'Masterpiece' crime drama with Eric Bana's 'career best performance'
A 'masterpiece' crime drama with what audiences deem Eric Bana's 'career best performance' is an ideal title to rediscover following the release of Netflix series Untamed.
Bana leads the latest crime drama on the major streaming platform. It is only the second time the star has booked a role for television since Dirty John before only booking parts in movies.
The Australian actor plays Kyle Turner, a special agent investigating a mysterious death in Yosemite National Park. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with many critics and fans singling out Bana's performance as a reason to binge watch the series.
However, many fans still consider his breakout film role to be his 'career best' when he played the titular role in 2000's Chopper. His career would skyrocket following the film's release, with him earning major roles in Hulk, Troy, Munich and 2009's Star Trek reboot.
Thankfully, for fans who binge Untamed and want to look back on an early part of Bana's career, can do so as Chopper is streaming on Prime Video.
The film was inspired by the books of Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read, arguably Australia's most infamous former criminal. Chopper draws on police records, court transcripts, news coverage and interviews with people who knew Chopper Read.
According to the synopsis, Mark 'Chopper' Read, a convict serving sentence in a maximum-security prison, is stabbed for his eccentric behaviour. Upon being released, Chopper desperately searches for his hidden enemy.
It boasts a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but holds an even more impressive 89% fan rating on the website. One critic reviewed the film for a milestone anniversary and claimed: "Chopper is more than a vehicle for Bana's extraordinary performance; it's an immaculately crafted masterpiece of Australian cinema that feels as fresh, energetic and provocative today as it was the day it was released."
Another agreed, stating: "This is a masterpiece of a film, a sign that Australian cinema can reach monstrous heights of glory."
Many film fans still hold a fondness for the film too as one posted their thoughts online saying: "Eric bana deserved an Oscar! Unbelievable portrayal of Chopper. This movie doesn't get the credit it deserves."
Someone else commented: "The directorial debut of Australian filmmaker Andrew Dominik comes in the form of "Chopper," a film that acts as a dramatised biopic of sorts on the real-life crimes of Australia's most dangerous criminal in Mark "Chopper" Read. In a career-best performance from Eric Bana, we see the deep rooted insecurities in a man who thrives off chaos, violence, murder, and overall darkness but somehow managed to be charismatic and likeable to everyone he came across despite his reckless nature."
They continued: "The film embraced its tone of being a truly dark comedy as the moments of tension between Chopper and anyone he's talking to feel terrifying to watch."
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