Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Romuald Boulanger, Icon Film Distribution.
Academy Award-winning Australian actor/director Mel Gibson (Braveheart, Hacksaw Ridge) plays the role of Elvis, a radio host giving advice to callers on his distinguishing night talk show in Los Angeles.
He solves the problems of his listeners with his iconic voice and strong repartee, and has an opinion on everything and just dives into any type of discussion. Fiercely independent, he has never been wavered by competition from inside or outside the station. He ignores the warning signs of his boss who sees the ratings of his show dropping.
He effortlessly faces every situation with know-how and charm, aided by his switchboard operator Mary, a new young producer Dylan and an intern June.
Initially there’s fast-paced action, but the build-up slowly eases us into the thriller.
On one of those nights, as Elvis falls into his routine of answering phone calls and dispensing advice, the pace picks up after a caller named Gary threatens to kill his family on air. That’s when the survival game begins, taking Elvis on a journey he will never forget!
Remaining cool, calm and collected he asks the mysterious caller his whereabouts in an effort to get as much information from him as possible. There’s danger everywhere, with an action-packed showdown for the characters once they learn the caller’s true identity.
Working together for the first time with Kevin Dillon, Gibson gives a strong performance. This is French filmmaker Romuald Boulanger’s second feature since Connectés in 2020.
- On the Line has been released on DVD and Digital
