Film Review – Mute

Up to this point, Duncan Jones enjoyed a colorful filmmaking career. He’s typically drawn to sci-fi/fantasy ideas, going from small, sneaky tales (“Moon”) to the construction of an entire world (“Warcraft”). Between the extremes, he made his best movie (“Source Code”). Jones is a strong visual helmer, good with actors and tone, but his instincts mostly fail him with “Mute,” which is presented as an extended “Blade Runner” homage, but lacks a hypnotic sense of mystery and otherworldliness, trying a little too hard to show love to the Ridley Scott masterpiece. Unfortunately, Jones is too busy arranging lights and painting things DayGlo to pay attention to his own story, which goes from a mildly arresting detective tale, a future noir, to pure ugliness, stretching on for what becomes an interminable two hours. Jones faces his first real whiff with “Mute,” which grows into a colossal disappointment.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com