A Job Worth Keeping

This was an extremely confident, technically impressive effort from Kratos of a chainsmoking blue collar worker losing their job through to a lack of attention before an opportunity comes for redemption and they take it fully gripped with both DIY hands.

What I really enjoyed the most about this film was the seriously strong performance of our lead protagonist. He really sold me on the true blue kiwi guy who works hard for his paycheck and enjoys a few durries in his spare time. This was done with commanding screen presence as the actor playing him really knew how to sell the rough around the edges but hard man so well through little physical inflections here and there.

Even the introspective looks on the beach played really well. In the hands of a less experienced team it may have played as unintentional laughs, but for these multiple Gisborne winners it genuinely served as a moment of reflection and realisation that our lead needed to get his life back on track.

The comedy was also right up my alley. Crude to an extent, and by all means I think this team saw that other teams got 'splatter' and their eyes lit up at the idea of including the genre they didn't get, but also having worked in building consents I can honestly say they absolutely nailed the venacular of how tradespeople speak.

I do think this would have gone close to making the grand final, though probably the big question mark/thing that held it back from top 15 was the extremely disturbing ending. Murderous revenge on hitmen as redemption? Questionable to say the least. Like if you google the word redemption you get "the action of saving or being saved from sin, error or evil" and I think the team ran with this whereas the organisers in the genre definition gave a definition that I felt was at odds of what the team went with "Not to be confused with the Revenge movie, redemption is less about getting even and more about finding yourself, forgiveness and/or growing as a person". Do we really see that growth for our lead? Not enough in my book and it does lean more into getting even given that those he kills have shot him in the foot.

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the film but the genre intepretation was what held it back, for me.

Story: 3/5
Technical: 4.5/5
Elements: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5