San Andreas Review
The Plot
It’s The Rock vs Earthquakes (yes, plural!). When a massive earthquake hits California, Ray, a rescue-chopper pilot (Dwayne Johnson) must make his way through the city to save his estranged wife and daughter.
The Good
The first thing that needs to be said about this latest addition to the disaster movie genre is that it will only truly work if you have a good audience along for the ride. Opening with a rescue scene featuring a car trapped on the side of a mountain, San Andreas doesn’t really slow down from there. Dwayne Johnson barely has to prove he has the right physique for this role. One look at him and you can instantly believe he can pilot a helicopter, drive a boat and generally overshadow every other father before him in an attempt to save his family.
There’s no need to pay extra for a motion seat in the cinema either. Every time a quake hits (and there are a good few) you’ll hear it, see it, and feel it throughout your entire body. In fact the people in the screen next door will probably feel it too. San Andreas is unashamedly big and is certainly not the worst way to spend 2 hours.
The Bad
Considering that one of the problems with Mad Max, the other big action blockbuster still making the rounds at the moment, is the storyline or rather lack thereof, ironically one of the problems with San Andreas is the use of it. Or rather the overuse. While Paul Giamatti runs around providing constant exposition for us, Johnson is stuck struggling with a soap opera in amongst the rubble. His ex wife (Carla Gugino) is dating a not so fantastic architect (Ioan Gruffudd) who promptly ditches his daughter to fend for herself along with a cute british lad and his brother (Hugo Johnstone-Burt and Art Parkinson) in a sub plot that you can see coming a mile away.
Compared to the credible blockbuster action, the human drama is full of laugh out loud moments. Don’t go into it looking for anything else.
The Ugly Truth
Johnson does a good job as action hero, but that’s to be expected. At its heart, San Andreas is really just a big rumbling ball of fun and any attempt to look deeper for something more serious is blocked out by biceps, collapsing buildings and a huge star spangled patriotic American flag.
Review by Johnny Ellis
Point Break Remake Trailer
The first trailer for the upcoming remake of 90s action classic Point Break has been revealed online today after the poster was unveiled yesterday. The film, which stars Luke Bracey (GI Joe: Retaliation) as Johnny Utah and Édgar Ramírez (Wrath of the Titans) as Bodhi, taking over the roles made famous by Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves with director Ericson Core directing .
Fox Plan League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Reboot
Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen graphic novel is getting another shot at a big screen adaptation it seems, with 20th Century Fox looking to rekindle the franchise after 2003’s lacklustre attempt.
Though no cast, writers or directors have been announced yet, Fox are currently searching for help to bring back the Victorian era supergroup which include Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde, the Invisible Man and Captain Nemo.
It’s extremely unlikely that any of the original cast will return, particularly as Sean Connery retired from acting due to his infamous unhappiness with the experience of making the first film. Indeed to this day LXG remains an embarrassing footnote on Connery’s impressive career as his disappointing final screen credit.
More news as we hear it but in the meantime, who would you like to see direct, write and star in the upcoming reboot?
Man Up Review
The Plot
When unlucky in love Nancy (Lake Bell) is mistaken as Jack’s (Simon Pegg) blind date, she decides to take fate into her own hands and steal the date for herself.
The Good
Man Up is a brilliantly written comedy which perfectly encapsulates the awkwardness of a blind date. From Jack’s awkward bumbling greeting to bumping into the ex and the old school friend. It’s silly at times but the dialogue stays fresh throughout and Bell and Pegg are a perfect pairing.
Thankfully, the story focuses on just one day, following Nancy and Jack as they wander around the sights of London while Nancy tries to blag her way through the day as the 24 year old triathlete that Jack’s expecting. One of the biggest highlights comes from Rory Kinnear in a scene stealing role which is undoubtedly the craziest he’s had yet. It’s Lake Bells performance which is the most striking though, Nancy is a wonderfully fleshed out character and Bell nails the british accent perfectly.
The Bad
Though the storyline is fresh and fun for the entirety, Man Up does succumb to the inevitable big gushy romcom ending that we’re all used to and perhaps secretly hoping for. Still it’s perhaps a shame really as up until that point, the film has willfully avoided becoming overly sentimental. Recently divorced Jack and pessimist Nancy had their fair share of big romantic gestures it seems and are finally just accepting the reality in romance.
Perhaps had the plot gone past just one day, the grandstand finale could feel a bit more warranted. Thats not to say that the 24 hour timeline for the film isn’t still a good point. Just that the plot should have really chosen one of these instead of both…
The Ugly Truth
Man Up brings a brilliantly realistic pairing with Bell and Pegg playing off each other well as mismatched romantic underachievers. Though it falters a bit with the cliched finale, the film remains a consistently funny and adorably awkward way to spend 90 minutes.
Review by Johnny Ellis
Check out red carpet London premiere interviews below:
Tomorrowland: A World Beyond Review
The Plot
When Casey (Britt Robertson) comes across a badge that transports her to a whole new world whenever she touches it, she goes in search of the truth behind it all. With the help of inventor Frank Walker (George Clooney) and a young girl named Athena (Raffey Cassidy) she soon discovers Tomorrowland.
The Good
Director Brad Bird (Mission Impossible 4) brings a huge spectacle of a film to the screen in a way that only Brad Bird could. Serving as both an original sci-fi film and an advertisement for Disney World, Tomorrowland is a sight to behold. Opening with a flashback to ‘where it all began’ with young George Clooney’s inventor desperately trying to build a Rocketeer type jetpack and Britt Robertson’s Casey finding the pin that instantly takes her to Tomorrowland – in some completely breathtaking and seamless transitions – Tomorrowland’s first half is a treat to the eyes.
It’s the latter half that brings the important message to the forefront though. Without spoiling too much, Tomorrowland’s moral is incredibly poignant for today’s day and age. Comparisons can be made to Interstellar and even slightly Nightcrawler (at least in terms of its themes…). It’s hard to go into any more detail without spoiling the experience. Sufficed to say, Clooney and Robertson are fantastic, but the real highlight comes from Raffey Cassidy who knocks them out of the limelight most of the time. An incredible feat for a 12 year old actress!
The Bad
While the main cast are spectacular, the main antagonist, Hugh Laurie’s Nix, feels hugely underused. Considering he is set up early on, he doesn’t reappear for a good while, instead his robot minions – who alas, are human form and not yellow… - are used as the main threat for a big chunk of the storyline. Laurie’s character is an interesting one. His ideas and plans feel occasionally warranted but they aren’t explored as fully as they could or should have been. What starts out as an interesting villain, soon ends up a forgettable one.
And though the two halves of the film, the former, stunningly breathtaking spectacle, followed by the latter, poignant and thought provoking moral, are both interesting and well done on their own, together they affect the pacing of the 130 minute runtime. The latter half thus feels slightly more dragged out than the opening.
The Ugly Truth
Brad Bird brings his usual swooping visuals to a genuinely thought provoking story which will make you reflect on the state of our world today. It’s just a shame that the two don’t connect together so easily. At times it becomes clunky and unsure of itself, but when it works it’s a triumph.
Review by Johnny Ellis