Tag: stx entertainment

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE – Review

So, all savvy filmgoers know that the season for big, noisy action blockbusters is the Summertime (when the livin’ is easy), but with Spring break looming, well, why wait for some popcorn escapism? After all, we’re right in the middle of two big superhero franchise entries (from the competing studios), and a few days away from a thriller in a horror series, not to mention a sports sequel that opens on the same day. It may just be the perfect time for a spy spectacular since Bond is in flux (casting a new 007, y’know), Bourne is in limbo, and Mr. Cruise is about to trade in his flight suit for a tux full of nifty gadgets. I’m sure this new movie hopes to begin a “tentpole”, as it mixes in some satire and some “caper” elements (it’s a “movie mutt”, I tells ya’). Plus there’s a fan-favorite director behind OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE.

The opening sequence throws us right into the action as snippets of a violent attack on a secret lab are intercut with the clicks of a sharply attired Brit walking with purpose down a long hallway. At his destination, undercover operations supervisor Nathan Jasmine (Cary Elwes) gets his newest assignment from his boss Knighton (Eddie Marsan). It seems that the aforementioned attack was part of a theft of something deadly and unknown (it’s referred to as the “Handle”). And it appears that the thieves are going to sell it to the highest bidder, which would plunge the world into chaos. Nathan gets the go-ahead to assemble an elite team. His choice for leader, much to the ire of Knighton, is “human blunt force”, Orson Fortune (Jason Statham). His usual “cyber ace” (the “guy at the keyboard”) is part of a rival unit led by Orson’s “frenemy” Mike (Peter Ferdinando). The alternative is snarky American Sarah Fidel (Audrey Plaza). Luckily Orson’s backup “muscle” is on board, J.J. Davis (Bugzy Malone). As the mission ensues, Orson is surprised to see that a “bag man” is linked to undercover arms dealer Greg Simmons (Hugh Grant). But how to get past his heavily guarded estate? Just what does this billionaire want? Not if, but who. Greg was rebuffed when he tried to hire his favorite action film superstar Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) is “pop out” of his birthday cake. Sarah proves her cyber sleuthing “worth’ when she gets some dirt on Danny, thus adding him to the team. With Orson posing as his manager, and Sarah as his “arm candy”, can this unlikely trio pull a fast one on Greg and retrieve whatever the Handle is but the whole planet goes kaput?

In the title role, Statham once again delivers as one of the most consistent and compelling action stars. During several exciting action sequences ( a fight on a yacht, a chase into a building, etc.), this swaggering screen superman shows no hint of slowing down (as opposed to a certain 80s star whose stunt had to be “tweaked” and “sped up” AKA undercranking). The only problem is that his Orson, despite a new quirk (his “deal” involves private jets stocked with vintage vino), is pretty much like most of his other roles, even his self-parody in SPY. To give him a little more of a sparring partner, the filmmakers have cast Plaza, perhaps in hope of some “opposites attract” sparks. That never really ignites, but it’s a nice change for her from the edgy comedies and odd “indie flicks” ( though she was remarkably great in her crime thriller EMILY THE CRIMINAL, who could’ve kicked Orson’s tail). Yes, she does grab the laughs even though she’s saddled with the now cliche “gigabyte gobbledygook” (“Some firewall…I’m in!”), and really goes confidently “glam” as the big’s star’s “bimbo” Mikala. In that disguise, she has almost as much fun as Hartnett, who seems delighted to skewer spoiled, indulgent mega movie star “himbos”. Also “havin’ a laugh” is Grant who adds Greg to his growing roster of lowlife villains, combining elements of his Baddies” from THE GENTLEMEN and PADDINGTON 2. He can barely hold back a wink at the camera as he fawns over Danny while brazenly lusting for Mikala. Elwes has the stiffest of upper lips as the buttoned-down uptight exasperated head honcho, whose “slow burn” is matched by his superior Marsan. And kudos to Malone whose J.J. is a great laid back, highly skilled teammate to Orson.

Oh, that fave director I mentioned earlier, well it’s the prolific Guy Ritchie. Here he’s taking a respite from his low-class thugs and punks to hobnob with the smart set in lavish sets and locales, while sharp-dressed operatives ply their deadly trade. It’s all slickly and energetically done, but, well it’s just so familiar. From the aforementioned computer wizardry (I kept thinking of Napolean Dynomite’s “hacker” dreams) to the clumsy “actor tossed into real danger”, which was done so superbly in last year’s THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT (you can’t beat Nick Cage making out with himself). Perhaps this was due to the film sitting on the shelf too long as it changed studio hands and dealt with real-life global dustups. The big “reveal” of the Handle lands with a dud (it might’ve been a threat from S.P.E.C.T.R.E.), and the double and triple-crosses become more tiresome and confusing than clever. Despite Statham’s combat skills and Plaza’s off-kilter delivery, it all feels like a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE rip-off Netflix seems to churn out several times a year. And even though its mid-end credits sequence revels in a “biting the hand” wit, the gag fizzles, and flops much like the largely forgettable OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE. Wonder if that’s French for “failed franchise”?

2 Out of 4

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE is now playing in select theatres

THE CONTRACTOR (2022) – Review

Just a few weeks after the release of the armed forces “dramedy” DOG, Hollywood calls upon another of its “hunkiest” action stars/leading men to don the “camo” and “gear up”. Now there’s no specially trained canines to chase after in this film, but like Channing Tatum’s Briggs, this movie’s focus wants desperately to get “back in” and rejoin his “band of brothers” in the current “hot spot”. If only he was given a road trip/mission like Briggs. That’s the main reason his “title” changes. He’s not “the soldier”, but rather THE CONTRACTOR.


That “warrior” is named James (Chris Pine), who is still considered “wounded”. We first see him in his early morning routine in order to get his body back into fighting shape after taking a bullet to his right knee in his last tour of duty. But the jogging and the weightlifting “reps’ at his cabin “sanctuary” deep in the woods aren’t enough, prompting a few “injection enhancements. Unfortunately, the “docs” at the local military camp are able to detect his “juicing” and Jim is officially discharged from Special Forces. So how will he be able to keep the home he shares with nursing student/wife Brianne (Gillian Jacobs) and their pre-teen son Jack (Sander Thomas)? As the “past due” notices pile up and debt collectors fill their answering machine, James is enticed by a visit with his old “grunt buddy” Mike (Ben Foster). Seems that Mike has been earning loads of cash by offering his “special skills” as a military contractor, who “slips in under the radar”. He puts James in contact with the director of the contracting company, another vet named Rusty (Keifer Sutherland), who offers a nice “gig”. Despite Brianne’s pleading, James gets his gear in working order and joins Mike in an undercover assignment in Berlin. They’ve got to ‘scoop up” a radical scientist that’s creating biological weapons. And though the plan is simple, several things go “sideways’ as James is separated from the team and becomes a “loose end” to be “severed”, As his wound acts up can James keep himself alive and somehow make it back to the states?


Taking a break from the twin “tentpole” franchises that are WONDER WOMAN and STAR TREK, Pine proves that he can get “down and dirty” as a “working Joe”/action hero carrying (he may be in every scene) this grim “grabbed from the headline” dramatic thriller. James is no “super-soldier” as he winces in pain pushing his battered body in the opening “getting back in shape” sequence. But that’s merely a prelude to the agony to come. First up is humiliation and frustration as his military “home” pushes him aside adding extra tension to his actual home as Pine shows us the worry closing in on James as forces “pick him clean”, making him to grasp at any lifeline, no matter how shady. And when the “payday” goes awry PIne shows us how James tries to ignore his old and new wounds while holding on to his moral code which further complicates his survival. As usual Foster is solid as the old cohort Mike who may not be completely open about their new “C.O.” and recruiters. Sutherland slathers on the “fatherly charm” and “gung ho” encouragement as he binds James with a promise of quick moola with little risk. Jacobs is a welcome addition to the story, but her Brianne is later regulated to the cliched “spouse on the phone” when the story shifts into “chase and elude mode”. Though introduced close to the big finale, Eddie Marsan is a welcome supporting player as the mysterious Virgil who comes to the aid of the battered James.

The script from J.P. Davis switches gears from domestic drama to globetrotting thriller, a detour carefully executed by director Tarik Saleh, who knows when to concentrate on character and when to “amp up” the tension and plunge us, alongside James, into the “danger zone”. He makes excellent use of the overseas locales as James and Mike stalk their “target”, then slowly lets us in on the “truth”. The “hand-to-hand” throwdowns are staged and shot effectively, while the “fire fights’ are filled with moments of chaos and calamity. Unfortunately, the real villains and motivations fall “into place” too cleanly and the last act denouncements and showdowns seem too rushed, letting the story seem too familiar to any number of military action “potboilers”. The first-rate cast can’t quite elevate the “plot beats” making THE CONTRACTOR an intermittingly engaging but quickly forgettable modern-day “shoot em up”.

2 Out of 4

THE CONTRACTOR opens in select theatres and is available as a video-on-demand beginning on Friday, April 1, 2022

GREENLAND – Review

You can count the days on one hand now. Less than a week before the biggest holiday on the calendar, the one that brings families together (most years, now…). Yes, Christmas unites families as does imminent disaster (as the frequent lockdowns of the pandemic have proven). But what if we’re talking about mere hours, rather than these extended quarantine periods? Could you somehow set aside everything (conflicts, distance) to fight the panicked throngs and get your loved ones to a place of somewhat uncertain safety? That’s the challenge facing the Garrity’s in this Earth-shaking (literally) new dramatic thriller. Perhaps their only chance of survival exists across the Atlantic in GREENLAND.

John Garrity (Gerard Butler) toils as a construction exec in Atlanta GA. His ability to leave the site early rarely happens, but he’s hosting a big neighborhood BBQ/ watch party. But what are they watching? Is it a sporting event? No, they’ll be looking at the news reports as the much-publicized Clarke Comet finally enters our planet’s atmosphere. It’s generally thought that most of the comet will evaporate, but it’ll hopefully be a pretty light show. When John returns home we learn that his marriage to Allison (Morena Baccarin) is strained, but they’re putting on a happy face for their friends and their sweet seven-year-old son Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd). On a shopping trip for last-minute supplies, the boys are surprised by a fleet of jets zooming overhead. In the store, the alarm setting from John’s phone begins blaring. It’s a message from the NSA saying that he, his wife, and son should pack a bag and report to the nearest air force base for emergency relocation. He and Nathan return home just in time for the first bit of the comet’s debris to hit. John is shocked when its force sends out a shock wave that knocks him to the ground and breaks the house’s windows. It seems that the government and media were downplaying the danger of Clarke. The trio quickly packs their bags and jump into their SUV. Of course, it’s a madhouse at the base as a mob tries to get past the gate. Luckily John shows the guards the text message code on his phone. Inside the hanger, they discover that Nathan’s diabetes meds were left in the car. But as John goes to retrieve them, the supervisors learn of the child’s ailment. Those with medical conditions are not allowed on planes. As the arrival of the big chunk of Clarke known as the “planet killer” nears, John is separated from his wife and son. Can they reunite and make the long trek to her father’s home in Knoxville in time. And could there be a way for them to find perhaps the only safe haven from the world’s end?

The most impressive skill set that the main cast utilizes is the ability to sustain a consistent level of hysteria in many of the story’s most harrowing sequences. In fact, this is the best work in a while for Butler, who has been bouncing between mediocre to near-unwatchable “rom-coms” and action “potboilers” for much of the previous decade. He makes John Garrity a believable “everyman” who is dumbfounded by the government’s efforts to “scoop him up”. Later we see his torment at having to ignore the pleas of his neighbors as he dashes away. And when he must defend himself (and he really tries to talk things out) we see the shock in his eyes as the violent encounter takes a fatal turn. Butler shows us how John pushes past the extreme trauma and exhaustion to hold on to his family. Baccarin is an equal partner, trying to comprehend this disruption to their lives, then switching into “mama Grizzly” mode to protect her child. Like her hubby, she nearly gives in to grief and despair but never lets that flicker of hope get extinguished. Floyd is a most endearing moppet, who conveys Nathan’s fears but is able to summon up his bravery in several harrowing scenes. A few of those are with David Denman and Hope Davis who are very effective as a helpful couple that might be hiding some truly evil intentions. A very pleasant surprise saved for the final act is the casting of the underused Scott Glenn as the patriarch that’s tough with his son-in-law (John knows that he’s “got it coming”) and tender with his grandson. He can’t stop a comet, but his Dale could protect his “kin” against almost anything.

Director Ric Roman Waugh (a former stuntman) does a terrific job giving us a sense of the scope of the disaster, while not losing focus on the intimate tale of a family slowly healing as they fight to survive. Thanks no doubt to some subtle CGI trickery, we can feel as though we’re right in the middle of the uncontrollable mobs that respect nothing in their path. The fairly tight script by Chris Sparling has a bit of an episodic feel or (for your classic film buff) the beats of a movie serial with the Garrity clan facing another new perilous challenge at the end of every “chapter” ( or in this feature film’s case every ten or twelve minutes). The stunt performers are top-notch, from a car chase through a packed highway to a punishing attack from above by hot comet chunks (a constant stream of flaming softballs). Overall the flick delivers what it promises in nail-biting, world-ending thrills, and suspense. After nearly nine months of stress, it may be comforting to see what could happen if things got a whole lot worse. It doesn’t quite have the nostalgic vibe of those 70s catastrophe classics (the Irwin Allen flicks or the AIRPORT series), but if you’re in the need of a ride that’ll keep you on the edge of your sofa (or recliner) than book a trip to GREENLAND.

2.5 Out of 4

GREENLAND is available as a Video-On-Demand via most streaming apps and platforms beginning Friday, December 18, 2020.

THE GENTLEMEN – Review

As THE IRISHMAN begins the home stretch to the Oscars are you in need of another mob movie fix? Like Scorsese, this director has a history of flicks about the “thug life” featuring guys and goons that can “lean” on anybody that gets in the way. Well, this is one quite a bit different as it’s not set on the mean streets of East Coast USA, but rather in swinging (like a pendulum do’) London, so it’s got an international flavor. Plus this flick expands past Picadilly into the country estates and castles (hitmen at Downton Abbey. oh dear). So it involves the elite, but people who don’t fret about getting blood spilled on those custom-tailored suits and gowns. Yet, somehow most of the world believes that these “goodfellas'” can still be called THE GENTLEMEN.

After a brief flashforward involving one of the plot principals, the story really begins on a dark night as Ray (Charlie Hunnan) discovers a most unwelcome visitor lurking in the shadows of his plush home. It’s a sleazy P.I. named Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and he’s got a business offer. He’s just finished a job for “Big” Dave (Eddie Marsan), editor of the popular tabloid the Daily Print, digging up lots of “dirt’ on Ray’s boss, “cannabis king” Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey). But Ray can buy it all from Fletcher before it sees print. Of course, Ray needs a hint at what he’d be buying. We get the backstory on Mick: born to poor parents in Florida, USA he wins a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, where he balances his studies with a lucrative pot-selling “side hustle”. He amasses a “weed” empire, deciding to put down roots in the UK by marrying the gorgeous Rosalind (Michelle Dockery). They rub elbows with the highest of high society, which answers one of the mysteries about him. Namely, where does he grow and produce his “primo” product”? He attracts the attention of another rich Yank, Matthew Berger (Jeremy Strong), who intends to buy the operation. Luckily Mickey wants to start a family, so after naming a hefty price tag he lets Berger in on the big secret. Mickey has made deals with the cash-strapped “upper-elites” (the Earls, Lords, etc.) to set up underground greenhouses on their secured properties. Mickey even takes Matthew to visit one. Then word leaks out about Mickey’s retirement. An ambitious young mobster from the East, Dry Eye (Henry Golding) makes an offer that’s is quickly rejected by Mickey. Then that secret “bush” locale is hit by a bunch of young thugs. Throw in a tough boxing coach named, well, Coach (Colin Farrell), and the drug-addled daughter of royalty, and it’s starting to look as though Mickey will never “get out”. But just how much evidence does Fletcher have? And will Ray convince his boss to buy it?

A stellar cast has been assembled for this crime caper with Oscar-winner McConaughey front and center as the American who’s just as sophisticated and cultured as any of the native brits (well, really more so than most in this tale). He seems to be channeling more of this TV ad persona (you’ve seen those baffling car ad in which he’s featured) than most of his screen work (Mickey is almost the inverse of the yahoos in GOLD, MAGIC MIKE, and even DALLAS BUYERS CLUB). He’s smooth as silk, only creasing his GQ ensembles when someone disrespects him. Or when he’s around his wife. Much like Gomez in THE ADDAMS FAMILY his Mickey is hopelessly enamored of the ravishing Rosalyn played with a smoldering tough sensibility by Dockery, who seems ecstatic to be out of the Downton finery. Another “happy camper” is Grant who can barely contain his joy in being cast as the skeevy, pervy (his threats to Ray are mixed with aggressive flirtations) private eye. He flits about the screen like a mischievous imp as he spins a tale of double-crossing and deceit. Farrell is quite entertaining as the gruff, no-nonsense Coach who only gets his hands dirty in order to protect his beloved “lads”. Speaking of dirtying your hands, Goulding appears to relish his turn as the scowling, always plotting Dry Eye, who seethes as he’s denied a seat at the “adults’ table”. Strong scores as the somewhat foppish (not quite the fashion plate as Mickey), but dangerously brilliant (at least two steps ahead) Berger. And as Mickey’s #1, Hunnam is everything you’d want in a right-hand man, though he’s got a real cleanliness mania, whether it’s Fletcher removing his shoes or having to go into a high-rise drug “nest”. Filth is this tough guy’s Kryptonite.

This flick marks sort of a homecoming, or at least a return to his roots, of director Guy Ritchie, who also wrote the screenplay with a story assist from Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. In the dozen years since ROCKNROLLA Ritchie has bounced about from the RDJ Sherlock HOLMES franchise, to franchise wannabe THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., to the darned near-unwatchable KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD, to last Summer’s fairly sanitized ALADDIN (though not the worst of the live-action reboots). He’s back in his “comfort zone” and his “home turf” as he keeps the action zipping briskly along while throwing us many unexpected curves and bits of inspired hilarity (Old MacDonald will never sound the same). Ritchie even throws in some satiric jabs at his own profession as Fletcher indulges his own cinematic aspirations (he includes a screenplay in his blackmail package). And he still has a taste for film making flourishes, slowing down the actions, speeding scenes in reverse, along with creating a rap music YouTube street-fighting video. Sure he still peppers the script with “F-bombs” (and being in the UK there are “C-bombs”) and blood, though he saves the gore to make the most impact. And there’s even a nice tribute to the recently departed, much-missed “Mr. Creosote”. Needless to say, the fancy mansion and wardrobes are quite dazzling. To sum things up, THE GENTLEMEN is an unpredictable, most welcome return to the lowlife and high-class law-breakers in Guy Ritchie’s London underworld.

3 Out of 4

21 BRIDGES – Review

Here’s a nice little break from the serious award-bait winter films and the heart-tugging holiday family flicks. I’m talking about a taut lil’ action thriller that harkens back to old movie palace double features. You see, when the major studios controlled the theatre chains, they’d roll out a big prestige flick with a big budget and their “over the title” stars, and for the second part of the evening program it would be paired with a smaller budget flick, often referred to as a “B” picture, and usually a detective mystery or a cop vs. criminals caper. The “B” would be a great way for up and coming directors, actors, and screenwriters to establish themselves. Now, this week’s new action romp stars an actor whose last couple of films were big box office smashes (in the billion-dollar range), but it really exudes the “B” picture spirit with a director plucked right out of some of TV’s hottest shows, and stunts a lot more “down to Earth” than the F&F style franchises. It’s a gritty and grim saga of cops and robbers all set on the big city that’s only accessible by 21 BRIDGES.

And that saga starts twenty years ago as twelve-year-old Andre Davis tries to hold back the tears at the memorial for his father, a member of New York’s finest gunned down in the line of duty. Flash forward to today as adult Andre (Chadwick Boseman), now himself a cop (investigating detective to be precise) is facing the review board of Internal Affairs after he’s returned fire on a suspect. Seems he has a “rep” for not hesitating to draw down if threatened (nearly 10 times in as many years). Once again, Andre is cleared for duty and returns home to help care for his ailing mother. Much later, just a bit after midnight, a “muscle” car pulls into the alley outside a closed Brooklyn pasta palace. Two men, both former military, Michael (Stephan James) and Ray (Taylor Kitsch), pull out their assault weapons and pull up their bandanas, revealing only their eyes. After tricking the place’s night manager into letting them in, the duo is stunned to find 300 kilos of cocaine in the big walk-in freezer (they’d been told that only 30 K was there next to the pre-made lasagnas). But when they try to leave with several stuffed “take-home” bags full of powder, Michael and Ray encounter four patrolmen at the front entrance. Gunfire is exchanged and after a violent battle, the thieves race into the night, leaving eight dead cops in their wake. Andre is brought in, and because of the large haul of drugs left behind, he’s paired with narcotics detective Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller). At the crime scene is Captain McKenna (J.K. Simmons) of the nearby 85th Precinct. He knows about Andre and states, loudly, his wish that the “perps” never make it to trial. Andre examines the debris and tells his superiors, including the deputy mayor, that the crooks can only move their “merch” on the island, therefore all roads into Manhatten, including all 21 bridges, trains, and flights, will be closed off until the killers are caught. The “DM” finally agrees, but for only five hours. The city has to be back in business by 6 AM. Andre gets to work as NYC is “flooded with blue”. He’s got to find the guys, but he’s got a feeling that there’s more to this than a drug heist gone really, really bad.

Boseman oozes big star charisma as the one cop you don’t want on your case. In his opening scenes, he shows us the heartbroken little boy still at the center of trigger- (“watch the pronunciation”) happy Andre, full of contempt for those who question his methods. But he changes over the course of the movie as he becomes more thoughtful. Boseman conveys his slow realization that he’s being used like a pitbull unleashed, and is stunned to find that he begins to have empathy for both the victims and accused. Miller joins him in a departure from her often glamorous roles, her hair pulled back as she pounds the Bronx accent with vigor (lotsa’ ‘dems and ‘dese’) as Frankie (not Frances or, forbid, Francine). The thugs on the run offer a strong contrast. Kitsch is quick to strike, “double-tapping” the wounded without any hesitation, perhaps eager to punish anyone in his way. James, as Michael, is also an expert marksman, but winces in battle, perhaps still stunned that the quick score turns into a grueling “firefight”. He soon learns that his bond with Ray has put him in a corner, and forces him to use his wits and speed to survive the night. Simmons, as usual, is quite effective as the grieving but vengeful mentor. And look for a terrific turn by Alexander Siddig as the most effete money-laundering expert ever, complete with Vincent Price-style evening robe.

Director Brian Kirk, fresh from helming episodes of lauded TV shows “Game of Thrones” and “Penny Dreadful”, confidently enters the contemporary cop thriller arena. His early scenes with the botched drug heist crackle with tension and energy. And he’s able to keep the pace taut throughout this long violent night. Thanks to the screenplay from Matthew Michael Carnahan and Adam Mervis (story too) just enough info is doled out so we, along with Andre, slowly learn that there’s much more to this manhunt than these two guys on the run. The story is given a real urgency thanks to the location work with Philly often doubling for NYC. And after a summer of blockbusters, it’s nice that whole city blocks aren’t leveled and cars really adhere to the laws of gravity. And despite the multiple endings, the whole thing clocks in at a lean and mean 100 minutes. 12 BRIDGES is an “A” flick that emulates the very best of the “B” spirit.


3 Out of 4

David Jaher’s “The Witch of Lime Street” Coming To The Big Screen

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STX Entertainment has acquired motion picture rights to David Jaher’s “The Witch of Lime Street: Seance, Seduction and Houdini in the Spirit World,” it was announced today by Oren Aviv, President and Chief Content Officer for the STX Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

The true story inspired by real events chronicles the thrilling rivalry that simmered and grew more intense and mysterious as Harry Houdini and a panel of investigative experts embarked on a quest to debunk the world’s most gifted and accurate psychic and spirit medium of the era, Margery Crandon, known as The Witch of Lime Street.

Andres Muschietti (Mama) will develop, direct and produce the mystery thriller from a screenplay written by Jaher. The film will also be produced by Barbara Muschietti.

Based on David Jaher’s book of the same name, The Witch of Lime Street will be a gripping supernatural film set in post war 1920s about Harry Houdini, the legendary magician and occult expert, and his escalating rivalry with Margery Crandon, a woman who was considered to be the only real medium in New York City. An era better known for its jazz and glamour than for its dark obsession with the occult, the loss of lives in World War 1 gave rise to an intense desire to communicate with the dead and spawned a rash of self-proclaimed psychics. Houdini made it his personal mission to debunk fake spiritualists as frauds and charlatans by revealing their tricks. But Houdini meets his match in an alluring high society flapper known to her many astonished followers as Margery, The Witch of Lime Street, pitting the brash illusionist against dark and dangerous forces of the underworld, with Margery his ultimate target.

“Quite a few producers and studios were pursuing rights to this book for very good reason,” said Oren Aviv.  “This is a spellbinding and exciting true story that weaves a fantastic mystery and lots of intrigue with history involving some of the most renowned and iconic figures of the era. The timeless question: ‘is there life after death?’ is explored through a scientific quest to investigate and validate supernatural phenomena. Ultimately the film leads to an epic showdown and otherworldly confrontation as the world renowned occult master Harry Houdini takes on the world’s greatest psychic Margery Crandon.”

STX Entertainment’s Vice President of Production Sheroum Kim will oversee development of the project on behalf of the studio.