ActorAlan Ritchsonhas become a fan-favorite actor. First introduced to many in his roles as Aquaman inSmallvilleand Thad inBlue Mountain State, Ritchson would become increasingly well-known thanks to playing Hank Hall in theTitansTV series. His subsequent leading role inReacheras Jack Reacher would solidify his action acting chops. A co-star credit inThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfarealongside Henry Cavill would further cement his status as a star.
Yet, before the roles modern Ritchson had become known for, he attempted to break into the industry in a big way by writing, directing, and starring in the comedyactionfilm,Dark Web: Cicada 3301. The movie was largely overlooked upon release and has become a side note in Ritchson’s career. But should the movie be unearthed and re-visited? Does it say anything about Ritchson as a creative? Here is what you need to know about the often-overlookedDark Web: Cicada 3301.
‘Dark Web: Cicada 3301’ Draws Its Comedy and Action From a Real-Life Mystery
Dark Web: Cicada 3301
Drawing inspiration from the infamous internet ‘challenge’ of Cicada 3031, which tasked online users with solving a series of puzzles,Dark Web: Cicada 3301transforms the mystery surrounding the real-life incident into a dark comedic action film. The moviefollows a skilled hacker, Connor (Jack Casey), who finds his interest in the puzzles set out by the mysterious Cicada 3031 group, making him the target of the NSA, which forcefully recruits him. He is joined by a brilliant librarian, Gwen (Conor Leslie), actively trying to join the organization behind the puzzles, and his best friend, Avi (Ron Funches).
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Dark Web: Cicada 3301would mark Alan Ritchson’s feature-length directorial debut. Ritchson would also step into a supporting role, playing Agent Carver, who would work with the recruited Connor to decode the Cicada 3301 puzzles. The feature’s budget has not been reported, but it did have a limited theatrical run, estimated to have brought in between $10 to $16 thousand, depending on the source. However, the movie was more geared towards a digital release, so it is hard to determine whether it was profitable. Regardless, the feature has remained relatively obscure; the movie has no critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and stands at 5.0/10 on IMDb with only 2.7k user scores.
What ‘Dark Web: Cicada 3301’ Says About Alan Ritchson
In the role of Agent Carver,Alan Ritchson shows his willingness to embrace absurd humor, making himself comfortable being the butt of jokes. This includes costuming, with bizarre outfits worn throughoutDark Web: Cicada 3301.Placing himself in this part shows how Ritchson canthrive in action comedy roles, as his utter commitment to getting a laugh at his own expense is an admirable trait in an actor. This also explains why he was tapped to star in Guy Ritchie’sThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,which blended dark humor and action, albeit tonally different from Ritchson’s feature film debut.
“Everybody wants to box it in. When we go to sell this kind of thing, it’s like, “Well, what is it? Is it a comedy? Is it a drama?” We want to tick a box that makes sense, but I feel like our day-to-day life is blended in much the same way. We might have a scare this moment and a laugh the next.“Alan Ritchson
As a director and writer,Dark Web: Cicada 3301shows Ritchson’s willingness to take risks and approach projects that he finds interesting. As stated above, he went into makingDark Web: Cicada 3301knowing it would be challenging to reach a broader audience and funding, but he was determined to commit to his vision. Moreover, the feature shows his understanding of how to constructfast-paced and stylish action sequences, indicative of the roles he would settle into in the subsequent years following the release ofDark Web: Cicada 3301. Ultimately,Alan Ritchson’s foray into filmmaking encapsulates many traits that have made him a fast-rising star in the action genre.
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Should You Watch ‘Dark Web: Cicada 3301?’
Comedy is a subjective genre; what is a laugh-out-loud rollercoaster ride for some will be a dull spin on a carousel for others.Dark Web: Cicada 3301certainly falls in that category, indicative of its even 5.0 split on IMDB. Browsing the trailer will likely determine whether a viewer will be interested in the film. Is it the perfect action comedy? Far from it; part of the film’s obscurity comes from it offering an entertaining romp but doing little to stand out in a saturated genre. It’s also a decidedly low-budget affair. Still, for fans of Alan Ritchson, the movie provides a fascinating insight into him as a creative beyond his acting roles.
