I Luv Movies: Action Adventure

Showing posts with label Action Adventure. Show all posts

Thursday, July 31, 2025

SUPERMAN (2025)

Written & Directed by James Gunn

Where & When: AMC The Americana at Brand 18, Glendale, CA. July 13, 2025 1:30 PM

Since his creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster eighty-seven years ago, Superman has endured as an iconic, super-powered, crime-fighting character that helped popularize the comic-book genre. Since 1940, he has appeared in numerous radio serials, novels, films, television shows, theater, and video games.

Now the latest film reboot, simply titled "Superman", has James Gunn behind it, the writer and director who boldly shook-up the formula of the genre (somewhat) with the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy by taking us on a weird, wild ride with off-the-wall heroes and some unexpected dark humor. With this film, Gunn does mess around with our expectations of these very familiar characters. Some of these changes feels inspired while other transitions comes across as painfully awkward. But what this "Superman" has done successfully is brought a fresh excitement to this legendary hero's story and taking us on a thrilling, offbeat adventure we hadn't anticipated at all.

Assuming we are all well familiar with his backstory, the film begins with Superman (now played by David Corenswet), badly hurt and unable to make it on his own to his secret ice fortress in Antarctica, whistling. This calls for his super-powered dog, Krypto to race through the snow to help his master. We learn that Superman had lost his battle against a metahuman called the "Hammer of Boravia", who is under control by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), a wealthy tech wizard whose prime focus is to destroy the Man of Steel. After recovering with the help of his team of robotic helpers, Superman returns to Metropolis under his secret guise as Clark Kent, an unassuming reporter for the news organization, The Daily Planet. Clark might spar with his fellow reporter, Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) at work but after hours, they are privately having a romantic affair with her fully aware of his true identity. Lois cares for her Superman but unsure if this relationship is really such a great idea.

Luthor is still determined to finish off Superman. After having another metahuman collaborator, The Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) break into Superman's fortress, she discovers a message from our hero's parents (Bradley Cooper and Angela Sarafyan) that was with him when he was sent to Earth as an infant from his doomed home planet, Krypton. The end of the communication had been damaged during the journey and Luthor uses his technology to repair the message, discovering that the parents had requested a malevolent plan for their son. Luthor broadcasts this disturbing recording to the world with the public quickly turning against Superman and the government demanding that he be locked up for questioning.

After being unceremoniously dropped from Marvel/Disney over some controversial jokes he had made in the past, Gunn was hired to breathe fresh new life into the DC Universe. The recent films over the last five years ("The Suicide Squad", "Black Adam", "The Flash", "Blue Beetle", "Shazam! Fury of the Gods") have all struggled at the box-office. "Superman" is the first big step and Gunn has certainly succeeded in launching an intriguing new direction for the comic-book series. The film is a visual wonder with a spectacular-looking Metropolis and riveting battles against odd looking creatures and mutated super-beings. I was very surprised to learn that the dog, Krypto was completely a CGI creation, leaving me impressed (and a little disturbed) over the endless possibilities of this technology.

In the previous movies, there was clear distinction between good and evil with Superman being a powerfully stoic, near-perfect figure that fought against sinister forces while representing solid American values. With "Superman", the spirit here is more shades of nonpartisan gray. The heroes of the Justice Gang, Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), who help Superman in his battle against Luthor, have no issues with killing anybody in their way when they feel necessary. But the noticeable difference about this Superman is that he's motivated by the unshakable belief of decency and that all life is valuable. Even that dirty squirrel deserves to be saved from a certain death.

As our latest "Superman", Corenswet, who had made supporting appearances in several films and television programs before Gunn had noticed him in Ryan Murphy's overripe Netflix series, "Hollywood", perfectly captures the classic image of our hero but his take features him as more vulnerable than he's appeared in the past. Superman is still a brave and amiable protector with midwestern values yet somewhat very naive to the self-involved mindset of this modern world. He's made to constantly question his beliefs by friend and foe, which in turn weakens him psychologically and causes him to lose in battle more than once. Luthor, Superman's longtime arch-nemesis, has been given a slight makeover that makes him an attractive, compelling presence than previously seen. Curiously modeled after Elon Musk, Hoult brings an oily charm to the vile billionaire inventor who seethes with irrational rage over the universal praise Superman receives from the public. Brosnahan's Lois Lane fares less well here. Many of the recent screen versions of Lane has made her a shrewd, fearlessly independent reporter. Brosnahan has a few opportunities to display some of this resourcefulness but she's basically on the sidelines here, given perfunctory chores to do during the attempts to save her man. And there's not much of a persuasive spark happening between this couple on screen either.

Considering the politically volatile times we're currently living in, "Superman" has managed to stir up accusations of being "woke". There is no doubt that Superman might be perceived as left-leaning yet there is no political agenda in this film beyond simply presenting this alien hero from Krypton in our present day and how he most likely would be received in it. The world has grown far less trusting of people who are considered to be "different" and the idea of a super-powered being from another planet making decisions for this entire planet would have the minds of conspiracy theorists going into manic overdrive.

But "Superman" has a warm, vibrant energy generating throughout this stylish, entertaining adventure. This is helped by Gunn effectively sticking to the core of what has made this classic comic-book star still appealing; a noble, kind-hearted hero with a strong sense of morality and justice. This is the kind of super-hero that we really need right now and anyone from any political affiliation should be able to get behind.

Friday, May 9, 2025

THE AMATEUR (2025)

Written by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli

Directed by James Hawes

Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. April 12, 2025 10:00 PM

On the surface, "The Amateur" might appear to be your standard-issue, espionage action-thriller. Yet this rousing, fast-paced film, directed by James Hawes, best known for his work in British television, offers more emotional elements than are usually found in this genre. Rami Malek, the Oscar-winner for his strutting turn as rock star, Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody", stars as a highly intelligent CIA decoder who suffers an unimaginable tragedy and when he feels not enough is being done to capture the perpetrators, he's determined to take matters in his own hands.

Charlie Heller (Malek) is seeing his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) off on a business trip to London before he heads to work at the CIA. As a meticulous cryptographer, he discovers that his boss, Deputy Director Alex Moore (Holt McCallany) has been secretly involved in covering up planned drone strikes as suicide bombings. When he's called in to the office of the CIA Director (Julianne Nicholson), assuming it's regarding his restricted investigation, Charlie is informed that Sarah has been killed by a terrorist group.

Devastated and barely able to function, the grieving Charlie soon becomes consumed with vengeance. After doing his own investigation, narrowing down the suspects who were involved in his wife's murder, he presents his findings to Moore and his deputy, Caleb Horowitz (Danny Sapani). Telling him they're going to wait in order to take down their entire network, Charlie threatens to reveal the information he discovered unless Moore helps him train to hunt down these terrorists. He's reluctantly sent off to a CIA facility to train with Col. Robert Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) while they search Charlie's home trying to track down the classified files he's hidden. Henderson determines that Charlie might be highly skilled with intel but he's no killer. But Charlie doesn't let that stop him, heading to Europe alone with the goal to find the people responsible and create his own version of revenge.

This is not the first time "The Amateur", based on a novel by Robert Littell, has been made as a film. It was first adapted back in 1981 as a Canadian feature directed by Charles Jarrott and starring John Savage, Christopher Plummer, and Marthe Keller. This modestly budgeted production received mediocre reviews and didn't make much of an impression at the box-office.

The new version of "The Amateur" is a pumped-up, Hollywood affair, taking us on an international scenic trip throughout several European cities, expertly shot by German cinematographer, Martin Ruhe. The detailed intrigue and exhilarating action sequences might be the driving force of the film but it is the strong character development and deeper human connections that help elevate this thriller beyond the expected beats of this style of film. Far from anybody's idea of an action star, Malek comes across believably as just an average tech guy, distraught, angry and ready to take matters into his own hands, knowing he's in way over his head yet remains determined to use his wits to see his preposterous mission through to the end.

While the plot might be formulaic and a bit overcooked, "The Amateur" is a well-crafted, thrilling adventure that keeps you fully engaged throughout the mind-boggling twists and turns. Between the shootings and explosions, the film gets extra points for creating heartfelt moments by characters you actually care about.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

COMING SOON

A new teaser trailer has just dropped for "The Fall Guy", an upcoming action-comedy that features two of this year's Oscar nominees, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. It's a modern revisit of the '80's television show starring Lee Majors about a Hollywood stunt man who moonlights as a bounty hunter. Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a veteran action choreographer working on a film when the leading man, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, mysteriously disappears. Seavers begins to investigate to find him and save the film for the director (Blunt) who also happens to be former girlfriend of Seavers and the current girlfriend of missing actor. The director David Leitch is a former stunt man turned filmmaker (behind the first "John Wick", "Atomic Blonde, "Bullet Train") and "The Fall Guy" seems like the perfect fit. And Leitch looks like he's using the irresistible charm, comedic timing and sex appeal of Gosling to the full advantage of the film.

"The Fall Guy" is due in US theaters on May 3, 2024

Monday, March 21, 2022

THE BATMAN (2022)

Written by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig

Directed by Matt Reeves

Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 8, 2022 4:25 PM

In this third big-screen iteration of Batman, co-writer and director, Matt Reeves has moved this legendary comic-book crime fighter deeper into the darkness with "The Batman", set in a dystopian Gotham City so overcast by anarchy, corruption and depravity that sunny optimism is barely able to break through. Wearing the bat-cowl and cape this time is Robert Pattinson, an unexpected yet inspired choice, bringing to the role a far more somber and psychologically damaged Bruce Wayne who is motivated purely by vengeance, aggressively battling against felonious behavior with his own brand of vigilante justice.

Thankfully we do not have to once again relive the tragedy that happened to young Bruce Wayne when he witnesses his parents being murdered during an attempted robbery. But this traumatizing event remains a catalyst which not only drives the brooding, angst-filled Wayne but becomes indirectly connected to a recent crime that has been committed. On Halloween, the city's mayor, who was running for re-election, is brutally murdered in his home. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), a lieutenant officer signals Batman to the crime scene. Only operating as the costumed hero for two years, he is an unwelcome presence by the police, particularly by the police commissioner (Alex Ferns) who considers Batman no better than a common criminal. But Gordon, who is a strong ally, called Batman because a note was left behind by the killer, who calls himself, "Riddler" (played largely unseen by Paul Dano), specifically addressed to him with a riddle to solve. Not long after, the police commissioner and Gotham's district attorney (Peter Sarsgaard) are killed in similarly grisly fashion by Riddler, each time leaving a riddle for Batman, serving as clues for the reason behind his crimes.

One clue leads Batman to the Iceberg Lounge, a seedy nightclub run by Oswald Cobblepot (an unrecognizable Colin Farrell) who is referred to as "Penguin". As an associate of crime lord, Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), Cobblepot has no intention of helping Batman with anything. But he finds a waitress, Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz) working in the club who personally knows the clue he's seeking; her roommate, Annika (Hana Hrzic). But she's has been abducted and the two must work together to find Annika, in order to get answers to stop Riddler. And Selina, a skilled fighter with an affinity to cats, is more than capable of handling herself.

Despite a runtime of one hundred and seventy-six minutes, "The Batman" surprisingly doesn't feel excessive, using the time effectively to introduce us to some intriguing remixes of these familiar characters and holding our attention throughout with a harrowing storyline. On the surface, "The Batman" may appear like your standard super-hero adventure but the script by Reeves and co-writer, Peter Craig (who is the son of two-time Oscar winner, Sally Field) digs deeper, offering something introspectively complex, precarious and mature. Using the graphic novels, Frank Miller's 1987, "Batman: Year One" and "Batman: Earth One" from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank in 2012, as starting points, the story is driven with an emphasis on the detective-thriller elements, having far more in common with the dark, psychological complexity of "Se7en" and "Zodiac" than say, "Justice League" (either version). Set in a alternative vision of NYC, cinematographer, Greig Fraser artfully captures a Gotham City that merges the dangerous times back in the '70's and the more current bright-lights version with a perpetually gloomy, shadowy atmosphere, even in moments taking place during the day.

Pattinson first found fame playing the sexy vampire, Edward Cullen in "Twilight", the romantic-fantasy trilogy based on the wildly popular books by Stephenie Meyer. And after that initial taste of unbridled passion from the rabid fans of these films, it seems the British actor decided to run far away from these high-concept movies, spending his time working with indie-minded filmmakers like David Cronenberg ("Cosmopolis"), Claire Denis ("High Life"), the Safdie Brothers ("Good Time") and Robert Eggers ("The Lighthouse"). Now with over ten years passing since "Twilight", Pattinson feels comfortable enough returning to mainstream entertainment, appearing in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi, action thriller, "Tenet" before stepping into the batsuit. Unlike the character seen in the past, usually portrayed as a wealthy playboy, Pattinson's Bruce Wayne is a millennial; pessimistic, dubious and having little interest in the trappings of his family's vast empire, leaving Alfred (Andy Serkis), a military veteran now his butler, mentor and de facto parental figure, to handle the business affairs. He is so laser-focused on combating crime as Batman, subconsciously trying to avenge the murder of his parents, that it leaves him little time to enjoy any sort of real life as Wayne.

But Selina Kyle does spark something in Batman during brief yet potent occasions where they actually appear interested in a physical entanglement together that doesn't involve crime fighting. I can't recall a time in any super-hero movie where one of these characters actually plants a passionate kiss on anyone and that event in this movie felt astonishing to see. Much like "Joker" (which was elevated by the deeply committed, Oscar-winning performance by Joaquin Phoenix), "The Batman" moves the comic-book based movie in a thrilling new direction, pushing out of the family-friendly comfort zone as far as possible into something that feels more adult. And while it may not actually be groundbreaking, Matt Reeves brilliantly shakes up the routine and challenges the expected convention of this genre.

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

GODZILLA VS. KONG (2021)

Written by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein

Directed by Adam Wingard

Where & When: TCL Chinese IMAX Theater, Hollywood, CA. April 5, 2021 4:30 PM

I don't think since Joan Crawford and Bette Davis has a match-up battle between movie stars has been so hotly anticipated than with "Godzilla vs. Kong". Godzilla, a giant, dinosaur-like creature formed from radioactivity, has been repeatedly destroying Japan since 1954 while the very big gorilla, King Kong made his film debut in 1933 and is said to have been the inspiration behind the creation of Godzilla.

Now this isn't the first time these two have waged war against each other. There was a Japanese produced film called, "King Kong vs Godzilla" made in 1962 with a heavily re-edited version released in the US the following year. With a low budget and guys fighting in monster suits, the film still became a box-office success. Now almost sixty years later, we have a rematch with "Godzilla vs. Kong" although these films have no actual connection. This new movie may have had the advantage of close to a $200 million dollar production cost and the advancement of visual effects technology but I would not necessarily be quick to assume that this is a better film. Without much going for it beyond the brief fights between King Kong and Godzilla, this film might have been more intriguing if there was a little more time and money invested on a coherent story and less on the finely detailed (yet very impressive) images of these creatures duking it out.

With a loose connection to 2017's "Kong: Skull Island" and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" from 2019, our story begins with Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), an anthropological linguist working for Monarch on Skull Island, being very concerned about Kong's agitative behavior. And while it could be that he's being held captive in an artificial jungle dome, the brilliant doctor concludes it must be something else. The only one Kong connects with is Dr. Andrews' adopted daughter, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a deaf orphan who is the last of the island's native tribe.

Meanwhile, for some unknown reason, Godzilla attacks the Apex Cybernetics facility in Florida. But Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) may have some idea. He's the voice behind a conspiracy theory podcast and also an employee of Apex, who just happened to be at work during Godzilla's rampage. In the rubble, he discovers some strange, secret device, which confirms his theory that Apex is behind some sinister activity. Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, who played the teenage character in "King of The Monsters") is a fan of Bernie's podcast and after deciding he's on to something, enlists her buddy, Josh (Julian Dennison, who you may remember as the star of Taika Waititi's excellent, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople") to borrow his brother's car and they head off to Florida.

Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir), the CEO of Apex, wants scientist and Hollow Earth specialist, Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) to lead in an no-expense-spared search for a special power source only found in this location. Dr. Lind convinces Dr. Andrews to allow Kong to be their tour guide to Hollow Earth. And with a large team from Apex which includes Walter's daughter Maia (Eiza González), they travel by sea with a tranquilized Kong chained to a specialized barge. But Godzilla has other plans, with destruction and a major brawl clearly on her mind.

I can say with absolute certainty that no one who sat in front of "Godzilla vs. Kong" was expecting great, life-altering art. Audiences were largely anticipating plenty of mindless thrills and fun to get lost in for two hours. And with that, the film is generally successful. However I expect, at a minimum with even action-adventure films, some effort made to deliver competent storytelling that involves fleshed out characters with moments of lively humor to help lighten the tension. I know it can be done. I have seen quite a few super-hero adventures that have managed to accomplish this feat. But this script by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein is absurdly overwritten, confusing viewers with characters having lengthy, scientific-like discussions to explain what's going on, which doesn't help in any meaningful way. And it's not surprising that the humans in this story would take a backseat to the headliners yet our monster stars are really the only compelling characters given anything to emote.

Wingard, the director behind the supernatural thrillers, "You're Next", "The Guest" and third sequel to "The Blair Witch Project", is actually a competent filmmaker with a distinctive visual style and capable of getting solid performances from his actors. But that will take you only so far if your source material has not been fully realized. I'm sure all Wingard heard were the words, "King Kong", "Godzilla" and "fight" and he was in.

My advice for achieving maximum enjoyment from "Godzilla vs. Kong" is this: Ignore the body count of innocent citizens. Never mind the massive destruction of major cities. Don't even try to decipher the convoluted plot. Just stay for the simple pleasures of the monumental battle between two of cinema's legendary monsters.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

JUSTICE LEAGUE (2017)

Written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon

Directed by Zack Synder

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. November 21, 2017 5:45 PM

"Justice League", Zack Synder's chaotic and uninspired gathering of DC Comics superheroes, was supposed to be the icing on the cake. After reintroducing Superman to a new generation with "Man of Steel", followed by a new Batman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" which also brought Wonder Woman (and very briefly, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg) to our attention, this film was destined to be the thrilling adventure fans had been highly anticipating. However, that has not come to pass. While those previous films were hardly great, "Justice League" ends up being the worst of them all. Sluggish pacing and a colorless script that features a very generic villain has made finally seeing all these classic heroes together in one film a decidedly disappointing experience.

Our story continues where "Dawn of Justice" left off with the world still reeling from the death of Superman when a new evil threat arrives to try and take over the planet. Steppenwolf (a CGI creation voiced by Ciarán Hinds), a powerful alien, seeks to collect and unify the energies of three Mother Boxes hidden in locations around the world with the aid of his army of Parademons, a kind of extraterrestrial flying monkeys, which will ultimately make him unstoppable.

One location is on the island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. Lead by Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), these female warriors fight valiantly against Steppenwolf but he's far too formidable and he takes the first box. The Queen manages to get a message to her daughter, Diana, better known to the world as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), warning her of the danger. She goes to Bruce Wayne, who secretly is Batman (Ben Affleck), "the Dark Knight" and both decide they will need to recruit a few others with some significant muscle to help stop Steppenwolf.

Wayne travels to Iceland to persuade the legendary "Aquaman", a super-human who can live on land or in the sea. Usually seen as a blond wholesome figure, this Arthur Curry, as played by Jason Momoa, is a long-haired and tatted-up type who's gruff and doesn't play well with others. Meanwhile, Diana locates Victor Stone (Ray Fisher), a former college football star who was severely injured in a car accident and saved by his scientist father (Joe Morton) by merging his damaged body with robotic parts, making him a brooding, super-powered Cyborg. With both declining the offer to join the team, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) or otherwise known as "The Flash", an enthusiastic teenage nerd with the ability to move at lightning speed, is more than willing to help with the fight.

They both eventually come around after Steppenwolf gets the second Mother Box that was secured in the underwater world of Atlantis despite Aquaman's attempt to stop him. And Cyborg knows where the final box is; he had hidden it after his father had used it to help save him following his accident. Batman decides they should use the box to revive the Man of Steel as they desperately need his help to defeat Steppenwolf although some are concerned about his mental state once he's resurrected.

Zack Snyder was in the middle of post-production on "Justice League" when a horrific family tragedy caused the director to withdraw from completing the film. Joss Whedon, who's had plenty of experience with sci-fi and super-heroes having worked on Marvel's "The Avengers" and the sequel, was brought on board to finish the project. Whedon wrote some additional scenes and assembled the cast back together for some re-shoots. However, Henry Cavill, who reprises his role as Superman in this film, was in the middle of shooting another sequel to "Mission: Impossible" and had grown an elaborate beard for his part and couldn't shave. CGI was used to remove the out-of-place facial hair but there are moments in a few scenes that has left Mr. Cavill's handsome jawline noticeably misshapen. It's these little things that add up to making the film feel oddly disjointed and erratic.

It's written in the DNA of comic book stories that the malevolent villain will ultimately be defeated and our heroes will once again rise to a new challenge. So what makes each story in these films interesting is the witty banter and emotionally charged moments between the characters and the rip-roaring, visually-enhanced battles these heroes engage in. While "Justice League" delivers plenty of bold visual stimulation, the camaraderie between the members of this team is lacking, with little more than indifference and petty sniping going on between them. There are some occasional funny bits scattered throughout (most likely thanks to Mr. Whedon) including a particularly hilarious scene involving Aquaman and Wonder Woman's magic lasso but not nearly enough to lighten the heavy mood.

Also like the previous films, there is still a serious problem with female characters. With the exception of our favorite Amazon, the significant roles for women featured, which includes Amy Adams and Diane Lane returning as Superman's girlfriend and adoptive mother, are not given anything substancial to do but look sad and weepy.

While "Justice League" may captivate and entertain with high-flying yet routine battles between good versus evil, it's just doesn't offer much more than that. The major flaw is that the film doesn't invest enough time in helping us engage with our heroes or making them characters we actually want to get to know better. The true inspiration seems to be simply manufacturing another cog in the money-making machine of super-hero features, creating a satisfactory yet far from superior product.

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)

Written by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers

Directed by Jon Watts

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. July 8, 2017 5:45 PM

With the announcement that Spider-Man would finally be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the question that immediately came to my mind was do we really need another re-boot of "Spider-Man"? In the last fifteen years, there have been five features made with two actors (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield) in the role and combined have grossed almost four billion dollars globally. So I guess we know the answer to that question.

The latest revival has surprisingly been given to Jon Watts, a relative newcomer to film whose previous credit is the well-reviewed yet little-seen 2015 road-thriller, "Cop Car". But Watts had a clear plan and with "Spider-Man: Homecoming", he brings a refreshing and thrilling spark to the series. He returns to the basics of the history of this character with a high school kid trying to figure out and come to terms to what the phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" really means.

As the third guy in the spider suit, Tom Holland, the twenty-one year old British actor who made an impressive film debut in the 2012 feature, "The Impossible" and also appears in this year's "The Lost City of Z", delivers a fresh take on Peter Parker, making him filled with all the anxieties, insecurities and raging hormones of a true teenager right down to a voice going through pubescent change (in a flawless American accent).

Thankfully we have been spared another origin story with this film beginning shortly after Spider-Man's brief cameo in last year's "Captain America: Civil War" which featured a major battle that caused a lot of destruction in New York. Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) and his crew had been assigned to clean-up the city but Anne Marie Hoag (Tyne Daly), head of the U.S. Department of Damage Control, informs him that Tony Stark's company will be taking over the removal of the debris. Enraged by losing much needed income to a very wealthy man, Toomes decides to keep some of the alien technology left behind he had collected.

A few years later, Peter anxiously wants to become one of the Avengers but Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) doesn't feel he's ready to take that on full-time yet. He suggests he stay in school and "Happy" Hogan (Jon Favreau), Stark's driver and bodyguard, will contact him when needed. But the impatient Peter decides to put on the Stark-designed suit and go through the city fighting crime on his own.

One night on a practice run, Spider-Man witnesses a robbery of a bank's ATMs in progress and decides to intercept. However, these men are not only armed with standard guns and fire back on him with advanced weapons that can take down a building. After escaping, they return to their leader, Adrian Toomes who has created these powerful weapons to use in their crimes, sell to other criminals and even crafted an elaborately armed, flying costume for himself which he uses as "The Vulture".

I was concerned when I saw six names involved on the screenplay (including director, Watts) yet I was pleasantly surprised to find a cohesive script that tells a clever and witty story which is sharply focused on the awkward teenager struggling to become the crime-fighting hero he dreams of being while fighting against a disgruntled average guy who turns to criminal misconduct mainly to support his family.

There is stronger emphasis on Peter's life outside of the suit and we meet his best buddy and fellow nerd, Ned (Jacob Batalon) who discovers his secret identity. Ned wants to tell everyone at school so they would be cool but Peter is wise enough to know that would not be a good idea. If he was going to be tempted to reveal himself, it would be to take on Eugene "Flash" Thompson (Tony Revolori), a rich, school bully but also attract the attention of Liz (Laura Harrier) a pretty senior that Peter has a crush on. And we have Oscar-winner, Marisa Tomei playing a younger and hipper Aunt May who is quite concerned about the odd bruises and increasingly strange behavior of her nephew.

With Ned's help, Peter is able to study one of the weapons left behind to understand it's advanced power source and locate Toomes, with a tracking device he placed on one of his henchmen, to be able to get one step ahead of him. After discovering that his Spider-suit is set on training wheels, he also has Ned help override it's settings to release it to full capacity. Not a great plan since he doesn't completely understand all it can do but fortunately, much like Stark's Iron suit, there is a calm, disembodied voice (played by another Oscar-winner, Jennifer Connelly) to take commands and give advice on how best to solve any impending situation.

Now it wouldn't a super-hero movie without the requisite action sequences and "Spider-Man: Homecoming" has several big numbers, including the final battle between Spidey and The Vulture, that are all visually impressive yet ultimately generic. But what makes this film really noteworthy is how it makes this long revered character fun and interesting again by simply bringing him back down-to-Earth, filling him with youth, inexperience and uncertainty.

By the end of "Homecoming", we have a transformed Peter Parker and even Spider-Man, for that matter. He has matured somewhat, learning how best to use his extraordinary power to not only help mankind but also himself. No offense to any of the previous films but this is one thoroughly enjoyable Spider-Man adventure that will be remembered and long praised.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

BAYWATCH (2017)

Written by Damian Shannon & Mark Swift

Directed by Seth Gordon

Where & When: Springdale Cinema De Lux 18, Cincinnati, OH, May 30, 2017 4:15 PM

"Baywatch" is the latest in a long (mostly tragic) line of bringing popular television programs of yore to the big screen. I must admit I've never watched a complete episode but I was aware of this campy show that focused on the relationships between sexy, LA lifeguards who patrol the beaches saving lives from the many dangers that lurk there; sharks, murderers, surfer gangs and occasionally preventing someone from drowning. With very little attention paid to thoughtful development and execution, this banal spoof makes the TV show seem sharp and tasteful.

Dwayne Johnson has taken over in a variation of the role that David Hasselhoff played on the series as Lt. Mitch Buchannon, a beloved lifeguard who has saved hundreds of lives on the beaches of Florida. With his second-in-command, Stephanie (Ilfenesh Hadera) and veteran crew-member, C.J. (Kelly Rohrbach) by his side, they work together to keep people safe from harm.

In search of new lifeguards, tryouts are held and Ronnie (Jon Bass), a sweet, doughy nerd, dreams of being a hero of the beach like Mitch and getting to work closely with the beautiful C.J. who leaves him completely tongue-tied. All recruits must pass a rigorous physical test to be selected but Matt Brody (Zac Efron) rides in on his motorcycle informing Mitch that his boss, Captain Thorpe (Rob Huebel) said he already has a position on the team. This won't fly with Mitch and doesn't care that the cocky but dim, Brody is a former Olympic swimmer. But Brody went from hero to zero after a race he swam hungover, earning him the nickname, "the Vomit Comet"

It's not much of a surprise that there is tension and rivalry between Mitch and Brody with the veteran lifeguard proving that the two-time, gold-metal winning Olympian is not the natural, all-around athlete as he claims. But Mitch decides to give him a chance along with Ronnie and Summer (Alexandra Daddario), a pretty surfer that has caught Brody's eye, in the training program.

Drugs wash up on shore and businesswoman Victoria Leeds (played by Priyanka Chopra with expert cartoon villainy) is running them out of her chic country club. So it's up to Mitch and his team to stop her and save the community.

What is most surprising about "Baywatch" is that the story and script had six people involved in it's creation yet the outcome remains shockingly messy and tedious. The lame jokes sink and the CGI-heavy action sequences are waterlogged. After previously helming the middling films, "Four Christmases", "Identity Thief" and "Horrible Bosses", the direction here by Seth Gordon continues his trend of lazy, scattershot work.

Let's keep it real; nobody really watched this show to see David Hasselhoff running around the beach to save the day. It was all about the shapely Pamela Anderson in her skimpy red swimsuit delivering a wooden performance as C.J. that had viewers tuning in to "Baywatch". Another surprise with this film is that the female lifeguards, while quite lovely , are bland and unmemorable. So in a turn for equal sexism, this version of "Baywatch" is all about ogling the buff bodies of our male leads. With an immense charm that's just as powerful as his bulging biceps, Mr. Johnson brings his reliably easy-going vibe that's much needed yet it's not enough to keep this afloat. Beyond flaunting his admittedly impressive abs, Mr Efron's main purpose here is to be the butt of numerous jokes and gags. Some of the indignities he suffers through involves him touching a corpse's penis, having the rotting bodily fluids of another dead body drip in to his mouth and sadly parading around in unconvincing drag.

"Baywatch" tries to impress like a suntanned, muscular body ripped on steroids but all it will leave you feeling is like somebody just kicked sand in your face.

Friday, August 26, 2016

SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)

Written & Directed by David Ayer

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. August 9, 2016 5:45PM

What would happen if we lost one super-powered crime-fighter and became concerned that if another one came around, we might not be able to control them?

According to "Suicide Squad", the wildly hyper-active yet logically dim comic-book action caper, the answer would be to round up some of the world's most dangerous and amoral super-villains, attempt to control their actions and force them to do good. Based on the popular DC comic, the film wants to shake up the routine of what we have come to expect from our super-hero movies. And while writer and director David Ayer has an interesting concept to work with, he's not found a way to make the motivation behind this theory dramatically plausible or coherent. Because of this fatal flaw, "Suicide Squad" ultimately winds up falling in to the predictable formula that we've come to expect from these action thrillers but without nearly enough fun.

Our story begins where we left off at the end of "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" after the apparent demise of Superman. Locked inside a super-maximum security prison, run by a bone-headed security officer (Ike Barinholtz), are a sorted collection of super-baddies. We have Will Smith, in a rare turn as part of ensemble, as Deadshot, a never-miss-his-target assassin who is secretly trying to be a loving and devoted father to his young daughter. There is also George "Digger" Harkness (Jai Courtney) otherwise known as "Captain Boomerang", a foul-mannered Aussie who uses the device to cause harm. Due to a genetic condition, Waylon Jones (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) has a reptilian appearance and a deadly appetite which is why he's known as "Killer Croc". Chato Santana (Jay Hernandez) is a L.A. gang-banger that has the destructive power to control fire. Finally, we have the former psychiatrist, Harleen Quinzel who has turned in to the psychotic, Harley Quinn. Played with deranged gusto by Margot Robbie, this lethal beauty struts around in skimpy attire, multi-colored hair and armed with a baseball bat, ready to use it for anything other than sports.

If these criminals cooperate with helping to save the world, they will have some time taken off their sentences. However, as a safeguard, each one is implanted with a device that will cause their heads to explode if they get any ideas of trying to escape. The architect behind this deranged plan is Amanda Waller, an ambitious and ruthlessly driven U.S. government official, played by Viola Davis. The presence of this respected actress brings some much needed gravitas to somehow make this crazy scheme seem practical. She almost makes it work.

One of the first under Waller's control was the Enchantress (British model, Cara Delevingne). A once-worshiped evil entity imprisoned in a shrine for thousands of years until an archaeologist, Dr. June Moone discovers her tomb, releasing this powerful sorceress who takes possession of the doctor's body. While Waller was able to bring out The Enchantress when needed, she manages to outsmart the government agent, escaping from under her command and takes over Dr. Moone completely.

Angered by her treatment, the Enchantress plans to destroy all of humanity. After setting her brother, Incubus (Alain Chanoine) free and summoning a horde of monsters to fight, her idea is to spend a great deal of time creating a device that will wipe out the planet. Huh?? I guess we're supposed to ignore the fact that we've already seen that this evil enchantress could easily have done this deed with a simple wave of her hand. Now, I'm well aware you must suspend a certain amount of belief when watching a film involving super-powered beings but it's difficult to do when underdeveloped characters and weak storytelling feels beneath working my brain so hard. Besides if it all came to an end so easily and quickly, we wouldn't have gotten the experience of watching this assembled squad of bad guys routinely crack wise and fight together to fight a terrible force worse than themselves. Or would that really have been such a bad thing?

In addition, with a film already overstuffed with mayhem and badness, we have the iconic, green-haired villain, The Joker. Desperate to be reunited with his lady love, Harley Quinn, he causes his own mix of destruction in order to set her free. Jared Leto plays The Joker here in a performance that feels surprisingly muted considering the opportunity to go as large and extreme as possible with this homicidal character. Following in the impressive footsteps of Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger in this role, Leto doesn't offer much to make his appearance special or memorable.

Much Like "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice", "Suicide Squad" is all about the high-powered, visual spectacle. Story, character and performance trails far behind in regards of importance here. That makes this film engaging for about a good thirty minutes with the rest of the running time spent waiting for the credits to roll. And with Ben Affleck's Batman showing up along with The Flash and Aquaman popping-up for brief cameos, this also serves as cheap promotion for the inevitable upcoming films. I will sum up "Suicide Squad" quite simply. It's not exciting. It's not much fun. And it's not very good.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR (2016)

Written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and Craig Mazin

Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. April 24, 2016

"The Huntsman: Winter's War", the prequel and sequel to 2012's "Snow White and The Huntsman", is one scary fairy tale. But that's not a good thing. What makes this film so terribly frightening is the complete lack of artistic or dramatic competence and the shocking waste of the talent of some interesting actors. Cinematographer Cedric Nicolas-Troyan (who filmed the first go-round) makes his debut as a director and displays his strengths and weaknesses as a film maker. The images are not surprisingly striking and vivid (thanks to the work of Phedon Papamichael) while the story-telling is choppy and predictable with the unimaginative script by Evan Spiliotopoulos and Craig Mazin doing him no favors.

With Kristen Stewart's Snow White out of the picture (largely due to the scandal that erupted over her behind-the-scenes relationship with director Rupert Sanders), that means the focus of this story is on Chris Hemsworth's dull Huntsman and the exceptionally vain and malevolent Queen Ravenna played by Charlize Theron.

We are taken back to the time when a young Ravenna was living with her younger sister, Freya (Emily Blunt). As the queen is just beginning to embrace dark magic, encouraging her sister to explore it's power, Freya is more interested in love. She has fallen for a handsome duke (Colin Morgan) but after discovering she's with child, her lover cannot marry her as he's been promised to another. Tragedy strikes as the baby is fatally harmed by the Duke and Freya is so overcome with grief and heartbreak that it unleashes her formidable power to control ice.

The bitter Freya takes over a land in the far north of the realm, stripping the area of it's lush, green forest and covering it with layers of icy snow. She begins wiping out villages, taking the children to build an army of ruthless and cold-blooded soldiers. One of the children is Eric, an exceptionally skilled warrior, that will grow-up to become Mr. Hemsworth. Another child who is equally gifted as a conqueror is Sara, played by Jessica Chastain as an adult. Eric and Sara try to resist but they break Freya's strict rule of never falling in love. They decide to leave the kingdom together but the Snow Queen has other plans. Separating them by a clear sheet of solid ice, Eric watches helplessly as Sara is murdered by their fellow soldiers before he's cast away.

Years later after Ravenna has been vanquished by Snow White, the Magic Mirror is being transported to a more secure location when it's stolen. The Huntsman is summoned by King William (Sam Claflin) to track down the mirror. With the unwelcome help of one of Snow White's dwarfs, Nion (Nick Frost) and his brother Gryff (Rob Brydon), they set off to retrieve the powerful looking glass but the frigid Queen Freya is determined to capture it first. This begins an uninspired venture where the Huntsman must do battle with a variety of nasty goblins and Freya's well-trained unit of deadly huntsmen warriors.

"Snow White and The Huntsman" turned the classic Brothers Grimm character in to a contemporary-styled, bad-ass combatant. While it was a box-office success, the film was a woefully convoluted and underwhelming adventure that certainly didn't require a follow-up. Yet here it is and "Winter's War" manages to be even less compelling. The idea to make the Huntsman (a minor player in the original tale) the lead character wasn't necessarily a bad one but Mr. Hemsworth's hero has not been fully expanded, remaining bland and generic. The addition of Ms Chastain as the Huntsman's tough and feisty love interest isn't enough to make him more interesting with this thankless part clearly a waste of time for this fine actress.

The villain tends to be the highlight in many films and that holds true with Ms Theron's Queen Ravenna with her mad desire to be the most beautiful in all the land leads to attempted murder. The Oscar-winner still brings an over-the-top but deliciously evil delight to the role yet her appearance is far too brief here. It's left to the low-key Ms Blunt to fill-in as our wicked queen. However she's more hurt and disillusioned than pure evil, making us feel less scared and more sympathetic to her plight.

"The Huntsman: Winter's War" takes us to a regal looking fantasy world that never properly captures the magical wonder and thrilling adventure of a well-crafted fable. And a bit of advice for Mr. Hemsworth. After a string of very disappointing films, I suggest you put that Thor suit back on pronto before the good-will towards you fades.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

FANTASTIC FOUR (2015)

Written by Jeremy Slater, Simon Kinberg & Josh Trank

Directed by Josh Trank

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. August 18, 2015 7:25PM

The Fantastic Four are a group of superheroes, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, who gained their super-powers after being heavily exposed to cosmic rays during a space expedition. This collective became one of the most popular comic books in the Marvel Universe. After a low-budget Roger Corman production in the '90's that never saw the light of day and two more recent films that made some money but were far from critical favorites, the latest version brought to the screen is also far from fantastic. "Fantastic Four", directed by Josh Trank whose only previous feature was the low-budget hit, "Chronicle", is filled with too much silly science, dim-witted drama and not nearly enough fun or adventure.

We are given another origin story but it has been completely reworked and not for the better. This time, a teenage genius, Reed Richards (Miles Teller) along with his classmate, Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) enter their high school science fair with his invention of a device that can transport objects. While not entirely successful but it works well enough to capture the attention of Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), the director of the Baxter Foundation, a scientific research institute. He offers Richards an opportunity to further develop his project at their lab. The idea is to merge Richards' invention with a failed device created at the Baxter by a sulking Victor von Doom (Toby Kebbell) with the hope of a working machine.

Franklin's children, Sue Storm (Kate Mara), his adopted daughter and hot-headed son, Johnny (Michael B. Jordan) also help work on the experiment at the lab. After the team successfully transports a monkey to a planet in another dimension with their space shuttle called the Quantum Gate, it's now ready to test on humans. Dr. Allen (Tim Blake Nelson), the supervisor of the Baxter, thanks the team for their hard work but informs them NASA will be taking over the project. After a drunken celebration, the boys decide they should be the first to test their invention. Reed calls Ben to join them and they sneak off for a trip to another planet.

Once they arrive, the scientists set out to explore this alien world. Their presence causes a serious disruption, setting off a series of violent explosions throughout the landscape. As they race to get back to their shuttle, Victor falls in to a void, forcing them to leave him behind. With Sue back at the base to help them return, their space craft explodes on re-entry, exposing them all to cosmic rays.

We know they all survive but each has been altered with strange powers. Reed now has a body that can stretch to great lengths. Sue has the power of invisibility, can create force fields and travel through the skies like Glinda, the good witch. Johnny's body is engulfed in flames and Ben has become a giant with brute strength but his body is covered with a rock-like substance. The big, bad government holds the foursome in confinement to observe them but Richards manages to escape, feeling guilty for their condition.

A year later, the remaining three are trained to learn how to control their powers. Grimm is sent out on secret military missions with the others soon to follow. Dr. Allen is actively trying to track down Richards so he can recreate their previous voyage. The young scientist is found, mislead to return to planet with the goal of finding them a cure. After they arrive, miraculously, von Doom is found still alive. Not only has the doctor been changed, he is pissed.

"Fantastic Four" can't shake the feeling of rushing it's narrative even though the pacing moves at the speed of molasses. Even by comic book standards, the characters are non-existent with the plot over-the-top and full of gaping holes.

Social media expressed it's outrage over the casting of the African-American Jordan in the role of the usually blond, blue-eyed Johnny Storm. I didn't mind the switch (in fact, I found it the one inspired moment in this film) but what I did mind was the lack of an expressive wit the Human Torch usually displays in comics or even in the previous films. Here, Johnny Storm plays one note, unpleasantly sullen. The rest of the cast is equally lackluster with Mr. Teller, coming off his amazing performance in "Whiplash", faring best which isn't saying much. The only thing notable about Ms Mara here is the distracting change of her hair color and length throughout the film. This is the first time that the rock-covered Thing actually looks believable on screen but the complete waste of the gifted Mr. Bell (who first made an impression as a boy in "Billy Elliot") is unforgivable.

Much like the recent remake of "Spider-Man" that starred Andrew Garfield (which is incredibly getting rebooted again), this latest "Fantastic Four" feels commonplace and marginal. It may not have started out that way but after the well-publicized friction between the studio, the director and the actors, this film was a disaster that didn't have much of a chance. The results is a problematic adventure that has been salvaged the best it can.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

LUCY (2014)

Written & Directed by Luc Besson

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. July 25, 2014 8:00PM

"Lucy" offers all you would expect from a summer action flick but with a little something extra. In between the bloody shoot-outs, car chases and bone-crushing combats, there are thoughtful discussions on evolution and fascinating scientific theories on the capacity of the human brain. While these ideas may seem to be out of sync, writer/director Luc Besson, the man behind the engaging crowd-pleasers, "La Femme Nikita", "The Professional" and "Taken", mostly succeeds in making this inspired mash-up of B-movie thrills and compelling sci-fi completely irresistible and a lot of fun.

Scarlett Johansson plays the title character, an American student living in Taiwan who spends much of her time partying hard with her shady current fling (Pilou Asbæk). He turns out to be a really lousy date as he handcuffs a briefcase to Lucy's wrist and forces her to deliver it to Mr. Jang (Choi Min-sik from "Old Boy"), a ruthless Korean drug lord. The case contains CPH4, a synthetic narcotic that gives the user a sense of heighten awareness. The next thing Lucy knows she's awakening with excruciating pain in her abdomen. A package of the drug has been sewn-up inside of her and has to drop off the contents in New York.

While being held awaiting her departure, one of Lucy's guards makes unwanted advances which is met with swift resistance. Angered, he kicks Lucy relentlessly in the stomach which releases an overdose of the drug in to her system. This creates a reaction that advances her brain functions, giving her incredible mental abilities and physical strength. After Lucy easily escapes, she now has revenge on her mind, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake. When Lucy finally gets to Jang, she doesn't kill him. She merely philosophizes while administering to him some of the gruesome, agonizing pain he has inflicted upon others.

Morgan Freeman appears as Professor Norman, one of the top neurologists in the world. We first see him delivering a lengthy, somewhat dry lecture on the subject of the brain. The reliably, smooth actor demonstrates part of the reason why he was cast as he's effortlessly able to keep your attention throughout. Lucy makes contact with Norman as her brain capacity increases at a phenomenal rate which she puts on display for the skeptical professor. They agree to meet at a Paris conference but first Lucy must round-up the rest of the CPH4 that's stored in the bodies of other mules heading towards destinations across Europe. As her body needs more of the drug to reach maximum intelligence, Lucy enlists a French cop (Amr Waked) to help track down the carriers while a wounded Jang is hot on her trail without a clue to what she has become.

Angelina Jolie was initially approached for the lead in the film but Ms Johansson is an acceptable and perhaps even more appropriate replacement. While the actress shares Ms Jolie's otherworldly beauty and tough chick demeanor, Johansson has always come across as approachable and far more vulnerable. Here, much like her role as an alien in "Under The Skin", her face is a blank slate, revealing nothing on the surface yet we are still capable of understanding her emotions as her mind evolves towards higher consciousness. The actress is able to convey so much with those soulful eyes as Lucy struggles not to completely lose sight of her humanity.

"Lucy" delivers plenty of stylish visuals and nonstop action that even the lectures don't actually slow things down. Sure, some of the plot points don't always add up or are downright silly yet this hardly distracts from the enjoyment of this flick. Mr. Besson is one of the few male filmmakers who has consistently placed a female front and center in many of the action movies he has directed or produced beginning with "Nikita" way back in 1990. While "Lucy" doesn't exactly reach the same heights as some of his previous works but it's still a solid addition.

Friday, June 6, 2014

GODZILLA (2014)

Written by Max Borenstein

Directed by Gareth Edwards

Where & When: CineStar at The Sony Center, Berlin, Germany. May 20, 2014 2:00PM

Godzilla, the undisputed king of the monsters, first started its reign of terror on Japanese audiences back in 1956. This campfest became a box-office sensation there. Raymond Burr, a little-known actor at the time, was spliced in to an English-language version a few years later and an international star was born. Although this giant sea creature's appearance came across slightly more cuddly than frightening, by today's standards anyway, it worked well enough to scare and excite viewers to spawn countless sequels, spin-offs and rip-offs including a much reviled Hollywood remake in 1998. Another attempt to revive this creature is now out by director Gareth Edwards and his "Godzilla" remains faithful to the spirit of the original film. This behemoth is modern-looking yet recognizable and made even more impressive in 3D with some pretty spectacular action sequences to keep you on the edge of your seat. While all of the thrills and destruction are just right, what is lacking, however, is a compelling human element to keep you engaged despite a classy cast of actors displaying some first-rate panic on their faces.

Many years after the U.S.testing of a hydrogen bomb on a island in the Pacific, what appears to be a massive skeleton is discovered in a collapsed mine nearby in the Philippines. A scientist (Ken Wantanabe) has been called out to investigate and finds that a large egg seems to have recently hatched and whatever was inside has gone out in to the ocean.

Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston), is an American managing a nuclear plant in Japan. High-strung and focused mainly on his work, he even forgets the day is his birthday. Lucky for Joe he has a lovely wife, Sandra (Juliette Binoche) who also works at the plant and a sweet young son that remembered. A strange seismic disruption causes panic at the nuclear facility and Joe and Sandra race out to find answers. As Sandra and her group go down to the reactors to check their condition, a major explosion occurs which could release radiation in to the city unless the area they're in is shut off. Torn between saving thousands of lives or his wife, Joe makes the difficult and tragic decision. Despite his personal sacrifice, the reactors are destroyed by some unknown force, which is officially blamed on an earthquake, and the city becomes uninhabitable.

Fifteen years later, Joe's son, Ford (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is now a Marine and has just come home to San Francisco to be reunited with his lovely wife (Elizabeth Olsen) and his sweet young son. Not long after the family celebration, Ford receives a call informing him that his father had been arrested for trespassing in the contaminated city in Japan. Reluctantly, he heads out to bail out his old man who is obsessed about finding out what really caused the nuclear plant's destruction. While Godzilla doesn't make it's presence known until about half way through the film, a M.U.T.O. or Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism emerges to terrorizes the city in the meantime. After another giant winged monster (this time female) appears looking for her mate and a convoluted explanation that all of these massive creatures are in search of nuclear energy to feed on, the human race is simply in the way as Godzilla and the monster couple battle for dominance.

The creation of Godzilla arose from the residue of the atomic bombing in WWII and the horrific aftermath which had left the Japanese shaken and uncertain of the future. The later films focused on other weighty topics such as the fear of alien invasion and threats to the environment. This Godzilla has pretty much steered clear of making any political statements with pure entertainment being the ultimate goal. However, the director Gareth Edwards, whose only previous film was the low-budget 2010 horror flick, "Monsters", has made a point of taking his version very seriously and with great respect. This is the first produced screenplay for Max Borenstein and while he's able to create some magic with setting up the impressive monster battles, his script fails to enlighten the flesh and blood characters. In fact, my biggest gripe with this film is the treatment of the cast.

The terrific actors used here are not the typical faces usually found in your average action-thriller yet they are spectacularly and shockingly wasted, particularly the glorious Ms Binoche. I don't even know why the Oscar-winning actress (who famously turned down the role that went to Laura Dern in "Jurassic Park") even agreed to be in this as she's given only maybe ten minutes of screen time that offers her no opportunity to properly utilize her gifts. Recent Oscar Nominee, Sally Hawkins, who was so brilliant in "Blue Jasmine" is equally underused here as an assistant to Mr. Wantanabe's nearly mute scientist. While Mr. Cranston has a slightly more substantial part but he's so ridiculously overheated that there are moments where his skull seemed ready to literally pop off.

With the aid of state-of-the-art CGI, this "Godzilla" becomes the monster of our times. This creature impressively smashes and thrashes to win the day but the overall feel is far too hollow and generic, making the film have as much depth as a video game.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

POMPEII (2014)

Written by Janet Scott Batchler, Lee Batchler & Michael Robert Johnson

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

Where & When: MJR Cinemas, Westland, MI. February 21, 2014 9:30PM

"Pompeii" takes the tale of the ancient Italian town leveled by a powerful volcano and wraps a wan and implausible love story around that city's final days. Paul W.S. Anderson, best known for the "Resident Evil" franchise, has crafted an overly familiar gladiator epic that offers absolutely nothing novel or inspired.

The film opens with the massacre of a tribe of Celtics with the lone survivor being a boy, Milo. Playing possum, the child witnesses his mother slaughtered by the malevolent General Corvus, played by a woefully miscast Kiefer Sutherland. Wandering aimlessly, Milo is captured and placed in to slavery.

Years later, the boy has grown in to a strapping young gladiator and in the fine ripped form of Kit Harrington from HBO's "Game of Thrones". I'm probably one of the few people that doesn't watch the popular program but the brooding, swarthy actor has encouraged me to take a peek at what I'm been missing. After a slave owner witnesses Milo effortlessly take down an opponent, he is whisked off to Pompeii to compete. While being transported in chains to the city, Milo captures the heart of Cassia (Emily Browning) while putting an injured horse out of it's misery. She just happens to be the daughter of Severus (Jared Harris), the emperor of Pompeii. He and his wife (Carrie-Anne Moss) are thrilled that their beautiful offspring has returned home after a year in Rome.

Milo doesn't say much, keeping to himself which riles the other slaves. Despite Milo's skills as a gladiator, the champion of the arena, Atticus (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) is far from impressed. With one last battle before winning his freedom, Atticus is confident of his victory. During a celebration to display the warriors for the next day's games, Milo crosses paths once again with Cassia causing sparks to fly hot and heavy. It is also here where Milo discovers that the murderous Corvus, now a Roman senator, is in Pompeii to negotiate with Severus to invest in the struggling city. Corvus is more than willing to help as long as he can have Cassia as his bride.

Once Mt. Vesuvius violently erupts, you would think people would be anxiously rushing to get out of town. They do, of course, however as burning rocks soar past, the air fills with thick clouds of ash and the earth crumbles beneath their feet, Milo and Corvus find time to have not one but two impassioned battles. As Pompeii falls around them, they engage in a ferocious, foolish clash for honor, revenge and the hand of the fair, Cassia.

The awe-inspiring visuals (in 3D, no less) are propelled front and center while the performances and plot are designated as necessary bother. Mr. Anderson is not going to let little things like history or logic stand in the way of a thrilling action flick. "Pompeii" has cribbed the now cliched moments from many of the the current sword-and-sandal films while attempting to add the sweeping tragic romance of "Titanic". But the outcome is far less meaningful, engaging or interesting than any of the movies that are being emulated. "Pompeii" offers a high-energy, action-packed distraction but not long after it's over, much like the now-lost city, the memory of it's existence will fade like a puff of smoke.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

MAN OF STEEL (2013)

Written by David S. Goyer

Directed by Zack Snyder

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA June 18, 2013 5:00PM

Superman, the patriotic comic-book hero who has been soaring the skies combating evil, fighting crime and protecting good American values for the last seventy-five years, has been resurrected once again for the big screen in "Man Of Steel". Last seen in the underwhelming 2006 film, "Superman Returns", writer David S. Goyer ("Blade", "Batman Begins") and director Zack Snyder ("300", "Watchmen") have taken a page from Christopher Nolan (who executive produced this film)as he achieved great success with his very dark revision of Batman. They decided a fresh spin was required and did this by giving the invincible super-hero a little edge, a few flaws and some anxiety. This veteran do-gooder seems to have been brought down to Earth as a way to make him appear more hip and appealing to modern audiences. While the idea has some merit, this 21st century version of Superman is burdened with a dark heaviness that never really feels like a good fit. All these changes hasn't made this Superman more intriging, it's actually made him blend in even more within the very crowded cinematic super-hero universe.

Since this reboot is starting from the beginning, it might seem necessary to retell the overly familiar story of how the baby, Kal-El ended up on Earth from his doomed planet, Krypton. However, this time we get a more detailed look in to the dire situations that lead up to this event. His father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe), a top scientist predicts his planet will soon come to an end due to the extensive overuse of Krypton's natural resources. The military leader, General Zod (Michael Shannon) violently rises up against the ruling party and wants Jor-El to join him but refuses. The men rage a deadly battle with Jor-El losing his life but not before sending his new-born infant off to Earth with the genetic code of the Kryptonian race with him. Zod and his fellow rebels are captured and banished to the Phantom Zone as punishment

From here, the film wisely veers from narrative tradition and we next see the adult Kal-El, now called Clark Kent, and played by the chiseled and almost unbearably handsome, Henry Cavill. Clark has been drifting, traveling across the country and picking up a variety of odd jobs along the way. It appears he's hoping to find meaning to his life and place on this planet. We learn more about Clark's past through a series of flashbacks; he was brought up in Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) who found his spacecraft and raised him as their own. The Earth's gravity has given Clark the power of x-ray and heat-omitting vision, allows him to fly and has made his body structure so strong that he's now virtually indestructible. After discovering his amazing abilities and fearful of what could happen if others found out, his parents strongly advise their young son to never use his special powers publicly which leaves him confused and frustrated.

Clark lands a job as part of a scientific crew who find an alien spaceship buried in the Antarctic. Pulitzer-Prize winning reporter, Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is sent by her paper, The Daily Planet to cover the story. While sneaking out to get a closer look at the object, Lois discovers Clark, who is also investigating the vesicle. Originating from Krypton, the craft connects Clark to his history and past. Lois manages to become seriously injured while on board which forces Clark to reveal his secret to save her life.

When she returns to work, Lois has written a article about this "super-human" mystery man but her editor, Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) refuses to run this seemingly crazy story. Meanwhile, the activated spacecraft has inadvertently lead General Zod and his crew to Earth. They had been set free from their prison after their planet's destruction and been searching for Kal-El ever since. He hold the key to Zod's plan of creating a new Krypton by altering the atmosphere on Earth but it would also mean the end of all human life. Clark, now outfitted in a Kryptonian warrior uniform, has finally been given a very good reason to display his super-powers to the world as he has to try and save his adopted home.

Mr Synder began his career making commercials, so he knows how to tell a complete story with visual impact in less than sixty seconds. But "Man of Steel" is over two hours long and while the film impresses with some brilliantly, dazzling images, it's far less successful at keeping the story and pacing up to the same level. This has been a common problem I've had with most of the director's films as they tend to be highly stylised but emotionally artificial. The advancement of special effects has indeed made this film look incredibly realistic but as the numerous battles for dominance between the man of steel and General Zod mount and the city of Metropolis crumbles in the process, these scenes soon grow tiresome and more uneventful as they plod on. "Man of Steel" seems determined to put some distance from the Superman we've grown accustomed with, to the extent that the "S" word is never even uttered throughout. Lois Lane nearly gives the hero his name after questioning the large letter on his massive chest (which is cleverly not what you think it is) but this film is still unable to erase the memory of the charming 1978 film that featured Christopher Reeve in the red and blue costume that first made us believe a man could truly fly. While that "Superman" featured visuals that might be considered primitive by today's standards but it also had a sense of fun that is completely lacking in "Man of Steel" and desperately needed.

While the British Mr. Cavill (who nearly won the role in the 2006 film) certainly fills out the spandex quite nicely, his take on this all-American bred hero is pretty much a zero as far as making a persuasive impression or igniting any sparks between himself and his future long-term love interest. It's not entirely the actor's fault as the screenplay gives him no real distinctive personality or that Lois Lane displays more of a steely exterior than our Kryptonian. Ms. Adams plays an up-to-date version of the intrepid reporter who is tough, fearless and serious-minded but never comes across convincingly as a person that would ever allow somebody to sweep her off her feet. Mr Shannon is reliably good as the pathologically driven Zod and Mr. Crowe is fine in what should have been a glorified cameo but he pops up later in the film to meet his son and give him a history lesson in the form of an overly interactive hologram..

As far as these flicks go, "Man Of Steel" falls somewhere down the middle as it certainly delivers all the thrills and excitement you would expect but doesn't offer much that makes you feel like you haven't seen it many times before.. By the conclusion of "Man of Steel", Clark Kent has put on his glasses and begins his new job at The Daily Planet but now what? The whole world is well aware of his true identity including Lois Lane so there doesn't appear to be any logical reason for him to even go through these motions. A follow-up looks like a high probability but if "Man of Steel" is any indication of what to expect in the future, there might be a string of uninspired, disappointing sequels on the horizon.

Monday, February 11, 2013

PARKER (2013)

Written by John J. McLaughlin

Directed by Taylor Hackford

Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. January 29. 2013, 7:30PM

Parker is a cold, professional thief who displays no remorse for his crimes in a series of novels written by Donald Westlake, under the pseudonym "Richard Stark", and made his first appearance in, "The Hunter" in 1962. Inevitably, Hollywood took notice and made the first film using the character in "Point Blank" starring Lee Marvin. Over the years, the character has reappeared in several films with an interesting collection of performers in the role from Mel Gibson, Jim Brown, Robert Duvall to even French actress, Anna Karina but none of them were ever called, "Parker". Now, Jason Statham takes on the criminal in the first film to actually use the name, "Parker". The film certainly offers plenty of action, thrills and star power in the sexy form of Jennifer Lopez but lacks anything to make it memorable.

Parker successfully pulls off an elaborate heist with a group of men, lead by Melander (Michael Chiklis) that he's never worked with before. Afterwards, he's informed that his cut of the money is expected to be invested for an even bigger payday in Palm Beach. Parker declines the offer but soon realizes that it's not optional. After engaging in a bloody battle, Parker is left for dead by the side of a road. He manages to survive which lead to his relentless, deeply focused pursuit to enact some serious hurting to his betrayers. With some help from his mentor, Hurley (Nick Nolte) and after making sure his girlfriend (Emma Booth), who also happens to be Hurley's daughter, is safe, Parker heads out to Florida.

Parker tears through the city in search while he strongly encourages anyone who might know their whereabouts to give him information. Melander is soon made aware that the assumed dead man is still among the living and hires a hit-man (Daniel Bernhardt) to take Parker out for good. After getting a tip on where they might be hiding out, Parker hires a hungry, real estate agent.to help him search through neighborhoods while posing as a rich Texan. Ms Lopez plays Leslie, a financially strapped, forty-something forced to live with her mother (Patti LuPone) and desperately needs the commission that this potential sale will bring. Soon after discovering that Parker is not the man he claims to be, Leslie winds up getting tangled in his dangerous revenge plot.

Taylor Hackford has always been a solid director crafting some fine entertainment such as the classic "An Officer and A Gentleman" and "Ray", the vibrant bio-pic on the r&b musician that earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Even his lesser works have managed to be superficially appealing and that certainly holds true for "Parker". With a plot that is very straightforward and obligatory, "Parker" takes no risks and offers nothing that hasn't been seen before (or done better) yet still can't help to be swept up in to the adventure.

Mr. Statham has never been the most expressive of actors as he's a man of few words while allowing his fists to do most of the emoting. The British actor doesn't stray too far from his comfort zone as his attempt to put on a Texan accent is laughable but he knows what's expected of him and he doesn't fail to deliver. Ms Lopez's role seems like something she would have done at the start of her career as it's nothing more than a supporting part and not a particularly interesting one, at that. She manages to juice it up with her natural charm and sex appeal but you still can't escape the feeling that she's slumming.

Considering some of the talent involved in "Parker", what was expected was something in this action-thriller that is distinctive and uncommon but all that is delivered is banal and mediocre.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)

Written by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent & Steve Kloves

Directed by Marc Webb

Where & When: Vista Theater, Hollywood, CA. July 10, 2012 3:15PM

It doesn't seem that long ago since Tobey Maguire was swinging through a CGI Manhattan in a skin-tight spandex suit as the web-slinger off to rescue his true love, Mary-Jane Watson (played by Kirsten Dunst) in a film directed by Sam Raimi.

Well, in fact, it was only six years ago since this team made the last of three "Spider-Man" films and yet the series is starting over from the very beginning with a new cast and director. It feels a little soon to be rebooting this character since the previous films are still very fresh in people's memories but there's just too much potential money to be made to allow "Spider-Man" to sit on a shelf for any extended period of time.

Andrew Garfield, the British actor who is really only known in film for his supporting role in "The Social Network", has been hired to fill in the red & blue suit for "The Amazing Spider-Man". Physically, he is the polar opposite of Mr. Maguire as Garfield is tall and lanky with him playing Peter Parker as less of a nerd and more like a shy, awkward outsider. The basic origin story remains intact; the highly-intelligent teenager, Parker is bitten by a genetically-modified spider which gives him super-strength and gives him the ability to climb walls. Peter neglects to stop an armed thief and as a result, his Uncle Ben is killed by this criminal. After this tragic loss, Parker creates a costume, calls himself, "Spider-Man" and uses his powers to fight crime throughout the city.

That is where the similarities end between these films as this revamped version has made changes (most of them are minor but enough to be noticeable) and sticks much closer to the comic-books in which the films are based. We are introduced to Peter's parents who feel forced to leave their young son with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May (played by Martin Sheen and Sally Field in two of the film's many inspired casting choices) due to Peter's scientist father (Campbell Scott), whose work on a secret project might threaten Peter's safety. He also leaves behind documents hidden in briefcase.

Years later, a teen-aged Peter discovers his father's papers that indicated he was working on an experiment with Dr.Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) at Oscorp. After Peter tracks down the doctor, he reveals his identity and the documents. This proves helpful to Connors as he has been working on using lizard DNA as a way to replace his missing arm with this being the missing link that could help him succeed. While exploring the laboratory, Peter's life is changed by the bite of a spider.

Shortly after Peter becomes "Spider-Man"and takes on crime throughout Manhattan, he becomes a hero to some and a menace to others, most especially to George Stacey (Denis Leary), the police captain, who is determined to take down the masked hero. However, Captain Stacey also just happens to be the father of Gwen (Emma Stone), the high school classmate and new girlfriend of Peter's which creates some additional complications for the teenager.

After Dr. Connors achieves success with regrowing a limb on a laboratory mouse, he tries the formula on himself. While his arm is regenerated but there is a terrible side-effect which turns the doctor in to a giant hybrid of a half-man and half-lizard with incredible strength. The drug also alters his mind which makes Connors extremely violent and deadly. With a diabolical plan to change all of mankind in to a creature like himself, only Spider-Man can possibly stop the Lizard as these two super-beings battle fiercely, destroying half the city in the process.

It's a little surprising that the studio took a chance on their big-budget franchise with a director who has only made one previous film which was the delightfully charming romantic comedy, "(500) Days of Summer". After seeing "The Amazing Spider-Man", it becomes more clear on what they wanted to accomplish with this reboot as Marc Webb's major contribution was his emphasis on fleshing out the characters and his effective touch with emotion and intimacy. Much like what Christopher Nolan did when he revived the "Batman" franchise, Mr. Webb wisely surrounded the film with dramatic actors not usually associated with this type of cinema and they don't fail him as they ground all of the excessive comic-book intensity with charm and good humor. Emma Stone is always a pleasant addition to any film as she plays Peter Parker's actual first girlfriend in the comics (Mary Jane Watson became his girl only after Gwen Stacey's death caused by the Green Goblin). Her character is intelligent, funny and pretty, very much like the actress, and when she is together on screen with Mr. Garfield, they truly connect, making a dazzling team.

The script offers your standard issue super-hero plot but the writers have added nice, clever touches to make the characters feel more human and create heartfelt moments in the middle of all of the meteoric action sequences. This hero is brought down to Earth as he actually feels intense pain after each of his battles and has to figure out how to creatively explain all of his many cuts and bruises.

It seems rather pointless to question whether this film is necessary or even compare to the earlier films but this "Spider-Man" manages to hold it's own and is actually pretty amazing thanks to a well-assembled cast and it's remarkable ability to bring a winning, fresh touch to this familiar character.