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Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Tron Legacy (2010) in Movies
Nov 20, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ok this was actually good which is a bit surprising as there have been a few sequels to older films released over the past few years and they haven't all be great, not that they haven't necessarily been bad but, depending on how they continuing they have been a bit problematic. Either by using now outdated concepts or trying to to match modern political standards and missing the mark, Ghostbusters I'm looking at you. Tron: Legacy goes down the path of of handing the franchise over to the next generation in a similar manner to Bill and Ted Face the Music and I think Tron does it better.
I'll start by saying that Tron: Legacy is not as original or forward thinking as it's predecessor but that is to be expected. The original had Ideas that were slightly before it's time which i talk about in my review of that film. Tron: Legacy can't re do that originality, partly because its a sequel and so is constrained by the world built in the original but also because a lot of the ideas have been used since, we've had the likes of 'The Matrix' and 'Wreck-it Ralph' and so Tron: Legacy seems to concentrate on being a Tron film and nothing more.
The film keeps close to the original by bringing back quite a few things, we have Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner reprising their roles of Kevin Flynn And Alan Bradley, with Kevin now trapped in the computer world known as the Grid. The light cycles are back as well as few other craft. The effects have been updated but the grid and it's games are still very recognisable and there are a few through back lines and scenes.
Tron: Legacy does feel a bit Matrixy at times, neither of the flynns are Neo but it does draw on the familiar God/Devil tropes that you often see. The costumes are more cyber punk than the original, still using the red/blue lighting but also being more PVC and trench coat in its aesthetic with many characters supporting visors or crash helmets, to the point that Daft Punk actually look like they belong there.
Like a lot of Cyberpunk films there is a night club and this has one of the films stand out characters, Castor, played by Michael Sheen who is doing his best 'Ziggy Stardust' impression.
The strange thing is, this is a good film, with good franchise potential and Disney don't seem to have marketed it well, it's 10 years old (at the time of writing) and isn't mentioned much and it's only due to watching this on Disney+ that I now know about the spin off animated series, Tron: Uprising, which I'm going to have to watch.
I'll start by saying that Tron: Legacy is not as original or forward thinking as it's predecessor but that is to be expected. The original had Ideas that were slightly before it's time which i talk about in my review of that film. Tron: Legacy can't re do that originality, partly because its a sequel and so is constrained by the world built in the original but also because a lot of the ideas have been used since, we've had the likes of 'The Matrix' and 'Wreck-it Ralph' and so Tron: Legacy seems to concentrate on being a Tron film and nothing more.
The film keeps close to the original by bringing back quite a few things, we have Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner reprising their roles of Kevin Flynn And Alan Bradley, with Kevin now trapped in the computer world known as the Grid. The light cycles are back as well as few other craft. The effects have been updated but the grid and it's games are still very recognisable and there are a few through back lines and scenes.
Tron: Legacy does feel a bit Matrixy at times, neither of the flynns are Neo but it does draw on the familiar God/Devil tropes that you often see. The costumes are more cyber punk than the original, still using the red/blue lighting but also being more PVC and trench coat in its aesthetic with many characters supporting visors or crash helmets, to the point that Daft Punk actually look like they belong there.
Like a lot of Cyberpunk films there is a night club and this has one of the films stand out characters, Castor, played by Michael Sheen who is doing his best 'Ziggy Stardust' impression.
The strange thing is, this is a good film, with good franchise potential and Disney don't seem to have marketed it well, it's 10 years old (at the time of writing) and isn't mentioned much and it's only due to watching this on Disney+ that I now know about the spin off animated series, Tron: Uprising, which I'm going to have to watch.
Debbiereadsbook (1441 KP) rated Ready For It (MacAteer Brothers #2) in Books
Feb 3, 2021
a much more enjoyable, but darker read than book one, and I loved it!
Indepedent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the MacAteer Brothers series, and it would help to have read book one, Run With It. Not totally necessary, but I would personally recommend you do. You'll get a better feel of Melanie, and Owen and his brothers, I think.
Melanie is Bev's best friend, and looks after herself and stuff anyone else. Owen is one of Connor's younger brothers. Owen has had a bit of a crush on Mel for a long time, and when Mel is left in a difficult place, he steps up. Then the reasons WHY Mel is the way she is with men comes out, and Owen is all Alpha-Male-Protect-Whats-Mine.
I found this a much darker read, given Mel's history, but also I bloody LOVED it!
Mel has a voice in the first person, and Owen in the third. I knew this going in, and expected it, and I enjoyed reading Owen's voice so much more than Connor's. Owen is a gentle giant with a stutter and a speech impediment, that leaves him somewhat tongue tied amoung people he doesn't know, or isn't comfortable with. VERY quickly, Owen is speaking with mel in full sentences, with no sign of his problem. That should have clued him up, right quick, that somethign special was happening between them.
It takes time for Mel and Owen to fully commit, and to get together, and I LOVED being made to wait for it. I think I would have loved it even they had NOT got to the smexy times, I really do. Mel's little problem not withstanding. But once they do? OOOOEEEEE! They are committed and all in. I loved that.
Owen doesn't say much, verbally, but when we get him in his chapters, he is deep. He was hurt before, and you understand why he holds himself back some, but he loves Mel, from very early on, and it pained me when she kept friend-zoning him!
We get a bit more of Garrett, Owen's twin, and his book is next. We also meet the lady who will steal his heart. THAT book is next on my list, and given what we learn here, and reading the blurb, I think it may well be a bit darker than this one!
Billed as s spin off to the Dragon Runners series, it's not necessary to read those. I didn't like them, to be honest, but I'm loving these and I look forward to reading about the other set of twins further down the series!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 2 in the MacAteer Brothers series, and it would help to have read book one, Run With It. Not totally necessary, but I would personally recommend you do. You'll get a better feel of Melanie, and Owen and his brothers, I think.
Melanie is Bev's best friend, and looks after herself and stuff anyone else. Owen is one of Connor's younger brothers. Owen has had a bit of a crush on Mel for a long time, and when Mel is left in a difficult place, he steps up. Then the reasons WHY Mel is the way she is with men comes out, and Owen is all Alpha-Male-Protect-Whats-Mine.
I found this a much darker read, given Mel's history, but also I bloody LOVED it!
Mel has a voice in the first person, and Owen in the third. I knew this going in, and expected it, and I enjoyed reading Owen's voice so much more than Connor's. Owen is a gentle giant with a stutter and a speech impediment, that leaves him somewhat tongue tied amoung people he doesn't know, or isn't comfortable with. VERY quickly, Owen is speaking with mel in full sentences, with no sign of his problem. That should have clued him up, right quick, that somethign special was happening between them.
It takes time for Mel and Owen to fully commit, and to get together, and I LOVED being made to wait for it. I think I would have loved it even they had NOT got to the smexy times, I really do. Mel's little problem not withstanding. But once they do? OOOOEEEEE! They are committed and all in. I loved that.
Owen doesn't say much, verbally, but when we get him in his chapters, he is deep. He was hurt before, and you understand why he holds himself back some, but he loves Mel, from very early on, and it pained me when she kept friend-zoning him!
We get a bit more of Garrett, Owen's twin, and his book is next. We also meet the lady who will steal his heart. THAT book is next on my list, and given what we learn here, and reading the blurb, I think it may well be a bit darker than this one!
Billed as s spin off to the Dragon Runners series, it's not necessary to read those. I didn't like them, to be honest, but I'm loving these and I look forward to reading about the other set of twins further down the series!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
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Debbiereadsbook (1441 KP) rated Marvin (Assassin's To Order #1) in Books
Mar 10, 2023
did not see the DNA twist coming!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This s a spin series, from the Tangled Tentacles series. While not necessary to have read all 5 books, you should at least read book 5, Kelvin. But then again, I said in my review for THAT book, you need to read them all first, so read them all, then!
We met Marvin in Kelvin's book. He surprised everyone, even me. I loved his sweet nature then, his fierce protectiveness of all the Thalassa babies and of those boys who are still missing. It's one of those boys, Ajani, who especially calls to Marvin. Given as Ajani is his soul mate, hardly surprising, but what did surprise me was how little Ajani thought of himself, how he thinks that MArvin does not deserve someone like him.
The lost boys have been trained as assassins. And that's all they know. Revealing themselves, as they are being called to do, opens a whole can of worms no one saw coming, least of all Marvin but he rallies and manages to keep Ajani and the others safe for a time. What that does do, though, it put a target on Marvin's head. Finding out WHO becomes everyone's sole focus.
I loved who all the Thalassa Kracken are here, along with their mates and the babies!
I did NOT see the twist as to what Marvin's DNA might contain, til that was thrown at me!
Marvin and Ajani's tale is a tad sweeter than the Thalassa books, but mostly cos of Marvin. Changing it a smexier book would lose a little of the sweetness Marvin brings to this world and I'd hate that. It is a little darker too, if that makes any sense. These boys are trained assassins and they make no bones about it. It's talked about, what they do and you need to know that.
The epilogue leads very nicely into book 2, as all these books do.
HOWEVER!
Something was missing for me, and Sayle has a knack of serious pushing my book brain with questions, questions, SO MANY FREAKING QUESTIONS! I can't voice those questions either and it equally pisses me off and strives me to dig deeper in my book brain to get them out! I said, in a review for another of Sayle's books " If I cannot voice the questions, how can the author answer them??"
And that's exactly what we have here. Something was missing and I gotta dig DEEP to figure out what.
Still, a very engaging read, that kept me fully engrossed for the whole single sitting I read it in.
4 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This s a spin series, from the Tangled Tentacles series. While not necessary to have read all 5 books, you should at least read book 5, Kelvin. But then again, I said in my review for THAT book, you need to read them all first, so read them all, then!
We met Marvin in Kelvin's book. He surprised everyone, even me. I loved his sweet nature then, his fierce protectiveness of all the Thalassa babies and of those boys who are still missing. It's one of those boys, Ajani, who especially calls to Marvin. Given as Ajani is his soul mate, hardly surprising, but what did surprise me was how little Ajani thought of himself, how he thinks that MArvin does not deserve someone like him.
The lost boys have been trained as assassins. And that's all they know. Revealing themselves, as they are being called to do, opens a whole can of worms no one saw coming, least of all Marvin but he rallies and manages to keep Ajani and the others safe for a time. What that does do, though, it put a target on Marvin's head. Finding out WHO becomes everyone's sole focus.
I loved who all the Thalassa Kracken are here, along with their mates and the babies!
I did NOT see the twist as to what Marvin's DNA might contain, til that was thrown at me!
Marvin and Ajani's tale is a tad sweeter than the Thalassa books, but mostly cos of Marvin. Changing it a smexier book would lose a little of the sweetness Marvin brings to this world and I'd hate that. It is a little darker too, if that makes any sense. These boys are trained assassins and they make no bones about it. It's talked about, what they do and you need to know that.
The epilogue leads very nicely into book 2, as all these books do.
HOWEVER!
Something was missing for me, and Sayle has a knack of serious pushing my book brain with questions, questions, SO MANY FREAKING QUESTIONS! I can't voice those questions either and it equally pisses me off and strives me to dig deeper in my book brain to get them out! I said, in a review for another of Sayle's books " If I cannot voice the questions, how can the author answer them??"
And that's exactly what we have here. Something was missing and I gotta dig DEEP to figure out what.
Still, a very engaging read, that kept me fully engrossed for the whole single sitting I read it in.
4 stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Carma (21 KP) rated Cowboy SEAL Christmas (Navy SEAL Cowboys, #3) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Love and a Llama, how can a book get any better than this?! Cowboy Seal Christmas is the 3rd book in the Navy Seal Cowboy series (a sort of spin off of Helms Big Sky Cowboy series). I have not read the first 2 books in this series (time constraints and a overwhelming TBR pile but I did read all the books in the Big Sky Cowboy series). This book has all the elements I loved from those books and more. Nicole Helm has a way of getting you right into the moment as if you were standing right there alongside the characters. 5/5 for Grouchy Gabe!!!
Gabe Cortez is a grouchy, ex Navy SEAL who hates Christmas. He hates most things actually and is more than happy to tell you how much it all sucks. He had a horrible childhood that led to him entering the military and losing a good friend in one horrifying instance. He comes to Revival ranch with his 2 friends, Jack and Alex, to help start a new program for injured military servicemen and women to get back on their feet. Jack and Alex both find love (spoiler for the first 2 books haha) and he is once again the odd man out. Then he meets the new ranch therapist Monica Finley and hope starts to rise in him again.
Monica Finley is looking forward to working with all the men and women headed to Revival Ranch for therapy and help getting back to civilian life. Growing up with a Marine father suffering from PTSD has helped her understand some of the struggles men and women face upon returning home. She has a 10 year old son named Colin, with her late Air Force husband Dex, who is her entire world. She protects him, well overprotects, as well as she can as a single mother and is hoping the closeness of the ranch will help them all start a new life. Gabe has been the only one to deny needing therapy and keeps his distance from her both literally and figuratively. She has to find a way to crack his shell. Can Gabe help her understand not only his struggles but some of her own struggles since her husband died?
This story flows really well from start to finish. I was able to get a great idea of where Monica and Gabe are in their lives as well as some past situations that have molded their current state of mind. Throw in great friends (who meddle), a Montana snowstorm, being snowed in for days without heat (snuggle alert), past secrets, daily questions (1 for her, 2 for him) and a llama and you have pretty much the perfect love story. Nicole Helm once again draws me into her cowboy world and makes me sad to leave when the story ends.
Gabe Cortez is a grouchy, ex Navy SEAL who hates Christmas. He hates most things actually and is more than happy to tell you how much it all sucks. He had a horrible childhood that led to him entering the military and losing a good friend in one horrifying instance. He comes to Revival ranch with his 2 friends, Jack and Alex, to help start a new program for injured military servicemen and women to get back on their feet. Jack and Alex both find love (spoiler for the first 2 books haha) and he is once again the odd man out. Then he meets the new ranch therapist Monica Finley and hope starts to rise in him again.
Monica Finley is looking forward to working with all the men and women headed to Revival Ranch for therapy and help getting back to civilian life. Growing up with a Marine father suffering from PTSD has helped her understand some of the struggles men and women face upon returning home. She has a 10 year old son named Colin, with her late Air Force husband Dex, who is her entire world. She protects him, well overprotects, as well as she can as a single mother and is hoping the closeness of the ranch will help them all start a new life. Gabe has been the only one to deny needing therapy and keeps his distance from her both literally and figuratively. She has to find a way to crack his shell. Can Gabe help her understand not only his struggles but some of her own struggles since her husband died?
This story flows really well from start to finish. I was able to get a great idea of where Monica and Gabe are in their lives as well as some past situations that have molded their current state of mind. Throw in great friends (who meddle), a Montana snowstorm, being snowed in for days without heat (snuggle alert), past secrets, daily questions (1 for her, 2 for him) and a llama and you have pretty much the perfect love story. Nicole Helm once again draws me into her cowboy world and makes me sad to leave when the story ends.
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BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated The Gentlemen (2020) in Movies
Jun 27, 2020
Clever and Inventive
Ever since he burst onto the film scene with back-to-back interesting British Mob movies LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH, Director Guy Ritchie has had a "hit and miss" track record (including the Madonna-starring, Razzie-Award "winner" SWEPT AWAY). Fortunately, for us, we seem to be in a Guy Ritchie "peak" a this moment.
Following up to his surprise strong Directing turn in the live action ALADDIN remake (if you haven't seen this film, the BankofMarquis strongly recommends you do), Ritchie returns to his "British Gangster" roots with the violent, funny and original THE GENTLEMEN.
Starring Matthew McConaughey as a U.S. born and bred, Cambridge educated hustler who becomes king of the British Marijuana scene who is looking to get out of the business, THE GENTLEMEN tells the tale of the...ahem...gentlemen that are pursuing (both legitimately and illegitimately) his empire.
The way that this film is constructed, the most essential casting of this film is that of the central character of Michael Pearson. He is billed as an enigmatic, charismatic, violent and brilliant legend of the British drug trade, so Ritchie needed someone with all these qualities to inhabit that role. Fortunately, with McConaughey, Ritchie finds his man (I'm sure the backstory of this character needed to be tweaked a bit upon this casting to explain why an American is the king of British Weed). McConaughey is at his laconic best in this role, bringing star quality - and star power - that holds the center of this film together well.
He is joined by a strong cast that understands the type of film they are in and are game to join in on the (violent) fun. Michelle Dockery (DOWNTON ABBEY), Henry Golding (CRAZY, RICH ASIANS) , Jeremy Strong (THE BIG SHORT) and the always watchable Eddie Marsan (THE WORLD'S END, amongst others) all are strong in the limited moments that their characters are allowed to shine, but with McConaughey and 3 other actors I will speak to in a moment, they are relegated mostly to the background.
This is because Hugh Grant (4 WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL), Colin Farrell (PHONE BOOTH) and (surpisingly) Charlie Hunnam IPACIFIC RIM) almost steal the film from McConaughey, Each one of these characters could have easily been the centerpiece of their own film and I would be happy if Ritchie would spin one of these characters off.
Credit, of course, for all of this has to go to Ritchie who wrote and directed this film I was pleasantly surprised by the cleverness and inventiveness in storytelling and style as well as the restraint that Ritchie shows in the violence. He uses it (somewhat) sparingly and well, so the violence punctuates the action.
All-in-all a fun (though violent) time at the movies.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Following up to his surprise strong Directing turn in the live action ALADDIN remake (if you haven't seen this film, the BankofMarquis strongly recommends you do), Ritchie returns to his "British Gangster" roots with the violent, funny and original THE GENTLEMEN.
Starring Matthew McConaughey as a U.S. born and bred, Cambridge educated hustler who becomes king of the British Marijuana scene who is looking to get out of the business, THE GENTLEMEN tells the tale of the...ahem...gentlemen that are pursuing (both legitimately and illegitimately) his empire.
The way that this film is constructed, the most essential casting of this film is that of the central character of Michael Pearson. He is billed as an enigmatic, charismatic, violent and brilliant legend of the British drug trade, so Ritchie needed someone with all these qualities to inhabit that role. Fortunately, with McConaughey, Ritchie finds his man (I'm sure the backstory of this character needed to be tweaked a bit upon this casting to explain why an American is the king of British Weed). McConaughey is at his laconic best in this role, bringing star quality - and star power - that holds the center of this film together well.
He is joined by a strong cast that understands the type of film they are in and are game to join in on the (violent) fun. Michelle Dockery (DOWNTON ABBEY), Henry Golding (CRAZY, RICH ASIANS) , Jeremy Strong (THE BIG SHORT) and the always watchable Eddie Marsan (THE WORLD'S END, amongst others) all are strong in the limited moments that their characters are allowed to shine, but with McConaughey and 3 other actors I will speak to in a moment, they are relegated mostly to the background.
This is because Hugh Grant (4 WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL), Colin Farrell (PHONE BOOTH) and (surpisingly) Charlie Hunnam IPACIFIC RIM) almost steal the film from McConaughey, Each one of these characters could have easily been the centerpiece of their own film and I would be happy if Ritchie would spin one of these characters off.
Credit, of course, for all of this has to go to Ritchie who wrote and directed this film I was pleasantly surprised by the cleverness and inventiveness in storytelling and style as well as the restraint that Ritchie shows in the violence. He uses it (somewhat) sparingly and well, so the violence punctuates the action.
All-in-all a fun (though violent) time at the movies.
Letter Grade: A-
8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Marvelous Cash Cows and How to Milk Them.
As just about everyone in the whole muggle world (or nomaj world if you’re reading this in the States) knows, FBaWtFT is the first of a five film spin-off series from the Potter franchise, still under the careful stewardship of David Yates. (And if the other films in the series were ‘amber-lit’ rather than ‘green-lit’, their production now seems assured after the US opening weekend alone has brought in nearly half its $180 million budget).
Set in New York in the mid-1920’s Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”; “The Theory of Everything”) plays Newt Scamander, a Brit newly arrived with a case full of trouble. Newt is a bit like an amiable and ditsy David Attenborough, with a strong desire to protect and establish breeding colonies for endangered species. It’s fair to say though that these are creatures that even Sir David hasn’t yet filmed.
Within the battered old case (a forerunner of Hermione Grainger’s bag, which was probably borrowed from Mary Poppins), Newt stores a menagerie of strange and wonderful creatures which – after a bump and a mishap – get released by wannabe baker and muggle Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler, “Fanboys”). Newt has the job of rounding up the strays with the help of Tina (Katherine Waterston, “Steve Jobs”), an out of favour member of the Magical Congress of the USA (MACUSA). Unfortunately this couldn’t be happening at a worse time: something else – nothing to do with Newt – is wreaking havoc across New York and MACUSA is on red alert suspecting the involvement of a dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, following attacks in Europe. And keeping the secrets of wizardry from the NoMaj population is getting increasingly difficult, especially with the efforts of the “Second Salemers” movement run by Mary Lou (Samantha Morton, “Minority Report”) and her strange adopted family.
This film will obviously be an enormous success given the love of all things Potter, but is it any good? Well, its different for sure, being set many years before Potter and only having glancing references to Hogwarts and related matters. And that gives the opportunity to start afresh with new characters and new relationships which is refreshing. It’s all perfectly amiable, with Redmayne’s slightly embarrassed lack of eye-contact* in delivering his lines being charming. [* Is this perhaps the second leading character in a month that is high on the autistic spectrum?] . Redmayne does have a tendency to mutter though and (particularly with the sound system for the cinema I saw this in) this made a lot of his dialogue inaudible. Waterston makes for a charming if somewhat insipid heroine, not being given an awful lot to do in the action sequences.
Kowalski adds a humorous balance to the mixture, but the star comic turns are some of the creatures, especially the Niffler… a light fingered magpie-like creature with a voluminous pouch and expensive tastes!
In the ‘I-almost-know-who-that-is-behind-the-make-up-but-can’t-quite-place-him’ role is Ron “Hellboy” Perlman as the untrustworthy gangster Gnarlack. And in another cameo – and probably paid an enormous fee for his 30 seconds of screen time – is Johnny Depp, which was money well-wasted since, like most of his roles, he was completely unrecognisable (I only knew it was him from checking imdb afterwards).
At the pen is J.K.Rowling herself, and there are a few corking lines in the script. However, in common with many of her novels, there is also a tendency for extrapolation and padding. Some judicial editing could have knocked at least twenty minutes off its child-unfriendly 133 minute running time and made a better film. Undoubtedly the first half of the film is better than the second, with the finale slouching into – as my other half put it – “superhero” territory with much CGI destruction and smashing of glass. What is perhaps most surprising about the story is that there are few obvious set-ups for the next film.
Quirky and original, its a film that will no-doubt please Potter fans and it stands as a decent fantasy film in its own right. It’s difficult though to get the smell of big business and exploitation out of your nostrils: no doubt stockings throughout the world will be full of plush toy nifflers this Christmas.
Set in New York in the mid-1920’s Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”; “The Theory of Everything”) plays Newt Scamander, a Brit newly arrived with a case full of trouble. Newt is a bit like an amiable and ditsy David Attenborough, with a strong desire to protect and establish breeding colonies for endangered species. It’s fair to say though that these are creatures that even Sir David hasn’t yet filmed.
Within the battered old case (a forerunner of Hermione Grainger’s bag, which was probably borrowed from Mary Poppins), Newt stores a menagerie of strange and wonderful creatures which – after a bump and a mishap – get released by wannabe baker and muggle Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler, “Fanboys”). Newt has the job of rounding up the strays with the help of Tina (Katherine Waterston, “Steve Jobs”), an out of favour member of the Magical Congress of the USA (MACUSA). Unfortunately this couldn’t be happening at a worse time: something else – nothing to do with Newt – is wreaking havoc across New York and MACUSA is on red alert suspecting the involvement of a dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, following attacks in Europe. And keeping the secrets of wizardry from the NoMaj population is getting increasingly difficult, especially with the efforts of the “Second Salemers” movement run by Mary Lou (Samantha Morton, “Minority Report”) and her strange adopted family.
This film will obviously be an enormous success given the love of all things Potter, but is it any good? Well, its different for sure, being set many years before Potter and only having glancing references to Hogwarts and related matters. And that gives the opportunity to start afresh with new characters and new relationships which is refreshing. It’s all perfectly amiable, with Redmayne’s slightly embarrassed lack of eye-contact* in delivering his lines being charming. [* Is this perhaps the second leading character in a month that is high on the autistic spectrum?] . Redmayne does have a tendency to mutter though and (particularly with the sound system for the cinema I saw this in) this made a lot of his dialogue inaudible. Waterston makes for a charming if somewhat insipid heroine, not being given an awful lot to do in the action sequences.
Kowalski adds a humorous balance to the mixture, but the star comic turns are some of the creatures, especially the Niffler… a light fingered magpie-like creature with a voluminous pouch and expensive tastes!
In the ‘I-almost-know-who-that-is-behind-the-make-up-but-can’t-quite-place-him’ role is Ron “Hellboy” Perlman as the untrustworthy gangster Gnarlack. And in another cameo – and probably paid an enormous fee for his 30 seconds of screen time – is Johnny Depp, which was money well-wasted since, like most of his roles, he was completely unrecognisable (I only knew it was him from checking imdb afterwards).
At the pen is J.K.Rowling herself, and there are a few corking lines in the script. However, in common with many of her novels, there is also a tendency for extrapolation and padding. Some judicial editing could have knocked at least twenty minutes off its child-unfriendly 133 minute running time and made a better film. Undoubtedly the first half of the film is better than the second, with the finale slouching into – as my other half put it – “superhero” territory with much CGI destruction and smashing of glass. What is perhaps most surprising about the story is that there are few obvious set-ups for the next film.
Quirky and original, its a film that will no-doubt please Potter fans and it stands as a decent fantasy film in its own right. It’s difficult though to get the smell of big business and exploitation out of your nostrils: no doubt stockings throughout the world will be full of plush toy nifflers this Christmas.