Synopsis: The story of the incomparable, artful dodger, Yossarian (Christopher Abbott), a US Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy, but rather his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to avoid his military assignments, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule which specifies that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers which are real and immediate is the process of a rational mind; a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and therefore makes him ineligible to be relieved from duty.
Review: Hulu has brought a definitive adaptation of the satirical novel Catch-22, whose title has become a common phrase in our modern lexicon. While author Joseph Heller's seminal work was previously adapted into a feature film in 1970 by director Mike Nichols and starring Alan Arkin, it was not well received by audiences or critics. Catch-22 is an intriguing story that is primarily a satire of bureaucracy and war and one that carries a different weight depending on the era in which it is adapted. Set during World War II, the story is easily relatable to contemporary audiences with this new version honing in on the current political climate as well as the ongoing war in the Middle East. While not likely to be something for all audiences, this take on Catch-22 is incredibly faithful to the source material while offering some excellent performances from some familiar actors.
Spread over six episodes, Catch-22 was directed equally by George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and cinematograper Ellen Kuras making her directorial debut. Each filmmaker takes two episodes, all of which were scripted by Luke Davies (LION, BEAUTIFUL BOY) and David Michod (ANIMAL KINGDOM, THE ROVER). The cast is led by Christopher Abbott (JAMES WHITE, HBO's Girls) as John Yossarian, a bombadier who is stuck due to the titular rule. He is joined by Heslov and Clooney in minor roles as well as Kyle Chandler as the antagonistic Colonel Cathcart, Hugh Laurie as Major De Coverlay, Lewis Pullman as Major Major Major Major and Tessa Ferrer as Nurse Duckett. This is a big cast that mixes familiar faces like Giancarlo Giannini with relative unknowns like the soon to be star Daniel David Stewart as the memorable Milo Minderbinder.
The core of Catch-22 is Yossarian trying to get out of fighting and finding himself unable to do so due to complicated rules preventing him. The various characters embody elements of the United States military both satirically and mockingly. While George Clooney's career has been heavily influenced by his time working with Joel and Ethan Coen, Catch-22 never fully ventures into their style of comedy but it often comes very close. As you can see in the trailer, Clooney plays his role of Scheisskopf much like his characters in the Coen films. The running joke of Major Major Major Major's name and rank as well as the schemes of Milo Minderbinder could have easily fit into a comedic film, but they are just as many elements of this story that will elicit chuckles as much as it will horror from viewers. For every ridiculous joke about Baked Alaska or the bombing of Bologna, there are moments here that will shock you and readers of the book will know exactly what they are.
From the perspective of a war story, Catch-22 captures the relationships between the enlisted and the turmoil of deployment unlike many films or series that came before it. Yes, there is a level of comedy to a lot of it but there is also an attention to character details that allow the viewer to invest in this cast. While I often found myself frustrated by Yossarian's behavior as it switched from cowardice to fear to honor and more, it is a testament to the performance from Christopher Abbott that makes you want to keep watching to see what happens to him. In their brief roles, Hugh Laurie and George Clooney admirably chew the scenery, but it is the over-the-top performance by Kyle Chandler that many will remember from this series. He is gruff and comes off as a steretypical middle manager and I have not hated someone in power as much since Warden Norton and Captain Hadley in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.
What ultimately hurts Catch-22 is that it tonally shifts so often that it is hard to get a consistent feel for the message it is trying to convey. When it decries the ridiculous nature of war, it is spot on. When it shows the inane minutae of military rules and regulations, it is hilariously on point. When it shows the trauma and impact of violence on the enlisted, it is touching. When it shows us the darkness inside some people, it is scary. When it satirizes the idea of capitalism and war profiteering, it is both scary and funny at the same time. But, within each of these six episodes, there are stretches where we get pure drama with a hint of humor and others (like the first and fifth episodes) where the laughs are aplenty and overshadow the story.
Despite some narrative changes in the final episodes, this is an excellent adaptation of Heller's novel and one that does not skimp on the nudity, gore, or profanity. I doubt this will be a teaching tool used when the novel is taught in high schools but it is absolutely a worthwhile watch. This is a story that works on multiple levels even if those levels are not as well connected as they should be. Viewers will feel invested in the characters quickly and stick with the story through to the ending which is the biggest deviation from the novel. Most of Catch-22 works even if it could have been a little more consistent in tone. At the very least, this series should renew interest in the novel which is one of the great books of the 20th Century.
Catch-22 debuts May 17th on Hulu.