Tag: Liam Neeson

Review: Wrath of the Titans

Jonathan Liebesman recovers from blowing up Los Angeles to take the Titans series up a notch with some lush 3D and a solid cast.

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Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Writer(s): Dan Mazeau, David Leslie Johnson

Runtime: 99 minutes

Starring: Sam Worthington, Rosamund Pike, Bill Nighy, Édgar Ramírez, Toby Kebbell, Danny Huston, Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson

Distributor: Roadshow

Country: US

Rating: Worth A Look (?)

More info

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We could blame Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy for the revival of historical sword and sorcery epics, but the truth is that they have always been present in blockbuster cinema. Louis Leterrier’s remake of 1981’s Clash of the Titans, recounting the mythical story of Perseus slaying Medusa and the Kraken, was an unmitigated disaster, and a textbook example of bad spectacle. Yet with almost $500 million in the bank at the worldwide box office, there was enough cash of the Titans to justify taking a second kraken at the material.

Following his defeat of the Kraken, Perseus (Sam Worthington) has returned to the simple life of a fisherman, getting by as a single parent to his son, Helius. When his father, the god Zeus (Liam Neeson), approaches him for help, he is at first reluctant to accept his fate as a half-deity. However, as the gods diminish in importance in the lives of mortals, so too do their powers. Having imprisoned their father Kronos in the deep abyss of Tartarus, only the combined power of Zeus, Hades (Ralph Fiennes), and Poseidon (Danny Huston) can defeat him as their prison weakens. Perseus must embrace his destiny if humans are to be victorious.

South African director Jonathan Liebesman was on the fast-track to becoming one of the worst reviewed directors in Hollywood, with Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Battle: Los Angeles under his belt. Yet his consistent performance at the box office has earned him the right to helm a sequel to the 2010 blockbuster, and he approaches it with all the army of technical wizardry that he has amassed to date. On this level, Wrath of the Titans is a special effects success, using CG to create imagery that couldn’t possibly exist in the real world. From trio of cyclops to the emergence of the molten Kronos, everything is turned up to eleven on Wrath of the Titans. More than this, the 3D is actually some of the best that we’ve seen in recent years, fully shot for the format and immediately adding an immersive level of depth to the visuals.

Yet the depth mostly stops at the visuals, with the figures of Greek myth simply reshuffled like a deck of storyboard cards. The scenarios are all familiar, with the classic hero’s journey the basic story arc for Perseus. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it emphasises the visual storytelling element to Dan Mazeau and David Leslie Johnson’s screenplay. For this is what Wrath of the Titans is: a visual representation of Greek mythology, handed down and reinterpreted by countless generations, just as much as the urns and plates of the ancient world. While liberties are no doubt taken with the material, this is action entertainment at its most reliable.

Liebesman has wisely surrounding his lead with a formidable cast of multi-accented thesps, deftly covering the fact that the by-the-numbers Worthington isn’t even trying to cover his Australian accent these days. His counterpoint in Édgar Ramírez as the conniving Ares is sufficiently moustache twirling. Alexa Davalos was thankfully replaced by the stunning Rosamund Pike, who provides not only a strongish female role to the cast but a worthy companion for Perseus. Roguish companion Toby Kebbell is also a standout, even if he is borderline Russell Brand at times. Neeson, Fiennes and Huston are largely perfunctory, but pad out the strong cast dealing with average material. Bill Nighy, who seems to be in everything, should be singled out as the batty Hephaestus, stealing every scene he is in.

Straightforward in its telling, Wrath of the Titans nevertheless offers enough spectacle and solid performances to makes this a solid crowd-pleaser.

Wrath of the Titans is released in Australia on 29 March 2012 from Roadshow Films.

March 29, 2012
Second Trailer for Wrath of the Titans Online

The Titans are back, and they are quite angry with the wrath, and the gnashing of the teeth. Roadshow has sent us over the second trailer for Warner’s Wrath of the Titans, the sequel to the mythological epic Clash of the Titans and the perpetuation of the notion that Sam Worthington is a capable leading man.

Perseus embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares, and his brother, Hades.

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, the film stars Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Rosamund Pike.

Wrath of the Titans will be released in Australian on 29 March 2012 from Roadshow Films.

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February 24, 2012
Review: The Grey

Liam Neeson takes his very particular set of skills, and combines them with Joe Carnahan’s own penchant for the grimmer realities of survival, unleashing a truly gripping tale.

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Director: Joe Carnahan

Writer(s): Joe Carnahan, Ian Mackenzie Jeffers

Runtime: 117 minutes

Starring: Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney

Distributor: Icon

Country: US

Rating: Better Than Average Bear (?)

More info

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Joe Carnahan is not exactly known for his subtlety. His debut feature, Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane could readily be used as a description of his career, with Narc and particularly Smokin’ Aces throwing low-key out the window in favour of face-slappingly good explosions. Liam Neeson, once known for Schindler’s List and Michael Collins, has taken a definite turn in his career of late, and the pair’s ill-fated team-up on The A-Team could have been a career killer for both of them. Yet this latest outing, based on Ian Mackenzie Jeffers‘ novella Ghost Walker, brings out their best.

Hunter and tracker Ottway (Liam Neeson) is in Alaska, ostensibly to keep the wolves away from the oil-drilling encampment. When the plane carrying him and the group of oil-drillers crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, they must pull together in order to survive. Their efforts to overcome the adverse conditions are put to the ultimate test when they are targeted by a pack of wolves that are none too happy about these humans encroaching on their territory.

The Grey isn’t going to revolutionise the way you think about killer wolf movies, if you think about them at all, and this is certainly not the first time that man has gone against nature. Yet there is a rawness to The Grey that takes you by surprise as much as the wolves do in the middle of the night. Likewise, the scenery chewing Neeson of late has been replaced here by a contemplative one, a troubled soul given to internal monologues and poetry recital just as much as he is about crushing skulls. We never learn much about the other characters, including an almost unrecognisable Dermot Mulroney, but this is not simply because they are perfunctory in nature. There is an element of that, of course, but it is mainly because Carnahan and Jeffers’ script rarely pauses long enough for this kind of reflection. When it does, it’s because any tranquility earned is about to be snatched away.

Carnahan manages to maintain this air of tension throughout, sometimes with the merest possibility of a wolf attack. The speed at which the wolves attack is the best weapon in his arsenal, but the threat is a holistic one. Wolves are largely done practically, with unnaturally monstrous beasts a combination of the real thing, animatronic and CGI wolves. The howling in the background, often scarily close, sometimes builds into a cacophony of sound that chills to the bone. The only time when the film is less than gripping is, ironically, during the more conscious set-pieces of action, including traversing a ravine and swinging from tree tops. These are all fine pieces, but they start to take us away from the claustrophobic terror of the woods.

Either way, this is a film that puts both Carnahan and Neeson back on the map as serious contenders again. Neither have made as nuanced a thriller as this in years, and while it may not necessarily break any new ground, it does cover its familiar turf with expertise. Be sure you stay until after the end credits, as there is additional footage that will change your perspective on the otherwise ambiguous ending.

The Grey is released in Australia on 16 February 2012 from Icon.

February 12, 2012
Review: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D

LucasFilm starts the saga all over again with the release of the first film in the prequel trilogy in 3D, providing a whole new generation a chance to catch these films on the big screen.

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Director:  George Lucas

Writer(s):  George Lucas

Runtime: 133 minutes

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Jake Lloyd, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Ahmed Best, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker

Distributor: Fox

Country: US

Rating: Worth A Look (?)

More info

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Has it really been thirteen years since the Internet melted under the strain of dial-up modems accessing the first glimpses of a new Star Wars movie? Back in 1999, the levels of anticipation around the first Star Wars film in sixteen years were the closest thing to a movement for a generation taught to be cynical about such things, but not everybody felt that their patience had paid off. The hollow digital puppetry of these new creations instantly alienated millions of people who had already grown to love their films, and worse yet, Mr. Lucas had long-since begun to forever alter the original trilogy to align with his new vision. Over a decade later, the film returns to take advantage of the latest technological advances in cinemas.

Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. The Trade Federation has blockaded the sovereign planet of Naboo in response to the taxation on trade routes. Two Jedi,  Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), have been sent to negotiate a settlement. However, no sooner than the Jedi arrive, puppet master Darth Sidious orders their deaths. The duo narrowly escape, and after an escapade on the planet’s surface (and under it), they collect the native Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) and rescue Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) from the clutches of the Federation. Escaping to the desert planet of Tatooine, they encounter a talent young boy named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), unusually strong in the Force. The meeting will change all of their destinies forever.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D has been sent back to theatres for the enjoyment of a younger generation, and this time the old fans are not necessarily the primary audiences. Rehashing the problems of a film now a generation old would simply be tantamount to whispering into the digital wind, as the flaws to this film have not changed one bit. Indeed, with the benefit of time, we have even more cause to wonder what George Lucas was thinking. The basic premise has moved from the radical period of civil war of the 1970s to a tax blockade, full of trade franchises and votes of no confidence in the Galactic Senate. Yeah! Tax! This is perhaps indicative of Lucas getting older, but all the other elements in contention are probably more a sign of the aging audience. Frequent toilet humour and a admittedly cool Podrace sequence may appeal to the smaller ones, but us bigger kids are keeping our eyelids propped open until the magnificent Duel of the Fates three-way lightsaber battle ensues.

Even the podrace seems to take up 80% of the film now, although it probably always did. Perhaps this was a little bit of overcompensation for a exposition that largely involved intergalactic trade. Then there’s the usual gripes: a poor choice of child in Jake Lloyd, struggling with meagre scraps of cringe-worthy dialogue to feed on, frequently racist characters in the Neimoidians, Gungans and most certainly Watto and one of the best villains dispatched before his time. Nothing will ever make Jar Jar okay, and that’s the one thing that has brought this world together in times of crazy strife.

George Lucas being who he is, couldn’t help but tinker with the film some more, and there are a few additions to the movie. While we can’t verify an exhaustive list on a single viewing, there have certainly been some additions to the podrace sequence, with more debris to take advantage of the 3D effects. One of our younger, eagle-eyed Bothans also tells us that they noticed some additional changes to the podrace. Even scrubbed up for the Blu-ray release last year, the effects are looking dated, which is always the danger with any film that relies so heavily on technology-based enhancements.

Yet the draw-card for this reissue is meant to the be 3D, and it is disappointing that LucasFilm, who pride themselves on state-of-the-art technology, have released such a disappointing conversion. Never intended for the third dimension, much of the film is shrouded in a murkiness that actually improves with the removal of 3D glasses. There are undoubtedly moments of great visual depth, but the majority feels as though the only people who will benefit from the 3D are theatre owners able to charge 3D prices for a 13 year-old film. Yet at the end of the day this is Star Wars on the big screen, and it is great to actually have them back in theatres for a whole new crowd to enjoy. Let’s hope this leads to more releases in the near future.

[stextbox id=”custom”]Existing fans will know exactly what they are getting into, and the addition of 3D only provides an excuse to watch this on the big screen again. For others, they will have the joys of being introduced to a well-loved universe for the first time.[/stextbox]

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D is released in Australia on 9 February 2012 from Fox.

February 7, 2012
Watch the Wrath of the Titans trailer now online

The Titans are back, and they don’t seem happy. It is Wrath they are bringing after all, and this is not the Hugs of the Titans. Roadshow has sent us over the fresh trailer for Warner’s Wrath of the Titans, the sequel to the mythological epic Clash of the Titans.

Perseus embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares, and his brother, Hades.

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, the film stars Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Rosamund Pike.

Wrath of the Titans will be released in Australian on 29 March 2012 from Roadshow Films.

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Download HD trailer

December 20, 2011
Blu-ray Review: Star Wars – The Complete Saga
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Director: George Lucas, Irwin Kershner, Richard Marquand

Runtime: 802 minutes

Starring: Mark Hamill, Hayden Christensen, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, James Earl Jones, Liam Neeson

Video: 1080p HD/2:40:1 (16:9)

Audio:
- Discrete DTS HD Master Audio 6.1
- Dolby Digital: English 5.1 (Brazilian Portuguese, Latin Spanish)
- DTS 5.1 (French)
Subtitles: English for the hard of hearing, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Latin Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish

Extras:
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Behind the Scenes
- Documentaries
Distributor: Fox

More info

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For the last three and a half decades, even scruffy looking Nerf herders can’t throw a rock without bulls-eying one of the monolitic wampas of the blockbuster landscape. The very words “Star Wars” have made their way into the cultural milieu across six films, several animated spin-offs, comic books, scores of novels, a handful of television movies and an ill-fated holiday special. The US Reagan Presidency even named their Strategic Defense Initiative after the films. Originally created as a “space opera” in 1977 by George Lucas, a director then best known for the retro coming of age film American Graffiti, what was once known simply as Star Wars changed the face of science-fiction, special effects and Hollywood filmmaking forever.

For those of you just emerging from a cave, our saga takes place a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. While purists may disagree, the saga in its complete form tells the story of the rise and fall of one young Anakin Skywalker. When we first meet him (chronologically speaking of course), he is just a mop-headed boy (Jake Lloyd) on the planet Tatooine, caught in the midst of some kind of intergalactic tax blockade or something. Taken in and trained by Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and later Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Anakin grows into an arrogant young Jedi Knight, one of the sworn guardians of the Republic who are able to wield the mystical power of the Force. Or perhaps simply have a high Midichlorian count.

Eventually, he is corrupted by Sith Lord (and ultimately Emperor) Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) and becomes Darth Vader, a minion of the Empire. Yet there is a new hope in young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who may or may not be related to Anakin Skywalker, and who joins the aged Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness), a pair of droids named C-3PO and R2-D2 and the scoundrel Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his hairy sidekick Chewbacca to rescue Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy…

For many, the series is ‘review proof’, for nothing we say here will impact on the sales one iota. Taken as a whole, the saga certainly morphs into a whole new dynamic, and not simply because of the added tinkering that George Lucas can’t stop doing every few years (but more on that below). For a generation of people over the age of 25, the original trilogy of A New Hope (or Star Wars as we once knew it), Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi will be the definitive and unquestioningly perfect set of Star Wars films that should never be touched. For all of their flaws, including the introduction of the evil Jar Jar Binks and a weak and often misguided narrative, the prequel trilogy of The Phantom Menace, The Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith will be the films that forever introduced a younger generation to the dysfunctional Skywalker clan. These are very special kinds of film, and neither the ravages of time nor George Lucas’s endless fiddling are going to change that. From the stunning opening to the explosive conclusion, this is a rollicking adventure that you are sure to come back to time and again.

Video and Audio:

When we reviewed the release of the Original Trilogy DVDs back in 2004, the staff of DVD Bits were suitably impressed with the quality of the transfers, bandying around words like “amazing”, “brilliant restoration” and “exemplary”. All that can now be dismissed as hyperbole in the face of these stunning HD transfers. It is no shock that the largely digital Prequel Trilogy looks stunning on these discs. What is really surprising is how good the older films look. We’ve seen some marvellous restorations this year, but the sheer amount of detail in some of the shots is almost like watching a new film. Well, given this is a LucasFilm production it is a new film. C-3PO’s metallic surface shows every bit of tarnish, Leia’s makeup looks caked and Obi-Wan’s beard bristles. The colour correction is marvellous. The sound is perhaps the best yet, with the primary DTS HD Master Audio 6.1 packing a powerful punch. Our windows rattled as the first ships came rattling overhead.

Now for the changes. Yes, everything you have read is true. From The Phantom Menace through to Return of the Jedi, there have been changes made. The first thing you’ll notice is that Yoda is now fully digital in The Phantom Menace, a welcome change from the creepy uncanny-valley puppet used back in 1999. Many of the other changes are the kind of senseless tinkering that George has been doing since back in 1981, with the evolution of Star Wars continuing. The much talked-about sound changes, including Star Wars‘ new Krayt Dragon call and the addition of a few “Nooooos!” to the end of Return of the Jedi are all noticeable to fans. The latter really is unforgiveable as it is not simply tinkering, but changing the silent dramatic tension of another director’s scene. With each of these changes, Lucas is forever erasing the hard work of hundreds of people who worked on the original films, many of whom broke new ground with their special effects techniques. Hell, some of the Blu-ray bonus features celebrate that. Of course, none of this would be a problem if the original films were simply released unaltered alongside these new cuts, as every other filmmaker from Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind/E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial has managed to do. Unfortunately, for generations to come, this will be the only version we get to see.

Extras:

The collection of bonus features is bizarre to say the least, with far too much emphasis on the ephemera of the Star Wars universe, and not enough on the making of. Sure, the audio commentaries are great: each of the films has two commentaries a piece. The first was presented on the original DVD releases, while the second has been constructed from archival interviews and are new to this release. But where are the PiP tracks? Video commentaries? Seamless branching? If Lucas is on the bleeding edge of technology, then why are these Blu-rays not taking advantage of any of the features available to the HD age?

Discs 7 and 8 of the set are where the majority of the film-related bonus features for Episodes I – III (Disc 7) and Episodes IV-VI (Disc 8) are found. These include deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew and a flythrough of the Lucasfilm Archives to name but a few. There is a wealth of material here, but not everything. Once again, while there are some great new inclusions, including the much talked about deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi, Lucas has missed a great opportunity to archive all that material we have seen floating around over the years, with few of the DVD documentaries making it over. Unlike the Alien Quadrilogy Blu-ray set, which literally put everything that has ever been committed to disc (including all versions of the films), this misses the mark even with three bonus features discs!

The majority of the new bonus features are to be found on Disc 9 of the set, but the inclusion of some of these is incredibly questionable. Really? An 84-minute documentary called Star Warriors on the 501st Legion, the people who like to dress up like Storm Troopers? This is evidence that either the well has been well and truly milked dry on these films, or that this was another misguided reading of the fans from the House of Lucas. Similarly, the 91 minutes (!) dedicated to the Star Wars Spoofs – covering everything from Family Guy, The Simpsons, How I Met Your Mother and Weird Al – could have just as easily been a small featurette rather than a feature-length documentary. The 25 minute Conversations with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years On, with chats from George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and John Williams, is possibly the only strong new addition. The original ‘making ofs‘ from 1977, 1980, 1983 and 1997 respectively are all nice to have, but the 46 minute Star Wars Tech is another misguided documentary (albeit one from 2007) taking up space where proper content could have gone.

Yet it isn’t so much what is on the discs as what is not. Over 9 discs of material, and no space for the original trailers? While it is almost certain there will be double-dip on Blu-ray, especially given the theatrical 3D re-release planned to start next year, we did get a second round of DVDs, and they included the theatrical cuts of the original trilogy as well. We can only live in a (new) hope.

[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”The Reel Bits”]Star Wars has arrived on Blu-ray, and true to form, it is unlike any version we have seen before. Some will be disappointed by the lack of the original versions of the film, others will crave more bonus features than what we have been offered here. For most, having these films in stunning high-definition will be enough. Regardless, this is undoubtedly the Blu-ray event of the year: let the Force guide you. [/stextbox]

Star Wars: The Complete Saga is released on Blu-ray around the world in the UK on September 12, in Australia on September 14 and in the US on September 16 from Fox Home Entertainment.
September 15, 2011
Review: Unknown

What the hell happened to Liam Neeson? For a while there, things were looking good: Schindler’s List and Michael Collins were great showcases for the actor’s talents, and he seemed poised to be an actor’s actor, the kind you speak about in reverential tones and hotly tip every year to take out yet another award. Yet a string of cinematic missteps befell the poor actor (not to mention his off-screen tragedy), and he seems to have been playing for the lowest common denominator since at least 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

With the possible exception of his turns in Kinsey and Batman Begins, Neeson has taken Nicolas Cage-esque turn (without the dodgy hair) by wallowing in the depths of After.Life, The A-Team, Chloe, Clash and of the Titans. Indeed, Neeson most distinguished role of late has been the voice of an animated lion. So Neeson has saddled up for some European action again with Unknown, from director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphans).

Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) arrives in Berlin with his wife Elizabeth (January Jones, Mad Men) for a forthcoming conference. Shortly after arriving at the hotel, Neeson realises he has left a briefcase containing his documentation at the airport, and without telling his wife hops into a cab to retrieve them. However, when cab driver Gina (Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds) swerves to avoid a road accident, she drives them both off a bridge and into the river. When Martin awakens, he remembers little of what happened, but is determined to find his wife. However, when he finally tracks Elizabeth down, she does not seem to remember him, and another man (Aidan Quinn, Sarah’s Key) is claiming to be Martin Harris.

‘Hitchcockian’ is the adjective that springs to mind, and while the producers of Unknown would love to use that as a pull-quote in a slick TV spot or DVD release, Collet-Serra’s film is a far cry from any of the slick McGuffin’s that the Master of Suspense would throw our way. Descending from the noble heritage of a genre that North by Northwest perfected in 1959, the apple falls pretty far from the tree here. More of a spiritual successor to Pierre Morel’s Taken, the surface-level twists that Unknown takes us on are not necessarily predictable, as there are a few genuine surprises throughout, but standard thriller fodder nevertheless. As our stranger in a strange land uncovers yet another layer of his onion of intrigue, you may feel the tears of frustration coming on as it simply doesn’t go far enough at times. Simple connections are made on flimsy clues, and if there is an immense cover-up going on (as we are led to believe in the early parts of the film), then there have been some rather sloppy cleaners keeping tabs on the loose ends. Yet as far as formulaic thrillers go, Unknown doesn’t so much transcend the genre as play its familiar notes with workmanlike competence.

The casting is actually pretty spot-on though, with Neeson (on a particularly bad roll at the moment) still delivering a deliberately intense piece of acting. The casting of the German-born Diane Kruger as an illegal Bosnia immigrant living in German is a little odd, but as a veteran of two National Treasure films, she has become a natural at going with the flow of these roller coaster plots. A surprising inclusion to the cast is the German national treasure Bruno Ganz (The Reader), no worse for wear after appearing in countless Downfall parodies on YouTube, as an ex-Stasi private investigator. He, along with the transparently sinister Frank Langella (The Box), provide a bit of old-school weight to the film but are all simply tools in a predestined conclusion.

The Reel Bits: We know there are known unknowns, that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. Yet if Hollywood has taught us anything, there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know. Unknown ticks all the rights boxes for a genre thriller, although never draw outside the lines of the boxes.

Unknown was released on February 17, 2011 in Australia by Roadshow Films.

February 17, 2011