The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

2013, 12, Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Sam Claflin

Behind every good franchise is a sequel to remember; a second outing superior to its original, seguing comfortably into the third (or fourth, fifth et al.) instalments, cramming in more than before, but balancing the load to a manageable degree. Let’s not be misled in believing all sequels are good… hell, more fail than achieve the goal of continuing the success of its predecessor (with many not even warranting a second outing in the first instance.) But before this becomes an essay on the sequel, and how Toy Story 2 is probably the best the world has seen, let’s revert things back to the franchise in question: The Hunger Games.

Based on Suzanne Collins’ trilogy of teen lit, The Hunger Games was an unprecedented smash when it landed in 2011, translating the Battle Royale-esque plotline to screen with fervour and furthering the rise of then-rising star (now superstar) Jennifer Lawrence. In her first role since her Silver Linings Playbook Oscar win, sequel Catching Fire starts pretty much where we ended up with heroine Katniss Everdeen a winner of the Games in the eyes of Panem (alongside Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta,) an influential sign of rebellion in the eyes of the lower Districts and a problem that must be dealt with in the eyes of President Snow (Donald Sutherland.) From the intrusive opening shot of Everdeen, we’re squarely behind her every move from start to an equally as intrusive closing shot. From her secret hunting rendezvous’ with childhood would-be sweetheart Gale (Liam Hemsworth) to her victory tour induced makeover courtesy of affluent ‘team’ leader Effie Trinkett (Elizabeth Banks,) Lawrence carries near every moment of this entire film.

Gary Ross’ predecessor provided a mere glimpse into the world of Panem and the inhabitants of the impoverished District 12, but its Francis Lawrence’s privilege to provide his audience with an expansive viewpoint of this snapshot of Panem, a place rocked by Everdeen and the two fingers she so openly raised to President Snow and the Capitol at its climax. It’s the unwilling acceptance of the fact that openly embracing her actions will more than likely end with a bullet to the head (shown with striking effect in a brilliantly-edited scene where the two victors visit the District inhabited by the devastated family of Rue, the young companion of Katniss’ in the Games.) Missteps present themselves through the the odd line that may cause the eye to roll – pretty much exclusive to the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale – and save for a few scenes, Katniss’ mother and sister – the safety of whom she’s so desperate to preserve – barely feature.

Yet the secret to this adaptation is a well-juggled structure, with many of the book’s plot points featured but with convenience to the running time; Lawrence is the viewpoint of the audience – her shock is our shock, her emotion is our emotion. Not only this, but an eclectic off-beat cast clearly having the most fun they’ve had (scene-stealer Banks, Stanley Tucci as flamboyant TV host Ceasar Flickerman, Woody Harrelson as sozzled mentor Haymitch;) such is their success that it’s almost chilling when characters like these face the facts and fleetingly show their knowledge that times in Panem are changing…

It’s when the exceptionally imagined final hour occurs (the less said the better) that Catching Fire burns (I had to) up the rulebook and establishes itself as a breathless equel to remember; thus elevating this franchise to a status head and shoulders above the rest.

4/5

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Revolutionary Road

2009, 15, Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon  
 

Sam Mendes directed then-wife Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road, a 50s set rebuttal of the American dream somewhat more notable for pairing Winslet with her former Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio. But loved up they ain't as we are introduced to the Wheelers (all too briefly) by way of quick scenes showcasing their blossoming love. Yet Revolutionary Road places the focus on the strain of married life, eight years on. Following a particular rough patch (which sees the acting dreams of Winslet’s Helen realised in an underwhelming manner,) the couple convince themselves that moving from suburbia to Paris may just be the upheaval their lives are in desperate need of. Both actors - as per - are class acts in what is essentially a two-hander with intermittent interruptions from Kathy Bates, as prying neighbour Helen Givings, and her mentally-ill son, John (Michael Shannon, Oscar-nominated in an underplayed yet no less effective role) who sees it as his business to broadly point out some inexplicable home truths to Frank and Helen. The actors and the words they deliver are standout in an otherwise bleak affair that comments on social norms of suburban lifestyles of the 50s. Without a peak or a clear-cut narrative, Revolutionary Road trawls to its downbeat ending as surely as it starts. This is the point; Mendes remains in full charge of the source material (Richard Yates’ 1961 novel) from minute one right through to the subtext-strewn closing shot.

4/5

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Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

2013, 15, Directed by Declan Lowney 
Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney, Felicity Montagu, Sean Pertwee 

Many would say that Alan Partridge, the disc jockey from Norwich, has long been overdue a feature film - many being thirty-something aficionados, or even twenty-something’s with a taste for British comedy. It was 21 years ago when the character (co-created by The Thick of It's Armando Iannuci) first lent his voice to Radio 4's On the Hour, sparking off a rib-tickling list of credits ever since. It was decided that now was the time - in a blockbuster-riddled age - for the multiplex invasion, and what we've been handed is Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, a charming British comedy spin-off more Inbetweeners Movie than League of Gentleman's Apocalypse. 

Partridge is more than just a character, channelling his purveyor Steve Coogan far more than the other way around. Every thought, line of dialogue and character tick is layered with precision - this is Coogan's baby. And he'd be damned if this film wasn't any good. Breathe your sighs and wallow in the news that Alpha Papa is Funny... with a capital F. Stocked with quotes up there with the best of 'em, this spin-off (which began its film shoot in Norwich only this past January) is a love-letter, if an ever so slightly scribbled one. Like most comedies, there’s the odd misfired joke fit with obligatory chuckle, and the lines of realism are blurred to say the least; quite tough to swallow when Partridge’s entire existence balances on being the everyman who lives down the road.

In terms of plot, we have Colm Meaney's Irish graveyard shift DJ Pat Farrell turn gun-crazed hostage-taker during the office party at North Norfolk Digital when company Shape are placed in charge and fire him (with no help from Alan's friendly suggestion to 'Just sack Pat'.) A hostage situation at his feet, the only person Farrell will converse with is Alan, who views the opportunity for evolution as he acts as a go-between for the police and the hostages.

The rest should be left for you to discover; prep yourselves for several laughs a minute. Coogan’s dialogue, quite evidently largely improvved, aims to push this character even further than you could have imagined (Partridge equipped with a rifle!), but all involved prove here fresh ideas are still at their feet. There’s not an Aha in sight.

4/5  

  

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Kick-Ass 2

2013, 15, Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Starring: Aaron Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz Plasse, Jim Carrey

Kick-Ass 2, our return to Mark Millar's universe - initially brought to cinemagoers via Matthew Vaughn's unsuspecting 2010 cult hit - starts with force and refuses to loosen its clutch until... well, until after the credits have rolled. Plot-wise, this time around Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) undergoes training from Mindy Macready (Chloë Grace Moretz) so they can become a feared super-heroic crime-fighting duo around the city. But Hit Girl, now 15 and under the care of detective Marcus (Morris Chestnut) following the death of Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage, his memory looming large with assistance from a keeper of a portrait) is forced to stay in line and embrace her inner Mindy. This leads Kick-Ass into the arms of an underground super-group led by Jim Carrey's Colonel Stars and Stripes, leading masked civilians intent on making a stand to avenge the murder of loved ones. Across town, Christopher Mintz-Plasse's rich kid Chris D'Amico, who shows he can do McLovin' psycho-style, is hell bent on wiping the city of Kick-Ass.

 There’s plenty here to get lost in; whether you’re a fan of the first or completely oblivious to its controversial habits, director Jeff Wadlow manages to make something potentially obscene into an immersive viewing experience. You could call this expansive; a flurry of new characters to work into the mixer, with new costumes and names to fathom (Insect Man, Night Bitch, to name a few) - and that’s not including Plasse’s super-villain group, featuring the 7 foot monolith, Mother Russia. Many filmmakers of mainstream standard would use this as an excuse to bog down their tentpole, whilst Wadlow somehow gives each the screen time they deserve. Everybody lends their worth also, even if not quite matching Moretz’ character-of-a-lifetime Hit Girl or Carrey’s unnervingly off-kilter ‘born again Christian’ Captain.

 The action, bloody as hell and choreographed down to a tee, is shot with fervent confidence breaking down fears this film couldn’t stand on its own two feet, even if it fails to outsmart its predecessor where it believes itself to be outdoing it altogether. So we haven't got a perfect film on our hands; much of the high school hi-jinks are threatened by obscurity (save for an extended number of scenes where Mindy does her best to integrate into a clique with results best seen with your own eyes; hilarious!) And the less said about the downright bizarre Union J cameo...

 But at the end of it all, Kick-Ass 2 - for the sum of its parts - teeters on heightened violent parody that disturbingly skims realism, but contains some of the most fun moments witnessed in a cinema all summer. Much has been spoken of Jim Carrey's refusal to promote his appearance due to the film's violence in the wake of the Sandy Hook killings, but in all honesty there is nothing more extreme or played for shock than there is in the original. If anything, Kick-Ass 2 is a tad more restrained. The debate will rage on endlessly, but to be frank perhaps many should simply sit back and take the sequel as they took the original.

Kick-Ass 3 is a welcome prospect; in the words of Hit Girl, ‘game on, c**ksuckers’

3.5/5

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The Lone Ranger

2013, 12, Directed by Gore Verbinski
Starring: Armie Hammer, Johnny Depp, Tom Wilkinson, Ruth Wilson 

 

Let's address the elephant in the review; since its US release, The Lone Ranger has proved to be one of Disney's biggest flops since John Carter, and the biggest flop of the year. The big-screen incarnation of the gun-slinging masked lawman - here played by The Social Network's Armie Hammer - is a Disney/Bruckheimer (Jerry to his friends) team-up, a previous marriage that has since elevated the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise into one of the world's biggest. Lightning, it appears, doesn't strike twice. 

Peer beneath the misty surface though, and you just might find something to enjoy. In actual fact, don't feel guilty if you find numerous things to list off as positives afterwards. The not-so secret weapon Disney, Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski have deployed here is Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp. Proving perceptible to poor box office doesnt detract from the performance - Depp is Tonto, a red Indian of few words whose alarming appearance is a combination of face make up and dead crow on head. Chilling with our lead for most of the running time, our Ranger isn't so lonesome, more exasperated at the hi-jinks being performed around him. 

 A reboot of the famous 50s TV Serial, Tonto narrates as Hammer's John Reid undergoes transformation from lawman to gunslinger as he attempts to track down notorious bandit Butch Cavendish (William Fichtner), keep brother's wife Rebecca (Luther's Ruth Wilson - oh so wasted) from harm, and do numerous other things that were probably a lot more fun to act out than watch.
 

 Many gleaming errors to address, but room for only a few: Hammer - dry and droll as both Winklewoss twins in David Fincher's modern classic Facebook drama - truly struggles to make the transaction to lead hero status, even more so when it's considered the role requires comedic wit, timing and slapstick abilities when there's not much there (shoving the funniest of us beside Johnny Depp without a crow on his head would be left gasping for air); the film, as per several 'blockbusters', outstays it's welcome by around 45 minutes. Far too long when the material doesn't warrant it. But let's throw this back to Depp. Less vocal than Sparrow, Tonto's mere facial expressions could trigger belly laughs. Could. His deadpan exterior and death-cheating nuance is a lazy effort underneath it all, but still remains The Lone Ranger's double-edged sword; he manages to light up the screen with several jokey moments, but obliterates Hammer's charisma into yesteryear.
 

Regardless, haven't you heard? This is the summer of the breathless chase sequence atop speeding vehicles! (Star Trek Into Darkness, The Wolverine, and countless train-chase moments here). Credit where credit's due, these scenes are insanely well-choreographed and played by the supporting players with relish, and if there's even a smidgen of childish innocence remaining inside of you, they should leave you marvelling in wonder and giggling with delight on more than one occasion. Should.

 

 This review couldn't end without a mention going towards Silver, the lone ranger's stallion equipped with his very own specific set of skills. Utterly charming.

 

Moments of promise amounts to merely watchable fodder that outstays its welcome. Judging by its vindictive response, a Lone Ranger sequel looks unlikely; the harsh irony being that the only way to prevent a mindlessly churned-out sequel is for the film to underperform at the box office. That thought in itself is worse than any thoughts this film induced. See for yourself.

 

2.5/5

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The Conjuring

2013, 15, Directed by James Wan

Starring: Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson 
 

James Wan has most certainly made his mark through deliverance of well-honed, if a little preposterous, yet damn effective horrors. Look past the six sequels, and Saw (2004) remains a top-rate twist-ridden gem; the opening 45 minutes of 2010’s Insidious, many would argue, is a masterwork of the tensest proportions. What better way to introduce his latest attempt to terrify than The Conjuring - an out-and-out spook fest, that isn’t without its gimmicks, but refreshingly toes the ghost story line and remains en route right up until its closing shot: the innocent family; the old-fashioned new house; the creepy basement; the music box. All present and correct, and completely outdone by the daddy of ‘em all; the creepy doll - it’s the Perron’s (headed by Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston, trailed by their five dainty daughters and dog) who are being terrorised by unseen haunts pretty much from the get-go. Enter left Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), supernatural investigators who agree to check out the place when approached by a haggard Mrs. Perron after attending one of their lectures. Perhaps racking up the tension somewhat is the shared knowledge that The Warren’s are real-life investigators – famously embroiled in the notorious horror of Amityville - who have only very recently agreed to share their experiences (so we're told.)

 In a chiller featuring all the expected hi-jinks, it’s somewhat refreshing to be led through the narrative by characters that feel genuinely real, with Taylor’s Carolyn Perron a real beacon of fear (it doesn’t take a lot for her to suspect something’s not quite right – finally, a horror victim with brains), not to mention a particularly bad investigation experienced in the past by The Warrens that threatens to endanger the present.

 A fantastically effective opening and final moment - unnervingly isolated from the remainder of the film - bookend something largely run-of-the-mill, but not without its standout moments to elevate it above standard fare; just dare someone to clap in your vicinity afterwards. It's disappointing then that when The Conjuring reaches its final third, chills dissipate in place of jumps, dampening the patchwork crafted before it. With September's release of Insidious: Part 2 to come before James Wan parts ways with the horror genre for the time being in favour of Fast & Furious escapades, this is a fine way to leave his salivating audience wanting more.

Especially now there's a good chance he'll be remembered as the guy who caused grown men to dispose of any dolls lying around the house.

 3/5

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Man of Steel

12, 2013, Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe

 

 

When the trailer for Man Of Steel landed, fit with its Terence Malick art-house shots of billowing linen, butterflies and small-town America, it was easy to assume Zack Snyder's slant on Superman was to be much of the same ilk as Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy: grounded with a humane realism. It becomes clear quickly, once Man of Steel begins, how this could be cited something of a mis-representation: the talks of Nolan-isation (with the director landing a writing/producing credit) a falsity. This is 300 and Watchmen director Snyder's vision, and as Russell Crowe's Krypton Father Jor-El looks over a destructing Krypton, the scope is difficult to deny.

The first act impressively sets up this generation's version of the classic comic, as newly-born Kal-El is sent to Earth in the hope that he will 'do better.’ Cue many scenes of Henry Cavill hoisting vehicles, saving schoolchildren and rather darkly locking himself in cupboards to escape his alienating alien abilities. Chronological sentimentality is avoided - as baby Kal lands on earth we’re treated to a jump-cut of a boat upon which he’s now in his thirties, dubbed Clark Kent, and is a full-time fisherman, part-time hero - and in its place is non-linear philosophy. Raised by regular Joe couple Jonathan and Martha Kent (Diane Lane and Kevin Costner,) Clark is treated to Jonathan's teachings and regular bouts of dialogue about how the world is not ready for Clark to fly; Snyder presents these moments in a non-linear sequence, so as to get a glimpse of the humanity embedded within Kal when he needs to be most super.

The human element of this film is most certainly distilled upon the arrival of a vengeance-seeking General Zod, banished from Krypton before its destruction and now seeking Kal, hell bent on destroying earth so as to 'rebuild' foundations. Played with expert villainy by the ever-intense Michael Shannon, the showdown is more epic than could be imagined. Perhaps an understatement, but things break. Skyscrapers, tarmac, walls... with every new shot comes a new object plummeting to the ground in smithereens, usually around ‘Pulitzer Prize-winning’ Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams in a less fruitier role than one may have cared for.) It's a wonder the audience can follow what they're watching, but with some expertly-choreographed sequences, Man of Steel manages to escape the wearisomely-injected mayhem that plagues Michael Bay's Transformers films. 

But with a hero who if shot at would destroy the bullet, it remains questionable how much humanity could ever have been placed on Clark Kent's shoulders. At this film’s crux is that age-old story of somebody dealing with the mistakes of a past generation - or planet - and forced to embrace who they truly are, despite inevitable opposition from a world plagued with terrorism. Much has been said about the film’s lack of humour, perhaps unfairly; several scenes offer subtle chuckles by way of the script, most memorably a scene where Clark dons that outfit, allowing the police to put him in cuffs, before telling Lois Lane the symbol on his suit is not a letter. ‘Well, here it’s an S,’ she retorts.

Nothing is as top scale as it feels things should be, instead remaining enjoyable enough to pass off as a few hours of entertainment rather than proving show-stopping enough to be branded super. Cavill’s performance is secondary to Snyder’s action, leaving it to Crowe and Shannon to steal scenes. With teases galore and standout moments towards the film's end, not to mention tantalising ticks placed throughout, it seems Kal-El's foundations have indeed been built on earth – with introductions out of the way, and Bryan Singer’s 2006 effort defeated, Superman will return and promises to be superior. 

 

3.5/5

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