The Hangover Part III

Sadly, I hadn't started this blog when I saw The Hangover Part II and therefore, I can't consult my review of it in preparation for writing this critique of The Hangover Part III. Not that this much matters as the painful memories from that film are still strong. Crass, vulgar, homophobic, racist and offensive are some of the words which spring to mind when considering The Hangover Part II. Anyway, to say my expectations for director Todd Phillips' third outing with the Wolfpack were low, would be...um, hugely accurate.

The IMDb plot summary for The Hangover Part III begins: 'This time, there's no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right?'. And herein lies the first problem with the film. No-one has a hangover until after the credits! This happens to be the least of our problems, however. I'm not going to go through the plot because that will mean wasting more time on this film. Suffice to that the Wolfpack is reunited through the most contrived of plot points and the result sees the film become more of a thriller/action film rather than a comedy. It does neither well.

The overwhelming feeling I experienced when I watched the film was boredom. The film has the engaging energy and dynamism of a static caravan and with jokes about as funny as a blocked toilet. For a comedy, it does remarkably well at being totally unfunny. I didn't laugh once. Indeed, the film suffers from a fundamental lack of humour: comedic set-up is non-existent and it's as if the jokes were written by committee. Zach Galifianakis' annoying and socially-inept Alan felt tired and relied too much on character traits which were established – and quickly became boring – in the previous films. And then there's the character of Mr Chow (Ken Jeong). It's not even worth getting angry about.

You're probably thinking that it's just me: I don't find things funny that most normal people do and in reality, The Hangover Part III is a very funny, nice end to the trilogy. Indeed, two out of the three other people I saw it with found it hilarious. But they're wrong. In so many ways. The film washes over you and suffocates you with its lethargic, unfunny script and attempts to beat you into submission with the character of Mr Chow. In many ways, I'd love to get angry about the film; I'd love to berate its suffocating lack of laughs; I'd enjoy criticising its reliance on ill-judged characters and plot; I'd try my hardest to convince you from not going to see such a poor excuse for entertainment. But really, it's not worth it. I even got the impression that Todd Phillips didn't want to be doing the film either. But that's what you get if the previous film takes $586,764,305: a depressingly dull sequel.

I'm going to stop there because I've already spent enough of my life considering this hulking failure of a film/thriller/comedy...whatever you want to call it. Bradley Cooper has done some fantastic stuff recently but it is genuinely dispiriting to see him return to Vegas. I've come to the conclusion that having a hangover is infinitely more enjoyable than watching this pathetic film. Let's never mention it again. 

Clapperboard Rating: *

The Great Gatsby

The first time I read The Great Gatsby, I hated it. In fact, I only made it half way through the book and gave up, cursing AQA for forcing me to sit an exam on such a boring, self-important book. Two months before my exam, I felt that I should probably, for the sake of my grade, read the whole thing. To say that I changed my mind would be an understatement. It is my favourite novel and news that Baz Luhrmann was to direct a new film adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald's most famous work excited me immensely. It's always dangerous to go to the cinema with this level of excitement.

Jay Gatsby is the enigmatic host of countless parties: guests aren't invited, they go. His parties are a whirlwind of cocktails, corrupt morals, glamorous frocks and rumours about the host. Some say that he killed a man, others that he is related to the Kaiser. One thing is for sure, Mr Gatsby is a mysterious host. If anyone was to translate the excess and violent spontaneity of Gatsby's lifestyle through the prism of a film camera, it is Baz Luhrmann. For the uninitiated, The Great Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), a mid-western war veteran who finds himself living next door to the millionaire Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Nick is drawn to his ambiguous neighbour, whose past and present are intertwined with Nick's cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan).

Fitzgerald's novel contains some of the most beautiful turns of phrase and each sentence flows with a lyricism and truthfulness about life. Unfortunately, this subtlety is somewhat lost in Luhrmann's adaptation which opens with a frenetic establishing of Gatsby's world. The camera (in all its 3D glory) swoops down skyscrapers, bounds off the luxurious mise-en-scène and cuts between characters as if lingering too long would reveal too much about them. Ironically, this is one of the film's major problems: Luhrmann seems less concerned with the deep heart of the source material and focuses on the feel of the age in which the novel is set. The excess of the Jazz Age manifests itself in the film through the almost pop video aesthetic and energy and there can be no argument that the film doesn't look beautiful. In fact, it is stunning. Each frame dazzles with a sparkle as if the negatives were processed by Tiffany's and the green-screen theatrics help to set the tone wonderfully. Perhaps this was the director's intention: to create a world which doesn't really exist – Gatsby's parties are a show, a shallow front for his real desire to capture Daisy in a world of chaotic opulence. The CGI and ostentatious soundtrack by Jay-Z are a mirror, reflecting Gatsby's need to maintain his dream. In this respect, the film works brilliantly.

There could be no other current actor to play Gatsby and DiCaprio does a sterling job of portraying one of American literature's greatest characters. Coupled with Mulligan, who provides a nicely tempered performance as the capricious Daisy, the central dynamics between the pair were nicely constructed. Their meeting in Nick's flower-filled living room was a dramatic moment, full of tension, but was a moment which should have been replicated and maintained throughout the film. Joel Edgerton's ill-tempered Tom Buchanan was well cast and tonally suited to juxtapose the character with Gatsby. In narrative terms, the opening fifteen minutes hurtled along so fast that I thought I'd get a headache from the 3D but this pace settled down and the film established a consistent (and more appealing) rhythm.

Ultimately, however, the emotional tenacity of the source material seemed to be suffocated by the visuals. Literary purists will not be won-over by the film but perhaps this isn't the point. Luhrmann's Gatsby is an interpretation, an element of the novel which captures the essence of an age where men wore beautiful shirts and the best a woman could do was to be a beautiful little fool. But the novel's real messages are somewhat lost in the aesthetic fervour of the film. Behind the three-piece suits and the glimmering jewels in Daisy's hair, there's little real comment. In interviews, Luhrmann has talked of the film's relevance to today's society, not just to the 1920s but there's a severe lack of comment in the film.

In the end, The Great Gatsby is an impressive spectacle, but a superficial spectacle at that. DiCaprio fits perfectly into the role of Gatsby but there is little real weight behind the camera zooms and digital magic. Fitzgerald's moral comments seem to be lost or merely acknowledged in passing, something which prevents the film from delivering an experience to match the novel. Gatsby may be great, but the film, I'm genuinely sorry to say, is not. 

Clapperboard Rating: * * * 

Star Trek Into Darkness

Every time I walk around my local Waitrose (as all students do), I like to think that I'm in Star Trek. Not because the automatic doors open with a satisfying “swish” noise or the fish counter is covered with clouds of dry ice which look like a special effect from a far-flung planet. It is the self-check handsets which remind me of the phaser weapons from the TV series and, as I carry one down the cereal aisle, part of me is hoping to run into a Klingon so I can zap him to smithereens. More often than not, I run into a security guard who is convinced I'm going to steal something. Anyway, that's enough of my strange ideas. Here are my thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness.

J.J. Abrams is the king of lens flare. Watch any one of his films and you'll think that someone has drawn a big white line across the screen. Okay, it's not that extreme and I rather like it, but it's certainly a director trademark. Abrams has returned to the Star Trek franchise which he first rebooted back in 2009 and has reunited the same cast for his second outing at the helm of the Enterprise, with some new faces. Benedict Cumberbatch plays super bad guy Khan, who threatens the very existence of the Federation and Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is the only person who can stop him. The ensemble cast worked well and Abrams' direction felt assured and confident in developing characters. Zachary Quinto was great as Spock and Zoe Saldana as his 'girlfriend' Uhura made a nice duo and Simon Pegg's Scotty provided some great laughs. Cumberbatch's bad guy performance was genuinely threatening and you know he's angry when his hair flops over his face. Seriously, he makes for a great villain.

The film's plot was nice and easy to follow which allows the audience to focus on enjoying the action and special effects which, just as in the previous film, were spectacular. I saw the film in 3D and, I have to say, was somewhat won-over by a few of the effects. The Star Trek universe is glossy, technical and vivid and the 3D effects in the outer-space sequences were very involving. Nevertheless, I could quite happily have seen it in 2D (and it would have been much brighter for a start!). Leading man Chris Pine is an appealing screen presence and fits the role of Kirk well: an intelligent, genuine and action-loving captain. Abrams definitely has an innate talent for constructing action whilst driving it with characterisation and a confident use of the camera.

In terms of narrative, never has there been a bromance so strong since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Kirk and Spock's relationship – a central pillar in the TV series – cements the action, adventure and drama of Star Trek Into Darkness. Thousands of words have been written on their relationship, more informed and insightful than anything I could hope to write. I'll just say that Abrams' film places much importance on it (and rightly so). Kirk and Spock's relationship provides a touching moment towards the end of the film although I felt the plot's development after this moment could have been bolder and it felt as though a set up for a third film was being developed. There will most definitely be another film – at the time of writing, the film was targeting $100 million after four days in the US alone. To say studio executives must be delighted would be an understatement.

Star Trek Into Darkness had to be good, if only for the sake of Abrams' other space adventure, Star Wars: Episode VII which is due for release in 2015. Fans need not worry. Star Trek Into Darkness is a non-stop and exhilarating blockbuster which offers some engaging performances and plenty of spectacle. And next time I'm in Waitrose, I promise not to shout 'beam me up, Scotty'. 

Clapperboard Rating: * * * * 

Iron Man 3

For one time only, I'm going to give you permission to disagree with me about this review. Indeed, I've most probably got it all wrong in the manner of IBM's chairman, predicting in 1943 that there was a world market for “maybe five computers”. Okay, maybe not that bad but you get the idea. I have to confess that I haven't seen Iron Man or Iron Man 2. So, naturally, this puts me in rather precarious position when it comes to making assertions about the latest film, imaginatively titled Iron Man 3. Nevertheless, here are my thoughts, even if you know better. Enjoy this feeling whilst it lasts.

Iron Man 3 is the latest film from Marvel and Paramount (he most definitely is a Marvel character - I was recently berated online for accidentally calling Superman a Marvel creation) and opens on New Year's Eve 1999, an evening which will create far-reaching and serious consequences for Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). Fast-forward to the present day and everything Stark knows and cares about is ripped apart by the fearsome terrorist, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). Hitting cinemas with an almighty bang, Iron Man 3 will no doubt dominate the box office for many weeks to come. And that is perfectly fine. As a whole, the film has all the elements which make for an all-out romp of a superhero film, and combines them with plenty of energy and surprises, under the assured direction of Shane Black.

It is Robert Downey Jr.'s performance which, no doubt, assures the success of the film. His portrayal of the forward and verbally-volatile billionaire industrialist was engaging and a pleasure to watch. The film's script zips along at a fair old pace and its writers, Drew Pearce and Shane Black (who achieved recognition with the Lethal Weapon screenplay) have written some great gags which Downey delivers with great conviction and comedic vigour. It was not only Tony Stark who was given some great one-liners – Ben Kingsley's role is casting genius and a highlight of the film. As many have pointed out, Iron Man 3 is the only superhero film to contain a reference to Croydon. Inspiring stuff.

The action is proficiently executed and one of the Iron Man films' strengths (excuse the pun) is the shots looking inside and outside of the mask. These point-of-view shots allow the audience to be thrown right into the centre of the action and make for enthralling viewing (and no thanks to the 3D). The assault on Stark's Miami home was heart-pounding stuff and the film's themes of human relationships rallying against technological advances and compromised masculinity were nicely approached. Without his suit, Tony Stark is stripped of power but Downey manages to remain a commanding screen presence. Gwyneth Paltrow as Stark's long-suffering partner gave a very confident yet naturalistic performance and complemented Downey's eccentricity.

So there you have it. My ill-informed, misjudged, mistaken and rather poor review of Iron Man 3. However, I genuinely found it to be a funny, full-on and satisfying superhero flick. Downey and Kingsley steal the film and, for once, a third film in an action franchise doesn't feel forced. But what do I know? Disagreements on the back of a postcard. 

Clapperboard Rating: * * * *  

Olympus Has Fallen

Despite what they might have you think, film critics can't watch endless European art house films which are as about as optimistic as Victor Meldrew and as solemn as an undertaker. Every now and then, we all need a bit of light relief in the cinema. Whilst the latest French realist drama may be one of the best films of the year, sometimes, you just need a bit of enjoyable, no-brain action to wash over you. And this is where Olympus Has Fallen comes in.

Director Antoine Fuqua is something of an expert when it comes to explosions. Known for the crime film Training Day, and action-soaked Tears of the Sun and Shooter, Fuqua's latest film sees Gerard Butler play Mike Banning, a former Presidential guard who finds himself the only survivor in the White House after it has been attacked by terrorists and the President taken hostage. Banning must work with the national security services (headed by Morgan Freeman) and use the best of his skills to defeat the terrorists and rescue the President. Olympus Has Fallen is, essentially Die Hard in the White House, just without over-bearing tension, Bruce Willis or the snappy one-liners. That said, the film is rather good fun. Gerard Butler is perfectly fine in the central role and manages to balance the rough action hero with a more emotional side, particularly in scenes with the President's young son (Finley Jacobsen) who is, himself, trapped in the White House.

There is no doubt that Olympus Has Fallen rattles along with plenty of blood, explosions and many Secret Service agents who will be more than a little sore in the morning. The initial assault on the President's residence is spectacularly shot and is heart pounding, exhilarating stuff. Bullets thud into the White House's façade as Secret Service agents desperately try – and fail – to repel the attackers (rather appropriately North Korean splinter terrorists) and a less-than-subtle rocket-propelled grenade whistles past Butler, spectacularly blowing the White House's entrance to smithereens. The trouble is that the film never quite maintains this tension or fire-fight dynamism that was so well executed in the opening acts. The blood and violence, however, continues throughout and plenty of expletives are uttered by Butler as he despatches terrorists with all manner of weapons and techniques.

The usual faces pop up in the supporting cast: Aaron Eckhart as the imprisoned President, Angela Bassett as the Secret Service Director and Morgan Freeman as the Speaker of the House who assumes the role of the President. If there was ever an actor we'd want to assume control in times of crisis, Morgan Freeman would be the first choice. Fuqua's films have always been influenced by politics and Olympus Has Fallen is no exception in its rather unsubtle imagery of Butler smashing a Korean terrorist over the head with a bust of Abraham Lincoln. Nice. Heavily patriotic, the film's closing scenes were quite overbearingly sentimental and idealistic but I was willing to forgive it as its action scenes did hurtle along nicely right until the end.

The most significant problem (and I think it is a problem) with the film is that it played itself more-or-less straight. There was little depth and the witty one-liners and moments of comedic relief were in short supply. I kept making comparisons between Butler and Bruce Willis in Die Hard (not a good thing). Olympus Has Fallen took itself just a little too seriously which worked for the action sequences but didn't feel right on an overall level. However, Butler did have a couple of nice jokes, my favourite of which came when he was talking to the terrorist leader (played by Rick Yune): “Let's play a game of fuck off. You go first”. You tell him, Gerard.

Olympus Has Fallen is intense, violent and chugs along at a fair old pace. Some impressive set-pieces, the best of which is the initial assault on the White House were thrilling but there was little real wit underneath the action. As these types of films go, it is quite good fun. 

Clapperboard Rating: * *