Year: 2012
Genre: Thriller
Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky
Plot: A pair of siblings on the run after a casino heist cross paths with a former boxer fresh out of prison and his parents, while being chased by a young deputy sheriff.
The gist: Deadfall has all the ingredients necessary to make a tense filled thriller. We have a brother and sister team of robbers fleeing after a heist, a former boxer just released from prison trying to make it home to his parents for Thanksgiving, and a young female deputy sheriff trying desperately to prove herself to her sheriff dad. All this taking place during a snow blizzard.
But sadly, it just falls short of what it could have been. Director Stefan Ruzowitzky starts it off well enough by putting his characters through the wringer and slowly develops their back stories and then getting them to cross each other. However, he drops the ball in the final third as it comes to an unsatisfying conclusion. It's sad because the potential is there.
See, the two siblings have a somewhat incestuous relationship, the brother being particularly violent and his sister being vulnerable. The boxer wants to make things right with his folks, but his dad still seems hard on him. The deputy sheriff is continuously humiliated by her own dad, who would rather work with his male deputies than his own daughter. One of these subplots was well handled, but the other two were either easily resolved or simply ignored by the film's end.
The good: The cast perform well enough, with Eric Bana standing out as the violent brother who would save a child from danger but doesn't mind killing cops. Sissy Spacek and Kris Kristofferson also do well as the boxer's parents, so does Charlie Hunnam as the boxer. The blizzard also deserves credit by almost being a character of its own.
The bad: Olivia Wilde is good in her role as the sister, but her character isn't something we haven't seen before. Kate Mara is underused as the deputy sheriff, which is a damn shame. And as mentioned, the ending and wasted potential.
Verdict: Deadfall is a good movie, but thanks to the wasted opportunity, it's like watching a rental movie or something on TV. Still worth for one view though. (6/10)
Year: 2013
Genre: Action sci-fi
Director: Gavin Hood
Plot: Young Ender Wiggin is recruited alongside many other children by the military to lead an attack against an alien race that nearly destroyed them in an invasion.
The gist: Ender's Game seems very familiar as it's similar to many other sci-fi films before it, such as Independence Day, Starship Troopers and even The Hunger Games.
In this film, Ender Wiggin, a young genius, is recruited by the military to lead their forces against the Formics, an alien race of bugs. Young Ender goes through many trials, both physical and emotional, to rise through the ranks and become the man they want him to be.
The majority of the film sees Ender training and learning, so much so that the final battle is rather brief at the end, which is kinda the purpose of the filmmakers. While Ender's emotional journey is well documented, the overall result lacks suspense and thrills.
The good: Asa Butterfield is quite good as Ender, with Harrison Ford, Viola Davis and Abigail Breslin providing solid support. The special effects are quite cool too, but one feels they ought to spend less time making it like a video game. I also liked the argument presented about sending kids to war here.
The bad: The ending is quite abrupt, possibly because a sequel was planned. The film also lacks humour, which would have lightened the mood considerably.
Verdict: It's an okay film, but plenty of room for improvement. (6/10)
Year: 2013
Genre: Action
Director: Taylor Hackford
Plot: When a thief is double crossed by his crew and left for dead, he plots his revenge with the help of a real estate agent.
The gist: There are good Jason Statham movies and there are bad Jason Statham movies. This one unfortunately falls in the latter category.
The problem lies in the story and the storytelling. It would be nice if Taylor Hackford just made it about Parker hunting down his old gang who betrayed him to settle the score. But then he throws in Jennifer Lopez as a real estate agent desperate for a commission becoming his accomplice. The fact that she's willing to break the law without a second thought just to get some money is much too far fetched.
The storytelling is also rather messy as we aren't sure why or how Parker is able to trace the gang by surveying high end houses in Palm Beach, Florida, and he switches cars so many times it makes zero sense.
The good: Statham at least still kicks ass, particularly in the fight scene at the hotel.
The bad: The villains, led by Michael Chiklis, get too little screen time. Lopez is all right in the acting department but has no chemistry with Statham. Nick Nolte is also underused as Parker's mentor.
Verdict: For a Statham action flick, this one is rather dull. File this under 'wasted opportunity'. (4/10)
