Review of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

This review is going to be short. I'm struggling to think of much to write about. My expectations for this film weren't high, especially when the name doesn't make any sense. So many of my mates have asked "When was Journey 1 out?" Not realising that it is in fact a sequel to Journey to the Centre of the Earth (so it would have made more sense to just call it Journey to The Mysterious Island).
I wasn't happy that Brendan Fraser wasn't returning for the sequel, in my opinion he isn't in enough films, but who can complain when his replacement is Dwayne The Rock Johnson? Johnson plays the step father of Josh Hutcherson's character from the first film. The film itself was a big disappointment. I really enjoyed the first one, but in this case, not even Michael Cain being cast could save it. The story is fairly similar, and is badly written, it isn't as funny as the first one, and all in all, it just feels like a lazy attempt at a sequel.
Again though, follows a story inspired by novels by Jules Verne, and it also brings in some other authors from that time period. So the inspiration for the film is the same as the first one.
I didn't bother seeing this one in 3D, but as I was watching it, I could gather that there were certain parts that would have been good in 3D, but nothing spectacular. We all thought that it was the end of Dwayne Johnson's kids film phase (with his recent descend on action movies like Fast 5 and Faster), but apparently he has a soft spot for them. I really liked him in The Scorpion King, and I really wish that films like this would use his full potential as an actor. As a plus, he is the best character (even better than Michael Cain), and has a few moments of good comedy. The way I see this film though, is an opportunity to witness Josh Hutcherson's acting skills just before the release of The Hunger Games, and from what I can see, he can handle himself pretty well on screen. I must say though, Selena Gomez was such a waste of time, there was no need to have her in the movie, they obviously felt like they needed to through in a love story, just not as subtly as in the first one.
Based on acting and special effects, I'm going to give this film a 3.5/10

And I pray to God that they don't make another film based on the ending to this one, it, will, be, horrendous!

Review of The Grey

I am as excited as the next guy whenever I hear that Liam Neeson is doing another action movie. The Grey is based around Neeson's character, who works as a security guard protecting the workers (all convicts) from attacks from wolves, they are all forced to to work together to survive when their plane crash lands in the middle of nowhere and they are attacked by a pack of wolves.

When looking into the challenges in making this movie, it is apparent that the biggest challenge was the use of wolves. Since you cannot successfully train wolves, very few of the scenes are filmed using real wolves, for the majority they used puppets. It has to be said that the puppets look really realistic and the puppeteers and the special effects crew deserve a round of applause for their work.

Now to the film, it is long, and was never going to be a major motion picture, but it is a fantastic example of great acting and great use of set and scenery. Liam Neeson plays his role as well as he does in all his films, to be honest this role isn't much different to that of say, Taken (just change his goal and motive); since the film is strongly character driven, it is important that the rest of the cast is an strong as the main lead, and luckily this the makers realised that and Neeson is accompanied by an above average cast. Instantly we have a group of characters that are likable, and each have there own individual characteristics that contribute to the story.

It's difficult to review a film like this because it's a hardly a fast paced action drama, but it draws you in, and you feel an attachment to the characters and understand their struggle.

The ending, I believe, will annoy a lot of people, the film builds and builds up the anticipation, and then, right when it's at the point of conclusion, when we finally think something is going to happen, the film ends! It leaves the audience shocked and confused, the result meaning that we are left to make our own decision about how it might possibly end. 

However, after the credits, there is an additionally scene, that gives us a small hint as to what conclusion the creators intended us to come to.

Overall, even though it's long, and the action isn't spectacular, for a film based on a group of men running away from wolves, it is amazingly done. There's something about it, that keeps us drawn in, even though on paper, it doesn't look like it's going to be anything special. So based on great performances that drives the film, I give The Grey 7/10

Review of J.Edgar

J.Edgar is easily one of Leonardo DiCaprio's best film. Not because the films is amazing, but because it is the finest example of his acting to date. He has always been good at accents, and in this he has Hoover spot on. The biggest challenge for him is that he has to play Hoover both when he was a young man at the beginning of his rise, and when he is an old man near the end of his carrier and life.He manages to perfectly play the same character in two different ways to show him as an enthusiastic young worker and an old, experienced man with a tainted history.
The film itself has a solid story, and it shows well, shifted between the two time periods. It looks into the problems facing young men. These problems being fear of being revealed as a homosexual. The film really goes into his relationship with his mother and how she practically forced him away from that route and how that effected him in later life (his confusion and fear is apparent through out), along with his concern as to how people would react if they found out, and how it would effect his career.
Although the film explains the history involved in it fairly well, the main problem with it is that there's certain things mentioned within the film, that are only relevant if you have a knowledge of that period. So this film is more suited for the older generations because they might understand some of the underlying factors more easily. Another problem is that it isn't fast paced, or have enough dangerous scenes to keep younger audiences interested. It's more for people who are interested in the man itself, not just interested in a film based around a time when the war on crime was occurring.
So J.Edgar was never going to be a blockbuster, but it is without a doubt that DiCaprio deserves an Oscar for his portrayal of this this historical character and Clint Eastwood deserves  applause for his achievement as director. Even the supporting cast deserves recognition, Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson, Hoover's best friend and work college, and Judi Dench as Hoover's controlling mother. There is a lot right about this film, but there is also a lot wrong with it, which is holding it back from being something great. The whole film is mearly a fine example of DiCaprio as a highly under-appreciated actor.
If I was going to rate the film purely on DiCaprio's performance, I would rate it 10/10, but by judging it as a whole, I give it 6.5/10.

Review of Chronicle

When it comes to found footage movies, I am quite skeptical, because to be fair, most of them are terrible. However, Chronicle is by far the best I've seen.
There's not much you can say about this film without spoiling it,but it is easily proof that if you put a decent amount of money into a film like this, then you are going to get great results. It has the pace of a motion picture, a good cast and story, the effects were top notch and in general the whole thing was very well thought through. It actually has better character development than most motion pictures.
The found footage aspect of it is really good, switching from Andrews camera, to other peoples cameras (a blogger, mobile phones ect) and security cameras in order to keep the pace going and make it more believable. There's a great scene near the end with loads of mobile phones, but obviously I'm not going to spoil it for you.
The only complaint about this film is that they have to explain the fact that Andrew starts filming everything, and introduce the girl as a blogger. So in essence, the found footage factor ruins it, because they needed to put dialog in that, people just wouldn't use.
Overall, a truly epic film, I'll probably never see a better found footage movie, just a shame about the flaws from the genre itself.

9/10

Review of Underworld Awakening 3D

After the disappointing Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, it is no surprise that it has taken a while for the latest installment to materialize. Underworld Awakening sets itself away from the others by properly bringing humans into the equation as the dominant force. It still feels the same as all the other films in the franchise, and the return of Kate Beckinsdale is no complaint.
The story isn't great, but it works, working around the fact that Speedman wouldn't return to play Michael (the Lycan-vampire hybrid). The action sequences were the best we've seen in the series, the only real complaint about the film is that it is only 90 minutes long, and they then leave set it up for a sequel. They could easily have added another 40 minutes to the film, made it a decent length, and finished the story. You feel kind of robbed by the end of it, because you're just starting to get into it, then it's over, and setting up for the next one. I'm not going to complain about there being a fifth installment, but if they're going to do it, at least think about the movie at hand before setting up for its sequel.
To be quite honest, I wouldn't mind if they continued the story from Rise of the Lycans, it has real potential to be a really gritty, medieval type monster movie.
The film concentrates a lot on Selene (Beckinsdale), meaning there's lots of slow motion sequences of her walking in the leather outfit, not complaining, but it kinda got boring near the end. The 3D was surprisingly good. I expected it to be awful, but they coordinated it properly with the action sequences and really put on a good show.
The Underworld series has never been one for fantastic story lines, we all know we go for Selene and the werewolf on vampire grudge fights. This installment doesn't disappoint, it is just a real shame about the length of the film, it really is just too short. But on the bright side, at least it sets us up for another installment.

7.5/10

Catch Up

Basically my next few reviews are going to be me playing catch up with the films I have already seen this year, like Underworld Awakening, Chronicle, Journey 2, The Grey and J.Edgar.
Within a few days everything should be up to date and running smoothly.

Review of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace 3D re release

As a fan of the Star Wars franchise, I was excited as anyone when I heard that all six movies were being converted into 3D, not for the 3D aspect of it, just because it was a chance to see Star Wars in the cinema.
There are many debates over which Star Wars film is the worst, normally it comes down to either The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones, so we have to wait until 2014 until we see a decent one.
Nonetheless, I was interested to see what Lucas was going to do with it. Thank god he replaced the creepy Yoda doll! There were a few other minor changes that aren't really important. I was most interested to see the 3D on the Pod Racing Sequence and the final lightsaber and space battle. The 3D was nothing special, whilst up close faces looked really good, things in the distant just appeared blurry and as for the Pod Racing and space battles, the looked good during the scenes that are from a first persons perspective, the rest of the time there's no real difference. Even one of the best choreographer lightsaber battles was nothing dazzling.
Star Wars in 3D is a con, Lucas knows that no matter what he does to the sagas, people will pay to go and see them. I'm a victim of this con, because I know for a fact that I will be going to see all six movies, and then there's no doubt that at the end of each year, each film will be released on 3D Blu-Ray, and then after six years there will be the 3D Blu-Ray box set, that will cost a fortune, and again, people will buy it. Even the 'special edition 3D glasses' were rubbish!

Review of The Woman In Black

Although I was excited to see this film, I was sceptical at the thought of Daniel Radcliffe doing anything other than Harry Potter. This being because since he started doing the Potter films when he was eleven years old, so I imagine he would struggle to get out of that character. 

Once the film had started I feared that my assumption about Radcliffes acting was correct. It came across as very dry, and very much like Harry potter, but as the film progressed he seemed to get more into his character and we as the audience saw a different side to his acting. By the end I believe that he has a done a fine drop at portaying this character, my only complaint about him is that I find it hard to see him as a father of four-year old child when he still looks like a teenager himself on screen. The real star has to be the house. The house is what creates the whole atmosphere throughout. It's dark, dreary, old, run-down, it is perfect. With a few well placed glimpses of a terrifying (almost Grudge looking) dead woman, it scared alot of people (including me) in the screening I went to. 

I haven't read the book, or seen the original film from 1989, so I went in with a completely open mind since I had nothing to compare it to. The story is solid enough, but it begins slowly and I think a few people will be disappointed with the ending.

I've heard many complaining that it is too scary for a 12A and should possibly be an 18, a 15 at least, but I disagree. When you look at the film in its essence, most of the scares are shock/jump scares, there's no real gore factor (it doesn't accidently slip into the slasher catagory like most modern horrors) and there's no nudity, so it is perfectly justifyable that it has a 12A rating and to be quite honest, it's a smart move, it bring in a younger audience, and tricks older audiences into thinking it won't scare them.

I would highly recommend seeing this film in the cinema. It is one of those flics where atmosphere is everything, and you just won't be able to get that watching it at home on a smaller screen.

All in all, it's not perfect, but it does what you need, a likable character, a good setting, a brilliant score (the music is what really brings out the chills in the house) and a solid enough story to keep viewers interested throughout.

8/10