Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Warner Bros. – 179 mins – 2002 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.40: 1 – DTS-HD 6.1 Audio – DVD copy – Digital Copy

Everyone involved must have definitely been relieved when The Fellowship of the Ring was released, because not only was it a critical success, it also was a huge hit at the box office and audiences want to see the story continue. The second installment of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers, which was previously only available in a box set, is now sold as an individual Blu-ray from Warner Home Video.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Warner Bros. – 178 mins – 2001 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.40: 1 – DTS-HD 6.1 Audio – DVD copy – Digital Copy

Translating J.R.R. Tolkien’s books into big screen motion pictures could have been a disaster, such as with Frank Herbert’s Dune. But somehow the stars in the universe lined up correctly and a guy named Peter Jackson, who previously directed a raunchy puppet film called Meet the Feebles, not only pulled it off, but made history. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was one of the most eagerly demanded films requested on Blu-ray, (next to Star Wars flicks) and earlier this year Warner Home Video finally released a box set of the three films. Now the three films have been released individually on Blu-ray, but they are still only the theatrical versions, which means that those waiting for the director’s cuts still have to wait.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Lionsgate – 101 mins – 2010 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 2.35: 1 – Dolby Digital DTS-HD 7.1 Audio

Ashton Kutcher really wants to be a movie star, but his choices are so bad that he’s shooting himself in the foot. There are plenty of actors in Hollywood who get by on their looks, but somehow they pick better projects than him. Kutcher’s latest attempt to be a big screen star is the romantic action comedy, Killers, which also stars current rom-com queen Katherine Heigl from TV’s Grey’s Anatomy. The film arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate, and even if you’re a fan of Kutcher or Heigl’s, this one may be hard to sit through without tapping the fast forward button.

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Reviewed by Johnny McNair

The Weinstein Company – 90 mins – 2008 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 1.78: 1 – Dolby Digital DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio

Star Wars fans are a force of nature that cannot be stopped, and after 33 years since the original film was released, the fan base is expanding in numbers larger than the galactic empire. There are a zillion star wars fan films on You Tube, and many popular motion pictures and TV shows have paid homage to the films, but Fanboys is the first film to base an entire premise on the cult of Star Wars. Fanboys is finally available on Blu-ray from The Weinstein Company, so strap yourselves in and get ready to make the jump to light speed.

THE MOVIE

A long time ago, in a town not so far away…

Well actually it’s 1998, and there’s a six month countdown to the release of the most eagerly awaited film in the history of motion pictures, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, the first Star Wars film to be seen by human eyes in fifteen years. Four friends who were die hard Star Wars fans as kids, Eric (Sam Huntington), Linus (Chris Marquette), Hutch (Dan Fogler), and Windows (Jay Barucel) are now in their twenties, but it seems as that only Eric has grown up and accepted responsibility. And because their has to be a girl tossed into the mix so one of them can fall for her, geeky dream girl Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars rounds up the central cast.

When Eric learns that Linus is terminally ill, he and the guys put away their past differences and unite to go in the ultimate road trip. They make an elaborate plan to break into George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch and see the rough cut of Episode 1, because the odds are not in favor of Linus still be around when the actual film will be released to the masses.

Despite the sad premise, the film tries very hard to be comedic throwing out every geeky reference you can imagine. If you’re a fan of Star Wars or any other sci-fi film or TV show related to pop culture, you’ll get the jokes. If you don’t like Star Wars or any of this stuff surrounding it, you will be clueless about what any of these characters are talking about. This film is made for a very specific audience, and all others need not apply.

Directed by Kyle Newman, who is a major Star Wars fan, this is his love letter to Lucas and the Star Wars universe. The problem with the film is that it’s not well thought out and the characters become more annoying than actually likeable. Yes, there are some good moments in the film, but instead of taking risk, the film plays it safe, when it should have come down hard on what a disappointed Episode 1 actually turned out to be.

There are cameos from two of the original Star Wars cast members, Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams, as well as the ultimate symbol of anti-Star Wars, William “Captain James T. Kirk” Shatner. Geeks of current pop culture also make appearances to show their loyalty to the saga, such as Kevin Smith, Seth Rogen, and the ultimate nerd who created ‘Aint It Cool News ,’ Harry Knowles. It would have been the icing on the cake if George Lucas himself would have played a part in the film, but his presence is all over.

Fanboys is one of those films that you’ll either cherish for its geekness, or you’ll just wonder was this really necessary. Either way, just the nostalgia of thinking how hyped up fans were in 1998 waiting for Star Wars to return may be worth it for most. And the last line of the film sums it all up as the gang finally sits in the theater before the film starts and one turns to the other and says “Hey, what if it sucks?”

VIDEO

Fanboys comes to Blu-ray in full 1080p in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, and it has an acceptable image, but nothing that will jump off the screen. Colors are well balanced and skin tones are good. Heavy grain becomes an issue in darker scenes, but overall this is a minor step up from the DVD.

AUDIO

Offering a Dolby Digital DTS-HD Master 5.1 mix, Fanboys sounds good without over-doing it. This is a dialogue heavy film, so forward speakers get most of the workout. But for fans there are plenty of Star Wars sounds, such as lightsabers, lasers, and off course the familiar beeps of the most famous droid in the universe.

EXTRAS

Fanboys actually offers a nice package of goodies on the single Blu-ray disc, so if you are a fan of this film you shouldn’t be disappointed.

Director Kyle Newman and Producer Mathew Perniciaro introduce the film and follow-up in other segments discussing the origins of the film and how the two meet and got it made.

The cast and crew (seems like twenty of people are in the room) provide an audio commentary track, but everyone seems to be talking over one another.

Six deleted scenes are available, but their mainly extensions to what was in the actual film.

‘4 Fanboys and 1 Fangirl’ has the primary cast members to talk about each of their characters and working together.

‘Disturbance in the Force ‘ is a series of the seven webisodes that hyped up the film.

‘Fanboys Goes Golbal’ looks at how the film became a cult phenomenon worldwide.

There’s also an Image Gallery and Digital Comic provides some fun pictures from the film and behind the scenes.

‘Star Wars Parallel’ has the actors talk about how each other their characters mirror the actual characters in the Star Wars universe.

BOTTOM LINE

Fanboys is just exactly what the title says, a movie for fans of not only Star Wars but everything in pop culture from the last twenty years. The Blu-ray offers decent image and sound quality, but it’s the bonus features that actually stand out more. Fans will buy this one with no questions asked, because they’ve already been overtaken by the Jedi mind trick.

SCORES: (Out of 5)

The Movie:    3.0
Video:        3.5
Sound:        3.5
Extras:        4.0

Bottom Line:    3.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

MGM/UA – 100 mins – 2010 – Unrated – 1080p Widescreen 1.85: 1 – Dolby Digital DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio – Digital Copy

 

Ah…the 80’s, if you were fortunate enough to remember the decade it was a great time. Offering awesome films like Back to the Future and Raiders of the Lost Ark, TV shows like Miami Vice and The A-Team, MTV, and songs by great one hit wonders like Men Without Hats and Wang Chung. Oh, if only we could all go back for a little while to have some fun. Well now we can thanks to the appropriately titled, Hot Tub Time Machine, available on Blu-ray from MGM/FOX. Now get that old Zach Morris phone out of the closet, make puff up your hair and slide on the Ray Bans, because the 80’s are back.

THE MOVIE

Yes, there have been plenty of films about guys suffering from a mid-life crisis, so the formula is the same. A trio of high school pals, Adam (John Cusack), Lou (Rob Cordry) and Nic (Craig Robinson), are depressed men in their forties because life didn’t exactly go their way.  In an attempt to recapture the best time of their lives, the guys along with Adam’s nephew Jacob (Clarke Duke), take a trip to ski resort that holds some of their best memories. The place obviously is not what it used to be but the guys try to make the best of it by chilling out in the hot tub and doing a lot of heavy drinking to drown their unhappiness.

After they awake the next morning, they realize that something is very odd. The styles, music and people of reversed 24 years, and now they are back in 1986. They discover that it was the hot tub that transported the back in time, and the only person who can get them back to 2010 is the scary repairman (Chevy Chase) who needs a few days to get the part for the machine that’s broken. Now the guys have to once again experience one of the most eventful weekends of their teens, but this time as men in their 40’s, hoping to make the wrong things right.
Obviously this entire premise is over the top, but so were the 80’s. Films such as Adam’s Sandler’s The Wedding Singer have treaded on this ground before, but instead of being family friendly, Hot Tub Time Machine goes for the Porky’s audience. This film is very funny and you really didn’t have to experience the 80’s to enjoy it, but if you did it makes it that more funnier. Cusack who was a teen star in the 80’s completely gets the jokes and goes along with it, but he is the straight man next to his co-stars Robinson and Cordry who play their characters more for laughs. And character actor Crispin Glover does what he does best, play the very weird guy who steals the scene whenever he shows up.

Directed by Steve Pink, the movie keeps it’s pace because you really like these guys and even thought their situation is ridiculous, you can relate to their adventure. There are also so many references to the 80’s and how it’s influenced popular culture that you will have to watch the film multiple times to catch them all. Just the homage to the movie Red Dawn is worth it alone. Anyone looking for a comedy that makes fun of itself in a good way should give Hot Tub Time Machine a look, and if you know the 80’s well, you’re going to get a lot more out of it.

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Hot Tub Time Machine looks great on Blu-ray. The 80’s were a colorful time, so this film was shot to highlight the party style of the time, so the bright wardrobe pops out.  Close ups of the characters show every detail to perfection, maybe too much because John Cusack is starting to look like an old man, but hey, he’s earned it. Grain does show up in spots during night scenes, but overall this transfer is done very well.

AUDIO

The 80’s was very loud, so the sound mix of Hot Tub compliments the era with pride, offering a Dolby Digital DTS-HD 5.1 mix that will keep your speakers pumping. This film constantly has activity going on in the background, whether it be blasting music or a party crowd, but the dialogue is mixed nicely so that the background noises never overtake the characters and you can hear every word they are saying. All of your speakers will get a workout here, but if you’re a fan of 80’s music you will appreciate it.

EXTRAS

While the film is great, the selection of bonus features is a letdown mainly consisting of twelve minutes of deleted/extended scenes and six minutes of promotional spots and the theatrical trailer. There’s also a Digital Copy for those who want the 80’s on the go.

BOTTOM LINE

Hot Tub Time Machine is a fun movie that knows exactly what it’s trying to offer, something that many recent comedies can’t supply. The image and sound quality of the Blu-ray is top notch, but the bonus features leave a lot to be desired. Anyone looking for a comedy that will take them back to their teens should defiantly jump in this hot tub.

SCORES: (Out of 5)

The Movie: 3.5
Video: 4.0
Sound: 4.0
Extras: 2.0
Bottom Line: 3.5

Reviewed by Johnny McNair Warner Bros. – 118 mins  – 2010 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.39: 1 – DTS-HD 5.1 Audio – DVD copy – Digital Copy 

For the past few years Hollywood has been making a wave of post apocalyptic films that attempt to tell theories of how humankind will go on after everything has fallen. Obviously with the year 2012 approaching, it’s a way to cash in and most of these films are bad. The Book of Eli stands strong above the rest of the batch for one simple reason; it’s seriously attempting to send a message about people instead of bombarding you with visual effects of cities being destroyed. For those of you who missed this one in theaters it is highly recommended that you see it now that it’s available on Blu-ray from Warner Bros.

 

THE MOVIE

 

The Book of Eli doesn’t tell you a specific timeline, all we are told is that it takes place after a nuclear devastation has rocked the Earth, and the only ones who have survived seemed to be the worst that mankind has to offer. That is except for a man named Eli (Denzel Washington), a loner who is literally walking the Earth for over 30 years like Caine in Kung Fu. But instead of martial arts, Eli’s weapon of choice is a sawed off shotgun, and probably the best iPod in existence because it still works after 3 decades.

 

Eli travels with a holy book that keeps him on the path of a mission that he must accomplish, and anyone who stands in his way will be violently punished. On his journey he wonders into a town that is controlled by a criminal named Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who is ironically searching for a ‘special’ book, but has no idea where it is. Carnegie learns from a young girl named Solara (Mila Kunis), that Eli may have the book he is searching for, thus triggering a battle for the most important piece of literature ever written. Obviously, there is a great twist that you may or may not figure out before the finale, but there are no spoilers here.

 

Directed by The Hughes Brothers (twins Albert and Allen), this is the first film they’ve helmed since 2001’s From Hell, and it’s a very positive comeback for them. Though the film is not perfect, it has so many good elements that it keeps you involved to the end. It’s obvious that the film is heavily influenced by Japanese samurai, as well as, American western movies, where the lone swordsman or gunman passes through a town during his journey and becomes central in saving the people from doom.

 

As always, Denzel Washington gives a solid performance and is the main reason you’ll overlook flaws in the film. Instead of playing the role like a macho hero, he goes for a calmer tone whereas he has to be given a reason to fight, because he would rather just walk away from trouble. Gary Oldman who has already played the bad guy in a laundry list of films is good, but a little too soft, because in an apocalyptic world you would expect him to be more of a mad man. Mila Kunis may have not been the right choice for the movie, and you’ll probably wish they went for some young actress with more of a Natalie Portman edge, because Kunis is just too sweet and can’t shake that girl next door shadow that hangs over her.

 

The Book of Eli is not on the level of the Mad Max films, but it borrows from it, as well as many other films, so don’t expect the wheel to be re-invented.  Given the subject you may find yourself wishing they went deeper into certain areas of the story, but you have to imagine the original draft of the screenplay was very different than what was in the final product. Overall, The Book of Eli is a pleasant surprise and thus far one of the better films of 2010, simply because it tries to offer hope in a time of hopelessness.

 

VIDEO

 

The Book of Eli hits Blu-ray with a full 1080p image in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and the transfer looks solid offering strong blacks and very sharp details. The film was photographed with muted colors, so even in bright outdoor scenes there’s always the illusion that a dark (nuclear) cloud is overhead. At times it appears as if you’re watching a black and white film, but then you’ll see a source of color pop in that keeps you focused. There are plenty of green-screen shots making certain scenes look fake, but at the same time this works because this gives the visuals a Sin City comic book style. This one is a visual compliment for your HDTV, especially if you have one that is 40 inches and up.

 

AUDIO

 

Just like the visuals, the sound for The Book of Eli is also well executed with a DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix that will jump out at you. Dialogue is crisp as expected, but the sound effects are extremely well done, so whether a gunfight is occurring, or something as calm as Eli saying a prayer, you can hear every page of the book flip as if you were on the set. No complaints here, and if you have a surround sound set-up, you’ll benefit from the experience even more.

 

EXTRAS

 

The selection of bonus features for The Book of Eli are worthy, with three ways to watch the movie, Blu-ray, DVD, or a Digital Copy, but one of the main disappointments is that there is no audio commentary track by the Hughes Brothers, something that would have been welcomed.

  

The Maximum Movie Mode is a picture-in-picture (PiP) track which plays over certain scenes of the film, showing behind the scenes clips as well as interviews with the cast and crew.

 

‘Eli’s Journey’ is a fifteen-minute featurette that goes into the human element of the story, and the biblical mission that Eli must tackle.

 

‘Starting Over’ allows key figures from the movie to offer theories of what would happen to the Earth and the people who survived if there were a nuclear war.

 

‘The Book of Eli Soundtrack’ has the film’s composer, Atticus Ross, discussing how the music plays a central role in Eli’s journey.

 

‘The Lost Tale: Billy’ is a five-minute animated piece that goes into Gary Oldman’s character Carnegie as a little boy.

 

There are three deleted scenes offered, but there’s nothing that enhances the film and it’s obvious why they ended up on the cutting room floor.

 

A second disc provides both a standard DVD copy as well as a Digital Copy when you’re on the go, so no matter how you want to experience the film, you’re set.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

The Book of Eli is definitely worthy of your attention, not only as an action film, but something deeper because of the mood it leaves you with. The Blu-ray offers superb visuals and sound, and it’s worth the money just because you have three option formats to watch the film. Could there be a sequel or a prequel to this movie, in Hollywood who knows, but it would be interesting if done right. Overall, the Book of Eli is a solid addiction to your Blu-ray collection.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 4.5

Sound: 4.5

Extras: 3.5

Bottom Line: 4.0

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

Released: June 18, 2010
1 hr. 43 mins.
G
Directed by:  Lee Unkrich

Tom Hanks
Tim Allen
Joan Cusack
Don Rickles

1995’s Toy Story was one of those landmark, groundbreaking, milestone, watershed, (insert similar descriptive word here), motion pictures.  Animated cinema suddenly became a bit more alien.  As the first fully computer generated feature it razed a path for new, creative, polygon-built ideas.  What made the original Toy Story such a hit wasn’t the newfangled visuals, but the classic and endearing (and enduring) troupe of characters.  It’s been such that in the past fifteen years few have stayed as ever present and iconic as Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

Toy Story 3 had reason to fail.  Not fail in the traditional “good movie, bad movie,” sense but fail in a more internal way.  “Failing,” in studio Pixar’s sense of the word is Cars, and that film grossed nearly five-hundred million worldwide.  Pixar films, though they draw ridiculous box office, have always been more about boring through to the innately human functions of our inner workings.  Entrenching a deep sense and feel for character through computer created cold hard machinery.  Pixar has single-handedly kept the Disney tradition afloat, so anything less (Box Office or not) than an affecting work would be, in essence, a failure.

Enlisting the help of Michael Arndt (better known as the man who penned indie to Hollywood hit Little Miss Sunshine) was a good way to start.  It was a curious but bright and forward thinking move.  What comes out of it, and what has come through in the majority of Pixar’s recent work, is a story that feels more adult than perhaps it should.  The guilty college-aged stand up and say, “this film was made for us.”

But maybe it really was.  Maybe it was built for those who grew up with the films; who played with their own Buzz Lightyear and ran around yelping, “To infinity…and beyond!”  Andy, the now off to college owner of said Buzz Lightyear and the rest, is voiced by the same kid who did so all those years ago, John Morris.  Yes, they could have casted anyone.  No one would know the difference.  John’s casting was not just for nostalgia’s sake, no way.  He’s lived through the character of Andy, and now as an adult he’s able to look back at his experience in a way no one else really could.

Fairly young folks won’t get the melancholy.  They’ll laugh at “Spanish Buzz” and cackle at his strange dexterity.  And that’s fine.  In what must be the most difficult balance in cinema entertainment, Pixar does wonderfully.  They take the same work and make it a pleasure for young and old.  Other CG “kids” films harp on sight gags and baby humor.  They hire A to B list celebs (not voice actors) to provide the dialogue for, fundamentally, polygonal sterility, and make it painfully difficult for an advanced audience to connect with it.  Though it’s a slight step-down from the brilliant and beautiful Up (mostly due to the constraints a sequel is inherently tied to), Toy Story 3 is a film of soul ripping cheer and heart.  It’s a sequel that achieves the improbable and near impossible and makes you ask yourself why cinema isn’t this affecting more often.

Pixar has done it again.  Their toys shine like new.

Bottom Line: 4.5/5.0

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

2 hrs. 5 min.
R
Directed by:  Rodrigo García

Naomi Watts
Annette Bening
Kerry Washington
Samuel L. Jackson

Rodrigo García directed this film.  Rodrigo García wrote this film.  Why is this important?  Should we know him?  Well, he wrote/directed the moderately successful Nine Lives.  Ok…that’s cool, any other reason why we should know him?

Rodrigo García is the son of Gabriel García Márquez.  Huh?  Who?  Gabriel García Márquez!  Who?  Don’t tell me you don’t know!  GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ!

For those not in the know and, more importantly, to those annoyed by the confrontational type, Gabriel García Márquez is one of our Earth’s most admired and acclaimed authors.  The Columbian writer’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, a story of humanity and mind-sucking magical realism, is among the greatest contemporary novels.  The unfortunate reality for Rodrigo is that his work will forever be compared with his father’s.  Even more unfortunate, his latest picture doesn’t do much in elevating him to his father’s heaven-high plateau.

Where Márquez painted his characters in surrealism Rodrigo García goes the other way, building a space of the hyper-real, downtrodden adult drama.  Mother and Child knows it’s characters, but that doesn’t stop them from serving up a nice fat schmaltz stew.

Annette Bening (who hasn’t really done much in the way of visibility since American Beauty) plays Karen, a mother who became so at fourteen and gave up her then and still only child.  She’s the acidic type, whose conversations go in fiery circles and likely burn whomever sidles too closely.  Her now grown-up child, Elizabeth (Naomi Watts), is a lawyer with an uncompromisingly sexual psyche.  Plenty of Hollywood starlets are bestowed the moniker “talented and beautiful,” but few earn it more than Watts.  Paul (Samuel L. Jackson) is her boss, and it’s completely refreshing seeing Jackson in a role that doesn’t require him to make sexual remarks about one’s mother.  Kerry Washington (as Lucy) is an unfertile aspiring mom who sees adoption as the cure for her natal deficiency.

García recognizes his characters and draws them well.  Every one of them has punch and sits nicely in the notch they were carved, but predictability and lazy melodramatic cues make the film seem like it was created in an artistic malaise.  The score’s ham-fisted, and almost deletes the solid performances.  Pushing these scenes to the brink of drama only makes them less effective.

The film runs a fat two hours: with more liberal cutting the end results would have been more persuasive, and García’s talent for interesting character would have shone.  As a film about the relationships between mother’s and their disconnected children this picture’s need to feel adult only proves it’s still just a kid.

Bottom Line: 3.0/5.0

Reviewed by Daniel Taveras

Release: May 28th

1 hr. 56 min.

PG-13

Directed by: Mike Newell

Jake Gyllenhaal
Gemma Arterton
Ben Kingsly

Jordan Mechner’s 1989 title for the Apple II, Prince of Persia, was the first computer game that chiseled a deep, everlasting presence into my brain.

The uncommonly realistic rotoscoped animation.  The strafed sword battles.  Magic potions that blindly helped or hindered.  Leaps of faith, and deadly falls into intermittently spiked pits.

That series of fragments represents memories from an IP that’s beholden to only special, special things.  Follow-ups in the franchise have remained popular, and sustained video game popularity begets money thrown at Hollywood movie tie-in.

And coming down from the heavens, on his glorious white cloud, ladies and gentlemen…Jerry Bruckheimer.

From the man who’s never seen an explosion he didn’t like comes the latest in a long line of shoot first think of plot later vehicles.  Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a story of time and sand.  Epic, windswept locales, with a princess in there somewhere. 

Through an act of bravery and heart, young orphan Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) is swept upon the horse of a Persian king, setting the table for the rest of his to-be-privileged life.  As an adult he ventures off to the holy city of Alamut, to, along with the rest of the royal family, seize the divine metropolis.  There he encounters a vivacious princess (a browned-up Gemma Arterton) and a sacred dagger with the power to rewind time.

Now, director Mike Newell has done some interesting and nuanced work.  Upon arriving on set for Prince of Persia something had to have happened.  Mr. Newell must have been trying to set up a shot when Mr. Bruckheimer suggested something.  Mr. Newell must have agreed with what Jerry said because, heck, he hadn’t done much of this “action” stuff prior.  Before Mr. Newell knew it, Mr. Bruckheimer must have been telling the actors what to do and setting up the shots himself.

This film is not directed well.

Super gratuitous use of super slow-mo combined with confusing and unnatural cutting make the action sequences nary unwatchable.  Maybe it’s just a filmmaker uncomfortable in his surroundings but you’d think helming a Harry Potter picture would have prepared him for anything.

Casting American pretty boy Jake Gyllenhaal as a Persian prince should have thrown you off.  The film halfway gets around this by writing him off as an orphan boy taken from the streets of Persia.  Thankfully, Gyllenhaal’s white man from the west appearance doesn’t distract too much.  After awhile you can sort of realistically believe Jake’s running and jumping action-hero persona.  The dialogue between his character and Arterton’s princess is great; they shoot back and forth with style and wit.  Alfred Molina is as wonderfully fantastic as he always is as Sheik Amar, a hustling pseudo-intimidating ostrich racetrack owner.  And Ben Kingsly (as the Prince’s uncle Nizam) is due by now to win the award for greatest actor to appear in the largest amount of dreadful films.

The acting isn’t the problem however.  It’s the been there done that.  Five minutes can’t go by without another character speaking about the plot, and narrative turns are made for turns’ sake.  Not a terrible story, but awfully executed.  In better hands it could have been better than decent.

If I had the dagger of time I’d rewind to back before I saw…well, geez, I’m sure you get that one.

Bottom Line: 2.0/5.0

Reviewed by Johnny McNair

 

Warner Home Entertainment – 117 minutes – 2010 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 2.40:1 – DTS HD Master 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

 

 

The last time we saw Mel Gibson starring in a movie was in 1992’s Signs, because he’s been focusing his talents behind the camera as a director with such films as The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto. Gibson may have some personal issues with his private life, but when it comes to movies, he always delivers the goods. He’s also knows he’s no longer the young long haired pretty boy from the Lethal Weapon films anymore, and seems to be comfortable now playing an older man who can no longer hang off of the top of a car and say one liners. Edge of Darknesss is in no way another Lethal Weapon film, and that’s a good thing. Though this film is paced differently from what we expect from Gibson’s usual action movies, Edge of Darkness is worth a look now that it’s available on Blu-ray from Warner Bros.

 

THE MOVIE

 

Gibson plays Thomas Craven, a widowed Boston police detective who is trying to bond with his daughter Emma (Bojana Novakovic), who seems to have some hidden issues. Tragedy occurs when gunmen surround his home and murder his daughter. Craven thinks the bullet was meant for him by something seeking revenge for something he did in the past, but after diving into the case to find the killer, he learns that his daughter was targeted for execution because she knew vital information that could cripple a major corporation if it was revealed. Craven seeks revenge on his daughter’s killers, hunting them down one by one and breaking every law in his path, but even he realizes that this thing is so big that it has snowballed.

 

Edge of Darkness is based on a British TV series, and being that I have never seen the series I can not make any comparisons, and have to just accept the film for what it is. Anyone expecting tons of action, explosions, and Mel Gibson doing a Mad Max will instantly be disappointed. Yes, there are violent moments and periods of Mel gunning down the bad guys, but this film goes for more of a dramatic tone where characters are highlighted over action. So there is more talk than bullets flying, but if you have the patience, it’s very effective.

 

The film was directed by Martin Campbell, who is no stranger action films with movies like Casino Royal and The Mask of Zorro under his belt. Unlike those films Campbell focuses on making the characters three dimensional, so you feel for Gibson as he loses his only child and is desperate to know why this happened. One of the best standout characters is a mystery man named Jedburgh played by veteran actor Ray Winstone, who you’re never really sure what side he works for, but he always appears when he’s needed.

 

Edge of Darkness works better just as long as you watch it with no expectation, which is hard, because with Mel Gibson attached you’re always looking for a certain type of action film. But just keep in mind that Gibson is now an old balding man, so just like Clint Eastwood his style of being an action character must also change so that he can be taken seriously on screen. Some will welcome this, but others will desire for him to go into Martin Riggs or Max Rockatansky mode and destroy everything in sight.

 

VIDEO

 

Offering a full 1080p image in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, Edge of Darkness looks good on Blu-ray. The film’s tone is dark and drab and this is seen on screen with muted colors and characters hidden in the shadows. Details are very strong, so you can see every wrinkle on Mel Gibson’s gruff face, and the skin tones are solid. This is s well done transfer that matches the mood of the film.

 

AUDIO

 

This is s heavy dialogue film, so the provided DTS Master Audio 5.1 sound mix does a good job at making sure every line is heard clearly Even though Gibson’s Boston accent is up and down. Ambience sounds smooth pulling you into scenes that go from subtle to completely chaotic. There’s nothing that jumps out at you about the sound, but it does the job.

 

EXTRAS

 

There’s some quick under five minute segments and deleted scenes included with the bonus features, but nothing that will hold your attention. In addition a second disc is included with a Digital Copy of the film.

 

‘Mel’s Back’ is a smooch segment about how Mel Gibson is a screen legend, and no one else could play this role but him., etc.

 

‘Director Profile Martin Cambell’ allows the casts to talk about how they enjoyed working with the director. It’s basically what you always see and hear from these types of segments.

 

‘Thomas Craven’s War of Attrition’ allows Mel Gibson himself to explain his character in the film. This one is quick but interesting.

 

‘Adapting the Edge of Darkness Miniseries’ is a way too short look at how the British TV show was converting into a big screen movie. This one should have been longer with more meat for those curious about the original show.

 

‘Boston as a Character” is self explanatory looking at how the film used the city as a location.

 

‘Making a Ghost Character Real” highlights how Emma Craven’s character, though dead, plays a major role throughout the film.

 

A sporadic collection of deleted scenes are also included, totaling six minutes, nothing here adds anything new to the film and its obvious why most of the scenes were cut.

 

A second disc includes a Digital Copy for viewers on the go.

 

BOTTOM LINE

 

The Edge of Darkness is a well done film with solid moments, but it may not be what most Mel Gibson fans would expect from him. Also, being that the film was marketed like a similar film, ‘Taken’, with Liam Neeson, viewers may be looking for more bullets and heads being cracked over talk. The Blu-ray offers a solid picture and decent sound, but the bonus features are nothing special. This is a film that may grow on you, but you may want to rent it first to see if it’s for you.

 

SCORES (out of 5):

 

The Movie:      3.5

Video:             4.0

Sound:             4.0

Extras:             2.5

Bottom Line:   3.0