Change Your Image
awathen
Reviews
Kermit's Swamp Years (2002)
Poorly conceived and poorly delivered...
This film is a shoddy and unfortunate attempt at muppetry. The plot is poorly developed, the writing is sadly missing spark, the jokes are not funny, the songs were uneven and flat. The movie didn't even hold the attention of my 3-year old, and he LOVES the muppets.
There are MUCH better muppet videos out there including any of the muppet movies and many other small productions (see Muppet Classic Theater PLEASE!!).
Avoid this one...it was a major disappointment.
Gattaca (1997)
A film about potential that doesn't live up to its own...
Gattaca is one of those sci fi films that tries to buffer the harshness and complexity of its subject matter by pandering to the audience and explaining away the well-conceived ideas.
The voice-overs take the place of demanding writing and over-simplify the complex social norms that have risen in not-to-distant future. The illegal but accepted social structure that includes genetically manipulated superhumans and "god-children" or "de-GENE-erates" is referred to in passing attempts to add texture and depth to the film...But the names aren't used as if they were part of the every-day language of the characters, they are thrown in as cues to an audience that needs to have the social stratification and clever twists on language pounded into them.
Nothing is subtle about this film, when it should have been. We get seemingly random and particularly coincidental events taking place to push the plot along and to force the audience to eat the theme of bigotry and potential. For example, the police happen to raid the club that Jerome (Hawke) and Irene (Thurman) are dancing at, the policeman happens to be Vincent's (Hawke) brother, and the policeman happens to be called off of the hunt before discovering the truth seconds before he rounds the corner (only to discover the truth in the next scene--how unnecessary!).
The film reminds me of the studio-introduced changes to Ridley Scott's BLADE RUNNER in that they both were harmed by not trusting that the audience was keen enough to follow along. The original release of BLADE RUNNER included a useless voice-over as well and a happy ending which detracted from the message of the film.
What a shame that a concept as good as the one of partnering with a genetic superman to hide your flawed identity is wasted by watering it down.
This film which is about living up to your potential and not underestimating yourself has failed on both counts. It falls far short of its potential and it second guesses itself by oversimplifying and overexplaining itself.