MOVIES: New from Wes Anderson, Al Pacino in an exorcism and an atypical shark tale

National Observer

06-06-2025

Ballerina may be the big film this week but not in here. It wasn't previewed where I am and seems to be riding on its connection with the very popular John Wick series. 'From the world of John Wick' has even been added to the official title. He, you might remember, is trying to stop working as a paid assassin. For some reason, the ballerina is trying to become one.
It arrives a year late after a torturous production history, disastrous test screenings, a director change and re-shoots.
Better bets might be two documentaries: Incandescence, about forest wildfires, extremely timely and free to watch on the NFB website and Fairy Creek about a fight to save an old growth forest from logging. After a festival run it's playing in a few theaters.
And there are other films that didn't get previewed but these did:
The Phoenician Scheme: 3 stars
Dangerous Animals: 3 ½
The Ritual: 2 ½
Dan Da Dan: 3
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME: Both fans and detractor's of Wes Anderson's films get their bias supported here. The writing is nimble. There are ideas on a lot of modern issues flung about. The performers (including many big names) deliver well. But the film is also glib, overly quirky and ultimately without much to say, except how clever it is. That alone can make it involving but don't expect anything of the class of The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox or The Royal Tenenbaums. Settle for a tale of international business only lightly observed.
Benicio Del Toro plays a hard-charging businessman (with a strange middle-European accent) who is promoting a huge dam project in his home country called Phoenicia. Two matters distract him. There are repeated assassination attempts, we don't know by whom but suspect rivals, maybe political rivals. At the same time he's trying to repair relations with his daughter (Mia Threapleton) who has become a nun and who he names as the heir to his business. Scarlett Johansson plays the woman he may marry and Benedict Cumberbatch plays a less-than-trustworthy relative. More names show up including Michael Cera as a Norwegian entomologist hired as a tutor, Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston as American businessmen and Bill Murray (in a dream sequence) as God. So, there's a lot going on but it doesn't come together, stir much emotion or make a point. Except: how clever it is. (It's been in select theaters and is now country-wide.) 3 out of 5
DANGEROUS ANIMALS: Here's a twist on the serial killer story. Instead of shooting, choking or the usual method, feed them to the sharks. That happens in this Australian thriller as is gradually revealed to us and to a surfer girl (Hassie Harrison) when she's abducted by a sketchy ship operator (Jai Courtney). He's got a fixation on sharks, speaks of their fighting ability and even defends them against the reputation that's become attached to them. But he uses them; hangs his victims on a fish line out over the water and then dunks them under when a shark comes near.
Why? He's a serial killer. Who needs to know more? Well, there is more. He videotapes those shark attacks to watch later on his TV. He's a tourist boat operator who takes people out on the water where he lowers them under in a cage to watch sharks. That's what attracts a couple early in the film and later torments the surfer for the rest of the way.
She's tied up, lectured about the nobility of sharks and, after an escape attempt, suspended and lowered as expected. There's a party boat blaring music nearby but too far away to hear a scream for help. Can she possibly get out of this? The tension, the danger, the fear are stirred up nicely by director Sean Byrne who doesn't soften anything but firms up the thrills to shake your nerves. No apologies; no reaching for art, except to suggest a question: who is really the dangerous animal? (In theaters) 3 ½ out of 5
THE RITUAL: They come regularly but this season's exorcism movie is disappointing. It tries to depict and explain the procedure properly and respectfully and thereby has the effect of making the film bland and tepid. We're used to sturm and drang, ever since 1973 when The Exorcist gave us screaming, spitting up bile and grossly misusing a crucifix. This film gives us name stars, Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, et al and a true story. It happened in Iowa in 1928 and was written up in a pamphlet called 'Begone Satan!' by the two priests who attended based on notes taken by one of them. It's said to be the most documented case of demonic possession in American history. Still though, unconvincing, I'd say.
Dan Stevens plays the new and young parish priest. Al Pacino is the old priest called in because he has done exorcisms before. He ruefully recalls one that he mishandled and is determined that he won't fail again. The two priests soon show they have different ideas.
When a young woman named Emma Schmidt, played by Abigail Cowen, shows signs of possession by an evil spirit and an exorcism is prescribed do they restrain her, i.e. tie her down on the bed? The old priest insists, yes. And is it really demonic possession? The young priest says it could be a psychological affliction (interesting that because the director and co-writer David Midell worked as a therapist for young people with mental health problems before he became a filmmaker). Here he took a restrained approach. The lurid side is missing. (In theaters) 2 ½ out of 5
DAN DA DAN EVIL EYE: I wasn't previously aware of this hugely popular series which started in print as a manga in Japan, led to an anime series on TV and has reached the movie screens two times now. Actually both times were with re-edited material from TV. This film takes the 'evil eye' story line that emerged near the end of season one, adds three episodes from the up-coming season two and gives us in effect an elaborate preview episode. It's so well animated and delivered with such intense and dreamy feeling that you won't mind that. It'll be thrilling to see it on the big screen.
In the series we follow three characters: Momo, a high school girl, her classmate Okarun and her former boyfriend, Jiji. There's a teenage love story behind the supernatural main show. Momo believes in ghosts and not aliens. Okarun believes in aliens but not ghosts. So, of course, they encounter both, first in a hospital where UFOs have been seen and then in a tunnel said to be haunted.
The three try to clear up a mystery about Jiji's parents and go to his family's now empty house which is said to be controlled by some supernatural force. The parents are in hospital because of that force. The real cause involves the powerful Kito family which protects the town from an even more malevolent force. It appears to them as a giant snake and must be appeased by sacrificing a young person. If not, a volcano will erupt and kill all with lava. The evil eye uses Jiji, we're not sure for what. A Mongolian death worm shows up and a ghost too. It's hokum, sure, but there's power in the story telling and beautiful art in the animation. And adult content: a near rape and talk of suicide. But enough sci-fi horror to appease the fans. (In theaters) 3 out of 5