Sicario (Review) - 'Sicario' Means 'Amazing Movie' in English

It's a concept we've seen a million times before: Good cop witnesses atrocities; good cop joins shady group to put an end to said atrocities; good cop discovers they might not be on the right side of the law; good cop tries to stop misdoings. That's the funny thing about Sicario, really. If you pull all of its pieces apart one-by-one, then it's not exactly unique or imaginative. But that doesn't matter. Every actor and every shot is so incredibly engrossing, that you completely forget the formula - you're totally drawn in. 

The film opens with Emily Blunt's character Kate Mercer performing a ram-raid on a known property with ties to the Mexican cartel. Things don't quite end up as expected, however, and she begins to see with blinding clarity that kicking in doors won't reach the guys on the top. So, when her actions are noticed by government higher-ups, she's enlisted to join a specialist task force that give her the assurance they'll get a chance at "the real guys behind this". After a particularly bloody trip to Juárez, Kate begins to see that maybe the people she's with aren't necessarily the good guys, and that she might be entering a world which she's far from familiar with. 

The first thing you'll notice about this unexpectedly brilliant movie is how beautiful it looks. Yes: rotting corpses hidden in walls might not be a pretty sight, but you'd be forgiven for thinking so when it's delivered in such a stylised and enthralling way. There are a few shots in particular that manage to tell far more than pages of dialogue ever could, and they're intensely impressive to even the most passive of viewers. A single frame is never wasted in Sicario, and that's precisely how it should be. 

But, as I mentioned, the acting is just as sharp. Emily Blunt in the lead role is a perfect fit, as she manages to portray exactly what the viewer is feeling; we don't honestly know who these people are, or if they're even within the law, and neither does she. The absolute star of the show has to be Benicio Del Toro as the sinister and enigmatic Alejandro, however. From the very first time we see him, Del Toro leaves you full of questions that might not even get resolved. Not only does he add to the disconcertingly mysterious tone of the entire movie, but his guarded motives are one of the things that keep you watching so intently. Josh Brolin also delivers a strong performance as Kate's polar opposite with the character of Matt Graver; a gung-ho fighter who never fails to see the funny side amongst the mangled corpses. 

Kate (Emily Blunt)

And if we're going to cover all of our bases, then I ought to point out just how perfectly the movie is scored. Before we even catch a glimpse of Juárez, we already know how dangerous it is from a long, panning shot of the mountains accompanied by music that wouldn't seem out of place in any horror flick. You genuinely fear for Kate's life as she's violently thrown into a world she neither understands, nor can put an end to. The film ends on a similarly bleak note that'll leave you with plenty to think about. 

If you're going in to Sicario for an out-an-out popcorn flick, then you're better off looking elsewhere. This is heavy content, and it's delivered in a style that perfectly suits just that; violence is visceral and destructive, not glamorous. If you think you can stomach it, though, then it's well worth your time. 

The Martian (Review) - Super Starman

Rarely do films based off of books stick so closely to their source material. I'm not one of these people who endlessly laments when movie adaptations stray from the work that they're based upon, but I was genuinely surprised by how accurate The Martian was at depicting the tone and events of the popular book by Andy Weir. 

The film opens to Matt Damon very nearly dying. Well, we as the audience know he survives, but to everybody else concerned (and believe me: that concerns plenty of people), Mark Watney dies while the crew are leaving the iconic red planet. And so, as the crew of six becomes five, we discover that Mark is holding on to his dwindling life by a delicate thread. Soon after waking up, Mark comes to the realisation that he will most likely die on Mars; unless he can somehow survive for literally years and inform NASA of his existence. 

It's a pretty brilliant premise, and one which feels relatively similar to something like 127 Hours or Castaway in its execution. Here we have a survivalist who, against all apparent odds, must survive long enough to escape his natural prison - and what a prison it is. Ridley Scott presents the Martian planet in beautiful, desolate wide-shots that really give a sense of just how isolated a man would feel when he is literally the only human being on an entire planet. Surprisingly, there's also a vast amount of comedy based around this premise, which was hinted at in the trailers: "I don't want to come off as arrogant here, but I'm the best botanist on the entire planet." This is appropriate, as the book also depicted Watney as a very charismatic individual; perhaps more so than the movie manages to achieve. Regardless, Matt Damon is fairly excellent in the role, and adds hugely to the overall entertainment that the film provides.

But he's far from alone in the stellar acting department. It would take too long to name every famous actor present in The Martian, so here's just a few familiar names: Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Donald Glover, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It's a star-studded cast to say the least, and nobody is particularly wasted throughout the movie. Sure, because of the sheer amount of talent present, it's understandable that some characters receive less limelight than others, but everybody gets their chance to shine. Saying that, I was a tad disappointed that Michael Peňa had little chance to flex his comedic muscles, but only because he was probably one of the funniest parts of the recent Ant Man. 

There's a fair amount of contention over one aspect of the movie, however: the run-time. It may only be 2 hours and 20 minutes long, but certain segments do seem to drag a little, and there's a scene added at the end (that wasn't in the book) which feels inconsequential to the overall story. I won't spoil anything, but the film's ending wouldn't have been worsened at all if this scene had simply been removed. 

I'd also like to make a particular mention for the soundtrack - both original score, as well as existing songs incorporated into the movie. Though David Bowie's Life on Mars? might have been too obvious, there's still his equally iconic Starman featured, as well as other 80s classics from ABBA and, going even further back, The O'Jays. Similar to Guardians of the Galaxy, the juxtaposition of futuristic space travel with memorable songs made the film feel a little more grounded in reality. Additionally, the score composed by Harry Gregson-Williams (who played a large role in the Metal Gear Solid games) is just as mesmerising, and really evokes a sense of films like Alien - also by Ridley Scott. 

Verdict

While not quite as incredible as I'd hoped it would be, The Martian is still well worth your time. If not for the catchy soundtrack full of disco, then you ought to see it for Matt Damon's pretty spot-on portrayal of Mark Watney in his isolated home. You might be yawning towards the end, but it's still a movie that's not going to be a waste of your time. 

"I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this."

The Visit (Review) - Worth an RSVP

Families can be a nightmare, can't they? I'm sure everybody has certain relatives who refuse to speak to eachother, so the premise for The Visit is instantly relatable. Once her kids find out that she hasn't spoken to her parents in years, a single mother (Kathryn Hahn) decides to let them go and spend a week at their grandparent's house. Because of the huge rift between her and her parents however, the mother doesn't go with her kids, as she instead goes on a cruise with her partner. In order to document their trip, the eldest of the two children, Becca (Olivia DeJonge), brings a couple of video cameras. After a few days at their isolated home, however, the kids soon realise that something isn't quite right. 

I went into The Visit knowing literally nothing about the movie: I hadn't seen any trailers, nor even seen a poster for the film. In fact, the only reason I decided to go and watch it was because I had nothing better to do, and I'd heard that it was a horror. Because of this sight unseen approach, I had literally zero expectations for the film - a huge benefit for any modern movie. This lack of expectations meant that the sky was the limit for how much I would enjoy The Visit, and I'm happy to say that it's well worth the price of admission. The plot isn't the freshest I've seen in recent memory, and it clearly borrows elements from icons of the horror genre (the day of the week appearing on-screen regularly, a la The Shining, for example), but it's still interesting and keeps you guessing up to the inevitable reveal. 

Something that surprised me slightly about The Visit was that it was a found-footage movie, although it managed to sway slightly from the mundane stereotypes found within these films. Sure, there were moments such as hiding a camera downstairs to capture footage in the night, but otherwise things felt relatively fresh in this respect. Perhaps this is because while the movie wants to be found-footage, there's times when the camera is operated in a manner that would be completely unnatural if held by a normal teenager. For example, while on a Skype call with their Mum, the camera is positioned behind the two kids. Now, this could obviously be set-up by them with a simple tripod, but it just doesn't feel like something that you would film. For the most part, though, the documentary-esque way in which the story is presented and filmed keeps the pace and tension high, and really adds to the overall feel of the film. 

Something that doesn't entirely add to the movie is the relationship between the two kids, and their characterisation as individuals. First of all, Becca begins the movie spouting academic jargon that would confuse even an adult, and it just feels awkward to say the least. Also, though he's eventually redeemed slightly by other events of the movie, Becca's brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) is downright irritating. Sure, I might have a slight bias as I've never been a fan of children in movies (or at all, to be honest), but his pseudo-rapper persona that he adopts is just cringe-worthy. As I said, this is amended a little later by his strengthening relationship with Becca, but there's times that his arrogance draws a little from the events playing out. 

Nana (Deanna Dunagan)

This slight diminishing of tension is an issue throughout the film, as while The Visit is primarily a horror/ thriller, there are segments that are very humourous in a tongue-in-cheek style. While this isn't a problem, there's certain scares that are lessened by a moment of comedy, and vice versa. Personally, I would have preferred if the film had gone all-out horror, but maybe this is just a point of personal preference, rather than a fault of the movie itself. 




Verdict
It won't stick with you as the best film of the year, but if you have a spare afternoon then there'd be far worse things to do than see The Visit. It has moments of genuine tension, and the occasional scene that will make you laugh out loud. While the film runs for about 10 minutes too long, it still manages to tell an interesting story with a twist that, while not revolutionary, it's unlikely you'll see coming. And considering M. Night Shyamalan's last few movies have been panned both critically and commercially, this turned out to be a very nice surprise. 

"Would you mind getting inside the oven...

to clean it?"

Until Dawn: Games Becoming More

This past week, a few friends and I played through the thoroughly enjoyable Until Dawn for PS4. Taking heavy inspiration from the slasher teen flicks of the 80s, the game focuses on a group of teenagers as they return to a remote, isolated cabin following a tragedy that they brought on exactly one year prior - sounds familiar, right? Well, like games such as Heavy Rain, Until Dawn attempts to create more than just a traditional game. In fact, the experience is crafted in such a way that for those not necessarily playing, it almost feels as if you're watching a lengthy horror movie. 

Now, games have emulated movies to a certain extent for years. The Metal Gear Solid series, for example, contains insanely long cut-scenes that rival some of Hollywood's own efforts at engaging storytelling. But if you asked somebody unfamiliar with games to sit down and enjoy an instalment from this series, they wouldn't have the faintest clue where to begin. And this is understandable; between these moments of nothing but viewing are lengthy, complicated gameplay segments that are immediately foreign to anybody not involved in videogame culture. So why is Until Dawn any different? Well, it simplifies the actual 'playing' sections to their most base level, while also maintaining a strong sense of player engagement. 

What this does is create an experience that is just as enjoyable for viewers as it is for players, and it shows: a quick search on YouTube reveals videos of the game with view-counts passing the millions. The interesting point to this, however, is that while the game is selling well, it isn't doing so at the rate of popular franchises such as GTA or Call of Duty. NPD sales figures show that for August, the game is at 7th place in the charts. Now, the whole culture of watching people play games on the internet is an ever-growing one, but it's interesting to see a game that is arguably being viewed far more than actually played. Is this a bad thing, though? Of course not. 

If anything, this shows that the medium of videogames is expanding into popular culture more so than ever before. What we have here is a game that has captivated the attention spans of people who may not necessarily consider themselves a player of videogames. A game that, for better or worse, is being enjoyed passively just as much as it is actively. Can the same be said for music, or TV, or even films? Here is an experience that is entirely unique to the videogame industry, and just goes to show just how diverse of an industry it is. If you want to sit down with some friends and play through Until Dawn, you can, but you can also find just as much enjoyment watching somebody else do so. 

Hopefully, the success (both sales-wise and through sheer popularity) of Until Dawn will lead to more experiences such as this. Games that engage both the players and audience, and go out of their way to truly make you feel a part of the experience. Even if you'd consider yourself as far from a player of games as black from white, you should at the very least see what the fuss is all about, and might see that this is a medium far beyond what others can achieve. 

Oh, and this was originally going to be a flat-out review of the game, but I felt this would be a little more interesting. If you're interested in a review: You should buy this game. Not only is it a hugely enjoyable, interesting and engaging story wrapped up with some tight controls and believable characters, but purchasing it also shows that a variety of content is favoured in mainstream videogame culture. 

Legend (Review) - Two Much of a Good Thing

Tom Hardy is a pretty incredible actor - there's no real question there. So when I heard that he'd be playing not one, but both of the notorious Kray twins, I was excited to say the least. As with most movies, trailers began spilling out and the film seemed to be getting better and better. So where did it all go wrong? 

Well, that's not entirely fair. There's not necessarily anything wrong with Legend, as it's a reasonably competent crime biopic detailing the retention and decay of the Kray twins' power in the East End of London. Rather than beginning with an introduction to how they grew their empire, the film instead opens with Reggie Kray already at the top of his game: police officers fear him, rivals fear him, and he's generally adored by locals who see him as a beacon of protection - or instiller of fear. Once his mentally unstable brother comes onto the scene, however, thing begin to go awry. Not only physically formidable, Reggie's brother Ronnie is also a paranoid schizophrenic who will use his brute strength to intimidate and nullify those who stand in his way. Sound pretty cool, right? Well, I thought so too, until Reggie's love interest Frances (Emily Browning) comes onto the scene. 

And this is where things began to feel a little off. I was expecting an out-and-out crime drama with enough violence to justify its 18-rating, but instead we got half of that, and half of a fairly mundane romance Reggie and Frances. Don't get me wrong: I don't mind romantic sub-plots in movies. In fact, in the case of critically acclaimed films like Forrest Gump, a romantic partnership can add numerous layers to the plot. But in the case of Legend, it's just a bit boring and predictable. I won't spoil anything, but the story hits all the beats you'd expect, and even the ending isn't a huge shock. Also, the film features a constant narration by Frances that accompanies the key events of her relationship with the twins, but it's weak to say the least. I'm a huge fan of interesting narration in movies, and it can often add an entirely new layer of depth to an already interesting story (such as A Clockwork Orange). But in Legend, it's just boring, and Emily Browning comes off as bored when delivering her lines.

When the film's on-point though, it's really on. The moments shared between Tom Hardy and...well, Tom Hardy, are especially memorable. One fight scene involving Ronnie and Reggie in particular is both funny and hard-hitting, and there's plenty of scenes that manage to create that engaging atmosphere that keeps you interested - even between the slower-pace of Reggie's relationship. The way in which both brothers appear on-screen together is also admirable, as there's never a moment at which you feel like one of the brothers has been digitally added to appear with the other. 

A relatively minor issue I had with the two lead characters, however, was that they were often characterised by a single feature that was stretched to its absolute maximum. This isn't a huge issue with Reggie, as his relationship with Frances made him layered enough to empathise with. Ronnie, on the other hand, seemed to be identified a lot of the time solely by the fact he's gay. Sure, it was surprising to hear that such an iconic gangster was openly homosexual, but the number of scenes that played with this idea became a little stale. The conversation in the trailer ("I like boys") was entertaining, but then we're shown homosexual parties galore, and Ronnie's numerous boyfriends pop up like caricature cartoons. 

Verdict
It might sound like I hated Legend - I didn't. I just felt so underwhelmed after the months of expectation and intrigue. Tom Hardy is understandably brilliant with what he's been given to work with, but the plot of the film feels like it treads so much common ground. Honestly, if Hardy hadn't played both of the brothers so competently, then this wouldn't be worth watching, even on DVD. However, if you can excuse the consistently average side-plot with Frances, then there's a movie here worth checking out. 

"Reggie was a gangster prince of the East End, Ronnie Kray

was a one-man mob."

Ant-Man (Review) - Small Hero, Big Success

Perhaps one of the most unknown additions to the Marvel cinematic universe, Ant-Man revolves around the character of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). Scott's a fairly regular guy who rarely sees his daughter anymore due to a split from his ex-wife, and has recently been released from prison after being caught and tried for burglary. Once out, Scott quickly gets himself back into trouble again after robbing a house and discovering an enigmatic red and black suit. This is, of course, the Ant-Man suit belonging to its original creator, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). Conditions arise that lead Hank Pym to enlist the help of Scott in order to break into a heavily guarded facility and steal a similar suit, so that its power cannot fall into the wrong hands. 

At its heart, Ant-Man is a comedic heist movie which contains superhero elements. Sure, there's plenty of ties to the larger Marvel universe -- a plot line that takes place at the new Avengers HQ, for example -- but otherwise this is a much smaller affair. And that's not exactly a bad thing. One of my issues with Age of Ultron was that consequences were constantly being upped to the point where the film just felt silly and far too over-the-top -- an impressive feat for a movie about super-powered icons. Ant-Man, on the other hand, focuses almost entirely on a regular guy who gains his powers semi-reluctantly and uses them so that he can eventually see his daughter regularly again. 

Paul Rudd is also absolutely great in the titular role, and adds a considerable amount of comedy to the movie. It's not quite as funny or entertaining as the excellent (and arguably best Marvel movie) Guardians of the Galaxy, but the humour certainly makes this worth a watch. Also, because the stakes aren't quite as in your face throughout, the film is also approachable for those who have been otherwise put off by the likes of the Avengers or similar high-budget superhero films. That's not to say Ant-Man is lacking in budget, however, as the special effects when Scott shrinks to the size of an ant are simply fun to look at. This is especially true when he battles the main villain of the movie in a child's bedroom, which was a scene featured in the trailer. 

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd)

Unfortunately, the villain of Ant-Man is where the movie falls down slightly. Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) plays a nefarious successor to the company Hank Pym began, and his motivations seem to boil down to nothing more than "I'm evil and hate people". Honestly, he could have been called something like 'Mr. BadMcPerson' and I wouldn't have been surprised. Once he dons the opposing suit and becomes Yellowjacket in the latter half of the movie, then things begin to get a tiny bit more interesting, but he's ultimately forgettable. A good example of what to expect is when Cross uses a lamb for an experiment that will likely fail, and when asked why he can't use mice, he simply replies: "What's the difference?". I mean, sure, he's right, but that just seems like overkill. 

Verdict
Ant-Man might not be the very best Marvel film available, but it's also far from the worst, and could potentially be one of the funniest. It's an enjoyable movie that plays very nicely into the larger Marvel universe, but its relatively fresh nature also means that it can be appreciated as its own thing. I'm not saying that you need to rush out and watch it right now, but if you have an opportunity, then you could do far worse. 

"This is not some cute tech like the 

Iron Man suit!" 

Terminator Genisys (Review) - Another Misfire

I don't understand why it's so hard to produce a Terminator movie that lives up to the iconic first two instalments. I personally didn't hate either T3 or even Salvation, but they were inarguably inferior to their excellent predecessors. Not only is Genisys another example of how seemingly difficult it is to achieve success with this franchise nowadays, but it's also the weakest entry in the series. 

Trying to profit off of nostalgia, Terminator Genisys essentially re-tells the first movie's plot, but with some time-bending changes. Like that movie, Genisys begins in the year 2029, when Skynet has won the war and has enslaved humanity. John Connor (Jason Clarke), our last hope, sends his one true friend Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984, so that Reese can protect John's mother from death at the hands of a terminator. However, when Reese is sent back in time, he quickly realises that things aren't at all how he expected, and Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) is far from the helpless damsel that he thought she would be. 

The film starts promising enough. With an advancement in our own technology comes a better view of what Terminator's fictional war will look like, and the film begins by showing us this bleak future. The machines reign supreme, and humans being gathered into death camps provides some pretty sombre images. Even once Reese is sent back, the movie still remains enjoyable; especially for those who have seen the original Terminator, as Genisys does a good job of providing an updated, shot-for-shot remake of that film's opening scene. However, once we meet Sarah Connor for the first time, things begin to go downhill. I haven't seen Game of Thrones, but based off of this movie alone, I don't think that Emilia Clarke is that good of an actress, and especially bad at representing the now iconic heroine of Sarah Connor. Fair enough, they've tried blending elements of Terminator 2, with Sarah now being a hardened badass, but it's never really explained why she's such a badass. There's some flimsy explanation about how she met her Terminator (affectionately called "Pops") when she was 9, but no real information is given to explain how that scenario came to be. 

Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

And Sarah's Terminator is the only thing that really redeems this movie in any way, for one reason only: Arnie's back. Returning in his titular role as the Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger's performance is on-point and the same as in the other instalments for the series. The best lines, stunts, and moments throughout the movie are thanks to nobody but Schwarzenegger, and he manages to make the movie slightly bearable. Sure, there's a weird bullet-loading montage halfway through which involves Reese and the Terminator, but by that point you've given up hope of the film getting much better. 



Verdict
There's not a lot more to say about Genisys, because it's simply not a very good movie. The acting is poor, a lot of the action is boring, and without Arnold's presence, it would be completely unwatchable. It's cool to see the throwbacks to the original movie, but all that does is make you wish that you were watching that instead, and if you haven't seen the original, then these references will be completely lost on you. Instead of seeing Genisys, buy the boxset of the other instalments (yes, even T3 and Salvation), and enjoy some of the best sci-fi movies ever made. 

"You're nothing but a relic"