Title: Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Michael Bay lies at the forefront of modern day Snake Oil Salesmen; he dresses sharp, has been around long enough to call himself a veteran (note: call himself a veteran), and boy golly does he have a product you just can't wait for. Sure enough though, his speech is too well rehearsed, that it's all for not, and you find yourself with something certainly less than promised. Though because it was such a big seller, around comes Mr. Bay again. He tells you that this time he's gone bigger, he's gone better, and sure as shootin, this time, you are going to be MORE blown away. Again though, the buyer is left bewildered and befuddled that what they were told, doesn't match what they were given. Worried that his target audience is falling by the wayside, Mr. Bay does the unthinkable: he apologizes. He laments that he understand that many are dismayed with his product, including himself. He personally vows, for the sake of his integrity, nay his loyal followers, that he will do right by them. That this time, he is going to give it that extra something. Let it be said, right here, right now; if you show a turd in 3D, you are just showing a turd in 3D. That turd, ladies and gentlemen, is Transformers 3.
True there is much debating about what kind of film can be made from a toy line, or lucrative series of cartoons, for that matter. The issue at hand is a film of cognitive sense or merit. No one is looking for a game changer or awards darling, for the most part people are looking for something slightly better than decent. What Micheal Bay is able to come up with for Transformers 3 is relatively astounding. He made a film, a sequence of photographs projected onto a screen with sufficient rapidity as to create the illusion of motion and continuity. Outside of that there are moments where people talk, occasionally broken up by giant transforming robots fighting. So.....those are the positives. The issues that arise out of the murk are more than a plethora. Scenes exist, merely to shoot people in a pretty light...Not a constructive light. Nor a light of any other importance than to convey "don't you think that looks nice". It has the appearance, sure, but there is no understanding of it's importance in the greater whole. There is a sequence in the film with the supposedly surprising betrayal of a human character, who is working on the side of the bad guys. The issue here makes no sense, specially when there was already a scene in the 2nd film to show that it was possible for a Deception (or any evil robot for that matter) to pose as a human. The logical decision would be to have had the human character killed and replaced in secret by said evil transformer because said treacherous human had access to something of importance to overthrow all human life, but alas, this is a Baytacular, and things like common sense, reasonable decibel level, and coherence are severely lacking.
Again I am brought back to the snake oil salesman, or even more recently, the Evangelical Healers. There is a good show to be had, if you are able to strip away all the things that make one a sensible, semi-intelligent person. True people often just want to be entertained, but that never means they deserve to be insulted, or even worse, be lead to believe that they aren't being insulted, and are told that what they are being told and sold isn't going to be gotten by everyone, and that you are smarter for not being more analytic. The same goes for films featuring Madea, Larry the Cable guy, and Kevin James.
The film going public wants to be entertained on another level. There are signs of it everywhere. They want to be entertained, enthralled, captivated, and more or less elated. They want to be intruiged by something new and they want to be motivated to push their collective thoughts out into the lobby where they converse about what certain things meant, what the movie said to them, and have an intellectual conversation about everything they saw on the screen. Yes there are a place for large CGI blockbusters that want to make money, but your main objective in those instances should be to entertain (The Avengers (2012), or to elevate a certain film genre past it's set preconceptions (The Dark Knight (2008). The majority of the public will still say that they want their brain turned off from time to time (that why we had the 80's), but in the end, things won't change unless those making the films, attempt to start that change for the better, from within.
* 1/2 out of *****
Monday, September 10, 2012
Action Monday: X-Men - First Class (2011)
Title: X-Men - First Class (2011)
(Backlogged and edited 6/21/11 & 9/10/12)
It's interesting to look back, a little over year later, and see what a movie has done to the cinematic landscape, from the point of which it was still in "advanced screenings". For a long period of time the project that eventually would become "First Class" was a muddled confusing mess. It was based off a comic book that wasn't common knowledge to non-comic book fans. It was coming off 2 much maligned film entries ("Last Stand" & "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"). So in the world that was exceedingly becoming mostly superheroes-centric in the summer, the brilliant minds at FOX did what any producers would seemingly do......They hired Kevin Bacon to play their big bad (This one not This one).
In the most basic terms "First Class" is fun. A lot of fun. At times it is even a stellar film, but odd casting/scripting moments threaten to derail the film mid-stride. Not that one can really blame the filmmakers. They were trying to bridge two gaps simultaneously: those of the average film-goer and those of the the more hardcore nerdset. Truth be told in the end the studio will always side with the money and the nerds invariably will take what minor victories they can (and secretly hate on all the minor discrepancies [it's a weird culture, hence having a side bar in a side bar]). The lead cast does more than capable work, helping to sell the overall endeavor. This being a true "origin story" we get a vary wide cast of time to try and fully understand 3 characters, and then throw in a a conflict and some teenagers to pad things out. Honestly, had this film solely focused on Magneto, Xavier, & Mystique, then the case could have been made for a potentially great and game changing film. If you are paying attention for most of the film, you could feasibly explain the central conflict away as: Xavier and Magneto fight over the future of Mystique to further their own mutant cause, and that works. It works very well. Out of the 3 leads though, it is Michael Fassbender's coming out party as Magneto. Anyone who has yet to see the film, and is confused as to why within the last year, and the next subsequent few years are littered with films featuring his name (and Tom Hardy's after "The Dark Knight Rises") need to see this film, as well as Hunger (or in Tom Hardy's case Bronson). Fassbender's work here is where the fun element comes from. Infusing a mutant James Bond with an ax to grind against any and all Nazi's is a moment of sheer brilliance. The Magneto here isn't fully at his most evil, nor powerful. He is a blunt and angry blunt instrument to be fashioned into whatever vision the right person wants him to be. He feels alone and alienated, not by his powers, but by the events that plagued his early life. On the flip side of the coin we find James McAvoy as the privileged and calming Charles Xavier. His main contention in the film is that he is following Patrick Stewart's exceedingly successful run in the previous 4 films. The Xavier here can easily be seen morphing into Stewart's role eventually, though his self appointed braggadocio is a little thick. We know his eventual endgame, though the movie does make it a wrenching and is cripplingly effective (sorry).
Last but not least is fan favorite Raven (Mystique) as portrayed in this younger state by Jennifer Lawrence, pre-HUNGER GAMES craze. She is serviceable at best, though the fault isn't 100% her own (about60% 50%). The film asks her to have the emotions of her Rebecca Romijin counterpart, while simultaneously asking her to carry the bulk of the developmental role along side Fassbender. They are the two standing on the outside, who constantly question what the world will think of them if their powers are ever found out, but....then they decide to give her Beast as a love interest. Here we find ourselves as the heart of the issue of the story. We begin with the basic origin stories of our 3 main leads, bring them all together with a bang, let them spend a little time tat-a-tat, and then someone from the producers office says "we need more teenagers!" This is one of the few films (at it's initial set-up at least), that could effectively been a very good cheat film where the "First Class" of the title isn't even brought up until the very end (though in a throwaway sense, it technically still is). At the expediency of a weird section of the film, Magneto and Xavier take a globe-trotting holiday recruiting as many mutants they can, as long as they are under 30 (save for Darwin). They then get caught up with a government organization, bad guys appear, and the Cuban Missile crisis happens. Yes, it is a period piece, of sorts...or not. Throwing in a bunch of teenagers is needed to found the basis of the X-men, but their choices for the most part (of the included mutants) leaves much to be desired, not to mention their characterization.
The most frustrating thing about the last part above is that it is all conveyed with a sense of Fun. There are action set pieces, there are smarmy asides, references to other comics and characters, and Oliver Platt. A lot happens, with quick lines to explain it away, but it feels crammed and rushed when you think about it, but melts away to the fun underneath when watched. Much of that credit is due to the direction of Matthew Vaughn, writing of Jane Goldman and guiding hand of the ever omnipresent Bryan Singer. They get what they want the film to be, and they understand how to make the audience enjoy what is on the screen, without being emotionally involved. That disconnect comes at a steep price, because it is due to servicing both the mainstream public, and die hard comic book fans. There's the blockbuster element and the name checking element, fighting both for control of what is meant to be a tent-pole film. What you are left with is a film that upon inspection starts to loose it's luster, saved by the fact that when you are watching it the first time, you are enjoying it on the most basic level. Is it fun? We've covered that. Is it good? Depends on the scene, but is at least is so in a kinetic fashion. Is it a good start to a new franchise? A very positive yes. If they take what worked in this film, further expanding it into it's own thing, finding it's voice with each film: yes. Though it must be said that if they go for the jugular concerning the blockbuster element of it, given FOX's past with superhero films, could sink it. In the end, "First Class", is an enjoyable diversion. It's fun, loud, at times enthralling adventure piece, contained within a muddled story, that coasts along thanks to the performances of its star cast. At the very least, it's hard to totally be against a teenage oriented comic-book movie in 2011 that manages to showcase performances from the likes of Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Michael Ironside, Ray Wise, James Remar and Rade Serbedzija....and January Jones once more showing she has the acting ability of an shiny unplugged toaster.
*** 1/2 out of *****
(Backlogged and edited 6/21/11 & 9/10/12)
It's interesting to look back, a little over year later, and see what a movie has done to the cinematic landscape, from the point of which it was still in "advanced screenings". For a long period of time the project that eventually would become "First Class" was a muddled confusing mess. It was based off a comic book that wasn't common knowledge to non-comic book fans. It was coming off 2 much maligned film entries ("Last Stand" & "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"). So in the world that was exceedingly becoming mostly superheroes-centric in the summer, the brilliant minds at FOX did what any producers would seemingly do......They hired Kevin Bacon to play their big bad (This one not This one).
In the most basic terms "First Class" is fun. A lot of fun. At times it is even a stellar film, but odd casting/scripting moments threaten to derail the film mid-stride. Not that one can really blame the filmmakers. They were trying to bridge two gaps simultaneously: those of the average film-goer and those of the the more hardcore nerdset. Truth be told in the end the studio will always side with the money and the nerds invariably will take what minor victories they can (and secretly hate on all the minor discrepancies [it's a weird culture, hence having a side bar in a side bar]). The lead cast does more than capable work, helping to sell the overall endeavor. This being a true "origin story" we get a vary wide cast of time to try and fully understand 3 characters, and then throw in a a conflict and some teenagers to pad things out. Honestly, had this film solely focused on Magneto, Xavier, & Mystique, then the case could have been made for a potentially great and game changing film. If you are paying attention for most of the film, you could feasibly explain the central conflict away as: Xavier and Magneto fight over the future of Mystique to further their own mutant cause, and that works. It works very well. Out of the 3 leads though, it is Michael Fassbender's coming out party as Magneto. Anyone who has yet to see the film, and is confused as to why within the last year, and the next subsequent few years are littered with films featuring his name (and Tom Hardy's after "The Dark Knight Rises") need to see this film, as well as Hunger (or in Tom Hardy's case Bronson). Fassbender's work here is where the fun element comes from. Infusing a mutant James Bond with an ax to grind against any and all Nazi's is a moment of sheer brilliance. The Magneto here isn't fully at his most evil, nor powerful. He is a blunt and angry blunt instrument to be fashioned into whatever vision the right person wants him to be. He feels alone and alienated, not by his powers, but by the events that plagued his early life. On the flip side of the coin we find James McAvoy as the privileged and calming Charles Xavier. His main contention in the film is that he is following Patrick Stewart's exceedingly successful run in the previous 4 films. The Xavier here can easily be seen morphing into Stewart's role eventually, though his self appointed braggadocio is a little thick. We know his eventual endgame, though the movie does make it a wrenching and is cripplingly effective (
Last but not least is fan favorite Raven (Mystique) as portrayed in this younger state by Jennifer Lawrence, pre-HUNGER GAMES craze. She is serviceable at best, though the fault isn't 100% her own (about
The most frustrating thing about the last part above is that it is all conveyed with a sense of Fun. There are action set pieces, there are smarmy asides, references to other comics and characters, and Oliver Platt. A lot happens, with quick lines to explain it away, but it feels crammed and rushed when you think about it, but melts away to the fun underneath when watched. Much of that credit is due to the direction of Matthew Vaughn, writing of Jane Goldman and guiding hand of the ever omnipresent Bryan Singer. They get what they want the film to be, and they understand how to make the audience enjoy what is on the screen, without being emotionally involved. That disconnect comes at a steep price, because it is due to servicing both the mainstream public, and die hard comic book fans. There's the blockbuster element and the name checking element, fighting both for control of what is meant to be a tent-pole film. What you are left with is a film that upon inspection starts to loose it's luster, saved by the fact that when you are watching it the first time, you are enjoying it on the most basic level. Is it fun? We've covered that. Is it good? Depends on the scene, but is at least is so in a kinetic fashion. Is it a good start to a new franchise? A very positive yes. If they take what worked in this film, further expanding it into it's own thing, finding it's voice with each film: yes. Though it must be said that if they go for the jugular concerning the blockbuster element of it, given FOX's past with superhero films, could sink it. In the end, "First Class", is an enjoyable diversion. It's fun, loud, at times enthralling adventure piece, contained within a muddled story, that coasts along thanks to the performances of its star cast. At the very least, it's hard to totally be against a teenage oriented comic-book movie in 2011 that manages to showcase performances from the likes of Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Michael Ironside, Ray Wise, James Remar and Rade Serbedzija....and January Jones once more showing she has the acting ability of an shiny unplugged toaster.
*** 1/2 out of *****
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