Review: Batman Begins

There’s only one way to go from bat-nipples and Arnie’s Mr Freeze: you go dark. Christopher Nolan’s take on the caped crusader dumps the day-glo and wild excesses from previous entries in favour of a murkier, more realistic Gotham City and works all the better because of it. Christian Bale seals his position as the ultimate Batman (part ninja, part borderline psycho) but also finds the time to infuse Bruce Wayne with some much needed humanity and emotion. Most impressive of all is Nolan’s ability to successfully juggle multiple villains and a myriad of supporting characters. Sam Raimi, take note.

5/5

Review: Megamind

 What would happen if Lex Luthor finally managed to defeat Superman? That is the intriguing question posed by Tom McGrath’s Megamind, the latest feature from Dreamworks Animation which is all too happy to examine the superhero conventions before mercilessly spinning them on their head to comedic effect.

Megamind (voiced by Will Ferrell) is an abnormally intelligent alien sent to our planet as an infant just before his world is destroyed by a black hole. Only the literally big-headed protagonist lands on Earth at the same time as another supernaturally gifted baby, who grows up to become Metro Man (Brad Pitt), the heroic protector of Metro City. So what option does Megamind have, other than to employ his genius intellect for evil purposes and become a supervillain? However, his life takes a new turn when, after years of epic battles, he inadvertently manages to defeat his arch enemy.

Initial prospects do not look good for Megamind. Not only does it feel under pressure to live up to other countless superhero movies released on an annual basis, but it must also stand in the shadow of Universal’s Despicable Me, which also features a villain as a loveable anti-hero and was released just a month ago.

It comes as good news then that McGrath’s film is less concerned with Despicable’s sentimentality as it is with good laughs. Will Ferrell’s histrionic vocals are a perfect fit for Megamind’s over the top persona, who may well be the funniest blue character in animation since the Genie in Aladdin, while Brad Pitt delivers a few chuckles himself in his brief screen time as the ridiculously smug Metro Man (“Justice is a non-corrosive metal!”).

The film also manages to chuck in some genuinely intriguing existential musings (by comic book standards, at least) between the slapstick and one-liners. This is after all the story about a ying who’s lost its yang and the realisation that with no superhero to fight, a supervillain’s life serves little purpose.

Nevertheless, Megamind is not without its faults. The comedy wears thin in places – David Cross’ amusingly-named Minion fails to be the hilarious sidekick he should be – and the film does not exactly fare well in the originality department. Plot points are lifted from Superman, the classic rock soundtrack is pure Iron Man, and the aesthetic look of some characters is at times a little too reminiscent of another certain superhero caper released by Pixar. Its saving grace is the 3D, which actually adds dimension to Metro City with riveting, panoramic shots throughout the metropolis, rather than being just a gimmick to pull in viewers.

Ultimately though, despite being an enjoyable enough watch, Megamind is no super addition to the ever-growing list of animation films in Hollywood. It will have to be content being slightly above ordinary.

3/5

Review: Kick-Ass

First things first: Kick-Ass is not just another superhero flick. Sure, it features characters donning colourful costumes and tackling crime, but it is most definitely not in the same league as what Marvel and DC have been offering of late. It is no superhero parody either, so anyone attempting to make comparisons to the abysmal Superhero Movie should stop right now. No, Kick-Ass is the rarest of beasts, a film that is homage, satire, comedy and action flick all at the same time. It is director Matthew Vaughn’s love letter to the comic book industry.

Our protagonist is Dave Lizewski (skilfully played by Aaron Johnson), a high school geek we can all identify with mainly because he convinces as an oddball loser. He gets regularly mugged by the same thugs, is caught ogling his English teacher’s breasts during class and pretends to be gay so he can get close to the girl of his dreams. To put it simply, he makes Peter Parker look like the Fonz. Dave escapes his tedious existence by immerging himself in superhero fiction and often wonders why no one has ever attempted to enter the vigilante business for real. So he slips into a green wetsuit, straps a couple of batons to his back and becomes the unlikely costumed avenger known as Kick-Ass.

The most intriguing aspect of the film is that while Matthew Vaughn clearly has a love and appreciation of the superhero genre, he is also keen on pointing out how ludicrous and especially dangerous vigilantism can be. In one moment we see Kick-Ass botch his first attempt to leap off a building because he has miscalculated the jumping distance; the next, we see him get fatally stabbed in the stomach for trying to foil a car theft. No doubt, Dave is as human as he is fallible.

But this is also Kick-Ass’ main strength. By having a hero prone to error you can not help but cheer him on as he relentlessly gets up after every savage beating: he represents the “tryer”, the true Everyman. It could be anyone of us in that green costume. The scene in which Kick-Ass finally manages to deliver some much needed justice in a 7/11 parking lot will have you punching the air with glee.

While the film remains accessible to all viewers, the Forbidden Planet crowd will be happy to notice the numerous comic book references scattered throughout the plot. Dave’s metal plates in his bones are a blatant nod to Wolverine, Nicholas Cage’s Big Daddy echoes Adam West’s Batman, while there is a distinct Harry Osborneness to the character of Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, still channelling his McLovin persona).

The OTT violence is just the cherry on an already thickly-iced cake. The fact that most of it comes at the hands of the eleven-year old Hit Girl will either thrill or deeply offend you, depending on your moral inclinations. The action may become slightly cartoonish and too surreal in the final minutes but it won’t matter. You will be too entertained to notice.

5/5

Review: Alice in Wonderland

A couple of months after Avatar’s release, Tim Burton decided he should be the next high-profile filmmaker to jump onto the 3D bandwagon. Alice in Wonderland, with all its bizarre, unruly landscapes, is perfect material for a director who specializes in creating visually striking worlds for the big-screen. Just look at his CV: Beatlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Sweeney Todd, a couple of Batmans… No doubt, Tim Burton was meant to make a live-action version of Alice in Wonderland all along…

… Except Burton isn’t making Alice in Wonderland. Whether his film is supposed to be a remake, an update or a sequel to the 1951 Disney ‘toon is never entirely clear. Set thirteen years after her last visit to Wonderland (or Underland, depending on the interpretation) Alice is all grown up and expected to marry a snotty aristocrat. Most importantly she does not have any recollection of ever visiting the fantastical world as a child. Once she spots the white rabbit at her surprise engagement party she gives into her curious nature and follows him once again down the renowned rabbit hole. 

What ensues are a number of colorful characters, locations and set-pieces all strung together by an over-elaborate plot which ultimately fails to engage. After all the source material is arguably one of the barmiest children’s stories ever conceived (think of its influence on The Matrix!), so there was little need for Linda Woolverton to write a script which further complicates the narrative. By the time Alice improvises a fake alliance with the villainous Red Queen you will be scratching your head in bewilderment. It almost feels like Burton was hoping for the audience to be too distracted by the glossy 3D visuals to actually bother focusing on the ludicrous plot. 

Another flaw is the casting of Mia Wasikowska as the titular character. She may possess the looks and requisite amount of innocence to play Alice but half hour into the film her blandness begins to transpire. Perhaps Dakota Fanning or The Lovely Bones’ Saoirse Ronan would have been better choices.

Admittedly, the film is not without a few saving graces. Johnny Depp may add yet another delightful entry to his gallery of weirdoes in the form of Carrot Top lookalike the Mad Hatter, but it is Helena Bonham Carter who steals the spotlight with her spoilt, OTT performance as the Red Queen. And Wonderland itself is a joy to behold. To quote the Hatter, it is a place like no place on Earth, impeccably crafted and rendered all the more striking in 3D. Add in the ear candy of Dolby Surround and you get one of the most immersive experiences your home theatre has to offer. Oh, and you will want to hug and cuddle the Cheshire Cat.

2/5

Review: Up In The Air

Jason Reitman has a thing for contemporary relevance. In Thank You For Smoking he dared to expose the seductive lure of cigarettes whilst packets were being labeled with health warnings. In Juno he tackled teenage pregnancy and abortion, two social issues so sensitive in some parts of the world they may as well be considered taboo. And now he brings us Up In The Air, a film about a mobile downsizer who makes a living out of firing people in the difficult times of the global recession. How’s that for relevance?

The key strength of Up In The Air however is not its hefty real-life pertinence (although it does add substance to the narrative) but its ambiguous unpredictability. Those who have seen the trailer will think they have the film figured out from the start: heartless corporate agent is married to his career, meets a girl, falls in love, rethinks his life and comes out reformed, right? The answer is not a resounding “wrong!” but a hazy “not quite”.

That’s because Up In The Air, like its protagonist, is a film so easy to judge at first, only to catch us off guard when it suddenly reveals its hidden layers. Going into further detail would mean depriving viewers the pleasure of discovering them for themselves, so instead let’s move onto the film’s other high point, its leading actor.

Some may argue that Ryan Bingham’s only redeeming quality is that he is being played by George Clooney, a man so suave and winning in real life it is almost impossible to truly hate the guy, but to dismiss him as superficial would be a mistake. Here is a character who potentially has the most vile job in society yet it is mesmerizing to see how Bingham deftly handles the process of counseling people who have just been informed of their layoff. But Clooney also gets to impress in the scenes which do not involve resorting to his charisma and these are arguably the ones which will linger in viewers’ minds the longest. Seeing him hold back the tears with a warm smile as he reconnects with his estranged, soon-to-be-wed sister is a quietly moving moment.

Nevertheless Clooney is supported by two remarkable co-stars in the form of Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. The latter in particular gets to finally step out of Bella and Edward’s shadow (yes, she is Jessica from Twilight) and display a range of acting which her former co-stars can only dream of conveying.

Finally special mention should go to Reitman and Sheldon Turner for writing a profound yet intermittently very funny screenplay. In one scene Bingham lectures Kendrick’s character on how Asians are more efficient at airport security checks because they travel light and wear slip-on shoes. “That’s racist!”she exclaims. “No, I stereotype. It’s faster”, comes the reply.

However for all its praises and acclaim, Up In The Air remains a film that needs to be viewed and mused upon in order to be fully appreciated. 

5/5

Review: Brothers

Jim Sheridan’s remake of the Danish film Brodre sees a pair of siblings in love with an angelic ex-cheerleader named Grace (Natalie Portman). On one side we have Sam (Tobey Maguire), Grace’s husband, loving father of their two daughters and patriotic marine who leaves home to serve a tour of Afghanistan. The other suitor is Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), the perennially misunderstood but sensitive ex-convict who takes an interest in his brother’s family once the latter is reported dead. Sam’s miraculous re-appearance however causes unforeseeable tension within the household.

On paper Brothers reads like Pearl Harbor without the explosions and slo-mo: an emotionally fraught love-triangle drama. David Benioff’s script takes time to focus on Grace and Tommy’s mutual infatuation in order to make her husband’s sudden return all the more conflicting, while Sam’s barely concealed demons constitute a lingering threat just waiting to harm those around him (it is also intriguing to watch Maguire and Gyllenhaal play against each other bearing in mind that both actors were once romantically involved with Kirsten Dunst). 

What brings the film down is Sheridan’s choices in directing. Scenes are unexpectedly cut short just before they begin to gain momentum while the second half feels infuriatingly rushed compared to the slow build-up that took place in the film’s earlier stages. Another flaw is Sheridan’s decision to include scenes of Sam’s time as a POW in Afghanistan. The director’s intent is to justify the family man’s descent into madness but what he fails to realise is that the omission of these sequences could have added some much needed suspense and mystery in some of Brothers’ crucial scenes towards the end. 

So while the directing appears to be lacking, the acting department fares better. The ever reliable Portman is candid in her maternal role while Gyllenhaal has enough charisma for us to switch our allegiances once Sam is temporarily out of the picture. Maguire instead is a different matter. At first the baby-faced, croaky-voiced actor does not entirely convince as a gruff US marine and passes off rather as Peter Parker with a buzz-cut. It is in his later scenes as a damaged soul in which he displays impressive ranges of acting, especially when Sam reaches breaking point in a domestic-set sequence. Special mention should also go to child actors Bailee Madisonb and Taylor Geare, who infuse some tender innocence to the fractured family picture.

Nevertheless a few good performances cannot compensate for the overall quality of a film and ultimately Brothers fails to make a lasting impression. It is by no means a disaster nor an instantly forgettable Friday night flick, but one can not help but wonder how much better it could have been with a few tweaks here, a few changes there. Brothers may be superior to his last film, the hopelessly dire Get Rich or Die Tryin’, but Sheridan is still far from matching the dramatic heights of My Left Foot. And he directed that twenty-one years ago.

2/5