and her native Oklahoma, by an old friend who was part of the team helping her test her theory that day. The two have not seen each other for years but he reaches out to her for her expert help testing some new equipment for his weather-data collection business, providing precise, local data on tornadoes to his paying customers. We also get the sense that he has hope to reconnect with her in hopes of kindling romance.

The meteorologists gather in a field with other storm-chasers, some serious and others not, to watch the skies for a developing front with storm potential. YouTube star … and his wild crew pull in a red pickup truck and assorted dinged up vans with music blazing and hoots, drawing a crack from one in the crowd about rednecks from Arkansas.

Personally, I prefer more science in my science fiction (which this kind of is, since it deals in the science of weather and tornadoes), but there is little actual science in this remake/sequel. Kate’s old idea for stopping a tornado is pure fiction and there is a scene with an “eye” in a tornado (that’s hurricanes, not tornadoes, folks). But for most audiences, that won’t matter because they are just there for the FX, with are present in abundance – dazzling visual effects of the power of one of the most terrifying, dangerous forces in nature, the unpredictable tornado.

And you do get those visual jaw-droppers and a visceral thrill ride, although it takes awhile for the story to get started after the early terrifying sequence that shows why Kate is afraid to go back into the field of storm-chasing. After that flashback sequence, the film flashes forward to introduce characters in the present. We get some meet-cute scenes showing the differences between the free-wheeling Tyler and the more professional Kate, and to establish some of the differences between those chasing storms for data-collection and those chasing for thrills and social media likes.

Things really get underway as both sets of storm chasers are taking a break, with Tyler and Kate taking in a local rodeo. Things pick up quickly for the excitement and the storm effects, when a surprise night-time storm hits, sending everyone scrambling.

The effects in TWISTERS are truly thrilling, and massive things fly through the air (although no cows this time). The above sequence, and another awesome one with a movie screen, echo scenes in the original but everything is much bigger, and more impressive. However, audiences should note not to take advice from this film on what to do in a real tornado – heading for a movie auditorium is not the safe choice.

There is little science or accurate information about tornadoes in this one, and Kate’s theory on how to kill a tornado is pure fiction, but the tornado scenes do supply summer escapist thrills, if no practical advice. Also, the romance between the two leads never really takes off, unlike a number of truck and buildings, as there is little to no romantic chemistry between stars Daisy and Glen.

TWISTERS can provide some popcorn fun and summer thrills in the only safe way to encounter a tornado but movie fans hoping for a repeat of the emotional appeal of the original TWISTER likely will be disappointed, as this story is less involving. If you are just there for big visual effects, TWISTERS has thrill delights for you, particularly in a sequence in a movie theater.

TWISTERS opens Friday, July 19, in theaters.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of TWISTERS

UNIVERSAL PICTURES, WARNER BROTHERS AND AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT THE YEAR’S MOST EPIC THRILL-RIDE!

TWISTERS.  SEE IT. HEAR IT. FEEL IT… IN THEATERS JULY 19TH. 

RATED PG-13.

The St. Louis advance screening is at 7PM, on Tuesday, July 16th at The Galleria 6 Cine. (5:30PM or earlier Suggested Arrival)

PASS LINK: http://gofobo.com/CbraR27959

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Twin Twisters, in Twisters directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

This summer, the epic studio disaster movie returns with an adrenaline-pumping, seat-gripping, big-screen thrill ride that puts you in direct contact with one of nature’s most wondrous—and destructive—forces. 

From the producers of the Jurassic, Bourne and Indiana Jones series comes Twisters, a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster, Twister. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar® nominated writer-director of Minari, Twisters stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing, Normal People) and Glen Powell (Anyone But You, Top Gun: Maverick) as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes.

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system.There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better.

As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

Twisters features an exciting new cast, including Nope’s Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane (American Honey), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Nik Dodani (Atypical) and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney (Beautiful Boy).

From Amblin Entertainment, Twisters is directed by Lee Isaac Chung and is produced by Oscar® nominee Frank Marshall (Jurassic and Indiana Jones franchises) and by Patrick Crowley (Jurassic and Bourne franchises). The screenplay is by Mark L. Smith, writer of the Best Picture nominee The Revenant. Twisters will be distributed by Universal Pictures domestically and by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally. 

Watch The New TWISTERS Trailer Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones And Glen Powell

This summer, the epic studio disaster movie returns with an adrenaline-pumping, seat-gripping, big-screen thrill ride that puts you in direct contact with one of nature’s most wondrous—and destructive—forces.

From the producers of the Jurassic, Bourne and Indiana Jones series comes Twisters, a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster, Twister. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar® nominated writer-director of Minari, Twisters stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing, Normal People) and Glen Powell (Anyone But You, Top Gun: Maverick) as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes.

https://www.twisters-movie.com/

Debuting in theaters on July 19, watch the brand new trailer now.

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better.

As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

Twisters features an exciting new cast, including Nope’s Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane (American Honey), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Nik Dodani (Atypical) and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney (Beautiful Boy).

(from left) Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Javi (Anthony Ramos), and Tyler (Glen Powell), in Twisters directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

Get Ready For The Return Of The Disaster Movie In Epic New Trailer For TWISTERS

This summer, the epic studio disaster movie returns with an adrenaline-pumping, seat-gripping, big-screen thrill ride that puts you in direct contact with one of nature’s most wondrous—and destructive—forces.

From the producers of the Jurassic, Bourne and Indiana Jones series comes TWISTERS,
a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster, Twister. Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar® nominated writer-director of Minari, TWISTERS stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones (Where the Crawdads Sing, Normal People) and Glen Powell (Anyone But You, Top Gun: Maverick) as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes.

The trailer debuted during Super Bowl 2024.

Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Golden Globe nominee Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better.

As storm season intensifies, terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed, and Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.

TWISTERS features an exciting new cast, including Nope’s Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane (American Honey), Daryl McCormack (Peaky Blinders), Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Nik Dodani (Atypical) and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney (Beautiful Boy).

From Amblin Entertainment, TWISTERS is directed by Lee Isaac Chung and is produced by Oscar® nominee Frank Marshall (Jurassic and Indiana Jones franchises) and by Patrick Crowley (Jurassic and Bourne franchises). The screenplay is by Mark L. Smith, writer of the Best Picture nominee The Revenant. Twisters will be distributed by Universal Pictures domestically and by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally.

(from left) Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Javi (Anthony Ramos), and Tyler (Glen Powell), in Twisters directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

Twin Twisters, in Twisters directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

(from left) Lily (Sasha Lane) and Tyler (Glen Powell), in Twisters directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

Giveaway: Win A Digital Code To See DEVOTION, Streaming On Paramount+ January 8

DEVOTION streaming on Paramount + beginning January 8, 2023. CREDIT: Sony Pictures Entertainment/Paramount +

BUY ON DIGITAL JANUARY 8, 2023 WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN BONUS CONTENT WATCH THE FILM ON PARAMOUNT+ JANUARY 8, 2023

Paramount+ and Paramount Home Entertainment have announced that the epic and inspirational true story DEVOTION will be available to stream on Paramount+ and will be available to purchase on Digital beginning Sunday, Jan. 8 in the U.S. and Canada.

Directed by JD Dillard (“Sweetheart,” “Sleight”), Jonathan Majors (“Creed III”) and Glen Powell (TOP GUN: MAVERICK) star in the true story of two elite U.S. Navy fighter pilots who helped turn the tide in the most brutal battle in the Korean War: Jesse Brown, the first Black aviator in Navy history and his fellow fighter pilot and friend, Tom Hudner. Their heroic sacrifices and enduring friendship would ultimately make them the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen. Additional cast include Christina Jackson (“Swagger”), Thomas Sadoski (“The Newsroom”) and Joe Jonas (The Jonas Brothers, DNCE).

DEVOTION is directed by JD Dillard, with screenplay by Jake Crane & Jonathan A.H. Stewart, and based on the bestselling book by Adam Makos. The film is produced by Molly Smith, Rachel Smith, Thad Luckinbill, Trent Luckinbill and executive produced by JD Dillard, Glen Powell, Robert Simonds, Adam Fogelson and John Friedberg.

DEVOTION is rated PG-13 for strong language, some war action/violence, and smoking.

Digital Bonus Content

The Aviation of a Forgotten War

Take a deep dive into the world of 1950s U.S. Naval aviation and experience the epic aerial action brought to life in Devotion. Meet the actors in real planes used during the Korean War in this incredible behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.

The Legacy of Jesse Brown

Discover the extraordinary life of Jesse Brown, the first African American Naval Aviator, and explore his personal journey during the Korean War. Hear from the cast and crew as they discuss Jesse’s unique and complex story.

WAMG is giving away to five of our lucky readers a DIGITAL CODE – one winner will also receive the book DEVOTION based on, “Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice” by Adam Makos.

 The grand prize winner will also receive a free trial code to Paramount+.

DETAILS

  • Offer: 1 month Free Commercial-Free or Essential to Paramount+
  • Timing: 1/8-2/8
    • Please note that 1/8 is the premiere date, running for a month to allow a chance to redeem.
  1. EMAIL michelle@wearemoviegeeks.com to enter.
  2. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE/BOOK WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES. NO P.O. BOXES. NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.
  3. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
(L-R) Jonathan Majors as Jesse Brown, Glen Powell as Tom Hudner, Thomas Sadoski as Dick Cevoli, Nick Hargrove as Carol Mohring, Daren Kagasoff as Bill Koenig, Joe Jonas as Marty Goode and Spencer Neville as Bo Lavery in DEVOTION streaming on Paramount + beginning January 8, 2023. CREDIT: Eli Adé/Sony Pictures/Paramount +

DEVOTION(2022) – Review

It’s important to keep in mind when sitting down to the big holiday meal in a day or so, that many families will have a temporary missing seat at the table. That’s the case with so many households with loved ones serving in the military. And then there’s the empty seat that goes from temporary to permanent. This Thanksgiving weekend’s new film release touches on that with a tale of real-life heroism in the sky. Oh, but it’s not another TOP GUN wannabe, although it features one of the recent sequel’s hunky young stars. This is based on a conflict 72 years in the past. And, as I said, it’s all true concerning a group of men who possess a very special kind of DEVOTION.


The saga starts at a naval air base in Rhode Island as Navy fighter pilot Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) arrives for his new assignment. After checking in with his CO Dick Cevoli (Thomas Sadoski), Tom heads to the locker room and nearly runs into another pilot Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors). He’s the only African American flyer Tom’s ever met, but the men find they have much in common. Ditto for the rest of the elite squadron. However, Brown rarely socializes with his co-workers (he doesn’t even drink), preferring to spend all of his time with his wife Daisy (Christina Jackson), and their toddler daughter in their rented house. One night, Tom sees Jesse stranded after his car breaks down and offers him a lift home where Tom and Daisy share a beer. Soon after, time at the base gets more intense as Korea becomes a “hot zone. The whole squadron must get familiar with their new Corsair fighter jets in preparation for the “big show”. And things pick up even more when the squad is transferred to an aircraft carrier off the coast of Italy, where Brown must deal with on-deck landings and a group of racist Marines. Tom offers his help, but Jesse wants no special treatment. Everybody has a relaxing shore leave in Cannes, France (and rubs shoulders with an iconic silver screen starlet), But Tom and Jesse butt heads over dealing with equality and confronting prejudice. This flares up in Korea when Jesse ignores orders from Tom (put temporarily in command) during a bombing raid on a bridge. But they’ve got to put their “beefs” aside when they’re sent to back up ground troops during a deadly battle with an overwhelming horde of Chinese forces. Can they become a tight team and make it back home alive?

This story provides another terrific role for a star on the rise, Majors (he’ll soon face off against CREED before, reportedly, taking on the Avengers). His Brown is often quiet, even stoic, but we see that his emotions are bubbling beneath the surface. When he does vent, in a powerful solo sequence facing the camera as a mirror, Majors is riveting and heartbreaking as he rattles off a litany of racist bile he’s endured. Yet he also shows his tender side with his two loves (other than flying), Daisy and his sweet baby. When seeing this, Powell as Tom subtly sneaks in an envious grin. Yes, in many of the scenes, particularly with the French ladies, he’s got that Han Solo roguish charm, but Powell gives us much more of the inner soldier loyalty, building on his scene-stealing turn in the last TOP GUN flick. Sadoski projects a patriarchal warmth as the best “old man” these hotshots could ever hope to follow. He’s tough but doesn’t hide his pride and affection for his “guys”. And speaking of affection, Jackson shines as the apple of Jesse’s eye, who quietly worries for her spouse, but tries to coat her fear with a sassy, “no BS” demeanor. We also get an energetic group of young actors, including pop star Joe Jonas, who provide superb support for the lead duo.

Director J.D. Dillard has ably recreated the nostalgic look of the early 1950s tempered with the rise of tension in the early start of the “Cold War” (and those frozen Korean battlefields illustrate it). He shows us the monotony of the constant readiness for that siren to blare, ushering the guys into their cockpits. The screenplay by Jake Crane and Jonathan Stewart, adapting Adam Makos’ book, avoids several flying ace cliches while giving the Browns a rich, romantic backstory. At times the film gets bogged down with too many heated exchanges between Jesse and Tom over the racial bias of the era. Oh, but when this film gets airborne, it soars. with scenes almost as stunning, well as that other aerial epic from a few months ago. The planes twirl and twist, breaking formation and cutting the clouds from every possible angle. The dog fights are just as deadly as the ones in that “galaxy far far away”, and the sequence with the pilots making practice landings in their new rigs is a tense nail-biter. It all leads to an ending that’s a true emotional “gut punch”. It makes us wonder whether if in the similar type of situation, we’d have the same level of DEVOTION.


3 Out of 4

DEVOTION is now playing in theatres everywhere