Reviews

Battle for SkyArk: a movie with no battle for the aforementioned Ark. All we get are a handful of kid bums with laughable weaponry, pitted against unconvincing "monsters" who could die... of laughter when they see the so-called weapons. The whole movie drags through, the one massive monster is yet another take on the guy-turned-giant-monster- with-mask-and giant-weapon we've seen hundreds of times, from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome to the Resident Evil and Silent Hill movies/games franchise. No development at all, just kids scurrying through what seems to be a huge junkyard. I had few hopes, considering the score given by other viewers, but I didn't think it'd be such a sad sight. The kids do what they can, I won't throw them the stones, they're all very young actors. Whoever made the movie though, should consider a change of career and run said junkyard instead. At least, they'd get an honest pay for piles of rubbish.

Well, I can honestly say I was very surprised. Many will complain it's slow, I will agree that it is, indeed. If you like "Timecop" type flicks you'll be better off skipping this one. I like the approach it takes on the meddling with time lines and I love the aesthetics of the "science" and machinery in it. I thought that maybe, from the critics I had heard, I would be bored of watching it after as little as 15mn but here's the thing, I didn't. It's one of these movies you have to try for yourself. If you start it, do finish it. In the end, I feel it's worth it once you go beyond its pacing. Even that improves dramatically in the end. Not a popcorn flick, rather a brainy type of time paradox movie.

The most reoccurring complaint I see in the prior reviews of this Phantom TV movie is "He's nothing like the old phantom". I am inclined to retort: "So what?" Times change. Crime and injustice evolve, so does the technology that can be used by evildoers. It's only normal in terms of escalation that the Phantom evolves as well. In the old times, the spandex outfit was the Phantom's choice because it would confuse the enemy as well as conceal his real appearance, only nowadays Walker has to take armor piercing rounds and automatic weapons as a potential annoyance too. So yes, he'll wear something different. Same goes with that visor. It has to be both concealing and useful. What is true for technology and attire is also true in terms of psychology. This Phantom reflects his own time. Tradition is not totally forgotten, the whole ritual experience on the lair island is there to remind of all that makes the Phantom who he is. The horse? The dog? You wouldn't bring these to a modern fight, unless you want them minced.

Bottom line: Suck it up buddies, the Phantom we grew with did the same thing we all do. He aged, he died, he got replaced. What is immortal is the concept of the Phantom and in order to survive, all things have to adapt. Including the Ghost Who Walks.

The performance given by the actors in this movie could be the matter for a long discussion. Keanu "Wooden Face" Reeves tries very hard, and at least, like John Constantine in the original comics, he's gloomy. He doesn't manage though to be *as* sarcastic, twisted and generally selfish as the original... and anyway he really hasn't got the worn-out looks it requires to be a good Constantine. I regret also that they didn't pick the Kingpin from Daredevil to play the Papa Midnight part. The other actors do much better I think...

I would say that what keeps the story together is mostly the decorum, the SFX and the mind-drilling music. That and the very interesting concept of "both sides are hypocritical, good and evil are really two groups who just want to beat each other by all means necessary". If you think about it, in the end you might wonder if all of this, including the last "choice" Gabe puts in John's hands, wasn't just all a test of Constantine's soul. If so, it was really playing dices.

Albert Einstein would probably appreciate that one :)