Martin Bishop
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Martin reviewed...
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
From the very beginning, the Fast & the Furious franchise has always… More
From the very beginning, the Fast & the Furious franchise has always been the very definition of guilty pleasure. High art it ain't, but it's undeniably fun. What has kept the franchise alive, however, has been its willingness to evolve. While the original was essentially a remake of Point Break, by #3 it was focused on the racing, and then starting with the fourth film it took a giant step in reinventing itself - Fast & Furious as a heist franchise. Fast Five was arguably the best in the series so far, with the whole gang back together as well as the addition of Dwayne Johnson.
Fast and Furious 6 (or just "Furious 6" as shown in the film) continues in the vein of the previous film, but cranks up the outrageousness. This works both for and against the film. The action scenes are fun, exciting, and adrenaline-filled, but they grow increasingly more outrageous and at times seriously stretch your ability to suspend disbelief, soliciting more than a couple eyerolls. The involvement of the gang in this mission is questionable from the beginning. They have the knowledge and talent when it comes to cars, but somehow they're also meant to hold their own in gunfights and such against miltary-trained personnel.
The movie balances its lasrge cast very well. Every character has their moments and none feel short-changed in this movie. There's not a weak link in the cast. Well, I guess one... New this time around are Gina Carano as Hobbs' right-hand woman, and Luke Evans as the villain. Evans fits well, and plays his part without going too over-the-top. Carano, on the other hand... well, the woman can certainly fight, but she can't deliver even a single line of dialogue convincingly. I take back everything I ever said about her being a good choice if they ever make that Wonder Woman movie.
Beyond that, everything is just as it should be - the action, the humor, the cars, the music... it all adds up to a blast of a movie, even if it is a bit unbelievable.
The ending tag scene left me a bit conflicted. On the one hand, the movie kind of tied up the series nicely and made a nice conclusion, but then they go and open it up for the next sequel (and I imagine not the last). I'm all for more of these movies, but only if they can continue to evolve and stay fresh without just being rehashes.
Where does this rank in the series? I'll have to see it again to be certain, but it's definitely top 3, up there with 1 and 5.
2 days ago via Flixster
Martin reviewed...
Now You See Me (2013)
Magic's appeal is in making the audience think "HOW did they do… More
Magic's appeal is in making the audience think "HOW did they do that?!?" Now You See Me wants you be amazed and entertained at its tricks, but the mystery and appeal of its tricks is lost, because thanks to the clear use of CGI and camera trickery, you *know* how it was done - it was faked.
That's not to say it's not an enjoyable film. It's fun, and it keeps moving at a brisk pace, but the moments when they clearly think they are astonishing the audience fall a little flat; and those are meant to be key moments of the film. It's this overconfidence (along with being a bit predictable) that is the film's only real flaw. The characters (and the film itself), while entertaining, are all a bit too smug for their own good.
While the marketing focus is on the magic, just as much if not more screentime focuses on Mark Ruffalo's detective as he pursues them. He does a fine job, though in a couple scenes he plays it a bit too hammy. Eisenberg and Harrelson, reuniting here after Zombieland, are the most fun to watch.
Entertaining? Sure. But I think I was expecting a little more from it, and a little less in the way of CG that really takes away from the impressiveness of the practical tricks. The summer release date is a bit questionable as well. This film is going to vanish (no pun intended) pretty quickly in a crowded summer market. It would have been much better suited for a late-winter or early-fall release.
2 days ago via Flixster
Martin reviewed...
Syrup (2013)
Max Barry is one of my favorite authors, so I have been waiting… More
Max Barry is one of my favorite authors, so I have been waiting anxiously for the film of his first novel, Syrup, to be released ever since I heard it was being adapted. The result is... a little disappointing.
The film has a great energy and style to it. The director does a great job here (and I also specifically noticed the music in the film did a lot to help create that energy). The story, involving the cut-throat world of marketing, is fairly original, and for most of the film keeps you interested. But it does have difficulty deciding the tone of the film, succeeding when it's focusing on satire, but considerably weaker when it tries to be a love story. The film falls apart somewhat at the end when it tries to get serious and make you sympathize with its characters, none of which are particulary likeable, and the very end is pretty unsatisfying.
As far as the cast, there is only one real weak link. Unfortunately that weak link is the main character. Shiloh Fernandez simply is not ready for prime time. He feels like a low budget amateur actor thrown in with a cast of professionals. Amber Heard as Six, on the other hand does excellent work here, mixing ruthlessness with vulnerability, deception, and especially sex appeal. The rest of the cast is fine, but besides the two stars are barely in it. Kellan Lutz shows up for a few scenes, most of them without speaking a word, and Brittany Snow appears in a scene or two for what amounts to nothing more than a cameo. Speaking of cameos, watch for the author Max Barry to make a brief appearance as the bald waiter early in the film.
Would I recommend it? Probably. It's worth watching. I just wish it had lived up to its potential instead of leaving us unsatisfied. But hey, maybe that was the point - that in the end it's all marketing and buildup, when in the end it's just an empty product.
18 days ago via Rotten Tomatoes
