American Ultra (2015)

When it comes to blending action with comedy, some films hit the mark (Lethal Weapon & Rush Hour) and others, don't (Paul Blart) but when you combine action/suspense with stoner comedy, then what leads is one of the most fun films you'll see this summer.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is an everyday small-town stoner, who works a bland job at a market, with the goal of marrying his girlfriend, Phoebe (Kirsten Stewart) but what he doesn't know, is that he's actually an experiment conducted by a CIA agent named Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) and that the CIA has put out a hit on him. With lots of time and money invested in Howell, Lasseter goes out to his little town and "activates" him, turning him into a stone-cold killer. But while he's the perfect killer, he's also a sweet guy who just wants to be with his girlfriend.

First off, I want to say that this flick was funny as hell and chocked full of good action. I had a good time watching it and I was rooting for Mike all the way. But while this film is awesome, I have some complaints but i'll get to them after the pros.

Jesse Eisenberg nails the role of stoner perfectly. He's a chilled out lovable guy who just wants to be with his girlfriend and a joint of marijuana. You want to climb into the screen and smoke a fat one with him. and you want to watch his back when he's surrounded by 6 assassins...not that he'd need you.

Kirsten Stewart might be known best for her role in Twilight and of course we all know how much those stories mean to single women who spend a lot of time writing fanfictions inspired from a Danielle Steel paperback, but here, she's actually not that bad. She needs to do more comedy cause she works well as the "straight man" or woman in this case. Although she might be typecast for romance films, maybe someone like Ellen Page or Kaya Scodelario would've been a better Phoebe, but hey, it's Kirsten Stewart. can't change it now.

Connie Britton fits her role well too. It's almost like watching Colonel Trautman with Rambo from First blood, assuming Mike Howell is John Rambo.

OK, now the complaints. first, the obvious. The shaky camera....Hollywood, get it through your thick dumb skulls; We HATE shaky cameras during fight scenes. It doesn't make the scene more exciting or interactive, it just makes the fighting hard to see. Enough already!

John Leguizamo. The guy is awesome, one of my personal favorite actors and half the reason I came to see this movie. And they gave him the persona of a wigga. Really? This guy was Benny Blanco from the Bronx and Luigi Mario...OK, maybe that wasn't his shining role as Luigi but he should've at least gotten more screen time.

Overall, I totally recommend this film, but maybe you should get baked before going to see it. Or at least get baked for the ending.

9/10

Fmovies: American ULTRA is an action-packed comedy that doesn't deserve the bad rep it's been getting. The writing was really strong; Max Landis injected clever and quirky dialogue into a pretty simple story, giving it its own definitive personality. There's a ton of pot smoking, there's a whole lot of killing, and Jesse Eisenberg plays a badass action hero. Yea. If you're not down with any of that, don't watch this movie.

The chemistry between Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, who've worked together before, is one of the best things American ULTRA has going for it. You completely believe them as this young couple; the 'tree and car' metaphor in the film, despite being top-tier pot talk, was quite touching. I can't really say the same thing about Topher Grace though; almost everything he said was outright cringe-worthy and over-the-top. It's strange though because, on paper, his character is a perfect match for the kind of tone this film was going for. Unfortunately, he just ended up feeling out of place.

Many people are describing this movie as a cross between Pineapple Express and Bourne Identity, and it's difficult to argue against that. I know what you're thinking; it's a bizarre marriage indeed. But when you watch this, the amalgamation actually works. The jokes don't always hit, but the action hits hard. And while it's engaging and well choreographed, the film never takes itself too seriously; the balance between stoner comedy and crazy, bloody violent action is handled well, not as seamless as one would hope though. And through all the insanity that transpires, American ULTRA still manages to maintain a heart.

I can positively say that I enjoyed watching American ULTRA. Is it a great movie? Hell no! I wouldn't even call it good, but it's funny when it needs to be, the violence, while excessive at times, always fit the story, and it's original. If you're someone who wants Hollywood to simmer down with all the reboots and sequels, then go see American ULTRA in theatres. You'll have fun and, at the same time, be supporting originality in cinema.

I'm not a film critic or a film connoisseur of any kind; I rate a film based upon how much I enjoyed it and if it would be worth the money to shell out at the theater. With that in mind, I gave this film a 9/10.

The best way to describe this movie is Bourne meets CHUCK (the TV Series). It is a Dramedy at it finest - it isn't straight up drama and it isn't a comedy, but it has a nice mix of both, leaning a bit more toward the comedy side of things.

I couldn't stop smiling throughout the movie; it was well paced, the character development was good (don't expect anything too deep), the comedy was well timed, and the action was exciting. For a lighthearted film, there were a few moments that definitely pulled on the heartstrings.

If you're looking for a fun movie to watch, and especially if you're a fan of CHUCK (think of this as an R rated CHUCK), then I highly recommend this move.

American Ultra fmovies. If the new movie American Ultra was half as clever as it seems to think it is, it would be a bawdy treat. The design is extremely stylish and even nobly unique, but underneath those flairs of fun is one of the most identity-confused films ever, a true mess of genres and tones that never quite finds its footing. The cool premise and individual moments of fun can't overcome how poorly executed the final product is. Ultimately, AU is proof that a mash-up of good scenes without a cohesive center does not a good movie make. Eisenberg and Stewart play a pot-loving couple who learn that their lives may be more than they seem as they run into trouble with the CIA. It's Pineapple Express meets Bourne, but can't decide which one it more wants to emulate. At both times absurdly funny and oddly sincere, all the performers seem to be in different movies. On the villain side, we've got Goggins giving a Joker-like performance as a darkly hilarious, mentally disturbed madman, while Grace seems to think he's still on a sitcom, delivering lines with off-putting snark. On the other end, Stewart and Eisenberg fumble between broad comedy and indie drama with little clarity or success blending the two. Not that it's devoid of laughs; it manages some humor when it focuses on the identity crisis of a slacker-turned-trained-killer. Unfortunately, our hero wasn't the only one trying to awkwardly discover himself; so was the movie. What could've been an inventive little comedy ala Scott Pilgrim or Zombieland is an ultra-mess.

Anyone who watches this movie and takes it at face value won't enjoy it. As is often the case with over the top, over exaggerated movie, check your common sense at the door and ride it like a roller coaster.

American Ultra is ultra violent, ultra simplistic and yes, a little stupid. But I think it's supposed to be?

As B Movie or just "childish R Rated" pleasure, this movie works. A lot of things going for it actually: a very punch mise en scène, some good casting and good performances from Kristen Stewart & co. given the genre and topic.... and yes, good fun.

Given the negative reviews, this may sound defensive but I am sure that a lot of people will enjoy it for what it is. DOn't expect the next Avengers and yes, don't expect anything deep.

(Credit to Mr. Moiz)

Small-town stoner Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) spends most of his time getting high and writing a graphic novel about a superhero monkey. What Mike doesn't know is that he was trained by the CIA to be a lethal killing machine. When the agency targets him for termination, his former handler activates his latent skills, turning the mild- mannered slacker into a deadly weapon. Now, the utterly surprised Mike must use his newfound abilities to save himself and his girlfriend from getting wasted.

This was far better than I expected. When my best friend wanted to see this, I wasn't sure what to fully think. The trailers looked average to me and I expected very little. Much to my surprise, this isn't your average stoner movie. This one has plenty of creativity. What really makes this movie is the able cast, especially the two leads. Jessie Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart play off one another beautifully and have terrific chemistry with each other. You're able to care about them and what they are going through. Topher Grace is an above average villain as well. For the action fans out there, I think you'll be pleased. There are enough explosions and fight scenes to satisfy.

This movie has a little bit of everything and plenty of creativity. It's a bit of a shame that this didn't make much noise in theaters because it deserved to. Not everyone will get the satisfaction I got out of it, but I recommend it highly

7.5/10