Going Around in Circles, Disjointed ‘On Swift Horses’ Is Frustrating Misdirect

Going Around in Circles, Disjointed ‘On Swift Horses’ Is Frustrating Misdirect

By Lynn Venhaus

Pretty people and sun-dappled scenery wind up being ineffective in a shallow head-scratcher, “On Swift Horses,” a stagnant 1950s melodrama heavy on turgid soap opera and light on authentic emotion.

Two card sharks, a freedom-yearning woman from Kansas, and a traditional breadwinner in the 1950s seek the suburban American Dream after the Korean War. While their lives intersect, they are actually very far apart in their wants, needs and desires.

Trying to imitate Douglas Sirk’s lush films from that era, director Daniel Minahan’s queer period piece addresses how homosexuals had to remain closeted during a very repressed and cookie-cutter time but fails to connect in any meaningful way.

An example of style over substance, this is the kind of film where chain-smoking cigarettes substitute for pensive thoughts and inner torment. And they all live in the shadows.

Sirk, who made “Magnificent Obsession,” “All That Heaven Allows,” “Written on the Wind,” and “Imitation of Life” from 1954 to 1959, captured attractive people who were trapped by social conditions, and his overwrought stories appealed because his filming featured splendid cinematic set pieces, and matinee idols like Rock Hudson and Lana Turner.

With such well-regarded performers as Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter in what you may think is a seductive love triangle (trailer is a misdirect), one hoped they’d make us care about their journeys, but the story fails to provide reasons to be interested in what happens.

The trio is built up to appear “longing,” only they smolder and do not ignite. This disjointed adaptation of Shannon Pufahl’s 2019 novel by screenwriter Bryce Kass is overstuffed, not satisfying with basics. Neither did his lackluster “Lizzie” in 2018, which did not go far enough in fleshing out accused ax murderer Lizzie Borden.

Sure, they are a tempting pair, Elordi and Edgar-Jones, but do their character’s mutual connection benefit either? They spend most of their time in separate turmoil, with only a few scenes together.ccc

Oh, the trio try for big emotions, but it’s dialed down, as they speak in hushed tones and move around in scenes lit in such moody, murky atmospheres that it is almost too dark, so that is aggravating. Now, the stylish costumes designed by Jeriana San Juan, and distinct make-up and hairstyles are fabulous, but that can’t be the only selling point.

Muriel (Edgar-Jones) chafes at convention – doomed to be a typical wife in post-war America although she reluctantly attempts to fit in — while brothers Lee (Poulter) and Julius (Elordi) are Korean War veterans. The film starts in 1952 but it’s not clear how much time passes.

These young adults have different goals and desires, but fumble badly in their communication with each other. Lee talks in code about his wayward, secretive brother Julius who is always flirting with the wild side. “He has passions of his own. He’s just not like us,” he tells his wife.

The handsome Julius is a smooth gambler and gay hustler who falls in love with Henry (Diego Calva) while working in Las Vegas. Much of the interaction doesn’t feel genuine, and lack of convincing chemistry is an issue.

However, Elordi and Edgar-Jones have a spark when Julius and Muriel meet, becoming pen pals and share some, but not all, of their secrets. Don’t think this is going anywhere because it’s not.

At the diner she works at, Muriel overhears customers talking about their picks for the racetrack, so she starts playing the ponies with those tips. It’s a thrill for her to win and live a double life, stashing away the cash without her husband’s knowledge.

Lee, a total straight arrow who loves his wife and desperately wants the fantasy suburban life including a ranch house in a subdivision that signals middle-class prosperity. Developers are buying up farms and fields in San Diego for the “Baby Boom.”

One of the neighboring farms where Muriel purchases eggs and takes a shine to olives – and the woman selling them, Sandra (Sasha Calle). They become entangled in a clandestine affair.

Those hiding secrets are on a collision course for crash-and-burns, but whether you want to invest in their mess depends on how impatient you feel, for the pace is sluggish and resolutions are prolonged. And why does it take nearly 2 hours to tell this insipid story?

I fret that Elordi, promising as Elvis in “Priscilla” and as the rich golden-boy Felix in “Saltburn,” is a one-trick pony, destined to be the bad boy with the sad eyes. Let’s hope not, because he’s playing Heathcliff to Margot Robbie’s Catherine in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic gothic novel “Wuthering Heights,” due out next year.

Poulter, who seems to be everywhere these days, recently in “Warfare” and “Death of a Unicorn,” is saddled with an underdeveloped character and being boxed in as the cuckolded husband. And would you believe he and Elordi are brothers?

After taking risks, Edgar-Jones’ character is mired in blandness. The actress, feisty in last year’s “Twisters” and superb in “Where the Crawdads Sing,” makes Muriel sympathetic but needed to give her more dimension. It’s a letdown.

Tell us something we don’t know and would like to know and not foist half-baked performative junk at us and call it alluring. “On Swift Horses” goes in circles and limps to the finish line with a clumsy ending that doesn’t answer any questions raised. It’s a safe bet you can skip this gussied-up charade.

“On Swift Horses” is a 2025 drama directed by Daniel Minahan and starring Jacob Elordi, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Will Poulter, Diego Calva and Sasha Calle. Its run time is 1 hour, 57 minutes, and it’s rated R for sexual content, nudity and some language. It opens in theatres April 25. Lynn’s Grade: D+

Intense ‘Warfare’ Powerful Reminder of Brotherhood and Human Cost

Intense ‘Warfare’ Powerful Reminder of Brotherhood and Human Cost

By Lynn Venhaus

Accurately described as the most realistic war film ever made, “Warfare” is a harrowing and intense depiction of the Iraq War based on the recollections of a Navy SEALS platoon during the Battle of Ramadi in 2006.

“Warfare” embeds audiences on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory as a boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood based on the memory of the people who lived it.

Filmmaker Alex Garland, known for “Civil War” and “Ex Machina,” has teamed up with military veteran Ray Mendoza to write and direct a daring and gripping account of one day’s work, all from first-hand accounts.

After his military discharge, Mendoza has served as a film consultant, including for Garland’s “Civil War,” “The Outpost” and “Lone Survivor.” His expertise is paramount to this film succeeding and its visceral storytelling is admirably efficient.

In its 96 minutes, we see the U.S. forces take on the al-Qaeda insurgents in the capital of Anbar province, and it unfolds as if in real time in a naturalistic style. The screenplay is written like a transcript, and the soldiers go through their methodical routines.

Yet, there is an emotional charge. Garland and Mendoza filmed this war drama with such meticulous detail that you feel the tension, the clock ticking, the exactness of surveillance evidence, the danger lurking, maneuver plans, and the aftermath of an ambush as if we’re peeking through a hole in the apartment they’ve taken over.

D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai plays Ray, the real-life soldier who co-wrote “Warfare.”

Like them, we wait for some movement or something to happen as they watch “military age men” in the street gather and look for signs of activity that would indicate an attack is imminent. As things developed, it makes a point: “Are we ever prepared to witness the graphic consequences of an explosion’s destruction?”

With their military training, the guys respond to their shifting minute-by-minute interactions with split-second compassion and quick-thinking remedies. This film focuses on teamwork, not individual character development, with the mindset that they are a band of brothers. But you feel everyone’s bravery and their fear.

Known as the “Gettysburg” of the conflict, the Ramadi battle was a key turning point, and it lasted from mid-March through mid-November. At least 75 American soldiers and Marines were killed, along with an unknown number of Iraqi soldiers and police.

The battle led to the formation of the Anbar Awakening, where Iraqi tribal groups rejected al-Qaeda and cooperated with U.S. forces.

Mendoza lived through the operation, and the actor playing him is the charismatic D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai, an Emmy nominee as Bear Smallhill in “Reservation Dogs.”

Will Poulter as platoon leader Erik.

Do not expect backstories – families, hometowns, why they enlisted – because that information does not factor into the team focus.

You won’t really get to know the individual guys that well, and it may be hard to discern these young actors in all their gear, but a few do stand out by virtue of their assigned role.

The cast of up-and-comers may look somewhat familiar, as you’ve likely seen some of their work, but they blend in as men in service to each other. Each plays a real person, with character actor Will Poulter, recently in “Death of a Unicorn” and Emmy nominated as a pastry chef on “The Bear,” as the platoon leader, Erik.

He has a funny moment with some other soldiers as they notice a young man’s enthusiasm, and he says “That’s that new guy energy” and they all chuckle.

He’s calling the shots until Charles Melton, an Oscar nominee for “May December,” leads a team to rescue the wounded soldiers from this targeted hot spot.

The actors trained in a three-week boot camp to mimic soldier’s duties, and they appear as authentic as possible.

Kit Connor, who was recently heard as the voice of Brightbill in “The Wild Robot,” is memorable as Tommy, whose injuries are swiftly dealt with by the guys.. Cosmo Jarvis, who plays Elliot, an injured sniper and medic, is one of the unforgettable guys in a frantic race for help. Michael Gandolfini, as Lt. MacDonald, is his wingman.

Joseph Quinn is Sam.

Joseph Quinn, whose recent credits include “Gladiator 2,” “A Quiet Place: Day One,” not to mention “Stranger Things,” is a more seasoned operative, Sam.

Noah Centineo, Owen in TV’s “The Recruit,” is Brian, Finn Bennett of “True Detective” and “Black Doves” is John, Evan Holtzman of “Hit Man” is Brock, Alex Brockdorff of “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning” is Mikey, and Taylor John Smith of “Where the Crawdads Sing” is Frank, among others.

The credits will roll with the making of shots, and a side-by-side portrait of the soldier and the actor who played him. Because some of the men remain on active duty, their real-life photos are blurred images.

The technical craftsmanship stands out as first-rate, especially David J. Thompson’s cinematography, Fin Oates’ editing, Glenn Freemantle’s sound design and team of sound editors, and the visual and special effects crews.

One of the knocks about the post-9/11 attack Iraq and Afghanistan war movies is that they haven’t been successful with audiences. However, some are outstanding depictions of the conflicts, include Oscar winner “The Hurt Locker,” “American Sniper” (highest-grossing), “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” and “Lone Survivor.” “Warfare” deserves to be ranked among the best as well.

A heartfelt tribute to the men who serve, “Warfare” is a powerful reminder of the human cost of war.

Cosmo Jarvis is Elliot, the inspiration for the film.

“Warfare” is a 2025 war drama co-directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, and starring Will Poulter, Charles Melton, Joseph Quinn, D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, and Noah Centineo. It is rated R for intense war violence and bloody/grisly images, and language throughout and the run time is 96 minutes. “Warfare” opens in theatres April 11. Lynn’s Grade: A-

‘Death of a Unicorn’ Is A Horror Satire That’s Not Quite Sharp Enough

‘Death of a Unicorn’ Is A Horror Satire That’s Not Quite Sharp Enough

By Alex McPherson

Coasting slightly above mediocrity thanks to delightfully unhinged performances from Will Poulter and Richard E. Grant, director Alex Scharfman’s “Death of a Unicorn” is neither sharp nor poignant enough to leave a lasting mark amid its “Eat the Rich” contemporaries.

Scharfman’s film centers around recently widowed lawyer Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his college-aged daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega). At the beginning of the film, they are en route to an estate owned by the Leopolds, owners of a pharmaceutical empire, in the Canadian Rockies. The family’s ailing patriarch, Odell (Grant), might make Elliot a board member of the company if Elliot plays his cards right. 

The relationship between Ridley and Elliot has been strained since the death of Ridley’s mother, with Elliot throwing himself into work at the expense of dealing with his grief. Elliot brings Ridley along as a half-hearted way to reconnect, but he’s really out for financial security. Although the Odells are a vain, nasty bunch, they have boatloads of money.

Elliot and Ridley’s winding, somewhat awkward road trip through the mountains is interrupted, however, when Elliot hits a strange creature with the rental car. Surprise surprise, it turns out to be a unicorn, with purple blood oozing from its flank and a glowing horn.

When they get out of the car to investigate, Ridley touches the horn, which induces a psychedelic, seemingly higher state of being. Ridley’s experience with this dying creature is rudely interrupted by Elliot bludgeoning it with a tire iron, resulting in them both being splattered with its innards. He then loads the corpse into the backseat.

Upon arriving at the Leopolds’ lavish estate, Elliot and Ridley meet up with the frail Odell, his extravagantly dressed wife, Belinda (Téa Leoni), and his son, Shepard (Poulter), a well-sculpted fool covering his inherent cowardice with a veneer of condescending, not-so-slickly deployed bullshit.

They also meet Griff (Anthony Carrigan of “Barry” fame), the Leopolds’ put-upon butler, and their trigger-happy bodyguard Shaw (Jessica Hayes). Ridley, shaken from the encounter with the unicorn, doesn’t greet the Leopolds too warmly. Elliot flat-out ignores Ridley’s concerns to get what he came there for: Odell signing him on as a company partner. His allergies, which were bothering him on the drive up, are mysteriously gone, as is Ridley’s acne, possibly due to the unicorn’s blood.

The previously dead unicorn re-awakens and is promptly put out of its misery again. Once the Leopolds learn of the unicorn’s magical healing abilities, they experiment with the horn to create a serum able to cure any disease — specifically Odell’s cancer, creating another opportunity to become the most powerful company in the world. Ridley argues against messing with the unicorn further and, sure enough, chaos reigns chéz Leopold, with plenty of horny (pun intended) kills to go around.

“Death of a Unicorn” has a lot on its mind – from navigating grief, to environmental exploitation, to the allure of wealth at the expense of personal morality, to the ever-timely idea of not screwing around with things one doesn’t understand. This, plus being a creature feature referencing such cinematic touchstones as “Jurassic Park” and “Alien.”

The issue is that Scharfman’s feature debut doesn’t effectively weave these themes together, resulting in an experience that’s more milquetoast than exciting when viewed in light of recent skewerings of the rich like “The Menu” and even, for better or worse, “Saltburn,” which seasoned its satire with attention-grabbing panache that’s sorely missing here.

The issues mostly stem from Scharfman’s screenplay, which largely fails to make these characters distinctive against what has come before. Elliot – portrayed with an uncharacteristically dull performance from Rudd – is a frustrating figure from the get-go without motivation or agency to “do the right thing” until the story predictably calls for it.

Ridley, too, is disappointingly plain – all the more frustrating since she’s supposed to be the voice of reason and compassion speaking truth to power. Ortega is firmly in her wheelhouse here, but her familiar bag of tricks (recently seen in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” for example) are bleeding together, with “Death of a Unicorn” not giving her much of any new tools to work with.

The supporting players fare better, though, playing more over-the-top characters to match the outlandish premise. Grant is amusingly unhinged as the vain, pompous Odell, and it’s entertaining to watch his evolution (or de-evolution) from being wheelchair-bound to running around like a crazed madman hungry to capitalize on Elliot and Ridley’s discovery.

Poulter is the real cast highlight in “Death of a Unicorn,” though, absolutely nailing the polo-shirt-wearing, rich boy shtick to a T, particularly in the film’s latter half where he becomes a more active, drug-addled participant in the story. 

Carrigan delivers much of the film’s comedic highlights through his aggravated facial expressions alone, though Scharfman’s script gives Griff more dialogue than he needs to get the character’s feelings across. Sunita Mani as Dr. Batia, one of the people the Leopolds enlist to experiment on the unicorn, provides pathos as she’s forced to risk her life for her employers.

Unfortunately, the supporting cast cannot save the plain nature of Scharfman’s script, which neglects both the shock factor and depth of characterization to stand out amongst its inspirations. While surely relevant to current times, and bringing to mind obvious comparisons with the Sacklers, “Death of a Unicorn” doesn’t lend much depth to anyone beyond the surface level. This isn’t necessarily an issue in itself, but when the rest of the film relies so heavily on tropes (obviously set-up jump scares, clunkily earnest revelations, a drawn-out climax), the characters’ simplicity is distracting.

The unicorns themselves, aside from a heavy reliance on CGI, are creative and disturbing, at least. The film’s cat-and-mouse chase sequences are helmed well enough, and the gore – when Scharfman is confident enough to linger on it – shows glimmers of what “Death of a Unicorn” could have been if it had cut loose from the confines of conventionality.

Indeed, this isn’t a bad film by any means, but there’s little here that lingers once the end credits roll. It does provide fitful moments of catharsis, however, and that’s especially appreciated in today’s crazy times.

“Death of a Unicorn” is a 2025 horror-fantasy-comedy directed by Alex Scharfman and starring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Tea Leoni, Richard E. Grant, and Will Poulter. It is rated R for strong violent content, gore, language and some drug use, and the run time is 1 hour, 47 minutes. It opened in theaters on March 28. Alex’s Grade: C..

Emotional Beats Amid Busy Action Mark Uneven ‘Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3’

Emotional Beats Amid Busy Action Mark Uneven ‘Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3’

By Lynn Venhaus

Equal parts salty, sweet, silly, sentimental, scary, and strange, this third chapter spotlighting freaky misfits saving the universe is a very busy mixed bag in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

Legendary Star-Lord Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) leads his rag-tag team through life-and-death situations, all in superhero service of protecting good galactic folks under siege. This time, the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) wants to rule the universe by controlling all living things. Sure, it’s a lofty goal, but many obstacles are in the way, and inevitably, there will be an epic battle between good and evil. (We’re not allowed to divulge much)

The best part of these grandiose Marvel Cinematic Universe series is the chemistry of the superheroes, and having this motley crew back together one more time has deepened their ties, softened their tough exteriors, and created playful exchanges that enhance what is a dense and convoluted story.

Earth-born Peter Quill leads a rascally turbo-charged group that includes a hulking Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista, who is endearing as a gentle giant), intuitive Mantis (Pom Klementieff, lively as a smart and sweet says-it-like-it-is sentinel), intimidating Nebula (Karen Gillan, whose bark is worse than her bite), the versatile tree monster Groot (voice of Vin Diesel, who is able to morph into a number of effective sizes and shapes), and a sarcastic racoon named Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper as a big-brained, no-nonsense warrior). Zoe Saldana returns as an alternate Gamora, which is better left unexplained (No spoilers from me).

Does anyone remember the plots other than bickering and banter between the Guardians, gnarly ginormous figures wreaking havoc, chaotic flights and fights through space, and clever needle drops that make characters shut up and dance?

This third outing is quite complicated: Rocket’s origin story, Ravagers show up with some key characters, and then a power-hungry maniacal villain called The High Evolutionary messes with species and is focused on wiping out civilization.

Merry band of misfits

The action, while often well-staged with choreographed slow-motion and quicksilver derring-do, has the usual repetitive litany of explosions, flying chunks of concrete, interstellar mayhem, and grotesque creatures to become mind-numbing. The film feels every bit of its 2 hours and 30 minutes run-time.

Director James Gunn, who co-wrote the script with his writing partners on the other two, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, has again stamped his devil-may-care attitude on this quirky comic book series, but also built up the found family theme

The elaborately designed spacecrafts and hub of activity known as the Knowhere outpost seem to layer on excessive visual effects.

The first Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 was a breath of fresh air in the superhero realm, and the second one in 2017 capitalized on the original’s charm, laying on the kitchy pop culture. While Gunn retains his puckish sense of adventure, he has added more emotional beats this time around.

Newcomers include Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Elizabeth Debicki as his mother Ayesha, characters introduced in the comics but not explained well here, and Maria Bakalova is the voice of the funny Cosmo the space dog. And Chukwudi Iwuji makes an impression as the flamboyant mad scientist who goes increasingly over the top.

For this final time, Pom Klementieff as Mantis and Dave Bautista as Drax are the standouts, creating a delightful comical dynamic.

But one of the bigger missteps is that this film is rated PG-13, for there are many elements that will frighten youngsters, especially about animals in cages.

The movie starts rather raggedy but ends with genuine emotional beats, and staying through the credits is a must. Also, it helps to be familiar with the other two.

When this overstuffed finale is hitting the right notes, it’s an earnest tug on the heartstrings, but because the story so often shifts tones and is stretched so thin – too many people! – overall, it’s frustrating.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is a 2023: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action, Adventure film directed by James Gun and starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Will Poulter, Sean Gunn and Maria Bakalova
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, strong language, suggestive/drug references, and thematic elements and run time is 2 hours, 30 minutes. Opens in theaters May 5. Lynn’s Grade: C+

Will Poulter as Adam Warlock