Film Review: Mortal Engines

Christian Rivers’ Mortal Engines is very much a case of style over substance. Whilst the film offers spectacle, the poor writing scuppers enjoyment.

In a world where cities are roaming beasts which consume smaller towns, Hester is determined to get into London to fulfil a mission. Meanwhile, Londoner Tom inadvertently gets caught up in the melee…

Based on the novel by Philip Reeve, Mortal Engines is set in a dystopian world of cities on wheels. The premise of the film is enticing enough; a post-apocalyptic world where powerful cities absorb smaller ones. There is plenty of room for exploration here, with the imbalance of power between the urban and the rural. Furthermore, the prominence of London points to a colonial past. Yet these aspects are not inspected in any detail.

Where the film falls down is its script. Written by Peter Jackson (who also produces), Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, Mortal Engines feels like it was made a decade or so ago. It falls into a trap that some big blockbusters of that period did; so much is put into the visuals that the story seems like an afterthought. Characters in Mortal Engines do not break out of their archetypes. The two leads are not developed in a sympathetic way; it is difficult to care about their outcomes. Other characters do not fare any better, with a dull antagonist, wafer-thin helpers, and a supporting character who disappears completely without explanation.

There is a sub plot in Mortal Engines that could have been completely omitted, as it adds nothing to the main narrative and characters. Elsewhere, a later twist is utterly predictable, and adds nothing to the stakes. Poor dialogue and lacklustre character development hinder performances from the cast. Visuals are where the film shines. Some dated steampunk inclinations aside, the world created by the film envelops viewers. Special effects are faultless.

There are some great looking action set pieces, but these are not enough to redeem the film. Mortal Engines is a high-concept premise that needed a decent script.

Previews: Mission: Impossible – Fallout Featurette, More!

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the new Mission: Impossible – Fallout featurette, plus Mortal Engines, Mile 22, and more…

Mission: Impossible – Fallout Featurette

Here is the brand new Mission: Impossible – Fallout featurette. Producer and star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie discuss the upcoming film, the sixth in the franchise. What is interesting about the series is that rather than starting off strong, and getting progressively weaker, the films have got better generally (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a particular highlight). Mission: Impossible – Fallout will hit UK screens on 25th July 2018.

Mile 22 Trailer

Here is the latest trailer for Mile 22. The action thriller is about an American intelligence officer who must smuggle an informant out of the country. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Ronda Rousey, John Malkovich, and Iko Uwais. Directed by Peter Berg, Mile 22 is coming soon to UK cinemas.

Black KkKlansman Poster

Above is the latest poster for Spike Lee’s Black KkKlansman. The film is based on the true story of first African-American detective on the Colorado Springs Police Department, who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan. The film stars John David Washington and Adam Driver. Black KkKlansman is out at UK cinemas on 24th August 2018.

The House with a Clock in its Walls Trailer

The House with a Clock in its Walls is a new fantasy adventure from director Eli Roth. The film is about a young boy who goes to live with his mysterious uncle in a peculiar house. The film stars Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. The House with a Clock in its Walls will be released in cinemas on 21st September 2018.

Mortal Engines Featurette

Here is a new look at the upcoming Mortal Engines. The film is directed by Christian Rivers, and co-written and produced by Peter Jackson. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the film is about giant cities that roam the Earth, enveloping smaller towns. Starring Hugo Weaving, Mortal Instruments will hit UK screens on 14th December 2018.

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Film Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Peter Jackson’s final instalment of the Tolkien franchise, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies offers similar strengths and weaknesses to the director’s previous concluding film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves have roused the dragon Smaug, who flies out to destroy Lake Town. Meanwhile, the mountain and its riches attracts various armies…

The third and final part of The Hobbit, The Battle of the Five Armies functions as a prolonged climactic scene. The majority of the duration is filled with this action, allowing for cutaways to other key players in Tolkien’s universe.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies begins in the midst of the action, carrying on straight after the end of The Desolation of Smaug. The opening gambit is an impressive one; viewers are launched immediately into a frantic episode. The sustained nature of the film’s central battle, however, loses the peaks and troughs expected of an adventure such as this. As the fighting lasts for much of the duration, it is difficult for viewers to muster the excitement these sequences usually bring. Battle sequences are finely executed, but the duration does hinder enjoyment.

There is some appealing foreshadowing in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which should please fans of The Lord of the Rings. The characterisation in the film is decent, although Bilbo’s earnestness  is overplayed at times. Production values are up to the standard expected from director Peter Jackson.

There are some great individual sequences in the film, even though there is a lack of momentum building overall. Cate Blanchett and Christopher Lee reprise their roles with aplomb. The film maintains a sombre atmosphere, with a few breaks for humour.

Whilst An Unexpected Journey moved at a glacial pace in terms of action, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies offers an abundance of action. The Hobbit trilogy may not be as satisfying as The Lord of the Rings, but the films still offer decent entertainment for fantasy fans.

Stuff To Look At

Plenty of cinematic delights this week, including the latest trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Into The Woods, Paddington and more…

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Here is the latest trailer for the final instalment of Peter Jackson’s second Tolkien franchise, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Sadly Gollum is nowhere to be seen, but there is plenty of hobbits, eleves, wizards and the like. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will hit UK screens on  12th December 2014.

Into The Woods

Carrying on with the fantasy theme, a full trailer for Into The Woods dropped this week. It seems to have all the winning ingredients; fairy tales, musical numbers, and a great cast. Meryl Streep in particular looks wonderfully hammy as the witch. Into The Woods will be released in UK cinemas on 9th January 2015.

Horrible Bosses 2

Above is a clip from the forthcoming sequel Horrible Bosses 2. The film unites the main cast from the first film with newcomers Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz. It was refreshing to see Jennifer Aniston in a different kind of role in the first film, and it looks like this is no different. Horrible Bosses 2 is out on 28th November 2014.

Paddington

Oh my! Paddington in the snow. I recently bought a red duffle coat, and was told that I looked like a cross between Paddington Bear and Red Riding Hood. It was the greatest compliment ever. Anyway, Paddington, featuring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Julie Walters, will reach UK screens on 28th November 2014.

The Gambler

What is interesting about this trailer for The Gambler is that it uses The Rolling Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter’, a song that many film fans will associate with The Departed, which also memorably starred Marky Mark. The Gambler, which also stars John Goodman and Brie Larson, is set for release in UK cinemas on 19th December 2014.

The Pyramid

Above is a featurette on upcoming horror The Pyramid. What I want to know is what exactly is in these pyramids. Is it mummies come to life? Or is it a more Indiana Jones-style bent? The Pyramid is out in UK cinemas on 5th December 2014.

Annie

Contemporary remake of the classic musical Annie is out just in time for Christmas. It is unclear how much singing will be involved from the above trailer, and how much Cameron Diaz’s Miss Hannigan will replicate the original. But here’s hoping. Annie hits UK screens on 20th December 2014.

Film Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Middle chapter The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is an improvement on predecessor An Unexpected Journey, capturing the spirit of the original Lord of the Rings films.

Hobbit Bilbo Baggins, wizard Gandalf and the company of dwarves continue on their quest to reclaim Erebor, homeland of Thorin, from dragon Smaug. The group face a perilous journey through Mirkwood Forest and beyond…

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sets a good pace almost immediately. Much of the scene-setting was taken care of in An Unexpected Journey, which allows for this instalment to brim with action and progression. There is certainly more going on in this film.

Director Peter Jackson has, as ever, created an immersive fantasy world. The locations are quintessential fantasy, as are the characters that inhabit them.

With a running time of two hours and forty minutes, there is ample time for the narrative to unfold. The world that Jackson has created is so removed from reality that it is difficult to know how much time has passed. Nonetheless, The Desolation of Smaug does not rush the journey, nor the screen time of its title character.

The dragon Smaug offers a formidable opponent to Bilbo and company. Even before any encounter takes place, there is sufficient myth-making to build a reputation and sense of apprehension. Elsewhere, Legolas makes a welcome return; his presence is particularly gratifying in the action sequences.

Production values in The Desolation of Smaug are superb. The 3D is utilised seamlessly, and effects appear authentic. The score is also effective and successfully evokes the atmosphere of the earlier Lord of the Rings trilogy. Performances are good throughout, with Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen reprises their roles with energy. Benedict Cumberbatch is a good choice for the voice of Smaug, while Luke Evans is a decent addition to the cast.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is an adventure-filled film that leaves the audience eager for the final chapter.

Film Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be exactly what fans of the The Lord of the Rings trilogy expect. This is by no means a bad thing; An Unexpected Journey is an entertaining fantasy adventure.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit living a peaceful existence in The Shire. When wizard Gandalf attempts to enlist him in an adventure, Bilbo is reluctant. A group of dwarves are determined to reclaim their homeland, and need Bilbo’s help on their journey…

Directed by Lord of the Rings helmer Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has the same look and feel of the trilogy, of which this new film is a prequel to. An Unexpected Journey spends ample time setting the scene; introducing the audience to the locations and developing new characters and reacquainting them with old ones. With a running time of 169 minutes, the film has sufficient time to do so.

Given that the film is the first of a trilogy, the time spent establishing the narrative is understandable. Moreover, the Tolkien world created by Jackson is so immersive. It is rich with mythology and visually lavish. The film has peaks in terms of plot, although the serial nature means the ending is not much of a conclusion. Nevertheless, a suitable portion of the overall story is covered by this installment, and it successfully sets up the next part.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been filmed with a high frame rate (48 frames per second instead of the standard 24 fps). Although the picture instantly appears more crisp. However, this takes some time to get used to. The appearance to begin with is reminiscent of historical reenactment on television, particularly in the daylight scenes. The 3D is seamless and adds depth to the film. Performances are good from the whole cast.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a great sword and sorcery fantasy which should leave viewers eager to watch the two forthcoming chapters.

2012’s Most Anticipated

As 2012 arrives imminently, I thought I would share some of my cinematic picks for next year. Below are the films I am most looking forward to seeing next year. These do not include films that I have already seen that are due for general release in the next few months, such as Shame or Martha Marcy May Marlene.

1. The Muppets

Although The Muppets was released in America months ago, it is not due for UK release until February. It seems that we have reverted back to the 1980s in that the UK is getting such a big movie as this months after the US. I love the Muppets, so cannot wait for the film. I have tried not to read too much about it, but all that I am hearing so far is positive. The Muppets is released on 10th February 2012.

2. The Raven

From the trailer, this film seems to have everything; macabre murder mystery, Edgar Allan Poe and John Cusack. I love Poe’s work and the premise of The Raven sounds great; Poe pursues a serial killer who bases his crimes on the author’s work. Hopefully the execution will do the idea justice. The Raven is released on 9th March 2012.

3. Prometheus

Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated new addition to the Alien franchise, the teaser trailer for Prometheus has recently been released. It does not give too much away, but it looks very interesting. Hopefully with Scott at the helm, Prometheus will return to Alien‘s combination of science fiction and horror. With a cast which boasts Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace, Prometheus is very exciting on paper. The film is released on 1st June 2012.

4. The Dark Knight Rises

The grandaddy of them all, the conclusion of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy will be one of the biggest movies of the summer. I recently watched the prologue, which was impressive on the Imax screen. Like others, I was concerned that I couldn’t understand Bane properly. The trailer looks magnificent, so as long as Bane’s voice becomes clearer, the film should be a fitting end to a fantastic franchise. The Dark Knight Rises is released 20th July 2012.

5. Frankenweenie

Another remake from Tim Burton, but at least this time he is remaking his own work. Frankenweenie was a live action short from the director’s time at Disney. Stills from the film were recently released; Burton aficionados are likely to find them reminiscent of Vincent, a short directed by the filmmaker around the same time as Frankenweenie. The stop-motion remake tells the story of a boy who tries to bring his dog back to life, a homage to Shelley’s Frankenstein. Frankenweenie is released 5th October 2012.

6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings was a triumphant film series, and fans of the books were no doubt pleased when it was announced that the director would return for The Hobbit. On a personal level, I am excited for the film because I love Gollum. The trailer shows the return of familiar faces; hopefully the film will be of the same quality as the earlier series. The Hobbit is released 14th December 2012.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer

Warner Bros, you little teases! It is only in the last few seconds of the trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey that they give us the goods; that hot piece Gollum. Notwithstanding, the trailer looks good, with the music and lush surroundings highly reminiscent of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. I haven’t read any of the books, but as The Hobbit is not due for release until 14th December 2012 I have plenty of time.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn Trailer

I was never really into Tin Tin as a child, but the new film interests me for a number of reasons. Firstly, the film is directed by Steven Spielberg. Secondly, the film is produced by Peter Jackson. Thirdly, the film features Snowy, Tin Tin’s canine sidekick. And lets face it, films are better when they include dog companions. Check out the new trailer for The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, which is released in 3D on 26th October 2011.

Film Review: The Lovely Bones

Based on the bestselling novel by Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones is a heart-wrenching drama that will elicit emotion in even the most hardened cinemagoers. The story of a murdered teenage girl and the aftermath of the tragedy overrides the harrowing nature of this event, instead choosing to focus upon the relationship between family members.

The film combines drama and fantasy to produce a film that leaps between the identifiable and the surreal. It is in these fantastic “afterlife” sequences that The Lovely Bones most closely resembles director Jackson’s previous work. It is the real life action however that packs the most punch on an emotional level.

Tucci excels as the creepy neighbour turned murderer. He gives an unnerving performance a world away from roles he has formerly been associated with. Weisz and Wahlberg are convincing as Susie’s distraught parents, each struggling to cope with her death in their own way. Newcomer Saoirse Ronan is absorbing as the tragic teen, and has a promising career ahead if her performance here is anything to go by.

Set in the 1970s, art direction, cinematography, score and costuming is spot on in recreating the period. Rather than focus on the terrible crime, the film shifts its attention to the family and the way each member copes with the loss of a loved one. In doing so, The Lovely Bones is an uplifting experience despite the sombre subject matter.