By Chris Kavan - 08/25/16 at 06:44 AM CT
Suicide Squad has managed to hold on remarkably well for being a film that hasn't exactly resonated with either critics or audiences. But it is looking like it will finally have to give up its title this week with a horror moving breathing down its neck along with a boxing biopic and Jason Statham up to his usual action antics. The combination will likely be enough to dethrone the super villain team. I was hoping last week was going to be the nail in the coffin, but due some under-performing films, that wasn't the case. We'll see about this weekend, but it's looking much better this time around.
DON'T BREATHE It has been a good year for small horror and, by all accounts, Don't Breathe is looking to continue the trend. The film follows a group of young adults looking to break into the home of a wealthy, blind man - hoping for an easy break-in and an easy score. Included in this group is a young woman who simply wants a better life for her and her sister. Unfortunately the old, blind man happens to be a very dangerous serial killer - and the easy job soon turns in to a fight for survival. The casting looks great - Stephan Lang (who is always great at playing the bad guy) is on board as our old man - and if you took two seconds to look at him, I doubt you'd want to rob him, either. Anyway, our robbers include Jane Levy (playing the sympathetic sister), Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Emma Bercovici - and I have a feeling most will meet a gristly end. This is on the fast track to take down Suicide Squad and I hope it does and continues the trend of small horror going big.
It has been awhile since we've seen Jason Statham on his own, doing what he does best (kicking ass and taking names). He's been part of the Furious and Expendables franchises for sure, but The Mechanic came out in 2011 and he's taken on a few key roles (in Homefront and Wild Card) but nothing quite like he did in his heyday of Crank and Transporter films. I don't think Resurrection is going to hit any home runs - I think the reason Statham slowed down was because all his roles were starting to look the same. Still, he has a dedicated fan base and as long as they show up, the film should do well enough. Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle Yeoh co-star in the action film. I predict middling results all around.
HANDS OF STONE That leaves us with the final wide-release, a sports biopic about Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran along with his long-time trainer, Ray Arcel. The versatile Edgar Ramírez takes on the role of the legendary boxer while the elder statesman Robert De Niro plays his trainer. Usher Raymond, Rubén Blades, Ana de Armas, John Turturro and Ellen Barkin also co-star in the film. I have already witnessed the rise and fall of Duran in the excellent No Mas 30 for 30 documentary - thus I know this is a compelling story. Whether or not it will resonate with audiences is another matter. Duran may be one of the greatest boxers of all time - but he's no Rocky. Even the Raging Bull himself isn't likely to be able to make this any more compelling to audiences. I have a feeling this will do much better internationally, but we'll have to see on that one. As it stands, I also don't see this one performing above expectations.
I have a feeling it's going to be a rather quiet end to the month (and the summer) with this last weekend in August providing little in the way of fire works. We'll see if Don't Breathe will top Suicide Squad, but whatever comes out on top, Sunday should be a rather weak affair.
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