“Final Cut” follows the making of a Z-grade horror movie within the movie, which is presented without commentary during the movie’s first half hour or so. The next 70+ minutes follow the making of that movie. There’s more dialogue in this remake, especially for its supporting characters, and therefore more attention is paid to the movie within the movie’s nature as a collaborative effort.
But somehow, in trying that much harder to enunciate the original movie’s already clear message, the makers of “Final Cut” suck the fun out of the chaotic working conditions and heroic problem-solving skills required to make anything. The dead air and pregnant pauses now feel heavier, and while that’s sometimes amusing, “Final Cut” also rarely seems as playful or ingratiating as “One Cut of the Dead.”
The stakes are low—Matsuda wants somebody who can deliver a cheap but engaging one-take horror movie to launch her new horror-themed streaming platform—but they seem high enough given the many schticky personalities working on the project. There’s the prima donna leading man Raphael (Finnegan Oldfield), who talks a lot about “veracity,” “volition,” and other haughty-sounding 25-cent words; Nadia (Berenice Bejo, Hazanavicius’ partner), a makeup artist and Remi’s wife; Philippe (Gregory Gadebois), a cameraman and a drunk; and Ava (Matilda Lutz), Raphael’s overwhelmed and over-worked co-star.
Remi’s feelings about making a zombie movie are quickly sublimated into the process of making a zombie movie. He paces up and down naturally lit hallways and staircases, either fills in or delegates last-minute problem-solving, and generally tries to keep everybody happy. He especially wants to please his wife and daughter Romy (Simone Hazanavicius, the real director’s daughter), who loves Raphael and is also very opinionated about authenticity.
They race about the camera, put out various fires, and feverishly think on their feet in ways that will maybe re-orient how viewers see the zombie movie that begins “Final Cut.” Now it’s not just another schlocky potboiler—it’s a team effort, a hectic but thrilling high-wire act, a relay race, and a work-for-hire nightmare all in one.
Duris’ wired performance seems emblematic of the movie’s hectic mood, but much of the movie’s comedy dies on the vine, given how deliberately stretched out the movie’s pregnant pauses and dead air now feel. “Final Cut” feels long, even if it’s only about 12 minutes longer than “One Cut of the Dead.” However, that extra legwork does not confer greater depth, nor does this sort of high-concept stunt play to its cast or writer/director’s comedic strengths.
Final Cut (French: Coupez !) is a 2022 zombie comedy film directed by Michel Hazanavicius. It is a French remake of the 2017 Japanese film One Cut of the Dead. It stars Romain Duris and Bérénice Bejo. The film revolves around a crew remaking the film depicted in the original film. Yoshiko Takehara reprises her role as a producer. The film was released in France on 17 May 2022, and for screening at the Cannes Film Festival as its opening film the same day.
Final Cut (2023)
Coupez !
Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Romain Duris, Bérénice Bejo, Grégory Gadebois, Finnegan Oldfield, Matilda Lutz, Sébastien Chassagne, Raphaël Quenard, Lyes Salem, Simone Hazanavicius, Agnès Hurstel, Luàna Bajrami
Screenplay by: Michel Hazanavicius
Production Design by: Joan Le Boru
Cinematography by: Jonathan Ricquebourg
Film Editing by: Mickaël Dumontier, Michel Hazanavicius
Costume Design by: Virginie Montel
Music by: Alexandre Desplat
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Kino Lorber
Release Date: July 14, 2023
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