jaredmartin-464-711711 Reviews

Jurassic Park III (2001)

Jurassic Park 3 is as Inventive as it's title.

[6/10 · 1 July 2015]

Jurassic Park 3 was released four years after the Luke warm reception of Spielberg's (underrated) The Lost World. Spielberg opted to not return to helm another Jurassic film, and directing duties were passed over to Joe Johnston. Jurassic Park 3 see's the return of Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant, from Jurassic Park. Laura Dern also returns as Ellie Sattler, but sadly in a less prominent role.

The story for JP3 is quite simple, Grant is lured by "adventurous" couple Paul, & Amanda Kirby, played by William H. Macy & Tea Leoni, to fly over Isla Sorna, with Grant acting as their guide, for money. However the Kirby's are not rich, and lied to Grant so he could help them find their missing son Eric, who wen't missing weeks ago in a parasailing accident near the island. Of course things go wrong, the plane crashes leaving the Kirby's, Grant, his colleague Billy, and a few others stranded on the island. JP3 can only be enjoyed as a trilling dinosaur spectacle, but there isn't much of anything new, or interesting.

There are some positives aspects in this film, Sam Neill is a fine actor, and he brings credibility to the film, and is still believable as the Grant character. While the rest of the characters aren't all that fleshed out, the film is well acted, with William H. Macy, and Sam Neill being the standouts. There's a few new dinosaurs, Spinosaurus being the main one. Spinosaurus is a neat dinosaur, and the roar for Spinosaurus is also well executed, and is distinctly different sounding from the now famous T- Rex roar. The animatronic dinosaurs/CGI are once again well executed by Stan Winston's team, and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). JP3 is the first film in the series to combine CGI dinosaurs along with practical ones in the same shot, and the blending between the two is well done. The Spinosaurus attack on the river is a thrilling scene, taking place in water, which hadn't been done. There is also a thrilling Pteranodon sequence, offering a ariel attack which hasn't been seen yet in the franchise. The scene is dimly lit, with fog, and creates the best sense of suspense in the movie. The music in the scene is probably my favorite bit of new music in the film. John Williams didn't score JP3, instead composer Don Davis best known for his work in The Matrix films, provides the music, and does a good job, creating new music that still fits stylistically within the franchise.

Though there are positives in JP3 there are many negatives as well. One of the biggest ones I had was the screenwriters not having Grant, and Ellie as a couple. Instead they have a friendship type relationship, and Ellie has a child (with some random guy) who call's Grant "the dinosaur man". It just seems stupid to not have Grant be with Ellie after the events of the first film. Grant's character arch of not wanting children changes after he saves Lex, and Tim, and is seemingly ready to settle down with Ellie, which now seems wasted. The dumbest thing about it is it adds nothing to the characters, or the overall film, and was a stupid decision on the writers part. Grant has a dream on the plane nearing the island, and turns to see a raptor that says "Alan". The scene is very cheesy, and really is just plain silly, right up there with the gymnast scene in TLW. The Spinosaurus T-Rex fight is neat, but having the T-Rex (a fan favorite) lose, and die, just didn't sit right with many fans, myself included.

The characters (while well acted), aren't all that interesting, or all that likable, the Kirby's put peoples lives in danger to find their son, and Billy, decides it would be a good idea to steal raptor eggs to help fund their research back home. There are also many continuity issues in the film, like why the island doesn't look the way it did in TLW, or why the raptors look radically different (some have feather-like quills on their head) from how they did in the pervious films. Where the Spinosaurus was during the events of TLW is suspicious too, the only clue given in the film is when Grant says that Spinosaurus wasn't on Ingen's list. Perhaps the worst part of JP3 is it's ending, which feels insanely rushed, and anti-climantic, almost as if the filmmakers said "This is going on too long, lets wrap it up", but with a runtime just over 90 minutes, the abrupt conclusion seems strange, with the previous films being over two hours long.

Jurassic Park 3 despite is faults, and there are multiple ones, is still an enjoyable flick for what it is, but it's a huge step down in terms of story, and character, and is just an unnecessary edition to the franchise. The story isn't very interesting, or inspired, and the only thing new in the film are the look of the raptors, and a few new dinosaurs. It's explained during a dinner scene with Grant, and Ellie that the raptors were far more intelligent than imagined, and could talk to each other, but much of this could be assumed in the previous films. Spinosaurus makes for a cool looking successor to T-Rex, but seems more like a movie monster than an animal, compared to T-Rex who while running around chasing/eating people, had moments in both Jurassic Park, and The Lost World that showed a naturalistic side of them, like caring for the infant T-Rex. The only real advances in Jurassic Park 3 are technical ones, but effects aren't what makes a film great, it's the story, and characters that drive a film, and that wasn't strong enough in this entry of the Jurassic Park series.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

The Lost World is a Very Unappreciated Sequel

[8/10 · 21 June 2015]

The Lost World is Steven Spielberg's follow up to the innovative Jurassic Park, so how does it's sequel measure up by comparison? Well it's far better than most have given it credit for. The Lost World is a flawed film, but it's a film that set out to be different, and not just a rehash of the previous film, something the newest film in the franchise Jurassic World has done. Many seem to like Jurassic World for how it "recaptures" the feel of the original film, but by comparison, comes off as a pale soulless imitation of Jurassic Park.

The Lost World however, gets away from the theme park idea, and does something that wasn't expected. In The Lost World it is revealed that there was another island called Isla Sorna (Site B) that had dinosaurs that were bred, and raised before being brought to Jurassic Park, on Isla Nublar. The film starts with a wealthy family yachting, and stumble upon Isla Sorna, where their daughter is severely injured by little dinosaurs called Compsognathus that act like land Piranha.

Jeff Goldblum reprises his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm, and is summoned by John Hammond for reasons unknown. Ian Malcolm is still a sarcastic character, much like he was in Jurassic Park, but his character is visibly different after the events of Jurassic park, he rarely laughs, or smiles, and Ingen has made Ian a laughing stock, after trying to create public awareness after what happened to him at the park. Hammond is also losing his credibility, after the incident at Jurassic Park, and Ingen has taken control away from Hammond, and given it to his arrogant nephew, named Ludlow, who Malcolm has clashes with.

Hammond tells Malcolm that he has been trying to preserve Isla Sorna, and protect it from human interference, but implies that the island is in danger of being pillaged for it's assets. Hammond say's public opinion could keep exploiters from removing the dinosaurs, but that in order to gain such support, a photo record must be obtained, which means sending people in to research, which Ian immediately disapproves of. This is until he finds out that his girlfriend, Sarah Harding a Paleontologists, has already gone to the island. This gives Malcolm as reason to go to a place he would rather never revisit again, as this dinosaur island has no fences of any kind, and the dinosaurs are free roaming.

Ian arrives to the island with two other companions Eddie Carr, a field equipment expert, and Nick Van Owen, a video documentarian as well as Malcolm's daughter Kelly (a unneeded character) who sneaks aboard the ship in one of the team's vehicles. Soon they find Sarah, and come across a herd of Stegosaurus, where Sarah has a close encounter when she gets to close to an infant Stegosaurus. The Lost World focuses a great deal on the nurturing habits of dinosaurs, which expands upon the first film, which tried to portray dinosaurs not only as movie monsters, but as animals. This film carries that idea further, and delves into how these animals act in a more naturalistic environment. The T-Rex's also have an infant, that gets injured by Ingen's team. Sarah, and Nick repair the baby's leg, but when the T-Rex's show up, they're less than appreciative, and wreck the trailers/vehicles, believing they have to defend their territory further.

This forces Malcolm, and his companions to join forces with Ingen's team headed by Ludlow, but lead by Roland Tembo, played by the late Pete Postlethwaite. Of course since both teams have different agenda's this leads to conflict. Regardless they come together to try and reach a communication center to get off the island. Of course along the way dinosaurs show up, resulting in casualties. After the group gets separated by the T-Rex's, Roland tranquilizes the male T-Rex. Ludlow then want's to bring it to San Diego, where a facility has been built to house the dinosaurs, since the dinosaurs captured earlier were released by Sarah, and Nick. This is where many people are left divided, some liking the T-Rex running around San Diego, and some hating it.

There's no denying that the way the T-Rex gets to the mainland isn't well executed, and makes little sense. It also may feel tacked on because it was, the original ending was different, but Spielberg felt the The Lost World needed a bigger ending, just as he did with Jurassic Park. While it may seem out of place, the entire film teases the idea of bringing dinosaurs back to the mainland. Malcolm, and Sarah find the infant T-Rex that was also brought back, and use it to lure the adult T-Rex, back to the cargo hold of the ship, where they both could be contained, and be brought back to the island. Not before the T-Rex causes some dino-damage down the streets of San Diego, which admittedly is neat to see.

The Lost World isn't as good as Jurassic Park, but it isn't as bad as critics, and "fans" alike have made it out to be. The Lost World has it's issues, such as underwritten plot elements/characters, and unneeded characters like Malcolm's daughter Kelly, but also has a strong cast/performances, and the effects are even more believable looking than in the first film. The animatronic dinosaurs looked even more convincing in The Lost World, especially the T-Rex's that had subtle changes made mechanically, making them much more lifelike. The CGI is also impressive, especially during the Compsognathus sequence that required the animation of several little dinosaurs. John Williams provides another great score for The Lost World, adding more tribal melodies to go with the mood, and look of the film. The Lost World may not be Spielberg's best film, but it's hardly his worst, and it's a decent, well made followup to a film that never really needed one.

Jurassic World (2015)

Jurassic World is a Pale Imitation of Jurassic Park

[5/10 · 14 June 2015]

Mild spoilers

It has been 22 years since Jurassic Park was released back in 1993, and 14 years since it's last poorly received sequel, Jurassic Park 3 hit theaters in 2001. Since then another Jurassic sequel had been in, and out of development for years. Supposedly issues with the script were what was taking the project so long to get off the ground, so one would think with the release of Jurassic World, now in 2015, the issues were fixed...think again.

This new Jurassic World movie can really only be enjoyed as a dumb, mindless, monster action flick, which is far from what Jurassic Park, and even it's sequel The Lost World were. In both Spielberg directed Jurassic films, the dinosaurs, even while running around chasing people, always felt like animals. The use of animatronics in close up shots really helped the audience buy into that what they were seeing, were living, breathing, dinosaurs. What sets this film, and Jurassic Park apart, is that nothing feels genuine in this, everything is bigger, and more lavish just for the sake of it, but none of it feels realistic, something the first film while fictional, tried to make the audience buy into. Jurassic World on the surface looks grand, but there isn't any real depth, to really get invested with whats shown on screen.

Jurassic World is essentially a reboot/sequel of Jurassic Park for a new generation of film goers, who deserve far more than this film has to offer them. The park is now a fully functional Sea World/Disney esque tourist attraction. The premise, while convoluted by multiple subplots, is really quite simple. In fact Bryce Dallas Howard's character says it, "Bigger, louder, more teeth". So basically a decline in public attendance, leads to the creation of a new genetically modified hybrid creature, to help bring attendance up. As one would expect this isn't a good idea, as the hybrid (Indominus Rex) escapes, and mayhem ensues.

Jurassic World may be predictable, with far fetched concepts, like a Frankenstein like dinosaur, and semi trainable (militarized) Raptors, but the worst thing about Jurassic World are the characters, both in performance, and characterization. Pretty much every character in Jurassic world is bland, and uninteresting, some even cartoony. Even Chris Pratt, who seems to be all the rage these days, doesn't really shine with his Owen character, he is at least somewhat likable, unlike everyone else. Bryce Dallas Howard isn't a bad actress, but her performance in this film is awkwardly terrible, and thats mostly down to the script. In fact this film has many actors who are known to be good in other films, but seem awful because of the hammy, clichéd dialogue.

The only actors who's performances I bought into were Jake Johnson as a control room technician, who was funny without trying to be, even with the poor script. The other was B.D. Wong's character Dr. Henry Wu, the only returning character from Jurassic Park. Wu shares a scene with Marsani, (played by Irrfan Khan) where Wu tell's Marsani that the dinosaurs have never been natural, and exclaims that nothing in Jurassic World is natural, or has ever been natural, after Wu is criticized for creating the Indominus Rex. Wu also mentions how opportunities could've been taken to create more pure (feathered) dinosaurs, but say's that not what corporate wanted. This scene was probably my favorite in the entire film, as it actually had something to say about the genetics part of these dinosaurs, and the problem with mixing different species together. Sadly the film never delves into it's own ideas, and doesn't have much to say about them. While I enjoyed Jake Johnson, and B.D. Wong's characters they serve as minor characters, and have little impact in the film itself. Instead the film focuses much of it's time on two kid siblings, who are not all that interesting, and frankly not needed in the film. Perhaps that is what's most frustrating about Jurassic World, it focuses much of it's time on unneeded characters/subplots, and doesn't really explore the new ideas presented. Owen (Pratt), and his raptors represent how humans, and wild (dangerous) animals can cooperate, but in Jurassic World there's little indication as to why this bond exists. Instead of exploring it, we get Pratt saying the bond is "based on mutual trust", while that may be true, it doesn't feel all that interesting, which is a constant issue in this film. The new ideas presented are simply that "ideas", which are sidelined for dinosaur (monster) action especially near the end.

Jurassic World is ultimately not brought down by the dinosaurs, but by director Colin Trevorrow, and the screenwriters. This film has next to no tension, or any real build up from scene to scene, and the underdeveloped characters are probably the film's greatest undoing. Trevorrow/writers also put way too many references from the original film into Jurassic World, for nostalgia purposes, which makes you just want to watch the far better Jurassic Park film. A film can be predictable, yet fun, but having decent characters to get behind, and follow on the film's journey is essential, and Jurassic World simply didn't have any worthwhile ones. The film also relies far too heavily on CGI, and many dinosaur shots are quite unremarkable, considering what was achieved two decades ago. Admittedly the CGI looks great in some shots, namely the Indominus Rex and a handful of others, but there are several (closeup) shots that would've looked better with animatronic dinosaurs. Jurassic World will make a considerable amount of money, but how much a money a film makes doesn't always represent quality. Basically the film is just underwhelming in virtually every way, considering the time it had to be something potentially great, but it's not the first sequel in this franchise to do so, it just does it with the least amount of finesse, and craft.

Gotham: Pilot (2014) Season 1, Episode 1

Gotham May Have Some Potential

[8/10 · 22 September 2014]

Gotham has had it's pilot episode, and was better than I had expected it to be. That said there's plenty of episodes to come, so only time will tell how well the show carries on. The pilot however does seem to show some promise, and the initial groundwork has been laid out pretty well.

The visual look of Gotham is very well captured, and sells the idea that Gotham city is a dark, and dangerous place. The acting overall is pretty good, with an occasional cheesy line here, and there. Ben Mackenzie does a good job as James Gordon which I would have never expected. He has the strength, charm, and moral center needed to make the character of Gordon work. Donal Logue plays Harvey Bullock, and also brings enough to the character to be more than just a corrupt cop, he's likable enough as to where as a viewer, you kinda get where's he's coming from, and Logue and Mackenzie play well off each other. David Mazouz play the young Bruce Wayne aka Batman, and does fine with the little screen time he has.

The supporting cast works well enough for what their given to do in the pilot episode. Jada Pinkett Smith does a pretty decent playing her character Fish Mooney (a new character), and I actually liked her take on the character. She's the up, and comer who eventually want's to take Falcone's place, another known criminal from the Batman mythos. Mooney also has competition as her loyal thug Oswald aka Penguin want's to take her place. Robin Taylor who portrays Oswald may have gotten cast because of his penguin-like nose, but he is the shows most over the top character, and is the most compelling to watch. Other future Batman rouges are mentioned like Cat women (or in this case girl), as well as Edward Nigma (Riddler), and an young Ivy.

Perhaps the best thing about this Gotham pilot is that it showed some promise, and left me as viewer wanting to see more. I don't know how long the show can last, given this is about Gotham before Batman, but if the pilot is any indication of whats to come, perhaps the show will work without it's titular character Batman. The only way this show can move forward, and develop is if viewers are willing to watch a Batman less show, and I hope people will give it a chance, because first impressions make seem like this could be one to watch.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Does Dawn Surpass Rise?

[8/10 · 17 July 2014]

Dawn, the anticipated sequel to Rise, has finally been released, but how does it measure up to it's predecessor. Simple answer is its just as good, and in some ways better. As far as sequels go, Dawn is about as good as they come, and like any sequel should, it builds upon what was laid out in the previous installment.

Ten years have passed since Caesar, and his band of genetically enhanced apes, fought their way across the Golden Gate Bridge, and over time the apes have built their own primitive, yet strong society. The humans however are quite desperate, and do whatever they can to keep electrical power running, amongst the remaining survivors. As luck would have it, the humans must cross into the apes territory in order to keep the power going.

The basic theme of this movie is about survival, and neither the apes, nor humans wan't to be the weaker group. The story on the surface is pretty simplistic, much like it was with Rise, but like Rise, the true strength of Dawn is in it's ape stars. Caesar once again portrayed by the brilliant Andy Serkis, is the heart of the film, and it's about his struggle to remain in control of his ape society. Koba portrayed by Toby Kebbell, is gruff, deadly, and at times quite tragic. Koba was introduced in Rise, but in Dawn, he's a fully realized character that steals every scene he's in.

Caesar want's peace, but for Koba, peace is not an option, because humans cannot be trusted, as he points out, literally on himself, the "true" nature of humans. It's a issue that Caesar, and Koba could never see eye to eye on, and as a result begins to sever the bond between the two. Koba hates humans, because of how he was treated, and once he gains control he becomes everything he hated about the humans, with no compassion, or remorse, even killing apes who oppose him. When its comes to characters, Caesar and Koba, are without doubt the most compelling to watch, where as the other characters, are less interesting.

In Rise the ape characters out shined the human ones, and with Dawn the outcome is no different. That said, the human characters are written well enough that they're serviceable to the story. The relationship between the apes, and humans creates interesting moments. How different, aside form appearance, are we really. It's a question that humans seem to struggle with throughout history. There's good, and bad, in every society, and people always feel threatened by something they don't understand. In Dawn there's apes, and humans on both sides, some are hostile, where as others wan't peace. That is the very nature of people, and since these apes are as smart as humans, they're also capable of being as arrogant. Its social commentary like this, that sprinkled throughout the film, that keeps things interesting.

So what does Dawn do better than Rise, the world and scope is far more epic, and the effects are visually stunning, as are the performances, both human characters, and to a greater extent the apes. The weaknesses are similar to the flaws in Rise, narrative issues such as logic/plot holes, and a rushed, yet satisfying third act. Personally I felt Rise was more intimate, and emotional, whereas Dawn is more spectacle, though still emotional. All things considered, this is strong sequel to a good franchise, and does what any sequel should do, leave it's audience wanting more.

8.5/10

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-Men DOFP Unites the Series Together

[9/10 · 26 May 2014]

X-Men: DOFP had a tough task of expanding the X-men universe, combining the old series, with the new, and had to convincingly explain away some of the series continuity errors, with a complex time travel plot. This could've equaled a recipe for disaster, but instead this latest X-Men film mostly succeeds. In fact it succeeds not only as a sequel that ties the two (originally) separate series together, but also manages to fix some of the things that X-Men: The Last Stand handled poorly.

X-Men: DOFP is first and, foremost a great sequel, that is action packed, with enough emotion, and humor, that makes it arguably the best X-Men film thus far. This is because these characters have been setup in multiple prior films, so that by the time this film comes along, we get to see some of these characters, and their arcs, become fully realized. The film focuses mainly on Xavier/Charles, Magneto/Erik, Mystique/Raven, Wolverine/Logan, and to some extent Beast/Hank. There are many brief moments of other mutants, who get their moment to shine as well. Most notably is a new mutant named Peter Maximoff aka Quicksilver, who steals every moment of screen time he gets. The prison break scene with Quicksilver, is one of the best scenes in a comic book film, while both comical, and visually brilliant. The point of this film is to change the future by altering the past. The film starts off in a post apocalyptic future, where both mutants, and humans have been nearly wiped out by Terminator-like robots called Sentinels.

Wolverine is sent back in time to the year 1973, where he must find a younger Charles Xavier, and Magneto, to help stop Mystique from killing a man named Bolivar Trask. Trask is the creator of the Sentinels, and his murder sets things in motion that will lead to the eventual demise of mutants, and humans alike. None of this film's main characters in the past are at their best, and need a push to be a better version of themselves, and it's up to Wolverine to be patient, and help them along, in order to change the course of time, which as Logan states "Patience isn't my strongest suit". The tale is a bleak one, but never devoid of humor, which makes the film fun, but also helps keeps it's characters feeling genuine. Thats the best strength DOFP has, you care about whats going on, and wan't to see these characters that are beloved fans, make it out of this alive.

As mentioned above, this movie does "fix" some of the continuity problems the series had, and also resurrects a few characters, that were lost to soon. The ending of the film really pays off, and left me very happy, not just because of seeing old characters back, but because everything up to that point was compelling, and emotionally resonate. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who's a fan of the series, or is just a fan of good storytelling, and interesting characters. There's a couple minor pacing issues here, and there, and some may argue certain characters don't get enough screen time, but overall X-Men: DOFP delivers, and is a fantastic return to the X-men series old, and new.

Godzilla (2014)

American Godzilla Attempt Number Two

[5/10 · 16 May 2014]

Godzilla is a part of my childhood, and the 1954 film is a monster movie I hold in pretty high regard. Yes effects wise the film is dated, and the acting is so so, but the overall premise is hauntingly mesmerizing. The idea of a monster being spawned by mankind's arrogance of nuclear weapons, that destroys everything in it's path, and is seemingly unstoppable, is a terrifying premise. This is something the 1954 version captures very well, and what the 2014 version advertised itself as.

What I got was a film that was at times, as silly as the 1998 version. Godzilla 2014 tries desperately hard to create this sense of seriousness, and believability, with a script writer(s) who can't write (fictionalized) reality in a credible way. The script by Callaham, and Borenstein, is so shallow, and lacking any real depth, that even the likes of a great actor like Bryan Cranston, can't save this film. If Cranston can't save it, there's no way Olsen, Johnson, Watanabe, or anyone else can save it either.

I like all these actors, but their talent is wasted, because nothing in the story gives any of their characters real gravitas. Cranston departs from the film FAR too early, and the audience is left with dull (wooden) characters, that sadly aren't ever really developed. If none of this stuff matters to the average movie goer, and people just wan't Godzilla fighting, or destroying things, then the characters are not all that important I suppose. Problem is Godzilla has maybe 13 to 15 mins of actual screen time in a 2 hr. film, which is mostly in the last 30 mins of film.

Now I've read articles, and watched interviews where director Gareth Edwards has said films like Jaws, and Jurassic Park were inspirations for this new Godzilla. Edwards expressed interest in having a slow reveal like Jaws, where the shark is rarely seen until the end, but it's presence is felt throughout the film. I get that approach, but you have to have strong characters, and a well paced plot to use that approach, something this movie doesn't really have.

This film also seems to have a bit of an identity crisis where it doesn't know what it want's to be. Does it wan't to be gritty, and dark, like say the original Godzilla, or Cloverfield, or if it want's to be more fun, and action packed, like last year's Pacific Rim. This was my initial concern with this new Godzilla including other monsters, which for me automatically cheapens Godzilla's original metaphor, from a man made freak of nature, to earth's mightiest antihero. Positive wise the film has some wonderful shots of mayhem/destruction, but I need more from a film than some flashy CGI effects, I need a coherent plot, with fleshed out characters, which in Godzilla 2014 was never fully realized. I will always have the original I guess, I would've liked an updated serious take on Godzilla, what I got was shallow mindless "so called" entertainment.

For some this movie will have just enough monster mayhem that will captivate it's audience, but I was hoping for more. I was expecting a good character driven drama, with a compelling story, what I got was a subpar story, with a boring lead, and lifeless characters. Godzilla isn't a terrible film by any means, but it sure isn't the great return of Godzilla I had hoped for, and it's disappointing to say the least.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Spider-Man 2 Is a Great Sequel

[9/10 · 4 May 2014]

Spider-Man was one of those films that was just a lot of fun, that never took itself too seriously, and had a tone that followed suit. The film's main protagonist had troubles, but never became so dark, that the viewer felt the tone out of place. This film takes the same approach, and delves deeper into the life of Peter Parker, with his past struggles, along with some new ones.

The movie starts out with our hero as earnest as ever, but the struggles of life, topped with being a superhero, eventually brings him down, to the point that he questions his very purpose. This is something that I found very interesting, the idea of how much can one endure, before he starts to crack. Peter is struggling in his life for multiple reasons, he can't hold a job, the love of his life is slipping away, his friendship with Harry is strained, he's failing college, and he still feel's guilt for the death of Uncle Ben. Top this off with the threat of a new villain Doc Oc.

Doc Oc, is a good villain for Spider-Man 2, not only is he a popular comic book villain, but on film he's incredible to see. The character isn't overly complex, but is deep enough (thanks to Alfred Molina) that his screen presence, isn't outmatched by his spectacle, during the more action packed moments. What really makes this film strong are the performances, namely Tobey Maguire, who carries the film on his shoulders. Now I've heard the criticisms of Tobey's take on Peter/Spider-Man, but he make's the general audience root for him, because of his underdog/mopey portrayal. True to the comics, or not, I root for this Peter/Spider-Man to succeed, and genuinely feel bad for him when things don't.

The supporting cast is also pretty good, and each character gets their moment to shine. Mary Jane, though presented at times as a bit selfish, really does show her love for Peter, and feels confused as to why a guy who supposedly loves her is never there. Aunt May helps make Peter realize the importance of Spider-Man, and Harry learns the truth about Peter, and at least in this film, appears conflicted on how to deal with his revelation. Jonah Jameson, is still the scene stealer, and has even better lines this time around.

As good as this film is, "it" like most films, has some narrative problems that do cross the viewers mind at times, but not to the point that the overall film suffers. Spider-Man 2, like it's predecessor, keeps the narrative relatively simple, but delivers it in a way that resonates with the audience, and never becomes too over the top, or convoluted. Spider-Man 2 is one the best comic book films ever, and it's certainly a sincere one, that keeps a crucial component, and thats heart.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

Better Than Most Would Think

[8/10 · 2 May 2014]

I'm very late to the party review wise for this film, but after watching the TMNT 2014 trailer, I feel the need write about this. The 90's wasn't exactly a great time for comic book based films, with only Batman, both Time Burton's sequel, and the questionable Joel Schumacher Batman's, having a lasting effect on audiences good, or bad.

TMNT was the first comic based movie, coming out in 1990, and was met with mixed reviews upon it's release. At the time it was one of the most successful independent made films, due to fan appeal, and being marketed as a kids movie. This is were the film had dividing lines between moviegoers, with parents claiming the film too violent, while others admired it's overall faithfulness to the source material. I fall in the latter half, who was mesmerized as kid, and still entertained as an adult.

Yes this movie is dated in terms of today's standards, but what Jim Henson, and co. did to bring these turtles to life is amazing (even today for those who appreciate that craft). Each turtle looks pretty similar, besides the colored mask, but each voice actor creates the different personality to each turtle. The music is excellent in this film, and is part of what makes this film memorable. It's a fun score, but also dark, and emotional when it has to be. The voice cast (heck the entire cast) does all it needs, to help the audience buy into this crazy scenario, where mutated turtles fight crime on the streets.

The plot of the movie is pretty straightforward, but is done in a credible way, despite the films short runtime of 95 mins. A unknown clan of ninja thieves (The Foot) from Japan, have come to America (New York specifically) to start an uncontrollable crime ring, lead by non other than the Shredder. April O'neil, a no B.S. reporter helps make the public aware of the new threat, and poses a threat to Shredder's organization, which makes her a target. Naturally under the circumstances she, and the turtles come together, along with vigilante Casey Jones, a character as fun as the turtles. Sadly the turtles leader (Splinter), a wise (human sized) rat, is taken by the Foot, and the film is set in motion. There's a struggle between the brothers (naturally) on what to do next, and in the end the brotherhood of turtles becomes stronger as a result.

Shredder in this film, is truly menacing for it's day, and the way he uses the kids (runaways/misfits) to expand his crime ring, is very twisted. Here, captive Splinter forms a bond, with teenage runaway Danny the son of April's boss. Here is where the theme of this movie becomes clear, TMNT is about family, and the strength that comes with family. Shredder provides the false sense of family, while the turtle's embody what it means to be a family. It's themes like this, along with fun characters (with some depth) that keep this movie from becoming really stupid. There are funny, at times cheesy moments, but all in all this is a gritty looking film that captures the spirit of TMNT.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

A Mediocre Reboot

[5/10 · 13 April 2014]

This film proves that as long as you have a bankable star like Batman, Iron Man, or in this case Spider Man, you don't have to make a good film, people will flock see it anyways. To be clear, I never read Spider Man comics, my introduction to the character was a cartoon series, and the original Raimi films. After seeing Spider Man 1, and 2, I started to read up on the character, and I realized some differences between the original films, and the comics. This happens in any film adaptation, because film doesn't have the luxury of time like comics do. That begin said, aside from organic web shooters, and Peter being a bit nerdier than the comics, I really bought into the heart, and soul of the story in the first two Spider Man films.

This is where I feel TASM really falls short. A reboot should refresh a previous series, and do something completely new with it. Take for example the Tim Burton Batman films, and the Nolan reboot. Now I know some people don't like one, or the other, but thats how a reboot should be. Nothing about those two series look anything like each other, but both are clearly about Batman, and both, in my opinion capture the essence of Batman, while making it their own. TASM, although with slightly updated technology, doesn't feel a whole lot different visually than the Raimi films. The biggest problem the film has, is that there's so much going on, that the plot becomes convoluted, and the pacing makes the film feel much longer than it is.

Andrew Garfield looks fine as Spider Man, but I didn't feel as much for the way Garfield portrayed Peter Parker this time around. I get in the comics that Peter's a bit more sarcastic than how he was in the Raimi films, but it's a fine line between being humorous, and coming off as a complete ass. Acting wise, Garfield is fine so I can't fault him, in fact the acting is not the problem in this film, as the cast is very strong with the likes of Stone, Sheen, Leary, and even Sally field. The problem is that there's no real depth to any of their characters, so their acting talent is essentially wasted. For instance, there's many awkward scenes where Peter, and Gwen have flirty, stutter filled dialogue, but I don't see how any of that makes them head over heels for each other. Peter's relationship to everyone in this film, doesn't really feel very genuine whether it be Dr. Conner's/Lizard, Uncle Ben, Aunt May, Gwen, or even her father Captain Stacy. There's no real build up to any scene, or the core relationships, so everything feels hollow.

There's also just plain stupid scenes like Peter on the subway train, his constant breaking of everything he touches, and the ridiculous football bending the goal post scene. None of these would help to conceal one's supposed secret identity. The whole film itself seems to not know what identity it should take. Tonally it tries to be dark, although it has slapstick comedy at times, is it a straight love story between Peter, and Gwen, sort of not really, is this Spider Man meant to be taken more seriously, the film never really seems to know. TASM more often than not seems to bore, rather than entertain, something I wouldn't think possible with a Spider Man film.

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

A Good Day to Watch something Else

[1/10 · 15 August 2013]

I'm a Die Hard fan, and this movie was complete, and utter crap. Director John Moore, and writer Skip Woods shouldn't be allowed near any film, let alone Die Hard, a beloved franchise. There's nothing in this movie thats worth writing a full review, so instead I'll just rant, so beware SPOILERS.....as if this movie isn't spoiled enough.

I was a fan of the last Die Hard, especially the unrated cut which restored some of what the theatrical version left out, to achieve the PG 13 rating. Live free or Die Hard had some over the top stuff, but the characters, and story, were interesting enough to make it a worthy addition to the series. The movie was interesting, had a decent antagonist, and Justin Long's character was a perfect side kick for John McClaine, because he didn't over shadow what John McClaine is, the hero.

Long's character was computer savvy but not strong, and the pair worked well together, as they both brought things to the table. An old John McClaine shouldn't have been fun to watch, but oddly it was, and for me that movie wrapped up perfectly, and I even enjoyed it more than the 3rd surprisingly. Now why did I say all that...because the 5th movie does none of this, and feels more like a spoof than an actual sequel.

For crying out loud John McClaine isn't even John McClaine in this one. Instead we just have Bruce Willis phoning it in, and his obnoxious ass clown of a son, that can't act. The apple falls so far from the the tree it's sad. Perhaps this is the biggest problem with this crap fest, there is no character whatsoever. No real villain to speak of, no interesting or memorable action, no pacing, no real humor, not one thing that could pass as Die Hard. Even the yippi ki ya mother#$%&@# line was just randomly thrown in, not even used in a clever way. Just one poorly done throwback to Hans Gruber's death in the first Die Hard, which in this movie was laughable, probably the only part I laughed at, and just shows the lack of creativity of those involved.

Bad directing, and Bad writing will destroy a movie anytime. This should have been titled A Good Day to Kill a Franchise. There's at least a Die Hard quadrilogy and really isn't that enough...yes for me it is.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight sets a new standard in comic book films

[10/10 · 1 December 2012]

The Dark Knight builds upon the story that was established in Batman Begins, and raises the stakes for Batman, and his allies. This film is for me, the best Batman movie to date, and the reason is that there are so many decisions that the characters have to make, and they're not easy ones. The movie takes place about a year after the events of BB, and the arrival of the Joker turns all the progress made so far, upside down.

On that note, I will say that Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is amazing, and completely deserving of his posthumous Oscar win. Heath is unrecognizable as the Joker from his appearance, to his creepy, and sadistic voice. I will always enjoy Nicholson's Joker, but what Ledger has done is simply put, better, and more developed. The Joker he creates in this film is chaos incarnate. The Joker's only goal is to corrupt whoever he can because to him, being a moral person is a joke, and only mask's that fact that everyone is just as ugly as him, if pushed to it. This idea that he has, really does a number on the protagonists, and Gotham as well.

Harvey Dent the new DA is another new character, and is focal to the films plot. Aaron Eckhart portrays Dent, and does justice to the character, just as well as Ledger does with the Joker. He is faced with the difficult task of continuing to clean up the city, that was started by Batman and Gordon. Harvey is also dating Rachel Dawes which creates a love triangle between him, and Bruce Wayne. Maggie Gyllenhaal portrays Rachel in this film. She is an upgrade to Katie Holmes, but I have never been a fan of recasting, so it's hard for me to look at her as the same character. Rachel's dilemma is that even though she has feeling's for Bruce, she also doesn't believe he could ever not be Batman. Harvey has the same morals as her, and in turn perhaps has even stronger feelings towards him. Bruce is aware that she is slipping away, but with the Joker's threats to him, and the city, makes him powerless to really sway her decision.

Jim Gordon also has enough to deal with, as the Joker's attempts to bring chaos on Gotham, become more, and more threatening. The Joker's resources become greater, after he gets the mob to back him, who gives the Joker whatever he needs, if it means bringing down the bat as he promised them. The Joker is the wild card that the remaining mob guys put faith in, to try and stop Batman, and law enforcement. The joker is so dangerous because he cares not for money, the lives of others, and even himself. His lack of feeling towards anything, makes him very hard to stop, because unlike the hero's of the film, he has nothing to lose. Even Batman nearly gives in, because as he tells Alfred, he see's what he would have to become to stop him, and he can't bring himself too. Luckily Harvey Dent know's the importance of Batman, and in a bold move, buys Batman some time. This leads to a very impressive chase scene in the film. The scene where Joker fires his sub-machine gun at Batman, and on coming traffic, shows how much he want's to corrupt the seemingly incorruptible; by firing on innocent people, if it means Batman will hit him with the bat pod at high speed.

The interrogation that follows between the two, is where Joker get's the closest to having Batman violate his moral code, and the Joker simply relishes in it. This scene is where Ledger, and Bale's characters, really make the film catapult into something far greater than any other comic book film. Of all the great scenes in TDK this one is for me, probably the best, because it shows just how high the stakes really are. After this scene Rachel, and nearly Harvey, is killed in an explosion, and Batman finally see's how great the sacrifices of being Batman are. Harvey, who is badly burned on one side of his face, becomes Two Face. He also loses the love of his life, and becomes vengeful towards everyone, and his morality becomes easily susceptible to the Joker's poisonous ideal's. Harvey's fall from grace is one of the more heartbreaking parts of TDK, but the demons unleashed by his alter ego Two Face, were prevalent before his transformation. Eckhart doesn't get much screen time as Two Face, but the moments he has, especially at the end, are frightening, as well as tragic. Joker's ferry boat dilemma is an interesting concept, who will blow up the other's boat, the criminals on one, or the civilians on the other. The scenario requires some suspension of disbelief, but the message is more meaningful than the plausibility of it. When neither of the boats decide to do it, and they accept their fates, the Joker for the first time shows a bit of concern. This is because the way he perceive's life, has now been shown to be false.

This is the brilliance of TDK, that every character's ideals are put to the test including the Joker's. Batman doesn't give the Joker the satisfaction of Killing him, and the Joker now captured, reveals his last ditch effort to destroy Gotham's soul. In the end Batman must take the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes, as well as his death, so that the city can have it's well respected hero. Gordon telling his son why the police have to chase Batman is so beautiful, and along with the epic music, creates the perfect ending for a batman film. TDK is great because, it raises the questions about ones morality, do you stand by it, or do we abandoned it when it's too hard, or becomes unpopular.

10/10

Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins...with a bang!

[9/10 · 30 November 2012]

The first batman series started by Tim Burton produced two entertaining and dark movies Batman and Batman Returns. Sadly the series went downhill, after the last two movies brought the series to the campy, and laughable TV days, not what Bob Kane the creator of Batman intended.

Batman Begins brought an entirely different look and feel, as opposed to what Tim Burton had done with his two film's. I grew up with Batman and Batman Returns since childhood, and always loved them, but as I got older, I remember feeling boy, I wonder what batman in todays world would be like. Well thanks to Christopher Nolan that became a reality. This is a reboot that actually does what its supposed too, build off a previous version, and do something new, and different.

Batman Begins has many of the same characters but, is completely different than what was done before. This Batman shows us how, and why, Bruce Wayne becomes batman, the hero of Gotham city. The story progression is great, and the cast is about as good as they come. Christian Bale(batman), Gary Oldman(Gordon), Michael Caine(Alfred) and Morgan Freeman(Lucius Fox), a character missed from the previous series. Jim Gordon is much better represented in this movie, than he was in the Tim Burton films, and the early bond formed between him, and batman is really great. These actors absolutely become the characters they play, which is so important for a film like this. If you can't believe in these characters, and their motivations, then the story being told will never work. Luckily this is no issue with this movie, and not only do the actors look great in their roles, so does the world that showcases them.

Christopher Nolan certainly cared about every aspect in the film's style, the production design, from the lighting, costumes, and set design. Tim Burton's Gotham was very unique, and bold for it's time, and became a character itself. Nolan creates a modern city but with characteristics that set it apart from any city that we know of. He does this by adding elements such as the mono rail train, that Thomas Wayne had built, and through miniatures, and large set pieces. These set pieces are what really show the dark, wet, gritty, and dirty streets of Gotham, that sadly becomes less apparent in the later installments.

The Bat mobile, or as Nolan calls it the tumbler, along with the new bat suit, are quite different from how they looked in the earlier batman films. The tumbler is a huge design change, and though not totally accepted by all, is the type of change the Batman series needed. The bat suit in this movie is my favorite, because it makes batman look like a beast, and much more intimidating than anything I've seen before. Everything has a purpose and a function, the graphite cowl, the memory cloth cape, and the Kevlar body suit. This is where the character Fox comes into play, the R&D department guy at Wayne Enterprises is the man who creates these wonderful toys, although what he doesn't know till later, is that Batman will acquire them all.

The film actually has pretty strong antagonists considering that many of them aren't well known to the general public. Ras Al Ghul played by Liam Neeson is great in this movie, and plays the sincere mentor of Bruce, as well as the cold, and unwavering leader of the League of Shadows. When he turns against Bruce, he turns with no hesitation, and Neeson plays both parts equally well. Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow played by Cillian Murphy is the film's creepiest villain in the film, and his first appearance as the scarecrow is pretty intense. Tom Wilkinson plays Carmine Falcone, the mobster who pretty much at this point, runs the criminal underworld, and he is equally cruel.

The action sequences in this film are fast paced, hard hitting, and very impressive. The bat mobile is going about as fast as it looks, thats no trick, and the film uses very little cgi, which makes it all the better, because it's physically there. The ending climax is pretty thrilling, and made even better by the films awesome score, that adds greatly to the character of the film. The theme from Batman 1989 composed by Danny Elfman is classic, and whenever I hear it I think of batman. The theme in this movie is nothing like Elfman's, but it works perfectly for this batman, and in time I think will be nearly as iconic, if not equal. The theme that this movie builds upon throughout the entire film is fear. Bruce Wayne deals with fear in many forms, some of them being the fear of bats, the fear that he caused his parents death, the fear of failing, and thanks to scarecrow's fear gas, will relive that fear with horrible intensity. Batman isn't the only one with fear, his emergence has struck fear into the criminals, and the corrupt, because unlike certain law enforcement officials, he is unwavering from his moral code, and cannot be corrupted.

The only weaker parts of the film is that the resolutions of certain characters aren't made very clear, and the fights though hard hitting, are not very clear, and makes the viewer unsure as to whats really happening. The character of Rachel Dawes, made up for the film, and Bruce's childhood friend, is not super convincing in her role as a tough lawyer, and her chemistry with Bruce isn't quite there. The ending of this film is great, and leaves me wanting more, especially the ultimate tease that the film leaves us with, the possibility of seeing batman's greatest foe the Joker

8.5 to 9 out of 10

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The Dark Knight Rises.... but not above it's predecessors

[7/10 · 30 November 2012]

What made the first two batman films in Nolan's trilogy great, was due to the well paced storytelling. Another aspect was the great character development, and the clear motivations that each character had with one another. This is where the previous films succeeded and where TDKR struggles the most. It's not that this isn't a decent film, but these two major issues keep it from reaching the same level as Batman Begins and TDK.

The Dark Knight Rises however has many things that work well. Just like the previous batman films the movie itself looks great, and sounds great, so no complaints there. The stock market scene was good, and showed off Bane's brutality quite well. The masquerade scene between Selina and Bruce showed the audience the dynamic between the two, as well as their screen chemistry. The sewer scene where Bane and Batman first brawl is well done for the most part, and Alfred and Bruce share a scene that reveals a long overdue discussion. The casting of TDKR is also good, and I will briefly go over the characters old and new.

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman is very good for that part. Although changed in appearance, this is the closest she has ever been to her comic book counterpart. Hathaway and Bale also have pretty good screen chemistry, which in my opinion never really happened much with Rachel in the prior movies. The romance between these two sadly, never really evolves into anything special. Bane played by Tom Hardy does the best he can with the part. Bane is one tough dude there's no denying that, but he isn't as clever, or as interesting, as I believed Nolan wanted him to be. I am however happy that Nolan didn't play it safe, and had Batman get broken by Bane. It's what Bane is most iconic for, and would have been seen as a missed opportunity, had he not broke batman. It does put the batman out of commission, which in turn doesn't allow for as much screen time for Batman.

The most developed new character is John Blake played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who acts as the film's moral center, and Levitt and Bale both work good together on screen, which is important considering the ending. Jim Gordon, Alfred, and Lucius Fox all return, and do their roles just as well as in the previous films, but with less to do.

The biggest problem with TDKR, besides being rushed, is that it has too many unnecessary characters, which manages to do nothing, but take away screen time from the important ones. Miranda Tate aka Talia Al Ghul's

could've been cut in my opinion. She is meant to be a plot twist, which I know many others saw coming a mile away including myself. Maybe its due to the fact that I'm not a big Marion Cotillard fan, but this character irritated me the most. She steals Bane's prison back story, and manages to makes Bane seem much less imposing, which is a mistake. The pointless and awkward relationship is so forced between Talia and Bruce, that it borders on ridiculous. For me that was time that could have been better spent on Selina and Bruce's relationship, which could have made the ending with them more meaningful.

Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne/ Batman is still interesting, and emotional. Bruce has plenty of hurdles to overcome in this last chapter, both physically, and emotionally. People complain about Bale's Batman voice, which I'll admit is too much at times. He is however, the best all around Bruce Wayne/Batman, because he plays each one so differently. He plays three roles basically, the "real" tormented Bruce, the cocky fake Bruce, and the angry but heroic Batman. That is no easy task for any actor, so I appreciate his commitment to the role, as well as keeping it interesting.

Despite TDKR long runtime of 165 minutes the movie does move along pretty well. The plot is different from the last two movies, in the sense that it's less of a crime film, and more of a war film. The only real problem is that Nolan tried to go too big with it. The whole city under siege thing was too over the top, and unbelievable. The plot is interesting enough, but requires too much suspension of disbelief, which sorry, I'm not willing to do. The ticking time bomb was very cliché considering the interesting ferry boat dilemma from TDK, or the unique, and thrilling fear gas climax from Batman Begins. I'm not saying that this isn't a valid threat to a city, its just the fact that it has been so overdone.

The most disappointing thing to me in TDKR is the anti-climatic, and abrupt conclusions to the films antagonists. The lead up to Batman, and Bane's final fight was what everyone was waiting for, and the end result is a relatively quick fight, followed by Bane getting blown away by Catwoman. Talia's death is no better really, expect the manner in how she dies is very similar to Ra's Al Ghul's death, which was a nice touch. I give credit to whoever didn't laugh when Talia dies in the most poorly acted death I've seen in a while, Nolan really should have demanded a more believable performance out of Cotillard.

The most redeeming quality this film has to offer is the last five minutes of the ending. The music starts somber, and tragic, then slowly becomes the triumphant score the fan's know, and love. I am glad that Bruce wasn't killed off, even though some fans argued that would be more definitive. The ending wraps up everything pretty well but, could have been more meaningful, if the character development was a bit stronger. TDKR may not be as streamlined as the prior films, but is decent conclusion to a great series.

7/10