A virtuoso is typically described as a person that is highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit, just to be clear. Some folks might want to argue over the title of this movie, led by Anson Mount of Hell on Wheels and accompanied by Anthony Hopkins and Abbie Cornish, but the truth of it is that the artistic pursuit of perfection, vague as it might sound, is something that many people might be willing to defend without reservation. The Virtuoso already looks like a movie that might not be worth much more than the entertainment value it will bring, but it does look interesting since it could have more potential hidden away in the footage that we haven’t seen yet, and thereby be a nice surprise that will excite the passion for action movies in many people. If nothing else, Anthony Hopkins is always a joy to watch, and Anson Mount doesn’t really get enough credit for his acting skills, though it’s hard to argue that he did much to enhance the failed Inhumans show that crashed and burned so horribly. But there’s plenty of reason to keep some faith in this movie considering that it might be something that will prove to be even more interesting than its trailer, especially given the idea that there appears to be more to Mount’s character than we’re seeing so far. It might be that I’m trying to build up the movie a little too much for my own sensibilities, but it does feel as though there’s something else there.
One thing about the character that Hopkins is playing is that he’s no doubt a sinister character, but also someone that, as with many of his characters, is cultured and wields enough influence to be a real danger to others. But if he turns into a willing combatant it might actually spoil things the way that it happened in Transformers: The Last Knight, when Hopkins rushed the Decepticons and was nearly blasted to pieces for his efforts. One thing Anthony Hopkins is not at this point in his career is an action star, and he hasn’t been for quite some time. As Hannibal Lecter, he was a dangerous man and one that shouldn’t have been underestimated at any point. But apart from that role, he’s been likable or he’s been hard to figure out since the cultured aspect he usually creates can be tinged and even tainted by the otherwise manic performances he can put on and still get away with it. Does anyone else realize just how crazy that is? There are very few individuals that can get away with just about anything in a movie and still be loved by their fans without fail, and to be honest, it’s kind of an eerie effect since Hopkins has been in great movies and in mediocre to even horrible movies, but his reputation has never really taken a massive hit since he’s always put forth what most people could honestly call a very honest and masterful performance.
Anson Mount on the other hand is someone that has been maligned quite a bit throughout his career thanks to one show in particular since The Inhumans tanked so badly that there hasn’t been a lot of talk about bringing it back, at least none that anyone has gone public with. His time on Hell on Wheels felt like it was well-received for the most part, but he feels like an actor that has a lot of potential to him but hasn’t been allowed to fully exploit it just yet. It does feel that he’s found a great role as Captain Pike in the Star Trek franchise, but it might take a little longer to really establish him as someone that can help to lead the franchise forward in order to continue satisfying the fans and hardcore Trekkies. In this movie, it does feel as though he’s going to be a professional and compartmentalized individual that doesn’t ordinarily make mistakes and is close to devastated when he does. But what’s also different about this movie is that as the assassin, Mount is given a very vague set of instructions on who his next target is, which means that it feels as though it will be a giant game of cat and mouse until the end. That could be interesting and it could be what keeps the movie exciting since trying to figure out just what’s going on can create a great deal of interest in a movie, but without enough clues or a quick enough resolution, it might be what drags it down as well. We’re going to have to wait and see what will happen since the movie won’t release until April 30th. Seeing as how there’s plenty to watch between now and then, it should be a good movie to wait for and one to enjoy when it arrives.
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