Movie Review - The Collection

The Collection

2012

The Cast

Though this is the sequel to "The Collector" and ties in well with the ending of the first film, it actually has very little to do with the original.  For starters, you have to forget the premise of the first as well as The Collectors modus operandi.  Like the original, these films work well if you don't think... at all.  Once you do you'll start spotting the massive gaping flaws in the story.  So in this chapter, The Collector has upped his game and has gone after a club full of young adults.  From which one survives.  Luckily for her, she has a loving and rich father who will do anything to get her back... so he sends in his own band of mercenaries to get her out... okay, everybody, let's march into the blood-spattered decrepit hotel and chant at the top of your voices, "Let's Go Die, Let's Go Die".  And so the carnage continues.

The thing which made the previous film so good is the same thing that makes this... the tension and suspense.  Dunstan is a maestro at manipulating the pace and atmosphere to get you on the edge of your seat.  Every time a trap is sprung you wonder how nasty it'll be... answer... very nasty.  That's the second thing keeping the audiences attention, the kills and the action.  There is a tonne of gore, enough to keep Hershall Lewis smiling in heaven, and plenty enough for the gorehounds.

Stewart is much better as Arkin in this film.  It would appear that being the collector's plaything has added an extra depth or two to him.  His motivation to escape is evident in every scene he's in.  Lee Tergesen does a passable job as the hired killer Lucello.  However, the rest of his merry men are ten-a-penny redshirts... proper cannon fodder.  So, it would appear that the writers decided not to fill out their characters too much.  Then there was Fitzpatrick as Elena, who was okay while she didn't say anything.  However, when she did speak she spoke with wooden tongue.

The special effects were awesome, the re-breaking of Arkin's arm and the escape attempt is quite nearly sickening.  The sewn together body parts is eerie and disturbing.  And the traps are gruesome and deadly.  Hopefully, all of this should be enough to satisfy, who needs a story, right(?)

The story really could have made this into a better and stronger film.  In the original, all you had to do was forget that it takes time to jerry-rig a house with all the traps, the collector used - forgivable, for entertainment's sake.

The character of the collector breaks into a house and leaves a present for the homeowners.  A trunk, inside of which is a tortured person from his previous escapade.  This "Present" is for shock value to throw the prey into confusion and fear.  Then he sets about torturing and killing everyone, but one, in the house... nobody lives.

This is even mentioned on a TV News Broadcast in the sequel.  There's been a spree of home invasions with this MO.  Even though it's the police being interviewed in the broadcast there appears to be no manhunt for The Collector.  No Task Force.  No FBI.  Then there's a party at a secret location... not too secret as TC's had time to set up a really nasty combine harvester trap, which is rigged to the trunk, hidden away in one of the rooms of the derelict house.  Boy, he was really hoping that somebody would be curious enough to go looking through a condemned building, so they'd set the trap off.

Then when we get to his hotel it just gets worse.  Not only does this killer torture and murder homeowners but he must also be picking up people off the street judging by the number of dismembered cadavers laying around...  Not only that, but he now has "The Collection" roaming around the place too.  People too scared to try and escape.  Most of which are high on drugs.  TC must be cooking the stuff or he really is one sick rich dude.  However, the strange thing is the traps in this place... a place that's his so he has all the time in the world to construct the best traps ever,  but are really weak-assed.  One of them is a hallway of plywood with nails knocked through them.  They don't even move together.  Another is a hallway full of bear traps.  Which you can easily get through by just walking to the side of them.  Damn this place really needed Kevin McCallister's touch.

Then there's the stitched together body parts.  Looks, like TC's been watching The Human Centipede, what a sicko...  This absolutely breaks with his persona.  There is no way that he would do this.  And then to arrange them in some kind of fluid inside glass canisters... believability is out the window.

Had the writers chosen, not to go down this path but to remain on the original and begin to explain TC's psychosis and background a little then it would have only helped to define the character better.  The strongest films give their audience an inkling into the psychopath and his thinking.  You know what's eating Norman, what's driving Michael, why Freddy is so evil, and even Jason gets a backstory and motivation.  These add to the power of their characters and hopefully the films.

If you're a gorehound then this film is definitely for you.  If you don't like blood then I'd recommend you stay away.

I give this a blood-soaked and gore-stained 6 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - A Deadly Obsession

A Deadly Obsession

2012

Production Companies:  Moody Independent

My main motivation for watching this movie was Katee Sackhoff.  I find that she's a strong actress who brings a power and intensity to her roles and she does that here.

Suzanne is a psychologist and tutor who is trying to help Conner resolve his issues; unfortunately, Conner is in love... with Suzanne.  When she drops him as a client and recommends him to another psychologist he decides to prove his love for her in a rather violent fashion.  However, Suzanne is also under psychiatric observation as her troubled past has her worried that she too might possess violent tendencies similar to her mothers.

This being a TV movie, Weissman writes it as such.  This would make a great thriller if it were as dark as the premise suggests, though as a TV movie it's a fair shade lighter, though it still comes off well, though this is down to both the leads, Sackhoff and Harvey.  

The direction is pretty standard fare for television, there's nothing new in either the camera work or scene settings.  However, Stimpson does a good job with the pace of the film.  It's slightly faster and punchier than average which keeps the audience interested and the story flowing.  There are some drawbacks though as the students are your stereotypical kind and they are pretty annoying at times, especially when in the boiler room.  This is the time you're hoping the killer finds them.  Also, John Shea is very two dimensional as the other psychologist, though I've never rated him as a great actor ever since I saw him as Lex Luthor in Lois and Clark.  Luckily, Lively's character and her flirtatious interactions with campus security guard Olsen, played by Bates Wilder add a nice warm hearted feeling and a more relatable point of view for the audience.

This is a watchable and an enjoyable thriller which could have been better.  Though it is worth at least one viewing and I'd recommend it to anybody who likes psychological thrillers.  It's perfect for evening or Sunday afternoon viewings when you just want to relax and chill out.

Movie Review - Premium Rush

Premium Rush

2012

Pariah / Columbia Pictures

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

9.25 / 10

This is a beautifully shot movie which has stole its way into my heart.  I saw the trailer back in 2012 and wanted to watch the movie.  However, it didn't get released in my town's cinemas and it never appeared in the DVD shops.  After a year or so I'd forgotten about it.  Then the Sony Movie Channel started airing it... and am I glad(?)

The story runs second to the action, being there to weave together the adrenalin powered sequences.  However, the story is quite ambitious - you have a woman who is trying to bring her son to America; a dirty cop with a  gambling addiction; a Chinese gang who are managing the cop to clear his debt; and a bike messenger who loves the job more than his girlfriend does.  Wilee, played perfectly by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a bike courier in New York, who is requested to deliver an envelope to Chinatown before 7 pm.  Unfortunately for him, there's something of interest in the envelope which has him being pursued by a corrupt cop, Bobby Monday (this is probably Michael Shannon's strongest role), for its contents.  Within the envelope is one woman's hopes and dreams of reuniting with her estranged son.

This film would have been a perfect ten had these elements been expanded and tightened a little more, especially the relationship of the Mom, Nima (Jamie Chung) and her roommate, who is coincidentally Wilee's girlfriend Vanessa.  This relationship and the scenes shot around it just feel like filler.  Which is a shame since Nima actually requests Wilee to carry the envelope to its destination, though it appears Vanessa and Nima are more like strangers, than roommates.

Though the acting is tight and the actors are strong in their portrayals it's the action and the direction which adds the cherry to the cake in this film.  David Koepp has a great eye for this style of movie.  From the extreme zoom-outs, from street level to satellite view to show the biker's route and back into street view adds a new dimension to the film.  This is well crafted and thought out as you pass through clouds and the satellite views are never the same, which keeps these sections fresh and interesting.  But the innovative sequences don't stop there as Koepp slows down time to show Wilee figuring out which routes to take when he hits heavy traffic, since the wrong direction may harm him, a driver, or a pedestrian.  This is an awesome concept and works well.  Then you have the speed as the bikes race and dance through speeding traffic on the streets - these scenes are deftly choreographed and filmed in every camera angle possible to keep the audience on the edge of their seats and marvelling at how nobody is getting killed.

I would recommend anybody to watch this film, but please take an hour afterwards to calm down, before taking to the streets on your bikes.  If you're an up and coming director or film student then this is a must watch movie as it shows originality, ingenuity, and artistic talent.

Movie Trailer

Training For Premium Rush

Behind The Scenes

 

Movie Review - Dragon Eyes

Dragon Eyes

2012

After Dark Films / Signature Entertainment / Autonomous Films / Dark Castle Entertainment / Silver Pictures : After Dark Films / G2 Pictures / IM Global

2.25 / 10

I've been a fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme films since No Retreat No Surrender back in 1986, in fact, that's when my interest in martial arts movies started to grow.  To be honest, Van Damme has done some bad films in his time and this has to be one of the worst, though not because of him... Van Damme is the strongest actor in the cast.

This is a strange story of police corruption and gang warfare which flares up out of control when Hong, played by Cung Le is released from prison and drives into St. Jude.  So that premise alone should allow for great drama and martial arts action, especially as Cung Le is a mixed martial arts champion and the cast sports Peter Weller as the crooked cop Mister V.

However, the story is weak and full of plotholes, whereas the martial arts scenes are all fought in slow motion and is easier to spot the fakes and the fluffs - the thrown punches that miss their opponent.  The slowness also distracts from the action.  There was a reason some 80's martial arts films speeded up the action, they knew it made it more exciting.  Hence, you slow it down and it gets boring.  This was a major fubar by director John Hyams - the other was to try and make the film stylish and cool, it was too obvious and failed miserably.

Then there's the set's these are so cheap and tacky they look as if they were either abandoned buildings or somebodies garage.  Should have paid for a location scout, people.

It's Weller as the over-the-top Mister V and Van Damme as Tiano who actually appear to give a damn about the film as they both get into their characters pretty well, though it's nowhere nearly enough to raise this out of the toilet it should be flushed down.

Yet another movie that could have been so much better had things been done differently.

I wouldn't even recommend this to Van Damme fans as he's just not in it fo long enough.  If you're thinking of making a martial arts film then you could watch this to see how it shouldn't be done!

Movie Review - The Baytown Outlaws

The Baytown Outlaws

2012

Lleju Productions / State Street Pictures : Phase 4 Films / Universal Pictures

7.25 / 10

This movie just goes to prove that even if you have a fantastic and talented cast you still may only come out with a mediocre product.  I did say product as this feels as though the director Barry Battles was aiming to create a cult film.  When will they learn, cult films aren't created... they are born...

It's this feeling that Battles was trying so hard to create something visually stunning, fashionable, and iconic that deprives the film of atmosphere and emotion.

The story that Battles and his writing partner, Griffin Hood, come up with is a classic damsel in distress, with a few action-packed twists.  The three outlaw brothers, Brick, McQueen, and Lincoln Oodie (portrayed brilliantly by Clayne Crawford, Travis Fimmell, and Daniel Cudmore respectively) are just on the wrong side of the law.  However, their felonious escapades usually end up helping to deminish the criminal element in town so Sheriff Millard (played stoically by Andre Braugher), turns a blind eye... it also helps that they sometimes work for him.  Then one day they meet Celeste (Eva Longoria) who hires them to go and get her son Rob away from Carlos (Billy Bob Thornton), who is holding him captive.

Unbeknown to them, Carlos is a major drug dealer, so when they rescue Rob from him they are instantly on his hit list.  Carlos proceeds to send out gang after gang of murderous cutthroats to kill the brothers and bring the boy back to him.

With a cast this good and a story so strong this should have been a magnificently enjoyable action-packed romp.  However, it falls flat and I can only believe it's down to the direction of Battles as well as his desire to create something different.  As I stated previously, all this leaves the film lacking ambiance and leaves it wanting.

The cast and the story do carry the film and keep it from falling too far into banality.  If it's bad outside or your off work ill then this is a decent way to waste a few minutes of your time.

Movie Review - Crossfire

Crossfire

(2012)

Grindstone Entertainment Group / Cheetah Group / EFO Films / Paradox Entertainment / Action Jackson Films / Envision Entertainment / Knightsbridge Entertainment / Lionsgate Productions : KVH Media Group

2.25 / 10

How good should this film have been(?)  Starring Robert De Niro and Forest Whitaker, two great American actors, and 50'Cent Curtis Jackson who I've noticed acting well in other films, this should have been, at the least, a satisfyingly good film.  So when I saw The Sony Movie Channel was airing it I thought I'd give it a view.

DAMN!  This was bad!  If I were any of the actors I wouldn't even consider putting this on my resume.  Robert De Niro played the leader of a group of bad cops, Joe Sarcone, who recruits Malo, Curtis Jackson, and his friends.  These had previously been thugs who had supposedly seen the light but were very quick to jump on board Sarcone's ship (so much for the good guys)  Milo is paired with LaRue, Forest Whitaker, who is a drug addict and will let anybody off if he can score from them.  Even though he's not openly racist he does have a hatred for whites.  This is balanced off by a minor player in the film, Billy Morrison, played brilliantly by Matt Gerald (who is the only acting light in this dire movie), as he has a hatred for anyone not white and is very vocal and aggressive about it.

The only good cop in the whole film is Terrence Burke, played by Robert Wisdom.  He tries to keep his distance from the others and even gets his rookie partner A D, Malcolm Goodwin, to help him train the kids in his area at football.  The only community-minded cop in the city, it would appear. 

Even when the cop who's pursuing Sarcone's mob, Robert Jude (played by Michael McGrady) tries to recruit Malo by telling him what really happened to his father, you get the sense that he isn't as clean as he should be.

This is a pretty depressing tale that paints the majority of police in a bad light stating that most of them are corrupt and on the take.  If I were in this city I'd not ask a policeman directions because they would direct you down an alley, shoot you in the back and steal all your valuables.

The writer, L Phillipe Casseus, gives the audience a bleak tale of greed and depravity in the police force.  This isn't a bad thing, it's been done before; though, it's been done better.  The fault, I believe, lies with the director Jessy Terrero, who probably only got the job because he'd worked with Jackson before.

Most of the scenes are slapdash and so brilliantly set out.  Jackson, most of the time, stumbles around the sets without an idea of what his character is about.  There is one hell of a lot to Malo and giving the role to a newbie, without proper direction, was a bad decision.

De Niro is at his shouty best here; stomping around, hitting and shooting things.  Even though it's nice to see him go berserk he just does it too much - poor guy must have needed some lockets afterwards to soothe his throat.

Forest Whitaker is brilliant as the drug-addled cop... so good that he actually does appear to have been on something.  It was probably needed to get through this rubbish with most of his sanity intact.  But it really didn't help the movie any, it just made his lines seem slurred and indistinguishable.

If you like any of the actors or cop drama's then I would recommend you to stay away from this pile of diatribe.

Movie Review - Arbitrage

Arbitrage

(2012)

Lionsgate / Green Room Films / Treehouse Pictures : Lionsgate Home Entertainment / Parley Films

8 / 10

When this came on the telly the description wasn't a pull and the IMDb description isn't any better... and we all know that what you see in the trailer could be the best the movie has to offer.  What pulled me into watching the film was Tim Roth, Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon.

I am so glad I chose to watch the movie.

The start of the film is slow and too business orientated, I can understand why the director, Nicholas Jarecki, who also wrote the story, chose to show you this side as one of the main issues is the future of the company Robert Miller has built up from nothing.  I think it could have been trimmed a little as it could cause the viewer to become unconcerned and turn off.  This would be a mistake.

The main section of the film is concerned with Robert Miller's actions and reactions to a car accident he and his mistress are involved in and the ensuing police investigation.  What lengths will he go to come out of the mess he's created, help his family survive his mistake, and keep a friend out of jail?

Jarecki does a brilliant job of keeping a nice pace going, once the action starts and getting good performances from his cast.  There are some nicely shot scenes; I really liked the car accident.  Story-wise, he is good at keeping the viewer attention and drawing them into the tale, which is strong and full of twists and turns.  However, I think we should have seen more of Ellen Miller, Robert's wife, as the issues in the film would have encompassed her more personally than we got to see.

The actors do a wonderful job at portraying their characters.

If you like crime drama's with action, suspense, twists and turns, a decent story, good direction and excellent acting then this film is for you... just stay with it through the boring start.

Movie Review - Girls Against Boys

Girls Against Boys

(2012)

Floren Shieh Productions : Anchor Bay Films / Anchor Bay Entertainment

6.75 / 10

This little independent movie has a lot going for it.  A believable story line with realistic characters and situations, a strong and truthful story that is directed with care.

Danielle Panabaker does a spectacular job of creating a very believable victim of rape, Shae, who, with her new friend and work colleague Lulu, subtly portrayed by Nicole LaLiberte, take fatal action on her attackers.

Yes, this has been done numerous times, the last big budget version being The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster.  Though what this story gives you is the more nitty-gritty feel of real life.  Shae is an ordinary woman trying to make her way through life, she attends college and works a bar part-time.  There's a wonderful scene where she asks a colleague to take over for her and she walks away to catch five minutes as she's having a bad day.  Panabaker's walk behind the bar and in front of the bar speaks volumes of Shae's tiredness, dejectedness, and all over weariness of her life at this point.  Nicely acted and well directed.

While in the stairway she meets Lulu and they strike up a conversation.  When Lulu hears about Shae's day she decides to take her to a nightclub to take her mind off things.  At the end of the night, they go back to an apartment shared by a couple of men they met at the club.  Shae, worn out, chooses to go home.  Tyler, who paired off with Shea offers to be a gentleman and escort her home.  However, he doesn't take being rejected at the door to her apartment building and resolves to get what he think he deserves.

What I like about this film is the lack of graphic violence, most of the time the director Austin Chick, who also wrote the story, chooses to cut away.  This allows the viewer imagination to take over because we're not stupid we know what's going on, there's no need to depict it.

From here on Lulu takes over and becomes the dominant character in the newly formed duo.  She takes Shae to the police to report the crime, though they find them indifferent and unconcerned about the crime or the victim.  It's Lulu who decides on the course of action to take and she's the one to start the ball rolling.  Shae, still traumatised by the incident wonders around in a fugue most of the time.  It's Shae's state of shock which makes this a more plausible tale of revenge.

The resulting conclusion is pretty inevitable.

This is a slow, well thought out psychological thriller, which gives a breath of fresh air to a much-used storyline.

This isn't a pleasant film to watch.  You don't really root for the victim to have her revenge, as the story isn't just about Shae's rape and her resolution, but of her relationship with Lulu, who is broken in her own way.  This is a film that is made to make you think.

Well worth a watch once, though I don't think I'll ever go back to it, as it will stay with me for quite a while.

Movie Review - No One Lives

No One Lives

(2012)

W.W.E. Studios / Pathe : Pathe / Anchor Bay Entertainment / 20th Century Fox

7.5 / 10

 

A nice "Leave your brain at the door" psychological action thriller.  However, if you think too much about it, you'll see the many flaws.

This is a story we've seen before, a man loses his girl to a gang of criminal thugs and takes it upon himself to wreak vengeance on the gang, in the most graphically violent way possible.  In view of this, the film is still fresh, this due to the twist in the story... and it's a good one,  though I had figured it out by the second scene.

Ryuhei Kitamura does an excellent job of creating tension and suspense at the right times as well as keeping the story tight and moving at a rapid pace.

All the actors give good performances, especially Luke Evans as The Driver, Adelaide Clemens as Emma Ward, and Lee Tergeson gives his usual "Bad Boy" as Hoag.

It's also nice to NOT see a wrestler anywhere in sight saying WWE had a hand in production.

Unfortunately, not to give spoilers I cannot say much more, though I would recommend this to all revenge lovers, out there, to watch at least once... 

... but don't think too much about it - just enjoy.

BEWARE - The Trailer Below Contains Sence That Reveals The Twist In The Story.

Watch At Your Own Risk.