Bullet Points: Boss Level

Boss Level premieres exclusively on Hulu this coming Friday, March 5th. Hulu was kind enough to let me check it out before it drops. Let’s see if you should make Boss Level a part of your weekend plans. 

Before we go any further, let me remind you Boss Level stars Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts. It is directed by Joe Carnahan. Hulu’s original movies are typically more art house than shoot ’em up popcorn action. Most action fans do not look towards Hulu to bring them their action fix for the week. With Boss Level, Hulu is trying to change the way we perceive their original films.

Enough of me teasing this review. Let’s get on with the show… 

• The Plot: Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) must figure out who is trying to kill him as he lives the same day over and over and over and over again. He wakes up and the chaos starts. He lives the same day, until he is eventually killed by one of the many crazy assassins hired to kill him. As he lives this day again and again, Roy will attempt to solve the murder of the only woman he ever loved (Naomi Watts’ Jemma Wells), reconnect with his son (Joe is played by Frank’s real life son, Rio Grillo) and figure out exactly how evil Mel Gibson’s Colonel Clive Ventor really is. Roy has all day to solve the puzzle. The problem is he keeps dying before he gets the chance to put the last piece in. 
• The Grillo: If you’ve ever wanted to see Frank Grillo die over 150 times, then Boss Level is definitely the movie for you. Boss Level is the most Grillo of any Frank Grillo movie I’ve ever seen. Frank is the star. Mr. Grillo is in almost every scene. Frank Grillo even does a voiceover narration. As a huge fan of Frank Grillo, I can’t help but enjoy the hell out of his performance. Boss Level was made for diehard Frank Grillo fans. 

• The Action: Boss Level is action packed from start to finish. With Joe Carnahan as the director you know there’s going to be some pretty awesome action, and there’s a good chance you will see some humor mixed in as well. Carnahan has also been known for his brutal violence. With Boss Level, the action and tone of the film is more Smokin’ Aces than The Grey. There is violence galore in Boss Level. Heads literally roll on numerous occasions. However, the tone is almost playful and the movie is very fun to watch. 
• The Supporting Cast: Mel Gibson makes the most out his limited time on camera. He even finds time to make fun of himself. Naomi Watts does about as much as she can with the role she is given. Besides Gibson and Watts, the most memorable of the supporting cast are Will Sasso’s Brett and Selina Lo’s Guan Yin. All the insane assassins make the movie exciting to watch. I like how Roy gives them each a nickname, because he has no clue who is trying to kill him. Some of the best humor in the film involves Roy interacting with his would be assassins. Perhaps, we can get a prequel with all the supporting players? I’m most interested in learning more about Rob Gronkowski’s Gunner character, since all we see of him is his skills at shooting a big gun from a helicopter. 

• The Verdict: If you love action, I can’t see how you would not enjoy Boss Level. It is by far the most action packed movie of 2021. Action Fanatics: Watch with confidence.
• Grade: A-