I Declare War (film)

Last updated

I Declare War
I Declare War poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJason Lapeyre
Robert Wilson
Written byJason Lapeyre
Produced byPatrick Cameron
Robert Wilson
Lewin Webb
StarringSiam Yu
Gage Munroe
Michael Friend
CinematographyRay Dumas
Edited byAaron Marshall
Music byNick Dyer
Eric Cadesky
Production
company
Samaritan Entertainment
Distributed by Phase 4 Films
Drafthouse Films
Release dates
  • September 9, 2012 (2012-09-09)(TIFF)
  • May 10, 2013 (2013-05-10)
Running time
93 minutes [1]
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Box office$14,928 [2]

I Declare War is a 2012 Canadian action comedy-drama film written and directed by Jason Lapeyre and co-directed by Robert Wilson. The film, about a group of friends who get together for a game of capture the flag that escalates into violence, was an Official Selection in the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was given a limited release in U.S. theatres on August 30, 2013.

Contents

Plot

A neighborhood group of preteen friends play a game of capture the flag one Saturday afternoon in the local woods. However, their imaginations run wild, transforming their surroundings and equipment into a real warzone (sticks become rifles, slingshots become crossbows etc.) and before long, things get out of hand.

Cast

Production

Writer/director Jason Lapeyre wrote the script ten years earlier and based it on his childhood experiences of playing war with friends, saying "Almost everything that happens in this script is autobiographical or inspired by things that actually happened". [3]

The script was picked up by producer Lewin Webb of Samaritan Entertainment and he forwarded it to his partner Robert Wilson, where it went through years of development and financial issues. [4] Wilson was frustrated by the process the script was going through until he read through it and was reminded of what it was like to be the characters: "It was the experience I had growing up, the experience even Lewin had growing up, the experience Jason had growing up. There wasn’t much else to talk about or worry about at that point". [5]

Release

The film made its US premiere at ActionFest on April 15, 2012, winning Best Picture. [6]

It made its Canadian premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival as its Official Selection on September 6, 2012. [7] It then premiered at the Newport Beach International Film Festival on April 25, 2013. [8] It was released in select theatres across Toronto on May 10, 2013. On May 20, 2013, it premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival. [9]

It premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 23, 2012 and won the Audience Award on the next day. [10]

Reception

I Declare War received generally positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 72% approval rating, based on 43 reviews with an average rating of 6.7/10. [11] On Metacritic, it has a score of 58 out of 100, based on 17 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [12]

In a dual review with Jason Buxton's Blackbird , Peter Howell of the Toronto Star gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars, criticizing the tone of the film saying "I want[ed] the filmmakers to pick a mood, any mood, and stick with it", but gave them praise for "assembling a great cast." [13] Rick Groen of The Globe and Mail gave it 3 out of 4 stars, finding criticism in its meandering narrative, repetitious conceit and loose editing but found praise in the film "being buoyed by the naturalism of its exclusively young cast" and "effectively gets into your head and under your skin". [14] Annlee Ellingson of the Los Angeles Times gave it 3 out of 5 stars, praising it for its charm and ending with "The performances may be slightly uneven across the cast of a dozen distinct personalities (plus a dog), but overall the effect works because, after all, they're just playacting … right?". [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Youre Next</i> 2011 American slasher film by Adam Wingard

You're Next is a 2011 American slasher film directed and edited by Adam Wingard, written by Simon Barrett and starring Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, A. J. Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Barbara Crampton and Rob Moran. The plot concerns an estranged family under attack by a group of masked assailants during a family reunion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Wheatley</span> English film and TV director

Ben Wheatley is an English filmmaker, film editor, and animator. Beginning his career in advertising, Wheatley first gained recognition and acclaim for his commercials and short films, before transitioning into feature films and television programmes. He is best known for his work in the thriller and horror genres, with his films frequently incorporating heavy elements of black comedy and satire.

<i>Grabbers</i> 2012 Irish-British monster film by Jon Wright

Grabbers is a 2012 monster horror comedy film directed by Jon Wright and written by Kevin Lehane. A co-production of Ireland and the United Kingdom, the film stars Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Bronagh Gallagher and Russell Tovey among an ensemble cast of Irish actors.

<i>The ABCs of Death</i> 2012 American film

The ABCs of Death is a 2012 American comedy horror anthology film produced by international producers and directed by filmmakers from around the world. The film contains 26 shorts, each by different directors spanning fifteen countries, including Nacho Vigalondo, Kaare Andrews, Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Ben Wheatley, Lee Hardcastle, Noboru Iguchi, Ti West, and Angela Bettis.

<i>Extraterrestrial</i> (2011 film) 2011 Spanish film

Extraterrestrial is a 2011 Spanish science-fiction romantic comedy written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Michelle Jenner and Julián Villagrán alongside Carlos Areces and Raúl Cimas.

<i>Manborg</i> 2011 Canadian film

Manborg is a 2011 Canadian science-fiction action film, directed by Steven Kostanski, and released by Astron-6.

<i>Haunter</i> (film) 2013 Canadian film

Haunter is a 2013 Canadian supernatural horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali, written by Brian King, and starring Abigail Breslin. The film premiered at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival, and was picked up for U.S. distribution there by IFC Midnight.

<i>Cold Blooded</i> (film) 2012 Canadian film

Cold Blooded is a 2012 Canadian crime film written and directed by Jason Lapeyre. The film stars Ryan Robbins, Zoie Palmer, William MacDonald, Sergio Di Zio and Huse Madhavji. The film tells the story of a female police officer assigned to guard a diamond thief overnight in a hospital when his violent partners break into the hospital to get him.

Gage Munroe is a Canadian actor. He has performed roles on television programs like Stoked, Murdoch Mysteries, Mr Moon, Falling Skies and Alphas, and has appeared in films like the 2008 Canadian drama One Week and the 2011 epic Immortals.

<i>The Green Inferno</i> (film) 2013 American cannibal horror film by Eli Roth

The Green Inferno is a 2013 cannibal horror film directed by Eli Roth, with a screenplay by Roth and Guillermo Amoedo. It stars Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Daryl Sabara, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Sky Ferreira, Magda Apanowicz, Nicolás Martinez, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Ramón Llao, and Richard Burgi. The film follows a young woman who joins an activist group that goes on an overseas trip, where they eventually run into a cannibalistic tribe.

<i>Cannibal</i> (2013 film) 2013 film

Cannibal is a 2013 thriller film directed by Manuel Martín Cuenca, who also co-wrote the screenplay. It was screened in the Special Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. An international co-production among companies from Spain, Romania, Russia and France, the film was produced by La Loma Blanca PC, MOD Producciones, Libra Film, CTB Film Company LTD and Luminor. Penned by Martín Cuenca and Alejandro Hernández, the screenplay is inspired by Humberto Arenal's novel Caríbal.

<i>The Square</i> (2013 film) 2013 Egyptian film by Jehane Noujaim

The Square is a 2013 Egyptian-American documentary film by Jehane Noujaim, which depicts the Egyptian Crisis until 2013, starting with the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 at Tahrir Square. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 86th Academy Awards. It also won three Emmy Awards at the 66th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, out of four for which it was nominated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Issa López</span> Mexican filmmaker

Issa López is a Mexican director, writer and producer. Twelve Spanish language features have been produced from her scripts, four of them directed by herself. She has won several literary awards, including the National Novel Award granted by Mexico's Institute of Fine Arts and Literature in 2007.

<i>Almost Human</i> (2013 film) 2013 American film

Almost Human is a 2013 science fiction horror film directed by Joe Begos. His feature film directorial debut, it premiered on September 10, 2013 at the Toronto International Film Festival and stars Graham Skipper as a man whose best friend may or may not be committing a series of horrific murders.

<i>The Short Game</i> 2013 American film

The Short Game is a 2013 documentary film about 7- and 8-year-old golfers. Produced by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel and directed by Josh Greenbaum, it presents eight entrants in the 2012 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship. The film premiered in 10 cities on September 20, 2013.

<i>7 Minutes</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Jay Martin

7 Minutes is a 2014 American crime thriller drama film, written and directed by Jay Martin and starring Luke Mitchell, Jason Ritter, Leven Rambin, Zane Holtz, Kevin Gage, Brandon Hardesty, Joel Murray and Kris Kristofferson. It follows three high school friends, who are forced to commit a brazen robbery which quickly goes horribly wrong. It received its world premiere on October 26, 2014 at the Austin Film Festival, and then premiered at the Sarasota Film Festival on April 16, 2015. The film received a limited release and through video-on-demand on June 26, 2015 by Starz Distribution.

<i>Hamlet</i> (2011 film) 2011 Canadian film

Hamlet is a 2011 Canadian drama film written and directed by Bruce Ramsay in his directorial debut. It is a condensed retelling of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet set in 1940s England. Ramsay stars alongside Lara Gilchrist, Peter Wingfield, Gillian Barber, and Duncan Fraser. It premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival and was theatrically released in 2014.

<i>Hold the Dark</i> 2018 American film

Hold the Dark is a 2018 American action thriller film directed by Jeremy Saulnier from a screenplay by Macon Blair. It is based upon the novel of the same name by William Giraldi. The film stars Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård, James Badge Dale, Riley Keough, Tantoo Cardinal, and Julian Black Antelope. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2018, and was released on September 28, 2018, by Netflix.

<i>The Secret Lives of Dorks</i> 2013 American film

The Secret Lives of Dorks is a 2013 American independent comedy film directed by Salomé Breziner and starring Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Marano, Riley Voelkel, Beau Mirchoff and Jim Belushi.

Jason Lapeyre is a Canadian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his 2012 film I Declare War, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Audience Award at Fantastic Fest. I Declare War was released theatrically in the US by Drafthouse Films.

References

  1. ↑ "I DECLARE WAR (15)". British Board of Film Classification. March 28, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  2. ↑ "I Declare War". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved November 12, 2013.
  3. ↑ Walton, Brian (August 29, 2013). "Interview: I Declare War Co-directors Robert Wilson and Jason Lapeyre". Nerdist . Nerdist Industries. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  4. ↑ Goldberg, Matt (August 29, 2013). "Gage Munroe, Jason Lapeyre and Robert Wilson Talk I Declare War". Collider . Complex Media . Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  5. ↑ Topel, Fred (August 28, 2013). "Exclusive Interview: Robert Wilson, Gage Munroe & Jason Lapeyre on I Declare War". CraveOnline. CraveOnline Media . Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  6. ↑ Kit, Borys (April 15, 2012). "ActionFest: Kiddie Combat Drama 'I Declare War' Wins Top Honors". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  7. ↑ "I Declare War". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  8. ↑ Ramsauer, Erin (April 19, 2013). "2013 Newport Beach Film Festival Announces World Premieres, Seminars and Nightly Events". PRWeb . Cision. Archived from the original on April 26, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  9. ↑ "I Declare War". Seattle International Film Festival. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  10. ↑ Borders, Meredith (September 25, 2013). "The Fantastic Fest 2012 Awards!". Fantastic Fest. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  11. ↑ "I Declare War". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  12. ↑ "I Declare War Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  13. ↑ Howell, Peter (May 10, 2013). "Teen fantasies turn violent in Blackbird and I Declare War: movie reviews". Toronto Star . Toronto Star Newspapers. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ Groen, Rick (May 10, 2013). "I Declare War: Child's play in name only". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  15. ↑ Ellingson, Annlee (August 29, 2013). "Review: 'I Declare War' delves into kids' imaginary world with charm" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 3, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.