Mute

Since Moon entered my top five in 2009 (it's still there by the way), I've been eagerly waiting for Duncan Jones to make Mute, which acts as a companion piece instead of a direct sequel. I enjoyed Source Code, but I gave Warcraft a miss because it's a video game adaptation, and they've never been worth the price of admission. As sublime as it is, it looks like Moon might have been a fluke. I had high hopes for Mute, but it's like Jones took a first-year student film script and somehow got millions of dollars to make it. It's a horrendously disjointed, bloated disaster whose plot would be boring in a normal setting, and is downright wasted in the world in which it's set. Is this what it was like when The Phantom Menace was released?

The story of MUTE is not a science-fiction-, it is a Vietnam-story, informed by the M*A*S*H-franchise. If it were set in the early 1970s and in Thailand, many annoying details that are just wrong would fall right into place. This is where it belongs. The gratuitous SF-masquerade is only an inane gimmick, it turns the plot itself into a fish out of water. "Cactus Bill" and "Duck" (Paul Rudd & Justin Theroux), two US army surgeons who deserted from their military unit during a war in an Asian country, are even still dressed for the 1970s. The CGI-look of Berlin in 2052, praised by an astounding amount of shills, is a complete rehash of ideas from the 1970s and 1980s, predominantly mimicking the vision of 2019 Los Angeles in "Blade Runner". Back then it was of course unique and amazing, but it was also far from being prophetic. The L.A. of today doesn't look like the one imagined in 1982 at all. On top of this MUTE's production designers still think that nothing says "future" better that neon signs ("Neon lights, shimmering neon lights", Kraftwerk, 1978) and nothing says "Berlin" better than graffiti scribblings. This is just lazy and tacky. While "Blade Runner" is still great, MUTE was born as and will always be kitsch. Some people will hate it, others will like it - "Kitsch is a beautiful word" (Barry Ryan, 1970). Whatever. The main reason for the praising of MUTE is a bunch of stale stereotypes, really. 40-year-old Leo (Alexander Skarsgard), who is mute since an accident in his childhood, hasn't learned yet to really cope with his handicap. Most of the time he looks awkward, gawky, insecure. In MUTE's 2052 it would only take minutes to give him back his voice. Author and director Duncan Jones' cop-out: Leo is a devout Amish - even though he is not living in an Amish community and is working as a bartender at a strip club. That's not how Amishness works, Mr. Jones. Leo drives a Mercedes-Benz built in 1972. It still can't fly. Leo's weapon of choice is a bedpost. At this point it should be clear to everyone that Mr. Jones is just joshing with his audience. MUTE will make it in every top ten list about stupid decisions villains make when they are going to kill the hero. The mise-en-scène is sluggish, the characters are as unappealing as the anachronistic story lines. This movie is a complete train wreck. Duncan Jones has dedicated it to his father, David Bowie. That's a sacrilege. What is wrong with this picture? Everything.

I dont write reviews very often but this movie is definately worth it.I was drawn into this film from the very first minute and didn't even get up for a second.Skargards performance was simply outstanding,Paul Rudd was phenomenal and everything about it was fantastic. The storyline kept me wondering what the end result would be and did not dissapoint.Skarsgard didnt have to say a word to make me feel his pain,determination and his struggle to find the one he loves no matter what it takes.Grab a snack,turn off the phone and immerse youself in this amazing movie.

This was a HUGE disappointment. One would expect a somewhat good movie on the grounds of who co wrote and directed this movie, Duncan Jones. Duncan Jones first movie, except from a short, was Moon. A great movie that won him a lot of awards, and every person with knowledge of movies would forever remember the name of Duncan Jones because of Moon. His second movie was Source Code, a good and well crafted movie. Warcraft was his third movie. A disappointing box office haul and mixed reviews for Warcraft. The planned sequel is on hold, indefinitely. I think all the previous movies has something special in them, and i enjoyed watching them. Moon is a very good movie, and definitely the best Duncan Jones has made. On the other side of the spectrum we find "Mute". This is the worst movie from Duncan Jones, by far. The story is a mess, and I just don't get it. It's an attempt on sci fi noir i believe. The only thing bright in this boring and messy movie is Paul Rudd, who steals every scene he is in. It wouldn't have been a Cinema movie, but straight to DVD if it wasn't for Netflix. If you have other options, i would stay away from this movie.