Frank Grillo’s character in “Boss Level” is called Roy Pulver, which must be short for Pulverize because that’s what he does to assassins to destroy him. No matter what they try – machete, grenade, Chinese sword, Rob Gronkowski’s killer strafing from a helicopter – Roy sets up a parade. Until he doesn’t and is killed, only to wake up in his bed, ready to repeat the exact same ordeal and die another day.
Directed by B movie expert Joe Carnahan (“The Gray), the lightweight“ Boss Level ”is the latest iteration of the popular time loop storyline, explaining the concept of video games – repeat an action until you are good enough to move on – which has always nurtured this subgenre.
Roy has an unlimited number of lives, which allows him to accumulate the experience necessary to overcome each obstacle. He learns quickly too, becoming a master of the saber in just a few lessons; it probably helps that her instructor is no less than Michelle Yeoh. Roy eventually discovers that the plot against him involves a super secret device overseen by his ex, Jemma (Naomi Watts, keeping a clean face amid the surrounding silliness), and that his boss, Mel Gibson’s Colonel Ventor, is not used to. nothing – an important clue is that his name is Colonel Ventor.
Roy grows up as a killer over the course of the film, which involves an increasingly tedious amount of repetitive violence played for laughs – he’s like Wile E. Coyote, brushing off after falling off a cliff or blowing up.
Like most other iterations of the Time Loop, Roy is also growing as a person. But still fun with great hair! When he takes a break from fighting his pursuers, he enjoys taking down the villains of arcade games with his son, Joe (Grillo’s own son, Rio). Lessons take longer to materialize when emotions are involved, but Roy eventually gets the hang of it. We knew he would, because we’ve been there too.
Boss level
Unclassified. Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes. Watch on Hulu.
