Zero Dark Thirty Review

The Plot:

Inspired by actual events a determined CIA agent leads the global hunt for terrorist mastermind Osama Bin laden. She must confront indecisive superiors, well trained terrorists and the harsh realities of brutal interrogations in her quest for justice. Her mission ultimately climaxes in one of the most infamous military assaults in human history.

The Good:

Director Kathryn Bigelow already won an Academy Award for tackling the sensitive subject of the Iraq war in the Hurt Locker, candidly exploring the troubled existence of an American bomb disposal soldier. In Zero Dark Thirty she tackles the main event of the war on terror, delivering a compelling re-enactment of the world’s most notorious manhunt.

Allegedly drawn from intimate sources with the CIA and the American military the script injects a pounding dramatic momentum into the protracted search.  Despite audiences being fully aware of the ultimate fate of Osama Bin Laden, the film finally delivers the satisfaction of witnessing exactly how he met his demise. Literally taking audiences inside the final fateful raid on the Pakistan compound where he had eluded international authorities for so many years.

Despite misleading trailers the film shouldn’t be mistaken for simply a gun totting action adventure. Bigelow explores the work, sacrifices and compromises that ultimately facilitated a successful assassination. Thanks to a minimal, angry and intense performance from Oscar nominated star Jessica Chastain; the film avoids being mistaken for a protracted army recruitment ad. Brave directing choices and understated performances from the entire cast help the film easily refute any accusation of sensationalism or of glamourizing the evils of war.

As the film’s focal point, Jessica Chastain channels the same spirit of unflinching commitment in the face of military and moral complexity that epitomized Jeremy Renner’s stoic performance in The Hurt Locker. This allows director Kathryn Bigelow to continue probing politically and emotionally provocative subject matter with a reluctant knife.

The Bad:

Audiences are likely to bring their own political agendas into the cinema and Zero Dark Thirty simply cannot satisfy everyone. It is not a triumphant flag waving salute to American military power. But at the same time it falls short of being a damming condemnation of the atrocities committed by both sides in the ‘war on terror’.

Some will commend the film for avoiding political sermonizing in favour of arresting and emotional storytelling. But others will no doubt criticize the extent the film avoids explicitly addressing the wider issues behind the infamous events depicted.  There’s a fine line between giving an audience room to make its own assessments and simply dodging responsibility. That balance is particularly important when a film claims to be an accurate depiction of real life events.

The film’s frequent graphic depiction of CIA agents torturing prisoners has attracted inevitable controversy, particularly because the film rarely if ever verbalizes an opinion on whether such actions are justifiable necessities of war or simply war crimes. Audiences searching for clear cut answers and ideological certainties may be a little dissatisfied with film’s lack of open commentary.

The Ugly Truth:

Though lacking some of the nail biting tension of Bigelow’s previous effort The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty has an added dimension of fascination due to its depiction of such notorious real life events.  Guaranteed to inflame discussion across the globe the film is thought provoking and meticulously well crafted.  Its lack of obvious political agenda is probably wise and what remains is a tense credible drama.

 

An Idiot Abroad Won’t Get New Series

On the red carpet at the European Premiere of his new romantic comedy film ‘I Give It A Year’,  Stephen Merchant has sadly confirmed that there will not be another series of the hugely popular comedy travel series An Idiot Abroad. The third series which paired Karl Pilkington with actor Warwick Davis for three episodes of globetrotting adventures will unfortunately be the last.

Explaining the decision Stephen admitted that he believes Karl is “truly sick” of himself and Ricky Gervais after three series of friendly torture. Having sent Karl to some of the most bizarre and uncomfortable places on earth Stephen surmises that Karl is “damaged goods now”.

Karl had always been openly reluctant to do any more series but many fans has assumed that his recent statements that he wouldn’t be doing any more were simply his usual moaning and that eventually Ricky and Stephen would bully him into doing a 4th series.

But in news sure to delight Karl Pilkington’s devoted fanbase, Stephen did reassure us that Karl will certainly do something else now, although any new show is likely to be planned in secret and without the involvement of Ricky and Stephen. So fans shouldn’t worry there may be even more Karl on the way soon. We’ll next be seeing Karl acting in the new series of Derek which starts on channel 4 on Wednesday 30th January at 10pm.

Video Below of Stephen talking about Karl and bad wedding dancing in his new film:

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Gets Sequel

The Weinstein Company is pushing forward with plans for a sequel to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, 12 years after Ang Lee’s original epic martial arts saga introduced the western world to the cinematic wonders of acrobatic wire work and swordplay.

Woo-ping Yeun the choreographer behind the original masterpiece is set to return, but Director Ang Lee fresh from his Oscar nominated success with Life Of Pi is unlikely to be involved. Hong Kong director Ronny Yu (Fearless) is instead tipped to take responsibility for turning a script by John Fusco (The Forbidden Kingdom, Young Guns) into a blockbuster reality.

The sequel is based on the final book in the original series by Wang Du Lu which followed the continuing adventures of martial arts master Shu Lein. Michelle Yeoh played the character in the original film but it unclear if she will be willing to reprise the role after so many years for ‘Silver Vase, Iron Knight’. 

Warner Bros. plans Gremlins Reboot

In Hollywood’s on-going quest to remake every good idea ever previously captured on film it seemed inevitable that Gremlins would eventually be next in the firing line. The 1984 homage to b-movie magic was produced by Steven Spielberg and told the story of the small American town beset by an army of mischievous monsters after a young boy gets an exotic new pet.

The enduring popularity of the original film and it’s zany sequel Gremlins 2 : The New Batch lead to persistent rumour a couple of years ago of a 3D revival. Especially after original Director Joe Dante started experimenting with 3D for his latest film The Hole.

Now after a few years of inactivity fresh rumours are starting to circulate that the much beloved comedy-horror franchise may finally be rebooted. The perceived stumbling block in the past has always been the issue of Spielberg’s costly involvement, which the studio sees as crucial. It seems that Warners may finally be ready to make that deal.

It remains to be seen whether the new film would feature any of the original cast or be a clear cut rebooting. But Gremlins star Zach Galligan previously told us he’d be more than happy to reprise his role as Mogwai owning Billy for a third Gremlins adventure.

Full interview below:

The Last Stand Review

The Plot:

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a former LA cop enjoying semi-retirement as the Sherriff in an uneventful border town. But when the ruthless leader of a drug cartel escapes federal custody on the run for Mexico, the only thing standing in the way of his army of henchmen is Arnie and a small band of inexperienced deputies.

The Good:

After abandoning Hollywood superstardom to rule California as the Governator, the big screen return of Arnold Schwarzenegger is a long awaited delight for action fans. Although at 65 he is understandably no longer the god like specimen of physical perfection they will fondly remember. However Arnie has a charismatic aura and iconic status that somehow still transcends a diminishing physique and any conventional assessments of acting prowess.

The Expendables 2 proved that Arnie can still apply his distinctive voice to a familiar one liner with joyous results. The Last Stand takes advantage of that, particularly during its more explosive later stages. However, it may surprise people to see Schwarzenegger attempt to deliver a more vulnerable and subtle performance for much of the film. Abandoning efforts to maintain his familiar aura of invincible invulnerability makes Schwarzenegger’s performance a little more plausible and gives him fresh territory to explore as an aging underdog.

Korean Director Jee-Woon Kim of ‘The Good The Bad and The Weird’ acclaim brings flashes of his stylish action madness to The Last Stand. Trash talking old ladies and dispatching bad guys with a flare gun are among the film’s more absurd and gleefully silly delights. Once the real fighting starts the film massively changes gear, shifting into full throttle fun.

The Bad:

The Last Stand openly acknowledges that Arnie is far from the herculean hero of his youth, but it is still difficult to avoid noticing just how much impact the pressures of life and politics have had on him.

It is also impossible to avoid comparing the film overall to the type of films Schwarzenegger was making in his prime. Spectacular action blockbusters like Total Recall or Terminator 2 pushed the boundaries of special effects and helped define the action movie genre. Schwarzenegger films were unique, memorable and unexpected. Sadly while The Last Stand is not without its own merits, it simply isn’t any of those things. Beyond Schwarzenegger’s enduring charisma and the tantalising allure of his big screen return there’s nothing truly special on show.

The film’s stifling attempts to be genuinely dramatic for much of its opening hour rob it of the kind of consistent joy that more self-aware humour could have brought. Although some will argue that Schwarzenegger’s efforts to deliver a real performance in the face of an obvious temptation to simply deliver a fan pleasing caricature of himself should be commended.

The film’s supporting cast is fairly full of familiar faces like Forrest Whitaker, Jamie Alexander, Luis Guzman and Johnny Knoxville. Sadly predictable performances and a limp script largely reduce the film’s background characters to either plot devices or by the number comedic relief. Bad Guys Eduardo Noriega and Peter Stormare are also a little lackluster, lacking genuine menace or humour.

The Ugly Truth:

While not quite the unequivocally triumphant return some fans may have dreamed of, The Last Stand does begin Arnold Schwarzenegger’s big screen rehabilitation with flashes of greatness, particularly once the bullets and one liners start flying. If you enter the cinema with more modest expectations you’ll leave with a bigger smile on your face. Either way, The Sheriff is back in town.

Red Carpet Interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Johnny Knoxville and Jamie Alexander at the London Premiere below: