What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2021
Where’s it showing? Hulu
I can’t believe this is a film that was almost never released. Directed by Joe Carnahan (The Grey, The A-Team, Smokin’ Aces), it was planned for release on Aug. 16, 2019. Instead it was shelved. Thank goodness it’s found a home on Hulu. It’s a hoot!
Following the now well-worn idea of Groundhog Day, the story trails former Special Forces operative Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) as he relives the day of his death over and over again. Like Edge of Tomorrow (2014), every day Roy gets a little further through the day before he’s inevitable killed by one of a cadre of colorful assassins. Think of it like a video game and the player trying to level up.
Roy’s trying to figure out why his scientist ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Gemma Wells (Naomi Watts), was killed and whether her boss, Col. Clive Ventor (Mel Gibson), had anything to do with it. Roy also eventually finds his estranged son, Joe (Grillo’s actual son, Rio), and makes up for the lost time when he was away on missions.
The action is terrific, the humor bone dry, and Grillo is terrific! Carnahan and Grillo have already teamed up again for Cop Shop, which is coming out this summer. Can’t wait! (94 min.) Δ
This article appears in Apr 15-25, 2021.