Merantau(2009) 134 min In Minangkabau, West Sumatera, Yuda a skilled practitioner of Silat Harimau is in the final preparations to begin his "Merantau" a century's old rites-of-passage to be carried out by the community's young men that will see him leave the comforts of his idyllic farming village and make a name for himself in the bustling city of Jakarta. After a series of setbacks leave Yuda homeless and uncertain about his new future, a chance encounter results in him defending the orphaned Astri from becoming the latest victim of a European human trafficking ring led by the wildly psychotic, Ratger and his right-hand man Lars. With Ratger injured in the mêlée and seeking both his "merchandise" and bloody retribution, Yuda's introduction to this bustling city is a baptism of fire as he is forced to go on the run with Astri and her younger brother Adit as all the pimps and gangsters that inhabit the night hound the streets chasing their every step. With escape seemingly beyond their grasp, Yuda has no choice but to face his attackers in an adrenaline charged, jaw-dropping finale. Director:Gareth Evans Writers:Gareth Evans, Daiwanne Ralie (translation) Stars:Iko Uwais, Sisca Jessica and Christine Hakim Merantau was made before The Raid: Redemption. Both films have similarities; a common cast and great fight scenes. But where The Raid excels in explosive choreography Merantau falls behind just a little. I might be a tad over-critical as there is a two year gap between the two films and a lot of training and choreography can be planned. Unlike The Raid, Merantau has a story; it's not much, but there is a basis for the plot and it resembles The Transporter. Yuda goes away on a sacrilegious pilgrimage to find his soul and to become a man in his own way. After his initial plan falls through he does all he can to save a damsel in distress. Then as the cliche goes Damsel and Knight fall in love through it all. Iko Uwais is the master of Silat as Tony Jaa is the master of Muay Thai. These two actors/ action stars share many of the same qualities but in my own personal opinion Uwais is a far better actor and fighter on screen. Donny Alamsyah makes an appearance as Yuda's older brother which is ironic because in The Raid Donny played the older brother of Uwais' Rama. Another familiar face is Yayan Ruhian who plays a small role as a clean-shaved short-haired mercenary who sacrifices himself for Yuda. Merantau is a good film if you're a fan of action films. I found this movie looking up previous and future work of Iko Uwais and this film, as well as The Raid, is apart of some of the greatest fight movies of all time. I recommend this film. I give Merantau a 4/5. Lockout(2012) 95 min - Thriller | Action | Sci-Fi - 13 April 2012 (USA) A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates. Directors: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger Writers: Stephen St. Leger (screenplay), James Mather (screenplay), and 2 more credits » Stars:Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace and Peter Stormare| Luc Besson's films follow a similar pattern; a sarcastic bad-ass main character is
either betrayed, "shanghai'd", or forced the task of retrieving a certain special object. If the object is a person there is usually a time-limit involved with either the main character and/or the object dying when the timer strikes 00:00. If the object is a weapon the world or a certain area is at risk of destruction if the task isn't completed or the timer runs out. In The Fifth Element Bruce Willis was tasked in getting Milla Jovovich to the temple of life to save the planet from destruction. In Transporter 2 Jason Statham was made to track down a kidnapped child all-the-while saving the day from a toxic disease. Lockout introduces you to Guy Pierce as he plays "Snow," who is "shanghai'd" into saving the president's daughter who is held hostage on a interstellar space prison where 400+ maximum security prisoners are let loose and causing chaos. This movie is all about Snow. Don't let the exciting plot fool you, don't let the pretty girl cloud your judgment, and don't let the low-grade CGI give you a headache. This is a launch-pad film for Guy Pierce and he knows it. His character is heroic, sarcastic, self-obsessed, fearless, and outspokenly funny. You'll recognize a lot of the cast, but the main focal point is the character arc of Snow and the mystery of why he was set-up to go to prison for 30 years and why he's such a good guy underneath all that pompous exterior. For such a futuristic film there's not a lot of emphasis on technology and science. Plot holes like present day medicine is used, most electronics run off of normal wires, and most of the weapons are SWAT grade issue. Other than seeing a CGI space station and some glowing stars out the windows you forget that this is futuristic film. More or less Lockout is a fun action film. It's not supposed to be taken literally and it's not the best piece of cinema in anyones library but it's a great solid movie that is straight to the point and doesn't waste time on cheesy romance or unnecessary scenes. I give Lockout 4/5. The Raid: Redemption 2011 1 h 41 min A SWAT team becomes trapped in a tenement building ran by a ruthless crime lord and his army of henchman. The Raid took me and all of the film festivals by storm. This action-packed film is one of the most entertaining "fight" movie I've ever seen. The level of difficulty in the choreography and the intense, long, and painful fight scenes showcase how an action movie should be done. The best part about The Raid is the complete lack of story. The premise is a Thai SWAT team is sent to an apartment complex of 30 floors to find and capture a crime kingpin. The complex however is filled with dangerous employees of the kingpin and will stop at nothing to protect their boss. There is no emotional support for the lead character, no background tale to setup the film, no outlandish plot to remember, just mesmerizing violence and action. This movie has everything: Special Weapons and Tactical Operations, Sub-machine gun warfare, assault tactics, assassinations, bombs, handgun combat, knife-play, sword-play, close quarters combat, mixed martial arts, muay thai, jujitsu, and many others. If you want a great action film in your collection to watch over and over again. The Raid is a great addition. I give this film a grand applause and a 5 out of 5. "Movie to ruin your life..." - says Constance after watching said film, "As a mom this is really hard to watch..."
Described as *the* most brutal, unrelenting, and gruesome movie you'll ever see "Inside" has to be one of the most gore-filled, grotesque, violent films I've ever seen. Forget Cannibal Holocaust, completely ignore The Human Centipede 1 and 2, don't even mention Hostel. "Inside" is non-stop cover-your-eyes, mouth agape, oh my god!, and super wide eyed moments. It's hard to even put words together after finishing this journey of blood, turmoil, horror, and home-made C-Sections. Inside has a simple plot; Man and woman make a baby, as woman is pregnant she get into a wreck, man dies and she's left to bare the child, evil old lady wants woman's child and will stop at nothing to get it. Seems straight-forward no? This piece of claret red covered art is overwhelming to say the least. If you are squeamish, weak-hearted, and sensitive to anything child related be very wary of this movie. What transpires in this film makes you feel so much better about your day; because chances are you'll never experience anything like this...ever...ever. Plus, it's astonishing that this film is only one hour and fifteen minutes in duration because it feels as if you've watched it for hours. Trying to get past the extreme copious amounts of brutality the acting in this film is quite exciting and hair-raising. Although all of the film is crying, screaming, choking, gurgling, spewing, dying, and full of torture all the actors succeed in making you believe what you see is what you get. Effects appear like they're borrowed straight from Faces of Death and there is more blood used in this film than Lestat can drink or Elizabeth Bathory bathed with. Besides the very strange and ho-ly-sh-it Zombie moment at the end thanks to close-range Flashbulb Riot Gun and the incredible C-section scene this film could be put in the same category as the films listed in the first paragraph, BUT "Inside" is a very unique French film that will stay in your mind and memory long after you've watched it. Not a good Mother's Day movie and definitely not a top choice for date-night. I give Inside a 2/5 for it's way way way over the top gore and outrageous scenes and haunting plot. I had a harder time watching this film than Human Centipede 2 and I thought that film was hard to stomach. Don't misunderstand my rating though; I'm not demeaning the obnoxious amounts of guts, blood, and severed arteries I'm simply scoring on overall entertainment. This is a shock flick; a movie to keep in your collection to show the creepy friends you have what gore really is. Or for if you have a significant other who is into torture-porn and extreme amounts of gore; then it can be a date-night choice. Unless you have experience in watching gore-filled movies I'd pass on this film. If you prefer suspense, mystery, and ghost or apparition type scary movies stay far away from Inside. If you prefer Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wolf Creek, I Saw the Devil, and films like High Tension (also French) than go ahead and enjoy Inside. If you like Inside you'll also like: "Grace." "The Strangers." "High Tension." The Avengers was a blast. It held up to all of it's hype and anticipation. It surpassed $200 million in the opening weekend and that is what was spent to make the film. It's worth every penny. There's not many poor things I can say for Marvel's Super Superhero film, but I'll try and dissect this gigantic action flick.
Avengers roll-call Captain America: patriot, underdog, super-soldier altered with high levels of gamma radiation by Howard Stark. Tony Stark: prodigal son of Howard Stark, genius, weapons and energy expert and manufacturer, and vigilante who created a suit or armor that runs off of an arc reactor that can wield dangerous power. Thor: son of Odin, King of Asgard, Nordic God of thunder, and is the only being able to possess the power of Mjolnir; a warhammer of immense legend. Bruce Banner: gamma radiation physicist and meta-particle scientist, host to the alter ego/ Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde HULK. Black Widow: Russian spy turned S.H.I.E.L.D. assassin, and close partner to Hawkeye: S.H.I.E.L.D. assault specialist who wields a bow with skills that can match Legolas. Bringing together such a massive cast can be a disaster for some films, but The Avengers takes the large credit line with ease. Equal camera time for all the heavy hitters and great editing pulls this film together nicely with pace, screenplay simplicity, and character chemistry. Tie-ins from Iron Man 1 and 2, Thor, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk are done casually, but if you haven't seen the precursors you can be lost at parts. The easter-eggs, the tie-ins, the hints at future films or the winks at past films bring out the inner geek in all of us that have watched the previous films or read the comics. Character progression is a big thing about The Avengers and mainly this film is a strong lead-in to The Avengers 2. Tony Stark shows that he is more than an egomaniac playboy billionaire and he has what it takes to be a leader and can sacrifice everything for the greater good. Opposing Iron Man leadership is Steve Rodgers a.k.a. Capt. America. Nothing much has changed for Mr. America but his costume. Hawkeye actually gets a spot in the credits, unlike in Thor, and you finally get to see what his powers, or lack there of, are. He is a force to be reckoned with and I'm sure if he and Legolas teamed up during the fight against Sauron, Middle-Earth would've been saved sooner. Instead of Edward Norton portraying Bruce Banner, Mark Ruffalo carries the character extremely well. Instead of seeing the Hulk as a burden, Banner now uses him as an asset and can change on cue. Samuel Jackson always looks like he's just living out his character from Pulp Fiction and in The Avengers you finally get to see Nick Fury fight...briefly; and he misses quite a bit. Thor shows off his brotherly love and stars in some of the best moments in the film with him and Hulk's chemistry being irreplaceable. Loki has a hard time in The Avengers; no home, no conviction, and fighting a waning war with the Chitauri (who resemble the Locust Horde from Gears of War.) Acting here is pulled back and subtle. A good choice in a film with so much talent. Downey, Hiddleson, Jackson, Renner, Evans, Johansson, Hemsworth, and Ruffalo all have their significant quirks and distinct characteristics that create a world within itself as Loki and the Chitauri try and destroy the world to decimate man's reign on Earth. The best part of The Avengers is Joss Whedon's ability to level the playing field and use the dialogue and each characters reputation to move the story forward and get the audience attached and entertained. Although a major character dies, and yes it's very saddening, you're with the superhero crew all the way and against Loki and his alien army. Visuals and effects are similar to a Michael Bay film; huge adversaries, a lot of destruction, trillions of dollars in damage to buildings and cities, and many many explosions. I viewed the film in 3D; although I don't prefer that version of film, there are many 3D moments and it is definitely one of the better 3D movies out there. The Avengers is a great movie and it's just a teaser for what's to come from Marvel. Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 are slated for 2013, Captain America 2 and an unknown release are coming in 2014, and the Avengers 2 is estimated for 2015. I give The Avengers 5 out of 5. |
Movie ReviewsComment on a Review. Archives
April 2013
Films
All
|