Frank Grillo is an outstanding actor who deserves to be a leading man whose name headlines films. With Boss Level, he gets that chance, and it is an absolute blast of a flick. It is a role that Grillo was born to play, and he has a ball embodying Roy Pulver and even though the narrative tool used at the heart of the film that also stars Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts has been overused lately—it could not feel fresher in the hands of this cast and action director extraordinaire Joe Carnahan (The Grey, Smokin’ Aces).
Pulver is a retired special forces officer whose skills have never been tested like they are throughout Boss Level. For whatever reason—one he will discover—Pulver has been living and re-living the same day over 150 times. Yes, he is stuck in a time loop and that’s the cinematic storytelling method referred to earlier. The thing is, it’s not even a “thing” in this film in that it is just part of the fabric of Carnahan’s tapestry of thrills that he has crafted.
Grillo is utterly fantastic in this specific milieu. He impeccably embraces the format and is our eyes and ears into this fantastical world that Chris Borey, Eddie Borey, and Carnahan have crafted. He narrates the picture, and his voice-over work is so tongue-in-cheek that much of the laughs and tension cutters that exist arise from this arena. Experiencing him go through the same day he spectacularly perishes and explaining where he is in the process with each moment is pure bliss. For example, at one point he looks up at the clock and it reads 12:51 and smiles as he utters, “I’ve never lived this long today. Progress!”
Also hilarious is Grillo’s description of the various ways he dies and how each differs pain-wise from the others. Remember what he achieved in The Purge: Anarchy? In a world gone mad, he was a singular savior. The actor brings that mettle to Boss Level, but this character goes much deeper—there’s even more to him. There’s a fatherhood element, which is incredibly unique as laid out in the actor’s latest. His son doesn’t know he’s his father, but he is very much in his life. With the chaos of the day, it’s not like “now” is the perfect time to let the boy know “Uncle” Roy is really dad. But there’s no reason Grillo cannot act the part. In fact, it is literally now or never.
This is clearly one of those time loop movies where the key to breaking it lies with the person experiencing it. Pulver must learn from what has occurred and employ it in the next day. The manner with which Carnahan shoots these repeated days, he has a partner in storytelling crime with Grillo. The pair work tremendously well together and deliver one of the biggest surprises of this young year. Now, this is no cultural seismic moment that finds the art of film changing the world. That’s another reason why Boss Level is such a solid entry in the action movie landscape. The film never tries to be something it’s not. It is a time loop, action-heavy, violence, and a revenge-laden cup of tasty tea.
Gibson is no stranger to playing baddies after a long stretch where he was a go-to action hero in Hollywood. He’s good in this film, perfect for the part (nothing can touch his Santa Claus in Fatman—out during the 2020 holidays), but there may be a bit of motivation missing from this particular guy. That’s what is so crazy about Boss Level, is it does not matter. Gibson plays the part and is the reason for the season—to use a holiday reference while we’re on the topic. His is the driving force that lies at the heart of what we even have a movie! The veteran actor plays his part with his innate gravitas and panache that is exactly what one would expect from him.
Watts has an integral role in that not only is she Pulver’s ex-wife, the mother of his son, but she is the scientific mind that is driving Gibson’s company and its current mission. It could have been a thankless, action movie wife/girlfriend part. But in the gifted hands of the British actress, Jemma Wells’s persona comes off as panicked, frenzied, and driven by the reality of what is occurring around her as any other spoke in this wheel.
In many ways, Carnahan has produced a video game come to life. While film journalists continue to debate about the merits of the video game turned motion picture efforts that Hollywood continues to churn out, the American director has essentially assembled his own cinematic video game. You have the fantastic Grillo as our larger-than-life hero, a cornucopia of visual scenarios that fit that genre, and the unexpected emotional attachment of us the viewers in this entire endeavor. That last part is the most unforeseen surprise.
Grade: B