I had reasonably low expectations of this film when I went to see it. I imagined a darker version of the fairytale which was light on story and generous with the special effects.
I pretty much got what I expected.
The 'change' to the story then is that the kingdom has been overthrown by Ravenna, an evil sorceress desperate to retain beauty and power, who tricks a grieving King into marrying her and then kills him and takes his land. The Queen locks up the King's daughter, Snow White, who is kept away in a tower until the day comes when her precious mirror informs Ravenna that to stay young and beautiful forever she must consume the heart of Snow. A little Stardust-esque, no?
Alas Snow escapes and so a huntsman is brought in to navigate the dark forest and bring the girl back. He is enlisted on the promise he will see his dead wife again, not knowing the Queen's brother plans to kill him once he has found Snow. Inevitably the Huntsman saves Snow and agrees to take her to the rebels who escaped when Ravenna took over, led by the father of her childhood friend William.
One huge difference between the Grimm fairytale and the Disney film is the presence of two words which I am beginning to dread with regards to film and literature: Love Triangle.
Kristen Stewart must be a magnet for these roles - she has the Twilight saga, Adventureland and now Snow White under her belt and she is only 22.
This particular love triangle is composed of Snow, her childhood friend William played by Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean 4) and the Huntsman played by the simply gorgeous Chris Hemsworth. I have to admit the reason I wanted to see this film was a lot to do with the idea of seeing two hours of Thor with a Scottish accent.
Why the tale of Snow White required a love triangle I do not know. Perhaps with Twilight and The Hunger Games dominating the film and literature scene the screenwriters and first time director Rupert Sanders
felt there needed to be an extra element. What they should have done is removed the childhood friend and left Snow with only the Huntsman to fall for, rather than bewilder the viewer when it comes to waking Snow from death by poisoned apple and create a stupidly open ending.
Aside from the love triangle and the complexities it raises there are some positives to the film.
The scenery is stunning and the special effects are quite beautiful, even the battle scenes. There is an odd moment in the forest where Snow wanders off following a couple of woodland sprites where I thought "Hang on is Aslan coming?" It was not a lion she was off to see though, rather a beautiful stag which reminded me of the woodland spirit in Princess Mononoke.
The ageing of Charlize Theron's evil Queen is quite impressive too, I especially enjoyed her method of extracting the youth of Lily Cole (model turned actress who is too pretty and smart to be real), though sucking the youth out of a person is not an original idea.
I enjoyed the dwarfs even though there are eight of them in this movie, something decidedly different to the original fairytale. They are composed of Eddie Marsan, Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Nick Frost, Ray Winstone, Toby Jones, Johnny Harris and newcomer Brian Gleeson (son of Brendan). Quite a collection of British talent here with pretty impressive costumes and make-up. However you cannot help but think, as with Lord of the Rings, are there not some talented dwarfs out there who could make up the eight? Mirror Mirror found seven, though that was a comedy so perhaps this production required the gravitas of eight Peter Dinklage's, who have not appeared as yet.
The dwarfs play a pivotal role in Snow's uprising against the wicked Queen and provide a small amount of light relief in a film that cries out for laughter. Yes you can mold the fairytale into a dark fantasy but EVERY tragedy needs some comedy, Shakespeare taught us this and it is something Game of Thrones has adapted well.
The film never quite satisfies as a fairytale or as a fantasy epic, although the latter is clearly what the makers were intending. With a plethora of fairytale adaptations occurring this one feels a little weak, visually stunning but lacks a certain depth. I think that is partly due to direction and the rest is the fault of the script.
It is quite clear this is a first movie for Sanders, whose filmography includes television commercials for video games and then this epic fantasy. A little naive I feel of the producers to allow such a novice behind the wheel of such a film, beautiful though it turned out. A better director would have tightened the reigns on the script and forced the story to take a definite direction. They would too, I'd hope, have scrapped the love triangle and given the film a concrete ending akin to the fairytale rather than the half-baked affair that is offered up.
The lack of an ending greatly confused me until I got home where I discovered that Snow White and the Huntsman 2 is being planned as I type...I can only hope it does not go ahead as what else could be done with the story except to drag out the needless love triangle?
That is what really bothers me about the film, the weak story. The performances outweigh the material, except perhaps Kristen Stewart who remains underwhelming. I have to say though full credit to her accent as it didn't annoy me once, there was nothing forced about it which was refreshing to hear. Hemsworth too does a convincing Scots accent, his deep voice lending itself well to the gruff persona of the Huntsman. Theron is beautiful but also vicious as Queen Ravenna, though I was never frightened of her as her actions were quite predictable.
I did enjoy the film but I wasn't enamoured by it. It tried too hard to not be Disney and this affected the way the story was told. With one simple act and two incredibly annoying words the producers of this film turned a potentially dark and twisty fantasy into yet another Love Triangle.
Bring on Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters. Thats a film that might just live up to its potential.
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Friday 22 June 2012
Game of Thrones ☆☆☆☆☆
There be Spoilers in this review, so if you haven't watched either season yet I'd recommend not reading this.
I didn't think I would ever watch Game of Thrones. It seemed too violent or too much like the long epic fantasy styles I really dislike. And then my sister kept going on about it, telling me how much she loved it. So, when she gave me a copy of the first season, I thought "okay fine, I'll watch it!"
That was two weeks ago. I've now watched both seasons....
In my defence, they are only 10 episodes a season. And VERY addictive.
Game of Thrones is based on the George R. R. Martin books A Song of Ice and Fire. I haven't read the novels because like I said at the start, long epic fantasy isn't really my cup of tea. I do love fantasy books, but I have tried to read the violent and serious ones and simply failed to be absorbed. Maybe its something to do with my imagination, although even while forcing my way through The Sword of Shannara (Terry Brooks) there were moments that captured my interest briefly, but I maybe confusing it with Terry Pratchett as I seem to remember dragons somewhere...ah well.
I don't have any interest in reading the books now as, having watched the first two seasons, I would only be annoyed at any character or plot changes. Plus the sheer level of violence in the television series guarantees I would not be able to read such grotesque imagery. I am a genuine wuss when it comes to the description of guts being spilt.
So onto the actual television show.
The plot follows the families Stark (Wolf), Lannister (Lion), Targaryen (Dragons), Greyjoy of the Iron Sea, and Baratheon (Stag). The Starks are from the North, Lannisters of the South, the Targaryens are outcasts across the sea with only two left of the Dragon dynasty, Greyjoys live as defeated subjects in a place called Pike in the Iron Sea, with the Baratheons as the rulers of the Seven kingdoms.
The Starks are based in Winterfell, the closest stronghold to the Wall which keeps out the Wildlings of the further (true) North. They are led by Ned Stark (Sean Bean) and his family which includes his bastard son (their words not mine!) Jon Snow, a boy Ned fathered while on campaign with his closest friend, Robert Baratheon who is now King of all the lands.
At the beginning of the first season Robert is King, he is married to Cersei Lannister, has three children by his wife (so he thinks) and many more bastards from his drunken conquests. Ned Stark lives happily with his wife Cat, five legitimate children plus poor Jon, who has the love and respect of his father but not of his father's wife.
The two Targaryens are brother and sister Viserys and Daenerys, the last of the Dragon rulers. They are stunning with their white hair and cut glass features, but Viserys is power hungry and arrogant, making a fatal mistake as he sells his sweet and scared sister to a savage Dothraki tribe as a wife for the leader, in exchange for an army to take across the sea and claim back the throne his family lost.
You don't get to meet the Greyjoy family until the second season, though the son, Theon, is present throughout as he has grown up in Winterfell with the Starks as a continuing prisoner of war from his fathers defeat to Ned Stark. The Greyjoys pretty much live up to their name, living in the harsh coastal islands where everything is pretty much grey. Theon is a slightly repulsive character you almost want to die because he keeps messing up so often. He is played by Alfie Allen, son of Keith and brother of Lily, which makes him the subject of Lily's ode to her brother 'Alfie'. Its nice to see he is taking after his father in the acting stakes.
The Lannisters are the catalyst of this story. The incestuous relationship between Cersei and Jamie, who are twins, results in the death of 'the hand of the King', aka his adviser. He had discovered the children of Robert and Cersei are actually Jamie's as they all have pretty blond locks, whereas all Roberts bastards have dark hair. The death of his adviser prompts Robert to travel from Kings Landing to Winterfell to 'ask' Ned to become his next hand. This is no good for Robert, Ned, or the rest of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Robert is played by Mark Addy, who after so many years being the side-kick type character now gets to be King of all and does it rather well. It is unfortunate he dies so early on but alas, that is how a plot progresses. His wife Cersei is played with cold malice by Lena Heady, probably most recognisable from 300. Jamie, the actual father of the current King Joffrey, took me a long time to recognise, but the slight accent gave it away that he is not an Englishman. Jamie is portrayed by Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau who is in perhaps one of my favourite rom-coms Wimbledon (come on, its a film where a Brit ACTUALLY wins Wimbledon whats not to love?!).
Jamie and Cersei are just disturbing. Not only because they are twins and have sex, but because they properly love each other, to the point where in the very first episode when caught shagging by one of Starks sons Jamie pushes said child out of the window. That moment was so shocking it made me determined to watch the rest, as surely the child had not lived but the twins MUST get their come-uppance.
Luckily Bran did survive, which was great because child murder was not the way to get me hooked. They do very well with the child being disabled, bringing in a wonderful half-wit half giant who carries Bran around. There is no question of the child being left to die, which is an advantage to his high birth.
Possibly one of my favourite actors of all time, at least most definitely in the top ten, gets to show the advantages of being born into a noble family despite physical disability, and that is Peter Dinklage. If you have no idea who this man is then I urge you to watch the Station Agent right now, go on, go!
I'll assume you do know as you've gotten this far in this, well, its half review half description so far. He plays Tyrion Lannister, younger brother of the incestuous twins and quite obviously a Dwarf.
Tyrion has a great affection for those either physically or mentally disabled, having been the butt of jokes his entire life he makes life easier for those disadvataged. I decided I really liked him in the first episode, not because its Peter Dinklage and seriously the man can act better than most of the idiots in Hollywood, but because of this great attitude he has. He has been dealt cards by fate which made him, in other mens eyes, no better than a cripple and yet because he is a Lannister he was not killed at birth, instead has money to take as many women to his bed as possible and drink more than his short stature can hold.
When he comes back from the Wall, after seeing Jon Snow begin his new life with the Black Watch (those who keep the rest of the lands safe from Wildlings and other, stranger beings), Tyrion gives the newly crippled (their words not mine) boy a design to make a saddle for a horse he can ride without use of his legs.
*sigh*
Another of my favourites is Daenerys, not only because she has dragons which are possibly the coolest (or, hottest?) thing in fantasy, but because she finds herself and becomes a strong Khaleesi aka Queen of the Dothraki tribe she has been married into. She also falls in love with her strong, fearless warrior husband and you know, sod it I'm a romantic at heart and I loved that. The mutual love and respect is ultimately his undoing really. Daenerys becomes this wise and beautiful Queen who is also fearless and a little scary, especially when she sets other people on fire...
Of the 'baddies' Joffrey is the worst. He is a seventeen year old poser king, has a terrible temper and enjoys watching pain. He is the result of Jamie and Cersei's 'love', engaged to the elder Stark girl and given a kingdom that is being fought for by many hands. I'm positive Jack Gleeson is a normal human being so all credit for his performance as the boy king and making him so repugnant. Sansa Stark, played by newcomer Sophie Turner, suffers for her 'love' of Joffrey.
The Stark family, I think, are designed to be peoples favourites and when you cast Sean Bean as the head of the family its pretty much going to go that way. Even when playing psychotic serial killers part of me still goes "awww its Sean Bean". I was already informed that Beany was not going to last till season two, but I was glad that he at least made it to episode ten.
Kit Harington who plays Jon Snow is a newcomer to screen acting, or at least this is what IMDB would have me believe, but he seems to embody the slightly bitter but still loyal young man. He needs to smile more, but that may just be because I think he looks lovely when he smiles, it may not be quite fitting with his character. I greatly enjoyed toward the end of season two his dealings with Wildling Ygritte, a young lady people may recognise from the first series of Downton Abbey. I am envisaging he will join the Wildling's in their quest for freedom against the South, or at least join battle against the White Walkers.
The eldest Stark, Robb, gains leadership of Winterfell upon his father's death and grows into 'the king in the North'. Like many Scotsmen before him, Richard Madden has an impeccable English accent, not only that its a regional accent. He is another favourite of mine, with his own romantic storyline which is sweet but will most likely result in further wars and death. Too often my favourite characters are killed off (Charlie in Lost, Wash in Serenity) and I really hope Robb is not doomed as I'll be quite upset.
However unlike Lost I will not refuse to continue watching if Robb does pass on, his family and the rest of the characters are too intriguing. Arya, the younger female Stark, is a wonderful piece of casting and is played by newcomer Maisie Williams. She is the tomboy favourite of her father, given sword fighting lessons instead of sewing, and surviving with the help of a few mysterious men away from Kings Landing where her sister is kept by Cersei and Joffrey.
Of those helping Arya, one is Joe Dempsie, who played my favourite character in any Skins series. It is so good to see him (and Hannah Murray also of Skins fame) in an internationally acclaimed series, as I always thought he was the better actor in Skins despite working with Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy).
In fact Game of Thrones has been rather good to British actors. I was so happy when I finally worked out that Jerome Flynn (of Robson and Jerome fame) was the one spouting expletives and slicing men in half for the Lannisters. You'd be hard pressed not to recognise one face from British drama, even if its simply "Ned Stark's wife looks an awful lot like Hermione Granger's Mum".
I actually cannot find fault with the acting. The material is quite peverse at times and there is a LOT of nudity and sex, but everyone seems to be fulfilling their roles. Of course those who have read the books may heartily disagree with this statement.
I am enjoying the supernatural elements to the story. The Direwolves who were rescued as pups and given to all the Stark children (including Jon) seem to be the best pet a child could have as their loyalty moves them to kill those who attack their - owners? Not quite right but near enough. I hope to see a lot more of them.
The dragons are simply awesome. I love dragons and it always upsets me when they are misused in bad films *cough*Dragonheart*cough*Eragon*. Daenerys' relationship with the beasts is also quite new to me. She is their mother and will only ever be their mother, remaining true to her dead husband and son by refusing to take another man.
The final supernatural element are the White Walkers, a new take on the Zombie. I say a new take, they are still dead men risen from the grave so to speak, but these are armed and organised with dead horses carrying them to a new war. I look forward to what will happen next, but am also incredibly apprehensive. They are from the wild North of snow and beautiful mountains, but the snow is their friend and the final scene shows that many men have died in the wilderness to be reborn into this most frightening of armies.
Winter is definitely coming.
I didn't think I would ever watch Game of Thrones. It seemed too violent or too much like the long epic fantasy styles I really dislike. And then my sister kept going on about it, telling me how much she loved it. So, when she gave me a copy of the first season, I thought "okay fine, I'll watch it!"
That was two weeks ago. I've now watched both seasons....
In my defence, they are only 10 episodes a season. And VERY addictive.
Game of Thrones is based on the George R. R. Martin books A Song of Ice and Fire. I haven't read the novels because like I said at the start, long epic fantasy isn't really my cup of tea. I do love fantasy books, but I have tried to read the violent and serious ones and simply failed to be absorbed. Maybe its something to do with my imagination, although even while forcing my way through The Sword of Shannara (Terry Brooks) there were moments that captured my interest briefly, but I maybe confusing it with Terry Pratchett as I seem to remember dragons somewhere...ah well.
I don't have any interest in reading the books now as, having watched the first two seasons, I would only be annoyed at any character or plot changes. Plus the sheer level of violence in the television series guarantees I would not be able to read such grotesque imagery. I am a genuine wuss when it comes to the description of guts being spilt.
So onto the actual television show.
The plot follows the families Stark (Wolf), Lannister (Lion), Targaryen (Dragons), Greyjoy of the Iron Sea, and Baratheon (Stag). The Starks are from the North, Lannisters of the South, the Targaryens are outcasts across the sea with only two left of the Dragon dynasty, Greyjoys live as defeated subjects in a place called Pike in the Iron Sea, with the Baratheons as the rulers of the Seven kingdoms.
The Starks are based in Winterfell, the closest stronghold to the Wall which keeps out the Wildlings of the further (true) North. They are led by Ned Stark (Sean Bean) and his family which includes his bastard son (their words not mine!) Jon Snow, a boy Ned fathered while on campaign with his closest friend, Robert Baratheon who is now King of all the lands.
At the beginning of the first season Robert is King, he is married to Cersei Lannister, has three children by his wife (so he thinks) and many more bastards from his drunken conquests. Ned Stark lives happily with his wife Cat, five legitimate children plus poor Jon, who has the love and respect of his father but not of his father's wife.
The two Targaryens are brother and sister Viserys and Daenerys, the last of the Dragon rulers. They are stunning with their white hair and cut glass features, but Viserys is power hungry and arrogant, making a fatal mistake as he sells his sweet and scared sister to a savage Dothraki tribe as a wife for the leader, in exchange for an army to take across the sea and claim back the throne his family lost.
You don't get to meet the Greyjoy family until the second season, though the son, Theon, is present throughout as he has grown up in Winterfell with the Starks as a continuing prisoner of war from his fathers defeat to Ned Stark. The Greyjoys pretty much live up to their name, living in the harsh coastal islands where everything is pretty much grey. Theon is a slightly repulsive character you almost want to die because he keeps messing up so often. He is played by Alfie Allen, son of Keith and brother of Lily, which makes him the subject of Lily's ode to her brother 'Alfie'. Its nice to see he is taking after his father in the acting stakes.
The Lannisters are the catalyst of this story. The incestuous relationship between Cersei and Jamie, who are twins, results in the death of 'the hand of the King', aka his adviser. He had discovered the children of Robert and Cersei are actually Jamie's as they all have pretty blond locks, whereas all Roberts bastards have dark hair. The death of his adviser prompts Robert to travel from Kings Landing to Winterfell to 'ask' Ned to become his next hand. This is no good for Robert, Ned, or the rest of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Robert is played by Mark Addy, who after so many years being the side-kick type character now gets to be King of all and does it rather well. It is unfortunate he dies so early on but alas, that is how a plot progresses. His wife Cersei is played with cold malice by Lena Heady, probably most recognisable from 300. Jamie, the actual father of the current King Joffrey, took me a long time to recognise, but the slight accent gave it away that he is not an Englishman. Jamie is portrayed by Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau who is in perhaps one of my favourite rom-coms Wimbledon (come on, its a film where a Brit ACTUALLY wins Wimbledon whats not to love?!).
Jamie and Cersei are just disturbing. Not only because they are twins and have sex, but because they properly love each other, to the point where in the very first episode when caught shagging by one of Starks sons Jamie pushes said child out of the window. That moment was so shocking it made me determined to watch the rest, as surely the child had not lived but the twins MUST get their come-uppance.
Luckily Bran did survive, which was great because child murder was not the way to get me hooked. They do very well with the child being disabled, bringing in a wonderful half-wit half giant who carries Bran around. There is no question of the child being left to die, which is an advantage to his high birth.
Possibly one of my favourite actors of all time, at least most definitely in the top ten, gets to show the advantages of being born into a noble family despite physical disability, and that is Peter Dinklage. If you have no idea who this man is then I urge you to watch the Station Agent right now, go on, go!
I'll assume you do know as you've gotten this far in this, well, its half review half description so far. He plays Tyrion Lannister, younger brother of the incestuous twins and quite obviously a Dwarf.
Tyrion has a great affection for those either physically or mentally disabled, having been the butt of jokes his entire life he makes life easier for those disadvataged. I decided I really liked him in the first episode, not because its Peter Dinklage and seriously the man can act better than most of the idiots in Hollywood, but because of this great attitude he has. He has been dealt cards by fate which made him, in other mens eyes, no better than a cripple and yet because he is a Lannister he was not killed at birth, instead has money to take as many women to his bed as possible and drink more than his short stature can hold.
When he comes back from the Wall, after seeing Jon Snow begin his new life with the Black Watch (those who keep the rest of the lands safe from Wildlings and other, stranger beings), Tyrion gives the newly crippled (their words not mine) boy a design to make a saddle for a horse he can ride without use of his legs.
*sigh*
Another of my favourites is Daenerys, not only because she has dragons which are possibly the coolest (or, hottest?) thing in fantasy, but because she finds herself and becomes a strong Khaleesi aka Queen of the Dothraki tribe she has been married into. She also falls in love with her strong, fearless warrior husband and you know, sod it I'm a romantic at heart and I loved that. The mutual love and respect is ultimately his undoing really. Daenerys becomes this wise and beautiful Queen who is also fearless and a little scary, especially when she sets other people on fire...
Of the 'baddies' Joffrey is the worst. He is a seventeen year old poser king, has a terrible temper and enjoys watching pain. He is the result of Jamie and Cersei's 'love', engaged to the elder Stark girl and given a kingdom that is being fought for by many hands. I'm positive Jack Gleeson is a normal human being so all credit for his performance as the boy king and making him so repugnant. Sansa Stark, played by newcomer Sophie Turner, suffers for her 'love' of Joffrey.
The Stark family, I think, are designed to be peoples favourites and when you cast Sean Bean as the head of the family its pretty much going to go that way. Even when playing psychotic serial killers part of me still goes "awww its Sean Bean". I was already informed that Beany was not going to last till season two, but I was glad that he at least made it to episode ten.
Kit Harington who plays Jon Snow is a newcomer to screen acting, or at least this is what IMDB would have me believe, but he seems to embody the slightly bitter but still loyal young man. He needs to smile more, but that may just be because I think he looks lovely when he smiles, it may not be quite fitting with his character. I greatly enjoyed toward the end of season two his dealings with Wildling Ygritte, a young lady people may recognise from the first series of Downton Abbey. I am envisaging he will join the Wildling's in their quest for freedom against the South, or at least join battle against the White Walkers.
The eldest Stark, Robb, gains leadership of Winterfell upon his father's death and grows into 'the king in the North'. Like many Scotsmen before him, Richard Madden has an impeccable English accent, not only that its a regional accent. He is another favourite of mine, with his own romantic storyline which is sweet but will most likely result in further wars and death. Too often my favourite characters are killed off (Charlie in Lost, Wash in Serenity) and I really hope Robb is not doomed as I'll be quite upset.
However unlike Lost I will not refuse to continue watching if Robb does pass on, his family and the rest of the characters are too intriguing. Arya, the younger female Stark, is a wonderful piece of casting and is played by newcomer Maisie Williams. She is the tomboy favourite of her father, given sword fighting lessons instead of sewing, and surviving with the help of a few mysterious men away from Kings Landing where her sister is kept by Cersei and Joffrey.
Of those helping Arya, one is Joe Dempsie, who played my favourite character in any Skins series. It is so good to see him (and Hannah Murray also of Skins fame) in an internationally acclaimed series, as I always thought he was the better actor in Skins despite working with Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy).
In fact Game of Thrones has been rather good to British actors. I was so happy when I finally worked out that Jerome Flynn (of Robson and Jerome fame) was the one spouting expletives and slicing men in half for the Lannisters. You'd be hard pressed not to recognise one face from British drama, even if its simply "Ned Stark's wife looks an awful lot like Hermione Granger's Mum".
I actually cannot find fault with the acting. The material is quite peverse at times and there is a LOT of nudity and sex, but everyone seems to be fulfilling their roles. Of course those who have read the books may heartily disagree with this statement.
I am enjoying the supernatural elements to the story. The Direwolves who were rescued as pups and given to all the Stark children (including Jon) seem to be the best pet a child could have as their loyalty moves them to kill those who attack their - owners? Not quite right but near enough. I hope to see a lot more of them.
The dragons are simply awesome. I love dragons and it always upsets me when they are misused in bad films *cough*Dragonheart*cough*Eragon*. Daenerys' relationship with the beasts is also quite new to me. She is their mother and will only ever be their mother, remaining true to her dead husband and son by refusing to take another man.
The final supernatural element are the White Walkers, a new take on the Zombie. I say a new take, they are still dead men risen from the grave so to speak, but these are armed and organised with dead horses carrying them to a new war. I look forward to what will happen next, but am also incredibly apprehensive. They are from the wild North of snow and beautiful mountains, but the snow is their friend and the final scene shows that many men have died in the wilderness to be reborn into this most frightening of armies.
Winter is definitely coming.
Sunday 17 June 2012
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ☆☆☆½
Guy Ritchie's previous effort with Sherlock was fun in its way, a decent turn by the leads and some impressive special effects got it through Ritchie's heavy handed approach to direction.
The sequel benefits from a slicker storyline, more laughs, and a firmer partnership between Law and Downey Jr. It does still suffer from Ritchie's approach to direction, laying on the slow-motion incredibly thick.
In the first film it was impressive, in this film it becomes annoying. The two hour time-frame could have shaved 15 minutes simply by not having every action scene done in slow-motion.
The story itself follows Sherlock's obsession with Moriarty, played with sinister charisma by Jared Harris, the man controlling Sherlock's lady love, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams).
This time the obsession leads Sherlock to ruin Watson's stag party by taking him to a place where a gypsy fortune teller (played by Noomi Rapace, the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) is the recipient of a letter Holmes had stolen from Adler at the beginning of the film.
The night ends in a battle with an assassin, a very drunk and almost broke Watson, the gypsy disappearing, and Holmes and Watson arriving at the doctors wedding a little worse for wear.
The film continues at this pace, hijacking Watson's honeymoon (to save his life) on a moving train, a gypsy party and rescue mission, culiminating in a final stand-off between Holmes and Moriarty where you realise quite how brilliant the two men are and are left wondering what exactly happened?
I love the relationship between Law and Downey Jr, Watson and Holmes are the original buddy movie duo, one very much put-upon while the other is gun-ho and erratic. Jude Law excels in these films, and more often than not it is his antics that make me laugh out loud. Downey Jr is brilliant as the mystifying Sherlock Holmes, however I have to say Benedict Cumberbatch is my favourite of the two most recent versions.
Noomi Rapace was a great addition to the cast, not nearly so annoying as McAdams' Adler, and the whole gypsy aspect provided a great change from grimy London whilst also encouraging more laughter with the sight of Sherlock Holmes on a pony (or donkey, couldn't quite work it out).
The Holmes and Moriarty relationship in this movie could well have been incredibly cheesey, however the actors do not let it become so and are on a par with Cumberbatch and Andrew Scott of the BBC version. It is great to see them matched in age and acting ability, neither are young men but then with that comes experience, wisdom, and belief that it would take a slightly psychotic professor many years to build up the means and contacts to try to start a war simply to make money from selling weapons.
I have not read the books so cannot comment on accuracy of story or character, I can say that I very much enjoyed the film and the reason for it not being 4 Stars is my dislike of Ritchie's over-use of slow-motion.
It is funny, exciting, well-acted and an enjoyable couple of hours. Though you're not left hanging on the edge of your seat, unlike the BBC version, the ending has a suitable cliffhanger to ensure Ritchie gets one last crack at the Holmes/Watson dynamic.
The sequel benefits from a slicker storyline, more laughs, and a firmer partnership between Law and Downey Jr. It does still suffer from Ritchie's approach to direction, laying on the slow-motion incredibly thick.
In the first film it was impressive, in this film it becomes annoying. The two hour time-frame could have shaved 15 minutes simply by not having every action scene done in slow-motion.
The story itself follows Sherlock's obsession with Moriarty, played with sinister charisma by Jared Harris, the man controlling Sherlock's lady love, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams).
This time the obsession leads Sherlock to ruin Watson's stag party by taking him to a place where a gypsy fortune teller (played by Noomi Rapace, the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) is the recipient of a letter Holmes had stolen from Adler at the beginning of the film.
The night ends in a battle with an assassin, a very drunk and almost broke Watson, the gypsy disappearing, and Holmes and Watson arriving at the doctors wedding a little worse for wear.
The film continues at this pace, hijacking Watson's honeymoon (to save his life) on a moving train, a gypsy party and rescue mission, culiminating in a final stand-off between Holmes and Moriarty where you realise quite how brilliant the two men are and are left wondering what exactly happened?
I love the relationship between Law and Downey Jr, Watson and Holmes are the original buddy movie duo, one very much put-upon while the other is gun-ho and erratic. Jude Law excels in these films, and more often than not it is his antics that make me laugh out loud. Downey Jr is brilliant as the mystifying Sherlock Holmes, however I have to say Benedict Cumberbatch is my favourite of the two most recent versions.
Noomi Rapace was a great addition to the cast, not nearly so annoying as McAdams' Adler, and the whole gypsy aspect provided a great change from grimy London whilst also encouraging more laughter with the sight of Sherlock Holmes on a pony (or donkey, couldn't quite work it out).
The Holmes and Moriarty relationship in this movie could well have been incredibly cheesey, however the actors do not let it become so and are on a par with Cumberbatch and Andrew Scott of the BBC version. It is great to see them matched in age and acting ability, neither are young men but then with that comes experience, wisdom, and belief that it would take a slightly psychotic professor many years to build up the means and contacts to try to start a war simply to make money from selling weapons.
I have not read the books so cannot comment on accuracy of story or character, I can say that I very much enjoyed the film and the reason for it not being 4 Stars is my dislike of Ritchie's over-use of slow-motion.
It is funny, exciting, well-acted and an enjoyable couple of hours. Though you're not left hanging on the edge of your seat, unlike the BBC version, the ending has a suitable cliffhanger to ensure Ritchie gets one last crack at the Holmes/Watson dynamic.
Saturday 9 June 2012
Breaking Dawn Part One ☆☆☆
Just so you know, spoilers galore in this review.
This isn't going to have a synopsis, and will assume prior knowledge, basically its a wee bit of a rant.
Ok yes so the film has been out rather a while now, and I am a supposed fan of the teen vamp franchise, but when I heard they were splitting the final book into two films it really made me resent going to the cinema twice to see something that could easily have gone into one movie.
When I say I'm a 'fan' let me clarify, I read the books like they were going to implode at any moment, certainly not because of the superior writing (which is in fact terrible) but because Bella's fascination with Edward is itself fascinating. The films have been a bit like the books, almost terrible but not bad enough to stop watching. There was something about the first one which was great, the intensity, the ethereal colour scheme, and yeah - two teenagers staring into each others eyes was all the film really did but still, you became engrossed.
New Moon and Eclipse were pretty decent adaptations too, it helped that the supporting cast was bulked out to include the marvellous Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon, Midnight in Paris) who is a charismatic actor, and obviously relishes the role of evil vampire lord.
And then we come to Breaking Dawn, the final part....if only. Now I understand why Harry Potter got two films, there was a lot going on in the entire series let alone the final book. I also understand why the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy will be split into two, because believe me that last book has about four films worth of content. I still, even after seeing part one, don't understand why Breaking Dawn, as fat a book as it was, needed to be two films.
Yes the adaptation is pretty good, but there was a fair amount added which was not in the original story, which made the film almost two hours long. Totally unnecessary.
Ok so enough about all that, it remains to be seen if the final film will qualify the split or if they have to bulk out that one too.
So for part one. The beginning was pretty great, and fairly accurate, though I don't remember Bella's dream about massacring her entire wedding. Charlie remains my favourite character and piece of casting, Billy Burke embodies the gruff father of the bride and he even made me tear up a little....yes I know I'm incredibly pathetic.
The vampire family are the same as usual. Ashley Greene's hair goes from bad to worse, Peter Facinelli appears to have put some weight on which I know I shouldn't criticise but, you know, he's playing a vampire who shouldn't ever physically change. I love Elizabeth Reaser who plays Edwards 'mother' Esme, she was brilliant in Grey's Anatomy playing a pyschologically disturbed young woman, but also provides a warmth to her characters, even as a vampire. I loved when Esme brought sandwiches to the wolves protecting her family.
Edward and Bella....well Robert Pattinson as I've said before isn't the greatest actor and Kristen Stewart....well so far this is the film that has most impressed me about her acting. She does dying while pregnant really well, not making the special effects guys do all the work, though they are deserving of a star all on their own.
As for the wolves, I have to say they made me giggle when speaking as wolves to each other, and Jacob finally removes himself from the group to become his own Alpha. Lets just say none of them should be going for voice acting jobs anytime soon. The wolves themselves seemed less real, I know they are mythical wolves but when grouped together against a real backdrop you become hyper aware of the special effects.
Another place where the special effects honestly failed so badly I felt sorry for the techs in charge was when Jacob sets eyes on newly born Renesmee, Bella and Edwards weird hybrid offspring. They obviously computer animated her face so they could make her eyes golden, but in the book her eyes were brown. So WHY the need to computer animate a baby's face when actually, just find a real kid with brown eyes? Mystifying.
The wedding and the honeymoon were done very well I thought. The sex scenes were fairly racy for a 12a but then ANY sex scene in a 12a is racy. I enjoyed the easy company Kristen and Robert keep together, it helps they are a couple in real life I think as neither are that good an actor.
I think the best thing about the film, and the series so far, was the pregancy and 'birth' that Bella had to suffer through. The emaciated look of Bella, the quite literally back breaking labour pains, and the final transformation were all exceptional, and made me want to hide behind a pillow. I especially enjoyed her being immobile but actually screaming her head off in pain, it was very clever.
So I think my final analysis is the same as with all previous Twilight movies: special effects pretty good, acting could have been better, story didn't need the extra elements, but overall not a bad film.
I still fail to understand the need for a two parter.
This isn't going to have a synopsis, and will assume prior knowledge, basically its a wee bit of a rant.
Ok yes so the film has been out rather a while now, and I am a supposed fan of the teen vamp franchise, but when I heard they were splitting the final book into two films it really made me resent going to the cinema twice to see something that could easily have gone into one movie.
When I say I'm a 'fan' let me clarify, I read the books like they were going to implode at any moment, certainly not because of the superior writing (which is in fact terrible) but because Bella's fascination with Edward is itself fascinating. The films have been a bit like the books, almost terrible but not bad enough to stop watching. There was something about the first one which was great, the intensity, the ethereal colour scheme, and yeah - two teenagers staring into each others eyes was all the film really did but still, you became engrossed.
New Moon and Eclipse were pretty decent adaptations too, it helped that the supporting cast was bulked out to include the marvellous Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon, Midnight in Paris) who is a charismatic actor, and obviously relishes the role of evil vampire lord.
And then we come to Breaking Dawn, the final part....if only. Now I understand why Harry Potter got two films, there was a lot going on in the entire series let alone the final book. I also understand why the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy will be split into two, because believe me that last book has about four films worth of content. I still, even after seeing part one, don't understand why Breaking Dawn, as fat a book as it was, needed to be two films.
Yes the adaptation is pretty good, but there was a fair amount added which was not in the original story, which made the film almost two hours long. Totally unnecessary.
Ok so enough about all that, it remains to be seen if the final film will qualify the split or if they have to bulk out that one too.
So for part one. The beginning was pretty great, and fairly accurate, though I don't remember Bella's dream about massacring her entire wedding. Charlie remains my favourite character and piece of casting, Billy Burke embodies the gruff father of the bride and he even made me tear up a little....yes I know I'm incredibly pathetic.
The vampire family are the same as usual. Ashley Greene's hair goes from bad to worse, Peter Facinelli appears to have put some weight on which I know I shouldn't criticise but, you know, he's playing a vampire who shouldn't ever physically change. I love Elizabeth Reaser who plays Edwards 'mother' Esme, she was brilliant in Grey's Anatomy playing a pyschologically disturbed young woman, but also provides a warmth to her characters, even as a vampire. I loved when Esme brought sandwiches to the wolves protecting her family.
Edward and Bella....well Robert Pattinson as I've said before isn't the greatest actor and Kristen Stewart....well so far this is the film that has most impressed me about her acting. She does dying while pregnant really well, not making the special effects guys do all the work, though they are deserving of a star all on their own.
As for the wolves, I have to say they made me giggle when speaking as wolves to each other, and Jacob finally removes himself from the group to become his own Alpha. Lets just say none of them should be going for voice acting jobs anytime soon. The wolves themselves seemed less real, I know they are mythical wolves but when grouped together against a real backdrop you become hyper aware of the special effects.
Another place where the special effects honestly failed so badly I felt sorry for the techs in charge was when Jacob sets eyes on newly born Renesmee, Bella and Edwards weird hybrid offspring. They obviously computer animated her face so they could make her eyes golden, but in the book her eyes were brown. So WHY the need to computer animate a baby's face when actually, just find a real kid with brown eyes? Mystifying.
The wedding and the honeymoon were done very well I thought. The sex scenes were fairly racy for a 12a but then ANY sex scene in a 12a is racy. I enjoyed the easy company Kristen and Robert keep together, it helps they are a couple in real life I think as neither are that good an actor.
I think the best thing about the film, and the series so far, was the pregancy and 'birth' that Bella had to suffer through. The emaciated look of Bella, the quite literally back breaking labour pains, and the final transformation were all exceptional, and made me want to hide behind a pillow. I especially enjoyed her being immobile but actually screaming her head off in pain, it was very clever.
So I think my final analysis is the same as with all previous Twilight movies: special effects pretty good, acting could have been better, story didn't need the extra elements, but overall not a bad film.
I still fail to understand the need for a two parter.
Sunday 3 June 2012
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol ☆☆☆☆
Now, I am not generally a Tom Cruise fan. Although I think his Lestat (Interview with the vampire) is still possibly the best incarnation of a vampire on screen, his general acting is pretty much the same in each movie. In real life I actually have no problem with him, I'm Atheist so not really that judgemental on Scientologists because, in essence, I don't 'get' any religion or faith so Scientology is as bizarre to me as Catholicism.
I have seen all three Mission: Impossibles prior to Ghost Protocol, but I have never gone out of my way to do so. In fact I think I have only paid to see Tom Cruise movies twice in my life (War of the Worlds where I was very disappointed the aliens did not go 'ooo-lah' and Minority Report). And having been not exactly overwhelmed by the previous three adventures of Ethan Hunt it took my sister basically rabbiting on about Mi4 so much that I gave in and watched it. Of course the addition of Jeremy Renner didn't hurt either.
My problem with the previous Mi's was that EVERYBODY seem to die except Tom Cruise.
Just to warn - mini SPOILER coming up.
Now in Ghost Protocol refreshingly not that many die, and the team he gathers around him seem to fair pretty well. I mean the Kremlin blows up and kills countless people but, you know, its the team that counts really.
So the plot, Ethan Hunt is busted out of a Russian prison by Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) and Paula Patton (a new one for me but she has been in Deja-vu and Precious) who are part of IMF, the super secret spy organisation from the USA that Hunt also works for. Pegg's Benji was previously in Mi3 and has now been upgraded to Field Agent, which automatically makes you fear for his life as British people are normally the enemy or get killed.
The mission, should Hunt choose to accept it, is to retrieve a set of nuclear missile launch codes that had been stolen a week before from another IMF agent, played all too briefly by Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost). Unfortunately whilst infiltrating the Kremlin it gets blown up and the IMF (and Hunt) framed for its destruction. So the IMF initiates Ghost Protocol where everything to do with the organisation disappears, including the agents, so Hunt has a decision to make - take the blame and go to prison indefinitely, or try to find out who is behind everything and stop nuclear war....no prizes for guessing which one he goes for.
Hunts new team consists of Pegg, who is quite funny and provides most of the comic relief, Patton - a woman who has lost someone dear to her and is bent on revenge, and finally Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker, Avengers), an analyst from IMF who is caught up in the mission by being in the wrong car at the right time.
I have much love for Jeremy Renner and I think without him I would have been even less likely to watch this film. His and Cruises' fight scenes (both with other people and each other) are well choreographed and executed, and Renner even gets to be the funny man a couple of times.
There are some extraordinary stunts going on in this film which are worth watching it for, including a well publicised one where Tom Cruise is climbing up a hotel in Dubai, of which I have seen the behind the scenes footage and he performed all of it bar a couple that involved broken glass. I actually had my hand on my mouth a few times.
As for the plot, yes its quite typical of a Mission: Impossible movie, in fact of any action film, and the special effects are pretty damn good, although at one point it does look like Cruise is trying to out-run a sandstorm. The back story isn't too laboured, Cruise's missing wife gets only a couple of mentions, and it was quite refreshing watching one of these films where he wasn't constantly looking out for the damsel in distress.
I did really enjoy the film, its director Brad Bird has a handful of hits under his belt now and made the move from animation to live action quite well. The cast had a lot to do with my enjoyment as without Pegg or Renner I think it would have been too generic, Patton did not add all that much to her role and you almost wonder what Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Colombiana) was doing which meant she could not be in the film.
The bad guy is played well by Swede Michael Nyqvist (orginal girl with the dragon tattoo films) but again its nothing extraordinary.
Watch this film for the stunts, Simon Pegg's third arm (not a euphemism I promise), and Jeremy Renner floating in mid-air Mi1 stylee. Its worth the four stars alone for those three things.
I have seen all three Mission: Impossibles prior to Ghost Protocol, but I have never gone out of my way to do so. In fact I think I have only paid to see Tom Cruise movies twice in my life (War of the Worlds where I was very disappointed the aliens did not go 'ooo-lah' and Minority Report). And having been not exactly overwhelmed by the previous three adventures of Ethan Hunt it took my sister basically rabbiting on about Mi4 so much that I gave in and watched it. Of course the addition of Jeremy Renner didn't hurt either.
My problem with the previous Mi's was that EVERYBODY seem to die except Tom Cruise.
Just to warn - mini SPOILER coming up.
Now in Ghost Protocol refreshingly not that many die, and the team he gathers around him seem to fair pretty well. I mean the Kremlin blows up and kills countless people but, you know, its the team that counts really.
So the plot, Ethan Hunt is busted out of a Russian prison by Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) and Paula Patton (a new one for me but she has been in Deja-vu and Precious) who are part of IMF, the super secret spy organisation from the USA that Hunt also works for. Pegg's Benji was previously in Mi3 and has now been upgraded to Field Agent, which automatically makes you fear for his life as British people are normally the enemy or get killed.
The mission, should Hunt choose to accept it, is to retrieve a set of nuclear missile launch codes that had been stolen a week before from another IMF agent, played all too briefly by Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost). Unfortunately whilst infiltrating the Kremlin it gets blown up and the IMF (and Hunt) framed for its destruction. So the IMF initiates Ghost Protocol where everything to do with the organisation disappears, including the agents, so Hunt has a decision to make - take the blame and go to prison indefinitely, or try to find out who is behind everything and stop nuclear war....no prizes for guessing which one he goes for.
Hunts new team consists of Pegg, who is quite funny and provides most of the comic relief, Patton - a woman who has lost someone dear to her and is bent on revenge, and finally Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker, Avengers), an analyst from IMF who is caught up in the mission by being in the wrong car at the right time.
I have much love for Jeremy Renner and I think without him I would have been even less likely to watch this film. His and Cruises' fight scenes (both with other people and each other) are well choreographed and executed, and Renner even gets to be the funny man a couple of times.
There are some extraordinary stunts going on in this film which are worth watching it for, including a well publicised one where Tom Cruise is climbing up a hotel in Dubai, of which I have seen the behind the scenes footage and he performed all of it bar a couple that involved broken glass. I actually had my hand on my mouth a few times.
As for the plot, yes its quite typical of a Mission: Impossible movie, in fact of any action film, and the special effects are pretty damn good, although at one point it does look like Cruise is trying to out-run a sandstorm. The back story isn't too laboured, Cruise's missing wife gets only a couple of mentions, and it was quite refreshing watching one of these films where he wasn't constantly looking out for the damsel in distress.
I did really enjoy the film, its director Brad Bird has a handful of hits under his belt now and made the move from animation to live action quite well. The cast had a lot to do with my enjoyment as without Pegg or Renner I think it would have been too generic, Patton did not add all that much to her role and you almost wonder what Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Colombiana) was doing which meant she could not be in the film.
The bad guy is played well by Swede Michael Nyqvist (orginal girl with the dragon tattoo films) but again its nothing extraordinary.
Watch this film for the stunts, Simon Pegg's third arm (not a euphemism I promise), and Jeremy Renner floating in mid-air Mi1 stylee. Its worth the four stars alone for those three things.
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