When it does not self indulge on its own cheesiness (via songs or filmmaking choices), this is a very entertaining warm-hearted little film with really good acting and a simple but effective and fun script that manages pretty solidly to mix the world of high-school movies and sci-fi.
This movie simply tries too hard and does not deliver in barely any capacity.
The intended picturesque characters are boring, the action (sometimes subverted by the editing) leaves you cold, and the intended drama and surrealism do not bring anything special to the table.
For a film with a similar premise albeit a different approach, you will be better off watching Aki Kaurismäki’s I Hired a Contract Killer (1990).
It succeeds in setting a creepy atmosphere, and it has an interesting underlying message (such as the common disregard of the older generations).
Nonetheless, it suffers from some relevant miscasting as well as not having a clear focus on what it wants to tell leading up to an absurd ending.
The Duellists (1977, Scott)
"The one man, played by Harvey Keitel, is a prisoner of his own hatred. He must kill or be killed. Keith Carradine plays the other man who is honor bound to fight. It is a fascinating story of man’s violence."
--- Ridley Scott
