Billed as a political Horror Comedy film with a touch of Soap Opera, Rumours arrives in theaters on October 18, 2024 through Bleeker Street. Writer and Director Evan Johnson teamed with Co-Directors Galen Johnson and Guy Middin to create an otherworldly political satire… an allegory based on the world we are living in.
The solid cast, headlined by Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001, Carol 2015) and Charles Dance (Alien 3 1992, Game of Thrones series), portrays two members of the Group of 7. G7 is composed of the leaders of the largest Western democracies, who are less the characters they portray, than the countries that they represent. In that spirit, let us reference the characters by their country… rather than by actor or character. The story relies heavily on the ineffective history of past G7 meetings, which produced nothing of substance to help the citizens of their respective countries.
The film opens with the usual pomp and circumstance of a G7 meeting of world leaders where they have met to create a statement regarding a never-defined global crisis. The leaders all agree that any statement must be vague, yet send a strong message. They will do something, but cannot say what or even when that will happen. Throughout the incomprehensible events that will occur to the group, they continue to craft a statement.
Early in the story, the group tours an archeological dig on the grounds, where a 2,000-year-old body had been uncovered in a bog. The person had been tortured and mutilated before being
buried. In a bit of foreshadowing, it is revealed that ancient cultures would do this to punish their ineffective leaders. This stated, throughout Rumours the interactions between the countries are meant to depict their relationships beyond the summits.
Canada (Roy Dupuis: La Femme Niktas series, Screamers 1995), struggles with personal issues along with a past affair with Britain (Nikki Amuka-Bird: Old 2021, Knock at the Cabin 2023), and a current tryst with Germany (Blanchett). Italy (Rolando Ravello: Tutti contro tutti 2013, Perfect Strangers 2016), is subservient to America (Dance). France (Denis Ménochet: Custody 2017, The Beasts 2022), waxes poetic several times about their collective relationships, and eventually, due to one of many improbable events, loses his ability to walk and must be carried by first Canada, and then wheeled along by Britain.
They inexplicably vanish and the group is forced to walk through the night to a small ferry. Along the way, they encounter unexplained phenomena. All of which are either horrific, supernatural, or both. During the night, Canada locates another person they had a previous affair with, the EU’s representative (Alicia Vakander). She is their first real clue for what is going on. She is found cowering behind a giant human brain. Although they believe she is talking gibberish, she is speaking fluent Swedish after only having taken a three-day course. The group, minus the American president who has decided that he would rather sit along the trail and quietly pass away, reach the dock only to find that it is on the other side of the river. Canada and Japan (Takehiro Hira: Gran Turismo 2023, Gunsho series), wade across to retrieve it, further splitting up the group. Only Canada returned, having left the Japanese representative to look for help. The Italian takes the wounded French president across the river while the rest decide to return to the chateau. Upon the entire G7 group returning to the chateau where this all began, they discover the reason for the evening’s events.
Although most of the events in Rumours are left to the interpretation of the viewer, the ending of the film reinforces the overall theme in the final announcement. The plan, like the story, is more style than substance. It is really up to you to decide if the filmmakers have accomplished what they set out to. Considering this, Cryptic Rock gives Rumours 2.5 out of 5 stars.
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