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Movie Reviews

Safe Haven
Karen Posada
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By

2013/02/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

Safe Haven

02.13.2013 | By |

Safe Haven

Every year just around Valentine’s day a book by Nicholas Sparks that has been made into a movie comes out, this year it’s ‘Safe Haven’. This is the second movie this week that is set in the South of the U.S.; the landscapes are quite beautiful, making any of us want to move to this enchanted place. Yes the main two actors are major eye candy, but there’s not much more to them than that. The problem with this sort of movies is that they all stick to the same formula leaving very little to the imagination and even less that would surprise an audience. For anyone who is going to watch this movie you know what to expect and if you like your corniness, mediocre acting and predictable ending this one for you.

 

Katie (Julianne Hough) runs away from her mysterious and what seems like tragic life and randomly ends up in Southport, North Carolina where she starts a new life. Here she meets Alex (Josh Duhamel) a widower with two children that is quickly smitten by Katie without knowing what he’s getting into.

 

This movie is filled with awkward and uninteresting conversations due to a poorly written script and unskillful acting. There are plenty of moments that don’t seem to fit with the rest of the film and at the end just with a little analyzing you realize how little they paid attention to detail. It is extremely overdramatic to make a point on who the bad guy is, while also using a lot of unnecessary drama to move the story along. All the romantic moments are completely predictable making them loose their charm.

 

Hough seems to not know how to react to a lot of things in the film, making her a bad actress. I don’t blame her completely since the script itself seems bipolar making her antisocial one second and completely nice the next without a real reason. Duhamel’s character seems so lonely that he inexplicably goes after this girl without much vision in a way a teenage boy would.

 

The movie ignores reality and sense in some occasions making it all the more surreal and unbelievable. Tierney (David Lyons) is almost superhero like surpassing obstacles a normal person wouldn’t, while always looking tense and crazy. There is one unexpected twist, which did surprise me, but besides that there’s not much mystery in the movie.

 

This is more like a TV movie that would play on Lifetime, I understand during this time of the year many people want to go see romantic movies, but I wouldn’t recommend you spend your money on this one. Just like Lasse Hallstrom‘s last romantic attempt ‘Dear John’, this is a love story that you easily forget once you walk out the theater.  

Beautiful Creatures
Karen Posada
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By

2013/02/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

Beautiful Creatures

02.13.2013 | By |

Beautiful Creatures

We all know that no matter what, books are always better than movies because they have the advantage to be as detailed as possible and to develop relationships without rushing; putting that aside I think director Richard LaGravenese did a good job with ‘Beautiful Creatures’ staying very close to the source material. I will get the ‘Twilight’ comparison out of the way and agree that this is a lot like that saga except that in this film we get much better acting and effects. This is without a doubt going to become the next teen addiction, the four books written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have been on the New York Times bestselling list for a while. The film definitely makes every moment more dramatic and the last thirty minutes are very chaotic, but the nice part is that it is all unexpected and that trick isn’t bad. For anyone interested just remember this is very much directed towards a teen audience like ‘Twilight’ was, so keep your expectations leveled and remember it is based on four books so we will probably get four or five movies.

 

In the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina where nothing ever happens, 17-year-old Ethan Wate (Alden Enrenreich) born and raised there awaits his high school graduation to escape the monotony and travel the world. But when Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert) the niece of the town’s shut in Macon Ravenwood (Jeremy Irons) comes into town everything changes, especially for Ethan. Lena has supernatural powers and being an outsider makes her an outcast, but Ethan is attracted to her and tries to break her shell to get to know her. The two must turn against the whole town and their leader Mrs. Lincoln (Emma Thompson) and some of Lena’s relatives like Ridley Duchannes (Emmy Rossum) with the help of Ethan’s best friend Link (Thomas Mann) and Amma (Viola Davis) they will do anything to be together.    

 

The script surprisingly mixes in a lot of comedy and charm, which helps give the film a more lighthearted and likeable quality. Enrenreich is fantastic and steals almost every scene he’s in, he has talent and shows it both in the comedic and more dramatic scenes, with that he will easily become the next heartthrob. Rossum is my next favorite; she’s perfect for this role and shows her potential. Irons and Thompson are also great, and give the film a good balance with the adult lead they provide. Davis is the heart of the film and you immediately are sympathetic towards her, her being one of the few humans. Mann really plays the role of a secondary character that is barely noticeable. I leave Englert for last because she really is the only thing that doesn’t shine here and feels out of place, she doesn’t seem to have any acting skills and has no appeal to bring the public to like her.    

 

The changes made so that the script could fit better in the big screen don’t bother me; I think it gives it a tighter and neater feel, although beware those that loved the book the ending is a bit different here. The time frame seems a little off at the beginning where it all seems to happen in the span of two days or so, it’s not quite clear. Referring back to rushing relationships this one feels rushed towards the middle and it takes away some of the magic of the story. This pace starts making things somewhat confusing and that is when the overdramatic part of the script comes in.

 

The southern setting is beautiful and the accents, the landscapes and sceneries really complement the film and its beauty. There are times when it’s hard to understand what the characters are saying and even what’s happening with all the supernatural stuff and people. The thing that gets the movie going and will have you buying your ticket for the sequel is the charm, beauty, elegance, sophistication and power it has to draw you in despite its flaws. If you were disappointed to not have a ‘Twilight’ movie coming out once a year, this one will be an easy replacement with a higher production value than the previous craze.

Karen Posada
1

By

2013/02/13 at 12:00am

Reviews

Escape From Planet Earth (Movie Review)

02.13.2013 | By |

Escape From Planet Earth

‘Escape From Planet Earth’ is a great experience for both parents and children alike, because it delivers a strong message of team work and family unity all wrapped in an adorable, funny and cool package. We love our animated films and this one does not disappoint, a great extra is that there are three Latinos playing big roles here; more proof that this year is great for Latinos in Hollywood. The 3D is a definite plus, that really enhances the experience of Planet Babb and its inhabitants. The movie is a truly fun intergalactic trip that has just the right cast and ingredients to provide a short and sweet outing to the movies with the family.

In the very futuristic Planet Babb, superstar astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is admired for his heroic tasks; which he accomplishes thanks to his genius brother Gary (Rob Corddry). Scorch’s boss, Lena (Jessica Alba) sends him to the dangerous “Dark Planet” aka Planet Earth, where he faces general James Bing (Ricky Gervais) and he will need the help of his brother Gary, his nephew Kip (Jonathan Morgan Heit) and Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) in order to come back home.

The look of the movie is just cool, with a futuristic Jetsons like environment and adorably ugly blue aliens, which all pops out in wonderful colorful images. The movie is not as funny as I expected it to be, but it does have a handful of laugh out loud moments aimed both at children and adults. My favorite part of it all is the main message it gives off, which is that we need teamwork in order to accomplish heroic tasks and that with our family’s trust and support we can do anything.

The cast is a great combination of well-known comedy actors even besides the main cast; we have Jane Lynch, Craig Robinson and a great mix of big name Latinos: Jessica Alba is Lena, the beautiful and intelligent chief at BASA, Sofia Vergara plays Gabby the hot and spicy anchor for BNN News, and finally George Lopez a three-eyed slug alien named Thurman; so keep an eye out for them. It is fantastic to see this kind of collaboration in a film that holds such a powerful message. Director Cal Brunker stroke gold providing a great product.

This is an out of this world adventure to enjoy with the family this Valentine’s day; it holds an original storyline that will keep you entertained. The film was so well crafted that it gives everyone in the audience something they are sure to like. Read our interview with some of the film’s cast here!

Skyfall
Jack Rico
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By

2013/02/12 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Skyfall

02.12.2013 | By |

“The… Best… Bond… Ever!” so says one reviewer from England whose zeal is so fervent, it is hard to take him or his review seriously. In my professional and less ardent opinion, “Skyfall” falls short of Daniel Craig’s quintessential Bond film, “Casino Royale,” a 007 motion picture which I think is unrivaled in its action, intensity, stunning cinematography and arresting plotline. That film, is in my mind, the ‘Best Bond Movie’ Craig has done, and, one of the Top 5 action movies I have ever seen. But by no means does my preferred choice signify that “Skyfall” is not worth watching. Au contraire,“Skyfall” is entertaining cinema worthy of multiple views, except it possesses two defects that lessen its acclaim.

 

“Skyfall” starts with Bond going on his latest assignment which goes gravely wrong and several undercover agents around the world are exposed, MI6 is attacked, thus, forcing M to relocate the agency. These events cause her authority and position to be challenged by Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee.  With MI6 now compromised from both inside and out, M is left with one ally she can trust: Bond.  007 takes to the shadows – aided only by field agent, Eve (Naomie Harris) – following a trail to the mysterious Silva (Javier Bardem), whose lethal and hidden motives have yet to reveal themselves.

 

The issue I have with “Skyfall” is that Sam Mendes – cheered on by Craig – tinkered with the Bond universe in such away that ‘I’ feel violated. The two worst offenders are: aging Bond and the reduced role of the Bond Girl. How could he have done this!? Doesn’t he comprehend that by developing a real aging gene to the 007 character, you are in essence, MAKING HIM HUMAN! Bond does not age. He’s been in his prime for 50 years! Now all of a sudden “he shouldn’t be ashamed to lose a step,” voiced to Bond by Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) in a tense scene. By Mendes opening up this Pandora’s box, this travesty sets in motion Bond’s eventual demise because of his future elder age. The producers would then have to reboot the series in its entirety with 007’s unknown son or new young agent, 008, similar to the way the‘Bourne’ franchise did when they transitioned from Matt Damon to Jeremy Renner. Do you see what has been done?

 

Also, the selection of the Bond Girl is not just a carnal passage for Bond, but a symbol of long-lasting prestige for any woman in film. In “Skyfall,” Bérénice Marlohe is only a brief incident that is dealt with an anticlimactic shower scene and a quick dismissal. Naomi Harris’ character is an agent of the MI6, not a real Bond Girl, in the true sense of the term. These two grave and awful decisions have ramifications down the line for the franchise and I am aghast that many critics have not accentuated the discrepancies. 

 

The aforementioned blemishes ultimately were too distracting for me to suspend disbelief. It kept on haunting me, not allowing me to immerse myself in this new universe. Bond didn’t even ask the bartender for a “martini shaken, not stirred,” because the bartender supposedly knew the drill. The Heineken scene was had in a beach. Against the philosophies of Craig and Mendes, they need to understand that these are the classic elements fans look forward to in every movie. They endure because they work, that is why they become classic moments, every 2-4 years. We want to ascertain what new and creative ways they will approach it and we want to smile heartily at them. In “Skyfall,” they severed off those memorable and cherished cinematic souvenirs we anticipated so much. Hopefully, they will bring it back in all of their full glory one day.

 

Despite my vexing remarks, they do not apply to the grand production, the ambitious entertainment value and the multi-dimensional layers that James Bond is draped in. I will not be mentioning references of ‘best,’ but I will highlight reasons why you should still see “Skyfall”. The opening action sequence is once again one of the reasons you can’t come late to a 007 movie. Car chases, tractors, guns, trains and deadly jumps, devise a most energetic beginning. Adele’s sultry and enchanting opening number is Grammy and Oscar deserving. If you can dismiss the bumps on the road, ergo, my previous critical observations, Craig gives an affecting performance that blends the better parts of his acting in ‘Casino’ and ‘Quantum’. 

 

Then we enter Javier Bardem, the first Hispanic actor to ever play a Bond villain. As he made history by playing the effeminate and demented Raoul Silva (according to Bardem himself, Silva is Portuguese), Bardem holds his own against the pantheon of memorable evil adversaries Bond had to kill. He’s not as good as Anton Chigurh, the role he won the Oscar for “No Country for Old Men”, but he is nonetheless intimidating.

 

As an action movie, “Skyfall” works. It holds a sense of danger and peril not associated to the other films. I’ll give it that. Yet, I felt that 2012 offered better action with “The Raid: Redemption” and “The Dark Knight Rises” (who can forget its opening airplane scene!). 

 

“Skyfall” is not a masterpiece movie. It is better than average and has a lot to applaud, but not enough to revere. So go ahead and buy your ticket, watch it, enjoy it, but know that there are better out there. 

Stand Up Guys
Jack Rico
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By

2013/02/01 at 12:00am

Reviews

Stand Up Guys

02.1.2013 | By |

Stand Up Guys

‘Stand Up Guys’ directed by Fisher Stevens is an old man’s buddy movie. It’s premise is engaging and its acting is as good as it gets. The issue here is that the script of the film delves into over-character development. When that happens, the film can drag and the proceedings can get boring. In its favor though, it’s tough to not be engrossed when Al Pacino and Christopher Walken are the actors. But even they have limits. 

 

The story begins with Valentine, a.k.a Val (Al Pacino), being released from prison after serving twenty-eight years for refusing to give up one of his close criminal associates. His best friend Doc (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him up, and the two soon re-team with another old pal, Hirsch (Alan Arkin). Their bond is as strong as ever, and the three reflect on freedom lost and gained, loyalties ebbed and flowed, and days of glory gone by. But one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret- he’s been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys’ legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate and they finally confront their past once and for all.

 

For Fisher Stevens, the task of directing this film was as close as to just letting the camera run. When you have a trio of actors who have 14 acting nominations and 3 Oscar wins between them, the job is straightforward. Consequently, the script by Noah Haidle should have been where most of the creative investment took place. It didn’t feel like it. It caves to a limp pace and some formulaic storytelling. What could have been a special project in modern movie history, turned out to be a side note in the calendar year. Marketing also has played a role in it, but that is a whole other conversation.

 

In the acting department, Pacino leaves behind the “woo-ha!” parody of himself from ‘Scent of a Woman’ and gives us one of his most honest performances since Michael Mann’s ‘The Insider’ from 1999. That’s a whopping 14 years without wowing his audience. How could he when he’s appeared in two of the worst movies in history – ‘Gigli’ and ‘Jack & Jill’. Whether he became a mercenary or deluded into thinking these projects were “fun”, there is no denying that in ‘Stand Up Guys’ he departs from the reckless decisions that led him down the path of negligence. Here he reminds critics and audiences alike of his natural talents of who he was and what he can still be at 73. Robert De Niro is proving it with ‘Silver Linings Playbook’. I think Pacino has 1 or 2 Oscar nominations still left in him, let’s see if he chooses wisely in the time ahead. 

 

Walken is the scene-stealer here though, seemingly not saying or doing much at all. Pacino carries the heft of the dialogue while Walken mostly reacts, and he still shines, perhaps even more than Pacino himself. Walken is a strange and unique looking individual with a demeanor that is distinctive and memorable. He lays it all in the film and it is impressive. For Arkin, his screen time was epigrammatic – concise, clever, and amusing. 

 

Overall, ‘Stand Up Guys’ is an actors film for people who like acting. The entertainment value is mediocre and Stevens could have done so much more with the script. I wouldn’t pay money to see this in the theaters, but a view on Bluray wouldn’t hurt just for the acting. Released for Oscar consideration in December of 2012, it is being rolled out now in February on a national release with the objective of perhaps finding a new audience. Hopefully we can see an improved sequel of sorts when the other hitmen - Gene Hackman, Jack Nicholson and Sean Connery – join in on the fun!

Warm Bodies
Karen Posada
0

By

2013/01/30 at 12:00am

Reviews

Warm Bodies

01.30.2013 | By |

Warm Bodies

Look at pictures and read our coverage of the Red Carpet Premiere of ‘Warm Bodies’.  

 

Originality is something that Hollywood lacks a lot of, that’s why when something somewhat refreshing like ‘Warm Bodies’ comes around it creates a lot of buzz. The film will be more rewarding as a DVD watch, but if you want to see it enough in the theater you won’t be disappointed. The main thing here is more so the love story, hence why its release is so close to Valentine’s day; that in itself is predictable to the point of making us think it might be mocking ‘Twilight’, although we were assured it doesn’t. I praise the movie for not taking itself too seriously, since that clearly would have made it ridiculous instead of enjoyable.

 

‘Warm Bodies’ from director Jonathan Levine is about a Zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) who falls in love with a human, Julie (Teresa Palmer), which changes the rules in both of their worlds and might help calm the chaos of the apocalypse.

 

The love story has similarities to the Romeo and Juliet story, note the main characters names, but of course it is quite unconventional. We have become obsessed with zombies and that’s where this film brings in originality and has sparked the crowds’ attention. The fact that a zombie is who narrates the story and pokes fun at his own state of being is entertaining, there’s some bending of zombie rules (ok quite a lot of bending) and that might annoy or delight some people. I’m into ‘The Walking Dead’ – as is more than half of the world, but I like that this movie forces you to have an open mind to a different kind of zombie world and see it in more of a comedic sense than a chaotic apocalyptic scenario. The key things to remember are that irony and sarcasm are two of the most important ingredients here.

 

The movie also scores with the soundtrack; it plays a great role in both the comedic and romantic senses of the movie giving it a complete feel. Hoult and Palmer are easy to like and their relationship develops flawlessly, although at the beginning we are not quite sure why Palmer doesn’t just run away. The storyline does have some gaps that contradict the main plot, but letting go allows you to take the film for what it is.

 

If you’ve seen a preview for this film and are interested you get exactly what you see: a lighthearted comedy along with romance, no more no less. It will give you just enough chuckles and insight into an interesting world enough to entertain you instead of boring you. Levine combines just the right amount of everything to give us a feel good movie, with an original twist in this much appreciated breath of fresh air.

Parker
Jack Rico
0

By

2013/01/25 at 12:00am

Reviews

Parker

01.25.2013 | By |

Parker

I must say that as soon as I heard that British B-actor Jason Statham was teaming up with the Puerto Rican diva Jennifer Lopez in an action flick, my mouth dropped in reaction to seeing one of the worst casting selections done in recent Hollywood history. What does Statham’s violent, testosterone driven, one-liner B-films have to do with Lopez’s dough-eye, ear to ear smile, rom-coms? Nothing! So what was the result? A satisfying union of action violence and sweet sexy comedy. These two stars might not necessarily be a match made in heaven, but each one brings their appealing specialties that can please the mass moviegoing taste, especially the Latino moviegoer who eats this shit up!

 

As is typical in Jason Statham films, Statham plays ‘Parker,’ a Robin Hood like criminal with a code of honor who teams up with not so honorable criminals to do a heist (this seems to be almost the premise in every movie he does). When things go wrong, the nefarious thugs almost kill our hero and leave him for dead until… he miraculously survives. With the intent of getting his revenge, he meets serendipitously Leslie (Jennifer Lopez), a real estate agent hell-bent on escaping her life malaise, who is willing to help him capture the ruffians in exchange for a enough money to allow her to start a new life. Obviously, things don’t go as planned and blood, illusions of romance and a big payday ensue. 

 

Apart from Jennifer Lopez, there is no Latino actors in the cast. Even Jennifer Lopez’s mom, the veteran Broadway actress Patti Lupone, is Italian. She tries to speak with a Latino accent with the intention, I’m sure, to fool us bilingual Latinos into thinking her dialect is purely “authentic”. Please. Al Pacino tried to do it in Scarface and we’re still parodying him. But Hispanics don’t go to the movies because there is one of us represented on screen. We go because there is a genre that appeals to our social sensibilities – in this case action -  the reputations certain actors bring to the table and because we like to have a good time like anyone else. ‘Parker’ accomplishes that.

 

We know what we’re getting by paying $13 (in NYC) to go see Jason Statham. He cranks them out once/twice a year. But with Lopez it’s different. Her professional job is more about being a celebrity than an actress. It is hard to get a sense for how her acting career is evolving because of it. For her to descend from A-list status to becoming a supporting actress in a Statham B-movie is a bit harsh. It’s fair to say that her film career has officially reached a nadir that will most likely continue this way. Her finest acting moment was supposed to be 2006’s “El Cantante,” but she squandered a precious opportunity, and so did Marc Anthony, who if he had been given the chance to shine, his career could have skyrocketed. The last time she was the lead star in a movie it was 2010’s “The Back-Up Plan,” but her last appearance was last year’s “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” a mish-mash of comedy clichés that should’ve been left in the retired jokes closet from where they came from. Still, her output is charming enough to maintain a level of likability in Hollywood and amongst moviegoers that that will allow her to continue working.

 

By no means is “Parker” a must-see action movie, but in the same breath, it is not one to be dismissive about. It manages to charm, amuse, entertain and laugh at. If I can do that in one sitting from a movie, then it deserves my time and money. 

Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters
Karen Posada
0

By

2013/01/25 at 12:00am

Reviews

Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters

01.25.2013 | By |

Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters

Talk about giving a spin to a classic fairytale, ‘Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters’ makes such drastic changes that it is no longer suitable for children; it definitely earns its R rating. This movie is extremely violent and every other word out of its characters mouths is a swear word; this is certainly Hansel and Gretel like we’ve never seen them or even imagined them before. The movie is original with some burrowed ideas yet predictable, it has absolutely no intelligent value but nonetheless it is mindlessly entertaining.

 

After slaying an evil witch that lived in a candy house as children, Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) become celebrity witch hunters and are seeked out by villages to get rid of witches and keep their children safe. The two are professionals at their job, but get a real challenge when they face Muriel (Famke Janssen) an extremely powerful witch. With some help from the locals, such as groupie fan boy Ben (Thomas Mann) they might stand a chance.

 

The thing that keeps this short 88-minute film entreating is the gory violence and quick powerful fights and effects, because without this the plot and dialogue are too weak to stand on their own. The violence really took me by surprise and it just tops itself scene after scene. The effects are well executed, as the witches are the complete package, they are this zombie looking quick moving, scary monsters unlike the witches of fairytales. The 3D is mainly noticed when things break and we are thrown pieces, but besides that there’s not much to it.

 

There are many things that contradict the setting and storyline the main one being the high tech weapons the duo uses, also the kind of innocence of the main two is laughable and there are many distractions away from the main plot. My favorite character is a troll named Edward (Robin Atkin Downes); he’s a computerized monster that easily wins us over.

 

If the film were any longer it would loose its essence as would start running out of ideas and even the violence wouldn’t be able to provide it with more entertainment. You forget about the film soon after you walk out the theater and it’s best because if you begin to analyze it you will certainly destroy the little fantasy it created. It’s just a good bloody time at the movies; don’t go expecting too much and you can enjoy the show. A note to those that decide to watch it in theaters: a sneak peek of ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ which opens March 29th is shown before the film begins and it is quite a treat, so don’t miss it. 

Parker
Karen Posada
0

By

2013/01/25 at 12:00am

Reviews

Parker

01.25.2013 | By |

Parker

Jason Statham is one of my favorite action stars because he always delivers, he can carry a whole movie and entertain us blow by blow all the way through, but that’s not the case with ‘Parker’, because the biggest handicaps it has are Jennifer Lopez and an extremely weak script. The movie has some violent fun and could have been better if Lopez’s persona wouldn’t have been given such a big chunk of time, which works as a major break pedal for the flow of the film and the story. There are some memorable fight scenes but the movie gets so wrecked that it’s hard to enjoy it as a whole. 

 

In this crime-thriller Parker (Jason Statham) is a thief that gets left behind for dead by the last group of men he worked with. To get vengeance and follow his principles he makes a plan to get back at these men and recruits Leslie (Jennifer Lopez) a woman whose dull life leads her to volunteer to be part of this dangerous plan.

 

Despite of the fact that Statham’s character has a weird set of morals and principals for a criminal, I could have gone along with the poorly executed story and enjoyed it if it wouldn’t have taken a screeching halt the second Lopez comes into it. Lopez’s story isn’t completely distracting as it serves a small purpose, but as soon as she completes the task her part should have been done; instead she’s left to wonder around to be one more thing the main character has to worry about. I’m not going to bother speaking about JLo’s acting as her character is completely irrational and is just a huge annoyance that could have been avoided or at least toned down.

 

The fight scenes are the only things that would get me to recommend this movie, as they are completely entertaining and leave you openmouthed. At the beginning there’s some comedy along with the action, which is where the picture of a “good” criminal gets woven in. There’s this weird 80’s tone and feel towards the middle of the film, all contributed to bad filmmaking. Here is where the movie really slows down and begins to loose its essence showing how little effort director Taylor Hackford put into this film.

 

Once the movie looses our interest it’s very hard for it to get it back and it all begins with Lopez’s appearance, from there it all just goes downhill. If you like seeing Statham on screen you might be able to stay for it all despite of him running on auto-mode for a while with a poor southern accent, but it will be hard to get through the very slow painful middle of the film and past JLo’s character of a sad and desperate woman. If you are not already a fan of Statham’s work then there’s no reason why you should put yourself through this, even though it does have some very cool fight scenes it’s not worth it.   

The Last Stand
Jack Rico
0

By

2013/01/18 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Last Stand

01.18.2013 | By |

The Last Stand

‘The Last Stand’ is exactly what action movies from the decade of the 80’s felt like – fun escapism that put a smile on your face. So far, this is the most fun movie from the first 3 weeks of January and from the looks of it, only Sly Stallone’s ‘Bullet to the Head’ might equal it in entertainment value anytime soon.

 

The premise goes like this: the leader of a drug cartel (Eduardo Noriega) busts out of a courthouse and speeds to the Mexican border, where the only thing in his path is a sheriff (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his inexperienced staff (Luis Guzman).

 

Amongst all the buzz of Arnold Schwarzenegger coming “back” to movies in a lead role, I can’t ignore how 40% of the lead cast is Latino. It’s a treat when I go see a mainstream Hollywood film and see this many Latino actors getting major face time. 

 

Let me begin with Luis Guzman. He has to be close to breaking the record with the most amount of film appearances ever. The man is ubiquitous and seems like every action or comedy film can use the services of someone like Guzman. He’s a solid character actor that derives laughs just on his physical presence and the delivery of comical dialogue tailored to him. Then we have Genesis Rodriguez who feels she’s like a movie or two away before she hits star status. In my opinion, she’ll succeed Jennifer Lopez as the next Latina mainstream star. She has the looks, the comic timing, the charm and most importantly, the ‘It’ factor, in other words, the magic. Rodrigo Santoro is a veteran actor with versatility. He travails from drama to comedy to now action. There’s not much he can’t do. He also looks like he jacked up for this film only making him more attractive to casting directors. Then you have Eduardo Noriega who is one of Spain’s most respected actors. If you get the chance, catch him in ‘El Lobo,’ Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ and Alejandro Amenábar’s ‘Tesis’ and you’ll see why Noriega is the real deal.

 

One note not to be ignored are the Latino roles. A criticism I’ve usually had has been Latino actors usually cast as criminals, thugs, maids, etc. But apart from Noriega playing the cartel boss, Guzman played a cop (typical, but honest), Rodriguez and FBI agent, and Santoro a ex-military soldier. It’s not ideal, but it’s a work in progress and improving year to year. What is bizarre, though, is that producers approved the hiring of non-Mexican actors to play Mexicans. The worst being Noriega who is from Spain. Santoro is from Brazil, Rodriguez from Venezuela and Guzman from Puerto Rico. I guess Hollywood thinks we’re all the same species. 

 

One critical element of the feature that isn’t necessarily seen, but felt, is the action tempo. South Korean director Jee-woon Kim, he of one of the best Asian films I’ve seen in a long time, ‘I Saw the Devil,’ manages to integrate seamlessly all the thumps, bangs and smacks in a rhythmic choreographic tempo. And it is this element that allows the action sequences to flourish and the comedy to be enjoyed. The timing, the pace, the beats are all in-synch in nice blend of action comedy that provides a wonderful exciting experience at the movies. 

 

In regards to Schwarzenegger’s personal performance, he can still deliver a punch in his one-liners and he can still carry a movie. If you had put Ron Perlman or a Lyle Alzado type in his place, this would be lost somewhere in the bottom feeders of my Netflix Instawatch. How does ‘The Last Stand’ rank amongst his films? Not in the Top 10, but above ‘The 6th Day’ and ‘Red Heat’. 

 

Go see it. It is a very funny movie and the entertainment value is thru the roof.

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