A generic Netflix Original action film starring an actor who was much more acclaimed in a different project, #4 is set to be released later this year. I don’t have much to say about Heart of Stone. While I’ve enjoyed some of Tom Harper’s previous projects (I really enjoyed Wild Rose), he brought absolutely nothing to this particular project. It feels as though this movie was not directed by Harper himself, but instead brought to him by Netflix executives who then dictated how the movie should be crafted to meet their criteria.
Also Read: “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” Movie Review
Sometimes, movies of this kind can work. Extraction has been successful thus far, and I really enjoyed The Old Guard. However, that formula isn’t quite working for this movie. Heart of Stone relies on the belief that it can win you over with its spectacle. While the action is indeed quite entertaining, audiences have demonstrated that we require more substance than just mindless violence. With films like Dead Reckoning and John Wick 4, the bar for action movies has been raised. These movies consistently push boundaries, whereas I perceive that Netflix remains within a safe comfort zone, as is evident with this film.
As for the characters, I didn’t mind them. They sported ridiculous names and uttered absurd dialogue, causing me to not take any of them seriously. However, it’s worth noting that not all of their characterization was one-dimensional. While some characters were decidedly flat, the characters portrayed by Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan possessed intriguing arcs and displayed fairly decent chemistry. Alia Bhatt’s performance in the film was quite commendable, but apart from her, no one truly left a lasting impression.
Gadot is employing her usual shtick, which could genuinely irritate some individuals. Dornan’s portrayal in this role holds some intrigue, yet it doesn’t contribute significantly. A film featuring moderately interesting characters like this can quickly become tedious, which was certainly the case for me. Furthermore, the cinematography is quite poor. Everything seemed artificial, and the green screens were incredibly conspicuous. This detracted from the impact of the otherwise impressive action sequences and SFX.
All in all, Heart of Stone is passable. It’s competently crafted, but competence alone can only carry a movie so far. I’m uncertain of a better way to articulate this, but it’s this year’s Red Notice.
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