Mad Max | BS Reviews

With Dragged Across Concrete, S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomehawk) wades into precarious subject matter. Fortunately, he has the talent to handle it with the gravitas it deserves. The film is split between two storylines. The first centers on two cops, Brett (Mel Gibson; Mad Max) and Anthony (Vince Vaughn; Brawl in Cell Block 99), that are put on administrative leave after a video of them “using too much brass” while arresting a drug dealer surfaces online. The second story follows two friends, Henry (Tory Kittles; Colony) and Biscuit (Michael Jai White; Black Dynamite), as they assist in a bank heist.

This is a movie that takes its time. The film runs nearly 2 hours 40 minutes yet doesn’t feel overlong. Zahler uses the runtime to invest in his characters. Where most directors would show Brett and Anthony on a single stakeout before the climactic action, Zahler chooses to show several. His screenplay exists in this repetition. He knows that it is these routines that allow viewers to understand how characters behave and how they relate to one another. He is also willing to spend significant screentime setting up a character and their motivations only to have them killed 15 minutes later because it give the violence impact. The attention to detail in how these characters live and what motivates them makes every minute engaging and every consequence significant.

Gibson and Vaughn have the natural chemistry of longtime partners.

For a film about police brutality, it isn’t as gruesome as the title suggests. The violence takes a step down compared to Zahler’s previous work and it’s a smart decision. Unlike his prior two films, this title is about an extremely sensitive topic that is affecting many Americans. There are moments where Brett and Anthony intimidate and rough up their suspects, but they are neither glorified nor condemned. The arrest that causes the police officers to get suspended is not nearly as violent as much of the real-life cell phone footage that circulates online. When they are called in to their chief’s office to discuss the incident, they plead their case. How can an entire career be judged on a 30 second video? Why is it that the impact of the drug dealer – and the impact of his arrest and actions allowed by the information he divulged – not a part of the discussion? Both of these are valid points and are expressed earnestly, although some of the lines appear to be not-so-subtle references to Gibson’s own history with audio recordings made public. In the case presented onscreen, they are questioning a man that is definitively guilty, but the film does not explore the ramifications of using the same level of force on an innocent man which is an important piece of the puzzle that is missing, but not to the detriment of the overall film.

Zahler applies the same attitude to the crimes committed by Henry and Biscuit. They each explain why they are resorting to theft and the film never judges them for it. This incredibly even-handed approach pays off immensely. It allows Zahler to tackle difficult and current subject matter without the flagrant messaging of a Spike Lee movie. If Zahler has any bias, it is towards his characters. They are written and portrayed with deep empathy for their situations and the actions they take given their limited choices. For a filmmaker known for genre films and excessive violence, Zahler has constructed a slow-burn procedural with a genuine compassion for its characters, regardless of their actions.

4/5 stars.

Given the controversial remarks made ten years ago, it’s easy to forget who Mel Gibson really is. He is a talented actor (Mad Mqx) and has proven himself as a director as well (Braveheart). After being blacklisted for almost a decade, Gibson makes his return behind the camera with Hacksaw Ridge. The film covers the true story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield; The Amazing Spider-Man), the first conscientious objector to win a medal of honor. Desmond is a deeply religious young man who grew up in Virginia with an abusive, alcoholic father (Hugo Weaving struggling to maintain a southern accent while displaying the slurred speech of a drunk; The Matrix). After WWII begins, Desmond joins the army with the goal of working as a medic. He refuses to touch a firearm, due to his religious beliefs, but is convinced he can still serve his country.

Gibson’s favorite themes of religion and duty provide the backbone to the film. Doss is almost a messiah-like figure. He encounters strong opposition during his difficult but surprisingly funny basic training. He is the model of morality and Gibson lays on the religious imagery thick. The camera circles around Doss as water cleans off the blood and dirt of battle in a blatantly Christ-like fashion. For some, the often hamfisted allegory will be upsetting.

Doss risks his life to save his brothers in battle.

Despite his saintly behavior, Doss never becomes preachy. Instead, he is portrayed as a lovable simpleton. He is the regular boy whose dumb grin and boundless faith and optimism will allow him to accomplish things any normal person would be too cynical to attempt. It only takes one interaction with a woman for him to go home and tell his mom that he has met his future wife. Garfield may sometimes push too far into Forrest Gump territory, but it’s hard to care when his attitude provides such a welcome contrast to the pessimism prevalent in his peers and most modern day characters. In a world where brooding has become the norm, Doss provides the counterargument that unwavering conviction can be just as involving.

The majority of the film takes place on the battlefield. Hacksaw Ridge itself is littered with dead bodies, dugouts, and fortified caves, the Japanese use for cover. Gibson manages to balance the scale and chaos of the larger battle with the intensity of a single soldier’s fight. As guns are fired and bombs explode, the camera never turns away from the damage. Blood splatters and limbs fly leaving behind bloody stumps. Even as the film rapidly cuts between action, the fighting is never disorienting. The danger is intense and every moment holds potential disaster.

Gibson has never been a cerebral filmmaker; his intentions are always emotional. During Doss’s objection, Gibson never explores the morality of violence during war. There are brief mentions of extenuating circumstances, but he is more interested in the impact that one’s beliefs can have on themselves and others. The strength of Doss’s faith gives his fellow soldiers something to latch onto. As their world literally explodes around them, his belief in God is the one constant they can depend upon. It allows them to overcome the illogical act of returning to a battlefield. Gibson uses Doss’s story to show how spiritual conviction can conquer even extreme situations.

4/5 stars.

BS Reviews

Tag Archives: Mad Max

Dragged Across Concrete (2019): Quiet, Tense, and Detailed

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

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