Amid the growing rise of concerns following the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the Sundance Film Festival went fully virtual for the second year in a row. Premieres were streamed online as opposed to the in-person event that usually takes place in Utah. Starting on Jan. 20 and running through Jan. 30, the festival is scheduled to show over 80 different films, a majority of which are premiering for the first time.
One such premiere was for “892,” a new crime thriller starring John Boyega, known for his role in the “Star Wars” franchise, as well as the final performance of the late Michael K. Williams famous for his roles in “The Wire” and “12 Years a Slave.”
“892” is based on the real-life story of Brian Brown-Easley, a Marine veteran on the brink of homelessness who, after failing to get his check from Veterans Affairs, decides to hold up a Wells Fargo bank with a bomb threat so that he can get the money he is owed from the VA.
The clear highlight of this film overall is definitely the great lead performance from Boyega. Especially after the latest “Star Wars” films placed his character more in the background, it’s refreshing to see Boyega truly pull out his acting chops for this deeply dramatic role. I would not be surprised in the slightest if Boyega’s performance is brought up in the context of Academy Award contention once the film gets a full release.
That being said, the entire cast does a great job with their roles, including Williams, who plays a down-to-earth and honest negotiator, as well as Nicole Beharie and Selenis Leyva, who play employees of the bank that are held as hostages.
There is a clear amount of humanity and emotion on display throughout the film, and you can very easily find yourself feeling for all of the characters on screen, hoping that they find a way out of this difficult situation.
The performances overall do a great job at driving home the heartbreaking story of Brown-Easley and bringing to life a modern story of tragedy and conflict that isn’t talked about nearly as much as it should be in the context of poverty in the United States.
Unfortunately, “892” is unavailable for present viewing, as ticket-holders only had a five hour window to watch and rewatch the film.
At the time of publication, “892” hasn’t been acquired by a distributor yet, so it is unknown when or how it will get a wide release to the public, whether in theaters or on a streaming service, but until then, this is definitely a film to keep your eye on.
