Flicks, Aaron Yap
Last Flag Flying is at once burdened and enriched by the past. Richard Linklater’s film sets itself a tall order, attempting to evoke the “spirit” of The Last Detail, Hal Ashby’s gritty jewel of ‘70s American cinema. Not only is The Last Detail among Ashby’s best-loved films, but also a key work in the Vietnam War-disillusioned “New Hollywood” movement and home to one of Jack Nicholson’s most spellbinding performances. It’s like following up Chinatown years later with The Two Jakes: there’s merit in the endeavour but the result generally plays like a faint echo of what once was.
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