Long scenes play out in wide shots and masterfully evolve in entertaining ways. The well-defined setting and sometimes haunting tone perfectly compliment the narrative's mystery. The performances are great. So many scenes are so dynamic and compelling that they can stand on their own. Humor is deftly used to show a pessimistic outlook on justice and truth in an entertaining way.
So for all that, I feel conflicted for not rating this higher. But the mix of tones did not…
The narrative flow can feel really clunky at times, with moments feeling interrupted, or new scenes feeling abrupt. The filmmaking craft feels not quite dialed in. But the world and characters are so damn charming, that even with the occasional hiccup, this could be one of my favorite films. The world is specific and transportive, and the story is of a found family coming together for a high-seas adventure whose stakes are softened by absurd comedy and lo-fi electronic music.…
I thought the film set out to examine some interesting topics, but the combination of a meandering plot with a main character who commits so hard to irredeemability made it hard to get emotionally involved. A long unpleasant slog interrupted by the briefest moments of personality and wit.
