Letterboxd — Your life in film

Had I not already seen Moon, The Terminator, Independence Day, Robocop, Cast Away and Disney's The Black Hole this would have been a pretty cool movie. Weirdly, I felt a bit embarrassed at the end for being a fan of the genre. Tom Cruse' last line probably had Vasquez and Gorman turning in their graves. It looked great, but Tom, looks aren't everything.

I've not seen anything worth talking about for a while now. Watched Moonrise Kingdom last night and, while I liked some elements of it, it felt like the director was going over a very well trodden path (by his boots of course) and didn't do anything as well as in Rushmore. Even the usually excellent Bill Murray was just shuffling around in the background. I enjoy the theatrical approach to cinema, the whole Brechtian thing, but a little emotional identification goes a long way. Maybe put some laughs in next time too. Great end credits mind you.

Interesting concept for a film and a really wonderful cast, but the plot just seemed to be there to link one ageing actor to the next. That would be OK if there was a decent story once the band had been put back together. It's sort of like The Expendables on tea and scones rather than steroids. I'd probably watch a sequel if there is any tea left in the pot.

I'm not a big fan of tension in films, so a film that is built completely around tension was never going to fully win me over. It's very well crafted and certainly squeezes as much of that unwanted emotion out of the scenario that it possibly can. But I couldn't help feel afterwards that their actual escape was rather uneventful considering the potential obstacles. Stringing all the drama together into one excruciating sequence left me feeling a little too manipulated. I get stopped at the airport every time I travel (due to identity theft) so perhaps the situation just rubbed me up the wrong way. 

There is a moment about halfway in where Mark Wahlberg's cut rate detective character falls off the wagon that I thought was going to be the catalyst for an explosive and exciting second half. Damn you Starbucks!

See first comment...

"My advice to you is to start drinking heavily"

Classic scene follows classic scene follows classic scene. One of those films that you watch over and over as a kid until it's assimilated into your character and you find strength and courage from its futile and stupid spirit often turning the worst of times into the best.

There are just three things I like about this film, the soundtrack and Eva Green's boobs.

This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.