Review: Lucy

Director - Luc Besson

Starring - Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-Sik

Luc Besson has always had the ability to write fascinating female characters. From Nikita to Mathilda (Leon), he has a way of getting the most from his leading ladies. And now he has returned with his latest female led offering, Lucy.

Lucy is a simple tale with a complex script and stunning visuals.Scarlett Johansson plays the titular young lady who unwittingly becomes a drug mule for a shady and vicious Korean businessman (Oldboy's Choi Min-Sik). When she is beaten by thugs, the bag of drugs she is carrying inside her bursts and the substance leaks into her system resulting in her being able to access more than ten percent of her brain. As her physical and mental abilities increase she needs help in the form of Morgan Freeman's Professor Norman.

In my opinion the trailers have been mis-leading. I was expecting an action film with Scarlett Johansson using the arse kicking skills she utilised as Black Widow. However viewers hoping to witness Ms Johansson fight an army of Korean gangsters will be disappointed. This is pure science fiction. I'm not saying it's a bad film, it's just not the film that people may have been led to believe it was.

The cast is solid; Johansson is stunning as always as she continues to star in films that are quite different to her recent Marvel stint. She is convincing as a terrified young woman who starts to morph into an all knowing being.
Morgan Freeman is like your favourite grandad; he never disappoints. Here he puts in another comfortable performance as he serves as a narrator for the film's more complex points.

The film promises so much but it never quite fulfils its potential.The plot is interesting enough even if the whole idea of only using ten percent of our brain has already been debunked as a myth. For the less science minded among us, it won't ruin the enjoyment of the movie.

Without giving away the ending, I walked away from the cinema feeling a little deflated. Sure, the film was entertaining and with a run time of 89 minutes, it didn't outstay its welcome. However, as the credits rolled there felt like something was still missing.

Lucy is one of those films that will have people talking in the pubs and restaurants well after it has ended. If that is a big plus when choosing a film then this is definitely for you. On the other hand, if you are more of a 'wham, bam, thank you mam' type of viewer, you may want to avoid (but make sure you give it a go on Blu-ray/DVD/Netflix/etc...).

Review: The Expendables 3

The Expendables was released back in 2010 and was a throwback to the action films of the '80s and '90s. It was the brainchild of one of the most famous action stars of that period, Sylvester Stallone.
It was back to the old school and audiences loved it.

Fast forward to 2014 and the third instalment of the franchise. If The Expendables 3 teaches us anything it's that bigger is not necessarily better. Including (many) new cast members and ramping up the set pieces to ridiculous may not add anything to the series but it's still an enjoyable action film.

The plot is simple; Barney (Stallone) and the boys are still pulling off missions, Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) then shows up, bad things happen and revenge is sworn. Sound familiar? Why over complicate a movie with something like a storyline when there are things to blow up. And blow up they do!

The action pieces are more spread out (this film is the longest of the three) but once they arrive they are shamelessly over the top yet entertaining.

The vast number of actors means that there isn't a chance to see the best of everyone. Indeed a couple of the roles are little more than cameos.
Of the new characters, only a few get their chance to shine. Wesley Snipes and Antonio Banderas are by far the best additions, especially Banderas' Galgo. However neither of these two are 'fresh meat'. 

The new breed include Twilight's Kellan Lutz (looking better here than he did as Hercules) and UFC World Champion, Ronda Rousey. I admit that I was personally looking forward to seeing the Rowdy One on the big screen and I wasn't disappointed. OK, she can't really act but she is given the opportunity to showcase her arse kicking skills, including her trademark armbar, and looks great doing it. The others don't do much which is a shame considering how much the trailers seemed to emphasise the 'old versus new' part of the film.

The 12A rating has meant that the film can access a wider audience but that does mean no more severed limbs and exaggerated arterial spray. A wire that would normally decapitate the villains now only knock them down. The old school, outrageous blood splatter of the original has disappeared which may disappoint a few people.

There are several little nods to some of the actors more famous films as well as Snipes referring to his legal problems; some of the in jokes might go over the heads of the younger viewers.

The Expendables 3 was never going to set the world alight but what it does do is deliver a 126 minute distraction from the world. If you don't set your expectations too high then you'll be pleasantly surprised.

R.I.P Robin Williams

I heard today about the death of Robin Williams and I cried.
He wasn't a friend of mine or of my family, I never met the guy. But his death killed a part of me inside.

I remember watching Mork and Mindy with my dad every week when I was younger. I thought Mork was the funniest and sweetest character on TV. Then my dad introduced me to Good Morning Vietnam and I was hooked. Williams was manic and made me crack up with laughter one moment, then made me weep with emotion the next.

I've never really cried over the death of a celebrity before, and there have been many, but this has really got to me. So I will be emotional and I won't care because Robin Williams meant a lot to me.

R.I.P Robin Williams... I hope you have peace now! xx

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All film reviews can be found at my website as well as articles and trailers.

Currently working on an article about the Rocky films... be sure to keep checking the site for new bits and pieces!

Blu-ray Review: Doomsday

Director – Neil Marshall

Starring – Rhona Mitra, Adrian Lester, Bob Hoskins

With Scottish independence and the Ebola virus being two of the biggest stories in the news today, Doomsday could be seen as a very contemporary film despite being 6 years old. At the same time, it's also a throwback to the action movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s with George Miller and John Carpenter heavily influencing the look of the picture.

The film opens with a typical monologue over images of people dying of some unknown disease which is just an excuse to illustrate some of the gruesome visuals that will become a signature of the movie. Blood and guts splatter all over the screen; this film is not for the squeamish.

Doomsday wears its influences on its gore soaked sleeve. Think of it as Escape from Scotland where Snake Plisskin is now a woman with a robotic eye instead of a patch. It's nice to have a female led action film and Rhona Mitra plays a convincing heroine.

Mitra's Eden Sinclair has to lead a small military group into the quarantine zone (a.k.a Scotland) to find a cure for the deadly virus which suddenly appears in London. The squad includes Sean Pertwee's scientist and Adrian Lester's sergeant (yes, the roles are in the correct order).

As soon as the action crosses over the border we move into Mad Max territory. Tribe leader Sol is a maniacal rock god figure who is a replica of Mad Max 2 character Wez. Craig Conway, a virtual unknown, plays Sol in a way that makes him mad, bad but charming in a demented way.

After a while the film moves from post apocalyptic punk to medieval kingdom but it's not as implausible as you might think. And throughout all the scene changes, the John Carpenter effect remains; even the synthesised beats of the soundtrack evokes memories of the classic Escape from New York music.

Neil Marshall has a flair for writing and directing dark films, both in story and picture, and this is certainly a great example of his style. It poses some interesting questions about the direction of his upcoming King Kong feature.

Doomsday is far fetched for sure, there was never a danger that this might bother the Oscar committee. It is, however, an enjoyable 113 minutes (for the uncut version). Just make sure you let your food go down first or have a very strong stomach.

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy

Over the years there have been many 'space' films that have left an immense impression on the audience. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien (and it's sequels), Avatar and of course, the legend that is the Star Wars saga. Now Marvel has thrown its hat (or should that be space helmet) into the ring with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy. Could the tale of five misfits saving the universe be any good? In short, hell yeah!

The director, James Gunn, and the many Marvel producers have assembled a cast that is simply close to perfect. They work well together even when they are trying to kill each other. Chris Pratt has made the important step from idiotic supporting roles to bona fide leading man, and lead he does. It's hard to imagine anyone else taking on the part of Peter Quill; hell, he IS Peter Quill. The character is Captain Kirk, Han Solo and John Crichton all rolled up in one sarcastic, heroic package.

The rest of the cast are also as wonderful. Saldana's Gamora is as beautiful as she is deadly; Batista (billed as Dave Bautista) proves some wrestlers can act, as the vengeful Drax, Vin Diesel makes 3 words mean so much as walking tree, Groot, and last, but definitely not least, Bradley Cooper as the voice of bounty hunter Rocket Raccoon (who, along with Pratt, had some of the best lines of the movie). I could go on and on about how good each actor is, and each one is fantastic in their respective roles, but it's together that they excel.

The villains are also well cast if not slightly under used. The face off between Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan) teased in the trailer was a little bit of a let down. Lee Pace plays central bad guy Ronan the Accuser but most fans will be salivating at the prospect of seeing Thanos, brought to life by an unrecognisable Josh Brolin. Ronan is evil, but we all know in which direction this film, and it's already announced sequel, is heading.

The film is visually stunning. I made no notes at all during the film as I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen for fear of missing a second. The script, written by Gunn and Nicole Perlman, is funny and snappy. Rocket and Quill may have had the best lines but the cast were each given their moments.

I must also make special mention of the soundtrack. There are some awesome songs from the 1970s and 80s that sound great but also add to the story.

The film is amazing, I cannot recommend it enough. It makes me excited for the sequel as well as for the future of the Marvel franchise.

As usual stay until the end of the credits, although younger viewers may not quite get the last scene.

DVD Review: The Artist

Director - Michel Hazanavicius

Starring - Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell

It has taken far too long for me to get around to watching this Best Picture Oscar winner from 2012, but better late than never.

The story is straight forward; it follows the careers of silent movie star, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and new starlet, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), as the 'talkies' are introduced in Hollywood(land) during the late 1920s. The simple story has a run time of only 100 minutes making it a sweet, uncomplicated film which never feels like it has overstayed its welcome.

The two stars are perfectly cast. Dujardin has the look of Clark Gable and the goofy charm of Cary Grant. He manages to convincingly convey sorrow, joy and a decent into madness without a word (he thoroughly deserved his Best Actor Oscar).

Bejo lives up to her character's name as she is vivacious and delightful to watch throughout.

Another mention must go to Uggie the dog who is almost as big a star of this film as the human actors. The hard of heart may look at his involvement in the storyline as cheesy but as Britain's Got Talent has proved, the public love a dog act.

From the opening seconds, the look and feel is of an authentic 1920s silent film. It's beautifully shot which more than makes up for the lack of speech. However I must admit that seeing big names such as James Cromwell, Malcolm McDowell and the wonderful John Goodman, without hearing their voices was slightly strange.

On a personal note, it was a wonder, but also a little sad, to watch how cinema used to be with audiences laughing, gasping and cheering. There wasn't a mobile phone or nacho in sight. A time when everyone went to the cinema purely for the film (maybe I was born decades too late).

I would recommend this film to everyone but I am under no illusion that they would all enjoy it. There are people who will just not appreciate a picture that does something a little bit differently. If you love film; not just the big blockbusters but film and cinema as a whole, then I urge you watch 'The Artist'.

Blu-ray Review: Dredd

 Judge Dredd has been around since 1977 when he was first introduced in the British magazine '2000 AD'. An attempt was made back in 1995 to introduce the character to the big screen but it bombed; even Sylvester Stallone couldn't save the film (despite coming off the back of the awful 'The Specialist', he had not long made 'Demolition Man' and 'Cliffhanger').

It has taken almost 20 years for anyone else to attempt a film starring the faceless man of the law. So, could it be done right or would it go the same way as the Stallone stinker?

From the very beginning we are warned that this is no comic book film for kids. Within the first 5 minutes we get several 'fucks' and a bloody graphic road accident... this is a movie purely for big boys and girls.

Karl Urban is suitably cast as the gravelly voiced titular hero. We don't get much background on the character but we don't really need it; character development is certainly not a requirement to enjoy this movie. Olivia Thirlby is Anderson, the rookie who must shadow Dredd, while Lena Headey plays Ma-Ma, a prostitute turned drug king-pin. The three principal actors fulfil their roles very well although there isn't too much to stretch their acting skills.

The film is mainly set within a high rise tower, full of the poorest folk mixed with criminal scum. For this reason there is the obvious comparison with 'The Raid'. Both films follow a similar, simple story; law enforcement enter a tall building to arrest a criminal only to become hunted by the inhabitants of said building. However, the vision and style of both films differ. Where 'The Raid' was all about the fights and smothered in grey hues, 'Dredd' is full of garish yellows and gun fire; there are barely any close quarter battles. It would be unfair to continue with any comparison, this film should be viewed on its own merit.

English director, Pete Travis, has produced a film that may be low on story development but is crammed with blood, guts and a visual style that impresses. The slow motion is used to superb effect, especially during the final act.

The film is good; not as good as 'The Raid' but, as I said before, the two really are different movies. It is worthy enough for a sequel but, two years later, we are still waiting for any news. Fingers are crossed that DVD and Blu-ray sales can encourage a second outing for Urban's Dredd.

Review: Transformers: Age of Extinction

 

It has been four years since we last saw Optimus Prime et al, and it's all change for the humans and Autobots.

A billboard referring to the attack in Chicago is one of the very few references to the original trilogy. There is no mention of Sam Witwicky and his adventures in the previous movies which, considering some of the plot points of the film, seems very unbelievable.

Instead we have a brand new human cast led by Mark Wahlberg as failed inventor Cade Yeager. Although playing a similar type of character to Shia LaBeouf, i.e., a lovable loser, Wahlberg is a much stronger and more charming lead. In fact the rest of the cast, although all new actors to the franchise, do not deviate from the Transformers mould. For example Stanley Tucci fills the void left by John Turturro's Agent Simmons by providing both an antagonist and comic relief. We also have the an evil, shadowy, suited, black ops cliché... I mean agent, in the shape of Kelsey Grammer (using his Sideshow Bob voice). There is also the usual young female, this time portrayed by Nicola Peltz, who does little more than cry, run and pose in tight shorts. Indeed, there are no strong, independent female characters which is just another theme that has been carried over from the previous three films.

But, let's face it, nobody watches these films for the human element; it's all about the enormous alien robots. The Autobots have also had an overhaul with only Bumblebee and Optimus Prime remaining from the original robotic cast. Of the rest, we have some not so familiar faces with some very familiar voices (including John Goodman and Ken Watanabe). And let's not forget the long awaited debut of the Dinobots, although you'll have to wait for two hours before they finally hit the screen.

The story is simple; the Autobots are now being hunted by humans and go into hiding. This is where Wahlberg's character comes into the mix as he finds, and later befriends, Optimus Prime. There is also the matter of an inter-galactic bounty hunter and the creation of man-made Transformers; somehow they all manage to connect up.

The run time of 165 minutes feels far too long yet there are some questions that are never really answered (where the hell is Sam being a big one). I can understand wanting to move on but would the Autobots really just forget about their greatest human ally?

With so many elements, this could easily have been made into two separate films, allowing for more character development. However, as the beginning of a new trilogy, there is the hope that everything will be explained better in the second and third films.

There is nothing complicated about a Michael Bay film; car chases, fights, explosions and some very childish humour. Transformers: Age of Extinction is no exception. The film is overly long and there was not enough in it to keep me enthralled for such a length of time. I'm afraid to say this was a case of style over substance where not even a giant, robotic dinosaur was enough to save the day.