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Film Critique: Keanu

According to an article entitled: Predicting The 8 Biggest Film Trends of 2016 by whatculture.com, it states the following in regards to the film industry:

It’s no secret that once again franchise fare and sequels will dominate the market but there’s plenty more going on as well. Studios are always looking to find ways to guarantee success, and while there will always be plenty of original fare, they’ve become increasingly creative in the ways they’re able to tie new films into existing properties (whatculture.com).

With that being said, there are some movie goers (like me) who are tired of countless sequals and super hero movies. Yes, they are interesting; and fun for the whole family, but sometimes you just want to watch some original content even if that means taking a risk on a film that has a totally ridiculous premise; or more geared towards being an independent film.

Therefore, the film I am going to critique in this paper is Keanu because it is the most recent films that I have watched in theaters that doesn't fit the typical mold. Plus, it is so ridiculously, brilliant and simple; that it needs to be commented on. Firstly, I am not quite sure how one is capable of making a 1 hour and 40-minute movie about a man and his cousin trying to rescue his cat, entertaining; but somehow they pull it off. Then again, it is no surprise that the concept is solid considering the fact that one of the people who wrote this film is also the apart of Key and Peele (Jordan Peele.) However, I am glad that both Keegan- Michael Key, and Jordan Peele are in the movie because their comedic timing and capability to play off of each other is phenomenal.

Apparently, I am not the only one that feels this way because according to IMDb it received 7.1/10, 76% Rotten Tomatoes, and 63% metacritic, which is not that bad of a rating if you think about it. According to A.A. Dowd from A.V. Club states the following about the film: The film is a one-joke comedy, but the joke is decent, and it helps that the actors know how to deliver it. I mean granted that sounds like a backhanded compliment, but in retrospect; there was some things wrong with the film; and as a moviegoer, I noticed the major potholes right away. However, these potholes are only forgiven due to the strength of the actors alone. And let us not forget that this film is not suppose to be taken as cinematic and bold, but rather as a goofy comedy to watch with your friends.

Furthermore no matter what the critics thought about the film, the audience seemed pretty into it regardless. At least from my perspective the audience seemed pretty into it. I went to the 8:30 showing of Keanu on 29th of April and the majority of people were between 18-35; but what surprised me is the fact that there were some families there. I think they thought the film was kid friendly because theres a cat in the film, but quite frankly I am not sure why they were there because this film stated it was rated R, but then again who am I to judge.

As for the editing, and cinematography of the film; it was simple. Mostly, Keanu used hard cuts, fast cuts, slow motion, fade in and fade out; as a primary form of editing. As for the soundtrack it relied heavily on George Michaels album which proved to be a brilliant platform for their comedy, and as a reoccurring gag in the film. It is also smart because it saves money on the film. After all, licensing for music isn’t cheap. It also adds to the mise-en-scene; and great for multiple montages they had implemented in the film.

Over-all, I liked the movie even though the majority of the film can be seen through the commercial theres still enough charisma and chemistry from the actors and cuteness of the cat, to make me want to see it. Even though their attempt of making a surprising ending turned it into a narrative filled with a plethora of potholes; I would still watch it again. It was funny, and silly; and stupid; and the kind of genre I truly appreciate. Plus, the promotion and advertisement for the film made me want to see it more like their promotion on Buzzfeed Live with Keanu himself.

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