Feel the Wrath

Poor reviews can’t keep a film from getting the sequel treatment these days. Despite an almost universal slamming by critics, money talks; so the phenomenal box-office success of 2010’s Clash of the Titans was enough to warrant a follow-up - Wrath of the Titans. 

Saved from the burden of living up to previous material this time, the filmmakers get a chance to churn out an original tale. Set 10 years after the events of the first film, we learn that our hero Perseus (Sam Worthington) is now widowed and the sole caretaker of his son, Helius (we know nothing of what happened to Gemma Arterton’s Io). He soon learns from his father Zeus (Liam Neeson) that due to lack of devotion, the gods are losing power – and with it the Titans imprisoned behind the walls of Tartarus are unleashed. 



Now that's a pretty good excuse for a demigod to wield his sword once more.

If you liked Clash of the Titans, you'll feel right at home with this one. The filmmakers decided to maintain the same formula, albeit with more titans this time around. 



The use of 3D is a huge improvement over the infamous nausea-inducing treatment its predecessor received – possibly the best post-conversion work I've seen in recent times. The filmmakers plunge you into the depths of the underworld and have boulders fall at you in the process. 

As expected in a movie of this genre, story telling takes a slight back seat, but prepare yourself for some rather neat twists (I won't spoil it for you). 



And if it's action you're craving for, this film has it in titan-sized droves. Things are intense from front to back, so if you're in the mood for some casual Greek myth fun, you can't go wrong with this.

3 1/2 out of 5 Stars

He Speaks for the Trees

Despite all their good intentions, there has always been something about environmental-themed flicks that seems put people off. But when movie in question is based off one of Dr Seuss’ beloved books, it’s enough to warrant at least a look. And indeed Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is worth a watch.

The film centers on young Ted (Zac Efron), who lives in the plastic-wrapped town of Thneedville, where everything is packaged, artificial and mass-produced. 



Ted assumes everything has always been this way, and the main thing on his mind is impressing cute neighbour Audrey (Taylor Swift).



One day Audrey shows him a mural she painted. Unable to identify what he’s seeing, Ted asks what they are. “Trees” she says, real ones (as opposed to artificial ones found in town) and they used to grow everywhere. The quest to find a real tree leads Ted to find the Once-ler (Ed Helms) in the wastelands outside of town.



Upon finding him, Ted learns the truth of what happened to all the trees, and also of the Lorax (Danny DeVito) – guardian of the forest who ‘speaks for the trees’.

The first thing you’d notice about The Lorax is how darn colourful it is, even in 3D. It’s vibrant and cheerful, with every color of the rainbow used to the max. It’s filled with funny, fun characters and cute, singing animals (watch out for three adorable singing fishes!).

 

While obviously aimed at kids, one can’t help but smile and feel happy watching this flick. The cheerfulness is balanced with lots of gloom, but this works to the movie’s advantage where storytelling is concerned. With plenty of heart-warming songs and good messages it doesn’t feel as preachy as how some environmental-themed flicks go.



However one can’t help but notice that ‘The Lorax’ isn’t really much about the Lorax himself.

I believe The Lorax is one of the more under-hyped movies out there, and deserves more attention that it has received in the local box-office. It has funny, touching and joyful moments, is suitable for the whole family, and simply a joy to watch. If you need something to lift up your spirits, this is a good way to do so.

4 out of 5 Stars

Fiery Lunacy

Every once in a while a movie comes along and makes you scratch your head speechless. Despite Nicholas Cage’s amusing portrayal of Marvel’s cursed fiery-haired anti-hero, the first Ghost Rider movie didn’t exactly receive rave reviews. So when news of a sequel surfaced, people started exclaiming “why?” but you also start wondering if second time’s the charm, or would it annihilate the movie franchise beyond rescue.

The story of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance has our hero Johnny Blaze (Nicholas Cage hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe until out of the blue, a secret sect of the church wants him to protect a young boy from the Devil (Ciarán Hinds) – of course with the help of the ‘Rider’. What’s in it for him is that he may finally rid of his curse forever and need not become an unholy chain-wielding motorcyclist any longer.

The mundane plot is jam-packed with clichés and the effects were mostly hit or miss. However, Cage’s insane (literally) portrayal of the new, darker Rider is worth mention and is often the most entertaining part of the movie. Idris Elba also did a nice job as Moreau, a drunken French priest (don’t ask).

 

There is still humor scattered around and also a creepy villain in Blackout (Johnny Whitworth). A few notable over-the-top action sequences brings the excitement up a little (anything the rider rides bursts to flames!), although you may give the 3D-version a miss, as it was barely anything worth mentioning.

The movie isn’t bad; it’s just that with such a talented team behind the film, it could have been much more. Ghost Rider’s still ‘hell’-uva cool, but seeing him reduced to a babysitter job was simply depressing.

3 out of 5 Stars

Tale as Old as Time

Despite being as old as time, some tales are simply timeless. Often regarded as one of Disney's finest, it's no wonder they picked Beauty and the Beast for a 3D re-release.



Watching this classic again brings back fond memories, and also reminded of how much I have forgotten. The story of a mighty beast who seeks true love in order to break the curse set upon him stays true to the original, but seeing it in HD-like digital clarity was truly refreshing.



The three-dimensional conversion worked rather well, and it's true what they say about 3D letting you notice things in the background, resulting in a rather unique experience. Some scenes might look slightly awkward due to the nature of hand-drawn animation, but perhaps I'm just nitpicking.




The money shot of course was as always, the ballroom scene.



Being a CGI set, it was the scene that lent itself best to 3D and  it was truly a sight to behold. With Disney's staple of memorable songs and excellent storytelling, Beauty and the Beast is just as enjoyable as it was the day it hit theaters.



For many, this will be a chance to relive old memories and to the rest, a chance to catch a classic back on the big screen. Be sure to enter the hall early, as there is a neat little surprise before the movie starts.

5 out of 5 Stars

The Saga Returns... in 3D!

It’s time to re-visit a tale set long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away; only this time we get to experience it in the third dimension.



The story’s the same as before – taking place decades before the original trilogy, we are introduced to Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), young Jedi-to-be who will eventually grow up to become the deadliest Sith lord in the galaxy – Darth Vader. The visual effects (when it works) lent themselves rather well to a film that was never meant to be in Digital-3D.




While you’d be hard-pressed to spot the difference in certain areas, the selling point would undeniably be the pod-racing scene.



Fans would be pleased to know that George Lucas has decided to use an enhanced extended version, which in addition to the adrenalin-pumping speed and sound, features stuff like extra debris flying into the camera.



Lucas has exercised certain restraint in converting The Phantom Menace into 3D, resulting in an experience that is rather organic and unobtrusive, rather than ‘in-your-face’. Starships were especially effective and so were lightsaber duels and landscape like the Gungan underwater city.





I believe this would work better in future sequels, especially Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. For those new to the saga, what better way to dive into the rich world of Star Wars than on the big screen?



It was also fun seeing familiar faces like Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Keira Kinghtley and Natalie Portman twelve years younger.



And to fans, trust me you don’t want to miss Darth Maul wielding his wicked double-bladed lightsaber in magnificent 3D!



4 Stars