Movie: Boss Level (2020) Caution Spoiler Alert

 Boss Level

Came out; 2022

Time; 1 hours 40 minutes

Watched: Hulu

Rating; TV-MA

IMDB Rating; 6.8/10

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Frank Grillo as Roy Pulver

Mel Gibson as Colonel Clive Ventor

Naomi Watts as Jemma Wells

Michelle Yeoh as Dai Feng

Will Sasso as Brett

Story Line;

Retired special forces agent Roy Pulver is clueless why his worst nightmare day keeps repeating in a seemingly endless time-loop, but became resigned at going through the spectacular motions, starting with a man trying to cut his throat while he wakes up and being killed by rapid fire from a helicopter, jumping down several floors, next hijacking a sports car, meeting and interacting with his ex Jemma Wells and several weird people at a diner and being killed there. Slowly he works out how to get further in a next run, and that it all relates to Jemma's invention and how to use her hints, while finding out it's also about his pre-teen son Joe, who doesn't even know him but ditches school for a gaming arcade, and the key is guarded by a Chinese sword expert in the skyscraper fortress of mysterious colonel Clive Ventor. Besides learning better physical motions, his view in things also evolves, even his priority becomes leaving a world to Joe

Thoughts;

After watching the preview, I wasn't sold on this, it seemed like a more violent version of Ground Hog Day which I never cared for. This was decent, it kept my interest, and, in the end, it was a great movie.

There were many clues, and it was comical with some twists and turns.

CAUTION; Major Spoiler Alert

Roy Pulver, a retired Delta Force soldier in Atlanta, awakens in his loft with a machete-wielding man trying to kill him. He disarms the assassin before a helicopter gunner kills the man believing him to be Roy. Roy kills the gunner causing the helicopter to crash into Roy's loft. Roy leaps from the window into a truck full of sand, carjacks a man and is chased by a pair of assassins. Roy's car is hit by a bus, into which he is thrown and dies. It is revealed that Roy has been reliving the same day for over four months, and is being targeted by multiple assassins. He now knows their locations and strategies.

On attempt 48, Roy tries to call his estranged wife Jemma. Her phone is answered by her boss, Col. Clive Ventor, head of defense contractor Dynow Labs. Ventor tells Roy that Jemma died the previous evening in an accident in the lab. Roy is suspicious, but is killed before he can act on the information.

In the unlooped timeline, the day prior, Roy visits Jemma at Dynow Labs, believing she has gotten him a job interview. Jemma and Roy argue over their son Joe, because Jemma has not told him that Roy is his father. Dynow's head of security summons Jemma to speak with Ventor. Jemma reveals that she needs Roy's services, not the company.

On attempt 143, Roy arrives at Underground Atlanta and spots Joe, Roy follows him into the main arcade area, where he confesses he ditched school to participate in a video game tournament. The assassins arrive, and Roy uses his body as a shield to protect Joe, revealing that he is Joe's father before he dies. Roy realizes he is being tracked and discovers a transmitter in his tooth.

Roy uses the next several resets to probe Dynow's defenses using trial-and-error. On attempt 156 Ventor reveals the truth about the machine in the lab and his plan: it is called the Osiris Spindle, a quantum device capable of rewriting history. Ventor plans to use it to set himself up as the world's dictator. Ventor also confirms his responsibility for Jemma's death. Roy realizes that Jemma used the Osiris Spindle to put Roy in a time loop. A later attempt reveals that the Osiris Spindle can't be shut down and that if it runs too long it will destroy the world. Roy discovers that while he is at Dynow, Joe was being targeted by the other assassins. Roy arrives at the arcade to find police removing Joe's body from the scene. As Roy attempts to get past the police, the Osiris Spindle explodes, destroying the world.

Roy starts spending his days bonding with Joe through various activities. On attempt 249, Roy & Joe have a longer conversation and Joe reveals that he had gotten a voicemail from his mother that morning. Roy sees the timestamp on the message and realizes that Jemma is still alive when he wakes up each morning.

On a subsequent attempt Roy jumps onto the helicopter and orders the pilot to fly them to Dynow. He knocks out the pilot, uses the minigun to kill all the assassins who tracked him to the facility - thereby saving Joe - and fights his way downstairs just in time to kill Brett & Ventor and save Jemma. Roy reveals he has been spending his attempts being a father to Joe, and that he saw the end of the world. Jemma explains that they may be able to stop the chain reaction if Roy enters the Osiris Spindle, which will send him back to the start of the day one last time. Roy enters the Osiris Spindle, and awakens in his bed.