Radioactive

If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com

So, a little bit about me first: I was always a man of science. I have a Masters degree in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering, and I was always fascinated by how things truly work. On the other hand, I'm not the biggest fan of biographical movies due to the genre's boundaries. These films often follow a generic script, filled with formulaic plot points and lacking imaginative storytelling. Therefore, I usually analyze these movies based on a single question: "do I know more about the character and/or the story that made him/her famous now that I've watched this flick?" Another aspect that's important in any film, but even more in this genre: the actor who interprets the protagonist.

Radioactive possesses Rosamund Pike as the magnificent Marie Curie. If there's one undeniably incredible element in this feature, it's Pike's brilliant performance as the famous scientist. Now, I have no idea how Marie was as a person, so I can't really evaluate Pike's display regarding how accurate she is on a personal level. Nevertheless, her impressive emotional range can easily get her a few nominations when the awards season comes around. When it comes to which expressions to use or how strong her emotions need to be, Pike manages to always choose the most coherent option having in mind the character she portrays.

Sam Riley shares great chemistry with Pike, delivering a couple of genuinely passionate moments and witty conversations. Anya Taylor-Joy (Irène Curie), who I forgot was also in the movie, is always a delight to see on screen and, in this case, a very welcome surprise. However, this film is so focused on its protagonist (as it should be), that every character and actor other than the main one ends up being utterly forgettable (nothing wrong with this). Technically, I need to praise the makeup artists, who did a terrific job getting Pike older throughout the...

'Radioactive' doesn't know what it wants to be - a biopic, a period drama, or a feminist meditation on the role of women in male-dominated fields - and while it is possible for a film to be all three, sadly this fragile script cannot juggle all of these successfully. What audiences are left with is yet another half-assed biopic that will be buried deep in Amazon Prime's streaming library, and rightfully so. The memory of one of the greatest women in science - and Rosamund Pike, for that matter - deserve far better than that.

• Ashley Teresa

Read Ashley's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-radioactive-middling-biopic-fails-to-light-up

Marie Curie was the first person to ever win a Nobel prize twice, and her legacy - alongside that of her husband and of their daughter - is no doubt what appealed to Rosamund Pike when offered this part. Sadly, though, the end product does very little justice to this trailblazing woman. It tries to reconcile her challenges as a scientist with those she faced as a women in man's world; of her immensely competitive instincts with her deep love for her husband (Sam Riley) and her family but in the end fails to impress. Riley is far too lightweight to provide an adequate foil for this strong and determined character and though Pike is efficient, she has way too much dialogue that just doesn't cut through. The lighting and pace are battling each other to see which can be the more soporific and somehow the film just never gets going. I rather liked the concept that it tried to input some of the ultimate effects of their theories into the storyline (i.e. the Hiroshima bomb) but that execution was weak and lacked potency, too. Technically it looks fine, costume and sets all well researched and delivered but that isn't enough to ignite this ponderous and wordy drama. A story told more effectively in 1943 by Greer Garson, if you are looking for something more engaging. This is just standard made for television fodder that will soon be forgotten.