Entertainment Monday: American Ultra ( 3 October 2016)

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner who works the graveyard shift at a convenience store. He passes the time by drawing and wishing he was spending his time with his girlfriend Phoebe (Kirsten Stewart). One day, a woman enters the store and tells him a coded message that Mike dismisses. 

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The message was from Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) a CIA agent warning him that he is about to be terminated. Mike was a part of a government experiment to make super soldiers. His memory was wiped when the program was shut down. The coded message that Victoria stated to Mike activates his fighting skills just in time for when the first assassin appears. Mike must fight for his life, protect Phoebe and learn the truth about his identity.

I loved the premise of this movie and I thought Jesse Eisenberg and Kirsten Stewart were excellent as two kids with no clue. They have good chemistry with each other and seemed like a real couple. I liked how devoted the characters were to each other and how Mike adored Phoebe and how Phoebe was so supportive of Mike. It was entertaining to see the contrast between Mike’s sensitive nature and his killing skills.

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Topher Grace stars as Adrian Yates, a CIA director who is the villain in the movie. He plays Yates as just a young man trying to get ahead in his career by being ruthless. The dialogue between Adrian Yates and Victoria Lasseter adds to the humorous premise.

The movie is an action comedy but I didn’t find the movie that funny. It was a little amusing rather than laugh out loud for me. Most of the funny scenes occur due to Mike’s bewilderment of his abilities and how he kills people using ordinary objects. The fight scenes were excellent but a little too gory for me. I don’t like seeing a lot of blood. Other viewers probably won’t have a problem with it.