(Review originally written at 25 October 2006)

This movie is not really my idea of an exciting and or tense one.

In the '00's and late '90's, lots of heist suddenly became popular again. Lots of movies were made to revive the genre ("Entrapment", "The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)", "The Italian Job (2003)", "Ocean's Eleven (2001)", etc) that was at its peak in the '40's. Most heist movies tried to adapt the style and atmosphere to modern standards, by putting in lots of pace and action. "The Score" tries to be more traditional, by putting in many old genre elements such as backstabbing characters, a 'good' and honest thief, a couple of twists and many other things. It however doesn't really work out. The story doesn't flow well or quick enough, mainly because it features too many sidelines and it takes unnecessary long before the main action occurs.

The story and concept of this movie might had worked out fine in a '40's film-noir type of heist movie. The story and concept just doesn't fit in a 2001 kind of environment and style of film-making. The movie is now nothing more than a slow moving not exciting enough heist movie, that is still made interesting by its big-star cast.

Of course by having a cast with actors like Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando and Angela Bassett in it, expectations are high. It already is for most reason enough to watch this movie. I'll admit that with a different cast with less big names in it, I probably would have never watched this movie and I wonder who would have had. The actors give the movie a certain class and lift it to an higher level. Robert De Niro does a good job as an aging thief but even better was Edward Norton in a sort of double-role. The Marlon Brando and Angela Bassett roles don't seem to be significant enough for the movie and it seems that the movie could had done without them. They provide the movie with some unnecessary and not always interesting subplots that makes the movie unnecessary slow and too layered. Especially disappointing when considering that this was Brando's last featured film role before his death in 2004. But I'm sure that if his character was played by a different and unknown actor, I wouldn't have even complained about the character. It's just purely the fact that he is being played by Brando that makes his character and its significance for the movie so disappointing. All the more reason why it's disappointing is that this is also the only movie that features Brando and De Niro in one movie together. They both played the same character in "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part II" in and they're both big names in the genre, so more was to be expected from their first collaboration. I also couldn't help thinking in every of the Brando sequence's; 'Is he wearing any pants right now or not?', because of the known fact that Brando refused to wear any pants all the time during the shooting of the movie.

The movie still tries to put some life into the movie by giving it some twists and creating some unpredictable charistics for the two main characters. It does provide the movie with some good moments but it doesn't help to really make the movie a more exciting or tense one to watch. I found the movie to be terribly lacking in some good pace and tension to make this movie a pleasant- and good to watch movie. This was just not really my idea of a great, original, tense movie.

But of course the movie still does have its good points. The earlier mentioned big-star cast is definitely one of those good points. The movie also has some good production values, with good looking sets and camera-work. It makes sure that this movie still remains a perfectly watchable one to watch maybe once. After that also all of the surprises will be already gone of course.

Not my idea of a great, tense and entertaining movie but a good and interesting enough one to watch, still. I just hope that in the future Frank Oz will stick to directing only comedies instead. His talent obviously lies there.

6/10 

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(Review originally written at 4 August 2006)

OK Superman is back (and I'm glad he is)! But not with a blast.

It's a recent trend in superhero movies to give the story and its character a deeper meaning and more realistic emotions. Most recent example of this is of course "Batman Begins" and other examples are "Spider-Man" and "Hulk". "Superman Returns" also tries to put this in the movie. It however does not suit the main character and is not true to the spirit and atmosphere of the other original previous Superman movies. The movie takes itself far too serious with as a result that it isn't always a fun or entertaining one to watch. It tries to be more than just another superhero movie but it never knows to fully convince.

The movie in the beginning takes it time to explain the story for the viewers who haven't seen the '78 original and its sequel, on which this movie is a direct sequel again. I can't say that I think this was the right choice. The movie would had been better of if the action, so to speak, started off immediately and didn't wasted any time on re-introducing all of the characters. The movie does however still show lots of respect to the original, mainly with its use of music. The opening credits are done in the exact same style as the original and they also didn't changed a not with its music, which really was the right thing to do. Let's be honest, the opening credits of the original '78 "Superman" movie are perhaps the most spectacular and most awesome opening credits of all time, which is mainly thanks to the John Williams music. Director Bryan Singer and John Ottman also seemed to realize and understand this and they use the John Williams at the exact right moments in the movie. John Ottman, on his turn, also composed a wonderful and suiting musical score on his own, complete with a wonderful new Superman theme.

The movie feels like two separate stories. One story concentrates on Superman/Clark Kent and the other on his eternal villain Lex Luthor, who is out of prison again, due to the absence of Superman during his court hearing. The movie doesn't feel as a complete whole and it is not until when the two stories mix that the movie starts to take pace and become truly interesting to watch. This however happens too late into the movie to completely save it.

The story itself is also very simple, a bit too simple for my taste. It also lacks some of the fundamental things a Superman movie needs. Superman movie needs to be fun, colorful and perhaps even a bit campy. Bryan Singer's Superman world is mostly dark. Also the humor is wrong. The movie does have humor in it but not the right kind. Superman movies needs slapstick, over-the-top sort of humor. The humor and atmosphere in this movie really doesn't suit the Superman character. It makes you wonder; Perhaps isn't the Superman character a bit too old fashioned for the 21th century? The movie concentrates too much on the dramatic and realistic aspects of the movie, such as the whole love triangle and problems between Superman, Lois Lane and her fiancée played by James Marsden, which is far from interesting or compelling.

The movie still could had a great one, despite its plot, if it had been a more entertaining one. The movie is lacking in some real good action. Basically the biggest and most spectacular action sequence of the movie is already in the beginning (the plane sequence). After that the movie and its action slows down and the end of the movie could had really used a big and spectacular finale. Instead now the movie doesn't know how and when to end. The ending is overlong, over-dramatic and completely unnecessary. They could had basically summed things up in 5 minutes but the movie chooses an overlong sentimental ending instead.

Brandon Routh is perfectly cast as Superman and he also really looks like Christopher Reeve. As expected Kevin Spacey steals the show as Lex Luthor but his presence is perhaps not as spectacular or as memorable as Gene Hackman's. Kate Bosworth is really miscast as Lois Lane. Lois Lane should be a strong, independent woman with lots of life experience. With all respect but Kate Bosworth looks like a fragile teenager.

Visually the movie is great and spectacular. All of the special effects are top-class (Oscar nod, no doubt) and they provide the movie with its best moments.

I'm glad Superman is back on the silver screen but the the movie itself is nothing too remarkable. In the end it's a pretty forgettable, overlong movie, that is too simple, even while it tries to be so much more than just a superhero movie.

I don't mean to sound cruel but you're better of waiting for the DVD. It's not really a movie worth seeing in cinemas.

6/10

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