We Can Be Heroes
NETFLIXShedding his reliable ensembles of old, director Robert Rodriguez hones his craft once more for the world of children's entertainment. Rounding out 2020 with an uppercut to quality rather than a bang, We Can Be Heroes tries everything it can to play into the odd nostalgic charm audiences may remember from the early years of Rodriguez work such as the Spykids series, but sadly fails miserably.
Persevering on as if blinded by a love for his own movies, Rodriguez clamours for some recognisable cast members. Pedro Pascal and Christian Slater answer the call, both have been playing career limbo with their careers as of late, and Pascal just about cinches it with his performance here. Seeing how low he can really go, he fills the role of Marcus Moreno, a former superhero now retired to running the day-to-day admin of Heroes, a group he leads. Rodriguez attempts to coast along on the pop culture phenomenon of superheroes, managing to capture their soullessness well. Not quite daylight robbery, but certain themes and characters will make for obvious comparisons to other, more successful projects.
Rodriguez may be known for his B-Movie style, but We Can Be Heroes really does devolve further than normal. A set so sleek and clean it could be used to advertise the latest hip action toy, lighting and props that have no chance at replicating the real world, it all comes together as if Rodriguez were shooting a commercial for Mattel. These cast and crew members are working on a set, and it feels like one. Distant and cold, devoid of any real heart, the biggest surprise is just how shallow it all feels. Like him or loathe him, Rodriguez is usually able to draw some fascinatingly large names, sliding them into outlandish and crazed scenarios. Here, he feels off balance, like a man clawing at the high walls of a pit he himself has dug. No escape this time, no chance of redemption to be found within this horribly poor and inconsistent nonsense.
As if the usual Marvel and DC drivel weren’t bad enough, Rodriguez is now trying his hand at selling superhero merchandise for those out there clamouring for a Christian Slater action figure. A horrid amalgamation of rose-tinted sentimentality coupled with poor performances and a sickeningly turgid story that neither breaks the mould nor accepts the tropes fused into its dense storytelling. These are not the hero's audiences have been clamouring for.