Capsule reviews for Aug. 21

Chemical Hearts

There’s something quaint about a romance between contemporary teenagers who meet as staffers on their high school newspaper. But such old-fashioned charms can’t overcome the melodramatic contrivances in this formulaic adaptation of Krystal Sutherland’s novel. It chronicles the tumultuous relationship between precocious suburban classmates — socially awkward Henry (Austin Abrams) and cynical Grace (Lili Reinhart), who still carries physical and psychological scars from a tragic accident. The screenplay by director Richard Tanne (Southside with You) doesn’t explore the way teens process grief in the social-media age with much depth or genuine insight, instead softening the character edges and settling for predictable yanking at the heartstrings. (Rated R, 93 minutes).

Desert One

If you doubt that one of the biggest American military failures in recent American history is worth revisiting, just check out the emotion in the faces and voices of those involved in Operation Eagle Claw. This documentary from director Barbara Kopple (American Dream) thoroughly recaps the attempted 1980 rescue of American hostages in Tehran, which instead resulted in the death of U.S. troops in a helicopter accident and caused a foreign policy nightmare for the Carter administration. The film’s impressive compilation of archival footage and interviews from those on all sides — including Carter himself — helps pay tribute to the overshadowed soldiers who lost their lives. (Not rated, 107 minutes).

Hard Kill

“Could be bad … bad for everyone,” warns a tech mogul (Bruce Willis) to his security team in an unintentional instance of foreshadowing for this laughably incoherent thriller. He hires a mercenary (Jesse Metcalfe) and his team to protect his latest breakthrough from a dangerous anarchist (Sergio Rizzuto) who has kidnapped his adult daughter. Plus, everyone has ulterior motives, when they all wind up in a warehouse for some reason. Completely devoid of logic or suspense, the latest cash grab for Willis seems to have exhausted its entire budget on assault rifles and tactical gear, without any attention given to a competent script and direction. (Rated R, 98 minutes).

The Pale Door

The concept surpasses the execution in this genre mashup that turns out to be just another way to recombine Western and horror clichés. The latest retelling of the Dalton Gang legend centers on a train robbery that goes awry, wounding the gang’s leader (Zachary Knighton) and leaving his younger brother (Devin Druid) in charge. The bandits wind up in a ghost town populated by a coven of witches in a brothel, ready to inflict revenge on the Daltons for their renegade misdeeds. Not as weird or fun as it sounds, the deliberately paced film dabbles in atmospheric eccentricities before settling for a conventionally gory payoff. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

Stage Mother

“Same divas. Different songs,” explains Maybelline (Jacki Weaver) about the differences between her small-town Texas church choir and the flamboyant performers at the San Francisco drag bar she inherits after her son dies of a drug overdose. From there, this culture-clash comedy has her trying to set aside the ideological differences that tore their family apart and find closure. As an outsider, her feisty charm meets skepticism from her son’s boyfriend (Adrian Grenier) and others. Weaver (Animal Kingdom) does her best, but the film buries a worthwhile message of acceptance and compassion beneath clumsy stereotypes. It struggles to modulate the campy with the sincere. (Rated R, 93 minutes).

Tesla

More interested in capturing mood than in nitpicky historical details, this atypical biopic provides speculative glimpses into the life and career of the aloof 19th century innovator without offering much groundbreaking insight. Known for his collaborations with George Westinghouse and his clashes with Thomas Edison, Tesla (Ethan Hawke) was a scientist whose contributions involving alternating currents provided a breakthrough. But without the showmanship of his rivals, he was relegated to obscurity. Aside from its quirky gimmicks, the screenplay by director Michael Almereyda (Marjorie Prime) frames Tesla as a visionary deserving of the spotlight. Yet for a film about a forefather of electricity, it curiously lacks energy. (Not rated, 102 minutes).

The 24th

Given its inherent contemporary relevance, this impassioned historical drama feels somewhat like a missed opportunity. It revisits the courage and heroism of an all-Black infantry regiment based in Texas in 1917, whose members stage a mutiny against racially-based police violence in Houston, spurring a riot and massive murder trial. Also probing the personal lives of some involved in the conflict, the screenplay by director Kevin Willmott (co-writer of BlacKkKlansman) only occasionally resonates as powerfully as intended. The film is visually stylish — especially during its stirring climax. Still, while it’s didactic and heavy-handed, at least it shines a sobering spotlight on its tragic true-life subject matter. (Not rated, 113 minutes).

Unhinged

At least the title accurately describes the instigator in this ultraviolent thriller that takes too many logical detours to generate the necessary suspense. It follows a harried mother (Caren Pistorius) whose bad morning includes a rush-hour confrontation with a fellow commuter (Russell Crowe) at an intersection. Ostensibly seeking an apology, the man begins stalking her and terrorizing her friends and family out of revenge. As a simple story of apolitical paranoia and extreme road rage, it’s mildly unsettling, with Crowe effectively chewing the scenery. Yet in trying to explore the psychology behind such behavior, the film takes itself too seriously and ultimately falls flat. (Rated R, 90 minutes).

The Vanished

Your ability to suspend disbelief might determine your level of appreciation for this far-fetched thriller from actor-director Peter Facinelli that produces a few clever twists within some generic plot mechanics. It chronicles Alabama couple Paul (Thomas Jane) and Wendy (Anne Heche), who’s family camping trip turns into a nightmare when their preteen daughter (K.K. Heim) disappears. The couple’s frustration with the investigation of the local sheriff (Jason Patric) prompts them to search themselves, turning up some dark secrets in the process. Facinelli’s screenplay is a competent genre exercise in which the detachment from reality nevertheless tests moviegoer patience and diminishes the emotional investment in the outcome. (Rated R, 115 minutes).