Showing posts with label The Lucky One. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Lucky One. Show all posts

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Review of the Week: The Avengers

0 comments Posted by Katina at 7:30 PM

Just a quick comment I want to make: my friend pointed out that Loki as depicted by Marvel is nothing like her knowledge of the character from Norse mythology, and as such she was a bit disappointed. I can't say to know anything about the myths but found it an interesting concept that if that's true there mustn't have been anyone else worthy to Stan Lee and co. in filling that void...

For the film as a whole, such huge hype has preceded this event and it held up to expectation. Plus I was excited to see Tom Hiddleston in such an extensive role (because authenticity or not, Loki's a great character) after he couldn't tell me much when I interviewed him for Thor :)

The Avengers (M)

Every fanboy’s dream has finally made it to cinemas in what is the first superhero blockbuster of the high season, preceding the return of Spiderman and DC rival Batman in his final hurrah. Not least highly anticipated because of questions it was expected to answer, the grouping of Marvel comic heroes sets itself up for the battle of all battles. And that means bringing in the outsiders.

Last year’s Thor first showed the relationship between the titular character (Chris Hemsworth) and his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), one the hero of planet Asgard, the other seemingly in his shadow. That pain still lingers for Loki, who craves domination and establishes a relationship with aliens of an unknown planet to take down Earth and its freedom.

On our fair planet, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team are guarding a tessaract that they believe contains enough energy for long-term sustainability on Earth. Loki uses his extra-terrestrial allies to steal it and threaten all mankind by unleashing the energy for evil. The Avengers are then called in one by one to stop the catastrophe.

Director Joss Whedon wastes no time with backstories already established in five previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Instead, each hero is apprehensive about meeting the others based on unruly tales and have right to be when it later translates into internal arguments. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) hates and is hated by almost everyone and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) is feared for any sudden change into The Hulk. Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) are more focused but still unhappy with how the situation is unfurling.

Blog exclusive: Personal opinion: the two hottest Chris' in the universe.

The plot and associated danger at hand play second fiddle to these internal conflicts in the middle stretch as questions of who would beat who in an ultimate battle are (at least partly) answered. Each has strengths and weaknesses exposed through physical and verbal stoushes as their larger-than-life egos temporarily forget the big picture.

But that’s Whedon’s game play. Anticipating what the fans want, he delivers in a style worthy of the expectation. As screenwriter, he contains enough intrigue and information for those new to the Marvel universe to grasp what is happening while fuelling the banter as further expansion of characters many are now well aware of.

The cast are established in their roles and manage to pull off working together (or not) extremely well. Ruffalo is the newcomer of the group but performs well coming into the fold. S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) is also a welcome addition, while Hiddleston is gleefully enjoyable as Loki. As a very late confirmation for inclusion in the film, he evolves into an important central character. Loki is a villain almost worth pity as the help offered for redemption by his brother is completely lost on him.

The action between the Avengers and Loki’s aliens (because there is a big battle, no spoiler there) is of a level expected with such a high calibre of heroes, kept interesting through various obstacles preventing the new team from finishing the job. There aren’t too many laughs, but the emergence of the Avengers still maintains expectation and a high level of butt-kicking.
Rating: 4/5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 28/4/2012

MISSED LAST WEEK'S REVIEW? See what I thought of The Lucky One.

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Saturday, April 21, 2012

Review of the Week: The Lucky One

0 comments Posted by Katina at 7:30 PM

Straight off the top, I'm a bit of a Zac Efron fan. I think he looked incredibly hot in this film but that was really the best thing about it (which as a film critic is unfortunately not enough)... if you agree, or disagree, with my thoughts please voice them here!

The Lucky One (M)

Perhaps it's meant to be. Logan (Zac Efron) serves three terms in Iraq as a US Marine, surviving bomb attacks and raids after his best friend is killed in combat. He believes a photo he found of Beth (Taylor Schilling) brought him good luck, and on returning home he sets out to find her and give his thanks.

But life, in his circumstance, is never that simple. Logan struggles to explain about his time in warfare and why he's appeared in Beth's life, and hangs around to befriend her, son Ben (Riley Thomas Stewart) and her grandmother Ellie (Blythe Danner). To Beth's ex-husband Keith (Jay R. Ferguson), Logan is a threat and does his best to get him to leave.

Adelaide director Hicks seems an odd choice to helm this sort of offering, Sparks adaptations having the critics that they do. The formula of troubled souls that come together to find romance remains, with small-town pettiness from people or situations appearing as the obstacle to finding true love.
Walking into a Nicholas Sparks adaptation brings along a certain level of expectation, just as much as any superhero or other franchise. The all-American romantic fare he creates screams 'movie potential' to production companies targeting a soppy audience, but Scott Hicks makes it clear that this isn't a huge tearjerker.



The idyllic location is beautiful, yet presents itself unconsciously as typical for romance to blossom in the spring air. But to be fair, it's not all squeaky clean as Hicks injects a bit of passion with an intimate scene not usually of the like. It's this that sees the film pushing the boundaries further than previous Sparks adaptations.

It also comes as a warning to parents that Zac Efron's not the boy from High School Musical anymore. While his star continues to rise it's not from this, his performance not exciting and relying on those (gorgeous) blue eyes of his to try and seal the deal. He can't even catch a break off-screen, the premieres in Australia arguably overshadowed by the arrival of those boys from One Direction.

The initial impression of a young boy entering the 'real' world with 'real' problems sticks around, and while returning from war would indeed throw you off how to be normal it doesn't make for comfortable viewing. Schilling as Beth disappointingly never makes a comfortable or believable fit as someone Logan's age, but thankfully Danner as Ellie provides some normality and a little bit of humour to help this one along.

Finding love takes time, and this plods along happily until the climatic and somewhat unnecessarily dramatic ending. Hicks has done well with the content to make it an easy watch, but the lack of interesting characters doesn't make it memorable. The exception is Stewart as Ben, who at 8 can play violin, baseball and chess with impressive skill. He's really the lucky one in this story.
Rating: 2.5

*Published in the Daily Liberal (Dubbo), Western Advocate (Bathurst), Parkes Champion Post and Midstate Observer (Orange) from Saturday 21/4/2012

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