The glossing over of historical facts aside this is a deplorably shallow film with irritatingly hollow caricatures and scenes played for cheap laughs or even cheaper sentiment. Gratingly dull and rarely venturing beyond the press-release viewpoint, this is just awful.
100 Feet (2008/USA)
Average haunted house affair that despite it’s reasonable premise and a couple of nervy scenes never really cuts it. The special effects are of note though, especially those of the apparition.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008/USA)
This sci-fi remake is ill-deserving of its universal criticism. The plot progresses at a good pace and the acting is good on the whole (Reeves is born to play the slow-speaking, blank expression-wearing alien!). It lacks a certain creative touch to bring it beyond the average though.
Re-animator (1985/USA)
Classic madcap horror that’s as gorey as it is silly. The HP Lovecraft story, on which it is based, adds a certain solidity to the plot and characters. Added to this some surprisingly good special effects it makes for an unmissible cheese-fest.
Adrift (2006/USA)
Dull thriller with little imagination and even worse characters. A frustratingly stupid film that really sinks (excuse the pun) in the middle and never recovers.
The reality TV scenario provides a great backdrop for skilfully crafted tension percolated with some great jumps and surprises. The audience is kept guessing right up to the twists in the finale in what is a superior horror.
Sex Drive (USA/2008)
Above average teen comedy whose characters help redress the balance of the generic plot. The obnoxious older-brother steels the show but is unfortunately not featured a lot. The comedy element begins to run out of steam towards the end, when the inevitable romance takes over, but its amusing whilst it lasts.
Dead or Alive (Japan/2000)
Wacky characters and an even stranger sense of humour are what you expect from Takashi Miike, and this Yakuza tale is no different. After an incomprehensible opening, the plot takes a while to come together but what it lacks in pace it makes up for with atmosphere.
Suspiria (Italy/1977)
All the effort in this dull horror appears to have gone on set design and mood lighting. The best moments are saved for the final 20mins or so but the viewer will be quite weary of the pathetic attempts to create suspense they’ve had to endure for the previous hour or so.
The International (USA/Germany /2009)
This pseudo-intelligent thriller disappoints on all fronts. It drags the audience by the nose through an irksome plot at an unbearably pedestrian pace. It is riddled with pointless and ill-conceived scenes that can’t cover the cracks of this clueless mish-mash of a film.
The Ruins (USA /2008)
A grizzly horror with some great gorey moments and a couple of well thought-out scenes. A good pace coupled with the lingering tension makes for a movie that will appease horror fans.
Disastrous mish-mash of a music video and teen slasher. Having an extra from Grease as the killer is bad enough but when the 50’s rock n’roll pastiche kicks in before each slaying it becomes unbearable. Awful (and not in a good way!)
Death Race (USA/2008)
90% of this film consists of cars with guns, shooting each other and crashing. It manages to get away with it, although the action scenes are a bit of a mixed bag, as it’s just so unashamedly convoluted and silly. More could’ve been made of the media aspect of the reality tv show but I don’t think this was a project which was open to such things as satire and wit.
Taken (France/USA2008)
Standard thriller that “does exactly what it says on the tin”. Not too many surprises in what is a solid movie (even if it does stretch your suspension of disbelief at times) with some good camerawork– particularly in the fight scenes.
Choke (USA/2008)
Laid back comedy-drama that casts a psychological insight into the life of the morally bankrupt protagonist. Some fine performances from the supporting cast (as equally disturbed individuals) adds much needed gravity to the fantastical plot. Thoroughly enjoyable.
They Live (USA/1988)
Satirical sci-fi that has a strong anti-consumerism message. The subliminal-message visuals, the impoverished 80’s setting and the doses of black comedy all aid the satire in what is a very entertaining film.
The original Resistance had an even share of fans and critics but most would have agreed that it laid a solid foundation for the franchise to expand and, with some polishing, a top class sequel to be built upon. Fall of Man’s major triumphs came from it’s intriguing scenario supported by it’s atmosphere, detailed environments and compelling plot. So one would imagine that these, at the very least, would be the backbone of the sequel….
The game begins badly, in a generic “facility” with the same old pipe and crate filled corridors seen in countless FPS games (largely ones from the previous console generation it has to be said). Unfortunately it takes a long time before you encounter anything close to the quality of the first game’s environments as you are dragged through a dull canyon, another facility and an uninspiring alien vessel, before finally getting to experience a bit of post-war Americana.
All of the early levels (well most of the game actually) begin and end the same – dropped off and collected by helicopter – as you are given your next target and move on with scant regard for plot progression. Being pushed from pillar to post in such a manner is a real momentum killer. In R:FOM, the gradual build-up of information on the Chimeran invasion coupled with the sombre narration between missions was a real boon in terms of atmosphere and this lacks such a device to drive the story. (One could probably argue that there isn’t much of a story to drive in the first place!)
Environments and plot aside, there is something rotten at the core of the game. The balance to the gunplay, the cornerstone of any FPS, is badly askew. The waves of bog-standard Chimeran fighters are easier to brush aside than they should be but the real deal-breaker are the bigger, less-frequent foes who rely on weaponry and endurance from an unfathomable rule-set. This leads to many choke-points and, worse still, a sense of unfairness.
The clever and varied weapon-set is intact from the first game. The new additions aren’t as inventive and are rarely incorporated. The choice to make most of the enemy not relinquish their guns upon death seems at first to be a bug but later you discover that the developers like to prescribe guns to each situation, denying the player the chance to utilise their favourite weapon-set in any situation which again seems like a bad move.
The online modes offer variety, with the co-op missions providing some genuine entertainment, but there’s nothing spectacular on offer and certainly nothing to rival the best in the genre.
So with the epic feel and intriguing narrative all but gone there really is nothing left to recommend this over, or even to supplement, the best PS3 shooters out there. And with Killzone 2 looming on the horizon this maybe pushed even further down the pecking order.
Gremlins (1988/USA)The splicing of proper horror and black comedy into what is, for all intents and purposes, a children’s film can sometimes feel out of place but it comes off with great success. Some of the later scenes are more akin to a macabre take on the Muppets but it still stands up today. A true 80’s classic.
The Incredible Hulk (2008/USA)This begins with the promise of a more considered, humanistic look at the superhero genre (and the casting of Norton as the protagonist certainly aided that). Unfortunately, as it progresses it only becomes more bound by convention with the final scenes resembling a WWE travesty.
Iron Man (2008/USA)With strong, bold characters and a plot revolving around reformation this should have the perfect recipe for a solid superhero jaunt but alas it falls short of the mark. The lack of a real nemesis (cardboard cut-out Middle-Eastern terrorists anyone?!) and the dull action scenes let it down making it just another average Marvel vehicle.
Ultraviolet (2006/USA)Although visually interesting, theres little to recommend about this style-over-substance sci-fi. The fight scenes are a particular disappointment with overly-choreographed prancing the order of the day.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006/USA)With an established franchise behind it, this 3rd X-Men film had the license to attempt a different approach. The moral dilemma (of a “cure” for the mutants) that pervades the film is certainly interesting but rarely explored in much depth but it does help to keep proceedings ticking over nicely….until we get to the travesty of a final battle(why cant they get these things right?). Overall another “almost”.
A superior action-thriller that manages to stay grounded at all times despite the conspiracy-theory nature of the plot. The stunts, particularly the car-chases and the fisticuffs, are executed with aplomb and add to the gritty nature of the film. A must watch.
The Bourne Supremacy (2005/USA)
A rarity – a sequel that manages to equal the heights of the original. Marginally less gritty as some Bond-esque gadgets and shenanigans are introduced but they certainly don’t detract anything. The sentimental elements, also, only serve to bolster what is already a strong plot.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007/USA)
A faster-paced affair than the two prequels. A couple of the characters aren’t quite as strong as in the previous films and the flashbacks/memory-recovery scenes can be a bit much but that is really just nit-picking. Continues the lineagewith great success containing all of the elements that make the previous films great.
Transporter 3 (2008/France)
Another slickly put-together action film that does justice to the Transporter canon. Forgoing the OTT nature of the second film in a return to the basics it could easily underwhelm. However, the action scenes are as high-octane as ever (bar the disappointing finale) and Statham fans (myself included) will lap it up.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994/USA)
Self-referential and contrived sequel to the horror classic that revives some of the unnerving nature of the original. It struggles to remain coherent at times and ends poorly but it entertains for the most part.
Vacancy 2 (2009/USA)
The original Vacancy was filled with tension and frights but this prequel idea really doesn’t work as the focus is shifted to the perpetrators rather than the victims. This removes any horror as the audience witnesses the bumbling incompetence of those that are meant to be terrifying!
REC (2007 / Spain)Another horror that uses the handycam/point-of-view style to great effect and manages to be gripping and claustrophobic due to it. Although not entirely original it still contains a few fresh ideas for a genre that has begun to stagnate
Logan’s Run (1976 / USA)Classic Sci-fi adventure that still stands up today. As thought provoking as it is obscure, its filled with abstract moments and existential dilemmas, presented with a beautifully pseudo-futuristic/psychedelic sheen. Epic stuff.
Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007 / USA)The structure of this film can be summarised thus: Act1 – Nothing happens, Act 2 – Something is going to happen (but not quite yet), Act 3 – Something happens. Even when the action gets going it is hardly noteworthy and certainly does little to redress the balance of the opening hour of dross.
Sweet House of Horrors (1989 / Italy)To say this is Lucio Fulci’s worst film is really saying something! It begins with the usual key elements of gore, unusual camerawork, poor dubbing and some 70’s synth soundtack. The majority from there on in is more akin to a dull children’s fairytale. Unequivocally awful.
The Deaths of Ian Stone (2007 / UK/USA)The confusion and pace for the first half of this sci-fi/horror serves to generate a decent amount of intrigue (akin to a typical J-Horror). Unfortunately the confusion turns to bewilderment and things get a bit “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. Still, a novel premise and it has its moments.
