Lund Fantastic Film Festival Reviews: “The Last Journey of Paul W.R” and “The Legend of Baron To’a”
By: Joseph Perry (Twitter - Uphill Both Ways Podcast)
In the near future of the French science fiction feature The Last Journey of Paul W.R, Earth is a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but people manage to eke out survival. Scientist Henri W.R (Jean Reno) and his company have been exploiting the nearby red moon for energy that it provides, but now the moon has changed its trajectory and seems headed on a direct collision course with Earth. Only one man can save our planet, Henri’s astronaut son Paul W.R (Hugo Becker) — and he is doing his best to hide from everyone who is looking for him.
Director Romain Quirot’s gorgeous film is rich with beautifully realized visuals, a beautiful story, and superb performances. Reluctant on-the-run hero Paul finds himself equally reluctantly having young teenage girl Elma (Lya Oussadit-Lessert) accompany him on his dangerous travels, and the chemistry between the two actors is terrific. The pair are pursued by Paul’s astronaut brother Eliott W.R (Paul Hamy), who unsuccessfully tried approaching the red moon himself and died in the process, coming back to life as a being with deadly telepathic powers.
Etienne Forget’s beautiful score boasts both great synthesizer music and fine orchestral flourishes, Jean-Paul Agostini’s cinematography is sumptuous, and the visual effects and set design departments turn in splendid work.
A moving science-fiction fantasy film with a huge heart, The Last Journey of Paul W.R. uses familiar sci-fi movie tropes as a springboard into a poignant tale of a man following his heart and gut whose idea of saving the world is different than what is expected of him.
New Zealand action comedy The Legend of Baron To’a combines the elements of a son returning to his homeland and a hero’s journey with some slam-bam professional wrestling excitement. Director Keil McNaughton’s debut feature sees Tongan New Zealander Fritz (Uli Latukefu) return to the neighborhood where he grew up as the son of pro grappling Legend Baron To’a (John Tui). The Baron shouldered the responsibility of keeping his neighborhood in a respectable, law-abiding manner, and Fritz finds, upon coming back after a long stint as an entrepreneur in Australia to sell the family house, that the neighborhood is now living in fear of a gang named the Pig Hunters that resides in the cul de sac. When some of the gang members break into the home, where Fritz’s Uncle Otto (Nathaniel Lees) still lives,and steal the Baron’s family heirloom championship belt, Fritz must decide whether to stick to his plan of returning back to Australia immediately to close a potentially huge deal with investors or to stay and pick up his father’s legacy as a professional wrestler and neighborhood watchman.
The Legend of Baron To’a is a funny,exciting film with a positive message and a huge heart. The performances from the main actors mentioned and the sizable supporting cast are all top-notch, and Latukefu establishes himself as an action film talent with a big future ahead. His physical performance, which includes plenty of suplexes, slams, and other pro wrestling moves, is terrific, and his acting chops are solid, as well, as he shows great chemistry with veterans Tui, Lees, and Jay Laga’aia, who plays the important role of neighborhood fence sitter and peacekeeper George.
The wrestling action looks great, mostly played seriously and for the “Wow!” factor, but when some moves are deliberately played for comedy, they work well, too. Fight choreographer Andrew Stehlin, stunt coordinator Augie Davis, and their crews do a marvelous job, from the fight scenes to a vehicular stunt (the result of one of the film’s many touching moments).
It may be obvious at times where The Legend of Baron To’a is headed, but it is a heartwarming blast getting there. The film’s positive message is one the world needs right now, and it is delivered in a high-energy, fun manner in a well-directed and wonderfully presented cinematic package.
The Last Journey of Paul W.R and The Legend of Baron To’a screened as part of Lund Fantastic Film Festival, which runs from October 28–November 1.
Joseph Perry is one of the hosts of When It Was Cool’s exclusive Uphill Both Ways podcast (whenitwascool.com/up-hill-both-ways-podcast/) and Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast (decadesofhorror.com/category/classicera/). He also writes for the film websites Diabolique Magazine (diaboliquemagazine.com), Gruesome Magazine (gruesomemagazine.com), The Scariest Things (scariesthings.com), Ghastly Grinning (ghastlygrinning.com), and Horror Fuel (horrorfuel.com), and film magazines Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope (videoscopemag.com) and Drive-In Asylum (etsy.com/shop/GroovyDoom).
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