Swiss Army Man

It doesn't take long for Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan's Swiss Army Man to establish itself as something outside of the norm. Indeed it's a deviation of the usual summer movie fare but to what end? Well, for their debut feature, it's clear that the Daniels were influence by a few select names.

The first influence of Swiss Army Man is David Lynch, the reason bring its plot. (The main interactions are between a shipwrecked man and a corpse, for Pete's sake.) The surreal nature of it all seems strange at first glance but as the film wears on, a weird sense of normalcy starts to kick in.

The second influence is the Farrelly Brothers, the reason being the occasionally juvenile sense of humor throughout Swiss Army Man. Admittedly such humor could deflate a film but the Daniels make sure not to overdo it. (Also this type of humor is used by someone with a faint grasp of social skills.)

Spike Jonze provides the final influence for Swiss Army Man, the reason being its sense of wonder towards life. Sometimes you find amazement in the small things, the ones everyone else tend to take for granted. It's a reminder to appreciate the world you a part of for only a short while.

Swiss Army Man has a few bumps in the road (primarily the whole "love from a distance" subplot) but it still works overall. Thanks to the work from Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, it's an original work amid a sea of adaptations and sequels. (Is it that hard to create something unique in Hollywood nowadays?)

My Rating: ****1/2