Everly is available on Blu-ray as of April 21st.
Salma Hayek plays Everly, the live-in lover/escort of a Japanese Gangster. After trying to narc him out to the police to escape this seedy life, she becomes trapped in his apartment as he unleashes neighboring working girls, assassins, and crazy Yakuza types in an attempt to kill her. Everly fights off each wave of attacks, determined to survive and be reunited with her daughter for Christmas. The best analogy I can use to describe the film is Die Hard meets WWE’s Royal Rumble. Yes, this film is a slice of awesome fun.
The plot is no more complex than that. In addition to the fun and varied action sequences, emotional stakes are injected with Everly’s mother and daughter becoming drawn into proceedings, first over the phone and later in person. The camera never leaves the room Everly is trapped in, and the director Joe Lynch uses this restriction to inventive effects. It’s pretty creative at times. This is reflected in much of the action also. Everly shows a resourcefulness and logic in her dealing with the bad guys (and dogs) that is pretty refreshing. Violence and narrative unfolds as the film develops; it embraces the ridiculousness of its concept from the start and maintains it throughout. It’s violent, but never takes it too seriously.
At times it feels like a video game: escalating enemies, bigger boss characters, but tempered with personal moments that tie things together. Hayek drives the movie along well; I’d never imagined her in such a kick ass role but she gives a solid sense of believability. She does well with the emotional beats too although the insertion of a daughter at times feels a little forced, added to drive things along.
Some of the dialogue verges on the cheesy or sentimental but that seems fitting for the genera. There is a rather seedier undertone to the film, though. It becomes apparent this apartment is one of many in the building housing a number of “whores” (the film’s term, not mine) of which Everly is the favored of the big boss. It also is made evident that shortly before the opening of the film, she was essentially subjected to rape. This reframes the film in an uneasy light, contrasting sharply with the violence and over the top nature throughout. It is not a subtext you need to look for deeply, and seems an odd layer to add to the film. Some may overlook it, others will not.
That being said, the film is a frenetic affair and you are barely given time to contemplate such things. It treads a fine line between fun and absurd, and it veers into a Takashi Miike movie at one point, an example of how the film shakes things up often and keeps things engaging. The action pieces are inventive and fun, the use of the single room concept is well done, although I would love to see Lynch tackle a film like this on a more expansive canvas.
THE PACKAGEEverly for the most part looks solid in the Blu-ray transfer, details are solid as are colors and picture is crisp but comes across a little flat at times.
Special features wise, Everly contains two commentaries that highlight a lot of the creativity and playfulness of the project. The first is a “Creative Commentary” with Director Joe Lynch, Co-Producer Brett Hedblom, and Editor Evan Schiff. The second is a “Technical Feature” with Director Joe Lynch and Cinematographer Steve Gainer. There is also a music video for “Silent Night” (watch the film to understand) by Raya Yarborough and Bear McCreary, directed by Joe Lynch. McCreary, who has previously done music for Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead continues his fine work here for Everly.
THE BOTTOM LINEOverall Everly is a blast that is at its best when it’s at its most ridiculous. The comic style action being a stark contrast to the darker undertone of the film which some may forget exists as the film veers from one ass-kicking set piece to another. A thoroughly entertaining film backed up by some great extras that should please any fan.