Thomas Nicholas steps out of his comfort zone in this gritty vengeance drama. We bring you our Adverse review.
A vengeful man takes on an army of henchmen to save his kidnapped sister from a ruthless drug dealer.
Brian A Metcalf and Thomas Nicholas are certainly no strangers. This tag-team directing and acting duo brought us the suspenseful yet subtle spooky tale The Lost Tree back in 2016.
Suspense does seem to be the theme of the day when it comes to Brian A Metcalf films and thankfully what Adverse lacks in some departments it more than makes up for with suspense which urges its viewers to keep on watching until the final conclusion.
And what a conclusion it is!
Thomas Nicholas and Mickey Rourke star in this gritty urban thriller about a man’s quest for revenge.
Ethan (Thomas Nicholas) a rideshare driver learns that his sister is involved with the wrong people and owes them money.
When Mia disappears without a trace Ethan discovers a local crime boss named Kaden (Mickey Rourke) is responsible and gets close to him in order to find the answers he’s looking for.
It’s not long before Ethan gets the information he desires and goes on a one-man spree in spectacular fashion.
With supporting cast members including Lou Diamond Phillips, Penelope Ann Miller and even a cameo from Sean Astin playing the rideshare company owner this movie certainly isn’t short of on-screen talent.
Through various shots, you get a good feel of the gritty nature that director Brian A Metcalfe wants to portray.
A man who has had a troubled upbringing who just can’t shake off the demons of his past and at any moment could slip back into his old habits as this fine balance finally topples over at the films midway point.
Thomas Nicholas certainly steps out of his comfort zone with this one and manages to convey a troubled character with depth.
Adverse isn’t the surface level revenge thriller that lacks substance in terms of its characters, it’s certainly got more depth than your average point and shoot one-man-band action flick but it’s very hit and miss along the way when it comes to the overall package.
With poor special effects during certain key moments of the film that detach me from the suspense and some scenes that are inconsistent with the tone of the film at times, Adverse feels a little jolty in places.
One minute we have some gorgeous studio level urban cinematography followed by another scene that changes in tone and quality.
It almost makes me feel like the movie had two cinematographers as we bounce between the two.
A certain shot in a nightclub with Mickey Rourke wouldn’t look out of place within a Hollywood blockbuster.
The set was dressed wonderfully and the camera angle sublime as we see this ageing crime boss (Rourke) on his last legs.
Rourke delivers a smouldering intensity throughout and commands every scene in which he appears.
Thankfully, the performances make up for niggles that Adverse does have as Thomas Nicholas drives a thin but direct narrative and Rourke commands every frame in which he appears.
Whilst Adverse isn’t going to be your typical revenge thriller amongst your collection you can rest assured that the suspense of the movie is amped up to extreme levels which makes this feature well worth your time.
I’m talking Uncut Gems levels of suspense as we see Ethan slowly unravel and the final scenes of the film including an incredible warehouse sequence were sublime.
Adverse is a slow-burning drama for the most part before it explodes in the third act.
It’s just enough to sink your teeth into even if the final conclusion of the movie leaves more questions than answers, especially when it comes to the consequences of the aftermath we’ve just witnessed.
I suppose the less said about that the better unless I want to find myself on the end of a tire wrench.
Adverse review by Sean Evans
Our Rating
Summary
With moments of magic that escape from its budgetary confines Adverse certainly has potential.
It’s a slow burn at first but the final act is certainly worth the wait.
