Reviews

Some movies are critically panned and deserve it; they're poorly made, badly acted, directed or written. There are others that are simply misunderstood. "After" is one of these. At first glance, it's another film about a hedonistic group of thrill-seekers in a dangerous, surrealistic environment. The mood of the film is established early on through the use of POV "Blair Witch" style camera work. The nervous, frenetic movements of the frame convey the adrenalin rush of the characters as they infiltrate buildings, tunnels and other forbidden places, "…simply because they can." The action moves to Moscow where the mission is to explore Stalin's legendary "Metro 2" underground. Seen through the point of view of "Nate," the journey quickly becomes a nightmare as the line between what is real and unreal disappears entirely. I found the dreamlike sequences fascinating, especially the effect of characters disappearing as though they were digital ghosts. After's unusual style of direction kept me slightly off-balance, right to the end. The truth remains out of reach, like the indistinct walls of the tunnel just beyond the light. A good movie lingers on in memory, giving food for thought…After.

Some films I watch once-- I put many comedies in this category. Though, strictly speaking this is as much Sci-Fi as it is comedy. Other movies I'll watch maybe every blue moon and rarely, a few I'll see again and again. For me, this is one of the latter. It features an intelligent yet very funny script, terrific direction, contains enough details to bear scrutiny several times without revealing them all, and carries with it some extraordinary performances by some great actors. Pay particular attention to John Lithgow as "Lord John Whorfin." Fans of films like "The Fifth Element" and "Big Trouble in Little China" will definitely enjoy Banzai. If you're looking for an intelligent comedy this is the ticket.