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The Mercy (Cinema Review)

7th February 2018 By George Elcombe

Starring: Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis, Mark Gatiss, Andrew Buchan
Directed By: James Marsh
Running Time: 101 Minutes
UK Release Date: 09 February 2018
BBFC Certificate: 12A

Our Score

Regular readers of my reviews know that from time to time I like to attend screenings for films I know nothing about, free from any hype or expectation. With this mindset I was blown away by a little gem called Hell or High Water in 2016, but I’ve also seen some duds which I won’t mention here.

As such I went into The Mercy with no knowledge of the film beside the two leads, but had an underlying feeling that this may be a film designed to win awards due to its release in February and the fact that director James Marsh’s previous film, The Theory of Everything (2014), was both critically praised and won a lot of gongs. What I got was a perfectly fine and enjoyable film, but in all honesty it felt like a feature length drama made for the small screen, which isn’t really surprising as it’s made by BBC Films. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis, Mark Gatiss, Andrew Buchan  DIRECTORS: James Marsh  

Wonder Woman (Blu-ray Review)

9th October 2017 By Tim Isaac

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Danny Huston, Robin Wright, David Thewlis
Directed By: Patty Jenkins
Running Time: 141 mins
BBFC Certificate: 12
UK Release Date: October 9th 2017

Our Score

Although DC’s movies have done okay at the box office, the likes of Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad certainly haven’t gained the same level of enthusiasm and fan fervour as Marvel’s movies. However, with Wonder Woman they hit the jackpot, with a movie that was well-received by critics, fans and general audiences, grossing over $800 million at the box office. It set a lot of records for a movie directed by a woman along the way, from being the most expensive film with a female director to the highest grossing.

The film starts out on the mystical island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. Diana (Gal Gadot) has been trained to be the ultimate warrior, although her mother, Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), is determined that she needs to be protected and shouldn’t find out the truth of her birth.

Literally crash landing into this paradise comes Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), followed by a platoon of First World War German soldiers. After hearing that the world outside Themyscira is at war, Diana decides she must help, as she believes she is the only one who can kill the god of war, Ares, who she things must be behind The Great War. Steve however doesn’t think there is a god influencing things, but he does think that Diana can help, especially as he knows German General Ludendorff (Danny Huston) is working on a new chemical weapon, which could lengthen the war and turn the tide against the allies.

After the effusive reaction the film got at the cinema, for the first hour of Wonder Woman I couldn’t see what the fuss was about. There is an awful lot of set-up, as they explain the island of Themyscira, the Amazons, how the Greek gods fit into all this, and that Diana is somehow special. Then Captain Kirk, sorry, Chris Pine turns up and they have to explain about the war, who Ludendorff is and various other things. It really is death by exposition.

Even when they occasionally throw in an action scene in the early parts of the movie, the special effects aren’t that great, with everything looking oddly plastic and fake, like a cut-scene from a videogame.

Eventually though, they get Diana off the island and she essentially starts taking on the entire German army all by herself. At that point, things get a lot more fun. All the never-ending explanation is replaced with a fun storyline, a snappier pace and better special effects. While the acting isn’t brilliant, Gal Gadot and Chris Pine make a good central pairing, with their romance essentially being played out like Captain America has been smashed together with The Little Mermaid.

Thankfully the second hour and a bit is enough fun that it makes you forget the slog it took to get there. Some will feel the ending is a little dragged out, but it works and even manages a little emotional resonance at times. And despite being set during the First World War, it manages to keep the tone lighter than the earlier DC films, which seemed to be trying to outdo each other with their gritty outlook and edge of nihilism (to be fair, it was actually quite an achievement to make a nihilistic Superman movie). However, it also made those movies less entertaining.

Whereas Batman vs Superman made the case for humanity not being worth saving (I don’t think that was meant to be the point, but it’s the effect of the way it approached things), Wonder Woman has no doubt that the world is a good place overall, even if she may be a little naïve about the way things work. It helps make you root for her and overlook some of the film’s sloppy edges. It’s a lesson that hopefully other DC movies will take note of, starting with November’s Justice League.

As you would expect, the picture quality on the Blu-ray is very good, and it’s backed up by a good selection of special features, which take you into the complex creation of the movie.

Overall Verdict: Although it’s far from a perfect movie and the first hour is mainly boring explanation, the second half is great fun and points towards what DC should have been doing all along.

Reviewer: Tim Isaac

Special Features:
Epilogue: Etta’s Mission
‘Crafting the Wonder’ Featurette
‘A Director’s Vision: Themyscira: The Hidden Island’ Featurette
‘A Director’s Vision: Beach Battle’ Featurette
‘A Director’s Vision: A Photograph Through Time’ Featurette
‘A Director’s Vision: Diana in the Modern World’ Featurette
A Director’s Vision: Wonder Woman at War’ Featurette
‘Warriors of Wonder Woman’ Featurette
‘The Trinity’ Featurette
‘The Wonder Behind the Camera’ Featurette
‘Finding the Wonder Woman Within’ Featurette
Extended Scenes
Blooper Reel

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Danny Huston, Robin Wright, David Thewlis  DIRECTORS: Patty Jenkins  FILMS: Wonder Woman  

Macbeth (Blu-ray Review)

31st January 2016 By Tim Isaac

macbeth-slideStarring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Jack Reynor
Directed By: Justin Kurzel
Running Time: 113 mins
BBFC Certificate: 15
UK Release Date: February 1st 2016 (UK)

Our Score

A rebellion is underway against Scottish King Duncan (David Thewlis), and it looks like it may be the end for his reign, until Thane Of Glamis, Macbeth (Michael Fassbender), scores an unexpected battlefield victory. However, before he can go back to Duncan, Macbeth and his friend Banquo (Paddy Considine) are visited by three witches, who tell the former that he will be King, but that it is the latter’s children who will reign in the future.

Goaded on by his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard), Macbeth kills Duncan and seizes the throne. However, his greed and aspirations begin to slowly consume him, as he attempts to consolidate his power and ensure that the witches’ prophecy about Banquo’s children will not come true and that his own line will rule Scotland. After the supernatural ladies have a few more things to say, Macbeth makes a decision that could spell disaster for everyone. [Read more…]

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Jack Reynor  DIRECTORS: Justin Kurzel  FILMS: Macbeth  

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