Hey there everyone.
During Lockdown we have a lot of time to ourselves. A lot of time to catch up on TV shows, or films, or books that we have been putting off for a while. Today I am reviewing one such film I have been putting off for a while to watch from a director whose previous movie I watched I have nothing but praise for. Today I am looking at the 2019 New Zealand Action Comedy by Jason Lei Howden "Guns Akimbo".


Plot: We follow Miles, a video game developer and part time troll, who is getting over his ex girlfriend and dickhead of a boss when he inadvertently becomes a new participant in a real life death match that is broadcast to the world. Adding to the fact now that he has one of the top killers on his tail, a young woman named Nix, Miles finds that he now has two guns bolted to his hands. To everyone outside of the game, hes a mad man in a robe, underwear and slippers with two guns running away, but to the online audience he is Guns Akimbo. Can he survive his murderous hunter, or will Miles become another victim of Skizms online murder game.

What this film Does Well: This film shows us a more extreme version of online culture, and the evils of the online world. I think we all know that the internet is full of all kinds of weird and scary people (just like in real life), but this film shows a more extreme side of it that honestly feels like it could happen. By this I mean that I would have no trouble believing that some people would pay to watch human beings being hunted down in death matches online.
There are also some rather humorous moments here and there between Radcliffe and the people around him. He sometimes forgets about the guns and waves them around, making people avoid him more, and struggles to do simple every day things like opening doors or even getting dressed. Its also funny to watch him run around in slippers and a robe that gets progressively more filthy as he continues to run. The humor is good in spots when it is not trying to be funny thanks in no small part to Radcliffe's reactions and those who are acting alongside him. Honestly its like everyone on this movie was having a lot of fun.
The action scenes and fight scenes are also really well done in this movie. Miles having no real fighting ability going up against trained killers is very good, but its when Nix is on the screen that the action is really hyped up. The fighting is fun, and we can really get a feel for the gap in their abilities by watching how they take down the other killers of Skizm that gets in their way.

What this Film Does Wrong: Right off the bat I gotta say this. The movie has some cringe-worthy dialogue when it is trying to be funny, which as a result causes the viewer to just be like "Really?...REALLY?!". While this is the case in a lot of films like this one, it really pulls the viewer out of the story when we see a character crack a masturbation joke after losing a finger, or making a joke at how the movie isnt like getting an X box achievement (BOTH OF THESE ARE ACTUAL EXAMPLES!!!).
Another thing that kept dragging me out of this movie is the Villain. For a guy who is running a death game, he got really upset when someone started trolling him. His accent also keeps changing which I found annoying throughout. Most annoying though is that hes not even that impressive of a villain. One moment hes unhinged, the next moment hes calculating, the next moment hes calm and collected, the next moment hes impulsive. He becomes a mixture of cliches that lead up to a rather bland villain thats overshadowed by Nix who commands attention when she is on screen.
The film also takes some time to stop taking itself seriously and embracing the absurdity of the plot, which it really should have done earlier on in the film. It also takes cliches from other films to make some of its characters. While this isnt a bad thing its very annoying when we see the Jock boss bullying Miles because we have seen it so many times before.

Performance: Radcliffe gives a very good performance in this film, showcasing the characters fear and confusion at being driven headfirst into this death Game. His character grows stronger as the movie goes on and he becomes honestly kind of cool towards the end (if not, once again cliche). However, its Samara Weaving as Nix that I also found to be a scene stealer (for the most part). She plays the character of Nix as someone who is so used to this game, that she is growing more sick of it. She is a skilled fighter and killer, and this plays off fantastically with Radcliffe's Miles who is pretty much a coward. Some of the best scenes of this movie are when these two are together.

Personal Verdict: I enjoyed Guns Akimbo, but I can see it has its problems. The story is cliche, the dialogue can border on cringy at times, and the villain isnt really aw inspiring. That being said, the actors do a great job in this move, the action and fight scenes are fun, and there are some genuinely funny scenes that made me want to keep watching. The movie is not for everyone, but can be a fun romp here and there. The movie is a fun, action packed, if not misguided attempt at showing us the extreme side of online entertainment. Could it have been done better? Most Certainly. Should it be punished for trying something different? Hell no. Its a fun silly film that shows Radcliffe is more than the kid who played Harry Potter.

Overall Score: 6.9/10


Guns Akimbo may not be for everyone, but those who do enjoy it can appreciate the work put into it. Its not another action movie, but its also not another survival game movie. It stands as something of its own in places, but falls short in places it could have shined. The small cynical nature of the characters are rather tiresome at times, but Radcliffe and Weaving pull it together towards the end and save the film as a result. The small pieces of comedy work well with the action, but this is the kind of stupid action movie that you watch with your friends, not with film buffs or significant other.

Next Review will be Hollow Man, as requested by User Menace. If you have a film that you would like to be reviewed, write it out below and I will hopefully get to it in the near future.