Oct
28
06
Official movie website.
Internet Movie Database link.
After the latest stiff and soulless Star Wars episodes, Serenity is a
welcome breath of fresh air. If it were set in the Star Wars universe,
it would be titled “The adventures of Han Solo, if he had never come
across those pesky Rebels”.
Serenity thankfully dismisses meetings, political intrigue and deep, brainy
analyses to concentrate on fighting, low-atmosphere
combat, and the unraveling of a significant mystery. This mystery
involves, of course, a race of berserk cannibals and a pretty young
girl “conditioned for combat” and “of extraordinary grace”. Just like it
should be.
Rating: Very good.
Filed under Very Good, S, Science Fiction.
Oct
22
06
Internet Movie Database link.
Official movie site.
The setting is the near future, and a conflict between virus-infected, mutant vampire super-soldiers and the totalitarian human government is raging. Violet, a mutant, is set to save a child and, with it, her humanity.
This film’s true protagonist is Milla Jovovich’s bare midriff, with her lips and eyes as secondary characters. Besides that, there’s not much more on offer: a simplistic yet unintelligible script, remarkably bad acting, and special effects that are an embarrassment to the XXIst century. Some fight scenes are halfway decent, though I’m still wondering why futuristic soldiers would use glass armor.
Rating: Avoid.
Filed under Avoid, U, Science Fiction.
Aug
06
06
Internet Movie Database link.
Official movie website.
This is a hard film for me to categorize. On one hand, the acting is very good, the story is interesting and relevant today, and Evey, Portman’s character, is well developed and intriguing. Hugo Weaving has the best voice among actors that I know, and he doesn’t dissapoint here. The production quality is also very good.
On the other hand, I tend to dislike movies with opressive, slightly surreal, dark environments. This movie is a bit twilight-zoney. However, I was still thinking about it more than a week after seeing it, and in my book that means it was excellent.
Rating: Excellent.
Filed under Excellent, V, Action, Science Fiction.
Aug
01
06
Internet Movie Database link.
Official movie website.
This movie doesn’t raise itself above the Sunday afternoon crowd. The acting is below par, the characters are flat and lifeless, Luthor is never really menacing, and too many situations are left unexplained. This leaves us with a comic-based movie that is much less entertaing than the likes of X-Men or Spiderman. Superman’s disappearance plays no real role other than making Lois angry at him. I could never understand why Superman can’t just get over her — she’s got kids, for crying out loud.
Some of the special effects, though, are top notch. Not all.
Rating: Good.
Filed under Good, S, Science Fiction, Comics.
Dec
04
05
Internet Movie Data Base link.
Official movie website.
Much more entertaining than I expected, The Island is a well-made thriller that mixes a reasonable presentation of the implications of cloning with some cool action scenes.
On the downside, Johansson is a terrible actress. She doesn’t contribute much to the film, which is carried mostly by McGregor and the always funny Buscemi.
The film does include a few violent scenes which are not apt for the squeamish.
Rating: Good.
Filed under Good, I, Action, Science Fiction.
Nov
28
05
Internet Movie Data Base link.
Official movie website.
The more bearable of the second Star Wars trilogy, Episode III is still a huge disappointment. This is not an epic saga like The Lord of the Rings — this is a stiff, boring political intrigue movie.
The story attempts to be a bit more mature and deep, without really convincing. The myth of the creation of Vader is amazingly lame — he was basically left to die by Obi-Wan and Palpatine had to come rescue him. Wow, such evil. Not.
The movie is still enjoyable, with some good fights and special effects. And there’s Natalie Portman too.
Rating: Good.
Filed under Good, S, Science Fiction.
