Whenever I review an animated film, I invariably compare it to the near-infallible Disney-Pixar dream team, which produces box office gold (usually over the summer) like clockwork. Despite undeniable talent in bringing virtual words to life and several lucrative character licenses, Disney-Pixar has been reluctant to produce sequels…outside the now-legendary Toy Story series. As a huge fan of both Ratatouille and The Incredibles, I admit to being a little disappointed when it was first announced that the studio’s newest offering would be a sequel to Cars. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Cars as much as the next Disney fanatic, but I would have much rather seen Remy or Frozone return to the screen ahead of Lightning McQueen. Even with my undoubted faith in Disney-Pixar, I couldn’t fully ignore the sub-par early reaction for Cars 2, which was quickly gaining notoriety as the studio’s worst reviewed film to date.
In retrospect, I cannot imagine why critics have been so harsh with Cars 2, because I believe that this sequel actually surpassed its popular predecessor. Granted, it may lack some of the heart and deep emotion that tugged at the heart strings so strongly in Up and Toy Story 3, but it is far from Disney-Pixar’s most disappointing entry…Wall-E still has a firm grasp on that dubious title. As far as animated films go, Cars 2 is surprisingly exciting and fun, going to great lengths to entertain audiences with detailed animation and clever humor. The story may have been a little generic and had some unnecessary political overtones, but in stepping up the scale of the Cars universe beyond Radiator Springs, filmmakers could have easily skimped on other simple details; luckily, the end result was still impressively awe-inspiring. If you’re looking forward to another Toy Story 3, your expectations are clearly far too high; instead, simply sit back and enjoy the lighthearted and action-packed adventure offered by Cars 2 that appeals to the imagination of audiences, both young and old.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: High
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Cars 2: Full Review
Cars 2 - (June 24th, 2011): G
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $66,135,507
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $80,183,410
Gross Revenue: $123,083,410
Production Budget: $200 million
Directors: John Lasseter and Brad Lewis
Few films are virtually guaranteed positive critical reaction and substantial box office revenue on virtue of its production studio alone, but ever since Pixar Animation partnered with Disney, the two have reached a now-legendary level of success. Last summer, Toy Story 3 reverted audiences back to their childhood in such an artistic fashion that it not only earned Oscar recognition, but it also became the highest grossing animated feature of all time. This year, with more expectations than usual to live up to, Disney-Pixar decided to work with audience familiarity by bringing another franchise back to the screen, and soon enough, Lightning McQueen and Mater were seen on the side of city buses and in McDonald’s Happy Meals. For reasons unknown, I had never actually seen the original Cars, but thanks to Netflix, I was able to become familiar with Radiator Springs and the characters that charmed audiences back in 2006 before the sequel was released. Critics were unusually harsh in their reaction to Cars 2, but then again, these were the same people that loved Wall-E. Though I would clearly form my own opinion soon enough, it was hard to imagine that Disney-Pixar could produce anything that wasn’t of insanely high quality.
Set four years after the original, Cars 2 opens with British spy cars Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) investigating an evil plot involving biofuel that is being planned by a group of “lemon” cars. Concurrently, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is preparing to enter a three-race “World Grand Prix” being promoted by former oil tycoon and current green power advocate Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard). Accompanied by his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and his loyal pit crew, Lightning travels to Japan for the first race in the series, meeting and forming a rivalry with arrogant Italian formula racecar Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro). Unfortunately, the conspiracy that Finn and Holly are investigating surfaces at the Grand Prix, and they soon mistake Mater for the American agent they were supposed to have a rendezvous meeting with; as expected, the innocent and dim-witted tow truck is soon sucked into a wild adventure. Though he initially enjoys his new status as “secret agent,” Mater soon realizes that his lighthearted attitude may end up jeopardizing not only his safety, but that of his friends.
Many were skeptical over the filmmaker’s decision to expand the Cars universe beyond the simplistically rural Radiator Springs (the focus of the original film) and showcase the characters on a global scale, but the dedication that the animators took to bring every conceivable detail to life ended up being truly impressive. In Cars 2, Lightning McQueen and Mater travel to Japan, France, Italy, and England, and these settings provide for not only numerous references to other Disney-Pixar films, but they also generate considerable laughs once audiences see an animated take on the Pope mobile and the Royal Family. Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer are welcome additions to the cast, and in bringing a focus on spy games and adventure to the franchise, they make this animated feature far more exciting and imaginative than its predecessor. There are some critics who bemoaned the shift in focus from Lightning McQueen to Mater as the central character of the film, but I felt that both received adequate attention over the course of the story, with Mater generating both silly and clever humor. Though these shifts did add to the quality of Cars 2, I feel that some of the changes may have prevented this sequel from fully living up to the reputation that Disney-Pixar has worked hard to establish.
By venturing into more of an action-adventure focus, Cars 2 may have been able to generate some excitement, but as a consequence, the film ends up foregoing some of the heart and emotion that has always been a unique selling point for Disney-Pixar. To be fair, this criticism may just be a result of this sequel following Toy Story 3, which had grown men bawling during its final scene. If you find yourself yearning for the continued antics of Woody and Buzz, then never fear, because you will be treated to a mini-reunion in the Toy Story short, Hawaiian Vacation, which precedes the film’s opening scene. As far as the other elements within the film, while the characters are entertaining and the settings are impressive, the story is a little too derivative in drawing from the spy genre and overly political in its treatment of alternative fuel concerns, but I doubt most audiences will analyze an animated film that harshly. It may not be as deep as some of its animated predecessors, but Cars 2 is still a highly enjoyable animated film that will charm moviegoers and keep Disney-Pixar’s legacy going strong.
Thanks to a $66 million opening weekend, Cars 2 was able to keep an impressive streak alive for Pixar Animation and Disney…ever since 1995’s Toy Story reigned at the box office; the company has had twelve straight champions take top spot in their respective opening weekends. With overseas receipts, Cars 2 has earned over $123 million, which may not represent as dramatic a recovery of a $200 million production budget that analysts would have hoped for, but with few family films slotted in the next few weekends, I doubt there is anything to truly worry about. If anything, Disney-Pixar had proven that they can produce a sequel for its other characters, so I’ll be keeping my eye out for The Incredibles 2. However skeptical you may be concerning Cars 2, I still think that the Toy Story short alone is well worth the admission price. Bottom line, with new characters and an exciting new attitude, Cars 2 is well worth seeing and a welcome treat for audiences looking for a family-friendly adventure.
Overall Recommendation: High
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $66,135,507
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $80,183,410
Gross Revenue: $123,083,410
Production Budget: $200 million
Directors: John Lasseter and Brad Lewis
Few films are virtually guaranteed positive critical reaction and substantial box office revenue on virtue of its production studio alone, but ever since Pixar Animation partnered with Disney, the two have reached a now-legendary level of success. Last summer, Toy Story 3 reverted audiences back to their childhood in such an artistic fashion that it not only earned Oscar recognition, but it also became the highest grossing animated feature of all time. This year, with more expectations than usual to live up to, Disney-Pixar decided to work with audience familiarity by bringing another franchise back to the screen, and soon enough, Lightning McQueen and Mater were seen on the side of city buses and in McDonald’s Happy Meals. For reasons unknown, I had never actually seen the original Cars, but thanks to Netflix, I was able to become familiar with Radiator Springs and the characters that charmed audiences back in 2006 before the sequel was released. Critics were unusually harsh in their reaction to Cars 2, but then again, these were the same people that loved Wall-E. Though I would clearly form my own opinion soon enough, it was hard to imagine that Disney-Pixar could produce anything that wasn’t of insanely high quality.
Set four years after the original, Cars 2 opens with British spy cars Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) investigating an evil plot involving biofuel that is being planned by a group of “lemon” cars. Concurrently, Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is preparing to enter a three-race “World Grand Prix” being promoted by former oil tycoon and current green power advocate Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard). Accompanied by his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and his loyal pit crew, Lightning travels to Japan for the first race in the series, meeting and forming a rivalry with arrogant Italian formula racecar Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro). Unfortunately, the conspiracy that Finn and Holly are investigating surfaces at the Grand Prix, and they soon mistake Mater for the American agent they were supposed to have a rendezvous meeting with; as expected, the innocent and dim-witted tow truck is soon sucked into a wild adventure. Though he initially enjoys his new status as “secret agent,” Mater soon realizes that his lighthearted attitude may end up jeopardizing not only his safety, but that of his friends.
Many were skeptical over the filmmaker’s decision to expand the Cars universe beyond the simplistically rural Radiator Springs (the focus of the original film) and showcase the characters on a global scale, but the dedication that the animators took to bring every conceivable detail to life ended up being truly impressive. In Cars 2, Lightning McQueen and Mater travel to Japan, France, Italy, and England, and these settings provide for not only numerous references to other Disney-Pixar films, but they also generate considerable laughs once audiences see an animated take on the Pope mobile and the Royal Family. Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer are welcome additions to the cast, and in bringing a focus on spy games and adventure to the franchise, they make this animated feature far more exciting and imaginative than its predecessor. There are some critics who bemoaned the shift in focus from Lightning McQueen to Mater as the central character of the film, but I felt that both received adequate attention over the course of the story, with Mater generating both silly and clever humor. Though these shifts did add to the quality of Cars 2, I feel that some of the changes may have prevented this sequel from fully living up to the reputation that Disney-Pixar has worked hard to establish.
By venturing into more of an action-adventure focus, Cars 2 may have been able to generate some excitement, but as a consequence, the film ends up foregoing some of the heart and emotion that has always been a unique selling point for Disney-Pixar. To be fair, this criticism may just be a result of this sequel following Toy Story 3, which had grown men bawling during its final scene. If you find yourself yearning for the continued antics of Woody and Buzz, then never fear, because you will be treated to a mini-reunion in the Toy Story short, Hawaiian Vacation, which precedes the film’s opening scene. As far as the other elements within the film, while the characters are entertaining and the settings are impressive, the story is a little too derivative in drawing from the spy genre and overly political in its treatment of alternative fuel concerns, but I doubt most audiences will analyze an animated film that harshly. It may not be as deep as some of its animated predecessors, but Cars 2 is still a highly enjoyable animated film that will charm moviegoers and keep Disney-Pixar’s legacy going strong.
Thanks to a $66 million opening weekend, Cars 2 was able to keep an impressive streak alive for Pixar Animation and Disney…ever since 1995’s Toy Story reigned at the box office; the company has had twelve straight champions take top spot in their respective opening weekends. With overseas receipts, Cars 2 has earned over $123 million, which may not represent as dramatic a recovery of a $200 million production budget that analysts would have hoped for, but with few family films slotted in the next few weekends, I doubt there is anything to truly worry about. If anything, Disney-Pixar had proven that they can produce a sequel for its other characters, so I’ll be keeping my eye out for The Incredibles 2. However skeptical you may be concerning Cars 2, I still think that the Toy Story short alone is well worth the admission price. Bottom line, with new characters and an exciting new attitude, Cars 2 is well worth seeing and a welcome treat for audiences looking for a family-friendly adventure.
Overall Recommendation: High
Monday, June 27, 2011
Bad Teacher: Short and Sweet
When I first saw the trailer for Bad Teacher, I was almost instantaneously sold, because not only am I a fan of both Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel, but I could also easily imagine her raunchy character teaching at my old high school. While, at first glance, the superhero adventure seems to be the dominant genre of the 2011 Summer Movie Season, the fact remains that after considering Bridesmaids, The Hangover: Part II, and upcoming releases like Horrible Bosses and The Change-Up, it is clear that the raunchy comedy will remain the most continuous presence in theaters over the next few months. Even though she isn’t usually the first name that comes to mind when one considers “adult humor,” many tend to forget that Cameron Diaz is actually at her funniest when she isn’t constrained by a PG-13 rating…remember There’s Something About Mary? You also have to give filmmakers credit for not trying to oversell the audiences, since the trailers made it clear that Bad Teacher would simply showcase Diaz’s destructive character and her quest to afford plastic surgery; anyone expecting any kind of deep storyline would be severely disappointed. Ready for a good laugh, I was optimistically looking forward to this controversial comedy.
As expected, the story behind Bad Teacher is razor-thin, but as anyone could have told you, the chief appeal of this film was watching Cameron Diaz’s character emotionally abuse her students while drinking on the job. Diaz is an absolute riot and the always-funny Jason Segel delivers, but the real surprises in the cast include two actors whose fame is almost exclusively relegated to television. Eric Stonestreet (Cameron from Modern Family) and Phyllis Smith (Phyllis from The Office) may have had small roles in Bad Teacher, but they still managed to steal every scene they appeared in, and I can only hope to see more of both of them on the silver screen in the near future. The laughs are plentiful throughout, but I still feel that the end result could have been far funnier with a few riskier story elements and some small casting changes…Justin Timberlake tried to be funny, but largely failed. Bottom line, despite a few missed opportunities and the qualification that audiences shouldn’t expect much beyond what was shown in the trailers; Bad Teacher remains an edgy comedy that audiences will be sure to enjoy.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
As expected, the story behind Bad Teacher is razor-thin, but as anyone could have told you, the chief appeal of this film was watching Cameron Diaz’s character emotionally abuse her students while drinking on the job. Diaz is an absolute riot and the always-funny Jason Segel delivers, but the real surprises in the cast include two actors whose fame is almost exclusively relegated to television. Eric Stonestreet (Cameron from Modern Family) and Phyllis Smith (Phyllis from The Office) may have had small roles in Bad Teacher, but they still managed to steal every scene they appeared in, and I can only hope to see more of both of them on the silver screen in the near future. The laughs are plentiful throughout, but I still feel that the end result could have been far funnier with a few riskier story elements and some small casting changes…Justin Timberlake tried to be funny, but largely failed. Bottom line, despite a few missed opportunities and the qualification that audiences shouldn’t expect much beyond what was shown in the trailers; Bad Teacher remains an edgy comedy that audiences will be sure to enjoy.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
Bad Teacher: Full Review
Bad Teacher - (June 24th, 2011): R
Distributor: Columbia Pictures (subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #2 with $31,603,106
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $31,603,106
Gross Revenue: $49,903,106
Production Budget: $19 million
Director: Jake Kasdan
From a marketing and developmental standpoint, Bad Teacher didn’t generate that much buzz beyond the stunned reaction to raunchy trailer. In fact, the biggest news story surrounding this newest comedy involved the fact that former couple Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake would be reunited and working together as potential love interests. Though there was definite lack of tact in using the failing quality of the U.S. education system to position Bad Teacher, few could deny the inherent appeal of watching a crass educator being brutally honest with her students…I myself had a few flashbacks to when I used to substitute teach. While I couldn’t wait to see Cameron Diaz demean people by saying exactly what was on her mind and engage in a sexy, slow-motion car wash, it was funnyman Jason Segel’s involvement in the project that gave me high hopes for the comedic quality of this newest entry at the theater. Forgetting the disappointment I felt at the recycled story contained within The Hangover: Part II, it still looked like Bad Teacher would be able to continue the trend of funny, edgy comedies that have had a pervasive presence during the 2011 Summer Movie Season.
In case you missed the basic premise of Bad Teacher during the prevalent and overly descriptive trailers, Cameron Diaz plays Elizabeth Halsey, a recently dumped gold-digger skating by her teaching position at an Illinois middle school by doing the bare minimum. Even though she is constantly pursued by Russell Gettis (Jason Segel), the school’s gym teacher, Elizabeth’s attention soon settles on a wealthy new substitute teacher, Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake). When it is revealed that Scott’s ex-girlfriend was well-endowed, Elizabeth decides that the best way to gain his attention is through breast-enlargement surgery, which she cannot currently afford on her salary. After her co-worker, Lynn (Phyllis Smith), lets it slip that the teacher whose class scores highest on a state-administered test will receive a bonus, Elizabeth decides to step up her efforts using methods that are both unconventional and a little brutal. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s newfound “sincerity” quickly draws the ire of the school’s star educator, the chipper and overly enthusiastic Amy Squirrell (Lucy Punch), who also happens to be pursuing Scott. With such a shallow goal being pursued by an amoral character, who is not above putting on a movie for her class while she nurses a hangover, Bad Teacher shoots for simple entertainment and crude jokes; both are more than enough to please target audiences.
Given the unconventional and blatant premise, there is little surprise that the best element of Bad Teacher is its raunchy and confrontational humor…I’ve had some crass teachers in the past, including one who wasn’t above making his morning coffee a little “Irish,” but Elizabeth Halsey puts them all to shame. As always, Cameron Diaz is easy on the eyes, but she uses this role to readily remind audiences that she has a mature sense of humor and some considerable talent concerning comedic timing. Combining Cameron Diaz’s crude rants with Jason Segel’s own brand of self-depreciating humor makes for a perfect mix to entertain audiences, while Lucy Punch’s cheery and frustrated disposition serves to transform her into a perfect rival for the flawed protagonist. In terms of some of the minor characters within the film, Eric Stonestreet charms as Elizabeth’s offbeat roommate, while Phyllis Smith is endearing as the innocent and neurotic co-worker; as undoubted scene-stealers, it’s just a shame that the two weren’t given bigger roles. Unfortunately, plentiful laughs aside, a weak story and some reserved plot elements prevent Bad Teacher from being a truly great comedy film.
If you have seen even one trailer for Bad Teacher, then you fully aware of the plot presented…it its shallow, limited, and one-dimensional entirety. Any form of redemption or emotional depth for any of the characters is a complete pipe-dream; these are generally horrible people, so deal with it. Granted, I wasn’t expecting anything award-winning or ground-breaking, but it still felt like if the filmmakers had just tweaked the story a little bit and got a little bit more creative with the characters, then this comedy could have been far more memorable. As far as the cast goes, though a majority of the contributing players more than lived up to expectations, Justin Timberlake clearly fell short. After his distinct performance in The Social Network, I was eager to see what the former N’SYNCer could do in the comedy realm beyond his Saturday Night Live appearances, but by and large, he often came off as more creepy and annoying than actually funny. Still, putting these missed opportunities aside, Bad Teacher remains an entertaining entry in the raunchy comedy genre.
As far as opening weekends for R-rated comedies go, the fact that Bad Teacher opened up with over $30 million while going against Disney-Pixar’s newest entry, Cars 2, is insanely impressive. Not only did this effort defy studio expectations, but it was also more than enough to cover the film’s modest production budget. Analysts also noted that a majority of the opening weekend audience was female, but I bet that once word of mouth spreads about Cameron Diaz’s car wash scene, male attendance in the theater will increase considerably, especially since the film remains the only new comedy offering over the 4th of July holiday weekend. As long as you are not looking for anything overtly profound, Bad Teacher has more than enough laughs to keep you entertained, so it is well worth seeing in theaters.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
Distributor: Columbia Pictures (subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #2 with $31,603,106
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $31,603,106
Gross Revenue: $49,903,106
Production Budget: $19 million
Director: Jake Kasdan
From a marketing and developmental standpoint, Bad Teacher didn’t generate that much buzz beyond the stunned reaction to raunchy trailer. In fact, the biggest news story surrounding this newest comedy involved the fact that former couple Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake would be reunited and working together as potential love interests. Though there was definite lack of tact in using the failing quality of the U.S. education system to position Bad Teacher, few could deny the inherent appeal of watching a crass educator being brutally honest with her students…I myself had a few flashbacks to when I used to substitute teach. While I couldn’t wait to see Cameron Diaz demean people by saying exactly what was on her mind and engage in a sexy, slow-motion car wash, it was funnyman Jason Segel’s involvement in the project that gave me high hopes for the comedic quality of this newest entry at the theater. Forgetting the disappointment I felt at the recycled story contained within The Hangover: Part II, it still looked like Bad Teacher would be able to continue the trend of funny, edgy comedies that have had a pervasive presence during the 2011 Summer Movie Season.
In case you missed the basic premise of Bad Teacher during the prevalent and overly descriptive trailers, Cameron Diaz plays Elizabeth Halsey, a recently dumped gold-digger skating by her teaching position at an Illinois middle school by doing the bare minimum. Even though she is constantly pursued by Russell Gettis (Jason Segel), the school’s gym teacher, Elizabeth’s attention soon settles on a wealthy new substitute teacher, Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake). When it is revealed that Scott’s ex-girlfriend was well-endowed, Elizabeth decides that the best way to gain his attention is through breast-enlargement surgery, which she cannot currently afford on her salary. After her co-worker, Lynn (Phyllis Smith), lets it slip that the teacher whose class scores highest on a state-administered test will receive a bonus, Elizabeth decides to step up her efforts using methods that are both unconventional and a little brutal. Unfortunately, Elizabeth’s newfound “sincerity” quickly draws the ire of the school’s star educator, the chipper and overly enthusiastic Amy Squirrell (Lucy Punch), who also happens to be pursuing Scott. With such a shallow goal being pursued by an amoral character, who is not above putting on a movie for her class while she nurses a hangover, Bad Teacher shoots for simple entertainment and crude jokes; both are more than enough to please target audiences.
Given the unconventional and blatant premise, there is little surprise that the best element of Bad Teacher is its raunchy and confrontational humor…I’ve had some crass teachers in the past, including one who wasn’t above making his morning coffee a little “Irish,” but Elizabeth Halsey puts them all to shame. As always, Cameron Diaz is easy on the eyes, but she uses this role to readily remind audiences that she has a mature sense of humor and some considerable talent concerning comedic timing. Combining Cameron Diaz’s crude rants with Jason Segel’s own brand of self-depreciating humor makes for a perfect mix to entertain audiences, while Lucy Punch’s cheery and frustrated disposition serves to transform her into a perfect rival for the flawed protagonist. In terms of some of the minor characters within the film, Eric Stonestreet charms as Elizabeth’s offbeat roommate, while Phyllis Smith is endearing as the innocent and neurotic co-worker; as undoubted scene-stealers, it’s just a shame that the two weren’t given bigger roles. Unfortunately, plentiful laughs aside, a weak story and some reserved plot elements prevent Bad Teacher from being a truly great comedy film.
If you have seen even one trailer for Bad Teacher, then you fully aware of the plot presented…it its shallow, limited, and one-dimensional entirety. Any form of redemption or emotional depth for any of the characters is a complete pipe-dream; these are generally horrible people, so deal with it. Granted, I wasn’t expecting anything award-winning or ground-breaking, but it still felt like if the filmmakers had just tweaked the story a little bit and got a little bit more creative with the characters, then this comedy could have been far more memorable. As far as the cast goes, though a majority of the contributing players more than lived up to expectations, Justin Timberlake clearly fell short. After his distinct performance in The Social Network, I was eager to see what the former N’SYNCer could do in the comedy realm beyond his Saturday Night Live appearances, but by and large, he often came off as more creepy and annoying than actually funny. Still, putting these missed opportunities aside, Bad Teacher remains an entertaining entry in the raunchy comedy genre.
As far as opening weekends for R-rated comedies go, the fact that Bad Teacher opened up with over $30 million while going against Disney-Pixar’s newest entry, Cars 2, is insanely impressive. Not only did this effort defy studio expectations, but it was also more than enough to cover the film’s modest production budget. Analysts also noted that a majority of the opening weekend audience was female, but I bet that once word of mouth spreads about Cameron Diaz’s car wash scene, male attendance in the theater will increase considerably, especially since the film remains the only new comedy offering over the 4th of July holiday weekend. As long as you are not looking for anything overtly profound, Bad Teacher has more than enough laughs to keep you entertained, so it is well worth seeing in theaters.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
Friday, June 24, 2011
Mr. Popper's Penguins: Short and Sweet
If you were to ask me to identify my favorite comedic actor, the easy choice would be Jim Carrey, the comedic genius behind classics such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. Granted, he may not be Hollywood’s go-to funnyman today like he was during the height of his popularity in the 90’s, but I still maintain that he is hysterical. Though best known for his zany antics and sophomoric humor, Carrey has had success in the family comedy genre, so he seemed like a more-than-natural choice for the big-screen adaptation of a beloved children’s book. Despite the fact that “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” is now included in elementary-level reading curriculum and insanely popular among children, I confess that I was not familiar with this classic book; still, that shortcoming wasn’t going to stop me from seeing this newest comedy. Centering on arctic animals and showing off sets filled with snow, it did seem like Mr. Popper’s Penguins would have been better suited for a winter release, but one of the main reasons that people go to movies in the first place is to feel a sense of escapism…well played 20th Century Fox.
Given the fact that the plot involved a businessman receiving and subsequently bonding with a group of penguins, I wasn’t expecting anything overtly deep or profound from Mr. Popper’s Penguins, but that still doesn’t justify the largely mediocre nature of the story that was ultimately told. As a family film, there are definitely some downright precious moments, and I’m sure that young children will delight in watching the title aviary characters wreak havoc, but beyond those positive concessions, there is little else to praise about this highly predictable entry. Jim Carrey tries his best and generates some notable chemistry with Carla Gugino, but he still feels largely subdued in this role, not even bothering to up the level of comedy beyond “doting dad.” I can see why the filmmakers would use so much silly comedy, but I think that they largely overstepped a tentative boundary and ended up simply patronizing young viewers. To be clear, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is by no means a bad film, but there is just nothing special about it that audiences will remember once they leave the theater.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Given the fact that the plot involved a businessman receiving and subsequently bonding with a group of penguins, I wasn’t expecting anything overtly deep or profound from Mr. Popper’s Penguins, but that still doesn’t justify the largely mediocre nature of the story that was ultimately told. As a family film, there are definitely some downright precious moments, and I’m sure that young children will delight in watching the title aviary characters wreak havoc, but beyond those positive concessions, there is little else to praise about this highly predictable entry. Jim Carrey tries his best and generates some notable chemistry with Carla Gugino, but he still feels largely subdued in this role, not even bothering to up the level of comedy beyond “doting dad.” I can see why the filmmakers would use so much silly comedy, but I think that they largely overstepped a tentative boundary and ended up simply patronizing young viewers. To be clear, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is by no means a bad film, but there is just nothing special about it that audiences will remember once they leave the theater.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Mr. Popper's Penguins: Full Review
Mr. Popper’s Penguins - (June 17th, 2011): PG
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #3 with $18,445,355
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $29,147,679
Gross Revenue: $29,985,897
Production Budget: $55 million
Director: Mark S. Waters
By adapting a well-known children’s book to the silver screen, 20th Century Fox didn’t have that big of a challenge in selling Mr. Popper’s Penguins to audiences, especially when a well-known actor like Jim Carrey was attached to the project. Other famous names initially in the running to play the titular Mr. Popper included Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black, but the role ultimately went to the man who rose to fame as an eccentric pet detective responsible for a generation’s worth of catch phrases…“alriiighty then!” Now, I know there are those who would question whether Carrey could be truly funny in a family comedy, but the easy answer to that uncertainty would be 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which, to-date, is still hysterical and remains one of my favorite holiday films. Early trailers showcased Carrey embracing his silly roots with some computer-generated penguins, so parents undoubtedly had an outlet to placate and entertain young children. Having never read the original book and therefore largely unfamiliar with the source material, I had almost no expectations going into Mr. Popper’s Penguins, but at the very least I was looking forward to some lighthearted comedy.
The title of this family comedy really says it all…Mr. Popper’s Penguins tells the story of divorced New York realtor Tom Popper (Jim Carrey), who has his life turned upside down when he unexpectedly receives a group of live penguins from his estranged and recently-deceased father. The mischievous penguins immediately imprint onto Popper, who is concurrently trying to convince the elderly owner of Tavern on the Green, Ms. Van Gundy (Angela Lansbury), to sell her establishment, and also desperately trying to repair his tenuous relationship with his own children. Naturally, Popper’s children adore the penguins, and he himself grows to care about the birds and learn more about loyalty and the importance of spending time with his family, a lesson that helps him repair and rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife (Carla Gugino). Unfortunately, the newfound harmony is disturbed when local zoo-keeper Nat Jones (Clark Gregg) demands that Popper surrender the penguins, as the arctic birds would be unable to thrive while living in a New York apartment. Trying to balance this newfound element of his life, which begins to threaten his job, Popper must both decide what is important in his life and learn to ultimately embrace the lesson that these precocious penguins are presently providing.
In its simplest form, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a family film that showcases Jim Carrey messing around with havoc-wreaking aquatic birds, and the end-result is just cute enough to delight some audiences. Despite the fact that the funniest scenes came as no surprise because they were showcased so strongly in the trailers, there is still something inherently enjoyable about watching Carrey be silly. The penguins themselves are far from the funniest fauna in film, but they still generate some laughs and will have young children thoroughly delighted. Though this is by no means the first time that Carrey has played the father role, this is by far the most he has ever embraced the family man character, and the end result is thoroughly heartwarming, especially when you add-in his interaction with Carla Gugino, as the two make a very believable couple. However, even though there are positive features to this family comedy, they were largely unable to blend together and overcome the bland and predictable elements that plague the film.
It took me a considerable amount of time to write this much of the review, and that is largely because there is just nothing that special about Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Carrey may have been a good family man, but he was still largely subdued in this role, barely breaking into the wild zaniness that has been a defining element of his career. When you consider the other jokes present in the film, a majority of them fall flat, simply trying to play too hard to a younger audience. For instance, Popper has an assistant who speaks in incessant alliteration, using an abundance of the letter “P” in her word choice…if you thought it was annoying when I did it at the end of my plot synopsis, try sitting through an entire movie listening to the joke that started out amusing and then was beaten to death. Forgetting the thoroughly predictable storyline with the eye-rolling ending, Angela Lansbury’s presence in the film was both an unnecessary plot device and thoroughly under-appreciated, as no one in the undoubtedly younger audience could even recognize the Hollywood legend. In the end, Mr. Popper’s Penguins can only be described as mediocre; squandering whatever potential it had in the first place.
Opening up against a superhero film, anyone could have seen that Mr. Popper’s Penguins wasn’t going to take top title at the box office, but failing to take down Super 8 in its second weekend was a little surprising. Even when weighed against a modest budget of $55 million, an opening weekend of under $20 million for a family film still defies expectations, but maybe audiences just weren’t eager to jump for a comedy that looked better suited for a holiday rather than a summer release. Sadly, with a near-nonexistent overseas haul, Mr. Popper’s Penguins has likely seen its best numbers, since anyone going to the theater this weekend looking for a family film will naturally see Cars 2. Even if you are a fan of Jim Carrey, I still can’t tell you to rush to the theater in good conscience. Again, this family comedy isn’t bad…it’s just not that enjoyable or memorable.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #3 with $18,445,355
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $29,147,679
Gross Revenue: $29,985,897
Production Budget: $55 million
Director: Mark S. Waters
By adapting a well-known children’s book to the silver screen, 20th Century Fox didn’t have that big of a challenge in selling Mr. Popper’s Penguins to audiences, especially when a well-known actor like Jim Carrey was attached to the project. Other famous names initially in the running to play the titular Mr. Popper included Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black, but the role ultimately went to the man who rose to fame as an eccentric pet detective responsible for a generation’s worth of catch phrases…“alriiighty then!” Now, I know there are those who would question whether Carrey could be truly funny in a family comedy, but the easy answer to that uncertainty would be 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which, to-date, is still hysterical and remains one of my favorite holiday films. Early trailers showcased Carrey embracing his silly roots with some computer-generated penguins, so parents undoubtedly had an outlet to placate and entertain young children. Having never read the original book and therefore largely unfamiliar with the source material, I had almost no expectations going into Mr. Popper’s Penguins, but at the very least I was looking forward to some lighthearted comedy.
The title of this family comedy really says it all…Mr. Popper’s Penguins tells the story of divorced New York realtor Tom Popper (Jim Carrey), who has his life turned upside down when he unexpectedly receives a group of live penguins from his estranged and recently-deceased father. The mischievous penguins immediately imprint onto Popper, who is concurrently trying to convince the elderly owner of Tavern on the Green, Ms. Van Gundy (Angela Lansbury), to sell her establishment, and also desperately trying to repair his tenuous relationship with his own children. Naturally, Popper’s children adore the penguins, and he himself grows to care about the birds and learn more about loyalty and the importance of spending time with his family, a lesson that helps him repair and rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife (Carla Gugino). Unfortunately, the newfound harmony is disturbed when local zoo-keeper Nat Jones (Clark Gregg) demands that Popper surrender the penguins, as the arctic birds would be unable to thrive while living in a New York apartment. Trying to balance this newfound element of his life, which begins to threaten his job, Popper must both decide what is important in his life and learn to ultimately embrace the lesson that these precocious penguins are presently providing.
In its simplest form, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a family film that showcases Jim Carrey messing around with havoc-wreaking aquatic birds, and the end-result is just cute enough to delight some audiences. Despite the fact that the funniest scenes came as no surprise because they were showcased so strongly in the trailers, there is still something inherently enjoyable about watching Carrey be silly. The penguins themselves are far from the funniest fauna in film, but they still generate some laughs and will have young children thoroughly delighted. Though this is by no means the first time that Carrey has played the father role, this is by far the most he has ever embraced the family man character, and the end result is thoroughly heartwarming, especially when you add-in his interaction with Carla Gugino, as the two make a very believable couple. However, even though there are positive features to this family comedy, they were largely unable to blend together and overcome the bland and predictable elements that plague the film.
It took me a considerable amount of time to write this much of the review, and that is largely because there is just nothing that special about Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Carrey may have been a good family man, but he was still largely subdued in this role, barely breaking into the wild zaniness that has been a defining element of his career. When you consider the other jokes present in the film, a majority of them fall flat, simply trying to play too hard to a younger audience. For instance, Popper has an assistant who speaks in incessant alliteration, using an abundance of the letter “P” in her word choice…if you thought it was annoying when I did it at the end of my plot synopsis, try sitting through an entire movie listening to the joke that started out amusing and then was beaten to death. Forgetting the thoroughly predictable storyline with the eye-rolling ending, Angela Lansbury’s presence in the film was both an unnecessary plot device and thoroughly under-appreciated, as no one in the undoubtedly younger audience could even recognize the Hollywood legend. In the end, Mr. Popper’s Penguins can only be described as mediocre; squandering whatever potential it had in the first place.
Opening up against a superhero film, anyone could have seen that Mr. Popper’s Penguins wasn’t going to take top title at the box office, but failing to take down Super 8 in its second weekend was a little surprising. Even when weighed against a modest budget of $55 million, an opening weekend of under $20 million for a family film still defies expectations, but maybe audiences just weren’t eager to jump for a comedy that looked better suited for a holiday rather than a summer release. Sadly, with a near-nonexistent overseas haul, Mr. Popper’s Penguins has likely seen its best numbers, since anyone going to the theater this weekend looking for a family film will naturally see Cars 2. Even if you are a fan of Jim Carrey, I still can’t tell you to rush to the theater in good conscience. Again, this family comedy isn’t bad…it’s just not that enjoyable or memorable.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Monday, June 20, 2011
Green Lantern: Short and Sweet
As the first two entries in a summer movie season filled with superhero films, both Thor and X-men: First Class were of surprisingly high quality and undoubted box office successes, despite the fact that they could have easily missed the mark and completely embarrassed their respective source material. It is also worth noting that both of these films focused on characters from Marvel Comics, which has been absolutely dominating the comic book film genre over the past decade, bringing household names like Spiderman, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk to life. Though an equal entity in the publishing realm, comic book heavyweight DC Comics has been severely lagging in both the number and quality of characters brought to the big screen, the most notable exceptions being Superman and Batman. As far as the character of the Green Lantern goes, though he is well-known and revered by comic book fans, to the public at large he has remained a largely B-level protagonist; still, that shortcoming didn’t stop Warner Bros. from attempting to bump the unknown superhero to A-list-status with the help of Ryan Reynolds and an obscenely large production and marketing budget. Being a lifetime fan of the emerald hero, I was very excited when the project was first announced, and even though a few of the promotions looked a little too cartoony, I was still hoping that Green Lantern would help DC Comics’ film division gain a greater level of prominence and appreciation.
Given the depth mythos and strong science fiction undertones surrounding the Green Lantern character, I expected the film to be a little campy, but absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the bitter disappointment of this shockingly bad comic book adaptation, which could rival 1997’s Batman & Robin as the worst superhero film ever made. The most vivid example of lazy film-making and jumpy storytelling in recent memory, Green Lantern completely shames over seventy years of background material with embarrassing characters, idiotic dialogue, and sub-par special effects. I am a big fan of both Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, but I think that this film represents a step backwards for both of their careers; to be fair, neither were given much material to work with individually, but together they produced so little chemistry that they gave off the impression that they were siblings rather than love interests. As a comic book fanatic, I never expected myself to be this critical of Green Lantern, but every time I try and come up with a redeeming quality for this piece of garbage, I fall short. Warner Bros. has to be embarrassed spending so much to produce and promote such a low-quality “blockbuster,” as Green Lantern is easily an early contender for the worst film of the 2011 Summer Movie Season.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very Low
Given the depth mythos and strong science fiction undertones surrounding the Green Lantern character, I expected the film to be a little campy, but absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the bitter disappointment of this shockingly bad comic book adaptation, which could rival 1997’s Batman & Robin as the worst superhero film ever made. The most vivid example of lazy film-making and jumpy storytelling in recent memory, Green Lantern completely shames over seventy years of background material with embarrassing characters, idiotic dialogue, and sub-par special effects. I am a big fan of both Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, but I think that this film represents a step backwards for both of their careers; to be fair, neither were given much material to work with individually, but together they produced so little chemistry that they gave off the impression that they were siblings rather than love interests. As a comic book fanatic, I never expected myself to be this critical of Green Lantern, but every time I try and come up with a redeeming quality for this piece of garbage, I fall short. Warner Bros. has to be embarrassed spending so much to produce and promote such a low-quality “blockbuster,” as Green Lantern is easily an early contender for the worst film of the 2011 Summer Movie Season.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very Low
Green Lantern: Full Review
Green Lantern - (June 17th, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $53,174,303
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $53,174,303
Gross Revenue: $70,174,303
Production Budget: $200 million
Marketing Budget: Approx. $100 -125 million
Director: Martin Campbell
It’s no secret that Marvel Studios has the market cornered on superhero films due both to the sheer volume and the high quality of its comic book adaptations, but DC Comics’ films have enjoyed an increasing prominence of late thanks largely to Christopher Nolan’s Batman film series. Though you wouldn’t necessarily know it thanks to a few attempts beyond household names like Batman and Superman (last summer’s Jonah Hex was poorly conceived and disastrously executed), DC Comics has a large number of deep and thoroughly exciting characters to draw from in order to build a summer blockbuster. This time around, they chose a founding member of the legendary Justice League, who has been around since the early 1940s and has some of the coolest powers in the entire comic book universe…none other than the intergalactic peace-keeper, the Green Lantern. He may not necessarily be a household name, but Warner Bros. spared no expense to bring this character to a wider audience, not only attaching the increasingly popular Ryan Reynolds to the project, but also engaging in an expansive marketing campaign. If Iron Man 2 was the summer blockbuster to look for last year, Green Lantern easily earned that title this year, using a budget of over $100 million to create impressive promotional partnerships…besides being USA Network’s “Character to Watch,” Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern was attached to everything from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to Subway’s Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich; the character was absolutely everywhere. The difficult extraterrestrial nature of the character’s core operations would make adapting the lesser-known superhero to the big screen a little complicated, and even though some of the early trailers looked like they would be better suited for a cartoon, the comic book geek inside me was still thrilled for Green Lantern.
I may get a little technical in the next few sentences, but I have to set up the Green Lantern character and his powers before I can even start to describe the film. Within the DC Universe, the different elements of the emotional spectrum give off a special colored energy, and millions of years ago, a group of immortals known as the Guardians of the Universe were able to harness the green essence of willpower. Using this unlimited energy, the Guardians created an intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps to watch over the 3,600 known sectors of the universe, the individual members channeling the green energy through a power ring (which enables flight and the formation of objects out of light energy) as a Green Lantern. The film starts by introducing the story of one Green Lantern, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) of sector 2814 (which includes Earth), who was able to imprison the embodiment of the yellow energy of fear, a being known as Parallax (Clancy Brown); unfortunately, Parallax eventually escapes and mortally wounds the Lantern responsible for his captivity, who must now rapidly search for a worthy replacement. After crashing on Earth, Abin Sur’s ring chooses cocky test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) as the new Green Lantern of sector 2814, the first human to ever be inducted into the Corps. Despite training with veteran Lanterns Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush), Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan), and Sinestro (Mark Strong), on the Corps’ home planet of Oa, Hal begins to doubt that he has the ability to live up to his new title. However, once Parallax infects local scientist Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) and threatens to destroy Earth, Hal most not only protect his longtime love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), but also overcome his fears to embrace his destiny as the newest Green Lantern and save humanity.
Based on the plot description above, it’s easy to see that Green Lantern’s story may have been a little difficult to sell to a wider audience beyond comic book fans and science fiction fanatics, but before I go into that shortcoming, I have to address my biggest complaint concerning the film…namely, this disappointing blockbuster’s half-assed treatment of well-established characters. For starters, with over seventy years of material to draw from, the filmmakers couldn’t have chosen two worse villains: Parallax is an incredibly complicated entity to use for an unknown superhero’s freshman film, while Hector Hammond is nowhere near threatening enough to keep audiences engaged. Beyond bad choices, these two characters fell victim to poor execution, as Parallax ended up looking like a giant octopus nowhere near as powerful as his comic book counterpart, while Peter Sarsgaard was not only a pathetic villain with zero depth, but was also just downright uncomfortable to watch after he was corrupted and mutated by Parallax…simply put, any superhero deserves better villains. Another equally disappointing element includes the other Lanterns barely-showcased in the film, as Tomar-Re, Kilowog, and Sinestro are some of the most beloved characters in the DC Universe and had strong actors perfectly casted for their respective personalities, but were still denied any appropriate screen-time…way for the writers to drop the ball on an epic scale Finally, for as popular as Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have become recently, their inability to work together was shocking; the relationship between Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris is one of the most passionate relationships in all of comic book mythos, but in Green Lantern, the chemistry between the two echoes more of a sibling rivalry than a genuine romance…I was reminder of Princess Leia kissing her brother, Luke Skywalker. While a majority of the aforementioned complaints may sound like little more than the ranting of an aggravated comic book purist, the reality remains that these poor elements not only significantly weakened the film, but they also represented a significantly squandered opportunity.
While I would love to say that poor treatment of the source material is the only problem with Green Lantern, I cannot ignore the other instances of lazy film-making and jumpy story telling that signify a big step backwards for superhero movies in general. It is sad to think that the original script for this comic book adaptation was actually rewritten and yet still fell victim to bad dialogue, decidedly derivative narrative elements, and plot holes that require so many assumptions on the part of the audience that the entire experience is exhausting. Whether it’s the precarious relationship between Hal and Carol, the haunting elements of Hal’s past, or Hector’s animosity towards his father, so many plot devices are introduced and then ignored that countless unanswered questions are generated. Beyond the poor character choice I mentioned earlier, there is almost no character development for those that made the final cut: forgetting the fact that he accepts the existence of an alien police force instantaneously with almost no reaction, Hal Jordan switches between cocky and uncertain so often, seeks out trouble without explanation and embraces the inner-hero so quickly that its almost like the writers built the character using the CliffsNotes version of a Complete Idiot’s Guide to Superheroes…you either love Ryan Reynolds or hate him, but he didn’t stand a chance at gaining any audience sympathy with this role. At the very least, you would think that the visual effects artists would go out of their way to make the power ring’s creations somewhat impressive, but the animations behind the ring were just as childish as the weapon’s actual usage; at one point, Hal uses the ring to make a race track to divert a crashing helicopter, and the sequence is so ridiculous that you would think a five-year-old was behind the creative process. Some serious modifications might have made Green Lantern a good film, but the final result that was presented to audiences only proves that the character is not yet ready to move beyond the bounds of animation.
Almost out of obligation rather than natural story progression, Green Lantern uses a post-credits scene to set up a sequel, but given how much Warner Bros. is likely to lose on this project, it looks like audiences will be spared another insulting experience. With its combined marketing and production budget, Green Lantern cost around $300 million to make, but it was only able to break just over $53 million its opening weekend; given how much promotion was used leading up to its release, a box office haul that weak is embarrassing. Foreign receipts were no help either, pushing the worldwide gross to just over $70 million…not even a quarter of what it cost to make the film. A disaster of this magnitude might be helped if there was positive critical reaction and word of mouth to drive people to the theater, but almost everyone hated Green Lantern as much as I did. Thank god DC Comics and Warner Bros. have The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel to look forward to in 2012. As a comic book fan, I am saddened by the lack of respect that was shown to a legendary character; as a movie fan, I am enraged by how low a quality of film Warner Bros. tried to sell to the public; but as a critic, I am glad that I can at least warn people against seeing this bitter disappointment.
Overall Recommendation: Very Low
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $53,174,303
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $53,174,303
Gross Revenue: $70,174,303
Production Budget: $200 million
Marketing Budget: Approx. $100 -125 million
Director: Martin Campbell
It’s no secret that Marvel Studios has the market cornered on superhero films due both to the sheer volume and the high quality of its comic book adaptations, but DC Comics’ films have enjoyed an increasing prominence of late thanks largely to Christopher Nolan’s Batman film series. Though you wouldn’t necessarily know it thanks to a few attempts beyond household names like Batman and Superman (last summer’s Jonah Hex was poorly conceived and disastrously executed), DC Comics has a large number of deep and thoroughly exciting characters to draw from in order to build a summer blockbuster. This time around, they chose a founding member of the legendary Justice League, who has been around since the early 1940s and has some of the coolest powers in the entire comic book universe…none other than the intergalactic peace-keeper, the Green Lantern. He may not necessarily be a household name, but Warner Bros. spared no expense to bring this character to a wider audience, not only attaching the increasingly popular Ryan Reynolds to the project, but also engaging in an expansive marketing campaign. If Iron Man 2 was the summer blockbuster to look for last year, Green Lantern easily earned that title this year, using a budget of over $100 million to create impressive promotional partnerships…besides being USA Network’s “Character to Watch,” Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern was attached to everything from Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to Subway’s Turkey Bacon Avocado sandwich; the character was absolutely everywhere. The difficult extraterrestrial nature of the character’s core operations would make adapting the lesser-known superhero to the big screen a little complicated, and even though some of the early trailers looked like they would be better suited for a cartoon, the comic book geek inside me was still thrilled for Green Lantern.
I may get a little technical in the next few sentences, but I have to set up the Green Lantern character and his powers before I can even start to describe the film. Within the DC Universe, the different elements of the emotional spectrum give off a special colored energy, and millions of years ago, a group of immortals known as the Guardians of the Universe were able to harness the green essence of willpower. Using this unlimited energy, the Guardians created an intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps to watch over the 3,600 known sectors of the universe, the individual members channeling the green energy through a power ring (which enables flight and the formation of objects out of light energy) as a Green Lantern. The film starts by introducing the story of one Green Lantern, Abin Sur (Temuera Morrison) of sector 2814 (which includes Earth), who was able to imprison the embodiment of the yellow energy of fear, a being known as Parallax (Clancy Brown); unfortunately, Parallax eventually escapes and mortally wounds the Lantern responsible for his captivity, who must now rapidly search for a worthy replacement. After crashing on Earth, Abin Sur’s ring chooses cocky test pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) as the new Green Lantern of sector 2814, the first human to ever be inducted into the Corps. Despite training with veteran Lanterns Tomar-Re (Geoffrey Rush), Kilowog (Michael Clarke Duncan), and Sinestro (Mark Strong), on the Corps’ home planet of Oa, Hal begins to doubt that he has the ability to live up to his new title. However, once Parallax infects local scientist Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) and threatens to destroy Earth, Hal most not only protect his longtime love interest Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), but also overcome his fears to embrace his destiny as the newest Green Lantern and save humanity.
Based on the plot description above, it’s easy to see that Green Lantern’s story may have been a little difficult to sell to a wider audience beyond comic book fans and science fiction fanatics, but before I go into that shortcoming, I have to address my biggest complaint concerning the film…namely, this disappointing blockbuster’s half-assed treatment of well-established characters. For starters, with over seventy years of material to draw from, the filmmakers couldn’t have chosen two worse villains: Parallax is an incredibly complicated entity to use for an unknown superhero’s freshman film, while Hector Hammond is nowhere near threatening enough to keep audiences engaged. Beyond bad choices, these two characters fell victim to poor execution, as Parallax ended up looking like a giant octopus nowhere near as powerful as his comic book counterpart, while Peter Sarsgaard was not only a pathetic villain with zero depth, but was also just downright uncomfortable to watch after he was corrupted and mutated by Parallax…simply put, any superhero deserves better villains. Another equally disappointing element includes the other Lanterns barely-showcased in the film, as Tomar-Re, Kilowog, and Sinestro are some of the most beloved characters in the DC Universe and had strong actors perfectly casted for their respective personalities, but were still denied any appropriate screen-time…way for the writers to drop the ball on an epic scale Finally, for as popular as Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have become recently, their inability to work together was shocking; the relationship between Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris is one of the most passionate relationships in all of comic book mythos, but in Green Lantern, the chemistry between the two echoes more of a sibling rivalry than a genuine romance…I was reminder of Princess Leia kissing her brother, Luke Skywalker. While a majority of the aforementioned complaints may sound like little more than the ranting of an aggravated comic book purist, the reality remains that these poor elements not only significantly weakened the film, but they also represented a significantly squandered opportunity.
While I would love to say that poor treatment of the source material is the only problem with Green Lantern, I cannot ignore the other instances of lazy film-making and jumpy story telling that signify a big step backwards for superhero movies in general. It is sad to think that the original script for this comic book adaptation was actually rewritten and yet still fell victim to bad dialogue, decidedly derivative narrative elements, and plot holes that require so many assumptions on the part of the audience that the entire experience is exhausting. Whether it’s the precarious relationship between Hal and Carol, the haunting elements of Hal’s past, or Hector’s animosity towards his father, so many plot devices are introduced and then ignored that countless unanswered questions are generated. Beyond the poor character choice I mentioned earlier, there is almost no character development for those that made the final cut: forgetting the fact that he accepts the existence of an alien police force instantaneously with almost no reaction, Hal Jordan switches between cocky and uncertain so often, seeks out trouble without explanation and embraces the inner-hero so quickly that its almost like the writers built the character using the CliffsNotes version of a Complete Idiot’s Guide to Superheroes…you either love Ryan Reynolds or hate him, but he didn’t stand a chance at gaining any audience sympathy with this role. At the very least, you would think that the visual effects artists would go out of their way to make the power ring’s creations somewhat impressive, but the animations behind the ring were just as childish as the weapon’s actual usage; at one point, Hal uses the ring to make a race track to divert a crashing helicopter, and the sequence is so ridiculous that you would think a five-year-old was behind the creative process. Some serious modifications might have made Green Lantern a good film, but the final result that was presented to audiences only proves that the character is not yet ready to move beyond the bounds of animation.
Almost out of obligation rather than natural story progression, Green Lantern uses a post-credits scene to set up a sequel, but given how much Warner Bros. is likely to lose on this project, it looks like audiences will be spared another insulting experience. With its combined marketing and production budget, Green Lantern cost around $300 million to make, but it was only able to break just over $53 million its opening weekend; given how much promotion was used leading up to its release, a box office haul that weak is embarrassing. Foreign receipts were no help either, pushing the worldwide gross to just over $70 million…not even a quarter of what it cost to make the film. A disaster of this magnitude might be helped if there was positive critical reaction and word of mouth to drive people to the theater, but almost everyone hated Green Lantern as much as I did. Thank god DC Comics and Warner Bros. have The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel to look forward to in 2012. As a comic book fan, I am saddened by the lack of respect that was shown to a legendary character; as a movie fan, I am enraged by how low a quality of film Warner Bros. tried to sell to the public; but as a critic, I am glad that I can at least warn people against seeing this bitter disappointment.
Overall Recommendation: Very Low
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Super 8: Short and Sweet
There is little doubt that Super 8 generated a surprisingly strong amount of buzz prior to the start of the 2011 Summer Movie Season, but other than film-buffs getting giddy over the fact that Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams were working together, there was little reason to rush to the theater, as no one knew what kind of story this potential summer blockbuster was going to tell. Leading up to its release, the plot of Super 8 remained shrouded in mystery, and even though Christopher Nolan used a similar strategy last summer with impressive results (more than a few people saw Inception), I didn’t have quite as much faith this time around. Despite having award-winning, record-breaking Hollywood heavyweight Steven Spielberg in his corner and a few summer blockbusters attached to his name (Mission Impossible: III and 2009’s Star Trek), the bulk of J.J. Abrams’ previous work has been restricted to television (Alias and Lost). Christopher Nolan may not have let too many details of Inception slip prior to release, but he had the combined fan-base of Memento, The Prestige, and the Batman film franchise to fall back on, not to mention the fact that his cast included leading man Leonardo DiCaprio…Abrams, on the other hand, would be working with a group of unknown adolescents and banking almost exclusively on Spielberg’s reputation. I can appreciate the appeal of the talent that Super 8 was boasting behind the camera, but I still wasn’t terribly excited for this newest and increasingly mysterious summer adventure.
Before I got a chance to see Super 8 its opening weekend, promotions were focusing on the raving reviews of other critics; for the life of me, I cannot fathom how they had such a positive reaction to what is largely a mediocre film. The mystery surrounding the train crash and the escaped creature does keep the level of interest high for a while, but Abrams leaves the audience hanging for so long that it is really easy to lose interest. Brief instances of suspense and wonder are warmly reminiscent of Spielberg’s glory days, but by-and-large; the story is just derivative, predictable, and altogether a bit of a letdown. The sole standout element is the funny and entertaining young cast, which wonderfully evokes nostalgic memories of lost youth and the idealistic American summer we all tried to create at one point or another. If you are a fan of either Abrams or Spielberg, I’m sure you will enjoy Super 8, but be warned: there is nothing here that is groundbreaking, innovative, or terribly memorable.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Before I got a chance to see Super 8 its opening weekend, promotions were focusing on the raving reviews of other critics; for the life of me, I cannot fathom how they had such a positive reaction to what is largely a mediocre film. The mystery surrounding the train crash and the escaped creature does keep the level of interest high for a while, but Abrams leaves the audience hanging for so long that it is really easy to lose interest. Brief instances of suspense and wonder are warmly reminiscent of Spielberg’s glory days, but by-and-large; the story is just derivative, predictable, and altogether a bit of a letdown. The sole standout element is the funny and entertaining young cast, which wonderfully evokes nostalgic memories of lost youth and the idealistic American summer we all tried to create at one point or another. If you are a fan of either Abrams or Spielberg, I’m sure you will enjoy Super 8, but be warned: there is nothing here that is groundbreaking, innovative, or terribly memorable.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Super 8: Full Review
Super 8 - (June 10th, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $35,451,168
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $44,682,350
Gross Revenue: $53,284,286
Budget: $50 million
Producer: Steven Spielberg
Director: J.J. Abrams
As both a producer and a director, Steven Spielberg is responsible for some of the highest quality and most memorable films in Hollywood history, including but not limited to: Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jaws (1975) and Jurassic Park (1993); needless to say, anytime this record-braking blockbuster filmmaker attaches his name to a project, you pay attention. J.J. Abrams has been building his own big-screen reputation recently, but as both writer and director this time around, Super 8 would serve as the increasingly popular director’s first original project. With these two joining forces behind the camera, audiences could expect suspense, awe, and adventure, but as anyone who saw the film’s trailer could tell you, there was absolutely no guarantee concerning what form or what direction the project would ultimately follow. Now, a certain amount of mystery concerning the plot of the film can be a good thing, but for as much talent as Super 8 had behind the camera, there weren’t any big names that would be on screen to draw a strong audience (Kyle Chandler certainly had a following from NBC’s Friday Night Lights, but the young cast remained relatively unknown). Paramount seemed to recognize this discrepancy, engaging in a number of last-minute promotional efforts (free sneak-peaks and Twitter-hosted previews) to strengthen widespread interest in the film. Though I wasn’t going to spring for a midnight showing, sheer curiosity was more than enough to justify my buying a ticket for Super 8 during its opening weekend.
Set in 1979, Super 8 follows young Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends as they attempt to make a low-budget zombie movie in a small Ohio town using Super 8 film. One night, as the group of friends is shooting, they witness a train-derailment, and in the aftermath, a mysterious creature escapes from its secured compartment. The Air Force soon arrives to secure the crash-sight, with the commanding officer, Colonel Nelec (Noah Emmerich) sharing very little information with local deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler), who also happens to be Joe’s recently-widowed father. As Joe and his friends decide to remain silent about what they witnessed, strange occurrences start to plague the town, such as all local pets running away, missing kitchen appliances and car engines, and a number of sudden disappearances. Still recovering from his mother’s death and his virtually non-existent relationship with his father, Joe grows closer to his love-interest, Alice (Elle Fanning); however, once she is abducted by the creature, the entire group of young friends decide to work together to help solve this growing conspiracy before it is too late.
Given the mysterious nature of the previews, it should come as no surprise that Super 8 is filled with a profound sense of not only wonder, but also considerable suspense…these notions are most evident whenever the mysterious creature appears or the local citizens try to piece together the strange events plaguing the town. In terms of acting, the young cast does surprisingly well, perfectly embodying the curiosity, innocence, and loyalty of youth that is sure to have audiences pining for the wonder years that have long since passed. Besides demonstrating an unexpected talent for comedic timing (which complements already-humorous dialogue), the young cast also showcases some early talent which is sure to take Hollywood by storm in the near future. The clear standout among the young friends is Elle Fanning (you might have heard of her older sister…Dakota), not only generating girl-next-door chemistry with Joel Courtney but also showcasing a range of emotion that is very impressive for a 13-year-old…she easily trumps some actresses triple her age. However, despite how much I enjoyed this cast, I feel that they could have flourished even more under a different script, as, in its entirety, Super 8 is largely disappointing.
Considering the résumés boasted by both the producer and the director and all the hype and mystery that surrounded Super 8, I was shocked to find myself bored as I waited for any sort of resolution to the storyline. Dangling the truth in front of audiences in the form of small clues about a military cover-up or darkened blink-and-you-miss-it shots of the creature can only hold audience attention for so long, and once the big reveal occurs, it all feels too familiar. J.J. Abrams’ direction echoes that of Steven Spielberg so strongly that the film feels like little more than homage to the famed filmmaker; maybe my time would have been better spent simply re-watching E.T. or Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And, for being the only barely-recognizable name on the cast list, Kyle Chandler does little more than rattle off his lines, which only drag along plot points that are largely derivative of much better films. Let’s put this all into perspective…the zombie film that the kids are shooting appears during the closing credits, and I found that more entertaining than the actual movie. Bottom line, when an audience walks into a theater with zero preconceptions concerning a story, filmmakers of this caliber should have been able to produce something considerably more unique and entertaining.
From a box office perspective, Paramount’s last-minute efforts helped Super 8 earn the top spot with an opening weekend of over $35, but that number has to be a little embarrassing for a hyped summer film with Spielberg’s name attached. Maybe the early trailers were a little too mysterious to generate a strong draw at the theater, especially when the competition for audience attention is so strong during the summer season. Critics are singing the praises of this sci-fi, coming-of-age tale, but as my regular readers know, I have absolutely no problem disagreeing with mainstream opinion. With Green Lantern and Mr. Popper’s Penguins opening Friday, I suspect that Super 8’s box office haul will plummet. Not only did I expect more from Super 8, I largely believe that audiences deserved more…I couldn’t tell anyone to rush to the theater for this one in good conscience.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $35,451,168
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $44,682,350
Gross Revenue: $53,284,286
Budget: $50 million
Producer: Steven Spielberg
Director: J.J. Abrams
As both a producer and a director, Steven Spielberg is responsible for some of the highest quality and most memorable films in Hollywood history, including but not limited to: Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jaws (1975) and Jurassic Park (1993); needless to say, anytime this record-braking blockbuster filmmaker attaches his name to a project, you pay attention. J.J. Abrams has been building his own big-screen reputation recently, but as both writer and director this time around, Super 8 would serve as the increasingly popular director’s first original project. With these two joining forces behind the camera, audiences could expect suspense, awe, and adventure, but as anyone who saw the film’s trailer could tell you, there was absolutely no guarantee concerning what form or what direction the project would ultimately follow. Now, a certain amount of mystery concerning the plot of the film can be a good thing, but for as much talent as Super 8 had behind the camera, there weren’t any big names that would be on screen to draw a strong audience (Kyle Chandler certainly had a following from NBC’s Friday Night Lights, but the young cast remained relatively unknown). Paramount seemed to recognize this discrepancy, engaging in a number of last-minute promotional efforts (free sneak-peaks and Twitter-hosted previews) to strengthen widespread interest in the film. Though I wasn’t going to spring for a midnight showing, sheer curiosity was more than enough to justify my buying a ticket for Super 8 during its opening weekend.
Set in 1979, Super 8 follows young Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends as they attempt to make a low-budget zombie movie in a small Ohio town using Super 8 film. One night, as the group of friends is shooting, they witness a train-derailment, and in the aftermath, a mysterious creature escapes from its secured compartment. The Air Force soon arrives to secure the crash-sight, with the commanding officer, Colonel Nelec (Noah Emmerich) sharing very little information with local deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler), who also happens to be Joe’s recently-widowed father. As Joe and his friends decide to remain silent about what they witnessed, strange occurrences start to plague the town, such as all local pets running away, missing kitchen appliances and car engines, and a number of sudden disappearances. Still recovering from his mother’s death and his virtually non-existent relationship with his father, Joe grows closer to his love-interest, Alice (Elle Fanning); however, once she is abducted by the creature, the entire group of young friends decide to work together to help solve this growing conspiracy before it is too late.
Given the mysterious nature of the previews, it should come as no surprise that Super 8 is filled with a profound sense of not only wonder, but also considerable suspense…these notions are most evident whenever the mysterious creature appears or the local citizens try to piece together the strange events plaguing the town. In terms of acting, the young cast does surprisingly well, perfectly embodying the curiosity, innocence, and loyalty of youth that is sure to have audiences pining for the wonder years that have long since passed. Besides demonstrating an unexpected talent for comedic timing (which complements already-humorous dialogue), the young cast also showcases some early talent which is sure to take Hollywood by storm in the near future. The clear standout among the young friends is Elle Fanning (you might have heard of her older sister…Dakota), not only generating girl-next-door chemistry with Joel Courtney but also showcasing a range of emotion that is very impressive for a 13-year-old…she easily trumps some actresses triple her age. However, despite how much I enjoyed this cast, I feel that they could have flourished even more under a different script, as, in its entirety, Super 8 is largely disappointing.
Considering the résumés boasted by both the producer and the director and all the hype and mystery that surrounded Super 8, I was shocked to find myself bored as I waited for any sort of resolution to the storyline. Dangling the truth in front of audiences in the form of small clues about a military cover-up or darkened blink-and-you-miss-it shots of the creature can only hold audience attention for so long, and once the big reveal occurs, it all feels too familiar. J.J. Abrams’ direction echoes that of Steven Spielberg so strongly that the film feels like little more than homage to the famed filmmaker; maybe my time would have been better spent simply re-watching E.T. or Close Encounters of the Third Kind. And, for being the only barely-recognizable name on the cast list, Kyle Chandler does little more than rattle off his lines, which only drag along plot points that are largely derivative of much better films. Let’s put this all into perspective…the zombie film that the kids are shooting appears during the closing credits, and I found that more entertaining than the actual movie. Bottom line, when an audience walks into a theater with zero preconceptions concerning a story, filmmakers of this caliber should have been able to produce something considerably more unique and entertaining.
From a box office perspective, Paramount’s last-minute efforts helped Super 8 earn the top spot with an opening weekend of over $35, but that number has to be a little embarrassing for a hyped summer film with Spielberg’s name attached. Maybe the early trailers were a little too mysterious to generate a strong draw at the theater, especially when the competition for audience attention is so strong during the summer season. Critics are singing the praises of this sci-fi, coming-of-age tale, but as my regular readers know, I have absolutely no problem disagreeing with mainstream opinion. With Green Lantern and Mr. Popper’s Penguins opening Friday, I suspect that Super 8’s box office haul will plummet. Not only did I expect more from Super 8, I largely believe that audiences deserved more…I couldn’t tell anyone to rush to the theater for this one in good conscience.
Overall Recommendation: Low
Sunday, June 12, 2011
X-men: First Class - Short and Sweet
As a fully-admitted, overly-enthusiastic, and fanatically-loyal superhero fan, I naturally take my comic book movies very seriously, tracking any detail I can from the moment the film is announced to the second it hits theaters. DC’s Batman is where my primary loyalties lie, but Marvel’s X-men are a solid second; yet, for as excited as I should have been when X-men: First Class was announced as cleared for full development in May 2010, the uneven quality of the X-men film series had made me understandably pessimistic concerning this latest project. I loved Bryan Singer’s first two installments of the franchise, 2000’s X-men and 2003’s X2: X-men United; and I was generally pretty forgiving of Brett Ratner’s disappointing 2006 follow-up, X-men: The Last Stand; but I absolutely detested the lazy filmmaking and disrespectful use of source material that plagued Gavin Hood’s awful 2009 prequel, X-men Origins: Wolverine. Billed as both a prequel to and reboot of the original trilogy, the comic book purist inside me wanted to tear apart the list of characters that were scheduled to appear, but with Bryan Singer returning as a producer, Matthew Vaughn attached as director, and both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender set to tackle the lead roles, my hesitancy slowly “mutated” into excitement. I knew that I would have to accept certain liberties that would inevitably be taken with the source material, but I had the strong feeling that, if it was done correctly, X-men: First Class would be able to get the X-men film series back on track and captivating audiences once again.
In order to paint a full picture of how much I loved X-men: First Class, consider this, prior to writing this review I had seen the film three times in a 72-hour period, and even now as I type, I am listening to the soundtrack. X-men: First Class is easily the best film in the X-men series, and comes in just behind The Dark Knight as the best superhero film ever made. Blending comic book mythos and historical events with an unprecedented style and energy, Matthew Vaughn brings a fully-captivating story to life and complements it with strong characters, impressive acting, and awe-inspiring special effects. The new interpretations of old characters is thoroughly entertaining, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence breathing new life into Professor X and Mystique respectively, but the real treat is Michael Fassbender, who transforms Magneto, formerly a one-sided supremacy fanatic, into a sympathetic (if slightly psychotic) badass. I cannot emphasize it enough, X-men: First Class is the best and most enjoyable film (not just “superhero” film) to hit theaters so far this summer, if not this year…go see it!!!
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
In order to paint a full picture of how much I loved X-men: First Class, consider this, prior to writing this review I had seen the film three times in a 72-hour period, and even now as I type, I am listening to the soundtrack. X-men: First Class is easily the best film in the X-men series, and comes in just behind The Dark Knight as the best superhero film ever made. Blending comic book mythos and historical events with an unprecedented style and energy, Matthew Vaughn brings a fully-captivating story to life and complements it with strong characters, impressive acting, and awe-inspiring special effects. The new interpretations of old characters is thoroughly entertaining, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence breathing new life into Professor X and Mystique respectively, but the real treat is Michael Fassbender, who transforms Magneto, formerly a one-sided supremacy fanatic, into a sympathetic (if slightly psychotic) badass. I cannot emphasize it enough, X-men: First Class is the best and most enjoyable film (not just “superhero” film) to hit theaters so far this summer, if not this year…go see it!!!
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
X-men: First Class - Full Review
X-men: First Class - (June 3rd, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $56,000,000
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $98,894,000
Gross Revenue: $173,480,046
Budget: $160 million
Director: Matthew Vaughn
In order to re-energize the flailing X-men film franchise, 20th Century Fox had a considerable marketing challenge, in that, they had to sell this newest film to two distinct groups of people who had an axe to grind. First, there was the general public, who not only had to be convinced that a fresh start would be able to return a high level of quality to the superhero team that had suffered under some less-than-award-winning entries that were still very fresh in everyone’s memory bank; but also that an X-men film could survive without Hugh Jackman, as Wolverine would not be a central character of this entry in the series. Second, there were the comic book fanatics, who were screaming for blood ever since the character roster and storyline were announced, both clear violations of what is often considered sacred comic book canon. To appease both groups, 20th Century Fox engaged in a unique mix of guerrilla and mainstream marketing; not only using social media to release the first trailers on Facebook and YouTube for the overtly dedicated who would seek the material out (individuals like myself), but also releasing numerous billboards and engaging in promotional partnerships that would paint First Class as a summer blockbuster with wide appeal…my personal favorite was the Farmers Insurance X-Change Student commercial. Another huge draw involved the names attached to the project; producer Bryan Singer knows how to treat the X-men series with respect, director Matthew Vaughn is well regarded in superhero geek circles for his work on 2010’s Kick-Ass, and even the presence of Academy Award nominated Jennifer Lawrence was sure to build some positive buzz. I myself was most excited for the inclusion of two actors known for some of my favorite movies, James McAvoy (2008’s Wanted) and Michael Fassbender (2007’s 300 and 2009’s Inglorious Basterds). As the second of four superhero films dropping during the 2011 Summer Movie Season, I had understandably high hopes for X-men: First Class.
In an almost exact replication of the opening scene from 2000’s X-men, this prequel starts in 1944 at a German concentration camp where young Erik Lensherr discovers the power to control metal after he is separated from his family; meanwhile, in a New York mansion, young Charles Xavier (who is gifted with the power of telepathy) meets a homeless young shape-shifter, Raven, who he invites to live with his family. Fast forward to 1962, and an adult Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) is now hunting Nazis to exact revenge for the atrocities he was forced to endure as a child, while Xavier (James McAvoy) is publishing his thesis on genetic mutation and living with his foster sister, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence). On a larger scope, the United States is currently on the brink of nuclear war with Russia, and it is revealed that the rising tensions on both sides are being manipulated by a powerful group known as the Hellfire Club; each member of this “club” has a special power and is led by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) a man with the ability to absorb energy and someone who also has sinister ties to Erik’s past. Realizing the threat that Shaw ultimately poses, young CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) recruits Xavier and Raven to help stop the Hellfire Club. After Xavier crosses paths and forms an alliance/friendship with Erik (who is also hunting Shaw), the two work to identify and recruit a new class of human that has reached the next stage of evolution and, like them, has gained a special ability and earned the designation of “mutant.” After settling on a team to join their fight and choosing code names to represent their unique abilities, Xavier (now called “Professor X”) and Erik (now called “Magneto”) work with Raven (now called “Mystique”), “Banshee” (Caleb Landry Jones), “Havok” (Lucas Till), “Beast” (Nicholas Hoult), “Darwin” (Edi Gathegi), and “Angel” (Zoë Kravitz) to try and stop Shaw from engineering nuclear war through the Cuban Missile Crisis. Though Xavier and Erik disagree on humanity will ultimately react to the existence of mutants (Xavier naively wishes for peaceful coexistence, while Erik only foresees persecution and internment), the two friends decide to do all they can to save the world with their new team, the first class of “X-men.”
If it isn’t already obvious by my overly detailed review, I absolutely adored X-Men: First Class, which, though it easily could have been a complete disaster, ended up delivering a deep, exciting, and thoroughly energetic superhero film. By juxtaposing actual historical footage related to the Cuban Missile Crisis and seamlessly integrating aspects of the conflict into the storyline, Matthew Vaughn brings a sense of realism and emotional weight to X-men: First Class, making this prequel far more than just another entertaining tribute to comic book lore…it is a genuinely good film in its own right. Perhaps the most enjoyable element of First Class has to do with its expanded characterization of already established characters; thanks to the original trilogy, audiences simply know Xavier as the squeaky-clean good guy, Magneto as the maniacal villain, and Mystique as the cold assassin. Yet, in First Class, different sides of these familiar faces are revealed in a truly memorable way; Xavier at one point apparently had no problem exploiting his power to pick-up women, while Mystique was genuinely self-conscious about her appearance and Magneto wanted nothing more than to avenge his family…who wouldn’t sympathize with that? Don’t get me wrong, Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen were fantastic as the original actors behind Professor X and Magneto (respectively), but James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender more than stepped up to the challenge, using considerably strong acting talent to not only embody the true spirit of the individual characters but also bring a cool and intense friendship between the future enemies to life.
Were I a pettier film critic, I could unleash my inner comic book geek and begin listing every element of X-men: First Class that didn’t sync up 100% with the source material (as I did, rather loudly, after X-men Origins: Wolverine), and believe me, there were plenty to choose from, but the changes made were done in such a respectful manner that the original spirit behind the entire series (both in print and on film) was kept intact. If I had to come up with anything truly negative to say about X-men: First Class, I can admit that there were a few corny moments present (Xavier and Magneto’s hand gestures to signify their powers came off a little funnier than I think was intended), and that the energetic pacing of the story stalled in a few noticeable instances, but for every complaint, there are just more praiseworthy elements to highlight. Besides Kevin Bacon’s turn as the kind of villain you love to hate, the special effects, action sequences, and soundtrack, are all astounding; these aspects combine for more than enough to keep even casual fans on the edge of their seats with goose bumps (watching Magneto lift a submarine out of the water was awesome), all while small references to the previous films and the original comics will have even the most skeptical of comic book purists giggling…watch closely for two very clever cameos from some very familiar X-men. I was a little upset by the lack of the post-credits scene which is usually standard fare for a Marvel film, as well as the apparent lack of a cameo by X-men creator/comic book deity Stan Lee (after three viewings, I still didn’t spot him), but again, such small transgressions are not enough to dampen my opinion of this surprisingly well-done adventure. As I said in the “Short and Sweet” review, X-men: First Class may not have dethroned The Dark Knight as top comic book/superhero film of all time, but it nabbed second place so quickly that I’m sure both Iron Man and Spider-Man 2 got some pretty severe whiplash.
Sadly, despite the efforts of 20th Century Fox, the quality of X-men: First Class was in no way reflected at the box office; the prequel/spin-off may have taken top spot its opening weekend, but a $56 million debut is the lowest of any entry in the entire X-men series and relatively unimpressive for a summer superhero adventure. Apparently, either moviegoers still haven’t forgotten or forgiven some of the weaker films in the franchise, or audience loyalty to Hugh Jackman was higher than anyone previously believed. Still, post-release marketing efforts are desperately trying to get the numbers up; even going as far as adding a RottenTomatoes.com certification to television trailers (this is the first instance I have seen of any such strategy). International receipts have already combined with domestic gross to cover the $160 million production budget, but X-men: First Class still deserves more. Thankfully, Fox envisions First Class as the beginning of a new trilogy, matching the darker and more mature attitude of the Harry Potter film franchise and the more realistic themes of Christopher Nolan’s Batman series…I’m ready to pre-order my midnight premier ticket for Part II right now. Really, if you need any more convincing to go see X-men: First Class, then you clearly didn’t deserve a movie this good in the first place!
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $56,000,000
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $98,894,000
Gross Revenue: $173,480,046
Budget: $160 million
Director: Matthew Vaughn
In order to re-energize the flailing X-men film franchise, 20th Century Fox had a considerable marketing challenge, in that, they had to sell this newest film to two distinct groups of people who had an axe to grind. First, there was the general public, who not only had to be convinced that a fresh start would be able to return a high level of quality to the superhero team that had suffered under some less-than-award-winning entries that were still very fresh in everyone’s memory bank; but also that an X-men film could survive without Hugh Jackman, as Wolverine would not be a central character of this entry in the series. Second, there were the comic book fanatics, who were screaming for blood ever since the character roster and storyline were announced, both clear violations of what is often considered sacred comic book canon. To appease both groups, 20th Century Fox engaged in a unique mix of guerrilla and mainstream marketing; not only using social media to release the first trailers on Facebook and YouTube for the overtly dedicated who would seek the material out (individuals like myself), but also releasing numerous billboards and engaging in promotional partnerships that would paint First Class as a summer blockbuster with wide appeal…my personal favorite was the Farmers Insurance X-Change Student commercial. Another huge draw involved the names attached to the project; producer Bryan Singer knows how to treat the X-men series with respect, director Matthew Vaughn is well regarded in superhero geek circles for his work on 2010’s Kick-Ass, and even the presence of Academy Award nominated Jennifer Lawrence was sure to build some positive buzz. I myself was most excited for the inclusion of two actors known for some of my favorite movies, James McAvoy (2008’s Wanted) and Michael Fassbender (2007’s 300 and 2009’s Inglorious Basterds). As the second of four superhero films dropping during the 2011 Summer Movie Season, I had understandably high hopes for X-men: First Class.
In an almost exact replication of the opening scene from 2000’s X-men, this prequel starts in 1944 at a German concentration camp where young Erik Lensherr discovers the power to control metal after he is separated from his family; meanwhile, in a New York mansion, young Charles Xavier (who is gifted with the power of telepathy) meets a homeless young shape-shifter, Raven, who he invites to live with his family. Fast forward to 1962, and an adult Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) is now hunting Nazis to exact revenge for the atrocities he was forced to endure as a child, while Xavier (James McAvoy) is publishing his thesis on genetic mutation and living with his foster sister, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence). On a larger scope, the United States is currently on the brink of nuclear war with Russia, and it is revealed that the rising tensions on both sides are being manipulated by a powerful group known as the Hellfire Club; each member of this “club” has a special power and is led by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) a man with the ability to absorb energy and someone who also has sinister ties to Erik’s past. Realizing the threat that Shaw ultimately poses, young CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) recruits Xavier and Raven to help stop the Hellfire Club. After Xavier crosses paths and forms an alliance/friendship with Erik (who is also hunting Shaw), the two work to identify and recruit a new class of human that has reached the next stage of evolution and, like them, has gained a special ability and earned the designation of “mutant.” After settling on a team to join their fight and choosing code names to represent their unique abilities, Xavier (now called “Professor X”) and Erik (now called “Magneto”) work with Raven (now called “Mystique”), “Banshee” (Caleb Landry Jones), “Havok” (Lucas Till), “Beast” (Nicholas Hoult), “Darwin” (Edi Gathegi), and “Angel” (Zoë Kravitz) to try and stop Shaw from engineering nuclear war through the Cuban Missile Crisis. Though Xavier and Erik disagree on humanity will ultimately react to the existence of mutants (Xavier naively wishes for peaceful coexistence, while Erik only foresees persecution and internment), the two friends decide to do all they can to save the world with their new team, the first class of “X-men.”
If it isn’t already obvious by my overly detailed review, I absolutely adored X-Men: First Class, which, though it easily could have been a complete disaster, ended up delivering a deep, exciting, and thoroughly energetic superhero film. By juxtaposing actual historical footage related to the Cuban Missile Crisis and seamlessly integrating aspects of the conflict into the storyline, Matthew Vaughn brings a sense of realism and emotional weight to X-men: First Class, making this prequel far more than just another entertaining tribute to comic book lore…it is a genuinely good film in its own right. Perhaps the most enjoyable element of First Class has to do with its expanded characterization of already established characters; thanks to the original trilogy, audiences simply know Xavier as the squeaky-clean good guy, Magneto as the maniacal villain, and Mystique as the cold assassin. Yet, in First Class, different sides of these familiar faces are revealed in a truly memorable way; Xavier at one point apparently had no problem exploiting his power to pick-up women, while Mystique was genuinely self-conscious about her appearance and Magneto wanted nothing more than to avenge his family…who wouldn’t sympathize with that? Don’t get me wrong, Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen were fantastic as the original actors behind Professor X and Magneto (respectively), but James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender more than stepped up to the challenge, using considerably strong acting talent to not only embody the true spirit of the individual characters but also bring a cool and intense friendship between the future enemies to life.
Were I a pettier film critic, I could unleash my inner comic book geek and begin listing every element of X-men: First Class that didn’t sync up 100% with the source material (as I did, rather loudly, after X-men Origins: Wolverine), and believe me, there were plenty to choose from, but the changes made were done in such a respectful manner that the original spirit behind the entire series (both in print and on film) was kept intact. If I had to come up with anything truly negative to say about X-men: First Class, I can admit that there were a few corny moments present (Xavier and Magneto’s hand gestures to signify their powers came off a little funnier than I think was intended), and that the energetic pacing of the story stalled in a few noticeable instances, but for every complaint, there are just more praiseworthy elements to highlight. Besides Kevin Bacon’s turn as the kind of villain you love to hate, the special effects, action sequences, and soundtrack, are all astounding; these aspects combine for more than enough to keep even casual fans on the edge of their seats with goose bumps (watching Magneto lift a submarine out of the water was awesome), all while small references to the previous films and the original comics will have even the most skeptical of comic book purists giggling…watch closely for two very clever cameos from some very familiar X-men. I was a little upset by the lack of the post-credits scene which is usually standard fare for a Marvel film, as well as the apparent lack of a cameo by X-men creator/comic book deity Stan Lee (after three viewings, I still didn’t spot him), but again, such small transgressions are not enough to dampen my opinion of this surprisingly well-done adventure. As I said in the “Short and Sweet” review, X-men: First Class may not have dethroned The Dark Knight as top comic book/superhero film of all time, but it nabbed second place so quickly that I’m sure both Iron Man and Spider-Man 2 got some pretty severe whiplash.
Sadly, despite the efforts of 20th Century Fox, the quality of X-men: First Class was in no way reflected at the box office; the prequel/spin-off may have taken top spot its opening weekend, but a $56 million debut is the lowest of any entry in the entire X-men series and relatively unimpressive for a summer superhero adventure. Apparently, either moviegoers still haven’t forgotten or forgiven some of the weaker films in the franchise, or audience loyalty to Hugh Jackman was higher than anyone previously believed. Still, post-release marketing efforts are desperately trying to get the numbers up; even going as far as adding a RottenTomatoes.com certification to television trailers (this is the first instance I have seen of any such strategy). International receipts have already combined with domestic gross to cover the $160 million production budget, but X-men: First Class still deserves more. Thankfully, Fox envisions First Class as the beginning of a new trilogy, matching the darker and more mature attitude of the Harry Potter film franchise and the more realistic themes of Christopher Nolan’s Batman series…I’m ready to pre-order my midnight premier ticket for Part II right now. Really, if you need any more convincing to go see X-men: First Class, then you clearly didn’t deserve a movie this good in the first place!
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Hangover: Part II - Short and Sweet
Two years ago, if I had mentioned the term “The Wolfpack,” it would have amounted to little more than utter nonsense, but today, almost everyone knows that I’m referring to the top-grossing R-rated comedy of all time. Prior to 2009’s The Hangover, Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis were virtual unknowns in Hollywood, and even Ed Helms wasn’t likely to turn heads in public aside from the loyal fans of The Office or The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; but after working to piece together a drunken night in Vegas, the three became international superstars. No one expected a simple comedy about a bachelor party to break any records (Lindsey Lohan herself reportedly turned down the role that ultimately went to Heather Graham because she didn’t believe the film had any “potential”), but moviegoers responded with unprecedented enthusiasm, and though the core story didn’t leave much room for a sequel, no one questioned the appeal of The Hangover: Part II. Now set in Bangkok rather than Sin City, the idea of a Wolfpack reunion had been generating considerable buzz ever since it was first announced in July 2009. Despite a few well-publicized controversies during production and less-than-stellar critical reaction, I was ready for considerable laughs as I walked into the theater for The Hangover: Part II.
As much as it pains me to say it, the truth is that The Hangover: Part II is a colossal disappointment, less of a sequel than a mirror-image of the original with a slightly-tweaked story and different setting. Sure, there were plenty of laughs, but the shock and awe of the original story is completely gone…not only are some scenes exact carbon copies from the first film, but even the sequencing of the narrative is the same. I don’t know if Todd Phillips and the cast bought into their own hype too strongly or simply got lazy, but a sequel is supposed to continue a story, not retell it over again. I’m confident that if I had never seen the original Hangover, I would have enjoyed Part II much more, but no film series should ever force moviegoers to choose between two different installments in order to experience the same story. If you are a fan of the original, you are sure to enjoy The Hangover: Part II, but be warned, this sequel is nothing special.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
As much as it pains me to say it, the truth is that The Hangover: Part II is a colossal disappointment, less of a sequel than a mirror-image of the original with a slightly-tweaked story and different setting. Sure, there were plenty of laughs, but the shock and awe of the original story is completely gone…not only are some scenes exact carbon copies from the first film, but even the sequencing of the narrative is the same. I don’t know if Todd Phillips and the cast bought into their own hype too strongly or simply got lazy, but a sequel is supposed to continue a story, not retell it over again. I’m confident that if I had never seen the original Hangover, I would have enjoyed Part II much more, but no film series should ever force moviegoers to choose between two different installments in order to experience the same story. If you are a fan of the original, you are sure to enjoy The Hangover: Part II, but be warned, this sequel is nothing special.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
The Hangover: Part II - Full Review
The Hangover: Part II - (May 26th, 2011): R
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $85,946,294
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $203,800,000
Gross Revenue: $355,300,000
Budget: $80 million
Director: Todd Phillips
The popularity of the original did not necessitate that Warner Bros. engage in an overtly strong marketing campaign for The Hangover: Part II, especially when the film received so much media attention prior to its release due to a number of different conflicts. The most widely-known controversy included the addition of Mel Gibson to the cast as a tattoo artist in a “surprise” cameo…Mike Tyson had revived his career (or at least took it off life-support) by partnering with the Wolfpack in the first installment, so why couldn’t everyone’s favorite disgraced Academy Award winner do the same? After the surprisingly strong uproar from both the cast and crew, director Todd Phillips decided to replace Gibson with undoubted crowd-pleaser Liam Neeson, but even that cameo went up in smoke as conflicted scheduling prevented Neeson from participating in re-shoots and the role ultimately had to be recast and given to Nick Cassavetes (on a side note, a cameo doesn’t really work if nobody recognizes the actor as someone famous). The second, and funnier, conflict included a tattoo lawsuit; one of the most notable scenes from the trailers included Stu waking up with a Mike Tyson tattoo, and the tattoo artist behind the design actually sued Warner Bros. for copyright infringement. Yet, in the “face” of all these setbacks, trailers and promotions were everywhere, and with a Memorial Day weekend opening, The Hangover: Part II was expected to break all kinds of records…I was in Asia when Part II opened, and the international hype was astounding, so despite some speed bumps during production, I still had high hopes for this sequel.
Set two years after the original, The Hangover: Part II starts with Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) traveling to Thailand to celebrate Stu’s upcoming wedding to the beautiful Lauren (Jamie Chung). Though desperate for a quiet bachelor celebration, Stu, accompanied by Lauren’s brother, Teddy (Mason Lee) hesitantly joins the boys for a late-night beer on the beach. Fast forward to the next morning and the Wolfpack awakens from a drunken stupor in a decrepit Bangkok hotel, with no memory of the previous night and suddenly accompanied by gangster Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong). Stu instantaneously begins to panic, especially when they find the now-missing Teddy’s severed finger (identified by his Stanford class ring) in the room. Desperately trying to not only piece together the events from the previous night but also locate Lauren’s little brother, the Wolfpack engages in a number of insane scenarios, which include (but are not limited to) a chain-smoking monkey, violent Buddhist monks, Thai prostitutes, and Interpol agents. In retrospect, the past events in Vegas seem like a cake-walk now that “the three best friends that anyone could have” must recover from a wild night overseas.
Given my overall level of disappointment with this sequel and the fact that the story is my main point of contention, I’m going to break from my traditional review sequencing and discuss the negatives of The Hangover: Part II before I address any positive elements. The most popular early complaints concerning Part II had to do with the fact that the sequel was too much like the original, and, at first, I wouldn’t accept this as a valid criticism…everyone loved The Hangover, so who wouldn’t want to see more of the original magic, right? Wrong…Part II echoes the original so strongly that you cannot help but wonder whether the filmmakers got lazy or just arrogant; I can accept that the Wolfpack messed up again and got drunk in a different city and lost a different friend, but when the group ends up in a police station (again), has to deal with the inexplicable presence of a wild animal (again), finds that Stu drunkenly fell in love with a stripper (again), and then subsequently proceed to sing about their misfortunes (again), things start to feel a little redundant. At one point during the film, Phil tells the group to empty their pockets in effort to piece together the previous night, claiming that everyone “knows the drill”…yeah, so does the audience, and that’s why we don’t need to be shown everything again. I’m sure that if I had seen Part II without having seen the original, I would be singing the praises of a wild comedy, but unfortunately, Todd Phillips already showed me the same wild comedy a few years ago.
Despite my frustration with The Hangover: Part II, I can still acknowledge that the film has some truly funny moments. If there is one noticeable difference between the original and the sequel, I would say that Part II did far more to earn its R-rating, playing with the boundaries in relation to dirty humor. Of the core cast, the only true standout is Ken Jeong, who pushes the Leslie Chow character to its limits for the comedic benefit of the audience. Where both Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis seem to stick to the comedic formula that was strictly established for their characters in the first film with an annoying level of tenacity, Ken Jeong clearly has fun and experiments; the end result is hysterical. If you are a fan of either The Hangover or the cast, I feel that you are most obligated to eventually see Part II and will get some considerable enjoyment out of it, but again, there is absolutely nothing special that you need to rush to the theater to experience.
As I said in my review for Kung Fu Panda 2, a family film didn’t stand a chance at the box-office when put up against the follow-up to the most surprisingly successful R-rated comedy of all time. Earning just under $86 million in ticket sales during the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, The Hangover: Part II broke nearly every existing record related to live-action comedy you can think of, and all despite lukewarm early critical reaction. An international presence in 40 countries has helped Warner Bros. earn a worldwide gross of over $350 million, but domestic word-of-mouth is significantly slowing the momentum of this comedy, as the U.S. film gross dropped 64% in the second weekend. The conflict between a strong opening and weak critical reaction didn’t seem to phase Hollywood execs in the least, as talks are already underway for a third Hangover that would see the Wolfpack trying to break Alan out of an insane asylum...let’s hope they don’t get drunk and forget the location of the asylum where he is being held. The Hangover: Part II may be good for a laugh, but if you’re going to the theater this weekend looking for a quality R-rated comedy, your time is clearly better spent seeing Bridesmaids.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $85,946,294
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $203,800,000
Gross Revenue: $355,300,000
Budget: $80 million
Director: Todd Phillips
The popularity of the original did not necessitate that Warner Bros. engage in an overtly strong marketing campaign for The Hangover: Part II, especially when the film received so much media attention prior to its release due to a number of different conflicts. The most widely-known controversy included the addition of Mel Gibson to the cast as a tattoo artist in a “surprise” cameo…Mike Tyson had revived his career (or at least took it off life-support) by partnering with the Wolfpack in the first installment, so why couldn’t everyone’s favorite disgraced Academy Award winner do the same? After the surprisingly strong uproar from both the cast and crew, director Todd Phillips decided to replace Gibson with undoubted crowd-pleaser Liam Neeson, but even that cameo went up in smoke as conflicted scheduling prevented Neeson from participating in re-shoots and the role ultimately had to be recast and given to Nick Cassavetes (on a side note, a cameo doesn’t really work if nobody recognizes the actor as someone famous). The second, and funnier, conflict included a tattoo lawsuit; one of the most notable scenes from the trailers included Stu waking up with a Mike Tyson tattoo, and the tattoo artist behind the design actually sued Warner Bros. for copyright infringement. Yet, in the “face” of all these setbacks, trailers and promotions were everywhere, and with a Memorial Day weekend opening, The Hangover: Part II was expected to break all kinds of records…I was in Asia when Part II opened, and the international hype was astounding, so despite some speed bumps during production, I still had high hopes for this sequel.
Set two years after the original, The Hangover: Part II starts with Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) traveling to Thailand to celebrate Stu’s upcoming wedding to the beautiful Lauren (Jamie Chung). Though desperate for a quiet bachelor celebration, Stu, accompanied by Lauren’s brother, Teddy (Mason Lee) hesitantly joins the boys for a late-night beer on the beach. Fast forward to the next morning and the Wolfpack awakens from a drunken stupor in a decrepit Bangkok hotel, with no memory of the previous night and suddenly accompanied by gangster Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong). Stu instantaneously begins to panic, especially when they find the now-missing Teddy’s severed finger (identified by his Stanford class ring) in the room. Desperately trying to not only piece together the events from the previous night but also locate Lauren’s little brother, the Wolfpack engages in a number of insane scenarios, which include (but are not limited to) a chain-smoking monkey, violent Buddhist monks, Thai prostitutes, and Interpol agents. In retrospect, the past events in Vegas seem like a cake-walk now that “the three best friends that anyone could have” must recover from a wild night overseas.
Given my overall level of disappointment with this sequel and the fact that the story is my main point of contention, I’m going to break from my traditional review sequencing and discuss the negatives of The Hangover: Part II before I address any positive elements. The most popular early complaints concerning Part II had to do with the fact that the sequel was too much like the original, and, at first, I wouldn’t accept this as a valid criticism…everyone loved The Hangover, so who wouldn’t want to see more of the original magic, right? Wrong…Part II echoes the original so strongly that you cannot help but wonder whether the filmmakers got lazy or just arrogant; I can accept that the Wolfpack messed up again and got drunk in a different city and lost a different friend, but when the group ends up in a police station (again), has to deal with the inexplicable presence of a wild animal (again), finds that Stu drunkenly fell in love with a stripper (again), and then subsequently proceed to sing about their misfortunes (again), things start to feel a little redundant. At one point during the film, Phil tells the group to empty their pockets in effort to piece together the previous night, claiming that everyone “knows the drill”…yeah, so does the audience, and that’s why we don’t need to be shown everything again. I’m sure that if I had seen Part II without having seen the original, I would be singing the praises of a wild comedy, but unfortunately, Todd Phillips already showed me the same wild comedy a few years ago.
Despite my frustration with The Hangover: Part II, I can still acknowledge that the film has some truly funny moments. If there is one noticeable difference between the original and the sequel, I would say that Part II did far more to earn its R-rating, playing with the boundaries in relation to dirty humor. Of the core cast, the only true standout is Ken Jeong, who pushes the Leslie Chow character to its limits for the comedic benefit of the audience. Where both Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis seem to stick to the comedic formula that was strictly established for their characters in the first film with an annoying level of tenacity, Ken Jeong clearly has fun and experiments; the end result is hysterical. If you are a fan of either The Hangover or the cast, I feel that you are most obligated to eventually see Part II and will get some considerable enjoyment out of it, but again, there is absolutely nothing special that you need to rush to the theater to experience.
As I said in my review for Kung Fu Panda 2, a family film didn’t stand a chance at the box-office when put up against the follow-up to the most surprisingly successful R-rated comedy of all time. Earning just under $86 million in ticket sales during the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, The Hangover: Part II broke nearly every existing record related to live-action comedy you can think of, and all despite lukewarm early critical reaction. An international presence in 40 countries has helped Warner Bros. earn a worldwide gross of over $350 million, but domestic word-of-mouth is significantly slowing the momentum of this comedy, as the U.S. film gross dropped 64% in the second weekend. The conflict between a strong opening and weak critical reaction didn’t seem to phase Hollywood execs in the least, as talks are already underway for a third Hangover that would see the Wolfpack trying to break Alan out of an insane asylum...let’s hope they don’t get drunk and forget the location of the asylum where he is being held. The Hangover: Part II may be good for a laugh, but if you’re going to the theater this weekend looking for a quality R-rated comedy, your time is clearly better spent seeing Bridesmaids.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
Kung Fu Panda 2: Short and Sweet
I know, I know…it’s a colossal surprise that I would be reviewing an animated film, but when it comes to Kung Fu Panda, I don’t mess around. Ever since DreamWorks teamed with Jack Black to bring the childish and portly panda/Dragon Warrior Po to life in the 2008 original, I have been singing the praises of this visually impressive and astoundingly clever franchise. Disney-Pixar remains the reigning king of animation, but between the Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon series, DreamWorks has a firm grasp on second place, and if they keep producing films of a similar quality, I wouldn’t be surprised if they eventually took top spot as an animation studio. With nearly every member of the all-star cast from the original film returning for the sequel, and the addition of other big names such as Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, I was naturally thrilled for Kung Fu Panda 2. Given audience familiarity and fondness for the franchise characters and the aggressive marketing campaign employed by DreamWorks, Kung Fu Panda 2 seemed primed to overtake Cars 2 as top animated film of the summer.
Given how much I loved the original, there was the very real possibility that I would be let down by expectations concerning a sequel, but thankfully, I loved Kung Fu Panda 2. Most of the original characters return in what can only be described as epic glory, Po now working quite effectively with the Furious Five to clean up China and simultaneously provide the audience with jaw-dropping martial arts animation. Now, I say “most” because I couldn’t help but feel like Dustin Hoffman’s Master Shifu (one of my favorite characters), didn’t receive enough screen time; as for the new characters, Gary Oldman was a good villain and Michelle Yeoh was hysterical, but beyond them, some of the big names thrown into the roster added absolutely nothing memorable. As far as the story goes, Kung Fu Panda 2 offers quite a bit more emotion than its predecessor, tugging at the heart-strings by allowing the audience to explore Po’s past and his complicated friendship with Tigress. Though not as fun as the original, Kung Fu Panda 2 is still fantastic and definitely worth seeing, especially in 3D!
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Given how much I loved the original, there was the very real possibility that I would be let down by expectations concerning a sequel, but thankfully, I loved Kung Fu Panda 2. Most of the original characters return in what can only be described as epic glory, Po now working quite effectively with the Furious Five to clean up China and simultaneously provide the audience with jaw-dropping martial arts animation. Now, I say “most” because I couldn’t help but feel like Dustin Hoffman’s Master Shifu (one of my favorite characters), didn’t receive enough screen time; as for the new characters, Gary Oldman was a good villain and Michelle Yeoh was hysterical, but beyond them, some of the big names thrown into the roster added absolutely nothing memorable. As far as the story goes, Kung Fu Panda 2 offers quite a bit more emotion than its predecessor, tugging at the heart-strings by allowing the audience to explore Po’s past and his complicated friendship with Tigress. Though not as fun as the original, Kung Fu Panda 2 is still fantastic and definitely worth seeing, especially in 3D!
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Kung Fu Panda 2: Full Review
Kung Fu Panda 2 - (May 26th, 2011): PG
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #2 with $47,656,302
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $114,880,000
Gross Revenue: $264,705,545
Budget: $150 million
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Despite the undoubted popularity of the original, DreamWorks still spared no expense to build up its marketing campaign for Kung Fu Panda 2, investing $100 million in promotional partnerships. Merchandised toys from Mattel and a licensed videogame from THQ to accompany nationwide release can always be expected for a children’s film, but partnerships with McDonald’s, AT&T, Best Buy, and General Mills ensured that Po and his fellow martial arts enthusiasts were everywhere before the finished product actually hit theaters. I myself was just thrilled that big names like Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, and Seth Rogen, were willing to return so that almost the entire original cast returned for the sequel…Ian McShane couldn’t make it, but that is because his character, Tai Lung, suffered the fate of the Wuxi Finger Hold at the end of Kung Fu Panda. The animation lent to this franchise has always been impressive, but Paramount only sweetened the deal by deciding to release the sequel in 3D…maybe the few extra bucks attached to the ticket price would actually be worth it this time. I could care less if I was the oldest one in the theater by about 12 years, I was ready for an overweight animated panda to teach me the secrets of Zen and inner-peace!
Kung Fu Panda 2 begins by looking into the past and setting up the villain for this sequel…years ago, the peacock Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) learned of a prophecy that predicted his defeat at the hands of a warrior of black and white, and in response, he had all the giant pandas of mainland China exterminated; as punishment for his actions, Shen was exiled, but he promises his return and swears revenge. Fast forward to present day, and everyone’s favorite panda Po is embracing his role as the Dragon Warrior, working to protect the Valley of Peace alongside the Furious Five: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). Unfortunately, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) soon brings news that Lord Shen has returned, with a new destructive weapon that is capable of obliterating the entire kung fu tradition. Matters are only further complicated by the fact that Po is haunted by memories of his past, and nothing his father, Mr. Ping (James Hong) can say is able to satisfy his curiosity concerning his true origins as one of the last pandas in China. With the help of Master Shifu, the Furious Five, and new allies such as the wise prophet Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh) and the kung fu masters Storming Ox (Dennis Haysbert) and Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme), Po must find a way to stop Lord Shen, uncover the secrets of his past, and save the time-honored practice of kung fu.
With the sheer volume of characters from the original film returning for the sequel, easily the best part of Kung Fu Panda 2 is watching familiar faces return with new jokes and impressive kung fu moves. As far as the animation and graphics go, everything from the establishing shots to the action sequences is absolutely jaw-dropping, and though it is a rarity these days, seeing the film in 3D actual does help enhance the overall visual appeal. Where the original Kung Fu Panda could have best been described as a fun and silly adventure, Kung Fu Panda 2 matures the overall tone of the series considerably, tugging at audience heart strings by tackling very mature elements; paint it any way you want, Lord Shen’s extermination of the pandas was a form of ethnic cleansing genocide, and despite surviving the ordeal, Po has post-traumatic flashbacks that continually remind him as a status as an orphan…these mature themes were handled smoothly and with a surprising amount of sensitivity and style. Don’t worry, parents, Jack Black ensures that Po still gives off the vibe of an overly enthusiastic fan-boy who can’t believe his own skills, providing for many jokes that will have you rolling in the aisles. Still, it is nice to see the character imbued with some depth; a touching, new characteristic that is especially apparent when the story decides to expand on Po’s friendship with the usually stoic Tigress…think about the interaction between Toy Story’s Woody and Jesse, add some kung fu, and you’ll have some idea of what I’m talking about. Not necessarily better than the original, but definitely different, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a highly entertaining family adventure that continues to proves DreamWorks’ prowess in the animation genre…your move, Disney.
In all honesty, there really isn’t that much to complain about concerning Kung Fu Panda 2; if anything, audiences should just be prepared for the fact that the sequel is more mature and just not as much fun as the original. While I enjoyed the return of the original voice cast, for a franchise of this caliber, the new characters should have been far more entertaining; with the exception of a few, most of the fresh faces on screen were almost instantaneously forgettable. Don’t get me wrong, Gary Oldman shined as the maniacal, bitter, and slightly comical Lord Shen, but Michelle Yeoh stole the show as the absolutely hysterical Soothsayer, and the interaction between the two easily provided the biggest laughs. As for some of the other voices, Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, and Jean-Claude Van Damme were grossly underused…I realize that you can’t keep stuffing characters into a franchise, but had I not known beforehand about the new additions to the cast, I doubt I would have recognized some of the famous voices. My nitpicking aside, Kung Fu Panda 2 is still a thoroughly solid animated film, and the positives more than outweigh any negatives that audiences might notice.
Though Kung Fu Panda 2 clearly deserved top spot its opening weekend, I could have easily told you that it didn’t stand a chance against The Hangover: Part II. Still, even though an opening weekend of over $47 million is nothing to scoff at, I can’t help but feel that an established family series should have done better over the holiday weekend. As much as I would like to predict that Kung Fu Panda 2 takes the title of top-grossing animated film during the 2011 Summer Movie Season, I fear that the title might go to Disney-Pixar’s Cars 2, which opens on June 24th. Po may be a more popular character than Lightning McQueen, but Po had considerably stronger competition at the box-office; DreamWorks had to go up against the sequel to the top-grossing R-rated comedy of all time, while the juggernaut that is Disney-Pixar only has to bypass the heretofore unproven Cameron Diaz comedy, Bad Teacher. Suffice it to say, DreamWorks and Paramount still have a highly lucrative franchise on their hands, and with the story leaving the door wide open for a sequel, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about Kung Fu Panda 3 coming down the pipe in the near future. Far more than a cheap laugh for kids, Kung Fu Panda 2 has a deeply entertaining and humorous story that is complemented by stunning visuals, so sit back and enjoy…skadoosh!
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #2 with $47,656,302
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $114,880,000
Gross Revenue: $264,705,545
Budget: $150 million
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Despite the undoubted popularity of the original, DreamWorks still spared no expense to build up its marketing campaign for Kung Fu Panda 2, investing $100 million in promotional partnerships. Merchandised toys from Mattel and a licensed videogame from THQ to accompany nationwide release can always be expected for a children’s film, but partnerships with McDonald’s, AT&T, Best Buy, and General Mills ensured that Po and his fellow martial arts enthusiasts were everywhere before the finished product actually hit theaters. I myself was just thrilled that big names like Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, and Seth Rogen, were willing to return so that almost the entire original cast returned for the sequel…Ian McShane couldn’t make it, but that is because his character, Tai Lung, suffered the fate of the Wuxi Finger Hold at the end of Kung Fu Panda. The animation lent to this franchise has always been impressive, but Paramount only sweetened the deal by deciding to release the sequel in 3D…maybe the few extra bucks attached to the ticket price would actually be worth it this time. I could care less if I was the oldest one in the theater by about 12 years, I was ready for an overweight animated panda to teach me the secrets of Zen and inner-peace!
Kung Fu Panda 2 begins by looking into the past and setting up the villain for this sequel…years ago, the peacock Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) learned of a prophecy that predicted his defeat at the hands of a warrior of black and white, and in response, he had all the giant pandas of mainland China exterminated; as punishment for his actions, Shen was exiled, but he promises his return and swears revenge. Fast forward to present day, and everyone’s favorite panda Po is embracing his role as the Dragon Warrior, working to protect the Valley of Peace alongside the Furious Five: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Crane (David Cross). Unfortunately, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) soon brings news that Lord Shen has returned, with a new destructive weapon that is capable of obliterating the entire kung fu tradition. Matters are only further complicated by the fact that Po is haunted by memories of his past, and nothing his father, Mr. Ping (James Hong) can say is able to satisfy his curiosity concerning his true origins as one of the last pandas in China. With the help of Master Shifu, the Furious Five, and new allies such as the wise prophet Soothsayer (Michelle Yeoh) and the kung fu masters Storming Ox (Dennis Haysbert) and Master Croc (Jean-Claude Van Damme), Po must find a way to stop Lord Shen, uncover the secrets of his past, and save the time-honored practice of kung fu.
With the sheer volume of characters from the original film returning for the sequel, easily the best part of Kung Fu Panda 2 is watching familiar faces return with new jokes and impressive kung fu moves. As far as the animation and graphics go, everything from the establishing shots to the action sequences is absolutely jaw-dropping, and though it is a rarity these days, seeing the film in 3D actual does help enhance the overall visual appeal. Where the original Kung Fu Panda could have best been described as a fun and silly adventure, Kung Fu Panda 2 matures the overall tone of the series considerably, tugging at audience heart strings by tackling very mature elements; paint it any way you want, Lord Shen’s extermination of the pandas was a form of ethnic cleansing genocide, and despite surviving the ordeal, Po has post-traumatic flashbacks that continually remind him as a status as an orphan…these mature themes were handled smoothly and with a surprising amount of sensitivity and style. Don’t worry, parents, Jack Black ensures that Po still gives off the vibe of an overly enthusiastic fan-boy who can’t believe his own skills, providing for many jokes that will have you rolling in the aisles. Still, it is nice to see the character imbued with some depth; a touching, new characteristic that is especially apparent when the story decides to expand on Po’s friendship with the usually stoic Tigress…think about the interaction between Toy Story’s Woody and Jesse, add some kung fu, and you’ll have some idea of what I’m talking about. Not necessarily better than the original, but definitely different, Kung Fu Panda 2 is a highly entertaining family adventure that continues to proves DreamWorks’ prowess in the animation genre…your move, Disney.
In all honesty, there really isn’t that much to complain about concerning Kung Fu Panda 2; if anything, audiences should just be prepared for the fact that the sequel is more mature and just not as much fun as the original. While I enjoyed the return of the original voice cast, for a franchise of this caliber, the new characters should have been far more entertaining; with the exception of a few, most of the fresh faces on screen were almost instantaneously forgettable. Don’t get me wrong, Gary Oldman shined as the maniacal, bitter, and slightly comical Lord Shen, but Michelle Yeoh stole the show as the absolutely hysterical Soothsayer, and the interaction between the two easily provided the biggest laughs. As for some of the other voices, Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, and Jean-Claude Van Damme were grossly underused…I realize that you can’t keep stuffing characters into a franchise, but had I not known beforehand about the new additions to the cast, I doubt I would have recognized some of the famous voices. My nitpicking aside, Kung Fu Panda 2 is still a thoroughly solid animated film, and the positives more than outweigh any negatives that audiences might notice.
Though Kung Fu Panda 2 clearly deserved top spot its opening weekend, I could have easily told you that it didn’t stand a chance against The Hangover: Part II. Still, even though an opening weekend of over $47 million is nothing to scoff at, I can’t help but feel that an established family series should have done better over the holiday weekend. As much as I would like to predict that Kung Fu Panda 2 takes the title of top-grossing animated film during the 2011 Summer Movie Season, I fear that the title might go to Disney-Pixar’s Cars 2, which opens on June 24th. Po may be a more popular character than Lightning McQueen, but Po had considerably stronger competition at the box-office; DreamWorks had to go up against the sequel to the top-grossing R-rated comedy of all time, while the juggernaut that is Disney-Pixar only has to bypass the heretofore unproven Cameron Diaz comedy, Bad Teacher. Suffice it to say, DreamWorks and Paramount still have a highly lucrative franchise on their hands, and with the story leaving the door wide open for a sequel, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about Kung Fu Panda 3 coming down the pipe in the near future. Far more than a cheap laugh for kids, Kung Fu Panda 2 has a deeply entertaining and humorous story that is complemented by stunning visuals, so sit back and enjoy…skadoosh!
Overall Recommendation: Very High
Friday, June 10, 2011
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Short and Sweet
Few would deny that the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been an absolute cash cow for Disney, not only sending Johnny Depp’s career into the stratosphere but also creating a comprehensive world full of characters, locations, and objects worth billions in licensed merchandise. Each of the previous films has been a financial success, but with a consistent decline in overall quality since 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl, I was ready to declare the series dead and buried after 2007’s disappointing At World’s End. Studio execs seemed to sense that they were running on fumes, as they made some drastic changes heading into On Stranger Tides; of course they weren’t going to get rid of Johnny Depp, but regulars Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and even series director Gore Verbinski, had run their course and were therefore replaceable. Despite these deviations, sending Jack Sparrow to find the Fountain of Youth alongside Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane had all the makings of a summer blockbuster, so I was sold.
Looking back, On Stranger Tides was way better than I expected it to be; probably the best film in the series behind the original, but the inconsistent quality of the overall experience severely compromises what could have been an astounding summer entry. For (maybe) the first hour of On Stranger Tides, the film is just too painfully familiar with yawn-inducing action sequences and recycled dialogue, the only reprieve from monotony being the introduction of new characters. Thankfully, there is one scene where a marked shift in quality occurs, and from that point on, the film achieves the same sense of wonder, energy, and style, that made The Curse of the Black Pearl so successful. As expected, Johnny Depp shines as Captain Jack Sparrow, achieving sizzling chemistry with newcomer Penélope Cruz, but the real surprise is Ian McShane as the maniacal villain Blackbeard. It may not be perfect, but On Stranger Tides still represents a step forward for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and is sure to delight fans of all ages.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: High
Looking back, On Stranger Tides was way better than I expected it to be; probably the best film in the series behind the original, but the inconsistent quality of the overall experience severely compromises what could have been an astounding summer entry. For (maybe) the first hour of On Stranger Tides, the film is just too painfully familiar with yawn-inducing action sequences and recycled dialogue, the only reprieve from monotony being the introduction of new characters. Thankfully, there is one scene where a marked shift in quality occurs, and from that point on, the film achieves the same sense of wonder, energy, and style, that made The Curse of the Black Pearl so successful. As expected, Johnny Depp shines as Captain Jack Sparrow, achieving sizzling chemistry with newcomer Penélope Cruz, but the real surprise is Ian McShane as the maniacal villain Blackbeard. It may not be perfect, but On Stranger Tides still represents a step forward for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and is sure to delight fans of all ages.
For more information, please read the full review.
Overall Recommendation: High
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Full Review
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - (May 20, 2011): PG-13
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $90,151,958
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $197,927,494
Gross Revenue: $812,827,494
Budget: $250 million
Director: Rob Marshall
First announced in 2008 and incorporating elements from the Tim Powers’ 1988 novel “On Stranger Tides,” the fourth entry in the immensely successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has was under immense media scrutiny for a majority of its production. The presence of series mainstay producer Jerry Bruckheimer would ensure that no overtly damaging changes would occur; deciding to film in Hawaii rather than the actual Caribbean (where the first three were filmed) may not have had the biggest impact on the project, but there were bound to be some notable differences now that original director Gore Verbinski was out and it was time for Rob Marshall to call the shots. Of course, Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow is the character most strongly associated with the franchise, but there were definite question raised over the decision to make another film without Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, even if most would agree that the Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann storyline had run its course. Still, the addition of Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane to the cast and the return of Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa was more than enough to make the marketing of the film a relative cake-walk. With trailers for On Stranger Tides absolutely everywhere, it was clear that Disney was out to prove that one of its most successful franchises still had something worthwhile to present to audiences.
As referenced at the end of At World’s End, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides follows Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he searches for the fabled Fountain of Youth. Recently captured by the English, Jack is charged by King George II to guide an expedition, led by the now enlisted Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), to the Fountain before the Spanish can exploit its powers for eternal life. After narrowly escaping and seeking some advice from his father, Captain Teague (Keith Richards), Jack stumbles across the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the notorious pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), and it just so happens that Blackbeard’s First Mate and daughter, Angelica (Penélope Cruz), is Jack’s former lover. Jack soon discovers that in order to access the powers of the Fountain, which involves a ceremony that ultimately, steals the youth of a victim in order to extend the life of another, he will need the two silver chalices of Juan Ponce de León and a mermaid’s tear. With the help of a captive missionary on Blackbeard’s crew, Philip Swift (Sam Claflin), the expedition is able to capture a mermaid, Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Fribey), and together, they set off to find the Fountain. With the help of his trusted friend, Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), Jack not only fights to survive against Blackbeard, but he also races against both the Spanish and the English to discover the secrets to sailing the seas forever.
While I can understand how the above plot description might come off as a little complicated, the overall narrative is still far easier to understand and follow than the Davy Jones storyline of the original sequels. Though On Stranger Tides takes a little while to build momentum, there is a dramatic increase in film quality once the mermaids are introduced; as characters, the mermaids are as sinister as they are beautiful, and the unique interpretation they are given here is sure to fill audiences with the same sense of awe that they felt when they first met Barbossa’s skeleton crew in The Curse of The Black Pearl. As the wacky protagonist, Johnny Depp more than proves that Captain Jack Sparrow is the character that he was born to play, which makes it all the more impressive that newcomer Penélope Cruz was able to hold her own as his love-interest…with plenty of attitude and sass, Cruz brings an enjoyable character to life and generates considerable chemistry with the male lead. For those who might fear too much change to the franchise, there is still plenty within On Stranger Tides that will be familiar to long-standing fans: Barbossa and Jack still engage in frustrated banter, Ian McShane brings a charismatic and sinister villain to life (far better than Davy Jones), and the budding romance between young Phillip and Syrena echoes the Will/Elizabeth dynamic so strongly that you will undoubtedly do a double-take. Prior to this installment, the films in the series were clearly on life support, but now, with the story presented and the post-credits sequence, Jack Sparrow and company have more than enough momentum to push multiple sequels forward.
Unfortunately, while On Stranger Tides is easily the best Pirates film since original, there are still some pretty significant shortcomings present. As I said earlier, it did take a bit of time for the story to gain some momentum, and unfortunately, by “bit of time” I mean nearly a full hour! Jack’s introduction, escape from the English, and reunion with Angelica are so formulaic and reminiscent of the other films that they are borderline boring, as audiences have simply seen it all done before. Thankfully, the introduction of the mermaids shifts the tone of the film for the better, but had that heightened quality permeated the entire film, then this sequel would have easily surpassed the original. Finally, even though the story is much easier to follow, there are still some big plot holes and unanswered questions, but the overall experience is enjoyable enough that few will have any problem forgiving or outright ignoring this shortcoming.
Where some sequels might be hurt at the box office by the lacking quality of a predecessor, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides not only has an impressive domestic presence, but also a downright astounding international draw. A three-day haul of over $90 million was more than enough to earn this sequel the title of biggest opening weekend of 2011, but the real shocker is that the foreign market has so far accounted for 75.6% of the total lifetime gross of On Stranger Tides. Besides earning the largest opening weekend of all time overseas ($260.4 million), the combined receipts of the U.S., Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania, have helped Disney more than triple the return of a $250 million production budget…wow. Still, strong international appeal aside, with the sheer volume of competition for audience attention during the Summer Movie Season, it wasn’t that big of a surprise that The Hangover: Part II took top spot after only one week. In the end, if you are in any way a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean or just enjoy the antics of Captain Jack Sparrow, then you will undoubtedly enjoy On Stranger Tides.
Overall Recommendation: High
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $90,151,958
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $197,927,494
Gross Revenue: $812,827,494
Budget: $250 million
Director: Rob Marshall
First announced in 2008 and incorporating elements from the Tim Powers’ 1988 novel “On Stranger Tides,” the fourth entry in the immensely successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has was under immense media scrutiny for a majority of its production. The presence of series mainstay producer Jerry Bruckheimer would ensure that no overtly damaging changes would occur; deciding to film in Hawaii rather than the actual Caribbean (where the first three were filmed) may not have had the biggest impact on the project, but there were bound to be some notable differences now that original director Gore Verbinski was out and it was time for Rob Marshall to call the shots. Of course, Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow is the character most strongly associated with the franchise, but there were definite question raised over the decision to make another film without Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, even if most would agree that the Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann storyline had run its course. Still, the addition of Penélope Cruz and Ian McShane to the cast and the return of Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa was more than enough to make the marketing of the film a relative cake-walk. With trailers for On Stranger Tides absolutely everywhere, it was clear that Disney was out to prove that one of its most successful franchises still had something worthwhile to present to audiences.
As referenced at the end of At World’s End, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides follows Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he searches for the fabled Fountain of Youth. Recently captured by the English, Jack is charged by King George II to guide an expedition, led by the now enlisted Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), to the Fountain before the Spanish can exploit its powers for eternal life. After narrowly escaping and seeking some advice from his father, Captain Teague (Keith Richards), Jack stumbles across the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the notorious pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), and it just so happens that Blackbeard’s First Mate and daughter, Angelica (Penélope Cruz), is Jack’s former lover. Jack soon discovers that in order to access the powers of the Fountain, which involves a ceremony that ultimately, steals the youth of a victim in order to extend the life of another, he will need the two silver chalices of Juan Ponce de León and a mermaid’s tear. With the help of a captive missionary on Blackbeard’s crew, Philip Swift (Sam Claflin), the expedition is able to capture a mermaid, Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Fribey), and together, they set off to find the Fountain. With the help of his trusted friend, Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), Jack not only fights to survive against Blackbeard, but he also races against both the Spanish and the English to discover the secrets to sailing the seas forever.
While I can understand how the above plot description might come off as a little complicated, the overall narrative is still far easier to understand and follow than the Davy Jones storyline of the original sequels. Though On Stranger Tides takes a little while to build momentum, there is a dramatic increase in film quality once the mermaids are introduced; as characters, the mermaids are as sinister as they are beautiful, and the unique interpretation they are given here is sure to fill audiences with the same sense of awe that they felt when they first met Barbossa’s skeleton crew in The Curse of The Black Pearl. As the wacky protagonist, Johnny Depp more than proves that Captain Jack Sparrow is the character that he was born to play, which makes it all the more impressive that newcomer Penélope Cruz was able to hold her own as his love-interest…with plenty of attitude and sass, Cruz brings an enjoyable character to life and generates considerable chemistry with the male lead. For those who might fear too much change to the franchise, there is still plenty within On Stranger Tides that will be familiar to long-standing fans: Barbossa and Jack still engage in frustrated banter, Ian McShane brings a charismatic and sinister villain to life (far better than Davy Jones), and the budding romance between young Phillip and Syrena echoes the Will/Elizabeth dynamic so strongly that you will undoubtedly do a double-take. Prior to this installment, the films in the series were clearly on life support, but now, with the story presented and the post-credits sequence, Jack Sparrow and company have more than enough momentum to push multiple sequels forward.
Unfortunately, while On Stranger Tides is easily the best Pirates film since original, there are still some pretty significant shortcomings present. As I said earlier, it did take a bit of time for the story to gain some momentum, and unfortunately, by “bit of time” I mean nearly a full hour! Jack’s introduction, escape from the English, and reunion with Angelica are so formulaic and reminiscent of the other films that they are borderline boring, as audiences have simply seen it all done before. Thankfully, the introduction of the mermaids shifts the tone of the film for the better, but had that heightened quality permeated the entire film, then this sequel would have easily surpassed the original. Finally, even though the story is much easier to follow, there are still some big plot holes and unanswered questions, but the overall experience is enjoyable enough that few will have any problem forgiving or outright ignoring this shortcoming.
Where some sequels might be hurt at the box office by the lacking quality of a predecessor, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides not only has an impressive domestic presence, but also a downright astounding international draw. A three-day haul of over $90 million was more than enough to earn this sequel the title of biggest opening weekend of 2011, but the real shocker is that the foreign market has so far accounted for 75.6% of the total lifetime gross of On Stranger Tides. Besides earning the largest opening weekend of all time overseas ($260.4 million), the combined receipts of the U.S., Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania, have helped Disney more than triple the return of a $250 million production budget…wow. Still, strong international appeal aside, with the sheer volume of competition for audience attention during the Summer Movie Season, it wasn’t that big of a surprise that The Hangover: Part II took top spot after only one week. In the end, if you are in any way a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean or just enjoy the antics of Captain Jack Sparrow, then you will undoubtedly enjoy On Stranger Tides.
Overall Recommendation: High
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