Safe House
Anthony Macali
A young CIA agent is tasked with looking after a fugitive in a safe house. But when the safe house is attacked, he finds himself on the run with his charge.
You can't help but laugh at the irony of "Safe House". What is supposed to be a temporary detention and interrogation room for captured criminals is a mere launching pad for the first of many intense shoot-outs and car chases. The action doesn't stop, and the film's suspense remains taut throughout thanks to some handy camerawork, a pumping soundtrack and the frenzied senior officials all pointing fingers at one another. Guns, lies, espionage… nobody's safe.
Sucker Punch
Stefan Bugryn
A young girl confides in her own fantasy world to help her escape out of a mental asylum.
If you walk into this movie with an open mind, you may just enjoy it. It's essentially just a feature length, pseudo-erotic video game, complete with different levels and 'bad guys' to defeat. There is an abundance of stylistic violence, with many scenes looking like something straight from the pages of a comic book. It won't take you long to realise the storyline is merely an excuse to showcase the visuals. If you go along for the ride, then you'll enjoy yourself. If you don't, well then, you're just a sucker...
Edge of Darkness
Wendy Slevison
As homicide detective Thomas Craven investigates the death of his activist daughter, he uncovers not only her secret life, but a corporate cover-up and government collusion.
Adapted from a popular British television series, "Edge of Darkness" showcases the leading man in his signature genre, the action thriller. Solidly produced, with strong performances and plenty of dramatic tension, most of the film is a satisfyingly intense ride. Unfortunately, the last section becomes somewhat chaotic, and the body count ridiculously high. A word of warning – the storyline is quite complex, so concentrate or you'll be left in the dark.
Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within
Andrew O'Dea
A Lieutenant-Colonel in the military police force of Rio de Janeiro wages a war to vanquish the city of its drugs and corruption.
Set amongst the slums of Rio, "Elite Squad 2" is a fictionalised yet telling exploration of the harsh political reality in Brazil. A bloody and intelligent political thriller, the guns also blaze in a host of gritty but exceptionally realistic shoot-outs. Through a tale of violence, it highlights the exploitation of the poor to the corruption of the police and bureaucrats who are meant to be preventing the crime they profit from. Not quite elite, but a markedly solid effort nonetheless.
Beowulf
Anthony Macali
The warrior Beowulf must fight and defeat the monster Grendel who is terrorizing towns, and later, Grendel's mother, who begins killing out of revenge.
A motion-capture animation of breathtaking visuals, "Beowulf" is a story of one enigmatic warrior, his gruff voice and the monsters he meets. The most merry-making of them all, is a large dragon with a fiery breath that blasts from the cinema speakers at full volume. The action will please the fantasy fans, and the rest will marvel at the computer graphics that tends to overshadow the plot, characters, and any other elements of the film.
Hot Fuzz
Anthony Macali
A city cop, too good for his job, is reallocated by his colleagues to the English country town of Sanford. The cop soon discovers a lot of suspicious accidents in this supposedly quiet town.
There are many laughs in this tribute to the buddy cop films of the eighties with countless references (some purposely orchestrated). The grande finalé should have started earlier in the film, but was not unwelcome and provides the best satire. If your humour welcomes fly-kicking elderly citizens to the head, you will enjoy this.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Andrew O'Dea
Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty.
"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" is a film dotted with action, mystery, intrigue and humour, picking up right where its predecessor left off. The audience will once again regale in the superbly realised relationship between Holmes and Watson, their chemistry and witty banter providing the perfect accompaniment to an intricate storyline and a series of gripping action sequences. Although some may find this instalment overly stylised, most fans will no doubt be satisfied. It's elementary.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Anthony Macali
Master sorcerer Balthazar Blake recruits a seemingly everyday guy in his mission to defend New York City from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath.
"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is a modern take on the world of wizardry, competing in the popular genre with more money and less imagination. The ingredients are familiar: boy meets girl, the journey of the 'chosen' one, love is more important than the end of world... such unoriginality is cleverly cloaked in wiz-bang special effects and the charisma of the cast. Despite its bewitchery, the film is ultimately entertaining and destined for a future of more 'life' lessons from sorcerers.
21 Jump Street
Anthony Macali
A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to school to blend in and bring down a drug ring.
In the case of "21 Jump Street", the fact it doesn't suck is the most surprising. From the very outset, the film makes us aware its 80's reprise is not original, and setting such a tone makes it easier to like and laugh. The bumbling detectives play their parts well, lost in the world of the modern high-school and playing up the geek/jock stereotypes to hilarious results. Unfortunately, most of the jokes are hit and miss beyond this point, compounded by a long running time and unnecessary vulgarity. Jump to it!
The Kingdom
Anthony Macali
A team of US government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of a facility in the Middle East.
"The Kingdom" is an entertaining venture into a world of foreign affairs and the war against terror. The reality is frightening, in particular a bomb-making sequence where the device is constructed under a careful and meticulous preparation that sends chills down your spine. Unfortunately, much of the weight of discussion is lost in the final chapter, where a questionable chase rocket-launches into action. The forensics, politics and explosions will find an audience, but the message is lost in all the debris.
Thor
Anthony Macali
Powerful Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth.
This movie is one of the shiniest you will ever see, from Thor's armour and hammer to his home in Asgard, replete with large gold statues and lots of lens flare. The titular hero is played with great gall and charm, as he is banished from the CGI kaleidoscope of Space to Earth, the perfect place to showcase some of his finer attributes. Aesthetics aside, the film is held together by the power of its cast, who could only have joined the production on the basis of its actor turned director. "Thor" simply gets it done.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Andrew O'Dea
A teenager discovers he's the son of the Greek god Poseidon and sets out on an adventure to settle an on-going battle between Zeus and the gods.
Although it suffers from predictability and humour that doesn't always work, the way "Percy Jackson" translates classical myths into the modern spectrum is both clever and at times fun and exciting. A strong supporting cast and satisfying action sequences combined with terrific visual effects help to sustain it through some weak plot points. Far from a great film, it's sure to appeal to its key demographic; kids will love it, while the rest of us might appreciate a free lesson in Greek mythology.
Vantage Point
Anthony Macali
With a Rashomon narrative style, the attempted assassination of the president is told from several different perspectives.
"Vantage Point" might seem interesting at first, with its "different points of view" storytelling, large ensemble cast and an American president. In truth, it's a bit repetitive and formulaic, with revelations only coming after we endure the assassination again and again. In the end, the bad guys die, there's a car chase to please all the confused viewers, and the story gets nicely wrapped up. Entertaining enough, but still annoying.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Wendy Slevison
An origin story set in present day San Francisco, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.
The storyline for this movie could be the daydreams of apes that spend their lives in zoos, caged for human entertainment. Featuring remarkable CGI and motion-capture performances, in particular by the lead "ape", this is a gem for buffs, but could leave others a little underwhelmed. The human actors are rather dull, and it takes a long time to get the narrative established. However, with the apes firmly on the rise by the end of the film, stand by to 'go ape' for the upcoming sequel.
Legion
Andrew O'Dea
An out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race when God loses faith in humankind...
Anyone seeing "Legion" hoping t enjoy anything even remotely theological will be sorely disappointed. The premise is absurd, and the plot downright confusing. Guns and explosions are the film's first commandment, yet combined with a mock serious tone and some hilariously perplexing moments, it manages to be oddly fun. Although far from divine, it'll be entertaining enough for those who think they might enjoy a movie about 'angels with machine guns'...