Boss Level

The latest winner from Joe Carnahan (Narc; The Grey), one of the most consistently intelligent and skillful action directors of the past 20 years, Boss Level sets a new standard for recent time-loop films, and may be the best in the sub-genre since Groundhog Day.

The action/comedy also gives perpetual character actor Frank Grillo a chance to show off his leading man talents outside of the lousy Purge sequels, a task that he’s more than up to in playing former special forces officer Roy Pulmer, who’s forced to relive the same day and figure out why a staggering number of relentless assassins are out to kill him.

Working from the firm foundation of his darkly comedic script, penned with Chris and Eddie Borley (Open Grave), Carnahan plays up the video game nature of Roy’s odd situation with 8-bit graphics and, more importantly, copious jaw-dropping action sequences that are a pleasure to re-experience in each new permutation, often from fresh angles and featuring previously unseen edits.

As Roy starts to figure things out and works his way through the bounty hunters on his way to Col. Clive Ventor (Mel Gibson) and his top security man Brett (Will Sasso, nicely blending menace and humor), seeking revenge for them murdering his ex-flame Jemma (Naomi Watts), the science and logic behind her time-traveling invention that put him where he is remains a tad fuzzy, but the fast-paced energy of Boss Level prevents such details from tripping it up.

The film also adds a surprising amount of heart through Roy pausing to bond with his gamer son Joe (Grillo’s real-life son, Rio), but, more impressively, it doesn’t succumb to the tendency of Edge of Tomorrow and, to a far lesser extent, Palm Springs and the Happy Death Day movies, of repeating long stretches of the day with little variety.

Instead, the constant threat of death from the second Roy wakes up “each” morning blessedly prevents any level of wheel-spinning — a major reason why Boss Level stands apart from its peers and simultaneously cements Carnahan as a filmmaker committed to repelling predictability with each new project.

Grade: A-minus. Not rated, but with adult themes, language, and extreme violence. Available to stream via Hulu

(Photo: Hulu)