Year: 2008
Director: Louis Letterier
Cast: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson
Once upon a time, in 2003 to be exact, there was a film called Hulk and it starred Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly and it was directed by Ang Lee. It was unique, introspective and overdramatic. There were as many of those who liked it as those who hated it, and somehow it didn't quite fulfill the needs of the Hulk's fans.
And now we have The Incredible Hulk. Like Batman Begins was a reboot of the franchise almost killed by Joel Schumacher, this film is an attempt by Marvel and director Louis Letterier to give Hulk fans what Lee could not. Basically the Hulk's core story is the same. It's about Bruce Banner, a scientist who is exposed to dangerous gamma radiation and as a result, becomes a raging green monster when agitated. In this version, we begin with flashbacks of Banner destroying the lab where he worked after his transformation, and then fleeing the clutches of his employer, General Ross as he works tirelessly to find a cure.
He isolates himself from Ross by living in Brazil, working at a bottled drink factory and keeping a low profile. However, a mistake on Banner's part leads Ross and the US army to his location and he is forced to flee again. Through contacts with a mysterious Mr Blue, Banner learns that he has to return to his lab to find the information he needs to create a cure for his condition. He seeks help from his old flame Betty Ross, daughter of the general. But time is running out for him, as the general closes in on him. Banner has another threat, in the form of a British soldier named Emil Blonsky, who after witnessing Banner's transformation into the Hulk, asks the general to help him level the playing field.
The question on everyone's mind is, is this better than Ang Lee's film? The answer is yes, on many different levels. Lee was innovative in using a comicbook like visual to tell his story, and went further to establish Banner's psyche and the source behind his rage. All of that is good, but overdone. It also didn't help that there were scenes where the Hulk jumped as far as three miles and looked bright green. That was just stupid. In the end, it was more of an Ang Lee film than a Hulk film. Letterier on the other hand, goes straight to the point. He establishes his main protagonist, explores his need to find a cure and gives Banner a worthy villain to square off against. He successfully balances the drama with the action, never letting either one to outdo the other. And the action sequences are a sight to behold! When the Hulk appears, he truly goes berserk and cuts loose, and you'll love watching it all unfold. My favourite would be the Hulk versus the army on the university grounds, but you'll probably remember this film for the confrontation between Hulk and his nemesis, the Abomination at the end of the film.
I was initially skeptical when I heard that Edward Norton would play Bruce Banner, but hell, he is perfect for it. He may not look like a scientist, but he definitely looks like the way Banner is portrayed in the books, as an unassuming troubled man. Norton does a splendid job in bringing forth the weight of the responsibility Banner has to carry. Liv Tyler isn't too shabby playing Betty Ross, but she lacks chemistry with Norton. William Hurt and Tim Roth lend able support as General Ross and Blonsky respectively, having no trouble being the villains here.
For those of you who know the Hulk from the TV series back in the day, watch out for a couple of cameos from there, plus the obligatory cameo from Marvel creator Stan Lee, and the much talked about appearance from a well known Marvel hero at the end of the film. Clue: he had a film out earlier this year.
It's tons better than the other Hulk movie, and absolutely more memorable. Hulk Smash! (4/5)
Year: 2008
Directors: Mark Osborne & John Stevenson
Voice cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, David Cross, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, James Hong
The last time Jack Black voiced an animated character, it was in Shark Tale. I hated Shark Tale. But it wasn't because of Black, it was because of Will Smith's annoying character Oscar. Thankfully this time, Black is the lead character, and he is actually a lot funnier than he is in his other live action films.
Kung Fu Panda tells the story of Po, an overweight panda who dreams of emulating his heroes, the Furious Five: a viper, a crane, a tigress, a monkey and a mantis, and become a hero of the valley. Alas, he is somewhat stuck helping his father selling noodles in his village. One day, the legendary Master Oogway, an old tortoise, calls for an event to select the Chosen One, who is destined to become the Dragon Warrior and protect the valley from evil. Po tries to attend the event, but ends up crashing it and through some sheer dumb luck, is picked by Oogway to be the Dragon Warrior!
Naturally, the Furious Five and their teacher, Master Shifu are not pleased, and overcome with disbelief that the fat panda will be the Chosen One. Oogway persuades Shifu to teach the panda the ways of kung fu, and Shifu obliges at first, merely to convince the panda that he really isn't the Chosen One. But Po presses on, and eventually manages to win Shifu over. However, there is danger on the horizon, as Tai Lung, a snow leopard who was once a student of Shifu, escapes from prison and vows to take revenge on his former master and the valley. Can Po live up to the prophecy and stop Tai Lung?
Well, this being an animated film, you can guess what the answer to that question will be. But animated films aren't about being surprised, it's about having fun. In this respect, directors Mark Osborne and John Stevenson score a huge amount of points in telling a familiar tale in a very fun way. Po reminds me of Chris Farley in Beverly Hills Ninja, but much more adorable and hilarious. We have Black to thank for that, by making Po very likeable despite his flaws, and that I mean physical ones of course. Dustin Hoffman acquits himself well in giving Shifu a definitive presence in the story. The other voice cast do a great job too, though the great Jackie Chan only got half a dozen lines as Monkey. I think that's unfair.
As for the animation, the technical crew are splendid as well. Master Shifu especially looks awesome up close, with every hair visible and real. The action scenes are fast paced and well choreographed, making this film not boring at all. It's a film with large doses of action, humour and suspense, with a little bit of drama thrown in.
I'd go as far as saying that this film is so much better than Shrek and all its sequels. This is good entertainment for all ages. Recommended. (4/5)
Year: 2008
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia Labeouf, Ray Winstone, Karen Allen, John Hurt
If you grew up in the 80s, chances are you know the name Indiana Jones. He's like the godfather of adventure films. Indy is the well known part time teacher, part time archaeologist who would risk life and limb to save an artifact. The famed creation of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg has spawned three films, all of which are pretty damn good in my view. And now, like Rambo before him, Indy has been resurrected.
In the previous three films, the time setting is in the 1930s, during World War II. To address the passage of time, it's 1957 in this current film, during the Cold War era, the birth of the nuclear bomb and the paranoia of communism. The story begins with a group of Russian soldiers led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) breaking into Area 51 (yeah, no kidding) in order to steal a mysterious magnetic box, with the reluctant help of our good Dr Jones no less. Jones eventually leads them to the box, and then escapes their clutches despite being betrayed by his comrade Mac (Ray Winstone).
However, the Russians succeed in stealing the box, causing the FBI to blame Indy for the mishap and investigate him. Indy loses his job at the university, and just as he is about to travel elsewhere to start again, he runs into a young man by the name of Mutt Williams (Shia Labeouf). Mutt asks Indy for his help in saving his mother as well as an old friend of Indy's, Dr Oxley (John Hurt). Apparently, Oxley has made a startling discovery about a mystical crystal skull, something which the Russians are after. Indy and Mutt travel to South America to follow the clues and save Ox and Mutt's mother, who Indy discovers later on to be his old flame, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen).
The question on everyone's mind is of course, can this film deliver just as the previous films did? Well, yes and no. Yes, it's nice to see Spielberg, Lucas and Harrison Ford as Indy team up once more to bring us more chills and spills. And for the record, Ford can still do this. He looks older, no doubt, but he can still punch, whip, ride and fight with the best of them. It's his defining role, and he can't miss. Spielberg delivers the action well enough, throwing in a nuclear explosion, an exhilarating jeep ride through the jungle, ancient Mayans, giant ants and a quicksand sequence that is downright hilarious. Spielberg, noting the ageing action hero in Ford, lets the young successor Labeouf take part in a fencing duel with Blanchett perched atop two jeeps side by side. Good stuff.
But then, the story has to matter too, and this is where Lucas fails somewhat. Of all the things he decides to bring to Indy 4, he settles on...aliens! Hmm, did Area 51 exist that far back? Well, who knows? But putting Indy on a wild alien chase takes some getting used to. And Labeouf swinging on vines in the jungle? Please. That one looked out of place, as does the final matrimonial scene, I hope I didn't spoil it for you there.
Performance wise, other than Ford, it's all average to slightly above average at best. Winstone is stuck with yet another role that could have been left out of the story altogether. Poor guy, he will probably only be remembered for playing an animated character for his work in the past one year, and that one I didn't even bother to watch. Blanchett sports the worst haircut since Javier Bardem's in No Country For Old Men, which makes her look more like a comicbook character than a striking villain. Where's Monaram when you need him? Karen Allen, who looks like she's aged more than Ford since Raiders Of The Lost Ark, isn't too shabby reprising her role, while Labeouf is spot on as the rebellious Mutt. You can sense that he's gonna be the next action hero for this franchise, if they decide to continue.
I do like the various homages to the previous films: a picture and subsequent mention of Sean Connery and Denholm Elliot, who were both in The Last Crusade, a brief glimpse of the Ark from Raiders and Indy's fear of snakes revisited. Oh, and Karen Allen of course. But I still find it hard to put as much faith as I did in the previous three films in this one. Even the humour in Crystal Skull seems forced, and it misses more than it hits the mark.
It's a honorable try, but if you want a real Indy adventure, pick up The Last Crusade. It's my favourite, and it will always be. (3.5/5)
Year: 2008
Director: Rob Minkoff
Cast: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Collin Chou, Liu Yifei, Li Bingbing
By now I'm sure everyone is all hyped up about the pairing of Asia's top two kungfu stars, Jackie Chan and Jet Li in this film. The two actors have wanted to star in a film together for a long time, and now this is the result. Does it live up to the promise?
Well, this being a Hollywood effort, how much hope can you put into this movie? As good as the Hollywood movie making machine is, it's never good enough in delivering a 100% solid film for either Chan or Li. Chinese actors tend to get stereotyped when given roles in Hollywood. Anyway, lets get to the review.
The Forbidden Kingdom revolves around a magic staff owned by the great Monkey King, who is imprisoned by the evil Jade Warlord. The story begins in present day Boston, where a young boy named Jason spends his time watching old kungfu flicks on DVD, which he purchases from an elderly Chinese store proprietor. One night, after being coerced by the town bullies, Jason lets them into the old man's store. Trouble ensues and the old man is shot. The old man hands a mysterious staff (yeah, THE magic staff) to Jason and asks him to return it to its owner. Jason runs and before he knows it, he lands himself in ancient China!
Once there, he finds himself being pursued by the Jade Warlord's army. The warlord wants the staff for himself, of course. Jason then gets rescued by drunken master Lu Yan, and then later by a pretty girl called Golden Sparrow, who's skilful with throwing darts and knives. Later the trio run into a mysterious Silent Monk, who is interested in returning the staff as well. Jason sure is fortunate to have all of them to help him on his journey, but the tough part comes when he has to learn how to fight for himself. To this end, our two kungfu masters spare no leniency in training him. Meanwhile the Jade Warlord sends his top assassin, Ni Chang (modeled after the Bride With White Hair) to retrieve the staff.
Director Rob Minkoff (Stuart Little) and writer John Fusco (Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron) have made this film with obvious references to Chinese tales such as Journey To The West and The Bride With White Hair. The story that they have come up with is pretty much standard fare. A young boy who has yet to find himself, goes through many trials, half of which are comedic, to discover his destiny. Sounds like Karate Kid and Sky High, the latter film also starring Michael Angarano. Direction and storywise, it's not too bad. It lacks originality for sure, and the dialogue is very cheesy. But it works mainly due to the great action and fight scenes choreographed by the legendary Yuen Woo Ping.
Chan and Li both do double duty here, Chan as the old man from the store and Lu Yan, Li as the monk and the Monkey King. For the fight scenes, it's no surprise that these two have no equal. They make all their fights look real and superb, and the long awaited sparring scene between them doesn't disappoint as well. It is about 8-10 minutes long, and as exciting as it is to watch, you can't help but feel that it's there just to please the fans, and not to move the story along. But I have to say that Li needs more English lessons, unfortunately.
Angarano is playing almost the same kid he played in Sky High, but he does a decent job. Collin Chou is rather disappointing as the villain, very stereotyped, and his English is even worse than Li's. Liu Yifei is easy on the eye as Golden Sparrow, while Li Bingbing is quite wooden as Ni Chang. Oh, we were talking about English here. Why do the characters speak English in China? Weird. There are scenes when some of them speak Mandarin, these should have been expanded, it would have made more sense.
At the end of the day, it's a nice adventure film that the whole family can enjoy and relate to. Everyone loves the ongoing battle between good and evil. But I do hope that the next time Chan and Li work together, it can be something more meaty and worthwhile. This is an effort that you can't take too seriously or you won't enjoy it.
Fans of Chan and Li will watch it, but they won't call it their favourite. It's an average film, at best. (3.5/5)
Year: 2008
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow
This is officially FF's 100th review, and what better film to win this honour than the film that starts 2008's blockbuster season, Iron Man. It's based on the Marvel comicbook of the same name, following in the footsteps of many other Marvel film adaptations such as Spider-Man, X-Men and Fantastic Four.
However, unlike the latter three, Iron Man is more on the life of its alter-ego Tony Stark, than the superhero character itself. Tony Stark (Downey Jr) is a billionaire cum playboy cum inventor of weapons for the military, and chief of his own company, Stark Industries. One day, after a demonstration of his latest weapon for the US military in Afghanistan, his convoy is ambushed by Afghan insurgents. Stark is seriously wounded and held captive.
The insurgents force Stark to build them the same missiles he just showed his military. They give him an assistant, a scientist named Yinsen (Shaun Toub), who also happens to be the man that finds a way to keep Stark alive despite his injuries. Stark agrees to their demands, but instead builds a metal suit to help him escape captivity. He dons the suit (which is heavy and clunky, but packs a mean punch) and breaks out in spectacular fashion.
Upon his return, he makes a prompt decision to stop building weapons, much to the chagrin of his chief advisor in Stark Industries, Obadiah Stane (Bridges). Stark is influenced by the fact that the enemy used his own inventions against him when they captured him, as well as against innocent people and intends to make up for it. He decides to rebuild the metal suit and improve on it, as part of his personal project. Despite lack of support from his best friend Colonel Jim Rhodes (Howard) and personal assistant Pepper Potts (Paltrow), who fears for his life, Stark soldiers on with his plans. The end result is an impressive suit that has enough firepower and calibre to take down any enemy. However Stark faces betrayal from within that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear.
Director Jon Favreau, who is also a writer and actor, turns in excellent work for his film about the armored avenger. What Favreau presents to us is a film that doesn't dwell on the superhero theme, and yet makes it very exciting, imaginative and well grounded all at once. Compared to other Marvel adaptations like Spider-Man and Ang Lee's Hulk that take themselves too seriously, or Elektra and Ghost Rider that end up being over-the-top, Iron Man comes across as charming and witty, with enough action to please the adrenaline junkies, and still leave enough room for drama.
Downey Jr is probably tailor made for the role of Tony Stark. He gives Stark plenty of spontaneity, humour and charm, making him instantly likeable. Stark is supposed to be a vulnerable character deep down, who struggles with his demons and guilt, and in the scenes where the script calls for its revelation, Downey Jr doesn't disappoint in bringing them forth. He's ably supported by Howard and Bridges, whose characters are not just there to fill the screen, but to be intelligent and relative to the plot. Bridges in particular fleshes out his character Stane very well indeed. If you're an Iron Man fan, you'd know how Stane plays into all this in the end. Paltrow, whom I consider to be quite annoying (I'm no fan of hers) does surprisingly well also as Stark's loyal assistant Pepper.
What's worth mentioning also is the visual effects courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic, who do a tremendous job with the battle scenes and scenes involving Stark in the Iron Man suit. I dare say it's a lot more fluid than the Spidey visual effects, and more believable too.
I'll admit that there were some lines uttered in the film's climax that sound too cheesy, but overall I had a fantastic time watching Iron Man. Marvel will surely be able to build a steady franchise from this character. Recommended. (4.5/5)
Year: 2008
