Review: All Hail (2022)

In Argentinian comedy-drama, All Hail (aka Granizo), Miguel Flores is a popular television weatherman, adored by millions of viewers across the country, and in particular loved in his home city of Buenos Aires. His ability to accurately predict the weather has earned him the name of ‘The Infallible One’, and in turn this has helped him achieve his own television show – the glitzy, high-profile programme, The Great Weather Show.

On the debut night of his new show, Miguel has the perfect evening. Millions tune in to watch his broadcast, where he predicts a night of good weather, and the series gets off to a fantastic start.

However, during the middle of the night, a huge storm occurs in the city, which leaves devastation in its wake. High winds and hail create chaos, with buildings, cars, trees, and even a dog, taking the brunt of the situation.

When Miguel wakes up the next morning, he is horrified to see what has taken place. He also quickly becomes the object of many peoples’ frustration, as this always reliable weatherman, who never gets his predictions wrong, led everyone to believe they would be in for a pleasant night.

In the wake of the incident, Miguel becomes a laughing stock on social media, has his apartment surrounded by placard-carrying protestors, and is dropped from his television show. He is also encouraged by his boss to take a vacation – something he agrees to do, after it becomes clear his career has taken a severe nose dive.

Relocating to his daughter’s house in Córdoba, Miguel initially looks at his vacation as a brief getaway, so he can lay low for a while until the madness calms down. But before long, Miguel finds himself on a journey of self-discovery which could change his outlook on life.

Can he turn his career around or is it too late? And more importantly, does he really need fame and fortune, or is there more to life than being a TV star?

Directed by Marcos Carnevale, All Hail stars Guillermo Francella, Romina Fernandes, and Peto Menahem. The movie is available to stream on Netflix from today, and is a fairly enjoyable picture, which casts the spotlight on cancel culture, personal responsibility, and the fickle nature of showbusiness.

Playing out like an off-beat, quirky little comedy, All Hail tells a small-scale tale which is largely a character-driven piece. With the exception of a minor bit of spectacle, which takes place toward the end of the film, this is a movie which centres its story around the rise and fall of one man, and the way in which his life changes due to a mistake.

It paints a picture of what can happen when high-profile figures get things wrong, and how fandoms can turn on their former heroes in an instant. It also explores the way in which words and phrases can become powerful tools, with both positive and negative outcomes, depending on how the wind blows at any given time.

While none of the discussions posed in All Hail are Earth-shattering stuff, and it is highly doubtful audiences will learn anything new about the world from watching this movie, the film does act as a reminder of the times we currently live in. All Hail is reflective of the way in which careers can be shattered over night, and how people can fall out of favour just as quickly.

Is there a sharper, edgier way to tell this story? Most certainly, and I expect some audiences will find it all a bit too simplistic for their tastes. But the way I see it, this film isn’t attempting to be edgy, it is merely trying to tell a straight-forward story, that general audiences can relate to, having seen so many celebrities come and go over the years.  

Driving the story forward is Guillermo Francella, who is a likeable lead as Miguel. Francella is someone who seems to slot into the role of ‘popular weatherman’ rather well, and he is fun to watch on screen.

While the story looks at the way in which he falls from grace, and paints him as someone who is initially very successful, the movie never positions him as an arsehole or a person who is difficult to relate to. As such, when things go wrong you can’t help but feel sorry for him, and hope that he turns things around by the end of the picture.

The rest of the cast are fine in their respective roles, but it’s only Francella who gets something substantial to do. So, this is very much the sort of movie in which you either get on board with his story or you don’t.

And if you don’t, then this movie isn’t for you. I believe it’s fair to say that you will either get into it early doors based on your interest for Miguel, or you won’t get into it at all.

Did I enjoy All Hail? Yes, I thought it was fine. Would I watch it again? It’s very doubtful, but it’s OK for what it is.

The movie reminds me of one of those mid-tier titles that would be always be available at a video rental store back in the early ‘00s. You would watch it, it would pass the time, but you’d probably forget about it in a couple of weeks.

Ultimately, All Hail is a non-offensive picture, which is suitable for those looking to pass away two hours. Not appointment cinema by any stretch of the imagination, but in no way bad either, and it seems perfectly suited for Netflix.

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