[Review] Archenemy(2020) {6/10}

Written and Directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer based on a story Mortimer created with Lucas Passmore, the film stars Joe Manganiello (Max Fist), Skylan Brooks (Hamster), Paul Scheer (Krieg), Glenn Howerton (The Manager), Zolee Griggs (Indigo) and Amy Seimetz (Cleo Ventrik).

The plot follows a teenager who meets a mysterious man named Max Fist (Joe Manganiello), who claims he lost his superpowers after arriving from another dimension. Together, they take to the streets to wipe out a vicious crime boss and his local drug syndicate.

Joe Manganiello nailed it as Max Fist. Fans of Manganiello will want to see this one as it's one of his best performances to date and shows why he is often underrated. The cinematography is enthralling. It's a movie that dares to do something different to stand out in a crowded marketplace and that's worthy of praise but, sadly, there's nothing overly super about it. Often messily entertaining and definitely benefiting from an attention-grabbing score, it doesn't ever find the ideal balance. The ambitious visual and narrative concepts are buried beneath the genre conventions of this low-budget thriller. While some of the stylistic touches are quite striking, the action beats are just kind of dull. It's nothing super special, but a watchable low-budget take on the superhero genre. It's an interesting misfire for Mortimer, a filmmaker who isn't afraid to try something different.

Archenemy might have worked better if it was a straight adaptation of classic deconstructionist caper The Maxx.

Archenemy is now available on VOD and Digital.