Southland Tales (2006)

Southland Tales: Directed by Richard Kelly. With Carlos Amezcua, Curtis Armstrong, Robert Benz, Todd Berger. During a three-day heat wave just before a huge 4th of July celebration, an action star stricken with amnesia meets up with a porn star who is developing her own reality TV project, and a policeman who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.

“You can get a pretty good idea of Southland Tales from a quick description of its characters. Dwayne Johnson plays Boxer Santaros, a movie star in Richard Kellyu0026#39;s all-too-near dystopian future. But itu0026#39;s not that straightforward. Johnson plays The Rock playing Boxer Santaros, while Boxer is playing the role of a character heu0026#39;s researching, one Jericho Kane. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays an ageing porn-star with a business portfolio that includes energy drinks. And Sean William Scott? Well, he plays a copu0026#39;s amnesiac twin brother, as part of a neo-Marxist scheme to overthrow the government. Or does he? And you thought Donnie Darko was confusing. Welcome to Southland…u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe year is 2008. Justin Timberlake – did I forget to mention him? He plays a drugged-up Iraq war veteran with a huge scar on his face. Who sits in a huge chair with a huge rifle, guarding u0026quot;Fluid Karmau0026quot;, an ultra-valuable perpetual motion wave machine that is the new form of power since oil has become rare and therefore massively expensive. Politics, anyone? Anyway, JT (who might be telepathic) narrates over an introduction comprised of graphic novel slides and MTV-meets-FOX news bulletins that guides us from our present to the u0026quot;presentu0026quot; of Kellyu0026#39;s 2008 Southland. The passage of time has not been kind to the US; a nuke has gone off in Texas, and the country has become a police state. The most u0026quot;recentu0026quot; clip reveals that Boxer (played by Dwayne Johnson playing The Rock) has disappeared without a trace, which is where the movie begins. Or does it? By this stage, you just might have gotten the impression that Southland Tales is a bit of a mess. And youu0026#39;d be right. Kellyu0026#39;s attempt at a politically-charged all-encompassing comment on the world that can also appeal to the youth of today does ultimately fall flat, but thatu0026#39;s not to say itu0026#39;s without its merits. The satireu0026#39;s often sharp, and the way the movie skips from genre-to-genre (dystopian conspiracy to Scooby Doo farce to musical to action movie) works surprisingly well without jarring too much. The music, while not perfect (Iu0026#39;m pretty sure Black Rebel Motorcycle Club wonu0026#39;t have the kind of comeback that allows them to host LAu0026#39;s 4th of July weekend party next year…) creates some of the movieu0026#39;s more memorable moments, such as JTu0026#39;s Killers dance number and the captivating three-way dance toward the end.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe deliberately exaggerated performances are, for the most part, very good, with Johnson capturing the action man (playing an action man – going through a crisis – playing an action man) role very well. The way he switches from the kind of guy who pours beer over himself as a form of refreshment to jittery neurotic mess is both funny and engaging, allowing you to see a little of the man beneath the steely facade.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eUnfortunately, this is as close as youu0026#39;ll get to the characters. While the overplaying is amusing, it excludes you on an emotional level. Donnie Darko worked so well because it drew you in, but Southland seems to deliberately keep you at armu0026#39;s length lest you miss out on some of Kellyu0026#39;s political messages. For all its mystery, intrigue, and action, it feels a bit soulless, and goes out with a whimper as opposed to the bang it so desires.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSouthland Tales is an ambitious film, but a messy one, and while it may not work on the kind of level itu0026#39;s aspiring to, in a movie climate where so many films play it safe, at least Kelly tries. Very flawed, but entertaining nonetheless.”