If you've seen the preview for The Covenant, you already know everything that's going to happen.
Even if you *didn't* see the preview, you could predict the path of this story without much brain power; that's because writer-director Guy Ritchie never gives you much to think about. He tells you what's about to happen, and then -- it happens. This technique is crystallized in the moment John Kinley's wife (Emily Beecham) says, effectively: "You're going to go back there and save Ahmed and bring him to the United States."
And that's exactly what happens.
Most of the film feels more like a preview itself than an actual movie. A simulation of what a movie *would* be like. But it never really lets you in.
Actor Dar Salim is terrific as Ahmed, the Interpreter, though he's not given much to work with. We're told he doesn't play well with others, but that never really bears out, or seems relevant. We're told the Taliban killed his son, and so he's against them, but so is everybody else.
He "knows things" (in fact he's pretty much always making John Kinley look foolish in the first half of the film), and we later learn he used to work in the drug trade. That would be more interesting if his knowledge was ever crucial, or a source of conflict or tension. Instead, he just makes Kinley look kind of dumb because he doesn't trust someone Kinley does, or he knows opium smokers won't have weapons.
And Kinley...dear God. I don't know if Jake Gyllenhaal has turned in one of his flattest performances to date, or a real life Kinley is really this two-dimensional. When he's not killing people like an absolute machine, or being dragged through Afghani mountain country while he lolls helplessly, he's staring blankly or screaming about being put on hold. There's really only one moment he has to show some humanity, and it's an exposition dump to his wife in the middle of night where he spells out for the audience why he has to go back for Ahmed.
At one point, he's feeling pretty useless at his job and his wife tells him to just sit there and look good. Later, Ahmed's brother (I think) is telling him about his beautiful blue eyes. I laughed out loud at that one.
Is the otherwise lackluster performance Gyllenhaal's fault? Maybe to an extent. But I think Ritchie, who brought us the over the top indie Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is just too in love with himself as a director to tell a truly compelling story. First, he puts his name in front of the title. Then he telegraphs what he's going to show you. And then he shows you.
6/10.
Even if you *didn't* see the preview, you could predict the path of this story without much brain power; that's because writer-director Guy Ritchie never gives you much to think about. He tells you what's about to happen, and then -- it happens. This technique is crystallized in the moment John Kinley's wife (Emily Beecham) says, effectively: "You're going to go back there and save Ahmed and bring him to the United States."
And that's exactly what happens.
Most of the film feels more like a preview itself than an actual movie. A simulation of what a movie *would* be like. But it never really lets you in.
Actor Dar Salim is terrific as Ahmed, the Interpreter, though he's not given much to work with. We're told he doesn't play well with others, but that never really bears out, or seems relevant. We're told the Taliban killed his son, and so he's against them, but so is everybody else.
He "knows things" (in fact he's pretty much always making John Kinley look foolish in the first half of the film), and we later learn he used to work in the drug trade. That would be more interesting if his knowledge was ever crucial, or a source of conflict or tension. Instead, he just makes Kinley look kind of dumb because he doesn't trust someone Kinley does, or he knows opium smokers won't have weapons.
And Kinley...dear God. I don't know if Jake Gyllenhaal has turned in one of his flattest performances to date, or a real life Kinley is really this two-dimensional. When he's not killing people like an absolute machine, or being dragged through Afghani mountain country while he lolls helplessly, he's staring blankly or screaming about being put on hold. There's really only one moment he has to show some humanity, and it's an exposition dump to his wife in the middle of night where he spells out for the audience why he has to go back for Ahmed.
At one point, he's feeling pretty useless at his job and his wife tells him to just sit there and look good. Later, Ahmed's brother (I think) is telling him about his beautiful blue eyes. I laughed out loud at that one.
Is the otherwise lackluster performance Gyllenhaal's fault? Maybe to an extent. But I think Ritchie, who brought us the over the top indie Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is just too in love with himself as a director to tell a truly compelling story. First, he puts his name in front of the title. Then he telegraphs what he's going to show you. And then he shows you.
6/10.