Is Adam Wingard’s “Onslaught” The Action Movie of the Year?
Film/TV Review ★ Kenzie Gay ★ @kenzwrites ★ 3 Minutes
For a long time, it has felt like action movies get the short end of the stick in Hollywood. Superhero flicks, rom-coms, dramas, period pieces, and even horror in more recent months gets the quality writing, acting, directing, design, and marketing whereas action, though pushed more than most genres, feels like a broken record of the same old, recycled storyline and characters.
That’s what I thought until Adam Wingard’s Onslaught came across my radar.
Never before has an action movie piqued my interest merely based off of a cryptic preview clip of Drew Starkey with bleached eyebrows guzzling water like he hasn’t had a drink in weeks, but I suppose there’s a first time for everything.
Following the months of promotion that sucked me in, I was eager to catch Onslaught on its opening weekend at the month’s start and one thing that it didn’t do was disappoint me. If anything, it’s made me turn a new leaf when it comes to action as a style.
Onslaught stillsOnslaught follows two major storylines that ultimately intersect: the story of young mom, trailer park manager, and Iraq veteran Celeste and the story of government-hired, Nazi scientist Hans Kammler and his newest project: a trio of engineered super soldiers intended for control over the US population. As the stories progress with Celeste’s young daughter, Daisy, playing an integral role to the woman’s character and decision-making and with Kammler’s project going AWOL, viewers are met with a refreshing take on the world of action-thriller that touches on themes regarding conspiracy theories, the wrongful treatment of veterans, government corruption, motherly love, and even MDMA.
A major highlight of Onslaught includes the imagery and Wingard’s cheeky play with color. A majority of the movie is set in the New Mexico desert, holding that expected warm hue to scenes involving Celeste, Daisy, and their neighbors at the trailer park. This is starkly contrasted by the blue tint shown in scenes that involve Kammler and the project — at least while its contained.
Black and white is also utilized both when it comes to the flashbacks of Celeste from her time served in Iraq and when it comes to the film’s opening chaos of newspaper headlines, video clips, and loud music that revolve around government conspiracy. It’s all intentional and well done at that, building off of the uncanny and off-kilter atmosphere the plot itself has.
Onslaught stillsAnother highlight comes from the film’s soundtrack and unlikely side characters. Though set in a modern timeline, Onslaught’s music is reflective of the dark and new wave styles of the 1980s. It features moody backing music reminiscent of The Cure, New Order, and Bauhaus that drives the eerie environment home. Hell, even the seemingly out-of-character Steely Dan song that’s included fits the story’s energy.
The unlikely side characters turn Onslaught into a more realistic albeit interesting story — even considering the genetic engineering and government schemes. There’s Josiah, Celeste’s veteran neighbor who served in Vietnam. He’s kind, thoughtful, wise, and he packs a punch that makes it feel like someone you’d meet in your hometown rather than someone in a movie. He’s the unsung hero of Onslaught who doesn’t hesitate to hunker down with Celeste, Daisy, and any other neighbors who make it that far.
Cyrus is comically intriguing, too. Maybe not as realistic as Josiah or some of the trailer park’s tenants but he serves as a thought-provoking symbol of utter insanity that runs parallel to the film’s underlying themes and influences. I mean, how often do you come across an armed man with bleached hair (and eyebrows! I simply cannot forget about the goddamn eyebrows) that’s reeling on MDMA?
Not everyday, that’s for sure.
His character adds a layer of promiscuous, bizarre depth to Onslaught that’s ironically humorous despite the character’s own frustrations that are prominent throughout the trials and tribulations of his day job. We don’t learn much about Cyrus as a person outside of work (aside from his obvious drug use and knack for BDSM), but we do learn one thing: we sure as shit don’t want to be in his shoes.
Onslaught stills. (left) Josiah (right) CyrusPlease note that the character of Celeste, portrayed by Adria Arjona, is an utter badass who makes the movie what it is, too. I chose to focus on the underdogs for the sake of time ( :Adam Wingard’s Onslaught is a God against men in the world of new action-thrillers. It takes everything we love from The Terminator, Kill Bill, and The Fog and twists it with a raw, almost ridiculous attitude meant for the weirdos and slasher aficionados. It isn’t bold of me to call it the action of the year, nay, the decade.
Onslaught starring Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, Alex Pereira, Reginald VelJohnson, Blake Kennedy, Rebecca Hall, and Drew Starkey is in theaters or available to rent/buy now.
