Does the title of this movie have the same cheap knock-off vibe to you as it does to me? If I didn’t know any better I would say that this is one of those mockbusters. You know the ones I’m talking about, movies like Transmorphers or, even better, Titanic II. However, just one glance at the cast of The Instigators will tell you that this is an entirely different affair. In the lead roles, we have Matt Damon and Casey Affleck while the director is none other than Doug Liman. This is his second 2024 movie, right after Road House, which was great by the way.
You might remember him as the guy behind such hits as The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow. Well, with that out of the way, let’s see what we have here. The Instigators is a fun buddy action comedy about two bumbling thieves who will get into a lot of trouble after a failed heist. Despite the big names and flashy cinematography, the movie has this old-school vibe. We have one extremely talkative criminal while the other is practically mute. Add to this a bit of chase scenes, humor, and cameos and you got yourself a winner.
The Instigators is one of those casual movies that you can watch any time you want. It’s going to entertain you and put a smile on your face. Each year we get at least ten of these buddy action comedies. And out of all of them maybe just one or two are worth watching. For example, Brothers, starring Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage, looks like it could be a good movie. Then again, it does have a 5.4 IMDb rating. Kevin Hart is the absolute king of these failed attempts. Me Time, The Man From Toronto, Central Intelligence along with Ride Along I and II are all pretty subpar.
With that being said, I have to say I was expecting a bit more from this crew. There are some issues not just with the pacing but also with the script and atmosphere. Still, when you have a crew as good as this one, you simply know that things will get better in five minutes. And they inevitably do. Complete with twists and a surprisingly unpredictable main story. Of course, the focus is on our two lead characters, Rory and Cobby. Rory is a clinically depressed divorced dad who wants to inject a bit of life into his life while Cobby is a down-on-his-luck career criminal.
Both Damon and especially Affleck gave great performances. Casey even wrote some of the dialogue. And the supporting cast is full of familiar faces. I better let them surprise you themselves. While things do kick off relatively early on, the entire mid-section of the movie could’ve been tighter. Especially since the psychological aspects have started getting stronger and stronger. The familiar Boston setting is another plus that might just be the push you need to check out this movie.
Finally, the subjects of corrupt politicians and heists-gone-wrong are always intriguing. No matter how many movies I see about them I still feel like they’re important and trying to do something bigger. I know this isn’t going to change anything or weed out corruption but it’s important to beat people over their heads with these issues. Mostly because they’re still prevalent. Actually, I think they’re the norm these days. Boston-set State of Play, starring Ben Affleck explores this issue.
Director: Doug Liman
Writers: Chuck MacLean, Casey Affleck
Cast: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Alfred Molina, Ron Perlman, Toby Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg
Fun Facts: The Instigators is the tenth movie in which Matt Damon and Casey Affleck appear together. It also reunites Damon with director Doug Liman 22 years after The Bourne Identity.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24169886/
