GoodKill
Goodkill is the story of Air Force pilot Major Tom Egan (Ethan Hawke) who after completing 6 tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan flying F16’s, now tackles insurgents and terrorists by leading Drone missions from the comfort of a military base just outside of Las Vegas. It is an eye opening look at just how the world of Xbox and Playstation first world shooter games can be incorporated into real life and death. We see Tom flying his drone from a sandbox in the desert via a joystick and with his copilot Airman Vera Suarez (Zoe Kravitz), aim and fire laser guided bombs at their unsuspecting enemies.
We witness the psychological and physical horrors that this stressful life entails when, against their moral judgments, they are ordered by the C.I.A. to fire on innocent bystanders and women and children who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The internal struggle really gets to Tom and it leads to his binge drinking and deterioration of his marriage to Molly. (January Jones.)
Directed by Andrew Niccol (Gattica), the film has a great concept and emotional overtone, but we found it to simply be too slow and repetitive throughout. It almost seems like there is some kind of political statement trying to be made here instead of a complete story. (Drones can also be a good way to fight terror, but you wouldn’t really know from this point of view.)
January Jones did a great job playing Tom’s ignored and unwanted wife and I wish the story included more interaction with her instead of merely a few scenes here and there, Besides that, it was pretty average and not that exciting after the first few minutes.
We give it a 5 out of 10.
