Don’t let the 5/10 rating on IMDb mislead you! Archenemy (2020) is a solid 8/10 and this time the RT critics’ ratings were better than the audience approval percentage. Original story. High-octane suspense. Mesmerising mix of comic-book storyboarding and live-action cinematography. Besides Joe Manganiello the rest of the cast is virtually unknown but they give it their best.
The movie fails on two levels:
It promises more than it delivers and this is especially due to its medium budget.
The overall narrative is semi-predictable especially to people who regularly watch comic-book adaptations though this film itself was formed from an original idea rather than a graphic novel or comic series.
Archenemy is an extremely underrated gem and perhaps the best B-movie action thriller I’ve seen this year. It would’ve worked better if it were shot as a short film then adapted for a wide audience with a colossal production cost. But director Adam Egypt Mortimer delivers with this 3rd feature-length flick of his accurately titled Archenemy.
The Rating: 3 out of 4.
P.S. His 2019 psychological thriller, Daniel Isn’t Real is even more critically acclaimed than Archenemy so I’ll be watching that next and I have high expectations now after finally witnessing his work.
