Film Review: Guy X
Saul Metzstein 2005. Starring Jason Biggs, Natascha McElhone.
Life on a US army base in Greenland takes a sinister turn in this UK, Canadian and Icelandic collaboration.
A case of mistaken identity in 1970s Greenland
Greenland, 1979. Rudy Spruance (Jason Biggs) is a young man who has chosen the army over prison as his punishment for repeatedly breaking into houses. Thinking he has been posted to Hawaii, he is unceremoniously dropped off at Qangattarsa, a US army base in the middle of Greenland. He soon realises that his identity has been mixed up with that of a Corporal Martin Peterson who was being posted to the base to act as editor and chief reporter on the base newspaper, The Harpoon.
When Rudy tries to explain what has happened nobody believes him, least of all his mildly psychotic commanding officer Colonel Woolwrap (Jeremy Northam). After two attempts to escape, he resigns himself to twenty four-hour daylight, a puffin-based diet and weekly screenings of Invasion of the Bodysnatchers. Fortunately he soon makes a friend of the cool and elegant Sergeant Irene Teal (Natascha McElhone), although the situation is fraught with danger as she is also involved with Colonel Woolwrap.
In keeping with his new identity, Rudy is ordered to take over the publication of the Harpoon, with particular emphasis on positive, morale-boosting stories. As Colonel Woolwrap says: “Something that brings us out of the stasis that eats away at us from within.”
US army satire turns to sinister thriller
Guy X starts as a slightly surreal black comedy reminiscent of M*A*S*H or the more recent Buffalo Soldiers. The army base has its own strange subculture of skewed logic - we are also reminded that current issues such as the environment and Islamic fundamentalism go back to the 1970s. The turning point in the film occurs when Rudy stumbles upon a hidden hospital ward where he strikes up a relationship with a badly scarred and paralysed soldier Guy X (Michael Ironside). The film suddenly becomes more menacing, moving from comedy to thriller as Rudy begins to investigate the purpose of the base and the shadowy past of Colonel Woolwrap.
British director Saul Metzstein, who came to prominence with his 2001 comedy Late Night Shopping, creates a weird world in the craggy, monotone arctic wilderness, shot in Iceland and Canada. The sudden shift in genres works, and Metzstein builds tension effectively. The references to other war satires, in particular Catch-22, feel a little obvious, but it’s an intelligent and entertaining film. The cast all give great performances, especially Jason Biggs, who has matured and moved on convincingly from his appearances in the American Pie series. The ending could be a little stronger but the film is still well worth watching.
