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jennyforresters
Reviews
The Last Boy (2019)
Darkness and Hope
After the hype created by Bird Box, I checked this out.
It's quite a departure for writer / director Perry Bhandal whose first movie was about a Hitman growing up in the slums of Romania. That movie was pretty well received and it would have been easy to Bhandal carry on down that route. Instead he's chosen to try something completely that couldn't be more different. The kind of choice that can either kill or accelerate a career.
Whilst it doesn't hit every mark he aims for it's a very good film and shows Bhandal's not your run of the mill filmaker interested in just churning out a single genre movies.
The movies drops us straight into the story. Somethings happened and we find out that most of the worlds population has disappeared and there's a lethal wind that's mopping up the rest of humanity. Like birdbox and the happening it ignores naure and the animals. The ecological message is loud and clear in this movie and Bhandal clearly thinks the world would be better off without humans (or a lot less of them).
It starts quickly with Sira played by Flynn Allen (who ably shoulders the lead role) sets off on his journey when his sick mother passes. His departure feels a little too quick but when you make the connection with where he is going you understand why.
He's joined by Lilly played my Matilda Freeman (who is brilliant) a little girl that got lost when her family was ambushed by the wind.
We also find that Sira has a scanner that can detect the wind so armed with this
they set off to the place that grants wishes whilst trying to avoid this lethal wind.
They come across a bunch of characters, good, bad and misguided. Peter Guiness who plays the priest is particularly good.
Jennife Scott who plays a misguided scientists is new on the scene and is a pretty good actress and of course Luke Goss needs no introduction plays a sniper who has lost a loved one.
Each of the characters has a compelling reason to join Sira and Lilly on their journey to their ultimate destination and for that Bhandal should be congratulated for creating a compelling narrative.
There is an unexpected twist two thirds of the way in and the ending is almost like a religous experience.
The film is good. There is an environmental subtext to it. It is eerie, disturbing and mysterious. I can understand what Bhandal tried to do and he largely succeeded with a I would say a fantasy sci fi. It will be interesting to see what he does next.
Bird Box (2018)
Good
This film is based on a novel, and is in its own category. The ending may have been a little underwhelming and not "Hollywood enough", but I still enjoyed it, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Those who question the ending, or have issue with unanswered questions (that really is an entire 2nd film), or what was the 'entity', use your imagination.
The score was good, the flashback scenes were well spaced out, and the length just right.
This film is well produced based on a book adaptation. A well deserved 8/10 from me.
Dune (1984)
Unique
Viewers can be divided into two categories. The first are those who are looking for flashy expensive over the top graphics with some decent dialogue and structure. The second group in this case are those of you out there who love the Dune Series and would rather be in-depth with the plot then see the flashy over the top Graphics. The casting and portrayal of characters in this film FAR surpasses the ones who tried more recently to redo the movie (TV version). I Recommend One Thing if you do see this movie. WATCH THE 3 hour version. It goes much more in-depth then the normal version and is much easier to follow. The Film is worth watching at least once, and for me, its worth watching time after time.
The Happening (2008)
Another great film
I love M. Night Shyamalan. He's a brilliant writer/director and I've been so impressed with his unique ideas or twists on previously attempted genres. This movie, however, I didn't really enjoy. Though, it is not for the same reasons as most other reviewers have stated.
The movie delivered no one-liners, no stand up acting from any particular actor/actress, and no real climax. Those are the good things. It felt real. The characters reacted in a very human way, no heroes, the lines didn't feel scripted. It felt as though the person sitting next to me would react the same way. Amazingly realistic. Almost too realistic. But, MNS has always been one to push the boundaries.
What I did not like was MNS's finding his way into the box of the environmentalist. Because of the huge "green" push and global warming phenomenon, we've seen a large rush of that in Hollywood. I thought MNS was better than that. Though the thoughts are underlying and he does a fantastic job of presenting the issue in a different light, we still see the "humans as pests" ideas and the overpopulation theories at work. I don't like the boxed up Shyamalan. Nothing against environmentalist but we've heard and seen enough of it. Keep it out of my thrillers.
The best part of the whole movie and probably the biggest reason to see it is the score. Brilliant. Simply stunning. The music made the movie. Had the score not been as wonderful, the movie would not be worth seeing.
Overall 7/10 in my book.