Category: Action

ZERO DARK THIRTY – The Review

Although many film makers and studios have benefited from using real-life events as movie source material, often reality has tripped up directors and screenwriters. Such is the case with ZERO DARK THIRTY. And we moviegoers are much richer for it. Director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal were preparing a follow-up to their 2008 Oscar winner THE HURT LOCKER. They were going to tell the story of the 2001 Battle of Tora Bora, the hiding place of 9/11 plotter Osama Bin Laden. Much of the story would have involved the effort to track him down. Then May 1, 2011 happened. US forces killed Bin Laden. The Tora Bora project was scrapped, but much of Boal’s extensive reasearch would be applied to this new film concerning one determined CIA agent’s efforts in this long mission (with its conclusion). Few films have succeeded in capturing the drama of such a recent event. ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN springs to mind back in 1976 (but much of those facts had been unearthed by the two reporters). The true tales of 9/11 have been given screen treatment before in films such as WORLD TRADE CENTER and FLIGHT 93, but none have approached the immediacy that Bigelow and Boal have delivered here. Perhaps this is cinematic lightning in a bottle.

The film opens with a black screen, underscored by actual telephone recordings of people trapped in the twin towers on that 2001 morning. Two years later we’re taken to a black site in the Mideast where interrogator Dan (Jason Clarke) uses “enhanced” methods to extract information from a prisoner. With Dan is CIA operative Maya (Jessica Chastain). For the next several years we follow this single-minded agent’s quest to locate Bin Laden. She clashes with superiors while pursuing leads that sometimes are dead ends. While the beurocrats stumble and hesitate, the terror attacks continue. But Maya forges ahead, clear in her goal. Then finally a break. A courier is tracked down in Pakistan. Could this be where Bin Laden is hiding? After much intelligence gathering and persuasion the order is finally given. The finale ends with Navy Seal Team Six flying in on stealth helicopters to storm a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan during a dark night nineteen months ago.

As far as the acting goes, THIRTY’s impact rests on the very capable shoulders of Chastain as the doggedly determined, hopefully future role model, Maya. We never see her blowing away the baddies, but she’s just as intimidating as the Black Widow (of MARVEL’S AVENGERS) or any countless heroines based on video game characters. Nothing and no one makes her back down. We see her passion and her frustration when it seems that nobody has her back. We feel her pain as the enemy insurgents strike those close to her. But there’s no phone calls or letters dashed off to the family back in the states (no distracting romances, either). She’s there to finish the job. Chastain seemed to explode on screen (after several years on stage and television) out of nowhere in 2011 with THE DEBT, THE TREE OF LIFE, TAKE SHELTER, and THE HELP (which gave her an Oscar nomination). THIRTY firmly establishes her one of our most compelling, gifted film actresses.

But she’s not the only actor doing terrific work here. There’s Chastain’s LAWLESS co-star Clarke as the brutal, but conflicted Dan. The “interrogations” cause him internal pain as he’s dishing out the external hurt on the prisoners. He’s got to get out before he loses his humanity. Dan’s scary, but he’s really a wounded bear who wants to do what’s right. Jennifer Ehle is memorable as Jessica, the other woman in the CIA’s inner circle. She’s irked at first by the brash Maya, but soon they form a bond of mutual respect. Also great are Maya’s supervisors played by Kyle Chandler (also in ARGO) and Mark Strong. Oh, and James Gandolfini shines in a few brief scenes as the CIA director (presumably Leon Penneta). The film’s gripping final act belongs to the seal team anchored bt Joel Edgerton (WARRIOR) and Chris Pratt (TV’s “Parks and Recreation”). No flashy actor tricks on display here. All are a great cast united to make this piece of history come alive.

As great as the cast is, they’d flounder about without the expertly investigated script by Boal and the lean, taut direction by Bigelow. There’s been quite a lot of talk in the news media lately about Boal’s access and authenticity. Yes, there are horrific scenes of  “enhanced interrogation techniques” (along with news video of our prez saying that we do not torture), but we also get to see the way info can be extracted almost casually. How the turn of a phrase, or vague wording can be more effective than the ropes and cages. The amount of military and Mideast jargon thrown at the viewer during the opening sequences can be confusing, but soon we’re accustomed to the rhythms of conversation in the many meetings and rushing-down-the-hallway conversations (some get close to the energy of a Howard Hawks directed rat-a-tat verbal exchange). And Bigelow knows exactly how to make this complex story work. There’s tension in the quiet scenes of Maya staring at her computer screen during the lonely wee hours (and when she must don a wig or native dress to head into the dusty streets). These are the hushed moments between some truly nail-biting sequences. There’s the arrest near a fountain in broad daylight. An uneasy meeting with a possible informant at a US military camp followed by CIA agents weaving through crowded, dangerous traffic in Pakistan as they try to get a bead on a single cell phone single. But as they say, the best is saved for last. The film’s final act is those nearly silent copters gliding through the mountains into Abbottabad. Sure, we know what went down, but you might just be digging your fingers into the theatre armrests, it’s that gripping. Bigelow’s made a name for herself over the years as an expert action film maker, and she does not disappoint here. The movie clocks in at nearly three hours, but thanks to her skills, it never lags, never wanders. ZERO DARK THIRTY is a masterful recreation of recent history. You know the outcome, and thanks to this film we get to know more about those involved, especially one fearless, intelligent woman. This is a docudrama that’s an exceptional, thought-provoking classic thriller. Most of the country’s getting THIRTY now, but it’s my choice for the best film of 2012.

5 Out of 5 Stars

JACK REACHER – The Review

Looks like Tom Cruise has begun another big screen franchise. After starring as Ethan Hunt in four hit films based on the classic 1960’s TV show “Mission: Impossible”, he’s turned to the literary world for the first film based on the long-running (17 books and counting) hero created by author Lee Childs, JACK REACHER. For this adaptation of “One Shot”, Cruise (also the film’s producer) has brought a long a frequent script collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (VALKYRIE, but perhaps best known for THE USUAL SUSPECTS) to direct also (his first feature since 2000’s THE DAY OF THE GUN). Robert Downey,Jr bounces back and forth between Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, so why can’t Cruise be a part of a super spy team and a loner ex-military cop? It all depends on whether this initial outing is worthy of a follow-up.

This first screen thriller/mystery begins with a lone sniper expertly killing five people in a peaceful Pittsburgh park. After collecting the evidence, police detective Emerson (David Oyelowo) arrests a war vet/ army sniper named Barr. Emerson and public defender Rodin (Richard Jenkins) interrogate Barr and pass him a legal pad to write out his confession. Instead, he writes, “Get Jack Reacher”. But how to find him? Reacher, an ex Army police investigator, has no permanent address, no car (he travels by bus), no cell phone, and no charge cards (he pays cash for everything, including new clothes from Goodwill, via wire transfer from his military pension). After Barr is beaten into a coma during a botched prisoner transfer, Reacher arrives at Barr’s hospital. Seems that Reacher had helped convict Barr of a shooting incident overseas (the conviction later kicked out). Before he can leave, Reacher is hired by Barr’s pro-bono defense attorney Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), the PD’s daughter, to exonerate Barr. Reacher’s investigation unearths an intricate vast conspiracy and puts him and Helen on a collision course with a shadowy mastermind, The Zec (Werner Herzog).

Cruise brings his usual intensity to this combination of Sherlock Holmes (the guy really observes) and the Punisher (do not lean on him). Reacher has that “steel trap” brain and needs no notepads. His stoic confidence provides this often grim thriller with some very funny moments. He can also be kind as when he offers some much-needed advice to a young girl on the wrong path. Reacher’s boss/partner Helen is usually regulated to the “damsel-in-distress” particularly in the finale. Pike seems to spend most of the time indignant, angry, or wide-eyed with fear. At about the midway point the costumers (or more likely the producers) decided she should dress more like a cocktail waitress than lawyer, so that she’s nearly bouncing out of her top while escaping the bad guys. Pike’s a talented actress, but this choice distracts from her character. Jenkins and Oyelowo are a great team as they try to deal with Reacher’s quirks and talents (with Oyelowo a determined pursuer of him later). Cruise’s old DAYS OF THUNDER co-star Robert Duvall shows up late in the film to steal scenes as the helpful owner of a gun range. The two are a terrific team in the film’s big showdown. The most inspired casting may be acclaimed director Herzog as the shadowy, sinister mastermind . His cool, calming German accent brings an extra bit of creepy menace to the proceedings.

McQuarrie keeps things moving at a brisk pace that makes the 130 minutes almost breeze by. He puts a new spin on the downtown car chase that concludes with perhaps the film’s funniest moment. There’s also a couple of great sequences that show off Reacher’s considerable hand-to-hand combat skills. You can almost feel every bit of punishment he dishes out the pain to these unlucky thugs (there goes another fracture-crunch! snap!). There’s expert use of the Pittsburgh locations too (and I just knew it as the home of George A Romero’s zombie epics). JACK REACHER is a gritty, brutal thriller that’s a great alternative to December’s family fare and high drama Oscar-bait. Let’s hope Cruise and company are able to revisit this new movie action hero/sleuth in the near future.

4 Out of 5 Stars

First Tom Cruise OBLIVION Poster Debuts


(via IGN)

Here’s the first apocalyptic and expansive poster for Tom Cruise‘s upcoming film – OBLIVION – an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of TRON: LEGACY (Joseph Kosinski) and the producer of RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (Peter Chernin).

On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind. Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete. Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.

From Universal Pictures, OBLIVION will be released exclusively in IMAX on April 12, 2013, one week ahead of its wide release on April 19, 2013. The action-adventure marks director Joseph Kosinski’s second IMAX release following 2010′s TRON: LEGACY. Also starring Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Melissa Leo, you can catch the first trailer for the film this Sunday at Apple iTunes Movie Trailers.

Tom Cruise will continue on the sci-fi path in March 2014 with ALL YOU NEED IS A KILL. He plays a man named Bill Cage who has to fight a battle against an alien race. The twist: Bill keeps on dying and then being reborn to fight the same battle, kind of like a videogame character replaying the same level until he gets it right.

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RED DAWN – The Review

If you’re anything like me, the first thought in your head when you heard about the remake of the 1984 classic RED DAWN was to shrug it off thinking “whatever.” Then, as the film is completed and nearing release, we hear that instead of being invaded by the Russians like the original — which is entirely understandable — or, as a way to update the story, invaded by the Chinese, which was the original plan, it turns out we’re being invaded by North Korea. Exactly. My first thought was… [scoff] “Yeah, right. How does that work?”

[Biting my tongue…] As it turns out, it works rather well. Surprised? I am. RED DAWN (2012) is, structurally, more or less loosely the same film as the 1984 original. I mean, when it comes down to brass tacks, both films are about the U.S. being caught off guard by a surprise invasion from a Communist enemy, occupied, then ultimately saved by a band of unlikely heroes. The difference is in the details. Instead of the Soviet Union, we’re invaded by North Korea… but, with some help from a couple of all-too-familiar [and previously mentioned] forces with a common goal. Nonetheless, the U.S. initially gets its ass handed to them, making the struggle to fight back all the more exciting.

Dan Bradley directs this modern retelling of the Cold War classic. Bradley is a stunt man with an extensive resume, stepping behind the camera as director for the first time. Its my theory that his time spent throwing punches, dodging bullets and taking falls are a significant factor in establishing the kind of realistic, modestly-paced action we get in RED DAWN. The film opens on a local high school football game, featuring the hometown Wolverines — from which the soon-to-be-realized American rebels get their name — and sets up the character profile for one of our two main heroes.

Josh Peck (THE WACKNESS) plays the star high school quarterback with an attitude, Matt Eckert, who must overcome his own selfishness and realize that in order to survive — ironically — he must learn to be a team player. Chris Hemsworth (THOR, THE AVENGERS) plays Matt’s older brother Jed, the more responsible of the two and a Marine on leave. Isabel Lucas (IMMORTALS) plays Erica, Matt’s sweetheart who is both the driving force for Matt’s fight against the invaders and the potential undoing of their small band of freedom fighters.

RED DAWN spends just enough time introducing characters and setting up back story, then throws the viewer head first into the invasion. The title of the film is no random choice, as the Communist, or “Red” invaders parachute from a legion of bombers into the Pacific Northwest. In our case, we witness what unfolds in Spokane, Washington as Matt and Jed wake to find North Korean soldiers have quickly taken control of their town, complete with fully armed soldiers, military vehicles and a barrage of exploding houses throughout the neighborhood. What little CGI is visibly present in this film, appears during the initial takeover, but is done so with a sense of holding back, not to exceed any suspension of disbelief, but actually causes a noticeable sense of dread and patriotism in the viewer.

As the viewer becomes attached to certain characters and distrustful of others, the film leads us through this devastating turn of events without ever sensationalizing them. RED DAWN is a violent, sometimes graphic film, but is never gratuitous. The characters are written in a way that we care about them, we want to see them succeed, even the ones who clearly have their priorities skewed. Adrianne Palicki, Josh Hutcherson, and Connor Cruise round out the primary cast, forming the core of the rebel Fighters known as the Wolverines. Jeffrey Dean Morgan makes a welcome casting addition as Col. Andy Tanner, a Marine pulled out of retirement in the latter half of the film.

At one point, RED DAWN actually pokes fun at itself, but does so innocently by allowing Matt to reveal how ignorant he is to the current state of world affairs. Despite the opening title sequence revealing a well-crafted and much appreciated montage of world news broadcasts and the like, Matt fails to grasp the scope of events leading up to the North Korean invasion when he asks “How is that possible?” This all becomes clear, not only for Matt, but for an otherwise potentially skeptical audience. In fact, the premise of this remake is perhaps even more realistic and terrifying than that of the 1984 original.

Unlike so many films that shove a sort of uber-patriotism down our throats, RED DAWN delivers an easily digestible dose of patriotic storytelling that pleases the pallet, while still succeeding and it’s primary goal of entertaining the audience. RED DAWN offers a strong story, but one that’s not overly complicated; a satisfying portion of realistic action that never goes over-the-top; and a decent helping of relationship side story to please the female perspective without overwhelming the rest of the film.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

RED DAWN opens nationwide in theaters on Wednesday, November 21st, 2012.

SKYFALL – The Review

What’s the one word that really brings a smile to the face of a movie studio executive? Well aside from “profit” that word would probably be “franchise”. That’s a film property that spawns countless sequels and lucrative merchandising. Well SKYFALL celebrates 50 years of the greatest. longest-running film franchise of them all (we’ll see if Harry Potter or “Star Wars” can go five decades): James Bond 007. 1962 saw the release of the first ‘Cubby Broccoli/Harry Saltzman produced feature adaptation based on Ian Fleming’s popular novel ( there was a live US TV version of “Casino Royale” with Barry Nelson as “Jimmy” Bond broadcast in 1954): DR. NO. The series quickly become the main jewel in studio United Artists’ crown. As several pop-culture scholars have stated, the 60’s were the three B’s: Beatles, Batman, and Bond. While the lads from Liverpool broke up by the end of the decade and the Caped Crusader went into a decades long hibernation (the comic books continued, though). the Bond movie series endured, past other spies he inspired on the big screen (James Coburn as Derek Flint, Dean Martin as Matt Helm, etc.) and small (” The Man From UNCLE”, “Get Smart”). And the Bonds films survived the recasting of the hero. Daniel Craig is the sixth 007 over the course of 22 “official” films ( the 1967 CASINO ROYALE and the 1983 NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN are not part of the UA/Broccoli family canon). And after a four-year break ( thanks to some financial struggles with MGM/UA), the gentleman spy is back for this, Bond mission 23. But the times have changed so much in 50 years. Is he past his prime? Should he put away the Walter PPK? Well to quote one of the many advertising tag lines, “He’s got a license to kill…and thrill!”. And Mr. Bond’s newest exploit may be the most thrilling yet!

As SKYFALL begins, we’re thrown right into the conclusion of Bond’s (Craig) dangerous new mission. He and a co-agent, Eve (Naomie Harris) must retrieve a top-secret hard drive. But things do not go as hoped and 007 is missing. Things are also not going well for his superior M (Judi Dench) back in London. After several foreign agents’ identities are compromised, she’s pressured by her boss, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) to retire. Then an attack on MI6 headquarters prompts the MIA Bond to return. But his time away has left the master spy terribly out of shape. He’ll need to be in top form to speed across the globe in order to eliminate the cyber-terrorist known as Silva (Javier Bardem). Along the way, Bond may face his greatest challenge fighting Silva’s considerable forces and confronting his own past.

For this film Craig is called on to do more than be a clothes “horse”, throw a punch, or draw his weapon. Although he’s superb at all those tasks. We get a Bond that really runs a full range of emotions: angry, arrogant, fearful, unsure, even melancholy. This life as taken a toll on more than just his battered body. Craig is compelling every second he’s on screen whether his piercing blue are zeroed in on an enemy agent or a belligerent beaurocrat. The working over he got in CASINO ROYALE is merely a warm-up for what he must endure here (Craig’s Bond may be the most abused spy ever). And about those action scenes, Craig is one guy you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley (as opposed to a couple Bond actors I won’t name). No wonder some characters in the films refer to him as a “blunt instrument”. But in SKYFALL Craig shows us his very human heart.

The say that a hero’s only as good as his villain and Bardem is spellbinding as the enigmatic Silva, who shares a bit of Bond’s background along with a vendetta against M. We don’t meet him till nearly the half way mark but Silva puts a surprising spin on the 007/master villain first meeting/interrogation scene that’s a staple of this franchise. Their conversation (as Bond is tied to a chair) will have longtime fans buzzing. Bardem is a complex monster, equal parts menacing and pathetic. On the heroes’ side, Fiennes is the proper politico blowhard that doubts Bond initially. He later proves himself. It’s great to see veteran actor Albert Finney who is also wonderful as a tough old duffer who possess a key to Bond’s past. Part of Bond’s support team is re-introduced here with Ben Whishaw as Q, the dispenser (and often inventor) of spy-tech. Bond’s leery of Q’s youth, but the “brute” and the “geek” are soon working side by side. Speaking of side by side, Harris (as Eve) has a wonderful partnership (and some playful flirting) with Craig. A different fliteration occurs between Bond and possible lover/informant Severine (Berenice Marlohe). Yes, she’s alluring but also more than a bit tragic. You know that she’ll be haunting Bond’s dreams for some time. These actresses are great, but the most meaningful relationship may be the one between 007 and his boss M (Dench). They start at odds, but this wears away to mutual respect, and eventually a mother/son devotion and affection. This is Dench’s seventh outing as Bond (counting the four Pierce Brosnan films) and her finest work in the series. There’s been a tradition of “Bond girls”, women who dominate each outing like Ursula Andress in DR. NO or Halle Barry in DIE ANOTHER DIE. In a way, the “girl” here is Dench. They make a wonderful couple who have a true emotional connection well beyond the romantic. Oh, and did I say that this M may be tougher than all the previous M’s combined.

For this adventure, the caretakers of the Bond films have entrusted this entry to an Oscar winning director: Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY). There have been many skilled artists directing Bond since Terence Young helmed the first two, DR. NO and the cold war classic FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, and there’s been a few “journeyman” film makers, but few have created such artistic images for a big popcorn flick. From the start we see a starkly lit hallway with Craig’s unmistakeable silouhette bursting from the shadows. Later a sequence of a tuxedo-clad 007 drifting across the waters via canoe to a bright casino is a lush, painterly image. But Mendes’s cameras are there to catch every gasp-inducing frame of some of the best stunt work to grace the series. Luckily the Coen Brother’s gifted cinematographer Roger Deakins highlights the different sequences, whether it’s the neon glow of Hong Kong or the crowded, grimey London “tube” at rush hour. Thomas Newman contributes an expert score that adds a dash of the classic Monty Norman theme just at the right moment. In the tradition of title theme songs, Adele sings (and co-writes) the tune that works well with some great film graphic images. It’s not quite the pop anthems that Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” and Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better” from THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, but it does evoke the jazzy stylings of Shirley Bassey (most notably GOLDFINGER). Happily the producers have included many nods and winks to earlier Bond flicks for longtime fans. You might say that the overall excellance of this new adventure is the ultimate thank-you to Bond fans of all-ages worldwide. Is this the best Bond? Well my first theatre-going experiences are of seeing that dapper Scotsman named Sean, so he’ll always be my image of the super-cool spy. But this is certainly the best Bond of the last four decades. And SKYFALL is one of the best films of the year. I hoist my vodka martini (shaken..aw you know!) to you, Mr. Bond! Here’s to 50 more years of unmatched screen thrills!

5 Out of 5 Stars

THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS Character Trailers Feature Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Cung Le, Dave Bautista And RZA

Yep, it’s Monday. While you’re waiting for that first cup of coffee to wake you up, check out these four new character spots for director RZA’s THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS. The new movie stars Russell Crowe as soldier and opium addict “Jack Knife,” Lucy Liu as Queen of Jungle Village “Madame Blossom,” Dave Bautista as the indestructable mercenary ” Brass Body,” Cung Le as the duplicitous “Bronze Lion” and RZA as “Blacksmith.”

Quentin Tarantino presents THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS, an action-adventure inspired by kung-fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth. Making his debut as a big-screen director, co-writer and leading man, RZA tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold. Blending astonishing martial-arts sequences from some of the masters of this world with the signature vision he brings as the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and as one of hip-hop’s most dominant figures of the past two decades, RZA embarks upon his most ambitious, stylized and thrilling project to date.

RZA is a man of many aliases and even more talents. He is the heart, soul and brains behind rap’s only true multiplatinum supergroup, the Wu-Tang Clan. RZA is a man who appreciates the creation of music and the success he has had within the music industry, and he thrives on the process of creation, which he has carried over into his acting and scoring career. For as long as he can remember, RZA has wanted to be a part of the moviemaking process; he was inspired while watching one of his favorite kung fu flicks. In 1999, RZA got the first taste of living his dream. Director Jim Jarmusch asked RZA to score Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, a modern samurai film, and offered him a cameo in the film, which helped bring him to where he is today. As an actor, RZA has shown real range, from his hilarious stints on television’s Chappelle’s Show to his appearance in the Jarmusch film COFFEE AND CIGARETTES. RZA next starred in the drama DERAILED, alongside Clive Owen, and Ridley Scott’s AMERICAN GANGSTER, for which the cast garnered a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

The cast includes RZA (The Blacksmith), Rick Yune (The X-Blade), Jamie Chung (Lady Silk), Byron Mann (Silver Lion), Daniel Wu (Poison Dagger) and Pam Grier as The Blacksmith’s mother – Jane. THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS will be in theatres, November 2nd. – “You can’t spell Kung Fu, without the F U.”

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First Look Photos From Director Robert Luketic’s PARANOIA; Stars Harrison Ford, Liam Hemsworth And Gary Oldman


(Left to right.) Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman star in Relativity Media’s PARANOIA. ©2012 Paranoia Acquisitions LLC. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: Peter Iovino

Relativity Media has sent over these official first look images from PARANOIA, starring Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford.

In this high-stakes thriller, Adam Cassidy (Liam Hemsworth) is a regular guy trying to get ahead in his entry-level job at Wyatt Corporation. But after one costly mistake, Adam’s ruthless CEO, Nicholas Wyatt (Gary Oldman), forces him to spy on corporate rival, Jock Goddard (Harrison Ford), Wyatt’s old mentor. Adam soon finds himself occupying the corner office and living the life he only dreamed of. However, behind the scenes, he is simply a pawn in Wyatt’s corporate game and realizes he must ultimately find a way out from under his boss who will stop at nothing, even murder, to win a multi-billion dollar advantage.


Harrison Ford and Liam Hemsworth star in Relativity Media’s PARANOIA.

Written by Jason Dean Hall (SPREAD) from a previous draft by Barry Levy (VANTAGE POINT) and based on the book by Joseph Finder, PARANOIA is from director Robert Luketic (21, LEGALLY BLONDE, KILLERS). I really like this guy’s films – looking forward to the first trailer and some scenes between Oldman and Ford.

Starring Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, Lucas Till, Amber Heard, Embeth Davidtz, Julian McMahon, and Josh Holloway, PARANOIA opens in theaters on October 4th, 2013.

Robert Luketic on WhoSay

THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY ( 2012 ) – The Review

Here’s another little flick that’s sneaking into mutiplexes in the void between the end of the Summer blockbusters and the start of the prestige Winter award seekers with very little fanfare. How little? Well, co-star Bruce Willis paid a visit to David Letterman on August 29 and never mentioned it. He was plugging the still upcoming LOOPER. But there is a bit of interest in THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY because of the film’s lead. Not because of anything he’s doing for this flick, but because of his next role. Henry Cavill will be streaking through the skies as Superman in Zack Snyder’s THE MAN OF STEEL next June. Yup, the guy playing Willis’s son will also play the last son of Krypton. It’s tough to say how he’ll look in tights ( or molded latex actually ), but he looks to be a competent action hero/ leading man. It’s a shame that DAY is a long way from competent itself.

The investment firm headed by Will ( Cavill ) is in free fall, but he’s got to jet over to Spain and join his family for his father Martin’s ( Willis ) birthday aboard his sailboat. Once they’re out on the water Will and Martin butt heads, and Will swims out to shore for supplies ( and to get away from ole’ Captain Grumpy ). When he returns, the boat is deserted. Dad, Mom,brother Josh and his gal Dara are nowhere to be found. When Will contacts the local authorities, he’s soon on the run from the law and rival agents and assassins as he tries to reunite with his missing family.

So that’s about it. Basically it’s run, run, chase, capture, escape, run, run chase. Oh, and the usually wonderful Sigourney Weaver is stuck in this repetitive mess as an old friend of the family. This film strives so hard to be a gritty, exotic action thriller like the Bourne films, but fails, or as the kids online say, “epic fail”. Without the name stars it would be an unremarkable time filler on basic cable TV. The big final car chase is set on the streets of Madrid…at night. Yeah.  We’re basically seeing headlights zip past other lights. And it goes on..and on.. Finally one character actually says ” I’m gettin’ tired of this “. I barely suppressed a loud ” Amen! “. I’m guessing Willis and Weaver just liked the idea of a paid Spanish vacation. Neither seem to have much enthusiasm for this lackluster script ( Willis never changes his squinty scowl ). Cavill’s seems a pretty good action hero, though he has to endure a whole lot of abuse in this flick ( tied-up and interrogated again? ).  Being invulnerable will be a nice change. Hopefully he’ll be a memorable Kal-el and this flick will be buried in the discount DVD  bins or late night TV while everyone involved goes on to much, much better films.

.5 Out of 5 Stars

HIT AND RUN – The Review

Here’s a new film that’s essentially a nostalgic trip down ‘ grindhouse’ lane. Or perhaps it’s more like a gravel-churning trek to the old drive-in. The “passion pit” was the showcase for the muscle car action-chase flick genre that may have begun with the success of Robert Mitchum’s moonshine-runner epic THUNDER ROAD. This spawned countless imitators over the last few decades with DIRTY MARY/ CRAZY LARRY, the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS and Ron Howard’s one-two punch of EAT MY DUST ( with the immortal ad line ” Ronny Howard pops the clutch and tells Smokey to eat my dust” ) and Ron’s feature directing debut GRAND THEFT AUTO. The genre hit its zenith in 1977 with the monster box office smash, Hal Needham’s SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT ( and its two sequels ). Well, now comic actor Dax Shepard ( TV’s Parenthood ) has decided to put his own spin ( ouch! ) on the high-speed thriller with HIT AND RUN. And like Howard, he not only behind the wheel, but behind the camera ( he co-directed, co-edited, produced and wrote it…and used many of his own vehicles-whew! ). So, is this a fun high-octane romp or a noisy, gas-guzzlin’ vanity project spinning its wheels?

Shepard plays a guy in the witness protection program, now called Charles Bronson ( yep, he chose the new name ), sharing a rustic country house with his beautiful college teacher girlfriend Annie ( Kristen Bell ) in a small southwestern village. All’s pretty quiet except for the periodic visits from the Marshall assigned to him, Randy ( Tom Arnold ). Then one day everything changes. Anne is told by her boss at the small community college, Debbie ( Kristin Chenoweth ) that the perfect job has opened up for her at a big university in Los Angeles. In fact Debbie will fire her unless she goes there for the interview. What’s her beau Charlie to do? He’s hiding out from LA folks! CB heeds love’s call and takes his suped-up ’67 Lincoln out of the barn. He’ll drive her to the interview. Unfortunately Annie’s dopey ex, Gil ( Michael Rosenbaum ) gets a look at the classic car and has his police brother ( Jess Rowland ) look up the plate number. Thanks to the good ole’ interweb Gil learns of his rival’s past and contacts the guy that was put away by Charlie’s testimony, Alex ( Bradley Cooper ). And so, Charlie and Annie race to LA to make the interview while trying to stay a step ahead of the vengance-seeking Alex and his crew along with the ” just doing his duty” Randy.

Pretty simple set-up, isn’t it? Well, the car stunts are pretty impressive. Unfortunately the film stalls when they’re not trying to outrun each other. Annie spends most of her time trying to educate the not PC Charlie during the trip. These exchanges quickly become tedious. Although they’re a real life couple, there’s not a lot of chemistry between Shepard and Bell. The banal dialogue doesn’t help. Burt Reynolds and Sally Field are Tracy and Hepburn compared to these two. At times the script strains for laughs as characters mistakenly barge  into a motel room being used for a senior citizen orgy…twice ( wrinkled genitalia is too hilarious! ). Bell is appealing as always, but as a leading man Shepard’s kind of a blank. The supporting cast fares better. Cooper emits a dangerous, but cool vibe under her surfer dude dred wig. Rosenbaum’s an entertainingly jealous doofus. Chenoweth has a lot of fun as a lewd, snarky motormouth. The big surprise is Arnold who gets big laughs as the eternally frustrated, walking, driving one-man-disaster area. Randy’s an inspired comic creation. Too bad the film’s not up to his level. HIT AND RUN is an action comedy that quickly runs out of gas.

Overall Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

PREMIUM RUSH – The Review

There is no shortage of gimmicky, cliche-driven films being made today to try to capture a youthful niche segment of the market, STEP UP comes to mind. One could even classify Jason Statham as a star who has made his fame from such a specific gimmicky formula of action film, but we rarely fault him for that. Men love to watch him kick ass; women just love him. That brings me to an entirely different kind of young, new star… Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Is there nothing this talented, seemingly forever youthful actor can’t — or, shall I say won’t — do in film? No, not in the undignified sense, but this 31-year old phenom keeps surprising us. From his TV Days on 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN to the anti-romantic comedy with Zooey Deschanel, on to the jaw-dropping HESHER and fighting alongside The Dark Knight… JGL (as I will refer to him henceforth) is a man of many talents. His most current talent being on two wheels.

PREMIUM RUSH is co-written and directed by David Koepp (GHOST TOWN, STIR OF ECHOES). Koepp is most well-known for his writing chops, with screenplays such as JURASSIC PARK, CARLITO’S WAY, and SPIDER-MAN on his resume, it is safe to assume he understands a good story. So, why has he chosen to make a film which could be mistaken for a reboot of certain classic 1980s BMX films? The mistake would be to make such an assumption.

Yes, this movie is fun. Yes, this movie is action-packed. No, this movie does not break any significant new cinematic barriers, heralding in a new age of filmmaking. What PREMIUM RUSH does, is to successfully give two incredibly talented actors the whole of Manhattan as their playground. JGL is Wilee, an energetic bicycle messenger in Manhattan with what appears to be a full-on death wish. While some colleagues find him reckless — or, just outright crazy — others appreciate his style and bravado, choosing to ride on a steel frame with a single fixed gear and no brakes.

Everything is kosher with Wilee — except for a kink in his romantic relationship with Vanessa (Dania Ramirez), which plays a role, albeit minor — until he accepts a delivery that brings upon him the vengeance of Detective Robert Monday. Yes, even his name screams film noir, as the plot does in its own subtle ways, allow for such an influence. Monday is played by the outstanding Michael Shannon (TAKE SHELTER, BOARDWALK EMPIRE) with a control over his emotional escalation so intricately fine-tuned, his ability to go from normal to bat-shit crazy on the drop of a dime ranks highly amongst those such as the late, great Dennis Hopper.

The plot really is quite simple. Boy gets envelope. Dirty cop wants envelope. Boy says no. Dirty cop chases boy. All Hell breaks loose. Honestly, I take that back, because it’s only once you tell yourself that this is all there is to offer that you realize there’s more to the story. There’s some mystery, but ultimately… we just want Wilee to prevail and we want Monday to suffer. What happens in the 91-minute film from point-A to point-B is a wonderfully, often painfully composed ballet of mind-blowing bicycle antics and tricks combines with precisely choreographed action sequences, chase scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat and one poor bicycle cop that just simply can’t catch a break… well, other that those to his body parts.

PREMIUM RUSH is an adrenaline fix. Strap into your theater seats, hold on tight and let the ride take over. The colorful, vibrantly shot film puts you on the bike seat. Koepp includes moments when Wilee must analyze his route for options that won’t get him killed, slowing time and reality profoundly as he plots his course. This visual effect works well, perhaps a tad too often, but well. Within the film are sequences so well choreographed, and so playfully so, that its difficult not to find inspiration in Jackie Chan’s earlier American hits such as RUMBLE IN THE BRONX and FIRST STRIKE. Wilee is a guy just trying to do his job, but is unwittingly forced to flee and defend himself from bad guys.

Humor is not lost on Koepp, as he allows for the natural chemistry that is apparent between JGL and Shannon to mingle and produce a gleefully violent but symbiotic reaction. JGL brings his quirky, crooked smile and sarcasm toe-to-toe with Shannon’s darker, more menacing, yet slightly bumbling boyish brutality, resulting in an ever-so-gently concocted over-the-top brew of humor to what unfolds on-screen. Those who enjoyed — no, appreciated — SHOOT ‘EM UP (2007) will no doubt find a similar appreciation for PREMIUM RIDE, due in great part to Michael Shannon as the flawed, ticking time bomb of a corrupt cop and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s cocky, but good-hearted and capable bicycle messenger.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars