Film Review: Superman II

"Come to me, son of Jor-El! Kneel before Zod!!" - Terrence Stamp

Originally, the 1978 film Superman was designed to be shot and released back-to-back with its immediate sequel. With the rivalry between the producer and director, things didn't work out that way, but Superman II still saw the light of day. The vast majority of it is still Richard Donner's work, but since the man was fired before he could finish it, Richard Lester stepped in to fill in the gaps.

As a result, Superman II continues in the same general tone and quality as the first film, but with more of everything. With General Zod and his henchmen as superpowered villains wreaking havoc across the US, the spectacle is pretty darn cool; some of the most thrilling scenes include an epic battle across Metropolis, in which all the superpowered characters duel and cause mass destruction. Plenty of other interesting scenes, including fun sequences in Paris and Niagara Falls, keep the film evenly-entertaining.

However, the film also has a lot of campy comedy, which can come off as being really silly (I blame a lot of it on Richard Lester's additions to the film). Once again, the film hasn't aged all that gracefully, so the special effects and production looks rather cheap and gaudy. Compared to the first film, this sequel doesn't quite have the same emotional punch or epic-scale ambition either.

The story, however, covers some interesting ground. Characters remain charming as ever, but it gets really interesting when Superman faces the challenge of maintaining his secret identity, and makes the drastic decision to abandon his powers to experience human mortality and pain. The story is even more solid with Richard Donner's cut, which connects more thematically with the first film.

This film has solid photography and editing. Christopher Reeve is still great as Superman, while Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, and other major players return to provide more of the same as before. Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran are wickedly fun as the villains. Writing is okay. This production uses okay-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. The film uses a few exotic locales to give the film a slightly bigger scope. The music score employs most of the same themes that were composed in the first film.

The film's theatrical cut is generally enjoyable as it is, but Richard Donner's cut has been assembled for DVD and Blu-Ray, and it is a totally different experience. Using a combination of existing footage, screen tests, and original special effects, this version of the film cuts out a lot of the silly comedy, re-arranges the plot, and adds in so much more to the story and characters. I personally prefer and recommend that version of the movie, for it is a stronger storytelling experience (even if it is slapped together with raw materials).

Either version comes recommended for anybody wanting more of Superman.

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

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Film Review: Superman: The Movie (1978)

"You will travel far, my little Kal-El. But we will never leave you... even in the face of our death. The richness of our lives shall be yours. All that I have, all that I've learned, everything I feel... all this, and more, I... I bequeath you, my son. You will carry me inside you, all the days of your life. You will make my strength your own, and see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father the son. This is all I... all I can send you, Kal-El." - Marlon Brando

Of all the superhero films ever made, Superman:  The Movie was, and still is, one of the most epic experiences made.  Even its opening credits sequence, with big blue 3D letters streaking at the audience across deep space, is an epic and awesome sight.  From then on, as the film chronicles the origins of Superman and his first confrontation with Lex Luthor, the film sets out to deliver as much as it can; among the film's smorgasbord of spectacle, there are the otherworldly scenes on planet Krypton, Superman discovering his powers for the first time, numerous feats in which Superman saves lives and fights crime, and a thrilling climax where the Man of Steel's abilities are put to the test as he struggles to thwart mass destruction on a global scale.  With so many action scenes and visually-inspiring sequences, the film covers a lot of ground, and it does decent justice to the classic comic-book hero.

This experience is marred only by the age of the film.  Despite its sheer ambition and scale, the film's special effects have not aged well, the styles appear outdated and gaudy, acting has its cheesy parts, and campy comedy clashes frequently with the sentimental drama.  There is also a lot of absurdity involved.  It's still a fun and enchanting experience, even if it is the product of its time.

The story for this film is a long affair; half of it is devoted to Superman's origins, showcasing the fate of planet Krypton and Kal-El's upbringing in Smallville.  In the last half, the film switches to Superman's life in Metropolis, and the subsequent struggles that ensue.  A lot of the funner scenes occur in the last half, but the film overall builds up the title character really well, and explores some strong themes regarding fate and destiny.  My only real complaint about this story is that it's rather uneven, and the climax feels somewhat weak.

Regardless, this film is made competently, with quality photography and editing.  Acting from Christopher Reeve is effectively perfect; Margot Kidder is endearing (even if her character is rather daft), Gene Hackman plays a seriously hammy villain, and Marlon Brando chews the scenery in his brief scenes (in a role that cost a whopping $3.7 million).  Writing is not particularly deep, but it strikes the right tone and it is pretty good in general.  Despite my complaints about the film's age and styles, it does use some very expensive sets, props, costumes, and special effects.  The filmmakers and producers didn't exactly get along during this film's shooting, so the end product is especially admirable.  John Williams' score for this film is classic!

The theatrical cut of this film is decent, but on DVD and Blu-Ray, there is an extended cut available with something like 20 minutes of new footage.  The film doesn't really need these scenes, but they are pretty cool, and a few of them do add a little more to the story and characters.

Recommended!

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

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The Purge: How I Would Have Written It

A few days ago, I watched The Purge on the big screen; despite the interesting premise, the sociological implications, and a cast of wicked villains, the film proved to be rather disappointing with its idiotic characters, limited scope and scale, and an overall lack of refinement.  It makes for a serviceable, but never exceptional, slasher movie, and little more.

At times like this, I often stop and wonder, if I had this story idea for myself, what would I have done with it? If I were to write this out as a novel or something, I think it would be different in the following ways, to best match up with what I believe would have been a more worthwhile storytelling experience.

Spoilers are ahead.

The main idea behind this movie is that, in the year 2022, the United States becomes "reborn," and an annual "Purge" is allowed every year, during which all emergency services are shut down for a 12-hour period, and every citizen is allowed to commit any crime they so wish.  The film asserts that, because people are allowed to "release the beast" in this way, crime has been drastically reduced, poverty has been eliminated, and people overall are happier and wealthier.  Or, so it seems:  the characters speculate that this only happens because the purge is really a way for society to eliminate the poor and the homeless.

The film focuses solely on one family struggling to survive the night; one stupid kid opens the doors to a stranger who's hurt, bad guys come knocking wanting to kill the stranger, and then everybody's in trouble.  Oh yeah, there's also a stupid subplot in which the daughter's seeing some dude what the father doesn't like, so this dude sneaks into the house wanting to kill the father, thinking that would be the perfect way to win over the love of his life.  The film ultimately ends with a massive series of fights; the father winds up dying, but everybody else is saved by their neighbors.  Then, the neighbors want to purge this family, but the stranger they saved before holds everybody at gunpoint.  They all sit down and wait out the last so-many hours in peace and quiet.  One stupid neighbor acts up; Lena Heady whacks her in the face, and it was awesome.  That's pretty much it for the plot.

As you can surmise, I found it to be a wasted opportunity.  So if I had this concept in mind, and wrote it out as a novel, it would have probably been like this:

• First and foremost, I probably would have handled this story in a totally different context.  The home-invasion angle is very limiting, offering no view of what's going on everywhere else in the country during the purge.  Alternate ways in which I would have found this story more exciting would be:
• Having it all take place from the perspective of the people doing the purging.  Imagine having this story following around a group of restless, raging psychotics; it could be something as wicked and disturbing as A Clockwork Orange.  This would have also been an ample opportunity to show the purge on the street level, which I assume would be constantly perilous and dangerous, substantially ramping up the conflict.  It may also be perfect for characterization, for if the characters are all violent criminals to start with, it would make sense for me to have the protagonist obtain some higher moral understanding, thanks perhaps to the consequences of his/her actions.  Overall, this story could have had much bigger potential by focusing on the actual purge, rather than an average family behind secure walls.
• Even if I were to write this story the same way as the movie, with a family trapped in their own home, I think I would have taken some imaginative excesses here.  In this angle, I probably would have had a bunch of bad guys running up to the home, trying to besiege it (either because they all hate this family, or just because they're crazy).  That could be when the father whips out the best home defensive system ever:  landmines, automated turrets with ridiculously powerful ammo (or laser beams), rocket launchers, deflector shields, and lord knows what else.  Then the house itself could have a well-stocked panic room with titanium walls, and maybe an escape tunnel.  As it is, the film only has a security system "for show," but hell, why not go all the way? If there are crazies out on the streets every year, these characters should have invested more in defenses.  It would have been awesome.
• If nothing else, they could have bobby-trapped their home just like in Skyfall...or Home Alone.
• Chances are that, in any case, I would have taken the characters out onto the street level, to see the carnage of the purge firsthand.  By doing so, it would offer stronger possibilities for exploring the social implications of the purge firsthand, in addition to making it a more intense and exciting experience.
• Of course, the kills would have to be more impressive.  Sure, some people in the audience really carried on with the axe and knife murders shown on-screen, but for an event that's so brutal and uncompromising, it's all relatively tame.  In the purge, there are bound to be serial killers out there, wanting to kill in more creative and painful ways.  In the fight for survival, the characters may have to pull out some brutal moves of their own.
• In the background, I feel it would also help a lot to explore more about the history of the purge, how things came to be this way, how society works, and whatnot.  The movie skims over some things, but never offers much depth.  I always feel that a greater depth of society and politics will make the story more immsersive and believable.
• As I've seen mentioned on other message boards, why not have the characters go on vacation out of the country during the purge? Then there's nothing to worry about! Such a notion could be mentioned in the narrative, to avoid further plot holes (maybe other countries deny entrance during the purge, or maybe US airports close too, or maybe some people go on vacation but others can't...).
• The characters definitely deserve more diligent attention.  In the movie, they make dumb decisions.  That kid should have never opened the door for the stranger in the street (how did he know the code in the first place?).  Surely, he should have realized that the stranger could have pulled a gun or something, how could he know? The whole subplot with the daughter and the boyfriend was a drag more than anything (how could this idiot think that she'd go for him after murdering her father?), and I probably wouldn't have even messed with it.  The two parents are the only truly sensible characters in the film.  For the best characterization, however, I'd probably write them out in totally different ways:
• I try my best to make my characters sensible.  I don't think I'd ever have the kid open the doors for the stranger in the first place.  I wouldn't have the boyfriend drop by with a gun either.
• How would I depict these characters? If this was still a family set-up, I'd probably have the kids take an interest in the purge, and the parents try to shelter or guide them.  Maybe one of the kids could sneak out and try to participate in the purge; that in itself could be the entire story.  After all, the whole "release the beast" thing would appeal the most to teens, and it could all tie into a coming-of-age theme.
• If I went with the plot idea I mentioned before, focusing on criminals rather than a family, then this could be a golden opportunity to develop fresh new characters.  Maybe they're just a bunch of punks, lacking in direction or motivation, wanting to just wreak as much havoc as they can.  Or, maybe they have a goal, to try and make a big score or something.  Or, better yet, just like in the movie, maybe they're just prominent students from an upscale school, wanting to break free from their stringent rules and norms for a night and let their primal passions guide them.  In any case, there are endless ways to make good characters stand out and have them be relevant (without being stupid, too).
•  The themes would also be an interesting thing to explore.  The movie digs up some interesting sociological issues, but never explores them head-on.  In fact, it gets incredulous, considering that the characters are willing to put their own lives on the line for a higher moral ideal (namely, saving the stranger, rather than handing him over to the bad guys.  But for the longest time, the father wanted to hand him over and save his family; that would have made sense.  Having everybody changing their minds didn't make sense to me, even though it's the morally right thing).

By my hand, The Purge would have probably been a more futuristic and more hardcore form of dystopian sci-fi, because that's the direction that would have interested and thrilled me the most.  I can't say for sure if such a direction would have really been any better or worse than the movie itself, but it is interesting to consider.  The Purge might stand as another one of those story ideas I wish I could have gotten to first.

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Film Review: The Purge (2013)

"Release the beast, boys! Let the killing commence!" - Rhys Wakefield

This film has a wicked and interesting premise that initially lured me in: in the near-future, the government allows a single night for everybody to go nuts and commit any crime they desire...including murder. All emergency services are shut down, and the US becomes a massive free-for-all of mayhem, destruction, and bloodshed.

Alas, the film never really shows that much mayhem, destruction, and bloodshed. With its focus solely on a single family trying to survive the night, the film limits itself, and it takes its sweet time getting to the climax, where all the real terror and action takes place. For the most part, the film purposefully moves at a turtle's pace, relying solely on the threat of intruders to maintain any interest. For this movie, however, I would have probably been more interested and more moved if it had greater intensity and relentlessness; as it is, the film came off as being rather dull.

It's the story that disappointed me the most, however. The premise is the stuff that dystopian sci-fi dreams are made of, but The Purge is no A Clockwork Orange, no matter how hard it tries. The movie digs up some interesting sociological and psychological reasoning for its premise, and the implications can be staggering. They can be, that is, but in the film, such themes never materialize into any tangible form.

Nope, at best, the film is a pure home-invasion thriller. It's populated with average characters, some of whom make really stupid decisions for the sake of driving the plot forward. The film tries to boldly assert that the human spirit and moral goodness are things worth fighting and dying for, but thanks to this direction, the characters wind up making even more dumb decisions. By the film's end, I don't think I really cared who lived or who died. The plot is dulled further with far too frequent use of Deus Ex Machina: that is, too many instances where characters are randomly saved by other characters or events. That ultimately brings me to a myriad of lesser nitpicks: the house is apparently so huge that people get lost and pop in and out of the scenes whenever they feel like it; these people should have invested in more firepower; the whole situation seems incredulous; and so on...

As a film, it's pretty standard thriller fare, with jittery camera work throughout the more exciting scenes, along with dark and bland lighting and color schemes. Acting is not bad: Ethan Hawke and Lena Heady provide the most sensible performances, while the kid actors do their best to be plausibly dumb. I think the biggest standouts will be the villains, with Rhys Wakefield as the head bad guy, for they are genuinely creepy. Writing is okay, but more detail, exposition, and better plotting would have worked wonders. This production uses very spartan sets, props, and costumes, and they get the job done. Whatever music the film uses is utterly forgettable.

This film is promising, and the main idea could have been hammered out into something ingenious. As a dystopian sci-fi story, however, the film fails to resonate; it's more at home among other slashers and thrillers, but it's still somewhat mundane. There are far better movies out there in either field.

2.5/5 (Entertainment: Average | Story: Poor | Film: Marginal)

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Video Game Review: Bejeweled 3

Sometimes, the simplest of games are the best.  Bejeweled is a very basic series of games, running along similar lines to such games as Tetris or Columns; in this case, you get a large grid of gems, and you're allowed to swap two adjacent ones around.  If you match up three or more, you clear them out, and score points.  It's very basic, but it's also strangely addicting and very relaxing at times.  This game has become a perfect de-stressing tool for me, for it is so short and simple that I can start it up and play a few rounds whenever I want, and it's consistently satisfying.

The game can get really thrilling when you line up four or five or more gems in a row, causing them to explode brilliantly.  If you line up gems in an L-shape, you'll create a special gem that will zap everything vertically and horizontally.  The combination of special gems will make the whole board explode in color and flying points, and that's when the game gets really fun.  It's not all just one game though; you can unlock and play through several different minigames for more interesting challenges.  The Zen mode is especially valuable, for it is basically a never-ending game that you can just casually play through and relax with.  There's also a poker mode, a quest mode, a butterfly mode, diamond mining, and some kind of ice mode, all of which offer challenges and satisfying variants.

As the third game in the series, this one retains the same basic gameplay of its predecessors, but with good-looking graphics and smooth interfaces.  Controls are easy; playing this game on a console (such as a PS3) can be challenging with the paddles, but using a mouse on the PC version is most ideal.  Sound and music is great.

Overall, the game is a great, easy, and fun puzzle game for all ages and all occasions.  Recommended!

5/5 (Entertainment:  Perfect | Content:  Good | Game:  Perfect)

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Film Review: Now You See Me (2013)

Any show you go to see, whether it be magic shows or the movies, rely on dazzling and guiding the audience to a surprising and enjoyable outcome, ultimately making the audience believe that what they see is real. In Now You See Me, the principles of magic are used in this interesting premise: magicians who use their skills in deception and illusion to stage daring bank heists in front of the eyes of their audiences and the police.

This film is not as deep or thoughtful as other magician-themed films, like The Prestige or The Illusionist. As a heist film, however, it's phenomenally entertaining. The film sets up the cop and robbers characters with playful energy and chemistry, before breaking out the visually-impressive theatrics and action scenes. It's not big on action, but the film does move fluidly, and above all, the characters are fun to watch. I'd say it's every bit as enjoyable as a film like Ocean's 11, The Italian Job, or The Thieves.

Critics will likely find fault in the plot, which requires some huge suspension of disbelief to accept. Given the twists and the liberal use of magic tricks, plot holes are bound to be present. It might be especially frustrating to watch the more fantastic moments and wonder how these characters could pull off such trickery; the film does reveal the particulars of what's going on with the overall heists, but there are other moments where the film seems to assert that magic is actually happening.

However, there is a certain theme to the picture, stipulating that "the closer you look, the less you see." Indeed, if you scrutinize this plot too closely, you'll miss out on the larger experience. The film practically implores you to just sit back, take it as it is, and enjoy things as they are. If you can suspend disbelief and go with the flow, you'll find that the plot is structured in wild and unpredictable ways. There are certain things to the story that could have been explored more, but perhaps a sequel is in order.  Critics would say that the characters are all unlikable, and it's hard to know who to root for:  I was personally enthralled by the whole cast, and was actually rooting for the magicians, for I found them all to be lively, rounded, and surprising at times.  They aren't terribly deep, but they have surprises of their own.

Some of the film's action scenes get a little jittery, but most of it has solid photography and editing. Acting is superb all around: everybody puts on a playful and energetic performance. Writing is not bad. This production has good-looking sets, props, costumes, and okay special effects. Music is really hip.

The film asserts that magic is not about understanding how tricks work, but in making audiences believe in it, and making them smile. If you're the type who wants to look closely and find something deep, artistic, or even logical about Now You See Me, then the less you'll see. I was able to accept the film's illusion, and it made me smile at times, for it is an enjoyable show.  If you can accept the film's illusion, then you might find it enjoyable as well.

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

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Film Review: After Earth

This film is destined to be hated. Director M. Night Shyamalan, once revered for his work on The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, hasn't had a good reception with his last few films (especially The Last Airbender). Chances are that people will watch this film with the expectation that there will be something to hate, because of all the weaknesses the man exhibited before.

After Earth is not a return to form. In fact, it's not Shyamalan's form at all: it's the Smith clan at work, not only as the stars, but also sharing the writing and production credits. The big appeal to this film will be in seeing a literal father and son team on a big-screen sci-fi adventure. Even though Shyamalan's hands are in the script and direction, I believe the film's qualities as a sci-fi adventure outshine its weaknesses.

To be fair, the film has a few weaknesses, which I'm sure regular Shyamalan haters will harp on. Acting and writing may be suspect, given the actors' weird accents and the script's penchant for exposition and monologues (and yet, certain things are left vague). Some of the sets look cheap (the crashed spaceship and its payload look like they're made of packing material). CGI is in abundance here. The biggest complaint I've seen, however, is that the film is a bore, totally ineffective in engrossing the audience and making them care for the characters or the dangers they face.

I think that's the chief factor here: if you're not pulled in by this film's concepts and worlds, and if you have a bias against this director, then you will hate this film.

As for myself, I've never hated Shyamalan's work as fervently as other viewers, and I am a sucker for all things sci-fi. So this film was right up my alley. I really enjoyed the film's high-concept premise, and I grew to appreciate the story and characters as they unfolded. I really enjoyed the visual spectacle at times. There is a bit of drag in the film's opening act, but once the ship crashes and the struggle for survival begins, I was pretty well-engrossed. I felt the film established plenty of peril and suspense as it pitted the main characters against a whole world of wicked animals in a hostile environment.

As you can surmise, the movie is primarily a man-vs-nature struggle. On top of that, it's also a pretty apt coming-of-age story, using raw survivalism as a catalyst for showing the protagonist's progression from a frightened and scarred boy into an actual "ranger." Overcoming fear becomes a thematic motivation for all the characters involved, contributing to the survivalist struggle and the character growth.  With its use of flashbacks and emotional tension between the characters, the film establishes a lot to the characters. If there's anything I would complain about, it's that certain scenes could have used more explanation (especially in understanding how and why the Earth became hostile toward humans, a point that many will find stupid anyway), and the pathos of the characters is somewhat marred by their stiffness. It also occurred to me that this story is pretty much the same as Red Planet, swapping out Mars with Earth, and swapping the robot AMEE with a predatory monster.

As a film, After Earth looks slick, with good and stylish photography. A few scenes are a bit jerky, and there are a few parts where it's hard to tell what's going on, but most of it boasts excellent imagery. Editing is even and good, save for one scene that's rapid-fire. Will Smith plays his role really stiff throughout the film, in keeping with his character, but it's his son Jaden that steals the spotlight throughout, and shows apt emotion and range throughout. Other characters are pretty cheesy. Writing for this picture is generally not bad, but a few lines are silly, and some dialogue is bloated. Production design is generally interesting, but some of the sets for the spaceship are weird and flaky. Otherwise, the props, costumes, and special effects are solid. Music is not bad either.

I didn't see much wrong with After Earth, and I'm getting the impression that people are hating on this film just because it's got Shyamalan's name plastered all over it. I give the film the high points because I was engrossed by it, I felt it's not bad sci-fi, and a lot of the things that bother other people don't bother me that much. Regardless, I can only recommend this as a rental for anybody who's interested.

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

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