Playing God

The film has something to it, but at the same time, it feels like it's not finished. It could have been quite bizarre, but it's actually quite normal, and it could have been surprising, but it really isn’t. It also could have been sexy, but it's wasn’t. David has charisma in this role and his character is good, but he doesn't end up carrying the film in the end. (24.09.2017)

Duchovny, fresh off his Mulder glory, gradually becomes an unlicensed surgeon addicted to the high-stakes underworld and a disillusioned informant. The voiceover tries to pull it into neo-noir territory, the FBI's activities into crime drama, and the tension around Jolie into eroticism, but everything feels half-hearted (the last element even less so, as both filmed erotic scenes were ultimately cut from the final edit). While some actors stick to their established roles (the Russian scoundrel Stormare, the unhinged criminal Hawkes), Timothy Hutton attempts to create a new persona. However, as a metrosexual gangster, he falls short. I felt that if he were locked up in prison, he would not only deliberately drop soap in the shower, but also meticulously inspect the drainage and cleanliness of the grout between the tiles. (25.07.2023)