Tag: Ralph Fiennes

Review: No Time to Die

In October 2005, Eon Productions announced the casting of Daniel Craig. As the sixth actor to take on the role of James Bond in their successful film series, the announcement was not immediately embraced. Anti-fan sites launched campaigns that foreshadowed more commonplace social media assaults a decade later. Yet after Casino Royale was released in 2006, the critics were (mostly) silenced. Now, after 15 years and five outings, Craig’s self-contained saga comes full circle in a satisfying conclusion.

Picking up sometime after Spectre, Bond and Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) are hanging out in Southern Italy in extramarital bliss — until things go boom. Feeling betrayed, Bond leaves her on a train and disappears. Five years later, when an MI6 scientist is kidnapped, it’s unveiled that M (Ralph Fiennes) has been involved in the development of a programmable bioweapon with deadly accuracy. It gets into the hands of Safin (Rami Malek), a terrorist leader with ties to Madeleine’s past and his own agenda.

NO TIME TO DIE wastes very little of its time setting the scene before plunging us into the action. Opening with a gloriously shot prelude sequence that plays like a wintery horror western, the pre-title sequence involves an explosion, a bike chase and a bullet-riddled Aston Martin. It’s an acknowledgement of the things that make audiences turn up in droves, continually escalating through a kinetic Cuba sequence (with a wonderful cameo from Ana de Armas) to the inevitable secret lair showdown.

Yet more than anything, it’s about character. Not since George Lazenby’s short-lived stint in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service — a film that is referenced several times in this outing — has the notion of Bond been so thoroughly interrogated on screen. It’s there overtly, of course, in the presence of Nomi (Lashana Lynch) as the inheritor of the 007 mantle during Bond’s retirement. Yet in the film’s final act, where Safin characterises their dichotomy as “two heroes in a tragedy of their own making,” the film directly address who James Bond is when you strip away the armour.

The rest of the cast is impeccable, with only a handful of new friends joining a cast of familiars. Lynch is unquestionably the standout of the new faces, a capable equal for Bond and an indicator of where the series can go from here. Indeed, good money will be contributed to the Kickstarter that teams up de Armas and Lynch in a buddy spy film.

If director Fukunaga’s film stumbles, other than in the field of judicious editing, it is in the development of the villains. A key sequence featuring the return of Christoph Waltz as Blofeld is an excellent coda to Spectre, although it’s at the expense of the ostensible primary villain. Malek has a surprisingly small amount of screen time in the 163 minutes we spend in 007’s orbit, and we learn little beyond his appropriation of Japonisme as an aesthetic. Similarly, most of Seydoux’s progression seems to happen offscreen.

Is it territory we’ve seen partially covered before? A little, especially when you compare it with Skyfall. Is it way too long? As the longest film in the franchise history, undoubtedly. Yet as Daniel Craig’s last outing in the tux, it earns every inch of its blockbuster presence. As an unabashed fan of all things Bond, it satisfied a core part of my being while allowing me to bid farewell to arguably one of the greatest portrayals of the character in his 68 year history. So, yes, it’s a farewell of sorts, but you can always count on one thing: James Bond will return.

2021 | UK, USA | DIRECTOR: Cary Joji Fukunaga | WRITER: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge | CAST: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes | DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures | RUNNING TIME: 163 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 11 November 2021 (AUS)

November 10, 2021
Review: Dolittle

In 2019, Robert Downey Jr. completed a journey that he’d begun 11 years earlier, making his eleventh and (apparently) final appearance as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2020, he follows this up with a role that sees him remove items from a flatulent dragon’s butt.

For context, that reductive introduction is alluding to the fact that DOLITTLE – loosely based on Hugh Lofting’s series of books – is a story for younger children. In an animated opening sequence, we learn that the gifted veterinarian and animal whisperer Dr. John Dolittle (Downey Jr.) shut himself off from the world following the death of his beloved Lily.

Years later, young ragamuffin Stubbins (Harry Collett) stumbles into Dolittle’s menagerie seeking help. As luck would have it, so does Lady Rose (newcomer Carmel Laniado), who has been sent to fetch the reluctant Dolittle’s help in curing the ailing Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley). Sailing off to find the mysterious fruit that can help her, old rival Dr. Blair Müdfly (Michael Sheen) secretly works to bring down both the Queen and the good doctor.

The widely reported production problems are evident from the start of DOLITTLE, a film that often struggles to find a happy medium between ‘effects feature’ and ‘light comedy.’ Indeed, there are jarring stretches of narrative leaps where it’s obvious that entire scenes were cut, abandoned, or perhaps never completed. The voice-over work from talking parrot Polynesia (Emma Thompson) acts a kind of narrative sticky tape, one that attempts to hide some of these story sins.

In fact, with The LEGO Batman Movie’s Chris McKay and TMNT’s Jonathan Liebesman allegedly brought in for reshoots, one wonders how Syriana and Gold helmer Stephen Gaghan got involved in the first place. So, what’s most surprising is that there’s still an entertaining romp at the heart of this thing. Part of this is thanks to RDJ just doing his thing, a variation on his persona to date but filtered through a Welsh accent – abeit one that often feels disembodied by ADR.

Targeting that sweet kiddie demographic means a massive voice cast, so all those eight-year-old fans of Ralph Fiennes, Jason Mantzoukas, Kumail Nanjiani and Rami Malek will have their little socks rocked. Seriously though, the voice cast is remarkable and is probably the star power – all of whom are presumably ‘just wanting to make something their kids can watch – that lifts this out of your average kiddie fodder.

At the end of the day, DOLITTLE is a film where a shy gorilla kicks a tiger in the nuts. Younger audiences will undoubtedly love the combination of slapstick and adventure, although there are some surprisingly dark parts that will scare the youngest among us. Either way, this won’t be the last time this story is told, and it’s just a shame that whatever original vision this picture had got lost in production hell.

2020 | US | DIRECTOR: Stephen Gaghan, Dan Gregor, Doug Mand | WRITERS: Charles Randolph| CAST: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Marion Cotillard | DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures (AUS)| RUNNING TIME: 102 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 16 January 2020 (AUS)

January 16, 2020
Review: The LEGO Batman Movie

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s wildly successful The LEGO Movie skirted a thin line between advertisement and multiversal child-friendly fantasy. With THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, director Chris McKay gets incredibly micro with a film that recognises that mocking Batman is inherently funny, but can’t seem to sustain the gag over a feature-length outing.

McKay describes the film as “Jerry McGuire as directed by Michael Mann with a lot of Batman jokes.” On this premise, we see Batman (voiced once again by Will Arnett) hurt the feelings of the Joker (Zach Galifianakis) by telling him that he isn’t important. When all of Gotham’s supervillains surrender, Batman is no longer needed in the city. Plotting to make himself relevant and rid the world of the Joker once and for all, Batman is soon joined by young ward Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) and slowly learns the value of family.

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE is a film that’s acutely aware of the insane legacy of Batman and wants to skewer all of it. Like an even more satirical version of Grant Morrison’s take, one in which every strange version of the Dark Knight is given legitimacy, the film is peppered with visual gags and throwaway references to the highs and lows of almost eight decades of crime fighting. At its best, the script acknowledges the ridiculous moments of its history, giving equal ribbing to the 1960s campness (not that it needs it) and Christopher Nolan’s über-serious conclusions. However, while the all-star voice cast give it their best, this is exactly like a feature length version of one of McKay’s Robot Chicken sketches. The gags are relentless, but fairly one-note, stretching the joke behind “Batman’s Song” (from The LEGO Movie) over 104 minutes.

Perhaps the rapid turnaround time of the film accounts for some of these shortfallings, with a mere two-and-a-half years between treatment and release equating to a heartbeat in animation terms. Indeed, it’s the straightest line McKay could have taken between the previous film and this one, literally playing live-action footage of the films it references rather than working their strengths into the narrative. At other times, the solitude of Batman is played out in scenes so long that they give SNL a run for its money in terms of outstaying their welcome. A fun concept with some clever animation, but it’s one that would have worked much better as a television special or a series of short skits.

[stextbox id=”grey” bgcolor=”F2F2F2″ mleft=”5″ mright=”5″ image=”null”]2017 | US, Denmark, Australia | DIR: Chris McKay | WRITER: Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, John Whittington | CAST: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes | DISTRIBUTOR: Roadshow Films (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 104 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 30 March 2017 (AUS) [/stextbox]

March 23, 2017
Review: Kubo and the Two Strings

A stunningly realised production that blends an ancient Japanese aesthetic with gorgeous animation in this instant classic.

“If you must blink, do it now,” warns the eponymous Kubo in the opening narration of his film. “If you look away, even for an instant, then our hero will surely perish.” It’s the first bit of metatextual engagement that KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS has with its audience, although when the film looks as stunning as this one does, it difficult to look anywhere other than the screen. The latest from Coraline and ParaNorman studio Laika is a fully aware production that draws on mythology and familiar storybook tropes, but conclusively plants a flag for the animators at the top of the artistic pile.

Having lost one eye as an infant, the eye-patch wearing Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson) cares for his ailing mother just outside a village in ancient Japan. However, when he accidentally fails to follow his mother’s warning of not staying out after dark, he summons a malicious spirit that is intent on his very soul. Teaming up with Monkey (Charlize Theron) and a beetle warrior (Matthew McConaughey), Kubo searches not only for the pieces of some powerful armour, but for a tangible connection to his heritage.

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is a film that understands the power of stories, especially those that we tell ourselves to construct our personal histories. Within the framework of the classic hero’s journey, when Kubo first crosses the threshold, Monkey reminds him that it is the beginning of his story. As the latest in a long line of ostensibly orphaned heroes, Kubo gets to carve out his own tale, and there is something incredibly empowering about that for audiences of all ages. More than that, Kubo himself is a storyteller, using a magical stringed instrument to bring origami to life and aid him in his quest. While there are definitely swords and battles aplenty throughout the narrative, it’s refreshing to see a film that places equal importance on wit, heart, and the ability to wield imagination as an ally.

The animation on the feature is absolutely breathtaking, a quantum leap in stop-motion techniques mixed with computer generated imagery. As we see under the end credits, a colossal skeleton fight is achieved through a legitimately enormous animatronic creation Laika has put together. The blend of stop-motion, technology, CG and actual sets created for the production is almost seamless, the occasional visible frame rate here and there being the only indications that this world isn’t entirely organic. Where KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS soars is in the lighting, playing delicately off a lantern, infusing an entire mountain top, or illuminating the skillfully rendered water. It’s something one takes for granted in live action, but in this unique form of filmmaking, these animation masters literally create light.

It’s unquestionably a golden age for animation, although it would be unfair to pigeon-hole KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS into so narrow a category. It’s a film that plays on the strongest aspects of traditional adventure narratives while challenging the viewer to create their own powerful stories, without ever needing to speak down to the younger members of the audience. Coraline may have put Laika on the map as the new avant garde of the animated world, but KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS solidifies their reputation as outstanding storytellers.

2016 | US | DIR: Travis Knight | WRITER: Marc Haimes, Chris Butler | CAST: Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, Matthew McConaughey | RUNNING TIME: 101 minutes | DISTRIBUTOR: Focus Features (US), Universal Pictures (AUS) | RATING: ★★★★½

August 15, 2016
Review: Spectre

One of the themes central to SPECTRE is the question of whether the 00 Section of MI6 is still relevant in the 21st century, particularly in the wake of the literal and figurative explosions that rocked the British secret service following the events of Skyfall. It’s a question highly relevant to the James Bond franchise itself, a series that has now racked up 24 films and has proudly worn its misogyny and Cold War politics on its sleeve for over half a century.

On some levels, SPECTRE treads over some old territory, despite an incongruous and wailing opening song by Sam Smith and more tentacles groping naked women than an erotic Japanese anime film. A rogue James Bond (Daniel Craig) defies the orders of new section head M (Ralph Fiennes) and “C” (Andrew Scott), the head of a new privately-backed intelligence organisation that aims to merge MI5 with MI6 and eliminate the 00 agents, tracking down his own leads on a network that connects all of the world’s terror organisations.

Bookending the ‘origin story’ that began with Casino Royale, SPECTRE recreates one of Bond’s most famous villains, and in the grand tradition of all reimaginings, gives the bad guy (Christoph Waltz) a personal connection. All of the giant tick-boxes that you’d expect in a 007 film are there, from lavish locations to women (this time, Léa Seydoux and the age-appropriate Monica Bellucci) falling for the suave agent’s piercing baby blues.

The opening sequence around the Mexican Día de Muertos is absolutely stunning, with impeccable costuming (via the award-winning Jany Temime), and Hoyte van Hoytema’s photography gets to linger long on London, Rome, and the gorgeous Sölden region of Austria. What might surprise some is how measured the film’s pacing is, with long scenes paying great attention to the mise en scène, allowing director Sam Mendes and the cast to play with the expected.

It’s not an entirely even experience, but the film gives us enough thrills to answer its own question: there is still room for James Bond, especially one that has more than two dimensions.

2015 | UK/US | Dir: Sam Mendes | Writers: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Jez Butterworth | Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, Ralph Fiennes | Distributor: Sony| Running time: 148minutes | Rating:★★★¾ (7.5/10)

November 16, 2015
Review: Skyfall

A measured and stylish Bond film that takes us back to the very roots of the character and the franchise.

[stextbox id=”grey” caption=”Skyfall (2012)” float=”true” align=”right” width=”200″]

Director: Sam Mendes

Writer: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan

Runtime: 143 minutes

Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Ben Whishaw, Albert Finney

Distributor: Sony

Country: UK/US

Rating (?): Highly Recommended (★★★★)

More info

[/stextbox]

In the first four decades of James Bond films, the various filmmakers have taken us on a journey from the sublime to the ridiculous, increasingly upping the ante on explosive mayhem and gadgetry. Indeed, it was at the point where the films had become a parody of themselves that 007 got a post-Bourne refresh and were brought back down to some semblance of reality with Casino Royale (2006) with the introduction of Daniel Craig to the role of Bond. Having now successfully carved out a niche for the series as serious action dramas once again, Skyfall aims it take it up a notch with Academy Award winning director Sam Mendes injecting unexpectedly dark drama into the twenty-third outing of the world’s most famous spy on his fiftieth anniversary.

On a mission in Turkey to retrieve a stolen data packet containing the details of all of the undercover NATO agents in terrorist organisations, James Bond (Daniel Craig) is accidentally shot by fellow agent Eve (Naomie Harris) and goes missing, presumed dead. As a result of the leaks, MI6 head M (Judi Dench) comes under fire from the government, with Intelligence and Security Committee Chairman, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) urging her to retire. However, when former MI6 agent Silva (Javier Bardem) attacks the very heart of MI6 in London, Bond comes in from the cold to fight once more as a solider of the British Empire. Yet like M, he begins to struggle with his place within a modern world, wondering if he still has what it takes to hunt in the shadows.

Thoroughly and unapologetically British, Skyfall mostly takes place within the borders of the Queen’s domain, apart from three particularly spectacular sequences in Turkey, Shanghai and Macau. It’s part of a broader approach of stripping Bond back to his most basic elements, from his love of Empire to his old-fashioned nature in a world of modern espionage. It’s not the first time that Bond’s relevance in the 21st century has been questioned, but it may be the first time since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) that somebody has asked what would happen if Bond was stripped elements at his core. More than this, it forcibly knocks out the rarefied air that the Bond films have breathed for the last fifty years, ensuring that not just Bond but the whole MI6 organisation has to become accountable to the real world. In the light of some very recent scandals in British and America spy politics, this firmly grounds Skyfall within reality, just as Casino Royale set out to do over half a decade ago. While the film skirts dangerously close to making it seem a little too procedural at times, screenwriters Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan (two-thirds of whom co-wrote Craig’s first two Bond outings) keep the film above water by using this reality to heighten the dramatic tension.

On the opposite end of the scale is Bardem’s villain, delightfully scene-chewing and practically cat-stroking his way through one of the more outlandish Bond villains of the modern era, a deformed mix of Hannibal Lecter and allegedly Bond’s own historical villain Jaws (Richard Kiel). With a hairstyle only rivalled by his singular coif in No Country For Old Men (2007), his Silva gleefully tells Bond that “Mummy has been very bad” while making sexual advances on the captive 00 agent. Indeed, this is a well-rounded cast, where even the smallest of parts makes a significant contribution to the whole, and in some cases sets up future developments for the series. Fiennes’ minor antagonist makes several dramatic changes throughout the film, surprising. The new Q (Ben Whishaw) is ideally cast as a young tech-geek, making a clear break from the befuddled quartermasters before him. Bond girls come in the typically feisty (Harris) and fatale (Bérénice Marlohe) variety, and for once are there for the overall betterment of the narrative.

For long-time Bond fans, there are many rewards to be found in the deliberately delayed final act. In many ways, it is a distinct entity from the rest of the film, taking place almost entirely in Scotland and giving the film a clear line-of-sight to Sean Connery. The film characteristically lurches from high-concept to the slicker demands of suits and cocktail parties. Yet as Skyfall works its way to a DIY siege in the final reels, Mendes and his team prove that Bond still has a few surprises up his tuxedo sleeve after all these years.

Skyfall is released in Australia on 22 November 2012 from Sony.

November 17, 2012
Two New Trailers for Skyfall Arrive

Coming Soon and Sony have released new US and international (Australian) trailer respectively for the latest James Bond film, Skyfall. In them, we get our first look at a blonde Anton Chigurh…er…Javier Bardem as the new Bond villain Silva. Sony has also sent us a hi-res photo of Bardem in character.

Bond’s loyalty to M (Judi Dench) is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. Daniel Craig returns as James Bond, and is joined by Naomie Harris, Berenice Marlohe, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney, Ben Whishaw, Helen McCrory, Ola Rapace and Tonia Sotiropoulou.

Skyfall will be released in Australia on 22 November 2012 from Sony.

[jwplayer config=”Custom Player” mediaid=”72123″]

Australian Trailer:

August 1, 2012
Video: Skyfall Cast and Filmmakers Arrive On Location in Istanbul

Source: Press release

Daniel Craig and cast and filmmakers of Skyfall, the 23rd adventure in the longest-running film franchise of all time, have arrived in Istanbul, Turkey. Their arrival marks the third time a James Bond adventure has filmed in the historic city. Previously, Istanbul served as a backdrop for scenes in From Russia With Love and The World Is Not Enough. Skyfall locations in Turkey include Adana, Fethiye and Istanbul. At a photo call and press conference today to mark the occasion were producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, director Sam Mendes, and cast members Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, and Ola Rapace.

In Skyfall, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Skyfall is from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary motion picture franchise.

Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions presents Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s James Bond in Skyfall. The film also stars Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Ben Whishaw, with Albert Finney and Judi Dench as ‘M.’ Directed by Sam Mendes. Produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. Written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan. Director of Photography is Roger Deakins, ASC BSC. Production Designer is Dennis Gassner. Editor is Stuart Baird, A. C. E. Costume Designer is Jany Temime. The film will begin its worldwide roll-out in the UK and Ireland on October 26^th 2012 and in Australia on November 22, 2012.

May 1, 2012
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.

[stextbox id=”grey” caption=”Wrath of the Titans (2012)” float=”true” align=”right” width=”200″]

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

[/stextbox]

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
Review: Coriolanus

A contemporary restaging of one of Shakespeare’s more obscure plays has a frightening resonance for modern audiences.

[stextbox id=”grey” caption=”Coriolanus (2011)” float=”true” align=”right” width=”200″]

Director: Ralph Fiennes

Writer(s): William Shakespeare, John Logan

Runtime: 122 minutes

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, James Nesbitt, Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain, Vanessa Redgrave

Distributor: Icon

Country: UK

Rating: Highly Recommended (?)

More info

[/stextbox]

If William Shakespeare was alive today, he’d be the highest paid screenwriter in Hollywood’s history, churning out everything from rom-coms to epic wartime biopics. The playwright who has been dead for almost four centuries has inspired well over four-hundred feature-length film adaptations of his works. Some of these are standards that get trotted out every few years: Hamlet, Richard III, Macbeth and, of course, Romeo and Juliet. Despite this strong fascination that the world still seems to have with the Bard, there are those plays that just don’t get performed as much as the more famous works. Now the more obscure Coriolanus joins the ranks of Titus (Andronicus) and Love’s Labours Lost thanks to director and star Ralph Fiennes.

In an empire calling itself Rome, the people are restless at having stores of grain withheld from them. Most of them blame Caius Martius (Ralph Fiennes), who is openly contemptuous to the masses. While Menenius (Brian Cox) placates the masses, Brutus (Paul Jesson) and Sicinius (James Nesbitt) privately denounced Martius. When the latter hears of the Volscian army in the field, he is soon off to combat. Caius is awarded the title of Coriolanus for his bravery in fighting Aufidius (Gerard Butler), the Volscian leader, and his mother Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave) urges him to parlay this recognition into a run for the office of consul. However, he soon finds himself up against a sea of populist aggression.

The lack of performances and adaptations of Coriolanus to date are undoubtedly due to how unsympathetic the central character is. Unlike other Shakespearean tregedies, we are offered no soliloquies or monologues to peep inside the mind of this very complex character. He is openly contemptuous to the masses, but also a fierce defender of the kingdom. He seems reluctant to accept praise, but has no issue in publically airing his negative views. He is a strong military man able to be manipulated by his mother. All of this amounts to an incredibly difficult character to pin down, but Fiennes in his role as director, producer and star manages to make the figure one worthy of the canon. Above all things, he is a character with a high standard for himself that he remains true to above all things. “Would you have me false to my nature?,” he asks. “Rather say I play the man I am”. Yet as noble and complex a character as this it, he may prove an impenetrable barrier for some.

John Logan has already had a terrific run in 2011 with his screenplays for the Academy Award winning films Rango and Hugo, and with Coriolanus he continues to show his versatility. Restaging the film in the battlefields of the 21^st century, Logan and Fiennes’ Coriolanus is a study of modern warfare and politics, a stunning achievement given that it maintains the original text. The play has been used over the years for various purposes, actually banned in France in the 1930s for being used by a fascist element. In a post-9/11 world, the play is reshaped to take on the power politics and popular perception in influencing the masses, and in shaping or destroying the destiny of the individual.

The performances are central to the success of this adaptation and Fiennes has gathered together an unquestionably impeccable cast. Unlike Julie Taymor’s casting of the recent The Tempest, which threw an eclectic cast mix at the film hoping some of them would stick, Fiennes’ carefully selected troupe all adds something to the film. This may be minor Shakespeare, but there are no minor roles here. Even the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain, who only has a small amount of screen time, brings a quiet dignity to Coriolanus’ wife. Nesbitt and Cox in particular give the supporting cast an authenticity, delivering 400 year old lines as though they were everyday speech. Yet it is Fiennes and Butler who command the screen, with the former only having to utter a few lines or stroke his shaven head with Colonel Kurtz megalomania to send shivers down your spine.

[stextbox id=”custom”]A fresh and lively take on this little-known Shakespeare marks a thrilling debut from Fiennes as a director, commanding this huge cast like a seasoned pro.[/stextbox]

Coriolanus is released in Australia on 8 March 2012 from Icon.

March 13, 2012