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A C T I O N / A D V E N T U R E M O V I E S
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CASINO ROYALE
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REVIEW DATE: 03/05/06
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THIS movie has everything for the guys: beautiful women, fast and expensive cars, neat little gadgets (though not nearly as many as in the previous Bond movies), and lots and lots and lots of cold-blooded, ruthless, sociopathic killing. I think the most impressive aspect of the movie is the near opening foot-chase, which is sure to impress even the most calloused, burned-out action fan. In fact, I think it's safe to say it is one of the best foot chases I have ever seen. Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, Infamous) is absolutely the best James Bond ever to hit the big screen. And Dame Judi Dench, whose credits are too numerous to list, is the most fitting "M" ever to fill the character's shoes. Unlike previous Bonds, Craig isn't the slickest or most suave, but I dare say he is even smarter, and he is most definitely the most volatile, dangerous, fit, and realistic character to play 007. This may have something to do with the intentional character development, since Daniel Craig's James Bond portrays the infamous British agent with a license to kill from the very beginning of his career. Maybe they intentionally left the character unrefined? If that was a conscious choice on behalf of the film makers, I tip my hat off to them. We even see Bond before the standard Martini order we've come to adore. There is also quite a bit of subtle humor, and the sexuality is much tamer than the flamboyant, pretty playboy we saw in Pierce Brosnan or Roger Moore. I don't know about you, but the sexual banter between Brosnan and Halle Berry was downright overbearing and campy. Ladies, don't lose heart. This movie is something you'll enjoy, too. It has real emotion, real acting, real characters, genuine interaction, and a great story-plot. It's got something for everyone. |
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KING KONG
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REVIEW DATE: 03/26/06
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WITH great reluctance do I place this epic, King Kong, within the genre of Action/Adventure. If I were braver, or if I thought others would instinctively look for this film in the same category, I would catalogue it properly within the genre of Romance. Peter Jackson (Director), though making a superb adventure film, truly capitalized upon and exploited the true core, heart, soul, and pulse of that which is King Kong. It is a love story. Plain and simple, I will say it again. It is a love story. I must admit I have a particular affinity with this movie. At age 12 or 13 I watched the 1976 version (starring Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, and Jessica Lange) and wept uncontrollably until well past the end of the rolling credits. It is a film close to my heart that reminds me of my childhood, which is why I watched this movie with great anticipation and anxiety. Jackson hit a homerun; making the definitive Kong cinematic experience. In the story, movie producer Carl Denham (Jack Black, Anchorman) sets out to make a movie filmed on location at a mysterious, mythologized island aptly named Skull Island. He casts Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts) to star opposite of Bruce Baxter (Kyle Chandler) in a movies written by a famous playwright, Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody). Denham and his crew, including a young assistant, Preston (Colin Hanks), hire a ship captained by Captain Engelhorn (Thomas Krestschmann) and crewed by men such as Hayes (Evan Parke) and Jimmy (Jamie Bell, Chumscrubber) to trek them across the oceans in search of this mysterious island. Upon arriving and disturbing the natives, the movie and ship crew quickly find themselves upon the island time and evolution forgot. Capture by the aboriginal tribe, the beauty, Ann, is offered as a sacrifice to appease the beast, Kong (Andy Serkis). Ensuing is a prehistoric adventure, followed by the capturing of Kong and taking him back with the crew to NYC in order to profit from the magnificence of such a creature. While the love story is the most important and well centered plot of the film, other undertones are strongly thrust forward. Particularly, one should notice how the cruel, brutal, primal, savage world of Skull Island is no more cruel, brutal, primal, and savage than the world into which Kong is taken captive, which is a great commentary on the plight of man in the midst of the world of nature. And one must tip one's hat to the bold and daring use of computer animation employed in the making of this film. At first it was hard for me to put my finger on the texture and feel of the cinematography, animation, scenery, setting, etc., but I finally found a somewhat satisfying label. It has the feeling of a video game and comic book come to life. One will find the animation and special effect awesome, exhilarating, frightening, and down-right fun. The acting is superb. There was something about the odd and eclectic nature of the casting that made the film very unique and intriguing. There is great and subtle humor, wonderful writing, superb thrills, and more emotion and exuding love than most classically perceived love stories on the shelves of your local video store. |
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DOOM
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REVIEW DATE: 03/11/06
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THERE is little I can say, here, that hasn't been said elsewhere, but allow me to try and sum up everything reliable you've heard about this film from critics across the globe: it sucks. Personally, I am a huge fan of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, specifically his movies The Rundown and Walking Tall. Following those two tough-guy films, which are top-of-the-line productions within their genre, I became more impressed with Johnson when I saw his performance in the the much anticipated sequel to Get Shorty, Be Cool. Therefore, having heard the reviews of Doom prior to seeing the film, I swore to myself that I would not allow any criticisms persuade me or bias me one way or the other (in the case of Doom the only way to be persuaded was down... way, way, way down), and that I would enjoy it or dislike it based on my own reflections; unaided by the smearing campaign unleashed upon this doomed to fail production (pun intended). What else can I say about this film? Some marines from the future are deployed onto an allegedly "dead" planet on which various germ warfare weapons are tested only to find mutant creatures who pass along a mutant virus through bites and scratches. People die. Things explode. Guns go bang. Monsters jump out from dark corners. |
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II
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REVIEW DATE: 02/25/06
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BEING a huge fan of Tom Cruise productions, Mission: Impossible (the first film), and the director, John Woo, I revisited Mission: Impossible II in order to prepare myself for the much anticipated Mission: Impossible III, which is due in theatres in 2006. I revisited this film because I forgot the storyline entirely. And while watching this movie for the second time, I realized why I forgot about it entirely and completely: it was a defense mechanism given to me in order to block out bad experiences. The only reason this film receives more than One Dynamite is the cast and crew involved. Once again, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise, The Last Samurai) is recruited by IMF, which is represented by Mission Commander (Anthony Hopkins, Proof), and teams up with Luther Stickell (Ving Rahmes) and Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) in order to retrieve a biological weapon from Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott). Unlike the first movie in this series, there is little progression in spy techniques, espionage, or international intrigue. It is simply an actionless mutation of a James Bond knock-off. The script is lame. The direction is heartless. And the originality is non-existent. |
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DOMINO
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REVIEW DATE: 02/22/06
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TONY Scott (one of the most accomplished and diversified directors, Man on Fire, Spy Game, Enemy of the State, The Fan, Crimson Tide, True Romance, Days of Thunder, Top Gun, etc.) blends in the rich, grainy, flash-back texture of Man on Fire with a hint of the acid-strip flavor of Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. In fact, Domino is definitely an intentional progression from his vision of the Denzel Washington starred Man of Fire. Based upon a true character, Domino Harvey (Keira Knightley, Pride and Prejudice), a fem-fatale daughter of a Hollywood starlit father and a supermodel mother turned bounty hunter finds her true calling in the midst of her rebellious, angry, discontented life. A truly strong and independent presence, she forges a bond with two of LA's finest hunters, Ed Mosbey (Mickey Rourke, Sin City) and Choco (Edgar Ramirez) and makes her mark as one of the dominant hunters alive. This is a tale of love and seeking that which completes you as thrust from out of an action packed, bang up, fast-paced thrill ride involving ten million dollars, the mafia, the FBI, and the Vegas elite. It isn't as touching, moving, or powerful as Man on Fire, but it definitely cut from the same mold. I recommend this film mostly for the uniqueness of the storyline characters (which are based on reality), the strong acting, and the imaginative cinematography. It's violent, explosive, bloody, witty, and charming. |
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THE LAST SAMURAI
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REVIEW DATE: 02/08/06
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TOM Cruise may well be one of today's most unrewarded talents in Hollywood. Whatever bias there is against him, it came to a full head when this movie, The Last Samurai, was overlooked and avoided by the Oscar Academy. The brave and creative endeavor of The Last Samurai is a noble tale of honor, pride, restoration, and redemption. 'Nathan Algran' (Tom Cruise, Mission: Impossible II) is a solider tormented and haunted by his past duties of service in the 18th century American army whose sole medication and remedy for such an ailment is denial, rage, alcoholism, and utter apathy and despair of life. Living itself is the enemy of 'Algran' as the demons from his past mortify him every day and drive him deeper into oblivion. It isn't until he confronts the most noble enemy as a mercenary for hire that he finds the meaning and goal of life: service and sacrifice; honor and glory; pride and nobility. He learns from his enemy what it is to be a man, and toward what goal man is to strive, selflessness. From his rebirth in the captivity and clutches of those whom he was hired to kill and eradicate, he finds peace, solace, happiness, purpose, redemption, as well as true friendship and love. Having forsaken his soul and all morality with the cost of great sins, he overcomes who he was and forges a new life founded upon much surer and stronger ground through his rescuers, the Japanese Samurai people and their leader, 'Katsumoto' (Ken Watanabe). One cannot escape the overpowering heroic and spiritual themes of this film. The acting produced from every player is at a level very few movies and actors achieve as an ensemble. The cinematography, sets, and locations are more beautiful than one can imagine. Battle scenes are filmed like never before as the movie brings to life this ancient mode of battle upon horse with sword and bow in hand. The film is extremely violent, but utterly devoid of any other substance which might add to an 'R' rating. |
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THE TRANSPORTER II
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REVIEW DATE: 01/17/06
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WHEN Jason Statham's character (Frank Martin) returned to the big screen in The Transporter 2, I told my friends and family, "I wasn't under the impression the first movie warranted a sequel." Now, as far as "action" movies go, I found the first installment in this series mildly entertaining and somewhat original regarding the concept of the main character: a fast-car-driver for hire. Such a concept, though, is not durable and long-lasting. This movie was ridiculous in so many regards. I'm not sure if I can even convey, in writing, some of the idiocy and insanity of the action scenes, but I will try! When two men are in private jet soaring at high speed (hundreds of miles per hour) in a downward spiral and descent toward the ocean, "Frank Martin," standing up in the cabin, realizes the jet is about to crash into the ocean at a 45-degree angle. Seconds before the crash, he leaps/dives toward the back of the plane. While in mid-air, the water floods the plane and he lands unharmed. The only redeeming quality was the cartoonish Matrix-like fighting and athletic abilities, but even those are extremely passé. And the plot? Don't make me tell you the plot. I had enough of it, already. I am extremely torn as to my rating. It couldn't be higher, but it could possibly be lower. |
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FOUR BROTHERS
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REVIEW DATE: 12/28/05
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FOUR BROTHERS earns its 'R' rating by means of violence and language, but it is a brave adaptation of the European Spaghetti Westerns in modern-day Detroit slums. Mark Wahlberg (The Yards), who is becoming (if he hasn't already become) an accomplished dramatic actor, portrays Bobby Mercer as the silhouetted-past gunslinger out to exact justice against those evil villains who have taken over the town. The movie supports a good cast of characters who realistically display a family band of brothers. And those actors in the fringe of the story, such as Terrance Howard (Hustle & Flow) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Melinda and Melinda) play strong characters impacting the plot strongly. Although some scenes are contrived and forced, and other scenes are unexplainably unrealistic, this movie is definitely worth renting when the guys come over to play Texas Hold'em. The plot also has some unexpected, extra twists and turns, and it can be very misleading in the proper manner. And, of course, there is plenty of tough-guy humor. It's a fun movie to watch. One thing to note is the realism of the car chases and car crashes. |
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