MOVIE REVIEW: Kick-Ass (Lionsgate)

I have been excited about this film ever since my comic shop owner friend started showing me videos from SDCC on YouTube last summer. Anticipation can be a dangerous thing (just ask any Star Wars fan about those months before Phantom Menace), especially when you're talking about a comic book movie. We comic fans are passionate about our movies, running the gamut from fervent defense to absolute abandonment if the film is a dud. All week I've been defending the controversial themes of the film to the uninitiated of my friends and coworkers in the hopes that my passion would pay off at the box office. I am ecstatic to report that Kick-Ass delivers on all levels; it's funny, it's violent, and it boasts a very faithful adaptation of the comic series.




This is the first comic film I've seen where I've truly been able to compare the source material to the film. With films like The Dark Knight or Superman, you have so many issues and context; with Kick-Ass, there are only eight issues. So many moments in the film looked just like the book, like the Armenian copycat who tries to fly, the discussion at the comic shop, Kick-Ass's training. The basic story is intact and translates well to the screen. There are a few tweaks here and there, but the decisions that Vaughn and Millar made I fully support because they make sense in the context of making the story accessible not only to comic fans but to everyone else.



From the moment the opening sequence hit the screen I got a sense that this was going to be a truly great film. The soundtrack and narration really drive the different emotional directions this film takes. It is a very old school film in terms of cinematography--you can tell there's not a lot of CGI, which I love. The action sequences aren't gimmicky; you can see all the action but it doesn't slow the pace of the film at all. The colors are dead on when compared to the comic, and John Romita Jr.'s art can be found everywhere throughout the film.



The real strength of Kick-Ass lies in the acting. Casting for this film was absolutely flawless. Aaron Johnson understands what it means to be Dave Lizewski and Kick-Ass, and he balances the courage and awkwardness of the character perfectly. Christopher Mintz-Plasse shows he's more than McLovin in his role as Red Mist and Chris D'Amico. Once again Mintz-Plasse finds that balance of nerdiness and bravado. Mark Strong makes a great villain--his Frank D'Amico is unapologetic and calculating. Nicolas Cage as Big Daddy is fun and heartwarming, even if he is a guy who has trained his daughter to be a pint-sized Beatrix Kiddo. That brings me to Hit-Girl. Just like with the comic itself, Hit-Girl is my favorite character. Chloe Moretz somehow manages not only to captivate as a tiny assassin and stunt genius, but she's got the acting chops to handle the depth of her character. She plays the role of Mindy/Hit-Girl with grace and maturity and kicks total ass. Throw in Clark Duke for some comic relief, and this is a perfectly cast film.



No doubt the critics of this film will cite the violence and foul language that are present in this film, but in doing so they miss the point completely. For a movie with so much action, there is a story with emotional depth that is accessible to comic fans as well as anyone who just wants to see something different at the cineplex. There were only a few of us in the theater during the 10:00 showing, but we all laughed, we cringed, we cheered, and a couple of us shed a few tears. You can't ask for much more than that on a Thursday night.

Special thanks to Tri-Cities Cinema 7 for hosting our early viewing of Kick-Ass.

Stacey Rader
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PENDRAGON'S POST IS LOOKING FOR WRITERS!!

Want a chance to review or write?

Then Pendragon’s Post wants you!

Currently Pendragon’s Post is looking for creative, mature and dynamic reviewers and columnists in the following categories:

• Comic Reviews - DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, and Indie Labels
• Writer & Artist Interviews
• Opinions
• TV Shows Reviews
• Conventions Coverage
• And much, much more.

For further inquiries, Please send a message to Pendragonspost@aol.com.

ATTN: Brian Isaacs

Please include a contact email, along with what you would be interested in writing.

We will be looking for capable writers, able to express themselves and their opinions, both clearly and maturely.

Experience is not necessary. Just need to be able to express yourself.

Please note this is an unpaid, volunteer position.

So come join the Pendragon's Post staff!!!

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Movie Review: Avatar (20th Century Fox)

Avatar is a contradiction, both stunningly new and yet full of familiar cliche. Ultimately, though, James Cameron has pushed the technology of film-making to an entirely new pinnacle. Viewed in IMAX 3-D, as I saw it, Avatar is simply unlike anything we've ever seen before. The best achievements of previous effects-driven films were to push us from an initial suspension of disbelief into an acceptance of a new and different world, despite the cracks in its facade. Avatar is, I believe, capable of taking even the most cynical viewer...me...and forcing us to accept the vision, because it is just too beautiful to ignore.
Let us dispel any doubt, first; there is nothing new in Avatar. All the "Dances with Thunder-Smurfs" or "Fern Gully in Space" jokes floating around out there in Geek circles are entirely apt. There is nothing new in this story. Nothing. Everything that you expect to happen is going to happen. As I was watching it, when Neytiri explains the role of the giant flying beast, the Toruk, in Na'vi society, I leaned over to my wife and said "I'll bet you five thousand dollars Jake flies one before the end of the film." Spoiler alert: don't take that bet.



And yet, despite the predictability of the story, despite the fact that I saw every single plot development coming, I loved every second I spent in that theater. Cameron brought a different world to life in a way no other director has, not even Peter Jackson. No, the film is not necessarily better than comparable epic films, not in the storytelling sense. But it is more vivid and more beautiful. The film's central dichotomy of nature vs. technology is simple, ham-fisted, and telegraphed from the opening act, yes. But once the film got to Pandora in all its bioluminescent glory I did not care. I just wanted to see more. The irony that this message was brought to the screen via specially developed technology does not, I think, concern the filmmakers.



If it weren't for the huge leap forward it represents, Avatar would be a sharply executed but thoroughly mediocre film. The only performance that really stood out to me was Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine, who stole most every scene she was in. Sam Worthington's ascent to stardrom mystifies me; I find him forgettable and bland. Inoffensive, never bad, but I can't imagine anyone going to the movie to see a movie because Sam Worthington is in it, despite the fact that Hollywood seems bent on pushing him into star territory. Stephen Lang chews the scenery into a fine froth as the overdone Colonel Quaritch. Giovanni Ribisi puts on a thinly veiled parody of George W. Bush; he is not helped by dialogue that asks him to tell his PR people to "win hearts and minds" and his military to "fight terror with terror." If you want to see the allegory, it's there. It's there like a hammer blow to the forehead, really. It is hard to comment on the 'performance' of the actors vis a vis the motion capture of the Na'vi and Avatar-driver actors; Weaver's avatar looked and seemed like a Sigourney Weaver character, so that's probably a mark in its favor. But I did not feel a connection to the characters the way I did with Gollum; probably not a fair comparison there, or perhaps I just connect more easily to twisted, evil hobbit-like beings than I do tall, beautiful, graceful cat-people.



And at the risk of repeating myself, it doesn't matter. The unfathomable spectacle that Cameron has put on the screen quite simply deserves to be seen, if you care about film, if you care about science fiction, if you care about technology. Sure, the film leaves some questions unanswered; what exactly is at stake for the humans in their colonization of Pandora, for instance? And yes, just to drive the point home, you've seen, or read, or heard this story before. Even so, perhaps it would've been impossible to tell a new story using this method. Perhaps it had to be an old, familiar story for the reality of Pandora to creep up on us and take hold. And perhaps the level Avatar works best on is as a metaphor for watching movies. In our favorite movies, we recline in a dark, cool place and get to live another life for a few hours. Jake Sully does much the same thing, only he truly lives a different, more vibrant, more meaningful life. Avatar is going to change filmmaking; I thought that was a preposterous boast when on James Cameron's part, but it's true. Epic, 'event' movies will probably be judged on how they stack up against it, the way they were once measured against Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. If you are interested in big movies, see it, see it in a theater, in 3-D, in IMAX if possible. I did nothing but mock Cameron and the trailers when I saw them. Nobody could convince me that this movie was going to be as special or important as it was pretending to be. I scoffed. One hour of giant alien fauna and luminous flora, I was completely convinced. Cameron and Avatar have changed the game. Try to keep up.

Dan Ford
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Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes (Warner)

Guy Ritchie’s take on the famous English detective Sherlock Holmes promised to deliver a new spin on the classic character. With a star studded cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams, and an add campaign that advertised a full throttle adventure, all the pieces of a great movie seem to be in place. So, does the film live up to expectations? Well, no sadly, not really.



So where does the film falter? The performances from Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes) and Jude Law (Dr. Watson) are good, and the performances by Rachel McAdams (Irene Adler) and Mark Strong (Lord Blackwood) are sufficient (though Blackwood is a bit of a limp villain). Sadly, there isn’t anything the actors could do to stop the problems with the film. The main problem runs much deeper, and was already in effect before the actors ever stepped in front of the cameras. What I’m referring to of course is the screenplay, which I can only describe as dull and rushed.



From the very get go something seemed wrong. I sat in the theatre wondering to myself, “Why doesn’t this feel right?” And then it hit me. “Where’s the set up?” Well, there isn’t one really. As the film opens up, Holmes and Watson are in an underground tunnel, fighting two men, and then making there way into an open room where what looks to be an ancient ritual of human sacrifice is taking place. The person conducting the ritual is none other than Lord Blackwood. At this point I’m thinking to myself, “Oh God, the theatre has screwed something up. This is the end of the film….” But it wasn’t. It was just a really odd opening to a movie. Holmes and Watson stop the ritual and Lord Blackwood is apprehended and sent to prison. As he is taken into custody, Lord Blackwood taunts Holmes that “It isn’t over.” I wish it had been. Instead, what happens is we are introduced to Holmes’ old flame … (does every hero have to have an old flame?) who isn’t exactly what she seems, and from this point on, the trio basically move from one set to another, fighting more than detecting, until they stumble their way to the end of the film, revealing an “evil master plan” that seems as if it was written by a six year old.



There are a few moments in the film where Holmes thought process is shown to the audience visually. This would have been a great way to get across Holmes intelligence in a film adaptation, if only it would have been used as a way to show his keen eye for picking up clues and putting the pieces together. Instead, it is used to show how Holmes plans out his moves in a fight before it actually happens, again putting more emphasis on Holmes as a fighter and action adventurer than a detective.



By the time we reach the conclusion, I don’t feel as if we know anymore about the central characters than when the film began. Sure, most of us know who Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick are, but how many of us have read the actual stories? If you haven’t then this film won’t teach you what these stories are really like, and if you have read the stories, then the film will probably play even worse for you since Holmes is played more as a sly fighter than a detective.



This ruined opportunity could have easily been prevented. Many of the problems with the screenplay could have been avoided if they simply would have done an origin story for the first film of what I suppose will end up being a series. How did Holmes become a detective that is respected by the police? How did Holmes and Watson meet, befriend each other, and eventually work together to solve mysteries? Neither of these issues are addressed and it really hurts the film. Secondly, if you were going to base a film series on one of the most famous characters from popular fiction, why would you not base the story on one of the beloved works featuring the character?



Evidently the filmmakers thought that an intelligent, more direct adaptation of the great detective wouldn’t play to the average A.D.D. movie viewer, so instead of sprinkling the story with clues, they sprinkled it with explosions and action sequences. What’s worse is that instead of actually filming the final confrontation on a set, the majority of the setting is done in very obvious CG. Some directors can handle filming scenes where vast amounts of CG will be needed and integrate it well. A good example of this would be what J.J. Abrams was able to do with the recent Star Trek reboot. Unfortunately, Ritchie doesn’t handle this type of filming well in Holmes. It’s bad enough that the over the top action doesn’t fit the character or story that should be expected from a Sherlock Holmes movie, but when the effects are blatantly obvious, it only makes things worse. The only thing elementary about this Sherlock Holmes is how much of a missed opportunity it is.



Terry Barnhill
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Movie Review: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra by Rudy T.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

The 80's Cartoon Classic bursts onto the big screen.




G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is an origin story telling how Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) join the organization. Duke and Ripcord are entrusted to guard and deliver nanobite warheads for NATO until their unit is attacked by The Baroness, who nearly escapes with the warheads until the Joes arrive. Duke refuses to give the warheads over to the Joes until General Hawk (Dennis Quaid) agrees to allow him to deliver the weapons to their base aka The Pit. Once there, General Hawk thanks Duke and Ripcord for the delivery but says they aren't needed anymore and begins to ask the Joes who were in battle if they knew who was trying to steal the warheads; which they don't but Duke uses his past with the Baroness to allow himself and Ripcord onto the team.As this is happening, weapons dealer James McCullen is preparing for a way to regain the warheads he's sold to NATO and use them to spark a war. He uses a tracking device to allow the Baroness and Storm Shadow to find the Pit and recover the warheads. With the weapons back in Cobra's hands, can G.I. Joe rise to the challenge and stop them in time?

As a child of the 80's G.I. Joe was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. I had the figures and saw the animated movie so when I heard there was a live action movie coming out I was all about seeing it opening night. The story was solid enough, this being the first in a franchise they have to establish who's who, back stories etc; but my only problem came from the some of the CGI. I'm aware that the vehicles shown aren't real but it shouldn't be obvious. Ray Park (X-Men, StarWars: The Phantom Menace) turned out a great performance as G.I. Joe's mute ninja Snake Eyes, never overshadowing the other actors but commanding the screen during his action packed battles. Director Stephen Sommers (The Mummy) strength showed most while filming the flashback scenes of Duke in a war zone and if kept in that vein would be good for the sequel. All in all, a good summer popcorn movie.


Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Marlon Wayans, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

7/10

Rudy T.
Staff Reviewer
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Rudy's Realm: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel with the voices of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker

The sequel to the 2007 box office hit is filled with more action, robots, and story then its predecessor.




The movie opens with a small history lesson that robots from the planet Cybertron have been coming to Earth since the dawn of man followed quickly with an Autobot/Decepticon battle in China, two years after the events of the original movie, headed by Major Lennox (Josh Duhmael) and Optimus Prime. When one of the Decepticons mentions the Fallen to Optimus, he and Major Lennox try to bring this to the attention of the Major's superiors until a Presidential Liaison interferes.

At the same time, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is preparing to leave home for college while his girlfriend Mikaela (Megan Fox) works in an auto garage with her father. While packing, Sam stumbles on a splinter of the AllSpark which fills his mind with Cybertronian writing and creates a mini-Decepticon kitchen appliance army that Bumblebee makes quick work of. After moving into his dorm room Sam meets his roommate Leo, who runs a conspiracy theory website, and his friends as they're posting Optimus' battle in China but they get hacked seconds later by "RoboWarrior".

When the Decepticon Soundwave melds with a US government satellite, he discovers the location of Megatron and the government protected piece of the AllSpark. He sends Ravage to the location and retrieves the AllSpark allowing the Constructicons to enter the Abyss Megatron had been buried in and revive him. Megatron returns to his base where Starscream had taken command in his death. After usurping control, Megatron speaks with his master, The Fallen, who tells him the only way to create more Energon, the life blood of the Transformers, is to use a machine left on Earth millenia ago which will destroy the sun and all life on Earth in the process. But the only way to find the machine is through the information stuck in Sam's mind.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a great sequel with all the elements of a Michael Bay film one comes to expect: Big explosions, fast cars and the ever present 360 degree camera turn. Bay knows his formula and follows it to excellent results. He gives fans the return of favorites like Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Starscream along with new additions like Arcee, Soundwave and Devastator. And old school fans get a bonus by hearing Soundwave voiced by the same man who was not only the original voice in the cartoon but he was also the original voice of Megatron as well. The movie was two and a half hours long but didn't drag for a minute. My only complaint would be the twin cars, Skids and Mudflap, did the movie really need two jive talking cars, one of which sports a gold tooth? Other then that this was a great popcorn flick.

9/10
Rudy T.
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Trapp's Rap: Movie Review: UP!

Once again, Pixar brings another fantastic film to the big screen.

Up is all about Carl Fredricksen, a 78 year old curmudgeonly balloon salesman, is not your average hero. When he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South Africa, he finally fulfills his life long dream of adventure. But after discovering an 8-year-old stowaway named Russell, this unlikely duo soon find themselves on a hilarious journey in a lost world filled with danger and surprises.





From beginning to end, I felt like I was watching one of the old classic films that weren't concerned with a realistic plot line, rather concerned creating a wonderful story built around fantasy. It reminded me of films like Charlie and the Choclate Factory and the The Purple Rose of Cairo, where the story is set in our world, but is completely farce and unreal. Yet, the characters in the film accept what is happening like it's no big deal what so ever! We don't have films like this anymore.

What I appreciated about this film the most was how nostalgic it is. I think my wife put it best when she said "it's very much like Toy Story, it's very much about wanting to stay with what once was." Carl would continually talk to his wife, Ellie, who has passed away, as if she were actually there. He was also very concerned with any material possessions that reminded him of her.

This film was a reminder of the classic films that contained wonderful fantasy stories and unrealistic tales of excitement and adventure. I give this movie 5 stars and would recommend it anyone who misses the classic films of old, or who wants to see a style of film storytelling that hasn't been used in years. This was without a doubt one of the more pleasant movie going experiences I've had in a long time. Read more...

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Trapp's Rap - Terminator Salvation Review

The question I ask myself is, "What made the first and second Terminator films so good?" I mean, there was a reason why those two films did so well right? And if it wasn't that fundamental element that made it so good, the Terminator franchise would be a flop. I left the theatre after watching Terminator: Salvation asking that very question and pondered on it a few times throughout the rest of the evening.

This film as most of us know is all about the war between the machines and the humans and is also the start of everything we know about the first Terminator movie. John Conner is a profit-like character that leads everyone into the war against the machines. He also listens to recordings left by his mother, Sarah Conner, to help inform him about what he must do and the task he must perform...to find Kyle Reese and send him back in time to meet Sarah so John can be born to eventually lead the rebellion against the machines. (confusing huh? yeah, most movies that deal with time travel are.)

The film started off quite well, We go back into the past where a man by the name of Marcus Wright is sentenced to death for a crime we can only assume is murder. (briefly he states that he did something terrible to his family and feels he deserves death.) A women visits him in his cell and asks him to donate his body to a cause. There is a very awkward sentimental scene between the two, and Marcus accepts to sign to organ donor papers in exchange for a kiss from this woman. So we learn that this man is important!

We now see a desert like scene where a battle between a battalion of humans lead by John Conner are duking it out tooth and nail with some of Skynet's machines. This scene is to introduce John Conner into the story and show he and his army of men and women are very well into the war. once this battle is over, John Conner heads back to base, and Marcus Wright all of the sudden appears out of nowhere completely nude and is screaming in pain, We don't know why.

in a nut shell, Marcus Wright doesn't know he has been turned into an Infiltration model to help find certain individuals, John Conner and Kyle Reese. And like in Terminator 3, Marcus has to decide if he is man or machine. And of course, in following the typical Hollywood formula, Marcus chooses that he is a man deep down inside and goes against his programing, giving the resistance a very powerful ally.

And the movie ends on a high note, with Arnold (or a very nicely animated Arnold) making a cameo appearance and casing down John Conner in the machine building factory. The movie is over, I walk out with my crew and we all head home.

So I go back to that question, What made Terminator one and two so good? As interesting and creative as the story of the terminator, Skynet and the Conner family is, what made the first two films so great was the suspense! The Terminator was unstoppable. it didn't matter how many times you shot at it, burned it, melted it, crushed it, etc etc etc, it just kept on coming at you. And while you watch the mayhem, you wonder when it's going to stop! How much more can a machine take?? And just when everything seems done, like the terminator couldn't possibly take anymore damage, it comes right back at you, in full force. And you love every minute of the insanity!

Terminator: Salvation had numerous suspenseful scenes in it, but they didn't work for me. A few scenes were very tense at times, but over all, it was very dull and dragged to many times to be exciting. I didn't feel like I was watching a Terminator film, which made me sad. not only that, I felt the drama within the story wasn't written well. Everything was long a drug out for my taste, mostly because everything that we see on screen we already knew. No new revelations about this storyline were given, There were no plot twists that put me on the edge of my seat, and no big surprises.

The only real redeeming aspect of the film, apart from the acting quality, was the ending, and I'm not attributing that to the fact that the terminator we all know and love made an appearance, even though I did like it! It was at this point where it finally felt like I was watching a Terminator film. This was the only moment in the movie I became tense and unknowingly clenching my fists in anticipation for what might happen next, if only the whole film could have been like this.

I would have to put this film only slightly above Terminator three and give it a 2.5 out of 5 star rating. Now maybe I would need to go see it again. It's possible that the expectations I had put on the film prior is what influenced my opinion of the movie as a whole. But I honestly was not impressed and actually disappointed.
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Movie Review, Star Trek

I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a star trek film as much as I enjoyed this one. I have nearly nothing bad to say about it. For what it was and what it was trying to accomplish, it was near perfect.

The casting for the film was fantastic. Growing up with a mother who was a Trekkie, it was fun to see these young actors recreate these roles. Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy, AKA "Bones" was spot on! But what I was happy about the most was how true the stayed to the characters. The actors of course have a job of making a role their own, But they also need to remember why audiences love these characters and maintain that. And they sure didn't disappoint.

And of course the same type of humor that was used in the series was continued in the film, while keeping the series undertones flowing throughout the film.

There were a few moments in the film I thought were either poorly timed or not planed well. Scotty seemed to have appeared out of no where, like the writers were trying to fit him in the scirpt but couldn't figure out how. So they had him out in the middle of a frozen waisteland?

As much as I like Eric Bana as an Actor, I felt his character wasn't a great one...at least as far as evil people goes. His acent seemed to be a combination of a Texes Cowboy and and a American gang lord. But maybe that's what the director was going for!

Films and stories dealing with time travel have always confused the heck out of me. You first are dealing with the paradox of time, how can someone travel back in time and meet him or herself? It seem like it couldn't be physically possible. But thats the great thing about Sci-fi!

Now even though these three aspects of the film I wasn't particularly found of, it was still not enough to hinder my ability to enjoy the film. The script was well written, acting fantastic, special affects astounding, music wonderful, etc etc etc! I can say this with absolute certainty that anyone, sci/fi fan or not, can enjoy this film due to how entertaining it is. You'll find yourself laughing through 60 - 70% of it, and the rest you sit on the edge of your seats enjoying the thrill ride!

Go watch this film, it's worth your money! Read more...

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Movie Review - Punisher: War Zone by Heretic

If there was ever a film I absolutly refused to see, it would be Punisher: War Zone. I would have rather brushed my teeth and then drink orange juice then go see this movie. The reason being is it looked more like a shoot 'em up action movie with very little substance and no real plot. But I decided that I would have some fun and get together with a friend and we would have a mystery Science Theater 3000 movie night and make fun of the film. my friend, Mike, and I both had no desire to see this film, and even going into watching it, we were both still dreading it. And what made matters even better, I dragged my wife along in the fun.




The first Punisher was fantastic, It met all expectations and went above and beyond at bring a quality story to the big screen. War Zone, based on the previews, seemed to lack everything that made the first punisher movie (starring Tom Jame) had. Mike, my wife and myself sat down on a couch, and hit play. And the film started.

Now Mike is a Marvel fan, I myself am I DC fan so I trusted Mike to let me know when there was something going on in the movie that I wouldn't quite get. I also knew that since he is a marvel fan, he would have a better chance at appriciating the film than I would. We both soon learned that this film couldn't be appriciated by either a marvel or DC fan.

We watched the film from beginning to end, and while we did we all were wondering why we were watching this very poorly made film. The special effects were quite bad. (how many color filters can one film have???) The script was the worst script I've ever experienced in a film, and the plot was non existant. We were bored through 20% of it, Perplexed at the films stupidity through 30% of it, and laugh through 50% of it! I honestly have nothing good to say about the film. Every step that was taken to make this film good was poorly taken, and there was no real way of saving this film from being a complete disater. I tried so desperatly hard to like the film (not really) but there really was no chance at this film being well done. There was a moment where Mike turned to my wife and myself and asked "you know, we don't have to finish this you the two of you dont want to." But I was determined to see how the film finished.

The film was done. The three of us sat in awe. And for about a half hour we talked about how bad the film was and how we all probably became dumber due to the number of our brain cells the movie killed.

But here's the great part! I would recommend everyone, man woman and child to see this film. It is an experience you'll never forget. get your friends together and watch this film and make fun of it and laugh your heads off. But only rent it, don't buy it. It's not worth your money.

Heretic Read more...

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Watchmen Movie review by Heretic

It's been a while since the film came out, but I feel I need to write a review about Watchmen.

My expectations were high, unbelievably high, astronomically high, indescribly high! My favorite Graphic novel, favorite book, favorite story is finally a film! Being someone who appriciates the craft and art it takes to turn a novel into a film, this was by far one of the more exciting moments in my life as a movie buff. Over a year before the release of Watchmen, I was already jumping up and down like a little boy who just got his first ten speed bicycle for Christmas from Santa Clause. I couldn't get the film off my mind due to my excitment. I'll admit it, I was obsessed with this movie coming out!

Now, excited I was, but reservations I had. The most common question you'd hear from Watcmen fans would be, "How can you make a movie from a book as complicated and jam packed as Watchmen?" it's a valid question really, Watcmen is completely jam packed with with storyline that it is literally impossible to make a movie from the graphic novel and keep every detail of it's fantasically written story by the briliant Alan moore. And further more, how does one make a film from this Graphic novel and keep the all of the themes that Alan Moore intended for his story to have? Zach Synder, Director of Watchmen and the famous film 300, really put on himself one of the most difficult film making tasks that any director has ever atempted with the exception of Peter Jackson and The Lord of the Rings series. However, even with all of the reservations I had about the film, I was still more excited about it then I was with The Dark Knight. So with all of the questions of how compatible the book is on the big screen I decided to not worry about it and wait until I saw the film at least once before I decide if the film is good or not. (Like most people were doing.)

I sat with alot of my friends in the theatre opening night. We were wowed right from the start. The opening credits were amazing, in a nut shell it gives us a little history of the story that is to follow. The film moved on and opened up with an exceptionally faithful opener, Rorshach walking down the street at night reciting his very poetic entries from his journal. The as the film rolled on, I became more and more thrilled about how faithful the film was staying to the Graphic novel. It was as if they used the Graphic novel as their story boards while filming! Absolute perfection in accuracy! However, one thing did worry me...There was nothing in the film about the missing artist and the pirate comic! It stay pretty incredibly faitful, but without the story of the missing artist and the pirate comic, how in the world will the ending in the graphic novel make sense on film? Only one thing came to mind...The ending had to be changed. And as it got closer and closer to the finale, I still couldn't figure out how it was going to happen! But I knew an ending change was in the midst.

And finally, it came. And I was right, the ending was changed. And at first I was disapointed. The ending in the Graphic novel is so good. But after thinking about it (and seeing the film 3 more times) I came to the conclusion that the ending works quite well. Knowing how Dr. Manhatten thinks, and how everyone else in the story would think, it makes sense. The ending worked. For the Watchmen fan, it probably is a disapointing ending. I know it was for me at first. But for the audience member who hasn't read the graphic novel, it helps to bring the story to a good conclusion.

I think Synder did an excellent job at making Watchmen into a great theatrical success. My only true gripe with the film is that it pumped through the storyline at 100 miles per hour. So it just continually jumps from one scene to the next without giving the audience any real time to soke in the story. There truly is no room to breathe in this film. You'll feel like the movie ended, and you'll come out not sure what happen. It is quite an entertaining film. I would recommend it to any who enjoy sci/fi, and to those who have a strong stomach...it does get fairly violent and bloody.

Heretic
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