Due to the pandemic, there will be no full movie review post until the cinema re-opens again. As most of you know, my reviews on this blog page are primarily movies I've seen in the local cinema (yes, a few Netflix movies would occasionally slip in).
You see, watching a movie in a cinema is a way for me to honour the filmmakers' dream and hard work. I could go on and on to point out the differences of watching a movie in the cinema hall vs at home. But that will be for another day.
But for now, if you would still like to read my reviews on streaming movies (and even series), you can follow me on Kausern Movie Reactions on Twitter. It's a condensed version of the typical review with more focus on my reactions.
Cast: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Judd Hirsch
Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Screenplay: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein
The backdrop that UNCUT GEMS transpires against is not new - the gemstone industry. But the way this movie unfolds is refreshing.
The pace is relentless with shady characters and con artist talking and shouting on top of each other at any one time. I was trying hard to understand what was going on 10 percent into the movie and my head wanted to explode. I wanted to scream, "WTF is going on??! Can all of you just SHUT UP!!!"
But if you can power through and not be distracted by pausing or fast forwarding or even walking to the fridge to get something (since this is streaming on Netflix), the payoff is worth it.
Gemstone dealer Howard Ratner (Sandler) is the film’s high-strung protagonist who likes to live on the edge and is always on the verge of an eruption. He is a womanizer, compulsive gambler and all-around crook. Howard is pinning all his hopes on an Ethiopian opal that would get him out out of his debt situation. Throughout the film, he is a ticking time bomb.
This is one of those rare gems of a movie that almost everything about it, from the directing to the acting and the technical aspects of it, is flawless. Adam Sandler received so many critical praises for his performance here I had to check it out (I'm never a big fan of Adam). If I'm one of the film studio executives, I wouldn't be able to imagine Sandler in this role, "C'mon, this role is totally out of his league!"
It’s a tough part for anyone to pull off, but Sandler nails it. His character is repulsive but yet, oddly charismatic. I can't help but to root for him.
Set in New York in 2012, the Safdie Brothers successfully captures the overwhelming and chaotic energy of the city with the extreme close-ups of the characters, intentional haphazard editing and its synthesized score.
This movie is uncompromising, stressful and exhausting - but a very necessary watch.
Cast: Donnie Yen, Niki Chow, Teresa Mo Sun Kwan, Wong Jing, Louis Cheung
Director: Kenji Tanigaki, Wong Jing
Screenplay: Wong Jing, Lui Koon-nam, Ronald Chan Kin-hung
ENTER THE FAT DRAGON is a throwback to the good old days of Hong Kong movies released during the Lunar New Year. It's entertaining, funny, features recognizable cameos, has a good message and of course, a happy ending. What's missing is probably the main cast appearing at the end credits wishing the audience all the good sayings during this festive season.
The plot is fairly easy to follow. After getting dumped by his fiance (Niki Chow) and coupled with an unfortunate demotion to the basement evidence room, supercop Fallon Zhu (Donnie Yen) copes by stuffing his face. As a result, he gains massive weight (but yet, he is still agile and can pack a punch and a mean kick).
In order to redeem himself back to the squad, he agreed to take on a simple assignment of escorting a Japanese convict back to Japan. But of course, nothing goes according to plan and soon, chaos ensues with the Yakuza thrown into the mix.
There are no particular standout action scenes in this movie but overall, the kung-fu scenes are well choreographed and it comes in think and fast. There is no notable difference between Yen in a fat suit fighting bad guys vs Yen without the fat suit fighting bad guys. In fact, fat Yen's punches are much more powerful, often sending the baddies flying through the air during the brawl scenes.
One would expect the filmmakers here to pay homage to classic Bruce Lee movies, but instead, they chose to reference some of Donnie Yen's own classic fight scenes from movies such as SPL and Flash Point. And the outcome is LOL hilarious!
Enter The Fat Dragon will not go down as one of the must-see movies of Donnie Yen but if you have 2 hours to spare and some pocket money to get some popcorn and soda, you'll have a good time at the cinema.
Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Joe Pantoliano, Paola Nunez, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Kate del Castillo, Jacob Scipio
Director: Adil El Arbi, Billal Fallah
Screenplay: Chris Bremmer and Peter Craig and Joe Carnahan
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back. This time round, the buddy-buddy duo cops involuntarily got themselves involved with the Mexican gangsters led by a mother and son team. The long and short of it, they want Mike dead.
I really hated what Michael Bay did with Bad Boys II almost 18 years ago. I enjoyed the first Bad Boys movie but Michael Bay really turned on his Bayhem for the sequel. It was too long, the humour was offensive, the violence was gratuitous and the directing was pompous. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.
So when the 3rd one was released recently after almost two decades, I was hesitant to watch it especially after its unexciting trailer.
But I'm glad to say it was...OK. Let's just say the story justifies bringing back these characters. Although it looks and feels like a Michael Bay movie; the rolling on the ground in slow motion and the signature camera circling our two heroes, directors Adil and Billal managed to successfully craft out something they can proudly call their own.
Thank God the action scenes are coherent and the amount of violence is just...nice (?). There is enough room to breathe from one action scene to another.
The chemistry between Smith and Lawrence felt a little rusty in the beginning but over the course of the movie, they were their Bad Boys self again.
The filmmakers also did something fresh with the villain this time. In the last two movies, the villains were forgettable, but for part 3, they managed to tie in the villain with Mike's character. As a result, I could feel that the stakes were higher this round and we get to know Will Smith's character better.
All in all, it was entertaining enough for me to want to go another round with these boys if they are ever going to ride again.
The story is simple. The date is April 6, 1917, World War I.
A British
battalion is about to walk into a trap set by the Germans that will result to a potential 1,600
casualties. As the phone lines are cut, two young British soldiers; Blake (Chapman) and Schofield (MacKay), are tasked to cross through No-Man's Land and enemy territory by foot to deliver this message to this battalion in order to prevent these soldiers from their imminent death. As the caption of the poster says: Time is the enemy.
The style with which Mendes and award winning cinematographer Roger Deakins have chosen to film 1917 is to employ a seemingly unbroken single-take from the start of the movie right to the very end. Whether it's a valiant or vain approach, I'll leave it to your opinion.
With this approach, it pulls the viewers into the thick of the action when our two young soldiers travel from point A to point B. Viewers will feel as though they "are there" in real time, which lends a real sense of tension and dread.
Speaking of action, there isn't many battle scenes but what this film does really well is capturing the aftermath of trench warfare. We see the remains of human bodies (many of them in pieces and are bloated) and animals lying in the mud, and are eaten by rats.
From a technical perspective, the score is crucial in
certain scenes to heighten the danger, but thankfully, it doesn't dominate. A standing
ovation for the set designers as the set pieces are so meticulously period-accurate.
In conclusion, this movie feels almost like Dunkirk. Just like the Christopher Nolan's movie, it's technically superior. But what 1917 lacked is the emotional payout that Dunkirk delivered in the final scene. I can't help but to view this film as a theme park ride through a trench warfare, because it does feel that way.
Cast: Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, Vanness
Wu, Wu Yue, Chris Collins, Kent Cheng
Director: Wilson Yip
Screenplay: Edmond Wong, Dana Fukazawa, Chan Tai Lee & Jil
Leung Lai Yin
IP MAN 4: THE FINALE is indeed the concluding chapter of the popular Ip Man franchise which started way back in 2008 and have since created many spin offs and alternate versions in the last ten years. For the uninitiated, this saga is an inspired version (not exactly autobiographical) of the life of Ip Man, the famed teacher of the the Wing Chun style of martial arts and of course, the sifu of the legendary Bruce Lee.
The year is 1964, and Ip Man (Donnie Yen) makes a trip to San Francisco from Hong Kong with the purpose of enrolling his teenager son in a school there. Due to the problems of immigration, he soon finds out it's not so easy to get a place in the local schools and he needs to engage the chairman (Wu Yue) of the Chinese Benevolent Association from Chinatown to write him a recommendation letter. The chairman is not so co-operative because he is unhappy with Ip Man's student Bruce Lee (Danny Chan) for teaching martial arts to non-Chinese. And the plot also include a racist Marine officer (Scott Adkins), intolerance towards immigrants and finding your passion.
Yeah, it's a mixed bag to be honest but just like all the earlier entries, it's really an excuse to showcase a collection of
martial art duels. In terms of fight choreography, the hand-to-hand fights here are the weakest compared to the earlier episodes. To be fair, all the scenes were serviceable but none were memorable.
I was expecting an emotional "send off" since this is the finale, but I was actually more moved by Ip Man 3.
As for the performances, I still cannot brain how come Caucasians who appear in HK movies always end up as caricatures. Their dialogue are always cringe-worthy and their acting; over-the-top. No different here. I guess it's just a poor understanding on the filmmakers' end on how they view the "ang mohs". Now, who's the racist here?
A big shout-out to Danny Chan's impression as Bruce Lee. He perfectly captures Bruce Lee's charisma, swagger and his signature moves. Danny is a refreshing highlight.
The Ip Man movies have always been about nationalistic triumphs. So, it's pretty obvious the filmmakers of this movie were going for the social commentary angle aimed at the bigotry of the Trump-era. Unfortunately, it's heavy handed here. Thankfully, there is a heartfelt montage from the previous three films at the end which saved Ip Man 4 from being a below average finale.
Release Date: Malaysia, 19 Dec 2019
Genre: Science Fiction / Adventure
Running Length: 2:21
Cast: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie
Fisher, Joonas Suotamo, Anthony Daniels, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Billy
Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid
Director: J.J. Abrams
Screenplay: Chris Terrio & J.J. Abrams, based on
characters created by George Lucas
The next paragraph is really not a spoiler if you've seen the trailer. But if you want to watch STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, the finale of the Skywalker saga, without knowing anything at all, then please turn away.
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Still here? Ok, here's the iconic opening crawl of this movie that will set the audience up pretty nicely for the following 2 hours+:
EPISODE IX THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
The dead speak! The galaxy has heard a mysterious broadcast,
a threat of REVENGE in the sinister voice of the late EMPEROR PALPATINE.
GENERAL LEIA ORGANA dispatches secret agents to gather
intelligence, while REY, the last hope of the Jedi, trains for battle against
the diabolical FIRST ORDER.
Meanwhile, Supreme Leader KYLO REN rages in search of the
phantom Emperor, determined to destroy any threat to his power…
(Actually for geeks out there, this "mysterious broadcast" was revealed much earlier in Fortnite (yes, the game!). And here's the message)
I am aware that fans and professional reviewers worldwide are shredding this movie into pieces at this very moment. As for me, I actually enjoyed it. It's not life-defining or anything of that sorts. I mean it's Star Wars after all.
Then it dawned upon me that I'm not a die-hard Star Wars fan after all. I mean I know the characters and the overall folklore lah but I could never really remember the storyline from any of the installment. (Perhaps, I'm just not into epic fantasy trilogies and series like The Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones etc)
However, what I do like about the Star Wars series were all present in The Rise of Skywalker. Stormtroopers? Checked. The Force on display? Checked. Weird creatures? Checked. X-wings and Tie Fighters dogfights? Checked. Epic lightsaber duels? Double triple checked.
I mean this movie is like watching my favourite band in concert playing all of the crowd-pleasing greatest hits as their tens of thousands of fans sing-along.
Abrams really displays a firm understanding on the power of
nostalgia. He really knows what the fans want. "Forget about the plot. Just focus on creating sweeping and breathtaking epic scenes. And remember to pepper the scenes with familiar faces!" Greatest Hits indeed.
To be fair, there is a story, of course. But as mentioned, it just consists of a bunch of events and, if you
pause long enough to think through the plot, it falls apart very quickly. Probably that's why this movie is currently rated barely fresh at 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.
I think the biggest mistake Disney made with this "new" trilogy (Episode VII, VIII, IX) was to have different directors to bring forth their unique vision for the episode they helm. I mean as terrible as the "first" trilogy (Episode I, II, III) was, at least it was consistent because it was written and directed by the same person. Just look at what Johnson did with The Last Jedi?? I think all he wanted was to disrupt the
entire Skywalker saga. Thankfully J.J. Abrams of Episode VII The Force Awakens is back to helm the finale.
Hence, that's why I think J.J. Abrams and his team really tried and did the best way they knew how with what was handed to them after the disastrous The Last Jedi and of course, the unexpected demise of Carrie Fisher. For better or worse, I'm glad the Skywalker saga is over. Disney, please move on and tell other Star Wars stories.
Release Date: Malaysia, 21 Nov 2019 Genre: Animation
Running Length: 1:43
Cast (voices): Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff,
Sterling K. Brown, Evan Rachel Wood
Director: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck
Screenplay: Jennifer Lee
As I am preparing to review FROZEN II, the only thing that is repeatedly pounding my head right now is:
"Into the unknown, into the UNKNOWN, into the UNKNOOOoooOOoooWN. Ahh Ahh Ahh Ahhhh~"
Several years have passed since the incidents from the first movie. Elsa (Menzel) is the ruler of Arendelle. However, there is an unknown voice calling her to leave Arendelle for the mysterious enchanted forest in order to save her kingdom from an unknown threat. Yes, I am aware there are two "unknowns" in one sentence. And so, Elsa and her sister Anna (Bell), Anna's boyfriend Kristoff (Groff), Sven the moose and Olaf (Gad) leave Arendelle and set out to travel to this mysterious forest to make things alright again.
There is just something about excessive singing in an animation that will bore me to tears. I never grew to like it. Probably that's why I've never really developed a liking for the performing/theatre arts. That was probably why I couldn't connect with Frozen when it first came out in 2013.
Hence after impacting a whole generation of kids with "Let It Go" and all things Frozen, I was very hesitant to watch the sequel. But I braved myself and decided to step into the unknooooown to check it out anyway.
Let's get the songs out of the way first, shall we? Musically, the songs here are not as "catchy" compared to the first one but the one song that really stood out for me was, yep, "Into The Unknown" (personally, I prefer Panic! At the Disco's version compared to Menzel's). Overall, there is a certain 'Broadway' feel to the list of songs here. Not sure if it's because the characters in the movie delivered them with gusto or it's the composition or just both.
As for the plot, I must say I'm glad the filmmakers didn't rehash it from the first movie. The themes explored here are more mature. However, that doesn't mean it's better as it's not as focused as the first one. There are themes of politics, save the environment, growing up and a handful more. It's a bit of a mess, really.
Visually, it does move the bar, if only by a little (I'm comparing to the recent animations and not the first Frozen). Some scenes are beautiful to watch as it's photo-realistic but still maintain the animated touch. The scene where Elsa ran towards the dark and stormy ocean, coupled with the heart pounding soundtrack, is a sight to behold.
All in all, I'm glad Frozen II is not a cash grab and the writers took time to extend the arc of some of these characters and expand the Frozen universe. Oh, and Olaf provides just enough comic-relief here to be not irritating.
I must say the quality of movies from the 2nd half
of the 2019 is so much better than the 1st half. In fact, I gave more 9s this year compared to 2018.
I watched
the least number of movies in the cinema this year compared to the last 5 years.
Blame it on office work and Netfix (I also started to review more Netflix
released movies).
Before we get into the Top 10, let me first list down two (dis)honourable
movies of the year.
I told myself I will never catch John Wick 2 because I didn’t
enjoy the first movie. But I did. And I regretted my decision. So, when the 3rd one came out, I wanted to be
sure if it was really me (as the majority of people were raving about the 3rd
movie from the franchise). I caught it and...it's definitely me. I'm the problem. John Wick: Chapter 4? No, thank you. I rather watch paint dry.
Breaking Bad is the most complete and perfect series I've watched, bar none. And its spin off Better Call Saul, despite its inconsistencies, is still one of the more watchable series on TV. So when they announced there IS GOING TO BE A BREAKING BAD movie after all, I hyperventilated for weeks leading to the release of the "movie event" on Netflix. Bitch! What a letdown it was. They should have just ended at Jesse Pinkman driving away to his freedom in the El Camino at the end of Breaking Bad.
Ok, now that I've put all that aside, let's get on with it, shall we? (Click on the titles to
open up the full review)
The themes explored here are beautifully bleak; what does it mean to be unlovable and losing one's purpose. And because I care for these characters, the heart-wrenching
conclusion ripped me to shreds.
The most surprising movie of 2019 for me! I was prepared to be pounded silly by the CGI and mindless action scenes but boy, was I BLOWN AWAY! It's thrilling, violent and bizarre at the same time.
This movie is about the exploration of marriage; the happier days and the end it. It's
humourous, honest and heartbreaking. #6 THE TWO POPES
This is such a fascinating movie as it demystifies these
divine men as mere mortals, and surprisingly, it made me reflect my
relationship with God and who I am as a human being. I was expecting this movie to be dry and
talky-talky. Yes, it's talky-talky but it's absolutely not boring.
The ensemble cast of calibre actors here are playing against type and they are on-point. I was glued to what's unfolding in front of me because
of its sharp dialogue. Knives Out is one of the most entertaining, smart and
enjoyable films I've seen this year!
This is the most visually beautiful movie of the year for me. What I really enjoyed about this film is the use of space
exploration as a canvas to look inward at the very core of our humanity - what
does it mean to live and to love? Ad Astra was a meditative and healing experience for
me.
Although not as "shock-to-the-system" impactful as
Infinity War, this movie still carries an emotional punch to the gut. In
fact, I was "punched" a few times. A super satisfying ending for me that has the right balance
of closure and setup for future installments for some characters.
The very fact that I was still thinking
about this movie long after the curtain fell says something about this film. (The theme of mental health from this movie was further covered by my creative partner and I on our podcast The Stories We Tell Ourselves)
"Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out
there?"
Release Date: Netflix Malaysia, 20 Dec 2019
Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:05
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan MinujÃn
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Screenplay: Anthony McCarten
Based on true events, THE TWO POPES imagines a meeting between Pope Benedict/Cardinal Ratzinger (Hopkins) and his future
successor, Pope Francis/Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (Pryce). Benedict is a conservative leader while Francis is more of a liberal and modern thinker; and one of Pope Benedict's harshest critics.
I was expecting this movie to be dry and talky-talky. Yes, it's talky-talky but it's absolutely not boring.
There are elements of faith in this movie but the filmmakers are more concerned with giving us an inside look on the political side of the church and a rare behind-the-scene peek into the process of voting for a Pope.
Of course, the highlight to me was seeing the meeting of the two men of faith. The bulk of the film happens when Pope Benedict summons Bergoglio to visit him in Rome with the purpose of informing him of his resignation, and tries to convince him to be his successor.
What really spoke to me was seeing Bergoglio trying to avoid his destiny to be the future world leader because he felt undeserving due to a crisis of conscience (he was scarred by a particular incident that happened to him when he was a young man, shown here in flashbacks).
The performances from both Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce are on point. You can see both their character's arc transform on screen throughout the course of the movie. The dialogue is sharp and peppered with just enough humour to make me see them as imperfect humans; one more close-minded than the other, but both equally passionate for God and compassionate for His people.
What I also like is the unconventional cinematography and editing choice the filmmakers made to keep this film moving along swiftly. The decision to use the shaky cam approach for some scenes were distracting at first, but overtime, it did successfully gave us the audience, a more intimate and almost voyeuristic view into the conversations of these two godly men.
This is such a fascinating movie as it demystifies these divine men as mere mortals, and surprisingly, it made me reflect my relationship with God and who I am as a human being.
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina,
Nick Jonas, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Alex Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain, Morgan
Turner, Madison Iseman, Rory McCann, Colin Hanks
Director: Jake Kasdan
Screenplay: Jake Kasdan and Jeff Pinkner & Scott
Rosenberg, based on “Jumanji” by Chris Van Allsburg
Those who enjoyed 2017's hit Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will definitely enjoy JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL. The content is practically a regurgitation of its predecessor; it's more of the same. At least, it's entertaining on a popcorn level.
Everyone from the 2017 movie returns in this sequel with additional cast of Awkwafina, Danny DeVito and Danny Glover.
This time round, there is a change-up in the "pairings of the virtual avatars". Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays Danny DeVito's character, Kevin Hart plays Danny Glover's character and instead of playing the millennial girl character, Jack Black plays the character of the buff black dude. Yeah, it sounds all so confusing if you've not seen Welcome to the Jungle but trust me, it's easy to follow. (Eventhough my parents have not watched the 2017 movie, they recently went to see this movie in a 4DX cinema and they thoroughly enjoyed it!)
The fun part of the movie isn't seeing how these avatars survive in the Jumanji world but seeing the likes of The Rock, Kevin Hart and Jack Black (and even Awkwafina) inhabiting and impersonating other characters. In fact, I felt like I was watching a film version of the improvisational comedy TV show, Who's Line Is It Anyway?
The least convincing "impersonation" is The Rock playing Danny DeVito's character. I mean on paper it sounds hilarious but not so from paper to film. Surprisingly, the best impersonation goes to Kevin Hart playing Danny Glover's character! (In the last movie, my money went to Jack Black). Kevin Hart was playing Kevin Hart in the last movie, but in this outing, he's really good here as the subdued zoologist. Another standout is Awkwafina playing a particular character very much later in the film.
Although The Next Level is entertaining and has some solid LOL moments (and a touching ending), it does feel a little too much like a money grab move.
Release Date: Netflix Malaysia, 06 Dec 2019 Genre: Drama Running Length: 2:16 Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Ray
Liotta, Alan Alda, Azhy Robertson Director: Noah Baumbach Screenplay: Noah Baumbach
MARRIAGE STORY is a love story but not that kind. It's humourous, honest and heartbreaking.
This movie is about the exploration of marriage; the happier days and the end it. When the movie begins, Nicole (Johansson) and Charlie (Driver) are in the process of splitting up. All they want is to ensure that they can still raise and provide the best for their son (Robertson). And when the movie ends, it would leave the audience on a bittersweet note.
Most films about divorce focus on the bitterness and the shouting matches but not this one. Almost the entire length of the movie, it centres around how these two adults try to cope with what's happening in a, well....adult way. Most of the the time it involves a lot of talking or just silence.
What I appreciate about this movie is how the filmmakers showcase the process of a divorce especially when the lawyers are involved. Well, there are a few heavy handed scenes to caricaturize the lawyers but most of it are true; all they care is about being paid and "winning".
I'm also glad the director didn't take sides on who's the "bad" person and who's the "good" one. We clearly know why Nicole wants out from the marriage but the audience can also empathize with Charlie.
The watch-ability of Marriage Story is squarely on the shoulders of the stellar performances of Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. There is this one argument scene which was so intense it really got to me.
(Strangely, I feel if this was made into a small-scale theater production, the raw emotions shown by the actors would have been more affecting and powerful for its audience.)
The film’s themes and emotions are universal. One doesn't have to have gone through a divorce to "enjoy" this film but whoever has been through a break-up will appreciate the sensitivity shown in how a separation will take a personal toll on the respective parties.
I really enjoyed Paskal when it came out last year. So when I heard that the team that did Paskal is behind WIRA, I had to go check it out. So is it as good?
Before we get to that, what's this movie about? Well, this movie is set in a dystopian-like little town in Malaysia run by a kingpin called Raja (Dain Said). Hassan who once served Raja (Hairul Azreen) years ago is now a military guy and he goes back to that sh*t hole to get his father and younger sister out. Wira being a fight movie, I'm sure you can guess where the plot will eventually lead to.
I went into this movie for the fight scenes as I have read reviews claiming that the hand-to-hand fight scenes are on par with Indonesian's The Raid and even Hollywood's John Wick. I read as well that the film's director Adrian
Teh wanted to aim for "Hollywood-level fight scenes,
but on a Malaysian budget". Wah....sure boh? I had to see it for myself, right?
And the verdict? 50/50.
First of all, there is no doubt there are plenty of fight scenes. In fact, right at the opening scene of the movie, we already see Hassan's sis Zain (Fify Azmi) and Raja's daughter Vee (Ismi Melinda) beating the cr*p out of each other in the ring. But the fight choreography, unfortunately, was very tame and unbelievable. In fact, there is this one vs many unbroken-one-take fight scene where it looked a little weird; like bullet time but not.
Fortunately, the fight scenes do get better and better. And the payoff came at the last fight scene which lasted a good 10 minutes between tag team bro + sis vs Raja's bodyguard (Yayan Ruhian, yes, the Raid dude, who is also the fight choreographer for this movie). Man, that fight scene was worth the price of the admission ticket itself! It was intense and brutal.
I really believe Adrian could have bring in the A-game on a Malaysian budget on all the fight scenes (and not only the last few fight scenes) but I think his team is constrained by the PG-13 rating. If this was rated R, on boy, it could have been a blast. The bones breaking and bodies getting slashed would have been more riveting.
What I do like also are the performances by Fify and Dain Said. Fify is believable as our strong female lead, something you don't see much in our local movies. And Dain Said channeling his inner Alan Rickman from Die Hard...ahh, whenever he appears on screen, I am engaged.
So all in all, is Wira a worthy follow-up to Paskal? Not really. There wasn't any "sign me up for TUDM!" emotions I felt when I watched Paskal. Besides the inconsistent fight sequences, it's a tad melodrama and some of the dialogue sounds awkward too.
p/s: Do stay behind for a mid-credit scene which I thought was...anyway, just watch for yourselves.
Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee
Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Christopher
Plummer
Director: Rian Johnson
Screenplay: Rian Johnson
KNIVES OUT is one of the most entertaining, smart and enjoyable films I've seen this year.
The movie starts off like the board game Cluedo. Harlan Thrombey (Plummer), a renowned and rich crime novelist is found dead in his huge mansion the day after his 85th birthday party. He has invited his dysfunctional family, and there are many of them, to his party. Of course, everyone at the party is a suspect and in comes famous Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) to investigate this mysterious death.
And that's all I can say about this movie. Because anything more than that will rob you of your joy in watching this well-written, well-directed and well acted movie.
The highlight of this movie is Daniel Craig's Blanc. His southern drawl is one of a kind and his method of investigation is refreshing. He is detached from logic and intuition and believes that the evidence will eventually show up. It's nice to see him moving around in a nonchalant laid-back manner, compared to his portrayal of James Bond.
The other highlight is of course the ensemble cast of calibre actors, with most of them playing against type. You are glued to what's unfolding in front of you because of its sharp dialogue and not because of some car chase action scene. In fact, there is only one car chase scene in the entire movie and the remark at the end of the chase was funny in a self-parody way.
Go watch this classic whodunnit? murder mystery on the big
screen!
