JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK (2016)

Genre: Action / Thriller

Running Length: 1:58

Cast: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Danika Yarosh, Aldis Hodge, Patrick Heusinger

Director: Edward Zwick  

Screenplay: Richard Wenk and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz, based on the book by Lee Child

I went in to JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK with poor expectations because of two reasons: (1) the critics were bashing it and (2) Cobie Smulders, because I still can't get past her as 'Robin Scherbatsky' from How I Met Your Mother (Her starring role in The Avengers had that effect on me). But I was pleasantly surprised how entertaining this film turned out to be. 

Well, it's not perfect, in fact far from it. But it's well paced and it has some nice grounded action scenes with bone-crunching type of fist fights. And it has a little investigative work thrown into the plot. It kinda reminds me of the Taken movies. Predictable but engaging. 

As for the story, Cobie Smulders' character (Major Susan Turner) is framed and it's up to Reacher to clear her name and in the process, Reacher gets to beat the crap out of some mercenaries who's out to get them. Oh, and Reacher also discovers he may have a teenage daughter. 

As far as the screenplay goes, the plot holes are as big as the potholes on KL roads. And the dialogue is cheesy. And I'm not really sure of the relationship between Major Turner and Jack Reacher because they do get undressed a fair bit and sleeps in the same hotel room but never get past first base. And why would Reacher wants to risk his life to help her? 

And speaking of our hero, as I don't read the books, I'm not sure why he chose a solo life and just loves to get himself into hand-to-hand combat situations. So many questions but 1/3 into the movie, I just let it all go and went with the flow; cheering on as Tom Cruise shoots, punches, breaks many bones and runs...alot. Speaking of action, eventhough it's a PG13 rated movie, the filmmakers are really pushing the envelope on its level of violence. 

And as for Colbie Smulders, I'm glad to say that never was I reminded of her TV career throughout the course of this movie. She delivers in a big-way. Her tough as nails Major Turner can really kick some serious ass and more importantly, she's believable in this character. And Heusinger plays a very convincing villain so much so, you really want him to die brutally in the end.  

You can’t go wrong with Cruise as his movies are always at a certain standard. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is not as spectacle filled as any of his Mission Impossible movies but it's still a nice little action flick. 

Rating: 7/10

DOCTOR STRANGE (2016)

Genre: Action / Adventure

Running Length: 1:55

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton, Scott Adkins, Benjamin Bratt

Director: Scott Derrickson

Screenplay: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill

I've read before film critics complaining that the recent Marvel movies are starting to feel the same. As for me, the fatigue has finally set in with DOCTOR STRANGE. Eventhough stylistically it looks different from the others, this film is still cut from the same cloth. Speaking of style, one thing I did enjoy are the trippy sequences and the Inception like building-bending fight scenes. But even so, it felt tiresome after a while. 

As for the plot, it follows more or less the same formula as any superhero origin story. Cumberbatch plays Dr Stephen Strange, a brilliant but cocky neurosurgeon who lost the precision of his hands from a horrible car accident. No longer can he practice as a surgeon, he desperately seeks healing from a mystical sect in Nepal led by the Ancient One (Swinton). 

Naturally, Strange ends up to be the "chosen" one in the sect and has to battle a band of mystical bad people (led by Mikkelsen) who are up to no good and is detroying New York and London...yet again. Thrown into the destruction this time is Hong Kong. 

From the very little I know about this comic hero, Benedict Cumberbatch definitely looks the part but I'm not sure if he nailed the character. He definitely has presence and his comic timing is good. However, the film's comedy element is bordering on silliness especially the anti-climatic finale. I felt like I was watching a gag reel. 

Marvel Studios is a well-oiled scalable moviemaking machine and they will continue to use the cookie-cutter approach to churn out its content. Doctor Strange is going to make heap loads of money in the box office anyway, so why fix it if it's not broken?

Rating: 5.5/10

THE ACCOUNTANT (2016)

Genre: Thriller / Action
Running Length: 2:08
Cast:  Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow, Cynthia Addai-Robinson
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Screenplay: Bill Dubuque

THE ACCOUNTANT is one of those movies which I went, "Now that's interesting; a mashup of autism and action thriller" but the more I think about it, the more its unique narrative diminishes. To be fair, it's still an entertaining movie and it's not as intense and serious like what is shown in the trailer. It's actually quite funny at times.

Ben Affleck is fine here and is still in full post-Batman shape as his "accountant" character is indifferent, fights for injustice and possesses a deadly set of combat abilities. His character is trained in the martial art of Silat, a pro in a variety of firearms and he usually goes for headshots. And of course, he's a genius in numbers and puzzles.

The plot is pretty straight forward; our hero is a forensic accountant with autism who earns big-bucks for cooking/uncooking the books for the world's shady characters. He tries to lay low by taking on a seemingly simple contractual job at a robotics firm but is soon caught in the cross-hairs of some assassins.

The movie employs flashback to different times of Affleck's character in the past to give him more depth and motivations to who he is presently. It's definitely an interesting structural approach but what annoyed me are the unnecessary multiple twists at the end and its poorly integrated subplots involving its supporting characters. Yes, it is as confusing as it sounds for a fairly simple plot.

Rating: 6.5/10

THE WAILING (2016)

Genre: Thriller / Horror
Running Length: 2:36
Cast: Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jung-min, Jun Kunimura, Kim Hwan-hee, Chun Woo-hee
Director: Na Hong-jin
Screenplay: Na Hong-jin

"They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." Luke 24:37-39

THE WAILING starts off with that passage taken from the Bible. To provide some context to those verses, those words were spoken by Jesus in His resurrected form (after the crucifixion) to His disciples. That passage essentially anchors the entire theme of the movie.

In no way this movie is preachy, but it is an allegory of sorts peppered with Christian motif and the supernatural. In fact, the narrative is so organic and dynamic, it's really up to the audience to interpret what they want to believe. This slow-burn and strange story will keep you wondering long after you've left the cinema (at least that's what it did to me. I'm still pondering as I'm writing this review).

To me, the dominant idea of The Wailing is faith and doubt of men.

Eventhough it has a good amount of horror elements (exorcism, occult rituals etc), this is not your standard horror picture. It's more of a psychological thriller horror film - arranged in that order. It messes your mind with an unpredictable plot that will keep you guessing. There are no jump scares but yet, you will still be scared.

The story is set in the present day in a small Korean rural village. A slow-witted police sergeant (Kwak's character) is investigating a gruesome homicide where a man, seemingly being possessed by an evil spirit, stabbed his family to death. Soon, there are similar grisly murders that followed suit. From the rumours he has been hearing, our protagonist believes an elderly Japanese man (who has just moved into the village) is behind all these.

I won't spoil the rest of the movie for you because to be honest, the above is just the beginning of a series of events that gets more bizarre as the story unfolds. For example, the first 1/3 of the movie is actually pretty comedic but the filmmakers did this on purpose to reel you in for an unforgettable ride.

The acting is first class because it relies alot on the reactions of its actors. A special shout out to the child actor who played the protagonist's young daughter. There is an intense exorcism scene (with drums and all) involving the daughter and a Korean shaman that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

From a technical perspective, the cinematography is much more impressive than The Revenant. The reason for the comparison is because both the directors chose to shoot the film with natural lighting to give it a more organic and atmospheric feel. But yet, this movie is much more immersive.

In summary, The Wailing is a rare and unique movie experience with a satisfyingly ambiguous ending. I think not everyone will like this film but it did it for me - it still haunts me now. In a similar fashion, I would like to end this review with a Bible verse: "For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Romans 14:23

Rating: 10/10

BRIDGET JONES'S BABY (2016)

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Running Length: 2:00

Cast: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey, Sarah Solemani, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Emma Thompson

Director: Sharon Maguire 

Screenplay: Helen Fielding and Dan Mazar and Emma Thompson, based on characters created by Helen Fielding 

When you watch a Bridget Jones movie, you're 100% sure it will have a happy ending. So, when I walked into BRIDGET JONES'S BABY, all I did was relax and enjoy the ride. And enjoyed it, I did. It was consistently witty, laugh out loud funny at times and even moving in some scenes. It exceeded my expectations. 

There's just something commendable about making a well written romantic comedy for the older audience. It's rare in an era where movie studios prefer to churn out romcoms to appeal to the below 30s viewers in the name of box office moola.  

As for the plot, the movie title and poster kinda says it all. Bridget Jones, 43 years old, is single again and has split from Mr Darcy some years now. Darcy has moved on and married to someone else. All alone on her birthday, Jones decided it's time to take control of her life by attending a Woodstock "make love, not war" type of music festival, got herself wasted and ended up bonking Dempsey's character; a dashing entrepreneur who's an expert in love algorithm. A week later, Jones is briefly reconnected with Mr Darcy (who is now separated) and yes, you guessed it...also ended up under the sheets. 

Predictably, she is preggers. But who's the father? Jeng jeng jeng...And so the chaos ensues with the two potential fathers fighting over both Jones and her baby. In the previous installments, we all secretly want Bridget to end up with Mr Darcy but she will always be distracted by another man. In the first two films, it was Hugh Grant's character, and in this one, it's Dempsey's Jack Qwant.     

Overall the cast is solid with a special shout out to wonderful new additions Emma Thompson and Sarah Solemani who plays a gynaecologist and Bridget's colleague respectively. As for Patrick Dempsey, he is charming indeed but I feel he is trying a little too hard and thus ended up not being a worthy opponent of Firth's Mark Darcy.  

To sum it up, even if you've not watched any of the earlier films (or read the books), you'll still have a good time watching it. 

Rating: 7.5/10

INFERNO (2016)

Genre: Thriller/Adventure

Running Length: 2:01

Cast: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, Ben Foster, Ana Ularu

Director: Ron Howard

Screenplay: David Koepp, adapted from the novel by Dan Brown

INFERNO; how could so many well meaning and experienced talent (David Koepp who wrote Jurassic Park, The Hans Zimmer, The Ron Howard and The Tom Hanks) produced such a convoluted movie? Probably the source of the material is to be blamed. It seems to ring true that Dan Brown's novels offers his readers excitement and always something to learn but it just doesn't hold up well under scrutiny.  

So when it's adapted to the big screen, the plot holes and logic (or the lack of it) are amplified. And to be honest, right from the very first movie, the casting of Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon (the hero in Brown's books) was a big mistake. Hanks doesn't come across as charming or learned but instead, he comes off as your regular nice guy in a suit with a perpetual frown. Even after three movies, Hanks hasn't grown into Langdon's shoes.

As for Inferno's plot, a billionaire mad scientist with a cult following is trying to save the world from overpopulation by culling off 50% of its population. He believes by doing so, beauty will rise from the ashes just like how the Black Plague sparked the Renaissance. And so, he created an apocalyptic airborne virus that will wipe out a good portion of the population in no time. 

What's puzzling is instead of releasing it himself, he has left clues for his followers to find it and set it off. Yepp...And that's where our code breaker expert + history buff uncle comes in. Langdon's mission is to go on a scavenger hunt to locate the virus before our mad man's followers reach it first. His first clue is Botticelli's famed Map Of Hell painting, inspired by Dante's epic poem Inferno. And off he goes with Felicity Jones' character into a race against time + sight-seeing trip of sorts (Florence, Venice, Istanbul) by following the breadcrumbs.

To be fair, it has its fun moments and it has Irrfan Khan, who steals the show whenever he's on screen. I would suggest for you to read the book instead. At least, the book's resolution did not have a Hollywood ending like what they did to this movie. Or just re-watch Indiana Jones or even Nicholas Cage's National Treasure.  

Rating: 5.5/10

DEEPWATER HORIZON (2016)

Genre: Drama / Adventure
Running Length: 1:47
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O’Brien, John Malkovich, Kate Hudson
Director: Peter Berg
Screenplay: Matthew Michael Carnahan and Matthew Sand, based on the article by David Rohde and Stephanie Saul

Rarely can I use "engaging" and "educational" to describe a movie but DEEPWATER HORIZON did exactly that for me. Probably due to my ignorance, I was aware of this true event but I didn't really know much about it. Dubbed as "the worst environmental disaster in American history", this movie reenacts the explosion on the BP Deep Horizon oil rig off the coast of New Orleans in April 2010.

As a result of that, 11 workers were killed and millions of barrels of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil from the sea-floor gushed out and flowed for 87 days, until it was capped on July 15, 2010. I read a recent report that this deadly spill (even after more than 6 years) may not have fully "cleared up" yet and may have caused a permanent damage to the Gulf's marshes.

Although this movie is based on true events, the narrative is structured more like a disaster movie where the focus is more on the the heroism of ordinary people; very much like the recent Sully (which is still showing in the cinemas). The characters are all well established right at the start of the film.   

What I like about this movie is the build up to the destruction of the oil rig. Symbolism, choice of words, aptly used of sounds and score, and clever scenes such as the young daughter of our protagonist (played by Wahlberg) explaining the principal behind oil drilling using a can of soda - gives the movie a foreboding atmosphere. So much so when the actual explosion took place, I literally said out loud, "Oh Shit!".

If there is a downside to this movie, it is the events that followed after the explosion. There is surprisingly little suspense as characters try to escape from all the fire and carnage. And the demonization of BP in the form of John Malkovich is a little overdone. But thankfully, Malkovich's character is nicely balanced out by Russell's character as the noble captain while the rest of the cast are equally solid.

I urge you not to walk out from the cinema as soon as the movie ends because there is a dignified and fitting tribute to the 11 workers.

Rating: 8/10