Shadows on the Wall

Jackpot!

dir Paul Feig
scr Rob Yescombe
prd Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Paul Feig, Laura Fischer
with Awkwafina, John Cena, Simu Liu, Ayden Mayeri, Donald Elise Watkins, Sam Asghari, Colson Baker, Becky Ann Baker, Michael Hitchcock, Murray Hill, Seann William Scott, Dolly De Leon
release US/UK 16.Aug.24
24/US MGM 1h44

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Like a wacky comedy version of The Purge, this action romp centres around a messy rampage of attempted murder. But Paul Feig is rather good at this kind of thing, bringing scrappy, uproarious energy to a nonstop series of high-octane set-pieces while keeping likeable characters at the centre. So even if it's rather murdery, it's also very funny. And it may even have something to say about greed.

Desperate for money, California launches the Grand Lottery in 2026, where anyone can claim the jackpot if they kill the winner before sundown without using a gun. And this month's prize is $3.6bn. When newly arrived aspiring actor Katie (Awkwafina) inadvertently wins, she has no idea why everyone is suddenly trying to bump her off. Security guard-for-hire Noel (Cena) steps in to rescue her, but she knows he'll earn more than 10 percent if he bumps her off himself. Then when they're cornered, Noel calls in a favour from his uber-slick rival Louis (Liu).

Mixing carnage with goofiness only works if no one's really getting hurt, so even with some some nasty injuries along the way, things never turn too dark. Instead, the story's driving force is ridiculous wordplay and extravagantly absurd fights. These keep us chuckling, mainly because of the bonkers details peppered around each scene. There's also nutty irony woven through the script, with a steady stream of pointed throwaway gags in between the broadly silly slapstick. And some subtle subtext about the super-rich adds some topicality.

Awkwafina is terrific, tearing up the screen as a woman unafraid to dive into a fray. Her prickly banter with the effortlessly affable Cena is snappy and hilarious. Katie shouldn't trust Noel, but the more she learns about him, the more she finds him to almost too good to be true. Indeed, Cena's warm charm is seriously winning, and a strong contrast to Liu's smiley but slippery Louis. "You look more like you're ready to challenge Celine Dion to a sing-off," Katie says when Louis appears in a white suit.

Terrific running gags keep everything clipping along, including Noel's obsession with Teenage Mutant Ninja Heroes and a number of high-energy people who collect around the vortex that is Katie, including some comedy icons. It's no surprise that everything escalates dramatically in the final act, leading to a frenzy of witty action choreography. And the emergence of a group of people cheering for Katie to win gives the entire movie a surprisingly engaging counterpoint.

themes, language, violence 15.Aug.24

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