Rumours Review – A Silly Political Satire That Falls Flat

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Rumourschecks a lot of boxes for me. It’s a weird, irreverent satire featuring the undead and a giant, unexplained brain in the middle of the forest. Add in Cate Blanchett and Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) playing dimwitted politicians and the case for it gets even stronger. Despite all of this, the movie, directed by the trio ofGuy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson, felt flat. The sluggish pace and extremely dry sense of humor and delivery will likely make this a challenging watch for most casual viewers.

Rumours 2024

RumoursPlot

At an annual G7 summit, leaders from various countries gather to discuss pressing global issues. During their meeting, a strange series of events begin to unfold and the fate of the world comes into question.

The Review

With the 2024presidential electionlooming,Rumoursfeels relevant in its timing. The satire tackles the the political realm, showcasing world leaders and politicians as inept, incompetent and disconnected from the populations they are intended to serve. There’s nothing new or original about these sorts of depictions in cinema; however, the setting and circumstances the characters are thrust into allows for a unique opportunity to explore these traits in interesting ways.

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Withzombiesrising from the grave and an apparent apocalyptic event unfolding, the world leaders and members of the G7 summit are left alone to gather an explanation for the mysterious events, as well as a possible solution. The fate of their own lives, as well the lives of the entire population of Earth, rests on their strategic abilities to problem solve. The most direct and obvious criticism of politicians is in these characters’ inability to accomplish anything remotely close to productive under these dire circumstances.

Before the story ever unravels into madness the effectiveness of political summits and getaways is attacked. The characters, consisting of leaders from the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Japan, seem disinterested in achieving anything of legitimate productive value. Instead, its a battle of egos, with each leader puffing their chest and showcasing their knowledge and achievements, hoping to one-up one another.

The film is abundantly silly, but it delivers its silliness in the driest of humor. While tackling hot button topics such as artificial intelligence, the media, and even pedophilia, the filmmakers maintain a consistent flow of quips and one-liners. There are chuckles to be had, but most of the jokes come and go, landing without much success.

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With a kaleidoscopic visual style that’s somehow both muted and vibrant at the same time, the experience feels hallucinogenic. Stylistically it feels like something created in the 70’s, and the practical effects used to bring the story’s monsters (including a large, unexplained brain) to life help to complete the retro-vibe. It all feels very intentional and I’m sure the filmmakers had a specific vision they wanted to create, I’m just not sure that the vision completely works.

IsRumoursWorth Watching?

Rumoursuses satire to merge the realms of the political arena and science-fiction for a unique comedic experience. Unfortunately, the gorgeous visual style and a stacked ensemble can’t save the film from feeling stale. It has its audience, but that audience is likely a minority.