A bipolar, bigoted junkie cop manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Jon S. Baird
Starring: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent and others
A bipolar, bigoted junkie cop manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Jon S. Baird
Starring: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent and others
Well, I liked watching this movie but at the same time I still have to say that it isn't anything too special really.
A Danny Boyle movie is generally speaking always something unique and unusual. He can pick a movie in a specific genre and completely turn it into something different from any other genre movie. He truly has his own unique style, that has also been proved to be a successful one, which eventually earned him an Oscar in 2009, for his movie "Slumdog Millionaire", which funny enough still happens to be my least favorite movie done by Boyle. So yes, at least I still liked this movie better than "Slumdog Millionaire" but having said that, there is little about this movie that screams out 'brilliant' or 'a must-see'.
The movie is still an unique and original one in its own way but I wish that it's originality would have also resulted in a more engaging movie. The problem is that the story in itself is a very straightforward one and you could even say this is an one note movie, that has plenty of twists and turns in it still but even that starts to work against the movie after a while. It actually gets kind of annoying after a while, once the movie keeps on presenting new 'truths', right till the very end. After a while you just don't know what to believe anymore, which eventually results in you not carrying about it anymore neither. Or at least that's what happened for me.
The movie definitely runs out of steam, about 15 minutes before it reaches its conclusion. Really, they made things too hard on themselves and they tried a bit too hard to turn this movie into something surprising and unpredictable. The movie was fine enough as it was during its first half, so why turn things around and over complicate your movie, during its other half? It's a shame really. It doesn't make the movie a horrible one but it so obviously could have been a much better one, with some minor and more simplistic story additions and alterations.
But really, no point in sounding too negative about this movie, fore I most definitely still liked it good enough. Once you think about it, it's actually quite an accomplishment that the movie never starts to drag or repeat itself, even though it has a very straightforward main concept, set at just a handful of different locations and has only few characters in it. But this perhaps should have come as no surprise, knowing that Danny Boyle has done this before with some of his movies in this past already ("127 Hours", "Sunshine").
It also has a great visual and directing style to it, that's stylized but never over-stylized, in that sense that it's starting too distract from the movie as well. The editing besides works out pleasantly for the movie and helps to keep its pace high at all times.
I'm still always doubtful about seeing James McAvoy playing leading roles. He's of course not a bad actor, just not really leading man kind of material in my opinion, unless the role is absolutely right for him. And this movie hasn't changed that really. He does a good job with his role but a more charismatic and likable type of actor could have potentially lifted the role- and the overall movie, up a notch. I was more fond of Vincent Cassel in this movie really and he was playing the main 'villain'. I think it should tell you enough that I felt more involved- and was more interested in the movie its bad guy.
It's a good movie, just not one that is going to win any big awards anywhere.
This looks like a good movie, this feels like a good movie, I only wish I could also understand what was happening in it.
Talking about some wasted opportunity. Or perhaps I should rather say; talking about style over substance. When it comes down to it, that's the biggest problem of the movie. Absolutely nothing wrong with its production values, also nothing wrong with the acting but the story is told in a very convoluted way, even while in essence its story is still a pretty straightforward and formulaic one, which probably also explains why the film-makers felt the need to overcompensate with its storytelling.
The movie loves to throw in all sort of characters and developments, who appear to be important for the movie and its progress but the movie doesn't really explain very well why. It doesn't really give you enough background or explanation to anything, which also has as a result that the characters don't ever really work out as the best or most interesting ones. It's hard to truly care for anyone in this movie, because you never really get to know them that well and because you just don't know what their motivation and ultimate goal is.
Sounds like an awful and nearly unwatchable movie but strangely enough it isn't. The movie still manages to give you the sense that everything that gets told and happens is important in some way and relevant in relation to something else. Can't say that movie ever reaches a very satisfying conclusion with anything as well but it at least helps to keep you interest in the movie and it makes you want to know what it's all leading up to.
There is also plenty of action. Nothing too big or spectacular but it helps to keep things going and ensures that the movie never starts to drag or bore. It gets kind of annoying after a while though to see all of the characters shooting hundreds of bullets at each other throughout this movie, while rarely hitting anyone. It sort of goes at the expense of the movie its credibility.
But still, the foremost thing that this movie still has going for it is its look. Despite its low-budget, it's an incredibly professional and slick looking movie, with a nice visual style and great cinematography, though dark is certainly a keyword, all throughout this movie.
Can't say I liked it but also can't say I hated it.
A bipolar bigoted junkie cop, manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Jon S. Baird
Starring: James McAvoy, Imogen Poots, Jamie Bell and others
It's weird, I still liked the movie but it was truly far from a great
romantic movie or sports movie even.
It's still a movie with a good light, typical British style, to it,
which makes this a pleasant watch and remains the one and only reason
why it's still a good enough movie to watch.
I however just can't see how anyone could be taken by its story or
romance. This is not really a good movie to watch with your lover,
since the love story is actually far from a romantic or convincing
enough one in my opinion. The whole way it's set up and constructed is
severely lacking, since love never seemed to be the main foundation for
the relationship between its two main characters.
And besides, Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany don't really have any good
on screen chemistry together. It sounds like a good match on paper but
it's just something that never works out within the actual movie. Guess
that for most part you should also blame the writing for this of course
and not necessarily Dunst or Bettany themselves.
The writing is not just lacking with its romance but with basically
everything else as well. The movie is filled with some absolutely
redundant characters and some very predictable developments. And it's
not much good as a sports- or underdog movie either.
The characters are busy with a whole bunch of stuff in this movie,
expect focusing- and building toward their tennis matches it seems. The
don't live for their sport, as it appears and the whole way the sport
gets treated in this movie is pretty wasteful. It also treats the
tournament like just an average little tournament, which might had been
just fine, were it not for that fact that this movie was supposed to
take place at the Wimbledon tournament, which is the biggest and most
important tennis tournament in the world.
The tennis matches themselves are also awful to look at in this movie.
There is never any tension or decent enough buildup to any of them and
they are basically all shot the same and progress in a very predictable
manner. Besides, it's pretty obvious that neither Dunst or Bettany are
among the biggest tennis talents. Especially Dunst looks horrible when
she is sporting, even when she's only just running. Stuff like this
annoyed me and prevented me from buying into the movie its premise.
But the movie is still harmless and cute enough in certain parts,
making this still a watchable enough genre flick.
When a notorious criminal is forced to return to London, it gives a detective one last chance to take down the man he's always been after. From: IMDb.com
Directed by: Eran Creevy
Starring: James McAvoy, David Morrissey, Mark Strong and others
This movie works out as good entertainment but was it truly necessary
and does it also adds something to the movie X-men franchise? Not
enough, in my opinion.
Really, I was not opposed to the idea of a prequel/reboot for the movie
series but I feel that the execution of it is lacking just a bit too
much and the movie is filled with some missed opportunities and poor
executions of potentially good and interesting ideas.
Don't worry, I liked this movie more than I didn't but the movie is
receiving so much praise, while it in fact is still really such a
lacking movie, that I feel that I should counterbalance it.
The main problem I had with this movie, concerned both the Magneto and
professor X character and their relation. I never got the feeling that
they were true friends, which could had given this movie and all of the
other X-Men movies so much more emotional impact. Besides, I never felt
that Magneto was ever a good guy. He pretty much is a rogue and
dangerous person from the start on already, who never had any good or
noble intentions. So it also really seems unlikely that they ever were
friends in the first place, since they are driven by completely
different motivations and have different goals. Their friendship should
had been the key and center of this movie and something that should had
been build on in future X-Men movies but the movie has far too many
other distractions in it, for it to ever work out.
It to me also never felt like these two were the same characters, who
also got portrayed by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in the other
X-Men movies. They look nothing alike and even sound completely
different. This thought constantly distracted me and prevented me from
ever truly liking James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender in their roles,
even while in fact they are far from bad actors of course.
But yes, it's simply still an enjoyable movie for what it is. It
features a decent enough script, decent characters, decent action and
decent entertainment in it. nothing ever truly stands out in my opinion
and the movie does has its slower and weaker moments still but overall
this is one fine movie to watch, if you simply want to be entertained
for a couple of hours. If you are expecting this movie to add more
insightful depth or emotional impact to its characters or just the
series as a whole, you are wrong. In that regard this movie really
doesn't add enough to the series, though it still remains a welcome
addition.
It's also a movie that does still surprise, in some ways. One thing it
really surprises with is its villain. Kevin Bacon sounds like such an
unlikely choice to play a villain in a superhero movie but he often was
one of the highlights of the movie and simply did a good job with his
role and he seemed to be having some fun with all of it as well.
Also the inclusion of the some new characters and the first
introduction of some character that were already familiar to the
series, all are welcome additions. Most of the characters get plenty of
screen time and enough action to do, so it never really feels as if
some of them simply got put into the movie to fill up the screen with
or to help to make the movie long enough. They all serve a purpose and
with their mutant powers they also help to make an impact with their
roles, on the story.
A bit of a pointless prequel that doesn't really add enough to the
franchise in my opinion but it simply remains a fun and entertaining
film, with plenty of action to enjoy as well. As a superhero flick,
this movie does simply not disappoint, despite all of my criticism.
(Review originally written at 3 April 2009) This movie is just totally crazy and over-the-top. Besides the fact that it features a totally implausible concept it also features lots of over-the-top action sequences, that will take you back to the days that the action from the Matrix-movies was still something new and impressive. Even though it's not original anymore it still works out surprising effective as well as refreshing in this movie. You should give credit for this to director Timur Bekmambetov. To be honest, I didn't though he would be ready to do a big Hollywood production yet, or better said; I didn't think Hollywood would be ready for it. He has a very distinctive fast directing style, that besides can also really be described as weird and different. It makes this action in this movie work out as original as well as truly dazzling. It's mostly its action and the handling of it that makes this one of the better and more pleasant action movies of recent years. It's a movie that luckily doesn't take itself too serious but not by making itself totally ridicules. The movie has plenty of humor and comical character in it to consider this a fun and pleasant one to watch. It's concept may really not let this movie sound like a good or likable action-flick but you should simply give this movie a chance and you will most probably end up liking it. It's an unexpectedly and also unlikely good movie. The movie also features a good musical score from Danny Elfman, who finally delivers a really great and memorable score again for a movie. It had been a while that he composed anything memorable or distinctive from his other work. Lots of big stars were signed up to give this movie a boost but yet the main role is being played by the humble Scotish James McAvoy, who plays a perfect likable, and probably for lots of persons also really recognizable, loser who needs to become an hero and learn to assassinate people with his unique talents. Angelina Jolie also never looked more foxy before in any other movie role. She is one tough chick in this movie, without ever loosing any of her beauty as well. The presence of actors such as Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp and Thomas Kretschmann also help to uplift the movie. No matter how ridicules its story perhaps is, it still remains a good written, that features a couple of twists in it as well. It's the combination of story, directing and action that the movie works out as a credible and effective one but foremost you should simply enjoy this movie for what it is; a simple entertaining action-flick with some wonderful and original action moments in it. 8/10 Watch trailer
Quite honestly the movie surpassed my expectations. When I first saw the trailer for this movie I thought that the movie was sure to become a dreadful failure. It looked cheap, had unconvincing special effects, had a cheesy bad name and looked like nothing more than a light-version of the Lord of the Rings movies. But no, the movie turned out to be surprisingly good and entertaining. It's a beautiful looking- imaginative movie, that despite its flaws is still a very entertaining movie.
The movie has an absolutely wonderful imaginative story and is almost entirely set in an imaginary world, that visual looks really good. The imaginative story provides the movie with a certain charm and magical feeling. Also the costumes and special effects add to this feeling and charm.
Its a children's movie and its a real good one. So it might not be as heavy and spectacular to watch as other fantasy movies but it's still just as entertaining and imaginative. For children for who The Lord of the Rings trilogy is still to heavy, violent, dark and perhaps to serious this is the ultimate perfect alternative. But this movie is more than just a light-little-version of the The Lord of the Rings movie. This movie is good and strong enough on its own, even despite the fact that it was obviously inspired and made in the same style as the The Lord of the Rings movies.
The movie has some really good moments in it that are highly imaginatively and very beautiful to watch. Some of the action is impressive and also the climatic spectacular end battle does not disappoint.
The cinematography by Donald McAlpine is great and so are the sets and costumes but truly spectacular is the musical score by Harry Gregson-Williams, that really uplifts the movie at certain moments. He really is on the way of becoming one of my favorite movie composers.
The cast is really good. The children cast is impressively good and all of them are highly convincing in their roles, even though their character might not be. Also the presence of Tilda Swinton as the villainous White Witch is a real big plus for the movie. She plays her role extremely well; villainous and evil but not too scary for the kids. Most of the other actors and voice-actors are also good but their role is too small to really leave a lasting impression.
But as strange as it might sound, the movie is also heavily flawed in multiple ways. The storytelling and pace are really lacking at times. Some characters just pop-up out of nowhere without getting a proper character introduction. Also in the next following sequences the characters are not developed and are lacking in depth. Because of this, it's hard to care sometimes about certain characters. At some points the movie also feels extremely rushed, such as for instance the ending. The movie doesn't always take enough time to build up its story and the emotions and characters in it. It all makes it too obvious that Andrew Adamson is still a beginning director that still has certain things to learn, especially about storytelling.
Also the whole, moralistic story with family values and Christian undertone doesn't do much good to the story and storytelling. It's not as overly present as expected but it still works distracting at certain points in the movie and perhaps even makes it a bit too ridicules to watch at times. But overall I must admit that it was quite toned down in the movie, so it's not really a big issue. At least not to me it wasn't.
The special effects are really a mixed bag. Some of the effects are amazingly good looking and some others are highly unconvincing. Multiple different special effect studios worked on this movie, so that explains the diversity in quality. The Oscar nomination certainly was too much credit for this movie, especially when considering that the effects for "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" were not nominated at all. So basically that's saying that the effects for this movie were better than "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith"? Sorry, I don't think so...
Still I gave the movie the benefit of the doubt, so to speak, and still give this movie a high rating, due to its entertainment value. None of the weaker spots and flaws of the movie prevent this movie from being spectacular and beautiful looking adventure/fantasy movie. I'm now really looking forward to the other movies, from the book-series written by C.S. Lewis.
