Page 16 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 98

16 Issue #98 March 2021 www.sportsenergynews.com

In Reel Time

What Could Have Been:

The Rhythm Section

By Nikolai Adams stylistic escapes, rather, what we see
is a combination of luck and survival
hen you see the names Michael instincts – perhaps one of the best films
WG. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, at making things look complicated and
you almost inevitably know that you extremely difficult.
are in for a James Bond film. The two
longtime producers of the franchise Like Bond, Stephanie travels the
(and children of original mastermind world. As mentioned above, she starts
Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli), have in London only to find her way to the
been working on these projects since Scottish moors (Ireland stands in for
the Timothy Dalton era. With closure it). . . following her training, she finds
now coming to the Daniel Craig era herself in Madrid, meeting with former
– his final Bond feature, No Time to CIA spook Marc Serra (Sterling K.
Die, is slated for a October release Brown) – a freelance information broker
(following Covid delays), and talk has who supposedly has the contacts to help
turned to who will be next to play the her get to the root of this conspiracy.
super spy. Ranging from Tom Hardy Soon, Stephanie is in Tangier,
and Tom Hiddleston, to excited chants Morocco (again, Spain being the stand-
for Idris Elba to become the first black in), and later finds herself in New York
Photo Submitted
Bond, there have even been some City for jobs. Yet, will any of these
people saying that it is the right time for female Bond. I, unlike most critics, soul – lifeless, her self – splintered. missions lead her to her family’s killers?
the first female Bond. actually enjoyed The Rhythm Section. . This first section of the story is edited Perhaps more pertinently, can her luck
Dividing fans, purists (like myself) . but, what was it that made it go so far in such a way that makes this evident hold out? And, can this arduous job be
are not overly fond of the idea, while astray? Firstly, the title does not have – fragmented flashbacks pop across the a journey that makes her whole again?
some ‘perhaps’ more modern leaning the same flair as a Thunderball, Live screen, the pace of shots flashing before Featuring a number of stellar set
viewers love the idea. Likely a way and Let Die, Licence to Kill, Tomorrow our eyes quicker than normal (and, pieces, a car chase is shot to look like
to spawn a Bond-like franchise for a Never Dies. Also more dense and when mixed with some rather stunning one take. The camera never leaving
female, Wilson and Broccoli produced a complex than any Bond film, it is a story cinematography from Sean Bobbitt, the passenger’s seat, it moves back
non Bond spy film (something relatively that doesn’t allow you to float off on a you’ve got some intriguing visuals and forth from Stephanie’s nervous
rare) centred around a woman, 2020’s fantastical spy voyage, rather, it forces here). reactions to shots looking out the front
The Rhythm Section – which many of you to focus on foreign sounding names Journalist Keith Proctor (Raya and back windshields. . . it is messily
you might not even have heard of. and its somewhat convoluted narrative Jaffrey) finally tracks Stephanie down. intense, fiercely visceral. Then there is
(you’re in trouble if you zone out for a
Based on Mark Burnell’s novel of the bit). This goes hand in He has been working on a sweeping a bombing. . . done without CGI, again,
same name (the script is also written by conspiracy that the plane that her it was completed in one take (with one
him) and directed by Reed Morano, it hand with its pacing, which is family was on was actually taken down camera following our lead, the other an
was released at the end of January, and nowhere near as peppy as your typical by a bomb. The catalyst for some sort of aerial view).
it did the magic act of disappearing spy film. Also, at least here, recovery, this news jolts Stephanie out An interesting vision of what
before it ever really appeared. . . it was rather poorly advertised. . . of her drug- fugued state. could have been, The Rhythm
critically defamed, it claimed unwanted never really getting its name out there Delving into the information, she Section’s syncopated beat is perhaps
records like having the worst wide like it should have. soon finds Proctor’s source. . . a burnt a bit too irregular and abstract for the
release opening weekend of all-time spy, Iain Boyd (Jude Law), living in mainstream (as, in reality, it is more
(appearing in over three thousand Centred on Stephanie Patrick (Blake disgrace on a secluded Scottish loch. of a Euro noir spy film and not a Bond
theatres, it made only 2.8 million), the Lively – really showing her acting It is here both find an even greater style flick at all). Speaking of music,
biggest drop in theatres (ninety-seven chops here), she is a highly educated purpose in the other. . . for Stephanie, Steve Mazzaro’s composition (Hans
point five percent in just three weeks), British woman who has wallowed away he is her trainer that will prepare her for Zimmer overlooks as executive music
while it is expected to lose Paramount a after her parents and siblings were the revenge she seeks. . . for Iain, she is producer) has violins that would make
whopping 40 million dollars. wiped out in a plane crash. Turning to a woman that can take over the persona Vivaldi proud, while it also captures
drugs and prostitution to ‘deal’ with
So much for their attempt at a quasi- the pain, her apathy is overriding, her of assassin Petra Reuter – a woman he the flavours of Scotland and northern
himself killed, but rumours still swirl Africa. . . a dynamic and mightily
around the legendary figure (if she can impressive score. I should also make
1916 Pitt Street N., Unit 1A (Heritage Business Centre)
CORNWALL • 613-933-1200 repair past mistakes for him, he might mention that the title is in reference to
be able to get his job back). Boyd’s calming training method – “The
heart is the drums, the breathing is the
Unlike the grace of a Bond, or recent bass”. So, I’ll leave it up
female spies found in Atomic Blonde or
Red Sparrow, Stephanie, even after her to you as to whether you want to join
training, is green. Never having killed this rhythm section or not, though I can
Registered Massage Therapist Sheryl Calvank-Rodriguez, RMT before, what we see is even grittier project that no one will be saying, ‘the
and more challenging than the Craig name’s Patrick, Stephanie Patrick’ again
era. It is not all pure perfection and anytime soon after this box office bomb.