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The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent 4K UHD Review

“The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent” delights with wonderful cast chemistry. 

Nick Cage is in a rut. He’s having trouble getting acting work, he’s haunted by his younger self (Nicky), his relationship with his ex-wife and daughter isn’t the best, he’s struggling financially, and he’s pondering retirement. In need of money, Cage accepts a 1 million dollar invitation to meet super fan/millionaire Javi in Majorca for the man’s birthday. Cage isn’t thrilled with the prospect of this situation at first, but surprisingly he and Javi develop a bromance. Things go south, however, when 2 CIA agents confront Cage and tell him Javi is suspected of being an arms dealer and a kidnapper. Cage decides to be a hero and help the CIA by investigating Javi. Cage soon discovers there’s much more going on than meets the eye. Can Cage save the day, redeem himself, and repair his life or is he in over his head?

Directed by Tom Gormican and written by Gormican and Kevin Etten, “The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent” is a clever meta film in which Nicolas Cage plays an exaggerated version of himself (well, he plays 3 characters technically). The general plot is admittedly nothing special, but Gormican and Etten subvert the story by mixing in multiple genres such as an indie drama, a spy-thriller, an action spectacle, and a buddy comedy all rolled into one. In many ways, it represents Cage’s entire diverse filmography (not to mention the whole life imitating art aspect). Under less capable hands, this concept could have failed spectacularly, but thankfully the project works. It’s a refreshing gamble in the modern cinematic world, but more importantly, it’s a fun and original story that pays homage to a movie star and action films of yesteryear. Plus, it’s worth the price of admission just for those “Paddington 2” jokes.

The cast is stacked with talented folks like Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris, David Gordon Green, Demi Moore, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, but this is very much Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal’s movie. Cage is having a blast here as he playfully mocks himselfs and his acting choices all while creating new character versions of himself (that must have been wild to perform). As good as Cage is though, it’s Pascal that steals this movie. Not only does he have real chemistry with Cage, but Pascal often has the best comedic moments. We can only hope that Cage and Pascal will be in more movies together in the future. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? This is a nice bright pristine print.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? As per usual, Atmos delivers the goods (especially during action scenes).

Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* Commentary by Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten.
* 2 deleted scenes with optional commentary by Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten. The Caligari sequence is interesting to be sure.
* A nearly 16 minute South By Southwest Film Festival Q&A with cast and crew members.
* “Cages 5 And Up”- A montage of various children reenacting Nicolas Cage movie scenes.
* “Second Act Action”- A look at the action scenes.
* “Nick, Nicky And Sergio” is all about the 3 characters Nicolas Cage plays in this movie.
* “Everybody Needs A Javi” explores the characters (and dynamic) between Javi and Nick Cage.
* “Glimmers Of A Bygone Era” looks at the genres within this movie and Cage’s personas.
* “The Mind”- A general featurette about the movie and how it came about.

June 25, 2022 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Action Movie, Nic Cage, Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent 4K UHD Review