'The Bad Batch' Is Surprisingly Entertaining and Stylish

When I first saw the trailer for The Bad Batch, I thought it was not going to be anything worthwhile.  It looked like a cheap and bland B-movie. But somehow, I proceeded to check it out.  And it turned out being not as bad as I was picturing it to be.  In fact, I thought it was quite entertaining and stylish.

Based on the trailer, I thought the movie is set in a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic wasteland.  But it’s actually in a vast, fenced-in desert where felons and undesirables – stamped as society’s “bad batch” – are exiled into, Escape from New York-style.  It’s a lawless, harsh environment that has led many to adopt cannibalism in order to survive.

The focus of the story is on a young woman named Arlen (Suki Waterhouse), who is abducted by cannibals shortly after she’s dropped inside the godforsaken territory.  An arm and a leg are taken away before she can make her escape.  She’s picked up by a hermit hobo (Jim Carrey), who brings her to Comfort, a makeshift town under the leadership of The Dream (Keanu Reeves).  A few months later, after healing from her wounds and settling to her new life, Arlen sets out to the desert and encounters a mother and daughter scavenging in the landfill.  Realizing they are cannibals, she kills the mother and takes the daughter with her to Comfort.  Soon, Arlen wanders out of the desert again due to an acid trip, where she comes across Miami Man (Jason Momoa), the father of the girl she brought to Comfort.  The two then sets off to rescue Miami Man’s daughter from The Dream.

There are a couple of things going on with The Bad Batch.  Right off the bat, the cannibal elements make it a horror thriller.  But the over-the-top ideas also make it a dark comedy.  On top of that, there’s some romance in there, too.  But the narrative manages to integrate all of these in a sufficiently coherent manner.

Overall, the script is actually weakly written.  But the intriguing setting, ample noteworthy moments, and strong visuals keep the film mostly engaging.

The characters are quite fun as well in how caricature-y and colorful they are.  Giovanni Ribisi plays the part of a neurotic man flawlessly.  Jason Momoa’s character is a delightful beefcake of contradictions – a cannibalistic butcher but at the same time a loving father and a sensitive artist.  Jim Carrey, hidden in facial prosthetic and makeup, cracks me up with his facial expressions and body language even though he’s not necessarily trying to be funny.  And Keanu Reeves portrays a hilarious amalgamation of an 80’s porn star and cult leader.

The Bad Batch is by no means an excellent movie.  But it’s surprisingly enjoyable.