Capsule reviews for March 20

The Kingdom

Proudly wearing its Godfather influences, this visually striking and richly textured French crime saga infiltrates the Mafia with fresh relevance and a unique cultural perspective. It takes place on the island of Corsica against the true-life backdrop of 1990s sociopolitical violence. That’s where teenager Lesia (Ghjuvanna Benedetti) arrives for a visit with her fugitive father (Saveriu Santucci), who wants their relationship to become normal if only he could escape the consequences of his misdeeds. Rookie director Julien Colonna contrasts the sun-splashed setting with the brutality of organized crime, but the film’s emotional power comes in its incisive exploration of regret, consequences, and troubled family legacies. (Rated R, 111 minutes).

Late Shift

It’s generally understood that nurses are overburdened and underappreciated, a thought effectively reinforced by this compassionate and captivating Swiss docudrama that practically serves as a call to action. It follows Floria (Leonie Benesch) as she spends a particularly hectic shift at a working-class hospital, tending to the needs of more than a dozen intensive care patients — some needy, others unruly — while navigating a staff shortage and trying not to let her frustrations show. Despite some heavy-handed emotional swings down the stretch, the film mostly sidesteps contrivances in favor of intimate and unvarnished authenticity, galvanized by an expressive portrayal by Benesch (September 5) conveying sincerity and conviction. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

Miroirs No. 3

A slight yet haunting tale of grief and parental instincts, this character-driven German chamber drama from director Christian Petzold (Undine) builds a steady sense of intrigue around its strained family dynamics. Laura (Paula Beer) is a piano student and survivor a rural one-car crash that kills her boyfriend (Philip Froissant). Betty (Barbara Auer), a lonely woman living nearby, agrees to care for Laura as she recuperates, although she seems to have some baggage that complicates their relationship, especially once Betty’s relatives pay a visit. Solid performances subtly render the bittersweet void in the lives of both women, bolstering an enigmatic script with too many narrative detours. (Not rated, 86 minutes).

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Noteworthy more for its carnage than its cleverness, this follow-up to the ultraviolent 2019 horror saga lacks the freshness of its predecessor while falling into typical sequel trappings. We’re reintroduced to Grace (Samara Weaving) as the sole survivor of an otherwise deadly game among Satanists on her wedding night. This time, she’s joined by her estranged sister (Kathryn Newton) as targets of multiple elite families seeking to retain their wealth. Despite some stylish set pieces, the film tries to compensate for its familiarity by adding more characters, a more convoluted story, and generally more mayhem. But it’s really increasing the spectacle rather than the substance. (Rated R, 108 minutes).

The Well

Depicting a near-future world where fresh water is a dwindling resource, the story runs dry in this bleak dystopian eco-drama from Canadian filmmaker Hubert Davis (Youngblood), in which the lumbering pace yields muted emotional stakes. It centers on a young woman (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon) who becomes torn when her isolated family’s secret well cracks. She reluctantly follows a mysterious visitor (Idrissa Sanogo) into the outside world to find the tools for a repair, but she must protect herself while concealing the secret behind her mission. Amid the gloomy atmosphere, the screenplay hints at grander revelations or conflicts that never materialize, practically negating its glimmer of hope. (Not rated, 87 minutes).