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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Dig (2021) in Movies

Jan 31, 2021  
The Dig (2021)
The Dig (2021)
2021 | Drama, History
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Acting from Fiennes and Mulligan - top notch (1 more)
Cinematography is gorgeous
Why make it so "man heavy" when history was otherwise? (1 more)
Found the asynchronous editing irritating
Archaeology with no fedora required
It’s 1939, and as World War 2 approaches, widower Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) hires rough and ready excavator Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to dig into one of the ancient earth mounds on her property at the site that will become famous as Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. Requesting the help of her cousin Rory Lomax (Johnny Flynn) to photograph the effort, the site slowly gives up its Anglo-Saxon treasures attracting the attention of first the Ipswich museum and then the pompous Charles Phillips (Ken Stott) of the British Museum. A battle is on for both the control of the site and the resting place for the treasures found.

Against this backdrop there is a critical illness emerging, a son (Archie Barnes) and his attachment to the father figure of Brown and a potential romance between Rory and archaeologist Peggy Piggott, trapped in a loveless marriage.

Talent:
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Johnny Flynn, Lily James, Archie Barnes, Ken Stott, Monica Donlan.

Directed by: Simon Stone.

Written by: Moira Buffini (from the novel by John Preston).

Bullet points of my thoughts:

+ Superb acting by Mulligan and Fiennes – Oscar noms for both?
+ Young Archie Barnes impresses as the son Robert
+ Cinematography by Mike Eley shows the open Suffolk skies at their best
+ Based on fact, a fascinating historical record of the real excitement of uncovering the past
o The script deftly melds the archeology with the love story subplot: but was the latter really necessary?
– Curious “man heavy” script, replacing some of the historical female characters with men and making Peggy Piggott (Lily James) a bit of a klutz
– Asynchronous editing decision I found to be distracting and unnecessary.


For my full review, please see the video at https://youtu.be/m8Ad8B8dkSY .
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated American Assassin (2017) in Movies

Jul 11, 2019  
American Assassin (2017)
American Assassin (2017)
2017 | Action, Thriller
7
6.4 (35 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
Traumatic events affect people differently. Some avoid anything that resembles that moment or triggers memories of it. Others are impacted so deeply that they must take action. American Assassin, based on the Vince Flynn books, features Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner) as Mitch Rapp who wants to avenge the killing of his girlfriend in a terrorist attack. Upon his attempt to track down the men responsible, he is recruited by the CIA to help them track down the perpetrator of several attacks on civilian and military targets.

The film is ambitious in its approach to entering the realm of spy thrillers. There is no real depth to the film or moments that make the audience truly invested in the characters onscreen. At times, the story feels rushed, repetitive, and confusing. The actions scenes, however, are engrossing and give the audience the sense of chaos that would be felt if they were a part of it. The most interesting aspect of the film is not the story, but Michael Keaton’s portrayal of Stan Hurley, who leads Rapp on their international quest to find a rogue agent and prevent a nuclear detonation. Keaton’s character seems to be a combination of some of his more iconic roles allowing for much more depth, connection to be made between him and the other characters, despite the lack of chemistry between them collectively.

American Assassin is a good action film for those looking for an escape in the theaters, but for those looking for something that will rival any of the Bourne films, or the James Bond series, they are going to be sorely disappointed.