Alert in the streets of New Orleans: drug dealers offer a new product, a pill that allows whoever swallows it to develop a superpower for five minutes! Two drawbacks, however. First, some die on the spot after ingesting the substance. Then, you don't choose your superpower. Despite these contingencies, and the short duration of its effectiveness, the new product is wreaking havoc. Frank, a police officer with elastic morals, sets out in pursuit of the traffickers and soon crosses paths with Art, a former soldier who is also very motivated to go back to the source of the problem ...
"Project Power" is an interesting attempt to renew the theme of superheroes. First with the idea that everyone, and not just a few elected officials, can develop superpowers. The film, broadcast exclusively on Netflix, also questions the cost of this omnipotence. But it is also and above all an action film, full of special effects. It begins with a fanfare, with a fiery scene that will imprint on your retinas.
The directors, Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, best known for their mediocre "Paranormal Activity" 3 and 4, unfortunately do not go the distance. Fortunately, they had the good idea to afford a 4-star cast where Jamie Foxx (Oscar winner for "Ray" in 2005) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("Snowden" in 2016) shine, a committed actor who clearly tried to shoot the film up, as he told us via Zoom.
Movies with characters who have superpowers, he comes out all the time. Why did “Project Power” grab your attention?
JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT. I retired from the world of cinema a bit in recent years after becoming a dad. When I came back, I made a film called “7500” (Editor's note: broadcast in France on Amazon Prime Video) , which has just been released. A really hard, intense work. Afterwards, I wanted to invest in something easier, more fun. I saw this scenario go by, with Jamie Foxx, one of my favorite actors, and the place of action, New Orleans, two arguments that made me join in.
Are you a fan of superhero movies?
I like some of them. "Black Panther" was really very, very good, as was "The Dark Knight Rises" . By the way, all of Christopher Nolan's Batmans are great!
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We're not used to seeing action movies set in New Orleans. Usually, it's more New York, Los Angeles or Chicago ...
New Orleans is a very pretty American city, one of the most original. The food, the music, its people… Everything has a different flavor. It has also had a troubled history. A few centuries ago, it was a hub of the slave trade. I think this originality is well captured in the film.
Without deflowering the subject too much, can you explain the title of the film to us?
He's talking about a pill that, if you take it in, grants you temporary superpower. But the question the film asks is: "Who really has the power in our world? And why ? How do those who hold it manage to keep it? The movie isn't going to stuff your head with messages, but it does ask a few questions.
A few years ago, you donated your stamp obtained for your role in "Snowden" to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union, an association that fights for human rights and democracy) and published a video where you asked the question: "Is modern technology good or bad for democracy?" This film has the same questions, doesn't it?
Yes, and my question is more relevant than ever. The pill from the movie is a very good metaphor for modern technology: Either way you can get a lot of power with it, but it's a double-edged sword and it comes with a lot of risks as well. Look at the Internet, for example ... It would be nice if, during a technological breakthrough, we were more concerned with the human being and not just a few people who monopolize a little more power and money.
We can have a political reading of your film, it's not just an action film?
Totally! I love movies that offer two levels of reading. We can be content with its distracting aspect or start with its argument to launch some debates on technology, weapons, violence ...
EDITOR'S RATING: 3.5 / 5
“Project Power”, American science fiction film by Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, with Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Machine Gun Kelly… 1h51.