Live By Night

This review may contain spoilers!

This is one of Ben Affleck's worst films yet. I would give Live By Night a 3.5/10.

This film had a very good start, it was interesting to see Joe Coughlin's more reckless origins and how he crosses a big time mob boss. Furthermore I liked the role the Catholic church and the KKK had within this film; you don't often see the KKK as a criminal organisation extorting money alongside the gangsters so this brought a whole new side to their antagonist status, furthermore I liked how much power the church held particularly in stopping one of Coughlin's criminal enterprises after he crosses a member of the community. Really this film does it's best when it's truly examining the gang politics fully and seeing how factions engage with one another, this builds to a very well orchestrated shoot out at the end of the film. The cinematography has it's good and bad moments, though I do think Affleck shows a good eye for crafting aesthetically pleasing shots the further the film moves along. The score is a real throwback to that 1920s era, I loved how it dipped and dived and provided a very melancholy atmosphere.

Elle Fanning, who played Loretta Figgis, hasn't had much luck with her choice of scripts this year but has really stolen the show in each of them; Fanning crafts an incredibly overdramatic messiah figure yet also presents an abused and reclusive young woman in more intimate scenes. Remo Girone, who played Maso Pescatore, does a grand job at playing a very subtly intimidating mob boss; Girone presents a man who runs crime like a king and knows the power he wields. Brendan Gleeson, who played Thomas Coughlin, is a very steady and stern father figure in this feature; Gleeson's intolerance towards crime and criminal element sets him in conflict with his onscreen son Affleck in a very riveting way. Robert Glenister, who played Albert White, is a completely unpredictable wild card onscreen; if Girone's role was a king then Glenister's is an animal fiercely protecting his territory.

However the best performance came from Sienna Miller, who played Emma Gould. Miller and Affleck have a lot of chemistry in this film and it's clear to see the great relationship between their respective characters. I appreciated Miller's fierce defense of herself and her way of life, it brought her into conflict with Gleeson and Affleck a couple of time. She's one of the more tragic figures of the film as she was trapped in a life that really punished her existence, I loved her character's unapologetic views about gaining freedom by the end of the film and felt it provided one of the best scenes of the feature.

This film had a narrative that never really seemed to stay on track; what is advertised is a gangster film but what you get is quite different. Throughout the film we get a forbidden love story, a gang war film, a civil rights film, a scrutiny of religion and the purification of Joe Coughlin. The way the plot kept shifting back and forth between premises got confusing and you weren't really sure what the message really was by the end of it all. Furthermore the barrage of voice over exposition grew real tiring real quick, every single time the plot needed to make a time jump but didn't know how to show the change in setting, politics or character we were dealt a heavy information dump. The ending of this film was a serious problem as well, the misuse of Chief Figgis, subsequent death of Graciela and bonding time Joe has with his son are all very rushed moments that feel out of tone with the rest of the film thus far. The editing for the film was slow and arduous, often having a seriously negative effect on the film's pacing.

Ben Affleck, who played Joe Coughlin, is probably the worst pick for protagonist of his own film; Affleck doesn't really seem to grasp the role so you're left with quite a distanced and emotionless performance throughout the film. Matthew Maher, who played RD Pruitt, is this bumbling anatagonist who trainwrecks a big section of the film; Maher just doesn't have the acting ability to carry a major antagonist role. Chris Messina and B.C. Halifax, who played Dion Bartolo and Paulo Bartolo respectively, start this film as Affleck's goons who lack serious screen presence; Messina is given more to do later on but it's mostly exposition or flat witticisms. Miguel, who played Esteban Suarez, has some really bad line delivery in this film; one of the hardest things to take seriously about him is that he could be Saldana's brother - their onscreen chemistry being non-existent. Zoe Saldana, who played Graciela, was a bit on the nose as Affleck's love interest; I found her role's pure values hard to reconcile with her role's earlier dealings in the criminal world. Chris Cooper, who played Chief Figgis, looks as if he's had all the energy and enthusiasm knocked out of him in this film; the sudden twist of Cooper becoming a fanatical raving loon minutes before the film ended was an especially weak moment. Max Casella, who played Digger Pescatore, is a very forgettable antagonist in this film; you struggle to make connections with how this role relates to the rest of the cast up until about a minute before he dies offscreen. Anthony Michael Hall, who played Gary L. Smith, is a bit of a bumbling comedic character that has a bit of a throwaway scene in this feature; it would have been nice for this scene to establish a better look at the dealings of crime in Tampa as opposed to some weird comedic interrogation moment.

Hidden Figures

This review may contain spoilers!

An truly inspired and feel good story about African-American women who changed space travel forever. I would give Hidden Figures a 9/10.

This is a film that really educates you about the African-American history in regards to the space program very well, it sets a comedic light tone that is very easy to connect with while also setting up some really powerful messages about racial prejudice in this era. These three women are truly compelling characters who all have something important to contribute to this film, I loved their chemistry with one another but also how they fought and achieved their own individual victories throughout the narrative. Ultimately the story here paves the way for many stories about African-American excellence to come and is sure to be one of the best stories to emerge from 2017. The cinematography does a great job of providing a lot of colour composition to create an attractive image, this does wonders when the scene uses a harmful piece of imagery amongst this spectacularly visual style. The editing also hit all the right marks, often syncing up really between the film's music and it's cinematography. The score for this film was very emotive and highlighted some of the moments of struggle; yet it is the soundtrack that really sets the film apart, such an incredible upbeat compilation of music that has you hooked on the film from the start.

Taraji P. Henson, who played Katherine G. Johnson, is perfect as the central protagonist of this film; Henson's bold statements and delivery coupled with her nervous mannerisms really highlight her range as a performer. Octavia Spencer, who played Dorothy Vaughan, was a quiet yet resolute leader throughout this film; Spencer had a calm yet firm temperament that remains steady throughout her character's amazing journey to a supervisor of the IBM position. Kevin Costner, who played Al Harrison, was a gruff figure at the best of times with a keen sense of justice; I liked how driven by his vision Costner was even if that meant he missed the more human details of his workplace around him. Kirsten Dunst, who played Vivian Mitchell, made for a great antagonist in the eyes of the protagonists at the start of the film; Dunst did a good job of showing how blind her character is to her own shortcomings and does a great job of redeeming her role by the end of the feature. Jim Parsons, who played Paul Stafford, is a great antagonistic force against Henson throughout most of this feature; I think Parsons really embodies that snarky superior attitude needed of a leading racist scientist. Mahershala Ali, who played Colonel Jim Johnson, was a very charismatic character; I liked how open and honest Ali made this role as it created a romance subplot that felt genuine. Glen Powell, who played John Glenn, was an easy to like minor role; it was nice to have a character who cracked wise and unapologetically showed a kind attitude to the African-American characters. Olek Krupa, who played Karl Zielinski, was a small role who had a very large amount of heart; I absolutely loved any scene he shared with Monae. Lidya Jewett, who played Young Katherine Coleman, had such a worldly maturity to her that I was completely blown away; her delivery of complex mathematical equations was spot on and a great introduction to the film. Ariana Neal, Saniyya Sydney and Zani Jones Mbayise, who played Joylette Johnson, Constance Johnson and Kathy Johnson respectively, had some great chemistry amongst one another and were very believable as sisters; I liked seeing these three engage with Henson and how enthusiastic they were about her accomplishments. Ron Clinton Smith, who played White Cop, was a very vital and well performed role to start this film off with; Smith was able to create a role who had both a menacing edge and also a lighter side that reflected the structure of the film throughout. Frank Hoyt Taylor, who played the Judge, had a really great scene with Monae in the film; I liked seeing how Taylor turned his display of trepidation into one of great intrigue over the course of the scene.

However the best performance came from Janelle Monae, who played Mary Jackson. Monae is such an energetic and strong performer, who commands the screen from the minute she first appears. I like her character's stance on racial equality, she took no nonsense and worked hard to make herself heard. This is the type of role who you laugh alongside but who young women will strive to be like I feel. Which really gets to the heart of the matter, Monae embodies the values and message of Hidden Figures so completely that it was an impossibility to not list as the best performer.

This film's format could have used work, I didn't like how the narrative at times felt as if it had been divided up into three subplots; it lessened the impact of certain moments of the story. Another aspect of the film that lost a lot of impact with me was how predictable the triumphs over racism were, this wasn't a film that set out to shock you with how it presented itself which worked against it sometimes.

Aldis Hodge, who played Levi Jackson, really lacked chemistry with Monae and didn't feel like her husband at all; furthermore his role as an activist got a bit preachy even by the film's standards. Kimberly Quinn, who played Ruth, seemed like a lesser version of Dunst's character; I wish Quinn had been able to do something a bit more unique or different with her role instead of basically portraying a carbon copy racist. Donna Biscoe, who played Mrs. Joylette Coleman, really lacked screen presence in this film; it would have been nice to see her interact with henson a bit more so that the mother/daughter relationship actually felt properly established.

Manchester By The Sea

This review may contain spoilers!

This is a film that is truly open and honest about the experience of grief, while also boasting one of the best casts I've seen in a drama this year. I would give Manchester By The Sea an 8/10.

This film takes care at showing how people grieve, which is to say you see how people grow closer but also the awkward and uncomfortable distance that occurs between people; you also see how people go about their daily lives as if nothing had happened but it also catches those moments where everything just overwhelms you. It also manages to capture the more manufactured moments in grief, in particular interacting with staff at the hospital or dealing with funeral homes. While the main characters in this film wrestle with their inner feelings you can only be drawn in further to the relationship between Lee and Patrick that's at the heart of this film. It's also really distressing to see why Lee is so withdrawn and detached from the world around him, this is no easy backstory to watch and really sets this film apart. I appreciated that the film's message wasn't that everything could be fixed after a tragedy, you get better but pain like this never truly heals you just find a way forward; this is a melancholy narrative that really delivers. The cinematography is very intimate, we're treated to a very close visual style that helps you identify and perceive the internal struggles occurring within Lee and Patrick. The score for this film was also incredible, a serenade that adds to the tragedy while also celebrating those moments of brightness in between.

Ben O'Brien, who played Young Patrick, is really full of energy and a great introduction to the character; I loved his connection to Affleck in the flashback scenes and how these foreshadow their relationship to come. Kyle Chandler, who played Joe Chandler, comes across as very level headed and a steady presence in the flashbacks; he was very genuine in his presentation of easy going humour as well as his relationship with Affleck. C.J. Wilson and Jami Tennille, who played George and Janine respectively, were very steady pillars of support throughout the film; they backed up Affleck well and brought forth some great emotion from him. Chloe Dixon and Ellie Teeves, who played Suzy Chandler and Karen Chandler respectively, are a pair of great child performers; the bubbly and caring personalities they create make for some genuine father/daughter scenes between them and Affleck. Michelle Williams, who played Randi Chandler, has a very sweet relationship with Affleck at the start of this film; it's really terrible to see her grief at the death of her children. Lucas Hedges, who played Patrick, is such a great believable protagonist alongside Affleck in this film; it was interesting to see Hedges grapple with themes of coming of age while at the same time having to accurately portray his role's grief. Christian J. Mallen and Oscar Wahlberg, who played CJ and Joel respectively, created a great sense of friendship between Hedge and themselves; it was nice to see some comedy and openness from young characters in the face of someone passing. Anna Baryshnikov, who played Sandy, had some really genuine chemistry with Hedges in this film; I actually liked how honestly this relationship of young attraction and then romance was presented.

However the best performance came from Casey Affleck, who played Lee Chandler. This was really Affleck's film, the psychology and reactions of his character were constantly under the spotlight. This was a very withdrawn and haunted role who was torturing himself at every turn for accidentally causing the death of his children. Seeing how lost this role was in the face of his brother's death and becoming Hedges' legal guardian was moving, every scene felt so hard for Affleck's character. This is one of those roles that Affleck will be remembered for, it's an honest depiction of a tortured state of mind and a man riddled with grief.

This is a film that handles the process of grief well but it views it in excruciating detail, meaning that the pacing throughout the narrative feels very slow. Furthermore the start of the feature lacks substance, it's hard to connect with Lee as a protagonist initially. The editing for the film is probably the most taxing quality, the transitions are quite dated and have a negative impact on what is otherwise a very beautiful film.

Gretchen Mol, who played Elise Chandler, lacks screen presence in a pretty serious way; it would have been nice to see more of her and Chandler's relationship so you can understand her lack of presence in the present day narrative. Tom Kemp, who played Stan Chandler, had absolutely no impact on the film at all; I often questioned his significance in scenes as all he did was sit in the background most times. Kara Hayward, who played Silvie McCann, was just a really rigid frosty role; it would have been nice to see Hayward put some effort into the chemistry between Hedges and herself. Heather Burns, who played Jill, seemed like a very awkward and out of place comedic role; it was strange that she had such casualness towards her daughter making love just upstairs from her. Liam McNeill, who played Josh, was very much a background figure in this film; I found this annoying as McNeill's character was in a relationship with Williams so there could have been some stuff explored there. Matthew Broderick, who played Jeffrey, felt unbelievably artifical in this film; Broderick's creation of an awkward atmosphere was quite transparent to watch.

Lion

This review may contain spoilers!

This film wasn't half bad till it hit the Australian aspect of the film, from there it was next to impossible to remain engaged with the film. I would give Lion a 5.5/10.

The way this film opens with a focus on Saroo as a young child and his relationship with his family is a very strong aspect of the feature, he has a loyalty and a drive to provide that is really sincere to watch. This only serves to make it all the more horrifying as Saroo accidentally falls asleep on a train and finds himself propelled to Calcutta (1600 kilometres from home); on the streets of Calcutta you find yourself in suspense as Saroo has to navigate child abductors, pedophiles and a pretty terrifying approximation of an orphanage/juvenile institution. The ending for Lion is very impactful and goes a long way towards redeeming the last hour of the film, the reunion between Saroo and his mother is a pure moment of joy. The score for this film is absolutely brilliant, it really underlines the heavy emotional points of the film while at the same time celebrates and incorporates Indian music.

Abhishek Bharate, who played Guddu, is a very charismatic brotherly figure who has a great relationship with Pawar in this film; I appreciated how Bharate showed the burden his role felt in regards to having to provide for his family. Priyanka Bose, who played Kamla, is such a bright light in this film; her unwavering optimism towards her children even in the eyes of such great poverty is great to see. Riddhi Sen, who played Cafe Man, is only a minor role yet shares a really nice heartfelt exchange with Pawar; Sen creates a moment of compassion that will really resonate with audiences. Dev Patel, who played Saroo Brierley, really captures the protagonist well in his years of maturity; he manages to create a fun and witty persona at first who becomes overshadowed by a consuming drive to find his Indian family. Divian Ladwa, who played Mantosh Brierley, creates a disgruntled and bleak role that weighs heavily upon the Brierley family dynamic; I was really moved by how Ladwa depicted his role's mental illness as I thought that it allowed a perspective on the challenges of recognising and treating mental illness in India. Sachin Joab, who played Bharat, was only a fleeting appearance in this film but one who left quite a mark; his compassion for Patel's role and immediate outlook on how to solve the problem was very well delivered.

However the best performance came from Sunny Pawar, who played Young Saroo. In amongst a cast of brilliant Indian talent is this young child actor who blows each and every one of them out of the water. Pawar is the perfect protagonist for this film, it's easy to see how he beat out 2000 other auditions for the part. I really loved the energy this kid brought with him to scenes, he could turn a scene very light very quick if needed. He also displayed fear and anxiety rather well, particularly in the face of child abductors or when he discovers that he's locked upon the train. Pawar is a cute kid which goes a long way for him but don't be fooled by looks alone, this kid has a lot of commendable acting talent.

This film sometimes feels like you are experiencing Saroo's journey rather than watching and being allowed to understand it; the film is very quick to send it's young protagonist hurtling off to Calcutta without really analysing Saroo's family life or home life in any great detail. This continues from event to event as Saroo moves quickly between quite similar dangerous encounters, this repetitive storytelling feels dull and robs the film of it's potential. Then the action moves to Australia and the pacing slows right down to a crawl, it was clearly hard for the writer to stretch a search on Google Earth into about an hour's worth of content. Add to the mix the very highly strung Brierley parents and Saroo's on-again off-again girlfriend, Lucy, and you have a film that fell pretty flat. The cinematography teases you with some absolutely beautiful establishing shots; sadly this is about as close as we get to a nice visual style as everything from there on out looks washed out and the close ups are hideously handled. The editing is another poor quality of the film, the constant use of fades as transitions felt taxing and only added to that sense of repetitiveness.

Tannishtha Chatterjee, who played Noor, was all over the place in regards to her range; I found Chatterjee's sudden shift to an antagonist role a bit poorly handled. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who played Rawa, was just a really off colour antagonist for this film; I didn't really get what Siddiqui's motivations were and you just wound up with a creepy scene with very little context. Rita Boy, who played Amita, had a lot of potential in this film but was seriously underused; it would have been nice to see Boy form some sort of attachment or bond with Pawar rather than just guide the film's exposition. Deepti Naval, who played Mrs Sood, was quite a bland performance; I found Naval's stiff demeanour to really have the opposite to the desired effect for her character. David Wenham, who played John Brierley, had next to no screen presence in this film; Wenham was really only memorable for saying 'mate' about eighty times and contributed little else. Nicole Kidman, who played Sue Brierley, felt more serial killer than maternal figure in this film; when Kidman gave her big speech about having visions I felt my eyes slowly role into the back of my head at the sheer ludicrous nature of the entire scene and performance. Rooney Mara, who played Lucy, was a really weak attempt to fill in time by giving Saroo a love interest; I think this would have worked to the film's favour if the role wasn't so flippant and Mara didn't have such a blatant lack of chemistry with Patel.

xXx: Return Of Xander Cage

This review may contain spoilers!

This is a film that takes the action genre to a completely ridiculous place and somehow manages to walk away not looking half bad. I would give xXx: Return Of Xander Cage a 7.5/10.

The rating I'm giving for this film surprised me probably just as much as it'll surprise some people reading this; however I think that if you've seen past xXx films and actually see some of the great creative directions this film takes then you'll start to see what I saw in this film. This is a great sequel, drawing off content from the past films seamlessly and developing a narrative that brings Xander Cage right up into the modern day. I really enjoyed that this film subverted what was expected of most action films, that is to say it didn't take itself too seriously and fill itself up with intensive jargon. Instead what we were given was the basic premise that satellites are dropping out of the sky and the person behind that has to be stopped; it does this by introducing one of the most diverse and colourful casts I've seen in an action film. The range of characters and personalities brought to this film is ultimately what sets it apart, finally a film that has characters who can make you grin rather than some dark brooding figure scowling at the baddies and his love interest for an hour and a half. Furthermore the narrative did a good job by pitting xXx operatives against one another, it was the most intriguing plot development a xXx film has ever had. The cinematography was sharp, often you felt like you were in motion alongside the many great chase sequences. The special effects also looked pretty good, with the satellites in particular having a fine sleek edge to them. I loved the stunt work throughout the film, you get some brilliant hand to hand combat sequences as well as cool car chase scenes. Furthermore the soundtrack really suits the vibe of the film; it doesn't take itself too seriously and is primed to make you laugh at certain events, in particular Ice Cube's surprise appearance.

Vin Diesel, who played Xander Cage, is very good at sharing the screen with his cast members and has some really nice chemistry with all of them; it's how much fun Diesel seems to be having in this film that really makes his role so appealing. Donnie Yen, who played Xiang, is interesting as an antagonist and protagonist as he flips sides throughout the film; Yen really throws himself into this performance and makes for quite a match to Diesel's Cage. Ruby Rose, who played Adele Wolff, was going to be a character I loved the minute I saw her sniping lion hunters; she has a cold sassy edge that immediately sets her up as a stand out action hero. Nina Dobrev, who played Becky Clearidge, just hits the ground running as the tech genius/fangirl role; Dobrev is a comic genius throughout the film and I particularly loved watching her character fire a gun for the first time. Samuel L. Jackson, who played Augustus Gibbons, is the parody Nick Fury I never knew I wanted (ironic cause he's parodying himself); Jackson sets the comedic tone at the start of the film and from there you know things are going to be an entertaining ride. Ice Cube, who played Darius Stone, is the perfect cameo role this film could have gone with; the minute Cube's scowling tough guy persona appears the film gets yet another shot of adrenaline before wrapping the final act.

However the best performance came from Deepika Padukone, who played Serena Unger. This is a character who is quite a driven role throughout, her sense of righteousness and duty works well for grounding the plot with a more dramatic character. Padukone delivers an action heroine who is intense, strong and just as tough as any of the men in this film (even tougher I'd argue). She has a good chemistry with Diesel, sparks are bouncing back and forth from the moment these two meet and I think their relationship unfolded in a surprisingly natural way. A great role and performance from Ms Padukone in this film.

This film was a lot of fun but there were also some major glaring plot holes throughout the film, sadly this meant that the film while enjoyable to watch had several instances where you were left questioning the writing. The way characters constantly flipped sides felt very artificial after a point, it meant that the stakes set previously in the features didn't seem as high by the end of the feature. Furthermore having the government suddenly turn around and betray the xXx program just felt cheap, it was a way of creating a final act antagonist who was 'easy' and it felt as if the writer hadn't challenged themselves to either set this plot twist up well or craft a good antagonist who could have left a solid mark upon the film. Finally the film had a cool range of characters but the way we were never really informed who they were in relation to their history with Xander Cage and the xXx program meant that you weren't as invested in them as you were entertained by them.

Kris Wu, who played Nicks, was one of the most irrelevant characters within the main cast; the necessity for a DJ in amongst this line of action heroes was completely lost upon me. Tony Jaa, who played Talon, seemed like some weird caricature martial arts character; he didn't add much to the film beyond his fight scenes and weird sound effects. Rory McCann, who played Tennyson Torch, seems a bit bored in this film and not at all in line with his character; McCann just drawls his lines and they really fall flat. Toni Collette, who played Jane Marke, has absolutely no personality at all in this film; Collette crafts an antagonist we've seen in most action features. Hermione Corfield, who played Ainsley, was this weird seductive role who felt at odds with Diesel's acting range; a character who had no chemistry with Diesel and only serves to remind us that OO7 Diesel is not. Tony Gonzalez, who played Paul Donovan, is a dumb musclebound henchman antagonist; Gonzalez really does little more than act as the butt of Diesel's jokes. Michael Bisping, who played Hawk, is often shuffled into the background throughout this film; he's a fighter but certainly not a character in this film. Al Sapienza, who played the CIA Director, was a weak antagonist to end the second act upon; Sapienza was barely established as a role so it made little to no sense to have him act as a main player in the film. Neymar, who played himself, was a cameo that didn't really work in this film; he really had no acting chops and the idea of a footballer being a xXx agent was laughable even for this film's standards. Ariadna Gutierrez-Arevalo, who played Lola, was really just there for a sex scene character; this role was a disappointing part of the film's start but thankfully it picked up from there.

Monster Trucks

This review may contain spoilers!

Forget animated films this year; live action family films are dominating 2017 thus far! I would give Monster Trucks a 7.5/10.

Main protagonist, Tripp, is an outsider in his hometown and is constantly looking to escape; struggling over the divorce of his parents and a superficial cop/stepdad trying to become his father figure. Tripp finally finds companionship and a sense of belonging when Kreech, a subterranean monster who has been displaced by oil drilling (topical!) barrels into Tripp's life. What ensues is a journey to fight against the corporate 'man', make friends, save an endangered species and have some fun car chase scenes while doing it. This is a film that will make you laugh, have you fascinated with it's playful creativity and engaged with some compelling characters and performances. The special effects used to create Kreech and his kind look really good, it's a unique monster in it's appearance and the CGI never looks out of place in this film. The soundtrack for the film does great at providing a 'feel good' tone; yet it's the score that is the crowning feat, being able to cast the film from foreboding scenes to light and peppy action.

Lucas Till, who played Tripp, makes for a great protagonist in this film; Till does a great job of playing a hardened figure who acts as if he doesn't care about anyone or anything yet by the time the film concludes you have seen several great moments in which Till has exposed his character's vulnerability and empathy towards others. Jane Levy, who played Meredith, is quite witty as the savvy tutor who's curiosity gets the better of her more often than not; I felt that Levy did a lot of work in this film to stand out as more than just the damsel in distress or token love interest which did wonders for her role. Barry Pepper, who played Sheriff Rick, was a gruff and distant character towards Till at the start of this film; I really enjoyed how he charged into action at the end of the film and really cemented his relationship with Till. Danny Glover, who played Mr. Weathers, trades sharp witty lines back and forth with Till amusingly when we meet his character; despite being a minor role it's easy to see that Glover makes for a kind and charismatic mentor.

However the best performance came from Holt McCallany, who played Burke. This is a character who is driven by a loyalty to who pays him, a bit of a wild card who is extremely dangerous and will go to whatever lengths to see the job through. I liked seeing McCallany deal with other characters, be that attempting to convince them he's a kinder person than he is or threatening to strip them of their job. Burke is a tough antagonist who sets the bar high in this family film, played expertly by McCallany.

This film did have some points where the emotional responses felt extremely off, Tripp's goodbye to Kreech being a prime example; in this exchange Tripp still refuses to consider Kreech to be anything more than a truck which makes all this plot feel a little futile. Furthermore you have to go to great lengths to believe some of the aspects of the film, I'm not just talking about believing Lucas Till is in high school; rather no one in the town spotting Kreech inside the truck or Jim Dowd ditching the 'evil' oil drilling company to suddenly save the animals. The cinematography also left a lot to be desired, even in action/chase sequences the camera failed to be as exciting as the effects or the music.

Thomas Lennon, who played Jim Dowd, is a character who's sudden change of heart at the end of the film feels very forced and isn't a greatly convincing aspect of the plot; Lennon flops when it comes to his comedic delivery throughout the feature and doesn't really suit the scientist character - even repeatedly stating he is a scientist in one scene. Rob Lowe, who played Reece Tenneson, is just far too stereotypical as an antagonist to take seriously; his constant speeches about how much he loves to make profit and pump oil gets tired somewhere during his first scene. Amy Ryan, who played Cindy, darts in to be a mother figure for about five seconds and then the film promptly forgets about her; it's a wasted use of Ryan and denies Till's character the chance to examine his relationship with his mother. Frank Whaley, who played Wade Coley, is just a drift in role who doesn't matter for much; the distant relationship act between father and son could have worked but Whaley goes far enough that you wonder if he even remembers he had a kid. Jedidiah Goodacre and Samara Weaving, who played Jake and Brianne respectively, felt like gimmick roles; they were there to empathise what Till's role didn't have right up until he was able to show them up - a classic but rather transparent narrative technique. Tucker Albrizzi, who played Sam Geldon, just felt like one cast member too many; his relationship to Till never really became clear and it just seemed like they needed a way to shoehorn in access to cool new trucks for the final act.

Ballerina

This review may contain spoilers!

This has a few moments of heart let down by one of the worst voice casts I've ever heard. I would give Ballerina a 5.5/10.

The narrative for this film excels when it focusses upon Felicie's dream of being a dancer at the opera and her struggle to get there, it's a charming journey and as a protagonist Felicie is quite bright and energetic. The animation for the film was pretty good for the most part, I did have some issues with character design but the rest of the film looked stunning. I loved how fluid and graceful motion and movement was presented; furthermore the way lighting and setting was done was incredible, there are just moments where Felicie is framed by these staggering backdrops and you become enchanted by what this film has to offer.

Elle Fanning, who voiced Felicie Milliner, actually made for quite a good protagonist; her vibrancy when talking about dancing as well as the energy put into her character made her a very likeable role. Maddie Ziegler, who voiced Camille, was the only truly great antagonist of the feature; her prim superior tone set her in conflict with Fanning immediately yet I also loved the humility Ziegler brought to this role by the end of the film.

However the best performance came from Terrence Scammell, who voiced Merante. Scammell did a great job of delivering a role who cared passionately about ballet and his student's commitment to their work. This was a figure of justice throughout the film, even offering Felicie an opportunity to earn her place amongst the opera once it's revealed she stole Camille's identity. I like how Scammell could drop the stern tone of his role and bring forth a more charming one such as when he sees Felicie dancing in the bar or talks about Odette's past.

This is a film that is too simple for it's own good, the plot is predictable and paper thin; often dealing out moments that are familiar from several similar films already produced. There's also a few characters who feel very unnecessary to the film's plot, chief among them being Victor. From the start Victor feels like a character who doesn't match Felicie very much, in fact their friendship becomes so strained and monotonous throughout the film you wonder why they bother to even force a romance between the two. The score and soundtrack for the film seemed in conflict with one another as well, you would think a period animated film would consistently use a score that drew upon famous classical music but instead we got a blend of classical music with the latest pop songs scattered throughout much to the detriment of the tone.

Dane DeHaan, who voiced Victor, has a really annoying delivery that gets on your nerves throughout this feature; DeHaan presents a character who has no real connection to Fanning and seems a bit lackluster. Carly Rae Jepsen, who voiced Odette, gave a very bland performance in this film; Jepsen's voice didn't match the disgruntled yet loving mentor figure and should probably have been replaced with a more experienced voice actress. Elana Dunkelman and Shoshana Sperling, who voiced Dora and Nora respectively, sounded bizarre and struggled to deliver emotionally responsive dialogue; this pair was a very stereotypical 'goofy' duo and had no real bearing on the film. Julie Khaner, who voiced Regine Le Haut, was an incredibly over the top antagonist; her transition to a child-murdering psychopath by the end of the film seemed an extreme leap from her role's prior behaviour.

Collateral Beauty

This review may contain spoilers!

A therapeutic and emotional journey that has some major bumps in the road when it comes to the script. I would give Collateral Beauty a 6.5/10.

The narrative of this film provides a very heavy focus upon loss and in particular the grieving process, there's a heavy analysis upon how Howard deals with the death of his daughter. While Howard isn't this character with a great many dimensions to him, he is a strong template for the film to have a conversation about grief and to explain that not all grief is the same. It's not an ugly depiction nor is it a kind one but there is a bittersweet charm to this film that sets it apart. The score for this film is phenomenal and absolutely lifts several scenes up, I wouldn't be remotely surprised if it doesn't shape up to be one of the best scores I'll hear in 2017.

Will Smith, who played Howard, crafts a very bleak withdrawn role through which he defines grief in a very unique and personal way; Smith really manages his character's emotional outbursts well and even has a powerful scene between Harris and himself near the end of the film. Edward Norton, who played Whit, is a bit sleazy and embodies the 'you have to be cruel to be kind' mentality very well; Norton is a great performer and in anyone else's hands this is a role who would have come off an antagonist rather than a misguided yet loyal friend. Michael Pena, who played Simon, isn't normally someone I'm used to in a dramatic role but he portrays his bitter feelings about his impending death in the film very well; Pena also allows his more jovial side to slip through the cracks and lighten some scenes, particularly in his interactions with Mirren. Naomie Harris, who played Madeleine, delivers one of her best performances to date in this film; her calm demeanour yet open honesty about her daughter's death makes her very easy to engage with as a character. Kylie Rogers, who played Allison, has a sharp delivery to her lines that creates some good tension between Norton and herself; I liked the scenes between these two and speaks a lot to Rogers' talent that she had a very commanding presence within these scenes.

However the best performance came from Keira Knightley, who played Amy. Knightley brought a sense of worldliness to the film, she seemed wise but also had a sense of other people - who they are and what they wanted/needed. Her scenes with Smith were important because they always felt the most honest in terms of his 'communication' with an abstract entity, Knightley portrayed love in a way that was neither cliched nor caricature. I liked her passion and her ferocity onscreen, she had a lot of power behind how she spoke even if she never allowed her role to lose control.

This was a film that fit into a very rigid and obvious structure: problem, solution, meet the abstract entities, meet them again and they all lived happily ever after. It was a plain film from start to finish and never tried to break the boundaries at all, when Brigitte, Raffi and Amy were revealed to actually be death, time and love it came as no surprise. Furthermore the revelation that Howard and Madeleine were in fact divorced and shared the same lost child was not only obvious but it was a really awkward revelation only salvaged by some great acting on Smith and Harris' part. The way each subplot around Whit, Simon and Claire was constructed to match up to the abstracts felt corny and took away from how seriously you took the plot as a whole. The cinematography was weak, feeling like a dollar bin romance flick due to the constant attempts at playing around with focus. The editing also felt kind of slow, shots lingered for far too long and then transitioned at jarring moments.

Kate Winslet, who played Claire, seemed like a character who really had no purpose in this film; she was the conscience of the friends group but her role in Howard's life as well as the company was never very clear. Helen Mirren, who played Brigitte, really seemed miscast in this film; her witty antics and portrayal of an actress hungry for the spotlight didn't feel 'meta' or ironic but instead felt a bit cheap and artificial. Jacob Latimore, who played Raffi, had a lot of energy but it always felt misplaced in his scenes; Latimore didn't seem to really engage all that well with the film's script. Ann Dowd, who played Sally Price, was a bit over the top even by this film's standards; her private investigator's illegal dealings to serve her client felt a bit over the top. Mary Beth Peil, who played Whit's Mother, gave the most melodramatic dementia performance I've seen in a while; it was a dumb quirk in the film used to make this plot seem relevant and less malicious towards Smith's character.

Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life

This review may contain spoilers!

So it seems 2017 is gonna be the year I learn not to judge a book by it's cover. I would give Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life a 7.5/10.

Sometimes keeping things simple is the way to go; this is your classic kid vs. authority film in which pranks ensue and friendships are forged. There's actually a very well crafted sense of humour throughout this feature which will work upon a wide range of audiences, be that from the Drake economics jokes to the slapstick prank scenes. Furthermore this is a film that goes the extra mile to present some depth to the main protagonist through a compelling backstory and plot twist in the film, we learn that Rafe's younger brother Leo died of cancer and it is revealed that the 'best friend' Rafe had been interacting with throughout the film was in fact an imaginary depiction of his brother. It's a poignant moment and adds a lot more gravity to the film's storytelling. The animation used throughout this film served it's purpose well, crafting an interesting imaginary world for the main protagonist while also providing a unique dynamic to the film's visual style. The soundtrack for the film really brought out some great party anthems, these were used to keep a high level of energy going throughout while also adding to the comedic moments of the feature.

Griffin Gluck, who played Rafe, was a great protagonist for this film; Gluck delivered well as an up and coming comedic performer but he also brought a lot of emotion to the scenes where his character had to mourn his lost brother. Andrew Daly, who played Principal Dwight, was immediately a classic and well performed antagonist; his bumbling yet hilarious tyrant principal was a joy in any scene he was in. Thomas Barbusca, who played Leo, has some great chemistry with Gluck in this film; yet it's when we discover Barbusca to be playing Gluck's deceased brother that all the pieces fall into place and this compassionate performance is given the time to shine. Retta, who played Ida Stricker, really was a force unto herself and a commanding antagonist within the film; Daly and Retta bounced off one another well and presented some of the better scenes of the feature. Adam Pally, who played Mr. Teller, has charisma aplenty in this film; hard not to like and the sort of role who is easy to connect with. Rob Riggle, who played Bear, was yet another great antagonist in this film; his tirade of insults and bullying behaviour towards Gluck and Nisenson set him up as quite a nasty and stand out role.

However the best performance came from Alexa Nisenson, who played Georgia. In a film filled with entertaining performers, both young and old, it was really cool to see the youngest of them constantly stealing the spotlight. Her humour and line delivery was incredible, often throwing out some of the best lines of the film. This was a character who felt more mature than she was, had a tough exterior and a 'no holds barred' attitude. One of the best scenes of the film is when Nisenson delivers her character's breaking point, an emotional delivery about her fear of seeing Gluck's role sent away to military school leaving her alone.

This is a film that relies on it's great comedy to see it through, so while you enjoy what you watch there is a feeling like you're watching an array of slapstick skits assembled throughout the narrative at times. Furthermore the story isn't always great at delivering it's more important moments that well; the big plot twist around Leo was good but could have been better presented, Jules decision to break up with Bear is sudden and feels very motivated by a need to shift the plot, even the success of some of the pranks get s a bit questionable from time to time. The cinematography doesn't do anything spectacular, in fact visually the film looks like it would normally belong as a straight to TV flick. The editing is probably the worst aspect of the film, cuts come at awkward times and transitions are jarring; some of the transitions really pulled me out of the film.

Lauren Graham, who played Jules, just did not seem like she wanted to give her all in this film; she certainly did not feel like a very strong motherly figure to Gluck or Nisenson. Luke Hardeman, who played Shon, was this awkward kid performance that never really stood out; I think he was supposed to be a gag character but he got no laughs out of me. Jacob Hopkins, who played Miller, was the only antagonist of the film to let the narrative down; Hopkins never really portrayed a clear motivation for his character's bullying so his sudden change to protagonist by the end of the film felt off. Isabela Moner, who played Jeanne, was a pretty standard set-up love interest from the start of the film; she nver got much agency or did anything of her volition so Moner never really got to contribute to the film much. Efren Ramirez, who played Gus, was about the least comedic role of the mature cast; his weird racial comedy really didn't suit the general tone of this film.

Master

This review may contain spoilers!

This film spends too much time on the business jargon without enough attention to characters. I would give Master a 4/10.

This film managed to create a film around the concept of deception very well, this concept was the driving force behind the film and it was interesting to watch the characters decide who to trust. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Kim Jae-Myung and Park Jang-Goon, the cop and inside man relationship and how the balance of trust shifted throughout the narrative was probably the most intriguing quality to the story. The cinematography was very good, often boasting stylistic choices that made use of the impressive sets, vehicles and lighting.

Lee Byung-Hun, who played President Jin, was incredible as the central antagonist for this film; Byung-Hun brought an open charisma to his role that could turn to a ruthless intensity at a moment's notice. Gang Dong-Won, who played Kim Jae-Myung, really had the rough intensity of the cop who goes off on his own; this was very driven role who you knew would achieve his goal by the end of the feature. Uhm Ji-Won, who played Shin Gemma, was a very blunt and commanding presence in this film; Ji-Won really complimented Dong-Won's tough cop persona. Jin Kyung, who played Kim Eom-Ma, was an intriguing minor antagonist for the film; she really rivaled Byung-Hun's duplicitous character.

However the best performance came from Kim Woo-Bin, who played Park Jang-Goon. This was a character who you never really trusted throughout the film, it was fun to watch as he played both sides but ultimately acted as a force for good. His nervous reactions to tricky situations was played well, it grounded his role and made his ambitions feel more frantic and harder to earn. By the end of the film it's satisfying to watch Woo-Bin lead this role to a fine heroic conclusion.

This film has some agonisingly slow pacing, from the get go you are introduced to a number of hard to digest economic terms and scenarios that take away from the main action and characters within the film; in fact the entire first hour contains more exposition than any other film I've watched recently. I also appreciated how deceitful the characters were but it grew tiresome watching the characters stab each other in the back for the sake of a cheap plot twist. It also didn't help that this film is split into essentially two narratives - the first part of the action in South Korea and the back half in Vietnam, with both setting feeling like two separate narratives i.e. first film followed by sequel. The editing was quite slow, often resorting to drawn out fades which added a negative impact to the pacing. The score for the film was really poorly used, it was very much music made for an action epic but you felt the film was too dull for what was playing.

Oh Dal-Su, who played Hwang Myung-Joon, was introduced far too late into the narrative to be very relevant; his antagonist also gave more of a comedic feel which messed with the tone of the film by this point.

The Edge Of Seventeen

This review may contain spoilers!

A really good story about growing up an outsider, played brilliantly by up and comer Hailee Steinfeld. I would give The Edge Of Seventeen an 8.5/10.

The plot of the film centres around Nadine, a girl who exists on the social fringes of school life and who has grown up dealing with the loss of her father in recent years. The immediate focus of the film is observing Nadine deal with the revelation that her best (and only) friend has started dating her brother, she now feels more alone than ever and spirals down a turbulent and self-destructive path of self-discovery. The film plays fast and loose with a satirical tone, making this film really funny and entertaining to watch - you'll be hooked throughout. The cinematography is really intimate, the shots keep you close to Nadine and you're always very aware of her mentality and reactions because of this. The soundtrack for the film is great and has a lot of range, I think there's a good blend here of classic rock with modern pop but it all works to show the different states of mind Nadine goes through in the film.

Haley Lu Richardson, who played Krista, has a great deal with chemistry with Steinfeld and you are immediately sold on their closeness as best friends; Richardson also brings a strong dimension to her role when she so fiercely affirms her intention to keep dating Jenner's character. Blake Jenner, who played Darian, is an instantly charismatic figure throughout this film; Jenner does a good job at playing the family protector and shows the stress at having to take on the mantle of this. Woody Harrelson, who played Mr Bruner, is one of the funniest characters of the film; his immediately blunt and rude teacher allowed for a refreshing and unique take on the student/mentor relationship. Hayden Szeto, who played Erwin, is a very awkward and goofy character with a really charming nature about him; I liked how careful Szeto was at creating a relationship with Steinfeld that felt natural and enjoyable to watch. Eric Keenleyside, who played Tom, was a great fathe figure to start this film off with; he was naturally very funny and loving in his performance which made it all the harder when his inevitable death scene came around. Lina Renna and Ava Grace Cooper, who played Little Nadine and Young Krista respectively, had some immediate chemistry that set up the friendship between these characters very well for the rest of the film; Renna in particular did some great work in showing Nadine's immediate social awkwardness and outsider status. Meredith Monroe, who played Greer, isn't in this film long but brings the film down to earth for a nice beat; in her small exchange she reminds Steinfeld's character that we all go through rough patches but that it gets better and I found that to be one of the strongest messages in the film.

However the best performance came from Hailee Steinfeld, who played Nadine.Steinfeld makes for the perfect protagonist for this film; bringing out Nadine's abrasive and socially awkward nature really well. I enjoyed seeing her role talk on and on, without realising the impact she was having on others; Steinfeld deals out some great wit and sarcastic humour. It's good to see the internal conflict going on with Nadine acted out so brilliantly, Steinfeld really makes her implode as the narrative moves along. Overall this is one of the most honest and open performances you'll see in a film and it's well worth watching for Steinfeld alone.

The narrative had a tendency to drop focus on certain characters which made their subplots seem poorly structured at times; the film lost focus on Darian, Krista, Erwin and Mona throughout and only really brought them back in when it best suited Nadine's character. The editing in the film also felt a bit jarring, cuts came at very sudden and awkward intervals that meant the film didn't always flow well visually.

Kyra Sedgwick, who played Mona, didn't really feel like a motherly character in how she played her relationship with Steinfeld and Jenner; it felt as if Sedgwick was coming on to the role too strongly and she never really developed her character enough by the end of the film. Alexander Calvert, who played Nick Mossman, didn't really have the screen presence to make a mark on this film; despite being a stereotypical creep we never really get much detail to who Nick is as a character.

Red Dog: True Blue

This review may contain spoilers!

This film has a real good story about a boy and his dog, yet any part of the film without a focus on the dog suffers. I would give Red Dog: True Blue a 6.5/10.

This film did a really good job of portraying Mick's sense of loss and loneliness after the death of his father and being separated from his mother, this young kid is displaced and looking for somewhere to belong. His relationship with his Grandpa is uneasy at first and it's only the introduction of Blue (later to be Red Dog) that helps him find his place upon the Australian homestead. It's a simple story about the relationship between boy and dog but a rather important one at that, even delving into some Aboriginal mythology to provide a sense of mysticism to the narrative. The cinematography actually looks really nice and even boasts some clever framing, shots of Mick and Blue observing the bush fire or Blue chasing Mick in the helicopter are very memorable. The editing is a bit of a subtle triumph, managing to use some very classic fades to provide a seamless motion between scenes. The soundtrack is a bit of fun and provides some easily recognisable classics; yet it's the poignant score that hits home in the more emotional moments of the film.

Bryan Brown, who played Grandpa, is a very gruff character at first set in his ways and a reminder of an older Australia; Brown makes his character likeable and a begrudgingly kind figure throughout this film. John Jarratt, who played Lang Hancock, could have been quite a forgettable role if not for the amount of energy and drive Jarratt put into his performance; I really enjoyed the chemistry he shared with Brown in their scenes together. Justine Clarke, Zen McGrath and Winta McGrath, who played Diane Carter, Theo Carter and Nicholas Carter respectively, all really helped introduce this film well; they shared great chemistry with Isaacs and fostered the presentation of the main narrative superbly. Calen Tassone, who played Taylor Pete, managed to provide a fair voice for the aboriginal perspective in this film (even if the narrative didn't focus there much); I especially enjoyed Tassone's delivery about the Dreamtime and spirit who lived within the cave Miller's role discovered.

However the best performance came from Jason Isaacs, who played Michael Carter. Isaacs created a very stern busybody who felt closed off to his family at the start of the film, which was important to watch as he eventually broke the character down to a more vulnerable position throughout. The way Isaacs presented the main narrative showed attention to deal and commitment to a role as a storyteller, often moving the audience before they'd even seen the scenes about to be displayed. This is a role which goes through a journey in the same way his younger counterpart does and it's great to see how close he grows with his family by the end of the film.

This film did suffer when Blue wasn't onscreen, sometimes feeling like it was happy spending time on subplots without settling on a satisfying conclusion to the main narrative; as such the film moved to a slow pacing from time to time. The film also presents a sort of indifference to it's aboriginal characters, gay characters a re mishandled, corporal punishment is unabashedly presented and for a great deal of the plot the eleven year old protagonist's main focus is romantically pursuing his young teacher. These choices show a script out of touch with the current viewing audience which really damages the film's tone.

Levi Miller, who played Mick, makes for a pretty lousy protagonist; his line delivery is stilted and you feel like he is performing. Hanna Mangan Lawrence, who played Betty, is delegated to little more than the token young woman for the men to ogle; Lawrence's role is never really developed and she just seems like some prize to be won by the male characters. Thomas Cocquerel, who played Stemple, was a really weird antagonist in this film; the fact he ramped up the intensity of the 'love triangle' counted against him quite a bit. Steve Le Marquand and Syd Brisbane, who played Little John and Big John respectively, were crafted to be little more than the film's token gay characters and this aspect of them was explored poorly; the film seemed almost embarrassed to have them there which counted against itself in a big way. Kee Chan, who played Jimmy Umbrella, was a pretty awkward slapstick character; Chan was merely present to provide a cheap laugh but failed to serve the plot in any other capacity. Kelton Pell and Josie Alec, who played Durack and Abby respectively, had a lot of potential to provide an aboriginal perspective but lacked the attention needed to do this; ultimately it felt like these two were background roles to fill space in various scenes.

Passengers

This review may contain spoilers!

It's a pretty good and unique sci-fi until the story gets hijacked by a rather creepy plot twist. I would give Passengers a 6.5/10.

The one this film starts is exceptionally promising; we're introduced to a world where intergalatic colonialism is ruled by a corporate entity who has passengers pay for a trip to the outlying colonies of Earth where they shall begin their 'new' lives. Watching Jim first awaken and interact with this spaceship setting is very cool, but also heightens the drama by showing how depressed he becomes the more time he spends alone. If there's one thing I have to say for this film it's that all of the characters felt very real in terms of their reactions; Jim's reasoning for removing Aurora from hibernation makes sense and likewise Aurora's blind rage upon discovering the truth of this is satisfying to watch. The cinematography is great, often framing wide so as to take in every detail of this futuristic environment. The special effects make this film a visual beauty; I thought the detail in how they crafted space, the Avalon and the zero gravity water was superb. The soundtrack played a small role in this film but lent itself well, while the score brought a sense of wonder and intrigue to many of the scenes.

Jennifer Lawrence, who played Aurora Lane, really does her best work when she embodies the research aspect of her character - her intensity and drive as a writer makes her interesting; Lawrence really steals the show when she presents her character's all too real fury after finding out Pratt's character woke her up out of stasis. Chris Pratt, who played Jim Preston, was a really charismatic and likeable protagonist when we first meet him; Pratt also brings a deeper dimension to his character when we start to see how he desperate and lonely he becomes after being woken up from his pod. Laurence Fishburne, who played Gus Mancuso, was a very stern and by the books crew member in this film; I liked how Fishburne drove past his pain in an effort to save the ship and crew.

However the best performance came from Michael Sheen, who played Arthur. Sheen had to play quite a neutral mannered role, in which we were given a stereotypical bartender performance with the quirk that he is an android. I found Sheen's line delivery to be both witty and charming, it's no wonder he fooled Pratt's role into thinking he was a person at first. There was a great deal of insight from this character throughout the film and Sheen provides a kindly, wise touch that really does make him the bartender you can trust with all your secrets.

At the start of this film an accident causes Jim to wake up early and eventually he gets so lonely that he decides to wake up Aurora, essentially robbing her of her potential future life in favour of his own state of mind. It's a really jarring twist and means that the film never really quite finds the perfect tone it had again, this is partly because you struggle to like Jim anymore but also because the film wastes a ridiculous amount of time trying to redeem him in the eyes of the viewer. This could have been avoided if Jim had attempted to slect from a few different individuals and then settled on Aurora so that we see he craved human companionship as opposed to becoming fixated on a single strange woman. The final act of the film dials things up to eleven with the whole ship and the remaining passengers' lives at stake, it's a very sudden escalation. Yet rather than be an exciting conclusion it feels like a final push to make Jim a redeemed character, heck they even kill him off three times to drum in the point. Over all the film started off well but struggled after blackening the tone of the film with a questionable direction in the plot.

Julee Cerda and Emma Clarke, who played the Instructor (Hologram) and the voice of The Starship Avalon, didn't really have much to add in terms of their presence in the film; these were ultimately quite monotonous characters who failed to stand out in the same way that Sheen did.

Assassin's Creed

This review may contain spoilers!

I should've known better than to start 2017 off with a video game film. I would give Assassin's Creed a 4/10.

Whenever the film delivers scenes from the past the audience is delivered exactly what you would hope from an Assassin's Creed film, intense action, historical intrigue and incredible chase scenes. The fight sequences really stand out, everything feels in motion and the techniques used appear incredibly innovative. The cinematography looks great, we're often treated to large spanning shots which encapture the best of the setting. The special effects are another remarkable visual feat in this film, I particularly liked the memory wraiths Callum fought while inside the Animus. The score does a fairly good job, it serves to heighten the action and also pays heed to the setting it's placed within.

Ariane Labed, who played Maria, really embodies what makes for a good and interesting assassin character; Labed crafts a role who has an intense drive and loyalty to the creed while exposing a few lighter moments of her personal feelings beneath her hard exterior.

However the best performance came from Jeremy Irons, who played Rikkin. As far as antagonists go this role isn't anything out of the ordinary but Irons puts enough hard work in to make him his own. I appreciated his duplicitous nature, how he would manipulate the main character and even his own daughter to achieve his ends; he does not care if that manipulation is lies and tricks or if it were to be through physical torture. Irons presents a man riddled with an ambition for power and a desire to have full control over the Templars, Assassins and the world.

Though the scenes set in Callum's past life are quite interesting there are only about four of them altogether, the film pours all it's energy into less than half an hour of screen time and the rest is a poorly paced stale script. For most of the movie we follow Callum Lynch, who watched his father die as a kid and from that point onwards is never developed any further, we don't see any other dimension of his character than this so it's as if he's lived thirty years of his life in purgatory. The film spends so much time explaining what an Assassin is, what a Templar is, what the Animus does, what the Apple of Eden is, that you get lost in exposition and don't really become invested in the film's stakes nor the character's within the film. The Templar motives get really confusing for the film; they seem to view violence as 'cancer' and so seek to cure the world of it? It honestly would have been much easier if they'd been transparent and said they wanted mass control over the world's population rather than dance around it. I found the subplot with Callum and his father another annoying aspect, it's Callum's only motive for being in this film at all and yet when he's finally confronted by his father there's no satisfying reunion or conclusion to this - the plot wastes the moment and drags itself onwards. Ultimately the pacing in Assassin's Creed was all over the place and wasn't aided by the fact that no attention was really paid to the main or supporting characters. The editing seemed in conflict with the visual style, transitions and cuts coming in at jarring moments more often than not. The soundtrack was a complete mess, the music used in that just seemed out of place in a film about Assassins Creed.

Michael Fassbender, who played Cal Lynch/Aguilar, didn't have the strongest presence in his flashback scenes; furthermore as the main protagonist Fassbender never seemed to connect with the script as his performance didn't feel too consistent from scene to scene. Marion Cotillard, who played Sofia, gave a very stale performance in this film; her constant delivery of exposition coupled with the fact her character's allegiance flip flopped like a dying fish let her role down a lot. Brendan Gleeson, who played Joseph Lynch, honestly had no purpose being in this film; if Lynch's father had to reappear in the film then it should have been Gleeson's son onscreen again rather than suddenly placing a whole different performer in front of the audience. Charlotte Rampling, who played Ellen Kaye, gave a performance that got even more stale than Cotillard's; Rampling's line delivery was horrid and you had to wonder if she even knew what film she was in the way she was talking. Michael Kenneth Williams, Matias Varela and Callum Turner, who played Moussa, Emir and Nathan respectively, were the film's token wasted potential; these were side roles who could have communicated with Callum and explored shared experiences about being inside the Animus but instead they became over the top crazed loons who were in conflict with the film's tone. Denis Menochet, who played McGowen, didn't really have a lot of screen presence in this film; Menochet seemed like one modern day antagonist too many. Essie Davis, Brian Gleeson and Angus Brown, who played Mary Lynch, Young Joseph and Young Cal respectively, provided a very jarring and not completely coherent introduction to the main character of the film's origin; the reappearance of Davis later on just felt even more confusing and unnecessary. Javier Gutierrez, who played Tomas De Torquemada, was a really weak antagonist for the flashback scenes; his quavering delivery meant that he never really felt like he had the importance as the film's big bad. Hovik Keuchkerian, who played Ojeda, had a lot of screen presence but was wasted in this film; he never had enough of a focus in the film to stand out as a big bad and ultimately just felt like the token henchman of the film.