American Star

With a 5.4 score usually it's worth watching. Not with this one. Looking back at the high scoring reviews one talks about cinematography, character play, human relations etc. Ok, if you are interested in the desert like island called Tenerife in wide angle view you are in luck. But you could also find this on sites about holiday destinations. The only good thing is the performance of top actor Ian McShane, hence the extra star from 1. The story is thin as a hair, extremely slow and the ending completely unsatisfactory, leaving the viewer in total.turmoil. I'm pretty annoyed after watching this no-story, a complete waste of time. It's also such a waste of a good actor too. He was superb in John Wick for instance.

This movie made me angry. It is boring, pointless with a stupid plot. Pretends to be some kind of art, but it is just stupid. The CGI of the ship is a joke. Tons of factual errors. Poor dead killers eyes are open when they drive and closed when they stop. Killed boring girl bleeds from mouth when being shot in the stomage. Why does a professional killer shots in the stomage anyway? And why not doing the kill shot himself? Pointless sideplots with little kid who trusts complete stranger with his live and can go in the middle of the night with stranger to the beach. And: the old murder guy doesn't hide his traces besides stealing a memory card from a phone. Fingerprints, Car traces, ... he doesn't care I hope he at least killed the stupid mother.

Better change the movie title to American Star Shipping line, why is this movie considered a thrill genre movie, no, correct question, why is this considered a movie from the beginning, really how could the movie writer imagine an 82 old lad barely walking to play an assassin, i bet Ian McShane had an obligatory term in his contract to have a piss break every 15 mins, imagine that the movie master sense that thrilling moment everyone have been waiting for was when the american star ship wreck fell on its side, that's the max thrill one could get, slow burning pace till it got more slow and more boring and meaningless there I realized that watching a line of lost ants at my back yard had more meaning than this.

Ian McShane is his usual gravelly world weary self. The supporting cast holds up well. The photography of the very distinctive scenery is magnificent and the slow burn plot is not for a millennial but give it the attention it deserves and it rewards you. The low scores on here must have been given by people who have grown up on YouTube shorts. The ending is brutal and quite shocking, given that it follows an hour of nothingness. I spent my honeymoon on the island and it captures the desolation well. In short then, the movie is made up of fantastic scenery, great, minimalist acting, a solid, slow moving plot and brutality. There's not too much not to like.

Wilson is an aging assassin recently arrived on Fuerteventura. After discovering that his hit has left the island, he decides to stay and relax, ostensibly until the target returns. Waiting and wandering, Wilson befriends Gloria, a bartender, and finds he has a connection with Max, a young boy staying at his resort. However, the arrival of Ryan, a figure from Wilson's past, makes it clear that he has broken his cardinal rule: never get attached. Directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego, 'American Star' is a reserved thriller telling a familiar tale- but telling it well. Nacho Faerna's screenplay relies on silence, as much as dialogue, to further the narrative, and is an effective character study about a man past his prime, struggling to find something worthwhile left in a violent life. It is a subtle, quiet film, at times reminiscent of Jean-Pierre Melville's 'Le Samourai' or- perhaps more so- Stephen Frears' 'The Hit'. Like Frears' film, the central character is a world weary assassin who begins to question himself while on his latest job. Similarly, both characters are reticent- in Frears' case, John Hurt's Braddock- though not without humour or emotion. The subplot involving Max is particularly heartfelt and well-handled, verging on the cloying at times, but not getting there. Building up to a memorable, surprising conclusion, the narrative packs a punch. As does José David Montero's cinematography. As cool and clean as the central character, Montero's assured work complements the narrative, capturing the beauty and stark isolation of Fuerteventura. He makes excellent use of close-ups and tracking shots, compounding the suspense and tension of proceedings, while letting audiences peek into the minds of the characters; seemingly reading their thoughts through their expressions. Moreover, Óscar Sempere's minimalist production design is striking, making Wilson's world feel cold and harsh. Leire Orella's muted costume design contributes both to the characters and the mood of the piece, while the score- from Remate- adds a quiet power and pathos to proceedings. Additionally, the film is well-edited, and rockets along at a brisk pace, though never seems rushed; feeling to be the perfect length at an hour and 47 minutes Ian McShane stars as Wilson, opposite Nora Arnezeder as Gloria, Oscar Coleman as Max and Adam Nagaitis as Ryan. McShane delivers a masterclass in understatement, and is utterly compelling, creating in Wilson someone to root for. With deft, he displays the character's complexity and vulnerability, sharing an easy chemistry with Arnezeder. She makes Gloria- who is, to be fair, a little underwritten- interesting and sympathetic, while Coleman and Nagaitis are both excellent as the young Max and Ryan, respectively. In addition, Fanny Ardant does fine work in the all too small role of Gloria's mother, while the talents of Thomas Kretschmann are wasted entirely in a walk-on part shorter than the time it takes to write his name. A worthwhile slow burn, Gonzalo López-Gallego's 'American Star' is an entertaining, evocative story, boasting stunning, crisp cinematography, an engaging narrative and compelling characters. Headlined by the incomparable Ian McShane, the film is quiet and full of nuance, and therefore might not be to everyone's tastes. However, for fans of McShane, Jean-Pierre Melville or Stephen Frears' 'The Hit,' it is worth taking a shot at.