Mute (2018)

Director: Duncan Jones
Stars: Alexander Skarsgard, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux
Runtime: 126 minutes

Performances: 5/10
Screenplay: 3/10
Special Effects: 7/10
Costumes/Makeup: 4/10
Editing: 5/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Verdict: Alexander Skarsgard stars as Leo, a man who lost his voice at an early age, and whose girlfriend’s mysterious disappearance sends him looking for her in a futuristic Berlin, where a couple of shady Americans character portrayed by Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux seem to have answers to his questions.

There’s a good movie hidden somewhere in “Mute”, mainly showcased by the great design of the German capital and its futuristic aspects. You can really tell that Jones spent a lot of time crafting the neon-lit city, and even though some features of it can be considered as clichés (the costumes, for example), the end result was pretty impressive and nice to look at. Another thing I really liked was the score that truly fit the general atmosphere of the film, and greatly accompanied the city’s patterns. It’s in its pacing, writing, and performances that the movie mostly fails. The story told was just a very dull one that was ridiculously stretched. Skarsgard, except for one scene in the final act, lacked emotion in a role that cannot work without it. As for Rudd, he was fine, but his character was extremely annoying and cartoonish, and was given way too much screentime for a character not vital to the development of the story. It is clear that he was only added for comic relief, a decision that might work for some people, but that didn’t for me. The film also could’ve ended 20 minutes sooner, but unnecessarily goes on and ended on a far less satisfying conclusion.

I didn’t hate “Mute” as much as other people did. In fact, I’d argue that it is a step up from director Duncan Jones’ previous movie, “Warcraft”. Now granted, that is not saying very much, especially when you look at Jones’ earlier films, but I’d qualify this project as a step in the right direction.

Final Grade: 5/10