Change Your Image
dweeacus
Reviews
The Wicker Man (2006)
Cage rescues this average horror/thriller
First of all I'd like to point out that i haven't seen the original so the whole film was new to me. I'm seriously glad that i hadn't seen the original as it would have spoiled an enjoyable film with comparisons and obviously nothing would shock me. It starts off well with swift pace and introduction but veers off course slightly time passes. Howevever good ol' Nic Cage managed to keep my attention focused on the screen and not my nuts (peanuts.. not the other... never mind). He puts in a performance that is significantly better than the rest of the cast whom i thought were rather bland, or maybe that was the point.
So, things to consider when watching The Wicker Man:
1) Don't make comparisons to the original or rate the new against the old.
2)Stick with it during the dull moments and savour the moments of tension.
Overall an average movie thats definitely worth a watch because of Cage. It'll pass the time but not a memorable film.
7/10
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Follows the book "religiously" but fails to hit the mark
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the book i went to see the movie expecting the worst, a big budget, soulless cash in. This, sadly is partly true.
The movie begins slowly and for someone who has read the book it was obviously predictable, it followed the book religiously (no pun intended), but for people who haven't read the book its well worth a watch. However, this is where the good points end.
Audrey Tautou seems bored throughout and Tom Hanks appears to be going through the motions and nothing else. Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing is impressive but is let down somewhat by the rest of the cast.
The brief moments of action in the movie seem rushed and haphazard, almost cheap. The whole film seems rushed and the story moves at an incredible pace, yet somehow, it seems overlong.
Overall, anyone that hasn't read the book will be carried along blissfully by the story but for the rest of us it will be a disappointment and nothing more.
Lost (2004)
Enjoyable but flawed
The first series of Lost kicked off with a bang... literally and slowly decreased in pace. This may have put some viewers off and people who started to watch halfway through would either be bored or just plain confused.
I would advise people new to the world of Lost to simply watch from the beginning and don't get pt off by the slower episodes. The acting throughout is excellent but why have 5 series' planned... WHY??? All this means is that there will be no answers for at least 4 years, oh well, i'll keep watching if it keeps the tension up and dialogue flowing.
Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Cruisin' for a bruisin'
Many people are calling this move mediocre or plot less, personally I disagree. The previous 2 MI movies have had thin plot lines to say the least, but the performances of the actors and the action set pieces more than made up for it.
I'm happy to say that the third in the series doesn't just do the same, it goes at least 2 steps higher. The action hits you from the beginning and Cruise again proves that he can not only be the action man but he can act the ass of any of the other cast. I'm not saying that the other actors ween't good, far from it. It's just clear that this is Cruise's movie from the beginning. British actor Simon Pegg has a scene stealing role as the Q of IMF.
The action was superbly directed by JJ Abrahms (Alias) and some of the cast from the TV show even appeared for a while in a party scene, that made my day.
Overall, MI3 is by far the best in the series, and i believe that the franchise will continue to go from strength to strength especially if they keep the styles as varied as they have done up to now. A brilliant move from beginning to end.
Nochnoy dozor (2004)
Utterly mind boggling
I first watched Nochnoi Dozor (Night Watch) when it came out at the cinemas in the UK, around October 2005. I went expecting very little but i was pleasantly surprised. The movie was smart, adventurous and in places funny too. The effects however, were a mixed bag some looked absolutely amazing (a fight involving a broken mirror) and others ropey. This is probably because of its relatively small budget. Many people say they find this movie confusing, however this is no fault of the movie itself, its the language. On the second watch though many things became clear. I am now anticipating the sequel which is due out in a few months where i hope all the loose ends will be explained.
Overall a worthy addition to the horror/thriller genre