The Devils Double (Lee Tamahori)
I have to admit that I saw this movie on a whim knowing little about it, but the tale of a man forced to 'double' as the fearsome Udal Hussein at the height of his megalomania intrigued me. Then I saw the directors credit. Lee Tamahori? what the hell was the man behind such modern classics as 'XxX 2: the next level' 'Next' and of course 'Die Another Day' (didnt that film nearly kill Bond? I mean as a franchise not as a character) doing at the helm of an Iraq set drama about the insanity of power and the brutality of the Saddam Hussein regime? anyway enough question marks, I got answers in the subsequent 109 minutes.
Firstly this isnt a terrible film. It is though, a real wasted opportunity, for whilst the bizarre tale unfolds of a man plucked from obscurity and forced to have plastic surgery to act as a double to the insane Uday, the political and historical context of the tale is largely ignored. What we get is a very personal story, virtually a memoir of Latif Yahia the unfortunate soul in question and whilst I can see the appeal to a filmmaker of the sheer brutality and unhinged mania of a character like Uday he is, in essence, a caricature. Similarly Latif is depicted as a fairly one dimensional character,surely the fault of a fairly poor script which offers no back story to either man, leaving Latif as a passive blank and Uday as a crazed rapist drug addict. We see nothing of the logic or motivation behind the way Udal acts, we are just told 'He's insane' and we learn so little about Latif that we are essentially just thrown into a rather surreal two hander and asked to accept it.
Dominic Cooper does his best with the flimsy material on offer and I can see why the dual role would appeal but I feel he is badly let down. Even worse and I would suggest fairly unforgivable is Tamahori's insistence on including Bond style action set pieces in the final third of the movie to up the tempo, even throwing in the requisite scantily clad female for Latif to rescue and ultimately provide the film with its least plausible plot twists and its most excruciating dialogue. It is in this third act that the film falls apart. Prior to this there are some intriguing moments and instances of real horror; Udals predilection and abuse of a procession of young schoolgirls and a horrific wedding set piece are particularly grim.
There is however a Hollywood sheen gently misting this film which seems entirely at odds with the subject matter and while there are perfunctory news reels to give some indication of the U.S invasion I get the impression that this is a production entirely uninterested in how a country like Iraq became the pariah of the Western world and how Saddam and in turn Uday consolidated his power. I also felt that the very nature of the evil behind men like Udal, cowards in inherited positions of power governed by avarice and opportunity with an chilling ambivalence towards his fellow man was unsufficiently explored, and I couldnt help wondering how this project would have fared under the guidance of a filmmaker like Michael Winterbottom or even Danny Boyle.
A missed opportunity then and a shame for Dominic Cooper who is both commited and at times fairly electrifying. And he would make a half decent Bond come to think of it....
Monday 15 August 2011
Super 8 and Rise of the Apes save the Summer...
Super 8 (J.J Abrams)
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Rupert Wyatt)
So, after what can only be described as an underwhelming summer of major studio releases at last we are offered some hope with a pair of movies that trade very much on bygone Hollywood nostalgia.
The lumbering dominance of the superhero movies has been a predictable and tiresome presence at the multiplex and whilst neither Abrams or Wyatt give us anything demonstrably different or original to the standard blockbuster fare, at least they credit the audience with enough intelligence to tolerate some character development, a coherent narrative arc and plain old simple storytelling.
Super 8 takes the 'monster on the loose' set up of Cloverfield and transposes it to suburban America 1979. Much has been made of producer Steven Spielbergs influence on proceedings and indeed the rag-tag band of pre-pubescent renegades at the heart of the film are proto-type Spielberg creations from the same DNA as E.T, as are the world weary but good hearted adults. Crucially Abrams recognises the importance of making the chidren both likeable and believable so that when the narrative veers towards the fantastic your emotional investment in the characters kicks in. In fact whats intriguing about Super 8 is just how unimportant the monster ultimately is. As is often the case in science fiction once the source of the mayhem is identified the film cant really sustain the its momentum and perhaps this is the point at which Super 8 shows its hand. It, like E.T, is not a monster film at all its a film about family, community and friendship. The score incidentally by Michael Giacchino is utterly beautiful, adding a palpable sense of wonder and magic throughout and is reminiscent of John Williams at his best.
Much more suprising to myself was the re-boot of the planet of the Apes franchise. Rupert Wyatts 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' is a prequel to the classic 1970's science fiction film set in present day San Francisco (incidentally a plot idea not a million miles away from one of the many 'apes' sequels) which traces the origin of the hyper intelligent apes and mankinds own role in its own eventual downfall. At this point I must confess something. I was kind of obsessed with the Apes movies as a child and 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes' was one of the pivotal movies of my childhood. Not because its a great film or even because I particularly liked it but because it absolutely terrified me. I literally couldnt sleep for weeks after seeing it to the extent where i actually havnt watched it all the way through since. 'Apes'' aficionados will know that the apocalyptic nuclear subtext of that film and the utterly nihilistic ending make it a unique product of its era, so what does a modern planet of the Apes film offer us?
I was sceptical. Planet of the Apes seemed to be a perfect reflection of a post civil rights America dealing for the first time with the notion of global environmental responsibility and most would argue that 42 years later these issues have been pretty much exhausted on celluloid.
Instead Wyatt falls back on the classic horror narrative of man meddling with science to provide the plot and to his credit manages to create a smart, inventive, exciting and above all entertaining film which is crying out for a sequel. The CGI is excellent throughout and more importantly its not blended with real apes so there is consistency to the movement. There is like Super 8 an emotional core to the story subtly and carefully constructed in the first hour and admirably we are made to feel real empathy with ape 'Caesar' as we see his journey from lab experiment to family pet through eventually to revolutionary. I also felt there was a contemporary relevance with themes of imprisonment, torture and revenge pivotal in the eventual uprising of the primates. In addition to this, suprisingly and I would suggest fairly subversively, we as an audience are shown a clear moral imperative concerning the actions of the angry mob of apes raging against humanity in the climactic Golden Gate bridge riot sequence. Not a subtext you will see in Captain America.
So in summary, a message to the Green Lanterns, the Captain America's and the Norse Gods who have fought for our hearts and minds this summer. Read this and take note. You got taught a lesson by a bunch of kids and a pack of Apes.
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Rupert Wyatt)
So, after what can only be described as an underwhelming summer of major studio releases at last we are offered some hope with a pair of movies that trade very much on bygone Hollywood nostalgia.
The lumbering dominance of the superhero movies has been a predictable and tiresome presence at the multiplex and whilst neither Abrams or Wyatt give us anything demonstrably different or original to the standard blockbuster fare, at least they credit the audience with enough intelligence to tolerate some character development, a coherent narrative arc and plain old simple storytelling.
Super 8 takes the 'monster on the loose' set up of Cloverfield and transposes it to suburban America 1979. Much has been made of producer Steven Spielbergs influence on proceedings and indeed the rag-tag band of pre-pubescent renegades at the heart of the film are proto-type Spielberg creations from the same DNA as E.T, as are the world weary but good hearted adults. Crucially Abrams recognises the importance of making the chidren both likeable and believable so that when the narrative veers towards the fantastic your emotional investment in the characters kicks in. In fact whats intriguing about Super 8 is just how unimportant the monster ultimately is. As is often the case in science fiction once the source of the mayhem is identified the film cant really sustain the its momentum and perhaps this is the point at which Super 8 shows its hand. It, like E.T, is not a monster film at all its a film about family, community and friendship. The score incidentally by Michael Giacchino is utterly beautiful, adding a palpable sense of wonder and magic throughout and is reminiscent of John Williams at his best.
Much more suprising to myself was the re-boot of the planet of the Apes franchise. Rupert Wyatts 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' is a prequel to the classic 1970's science fiction film set in present day San Francisco (incidentally a plot idea not a million miles away from one of the many 'apes' sequels) which traces the origin of the hyper intelligent apes and mankinds own role in its own eventual downfall. At this point I must confess something. I was kind of obsessed with the Apes movies as a child and 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes' was one of the pivotal movies of my childhood. Not because its a great film or even because I particularly liked it but because it absolutely terrified me. I literally couldnt sleep for weeks after seeing it to the extent where i actually havnt watched it all the way through since. 'Apes'' aficionados will know that the apocalyptic nuclear subtext of that film and the utterly nihilistic ending make it a unique product of its era, so what does a modern planet of the Apes film offer us?
I was sceptical. Planet of the Apes seemed to be a perfect reflection of a post civil rights America dealing for the first time with the notion of global environmental responsibility and most would argue that 42 years later these issues have been pretty much exhausted on celluloid.
Instead Wyatt falls back on the classic horror narrative of man meddling with science to provide the plot and to his credit manages to create a smart, inventive, exciting and above all entertaining film which is crying out for a sequel. The CGI is excellent throughout and more importantly its not blended with real apes so there is consistency to the movement. There is like Super 8 an emotional core to the story subtly and carefully constructed in the first hour and admirably we are made to feel real empathy with ape 'Caesar' as we see his journey from lab experiment to family pet through eventually to revolutionary. I also felt there was a contemporary relevance with themes of imprisonment, torture and revenge pivotal in the eventual uprising of the primates. In addition to this, suprisingly and I would suggest fairly subversively, we as an audience are shown a clear moral imperative concerning the actions of the angry mob of apes raging against humanity in the climactic Golden Gate bridge riot sequence. Not a subtext you will see in Captain America.
So in summary, a message to the Green Lanterns, the Captain America's and the Norse Gods who have fought for our hearts and minds this summer. Read this and take note. You got taught a lesson by a bunch of kids and a pack of Apes.
Thursday 14 April 2011
Wes Anderson meets Morrisey in this refreshing British film
Submarine (Richard Ayoade)
The buzz has been intense for Richard Ayoade's debut feature which has impressed on the festival circuit and comes armed with both a strong cast and the not inconsiderable executive production weight of Ben Stiller. Essentially a fairly straightforward coming of age story, Ayoade with the help of cinematographer Erik Wilson crafts a visually striking, sweet and original tale which manages to infuse its familiar narrative territory with a sense of style and on occasion almost dreamlike wonder. Craig Roberts plays Oliver, an adolescent in a small Welsh coastal town experiencing the usual teenage battles of staying the right side of the popular kids in school while striving for an identity of his own. In a series of tableu punctuated by a droll voiceover we are given glimpses into his preoccupations with style, schoolmates and ultimately girls in the form of first love Jordana (Yasmin Paige). His struggle with the consequences of this dalliance mirror that of his parents (Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor) who are experiencing marital difficulties made all the more complex by the arrival of a new neighbour with questionable motives...
Tonally this film reminded me very much of recent American Independent cinema fare such as Noah Baumbachs 'Squid and the Whale' or the work of Wes Anderson, and its stylistic quirks, sense of energy and colour (despite depicting fairly humdrum and banal situations) and superb soundtrack by Alex Turner give it a fairly unique identity; Indeed while it embraces the self awareness and knowing post modernism of America's alternative auters (Oliver constantly refers to the fact that he wishes his life were a movie and imagines a film crew capturing his every move even detailing which shot would best capture his situation) Submarine retains an identity which is unmistakeably British. The bleakness of the landscape and the shadows of the ever present industrial landmarks rusting in the backdrop of Olivers teen angst evoke memories of Thatchers Britain and Morriseys poetry at its most maudlin.
The lead performances are strong but this is very much an ensemble piece, Noah Taylor brings a hangdog air of lingering dissapointment to Lloyd, Paddy Considine enjoys himself as smarmy, narcissistic life guru Graham and Sally Hawkins so effervescent as Poppy in Mike Leighs 'Happy go Lucky' plays against type as the repressed, unfulfilled Jill reflecting on a life that promised much but, as a recurring visual motif suggests, is destined to fizzle out into banality.
As a Filmmaker Ayoade is at his best when exploring the motivations behind the decisions we make and how we justify these things to ourselves. In an early early scene Oliver joins in a spot of bullying to get close to his teenage crush, explaining that its just something 'he has to do' to get closer to Jordana. It is only later when we realise the impact of this episode and the truth behind the way Oliver acts that we are reminded of the way lives, particularly as an adolescent can hinge on the most minor seemingly insignificant detail. It is this subtlety combined with the eloquence of its storytelling that make Submarine a truly refreshing film.
The buzz has been intense for Richard Ayoade's debut feature which has impressed on the festival circuit and comes armed with both a strong cast and the not inconsiderable executive production weight of Ben Stiller. Essentially a fairly straightforward coming of age story, Ayoade with the help of cinematographer Erik Wilson crafts a visually striking, sweet and original tale which manages to infuse its familiar narrative territory with a sense of style and on occasion almost dreamlike wonder. Craig Roberts plays Oliver, an adolescent in a small Welsh coastal town experiencing the usual teenage battles of staying the right side of the popular kids in school while striving for an identity of his own. In a series of tableu punctuated by a droll voiceover we are given glimpses into his preoccupations with style, schoolmates and ultimately girls in the form of first love Jordana (Yasmin Paige). His struggle with the consequences of this dalliance mirror that of his parents (Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor) who are experiencing marital difficulties made all the more complex by the arrival of a new neighbour with questionable motives...
Tonally this film reminded me very much of recent American Independent cinema fare such as Noah Baumbachs 'Squid and the Whale' or the work of Wes Anderson, and its stylistic quirks, sense of energy and colour (despite depicting fairly humdrum and banal situations) and superb soundtrack by Alex Turner give it a fairly unique identity; Indeed while it embraces the self awareness and knowing post modernism of America's alternative auters (Oliver constantly refers to the fact that he wishes his life were a movie and imagines a film crew capturing his every move even detailing which shot would best capture his situation) Submarine retains an identity which is unmistakeably British. The bleakness of the landscape and the shadows of the ever present industrial landmarks rusting in the backdrop of Olivers teen angst evoke memories of Thatchers Britain and Morriseys poetry at its most maudlin.
The lead performances are strong but this is very much an ensemble piece, Noah Taylor brings a hangdog air of lingering dissapointment to Lloyd, Paddy Considine enjoys himself as smarmy, narcissistic life guru Graham and Sally Hawkins so effervescent as Poppy in Mike Leighs 'Happy go Lucky' plays against type as the repressed, unfulfilled Jill reflecting on a life that promised much but, as a recurring visual motif suggests, is destined to fizzle out into banality.
As a Filmmaker Ayoade is at his best when exploring the motivations behind the decisions we make and how we justify these things to ourselves. In an early early scene Oliver joins in a spot of bullying to get close to his teenage crush, explaining that its just something 'he has to do' to get closer to Jordana. It is only later when we realise the impact of this episode and the truth behind the way Oliver acts that we are reminded of the way lives, particularly as an adolescent can hinge on the most minor seemingly insignificant detail. It is this subtlety combined with the eloquence of its storytelling that make Submarine a truly refreshing film.
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