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Reviews
Green Zone (2010)
Its five years too late!
Green Zone is technically a very well made, pacy thriller, but I feel its five years too late and offers nothing new that Three Kings did not give us back in 1999. If anything I think Three Kings is a much better looking film.
I have a lot of respect for Paul Greengrass, I was luck to meet with him during the making of this film, but I feel this piece is nothing special in comparison to his earlier films.
One of my biggest concerns is that the plot line involving one White House/Pentagon guy being responsible for supplying the false intelligence, will inadvertently trivialize the real issues surrounding the dodgy intelligence and the Bush Administration's mindset that lead to the war in the first place. If this war just becomes a plot line for lots of anti-war movies I feel it will be too little too late. Where were they when we needed them? I also feel that this story would have been much better from the journalists point of view, more All the Presidents Men, than Bourne in Iraq. It all seems a bit too contrived, especially the finale, which I saw coming the moment Freddy produced a concealed Berretta from his car.
I take it Green Zone won't get the Blair Faith Foundations Film award this year :)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
This film missed the mark
I am sorry to say that I felt this film missed the mark. I really enjoyed Casino Royale, though I did not think it was perfect, but after watching Quantum of Solace I appreciate it far more. It's not the lack of one lines, innuendo or the lack of appreciation of the fine things Bond was known for, no the problem with this film was its pacing and at times dreadful editing choices.
I was surprised that a film that boasts a 'character' director could produce a film with such lack of character. Generally you don't get a feel of anyone in this movie, bar the character of Camille, everyone else seems spare and underused and you find you just don't care. Which is exactly how you feel about the action after the first 30 minutes, to the point where it becomes painful for all the wrong reasons. The action is not even as gritty as Casino Royale, instead it feels like Bourne for babies, loads of action with no guts. At least with the action in Casino Royale you felt that the film makers were trying to make a comment on the brutality of Bonds world, a idea from Fleming that Bond is as bad as those he hunts. Sadly this film does not have that, though I really wanted it to.
I certainly did not think I would say this but bring back Martin Campbell for the next one, please. Sorry Mark you missed the mark on this one.
Yesshhh indeed
Lewis: Reputation (2006)
Nice go at a spin off from Morse.
Nice go at a spin off from Morse. I felt this show was well thought out and avoided being to stuck in its obvious heritage. We had some nice touches that related to the current story that gave us a hint of what was and we were left with a positive feeling of what could be.
Lewis's new partner had various traits Morse possessed and this created a nice dynamic between them, however the new partner had his own back story that could lead to interesting quirks should another episode be made.
I enjoyed the show, well cast, plotted and very well shot.
Not Columbo though : )