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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Hannibal Rising (2007) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
After three books and films featuring the enigmatic and deadly Hannibal Lecter, author Thomas Harris has decided to lift the lid on the murky past of perhaps the most known killer in fiction.
In Hannibal Rising, Harris has crafted a screenplay that stays close to his 2006 book of the same name, and presents Hannibal as a sympathetic character driven to his fate due to circumstances beyond what any reasonable person should have to endure.
The film opens with young Hannibal in 1944 as the Lecter family flees their family castle from the advancing Nazi forces. When a series of bizarre circumstances leave Hannibal and his younger sister alone, they are easy victims to a band of scavengers who come upon them.
After a series of horrific situations, the film flashes forward 8 years where Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), is now a ward of the Soviet State, and as a further insult, his former family castle is now the orphanage in which he lives.
Hannibal draws the wrath of the local bully as he refuses to sing the required nationalist songs, and generally only makes noise when he is screaming in his sleep due to his nightmares about his sister.
Despite his withdrawn nature, Hannibal is not against striking back at his tormentor and does so before fleeing the orphanage to France where he makes his way to the home of his Uncle.
Upon arrival, Hannibal learns that his Uncle has passed away, but is taken in and cared for by his Aunt (Gong Li). As time passes, the two form a bond, and Hannibal learns about martial arts from his Aunt as well as more about her Japanese heritage.
Despite the positive changes in his life, Hannibal is still haunted by his sister and is obsessed about finding the men who held them captive and exacting revenge.
Towards this end, Hannibal snaps and exacts a violent revenge upon a local merchant who disparages his aunt, which makes Hannibal known to the local police, especially Inspector Popil (Dominic West), who investigate suspected war criminals.
When a chance lead surfaces, Hannibal returns to his homeland and confronts one of his childhood captors. As he exacts his revenge, he also learns information about the locales of the others he seeks, and soon sets out of a series of revenge killings, all the while attempting to stay ahead of Inspector Popil and the authorities.
The film for the most part works, as it is engaging and does move at a solid pace during its nearly two-hour run time. Ulliel does a good job of capturing the manic and sophisticated duality of Lecter but does not have the eerie presence of Sir Anthony Hopkins who made Lecter into a household name and took home and Oscar for his portrayal.
To expect Ulliel to equal the performance of Hopkins would be unfair in my opinion, so suffice it to say, he carries the film well, and does as much justice to the part as could be expected.
The last part of the film does become a bit to pat for my taste as it seems as if the filmmakers did not have enough confidence with the pacing of the film to allow it to unfold the way the previous 90 minutes had. Instead we get some by the number action sequences and a final confrontation that seems lifted from dozens of other films.
While the finale may lack the tension that the film had been building towards, there are enough moments in the film to make it worth seeing if you are a fan of the series.
In Hannibal Rising, Harris has crafted a screenplay that stays close to his 2006 book of the same name, and presents Hannibal as a sympathetic character driven to his fate due to circumstances beyond what any reasonable person should have to endure.
The film opens with young Hannibal in 1944 as the Lecter family flees their family castle from the advancing Nazi forces. When a series of bizarre circumstances leave Hannibal and his younger sister alone, they are easy victims to a band of scavengers who come upon them.
After a series of horrific situations, the film flashes forward 8 years where Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), is now a ward of the Soviet State, and as a further insult, his former family castle is now the orphanage in which he lives.
Hannibal draws the wrath of the local bully as he refuses to sing the required nationalist songs, and generally only makes noise when he is screaming in his sleep due to his nightmares about his sister.
Despite his withdrawn nature, Hannibal is not against striking back at his tormentor and does so before fleeing the orphanage to France where he makes his way to the home of his Uncle.
Upon arrival, Hannibal learns that his Uncle has passed away, but is taken in and cared for by his Aunt (Gong Li). As time passes, the two form a bond, and Hannibal learns about martial arts from his Aunt as well as more about her Japanese heritage.
Despite the positive changes in his life, Hannibal is still haunted by his sister and is obsessed about finding the men who held them captive and exacting revenge.
Towards this end, Hannibal snaps and exacts a violent revenge upon a local merchant who disparages his aunt, which makes Hannibal known to the local police, especially Inspector Popil (Dominic West), who investigate suspected war criminals.
When a chance lead surfaces, Hannibal returns to his homeland and confronts one of his childhood captors. As he exacts his revenge, he also learns information about the locales of the others he seeks, and soon sets out of a series of revenge killings, all the while attempting to stay ahead of Inspector Popil and the authorities.
The film for the most part works, as it is engaging and does move at a solid pace during its nearly two-hour run time. Ulliel does a good job of capturing the manic and sophisticated duality of Lecter but does not have the eerie presence of Sir Anthony Hopkins who made Lecter into a household name and took home and Oscar for his portrayal.
To expect Ulliel to equal the performance of Hopkins would be unfair in my opinion, so suffice it to say, he carries the film well, and does as much justice to the part as could be expected.
The last part of the film does become a bit to pat for my taste as it seems as if the filmmakers did not have enough confidence with the pacing of the film to allow it to unfold the way the previous 90 minutes had. Instead we get some by the number action sequences and a final confrontation that seems lifted from dozens of other films.
While the finale may lack the tension that the film had been building towards, there are enough moments in the film to make it worth seeing if you are a fan of the series.
Darren (1599 KP) rated 22 Bullets (2013) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Story: 22 Bullets starts when retired Mafia godfather Charly Mattei (Reno) is ambushed by multiply gun man who riddle his body with bullets, 22 in his body and somehow, he survives the attack. The man behind the attack Tony Zacchia (Merad) wants the job finished so he can take the control he wants over the business, while detective Marie Goldman (Fois) has her own scores to settle with Mafia who were behind her husband’s and fellow cops’ death.
Charly brings his trusted friends back together to go into a full-blown war with Tony which see the bodies piling up, until he can get his hands-on Tony himself.
Characters – Charly Mattei is the retired Mafia godfather that walked away from the business with strict rules on how it will continue, he gets left for dead by the new boss who wants to play by his own rules. Now the bear has been poked he will seek revenge on everyone who tried to eliminate him, no matter how many bodies get left in his way, he knows this is the only way to keep his family safe. Tony Zacchia has taken over the business, he doesn’t want to play by the same rules though, he needs to take care of Charly before changing the rules and after that attempts fails, he starts to throw waves of men as Charly to finish the job. Martin is the closest friend to Charly, he will help make the connections to who else was involved in the assassination attempt. Marie Goldman is a cop that lost her husband to the Mafia, she has wanted to take them down for years now and this will be her best chance after she get put in the middle of the blood war.
Performances – Jean Reno is fantastic in the leading role of the film, he brings back the type of performance we saw in Leon where he is the cold-hearted killer with the heart of gold. Kad Merad, Jean-Pierre Darroussin are both good in the supporting role, though it can be easy to mix the two up. Marina Fios is good as the detective trying to get to the bottom of everything with her own tragic back past.
Story – The story here follows a former Mafia Godfather that goes on a revenge mission against the new godfather after he failed to have his assassinated bring France into a battle for power between the two leading sides in the war. This does play out like a revenge thriller with plenty of bullets, we have seen this done most recently with John Wick and this follows the same tone and body numbers you would be seeing in this one. The added side story of the cop wanting to final takedown the person who killed her husband adds to everything making this feel like a three-way war between the sides. The does play out how you would imagine which is great to see and the story doesn’t hold back either.
Action/Crime – The action is brutal when it comes to the bullet wound, even if certain moments can become overkill when it comes to the bullets flying. The crime world shown gives us an insight into the world in and out of the world with people wanting out or control.
Settings – The film is set in Marseille which shows us a new type of city for a crime film to take place in, we have all the locations you would imagine for a Mafia film.
Scene of the Movie – Dinner meeting.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Sometimes overkill.
Final Thoughts – This is an enjoyable action revenge thriller, that puts Jean Reno front and centre on a bloody rampage, one well worth watching for the action fans.
Overall: Enjoyable Action Film.
Charly brings his trusted friends back together to go into a full-blown war with Tony which see the bodies piling up, until he can get his hands-on Tony himself.
Characters – Charly Mattei is the retired Mafia godfather that walked away from the business with strict rules on how it will continue, he gets left for dead by the new boss who wants to play by his own rules. Now the bear has been poked he will seek revenge on everyone who tried to eliminate him, no matter how many bodies get left in his way, he knows this is the only way to keep his family safe. Tony Zacchia has taken over the business, he doesn’t want to play by the same rules though, he needs to take care of Charly before changing the rules and after that attempts fails, he starts to throw waves of men as Charly to finish the job. Martin is the closest friend to Charly, he will help make the connections to who else was involved in the assassination attempt. Marie Goldman is a cop that lost her husband to the Mafia, she has wanted to take them down for years now and this will be her best chance after she get put in the middle of the blood war.
Performances – Jean Reno is fantastic in the leading role of the film, he brings back the type of performance we saw in Leon where he is the cold-hearted killer with the heart of gold. Kad Merad, Jean-Pierre Darroussin are both good in the supporting role, though it can be easy to mix the two up. Marina Fios is good as the detective trying to get to the bottom of everything with her own tragic back past.
Story – The story here follows a former Mafia Godfather that goes on a revenge mission against the new godfather after he failed to have his assassinated bring France into a battle for power between the two leading sides in the war. This does play out like a revenge thriller with plenty of bullets, we have seen this done most recently with John Wick and this follows the same tone and body numbers you would be seeing in this one. The added side story of the cop wanting to final takedown the person who killed her husband adds to everything making this feel like a three-way war between the sides. The does play out how you would imagine which is great to see and the story doesn’t hold back either.
Action/Crime – The action is brutal when it comes to the bullet wound, even if certain moments can become overkill when it comes to the bullets flying. The crime world shown gives us an insight into the world in and out of the world with people wanting out or control.
Settings – The film is set in Marseille which shows us a new type of city for a crime film to take place in, we have all the locations you would imagine for a Mafia film.
Scene of the Movie – Dinner meeting.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Sometimes overkill.
Final Thoughts – This is an enjoyable action revenge thriller, that puts Jean Reno front and centre on a bloody rampage, one well worth watching for the action fans.
Overall: Enjoyable Action Film.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Hope and Red in Books
Apr 27, 2018
There are 2 things I want to say about this audiobook.
1. The narration does not fit the feel of the book. The narrator would be great for a kids story but not for an adventure story like this. So if I were you, I would read it, not listen to it.
2. When I first started it, I had my doubts; but about 2 chapters in, I knew I was hooked. Even though the narration irritated me, this story is so involved, exciting, entertaining, and all-consuming, that I am dying for the next one. I am so excited and will be waiting for the release date.
If you love adventures, pirates, revenge, and a little hint of magic, this one is for you.
Content/Recommendation: Some violence and mention of sex, but no sexual content. Ages 16+
- See more at: http://www.thelifeandlies.com/2016/09/review-hope-and-red.html
1. The narration does not fit the feel of the book. The narrator would be great for a kids story but not for an adventure story like this. So if I were you, I would read it, not listen to it.
2. When I first started it, I had my doubts; but about 2 chapters in, I knew I was hooked. Even though the narration irritated me, this story is so involved, exciting, entertaining, and all-consuming, that I am dying for the next one. I am so excited and will be waiting for the release date.
If you love adventures, pirates, revenge, and a little hint of magic, this one is for you.
Content/Recommendation: Some violence and mention of sex, but no sexual content. Ages 16+
- See more at: http://www.thelifeandlies.com/2016/09/review-hope-and-red.html
Kevin Wilson (179 KP) rated The Revenant (2015) in Movies
Jul 13, 2018
Amazing acting (1 more)
Love the setting
Too long and slow in parts (1 more)
Predictable with generic plot
Great movie with few issues
I did like this movie however I don't think I could watch it again. The acting is incredible and very deserving of the awards it received for it. The locations, setting and scenery was gorgeous and the brutality of the film fit well with the time it was set.
CGI was barely used but when it was it looked fantastic. I'm talking specifically about the bear.
However, it went on for way too long. However shortening a lot of the scenes may have taken away some of the emotion which wouldn't be good. So it had to be long which isn't good considering it was very slow at times.
The story itself felt very generic. Typical storyline about revenge with an ending that could have been a bit better.
CGI was barely used but when it was it looked fantastic. I'm talking specifically about the bear.
However, it went on for way too long. However shortening a lot of the scenes may have taken away some of the emotion which wouldn't be good. So it had to be long which isn't good considering it was very slow at times.
The story itself felt very generic. Typical storyline about revenge with an ending that could have been a bit better.
Loz Hughes (80 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Books
Jul 14, 2018
By far my favorite Harry potter book.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ive always found this book to be my favorite out of the whole series purely because Harry finds some family...his godfather, whom after a convoluted storyline he realises isnt set out to murder him. Its the only book where I feel he actually has a few happy moments in his life and is discovering who he is and achieves a bit of character stability. I love how the story handles the introduction of Sirius and displays the political and media spin that happens in the background (between the bad reporting on the daily prophet and ministry of magic). Also the trio (Harry, Ron and hermoine) seem to have solid bonds of friendship grow tighter in this storyline.
Alice (12 KP) rated A Devil in Scotland (No Ordinary Hero, #3) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
This was the first regency romance book I've read in over a year where I've been focusing on the fantasy genre.
I'm very glad I read this book and it was filled with plenty of action, a thrilling tale of revenge and a Scottish accent to die for.
The writing and story had an easy-going flow to it that made the book finish quicker than I would have liked. Each character was written with a specific role in mind and there were no filler characters which was great.
Each character had their own individual flaws which were written to perfection and there wasn't anything that needed changing with the characters in this book. Sometimes characters are written too perfect and they have no faults of their own which makes it unbelievable even for fiction.
Overall, a good story with a solid plot and solid characters.
I'm very glad I read this book and it was filled with plenty of action, a thrilling tale of revenge and a Scottish accent to die for.
The writing and story had an easy-going flow to it that made the book finish quicker than I would have liked. Each character was written with a specific role in mind and there were no filler characters which was great.
Each character had their own individual flaws which were written to perfection and there wasn't anything that needed changing with the characters in this book. Sometimes characters are written too perfect and they have no faults of their own which makes it unbelievable even for fiction.
Overall, a good story with a solid plot and solid characters.
Crystal (9 KP) rated Delilah: Treacherous Beauty (Dangerous Beauty, #3) in Books
Jul 4, 2018
The writing is well done, and very easy to understand. The descriptions of the world are good, especially when discussing social aspects. The world is built well, with enough history given, but without overloading with too much information or facts. Although the writing is good, the character development is mediocre. The main character never really learns her lesson until it is much too late, and is hell bent on revenge before anything else. There isn't a lot of opportunity for growth, though she struggles in the beginning, it would be more empowering to see her 'fall' be a little more dramatic as far as her standards she was used to. It's mentioned but I feel that her emotions could've been better explored. For a 'biblical fiction' I enjoyed the story and historical information.
I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
David McK (3623 KP) rated Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019
Oft-forgot-about (or so it seems) 4th instalment in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean series, this is the one with Penelope Cruz that also sees Jack set off to find the Fountain of Youth: the Fountain itself also sought after by both English and Spanish factions, and by the notorious pirate Blackbeard (as portrayed by Ian McShane) who, here, also dabbles in Vodoo and is also (inexplicably) able to control his ship the Queen Anne's revenge by magic.
With no Orlando Bloom or Kiera Knightley in sight, the focus on this one is firmly on Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow (a character who initially, remember, way back in the first film, was not the main focus), although it has to be said that his Keith Richards schtick is perhaps getting old by this point in the franchise.
Standout sequence of the film? That would be the Whit Cap bay mermaid bit.
With no Orlando Bloom or Kiera Knightley in sight, the focus on this one is firmly on Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow (a character who initially, remember, way back in the first film, was not the main focus), although it has to be said that his Keith Richards schtick is perhaps getting old by this point in the franchise.
Standout sequence of the film? That would be the Whit Cap bay mermaid bit.
Nickg24 (492 KP) rated Stuber (2019) in Movies
Nov 3, 2019
Going by the trailers for this film the studio behind this was going for a modern up to date take on the buddy/cop movies like (48 hours,Lethal Weapon) and they actually managed to pull it off.On the one hand you have the hard as nails cop (Bautista) seeking revenge for his partners death and on the other the comedic one liners of the sidekick (Kamani)
The relationship starts off rocky at first but by the end they are the best of friends.We also get the amazing martial art skills of uko iwais (though hes only on screen at the beginning and end of the movie)
Plot wise with this film,well it's been done a million times before with greater success and a few of the jokes fall flat but still an entertaining movie.
The relationship starts off rocky at first but by the end they are the best of friends.We also get the amazing martial art skills of uko iwais (though hes only on screen at the beginning and end of the movie)
Plot wise with this film,well it's been done a million times before with greater success and a few of the jokes fall flat but still an entertaining movie.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Maleficent (2014) in Movies
Nov 8, 2019
Fairy Tale: True Loves Kiss
Maleficent- is a movie that people are mix about. Some people hate it, some people love it. For me i like it. Its a different take on the oringal source materal but with the same elements.
The plot: As a beautiful young woman of pure heart, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) has an idyllic life in a forest kingdom. When an invading army threatens the land, Maleficent rises up to become its fiercest protector. However, a terrible betrayal hardens her heart and twists her into a creature bent on revenge. She engages in an epic battle with the invading king's successor, then curses his newborn daughter, Aurora -- realizing only later that the child holds the key to peace in the kingdom.
Angelina Jolie is really good as Maleficent and Elle Fanning is really good as Aurora.
It is a underrated movie and should be watched.
The plot: As a beautiful young woman of pure heart, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) has an idyllic life in a forest kingdom. When an invading army threatens the land, Maleficent rises up to become its fiercest protector. However, a terrible betrayal hardens her heart and twists her into a creature bent on revenge. She engages in an epic battle with the invading king's successor, then curses his newborn daughter, Aurora -- realizing only later that the child holds the key to peace in the kingdom.
Angelina Jolie is really good as Maleficent and Elle Fanning is really good as Aurora.
It is a underrated movie and should be watched.
