Movie Reviews #33…
Star Trek Beyond is too confined. Justin Lin, director. This is #3 in the new parallel universe of the franchise. The screenplay by Simon Pegg (Scotty) and Doug Jung (Ben) is a wee bit slow at the start, but it soon becomes another breathless summer action film. I could have done without the futuristic Harley. I like Chris Pine (Kirk), but Patrick Stewart (Picard) was and will always be my idea of what a starship captain should be. Maybe Pine is channeling Shatner? Nothing logical about his portrayal. No wonder Spock (Zachary Quinto) has problems with him. Idris Elba (Krall) shows masterful villainy—I just wish the black guy wasn’t always the villain (is he typecast in too many of these roles now?). The movie is an entertaining wham-bam shootout, although there is too much action and not much sci-fi—or the usual morality story either. I’m getting almost as tired of these movies as the Star Wars movies. Let the trekkies go and worship at their altar. Definitely a mixed bag, although enough to make you happy on a rainy day with thunder storms.
Jason Bourne is born again. Paul Greenglass, director. Screnplay: Chris Rouse. Ten years ago we saw Bourne floating at the bottom of the murky Hudson. This cat has more than nine lives. At the beginning of the film, Bourne is making a living beating the crap out of guys in bareknuckle fights—sort of mirrors that austerity movement in Greece too. Jason (Matt Damon) looks old and tired and wired, but the pace is still relentless—not a moment’s peace for the old duffer. Somehow the music keeps up with that pace, echoing previous films and leaving me with a similar headache. We learn why Bourne volunteered for the program in the first place, and a new and ambitious CIA operator Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander), more hacker than agent (but she can wield a gun), steps up as the next villain—maybe? typical miscasting—while wrinkled old prune Tommy Lee Jones retires as director (great miscasting again). Lots of privacy v. national security concerns are given lip service (did Apple participate in the script writing?). A good time was had by all, but I liked #2 and #3 better. There’s room for a sequel, by the way, if you’re a Bourne-again type. Again, good when the summer weather drives you into the theater.
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On sale: The Golden Years of Virginia Morgan. This sci-fi thriller will be on sale at Smashwords for $0.99, reduced from $2.99 (67% discount) from now until September 1. Use the coupon code FU54W. First question: what will the U.S. in the future do with retirees with Top Secret information? Second question: how do you prevent the assassination of a presidential candidate? Third question: is there room for romance in the life of an old agent? This fast-moving story’s main character is a woman who shows perseverance and strength to survive while unmasking a terrible conspiracy. Don’t miss the thrills!
In libris libertas!
