May 27th, 2008 rabbell
On Sunday I went and seen the latest Indiana Jones movie and I thought I would quickly let you guys know what I thought about it.
I’m a huge fan of the franchise so I was kinda looking forward to and dreading what this movie would be like. Don’t forget that George Lucas does play a big part in this franchise and look at the mess he made of his other franchise with his 3 prequels. So I was dreading and excited by the movie.
So, what did I think…
It sucks.
It is honestly one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Not THE worst, but one of them.
About a third of the way through this movie I was enjoying it. It wasn’t great but it was enjoyable. There had been a good couple of action scenes, the nuclear explosion, the motorbike chase into the library…all good.
Then they got to the jungle and again it wasn’t terrible…then came the swordfight in the jeeps. That was it for me, it just became ridiclous after that. Swinging through the trees like Tarzan, the ending…oh my god, the ending.
I felt violated when I came out. Not in a good way either. Its just a totally dumb story and people will say (oh ignore the plot, it’s an action movie) but thats all there was. There was no sub-plots (actually not one I can think of), not enough comedy to focus on that (which is fine) so all you had was the plot and unfortunately it was absolute nonsense.
Couple of other things as well (if you’ve seen it, do you agree?)
What was with the scene with the FBI questioning Indy about him being a traitor? This happened in the first 10 mins but then it just vanished. Never to be mentioned again…ever. And if it’s in the first 10 mins and then removed from the movie entirely then you have to think “well, what was the point”? And the general coming in and sticking up for him, I guess this scene was just to inform us of indys war medals but then I think this could have been accomplished by Indy in his house and a shot of his medals rather than this sub-plot that lasted all of 3 minutes.
Why was Ray Winstone in the movie at all? Seriously remove his character from the movie, would you notice.
Despite the inital promises of little CGI, let me tell you that there is lots. No a little, but lots of CGI.
I loved how the KGB spies had heavy russian accents. It’s 1957 and these guys are undercover KGB spies in the states and they sound like Arnie with a cold. Gee, how did the CIA miss you guys?
I thought Cate Blanchett was wasted, her character was inept rather than the scary russian baddie she was supposed to be. Also she was billed as being psyhic, what happened with that? Did she do anything paranormal with these supposed powers, not one thing.
Did anyone else notice the similarity between the jeep scene and the chase through the mines in the temple of doom? I thought they were pretty much 90-100% exact. Even the ending with all the water.
Thanks George, another childhood franchise wrecked. Although I know it’s not all his fault, I can’t see how Spielberg wouldn’t have noticed this sucked. I hate to think someone with his kinda cash put this movie together to cash in cause that is how it feels.
I know some of my points above are nit picking (especially the accent point) but I felt like the movie makers thought I was dumb. That was the over riding message I got from the movie, “I’m dumb and I’ll enjoy anything”. I hate that. I like action movies but the best action movies are the ones with good plots. People say plots don’t count in action movies but I beg to differ, the best action movies are the ones with great action scenes, big stunts AND a good plot. For example the 1st Die Hard and all of the Bourne movies. A great action movie needs a decent plot and this just wasn’t it.
People at my cinema were laughing at the end, and not in a good way. I heard the word “shit” from my fellow cinema members several times.
Good points…Harrison Ford is great, the role he was born to play and he does play it well every time. I didn’t see Transformers so this is the first time I’ve really seen Shia Lebouef and I thought he was pretty good as well.
But I would save your money and go see Batman instead (hopefully that will live up to the hype), this might be worth seeing on DVD if you’re a fan but I now I won’t be watching it again. Shame really.
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May 9th, 2008 rabbell
A short time ago I got involved in a discussion about why the original Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs is better (miles better) than Scorceses remake The Departed.
So, why infernal affairs is better (IN MY OPINION)
WARNING: this does involve spoilers for both movies
1. The 2 characters were undercover for years in the original. Almost 16 years, not the 2 weeks of the Departed. In that time they aged. Changed. Fuck in the original they knew each other at the start, were even friends. But by the time we get to present day they’ve aged so much (mid 30’s) they don’t recognise one another anymore. 2 weeks pass in scorceses. Ok it wasn’t 2 weeks, but still I thought the fact they knew one another in the original was a nice touch.
2. Leo’s character in the original was tormented because he’d joined the cops to be a cop, to protect and serve and do the right thing…not what he’d been doing. The bad guy (jacks character) in the original was a charasmatic guy, you could see why the cop (matts character) was drawn to him, helped him, felt he owed him but you also felt why he was torn. He was a cop but he was a traitor as well. He sold out the cops to help this guy to who he owed everything and that ate at him. So you see 2 tormented characters…
Now in the departed Leo’s character was torn but Matts wasn’t . They changed it so that he was just a guy trying to climb the ranks of the police. You didn’t feel any sympathy for Matts character not like the original where you felt sorry for both of them.
3. In the original the 2 main characters act their socks off. In the remake Leo is fantastic, actually maybe one of his best performances. Matt is given nothing to do. Why is character the way he is, why is he trying to climb the ranks of the police and sell out the cops as well…no idea, they never tell you and thats why Matts performance isn’t as good as it should be, cause he’s lost.
4. What the fuck is Jack Nicholson doing? This is the Joker, that’s what he did, he potrayed the Joker again in a different movie. Jacks one of my all time favourites but that was painful. Way way over the top, it’s a shame even Scorscese couldn’t reel him in.
5. Total waste of Ray Winstone. Watch Sexy Beast and see what he can do and then watch what they ask him to do in this.
6. The psychogist isn’t in the original and I wonder if she was jus added to this so we could see the usual sex scene in hollywood movies. Oh look, it’s Leos ass now it’ll make money.
7. At the first meeting in Martin Sheens office he says to Leo “Do it for me”. Who the fuck are you, they just met 5 minutes ago.
8. What the hell happened with the whole transmitter chips storyline…it was just ditched. Gone, forgotten. One minute the whole plot of the movie, the next…gone.
9. The ending in the original is far better. The tension builds and when what happens, happens you are shocked. Suprised. You are really gutted. Instead in the Departed the people in the cinema I was in laughed. Laughed. There were 2 characters in that scene that wasn’t in the original and their only purpose in the movie seemed to be that they had to die in that scene. The script must have said
Person enter stage left, says a few lines and BANG, shot in the head.
Then Person enter stage left, says a few lines and BANG, shot in the head.
Then Person enter stage left, says a few lines and BANG, shot in the head.
10. The last few lines in the original are among the best I’ve ever seen in a movie.
In the original when leo’s character is kicked out of cop school (or so we think), Matts character see’s him leave and says “I wish it was me”. Then at the end when Leo’s character is getting the hero’s funeral, he looks at the grave and says “I wish it was me”. He means it as well, the actor delivers it with feeling, so much so that we agree with him. It should have been him and not the other guy. He was the rat, he was the traitor, not the other guy. The fact the good guy dies and the bad guy gets away with it is just something hollywood can’t do.
In the departed we get a rat…with fuzzy lines around him cause he’s been super imposed against a blue screen and not very well I may add. Fucking cliche or what “look theres a dead guy and oh look, a rat. Can you spot the symbolism” well yeah Martin when you hit me over the fucking head with it I can’t fail to. And again the good guy dies (like in the original fair enough), the girl who wasn’t in the original is pregnant with the good guys baby so even though he died he kinda lives and then does the bad guy get away with it…well no, we can’t have that. People have to leave the cinema thinking everything was wrapped up neatly.
11. And the final thought, the one that really sticks in my throat…is this the movie that should have won Scorsese his oscar…I think not and you know what, I’m sure the academy knows it as well.
[/rant]
Things I did like about the Departed was Leo’s performance, Alec Baldwins character and performance, although she wasn’t in the original I thought the psychologist was good but I still didn’t see the point of having her in the movie. I thought mark walhberg was good but again, his was a new character and his only purpose in the movie was the final scene which kinda didn’t make sense.
Don’t get me wrong, I would say see Departed but don’t get your hopes up. If you want to see a great thriller then watch Infernal Affairs.
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