Film Review: White House Down

Earlier this year, Olympus Has Fallen was released showcasing a lone hero rising to one of the boldest and most terrifying challenges: saving an entire nation when the White House and its members fall under attack. It's not a terribly great or well-made film, but it sure was entertaining, representing the essence of action cinema.

Strangely, White House Down was released just a few months afterward, also portraying the White House and the President under attack. Coming from director Roland Emmerich, the man behind Independence Day and 2012, WHD embodies the thing that Emmerich does best: the essence of blockbuster cinema.

In spite of that, you can expect plentiful amounts of action: there are numerous thrilling shoot-outs and crisis situations. Special effects are moderately-used, but look pretty decent. Witty quips and humor break up nearly every scene. It takes a little while in the first act for the action to pick up, but once it does, it's a very evenly-paced and satisfying thrill ride.

The story in this movie bears much in common with OHF, but with enough subtle differences to warrant endless comparisons. Basically, WHD follows several characters, who are all endearing, but show minimal development. The film does a great job of establishing the main hero, his dilemmas, and his bonds with the other characters, which ultimately raise the stakes on a more personal level. The story may cover some unlikely ground (and it gets a little pushy with the left-wing politics), but the plot is well-structured. It's actually quite an improvement from OHF, which presented problems that were solved one-after-another; WHD keeps all the conflicts running hard and fast until the very end, making it all the more gripping.

This film looks decent, with quality photography and editing. Acting is generally good; nobody puts on a serious face here, but everybody works to make the film fun and light. Writing is good and seems well-researched (another improvement from OHF). This production has nice-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is good too.

OHF was good as an action movie for tough guys, but WHD works best as an audience-friendly popcorn flick. In fact, OHF reminded me so much of action movies of the 80s and 90s (like Die Hard, Under Siege, etc), but WHD reminded me more of the great thrillers and blockbusters of the 90s (such as a Jack Ryan feature, or the earlier works of Emmerich). Between the two, I actually do prefer WHD by a slight margin, and of the two, it comes the most recommended.

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

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Film Review: Independence Day (ID4)

"Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: 'We will not go quietly into the night!' We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!" - Bill Pullman 

In 1996, this film was released with a simple premise:  an alien invasion occurs on July 4th, with massive ships obliterating entire cities and systematically exterminating mankind.  In some of the most chilling and awe-inspiring footage, the 15-mile-wide flying saucers destroy the White House, Los Angeles, and New York City (just a few of many), with massive waves of fire washing over the streets.  This is quickly followed by retaliation, with squadrons of jet fighters taking on the extraterrestrial vessels.

This film crams in a lot within its two-and-a-half hour timeframe:  the first act takes its time to establish all the key characters as the UFOs gradually take position.  When the attack begins, the action remains pretty constant, leading up to a grand final battle.  Special effects were really inspiring at its time, and remain iconic to this day.  Even when firestorms, alien ships, and jet fighters aren't filling up the screen, the movie runs pretty fast, with frequent comedy to keep things light and fun.  Overall, it's the perfect blockbuster picture, finding a fine balance between action, spectacle, humor, and drama.

The story is pretty much more of the same as any other alien invasion story you see.  In fact, it bears much in common with the classic War of the Worlds.  What makes ID4 more compelling, however, is that it juggles multiple characters and multiple points of views, and eventually brings them together for the central fight.  All these characters are pretty fun to watch and root for, and show just enough development to make them work.  The plot is pretty well-structured, using three distinct acts to portray this larger-than-life situation.  It's also most noteworthy for portraying relatively realistic politics and military protocols, thanks largely to the consultation the filmmakers received from the Air Force during filming.  The film also ties in a few ufology aspects to capitalize off of the popular concepts of alien life.  It makes for a grand and entertaining story, even if it isn't all that deep or original.

This film has very solid photography and editing.  Acting is generally fun from the whole cast:  Bill Pullman is probably the only one who takes his role seriously, and actually comes off as a little cheesy with the way he tries so hard to sound cool and tough.  Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum steal the show the whole way with their lighthearted performances.  Writing is pretty decent, although many lines are silly and goofy.  This production spares no expense on sets, props, costumes, and special effects, although they are showing their age.  David Arnold's music score is appropriately boisterous.

At the time of its release, Independence Day was one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring features I had seen.  Despite its age and cheesiness, I still call it one of the most essential blockbusters of all time.

Recommended!

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

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Film Review: 300

"SPARTANS!!! Prepare for glory!!!" - Gerard Butler

Thousands of years ago, the Persian Empire threatened to trample over ancient Greece in a series of historic battles.  The first such battle was Thermopylae; it was an incredible fight in which a small band of Spartan warriors held off a massive wave of Persian invaders for three days.  Ancient accounts describe a barrage of arrows that literally blocked out the sun.  Through the use of brilliant strategy, superior armor and weapons, and better training, the three hundred Spartans put up a heck of a fight against insurmountable odds.  This battle was popularized throughout the ages; more recent tellings of the story include the 1962 film The 300 Spartans (which I found to be rather lame), and Frank Miller's graphic novel 300, which was influenced by that film.

The film 300 follows the graphic novel very closely, with additional embellishments to the story.  In spite of that, the film presents a highly mythologized and exaggerated take on the Battle of Thermopylae; it's a fantastic, epic, and incredible spectacle to watch the brutal Spartans take on endless waves of Persian troops (including the Immortals, shown on screen as being literally monstrous).  Barrages of arrows literally block out the sun.  Strange creatures, including an orc-like giant, elephants, and a rhinoceros, charge into battle.  Blood flies freely across the screen frequently; with a dark and brooding tone, the film overall is one of the most hard-edged and wickedest epics committed to film.  It won't appeal to everybody, especially with the film's penchant for frequent slow-motion and CGI backgrounds, but at its time it was considered one of the awesomest and most macho films ever made.

Since this film is based on a graphic novel, it does take liberties with the historic facts.  Obviously, the Spartans never fought without wearing armor; there never was a rhino in battle; Ephialtes was never a hunchback; the Immortals were actual men, not monsters; and so on.  However, the film does get a few details surprisingly right; the events actually happened, the tactics appear mostly-sound, and the portrayal of Spartan upbringing is correct.  The blending of historic fact with myth may not sit well with history buffs, but it makes for fantastic storytelling.

The story itself is well-structured, purposefully outlining the background of the battle and showing the assembly of the armies before breaking out in bloody mayhem.  Characters aren't particularly likable (King Leonidas borders on being psychotic at times), but they are as badass as they come.

This film is overloaded with style, using slow-motion and animations in nearly every scene.  With the film's framing and editing, however, it really does look like a graphic novel brought to life, and it's really cool that way.  Acting is really extreme, almost to a ridiculous degree; Gerard Butler screams and scowls in every scene, but given the hardcore nature of his character and the material overall, he really nails the role.  Everybody else fulfills their roles well.  Writing is generally good; a lot of it matches up with Frank Miller's book, which in turn reflects some of the historical accounts.  The use of narration is especially noteworthy, for it reinforces the film as fantastic storytelling.  Tyler Bates' music score is really cool too.

Despite its liberties with the historic events, the 300 film remains the most thrilling, most awe-inspiring, and most uncompromising account of the Battle of Thermopylae.  The whole film comes off as a wicked and badass experience; I personally wish more historic and fantasy films were made this way.  If you can stomach the bloodshed and the excesses, this film comes recommended.

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

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Film Review: The Road (2009)

"We have to just...keep carrying the fire."

"What fire?"

"The fire inside you." - Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee

When the end of the world comes, it won't be a pretty or happy affair.  Most films generally harp on the violence and brutality of the apocalypse, but The Road should stand as one of the most delicate and disquieting apocalypse films to date.  There isn't much action to this; it's all about a man struggling to protect his son, while they trek across an ash-laden wasteland.  There are occasional moments of suspense and thrills, following a few bad run-ins with cannibalistic gangs, but most of the film is about the journey and the everyday hardships.

This film is a faithful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's influential novel; the plot and characters are generally spot-on, but the film definitely excels with the novel's tone, for it is appropriately dark, grim, emotional, and delicate.  I felt the book was a grade more disquieting, especially with the chemistry between the characters (something that's probably better achieved in writing than in film).  The overall portrayal of the apocalypse is a uniquely depressing vision, showing a world completely drenched in ashes and grayness.  The plot can be rather random, as it goes from one random encounter to another, and with occasional flashbacks thrown in.  Conflict is never consistent, making some scenes more gripping or interesting than others.  Characters are full of life and easy to relate to.

This film uses good and steady photography, and decent editing.  Much of the film is captured with a drab, gray color scheme, making it appropriately dark and murky.  Acting is not bad:  Viggo Mortensen does his best to give his character heart and soul.  Writing is good.  All the film's sets, props, costumes, and special effects are good without being overblown.  Music is really elegant too.

Even though this film isn't as exciting as most other films of the genre, it is easily the most earnest and heartfelt of the post-apocalypse genre.  It is a decent adaptation of a decent novel.

Recommended.

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

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Film Review: I Am Legend

"We are his legacy.  This is his legend.  Light up the darkness." - Alice Braga

I Am Legend is the third adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel of the same name, although this is the first film with that actual title.  The first adaptation was The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price; a classic for many, but I found it rather dull.  I was always fond of The Omega Man, featuring a very cool and macho Charlton Heston, but that film has not aged well.  I've never read the book, but glancing over its synopsis, none of these adaptations appear to be fully accurate.

On its own merits, the I Am Legend film is a visually smooth and lush film; some of the most memorable imagery show New York City in ruins, overgrown with tall grass and vines, overrun with animals.  The film follows the main character as he cruises through the city, hunts deer, scavenges, plays golf off the wing of an abandoned airplane, and continues to find a cure for the pandemic.  Even though a lot of these scenes are fun (in the same respect as it was fun watching Charlton Heston roaming around in The Omega Man), this film does throw the main character into dangerous run-ins with hoards of fast and insane zombies.  There are a few gripping scenes throughout, leading up to an action-packed finale.

The story for I Am Legend is generally sound, and it tries its best to be elegant about things.  The plot structure is not particularly strong; outside of the occasional zombie scare and battle, conflict is kept to a minimum.  What really matters is the narrative structure, which is a little unique for its use of flashbacks.  Characters are delicately handled; it's hard not to feel for a man who's been alone for so long that he talks to mannequins and treats his dog like an actual person.  However, the pathos suffers a little when the character acts out unreasonably (especially toward the only other human characters he eventually meets).  There are moments where the film aspires to be more than it is:  the film attempts to use butterfly motifs, Bob Marley references, and profound dialogue to dig up deeper themes regarding legacy.  I'm personally not so sure if such themes really work, but they are nice touches.  The film overall carries a delicate and emotional tone, which does succeed in making it invoking.

This film looks really slick; photography can get a little hectic with the action scenes, but is smooth and solid in every other scene.  Editing is really interesting, given the way flashbacks are cut into the narrative so abruptly.  Will Smith offers a solid and emotional performance.  Writing is generally not bad.  This production uses some very imaginative and good-looking sets, props, and costumes.  Special effects were cool for their time, but show their age slightly (the computer-generated zombies are especially notorious, for they are not all that scary).  The music score is nice.

Of the three films made from the same novel, I believe this is the most respectable one to date, even if it isn't totally true to the source.  At the very least, it does make for a decent post-apocalyptic drama, and fans of the genre should check this film out.

Recommended.

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

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Video Game Review: The Last of Us

"We're sh**ty people, Joel it's been that way for a long time."

"No, we are survivors." - Annie Wersching and Troy Baker

Of all the stories conceived for the potential outbreak of a zombie-pocalypse, I don't think any can be any more hard-hitting than this video game.  The game starts off with a strong punch, showing the initial outbreak of infected, and the main character's struggle to protect his daughter through the onslaught.  He fails.  Fast-forward twenty-something years later, and the struggle for survival continues in a radically different world.  Your goal is simple:  escort a girl to a group of rebels outside of the quarantined city.  The journey, however, is long and intense, as you're made to traverse across ruined cities (which bear an uncanny semblance to the cityscapes in I Am Legend), outrun hoards of the infected, confront overzealous military patrols, and fight against brutal bandits.  At the core of it all, however, this game is also an emotional experience unlike any other.  The main character's quest not so much about fighting zombies and bad guys, as it is fighting against the past, reconciling bitter feelings, and learning to move on.

First and foremost, the game is focused largely on stealth combat.  Just about every area is designed as a maze of obstacles, so you can take cover and systematically take out your opponents.  Different bad guys respond to different stimuli, making each area a different challenge.  Of course, you can also forgo the stealth and run around with all guns blazing (a much harder alternative, since ammunition is very limited in the game).  In between the major combat scenes, the game also has you solve some geographical puzzles, as you figure out ways to traverse across the ruined cities.  The overall gameplay, look, style, and interface is similar to the latest Tomb Raider game; both games give you some room to explore and run around freely, but they are also mostly-linear.  You can expect to find a few collectables here and there, many of which offer deeper insight in regards to the world and what's happening within it.

This is not an easy game by any means.  I actually found it rather frustrating at times, as the bad guys will work to flank or ambush you.  Melee combat can be tough; no matter how hard I pound the button, I still found myself being pummeled by a hunter or immediately chomped by an infected.  Ammunition is limited and resources are tight, making combat even more tricky.  Every zone seems to have a whole army of enemies; it may seem like you're making progress, but more pour in and impede progress.  These aspects offer a decent challenge, and it's probably more true to reality if such events ever occur.  It can be aggravating though.

One other complaint I have (same with Tomb Raider) is that just about every bad guy in the game is so bad, so hateful, so unreasonably violent, it just feels like Joel and Ellie never catch a break.  I know that in an actual apocalypse, everybody would probably turn evil, inhumane, and greedy; I still couldn't help but to yell at these characters, "why are you so evil! Come on!"

Regardless, the story is incredible.  Even though the game takes on a repetitive pattern (you go to a place, see your objective in the distance, and make your way toward it fighting enemies all the way), it's the characters that make it so compelling.  The game achieves the perfect level of pathos, making you feel for the characters on a deep level.  You want to see them succeed, so you keep playing to see what happens next.  The characters develop gradually and beautifully, starting off rather cold, but eventually warming up and developing deeper levels of trust and connection.  In spite of that, the game gets quite emotional at times, ultimately hitting some deeper themes regarding the human spirit.  At the same time, the game never shies away from the hard truths regarding the struggle for survival (I imagine gun law enthusiasts will be outraged to see Ellie taking a gun and protecting Joel; but if it isn't for that, Joel would have died early in the game).  It all makes for an exceptionally bittersweet experience.

This game is rendered with beautiful graphics; some of the cutscenes look incredibly life-like, and the rest of the game is well-detailed and sharp.  Designs for the locations, levels, characters, weapons, props, and everything else are decent, and they appear realistic.  Sound and music are good.  The gameplay is intuitive; the characters don't move particularly fast or smooth, but they move in a realistic fashion.  I did find it a little tricky when being attacked from behind, and when using melee combat; there were even a few times where I died and didn't even realize it until the screen went blank, due to animation mix-ups.

Despite my quibbles with the gameplay, always being shot and beat-up by hoards of relentlessly mean villains, the game offers an incredible storytelling experience with some of the richest character development to date.  It is ultimately successful in taking the characters' struggles and making the player experience it all for himself.  The experience hits the nerves and heart very strongly.

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

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Video Game Review: Portal

"The cake is a lie!" - wall graffiti

The concept is simple:  you have a gun that can shoot portals on certain surfaces.  One portal is blue, one is orange, and if you go in one portal you'll come out the other.  And yet, such a simple concept has staggering applications.  If you make one portal on the floor and another in the ceiling directly above it, you could fall infinitely.  If you place a portal on the ground and one high up on a wall, you could fall through, and your momentum would propel you across the room.

With these basic mechanics, the game Portal offers a small wealth of cleverly-designed puzzles, in which you're a lab specimen trying to reach an exit.  You got to exercise some serious brain cells to figure out how to reach certain areas and manipulate the environment in order to get to the next level.  Some levels can even prove fatal if you're not careful.  The game gets tricky at times (especially since movements are a bit slow and sluggish), but completing each lab test offers an addicting and satisfying rush.

The really fun part about Portal is that it's actually a pretty funny game.  As you progress through the levels, you're consistently guided (and later taunted) by the passive-aggressive robot GLaDOS.  Some of the stuff she talks about (such a free cake, weighted companion cubes, and weak cover-ups for trying to murder you) are amusing.  There are various other nuances too; I love how, in the final boss fight, each of GLaDOS' components ramble on about random stuff.  The plot for this game is pretty short and simple, offering very little in character development; it's mostly the experience of playing that counts.

This game is going on six years old; graphics still hold up okay, but aren't quite as impressive as modern-generation games (such as Portal 2, which is far sharper and more detailed).  Gameplay is good, but as mentioned above, it feels a bit sluggish, especially compared to the game's sequel.  Level designs are ingenious and clever, as are the designs for each of the game's settings and objects.  Sound design is good, and the music is great (especially the end-credits song).

Recommended!

4/5 (Entertainment:  Perfect | Story:  Pretty Good | Game:  Good)

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