Ender's Game, a science fiction film by Gavin Hood

(Although we have a few comments to make regarding the film as a whole the majority of this review will be dedicated to the story’s adaptation from page to screen.)

Gavin Hood’s Ender's Game takes a science fiction classic and visualizes it with dazzling realism and originality. The opening is rough and plagued by hokey dialogue but as the story progresses it gradually comes into its own, culminating in arguably the most breathtaking climactic end battle in all of science fiction to date, although the penultimate battle scenes leading up the climax feel truncated, making the third act feel rushed. Asa Butterfield (the principal lead) delivers a performance that becomes increasingly impressive as the film progresses.

As both writer and director, Hood impressively adapts difficult material to the silver screen, improving notable segments from the book such as the battle school sequence and simulated battles, and correlating Mazer Rackham’s final battle with Ender’s active progress during the course of the main plot.

However, some adaptation decisions were more poorly chosen, such as the near total absence of Ender's older brother, Peter, who features so prominently in terms of theme and character development (for Ender) but is almost completely absent from the film, despite his being referenced often. As written, the character of Peter should have been omitted altogether to prevent unnecessary dilution of the plot. Also the psychologist character whose presence remains strong throughout the story is so poorly written and spouts redundant dialogue and concepts that are not illustrated in the film, especially earlier in the portions. So much more could have been done with the character to both expand and draw out Ender's character but very little is ever utilized. The character ends up as a bloated element of fat filled with hot air.

Ender's Game's greatest weakness is its botched final reveal. By showing an additional point of view (an excellent adaptation choice) the filmmaker expands on the world of the story but presents the new information in a way that prematurely gives away the ending, thereby lessening the potential impact of one of the greatest reveals in science fiction history.

Despite its shortcomings, Ender’s Game is an enjoyable cinematic journey through an original world tantalizing to viewers who are fans of science fiction. Ender’s Game was adapted from the widely known novel of the same name by Orson Scott Card.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Star Trek: Into Darkness, a film by J.J. Abrams

J.J. Abrams’s long anticipated sequel Star Trek: Into Darkness outdoes its predecessor in action, intensity and spectacle. Despite a running time of 2:12 (132 min) the film feels a little too short to play out the struggle between the protagonists and the main antagonist, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The saturation of fan service and cross-references to other events in the Star Trek universe is an unending treat for fans of the franchise but at times detrimental, especially when it results in lines of hokey dialogue. A simple substitution of one of the film’s mindless action scenes for a short sequence to deepen character and theme development would have greatly benefited Into Darkness.

The first Star Trek took us with surprise by the acting intensity portrayed by its young cast. Into Darkness retains the same cast but fails to carry over the compelling emotional punch from its prequel. Part of this failure results from the from the disappointing script characterization of several cast members, namely Kirk, Spock, and Uhura. Benedict Cumberbatch proves the exception to this rule in his portrayal of the notorious Khan.

The biggest issue in Into Darkness is with the main antagonist, Khan. As one of the most intelligent and complex characters in the Star Trek Universe, more story and screen time oriented toward exploring the character’s intricacies is required in order for his personal journey to feel complete by the conclusion of his story arc. Instead of actually exploring the character, the story turns him into a 1-dimensional foe with no further development beyond the mid-point—a sad misappropriation of story potential. Much more could have been made of his shifting ally/enemy role as well but the film took the easy way out with his character, thereby losing both strength and depth as a result.

One of the most exciting films of the 2010s.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Get the Gringo, a film by Adrian Grunberg

By James Gilmore

Adrian Grunberg’s gritty tough-guy film, Get the Gringo, is a wry tongue-in-cheek action crime drama with an edgy but resourceful troublemaker for a protagonist. He is proactive and refreshingly clever, a guy who only looks out for himself in world where everyone is corrupt and everyone is out to get him.

Colorful in texture, tone and visuals, Gringo creates a palatable experience for the audience free from the dictatorial confines of the mainstream Hollywood studio system, as is evident in some of its more taboo elements and several touches of brutal violence. Characters grow out of the naturally developing, organic plotline and are inseparable from this well-told story.

Some viewers may find parts of the third act low on the believability scale but overall Gringo’s storytelling flaws are minimal.

Although the film may not aspire to deep philosophical pondering the film fulfills its goal as a solid piece of entertainment. If you are in the mood for a Friday night flick that is refreshing, stimulating and all-around entertaining, give Get the Gringo a try.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

The Last Airbender, a film by M. Night Shyamalan

by James Gilmore

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is nothing short of a fiasco. Watching Airbender is like watching a group of kids play make believe on a $150m budget. Of its scant virtues are a solid midpoint with an interesting twist and beautiful cinematic scenery, neither of which are enough to save this film from ridicule and oblivion.

The plot is a series of anticlimactic events wherein few sources of conflict come to a head in a do-or-die confrontation. The acting lacks any sense of urgency, even at the most critical of moments, and most of the characters appear to have only a narrow range of emotions, most of which consist of being at the brink of bursting into tears at any given moment. Further exacerbating the problem, awkward, immature dialogue is almost exclusively expository and devoid of subtext, castrating every scene of any potential emotional fortitude. Although targeted to a younger audience this does not give the filmmaker an excuse to leave out basic elements of storytelling (contrast Airbender to any Pixar film and one can see the difference is not so much a disparity as a black gaping chasm).

For a director incapable of creating fast-moving action sequences to take on an action film is certainly laudable as a challenge to Night’s filmmaking abilities, but unfortunately the result is an abysmally failed experiment. While is directorial skills remain unquestioned, he should stop writing his own material and stay away from action-oriented films as his own style caters much better to the slow-moving sequences of his earlier works.

Perhaps the most fatal flaw of Airbender is its repeated penchant for “telling” the audience about the world of the film and hardly ever “showing” it. Most of the story is revealed through expository dialogue instead of showing the audience through visual imagery. He takes “show, don’t tell” to the polar opposite, telling the audience about the movie instead of actually illustrating it for us. The oddity is so extreme that one might think there wasn’t enough time/money to finish shooting these sequences, as in the climactic battle of the classical sword-and-sandal epic Cleopatra.

Through his restrained intensity and confident subtlety, Aasif Mandvi is the acting highlight of the film and just about the only positive element in it.

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is a fantasy epic that falls far short of its grandiose aspirations, ultimately coming across as a very expensive B movie (like his previous film, The Happening). It’s safe to say that we won’t be expecting any blood-pumping thrillers or teen heartthrob sensations out of Shyamalan anytime soon—or ever.

Rating: 1.5 / 5

Act of Valor, a film by Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh

By James Gilmore

Act of Valor is a ballad of the unsung heroic deeds of Navy SEALs in clandestine operations.

Although neatly structured the film feels less like a coherent story than a series of military reenactments with a few specks of story spliced in between action sequences. Valor is generously laden with fan service for military aficionados, but at times the ultra realistic use of military jargon crosses the line from necessity to extraneous masturbation. Action sequences deliver impressive intensity and speed while skillful POV camerawork immerses the audience inside each mission, lending a sort of video game feel to the advancement of the plot.

The acting is as wooden as it gets and not just in terms of line delivery—no surprise, considering the principal characters are played by real Navy SEALs and not professional actors. Unfortunately this means that emotional tangibility with the main characters is difficult to establish, even with the repeated use of artificial filmic constructs employed to build personal empathy.

Actor Jason Cottle’s uncanny intensity makes his performance stand out among the cast.

If Act of Valor teaches us anything, it’s that “actual” does not equal “dramatic.” For a stellar example of how dramatizing reality improves its filmic qualities, see Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden. In spite of its painful dialogue and feeble plot, Act of Valor is a realistic, tense experience that military and action enthusiasts will love.

Rating: 3 / 5

Battle Royale, a film by Kinji Fukasaku

by James Gilmore

Before the Hunger Games (2012) there was a grossly popular Japanese film by director Kinji Fukasaku called Battle Royale (2000).

Delivered in typical overdramatic Japanese style, Battle Royale is unlike any film known in Western cinema. Fukasaku blends beauty and brutality as we witness the innocence of youth corrupted with the ultimate need for survival, kill or be killed. With a death (or two) in every scene, this rapidly-paced narrative holds the sanctity of life as forfeit for each and every one of its multitudinous characters, who attempt a surprising array of tactics to kill, survive, or thwart the system in which they are trapped. All the social mores and pretensions of junior high school are replaced by love, loyalty, and raw fight-or-flight animal instinct.

The gems in this story are its intelligently characterized inhabitants, especially the teacher-turned-gamesmaster, Kitano-sensei. Through his character we see tragic, jaded adults devouring the lives of unblemished youth, especially the main characters, Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nakagawa, previously ignorant of the horrors of adulthood and disappointment.

Battle Royale’s plot fails to pursue a few red herrings which warrant further development, although this failure does not hinder the plot much, mostly because their elaboration would impinge on the rigorous pacing of the main story.

Although the over-the-top acting may be a turnoff to some, if you approach Kinji Fukasaku’s Battle Royale with open mind, it may just surprise you with its juxtaposition of tenderness and violence, desperation and sacrifice, and ultimately, its human core.

Rating: 4 / 5

Pirate Latitudes, a novel by Michael Crichton

By James Gilmore

Pirate Latitudes is taut genre novel written by one of the modern masters of suspense, Michael Crichton.  Intense and inventive, the action and drama never fail to entertain in a story laden with clever ideas in plotting and execution while widely diverse, fascinating characters populate the novel.  Crichton fulfills and defies every pirate cliché by making them his own, transforming each element into something unique and poignant and exploring to its logical, if not surprising, conclusion.

Unfortunately, Pirate Latitudes once again exhibits Crichton’s two major weaknesses: (1) his talent for gullibly accepting stereotypes (valid or not) based on his research, and (2) failing to provide any greater depth or meaning beyond the story itself, which is where the limit of the story’s impact can be felt most.

A thrilling ride for Crichton and pirate lovers; a guilty pleasure for lit-heads.

Rating: 3 / 5

Blue Gender, an animated series by Ryosuke Takahashi and Koichi Ohata

by James Gilmore

In an attempt to branch out in review material, Blue Gender is this blog’s first Minimalist Review of a TV series—a Japanese anime TV series at that.

Seemingly inspired by another anime series called Neon Genesis Evangelion (and occasionally approaching near plagiarism of it), this 26-episode animated series proves to be an incredibly dark, violent and gory sci-fi that is externally centered around a chosen few individuals who pilot exoskeleton suits (read: big robots) to fight off a global alien invasion.  Internally, the story is about one individual trying to find his purpose in a seemingly pointless existence.

Although the series stays afloat with decent execution, it suffers from numerous logic holes, a unique but blunted concept (a directorial issue, see below), and a bloated, inefficient plot spread too thinly over 26 episodes.  Even though it improves somewhat over time, the whole series still feels two episodes longer than is necessary.  The plot is sometimes too predictable due to directorial shortcomings in dramatizing big reveals, even if they do occur on cue in a solid over-arching structure.  The underlying emotional/relationship content remains adequate for the genre but could have been taken much further given its powerful seeds.  Barely worth mentioning is the all-too-frequent laughable dialogue and occasional clips of unnecessary nudity (justified as “fan service,” which is typical of the anime supergenre).

Despite its numerous shortcomings, Blue Gender remains coherent, well structured, directed, animated and characterized, ultimately leading to a surprisingly entertaining end result, even if the commendable main character has a habit of becoming irritating a little too often.  Testaments to the series’ impressive visuals are its gruesome imagery, realistic future technology, intimidating foes and intense battle sequences, most notable in the first six episodes.  Most striking of all is the uniquely remarkable soundtrack which combines dirty grunge and dark choral with the experimental.

In the end, Blue Gender is worth a look for those into adult sci-fi series featuring an alien invasions, big robots and wholesale slaughter.

Rating: 2 / 5

Captain America: The First Avenger, a film by Joe Johnston

by James Gilmore

Captain America: The First Avenger is the best of the “Avenger” origin movies to date.  Although well written and directed, special recognition is in order for the film’s excellent casting, studded with marvelous actors and nuanced, layered performances.  Hugo Weaving is a delight as always—that is, until he takes off his mask, at which point he loses his broad range of subtleties and becomes a mere caricature (as disappointedly expected in the superhero genre).  Chris Evans displays remarkable flexibility in his transformation into Steve Rogers compared with his previous performance as the Human Torch in both Fantastic Four films wherein Evans plays a character who could not be more different.  Impressive performances by Stanley Tucci and Tommy Lee Jones are also unavoidably worth noting.

Invested into the story is an intelligent journey toward the burgeoning of Captain America as superhero, playing upon not only the usual choices of balancing heroism and humanness but also the very idea of Captain America as an icon of World War II symbolism.  Captain America ends up parodying his future self before actually taking the plunge into his role as true hero.  Few superhero stories can boast an equally clever step.  To cement his role as hero icon of the War, Captain America also makes the choice to not live to fight another day (in his own time), but makes the ultimate sacrifice—the mark of a true hero—one few comic book “super” heroes make, even though the term “hero” implies such a requisite act in order to receive such a lofty title.

Still, at times the action pushes beyond the realm of believability, which is further exacerbated by a few sub-par special effects and the obligatory comic book-like action sequences in the third act (which are always a bit harder to swallow).  Also, one finds the glaring lack of visual verisimilitude in Steve Rogers’ pre-superhero physique annoying to the point of distraction while the minions of Hydra appear plagiarized from an unrelated videogame called Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001).

Overall, an enjoyable superhero film with a little something more.

Rating:  4 / 5

(Jet Li’s) Fearless, a “Quickie” Review of the film by Ronnie Yu

by James Gilmore

Jet Li’s Fearless (aka Huo Yuan Jia) is a martial arts action film told in the old Hong Kong studio style.  While the fight scenes are nothing special in of themselves, watching Jet Li attempt to act is always a grueling task for even the most die-hard of his fans.  The impressive layered conclusion is packed with subtext, character and emotion, in spite of the obligatory (and blatant) pro-Chinese, pro-unity message required to pass government censorship.

A must for any fan of Jet Li or kung fu diehard, a popcorn film for everyone else.

Rating:  3 / 5

Ironclad, a film by Jonathan English

by James Gilmore

In my first random pick for review, I selected a film I’d never heard of based on its cast of superb actors.

Ironclad is an exciting action film with a rich, gritty palette and bravely executed combat scenes filled with gore and glory.  Well-designed, efficiently made for its modest budget, but I wouldn’t say well-directed.  ‘Adequate’ is more appropriate.  The film lacks requisite directorial intimacy in pivotal scenes while exposition is handled more like a dialogue-heavy Shakespeare stage play than a filmic story with keen visual moments.  However, the director excels in presenting intense battle scenes—the highlight of the film—much to the viewer’s benefit.

This Westernized remake of Kurasawa’s Seven Samurai has a rocky 30 minute start, after which it drastically—thankfully—improves with steady progression for the remainder of the film.  Unfortunately, Ironclad pales in comparison to the stability, complexity or thematic material inherent in Kurasawa’s version.

While it is refreshing to see Paul Giamatti play the villain and, in juxtaposition, Brian Cox as a good guy (their roles are usually reversed), the protagonist (played by James Purefoy) remains inexorably weak.  Without any sense of the proactive goal-seeking or depth required to drive the story, the first act feels directionless and unhinged.  Unfortunately, the protagonist’s deficiencies never correct themselves.  Every character ends up having more depth than and goal-orientation than the protagonist, who presents himself as the classic reactive type, acted upon instead of pro-acting to advance the plot.  His only element of character turns out to be an artificial construct which neither enhances nor develops the story.  Purefoy portrays his character just as weakly, like a beaten dog who tries to shrink into invisibility in order to avoid further beatings.  He is a non-character, and the weakest link at the core of story.

Despite its shortcomings, Ironclad is worth a look if you are in the mood for a superficial action film and aren’t afraid of a little graphic violence.

Rating: 2 / 5

TRON: Legacy, a film by Joseph Kosinski

by James Gilmore

TRON: Legacy is a delightfully updated remake/sequel of the original Tron (1982), although it’s more of the PG Disney version of The Matrix for tweens, than anything else.  With a strong, robust 15-minute opening sequence, this visually stunning film dazzles the eyes with dark, sleek spectacle without becoming intrusive or overbearing (no surprise, coming from Disney).  The landscapes and color palettes, although reminiscent of the original TRON, seem to be inspired far more by The Matrix and The Dark Knight.  Excellent directing and cinematography are worth noting (Kosinski managed to handle this big blockbuster budget directing debut without drowning).  The film’s visual elegance is complemented by a minimalist, electronica-revival soundtrack.

As is typical of an action/adventure film, the plot is thin, even though the concept is good enough for a potentially breathtaking story.  The magic of TRON: Legacy begins to fade toward the middle of the film as the weaknesses of its mediocre storyline are revealed, dispelling some, but not all, of the immersive filmic experience.  And although there are a few instances of borderlines senseless technobabble, a few stretches of logic (such as programs acting exactly like humans), and clichéd generic dialogue, this tightly-woven, efficient film is a visual feast and thoroughly enjoyable.

Garrett Hedlund stars as Sam Flynn with surprising presence.  Often he appears to be imitating a younger, more restrained version of Christian Bale in voice and countenance.  Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn* brings both dimension and depth to his character, adding that touch of subtlety akin truly great acting—and the same would be more than welcome in Sam Flynn and Quorra (played by Olivia Wilde) as well.  On the other hand, Zuse (played by Michael Sheen) appears curiously out of place and/or over-the-top within the tone of the piece, frequently sticking out like a decorative sore thumb after the parade.

Rating: 3 / 5

*It seems apt that I am writing this review on the day of Steve Jobs’ death because, in a sense, TRON: Legacy is about Sam Flynn, a fictional, magical Steve Jobsian visionary and technology emperor.  If you’re wondering about the date, these reviews are usually posted several days after they are initially written.

13 Assassins, a film by Takashi Miike

by James Gilmore

13 Assassins is an old-fashioned samurai movie in color.  You might even call it Seven Samurai II (or x2 is almost as appropriate).  The slow, character-oriented first half of the film is just like that of class Kurasawa, making the second half all the more dazzling when it slams the viewer into 21st century filmmaking.  Takashi Miike uses opposing perspectives of the same samurai ideology to juxtapose violence as a necessity against violence as a luxury.  Without a doubt, Miike has created some of the greatest samurai battles ever committed to film.  Unfortunately, 13 Assassins appears lacking in deep, profound thematic material.

Rating:  4 / 5

Iron Man 2, "Quickie" Review of a film by Jon Favreau

by James Gilmore

Tony Stark's character is well-rounded, but the others are cardboard.

Rating: 2 / 5

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, a film by Edgar Wright

by James Gilmore

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the mantra of the 16-bit generation who grew up in the early 90s.  A musical about adolescent love with a surprising amount of heart, only there’s fighting instead of singing.  Although dressed with the trappings of video game culture, the film is actually a kung fu movie at its core, albeit a very surreal one.

Michael Cera plays himself as usual, although his transition from self-conscious nerd to super fighter is a welcome surprise.  Co-stars Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong and others are, despite their obscurity in American films, nothing less than refreshing and delightful, although Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s performance comes across as relatively flat by comparison.

This filmic experience proves overwhelmingly satisfying to the A.D.D. senses of the modern movie-goer, no doubt due to Edgar Wright’s brilliant artistic direction, and should be required viewing for the video game generations, although everyone else will find Scott Pilgrim completely senseless and perplexing at best.

Rating: 5 / 5

Inception, a film by Christopher Nolan

by James Gilmore

Christopher Nolan's Inception sports an original but difficult concept, which the film explains surprisingly well, although more could have been left to the speculative imagination. The unfortunate side effect of having a difficult concept is that it requires a lot of time to illustrate, meaning the film takes 60 minutes to get to the heart of the concept, at which point it runs with the intensity of a driven madman. The close cutting adds to the dreamlike quality of the story but cannot alter the impression that one is watching two or three films rolled into one—the total of which ultimately seems lacking in a final or third-act twist whose gravitas is appropriate to the story. Fortunately, the aggressive pacing of the story helps blunt the ham-fisted dialogue and the glaring plot hole which serves as the crux for the third act. As for acting, Leonardo DiCaprio's performance is adequate but overshadowed by the quiet show-stealer, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Overall, a slight disappointment but a supremely wonderful, well-executed concept.

Rating: 3 / 5