Fascinating Revenge Thriller Tops the Hulu Charts: “Rami Malek was made for roles like this”
I love a good revenge flick. While there are some classics—Revenge, Hard Candy, and I Saw the Devil if you’re in the market for some contemporary flair—even the bad ones still target this simple yet innate desire to see justice achieved. Is it often the case in real life? No, not usually, but that’s why I go to the movies. I want to see some poor sap come into his own to avenge whomever it is they’ve lost.
Some of the horror greats have dabbled in the subgenre. James Wan helmed 2007’s Death Sentence, and The Babadook’s Jennifer Kent’s sophomore effort The Nightingale, is one of the century’s best movies. Period. Give me all the revenge. All the blood. All the melodrama and moral quandaries. Even better, give me a certified nerd in the lead. Such was the case with James Hawes’ The Amateur, currently the most-watched movie on Hulu. Learn more about the film below:
Per Hulu: A CIA decoder hunts for his wife’s killers, his intelligence serving as his ultimate weapon
The Amateur is the second adaptation of Robert Littell’s 1981 novel. The first, also titled The Amateur, was well-received and featured the star power of performers like John Savage and Christopher Plummer. This new The Amateur does have Oscar-winner Rami Malek, and he keeps the proceedings eminently watchable even as it lurches into more and more absurd territory. Which, incidentally, is just how I like them.
The thrust, after all, is that Rami Malek is no Liam Neeson in Taken. He’s no Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) in Death Wish. He’s just a regular guy. Mostly. He’s really smart, and he puts his CIA skills to good use as he hunts down and torments the people responsible for the death of his wife. It’s all very cathartic and morally dubious, but it’s a damned good time nonetheless. Check out what fans are saying about the Hulu chart-topper below:
This probably would have made bank in 1998, which is sick. The 90s are the new 80s, and I’m never going to scoff at a movie that would otherwise feel right at home in that decade. What do you think, though? Any plans to check out The Amateur on Hulu. It’ll no doubt be one of the year’s most underrated offerings. Let me know if you do over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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