Best Bond Ever?

Daniel Craig reprises his role as 007

Bond is back again after four long years and many are singing his praise with some even believing Skyfall to be the best Bond ever. Well I agree that it’s great to see Daniel Craig return as James Bond, I must respectful disagree with this grand statement. Though it is evident that the team behind Bond has put a lot of effort into this reimagining, this character by no means matches the Bond of the early 1960s. As a sign of times, Bond has been redeveloped from the mysterious, macho and frankly two-dimensional character to a more grounded character struggling with the difficulties of age to better fit the population. This however goes completely against what James Bond stands for as an everlasting icon of the suave and sophisticated Brit.

Javier Bardem steps up as the new Bond villain

Don’t get me wrong I liked Skyfall, it just didn’t seem to fit as a Bond film. The attempt to reshape the character seemed alien to the franchise.

 As for the general plot, it was alright if not a bit generic. Javier Bardem played the role of the villain; an ex-agent for MI6 bent on revenge, whose plot was to reveal the records of undercover agents. He played the role alright, but not well enough to really stand out. M played by Judi Dench has a heavy role in this installation yet her segments were often unmemorable.

The modern Bond; sleek and stylish

But what really makes Skyfall shine is its sleek and cool aesthetics perfectly embodied by Daniel Craig as James Bond. The action sequences continue to be exciting and well-choreographed. Furthermore, the visuals in the movie are stunning with certain shots causing your jaw to drop. Well some of the plot leaves something to be desired the film does what it must; shows an attractive movie that’s enjoyable to watch. Is it the best Bond? No, but it’s a step up from most and this film will dazzle and excite. Just be glad that they worked out the kinks and you’re not stuck watching Quantum of Solace.    

Tarantino Unchained

Director Quentin Tarantino's cameo as
an employee for the LeQuint Dickey Mining Co.

                You either love him or hate him; Tarantino once again proves to be one of the most divisive directors in the business. That being said you probably already know if you’ll like the new Tarantino flick Django Unchained. Much like his other movies, Django is heavily stylized implementing intense violence with long drawn out tension. Putting a twist on the spaghetti western genre, Tarantino tells the tale of a man freed from slavery who tries to find and rescue his wife from a similar predicament, all the while seeking vengeance on those who have wronged him.

Christoph Waltz as Dr. King Shultz (left) and Jamie Fox as Django (right)

      Jamie Foxx plays the lead Django with little success, but the movie thrives none the less. Foxx excluded, the acting involved is superb with Christoph Waltz (in the role of Dr. King Shultz, the lovable bounty hunter who acts as a mentor to Django) winning a well-earned Academy Award™ for best supporting actor. As well, DiCaprio plays his role well as the treacherous slave owner, Calvin Candie owner of the fabled Candyland cotton plantation.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie;

owner of the cotton plantation Candyland

 

The atmosphere of the film remains casual for the most part. It is clear that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and that makes it all the better. Comic relief evenly spread throughout the film to relieve tension at key points. In addition, some liberty is given and various cameos are seen throughout including director Tarantino as an employee for a mining company.

However some common complaints with the film are its pacing. Though it is Tarantino’s style, at times the film is tedious and the viewer is often left wondering why something has dragged on so long particularly as the running time approaches three hours. At times, it seemed like the movie might have warranted an ending at that point. As well, some may find the violence graphic and unnecessary while the profane language is unnecessary, particularly the use of the derogatory term n*gger. However this I believe is excusable considering its historical context.

 Django Unchained proves itself an apt movie. Well it has its downfalls it more than makes up for it. Despite its inconsistency if you are willing to sit through some dry spells you will be rewarded with some truly excellent scenes. Though Django Unchained is no masterpiece, it is a more than adequate film which I can wholeheartedly recommend if you’ve got the stomach for it.        

 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Unexpectedly Bad

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins

After nearly a decade of waiting, the much anticipated prequel to the critical acclaimed The Lord of the Rings Trilogy was released in the winter of last year. Yet despite the incredible hype this film has received, will this film hold true to the devoted fans that patiently waited for the much delayed release. I am sad to say no.

 

Although this film boasts the same director as the original trilogy, the film has a hard time connecting to the previous films despite the closeness of the story. It is understandable that they tried to redevelop the overall atmosphere and ascetics but it is inexcusable that this film’s graphics fall below the standard set nearly 10 years prior. Plagued throughout the film is bad CGI lazily placed throughout which often takes away from the movie as a whole.

CGI in all its Gruesomeness

 Even with that aside the film didn’t hold the same weight as its predecessors. Instead of the feeling of a great epic, like in the originals, you were left waiting for the plot to progress while in the meantime they rolled yet another pointless flashback highlighting some trivial fact the audience cared little about. As well, the movie made a determined point of inserting cameos of the characters from the previous movies even when though they added very little. In fact, the whole first twenty minutes could have been cut and there would have been no ill will.

Cameo by Elijah Wood (Back) and Ian Holm (Front)

The film ran at a leisurely pace, clocking in at nearly three hours, and yet as the end credits rolled it felt as if little had actually happened. Though there had been several action sequences there was only slight plot development. Then even when the plot did develop it held little weight, with many of the characters so insubstantial that the viewer need not know their name. Even the main character Bilbo (played by Martin Freeman) garnished little sympathy from the viewers.


All in all, this film failed to reach its lofty expectations. Despite the amount time and resources put into this film, it is nowhere near the calibre that the previous films maintained. Well this movie does not fail completely, as it is still a rather enjoyable experience, I must warn you to lower your expectations. It is unfortunate that director Peter Jackson allowed this to happen to his much beloved franchise, but he of all people knows that to have had a better looking movie 10 years ago is cinema sin.

Welcome !

Hello and welcome to Reel Reviews; the blog dedicated to your movie needs. Throughout the following weeks I invite you to peruse our movie reviews of both classic and contemporary films.

Each week, two new reviews will be released highlighting the successes and short comings of various films; determining whether or not the movie should be seen or skipped.

These reviews will hopefully span various genres and styles (although some bias will inevitable made due to personal preferences). If there are any movies you wish to be reviewed I would be more than happy to comply. In this case please just submit your suggestions in the form of a comment on the post, remembering of course that all suggestions will be considered though not all may be used. Hopefully, these reviews will help expand your movie horizons and improve your movie going experience overall.

Let it be understood that I know very little about film and only approach this blog as a fan. This I hope will be preferable since, at heart, we are all just enthusiasts and one need not know much about cinema to thoroughly enjoy it. In a world full of constant biases, it is difficult to know whether or not there are reviewers you can trust. This I can assure, my opinions will always remain honest and unadulterated. I hope that this proves agreeable since this can only work with your joint interest and support. I look forward to future impute and hope that you enjoy these reviews.