After finding her calling as a bounty hunter, Domino Harvey (Keira Knightley), finds herself entangled in a series of increasingly dangerous machinations...
Keira Knightly was one of my first real movie crushes. If she was in a movie I was going to see it. The Pirates movies, King Arthur, Love Actually.
From memory, Domino never came out in theatres in NZ, so I missed it.
About a year ago, I found myself wanting to check in with Knightley's career.
I watched the 2018 film Colette, which I really enjoyed. Black Doves on Netflix was great.
Finally I decided to go back and check out Domino.
I remember the reviews were not great when it came out. It also felt like it was the end of Knightley as a potential action star.
After the first Pirates and King Arthur, it felt like Hollywood was trying to build her credentials in the genre.
At the time, I was not the biggest fan of Tony Scott. I found this stage of his career aggravating. I thought his stylised approach worked against the material - it is the chief reason I continue to dislike Man on Fire.
After twenty years, going back to this period of time - with the bleached out colours, rapid fire editing and rapidly-shifting film speeds - it felt like going back to an old friend.
It is way too over-cranked for this movie - I read an interview where Scott himself admits to feeling like he overwhelmed the script.
While the film is busy, it is matched by the hectic script (care of Donnie Darko’s Richard Kelly). Reframing the story as part of Domino’s interrogation, it tries to unpick the caper that our antiheroine has fallen into.
Despite this framing device, the title character feels marginalised in her own movie.
Despite an iconic look, Knightley seems to disappear, but I am not sure anyone else could have stood out amid all the directorial fireworks.
The only people who manage to hold the camera are Mickey Rourke as Domino’s veteran boss, and Mo’Nique as a minor pawn in the scheme who turns into a player midway through (her takeover of The Jerry Springer Show is the most memorable piece of the film).
Despite all its sound and fury, Domino never rises above its many, many parts.
If you are new to this blog, I also co-host a podcast on James Bond, The James Bond Cocktail Hour.
You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you enjoy something I wrote, and want to support my writing, here’s a link for tips!
No comments:
Post a Comment