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Reviews
Inception (2010)
One of my favourite films ever
Normal when I see a film, I'm sure like many people, I usually have 1 of 3 different reactions. They usually range from "wow, that was brilliant" to "meh, it was OK" to "my god, that was s***!" - or words to that effect. But it's very rare I will see a film and thing "This film is brilliant. I HAVE to tell people about this." Inception is one of those films. Seriously, I have bored people to death with how much I love this movie - but that can only be a good thing surely? Knowing that this was directed by Chris Nolan, who has directed such great films like Memento and (of course) Batman Begins and the Dark Knight, I knew this was going to be a good film. But I had no idea how good it was going to be. This film really got me thinking into the idea of dreams and its a fascinating in depth look at the distinction to reality and the dream world and how we as humans perceive it.
I could go into great detail about all the good things about this movie, but I'd most likely echo what has been already said a thousand times, so I'll just go over a couple of the major points that others have raise (at least from the reviews I've heard or the comments I've heard others say).
Firstly, a common note is that the story is complicated. But actually it's not, the story is very simple - but it's the way it's executed that makes it hard to follow. Especially when it starts getting into the 3 different layers of dreams and the way they have to time it correctly to leave each dream (As the time difference is so different between each of them). So while the film does require you to pay attention, once you take it in, it flows very nicely and is very well thought out, with few to no plot holes.
Another comment is that people say the actors are a little emotionally distant in their performances. I disagree. There is a lot of emotional depth to the characters, but it's usually all played inwardly and they don't overblown it like so many Hollywood films do. DiCaprio in particular it fantastic as his character is so emotionally tortured, but he keeps all inside and refuses to let anyone else in. This makes him a really interested character and you really do want him to confront his demons. Cillian Murphy is the other character whose performance I would note. While he doesn't seem like much at the beginning, there is one scene at the end that has a lot of passion and sadness that makes you feel sorry for him. As far as the other characters go, some argue that they are just there to move the story forward. But I think each of them plays a valuable part and the film probably wouldn't move as well as it did without them.
It's also worth mentioning the special effects, which are breathtaking. There's not a huge amount of CGI effects compared to other films and a lot of it is practical - but they actually add to the films magic, rather than detracting from it. The effects they do use are beautiful to watch and many of them will leave you breathless.
Now, normally to make an even review, I like to balance a review with the good and bad points, but, honestly. I cannot think of ANYTHING bad about this movie. But that's just my own point of view and it's utterly subjective. Others may find fault with this and that's just fine, but for me, I personally cannot think of anything bad to say about this movie.
Chris Nolan is definitely a direction that treats his audience like intelligent human beings and not cash-whores like a lot of Hollywood directors do. Inception is a film that, if I were to list my top ten movies of all time, it would probably come in at number 4 or 3. And considering that list would also include films like Blade Runner, 2001 and Akira, that's no small compliment. I'll admit that this film may not be to everyone's taste as it does require your full attention. But if you can give it a chance, then I highly recommend it. It's a real treat and further proof that it is possible to make classic movies in this day and age.
Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic (2010)
An Animated Epic Fail!
Based off the video game of the same name (which in turn is based on the first part of the Divine Comedy), the game is essentially retelling the story of Dante's Inferno, imagining Dante as a Templar Knight. A good concept and certainly worth a look at. The film itself was used as a companion piece to this movie, I guess to boost sales.
Now, as a general rule of cinema, video game adaptations to movie don't do so well, for whatever reason. Sadly, this film is no exception.
First of all, the good points. It follows the storyline of the game very closely, in the sense that Dante gets to travel through the nine circles of Hell to fight demons. So if you've played the game, you'll probably be pleased at how closely it follows the general way the game is done. Next, the voice acting is actually pretty good. Dante is voiced by Graham McTavish (mostly known for his work in British TV), and he does a pretty good job - though his voice is usually limited to talking quietly or screaming. The other actor worthy of note is Steven Blum as Lucifer. Blum is a brilliant voice actor who has an extensive career mainly includes animation and video games. He has a real deep voice which is suited to villain roles - so he's great for this part.
Now, the bad parts. Firstly, the nine circles of hell themselves. While the overall design of them is great (and they keep in the major encounters from the game), they don't really develop them in the way they do in the game. As this is a 70 min movie, the general execution feels rushed and we don't get a chance to really soak in the atmosphere of each circle, so in the end it doesn't really give the feeling of dread and terror that the game does.
But my biggest problem is the animation. Six studios did the animation for this film, each taking on a different part of the story. The problem with this is that the characters designs change with each animation. And the animation itself ranges from the mediocre to the just plain ridiculous. Dante and the others characters are constantly changing and it becomes really jarring. I think the worst case of this are the last two sections, where Dante and the devil just look terrible! Another problem with this is that the continuity suffers. Example, in one section, Dante remembers how he murdered a group of prisoners during the war. When it changes to the next animation studio, they play out the exact same scene almost word for word! Another part remembers Dante's father as greedy, evil man, but later on, it shows Dante's father trying to protect her, claiming her to be innocent. This just makes the story hard to follow and, to be honest, it becomes really boring after a while.
And don't even get me started with the lip sync. Sometimes the characters mouths don't even move at all and they still talk! It's such a shame as this could have been a good film, but these little things ruined it for me. If you're a fan of the game, then you can check it out for yourself, but personally, I'd stay away from this one. It's a wasted opportunity.
Solomon Kane (2009)
Not a bad film if you're prepared to give it a go
Before I begin, I should stress that I've never read any of the original Robert E Howard story based on this character, so I have no idea how close this film is to the original stories. However, I did quite like the Conan films, even though I've heard a lot of people say the films deviate from the stories quite a bit. But, being a fan of fantasy films, I thought I'd give this one a go after seeing the trailers.
Overall, I actually liked this film. It's darker in tone than a lot of fantasies and there are actually a few scenes which are quite brutal and shocking. Normally, I don't like it when fantasy films take themselves seriously (after all, fantasy by it's nature is a little silly), but for this, the overall dark tone sets up the story nicely and plunges you into a world where chaos is threatening to swallow humanity.
The story of Solomon Kane isn't anything special, it's just your typical "evil force trying to take over the world" plot. However, just because a story isn't original doesn't automatically make it unwatchable, just so long as it's entertaining. And on the whole, the story of Solomon Kane is actually pretty good. It has a good mix of action and story, though at times the pace does slow down quite a bit (it takes about 30 minutes before we are introduced to the villains) which can leave you a little bored. However, the action scenes are very well choreographed and, thankfully, there's none of that "slow down-speed up" or "bullet time" effect that seems to be plaguing a lot of films these days. It's just good old fashioned sword play.
The characters of the story pretty much fall into the standard "stock fantasy" stereotypes, plus we also have the standard damsel in distress storyline, which personally I hate. Solomon Kane himself does fall into the typical Anti-Hero archetype, in the sense that he is brooding, but kicks ass and takes names, sometimes boarding on being a Mary-Sue. But actually, James Purefoy does play him with a lot of humanity and there are times when you can really sense the struggle between him trying desperately hard not to stray from the path of redemption, but at the same time being pushed in that direction. It's a good mix and it does give Solomon enough flaws to make him a likable hero - and when was the last time you ever saw a kick ass hero with a west country accent? My only major gripes about the film are the monsters. Don't get me wrong, the special effects are brilliant and the monster designs are awesome. However, I don't really think they are used to their full potential. Example, at the beginning of the film, Solomon fights a demon called the Devils Reaper, who you figure will be a major character in the story and maybe a cause of distress to Solomon. But after the first fight, he's never seen again. A wasted opportunity. Also, the main villain Malachi is given little to no character development. All we hear about him is just a couple of passages describing who he is and what he does, that's it. We don't even see him until the end. You may argue that this adds a layer of mystery, but to be honest, I'd prefer it if they gave more of a build up to him and go into a little more of his back-story. That way the end reveal would be much more powerful.
But on the whole, Solomon Kane is an enjoyable film. It may not be original or break new grounds, but it's one of those films where if you don't over-analyse it and just sit back and accept what it is, it's a highly enjoyable film. One to check out.
The Super Hero Squad Show (2009)
Completely ruins Marvel's great characters
OK, as much as I love Marvel, I have to admit they have done some pretty stupid things in the past. But dear lord, how could they agree to this? OK, I know this is based on the toy line and not the comics, but this is just bad! I do try and be as constructive as I can when I review things, but this show has angered me beyond belief! Gone are the wonderful, multi-layered characters of the comics and now they are replaced by Looney Tunesesqe type cartoons. It just doesn't work in this kind of context and they just come across as annoying and completely unlike what you'd expect from a Marvel franchise! OK, I know this show is aimed at kids, but that doesn't mean they couldn't at least try! Especially when you consider the Spider-Man and X-Men cartoon series (which were equally aimed at kids, but still kept in tone with the comics they were based on), were done so well. To me this is just an insult, to both the characters and the audience. The stories are dumb and full of unnecessary pop-culture references. And don't even get me started on the voice acting! Doctor Doom sounds less like the enigmatic conquerer that is in the comics and more like the Red Guy from Cow and Chicken (though they do have the same voice actor so I guess that makes sense) and MORDOK's voice is as annoying as Jar Jar Binks. You can't even hear what he says most of the time! This show is an insult to the Marvel Characters and I can't believe Marvel would allow this to happen. Just goes to show how low they will sink to earn a quick buck. This is the second worst thing Marvel have ever attached their name to. The first being Deadpool from Wolverine Origins... but that's a story for another time.
Punisher: War Zone (2008)
One of the better comic book adaptations
I think on the whole, when it comes to comic book adaptations, the Punisher is one of the few heroes (like Batman) that has been treated pretty well. Because, Dolph Lungren aside, the recent punisher films have been pretty good and kept quite close to the character.
The first Punisher film I thought was pretty good and while it deviated in some ways from the punishers back story, it still kept close to the graphic violence and brutal nature of the comic (and I was actually quite amazed how graphic it was). So Warzone had a lot to live up to, but I think it did it's job well.
Firstly, Ray Stevenson I think made an excellent Punisher and actually added a lot of humanity to the character, which I think was lacking in the first film. People don't always see this, but the Punisher actually DOES have some humanity in him, he's not just a cold blooded killer and actually does care about the innocent. Ray Stevenson doesn't play him like a traditional action hero (in the sense he doesn't have many one liners), he goes for a more brooding, yet gentile character. It makes him a lot more likable and much more than a vengeful vigilante.
On the other side of the coin is Dominic West as Jigsaw, the Punishers rival. I have to say, Dominic did an amazing job with this character. Sure, he probably won't get as much praise as Heath Ledger did for his portrayal of the Joker, but West plays him as a vain psychopath, with no redeeming features and his only real motivation is revenge for his face being scarred. Aside him is his brother Loony Bin Jim, who kinda reminds me a little of the character the Mongolian from the Punisher MAX series. He's played by a naturally creeper Dough Hutchinson and the two characters play off each other very well, a great pair up of villains, who are just so wonderfully cruel you just want them to get their comeuppance.
Now, what the Punisher Warzone lacks in story it MORE than makes up for it in action. The violence is a little bit more graphic than the last film, but it's usually so over the top in places that you'll probably end up laughing than being grossed out. Seeing as it's a comic book adaptation though, you can forgive it for being a little too graphic.
The one thing I didn't really like about this film was Frank Castle's costume. It just didn't look right to me. I understand he is wearing body armour to protect himself, but he just looked a little silly. I kinda would have preferred if they went for the Punisher look from the MAX series, but never mind.
Overall, this film won't be to everyone's taste and the graphic violence will no doubt put a lot of people off. But, if like me, you're a fan of the punisher you'll get enjoyment out of this one. If you're tired of comic book films being "watered down" versions of their published counterparts, you'll be pleased to know this is one of the better ones. I recommend this one.