DVD Review: Violent Cop (1989)

Director: Takeshi Kitano
Starring: Beat Takeshi

From the title of the film you might be expecting plenty of beat downs accompanied by buckets of gore; bloodshed akin to the kind found in recent Asian exports such as The Raid and it's sequel. However, Kitano gives us a much more understated violence, although no less disturbing.

From the beginning, Beat Takeshi's detective, Azuma, is an angry man. We first meet him as he enters the house of a teenager who has just set upon an old man. Azuma 'convinces' the boy to turn himself in with the help of some vicious slaps and a head butt. This might not be by the book policing but it's less brutal than the title suggests.

We are then introduced to Kikuchi (played by Makoto Ashikawa, a regular in Takeshi Kitano's films), as a rookie who is very much the anti-Azuma; his overly smiley nature a direct contrast to his partner's permanent scowl. This is not the Japanese Riggs and Murtaugh; Azuma treats his colleague with little respect, unless there's money involved.

There are very few action scenes, the one stand out moment is a chase to catch a drug dealer. The sequence starts with a fight between detective and suspect that is slowed down to a brutal ballet, accompanied by a loud jazz number. The whole section doesn't seem in keeping with the rest of the movie. But that's Takeshi's style; to give us something a little different (the dance sequence at the end of 'Zatoichi' is a prime example).

Apart from the main antagonist, Kiyohiro, a man very quickly established as a sadistic killer, the rest of the cast are purely for background. Even Azuma's sister is a trivial part; all we are ever told is that she has "something wrong with her head". There is no relationship between the siblings for the audience to care about. This is also true for the friendship between Azuma and fellow detective, Iwaki. We only see these two interact once but are expected to believe that they are best friends. These two players are supposed to be the catalyst that push Azuma from Angry cop to the titular Violent one but it's not all that convincing. Thank goodness for the charm of Beat Takeshi; he makes us believe his actions are justified.

(SPOILERS IF YOU'RE NOT A TAKESHI KITANO FAN)


As with all his films, there is no happy ending; if John Woo likes slow-motion and Tim Burton likes Gothic then it can be said that Takeshi likes death. The final half hour gives the audience a peek at what the title refers to; not what Azuma was but who he has become. It is this part of the film that will be most satisfying to the more blood thirsty viewer.

 

Review: The Amazing Spider-man 2

Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane Dehaan, Sally Field

If the first film was an origin story then this is Spider-man's coming of age. We spend most of the time, not with Spidey facing off with the bad guys, but working on his relationship with Gwen Stacey. Garfield and Stone still spark off of each other making the whole relationship angle interesting without being sickly. We also get more information about Peter's father and his work with Oscorp which gives this version more depth than the original trilogy.

And onto the bad guys. The trailer has given us a glimpse of three villains and there has been some concern over bad guy overkill. Rest assured, while Rhino and the Goblin do make appearances, this is the Electro show. Jamie Foxx's transformation from super geek to super villain is a marvel (sorry) and the special effects for his look are outstanding. At one point in the film I was worried we were going to be treated to a Dr. Manhattan (Watchmen) moment, but thankfully this film is a 12A so a suit is mysteriously added to save everyone's blushes.

The new Harry Osborn is an improvement over the whiny James Franco portrayal. Dane Dehaan is suitably cast as a poor little rich boy who shows his true colours when he doesn't get his own way. By the end I wanted to give him a good slap, the sign that he played his part well.

Sally Field returns as Aunt May and, although in only a few scenes, she acts others off the screen. When she has a heart to heart with Peter I could feel myself start to choke up (but we'll keep that between ourselves).

Garfield and Stone truly shine yet again. Stone's Gwen Stacey is feisty, gorgeous and intelligent, giving the audience a girl who is a believable equal to Peter Parker and Spider-man.
Garfield has a tough job having to give us a sarcastic, lovable hero whilst also portraying a young man with relationship troubles and daddy issues. He manages to pull it off, although I admit to preferring his spandex clad Spidey.

Fans will be happy to know that there are several hints concerning the future of this franchise as well as spin offs... just keep watching.

Review: The Raid 2

Just a quick review tonight; I wanted to get this written before bed time.

Director: Gareth Evans

Starring: Iko Uwais

Be aware, this film is The Raid 2, not The Raid the second. The difference being, people should not expect more of the exact same, this franchise has evolved.

The film picks up about half an hour after the first one, with the hero, Rama, now having to go undercover to find more corrupt cops and protect his family.

If The Raid could be likened to films such as Assault on Precinct 13 then the second film can be described as part Infernal Affairs, part The Godfather. The action is still there, extreme and over the top (not a complaint), but Evans has still kept the tension that made the original so extraordinary. 

The final fight scene is immense and superior to the confrontation in number one between Rama and Mad Dog. Where that was raw and gritty, The Raid 2 produces an exchange that is technically amazing and visually stunning.

I was worried that stretching the run time from 100 minutes to two and a half hours would damage the film. Although the film could easily be trimmed down by about 30 minutes, I wasn't sitting in my seat praying for the end; the balance between action and tension kept my interest until the very end.

Top 5 movies

So this is the obligatory 'best films' list. I believe that the movies in a person's list says a lot about them. I'll leave it up to you to decide what my list says about me :)

1) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
     The rest of the list is in no particular order but this film is my all time number one. My dad introduced me to the video when I was 11 years old and I was instantly obsessed, not only the film, but with the irrepressible Jack Nicholson; a man so charming he makes the audience forget that he is a convicted criminal. Instead we cheer for his character as he takes on the authority of Nurse Ratched, played by the amazing Louise Fletcher. What I love most about this film is the way it pulls you in, into the world of R.P McMurphy and his fellow patients, with all their unstable yet lovable quirks. You love them even if you have no idea why. The staying power of this film within my life is evident as I always end up crying at the same damn bit... not girly tears but proper blubber and snot crying. I dare anyone with half a heart not to be moved by this film.

2) La Haine
    Another film that I had an instant attachment to, I first watched this in an A-Level Media class. The trio of Vinz, Hubert and Said are characters that people, especially younger viewers, can relate to; angry, bitter, wanting more from life. Despite the heavy moments throughout the movie, it's not depressing. You can see the light, even if others in the film fail to do the same.
The film features not only my favourite shot, filmed on a rooftop in Paris, but also has one of my favourite film lines ever (I won't spoil it).

3) Zatoichi
    I am referring to the version made in 2003 starring Beat Takeshi. I am going to try and sum up this film in a few words: swords, blood, blindness, flying limbs, geisha, orphans, tap dancing peasants, more blood. Again this is one of those films that, no matter how many times I watch it, I cry in the exact same place.

4) Airheads
    Yes, that's right, you heard me correctly. Airheads. They may have come after Bill and Ted, and followed Wayne and Garth, but Chazz, Rex and Pip are my ultimate film rock stars.Hell, the film even has a cameo by White Zombie... I rest my case :)

5) Blues Brothers
    To be honest, I don't think I can pin point the one thing that makes this film stand out for me. I love the music, I love the car chases, I love the cameos and I love Belushi and Aykroyd. It's just a great combination of elements that make this such a great movie. I always come away from it smiling and feeling like I've had a good time despite the fact I've just been sitting on my bum for a couple of hours. Any film that makes you feel that good can't be bad.

And there you have it, my top 5. There were a few films that just missed out on the list but if I named them, that would be cheating. I'm not sure what my list says about me. I like a foreign film? Music is important to me? I have a weird sense of humour? Whatever it says, I like what I like and I'm afraid there's just no changing that.

Filed Under "who'd 'ave thunk it??"

So hands up who thought a couple of years ago that an Indonesian film written and directed by a Welsh guy would prove such a huge success? No, me neither. But since I first saw The Raid at Cineworld in Ilford (the only place showing the film in our 'local' area), I have been hooked. The film, neither all out action nor pure martial arts flick, is balls to the wall in set pieces but also in the tension it produces between the fights (machete and wall, enough said).

I convinced the Mister to watch the Blu Ray last night in preparation for the release of the sequel (conversation =  Me: "I want to watch The Raid." Mister: "OK then." Sorted!) Unfortunately, at this point, I must confess that I did this as there is no way, at my tender age of 33, that I would make the double feature some cinemas are putting on this week. Long gone are the days when a late night at the cinema was manageable.

And onto the film. This is not a review but an appreciation of the movie. The main star is most obviously Iko Uwais as Rama, the rookie officer who enters the building with more than one mission on his mind. However, this is not to take anything away from the other characters, in particular Mad Dog and Jaka who have an amazing mid film showdown most Hollywood action men could only dream of.

Talking of Hollywood, I live in dread of the inevitable American remake. Don't get me wrong, I understand that some can be on par with the original, although very few. Instead they normally end up being sub standard and just take away from the brilliant performances and ideas that made the first film so great.

Or maybe that's the snob in me talking? :)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Here it is, my first review (can't you just feel the excitement?)

The latest instalment of the Marvel franchise has landed in the muscly form of Captain America. However the main attraction is neither the size of Chris Evans arms (sorry ladies) nor the pout of the beautiful Scarlett Johansson (never mind boys). Instead, the whole film is nothing short of a game changer for those that follow the Marvel universe and the TV series. Without giving too much away, watching the old films will never be the same again.

Mr Evans does a fantastic job as the man out of time trying to make sense of the world he now inhabits. Joining him this time is Ms Johansson as the arse-kicking Black Widow, and Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, aka, Falcon. Both are great in their sidekick roles; Black Widow gives the girls a reason to cheer by holding her own against the men of the movie, however these moments seem to be inter-cut with several lingering shots of her tightly clad bum. Mackie also plays his part well without looking like he is just auditioning for his own solo film.

The film is action sequence after action sequence but this doesn't detract from the plot. The only negative I have with the faster paced scenes is that sometimes the punches and kicks are a blur (but that could be something to do with my age).

And now onto the titular Winter Soldier. I won't reveal his identity, even if it is pretty much an open secret now. However I will say that, although he is an excellent foil for Steve Roger's Captain, I would have liked to see him a lot more. For a man whose name is in the title, he plays second fiddle to some of the other bad guys.

Despite my Winter Soldier gripe, this is a fantastic film and really does open up the future for the Marvel film franchise. There are little nods to other Marvel characters, both old and new, which should keep every fan boy (and girl) happy. As usual please stay until the end of the credits for two post film sequences, the first of which had me squeal with delight... thank goodness there was only my boyfriend and daughter in the cinema (who were just as excited).