21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street


Is the ’21 Jump Street’ remake an entertaining modern take on the 1980s ‘undercover cops go to high school’ source material? Read our review.

 
Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews 21 Jump Street

When film buffs first heard that the iconic 1980s TV series, 21 Jump Street – about a baby-faced undercover police force that specializes in investigating crimes perpetuated at High Schools and colleges – reactions were largely negative. The backlash was due, at least in part, to the number of underwhelming franchise remakes that Hollywood has been churning out over the last few years (Miami Vice and Starsky and Hutch come to mind). However, other would-be moviegoers were simply skeptical of how producers would handle the 21 Jump Street property – specifically fan-favorite character, Officer Tom Hanson, who was played by a pre-Edward Scissorhands Johnny Depp.

Then, even the most skeptical move buffs stopped and took notice when directing team, Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) were hired on for the project and cast oddball pair Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in lead roles (neither one plays Hanson). So, does Lord and Miller’s 21 Jump Street remake ultimately offer up an entertaining trip to the theater that 21 Jump Street fans and non-fans can both enjoy?

Fortunately, the answer is yes. The film certainly takes its own approach to the 21 Jump Street source material, but it does so knowingly and with a lot of tongue in cheek humor – there’s even a joke about repackaging something old and reselling it to the same people again and again. As a result, 21 Jump Street excels at toying with the audience’s expectations. While plot developments adhere to an archetypal 80s format (making the overarching storyline pretty predictable), the various action and comedy scenes are full of surprises.

Ice Cube, Jonah Hill, and Channing Tatum in '21 Jump Street'

The success of the film will largely depend on what moviegoers might be expecting from a 21 Jump Street remake – as this is most definitely not a “gritty” or “grounded” update to the basic premise. Lord and Miller’s Jump Street is unapologetic in attempting to be a laugh-a-minute riff on the absurdity of the source material’s undercover cops in high school storyline. In the remake, Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) reconnect years after they graduated from the same high school, and together, the pair successfully complete the rigors of police academy – with Schmidt overseeing their studies and Jenko in charge of their physical training. However, when the two botch their first actual arrest, they’re kicked over to Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), who runs a covert police operation placing youthful-looking (and immature acting) officers in schools and universities to infiltrate crime organizations. Without anywhere else to go, and looking for a chance at redemption (and/or to be cool in high school), Schmidt and Jenko sign on at 21 Jump Street.

Some moviegoers were skeptical about the casting of Hill and Tatum – considering that both actors have had headlined their share of cinematic duds (The Sitter and Stop-Loss, respectively). Hill in particular is often known for roles that rely on over-the-top gross-out humor – a standard that the 21 Jump Street marketing team was eager to embrace. However, while 21 Jump Street does have plenty of low-brow comedy moments, there’s also an abundance of sharper gags that will sing even for viewers who might be turned off by penis jokes.

As a result, Hill is noticeably at home with the 21 Jump Street subject matter, playing an awkward and irreverent “high schooler” trying to fit in. While Schmidt is nothing we haven’t seen from the actor before, combined with Tatum’s Jenko, audiences will get to see Hill’s familiar shtick play against a very different sidekick – resulting in a number of laugh-out-loud gags. Tatum, who usually plays muscled tough guys (see: Haywire and G.I. Joe, among others) and/or charming lover boys (The Vow) has a surprising talent for comedy – and the actor not only keeps up with Hill’s fast-paced timing, he also brings a lot of heart to the Jenko character (which is somewhat lacking in this particular version of Hill’s awkward guy formula).


Retro Jenko and Schmidt from '21 Jump Street'

Side characters like Tracey (Brie Larson) and Eric (Dave Franco) are enjoyable to watch at first – as they play against Jenko and Schmidt’s cool-kid expectations. That said, many of the 21 Jump Street supporting players ultimately devolve into caricatures by the end of the film and are forced into dramatic shifts that aren’t particularly developed or earned through preceding scene work. These shifts don’t detract from the comedy, and it’s certainly possible they were an intentional attempt at rousing 80′s movie tropes, but they undermine opportunities to have done something more nuanced with the anti-stereotypes the film has established. Once in awhile, it’s as if riffing on the TV source material is more important than delivering a fully-realized modern movie experience.

Similarly, the overarching plot of the film is about as thin as its remake inspiration – and would completely buckle under the weight of play-by-play analysis or scrutiny. Viewers looking for an intriguing undercover cop story should definitely look elsewhere, as – aside from reconnaissance work performed by Jenko and his new chemistry-loving friends – our officer leads don’t actually engage in particularly compelling police work; the focus of the film is clearly on crazy antics, not an intricate narcotics investigation. Regardless of the director pair’s intent, the finale (despite a lot of gunfire and explosions) may be somewhat underwhelming for anyone hoping to see an interesting pay off to the narcotics storyline. Not to mention, considering the undercover cop “reality” of 21 Jump Street, the finale also includes one of the most awkward “emotional” plot point resolutions in recent memory.

Ultimately, criticism of the 21 Jump Street story shouldn’t be taken as a denouncement of the 21 Jump Street experience – since the film delivers on its intended purpose to provide laugh-a-minute antics within the flimsy premise of the source material. However, much like their protagonists (who get overwhelmed by their undercover lives), it’s as if Lord and Miller got overwhelmed by their comedy gags, and lost sight of a few core fundamentals that make for a great modern day movie. Ultimately, they get the remake job done with tongue-in-cheek style and plenty of outrageous moments – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few slip-ups that could have offered an even better payoff.

If you’re still on the fence about 21 Jump Street, check out the HD 1080p trailer below:

The Hunter

The Hunter

After the beloved Australian urban myth of the "big black cat" was so curiously underused in Red Hill (they could have at least had someone morph into a panther a la Nastassja Kinski in Cat People), I had grave fears for the thylacine, now relegated to the status of cryptid, in Daniel Nettheim's adaptation of Julia Leigh'sThe Hunter. 

I needn't have worried: our native fauna's saddest casualty, and the mystery surrounding its rumoured survival, is the bruised heart of The Hunter. The film built around that heart has moments of both cliche and brilliance, ending up somewhere in the middle, but bewitching nevertheless. 

Martin (Willem Dafoe), a naturalist cum mercenary, is hired by European biotech company RedLeaf to travel to the Tasmanian wilderness to track down the - alleged - sole surviving thylacine. RedLeaf have a number of confirmed sightings, so they pack Martin off to the Apple Isle with a high-powered rifle and a case full of DNA-sampling equipment. 

He arrives and makes his way to base camp, which is a spare room in the ramshackle home of Lucy (Frances O'Connor), rendered effectively comatose by the twin palls of mourning and over-medication, and her two children Sass (Morgana Davies) and Bike (Finn Woodlock), who run wild around the property. 

The house is without power or hot water, because the generator is broken and their dad, Jarrah (Marc Watson-Paul, seen only in photographs), is still up in the mountains. It soon becomes clear that while the kids think he's still out there somewhere, the reality is what has sent Lucy into a cocoon of grief. 

Martin puts his gear together and sets off, led by Jack (Sam Neill), a local farmer and friend of Lucy's. En route to the wilderness, they meet a brace of anti-logging protesters, whose gentle nature is in direct contrast with the violent oafishness of the men working for the logging companies that Martin earlier encountered in a local bar. 

He sets off alone, constructing snares from string and shrubbery as well as laying steel traps: it's clear that, even if there is a thylacine out there, RedLeaf don't plan for Martin to bring it home alive. 

His first stint in the landscape is an exercise in almost monastic dedication to his work: he smokes his clothes to remove all trace of civilised scents, guts a wallaby to cut up bait for his traps. And yet, Martin is also a very human presence in this wilderness: one night he is startled by the nightmarish calls of the devils (which memorably put the frighteners all over another work of Tasmanian existentialism, Roger Scholes' The Tale Of Ruby Rose). 

Each time he returns from the mountain to refuel and regroup, Sass and the near-mute Bike push themselves ever closer to Martin's comfort zone. He draws a bath, they hop in; "Dad says we shouldn't waste the hot water," Sass says, matter-of-factly. Martin is horrified. 

Eventually, Lucy emerges from her twilight zone, and she, too, becomes captivated by Martin. He's mysterious yet capable, the sort of man who plays Yvonne Kenny'sBaïlèro on his iPod dock while taking a bath; he fixes the generator, and life begins to return to the household. 

With each trip back to the wilderness, his inner conflict deepens: finish the mission? Find Jarrah? Spend more time with his new-found, makeshift family? And is he, echoing the paranoia that coloured Jarrah's similar mission, being followed? 

At times, it feels like there are two films at play throughout the The Hunter, and one is far more interesting than the other. The ongoing stoush between the loggers and the greenies is perfunctory; peppered with stereotypes (the loggers are boorish bogans who drink beer all day, while the greenies are sensitive types who do fire-twirling), it's also a nearly pointless diversion in the greater scheme of the narrative.

The other side of the film, Martin's existential journey through the wilderness and in and out of Lucy's household, is far more interesting. In fact, had the film consisted of little more than Martin, alone in the wilderness, it would have worked better. 

There is an elegiac quality to The Hunter that makes it intoxicating in spite of its faults, however. It's helped immensely by Dafoe's performance as the distant but ultimately soulful mercenary, as well as O'Connor's heartbroken hippie mum. The children are terrific, also; Morgana Davies, so captivating in The Tree, gives Sass a heartbreaking optimism. 

The production design, by Steven Jones-Evans, is lived-in and real, while the breathtaking Central Plateau and Derwent Bridge give New Zealand's storied landscapes a run for their money in terms of cinematic beauty.  

But as it built towards its conclusion - a denouement that lays on almost operatic amounts of sorrow - I kept thinking of all the unnecessary additions to the story that had cluttered the film. In the end I couldn't help but wish that The Hunter had kept things even more elemental and simply pitted man against nature, leaving everything else behind at base camp. 

The Hunter New HD 1080p Trailer:

The Dictator

The Dictator

The Dictator is an upcoming 2012 film by Sacha Baron Cohen. Cohen’s fourth film will “tell the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed”. The Dictator movie is most likely to be a laugh loud loud roller coaster ride for audience who are expecting to an amusing comedy. Upcoming motion picture which will be a humor and satire filled flick seems to have a number of promising factors included in its content so with that flick it will not be hard to have onlookers going through spasms of laughter from beginning to end.

These promising factors include a fine cast and a talented director. Viewers are always looking forward to see movies where the comedy factor is high and it is safe to say that this will leave audience to feel excitement and enjoyment.

Director who is behind upcoming comedy flick The Dictator movie is Larry Charles who has experiences in both small screen and wide screen. It can be expected of him to present viewers a delightful joyride which will also be filed with some drama as well. His previous movies have gone on to receive positive responses from audience so it is possible that this too will receive similar kind of reaction from audiences. Viewers who are fans of comedy flicks will surely find this one of a kind comedy drama to be great.

Actor Sacha Baron Cohen who is well known for his previous comedy ventures is the main actor of The Dictator movie so it is possible that this new movie with him in key role is going to be amusing to fullest. He will be joined onscreen by leading lady Anna Faris. As for the supporting cast of the movie it has some of the well known actors such as Alec Berg and Jeff Schaffe. So with a fascinating main cast and a fine supporting cast this comedy filled motion picture is going to keep audience entertained form beginning to end.

The Dictator movie as the movie title itself suggests will revolve around a dictator. His misadventures will be brought out to be viewed by audience through this motion picture. He has been oppressing his country for a long time and he hopes to keep its that way for a long time to come. With many outside influences it is not easy to carry it out but this dictator is not prepared to let things go without a fight. So the movie will chart the heroic efforts taken by him to keep the county under his iron grip. And this usually results in satire and humor filled mayhem.

Downright funny and hilarious joyride this thus promised for viewers to look forward with awe and inspiration. The Dictator movie has 11th of May in 2012 set as the release date which suggests that many will be counting days until then to have the first hand experience of this movie. Viewers are always looking forward to see comedy flicks but it is not often that they get to see well crafted movies in that genre. This upcoming entry will be a winner of motion picture for bringing comedy to wide screen in an amusing way.
Movie Year: 2012
Director: Larry Charles
Genres: Comedy
The Dictator Cast List: Featuring Actors: Anna Faris, Anthony Mangano, Ben Kingsley, Jason Mantzoukas, Jeff Grossman, Sacha Baron Cohen, thats the cast list for The Dictator so far.
The Dictator Release Date: 11 May 2012 (USA)

The Dictator New HD 1080p Trailer:

Intruders

Intruders

Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was two-for-two with his debut features; Intacto an intelligent examination of fate, and 28 Weeks Later an enjoyably entertaining horror sequel that was much better than it had any right to be. 

Unfortunately his third effort - Intruders - is the first misstep in the filmmaker's fledgling career, the project full of ambition but seriously lacking in either drama or scares. 

The story is a simple one which is made confusing by an over-complicated structure that cuts between two complementary plotlines on an all-too-regular basis. The prologue is a belter however, kicking off in Spain with youngster Juan telling his mother a scary story about a boy trapped in a monster's belly. 

Juan then goes to bed, though later that night he ventures onto his rain-swept balcony to retrieve his beloved cat, only to be attacked by a horrifying, faceless ghoul. Juan then wakes up terrified, leaving the audience unsure as to whether the incident was real, or simply the result of an over-active imagination. 

Cut to the UK and we are introduced to construction engineer John Farrow (Clive Owen), his wife Sue (Carice Van Houten) and their daughter Mia (Ella Purnell). The latter stumbles across a story - written on a piece of paper concealed in a tree - which tells the tale of Hollow Face, a hooded phantom who endeavours to remove children's faces to wear as his own. 

Mia soon starts to have ghostly visions similar to Juan's, with the remainder of the film switching between these two corresponding stories, Juan putting pen to paper to document his terrifying fears; Mia's obsession with the story threatening to tear her family apart. 

This enables writers Nicolas Casariego and Jaime Marques to make interesting observations about how different cultures deal with fear and pain, the Spanish family turning to the church in the shape of an attempted exorcism; the British relying on medical science by calling on the services of a psychiatrist. Both plot strains fail to amount to anything of any interest however. 

Moreover, the parallel storylines actually result in long periods of boredom, as what happens in Spain is loosely duplicated in England and vice-versa. Proceedings threaten to become interesting when the close bond between John and Mia results in their sharing the same Hollow Face vision, but this potentially intriguing sub-plot about the bond between parent and child sadly leads down yet another narrative dead end. 

Indeed, the film asks compelling questions regarding how far one would go to protect a child, and whether or not fear can be hereditary, but fails to ever really answer them, the closing scenes instead powered by a gimmicky plot twist that those paying attention should have figured during the first few reels. 

Owen struggles in the role of an ordinary man thrown into seemingly extraordinary circumstances, delivering a flat performance early on in proceedings, and failing to nail the big moments during the film's finale. Van Houten also seems to be sleep-walking through the movie as the distressed mother trying to deal with the breakdown of both husband and child, though admittedly her role is horribly underdeveloped. 

Intruders is also hampered by a ridiculous looking villain, Hollow Face an unconvincing CGI creation who does little more than hover in a vaguely menacing fashion. Which is a shame as the rest of the film looks great, Fresnadillo playing with light and dark and cranking up the atmosphere as he endeavours to examine what lies beyond the shadows. 

But for a film so concerned with fear, the film lacks any real frights, that opening sequence the only real slice of effective horror; the remainder consistently underwhelming. 

Which leaves Intruders in a strange no-man's-land somewhere between simple creature feature and thought-provoking psychological drama. The result is an ambiguous mess of a movie that will leave you scratching your head and, more frustratingly, feeling like you've wasted 90 minutes of your life on a wild ghost chase.

Intruders New HD 1080p Trailer:

Touchback


MOVIE INFO


Former high school football star turned farmer and family man, Scott Murphy (Brian Presley) finds himself with a unique opportunity to revisit his glory days during the Ohio State championship game where he permanently injured his knee in a game-winning play. Given a second shot at his destiny, Scott seeks counsel from Coach Hand (Kurt Russell), Scott's longtime mentor on and off the field, to help him decide whether to let his fate unfold, or follow a path that will change his future. 


PG-13, 1 hr. 58 min.
Drama, Sports & Fitness, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Don Handfield
Written By: Don Handfield
Cast: Brian Presley, Melanie Lynskey, Marc Blucas, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti

Touchback New HD 1080p Trailer:

October Baby



Synopsis:
As the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before she can utter her first lines, Hannah—unscripted—collapses in front of the stunned audience.
After countless medical tests, all signs point to one underlying factor: Hannah’s difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to what she then learns from her parents: she was actually adopted … after a failed abortion attempt.
Bewildered, angered, and confused, Hannah turns for support to Jason, her oldest friend. Encouraged by his adventurous spirit, Hannah joins his group of friends on a Spring Break road trip, embarking on a journey to discover her hidden past … and find hope for her unknown future.
In the midst of her incredible journey, Hannah finds that life can be so much more than what you have planned.
Dove Worldview:
This is a terrific and touching story and this film should be seen by those who recognize the horrors of abortion. Hannah is the survivor of an attempted abortion although she doesn't know this for many years. You might just need a hanky for this sensitive and touching film.


Hannah has many health issues including epilepsy and she is asthmatic. She battles discouragement too. She writes in her diary that she feels worthless. This movie is about her journey to discover who she really is. Her adopted parents help her to learn the truth about her background. They long to hold on to her as she is, in their eyes, a gift.
Rachel Hendrix is fabulous as Hannah and John Schneider is terrific as her adopted father Jacob. After Hannah learns about the protection of her adopted parents, she is angry and heads out to learn the truth about her birth mother. In the end she discovers why her parents protected her and her love for them is strengthened.
We urge you to see this movie soon! We are recommending it for twelve plus due to its sophisticated theme. It just might change your life! We are awarding the film five Doves and our "Family-Approved" Seal to this awesome movie!

October Baby New HD 1080p Trailer:

Salmon Fishing in Yemen

Never let it be said that "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" doesn't deliver what it promises. There's plenty of salmon fishing, and sure enough, it happens in the arid, rocky Yemen region. The film tells the tale of how it happened, a majorly expensive orchestration of continental fish moving and high-stakes water management. That said, the story ends up not quite going where one may think it's headed. And that's not really meant in a good way. One-time Weinstein-driven Oscar-bait director Lasse Hallström delivers a competent, if forgettable mishmash of the unlikely. In the mix there's current events concern, travelogue escapism, and romance movie procedural. And don't forget religious axioms and terrorist intrigue. Hallström, to his credit, knows just when to spin the spinner of the above elements, move his game pieces into place, and then shoot accordingly.

"Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" sets itself up as a feature-length feel-good news kicker, which ironically is what Kristin Scott Thomas' character is after in the first place when she pushes this whole thing into motion, in need of a Middle East story "without explosions". With wealthy Sheikh Muhammed's (Amr Waked) desire to bankroll a salmon fishing hobby to the tune of a ton of money, she gets her wish. She then taps our attractive young protagonists to leave on a jet plane, and make the sheikh make it all a reality. McGregor's levelheaded character knows it's loopy, but is eventually reeled in.

The colorful film begins as an intriguing variation of the classic Hollywood screwball comedy, with Ewan McGregor capably filling what would be the Cary Grant role. The contemporary twist is that this about a currently volatile part of the world, and how numerous countries and powers-that-be can unite to give birth to one truly cockamamie plan. What starts off in a series of boring government offices in London eventually gives way to sun baked rugged terrain of the Middle East, where anything can happen, and sometimes does. It eventually simply stops functioning as a light screwball comedy, (which is really too bad) becoming a standard romantic drama in an unconvincing disguise. Nevertheless, McGregor makes a great fish out of water, chasing a whale of a tale, even if it's really Emily Blunt he's looking to net. Naturally, he's the last one on either side of the movie screen to realize this.

Ruminations on faith are floated (but never truly seized upon) as the sheikh at the center of this ambitiously kooky scheme to introduce salmon fishing to the desert region speaks in religious univeralisms, and frequently goads McGregor's proclaimed man of science about things of the spirit. This aspect of the film is promising in that it points toward offering some meat to fill out this lightweight affair - until it doesn't. Mildly frustrating, but not surprising, considering that the sheik never really moves beyond glorified Mr. Miyagi-isms.

Eventually, the film settles into a strictly by-the-book movie romance situation, in which all anyone really wants is to see these two get together as a couple, but umpteen obstacles keep intruding. McGregor, continuing to elude superstardom and remaining perpetually invisible to Academy Awards voters, proves once again that he's the go-to talent for anything, whether it's swinging a lightsaber, belting out Elton John tunes, taking his pants off, or in this case, embodying a dull Brit most compellingly. Emily Blunt is equally satisfying as The Girl in the movie, always beautiful, even during the parts when she's in love with the wrong guy.

The film, like Scott Thomas' hoped-for news story, offers an inconsequential change-of-pace look at a region that we only hear about as troubled. Although the characters set out in search of a story involving the Middle East that doesn't go boom, the movie can't quite pull that off.

This is not a bad film by any stretch, although, despite its title, it does have an unexpected, maybe terminal generality about it. That "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" did not end up being the movie it was appearing to be at the beginning is not a deal breaker in my book, but had it remained a little more screwball and a little less conventional in the end, it would make for a much better catch. 

Salmon Fishing in Yemen New HD 1080p Trailer:

Dark Tide

Sara (Berry) is a modern-day adventurer, deeply drawn to close encounters with the magnificent White Sharks who rule the primal predator shore of isolated Guadalupe Island. When her husband chooses ambition over his wife's safety in a split-second encounter with the jaws of death, her marriage nearly breaks apart. A year later, a monsoon season voyage back to the same island becomes an escalating series of terrifying underwater confrontations and gut-wrenching emotional challenges. Testing her courage in the face of nature's ultimate terror, she shows herself as tough as the men she is attracted to - and perhaps the bravest of all. Sara endures and changes the terms of the contest with mankind's most feared underwater predator.

Dark Tide New HD 1080p Trailer:

Life Happens

Synopsis

L!FE HAPPENS, a comedy centered on three young women - Kim (Krysten Ritter), Deena (Kate Bosworth) and Laura (Rachel Bilson) - who all live under the same roof in Los Angeles. When one of Kim's one-night-stands results in an unexpected pregnancy, things take a sudden turn for the trio. With the help of her girlfriends, Kim must cope with single motherhood as she jumps back into the dating scene amid the fear that toting around a tot can be a dating 'buzz-kill.' L!FE HAPPENS takes a look at single living, friendship and the joys of life's curveballs.

Genre: Comedy

Director: Kat Coiro

Cast:Krysten Ritter, Kate Bosworth, Rachel Bilson, Geoff Stults, Justin Kirk, Fallon Goodosn, Rhys Coiro, Jason Biggs, Kristen JohnstonRun 

Time:100 minutes

Life Happems New HD 1080p Trailer:

We the Party

Synopsis

A revealing look at contemporary youth culture, writer-director Mario Van Peebles' WE THE PARTY shows teenagers as they are, not as adults would like them to be. Set amidst the latest trends in music, dance and fashion, WE THE PARTY is a colorful, cutting-edge comedy set in an ethnically diverse Los Angeles high school during America's first black president. The film focuses on five friends as they deal with romance, money, prom, college, sex, bullies, facebook, fitting in, standing out, and finding themselves. Evoking such classic teen comedies as The Breakfast Club and House Party but with an attitude and style all its own, WE THE PARTY captures the hopes, confusion, challenges and dreams of today's teenagers as they plunge headlong into an uncertain future.

                              

We the Party New HD 1080p Trailer:

The Brave



Pixar animation will try its hand at telling an original princess fairy tale with this summer’s Brave, a Celtic-themed fable that chronicles the adventures of the independent-minded Princess Merida (voiced by Boardwalk Empire‘s Kelly Macdonald), whose “impetuous” behavior and manner forever changes life in the mystical Scottish highlands.


The new full-length theatrical promo for Brave isn’t so much a trailer as it is an extended clip; it encompasses a scene where the firstborn sons of the kingdom’s three lords attempt to prove their talent with a bow and arrow, so as to win Merida’s hand in marriage. Naturally, the feisty flaming-haired princess (who’s got some mad archery skills herself) decides to take matters into her own hands.


While the “grrrl power” aspect and female empowerment metaphor of Brave play pretty heavy-handed in this new footage (Merida must break loose from the confines of her dress – get it?) the official synopsis suggests this Pixar flick will amount to more than simply another “modernized” spin on the stereotypical Disney princess coming-of-age storyline.


Brave will focus heavily on Merida’s transition from unruly teenager to mature young adult, no doubt, but the stakes are going to pretty high as the fate of the princess’ kingdom depends on her ability to “undo a beastly curse.” Similarly, the obstacles in Merida’s path sound more dangerous and threatening than, say, an evil step-mother who ultimately proves to be a pretty neurotic and powerless foe (a la Tangled or the upcoming Mirror Mirror).


That’s all to say: there’s good reason to suspect that Brave boasts a more complex and sophisticated narrative than early trailers might have you think. Even if that doesn’t turn out to be the case the film still looks like another solid family-friendly offering from the computer animation powerhouse, complete with some gorgeously detailed visuals and memorable characters.


Brave will arrive in 2D and 3D theaters around the U.S. on June 22nd, 2012.

The Brave HD 1080p Trailer:

The Raid: Redemption



In the The Raid: Redemption, highly-trained cop Rama (martial arts star Iko Uwais) leaves his pregnant wife at home and embarks on his first mission with a squad of elite cops. Their task? Infiltrate the slum stronghold of the ruthless Boss Tama (Ray Sahetapy), and bring the gangster to justice. The problem? The apartment complex the cops are invading is occupied by tenants who range from assassins to thugs to certifiable psychopaths – and all the other scum the slums have to offer.


The cops barely make it through the door before they’re spotted by the crooks, and from there it is an all-out war, floor by floor, as Rama and his teammates try to brave a nightmare of violence and destruction in order to make their arrest.


The Raid: Redemption has been hyped as one of the most thrilling and enjoyable action movies to come along in the last decade or so, and this is one of the rare occasions where the hype is actually well deserved. Put simply: this film is awesome. It is easily my favorite action movie of the last few years – and one I might rank as my #2 favorite behind Die Hard (blaspheme! I know). In my opinion, it’s just that good.


The film is a product of Welsh director Gareth Evans (who also wrote the script) and martial arts stuntmen / actors from the Indonesian film industry. (For those wondering, the film is in Indonesian dialect with English subtitles.) The Raid is also a fantastic showcase for the Indonesian martial arts style of “Pencak Silat,” which makes the “wire-fu” antics of other Asian action films look like child’s play. The fight choreography was designed by stars Iko Uwais (Rama) and Yayan Ruhian (who plays the villain “Mad Dog”), and I do not exaggerate when I say that there are certain sequences that will have you dropping your jaw or squealing in excitement about what you’ve just seen.


Aside from the adrenaline-inducing fight choreography, The Raid has some of the most impressive camerawork seen in an action flick. Instead of fight sequences viewed at medium distance – or worse, indiscernibly filmed in “shaky-cam” style – Evans and his camera crew include the camera as part of the fight choreography. During a fight sequence (of which there are many), the camera dances around combatants in perfect synch with their movements and blows – even going so far as to circle around doorways and walls (should someone kicked kicked through one) or dropping down through floors (as combatants move to different planes by jumping down stairwells or holes).


Iko Uwais uses Pencak Silat martial arts style in 'The Raid: Redemption'


This kinetic, carefully choreographed camerawork is also effective in scenes of straight-up gunplay, offering us distinct setups (bad guys hiding on a floor above, ready to ambush cops on the floor below), which create great tension and keep the action clear, structured and logical at all times. That this all occurs within the confines of a building (and on a shoestring budget) makes the technical aspects of the film even more impressive. The film recently got an upgraded soundtrack from Linkin Park frontman Mike Shinoda, and the pulsing electronica music fits perfectly with the action.


In a stroke of further brilliance, Evans also borrows many tropes of the ‘survival horror’ sub-genre. The film effectively uses a lineup of stock characters to be (often gruesomely) dispatched, as well as bad guys that could rival some of the more horrific and frightening slasher film killers of the last 20 years. When you see characters like the savage “Mad Dog” (Yayan Ruhian), criminal mastermind “Andi” (Doni Alamsyah), or ‘the machete gang,’ you’ll understand these slasher movie comparisons.


Evans also uses some great tension moments lifted right out of the horror genre: for example, characters hiding from pursuers while jagged blades are being scraped along walls just around the corner, or shots of killers standing over a hiding protagonist who is trying not to breathe, lest he be slaughtered. The elements of the horror genre incorporated into this action film ultimately create delicious tension, and make the actual action moments much more cathartic and thrilling to watch.


The Machete Gang leader roams the halls in 'The Raid: Redemption'


With a few exceptions, the characters in the movie are somewhat thin and stereotypical – but really that’s par for the course if you look at any horror film. The main players are fleshed out nicely (namely, Rama and a few of the villains) and there are even some nice twists on certain characters that defy your initial expectations. The performances don’t require all that much range (it’s mostly physical acting), but the main characters are handled well by their respective performers. While the character aspect of the script is just okay, by the end of the film Evans does succeed in creating a larger mythos that will set the stage for an interesting and exciting sequel (which is currently in the works, BTW).


If I had to point out flaws, they would be things like some of the low-budget effects (CGI blood) or the aforementioned thinly-drawn supporting characters. However, these complaints are mere nitpicks (worth no more than half a star) – and when compared to the overall sense of enjoyment and thrills that The Raid offers, these nitpicks don’t even qualify. If you are an action movie fan, you will walk out of this film on an adrenaline high.


The Raid: Redemption opens in U.S. theaters on March 23, 2012. It is Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence throughout, and language.

The Raid: Redemption New HD 1080p Trailer: