Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die Review: Gore Verbinski Makes a Comeback with an Excitingly Whimsical Adventure

      I didn't realize how much I had missed Gore Verbinski until I sat in the theater watching the completely outrageous final act of his latest film, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, during the last secret screening at this year's Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. I won't reveal just how crazy this movie gets; even if I did, I'm not sure you'd believe me.

      This realization highlighted what we've been lacking during Verbinski's time away. There’s something unique about the way he crafts a film—both appealing to the masses and wonderfully bizarre—that feels refreshing amid a world where many movies appear to be shaped by a nameless group of executives. If it didn't sound so haughty, I would call him an "auteur," a term often reserved for film studies focusing on French New Wave or Italian neorealism. Yet, it fits perfectly. Watching this film leaves no doubt that it was created by a visionary.

      From the very start, when Sam Rockwell bursts into a diner decked out in what can only be described as a makeshift time-travel costume—complete with steampunk gear and a grimy clear raincoat—it's evident that this is not a film created by committee. What begins as a potential hostage scenario swiftly transforms into an effort to save humanity from a rogue AI poised to dominate all of humankind—if you can trust anything Rockwell's character claims, including a convoluted plot involving resetting the timeline using a specific group of individuals from that very diner. If he gathers the correct team, perhaps humanity can be rescued; if not, he will need to attempt it repeatedly until he succeeds.

      Before long, he's assembled a group that mirrors the eccentricity of the bearded madman who brought them together. Among them are two weary teachers (Michael Peña and Zazie Beetz), a skeptical man (Asim Chaudhry) who remains unconvinced, a solitary woman (Juno Temple), a Boy Scout leader, a lady eager to finish her perfect pie, and a young punk girl in a fairy tale princess dress paired with Doc Martens (Haley Lu Richardson). The chaos only intensifies, with the story bouncing between the shared quest of these strangers and their individual histories, revealing the circumstances that led them to this diner at this exact moment.

      Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die has plenty on its mind. Beneath the excitement of the chase lies a dark satire of humanity's fixation with technology. Tech addiction is a real issue, and this film does more than just utilize it as a plot device; it holds up a mirror to the audience, likely to check their phones instead of enduring two hours without glancing at emails, sending messages, or exploring the latest social media drama.

      The film’s social commentary, outrageous comedic characters, and adventurous spirit evoke memories of Terry Gilliam at his finest, yet this is undeniably a Gore Verbinski film. Each character in the ensemble is distinctive. Verbinski does not skip over Matthew Robinson’s quirky character traits for the sake of moving the plot along quickly. Similar to his work on Pirates of the Caribbean, every member of the ensemble gets a chance to shine, which may extend the runtime slightly, but the payoff is that you come to truly know and care about these characters—crucial as the plot becomes increasingly bizarre. The audience needs to genuinely believe and invest in this unbelievable tale for the film to succeed, and thanks to Verbinski's keen eye for framing and his affection for eccentric characters, he achieves this.

      It's clear that Verbinski hasn't lost his touch in the nearly decade-long gap from the big screen. For better or worse, this is unmistakably a Gore Verbinski film. Is it a bit lengthy? Maybe. But it’s never monotonous, partly because it’s nearly impossible to foresee what will happen next: assassins in animal masks? Sure! Zombified teens? Clones? School shootings? And that's just from the first act! I’m skipping over the truly outrageous elements.

      I thoroughly enjoyed Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die; it’s a refreshing antidote for anyone wearied by formulaic cinematic experiences.

      Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die had its premiere at Fantastic Fest and is set to release on January 30, 2026.