Black Mass review

Black Mass tells the story of infamous Boston crime lord James ‘Whitey’ Bulger. During his rise to the top of Boston's underworld, Bulger became an FBI informant before appearing on the Most Wanted List for 12 years after going on the run.

The title Black Mass refers to the ‘unholy alliance’ formed between Bulger and the FBI: this alliance meant that for years Bulger was allowed to commit crimes such as murder, extortion, and racketeering with relative impunity as long as he provided useful information on his mafia rivals.

With its sombre tone and lack of stylisation, Black Mass is less Martin Scorsese flick and more true crime documentary. The film's grittiness is reflected in Johnny Depp's performance as the main character. With his pale skin and eyes, Depp’s Bulger looks positively vampiric as he stalks the streets of Boston’s south side brutally overseeing the deaths of anyone he suspects of crossing him.

His character’s viciousness extends not just to his enemies but also to those he supposedly loves. This is illustrated in a scene where he and his girlfriend discuss their son as he lies in a coma nearby. Although the boy is brain dead and his mother in favour of pulling the plug, Bulger is not content with this. He cruelly questions his girlfriend’s character and snarls the words ‘my boy, my boy’ as if speaking about a possession rather than a person. 

The other cast members, however, including Kevin Bacon and Benedict Cumberbatch, feel somewhat wasted as they’re given little to do but stand around and provide ‘ahhh look it’s him’ moments for the audience.

Flashforwards to police interviews with Bulger’s gang, after they’ve turned informant, also rob the film of momentum and could easily be dispensed with.

Despite the by the numbers approach to storytelling and a tone that might be too colourless for some, Black Mass is elevated by Depp’s strong central performance and an unremitting adherence to its story’s grim details.

Star Rating: 3/5

Netflix Gems: Circle

Year: 2015

Director(s): Aaron Haan

                   Mario Miscione

Fifty people wake up in a room to find themselves arranged in two concentric circles around a strange black dome. Their reasons for being there are unclear, but as the dome begins to kill people using what appears to be electrocution, it becomes clear that only a few of them will survive.

Eventually, those in the circle realise each of them is capable of casting a ‘vote’ through means of an arrow only visible to them. With this vote, they get to decide who will die next.

Circle bears similarities to other sci-fi films like Coherence and Primer in that it is relatively low on special effects but high on ideas. There are ethical dilemmas aplenty as the group breaks down into different factions with different priorities: some want to protect the most ‘innocent’ in the group, a child and a pregnant woman, while others are concerned with their own self-preservation.

As the stakes are heightened, people’s prejudices also boil to the surface and increasingly arbitrary reasons are suggested for killing people off; racism, homophobia, and classism all get a look in here.

Indeed, it is this unravelling of the darker aspects of human nature that makes Circle such a compelling watch. Although the acting is sometimes a little iffy and the ending perhaps a little too clear cut, the film is definitely recommended for those who like their sci-fi dark and thought-provoking.

Netflix Gems: Creep

In this new series of posts, I take a look at some of the lesser-known but otherwise quite wonderful films to be found on Netflix. First up, Creep:

Year: 2014

Director(s): Patrick Brice

If you thought the found footage sub-genre was on its last legs, you’d be right. That doesn’t mean it can’t still generate some surprisingly good films, though. Horror comedy Creep is one such example.

Patrick Brice’s directorial debut sees cash-strapped videographer Aaron (also played by Brice) hired to do some filming via Craigslist. His employer is an eccentric and apparently wealthy individual called Josef who invites him up to his mountainside cabin. When Aaron gets there, Josef explains that he has cancer and has only a few months to live. He asks Aaron to help him make a video for his unborn son who he won’t be able to see grow up. As Aaron follows and films Josef around the cabin and the surrounding woods, though, it becomes clear that Josef has been less than truthful about his reasons for hiring him.

Unlike many of its contemporaries, Creep has a reason to be a found-footage film: the conceit that Aaron is a videographer hired to do a job provides an excuse for the camera to stay rolling even through some of the film’s more bizarre and suspenseful moments. The decision to shoot Creep in this style also seems to be the result of an aesthetic rather than a financial consideration. Throughout the film, Brice exploits the subgenre's potential for raw creepiness with a number of chill-inducing moments: one in particular will have you reluctant to keep a camera by your bed long after the film is over.

As already mentioned, Creep is a horror comedy, a combination that is difficult to pull off. Within the film, however, neither element overwhelms the other: both the funny moments and the unnerving ones accentuate each other and mingle with disturbing effect.

The two central characters are also wonderfully played by Brice and Duplass. Brice is convincing as the guy unwittingly drawn into a very bad situation and Duplass brings his comedy credentials to bear to create a role where he alternates between the eccentric and the menacing.

The film may not be a masterpiece by any stretch. It does show, however, how an effective horror film can be created on a very minimalistic basis. If you’re looking for something suspenseful and interesting to watch this evening but are otherwise stuck for ideas, then Creep is well worth your time.