Netflix entrusted its resources to Jeymes Samuel and the bet could not have gone better. The harder will be the fall is the first feature length of the multifaceted creator. After a couple of shorts, this film brings together several of Samuel’s interests. The most obvious has to do with music and the influence of Quentin Tarantino. That mixture of interest explains what, perhaps, may be one of the best Netflix original productions of recent years.
Since its boom, Netflix has frequently resonated in the entertainment industry due to its series. But the movies section leaves more doubts than certainties in general. Given the growth of other platforms streaming, Netflix has nothing left but to bet heavily on the films. That explains the recent success of Rescue mission (Sam Hargrave, 2020), starring Chris Hemsworth. Also, somehow, it resonates in The harder the fall will be.
On this production A handful of important contemporary cinema actors are grouped together with others knocking on the door. From Idris Elba (The Wire) to Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft country). In the middle, a cast with names like Regina King (Watchmen, 2019), Zazie Beetz (Joker, 2019) and Delroy Lindo (Give 5 Bloods, 2020). As a cover letter, they work to summon the audience. The best thing is that it does not stay on just one stimulus.
The harder will be the fall: music as the axis
It is not a musical, but it has some nod to the genre. Nor is it a film based on a story about some history of music; much less a biopic. The harder will be the fall it’s a modern western from start to finish. However, the management of sound resources contributes to making the story seem like something else. Jeymes Samuel, in addition to being an audiovisual producer, is a composer. The feeling is that in this film he has combined both areas, taking their influences to serve the story. It works.
The Harder They Fall, as it is titled in English, make sure that the sound is felt at all times. If instead of being broadcast on Netflix you were in a movie theater, it is likely that the auditorium would rumble frequently. The sound editing was left a couple of levels higher than normal. That, being so evident, is not an oversight of the production but rather it becomes part of the discourse. Jeymes Samuel wants to move and celebrate through sounds. The selection of topics contributes to that objective. In addition to the soundtrack, the different nods to the musicals reinforce the filmmaker’s vision: to tell through the songs.
Without becoming La La Land (Damien Chazelle, 2016), musical resources are used to compose part of the personality of the protagonists and to suggest in relation to the customs that they have. These sections work because, although they alter the rhythm of the story, they are not cheesy or very long.
Jeymes Samuel and the influence
by Quentin Tarantino
Perhaps the most direct influence on The Harder They Fall be Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino, 2013), along with Inglorious Bastards (Quentin Tarantino, 2009). Jeymes Samuel’s movie doesn’t offer such gory sequences as can be found in Tarantino’s movies. But he also does not hide his interest: If it were up to Samuel, the blood should run through the screen. That explains some shots close to the action, closed frames to splash the viewer.
Beyond this resource, there is the humor that runs through The harder the fall will be. In a story that from the beginning has bullets exploding here and there, Jonathan Majors emerges as the hub. Until now, he has not been revealed as a comedy actor, but his ability to generate eloquent and at the same time sober responses is useful in this type of productions. Already in Loki (Kate Herron, 2021) was seen something of that: its record is extensive and it only remains to continue discovering it.
When you notice that Jonathan Majors is accompanied by Idris Elba, it is inevitable to think about how symbolic that narrative alliance can be. A notable actor of the present and contemporary history before another that could reach similar levels. If the decision to join them depended on Jeymes Samuel, merit; if not, it is the person in charge of the casting. Both actors are linked within the story and, although this is revealed from the beginning, the film does not lose tension in this sense. On the contrary, he wins it after a series of events.
The harder will be the fall It is a western that works because it has surprises along the way, without even leaving aside what the tradition of the genre demands. That means everything from classic references to the fastest trigger in the west to honor in dueling. Without wanting to be innovative, the film has a fresh and entertaining tone. It is not ruled out that it climbs fast in the top ten from Netflix.