42: Short and Sweet

Of all the different film genres out there, the sports drama has been conspicuously absent over the past few years; sure, Moneyball and The Fighter were big successes, but last September’s Trouble with the Curve barely registered on anyone’s radar.  With the 2013 MLB regular season having just started, moviegoers were going to be primed for the early April release of 42, a biographical sports drama focusing on one the most famous players in history.  There were no preconceived notions concerning the relatively unknown Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of Jackie Robinson, but with a supporting cast including veterans like Harrison Ford and Christopher Meloni, hopes for critical success were understandably high.  And, to put it bluntly, in the face of recent financial disappointments like Jack the Giant Slayer and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Warner Bros. badly needed 42 to act as a successful lead-in to the Summer Movie Season.  Between its focus on a revered historical figure, trailers that hinted at both attitude and heart, and early critical praise, I couldn’t wait to see everything that 42 had to offer.

Though the narrative does drag a bit anytime our protagonist leaves the baseball diamond, 42 remains a heartwarming and genuinely inspiring sports film.  Boseman delivers a capable performance as Jackie Robinson, but there is something restrained in his performance that lessens his charm whenever he is out of uniform; as it turns out, his interactions with family and friends pack far less of a punch than the rapport he builds with teammates.  The real stars of the narrative are Harrison Ford and Christopher Meloni, both of whom are engrossing as lone wolves determined to turn Robinson into an ally despite organizational resistance.  And say what you will about overall historical accuracy, 42 still paints a shameful picture of the bigotry and racism that the legendary Brooklyn Dodger faced (Alan Tudyk’s brief performance is downright toxic), and that power helps make the positive conclusion even stronger.  This newest baseball drama may not be perfect, but 42 is still a remarkably strong film that should be seen by anyone who has ever sat and enjoyed nine innings of America’s pastime.

Overall Recommendation: High

42: Full Review

42 - (April 12, 2013): PG-13

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
    
Opening Weekend Box Office: #1 with $27,487,144

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $69,011,815

Gross Revenue: $69,011,815

Production Budget: $40 million

Director: Brian Helgeland

I understand how there could have been some theater patron confusion when the trailers for 42 first started to increase in frequency, given the fact that Movie 43 was then priming as the newest wide-release, but lack of number distinction aside,  a weighted sports drama seemed like the perfect April release.  Aside from offering a distinct genre departure from anything that had been seen in theaters since September, 42 also benefitted from having a truly energizing trailer, one which utilized Jay-Z’s “Brooklyn Go Hard” to showcase that this newest drama would have enough attitude to prevent any defaults to inspirational sports clichés.  Billed as “The True Story of an American Legend,” a biopic revolving around a hero like Jackie Robinson had to resonate with baseball fans during baseball season, but even non-sports fans had to appreciate the historical context and critical weight of such a project…take me for example: I’m not a huge baseball fan, but I LOVE baseball movies.  Director Brian Helegland may be known better as a screenwriter than as the head of a film project, but with such weighted subject matter and a supporting cast that included Harrison Ford (who hasn’t been seen since 2011’s subpar Cowboys & Aliens), success was all but guaranteed.  With so many high-profile action sequels and special effects blockbusters set to hit beginning with the first weekend of May, it was up to Warner Bros. to remind audiences that solid storytelling infused with heart and depth sans 3D glasses was still worthy of a trip to the theater.

Opening prior to the beginning of the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers baseball season, 42 tells the story of Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) breaking the color barrier of Major League Baseball, thanks largely to the efforts of team executive Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford).  Called up to Dodgers spring training after a particularly successful outing with the Montreal Royals, Robinson faces resistance and bigotry with few allies beyond his young wife Rachel Isum Robinson (Nicole Beharie), and African American sportswriter Wendell Smith (Andre Holland).  Soon enough, Robinson’s immense skill begins to garner favor within the Dodger organization, especially with notable power players like manager Leo Durocher (Christopher Meloni) and sportscaster Red Barber (John C. McGinley), and as such, the traditional thinking of professional baseball is severely challenged.  And even though he faces immense pressure, Robinson resolves to control his temper; but after a particularly brutal taunting from Philadelphia Phillies manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk), Robinson also begins to earn solidarity from teammates like Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) and Ralph Branca (Hamish Linklater).  In the face of such adversity, the brave perseverance of “Number 42” forever changes the Major Leagues, opening opportunities for African Americans, and starting a new era for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

With subject matter focusing on the racism and bigotry surrounding the breaking of the color barrier within Major League Baseball, 42 could have easily glossed over certain elements, but in unapologetically showcasing this nasty element of history, everything from the narrative to acting is imbued with more power than anyone could have expected from a sports drama.  Like I mentioned in the “Short and Sweet” review, Alan Tudyk’s performance as Ben Chapman drips with hatred, but other examples of intolerance from fans and other players helps the audience build true empathy with the protagonist, thereby making the positive ending all the more enjoyable.  Historians have been critical of a particular scene that involves Robinson breaking his bat in anger, but the lead-up to this expression of frustration is so well handled by director Brian Helgeland, that the powerful segment single-handedly thrusts overall quality into the upper atmosphere.  In terms of the supporting individual performances, Christopher Meloni owned every second of his comparatively brief screen time, but the biggest surprise has to be Harrison Ford, who made a truly glorious return to the screen, reminding everyone of the gruff actor’s ability to seamlessly mix attitude with charm.  And with such high levels of drama present, there was a chance that the core focus on baseball could fall past the foul line, but make no mistake, 42 is just as effective in delivering an effective sports movie.

If there is one element of 42 that can be classified as “weak,” it would have to involve the slow pacing of Robinson’s interactions with his wife and early supporters, which when weighed against the energetic baseball games, feels like little more than filler.  But this criticism is less an indictment of individual acting performances than it is a testament to the quality of the baseball games that are detailed.  Watching Chadwick Boseman channel the legendary ball player and run the bases is genuinely exciting and enjoyable to watch, reminding all viewers why the classic game is so historically popular.  And this may sound like a somewhat benign accolade, but the ending credits segment detailing the distinguished careers of the 1947 Dodgers is so positive and crowd-pleasing that you will find yourself to stand up and cheer alongside the extras filling the stadium on-screen.  Putting it all together, the positive elements of 42 far outweigh the negatives, making this spring release a near-perfect sports drama that can be enjoyed by both casual audiences and hardcore baseball fans.

With higher-profile releases Oblivion and Pain & Gain right on its heels, it was obvious that 42 was really only going to have one weekend to make its biggest mark on the box office, but studio executives have to be happy that this newest sports drama has demonstrated significant staying power.  Beyond its impressive $27 million, 1^st place debut, 42 has managed to stay within the Top 3 rankings for the past two weeks, dropping under 40% when competing against new releases and making way for a nearly-$70 million lifetime gross against a modest $40 million production budget.  In focusing on America’s pastime, it is no surprise that domestic numbers would dominate 42’s financials, but I am a little confused as to why there is absolutely no international presence for this film…Japan’s market would surely respond to a baseball-centered Hollywood blockbuster.  In all likelihood, with positive word of mouth and strong critical reception, 42 will have a continued presence leading into the Summer Movie Season, but no one should have delusions of Jackie Robinson competing with Tony Stark or Jay Gatsby.  In the end, whether you are looking for a history lesson or not, 42 continues a trend which showcases that nine innings of a grass diamond make the perfect setting for a strong sports drama.

              

Overall Recommendation: High

G.I. Joe: Retaliation - Short and Sweet

Full Disclosure: I loved 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra…it ranks right up there with cartoonish garbage like Ghost Rider as a cinematic guilty pleasure that will forever tarnish my reputation as a credible film analyst.  Needless to say, I was thrilled when I saw the G.I. Joe: Retaliation announcement trailer, not only featuring a techno remix of “Seven Nation Army,” but also indicating that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Bruce Willis would be the newest “Real American Heroes.”  Originally slated for a June 2012 release, several red flags were raised when the opening weekend was delayed to March 2013, allegedly for a post-production conversion to 3D.  And it certainly didn’t help overall project credibility that original director Stephen Sommers was replaced by Jon M. Chu, a man whose biggest credits involve the Step Up series and a Justin Bieber movie.  Still, even the most skeptical of potential moviegoers had to admit that G.I. Joe: Retaliation looked like it was genuinely trying to add a more serious tone to the franchise …and personally, I just couldn’t wait to see Snake Eyes kick ass once again.

For the first 30 minutes of its running time, G.I. Joe: Retaliation is nearly flawless, showcasing an fun, energetic, and downright entertaining look at the fighting team with a legitimacy that was missing in the original.  Unfortunately, once the exposition is over and the true narrative is set into motion, quality takes a significant nosedive…so much so that even the universally-beloved Dwayne Johnson, despite his best efforts, cannot save the day.  Believe it or not, even though The Rise of Cobra was little more than a live-action cartoon, it still represented a more competent level of storytelling than this train-wreck, which tried to take itself seriously but failed miserably thanks to downright stupid plot devices.  And the rest of the supporting cast certainly didn’t help, because even though it was fun watching Adrianne Palicki bounce around, D.J. Cotrona and RZA were virtually useless, while Bruce Willis clearly only put in enough effort to collect another paycheck.  Sure, there are a few enjoyable moments, but it is still hard to forgive Retaliation for failing to utilize this second chance at getting a G.I. Joe movie correct.

Overall Recommendation: Low

G.I. Joe: Retaliation - Full Review

G.I. Joe: Retaliation - (March 28th, 2013): PG-13

 

Distributor: Paramount Pictures
    
Opening Weekend Box Office: #1 with $40,501,8044

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $103,214,839

Gross Revenue: $271,514,839

Production Budget: $130 million

Director: Jon Chu

As I mentioned in the “Short and Sweet” review, the initial story behind Paramount’s decision to delay the release of G.I. Joe: Retaliation involved a post-production 3D-conversion; such an announcement wasn’t a big deal until some news hit the Internet, shattering the hopes that anyone had of the G.I. Joe franchise improving with this newest installment.  Based on the teaser trailer and the promotional focus on Dwayne Johnson, anyone with reasonable deduction skills could infer that Channing Tatum wasn’t going to survive the assault which decimated the military team and set the events into motion for “Retaliation”…unfortunately, reaction to that development wasn’t exactly ideal.  Because Tatum was nowhere near the A-List when Retaliation was filmed, killing his character wasn’t as blasphemous as it would be in a current project; but apparently, test audiences reacted so badly to the film (citing the interaction between Tatum and Johnson as the ONLY favorable element), that Paramount was forced to delay release so they could rewrite scenes, bring Tatum back, and schedule reshoots to increase his screen presence.  Now, The Rise of Cobra didn’t exactly qualify as a cinematic masterpiece, but it did have enough charm to attract some very loyal fans, so I have to ask: how could Retaliation screw up so badly that studio executives were willing to halt release and frantically move to try and execute improvements?  If there was one ray of hope, it was that a nine month delay would result in a significantly better film; so, with some aggressive marketing featuring the kind of hardcore action and attitude that had been missing from theaters for months, G.I. Joe: Retaliation was finally ready to be viewed…in 3D!

At the end of 2009’s Rise of Cobra, it was revealed that Cobra operative Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) is impersonating the President of the United States (Jonathan Pryce), and Retaliation begins with the elite G.I. Joes being framed for the theft of a nuclear arsenal in Pakistan.  Now seen as enemies of the state, the entire Joe team, including Duke (Channing Tatum), is eliminated in a military strike, with Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson), Flint (D.J. Cotrona), and Lady Jaye (Adrianne Palicki) being the only survivors.  Concurrently, Cobra operatives Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee) and Firefly (Ray Stevenson) break Cobra Commander (Luke Bracey) out of a maximum security prison, during which Storm Shadow is injured; as the assassin is recovering in the Himalayas, G.I. Joe ally Blind Master (RZA) sends Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and Jinx (Elodie Yung) to capture the fugitive.  As Roadblock, Flint, and Lady Jaye return to the United States, they deduce Zartan’s deception and seek out General Joseph Colton (Bruce Willis) for help in avenging their fallen comrades; equipped with new weapons and teaming up with Jinx and Snake Eyes, our heroes prepare to bring the fight to Cobra.  Unfortunately, the stakes are raised much higher when it is revealed that Zartan has already unleashed Project Zeus: kinetic bombardment weapons that have already decimated London and are currently targeting capitals around the world; so in addition to clearing their reputations and bringing Cobra to justice, it is once again up to the G.I. Joes to save the world.

Given my forgiving nature relative to The Rise of Cobra, it wasn’t going to take much for me to have a positive reaction to Retaliation; so, imagine the pleasant surprise when the first act of the narrative actually turned out to be a legitimately strong example of filmmaking.  When the team is first introduced, the combination of gadgetry and military tactics is genuinely cool, nowhere near the cartoonish style that caused so many to revile the franchise predecessor…you cannot help but be amped when the Joes take down the nuclear base.  And as far as bromance goes, Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum are hysterical together, and the genuine chemistry that the two showcase during their limited shared screen time makes it quite clear why test audiences responded so strongly to that interaction in the first place.  In terms of the other elements within Retaliation, the action sequences and one-on-one fights are exciting enough, and Adrianne Palicki will drop your jaw more than once, but beyond those accolades, there are some major flaws.  As I indicated earlier, the quality of this sequel takes a very noticeable nosedive once the Joes are attacked, abandoning any attempts at coherent storytelling or logical character development and thereby resulting in a bigger failure than the original attempt to bring the Hasbro characters to life.

Say what you will about the feasibility of the nanotech warheads or the acting of Sienna Miller in The Rise of Cobra, but as it stands, that kind of writing and acting actually deserves Oscar nominations compared to the trash that saturates Retaliation.  Within its own cartoonish world, the original G.I. Joe still exhibited some logical progression of events and thought, and the same can definitely not be said about the sequel; it’s hard enough buying that the world’s most elite fighting force was taken out in a SINGLE attack, but the reaction of the world’s leaders to Cobra’s grand plan is laughably bad...not even actual cartoons require that big a stretch of the imagination.  It is also pretty insulting how the script treats some of the more revered franchise characters like Flint and Storm Shadow; D.J. Cotrona is so wooden and lifeless that it is hard to believe that the script chose to keep him around instead of Tatum, and the attempted “redemption” of Storm Shadow makes no sense whatsoever and only serves to further rob the film of any credibility it may have possessed.  And in terms of the acting, RZA playing a blind Kung-Fu went as well as anyone could have expected, but nothing excuses Bruce Willis phoning-in a downright lazy performance…that’s strike two after A Good Day to Die Hard.  With the negatives far outweighing the positives, G.I. Joe: Retaliation may only be worth seeing for those hardcore fans of the legendary Hasbro property, because even with all the shiny weapons and stylish explosions, the shamefully weak final product cannot be hidden.

Opening over the Easter Holiday Weekend, G.I. Joe: Retaliation pulled in over $40.5 million, falling short of its predecessor but also earning the distinction of the second-highest Easter debut behind 2010’s Clash of the Titans and the highest debut for a Bruce Willis movie.  And thanks to 3D ticket prices and strong international appeal, overseas numbers have been absolutely through the roof, thereby helping Paramount’s newest project inch closer and closer to the $300 million mark.  Against a $130 million production budget, those kinds of numbers usually start talks for a sequel, but with a decidedly weak critical reception, it would be wise for filmmakers to simply quit while they are ahead, despite the fact that there is room for the story to continue.  With so many high-profile summer releases right around the corner, starting with Oblivion and Pain & Gain in the next few weeks, G.I. Joe: Retaliation’s best days are clearly gone, even though some tweaks could have enabled the Joes to face down any competitor…and to think, this was a project that was given nine extra months to improve AFTER audiences saw it.  Put it all together, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation may have hit the financial bulls-eye, but from a critical standpoint, there isn’t anything here but mindless entertainment, so don’t get your hopes up too high.

    

Overall Recommendation: Low