Genre: Drama
Director: David Cronenberg
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Vincent Cassel, Sarah Gadon, Andre Hennicke, Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey
RunTime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/adangerousmethod/
Opening Day: 22 March 2012
Synopsis: A beautiful young woman, driven mad by her past. An ambitious doctor on a mission to succeed. An esteemed mentor with a revolutionary cure. Let the mind games begin... Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Jung (Michael Fassbender) takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) as his patient. Jung's weapon is the method of his master, the renowned Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen). Both men fall under Sabina's spell. Into the mix comes Otto Gross (Vincent Cassel), a debauched patient who is determined to push the boundaries. Jung gives in to lust and a passionate affair begins. Sabina becomes the catalyst for Jung's inspired theories. Meanwhile Freud goes further, delving into Sabina's brilliant mind until she can take the situation no longer. The bonds between the trio shatter. Driven by desire and revenge, with their reputations at stake, Freud and Jung embark on a battle of wills. In this dangerous game of sex and intellect, the price will be Sabina's soul.
Movie Review:
The ‘dangerous method’ the title of this unusual David Cronenberg film refers to is psychoanalysis, pioneered by two of the founding fathers of modern-day psychology Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. It was also more commonly known as the “talking cure”, since as a form of treatment it involved the psychiatrist inferring the cause of the patient’s psychosis from the latter’s descriptions of his or her fantasies and dreams. As adapted by Christopher Hampton from his play (which in turn was based on John Kerr’s esteemed 1994 book ‘A Most Dangerous Method’), the film is not only about the birth of psychoanalysis but also the complex relationship between Freud, Jung and their female counterpart Sabina Spielrein.
Those familiar with Freudian theory may come to expect a sexually charged depiction of the trio’s relationship, but instead of relying on theatrics, Cronenberg has admirably chosen to take an intellectual approach with the material. This means that like its subject, there is a lot of talking going on in the form of conversations, treatment sessions and letters, a deliberate technique which Cronenberg uses to force his viewer to pay attention to his characters and their interactions. It also means however that viewers more accustomed to his brand of unrestrained violence in ‘A History of Violence’ and ‘Eastern Promises’ will likely find themselves frustrated, since this is probably one of his most restrained works ever.
Hampton’s narrative unfolds through a series of episodes spanning from 1904 to the eve of World War I, beginning with the arrival of Sabina as a young Russian Jewish woman at Jung’s Burgholzli Clinic in Zurich. Sabina begins as Jung’s patient, brought writhing and howling before the calm, collected and deeply analytical doctor. Using the psychoanalytical method developed by Freud, Jung attributes her hysteria to her humiliation bred from constant beatings by her father as a child and her sexual urges to her repression of these traumatic memories. Such is the nature of Freudian theory, which of course has been criticised by later psychologists as well as Jung himself for being too “limited” in its singular focus on sexual drives.
Nevertheless, the ‘libido’ is at the heart of the unfolding affair between Jung and Sabina, sparked off after a visit to Vienna to meet Freud leads to a referral of a fellow psychiatrist Otto Gross (Vincent Cassel) who urges Jung to let go of his repression of any sexual desires he has. Meanwhile, the intelligent Sabina has grown significantly in intellect under Jung’s tutelage, and one night, Jung finally gives in to the sexual tensions lingering between them, in the process crossing the acceptable boundaries of their doctor-patient relationship. The irony is all too obvious- the analyst consumed by the very drive he has begun to disparage- and is further emphasised by Jung’s inability despite his efforts to resist his desires for Sabina.
Despite the sensationalistic nature of their illicit affair, Cronenberg largely turns down the heat in every scene- even those that depict Jung’s fulfilment of Sabina’s sadomasochistic tendencies. Logical though his decision may be, it also robs the film of any real emotional edge, so much so that the film engages the mind but not the heart of its viewer. In the absence of any palpable tension, the more compelling dynamic becomes that between Freud and Jung, one that requires the viewer to pay intense attention to the characters’ conversations and voiceovers.
Throughout the course of the film, Cronenberg charts the pair from steadfast collaborators in the promulgation of psychoanalysis to embittered foes with divergent and irreconcilable differences. Freud’s disapproval of Jung’s mystical interests aside, Freud is also subsequently appalled by Jung’s torrid relationship with Sabina, and the fact that Freud eventually agrees to Sabina’s request to take her on as his student only widens the chasm between the two intellectual equals. The ménage-a-trois is intriguing to watch to say the least, especially in how it illustrates the fragility of such alliances between great minds.
The fact that Freud and Jung turn out more convincing is also testament to the strength of Fassbender and Mortensen’s acting next to Knightley’s. Continuing his career-defining streak from last year, Fassbender once again impresses as a young analyst who becomes the personification of irony as he embraces on a physical level yet rejects on an intellectual level the sexual desires within him. In his third Cronenberg film, Mortensen steals the show with his wily portrayal of the venerable Freud, and the acerbic way he tears at Jung in his accusations of the latter’s ‘second-rate mysticism and self-aggrandizing shamanism’ is riveting to behold. The weakest link here is Knightley’s, beginning with a showy chin-jutting, face-contorting performance and then settling into a perpetually tightly-wound look that is unfortunately still unable to convince her audience that she has gotten under the skin of her complex character.
Knightley’s limitations as an actress however do not distract from the fact that this is a handsomely mounted production from a director that has always had a fascination with the matters of the mind, whether in his horror forays (“Scanners” and “The Fly”) or his examinations of primordial violence (“History of Violence” and “Eastern Promises”). Be fair warned though, it will be a challenge for contemporary audiences, given its erudite subject matter and talky approach- but those looking for something cerebral will find much intellectual stimulation in the words and thoughts of three of the foremost brilliant minds of psychology in the 20th century.
Movie Rating:
(As intellectually stimulating as a portrayal of psychoanalysis and its founders should be, this is cerebral entertainment not for the common viewer)
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Jack Neo
Cast: Daniel Chan, Xiang Yun, Shawn Lee, Joshua Ang, Cherry Hsia, Loi Fey Huei, Eric Moo, Yan Li Ming, Jacky Chin, Amos Yee
Runtime: 2 hrs 17 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: GV & Clover Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 19 January 2012
Synopsis: Wei Jie and Jian Ren are best of friends in school, and they both face their share of family problems; Wei Jie has a gambling addict father and his mother who does not think highly of him always condemns him. Jian Ren comes from a well-to-do single parent family but has an estranged relationship with his mother. He becomes rebellious to spite his mother and even becomes a runner for the loansharks. They both share the talent and interest on gadgets inventions but their efforts are never recognized. CK, as their lecturer, tries to build a rapport with the boys but ends up being snubbed. His patience pays off and the boys end up seeking help from him for their family problems. CK even help the boys to create an invention for a competition. However, their invention is misused by the loansharks and in an attempt to stop that, CK, Wei Jie and Jian Ren’s lives are at risk.
Movie Review:
You weren’t expecting anything more from local filmmaker Jack Neo, were you?
After all, this is the same man who brought you movies like Ah Long Pte Ltd (2008), Love Matters (2009) and Being Human (2010). Let this reviewer state upfront that he isn’t exactly a fan of the abovementioned titles, and that is probably one reason why this he isn’t terribly excited about the bespectacled director’s latest work.
The movie’s protagonists are two rebellious teenagers studying in a fictitious polytechnic. Plagued by family problems, they create problems both in and out of school, much to the distress of a very concerned teacher. Throw in other stereotypical supporting characters like a successful businesswoman who neglects her children, a gambler addict who steals from his family, a loan shark who seizes the opportunity to make use of uninformed youngsters to carry out illegal activities and some very bratty kids, you get a signature Jack Neo movie which will appeal to the masses.
So this Lunar New Year offering is supposed to remind us of the socially relevant issues brought up in Neo’s older works (especially 2002’s I Not Stupid and 2006’s I Not Stupid Too), and truth be told, the television veteran did raise some very poignant points in his earlier movies – but is there really a need for him to be that indulgent to make a 137 minute movie that offers nothing more than the usual melodrama that we have already been getting on local TV?
Characters shouting hysterically at each other? Check. Characters crying their hearts out to an overbearing music score? Check. Characters changing for the better after realising that they have done wrong? Check. Yes, while the script offers nothing different from your nightly family drama, you can bet Singaporeans will lap this movie up, simply because it offers slapstick humour, over the top drama and a happy ending, a sure win formula which Neo has confidently concocted over the years.
The unabashedly commercialised filmmaker knows what his target audience wants, and it is evident from this movie. You didn’t think we have forgotten the product placement, did you? If you aren’t bothered by how a cleaning device, a cable operator and a health product can find ways to shove themselves in your face during the movie, then you wouldn’t have much qualms sitting through the entire picture.
This reviewer isn’t bashing the production, because there were moments when he found himself chuckling at once popular Hong Kong artiste Daniel Chan’s portrayal of the too good to be true mentor, as well as local singers Loi Fey Hui and Eric Moo’s very funny performance of loan sharks. While veterans like Xiang Yun and Jacky Chin deliver fine performances, their characters feel two dimensional.
Shawn Lee and Joshua Ang have come a long way since Neo’s I Not Stupid. There is a natural chemistry between the two young actors, and each manages to hold his own ground with a likeable charisma. However, it is xinyao (a genre of Chinese songs which was very popular in the 1980s) singer Yan Li Ming who steals the show with her very entertaining role as a career woman who has forgotten what it is like to love her children.
There may be no subtlety in this movie, but for viewers who enjoy Neo’s brand of movies, laughter and tears are almost guaranteed. For the rest of us, we can only look elsewhere for an alternative portrayal of living life in Singapore.
Movie Rating:
(Jack Neo has nothing new to offer here, but why change the formula if it has been working so well?)
Review by John Li
Genre: Comedy
Director: Chan Hing-Ka & Janet Chun
Cast: Donnie Yen, Sandra Ng, Raymond Wong, Louis Koo, Kelly Chen, Yan Ni, Lynn Xiong, Chapman To
RunTime: 1 hr 59 mins
Rating:
Released By: GV & Clover Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 19 January 2012
Synopsis: Love can neither be seen nor touched, yet with an embrace, you can feel it deep inside. When you are in an embrace, you will understand that love exists between you and the one with their arms around you. An embrace brings two bodies together, and at the same time, quietly makes two hearts come together.Embrace your loved one and let those who love you embrace you back.
Movie Review:
Another Lunar New Year, another ‘All’s Well Ends Well’ movie- but really if they are as high-spirited as this year’s entry, we wouldn’t mind if they went on for many more years to come. Reuniting the star-studded cast of last year’s entry, as well as the writing/ directing duo of Chan Hing-Ka and Janet Chun, this year’s ‘All’s Well Ends Well’ is in fact the most consistently and unexpectedly entertaining chapter since the franchise was rebooted four years ago by producer Raymond Wong.
And as usual, Wong himself plays one of the four main lead characters in the movie, this time as a recently divorced lawyer trying to win the affection of his teenage daughter (Karena Ng from ‘Magic to Win’). Depressed that she refuses to speak with him, he takes up an online offer to be father to a rich young girl Cecilia (Yan Ni) in order that she be able to choose among three suitors. In turn, he comes up with several ways to test the sincerity of their love for Cecilia, including inviting them to a game of mahjong in a haunted house- where Wong gets to riff on his ‘Happy Ghost’ screen persona- and surrounding them with female company at a karaoke nightclub.
Through the same website, a romantic novelist Hugo (Chapman To doing an obvious impersonation of director Peter Chan) accepts an offer to befriend Charmaine, a blind dancer from an orphanage. Hugo (or Qin Cheng-Wu as his pen name goes) is nursing a sore ego from his publisher’s blunt but honest words that he isn’t the dashing handsome persona of his books, so making friends with a member of the opposite sex might just be the medicine he needs. In the process, Hugo proves to be quite the man with the gentle heart, tapping on her imagination and her other senses to create the experience of going to the beach and standing on top of the highest building in the world.
Meanwhile, a physically buff and therefore confident Holland Kin (Louis Koo) agrees to model for a photographer Julie Sun (Kelly Chen)- though because of his inexperience, Julie takes the advice of her mentor Shalala (previous series regular Ronald Cheng in a cameo) and pretends to be enamoured with him in order to get him more at ease with his masculinity in front of the camera. Naïve as he is, Kin falls in love with Julie- and in one of the most hilarious sequences of the film, picks up tips from his fellow co-workers (among them character actor Lam Suet) on how to proposition her with both an ‘invitation’ gift and a ‘make-up’ gift.
Last but not least among the lead characters is Carl Tam (Donnie Yen), a singer formerly of the band Moment who doesn’t realise that he- like his ‘90s rock star getup- is way past his prime. Carl offers to help Chelsia (Sandra Ng), another has-been singer who was one half of an all-female duo until her unceremonious fall on stage during a live performance. Chelsia has since all but given up on her career, preferring instead to rely on her sometimes abusive boyfriend for cash- though after trying but failing to chase her out of his apartment where she insists on bumming until she can find her own place, Carl begins to see an opportunity for the both of them to regain his past glory.
Forming a loose connection among the four disparate stories is the website from which these random strangers get to meet their respective other halves, simply called ‘Baoxi.com’ in line with the title of the film. The genesis behind the site is that every woman will need a man at some point or another in their lives, and in exchange for that manly service is the gesture of an embrace. We’d admit that it sounds a little contrived, but at least both writers are savvy enough not to purposely shoehorn the individual stories at the end so all the actors and their characters can share the same screen.
You don’t expect as well for each of the stories to be as well-developed as the other, and the two that stand out are Donnie Yen and Louis Koo’s portions. While his earlier comedic turn in last year’s ‘All’s Well Ends Well’ was simply content to poke fun at his iconic ‘Ip Man’ by getting him to play a makeup artist with the trademark moves, Hing-Ka and Janet have thankfully created quite the original character here for him to flex a different set of muscles. Not only does he get to sing some signature Sam Hui tunes like天才與白痴(or literally ‘Idiot or Genius’), Donnie also gets to dance Bollywood-style- and the gongfu actor is a hoot hamming it as the rocker, whether singing or dancing, with a deep passion for his genre of music.
Donnie’s stoic demeanour fits his character like a glove, and complements Sandra Ng’s brilliantly understated turn. Sandra proves once again her worth as a true-blue comedian, and her faux-80s MV with Kristal Tin as the other half of the pop duo is a sheer delight. Ditto for Louis Koo’s over-the-top performance ribbing his own macho man image, posing and preening for Kelly Chen’s photographer in some of the most exaggerated manners. The rest of the cast are somewhat hemmed in by their less interesting characters, but their jolly aura- as well as that of the list of cameos (Ronald, previous series director Vincent Kok, Lee Heung-Kam and Ha Cheung Chau)- is still as infectious.
And indeed, the fact that ‘All’s Well Ends Well 2012’ leaves you with a big smile and in a jocular spirit is reason enough to catch it. Sure the ending is predictably happily-ever-after and the plotting is a tad too convenient at times- but the jokes mostly hit their mark, and the cast are just too enjoyable a crowd to resist. It’s a sure-fire for a feel-good- perhaps even feel-great- time in the cinemas, and you’ll probably be hard-pressed to find another just as excellent way to 抱喜 (or literally ‘hug joy’) this festive season.
Movie Rating:
(Every bit as enjoyable and hilarious as a Chinese New Year movie should be, this is your sure-fire bet at a feel-good time)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action/Thriller/Crime
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Diego Luna, Giovanni Ribisi, Lukas Haas, Caleb Landry Jones, J.K. Simmons
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: UIP
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language)
Official Website: http://www.contrabandmovie.net/
Opening Day: 12 January 2012
Synopsis: Mark Wahlberg leads the cast of "Contraband", a fast-paced thriller about a man trying to stay out of a world he worked so hard to leave behind and the family he'll do anything to protect. Set in New Orleans, the film explores the cutthroat underground world of international smuggling - full of desperate criminals and corrupt officials, high-stakes and big payoffs - where loyalty rarely exists and death is one wrong turn away. Chris Farraday (Wahlberg) long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris is forced back into doing what he does best - running contraband - to settle Andy's debt. Chris is a legendary smuggler and quickly assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster), for one final run to Panama and back, hoping to return with millions in counterfeit bills. Things quickly fall apart and with only hours to reach the cash, Chris must use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords, cops and hit men before his wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and sons become their target.
Movie Review:
In the last five years, Mark Wahlberg has been a corrupt cop, a sharpshooter, been the other guy, boxed in a ring, and fought through plenty of slow motion. But with The Lovely Bones and The Happening, he has shown his protective, exasperated Dad trying to keep his family together amidst tragedy and from things way beyond his control. But he's Mark Wahlberg, alpha-male actor who has been filling the shoes of the absent Hollywood action star, and continues his fatherly role here in Contraband, with his Chris Farraday character making that risky, arduous journey from New Orleans to Panama City and back just to make sure all debts get paid off, and his family left off the hook from thugs.
A remake of the film Reykjavik-Rotterdam, which was Iceland's official submission to the 82nd Academy Award's Foreign Language Film in 2010, lead actor then Baltasar Kormakur turns director here and slots Mark Wahlberg into his leading role as a security contractor being led back into the high stakes game of international smuggling, being one of the best in the business who had chosen to go legit for his wife (Kate Beckinsale) and kids. But his kid brother-in-law Andy (Caleb Landry Jones) continues being a smuggler and botches a job for Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi) who naturally comes after his rear to claim money equivalent to the dope the former had thrown into the sea, failing which the family members will be threatened. With limited options available, Chris leaps back into what he does best once again, leaving his family under the care of best friend Sebastian (Ben Foster) and embarking on a round-trip to Panama to trade in counterfeit US currency, given a timeline to do a Harry Houdini in the black market.
It's an interesting look at the stakes behind smuggling, and how smugglers operate in shifting goods from one place to another exploiting connections and loopholes in the world's shipping trade and lanes. It's not far fetched as long as you have corruption along the value chain with smugglers willing to reward to get their way, and I suppose it's lucrative enough for some who would choose that as a profession, given that the law often publicizes about huge busts from tip offs to try and deter and dissuade would-be and wannabes. But this is a film after all, and having everything fall into place coincidentally and nicely makes it one heck of a slick job, if one gets used to cinematographer Barry Ackroyd's choice of the shaky-cam that tried to provide a grittier feel of the underbelly activities.
Kormakur kept the narrative chugging like a well oiled machine, moving scenes quickly from one to another and nary wasting any time to keep pace with the story's sense of urgency, with a looming deadline for Chris to return from his job, and an escalating threat against his family in order not to try anything funny. The story is expansive, with a multitude of characters ranging from Chris' crew and allies, to having to deal with shady shifty counterparts and once upon a time suppliers where trust has to be something really earned, and past glories count for zilch.
If you're watching this after a bad day in the office, you will probably feel lighter after watching Wahlberg struggle through obstacle after incredible obstacle placed in front of him, wondering if the writer and director share the same masochistic tendencies in really wanting the protagonist to fail, and fail big time. It's all edge on your seat stuff even if you have a faint inkling that Wahlberg's persona of that unsmiling, serious 'touch me if you dare' look may finally pull through as the underdog waiting for its opportunity to turn tables. Fans will surely not be disappointed with the level of action put into the film that included the meticulous details and style reserved for heist movies, and having it balanced with some narrative twists that not many films can succeed in bringing together all open threads for closure.
Despite given top billing, Kate Beckinsale had a role that was hardly effective, being that damsel in distress wife unable to fend for herself, nor her kids. I prefer the more action-oritented characters she plays with aplomb, and it's hard to shake off the fact that her character here can't even throw a decent punch if the character's life had depended on it. At certain angles Ben Foster does look like a doppelganger of Ryan Gosling, and his role as the best friend has developments you'll see coming from a mile away, while Giovanni Ribisi played the chief villain with over the top glee that you'd patiently be waiting for Chris Farraday to come over and deliver that long overdue sucker punch.
But this is ultimately a Mark Wahlberg show, and he does what he does best here in a film that uses the best of his talent, allowing him to tackle and battle the world as the father figure willing to do just about anything to protect his family, so threaten him if you dare.
Movie Rating:
(A genuine Mark Wahlberg vehicle, nothing contraband about it)
Review by Stefan Shih
Genre: Comedy
Director: Dennis Dugan
Cast: Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes, Al Pacino, Natalie Gal, Dana Carvey, Shaquille O'Neal, Rob Schneider, Regis Philbin, Valerie Mahaffey
RunTime: 1 hr 31 mins
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Rating: PG
Official Website: http://www.jackandjill-movie.com/
Opening Day: 19 January 2012
Synopsis: Jack and Jill is a comedy focusing on Jack Sadelstein (Adam Sandler), a successful advertising executive in Los Angeles with a beautiful wife and kids, who dreads one event each year: the Thanksgiving visit of his identical twin sister Jill (also Adam Sandler). Jill’s neediness and passive-aggressiveness is maddening to Jack, turning his normally tranquil life upside down. Katie Holmes plays Erin, Jack’s wife.
Movie Review:
I guess this is a phase and rite of passage that every male comedian will go through like a mid life crisis, with the likes of Robin Williams becoming the matronly Mrs Doubtfire, Rob Schneider becoming The Hot Chick, and on this side of the world, we have Jack Neo in drag in a number of roles, and Dennis Chew becoming a household name as Aunty Lucy. Or perhaps with the string of mediocre box office results nobody wanted to pair up with Adam Sandler that he has to put on makeup and prosthetics to play his own twin Jill.
Written by Steve Koren and Sandler himself based on a story by Ben Zook, there's nothing really standing out in this story except to string a series of trying, laugh-a-minute attempts in showing how an obnoxious twin (which can be substituted by enemy, best friend, dog, etc) comes into the life of the other and ruining it from Day One, with everyone around the victim advising tolerance. I suppose that's the message here, with blood being thicker than water and all that, especially someone who shares almost a carbon copy of one's physical appearance. In this case, Jill comes into Jack's life (both twins played by Sandler if you don't already realize) and turning the latter's home and family upside down.
To keep it like a Sandler film, Jack's family must be dysfunctional, so he has the most beautiful wife Erin (Katie Holmes) who seem to have problems conceiving (ok, so I made that up) because their kids Sofia (Elodie Tougne) and Gary (Rohan Chand) are strange enough to send chills up your spine that something is fundamentally wrong, and unfunny. In any case Jill gatecrashes like she always does during Thanksgiving, and drives Jack up the wall with her outlandish, loud ways. Which of course opens a lot of doors to physical and practical jokes, with scenes specifically set up for toilet humour if one is a fan of these things.
While I have to admit there were scenes that were genuinely funny in parts, these were rare, and most of the time you're left wondering why the story isn't really going anywhere, not that a film like this needed one, but you'd realize that a Sandler film normally has a direction it sets itself up to go to. Director Dennis Dugan, who has plenty of experience with Sandler films from Happy Gilmore all the way to Chuck & Larry, Zohan, Grown Ups and Just Go with It, could have done better than just slapping scenes together that seemed reluctant to let go of humiliating both the Jack and Jill characters for the sake of bad humour. Jill wants to find romance, while Jack wants to hold onto his largest customer account in Dunkin Donuts, which insisted on Al Pacino starring in their latest ad promoting "Dunkicino" (whatever that is), and Al Pacino taking on a romantic fondness for Jill. Connect the dots, and you have the story.
But wait, did I mention THE Al Pacino? The Al Godfather Pacino? The Al Pacino who made you say hello to his little friend the tommy gun? What is Al Pacino doing here??? (added punctuation for shock and bewilderment). You cannot help but to weep and wonder whether Pacino has tremendous bills to pay that he has to star in the film like this one, or owed someone such a huge favour that he has to parody himself to make amends. Yes, you read that right, he stars as himself, not as a character, but himself. I can imagine that he's wondering how peers like De Niro made the smooth transition to comedy, and probably wanted to try his hand at the same, but seriously, it's a bad career move. In fact it's a disaster that when the piece de resistance of his presence, that near impossible Dunkin Donut ad came to fruition, you'll probably feel sad for Pacino and wonder how he can singlehandedly trash his entire filmography with such a trashy performance that is so bad it's going to be more memorable to audiences than his Michael Corleone outings. And to have his loins spurred for Jill? Oh my goodness.
The only redeeming factor is perhaps the faux pas interviews with supposedly real twins in the prologue and epilogue, where sets of siblings come out to talk about their other half, and you can feel something real about those banter than everything else that the movie can muster. The only coup the film scored is the casting of Al Pacino, otherwise this is frankly one overlong, tired affair and Adam Sandler really has to dig deep to recover from this dismal effort. And that's coming from a fan.
Movie Rating:
(This will be funny if Al Pacino was Jill. Really.)
Review by Stefan Shih
SYNOPSIS: After one day together - July 15th, 1988, their university graduation - Emma Morley (Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess of Across the Universe) begin a friendship that will last a lifetime. She is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. He is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, key moments of their relationship are experienced over several July 15ths in their lives. Together and apart, we see Dex and Em through their friendship and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. Somewhere along their journey, these two people realize that what they are searching and hoping for has been there for them all along. As the true meaning of that one day back in 1988 is revealed, they come to terms with the nature of love and life itself.
MOVIE REVIEW:
It’s a very romantic notion, really. A boy and a girl spend the night together after their college graduation, and each year they meet to see where they are in their lives. This happens for a sluggish 108 minutes, oops, sorry, we meant for 20 years. So what was it in this Lone Scherfig directed romantic drama that got led to that Freudian slip?
Let’s see – we’ve got Emma who is smart and Dexter who is charming. After spending one night (without having sex!) after meeting at their graduation, we see them coming together every 15 July. So Emma is intelligent but she doesn’t become successfully quickly. And Dexter seems like a jerk but is having all the luck with fame and women. Through the years they grow apart as their lives take very different directions. Will they eventually be together?
Based on English novelist David Nicholls’ book of the same name, this adaptation feels like one that has been done to death, with an ending you can predict 10 minutes into the movie. So there you are, waiting to see the outcome at the couple’s 20thmeeting. As the years pass, events which are uninterestingly humdrum are presented on screen. You see Emma and Dexter coming together, sharing intimate moments and updating each other about how they are doing. You see this friendship develop into an inevitable relationship with romantic tunes like Ronan Keating’s “Life is a Rollercoaster”, Tears for Fears’ “Sowing the Seeds of Love” and Elvis Costello’s “Tear off my own Head” playing in the background.
We haven’t read the bestselling source material, but this movie adaptation lacks an emotional depth that we have seen in other chick flicks like Love and Other Drugs, Letters to Juliet and Going the Distance. Also, despite the picturesque backdrops of Scotland, England and France, we found it difficult to feel for the characters.
It’s a good thing though, that the cast delivered a commendable performance. Anne Hathaway plays Emma with just the right amount of cuteness (boo to the awkward accent though), while Jim Sturgess is charming and charismatic. Supporting characters played by Patricia Clarkson, Ken Scott and romola Garai may be forgettable, but the ensemble seemed to give their all.
Director Scherfig’s last feature film An Education captured the attention of cinema goers with its engaging storytelling, so it’s a great pity that her latest work is a yawn fest. We are not cynics because we know it would be really lovely to be the protagonists of this 20 year old romance, but to watch it unfold on screen is just too much of a bore to us.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This Code 3
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual transfer of the movie is fine, and is presented in its original English dialogue.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD RATING :
Review by John Li
Genre: Superhero/Action/Thriller
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Adam Rodriguez, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Joey King, Josh Pence, Nestor Carbonell, Matthew Modine, Tom Conti, Liam Neeson
RunTime: 2 hrs 45 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG (Action Violence)
Official Website: http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/
Opening Day: 19 July 2012
Synopsis: Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' "The Dark Knight Rises" is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar(R) winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar(R) winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie en Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar(R) winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar(R) winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox. The screenplay is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on "Batman Begins" and the record-breaking blockbuster "The Dark Knight." The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by Bob Kane.
Movie Review:
If there was anyone who could top ‘The Dark Knight’, it would have to be Christopher Nolan himself. It’s no small feat even for the masterful director - not least for the fact that it would have been difficult to construct a villain as perfect as the late Heath Ledger’s Joker – but fans who ever doubted if Nolan would be able to pull it off can now rest easy. Not only is the answer to that question an affirmative yes, Nolan closes quite possibly the very best comic-book adaptation ever with a heart-stopping bang, once and for all putting his stamp on the Batman legend with a viscerally thrilling and emotionally gripping conclusion.
Familiarity with the Gotham universe and the Bruce Wayne/ Batman character that Nolan had built over the course of ‘Batman Begins’ and ‘The Dark Knight’ is a must if one were to truly appreciate and admire the subtleties, nuances and brilliance of this trilogy capper. For the benefit of the uninitiated, Batman literally began as a broken man - eternally haunted by the death of his parents when he was just a young boy - finds purpose and meaning through defending the city of his birth from the forces of anarchy. Then in ‘The Dark Knight’, Batman’s methods of vigilantism were called into question by none other than the Joker himself, with the caped crusader eventually sacrificing his name for a greater good.
Opening eight years after Batman disappeared into the shadows carrying the burden of District Attorney Harvey Dent’s murder, Nolan and his co-screenwriter Johnathan Nolan paint a Gotham still living a lie. While Dent’s legacy has assisted the city to lock up its criminals without trial, the seeds of criminalism are evident- after all, Gotham has once again been divided by class, with the wealthy controlling the institutions of power and the poor forced to grovel in the sewers. Those who recall ‘Batman Begins’ will certainly draw the parallels with Gotham before Batman’s appearance, the very societal malaise perfect fodder for Ra’s al Ghul and his League of Shadows’ plan of destruction then.
Of course, the similarities are no coincidence- Batman’s adversary here is the vicious mercenary Bane (Tom Hardy), who was a student of the League of Shadows before he was ex-communicated from the organisation for being even too extremist for them. Sure, Bane may not be as familiar a villain within the Batman universe as the Joker, but a sensationally exhilarating mid-air hijack sequence will soon demonstrate that Bane isn’t kidding when he proclaims himself as ‘Gotham’s reckoning’. Not only an intellectual equal to Batman, Bane is also physically superior, especially given Bruce’s poor state of health following his self-imposed seclusion in the eight years that have followed.
Bane’s strategy of upending the class inequality will intrigue and delight the more cerebral viewers (read: those who spent hours debating over the logic in Nolan’s last movie ‘Inception’), while his physicality will excite the adrenaline-driven (and predominantly male) viewer looking for some good-old mano-a-mano action goodness. Herein lies the genius of Nolan’s films- built as they may be for blockbuster spectacle, they have always had an intellectual slant, never dumbed down just to cater to the masses, and ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is no different. The realities of our capitalist societies have been distilled and crystallised into that of Gotham, and the triggers of class warfare laid bare for our reflection.
Even as it feels expansive in scope, Nolan never loses sight of his titular character. This is by far his most intimate take on Bruce Wayne/ Batman, returning full circle to examine Wayne’s motivations for adopting the alter-ego in the first place as well as his inner demons. In particular, Nolan reinforces the relationship between Batman and his two guardians- the loyal Wayne family butler Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and the equally loyal Wayne Enterprises employee Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Some of the most poignant scenes in the movie belong to Alfred’s exhortation for Bruce to put aside his alter-ego once and for all- ‘I will not bury another member of the Wayne family’, says Alfred, and only the hardest of hearts will not be moved by that heartbreaking plea.
Besides casting light on Wayne’s troubled soul, Nolan also delves once again into the core of the Batman legend. He established Batman as a symbol of hope and justice before, and here he powerfully reaffirms that notion of the caped crusader as a beacon of promise and perseverance amidst a fallen world. ‘The Batman can be anyone’, says Bruce Wayne in the movie- and Nolan leaves that statement ringing in your mind with a franchise feeder of an ending and a nifty twist to one of the key new characters he adds.
We won’t spoil the surprise by revealing which one it is, but suffice to say that Nolan introduces three interesting supporting acts here – the cat burglar Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), the beautiful philanthropist Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard), and the idealistic young police officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). The plotting here is nothing short of remarkable, and the story unfolds in ways that you never imagine, weaving together these new characters with familiar faces (including cameos of characters from previous instalments). Especially worthy of mention is how Batman and Selina’s fates (we hesitate from using her moniker ‘Catwoman’ since it’s never mentioned at all in the film) are so closely intertwined from start to finish, topped off with a burst of emotion that will have you cheering.
Whether returning or new characters, all but Anne Hathaway have worked with Nolan previously, and every one of these fine actors are in top form here. Hathaway’s zestful performance brings some welcome levity into the otherwise grim and brooding proceedings, and Levitt perfectly embodies the balance of optimism and pragmatism of his character. As Bane, Tom Hardy is unfortunately saddled with the bane (pun intended) of following in the shoes of Heath Ledger- and though he never manages to make his character quite as iconic, he is nevertheless a fearsome and formidable physical presence onscreen. Veteran actors Gary Oldman (as Commissioner Gordon), Freeman and Caine are excellent as always, but it is Bale who carries the show with a thoroughly committed, haunting and hypnotic portrayal of Bruce Wayne.
Mesmerising too is Nolan’s handling of the action scenes in the movie, most of which are filmed with IMAX cameras and look absolutely stunning in the format. From the opening skyjacking to blowing up a football field in the middle of a packed stadium to a daring mid-day raid on the Stock Exchange, Nolan spares nothing in ensuring that the action is consistently riveting. It is also never less than realistic, a quality that Nolan has managed to sustain through every one of his Batman films. And together with his regular d.p. Wally Pfister, Nolan creates a scarily authentic portrait of urban warfare complete with the collapse of physical and social structures.
Indeed, as one looks back at Nolan’s trilogy, one can only marvel at how he has managed to make the Batman universe so relevant and prescient to our real world. Unlike the Marvel movies which has kept the comic book universe intact while injecting real-world elements, Nolan has so beautifully integrated the twin universes together, sacrificing neither the legend from the books nor the realities of today’s society. ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is an epic conclusion all right, packed with action, emotion, depth and symbolism, and a must-see simply because it is one of the very best films of the year.
Movie Rating:
(Rising above the weight of even the loftiest of audience expectations, Christopher Nolan’s capper to his Batman trilogy packs exhilarating action and poignant emotion in equal measure- and qualifies as one of the finest examples of intelligent blockbuster entertainment)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Comedy
Director: Rémi Bezançon
Cast: Louise Bourgoin, Pio Marmaï, Josiane Balasko, Thierry Frémont, Gabrielle Lazure, Firmine Richard, Anaïs Croze
RunTime: 1 hr 47 mins
Released By: MVP & Golden Village
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes And Some Nudity)
Official Website:
Opening Day: 12 January 2012
Synopsis: Barbara (Louise Bourgoin), a young graduate student, is madly in love with her boyfriend Nicolas (Pio Marmai) and deep into writing her thesis when she learns she is pregnant. Reeling from the initial shock, Barbara alternates between excitement and trepidation. Amidst a flurry of congratulations, she tries in vain to conform to the image of the happy expectant mother, but is instead exasperated by the tedious yogic breathing classes, and finds herself complaining to her girlfriend about her suffering sex life. Once her baby is born, everything becomes alarmingly real. She's faced with a helpless little being who needs everything from her—love most of all. But despite the support of those around her, including that of her devoted partner, Barbara struggles to connect with her child.
Movie Review:
All of us have our ‘first times’. The first time you meet the boy/girl you fall in love at first sight, the first time you go on a date with that special someone… ‘A Happy Event’ is about all of that, and also about the couple welcoming a new life into their marriage for the first time.
This is the third feature from French writer-director Remi Bezancon. You have to trust him to know his stuffs. As the movie title suggests, it should convey happiness. But well, like we all know, life is not all about skittles and beer. This is exactly what is portrayed in the movie. Amidst the fun and happiness, there comes great changes and great responsibility that comes with the birth of the child.
The first arc of the movie basically consists of a lot of tongue-in-cheek humour, from the cheesy pick-up tactics to the courtship between Barbara (Louise Bourgoin) and Nicolas (Pio Marmai). It is entertaining and hilarious, yet not too over the top. The next arc of the movie documents the struggles of Babara as she is pregnant. Much to her horror, the baby seems to be controlling her body more than she could imagine. Her hormonal imbalance due to the physiological change causes her to have emotional instability, weird cravings and all that. Pretty much what a mother, and people who watched someone close becoming a mother, can connect and identify with. All these are pretty much told in Babara’s perspective, and adorned with pretty good humour.
The final arc of the movie, tells of the life after the child is born. The happy event is not one that only concerns the couple, but it also impacts their family members. The strain in family relationships and many of the arguments are born from the debate of ‘who is in-charge’, and the protective mum who says ‘this is my baby’ and ‘I will have it my way’. It is probably one aspect that could strike a chord with many people; people who have seen someone close going through the post-natal blues and the fear of not playing the role of the mother well. It starts to get a little emotional, but the humour is still well maintained, which includes Babara’s whole new obsession on breast-feeding.
Overall, the movie conveys pretty much about happiness and the joy of welcoming a first child despite all the down and perhaps ugly sides of it. The clever use of the CGI and the Babara in her near flawless prosthetic tummy makes it unbelievably realistic; definitely exciting and a joy to watch those changes happen. It’s really as though you’ve seen Babara through her nine months of hardship. The movie is high in its entertainment value, from beginning till end. From production to writing, it is sincere in its delivery with an unexpected heart-warming touch to it. Just the right balance for a movie of its kind!
Movie Rating:
(For a change, let the little one warm your heart!)
Review by Tho Shu Ling
Genre: Horror/Thriller/Crime
Director: Steven R. Monroe
Cast: Sarah Butler, Jeff Branson, Andrew Howard, Daniel Franzese, Rodney Eastman, Chad Lindberg, Tracey Walter, Mollie Milligan, Saxon Sharbino
RunTime: 1 hr 48 mins
Released By: Shaw
Rating: R21 (Sexual Violence And Strong Torture Scenes)
Official Website: http://www.ispitonyourgravemovie.com/
Opening Day: 12 January 2012
Synopsis: A beautiful woman from the city, Jennifer Hills, rents an isolated cabin in the country to write her latest novel. Soon, a group of local lowlifes subject Jennifer to a nightmare of degradation, rape and violence. Left for dead, she returns for vengeance. Trapping her male attackers one-by-one, she inflicts acts of physical torment upon them with a ferocity that surpasses her own ordeal. When the carnage clears, victim has become victor.
Movie Review:
I have to admit I was surprised that this film even made it here, given its controversial subject matter and much talked about scenes of torture, sodomy and gang rape, amongst other acts of brutal violence wrapped in a story of vengeance. Then one starts to realize after the screening that perhaps it wasn't as bad as many had made it out to be, since there were worst films being released into the cinemas from the torture porn genre, before a quick check shows a conspicuous discrepancy in running time, with the unrated version (the film wasn't rated by the MPAA in the USA) being 4 minutes longer than the R21 passed with cuts version that's going to be screened here.
So we got a sanitized version, and those 4 minutes could have been a really rough ride given it was nearly undetectable in the cut (pardon the pun) shown here, which means entire scenes were likely to have been snipped off (oops, another pun, my apologies). These could come either in the first or second half of the film which was really a tale of two halves, and what those scenes were are anyone's guess, perhaps an extension of what's already being put on screen, but shortened to spare you that upset stomach or the need to puke. Which begs the question if the film's intent is graphic violence, what's the point then to even make such a film, or bring it into a country like ours where the censors will have a field day?
The original I Spit on Your Grave back in 1978, also known as Day of The Woman, was vile and pointless enough for Roger Ebert to give it a 0 rating, which he continued to also give the same rating with this remake. It sure looked like your average chop-socky Blaxploitation flick, until director of that 1978 original Meir Zarchi came out to clarify that the story isn't too far fetched as it was based on something which his friend had encountered when he had helped a young woman who was raped and crawled naked out of the bushes in a park, and then experiencing really incredibly bad support from law enforcement. That became the premise in which some dramatic license was added into, and a film was born. Perhaps the graphic nature of it all was to serve as a shocking wake up call to apathy, and to bring about an awareness and campaign to address violence against women.
But if that was the intent of the original, then I'm not sure what the intent was for the remake, other than to exercise someone's sick nature to do something on screen that nobody in the right frame of mind can do in real life. It may appeal to those who have an affinity for torture porn flicks, but sometimes a line has to be drawn in the sand as to how much and how graphic should something be done in the name of art. Granted that this film tried to mask the most obscene moments through quick cuts and fades to black (then again, we got 4 minutes removed, remember?) but one's largest organ, the one filled with imagination will carry on and close what's not seen on screen.
The story's simple enough, involving a young, attractive female writer (Sarah Butler) going into the woods alone, renting a cabin in the middle of nowhere for some peace and quiet to inspire her in the writing of her next novel. A chance encounter with a group of redneck ruffians and an overly friendly peck on the cheek gesture toward a mentally challenged teen meant everyone breaking into her temporal home for some booty with the involvement of an immoral police officer, before finally getting an opportunity to break away after a terrifying ordeal, and disappearing for a month. This provides time for the group to exhaust their means to track her down and finish her off, and time for her to exact her revenge, one by one.
It's a fairly typical narrative of revenge films, with the exception of choice by the filmmakers to include explicit scenes of graphic violence and torture. There's sodomy, tooth extraction (without anaesthesia), genitalia mutilation, facial attacks in the most vile manner, amongst others. Yes it's a showcase for the makeup and effects teams to show off what they can do. The narrative provided some discussion points whether the perpetrators deserve what they got coming, and to a certain extreme extent, whether Sarah Butler's character became who she was due to the shocking attack that transformed her from meek writer into an unflinching psychopath that we would be drawn into cheering for, which sort of makes this an unfair, one-sided gladiatorial match with the audience ourselves baying for blood to spill.
Still, if there are any lessons to be taken away regarding travel safety, it will involve never to tell strangers that you're lost and unfamiliar with the terrain, and never to reveal exactly where you're staying to them, especially if you're that gungho single lone female on your travels. You may be lucky most of the time, until you meet the wrong chaps who decide during drunken dare games to think with their other heads instead.
Movie Rating:
(And the point of spitting on anyone's grave is... ?)
Review by Stefan Shih
Genre: Fantasy/Action
Director: Mans Marlind, Bjorn Stein
Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Michael Ealy, Stephen Rea, Charles Dance, India Eisley, Sandrine Holt, Theo James, Richard Cetrone, Robert Lawrenson
RunTime: 1 hr 28 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence)
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Official Website: http://www.entertheunderworld.com/
Opening Day: 2 February 2012
Synopsis: "Underworld: Awakening" brings a stunning new dimension to the epic battle between Vampires and Lycans, as the first film in the franchise to shoot in 3D. Kate Beckinsale, star of the first two films, returns in her lead role as the vampire warrioress Selene, who escapes imprisonment to find herself in a world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans, and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species.
Movie Review:
Just as how Milla Jovovich has come to define the ‘Resident Evil’ film series, Kate Beckinsale’s name has become synonymous with the ‘Underworld’ franchise- so much so that the third instalment ‘Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’ which she sat out in place of her doppelganger Rhona Mitra ended up with the worst box-office of the trilogy. And so her husband Len Wiseman has wisely (pardon the pun) placed her front and centre into this fourth entry, which eases up on the mythology of the earlier films in favour of a balls-out wall-to-wall action-packed thrill ride.
You could say that ‘Underworld: Awakening’ has gone somewhat the way of the ‘Resident Evil’ movies, where plot is kept to a minimum and the absence of which is substituted with loud, and we mean very loud, action of the sexy female in spandex type. Ah yes, did we forget to mention that Beckinsale still looks smashing as ever in her black leather outfit, the very opportunity to see her kick ass enough to draw out genre fanboys of all ages? Indeed, Beckinsale is an arresting presence playing the vampire warrioress Selene, even as the story proves less so.
Not to fret if you haven’t seen the earlier movies, Swedish directors Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein do neophytes a favour with a tidy recap of the key events of the first two movies ‘Underworld’ and ‘Underworld: Evolution’ before unveiling the current state of affairs where vampire and werewolf alike are now hunted by the humans bent on exterminating both species. Lured into an ambush with her lover, the vampire-Lycan hybrid Michael (Scott Speedman), Selene is left cryogenically frozen for 12 years. Her release from the detention lab of Antigen, a biotech firm looking to engineer a vaccine against vampires and Lycans, was no accident- she is freed by another test subject.
Turns out the head scientist Dr Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea) has also been experimenting with her daughter Eve (India Eisley), the latter’s sudden transformation in the midst of a high-speed chase from hapless child to feral vampire-werewolf hybrid not for the weak of heart. Selene and Eve find shelter with David (the fittingly buff Theo James) whose father Thomas (Charles Dance) is the head of a vampire coven living below ground. Lycans come, kill most of the clan, take Eve away, prompting Selene to go to her rescue, but not before finding an unlikely ally in the form of a sympathetic cop Sebastian (Michael Ealy). That about is as much narrative the quartet of writers (Len Wiseman, John Hlavin, J. Michael Straczynski, and Allison Burnett) brings to the brief 84-min movie, leaving the rest of the work to Marlind and Stein.
Thankfully, the pair, who is attempting their first big-screen Hollywood feature, proves more than worthy for the task. Making full-use of their mid-sized budget, they stage a couple of impressive action setpieces- beginning with Selene’s breakout from the maximum-security Antigen lab, to a vicious attack by the Lycans on the underground vampire covenant, and culminating finally in a thrilling three-way fight that pits Selene against an alpha Lycan, Eve against Dr Lane, and David against a horde of Lycans- despite the fact that none of them particularly put the third dimension (a first for the franchise) to good use.
Marlind and Stein also deserve compliments for not overdosing on the slo-mo (here’s looking at you, Paul W.S. Anderson) and framing each scene properly so you can take in the action in its full glory. For action fans, this is simply an orgasmic pleasure, with nary a dull moment throughout the entire movie- the tense and tight pacing admittedly one of the advantages of having the leanest runtime of the entries.
That said, it sacrifices character (Rea’s one-dimensional villain is a poor substitute for Bill Nighy’s deliciously evil vampire elder) and narrative depth (Wiseman’s earlier attempts to build modern-day vampire folklore is all but missing here)- both of which may earn the ire of some franchise fans. Still, this is the most consistently action-packed entry of the franchise, and succeeds admirably on the level of an adrenaline-fuelled thrill ride. As per the norm for franchise entries, it leaves room for yet another chapter, though we hope that the next time we revisit the ‘Underworld’, there will be more reason to stay on than just Beckinsale and some furious non-stop action.
Movie Rating:
(Sacrificing plot and character in favour of pure all-out action, this fourth entry promises thrilling action and the return of Kate Beckinsale in tight spandex)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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