Year: 2011
Director: Gareth Evans
Screenplay: Gareth Evans
Starring: Iko Uwais, Ananda George, Ray Sahetapy
Synopsis is here:
You can write the premise on a napkin. A SWAT infiltrate a dug lords apartment building only for the tables to be turned on them. It was never about them getting in, it was always about them getting out. The conceit is simplicity itself and one of the reason I feel an action film like The Raid will gain many fans on DVD Theatrically, the U.K numbers haven't appeared on Box Office Mojo, however, the fact that once again I was in a screen by myself speaks volumes (mainly that I work odd shift hours).
The Raid is exactly what I expect from a movie of it's ilk. The kind of film that get's Roger Eberts back up. It's violence incarnate and completely unapologetic with it. Gareth Evans' film is a ballet of broken bones with a tremendous amount of twisted limbs and large bouts of bloodshed.
It's also suffers from below average characterisation and a humdrum story. I'm sincerely disappointed that the films dialogue and plot are not up to the level of the carnage. Such thoughts will piss off the hardcore fans of such a genre, however brutality aside, I have to say I found myself lamenting that The Raid didn't push the bar further. Haywire's lead actress wasn't the strongest, but such the female dynamic made it stand out (see also Hanna). The dialogue is one note while most of the films twists are pretty transparent. Don't expect anyone of the actors to be the next Lawrence Olivier.
And yet, this does nothing to distract from the films ability to startle with it's action. The film showcases the traditional Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat. It is a fight style that I've never experienced before, and one that I enjoyed indulging in. Evans use of geography throughout the film is sublime. The labrinth-like corriders are filled with doors that are quick to burst open with assailants, while the fights themselves are quite remarkable given the limited space available within the rooms. The Raid is quick to remind you that the environment is a character as well.
Is is however, unfortunate that compared to the likes of older (early John Woo) or more modern (A Bittersweet Life) far eastern classics we are not given a character whose as interesting to follow during the "talkie" moments. It's true that we go to the raid for the chop socky action. However, when compared to the likes of Chow Yun Fat or Bruce Lee, the film falters as the lead actor Iko Uwais just doesn't have the presence. While the only way other characters get to bounce off him is by throwing their fists at him. The dances of death throughout are exhilarating, the charisma that flowed through the films it's influenced by however is missing.
The Raid is a six-pack film, which features moves that allows you to marvel at some brilliantly executed set pieces while you swill some watered wheat and hops around your chops. Films like this always make you double take what you just saw and remind me just how regulated the American film industry is in terms of health, safety and insurance. I'll be interested to see just how Hollywood manage some of the stunts on show, in their soon to be filmed remake. I'd be even more surprised if that film manages to bolster the thinly spread plot and characters at play.
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Review: Man on a Ledge
Year: 2012
Director: Asger Leth
Screenplay: Pablo Fenjves
Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Edward Burns, Ed Harris.
Synopsis is here
I'm getting more and more frustrated at the fact that Anthony Mackie cannot get a decent leading gig while Sam Worthington is centre stage on a whole range of sub-standard thrillers and blockbusters. I blame James Cameron.
I apologise for being a little harsh on Mr Worthington, as in all honestly he appears to be a genuine guy. He's probably a real gentlemen. Unfortunately, despite the spunk he's has brought to roles, he hasn't built upon his coming out party in Avatar. But then again, things may change, if he was given a screenplay that's worthwhile.
While trying to keep a grip on his Australian accent (he is meant to be from New York here), he also has to struggle on with a screenplay which, is only too quick to trot out tried and tested and tried tropes at a drop of a dime. Look! There's the cop with the troubled past! Hey, there's an unscrupulous reporter whose only too quick to back stab or bet on a good story! I'm not sure about that character! He seems way too trusting...lets hope the script surprises! Oh...it doesn't.
I'm sure I've bemoaned all this before on this site. It's no way a problem to use such common devices. However, if a film is lazy in it's execution of such things, then it will not generate any excitement. Man on a Ledge slapped me round the chops with dull, generic plot, sprinkles warmed over dialogue over nearly every scene and did nothing to make me interested in it's main conceit. Even the themes that are underlined within the plot are haphazardly shoehorned in. We have moments, which touch upon media hysteria and the 2008 economic crash, however, the film wishes to plod on with it's charmless heist and waste decent character actors (Banks, Mackie, Bell, the dude that was awesome in The Mist). It's an Oceans movie without the smugness, but also without the wit, style or sense of fun.
The main problem however, is I was never on that ledge with Nick. The film doesn't try hard enough to put you in the world. Yes, there's a man on the ledge, and yes there's an area of wish-fulfilment (look at the little man sticking it to the white collar wall street) that could be indulged, but the film never reaches that level of escapism. Here Worthington isn't convincing enough, and the likes of Ed Burns and Ed Harris just don't seem to care enough. The script drops clunky dialogue on a regular basis. It's great to see Genesis Rodriguez strip down to a matching pink bra and panty combo when but her performance sticks out like a sore thumb, you realise how pointless that moment really is.
If there's one thing nice to say abut Man on the Ledge, it will be that at least it looks great on blu-ray. A line like that allows me to make a dumb joke about polishing a turd, but much like the film, such a joke would provide me with little satisfaction.
Director: Asger Leth
Screenplay: Pablo Fenjves
Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Edward Burns, Ed Harris.
Synopsis is here
I'm getting more and more frustrated at the fact that Anthony Mackie cannot get a decent leading gig while Sam Worthington is centre stage on a whole range of sub-standard thrillers and blockbusters. I blame James Cameron.
I apologise for being a little harsh on Mr Worthington, as in all honestly he appears to be a genuine guy. He's probably a real gentlemen. Unfortunately, despite the spunk he's has brought to roles, he hasn't built upon his coming out party in Avatar. But then again, things may change, if he was given a screenplay that's worthwhile.
While trying to keep a grip on his Australian accent (he is meant to be from New York here), he also has to struggle on with a screenplay which, is only too quick to trot out tried and tested and tried tropes at a drop of a dime. Look! There's the cop with the troubled past! Hey, there's an unscrupulous reporter whose only too quick to back stab or bet on a good story! I'm not sure about that character! He seems way too trusting...lets hope the script surprises! Oh...it doesn't.
I'm sure I've bemoaned all this before on this site. It's no way a problem to use such common devices. However, if a film is lazy in it's execution of such things, then it will not generate any excitement. Man on a Ledge slapped me round the chops with dull, generic plot, sprinkles warmed over dialogue over nearly every scene and did nothing to make me interested in it's main conceit. Even the themes that are underlined within the plot are haphazardly shoehorned in. We have moments, which touch upon media hysteria and the 2008 economic crash, however, the film wishes to plod on with it's charmless heist and waste decent character actors (Banks, Mackie, Bell, the dude that was awesome in The Mist). It's an Oceans movie without the smugness, but also without the wit, style or sense of fun.
The main problem however, is I was never on that ledge with Nick. The film doesn't try hard enough to put you in the world. Yes, there's a man on the ledge, and yes there's an area of wish-fulfilment (look at the little man sticking it to the white collar wall street) that could be indulged, but the film never reaches that level of escapism. Here Worthington isn't convincing enough, and the likes of Ed Burns and Ed Harris just don't seem to care enough. The script drops clunky dialogue on a regular basis. It's great to see Genesis Rodriguez strip down to a matching pink bra and panty combo when but her performance sticks out like a sore thumb, you realise how pointless that moment really is.
If there's one thing nice to say abut Man on the Ledge, it will be that at least it looks great on blu-ray. A line like that allows me to make a dumb joke about polishing a turd, but much like the film, such a joke would provide me with little satisfaction.
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