Thursday, June 21, 2012

MOVIE REVIEW: Prometheus

So it's finally here. Prometheus is in cinemas, but letting a ton of fans down hard. I'd hoped they were wrong and just had their expectations too high, but I must admit that I had a small amount of trepidation all along. I didn't want to admit to it, but could the power of Alien be replicated in today's industry? Could Ridley Scott recapture that magic, or at least deliver a quality film?

Sadly, the answer is no on all counts. Prometheus is a beautiful moron of a film, squandering gorgeous production values on an ambitious but dimwitted and undisciplined screenplay. A few elements entice, but beyond that, it's a failure.

That's my spoiler-free assessment, but to discuss why the film doesn't work, I need to get spoilery. The full, ruin-the-movie-for-you review is under the cut if you've seen the film or don't care about a plot that will likely piss you off.

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Revisiting The Avengers

I didn't review The Avengers the first time I saw it for reasons that escape me, but having now seen it a second time I find there's still plenty to say. My second viewing not only held up but confirmed the film's strengths for me, whereas some blockbusters resolutely do not (Avatar, for instance). Much has been said about what Joss Whedon achieved with this film, and it's largely correct. It's not a film that touches your soul, and I don't even think it's going to be a touchstone film for future budding filmmakers like Star Wars or Raiders. Instead, what's so impressive is that it exemplifies exactly what blockbuster filmmaking should always be, but so rarely is. If we have to pay around $20 per 3D ticket for a film, we deserve quality escapism like this.