In MOONFALL, a mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it. With mere weeks before impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jo Fowler (Academy Award® winner Halle Berry) is convinced she has the key to saving us all – but only one astronaut from her past, Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson, “Midway”) and a conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman (John Bradley, “Game of Thrones”) believe her. These unlikely heroes will mount an impossible last-ditch mission into space, leaving behind everyone they love, only to find out that our Moon is not what we think it is.
MOONFALL is directed by Roland Emmerich who helmed the impressive MIDWAY, as well as Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla, The Patriot, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. MIDWAY was released on November 8, 2019, opened #1 at the U.S. box office and has grossed over $140 million worldwide to date.
The sci-fi film is written by Roland Emmerich & Harald Kloser & Spenser Cohen, the film also stars Michael Peña, Charlie Plummer, Kelly Yu, Eme Ikwuakor, Carolina Bartczak, and Donald Sutherland.
Another film in the CONJURING universe is heading your way this summer, THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT
THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT is the seventh film in the “Conjuring” Universe, the largest horror franchise in history, which has grossed more than $1.8 billion worldwide. It includes the first two “Conjuring” films, as well as “Annabelle” and “Annabelle: Creation,” “The Nun,” and “Annabelle Comes Home.”
The film opens in theatres and IMAX nationwide on June 4, 2021 and will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release.
THE CONJURING movies, and all haunted house/ghost/evil possesion films, lead me back to Eddie Murphy and his take on scary places as fast as possible. FYI – the video if NSFW.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return to star as Lorraine and Ed Warren, under the direction of Michael Chaves (“The Curse of La Llorona”). The film also stars Ruairi O’Connor (Starz’ “The Spanish Princess”), Sarah Catherine Hook (Hulu’s “Monsterland”) and Julian Hilliard (the series “Penny Dreadful: city of Angels” and “The Haunting of Hill House”).
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” was produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, who have collaborated on all the “Conjuring” Universe films. Chaves directed from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (“The Conjuring 2,” “Aquaman”), story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on characters created by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes. Serving as executive producers were Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Michael Clear, Judson Scott and Michelle Morrissey.
The behind-the-scenes creative team reunited “Conjuring” Universe contributors, including director of photography Michael Burgess, production designer Jennifer Spence, costume designer Leah Butler and composer Joseph Bishara, along with the director’s editor from “The Curse of La Llorona,” Peter Gvozdas, and editor Christian Wagner (“Furious 7”).
New Line Cinema presents An Atomic Monster/A Peter Safran Production, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” It will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The film is rated R for terror, violence and some disturbing images.
THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT at long last is scheduled to open in theaters and HBO Max on June 4, 2021.
The film reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return to star as Lorraine and Ed Warren, under the direction of Michael Chaves (“The Curse of La Llorona”). The film also stars Ruairi O’Connor (Starz’ “The Spanish Princess”), Sarah Catherine Hook (Hulu’s “Monsterland”) and Julian Hilliard (the series “Penny Dreadful: city of Angels” and “The Haunting of Hill House”).
Chaves helmed the horrifying and brilliant THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA. Check out the preview of his other fright-fest.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” was produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, who have collaborated on all the “Conjuring” Universe films. Chaves directed from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (“The Conjuring 2,” “Aquaman”), story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on characters created by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes. Serving as executive producers were Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Michael Clear, Judson Scott and Michelle Morrissey.
The behind-the-scenes creative team reunited “Conjuring” Universe contributors, including director of photography Michael Burgess, production designer Jennifer Spence, costume designer Leah Butler and composer Joseph Bishara, along with the director’s editor from “The Curse of La Llorona,” Peter Gvozdas, and editor Christian Wagner (“Furious 7”).
(L-r) PATRICK WILSON, director MICHAEL CHAVES and VERA FARMIGA on the set of New Line Cinema’s horror film “THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” is the seventh film in the “Conjuring” Universe, the largest horror franchise in history, which has grossed more than $1.8 billion worldwide. It includes the first two “Conjuring” films, as well as “Annabelle” and “Annabelle: Creation,” “The Nun,” and “Annabelle Comes Home.”
New Line Cinema presents An Atomic Monster/A Peter Safran Production, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.” It will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film opens in theatres and IMAX nationwide on June 4, 2021 and will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release.
The film is rated R for terror, violence and some disturbing images.
Epic blockbuster filmmaker Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) directs an all-star ensemble cast when Midway arrives on Digital February 4 and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital), Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital), DVD, and On Demand February 18 from Lionsgate. An intimate portrayal of historic actual events written by Wes Tooke, Midway stars Ed Skrein (Deadpool, Alita: Battle Angel, If Beale Street Could Talk), Golden Globe® nominee Patrick Wilson (2016, Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, TV’s “Fargo”), Luke Evans (Dracula Untold, Beauty and the Beast, Fast & Furious 6, Anna), Golden Globe® nominee Aaron Eckhart (2007, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture –Musical or Comedy, Thank You for Smoking), Golden Globe®nominee Nick Jonas (2018, Best Original Song – Motion Picture, Ferdinand), Golden Globe® winner Darren Criss (2019, Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, TV’s “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”), with Golden Globe® nominee Mandy Moore (2017, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, TV’s “This Is Us”), with Golden Globe® nominee Dennis Quaid (2011, Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, TV’s “The Special Relationship”), and Oscar® nominee Woody Harrelson (2017, Actor in a Supporting Role, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri). A story about heroes you need to know, Midway features fully realized characters, incredible special effects, and gorgeous cinematography.
Midway centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII. The film, based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the story of the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude, and bravery to overcome the odds. Directed by Roland Emmerich.
Take home Midway and immerse yourself in history with multiple featurettes, including “We Met at Midway: Two Survivors Remember” and “Joe Rochefort: Breaking the Japanese Code,” which focus on real-life Midway decorated flyers sharing their story of survival and the enigmatic genius Joseph Rochefort, whose team broke the Japanese naval code essential to winning the battle. Experience four times the resolution of full HD with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes Dolby Vision, bringing entertainment to life through ultra-vivid picture quality. When compared to a standard picture, Dolby Vision can deliver spectacular colors never before seen on a screen, highlights that are up to 40 times brighter, and blacks that are 10 times darker. Additionally, the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack features Dolby Atmos, which will transport viewers from an ordinary moment into an extraordinary experience with moving audio that flows all around them. Fans will feel like they’re inside the action as the sounds of people, places, things, and music come alive with breathtaking realism and move throughout the space.
The Midway 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99, and $29.95, respectively.
4K UHD / BLU-RAY / DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary by Roland Emmerich
“Getting It Right: The Making of Midway” Featurette
“The Men of Midway” Featurette
“Roland Emmerich: Man on a Mission” Featurette
“Turning Point: The Legacy of Midway” Featurette
“Joe Rochefort: Breaking the Japanese Code” Featurette
“We Met at Midway: Two Survivors Remember” Featurette
Theatrical Trailer
DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary by Roland Emmerich
“Getting It Right: The Making of Midway” Featurette
While the studios generally key lots of releases (mainly horror flicks and thrillers) for the Halloween holiday, the next major one, Veterans’ Day, rarely gets a true-life military battle docudrama. But that’s just what’s “heading ashore” at the multiplex this three day weekend. Following on the heels of 2017’s acclaimed box office hit, DUNKIRK, this new film chronicles an epic World War II battle, this time in the Pacific rather than the Atlantic (and much of Europe). And there’s no “jumping around the timeline” though the new film does begin several years prior. Oh, it should be noted that Hollywood has been there before, way back in 1976 as a showcase for the glorious cinema experience of Sensurround (bet it blew out some of those special speakers). And who’s directed this new take but a man who has orchestrated two different attacks on this planet by invaders from another galaxy. So how does he fare when both forces are from this world, more than 75 years ago, in the current take on the battle of MIDWAY?
The roots of the title encounter begin in Japan circa 1937, at a dinner party attended by strategist Lt. Commander Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson). During a conversation concerning recent strikes against China, a Japanese officer warns Layton of any attempt by the West to cut off their oil reserves. Flash forward to that first lazy Sunday in 1941 at Pearl Harbor. Flying ace Lt. Dick Best (Ed Skrein), whose wife Anne (Mandy Moore) and their daughter live in a cottage off base, is supervising the start of church services on the deck of one of the carriers. The morning calm is shattered by Japanese bombers dropping out of the clouds to rain death and destruction on the stunned sailors. As we hear FDR’s “day of infamy” speech, Admiral Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) assumes command of the US naval forces. Part of the fleet, the USS Enterprise is helmed by the determined sea vet Vice Admiral ‘Bull’ Halsey (Dennis Quaid) which becomes the launching pad for the April 1942 bombing raid on Tokyo led by Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle (Aaron Eckhart). This helps set the stage for the big showdown against the Japanese fleet in June of 1942, one that could establish dominance in the Pacific Theatre of WWII. Lt. Best must quickly train his young pilots to take on the enemy at the atolls and islands that are known as Midway.
Covering the first year of the US’s entry into the war, the sweeping saga encompasses several real heroes, but the one getting the most screen time may be Skrein’s gung-ho, hotshot flyboy (er..flyman) Best, whose airborne skills match his name. Skrein seems to have stepped right out of the late, late show (the closest to that now is the wee hours of cable’s Turner Classic Movies), peppering his dialogue wit’ lotsa’ dese’, dems’ and dos’, while having an over-confidence and impatience that make Best more than a bit abrasive. But he’s got the love of wife Anne played with adoring gazes by Moore, whose screen time primarily consists of concerned staring into the skies. She does get to “cut a rug’ at a USO dance hall while getting some lusty looks from one of Best’s rivals turned battle partners McClusky played by Luke (Gaston in the live BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) Evans. Nothing comes of this possible romantic triangle subplot since there’s a war to win. Eckhart makes for a dashing Doolittle even as he has to contend with wary Chinese locals after he bails out of his fighter. Wilson takes a break from researching spooks in THE CONJURING series and spin-offs to bring an academic spin (he’s got the apropos eyeglasses) on the battleplans as Layton. Quaid plays Halsey as a glaring, growling old “sea dog”, who is frustrated by his frailties (that #*% rash!), while Harrelson balances gravitas and a subtle sense of humor as the burdened Nimitz. And for the “youngsters” dreamy pop star Nick Jonas gets a break from his brothers as the burly sailor who leaps into action while sporting a swell Clark Gable ‘stache.
Director Roland Emmerich once again proves his knack for big bombastic battles utilizing the latest in CGI effects to make us feel that we’re right on deck as the bombers swarm the skies of Pearl. The same goes when we’re strapped in with the diving pilots as they seem to pull up with just a few feet to spare just as they release their “lethal load’ all while twirling through never-ending streams of artillery fire (looking like yellow glowing gnats). It’s pretty harrowing as the superb editing by Adam Wolfe gives us a “front-row seat” briskly going from the long shots to the commanders to the men twirling about in those cramped cockpits. Unfortunately, the dazzling visuals make the battle interludes rather dull as actors race in and out of rooms, laying out maps, and reciting some awkward exposition. Unlike the ’76 version there’s no turgid “forbidden romance” subplot to slow things to a crawl, but there’s not much in the way of human drama in this first feature film script from Wes Tooke. He does take us behind the closed doors of the enemy, but their restrained in-fighting feels more like political and personal squabbles in an office rather than “empire-makers”. And I’ll give him kudos for the subplot involving one of the titans of cinema. The period costumes, hairstyles, and auto look terrific thanks to the “Norman Rockwell” glow of Robby Baumgartner’s cinematography. And since it’s a period piece, the producers found the right balance in the depiction of tobacco use (in some flicks nobody’s puffing away while in others the smokey haze nearly obscures the actors). MIDWAY uses the newest tech to honor “the greatest generation”, but the writing doesn’t truly bring history to emotional life.
MIDWAY opens in theaters on Veteran’s Day Weekend, November 8, 2019. Here’s a first look at the epic new trailer from director Roland Emmerich.
The huge cast includes Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Luke Kleintank, Jun Kunimura, Darren Criss, Keean Johnson, Alexander Ludwig, with Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid and Woody Harrelson.
MIDWAY centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII. The film, based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the story of the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds.
I can’t wait for this – the visual effects look massive and the A-list cast is impressive, like old Hollywood. The carrier and aircraft flyover scenes are spectacular and a must-see in IMAX. VFX company Pixomondo is producing the film’s visual effects. The company had previously worked with Emmerich on two of his earlier films 2012 and Independence Day: Resurgence.
The score is by Harald Kloser and Thomas Wanker, with Cinematography by Robby Baumgartner.
Expect Oscar-buzz for the film when it arrives during awards season.
Aaron Eckhart stars as ‘Lt. Commander Jimmy Doolittle’ in MIDWAY.Dick Best (Ed Skrein) and Ann Best (Mandy Moore) in MIDWAY.Dennis Quaid stars as ‘Admiral William “Bull” Halsey’ in MIDWAY.Woody Harrelson stars as ‘Admiral Chester Nimitz’ in MIDWAY.Dick Best (Ed Skrein, left) and Clarence Dickinson (Luke Kleintank, right) in MIDWAY.Tadanobu Asano stars as ‘Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi’ in MIDWAY. Luke Evans stars as ‘Lt. Commander Wade McClusky’ in MIDWAY.Etsushi Toyokawa stars as ‘Admiral Yamamoto’ in MIDWAY.Patrick Wilson stars as ‘Edwin Layton’ in MIDWAY.
Who would have thought that James Wan’s modern haunted house classic THE CONJURING would spawn an entire universe of evil spirits? Over the course of seven films (with an eighth entry filming right now), horror fans have been treated to evil spirits of all different shapes and sizes. Yet, leave it to the littlest demon, Annabelle, to usher in a whole slew of new demons to scare audiences.
ANNABELLE COMES HOME is a rollercoaster ride for fans of “THE CONJURING Universe.” It ramps up playfully, and then quickly turns into ANNABELLE: HOUSE OF HORRORS. Director Gary Dauberman subverts expectations and delivers more than just the standard creepy doll film that audiences have seen before. Annabelle might be coming home, but it’s the new demons that take center stage and receive the warmest welcome.
Taking a page from John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN, Dauberman’s screenplay smartly keeps the story and the cast small, centering it around a babysitter and her button-pushing friend. After opening with familiar favorites Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) tracking down our title character, the duo lock up the possessed doll in their famous artifacts room of their home behind sacred church glass.
In typical Warren fashion, the two are soon off on their next ghost-hunting adventure, leaving their ten-year-old daughter, Judy, (McKenna Grace) alone with babysitter Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman). Daniela (Katie Sarife), Mary Ellen’s best friend, soon learns of the Warrens being away and decides that she wants to come over to disrupt the slumber party and sneak into the locked artifacts room. Suffice to say, Annabelle gets unleashed and with her a few new friends.
Gary Dauberman is smart enough to know that after two Annabelle films (not counting the first CONJURING film), you aren’t gonna turn horror heads by having a doll slightly move or blink. Once the initial setup is put in place and Annabelle is unleashed, she takes a backseat to a grisly group of new characters. From the Ferry Man to the Bride to even a ghost werewolf (the weakest and cheesiest of the new villains), “THE CONJURING Universe” has almost doubled the number of side-characters in just one film. By the finale, it may feel a little bit like they were trying to just create more spinoffs, but it’s hard not to grin at the fun the film is having during the process.
The female-driven cast all handles the tension and scares well, providing just enough emotion and character beats to make the scare-fest not just an empty ride. However, the dialogue isn’t the film’s strong suit. At times, it surprisingly leans into 80s cliches: a stoner pizza guy, the cute boy next door, awkward dialogue between high school crushes. Sure, there are these cliches and some cheesy dialogue about evil and demons (some of which not even Vera Farmiga can make better), but ANNABELLE COMES HOME knows when it works best and tries to keep the dialogue to a minimum in order to make more room for rolling old coins, a creepy television, a bloody wedding gown, and a kid’s game that you will not want to get your hands on.
Having previously written the other ANNABELLE films and recently THE NUN, it’s clear that Dauberman knows what fans want and delivers the most exciting film in THE CONJURING universe. The scares are unleashed at a rapid pace, and unlike many horror films, they aren’t just loud noises or fake-outs. By cleverly setting the film in one location and having it take place over just a matter of hours, Dauberman is able to create a claustrophobic funhouse effect with real scares and fun world-building. I’m not sure if this universe can last another seven entries, but it’s promising to see that the ride and the visuals keep getting better.
OVERALL SCORE: 3 OUT OF 4
ANNABELLE COMES HOME opens in theaters Wednesday, June 26th
THE CONJURINGplays this weekend (May 17th and 18th) at the Tivoli (6350 Delmar Boulevard) as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.A Facebook invite for the screening can be found HERE
Unlike most modern horror movies, THE CONJURING relies more on moodand suspense than effects or gore (I have no idea why it’s rated R – no one even smokes!). Much of the plot turns in THE CONJURING are straight out of the “how to make a haunted house film” manual, especially the subsection dealing with demonic possession. We get sleepwalking children, cold drafts, odd smells (“like rotting meat!” – that can’t be good!), the family dog who won’t go inside, unexplained bruises that appear on the Carolyn’s body – even the creepiest of creepy dolls. I don’t think there’s one original concept in THE CONJURING but it works just the same. Wan has come up with a marvelously spooky ghost story that may possibly scare the wits out women and children and offend those parents who believe that kids should be protected from their own, sometimes savage imaginations. It’s a simple exercise in scares that gets under your skin. It’s also a meticulous re-creation of the early ‘70’s, an era that Hollywood almost always gets wrong.
Director James Wan shows a real mastery of pacing and tension with THE CONJURING. There are several scenes involving a mirror placed in a music box. You know something’s going to pop up in that mirror that shouldn’t be there. You’ve seen it before, but Wan makes it work each time. The film isn’t edited for the MTV generation – no quick-cut madness here! It’s all about a steady use of creepy production design, and effective use of sound and darkness. It’s how a horror flick should be shot! Lily Taylor is outstanding as Carolyn, particularly in the second half of the film when the demons begins to exact their physical toll. Patrick Wilson (reteaming with his INSIDIOUS director) lends an authoritative presence as Ed while Vera Farmiga is terrific as Lorraine, the one with the real psychic abilities who sees the dangers before anyone. THE CONJURING is like a thoroughly enjoyable nightmare, one that you know that you can always wake up from, and one in which, at the end, no one has permanently been damaged. It’s good scary fun. Don’t miss your chance to see it again on the big screen this weekend! Admission is $8
When you have a character that can communicate with fish, you either tread hesitantly in the shallow end or dive right in and embrace the rocky waters. Director James Wan shows no signs of a fear of water. The world of AQUAMAN is certainly goofy and Wan leans happily into the goofiness and cheese, but as customary with his flashy directing style, there’s a level of cool splashed in as well. The aquatic hero’s first solo film is a bright and bold visual adventure, but it’s also bogged down by an overly familiar superhero story preventing it from standing out from the other fish in the sea.
Jason Momoa plays half-human, half-Atlantean Arthur Curry. After Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) washes up on the shore of a lighthouse attendant (Temuera Morrison), the queen of Atlantis falls in love with the human world and give birth to Arthur. Flash forward decades later, and the half-merman now spends his time downing beers and stopping hijackers in international waters. Mera (Amber Heard) leaves Atlantis to warn Arthur of his brother King Orm’s plan to rage war on the surface world by uniting the undersea kingdoms (Patrick Wilson in one of several miscast roles). Once Arthur decides to fight for his rightful claim to the throne and stop his brother’s plan, the film shifts into a travelogue, Indiana Jones adventure where Arthur and Mera travel by sea and by plane as they are hunted by the villain Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is on his revenge-fueled mission.
If you can’t get past fish-people riding atop sharks, just stay away. If you can’t get past a neon-colored underwater kingdom that looks like a cross between TRON and AVATAR, just stay away. If you can’t get past lines like, “That thing will destroy us,” followed by, “We have no other choice!”… then please, just stay away. AQUAMAN is weird and strange and by all normal standards, even plain bad, at times. And yet, it’s strangely captivating. The weirdness mostly works, mainly because it seems like a departure from the other DC films that came before it.
Wan successfully retcons many of the missteps that Snyder and his team took with the character and the overly dark tone of the other DC films. For starters, we’re treated to the classic character suit and Trident. Arthur’s dark, brooding rock star persona from JUSTICE LEAGUE slowly becomes unraveled throughout the film. Unlike other superhero films where a “normal” guy has to find his inner confidence in order to be a leader, here we have a cocky asshole who learns humility as the film goes on, calling to mind the original IRON MAN. By the end of the film, the macho know-it-all has been broken down and we’re treated to more of a dumb meathead that now realizes after being exposed to the real world that he doesn’t have all the answers.
Who serves as his teacher is his female partner. Amber Heard’s character, Mera, may not go through as much change, but at least she’s given agency – a trait not often given to female leads in these types of films. She’s not treated as “arm candy” or the damsel in distress. In fact, she’s the one that’s properly putting him in his place while occasionally saving him from death. While Heard confidently plays the strong and stoic leader, the rest of the supporting cast doesn’t fare as well. Dolph Lundgren looks like he’s playing dress up and Willem Dafoe seems to be reading off a teleprompter every time he’s on screen.
Still, it’s hard not to get swept up in the action, especially a death-defying chase through the streets and across the tile rooftops of Sicily. Jason Momoa’s commitment to the character is felt throughout but especially during these scenes. Having DC hire Momoa turned out to be a blessing that many of us didn’t expect. He may not look and act like the blonde-haired, blue-eyed version from the comics, but that’s not a bad thing. More importantly, the energy Momoa instills in the character has certainly made more of an impact on screen than Affleck’s Caped Crusader. The actor’s Polynesian roots are even incorporated into the film at times through some of his fighting stances, proving he’s more than just a “Wet Thor.”
Yet, for all its smart choices, AQUAMAN still suffers from an unwatchable final battle. Hundreds of lasers and creatures fly across the screen at every given moment, creating yet another CGI nightmare that may rival even the worse offenders of the superhero genre. New worlds may be explored with great enthusiasm in AQUAMAN, but the same old mistakes are made when it comes to story and connecting audiences with these heroes. Sure, strange and fantastical imagery will astonish audiences, but shouldn’t we ask for more from our superhero films in 2018? After several classics have come out of the genre over the past decade, a director with a confident voice and a film with a unique visual pallet aren’t going to be enough to create a splash when the bar has been raised so high.
Overall score: 2.5 out of 5
AQUAMAN opens in theaters Friday, December 21st, 2018
I’m not sure that Liam Neeson’s former police officer turned life insurance salesman remembers that you’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Even though on the surface Neeson is playing hero, his character is aggressively stalking multiple passengers on a train before playing judge, jury, and executioner for one unlucky passenger. It’s interesting that this is what a hero is made to look like in 2018.
Much like his previous film THE SHALLOWS, Jaume Collet-Serra centers THE COMMUTER around an ordinary man who is forced into an extraordinary situation. The main difference though is the setting. The wide-open expanse of the ocean in his previous film is replaced by the claustrophobic setting of a Commuter train. What’s ironic is that the tension and intensity of the situation in THE SHALLOWS is far more effective than what he captures on this short train ride.
The plot centers around Neeson being given an ultimatum by an unknown woman (Vera Farmiga) to kill a stranger on a train with a mysterious package in exchange for a large chunk of change. After the film opens with the reasons for why he would agree to this silly plan, you’re meant to go along for the ride despite what his police background would lead you to believe. With that device set in motion, you expect there to be a certain level of Agatha Christie character questioning at play. Unfortunately, Collet-Serra focuses his sights solely on his born-again hero instead of diving into the other players in this game. The sense of intrigue is never there and becomes even less so as the film moves towards the anticlimactic big reveal. What could have been a fun whodunnit quickly devolves into Neeson just running up and down the train (over and over again) playing hero.
Leave it to Neeson to play a once-saluted hero that is now struggling to make ends meet. If that isn’t an accurate reflection of the actor’s career than I don’t know what is. He has always excelled at breathing life into genre tropes (see Sam Raimi’s DARKMAN as an earlier example). Yet, THE COMMUTER shows Neeson at the end of his line. He seems tired, and more so, shows disinterest in the material and the type of “lone gunman” archetype that has defined his career in the past 10 years. As he has not so subtlety hinted at in recent interviews promoting the film, he’s well aware that he’s getting “too old for this shit.” Oddly enough, the one bright spot in the film relies on Neeson showing his age and getting his ass handed to him by a young attacker in a gritty long-take action sequence.
The lazy script and even lazier performances are punctuated with some cheap CGI and camera effects – a reverse zoom-in going back through the train only cheapens the drama. Even amid the ridiculous train explosions and Neeson dangling from the side of a train car, Collet-Serra seems to be making the point that we still need our old heroes. This is the fourth collaboration between the director and the actor, and the fact that he hasn’t given up on the 65 yr old actor is a telling sign. Perhaps it’s a level of nostalgia for the “good ole” days of John Wayne still standing tall despite his age or maybe it’s that Collet-Serra thinks that now more than ever we need to be making a statement about what true heroism looks like in 2018. Either way, he seems to be making some sort of point by sticking with his man and having him deliver lines like, “From the American middle class: F-ck you!” when addressing a young wealthy investment broker. While audiences might be left with only a few remaining films in Neeson’s aging-hero action catalog (there’s a handful in pre-production according to IMDB), THE COMMUTER won’t be a stop on his career path that many will want to revisit.
Overall score: 2 out of 5
THE COMMUTER opens in theaters everywhere on January 12th
