Jurassic World is, to me at least, one of the most distinctly average movies of the last decade. It did a decent enough job of kicking off this new set of Jurassic films and there are a bunch of fun moments in it, but there's no denying that it's a flawed film. Still, that didn't stop it from becoming one of 2015's biggest financial hits and making the possibility of a sequel a near certainty. Whilst Fallen Kingdom suffers many of the same pitfalls as it's predecessor, it's certainly an improvement from the last one and is a film that I had a really good time with.
As a volcanic eruption threatens to wipe out the remaining life of Isla Nublar, Claire (Howard) and Owen (Pratt) are enlisted to assist a rescue operation to evacuate the dinosaurs from the island. However, more sinister motivations are at play that result in some good old fashioned dino-madness to ensue.
One of the strongest elements of Jurassic World was the dinosaurs. Thankfully, they are still the main attractions in the sequel. There's a strong blend of returning and new breeds which are all very entertaining. The new big bad 'Indoraptor' is suitably terrifying. The Stygimoloch (look, I had to google it okay - it's the one with the big dome on it's head) is a bit of a breakout star. The creatures are used in some innovative ways and are at the centre of the movie's two best scenes.
As hinted at by the promotional material, the standout set pieces are the chaotic escape from the volcano and the mansion sequence. J.A Bayona does a terrific job with both of these moments. He has expressed in recent interviews his desire to use the third act in the mansion to emulate the horror elements of Jurassic Park, which he has certainly achieved. It's not scary as the original, but the gradual building of tension is used well and there are plenty of effective scares. The escape from the island is also great and a welcome burst of action after a fairly slow start.
However, this movie is another example of overexposure in marketing having a detrimental effect on a film. With only a few exceptions, all of the best moments are in the trailers. The impact of certain action beats, jokes and 'twists' in the story is significantly lessened by the fact you've already seen them, which is a real shame.
Whilst the dinosaurs are used very well throughout, the human characters still aren't really up to scratch. I'm a fan of both of the lead actors, but the charisma of Howard and Pratt only goes so far. A lot of the writing for their character's dialogue is stilted and cheesy. I often find my self struggling to identify any defining trait or motivation of their's, or any other character for that matter. The new cast members over little more, with the new sidekicks Franklin and Zia offering annoyance rather than the intended levity. Rafe Spall does a solid job as the antagonist, but he's just a handlebar moustache away from being the most clichéd of movie villains. Even the painfully brief return of Jeff Goldblum as Dr Ian Malcom can't save the human roster. The saving grace is young Isabella Sermon, who does a great job.
Fallen Kingdom is on the whole a really solid movie. It has issues - the plot suffers from pacing issues and the human characters are pretty poor. But let's face it, we aren't there for them. We're there for the dinosaurs and they really shine.
3/5 Stars
*Also please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@T_F_T_S_R) and Letterboxd (theboymarshall) for more film related fun.
Sunday, 17 June 2018
Thursday, 14 June 2018
'Cargo' Review
Netflix is having a huge impact on the cinematic landscape. The appeal of having a movie streamed straight to the comfort of your own home in undeniable. Unfortunately, as of the late the quality of the Netflix originals hasn't been that high. Bright, Mute and The Cloverfield Paradox were all pretty underwhelming. Thankfully, Cargo is a step in the right direction, as it's a really great movie.
After becoming infected in the aftermath of virulent pandemic and being given only 48 hours left to live, Andy (Martin Freeman) must struggle across the Australian Outback to try and find a new home for his baby daughter.
Considering this is the directorial debut of both Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke, the themes and tropes of this movie are handled in really mature and assured ways. It is, technically, a zombie movie which is usually enough to make me groan. To me, zombies have always been an unsparing and boring movie villain, that have already been done to death. Yet this film, rather similarly to A Quiet Place, puts the monsters on the back-burner to let the audience's main focus be the family tragedy at the heart of the story. The zombies are very apparent as a side effect of the disease in this world, but their presence never detracts from character driven story, which makes the narrative all the more compelling.
In fact, there are a few noticeable similarities to A Quiet Place (which is a big compliment considering how much I loved that movie), from an ex member of The Office in the lead role to the creative methods of staying quiet to avoid detection from the creatures. Speaking of the lead, Martin Freeman is really great here. The whole film is centred around some complex human character arcs and Freeman's desperation to protect his daughter at all costs is the crowning jewel. There are strong performances throughout in fact, with special mention going to Simone Landers as Thoomi. The insight into the lives of aboriginal Australians living in the Outback is one of the film's most intriguing elements and she is a big part of that. She also spends much of her screen time going to toe to toe with Freeman, which she handles very well.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cargo. The restraint shown by the creators to hold back on jumps scares and the overcrowding of zombies leaves the story plenty of room to breathe. It's a gripping family drama with some very touching moments and a terrific central performance from Martin Freeman.
4/5 Stars
*Also please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@T_F_T_S_R) and Letterboxd (theboymarshall) for more film related fun.
After becoming infected in the aftermath of virulent pandemic and being given only 48 hours left to live, Andy (Martin Freeman) must struggle across the Australian Outback to try and find a new home for his baby daughter.
Considering this is the directorial debut of both Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke, the themes and tropes of this movie are handled in really mature and assured ways. It is, technically, a zombie movie which is usually enough to make me groan. To me, zombies have always been an unsparing and boring movie villain, that have already been done to death. Yet this film, rather similarly to A Quiet Place, puts the monsters on the back-burner to let the audience's main focus be the family tragedy at the heart of the story. The zombies are very apparent as a side effect of the disease in this world, but their presence never detracts from character driven story, which makes the narrative all the more compelling.
In fact, there are a few noticeable similarities to A Quiet Place (which is a big compliment considering how much I loved that movie), from an ex member of The Office in the lead role to the creative methods of staying quiet to avoid detection from the creatures. Speaking of the lead, Martin Freeman is really great here. The whole film is centred around some complex human character arcs and Freeman's desperation to protect his daughter at all costs is the crowning jewel. There are strong performances throughout in fact, with special mention going to Simone Landers as Thoomi. The insight into the lives of aboriginal Australians living in the Outback is one of the film's most intriguing elements and she is a big part of that. She also spends much of her screen time going to toe to toe with Freeman, which she handles very well.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cargo. The restraint shown by the creators to hold back on jumps scares and the overcrowding of zombies leaves the story plenty of room to breathe. It's a gripping family drama with some very touching moments and a terrific central performance from Martin Freeman.
4/5 Stars
*Also please be sure to follow me on Twitter (@T_F_T_S_R) and Letterboxd (theboymarshall) for more film related fun.
Sunday, 27 May 2018
'Solo:A Star Wars Story' Spoiler Free Review
The odds seemed stacked against Solo from the very beginning. When it was first announced, it was labeled 'pointless' by many. Admittedly, even myself. Then there was trouble caused when Phil Lord and Chris Miller left the project due to 'creative differences'. Next, stories emerged from within Disney that they were preparing for Solo to bomb at the box office and even it's creators had no faith in the project. Given all that, it's miraculous that Solo: A Star Wars Story is as good as it is. It's certainly nothing groundbreaking, but it's a perfectly entertaining and fun movie.
Much of the slickness and brevity of this film must be credited to charisma of it's leading man. Alden Ehrenreich faced the near impossible task of taking on a role that Harrison Ford perfected back in the original trilogy, but he breathes new life into the character. He has pluck and charm by the bucket load and it's fascinating to see a more wide-eyed and hopeful Han. Ehrenreich deserves some serious kudos for sticking to his guns and never once falling into the trap of just trying to impersonate Ford, he gives the role his own spin and is extremely successful in doing so. So much so that I'd quite like to see him don the jacket again. Alden's performance is elevated even further by his interactions with his furry friend Chewbacca. Witnessing the humble beginnings of their friendship is one of the most joyous elements of the film and gave me numerous goofy smiles.
This movie jumps around different locations and events a lot, keeping the audience constantly on their toes. As in Rogue One, we get to see the more grim and gritty corners of the Star Wars universe, that the episodic films tend to omit. We get an industrial wasteland on Corellia, a WWI esque war zone and the mountainous snow planet is home to arguably the best set piece in the film - the train heist. The action throughout is well-scaled and given a real sense of purpose and excitement. Disney also deserve some credit for being willing to zoom out and tell a 'fun little one'. Without the presence of a mega-weapon or the fate of the world being at stake, you're able to just kick back and have buckle up for the ride.
However, the constant switching between time and place means that eventually different ideas and plot threads begin to tangle and seem to become stuck by the third act. Along the way, some of the supporting cast get lost amongst the frantic pace of the story. Characters such a Thandie Newton's demolitions expert Val and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's (of Fleabag fame) social justice droid L3-37 dip in and out too quickly to really be enjoyed and the case could even be made that even Lando, who's played superbly by Donald Glover to nobody's surprise, feels just a little under utilised. Yet, on the whole the cast are all solid, with Harrelson and Bettany being the real standouts.
After the controversy of The Last Jedi you can hardly blame Disney for returning to a more formulaic and safe narrative. But despite the familiarity of the story, there is still plenty of fun to be had. This is a brisk and lively adventure, which is propelled by the performance of Ehrenreich at it's core.
3/5 Stars
Much of the slickness and brevity of this film must be credited to charisma of it's leading man. Alden Ehrenreich faced the near impossible task of taking on a role that Harrison Ford perfected back in the original trilogy, but he breathes new life into the character. He has pluck and charm by the bucket load and it's fascinating to see a more wide-eyed and hopeful Han. Ehrenreich deserves some serious kudos for sticking to his guns and never once falling into the trap of just trying to impersonate Ford, he gives the role his own spin and is extremely successful in doing so. So much so that I'd quite like to see him don the jacket again. Alden's performance is elevated even further by his interactions with his furry friend Chewbacca. Witnessing the humble beginnings of their friendship is one of the most joyous elements of the film and gave me numerous goofy smiles.
This movie jumps around different locations and events a lot, keeping the audience constantly on their toes. As in Rogue One, we get to see the more grim and gritty corners of the Star Wars universe, that the episodic films tend to omit. We get an industrial wasteland on Corellia, a WWI esque war zone and the mountainous snow planet is home to arguably the best set piece in the film - the train heist. The action throughout is well-scaled and given a real sense of purpose and excitement. Disney also deserve some credit for being willing to zoom out and tell a 'fun little one'. Without the presence of a mega-weapon or the fate of the world being at stake, you're able to just kick back and have buckle up for the ride.
However, the constant switching between time and place means that eventually different ideas and plot threads begin to tangle and seem to become stuck by the third act. Along the way, some of the supporting cast get lost amongst the frantic pace of the story. Characters such a Thandie Newton's demolitions expert Val and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's (of Fleabag fame) social justice droid L3-37 dip in and out too quickly to really be enjoyed and the case could even be made that even Lando, who's played superbly by Donald Glover to nobody's surprise, feels just a little under utilised. Yet, on the whole the cast are all solid, with Harrelson and Bettany being the real standouts.
After the controversy of The Last Jedi you can hardly blame Disney for returning to a more formulaic and safe narrative. But despite the familiarity of the story, there is still plenty of fun to be had. This is a brisk and lively adventure, which is propelled by the performance of Ehrenreich at it's core.
3/5 Stars
Friday, 18 May 2018
'Deadpool 2' Spoiler Free Review
Making a good sequel is an extremely difficult task. As Wade is eager to remind you, Deadpool was such a runaway success that it became one of the highest grossing R rated movies of all time. How exactly are you supposed follow that up? Well, Deadpool 2's answer is to go bigger, bolder and ballsier. All too often when a sequel attempts to up the ante, it ends up losing sight of what made it's predecessor so great. Thankfully, this is not the case here. Deadpool 2 is a full-on and hilarious romp.
After tragedy befalls Wade Wilson (Reynolds), Mr Pool must enlist the help of some familiar faces and his newly assembled X-Force to help protect a teenage mutant (the always entertaining Julian Dennison) from Cable (Brolin), a fellow mercenary from the future.
The most noticeable difference between this movie and the first is the scale that the significantly larger budget allows for. Everything is bigger: the action, the gag reel, Deadpool's appetite for cocaine - everything has been dialled to eleven and impressively so. Gone are the days of leaving the ammo bag in the taxi 'by mistake' and in it's place we get some frantic, full-throttle set pieces. As you might expect from the man that brought you John Wick and that kickass hallway fight in Atomic Blonde, David Leitch crafts some delightfully brutal fight scenes that show off both the physicality of Cable (seriously, how is Brolin in such great shape at ... he's 50?! God damn!) and the invincibility of Deadpool. There are numerous fun and engaging action beats throughout - one chase sequence in particular is truly enthralling. You could argue that showcasing set pieces of this scale detracts from some of the simplistic charm of Deadpool, which may at times be true, but when the action is this good it's hard to care.
Yet, amongst the explosions, the humour that made everyone fall in love with this character shines through. I might even dare to say it's funnier than the first. There is something for everyone to laugh at. Extremely graphic slapstick? Check. Unapologetically crass testicle humour? By the barrel load. The jabs at the expense of movie studios and the superhero genre are back in full force. The movie also deserves credit for leaning fully into the bizarreness of the source material and including some of the more ridiculous characters in the X-Men roster. There are so many jokes and they are pretty much all funny. Personal highlights included the end credit scenes (which are oh so worth sticking around for) and an extended gag in the middle of the film that provoked the biggest laugh I've heard in a cinema in a very long time.
Perhaps the most surprising element of this movie is the inclusion of some surprisingly emotional moments. Between the curse words and dick jokes we get some really moving moments between the characters and the creators show some real restraint to avoid undercutting the tenderness of these moments with a joke, which gives this sequel a sense of stakes that the first may have lacked at times. In fact, all the character work is really strong. Josh Brolin gives a sinister and menacing performance, whilst putting in the effort to distinguish Cable from a certain other big baddie that he played recently. Zazie Beetz really shines as Domino and her personality elevates her character to one of the stars of the film. Of the retuning members, TJ Miller and Stefan Kapicic's Colossus are the standouts. Despite the strength of the supporting cast though, this is still very much Ryan Reynold's show, as he continues to demonstrate why he was born to play the merc' with a mouth.
Deadpool 2 is an extremely entertaining movie, without even a whiff of 'bigger-and-better-itus'. It takes everything that you loved about the first outing and quadruples it, adding some fresh and exciting elements along the way. It may even be better than the first.
4/5 Stars
After tragedy befalls Wade Wilson (Reynolds), Mr Pool must enlist the help of some familiar faces and his newly assembled X-Force to help protect a teenage mutant (the always entertaining Julian Dennison) from Cable (Brolin), a fellow mercenary from the future.
The most noticeable difference between this movie and the first is the scale that the significantly larger budget allows for. Everything is bigger: the action, the gag reel, Deadpool's appetite for cocaine - everything has been dialled to eleven and impressively so. Gone are the days of leaving the ammo bag in the taxi 'by mistake' and in it's place we get some frantic, full-throttle set pieces. As you might expect from the man that brought you John Wick and that kickass hallway fight in Atomic Blonde, David Leitch crafts some delightfully brutal fight scenes that show off both the physicality of Cable (seriously, how is Brolin in such great shape at ... he's 50?! God damn!) and the invincibility of Deadpool. There are numerous fun and engaging action beats throughout - one chase sequence in particular is truly enthralling. You could argue that showcasing set pieces of this scale detracts from some of the simplistic charm of Deadpool, which may at times be true, but when the action is this good it's hard to care.
Yet, amongst the explosions, the humour that made everyone fall in love with this character shines through. I might even dare to say it's funnier than the first. There is something for everyone to laugh at. Extremely graphic slapstick? Check. Unapologetically crass testicle humour? By the barrel load. The jabs at the expense of movie studios and the superhero genre are back in full force. The movie also deserves credit for leaning fully into the bizarreness of the source material and including some of the more ridiculous characters in the X-Men roster. There are so many jokes and they are pretty much all funny. Personal highlights included the end credit scenes (which are oh so worth sticking around for) and an extended gag in the middle of the film that provoked the biggest laugh I've heard in a cinema in a very long time.
Perhaps the most surprising element of this movie is the inclusion of some surprisingly emotional moments. Between the curse words and dick jokes we get some really moving moments between the characters and the creators show some real restraint to avoid undercutting the tenderness of these moments with a joke, which gives this sequel a sense of stakes that the first may have lacked at times. In fact, all the character work is really strong. Josh Brolin gives a sinister and menacing performance, whilst putting in the effort to distinguish Cable from a certain other big baddie that he played recently. Zazie Beetz really shines as Domino and her personality elevates her character to one of the stars of the film. Of the retuning members, TJ Miller and Stefan Kapicic's Colossus are the standouts. Despite the strength of the supporting cast though, this is still very much Ryan Reynold's show, as he continues to demonstrate why he was born to play the merc' with a mouth.
Deadpool 2 is an extremely entertaining movie, without even a whiff of 'bigger-and-better-itus'. It takes everything that you loved about the first outing and quadruples it, adding some fresh and exciting elements along the way. It may even be better than the first.
4/5 Stars
Friday, 27 April 2018
'Avengers: Infinity War' Spoiler Free Review
Here it is folks. The culmination of 10 years, 18 films and a childhood worth of memories. Avengers: Infinity War has to be one of the most hyped up movies in history, which of course made it all the more likely that it wouldn't live up to people's elevated expectations. Thankfully though, not only does it meet those expectations and even surpass them, it shatters any feeling of safety or comfort, resulting in a film that is both shocking and brilliant in equal measure.
The mad titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) strives to unite the six Infinity Stones and use them to wipe out half of the universe. Earth's mightiest heroes, with the help of some very familiar faces, must attempt to stop him.
Let's start with the big bad, Thanos. Ever since he leered his big old chin at the end of Avengers Assemble, we had been promised that he was the ultimate foe for our heroes to contend with. This claim was yet to come to fruition - until now. From the very first scene, we get a clear demonstration of just how powerful Thanos is, even without the aid of the Infinity Stones. Yet, as with all great villains, there is a clear reason behind his desire for destruction. The Russos said in a recent interview that this film was more of a Thanos story than it was an Avengers one, and there is certainly an air of truth to this. We spend a lot of time with him, growing to hate him more and more by the second, but we also get a real understanding of his motivations. You might even be lulled into agreeing with him for a fleeting moment of madness. His presence on screen is immense, and a testament to Brolin's performance. Marvel are often criticised for weak depictions of villains, but Thanos is tremendous.
Another frequent complaint of the MCU is the apparent 'lack of stakes'. Infinity War goes a long way to correct that. The fight scenes are, as you would expect, awesome. However, they are taken to new heights by the genuine fear you feel for the heroes. Even characters you felt were certain to survive feel at risk. No one is invincible. That sense of dread that anyone could be killed at any moment keeps you hooked throughout what will feel like the shortest 160 minutes of your life.
Of course, coupled with the intensity and the drama is genuine hilarity, most of which comes from the stellar exchanges between this insane cast. The Russo brothers have done a really excellent job of finding organic and interesting ways of bouncing some very different personalities off of each other and it is all executed perfectly. The balance of screen time between the actors is handled very well - everyone gets their moment, whether it's a joke, a great action beat or even just a cool entrance (there are a few of them). The Guardians bear the load of most of the humour, Drax being the particular highlight. Tony Stark is back at his quick-witted best, and his interplay with Doctor Strange and Spiderman is especially amusing. Thor is the standout for me, getting a solid mix of great jokes, emotional burdens and epic action sequences.
Whilst feeling like the end of this current chapter of the MCU, this film also extends the world and opens new narrative doors in a big way. We get a whole host of new magic courtesy of Doctor Strange, who has clearly been honing his skills. The Infinity Stones themselves are used in some extremely innovative ways. There is also a huge range of wacky and fresh cosmic destinations on show. In fact, this movie jumps around different locations and narrative threads a lot, but never to it's detriment. No scene feels like a waste of time, and wherever or whomever we cut to there is always something of interest going on.
If you somehow haven't gotten into the MCU yet then this is not a good starting off point. For the rest of us though, Infinity War is an event. It has everything you'd want from a Marvel movie - quippy one-liners and exhilarating action set pieces. But this film is nothing that you predicted it to be. It takes the narrative and this whole cinematic universe in unexpected directions and leaves you chomping at the bit for answers to the countless questions that arise. Marvel have changed the game. I laughed. I cried. I had goosebumps from the title card to the post credit sting. Nobody is ready for the events of this movie, but the end result 'does put a smile on my face.'
5/5 Stars
The mad titan Thanos (Josh Brolin) strives to unite the six Infinity Stones and use them to wipe out half of the universe. Earth's mightiest heroes, with the help of some very familiar faces, must attempt to stop him.
Let's start with the big bad, Thanos. Ever since he leered his big old chin at the end of Avengers Assemble, we had been promised that he was the ultimate foe for our heroes to contend with. This claim was yet to come to fruition - until now. From the very first scene, we get a clear demonstration of just how powerful Thanos is, even without the aid of the Infinity Stones. Yet, as with all great villains, there is a clear reason behind his desire for destruction. The Russos said in a recent interview that this film was more of a Thanos story than it was an Avengers one, and there is certainly an air of truth to this. We spend a lot of time with him, growing to hate him more and more by the second, but we also get a real understanding of his motivations. You might even be lulled into agreeing with him for a fleeting moment of madness. His presence on screen is immense, and a testament to Brolin's performance. Marvel are often criticised for weak depictions of villains, but Thanos is tremendous.
Another frequent complaint of the MCU is the apparent 'lack of stakes'. Infinity War goes a long way to correct that. The fight scenes are, as you would expect, awesome. However, they are taken to new heights by the genuine fear you feel for the heroes. Even characters you felt were certain to survive feel at risk. No one is invincible. That sense of dread that anyone could be killed at any moment keeps you hooked throughout what will feel like the shortest 160 minutes of your life.
Of course, coupled with the intensity and the drama is genuine hilarity, most of which comes from the stellar exchanges between this insane cast. The Russo brothers have done a really excellent job of finding organic and interesting ways of bouncing some very different personalities off of each other and it is all executed perfectly. The balance of screen time between the actors is handled very well - everyone gets their moment, whether it's a joke, a great action beat or even just a cool entrance (there are a few of them). The Guardians bear the load of most of the humour, Drax being the particular highlight. Tony Stark is back at his quick-witted best, and his interplay with Doctor Strange and Spiderman is especially amusing. Thor is the standout for me, getting a solid mix of great jokes, emotional burdens and epic action sequences.
Whilst feeling like the end of this current chapter of the MCU, this film also extends the world and opens new narrative doors in a big way. We get a whole host of new magic courtesy of Doctor Strange, who has clearly been honing his skills. The Infinity Stones themselves are used in some extremely innovative ways. There is also a huge range of wacky and fresh cosmic destinations on show. In fact, this movie jumps around different locations and narrative threads a lot, but never to it's detriment. No scene feels like a waste of time, and wherever or whomever we cut to there is always something of interest going on.
If you somehow haven't gotten into the MCU yet then this is not a good starting off point. For the rest of us though, Infinity War is an event. It has everything you'd want from a Marvel movie - quippy one-liners and exhilarating action set pieces. But this film is nothing that you predicted it to be. It takes the narrative and this whole cinematic universe in unexpected directions and leaves you chomping at the bit for answers to the countless questions that arise. Marvel have changed the game. I laughed. I cried. I had goosebumps from the title card to the post credit sting. Nobody is ready for the events of this movie, but the end result 'does put a smile on my face.'
5/5 Stars
Tuesday, 24 April 2018
'The Shape of Water' Review
The core premise of The Shape of Water is an unsettlingly, verging on disturbing, one. It's takes an immense level of skill to get your audience to root for a lady to hook up with Abe Sapien's more ferocious cousin, without ever feeling weird about it. Guillermo del Toro is a man of such skill. He has both the finesse and the confidence to blend horror, fantasy and romance in a seemingly effortless fashion. The result of which is a truly beautiful film.
Set in the 1960's, a sketchy underground lab is running tests on a humanoid creature (Doug Jones). Led by repulsive government agent Strickland (Michael Shannon), they are trying to exploit this 'thing' to get an edge on the Russians. However, matters become complicated when mute cleaner Elisa (Sally Hawkins) begins to develop an intimate connection with the creature.
Sally Hawkins' performance is astonishing. She conveys the frustration of a lack of voice (a literal hinderance that is explored more metaphorically throughout the movie) perfectly and uses every muscle in her expressive face to ensure that the audience always understands exactly what she is feeling, so much so that her sign language doesn't need to be subtitled. Despite living in silence, her presence on screen is powerful.
The way that del Toro crafts the love story at the heart of this piece is very clever. It's established early on that Elisa craves a connection that her disability has prevented her from getting - her only two friends in the world are a closeted gay-man (Richard Jenkins) and an African American co-worker (brilliantly played by Octavia Spencer), both of whom also lack a voice in the bigotry infected culture they live in. Her relationship with the creature is forged of similar ideals. There is never any notion of him being a pet to her. Their communication through actions rather than words means they are both equals in conversation, which is something Elisa has never known before. It's a potent idea and is executed brilliantly.
The film is visually stunning, littered with striking and profound imagery. Extended sequences set underwater in unexpected locations are mesmerising. There are musical dream-sequences that pay fitting lip service to 40's and 50's musicals. Fantastical elements are plentiful but this is not a straight up fairytale, as behind the wonder there realistic bluntness to the world. The biting moral and political undertones of the story are not so subtle - it's easy to draw comparisons to certain modern day political figures. Elisa herself is a very practical women, evidenced by certain precautions she takes throughout her everyday life. Of course, del Toro indulges in his horror roots, the grimness of which is embodied by Agent Strickland. Shannon adds yet another detestable villain to his repertoire. He is all of societies faults folded into one monster that makes a fish-man look cute in comparison.
Whilst the concept sounds foul, the result is truly magical. Guillermo del Toro has a gift for weaving a tapestry of genres that have no right to mesh together, whilst making sure you feel safe among the chaos. The Shape of Water is a powerful and moving story, elevated by an outstanding performance from Hawkins, which lives up to the fantastic in it's fantastical idea.
5/5 Stars
Set in the 1960's, a sketchy underground lab is running tests on a humanoid creature (Doug Jones). Led by repulsive government agent Strickland (Michael Shannon), they are trying to exploit this 'thing' to get an edge on the Russians. However, matters become complicated when mute cleaner Elisa (Sally Hawkins) begins to develop an intimate connection with the creature.
Sally Hawkins' performance is astonishing. She conveys the frustration of a lack of voice (a literal hinderance that is explored more metaphorically throughout the movie) perfectly and uses every muscle in her expressive face to ensure that the audience always understands exactly what she is feeling, so much so that her sign language doesn't need to be subtitled. Despite living in silence, her presence on screen is powerful.
The way that del Toro crafts the love story at the heart of this piece is very clever. It's established early on that Elisa craves a connection that her disability has prevented her from getting - her only two friends in the world are a closeted gay-man (Richard Jenkins) and an African American co-worker (brilliantly played by Octavia Spencer), both of whom also lack a voice in the bigotry infected culture they live in. Her relationship with the creature is forged of similar ideals. There is never any notion of him being a pet to her. Their communication through actions rather than words means they are both equals in conversation, which is something Elisa has never known before. It's a potent idea and is executed brilliantly.
The film is visually stunning, littered with striking and profound imagery. Extended sequences set underwater in unexpected locations are mesmerising. There are musical dream-sequences that pay fitting lip service to 40's and 50's musicals. Fantastical elements are plentiful but this is not a straight up fairytale, as behind the wonder there realistic bluntness to the world. The biting moral and political undertones of the story are not so subtle - it's easy to draw comparisons to certain modern day political figures. Elisa herself is a very practical women, evidenced by certain precautions she takes throughout her everyday life. Of course, del Toro indulges in his horror roots, the grimness of which is embodied by Agent Strickland. Shannon adds yet another detestable villain to his repertoire. He is all of societies faults folded into one monster that makes a fish-man look cute in comparison.
Whilst the concept sounds foul, the result is truly magical. Guillermo del Toro has a gift for weaving a tapestry of genres that have no right to mesh together, whilst making sure you feel safe among the chaos. The Shape of Water is a powerful and moving story, elevated by an outstanding performance from Hawkins, which lives up to the fantastic in it's fantastical idea.
5/5 Stars
Friday, 13 April 2018
'A Quiet Place' Review
Full disclosure: I am not a horror movie guy. Then again, neither was John Krasinski until very recently. Not that you'd be able to tell this from his latest directorial effort. A Quiet Place is a quite incredible achievement, given that it's only his third film and his first foray into horror. It's so accomplished that you'd be forgiven for assuming that this was the work of a seasoned director. It's an incredibly effective and immensely scary monster movie.
It's 2020. An otherworldly attack has annihilated the majority of the world's population. The few survivors are forced to live in near silence to avoid detection from creatures (some grotesque amalgamation of a Xenomorph, Venom and a demogorgon) who hunt through sound. The tagline "If they hear you, they hunt you" is incredibly apt. We follow the lives of the Abbott family, as parents Lee (Krasinksi) and Evelyn (Blunt) are prepared to risk everything to protect their children.
One of the strongest elements of this film is the fear that is established early on is maintained throughout out the blissfully short 90 minute runtime. A brief prologue appears to be setting up the rules of this world is a subtle and sombre way. Then massive tragedy befalls the family before the title card is even shown, solidifying the notion of just how ruthless this movie is willing to be. From that moment onwards you are constantly on the edge of your seat, as you have been categorically shown that awful things can happen a literally any moment. That intensity is never dropped throughout a series of increasingly more terrifying set pieces.
The concept of this movie - effectively don't make a sound or you're dead - is what initially drew me to this film. Horror, for me, tends to be most effective when there's a thought provoking idea in the middle of all the blood and jumps. In this case, the central idea is incorporated into the narrative masterfully. The movie can't be classed as 'silent', despite most of the dialogue being delivered throughout sign language, but it does demand the silence of the audience as the quiet is such an integral part of the scares. Typically in horror, you can tell when a jump-scare is coming when the score stops. Here, there is no music, minimal noise at all in fact, so the scares almost seem to come out of nowhere. Even more effective are the scenes where we are taken into the perspective of deaf daughter Regan. Watching monsters that she cannot hear advancing towards her is truly horrifying. There are a few examples of frights that border on the line of cliché, but for the most part they are handled with poise and originality.
Yet arguably what makes this such a great film is the family dynamic at it's core. Krasinski cleverly avoids the trope of apocalypse survivors gradually turning on each other - this is a story about a family who love each other and whose love is only strengthened by the adversities they now face. As you might expect from a real life husband and wife, the chemistry between Krasinski and Blunt is amazing and they are the figureheads of some extremely emotional scenes. Whilst the intensity is never compromised, the film isn't afraid to pull back from the visceral action and allow for some impossibly tender moments between the family. Krasinski proves himself as an actor as well as director - not once do you think "Hey, that's Jim from The Office". Emily Blunt is sensational. Many of the film's most captivating and chilling scenes are centred around her and she absolutely nails it (too soon?). Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds are also both terrific.
A Quiet Place is not only an exceptional horror flick, but is just generally a great movie. A heartbreaking tale of family validates the nerve-shredding scares, which never let up.
5/5 Stars
It's 2020. An otherworldly attack has annihilated the majority of the world's population. The few survivors are forced to live in near silence to avoid detection from creatures (some grotesque amalgamation of a Xenomorph, Venom and a demogorgon) who hunt through sound. The tagline "If they hear you, they hunt you" is incredibly apt. We follow the lives of the Abbott family, as parents Lee (Krasinksi) and Evelyn (Blunt) are prepared to risk everything to protect their children.
One of the strongest elements of this film is the fear that is established early on is maintained throughout out the blissfully short 90 minute runtime. A brief prologue appears to be setting up the rules of this world is a subtle and sombre way. Then massive tragedy befalls the family before the title card is even shown, solidifying the notion of just how ruthless this movie is willing to be. From that moment onwards you are constantly on the edge of your seat, as you have been categorically shown that awful things can happen a literally any moment. That intensity is never dropped throughout a series of increasingly more terrifying set pieces.
The concept of this movie - effectively don't make a sound or you're dead - is what initially drew me to this film. Horror, for me, tends to be most effective when there's a thought provoking idea in the middle of all the blood and jumps. In this case, the central idea is incorporated into the narrative masterfully. The movie can't be classed as 'silent', despite most of the dialogue being delivered throughout sign language, but it does demand the silence of the audience as the quiet is such an integral part of the scares. Typically in horror, you can tell when a jump-scare is coming when the score stops. Here, there is no music, minimal noise at all in fact, so the scares almost seem to come out of nowhere. Even more effective are the scenes where we are taken into the perspective of deaf daughter Regan. Watching monsters that she cannot hear advancing towards her is truly horrifying. There are a few examples of frights that border on the line of cliché, but for the most part they are handled with poise and originality.
Yet arguably what makes this such a great film is the family dynamic at it's core. Krasinski cleverly avoids the trope of apocalypse survivors gradually turning on each other - this is a story about a family who love each other and whose love is only strengthened by the adversities they now face. As you might expect from a real life husband and wife, the chemistry between Krasinski and Blunt is amazing and they are the figureheads of some extremely emotional scenes. Whilst the intensity is never compromised, the film isn't afraid to pull back from the visceral action and allow for some impossibly tender moments between the family. Krasinski proves himself as an actor as well as director - not once do you think "Hey, that's Jim from The Office". Emily Blunt is sensational. Many of the film's most captivating and chilling scenes are centred around her and she absolutely nails it (too soon?). Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds are also both terrific.
A Quiet Place is not only an exceptional horror flick, but is just generally a great movie. A heartbreaking tale of family validates the nerve-shredding scares, which never let up.
5/5 Stars
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