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Samaritan
(Amazon Studios/MGM/United Artists Releasing)
By Lucas Allen
Once in a blue moon, just as audiences continue to flock to theaters everywhere for the latest superhero movie, something comes along that tries to deconstruct the genre, like “Watchmen” or “The Boys.” The new Prime Video original movie “Samaritan” attempts another superhero deconstruction, with an aging superhero in a crime-ridden city waiting for his return. The movie comes to us from Julius Avery, the director of the World War II horror film “Overlord” from a script by “Escape Room” writer Bragi F. Schut.
Many years ago, Granite City was home to the superhero Samaritan and his villainous twin brother Nemesis. An explosive battle left them both presumed dead, leaving the city to become overrun by crime and despair. In the present day, a 13-year-old kid named Sam (Javon “Wanna” Walton) lives with his hard-working widowed mother (Dascha Polanco), but has to turn to petty thievery for some quick cash. A fan of Samaritan, he starts to believe his neighbor Joe (Sylvester Stallone), who works as a garbageman, to be the long thought-dead superhero after he sees the old man beat up some gang-bangers.
Although reluctant to reveal the truth at first, Joe begins to develop a friendship with the young Sam, who takes a real liking of having a real superhero be his neighbor. Their world soon comes crashing down when gang leader Cyrus (Pilou Asbek) takes possession of Nemesis’ mask and hammer in order to become his idol and rule the city. Soon enough, Joe will have to choose between hiding or re-emerging as the hero the city has lost long ago.
Although the aging superhero story has been done before to some degree, like the Will Smith comedy “Hancock,” the tough old man and spunky kid story has already run its course after several years. The biggest problem with this movie is that the story becomes way too derivative of what was done before. What could’ve been a fun superhero movie, with Stallone as a cranky old man with superpowers, instead reaches for the formulaic and the repeated tropes.
Besides the derivative story, the movie also has issues with tone, with many too-grim scenes mixed with other scenes with light-hearted humor. The city look becomes way too dirty and grimy in every spot, not helped by its dull-looking cinematography that moments of comic relief only produced marginal laughs. Say what you will about the look of “The Batman,” but its moody atmosphere with the rainy and grim look of Gotham City matches the story perfectly.
But if it’s action and some classic Stallone dialogue you want, this movie does have a decent supply of all that. In its third act, his character suddenly becomes Rambo or Cobra depending on your point-of-view if those characters have the powers of Superman plus some ridiculous violence that his fans will surely enjoy. There’s also a surprise twist meant to increase the drama, but this movie doesn’t go anything deeper or complex nor does it care.
Stallone is as good as ever both as tough guy and cranky-yet-wise old man with his Rocky wisdom and angry Rambo death stares. His presence alone makes the whole movie worth watching in spite of its issues. Then you have a decent supporting cast of younger actors, who all end up running circles around the legendary action star. You have little Walton doing a fine job in his performance, while Asbek turns it up-a-notch in the art of supervillain acting that has to be seen to be believed.
Stallone can make any movie he’s in very entertaining, where as Samaritan is simply disposable viewing on streaming only, which is no wonder it’s only on Prime Video. It’s best seen as a placeholder for Stallone fans while they’re waiting for “Expendables 4” that’s heading for theaters sometime in 2023.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for strong violence and strong language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 2.25 Stars (Out of Four)
