Film Review: Olympus Has Fallen

This is that movie you can easily write off as “Die Hard in the White House.” In fact, this is probably what the last couple of Die Hard films should have been. Olympus Has Fallen follows the exact same plot formula established in the first Die Hard, and since used in numerous action flicks like Under Siege and Air Force One.

You know the story: you start off seeing how the main character gets to the lowly position he’s in, while everybody else goes about their daily business. Then, BAM! Bad guys create a huge crisis situation, and it’s up to the hero to save the day against all odds. Simple and formulaic. With the premise of a rogue Korean paramilitary group taking over the White House, the film is also highly exaggerated, and will likely push the boundaries of what’s believable and realistic. Chances are that you’ll read this, or see the trailer, and make up your own mind about whether this is awesome, or just derivative bull.

If nothing else, Olympus Has Fallen has a ton of action. Aside from the opening scenes, which establish some necessary character-building points, the action hits early in the film with sudden and explosive force. It’s actually pretty scary to watch all the mass carnage raining down on DC. Lots of explosions, lots of loud gunfights, lots of gnarly knife fights, and huge helpings of suspense ensue.

Most of the story is already described above. It may not be anything special, but I applaud it for sticking with the fundamentals. Characters are built up well enough by action movie standards. What makes the story worthwhile will be the sheer amount of conflict and stakes that are raised; absurd, perhaps, but definitely gripping. The film also tries hard to pull on some patriotic heartstrings; such overtones will be a hit-or-a-miss with audiences.

This film has okay photography; many shots will appear dark and hazed-out, while some of the fights use some annoying shaky-camera moves. Editing is not bad though. Acting is serviceable; Gerald Butler plays the role of a tough burdened hero really well, and is awesome to watch. Writing is serviceable as well. This production uses okay sets, props, and costumes, but also sports some weak special effects. Music has its moments.

I expect most audiences will find this film too absurd, overblown, derivative, shallow, and pushy. Regardless, I loved the film for tapping into all the same driving forces that makes my other favorite action movies so great. If you enjoy films like Air Force One, The Rock, the Die Hard series, either of the Under Siege movies, or anything like that, then this one should be right up your alley too.

4/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Average | Film: Pretty Good)

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Film Review: Jack Reacher

"You think I'm a hero? I am not a hero. I'm a drifter with nothing to lose." - Tom Cruise

We’ve all seen these type of action-packed detective movies before; watching Jack Reacher reminded me so much of the typical action films of the 90s, such as The Fugitive or US Marshalls. Yes, there is action: Jack Reacher has quite a few cool fight scenes, some shooting, and one car chase scene (probably the most real-looking car chase I’ve seen since Bullit). However, the action never seems to take the front stage: it’s the characters and the mystery story that does.

The story for this film starts off looking like a standard, possibly predictable, affair: a crime happened, police catch a suspect, and you start to get the feeling that things won’t go all that simply. What really makes the story unique is that it throws in a totally random element: the Jack Reacher character, who’s not really involved with the law at all, but is sent in to investigate and deal with bad guys in his own lawless manner. It’s especially interesting that this character is basically a ghost, who can effectively disappear in a crowd and fall off the grid at a whim. The film itself seems to question, who the hell is Jack Reacher? but by the end, you get a good feeling for the answer. With a few major plot twists and good supporting characters, the film does rise a little above and beyond the average police-detective-movie fare.

This film uses some good photography, which features some interesting camera angles, but is mostly pretty plain and straightforward, like most other movies of this type. Editing is good. Acting is generally good, although I still see Tom Cruise as being just more of the same in this. Writing is good. This production uses fine-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music sounded good at times too.

Recommended for fans of the genre.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)

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Film Review: Zero Dark Thirty

This is as real as it gets, for a Hollywood picture anyway. This film chronicles the decade-long search for the notorious Osama Bin Laden, and his ultimate demise, thanks to the dedicated actions of U.S. intelligence and soldiers. Most of this film is built on a realistic portrayal of intel gathering and the actual operation; if such things interest you, then this film should be right up your alley. Most of it is a grim, brooding, realistic drama that emphasizes the danger, the political nuances, and the moral ambiguity of the entire operation. There is action toward the end, but it’s pretty straightforward, with little shock and awe. There are a few ugly scenes as well: the torture scenes in the film’s beginning won’t sit well with everybody, and it has caused some controversy. Whether you condone or condemn everything in the film, these are things that actually happened, and the film presents them without condoning or condemning.

All of this is shown through the vantage point of a character named Maya, who serves to fulfill multiple roles in multiple levels of the operation, allowing us to see the whole thing unfold from the bottom up. It’s a bit of a stretch to believe that Maya could act in all the roles she’s given, but as a composite character, she serves the narrative’s purpose really well. What really helps will be the film’s pathos; it’s hard not to admire Maya as a character, who shows decent development, and proves to be a thrill to watch with her aggressive dedication and shrewdness. As far as the plot itself goes, it’s a straightforward affair, but it seems to adhere to real-life events really well. Some specific scenes might deviate from reality (the actual raid was much shorter and quieter than what's on film).

This film uses some rough-around-the-edges photography. Editing is good; the way it manipulates sound recordings reminded me a lot of a George Lucas film. Acting is generally good, but Jessica Chastain steals the show throughout with her perfectly nuanced performance. Writing is okay. This production uses real-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music is pretty moody.

Recommended.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Good | Film: Perfect)

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Film Review: Cloud Atlas

"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future." - Doona Bae

The name says it all: this film, like its respective novel, features a nebulous high-flying narrative that drifts from one era of human history to the next. The film covers six different narratives in six different settings with six different main characters. These narratives may seem totally unrelated, but there are very subtle connections that imply a cosmic unity.

The original novel had all these stories nested, but the film lays it out as a long-running montage, which will come off as seeming totally random, and maybe even “messy” to many viewers. Each story offers a little bit of everything: there’s drama, romance, comedy, and action to be had. The most visually impressive scenes will likely be the Sonmi-451 segments, which depict a dark dystopian future where corporations become a ruling power, and they produce mindless clones to serve consumers. This story will come the closest to being Matrix-esque, thanks to some impressive special effects and thrilling chases and shoot-outs. Sci-fi fans may also dig the Sloosha’s Crossin’ sections, set in a post-apocalypse Hawaii, showcasing the encounters between natives and stellar explorers (and some bad run-ins with mean and nasty natives). I never was a fan of the Adam Ewing section of the book, but the film brings it to life vividly: this is a section that focuses on a pre-20th-century explorer going to Hawaii and back. The Letters from Zedelghem section offers the most drama: a story about a young man moving in with a famous composer, hoping to make it big. Half-Lives offers the most intrigue, as it follows a reporter investigating a conspiracy, and ultimately a death, surrounding the invention of a super-duper power reactor. Then there’s the Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish, easily the funniest part of the whole thing, which tells the story of a publisher on the run who winds up incarcerated in an oppressive retirement home.

Like I said, it all seems random, but in truth, each story is interconnected. Scenes from all six stories are cut together, but the film attends to all six and gives them each the right amount of attention to make them complete. Certain things get altered or dropped from the book; the film definitely loses some of the background detail and information surrounding the characters and events (chief among them, understanding the world of Neo Seoul, the story behind Louisa Rey’s father, and understanding the rivalry between Frobischer and Ayrs). Such changes are necessary to squeeze everything into the film’s roomy 171-minute runtime, but the film does cut out some of the pathos and logos of each story in doing so.

However, the film does excel with the themes of the book. Thanks to the way it’s put together, and the ensemble cast, the film underscores all the connections between the six stories, emphasizing the themes of past lives and the perseverance of the human spirit. Part of this is pretty dark and bleak, with elements of cannibalism present in all stories; the point of all six is that the strong will always prey on the weak, and at least three of these stories hint at a literal cannibalism to emphasize this. At the same time, the film has a brighter side, which actively asserts that love is a binding force that transcends all of space and time. Key themes of death (and possibly rebirth) emerge as well.

This entire piece of work is neatly established with superb photography and editing. The editing can be especially inspiring, since there are quite a few scenes where characters will give a profound monologue during a montage of scenes from all the stories. Acting is great, and it’s especially ingenious how each cast member plays multiple roles across all the stories to further emphasize the connections of each story. Writing is good; a lot of it is the exact same as the book, with just a few necessary changes and bits of exposition to make the best possible adaptation. This production uses some very interesting sets, props, costumes, and special effects. What music is used is not bad.

The randomness of this film may throw off a lot of viewers, but there is a certain method to the madness. I almost wish the stories were presented as a straightforward one-after-another or nested fashion, ala Sin City, but the film has merit as it is. I personally favor the film for bringing the book to vivid life and making a lot of its ideas and subtleties more visible. Above all, it is evenly-paced, entertaining, and well-made. I’d recommend checking it out at least once.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Stories: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

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Film Review: Oblivion

I was initially drawn into this film for its post-apocalyptic landscapes and the promise of plenty of eye candy. Overall, the film delivers tremendously; the whole film is really slick-looking, with a modest array of high-tech vehicles, weapons, and gadgets on display, as the main character explores a ruined Earth and confronts aliens, robots, bad guys, and more. There are some really cool chases, fights, and shootouts throughout the film, which are satisfying without getting overblown. Pacing is not terribly fast, but not really that slow either; it finds an ample comfort zone somewhere between being action-packed and letting the story breathe.

Even though there is a lot of style and spectacle involved, most of Oblivion is driven by a certain mystery revolving around the characters and events, which keep you glued to the story to see where the character goes and what he discovers. The twists that pop up are somewhat predictable (especially since some things may have been spoiled in the trailer already), and the story overall takes on a familiar formula seen in plenty of other films. However, the big twists and all their subtle nuances make good sense and stimulate enough brain cells to make it a satisfying storytelling venture. Characters are developed just enough to make them stand out, and the film overall has just enough of an emotional touch to make it feel important. If there’s anything to complain about, it would be a few minor nitpicks (chief among them, the ending looks so much like the ending for Independence Day).

This film has very solid photography and editing. Acting is pretty decent; I’m not that much of a Tom Cruise fan, but I felt he did this role good justice, while the leading ladies offered the best performances. Writing is pretty good. This production has some excellent sets, props, and costumes. A few special effects seems weak, but most are great. Music is quite impressive and appropriate as well (bears much in common with the Tron: Legacy score).

The most critical of audiences might just write this one off as more style over substance, but it is a darn good style. It’s not high-brow sci-fi, but the story is clever enough to rise above most other gloopy Hollywood blockbusters. And for a sci-fi fan like myself, I felt it was perfectly entertaining and interesting.

Recommended!

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

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Video Game Review: Bioshock: Infinite

"Are you afraid of God?"

"No, but I am afraid of you." - Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper

The first two BioShock games offered a phenomenal setting - the underwater city of Rapture - in which you fight your way through a ruined utopia with guns and superpowers, and flex some moral decision-making muscle, to experience some kind of fresh and unpredictable story.  For years since, BioShock: Infinite has remained in development, offering a new and promising experience.  This time, you're elevated to the city of Columbia, which floats in the sky.  This time, you don't just crawl through the ruins of a utopia; you get to witness utopia ripping itself apart.

BioShock: Infinite offers a gameplay experience that BioShock fans can recognize; once again, you'll have access to your choice of weapons, and superpowers in the forms of "vigors" (not too different from plasmids).  You'll have opportunities to explore, to scavenge for useful weapons, ammo, money, collectables, and gear that can enhance your effectiveness.  You can't dual-wield superpowers like you could in BioShock 2, but you barely need to; it's pretty easy to switch from guns to vigors, and with the sheer destructive force of both, you can cause some serious destruction (which will be necessary for fights later in the game, which can be ridiculously big and challenging).  The biggest and most unique feature in this game, however, will be a gizmo called the Skyhook, which allows you to leap onto freight hooks and onto hanging rail lines to give you an immediate tactical advantage.  Additionally, your character will be accompanied by Elizabeth, who possesses a unique ability that will also serve a tactical advantage.

That brings me to the story, which will be the biggest and most redeeming value to this game.  It plays out pretty similarly to the first BioShock game; you play a guy going to a place, get caught in the middle of a political conflict, and certain truths become unearthed that puts everything into a clearer perspective.  The worldbuilding involved with this third game is phenomenal:  the city of Columbia is like a piece of idyllic early 20th century America, with stark racial, political, and religious overtones that serve to offset an otherwise gorgeous-looking utopia (such overtones will not sit well with certain audiences; the game has caused some controversy among the far sides of the political and religious spectrums).  But it's the characters who remain the most endearing; Brooker and Elizabeth both show decent development, and I grew to love both of them by the game's end.

When you do reach the ending, the game suddenly pulls out the biggest, boldest, most awe-inspiring mind-bending twist imaginable.  The ending is not only a visually wondrous thing, but it also answers all of the unanswered questions throughout the game, and makes many great profound connections.  The game was solid to start with, but the ending puts the whole thing into a new perspective, and makes you want to play through the whole thing again to understand every nuance.  It has to be played to be believed and understood.

The game plays smoothly and sublimely, with great-looking graphics.  Even though you have to switch from weapons to vigors to Skyhook travel every so often, the game makes it easy with a simple and sublime control scheme.  Characters and settings look very cartoony, which contrasts very heavily with the bloody violence and darker aspects of the story.  The violence is another factor that some gamers have harped on, claiming that it's too self-indulgent, and the story should have stood on its own without the FPS elements.  As it is, I don't think it's any better or worse than the other two games in the series.  Voice-acting is great, and the game's overall sound design is good.  This game uses ingenious designs for all the settings, props, characters, costumes, weapons, and everything else.  Music is not bad either.

The game not only gives the player power, but also immerses the player in a fantastic environment with fantastic characters and a fantastic story.  Unless you're particularly sensitive to the game's exploration of politics, religion, racism, and violence, the game comes highly recommended!

5/5 (Entertainment:  Very Good | Story:  Perfect | Game:  Very Good)

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Writing: Writer's Digest Your Story #49

At the Writer's Digest website, there is a heck of a weird My Story competition going on.  These competitions run every other month or so, offering a simple prompt to finish for the opportunity to get a story published in their magazine.  There's no real cash or major award involved with this, but it's a good brain-teasing exercise worth checking out now and then.

This season, WD's contest calls for the following prompt:

Prompt: You’re stranded on a desert island with three items: a coconut, a mask and a dictionary. Write a story of 750 words or fewer that explains how you use these items to help you get off the island.

Holy crap.  A coconut...a mask...a dictionary...really?! If you have any ideas, feel free to try it out.  Also feel free to visit the website and submit or check out the rules through them.  This story is due by April 15th 2013 (yeah, time is short, and I was slacking).

My attempts to make a rational story out of this manifested into the following prose.  It's already been submitted, so copying and pasting my spiel here would be futile.  Enjoy!

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           One week passed since the crash. It kept replaying in my head over and over again, like a never-ending nightmare. It was meant to be a short, simple vacation, but as we crossed the Sargasso Sea, the charter plane’s instruments shorted out without any reason. With a mechanical whine, the engines stopped, and the aircraft began its lethal nosedive into the blue ocean. I leapt out of the craft and parachuted into the sea, but the plane’s pilot failed to make it out in time. I still remember watching the plane smacking into the sea like an egg hitting a stone wall.
           Endless hours passed, as I drifted on a piece of flotsam from the destroyed plane. My body turned cold, as the salty water constantly washed over me.
           Then, I saw the island, as if it materialized out of nowhere. It must have been a mere mile in diameter, with nothing but rocky mounds, beaches, and a few sparse palm trees. Taking it as a sign, I grudgingly paddled myself toward the island. A swift current and rough surf, brought me to the island’s bronze beach.
           For a week, I kept my body and mind busy. I found a crude shelter in a cave. I made fire with the few pieces of wood I could find; rubbing sticks together to produce a flame was far harder and more time consuming than I ever imagined. I caught fish and crabs from the surrounding tidepools to feed myself. For one week, I was surviving adequately.
           In time, I resolved to explore deeper inland. I wrapped a single coconut in my shirt, and slung it around my waist, so I could eat it as I explored. Moving away from the comfortable beach, I treaded across the rocky slopes. At the top of the slope, I beheld a giant basin with sloped walls, overgrown with vines and grass. When I saw the thing in the middle of the basin, I realized that this was no natural formation, but an impact crater.
           There was a silver saucer-shaped vessel in the middle of the crater. It was standing upright, with half of it embedded in the ground; it had clearly crash-landed that way countless years ago. As smooth, sleek, and pristine as it looked, it had to be extraterrestrial in nature. Curious and enthralled, I dashed toward the vessel.
           Walking around the saucer’s perimeter, I eventually happened across a set of bones lying among the grass. The skeleton was small and frail, with a head far too large to be human. Plants and animals had cleaned away the flesh and muscle from the bones long ago. As old as the alien was, I wondered if its ship was responsible for the phenomenon that caused the plane to crash. I wondered how many other planes and ships suffered the same fate.
           A silver mask covered the skull. Picking it up, I curiously brought it close to my head. It fit over my face adequately; its cool smooth surface caressed mine and adhered the mask to my face.
           Turning to face the flying saucer, I watched in awe its surface became illuminated with glowing blue lights and runes. I realized that the mask was the key to using and operating the craft. I just needed to find a way inside.
           The lights formed a square outline of a hatch along the hull. Using my coconut, I bashed against the surface just once. As the coconut’s hard surface hit the side of the ship, the hatch gave in, and I crawled inside.
           The insides of the ship were a total mystery to me; there were components and objects scattered all around the gleaming interior that I couldn’t identify or understand. One artifact would help me: a book-like object that translated my English to the aliens’ native language. It would take me weeks more to learn every nuance of the alien’s language, but with diligent research, I mastered the language enough to understand the ship’s computer outputs. Once I knew how to fly the ship, it was a simple matter to lift it off and fly home.

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