The Jungle Book Review

Plot: The orphaned man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) has lived all his life in the jungle with his wolf family and panther protector Bagheera (Ben Kingsley). When Shere Khan (Idris Elba) – a bloodthirsty tiger – learns of Mowgli’s existence, he makes it his singular goal to hunt and kill the boy. Concerned for the Mowgli’s safety, Bagheera sets out to return him to his own kind.

Disney’s original animated adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s novel is a classic; full of charm, humour and iconic moments, so I was initially very skeptical of the idea of a live action/CGI version. Any worries I had were quickly forgotten after the first few minutes of this film, which as it turns out, is easily on par with the 1967 animation.

Director Jon Favreau’s take on the tale doesn’t just bring fresh visuals to the table; there are a lot of surprises here even for people familiar with the story and the new material never strays too far from the path of its animated predecessor. This is after all a remake of the original Disney adaptation, and there are constant reminders of this found in its cinematography, dialogue and most noticeably soundtrack. Only two songs from the animation have made it into this film, but both of them are done well and – despite going ‘full musical’ – never took me out of the film.

Neel Sethi is the only actor to give a live action performance in the film and is instantly likeable as Mowgli. His interactions with the lifelike, CGI animals are convincing and the actors voicing them bring their own flare to the jungle creatures. Bill Murray’s Baloo and Christopher Walken’s King Louie were my personal favourites and both soaked up the spotlight whenever they were on screen.

Verdict:

The Jungle Book offers plenty to gawp at; from stunning backdrops to exciting action sequences, and thanks to strong performances, solid screenwriting and the quality of a classic tale, it’s a success that will both surprise and delight movie-goers of all ages.

5/5

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

Plot: After witnessing Superman’s (Henry Cavill) capacity for destruction first hand, an aged and battle-hardened Batman (Ben Affleck) sets out to confront him. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Jessie Eisenberg) attempts to destroy Superman’s reputation by any means necessary.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is director Zack Snyder’s second Superman film and one that has the daunting task of hurriedly setting up the DC cinematic universe whilst also acting as a sequel to Man of Steel and introducing a new Batman. That’s a lot to take on, and makes Dawn of Justice bloated and unfocused, weighing down what is otherwise a rather entertaining film.

Excluding Eisenberg’s cartoonish portrayal of Lex Luthor, Dawn of Justice takes itself very seriously and – unlike Marvel’s superhero ventures – isn’t brimming with comic relief. If you found Man of Steel too moody, Snyder isn’t going to win you over here. Superman flies around rescuing Lois Lane (Amy Adams), punching through walls and shooting lasers from his eyes but rarely cracks a smile; so focused is the film on his guilt, anger and pain that it forgets to have fun with the character. Batman however feels a lot more well rounded, and Affleck is well suited to the role. The back and forth between him and his faithful butler Alfred (Jeremy Irons) works well and the fights featuring the caped crusader are intense and exciting. My only gripe is that this take on the character kills people, which is famously very un-Batman and the film never addresses this significant change to the hero’s moral code.

Like The Amazing Spiderman 2 and Avengers: Age of Ultron before it, Dawn of Justice falls into the trap of focusing so much on setting up future films that its own plot suffers, a problem further emphasised by poor pacing and abrupt editing. Knowing The Justice League is on its way is exciting, however a series of cameos and jarring visions don’t feel substantial enough to significantly set-up what’s to come and will only confuse anyone unfamiliar with the film’s source material.

Verdict:

An uneven, overburdened film with moments of brilliance and an exciting new Batman.

3/5

Deadpool Review

Plot: After being tricked into undergoing dangerous medical treatment by a shady organisation, former mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) discovers he has mutant powers. To his horror the transformation leaves him deformed, causing him to hide away from the love of his life. Wilson suits up and sets out on a path of revenge.

Whatever you think of superhero films, there’s no denying that in a saturated market a title like Deadpool needs to shake things up a bit to make an impact, and shake things up it does. At its core Deadpool is a superhero film set in Fox’s long-running X-Men universe, but on the surface this is an R-rated, violent comedy made to engage with an audience who are craving something new from the superhero genre. What we get is a mixed bag; a film that managed to nail the tone of the character, but within a bland and surprisingly familiar story. In one of its fourth wall gags Deadpool acknowledges and pokes fun at its titular character’s notoriously disappointing role in the franchise’s most poorly recieved entry X-Men Origins: Wolverine. With that in mind, it’s strange that a film so self aware then offers its audience a similarly flawed story, be it buried under a layer of witty quips and muddled within a non-linear narrative.

Plot aside, Deadpool is a funny film. I laughed throughout, enjoying the character’s engagement with the audience and the absurd scenarios that played out on screen. The fourth wall breaks, OTT action and quirky humour mostly works, with Reynolds’ showing off the merc with a mouth’s true potential as an engaging and charismatic screen presence. With the spotlight so focused its no surprise that the film’s other characters pale in comparison; a gritty love interest played by Morena Baccarin exists mainly to serve as the damzel in distress, whereas Ed Skrein’s Ajax is a completely uninteresting villain who’s very good at being evil and erm… fighting. Two B-list X-Men also feature in the film, although the franchise’s new timeline, the recast of Colossus (Stefan Kapicic/Greg LaSalle) and the films’ contrasting styles make it unclear where exactly Deadpool fits within the larger universe.

Verdict:

Deadpool’s revised introduction gives us a glimpse of the character’s potential, but witty quips and fourth wall breaks aside, this is a formulaic origin story that favours style over substance.

3/5

The Danish Girl Review

Plot: Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) begins posing as a lady for his wife’s paintings. When he discovers that he enjoys dressing as a woman he gradually gives way to his alter-ego, Lili Elbe, and struggles to maintain his relationship with Gerda (Alicia Vikander) whilst living in a society where many won’t accept his new-found self.

Last year Eddie Redmayne gave a very physical performance that saw his character’s marriage dissolve as he underwent a complete transformation. The film was the heartwarming Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything and the transformation was due to a horrific, rare form of ALS. In The Danish Girl we see Redmayne  give another very physical performance as Einar/Lili, and undergo another transformation with similar effects on the relationship. The Danish Girl does feel awfully familiar in that respect, despite it being a story that hasn’t been covered before in cinema – that of one of the first identifiable transgender women. The film’s subject matter makes it intriguing, but is it actually an interesting watch? Well no, not really.

Whilst a similar part worked well for Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, his performance as Lili often feels too much – there’s an overabundance of whispered conversations, toothy grins and shy giggles and they get old fast. As a result, I found myself waiting for this character to feel like a real person and not a drawn out impression.

Speaking of drawn out, The Danish Girl feels long. This is no doubt because, despite its bold subject matter, the film plays it very safe, and is missing any real excitement. Potentially tense scenes are played out in a way that tells the audience “it’s a bit shit but everything’s ok”. Even the surgery lacks any real sense of danger. Lilli’s first public appearance is as thrilling as it gets, which is unusual given the events that unfold later in the story. The film never risks provoking a serious reaction from its audience, as if not wanting to risk making anyone uncomfortable. It plays it so safe in fact that there are few surprises to be found, making it a rather dull watch.

Verdict:

The Danish Girl lacks any vibrant character, coming across merely as a watered-down, sumptuous costume drama.

2/5

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens Review

Plot: The First Order has risen from the ashes of the Empire and is on a mission to conquer the galaxy. A group of ragtag heroes join the Resistance, the only thing standing in the way of this new threat.

The Force Awakens may be one of the most talked about films of all time, but does it live up to the hype? Lock S4s in attack position, we’re going in.

When an audience is excited for the return of a popular franchise, it always helps to see that excitement reflected by the creative team behind the film. And reflected it was. Director JJ Abrams’ love of the Star Wars universe shines throughout. From subtle nods to key scenes from the original trilogy, to in-your-face “yeah that happened” moments that show longtime fans exactly what they want to see. The Force Awakens aims to please, and for the most part it does just that.

There are certain aspects to The Force Awakens that are too familiar. Its no surprise that there’s a bit of repetition, Star Wars does after all need to tick certain boxes with each release, but I would’ve preferred it if the film didn’t play it quite so safe. Some may see this as homage, others as a lazy retread. Whichever side you fall on you can be safe in the knowledge that The Force Awakens brings enough new material to the table to be a strong, fresh experience in its own right.

Star Wars has never looked better than it does here. Strange new aliens populate baron landscapes, lightsabers clash in a dark snowy forest and fighters soar over pristine waters, all accompanied by John William’s iconic score.  This often feels like a world (or galaxy) that’s alive and breathing, which no doubt is largely down to a variety of real locations that give the environments a much appreciated physicality.

As for the cast; fan favourite Harrison Ford kills it as Han Solo, but the real highlights are the saga’s new stars. John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver were instantly likeable as the upbeat Fin, the mysterious Rey and the sinister Kylo Ren. The script offers all the necessary beats, including some much appreciated comedy, but doesn’t offer any depth for potentially interesting supporting characters and occasionally throws in unnecessary expository dialogue, awkwardly telling the audience information rather than showing them. Here’s the thing though – you rarely have a moment to dwell on these problems because they’re swept under the rug by scene after scene of pure excitement. Stormtrooper raids, alien encounters, aerial battles, lightsaber duels – it’s all here. The Force Awakens is a relentless thrill ride bound to satisfy old fans and introduce a new generation to a galaxy far far away.

Verdict:

The force is strong with this one. A triumphant return that, despite retreading many of the steps of its predecessors, breathes life back into a galaxy many of us never want to leave behind.

4/5

Crimson Peak Review

Plot: Edith, the daughter of a rich American businessman, is charmed away from her homeland by a smooth talking Englishman. She moves to his family home in England, only to discover that the house and its owners carry a terrible secret.

Director Guillermo del Toro has long been known for his attention to detail and signature style. His best films immerse viewers in their worlds and Crimson Peak is no different. This is a film whose look alone is full of character, with cinematography, set and sound design all finely tuned to pull viewers into its 19th century world.

At Crimson Peak things go bump in the night, every night. Ghosts appear throughout, terrorising Edith (Mia Wasikowska) every time the sun goes down. Its just a shame that, despite their frequent appearances, none of these ghosts are particularly interesting or memorable. It is in fact the charming Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) and his frosty sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) that steal the spotlight. Hiddleston and Chastain’s performances are on point, and their characters’ strange relationships with Edith are intriguing and give weight to what is otherwise a rather simple story. JC

Verdict:

Despite the ghosts themselves being somewhat a let down, Crimson Peak is still a good watch. This is a creepy, stylish gothic romance full of atmosphere.

3/5

Southpaw Review

Plot: After a devastating tragedy, celebrity boxer Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) must reinvent his fighting style and get back in the game if he is to reconnect with his daughter (Oona Laurence).

Southpaw does everything you might expect from a fighting film and… not much else. Despite an impressive physical performance from Gyllenhaal, it’s difficult to engage with the film’s two-dimensional characters and generic plot. This is the kind of script where you can pretty much guess every major plot point from beginning to end. That’s not to say Southpaw isn’t worthy of any praise – it’s a well shot, well edited film and the fights look legit, which may be because, in a way, they are. Gyllenhaal was really taking those punches and there’s only so much a relentless training routine can prepare a guy for taking hits like that. But Billy Hope himself isn’t a particularly likeable character and when a plot follows a path this well-trodden, it’s hard not to roll your eyes and check your watch when trudging through this summer’s fighting film. JC

Verdict:

Southpaw might be visually impressive, but its plot struggles to engage and ultimately fails to land a punch.

2/5

Jurassic World Review

Plot: 22 years after the Jurassic Park disaster, Jurassic World thrives as a fully functional dinosaur park. Due to the worry that tourists are growing bored of the existing dinosaurs, the park’s scientists have been working hard on a new, terrifying creation – a powerful hybrid dinosaur designed to rival the T-Rex. What could possibly go wrong?

Every kid who loved Jurassic Park back in the 90s dreamed of what it would be like if the place actually opened. Jurassic World breathes life into this dream and brings Jurassic Park, both as a fictional attraction and a film franchise, back to life.

Jurassic World does suffer from having too many characters. Not all of them are essential to driving the plot forward, with some getting a little too much screen time and drawing away focus from what really works in the film. However, it must be said that when there is a bump in the ride, it’s brief and does little to sour the overall experience. A lot of the film’s characters do work! The park’s operation manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and raptor trainer Owen (Chris Pratt) have great chemistry and visiting kids Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simpkins) offer a different perspective of the chaos that ensues. This gives the film some welcomed variety in terms of how its characters respond to the main attractions, the dinosaurs.

There’s no shortage of dinos in Jurassic World and the fan favourites are back, so expect plenty of T-Rex and Raptor action. The film’s main focus however is on the park’s new and insanely dangerous creature, the Indominous Rex. This new hybrid dino looks terrifying and is a worthy adversary for the park’s security, who possess an impressive arsenal of guns, military vehicles and even a squad of trained raptors. If you work in a place with history like Jurassic World, it’s best to be prepared! Speaking of history, this film features a ton of throw backs to the original, so fans of the 90s classic can rest easy in knowing that homage is paid respectfully. Fun fact: The T-Rex stomping around in Jurassic World is the same beast that chased Alan Grant and co back in 1993! JC

Verdict: 

An action packed thrill ride that’s sure to excite existing fans of the franchise and draw in a new generation of dino-lovers.

The park is open, and it’s good to be back!

4/5

Unfriended Review

Plot: A group of high school friends have their Skype call interrupted by a ghost from their past. On the anniversary of her death, the spirit of former student Laura Barns awakens to torment those who wronged her.

On it’s surface Unfriended is an interesting concept, the entire film is restricted to the computer screen of its lead character. The attention to detail when it comes to the computer’s realism is impressive – all the programs used sound just as they do in real life. As much as the idea and execution of the setting is intriguing, it doesn’t make up for Unfriended’s bland characters and a poorly executed story.

All of the films characters seem to be nothing more than hollow examples of american teen stereotypes, there’s nothing intriguing about the characters. Even when the ghost challenges them to a deadly game of “I have never” we don’t really care what’s going to be revealed, because deep down, thanks to the film sticking so close to widely known stereotypes, we already know.

Unfriended’s sound design is probably responsible for the majority of the film’s scares. The creepy electronic clicks and hums of the computer combined with a glitchy screen provide some suspense, but the pay off is always a cheap jump-scare which, once you’ve got over the sudden assault of noise and gore, isn’t that scary in the long run. JC

Verdict:

Besides its setting Unfriended is nothing special. A cyber-slasher lacking likeable characters, an intriguing plot or scares that go beyond loud noises. Block, delete and look up Channel 4’s superior Cyberbully.

2/5

Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

Plot: After a troubling vision Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates artificial intelligence to replace his team of superheroes. It doesn’t go well. To prevent humanity’s extinction the Avengers must assemble once again to overthrow a powerful robot known as Ultron.

Age of Ultron is the first of three huge sequels to be released this year and, to nobody’s surprise, the hype is strong with this one. It’s hype that’s well earned, Avengers Assemble is a smart, funny, action packed thrill ride. Age of Ultron is a superhero sequel which means it’s a fair assumption that it will strive to be bigger and better than its predecessor and well… Ultron is certainly bigger.

The cast of this film is huge. Ultron himself is a menacing presence, he’s visually impressive and is voiced effectively by James Spader, even if he does deliver the odd goofy line. We get the full line-up of heroes from the first film as well as some new additions, which means there’s a lot of people to cover. Impressively the film manages to give all the main characters some kind of arc, with more minor heroes merely making fan-pleasing cameos. All this does however come at a cost, Age of Ultron isn’t as finely tuned as Assemble – the film drags a bit at points, even during fight scenes. This is mainly due to way too much going on at the same time. The film has the daunting task of setting up three sequels that split off from this story and there are times when its own plot seems to get lost amongst the explosions. That said, when Age of Ultron does bring the hammer down it brings it down hard. The film’s opening is an insane rush of action. Remember the incredible team shot in the last film’s showdown? Well it gets topped in Ultron’s first five minutes. There’s also a new Iron Man suit called the Hulk Buster, I’ll let you put two and two together there… it results in smashing, a lot of smashing.

Outside of the action Age of Ultron‘s sense of humour is mostly on point. One of the strengths of MCU films is that they don’t take themselves too seriously, and no one knows this better than two-time Avengers director Joss Whedon. Allowing banter between earth’s mightiest heroes means they can be entertaining even when they aren’t hitting things, which is necessary for a film with this running time. JC

Verdict:

A bloated but enjoyable send off for Phase Two of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.

3/5