By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
Despite the buzz,
"Challengers," the latest film from director
Luca Guadagnino ("Bones and All"), arrives amid high anticipation, but struggles to meet the lofty expectations set by his previous work.
The narrative of this sports drama meanders, becoming entangled in its complexity. The film's components, from the jarring score by Oscar winner's
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, to the flashbacks and erratic cinematography, become downright exhausting.
In addition, the film's lascivious and stereotyped depiction of its lead female star, Zendaya ("Dune: Part Two") is troublingly objectified and for me further undermined the movie's appeal.
In "Challengers," Zendaya portrays Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach, guiding her husband Art (Mike Faist, "The Bikeriders" and "West Side Story") through a challenging phase in his career. Her dedication to his success often comes at the expense of time with their daughter Lily (A. J. Lister, TV's "A Haunting"), though Tashi's parents (Nada Despotovich, TV's "Castle Rock") and Naheem Garcia, "The Holdovers") provide a supportive family network.
Spanning over 13 years, "Challengers" shuttles viewers through time at warp speed. The plot pivots around a big tennis match between Art and his rival Patrick Zweig (Josh O, Connor, "Lee"), who also shares a past with Tashi.
Both men are at a professional impasse, with Patrick's career dwindling and Art grappling with waning ambition. Tashi's unwavering support is his lifeline, as she encourages him to regain his form through smaller victories.
Despite Tashi's outward stance, her unresolved emotions for Patrick simmer beneath the surface. The rivalry for her affections occasionally borders on the farcical.
Screenwriter
Justin Kuritzkes ("City on Fire") teases a subtext between Art and Patrick, leaving audiences to speculate amidst suggestive imagery. However, it's Tashi that is the big tease in "Challengers" and who has Art and Patrick lusting for her at every turn. She even refers to them as her "little white boys."
While "Challengers" starts off promising, it soon overstays its welcome. Visually appealing with some eye-catching tennis sequences, the film ultimately falls flat.
Zendaya, doubling as co-producer, continues to explore bold and new ventures. Although "Challengers" may not be her crowning achievement, it is sure to garner the talented actress considerable attention even as bigger and better things come her way.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"CHALLENGERS"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
