Target List (2023) – Conspiracy with Comedy

For years, if not decades, speculation has floated around that big pharmaceutical corporations actively suppress and even viciously target medical research that could offer cheap and effective non-pharma cancer treatment. Target List by directors Andrew Arguello and MJ Palo brings that unofficial battle to screen along with some tickles and chuckles.

The indie feature’s screenplay by MJ Palo and John Reizer is an adaptation of Reizer’s 2019 novel and follows two medical researchers – Donna Sawyer (Rachel Alig) and Clyde Daniels (Justin Ray) – whose team is targeted for assassination after they announce the discovery of a groundbreaking cancer treatment. On the run while being framed for murder, the duo must figure out who’s behind the conspiracy and why.

What’s most entertaining and attention-keeping in this movie is the touch of humor that springs from the chemistry between the two lead characters and runs through the course of the story. Donna and Clyde, aside from sounding somewhat like Bonnie and Clyde, become a quirky pair that needs to stick together despite finding each other less than an ideal partner. Thanks to the script, their misadventures don’t destroy their chances of survival against the odds and viewers get to laugh at their progress in tracking the mastermind of the conspiracy against them.

Target List is done with great attention to cinematic details and climactic maturation of the plot. The topic is timely. The dialogue is good and fits the characters. The action scenes are minimalistic but contextually relevant and come with a feel of action usually seen in TV movies. And while the final revelation of this thriller may not be a total stunner for a die-hard viewer in the mystery/thriller genre, the pacing is on par with any major commercial production. On top of it all, the movie has a healthy dose of emotion to Donna’s character.

Target List is available on Tubi and a number of other streaming platforms.

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16174384/

Website: https://targetlistmovie.com/