This definitely a film that I liked, rather than loved. It had the potential to be a much better film but never quite pacted the punch I was hopping for. So whats the story? Small-town stoner Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) spends most of his time getting high and writing his graphic novel called Apollo Ape. What Mike doesn’t know is that he was trained by the CIA to be a lethal killing machine. When the agency targets him for termination, his former handler activates his latent skills. This felt like a romance with some violence added. Or a action film with too much romance. I loved the chemistry between Mike and his girlfriend Phoebe played by Kristen Stewart. Listen out for his Tree analogy about their relationship, it is really sweet. The action was also fun yet the whole film played a little at half speed for me. (No pun intended).
Some of the secondary characters definitely deserve a mention John Leguizamo character was straight out of the nighties and pulled in some fun repartee and word play. Walton Goggins as Laugher, one of the psychotic henchmen sent to kill Mike, was wonderfully over the top and underused.
As a whole the film just seemed a little confused and played just slightly out of step. However, it did make me laugh in places and I came out with a smile on my face. Stay for the end credits the Apollo Ape animations are worth watching the whole film for.
