"War Dogs: This isn't about being pro war, it's about being pro-money"
"Based on a true story"........very very very loosely.
A film with this subject matter probably should've been directed by someone else. This is a film about gun-runners and arms dealers during the Iraq War but told from the perspective of two college bro's. Director Todd Phillips of The Hangover Trilogy fame never really questions the moral or ethical dilemmas at hand, but instead focuses on our two protagonists landing "the big score", the big score being a $300 million dollar government arms deal.
Todd Phillips is in over his head trying to tackle an old school crime saga, he throws in classic rock songs, freeze frames with tiresome voice overs & title cards with the intention of giving this material a little more heft but fails miserably. There is so much blatant homage to the film Scarface with background posters and scenes of doing gratuitous amounts of cocaine that it's basically just the Diet Coke of Brian De Palma or Martin Scorsese light.
Personally if you want to see a film dealing with this subject matter that's handled with way more
austerity, then watch Andrew Niccol's "Lord of War" which actually satirizes war profiteers rather than glorifies them. The insurmountable problem is that David Packouz (Miles Teller) & Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) are both pot-smoking losers, but they're both winners in the eyes of director Todd Phillips who can't seem to escape the pot-smoking crude humor film genre he's been stuck in for the last two decades.
There are no stand out performances in this film, Miles Teller barely has a heart beat, Jonah Hill is basically playing an extension of his character from "The Wolf of Wall Street" without the direction from Martin Scorsese and the cameo from Bradley Cooper merely exists, it could have been played by anyone. It's perfectly watchable because there is an occasional laugh stemming from Jonah Hill's cartoonish behavior, but it's just an overly polished attempt at telling a story about two stoners from Florida who accidentally become arms dealers.
Everything is surface level, it's all about the prestige, the money, the fame and the women but doesn't really ask the audience any hard hitting questions. Of course when things go south for our moronic duo the film expects you to feel sorry for them, but frankly I could give a fuck less. This Bradley Cooper & Todd Phillips production is plagued with bad writing and is easily forgettable. Save your money. 1.5/5
Saturday, 20 August 2016
Thursday, 18 August 2016
Midnight Special Film Review
"Midnight Special: It doesn't matter. Good people die every day believing in things."
On the surface Midnight Special is a mid-level budget action film, but it approaches the science-fiction genre from an unconventional angle. Whilst the premise is nothing new; the two protagonists Michael Shannon (Roy) & Joel Edgerton (Lucas) escort a young dependent child by the name of Alton with abilities away from an overbearing authority and a cult that disturbingly worships the child. Beneath the surface there is a critique on the current wave of superhero films and the prevalent practice of glorifying city destruction that we so often see.
The film does little to shy away from comparisons of big budget blockbusters with the child drawing his power from the sun, it's interesting that Michael Shannon is cast as Alton's father who only a few years previously portrayed General Zod in Man Of Steel, where the protagonist Clark Kent also draws his power from the sun. The film is blunt in it's references so much so that Alton reads a Superman comic book in the back seat of a car with a torchlight as they flee from the antagonists. As a further nod to the audience Director Jeff Nichols cast's Kirsten Dunst as Alton's estranged mother Sarah who previously portrayed Mary-Jane in the globally successful Spider-Man franchise.
This can easily be watched or dismissed as a Superhero film on a budget but really when taking into account Jeff Nichols previous works such as "Take Shelter" & "Mud" it's easy to see he has an affinity for the existential, this may seem pretentious to some and that's perfectly fine but I believe the film deserves a closer look. Midnight Special draws specific attention to the tropes it borrows from contemporary blockbusters as a way to shine a light on the formulaic way film studio's are pumping out large volumes of Superhero movies.
When Alton's powers are triggered, they are triggered violently but only in an accidental manner, hence why the government chases him so doggedly. This theme is also prevalent in Man Of Steel where Superman is feared for his destructive abilities but that was handled with much less gravitas by Director Zack Snyder who to be fair was making a blockbuster that had to broadly appeal to mass audiences.
The ominous cult that so desperately want Alton back are addicted to looking into his eyes, which seem to be where his powers stem from. When looking into Alton's eyes people attest to an overwhelming sense of euphoria and an escape from the woes of daily life on earth. This is most likely a metaphor for the current state of film goers being drawn to Superhero films as a way to live out our own escapist fantasies. Midnight Special serves as a warning that with our unbridled obsession with Superhero films we are in a way holding ourselves and the artist back from being able to tell original and compelling stories.
Midnight Special is a diamond in the rough that deserved a wider audience but failed to appeal to the masses because as I said previously it's only a mid-level budget action film. It's an entertaining ride that will make you consider the current state of the film business that's obsessed with rehashing old properties. 4.8/5
On the surface Midnight Special is a mid-level budget action film, but it approaches the science-fiction genre from an unconventional angle. Whilst the premise is nothing new; the two protagonists Michael Shannon (Roy) & Joel Edgerton (Lucas) escort a young dependent child by the name of Alton with abilities away from an overbearing authority and a cult that disturbingly worships the child. Beneath the surface there is a critique on the current wave of superhero films and the prevalent practice of glorifying city destruction that we so often see.
The film does little to shy away from comparisons of big budget blockbusters with the child drawing his power from the sun, it's interesting that Michael Shannon is cast as Alton's father who only a few years previously portrayed General Zod in Man Of Steel, where the protagonist Clark Kent also draws his power from the sun. The film is blunt in it's references so much so that Alton reads a Superman comic book in the back seat of a car with a torchlight as they flee from the antagonists. As a further nod to the audience Director Jeff Nichols cast's Kirsten Dunst as Alton's estranged mother Sarah who previously portrayed Mary-Jane in the globally successful Spider-Man franchise.
This can easily be watched or dismissed as a Superhero film on a budget but really when taking into account Jeff Nichols previous works such as "Take Shelter" & "Mud" it's easy to see he has an affinity for the existential, this may seem pretentious to some and that's perfectly fine but I believe the film deserves a closer look. Midnight Special draws specific attention to the tropes it borrows from contemporary blockbusters as a way to shine a light on the formulaic way film studio's are pumping out large volumes of Superhero movies.
When Alton's powers are triggered, they are triggered violently but only in an accidental manner, hence why the government chases him so doggedly. This theme is also prevalent in Man Of Steel where Superman is feared for his destructive abilities but that was handled with much less gravitas by Director Zack Snyder who to be fair was making a blockbuster that had to broadly appeal to mass audiences.
The ominous cult that so desperately want Alton back are addicted to looking into his eyes, which seem to be where his powers stem from. When looking into Alton's eyes people attest to an overwhelming sense of euphoria and an escape from the woes of daily life on earth. This is most likely a metaphor for the current state of film goers being drawn to Superhero films as a way to live out our own escapist fantasies. Midnight Special serves as a warning that with our unbridled obsession with Superhero films we are in a way holding ourselves and the artist back from being able to tell original and compelling stories.
Midnight Special is a diamond in the rough that deserved a wider audience but failed to appeal to the masses because as I said previously it's only a mid-level budget action film. It's an entertaining ride that will make you consider the current state of the film business that's obsessed with rehashing old properties. 4.8/5
Wednesday, 17 August 2016
Netflix's Stranger Things Series Review
"Stranger Things: Science is neat, but I’m afraid it’s not very forgiving."
Yearning for yesteryear? Then this retro roller coaster of a series might be for you. It's a completely original series that reboots everything you loved about the 80's. It defies all odds and is a celebration of nostalgia. It was created and directed by the Duffer Brothers whose only other directing credit is an indie film called "Hidden" (highly recommended horror film). They've created a series heavily inspired by Steven Spielberg, Stephen King & John Carpenter but instead of the show constantly winking at you with references they're winking WITH you in a very non-condescending way.
In a nutshell Stranger Things is an 8 episode series set in middle America during the early 80's where a young boy goes missing in the woods, his friends go searching for him and come across a young girl with a shaved head and telekinetic abilities who has trouble communicating. Instead of this going the route of that J.J. Abrams series "Lost" where it's unsolved mystery after unsolved mystery, it has a very focused, well written story line where we learn things gradually.
Also looking for the lost boy is his mother played by Winona Ryder who delivers a stellar comeback performance after stepping away from Hollywood for a few years. One of my new favourite actors David Harbour plays the town police chief who could have very easily been written as a stereotypical naysayer but instead gets heavily involved in the search for the boy once he begins to see a government conspiracy unfold.
It definitely feels like the President Reagan years with the whole trope of tying to stay one step ahead of the Russians but instead of getting bogged down in politics it focuses on a research facility where the antagonists have really overstepped the mark in terms of experimenting on children and being able to access alternate dimensions which leads to accidentally releasing a faceless monster that terrorizes the town. Whilst it is reminiscent of films like "The Goonies" or "E.T" in it's child like perspective of story telling; the haunting nature of this series allows it to get very very dark and gritty. It doesn't shy away from violence and horror which leads to in my opinion a much more compelling story. It's as realistic as it can be when dealing with the supernatural. The score is also very 80's synthesizer music which is so fitting but it's never obnoxious, it comes across very natural.
A definite recommendation to anyone who enjoys 80's science-fiction, it's only 8 episodes long but feels way more cinematic than some of the recent trash in theaters. You can binge watch it and have a blast because Netflix released all episodes at once. Take a trip down memory lane. 4.7/5
Yearning for yesteryear? Then this retro roller coaster of a series might be for you. It's a completely original series that reboots everything you loved about the 80's. It defies all odds and is a celebration of nostalgia. It was created and directed by the Duffer Brothers whose only other directing credit is an indie film called "Hidden" (highly recommended horror film). They've created a series heavily inspired by Steven Spielberg, Stephen King & John Carpenter but instead of the show constantly winking at you with references they're winking WITH you in a very non-condescending way.
In a nutshell Stranger Things is an 8 episode series set in middle America during the early 80's where a young boy goes missing in the woods, his friends go searching for him and come across a young girl with a shaved head and telekinetic abilities who has trouble communicating. Instead of this going the route of that J.J. Abrams series "Lost" where it's unsolved mystery after unsolved mystery, it has a very focused, well written story line where we learn things gradually.
Also looking for the lost boy is his mother played by Winona Ryder who delivers a stellar comeback performance after stepping away from Hollywood for a few years. One of my new favourite actors David Harbour plays the town police chief who could have very easily been written as a stereotypical naysayer but instead gets heavily involved in the search for the boy once he begins to see a government conspiracy unfold.
It definitely feels like the President Reagan years with the whole trope of tying to stay one step ahead of the Russians but instead of getting bogged down in politics it focuses on a research facility where the antagonists have really overstepped the mark in terms of experimenting on children and being able to access alternate dimensions which leads to accidentally releasing a faceless monster that terrorizes the town. Whilst it is reminiscent of films like "The Goonies" or "E.T" in it's child like perspective of story telling; the haunting nature of this series allows it to get very very dark and gritty. It doesn't shy away from violence and horror which leads to in my opinion a much more compelling story. It's as realistic as it can be when dealing with the supernatural. The score is also very 80's synthesizer music which is so fitting but it's never obnoxious, it comes across very natural.
A definite recommendation to anyone who enjoys 80's science-fiction, it's only 8 episodes long but feels way more cinematic than some of the recent trash in theaters. You can binge watch it and have a blast because Netflix released all episodes at once. Take a trip down memory lane. 4.7/5
Suicide Squad Film Review
"Suicide Squad: Oh, I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna hurt you really, really bad"
This is going to be shallow and condescending, just like this critical darling film! There was hope that DC would Marvel us with their version of Guardians of the Galaxy, a rag-tag team of anti-heroes coming together for the greater good, however in typical DC fashion they deliver us a horrendously edited final product.
Call me a film snob or DC hater, I don't care this film was garbage from the get-go. There's only so many pop-songs & mini intro's I can handle in the first act, our introduction to the Suicide Squad was basically one long music video with shiny neon lights that would trigger any epileptic into having a frothing at the mouth fit right there in the cinema.
Maybe Warner Bro's don't actually care, maybe they aren't trying to catch up to Marvel, maybe they're just exploiting all the superhero film rights they own to make quick cash & if I was a Warner Bro's shareholder I probably wouldn't care either. This film appeals to the lowest common denominator of film-goers. If you just want action scene after action scene with terrible one liners then this is the film for you.
The premise itself is laughable; let's put together a team of meta-humans to combat the next superman scenario in-case the next Superman to visit earth doesn't "come in peace". It has the exact same overarching plot issue that "Man Of Steel" had. A self full-filling prophecy, if Superman never came to earth in the first place then Superman would never have needed to save us. So what happens in this film? The government, headed by Viola Davis's character "Amanda Waller" try's to employ the "Enchantress" an uncontrollable witch that releases her demonic brother that creates yet again another faceless enemy for our anti-heroes to combat. Just like with The Avengers 1&2 the faceless armies have no real substance because in a PG-13 film god-forbid we kill actual human beings and show blood or have an antagonist with real motivations.
Cara Delevingne plays the Enchantress and Cara Delevingne is to acting what Adam Sandler is to comedy. She's awful and only now has a film career because she's a famous model that has 32 million Instagram followers that the studio hopes to exploit. I could keep on writing about individual performances such as Jared Leto's "Joker" but whats the point? They're all forgettable performances in a film that has no structural integrity because the editing is the worst I've seen all year, probably due to the rumored interference from the studio that supposedly hired last minute editors to do a re-cut of the film because it was originally too dark. So would I recommend Suicide? Yes to anyone who see's this atrocity. 0/5
This is going to be shallow and condescending, just like this critical darling film! There was hope that DC would Marvel us with their version of Guardians of the Galaxy, a rag-tag team of anti-heroes coming together for the greater good, however in typical DC fashion they deliver us a horrendously edited final product.
Call me a film snob or DC hater, I don't care this film was garbage from the get-go. There's only so many pop-songs & mini intro's I can handle in the first act, our introduction to the Suicide Squad was basically one long music video with shiny neon lights that would trigger any epileptic into having a frothing at the mouth fit right there in the cinema.
Maybe Warner Bro's don't actually care, maybe they aren't trying to catch up to Marvel, maybe they're just exploiting all the superhero film rights they own to make quick cash & if I was a Warner Bro's shareholder I probably wouldn't care either. This film appeals to the lowest common denominator of film-goers. If you just want action scene after action scene with terrible one liners then this is the film for you.
The premise itself is laughable; let's put together a team of meta-humans to combat the next superman scenario in-case the next Superman to visit earth doesn't "come in peace". It has the exact same overarching plot issue that "Man Of Steel" had. A self full-filling prophecy, if Superman never came to earth in the first place then Superman would never have needed to save us. So what happens in this film? The government, headed by Viola Davis's character "Amanda Waller" try's to employ the "Enchantress" an uncontrollable witch that releases her demonic brother that creates yet again another faceless enemy for our anti-heroes to combat. Just like with The Avengers 1&2 the faceless armies have no real substance because in a PG-13 film god-forbid we kill actual human beings and show blood or have an antagonist with real motivations.
Cara Delevingne plays the Enchantress and Cara Delevingne is to acting what Adam Sandler is to comedy. She's awful and only now has a film career because she's a famous model that has 32 million Instagram followers that the studio hopes to exploit. I could keep on writing about individual performances such as Jared Leto's "Joker" but whats the point? They're all forgettable performances in a film that has no structural integrity because the editing is the worst I've seen all year, probably due to the rumored interference from the studio that supposedly hired last minute editors to do a re-cut of the film because it was originally too dark. So would I recommend Suicide? Yes to anyone who see's this atrocity. 0/5
Monday, 9 September 2013
The Way Way Back Film Review
The Way Way Back - "You're a 3/10"
Jim Rash & Nat Faxon bring us they're highly anticipated follow up project after much success with their Oscar winning "The Descendants". The Way Way Back fits into the genre of "that summer that changed it all" and instead of being too cliche it's actually rather fresh and invigorating. Duncan is your everyday 14 year old kid seeking acceptance outside his dysfunctional family and is dragged along to his mothers boyfriend's beach house for the summer. His mother is played by Toni Collette who gives a solid performance of a woman with little left to hold onto in this world, reuniting with her "Little Miss Sunshine" co-star Steve Carell they share a brutal on screen relationship that is falling apart at the seams. Steve Carell plays "Trent" a surprisingly good passive-aggressive asshole who has it out for Duncan and doesn't hide the fact.
When they arrive at the beach house they are greeted by "Betty" played by the wonderful Allison Janney who serves as some welcome comedic relief & introduces Duncan to her daughter "Susanna" played by the gorgeous AnnaSophia Robb. Admiring from a distance is the name of the game as Duncan doesn't possess the ability to talk to girls UNTIL he meets the always charming Sam Rockwell who owns the local water park and offers him a job and shows him the ropes of social interaction, a department in which Duncan is clearly lacking. Writers Nat Faxon & Jim Rash both play very comedic roles as water park employees and their on screen chemistry is terrific. It's really sweet seeing Duncan & Susanna grow closer and closer as both their families are too preoccupied with each other to give the time of day to their children. Sam Rockwells character also helps Duncan deal with the abuse he's receiving from Trent.
As the summer plays out Duncan learns to tune out the abuse and make the most of his friendship with Susanna as he falls more and more in love with her, always seeking guidance from Sam Rockwell and generally doing well at making friends. It's not all sunshine and rainbows as some dark subplots not worth spoiling do play out but I can definitely say it's well worth watching, you'll laugh a lot, maybe even cry but you won't walk out yet again feeling burned by a mediocre film. I look forward to seeing what Jim Rash & Nat Faxon have for us next year. 4.5/5
Jim Rash & Nat Faxon bring us they're highly anticipated follow up project after much success with their Oscar winning "The Descendants". The Way Way Back fits into the genre of "that summer that changed it all" and instead of being too cliche it's actually rather fresh and invigorating. Duncan is your everyday 14 year old kid seeking acceptance outside his dysfunctional family and is dragged along to his mothers boyfriend's beach house for the summer. His mother is played by Toni Collette who gives a solid performance of a woman with little left to hold onto in this world, reuniting with her "Little Miss Sunshine" co-star Steve Carell they share a brutal on screen relationship that is falling apart at the seams. Steve Carell plays "Trent" a surprisingly good passive-aggressive asshole who has it out for Duncan and doesn't hide the fact.
When they arrive at the beach house they are greeted by "Betty" played by the wonderful Allison Janney who serves as some welcome comedic relief & introduces Duncan to her daughter "Susanna" played by the gorgeous AnnaSophia Robb. Admiring from a distance is the name of the game as Duncan doesn't possess the ability to talk to girls UNTIL he meets the always charming Sam Rockwell who owns the local water park and offers him a job and shows him the ropes of social interaction, a department in which Duncan is clearly lacking. Writers Nat Faxon & Jim Rash both play very comedic roles as water park employees and their on screen chemistry is terrific. It's really sweet seeing Duncan & Susanna grow closer and closer as both their families are too preoccupied with each other to give the time of day to their children. Sam Rockwells character also helps Duncan deal with the abuse he's receiving from Trent.
As the summer plays out Duncan learns to tune out the abuse and make the most of his friendship with Susanna as he falls more and more in love with her, always seeking guidance from Sam Rockwell and generally doing well at making friends. It's not all sunshine and rainbows as some dark subplots not worth spoiling do play out but I can definitely say it's well worth watching, you'll laugh a lot, maybe even cry but you won't walk out yet again feeling burned by a mediocre film. I look forward to seeing what Jim Rash & Nat Faxon have for us next year. 4.5/5
Thursday, 25 July 2013
The Wolverine Film Review
The Wolverine - "That day ain't here yet"
The Wolverine returns in this 2013 sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" which didn't quite hit the mark, I'm pleased to say this one succeeds where the other did not. It's comic book reference heavy whilst also being simple enough for the casual viewer. There is much more character development in this film of the supporting role and for Logan himself. At times it was dull and we needed to keep the ball rolling so the pacing has some issues, it's not going 100MPH like the it's predecessor. Hugh Jackman seemed much more settled and comfortable in his role, I would think Director James Mangold had a large role to play in this as he is a tried and true actor director, his visual aesthetic for action was very appropriate, no quick cutting and extreme close ups like in the Bourne series. The camera doesn't jump and the action is in full frame.
Japan was a very interesting storyline to choose, a Japanese soldier Logan saved in WWII requests Logan's presence to say thank you, or does he have ulterior motives? The plot was coherent and had enough semi-twists to keep you guessing, the villains were actually a threat unlike in the terrible "Iron Man 3". These villains were formidable & it showed, Logan is vulnerable the entire film & his human side really shines, it was nice to see that he still cares about something, they made a point of showing how he is in the comics a guy with a hard edge but a heart. The action isn't terribly entertaining, younger boys and girls should be deeply satisfied with it, it's not rated MA15+ so the lack of blood in these films is getting tiresome especially since we came so close to an R rated Wolverine film.
It was fantastic to see the focus purely on Logan, the problem with Origins was that it was saturated with too many mutants and terrible hollow CGI. The CGI in this is fairly flawless and there are roughly 3 mutants in the entire film. The tone is consistent, it focuses on the right people and is the stand alone Wolverine film we wanted. It also sets up "X-Men: Days Of Future Past" with a fucking amazing post credits scene that you need to stick around for. I can't wait to get back to the original cast and have a true X-Men film.
Overall it's serviceable, not perfect but a big step up from Origins. I can't imagine too much disappointment, go in with low expectations and just enjoy an actor orientated director play with a superhero like "Wolverine". It redeemed the character and will renew faith for the entire X-Men franchise, especially since Brian Singer has returned to the directors chair. 3.6/5
The Wolverine returns in this 2013 sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" which didn't quite hit the mark, I'm pleased to say this one succeeds where the other did not. It's comic book reference heavy whilst also being simple enough for the casual viewer. There is much more character development in this film of the supporting role and for Logan himself. At times it was dull and we needed to keep the ball rolling so the pacing has some issues, it's not going 100MPH like the it's predecessor. Hugh Jackman seemed much more settled and comfortable in his role, I would think Director James Mangold had a large role to play in this as he is a tried and true actor director, his visual aesthetic for action was very appropriate, no quick cutting and extreme close ups like in the Bourne series. The camera doesn't jump and the action is in full frame.
Japan was a very interesting storyline to choose, a Japanese soldier Logan saved in WWII requests Logan's presence to say thank you, or does he have ulterior motives? The plot was coherent and had enough semi-twists to keep you guessing, the villains were actually a threat unlike in the terrible "Iron Man 3". These villains were formidable & it showed, Logan is vulnerable the entire film & his human side really shines, it was nice to see that he still cares about something, they made a point of showing how he is in the comics a guy with a hard edge but a heart. The action isn't terribly entertaining, younger boys and girls should be deeply satisfied with it, it's not rated MA15+ so the lack of blood in these films is getting tiresome especially since we came so close to an R rated Wolverine film.
It was fantastic to see the focus purely on Logan, the problem with Origins was that it was saturated with too many mutants and terrible hollow CGI. The CGI in this is fairly flawless and there are roughly 3 mutants in the entire film. The tone is consistent, it focuses on the right people and is the stand alone Wolverine film we wanted. It also sets up "X-Men: Days Of Future Past" with a fucking amazing post credits scene that you need to stick around for. I can't wait to get back to the original cast and have a true X-Men film.
Overall it's serviceable, not perfect but a big step up from Origins. I can't imagine too much disappointment, go in with low expectations and just enjoy an actor orientated director play with a superhero like "Wolverine". It redeemed the character and will renew faith for the entire X-Men franchise, especially since Brian Singer has returned to the directors chair. 3.6/5
Friday, 5 July 2013
Man Of Steel Film Review
Man Of Steel - "If you love these people so much, you can mourn for them!"
It's back to the drawing board for this iteration of "Superman". It was essential to course correct when attempting another superman film because "Superman Returns" was a critical and financial disaster, it was so dull with such little action and an abundance of terrible dialogue combined with an uninspiring Lois Lane and weak looking Clark Kent. Because Christopher Nolan's Batman's exist the tone needed to match those, which I felt it did, the action also needed to be revamped, there's little to no classic Superman saves in this film, it focused on Kryptonian V Kryptonian which makes for very visceral action sequences. Entire Cities are leveled, hundreds of thousands of people are slaughtered, it's a full blown alien invasion. Martha and Jonathan Kent are given much meatier roles, particularly Jonathan Kent who is the voice of reason in Clarke's mind, his moral center & guiding compass. Kevin Costner's performance was perfect, nothing negative to say there. His parental guidance was much more contemporary, advising Clarke to be secretive and not share his gifts with the world unless he has to because undoubtedly the world would turn on him. "We don't like what we don't understand"
Henry Cavill really captures the look of Superman with his perfect muscular physique, the deep voice, the deep set cheek bones he IS Superman. Amy Adams as Lois Lane is much more successful than Kate Bosworth but still doesn't compare to the perfect Erica Durance from "Smallville". The casting by and large is filled with competent character actors as opposed to "big names". Kevin Costner and Russel Crowe are the only real A-listers in the film. Casting Laurence Fishburne as Perry White was genius, he's criminally underused sadly, I hope his role is expanded in the sequel, but his performance is strong and centered, really the only man that can reign Lois Lane in. Michael Shannon as General Zod was an interesting choice, he's a very large intimidating man in real life so he suits the role, I can't say he necessarily "owned" the role, he was very good and convincing but nothing of Joker quality, he was on par with Tom Hardy as "Bane". Russel Crowe on the other hand completely owned the role of Jor-el, much better than the over rated Marlon Brando. Christopher Meloni was a welcome sight as Colonel Hardy, he was fearsome, the only human to survive a fight with a Kyptonian I believe. The casting is the best out of any Superman film.
The story and character development were aplenty, we pretty much received Clark Kent's entire life story from birth on Krypton to age 30 on Earth. Character motivations were explored sufficiently. The action was entertaining, the script whilst being nothing Oscar worthy was very well thought out for a Superman film, Zac Snyder's direction very much suited an action orientated Superman film, his visual aesthetic lends itself to a Superhero like this. None of his trademark slow-motion but still very good. The special effects are flawless, nothing seemed out of place or hollow. There's never a boring moment, the franchise is in competent hands it's just terrific to see the Man of Steel TRULY return to the silver screen. It's tonally much darker and adult themed, catering to an older audience. Overall it's great fun, visually pleasing however see it in 2D, as the 3D is useless and only there for cost. 5/5
Bechdel Test: The film has multiple female characters, but they don't converse this film fails the bechdel test
It's back to the drawing board for this iteration of "Superman". It was essential to course correct when attempting another superman film because "Superman Returns" was a critical and financial disaster, it was so dull with such little action and an abundance of terrible dialogue combined with an uninspiring Lois Lane and weak looking Clark Kent. Because Christopher Nolan's Batman's exist the tone needed to match those, which I felt it did, the action also needed to be revamped, there's little to no classic Superman saves in this film, it focused on Kryptonian V Kryptonian which makes for very visceral action sequences. Entire Cities are leveled, hundreds of thousands of people are slaughtered, it's a full blown alien invasion. Martha and Jonathan Kent are given much meatier roles, particularly Jonathan Kent who is the voice of reason in Clarke's mind, his moral center & guiding compass. Kevin Costner's performance was perfect, nothing negative to say there. His parental guidance was much more contemporary, advising Clarke to be secretive and not share his gifts with the world unless he has to because undoubtedly the world would turn on him. "We don't like what we don't understand"
Henry Cavill really captures the look of Superman with his perfect muscular physique, the deep voice, the deep set cheek bones he IS Superman. Amy Adams as Lois Lane is much more successful than Kate Bosworth but still doesn't compare to the perfect Erica Durance from "Smallville". The casting by and large is filled with competent character actors as opposed to "big names". Kevin Costner and Russel Crowe are the only real A-listers in the film. Casting Laurence Fishburne as Perry White was genius, he's criminally underused sadly, I hope his role is expanded in the sequel, but his performance is strong and centered, really the only man that can reign Lois Lane in. Michael Shannon as General Zod was an interesting choice, he's a very large intimidating man in real life so he suits the role, I can't say he necessarily "owned" the role, he was very good and convincing but nothing of Joker quality, he was on par with Tom Hardy as "Bane". Russel Crowe on the other hand completely owned the role of Jor-el, much better than the over rated Marlon Brando. Christopher Meloni was a welcome sight as Colonel Hardy, he was fearsome, the only human to survive a fight with a Kyptonian I believe. The casting is the best out of any Superman film.
The story and character development were aplenty, we pretty much received Clark Kent's entire life story from birth on Krypton to age 30 on Earth. Character motivations were explored sufficiently. The action was entertaining, the script whilst being nothing Oscar worthy was very well thought out for a Superman film, Zac Snyder's direction very much suited an action orientated Superman film, his visual aesthetic lends itself to a Superhero like this. None of his trademark slow-motion but still very good. The special effects are flawless, nothing seemed out of place or hollow. There's never a boring moment, the franchise is in competent hands it's just terrific to see the Man of Steel TRULY return to the silver screen. It's tonally much darker and adult themed, catering to an older audience. Overall it's great fun, visually pleasing however see it in 2D, as the 3D is useless and only there for cost. 5/5
Bechdel Test: The film has multiple female characters, but they don't converse this film fails the bechdel test
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