Film Works

Inception Film Review: An Exceptionally “Inceptional” Masterpiece

Now, Inception is more than just a leap of faith for filmmaker Christopher Nolan.

With its elements about powerful ideas, dreaming in a dream, and dreaming inside other people’s dreams, Inception is one entertainingly hard-core, multi-layered mindbender. This motion picture masterpiece is one of the strongest science-fiction concepts to come in a long time. Nolan and his production team construct a breathtakingly audacious blockbuster narrative while not leaving the intelligent and more demanding film lovers behind.

Inception is nothing less than astounding. It dreams big, dreams deep, and creates challenging dreams to engage the wide-eyed dreamy viewers. In doing so, the film’s own thin line separating dream space and reality innovatively creates such a well-mounted story. It carefully blends the conscious and subconscious in various levels. It balances philosophical ideas and narrative tension within a labyrinthine plot that engages in various forms, degrees and intensities.

Whether for its visceral popcorn thrills, elegantly laid out action sequences, boldness and restraint, this ambitious film knows how to manipulate its thematic fetishes and its complicated narrative structure.

Like its own theme, Inception taps into the subconscious of each viewer in its relatively comprehensible way. Orchestrated by a crafting hand of a director who knows what he wants and how to make things happen, even the most obscure details get digested as the film cinematically sells its conceptual and emotional investments. It’s bold, intense, exhilarating, engaging, and impressive. It is complex yet coherent. It’s something that can benefit repeated viewings and feed the viewer with something new or different each time. Preposterous, yet ingeniously done, it offers such an entertaining ride. It serves as a popcorn flick, too!

While it is ambiguous enough to lead to conflicting opinions, the main purpose of the film is to engage the intellect about its theme and concept, not just merely figuring out which one is real, which one is a dream. While additional viewings are needed to personally provide a more solid analysis and opinion about the film’s ending, it seems more like the filmmaker crafts this opus in a way that there is no concrete interpretation to dictate to each and everyone that something is or is not.

The various elements, symbolisms, characterizations, and dialogues are carefully planted in a way that they work together to let the audience go beyond the need to figure out a twist or find out the “truth” behind the main story. Like how actual dreams are, Inception is open to different interpretations. And it does so without making specific aspects of it bug its quality down. It works in higher levels of film viewing that it touches something beyond a film viewer’s surface thinking, quite different from how s/he would typically treat other movies. And this is what makes Inception seem quite different from the usual. It is endlessly elliptical and it works in many facets. It allows its tagline “Your mind is the scene of the crime” validate itself; while its grand provisions for a visual feast keep up with the more palpable sense of its thrilling ride.

Inception isn’t perfect. Yet, its weak points are unquestionably shadowed by its brilliant and meandering machinations. The film splurges and invests in its concept, story, script, visuals, sound, emotions, and intellect, in accordance to how the film language can intangibly bring out all its cinematic ideas and values across.

Like Leonardo diCaprio’s character Cobb, Nolan is a meticulously skilled extractor and an architect of deep and provoking thoughts. He is a sly narrative tactician who juggles at big ideas and make people think about his idea. He takes the audience to a pleasurable trip through varying mental labyrinths filled with elegant dreamscapes and genuine human drama. It has a sort of paradoxical architecture of its own as Nolan offers a clockwork-precise showmanship in every scene. By the film’s ending, he impressively allows the characters to wake up from their dreams to figure out what’s real. Yet, whether for his film’s characters or for his film audience, things doesn’t really end there…

Inception is a rare movie project that can be enjoyed on a superficial and/or progressively deeper level of viewing. It uncannily fascinates the audience as the story moves further into the challenging layers of the subconscious mind. It is a work of a visionary. For all its high production values and budget requirements, this is the kind of film that the big movie studios should support more often.

Twilight Saga: Eclipse Film Review – Eclipse Continues to Suck Blood Out of Pop Culture

Eclipse Continues to Suck Blood Out of Pop CultureBy Rianne Hill Soriano

Twilight Saga: Eclipse is a compelling sequel certain to enthrall die-hard fans.

Twilight is now a legendary brand famous for its teenage angst, pale make-up, and otherworldly love triangle. Now a historical movie franchise breaking box office records worldwide, this third installment clearly marathons every opportunity to please fans. While they ultimately deserve more, this movie successfully utilizes the right blood type to fuel all its bankable possibilities. And whatever critics and non-fans say, its hard-core followers ultimately back up this romantic fantasy flick as an ultimate cash cow.

Eclipse is dull, boring, and overly dramatic; unless the viewer finds it therapeutic, entertaining, or orgasmic to see perfectly pale and powerful vampires and perfectly chiseled, shirtless werewolves making a regular girl happy on the big screen. If just for those, this movie is a sure winner. The movie marathons to as much close-ups and beauty shots while the actors and actresses try to put life to their clichéd lines. Add up some action to boost things up in between the many drags, and that’s about it.

Its vampire boy-meets-ordinary girl-meets werewolf boy story can already be effectively told in a short movie, but of course, the studio needs to prolong it as much as it can. To keep up with the feature-length movie requirement, Eclipse incorporates many visceral set pieces, stylistic flashbacks, and impassioned sentiments to keep the viewers hanging on to its swoony tale of forbidden love.

There’s no middle ground with the Twilight Saga: Either the viewer surrenders to the value of this movie version of the Stephenie Meyer bestseller or the viewer walks out feeling lifeless in disappointment. One thing is for sure, this film confidently provides the commercial requirements to make fans satisfied.

In its own mediocre level, Eclipse’s good points are its pretty good make-up, atmospheric feel, and art direction setting the mood for a sort of emotional pornography for teenagers. The “melodramatic crush factor” works well for those craving for such inner adolescent fantasies. The marketing strategy establishing the vampire-wolf division “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob,” along with the “in-Bella’s shoes” girl fantasies, is developed pretty well throughout the movie. It validates its teen-friendly demeanor where words overcome sexual urges and where fight scenes are meant for viewers who are only concerned about the protagonists winning and looking so cool with it.

Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black embrace their own sense of camp in this movie about teenage uncertainty, emotional highs and lows, and impassioned teenage love. It is not the stunning locations, special effects, or the plot that “Twilighters” will keep in mind, it’s the characters and their relationships that they shall remember.

Director David Slade taps into what Twilight fans want. He keeps it cold and lifeless in a way that the ultimate teenage fantasies about the characters become the full movie. The adolescents and the adolescents at heart don’t mind how characters shamelessly have their buttons pushed as long as they can relate to these characters’ own personal hurdles.

Eclipse manages to create a teen drama effectively utilizing its cheesy special effects to stage chaste, romantic tensions against the many scenic backdrops. It demonstrates adolescent longing and primal physical confrontations where the ultimate damsel in distress gets saved by not one but two “prince charmings,” not to mention their whole clans helping out.

For those seeking for a quality film offer, this 124-minute movie about convoluted passions and hormonal outrage cries out for life. It seeks for a life-saving blood transfusion. It is like watching two lovers looking at each other’s eyes and feeling the ultimate magic of being in love; while anyone not relating to it would most likely feel bored or apathetic.

With fans undoubtedly willing to get bitten, this third chapter in the Twilight Saga remains foremost a flick for devotees. Given the strength of this franchise, the least non-fans can wish for is for the next chapter/s to take the challenge of better quality over the shallowness of its comfort zone. If it continues to be this programmed and predictable, the only thing to remember it by is that it sucks the blood out of pop culture; while it leaves everybody else outside dead cold.

Toy Story 3 Film Review: Toys to Infinity and Beyond

Like the first two films, Toy Story 3 simply captures you with emotional magic in film form. Entertaining, well-crafted, and emotional, this third film of the historical animated film franchise is powered by fun, fueled by intellect, and driven by heart. It is a fitting finale for a Pixar animated trilogy perfected in tone, delivery, timing, humor, and drama. Its charm goes to infinity and beyond.

Toy Story 3 Photo Slideshow courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

List of the New Toy Story Characters Featured in Toy Story 3

List of the Toy Story Classic Characters Appearing in Toy Story 3

This film can bring you back the old memories of your toys and literally wonder where they are now. Whether tears come out from your spectator eyes or not, its ending offers an undoubtedly heart-wrenching moment that grabs the child in you. And this can simply be described as “cinematic magic.” By taking a bunch of animated toys teaching people about the mystery of human lives and struggling through it, Toy Story 3 becomes a sentimental journey with a heartfelt mix of sugar and spice. Every scene is delightfully engaging and there is so much to be absorbed without straining its theme and story. The gags are all set in the right places until the film wraps up with an enchanting finale.

The well-embraced Pixar tradition of a short film preceding the main feature attraction is nothing but clever and enchanting. Day and Night directed by Teddy Newton, also the voice behind the toy character Chatter Telephone, is a masterpiece on its own and it perfectly complements Toy Story 3.

This third motion picture from the franchise comes full circle. It’s a rare sequel that clearly endures the test of time. Like its theme and story, it mixes joy and sweet sadness for the complicated choices about staying in the comfort zone and embracing change. It emphasizes the relationship between toys and a child’s imagination. It’s about the inevitable moments of having to leave some things behind. It’s about the feeling of abandonment that comes with age and passage of time. And it’s about accepting how changes in life can sometimes be harsh and unfavorable.

Toy Story 3 has a basic plot and a simple, straightforward story orientation. What makes it stand out from the rest? The filmmakers know what they want, they know what they’re doing, and they know how to do things with utmost sincerity. It has such a simple formula, yet the delicate combination of the various aspects of film production goes beyond being objective and quantitative. The challenge in reaching such level of cinematic marvel requires careful choices and bull’s-eye decisions for the script, choice of shots, animation requirements, audio requirements, and voice performances. It’s a candid story that delves about living life, feeling outdated, getting misunderstood, and facing things beyond your control. It answers the question about what happens when “playtime” is over in a figurative and emotional way that is surprising, self-realizing, and considerably hurting while still being gently comforting.

While it celebrates consumerism with its many brands and product placements, the genius in Pixar impressively manages to keep the film’s innocent pleasures of imagination. Toy Story 3 succeeds beyond its glossy and gleaming pixels both in 2D and 3D. It has a valuable script with animated characters as real as a child’s sense of wonder. It balances rollicking adventure, wrenching pathos, and brilliant humor in an exceptional package. Exuding with enough emotional resonance, it creatively ties up the first two films at a very suitable time: without having to rush things as how the mainstream filmmaking bible dictates it (think of how studios rush sequels for the sake of commercialism). It took years and years until the new technology now enables 3D films and how this era showcases a new age of toys to add up to the Toy Story collection. Even the actual voice behind the little Andy character of the past now renders his voice as a grown up young adult himself.

This third worthy installment kicks off with a brief playful sequence of breathtaking mastery, evocative detail, wonderful camera work, all aptly resolved in a true little boy’s eyes. It impressively opens up with a scene that reminds people of what Toy Story really offered more than a decade ago. And as the fun treats of the film progresses, it carefully blends the moments of sadness and ache that come along as life shifts towards another direction. On a lighter note, there is an appreciation for Pixar’s brilliance in making a nice, long gag reel side by side its closing credits. Aside from bringing a satisfyingly intelligent but fun resolution to the movie, it offers additional time to wipe away those tears before the screening finishes.

Pixar’s now trademark of “ingenuous storytelling” serves up yet another exceptional animated treat that doesn’t surpass its predecessors, but simply continues its virtuous tradition. The studio simply knows how to tell a brilliant story in an animated movie format without resorting to brainless gimmicks and cheap sentiments. It winds up its way gently towards its serious themes without grabbing desperately on them.

With inspired homage to jailbreak movies, director Lee Unkrich presents a thoughtful story about regret for the past and fear of the future. It’s nothing but worthy to mention much of the people behind this masterwork: writers Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, and Lee Unkrich; producer Darla K. Anderson and executive producer John Lasseter; music composer Randy Newman; and the very long list of animators, production artists, and film crew who made the film what it is. As a clever piece of storytelling magic, this family-friendly movie illustrates a natural progression melding with ease in many levels of thematic resplendence.

On the technical side, Toy Story 3 lives up to the expectations. The characters design and animation are spectacularly detailed and well rendered. From Barbie and Ken’s robotic moves to the almost palpable strawberry smell of Lotso as how this gets established in the film, this emotional cinematic treat employs technical wizardry in par with its storytelling. The cinematography and production design are so vivid and fitting in every sequence and scene.

The vocal performances coming from a mix of the old cast and the newcomers create such powerfully emotional characters. Whether a major or minor role, each one really brings his/her character to life. Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear lead the pack of toy characters with such brilliance. Buzz’s Spanish mode is a hysterically fun treat. Aside from these two best buddies of the franchise, the audience shall remember such iconic performances from the many human and toy characters. To mention some: John Morris as Andy; Joan Cusack as Jessie; Ned Beatty as Lotso; Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head; Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head; Jodi Benson as Barbie; Michael Keaton as Ken; Wallace Shawn as Rex; John Ratzenberger as Hamm; Timothy Dalton as Mr. Pricklepants; Jeff Pidgeon as Aliens; Blake Clark as Slinky Dog; Emily Hahn as Bonnie; Jeff Garlin as Buttercup; Bonnie Hunt as Dolly; John Cygan as Twitch; Whoopi Goldberg as Stretch; Laurie Metcalf as Andy’s Mom; Bud Luckey as Chuckles; Beatrice Miller as Molly; Javier Fernandez Pena as the Spanish Buzz; and Lori Alan as Bonnie’s Mom.

There is so much to absorb in this animated opus for a viewer of any age. Watching it over and over again further makes a strong bond between the film and its viewer. Best advice: Buy the Toy Story Blu-ray collection once it hits the market. Such a release is truly worthy of anyone’s collection. It doesn’t sell just with merely crappy marketing materials and bonus features. It’s the actual film that hits every button from laughter to tears, from adventure to realizations, from audio-visual flair to earnestness. It’s “magically deep, sweet, painful, and real.”

Like its characters, the Toy Story films are to be treasured forever.

The Karate Kid Film Review: The Kung Fu Kid

The Karate Kid featuring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan starts off with a considerably sincere showcase of what the movie is all about. From the pop music in its opening credits to the kind of shots it utilizes early on, it’s clearly meant for the young crowd who likes hearty stories and happy endings. This commercially entertaining remake works well for its audience while not being an entire rip-off of the 1984 original. It keeps its spirit alive, except for one disappointing aspect: The Karate Kid is actually The Kung Fu Kid.

The biggest cinematic sin committed here is its misnamed title that sets it somewhere in between an appealing popcorn flick and a big cinematic blasphemy.

View Karate Kid photo slideshow courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Read Jaden Smith Learns Kung Fu in Karate Kid Remake

The story of Dre migrating to China with his mother, along with his learning of kung fu, renders a fine mainstream treat. But sadly, this movie rides too much on the name of the classic Karate Kid film that it practically uses its franchise just to maximize all the hype and good branding. While making a remake of an old movie is something acceptable, this new martial arts flick for kids could have been more respectful of the film’s legacy by either living up with it (within the karate world) or deviating from its original title to keep up with the new, updated plot. In so doing, it wouldn’t look and sound so funny, questionable, and dumb that it’s a Karate Kid movie using kung fu. In fact, they can even use the original movie’s title as a “sub-title” if they really want to use the brand and recuperate on the most likely huge amount they paid to use the franchise.

The Karate Kid remains a feel good story that works. It succeeds as a crowd-pleasing treat that captures the general charm and humanity of the 1984 original. While it doesn’t surpass what its predecessor has already etched in film history, it takes the same old story and feeds it back with some change in scenery and targeted demographic. It radiates the light-hearted buoyancy of the original with Jaden Smith now stepping in as the new Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan as the new Pat Morita.

When disregarding its title’s ultimate booboo, what makes the movie succeed in its own terms is that, amidst its clichéd plot, it manages to earn that same winning spirit of the influential classic. This formulaic but savvy reboot makes a good family movie.

While it is totally predictable, it proves that the formula still has life as this new one captures the good emotional beats of the original. From the simple emotional good-bye scene between Dre’s Detroit friend who gives him the skateboard to the gripping fight scene in the end, the movie pays enough respect to the tradition and nostalgia of the first Karate Kid. It may not be as good as the old one, but it reasonably engages with enough heart.

The bountiful travelogue opportunities in China also add to its button-pushing crowd-pleaser demeanor. Director Harald Zwart features historic Chinese ancient structures sitting right next to new architectural wonders. The panoramic vistas and well-choreographed fight scenes reinterpret Karate Kid without straying too far from what the original offered during its time.

The fight scenes make a good playground to its characters. The climactic showdown works in the same fashion as the 1984 movie where the face-off between the bully and the bullied feels predictable, but it interestingly doesn’t feel calculated. It gets the general audience’s attention for an emotional investment until the underdog reigns supreme. Even the simple cliché moments surprisingly validates the kung fu showdown, complete with a deciding slow-motion kick. The choice of shots and emotional bearing on the characters works well for the story. The direction, acting, production design and cinematography become the saving graces of this blasphemously titled movie.

Working together in the spirit of kung fu, Dre and Mr. Han embody naturally good chemistry. They carry the movie well: a brash American boy trying to fit in Beijing and a queerly reserved Chinese maintenance man seemingly living a lonely life on his own.

The two main characters ground the movie in between the drama, action, and comedy. While they don’t exactly match the depth and fortuitous rapport of Macchio and Morita, their partnership brings a heart-filled depiction of their own.

Smith impresses with his small frame sculpted with martial arts training. He looks very natural on screen and his charm carries the movie all the way towards a pleasing end. Amidst the frequently annoying awareness on Jackie Chan’s struggle to get rid of his Americanized tongue to speak Chinese without any English twang, he still generally works well as Mr. Han. He brings good depth to his inner struggle as a character where his emotional baggage fills up to the brim in the car drama sequence. At some point, he seems to go overboard, but the direction and editing effectively handles his breakdown with emotional shots showing him heads down on the steering wheel.

The characterizations of the other roles are not given enough value. Dre’s mother played by Taraji Henson is completely two-dimensional and flat like the rest, with the exception of the bullying boys who get their change of heart by the movie’s end. The humanity between Dre and Mr. Han is fine, but the movie could have benefited more if at least, there’s a simple establishment of Dre investing in one emotional bonding scene with his mother, instead of just mere comic elements brought to their scenes together. His potential love interest Meiying played by Wen Wen Han makes a good addition to the puppy love angle of the story. Dre’s kung fu opponent delivers a fine performance to keep the other side of the story’s spectrum a well-rendered aspect of the movie as well.

List of Filmmakers Who Can Replace Guillermo Del Toro as Director for The Hobbit

List of Filmmakers Who Can Replace Guillermo Del Toro as Director for The Hobbit
This list is not simply categorized according to how their filmographies made them who they are. in the industry now. These choices explore a number of complicated aspects, perspectives, and considerations about each director’s works.
Read More

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Movie Review: High Fantasy Vs. Pop Culture Kitsch

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Movie Review: High Fantasy Vs. Pop Culture Kitsch
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is filled with visionary sense. It has a wide imagination and a heartfelt plea for environmental concern and cultural diversity. However, its spectacular sense of artistry could have worked much better…
Read More

Shrek Forever After Film Review: Ogre Forever After

Ogre Forever After
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Shrek Forever After is technically fine, but it’s only mildly entertaining. While the pleasant nostalgia is a given that it renders something familiarly successful, the monstrously good fun has already faded for this fourth and last installment of the Shrek franchise. In comparison, it goes “far, far away” from the first two of the now four Shrek movies. It is not exactly “cat-astrophic nor ri-donke-lous,” at the least. Its saving graces are the solid performances for the movie’s bankable characters that breathe life into this commercially mandated and creatively bankrupt effort.

The quick wit and pop-culture referencing that made Shrek a fun movie doesn’t feel the same anymore after a decade down the line.  It falls flat when it comes to the supposed one-liners and adorable critters. It still maintains some appeal, but the fun and energy feels kind of forced already.

Director Mike Mitchell and scriptwriters Josh Klausner and Darren Lemke are all new to the franchise, yet the movie looks so derivative. There are only simple and minimal changes on a distinctly surface level (primarily a darker mise-en-scéne), but deep down, it’s just a tired offer.

Shrek Forever After is very much a recycled treat that bases everything about it for the fad on 3D technology. As a last dance for the profitable green ogre, this one last hit for the marketable business franchise is clearly a cash cow product. Yet, it has undoubtedly captured a steady audience after establishing an impressive past and setting a new trend in mainstream animated films during its heyday. Now, after almost a decade, it keeps its general charm and viability amidst being narratively overcooked and comically undernourished. While this final attempt to profit on the Shrek motion picture fame is a rather modest affair that barely exerts an independent quality and charm for itself, the characters viewers have learned to love through the years keep this movie hanging. Add up the expensive tickets from 3D theaters and everything really goes into the Dreamworks cash register.

Interestingly, after three movies aimed at children and adolescents, this final Shrek movie is aimed more or less at middle-aged men than attracting new younger recruits. Perhaps, Shrek Forever After is really aimed just for its “grown-up followers” (both the grown up kid and adult fans from the past films, but with more focus on the middle-aged adults). Its theme even centers on adult issues and concerns more than trivial children stuff. With this part of the film, it works in the sense that it allows adult viewers to relate to Shrek’s own midlife crisis, Puss’ obesity, among other things.

Mike Myers and company pull the interest to it when scenes fall flat in the other departments.

With a business kind of thinking, Shrek Forever After is a pretty good deal. After the box office profit, it has a very good market in home video sales together with the rest of the Shrek movies. Indeed, for a Shrek collection with four films to boost, it can live a long and prosperous life for the general collection of most households, and it is expected to be one of those movies meant for babysitting the kids inside the homes.

Domino Movie Review: An Acid Trip with Domino

Domino Movie Review: An Acid Trip with Domino
Oozing with tomboy spunkiness, Keira Knightley plays the character of the late Domino Harvey, the daughter of British actor Laurence Harvey.
Read More

Ninja Assassin Movie Review: Splatter On, Adrenaline Junkies’ Ninja Fli

Ninja Assassin Movie Review: Splatter On, Adrenaline Junkies’ Ninja Flick
Ninja Assassin is primarily committed to its bloodletting and cool fight scenes than to its story and characters. For those who are looking for a good story and script, it’s a big letdown. But for adrenaline junkies, this movie is going to be fun.
Read More

Angels and Demons Movie Review: The Suspenseful Novel Becomes an Audio-visual Flair

Angels and Demons Movie Review: The Suspenseful Novel Becomes an Audio-visual Flair
With the kind of plotting and the pretty good utilization of the medium for the novel, translating it into a two-hour audio-visual flair is really a tough path to take.
Read More

Shrek the Third Movie Review: The Slapstick Third

Shrek the Third Movie Review: The Slapstick Third
The Shrek franchise comes up with its third installment quite inferior to the first two. Shrek the Third tries to do its best to bring out some laugh-inducing slapstick from the can. At the least, it has the very humor that Shrek fans have come to expect.
Read More

Shrek Forever After Movie Review: Happily Ogre After?

Shrek Forever After Movie Review: Happily Ogre After?
For its long-time followers, Shrek Forever After is passable entertainment. It’s for those who have grown with the franchise’s predecessors and not the type that can add any new toddler fans.
Read More

Jennifer’s Body Movie Review: Capitalizing on a High School Scare Flick

Jennifer’s Body Movie Review: Capitalizing on a High School Scare Flick
In Jennifer’s Body, Megan Fox looks high school foxy as a scarily hot horror queen in the usual teen scare flick set-up. And it could probably work best for midnight screenings and slumber parties.
Read More

The Time Traveler’s Wife Movie Review: “Time Warping” Love and Destiny

The Time Traveler’s Wife Movie Review: “Time Warping” Love and Destiny
The Time Traveler’s Wife takes the story of a couple who is led into the grandeur and sadness of life and the mystery of time. With its own mix of drama, romance, and science-fiction, is it really worth your time?
Read More

Robin Hood Film Review: Bull’s Eye Action But Miles of Missed Storytelling

Iron Man 2 Movie Review: The Iron Man Element Still Works

Iron Man 2 Movie Review: The Iron Man Element Still Works
Clearly and wittily exuding a screwball vibe filled with action and techno treats, “Iron Man 2″ lives up to the idea of slam-bang entertainment. It is undoubtedly a solid blockbuster sequel with a few faults that people won’t mind overlooking.
Read More

Iron Man 2 Film Review: The Iron Man Element Still Works

The Iron Man Element Still Works
By Rianne Hill Soriano

“Iron Man 2” keeps its visual and polished appeal. It is entertaining enough but falls a little short of delivering anything new, other than rediscovering its “new element.” Yet, it doesn’t really oblige itself to, anyway. It packs itself with a cool “Iron Man” air and it blasts things in awesome ways.

More than just being a popcorn spectacle with a typically mainstream plot, the shots are impressively well thought off, the acting performances are engaging, the sound elements and music deliver well, and the special effects are visual grabbers.

Robert Downey Jr. and the rest of the cast fill this superhero flick with solid performances fitting its action-techno-fantasy package. His style for witty dialogue with deadpan delivery continues to own and entertain the part. His portrayal of billionaire industrialist Tony Stark and his superhero alter ego Iron Man continues to be the movie’s most compelling component and the franchise’s strongest asset. People can keep such satisfied popcorn smiles while watching the movie.

“Iron Man 2” soars high amidst the heavy metal it wears. There are fewer surprises and exhilarating scenes than its smarter predecessor and there are a few moments of contrivances, but this sequel is still a thrilling and charming offer.

Other than its heavy reliance on CGI, action sets, and stunts, both its production team and cast members live up to the task of making the film a worthwhile action-packed film. It has an aptly fast-paced and glossy look that overwhelms its not so engaging plot. It remains mindlessly entertaining from the technophile’s haven scenes to the fight and chase scenes. The industrialist clunks sometimes get slightly annoying, but it remains mindlessly entertaining with all the big guns, high tech gadgets, cool cars, flashy metal suits and machinery plot.

The filmmakers seem conscious of both the advantages and disadvantages of fight scenes involving faceless actors in big titanium battle suits. The insert shots of their faces from inside their metal gears work. But interestingly, Tony Stark’s scenes are more point blank solid if compared to the showy Iron Man fight scenes. As usual, Downey’s performance as the man outside the suit works best whenever he is hanging out and having fun.

The verbose parts, mostly from the bantering moments and tireless arguments between the main tandems (Tony and Pepper; Hammer and Ivan), are fun and charming. Snappy one-liners also help the movie build up well.

More than his own charismatic personality transcending on screen, Downey’s character really blends well with his colleagues in the acting department. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts provides wit, energy, and chemistry with the leading man as she offers a beating heart to the story without resulting to cheesiness. Scarlett Johannson as Natalie Rushman/Natasha Romanoff effectively steals the show with her fight scene. Her cyborg-ish looks also add to the film’s visual commercial flavor.

Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer and Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko are great additions to the movie. Their characters are well developed; thus, making the typical plot and characterization work to the movie’s advantage. Rockwell’s smarmy acting is effectively irritating. He really measures up to the need of the story for such a selfish corporate freak character. Rourke is awesome with his very convincing performance as a Russian techno genius with a streak of both serious and comic personalities. He promotes a wide range of emotion than makes him such a driving force on the other end of the Iron Man’s superhero spectrum.

Don Cheadle as Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine doesn’t really transcend to the investment already made by Terrence Howard’s charismatic performance for the first “Iron Man.” It’s such a disappointing change that really affects this significant part of the franchise. Personally, Howard’s Rhodey is a bull’s eye in the same way as Downey’s Stark. Unfortunately, Cheadle doesn’t live up well as a needed replacement.

Garry Shandling as Senator Stern delivers greatly as the typical politician modeling in front of the public’s eye. Leslie Bibb as the journalist Christine Everheart is a recognizable face from the first “Iron Man” and she keeps her short but significant appearance in this sequel. Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury also has a short screen time; and yet, how he handles his role quite peaks the interest for his character. Favreau again appears more than just the director as he plays the part as the funny Happy Hogan for the second time around. Stan Lee makes another fun cameo in the movie.

This movie is another treat for those who pay respect to the credits. After the long scroll filled with endless names and production credits of people who really worked hard to make this cinematic project how it is, people staying get a glimpse of what’s in store for the next “Iron Man” sequel.

Clearly and wittily exuding a screwball vibe filled with action and techno treats, “Iron Man 2” lives up to the idea of slam-bang entertainment. Indeed, this franchise isn’t rusty yet. It is undoubtedly a solid blockbuster sequel with a few faults that people don’t mind overlooking.

New Moon Movie Review: A Swoon Movie for the Fans

New Moon Movie Review: A Swoon Movie for the Fans
This second bite to the hugely popular Twilight saga can’t exactly do the same for the outsiders. It may not be good enough to seduce new fans, but it’s not bad enough to break off relentless infatuations from its very much anticipating target market.
Read More

The Legend of Zorro Movie Review: The Dela Vega Heroes

The Legend of Zorro Movie Review: The Dela Vega Heroes
The Legend of Zorro tones down a bit by fronting the more human issues about family relationships as compared to the visually purist, action-filled premise driving the storyline on such an action genre.
Read More

In Her Shoes Movie Review: More Than Just a Chick Flick

In Her Shoes Movie Review: More Than Just a Chick Flick
In Her Shoes actually has enough depth. This chick flick is a richly textured story about the reconnecting of two estranged sisters who have nothing in common but their shoe sizes.
Read More

Whiteout Movie Review: Frozen to Dullness in Antarctica

Whiteout Movie Review: Frozen to Dullness in Antarctica
Whiteout is like the impending six months of darkness in Antarctica. Not with the chilling thrills, but with the total bore of staying inside a scientific research facility with only the endless stretches of Antarctic ice as companion.
Read More

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Movie Review: Masterful, Moody, and Magnificent

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Movie Review: Masterful, Moody, and Magnificent
This sixth installment in the Harry Potter film franchise is of the right mix for the specific needs of the story. It is never dumb and yet it is not pretentiously profound. It is smart as it is honest. It is dark as it is funny.
Read More

X-Men Origins – Wolverine Movie Review: The Adamantium Thrill and Tragedy

X-Men Origins – Wolverine Movie Review: The Adamantium Thrill and Tragedy
X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the first spin-off of the X-Men character movies, is a considerably reliable, action-packed first attempt for an X-Men origin story.
Read More

Twilight Movie Review: The Teen Bite of Twilight

Twilight Movie Review: The Teen Bite of Twilight
The swoony supernatural romance and the neo-horror motif both amuses and bemuses – depending on the type of viewer.
Read More

Star Trek Movie Review: A Warpspeed Wow!

Star Trek Movie Review: A Warpspeed Wow!
Something old reboots as a glorious new.
Read More

Alice in Wonderland Movie Review: Overwhelming Visuals, Underwhelming Storytelling

Alice in Wonderland Movie Review: Overwhelming Visuals, Underwhelming Storytelling
Tim Burton’s individual stamp of masterful storytelling doesn’t seem to register here. And with its wavering tone, Burton and company should really dig a lot deeper if they soon decide to make a sequel.
Read More

Batman Begins Movie Review: A Great Beginning for the Dark Knight

Batman Begins Movie Review: A Great Beginning for the Dark Knight
Batman Begins is one classic Batman.
Read More

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Movie Review: A Dark, Adolescent Potter Film

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Movie Review: A Dark, Adolescent Potter Film
Darker, a little more mature, and a little less magical, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire deals primarily with rejection and hormones as Harry and his friends struggle through the transition from childhood to young adulthood.
Read More

Watchmen: Deconstructing the Film in Reference to the Graphic Novel

Watchmen: Deconstructing the Film in Reference to the Graphic Novel
The film Watchmen is no doubt a love letter to those who have been waiting for the graphic novel’s cinematic rendition for the last two decades.
Read More

Iron Man Movie Review: The Stark of Iron Myth-making

Iron Man Movie Review: The Stark of Iron Myth-making
Finding great escapist twists on an exhausted genre, Iron Man is one of a handful of exceptional superhero movies to date.
Read More