My latest review is now up on Shiny Shelf, this time of the DVD release for Ninja Assassin.
Ninja Assassin Trailer
OK, there is some Fail to go around here. Me, for not realizing this trailer was out a month ago. And for them, whoever was in charge of uploading the video to YouTube, for disabling embedding. Really?
Anywho, check out the trailer for the next movie from the creators of The Matrix trilogy and V For Vendetta.
Review: Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
Tonight I went to see Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen with my brothers. I had heard mixed reviews before hand, and was pretty close to just giving the movie a pass, but it’s the rare opportunity to spend any time with both of my brothers, who are now grown up and busy with their lives (as am I with a family). We had intended to see the IMAX showing, but all of the IMAX shows were sold out, and we settled for the regular show. I was amazed to see a line wrapping around three rows leading us into the theater area. I’ve been to a bunch of movies and a few midnight showings, but I have never seen this kind of anticipation for a film. Soon enough we were in our seats, past the previews, and immersed in the the experience.
Transformers 2 is the very model of form over substance. Michael Bay can put together a slick production, complete with amazing special effects, dazzling filming techniques, and the right pacing for quips. In short, it appeals to the masses, settling on a common denominator that it never attempts to rise above. Someone at the theater said, “If you want to go see Shakespeare, go see Shakespeare. This is robots fighting each other!” That could be seen as the consistent thread of thought throughout the movie-going public. The real reasons most people are seeing this movie (in no particular order): the action / special effects, the Generation X-fueled nostalgia for the Transformers franchise, and Megan Fox keenly perched over her motorcycle. Point number one is there in spades, point number two is what’s going to drive the majority of people to the theaters, and point number three is, well, point number three. Don’t expect to see Fox play a major role in the film; in fact, aside from being eye candy, Fox doesn’t do much of substance in the film; in fact, she is marginalized for a good chunk of the first half of the film. When she does appear and remain on screen for any significant amount of time, her contribution is minimal; after capturing mini-Decepticon and take point on a car chase scene, Fox is running around and avoiding explosions. Not much to do, really. And Shia Labeouf’s one-dimensional performance does little to enhance the experience, nor does his lack of chemistry with Fox.
Let’s face it, this movie isn’t about humans and their relationships (although a fair amount of the film is devoted to the human military and some of the political maneuvering that goes on); the real stars are the Transformers themselves. And it’s really a mixed bag.
The best scenes involve Optimus Prime, and his battle in the forest against several Decepticons is the highlight of the movie. Beyond him, few of the Autobots are given any room to grow. Bumblebee chauffeurs Labeouf’s character and spends most of the time shuffling him from point A to B. The writers inexplicably introduce a pair of Autobot twins who are the worst thing in sci-fi movies since Jar Jar Binks, and their racial stereotyping is cheap, poor, and tasteless. On the flip side we have the resurrection of former Big Bad, Megatron, and are introduced to a new Big Bad in the way of the Fallen, Megatron’s leader and cardboard villain. Oh, and we can’t forget the mini-Decepticon Fox captures, later “befriends,” and which winds up humping her boot. No, I’m no making this up. Even the Transformers get the short end of the plot stick.
The movie’s redeeming qualities lie in the effects and action sequences, which are top notch. Bay’s ADHD editing and frenetic pacing are a large part of the appeal for today’s masses, and the movie won’t disappoint them. It’s hard to really judge the film on any other merits; it doesn’t try to be anything other than a summer action popcorn flick. There are some good attempts at humor (and others which are less successful) that balance out the film, but the plot is underdeveloped. What about the ancient Transformers like JetFire? Or the female Transformers, one of which is highly advanced (and the only one of its kind we see)? Why would you leave the one remaining shard of the powerful Allspark be left guarded by humans and not have any Autobots nearby to protect it, but Bumblebee can remain in a garage all day? We could go on.
At the end of the day, Transformers 2 is a fun experience, as long as you turn off your brain and try not to think too hard about what you’re watching. Don’t expect to see The Reader, but given the title and premise of the film, you most likely aren’t anyway.
Rating: C+
Terminator: Salvation
I went with my brothers to catch Terminator: Salvation today. We caught the early show, at 2:30pm, and the theater was pretty light on attendance, which suited me just fine. The movie plays it fast and safe, not breaking any new ground in the realm of storytelling. There are some logic flaws in the film, but are not deal breakers (such as, would the robots really not kill Kyle Reese the moment they had him within their grasp?). These are nicely counterbalanced by the breakneck speed the movie proceeds at, the excellent action sequences and special effects, as well as the nods towards the franchise’s history (one musical, one audio, and one cameo… I’m trying to keep the spoilers light). The movie is satisfying on a surface level; Christian Bale’s performance is just okay; he acts tough enough for the role, yells when he needs to, and only occasionally gives us a glimpse at the depth he can potentially give the character (such as in the scene when he first confronts Marcus). I believe this is more of a flaw in the script than Bale’s acting abilities. His relationship with his wife (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) comes off flat; there just isn’t a lot of chemistry between the two. Again, the script does not give Howard a lot to really do; her character is seven-months pregnant in the movie and isn’t given a lot of screen time. In fact, a lot of the focus of the movie is on the new hybrid Terminator Marcus (played by Sam Worthington), who has a much meatier role and comes off as the true hero of the movie, which is odd considering the franchise’s internal history (“John Connor, leader of the resistance”). Worthington injects a lot of life into the role of a Terminator who believes he is human, and brings a pathos to the role that elevates it above the source material. His performance is a definite highlight of the film.
Overall, this is the best Terminator film since Terminator 2. How much that means depends on how you liked Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which in itself was not an awful movie, but the first extended action sequence in Salvation bests all of Terminator 3. The new movie is much more slickly produced, and sets the stage for subsequent movies. Terminator: Salvation won’t be the best action movie of 2009, though it will wind up being one of the better ones. But in the long run, how memorable will it be?
Rating: B
Ninja Assassin Teaser
Courtesy of Geek Tyrant, I found this teaser poster for Ninja Assassin, the upcoming film from the creators of The Matrix trilogy and V For Vendetta. Yeah… can’t wait.
Read the article on Geek Tyrant for information relating to the film.
Watchmen Thoughts
This afternoon I went with my brothers and saw Watchmen. I won’t go all in-depth in terms of how the movie was faithful to the comic or if I thought any diversions were sacrilegious (I didn’t). No comic book movie, no matter how long or how well written, will never be 100% faithful to the source material. And let’s be honest, remaining 100% faithful to a comic book would make for a crap movie, because not all elements translate well into film. What Watchmen does well is translate a “realistic” super hero tale to screen; this is definitely not for kids. And it shouldn’t be, because the original graphic novel is a complex narrative the deals with topics such as war, heroism, and politics in a fashion that does not always tie up neatly at the end. Our heroes are flawed; the world is dissolving into chaos; and perhaps humanity doesn’t deserve to be saved. Watchmen examines all of these questions and more, all the while taking its time to examine our heroes’ motivations and pasts. I’m really surprised how much they kept in the movie regarding the flashbacks, and how close to the original material they stuck in those instances.
The fight sequences were extremely well done. Tens years later and you can see how much The Matrix revolutionized fight sequences; bullet time and kung fu-style combat remains and Watchmen uses them to well without overdoing it.
The cast was fine, although I wasn’t thrilled with Matthew Goode as Adrian / Ozymandias. His performance was a bit too stiff and aristocratic for my tastes. Jackie Earle Haley is fantastic as Rorcshach, as is Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II. The special effects were nothing short of amazing; the realization of Dr. Manhattan’s Mars clockwork structure was a highlight of the film. The in-jokes and references to comics history were nicely done without being obtuse, and the opening montage that establishes the alternate history of the Watchmen universe was inspired.
And there’s the moment I realized what I think is a plot flaw in Watchmen, at least in the movie (and I believe it’s in the comic as well), and it was a bit deflating. But I’m saving that for its own post after a little research.
In the end, Watchmen is a very good comic book movie. Is it a great one? I don’t know. Watchmen is fantastic as a comic book, partly because it was relevant during its day (Cold War politics and the threat of nuclear war). Still cast in that light now, it seems dated. Whereas V For Vendetta was updated in small but significant ways to be relevant in the post-9/11 world, Watchmen as a movie never does this, and it is in this rigid adherence to the source material where it falters, however minor. I highly doubt Watchmen could have been filmed any better, but the real question will be whether the movie will be relevant 5 or 10 years from now. And somehow, I don’t think that will be the case.
