By Ella Kipling

Copyright mirror

A dystopian thriller featuring Dwayne Johnson in one of his earliest acting performances has been hailed as a cult classic, nearly 20 years after its debut. Southland Tales, helmed by Richard Kelly, is a dark comedy thriller boasting a stellar ensemble cast. Johnson is joined by Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, and Justin Timberlake. Southland Tales unfolds in a dystopian America facing the possibility of nuclear assault, weaving together the tales of three individuals whose destinies become entangled. Johnson portrays a film star named Boxer Santaros who is developing his upcoming project alongside Krysta Now, a porn actress (portrayed by Gellar), reports the Express . The movie can be purchased on Amazon and Apple TV. The picture had its premiere in 2006 and reached cinemas in 2007 to mixed reactions. It earned just $374,743 during its worldwide theatrical release, with critics slamming its lengthy 144-minute duration. The film was notoriously slated at the Cannes Film Festival, where reviewers hurled around terms such as “mess”, “disastrous”, and “plotless”. Nevertheless, over subsequent years, it gained a devoted cult fanbase due to its extraordinary originality. One reviewer wrote on IMDb the film represents “sci-fi meets drama meets art meets philosophy”, saying: “Southland Tales is deep, honest, and complex. This film requires more than one viewing, period. If you’ve drawn your conclusion from one viewing, you’ve already missed the point. Also, if Donnie Darko was too weird for you and Transformers 2, et. al, is your kind of movie, stay away from this.” Another added: “Wow! One of the more interesting and stimulating films I’ve seen in a while. Southland Tales is like David Lynch meets Mel Brooks meets Robert Altman meets Mathew Barney meets Baywatch. Jam packed with ideas and passion this film is all over the place and should be seen with an open mind and by no means try to figure it out while you are watching. Just enjoy.” A third recognised that the film may attempt to tackle too many different themes but said: “In any event, it is mighty fun, entertaining and interesting, which is more than enough for me.” In 2019, 13 years later, Johnson revealed “Southland Tales hurt”. He confided to IndieWire: “I took it in the gut. We all went into that movie having so much trust, and a script that was complex and interesting. At times, you’re like, ‘What the f*** is going on?’ Richard Kelly, who was a good friend, was so passionate about that movie.” He recalled the film’s publicists “sweating” after its Cannes screening. Johnson said: “It was tough because we went all the way over there and we were shrouded in mystery. We were the movie that everyone wanted to see, but we had no business being at Cannes, because it was unfinished.”