Movie Reviews #12…
Focus. Will Smith and Margot Robbie star in this story about a con-man training a con-woman. There are some fun moments in New Orleans when the scam-jam takes place, and Smith’s character even surprises the con-woman (and me as well). The whole thing is a bit unrealistic, though, especially the ending, a twist gone wrong. Newcomer Robbie, an Aussie, is a good foil for the rapidly aging Smith, but she’s a failure as a con-woman, never graduating beyond stealing watches. Really a mixed bag, in spite of Smith and Robbie (was Smith brain-damaged by the After Earth fiasco?) I’d give this one a B-, but you might want to wait for the video.
Chappie. AI-construct and artificial boy Chappie is annoying [added just before posting: one reviewer said he’s akin to Jar-Jar Binks, the flop-eared jackass character in the worst Star Wars episode ever—I disagree, because nothing could be that annoying!]. Dev Patel is his usual annoying self as the brilliant roboticist. Hugh Jackman plays a different role but is equally annoying as one of the villain. Sigourney Weaver continues her love of mediocrity that makes one wonder if Alien was just an accident. Rappers Ninja as Chappie’s Daddy and Yo-Landi Visser as Chappie’s Mommy were refreshing, adding both comic relief and some seriousness—they might have saved the movie.
This movie that rips off Short Circuit, Robocop, and District 9 still has its moments, although I’m not certain about the intended audience. Not recommended for kids (even Chappie has a foul mouth); not intended for the squeamish because of the gratuitous violence and overly staged action scenes; and not intended for true roboticists because the science is completely hokey (I hope my brain goes beyond those few screen dumps). I suppose anti-science troglodytes and conspiracy theorists will have some fun, but I kept wondering when it was going to get better. C+, and definitely wait for the video.
Run All Night. I saved the best for last. This beats the crap out of Goodfellows and The Departed. It’s the best gangster movie I’ve seen, in fact, but it has something for everyone. It’s about battles between two old guys from NYC’s Irish mob, Jimmy Conlon, played by Liam Neeson, and Sean MaGuire, played by Ed Harris. I won’t go into details, but MaGuire is out to kill Conlon and his son Michael, well played by Joel Kinnamen. In contrast with the movies named, the action is almost continuous—I wanted a seatbelt on my theater seat. But the tension in between leaves you breathless too. There aren’t many good guys in this movie. Neeson does his usual job as a seriously flawed hero, starting out as an old drunk but finally achieving redemption, and Harris, as Jimmy Conlon’s boyhood hero, does a great job too.
The quiet moments—short, but oh so telling—are the ones that I loved in this movie. We see the dark underbelly of the Big Apple, the seamier side of Gotham—often emphasized by sweeping camera angles—both in historical perspective and modern times, as these two old friends are torn between love of family and the criminal’s code. We see more dirty cops than clean, but one honest homicide detective connects with Jimmy Conlon, and these are deeply moving moments too. Conlon, who is trying to protect Michael and his family, illustrates a depth of character that will at least leave you wondering who’s bad and good in all of this. Neeson’s portrayal of Conlon, in fact, is his best performance yet since he began to surpass Harrison Ford as the suffering-bastard type of protagonist. This one relegates the whole Taken series to irrelevancy. Caveat emptor: this movie is raw power and deserves its R rating, but it’s definitely worth seeing on the big screen for those who love the gangster genre. A+.
In elibris libertas….
