Amazon Prime Video’s Samaritan offers a dark and new take on the superhero genre. The film is directed by Julius Avery and written by Bragi F. Schut. Previously, the story was adapted into the Mythos Comics graphic novels by Schut, Marc Olivent and Renzo Podesta.
Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Balboa Productions, the film has a stellar cast. Sylvester Stallone stars in the title role along with Javon Walton as Sam Cleary, Martin Starr as Albert Casier, Moisés Arias as Reza Smith, Dascha Polanco as Tiffany Cleary, Pilou Asbæk as Cyrus, Jared Odrick as Farshad, Michael Aaron Milligan as Tuna, Deacon Randle as The Fireman and Shameik Moore as Devin Holloway. The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes.
– Amazon Prime Video’s Samaritan Review Does Not Contain Any Spoilers –
Samaritan: The Old-New Batman
The movie, Samaritan, starts off with a rather excellent introductory credit scene that explains to us the point from which the movie starts. We hear the story of two brothers, Samaritan and Nemesis, who were possessors of extraordinary power. However, their values differed making them stand against each other. The two superhero brothers fought with each other in an epic battle in which Samaritan (the good one out of the two) ended up dying.
The story opens twenty years later when the world believes that their good superhero exists no more. But, Sam Cleary, a teenage boy living with his single mother chooses to believe otherwise. He knows that the superhero he has heard about in so many stories is actually not dead but, rather in hiding. After a series of events, Sam becomes convinced that his neighbour, Joe Smith, who is a garbage man is the apparently missing superhero.
Meanwhile, the crimes in Granite City go on a spike with the underworld gangster named Cyrus spreading havoc. As Sam gets closer to his neighbour Joe he discovers the truth about his identity. Yet the story of why Samaritan went to hiding and if he is still powerful enough to save the city by being the good superhero he has always been becomes a question that keeps looming.
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Samaritan is a film that takes the old and converts it into something predictable but, enjoyable too. The film is an eerie reminder of the world of DC comics and, Batman, in specific. With the colour palette that almost makes Granite City feel Gotham-like, the dynamic representation of Joe and Cyrus feels much like Batman and Joker, respectively. Even the narrative and the character developments that place feel DC-inspired, almost identical to the iconic comic series and their cinematic universe.
Coming to the performances, Sylvester Stallone is surely the highlight of the series. Playing the titular character, the veteran actor holds himself up to the role with exceptional gravitas and delivers an excellent performance. This is surely a side of Stallone fans have not seen before and are going to enjoy the Rocky actor’s walk on the threshold of darkness and light.
Javon Walton plays Sam Clearly, who more or less forms a supporting protagonist in the story because it is Sam through whose eyes we take a closer look at Samaritan. The Euphoria wonder boy’s energy is infectious and it is charming to see him play such a contrasting role to the other character we are used to seeing in the Sam Levinson teen drama. The rapport Walton shares with Stallone is something you would want to root for and it has more to do with the kind of zeal Walton brings on the screen than Stallone.
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Samaritan: Final Verdict
Samaritan can very well be called a remake attempt of Batman in his old age but, it is also a film that you will be able to enjoy although you already know what is going to happen next. The performances, score and cinematography are applaud-worthy and credit should be given to the narrative where it is due, such as developing layered characters, establishing well-fleshed-out relationships, etc.
The film might not surprise you. The climax might just feel like something you knew about before half the movie was over but, by the end of the day, it is a superhero film and oftentimes, a superhero film’s trope hardly differs from the others out there in the market. Exceptions, however, cannot be taken as examples.
Samaritan is releasing on Amazon Prime Video on August 26, 2022.
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