Evolution (2001)

Director: Ivan Reitman
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: audio, subtitles
Trailer

Ah, remember the hey-day of comedic alien action flicks? There was Men In Black, Mars Attacks, Starship Troopers and yes…Evolution. These days it seems to be all about remaking the classics, I, Robot (ok, not about aliens), War of the Worlds, Superman Returns (yes, he’s an alien). I say, let’s bring back the gun-totin’ wise-crackin’ green-blooded days of yore. What about a Ryan Reynolds and Linda Hamilton duo of everydayman fights the menace from Mars? You can’t tell me that Jeff Goldblum wouldn’t make a good astrophysicist trying to keep the military from vaporizing his specimens. Yes, I could conjure plot line after plot line on that topic, but that’s not what we’re here for, is it?

The alien invasion in Evolution arrives by way of meteor, carrying tiny spores of life. Dr. Block (Orlando Jones) and Ira Kane (David Duchovny) are two science teachers at a local community college. When they catch wind of the smoldering rock, they arrive on the scene and quickly collect samples. Back at the lab, they discover that the samples host a soup of single-celled organisms rapidly dividing and changing. In short order, the alien cells become flatworms and from that point, their “evolution” explodes. When our heroes trek back to the crash site, they see that, much to their chagrin, the military has taken over. What begins as a battle of legal rights to research studies, quickly grows into a battle for the human inhabitants of the city. Luckily, they’ve got Dr. Allison Reed (Julianne Moore) who crosses over from the military sector and Wayne Grey (Seann William Scott) a local wannabe fireman on their side. The plot is a good one. It stems initially, from Block’s and Ira’s hopes for fame, which is a departure from the usual fleet of flying saucers. The aliens don’t seem consciously bent on global conquest either. There are no spokes-creatures making demands or laser blasts from tripods. The creatures are seemingly interested only in adaptation and survival. I have to admit that I found myself sympathizing with the invaders.

Plot: 4 stars

Duchovny and Jones make a good comedy team. The movie also hosts a decent cast of established actors from Julianne Moore to Dan Aykroyd. The entire cast pulled together nicely and I can’t think of any glaring moments of loathing for any one character. It was easy to see Duchovny as an ex-military schoolteacher, who’s somewhat washed up. I could also see him befriending Dr. Block and humoring his lecherous after-school “tutoring”. I do think that Duchovney and Moore would have some sinfully ugly offspring though.

Acting: 3 ½ stars

Why is it that I enjoy a good mall thrashing so much? A movie always seems to gain points with me if there are shattering shop windows and screaming consumers scattered about. The first alien mutation to become tolerant to Earth’s atmosphere is a four-legged dragon-like creature. After witnessing it’s mucousey birth and subsequent liftoff, Ira and Block chase the beast to the local shopping complex. Once inside, our heroes smash open a sporting goods gun display and head off after their specimen and its shoplifter prey. It’s a fun scene with lots of ridiculous posing and manly postures. There are also massive detonations of napalm, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Action: 4 stars

Evolution is packed with CGI. At the time the movie was made, computer graphics hadn’t quite reached the point of glistening realism that they have today. Consequently, the visual effects aren’t that spectacular. But, since this is a comedy, and the audience isn’t expected to take anything seriously, it’s not such a crime that the monsters lack a certain polish. I think the ape creature – which was most likely a costume – was a neat design and the cave that becomes the creatures birthplace has a nicely creepy air, if somewhat Star Trekey (Old School, of course). My major gripe about the effects in this film is that none of the alien abominations seem very original at all. From flatworms, to slugs, to reptiles and then apes, all of the spawning creatures mimic Earth life much too closely.

Visual: 3 stars

At last some memorable, albeit not astounding, lines of dialogue from a film! In one scene, Ira is advising his friend not to hope for cooperation from the military. He alludes to some past experience with the government. Allow yourself, for a moment, to believe that he’s talking about The X-Files. The lamest moment of dialogue comes after the rescue of the shoplifter in the mall. I bet you can guess what she says from miles away. So not funny.

Dialogue: 3 ½ stars

I enjoyed Evolution quite a bit. If you asked my brother, he’d tell you that the movie went well with “the munchies”. The next time you want to go retro (read late 90’s to early 2000’s) with your movie choice, pick up Evolution and enjoy some relaxed laughs for a couple of hours.

Alternate viewing choice: Mars Attacks
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The New World (2005)

Director: Terrence Malick
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: making of
Trailer

I initially started this review with a long paragraph about what a great director Ridley Scott is and how upset I was that he let me down with The New World. However, after visiting the ever so helpful website IMDB, I discover that it wasn’t Ridley Scott, but Terrence Malick who’d done such a horrible impression of Ridley Scott’s directing style.

The New World is a retelling of the Pocahontas story. Only, unlike the Disney version, this movie follows the tale beyond her relationship with John Smith. The film opens with Smith’s (Colin Farrell) arrival on the shores of the lush, fertile land of the Eastern coast. His shipmates begin to build shelter while he explores the neighboring terrain. Soon, he is discovered by the natives and spends time with the tribe learning to communicate. His primary tutor is the Chief’s daughter, Pocahontas (Q’Orianka Kilcher), who he finds himself falling in love with. Eventually, her love for him leads her to be banished from her people and she comes to learn the ways of European life. But, this is no love story, as the trailer would lead you to believe. Smith gives up the settlement and the princess in exchange for his lust for adventure and goes off to explore another shore. Our heroine nearly looses her mind out of grief, but manages to cope with a new lifestyle. And so the story progresses, bringing Pocahontas overseas to the Old World. Despite the issues I had with the directing, the movie really does a good job of showing how strong of a character this woman was. Although it’s disjointed in some parts and seems terribly long, the story isn’t a bad at all.

Plot: 3 stars

All of the actors portraying Native Americans in The New World did excellent work. They really gave the sense of being closer to nature and wise in the ways of the land. It was nice to see that the culture wasn’t made a mockery of. Looking back on the movie, I think that Q’Orianka Kilcher did a fantastic job in her role as the princess of legend. It was only my dissatisfaction with some of the other elements that initially caused me to think her acting was poor. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I’m as pleased with Farrell or Bale. Since Farrell was my main motivation for renting the movie, my expectations were not remotely met.

Acting: 3 stars

Anytime there are settlers and natives in a movie, there is bound to be some conflict. It’s the reflection of a shameful history. The main action sequence is the native attack on the settlement, which, in true Scott fashion, is a bit disjointed and chaotic. It’s bloody and people get taken out left and right, on both sides. The battle is difficult to follow and not particularly well choreographed. There is also some in-fighting between the settlers, which, although probably historically accurate, was a bit unsettling (hee hee).

Action: 1 star

The landscape of The New World is lush and green and beautiful. The sets were realistic and the whole movie felt very true to the time period and circumstances involved with the story. The costumes are well done also. Thankfully, there wasn’t any CGI. Several scenes are filmed in the same dicey fashion as the action sequence and it makes for terrible flow within the story. If you’ve seen Ridley Scott’s The Thin Red Line, it’s a similar style, but not nearly as effectively accomplished.

Visual: 2 ½ stars

The dialogue in The New World was, for lack of a good descriptive metaphor, really lame. In several scenes there are voice-overs of the characters thoughts, which, in itself, isn’t a bad method of storytelling, but work poorly in the film. For one thing, it doesn’t make any sense to have Pocahontas think in English before she has a good understanding of it spoken. For another, the inner thoughts of the two lead male characters don’t seem to have any place in the story. I think of it almost as a way of cheating. Instead of giving insight to these men using their actions or their speech, the audience is just told what they’re thinking. I don’t think that there was consistency in the characters’ accents either.

Dialogue: 1 star

I was really disappointed with the film overall. I was disappointed with John Smith for being such a slime ball. I kept wondering if the movie would ever end. Unless you are a hard core Pocahontas enthusiast, steer clear of The New World and explore another shore.

Alternate viewing choice: Dead Man
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Final Destination 3 (2006)

Director: James Wong
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: trailers, making of, "choose their fate" feature, animated short, documentary, extended scenes, commentary, DVD-ROM material
Trailer

Even though this is the third installment in the Final Destination series, it’s not terribly necessary to have seen the previous two. Some reference is made to the first movie, but none at all to the second. There are no repeat characters from any of the prior cast either. Expect a high school atmosphere with a decent dose of gore mixed in. It’s different from the average teen horror flick in that it’s not a “slasher” movie and doesn’t follow the usual “if you do drugs or have sex, you die” morality. The overlaying premise of all three movies is as follows: one person has a ghastly premonition. That person saves a group of people from a horrible disaster. Since Death has been cheated, each person who was initially saved is now a target for some subsequent twisted demise. Basically, it’s as if Death must catch up and even the score. Each survivor of the first accident must die in the order they were originally intended to. One of the plot devices that I find entertaining is the trail of “clues” that make it possible to determine how the next person will die.

In Final Destination 3, a group of senior high school students is enjoying their class party at an amusement park. Wendy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) our “clairvoyant” is taking pictures for the yearbook. If you haven’t figured out what the disaster is going to be yet, you don’t have long to wait before the suspense is relieved. After she saves a group of fellow students, she goes home and mourns the death of her boyfriend. It isn’t until she reviews the photographs from that dreadful night that she starts to notice a pattern. Her jock friend Kevin (Ryan Merriman) also tips her off to something he read online about Flight 180 (from the first movie). The pair join forces and try to save the lives of the remaining survivors. Naturally, it’s hard to make believers out of everyone. For a teenage horror film, Final Destination 3 is a refreshing departure from most of the standard movies in that genre. I like the idea of “Death” as the antagonist, rather than some scary dude in a mask. There is a satisfactory amount of blood and guts. And, as previously mentioned, I like trying to decipher the messages and figure out how the next person will meet their end.

Plot: 3 ½ stars

The acting in this movie is what you might expect. The cast is a group of (I suspect) twenty some-things posing as teenagers. Final Destination 3 isn’t going to be nominated for any academy awards, surely, and I’d be surprised to see any of the actors going on to a prosperous Hollywood career. Certainly, none of them will show up in Final Destination 4, if there is one. I have definitely seen worse acting though.

Acting: 2 stars

I was satisfied with the amount of action in this film. There aren’t any terribly long periods of monotony between the bloodshed and there is a palatable degree of suspense. Once again, don’t expect any car chases or kung fu.

Action: 2 ½ stars

The important visual effects in this movie, naturally, involve the deaths of each character. There isn’t any detectable CGI, and I think the film was better off without it. The gore and special effects are gruesome and realistic. I love spattering blood! Final Destination 3 doesn’t offer anything in the way of other-worldly atmosphere, but it wasn’t meant to. All in all, visually stunning it was not, but neither was it cheesy or fake.

Visual: 3 stars

Regarding the dialogue in the movie, I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a group of teenagers to produce dialogue that was trite, forced and obnoxious. There was only one scene that felt out of place.Wendy turns, at one point, to her younger sister for support. Apparently, she’s so very burdened with guilt over not being able to save her boyfriend’s life, that she needs comfort an understanding from her sibling. I believe the scene was meant to give the impression of drawing the two characters closer together, but it just doesn’t work. The entire movie wouldn’t have suffered at all had this scene been cut. It doesn’t really play through. And, although Wendy is supposedly a person who needs to feel in control, and that line is driven into the ground throughout the film, there is no evidence through the acting or any other part of the dialogue to make this trait believable.

Dialogue: 2 ½ stars

In my opinion, this third movie didn’t measure up to the previous two. Maybe it was the cast of characters, or the repitition of the plot, or just that the other two were better all around. I wouldn’t consider buying the DVD- although it has some interesting options and I might watch it one more time, but that would be final.

Alternate viewing choice: Final Destination 2
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Venue: Theater
Starring: Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly, Orlando Bloom
trailer

If you haven’t seen the prequel to this movie, go and rent it now. There are loads of jokes and plot devices that require having seen the first movie to appreciate. Eventually, I will review that one as well, but take my word for it now – it’s great! I only wish there were more pirate movies of this caliber to enjoy. Oh please, oh please, let part 3 come out soon! In the past, I have dreaded follow-ups to my favorite movies. Lately though, movies like Spiderman and Lord of the Rings have proven that the rest of the series can be just as good as their predecessors.

Dead Man’s Chest picks up very near to where we last left Capt. Jack Sparrow (Depp), Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley). On the day of her wedding to Will, Swann is abducted from the altar and thrown in jail. The head of a powerful trading company has an interest in Jack Sparrow’s mysterious compass and knows that Will is the most likely person to be able to find it. So, Elizabeth will be pardoned if Turner can accomplish this task. Capt. Sparrow, meanwhile, is aboard the Black Pearl and has a quest of his own to fulfill. He needs the key to the Dead Man’s Chest, but his compass doesn’t seem to be leading him in the right direction anymore. The Dead Man in question is Davey Jones, an undead sailor with command over the Kraken, a feared and legendary tentacled beast. Swann has no intention of remaining in prison, however, and finds her way out to join the adventure. The plot is original, entertaining, and moves at a good pace.

Plot: 5 stars

All of the original characters from the first Pirates movie are back (with the original stars) along with a few interesting new ones. My favorites of the latter have got to be Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris), the voodoo priestess that helps our friends on their journey and the villain, Davey Jones. She could have worked on her accent a little more though. Depp, Bloom and Knightly are all wonderful in their parts. I have to say that I feel a twinge of jealousy over Kiera and her close proximity to the two leading men (not to mention her role in The Jacket), but I can’t honestly say that she’s a poor actress. Johnny Depp has always been one of my favorite actors, not just because he’s smokin’ hot, but also because he isn’t afraid to step out of Hollywood and take a few obscure roles here and there. In my humble opinion, he’s one of the most under-appreciated men in the business.

Acting: 5 stars

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest can boast to having loads of action. There isn’t a dull moment between the running, the fighting and the thrills. I would say that it is as well paced as the first film. Still, Yuen Woo Ping isn’t the action director, so I can’t possibly give a full star rating to anything less.

Action: 4 stars

This second film is as loaded, if not more so, with CGI as the first. All of the “bad guys” are varying abominations from the depths of the sea. One man has barnacles growing out of his face, while another has the head of a hermit crab. My favorite special effect is Davey Jones (Bill Nighy). His head is basically an octopus, but the undulating tentacles that make up his beard are mesmerizing. The Kraken is a well-created beast as well. Dead Man’s Chest manages to fill the screen with graphics that are obviously computer generated, and at the same time, fascinating and non-cheesy.

Visual: 4 ½ stars

The dialogue in this film is snappy and fun. Although not deep in levels of context, it’s entertaining. No favorite lines spring to mind, but it’s always fun to imitate pirate lingo.

Dialogue: 3 ½ stars

As soon as it’s feasible, I will be purchasing both the first and second films on DVD as well as a ticket to the next feature. I don’t claim to have heard any rumors regarding this movie’s follow-up, but the end is an obvious clue that we haven’t seen the end of the story.

Alternate viewing choice: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
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A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Director: Richard Linklater
Venue: Theater
Starring: Wynona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey, Jr., Woody Harrelson
Trailer

A Scanner Darkly, if you haven’t seen the trailers, is a movie that was filmed with real actors, and digitally animated over the footage. The technique has been used before in a movie called Waking Life and in a few investment firm commercials. Initially, it takes some getting used to, as the motion on the entire screen is very unusual. The movie was based on a book by a prominent science fiction author; Philip K. Dick. He also penned amazing novels like Blade Runner and Minority Report.

Bob Arctor(Keanu Reeves) is an under cover drug enforcement agent. He remains anonymous to his employers by way of a special suit that displays constantly shifting human images. Before going out into the field, he sheds the futuristic suit and shows his true face to the odd band of drug addicts that he’s infiltrated. It becomes clear very quickly that he is too caught up in his own, personal drug addiction, to operate much longer as an effective agent, let alone a functioning individual. The two hemispheres of his brain no longer have the synapses required to communicate with each other, which eventually leaves him with a bizarre dementia (a.k.a. perma-trip). If you’ve had enough experience with psychoactive substances, A Scanner Darkly might just give you a few unpleasant flashbacks. Although the film is set in the future, it isn’t so alien as to separate itself from the audience.

Plot: 4 stars

If Keanu Reeves hadn’t done Constantine, I might completely deplore him as an actor. Someone I do thoroughly detest is Wynona Ryder. Unfortunately, A Scanner Darkly features them both (shudder). It’s a good thing that the cast is of the “all-star” variety. Two prominent names that leap to mind are Robert Downey Jr. and Woody Harrelson. For a movie that only showed at the local art-houses, the script and the director packed enough credentials to draw the big money makers. That’s got to say something in and of itself. The group of people that Arctor has become involved with are all very, very believable drug users. If you’ve lived that lifestyle at one point or another, you probably know/knew guys just like these.

Acting: 4 ½ stars

A Scanner Darkly doesn’t have much in the way of action to speak of. There are a few moments of tension here and there, but nothing explosive.

Action: 1 star

What the movie lacks in action is made up for in visual effects. The entire film is basically one huge special effect. I like the direction that A Scanner Darkly and movies/commercials of its kind take in animation. The technique is still fairly new and unused, so it’s not as tiresome as a completely CGI film. It does, however, make me kind of queasy. For a drug movie, it’s just the perfect format.

Visual: 4 ½ stars

A Scanner Darkly is driven secondly by dialogue. Without it, Arctor’s failing grasp on sanity would not be nearly as apparent. The other characters wouldn’t be nearly as convincing either. And if it were a silent film, there would be hardly any way of following the plot. So, this movie’s dialogue is indispensable.

Dialogue: 4 ½ stars

The main reason why I won’t be rushing out to get A Scanner Darkly as soon as the DVD is released is that it left me in a miserable head-space.

Alternate viewing choice: Waking Life
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Master and Commander (2003)

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Director: Peter Weir
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: The Day After Tomorrow trailer, I, Robot “Inside Look” and Man On Fire trailer.
Trailer

After seeing the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I was hankering for more sea-faring adventure. While not at all a pirate movie, Master and Commander was the first film that sprang to my nautical mind. So, off I ran to the video store and picked up two movies about trans-oceanographic exploring. (I’m not telling what the other one was just yet). I still want pirates. But, I’ll take seamen as a substitute (hee hee)

Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) captains a large sailing ship under the directives of the British (?) Navy. The movie takes place during the war with Napoleon (1805) and Aubrey and his crew are to hunt down enemy ships. While sailing in mysterious waters, an enemy ship appears out of the fog and attacks. Not able to resist a good battle, Capt. Jack spends the rest of the movie pursuing the ghostly ship. There is a sub-plot regarding the relationship that the captain and his friend, the naturalist, have. The naturalist acts as a foil to Aubrey, but it’s a little transparent and doesn’t satisfy. The movies also features a handful of characters that the audience is meant to care about. However, I wasn’t able to feel any emotion or concern when the crew starts to drop off. This movie was based on a series of books by Patrick O’Brian. And, if I had more than just a passing interest in sailing, I might be tempted to pick them up. It’s almost always a good bet that a novel will be more entertaining than it’s adaptation and I get the sense that Master & Commander falls into that category.

Plot: 2 1/2 stars

All in all, the acting in this film was convincing. I could see Crowe as the fanatical captain and the rest of the crew met their roles well. Although I don’t generally enjoy child actors, the youngest member of the cast was tolerable. However, as I mentioned previously, I wasn’t able to muster up any real concern or attachment for anyone in the film. I would have been drawn more to the naturalist, if he hadn’t been such a prick. It could be that the foregoing is a fault of the script rather than the players involved. I spent a good deal of the movie playing “spot the hobbit”.

Acting: 3 stars

The action in Master and Commander is the one thing that drew me into the movie. There are cannon blasts, careening debris, sword-fights, floggings, and raging storms! I’m terrified of the sea (go figure) and so every hull breach and man-overboard made my toes curl. I can’t imagine what it must have been like “back in the day” when a ship full of men put their lives in the hands of a wooden sailing vessel and spent months away from solid ground. Well, actually, I can now. The action choreography during the sword fight left something to be desired. Why is it that American directors like to focus in close and make the combat confusing? I couldn’t tell which men were the good guys and which were bad. I couldn’t tell who was shot, stabbed or wounded until the final body count. Sure the cannon blasts were pulse-pounding, but certain scenes should have been less confusing. I realize that, in all actuality, a battle across two ships would be confusing. However, when making a film, there comes a time to set aside a little of that authenticity in the interest of your audience.

Action: 3 ½ stars

Master & Commander is visually wonderful. I was told that authentic sailing ships and true to period costuming were applied. Whether or not the scenes were actually filmed out at sea, it’s hard to determine. The visual appeal doesn’t lie in the use of color; most of the film is greyish blue with splashes of color dotted here and there. Where it lies, however, is in the set design and costuming. I can honestly write that some scenes almost made me seasick. That’s realistic.

Visual: 4 1/2 stars

Once again, I am disappointed by the lack of snappy dialogue. And while snappy dialogue doesn’t make a movie, it certainly adds an attractive element. I keep hoping for a film that leaves me either pondering several lines, or repeating them endlessly in my head. No such recognizable banter in Master and Commander. While the conversations between the naturalist and the commander intend to serve a specific purpose, they lack a certain follow-through. Aside from a few quips placed here and there, no actual substance appears to support the dialogue.

Dialogue: 3 stars

While this movie had action that drew me into the moment, I didn’t find that I was actually left with any lasting effect. I think Master and Commander would hold up to one repeat viewing, but that’s all. I won’t be purchasing the DVD. The features of the DVD suck drastically anyway. If you really, really like sea adventures and old-school boats, you might be able to get into this film. If not, I don’t think you’d cry over passing it up at the video store.

Alternate viewing choice: Pirates of the Caribbean (either one)
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The Matador (2005)

Director: Richard Shepard
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: making of, commentary, deleted scenes, radio program, trailers

Once again, I’ve been misled by another trailer. (I should start a list.) The trailer for The Matador never peaked my interest. I thought, “Oh great, yet another Pierce Brosnan spy/action flick.” However, the opportunity to see it came my way and we all know that Neko never passes up a free movie. I’m glad I gave it a chance, because it was not at all what I expected. Brosnan plays a hit man, employed by a certain mysterious party, but, he’s cracking up, losing it, and the wires in his head are getting crossed. Enter Greg Kinnear (i.e. comic relief)

The two characters meet in Mexico. Both are there for business, each of a different sort, of course. They share a few drinks, go to a bullfight, and become sort of awkward friends. They are definitely a mismatched pair. That’s where the comedy derives from. I expected the comedy in this to be cheesy at best, but I was once again surprised. The Matador manages a good blend of laughs and excitement. Julian Noble (Brosnan) begins to find that he can’t handle “the business” anymore, but he can’t get his employer to give him a vacation. So, he travels the world on a few more jobs until one goes awry. Now, he finds himself on the hit list and there’s only one person he can go to for help. Although, in most regards, the plot of this film isn’t terribly original, it’s pulled off very well. My only gripe is, “Couldn’t they have thought up a better title?”

Plot: 3 1/2 stars

Brosnan, of course is a fine actor. When I first saw Kinnear appear in the film, I rolled my eyes. I’ve never liked the characters Kinnear played in any film. I suppose that it’s not the man’s acting ability that I dislike, but the roles he chooses to play. So, I thought that his role in the Matador would be equally as irritating. While he does play somewhat similar to his previous roles, it somehow works well to juxtapoz Brosnan’s role. The supporting cast does a fine job as well, but these two men steal the show.

Acting: 5 stars

The Matador is as exciting as it is funny. Sure, there are no car chases, I don’t recall any explosions, and there certainly isn’t any Kung Fu. However, there is an element of danger, suspense, and anxiety. Whenever Julian shows up, tension is built from wondering what this man will do next and how he’s going to screw up. And then, on top of that, is Danny (Kinnear) going to go along with his hair-brained plans, or back out? There’s also the fact that Julian Noble is employed as a hit man and that’s exciting too.

Action: 2 ½ stars

The lack of international flavor that I experienced with Munich, was made up for with The Matador. Firstly, when the scene switches to a new country, a great, big, full-screen title announces the new venue. Sure, it sounds dopey, but it’s actually kinda cool. Secondly, when the title flashes, “MEXICO”, the sun is bright and tropical, the atmosphere is laid back, and the bartender speaks Spanish. It really feels like Mexico. When the title says, “RUSSIA”, the flavor of the scene changes completely. There are pictures of monuments and recognizable landmarks. The weather is appropriate, the costumes are appropriate and all the intangible essence of the place comes alive. The cinematography is superb and the sets are very well done.

Visual: 4 1/2 stars

Since most of the tension and comedy in the film stems from the dialogue, it would have been difficult to make the movie as entertaining without it. There aren’t any lines out of place or mismatched with the characters. However, I like to find catch phrases in movies that would make a good tattoo, neat to work into daily dialogue, or plaster on a t-shirt. There weren’t any in The Matador.

Dialogue: 3 ½ stars

To summarize, The Matador is a worthwhile movie experience. It wasn’t at all what I expected, and didn’t disappoint. Macey and Kinnear are a good match and the movie has all the elements for an entertaining evening in front of the DVD player. I’m not going to be purchasing the DVD however, because I don’t think the film has repeat viewing value.

Alternate viewing choice: The Man Who Wasn’t There
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Munich (2005)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: audio, subtitles, intro by Spielberg

The movie Munich was inspired by the terrorist abduction and massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. It features actual television news coverage from the event. However, instead of focusing on the attack itself, the movie revolves around the subsequent activities of a team of agents assigned to hunt down the men responsible. It centers on the man chosen to lead these clandestine activities and the psychological effects the mission has on him.

Munich is heavily charged with political commentary that is as relevant now as it was in 1972. I imagine that is why Spielberg chose to release this movie when he did. I also think this director likes to make movies from time to time that remind the film making community that he’s still very Jewish. Not being much of a history buff, and not having been around in 1972, I wasn’t previously aware of the Olympic tragedy in Munich. My lack of knowledge, however, didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the film. The opening scenes give enough background of the event to prepare the audience for the rest of the movie and does so quickly and actively enough to hold its interest. The movie’s basis on true events also serves to generate more of a desire to focus on what’s happening between the various players involved.

Plot: 4 stars

I really enjoyed the way Munich showed how effected these men were by everything going on around them. I found the acting in the movie convincing. The decline of the main character’s state of mind is consistent and apparent. It seems believable for a man in his situation. The men on his team are made up of the usual assortment of specialists, like an episode of Mission Impossible or The A-Team. There is the explosives specialist, the testosterone junky, and the clean-up expert. In this regard, Munich lost points for originality.

Acting: 3 stars

As should be expected of any espionage drama, there are plenty of action sequences. Although there isn’t much in the way of hand-to-hand combat, the movie is loaded with explosions and gunplay. Munich fills the in-between moments with tension and suspense. All of these ingredients are well paced and there aren’t any dull or boring scenes.

Action: 4 stars

The only category in which this Spielberg feature seriously lacks, is atmosphere. Although a large majority of the story takes place on foreign soil, there isn’t much of an international feel. Whether it was a sunny day in Italy, a rainy night in Brussels, or an industrial compound in Lebanon, I still felt like I hadn’t left the Hollywood lot. It takes more than a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower to make Paris come alive. Likewise, it takes more than a few colorful explosions to impress me.

Visual: 2 stars

Avner (Eric Bana) and his team are charged with the task of assassinating the 11 Palesinian men behind the athlete’s deaths. All of them are Jewish and, consequently, Munich is peppered with dialogue illustrating the characters’ convictions and beliefs. There are several points in the film, during which, the men involved question whether or not what they’re doing is right or justified. However, even the conversations that required subtitles didn’t do much to convince me of the regional differences.

Dialogue: 3 ½ stars

In summary, Munich was a satisfying cinematic experience. I neglected to view any of the DVD’s special features, but I do know that an intro by the director is available as an option to preceed the film. If you are into international espionage, Munich is solid, but don’t expect any James Bond type romance. Rent this movie only if you’ve got 2 hours and 44 minutes of uninterrupted viewing time (it sounds longer than it feels). This is definitely a movie that you’ll regret not giving your full attention to.

Alternate viewing choice: Syriana
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