Americans visit a foreign land and get trapped in a severe riot which the authorities can't control. Coming across eerily like a zombie-less World War Z, it will likely come under a lot of flame as it appears that no non-American will come out unscathed, in the same veins as American Sniper did earlier this year.
The Longest Ride
So...it's a romance film within a romance film? Interesting choice, but considering Nicholas Sparks needs to differentiate his movies somehow, it makes sense to kill two birds with one stone and do them both at once - no matter the quality of either story, which will likely be just as generic as ever. Romance film are bland these days.
Despite slowly but surely gaining more information about Brad Bird's latest theatrical feature, and despite the odd decision not to feature the main female character on the poster, this film still continues to grow in excitement. There are of course fears that the film will fail to live up to the hype, but hey - we're talking about the director of The IncrediblesandRatatouillehere. It's in safe hands.
San Andreas
Whilst there's plenty of credit needed for the likes of Paul Giamatti making stupid dialogue sound somewhat feasible, and the visuals do at least look good, the entire premise for the film is still too stupid to comprehend. Like I said when the first trailer came out, "this year's Into the Storm."
As something of a Pixar fanboy (hence last year's Pixar Perspective), there's always a sense of enjoyment that can be had with each and every film. And whilst 2014 was severely lacking in Pixar feature - which did allow the likes of The LEGO Movieand The Book of Lifeto have some breathing room aside from the multiple Dreamworks films - it looks like the first 2015 helping will be something that fits in well with all the Pixar classics. Not only because of the vibrant colours and designs of the mind, but for the actual story, which is finally presented following two teasers. It's hard not to be excited for a Pixar film.
Ride
Helen Hunt stars opposite an actor who starred in two bad films last year (Brenton Thwaites) in a film where a mother just can't let go of her son, to the point that she takes up the hobby that he so loves. A harmless idea, but one reeking of clichés and easy-to-follow steps, proven in this here trailer.
Hotel Transylvania 2
The surprisingly successful Adam Sandler comedy returns for a second bought, bringing in the same laugh-less jokes and somewhat adequate animation. Whilst the vividness of the actions do fit a cartoon well, I'm not sure that a franchise of this kind of thing works quite as well. In small doses only please.
And we're sticking with Sandler, this time with the adaptation of a short film revolving around classic video game characters attacking Earth. Sounds fine as a premise, but what is shown here proves there's nothing to be interested by. Sure, it starts with archive footage in the same veins as the Interstellar teaser, But then come the jokes, and it's all out the window. Typical Sandler/Kevin James comedy with a bigger budget. Predictable fodder.
Insidious: Chapter 3
So Chapter 3 is actually a prequel? Okay...kinda disregards the idea of being marketed as a sequel, but I'll pass on that for the generic jump scares and so-so acting. Kinda reminds me why I'm not a fan of horror films - they're all marketed the same way making it difficult to distinguish them.
Max
A dog suffering from PTSD? Tame enough. A third act storyline in which he technically becomes Lassie as he tries to thwart a fellow former soldier who's evil for some reason? Now you've shot yourself in the foot. It opens as a film that's harmless enough for viewing, but ends with something that deserves to stay in a TV show. You were so close, Max. Bad dog.
Infinitely Polar Bear
Mark Ruffalo plays a bipolar parent who's thrust upon his two kids by Zoe Saldana as a method to help him get through, in which small-scale hilarity ensues. It seems charming enough, and a few of the jokes do hit the right notes, but those moments which are played as big-ish gags do tend to falter. I don't know, it may be good, but there needs to be a little more to show.
Barely Lethal
Hailee Steinfeld hasn't been able to regain the acclaim she received an Oscar nomination for 2010's True Grit. She may have kept to her indie roots mostly with the likes of Begin Again and The Homesman, but her mainstream appearance in Ender's Game and Three Days to Kill failed to gain any attention (she's trying again later this year with Pitch Perfect 2). Her next trial doesn't seem to be faring any better.
I'm starting to notice a trend with John Green films, in the same light as Nicholas Sparks: characters with interesting names, unusual romances, Nat Wolff, etc. That's not to say that's a bad thing, but it's weird that you can tell so early on the game. Anyway, Paper Towns! A film I once had no interest in but now have slight interest in. It's questionable casting Cara Delevingne as she oddly looks older than she's meant to be, but she seems to be doing well enough. But as I've said, it all seems a little off. Maybe it works as a book, but as a film? We'll have to wait and see.
I haven't seen a single instalment of the original Jason Statham trilogy, so I'm a relative unknown to the series outside of the overall premise that he transports things and people. Simple enough. But with Statham now part of a bigger car franchise, a reboot seems to be in order. Sad thing is, this reboot doesn't look like anything special, especially for the car genre.
Good Kill
Ethan Hawke is on some form of roll right now. Whilst he appears in smaller films which are far from great (and in some cases destined for VOD), he also appears in some indie greats, mainly through director and friend Richard Linklater. This next indie, about a war drone operator, may be the next great in his resume, exploring a subject usually covered with characters actually on the playing field (American Sniper comes to mind), but with the twist that he never steps on foreign soil. It looks really good.
Man Up
The story of someone being mistaken for another is one spread across history, but Man Up tries its best to keep it fresh. It isn't coming across as such, what with the predictable storytelling and obvious reveal that Simon Pegg will end up falling for Lake Bell, however it isn't without its charm, and the journey towards that clichéd conclusion may be a worthy one.
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
After being bumped ahead by six months whilst still filming, it was questionable why there was so much faith in this fifth instalment in the Tom Cruise-led series. But there does appear to still be life in the old dog yet, as the team from the previous instalment (sans director Brad Bird) seem to be in their stride. It looks ambitious, and the stunts at constantly upping the stakes.
Nothing more to add from the first trailer, despite how much more it shows off, except that they really should have kept all those cameos a secret. Kinda ruins the surprises.
Maggie
The Terminatorhas a new person to protect in this trailer made with basic effects on Final Cut Pro. In yet another zombie apocalypse, he must look after daughter Abigail Breslin who's very slowly being infected by a zombie epidemic. It mixes elements of the classic child and protector storyline which Arnold Schwarzenegger is famous for with the zombie side from Life after Beth. Nothing more.
Southpaw
Jake Gyllenhaal continues to impress here, following his reportedly-strong performance in Nightcrawler last year, as he transforms himself into an entirely new person. As boxer Billy Hope, he has to win back the rights to care for his daughter - taken from him following the death of wife Rachel McAdams - by getting past his breakdown. In that light, the story is all the more passable, with the boxing sequences expected to be the main highlights of the final film. Future trailers will likely engulf me more, but for now it's solely kudos to Gyllenhaal.
Last but not least, the trailer for the next James Bond film is finally released, revealing very little of what's to come in the eagerly-awaited sequel to 2012's Skyfall, I was already expecting exciting things back in October, but now that we have some detail as to what's to come as well as some great-looking cinematography, it's safe to say that Spectre is still something to look out for.
10 years ago, Doctor
Who was introduced to a brand new generation of audiences, having been off
the air for 16 years (bar an American attempt of rejuvenation in 1996 with Paul McGann). Skipping past the
one-time one-off Eighth Doctor to allow easy starting points for new viewers,
this Russell T Davies starter had a lot
to do to prove that this reiteration will be successful; ensuring that fans
will accept it as still part of the show they love, and for non-fans to be
interested and invested. But with a lead actor not entirely invested in the
show (it was announced ChristopherEccleston would only be in the one
series the very weekend the series was to start) and a co-star who had recently
retired from a career in music, it was a miracle that the series would work at
all – let alone become a series that still goes today.
In this introductory episode, an average shop assistant (Billie Piper) gets thrown into a world
of alien incursions when she faces an armada of Autons – shop window dummies
come to life – and a mysterious man called the Doctor, who blows up her
employment to deal with the menace. From there, she grows curious of the enigmatic
Doctor and seeks information, whilst the Autons use this connection between the
two for their advantage. For a 45 minute story, it’s straightforward enough for
audiences of any age to understand, and is an easy jumping point. As for those
older fans, they of course have the return of the Autons and the Nestene Consciousness,
who originally had appearances during the 70s in the Season 7 and 8 openers.
While they do play a major part of the overall episode, they do ultimately get sidelined
for the relationship between Rose and the Doctor for understandable reasons.
Perhaps because this wasn’t the first episode to be filmed
(that would be Aliens of London/WorldWar Three), but the dynamic between Eccleston
and Piper is strong, as they
instantly succeed in bouncing off one another, right from the word Go (or in
this case “Run”). They have a spark straight away, and it’s evident in their
performances that this is the right casting. Christopher Eccleston may be unusual casting by comparison of his
predecessors, but his acting here shows just how unique his interpretation is –
and it’s made even better with the minor references to the War, easily a huge
restrain on the character and lending plenty to speculate about. Meanwhile Billie Piper is impressive in her first
big role, shunning naysayers as the working-class college dropout. It’s helped
that in the opening minutes we get an idea of what her life consists of – early
wake up, go to work, lunch break with the boyfriend, work again, then what
would be go home and have dinner (if only she wasn’t delayed) – so we
understand the character all the more. It could be argued that the title of the
story being dedicated to her is a bit of a stretch, but compared to later
titles it fits in fine.
As for the family members – a first for the series in terms
of anchoring the companion, instead of references or one-off appearances – they
are likable enough. Camille Coduri quickly
establishes herself within a few minutes of screen time, and does bear some resemblance
to daughter Rose, whilst Mickey Smith (Noel
Clarke) is still finding his steps. He’s your typical boyfriend character,
and likable enough, but his Auton duplicate is, well...a little off outside of
story purpose. The duplicate isn’t referenced again (for good reason) but his
character does grow as his time on the show progresses – as you’ll see in later
episodes. There aren’t many notable side characters outside of Clive (Mark Benton), who comes across as a conspiracy
theorist mixed with that universe’s version of a closeted Doctor Who fan. As an actor who appears in practically everything,
he does a fine job, and leaves a lasting impact on the episode, even if the
rest of his family are ultimately sidelined.
If there is one area where the episode fails, it is in the
comedy revolving around the Autons. Not only with the appearance of Plastic
Mickey, but also the wheelie bin scene – which doesn’t age very well thanks to
the progress of visual effects – not only failed to garner any laughs, but any positive
reaction at all. It’s somewhat cringe-worthy. The smaller moments of humour,
such as the Doctor in the Tyler apartment (“That won’t last; he’s gay and she’s
an alien”) are where that area shines, and thanks to the equal balance in drama
allows this episode to be rewatchable. It also helps that Eccleston manages to pull off those monologues amazingly well, and
there’s no more evident proof of this in Rose
as the discussion about Earth’s gravitational pull – it’s a beautiful scene
and may be considered the episode’s best moment.
Rose is a great
way to kick off this new version of the show. It doesn’t rely heavily on that
of the past and opens itself up whilst staying true to form. Performances are
great, the writing is mostly fun, and it never tries to take itself too
seriously. It’s a fun little opener which allowed the broken-down roller coaster
to be up and running again. 8/10.
To mark the tenth anniversary of Doctor Who's return in 2005, Doctor Who TV are polling readers what they believe the best episode of the last 10 years has been. Of course, it should be expected that 2007's Blink will win, because it always does - it's practically a law at this point as it's only once not won (during Doctor Who Magazine's Mighty 50 poll, where it came second to Day of the Doctor) - and because of this, I feel like it's good timing to list episodes which I believe to be the best of the revival. However, rather than rank them in order of 10, I'm instead going to focus on 1/2 episodes per series, to allow every year of the show to have some love instead of 2007 vs Day of the Doctor. The 2009 specials will be counted as their own little run, but the 2012 episodes will be relegated to being a part of Series 7. So starting all the way back in 2005 with...
I'm not going to go into much detail into what I love so much about this episode because you can find out for yourselves in April, but it is an episode which I can watch repeatedly. The dialogue, the direction, and of course Christopher Eccelston's stellar performance. As arguably one of the best Doctors in the show's 52-year run, you can't help but love how he reacts to the "last" Dalek in existence. The clip above proves that.
It has one of the most gripping cliffhangers of the revival years; a menace hidden throughout the first half (leaving plenty of room for satire which remains relevant even if the shows portrayed aren't) and then showing them in full force in the second; an emotional goodbye not only between Rose and the Doctor but also for the Doctor himself. Again, I'll touch upon the story in more detail in June, but it's just amazing.
2006 is filled with good stories, with more than enough love given toGirl in the Fireplaceand School Reunionamongst others, but Tooth and Claw is never one mentioned - somewhat questionably. Whilst it is notable that it allowed newbie David Tennant to use his regular Scottish accent, it also brought about a chilling Werewolf complete with spooky transformation who in turn was scary for child audiences. The effects have dated fairly well, which is also a bonus for these older episodes, and both the music and the cinematography really add to the horror feel of it all. The running gag about Queen Victoria may be a little cringey at times, but it leads to a satisfying conclusion. Plus, monks doing some form of karate. Amazing.
Doctor Who rarely goes onto the topic of religion. Sure, it borrows elements for the likes of Planet of the Spiders and Kinda, but never in the depth that the newer series has browsed through, and none is more notable than this two-parter involving Lucifer himself. Using possessed minions which put you off your bolognese alongside a archaeologist/virgin covered in ancient markings, it comes across as a legitimate threat. You also have a crew with notable character traits and a death scene which stays in your mind. The Doctor is left speechless by what he sees, and Rose (Billie Piper) is given quite a bit to do before she bites the bucket later on in the series. It's a character episode which just so happens to have a great villain involved.
Gridlock
A common line during the Eleventh Doctor era is "Rule 1: The Doctor Lies". There's no episode more evident of that than Gridlock, where the Doctor lies to Martha (Freema Agyeman) about Gallifrey's existence. He has a guilty conscience because of it, and when she's inevitably kidnapped he goes out of his way to rescue her, which in turn causes him to rescue the thousands of people on the Motorway from the Macra - giant crabs not seen since 1967's The Macra Terror - and a final run-in with the Face of Boe in a touching conclusion to the New Earth trilogy. It may be somewhat simpler to what I place it above in a crowded 2007 line-up, but it's because it's the underdog and has little credit that I love it so much - giving it too much praise will push it down because of how grating it is to see it everywhere (*cough* Blink *cough*)
Human Nature/The Family of Blood
Based on the New Adventures book by Paul Cornell (not very often that happens in the show itself), having your lead actor play a completely different character in his character's form is something very few shows can do right, let alone have it with strong reasoning. Again, this is a character piece; not only for Martha Jones, who's grown so much since her introduction in Smith and Jones, but also oddly enough for the Doctor - it's a story which resonated on him until the very end of this incarnation's life. But the most noteworthy thing is the fact that, in the end, the Doctor is portrayed as something of a bad guy. I mean, that line "He was being kind" just shows how ruthless our hero can be, and it's something he doesn't want to be. His punishments to the Family are both creative and devastating.
Midnight
Now this is how you do a scary episode, structured just the way it needs to be for the scares to be genuine. It's easily separated into three segments: the first introduces us to each member of the tourist crew as they travel to the Sapphire Waterfalls; the second brings about the threat (a monster living on an inhabitable planet which is never seen by the audience) as it begins to scare the crew; the third bringing in the scares itself in horrifying fashion. The dark lighting elevates the mood, the performances, especially by Lesley Sharp, are excellent, and the final note is something that stays with you long after the credits roll. It's an episode which I just love.
Turn Left
From companion-lite to Doctor-lite, this Catherine Tate-led vehicle ticks the classic "What-If" storyline off the list in a great way as it brings all the spin-offs and present day storylines together into an alternative timeline. It's rare that we see the other side of the grand storylines seen in any medium (perhaps that's why Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D exists, seeing as it reacts to the main Marvel movies), but here it gets grim. Millions of Americans turned into fat, the entire south east of England under quarantine due to the Titanic crashing...all leading to a final hint to what happens in the grand finale. As a prologue to what's to come and finally ending a story arc about Rose Tyler's return, it's done spectacularly well.
The Waters of Mars
One of the most common criticisms of the Russell T Davies era is that the "Last of the Time Lords" motif was mentioned far too many times - it was refreshing during the Matt Smith era that he mentioned it so few times - but this special feels like a culmination of that arc, rather fittingly too considering he's facing a fixed point in time. There's not much to say that hasn't already been said except that this is a great episode, and the best of the 2009 Specials.
The End of Time
David Tennant's swansong was a big 'un, as he had grown to being considered the greatest Doctor since Tom Baker and his announcement shocked the nation. And what a way to go, as Tennant pulls out all the stops in one of his finest performances - most notably in his duologue with Wilfred (Bernard Cribbins) - whilst balancing a great story and script. The final goodbyes to companions past may drag on a little, but a Masterful plot and a Time Lord return here and there helps bring forward a grand end of an era: not just for Tennant but for the majority of the production team.
Amy's Choice
There are a lot of great episodes in Series 5, so it's interesting that one of the best comes from newbie writer Simon Nye, bringing across the classic "It was all a dream!" storyline in dramatic fashion. Sure, the final twist is a little overbearing, and the actual nature of the Dream Lord (psychic pollen) is a bit of a cop-out, but the journey towards it is certainly great viewing. It also helps that Toby Jones gives off a mesmerising performance as the manipulative Dream Lord, and never fails in entertaining audiences. Please come back Nye!
Vincent and the Doctor
Another episode by a newbie writer (king of rom-com Richard Curtis of all people), Vincent and the Doctor isn't really an episode of Doctor Who. Sure, it features all the right elements - Doctor, TARDIS, time travel, sonic screwdriver and aliens - but it's all about the drama, covering the backlash van Gogh faced when he was alive as he balanced town hatred and his mental illness. The plot flies by, leaving viewers with a teary conclusion as he realises his worth - even if it makes no change to how his life went about.
The Doctor's Wife
Ahhh, The Doctor's Wife - an episode which caused a backlash from classic fans but adoration from new fans for its portrayal of the TARDIS, a crucial element of the show that's rarely explored. Neil Gaiman's first foray into the show is an ambitious one which somehow works, working in turn as a homage to classic stories with its reused corridors and sets and as a character piece for the relationship which carries the entire show - the man and his box. It helps that Surranne Jones and Matt Smith have excellent chemistry, and that Michael Sheen's vocals bring a chilling feel to the air. They even manage to squeeze an Ood into it.
The God Complex
Another forgotten gem, this episode returns to elements previously used in The Curse of Fenric and expands upon them in a story about faith. Not necessarily in terms of religion, but in anything - conspiracy theories, Allah, friends, and so on. It's all done so well, and it's a great pity that so few people comprehend it. It's the best conclusion to Amy and Rory's (Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill respectively) storyline offered, and more love needs to be given to it.
The Name of the Doctor
It's a bit weird I haven't noted any of Steven Moffat's own stories yet - perhaps just a by-product of him dominating all the polls - but for Series 7 he does take the stage with Name, a lovely prequel to the highly anticipated 50th anniversary special. Whilst the rest of the series was average at best, this was a sweet little ending knowing just when to have the right amount of emotion (the Doctor's reaction to Trenzalore) or humour (Strax (Dan Starkey) before he started to get annoying). It gives a satisfying ending to Clara Oswald's (Jenna Coleman) story arc, and helps lead right in to...
The Day of the Doctor
Well how could I not?! It's an epic celebration of the last 50 years, even if it has a little too much focus on the last 10. Witty dialogue, great chemistry between Doctors, and a conclusion to die for. I can't really expand on what everyone else says on it!
The only episode of Series 8 I feel comfortable placing on this list, Flatline was something which felt original in a run of mediocracy. The main reason for this was because the dynamic of the monsters - titled the Boneless - was just so fresh, having been an idea done badly in 2006's Fear Her. It has a good balance of humour and seriousness, and doesn't play it safe. If it altered the Doctor practically saving the day into something more worthwhile (and get rid of Missy entirely), than this sole Peter Capaldi placement would be more regarded.
This weekend marks the release of Insurgent, the sequel to last year's mildly successful Divergent (which I reviewed recently), and as such has been a film which I've been attacking like a virus ever since the first teaser hit the web back in November. Whilst it's no secret that I'm no fan of a majority of Young Adult adaptations - being one of the few not to praise The Fault in Our Stars, making The Giver my biggest disappointment of 2014, having The Maze Runner as one of the most overrated and showing strong dislike of The Hunger Games franchise even as it reaches its conclusion - it's interesting how much I bear a grudge against this particular franchise. Why, against the likes of Twilight and The Giver, do I choose this series as something to avoid? And why, in particular, this instalment?
To address the elephant in the room, I wasn't a fan of Divergent - spoilers for my review - and found it an absolute bore-fest. It had no distinguishable features to draw itself away from comparisons to the competition, and appeared as though Lionsgate just wanted to repeat the success of The Hunger Games. Heck, Summit Entertainment (who made the Twilight films) got the rights to the series before the first book was even published. They knew that they could easily turn it into a mega-franchise and earn big bucks once again. Unfortunately for them, the first film didn't have the same box office numbers or critical acclaim as neither series, garnered mixed responses and $288m worldwide. But that hasn't stopped the studios, as plans quickly grew for the standard finale-split that Harry Potter made famous and Lionsgate/Summit have repeated with financial success.
But it's more than just the quality of the first instalment and its financial success, it's the fact that this sequel is doing nothing to prove itself as a film of its own, still borrowing elements from other YA films - this time trying to have a huge battle a la Deathly Hallows/Mockingjay, just with the addition of what appears to be a second half filled with terrible CGI - at least, going by each trailer, poster, clip, and any piece of promotional material - as a magic macguffin which can only be opened by one person. Gee, I wonder who that could be? Could it be Tris? Must be, because it's the same person every time because they're the special little snowflake. Some films break that trend, and have it that the lead character isn't destined to be the hero. Heck, some of the best films broke that trend last year by either building it up as so and pulling the carpet under the audiences' feet or have characters just coincidentally be placed in a life-threatening situation. But what makes it worse in this case? Apparently, because Tris is 100% Divergent (since when did percentages come to play?), she has to be the one. Because I assume there's no one else like her. Yeah, suffice to say, it’s a terrible storyline - but that's not where the buck stops.
Shailene Woodley is a fine actress. Whilst I never understood why people wanted her to get an Oscar nomination for Fault in Our Stars, she did have a good performance in it, whilst I have heard nothing but good stuff about The Descendants and The Spectacular Now. Perhaps being an action hero isn't her forte though, as she struggled through the first Divergent, and seeing her perform stunts and wield guns looks completely unnatural - and the less said about the new hairdo the better. Theo James was in The Inbetweeners Movie and the Underworld series, so you can tell that he doesn't have the best agent, although his acting does match the quality of all these films; Jai Courtney is an absolute travesty of an actor (I pray for the quality of Terminator: GenisysandSuicide Squad); Ansel Egortis fine but makes some interesting career choices; Miles Teller does it for the money so he can be in great films like Whiplash; and Kate Winslet has arguably been stuck in a rut since Revolutionary Road. Meanwhile, new additions like Octavia Spencer and Naomi Wattsaren't exactly adding a masterpiece to their resumes - then again, even with Oscar nominations and wins they aren't doing well. As for director Robert Schwentke, just look as his filmography, it says a lot.
It's safe to say that I'm no fan of what this film may be, and going by critics I have every right to keep back. I don't want more films like this, and neither should audiences. Leave it for fans and fans alone.
Any moment now, it's a-coming. No, not the Doctor, a whole new schedule for reviews. Before now,things were more conspicuous, aside from an on-off plan for each Trailer Talk instalment. But now, because of the various blog series, a proper schedule is required.
So what's the plan? Well, reviews of new film releases will of course be somewhat temperamental due to clashes with work, but the aim is to feature one a week starting from the 20th March - hopefully with Still Alice (which will finally be out in my area this week, but time constraints mean a viewing later on). As for reviews of older films, they can be found on the Breakfast blog, where every Tuesday, starting last week with The LEGO Movieand continuing with The Inbetweeners 2this week, a new review will be published - either because a sequel or similar film is coming out that week or because of request.
That's not to say that older films will be restricted to just the Breakfast blog. Just like last Easter's Pixar Perspective, another series of reviews will be made. This time, we'll be exploring the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from 2008's Iron Manto last year's Guardians of the Galaxy, ahead of the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron. Winter Soldierand Guardianshave already got reviews, but they will be revisited. But that's not the only series that will be going ahead, as a review of each episode of Doctor Who's 2005 series will also go about on a weekly basis, starting on 26th March. Meanwhile, Trailer Talk will become a tri-weekly event, so expect the next instalment of that in two weeks, and Boycotts will be every month, focusing on a film to avoid or going through the issues with the genre it fits in. Extra editorials will be untimed, but some are already in the planning stages, including a Spider-Man comparison between the Raimi and Webb versions.
Neill Blomkampis making the next Aliens film. It's difficult not to know that, considering that he and Sigourney Weaver have been talking about nothing but that during the press run for Chappie. It comes across as more of focusing on what's to come than what is now here, or that Chappie isn't good and that the cast and crew are drawing away focus from it for what's next to ensure bums in seats. It also doesn't help that it's considered that Blomkampmay be a one-hot wonder, following his strong Apartheid allegory piece District 9 and less-successful follow up Elysium (which I have yet to see), and Chappie isn't getting the stellar response it was expecting. Which is a great pity, because it deserves more.
The story of Chappie follows the titular android, a successful experiment by creator Deon Wilson (Dev Patel) - who initially created the robots for police usage but pushed further to reach the next step - who is unruly raised by a trio of criminals who plan to use the droid for their own felonious needs. As the robot grows in intellect and understanding, he must choose between his maker's belief of pacifism or his parents' views on what the world really is, all whilst ensuring his survival from battery loss or Vincent Moore's (Hugh Jackman) ultra weapon the MOOSE (a copycat of the ED-209 from RoboCop). It does sound like a lot going on, but in actuality it's spread apart across each act: the first act focuses on the initial creation of Chappie (Sharlto Copley) as he comes to terms with the new human interactivity he has whilst Deon clashes with one of the criminals over how the best way to raise him would be; the second shows Chappie actually experiencing life outside his home and the actions that Moore takes; then the explosive finale where the MOOSE is put into play and Chappie has to save his friends and himself. The only problem is, while elements from each act do play a part in the others, it is evident that there is some divide between plot strands - most notable in the final act because of how explosive the film becomes. You have small bits of action in the beginning, specifically with the introduction of the gangsters during a fight between gangs and police droids, but aside from that it's plain sailing until part two of that first fight comes up.
It does help that there is some humour that bridges the gaps in story strands, mainly coming through Chappie's interactions as he grows as a character. When it's not done to show the droid's development from child to young adult, it adds charm to him, and it's helped even more by Copley's vocal performance. It's a strong one which, if he was also doing motion capture, could be one to look out for as competition for alum Andy Serkis. It should also be pointed out that the CGI work on the character is very impressive, and he and his fellow police droids do show just how far special effects have come - only for the illusion to be ruined by some shots of explosions and the MOOSE later on. Dev Patel is effective as the technical genius, but doesn't go through much of a growth outside of risking breaking his pacifist ways to get Chappie back - it's a change that doesn't go anywhere. Rap duo Ninja and YolandiVisser (together part of a group called Die Antwood) are where a lot of criticism comes in in terms of performances, as they don't actually try to play anyone other than themselves, right down the names of their characters. It is a noticeable thing, with apparent album covers pinned to walls and Yolandiwearing band merchandise, but as actual characters there is obviously some differences. Aside from those little things and the fact that their names are no different, they don't just play themselves - plus the acting isn't exactly great. Ninja comes across as a conventional tough guy who uses his strength to try and control Chappie and the others, whilst Yolandicomes across as a person between Deon and Ninja - wanting Chappie to learn how to be his own person and caring for him but also allowing him to be part of their criminal actions. There's also a third main gangster called Yankie (Jose Pablo Cantillo) who also sits between Deon and Ninja in terms of views on how Chappie should be raised, but quickly follows Ninja in his actions, and plays almost a second father for Chappie.
As for the side characters and kinda-antagonists, Jackman's Moore (a former soldier turned engineer, who harpers a grudge for Deon for presumably using up the budget he needed for work on the MOOSE) comes off as a cartoon-ish villain, right down to having a pair of binoculars and watching Chappie from afar during his early stages. There is some subtle hints to just how much his life has been played with because of the budgetary reasons - there's a bathroom scene at the workplace where it appears some of his possessions are placed permanently - but it never goes anywhere. Meanwhile, Sigourney Weaver's CEO is a simply another tick on the sci-fi list for the actress (joining the ranks of Ghostbusters, Avatar, WALL-E, Paul and, of course, Alien), as she has no actual presence in the film outside of disallowing and allowing the usage of Deon and Vincent's projects. As for Hippo (Brandon Auret), as a threat for the Die Antwoodgang he doesn't exactly come across as threatening. In all honesty, none of the characters do. Sure, there are some casualties, especially in the third act, but that doesn’t make the villains people to fear. If anything, they’re all just mild inconveniences, with Jackman's engineer being the closest thing to a threat.
The ending does leave plenty of room for a sequel - unlikely as it is, considering how the majority are reacting to this film and Neill Blomkamp being preoccupied with Alien 5. But despite its flaws, it is an enjoyable film. Granted, the third act does stick out like a sore thumb and there's no actual villain to the story, plus the fact that the posters all say "Humanity's last hope isn't human" is a puzzling one as there's no hint that it's even about humanity, but it is at least a good character piece for the titular protagonist. If anything, Chappie alone is worth a viewing of the film, which of course deserves kudos to Copley, finally redeeming himself after his pantomime performance in Maleficent last year. Blomkamp's direction is also particularly strong, allowing for the film to be at least visually appeasing, and the script has plenty of heart and humour to appeal to audiences. So despite its mixed production across performances and special effects, Chappie is still a film worth watching. 7/10.
