Gore Verbinski Lastly Returns with Refreshingly Madcap Journey

I didn’t understand simply how a lot I missed Gore Verbinski till I used to be within the theater watching the straight-up bonkers closing act of his newest movie, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die as the ultimate secret screening at this 12 months’s Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. I’m not going to spoil simply how insane this film goes; even when I did, I’m unsure you’d imagine me. 

And that’s precisely what made me understand what we’ve been lacking with Verbinski’s hiatus. There’s one thing about the way in which he assembles a movie––each populist and peculiar as hell––that feels so refreshing on this second the place most of our film choices appear dictated by a faceless board of execs. If it didn’t sound so pretentious I’d use the time period “auteur,” which is normally reserved for movie colleges diving deep into French New Wave or Italian neorealism. Yet it’s correct. There’s zero doubt, watching this movie, that it was made by a madman.

From the second Sam Rockwell busts right into a full diner clad in what can solely be described as a do-it-yourself time-travel outfit comprising steampunk devices coated with a grimy clear raincoat, it’s clear you’re not in for a film made by committee. What begins as a attainable hostage scenario rapidly turns right into a quest to avoid wasting all of humanity from a rogue AI that’s on the point of whole human takeover––should you can imagine a phrase popping out of Rockwell’s mouth, amongst them a sophisticated situation involving resetting the timestream with a really particular mixture of companions pulled from this very diner. If he picks the precise group of individuals, maybe humanity could be saved. If not, he’ll simply must attempt time and again and once more till he will get it proper. 

Before it, he’s assembled his group for this go-around that’s simply as eclectic because the bearded lunatic who gathered all of them collectively. You have two exhausted faculty lecturers (Michael Peña and Zazie Beetz), a belligerent man (Asim Chaudhry) who doesn’t purchase a single factor this man is saying, a quiet lady sitting by herself (Juno Temple), a Boy Scout chief, a girl who simply needs to complete her excellent piece of pie, and a younger punk chick rocking a fairy story princess costume and a few Doc Martens (Haley Lu Richardson). Things solely get wilder from there, the narrative leaping between the hunt this ragtag group of strangers go on collectively and their particular person backstories as we study concerning the occasions that put them on this diner at this explicit second in time.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die has loads on its thoughts. Beneath the fun of the chase is a darkish, satirical lens on humanity’s obsession with expertise. Tech dependancy is an actual factor and this film doesn’t simply use it as a plot level, however somewhat a mirror held as much as the viewers who extra seemingly than not will likely be sneaking glances at their telephones as they fail to withstand two entire hours with out checking our electronic mail, sending off a fast textual content, or scoping out the newest social-media horror present.

Social commentary, outrageous character comedy, and a way of enjoyable journey bring to mind Terry Gilliam at his finest, however that is unquestionably a Gore Verbinski film. Every character on this ensemble stands out. Verbinski doesn’t gloss over Matthew Robinson’s idiosyncratic character beats in favor of dashing the narrative ahead. Just like his work on Pirates of the Caribbean, all of the ensemble get a second to shine, which could bloat the runtime a bit, however the commerce off is you get to truly know and care about these characters, which is essential as soon as the actually insane stuff begins occurring. The viewers has to grow to be a real believer and purchase into his unbelievable story if this film has any probability of working, and because of Verbinski’s sharp eye for framing and his consideration to, and love for, his weirdo characters, he succeeds. 

It’s clear Verbinski hasn’t misplaced a step in his practically 10-year absence from the massive display. For good or sick, this can be a Gore Verbinski film via and thru. A bit of overlong? Perhaps. But it’s by no means uninteresting, partly as a result of it’s so arduous to foretell what’s coming subsequent. Assassins in animal masks? Why not? Zombified youngsters? Clones? School shootings? And that’s simply stuff from the primary act! I’m leaving out the actual outlandish stuff. 

I had a blast with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, a salve for anyone bored with by-the-numbers theatrical experiences. 

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die premiered at Fantastic Fest and opens on January 30, 2026.