Capsule reviews for July 1

Battle of Oslo

More of a character study about military tactics than a traditional war thriller, this true-life Norwegian saga is visually striking yet struggles to muster much historical excitement or sociopolitical intrigue. It’s set in April 1940, with Norway staunchly committed to defending its neutrality during World War II. But when a Nazi warship invaded the country’s waters, a military officer (Oscar Sundquist) and commander of an adjacent fortress makes the call to mobilize and attack the invading vessel, changing the course of the conflict in Western Europe. Despite some mild embellishments, the film offers some worthwhile insight into the otherwise obscure incident, although the execution is pedestrian. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

Gangland

Layered with rich cultural specificity, this gritty and evocative crime drama from director Vincent Grashaw (What Josiah Saw) yields authentic emotional depth beneath its formulaic procedural surface. Set on an Oklahoma tribal reservation, the story tracks a grizzled indigenous police detective (Lou Diamond Phillips) who works alongside a young trainee (Dana Namerode) to capture a fugitive (Elisha Pratt) whose return to tribal land threatens to spark a violent gang war. The case also prompts him to confront his motives and heritage. A deeply felt performance by Phillips anchors this vivid glimpse into a self-perpetuating cycle of violence and socioeconomic despair that’s relentlessly bleak yet powerfully haunting. (Rated R, 104 minutes).

Lockbox

After starting as a potentially compelling exploration of PTSD and fractured family dynamics, this psychological thriller from director Daniel Stamm (The Last Exorcism) is derailed by incoherent supernatural nonsense. Still grieving her mother’s death, Ellen (Carla Gugino) relocates to a small town for a fresh start. Feeling isolated, she anxiously takes in Winthrop (Lou Taylor Pucci), a withdrawn military veteran and cousin she hasn’t seen since childhood. Despite his erratic behavior, Ellen dismisses concerns from a nosy neighbor (Katharine Isabelle) that are actually rooted in a more sinister presence. It’s serviceable until the final act ditches any emotional grounding in favor of contrived scare tactics. (Rated R, 105 minutes).

Man of War

Without any meaningful sociopolitical intrigue to accompany its boilerplate confrontations, this workmanlike vigilante thriller from director William Kaufman (The Channel) is more familiar than fresh. It follows a former Navy SEAL (LaMonica Garrett) who ventures into war-torn Ukraine to rescue a missing aid worker. With limited resources and uncertain who he can trust, he must battle an army of mercenaries and confront demons from his own past while risking his own survival. Garrett (“Lioness”) generates a rooting interest through resilience and brute force, although as it funnels toward an inevitably chaotic final showdown, the film’s suspense doesn’t escalate alongside the bullets and body count. (Rated R, 110 minutes).

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World

If you aren’t familiar with the Pulitzer-winning Massachusetts poet, this insightful documentary makes a persuasive case for why you should be. Paying tribute first and foremost, the film delves inside her deeply introspective work through a mix of archival footage and interviews with those her poems have impacted — including such luminaries as Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, and filmmaker John Waters. It traces Oliver’s troubled upbringing, her reclusive personality and private life, and her famed affinity for nature. Obviously a fan, director Sasha Waters provides a comprehensive portrait that illustrates her subject’s artistic inspiration and creative process, and why she’s so revered among her contemporaries. (Not rated, 92 minutes).