Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ***

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Posted: 26/03/2016

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Director Zack Snyder’s new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is in danger of becoming merely ammunition in Warner Bros’s newly launched DC Films Universe battle with Marvel, rather than viewed as a superhero movie in its own right.

This sequel will be compared with Snyder’s first DC Comics film, Man of Steel (2013), with an eye on the much-anticipated, future Justice League movies. The 2013 film was criticised for portraying Superman (Henry Cavill) in a dark, destructive light, something some were not prepared for. Superman even kills one of his own, which shocked many.

Dawn of Justice is no exception – Superman (Cavill again) is far from good and inflicts some rough justice. However, the film attempts to address the fear the character has (where he belongs, what he’s capable of), as well as man’s fear of Superman’s power and threat to humanity.

It uses two contrasting characters to do this in Batman (Ben Affleck) and Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), both of which equally despises and celebrates this god incarnate’s gifts. It’s like the comic-book version of the Easter story; the persecution of a deity through ignorance. Using Snyder’s enormous visual prowess, Dawn of Justice is full of intriguing messages and imagery, which is just as well, as the acting gets lost in the CG medley, as do the characters’ reasoning.

After bringing down General Zod – remnants of which we see at the beginning of this, Batman wants to curb Superman’s actions, while the world decides whether it really needs a superhero at all. Is the Kryptonian actually a menace to society, considering the chaos he brought to Earth in the 2013 film?

With Batman after Superman, a new threat, Doomsday, is allowed to emerge, created by Superman’s arch enemy Luthor. Can the superheroes put aside their differences to battle the true evil destroying Metropolis once more, with a little help from Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot)?

Think Nolan and The Dark Knight for comic-book grittiness. The sheen is completely absent from Superman’s colourful persona. Thank goodness for Clark Kent – Superman’s alter-ego – or there would be zero soul left in the character. Cavill has limited facial expressions too, relying on his furrowed brow to do all the acting work. Hence this keeps Superman even more two dimensional. It also limits how much we really understand about how exactly this ‘anti-hero’ feels, which is a shame.

Snyder’s Batman is also a damaged character. Affleck gets little to do apart from scowl around and clunk about in what must be the heaviest Batman suit ever. Gone is Batman’s smart-thinking/acting slickness. He seems more Transformer than lithe bat-like creature. This seems to suit Snyder’s heavy-meted action sequences, especially when Doomsday appears. However, Batman comes across as a lumbering, half-witted brute most of the time, which again, makes him ‘heartless’, with only scenes of the wrecked Wayne mansion etc to suggest his inner pain and grief.

As a result of a lack of what is going on inside these characters’ heads, comes a lack of empathy and understanding as to what Batman’s personal grievance with Superman actually is? Snyder merely ‘suggests’ with flashbacks, which doesn’t quite add up. Apart from what Luthor wants both to think of each other, this doesn’t seem strong enough rationality for them to be knocking the hell out of each other.

That said when the Batman v Superman showdown actually arrives, it might be a whirl of CGI but it’s pretty exhilarating to watch on a big screen. Snyder is in his element here, and just the right comic-book fan/artist to recreate such a spectacle for fanboys out there. Superman’s brush with Doomsday re-addresses his lost humanity too.

As lovely and determined as Amy Adams is as rogue reporter Lois Lane, there does seem to be a little too much Ms Lane in trouble – or in the buff – in this. How anyone can navigate that much concrete rumble in heels is anyone’s guess during the final battle scenes. As strong a female character as Lane is, it’s Gadot’s Diana Prince/Wonder Woman that’s the more positive contrast with the male characters. Hers is a pure superhero without agenda, just old-school trying to save us from the greater evil.

Like Ledger’s Joker, Eisenberg makes Luthor his own crazed interpretation. His is a babbling nervous wreck, likely to self-implode at any second and keeping things edgy. His excitable state at the very least keeps things energetic, or they would be in danger of slipping into a depressed state – him, and Jeremy Irons’s smart tongue as Alfred.

If you like lots of mood, Batman v Superman is your kind of DC Comics interpretation, though it is more visual that cerebral. There is a distinct lack of emotion from the main characters that leaves Dawn of Justice plain numbing. If it wasn’t for some of the supporting cast, it would be a CG swirl of colour and noise. Though, if there was a prize for cinematic gloom, this installment would win hands down.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 **

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Posted: 24/03/2016

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If you’re a fan of 2002’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you can easily forgive the 14-year wait to revisit the chaotic Portokalos family. Like any family reunion, you look forward to the event but dread the possible outcomes. The sequel, again written by lead star Nia Vardalos – who plays the long-suffering Greek-American Toula from Chicago, has the same effect; it has its ups and downs, dramas and frustrations, but casts an undeniably fuzzy nostalgic spell over proceedings.

In Part 2, Toula is still married to WASP vegetarian Ian (John Corbett) and lives next door to colourful and emotionally-draining parents, proud Greek dad Gus (Michael Constantine) and mum Maria (Lainie Kazan). However, she now has an equally suffering teenage daughter called Paris (Elena Kampouris), who is getting the same comments from her grandfather about her lack of a Greek suitor, just as mother got.

While Toula and Ian’s marriage has become a bit stale in the passion department, another longer-standing marriage is exposed as a sham. The Portokalos clan must rally the troops to set matters straight and throw the best wedding celebration ever (again) – Greek style.

Vardalos begins by doing all the right things to recapture the success of the 2002 Oscar-nominated film, including the familiar locations and bringing back the original cast – like outspoken Aunt Voula, portrayed by the ever brilliant Andrea Martin. She also re-introduces the various catchphrases and idiosyncrasies, which get fan sniggers and some fresh laughs from newbies. That said the latter might be phased by the infamous Windolene gag as it’s not really explained in its own right. Here lies the problem.

Vardalos has so much to reacquaint her audience with, while introducing new elements that it all feels like a scatter-gun comedic approach, with only Voula getting her deserved breathing time. There are numerous sub-plots, as the writer seems to not want to leave anyone out. For example, one key family member turns out to be gay, which is given a fleeting remark to continue on with the merriment. Knowing Greek culture, this would be a far bigger deal – just think about when the family found out that Ian didn’t eat meat.

As cute as the whole coming-of-age Paris tale is – mirroring her mother’s independence issues, it just pales into insignificance to the dominance of the other character’s concerns. It really does feel like a battle of personalities on screen, each vying for your attention. However, it’s the sheer mayhem we first fell in love with in 2002, plus strange habits that may well brazenly bang the ethnic stereotype drum, but are part of this film’s self-mocking charm. Here, Vardalos really does keep things trivial as not to offend.

Vardalos and Corbett as Toula and Ian still hold that endearing appeal, even though they have become far too comfortable with each other to the point of smugness. Throw in another awkward car-parking scene that’s as predictable as it is a welcome little nod to their past dating escapades. Vardalos really has her lead’s best interests at heart, which is reassuring, at least.

Mute granny, Mana-Yiayia (Bess Meisler) has become tad overkill this time. The fact that she doesn’t look old enough to be playing octogenarian actor Constantine’s mother is one thing, but she has been turned into the franchise’s mascot joker. It becomes a little nauseating. When something transpires, cue Mana-Yiayia’s silly reaction, like the laziest sitcom writing. It’s one of the givens, like Voula’s unedited comments, Gus’s faux distress, and Toula and Ian’s dopey grins. As much as there is comfort in the familiar, Vardalos would have been wise to push the boat out with much less happening in the tale.

It’s not that My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 doesn’t have its entertainment value, it’s just it needed to keep the familiarity while cleverly making things fresh. Stick with tradition and the frustrating foibles – that’s where the comedy lies – but don’t actually stick with similar scenarios as last time, otherwise the jokes grow as old as the characters have.

2/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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London Has Fallen ***

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Posted: 02/03/2016

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Watch out Europe; beefy Banning (Gerard Butler) is back – and so are the rest of the White House crew. The action is no longer confined to one building, Olympus (code name for the White House) – as in the 2013 film, but London, a city under terrorist siege. London Has Fallen is more of the same carnage too, only more graphic than the first – and surprisingly still rated 15.

Banning continues to protect President Asher (Aaron Eckhart), but also contemplates resigning as a dad-to-be. However, when news of the British Prime Minister’s death reaches Washington DC, the President is invited to attend the state funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, along with other world leaders. Banning is there by his side.

Then tragedy strikes in a massive, coordinated terrorist attack, seeing Banning and Asher on the run in London’s city streets from a heavily armed enemy. Meanwhile, Vice President Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) – formerly Speaker Trumball – tries to coordinate a rescue from back home in the States with the (over) use of drones.

The whole premise of a London-wide attack would seem utterly ridiculous two decades ago. However, since ‘terror’ has reached European streets as recently as the 2015 Paris attacks, it really isn’t much of a stretch of the imagination to buy into this film’s plot – however much we want to dismiss it as daft. After all, we Londoners are constantly told a threat is imminent and many attempts are thwarted daily. This film certainly pays lip service to security services’ need for greater online snooping powers – indirectly picked up on by one of the supporting characters.

There is also a need for a real-life action hero right now in a world of turmoil; to see ‘terrorists’ get their just desserts by a one-man killing machine. It’s the stuff of far-reaching fantasy. This is where Butler’s character Banning triumphs again, much like a pesky, latter-day John McClane. Butler certainly gets the job done – and in tailored style, being highly entertaining to watch. Although, the ‘terrorists’ are actually part of a rightly aggrieved family (however abhorrent their previous actions might be), they are the usual bogeymen to satisfy Western tabloid sensationalism. But enough on the politics for now.

London Has Fallen is untaxing action fodder that really has its tongue firmly in cheek – most of the time. It has to, what with some of the corniest lines delivered on screen in a while that will have you howling with laughter. It still holds as nice a pace as Fuqua’s 2013 film. This time the director is relative action newcomer, Iranian Babak Najafi whose only other equivalent feature project was Easy Money II in 2012. Still, the same writing team is guilty for this second instalment, but it’s a reactionary script designed to get the whoops and the groans as we go along for the ride.

The special effects are fantastic as London crumbles. There’s even a quaint throwback to wartime London that the writers touch on that supposedly clears the streets – something that just wouldn’t happen in this day and age as people would be out on their phones for social media documenting when the networks are back up.

The action is definitely grizzlier – and quelchier in effect, as Banning disperses with baddies in hand-to-hand combat even, while raising the body count. It also shows just what the US would like to do to a team of fundamentalist beheaders too, that’s sure to get the cheers. In fact, much of the later action is played out in Tour of Duty-style video gaming, so it’s titillating stuff. Widening the playing field this time just gives the writers more leeway to be grander in effect. The trouble is the end fight is held in a more constricted environment, so that’s a shame, considering all of London is at their disposal.

Will Asher be back – there’s a hint Banning might be. In the meantime, it’s down to that faultless tower of screen strength Morgan to settle our nerves and bang the drum of defiance that we just lap up and can’t help but grin at. London Has Fallen does do what it sets out to do for an action blockbuster; shamelessly entertain, free of consequence.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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LFF 2015: The Witch ****

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Posted: 28/02/2016

the-witch

Billed as a ‘horror’ and set in the usual stomping ground of some creepy, foreboding woodland, The Witch by costume designer-turned-debut-writer/director Robert Eggers could be misconstrued as the standard scare-affair, with supernatural things lurking in the shadows, watching and waiting to make their presence known.

Be warned: the ‘horror’ is in fact more about the Puritanical lifestyle that the settler family lives in 17th Century New England, and the wrath of God justice should any of them step out of line. In this respect, there is a significant psychological impact to The Witch as all existence feels alien and unnerving to its latter-day audience.

William (Ralph Ineson from Game of Thrones) and his family, wife Katherine (Kate Dickie, also from Game of Thrones), eldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy, Philippa from Endeavour), son Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) and young twins, Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson) are banished from their settlement by a Puritan court. They set up a modest home and small farm at the edge of some woodland.

Their religious piety cements their well-being. However, when their newborn son Samuel goes missing one day in Thomasin’s care, their meager and harsh existence begins to unravel and their faith is rocked to the core.

This slow-burning and sumptuous-looking tale is very visceral to watch and listen to. It is also devoid of special effects. Accompanying the subdued, earthy palette is the equally grueling speech of the era that instantly places you on the back foot. Trying to decipher what is being said with such emotion by the characters conjures a natural anxiety, preparing you for the mystery to unfold, even as you are still trying to get your bearings.

Eggers keeps things ambiguous throughout, right to the end frame. What feels like a standard period horror after the baby disappears is soon extinguished. The finger of ‘blame’ moves back and forth, even suggesting a goat is the culprit. As victims are taken, the wrongdoer must be unveiled eventually, surely? This is the film’s hold.

As sacrifices are made, the result is abhorrent to watch, and uncompromisingly brutal, starting with Baby Samuel’s demise early on that will repulse all. There is also that lingering, persistent fear of some unjust abuse occurring at any one moment that may well have been ‘normal’ behaviour at the time, but is forbidden nowadays. The familiar sexual connotations concerning Thomasin, in particular, feel unsavoury to witness.

The cast may be a list of TV stars – and it helps they are not household names, but all are magnificent in this on the big screen, especially Taylor-Joy. Her innocent beauty is simultaneously captivating and threatening, rendering her an unknown factor throughout. Ineson is raw and wounded as William, helpless to the forces at play, and up against seemingly dominant female personalities. Indeed, it’s not entirely clear why this family was cast out of the settlement at the start – was it of their own doing? Eggers makes them a complete enigma which is fascinating. The acting alone ensures the film ticks along menacingly.

The Witch initially feels like a well-worn horror tale of old with distinguishable tropes. Nevertheless, once the layers are peeled back, there is a world of doubt and terror to experience in this art-house horror. The key is this is self-perpetuating as a present-day viewer – if you relinquish to the lifestyle experience you are witnessing, rather than have the scares delivered on a plate, as is the usual horror diet.

4/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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LFF 2015: Truth ***

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Posted: 27/02/2016

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If the truth can’t be told using freedom of speech then real journalism is dead. This is one sobering message from screenwriter James Vanderbilt’s directorial debut Truth based on sacked CBS producer-reporter Mary Mapes’s book Truth and Duty. The sad fact is there is always some sort of political persuasion in all reporting and programming – someone has to pay the bills. However, it’s always hugely energising to watch a drama trying to challenge the powers at play. The difference here is this actually happened in real life.

Looking for their next big scoop for TV news programme 60 Minutes II, Mapes (Cate Blanchett) and her research team (a commendable Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace and Elizabeth Moss) come into possession of some photocopied military memos that suggest George W Bush may have dodged drafting for Vietnam by going AWOL from the Home Guard while training to be a pilot.

The subsequent CBS programme hosted by veteran broadcaster Dan Rather (Robert Redford) causes a stir during Bush’s presidential re-election campaign in 2004, sparking a witch-hunt against the newsmakers as the authenticity of the memos is called into question. Lauded Mapes and Rather come under fire for simply trying to report the truth.

This film has such a firebrand performance from Blanchett as quick-thinking Mapes that she effortlessly rallies our support from the get-go. Her enthusiasm for the material is evident as she channels this into an engaging performance. This consists of lots of scenes of her and the usual smart people uncovering the pieces to the puzzle, simultaneously helping gather momentum – like any good police drama that involves stacks of paperwork and a handy whiteboard. Vanderbilt’s screenwriting know-how is well served here, even though he actually has Blanchett’s screen charisma to thank for pulling it off the page.

Redford is also highly convincing and rather humbling as news anchor Rather, once again showing that with age comes wisdom and being content in one’s skin – and that of another prominent person you’re emulating. Along with Blanchett, the pair nicely shares command of the screen when both are in the frame, giving gravitas to Mapes and Rather’s strong bond. This does tend to mask some directing inconsistencies, where elements could be tighter. However, Vanderbilt’s criticism of CBS’s management ethics cannot be ignored – something the American broadcaster acknowledged back in October 2015 in banning the film’s ads.

Truth cannot resist plugging the ‘truth will set you free’ in virtually every scene too, though it all hangs well like any aptly made political drama, employing the same production values and corporate blue-grey hues, cinematography-wise. Still, Truth is a very rousing piece, bolster by its true story, as all corruption should be challenged in a perfect world. It’s also very timely and effective, again, striking a chord in austerity-hit times. If nothing else, this ought to be seen for another awards-worthy, killer Cate Blanchett performance.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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Triple 9 **

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Posted: 27/02/2016

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Cue dirty cops, jobbing criminals and Russian gangsters; it’s latter-day US crime thriller time, just as you expect it. Although this might be a great comfort for many, Triple 9 ought to be using far more of its exceptional ensemble cast in something a little off the beaten/well-worn track. Director John Hillcoat (Lawless (2012)) and debut feature writer Matt Cook have squandered their chance to show their full potential here, as they hit all the right tropes. It just goes to show how writing experience matters.

Career criminal Michael Atwood (Chiwetel Ejiofor) just wants to do one last job as he has a kid son. He has no choice as he’s tied up with/related to Russian gangsters, headed by matriarch Irina Vlaslov (Kate Winslet). He must storm a police HQ that holds some vital documents Vlaslov needs to help release her Russian mobster lover from prison.

Atwood recruits inside help, dirty detectives Marcus Belmont (Anthony Mackie) and Franco Rodriguez (Clifton Collins Jr.) into his gang – that includes hapless Welch brothers, Gabe (Aaron Paul) and Russel (Norman Reedus). To create a diversion, they plan to kill a cop. Detective Chris Allen (Casey Affleck) is new on the turf and their prime target. After all, he is the boss, Jeffrey Allen’s (Woody Harrelson) nephew.

As expected, we are introduced to the heist plan and the players – all set in the grimmest, moodiest environment, where the line between good and bad is so blurred, no one is trustworthy. So far, it’s pretty much by the numbers. It is intriguing to see the depths the film-makers will go to make their production grittier than the last. Triple 9 holds no punches here, and will satisfy and immerse you in the bleakest of urban surroundings.

The problems are the lackluster writing, coupled with the casting. Although the latter is impressive, certain members seem to be vying for ‘credible accent of the year award’. Brit Ejiofor comes off the best, but it’s Winslet’s Russian one that brings on the giggles – complete with bouffant hairdo – rather than fear, cheapening the shadowy setting the film-makers have worked hard to produce. She’s a classic Slavic film caricature in this, however you dress it up – as is willowy Fast and Furious‘s Gal Gadot as sexy sister Elena. Thank goodness for Affleck and cop drama veterans like Harrelson (True Detective) who bring the status quo back on track.

Both of the latter do a fine job – as expected – with Harrelson feeling like he has to do the lion’s share of the work in keeping an air of mystery. Allen Senior is one of those wonderful cop drama characters with a colourful record and boundless opportunity to veer off at a tangent, so they really thrive in this story. Sadly, all Affleck can do is stick to being the ‘moral compass’.

And there it is. There is little else of memorable substance to Triple 9, although it’s perfectly watchable, complete with gory and impressive action set-pieces too. It’s certainly not all bad, but could be far darker and daring in story and spirit than just its cinematography.

2/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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How To Be Single **

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Posted: 27/02/2016

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This time last year we were handed Dakota Johnson as our charming new ‘girl next door’ star in Fifty Shades of Grey. Now she’s trying desperately to stay single in New York, the city that never sleeps – the exact opposite to the majority of romantic comedies we see set in the Big Apple.

How To Be Single is based on Sex and the City show writer Liz Tuccillo’s book of the same name – ironically, in the hit TV series, columnist Carrie is always trying to couple up. This new film’s story still deals with bad dates and characters yet to reach their full potential. However, it only just hangs together enough for us to care whether being single is the best situation to finding fulfilment in life.

Alice (Johnson) has just graduated but wants time off from long-term college boyfriend Josh (Nicholas Braun) to ‘discover herself’. She heads to New York, starts a new job as a paralegal, and meets resident party animal, receptionist Robin (Rebel Wilson) – who is more than happy to demonstrate her hedonistic ways, how to get free drinks all night and stay single. Alice’s workaholic older sister, paediatrician Meg (Leslie Mann) initially puts little sister up in her comfy apartment, and while Meg is convinced she’s got the best lifestyle, she gets broody and then finds love in the most unexpected place, in the endearingly goofy Ken (Jake Lacy).

Meanwhile, singleton Lucy (Alison Brie) likes to do the stats on her chances of finding ‘the one’, preferring analysing online dating apps. She uses the free wifi in the bar beneath her flat, much to the amusement of bar manager Tom (Anders Holm). Tom doesn’t want anything serious with any female, even going so far as making his own pad a ‘chick-free stop-over zone’. Who comes out the happiest remains the common thread.

As cute and ironic as this film is, it’s actually several stories running parallel – some getting more attention and screen-time than others. They all connect to Alice in some way, except Lucy’s tale. Hers merely serves to highlight the dominance of online dating nowadays – and its flaws. In fact, Lucy’s is the most interesting too, and though she never actually meets Alice, she somehow ends up at Alice’s rooftop birthday party – as if all of New York’s singletons got the call sign. As fun as it is, Lucy’s story seems rather redundant in the scheme of things, even though Brie is delightfully desperate in the role.

Another subplot thrown in purely for schmaltz value is Alice’s dalliance with handsome and successful businessman David, played by Damon Wayans Jr. He gets slightly more screen-time to shamelessly pull at the heartstrings with a kid sob story – or maybe, it’s meant to be another lesson in being strong and staying single in the city?

Wilson is a screen presence alone – often used to prop up the film’s flagging moments. Nevertheless, we know very little about Robin and why she is as she is – even the end reveal does nothing to explain things. Wilson snatches all the best lines and gets the big laughs as sexually-liberated Robin – just think SATC’s Samantha, only an alcoholic. As Alice is the butt of her jibes, her delivery feels forced sometimes, simply because Johnson’s sweet acting demeanour just doesn’t cut the mustard against a Wilson tirade.

As lovely as Johnson is as Alice – and effortlessly cool and sexy, she just doesn’t have the rom-com heroine charisma to convincingly pull things off, especially opposite Wilson. Thank goodness for the ever-reliable Mann in the trio’s scenes to soften the ‘Rebel yell’. Indeed, Meg’s story is very witty in itself, as the career woman realises that not everything is running as smoothly as she thinks in life. In reality, she and Ken’s chances of survival are slim – where being clingy and bordering on stalker-like is wholly unacceptable, but in the world of the romantic comedy, we can laugh it all off as being quite endearing.

How To Be Single doesn’t really enlighten us in how one should be single, unless you count running away from it, which seems a rather short-term ideal. It’s flawed as things don’t seem to have been adequately thought through, whether this is lost in translation from Tuccillo’s written word or not. The story seems to rely on its dominant characters to pull us through the flatter moments, as Johnson’s casting in the lead is the film’s biggest gamble – and one that doesn’t quite come off.

2/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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Freeheld **

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Posted: 27/02/2016

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A film that explores issues of equality for any one group, in any shape or form, always starts out along the right path. It’s just how it proceeds that matters – does it have the required impact to further the cause? That’s the initial question regarding Raising Victor Vargas director Peter Sollett’s new feature Freeheld, based on a true story.

Beginning life as a short (which won an Academy Award), Freeheld commendably highlights the plight of dying veteran lesbian police lieutenant Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and life partner Stacie Andree’s (Ellen Page) fight for justice in a frank and moving way. It followed the last couple of months in Hester’s life, as she battled both terminal cancer and getting her police pension benefits rightfully past onto Stacie after her death. Sadly, Ocean County, New Jersey’s Freeholders’ Court did not unanimously agree. This film follows the same trajectory, albeit picking up much earlier from just before the pair met.

Sollett’s project suffers from a very ‘by-the-numbers’ screenplay from Ron Nyswaner, who had also been the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind the moving, Tom Hanks starring drama Philadelphia (1993). It feels as though Nyswaner has delivered an all too obvious tale of cause and effect, compounded by Sollett’s plodding direction. He does not adequately flesh out the protagonists as a fully-fledged, loving couple and partnership – and in turn, allow our feelings regarding their harrowing struggle to manifest organically.

To make matters worse, the filmmakers have two of the best actors in the business in the leads in Moore and Page. Indeed, they both deliver a naturally sweet and warm chemistry – albeit using clichéd lines to enforce it. However, what actually made their characters unite and tick as a couple feels wholly missing from this, considering their different backgrounds (professions) and age gap.

We also want to know why Moore’s Hester was adamant about fighting for ‘equality’ not ‘gay marriage rights’ when her situation is hijacked by the flamboyant gay marriage rights campaigner Steven Goldstein, played by an excessively theatrical Steve Carell. Goldstein may well be a very big personality, but Carell’s portrayal here completely dominates proceedings, to the point that it drowns out our protagonist’s voice. It also adds a questionably comedic tone to the film when he is on screen. That said, Carell in full flow cannot help but be amusing, especially as he ruffles the feathers of the court and the token straight character – and our moral compass, fellow officer and Hector’s partner Dane Wells, played by an ever solid Michael Shannon.

Freehold is full of promise with its A-list cast and strong female leads, and is certainly well-meaning in its approach. It’s just a crying shame it’s been let down by the filmmaker’s superficial handling of an intriguing subject matter and potentially engrossing love story. It’s tamely adequate but not nearly satisfying enough, even though it does warrant the odd stray tear.

2/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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LFF 2015: Bone Tomahawk ****

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Posted: 27/02/2016

Bone-Tomahawk

First glance at Bone Tomahawk’s poster would have Western fans rubbing their hands with glee, potentially putting off Horror junkies. It’s a curious film that could either be a Western with Horror traits, or a period slasher film set in the Wild West. Either way, it has a remarkable quality as it genuinely invests in its characters. Hence, purely labelling it a slasher with the standard bloody body count is wholly inaccurate.

When two residents of the small settler town of Bright Hope go missing, Sheriff Hunt (Kurt Russell) and his unlikely crew of right-hand man, wise-cracking Chicory (Richard Jenkins), one of the kidnapped’s wounded husband Arthur (Patrick Wilson) and local ‘Dapper Dan’ Brooder (Matthew Fox) head out on the trail of some cannibalistic Indians in a daring rescue attempt.

An air of unease looms from the very start of the film, with a fledging town rather exposed to a building malaise. It’s standard Western tactics, introducing the key players and pointing out their main characteristics. Once the foursome head off though, although you get the usual plodding horseback ride and stunning vistas then the campfire chat, it’s clear this ‘Western’ needs us to invest in its characters, so we can truly empathise with their later predicament.

Here is where writer/debut director S. Craig Zahler (writer of only one feature before, The Incident (2011)) really excels. These four could be transported into any time, any scenario because it’s their developing rapport that makes for fascinating viewing. Zahler also adds great humour that cleverly kneads the tension and fear of the unknown. He also makes the journey play out very much like real-time, though the two-hour run-time goes by very quickly.

Russell, Wilson and Fox (in a commendable against-type role) are brilliantly cast and make for an intriguing ensemble. However, it’s Jenkins’ loveable ‘old fool’ character that steals the show, coming up with the most oddly hilarious, diverting conversations in the thick of the moment. In fact, his character is the most complex – it’s clear Chicory has history and seen a lot in life, but he’s also very humbling and loyal all the same.

The film turns into a The Hills Have Eyes in the second half, ramping up the gore and casting an almost ‘supernatural’ shadow over proceedings. However, it always keeps things grounded and believable, what with alien customs in force, even though you want to be repulsed by the ‘other-worldly’ events occurring.

Zahler’s Indians are some of the most repellent any Western could possibly offer, but also some of the most privately primitive – the latter description sounding vaguely racial, but those who see the film will get the sense of this observation. There is a lot of contrast between what’s classed as ‘civilised’ behaviour and the latter, which touches on the Western tropes and further cements this genre with the slasher side.

Therefore, Bone Tomahawk is an immensely satisfying offering that will appeal to both Western and Horror camps and it looks great, production-wise. With some great acting and thoughtful directing, it certainly is one of the most refreshing Western off-shoots in a long time.

 

4/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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