Hi, this is Daniel Garber at the Movies for culturalmining.com and CIUT 89.5 FM.

Movies these days feel like it’s just one battle after another. So this week, I’m looking at three new movies about wars, battles and fights that aren’t what they seem to be. There’s a wanted terrorist in the Outer Hebrides — who doesn’t exist; a siege on Fallujah… that’s actually a stage-set in California;  and a war in ancient China… fought by soldiers from 21st-century Hong Kong.

Back to the Past

Dir: Jack Lai, Ng Yuen Fai

It’s 2,000 years ago in Western China. Qin Shi Huangdi (Raymond Lam), the first Emperor of China has defeated six kingdoms and unified the country. And he did this using a strong army, superior technology and brutal methods.  But one tiny enclave still holds out against the Emperor. And, ironically, it’s headed by Hong Siu Lung (Louis Koo) who is the emperor’s former mentor who taught him everything he knows. Now he lives with his wives, his son, and his loyal followers. Looks like the end is nigh. But even as the imperial army approaches his village, a new group of soldiers appears, seemingly out of nowhere. Ken (Michael Miu) and his supporters are seeking revenge, and plan to usurp the Emperor and take his place in the capital! And they have weapons that no one has ever seen before. Where did they come from? Mongolia? Manchuria? No! He’s from Hong Kong in the 21st Century. And he plans to change history. He hijacked a time-machine to get his just deserts: he was jailed for twenty years after another man went to ancient China using the same technology but never came back.  Who was that man? It’s Hong Siu Lung! 

Which side will Hong Siu fight on? What about the Emperor? Who can be trusted and who will betray them? And will any of them ever make it back to Hong Kong?

Back to the Past is a HK action-comedy, a sequel to the very popular TV series from 1999…featuring the same storyline, cast and characters. It’s a combination historical costume drama, and science-fiction action-comedy  (with the fight scenes directed by the legendary Sammo Hung). As the English title suggests, it has more than a few references to Back to the Future, including hoverboards and time travel, but there’s lots more to it than that. Here’s the thing: I never saw the TV series, so have little vested interest in the plot, characters, or actors. And I don’t speak Cantonese, so I feel like I missed most of the jokes. But it’s a fun watch anyway. I like the fights, chases and battle scenes, along with a few cool devices: like the giant bamboo cages and flying sword fights. 

Back to the Past was a smash hit in Hong Kong, and, if you’re a fan of the TV series, it’s a must-see. If not, it’s still well-produced and watchable, but without the emotional pull.

Atropia 

Wri/Dir: Hailey Gates

It’s 2006 in Falujah, Iraq, a city the US military is trying to control. Fayruz (Alia Shawkat: Blaze, The Intervention, Green Room, ) is a local dealer in clandestine weapons that rebels are using against the American invasion. Abu Dice (Callum Turner: Eternity, The Only Living Boy in New York) is the most dangerous terrorist in the area, the one setting off all the bombs. And a squad of US soldiers are valiantly trying to flush out the enemies without offending neutral civilians. Suddenly a huge explosion goes off, killing multitudes… what can they do? Well, they could just press reset and try it all again. Because this is not actually Fallujah, Iraq. It’s a mock-up in the California desert known as Atropia. The US military built it from scratch to train new recruits in cultural sensitivity before shipping them off to Iraq. Though the soldiers are real, the  villagers are all paid extras. Fayruz camps up her performances in hope of being discovered by a passing Hollywood talent scout. And the head “insurgent”, Abu Dice, is actually a US soldier on leave from active duty in Iraq. And a fake embedded journalist. There is also a smell-wrangler to give the place a realistic odour, a pyrotechnic expert, a master of prosthetics who makes fake severed limbs, and even animatronic villagers and a wooden donkey on wheels that can be activated with the flick of a switch. All under constant surveillance of the officer in charge (Chloe Sévigny). The actors and recruits are forced to use portable toilets with no showers for a week — to keep things “real” — while the brass feast on sushi helicoptered in from Vegas. The exercises are like paintball — if you get hit you die until the next round. It’s all just too much. Fayruz is miserable, depressed and eight-months pregnant. She’s on the verge of quitting, until she meets Abu Dice… and the sparks start to fly! Is this true love or just a fling? And can their characters beat the recruits at their own game?

Atropia is a smart and satirical romcom that gently pokes fun at a senseless war. The script is funny, filled with one-liners: Fayruz says her family in Iraq are baathists: their home has 6 bedrooms, 6 baths. And Alia Shawkat and Callum Turner are both appealing and quirky. I thought it could be sharper in its criticism of that war — one fought on false pretences that destroyed and entire country and left as many as 900,000 people dead, two million refugees and four million displaced — but… considering there have been almost no other American movies like this one, it’s a breath of fresh air.

Atropia is good indie flick.

Shelter 

Dir: Ric Roman Waugh

Mason (Jason Statham: Hobbes & Shaw, Parker, The Mechanic) is a lighthouse operator on a remote, rocky island in the Outer Hebrides. He subsists on porridge and vodka and talks to no one but his nameless shaggy black dog. Indeed, aside from periodic visits by a man and a teenaged girl in a tiny boat carrying supplies, he has virtually no contact with the outside world. That is until a heavy storm capsizes the boat, drowning the man; he manages to save the girl and nurse her back to health.  Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) is sweet but tough and knows how to defend herself. (She hides a knife under her pillow). She doesn’t trust him at first, but gradually warms up to Mason and his dog (she names Jack). But her injuries aren’t healing; he definitely needs antibiotics. So Mason makes his way to shore for the first time in many years. Once there, his image is caught on a facial recognition camera immediately sending a red flag to the very top of British intelligence: meaning the ruthless and effete spymaster Manafort (Bill Nighy). Though he officially stepped down as head of Mi6, he still holds all the power.  He controls a top secret system called T.H.E.A. that coordinates the surveillance of just about everywhere. He sends a message down the ranks to a loyal but clever subordinate (Naomi Ackie) that a notorious Algerian terrorist has been spotted in Scotland. This sets in motion a blanket order to capture and kill him. And the little girl, too. It’s up to Mason to guard Jesse, bring her to safety, and fight off the ruthless assassins sent to wipe him out. Why was he hiding, what’s his backstory, and can one man defeat a dangerous organization hell bent on killing him?  

Shelter is an exciting and relentlessly fast-moving action/thriller. His beard might be a bit longer and greyer, but aside from that Statham plays his standard role with slight variations. (He’s even more stoic than usual). But he does it well and I like him. And Bodhi Rae Breathnach is his perfect foil. I love the aesthetics of this movie, industrial settings and rocky shores. Good guys are rural and rustic while bad guys drive shiny cars and carry weapons in their bespoke suits. The Chase scenes are fun and the fights are deadly but without excessive blood. And you really do care about the characters. 

It may be just another routine action movie, but it does it surprisingly well. 

Shelter, Back to the Past and Atropia all open in Toronto this weekend; check your local listings.

This is Daniel Garber at the Movies, each Saturday morning, on CIUT 89.5 FM and on my website culturalmining.com.