American Ultra (2015), R, ★★1/2

Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart reunited.

This movie is one of the weirdest and most interesting premises ever put on-screen that it combines many elements from many different movies: action, mystery, romance and drugs. When a crazy project of this caliber comes into play, the filmmakers and writers do not care and they throw all of their ingenious or insane creativity onto the screen to show to the studio executives and to the audience. It is not a spy movie, per se, but an action comedy with a stoner protagonist. This project is such an intriguing idea that the filmmakers push the envelope on hard-edge action so much that it loses their edge on going through the motions with their gory action and style.

Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) is a stoner clerk at a convenience store living peacefully in Liman, West Virginia. He is executing a plan to propose to his loving girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart). He even planned a two-day trip to Hawaii to have as surprise proposal initiated but his panic attack in the bathroom causes them to miss their flight. Mike obviously apologizes to Phoebe repeatedly but she forgives him.

Meanwhile, in Langley, Virginia at the CIA Headquarters, Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton) is going through classified files, learning that her rival, Adrian Yates (Topher Grace), has seized the Ultra program, a program she started to create sleeper agents. Adrian wants to take control the program and get rid of all assets including Mike.

Later, Mike finds Yates' men planning a bomb in his car but he attacks them with his training. Panicking, Mike calls Phoebe to reunite as they are arrested for their apparent murders. They are taken to the police station as Yates send in two Ultra operatives (Walton Goggins and Monique Ganderton) to kill them. They evade one of the operatives and kill the other to escape to Mike's friends', Rose's (John Leguizamo) apartment. They are getting straight to the chase.

Straight up chillin'.

I have never left a movie more baffled without words and I have to say that I was never bored by the movie because the material generates so many comic elements from Jesse Eisenberg's predictable form of panicking to the over-the-top violence to presenting the big idea of a stoner protagonist helming the action comedy. There is a similar movie like this but with a different edge which was Pineapple Express with Seth Rogen and James Franco. But, that movie had more laughs and humanity. Here, even though it has a good romance, the movie is just components of a product that wastes its true potential.

Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are likable in this movie and provide a charming nuance individually and as the main couple on-screen that we want them to make it and be happy. It is a good character for Stewart, which again proves that she has good acting chops. Another good movie this year for her was Clouds of Sils Maria. She has had a very interesting year. Topher Grace is funny but I want him to play another type of character and not getting roles in which he plays a villainous jerk. It's nice to see John Leguizamo in a small role and Connie Britton is fine in her role.

I cannot exactly recommend the movie and say it is a must-see at the theaters. Because of the underdeveloped screenplay and somewhat derivative material, the movie hangs onto the performances, their talent and the action and does not tighten with the material. The movie is solely an exercise of action sequences. It is merely a product, it is just a good idea to barely conceive of when we watch the movie. If the movie comes out on cable, it is a good movie to DVR and just fast forward to the scenes that you want to watch again. Nevertheless, the movie is a short film.

**1/2