Mainly known as a figure of pure masculinity and sex appeal, I think it’s kind of hilarious that the one and only Alexander Skarsgård pulls off a complete 180 in his latest role in Kim Nguyen’s The Hummingbird Project. Not only did his portrayal of a depressed, introverted fiber optics programmer worked incredibly effective to a high degree, but the general entertainment value of The Hummingbird Project exceeded all previously considered expectations due to his unrecognizable performance.
I’m a fan of Kim Nguyen’s more recent work. I liked his Academy Award Nominated Flick War Witch, and I really dug Eye On Juliet, which was a film that was not very well received by many. When it comes to The Hummingbird Project, there’s a couple pros and cons to it. What I found most intriguing about the product was it’s presentation. The film is executed and conceived like a standard “based on a true story” picture that one would usually see at a discount cinema. From the editing, to the pacing, everything feels like your typical oscar baity flick. The thing is, The Hummingbird Project is 100% not based on any previously existing material and is a new, and slightly inspired piece from Nguyen’s absurdist imagination. Does this make the film any better? Fuck no. However, it does bring up a lot of questions when it comes to how this product came to be.
From Skarsgård’s incredibly un-appealing bald spot, to Hayek’s over the top performance, Nguyen’s dramatic approach to the film was never meant to be taken seriously to begin with. The Hummingbird Project, like Eye On Juliet, is a refreshing piece of light entertainment that will keep you entertained for a few hours, but will eventually incrementally leave your thoughts within the following days of its original viewing. Albeit the film’s cliche’d presentation, there’s plenty to enjoy here, both negative and positive. This includes its tonal inconsistencies, plot holes, the odd scene of out of place thematic weight, and more. For a film about Fiber Optics, this film was hella campy.
The Hummingbird Project is Nguyen’s most conflicting film yet, and somehow it kind of worked? Is it a redundant overly cliche’d slop fest? Sure. Is it incredibly dense and packed with scenes that will bring a smile to your face? Absolutely. The Hummingbird Project is one of those rare films that I would usually despise on, but due to the pure passion and self-aware dedication Nguyen and his team brought to the table, the film is just too damn hard too look away from. This is no car accident folks. It’s an explosive train wreck of epic proportions.
The Orchard Has Planned A 2019 Release for The Hummingbird Project. Dates TBA
On The Clock 