by Netflix Carter is one of the craziest action films of the last decade – and takes the swings genre The gray man have. One-shot action sequences – where a scene takes place seemingly without any cuts – have become increasingly popular over the past decade, probably thanks to 2006’s children of men using the technique to incredible effect. Single-take action scenes – though often stitched together from different shots and then mixed together – can add to the visceral quality of any given set, with movies like Extraction, Atomic Blonde Where The ghost receive praise for using the method.
Whole films that use this method are much rarer – and for good reason. The logistics and technical complications involved are immense, and this technique can hurt rather than help a film. 1917 is the best execution of this unique approach, with Sam Mendes’ war movie featuring stunning sequences and this style enhances the story instead of hindering it. The stitching together of the film’s multiple takes is also relatively seamless, although the horror film silent house – with Elizabeth Olson – also tried this gimmicky continuous shooting approach.
Carter is the latest – and arguably craziest – film to try this unique approach. The Korean action movie follows a secret agent who has been stripped of his memory and tasked with rescuing a child who holds the cure for a pandemic. Carter’s ground sounds simple, but that doesn’t take into account its dizzying number of action scenes, bizarre subplots – including one involving zombies – or its daring use of editing and camera. Carter – the ending of which sets up a sequel – was met with intensely divided responses for this reason, with some liking its unbridled experimental style while others hate it for this reason, finding it exhausting or borderline impossible to watch. Although far from flawless, Carter at least drives innovation – which is something Netflix’s blockbuster of 2022 The gray man should have aimed.
Carter pushes action cinema to its limits
The gray man was directed by the Russo brothers, the film being based on a series of novels. Netflix touted this The gray man was their most expensive production to date, with a budget of $200 million. To that end, the film contains tons of action, from one-on-one fights to elaborate shootouts. Despite that, it still feels like a straight-to-DVD Steven Seagal action flick from the mid-2000s with a MUCH bigger budget. Everything on The gray man feels stock – and continues a bad Netflix trend – from its script to its characters and even the action. Outside of a few swooping drone shots, there’s very little about the film that hasn’t been attempted before – and often, better.
Carter sets itself a major challenge, and the constraints of these efforts are often apparent. The film suffers from subpar CG and such a breathless pacing that it can leave viewers feeling drained instead of elated. the ace who Carter is that filmmakers are positively giddy about testing the limits of what they can achieve. What the film achieves in terms of stunts alone is often impressive, with Carter literally skydive from an exploding plane sequence – which beats a similar set of The gray man – in madmax– Inspired by the car chase. What Carter could have gotten away with The gray man – which sets up a new franchise – the mega-budget is jaw-dropping, and love it or hate it, the movie can’t be blamed for its ambition. The gray man is a perfectly enjoyable Friday night action fare, but considering the money and talent involved, it should have swung a lot more towards the fences.
