SICARIO: DAY OF THE SALDADO (Malaysia, 28 Jun 2018)

Genre: Thriller

Running Length: 2:02

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine, Elijah Rodriguez, David Castañeda  

Director: Stefano Sollima 

Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan

What's this movie about?

The cartels are smuggling terrorists across the US border. FBI agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) is ordered to assemble his team, including Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to instigate a cartel war to disrupt such operations. Of course, nothing goes right and very quickly, sh*t hits the fan. 

(SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO stands on its own. One does not require to have seen the first film Sicario, but by understanding the background of Graver and Alejandro it would help viewers to have a better appreciation for the series) 

Highlights!

• Expanding the Sicario universe. Rather than the lazy rinse and repeat approach to sequels, I like what returning writer Taylor Sheridan did here - exposing a whole other facet of the drug and human trafficking war among the cartels that wasn’t explored in the first. The first film felt small while this one seems much bigger.  
• The realistic violence. Eventhough the trailer markets this film as an action film, the violence here are not the same as that genre. No heroic slo-mo gun play. The 'action sequences' are so well crafted it makes you feel that you're right there and the violence is usually quick, brutal and efficient.  
• Same look and feel. Eventhough the original super trio (Director Denis Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson - RIP) were not involved in this sequel, it still looks and feels the same. This movie maintains a lurking sense of dread with some unbearable moments of intensity.
• The performances of Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro. Both Brolin's 'do whatever-it-takes' character and Del Toro's character are more fleshed out this round. There's one scene where Del Toro's character used sign language to reveal a little bit of his background - that quiet moment was heartbreaking. 

Lowlights

• The ending bit. I would have preferred a bleak ending where redemption is not possible for certain characters.  
• The casting of Catherine Keener and Matthew Modine. Their performance is serviceable here but distracting. It would have been better to cast lesser known actors.

In summary

Eventhough DAY OF THE SOLDADO didn't deliver a gut-punch ending as what Sicario did, it’s a worthy follow-up delivered from the perspective of the ugly world of international politics and male aggression. 

RATING: 8.5/10

INCREDIBLES 2 (Malaysia, 14 Jun 2018)

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:52

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Catherine Keener, Bob Odenkirk, Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Brad Bird

Screenplay: Brad Bird

What's this movie about?

The super family is back! This time Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible is left to care for the kids while Helen/Elastigirl is out saving the world. And we have a new supervillain this round - The Screenslaver.  

Highlights!

• Superior animation. The graphics somewhat do look the same as the 2004 debut but yet it's different in a good way. The characters are much richer and the backdrop is so much more photorealistic. 
• Immersive action sequences. There are many action scenes here the audience would feel like they are riding a roller coaster - yes, it's edge-of-your-seat stuff especially the sequence involving a runaway train! 
• The score. Michael Giacchino’s score is extremely catchy and really ups the action sequences all the way to its climax. Very classic James Bond-sy style.
• Baby Jack-Jack. The little one steals the show as he sprouts all sorts of unpredictable powers. There is this scene involving a raccoon which was totally LOL. Everytime he's on screen, the audience in the cinema I was in would laugh or go awww~~ 
• Mr. Incredible's arc. It's nice to see the softer side of him especially his struggle to be a good father. 

Lowlights

• Weak villain. In the first movie, Syndrome was a memorable superhero movie villain because he was cold, his motivations were realistic and he could inflict emotional pain to Mr. Incredible and his family. However, this follow-up lacks such a thoughtful villain. 
• Scripting issues. When it first came out in 2004, superhero movies were in its infancy and was starting to get popular. So, to tell a story that superheroes were a "menace" to society was a ballsy decision. Thus, re-telling the anti-superhero theme here didn't feel as fresh and the pacing suffered from its various sub-plots like raising kids in single-parent environment and a teenage crush. Eventhough the movie wasn't that long, it felt long and some moments were draggy.

In summary

INCREDIBLES 2 is a technically superior movie but the story is a little clumsy. It's action sequences are exhilarating, the colours are bright and the score is catchy. However, it lacks the ingenuity and freshness displayed by its predecessor from a narrative standpoint. (Instead, the opening shorty 'Bao' was so much fresher in re-telling a familiar story in a creative way; funny, moving and very relatable to Asians) 

RATING: 7/10

GET OUT (2017)

Genre: Horror / Thriller
Running Length: 1:43
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, Caleb Landry Jones, LilRel Howery
Director: Jordan Peele
Screenplay: Jordan Peele

Those expecting Jordan Peele's directorial debut to be a full blown Key & Peele goofy comedy will be sorely disappointed because GET OUT is one hell of a creepy movie. Yes, thankfully there are some comedic elements to balance out the scares.

Get Out is more a thriller than a horror which shares the same tonality as Scream and the strangeness of The Stepford Wives. Peele borrows elements from various horror classics but yet he's able to deliver a satisfying outcome without coming across as a copycat.

This movie tells the tale of a black man (Kaluuya, who is very good at playing sympathetic characters as seen in Sicario and that one episode in Black Mirror) who visits his white girlfriend’s (Williams) parents in the deep country for the first time. Of course, he senses something is off - something sinister - with her parents and their black helpers.

What's exceptional about this movie is how clever the filmmakers blend a social commentary within a horror genre. As a result, the insights of the post-racial America showcased here is authentic and sharp. But thankfully Peele doesn't venture too deeply into racism but instead uses the black/white phobia to mess with the audience's mind at the start, right to the crowd-pleasing gory finale.

Get Out is tight and funnier than expected. And it's one of those films that will make you go, "Oh! That's why she did that!" way after you have left the cinema hall. It just gets better the more you think about it. It's still too early in the year but this movie is a strong contender to emerge in my top 10 of 2017 because it's one of those rare movies that would appeal to both horror fans and those who avoid this genre.

RATING: 8.5/10