Big Game

Dir: Jalmari Helander

2015

***

Big Game is director Jalmari Helander's second film following his brilliant debut rare Exports: A Christmas Tale in 2010. He is obviously a film maker who sees things a little differently and I have to say I like what I see. Big Game is as close to a comic/graphic novel come to life as I've seen in recent years, although it's not actually based on a comic, it will appeal to lovers of the medium. It is Finnish tradition meets the big cheesy action film, a loving tribute to country and the 80's action-hero genre. It's somewhat formulaic and treads on well trodden ground but also feels completely fresh and original. It's the little flares and odd quirks of random happenings and unexpected situations that really makes the film stand out from it's contemporaries. I love the idea; a young Finnish boy is told to go into the woods, hunt for one day and one night and bring back a trophy to the towns elders who will declare him a man, should he bring back something that warrants it. His father is famous for bring back a Bear, he ends up bringing back the President of the United States. It stars a wonderfully eclectic cast, including; Samuel L. Jackson as the President, Victor Garber as Vice President, Ray Stevenson as a Secret Service agent gone rouge, Jim Broadbent as a CIA adviser, Felicity Huffman as director of the CIA and Mehmet Kurtulus as a CIA agent turned freelance terrorist (and also one of the most charismatic villains of 2015). It's exciting, unexpected and often very silly. I loved the conclusion and although it missed a certain something, I'd love to see more like this.