So I took myself off to see Prometheus recently to kill a couple of hours. Ever since this film was announced early in 2011 I’ve kept it on my radar and permanently attached to my “to do” list for June 2012.
My hopes were high as all of the trailers and viral videos for the film that had been sent out to the interweb had been disturbingly good. These seemed to have totally captured the essence of the “Alien” franchise and were very much in keeping with the Haunted House in space feeling the first film had over thirty years ago. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. The first big question that needs to be addressed is does this film even qualify as an “Alien” prequel?
Both Twentieth Century Fox and its director have been very cagey and reluctant to go on record saying that it was a prequel. The most committal statement that could be gleaned from the man with the megaphone was that “It takes place in the same universe as Alien”.
Well I am pleased to report that the film does indeed grab the prequel moniker with both hands and runs with it, quite literally in some places.
The story of Prometheus at its heart is simple. People find map. People follow map. Map leads to danger. The map in question comes in the form of an ancient pictogram (just think early A to Z star charts and you wouldn’t be too wide of the mark). One of many that has been found around the world, all showing the same image. These other images come from various other cultures that seemingly had no prior contact with each other but nonetheless all show the same thing. The people in question, Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green, then convince a passing Trillionaire, Guy Pearce, that he should send an expedition off into deep space to find whoever or whatever left these illustrations dotted all over the place.
Jumping forward two and a bit years the explorers awaken from stasis on a ship, the aforementioned Prometheus, to find themselves surrounded by a very odd group that seems to have been put together for no other reason than someone wanted to try and break the world record for a team self-destructing in under thirty six hours.
This motley crew is a very eclectic bunch and also has the odd stereotype thrown in for good measure. Who’d of thought that a deep space mission set to discover the origins of mankind would have required an angry Scotsman with a mohican and head tattoo’s. Maybe someone should drop NASA a line and let them know that in order for the International Space Station to be a success they should start advertising in Job Centres north of Hadrian ’s Wall.
The saving grace in this group and possibly the entire film has to be David, played by Michael Fassbender. His performance as the company android is chilling and played with emotional detachment of a serial killer. His line “Big things have small beginnings” is delivered in a very unsettling but calm way. David never shouts, raises his voice or becomes angry but trust me when I tell you this. You wouldn’t want him as your babysitter.
Prometheus marks the now “Sir” Ridley Scott’s return into the Sci Fi genre for the first time in thirty years, having previously made the now uber classics Alien and Blade Runner. This third film could be regarded as him completing his hat trick however without Fassbender this motion picture could well be regarded as an own goal.
Although in many ways this is unfair towards Scott. Most people, myself included, went into this film carrying a lot of Alien “baggage” with them. Sir Ridley was never going to be able to please of the people all of the time. That said the film does have some spectacular visuals and a few twists and turns that should keep the viewing audience guessing.
My problem and main disappointment with the film is the last twenty minutes. If you’re yet to see this film my advice would be take a stop watch and leave at around the 105 minute mark if you want your memory of this film to be a happy one.
Up until then it is a tight, compact and well written film and genuinely does hold your interest and at times has you on the edge of your seat. However for some reason the last twenty minutes of script and plot seems to have been handed over to a department at Fox that must used the “roll a six to start” method for getting things done. It really is that bad that as and when the film is released on Blu ray & DVD I may just go through the last part of the movie frame by frame to see if the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse do actually appear in it briefly.
I’ll finish by saying this. Do go and see this film. Make sure you watch Alien before you do as you will get more from it but please don’t go in expecting a masterpiece. It does have some great brush strokes and texture but wouldn’t look out of place in a finger painting gallery either.
Twitter Review:
Rolling over a few feet will save you from a falling spaceship. Running in a straight line will not. Prometheus needs work.
#Disappointed
Useful links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIJeQNyZ6VE&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GROrp3XBRrE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWmbqH_z7jM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9PNTIZeJzY&feature=relmfu
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Saturday 2 June 2012
Avengers Assemble
Well here we go my first review.
Where to start?
For those of you not in the know “Avengers Assemble” is not the instruction manual for a new piece of Ikea flat pack furniture, oh no. It’s a Film that’s been five years in the making.
Ever since Robert Downey Jr. donned a shiny metal red and gold suit back in 2008 all roads have led to this point and after two Iron Man, a Hulk, a Thor and a Captain America film the most expensive backstory in Hollywood history was complete.
The erstwhile Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury, who seems to have been in as many Marvel films recently as the cameo whore Stan Lee, brings together a team of superheroes (and a couple of plot holes) to save the world from a Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and an army ably provided from acme’s “Rent a Goon” department.
These aforementioned superheroes come in all shapes and sizes and happen to include Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow, a woman who isn’t just put in for geek eye candy and plays an important part in keeping the story arc moving forward. Chris Evans, Steve Rogers Captain America’s is a man out of time but surprisingly not out of place. His leadership skills in the third act keep Earths last stand grounded in reality and he’s written to perfection.
The star of the show however has to be Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. A character, if you believe what you read in the press, he has signed on to reprise a further six times on the big screen and rumour has it the small screen too. “Hulk Smash” may have just become the new yard stick for on screen cinematic destruction and it can only be a matter of time before the phrase passes into the pop culture hall of fame. Next on our list of do-gooders is Thor. A God that could best be described as a long haired, “have Hammer, will travel”, weather man with angst. Indeed it is struggle and belief that there may still be good in his brother Loki that provides the film with some of its backbone. Jeremy Renner, last seen in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Soon to be seen taking the Bourne Franchise forward on his ever capable broad shoulders plays Hawkeye. A character which has nothing to do with the 70’s TV show M.A.S.H. but has everything to do with being the best shot with a bow and arrow this side of Robin Hood. Rounding off our band of “Grade A” good guys is Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark. He gets some of the best lines from the film but copyright not withstanding I would have loved to have hear him utter the immortal phrase “To infinity & beyond!” at least once.
Getting all the characters to gel and giving them all their own screen time was a very tall order, almost bordering on the impossible but Writer and Director Joss Whedon called upon his experiences dealing with group dynamics in Buffy, Firefly & Dollshouse to see him through. Having now seen the film twice I can’t think of any writer or director out there that could have done a better job with the tools at his disposal.
So what is Avengers Assemble about? It’s about two and a half hours.
However I’m suspecting that you dear reader may require a little bit more than that from a review. So let me set the scene….
Loki having somehow managed to survive drifting off into space at the end of Thor, is still a power hungry megalomaniac. Just think James Murdoch with a helmet horn fetish, hell bent on wielding power over a subjugated people and guess who he wants to subjugate? Go on you’ll never guess…..That’s right the good old people of earth. You know for a planet that’s only made it as far as the moon the human race does seem to have made a long list of galactic enemies. I’m sure the French must have something to do with that however I digress.
Loki pops up on earth needing to get his grubby little hands on an unlimited source of power “The Tesseract” and luckily those nice chaps at S.H.I.E.L.D. happen to have one. This power source is the key to getting Loki's army to Earth and after a few waves of Loki’s magic staff/wand and a few kung fu moves that would put Bruce Lee to shame it gets taken. What follows in getting the Tesseract back can honestly be described as good as it gets at leaving your brain at the door and being entertained. I don’t want to give too much of the story away but if flying aircraft carriers and a script so sharp you could shave with it normally float your boat you are in for a huge treat. If you haven’t seen it GO! And if you have seen it go see it AGAIN!!!
We lucky Brits also get the honour of having the word “Assemble” tagged on to our title. Apparently to cut down on any confusion with the 60’s TV show starring Patrick Macnee as John Steed. I myself feel a little put out by this and if I’m being honest a tad insulted! I know that stereotypes can be a hard thing to see past at times but really, do our American cousins think Britain is populated by people that could and indeed would walk into a cinema expecting something other than a superhero movie given the previous Marvel films?
In closing, I am aware that some of you out there internet land can’t cope with anything longer than 140 characters long so this review and all future reviews shall include a condensed, easy to swallow in tablet form, guide to what you can expect.
A film with Hammers, Hulks and an under the radar C word. Great action, superb writing & a cast I can’t wait to see assemble again.
#ABLAST
Useful Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPoHPNeU9fc
Where to start?
For those of you not in the know “Avengers Assemble” is not the instruction manual for a new piece of Ikea flat pack furniture, oh no. It’s a Film that’s been five years in the making.
Ever since Robert Downey Jr. donned a shiny metal red and gold suit back in 2008 all roads have led to this point and after two Iron Man, a Hulk, a Thor and a Captain America film the most expensive backstory in Hollywood history was complete.
The erstwhile Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury, who seems to have been in as many Marvel films recently as the cameo whore Stan Lee, brings together a team of superheroes (and a couple of plot holes) to save the world from a Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and an army ably provided from acme’s “Rent a Goon” department.
These aforementioned superheroes come in all shapes and sizes and happen to include Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow, a woman who isn’t just put in for geek eye candy and plays an important part in keeping the story arc moving forward. Chris Evans, Steve Rogers Captain America’s is a man out of time but surprisingly not out of place. His leadership skills in the third act keep Earths last stand grounded in reality and he’s written to perfection.
The star of the show however has to be Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. A character, if you believe what you read in the press, he has signed on to reprise a further six times on the big screen and rumour has it the small screen too. “Hulk Smash” may have just become the new yard stick for on screen cinematic destruction and it can only be a matter of time before the phrase passes into the pop culture hall of fame. Next on our list of do-gooders is Thor. A God that could best be described as a long haired, “have Hammer, will travel”, weather man with angst. Indeed it is struggle and belief that there may still be good in his brother Loki that provides the film with some of its backbone. Jeremy Renner, last seen in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Soon to be seen taking the Bourne Franchise forward on his ever capable broad shoulders plays Hawkeye. A character which has nothing to do with the 70’s TV show M.A.S.H. but has everything to do with being the best shot with a bow and arrow this side of Robin Hood. Rounding off our band of “Grade A” good guys is Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark. He gets some of the best lines from the film but copyright not withstanding I would have loved to have hear him utter the immortal phrase “To infinity & beyond!” at least once.
Getting all the characters to gel and giving them all their own screen time was a very tall order, almost bordering on the impossible but Writer and Director Joss Whedon called upon his experiences dealing with group dynamics in Buffy, Firefly & Dollshouse to see him through. Having now seen the film twice I can’t think of any writer or director out there that could have done a better job with the tools at his disposal.
So what is Avengers Assemble about? It’s about two and a half hours.
However I’m suspecting that you dear reader may require a little bit more than that from a review. So let me set the scene….
Loki having somehow managed to survive drifting off into space at the end of Thor, is still a power hungry megalomaniac. Just think James Murdoch with a helmet horn fetish, hell bent on wielding power over a subjugated people and guess who he wants to subjugate? Go on you’ll never guess…..That’s right the good old people of earth. You know for a planet that’s only made it as far as the moon the human race does seem to have made a long list of galactic enemies. I’m sure the French must have something to do with that however I digress.
Loki pops up on earth needing to get his grubby little hands on an unlimited source of power “The Tesseract” and luckily those nice chaps at S.H.I.E.L.D. happen to have one. This power source is the key to getting Loki's army to Earth and after a few waves of Loki’s magic staff/wand and a few kung fu moves that would put Bruce Lee to shame it gets taken. What follows in getting the Tesseract back can honestly be described as good as it gets at leaving your brain at the door and being entertained. I don’t want to give too much of the story away but if flying aircraft carriers and a script so sharp you could shave with it normally float your boat you are in for a huge treat. If you haven’t seen it GO! And if you have seen it go see it AGAIN!!!
We lucky Brits also get the honour of having the word “Assemble” tagged on to our title. Apparently to cut down on any confusion with the 60’s TV show starring Patrick Macnee as John Steed. I myself feel a little put out by this and if I’m being honest a tad insulted! I know that stereotypes can be a hard thing to see past at times but really, do our American cousins think Britain is populated by people that could and indeed would walk into a cinema expecting something other than a superhero movie given the previous Marvel films?
In closing, I am aware that some of you out there internet land can’t cope with anything longer than 140 characters long so this review and all future reviews shall include a condensed, easy to swallow in tablet form, guide to what you can expect.
A film with Hammers, Hulks and an under the radar C word. Great action, superb writing & a cast I can’t wait to see assemble again.
#ABLAST
Useful Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPoHPNeU9fc
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