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The Instigators has been in the talks for a long time, perhaps primarily because of its lead men, Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, the latter could be viewed as an odd choice, given Damon's long-drawn chemistry with the other Affleck. The movie finally premiered on August 9, 2024, and those who have followed the pre-release reviews may already know that the expectations weren't exactly thunderous.
Yet, it would be wrong to say that this falls under one of the many OTT releases that come and go without serious movie audiences batting an eyelid. Instead, it appears that Doug Liman did have something in his hands, and played a safe bet with the casting, especially the supporting actors, who seem to be overqualified for their roles, to say the least.
The Instigators has its moments but it does not seem like the movie has its priorities straight. As a fun heist comedy that relishes in its big moments, this could have been a stand-out movie. But in trying to incorporate more and say more, there remains something lacking in the film that is not filled by the brilliant cast and their work.
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Yet, many fans may find this hilarious, exciting, and even thrilling to some extent. That is the impact of the moments that The Instigators plays on, but it would hardly be considered one of the prime examples of movies in 2024.
The Instigators is hooking from the start but the narrative is not nearly as even as one would like
The Insitgators is quick to introduce viewers to Cobby (Casey Affleck), who is an ex-con and a loud-mouth criminal, and Rory (Matt Damon), an ex-marine who needs an exact certain amount of money from the heist. Both actors play to their strengths and deliver some great moments throughout the movie, some of which are already in the trailer.
But the characters are not written nearly well enough for fans to care about their motivations. Rather, the motivations only play a role in subtly nodding viewers towards liking Damon's character more, who seems more white than grey. Yet, none of the two men are sharp enough to pull off the heist involving the corrupt mayoral candidate (played by a delightful Ron Pearlman).
The best parts of The Instigators come in when the duo of, shall we say extremely stupid men, try to pull off the heist and go wrong in every nook and corner. This leads to hilarious moments and even the introduction to some of the more fun characters.
By the time the movie wraps up, it is not bad. Rather, it is quite enjoyable. The only problem is perhaps that it is not memorable once the movie is over. This is because The Instigators is hooking from the start but the narrative is not nearly as even as one would like.
Boston is all over The Instigators and not always in a good way
One of the defining factors of the Doug Liman movie is that it features Boston in a full-fledged way. From its accent to its slang, there are elements that scream Boston, something that can go both ways for viewers.
For many fans who are more unfamiliar with Boston, there may be a constant need to googling references. But the fun part is that even if you don't google it, there is hardly anything you would miss out on from the primary narrative.
This could be seen as a tribute to the place and even to the people, but this element does feel a little overused by the time the movie concludes.
The cast remains the best part of the film, even during its dull moments
The brightest element of The Instigators remains its ability to perfectly tie its cast to their roles. Perhaps, the only complaint that one could have about the cast is that such great actors were underused in the movie.
From Jack Harlow to Hong Chau, there are almost too many talented people to shadow Damon and Affleck, who end up feeling like the only duo to have some setbacks in their chemistry. But that could just be because we are more accustomed to seeing Ben Affleck with Matt Damon since their acclaimed beginnings in the 1990s.
This also does not say that the other elements in the movie lagged behind. It felt well-made and well-invested in.
By the time The Instigators ends, there will not be a sense of regret or disgust in any way, but there will not be a sense of elation either. In all its half-done beauty, the movie finds its moments time and again and remains entertaining throughout its brash storytelling.
It is surely an upgrade over some of the other recent Apple TV+ movies.
The Instigators is now available for streaming on Apple TV+.
