July 13, 2010
Predators (2010)
Should I see it?
No.
Short Review: "I ain't got time to bleed...or sit through tedious movies."
When I first saw director Nimród Antal's 2003, Budapest-based, film Kontroll, I was thrilled. Here was a fresh, young director with a sharp eye, a strong voice and a talent for the odd. Then came is American debut Vacancy. I found it too harsh and bordering on torture porn. I figured it was a misstep as he entered into the world of Hollywood. Then came Armored. It had less violence, but it also had a lacking story. I began to wonder what happened to the guy who made that film all those years ago. Now, we have Predators. I can safely say that I was was wrong about Antal. Either his original flash of brilliance was youthful luck, or he extinguished it himself to get along in the corporate film world. Either way, I will no longer perk up when I see his name.
Predators is a reworking of the elements from the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger popcorn gun-fest, Predator. Like last summer's Terminator: Salvation, this film attempts to relaunch a dimming franchise. Like last summer's Terminator: Salvation, this film makes the fatal mistake of taking itself far too seriously.
The original Predator film is violent and stupid, but it works. It works because the broad concept of hunter aliens going up against some of Earth's best warriors is, at its heart, quite dumb. It shouldn't be taken seriously. This is why the presence of Jesse "The Body" Ventura adds to the proceedings. Heck, if he wore that stupid feather boa it would have made the movie that much better.
This reworking has the Earthly warriors dropped off on a distant planet which is actually a game reserve for the Predator aliens. For the first act of the film, the warriors stumble around, slowly discovering their situation. Antal quickly establishes a detailed, serious tone that promises a smarter version from their original.
Then the Predators show up and things get dumb.
If the screenwriters had simply saved their time and written the words "...and they all die one by one, like we've seen a thousand times before. Rinse. Repeat" in the script, we would still have the same movie.
The film drops its atmospheric tone and quickly stoops to being a by-the-numbers Pick-Off Movie. A Pick-Off Movie is one where a group of two-dimensional characters are introduced (the group of soldiers). A seemingly unstoppable force is then brought to bear (the Predators). The unstoppable force casually picks off the 2-D characters one by one until one or two are left.
Each of the doomed 2-D characters perform some act which leads to their demise. This acts as a moral barometer for the film - they sin, then they die. The "righteous" one or two people survive, thus showing the audience the proper way to live. This formula is the foundation for all horror movies.
Antal manages to touch on nearly every cliche available. He has the seething cracker, redneck, the crazy loner who talks to himself, the brooding hero who just wants to "work alone" and on and on. The deaths of the characters are all projected beforehand, so there is absolutely no surprises, no suspense. You know when someone will perish and when someone will miraculously be spared at the last minute. The whole affair is a tedious, predictable waste of your time.
If Antal and company had stayed with a thinking-man's version of the franchise, this could have been something interesting. If they had come to their senses and approached the subject with a smirk, even better. Instead they started off strong and then slowly realized they didn't have a story and fell back on the same old shtick. Your life is too short for shtick. Skip this one.
Worldview: The one element of the film that is of interest is a brief acknowledgment of Hell. The soldiers each wake up as they are parachuting onto the planet. They have been abducted and have no recollection of the their kidnapping. As they try to figure out what has happened, a couple of the soldiers decide they are dead and the team has found themselves in Hell.
This is interesting because they are in a version of Hell. Later in the film, this theme is touched upon by Royce as he explains each team member is a predator in their own right - soldiers, mercenaries, hit men, all people who excel at their profession and enjoy doing it. They have all sinned. For their sins, the aliens have selected them to be their prey.
The planet offers no hope, no survival. They will die and not pleasantly. God doesn't seem to exist in this world - only the demonic aliens rule.
Granted, Antal touches on this but fails to deliver anything meaningful. Instead he focuses on mundane fight sequences and shots of people wandering the jungle.
Cautions: It is called Predators - it is violent.
Related Reviews:
Laurence Fishburne movies
21 (2008)
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
Other Critic's Reviews:
DarkMatters
San Francisco Chronicle
Click here to buy your copy of
You Are What You See:
Watching Movies Through a Christian Lens
When I first saw director Nimród Antal's 2003, Budapest-based, film Kontroll, I was thrilled. Here was a fresh, young director with a sharp eye, a strong voice and a talent for the odd. Then came is American debut Vacancy. I found it too harsh and bordering on torture porn. I figured it was a misstep as he entered into the world of Hollywood. Then came Armored. It had less violence, but it also had a lacking story. I began to wonder what happened to the guy who made that film all those years ago. Now, we have Predators. I can safely say that I was was wrong about Antal. Either his original flash of brilliance was youthful luck, or he extinguished it himself to get along in the corporate film world. Either way, I will no longer perk up when I see his name.
Predators is a reworking of the elements from the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger popcorn gun-fest, Predator. Like last summer's Terminator: Salvation, this film attempts to relaunch a dimming franchise. Like last summer's Terminator: Salvation, this film makes the fatal mistake of taking itself far too seriously.
The original Predator film is violent and stupid, but it works. It works because the broad concept of hunter aliens going up against some of Earth's best warriors is, at its heart, quite dumb. It shouldn't be taken seriously. This is why the presence of Jesse "The Body" Ventura adds to the proceedings. Heck, if he wore that stupid feather boa it would have made the movie that much better.
This reworking has the Earthly warriors dropped off on a distant planet which is actually a game reserve for the Predator aliens. For the first act of the film, the warriors stumble around, slowly discovering their situation. Antal quickly establishes a detailed, serious tone that promises a smarter version from their original.
Then the Predators show up and things get dumb.If the screenwriters had simply saved their time and written the words "...and they all die one by one, like we've seen a thousand times before. Rinse. Repeat" in the script, we would still have the same movie.
The film drops its atmospheric tone and quickly stoops to being a by-the-numbers Pick-Off Movie. A Pick-Off Movie is one where a group of two-dimensional characters are introduced (the group of soldiers). A seemingly unstoppable force is then brought to bear (the Predators). The unstoppable force casually picks off the 2-D characters one by one until one or two are left.
Each of the doomed 2-D characters perform some act which leads to their demise. This acts as a moral barometer for the film - they sin, then they die. The "righteous" one or two people survive, thus showing the audience the proper way to live. This formula is the foundation for all horror movies.
Antal manages to touch on nearly every cliche available. He has the seething cracker, redneck, the crazy loner who talks to himself, the brooding hero who just wants to "work alone" and on and on. The deaths of the characters are all projected beforehand, so there is absolutely no surprises, no suspense. You know when someone will perish and when someone will miraculously be spared at the last minute. The whole affair is a tedious, predictable waste of your time.
If Antal and company had stayed with a thinking-man's version of the franchise, this could have been something interesting. If they had come to their senses and approached the subject with a smirk, even better. Instead they started off strong and then slowly realized they didn't have a story and fell back on the same old shtick. Your life is too short for shtick. Skip this one.
Worldview: The one element of the film that is of interest is a brief acknowledgment of Hell. The soldiers each wake up as they are parachuting onto the planet. They have been abducted and have no recollection of the their kidnapping. As they try to figure out what has happened, a couple of the soldiers decide they are dead and the team has found themselves in Hell.
This is interesting because they are in a version of Hell. Later in the film, this theme is touched upon by Royce as he explains each team member is a predator in their own right - soldiers, mercenaries, hit men, all people who excel at their profession and enjoy doing it. They have all sinned. For their sins, the aliens have selected them to be their prey.
The planet offers no hope, no survival. They will die and not pleasantly. God doesn't seem to exist in this world - only the demonic aliens rule.
Granted, Antal touches on this but fails to deliver anything meaningful. Instead he focuses on mundane fight sequences and shots of people wandering the jungle.
Cautions: It is called Predators - it is violent.
Related Reviews:
Laurence Fishburne movies
21 (2008)
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
Other Critic's Reviews:
DarkMatters
San Francisco Chronicle
Click here to buy your copy of
You Are What You See:
Watching Movies Through a Christian Lens
Labels: Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, film, Laurence Fishburne, Nimród Antal, Robert Rodriguez, Topher Grace, Walton Goggins
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 8:00 AM
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May 1, 2010
Movie Trailer: Repo Men
The central concept doesn't make sense. Why would they sell artificial organs to people that can't pay the bills? You make money on loans by servicing them, not collecting.
Even if we ignore that, who is going to get an artificial organ if they know the people who installed it can come to get it? Why would anyone who goes into default not arm themselves?
The whole thing is silly.
It will be interesting to see if the film makers make this into a typical "corporations = bad" rant in light of the Health Care monstrosity that has descended upon the U.S.
Even if we ignore that, who is going to get an artificial organ if they know the people who installed it can come to get it? Why would anyone who goes into default not arm themselves?
The whole thing is silly.
It will be interesting to see if the film makers make this into a typical "corporations = bad" rant in light of the Health Care monstrosity that has descended upon the U.S.
Return to the movie trailers page
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Labels: Alice Braga, film, Forest Whitaker, Jude Law, Liev Schreiber, movie trailer
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 9:00 AM
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March 15, 2010
Movie Trailer: Predators
Since I've been reminded of it, its fair to say that if you took Quintin Tarantino and made him 1000 times less self-important and irritating, you'd end up with Robert Rodriguez.
I'm torn on this one. The original Predator is a fun but if fast-food cinema. Nimrod Antal is one of the directors I am willing to go out of my way to see. The cast in this production hints that there's more going on than a simple pick-off, gore-fest.
On the flip-side, do we really need another rehashing in theaters?
I'm torn on this one. The original Predator is a fun but if fast-food cinema. Nimrod Antal is one of the directors I am willing to go out of my way to see. The cast in this production hints that there's more going on than a simple pick-off, gore-fest.
On the flip-side, do we really need another rehashing in theaters?
Return to the movie trailers page
Screenwriters: Michael Finch, Alex Litvak and Robert Rodriguez (Planet Terror)
Director: Nimród Antal (Kontroll)
Actors: Topher Grace (Spider-Man 3), Adrien Brody (Cadillac Records), Danny Trejo (The Devil's Rejects), Laurence Fishburne (Apocalypse Now) and Alice Braga (Redbelt)
Labels: Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, film, Laurence Fishburne, movie trailer, Robert Rodriguez, Topher Grace
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 6:00 PM
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June 8, 2009
Blindness (2008)
Should I see it?
No.
Short Review: Blindness is right. You'll want to scrape your eyes out rather than sit through the final act fo this film.
Fernando Meirelles directed a great film, Cidade de Deus "City of God". It is a moving, sometimes shocking exploration into environment and character. It is a reminder of the power of cinema and is one of the best movies I've ever seen.
This ain't City of God.
The first act of this film about a plague that blinds its victims is wonderfully constructed and executed. Merielles' stark visuals and thoughtful scenes develop the paranoia, isolation and fear that comes with of the uncontrollable threat of disease. A virus blinds its victims and one by one people are left stumbling around town, crashing their cars and getting lost in their own homes. Before too long the government steps in an quarantines the victims in an abandoned mental hospital. One of the victims "Doctor" (Mark Ruffalo) is an optomistrist who loses his sight early on. His wife, aptly named "Doctor's Wife" is immune to the disease. She can see. She pretends to be blind so she can keep tabs on and help her love. Its at this point things hit a big, unmovable wall.
While instituationalized, it becomes clear that the outside world is falling apart, but things aren't much better inside. The blind prisoners wander the halls naked, filth and execement smudge the floors and trash lines the rooms. Their life in squalor and fear gets worse when the food shipments stop coming. A group of thugs, who live on the first floor of the building, take over the food supply and demand payment for it from the other residnets. They back up their demand with a gun and the fact that one of their members has been blind his whole life. Unlike everyone else, he is used to being blind uses his experience to control others.
***Spoiler Alert: From this point forward I will give away important facts that will ruin the story. If you plan on seeing the film, do not read further. If you plan on seeing the film, please do not blame me when you realize you've wasted your time. I tried to warn you.***
The story descends into a confusing, unpleansant mess at this point because once the thugs take all of the trinkets and property from the rest of the asylum they then demand the women. The women in the asylum submit so people can eat. What follows is a disturbing rape sequence where the women are brutally victimized, one even dies. Meirelles doesn't descend to showing much but the audio and shadows of women being raped isn't something most people want to sit through. The point is made without forcing the audience to experience it. What is so frustrating about the whole situation is that the lead, Doctor's Wife (Julianne Moore) IS NOT BLIND. In the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king. In this case she's queen. She has the ability to put an end to the conflict at any time. She can see and the thugs can't. She allows herself and others to be raped. She allows for people to live in squalor. We're not given solid reasons for her choices, other than it all goes to feed the film's overall symbolism. The problem is that symbolism doesn't outmatch logic. Her failure to act makes her, the heroine, as evil as the villains.
Eventually, Doctor's Wife does confront the thugs, after the thugs have visited every possible evil on the rest of the people in the asylum. She burns the place down and leads the residents out on the streets. There things are better but they're left to scavange along with everyone else. After a while, and some minor conflicts, everyone regains their sight. End of story.
Sound stupid?
It is.
Related Reviews:
Julianne Moore movies
Children of Men (2006)
Short Cuts (1993)
Other Critic’s Reviews:
Film Critics United
Intermedias Review
Labels: Alice Braga, Danny Glover, film, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, movie review
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 8:00 AM
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November 10, 2008
Redbelt (2008)
Should I see it?
Yes.
Yes.
My long-suffering wife had it right when she tagged all David Mamet as being “guy stuff”. Women can certainly enjoy David Mamet’s writing but his plays and scripts have a definite masculine core to them. His men are purely American, aggressive and smart but foiled by powers seemingly beyond their control. Their frustrations erupt in snaps of invective-laced dialog and unstable logic.
Mamet’s films have been a gallery of uneven results. On one hand, he’s produced the enjoyable, comfortable Things Change, complex and ultimately wandering films like House of Games and Homicide while also making incoherent messes like Spartan and Heist. It seems as though half the time his productions get out of his hands. This outing is probably his best directorial work on film.
Chiwetel Ejiofor (American Gangster) gives a notable performance as Mike Terry, a committed mixed-martial arts instructor who is forced to battle his ideals when financial ruin pushes him towards selling himself out to prize fighting. Ejiofor is very impressive in this role. Not only is the role obviously very physical, he sells the idea that he’s a top competitor quite easily, but he is also asked to present a man who is very controlled yet approachable. Terry is a good man who seems liberated by the inner control he finds in jujitsu. His small school is a labor of love not profit. When things turn sour for him and the pressures build, Terry’s ideals are challenged. Ejiofor masterfully presents this internal conflict with a leveled performance. Chiwetel Ejiofor isn’t well known, but his face may be familiar to the twelve people who made it through Children of Men. This performance is an absolute career maker. Every once in a while an actor who’s been languishing in supporting roles will get an opportunity, either with a rich support role (Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Pile in Full Metal Jacket) or a more prominent role in a smaller film such as this. When they get that good role, they knock it out of the park and the audience is left sitting thinking “where did this guy come from?” The problem here? No one is going to see this performance because this film has been overlooked.
This is a guy movie with brains. Despite it being penned by one of the great living American writers and befitting his impressive resume, this is a movie that can be enjoyed by most guys. Terry’s struggle to keep his dignity and this livelihood is something most people should be able to identify with. The fact that he gets to do so by beating the tar out of other men is just icing on the dramatic cake. Mamet writes some fantastic scenes and drafts some interesting characters, as one would expect; thankfully he also doesn’t skimp on the fighting.
This is a film that is worth searching out. It is a shame it was in and out of release so quickly because more people should have had the chance to see it. Put this in your Netflix queue or remember it the next time what you want is out down at Blockbuster.
Related Reviews:
Another David Mamet movie
Spartan (2004)
Other Critic's Reviews:
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Combustible Celluloid
Labels: Alice Braga, Chiwetel Ejiofor, David Mamet, Emily Mortimer, film, movie review, Tim Allen
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 9:00 AM
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October 12, 2008
Movie Trailer: Cidade de Deus (City of God)
It is violent. It is brutal. It is very harsh. It is brilliant and I strongly recommend it. The trailer serves the film well and if the trailer sparks your interest you should track this down. Be warned, this is not a film for the mild there is rape, shootings, and all sorts of other criminality on display. The violence is in context and required to tell the story.
Screenwriter: Bráulio Mantovani (The Elite Squad)
Directors: Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund (City of Men)
Actors: Alexandre Rodrigues (Forbidden to Forbid), Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen (Fish Dreams) and Alice Braga (I am Legend)
Directors: Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund (City of Men)
Actors: Alexandre Rodrigues (Forbidden to Forbid), Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen (Fish Dreams) and Alice Braga (I am Legend)
Labels: Alice Braga, foreign film, gangs, movie trailer
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 1:00 PM
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April 27, 2008
Movie Trailer: Blindness
Coming out on October 3rd, this film by Fernando Meirelles (City of Men) tells the story of a doctor's wife who cares for her husband as a plague of sudden blindness sweeps through the city. The concept of a virus blinding humanity is interesting and could be the basis for a fascinating film. My gut, and the stink of pretentiousness coming off the trailer below, tells me otherwise.
The movie stars Julianne Moore, an actress who has apparently dedicated her career to pompous movies: Children of Men, Short Cuts, I'm Not There, Boogie Nights, The Hours and Psycho. Its as if she enters into negotiations for every role by demanding that the director create a haughty, unwatchable ode to self indulgence. Adding to the warning signs, certified wing nut Danny Glover makes an appearance - never a good sign.
Just the same, check out the trailer and make up your own mind. What do you think? Does it look good or not?
The movie stars Julianne Moore, an actress who has apparently dedicated her career to pompous movies: Children of Men, Short Cuts, I'm Not There, Boogie Nights, The Hours and Psycho. Its as if she enters into negotiations for every role by demanding that the director create a haughty, unwatchable ode to self indulgence. Adding to the warning signs, certified wing nut Danny Glover makes an appearance - never a good sign.
Just the same, check out the trailer and make up your own mind. What do you think? Does it look good or not?
Click here to visit the official site
Return to the Movie Trailer Page
Screenwriter: Don McKellar
Director: Fernando Meirelles (City of Men)
Actors: Julianne Moore (Children of Men), Mark Ruffalo (Zodiac), Alice Braga (I am Legend), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), Gael Garcia Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Sandra Oh (Sideways)
Labels: Alice Braga, Danny Glover, film, Gael Garcia Bernal, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, movie trailer, Sandra Oh
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 9:41 AM
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April 25, 2008
Movie Trailer: Redbelt
This David Mamet written/directed film hits your local art house for a few days beginning on May 9th. Mamet may be one of the best living American playwrights but his movies tend to be a serious drag. This one stars Chewitel Ejiofor as a peaceful jujitsu instructor who is lured by circumstance into prize fighting. Apparently, this is Mamet's version of a Steven Segal movie.
Click here to view the official site
Screenwriters: David Mamet (Spartan)
Director: David Mamet (Wag the Dog)
Actor: Chiwetel Ejioforer (American Gangster), Alice Braga (I am Legend), Tim Allen (Galaxy Quest), and David Paymer (Mr. Saturday Night)
Click here to return to the Movie Trailer Page
Labels: Alice Braga, Chiwetel Ejioforer, Davd Mamet, David Paymer, movie trailer, Tim Allen
posted by Michelle Obama's Left Nut at 10:38 PM
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