Naked Singularity review by Bobby Blakey
I have been a fan of John Boyega since he burst onto the screen with Attack The Block. As a lifelong Star Wars fan I loved seeing him in the franchise and am a fan of his character, but I have really loved his non-sci-fi stuff as well including Imperial Dreams and Detroit. Now he is back again with hist latest film Naked Singularity co-starring Olivia Cooke, Bill Skarsgård, Ed Skrein, Linda Lavin and Tim Blake Nelson from director Chase Palmer who also did the screenplay for 2017s It. Could this film be another great role for Boyega or will it fail to make its court case?
Naked Singularity follows the story of Casi, a promising young NYC public defender whose idealism is beginning to crack under the daily injustices of the very justice system he’s trying to make right. Doubting all he has worked for and seeing signs of the universe collapsing all around him, he is pulled into a dangerous high-stakes drug heist by an unpredictable former client to beat the broken system at its own game.
I didn’t know anything about this film, but from the title and the cover image featuring Boyega with a sword I was intrigued. This film was nothing that I thought I was walking into, but that’s not necessary a bad thing. The story is actually pretty simple focusing on the corrupt judicial system and the public defender determined to right some wrongs. There is a couple of story elements playing out at the same time that bring them all crashing together during the second act. This is also where it kind of stumbles at times.
The film is both cleverly executed and often messy as it creatively navigates its world through this story with elements happening in sometimes two real times simultaneously. If this sounds confusing then it gives you the idea of some elements of the film. It’s not confusing mind you and actually a smart way to deliver this tale, but tends to take you in and out of the depth of it all using this tactic.
Boyega is great bringing a grounded element to his character that has the confidence to stand up for what is right, but frustrated enough to go outside
the lines to fix it. The rest of the cast are all good as well, but this is Boyeg’a show all the way. The visual look of the box are isn’t as misleading as you might think, but still an interesting choice on how to promote the film.
In the end this is the kind of film that delivers but also confuses at times. It both works and doesn’t all at once. It’s the kind that you will really have to decide for yourself on what you get out of it in the end.
Grab your copy of Naked Singularity available now on Blu-ray and DVD from Screen Media.