'Project Power' Review: Jamie Foxx shines in one-time watch superpower drug film blended with thriller, drama
How much is too much crazy? That's the question you ask yourself when you watch 'Project Power', which stars Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It sees the characters consuming a pill and getting superpowers in a plotline that has the tendency to get rid of your brain capacities for a while. But to be fair, with theatres not opening anytime soon, we need some sort of manic energy to keep us going and 'Project Power' provides us with...well, some of that. It works, partly. Don't go in expecting some superb storyline or cogent philosophy that will leave you decoding the ending like 'Inception', but binge on it, the way you binge on other Netflix action films — with your brain sitting next to you.
Set it in New Orleans, 'Project Power' shows what happens to people who consume a superhero drug. Here's the trick. You don't know what powers you have and it doesn't last for too long. A man self-immolates himself, another gets the power of ice, and well one gets the power of super-strength. In the middle of the whole superhero gig, several personal stories are crammed in like sardines stacked on top of each other, including Foxx's Art and Gordon-Levitt's Frank. Art is a tough soldier, who is on the hunt for his daughter and she's been kidnapped by those, who manufactured the drug. He enlists the help of a local cop, Frank, who is close friends with an aspiring rapper, Robin (Dominique Fishback). Foxx doesn't take his role lightly and proves why he's worthy of an Oscar in the first place. He displays the angst, vulnerability and desperation of a man, who will do anything to get his daughter back. Fishback does the best she can with her character, but to be honest, she deserves to shine in a better breakout role. Nevertheless, some moments between her and Foxx are the highlight of the film, especially where she opens up about her rapping interests to him. Gordon-Levitt is rather miscast here, and it seems like a repeat of his stoic portrayal of a cop in 'The Dark Knight Rises'. And so there is much action, tough guy talk gunshots, government conspiracies, military talk and scientific exposition that sometimes makes the viewers' eyes cross into oblivion.
'Project Power' tries to be a lot of things. It's a blend of a thriller, superhero film as well as a gritty drama, and switches direction between all three at will, leaving you fumbling at points. There is much ridiculous exposition in the beginning, but the film finds a way to move with it, in this rather fast-paced script. You know the ride you're in for, and you know in which direction it will go. But you actually don't mind it, when you're halfway through. The effects of the addiction of watching the film wear off by the end, and leaves you rather lethargic, but doesn't make you regret watching this. Eh, what do you have to lose?
'Project Power' is streaming on Netflix.
