Review: REAL STEEL

THE CAST

Hugh Jackman - Charlie Kenton

Evangeline Lilly - Bailey Tallet

Kevin Durand - Ricky
Dakota Goyo - Max

THE DIRECTOR
Shawn Levy

THE STORY
This film takes place in the not too distant future, where human boxing no longer exists. Instead, giant robots compete in the ring, aiming to become the ultimate champion. Charlie Kenton (Jackman) is an ex-boxer, now promoter who's struggling to make ends meet.  After being reluctantly reunited with his son Max (Goyo), they discover an old robot that could change their lives forever.

THE STRENGTHS

I'm going to try and get through this review without using the terms, "it packed a punch" and "it didn't pull any punches".  The chances are you'll see these phrases being used a lot when critics review this film.

Anyway, this is the classic underdog story, but with a twist.  A twist that shouldn’t really work, because these types of stories rely on the audience connecting with the character on an emotional level (something that’s difficult to do when it’s a robot), but somehow it does.  It has a lot to do with how much Max (Dakota Goyo) emotionally invests in Atom, the robot that saves his life. Not only that, but there are times where the film implies that my Atom has feelings. Of course it doesn’t, but by using some clever directing techniques, the subtle suggestion that he might have, means you actual begin caring what happens to the metal 'man'. The casting is great and a special mention has to go to Goyo for his performance, which manages to be engaging, funny, confident and emotional.  Not bad for a ten year old relative newcomer. Hugh Jackman (Charlie) is in fine form and manages to make, a potentially unlikeable character, likeable from the very start. I left the cinema wanting him to be my dad!  Sad I know, but you'll understand if you go and see the movie. The CGI is on point and doesn’t venture into the realm of the ridiculous like Transformers. In fact, it’s so good, you forget they’re computer generated characters and believe you’re watching real giant robots smashing the hell out of each other.

THE WEAKNESSES

I spent the first half of the film thinking the robot they found was called ‘Adam’. It isn’t, it’s ‘Atom’, but in an American accent it’s impossible to know that until you see it written down. I’m sure it was clever word play by the writer, as Adam was the first man created by God (if you believe in all of that), but it just annoyed me.  I don’t want to ruin the ending for you, but just keep in mind that Zeus, the unbeatable robot that destroys all who dare compete against him, takes a long time to finish the final fight against Atom. Considering we’re told that his artificial intelligence can learn during a fight to calculate its opponent’s weaknesses, you’d expect it to be over pretty quickly. He could rip his head off, pull his arms out, squash his robot heart…or (as he does) just punch him the same way a few hundred times. I get that this is a film, so you have to suspend belief and all that, but come on.  It built up to this final fight with so much hype, I wanted it to be amazing and it wasn’t.

THE SUMMARY

Real Steel is a futuristic merging of Rocky and Karate Kid, so don't expect any big surprises, this is going to play out exactly as you'd expect...sort of.  Children will love it, but you'll probably only like it, as you’ll be annoyed with how easily you fell for the sentimentality of the whole thing.  This is your standard popcorn movie; solidly directed and acted. Don't expect to be blown away, but do expect to thoroughly enjoy yourself.

Real Steel is released in the UK on 14 October 2011.

MICHAEL'S MOVIE MARK    8/10

Review: SUCKER PUNCH

THE CAST

Emily Browning - Baby Doll

Abbie Cornish - Sweet Pea

Vanessa Hudgens - Blondie

Jena Malone - Rocket

Scott Glenn - Wise Man

THE STORY

A young girl (Baby Doll) is framed for the murder of her sister by her abusive stepfather, the man responsible for the crime. After being locked up against her will in a mental asylum, she only has five days to fight her way to freedom, before being lobotomised.  With the help of four friends and her vivid imagination, she begins planning her escape by entering her dream world, where anything is possible.

THE STRENGTHS

Zack Snyder has built a reputation for directing incredibly stylised movies (300, Watchmen) and Sucker Punch is no exception. It is visually stunning, beautiful even at times, with some of the best CGI I have ever seen on the big screen. There are moments when you'll feel your retinas actually begin to detach, as they're overloaded with the sheer awesomeness of the action set pieces. The burning airship and the dragon are so realistic, it's difficult to even comprehend how a group of computer nerds were able to create it virtually. It's nearly impossible to absorb everything you're seeing during these spectacular scenes because there's so much going on and I really enjoyed that feeling. Honestly, it's like you're watching someone play the world's coolest video game and you really want it to be your turn. The soundtrack is superb and adds an important extra layer to scenes that may otherwise have been lacklustre, especially the remix of The Eurythmics's Sweet Dreams or the reworking of The Pixies' Where Is My Mind?  The film is so stylised though, there isn't time for any decent acting. Having said that, Oscar Isaac (Blue Jones) does a fantastic job as the main villain and the man that runs the asylum. He's more evil than any of the characters Baby Doll dreams up and I really wanted to see him get his comeuppance, which he sort of does, just not as painfully as I would have liked. Emily Browning (Baby Doll) and Abbie Cornish (Sweet Pea) were all right considering the material they'd been given, but on the whole, most of the cast were there to look pretty in short dresses...which they did.

THE WEAKNESSES

This is the first time Snyder has directed an original film concept (he also co-wrote it) and it shows. He clearly had free reign to indulge himself and somewhere along the way he got a bit lost, which is exactly what happens to the audience as they're watching this film. It's all a bit too disjointed and the line between what's 'real' and what isn't, is constantly blurred. Baby Doll is told at the start of the film that she needs to collect five items to help her escape, but it turned out they weren't that important, as they didn't manage to get them all and they still escape. The key part of the film is that her dancing is so captivating and hypnotic, people are totally distracted, allowing her to complete her missions. The problem is, we don't ever see her dance and it isn't clear how she can have these amazing dream sequences at the same time, so it doesn't really work.  Maybe I'm over thinking it, but it was starting to bug me after the third dream sequence. Apparently Snyder did shoot dance routines with the cast, but they didn't make the cut. Finally, after I'd invested a hundred minutes of my time into Baby Doll's story, patiently waiting for her to get revenge on her stepfather and the asylum owner, it never happened.  I don't want to ruin for you, but sufficed to say, the ending of the film fell really flat. After all of these superb action scenes, I hoped there'd be one big finale, but there wasn't.

THE SUMMARY

Sucker Punch is a visually stunning film, but lacks any real depth or consistent narrative. Expect to come out of the cinema feeling cheated, but agreeing that the effects and look of the film were superb. This is proof if proof were needed that great CGI does not a great film make. There's no doubt that Snyder is an exceptional talent, I just hope he learns from this and puts it to good use for his next project, Superman: Man of Steel next year. 

Sucker Punch is released in the UK on 1 April 2011.

MICHAEL'S MOVIE MARK    5/10

Review: LIMITLESS

THE CAST
Bradley Cooper - Eddie Morra
Robert De Niro - Carl Van Loon
Abbie Cornish - Lindy
Johnny Whitworth - Vernon
Robert John Burke - Pierce

THE STORY
Eddie Morra is an author with a serious case of writer's block, whose struggling to pay the rent, keep his girlfriend and stop his life from heading to rock bottom. Things change though when Morra bumps into his dodgy ex-brother-in-law, who offers him a 'pick-me-up' in the form of a little clear pill.  This pill gives Eddie superhuman abilities, allowing him to access 100% of his brain instead of just 20%, meaning his life will never be the same again.

THE STRENGTHS
The main concept of this film is a great one; what would happen if you could take a pill to turn you into a genius? Well, it's an enjoyable ride finding out how Eddie Morra answers that question and that's mostly due to director Neil Burger, who manages to keep the pace of this film up throughout, not allowing it to get bogged down in some slightly ropey plot holes. This film isn't trying to be a thoughtful exploration into complex workings of the human brain, therefore you can easily forgive it's lack of depth.  Bradley Cooper is clearly having a great time (playing Bradley Cooper!) and that definitely shows on-screen, making this movie even more entertaining. The truth is though, I think my liking of this film came from the fact that, deep down, I could imagine reacting the same way after taking this pill...please don't judge me! I should also mention Abbie Cornish, who is incredibly likeable actress, who does a great job with the small role she has in this film. I'm looking forward to seeing her kick all sorts of butt in Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch next month.

THE WEAKNESSES
From the moment this film starts, there is a dizzying array of visual effects that will start to make the back of your eyeballs hurt. Seriously, it's like the editor just graduated from film school and wanted to use some new  tricks he'd learned in his final exam. To be fair, at first it was a cool effect, after the umpteenth time however, it started to get a bit annoying.  Now, it pains me to have to write this, but why oh why did Robert De Niro take this part? He's Robert bloody De Niro, he doesn't need to be accepting crappy little roles like this. I understand his Tribeca Grill restaurant must cost a lot of money to run and we are coming out of a recession, but does he really need the cash this badly? When it comes to the central premise of the film, they could have done a lot more. After taking the pill, did Morra develop a cure for cancer, explain the mysteries of the Universe or calculate exactly how much tea is in China? No, he learned a few languages, finished his book and made a load of money from the stock exchange. Really? With all those abilities, that's the best the film's screen writer could come up with? Also, there's a sense the film is promoting the fact that, if you take drugs you could be cool, rich and get beautiful women and cars. As this film is a 15 certificate, it's probably not the best message to send today's teenagers.

THE SUMMARY
Limitless is a surprisingly good film, especially if you just want to go to the cinema and be entertained for ninety minutes.  It's a throwaway movie, that you'll talk about after you've seen it, but you'll forget about the next day.  What it lacks in substance and depth, it makes up for in style and humour.

Limitless is released in the UK on 18 March 2011.


MICHAEL'S MOVIE MARK    7/10

Review: THE GREEN HORNET in 3D

THE CAST
Seth Rogen - Britt Reid aka The Green Hornet
Jay Chou - Kato
Cameron Diaz - Lenore
Christoph Waltz - Chudnofsky
Edward James Olmos - Axford
Tom Wilkinson - James Reid

THE STORY
Britt Reid is the bored playboy son of a multi-millionaire media mogul, who begins fighting crime as the Green Hornet, after his father dies in suspicious circumstances. Teaming up with his late father's highly skilled car mechanic and coffee maker, Kato, he goes on a vigilante mission to clean up the streets and avenge his father's death.

THE STRENGTHS
There are some fun action set pieces, especially the fight scenes with Kato and they really make the most of the super slow motion or 'bullet time', made famous by The Matrix more than a decade ago. This means the director, Michel Gondry, allows you to actually see what's happening during these sequences, making them all the more enjoyable. Jay Chou puts in a solid and likeable performance as Kato. Impressive, when you consider this character was made famous onscreen by Bruce Lee, so there were some big shoes to fill, well probably not big shoes, but you know what I'm saying.  You should also look out for a great cameo by James Franco, which is one of the funniest parts of the film and makes you wish he was in it some more.

THE WEAKNESSES
I'm not a fan of 3D upscaling. If you want a film to be in 3D, shoot it in 3D, don't just do some half-baked 3D post-production on it because it doesn't work. The Green Hornet is the most recent proof of this, as wearing the glasses seemed pointless for about 107 of the 108 minute running time. Cameron Diaz was totally wasted in an underwritten role, that could've been played by any blonde female. Christophe Waltz is a superb actor, but now he knows what it was like for Halle berry after winning her Oscar and going on to make Catwoman! We know he can play a brilliant villain (Inglorious Basterds), but he seemed to struggle finding the balance between fear and funny, meaning some of the 'jokes' fell a bit flat.  Here then is the biggest problem with the film, it's over-reliance on the comedy. It felt like everyone was trying too hard, especially Seth Rogen, who seemed intent on trying to steal every scene. Don't get me wrong, Rogen is a funny guy, but it seemed everything else had to be secondary to his comedy performance. This meant it was difficult to actually care about what was going on in the rest of the movie. The chemistry between Rogen and Chou wasn't great either and occasionally came across like the least funny parts of a Chris Tucker/Jackie Chan Rush Hour movie. 

THE SUMMARY
If you're a big fan of Seth Logan you'll like this film, if you're not, you probably won't. As far as comic book movies go it isn't as bad as Daredevil, but it's nowhere near as good as Iron Man. It's tongue is firmly in it's cheek and it's a fairly entertaining ride, but suffers from too much 'comedy' and not enough decent action. 


MICHAEL'S MOVIE MARK    5/10

Review: LET ME IN



I should start by saying that I haven't seen the original Swedish horror film Let the Right One In. I think this was a good thing, as I didn't go into the screening with any preconceptions. However, this movie is being sold as a 're-imagining' rather than a 're-make', so I'm now very keen to see the original and decide for myself.

Let Me In is set in the seemingly bleak and soul-less town of Los Alamos, New Mexico. It follows the story of Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a twelve year old loner, who's struggling to cope with his parents' separation at home and the vicious bullying he faces at school.  His life changes dramatically though, when a young girl and her father move into his apartment block. However, things are not what they seem. 

The key to this film is the relationship between the two young characters Owen and Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz) and the film cleverly stops you from getting to know anyone else.  Techniques like, never seeing Owen's mother's face, or not revealing names and back stories of other characters, means you're always kept at a distance.  This has the effect of drawing you into the children's story even more, as they become the only characters you really care about.  This becomes particular disturbing in some scenes, as you care so much for these young characters, you start questioning who the true villains of the film are.

It's easy to think this'll be some toothless vampire thriller, but you'd be wrong, as there are definite touches of horror throughout.  If you're not a horror fan though, I don't want to put you off seeing this.  It's more The Shining than The Exorcist and even though there are some violent bloody moments, you only really hear them, rather than see them.  The problem is, I think that can sometimes be more terrifying, but that could just be me!

Let Me In is only the third feature film from director Matt Reeves (The Pallbearer, Cloverfield), but it's by far his best. By placing the camera at a distance overhead or by using long slow tracking shots, he perfectly captures the cold isolation of not just the location, but the characters as well. Also, at one point in the film there's a car accident involving one of the key characters and the camera stays in the vehicle the entire time and doesn't cut away until the car comes to a stop. It makes you feel like you're trapped in the back of the car and it's really weird...in a good way. You'll know what I mean when you go and see it.

Whether you've seen the original or not, at the end of the day, this film was going to succeed or fail based on the strength of its central performances and it succeeds in a big way.  Both Smit-McPhee and Moretz are superb, which will be no surprise to anyone who's seen them in any of their recent films including The Road and Kick Ass.  The powerful friendship they portray onscreen is totally believeable and lifts the whole film to another level. 

Let Me In has become one of my favourite films of the year, although the ending is a bit unsettling.  I won't ruin it for you, but I can tell you you'll have plenty of questions as the credits roll.

If you're thinking about going to see this movie, don't expect some Twilight-esque teen romance, as you're going to be disappointed. If however, you want to see that rare creature; a beautifully shot, superbly acted horror, then this is the perfect film for you.  Make sure you book a late night screening, so you're properly spooked out on the way home.


MICHAEL'S MOVIE MARK      8/10 

Review: WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

It's been 23 years since the original Wall Street introduced us to the now legendary character of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas).  It was the role of a lifetime for Douglas and led to him receiving the best actor Oscar in 1987.  There's no doubt it was well deserved, as Gekko is one of the best screen villains of all time.  So why, after more than two decades, has the original director, Oliver Stone, decided to do a sequel? Whatever the reason, he's one of the world's greatest directors and as this is his first sequel, I had very high hopes for this film. 

I should start by saying that I enjoyed this film, I just didn't love it. It was great to see Gordon Gekko back, and it was clear that Michael Douglas was loving every second of it. He easily stole every scene he was in and when he wasn't on screen, you're impatiently waiting for him to come back. This film would not have been half as good without him. Fact. The problem is, he's mellowed out too much for my liking.  I wanted to see the tough no nonsense Gekko, the "greed is good" Gekko, the "when I get a hold of the son of a bitch who leaked this, I'm gonna tear his eyeballs out and I'm gonna suck his fucking skull" Gekko.  Sadly, he only ever shows flashes of his former self and the film suffers as a result. 

It's left to Josh Brolin (Bretton James) to take the role of the villain, which he does well, he's just no Gekko and that's all I kept thinking throughout.  That being said, he still delivers one of the standout performances of the film. The same can be said for Shia LaBoeuf (Jacob Moore), who had the difficult task of portraying a character that was tough and direct, as well as vunerable and emotional.  His love interest is Gekko's estranged daughter (Winnie Gekko), played by British 'actress-of-the-moment' Carey Mulligan. This relationship is the main driving force of the film, but only acts to weaken it, as it changes from being a gritty economic thriller into a light romantic drama.  Some people may prefer this, but that's not what I'd been expecting to see.

If you've seen the original film, you'll know that you need an Economics degree to truly understand what's going on, and this one is no different.  It's not the plot that's tricky, it's all the financial jargon.  There were several points when I didn't have a clue what the hell was happening.  In fact, the only way I could work it out, was by seeing how the other character's were reacting.  This could have just been my own financial ignorance, so don't let it worry you. It didn't ruin the film for me, it just meant there were the occasional moments of confusion.  That's why I don't 'dabble' with the stock markets!

Oliver Stone is a legend in the film world, having produced and directed some incredible films over the years, but this one will not be up there with the best.  There were some fantastic sweeping views of Manhattan and the whole film had a real 'quality' feel about it, but it's not without its faults. There's one scene that had Jake (LaBoeuf) and Bretton (Brolin) race against one another of motorbikes as a test of their masculinity. It was so dull that I found myself wondering where they'd filmed it, rather than on the edge of my seat with excitement.  Look out, there's a branch in the road and only one bike can get through! Who cares?

Also, I'm sure there's a message within the film about how the greedy bankers have manipulated the economy to their own personal gain, only to be bailed out by the tax payer when it all collapses.  The truth is though,  this wasn't dealt with in any real depth, so I didn't feel like I'd learned anymore than I would have done from an episode of Newsround.

This isn't a bad film by any means and there are some great moments (nearly all involving Michael Douglas), it just could have been so much better.

Michael's Movie Mark     6/10

Review: BURIED

Buried is every person's worst nightmare and forces you to live through every stressful second of it. Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is a contractor working in Iraq who wakes up to find himself gagged, bound and buried alive in a coffin in the middle of nowhere.  He's been kidnapped and his captors want $5m dollars before 9pm or he'll be left to die alone. Fortunately, there are a few things in the coffin with him including a phone, torch, flask and a lighter, all of which help add to the tension and give the film the momentum it needs to carry you through the ninety minute run time.

The film is shot in real time and never cuts away from the coffin, so you're stuck in there with him the whole time. Personally, I didn't mind this at all, as it adds to the anxiety you feel for Reynold's character. By not cutting away to a different scene, you don't have any 'relief' moments, ramping up the levels of tension. The 'panic attack' scenes are intense and there were times when I started shallow breathing, even though I don't suffer from claustrophobia, so the film was clearly affecting me. Either that or I ate my hot dog too quickly...actually that's probably what it was.

I've always liked Ryan Reynolds, but he has tended to play goofy characters (Van Wilding) or starred in rom-coms (The Proposal), so I never thought he'd make a great dramatic actor. However, he gives an incredible performance in this movie (easily his best one to date). Add to this the superb, yet suffocating direction by Rodrigo Cortes and you have a great high quality thriller. Some of the shots he manages to achieve are extraordinary, especially considering the cramped conditions.  Of course this concept isn't new, as anyone who's seen Quentin Tarantino's CSI episode will know, but it does feel fresh and it's a remarkable feat managing to stretch this idea out into a convincing ninety minute feature.

This film isn't perfect by any means, and without getting too picky, there where a few things that annoyed me.  Although Ryan Reynolds is the only actor that appears on screen, there are a few voice actors involved as well for the telephone scenes.  On the whole they were great, especially Stephen Tobolowsky as Alan Davenport, but I just wasn't convinced by Robert Paterson's (not the guy from Twilight, that's Pattinson) character, Dan Brenner. I don't want to slate the actor, but it was obvious that he'd simply recorded his dialogue in a studio and they'd just stuck it in the film. The conversation and therefore the connection between himself and Conroy (Reynolds) didn't feel authentic.  Maybe I'm over thinking it, but if you go and see the film, you'll hopefully understand what I'm saying.

Another thing that wound me up was the whole 'phone signal underground'.  They try and address it with a line of dialogue suggesting that he must only be a few feet underground which is why he can get a signal, but c'mon, seriously?   I can't get a phone signal when I'm standing in certain parts of Richmond Park and the last time I checked, Surrey wasn't a war torn part of the world.  Finally, how many phones nowadays only have a talktime of ninety minutes?  That must have been a really dodgy battery. Anyway, I guess these are just minor complaints and they didn't totally ruin my enjoyment of the film.

If you suffer from claustrophobia, I strongly suggest you don't go and see this movie.  If you're going on a first date, don't go and see this movie. If you need a good laugh, don't go and see this movie. If you don't like Ryan Reynolds, don't go and see this movie. However, if you enjoy a genuinely tense, well acted, well directed thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the end, then go and see this movie!

All the way through the film I kept thinking about who I'd call and what I'd do if I was stuck in that situation.  Let's just say,  I hope it never happens, cause I'd have died well before the phone had a chance to ring!


Michael's Movie Mark         7/10

Review: THE EXPENDABLES

When I first heard that Sylvester Stallone was putting together the most awesome cast of action stars ever, for a film packed with hardcore violence like Rambo and Commando, I began getting very excited. Then reality kicked in and I started worrying that this was going to be one of those films that sounded great on paper, but was always going to be a terrible movie. I was wrong.

The plot is tricky, so try and keep up. A team of 'too old for this shit' mercenaries are hired to assasinate a South American dictator. The End. Let's be honest though, you don't go to watch a film like this for its plot and character development.  You just want to see stuff getting blown up, car chases and a whole load of people getting killed in creative ways. This film delivers...and then some! 

As the poster at the top of this review shows, it's Stallone (Barney Ross), Jason Statham (Lee Christmas) and Jet Li (Ying Yang) that the film focuses on the most, with everyone else being left with a few moments of screen time.  I'm not going to go into too much detail about each of the action stars roles in the film, but I will tell you to look out for Statham's fantastic revenge attack on the basketball court and any scene involving Dolph Lundgren.  Seriously, this is his best work for ages and possibly his best performance ever...except Showdown in Little Tokyo (loved that film).

  

The three people I was most hyped up about seeing on screen together were old pals Stallone, Bruce Willis and Governor Schwarzenegger. It blew my mind when I saw them in the trailer. Afterall, that was some coup getting Arnie back in the movies (not including his CGI return in Terminator: Salvation). It turned out, this scene was right near the beginning of the film, which was good for two reasons: one - I didn't have to wait long to see it, and two - I had the rest of the film to forget about how bad it was! Bruce and Sly were great, but Arnie...wow, he looked every bit his 63 years, as he limped his way awkwardly into the scene said a few lines and left.  Look, there's no denying Arnie is a legend, but this wasn't how I wanted to remember him on the big screen and a small part of me wished he hadn't agreed to do it. He did get a ribbing from the others in the scene about 'letting himself go' and 'wanting to be President', but overall this part didn't really work for me and felt out of place.

Stallone co-wrote and directed this film, and his almost 30 years experience working on hardcore action films has clearly paid off. The fight sequences in particular were well choreographed, shot and cut together. They were over the top and excessive (with the help of some CGI blood), but somehow still felt raw and believable.  Also, they weren't afraid to blow things up, including people, whether they needed blowing up or not.  In fact, at one point I felt like I couldn't take anymore explosions or 'cannon fodder' enemy soldiers being killed or my brain might implode. 

Unfortunately, these moments are so big and intense that when they've finished, I started feeling a bit bored, desperately waiting for something to actually happen. The emotional sub-plot is paper thin and triggered by Mickey Rourke's monologue about not saving a suicidal woman on a bridge or something.  Don't let this bother you though, because according to this movie, in order to save one person, you must first kill hundreds of others. Brilliant.

I need to point out at this stage, that Sylvester Stallone is 64 years old!  The man must be super-human. He's in amazing shape and even though I'm sure his stunt double was kept very busy, some of the things he does himself in this film are incredible. How he didn't end up seriously injured or dead is beyond me.  The insurance alone must have been half the movie's budget.

The Expendables is an entertaining, testosterone fuelled, rollercoaster ride of a film, that doesn't take itself seriously at all.  I liked it, but I didn't love it.  It has too many flaws, but who cares if you're only paying to see some old school action stars bust some heads?  This is definitely 'one for the boys' or for girls who like their men to be men.  No moisturiser, manicures or eyebrow plucking here folks, just blood, bullets and bombs.

Michael's Movie Mark       6.5/10

That's what I think, but please feel free to let me know your thoughts by commenting below.

Review: SALT

Before I get into this review, I thought it'd be interesting to note that Angelina Jolie wasn't the first choice to star in Salt.  Tom Cruise was originally lined up, but decided against it, feeling it was too similar to his Mission Impossible franchise.  Instead he went off to make comedy action film Knight & Day, leaving Jolie to break some heads in this dark action thriller.

Let's face it, there aren't many female actors that can carry off a full blown action role. Fortunately, Angellina Jolie is one of those rare talents who can be both feminine and sexy as well as tough and violent.  Tomb Raider, Mr & Mrs Smith and Wanted are all examples of her proving how good she can be in action films. Salt has a different feel to these movies however, with a more serious tone, it's been described by some critics as 'Bourne with boobs'.  However don't let that mislead you, as I can't remember seeing any gratuitous cleavage shots...sadly!  In fact, throughout practically the whole movie Jolie is kept looking remarkably unsexy (part of that gritty reality thing I think), although I kinda liked her whole Russian hat and coat look during one scene!

Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a highly respected agent for the CIA who is accused of being a Russian spy. Fearing for the life of her husband and believing she's been set-up, she goes on the run to try and clear her name.  So far, so standard plot thriller, but this is by no means a standard film. 

The opening's a bit slow as it attempts to build some back story about Jolie's character, however it never really goes into enough detail. They want us to care about her, but she just comes across as cold, meaning that when she's on the run, you find it difficult to empathise with her.  They try and remind you about her loving side with a series of flashbacks, but they become intrusive at times and again slow down the pace of the film.  It wasn't until one particular moment (I won't ruin it for you) that you then start siding with Salt and you begin to enjoy her 'woman scourned' payback.  Also, Jolie is clearing wearing a wig throughout this film and it did become a bit distracting.  It's a random point I know, but when you watch the film you'll see what I mean.  I was waiting for it to fly off during some of the action scenes.

It's easy to understand why some people have compared this to the Bourne movies, with the dark tone and shaky camera work, but to be honest, it doesn't quite reach those heights.  Those films always felt real, with the fight scenes being scrappy and dis-organised and the action sequences visceral and tough. If Jason Bourne jumped from a bridge onto a boat, he'd injure his leg, he wasn't some sort of indestructible super hero.  This added an extra dimension to the films and allowed you to buy into the story they were telling.  Salt on the other hand had moments were Jolie's character performed stunts that would have easily crippled Jason Bourne, yet she walked away unscathered.  This raised a few giggles of disbelief from the audience and reminded you that this is just another Hollywood action flick.  

These are only minor failings however, as the film succeeds on many other levels, stopping it from becoming just another run-of-the-mill action thriller. The acting is on point with Jolie being well supported by the always reliable Liev Schreiber (Ted Winter) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Peabody) and it's solidly directed by Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear & Present Danger).  His skill in shooting the incredible action sequences makes the film really stand out. One scene inparticular, which sees a frightening calm Salt go on a revengeful killing spree, put a big smile on my face.  There are also plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right up to the end.

When the head of Sony Pictures joked that Angelina could be a future Bond girl, Jolie replied that she just wanted to be Bond. In Salt, that's pretty much what's happened and judging by the box office figures in the US, this could become an all new blockbuster franchise.

Salt is a really good movie, just not a great one.  If you're looking for a decent action flick to keep you entertained on a night out at the cinema, then this should be top of your list, especially if you found The A Team a bit too cheesy. 

Michael's Movie Mark     7/10

Review: THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE

The trailer has been watched by more than 5 million people and word quickly spread that this was going to be one of the most twisted horror films ever made. Stories began surfacing that, during early screenings, people were vomiting in the cinema aisles and walking out in disgust. So, is The Human Centipede really as horrific as the hype would have you believe or is it just another crap horror film?

The movie centres around Dr Heiter (Dieter Laser), a highly respected German surgeon, who's had a break from reality and now lives as a recluse in his country mansion.  Having spent years specialising in the separation of conjoined twins, he now wants to produce his own conjoined creation.  Having successfully attempted this operation using his dogs, he is now ready to begin human trials.  After carefully selecting his victims and with a bit of good fortune, he begins work on his ultimate design, the human centipede.

The first twenty minutes of the film are so frustrating, I actually found it more offensive than the human centipede creation.  Seriously, I realise it's going to be tricky finding two good actresses that are happy to have their mouths attached to another person's anus for the majority of a film, but these two female leads were terrible.  To be fair, the script wasn't cutting them any slack, with the opening scenes playing out like a GCSE drama improvisation. Two girls in a foreign country get lost on a country road in the middle of the night, the car gets a puncture, there's no phone signal, it starts to rain and they look for help by walking through the woods. For crying out loud, I actually struggled to find a cliche that hadn't made it into the script. I realise that people aren't going to watch this movie for its acting credentials or its indepth plot, but at the end of the day, you have to hook the audience from the beginning, otherwise they're going to lose interest.

However, as soon as the girls arrive at the Dr's home the film really starts to get going, and strangely, as they become more terrified, the girls acting actually improves. Go figure! The trouble is, by this point, you've been so annoyed by their characters, you don't really care about what's going to happen to them.  Dr Hieter is clearly a disturbed man. From the second he opened the door, you didn't need a psychology degree to recognise he was clearly mental or at the very least creepy as hell. Sadly, it seemed no-one in the film was aware of this and there were many times when I was left thinking, "...if you're going to be that stupid, you deserve all you get". Harsh I know, but when you see the film you'll realise what I'm saying.    

What surprised me about this movie was how little there was in the way of gratuitous violence and all out gore.  Some teeth get pulled out, there are a few scalpel cuts and a throat slitting, but other than that there isn't much to write home about.  The pure gross out element only comes after they've been surgically linked together 'mouth to arse' and the human centipede has been created.  This is when you may need a sick bag.  It's not gory, it's just plain revolting.  It's the idea of, not just being stitched to someones anus, but also eating their excrement, that is truling disgusting and the film makes sure you have a chance to really appreciate how horrible that is.  All I'm saying is, you do not want to be in the middle!

If you can make it through that part though, you soon become immune to the whole centipede thing and start being more concerned about how they are going to escape this whole situation.  At this stage, you suddenly begin to care about these people as they make a doomed attempt to escape the lair of the psychopathic doctor via a spiral staircase.

I cannot decide whether this film takes itself seriously or not.  There were points when I just wanted to laugh out loud and others that were genuinely disturbing.  People were laughing throughout the screening, but I think sometimes it was nervous laughter rather than anything else.  This isn't a good film. It isn't really a horror film either. It's a sick, disgusting, messed up movie that will appeal to anyone who likes to be grossed out or to teenage boys who'll think they're hard because they managed to sit through it without throwing up.
The film doesn't have any real plot or back story for the characters which makes it very one dimensional. I mean c'mon, even Freddy Krueger had a back story. The fact is that writer/director Tom Six based this film on one weird concept, but failed to develop it into a genuinely frightening horror film.

Michael's Movie Mark       3/10

Review: THE A-TEAM

Growing up, there were two TV shows that kept me out of trouble on a Saturday afternoon, Knight Rider and The A-Team.  I wanted to be B.A. Baracus, get a mohawk, drive a cool black van and shout lines like, "I pity the fool" and "I ain't getting on no plane".  So when I heard they were going to make an A-Team movie, I felt like an excited twelve year old all over again.  Could this be as good as the TV series and how would a new set of actors handle the iconic characters that make up these 'soldiers of fortune'?

Fans of the TV show will already know the plot, as the film stays pretty faithful to the original story.  The team of army rangers are arrested for a crime they didn't commit and promptly escape a maximum security prison to clear their name.  That's it in a nutshell.  All that's left to do is throw in some action set pieces, a few one liners and a couple of cameos and you've got your above average summer blockbuster.

This isn't a bad movie by any means, but it's not a great one either.  To start with, I wasn't too sure about the casting.  Bradley Cooper (Face), Sharlto Copley (Murdoch) and Patrick Wilson (Lynch) were all great in their roles and fitted the characters well, especially Wilson, who was clearly loving being the bad guy.  However, I wasn't keen on Liam Neeson as Hannibal.  I realise George Peppard's shoes are going to be almost impossible to fill and I'm a fan of Neeson as an actor (especially when he was kicking some serious arse in Taken), but I just don't think he's good at doing that 'tongue-in-cheek' thing. If I'd been casting this I would've given Kurt Russell the role.  But hell, what do I know?  Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson did an alright job as B.A.,  but he was wasted on a boring sub plot that saw him finding his 'inner calm' or something.  Finally, we were given Jessica Biel (Sosa) to help even out all this testosterone and although the bog-standard script tried to give her character some depth, she ended up just being a nice bit of onscreen totty.

Gratuitous Jessica Biel shot

The good thing about this film is it doesn't take itself too seriously. This means, for the most part it's a fun ride, just not a memorable one.  The CGI is a bit ropey in places, especially during the tank vs drone mid-air battle sequence.  Also, without sounding like a grumpy pensioner, the editing was so quick at times you couldn't actually see what was going on. The final set piece wasn't great either and it didn't feel half as clever as they wanted you to think it was.  C'mon guys, a cargo ship full of containers? Surely you could have come up with something a bit more thrilling than that?  I have to admit I expected more from Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin Aces), especially as this was produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, but sadly they didn't quite deliver.  That being said, I did leave the cinema feeling I'd been entertained, which can only be a good thing considering some of the rubbish that's been out this summer.

Part of me (a small part) would really like to see them do a sequel.  Now they've set up the characters and the story, it feels like they could have fun with it second time round.  However, as this one cost $110m to produce and only made $75m at the American box office, that might not be happening any time soon.

Michael's Tip:  If you're a big A-Team fan and you want to see some extra footage, make sure you stay till the end of the credits.  I was the only person left in the cinema at the time, so clearly not too many people knew about it, but if you're willing to wait 15 minutes or so, you'll get to see a couple of cameos from the original TV series.  Why they hid them away here is beyond me and to be honest the footage isn't that good, but I did enjoy seeing some one the old team back on the screen. 

Michael's Movie Mark     6/10

Review: INCEPTION

After directing The Dark Knight, there was always going to be huge pressure on Christopher Nolan to 'produce the goods' on his next movie, but has he delivered?

There was so much hype surrounding Inception, I was sure it was going to disappoint. All too often films fail to live up to expectations...The Last Airbender anyone? However, early word on this film was almost universally positive with just a few saying it was over contrived and complicated, leaving the audience confused long before the credits rolled.

I'm pleased to report that Inception is an incredible film. An original, mind bending, thrilling slice of movie entertainment that manages to capture and hold your attention for every second of its 148 minute running time. Don't get me wrong, you do have to concentrate throughout and there will be times when you find yourself trying to figure out exactly what's going on, but for me that's all part of the enjoyment. As much as I love 'popcorn' movies, every now and again I like to be challenged and surprised. Inception does this and much much more.

The film is set in the not-too-distant future where Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio) heads up a specialist team that use advanced technology to enter people's dreams and extract their secrets. However, instead of extracting, they are hired by Saito (Ken Watanabe) to perform an 'inception', the almost impossible task of planting an idea into someone's subconscious. A job made all the more difficult by the appearance of Cobb's wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), who seems intent of sabotaging the whole plan.

Leonardo Di Caprio is on top form, proving that he could well be the best actor of his generation. His work here even tops his fantastic performance in Shutter Island earlier this year, which will give you some idea of just how good he is in this movie. He is complimented throughout by the superb supporting cast, including the always brilliant Tom Hardy, who is clearly relishing his role providing the welcome moments of light relief during some of the more intense scenes. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays reliable side kick Arthur, and has some of the best action sequences, including a stunning corridor fight (pictured below). It's great to see him in a big mainstream movie, as up until now he's been cutting his acting chops on smaller, low budget films like 500 Days of Summer. The same can be said for Juno's Ellen Page (not including her turn in X-Men 3), who plays Ariadne, the newest member of the team who soon realises that things aren't quite what they seem with Cobb (Di Caprio). She's also the character that helps us understand what's actually happening, so pay particular attention whenever someone's explaining something to her about the inception process!

Somewhat surprisingly for a $200m summer blockbuster, the CGI and special effects are used to enhance the story, rather than suffocate it, and this is some of the best movie magic you're likely to see. It's so well integrated into the action, that you'll sometimes forget what you're watching should be impossible.

So, did I leave the screening confused? The truth is I didn't. On my newly created (just for this review) movie scale of confusion, 1 being Bambi and 10 being Guy Ritchie's Revolver, then Inception is probably a 7. I'm not going into detail, as I don't want to ruin the film for those people that haven't seen it yet, but as long as you're paying close attention, you shouldn't end up confused.



The bottom line is that Christopher Nolan is a genius. Let's not forget, he didn't just direct Inception, he wrote it as well. Considering how complex and detailed this film is, it's amazing he managed to edit it into a coherent movie at all, let alone produce (in my humble opinion) the best film of 2010 and arguably the best film of the last ten years. He apparently first pitched it to Warner Bros a decade ago, but with a much smaller budget. To be honest it's hard to conceive how this could have been 'done on the cheap', but I guess if anyone could have done it, it would have been Nolan.

Inception is film making at its very best and I loved it.


Michael's Movie Mark   10/10