Capsule reviews for Dec. 12

Atropia

The ambition exceeds the grasp of this mildly provocative yet ultimately muddled blend of war satire, romantic comedy, and political farce that squanders a compelling premise. In the late 2000s, Fayruz (Alia Shawkat) is a fledgling actress working as a role player in Atropia, a fictional Iraqi village in the California desert used to train soldiers prior to overseas deployment. As she seeks a more lucrative exit strategy, Fayruz falls for a military trainee (Callum Turner) playing an adversary. The unfocused screenplay by rookie director Hailey Gates is believable enough to generate intrigue, although the film consistently plays it safe rather than leveraging its timely concept. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

Canvas

The Hitchcockian ambitions exceed the grasp of this low-budget psychological thriller about fractured families and artistic legacies. It centers on Marissa (Bridget Regan), who returns to her rural childhood home ostensibly to patch up a feud with her estranged and reclusive sister (Joanne Kelly). However, her arrival brings troubling family secrets back to the surface, especially as it pertains to the family’s priceless collection of rare paintings. The revelation of Marissa’s ulterior motives — stemming from an abusive upbringing — triggers some mildly intriguing twists, but the film lacks the subtlety or nuance to generate deeper moral complexity or consistent suspense. The script needs another coat. (Not rated, 96 minutes).

Dust Bunny

Celebrating the power of childhood imagination, this playfully macabre fantasy thriller offers a visually striking mix of whimsy and wonder. It chronicles a precocious but impressionable 10-year-old (Sophie Sloan) convinced that a monster under her bad ate her family. Fortunately, her eccentric neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen) is a hitman specializing in killing such beasts. Their resulting partnership for vengeance leads to a perilous adventure involving an ill-tempered assassin (Sigourney Weaver) who seems real. Although some of its twists feel labored and self-indulgent, the screenplay by rookie director Bryan Fuller keeps the pace lively while the offbeat chemistry between Sloan and Mikkelsen adds emotional depth amid the chaos. (Rated PG-13, 106 minutes).

The King of Color

A colorful documentary about a colorful subject, this mostly compelling documentary about the founder of the Pantone color matching system overcomes its hagiographic tendencies. It traces the life and career of 96-year-old socialite Larry Herbert, who narrates his own rags-to-riches story about growing up in Depression-era Brooklyn, discovering a passion for printing, becoming an innovator who revolutionized colors in all walks of life, and eventually marketing his creation to the masses. Although director Patrick Creadon (Wordplay) too eagerly enables Herbert’s desire to preserve and perhaps embellish his legacy, at least the film gives proper credit by detailing his groundbreaking accomplishments and saluting the enduring impact. (Rated PG, 82 minutes).

Merv

The canine title character is more charismatic and compelling than his human co-stars in this eye-rolling romantic comedy that emphasizes cuteness over common sense. After their breakup, Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel) become co-parents of their beloved dog, who suddenly seems depressed. It’s not until Russ organizes a beach getaway with Merv, and Anna shows up unexpectedly, that they connect the dots. The film is aimed strictly at the non-discerning Hallmark crowd who are less likely to care that the plot is both predictable and nonsensical, or that Russ and Anna have little chemistry, as long as the pooch reaction shots ring true. (Rated PG, 105 minutes).

Not Without Hope

Mother Nature steals the thunder from the human characters in this true-life disaster thriller from director Joe Carnahan (The A-Team) that establishes some tension before becoming lost at sea. It follows a Florida strength trainer (Zachary Levi) whose deep-water fishing excursion with three football buddies turns tragic when they become stranded in a massive storm. That leads to a harrowing rescue effort led by a Coast Guard officer (Josh Duhamel) as the hopes for survival dwindle. The film salutes their camaraderie and resilience during the vivid and immersive ocean sequences, with the camera as a fifth passenger, although the story is considerably less intriguing on shore. (Rated R, 119 minutes).

Resurrection

Although its nonlinear structure is not for all tastes, this deliberately paced meditation on time and memory from Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan (Kaili Blues) is visually poetic and quietly profound. In a near future where people can trade their dreams for immortality, one man (Jackson Yee) tries to defy the system, enriching each of his senses through hallucinations and nightmares — each connected to a different epochal era of cinema — that carry an elegiac tone. Emphasizing mood over plot, the film both celebrates and mourns cinema, yet finds hope by layering mysticism into a captivating story of technology and rebirth. Appropriately, interpretation is left to the imagination. (Not rated, 160 minutes).

Turbulence

Despite all of the pertinent action taking place within the basket of a hot-air balloon, this eye-rolling thriller rarely gets off the ground in terms of either suspense or campy comedy. It’s set in Italy’s Dolemite Mountains, where American business executive Zach (Jeremy Irvine) plans a vacation with his wife (Hera Hilmar). But during their leisurely flight alongside a balloon pilot (Kelsey Grammer) and a mysterious woman (Olga Kurylenko), Zach is forced to confront secrets from his past in queasy quarters. The rugged scenery is lovely, although it’s difficult to care about any of these bumbling characters whose voyage is as doomed as the film. (Rated R, 91 minutes).

The Voice of Hind Rajab

Both harrowing and heartbreaking, this gut-punch of a true-life drama digs inside the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict by emphasizing humanity rather than politics. Using actual audio recordings, it re-enacts in real time the efforts of frustrated emergency dispatchers struggling to get an ambulance through to 6-year-old Hind, who is trapped inside a car in Palestine with six relatives killed by Israeli army gunfire while trying to evacuate. The screenplay by director Kaouther Ben Hania (Four Daughters) simmers with tension, even if you already know the outcome. Although it can be emotionally overwhelming, at least the film helps to preserve and perpetuate the vital legacy of its subject. (Not rated, 89 minutes).