boss level

BOSS LEVEL Review: An Upbeat, Fresh And Fun Take On Familiar Sci-Fi Tropes With Suitably Violent Results

Director Joe Carnahan has been one of the most fascinating filmmakers I’ve followed in the last two decades, having seen all of his movies sans his 1998 directing debut, Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane. Carnahan definitely gets right down to the grit and gumption of his stories. They’re not all masterpieces, but they kick ass at levels that are wholly worth the attention of his viewing audience. Often times though, that fact gets drowned out by a lot of bullshit, whether it’s Carnahan’s past Twitter fracas or the sheepish excuses of overweening film festival programmers who think a superhero movie about a latino crimefighter doesn’t come up to scratch (as documented in since deleted Tweets), or the blowback he gets for expressing views that reflect on matters of politics or just basic human decency, barring labels. Funny thing about politics though: More often than not, it is inherently inescapable in […]

BOSS LEVEL: Frank Grillo Levels Up For The Newest Trailer From Hulu

Lee B. Golden III

It’s high time with the weeks-away release of Joe Carnahan’s long-awaited action thriller, Boss Level. The newest and probably final trailer is here and guarantees scores of goods aplenty with a cast led by Frank Grillo, Naomi Watts, Michelle Yeoh, Mel Gibson, Selina Lo and many more. Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) uncovers clues about a secret government project that could unlock the mystery behind his untimely death. In a race against the clock, Pulver must hunt down Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson), the powerful head of the government program, while outrunning skilled ruthless assassins determined to keep him from the truth in order to break out of the loop, save his ex-wife (Naomi Watts) and live once again for tomorrow. The film will stream exclusively on Hulu from March 5. Peep the new footage […]

BOSS LEVEL: Groundhog Slay In The Official Trailer

Vance Ang

US action director Joe Carnahan brings together a dream cast in his upcoming science fiction action film? Boss Level. The film stars Frank Grillo as retired special forces soldier Roy Pulver, who is trapped in a time loop that constantly results in his death. Official synopsis provided below: Trapped in a time loop that constantly repeats the day of his murder, former special forces agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) uncovers clues about a secret government project that could unlock the mystery behind his untimely death. In a race against the clock, Pulver must hunt down Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson), the powerful head of the government program, while outrunning skilled ruthless assassins determined to keep him from the truth in order to break out of the loop, save his ex-wife (Naomi Watts) and live once again for tomorrow. What transpires seems to be an action packed version of Bill Murray’s classic […]

RAGUEL: ‘The Raid’, ‘Point Blank’ Scribe Adam G. Simon Sets Feature Directing Debut With New Revenge Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

EXCLUSIVE: Screenwriter Adam G. Simon isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer as he advances with female-led revenge thriller, Raguel. Best known for penning Dito Montiel’s mind-bending pic, Man Down, and upcoming action thriller Point Blank under the Warparty/Gaumont banner, Simon will set forth to make his directing debut, effectively taking the reigns with cameras rolling later this year. Simon has been at the center of all things much ado with the current production slate over at WarParty Films, shepherded principally in part by filmmaker Joe Carnahan. Long before this, Simon spent 1999 through 2009 taking on numerous trades, including as a Close Protection Specialist, private investigator and bouncer among other risky occupations. The actor and screenwriter faced homelessness a few years later and managed to reboot himself working for James Cameron and Vince Pace at their 3D studio, Cameron Pace Group from late 2013 through the following year. By then, […]

THE PROCESS: A Word With ‘Man Down’, ‘The Raid’ And ‘Point Blank’ Screenwriter Adam G. Simon

Lee B. Golden III

Well, the new year has begun and I’ve all but remained vigilant of any and all legitimate news regarding director Joe Carnahan’s development on The Raid given how much of my own time I’ve invested in covering this film – from pestering XYZ Films’ Todd Brown for info to covering as much ground on Indonesian films within the genre as possible. Needless to say, not everyone is convinced just yet, even as Carnahan and partner Frank Grillo went public in interviews a few years ago to state their intent; I tend to rub it in a few faces of folks that I know because, in all honesty, one can never really, or always, tell how good or bad a movie is unless they’ve seen it, or how the reviews are in whole or even if they take reviews seriously enough. For this, I’ve personally been urging caution for fans to […]

FIVE-A-DAY COUNTDOWN: The Standoff At Sparrow Creek, Donnybrook, Boss Level, Point Blank, and El Chicano

Lee B. Golden III

Our list continues once again as we round out the next five in our daily raft of five titles totaling 100 movies to keep an eye out for in 2019! The Standoff At Sparrow Creek: Audiences at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival got first dibs on Henry Dunham’s feature directing debut, centered on an ex-cop-turned-militia man whose investigation of a funeral shooting turns inward to his own encampment. Dunham penned the script which became one of the bests listed in 2015 Black List of unproduced screeenplays. Date pending. Donnybrook: Actor Frank Grillo also managed to get in some Fall film festival screentime in Toronto with the premiere of Tim Sutton’s bare-fisted brawler drama. Jamie Bell and the aforementioned James Badge Dale also star in the gritty fight flick. Date pending. Boss Level: By early 2019 the gears should begin turning for Joe Carnahan’s WarParty reinstallation of The Raid that […]

Michelle Yeoh And Selina Lo To Star In BOSS LEVEL

Lee B. Golden III

I’ve seen my fair share of time loop thrillers. Joe Carnahan, the man with the plan for the upcoming reinstallment of The Raid has his own vested in Boss Level, and once more returning actor Frank Grillo to the big screen courtesy of Entertainment Studios following their acquisition from Emmett/Furla/Oasis a few days ago. Grillo is already joined by Naomi Watts, Ken Jeong, and Mel Gibson for the new movie still in production, and as it stands, word brings that martial artists, actresses Selina Lo and the incomparable Michelle Yeoh are now attached to the film. Production is already underway in Atlanta, Georgia with a 2019 release in tow, as reported via Patrick Frater’s exclusive at Variety on Friday. Groundhog Day with an action genre twist – BOSS LEVEL follows the story of ROY PULIVER who is trapped in a time loop. Every day he wakes up and the assassins that are pursuing […]

Frank Grillo In Talks To Reach BOSS LEVEL For Director Joe Carnahan

Lee B. Golden III

Deadline is reporting that Joe Carnahan will be possibly reteaming with Frank Grillo for the new action thriller, Boss Level. The film is a co-production between Emmett/Furla/Oasis and DiBonaventura Pictures along with Carnahan and Grillo via their WarParty banner, and Scott Free. Carnahan also wrote the script which tells of Grillo in the role of a retired special forces veteran in a life-or-death-on-repeat fight to find the person responsible and kibosh the never-ending death loop he’s trapped in. Actor Mel Gibson is also in talks for an unspecified role which would see the two actors back on screen since appearing in Martin Campbell’s 2010 thriller, Edge Of Darkness. Financing will be provided by Emmett/Furla/Oasis whose Randall Emmett and George Furla will produce with Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian. Scott Free’s Jules Daly is executive producing. Grillo previously paired with Carnahan for The Grey (2009) prior to producing the actor’s […]