REVIEW: Live Free or Die Hard

(above) John McLane (Bruce Willis) attempts to rescue Matt Ferrell (Justin Long) from would-be assassins

YIPPIE KAI YAY, a sequel worth seeing!
Bruce Willis is back and at the top of his game

Rating: B+

In a summer of movie sequels, finally there is one worth sitting through. John McLane is back, 12 years older, 12 years wiser, and about 12 pounds heavier (yes, he has a bit of a gut in this one). But that doesn’t stop him from beating the snot out of every bad guy that has the misfortune of “pissing” him off, including a woman this time, in a crowd pleasing brawl. Though this film has a PG-13 rating, it’s difficult to tell why. It seems to have all the action and intensity of the previous three. The only thing that appears lacking is all the swearing and splattering blood, and honestly you don’t even miss it.

Justin Long (yes, the guy from the Mac commercials) paves his way into action movies in this film as, guess what, a computer hacker. However, his constant smart-remarks and high-pitched expressions of disbelief about his unfortunate situation can get a little irritating. But his eventual heroic turn at the end won’t hinder computer sales, hell, it might even improve them.

The plot, like all good Die Hard films, is nothing more than an elaborate robbery attempt by a criminal mastermind. In this case the villain is played by sinister looking Timothy Olyphant (HBO’s “Deadwood” series) who ends up playing more of a cookie-cutter action baddie emoting only rage and frustration as McLane confronts him at every turn. Much different than the creative character-villains played previously by Alan Rickman and Jeremy Irons (Die Hard 1 & 3). Although, that doesn’t stop you from hating Olyphant as he sends every henchmen he has after McLane (who amazingly after 20 years is still only a detective).

The most distinct aspect this robbery is its method, which ushers the series into the new millennium. Olyphant, a computer genius, has found a way to hack into the entire nation's national control network and shut down water, power and electricity. He‘s found a way to disable all communication satellites and even take control of television networks. All this he has done as a means to steal billions of dollars. (I know it’s a bit hard to swallow, but works if you can suspend disbelief.) The movie also tries to serve as a commentary on our reliance on technology and how vulnerable we are in using computers and the internet to assist us in our daily lives.

However, a complex, intricate, thought-provoking plot is not the reason one goes to see a Die Hard movie. Die Hard movies are about five things: action, action, clever dialogue, more action, and Bruce Willis. This movie has all five.

Don't let the shaved head fool you. Bruce Willis is back and able to deliver to the big screen the tough-as-nails cop we’ve all grown to love in the past 20 years. Willis also brings a new aspect to the character. An older McLane, divorced with a daughter who hates him, begins to express the regrets that come with years of choosing to be the hero at work instead of the hero at home. This adds to the appeal of the character and continue the underlying story of all Die Hard films; McLane’s struggle with not only the villain de jour, but also with his domestic problems.

It seemed quite a gamble to put such a heavy task onto the shoulders of relatively new director Len Wiseman. Having only directed the mostly disappointing Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, giving Wiseman the job was a source of anxiety as the series was given life (Die Hard) and again revived (Die Hard: With a Vengeance) by awesome action director John McTiernen. Wiseman, however, delivers an action packed roller-coaster. The action sequences are inventive, creative and completely within the spirit of the series: i.e. raw and non-stop while showing off the ingenuity of John McLane and his ability to keep cool under pressure and at the same time leaving him beaten, bloodied, and shot, yet still limping his way to victory with a smile, a self-satisfied laugh, and at least one more wisecrack. The only downside is that the film runs a little long. Running at 134 minutes, the movie could easily have lost about 20 minutes to make for a tighter story.

Next Weeks Review

Are you all ready to Live Free or Die Hard(er with a vengeance)? Well even if your not, i sure am. Tune in next time for the review of Live Free or Die Hard staring the true last action hero: Bruce Willis.

REVIEW: 1408

(above) Mike Enslin (John Cusack) begins to understand the gravity of his situation when he notices the wall starting to bleed

"1408" just another haunted house flick
Another ghost story brought to you by Stephen King

Rating: C+

It began on a dark and stormy night. That seems to be the appropriate introduction to any horror story and 1408 is no different. It is here that we meet our jaded hero with a haunted past, Michael Enslin (John Cusack). Once, an up and coming author with a decent first novel, he decides to quit writing literature and for reasons that are never fully explained he now writes books in which he debunks myths of haunted houses. Enslin stays in room after room of which is claimed to be the playground of ghosts, spirits, and other such things that go bump in the night. Yet after each evening spent in these “haunted” houses and having looked for any evidence of the paranormal, Enslin wakes up the next morning with an undisturbed nights sleep and one more chapter in his latest book. As far as Enslin is concerned the only place to see a real ghost is at the “Haunted Mansion” in Orlando, Florida. Until one day he receives an anonymous post-card from the Dolphin Hotel in New York with a simple cryptic phrase “Do not enter 1408.” Like any good moviegoer we’re not surprised when he pays no heed to the warning and decides to enter the room anyway. A room in which 58 people have died and no one lasts more than an hour. It then comes as no surprise when 15 minutes into his stay he begins to regret his prideful arrogance. The rest of the film chronicles Enslins’ story of survival as he tries to get out of the room alive, while still hanging on to his sanity.

The set up and overall mood of the film in great, as is the dialogue between John Cusack and Samuel Jackson, (the devoted hotel manager driven to keep anyone from entering the “evil” room). The cinematography, some interesting camera work and special effects helps to create a brooding creepy atmosphere. There are also some rather humorous moments, expertly executed by Cusack, which helps to bring a sense of levity to the horror. But like any horror film, plot is usually sacrificed for scares and 1408 is no different. The film is able to deliver a handful of excellent scares but leaves a series of plot holes, happy convenient coincidences, and a list of un-answered questions in its wake. The third act is weak and seems too unbelievable and cliché and in the end we are left a little disappointed that there was such good build-up but so few good payoffs.

Most of the characters are mostly two dimensional as they are simply written in as a means to get Cusack’s character into the fated room, which itself serves is a character. John Cusack, who was big in the 80’s and early 90’s and now only seems to show up on the film radar every once in a while, hasn’t lost a step. He’s enjoyable to watch and well cast as the troubled cynic. He seems like he truly wants to encounter something paranormal while at the same time skeptical of it.

Sam Jackson, who seems to be the only actor capable of career suicide (see: Snakes on a Plane), is also enjoyable to watch as he nearly pleads with Cusack not to enter the room, in a very Sam Jackson way (minus the yelling).

The room is also given a personality as it seems as if it really does have a mind of its own. The rooms seems to purposely toy with its victims for its own pleasure, and wants to make their stay as unpleasant as possible. In the end you are never really sure why the room is the way it is but one thing is for certain, I’m never staying at a hotel again.

Next Weeks Review

Hello readers,
The next review to be posted on Saturday morning will be for the new Stephen King horror film 1408 starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. If it's as scary as the previews make it out to be i should have no problem staying up friday night writing my review.

In the mean time, forgive me while i tease you with the first image of Batmans' new ride, the "Batpod"



~Kyle

REVIEW: Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer

(above) The Silver Surfer gives Johnny Storm more than he bargained for in sub-par sequel

The Not-So-Fantastic Four
Bigger Budget does not a good movie make

Rating: C

Beginning with Spider-Man 3, followed by Pirates 3 and now Fantastic Four 2 things do not bode well for character and story driven, big budget, action movie, sequels. It seems the bigger the budget the less need there is for a good plot and character development, as big effects have eclipsed big characters. These films also contain dialogue at par with what one would find in a Saturday morning cartoon. And a cartoon is exactly how this move plays out. At a long 92 minutes, the movie could easily be condensed into a half-hour time slot and still have room for commercials. Along with the amount of shameless product placement its a wonder this movie wasn't produced by Dodge motors. The story is simply not there, but that doesn’t stop the writers from reaching for one. Unlike its predecessor which moved at a fast pace from minute one, Fantastic Four 2 takes its time moving the story along. Aside from a comical cameo by series creator Stan Lee, there are large gaps of unsubstantial and clichés between too few and uninspired action sequences, including a short anti-climactic final confrontation. Bottom line, the movie is boring and at times painful to sit through.

One can easily see where all the money went. The most interesting parts of the film are its visuals. The bigger budget has allowed for an increase in the amount that we see our four heroes using their powers. Mr. Fantastic a.k.a. Reed Richards (Ioan Gruffudd), has plenty more to do but in the end there is only so much that a person with his powers can do, and if it wasn’t for his super brain his character would simply appear "stretched out". The “Thing”, which looked fantastic (forgive me, couldn’t resist) in the first film looks ever better with a fuller range of facial expressions and appears less wooden and more organic in movement. Unfortunately for The Invisible Woman and the Human Torch (played by a bored Jessica Alba and Chris Evans), turning invisible and igniting ones self, stills seems business as usual. But the highlight of the films visuals comes from its title character. The Silver Surfer (played by Doug Jones, voiced fittingly by Laurence Fishburne) looks as if he flew right out of the comic book, surfboard and all, while at the same time looking as real as any of the other characters on screen.

The movie opens with ominous tendrils of smoke and debris causing the slow destruction of an unnamed planet. Then a silver streak in seen leaving the floating remains and entering earth’s atmosphere, serving as a dark omen for all. This moody set-up quickly dissolves as we are then thrown into the trials and tribulations of being public superheroes stuck in an airport. Which only leaves an air of confusion as we wonder, “they can afford their own building but can't afford their own jet?” But that soon passes as we are burdened with the frustrations of Reed Richards and Susan Storm as they try to become Mr. and Mrs. Fantastic, in a 30 minute sub-plot that seems to serve only as a means to kill time until something more exciting can happen. From that point on the movie trudges along as a by-the-numbers, save the world movie that has the Four pitted against a world-eating monster (reminiscent of Star Trek’s VIGR) and his “herald”, the Silver Surfer. In who’s "surfboard" allows him to channel cosmic power, which he uses to make the planet ready for his masters' arrival. Dr. Doom also returns in a most convenient and coincidental fashion. From that point the film moves along to its inevitable and predictable conclusion with a battle between the Fantastic Four and Dr. Doom, and another one between The Silver Surfer and his master, Galactus. Both of these battles, which occupy a total of maybe 10 minutes, seem written in only as an after thought. It's amazing to see how the screen writers spent all this time on useless plot elements and gave no attention to the parts of the movie that would have served well to improve it.

While everything looks very pretty, unfortunately the characters have to speak and when that happens the illusion of an exciting and creative comic book movie quickly begins to fade away. While amusing in the first film, Chris Evans’ cocky and self-absorbed Johnny Storm is now a little boring and (forgive the pun) burnt out. Ioan Gruffudd and Jessica Alba seem to have lost what little chemistry they had from the first film as they “phone-in” their story of pre-marital angst. Michael Chiklis’ Ben Grimm seems to be the only character who has grown up from the previous film as he gets over his unfortunate transformation and begins to settle into his new life as a gentle orange giant.

What is most unfortunate is that the films more interesting characters (Dr. Doom, the Silver Surfer, and the much anticipated yet disappointing Galactus) get the least amount of screen time. Julian McMahon returns as his diabolical alter ego (not Christian Troy silly, the other one) Victor Von Doom as he searches for a new way to defeat his nemeses. McMahon plays his over the top villain brilliantly and steals the screen every time he’s on it. Along with Von Doom the only other reason to stay seated is to get another glimpse of the Silver Surfer, who presence has more to say than his character. Doug Jones’ physicality gives the Surfer great strength even while being tied down and tortured. But what Surfer fans are certainly looking forward to is a screenfull of Galactus. Unfortunately members of the silver surfer fan-elite will be disappointed. This all leaves one wondering why some much time was wasted on the Fantastic Four when any one of these characters could be given two or three times the attention and could make for a more interesting movie.

More than meets the eye!

They're robots in disguise!
We all know that robots are 1 part of the Holy Trinity of coolness. The other two parts being "Ninjas and Pirates." And when those robots are transforming into cars and other cool stuff their coolness increase by a factor of some ludicrious scientific equation.
Superhero hype has posted two perfect things for transforming robot lovers. One is a new poster featuring the flame detailed Optimus Prime in all his robot glory.



Also they posted a clip of Shia and his robot buddies and a new TV spot. I'd say more but the clip pretty much speaks for itself.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5856

http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=5863

Enjoy these teasers and i'll return tomorrow with my review of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer


~Kyle

Welcome to all!

Welcome everyone to the beginning,
Since childhood i've grown up around movies, i myself own a library of over 200 dvds and watch movie on a super regular basis. My friends find my movie critiques helpful and accurate and being a movie reviewer has always appealed to me as a profession.
So starting this week, Friday June 15th, with the review of Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer and the preceding trailers I will post a movie review every friday or saturday night, but i will try to get a reivew to you all as soon as possible even if that means seeing a midnight showing and getting you ready for the movie watching weekend friday morning. Also i will be posting all new information, pictures, comments etc. for upcomming films to save you all the time of having to scour the internet for the newest tidbit of info.
So once again, welcome and i hope that my reviews entertain you and are found to be helpful.

~Kyle