Like a remix of The Last House on the Left (2009) and Of Mice and Men (1992), Straw Dogs has a story line which seems stitched together with violence and bad acting. The two angles the story is worked from collide in a mess of guns and fire. From viewing the trailer I was expecting something along the lines of The Strangers (2008), although based on a true story and cruelly brutal this was a tense and deeply disturbing film. Straw Dogs, unfortunately, did not cut the mustard.
I believe it was mainly the story line which let the movie down. I am unaware of whether or not Jeremy (Dominic Purcell) was a character in the original. If he was so, then it was obviously the decision of the director to keep this part of the drama included. If he was not, however, and the 'straw dogs' attack the home of David (James Marsden) and Amy (Kate Bosworth) for some other reason then it was a stupid and confusing idea to add this character. Although Purcell performed brilliantly he was an unnecessary extra.
Another brilliant performance came from Alexander Skarsgard who portrayed Amy's childhood sweetheart, Charlie. Unfortunately Marsden and Bosworth were not as exceptional.
Personally I am a huge fan of Skarsgard anyway, mainly for his role in True Blood, I am unsure where I have seen Bosworth previously but I have an opinion formed in my mind already and entered the film with preconceptions of her. I found her acting irritating and confusing. Amy's intentions, feelings and thoughts were lost on me and I couldn't figure the character out. If you are a fan of Bosworth you may view this film in a different light. Stubbornly I cannot find the positive in her performance.
Without giving anything away this film is like many others before it, being a remake this isn't a huge surprise, but others have been better. I felt there was a lack of emotion, a lack of tension and a severe lack of a credible story. I would not view this film a second time nor would I recommend it. I am interested, thought, to see the original and get back to you with my thoughts after viewing the first envisioning. One positive comment I can make is the concept behind the name fascinated me. When David explains to Amy what a Straw Dog is and the meaning of the term my attention was given a nudge. Otherwise my thoughts were elsewhere during the 1 hour 50 minute trawl through Blackwater.
** 1.5 Stars
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Shark Night 3D
Initial judgments on this film led me to believe it would be on the same wave length as Piranha 3D, cheesy, gory but incredibly enjoyable none the less. Piranha had suspense, adventure, scantily clad women, naked women, fun and humor...oh and a floating penis!
Shark Night started as your regular teen summer trip to one of the students houses in the middle of nowhere on a lake. Typical setting for a horror movie. And obviously there were back stories, this guy likes that girl, that guy is going to propose to her and so on. Then we are introduced to the local hill-billys, always necessary for horror films, who bring the mood of the holiday down somewhat. Then the fun starts and soon we witness our first shark attack. The first one, with holding the suspense, is mysterious and the presence of the shark is still unknown. Once they've seen the sharks in the lake they panic, try to get help and wonder how the shark got there.
A few more characters die before one shark is killed. At this point the only character to have come face to face with a shark and survived (even though every one else died) notices that it is a different species to the one he saw. In this moment the suspense should have hit a peak in where they realise the lake is infested. Unfortunately at the same time you are viewing this, the camera keeps switching back to the hill-billys who are feeding two of the college kids to different sharks. Therefore any suspense is dashed and the reason for the sharks presence becomes a little more obvious.
Finally once everyone is dead bar the main two they are tied up and caged to be fed to the sharks so the hill-billys can make money. This is where the film gets to it's peak of ridiculousness. One boy is strapped to a chair, he manages to pull a lighter from nowhere and free himself. Here is why this is outrageous: nowhere in the film has this boy been seen to smoke, light a fire, pick up a lighter or borrow one. Also his hands are behind his back and he could not possibly reach his pockets, so where did it come from? Then he frees himself even though his chair is hanging above an opening of water he manages to set himself down on the side. Help?
On the other side of the lake the main girl is caged and dropped into the water. Despite these cages being used for viewing sharks the shark that appears breaks straight through the metal. I also queried whether they would actually put her in the cage in the first place. This would only drown her, and they obviously want her to stay caged because he spends time sealing it shut. You could argue it's so she couldn't escape the cage but she would still be in the water and cannot swim far from a hungry shark.
Also not only do the two main characters survive and kiss, the dog survives. Of course it does. This movie had no cheesy moments, they actually wanted it to be a serious film. Perhaps my expectations blinded me but I did not enjoy it. At least Piranha 3D had consistency and was advertised properly.
If I am to say one good thing about Shark Night 3D it is that the shot of a tiger shark near the end is a great film moment. The main boy is dropped into the tied to his chair and the image shown is that of a tiger shark slowly turning to face it's new prey. The detail of the horrifying demonic face of the shark is the best part of the film. I would not recommend watching this and save yourself two hours of your life by doing something worth while.
* 1 star (for the tiger shark).
Shark Night started as your regular teen summer trip to one of the students houses in the middle of nowhere on a lake. Typical setting for a horror movie. And obviously there were back stories, this guy likes that girl, that guy is going to propose to her and so on. Then we are introduced to the local hill-billys, always necessary for horror films, who bring the mood of the holiday down somewhat. Then the fun starts and soon we witness our first shark attack. The first one, with holding the suspense, is mysterious and the presence of the shark is still unknown. Once they've seen the sharks in the lake they panic, try to get help and wonder how the shark got there.
A few more characters die before one shark is killed. At this point the only character to have come face to face with a shark and survived (even though every one else died) notices that it is a different species to the one he saw. In this moment the suspense should have hit a peak in where they realise the lake is infested. Unfortunately at the same time you are viewing this, the camera keeps switching back to the hill-billys who are feeding two of the college kids to different sharks. Therefore any suspense is dashed and the reason for the sharks presence becomes a little more obvious.
Finally once everyone is dead bar the main two they are tied up and caged to be fed to the sharks so the hill-billys can make money. This is where the film gets to it's peak of ridiculousness. One boy is strapped to a chair, he manages to pull a lighter from nowhere and free himself. Here is why this is outrageous: nowhere in the film has this boy been seen to smoke, light a fire, pick up a lighter or borrow one. Also his hands are behind his back and he could not possibly reach his pockets, so where did it come from? Then he frees himself even though his chair is hanging above an opening of water he manages to set himself down on the side. Help?
On the other side of the lake the main girl is caged and dropped into the water. Despite these cages being used for viewing sharks the shark that appears breaks straight through the metal. I also queried whether they would actually put her in the cage in the first place. This would only drown her, and they obviously want her to stay caged because he spends time sealing it shut. You could argue it's so she couldn't escape the cage but she would still be in the water and cannot swim far from a hungry shark.
Also not only do the two main characters survive and kiss, the dog survives. Of course it does. This movie had no cheesy moments, they actually wanted it to be a serious film. Perhaps my expectations blinded me but I did not enjoy it. At least Piranha 3D had consistency and was advertised properly.
If I am to say one good thing about Shark Night 3D it is that the shot of a tiger shark near the end is a great film moment. The main boy is dropped into the tied to his chair and the image shown is that of a tiger shark slowly turning to face it's new prey. The detail of the horrifying demonic face of the shark is the best part of the film. I would not recommend watching this and save yourself two hours of your life by doing something worth while.
* 1 star (for the tiger shark).
Monday, 3 October 2011
Killer Elite
On entering the cinema screen to watch Killer Elite I was surprised to find it was based on a true story. I would like to say that this is the reason why I came out feeling robbed of two hours of my life. Often, movies based on true events either don't quite reach the mark, or are so elaborate you can only assume they are very lightly based on truth.
Noting from posters that this film was starring Robert De Niro, Clive Owen and Jason Statham I pushed to find time to see it as soon as possible, allowing myself to watch it even before Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Despite the stigma Statham receives about his similar roles and cheesy films (I am talking specifically about crank here) I absolutely love his movies, as do most people looking for an easy action movie to watch which requires no thought! As for Clive Owen, his movies usually require a little more thinking but with action titles such as Shoot 'Em Up under his belt I was holding out for something epic. Robert De Niro's roles and acting skills need no explanation as to why anyone should love them.
Unfortunately, having three great action actors in one movie seems to drain it of any substance. The action was minimal and somewhat lackluster, there was far too much speaking involved, Robert De Niro was made to look inferior to the younger actors and for the entire duration of the film the only thought going through my mind when looking at Clive Owen was how I would love to rip that pathetic excuse of a mustache from his face.
Perhaps my disappointment entailed due to how much I played the scenes up in my mind. I wanted ruthless violence, endless chases and fight scenes, bombs, guns and girls. The movie was a little more serious than I expected and a lot more tedious. Perhaps it is also due to the claims the actors have in older films and roles and our expectations ride on that which we have already visually consumed. Unfortunately this was definitely not a film on which, in years to come, people will let their expectations ride.
*** 2.5 Stars
Noting from posters that this film was starring Robert De Niro, Clive Owen and Jason Statham I pushed to find time to see it as soon as possible, allowing myself to watch it even before Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Despite the stigma Statham receives about his similar roles and cheesy films (I am talking specifically about crank here) I absolutely love his movies, as do most people looking for an easy action movie to watch which requires no thought! As for Clive Owen, his movies usually require a little more thinking but with action titles such as Shoot 'Em Up under his belt I was holding out for something epic. Robert De Niro's roles and acting skills need no explanation as to why anyone should love them.
Unfortunately, having three great action actors in one movie seems to drain it of any substance. The action was minimal and somewhat lackluster, there was far too much speaking involved, Robert De Niro was made to look inferior to the younger actors and for the entire duration of the film the only thought going through my mind when looking at Clive Owen was how I would love to rip that pathetic excuse of a mustache from his face.
Perhaps my disappointment entailed due to how much I played the scenes up in my mind. I wanted ruthless violence, endless chases and fight scenes, bombs, guns and girls. The movie was a little more serious than I expected and a lot more tedious. Perhaps it is also due to the claims the actors have in older films and roles and our expectations ride on that which we have already visually consumed. Unfortunately this was definitely not a film on which, in years to come, people will let their expectations ride.
*** 2.5 Stars
Monday, 19 September 2011
30 Minutes or Less
The title not only tells you something about the film but also indicates how long it will take you to love this movie. Right from the start there are countless moments where you may find yourself in uncontrollable laughter. From Nick's (Jesse Eisenberg) first pizza delivery to the moment before the credits roll, the laughs keep coming.
Nick is unfortunate enough to be caught up in Dwanye's (Danny McBride) crazy plot to kill his father. In order to 'off' the old man he must come up with $100,000 to pay a hit man. His idea is to kidnap a random citizen, knock them out, strap a bomb to them and force them to rob a bank for him. Dwayne and his strange friend Travis (Nick Swardson) see an advert for pizza delivery and decide there target will be a delivery boy. Nick falls victim to the plan and wakes up to find himself with a bomb strapped to his chest and sitting between two men in primate masks. After they explain the situation to him Nick is frantic and visits his best friend Chet (Aziz Ansari) who he hopes will help him, despite their earlier fall out over Nick sleeping with Chet's sister.
Chet agrees and they buy ski masks, toy guns and spray paint. They then decide on fake names to use- Cruz and Luiz- before entering the bank and robbing the entire $100,000. They arrange the drop and the hit man arrives to take the payment but Nick refuses to give him the money until he has the code for the bomb. Nick and Chet jump the hit man and escape with the money. Travis realises Dwayne is serious about detonating the bomb and switches the phone number so Dwayne cannot blow Nick up. Meanwhile the hit man has gone after Dwayne and ended up killing his Dad anyway. All the characters meet at the end in which there is gun fire, real fire and lots of swearing! Nick deactivates the bomb, the hit man is killed, Travis is set on fire but saved by Dwayne and finally Nick and Chet get away with the money, unfortunately it has been marked by the bank and blue dye explodes over their faces.
The humour, action and twisted tale make this film a great comedy and a thoroughly enjoyable watch. In this movie our protagonist survives, gets the girl and keeps his best friend. Aside from the fact it makes the bombers look like fools there is still an element of truth in the movie which is unnerving to remember. 30 Minutes or Less climbs towards the top of the ladder to become one of the best comedy films of 2011.
***** 5 stars
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian, 2011, had the potential to be awesome, but was only good. Although I enjoyed the action and appreciated the differences to the Schwarzenegger version, 1982, there was a number of areas in which I could see room for improvement. Jason Momoa, who plays our barbaric hero, definitely fit the bill for playing a ruggedly handsome, wild, blood hungry warrior. For all the ladies reading this, it would definitely be worth viewing just for the eye-candy! (Plus, we get a sneaky peak at his lovely buns!)
Not forgetting the male audience there also an array of scantily clad, beautiful women frequenting the screen. However, Rose McGowan (usually noted for her sex appeal) plays witch Marique who, I'm sorry to say boys, isn't quite the beauty you may be picturing in your minds. The rapidly receding hair line definitely has something to do with her loss of appeal in this film. To add to this there are a few battles, a bit of blood and even a few beheadings to add to the raw, revenge rampage that unfolds.
I would agree with those who believe children in this generation have become somewhat desensitized to much of life's darker corners. When I found out Conan was to be classified a 15 I thought perhaps there would be a bit more gore, violence and swearing than usual because of my pre-perceptions. I was wrong. As a viewer you are left to guess the actions which are occurring off screen, for example, when a young Conan is faced with five enemies and he alone defends his village and fights all five the audience is able to watch, you do not see him beheading the enemies and the fact he has performed this action only comes to light when he presents the severed heads to his father. When various main characters met their demise I also felt as if I had been robbed of a grand moment filled with screams and spine tingling shots.
While you may be reading this thinking that I am savage and there seems quite enough blood what you must remember is the name of the film, Conan the Barbarian. He is not shown to be quite as barbaric as the name suggests. Also after viewing Final Destination 5, which is also a 15 and came into cinemas around the same time, I believe the makers of this film could have pulled a lot more toe curling moments out of the bag.
The aspects which I felt worked particularly well include the skull cave design, the scenary, the casting, the introduction of Conan and the death of his father. Personally I prefer Momoa to Schwarzenegger, as do I prefer this re-envisioning of Conan. Momoa creates a more serious role and has brought Conan into the 21st century. I hope to see him in many more film, preferably topless!
**** 4 stars
Not forgetting the male audience there also an array of scantily clad, beautiful women frequenting the screen. However, Rose McGowan (usually noted for her sex appeal) plays witch Marique who, I'm sorry to say boys, isn't quite the beauty you may be picturing in your minds. The rapidly receding hair line definitely has something to do with her loss of appeal in this film. To add to this there are a few battles, a bit of blood and even a few beheadings to add to the raw, revenge rampage that unfolds.
I would agree with those who believe children in this generation have become somewhat desensitized to much of life's darker corners. When I found out Conan was to be classified a 15 I thought perhaps there would be a bit more gore, violence and swearing than usual because of my pre-perceptions. I was wrong. As a viewer you are left to guess the actions which are occurring off screen, for example, when a young Conan is faced with five enemies and he alone defends his village and fights all five the audience is able to watch, you do not see him beheading the enemies and the fact he has performed this action only comes to light when he presents the severed heads to his father. When various main characters met their demise I also felt as if I had been robbed of a grand moment filled with screams and spine tingling shots.
While you may be reading this thinking that I am savage and there seems quite enough blood what you must remember is the name of the film, Conan the Barbarian. He is not shown to be quite as barbaric as the name suggests. Also after viewing Final Destination 5, which is also a 15 and came into cinemas around the same time, I believe the makers of this film could have pulled a lot more toe curling moments out of the bag.
The aspects which I felt worked particularly well include the skull cave design, the scenary, the casting, the introduction of Conan and the death of his father. Personally I prefer Momoa to Schwarzenegger, as do I prefer this re-envisioning of Conan. Momoa creates a more serious role and has brought Conan into the 21st century. I hope to see him in many more film, preferably topless!
**** 4 stars
Monday, 15 August 2011
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
I have never seen the original 1968 version nor the Tim Burton remake in 2001, however, after viewing the prequel I can't wait to watch them and see how the stories compare. RotPotA is an epic thrilling and emotional journey portraying how evolution is not something to meddle with. James Franco plays obsessive scientist Will Rodman hooked on saving his father (John Lithgow) from the clutches of alzheimer's.
After testing the genetically enhancing drug out on various chimps one shows promise of success. Unfortunately for Rodman the chimp escapes and is shot by security when seen as a threat. The drug testing and development is ceased and no further funding is given. The other chimps are put down but when the scientists come to the succesful subjects tank they realise she had been protecting her newly born offspring during her escape. The other scientist working on the drug with Rodman refuses to put down a baby chimp and asks Rodman to take it home until he can find a suitable place for it. After taking the chimp home Rodman and his father become attached and keep the animal they name Caesar. They bring him up and teach him sign language. Noticing that the drug has passed from mother to son as Caesar grows up Rodman begins human testing of the drug on his own father.
The drug works, however, the disease fights back and becomes immune to the dosage. Rodman requests more chimps for testing a new improved version of the drug on and money hungry boss Jacobs (David Oyelowo) agrees.
Due to his fathers rapid deteriation he gets himself into a situation with the next
door neighbour, whom you grow to hate. Caesar protects Rodman senior but in
turn reveals his true animal instinct by biting off the neighbours finger.
The authorities are involved and Caesar is moved to an animal sanctuary.
Caesar finds it difficult to blend in with the other primates and is treated badly
by the wardens son. He eventually makes friends with an orangutan who lived
in a circus and can also sign.
Meanwhile Rodman is trying to free Caesar and aid his father. He believes he
has perfected the drug and tries to administer it to his father who refuses and
dies peacefully during the night. Testing on another chimp proves that the drug
works and Jacobs puts it into production ready for human testing.
Caesar manages to steal a penknife from one of the humans in the sanctuary
and escapes. He heads to Rodman's house and takes the remaining drugs from the fridge to all the apes. He then returns to the sanctuary and adminsters the drug to chimps, orangutans and gorillas in the preserve. They promptly escape together and head for Rodman's place of work.
After testing the genetically enhancing drug out on various chimps one shows promise of success. Unfortunately for Rodman the chimp escapes and is shot by security when seen as a threat. The drug testing and development is ceased and no further funding is given. The other chimps are put down but when the scientists come to the succesful subjects tank they realise she had been protecting her newly born offspring during her escape. The other scientist working on the drug with Rodman refuses to put down a baby chimp and asks Rodman to take it home until he can find a suitable place for it. After taking the chimp home Rodman and his father become attached and keep the animal they name Caesar. They bring him up and teach him sign language. Noticing that the drug has passed from mother to son as Caesar grows up Rodman begins human testing of the drug on his own father.
The drug works, however, the disease fights back and becomes immune to the dosage. Rodman requests more chimps for testing a new improved version of the drug on and money hungry boss Jacobs (David Oyelowo) agrees.
Due to his fathers rapid deteriation he gets himself into a situation with the next
door neighbour, whom you grow to hate. Caesar protects Rodman senior but in
turn reveals his true animal instinct by biting off the neighbours finger.
The authorities are involved and Caesar is moved to an animal sanctuary.
Caesar finds it difficult to blend in with the other primates and is treated badly
by the wardens son. He eventually makes friends with an orangutan who lived
in a circus and can also sign.
Meanwhile Rodman is trying to free Caesar and aid his father. He believes he
has perfected the drug and tries to administer it to his father who refuses and
dies peacefully during the night. Testing on another chimp proves that the drug
works and Jacobs puts it into production ready for human testing.
Caesar manages to steal a penknife from one of the humans in the sanctuary
and escapes. He heads to Rodman's house and takes the remaining drugs from the fridge to all the apes. He then returns to the sanctuary and adminsters the drug to chimps, orangutans and gorillas in the preserve. They promptly escape together and head for Rodman's place of work.
Meanwhile the scientist who, at the beginning, refused to put Caesar down is
found dead after being exposed to the drug. This proves that it has an effect on
humans which doesn't effect the chimps. As the news reaches Jacobs the escaped apes break into the labs and free all the trapped apes, including the newest subject to be administered with the drug. Caesar leads them towards freedom and safety. They are met by gunfire and batons on a bridge.
Caesar stops some apes from killing humans encouraging them only to defend themselves.
The gorilla Caesar has freed saves him from helicopter gunfire and gives his life
for him. Caesar is angry and upset and leaves Jacobs hanging from the bridge,
he meets his fate when the last tested chimp appears at the edge of the bridge and pushes him off. Rodman manages to get through the barriers and
follow Caesar, knowing where he is headed. He begs Caesar to come home and promises to look after him. Caesar pulls him close and speaks for the first time to Rodman stating "Caesar is home". Rodman understands and lets him go. Right at the end the audience see the fingerless next door neighbour again, he sneezes blood as he has also been exposed to the drug, a small part of you is glad that he will suffer.
The film is an immense success with the right amount of action, emotion and
story to balance throughout. You really sympathize with Caesar and want him to succeed and be free. With the added bonus of viewing James Franco for nearly 2 hours this film is definitely worth seeing. Thinking back on it now after viewing it I can still feel the tension and suspense in my chest.
***** 5 stars
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Super 8
Hey All!!
For my first post I am going to review Super 8 to get the blog started!
Spielberg and Abrams have created another movie set to be a classic. There are tell-tale elements to the film that portray Spielberg's sci-fi style we have all appreciated at some point throughout his established career. (Except AI- Artificial Intelligence, which – let's face it – sucked!).
Super 8's setting allows bad hair cuts and extravagantly patterned shirts to make a comeback and for classic rock tracks to force everyone to nod their heads. My Sharona, The Knack, is a perfect choice for summing up the movie-making group of friends this adventure engulfs.
Joel Courtney convincingly plays main character Joe Lamb who is sucked into an alien's battle to rebuild it's ship and leave Earth. During this escapade he must also rescue fair maiden Alice (Elle Fanning) whom he has been warned to stay away from.
Whilst Charles (Riley Griffiths) commands and directs the others in their roles for his zombie apocalypse movie the group witness a deliberate train derailment and are caught in an explosion of metal and fire. (I would have liked to see this particular section of the film in 3D as the graphics were incredible). The suspense creeps in as Lamb watches the approaching truck slam head-on into a military train, the contents of which is mysterious and unknown.
They are advised by the battered driver of the truck (who also happens to be their biology teacher) to run from the scene and forget what they have seen. However, being typical kids they begin to throw theories around between each other and examine a white block, similar to a Rubik's cube which they recovered from the accident.
After a series of mysterious disappearances in the local town the U.S. Air Force descends and take over investigations. The police chief is one of the missing persons which leaves the deputy, Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler), to step up. He is shut out from all leads and turns to hacking the Air Force's radio channels for any information.
It slowly becomes clear that the hunt is on for something that has escaped from the wreckage of the train crash. All the while Joe, Charles and the rest of the group have been continuing with their film using the crash as part of their story line. After developing a reel of film they get a glimpse of the alien creature that is causing chaos to their home. Throughout the entire film, right up until the very end, the monster is kept hidden in the shadows. This not only holds the suspense and keeps you wondering what exactly the towns folk are witnessing but also helps to keep imagination alive.
Towards the end Alice is kidnapped by the alien and Joe makes it his mission to save her. Aided by his movie production buddies they break into the school in search of the biology teachers research. Unfortunately when they find it, the Air Force finds them. With Jackson Lamb incapacitated by the General there is no-one around to save Joe and the boys.
The bus escorting them back to camp is attacked by the alien which leads to their escape. This scene is perhaps the most graphic. There has been speculation whether this movie should have been ranked higher for the age certification. However, the action happens swiftly and there are more shots of the boys reactions to the violence than actual gore. If you are unsure it may be wise to view it alone before taking a child, personally I would be happy to watch with a young child without fearing post-film nightmares!
Once free of the bus the boys execute a plan to save Alice and come face to face with the alien in their attempt. This is the first point of the movie where the creature is shown in full view. They are allowed to live and leave and encourage the alien to do the same. After finishing it's ship it embarks on it's journey back home. The ship moulds itself from the Rubik's cube blocks which morph into different shapes to form new objects. Alice and Joe are reunited with their parents.
Aside from the main plot there are a few other issues that run alongside the story. Alice and Joe obviously like each other right from the start, however, as with any relationship there are complications! Charles also likes Alice and becomes jealous of Joe. At the same time Joe and Alice's fathers forbid them to see each other concerning an incident that left Mrs Lamb deceased and Alice's father feeling guilty.
At the end all of these points are resolved rounding up the film for the happy ending you hope for. After all their hard work during the credits you are able to view the film the group make which provides a few laughs.
This film has just the right amount of adventure for kids, enough swearing, gore and good music for teenagers, enough reconciled relationships and family orientated scenes for the parents and bundles of humor for everyone.
Definitely a film worth seeing on the big screen. Brilliant acting, superb soundtrack, great graphics and hordes of humor! The only point I could not figure out at the end was why the title Super 8? I have been informed since that this is the make of camera used for the home made zombie movie.
***** 5 Stars.
For my first post I am going to review Super 8 to get the blog started!
Spielberg and Abrams have created another movie set to be a classic. There are tell-tale elements to the film that portray Spielberg's sci-fi style we have all appreciated at some point throughout his established career. (Except AI- Artificial Intelligence, which – let's face it – sucked!).
Super 8's setting allows bad hair cuts and extravagantly patterned shirts to make a comeback and for classic rock tracks to force everyone to nod their heads. My Sharona, The Knack, is a perfect choice for summing up the movie-making group of friends this adventure engulfs.
Joel Courtney convincingly plays main character Joe Lamb who is sucked into an alien's battle to rebuild it's ship and leave Earth. During this escapade he must also rescue fair maiden Alice (Elle Fanning) whom he has been warned to stay away from.
Whilst Charles (Riley Griffiths) commands and directs the others in their roles for his zombie apocalypse movie the group witness a deliberate train derailment and are caught in an explosion of metal and fire. (I would have liked to see this particular section of the film in 3D as the graphics were incredible). The suspense creeps in as Lamb watches the approaching truck slam head-on into a military train, the contents of which is mysterious and unknown.
They are advised by the battered driver of the truck (who also happens to be their biology teacher) to run from the scene and forget what they have seen. However, being typical kids they begin to throw theories around between each other and examine a white block, similar to a Rubik's cube which they recovered from the accident.
After a series of mysterious disappearances in the local town the U.S. Air Force descends and take over investigations. The police chief is one of the missing persons which leaves the deputy, Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler), to step up. He is shut out from all leads and turns to hacking the Air Force's radio channels for any information.
It slowly becomes clear that the hunt is on for something that has escaped from the wreckage of the train crash. All the while Joe, Charles and the rest of the group have been continuing with their film using the crash as part of their story line. After developing a reel of film they get a glimpse of the alien creature that is causing chaos to their home. Throughout the entire film, right up until the very end, the monster is kept hidden in the shadows. This not only holds the suspense and keeps you wondering what exactly the towns folk are witnessing but also helps to keep imagination alive.
Towards the end Alice is kidnapped by the alien and Joe makes it his mission to save her. Aided by his movie production buddies they break into the school in search of the biology teachers research. Unfortunately when they find it, the Air Force finds them. With Jackson Lamb incapacitated by the General there is no-one around to save Joe and the boys.
The bus escorting them back to camp is attacked by the alien which leads to their escape. This scene is perhaps the most graphic. There has been speculation whether this movie should have been ranked higher for the age certification. However, the action happens swiftly and there are more shots of the boys reactions to the violence than actual gore. If you are unsure it may be wise to view it alone before taking a child, personally I would be happy to watch with a young child without fearing post-film nightmares!
Once free of the bus the boys execute a plan to save Alice and come face to face with the alien in their attempt. This is the first point of the movie where the creature is shown in full view. They are allowed to live and leave and encourage the alien to do the same. After finishing it's ship it embarks on it's journey back home. The ship moulds itself from the Rubik's cube blocks which morph into different shapes to form new objects. Alice and Joe are reunited with their parents.
Aside from the main plot there are a few other issues that run alongside the story. Alice and Joe obviously like each other right from the start, however, as with any relationship there are complications! Charles also likes Alice and becomes jealous of Joe. At the same time Joe and Alice's fathers forbid them to see each other concerning an incident that left Mrs Lamb deceased and Alice's father feeling guilty.
At the end all of these points are resolved rounding up the film for the happy ending you hope for. After all their hard work during the credits you are able to view the film the group make which provides a few laughs.
This film has just the right amount of adventure for kids, enough swearing, gore and good music for teenagers, enough reconciled relationships and family orientated scenes for the parents and bundles of humor for everyone.
Definitely a film worth seeing on the big screen. Brilliant acting, superb soundtrack, great graphics and hordes of humor! The only point I could not figure out at the end was why the title Super 8? I have been informed since that this is the make of camera used for the home made zombie movie.
***** 5 Stars.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)