Weekly Review -- Enemy mine

Welcome to the Punch (2013) -- Great Britain has produced some of the most engaging crime films in the past two decades. Starting with 1994's dystopian Shopping and ending with 2013's slick Welcome to the Punch, the body of work is impressive and the latest offering does not disappoint. Let us put it this way -- Punch packs a whole lot of its title into its storyline.     

**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Having been injured by criminal Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong) three years earlier, London detective Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) is verging on obsessed, determined to catch the man that had eluded him. When Jacob reappears to get his wounded son out of a hospital, Max has his chance, but soon finds out that all is not as it seems and that Jacob's son is part of a widespread conspiracy that involves high-level officials... 

Filmmaker Eran Creevy's thriller is a layered, sophisticated tale of two men on opposite sides of the law that unite to expose a dirty game, one in which they are merely pawns. While the subplots are well thought out and detailed, it is the unlikely kinship between Max and Jacob that forms the essence of the script. The problem is, the film hinges on a connection that is never fully explored. Sure, we understand what drives Max and what drives Jacob, but understanding does not necessarily mean fully investing or signify that the characters have been linked in an organic manner. McAvoy and Strong are brilliant actors, but even they are unable to bring depth to a relationship where there is none to begin with. In fact, while realizing that TV shows operate on an entirely different level of pacing, I will still firmly state that a similar relationship is examined incomparably better on "Hannibal". I wish that there had been some background and more insight as to how Max and Jacob became mortal adversaries and find it unbelievable that it all started with that shot in the tunnel.

I also have to say that the first thing that attracted me to Punch was its gorgeous cinematography, which I later found out was the work of Ed Wild (Severance, "Fleming"). The first sequence alone is worth your two hours, not to mention the moody elegance of all the other shots that Wild treats us to. The steely blue makeover suits London, making it one of those cities that form their own characters in the films they host. 

As I had mentioned, the acting is top-notch. McAvoy is terrific at portraying infatuation and Strong is the master of intensity. Although she could have been given more to do, Andrea Riseborough is excellent as Max's colleague, and David Morrissey has a great turn as one of his superiors. I do think, though, that the cast occasionally gets overshadowed by the aesthetics, which is not a bad thing in the context of the plot and only shows how unique the stylistic elements are. Yes, you could say that this film's look has made my week.

Welcome to the Punch is a thriller that boasts a somber style, taut writing and an intriguing story. It combines 1970s cinematic conspiracy yarns with 21st century techno sensibilities and gives you a London that you have never seen before. See it if you are a fan of the cast or innovative genre entries.         

8/10