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Reviews
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
The first film would be ashamed of the sequel.
First of all, I will talk about the good things about the movie. The action scenes were awesome, especially when Optimus takes on three Decepticons in the forest. The CGI was also very well done.
Now, the bad stuff. Where was the plot? Last time i checked, MOVIES NEED PLOTS!!! Otherwise its total anarchy. Pretty much up until Optimus Prime dies, there is no plot. Suddenly, they are whisked off to Egypt for the Matrix of Leadership (which sounds very cheesy by the way). I was very upset that the other Autobots were rarely given dialogue. It felt like the movie was mainly meant to be about Optimus more than the other Autobots.
Now, for the humans in the movie. Shia LaBeouf again did a good job, but i cannot get over the fact that he comes back to life after being killed. He has a vision of the Primes and he's suddenly up and kicking. Like seriously, WTF?! The parents i felt were overused and they perhaps should have been limited to another cameo role, like in the first movie. Josh Duhamel didn't contribute anything new. As did Tyrese Gibson. They weren't given enough dialogue in the movie.
A generous 5/10 for the awesome action sequences, nothing more.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Not bad, but not good either
I went into Terminator Salvation with a lot of hope and anticipation and i came out somewhat bemused by the movie itself.
First of all, there were some plot holes i found misleading. If Skynet is constantly monitoring Marcus, and the live feed is being sent back, why didn't they attack John Connor much earlier? They had the firepower, humanity was on their knees, what was stopping them from killing the might man.
Sam Worthington and Anton Yelchin were the only good actors in the film. Christian Bale's performance was what i expected from him. I mean, its obvious he intentionally speaks in that gruff tone. Bryce Dallas Howard pretty much played cohort, and there wasn't enough time for her character to develop, yet alone get us used to her.
6/10 is, in my eyes fair, but not as great as the other terminator movies.
2012 (2009)
Great visuals, non-existent storyline, mediocre acting
I went into this film knowing there would be a LOT of CGI. But I had also hoped for a coherent storyline that at least tries to explain the 2012 doomsday event. Instead, apparently the Sun had a momentary spaz which begins to heat the Earth (like that isn't already happening). I wish Emmerich put in the Mayan theory a bit more, as this would put the movie on some kind of firm basis.
The visuals were awesome, but it seems to be the only thing Emmerich can do properly. I thoroughly enjoyed the super volcano explosion, as well as the destruction of Los Angeles, but after a while, it seemed that from then on, a lot of the stuff than happened was completely unnecessary.
The acting was concerning. Amanda Peet did jack. She would just sit there and scream pretty much throughout the film. Danny Glover also did jack. To me he was more of a new broadcaster rather than the president of a nation. The Russians were also a bit annoying, as it was clear Emmerich tried to put comedy with the billionaire. Adrian Helmsley was the only character who at least acted concerned about the human race. He at least tried to save people. Oliver Platt's performance was alright, as he demonstrated the typical man who cared more about his own life than others.
Watchmen (2009)
A long movie and a worthy ride
This new adaptation of Watchmen exceeded my expectations. I loved it after the first 30 minutes.
For those who haven't read the novel or even heard of Watchmen, the movie is set in a alternative 1985 time-line, where thanks to a successful Vietnam War, Richard Nixon is re-elected for a third presidential term. The "Doomsday Clock" is set five minutes to midnight as tensions rise between the Soviet Union and the USA. In the middle of this all, a superhero vigilante, Rorschach, discovers a plot to kill and discredit all superheroes, past and present.
Thanks to the Keene Act, super-heroism is now illegal. Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II have given it up to lead normal lives. Ozymandias has revealed his identity, and is now brandished "The smartest person in the world". The Comedian, an aging superhero past his prime, has been hired by the government, and his murder sets the film in motion. Finally, Doctor Manhattan, the only Watchman with real superpowers after a nuclear accident in 1959.
This film develops a sense of morality to the common man, as it shows that some people, especially Rorschach, is willing to do the wrong thing occasionally to do good. Jackie Earle Haley's performance as Rorschach left me gasping as his magnificent portrayal of the superhero. Rorschach is portrayed as a man who has grown distant from society and believes the corrupt ways of life people live on will eventually destroy them. He continues superhero work, despite it now being illegal, and even goes beyond the boundaries to discover the truth.
Billy Crudup's performance as Doctor Manhattan also left me nodding in appreciation. Doctor Manhattan is portrayed as somewhat of a nihilist, whose seemingly god-like powers is the catalyst for the start of tensions between the USSR and the USA. He is also dating Silk Spectre II, but as he grows detached from humanity, this frequently causes him to neglect her and she promptly leaves him. Doctor Manhattan also believes humanity deserves to be consumed and destroy by the evil, greed and corruption that has put them in their current predicament. When he learns of Ozymandias' treachery, he finally realizes that humanity is worth saving, but decides to keep Ozymandias' horrific actions a secret in order to remain global peace. He even goes as far as killing Rorschach to keep peace. In the end, it seems he is willing to accept the fact he is now the enemy of the world and exiles himself to create new life, not destroy it.
All in all, the movie deserves 9/10 for its brilliant plot, actors and of course just the movie itself!
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
I'm sorry, is this a sci-fi?
Wow, I cannot believe how far the remake has fallen. Barely anything out of the original is used in this movie. There is no connection between the new and the old movie. If you plan on making a remake, you need original context to make it work. Well, there was none and consequently it failed.
First of all, Gort, disappointing. The only word that sums up his performance. It was shocking. In the old version, Gort is seen a lot more than in this film. In this film, Gort is merely shown as Klaatu's protector. No one refers to him, nothing is said or explained about him. The only time Gort comes alive is when he transforms into tiny nanites. My first thought of Gort was profoundly awesome, when Klaatu explains in the original the extent of Gort's powers and the potential destruction he could cause. But this film undermines Gort, in many ways. To Scott Derrickson, Gort's lack of screen time is extremely disappointing.
As for the actors, Keanu Reeves was mediocre as Klaatu. Michael Rennie did a better job in the original. Jennifer Connelly, throughout the whole movie, does nothing but try to convince Klaatu to save the Earth. Again, the character was undermined. Jaden Smith, not suited for this movie. I don't know why but I'm just not feeling the love here. I think this is a remake you would keep in the cellar or basement if you were unfortunate to own a copy.
This movie, 1/10 for its horrific portrayal of characters in the old film.
Gears of War (2006)
Holy hell! Oh my god!
I must say well done to the creators of this game. Not often are third-person shooters showered with so much praise. Well this one can certainly join the club.
In a way this game is a cliché with the prison inmate with the bad boy image called upon to save the planet. But who really cares! It might be cliché, but it's still fun! I love the graphics of this game. There is so much detail put into this, I swear I'm playing a WWII game. How they have managed to detail a planet on the brink of destruction I will never know.
The enemy, the Locust Horde are displayed magnificently in this game. They might seem as rebels without a cause, but they are deadly and have come to play. I love the different variations the player has to be pitted against, including Beserkers, Krylls and of course, the Lord of the Locust, General RAAM.
The only thing that disappointed me was the fact Private Carmine and Lieutenant Kim were killed off so early in the game, not a lot of time in between their deaths. I mean, Carmine might seem to be a expendable asset but he still deserves a lengthy stint in the game. It's the same in Gears of War 2, with his brother, Ben, being killed early in the game. Their story lines are not clearly explained and I think the creators decided to kill them off quickly to make up for this error.