Thor: The Dark World

 

• Released Internationally on 30/10/13
• Released in Malta by KRS on 30/10/13

Review (29/10/13)

3-word review: London gets hammered.

Possibly better than the first one

I was a bit wary of this sequel. Kenneth Branagh’s Thor was entertaining enough, but it felt a bit heartless, and focused too much on the pomp and circumstance of the world of Asgard (where Thor and his dad, Odin, are from). When the action shifted down to earth for something us viewers could relate to, it was small towns in the middle of nowhere, and hardly scenes befitting a movie of that scale. Thankfully, these flaws have nearly all been addressed this time around.

Not all Dark

The prologue is rather grand, with battle scenes reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings prologue, and although I usually prefer the earthly action to the other-worldly lore in these films, the backstory and mythology don’t outstay their welcome. We’re introduced to a new nemesis - the silent and scary Malekith, portrayed with not many words but a lot of presence by Christopher Eccleston (Elizabeth). The fine details of his history and masterplan are not too important, of course, but the film does require a rather hefty suspension of belief for us to grasp that when instructed to hide a great evil power somewhere in the universe where nobody would find it, someone hid it in an abandoned building in a London industrial zone. But anyway, things move swiftly to the action.

Loki Loki Loki

For all his posturing and unsightly prosthetics, the new bad guy still pales in comparison to the hugely effective Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who post-Avengers gets to walk that delightfully ambiguous line between friend and foe, and who makes very good use of his screen time in this instalment of the Avengers saga. His chemistry, or lack thereof, with his adoptive brother Thor allows for a few well-conceived scenes and a good dose of Asgard family dynamics.

Between two worlds

Thankfully, the Asgard scenes, as well as those in other worlds, are regularly interrupted by down-to-earth action that help keeps the film somewhat grounded and relevant. The focus is mostly on present-day London, with the Shard getting the sort of attention cinema used to give to Big Ben, and the recent ‘walkie talkie’ building also making an appearance. The film’s final confrontation takes place on British soil, and is rather enjoyable if you manage to ignore all the ridiculous scientific explanations that Jane (Natalie Portman) and her team insist on shouting out intermittently.

In the end

Chris Hemsworth (Rush) manages to keep Thor likeable and reliable, despite him not being half as interesting a hero as Iron Man, or even Captain America for that matter. The film slots nicely into the Avengers timeline, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, with even an amusing cameo or two, as expected. Director Alan Taylor has previously done an excellent job directing Sopranos, Mad Men and even Game of Thrones episodes; and here he shows that he can handle an event film like this one. It’s nothing too refined, but at least it’s good fun. And of course, make sure you sit through the end credits.

 

Trailers:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/marvel/thorthedarkworld/

Angels & Demons

 

• Released Internationally on 13/05/09
• Released in Malta by KRS on 20/05/09

 

In a nutshell

Despite all the interest in the wonderful novel The Da Vinci Code back in 2003-2006, many readers, including yours truly, felt that the author’s previous book, Angels and Demons, was more of a satisfying read. The two shared a lot in common besides their main character – they were both heavy on symbolism and both combined the thrill of a chase or mystery with a detailed look into the history and workings of the Catholic Church. But Demons stands out as an impressively exciting story, and is quite ‘unputdownable’ as a book. So it comes as no surprise that after the huge success of the big screen version of Code, we now have its sister story to enjoy.

Cardinals & countdowns

The film opens with the ceremonies surrounding the death of the pope, which are all the more striking since we witnessed similar footage on countless TV channels only a few years ago. His trusted advisor and right-hand man, the Camerlengo, takes temporary charge until the conclave elects a new pope. But an ancient foe of the Catholic Church, the Illuminati society, appears to have resurfaced, kidnapping the four main contenders to the papacy and hiding an explosive device somewhere within the Vatican. Professor Robert Langdon, the symbology expert, is brought in to help find the cardinals and save the Catholic Church from near annihilation in one fell swoop.

Checkpoints & chases

Within a few scenes of starting, it is made clear that unless the kidnappers are foiled, most of the Vatican, including its foremost leaders, will be flattened at the stroke of midnight. As with Da Vinci Code, the events of the film are set within a single day, or in this case mostly within a single evening. This guarantees a breakneck pace for the entire film, and makes it easy for director Ron Howard to deliver a non-stop adrenaline ride. He skilfully managed to make even an interview exciting in last year’s Frost/Nixon, but this time author Dan Brown has done most of the work for him. If anything, some parts may be too rushed, with Langdon conveniently deciphering all the clues within seconds of reaching each step of the puzzle. The ending, which might have been a bit too over-the-top in the novel, actually works better on screen, as do most of the other minor changes made from novel to script.

Violins & vistas

Adding to the urgency of the plot is the wonderful score by A-list composer Hans Zimmer, who further develops the beautiful themes developed in the Da Vinci Code score but also adds frantic action music that is not too distant from his score for last summer’s Dark Knight. The few moments of respite in the film are gorgeously scored with variations of heavenly choir, piano or most notably violin solos by the acclaimed Joshua Bell. They provide perfect accompaniment to the sweeping shots of Rome, the Vatican, and the works of art therein. It’s a huge credit to the digital effects wizards that many scenes of the Vatican are practically indistinguishable from real footage, despite the filmmakers not being allowed to film within the tiny state’s walls.

Atheists & clergy

Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge, Star Wars, Trainspotting) is brilliantly cast as the mourning, devout camerlengo, and Tom Hanks naturally returns as Langdon. Stellan Skarsgård (Mamma Mia, Pirates of the Caribbean) is the sceptical and dubious head of the Swiss Guard, Commander Richter, and Armin Mueller-Stahl is chilling and unmoveable as Cardinal Strauss, the head of the college of cardinals, in a role that is often uncomfortably reminiscent of his recent role in Eastern Promises. Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer (Munich) is Vittoria Vetra, the CERN scientist who partners Langdon on his pursuit and is the expert on the explosive matter threatening the Vatican walls.

Science & religion

As expected, the eternal debate about science and religion features prominently in both the dialogue and the action. The Camerlengo and Langdon represent the two extreme sides of the debate, and their discussion early on is balanced and well-scripted. Despite all the religious sentiment surrounding the release of these two films, this story is ultimately quite balanced, with Cardinal Strauss providing a thoughtful coda to the proceedings. But in the end, it’s primarily a great suspense and mystery story, which is very well-told.

 

 

Trailers:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/angelsdemons/ (High-res QuickTime)

 

(below – a montage of scenes from the film set to sublime new music by Hans Zimmer)

Mamma Mia!

 

• Released Internationally on 09/07/08
• Released in Malta by KRS on 23/07/08

 

In a nutshell

Yet another successful jukebox musical makes the leap to the big screen. Mamma Mia! has been playing to packed theatre audiences on both sides of the Atlantic for nearly ten years, and considering the undying popularity of ABBA’s hits, it’s no surprise.

Summer loving

Mamma Mia! Is very much a summer film – loads of beautiful people singing and dancing away on a sun-drenched Greek island, as they prepare for a wedding. Guests start to arrive from around the globe, and a few old friendships are re-forged and some old flames rekindled. What more could you ask for on a hot summer night?

Happy families

I admit to never having watched the stage musical, for reasons related to my Y chromosome, so I’m not sure how this screen version steers away from the original plot or song line-up. We first meet Sophie on the eve of her wedding, and she confides in her bridesmaids that she has raided her mother’s old diary looking for clues as to the identity of her unknown father. Instead of an answer, she finds three, and therefore decides to invite all three of them to the wedding. And sure enough they all turn up, never having met each other before, and all eager to meet their old summer romance, Donna.

Mighty Meryl

Donna runs the island’s main hotel, is organising the wedding, and more or less steals the show. She is played by a very feisty Meryl Streep, who once again shows us her huge versatility and talent. Approaching 60, Streep transforms herself into a burnt-out but fun single mother, who’s put aside her wild youth and settled for a quiet but busy life cut off from the rest of the world. She sings, she dances, she performs splits, and she crowns it all with a wonderful rendition of ‘The Winner Takes It All’ atop a windy cliff.

Who else is in it?

Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Alpha Dog) is the bride-to-be, Sophie. The three potential fathers she invites are portrayed with gusto by Pierce Brosnan (007, Mrs. Doubtfire), Colin Firth (Bridget Jones’ Diary, Love Actually) and Stellan Skarsgård (Pirates of the Caribbean, Amistad). Julie Walters (Harry Potter, Billy Elliot) and Christine Baranski (The Birdcage, Bulworth) are equally entertaining as Donna’s best friends. The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who had directed the musical to worldwide success back in 1999.

Flawed but fun

The fun never stops, and there are over twenty musical numbers squeezed into the plot, and chances are you know the lyrics or at least the tune to nearly all of them. And the entire cast seems to be having great fun throughout the whole thing. Admittedly, watching James Bond suddenly burst into song on a Greek veranda can take some getting used to, but most musical numbers turn out quite well. The scenery is exquisite, although some sequences give away the studio setting and fail to match the outdoors scenes. But all’s resolved in the end, and in true musical style there’s a big grand finale to suit everyone. And just in case you’re not smiling by the end of it all, the closing credits are sure to win you over.

 

 

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/mammamia/ (High-res QuickTime)