Shadows on the Wall | Bad Day at the Office

Bad Day at the Office

dir Chee Keong Cheung
scr Oliver Morran, Chee Keong Cheung
prd Chee Keong Cheung, Ioanna Karavela, Andreas Roald
with John Hannah, Radha Mitchell, Tamer Hassan, Lana Parrilla, Roxanne McKee, Tim Fellingham, Branko Tomovic, Craig Miller, Srbo Markovic, Phil Zimmerman, Rhoda Montemayor, Eloise Lovell Anderson
release UK 30.Oct.26
26/UK Action Xtreme 1h46

Is it streaming?

Mimicking the perspective of a first-person shooter videogame, this thriller charges through a colourful series of violent set-pieces without ever pausing to take a breath. So it feels somewhat relentless, especially because it keeps us at arm's length from the characters. Filmmaker Chee Keong Cheung keeps everything moving so briskly that it's a challenge to catch the steady stream of nutty jokes that accompany the grisly chaos.

Waking up with no memory of who he is, Karl (Hannah) finds himself in a London hotel room with a dead body. As he's immediately attacked by brutal cops, he realises that he has serious fighting skills. He also learns that he needs to take pills to keep his heart from overheating. Hotel maid Molly (Mitchell) knows him, so the two take off across the city, interrupted by heavily armed goons in a cab, Tube train, nightclub, hospital, bathhouse, boat, warehouse and airplane. Through all of this, the vicious gangster Ivan (Fellingham) is seeking revenge.

It's never quite clear what is going on here or who exactly is pulling the strings. But suspicious figures circling through various sequences include Karl's old tough-guy friend Solomon (Hassan), the dead man's diva widow Eva (Parilla), helpful stripper Kandi (McKee) and Molly's brother Vince (Miller). All of this is shot in garish red-hued shaky-cam, which makes the movie look cool but messy, jarring and very loud, complete with added on-screen comments. There are lots of swords and hundreds of guns, but almost anything Karl finds can become a fatal weapon.

The point of view only shifts between a few characters, which both eliminates two-shots and leaves actors off-screen when they're the primary figure in a scene. So rather a lot of arm acting is required. Impressively, Hannah and Mitchell find some chemistry, largely due to tiny character details. Karl's bewilderment is endearing, while Molly is constantly distracted by food and drink. The supporting cast finds amusing quirks in each cartoonish character.

Repeated rabbit imagery echoes the surreal quality of this Alice-style odyssey, even as it lacks thematic or narrative textures. And the plot gets even more impenetrable in the final act. But along the way, there are some terrific moments that will especially keep genre fans happy, most notably a lively parkour chase across the roofs. It's just a shame that the movie is so impossible to connect with on a meaningful level.

themes, language, violence, sexuality 21.Oct.26

R E A D E R R E V I E W S

Still waiting for your comments ... don't be shy.