Swiss Army Man
It cannot be said that this film is unoriginal - the humour and story is wacky and it tries for some resemblance of meaning/heart which I feel is underwhelming, but it’s certainly different, and carried well by the actors.
Castaway Hank (Paul Dano) is about to end his life when he sees a man washed up on the shore. It turns out to be a corpse emitting gases that eventually helps the desperate Hank to escape to a wooded mainland. This dead body is Manny (Daniel Radcliffe) who becomes alive before helping Hank journey back home.
The two Daniels, Daniel Kwan, and Daniel Scheinert direct this film with a talent in making the world the characters inhabit appear very treacherous. They also work well in spending plenty of time focused on the friendship between Manny and Hank, which feels strangely real.
Both the Daniels also scripted this barmy adventure of self-discovery, friendship and stalking. The writing is great in places, the idea alone bringing laughs as you witness Manny being used like a multi-purpose tool. I think that fart jokes are one of the lowest forms of comedy and sadly this film comes back to flatulence much too often; it also tries carving sentiment into the plot which kind of works but also doesn’t by the time the ending arrives.
I loved parts though, the visuals of Hank crafting people and objects from rubbish left in the woods, and I cracked up in the montage of Hank using Manny to further his trek to civilisation - as Mary Elizabeth Winstead comes into the fold there’s a neat air of intrigue as you wonder where the film is going to go, but sadly the end is disappointing.
Paul Dano plays the bewildered loner well and his wide eyed joy at discovering the saviour of Manny is well pitched. Daniel Radcliffe pulls off one of his finest and strangest performances as the dead-eyed talking corpse befriending Hank. Radcliffe’s facial expressions are brilliant, and together they help the film a lot by being so in sync.
Saying this movie is out there is a huge understatement but originality beats remakes and sequels. It may grow tired by the credits and strive to be one of those ‘art-house’ features to its discredit, but there’s entertaining moments and it’s happily unpredictable.
5.5/10
