Villeneuve + Bond, part two

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Finding this bit interesting. Can’t help but wonder if they’re following a pre-McQuarrie MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE formula, with a different director helming their own style of film. A more anthology-esque, continuity-be-damned approach could be rather refreshing.

Puck’s Matt Belloni is reporting that Villeneuve’s leap into the Bond-verse is going to be a one-off affair. Additionally, he won’t have final cut on the film and isn’t locked in for any sequels, spin-offs, or streaming offshoots. Still, there are hints that the new regime, headed by Amy Pascal and David Heyman, isn’t interested in micromanaging auteurs into studio yes-men.

That said, Villeneuve’s leash here is notably short. No final cut. No creative continuity beyond this one film. Amazon doesn’t want to hand over the entire sandbox after just one movie, a trend we’ve seen across the industry as studios grow wary of directors planting long-term flags in valuable IP.

PRISONERS (Denis Villeneuve, 2013)

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Considering PRISONERS the centerpiece of an unofficial pre-Taylor Sheridan blue-collar crime film trilogy circa 2012-13, Scott Cooper's OUT OF THE FURNACE and Andrew Dominik's KILLING THEM SOFTLY being the other two: bleak, brutal, unflinching, and breathtakingly beautiful (thank you Roger Deakins and Jóhann Jóhannson (RIP) – what a marriage of visual and music) in all of its bleak and unflinching brutality (emotional and physical), PRISONERS is one of the best studies of loss and the consequences of rage at one's own impotence I've seen.

Three career-best performances: Hugh Jackman (2019's BAD EDUCATION notwithstanding); Jake Gyllenhaal (my appreciation for and and recognition of my under-appreciation of his talent – though Dan Gilroy's NIGHTCRAWLER remains my favorite Gyllenhaal role – grew here by leaps and bounds; and Melissa Leo, which is saying something considering almost every performance from her could be considered a career-best.

Why, exactly, it took me more than 10 years to get around to seeing this masterwork is, like most things, beyond me. Duly added to the "procure blu / add to library pronto" list.