Rank: 3/5
Fueled by drugs, crippling anxiety and heavy violence, “American Ultra” is the newest film to hit the teen-action genre comprised of an odd, seemingly cherry-picked cast.
“American Ultra” begins at the end. The opening scene poses questions about the previous few days’ events, which then rewind on screen to go back to where it all began.
Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart star as Mike Howell and Phoebe Larson,respectively, a perfect stoner couple living in harmony in small-town Liman, West Virginia.
Howell spends his days working at a convenience store while intermittently smoking, drawing comics of fictional character Apollo Ape and debating on when he will propose to his long-time girlfriend Larson.
Everything changes when CIA agent Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) makes a surprise visit to warn Howell that Adrian Yates (Topher Grace) is heading a mission to eliminate him, as he is the only living, successful asset from her “Ultra” program.
As he processes her message, he notices two guys planting something in his car. When he goes out to stop them, his unknown CIA training kicks in and the high-energy film takes off and never slows down for the remaining show time.
The main and supporting casts do an honorable job of portraying their characters. Frequently misplaced humor and sarcasm also give “American Ultra” more acclaim.
The film’s credibility is wavering before the viewers sit down to watch it. But by the end, the audience will be pleasantly surprised by the decent storyline, acting and overall cinematography.
The cinematography focuses heavily on digital graphics, animation and juxtaposed scenes, making an otherwise mediocre film aesthetically pleasing.
That being said, “American Ultra” just misses being one of the more popular films of the year, mainly for the scattered plot explanation and the fact its ending sets it up for an unpromised sequel.
Without the star-studded cast choices, the movie wouldn’t have been even remotely worth seeing.
However, should you have a slow weekend, “American Ultra” provides enough entertainment to see at least once.