Now You See Me

Now You See Me

Directed By: Louis Leterrier

Written By: Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt

Produced By: Bobby Cohen, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Melanie Laurent

Plot: A group of street-magicians are brought together to form 'The Four Horsemen'. Together they perform dazzling Las Vegas shows, whilst stealing money and showering it upon their audiences. But is there something bigger at play?

The concept of the film is pretty intriguing, a group of magicians becoming criminals. Because let's be honest, that would be pretty fun to watch. And it is, throughout the film, there are some brilliant gimmicks and tricks the group pull on and around the watchful eyes of the FBI. The group themselves are an odd bunch, but yet the dynamic that they create is truly brilliant. Towards the end, the characters become lost within their plots and schemes, resulting in being off screen for several scenes. the story is quite well written, with the magicians having an end goal that is built up throughout with the finding of an ancient order of magicians (Who come across as more intelligent versions of Robin Hood, without the arrows). It's almost as if this is the lovechild of National Treasure and Oceans Eleven.

My favourite element of the film was the role of Mark Ruffalo's character. His character, becomes slowly unraveled throughout, becoming more desperate as the Horsemen stay three steps ahead constantly. There's a brilliant scene in which Harrelson's character deduces various pieces of information about him, and we see the frustration build up in him, with the anger in his eyes almost becoming fiery. We almost expect Ruffalo to revert back to his previous role, and burst into the Hulk. Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson are reunited for the first time since Zombieland, and the chemistry between the two is still fresh and comedic.

I do feel that the role of Michael Caine was poorly written. His dialogue felt quite clunky and didn't seem to fit the man himself. He didn't come across as a villain at all, rather the village idiot to point and laugh at. Which is a shame considering the vast talent Caine has. The other prominent actor, God himself, Morgan Freeman, was quietly impressive as the slimy, jealous ex-magician. I love the fact that he's not in a role that requires him to be his motivational, happy self. It was a breath of fresh air to see him do something very different.

The ending, unfortunately is quite disappointing. Throughout the film, we are led to believe that the magicians' finale will be the biggest trick ever created. That the end goal will blow our minds, and it's never been done before. When in reality, the final trick is admirable, but nothing to what we've been led to believe. Although, the sub-plot regarding the death of a magician soon takes over and provides a rather impressive twist concerning one character. But unfortunately this is the only positive point about the finale. So whilst Now You See Me is for the most an intelligent thriller, it tries too hard and falls at the last hurdle. Shame really.

6.5/10

Written By Eammon Jacobs

World War Z

World War Z

Directed By: Marc Forster

Written By: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, Damon Lindelof (Based on the book of the same name by Max Brooks)

Produced By: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner,Ian Bryce

Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox

Plot: A viscous plague sweeps the globe, causing all of the infected to turn into rabid Zombies. When majority of the world is consumed by the infection, United Nations employee Gerry Lane must find the source of infection and hopefully a cure.

To begin with, I had very low hopes for this film. The book was highly successful and popular, and due to it being well respected by many, it would have alot to live up to. I went in expecting a mindless horror film, and came out rather impressed. There are a few changes from the book, mainly the crossover to the 'sprinter' style zombies that we've seen in films like 28 Days/Weeks Later and the Dawn Of The Dead remake, whilst the book features zombies reminiscent of Romero's Night Of The Living Dead slow shufflers. The story is constantly moving, and there aren't that many dull moments.

I didn't like the fact at how rushed the film was to begin with, it had barely been two minutes before we see the first signs of trouble. And whilst it wastes no time in getting straight into the action, throwing the characters in at the deep end, it would have been nice to see a little bit more of Gerry's previous job. We're only told that he ran operations in countries most people wouldn't survive a night in. But this is a minor negative. The rest of the film comes across as well thought out and intelligent, with the zombies becoming almost like a hive. A rather impressive scene sees the hordes of undead scramble up a giant stone wall, eventually toppling over, and overrunning Israel. We do see some lovely scenes between Gerry and his family, surprisingly heartfelt for such a big film such as this. Brad Pitt obviously finds it easy to play the family man.

There is some terrifying imagery enclosed within the film, with one of the final scenes looking almost like something from World War Two (ironically), with piles of the dead/undead being burnt to dispose of them. There are some nail-biting, suspense sequences, that almost feel like a stealth level in a video game. As for the Zombies themselves, they look quite menacing, if a little bloodless. In fact the amount of blood in the film is pretty much minimal. Even during one (rather surprising) hand amputation, there isn't a spurt of blood in sight. Even considering the 15 rating, I was surprised at how little gore there was. 

One tiny detail that didn't seem to stick right, was the fact that Gerry Lane is supposed to be a seasoned covert operations veteran, but yet he forgets to put his satellite phone on silent during a South Korean infiltration. And when the undead come calling for their brains, the accompanying soldiers don't even seem panicked, let alone at all bothered. 

The finale seemed a little bit drawn out, with the characters wandering through a maze-like research facility, I wanted them to just find their objective without all the needless long shots of empty space. But I can see the Director tries to make these scenes full of suspense, leaving the audience to anticipate when the next member of this undead plague attack. 

I genuinely laughed however, when the film is packed with far out locations (Philadelphia, South Korea, Israel etc), the finale takes place in.......a small town in Wales. Nothing against Wales of course, it just felt a little bit like they had flipped the typical structure on it's head.

Overall, a surprisingly enjoyable film, even with the bloodloss.

7/10

Written By Eammon Jacobs

House Of Cards

House Of Cards

Developed By: Beau Willimon

Produced By: David Fincher, Michael Dobbs, Kevin Spacey, Eric Roth, Joshua Donen, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, John Melfi, Beau Willimon, David Manson

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara, Corey Stoll, Michael Kelly, Sakina Jaffrey, Kristen Connelly, Constance Zimmer

Plot: When Congressman Frank Underwood is betrayed by both the President and his staff, he designs an intricate plan that will span years, and that will hopefully gain the presidency for himself.

When Netflix first announced that they were releasing the entire season of House Of Cards in one go, I thought this was on odd idea. Surely this would defeat the object of suspense, and to gain a larger audience? Apparently not. The series has proved highly popular, and for good reason. My initial reaction to the first episode was a confused one, with lots of terminology relating to US politics. However, once you grasp what the characters are talking about, it becomes relatively easy to understand.

The main character, played by the fantastic Kevin Spacey, is simply astounding. He comes across as ruthless, charming, impressive and completely devoted to his cause. His Southern American charm hides the deviousness that is hidden under his steely exterior image. As Shrek greatly described himself as being like an onion, with layers, the same applies to the character of Frank Underwood. We see the person he portrays in front of his colleagues, but the way he interacts with the audience shows his underlying hatred for the majority of people he works with. 

The rest of the cast show an extreme amount of talent, ranging from the hardworking journalist to Frank's wife. The producers truly have brought together a group of extraordinary actors and actresses. 

The story is fantastic, with each few episodes revolving around a goal that Frank works towards, and it's only within the last two episodes that we realize that literally everything that he does is to further his efforts in taking the presidency (That by the way, isn't a spoiler or at any means a reveal). The season has been adapted from a novel and British mini-series, applying the story to American politics. The season genuinely fascinated and intrigued me about the workings of The White House.

If you're a fan of high pace, action shows then this might not be the thing for you. The series mainly takes place within The White House, Congress, and offices. There isn't much violence of any kind. And this is genuinely where I was surprised at how hooked I became on the show (My usual favorites are things such as Dexter, Fringe, Lost etc). Both the underlying themes of corruption, and the outlining of how a man can be broken, are completely fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of each episode, and was entertained throughout. 

Genuinely one of the best television shows around at this time.

9/10

Written By Eammon Jacobs

Looper

Looper 

Directed By: Rian Johnson

Written By: Rian Johnson

Produced By: Ram Bergman

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

Plot: In the year 2044, a man working for a group of killers called "Loopers" (they work for the mob and kill people who are sent blindfolded back in time from the year 2074 by their bosses) recognizes a victim as himself. He hesitates resulting in the escape of his older self. He must quickly find and kill his future self, but there is more at stake than he initially realizes.

Rian Johnson's style of filming somehow feels unique and different to the majority of films that are released. He has created an anti-hero through Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis, a character who must kill his future self to preserve his own life. This concept is intriguing and subtlety asks the audience 'What would you do?'. It felt slightly reminiscient of Ridley Scott's 'Blade Runner'. With some of the city shots and technology featured in it could be a potential nod of the head.

I was first extremely surprised when it was announced that Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be playing a younger Bruce Willis. The two actors roles are usually polar opposites. Even if Levitt has moved more into the action genre with films such as Inception and The Dark Knight Rises. They definitely do not seem to align as each other's former/future self. However, I was impressed with the outcome, and I feel that I, like most people, underestimated Levitts' acting potential to portray a younger Willis. 

There is plenty of character development, with the audience being able to see the humanity that hides behind Joe's rough exterior. However there is a certain plot device that seems to be taken from the first Terminator film, with Bruce Willis giving out rough justice to certain individuals. I also love the transition between the city of the future and the rough farmland of America. This is also where my favourite character (other than Joe), comes into play, portrayed by the wonderful Emily Blunt. I feel that her performance is fantastic, and the way that she shows the lengths that a mother would go so as to protect her child is astounding.

The film has some interesting concepts, with telekinesis, hover bikes and time-travelling hit-men...this is no small movie. And whilst there are some blockbuster grade effects, the film has a very 'indie' feel to it. The finale is full of pulse-pounding action and suspense, Rian Johnson has crafted a modern classic. The performances of the entire cast are pitch perfect, the cinematography is seamless and the whole thing fits and works together like clockwork. 

8/10

Written By Eammon Jacobs



Man Of Steel

Man Of Steel

Directed By: Zack Snyder

Written By: David S.Goyer

Produced By: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Deborah Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane

Plot: An infant Kryptonian is sent to Earth moments before his home planet is destroyed. Thirty years later, and the boy has honed his skills, and strives to become a symbol of hope for the people of our planet. That is until a group of violent beings from his homeworld come looking for him, threatening annihilation.

Superman has entertained the world over ever since his appearance in 'Action Comics' in 1938. We've seen numerous films, television series, animations and comics featuring the hero. This reboot aims to create something deeper in the character, and it attempts to show the emotional side of him. It also tries to show the difficulties he faces in becoming the man of steel, and coming to terms with having to hide his true self. 

The film shows (via flashback) the hardships that the young Clark Kent has to go through, and slowly we see the aggression that builds up within him (an aggression that is later released upon General Zod's face). In terms of character development, the film is fantastic. Each character has at least one moment where we see an insight into their lives outside of the film. The first half of the script is beautifully written, especially dialogue between Clark and Martha Kent (His earth mother). Unfortunately, this first half feels extremely slow, and their isn't a particular build up.

Once Zod enters, the film feels very rushed, as if it wants to just jump to the end. The arrival of the villains comes out of nowhere, and it was at this point the film didn't seem to have a general direction. Michael Shannon portrays the villain brilliantly, however, the majority of the lines he is given are generic 'bad guy' threats. And whilst he is completely separate from the Terence Stamp version of 'Zod', he just doesn't feel original. The film looks quite dark and moody, but the overuse of the J.J. Abrams 'lens flare' becomes annoying. I also feel like the film is trying too hard to be 'The Dark Knight' for Superman. 

If the producers are trying to create a more realistic version of the hero, I don't think the way they introduced Zod was the option for this. It felt too 'space age', and the armor the Kyrptonians wear looked as if someone had stolen the costumes from Prometheus. The film was enjoyable, and I think that Henry Cavill's performance was probably one of the best since Christopher Reeve, but is this a milestone in the Superhero genre? It doesn't seem that way, if anything, it feels rather generic. I also feel like the acting talents of both Laurence Fishburne and Russell Crowe were squandered, their roles were ridiculously minimal considering their characters are both important factors within the story Superman.

Like I mentioned previously, the film is quite enjoyable, but is a disappointment. I felt as if they could've done something alot better with the legendary hero. Don't go in expecting the next Dark Knight trilogy.

6.5/10

Written By Eammon Jacobs

The Hangover Part III

The Hangover Part III

Directed By: Todd Phillips

Written By: Todd Phillips, Craig Mazin

Produced By: Todd Phillips, Daniel Goldberg

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Jeffrey Tambor, John Goodman,

Plot: When Alan becomes emotionally unstable after the death of his father, the Wolfpack agree to get him back on the road to recovery. What could go wrong?

The first film in the series was a breath of fresh air to comedy films. The idea, the location, the cast, the plot, the jokes were all perfect. It was the perfect one off that Hollywood needed to revive comedy once again. However, it was very much a one trick pony. Whilst the first film offers a premise we haven't seen before, and gags that were simply hilarious, Part II copied it, becoming stale whilst being mildly amusing. So where would Part III go? Surprisingly, the main cast don't get drugged by accident and wake up trying to find a lost cast member. 

Like the majority of film franchises lately, the series goes a little darker. With Doug (Justin Bartha) being held hostage by Marshall (John Goodman) and to get him back, the Wolfpack have to bring him a certain Mr. Leslie Chow. In 'The Hangover' Chow was a brilliant character, outrageous, funny and bold. But it seems as if the filmmakers are trying to hard with his character, trying to create ways of making him more crazy and funny. It doesn't really work. The film tries to take a darker tone, with gangsters after the guys, and people being gunned down in the desert, and it feels out of place amongst the series' comedic genre.

The characterization of Alan was quite interesting, showing the effects of his fathers' death and how deals with those. He is still quite amusing, but there aren't any "belly laugh" moments within the film. Don't get me wrong, there are funny parts of the film but it just doesn't feel original anymore. Instead of the tiger or the monkey, they have the giraffe and the roosters. Instead of throwing a mattress from the roof, they scale down the building using bed sheets.  It just seems to me like they're copying their earlier work. Midway through the film, I thought how much bad luck do these guys have for so much bad stuff to happen to them, it's becoming literally unbelievable.

Like I said, there are some laughable scenes in the film (The giraffe). But don't go in expecting to be rolling on the floor laughing. 

Written By Eammon Jacobs

4.5/10

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Directed By: J.J. Abrams

Written By: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof

Produced By: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Alice Eve, Simon Pegg, Bruce Greenwood

Plot: When an enemy (Cumberbatch) emerges from within Earths forces, and threatens to cripple Starfleet, Kirk and his crew must battle against the seemingly unstoppable foe, no matter the cost.

Star Trek was once looked down upon, made only for fans of the previous long standing television series. J.J. Abrams changed that in 2009 with the successful Star Trek reboot. He made Star Trek cool again. The sequel was inevitable, and boy, this is one hell of a sequel. It feels like a much bigger film, visiting bigger planets, bigger action sequences and even bigger character development. This could be one film that is genuinely better than the original.

Benedict Cumberbatch genuinely played the best villain I've seen since The Dark Knight. The much loved British actor, best known for his role as Sherlock Holmes, turns bad. His sinister performance as John Harrison was cold, calculating and downright scary. There isn't anyone he isnt afraid to hurt, children's fathers, women, the list goes on. There were various moments when Sherlock shined through the persona of Harrison, which might not always be a good thing, but he's certainly created a brilliant foe for the film. He certainly steals the show.

The ensemble crew of the starship Enterprise are lovable as always, and it was interesting to see Uhura and Spock's relationship progress throughout, with some heartwarming moments between the two. Simon Pegg is hilarious (as per) and the scenes he shares with his own little sidekick are amusing. The visuals are absolutely astounding, with brutal adrenaline fueled fights and high octane space action, all this film does is entertain again and again. With a running time of just over two hours, there's not much to disappoint, apart from the ending.

Now, I won't spoil anything, but the ending seems extremely rushed it's almost as if they're trying to tie up all the loose ends as quick as possible. The resolve of all the events doesn't seem severe enough either, but as a finale it's still rather impressive. The ensemble cast work well together, and if J.J. Abrams doesn't make another Trek film, he's certainly left it in a great place.

Written By Eammon Jacobs

8/10