Review: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011, Tomas Alfredson)

Boy did this film have a lot of hype going into it: a beautifully crafted trailer, an abundance of positive reviews and a cast list that reads like the nominees for the Academy Awards (and no doubt many will feature in the coming year). I went in completely blind not having read the original John le Carré novel or been alive to see the 1979 BBC Drama and as such I was suitably prepared; switched on, concentration levels peaked, ready to immerse myself in the “film event of the year”.

The screen is black for what seems like an eternity; painstakingly slowly we fade in on the vigilant peeling back of a door. Entering the room we see Control, John Hurt, at a desk – brow etched with worry. “Moscow planted a mole”, he croaks “...it is one of five men”, and so the story begins. Moscow has a mole infiltrated at the highest ranks of the British secret service during the peak of the Cold War and Control wants information on whom the traitor may be. Sets up like your typical spy thriller – double agents, no one can be trusted, not all is what it seems and so on. Simple - no? Well...not really.

It’s ever so slightly more complicated. Heed my advice when I warn you not to look in your pic ‘n’ mix for that elusive last fizzy cola bottle. As much as an ill timed glance away from the screen and you could find yourself missing a subtle shifting in ones seat or a twitch of an eyebrow that could have given you as much of a hint as to the outcome of the story as anything is as likely to. Tinker, Tailor is as mentally draining a movie as you are likely to find anywhere this year.

That’s not to say that it isn’t highly enjoyable, although if I am speaking frankly I cannot forgive the filmmakers for their self-indulgence. For a relatively novice feature length director Tomas Alfredson has done an incredible job, the directing really is impeccable, the cinematography is also immense; every scene drips with atmosphere and the acting is second to none. Nevertheless I found Tinker, Tailor in real danger of drowning in its own perfection, like a beautiful girl that lingers for too long in front of her own reflection it wouldn’t allow me to fall in love because it loved itself too much. I can only compare the viewing experience to what I would imagine witnessing a work of art in progress must feel like; knowing you are in the presence of something special but not wanting to see the brush strokes.

Don’t get me wrong, the film doesn’t feel half-cut, it’s just exceptionally raw, this is not Hollywood. The narrative is relentless, rattling along at such a pace as to almost alienate anyone not familiar with the source material juxtaposed by the tempo of the physical action on screen, which is as dreary as the London weather hanging over many scenes. I can think of three or four portions of the story where the action increases to a point you could label a ‘set-piece’, at a push, but predominately the narrative is extremely dialogue heavy and the story is told in the body language and on the faces of the ‘Circus’ agents, as much as in their actions.

When the dust settles and it is no longer ‘cool’ to agree with the reviews and buzz coming out of the film world surrounding Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy it will still be remembered as an exceptional piece of cinema that succeeds in being entirely engrossing, extraordinarily clever and emotionally forceful without ever pressing anything upon the viewer. However, in time its (minor) flaws will be more apparent and I really struggle to excuse the overzealous actions of art-house filmmakers that so often end up alienating the audience rather than drawing them in. So close to being great, still a marvellous piece of cinema worth seeing for the performances of the cast alone.   

4/5

Review: Cowboys & Aliens

Cowboys & Aliens (2011, John Favreau)

Cowboys & Aliens is director John Favreau’s third comic book adaption after successfully bringing Marvels Iron Man franchise to the big screen. A sensible choice then one would think, and coupled with the prospect of seeing Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford sharing the screen, I was quite excited about this end of season action-flick. The highly ambitious yet extremely creative twist on the Western genre also had my curiosity peaked; could Favreau could pull it off?

It all started rather promisingly. An edgier tone than the generally cheesy trailers that have been doing the rounds was evident off the bat. We are immediately introduced to Jake Lonergan (Craig) an amnesia struck cowboy who can’t remember his name but, with the help of a strange metallic device clasped on his wrist, can conveniently remember how to kick some serious ass. Jake ends up stumbling into a local mining town and the opening twenty minutes are typical Western fun; bandits, bar fights and broads.   

Unfortunately the high-concept plot quickly begins to tarnish what was a strong opening. Plot holes and conveniences slowly start leaking onto the screen like ink-blots on a freshly pressed shirt. It was evident that the writers had issues setting-up a scenario in which a filthy rich cattleman (Ford) would join forces with the bandit suspected of stealing his gold in order to head into battle with an alien race that they have no chance of realistically defeating. Nevertheless they try their best to explain away any gapping caverns in the narrative through a series of handily placed flash-backs.

This can be forgiven though. It’s rare to find an action-movie these days, especially one with such an original set-up, that doesn’t ask you to suspend your disbelief for a moment and just go with it. It’s also easier to excuse when the prospect of Cowboys doing battle with an Alien race to the gorgeous backdrop of the American Mid-West is waiting. Nevertheless, as the third act ensues and the battle begins, again I was left feeling dejected and for such an original concept it alarmingly felt like we’d seen it all before.

From the contrived way the native Indians (complete with their own fantasy language...) are wrangled into the scrap, to the cookie-cutter portrayal of the alien race and their never ending spaceship; everything felt slightly stale. Even the admirable Olivia Wilde couldn’t stop her character from essentially becoming a narrative device to explain away any misgivings in the story, and also being completely transparent to boot.

Essentially Cowboys & Aliens, for such an original concept, is void of any fresh ideas. Rather than using the opportunity to explore new avenues in the Sci-Fi genre it becomes an exercise in how to splice together two very different but very cliché types of film and forget to add originality to either.

Thirty years ago just chucking aliens and cowboys in front of the same camera would have probably been enough to ensure this was a hit. Not today, with high-concept action movies on every other screen in the multiplex I was hoping they would recognise this and create a meeting of worlds that brought something novel and new to revive both genres. But we’ve seen it all before. Don’t get me wrong though; Cowboys & Aliens is by means a bad movie per-se, just switch off your brain before viewing.

3/5

Review: The Rise of the Planet of the Apes

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011, Rupert Wyatt)

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (referred to as Rise for the following) is an attempt to reboot a science fiction series that has spanned the best part of 48 years, including four sequels, two TV series and one dodgy remake courtesy of the master of all things strange; Tim Burton. Therefore there is a strong argument to be made as to whether another instalment was really needed in a series that has already had the life flogged out of it. As ever though, money talks and The Planet of the Apes has always been a money spinner for 20^th Century Fox so it is not at all surprising the cobwebs have been dusted off once more.

This time around, though, the modus operandi has changed. Rise is is the first Apes film to feature primates that are not played by unsightly actors in unconvincing monkey suits. With the help of modern technology the chimps now come via the result of some highly impressive motion capture and CGI work. Lead ape and focus for much of the film Cesar is played by motion-capture vet Andy Serkis. Who himself is no oil painting but is extremely talented at injecting life into fictional creatures on the big screen. The results are wholly realistic monkeys which give the film believability immediately, whilst encouraging the viewer to forget they are at the movies. There is nothing worse than a human, in monkey outfit, to persistently remind you that you are only watching a film.

Not only helping  to suck you into the world of Rise the motion-capture magic also gives the various monkeys, gorillas and orang-utans, fully defined character traits and personalities. This together with a concerted effort from the screenwriters to develop not only the human characters in the film but to also create real emotional roles for the apes – brings a depth and sentiment that is often lacking from big budget, summer action features.

Nevertheless the chimps don’t totally steal the show. There are also some very strong performances from the well selected cast, including James Franco whom I successfully tipped for an Oscar nomination earlier in the year. I also particularly enjoyed seeing Tom Felton (better known as Draco Malfoy) getting his comeuppance at the hands of Cesar and couldn’t help thinking that if only he had his wand with him he could have been able to avert the whole disaster...

Glossing over the alarming stupidity of some of the decision making and obvious lack of intelligence by certain individuals in the opening sequences, Rise is on the whole genuinely immersing and enjoyable. For 90 minutes it offers a pleasant and healthy balance of humour, romance and sorrow. But it is not without flaws.

Depending upon the audience you are with and possibly your state of mind at viewing; there are some pivotal moments in closing that will really test your ability to block the little voice in the back of your mind that keeps telling you; ‘this is just silly now’. The fine line between movie greatness and self-parody is very much flirted with here and there are key moments (and if you have seen the film you will know what I am talking about) that you will either be left in awe or find yourself flung back into reality thinking, ‘hang on one second now...I don’t care what drugs these chimps have been exposed to...there’s no chance they could do THAT!’

But such is the nature of Hollywood blockbusters, and to be perfectly fair to Rise, it makes enough of a concerted effort to convince you prior to these moments that they are quite possible that it can be forgiven. Overall Rise is definitely more king of the swingers than banana peel and praise must be made for how easily this could have become an unintended comical catastrophe. Expect sequels.

4/5

Review: Super 8

Super 8 (2011, J.J. Abrams)

J.J. Abrams has made no attempt to hide the fact that Super 8 is a brazen homage to the film’s producer and Abrams boy hood hero; Steven Spielberg. If you were to throw a few movies Spielberg was involved with during the early stage of his career; Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), E.T. (1982) and The Goonies (1985) into a summer-blockbuster-blender you would end up with something not a million miles removed from Super 8.

But, however delightful that interesting blend of fat kids, spaceships and sausage fingered alien would be it would unfortunately be missing a fundamental ingredient that really makes Super 8 more than just a love letter to days gone by; Abrams. I am sure that by now you will have seen a film or TV show that has come from the creator of Lost’s warped but possibly genius mind. Alias, Fringe...did you know he wrote Armageddon?

It’s his ability to craft a wonderful story, part biographical and part modern twist on Spielberg’s tried and tested love-family-friend-coming of age formula, in particular the ignorant or absent father trope, that gives Super 8 its own voice and it’s also his directorial vision that gives the film a distinct and modern hue despite being set in 1979.

Before seeing the film I was concerned that the human plot lines, like many summer tent-pole releases, may not be fully developed and could detract from the set-pieces and special effects I was hoping to see. In reality it turned out to be quite the opposite. In fact some of the films brightest moments came in the interactions between the group of adolescent film-makers, who happen to witness a horrific train crash that leads to strange happenings in there usually quiet town. I found myself being drawn deeper and deeper into their world through a combination of witty dialogue and sublime acting. Particular mention goes to Elle Fanning, younger sister of Dakota, who plays Alice Dainard, teenage love interest of the aspiring boy-hood filmmakers.

The human element of the film was so excellent that I almost forgot we were actually watching a science-fiction flick about the military trying to re-capture whatever has escaped from their derailed locomotive. However, Super 8 really excels through the way it eventually finds a comfortable balance between the human narrative and extra territorial happenings. Finally climaxing in a closing act that sees the alien threat fully revealed and the films various sub-plots nicely coming together to provide a delightfully cheesy but still emotionally compelling conclusion.

Super 8 breathes life into a genre that had seemed to die a death amongst the onslaught of summer franchise releases. Look through this year’s line up of big blockbusters and you’ll struggle to find a movie that isn't based on a comic book, a novel, or indeed a sequel or even the dreaded prequel. Super 8 may borrow heavily from original hits of the late 70’s and 80’s but in time it will stand on its own as one of the best films of 2011 because of its refreshing focus on ensuring the human element of the story isn’t lost amongst explosions and body parts.

If Abram’s can continue to dip into the same bag of star dust that the likes of Spielberg and Lucas have done before him he will carry on sprinkling such magic across the screen and will go onto influence another generation of film-makers in the same way, which can only be good news for cinema goers.

4.5/5

Review: 127 Hours

127 Hours (2011, Danny Boyle)

The film I rated in my three month preview from December as my most anticipated upcoming flick, helmed by one of my favourite directors; Oscar winner Danny Boyle. The man employed to oversee the London 2012 opening ceremony and brains behind Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire. It had a lot to live up to...

...and it didn’t, not quite. But! And this is a big but; it is still a great movie and an astonishing achievement when you consider the subject matter. How enthralling can a 90 minute film about a guy who gets stuck between a rock and hard place (in every sense of the phrase) for the best part of a week really be? This is the question I asked myself upon originally hearing of Boyle’s next film and was the gauntlet I threw down to Boyle in my mind for the months I waited in patient anticipation prior to the film’s release. I figured that being the visionary director he is there would be all sorts of creative jiggery that would allow for the film to jump between various locals without the entrapped Aron Ralston (James Franco) ever actually leaving his potential tomb. Once the trailer eventually landed my expectations rose further as my assumptions were confirmed.

This in hindsight is what ultimately has lead me to feel 127 Hours was a slight, and I mean slight, let down. I built it up so much in my mind that I was expecting to be utterly blown away, sat astounded in my cramped Odeon seat by a masterful piece of cinema that was equally emotionally compelling and visually spectacular. In reality it was just very - very good, but not without flaws. Don’t get me wrong there are moments of sheer brilliance where Ralston’s utter despair is brilliantly conveyed through the briefest of shots. Such as a passenger jet silently piercing the blue skies a few thousand feet above his head when he initially trips and traps his arm beneath a falling boulder, conveying in one shot both the immensity of Ralston’s distance from humanity and therefore his hopes of rescue as well as his lifelong shunning of companionship which ultimately lead to his whereabouts being unknown.

Another recurring scene that stayed with me features a raven that majestically soars above the canyon every morning as he struggles to even move an inch. These moments, coupled with the creative way in which Ralston’s desires, from his longing to be freed from his trap, to his need for food and eventually water, are portrayed all become overwhelmingly powerful in pulling the audience into Ralston’s shoes and in giving us a small sense of just how desperate he must feel. Although the film drags slightly in these places, they serve an important purpose in making us appreciate the length of time and sense of desperation Ralston felt before making the decision to sever his own arm in order to free himself.

I’m not going to dwell on the extremity of the scene the in question as in actuality there is far worse available if gore and self mutilation are your thing. What I will say is that the reason it has kicked up such a fuss, with reports of audience members fainting, is due to James Franco’s immense turn as Ralston. He truly is marvellous. To most his performance will go un-noticed, the naturalness and believability he brings to the role will leave many feeling he was just being himself; but it is his command of the character and ability to make us believe everything we see and moreover feel  that makes the amputation scene so graphic. I stand by my prediction of an Oscar nod.

Ultimately 127 Hours isn’t quite the show stopping achievement I was expecting it to be but all things considered it is a hugely successful film. In the hands of lesser talented individuals this could have been an absolute disaster. In this respect it mirrors its subject matter, I don’t think there are many people on the face of this earth that could go through what that man did and not only come out the other side but come out better for it. In the end 127 Hours is a hugely uplifting and inspirational piece of filmmaking on both a critical and human level.

4/5

The Girlfriends View:

For a film that was predominantly 90 minutes of one man stuck in a canynon, the director managed to keep it interesting and you definitely come out of the cinema glad that you are alive! Despite the arm chopping scene not being overly graphic, you’ll probably have to look away a few times, I think because you really do feel his pain! Overall a good film and would definitely recommend if you want something a bit different to see!