By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
What do you get when you cross “Léon: The Professional” with “A Series of Unfortunate Events?” The answer is “Dust Bunny,” an action/horror film that blends the world of assassins with the realm of fantasy, and it undoubtedly works to an entertaining degree. The creative storyline is refreshing and well thought out with top notch acting.
When her parents disappear in the middle of the night amongst blood curdling screams, Aurora (Sophie Sloan) is convinced the monster under her bed ate them. Desperate to end the nightmare and vanquish this beast, the young girl hires her Intriguing Neighbor (Mads Mikkelson), an adept assassin, to kill the monster once and for all. Convinced Aurora is the witness to a crime committed by humans, but twisted the memory into a delusion of monsters, the skillful neighbor seeks to uncover the truth that may actually be connected to him.
Making his directorial debut is Bryan Fuller, who also wrote the screenplay. The creator of the acclaimed “Hannibal” TV series crafts a uniquely mysterious storyline that grips viewers from the very beginning and doesn’t let loose. He seamlessly melds fantasy and horror together with an ordinary action/thriller concept. In fact, the movie begins very similarly with 1994’s “Léon: The Professional” with a young girl left orphaned after her parent’s brutal murder, leading her to hire a professional hitman neighbor to exact revenge. That is where the similarities end as Fuller then steers the story into more of the fantasy/horror motif.
Fuller’s visual style is what really sets this production apart. He uses a 3:1 aspect ratio, which is pretty unheard of for feature films. The resulting effect widens the picture, creating an almost vertical claustrophobic impact for viewers. This immediately conveys to the audience that this is not going to be a typical production. Coupled with gothic imagery and eccentric, bright colors (reminiscent of Wes Anderson films), viewers become quickly immersed in a fantasy realm that brings imagination to life but also suggests an almost playful tone. Unfortunately, the CGI incorporated by Fuller undercuts the horrific elements of the movie, eliminating the sense of fright.
While the visual effects are lacking, the humor is not, with comedic moments sprinkled throughout the film’s entirety. Fuller introduces the laugh-inducing humor that often takes the audience by surprise. During scenes of murderous intent directed at the little girl protagonist, he’ll slip in some well-timed comedy to lighten the mood. These moments are executed flawlessly by the talented cast.
“Dust Bunny” could not survive without the on-screen chemistry between Mads Mikkelsen and young Sophie Sloan. Mads, who previously worked with Bryan Fuller as the title character in “Hannibal,” balances his mysterious, assassin character with a subtle, immediate warmth towards the little girl that makes him instantly likable as her protector. The banter between him and Sophie elevates their appeal even further. Her continuous correction of his mispronunciation of her character’s name becomes this ongoing joke that never seems to grow stale, because of her timing and his responsive attempts to get it right. An unlikely duo to be sure, but they make it work to great effect.
The supporting cast is led by the ageless Sigourney Weaver, who portrays the morally blind assassin guild leader with a tenuous friendship towards Mads’ character. The three-time Oscar nominee speaks of killing in a comically flippant way that furthers the levity of the production. There’s also David Dastmalchian, who plays one of the hitmen trying to kill the main characters. His obvious strangeness matches the visual style of the film, blending his hitman character with the fantastical elements of this world.
Oddly enough, despite the childlike tone to the story, this film is rated R for one particular scene in which a character is stabbed through the eye with an electric toothbrush. Containing only mild profanity, no nudity or sex, and only moderate violence with very minimal gore, this is the mildest R-rated film you’ll probably ever see. Don’t let “Dust Bunny” be vacuumed into irrelevance, it is a fun cinematic experience that most will enjoy, especially if you favor fantasy.
This movie earns:
