Ben Wheatley has one of the most varied filmographies of any working director. From Kill List to Meg 2: The Trench to Bulk, no two of his films are alike. Now, Wheatley is bringing his latest film, Normal, to SXSW audiences. Written by Derek Kolstad (Nobody, John Wick: Chapter 2) and Bob Odenkirk (Run Ronnie Run, Girlfriend’s Day), Normal follows an interim sheriff as he arrives in a small town to take over until the new sheriff can be elected. When an attempted bank robbery goes wrong, it uncovers a sinister conspiracy involving the entire town.

Right away audiences will notice the quirky humor of Normal. We meet Ulysses, the interim sheriff, and get to know him through voiceover sharing his inner thoughts. It comes across almost as a classic sitcom style, adding chipper anecdotes to what’s being shown on screen. Yet the happy-go-lucky attitude doesn’t last long. Audiences will notice little oddities the more we learn about the titular town of Normal. It’s a very small town in Minnesota with a population of about 1,890. One wouldn’t expect anything wild to happen in a town like this, but Ulysses soon learns the town of Normal is full of secrets and conspiracies. A botched bank robbery triggers a series of events that pits Ulysses against unexpected foes. The dry humor throughout leads to more than a few hilarious moments, much of it brought to life by the wonderful cast portraying a range of rural Midwest caricatures. The mystery might not be all that mysterious, but it’s still highly entertaining to watch Ulysses become the reluctant hero. The action is thrilling to watch and also adds to the humor, leading to more than a few jaw-dropping moments. Normal is the kind of film that is sure to be a crowd pleaser, delivering an exciting film with laughs, action, and small-town sensibilities.

Normal has a cast of iconic actors giving great performances. Writer Odenkirk (Nobody, Better Call Saul) stars in the film as Ulysses. The interim sheriff has a dark past that has led him to being on the road filling in wherever a sheriff is temporarily needed, generally having a laid back attitude about his job. When things take a turn in the small town of Normal, Odenkirk shows he can be the ultimate action star, all while maintaining that dry sense of humor. Even when showing little emotion, Odenkirk makes Ulysses an endearing, interesting character audiences will love. Jess McLeod (It’s a Wonderful Knife, The Unforgivable) plays the former sheriff’s kid, Alex. Alex is an outsider in the town not only because they’re nonbinary, but also because they know something suspicious is going on in town that likely led to their dad’s death. While McLeod isn’t in the film much, they leave an impression and add some much needed heart amidst the carnage and humor. Normal also features hilarious performances from Ryan Allen (Tokens), Billy MacLellan (Nobody), Lena Headey (Dredd), and even the one and only Henry Winkler (Scream).

Considering Normal was made by the same people behind the John Wick films and Nobody, expectations for the action are high. Luckily, this film delivers. The action sequences and fight choreography are so well done. It’s a great mix of hand-to-hand combat, shootouts, and fight sequences using whatever is handy and can be a weapon. Much of the action takes on a comedic tone thanks to the bumbling hijinks of the townsfolk. It leads to more than a few jaw-dropping moments when the audience won’t know if they should be gasping, laughing, or both. The small town setting also helps bring this film to life. It’s a tiny rural area with one main drag, plenty of unique shops that add some more visual interest to the fight scenes, and snow-covered streets to add to the isolated feeling of Normal, MN. Along with very well done practical effects for the more violent moments, audiences are sure to have a blast every step of the way.

Normal is a slice of small town mayhem that will have audiences laughing and cheering through every action-packed moment. Wheatley once again shows audiences that he can direct just about anything, with a great script by Kolstad and Odenkirk that balances dry humor with thrilling action. The rural setting adds a bit of charm to the film, allowing for the quiet little town to be the unexpected epicenter of criminal mischief. Odenkirk once again shows the world he can be both a great comedic actor and a true action star with McLeod acting as a wonderful reluctant sidekick. The mystery at the center of this film might be a bit obvious, but the journey is still worth watching every exciting minute. Be sure to catch Normal exclusively in theaters beginning April 17th.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10