A man known for many of his films spanning four decades, Nicolas Cage has become a multigenerational icon. For Gen X fans, he’s cemented his status as a legend in “Con Air” and “The Rock”. Millennials and Gen-Z may know him as the titular Ghost Rider or Ben Gates from Disney’s “National Treasure” films while Gen Alpha might know his voice from “The Croods”. However, it’s not just his filmography that makes him an icon but, the memes surrounding his overly eccentric presence on screen. Most notably his performances in films such as the 1994 classic “Face/Off”, 1988’s “Vampier’s Kiss”, and of course, the 2006 horror remake, “Wicker Man”. Furthermore, Cage has become more and more in on the joke as he has taken up recent films with insanely bizarre concepts such as “Willy’s Wonderland” and “Prisoners of Ghostland”.
However, in recent years, Cage has also made a steady comeback with acclaimed hits such as “Mandy”, the Oscar-Winning “Into The Spider-Verse”, and last year’s “Pig”. We often discuss how Marvel and DC are four-quadrant films and how “The movie star” is no longer bankable. However, I am here to argue that if anyone has achieved the coveted status that is becoming a four-quadrant star, it would be Nicolas Cage. With Hollywood running out of ideas and becoming far too dependent on Intellectual Properties to make their profits, it was only a matter of time until someone came up with an idea that can hopefully breathe new life into our monotonous and derivative film landscape. The idea? A movie starring Nicolas Cage who plays Nicolas Cage and is also about, you guessed it, Nicolas Cage.
In “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”, Cage plays a fictional version of himself. With his finances out of whack and his marriage failing, Cage is given an offer from his agent to attend the birthday party of one of a wealthy Spanish Bachelor named Javi (Pedro Pascal). Once he arrives in Mallorca, however, he encounters a pair of CIA agents (Ike Barenholtz and Tiffany Haddish) who coax him into assisting them on a mission. The mission? To infiltrate a cartel run by Javi and rescue the President’s daughter.
First and foremost, Nicolas Cage in this film is everything. We get all kinds of Cage: crazy Nic Cage, cool Nic Cage, and sympathetic Nic Cage. With such a big personality, you’d think that anyone starring opposite him would have a hard time keeping up. However, Pedro Pascal holds down the screen with ease here. As wealthy Nic Cage superfan Javi, Pascal is a delight. He doesn’t overstay his welcome and comes off as a genuinely fun and sweet guy. He and Cage share the screen for about 90% of the movie. In another film, that might sound..well, for a lack of a netter word, “Unbearable” but, both Cage and Pascal keep the audience laughing throughout the film and makes you question the CIA’s judgment as well.
This is a film that not only celebrates Nicolas Cage but, makes fun of him as well. Cage himself is very much in on the joke here. Not only does he look like he’s having a blast on-screen, but he also plays up the references to his filmography. speaking of jokes and references, I laughed at a majority of them. However, there are some references that may not land for everyone. There’s a running joke involving the film “Paddington 2” that I found hilarious but, I’d understand why those who aren’t on “Film Twitter” would scratch their heads in confusion. However in the last 20 minutes, “Unbearable Weight” more than makes up for its minute flaws with a climax that is absolutely ludicrous.
If you have an affinity for the works and the memes of Nicolas Cage, you’re in for a treat. If you don’t have a sense of unwavering fealty towards the actor, You’ll still have a good time with this film. Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal have great chemistry and look like they are having a blast on screen together. It’s a celebration of Nicolas Cage that does so without becoming overly sycophantic. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is 3 great movies into one: A silly spy comedy, an uplifting film about two friends finding themselves, and a classic 80s action film.
Final Verdict:
“One of the funniest movies of the year, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is an entertaining tribute to the iconic Nicolas Cage”