The World's End

The World's End - Dir. Edgar Wright (2013)

Shaun of the Dead is widely considered to be one of the best zombie movies of the modern era. Yet, it also works as a great romantic comedy that just happens to have zombies in it. Hot Fuzz wasn't just a clever send-up of overblown action movies; it could also be enjoyed as a straight up action flick with car chases and stylish gunplay. Now, writer/director Edgar Wright teams with actors Simon Pegg (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Nick Frost once more to cap off his Cornetto Trilogywith The World's End. Once again, Wright isn't content to play around in one genre. The World's End is a wonderful mixture of drama, comedy, sci-fi, and 70's paranoia cinema along the lines of The Wicker Man or Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Andy Knightley (Frost), Steven Prince (Paddy Considine), Oliver Chamberlain (Martin Freeman), and Peter Page (Eddie Marsan) were the best of friends while growing up in the small town of Newton Haven. The glue that held the clique together was Gary King (Pegg), a real force of nature whose thirst for life was infectious. Time passed and everyone grew apart. They all left Newton Haven to become working professionals with the exception of Gary King, who hasn't changed at all in the past two decades. Unsatisfied with adulthood, Gary longs to relive the glory of his youth and the time he almost completed the "Golden Mile," an epic pub crawl through a dozen bars. In spite of bad blood between Gary and Andy, the gang gets back together to finish the Golden Mile, but find out the hard way that sometimes you can't go home again.

The World's End deftly explores various themes of disillusionment and middle-age malaise. While the characters appear to be successful, they aren't entirely happy. The meek Peter is the most obvious answer. He's clearly buckling under the pressure of working for his father-in-law and still harboring the effects of childhood bullying. Steven still pines for his unrequited love, Sam (Rosamund Pike), Oliver's younger sister who had a one-time fling with Gary in a men's room. Gary has had tremendous difficulty battling his addictions, which he masks underneath layers of braggadocio. There's also an aura of melancholy throughout the movie stemming from how much Newton Haven has changed since the protagonists moved away. The small town charm has vanished and been replaced by corporatized homogeny, a phenomenon sharply referred to as "Starbucking." That sense of nostalgia is wonderfully conveyed through a grainy prologue shot in 16mm of the gang in their high school days and a soundtrack of 90's Britpop (Primal Scream, The Stone Roses, etc.). Alone, these plot threads would have been more than enough to craft a satisfying dramedy. However, Wright throws in an additional twist that kicks The World's End onto a whole other level.

Nobody in Newtown Haven seems to remember the great Gary King. Has he really changed that much? No, you see, it's because the entire town has been taken over by robot duplicates from outer space. This allows Wright to stage several bar brawls infused with the type of choreography generally reserved for Hong Kong action films. Highlighted by fluid camera movements, the fights are innovative without forgetting that these are ordinary blokes engaging in fisticuffs. This is such a slick and gorgeously shot film, you'd never believe it was made with a budget of only $20 million.

The performances are strong all around, but Pegg and Frost are easily the highlights of The World's End. In previous outings, Pegg has played the straight man to Frost's overgrown man-child. Here, the dynamic has been flipped to fantastic results with Pegg injecting a surprising amount of pathos to the character. He probably won't get a lot of recognition during awards season, which would be a shame. As Gary, Pegg manages to walk a thin line between being a lovable scoundrel and a delusional jerk. If The World's End has any weak spots, one would be that Rosamund Pike, the only significant female in the picture, deserved more screen time along with Pierce Brosnan, who makes only a brief cameo.

Edgar Wright is one of the most exciting and original directors working in movies today. The energy and passion that he brings to his films is undeniable. The World's End is another cinematic triumph and one of the best pictures of 2013.

Rating: *** ½ (*****)

Jack the Giant Slayer

Jack the Giant Slayer - Dir. Bryan Singer (2013)

Fairy tales are ripe for the picking in Hollywood. They come with instant brand recognition around the world and, most importantly, they are in public domain. Studios don't have to dish out thousands of dollars for the rights. Jack the Giant Slayer is the latest to follow in that trend.

Jack (Nicholas Hoult) is a farm boy tilling the land in the kingdom of Cloister. As a young lad, he was fascinated with the story of King Erik. Long ago, a group of monks toyed with magic and created beans that would grow into stalks that reached to the heavens. They unknowingly brought down a race of bloodthirsty giants who proceeded to ransack the world of man. The remaining monks carved a magical crown out of the iron heart of a giant to grant Erik the power to control them and send them back to the land. The crown and the last of the beans were buried with King Erik and became legend.

Through happenstance, Jack trades the family horse for a pouch of those magic beans, much to the chagrin of his uncle who tosses them away. Meanwhile, Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) flees from the castle to escape her arranged marriage to the odious Lord Roderick (Stanley Tucci), who has secretly stolen King Erik's crown. On a stormy night, Isabelle seeks shelter in Jack's home just as the bean sprouts and sends her into the land of the giants. Led by the two-headed General Fallon (Bill Nighy), the giants have been searching for a way to return and seek revenge for their past defeat. Jack and members of the king's elite guard climb the beanstalk to rescue the Princess while Roderick plots to enslave the giants and rule all the kingdoms.

Jack the Giant Slayer might be considered this year's John Carter as an overly expensive blockbuster that played to empty theaters. The production budget was almost $200 million and the release date was pushed back from summer of 2012 to the doldrums of February. However, Jack and John Carter do not deserve to be categorized alongside notorious flops such as Heaven's Gate or Ishtar. Make no mistake, Jack the Giant Slayer is far from a great movie, but it's more enjoyable than Bryan Singer's last two films, Superman Returns and Valkyrie. The script sticks rigidly to a predictable formula and most of the humor falls flat. The CGI is a mixed bag. There's no sense of wonder or fear when the characters first encounter the grotesque giants who burp, fart, and pick their noses.

Still, Jack the Giant Slayer is refreshingly straightforward without being wildly revisionist in the manner of Snow White and the Huntsman or Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. It's fast paced without the bloated running time of other epics, something Peter Jackson seems to have forgotten. Jack maintains a lighthearted tone throughout even while the body count rises and rises. It's a bloodless film, but little kids might be spooked at the prospect of a giant biting a man in half, despite the grisly act being committed offscreen.

Nicholas Hoult is getting to the point where he can do no wrong. Fresh off Warm Bodies, Hoult gives another terrific performance for a rather bland character. Eleanor Tomlinson does her best, but her princess gets stuck as the damsel in distress too often. Despite being written as headstrong (she sneaks out of the castle ala Princess Jasmine), she spends most of the movie screaming and waiting to be rescued. Just as Ewan McGregor did his best Alec Guinness impression for the Star Wars prequels, he does his best Errol Flynn here as Elmont, the captain of the king's guard. His Transpotting co-star Ewan Bremner is in full on Spud mode as Roderick's simple-minded toady. Stanley Tucci is a hoot as the villain. With his stringy hair and gapped teeth, he resembles an ancestor of Tim Burton. It's also nice to see Ian McShane cast as someone other than the baddie. He plays Isabelle's father, King Brahmwell. Genre fans should take note as Warwick Davis appears in a cameo and Fallon's other head is voiced by John Kassir, who also did the voice of the Crypt Keeper on HBO's Tales from the Crypt.

Singer directs the action sequences with aplomb, particularly the unique way in which the beanstalks grow. The climax is a chaotic castle siege that remains exciting and visibly coherent without all the choppy editing and shaky cam. There's also a cleverly staged sequence in which Jack rescues Elmont from being baked alive by a giant chef.

Sporting a bloated budget and a scant opening weekend, Jack the Giant Slayer will undoubtedly stand as one of the 2013's biggest bombs. Jack is no Princess Bride, but it should hardly be considered one of the year's worst movies.

Rating: ** ½ (*****)

Snow White and the Huntsman

Snow White and the Huntsman - Dir. Rupert Sanders (2012)

Revisionist fairy tales are the newest fad to hit Hollywood, especially since Disney made over a billion dollars with Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. The House of Mouse is also developing, Maleficent, a new take on Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the evil sorceress with Angelina Jolie in the title role. At the same time, they postponed production on The Order of the Seven, which would have seen Saoirse Ronan as a version of Snow White under the protection of seven martial arts masters. An escalating budget and the fact that two other studios beat Disney to the punch were factors in its derailment. Relativity Media took the lighthearted, kid-friendly route with Mirror Mirror while Universal went darker with Snow White and the Huntsman.

Once upon a time, King Magnus (Noah Huntley) reigned over the land in peace though he was saddened by the death of his wife. That is, until he rescued the beautiful Ravenna (Charlize Theron) from the clutches of a Dark Army. Ravenna wastes no time in seducing then murdering the king, stealing the throne, and locking the king's daughter, Snow White (Raffey Cassidy as a child, Kristen Stewart as an adult) in the tower. Ravenna must steal the youth of pretty girls to maintain her attractiveness. But, to stay forever young, she must consume Snow White's heart when she comes of age.

Snow White eventually escapes into the Dark Forest (yes, everything is dark in this movie) where no man dares to tread. Ravenna and her obsequies brother, Finn (Sam Spruell), enlist the assistance of the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), a scruffy bruiser prone to drink following the death of his wife. The Huntsman reluctantly helps the Queen's henchmen track down Snow White before joining forces with the princess as well as her childhood love Prince William (Sam Clafin) and a band of dwarves led by the blind Muir (Bob Hoskins).

Snow White and the Huntsman is clearly inspired by Lord of the Rings and HBO's Game of Thrones, setting the story in a grimy medieval world where knights in armor clash on the battlefield. In his feature debut, commercial director Rupert Sanders relies too much on herky jerky camera movements for his action sequences. This quibble can be forgiven because the film is handsomely shot by cinematographer Greig Fraser (David Cronenberg's Spider, Let Me In) with James Newton Howard's score bringing the sturm und drang and a random Florence & The Machine song to go over the end credits.

Twlight star Kristen Stewart is once again caught in the middle of a love triangle between the gruff Huntsman and the noble prince. While Stewart excels at being the doe-eyed waif, she struggles during the picture's heavier moments. She just doesn't have the gravitas (or a convincing English accent) needed when called upon to deliver the climactic Braveheart/St. Crispin's Day speech to inspire the masses. It's not entirely her fault as the screenplay credited to Evan Daughtery, John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), and Hossein Amini (Drive) fails to feed Stewart dialogue that could stir a cup of coffee, let alone an army to rise against the oppressive regime. Never mind how a girl locked in a tiny cell for half her life suddenly becomes Joan of Arc.

Chris Hemsworth trades his mystical uru hammer for an axe to play the roguish romantic lead. Audiences will likely choose Team Huntsman over Team William due to the Han Solo-esque charm Hemsworth adds to the character over the blandness of the prince. This is no knock on Sam Clafin's acting abilities, but a reflection on the script's thin characterization as well as a lack of screen time. More time too could have been devoted to the dwarves, whom Sanders cast as if he were casting a British gangster pic. Thus, we get incredible thespians like Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Eddie Marsan, Toby Jones, Ray Winstone, and Nick Frost along with the lesser known Johnny Harris and Brian Gleeson, son of Brendan Gleeson. Movie magic turns them into a diminutive band of highwaymen.

The most fascinating character in Snow White is the evil Queen Ravenna and Charlize Theron gets to play it to the hilt. Theron is so good in the role that you'll actually be rooting for the bad guy to win. This is a damaged woman transformed into a man-hating succubus by a cruel patriarchal society that destroys innocence and beauty. Ravenna has a strange incestuous relationship with her brother reminiscent of Cersei and Jaime Lannister. The creepiness is amplified by Sam Spruell's pageboy haircut, which makes him look like an albino Anton Chigurh.

Snow White and the Huntsman is a surprisingly entertaining fantasy film. Yes, Kristen Stewart is miscast as the lead and the screenplay is riddled with clichés of Snow White being "the one." However, the visuals are stunning and Charlize Theron is absolutely captivating as the villainous queen.

Rating: *** (*****)

War Horse

War Horse - Dir. Steven Spielberg (2011)

It's been three years since Steven Spielberg's last directorial effort in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He returned with a vengeance at the end of 2011 with his two latest pictures hitting theaters within days of each other. They couldn't be any more different. The first was The Adventures of Tintin, a kinetic boys' adventure utilizing the latest in motion capture animation and released in 3D. The other, War Horse, is an old-fashioned epic shot in 35mm that references numerous Hollywood classics.

War Horse is based on a 1982 children's novel by Michael Morpurge, which was adapted into an award-winning stage play in 2007. Spielberg attended a show and was inspired to turn it into a movie with help from screenwriters Richard Curtis (Bridget Jones' Diary, Love Actually) and Lee Hall (Billy Elliot). Each permutation chronicles the events of World War I as seen through the eyes of a courageous horse.

The film opens in Dover, England with Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) enraptured by a newly born colt. Albert lives in a farmhouse with his mother Rose (Emily Watson) and father Ted (Peter Mullan), a Boer War veteran trying to wash away his traumatic memories with alcohol. Ted rashly purchases the colt for triple his worth mainly to spite his overbearing landlord (David Thewlis), who rightly points out that the horse is too small to plow fields. It was born for show, not work. However, a determined Albert bonds with the newly named Joey and gets him to plow their rocky land. When a rainstorm washes away their crops, Ted has no choice but to sell Joey to the British army in order to pay their overdue rent.

Joey is put into the care of Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston) and marches into battle alongside Maj. Stewart (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his black stallion Topthorn. After a failed charge against a German regiment, the horses are put into the care of two underage boys, Gunther (David Kross from The Reader) and Michael (Leonard Carow) serving in that same unit. From there, Joey and Topthorn wind up in the possession of an ailing French farm girl (Celine Buckens) and her doting grandfather (Niels Arestrup). Meanwhile, Albert enlists in the military as soon as he comes of age hoping to be reunited with his beloved friend.

War Horse represents Steven Spielberg at his best and his worst. It is an extremely well-crafted film gorgeously shot by Janusz Kaminski. The visuals are impeccable with numerous striking shots that capture the horrors of war and the beauty of the era. War Horse begins in an idyllic countryside that Spielberg has accentuated and romanticized in the way John Ford did with the countries of Wales in How Green Was My Valley and Ireland in The Quiet Man. The film culminates with a beautiful shot of silhouetted figures against a blazing orange sunset ala Gone with the Wind. Another shot features a battlefield strewn with the corpses of soldiers and horses which also recalls that same picture.

Spielberg can't help but go for the jugular when it comes to the film's most emotional moments. No heartstring is safe as Spielberg puts children and animals in peril in an attempt to wring every tear from every eye in the audience. If you didn't know how to feel about a certain scene, John Williams' overwhelming and hammy score will make sure to tell you. One of the best sequences in War Horse is an episode where Joey runs over and through the British trenches and gets tangled up by barbed wire in no man's land. One soldier from both sides declares a temporary truce to cut him loose. It's a touching moment, but Spielberg can't end the scene without the German calling Joey a "remarkable horse." This is a point Spielberg feels needs to be hammered home every fifteen minutes.

The acting is solid with Spielberg putting together an excellent cast of English and European thespians. Jeremy Irvine doesn't make much of an impression as Albert and he tends to overplay it during the more emotional moments. Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch turn in solid performances as the stiff upper lip British officers. The best performance in the film belongs to Peter Mullen as Albert's defeated father. Mullen probably isn't familiar to most American audiences, but he's appeared in darker, powerhouse roles in The Red Riding Trilogy and Paddy Considine's directorial debut Tyrannosaur.

War Horse attempts to be a treatise on the brutality of war as well as an uplifting family friendly drama and Spielberg has a difficult time blending the two. The episodic nature means the tone changes from All Quiet on the Western Front to National Velvet without notice. Maybe I'm cynical, but Spielberg's saccharine sentimentality didn't play well with me.

Rating: ** ½ (*****)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - Dir. Guy Ritchie (2011)

In some ways, Warner Brothers' revisionist take on Sherlock Holmes is more faithful to the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Gone are the great detective's stoic manner and meticulous behavior along with the Meerschaum pipe and deerstalker cap that became pervasive from earlier adaptations. However, it's doubtful Doyle ever dreamed of his most famous character karate kicking villains in the chest or dodging machine gun bullets and mortar shells. Indeed, Holmes as played by Robert Downey Jr. is an eccentric man of action, who can solve problems with his fists as well as his mind. But, the powers of deduction aren't as cool looking as CGI explosions.

Ironically, the BBC's modern day version with Benedict Cumberbatch is more in line with the traditional Holmes. Showrunner Steven Moffat and director Paul McGuigan have also found a way to maintain the cerebral tone while also making detective work visually interesting. If whiz-bang effects and big name stars are more your style, then Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is right up your alley. The sequel, once again directed by Guy Ritchie, expands on the formula of the previous film and ups the ante with more action, new characters, and a mystery that takes the heroes outside the confines of London as they travel to France, Germany, and Switzerland.

Since the events of the first film, Sherlock Holmes has been diligently connecting a string of mysterious deaths to Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), nicknamed the "Napoleon of Crime." The Machiavellian plans of Moriarty involve plunging all of Europe into a world war. At the Moriarty's side is his chief henchman, Col. Sebastian Moran (Paul Anderson), a former military sharpshooter. Holmes's only clue to stop him is a gypsy fortune teller named Simza (Noomi Rapace), whose brother is a member of a terrorist group under the employ of the villainous mastermind. A newlywed Dr. Watson (Jude Law) is unable to enjoy his honeymoon with Mary (Kelly Reilly) as he's dragged along on an adventure that culminates in a showdown at Reichenbach Falls as originally depicted in "The Final Problem."

A Game of Shadows benefits greatly by opening the world of Sherlock Holmes up by bringing in more characters from Doyle's stories. Stephen Fry joins the cast as Sherlock's older brother, Mycroft, who happens to be even smarter and more eccentric. Fry, a noted Holmes enthusiast, is perfectly cast as Mycroft complimenting Downey's manic performance with a hoity attitude and wry wit. Then, there's Jared Harris, who turns in a menacing performance as Moriarty without going over the top.

Noomi Rapace is one of two stars from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, along with leading man Michael Nyqvist (in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol), making her Hollywood debut just a few days before the release of David Fincher's remake. Unfortunately, her role isn't nearly as compelling as the goth hacker Lisbeth Salander. As the bland Simza, Rapace doesn't have much to do aside from running from peril alongside Downey and Law. She's doesn’t get to verbally spar with Holmes the way Rachel McAdams (who returns briefly) did as Irene Adler. You wish they had given a meatier role to Kelly Reilly.

The screenplay by the husband and wife team of Kieran & Michele Mulroney (who also wrote and directed the little seen indie flick Paper Man) follows the same formula as the first Sherlock Holmes. It's not wildly innovative or particularly clever, but the actors are able to elevate the material. The real problem with A Game of Shadows lies with the hyperactive direction from Guy Ritchie. The director of Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch is known for being a filmmaker who is more style than substance. This is never more apparent than a muddled action sequence involving the heroes fleeing through a forest while chased by German soldiers. Ritchie changes speeds on a dime, going from fast to slow motion. He zooms into the barrel of a rifle and follows the bullet's trajectory. The camera never stays in one place long enough for the audience to figure out what the hell is happening. A Game of Shadows does feature better action scenes such as Holmes and Watson battling Moriarty's men on a speeding train and a unique take on Holmes' pre-visualization before a fistfight against his archnemesis.

Despite some messy direction from Guy Ritchie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is actually an improvement on its progenitor. The superior sequel largely succeeds due to the presence of a formidable villain, higher stakes, bigger set pieces, and the chemistry between its leads. Downey and Law have transformed the Sherlock Holmes series into a Victorian-era buddy action/comedy.

Rating: *** ½ (*****)

The Disappearance of Alice Creed

The Disappearance of Alice Creed - Dir. J Blakeson (2010)

The Disappearance of Alice Creed opens with stark efficiency as we watch a pair of crooks silently prepare for the perfect crime. First, the perpetrators steal a plain, white van, the kind that serial killers always use in the movies. Next, they proceed with workmanlike manner in purchasing various items such as a mattress, duct tape, and power tools. They line the bedroom walls of their dingy flat with insulation for sound proofing and install additional bolts and locks to the front door. They dress in matching outfits and black gloves before driving to their destination. Suddenly, they've wrapped some poor girl in a blanket and thrown her in the back of the van.

As we soon learn, the criminals are Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Danny (Martin Compston), partners who originally met while in prison. Danny is the young hotshot while Vic is the stone cold veteran. Their victim is one Alice Creed (Gemma Arterton), the daughter of a very wealthy man. Danny picked the girl and Vic has planned the entire operation down to every fine point. Vic and Danny tie Alice down to the bed, handcuffing her wrists to the bed post and placing a ball gag in her mouth. They strip her naked in order to take photos to send to her father. Once that's out of the way, Alice is dressed in a purple tracksuit then has a hood placed over her head. Vic and Danny exit the bedroom and dispose of all their clothing. Danny seems to be losing some of his nerve now that the girl is no longer "theoretical," but Vic sets him straight with a steadfast ruthlessness. The ransom from Alice's father will make them rich.

Anybody who's seen a good crime movie knows there's no such thing as the perfect crime. Twists and turns lie ahead as the film reveals more and more about the crooks and Alice, who is hardly the helpless lass the bad guys thought.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed marks the feature film debut for writer/director J Blakeson, whose most notable credit was as screenwriter of the direct-to-video sequel, The Descent: Part 2. The enigmatically named Blakeson keeps his direction simple without drowning the picture with a lot of flashy camera tricks. He allows the film to rest solely on the shoulders of his actors. The Scottish-born Compston (who has previously appeared in films like Red Road and The Damned United) does a good job of evolving his character beyond that of the rookie in over his head. However, it's Eddie Marsan who commands attention whenever he is on screen. Marsan has become a noted character actor following excellent turns in Happy Go Lucky and Sherlock Holmes. Here, Marsan comes across as an icy sociopath without resorting to cartoonish histrionics.

Blakeson keeps his focus on the villains in the first half of the movie with the title character serving as a supporting player. Usually, when the audience is asked to identify with the criminals, they are charming rogues as evidenced in the Ocean's franchise or the classic Rififi. Make no mistake about it; these guys will never be called charming. They are nasty, especially Vic.

Considering the film is named after her, it needs a capable actress to be Alice Creed. Blakeson has found his damsel in distress in Gemma Arterton. The lovely actress had only just appeared in Quantum of Solace when production began. Her star status rose this year following roles in the big-budget blockbusters Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia. That's has certainly helped gain notice for Alice Creed, which debuted in 2009 at the London and Toronto Film Festivals. Arterton has a rough time of it in the first half as she's mainly restrained or blindfolded. In addition to the earlier nude scene, she's forced by her captors to pee in a pitcher while spread-eagled across the bed. To Blakeson's credit, he doesn't shoot these sequences in a salacious manner, but it's hard to completely leech away the inherent elements of exploitation cinema.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed is a bit of a mixed bag. Blakeson directs with a restrained assurance and the film starts off as a strong crime thriller. If only Blakeson had kept the script as clean as his direction. The plot suffers from a one too many left turns as the narrative becomes bogged down with shocking revelations. Alice Creed comes on strong, fizzles out and only just rights itself at the climax.

Rating: ** (*****)

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes - Dir. Guy Ritchie (2009)


Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes, gets a new coat of paint for the 21st century in this latest interpretation. Just like the current visage of Santa Claus was largely a creation of Coca-Cola, the image of Holmes in a deerstalker hat, tweed cape with a calabash pipe was honed through various film and television adaptations. The hat and cape are gone and the pipe was appropriated by Hans Landa. Instead, filmmakers went back to the source material. Doyle’s original Holmes was depicted as unabashedly arrogant about his immense intellect and was also something of an opium sot. The drug use barely alluded to, but many of the great detective’s eccentricities are on full display.

This iteration of Holmes is perfectly played by Robert Downey, Jr. Even at a younger age, it’s hard to imagine Downey headlining a big-budget action franchise, but you can’t picture either Sherlock Holmes or Iron Man without him. Downey exceeds as the egotistical Holmes whose deductive skills and orderly mind are no comparison to his slovenly living habits. Holmes’ acumen as a martial artist and bare-knuckle boxer are briefly mentioned in a pair of Doyle’s stories, but they take the forefront here. Holmes can not only break down a person’s entire life by a mere glance, he can break someone down physically the same way. Holmes’s sidekick, Dr. Watson, is equally reimagined from the overweight bumbler to friggin’ Jude Law. He’s a man of action on equal footing with his partner.

Holmes and Watson’s relationship is soured when the latter moves out of their Baker Street townhouse to wed his fiancée Mary Morstan. Holmes can’t abide that Watson would wish for company other than himself. However, bigger happenings are afoot when the two apprehend Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong) for the ritualistic murders of several young women. After being hanged and pronounced dead by Watson, Blackwood returns from the grave and confounds his adversary with his seemingly supernatural powers. In addition, Holmes is befuddled by the return of Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a notorious thief and one of the very few to outwit Holmes. If Holmes and Watson are Batman and Robin, then Adler is their Catwoman.

For a mystery-laden potboiler, the last person you’d want to hire as director would be Guy Ritchie. As a filmmaker, he’s all style and no substance. As a writer, he’s a one-trick pony. Ritchie debuted with the gangster farce Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels then repeated the same formula in his sophomore effort Snatch. After striking out with the much-maligned Swept Away (starring then-wife Madonna), Ritchie returned to the ever-diminishing well with Revolver and RocknRolla. No, Ritchie couldn’t direct a Victorian-era drama to save his life, but he can direct a slick modernized blockbuster. Ritchie’s trademark trickery (fast-forwards, rewinds, slow motion, quick cuts) work as a way into the labyrinthine mind of our hero. This is also the best looking film of Ritchie’s career thanks to Oscar-winning cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (A River Runs Through It, Interview with the Vampire).

The story itself isn’t as clever as it makes out to be, but the lead actors are good enough to make you buy into it all without question. Downey and Law play off each other incredibly well and Mark Strong always adds a level of credibility to whatever film that’s lucky to have him. Rachel McAdams, unfortunately, isn’t up to the task of keeping pace with her castmates. She’s good in contemporary roles (Mean Girls, State of Play), but sticks out like a sore thumb in a period piece.

Despite, a few shortcomings, Sherlock Holmes is one of the better Hollywood offerings of 2009. It’s a fun popcorn movie and the beginnings of a promising franchise. I’m looking forward to seeing who they might cast as Professor Moriarty. Anthony Hopkins? Bill Nighy? Is Gary Oldman free?

Rating: ***

V For Vendetta

V For Vendetta - Dir. James McTeigue (2005)


"Remember, remember, the fifth of November, the Gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder treason ever should be forgot."

Controversy has surrounded V for Vendetta and not just because of its content. The source material was a black and white comic series first published between 1982 and 1985 by Warrior, a British anthology comic. Vendetta went unfinished in its initial run, but was later reprinted and finished in color by DC Comics. With David Lloyd doing the art, writer Alan Moore created a totalitarian future that acted as a rallying cry against the conservative administration of Margaret Thatcher. Moore, a groundbreaking creator who has pushed the boundaries of what can be done in the comic medium, has wanted little to do with this or any other Hollywood adaptation of his work. And who could blame him? His Jack the Ripper opus, From Hell, was diluted, while The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was dumbed down into a ridiculous mess.

Producer Joel Silver erroneously claimed that Moore gave his endorsement to the film. When Moore's demand for a retraction fell on deaf ears, he ordered his name be removed from the credits and pulled any future projects he had on tap at DC (owned by Warner). Next, the original lead actor, James Purefoy, dropped out during production for undisclosed reasons. To top it all off, the original release date was Nov. 5, 2005, to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Guy Fawkes Day. It was pushed back supposedly to allow more time for post-production work, with speculation that the recent London bombings may have had a little to do with it.

Set in the year 2020, war and disease have allowed a fascist regime to assume control of the British government. Minorities, homosexuals, and political dissidents have long been rounded up and exterminated in concentration camps. John Hurt channels Hitler as the maniacal Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt), who runs the show like one, forceful body. His Gestapo are known as the Finger, constantly on the pulse of the public. The Eye and the Ear are always watching and listening, while the Mouth spews Sutler's spin doctored propaganda.

And who will stand up for the meek and oppressed? A mysterious masked man with a flair for the theatrical who goes by the nom de plume V (Hugo Weaving). He lives in an underground bunker (dubbed The Shadow Gallery), surrounded by outlawed literature, art, and a jukebox of jazz music. His mask assumes the visage of Guy Fawkes, a Catholic extremist who attempted to blow up Parliament in 1605. Throw in a pageboy wig, enhanced strength & reflexes, a bunch of knives, with a touch of Errol Flynn and the Phantom of the Opera, and you have yourself a lean, mean freedom fighting machine.

We meet V through the eyes of Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) as she is picked up by Fingermen for breaking curfew. V indoctrinates Evey into his world with a little Tchaikovsky and a whole lot of explosives and fireworks. V begins picking off Sutler's underlings one by one, all the while preaching chaos and revolution. His motto: "People shouldn't be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people." V's tragic past is unveiled as a police detective named Finch (Stephen Rea) investigates both V and his own superiors.

Having been adapted and produced by the Wachowski Brothers, one wonders if the film would have the emotional depth of the original comic or would it be filled with the metaphysical mumbo jumbo that plagued the "Matrix" sequels. The result lies somewhere in between. Characters tend to wax philosophical on numerous occasions, but never with the overbearing pomposity found in Matrix Reloaded or Matrix Revolutions.

While the comic was made in the 80's, set in 1997, and was a parable for the conservative British government of the time, the film has been updated to reflect current politics in a not-so-subtle fashion. Nuclear arms give way to biological warfare. A "war in America" is said to have spilled across the Atlantic and into England. The public must keep a watch against potential terrorists. The forceful allusions tend to distract from the goings-on. The Wachowskis seem to forget that the message should come from the story and not the other way around.

Does the film lend itself to further discussion? Not particularly. There's never a question of whether V is a terrorist or a freedom fighter. He fights to topple an obviously evil power. The real question comes in a moment that occurs early in the film. Hijacking the television signal, V puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of the people. Who voted these people into office in the first place? Is it not our fault for giving up a little freedom in order to sleep a bit easier at night? We barely get a chance to digest this little morsel, before we jump into the next scene.

There's a lot going on in V for Vendetta and just not enough time to delve deeper. There's V, his mission, and his backstory. You've got Evey and her backstory, Finch's investigations, and the government's attempts to maintain order. Before we can get into one scene, we're pulled away into the next. A lot of exposition and detours off the main path cause the middle of the film to slow to a crawl. Luckily, it picks up in time for the third act.

No one ever accused the Wachowskis of being visually bland. Here is where the film excels. While they took a step back this time, their influence can be seen in director James McTigue, a former second unit director for The Matrix. Incidentally, the Wachowskis do the second unit work for Vendetta. A stunning action sequence sees V dispatching a group of secret police in slow motion. Even a scene of toppling dominoes is engrossing.

Weaving, the former Agent Smith, took on the daunting role of V in mid-production. Using only his voice and body language, Weaving does his best to inject life into the slightly off-kilter V. But, the story truly belongs to Evey Hammond. Portman got plenty of attention for shaving her head for a sequence where she is imprisoned and tortured. It's the most powerful and memorable segment from the comic and it remains nearly intact for the film. It almost makes you forget her stilted accent.

V for Vendetta isn't quite the action-packed extravaganza you might expect from the makers of The Matrix. Yet, it doesn't get bogged down by the self-indulgent discourse of those same makers. This is the kind of film that usually kicks off the summer blockbuster season. It's popcorn filmmaking for those who don't mind a little style over substance.

Rating: ***

Hancock

Hancock - Dir. Peter Berg (2008)


Once upon a time there was a script called Tonight, He Comes and it was hailed as one of the best screenplays ever written that had yet to be produced. The script was a serious drama about a lonely superhero that falls for an ordinary housewife. What the Hell happened to it? The story passed through the hands of several directors including Michael Mann, Tony Scott, and Jonathan Mostow. It must have passed through even more hands for us to receive this diluted, hodgepodge of missed opportunities and wasted potential. This poor attempt at a post-modern superhero film could have been the perfect antidote for the summer glut of comic book movies.

The movie makes an honest attempt to show the real world consequences of outrageous superheroic acts. Hancock abruptly stops a train and causes a massive accident. However, ten minutes later, he hurls a child high into the air, catches him, and the child walks off with some mental scarring, but no physical effects. As if, he wouldn't have broken nearly every bone in his body. The acting is fair. Will Smith is his usual affable self and it’s hard to hate the former Fresh Prince of Bel Air even when he’s trying hard to be an asshole. The same goes for Jason Bateman who plays basically the same character (the put-upon straight man) he did in Arrested Development. Charlize Theron is wasted in her tiny role as Bateman's wife.

The film switches from lowbrow comedy to a darker drama, but the two halves never mesh properly. The problem lies in shoving the genre conventions of a superhero movie into a picture that isn't supposed to be a superhero movie. The ending is anti-climatic and the third act revelation is contrived and nonsensical.

Rating: * 1/2

Happy-Go-Lucky

Happy-Go-Lucky - Dir. Mike Leigh (2008)

British auteur Mike Leigh has made a habit of finding the extraordinary in the lives of the ordinary. Leigh gives screen time to the working class Joes that Hollywood only hands out bit parts to (or passes over completely). Sally Hawkins’ Poppy is the type of character that would be relegated to the wacky BFF in any standard rom-com. But, in Happy-Go-Lucky, she takes the spotlight.

There’s no driving plot to be found, just an episodic peek into the life of an unfalteringly optimistic primary school teacher. Poppy dresses in rainbow pastel colors almost as bright as the unwavering smile on her face. She’d almost be annoying if her charming giddiness weren’t so infectious. Even when Poppy is getting her back cracked at the chiropractor, she’s still giggling. Poppy’s cheerfulness is counteracted by her tightly wound driving instructor, Scott, played to a tee by Eddie Marsan ("En-ra-ha! En-ra-ha!"). Where Poppy finds delight in even the most trivial of things, Scott finds fault in them. He’s a burning ball of pent-up rage, the kind of guy the neighbors remember as the quiet type until he shot up a shopping mall.

Something obviously happened to Scott to turn him into such a bitter human being. On the other hand, there was no traumatic event in Poppy’s life that caused her to mask her pain with an empty smile. Nor is she a nattering twit. She’s just a happy, peppy person and there should be a lot more like her.

Happy-Go-Lucky is far more jovial film than what we’re used to from Leigh. Take for example, Secrets and Lies and Vera Drake. That’s not to say Happy-Go-Lucky exists in a Disney wonderland. Dour moments seep in just like they do in real life. There’s an abused child, the obviously disturbed Scott, and a touching scene with a homeless man. Yet, nothing is able to defeat Poppy’s toothy grin.

Hawkins, who was one of the few bright spots in the otherwise dreary Cassandra’s Dream, puts on a star making performance. Hawkins’ free-spirited turn is emboldened by Leigh’s improvisational approach. She’s able to cut loose and truly allow the character to dictate where the film goes.

Rating: *** 1/2