User reviews

Mike Howell is a stoner living in a small West Virginia town with his girlfriend Phoebe Larson. He is hoping to propose to her during a holiday in Hawaii but has a panic attack at the airport... as he does every time he tries to leave town. After this incident he starts to wonder why Phoebe stays with him. We soon learn that he isn't an ordinary young man; he is part of a CIA programme known as 'Wiseman'... he doesn't know it but he is a highly trained super-soldier! Back at CIA headquarters Agent Victoria Lasseter, who headed the programme, is warned that all Wiseman agents are being eliminated by similar 'Tough Guy' agents run by rival agent Adrian Yates. She heads to West Virginia and meets Mike and gives him his activation code... he has no ideas what the words mean but shortly afterwards when he is attacked by two Tough Guys he dispatches them with a spoon! He still has no memory but he knows he must fight for his life to save himself and Phoebe as more agents come to kill him.

This film is a bit silly but that doesn't matter as it is a lot of fun. There are quite a few humorous moments as well as plenty of action. It must be stated that the action is brutal to degree that might disturb some viewers. In many ways Mike is very like 'Jason Bourne'... an elite agent with memory problems; he is also very different as he doesn't know he has memory problems and Bourne didn't do drugs and draw comics. The story manages to provide some decent twists. The cast is solid; most notably Jesse Eisenberg who is a lot of fun as Mike... a character who is understandably confused when he realises he has elite combat skills. Kristen Stewart provides solid support as Phoebe. Topher Grace is good fun as villain Yates; he isn't a typical action movie villain... his character is far from tough. Overall this is a fun film that provides solid action with some good laughs.

Anyone who watches this movie and takes it at face value won't enjoy it. As is often the case with over the top, over exaggerated movie, check your common sense at the door and ride it like a roller coaster.

American Ultra is ultra violent, ultra simplistic and yes, a little stupid. But I think it's supposed to be?

As B Movie or just "childish R Rated" pleasure, this movie works. A lot of things going for it actually: a very punch mise en scène, some good casting and good performances from Kristen Stewart & co. given the genre and topic.... and yes, good fun.

Given the negative reviews, this may sound defensive but I am sure that a lot of people will enjoy it for what it is. DOn't expect the next Avengers and yes, don't expect anything deep.

I had a great time with this movie. Jesse Eisenbergs character is really likable and and laid back, even in the face of explosions and gunshots. It's not An Oscar worthy movie, but it is what it is. A fun action movie.

Don't awaken or betray the hidden, trained, CIA killer operative, working in the convenience store, who has a weed-fiend alter ego or you will regret it. A shaggy haired low life stoner and his girlfriend suddenly find themselves being hunted by the best of breed special ops soldiers. Yet something awakens in the stoner and let's just say things don't go as planned for the special ops soldiers. This is an entertaining action movie with an absurd plot full of dry humor and several notable actors and actresses. Mixed all together and this is an unexpected recipe that would be welcomed at mid-level restaurants; a couple notches above Pizza Ranch.

If the new movie American Ultra was half as clever as it seems to think it is, it would be a bawdy treat. The design is extremely stylish and even nobly unique, but underneath those flairs of fun is one of the most identity-confused films ever, a true mess of genres and tones that never quite finds its footing. The cool premise and individual moments of fun can't overcome how poorly executed the final product is. Ultimately, AU is proof that a mash-up of good scenes without a cohesive center does not a good movie make. Eisenberg and Stewart play a pot-loving couple who learn that their lives may be more than they seem as they run into trouble with the CIA. It's Pineapple Express meets Bourne, but can't decide which one it more wants to emulate. At both times absurdly funny and oddly sincere, all the performers seem to be in different movies. On the villain side, we've got Goggins giving a Joker-like performance as a darkly hilarious, mentally disturbed madman, while Grace seems to think he's still on a sitcom, delivering lines with off-putting snark. On the other end, Stewart and Eisenberg fumble between broad comedy and indie drama with little clarity or success blending the two. Not that it's devoid of laughs; it manages some humor when it focuses on the identity crisis of a slacker-turned-trained-killer. Unfortunately, our hero wasn't the only one trying to awkwardly discover himself; so was the movie. What could've been an inventive little comedy ala Scott Pilgrim or Zombieland is an ultra-mess.

Before he ruined Lex Luthor (popular way of thinking), see him in this. Although you probably have seen Jesse Eisenberg in a couple of other things too I reckon, this is where he does shine with his "special powers". Some may argue if he has more than one thing going for him (acting/power wise), but that would be kind of unfair to him and the movies he did so far.

If you like movies with a weird touch, that have a strange story to tell and are not too squeamish about it, you could do worse. You could also do a bit better of course, but let's not focus on the negative things, but rather on the positives. This is entertaining enough to enjoy for what it is. I don't think it was successful enough to turn it into a series, but it works for what it is

The story of this movie has been told over a million times in recent years. A ...special secret (!) program of the CIA that generates Jason Bourne-like super soldiers. Such programs had over the years lots of cool names like Daylight, Treadstone, etc. etc....so for this movie...Wiseman (!) it is! Wiseman is supposed to cost ...$400,000,000 and American Ultra had a budget of $28,000,000 but it doesn't show...

The movie has an amateurish style and direction. It is aesthetically not pleasing and it looks like they shot it in a parking lot over the course of a weekend.

I'm not a fan of Kristen Stewart but I consider her a good actress with a broad range of facial expressions and emotions and she delivers in this movie too. Topher Grace is adequate too but the rest of the cast looks like they prefer to be somewhere else including Connie Britton and the veteran Bill Pullman.

There are some actions scenes where the mighty spy kicks some ass but overall the movie fails to produce a satisfying result.

Maybe in the hands of a more capable director and a reworked script (written by the son of John Landis) this movie could be better. At least for 90 minutes of action fun...

American ULTRA is an action-packed comedy that doesn't deserve the bad rep it's been getting. The writing was really strong; Max Landis injected clever and quirky dialogue into a pretty simple story, giving it its own definitive personality. There's a ton of pot smoking, there's a whole lot of killing, and Jesse Eisenberg plays a badass action hero. Yea. If you're not down with any of that, don't watch this movie.

The chemistry between Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, who've worked together before, is one of the best things American ULTRA has going for it. You completely believe them as this young couple; the 'tree and car' metaphor in the film, despite being top-tier pot talk, was quite touching. I can't really say the same thing about Topher Grace though; almost everything he said was outright cringe-worthy and over-the-top. It's strange though because, on paper, his character is a perfect match for the kind of tone this film was going for. Unfortunately, he just ended up feeling out of place.

Many people are describing this movie as a cross between Pineapple Express and Bourne Identity, and it's difficult to argue against that. I know what you're thinking; it's a bizarre marriage indeed. But when you watch this, the amalgamation actually works. The jokes don't always hit, but the action hits hard. And while it's engaging and well choreographed, the film never takes itself too seriously; the balance between stoner comedy and crazy, bloody violent action is handled well, not as seamless as one would hope though. And through all the insanity that transpires, American ULTRA still manages to maintain a heart.

I can positively say that I enjoyed watching American ULTRA. Is it a great movie? Hell no! I wouldn't even call it good, but it's funny when it needs to be, the violence, while excessive at times, always fit the story, and it's original. If you're someone who wants Hollywood to simmer down with all the reboots and sequels, then go see American ULTRA in theatres. You'll have fun and, at the same time, be supporting originality in cinema.

If you've seen the trailers, I suppose you expect this to be one of those stoner comedies, only it is not. American Ultra is at most a dramedy, though its drama far outweighs its comedy percentage. The mood is somber, the actors are technically good enough, the premise is good, only – I found the execution lacking.

The more I watched this movie, the less excited I was about it. At times, it tried to be far too dramatic and touching, failing at both, and at other points, it did so unintentionally. I liked the idea of the sleeper agent who is an ambitionless pothead, but the explanation to his condition was lackluster and not well thought- out. Let's not even talk about the villain; he was comically one- dimensional and flat.

Jesse Eisenberg, to be honest, bored me. At no point did I find myself feeling for him. I am not sure if it is due to the casting or poor writing, but I found the main character wholly uninteresting. However, I was interested in finding out more about him in the past, and was sorely disappointed when that was left to the wind. As for Kristen Stewart – meh. I will admit to liking her (mostly outside of her acting career) but at critical points, even I will admit, it was like listening to her reading straight from the script. I did like her physical dedication to the role, because she looked like shite, but that cannot save the role.

As a whole – I was very disappointed by this film. Aside from the false advertisement, which I wouldn't have minded if the movie had turned out successfully, the writing was unpolished, the actors bland, and the whole thing a mess.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but American Ultra wouldn't have been half as effective if they hadn't put the "sleeper agent" concept in a stoner setting.

Jessie Eisenberg stars as Mike, a stoner who suffers from crippling panic attacks whenever he tries to leave town. Its quickly revealed that he's actually a sleeper agent who is kept in his quiet little town because he poses a security threat. Eisenberg is a solid lead who convincingly plays a stoner but is surprisingly good in action scenes too. Its very reminiscent of Zombieland. Kristen Stewart is Mike's girlfriend, and I can't believe it, but she's great. There's a well written scene early on that starts as a stoner scene where the two of them share stoner dialogue but it quickly becomes a surprisingly beautiful metaphor for their relationship. Early on we start rooting for those two crazy kids to work it out, in spite of a terrific twist regarding their relationship about halfway through.

The second big plot point is a CIA rivalry between Topher Grace's Yates and Connie Britton's Lasseter. Lasseter created Mike under her program, which was shut down and replaced by Yates'. The powers that be decide that Mike needs to be terminated, and so Lasseter goes rogue to protect him while Yates goes a bit far in taking him out. I found Yates to be a little undercooked, forcing Grace to overact in order to make him a villain. Lasseter is sympathetic but time spent with her meant less spent with Eisenberg and Stewart. Walton Goggins does good work as one of Yates' men, and has a nice scene towards the end with Eisenberg.

A bit of the screenplay was on the nose - sure, Yates is the villain but sometimes characters go a bit far in dealing with him. The film would've worked much better if it was another non- official body, rather than the CIA, because there were a lot of problems like the CIA ordering drone strikes on US territory that would have been alleviated, and the idea of open war between CIA officials over a difference of policy was a bit much to swallow.

At the end of the day, American Ultra's quirky blend of plot points and genres is a surprising success thanks to charming performances and awesome action sequences.

I don't give movies bad reviews often. I am the kind of guy who enjoys movies for what they are, and can usually find something to enjoy even in less than great movies. I don't require some deeper meaning in my movies, or even a stellar plot.

That said, I have no idea how this movie is carrying a 6+ on here. This movie is truly bad. It isn't the worst movie of all time...but it is bad. Bad. It isn't funny. The action isn't good. The acting isn't good. The special effects are beyond bad. The plot is it's one redeeming feature, and it just isn't very good either.

Seriously. If you are like me and check movies on here to see whether it is worth it or not to sit down and watch, either avoid this or go in knowing it is a 4 at best, and that is being generous. Just a bad bad movie.

A stoner - who is in fact a government agent - is marked as a liability and targeted for extermination. But he's too well-trained and too high for them to handle.

American Ultra is a late-summer business for a good-time-seeking young audiences. Those who saw director Nima Nourizadeh's moderately successful first feature, comedy Project X, will have an idea of the excess to expect here. It's a very mid- August sort of film, the kind that benefits from low. The first 20 minutes or so are pretty fun and provokes a few laughs by identifying multiple symptom of our generation. The script by Max Landis (Chronicle) delivers more of a big mess than anything coherent or genuinely engaging. Moreover, characters are fun. Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are a sort of Bonnie and Clyde with a water bong. Unfortunately both of them, frequently great, are unsure footing here. They smoke, say "like" and the F-word a lot and eventually kick plenty of butt in a way that looks pretty good. Their relationship is revealed to have a history and dynamic that goes much deeper.

However, the only aspect of Jesse Eisenberg character that feels genuine is his paranoia, which within the auspices of comedic action movie, is totally earned. Plus, some people come across as larger than life on screen but Eisenberg and Stewart really don't. There are some highly entertaining cameos. The action sequences build in size throughout the movie. There's chasing, fighting, hiding and urgent phone calls. All of what is nicely edited, big slo-motion shoots down come together in slick and engaging ways. This time around director has thankfully moderated her shaky- cam tendencies. Still, sensation is sensation, amusing discussions, witty characterisation and creative violence. Finally the most creative and witty part of the entire film may well be the animated and credits, which have a panache mostly absent from what's come before. I actually had fun with this movie though. The film doesn't aim for much but guess what? It's nor award season but the last weeks of summer.

Overall, American Ultra is a bit lazy comically, the plot has some holes and the pace is not even but the love story is sweet.

This review does not contain spoilers, it just talks about the actors and the general mood the film has.

I started watching this expecting to hate it quite a bit, because I really don't like Jesse as an actor at all. I was quite surprised to find myself laughing, feeling and getting excited from the very beginning. I guess you could say that this movie was "ultra" fine ;). The action was great with enough blood for someone who likes movies along the lines of Kick-ass and similar. The comedy was funny enough to punch through the serious moments of the movie to give you a quick laugh before it throws you back into the quite depressing storyline. The twists (while i expected them a mile away unfortunately) had you feeling heavily for the protagonist. My final thoughts about this movie are that Kristin Stewart really can give a great performance. Do not judge her just on twilight.

If you don't enjoy this movie even a little bit i think you really need to lighten up.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is stuck in the small town of Liman, West Virginia. His girlfriend Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart) is the only good thing in his life. He's a convenience store clerk and has panic attacks whenever he tries to leave town. CIA Agent Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) is told that her Ultra program and Mike is to be eliminated by her CIA rival Adrian Yates (Topher Grace). Victoria goes to activate Mike turning him into a skilled action hero.

The basic premise has good potential and Eisenberg could be fun as an action lead. The CIA stuff is distracting and Topher Grace is barely functional in his role. The movie would improve by cutting out half of that part. The potential is never fully realized. There are fun moments that could have been much better. I can't pinpoint the exact problem but much of the blame has to be laid at the feet of sophomore director Nima Nourizadeh who made the indie party movie Project X. There are numerous little problems that add up to be a bit of a disappointment.

Jesse Eisenberg is genius and American Ultra is another example of his versatility. You can totally feel for the pathetic stoner who just wants to propose to his girlfriend but finds himself being attacked by a multitude of agents and executioners.As expected from the trailers, you come ready for some kick-ass action in which the movie does not disappoint but I felt there was a lot of detail lacking at some crucial points in the film. There were some points where you just cannot make sense of the situation such as shootouts, execution, people getting shot at and ending up surviving etc. The actors have done a good job and if you are a fan of spy fiction then do give it a watch.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a simple, stoner who spends most of his time getting high and writing a comic about a monkey astronaut. What he doesn't know is that he has received secret training by the CIA to become a lethal killing machine. When the CIA decides to target him for termination, his former handler (Connie Britton) decides to reactivate him thus turning him into a weapon. Now, he must try to use his new abilities to save himself and his girlfriend Phoebe (Kristen Stewart) from getting killed.

If there is one thing to take away from this film is that it's fun. This film is also many things. It is an action movie, a drama, a comedy, and others but I won't spoil that. I thought it did all of those very well. This is all thanks to the script. Despite all the things it tried to be, it was never a mess. It also gave us developed, likable characters that we can't help but not root for. I thought the story flowed nicely up until near the end and the pacing was okay. More about that later. I thought the action scenes were well done here. What made them exciting was the camera work where it was able to slow down and speed up at the right times, the fighting choreography which felt well-rehearsed, the creativity used which I won't spoil either, and the violence which I liked and definitely earned the film it's 18A/R rating. There are some dramatic moments as well as Mike and Phoebe, who have been together for a long time, are trying to take their relationship to the next level just to name one. I thought the film was very funny as well without trying too hard. I thought it was also well-timed as well. It along with the dramatic elements broke up all of the action sequences giving us a good balance of each. What really sold me were Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart's performances. I thought they had great chemistry and really played well off of each other. You can tell that they've worked together before in Adventureland. I really saw him as the oblivious, lovable, well-intentioned stoner and she is there as the "straight-woman" type to balance him out. I felt bad for Topher Grace here. I don't think he was well used here as the "bad guy", Adrian Yates. This is because his character was not well written and he just did not look write in the part. His quips and one-liners are hit-or-miss with most of them being misses. All of this could maybe have fared better if the character were played by someone else. I wish the film was a little more like the beginning where he was initially unaware of what was happening to him because that was when it was the funniest but that is just a minor complaint. If you just want to turn your mind off and be entertained for an hour and a half, this is not the worst way to do it.

Score: 7.5/10 keithlovesmovies.com