movie reviews by PvtCaboose91

"What the hell...I'm gonna enjoy what's left of the summer."

Now this is how you make a proper action-thriller! 2012's Get the Gringo (a.k.a. How I Spent My Summer Vacation) is one hell of a film; a stripped-down, gritty actioner reminiscent of the kind of dark, no-nonsense thrillers we saw back in the '70s and '80s. With studios filling multiplexes with so many glossy, CGI-laden blockbusters, it's invigorating to see Mel Gibson - who grows more badass with each passing year - doing what he does best in his first true action-thriller since 1998's Payback. Gibson may be controversial, but those who are open-minded enough to watch Get the Gringo will be rewarded with a visceral, lively motion picture featuring Gibson back at the top of his game.

After pulling off a heist and stealing millions of dollars, American career criminal Driver (Mel Gibson) is arrested south of the border by corrupt Mexican cops. With Driver refusing to reveal his identity, the police incarcerate him in the infamous El Pueblito, a community-like prison where inmates deal drugs, set up businesses and are generally free to carry on as they please. Driver soon begins to suss out his surroundings, realising that powerful kingpin Javi (Daniel Giménez Cacho) essentially rules El Pueblito from the inside. As he learns the ropes of the inmate lifestyle, Driver befriends a young boy (Kevin Hernandez) and his mother (Dolores Heredia). Driver finds renewed purpose when he learns that Javi wishes to use the kid as an organ donor, and he subsequently begins scheming to bring down the kingpin, stage an escape, and retrieve his lost loot.

El Pueblito was actually a real Tijuana prison that was shut down a few years ago, and it scarcely resembled a correctional institute since the inmates constantly committed crimes. It's the perfect setting for an action-thriller, and Gibson's gruff screen persona is an ideal fit for the criminal community that thrives from within the prison's walls. The production hired Alejandra Cuervo to conduct extensive research about El Pueblito, including interviewing former inmates about their experiences, to help shape the movie. Therefore, the screenplay (by Gibson, Stacy Perskie and director Adrian Grunberg) bursts with authenticity, allowing the hellhole to feel like a central character. Get the Gringo is astonishingly ballsy, as well - Driver gives a few cigarettes to the kid, and there's even a prison shootout which results in the deaths of several bystanders. How often do you see that type of stuff in mainstream blockbusters? Admittedly, Get the Gringo lacks character detail since the script reveals nothing about who Driver is, but we do not need to know anything about the man. We get slight hints here and there about Driver's past, but the point is that there isn't much to him. Thus, instead of armchair psychology, we get a pared-down film without any fat on its bones.

Gibson's Driver is very much cut from the vintage anti-hero mould, so director Adrien Grunberg's approach is also somewhat vintage - it is spiritually similar to films directed by Sam Peckinpah and John Frankenheimer. Get the Gringo is Grunberg's first feature film, but he has worked as an assistant director for the likes of Peter Weir, Oliver Stone, Tony Scott and even Gibson himself, equipping him with the experience to craft impressive action set pieces. Grunberg's approach lacks visual pretensions and fancy effects - the filmmaker simply applies sensible judgment to shoot each scene comprehensibly and effectively. Furthermore, the El Pueblito setting is thick in atmosphere and flavour. Filmed in a real rundown prison, Get the Gringo is grimy and gritty; there's no Hollywood gloss here. Also, Get the Gringo is not a PG-13 fare - this is a hard R laced with profanity and graphic violence. It's awesome.

With Mel Gibson adopting his trademark persona of slightly unhinged, wisecracking badass, Get the Gringo essentially feels like an unofficial sequel to Payback. Gibson showed he can be sincere and tender with 2011's The Beaver, so he earned himself the space to have a little fun here. The role of Driver is a perfect match for Gibson, as it is very much tailored to the star's talents. Driver is a bad guy, but he's a villain in a sea of villains, and Gibson's cool, brains and charm make him an anti-hero worth rooting for. Older action heroes like Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Liam Neeson fit roles like this far better than younger actors ever could, as they afford a level of world-weariness and experience that is just not believable in actors like Taylor Lautner. Meanwhile, Gibson has strong chemistry with Kevin Fernandez as the kid. The rest of the cast is just as terrific; Peter Stormare, Daniel Giménez Cacho and Dolores Heredia all provide solid support in their respective roles.

Get the Gringo may seem like a low-rent B-movie, but Gibson and Grunberg execute it with A-grade proficiency. It even contains a few nice off-the-wall touches, including a scene in which Gibson does a hilarious Clint Eastwood impression. Running at a hair under 90 minutes, this is a wonderfully brisk action-thriller worth watching with a case of cervezas. Mel, it's terrific to see you back.

8.5/10

"The Reich of a thousand years has not been hiding from the likes of you. It has simply been waiting in the shadows."

By and large, sequels are often pointless, as they're usually just produced for the sake of exploiting a successful brand name. 2008's straight-to-video gem Outpost, though, practically begged for a sequel, as it established a fascinating central mythology ripe for further exploration. With the team behind the original Outpost returning for this sequel, fans will no doubt expect Outpost: Black Sun to be of similar quality to its predecessor... But be sure to temper your expectations. While Black Sun had the freedom to be bigger than the first film, this expanded scope has come at the cost of effective atmosphere, tension and storytelling, all factors of which made Outpost so note-worthy in the first place. It's a follow-up worth seeing due to the ideas it brings to the franchise, but the execution is slapdash.

Set more or less immediately after the original film, Black Sun finds Nazi hunter Lena (Catherine Steadman) looking to prosecute the last surviving Nazi generals from WWII. On the trail of the elusive, presumed dead Klausener, Lena encounters physicist and treasure hunter Wallace (Richard Coyle), himself looking to locate a powerful machine Klausener built back in the 1940s. Supposedly, the machine was designed to create an army of unstoppable, undead Nazi stormtroopers...and it actually worked. With Wallace's calculations suggesting that the machine's unified field - and, thus, the vicinity that the Nazi zombies can navigate under the machine's protective influence - is expanding, it won't be long before Eastern Europe may be overcome by the invincible, marauding army.

You've got to hand it to the Outpost guys: they know how to stretch a dollar. The budgets for both Outpost movies were minuscule, to the extent that the cost of the first film couldn't fund a single day of filming on a Hollywood blockbuster. Yet, like its predecessor, Outpost: Black Sun shows no signs of being financially restrained. It's not glossy or extravagant, but it doesn't feel restricted either; its production values never look cheap or chintzy (the interior bunker sets are especially terrific). Director Steve Barker can stage effective conflicts as well, leading to isolated set-pieces that truly shine. Black Sun particularly impresses when characters watch P.O.V. footage of soldiers battling the Nazi stormtroopers, as these sequences possess a riveting sense of immediacy and authenticity. One cannot criticise Barker or cinematographer Darren Tiernan for their top-flight shot composition.

Screenwriters Barker and Rae Brunton commendably avoided the biggest sequel pitfall: they refused to create a straight remake of the first film. Character goals are somewhat similar, but the writers invented a whole new narrative trajectory, expanding the franchise canvas before returning to the claustrophobic bunker. It's a welcome attempt to give further scope to the series, showing that the central Nazi zombie premise extends beyond a small-scale Predator-style film. However, the endeavour is not entirely successful. As a result of Black Sun's expanded scope, too much is happening in the background. While Outpost was simple and focused, this sequel involves military commanders and shady background conspirators, overstuffing the script with non-essential characters and disallowing sufficient breathing room to develop any of them. Lena and Wallace should be interesting, but the script denies them colourful personality traits and back-stories, failing to make us adequately interested in their plight and thus draining the picture of genuine weight.

Unfortunately, Outpost: Black Sun fails to retain the same type of enthralling atmosphere that characterised its predecessor, and Barker completely abandoned the first film's effective "less is more" approach. Rather than scarce glimpses of the Nazi zombies, Outpost: Black Sun ladles on the skirmishes, ignoring the fact that these creatures are supposed to be stealthy beings who can materialise out of the shadows and disappear at the drop of a hat. Here, the Nazis are reduced to the type of dumb brutes one would see in any run-of-the-mill zombie movie, uncoordinatedly running around in broad daylight waiting to be gunned down by nameless soldiers. Without any suspense or horror, Outpost's chilling edge is lost, rendering Black Sun more of an indistinguishable straight-to-video action fare. Perhaps most disappointingly, the film has pacing issues. Very little happened in the original Outpost, yet it was gripping due to the consistent tension and intoxicating sense of atmosphere. Significant narrative events in Black Sun are scarce too, but there's not enough tension or suspense to compensate for the overstretched story. Sure, a lot occurs in the background as previously stated, but Lena and Wallace's narrative is uneventful.

What's also disappointing about Outpost: Black Sun is the cast. The only actor who makes a positive impression is Richard Coyle, annihilating his comedic instincts for an entirely straight performance complete with a gruff voice. It may take a little while to adjust to Coyle's new demeanour (especially for Coupling fans), but he did a great job with the material he was given. Nevertheless, Coyle is not the most assertive lead. Black Sun needed a strong anchor, and Catherine Steadman as Lena underwhelms in this respect. Steadman looks the part, but she never quite inhabits the role, and she's not dominant enough to be a protagonist. Unfortunately, the team of actors constituting the special forces operatives are too forgettable and interchangeable as well, coming up short in terms of characterisation. Hell, most of them come across as nameless fodder for the Nazi zombies with no other purpose. It's a shame too, because the mercenaries in Outpost were instantly identifiable and easy to latch onto.

The original Outpost was lightning in a bottle; a low-budget masterpiece dripping with atmosphere which possessed several layers of mythology to absorb. Its cast was spot-on, and the ensemble dynamics worked magnificently. In fact, it's a great lesson in how to make a great little horror movie without a Hollywood-grade budget. Alas, Outpost: Black Sun is simply not as good. One can sense the filmmakers' reverence for their own work and desire to expand the franchise, but the finished product is destined to leave the Outpost fanbase hungry for something better.

5.1/10

"My mother believes that being of a certain class entitles you to die whenever you damn well please. Don't we wish..."

On account of its dense and lengthy disposition, adapting Patrick White's acclaimed novel The Eye of the Storm for the screen was never going to be easy. In the hands of Melburnian filmmaker Fred Schepisi, though, the adaptation has given rise to an engrossing acting masterclass of a drama. Set in Sydney sometime during the 1970s, The Eye of the Storm possesses an old-fashioned, traditional tenor in all filmmaking aspects, from its gentle score and patient dramatic growth to its grand production design and non-flashy cinematography. Mature, psychologically complex and often sedate, Schepisi's feature is permeated with intricate themes about life, death and wealth. It's wonderful, sophisticated adult entertainment.

In the Sydney suburb of Centennial Park, wealthy matriarch Elizabeth Hunter (Rampling) lies on her deathbed, orbited by housekeeper Lotte (Morse) and nurses Mary (Theodorakis) and Flora (Schepisi). Close to death and with her inheritance needing to be sorted, Elizabeth's offspring come home to visit: Sir Basil (Rush), a famous actor who has fallen on hard times, and Dorothy (Davis), who married into French royalty before ending up divorced and cash-strapped. Regardless of her fading health, Elizabeth remains a destructive force, continually torturing her children who are determined to leave Sydney with a hefty inheritance.

The characters at the centre of The Eye of the Storm are a dislikeable bunch. Elizabeth is often demeaning, while her kids and house staff are scavengers hoping for riches, and even the family's loyal lawyer (Gaden) has his self-serving moments. However, none of the characters are surface-level; there are further intricacies to each of them which are revealed as time goes by, and it's their flaws and nuances which make them so compelling and recognisably human. Perhaps the picture's biggest asset, though, is the dialogue. A high calibre team of actors were recruited for the film, all of whom were fed juicy, engaging dialogue to deliver. Furthermore, the narrative is well-designed - writer Judy Morris has done a sublime job of adapting Patrick White's novel into a screenplay. Morris' script takes no shortcuts, permitting each character and subplot the development that they deserve. But, with that said, the film doesn't exactly reach the profundity or richness that White's novel achieved, although this is probably just due to the restrictions of the medium of film.

The Eye of the Storm is a gorgeous film, magnificently lensed by Ian Baker and elegantly designed by Melinda Doring. Most of the story occurs in and around Elizabeth's mansion, so director Fred Schepisi employed everything in his cinematic arsenal to avoid the static look of a filmed play or a lowly telemovie. Thus, Schepisi's camera tracks and glides, yielding striking dolly and jib shots. The lavish production design of the '70s mansion would have been enough to maintain a degree of visual interest throughout, but Schepisi and his cinematographer went the extra mile, resulting in a skilfully-crafted motion picture. Paul Grabowsky's classy jazz score is equally beneficial, tenderly instilling an evocative sense of time and place. However, the picture does tend to keep us at arm's length from time to time.

It's a rare occurrence to see a troupe of such formidable actors assemble for any film, let alone an Australian production implemented on a modest budget. Yet, The Eye of the Storm features a handful of excellent performers at the top of their game playing meticulously-devised characters. Geoffrey Rush is superb as Sir Basil, giving convincing life to this distinguished theatre actor whose life lacks intimacy. Rush delivers several engaging pieces of narration throughout the film which give unforced insight into the type of man that Sir Basil is. With Rush having wasted too much time on films far below his acting prowess (Green Lantern, Pirates of the Caribbean...), it's great to see the Australian appearing in films of this calibre. Similarly, Charlotte Ramping is a tour de force as Elizabeth Hunter; her performance is effectively dramatic, intense and believable, and Ramping fantastically conveys her character's mental confusions as Elizabeth grows close to death. Judy Davis, meanwhile, is wonderful as Dorothy, and the director's daughter Alexandra easily holds her own as attractive young nurse Flora.

The Eye of the Storm is a classy, grown-up Australian drama. It's magnificently multifaceted stuff, intimately exploring the emotional wreckage of a dysfunctional family with sophistication and acerbic wit. Older audiences who prefer dramatic storytelling over effects-laden blockbusters will no doubt be riveted by the picture, though it's difficult to imagine its appeal broadening much beyond this demographic. It's therefore rather refreshing to behold a film which refuses to relinquish artistic integrity for the sake of box office dollars.

8.1/10

"Somehow history has been rewritten. There has to be a reason this is happening, and K seems to be in the centre of it..."

For all intents and purposes, Men in Black III should have been an utter catastrophe. Compounding the law of diminishing returns and the fact that it has been a decade since the poorly-received Men in Black II, production on the flick was troubled: cameras began rolling without a finished script, and filming started and stopped. Hell, Sony apparently considered just killing the movie on account of all the rewrites and filming breaks. It's therefore phenomenal how cohesive the finished movie is. If you were none the wiser, you would never assume that Men in Black III's journey from page to screen was so problematic, as its storytelling is astonishingly fluid. Surprisingly, too, MIB III is far better and more energetic than we had any right to expect. While it lacks the original film's spark of witty brilliance, this fun threequel does come close to matching the exuberance of the first Men in Black.

The last survivor of a planet-destroying race of aliens, Boris The Terrible (Jemaine Clement) is incarcerated in a high security prison on the moon. When Boris escapes, he returns to Earth determined to exact revenge on Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) for shooting off one of his arms and arresting him years earlier. To prevent the removal of his limb, Boris travels back in time to 1969 to murder K, successfully erasing him from the present and causing a time ripple. In the present, only Agent J (Will Smith) can remember his now long-deceased partner, and he takes it upon himself to prevent K's death. With an alien attack threatening to destroy present-day Earth, J follows Boris back to 1969 where he meets young Agent K (Josh Brolin). Forced to become reluctant partners, K and J set out to stop Boris' master plan.

The Men in Black series started out as a goofy take on alien invasion films, but, for some reason, Men in Black III is more of a straight action flick with not as much emphasis on laughs. The budget was ridiculously high (reports place the final price tag at $375 million, including marketing), essentially forcing director Barry Sonnenfeld and the writers to focus on large-scale action set-pieces to effectively compete for summer box office dollars. To be sure, though, there is still a smattering of humour, and it's of a better standard than anticipated. Whenever the script mines for comedy, there are laughs to be had (J's one-liners are often amusing, although they may have been improvised by Smith). But what's disappointing is how few and far between the best laughs are, not to mention there are no genuine belly-laughs here on the same level as 1997's Men in Black.

As to be expected from a big-budget 2012 blockbuster, Men in Black III is an attractive film. With such an enormous budget, Sonnenfeld and his team have created some truly eye-popping action set-pieces which were brought to life with borderline photorealistic digital effects and animatronics. Fortunately, the legendary Rick Baker returned here to design and create the new set of aliens. Baker's efforts are predictably brilliant, stuffing Sonnenfeld's frame with imaginative extraterrestrials and further blurring the line between what's animatronic and what's digital. Then there's composer Danny Elfman, a series veteran whose music gives the picture further energy and zest. (For the record, the franchise's trademark theme is present and accounted for.) The climax is a bit on the clunky side, though - most troublesome is a fight between Boris and Agent J which yields an especially confusing moment that looks to be the result of frantic re-editing. Plus, the final minute or so introduces a cheap gag designed to close the door with a smile, but the moment feels forced and redundant.

It has been four years since Will Smith last starred in a film, but the actor has not lost his charisma or magnetism. Back as Agent J for the first time in a decade, Smith is as charming as ever, scoring laughs through top-notch comic timing and spot-on line delivery. But the show-stealer here is Josh Brolin as young Agent K, presenting a note-perfect imitation of Tommy Lee Jones. He nails Jones' mannerisms, steely facial expressions and deadpan line deliveries, not to mention Brolin actually resembles the actor. It's more than mere mimicry too, as Brolin embodies young K to effectively present an early version of the iconic character. It's impressive stuff. Best of all, Brolin has honest-to-goodness chemistry with Will Smith, and his inclusion makes the pairing of Agent K and Agent J feel fresh again. In fact, some of Men in Black III's finest moments involve the two men casually bantering rather than battling aliens. Meanwhile, Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) is a solid villain who makes a menacing impression whenever he's on-screen. Also in the cast is the underrated Michael Stuhlbarg who plays a fifth-dimensional being with the ability to see all versions of the future. His quick-paced talking is outstanding, and Stuhlbarg always remains eminently watchable. However, Tommy Lee Jones is unfortunately relegated to an extended cameo appearance, showing up for 20 minutes tops over the entire movie. Jones is great in his limited scenes, so it's a shame that there isn't more of them.

This reviewer is one of the three people on the planet who enjoys Men in Black II, but MIB III is definitely a marked improvement over its immediate predecessor. Still, it's not as good as the original MIB. The partnership of Smith and Brolin gives the series back its spark, yet the endeavour does seem a bit routine. Oh, and there's no Frank the Pug, which is worsened by the fact that Sonnenfeld apparently wanted to rub this in - Agent J has a large poster of Frank on his wall, and in the background at one stage there's a poster advertising "The Amazing Speaking Pug". Seriously, what gives? This aside, Men in Black III is a fun time. It even closes with a poignant twist that strengthens K and J's relationship and will make you watch the entire series in a new light. Room is left wide open for a fourth instalment, too, which this reviewer is actually looking forward to.

6.8/10

"What the hell did you do, kid?"

2012's Safe is a Jason Statham action vehicle in the truest sense, and in no way is that a bad thing. It delivers all the elements we have come to expect from The Stath's movies - including shootouts, fisticuffs, and cheesy one-liners - but what's surprising about Safe is how genuinely skilful it is. It falls short of revolutionising the genre, yet this material fits Statham's limited acting range like a glove, resulting in a proficient blast of thrilling action mayhem that deftly energises its standard-order plot constituents. It's a barebones B-movie, but writer-director Boaz Yakin refuses to fall victim to the pitfalls of similar efforts, showing a clear understanding of how to excel in the art of cinematic junk food without denying his target audience the simple pleasures that they demand. For action connoisseurs seeking something to satiate their desire for brutal beatdowns and exhilarating gun battles, Safe is the cup of manic machismo they will go gaga for.

After unintentionally losing a fixed fight, former cop-turned-cage-fighter Luke (Jason Statham) is sentenced to a miserable existence by Russian gangsters. They kill Luke's pregnant wife and promise to kill anybody he befriends in the future, forcing the broken man to live on the streets without purpose. While on the verge of suicide, Luke witnesses a young Chinese girl, Mei (Catherine Chan), being hunted by the same Russians who ruined his life, and he decides to rescue her. A little genius with a photographic memory, Mei was kidnapped by Chinese gangsters to memorise numbers and thus eliminate paper trails. As it turns out, the Chinese, the Russians, corrupt New York cops, and even the Mayor want to gain a secret code that Mei has memorised. Determined to protect Mei, Luke goes on the run with a newfound reason to live, killing pursuers at every turn.

One of Safe's biggest assets is that the story unfolds at an agreeable clip. While the narrative is a tad more dense than its superficial set-up, the explanations of the story's ins and outs are brisk enough to ensure that the pace never slows to a crawl yet detailed enough to ensure viewers will not feel lost or confused. Thankfully, character development is equally effective and efficient. Thus, Safe is stripped down to a satisfying extent without feeling underdone. Furthermore, although this is not the most intelligent action movie in existence, it's not in-your-face stupid either, and that's a huge deal in a world where Michael Bay exists. Boaz Yakin may have spent his career on peaceful movies of varying quality (including Uptown Girls), but his handling of this material is astonishingly competent. Yakin achieves what most action directors yearn for: a level of energy so engaging that you will not want to stop and overthink things. Best of all, Yakin displays no interest in corny melodrama.

Action connoisseurs - especially those who have grown weary of generic, watered-down PG-13 tosh - owe it to themselves to check out Safe since it's more or less a personal valentine to them. Trust me, the shootouts, car chases, and fights here are all of the highest order. Each set piece is intense and frenetic, and Yakin and cinematographer Stefan Czapsky manage to achieve this effect while capturing the action in an entirely comprehensible fashion. Best of all, the action scenes are brutal. The fight choreography here is some of the best in recent memory, and Yakin takes advantage of every opportunity to orchestrate violent gun battles in a deliriously brazen way. The editing may be somewhat frenetic at times, but there is no distracting shaky cam. Safe looks damn good as well, with attractive production values, slick cinematography and Mark Mothersbaugh's pulse-pounding score, all of which were achieved on the meagre $30 million budget. In terms of visuals and technical competency, this is a home run. It's rare to find an action film this well-made.

Jason Statham's participation in the Expendables series has ostensibly set him up as a successor to the likes of Sly and Arnie, and Safe further proves that he's one of this generation's last true action heroes. In the tradition of '80s action icons, Statham is a star who's content to play the same character repeatedly...and that's fine: he has found a niche that suits him, and he's just playing to this strength. Statham's badass screen presence makes him an agreeable action hero, and it's somewhat soothing to see him doing what he does best. Fortunately, Statham works really well with co-star Catherine Chan as Mei. Meanwhile, the rest of the actors are just fine - they suit their roles perfectly and always seem immersed in the material.

A vicious and visceral actioner, Safe is an enjoyable ride. It's nothing you'll remember a few days after viewing, but it's nothing you'll regret spending your time on, either. One could criticise the film since it fails to break new ground, but that is what makes it so refreshing: it energetically retreads familiar ground without any boring pretensions. It is best likened to a hot fudge sundae: a not-exactly-fancy concoction that nevertheless delivers plenty of delicious ice cream and irresistible chocolate chutzpah.

7.8/10

"America! The birthplace of AIDS!"

Who would've thought that Sacha Baron Cohen had another new character in him? The talented performer fooled the world using the personas of Ali G, Borat and Bruno, and now Cohen has re-teamed with director Larry Charles to introduce another comic creation for another hard-R comedy destined to be both controversial and polarising. Like Cohen and Charles' prior collaborations, The Dictator is a character-based comedy more concerned with vignettes than storytelling, but this is a scripted movie with slick production values instead of a mockumentary. Fortunately, though, the controversial punch of Borat and Bruno remains - The Dictator is gleefully un-PC, to the extent that it even kicks off with a title card announcing itself to be dedicated to the memory of Kim Jong Il. But what's disappointing is that Cohen's brilliant new caricature has been situated within a paint-by-numbers plot.

A flagrant dictator, Admiral General Aladeen (Cohen) rules the North African Republic of Wadiya with an iron fist and zero tolerance. Suspected of war crimes and a secret nuclear arms program, Aladeen agrees to travel to New York City to address the charges against him in front of the UN. Upon arrival, a government official (Reilly) kidnaps Aladeen and strips him of his iconic beard. Stranded on the streets of NYC where nobody will recognise him, Aladeen is taken in by a feminist, activist and grocery store manager named Zoey (Faris) who believes Aladeen is actually a political refugee named Allison Burgers. Meanwhile, Aladeen's backstabbing confidant Tamir (Kingsley) begins to use an idiotic Aladeen body double to represent Wadiya in front of the UN and announce that the nation will become a democracy. Appalled by the notion of equality and peace, Aladeen teams up with former nuclear scientist Nadal (Mantzoukas) as he sets out to reclaim his power.

The Dictator is welcomely brisk. Charles keeps the flick taut and disciplined, charging ahead with maximum momentum and brevity to ensure the film never outstays its welcome. On the downside, the story is too standard-order - its twists and turns are pure formula, leading to an ending which introduces generic character arcs. Sure, Cohen and Charles likely felt that Aladeen needed to change his ways since it's challenging to sympathise or care about a murdering terrorist, but is such an arc really necessary in what's meant to be a dark, politically incorrect comedy? And did the pair really have to opt for a story as overdone and thin as this? The romantic subplot with Zoey, meanwhile, is clichéd hogwash. The Dictator should have merely served as a playground for Cohen to go nuts with his new role (the notion of him trolling the UN is a feature-length film premise in itself), but Aladeen's shenanigans are less fun and even somewhat restricted when everything is so written and doctored.

Fortunately, The Dictator is an utter hoot whenever Sacha Baron Cohen does what he does best. The picture is littered with great gags and one-liners, most of which are in appalling taste. Cohen is an equal opportunity comedian - he sucker punches everyone and every taste here. Consequently, at any time half the audience will be offended while the other half will be laughing uproariously. And my word, the best jokes here are almost on the same level as Borat. On top of offensive dialogue (including rape jokes, sexist jokes and racist jokes), a few sight gags are destined to be controversial (including a terrorist Wii game that allows Aladeen to behead people and re-enact the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre). Cohen's humour occasionally has bite, too - he attacks China, satirises America's current political state in a very ballsy way, and generally pokes holes in widespread ideologies. Due to its extreme content, though, The Dictator is not for every taste. This is a picture designed for those who enjoy Cohen's typical brand of provocative humour and/or R-rated comedies in general. If you felt that Borat and Bruno crossed the line, this is not a movie for you.

Sacha Baron Cohen is an utterly fearless performer. He's a fine cinematic troll who'll go to great lengths - no matter the cost - to sell his characters' personas and make people laugh. Not every joke is gold here, but you cannot fault Cohen's sheer eagerness in the role of Admiral General Aladeen. Another standout in the cast is Jason Mantzoukas as Nadal. Mantzoukas scores a number of huge laughs, and his chemistry with Cohen is marvellous; it's pure gold to watch the bantering between the two. As for Anna Faris, the actress does a fine job as Zoey. There are also numerous celebrity cameos scattered throughout the picture which are too amusing to spoil.

The end of Cohen's hidden camera productions was inevitable, as Borat and Bruno stirred up such a ruckus that people are bound to recognise Cohen no matter how much make-up he wears. This is all well and good, but The Dictator does feel too calculated. The charm of Borat was how raw and spontaneous it felt (no matter how scripted some sections might have been), whereas this flick is polished to an almost detrimental degree. Still, The Dictator is frequently hilarious to such an extent that it's worth seeing. Fans of Sacha Baron Cohen will most likely enjoy it.

6.8/10

"You don't expect your family to understand what you're doing. You just hope they understand you're doing it for them, and when you get home you hope you can pick-up right where you left off."

Gritty realism is the name of the game for 2012's Act of Valor. For the production, directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh set out to create the most true-to-life cinematic depiction of war combat to date as well as paint a realistic portrait of America's Navy SEALs. To achieve this, the directors recruited real-life, active SEALs to play the protagonists, who brought to the project all of their collective knowledge about operating procedures and battles that ordinary writers would have to spend years researching. Shy of enlisting, Act of Valor is the closest that movie-goers will come to experiencing what it's like to be on the lam alongside Navy SEALs, but the film unfortunately lacks humanity and substance. Its narrative is drab and borderline incomprehensible, and the SEALs themselves are stilted performers.

When a CIA agent (Sanchez) is kidnapped by drug smuggler-come-arms dealer Chriso (Veadov), an elite team of Navy SEALs are dispatched on a rescue mission. Upon moving in and recovering the hostage, though, the SEALs begin to unravel a devastating terrorist plot involving an army of suicide bombers carrying undetectable explosives who plan to take down iconic U.S. landmarks. This compels the SEAL squad into action, setting out on a worldwide tour to apprehend the terrorists before it's too late.

Comparisons between Act of Valor and the likes of Call of Duty are not unwarranted - the movie's narrative logic is akin to that of a video game, and, whenever the squad are engaged in combat, there are several shots from the points of view of various SEALs which resemble something from a first-person shooter. Reportedly, the filmmakers largely used live ammunition while filming the action scenes. This may seem like a silly risk, but it effectively augments the sense of immediacy since it genuinely looks as if guns are being discharged. The film earns its R rating, too, as it pulls no punches when it comes to portraying the realities of a fire-fight. This is one of the most realistic and breathtaking depictions of combat in a film to date, alongside Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down. The fact that this technical magnificence was accomplished for a scant $12 million is nothing short of a miracle. Apparently, too, pretty much nothing in the film is CGI - most everything in the frame (aside from a handful of blood splatters) was executed with old-fashioned practical effects, and this works in the film's favour. Indeed, Act of Valor is a true '80s picture in spirit, though the at times distractingly frenetic camerawork is a bit too much on the modern side.

Unfortunately, Act of Valor offers very little to grasp onto between the action sequences, as it lacks humanity. Dialogue is often stale, and the SEALs perpetually remain empty ciphers devoid of personality traits. The attempts to give these guys dimension seem half-hearted, too, and as a result none of them ever come across as flesh-and-blood humans. Since the characters are so underdeveloped, the action scenes do not possess the feeling of jeopardy and nail-biting tension that could have catapulted the film to excellence. Furthermore, the story's progressions don't entirely mesh - the script plays out more in line with Mission: Impossible or 24. Navy SEALs only handle individual missions in real-life, yet Act of Valor shows them to be a squad of determined Ethan Hunts and Jack Bauers who foil super-villains as they trot across the globe.

You have got to hand it to Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh: their decision to cast actual Navy SEALs was a great idea in theory. The depiction of the way that they operate is spot-on, and it's fascinating to watch this stuff and absorb all of the tiny nuances of modern military operations. At the end of the day, though, Navy SEAL operatives are not actors, and this fact is really obvious. Their terse dialogue in action sounds pitch-perfect, but only because they're meant to sound so wooden in such instances. The intimate, dialogue-heavy scenes, on the other hand, are incredibly boring. The effort to make the protagonists interesting is appreciated, but the result is tedious.

A lot of critics have dismissed Act of Valor as a jingoistic affair that just feels like an army recruitment tool, but, to the film's credit, it doesn't contain the cheesy bravado or the over-the-top patriotism of more commercial Hollywood blockbusters (see The Delta Force). Still, Act of Valor is not perfect. It has a handful of must-see action scenes, yet interest wanes whenever it trudges through expositional patches. It's a somewhat unsuccessful cinematic experiment, though it's not entirely without merit.

6.1/10

"Two centuries ago, I made Collinwood my home... until a jealous witch cursed me, condemning me to the shadows, for all time."

Dark Shadows is one strange flick. It's Burton-esque in the truest sense, yet it's a far cry from the genius usually associated with this descriptor. The eighth collaboration of director Tim Burton and star Johnny Depp, Dark Shadows is an utter mess; narrative strands are all over the shop, character relationships are skimmed over, mythology is confused, and the tone veers wildly from pure horror to campy comedy. As a result, the picture never comes together in any cohesive or satisfying way. To its credit, the film is most certainly not the boisterous comedy its terrible marketing implied, as it seems to be more of a serious gothic horror movie. Nevertheless, this big-budget adaptation of the old TV soap opera of the same name is an utter disappointment, only occasionally displaying the hints of brilliance which should have pervaded its entire 110-minute runtime.

In the 1700s, the Collins Family travel to the New World where they set down permanent roots and establish a successful fishing enterprise. When Barnabas Collins (Depp) falls in love with the beautiful Josette (Heathcote), jealous witch Angelique (Green) enacts a curse which leaves Josette dead and turns Barnabas into an unwitting bloodsucker who's buried alive by the pitchfork-waving community. When Barnabas is finally set loose from his coffin two centuries later in 1972, his beloved mansion and the Collins name is in disarray. Looking to restore the family name, Barnabas tries to motivate his dysfunctional descendants into action, all the while bonding with the family's new governess Victoria (Heathcote again) who bears a strong resemblance to his long-lost love Josette. Meanwhile, Angelique hears that Barnabas is back above the ground. Having been infatuated with him for centuries, Angelique vows that she will either have him for herself once and for all, or destroy him for good.

Structurally, Dark Shadows is confused and jumbled, as screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith tried to squeeze as many character arcs, secrets and relationships as he could from 1,200 TV episodes into one self-contained feature. The problem is felt most glaringly in the subplot concerning Victoria. We're initially led to believe that Victoria has major significance in the story, yet she barely seems to exists once Barnabas arrives (despite her burgeoning romance with him). For that matter, all of the characters are short changed - this is The Johnny Depp Show, permitting little room for any other players to receive sufficient development. Thus, the film is mainly constituted of scenes which make fun of the fact that Barnabas is either out of place in the 20th Century or is a vampire who experiences life differently. The only actual story and character development happens through montage (including the Barnabas/Victoria romance, for Christ sake). Hell, in the space between two scenes, Barnabas even manages to mysteriously organise an enormous party out of nowhere, even securing Alice Cooper as the party's entertainment. Furthermore, as a result of so little character development, nothing ever seems to be at stake, rendering Dark Shadows hopelessly empty. And when characters suddenly reveal their powers/secrets during the climax, it only leads to several "What the fuck?!" moments.

The key issue with Dark Shadows is one of tone, since the comedic moments are far too broad. It's therefore jarring to see Barnabas mercilessly slaughtering people one moment, and in the next moment seeing a series of sight gags within musical montages. Even more bewildering is a bizarre love scene in which Barnabas and Angelique literally bounce off the walls together. Nothing quite meshes in the movie - imagine the broad comedy of Mars Attacks! playing out between the horrific scenes of Sleepy Hollow. Dark comedy is fine in a movie like this, but a murderous vampire talking about "birthing hips" is not. Burton usually excels at tone, yet he seems positively lost here.

Ironically, the problem may actually be Johnny Depp. The other performers seem to be aiming for a sombre tone, yet Depp is too quirky and broad when he should be dramatic and macabre. Barnabas is established to be a murderer, not a Beetlejuice-like creation better suited for The Addams Family. Out of the cast, the most notable standout is Bella Heathcote. The little-known Australian actress (previously seen in 2010's Beneath Hill 60) possesses a natural beauty and an inherent understanding of drama and romance. She's positively disarming whenever she shows up, so it's a shame that her talents are so underutilised. The rest of the actors are fine, though they, too, lack sufficient opportunities to distinguish themselves. To pay tribute to the television show and vampire movies in general, several original Dark Shadows cast members (including the original Barnabas Collins, Jonathan Frid, who died shortly before the film's release) and Christopher Lee show up for cameos which don't amount to much. Alice Cooper's brief cameo is a highlight, however.

To Tim Burton's credit, he can still orchestrate horror commendably well. When Dark Shadows is dark, it takes off marvellously. The first 20 minutes or so are particularly good - the prologue is spot-on, with sumptuous production values and Danny Elfman's atmospheric score promising that something moody and creepy is to come. Following this, the haunting melodies of the song Nights in White Satin play over the opening credits, which is a masterful touch. What a shame that things subsequently begin to decline. To be sure, Dark Shadows has enough isolated moments of brilliance to ensure that it's worth checking out for fans of Burton and/or Depp. Or perhaps these moments will just prove frustrating to said fans, as they'll only see hints of the limitless potential that the film fails to capitalise upon.

5.4/10

"Were we just as obnoxious as these kids back in the day?"

Does anyone honestly care about the American Pie series anymore? The franchise's glory days are long gone; 2003's lacklustre American Wedding and a string of abominable straight-to-video spin-offs (minus Jason Biggs and co) effectively sent the brand name to the morgue. Enter 2012's American Reunion, for which most all of the original cast members were rounded up for another theatrical outing of nudity and sexual gags. Rather than using this sequel as an opportunity to reinvent the series with fresh maturity, the film instead reheats old jokes, placing the aging protagonists in exactly the same type of situations that they endured a decade ago. Thus, the whole enterprise is nothing groundbreaking, but American Reunion is a fun and energetic comedy destined to please any fans of the series who still exist. It's better than its high franchise number would have you assume, and it's the best American Pie sequel yet.

It has been 13 years since the boys of East Great Falls graduated from high school. Since none of them were bothered enough to organise a 10-year class reunion, a 13-year reunion is decided upon, and the whole class is scheduled to attend. Jim (Biggs) is now in a troubled, sexless marriage with Michelle (Hannigan), Kevin (Nicholas) is facing an emasculating home life with his spouse, Oz (Klein) is an ESPN host, and Finch (Thomas) is full of stories about global adventure and travel. Looking to spend some quality drinking time together, Jim, Kevin, Oz and Finch decide to congregate in their hometown a few days before the reunion. Unfortunately, the infamous Stifler (Scott) manages to get himself involved in their shenanigans as well...

The original creator of American Pie, Adam Herz, assumed executive producing duties here - the writing and directing responsibilities were instead entrusted to Harold and Kumar creators Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. They may not have taken part in the first film, but Hurwitz and Schlossberg's understanding of the franchise's appeal and respect for the characters is evident in every frame of American Reunion. The pair clearly knew exactly what made the series so popular in the first place, and they set out to replicate the same type of humour and create new vignettes reminiscent of key scenes from prior movies. The gags aren't always home runs, but it's surprising how many of them actually land. Furthermore, Hurwitz and Schlossberg didn't baulk from exploring the realities of adulthood; the feeling that our lives have not played out in line with our dreams, and the realisation that things will never be the same as they were in teenage-hood. It gives the film evidence of depth and thought.

While prowling for laughs, American Reunion is a complete hoot, and it consistently maintains a high level of energy to prevent boredom from setting in. The dramatic elements, on the other hand, are far less successful. As a matter of fact, it feels as if another writer was exclusively responsible for the drama. It doesn't help that the serious stuff is so clichéd: a troubled marriage, tension between former lovers, friendships falling apart, a girl throwing herself at Jim, and so on. All of the plot crises were ripped straight out of the "Faux Heart" chapter in the comedy handbook, and they aren't handled well enough to come across as anything but conventional distractions. At the very least, though, there is not a lot of drama. In fact, American Reunion is focused on laughs for a good 80% of its runtime, and it refuses to revel in the despondent periods. Unfortunately, however, the actual reunion is more of a minor footnote to the movie's comedic vignettes than a key set-piece. An extra 5 or 10 minutes of watching old characters reuniting (there are a few far-too-short cameos) could have made the film feel more complete.

It had been many years since the ensemble had adopted these iconic personas, but every single one of them effortlessly slipped back into their former roles as if no time had passed. The central group of boys - Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kay Thomas and Seann William Scott - are especially good, delivering a lot of laughs and enjoyably bringing their characters back to life. Suffice it to say, the extraordinarily game Scott scores an enormous amount of laughs as Stifler. But the one who steals the show is Eugene Levy as Jim's Dad (who has somehow starred in all American Pie films, including all of the straight-to-video malarkey). Levy's comedic instincts are incredibly sharp and he has a soothing screen presence, not to mention it never looks as if Levy is merely present for the paycheque.

For long-time fans, it will prove to be a treat to catch up with the likes of Jim, Finch, Kevin and Oz (who was AWOL in American Wedding) once again, and to see how adulthood is treating them. American Reunion can be enjoyed by anybody who has a taste for these types of bawdy R-rated comedies, but the film is also a respectful love note to fans of the franchise who have been following the lives of these guys for so long. The film gives all of the protagonists the character arcs that they deserve, leaving us optimistic about what the future holds for them. Indeed, the movie does have heart underneath its sex comedy routine. It's pleasantly surprising that the film feels less like a shameless cash-grab and more like a creative way to bring closure to this series.

7.1/10

"You will learn someday that being half human, makes you stronger than a god."

Did you see 2010's Clash of the Titans remake? Judging from the film's box office gross of almost $500 million and the strong home video sales, there's a good chance you did. Now here's another question: did you like it? I'm guessing not... Clash of the Titans was a one-off anomaly which did strong business despite being badly-received, and then, a few months later, nobody cared about it any longer. Added to this, the film is notorious for being the poster child of terrible 3-D since it underwent a hasty conversion in post-production. Two years later, the quickie sequel Wrath of the Titans is now upon us, with the folks at Warner Bros. hoping to turn the profitable but unloved first instalment into a money-making franchise. While this is a better film than its rocky predecessor and while it improves the experience in a number of ways, the filmmakers nonetheless failed to take heed of all previous mistakes. Consequently, there's still no reason to care about this series.

Approximately a decade after he defeated the Kraken, demigod Perseus (Worthington) has settled into the peaceful life of a fisherman, raising young son Helius (Bell) following the premature death of his wife. The Age of Gods is coming to an end, though; people have stopped praying, and thus the immortality of the Gods is in danger. Perseus' father Zeus (Neeson) seeks to make peace with his brother Hades (Fiennes), but he's promptly captured by Hades and Ares (Ramírez), who have joined forces to release the leader of the titans, Kronos, and become immortal. Zeus' powers are being sapped in order to free Kronos, and Perseus is compelled back into action when news of this reaches his ears. With demigod Agenor (Kebble) and Queen Andromeda (Pike) by his side, Perseus assembles an army and sets out to both free Zeus and forge a super-weapon able to destroy Kronos.

Keen film-goers will recognise that this is pretty much the same plot as 2011's Immortals. Such familiarity is the least of Wrath of the Titans' problems, though. Dan Mazeau and David Johnson's script is a dangerously dry concoction, ignoring the importance of strong characters in favour of a stripped-down experience devoid of humanity. Critics often overuse the analogy "This movie feels like a video game", but Wrath of the Titans literally does progress like a typical video game - once the set-up is in place, the film follows a very simple, game-like formula: the characters travel to a new location, look around for a little while, and then have a boss battle. Rinse and repeat. In between, we get a further glimpse of what's at stake. This culminates with an ultimate boss battle. The characters remain blank slates throughout all of this, and we are never permitted a chance to get to know them or even understand their motivations. Due to how interchangeable all of the characters are, the ensemble cast is the equivalent of a pack of rice cakes. The dialogue is frequently tin-eared, as well. It's not that the dialogue sticks out as terrible; it's that it's too bland to stick out at all.

Clash of the Titans particularly faltered in its climax, as the Kraken was defeated too quickly and easily. Wrath of the Titans likewise fails on this front. While Kronos' eventual emergence from the bowels of the Earth makes for an awesome reveal, the intimidating monster doesn't do a great deal at all. Instead, he's defeated after barely a few minutes of screen combat. As a result, the ending feels too easy and there's no real tension. As a matter of fact, there's no suspense or tension to any of the proceedings. At the very least, though, the action sequences are often enjoyable and the film maintains a fun matinee vibe throughout. To the credit of director Jonathan Liebesman, the action elements are far more assured here than in Clash of the Titans. Devoid of irritating shaky-cam, the action beats are a highlight, especially with the impressive digital effects. Like its predecessor, Wrath of the Titans was also converted to 3-D in post-production. Surprisingly, the conversion is astonishingly good, generating a strong sense of three-dimensionality. In fact, if you were none the wiser, you could easily believe that it was filmed with 3-D cameras.

In Clash of the Titans, Sam Worthington had trouble settling on an accent for his role of Perseus, as he haphazardly alternated between faux American to mildly British to Australian. Here, the star completely embraced his native Australian accent and made no effort to change his voice. Such a thick Aussie accent sounds out of place in a movie concerned with Greek mythology, but at least he's consistent this time. Unfortunately, though, his performance here as a whole is underwhelming. Worthington displayed immense charisma in 2009's Avatar, but here he seems to be on autopilot. The same can be said for most everyone else in the cast, though Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes do admittedly ooze gravitas as Zeus and Hades (respectively). The only standout is Bill Nighy, but he's criminally underused. Nighy is a hammy delight as Hephaestus, sparking the picture to life with an injection of sorely-needed personality. Alas, he departs the picture after merely a few short scenes, completing wasting a golden opportunity.

It's a seriously flawed movie, but at least Wrath of the Titans is not excruciating. It's forgettable and superficial of course, but it won't make you lose the will to live. In essence, this is just one of those movies that's better seen than heard. In visual terms it's a home run, with luscious CGI and grand set design marvellously selling the illusion of this vast fantasyland. Whenever the characters stop to talk, though, your brain will likely lose interest and switch off, as the picture foregrounds weak actors while utterly wasting the good performers. Just imagine what a picture with eye candy of this magnitude would be like if viewers could become emotionally invested in the characters and their circumstances. Food for thought.

5.5/10