Weekly Review -- Ultrastyle

Ultraviolet (2006) -- Not many films can claim that they have re-invented the vampire sub-genre. Two of the most successful ones in recent years, Blade and Underworld, have offered new perspectives on the old mythology. Blade was a stylish, techno take on the lore, while Underworld was praised by its fans for artfully combining the vampire and werewolf mythologies in a cool-as-ice story. Both films have spawned popular sequels. As flawed as it is, though, I found Ultraviolet to be much more intriguing than Underworld, not to mention more coherent. The world of the late 21st century is a bleak place, ravaged by hemophagia, a disease which turns humans into vampire-like creatures. Violet (Milla Jovovich) is a woman who has lost everything due to the disease and who is now part of the hemophages' underground movement, getting her assignments from Nerva (Sebastien Andrieu). Her next mission is to eliminate the dictator ruler, Vicecardinum Ferdinand Daxus (Nick Chinlund), who intends to exterminate the hemophages. However, Violet's mission is interrupted by the discovery of Six (Cameron Bright), a boy whose DNA may contain the cure for the virus. Torn between her hatred for humans, her motherly instinct and desire for survival, Violet races to uncover the mystery of Six with the help of scientist Garth (William Fichtner). Jovovich is convincing as the heroine, but some deeper moments between her and Bright are hard to buy. Chinlund is satisfyingly sleazy as Daxus, although his character could have used more of a history. The rest of the cast are pretty bland. The effects and cinematography are stunning, but it feels like the film has eschewed most of the plot and character development in favor of esthetics. The fight scenes are impressive, especially the rooftop scene and the helicopter sequence. I loved seeing the Gun Kata fighting style again, after director Kurt Wimmer's previous film, the underrated Equilibrium. It also has to be said that the film's opening credits were the epitome of cool. Overall, the film is quite an attraction for sci-fi fans and, even though the execution often fails to parallel the concept, the story itself is interesting enough to warrant a viewing.

6/10

Weekly Review -- Disturbed to no end

Silent Hill (2006) -- I should have written this review earlier. No, not because I was enthusiastic about this film -- although it was good -- or because it was fresh in my mind, but because I was hoping to forget it as soon as possible. I will explain why later. The new film by Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf) is an innovative horror/drama/fantasy based on the video game of the same name. Rose (Radha Mitchell) and Christopher Da Silva (Sean Bean) are growing increasingly worried about their adopted daughter Sharon (Jodelle Ferland). Not only does Sharon sleepwalk, she also seems to be plagued by nightmares involving Silent Hill, an abandoned town in West Virginia. After researching the town on the Internet, Rose decides to take a trip with Sharon to Silent Hill, in order to get to the core of her daughter's problems. When they arrive, Sharon disappears. As Rose searches for her, she starts piecing together Silent Hill's mysteries and secrets, until some ghastly truths are uncovered. Gans is a fantastic director, who manages to combine human drama, thrills and chills in a plausible manner, all the while giving the film an edgy originality. Mitchell is very good as Rose and she has already proved with Pitch Black that the horror genre is one of her strongest suites, so I hope she makes another horror film in the future. Bean is convincing as the beleaguered husband, while Ferland's performance shows promise. A stand-out, however, is Alice Krige as Christabella, the ultra religious and über-evil leader of Silent Hill's inhabitants; she spews venom with every word and every action. Christabella is the initiator of some of the most horrific and disturbing scenes and images I have recently seen on film, which I hope will fade from my head soon. Without spoiling anything, you will either be in shock or scream at the TV; there is no third possible reaction. The production design and cinematography are incredible, taking video game adaptations to a whole new level with visual realism. I also have to mention the music by Jeff Danna and Akira Yamaoka, which still haunts me and fits the film's twists with its gloomy sadness. On the whole, the film is not only a good horror film, but also makes some excellent points about the dangers of organized religion and the bond between mother and child. Everyone who likes cinematic horror/fantasy hybrids will like Silent Hill, but be warned -- there are some images you will not soon forget.

7/10

Weekly Review -- Another dark city

Night Watch (2004) -- One of the biggest foreign hits of recent years, this film was hailed as a landmark in Russian cinema. Writer/director Timur Bekmambetov had created a new kind of fantasy epic, the likes of which the ex-communist country has never seen. To top off all the recommendations, it is the second highest-grossing film in Russian history. The film starts off with a bloody battle between, as we soon learn, the forces of light and forces of dark. Worn out by the losses, the enemies sign a truce which leads to forces of light becoming guardians of daytime and their counterparts being assigned to guard the night. In present day Moscow, the two sides are about to collide again in search of an Other who can possibly reverse the hierarchy, as well as a person who may be the key to recent troubles in the city... At first, the film seems disjointed. It throws us right into the story and it takes a while to figure out where the story is heading and just who the characters are supposed to be but, once the mythology is further explained, the film becomes really interesting. It is a unique combination of history and fairytales, borrowing in style from urban vampire films like Blade and spicing up the story with unexpected twists, clever action sequences and cool villains. Konstantin Khabensky provides appealing street smarts and vulnerability as Anton, one of the principal night watchmen. I also loved Galina Tyunina's turn; among other things and without spoiling anything, let us just say that her innocent, wide-eyed look fits her character. The cinematography is gorgeous and the effects pepper the proceedings, rather than overwhelm them. Two stand-out scenes are the ones on the subway and the electric plant, both flawlessly filmed. I would recommend Night Watch to anyone who would like to watch a different kind of vampire film, with the right mix of thrills and cult potential.

8/10

Bloody scary Blogthing

In honour of Night Watch, which I just saw and was very impressed with, as well as the upcoming Covenant and Halloween festivities, here are some blood test... oops, I mean Blogthings quiz results.

Your Vampire Name Is...

Phoebe of the Ghastly

What's Your Vampire Name?

Weekly Review -- Hostages all over the place

Inside Man (2006) -- Original thrillers, just like lively romantic comedies, are rare nowadays. By "original", I mean unpredictable, detailed and/or putting new twists on already seen cinematic situations. Spike Lee's new film does all that and more. A group of bank robbers led by Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) put in motion a heist, taking hostages along the way. Detective Keith Frazier (Denzel Washington) is called upon to negotiate and soon finds himself trying to outsmart the robbers, who seem to be one step ahead of police at all times. Enter Madeline White (Jodie Foster), a Miss Fix-it of sorts, who was hired by the bank's president Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer) to retrieve a document that could be damaging to Case's reputation and business. With Russell's uncompromising plan on one side and White's hush-hush agenda on the other, Frazier has only his instincts and experience to trust in order to find out where Russell's game leads. Contrary to much of Lee's other work, there are not many political statements to be found here. It is a crime story with twists and turns, with occasional racial and corruption issues coming into play, but that is as far as these issues go; they are not part of the larger picture. The visual feel of the film fits the screenplay to a T. The heist and police negotiations appear to be unfolding in real time, while the cinematography by Matthew Libatique -- who also provided the dark and somber atmosphere for Phone Booth and Gothika, among other films -- effortlessly conjures up the hypnotizing urban chaos of New York City. The dialogue is clever, often sarcastically funny and peppered with just enough social satire. Washington gives a great performance as the seen-it-all Frazier, who ends up smack in the middle of what could be the case of his career. Owen's Russell is enigmatic, ruthless and brilliant, while Foster is dripping icy sleaze as Madeline White. For not underestimating the audience's intelligence, I name Inside Man as one of the best thrillers of recent years.

9/10


Poseidon (2006) -- For those who are looking for that perfect popcorn movie: look no further! The remake of 1972's The Poseidon Adventure is big on incredible effects, occasionally grand on cheese and, as is the case with many summer action films, small on logic. The film is very exciting escapist entertainment, however, and is that not its very purpose? On the luxury liner Poseidon, New Year's festivities are starting. The celebration is cut short when a rogue wave hits the ship, causing it to capsize. A group of passengers, including Robert Ramsey (Kurt Russell), Dylan Johns (Josh Lucas), Robert's daughter Jennifer (Emmy Rossum) and her boyfriend Christian (Mike Vogel), attempt to escape the ship, but they face numerous obstacles, with the ocean itself being the least of them.

**SPOILERS**

The screenplay could be better and some shots and situations are taken straight from Titanic and Armageddon, but the film boasts some of the best effects seen recently. The first scene with the wave was exceptionally well created and filmed, as is the one with the shooting fuel and the underwater scenes. Director Wolfgang Petersen has proven himself as master of the action genre with films like In the Line of Fire and Air Force One, and suspenseful situations interwoven with action sequences are his specialty. The acting is decent throughout. Lucas makes for a good hero, while Russell is excellent as the worried father. Rossum's acting is over the top in most parts of the film, but Mia Maestro is sympathetic as Elena, a desperate woman stuck in a life-threatening situation. I especially liked her character's bond with architect Richard Nelson (Richard Dreyfuss) and wish we could have seen more of them. The ending felt a little too convenient -- oh, look, a lifeboat just when we need it -- and some of the principals' deaths were obvious tearjerkers, but it all comes with the summer blockbuster territory. It is an enjoyable ride, so sit back, enjoy and do not forget the popcorn.

7/10