Sunday 24 March 2013

Safe


There’s something gleefully entertaining about Jason Statham. With his propensity for starring in ludicrous action flicks that could have easily been made in the 80s, he feels like Britain’s answer to Bruce Willis. In Safe he plays a dubiously accented former NYC cop pulled out of self-imposed exile, when a valuable Chinese girl is hunted down by the Triad, Russian mob and a handful of corrupt detectives. The plot is every bit as bonkers as that last sentence, but who are we kidding, we’re just here to see The Stath kick the living shit out of anyone – meaning everyone – who crosses his path. Best enjoyed with some mates and a crate of beer.   

3/5 

Saturday 16 March 2013

Side Effects


If Steven Soderbergh truly plans on retiring from filmmaking soon then he’s hardly going out with a bang, if Side Effects is anything to go by. The plot sees Rooney Mara’s graphic designer affected by severe depression shortly after her husband is released from jail; as she goes into therapy, her prescribed medication starts have startling effects on her actions and personality. Initially playing out like a not too subtle anti-drug campaign, Side Effects takes a more sinister turn in the second act, with the focus gradually shifting to Jude Law’s conflicted psychiatrist. It’s just a shame the twist is blatantly predictable from the outset, which makes for mundane viewing.

2/5

Monday 4 March 2013

The Bridge


To most people it’s the landmark that instantly brings San Francisco to mind, but the Golden Gate Bridge also holds the sad distinction of being one of the most popular suicide sites in the world – since its completion in 1937 there have been approximately 1500 jumpers. However, while the subject itself is too narrow for a feature length film, there is something distinctly perverse about Eric Steel’s documentary, as we are treated to what seems like an endless reel of individuals jumping to their deaths. Steel might argue that he is merely an observer in the face of these tragedies – then why do we feel like voyeurs come the end credits?

2/5