Posts Tagged ‘Review’

Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Review

Posted: April 4, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Rated PG-13

for intense sequences of violence, gunplay and action throughout

Captain America: The Winter Soldier lived up to my expectations, almost completely. As I look back on the movie, there are only a couple of minor things that I would have liked to have seen done better.

In general, sequels often have a hard time living up the standards established by “part ones”, forget about being better. In my opinion, Cap 2 has done an excellent job of building on the successes of the previous film and correcting the flaws at the same time. The cool is cooler and the dull is gone.

In regards to the story and plot, we should all be in tune with the way Marvel like to turn its movies in to episodes instead of all-encompassing stories by now. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is no different, as soon as the movie is over you are ready for the next one. The story that is told sets up at least two more sequels and GREATLY impacts The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. from the small screen.

If you were to try and categorize The Winter Soldier, I think you would have to put in with spy mysteries. The story is ripe with espionage and shifting alliances with very little being as it seems. Some of the good guys do some very bad guy like things and vice versa. You are in a position of wondering who is good and who is bad for a large part of the movie. Some of the assumptions that you go in with are proved to be horribly off from the real story by the time it is over, all with an eye for the future.

As you would expect, the characters are the driving force behind this movie. As with any comic book inspired film, the story is interchangeable as long as the fans accept the character as a whole. If you screw up a character, like Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the fans will destroy the whole movie without prejudice. Making sure to not “screw anyone up” was obviously a point of emphasis for the creative team.

The characters that we have seen before that are back for another round are all more dynamic, as compared to their previous portrayals:

Captain America – Chris Evans

He is still the guy trying to adapt to waking up to a world he knows nothing about, but he doesn’t feel as lost. Humor and wit are inserted into the character so that he doesn’t seem to be quite as moody. More emphasis was put on him being a highly trained fighter and tactician this time around too.

Nick Fury – Samuel L Jackson

FINALLY! We get to see him in do more than walk around and jibber-jabber like a bureaucrat.

Black Widow – Scarlett Johansson

The writers and director made a great decision in actually letting her have some personality this time around. She is still the ass-kicking redhead from the previous movies, but now we get to see her as a human being too.

The new characters that are introduced mostly met my expectations as well:

The Winter Soldier – Sebastian Stan

If you know the history of this character from the comics, you will be happy with the big-screen adaptation. If you know nothing about him, you will be impressed with him as well. He is portrayed as Cap’s equal in almost every way. In any area where he is not Cap’s equal, he is better. He is very much like Bane, but thankfully nowhere near as chatty.

The Falcon – Anthony Mackie

This is where things could have been just a little better. Not enough time was spent on developing Falcon. I do not want to say that he was just dropped into the scene with no development, but it was still lacking. He is very much Cap’s sidekick. To the movie’s credit, any scene of him in action was given as much attention as would have been given to Iron Man.

Alexander Pierce – Robert Redford

Pierce is another character that can be a bit confusing or even misunderstood. To avoid spoiling the story, all I will say is that he is portrayed as a figurehead, or personification, for the underlying story instead of Nick Fury’s friend and ally since “the old days.” As the story unfolds Pierce becomes less and less important which mitigates my issues.

Another aspect to the Marvel movies that adds to the excitement is the use of Easter Eggs and credit scenes. This movie has a plenty of Easter Eggs and two credit scenes that are intriguing. There is a good bit of foreshadowing to other projects and characters as well: Doctor Strange for one and Moonstone as another.

A couple of words of caution:

If you are a fan of The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and are behind in watching the most recent episodes, get that done first! The story told in this movie is the resolution to part of the story on the TV show. If you watch the movie before catching up the whole “hunt for the clairvoyant” is going to be less than fulfilling to say the least. If you are like me, and make that mistake, you might jump to the same question I did, “so are they cancelling the show now?”

This weekend make the time to get out of the house and go see this movie. It is not going to let you down.

LET THE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER SEASON BEGIN!!!

 

 

 

 

Draft Day – Review

Posted: March 28, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Draft Day

Rated PG-13

for brief strong language and sexual references

Every year the National Football League uses its annual draft to invite 224 young men to join its ranks. To be drafted into the league you have to be one of the best football players in the world. If you want to be drafted in the top 10 you have to be one of the best of the best. If you think you are good enough to be number 1, you had better be….perfect.

Draft Day is a day in the life on a fictitious Cleveland Browns General Manager named Sonny Weaver Jr; played by Kevin Costner. Weaver is tasked by the owner of the team, played by Frank Langella, to “make a splash” in the 2014 draft or face being fired. Weaver must navigate personal and professional obstacles to focus on the task of building the future of the Cleveland Browns football team while giving the owner the flashy moves and impact he so desperately desires.

Draft Day is a movie endorsed by the NFL; that is a detail that cannot be ignored. If you know anything at all about Roger Goodell, and his run as the Commissioner of the NFL, then you know he will not allow any “bad” light to be shown on the league. He is going to “protect the shield” at all costs. That should be warning enough to temper your expectations for what you can expect from this movie.

There are two audiences that this movie is trying to capture, the football fan and the casual movie viewer. The football fan is going through a bit of withdrawal right now; there is no football on TV to satisfy the hunger. The casual movie goer just got treated to a baseball movie, that is somewhat similar, that turned out to be pretty good, Moneyball. Draft Day is in prime position to come in and offer a taste of football to the hungry fan, it can also give the casual movie goer an interesting story; sadly Draft Day fails to do a good job at accomplishing either. If it was a draft pick, it would be the “bust” that the main character Sonny Weaver is trying to avoid.

How does a movie about the NFL Draft go wrong? We are a football crazed society after all.

Here’s how you do it:

  • You make the General Managers of the NFL look like poorly informed gamblers who rely on stooges that can barely tie their shoes for guidance.
  • You take one of the GMs that you have already mentally crippled, throw in some mommy and daddy drama, a pointless love interest, and then cram all of that into a story that takes place in 13 hours.
  • Oh yeah, don’t forget to include some of the most asinine draft moves of all time; it is supposedly about the NFL Draft and all.

Yep, sounds like a cluster to me too.

If there is a “good” part of the movie, it is in the actors themselves. They all did a good job in the roles that they were provided. Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary and Frank Langella make up the bulk of the cast. That lineup should make you go, “hey, this movie can be pretty good.” Sorry, it isn’t.

In the end, this movie should be nothing more than a marketing lead in for the real 2014 NFL Draft that is coming up later in the year. The story is too watered down with Lifetime Channel BS to be taken seriously as a movie about one of the most anticipated days in the manliest of sports. I say, re-edit the movie and eliminate all the hot garbage about secret romances and daddy issues and insert more “behind the scenes” perspective on the draft process itself. You might end up with a good movie.

 

Bad Words – Review

Posted: March 27, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Bad Words

Rated R

for crude and sexual content, language and brief nudity

Guy Trilby is an arrogant, foul mouthed, bad tempered, emotionally scarred 40 year old alcoholic with an ax to grind; he also just happens to be a total genius. Trilby’s tool of choice for achieving the revenge he is after; the national spelling bee circuit

Right from the start, Bad Words goes for the jugular in an effort to surprise the audience with the levels that a vengeful man will stoop to for that revenge. The shock and awe campaign of dialogue will both make you uncomfortable and cause you to laugh out loud. The sheer complexity of the insults that are doled out will keep your jaw hanging in disbelief.

“Why don’t you take your potty mouth, go locate your pre-teen cock sucker son and stuff him back up that old blown out sweat sock of a vagina and screw it off to whatever shit-kicking town you came from?”

(Trilby to the mother of a kid he just crushed)

Jason Bateman plays the role of Guy Trilby, a man who has been granted a near photographic memory but also cursed with an inner anger that dictates his every action and word. The portrayal of Trilby by Bateman solidifies his stature as a high caliber comedic actor. I say that hoping and praying that Bateman had to really try to be that outright mean as he delivered some of the most vitriol insults ever said on film. If that type of thing came naturally, then Kent and Victoria Bateman have to come to grips with the fact that they may be the parents of the Anti-Christ.

Trilby is a spelling genius; he could easily win any spelling bee with just his skill alone. Even though he doesn’t need them, he uses some of the cruelest, most underhanded tactics imaginable to make his path to the win over the fellow competitors as easy as possible. The 10 year olds that share the stage with him during competitions are subjected to psychological warfare that would easily take down adults.

Trilby is bad enough on his own, but he does have help in his mission in reporter Jenny Widgeon. Kathryn Hahn plays the role of Trilby’s sponsor and pseudo-willing accomplice. She aids him in his quest with the hope that he will give her the access she needs to write the story that can make her career.

Rohan Chand plays the role of 10 year old Chaitanya Chopra. Chopra is one of the many children that Guy is out to crush in his quest. Along the way, Chopra tries to befriend Guy and a relationship is formed that you know is not going to go well.

In addition to playing a starring role, Bateman also directed this film. He did an excellent job of emphasizing just how morally bankrupt the characters of this movie are. At no point in the movie are you ever allowed to settle in on a character being “good” or “bad”. All that is constant with Bad Words is that it is shocking and very funny. Leave the kiddies at home and go out and see this movie for a good night of guilty pleasure funny.

 

Need for Speed – Review

Posted: March 6, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Need for Speed

Rated PG-13

for sequences of reckless street racing, disturbing crash scenes, nudity and crude language

In 1994 Electronic Arts unleashed on the world one of the most successful video-game franchises of all time. The Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn and 3DO were the first platforms to take on the title that would eventually spawn 22 sequels. Need for Speed set the standard for what racing based video games were to be going forward. Over time the gameplay was modified, the graphics improved and the physics of cars included but always true to the core; go as hard and fast as you can to win the race in some of the most iconic exotic cars ever made by man.

There are few things as exciting or iconic in movies as the car chase. A good chase scene can elevate an okay movie to the good or great level pretty quickly. Good use of high-speed cars engaged in precision driving and performing, often impossible, stunts can make up for most any flaw an action movie has. The car chase is what Need for Speed used to get through to audiences and successfully adapt an iconic video-game into a feature film.

The movie is about a street racer, Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), who lives in upstate New York. Marshall is betrayed by a former rival turned business partner, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper), and left to go to prison for the consequences of a street race that went horribly wrong. When Marshall is paroled, upon completing his sentence, he sets out on a mission to get revenge by taking out Brewster on the biggest stage in street racing, The DeLeon.

The stars of this movie are billed as; Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper and Scott Mescudi (Kid Kudi) but I would dare to say that the real stars are listed here under the heading “Stunts.” The 40+ men and women that made up the stunt and precision driving teams are what made this movie as thrilling as it is. In an effort to be as real as possible, most of the racing scenes in the movie are done on closed courses with real cars being driven to their limits by these amazing professionals.

If the stuntmen and women are the stars, then the best supporting nod has to go to the menu of amazing vehicles used in the story. In one scene the head of the DeLeon race, The Monarch (Michael Keaton), states that the combined value of the cars in his race is around $6 million and average 200mph. Yeah right! Maybe if you are getting some major discounts from the manufacturers and ride the brakes!

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Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – $2.5 million and a verified top speed of 265mph

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Koenigsegg Agera R – $1.7 million and an estimated top speed of over 270mph

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Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – $2.9 million and a verified top speed of 205mph

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McLaren P1 – $1.3 million and its top speed is electronically capped at 220mph (It’s also a hybrid!)

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Saleen S7 – $500,000 and a verified top speed of 248mph

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GTA Spano – $725,000 and an estimated top speed of 220mph

Add all those up and you get… (Drumroll please) a whopping $9.65 million dollars in cars with an average top speed of around 240mph! Thank God the ones that were abused and wrecked were all replicas.

As impressive as that list of cars is, they are not all that appears. A modified 2014 Ford Mustang GT 500, that is rated at 900hp with a top end of 236mph, is the central car figure for most of the movie. There is also a bevy of classic muscle cars from the 60s and 70s that make appearances.

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With the sheer volume of cars that are featured in this movie it is easy to jump to the conclusion that this is just another Fast and Furious style movie; ”show a bunch of cars driving fast and add some special effects and hope it works.” The makers of Need for Speed went in a different direction with the way they portrayed the street racing scene and driving in general. The developers took the time to make sure this movie honors the great car chases of the past by focusing on realism as much as possible. Aside from two scenes where I shook my head and thought, “was that really necessary,” the movie uses driving skills and stunts that are very believable and realistic.

As a part of the respect to car chases from the past, you see Bullitt playing at a drive in an early scene, the Pontiac Trans-Am from Smokey and the Bandit makes an appearance, there is even a nod to the Blue Brothers movie. One of the more obscure references is a scene where the Mustang being driven by Marshall is being chased around and around a traffic circle a la The Dukes of Hazzard. Homages to Thelma and Louise and The Great Gatsby are also cool if you catch them and appreciate them. There are countless other subtle references to car chase movies from the past that appear in the dialogue as well.

One of the most important aspects of this movie that I found the most refreshing is in the way the story does not insult you intelligence or seem to be “on the take” from a car manufacturer. An example of what I mean is in the car chase in last year’s The Last Stand, there is no way on this round earth that a bone stock Camaro is going to run down an 1100hp Corvette Blue Demon. Need for Speed, delightfully, chooses to respect the knowledge of the fan base that this movie will appeal to most and not slap them in the face by having a Mustang torch the Veyron SS or anything absurd like that.

I would be remiss if I wrapped this up without really mentioning the various actors and acting. They all played their various roles well with no one really standing out as a positive or negative. I get the impression that they all accepted the fact that they were in a video game movie that was all about the driving and not about them. Aaron Paul as the hero, the brooding Tobey Marshall was a good fit. Dominic Cooper as the manipulative Dino Brewster was also easy to accept. Michael Keaton as The Monarch was fun. I specifically enjoyed the character Julie Maddon played by Imogen Poots, maybe it is just a screen crush or infatuation with the accent.

For the first time in 2014 I am going to put my seal of approval on a movie with no restrictions or caveats. Need for Speed is fun and worth the trip to the theatres, no questions asked.

Non-Stop – Review

Posted: February 27, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Non-Stop

Rated PG-13

for intense sequences of action and violence, some language, sensuality and drug references

Since the tragic events of 9/11 the United States has used a lot of resources to upgrade the security in and around air travel. One of the ways that this was accomplished was in the expansion and further development of the Federal Air Marshal Service.  The FAMs are tasked with blending in with the everyday passengers flying the skies over the United States to watch over the flights and ensure that no acts like what occurred in 2001 will be repeated. The threats they face on a day to day basis can range from frisky couples joining the “mile-high” club to plots to hijack a plane mid-flight.

In the last few years Liam Neeson has re-emerged as somewhat of an action star. In the early 90s he cut his action movie teeth playing the role of Peyton Westlake / Darkman in the Darkman. In 1999 he landed the role of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jin in the first Star Wars prequel, The Phantom Menace. From there he drifted into roles that were a bit less action oriented. In 2008 he burst back onto the action scene with the surprise hit Taken. Since that time he has become the actor to get if you are looking for an “older” guy to be your movie badass; see The A-Team, The Grey, Taken 2, and The Dark Knight Rises. Non-Stop is the next installment of Liam Neeson as the older, but old-man strong, hero.

This time, Neeson plays the role of Federal Air Marshal Bill Marks. Marks is not your polished hero type character that you are used to out of Neeson, he is a very troubled man. Marks battles a drinking problem and is very anti-social, to say the least. You could easily seem him as the type of guy who would wake up one morning and say, “F*** it, I’m gonna waste those fools today,” and then go postal. The story told in Non-Stop rests on the shoulders of Neeson and his ability to portray a drunk, depressed, anti-social guy, who also just happens to be a highly trained Federal Agent.

The story told in Non-Stop is an interesting one that will keep your attention if you enjoy a good “whodunit”. Marks begins to receive mysterious text messages describing a plot to kill a passenger on board the plane every 20 minutes until a ransom of $150 million is paid. Marks puts all of his training into action as he methodically goes about the business of tracking down the threat without alerting the passengers as to the danger they are in. Along the way he is faced with hurdles and challenges that seem to implicate him as the real threat.

The story is complicated and requires a little more attention than some movie goers like to give; a poorly timed restroom break in the middle of the movie or a talker sitting next to you can ruin this movie’s fun. It also doesn’t move at a very fast pace; this is ironic considering the plot is that someone dies every 20 minutes. It develops in a very deliberate and methodical way with the viewer never really knowing what is fully going on at any given time. The emotions of the movie also build in a very slow and deliberate way so that by the time the movie build to its climax, the tension is at its highest point.

At the climax, the story goes off the rails a little. Throughout the movie you are wondering if what is happening is a personal attack against the airline, a terrorist attack, or even a personal vendetta against Marks. When the baddy and motive are actually revealed, don’t be surprised if you find yourself scratching your head. The motive that is given just doesn’t fit the story and the characters that are provided.

The other two main characters in Non-Stop provide balance and the emotions that the story needs, if not the actual details.  The row mate to Marks is a woman named Jen (Julianne Moore) and she adds a bit of levity to offset the always serious and brooding Marks. The flight attendant, Nancy (Michelle Dockery), is the rock that Marks leans on when his paranoia won’t allow him to trust anyone else. The rest of the cast consists of your stereotypical figures that always seem to make their way into these types of movies; I won’t ruin your fun here.

Liam Neeson continues with his trend of grizzled hero movies in a story that is a bit complicated with a somewhat unfulfilled ending. Overall, Non-Stop is a good second choice movie if you insist on going to the theater this weekend and you have seen everything else. I won’t say that I didn’t like it, but I also won’t commit to saying I did.

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Pompeii – Review

Posted: February 21, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Pompeii

Rated PG-13

for intense battle sequences, disaster-related action and brief sexual content

Set in the year 79 AD, Pompeii is a story of the final days of the city that would be destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The story is centered on the lives of a wealthy merchant woman, Cassia, and on a gladiator, Milo. Their lives are intertwined with a corrupt Roman Senator, Corvus, who has managed to have profoundly negative impacts on both Cassia and Milo.

On the night of the screening of Pompeii the omens of what was to come were plentiful. The most profound of them came as I was waiting for a friend to meet me before dinner. The place where we agreed to meet, The Q Shack, apparently had an issue with a meat smoker that resulted in the fire department being called and the whole complex being filled with the sound of ear piercing fire alarms. Little did I know at the time, but the damage to my ears would soon be partnered with damage to my eyes and insults to my intelligence.

To say that Pompeii was a “let-down” is an understatement. I didn’t expect to go in and see a masterpiece of film and creativity, but I did expect to see a little more than what I got. An epic disaster story like the destruction of Pompeii has such great potential, if handled properly. And my friend, this story was not handled properly. To quote a close friend named Isaac Weeks, “This is basically a Lifetime Channel movie with a special effects budget.”

There are three main problems with this movie that just ruined it for me; terrible characters, an unbelievable story, and insulting special effects. If two out of three of these issues were even passable, this movie would have been a pleasure to watch as a popcorn movie. It could have been something along the lines of 2004’s The Day After Tomorrow, which had an interesting story and very good visual effects that offset some character issues.

The characters of Milo and Cassia are passable at best, Kit Harrington and Emily Browning did what they could with the dialogue they were given, but mostly fell flat. Kiefer Sutherland as the villainous Corvus was just plain bad. I know you are not supposed to love a villain, more often you are supposed to love to hate them. In the case of Corvus, his dialogue was so bad and his character so stereotypical I wanted to hit fast-forward anytime Sutherland was onscreen.

Several other characters that were granted significant screen time seemed to have no real purpose at all. Joe Pingue as Graecus contributed the same thing as Currie Graham’s Bellator as the boss/owner of the slave gladiators. Why waste valuable time on those duplicated characters when you could use that time to better develop the other core characters?

The story, where to begin? The main story of the movie takes place over what feels to be less than a week. During that week we are asked to believe that it is possible that a dirty, bloody, violent slave gladiator and an aristocrat’s daughter, who are only ever in the same place at the same time about 3 times, fall so madly in love with each other they are willing to die for one-another. “Maybe he just made a great first impression”, you say. If snapping the neck of a horse with your bare hands is a great first impression in the eyes of aristocratic Roman women, then you may be right.

The final fatal flaw of this movie is in the special effects and final action sequences. If you have seen 2012 and you remember John Cusack making a stretch limo bend the laws of physics to the point where Einstein would roll over in his grave, then you have an idea of what happens in Pompeii. Apparently the horses that were raised and trained in ancient Naples are a breed that is immune to the sense of self-preservation that most all other mammals seem to be equipped with. It is also interesting that every time Milo and Cassia decide to have a tender moment Vesuvius is super polite and halts its explosive violence just long enough for them to get it in.

I do have to give the makers of Pompeii credit for a couple of things that they did manage to make look good or get right. The scenes of the actual eruption looked every bit as scary as you would imagine it to be. Also, the fight scenes in the arena with the various gladiators had some good moments. Finally, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje deserves credit for his portrayal of gladiator badass Atticus; he was someone that I had no problem rooting for.

So, if you enjoy disaster movies that are a disaster themselves, then this one is a runaway winner for you. If you are like the rest of us who would rather not set fire to our hard earned money, skip this one.

Similar Viewing

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About Last Night – Review

Posted: February 14, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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About Last Night

Rated R

for sexual content, language and brief drug use

Bernie and Danny are the best of friends, but total opposites in many ways. They have completely different takes on relationships and how to maneuver the complicated world of sex and dating. Joan and Debbie are roommates that appear to share the same dynamic as their counterparts, Danny and Bernie. Bernie and Joan meet at a bar an end up sharing a sexually torrid night that ends up being the first of many. When Bernie and Joan bring along their friends, Danny and Debbie, to meet on their first real date the two couples are formed and the two different styles of relationships are put on full display. Bernie and Joan antagonize each other, relentlessly. Danny and Debbie attempt to pursue the more traditional route of building a relationship.

About Last Night is the modern retelling of the 1986 film of the same name. Both movies are adaptations of the David Mamet play Sexual Perversity in Chicago. David Hart takes on the comedic role of Bernie while Michael Ealy plays the more serious Danny. Regina Hall is Hart’s hilarious counterpart as Joan with Joy Bryant rounding out the cast as Debbie.

Kevin Hart and Regina Hall are the backbone of this movie; their comedic chemistry is a joy to watch. Almost every scene with the two of them is pure comedic gold. While their relationship is not meant to be the centerpiece of the movie, Hart and Hall make their character’s story more than just added depth. As you watch Hart and Hall verbally abuse one another you can’t help but laugh and think about the couples you know that share those same characteristics. As the story progresses you find yourself hoping Bernie and Joan can find a way to make their dynamic work, just to be different.

Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant take on the polar opposite roles from Hart and Hall. The two of them take you on the ride that is building a meaningful relationship in the modern era. Danny and Debbie are honest and caring towards each other, both seeming to be willing to give whatever it takes to make their relationship a success. The story they tell is as emotional and as complicated as any real relationship would be. From their first meeting to their first relationship obstacles, their story keeps you guessing and looking for that issue that breaks them up.

The story is not a very complicated, or even unpredictable, instead it is very easy to follow and appreciate. The movie uses candid sexual encounters, funny supporting actors and even an interesting cameo to keep you on your toes. They even use a scene to redefine the term “chicken-head” in a way that makes you laugh out loud while also feeling very awkward having seen it.

As Valentine’s Day is here, About Last Night is a great choice to see if you are looking for a date night movie to share with a better half. The comedy is perfect, the emotion is real and the story is interesting. About Last Night is a well-done remake of another well-done movie and is very worth seeing.

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About Last Night…

RoboCop – Review

Posted: February 11, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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RoboCop

Rated PG-13

For intense sequences of action including frenetic gun violence throughout, brief strong language, sensuality and some drug material

In the very near future, a mega-corporation, Omnicorp, has taken on the responsibility of protecting mankind by developing robotic answers to the most dangerous situations man can face. Their motives are by no means benevolent; they simply see an opportunity for profit and a market that will never dry up. Their mission to bring their robotic security forces to the police forces of the United States is faced with the obstacle of a public that fears emotionless robots roaming the streets. Omnicorp chooses to ease the minds of the public by merging man with machine to reap the benefits of a machine’s efficiency with a man’s conscience.

Robocop is a character/brand that was created nearly 30 years ago and made famous by director Paul Verhoeven and originally played by Peter Weller. When the first film was released in 1987 it was regarded as a success both critically and commercially. That original film would spawn two sequels, a comic book, video games, action figure lines, 2 animated television adaptations as well as 2 live action television adaptations. It became a truly lucrative brand that was able to endure for over 25 years.

Unlike the Hollywood of the 80s, Hollywood today does not seem to really have any inclination to develop any new ideas into successful films. Instead, the popular course s of action are to find a teen novel, comic book or established brand from days gone by to adapt or remake into feature films. RoboCop is the latest attempt by Hollywood to draw success from that well.

This incarnation of RoboCop is not a sequel to the original film series and it is not attached to any of the other parts of the RoboCop franchise. It is intended to reboot the once lucrative brand by using similar themes, a similar story and state of the art special effects to bring the movie to a whole new generation of fans while also reinvigorating the original core fan base.

The story is very similar to the one that was presented in 1978. A few changes were made to accentuate the family aspect of the man Alex Murphy. His wife and a son are more central to the story to add emphasis to the human side of RoboCop. Another change is in the portrayal of the company Omnicorp (OCP); it is not portrayed as being wholly corrupt or “inherently evil” as it was in the original series. But overall the story is the same; A Detroit cop is mortally wounded and would be dead if not for the scientists of Omnicorp who rebuild him into a crime fighting cyborg.

In this type of movie, the visuals are the key to it being watchable at any level. For the most part, the effects are very good if not excellent. I was only able to find one scene where they could be a little better; look out for the SWAT truck crashing into the ED 209 and you will see what I mean. The effects in the scenes of Murphy in his “human” capacity are striking as he is significantly more machine than man.

RoboCop as a character is very well done; he doesn’t look over-the-top or ridiculously fake by any stretch. He looked good both as prosthetics worn by Joel Kinnaman, who was chosen to portray Detective Alex Murphy, and as pure CGI. How many times have we all seen robo-characters that have prosthetics that look like they are out of a Power Rangers TV episode? The first time the visor drops down over Murphy’s face and that pistol comes out, you can’t help but smile with approval.

Also related to the effects, the sound effects are believable as well. The producers and director decided to not have RoboCop sound like the voice modulator in a Tandy 1000. Joel Kinnaman actually got to use his own voice unlike Peter Weller in the 1987 original. Also, the use of arbitrary “robot” sounds was kept to a minimum; I don’t need to hear every little motor and gear whine and turn as the movie goes on. The only opportunity for improvement with sound would be when RoboCop walks. His footsteps sound like he should be creating 2 inch impressions in concrete everywhere he goes.

As good as the effects are they would be nothing without some good actors to tie it all together. The casting for the movie was really well done as a whole. Gary Oldman as Dr. Norton was an excellent choice. Also, the casting of Michael Keaton as the “villain” was perfect; his portrayal of Sellars really allowed you to see all the layers that make up the Omnicorp CEO. The character of Pat Novak played by Samuel L Jackson does get a little old, but Sam manages to work in some of his trademark dialogue to help him get by.

Overall, I really did enjoy this movie. They didn’t screw with the story too much, the visuals and sound are good and the actors all seemed to fit into the roles they were playing. I am not saying to be ready for any type of award caliber stuff here. All I am saying is, if you go to the theatre and plop down $10 to see it, you should leave feeling okay about the decision.

Oh, and be ready for sequels….many!

Similar Viewing:

RoboCop (1987),  RoboCop 2, RoboCop 3

Ride Along – Review

Posted: January 15, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
Tags: , , , ,
0

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Ride Along

Rated PG-13

for sequences of violence, sexual content and brief strong language

A high school security guard, who is addicted to video games, in Atlanta, GA has two goals in life; marry the woman of his dreams and become a cop. There is one obstacle that stands in the way of both goals coming to pass; his lady’s imposing cop brother. Ride Along is an action comedy starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube that is equal parts Training Day and Kevin Hart stand-up.

Right from the start you realize that this movie is all about being entertaining with little regard placed on being award worthy in any category. The two main characters, loner badass cop, James Payton (Ice Cube) and wise-cracking school security guard, Ben Barber (Kevin Hart), are total opposites and over-the-top in their own unique ways. They remind me of the characters from the old 48 Hours movies played by Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte.

James decides to take his soon to be brother –in-law out for a ride along that will also serve as Ben’s “training day.” Ben has to prove his worthiness of being a cop and marrying James’s sister Angela. The movie unfolds as a series of “126 in Progress” calls that Ben is tasked with handing to see if he can make the cut. The circumstances that he is placed in and the consequences of their actions are hilarious almost to the point of being totally ridiculous.

The potential comedic chemistry between Ice Cube and Kevin Hart was a point of concern for me going in. After seeing the first on-screen interaction between the two, those concerns were quickly put to rest as they “clicked” right away. Ice Cube and Hart were a truly dynamic pairing when it comes to gaining a laugh. Kevin Hart played up his short stature and addiction to video games for several good laughs. Ice Cube worked as the straight-man for most of the movie, but also got to interject some of his own comedic and note-worthy lines. I even had a Gangsta Rap geek-out moment when Ice Cube delivered his famous lyric “Today Was a Good Day” after a particularly funny scene.

The movie is funny, but don’t go into this looking for any type of dynamic story or surprise twists to go along with the funny; it is VERY predictable. When the director, writers and producers of the movie were creating the story I’m sure the creative process went a little like this:

Producer: “I haven’t seen a funny buddy cop movie in a while.”

Writer: “Me either, wanna make one?”

Director: “I really liked training day and LOVE that short little black man… What’s his name, Kevin Hart?”

Writer: “Make Training Day funny? Use Kevin Hart to do it?  PSSHHT!! That’s easy!!!”

Producer: “Let me write you a check…”

Despite the simplistic story, I do recommend seeing the movie if you are in the mood for a few good laughs AND are a fan of Kevin Hart. If you find Kevin Hart even a little annoying, he is in full force in this one. Consider yourself warned.

Similar Viewing:

Training Day, 48 Hours, Another 48 Hours

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – Review

Posted: January 15, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
Tags: , , , , ,
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Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Rated R

for sequences of violence and intense action, and brief strong language

Back in 1990 the movie world was introduced to novelist Tom Clancy’s character John Patrick “Jack” Ryan in the hit The Hunt for Red October. The movie was the first of Clancy’s novels to be adapted to film. Alec Baldwin is the first actor to get the opportunity to play the role on the big screen. Jack had to convince the Navy that Russian Submarine Captain Marko Ramius, played by Sean Connery, was trying to defect to prevent a war from breaking out. The movie was such a success in the box office, a sequel was ordered.

Now it is 1992 and Jack Ryan is back, this time Harrison Ford is the guy tabbed to play the role of a now retired Ryan. Patriot Games is the novel that was selected to be adapted. Jack is on vacation in London when he happens to be in the right place at the right time to intervene in an assassination attempt on a British Government Minister. Afterwards, he and has to deal with the revenge of the assassins for foiling their plot. Yet again, we have a box office success and another sequel ordered.

In an effort to keep milking this cash cow, Harrison Ford is brought back to play Ryan in the 1994 Clear and Present Danger. Now, Jack Ryan is the Deputy Director of the CIA tasked with stopping a Columbian drug cartel. As no surprise, the movie is another box office success for the character but this time no sequel is put in motion.

It is eight years before we are to be given another Jack Ryan movie. In 2002 Ben Affleck is given the role as Ryan in The Sum of All Fears. This time the movie steps out of the continuity that was in place with the previous three movies with Ryan back to being a lowly analyst in the CIA. He must stop a nuclear showdown with the Russians while simultaneously trying to stop a terrorist from blowing up a major US city. The movie was released a little after the attacks of September 11, 2001. This time, we do not have the major box office success or the acclaim of the previous installments.

That little history lesson was to set the tone for my expectations for this new installment in the Jack Ryan franchise. I enjoyed The Hunt for Red October, because of Connery, Baldwin was okay at best. I liked Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger because of Harrison Ford. I HATED The Sum of All Fears because of what Affleck did to the character that I loved. All that being said, I went into the screening of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit thinking, “How bad is Chris Pine going to mess Jack Ryan up?”

Shadow Recruit is a reboot of the franchise, chronologically speaking. We are taken back to September 11, 2001 in London, England where a young John P Ryan is working on his PhD. After the horrific events of that day, Jack joins the Marines and volunteers for combat duty in Afghanistan. While serving he is severely wounded and forced out of the Marines. During his recovery from his injuries he is recruited by the CIA, sent back to school to finish his PhD and put in play as an undercover analyst tracking the financials of threats to the United States.

As for the villain and threat that Jack is trying to stop, it is something very real, very up-to-date and something that is possible at any given time in the real world. Not to give up any details, but it is not your run of the mill terrorist bomb plot. The individual villain, Viktor Cherevin, is played by Kenneth Branagh. He is a credible villain but not your typical “bad guy”, you get the impression that he is really just a misguided patriot.

Chris Pine as Jack Ryan… Not bad at all.  My fears were unfounded as Pine and the filmmakers did not turn the character into another James Bond or Jason Bourne. He was the scared, over his head, yet supremely intelligent guy that Jack Ryan is supposed to be. In one scene; the look of shock, awe and horror that are on Pine’s face say more about the mindset of the character than 30 minutes of dialogue by Affleck in The Sum of All Fears. Pine does a wonderful job getting the point across that Ryan has absolutely ZERO desire to be on the operational side of things with the CIA.

As with any movie in this genre, there are going to be aspects of the story that are a little too much. The scenes with Keira Knightley playing Cathy Muller, she hasn’t married Jack yet, are just too sappy. I just rolled my eyes at the way the two were portrayed as a couple. Also, the American accent that Keira was attempting was just so awkward, thankfully, her dialogue was limited

Do I recommend it? Yes. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit has a good plot, unique story, decent acting and minimal annoyances. It is worth your time and money to go check it out.

Similar Viewing:

The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears

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