"Crooked Arrows" is a film I wanted to like, came close to enjoying, but was consistently pulled away by some poor storytelling decisions. It's one of the first movies to concentrate solely on the game of lacrosse, a sport that's grown in popularity in recent years after spending centuries as a sacred activity for Native American cultures, where it's known as "The Creator's Game." It's a highly athletic, fast-paced sport that deserves a better onscreen celebration than "Crooked Arrows," which slaps around every cliché imaginable, looking to win over viewers through the comfort of familiarity. It has charm and a refreshing cultural perspective, but the predictability is often too much to bear, tanking the potential for a proper cinematic exploration of lacrosse.
A casino lackey trafficking in Native American stereotypes to make a buck, Joe (Brandon Routh) is urged by his boss to use his half-blood Sunaquat tribe connections to charm his father, Ben (Gil Birmingham), and the community into delivering extra land for a planned resort expansion. Resisting his son's slick ways, Ben urges Joe to accept a spirit quest, asking the former lacrosse player to coach the local prep school team. A group of bickering losers, the Crooked Arrows are in dire need of a leader to help focus their gifts, yet Joe isn't ready to take on the responsibility at first, needing time to process his haunted past on the lacrosse field and his place in Sunaquat society. With inspiration provided by his former flame, Julie (Crystal Allen), Joe is ready to train the Crooked Arrows, finding the locals looking to the lacrosse field to reclaim the dignity they've lost to Native American casino culture and a general disinterest in heritage from younger generations.
The director for "Crooked Arrows" is Steve Rash, once the helmer of "The Buddy Holly Story," but lately known for his work on "Road Trip: Beer Pong." Rash has obvious affection for the sport of lacrosse and native traditions, positioning the picture as a tribute to reservation spirit, taking time to chastise those who've pimped out their own nation with casino endeavors, using Joe as a symbol for the soulless ones who'll do anything for monetary reward. While I wish the politics of the effort were more refined, there's something appealing about the feature's stand against the onslaught of casino construction, finding a place of pride in a community learning to come together as one.
"Crooked Arrows" certainly has a heart, but it's buried under layers of nonsense. The screenplay is overstuffed with formula, almost afraid to take on any originality whatsoever, using the "Bad News Bears" template to tell the story of grumpy Joe and his lackluster team of hotheaded goofs. There's even a Kelly Leak character, with the coach coaxing a gifted outsider into the team. The rise of player pride carries insufficient excitement, especially when the average viewer is always two steps ahead of Rash, mentally ticking off the clichés on the underdog sporting movie checklist as the losers grow into a powerful lacrosse unit, working out ball-hog and endurance issues along the way. "Crooked Arrows" is most confident drilling into Native American customs, following the boys as they embark on a vision quest to discover their personal animal spirit, or learn the language to help develop a field code to confuse rival teams. A tighter script might've seized a real sense of pace and texture from the story. Instead, Rash labors through the details, backed by an impossibly crummy soundtrack of bland rock songs and an unironic use of Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping" to inspire the troops.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation supplies a very clean look for the HD-shot picture, with a bright viewing experience that fully illuminates daytime lacrosse activities. Shadow detail, while thick during evening adventures, is also adequate, delivering costuming and hair textures, while distances are also preserved. Some fits of noise creep into view, but it's a rare event. Colors are bold, offering a decent pop of red off uniforms, while outdoor activities bring out a rich forest and game field greens. Skintones retain their intended appeal. Fine detail is interesting and nuanced, allowing viewers to survey sets and team line-ups, while subtle facial reactions look alive. A few sequences show some softness, and the intentionally boosted colors of the flashbacks are overly aggressive, yet the disc preserves the cheery atmosphere of the feature.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't pack as powerful a punch as a sporting movie should. Considering the intensity and fierce movement of lacrosse, the track rarely shows any directional interest, keeping the essentials of the game static, with the surrounds primarily employed for immersion and echoed distances. Passes and tackles lack a circular sense of life. Although a few of the soundtrack selections sound on the brittle side, music cuts and scoring endeavors provide a solid low-end to support the visuals, maintaining fullness to set the mood. Most of the mix remains on the front stage, with dialogue exchanges crisp and comprehensible, keeping group encounters satisfactorily separated. Atmospherics are pronounced, with the coin-activity of the casino setting offering a clear detailing of location. The aural basics are cared for on this disc; however, considering the volatility of the sport, there's little here that grips the listener in the heat of the moment.
Commentary with director Steve Rash and producers Mark Ellis and Neal Powless is an uneven mix of authentic backstage and development information and a weirdly insistent self-congratulatory conversation. Considering all the clichés employed to bring "Crooked Arrows" to life, perhaps these guys should've cooled it with the victory laps. When the track fixates on production challenges, the highlights are numerous, exploring how fairgrounds outside of Boston were transformed into a lacrosse field and ancient land, spotlighting the developing camaraderie shared between the players, and emphasizing the drive to bring authenticity and respect to native interests and sporting dynamics. While the recording is clear as a bell, it sounds like the participants were recorded separately, leading to a few cell phone-style conversation pile-ups along the way.
"The Story of 'Crooked Arrows'" (4:47, HD) is the EPK featurette for the feature, using interviews with cast and crew (along with pro lacrosse player Brodie Merrill) to convey the story and thematic push of the picture, while spotlighting concentration on the realism of the sporting sequences -- a paramount concern for the filmmakers.
"Keepin' It Real – 'Crooked Arrows' Lacrosse" (5:27, HD) sits down with professional players and coaches to share the process of preparation and execution of the sporting scenes, with emphasis on the attempt to take lacrosse players and turn them into actors. Additionally, star Routh shares his thoughts on the training effort, and the featurette celebrates the sport's native heritage.
"Native American Lacrosse – A 'Crooked Arrows' Tribute" (5:07, HD) dives headfirst into a discussion of native influence and celebration, again chatting up cast and crew to gather thoughts on pride, history, and athleticism. While the same information and drive to remind viewers that lacrosse originated as a native sport is repeated throughout the rest of the disc's supplements, the chance to explore the subject with a little more screentime is welcome.
"The Game of Life: Heart and Spirit of the Onondaga" (13:44, HD) inspects a community that's embraced "The Medicine Game" since days of old, tracing how the sport has defined history and humanity for hundreds of years. It's a traditional game those in charge hold dear, refusing modern advancements in equipment to keep the experience pure.
Rash keeps the ridiculousness rolling in with a Big Game finale that finds the Crooked Arrows facing off against an Aryan machine coached by a John Kreese knockoff. It's excessive, saved in part by the game action, which moves effectively, displaying a rough sport with respect for player dedication. Still, the heaviness of the hackneyed screenwriting and apathetic direction eventually pins "Crooked Arrows" to the mat, stripping the life out of a potentially inspiring perspective on sporting achievement and native concerns.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced that it will release on Blu-ray Steve Rash's Crooked Arrows (2012), starring Brandon Routh, Crystal Allen and Gil Birmingham. The release will be available for purchase online and in stores across the ...
