Year: 2012
Genre: Cop thriller
Director: Nick Love
Plot: The film focuses on The Sweeney, a group of armed elite cops tasked to fight crime with any means necessary.
The gist: I hadn't seen the 70s UK TV show that this film is based on, but watching this does remind me of The Shield, a US cop show a lot like this one, except those cops were mostly dirty.
The plot involves Jack Regan, head of the squad who tries to solve a robbery-murder, only to get into trouble with Internal Affairs over his methods. When someone in his squad gets killed, Regan gets suspended, and he has to break a few rules to bust the case.
I like the gritty approach that director Nick Love applied for this film. These guys are tough cops and make no excuses for their actions, and Love has no problems showing what they have to do to catch the bad guys. He also spends some time painting the guys in a normal light, showing that they're regular folk who enjoy what they do, but at the end of the day, they're just people trying to make ends meet.
The good: Ray Winstone is tailor made for the lead role, there are very few guys who can cuss and kick ass like him. Ben Drew deserves plenty of credit as Carter, Regan's second in command, who shows lots of guts when he has to. The action sequences, which include long shootouts and a couple of car chases, are well filmed. They're made to look gritty and not flashy, which works for the film.
The bad: A better representation of the team would have been nice. The other members should have gotten more time for character development. The plot itself isn't much, it's just another case for the team, the kind of case that barely qualifies as a reason to make a movie with.
Verdict: A solid cop thriller, despite the flaws, and it's rare to see one set in London. (3.5/5)
Year: 2003
Genre: Action
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Plot: When a sacred Buddha statue's head is stolen from a village temple, a village youth named Ting volunteers to travel to the city and get it back.
The gist: Before there was The Raid, there was Ong Bak. Thai action star Tony Jaa made waves with this first film in the Ong Bak series, featuring the Muay Thai fighting style in all its glory.
Director Prachya Pinkaew and co-writer Panna Rittikrai (who passed away recently) who also served as stunt coordinator, have come up with an action masterpiece which stands the test of time.
While the story isn't really strong and Jaa's acting isn't too solid, it's not a big deal as Jaa easily wins the audience's support by playing the country bumpkin who is forced to go into the underworld of Bangkok, a world he is unfamiliar with, and fight his way to the Buddha head he has to retrieve.
Credit goes to the film crew and stunt guys who make all the action pieces stand out. Notably, Jaa did all his own stunts.
The good: All the fight sequences were great and well choreographed. Even the chase sequence involving tuk tuk cars was well executed. Petchtai Wongkamlao plays Ting's ally George with enough humor to make him quite likable.
The bad: There is a slight overusage of slow motion and instant replays during the action sequences. But it's not a big deal.
Verdict: One of the best action flicks out there. Recommended. (4/5)
Year: 2013
Genre: Animation
Director: David Soren
Plot: A snail gains speed powers after a freak accident, enabling him to perhaps realise his dream of winning the Indy 500.
The gist: The story of the underdog overcoming impossible odds is nothing new, but it is one of the most satisfying ones out there, despite its predictability.
In this case, a snail named Theo wants to be fast, like his hero Guy Gagne, the Indy 500 racer. He keeps dreaming about it despite being told by his brother Chet to face reality. One night, he gets sucked into a drag car's engine and gets a dose of nitrous oxide, and a lightning fast snail is born. Along the way, he meets Tito, a guy who sells tacos and races snails on the side, and like him, wants to have a dream his brother doesn't believe in.
Overall the story is as predictable as it gets, but it never really gets old. The characters are at least likable even though the dialogue isn't as sharp as it should be. The kids will love this more than the adults, I think.
The good: The animation is pretty good, though the snails look better than the humans. The final race sequence was nicely set up, especially since it involves a snail racing against huge race cars.
The bad: Even as an animated film, the idea of a snail racing with cars can be a bit hard to swallow, even more than toys that talk. The jokes also don't always hit the mark.
Verdict: As a film it's not too bad. It's light entertainment at best, just don't expect Pixar level stuff. (3/5)
Year: 2014
Genre: Action
Director: Gareth Evans
Plot: After the events of the first film, Rama is tasked by Internal Affairs to go undercover and infiltrate a criminal organisation to bring them down and the corrupt cops protecting them.
The gist: Remember how you felt when you watched The Matrix Reloaded and noticed how different it was compared to its predecessor? That's the feeling I got after watching The Raid 2.
While The Matrix was much more cohesive than Reloaded, and therefore the better film, The Raid 2 outshines the first, most obviously in the action department. Unlike the Wachowskis, Gareth Evans certainly knows how to make things bigger and better.
Evans has choreographed some of the best action sequences ever here, and in order to keep the film flowing, he throws in a storyline that is reminiscent of Hong Kong's Infernal Affairs. Granted, at times the story doesn't work so well and seems to only serve the plot and connect one action sequence to the next, but Evans' ass kicking moments are so good, you won't really care.
Although, like The Matrix Reloaded, it doesn't quite gel with the first film, it still works well enough to be entertaining overall. Credit must be given to Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian for the excellent fight choreography, as well as all the people involved in every fight sequence.
The good: Action sequences, all of them, are executed to perfection. From a fight in a toilet cubicle to a prison yard brawl, to a hellacious car chase sequence and more, it's all a sight to behold. The final 50 minutes of the film are the most memorable.
The bad: Lapses of logic, like why are there no cops when they start fighting on the streets? Or why the bad guys choose to attack Rama one by one instead of simultaneously?
Verdict: The Raid 2 is brutal to a tee, but it's brutal for a reason. Ass kicking has not been this good since the early days of Jackie Chan. Highly recommended for action fans. (4/5)
Year: 2013
Genre: Horror
Director: Adam Wingard
Plot: A family reunion turns bloody when three masked men attack and maim them during dinner. But they didn't count on one of the victims having the ability to turn the tables on them.
The gist: While the home invasion horror genre is nothing new, You're Next successfully milks it for all it's worth and even throws in a few laughs while they're at it.
Director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett (who also doubles as one of the invaders) cleverly marries blood and gore with some deadpan humour, thereby easing some of the tension that comes with the genre. The story is reminiscent of The Strangers, except with more violence and less seriousness.
Speaking of violence, there are some really cool kills here, my favorite being the one involving a blender. We also have arrows, axes, knives, glass and some nails. Bloody good.
The good: Australian actress Sharni Vinson is a revelation here as Erin, the victim who collects the courage to fight back and organise every resource around her. Kudos to Wingard and Barrett for throwing in some unexpected laughter when the family start arguing on how to save themselves.
The bad: There are some scenes that defy logic, though I don't know if it was intentional. For example, why send a distraught victim to rest in her room alone when there are killers lurking around? The twist at the end was good, but I saw it coming.
Verdict: It's not as innovative as say, The Cabin In The Woods, but You're Next is really fun to watch overall. A solid entry into the home invasion horror genre. (3.5/5)
Year: 2013
Genre: Action comedy
Director: Paul Feig
Plot: An FBI agent and a Boston cop team up to take down a drug lord, if they don't kill each other first.
The gist: The idea of teaming up Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in a comedy ought to be good, since they both excel at the genre. But as far as The Heat goes, it's a hit and miss affair.
Bullock plays Ashburn, an FBI agent that is not so different from the one she played in Miss Congeniality, as in difficult to work with and puts her male colleagues down constantly. She is forced to team up with McCarthy's Boston cop Mullins, and McCarthy is exactly what you'd expect from her: foul mouthed, rude and nasty.
The duo are obviously playing to their strengths, and to their credit, they have a chemistry that works on screen. However, the film only works half the time since the jokes aren't always funny. It also doesn't help that Paul Feig uses the same cliches we've seen before, like Mullins having an obnoxious family, Ashburn being the way she is because of her upbringing and suffers from loneliness etc.
Predictably enough, like most buddy cop films we've seen, the two eventually get along and work together, but you already knew that.
The good: Bullock and McCarthy work well with each other at least. The running joke about the albino agent was quite funny actually.
The bad: The jokes fall flat half the time, and it just uses too many recycled ideas we've seen before.
Verdict: It falls a bit below expectations. The Heat isn't breaking new ground nor is it one of the top films of its genre, but it's funny when it tries hard enough and is decent at best. (3/5)
Year: 2013
Genre: Comedy
Director: Don Scardino
Plot: A Vegas magician, who has become obsolete thanks to an edgy street magician's crazy stunts, tries to revive his career with the help of the legendary magician who inspired him in the first place.
The gist: Steve Carell is Burt Wonderstone, the Vegas magician who has a fallout with his longtime partner Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi). Realising he's doomed after Criss Angel like street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) upstages him and no one else will hire him for a show, Burt gets some help from aspiring magician Jane (Olivia Wilde) and retired legend Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin).
Carell has made a career out of being a loser who eventually rises to the occasion, and he does the same here, with mixed results. It's a little tiresome getting past the part where he doesn't understand the problem, but it's sort of worth it when he finally takes himself seriously and puts on a bit of his charm.
Same goes for Carrey, who always plays the over the top character, and his performance here is reminiscent of his Fire Marshall Bill character from In Living Color, but with less theatrics.
Overall the film takes a bit of time to get going but sort of redeems itself towards the end.
The good: Always good to see Olivia Wilde here, playing the smart and pretty magician who teaches Burt a thing or two about respect. Kudos to the writers for making her character a serious one instead of the type Kristen Wiig is well known for playing. Alan Arkin lends his great screen presence as the mentor. And I gotta say, some of the magic tricks look cool, even though you've probably seen them before.
The bad: Carell and Carrey are pretty much playing the same characters they're known for here, even though it's good, but predictable. Steve Buscemi is underused here. And that terrible Imagine Dragons song, hate it.
Verdict: A decent comedy. Predictable, but it has its moments. (3/5)
