The film "Wolfs" questions the enduring appeal of iconic Hollywood stars - Brad Pitt and George Clooney - in a changing movie business landscape. Over a decade since their memorable collaboration in the Ocean’s trilogy, Pitt and Clooney, now in their 60s, lead in this action comedy which epitomizes a shifting industry trend, transitioning from wide theatrical releases to direct streaming.
"Wolfs", a Jon Watts-directed caper, has been limited to a one-week run before streaming, sparking the debate of the twilight appeal of stalwart movie actors and Americans' changing movie preferences. This transition is not a commentary on the film's quality as Watts delivers a slick, comical, and twist-filled narrative that truly deserves a big-screen viewing.
The movie stars play "cleaners" or "fixers", engaged for an all-night, drama-filled task in New York. The job turns from simple to complicated as unexpected developments unroll - from dealing with a supposedly dead body that turns out to be very much alive to handling the four kilos of heroin it's carrying.
Their characters undergo a transition from antagonizing each other to a reluctant partnership, with their journey enacting a series of spectacularly staged narrative beats with comic and suspenseful undertones, a Watt trademark. It also features a few narrative extras including a fearful teen, a Chinatown-based doctor, and an Albanian mob boss.
However, the characters appear disembodied from the real world, existing in a cinematic universe that echoes '90s-era meta-fiction. Despite its sleek twists and deftly executed scenes, this divide may pose a detriment to "Wolfs", as it dulls the impact of the character interactions and events.
"Wolfs" notably hinges on Pitt and Clooney's captivating performances, with the pair carrying the movie with their commanding screen presence. Their "cool" persona remains intact, but raises the question - does the younger generation still perceive this coolness? Or has their stardom faded for an audience far removed from their prime years?
The film thus doubles as a commentary on the shifting cinematic appeal, probing whether big-screen stars can maintain their x-factor in an era when movies now compete for attention in a crowded entertainment landscape. The ambiguous final scene of Pitt and Clooney leaves the viewer contemplating - if audiences lose their connection with these stars, at least the stars still have the memory of their cinematic glory.
