Category: Movie Reviews

Murder Mystery

Post author By Tydus
Post date June 18, 2019

The Netflix empire has continued to grow and expand year after year, thanks in no small part to its catalogue of original content and partnerships with A-list creators. The latest big shot of original content comes from and stars Adam Sandler – a name tied to a wide spectrum of films ranging from great to… not so great. The relatively average Murder Mystery won’t alter this reputation much, however it is one of the actor’s better recent offerings and a decent adventure that pokes fun at the genre.

Sandler plays Nick Spitz, an NYPD officer who dreams of finally passing his detective exam after multiple failed attempts. Jennifer Aniston plays his wife of 15 years, Audrey – a hairdresser hooked on mystery novels and desperate for a holiday. Following an argument about their endlessly delayed European honeymoon, the couple finally board a plane across the pond. While onboard, Audrey runs into Charles (Luke Evans), a suave viscount that presents her and her husband with an offer: join a cruise on his fabulously wealthy and estranged uncle’s yacht to celebrate the old man’s recent wedding. It’s a nonsense setup that could only fly in a comedy, with the slow opening 20 minutes easily the weakest of the film.

It’s once the Spitz couple are aboard said yacht that things start to pick up a bit however, as the two are quickly introduced to the wider cast of eventual suspects. As with any great murder mystery, the characters here are total opposites that otherwise have no business being in the same room together. These include Russian bodyguard Sergei (Olafur Darri Olafsson), pro-racer Juan (Luis Gerardo), famous actress Grace (Gemma Arteton), one-handed Military Colonel Ulenga (John Kani), trophy wife Suzi (Shioli Kutsuna) and the billionaire’s only son Tobias (David Williams). Once the big murder finally happens, everyone has a motive – yet it’s the American couple’s unexplainable attendance at the gathering that makes them the prime suspects.

What follows are a series of escapades and misadventures between Nick and Audrey as the honeymooners attempt to avoid the authorities and find the real culprit. Sandler and Aniston have some decent chemistry as a quibbling married couple, and the plot moves along well during the later half as the two discuss their suspicions and plans as they go. Sandler playing a relatively normal character (for his standards) works in the film’s favour, as he keeps things relatively grounded throughout. In saying this, there are definitely a few jokes that fall pretty flat or go a bit far – with the supposed police officer at one point stealing a corpse’s tuxedo for no real reason.

Audiences may also find some of the more outrageous characters a bit hit and miss, depending on how they feel about low brow jokes and cheap laughs. Adeel Akhtar plays Vikram, a street-talking Maharaja who is also at the scene of the crime. Akhtar’s character is on screen purely for the laughs, and he quickly steals the spotlight whenever he’s around with some situational gags and his oblivious outlook on things. Another larger-than-life character stirring things up is Inspector Delacroix (Dany Boon), the French detective in charge of the murder investigation. A caricature of brooding detective stereotypes, the inspector spends his screentime puffing cigarettes and pointing the finger at all the wrong people. Not nearly as over the top as the Maharajah, the inspector can still bring out a laugh here or there for those not looking for thoughtful or creative comedy.

Thankfully there’s actually a decent amount of thought and respect going into the general plot outside of these moments. Aniston’s character is a huge fan of mystery novels, so it’s fun to watch her follow another supposed clue or play the spy whenever necessary. There’s also a good attention to detail on the tropes of murder mysteries, such as the lingering focus on items that don’t seem important to the untrained eye, as well as the odd red herring and twist mixed in for good measure. It’s no Poirot or Sherlock Holmes, but it’s some enjoyable sleuthing that keeps you guessing despite the hijinks going on throughout.

All in all, Netflix’s Murder Mystery is a decent attempt at a genre mash-up that hasn’t been done to death like other generic ideas recently. There’s enough pace and plot in the second half to keep things running, despite the hit and miss laughs and a painfully slow start. Give it a watch if you’re looking for some light-hearted escapades and some big names in a nice European setting – there are plenty of worse ways to spend a night in front of the TV.

Murder Mystery stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, David Williams, Gemma Arteton, John Kani, Shioli Kutsuna & Dany Boon – Streaming now on Netflix.

Tags Adam Sandler, Gemma Arterton, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Murder Mystery, Netflix

Movie Reviews

Men in Black: International

Post author By Mark
Post date June 16, 2019

You’d be forgiven in this day and age for not being familiar with the Men in Black franchise. The series, based on the popular comic, had its first cinematic adventure in 1997 – led by the unlikely yet infinitely watchable duo of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones – and released two more sequels in the intervening 20 years to waning interest and lessening quality each time. Enter director F. Gary Gray’s reboot Men in Black: International, intended to breathe new life into the franchise, with new blood both behind and in front of the camera and two of the most popular actors working today in Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. It may be time to retire the suits for good after this one though, as Men in Black: International is one of the most bland and forgettable sci-fi action films in recent memory.

The plot (and I use that term loosely) revolves around Agent M (Tessa Thompson) attempting to uncover and enrol in the Men in Black agency following a run-in with an alien creature as a child. Her attempts land her on a probationary mission with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), a high ranking member of the organisation who, together with Agent High T (Liam Neeson), defeated an alien invasion from a species known as “The Hive” three years prior and hasn’t been the same since. What starts as a routine mission babysitting a highly regarded alien soon turns to ruin after the arrival of two alien beings with the ability to turn into light and murder anyone in their path. Agents M and H must uncover the origin of these deadly assassins, whilst also dealing with the possibility of a mole within the Men in Black and ensuring that the most powerful weapon in the galaxy does not fall into the wrong hands.

The story, simply put, is a mess: full of disparate parts with no real connective tissue as we rush from scene to scene. There’s no depth or time given to any scene to let it breathe; things simply happen to the characters and the next scene is something totally independent of the last. For example: one minute the agents are being chased through the streets of Marrakesh in what we’re supposed to believe is a life or death fight for survival, and as soon as they enter a building housing an alien queen that intensity is gone. It’s never made clear to the audience if these assailants chasing the agents have given up, if the building has cloaked them or any number of science fiction options the writers could have used to give the scene some explanation – instead opting to abandon the last scene because now it’s time for the funny alien. This disjointed approach also robs the characters of any real development or arcs. The audience is meant to believe that Tessa Thompson has worked her whole life to realise this dream of joining the Men in Black but when it takes all of 10 minutes to go from nobody to rookie that doesn’t come across at all.

The ’97 original film succeeded off the back of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones’ joint charisma and the running joke of the absurdity of that pairing. The humour that was created out of that combo worked for those actors and for the time in which the movie was made. International attempts that same style of humour without the odd pairing prerequisite Smith and Jones had, especially after Hemsworth and Thompson proved they had chemistry in Thor: Ragnarok, and as such all the jokes that come out of this fall disastrously flat. The only humour that really comes off well here is from Kumail Nanjiani’s pint sized alien Pawny, who joins H and M on their travels. Nanjiani’s trademark scathing humour is dialled down here to fit in with the rating but it always packs a bite, stealing the scene from whoever else is in it. Pawny was undoubtedly the highlight of the film despite the questionable CGI on the character at times. Given that the CGI of the original film was some of the greatest ever seen at that point in cinematic history, it’s unfortunate that is not the case here – alternating between overly glossy to downright awful to the point you can almost see the outline of the shape on the green screen.

Your mileage with Men in Black: International will depend on how you feel about Hemsworth and Thompson. Make no mistake they are the main attraction here, and you would be forgiven for being excited to see that combination again following Thor: Ragnarok. Unfortunately that chemistry is largely gone, with Hemsworth and Thompson seemingly operating as though they are in completely different movies. Thompson opts to play the straight woman here, giving the character a harder edge that doesn’t allow for much fun banter with Hemsworth’s character. There’s bright sparks here and there, but ultimately the character is written in such a one note way that there’s only so much a talented actress like Thompson can do with the role, and her lack of surprise at literally anything – even when others around her are shocked – doesn’t allow for the audience to really invest in her character. Hemsworth gets a chance to let his charisma and charm loose – to mixed results. He just doesn’t have the widespread appeal that Will Smith had in the original; and in instances where Smith played his ignorance as endearing, Hemsworth comes across as out of his depth. Despite the character’s shortcomings, Hemsworth never stops being fun to watch and keeps you along for the ride even when everything around him is so bland. Liam Neeson and Rebecca Ferguson also have brief but entertaining roles as the leader of the London Men in Black branch and an alien arms dealer respectively. Ferguson in particular is clearly having a ball with the character and it’s nice to see her branch out of her dramatic and more serious action roles.

Men in Black: International is ultimately an extremely forgettable and uninteresting sequel/reboot that does not do anything new or different enough to justify its existence. The proposed Men in Black / 21 Jump Street crossover which was developed and subsequently scrapped may not have worked in its own right, but it would have at least been something different as opposed to the tired rehash audiences received. Despite Chris Hemsworth and Kumail Nanjiani’s best efforts, in the end it just isn’t enough to save this film from fading from audiences’ minds as if they’d been hit with a blast from the neuralyzer.

Men in Black: International stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson & Emma Thompson and is in cinemas now.

Tags Chris Hemsworth, Emma Thompson, F. Gary Gray, Kunail Nanjiani, Liam Neeson, Men in Black, Men in Black: International, Tessa Thompson

Movie Reviews

Rocketman

Post author By Mark
Post date June 11, 2019

Elton John is one of the most larger than life figures in musical history, donning ridiculously over-the-top outfits as he belts out tunes on his trusty piano. As such, one would expect a biopic about the man’s life to delve deep into the factors and events that made John the icon he is today, both the good and the bad. Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman certainly delivers in being larger than life – a true story told in the style of Mamma Mia – with characters bursting into song in the middle of a scene and a powerhouse performance by Taron Egerton as the Rocketman himself. The choice to incorporate these fourth wall breaking musical performances into the story is also something of a double-edged sword; lessening the impact of the story that should be told.

Rocketman explores the life of Elton John from his experiences as a child – under his real name Reginald Dwight – dealing with his parent’s divorce through to his life of rock and roll excess until his inevitable fall from grace and admission into rehab. Throughout all of this there is the common theme of Elton’s search for love that he has been denied his whole life. He is constantly derided by his parents and those around him – apart from his grandmother (Gemma Jones), who supports his initial musical endeavours, and his best friend and writing partner Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) – and as a result Elton surrounds himself with people that he mistakenly trusts with his wellbeing who are actually after his fame and fortune – enter John Reid (Richard Madden), Elton’s lover and business manager. The film focuses on the toll this struggle takes on Elton and the physical and mental effects that inhibit his ability to truly connect with those around him as his star burns brighter and brighter in the musical world.

What differentiates Rocketman from its contemporaries is the way in which the story is told, with most scenes transitioning into full fledged musical numbers featuring the hits of John. These scenes serve as visual representations of Elton’s emotional state over the course of the story and are generally extremely well performed – often relying on the full cast to help belt out the tunes. Whilst entertaining, these sections of the film also take away any opportunity for real investment in the plot. Every time the film gets close to some sort of a realisation or major moment in Elton’s life, a song and dance number breaks out with everyone involved. It’s frustrating and I often found myself getting invested in a scene only to be taken out by some ridiculous aspect of a musical number – such as Elton floating mid-concert as if on the moon. It’s almost as if the real Elton John, executive producer of the film, didn’t want to paint himself in any negative light and so used these musical performances as a way of skirting around uncomfortable interactions where he admittedly has done some pretty terrible things. It is a real shame given the life the man has lived, with audiences surely looking for a biopic that told the story in all of its detail – good or bad – rather than this airbrushed attempt at telling the highlights of Elton John’s life while literally dancing around the darker side of his actions.

Due to this odd story structure, it’s no surprise that the character we spend the most time with is Elton himself, who is played to perfection by Taron Egerton. From a purely physical standpoint, the effort that has gone into making Egerton look like Elton is astounding, from the teeth and the way he smiles to the outlandish outfits and the way he carries himself in them. Egerton is the only actor in the film with something of a narrative arc as he plays the transition from an innocent outcast in the streets of England with dreams of being a rockstar to the drug addicted mess that Elton ultimately becomes believably, making the audience empathise with him in the brief moments before a musical performance beats them over the head. There is a strong supporting cast around Egerton who rarely get time to shine due to the laser focus on John, but Jamie Bell as Elton’s best friend and confidant Bernie Taupin is a highlight and the best performance after Egerton. He plays the role with a sense of wonder and innocence at the musical world, with less drive to succeed than Elton. Where Elton is critical and unsatisfied, Bernie is simply happy to be around these people he has admired his whole life and Bell brings a lot to the table – making Bernie the most relatable character in the film. Bryce Dallas Howard and Richard Madden both deliver good performances as Elton’s mother and business manager/lover but they are ultimately thankless roles, written as one-dimensional plot devices that get Elton from point A to B.

Rocketman is a film that could have been great. With a truly incredible performance from Taron Egerton and the story of one of music’s biggest icons to follow, it’s hard to see it play out so wrong. The bizarre and jarring style of presenting the musical performances as asides to the narrative, rather than as performances in the narrative of the film, means that the plot is robbed of any urgency and weight – ultimately making the whole affair feel irrelevant. This glossy, one-sided film is not the full account of this legendary rockstar’s life fans came to see, and one can only hope that a filmmaker comes along in the future with a clearer vision – one that doesn’t have Elton John himself on the payroll.

Rocketman stars Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden & Bryce Dallas Howard – In cinemas now.

Tags Bryce Dallas-Howard, Dexter Fletcher, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Rocketman, Taron Egerton

Movie Reviews

X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Post author By Mark
Post date June 8, 2019

The X-Men franchise has been something of a rollercoaster throughout its two decade long history. The first film was groundbreaking for its time and the sequel X2 was a defining moment in early superhero cinema, alongside the first Spider-Man film. During the years that followed we’ve seen dizzying highs in Logan, terrible lows in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and some generally average films in-between such as the previous main series entry: 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse. X-Men: Dark Phoenix, the latest and last entry in the 20th Century Fox produced X-Men films, sits firmly in the middle of the pack – an improvement over Apocalypse featuring generally great performances which is weighed down by a middling plot and forgettable action.

Dark Phoenix picks up the story in 1992, with the X-Men enjoying their celebrity status as Earth’s resident superhero force after their very public defeat of Apocalypse. Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) in particular is reaping the rewards of this feat, socialising with society’s elite – the ones that once feared mutants – and enjoying the praise of the world as the leader of the X-Men. When the current team – made up of Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Quicksilver (Evan Peters) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) – embark on a mission to rescue stranded astronauts, things don’t exactly go to plan and Jean is forced to absorb the full impact of a solar flare to ensure the team’s survival. To everyone’s surprise Jean survives this encounter completely unscathed, albeit with something of an anger management problem, and sets off on a very violent journey to find answers about her past and the new powers she has gained. The answers she seeks put her on a direct path to Magneto (Michael Fassbender), who is attempting to live a peaceful life in a mutant colony, and Vuk (Jessica Chastain) a mysterious alien being hell-bent on taking the force inside Jean for herself in order to rebuild her world.

Longtime franchise writer Simon Kinberg makes his directorial debut here and it’s something of a rocky start to his directing career. The script is the main problem here, penned by Kinberg himself – a bland reattempt at adapting the famed Dark Phoenix saga from the classic X-Men comic books after the less than stellar X-Men: The Last Stand. The film never reaches the same heights as other X-Men films because it’s so hard to care about the story and characters when there are so many odd choices and decisions being made, not to mention some of the worst dialogue I’ve seen in a long time. The film hits the same beats of almost all the previous films and doesn’t dare to try anything new or different: the X-Men are prospering before some unforeseen event has them on the outs with the government, Magneto has gone off the grid and must be brought back into the fold, Xavier and Magneto must band together after fighting each other to save the day, and Mystique is inexplicably a major part of the story despite her character being little more than a footnotes in the comics. It makes sense given that Kinberg has written the last three main series films but it’s disappointing that he didn’t try a fresh take given that this time he has the added control of a director behind him. It also seems as though the directing duties have cut into the time Kinberg has spent on the script, with dialogue so stilted and odd at times it actually made me dislike characters I’d enjoyed since First Class. Think the Darth Vader “No” scene in Revenge of the Sith and multiply that by a thousand.

What does work well for the most part is the characters, and while the writing sometimes has them making odd choices they are still the same X-Men that audiences have become attached to over several movies. While not at the top of his game here, Kinberg’s writing in previous instalments has worked to endear these characters to us and make us care about their exploits. This is most evident in the relationship between Mystique, Beast and Magneto, a storyline which has continued since 2011’s First Class and which comes to a natural conclusion here at the end of the Fox franchise. Whilst Mystique as a character has always irked me in the second generation of X-Men films the character works much better here by playing off that relationship instead of involving her in the main arc of the film. The newest generation of characters introduced in Apocalypse (Cyclops, Jean & Nightcrawler) get a lot more to work with here and Sophie Turner in particular brings a lot of emotional weight to the role, rivalling former Jean, Famke Janssen’s work. Her relationship with Cyclops was surprisingly well done and I cared more about their relationship, and the toll this event was having on it, more than I ever did for Janssen and James Marsden’s versions of the characters.

The strength in the First Class generation of X-Men movies has always been in its pitch perfect casting, Jennifer Lawrence aside, and that continues here as each of these actors make a solid case for staying on for Disney’s take on the franchise. As usual the high points are James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, who both deliver impressive turns. McAvoy gets to play a more upbeat and modern Xavier than usual, albeit one who must slowly come to terms with past wrongdoings he believed were for the greater good. Fassbender, meanwhile, has significantly less to do here than the previous instalments he has been featured in, but still manages to deliver a crushingly emotional performance once again, dealing with yet again another loss. Fassbender has been such a consistent high point in this franchise and owned the role so much so that I don’t even really associate Ian McKellen with Magneto any more, and while I’m excited by the prospects of incorporating the X-Men into the MCU, Fassbender’s presence will be sorely missed. A surprising amount of weight was given to the character of Nicholas Hoult’s Beast, who emotionally anchors several scenes with Fassbender and McAvoy remarkably well, holding his own against these acting powerhouses. His relationship with Charles is put to the test as he uncovers the skeletons in Charles’ closet and I was surprisingly engaged with Beast’s storyline – caring more about it than the main Jean Grey arc. Where the acting falls apart lies with the new characters and there is really only one major one: Jessica Chastain’s painfully boring alien changeling Vuk. Not only is there just not enough for Chastain to do with the role, but the way she interprets the character as a being void of all emotion makes all her scenes incredibly uninteresting.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is something of a reflection of Fox’s franchise as a whole: sometimes frustrating, sometimes engaging and sometimes just fine. The latest adventure does nothing much to make people scream for more X-Men films under Fox but neither does it completely disrespect the franchise, providing a fitting conclusion for the characters audiences have been with since First Class. Whilst I won’t miss the frustrating story-lines, shoddy dialogue and odd character choices; I will miss the characters and the actors who have done so much to bring them to life. But like the mutants, these films must evolve, and with the characters transferring over to Disney and incorporated into the MCU, it’s definitely an exciting time to be an X-Men fan.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Kodi Smit-McPhee & Jessica Chastain – in cinemas now.

Tags Dark Phoenix, Evan Peters, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, Nicholas Hoult, Simon Kinberg, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, X-Men, X-Men: Dark Phoenix

Movie Reviews

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Post author By Mark
Post date June 3, 2019

Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the long awaited sequel to 2014’s Godzilla, certainly sends a message to those who complained the last film was lacking in monster mayhem. The film is the polar opposite of its predecessor in this sense – delivering mountains of creature carnage to the screen and introducing several famous monsters from the expansive Godzilla history to boot. The action is nothing short of amazing; epic in scope with flawless visual effects and excellent camera direction giving you a front seat to these enormous battles for supremacy over our planet. Where the sequel falls apart, however, is in its ridiculous, unnecessarily convoluted story which attempts to juggle far too many characters and plot-lines at once for the audience to really care about any one in particular. Whilst this aspect of the film is disappointing for sure, the human story is not what most viewers come to these movies for, and the spectacle of the monsters is more than enough to keep most audiences satisfied.

Let’s get right into that story which, similarly to the 2014 film, centres around a family. The Russell family suffered a tremendous loss during Godzilla’s first foray onto land in San Francisco and in the 5 years following have drifted apart. Mother Emma (Vera Farmiga) has pledged herself to studying these incredibly large creatures, known as Titans – who have begun turning up in a variety of locations around the globe – for the now not-so-secret monster research group Monarch, with daughter Madison (Millie Bobby Brown) in tow. Meanwhile Mark (Kyle Chandler), the Russell patriarch, has been struggling to cope with the events of San Fransisco and has isolated himself in quiet mountain territory as he recovers from a battle with alcoholism. When Emma and Madison’s latest encounter with a Titan is interrupted by a group of eco-terrorists, led by mercenary Jonah Alan (Charles Dance), Mark must unite with Emma’s Monarch co-workers (Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Thomas Middleditch) to locate his daughter, ex-wife and her latest creation: a device capable of communicating with the Titans. This becomes a race against time before it falls into the wrong hands and the Titans are unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. This is a lot to unpack; with numerous characters and plot-lines in play and we haven’t even got into how Godzilla factors into all of this.

It’s clear that director Mike Dougherty has a deep appreciation and attachment to the Godzilla franchise and that the story here is a homage of sorts to the crazy narratives of those films. Whilst that works in the context of a cheesy Saturday afternoon monster movie where men in rubber suits walk around knocking each other into cardboard buildings, the world that was established in Gareth Edwards film is very much a centred, real-world take on what would happen if these creatures showed up in our world. Those old films found it necessary to have these wacky human-centric plots to break up the action and to deal with budget constraints, and it works with the tone that was set. In this more grounded take on the Godzilla universe, that tone just doesn’t work and whilst I appreciate what Dougherty was trying to do – which will probably appeal to many long-time fans of the franchise – I would have preferred to see the series carry the tone across from the 2014 film, or at the very least reign in some of the more over-the-top aspects of the story.

What works best in King of the Monsters is, as the name suggests, the monsters. Godzilla is as fearsome as he was in the last film and the writers (Dougherty, Zach Shields and Max Borenstein) are clearly having a ball exploring the background and inner workings of the giant lizard. Their respect and reverence towards Godzilla comes across in the story, where he is touted as the protector of humanity, as well as through the relationship with Ken Watanabe’s character Dr. Ishiro Serizawa. Serizawa clearly worships Godzilla as he’s studied him for years and there is such a strong connection here that is clearly symbolic of the writers’ – and to a larger degree, Godzilla fans’ – connection to the franchise as a whole. Added to the mix this time around are classic Godzilla staples Ghidorah, Mothra and Rodan to punch up the monster roster as well as to provide some more big battles and variety in the fights. It’s something I was particularly grateful for after seeing Godzilla fight a few times, as I was craving something different from these confrontations and it certainly delivered, taking action to the skies with Ghidorah and Rodan, and involving the human military forces in a surprisingly effective way. The film does a good job of not simply having human characters sitting around witnessing the carnage but taking matters into their own hands. It makes a difference as these separate stories do not confine the separate camera angles like the first film did, which was almost always from the point of view of a ground-level character. Here we get stunning wide angle shots of the action not tied down to a human character and the film features some truly gorgeous imagery as a result.

Inside of this ridiculous story are a veritable smorgasboard of some of the best actors working in the business today, and while not every performance is a home-run, the actors are all trying their best with the narrative they have been given. At the top end of this spectrum are returning mainstays Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins, both of whom give terrific performances as Monarch scientists who have now risen to the top of the food chain in this new world order as the authority on Titans. Watanabe shares some genuinely emotional scenes with Godzilla and he is definitely the beating heart of the film, a representative of the audience’s attachment to these creatures and films. Newcomers Millie Bobby Brown and Thomas Middleditch also deliver the goods, both having come off major television shows in Stranger Things and Silicon Valley respectively. Brown is clearly having a ball playing the tough-as-nails kid who has grown up around these monsters and has a deep emotional connection with them. Whilst her particular narrative takes a few left turns here and there logically, Brown’s commitment to the role never wavers and she lights up the screen. Middleditch, having led a sit-com for several years, is understandably assigned a majority of the humour in the film, which he pulls off seemingly effortlessly as a scientist who appears to have almost no knowledge of basic human interactions. He also gets a chance to show some real emotional depth and he handles it remarkably well, showing that he is more than just a comedian and I hope more roles go his way that utilise this skillset.

This is where the acting takes a turn however, with the performances of Vera Farmiga and Kyle Chandler in particular. Farmiga, who is normally excellent, seems as though she doesn’t know what kind of movie she’s in – playing the role of a scientist obsessed with not allowing another San Francisco incident to occur. There isn’t much emotion that comes through in her performance and I was never quite sure what her motivations really were, which was not helped by the downright stupid and illogical decisions her character makes. On the other hand, Kyle Chandler’s character was so one-note and bland that I was just annoyed whenever he would appear on-screen, again making some supremely stupid character choices that contradict the development we have just seen his character go through. It’s unfortunate that the film has actors of such a high calibre and can’t do anything interesting with them and I couldn’t help but think that by losing some of the seemingly endless characters and really focusing on a core cast the film could have come up with a tighter story with some solid, meaningful character development.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a different beast to its predecessor. One that tries to continue the story set up by Gareth Edwards film as well as a celebration of the franchise’s fifty plus year history. Whilst it doesn’t all hit the way it is intended to – with a murky, illogical story and some awful characters – when the giant beasts converge on the screen to fight you cannot look away. It is a testament to these characters and their legacy, as well as the incredible work of the visual effects team, that after all this time there’s something so pure and enticing about giant monsters fighting amongst humanity and the society we hold so dear, destroying everything in their path.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters stars Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Thomas Middleditch & O’Shea Jackson Jr. – In cinemas now.

Tags Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ken Watanabe, King of the Monsters, Kyle Chandler, Mike Dougherty, Millie Bobby Brown, Sally Hawkins, Vera Farmiga

Movie Reviews

Godzilla (2014)

Post author By Mark
Post date May 30, 2019

The 2014 American reboot of the classic kaiju film Godzilla was a divisive release. Many claimed that the film simply didn’t show enough of the giant lizard in action whilst others defended the choice to drip-feed monster madness to the audience. This review falls into the latter category, as I believe that Godzilla is not only a great film in its own right, but one of the best blockbuster monster movies in recent memory. Director Gareth Edwards had a monumental task on his hands bringing this cinematic icon to the big screen following the abysmal 1998 version, and he more than achieves that goal – asserting Godzilla’s dominance as king of the monsters.

The story begins with Joe (Bryan Cranston) and Sandra (Juliette Binoche) Brody, scientists at a Japanese nuclear power plant investigating a series of radiation spikes and earth tremors in the local Janjira region, only to be caught in the middle of the facility’s catastrophic collapse that halts any future research and ends in tragedy. Cut to 15 years later, as we follow their son Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), fresh off a stint in the army and readjusting to life back home. Ford’s return is cut short when he is suddenly called to Japan to collect his father from jail for trespassing at the collapsed power plant, declared a radiation zone by Japanese officials. From here on out we follow Ford as he comes to terms with his father’s obsession with finding answers to the past catastrophe, learns about the existence of the secret organisation ‘Monarch’ (researchers into ancient beings who used to rule the planet by feeding off the Earth’s natural radiation), and we watch as he encounters these monsters as he attempts to return to his wife Elle (Elizabeth Olsen) and son Sam (Carson Bolde). This story of a man attempting to reunite with his family is intercut with the exploits of Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr Graham (Sally Hawkins), researchers for Monarch who are assisting military forces in understanding their enemies as they battle Godzilla and his foes: the MUTO’s (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism).

The plot of a Godzilla film is tricky to get right – balancing the monster fighting glory of the old movies with characters and a plot that audiences can care about. Edwards’ film mostly hits the mark here, anchoring the story with a core cast of characters whose lives have all been impacted by Godzilla or another one of his kind. This grounded perspective gives the audience a chance to appreciate the sheer spectacle of these creatures and to immerse themselves in the minds and shoes of each character – how would you react to these giant beasts suddenly appearing in society and challenging your conceptions of the world? To further aid this immersion, Edwards employs several unique camera tricks – including POV shots through the eyes of Ford as he encounters the creatures, as well as more than a few shots of characters in the foreground suddenly being put into perspective as a giant head or leg rises behind them. Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey does remarkable work here too, creating some beautifully composed shots that I would gladly hang on a wall as art; the HALO jump scene being one such example. It’s all tied together by the brilliant work of the VFX team who create incredibly lifelike creatures that look as if they could be tearing down buildings in our own world.

Music and sound (or the lack thereof) also play a large role in Godzilla and immersing you in the adventure. Alexandre Desplat’s score is nothing short of epic and a fitting soundtrack to the destruction it accompanies. The use of sound is also unique; during the POV scenes with Ford, the sound of the outside world is dimmed as the sound of his heartbeat is amplified. It’s a clever device that works to give us an understanding of the human response to seeing such extreme forces of nature up close and personal. Of course if you’re going to talk bout sound you can’t overlook the superb sound design behind Godzilla’s roar. Channelling the classic sound, it’s given another level of bass and ferocity here that drowns out everything else on the screen. The airport scene where we first witness Godzilla in the flesh is simply mesmerising and I could have watched and listened to that first roar for hours.

In terms of the acting, Cranston and Watanabe are the main attractions here besides the big guy himself, both showcasing their considerable dramatic chops. There is a level of empathy to Cranston’s performance that is heartbreaking to watch, as he spends his life trying find an explanation for what caused the Janjira meltdown, and ultimately, a sense of catharsis over the loss of his wife. Watanabe’s character is almost the antithesis to Cranston’s character, someone who has also undergone a terrible loss, but who has used the experience as fuel to progress his life and pursue his passion. The role is perfect for Watanabe; the mixture of his fear over the consequences of letting Godzilla loose and his obsession and respect for these creatures allowing him to give some real depth and nuance to the performance. Unfortunately, Aaron Taylor-Johnson – the actor we spend the most time with – is the weakest link in the film. His character is not only poorly written – a mixture of generic action/soldier stereotypes – but his performance is just bland and dull. There’s no expression from Ford as he confronts these wonders and horrors throughout his travels, with the most we get from Johnson being a slightly confused, sleepy look. It’s a shame that, for a movie that does so much right and has other interesting characters to play with, the writers couldn’t think of a more compelling lead for us as an audience to identify with and follow.

Finally we get to the most divisive part of Godzilla: the titular lizard’s screen-time. Critics of the film have chastised it for being light on the Godzilla action and for turning away from battles when they happen earlier in the film – we often cut to television news footage or background scenes of the monsters duking it out instead of an up-close view of the carnage. This is what makes this Godzilla so great to me; Edwards is distinctly aware that we are in the seats to see some monster mayhem and he has the courage to deny us this, instead tantalising us with snippets and footage of the fights from other sources in the film. He ratchets the excitement and tension up so high that when the final battle does unfold it’s a rush of adrenalin; a fist-pumping release of all that pent-up energy the audience has built up. The risk that Edwards runs by doing this is that if the final fight isn’t of the highest calibre, the audience may feel cheated – as if this whole endeavour was a waste of time. It does not disappoint however, as the third act is everything Godzilla fans could want, especially once Godzilla unleashes his atomic breath, lighting up the sky with a vibrant blue and giving the scenes a gorgeous colour palette as this otherworldly light breaks through the dreary, demolished city.

This iteration of Godzilla was an experiment; a proof of concept that an American filmmaker could take this decades-spanning Japanese property and create a film that honoured it and introduced the franchise to a wider audience. The film succeeds in doing this, never having to resort to flooding the screen with dozens of iconic Kaiju, instead letting us spend some time with the original iconic monster before introducing his foes and allies in future instalments. Whilst these bold choices in narrative were not for everyone, I found it to be a daring and inventive blockbuster that reasserts Godzilla as the king of the monsters.

Godzilla stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Elizabeth Olsen & David Strathairn – available on home entertainment and to stream now.

Tags Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Gareth Edwards, Godzilla, Juliette Binoche

Movie Reviews

Aladdin (2019)

Post author By Mark
Post date May 26, 2019

Disney has been on a mission lately to remake almost every animated film they’ve ever created in live-action form. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag so far as we’ve had some lows (Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland films), some highs (Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella and Mark Webb’s Christopher Robin) and one genuinely great entry (Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book). Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin sits firmly in the middle of the pack; a serviceable remake with some great musical performances and timely additions to the narrative that work for the most part, but one that fails to recapture the magic of the original animated classic – overusing CGI spectacle instead of meaningful character moments at times.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story (which is unlikely) it revolves around Aladdin (Mena Massoud), a young man living on the impoverished streets of the Arabian city of Agrabah who resorts to thievery in order to survive. His life changes forever once he meets the Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) and falls head over heels in love. Yet the evil Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), adviser to the Sultan (Navid Negahban), has other plans for Aladdin which involve him retrieving a lamp that holds an ancient Genie (Will Smith) – bound to grant his master any three wishes. With the Genie’s help, Aladdin attempts to win over Jasmine’s affection whilst Jafar plots his revenge and retrieval of the lamp. The core plot of Aladdin remains unchanged from the 1992 original, with a few additional songs and scenes thrown in to appeal to a more modern audience. These tend to revolve around the Princess Jasmine’s inability to rule Agrabah after her father’s reign is over, as according to law she must marry a prince who will rule with her by his side. Enter Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders, one of Princess Jasmine’s suitors, who steals every scene he’s in with some great comedic timing and a truly awful accent. It’s easily the best of the new story added which makes it somewhat frustrating that there’s so little of it. The film seems more focused on faithfully recreating the original with a sprinkle of something new here and there that it never really embraces the new content, even when it’s done so well.

This leads to another disappointing aspect of the film: its direction. Few can argue that nabbing Guy Ritchie (director of Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) was an inspired choice out of left-field. Known for directing more hardcore action films, hiring him to direct a family musical was certainly out of the ordinary. Ritchie had been increasingly dipping his toe into films with a wider audience (his Sherlock Holmes films were a smash at the box office) and this marks his biggest and most widespread film to date. It’s a real shame that Ritchie’s style here simply doesn’t really translate. Gone are the inventive camera movements and gritty shooting styles of his earlier films, replaced by a big studio sheen and over-reliance on CGI. Whilst one can argue that this was hardly a film that called for a gritty style, Agrabah as a city just seems fake and I never bought that it was a lived-in place riddled with poverty – despite what the narrative wants you to believe. There are a few scenes where Ritchie gets a chance to show off – most notably Aladdin’s adventure in the Cave of Wonders to secure the lamp – with some dynamic camera angles and fast paced action making it a highlight of the film. Whilst Ritchie’s style from his earlier work doesn’t particularly come across, he shows a remarkable affinity for directing the musical portions of the film.

Music plays a huge role in this interpretation of Aladdin as it did in the original. Huge crowd-pleasing numbers like “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” are terrific and a testament to the magic of Disney and the lasting impact these songs have had on popular culture. Will Smith, himself an established artist, gets to showcase his musical prowess on “Arabian Nights” and “Friend Like Me”, the latter perfectly suited to his natural charisma and charm as he belts out the huge anthem. This particular song makes full use of the expansive budget given to the film, with CGI filling the screen as the Genie shows off his magic. Ritchie directs the hell out of this scene as it cuts between the Genie’s over-the-top exclamations and Aladdin’s bewildered face to brilliant comedic effect. Massoud and Scott’s performance of “A Whole New World” is also a bright point of the film, as we follow them over various exotic locations on the magic carpet. It’s one of the few moments that we really gain an understanding of the connection between Aladdin and Jasmine and it tells the story of their love better than anything had previously in the film.

Massoud and Smith are the standouts here, both bringing bucketloads of charisma to their roles. It’s not exactly a surprise from Smith, who lights up the screen in just about every role, but it shouldn’t be overlookd. His rendition of “Friend Like Me”, as I mentioned, is a highlight of the film for sure – but Smith also shows some restraint here and doesn’t let his star power overshadow the rest of the film, often taking a backseat to Aladdin’s exploits. As someone who was worried this might become “The Will Smith Show” I was glad that he wasn’t the focal point and it was definitely a case of less is more, as each scene with Smith had the crowd in riots as he flexed his comedic muscles. Mena Massoud is a revelation here, clearly relishing the opportunity to play this role as he imbues the character with a charm and depth that rivals the original. He also brings some serious vocal chops to the table – the way he belts out his solo tune “One Jump Ahead” will have you believing he moonlights as a professional singer when he’s not acting. Naomi Scott, while competent in the role of Jasmine, doesn’t really have a whole lot to do in the film and is, in a way, just along for the ride with Aladdin. It’s a shame given the talents of Scott, but she does make up for the lack of screentime by having a lasting impact with her singing scenes, particularly “A Whole New World” and new song “Speechless”. Marwan Kenzari rounds out the core cast as Jafar and he was definitely the weakest point of the film, opting for over-the-top theatrics and yelling instead of genuinely sinister dialogue. Jafar never seemed like a real threat in the scheme of things, every time he presented a new challenge for Aladdin it was overcome so swiftly and easily that you wonder why he doesn’t just kill him to stop all the annoyances he causes. There’s simply not enough thought given to why Jafar actually wants this power, and the reason he gives in the film is flimsy at best.

Overall Aladdin is a well made, if underwhelming entry into the Disney live-action remake catalogue – meeting the brief in bringing the story of the street thief turned prince to a new audience. The musical performances and work of Mena Massoud and Will smith make up for the weak performance of Marwan Kenzari and the lack of flair in direction and narrative. For those looking for a complete reimagining of the Aladdin tale this is not that, but for those wishing to see the characters and songs of their youth brought to the big screen in a new style, with some new content thrown in for good measure, this is a solid choice and a fun trip to the movies.

Aladdin starts Mena Massoud, Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Nasim Pedrad, Navid Negahban and Billy Magnussen and is in cinemas now.

Tags Aladdin, Disney, Guy Ritchie, Marwan Kenzari, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Will Smith

Movie Reviews

Brightburn

Post author By Mark
Post date May 26, 2019

What if Superman was evil? That’s the central concept behind Brightburn, the new horror film from director David Yarovesky and producer James Gunn. While a horror riff on the Man of Steel’s origin story is a great idea worth investing in, this particular interpretation struggles to soar under the weight of weak visual effects and cheap horror clichés. Nevertheless the attempt to stand out amongst the increasingly similar superhero content in today’s society is admirable – and if you’re willing to invest in the experience and look past its many flaws – Brightburn is an entertaining ride with great performances from leads Elizabeth Banks and David Denman.

The plot of Brightburn is exactly what you think it is, as we follow the development of middle schooler Brandon Breyer (Jackson A. Dunn) as he learns of his alien heritage and the accompanying powers that go with it. Guided by his own ma and pa Kent, Tori (Banks) and Kyle Breyer (Denman), Brandon should be going the way of Clark Kent, a saviour for a world who doesn’t realise they need one. Something sinister, however, calls to Brandon from the barn behind his house and curiosity gets the better of him. Up until this point the film really has a lot going for it, we’re invested in the Breyer parents and understand their affection for their adopted son, who they see as a miracle bestowed upon them. Sure, there’s the odd misstep along the way with some downright awful dialogue and some seriously questionable decisions that just defy logic, but the initial mystery surrounding Brandon, the barn and the gradual development of his powers – shown in some inventive, albeit ridiculous ways – is well paced and I was genuinely interested in what was unfolding. The film makes some pretty powerful, if not always subtle, observations on social anxiety and isolation – showing how Brandon’s inability to fit in at school pushes him towards the darker path. When Brandon finally turns, his actions are a shocking and heinous reaction to the world around him, something that is truly terrifying given recent events in our world.

It’s a real shame, given the solid foundation established in the first two acts, that the film then devolves into a series of jump scares and mindless gore. The jump scares in particular are the worst kind of horror cliché here: a character approaches the scene, the music blares and something jumps out to frighten the living daylights out of them. Only it doesn’t frighten us. These scares don’t so much instill you with any measurable fear as much as they do jolt you upright with a loud sound and a sudden camera movement. It became such common practice that these sudden noises didn’t even elicit a response from me, I simply sat there annoyed that the filmmakers chose to go for a cheap scare instead of really digging into Brandon’s character, developing the struggle between his desire to live a normal life and the pull of his alien heritage. Once Brandon turns villainous, his character is essentially forfeit and the film loses most of its stakes. It relies on the connection we have to Elizabeth Banks and David Denham’s characters to keep us invested, but all the character work developing Brandon as an innocent child tormented by his origin is wasted.

Speaking of Banks and Denham, they’re easily the brightest point (excuse the pun) of the film. We see the story, for the most part, through their eyes as they struggle to comprehend and defend their son’s increasingly bizarre and violent actions. It is tearing them apart – not only as parents, but also as a couple – and it was a wise choice to anchor the film to them as a duo. Their differing responses to Brandon’s behaviour creates conflict more interesting than any power he exhibits, and it would have served the story better to unravel this thread rather than the anticlimactic third act that we get. Jackson A. Dunn does his best with the character of Brandon, hitting all the notes that the script requires of him, but it’s ultimately a thankless role he’s been put in. There’s no real personality to Brandon, apart from the stereotypical awkward teenager archetype, and even once he turns villain, there’s no over-the-top speeches or declarations of war against humanity, just a blank stare underneath a mask as he silently imposes his will. Whilst you don’t necessarily need to go full camp with Brandon as a villain, some internal conflict would have made the film more powerful by allowing the audience to resonate with him.

What I found interesting about Brightburn was its stance on the modern super-hero film. On the one hand it’s a loving homage to the Superman franchise – specifically Man of Steel, with which it shares many similarities. There are almost shot for shot recreations of certain scenes at the farmhouse from the first Henry Cavill led movie – and even the score at times seems familiar, borrowing Hans Zimmer’s striking horns. The Breyer parents act as a modern equivalent to the Kent’s, living on a farm and attempting to teach Brandon the ethics of hard work and general goodness, and it all works well. Where the film falters is in its attempt to handle the more action oriented, superpower heavy portions of the film. The visual effects here are downright awful, not nearly at the level of the usual Warner Bros’ produced Superman films. It’s not a real problem in the first half of the film and it’s understandable given the small budget. However once the horror aspects come into play and Brandon starts uses his powers for evil, this lack of budget really shows. The gore and powers all look terrible, with the exception of one scene in a truck, and it’s distracting when you’re trying to lose yourself in a scene or performance and you can see the outline of Brandon hovering on a green screen.

Brightburn is an interesting experiment in a different kind of superhero film and I applaud it for that. It’s a rare occurrence in modern movies given that Marvel and DC movies have shown that a lighter tone almost always guarantees box office success. What works is the performances and the initial mystery surrounding Brandon’s origins before it devolves into a clichéd horror film. Having said that, the solid performances from Banks and Denman kept me invested in the story for the full runtime, despite the problems that arise in the final act. I can’t send you out to the cinemas to see it, but as a lazy Saturday afternoon movie – Brightburn is a solid choice. I’m happy that it took a chance and hope to see more studios following suit and investing in new spins on the superhero genre.

Brightburn stars Elizabeth Banks, David Denman & Jackson A. Dunn – in cinemas now.

Tags Brightburn, David Denman, David Yarovesky, Elizabeth Banks, Jackson A. Dunn, James Gunn

Movie Reviews

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Post author By Mark
Post date May 24, 2019

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is brutal. There’s no other word to describe the 2 hour action-fest from returning series director Chad Stahelski. But despite it’s lengthy title John Wick 3 is lean and mean. Wasting no time on extraneous dialogue or set-ups, the film gets on with the action straight away, and how bloody that action is. Just when you think they can’t top the action of the previous film, Stahelski delivers the most impressive set-pieces in the franchise to date (and possibly action movie history), as well as bringing us attack dogs led by Halle Berry. If that doesn’t get you in the cinema, stop reading now.

Parabellum picks up immediately after the events of Chapter 2, continuing the saga of John Wick’s hellish week which began so long ago with his poor puppy’s death. Injured and on the run, Wick has an hour to prepare himself before the contract on his head goes public. Stahelski uses this brief prologue sequence to dial up the tension of the coming conflict, having John run across New York city through the rain and past numerous assassins – each hiding in plain sight amongst the public to take stock of their soon-to-be prey. When the clock chimes 6pm, the chaos unleashes and it’s from that point on that we as viewers barely get a chance to catch our breath. The third instalment in the franchise is almost non-stop action, opting for an extra gun fight or motorbike chase rather than further exploration of its underground assassin society. We’re given a few extra details around the assassin world that further the plot and I admire the choice not to double down again after the extensive world building of previous films. We’ve spent enough time in this world to be familiar with how it works and Stahelski relies on the incredible skills of his stunt performers and actors to entertain us, rather than drowning us in world-building exposition. When the final act kicks into gear it really is a spectacle to behold, and the continued emotional connection we’ve developed with Wick throughout the franchise means you’re on the edge of your seat as he faces off against some impossible odds.

As I’ve mentioned, the action here is not just another step, but a giant leap up in terms of scope and duration. Chapter 3 features about as many action scenes as the last two films combined, if not more, and it’s almost exhausting to watch in the best possible way. As a viewer you’re always tense and fearful for John as he escapes countless near death situations, and it takes its toll on you by the time the credits have rolled. My favourite fight scene of the film – and you have plenty to choose from – involved Wick facing off against a group of shinobi in a hallway lined with cabinets of knives. What starts off as a thrilling hand-to-hand martial arts fight quickly escalates once the knives (and axes) come into play, and I was transfixed as the camera spun around to keep me deep in the action – while still showing what every player in the scene was doing at any given time. This type of camerawork showcases the impressive work of Keanu Reeves and the stunt teams as the long pans and fixed angle shots allow us to see the action in all its glory. It’s something that’s not exactly new here – all the action in the series has been consistently well shot – however it’s taken up a notch here by the scale of the fights and some impressive additions to the stunt performers.

Newcomers to the franchise Cecep Arif Rahman and Yayan Ruhian get a chance to show why they are two of the finest working stunt actors in the world today. Known for their work in The Raid series, the two actors square off against Keanu in a martial-arts heavy fight scene, with many winks and nods thrown in to their previous stunt work, as well as an acknowledgement of the friendly rivalry between The Raid and John Wick franchises – arguably two of the best action franchises around today. They are joined by another fresh face Mark Dacascos, who plays shinobi leader Zero. Not only does Dacascos showcase his impressive stunt abilities, squaring off against many enemies with brutal efficiency and acrobatic skill, he also brings some much needed levity to the proceedings – Zero is something of a fan-boy of John Wick and makes no effort to hide it. Humour has never been this franchises strong point but it’s a welcome addition here that lets off some of the tension built up through the action.

Returning franchise veterans Ian McShane and Lawrence Fishburne reprise their roles as Winston and the Bowery King respectively, delivering some of their finest work to date. McShane in particular has a much larger role than in previous instalments, dealing with the consequences of aiding John in the last film. He plays the role with his usual stoic charm, but underpinned this time around with fear and anger. The Adjudicator, a new character played by Asia Kate Dillon, is instrumental in bringing out these emotions, acting as a representative of the High Table – the rulers of the assassin world – who aim to bring Winston and the Bowery King to justice for their association with the excommunicated Wick. Dillon plays the role with a little too much smugness and the character simply becomes annoying to listen to rather than instilling a sense of dread – taking away the impact of the news she delivers to the various high-ranking assassins in the film. The last character worth noting here is Sofia, played by Halle Berry, who makes a triumphant return to the action genre here (I’m talking specifically about her role in Die Another Day: a guilty pleasure). Whilst it’s not the best performance of hers in terms of acting quality, Berry did perform all her own stunts and the skills she puts on display, particularly her proficiency with guns, is exciting to watch. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the attack dogs again – Sofia’s personal hounds who bring some truly vicious punishments down on anyone unwise enough to cross her and John. It’s yet another example of how the franchise plays with the notions of conventional action cinema and I was constantly scanning the scene for the next entrance of the dogs.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum does what you didn’t think was possible and ups the ante from the last film. Whilst the acting and story take a backseat to the action here, it’s s conscious choice and easily forgivable when the action is this good. Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves have cemented themselves as a winning partnership in action cinema with this film, and in traditional John Wick style, leave the ending open for more adventures of the expert assassin. It’s hard to believe they can top this, but if anyone can do it, it’s this pair and they have more than earned our trust at this point.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum stars Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Lawrence Fishburne, Asia Kate Dillon & Mark Dacascos – in cinemas now.

Tags Chad Stahelski, Halle Berry, John Wick, John Wick Chapter 3, Keanu Reeves, Parabellum

Movie Reviews

John Wick: Chapter 2

Post author By Mark
Post date May 19, 2019

Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski struck gold in 2014 with the original John Wick. The pair crafted a tight, brutal action revenge film and created an iconic action character in the titular assassin. The story seemingly ended in that film, as John had found a new furry companion and walked away having settled his debt and avenged his previous canine companion. The unexpected financial success of the film, however, prompted a sequel to be put together, and while John Wick: Chapter 2 falls prey to some typical action sequel clichés, it still manages to be an engaging, even more brutal adventure into the assassin underworld.

Chapter 2 kicks off with a bang as we follow Wick tying up some loose ends with the Russian mob from the first film. This acts as an epilogue of sorts for the previous film but also as a chance to showcase the bigger budget and the fights that will come as a result. Once John returns from this mission and attempts to settle back into his retirement, he is greeted by Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio), head of an Italian mob family and an old acquaintance. Santino is the holder of a “marker” against John, a blood oath Wick struck years earlier that allowed him to escape from his criminal life and live with his wife – but now D’Antonio has come to collect. A globe trotting tour of assassinations and criminal syndicates follow as John is sent on a mission to take out Santino’s sister and heir to the council of assassins who essentially run the global underworld.

If all this sounds a bit confusing and ridiculous it’s because it is. The film makes it clear that it is foregoing a cohesive plot in favour of more complex fights and bigger stunts to go with that increased sequel budget. While the plot for the first film wasn’t exactly groundbreaking, it had a solid pace and moved with purpose as we followed John on his singular path for revenge. Here we fall into action clichés as John moves from room to room full of goons on his way to completing his mission. Once things develop further later in the run, the plot gets even murkier and I was unsure where John even was until we got a handy pan of the New York skyline as a reminder. While you are never bored watching, it is a shame that the story doesn’t do more to propel John on his way, instead opting in favour of abrupt shifts in location as we watch Wick adapt to each new situation he finds himself in. While not everything is a home run, writer Derek Kolstad is clearly taking risks in his screenplay, adding huge chunks of mythos to the assassin world and expounding on the first movie’s lore tenfold. The Italian settings make for a shift in environment that sets the action set pieces apart from the American counterparts of the first film, giving them their own distinct visual flair.

Where the increased budget has been put to use is the action. John Wick: Chapter 2 ups the ante significantly from the first film, delivering larger, more intense action scenes which expand from purely hand-to-hand fights through to vehicle combat and some magnificently shot chase scenes. The hand-to-hand scenes feature plenty more goons for Wick to cut through with his signature brand of Gun-fu, with Reeves one again performing majority of the stunts himself – allowing for long, uninterrupted shots of the action to be shown. These are beautiful to watch as Wick manoeuvres himself across a room cutting down everyone in his path, and they’re made even more stunning when they’re set in locations like a museum’s hall of mirrors or a brightly lit, futuristic train station. The chase scene in the train station is worth mentioning, and was easily the highlight of the film for me, as John attempts to outrun several rival assassins all intent on bringing him down. The scene moves back and forth between an all out chase as John sprints away from his enemies, taking down any in his path, and a stealthy escape as he tries to hide in plain sight, blending with the public. This stealth scene is particularly innovative because it also acts as a silent shootout of sorts, with Wick and his enemies taking shots at each other with silenced weapons. It all culminates in a thrilling train showdown with another assassin, a truly tense scene where each fighter vies for supremacy in the tight space of the carriage. It is quality action like this that make me overlook the fact that the public has no concern whatsoever about bodies piling up in their midst.

I mentioned before that Chapter 2 expands the assassin world, and this is evident in the introduction of several new characters. The character played by Ruby Rose, a deaf & mute assassin, could have been something more if it was portrayed by a more talented actor. It’s certainly an interesting concept, however Rose does nothing with the role and it boils down to her serving Wick with looks that say “I don’t like you very much” as she proceeds to try to kick him in the face. A better portrayed, if still not amazing, killer is Cassian, played by rapper Common, a bodyguard for Wick’s target who has a murky history with John. He definitely has more to work with in his role than Ruby Rose, and his past experiences with John makes for some great dialogue exchanges and fights. By far the best of the newcomers is Lawrence Fishburne, who plays the Bowery King, leader of an underground syndicate of assassins who pose as homeless around New York. Reeves and his The Matrix co-star obviously have great chemistry and their dialogue together pops. Fishburne excels at playing the unhinged leader, going for the same kind of over-the-top reactions and hyperbole in his dialogue that made Michael Nyqvist’s villain from the first movie so much fun to watch.

Whilst John Wick: Chapter 2 doubles down on the action and world building that made the first film so great, its nonsensical story detracts and leaves viewers confused about the significance of the fight they are watching. It’s hard to care about the outcome of a fight when we’re not exactly sure why John is in this particular mess. What does keep us invested, however, is another stellar performance from Keanu Reeves, who continues to give it his all, both in his acting and his stunt-work. We’re now so emotionally invested in the character that we will follow him anywhere and I can’t wait to see what awaits him in the next instalment of the franchise.

John Wick: Chapter 2 stars Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Ruby Rose, Common & Riccardo Scarmarcio – Available to view on streaming and home entertainment now.

Tags Common, John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Ruby Rose