Jupiter Ascending
by Felipe Rosa
Jupiter Ascending: the Wachowski siblings present a high-concept story that doesn’t make much (or any) sense,
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, bottom, sci fi
Tag: action
Exodus: Gods and Kings
by Felipe Rosa
Exodus: Gods and Kings: Ridley Scott presents a sumptuous spectacle; the use of locations, the set design (including visual effects), costume design, all create a great-looking physical world. That, however, does not a good movie make; the storytelling is stale and stiff and it carries no beauty or subtlety whatsoever. The characters are all unappealing, uninteresting; the overblown, over-the-top acting further complicates matters, wasting the strong names in the cast. (In fact, the interesting choice of using a child as a major player […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, drama
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
by Felipe Rosa
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies: there’s no denying that Peter Jackson’s film is a grand visual spectacle and makes great use of the picturesque locations, character, set and costume designs; however, perhaps underlined by the High Frame Rate 3D format, there’s a great sense of artificiality to some of the special effects and patterns. The storytelling is heavy-handed (which naturally affects the acting as well; Ian McKellen and Martin Freeman are the only members of the large cast […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
by Felipe Rosa
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1: Francis Lawrence’s film is heavy on set-up and light on payoff, a disappointing combination. The story continues to expand the world and its mythology, but what’s new is not particularly interesting (and it moves into a more generic dystopic setting); the main issue, however, is that there simply isn’t enough at stake for the main characters (in other words, the film is too light on action). Visually, it’s drab and unappealing. The veteran cast already […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi
Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (Di Renjie: Shen du long wang)
by Felipe Rosa
Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon: Tsui Hark’s film is an entertaining mix of fantasy, mystery and action, with hints of humor. The story itself is convoluted (almost confusing sometimes), full of factions and details, therefore rich in conflict; the characters are flat, but at least distinguishable. Acting is, at times, stylized and over-the-top, as is usually the case in action films. Action scenes are vibrant and interesting; however, visual effects are sub-par, and that subtracts from the […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
by Felipe Rosa
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For: Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s work is more of a charicature than a film; it’s a very profane and violent experience, but far from an interesting one. While its stylized visuals adhere to the original source, they are interesting for only a while. Which is more than can be said about the characters (with one notable exception) and storylines, truth be told. The cast, for the most part, is not given much to do; Joseph Gordon-Levitt […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, crime
The Equalizer (2013)
by Felipe Rosa
The Equalizer: Antoine Fuqua’s film goes with a vigilante story that has been told countless times before; constant repetition, however, doesn’t make it particularly interesting or engaging. One distinguishing factor is Denzel Washington, as he is a charming and strong presence, even when the character he plays is a cypher such as this one. Another one is how enamored the film is with needless graphic violence; it’s tiring. The action scenes, while stylishly done, are repetitive, and more often than not, their […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action
Lucy (2014)
by Felipe Rosa
Lucy: in equal measures vapid, pretentious and needlessly violent, Luc Besson’s film is an unpleasant spectacle. The high-concept plot feels almost an afterthought, simply being the vessel for a lot of philosophic mumbo-jumbo. Scarlett Johanson plays not so much a character, but an all-powerful cypher; not much is known about her, making it hard to care, relate or worry about her fate. Morgan Freeman is not given much to do. Visually, the film is slick; the early interludes end up being distracting […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi
The Great Escape
by Felipe Rosa
The Great Escape: John Sturges makes one incredibly entertaining film, all the more impressive since the story (against all appearances) is based on historical fact. One of the factors that make this such a spectacle is the great, instantly recognizable, score by Elmer Bernstein; in particular the main theme, but all of it resonates (even if he borrows from another collaboration with Sturges, another great action score). However, it’s undeniable the film would not connect so well if not for the […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, top, war
