Gunpowder Milkshake
If any word is to describe Navot Papushado's Gunpowder Milkshake, it is disappointing. An outstanding cast, an immersive enough plot, and an exciting enough aesthetic are completely and utterly wasted before the film's end.
Wanting to evoke the likes of John Wick, Papushado's feature is more in the realm of the disastrous Terminal and Jolt. Fast-paced and aesthetically present dramas that are, quite frankly, flat and uninspiring. Take the cast, for an example. Papushado, at his fingertips, has Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Basset, Lena Headey, and Karen Gillan. Actresses that are in no way, shape and form strangers to the action genre or not known for the respective talents within this medium.
Gunpowder Milkshake, however, seems to saturate and strangle each actress. Strange decisions, such as having one character of a mother have a British accent and her daughter to have an American one – and deliver it with so little enthusiasm and charisma – would seem tip of the iceberg. There is no depth, no charisma, no material for these icons of cinema to work with. Yeoh and Bassett are wasted to a point in which it could be considered criminal. Zero examination and character afforded aside from wielding weapons is a far cry to the potential on offer.
Headey is arguably the only actress who has that depth curated but is sidelined as a third act reprive than anything else. After her unanimous success in Doctor Who and The Avengers series, Gillian is woefully producing a performance here; it is a performance that feels wooden and dull. Charisma and enthusiasm are nonexistent, and it sadly feeds into the experience as a whole, forcing the audience to push through the mundane and flat existence of this feature. Nevertheless, Chloe Coleman puts forward a terrific performance at such a tender age. She has strong emotional range that elevates the mundane here, but this a film that should not have its weight on her shoulders. And what of the antagonist? It would seem that the film propels Ralph Ineson to be such a role, but it is hard to state with such appalling and nonexistent depth curated to expand and define such a character and role. Thankfully, Adam Nagaitis is here to pick up the pieces and feels like his character has just dropped from a John Woo feature into this world. He is fabulously venomous and vile in his depiction and continues to be one to impress.
More disappointing is the camerawork and choreography. At times, it showcases moments of enthusiasm, and possible brilliance is consistently fraught with erratic editing and camera work that results in the audience never comprehending, focusing, or being immersed in the action sequences. What is frustrating here is that the first act bowling alley scene showcases some tremendous understanding and flair for action, with cinematographer Michael Seresin and director Navot Papushado putting forward a compelling and entertaining sequence. However, the feature is further compromised when it becomes clear that Gunpowder Milkshake is only defining itself on the action sequences, which soon turn into overblown extravaganza rather than internal and concentrated flair that the film opens in.
Then there is the narrative: it is a tired, flat and uneventful prospect to the degree that would define derivative. This is not the issue, per se, as John Wick would fall into this bracket on the surface, but this comparison falls wayside when the film fails to examine further and fall deeper in its own depth and thematics. Before long, the viewer is just waiting for the following eventual shoot out sequence that unravels in chaos. Nevertheless, there are positives to find here. Namely the iconography of the film in general. Costume and production design do an adequate job to bring colour and mood to proceedings, not only in the films action sequences but moments of the ordinary and propelled into distinctive character.
Papushado's Gunpowder Milkshake is an incredibly disappointing and flat experience from start to finish. It offers something on the surface, but anything more profound has it crumbling with a lack of energy, enthusiasm, and the depth to propel it further into the potential it could have offered.
