Category: Sequel

Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

“Come With Me or You’ll Be Dead in Thirty Seconds…” – Grace

After bringing the titular, wise-cracking anti-hero to the silver screen with his 2016 directorial debut; Deadpool, filmmaker Tim Miller lept onto a series with evenly iconic characters, the Terminator franchise. Kicking off with the original sci-fi-action classic in 1984, Miller’s entry in the series; Terminator: Dark Fate, released in 2019, functions as both a sequel to the first two installments and a reboot of the franchise, aiming to breathe new life into this ageing sci-fi saga. Unfortunately, however, Terminator: Dark Fate is an unremarkable, mean-spirited and overly familiar affair, lacking thrilling, fast-paced action sequences and imaginative concepts, all whilst occasionally spitting in the face of the series’ most dedicated fans through its handful of baffling creative decisions.

Plot Summary: Twenty-five years after the elimination of Cyberdyne, the company that would one day create the world-ending network of supercomputers known as Skynet, another seemingly unimportant human, this time car assembly worker, Dani Ramos, is inexplicably targeted by a Terminator from the future as the shapeshifting, nearly indestructible, REV-9, is sent to eliminate her in present-day Mexico City. Luckily for Dani, a fearless protector also arrives from the future, the bionically-enhanced Resistance solider, Grace, along with a custodian from the past, a bitter, armed-to-the-teeth Sarah Connor…

Disappointed and uninvolved with Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), Terminator Salvation (2009) and Terminator Genisys (2015), producer James Cameron considers Terminator: Dark Fate to be a direct sequel to his projects; The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), remarking that while he was generally supportive of those films due to his close friendship with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, he jumped at the offer to produce Terminator: Dark Fate, seeing it as an opportunity to oversee his franchise’s future. However, Cameron’s inherently controlling attitude did come with drawbacks as he claimed that, although he was involved in the writing process, he didn’t interfere with Miller’s oversight and never visited the set. Yet, Miller recalls things differently, claiming Cameron stepped in for some uncredited editing, finding his cut somewhat rough and prolonged. Cameron also admitted that he and Miller had their share of disagreements, ultimately leading Miller to state it’s unlikely he would work with Cameron again. These creative differences are noticeable in the final product as there is a shortage of polish in some areas, primarily in the subpar CGI and conversational dialogue, which is often corny and crass.

Blending the original’s cast with fresh faces, the central cast of Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis and Gabriel Luna all do a serviceable job of portraying their respective characters, regardless of whether they are humans or machines, newcomers or returning legends. That is, excluding Natalia Reyes as Dani Ramos, who frequently fails to believably portray Dani as a fearless and firm figure due to her short stature and rather weak line delivery.

Standing as the only Terminator film where none of the action takes place in Los Angeles, Ken Seng’s cinematography is one of the few positive aspects of Terminator: Dark Fate, as the camerawork is dynamic and favourably supports the numerous action sequences, making extensive use of the latest setting for the sci-fi saga; Mexico City. Alas, the action set pieces aren’t as arresting, lacking the physicality and grittiness of the series’ first two entries, despite the admirable inclusion of their bloody brutality.

The original score by Tom Holkenborg (a.k.a. Junkie XL) is habitually loud and imposing, initiating with the track; Terminated, and continuing with tracks like My Name Is Dani, The Wall and Screaming Turbines, the foremost of which softens the score up via Mexican-style guitars, lending a lighter tone to some scenes. Still, it likely goes without saying that, although adequate, the soundtrack doesn’t hold a candle to the original Terminator score, even if the film attempts to earn nostalgia points by implementing its well-known mix of synth, drums and electronics whenever possible, including the audible motif; “Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun.”

Spoilers ahead in this section for those who wish to go into their viewing blind, but I’m sure many are wondering where the significant character, John Conner, is in all of this. Well, in the opening scene of the film, young John is actually shot dead by a Terminator. Whilst shocking, this moment not only deprives the audience of any screen-time with the fan-favourite character, but also renders the conclusion of the second entry meaningless. Moreover, with Skynet no longer existing, thanks to the events of that film, the screenplay conjures up a ‘new’ antagonist with Legion. This almost indistinguishable, equally hostile A.I. force is just far too similar to what the series has attempted previously to appear innovative, alongside its use of an already comparable narrative structure.

In summary, Terminator: Dark Fate is just as uninspired as its bland sub-title suggests, often feeling like a sequel/reboot made out of obligation than anything else. And, with the franchise’s previous restart attempts in Terminator Salvation and Terminator Genisys, each written to be the first of a trilogy before that idea was scrapped due to a lack of critical and commercial success. Terminator: Dark Fate is yet another series revamp succumbing to a disappointing box office gross and lacklustre reviews, the rough outline written for its two sequels being discarded, leaving the future of the franchise uncertain and, in my opinion, indicating that the Terminator franchise needs to be ‘terminated’ itself, evidently running low on ingenuity and relevance. Rating: 3/10.

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Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / 2 Comments

“A Game for Those Who Seek to Find… a Way to Leave Their World Behind…” – Spencer

Seeking to modernise the premise of the 1995 fantasy-adventure classic; Jumanji, a striking premise first presented in the children’s picture book of the same name, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle switches the concept of an enchanted, four-piece board game for a ’90s-style video game cartridge, rooting itself in well-known video game tropes. And while not quite as enjoyable as the original flick, in my opinion, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is still an entertaining yet undemanding soft reboot that manages to stand on its own two feet as a jungle-set adventure, utilising its charming cast and humorous moments effectively under the capable direction of Jake Kasdan (Zero Effect, Orange Country, Sex Tape).

Plot Summary: After Jumanji, the bewitched jungle-themed board game, receives a mysterious modification, converting the wooden parlour game into a 1990s video game cartridge, the game is stumbled upon by high school students; Spencer, Martha, Fridge and Bethany, who are promptly pulled into its perilous world. Now, in order to return home, the group must inhabit their chosen avatars, survive the cadaverous creatures and complete the game…

Despite the original Jumanji receiving fairly mixed-to-positive reviews both when it was initially released and in the years since, recounting the simple yet captivating story of Alan Parrish, a troubled boy who comes across a cursed board game that releases lions, elephants, giant spiders and carnivorous plants into the real world to pursue its unsuspecting players. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle remains in the same continuity, continuing on from Alan, Sarah, Judy and Peter’s adventure by having a separate group of characters unwillingly play the game. To keep the franchise feeling fresh, however, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle cleverly inverts the premise of the original, transporting the characters (and, by extension, the audience) into the treacherous world of Jumanji, where many references to the original flick can be seen, including a cluster of overgrown statues modelled after the iconic board game pieces and a handcrafted hut that Alan resided inside when he was trapped in Jumanji, serving as a sweet yet modest tribute to the late Robin Williams, who portrayed the older iteration of the character.

This time around, the protagonists consist of four high schoolers serving detention together before they are transported into Jumanji following their discovery of the video game’s cartridge in their school’s storage room. Spencer, a skinny, awkward gamer becomes Dr. Smolder Braveston, portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the introverted, Martha, becomes Ruby Roundhouse, portrayed by Karen Gillan, the tall and muscular jock, Fridge, becomes Franklin “Moose” Finbar, portrayed by Kevin Hart, and the would-be popular girl, Bethany, becomes Professor Shelly Oberon, portrayed by Jack Black. As can be expected with an all-star cast such as this, everyone possesses terrific chemistry with each other and embodies their real-world counterparts sufficiently whilst playing into the obvious humour in each of the teens altering into entirely different individuals, particularly in the case of Bethany, who transforms from an Instagram-obsessed teenage girl to an overweight, middle-aged cartography professor. Unfortunately, the film’s power-hungry antagonist, Van Pelt, doesn’t fare as well, lacking depth, fearfulness and presence in spite of Bobby Cannavale’s serviceable performance.

Taking advantage of the naturally beautiful scenery of Honolulu, Hawaii, specifically within the Kualoa Ranch nature reserve, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle makes exceptional use of its true-to-life locations and vibrant sets to immerse the audience in the precarious world of Jumanji, exhibiting the immense jungles, massive waterfalls and vast pastures that are only hinted towards in the original flick, even if the actual cinematography by Gyula Pados is somewhat flavourless.

Through tracks such as Brantford High and A Test of Friendship, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle‘s original score by Henry Jackman constructs a clear contrast between Jumanji and the real world, as the formerly-mentioned tracks are contemporary and uplifting in nature, while tracks like Digging Up the Past, The Legend of the Jewel and The Power of Bravestone, are much more exhilarating and adventure-esque, going so far as to bring back the “Jumanji Drums,” a staple of the original Jumanji soundtrack.

When it comes to action sequences, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle isn’t likely to impress anyone, leaning more on the amusing moments between its cast than its scenes of hand-to-hand combat or hippopotamus ambushes. Nevertheless, most of the action throughout the runtime is passable, with one fight sequence featuring Dr. Braveston even playing into the video game truism of fighting off multiple enemies at once as the playable character. Additionally, although almost all of the CGI in the film is convincing, it’s regrettable that Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle harbours very few practical effects, given how heavily praised the physical elements of renowned adventure flicks like The Goonies (1985) and the first three instalments of the Indiana Jones franchise are today.

In summary, whilst it’s doubtful that Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will be recognised for years to come as a groundbreaking 2010s blockbuster, it is a comical flick with defects, functioning as a superficial yet enjoyable soft reboot/stand-alone sequel that innovatively expands on the ideas introduced in the original Jumanji. In a bizarre way, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle almost feels like a self-actualisation teen flick set against the unusual backdrop of an adventurous video game due to its infrequent high school setting and marginal character growth. Rating: 6/10.

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Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

“No One Ever Notices Time, Until It’s Gone…” – Tick Tock

One of the rare releases to incorporate scents into the cinema experience, 2011’s Spy Kids: All the Time in the World is the fourth instalment of the Spy Kids franchise, the well-known family-oriented espionage series created, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Planet Terror, Alita: Battle Angel). Once again produced by Double R Productions (then-Troublemaker Studios), Spy Kids: All the Time in the World serves as somewhat of a soft reboot, attempting to appeal to a new generation of aspiring juvenile spies. Unlike the original Spy Kids trilogy, however, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World falls short in nearly every regard as the less-prevalent issues of previous franchise instalments are intensified, plaguing the film with a misbegotten screenplay, awful visual effects and a barrage of scatological humour that suggests the Spy Kids series has truly run its course.

Plot Summary: On the surface, Marissa Wilson is your typical suburban mother, caring for her newborn daughter and step-children, Rebecca and Cecil Wilson, whilst supporting their father, Wilbur Wilson, in his career as a spy-hunting television star. But, in reality, Marissa is a retired spy whose life is turned upside-down when the maniacal Timekeeper threatens to take over the world, thrusting her back into action. Meanwhile, after discovering that their stepmother was once a top agent of the O.S.S., Rebecca and Cecil put their bickering aside to assist her in thwarting the Timekeeper’s sinister scheme…

The conception of Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, unfortunately, did not arise from a place of creativity but, instead, was contractual. As, in truth, Rodriguez didn’t want to make another entry in the Spy Kids franchise, partially because he still blamed producer Harvey Weinstein for the failure of his collaboratively-directed 2007 project; Grindhouse. Nevertheless, Rodriguez contractually owed Weinstein one more film. Unsurprisingly, this lack of ambition for the project can be felt throughout the runtime, as the film largely boils down to an endless string of inferior visuals and potty jokes that sap the charm out of almost every scene. However, that is not to say that the film doesn’t carry any positives, as the film does feature a handful of minor, amusing gags and a few fragments of endearing fan service for those who grew up with the Spy Kids series, including appearances from Carmen and Juni Cortez.

In terms of the cast, Rowan Blanchard, Mason Cook, Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Jeremy Piven and Ricky Gervais all deliver rather overblown performances, playing up many of their actions/movements to ‘add’ to the humour or aggressively pry for an emotional moment. Regrettably, the characters themselves don’t fare much better, as Marissa and Wilbur Wilson barely make it past their basic traits, while the latest generation of youthful agents, Rebecca and Cecil Wilson, are effectively just duplicates of Carmen and Juni with little individuality. Lastly, there is the mysterious miscreant, the Timekeeper, who, despite his shoddily-designed costume, receives more development than many would expect during the final act. Yet, this growth is somewhat spoilt by his associate, Tick Tock, who is immensely grating as he speaks in a high-pitched voice, uttering time puns to an outrageous extent, like “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun.”

Visually, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World occasionally demonstrates its knack for vibrant, imaginative production design with the facilities and weaponry of the Timekeeper, which seem inspired by the illustrious steampunk aesthetic and the innards of antique clocks. The remainder of the visuals, however, such as the cinematography by Jimmy Lindsey and Robert Rodriguez, are low-grade, with a substantial amount of the CG effects being of matching quality.

Similar to previous instalments in the franchise, the original score by Carl Thiel and Robert Rodriguez is playful and electric guitar-led, integrating the classic Spy Kids theme where it can through tracks like Carmen Cortez and Spy Kids 2.0. As such, the film’s soundscape remains colourful, even if it sometimes becomes too skewed and cartoonish for its own good.

Peculiarly, one of the aspects that Spy Kids: All the Time in the World marketed itself upon was being in “Aroma-Scope,” a gimmick that allowed the film to contain a “4D” in some iterations of its title. In 2011, when audiences watched the film in cinemas, they were provided scratch-and-sniff cards and prompted to scratch them throughout their screening. These cards featured circles numbered one to eight, and at various points, a number would appear in the corner of the screen, indicating it was time to scratch off the corresponding circle. When scratched, the intention was that the card would release a smell related to what was on-screen, like vomit or confectionaries, etc. Yet, whilst this was a fascinating idea, these cards rarely worked as they were made from a similar material to lottery tickets, ensuring little grit and thus no smell.

In summary, while Spy Kids: All the Time in the World falters as a family flick, the film falters even more as a Spy Kids soft reboot/stand-alone sequel. Retaining hardly any of the allure or creativity of earlier entries in the franchise, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World may, at the very least, entertain toddlers through its numerous scenes of vomiting, farting and nose-picking. But, any other audience member will likely sit in frustration, wishing for a well-crafted animated flick instead. Rating: low 3/10.

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The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / 1 Comment

“Oh, Yeah. Oooh, Ahhh, That’s How It Always Starts. Then Later There’s Running and Screaming…” – Dr. Ian Malcolm

Strangely dubbed; The Lost World: Jurassic Park, a title that appears to be out of order in its literary arrangement. This adventurous sequel to the timeless classic; Jurassic Park, released in 1993, was once among the most anticipated films of the 1990s. Yet, upon its initial release in 1997, The Lost World: Jurassic Park disappointed many for not living up to the lofty expectations set by the original, including Spielberg himself, who expressed disappointment with the film after becoming increasingly disenchanted with it during production. Nevertheless, I have always considered The Lost World: Jurassic Park somewhat underrated, harbouring an intriguing story and a more foreboding tone/aesthetic, which offsets some of its screenplay-centric faults.

Plot Summary: Four years after the catastrophe of Jurassic Park, the now-humbled John Hammond, strives to redeem himself by studying the well-being of the dinosaurs roaming free on InGen’s secondary site for bio-engineering, the secluded island of Isla Sorna. While assembling his team for this study, Hammond contacts the reluctant Dr. Ian Malcolm to convince him to join the expedition. Meanwhile, Hammond’s ignorant nephew, Peter Ludlow, intends to use his newly-obtained position as the CEO of InGen to capture as many of the island’s prehistoric species as possible for a new attraction opening in central San Diego…

Similar to the original film, The Lost World: Jurassic Park is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton and helmed by celebrated director Steven Spielberg. So, as is to be expected, under this masterful direction, The Lost World: Jurassic Park boasts several edge-of-your-seat moments, the stand outs of which are a scene that features a Tyrannosaurus Rex tandem bashing a mobile trailer over a cliff, as well as a sequence in which a Tyrannosaurus Rex rampages through San Diego destroying everything in its path, morphing the audience’s perception of dinosaurs from captivating, awe-inspiring creatures to truly terrifying prehistoric beasts, following the incident on Isla Nublar. However, as the runtime continues, it becomes increasingly evident that Spielberg desperately wanted to integrate as many of his own ideas into the framework of Crichton’s sequel novel as he could. A desire that ultimately results in the narrative becoming unfocused, eventually losing itself almost entirely near the end of the second act to concentrate on exciting dinosaur sequences.

Returning from the original film is Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm, the remarkably entertaining pessimistic mathematician with a dry sense of humour. Accompanying Malcolm this time around is his adolescent daughter, Kelly Curtis, portrayed by Vanessa Lee Chester, and his palaeontologist girlfriend, Sarah Harding, portrayed by Julianne Moore, in addition to the other members of Hammond’s research team; wildlife photographer, Nick Van Owen, portrayed by Vince Vaughn, and tech expert, Eddie Carr, portrayed by Richard Schiff. Whilst every cast member turns in a solid performance, however, there is undoubtedly a lack of well-defined characters in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, as every character has a shortage of development beyond the dexterities they bring to their team. Roland Tembo, portrayed by the late Pete Postlethwaite, is perhaps the most compelling character of this particular entry in the series, being depicted as a jaded big-game hunter, determined to capture a male Tyrannosaurus Rex, single-handedly.

Swapping out the tidied facilities and tropical foliage of Jurassic Park for dim lighting, expansive forests and more intense violence, The Lost World: Jurassic Park‘s visuals are substantially darker than its predecessor, corresponding with the more downbeat tone of the narrative. Furthermore, the cinematography by Janusz Kaminski retains a tremendous sense of movement, while the film’s abundant use of marvellous CG effects, detailed miniatures and impressive life-sized animatronics effectively bring the dinosaurs (and a handful of locations) to life, all whilst demonstrating how far CGI had come since the first instalment in the franchise in ’93.

Once again composed by John Williams, the original score for The Lost World: Jurassic Park only contains minor hints towards the iconic theme and secondary motifs of Jurassic Park. Instead, the score houses much of its own appeal (not too dissimilar to how the visuals differ from the original film) as Williams constructs a different thematic and textural landscape for InGen’s Site B, a.k.a. Isla Sorna. As such, the soundtrack sheds much of the amazement and beauty of John Hammond’s prehistoric theme park for a more ominous soundscape. Excluding the film’s unfairly neglected theme; The Lost World, which is more wildlife adventure-inspired.

On a separate note, whilst its amusing to see franchise-staple dinosaurs like the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Velociraptors return in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, I’ve always felt its a shame the filmmakers didn’t attempt to introduce a selection of lesser-known dinosaurs, especially with how many fantastic choices there are, as the carnivorous Alioramus, Majungasaurus and Spinosaurus (which would later appear in 2001’s Jurassic Park III), all would’ve served as significant threats and upped the ante for this much-anticipated sequel.

In summary, while it truthfully does pale in comparison to the original film, there is plenty to appreciate about The Lost World: Jurassic Park when viewed from a different perspective, as the film retains an overabundance of spectacle and exceptional visual effects, affirmed by the film’s Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects in 1998. Essentially, The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a perfect example of just how difficult it can be to craft an engaging sequel to a beloved cinema-altering blockbuster. Rating: 6/10.

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It: Chapter Two (2019) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Once again directed by Andy Muschietti, and once again based on the iconic novel by Stephen King (only this time, the adult portions of the story). ‘It: Chapter Two’ is, unfortunately, somewhat of a downgrade from chapter one, as in spite of its excellent cast and continuously impressive visuals, ‘It: Chapter Two’ proves that bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to sequels, as the film’s overreliance on giant CG monsters along with its inconsistent tone and unreasonably long runtime of two hours and fifty minutes demonstrate how this spine-chilling follow-up frequently overindulges in its source material.

Plot Summary: After being defeated by ‘The Losers Club’ many years ago, the demonic clown, ‘Pennywise,’ returns twenty-seven years later to terrorise the town of ‘Derry’ once again. And, with the childhood friends who have long since gone their separate ways, ‘Mike Hanlon,’ the only member of the group to remain in ‘Derry,’ calls his friends home for one final stand…

Jumping from character to character, location to location, many of ‘It: Chapter Two’s biggest faults appear within its screenplay, as rather than focusing on a straightforward narrative like the original film, this time around the film revolves most of its plot around a bootless errand of a story where ‘The Losers’ search all over ‘Derry’ to acquire various artefacts from their youth to perform ‘The Ritual of Chud,’ which will supposedly destroy ‘Pennywise.’ The problem is that much of this setup is, ultimately, meaningless, as almost every character receives their own segment in which they simply recall moments from their childhood, which often just recap scenes from the first film or leave the audience bloated as a result of the huge amount of exposition they have to digest.

Yet, it has to be said that James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ranson and Andy Bean all portray the older versions of their characters remarkably, as despite the characters now being much older, each actor/actress recreates the younger actors’ body moments and manner of speaking flawlessly. ‘It: Chapter Two’ also never forgets to reinforce the characters’ trauma, as even though ‘Bill’ is a successful writer and ‘Ben’ has remodelled himself into a muscular architect, etc. Each member of the group is still haunted by their past, or at least, what they can remember from it. Of course, Bill Skarsgård also returns as ‘Pennywise.’ While his performance does occasionally venture into goofy territory due to how over-the-top he becomes, Skarsgård is still endlessly entertaining as the malevolent clown.

This time around, the cinematography is handled by Checco Varese. Still, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that ‘It: Chapter Two’ had a different cinematographer, as the film is just as visually pleasing as its predecessor, with some elegantly orchestrated transitions between the characters’ incarnations thrown in for good measure. The huge increase in the budget also comes across through the film’s visuals, as ‘It: Chapter Two’ feels much grander in scale and presentation alike. However, where the sequel stumbles is with its scares, as instead of utilising ‘Pennywise’s mimicking ability to transform into every character’s greatest fear, the film lazily depends on towering CG creatures, which usually have little relation to the characters or the story at large, and although a number of the monsters are interesting design-wise, it doesn’t stop them from feeling out of place.

Benjamin Wallfisch’s original score effectively continues on from that of the first film, as tracks, such as ‘Losers Reunited,’ ‘Nothing Lasts Forever,’ and ‘Stan’s Letter,’ are calming and beautiful, whereas tracks, like ‘Hall of Mirrors’ and ‘Very Scary,’ are loud and intense to add to the film’s horror. The main issue with the soundtrack is in its lack of distinction from the first film’s score, and while I understand ‘It: Chapter Two’ is essentially just the second part of a larger story, the original score does little to set itself apart, with some tracks sounding near-identical to others.

Even though ‘It: Chapter Two’ is trying to accomplish a great deal within its lengthy runtime, spending a large portion of its story in flashbacks and dream sequences as it attempts to adapt everything not already covered in the first film. The sequel is saddled with an even bigger obstacle; constructing a suitable climax for the story, as although its well-known by this point that Stephen King often has difficulty writing satisfying endings for his novels (a criticism that the film repeatedly mocks), ‘It: Chapter Two’ is faced with this exact task, and even if the story doesn’t completely collapse under the weight of its disappointing finale, its admittedly still lacklustre, especially when the final act veers into metaphysical surrealism.

In summary, ‘It: Chapter Two’ is unquestionably an ambitious horror sequel, with a renowned cast, spectacular set pieces and numerous exciting moments; the film truly goes all out. But, does it work? Well, not entirely, but it’s a diverting horror blockbuster, nonetheless. And, whilst I feel that by splitting the story of ‘It’ into two films, Muschietti has done a gratifying job of commanding the massive blimp that is King’s extensive novel, most of the issues with ‘It: Chapter Two’ boil down to its story and structure, which end up leaving the film a mere pleasurable romp rather than the ghoulish denouement it could have been. Final Rating: 6/10.

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Logan (2017) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / 2 Comments

Even though many comic book fans weren’t delighted when it was first announced that the then-unknown Australian actor Hugh Jackman, would be taking on the pivotal role of ‘Wolverine’ for the first live-action ‘X-Men’ film, nowadays, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role, with Jackman appearing in multiple films as the regenerative superhero. Nevertheless, when it finally came time for Jackman to sheathe his claws in 2017 with ‘Logan,’ the foreboding task of bringing this beloved character’s cinematic story to a close fell to director James Mangold (Walk the Line, The Wolverine, Le Mans ’66), who suitably crafted a brutal, bloody and surprisingly thoughtful final outing for the iconic hero.

Plot Summary: In a bleak future where mutants are nearly extinct, a weary ‘Logan’ leads a quiet life as an undercover limo driver, caring for an ailing ‘Charles Xavier’ at a remote outpost on the Mexican border as he awaits his inevitable death, slowly being poisoned by his adamantium skeleton. But, ‘Logan’s plans to hide himself away from the outside world are swiftly upended when he meets ‘Laura,’ a mutant child on the run from a sinister organisation…

Very loosely based on the ‘Old Man Logan’ comic book series, ‘Logan’ is a film free of the baggage that comes with being a part of the ‘X-Men’ franchise, as beyond a couple of nods/references the film essentially ignores much of ‘Logan’s past, which is definitely a decision made for the better, in my opinion, as the now-discontinued franchise was only ever consistent in its lack of consistency, jumping from entertaining entries, such as ‘X-Men: First Class’ and ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ to greatly disappointing ones, like ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ and ‘X-Men: Apocalypse.’ ‘Logan,’ however, takes a very different route, focusing on a straightforward road-trip narrative that explores ‘Logan’s struggle between his human compassion and animalistic killer instinct.

These ideas all massively benefit from the film’s performances, as ‘Logan’ is without a doubt Jackman’s finest performance as the titular character, when placed alongside Patrick Stewart, who returns as ‘Charles Xavier/Professor X,’ the pair of actors portray far more broken versions of their respective characters, as ‘Logan’ grapples with alcoholism and the immense guilt for all those he has hurt, while ‘Charles’ is now a delusional shell of the man he once was, battling dementia with all the pharmaceuticals that ‘Logan’ can afford. Boyd Holbrook also delivers a praiseworthy performance as ‘Donald Pierce,’ the leader of the merciless security team tasked with capturing ‘Laura’ (portrayed brilliantly by Dafne Keen). And, whilst it’s no easy task to stand toe-to-toe with Jackman’s ‘Wolverine’ and seem like a sincere threat, Holbrook does exactly that. For me, the only out-of-place casting choice is Stephen Merchant as ‘Caliban,’ as although Merchant isn’t awful by any means, I never felt his performance quite matched up to those around him. Though this is somewhat redeemed by the parental relationship between ‘Logan’ and ‘Laura,’ which in many ways, is the true heart of the film.

Taking heavy inspiration from a number of classic westerns, the cinematography for ‘Logan’ handled by John Mathieson gives the film a vastly different appeal than any of the films the character has previously appeared in as James Mangold keeps the film grounded in reality as much as possible, having the story take place primarily in remote towns, barren deserts and wide-reaching woodlands, in addition to filming on-location and utilising a large number of practical effects to avoid becoming too CGI-heavy similar to some of the other entries in the ‘X-Men’ series.

The film’s original score by Marco Beltrami is also incredibly effective at building tension and evoking emotion, as the score combines almost horror-esque tracks with far more dramatic pieces to deliver a varied yet still fitting soundtrack, with tracks, such as ‘The Reavers,’ ‘X-24’ and ‘Farm Aid,’ being almost uncomfortable to listen to, while the score’s final track; ‘Don’t Be What They Made You,’ is a beautifully sombre piece that will undoubtedly bring a tear to any listener’s eye.

Yet, the highlight of Logan’ for most viewers will surely be its thrilling action sequences, as due to ‘Logan’ being the second ‘X-Men’ film to have a higher age rating than 2016’s ‘Deadpool,’ the film never shies away from displaying graphic violence, having scene-upon-scene of criminals and security alike being slashed and torn apart by ‘Logan’ and ‘Laura.’ Finally giving in to comic book enthusiasts’ demands and allowing ‘Wolverine’ to exhibit his animalistic nature and fully unleash his berserker rage, resulting in innumerable moments of blood-spattering, barbarous fight choreography.

In summary, I feel ‘Logan’ earns the gut-wrenching reactions it initially received from ‘Wolverine’ fanatics, as despite the ‘X-Men’ franchise as a whole being extremely inconsistent, ‘Logan’ is a film that proves blockbuster franchises should save their best film for last, as Hugh Jackman’s long-running portrayal of the character will no doubt go down in cinematic history. And, I truly have pity for whichever Marvel executive will be tasked with recasting ‘Wolverine’ when the day eventually arrives for a reboot of the character/franchise, as finding another actor to fill Jackman’s shoes will be no easy task, but for whoever does, I’m sure most fans will need an adjustment period. Final Rating: 8/10.

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The Purge: Anarchy (2014) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

This sequel to the original ‘Purge,’ released just a year earlier is a slight improvement over the first, yet still doesn’t fare much better, as while ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ does deliver more on what its initial film setup, now focusing on a small group of characters attempting to survive the night of chaos and murder out on the desolate streets of Los Angeles. ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ doesn’t do enough with this new perspective, and it soon becomes quite evident that it isn’t going to be enough to save the film from its return to weak filmmaking and storytelling.

Plot Summary: As another year’s ‘Purge Night’ commences, two groups of survivors unintentionally intertwine after being rescued by a mysterious stranger out on a mission. Now, stranded and in desperate need of a vehicle, the group agree to stick together in order to survive against the many ‘Purgers’ out for blood…

Once again directed by James DeMonaco, it’s clear from the larger-scale that ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ is aiming for that the film is trying to please the audience members that were dissatisfied with the first entry in the franchise, ditching the small-scale home invasion story in favour of becoming more of an action-focused thriller that further explores its disturbing world. Yet, even with the many themes of ‘The Purge’ series still present, ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ manages to feel like a bigger waste of potential than the first film. As in spite of the fact we get to see how many different Americans spend their murderous night, the film still feels quite restrained, never delving enough into each baleful group of ‘Purgers’ or their violent deeds.

Frank Grillo leads the cast this time around as a character only known as ‘The Sergeant,’ who has easily become the most beloved character in the series since ‘The Purge: Anarchy’s initial release, soon becoming the only character to return in a later ‘Purge’ film. However, whilst I understand why most viewers resonate with his character, I did feel much of his characterisation was lost as a result of a large amount of his dialogue (including his backstory) being cut during post-production. The sequel’s cast also includes Carmen Ejogo and Zoë Soul who both give decent performances, as well as the other two cast members of Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez, who are both about as irritating and dim-witted as horror characters come, having nothing but scene-after-scene of the two making moronic decisions following their many sessions of obnoxiously loud panicking.

Unfortunately, returning cinematographer Jacques Jouffret doesn’t innovate much on his style of cinematography from the first film, relying very heavily on hand-held camerawork now just with slightly better lighting due to the many street lights above the characters’ heads. Although there are still a few interesting shots, the only real aspect of the film that manages to stand out stylistically is the film’s end credit sequence, which combines footage from both of the ‘Purge’ films released at the time in addition to shots of fire, bullets, blood, firearms and the American flag, all key visuals of the series.

Nathan Whitehead’s original score is similar to that of the first film, only this time being much shorter in length, mostly consisting of a series of tracks that lack anything overly distinctive about them, being utilised within the film exclusively to help build tension. That is with the exception of the track; ‘Commencement,’ however, without a doubt the best track of the entire score, as this impactful and brooding track plays when ‘The Purge’ first begins, making for one of the film’s most memorable scenes.

Whilst this was also an issue in the original ‘Purge’ film, ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ carries over the same problem, suffering repeatedly throughout the runtime as a result of its many awful CG effects. Most notably, the heavy overreliance on CG blood, which looks dreadful in nearly every shot it’s featured in. That being said, ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ does also take on one of the previous film’s best elements, that being the many frightening (and occasionally also iconic) masks. From skulls, to blood-stained hockey masks and even a simple white bag, nearly all of the masks seen during ‘The Purge’ franchise manage to add a little personality and character to each film’s signature psychopaths.

In summary, ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ is another lacklustre entry within ‘The Purge’ series, even though I do feel a similar plot to this one could be executed well, ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ somehow manages to feel more disappointing as it tries to be more ambitious. Whilst the film is perhaps the best entry in the current series (which isn’t really a compliment), mostly due to Frank Grillo’s entertaining performance and the film’s continuous feeling of rush helping to propel the film forward as the group attempt to live through this yearly night of violence. ‘The Purge: Anarchy’ still relies far too heavily on the central concept of ‘The Purge’ itself. Final Rating: 4/10.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / 3 Comments

The second outing of the revamped ‘Planet of the Apes’ series and, in my opinion, the best of the most-recent trilogy. ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ takes place a decade after the previous film, now taking the story into an apocalyptic world where humans and intelligent apes co-exist. Featuring another spectacular performance from Andy Serkis as ‘Caesar’ as well as a much larger role for the vicious ape; ‘Koba,’ this time around (now portrayed by Toby Kebbell), this thrilling and propulsive sci-fi blockbuster is sure to keep its audience glued to the screen.

Plot Summary: Many years after ‘Caesar’s escape from captivity and the outbreak of ‘Simian Flu’ that followed, the clan of intelligent apes and chimps now resident within the Muir Woods just outside a derelict San Francisco. Living a peaceful existence amongst themselves until a group of human survivors journey into their territory in order to find a solution to their colonies’ lack of power, soon leading both sides to consider the possibility of war…

Giving directorial control over to Matt Reeves (The Pallbearer, Cloverfield, Let Me In), Reeves would write and direct both this film and the following entry in the series; ‘War for the Planet of the Apes,’ allowing Reeves to really give a sense of continuity within the story and style (not to say the sequel doesn’t retain continuity from the first film). Yet, what makes this sequel stand out when placed against the first entry in the trilogy is its narrative focus, as ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ continuously builds tension throughout its runtime, with much of the film leaning on the two species as they balance on the brink of a war that could desolate both parties.

Andy Serkis leads the motion capture cast of apes once again as ‘Caesar,‘ developing his character even further after the first film as ‘Caesar‘ now cares for the clan of apes alongside his newly-found family, and just like the first film, Serkis once again manages to make an animalistic ape a far more interesting and likeable character than would initially seem possible. It’s the criminally underrated actor Toby Kebbell who shines most within the film, however, as the sequel provides the war-mongering ape; ‘Koba,’ with a much larger role, having the ape serve as the film’s main antagonist. In addition to the apes, the film also features a number of human characters, portrayed by Jason Clarke, Keri Russell and Gary Oldman, who are all great in spite of their limited screen-time.

Whilst ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ did feature plenty of attractive shots, Michael Seresin’s cinematography is actually an improvement over the previous entry, as the sequel manages to utilise its dim lighting and the overgrown/dilapidated cityscape of San Francisco to fantastic results. The cinematography also helps add too much of the film’s action, as despite the film only containing two action set pieces, both scenes manage to feel like an excellent payoff to the large amount of build up before them. Yet, personally, I believe one of the most impressive aspects of the film has to be its practical sets, from the overcrowded ‘Human Colony’ to the decrepit streets of San Francisco, nearly all of the film’s sets are breathtaking in both size and detail, with the ‘Ape Village’ being the clearest example of this superb craftsmanship.

Capturing the bleak and ominous tone of the story flawlessly, the original score by Michael Giacchino is also continuously brilliant, and personally, I feel it’s very underrated. As, immediately from the stylish opening sequence which informs the audience of all of the events that have taken place prior to this film, the backing track; ‘Level Plaguing Field,’ really elevates the scene’s emotional impact, with the later tracks; ‘Past Their Primates,’ ‘Along Simian Lines,’ and the 1968 country-rock song; ‘The Weight,’ continuing this trend. 

Although it could go without saying, the visual effects throughout are the film are fantastic, while still perhaps not as pristine as ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’s effects, the CG visuals do still hold up very well since 2014 and contain an immense amount of detail in areas. In fact, the company that created the apes, Weta Digital, were even brought back to bring to life a variety of other animals for the film including deers, horses, and even a grizzly bear, each sharing the same high level of detail.

In summary, ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ is another remarkable instalment in this new series, upping the stakes and visuals from the previous film alongside continuing the story in a meaningful and entertaining fashion. This science fiction sequel is certainly worth a watch, and whilst I would recommend watching the entire trilogy in order to experience the full story of ‘Caesar’ as a character, if you have limited time or perhaps don’t usually enjoy sci-fi, then I’d say the middle chapter of this ape-led trilogy is truly the most exciting and memorable of the three. Final Rating: 8/10.

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The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Overstuffed with plot lines, characters, and ideas alike, this sequel to the ‘Spider-Man’ reboot from 2012 lacks much of anything to truly get invested in. As, this time around, returning director Marc Webb alongside the long list of Sony producers seem to be far more focused on setting up future sequels and spin-offs for the franchise rather than the current story, resulting in a superhero flick that’s just as muddled and inconsistent as it is forgettable. And, while the film did receive fairly average reviews upon its initial release, I’ve personally always felt ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ is anything but ‘Amazing.’

Plot Summary: Continuing the adventures of the wall-crawler, New York City’s hero is thrown into action once again as he faces his newest threat; ‘Electro,’ whilst also balancing his normal day-to-day life as ‘Peter Parker’ with that of being ‘Spider-Man.’

It’s easy to see that throughout its production, ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ faced the problem of having far too many creative minds involved, as director Mark Webb fought against producers constantly as to what would be featured and explored within the superhero sequel. This is why the film eventually ended up having three separate antagonists, in addition to also focusing on ‘Peter’s various relationships and the surrounding mystery of his parents, which when all combined, make the film feel completely directionless, as the audience is given very little time to become invested in any specific aspect of the story before quickly moving on.

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone return to their roles of ‘Peter Parker’ and ‘Gwen Stacey’ for the sequel, whos romantic chemistry is still one of the film’s best elements similar to the previous instalment. New to the cast this time, however, is Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan and Paul Giamatti, who, all take on various roles as villains from ‘Spider-Man’s iconic rogues’ gallery, with the three portraying ‘Electro,’ ‘Green Goblin’ and ‘The Rhino,’ respectively. Yet, despite all these actors giving some fantastic performances in the past, most of the cast give extremely over-the-top and sometimes even strange performances here, which is only made worse as a result of the film’s large amount of cringey dialogue and absence of a consistent tone.

The film’s decent yet not overly inventive cinematography by Dan Mindel is, unfortunately, also hurt by the erratic editing throughout the film, as whilst not always present, occasionally, the editing does result in quite rapid cuts, with some shots that utilise slow-motion even being cut to when the ones before/afterwards did not, stopping the film from ever obtaining a smooth flow. Of course, although it’s usually a no-brainer when it comes to modern superhero flicks, the film’s CG effects are one of its most impressive and visually pleasing aspects, with many of ‘Electro’s shocking abilities being visualised as if they were ripped straight from the source material.

One of the most bizarre original scores in Zimmer’s catalogue of work, the original score by both him and Pharrell Williams gives the impression it’s made up of a number of different tracks from other unrelated films. As, aside from the signature track; ‘I’m Spider-Man,’ which does suitably feel like a heroic and upbeat theme for the beloved superhero. Many of the other tracks simply don’t mesh together well when they manage to stray away from being generic. However, it’s the infamous track; ‘I’m Electro,’ which certainly feels the most out-of-place, as the track employs electronic dubstep with vocals underneath by Pharrell himself that give voice to ‘Electro’s compulsive thoughts.

‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ is even surprisingly poor when it comes to its action, as whilst the film does attempt to be very ‘large-scale’ with its action set pieces, having many of them take place within the centre of New York City (where nearly all of the sequel was actually filmed). Much of the action also heavily relies on slow-motion, cheesy quips/jokes, and CG effects, all of which give the film’s action scenes an insufficiency of tension due to their over-extravagance.

In summary, after ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s release, it’s fair to say that Sony was put into a tough situation. As in spite of the film doing fairly well at the box-office, it was clear that fans had no further interest in seeing Sony’s many planned franchise instalments, eventually leading them to strike a deal with Disney to bring ‘Spider-Man’ into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, now portrayed by actor Tom Holland. Although some may be saddened this version of the iconic web-head will more than likely never return to our screens, other than the comic-accurate suit and great chemistry between Garfield and Stone, I feel this sequel (and rebooted series in general) had very little to offer to begin with, and I’m thankful Marvel is now taking the character in a different direction rather than just regurgitating the same narrative we’ve seen many times before. Final Rating: low 3/10.

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Tron: Legacy (2010) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Although Disney has had more than enough success when it comes to its animated filmography, the iconic production company has seemingly always struggled with its live-action endeavours, as aside from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise, many of Disney’s attempts to kick off a live-action film series, such as ‘John Carter,’ ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ and ‘Tomorrowland,’ have all been relative flops (with the exception of their remakes of animated classics). ‘Tron: Legacy,’ the action-packed sequel to the groundbreaking cult sci-fi hit; ‘Tron,’ from 1982, is a slight improvement in this area, yet still results in a film more focused on style-over-substance.

Plot Summary: After the tech-savvy and rebellious; ‘Sam Flynn,’ begins looking into his father’s disappearance, he soon finds himself pulled into the digital world of ‘The Grid,’ where he discovers his father has been trapped for over twenty years. All the while, his father’s malevolent program; ‘CLU,’ who rules ‘The Grid,’ plans to prevent the pair’s escape and take the real world for himself…

Being set in a virtual world, nearly every scene within ‘Tron: Legacy’ takes place in fully CG locations, and although most of the film’s CG effects do hold up well and are visually appealing. The digital world of ‘The Grid’ does begin to feel quite unvaried after a point, as whilst it may look unique at first glance, the illuminated buildings and vehicles throughout the city of ‘Tron’ feel fairly repetitive, despite the film’s variety of different locations. In fact, it’s the film’s CG visuals that actually made ‘Tron: Legacy’ the most expensive film ever made by a first-time director at the time of its release, with the costume budget alone costing over £10 million.

Garrett Hudlund portrays the film’s protagonist; ‘Sam,’ alongside the supporting cast of Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde, and even Michael Sheen in a small role. They all give decent performances despite their dull characters, as ‘Tron: Legacy’s story and characters follow many of the same story beats as any other sci-fi adventure. However, easily the worst element of the film when it comes to its characters is the film’s antagonist. Known only as ‘CLU,’ a corrupt program created by Jeff Bridges’ character; ‘Kevin Flynn,’ as a digital copy of himself, this villain not only suffers from a barely developed motivation, but due to him being a program which doesn’t age, the film utilises CGI to make Jeff Bridges appear a similar age to that of his in the original film, which is one of the few CG effects that hasn’t aged well, appearing almost laughably bad at points.

Claudio Miranda handles the cinematography throughout ‘Tron: Legacy,’ and although the film definitely puts far more of an emphasis on its CG effects than its cinematography, there are still a fair amount of interesting shots including plenty of stunning wide shots to display the true scale of the digital world. The cinematography also makes great use of the film’s few sleek futuristic sets despite their very limited screen-time, most notably, ‘Flynn’s Safehouse,’ located on the edge of ‘The Grid.’

The original score for the film is actually composed by the techno band, ‘Daft Punk,’ whose type of music does suitably fit the sci-fi genre, and whilst some tracks do feel a little too similar to an actual techno album, in my opinion. For the most part, the soundtrack does back up the film’s narrative and adventurous tone very effectively. ‘Daft Punk’ themselves even make a short cameo within the film as a pair of DJs in the ‘End of Line’ nightclub, wearing their iconic helmets as they play one of the film’s most memorable tracks, which share the same title as the club itself.

Another great aspect of ‘Tron: Legacy’ is certainly its action set pieces, as although many of the action scenes throughout the film aren’t anything incredibly inventive. The original ‘Tron’ did introduce the creative concepts of ‘Identity/Light Disks’ and ‘Light Cycles,’ both of which return in the sequel and result in plenty of thrilling and fast-paced action sequences as ‘Sam’ is thrown into an array of gladiator-esque challenges near the beginning of the film. The various costumes worn by the characters who live within ‘The Grid’ are also worth a quick mention, as most of the characters wear a ‘Light Suit,’ which usually features fluorescent-like glowing strips that illuminate each suit in a range of colours, which never fails to be visually striking.

In summary, ‘Tron: Legacy’ is by no means a terrible film, and when it comes to Disney’s other ventures into live-action, ‘Tron: Legacy’ could even be seen as a success by some. But, with its fairly paint-by-numbers story, bland characters and an onslaught of over-done clichés, this sci-fi sequel ends up becoming more of a display for its impressive CG visuals and electronic original score rather than an exhilarating sci-fi odyssey. If you’re a fan of the original ‘Tron’ I feel you will surely enjoy this follow-up. If not, maybe look elsewhere for your fill of original science fiction. Final Rating: 6/10.

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