Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story
Released 12/16/16

With this week's release of the next Star Wars movie, Disney and Lucasfilm begin their two-pronged experiment.  It's the first film outside of the previously numbered movies of the main SW saga.  It's also the first film not heavily devoted to the Skywalker clan.  Outside of the initial fervor the saga's fans have for everything SW, could a movie such as this be success?  After the humongous success of last year's release of The Force Awakens, there's a lot for Rogue One to live up to.

I think the first thing that needs to be addressed is can Rogue One be different from what has come before and still definitively have a Star Wars feel?  There has been backlash against every film outside of the "Holy Trilogy" encompassing IV-VI.  The much maligned prequels, Episodes I-III, were such effects-laden exercises, that many thought story was sacrificed and the concept strayed too far from what SW originally was.  The Force Awakens (Episode VII) was a welcome reversion back to the familiar for most.  But, there was a loud contingent that thought it was too familiar and not daring enough.  In many circles, it's been called a polished rehash of Episode IV. 

From the lack of an opening crawl, Rogue One is different.  It is one of the darker SW films on record.  It depicts the dirty underbelly and unseemly side of war, albeit a fantasy space war.  There's an undercurrent of the magical aspect as the Force is ever present.  Hey, it's SW film right?  The Force has to be part of the equation.  But, with the exception of a few scenes, it's greatly underplayed. 

So, that brings us to the question, "If not about the Skywalkers, what is Rogue One about?"  Well for those hardcore SW fans, you already knew going in.  But, believe it or not, not everyone is of our ilk, so this is for them.  Bear with me for a few paragraphs. 

In short, and I'll try not to give spoiler, Rogue One takes place between Episode III (Revenge of the Sith) and Episode IV (A New Hope).  A prequel  to A New Hope, it takes place roughly a few days before the events of that film.  Now, if you've been around for more than 15 years, you've have likely seen Episode IV 10,000 times on cable and know that the opening features the desperate, but, futile escape attempt of Princess Leia's flagship from Imperial forces.  Her ship is carrying the vital design plans of the Empire's superweapon, The Death Star.  The opening crawl of A New Hope gives you the rundown of how the opening sequence came to be, "In a daring raid, Rebel spies have managed to steal the plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star", or something of that nature.  Rogue One tells that story.

Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is a "guest" in an Imperial prison when the Rebel Alliance jailbreaks her for reasons unknown to her at the time.  Once back at their headquarters on Yavin 4 (remember that from A New Hope?), the Alliance reveals their purpose.  An Imperial cargo ship pilot has defected from the Empire and carries a holographic message from Jyn's father, Galen (Mads Mikkelsen), a coerced Imperial Research Scientist and chief designer of the Death Star.  The defecting pilot is directed to Galen's old friend, Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), a Clone Wars veteran who, like another well known SW character, seems to be more machine than man now.  Saw runs a radical faction of Rebel fighters and isn't on the greatest terms with the main Alliance force which is why the Alliance needs Jyn as Saw was her foster father after the Empire claimed Galen. 

Reluctantly teamed with Alliance Intelligence officer, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), and his reprogrammed Imperial droid, K-2SO, they're able to find Saw who plays for the message for Jyn.  Galen has helped design the greatest weapon of mass murder ever.  However, there is a subtle secret that he kept from his oppressive masters.  Armed with this knowledge, Jyn, Cassian, K-2SO, the defecting pilot, and, two strange, but, resourceful allies they have picked up along the way narrowly escape annihilation from Imperial forces who realize there has been a breach in their security. 

After a failed attempt to reacquire Galen, the motley group reveals his secret to Alliance leaders who can't come to a consensus on a course of action.  The next step would be extremely dangerous involving raiding a heavily fortified Imperial stronghold to steal the design plans for the Death Star.  Jyn's group, along with a squad of Rebel soldiers, defy orders deciding to complete the mission themselves.  It's a mission akin to suicide, but, the Empire must be stopped at any cost.

Now, if you know the story of Episode IV, I'll leave the rest to your imagination as to how Rogue One concludes.  I do commend director, Gareth Edwards, and all the creative powers on the film that they brought us to a plausible conclusion.  This is war.  It ain't pretty.  Sometimes heroes take it on the chin before they succeed.  I don't think I'm giving much away in saying they do transmit the plans to the Alliance.  But, at what cost, you'll see.

While this is a dark, gritty, in-the-trenches kind of war movie, it still very much feels like Star Wars.  It does have a little of the general hokiness all the films have.  There aren't going to be any Oscar-winning performances here, but, everyone is more than adequate.   You've got your signature insane space battle at the end.  You've got amazing battle choreography with the Force, though not in the way you might think.  Donnie Yen's, Chirrut Imwe, I think is implied to have some type of Force sensitivity with the way he fights being a blind man.  If nothing else, he believes in the Force.  But, outside of this, if you are looking for Jedi, you might be disappointed.  Although there is a reference to Obi-Wan Kenobi even if he isn't called out by name. 

Like I said earlier.  War isn't pretty.  And, sometimes the lines between good and bad can be blurred.  Some of the "good guys" of the Alliance do certain things in the movie that aren't close to noble from executing informants to being ordered to carry out assassinations.  It's pretty much a do what you have to do type of attitude.  Different for Star Wars outside of Han Solo's killing of Greedo in cold blood (HAN SHOT FIRST).  I appreciated Edwards not shying away from the greyness of those situations. 

Although this is a cast of new players primarily, you get some old favorites thrown in to whet your appetite as well.  There's a very brief "blink and you'll miss it" cameo from everyone's favorite droids, C-3PO and R2-D2.  There's even some stock footage of Red and Gold fighter squadron leaders from A New Hope blended into the ending space battle if you're feeling nostalgic.  Speaking of nostalgic, you'll get a glimpse of some "old friends" from the Mos Eisley cantina.  Again, blink and you'll miss it.  Oh, and, if you're interested, you'll learn why Luke Skywalker has the call sign "Red 5" in Episode IV. 

One thing I would be remiss in mentioning as it seems to have received quite a lot of attention is the digitized additions of Peter Cushing's, Grand Moff Tarkin, and a younger Carrie Fisher's, Princess Leia.  I've read some reports that some viewers found it a little off-putting dubbing their digital likenesses  over stand-in actors.  I found it a little odd at times, but, overall, I thought it was job well done.  The effects specialists made it as seamless as possible.  To those who didn't care for it, I say this to you.  Can you really see anyone else in either role?  Both almost had to be part of Rogue One to add that connection to Episode IV, and, given the circumstances of Cushing being deceased and Fisher being  much older now than she would have been when this is supposed to take place, how else could it be done?

And, last note.  You didn't honestly think I'd end this review without mentioning our favorite Sith Lord, did you?  Darth Vader returns!  Now, this is a double-edged sword.  He's in Rogue One less than he's in A New Hope.  But, oh, are his scenes memorable.  We haven't seen this Vader onscreen since The Empire Strikes Back.  He just oozes menace and evil.  And, his final scene?  You may make noises you didn't know you could make when you see it.  He brought the house down and brought it all home.  WELCOME BACK DARK LORD!

I wasn't sure what to make of these "side" Star Wars stories when I first heard that Disney was planning to release them in years when they didn't have a main saga release.  But, if this is what Star Wars fans can expect going forward?  We're in for a wild, crazy ride.  The Force Awakens last year was comfort food for SW fans.  Rogue One was a steak dinner.  Keep it coming House of Mouse!

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***** stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Doctor Strange

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Doctor Strange
Released 11/4/16

Marvel Studios introduces what they hope is the next household name in their vast universe.  They steer their cinematic universe to the realm of the mystical with the release of Doctor Strange.  Before 2008, it would have been inconceivable that a fringe character even by some comic fans standards could warrant a big budget feature film.  But, since the release of Iron Man, the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and blah, blah, blah, here we are.  The only question is can Marvel stay on its meteoric path of success?  The studio spared no expense with the cast to ensure its success pulling the talents of respected actors like Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, and Mads Mikkelsen.  When does the Marvel bullet train stop rolling?

Well, I'm happy to say it won't stop with Strange.  Visually stunning, Doctor Strange is helmed by director, Scott Derrickson, who holds a special place in my movie heart.  If you've followed this blog, you know how much I love the film Sinister.  A modern horror masterpiece, in my opinion, Sinister was directed by Derrickson.  I don't know if Derrickson has made the good doctor a household name (he probably will from the box office take so far), but, he has created a mindbending adventure that expands on the idea that Earth is not alone in this fictional universe.

So, who is Doctor Strange?  For comic fans (and those who have seen the movie) this is a rehash.  For the non-comic inclined, here goes.  Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a brilliant and condescendingly arrogant neurosurgeon whose livelihood is threatened when a devastating car accident causes severe nerve damage to his hands.  He learns of a possible cure for his condition in the far East after alienating the one true friend/lover (McAdams) he has and exhausting all his financial resources to repair the damage.

What he finds is a brand new world of mysticism and other dimensional power that's hard for the scientifically oriented doctor to comprehend in the beginning.  All he knows is, he wants to learn more after seeing this power on display.  Willingly accepting the tutelage of the Celt master sorcerer, the Ancient One (Swinton), and her followers, including a particularly fierce and rigid true believer named Mordo (Ejiofor), he begins his new training. 

Now every super hero story has to have a villain of course.  This film's big bad is Kaecilius (Mikkelsen), a former student of the Ancient One who has rejected her pacifistic teachings.  He and his followers have willingly fallen under the sway of Dormammu, the all-powerful ruler of the Dark Dimension.  Having lost his loved ones, Kaecilius believes the Dark Dimension is the true path because time doesn't exist there.  To that end, he makes preparations to bring the Dimension and Dormammu to Earth.  Strange, while a quick study, is by no means a master sorcerer at this point and must be more cunning than he ever thought he could be particularly when tragedy strikes someone close to him. 

A movie like this is expected to be a special effects extravaganza, and, Doctor Strange doesn't disappoint.  It's visually the best movie of the year in my opinion.  The laws of physics do not exist with the ever changing landscapes that literally bend and merge with each other. 

Speaking as someone who has never read Doctor Strange extensively, I've always thought of him as all about sorcery, time portals, new dimensions, spells, arcane objects, etc.  And, that's all pretty much true.  However, I never pictured the character as much of a physical hand-to-hand combatant.   That's one thing the film expanded upon that I appreciated a great deal.  Derrickson has created a type of "magical Kung Fu" that's much different than the Harry Potter-type of wizards slinging spells at each other type of fighting (which is also great).  Here, sorcerers are very much adept at a martial art fighting style enhanced by magical shields, weapons, and just about anything pulled out of thin air..  It's wild and visually satisfying.

While it's a well-acted film by all involved (particularly Cumberbatch), my one complaint is that this was an origin story.  I might be wrong, but, I believed Marvel had indicated they wouldn't make these types of films any longer.  I was kind of hoping Strange would have already been Sorcerer Supreme as the movie starts.  In Captain America:  The Winter Soldier, he was already a person of interest for Hydra which would indicate he had already made a few waves in the world.  It's hard to know where his origin works into the continuity of the MCU.   I would have preferred to see an Incredible Hulk type of origin with newspaper clippings or a few flashbacks.  Although there was plenty of action in Doctor Strange it would have been nice if they could have gotten right to it without the "getting to know you" portion which comes with all origin movies. 

As far as a tie in with the rest of the MCU, Thanos will very likely be on the sorcerer's doorstep in the future as the Eye of Agamoto, an object famous in Doctor Strange lore contains something that will be of great interest to him.  Also, in one of two end credit scenes, a certain Thunderer from Asgard stops by Strange's Sanctum as a prelude to his next upcoming film in 2017. 

Doctor Strange's visuals and performances make it one of the better superhero offerings of the year.  It has the signature humorous moments you've come to expect from Marvel Studios.  I mean, who doesn't need a Cloak of Levitation with a mind of its own?  While not as funny as Deadpool or as grand as Civil War, Strange's entry into the MCU is a welcome one. More Doctor Strange as soon as possible, please.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***3/4 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Don't Breathe

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Don't Breathe
Released 8/26/16

Maybe 2016 will be known as the year horror made a comeback.  Well, maybe that's too strong of a statement.  We'll just say it's the year that saw a lot of mainstream horror releases.  How about that?  We've already seen the releases of The Forest, The Boy, The Witch, and, if you really want to stretch things, Pride Prejudice and Zombies.  Depending on your tastes, while there's been quantity in the horror genre, has there necessarily been quality?  As a geeked out fanboy of the genre, I can say it's been a pretty mixed bag.  There hasn't been anything that's been downright awful.  I've seen "meh" (The Boy) to almost good (The Forest) to overrated (The Witch) to solid (The Conjuring 2) to "good, but wished it was better (Lights Out)."  So, that brings us to August and our next entry attempting to rank high on my personal "Sinister" scale of horror.

Co-written and directed by Fede Alvarez, Don't Breathe is his second excursion into the horror genre following 2013's remake of horror classic, Evil Dead.  Now, if you saw that one, you know Alvarez has a flair for the wicked and disgusting with a dash of WTH thrown in for good measure.  While Evil Dead offered him a large canvas to explore the fantastic, Don't Breathe's simplistic premise of home invasion gone wrong naturally calls for a more subdued approach.  So, what could Alvarez do with that?

The answer is quite a lot.  What he's created here is an extremely tense, at times claustrophobic, but, always riveting thriller that blurs the line of who's the monster and who's the victim. What I like most about what Alvarez does here is he doesn't cop out like so many other directors tend to do. You know the kind of movie I'm talking about.  The ones that are painted in shades of grey until the would be villain makes no ifs ands or  buts that he/she really is despicable and deserving of being put down.

Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and Money (Daniel Zovatto), our three "heroes" in the film are teenage delinquents who make a living breaking into homes secured by the company Alex's father works for and fencing the stolen loot.  The motivations of each varies.  Rocky is doing it to acquire enough money to leave dilapidated Detroit with her younger sister and move far away from their good-for-nothing mother.  Money, Rocky's boyfriend, is doing this under the guise of helping his her, but, he seems to get a perverse thrill out of the whole criminal life. You're really not quite sure why Alex is involved in all of this outside of his infatuation with Rocky.  His father seems to make a decent enough living.  But, petty thieves they are.  With Alex's careful planning, they're a fairly successful group until they go for their biggest score yet.  It's one Rocky desperately needs, Money is almost gleeful to execute, and Alex has great trepidation about.

Their next mark is "The Blind Man (Stephen Lang)", a war veteran who lost his sight in Iraq.  He's sitting on at least a six-figure settlement of cash he received from a wealthy family for the vehicular death of his daughter perpetrated by that family's own daughter.  He's an unassuming hermit who is the only person living on his completely deserted city block.  He only has the company of his dog (a big ferocious Rottweiler).  The thieves believe the settlement is in his house and they mean to get their hands on it. 

While breaking into the house proves to be no piece of cake, once they're in the house, they'll discover much to their chagrin that the Blind Man is not as helpless as he seems.  Plus, he has a few dark secrets of his own in that house.

Part of the beauty of Don't Breathe is the dichotomy of Stephen Lang's performance.  When you first meet him, you think of him as a pitiful, broken down old man who is just trying to live out the rest of his days in peace.  He falls asleep listening to old videos of his daughter.  You feel a tremendous amount of sympathy for him especially when he's going to be robbed of a fortune.  Why isn't this money in a bank?  Well, he's a weird old hermit, what can I tell you?  As Money puts it, he doesn't trust anybody.  But, remember those WTH moments I mentioned Alvarez has a flair for?  A switch is flipped and the Blind Man goes from prey to predator in a lightning quick moment.  It's rather impressive and unsettling at the same time.

The reveal of the Blind Man's secrets will make you sympathize with him a little less to be sure, but, even with that, you still understand his motivation as bat spit crazy as it is.  The thieves become essentially rats in a maze as the Blind Man traps them inside the house and systematically hunts them.  And you can only feel for them so much.  Yes, they're fighting for their lives against a crazy old man, but, they were there to steal from him despite whether their motivations were noble or not. 

Alvarez also employed a masterful use of lighting in the film.  When the lights are turned out and everyone is walking around in complete darkness, you understand the abject terror of the thieves being completely out of their element.  Of course, the Blind Man is right at home and moves with stealth and grace. Having no sight, the old man's other senses are highly acute.  There's a reason for the name of the movie.  Any slight sound could mean death.  The near misses as the thieves try to avoid him in the dark will have you bug-eyed. 

That doesn't mean our trio, well, let's say duo because, *spoiler*, one thief falls fairly quickly, is unresourceful.  They do come to realize a couple of times that in "Daredevil-style" fashion, the Blind Man can be overwhelmed when he's on sensory overload.  The problem is they're just too terrified to do anything about it most of the time.  And, let me just add, it was genius to have the Blind Man live in a deserted area.  No one can hear anyone's screams.  No help is coming.  The dread almost pulsates. 

While Don't Breathe isn't what I would call personally terrifying necessarily, it is one of the tensest movies I've seen in recent memory.  Alvarez gives it it's own special moodiness.  It has its own feel and unique atmosphere.  Even if you don't necessarily feel the peril the protagonists are in, you understand why they feel it. 

Don't Breathe is a very satisfying outing for Alvarez that I hope isn't ruined by a sequel.  That will be dictated by the box office of course and there is an opening for one if the market calls for it.  But, this is nice little "one off" thriller that shouldn't be sullied by an obvious cash grab in the future.  At least I hope that's the prevailing thought.  Let the greatness of this film shine.  I would doubt this type of magic will happen a second time without feeling contrived.

On a final note to all my female readers, let me say you'll never look at a turkey baster in quite the same way again.  Believe that!

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

**** stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Suicide Squad

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Suicide Squad
Released 8/5/16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

In this latest year of current superhero madness, Warner Brothers/DC releases its latest chapter of its fledgling cinematic universe.  It hasn't been the year the entertainment mogul expected so far has it?  They, along with many probably anticipated riding into August on a huge wave of success after Dawn of Justice was released in April.  Sadly, that didn't happen.  We all know reaction to that film was...mixed to say the least.  While it did make money, it wasn't the bank breaking raucous success WB/DC hoped it would be. 

So, now we're in August, and, while I don't believe WB/DC is pinning their final hope on the release of Suicide Squad, the release has become increasingly more important than it would have been given different circumstances.  So, can the DC Cinematic Universe find its footing with a film featuring characters that are primarily from their B-list and below?

What is the Suicide Squad?  Following the events of Dawn of Justice (namely, the death of Superman), the U.S. government begins pondering what would happen if the next Superman or metahuman in general were to become a terrorist.  Enter ruthless government intelligence agent, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) who just might have a solution.  Fight metahumans with your own group of metahumans.  In this case, criminals that can be disavowed by the government if the mission turns sideways.

To that end, Waller has been manipulating events to organize her own specialized gang of misfits  .  For the two most prominent ne'er-do-wells, she fortuitously receives the aid of a familiar vigilante in Gotham City.  Floyd Lawton (Will Smith), better known as the master assassin, Deadshot, surrenders to the Dark Knight (Ben Affleck) for the sake of his daughter.  The second capture might actually be the most dangerous recruit of all.  Harleen "Harley" Quinzel (Margot Robbie), former psychiatrist and current psychotic girlfriend to her "puddin'", the equally psychotic Gotham gangster, Joker (Jared Leto).   Both Deadshot and Quinn are incarcerated to Belle Reve Penitentiary where they are regularly abused by guards.   It's there Waller recruits them along with fellow prisoners, pyrokinetic El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), monstrous cannibal Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and opportunistic thief Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney).  She places them under the command of Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), a no-nonsense Special Forces soldier.  To keep the team in line, Waller orders small explosive devices to be implanted in each member's neck.

The team doesn't have much time to relax in their cells as they are called on for their first mission.  Another of Waller's recruits (and Flag's girlfriend), Dr. June Moon (Carla Delevingne), has gone A.W.O.L.  The good doctor isn't someone who can just be ignored.  Another being inhabits her body, a powerful witch-goddess known as the Enchantress.  The Enchantress has gained control  and is on a mission to eradicate mankind with the help of her equally powerful brother, Incubus.  Flag, the Squad, a team of SEALS, and Flag's personal bodyguard, Katana (Karen Fukuhara) set out to Midway City where the Enchantress has taken refuge knowing full well this could be the last hurrah for all of them.  If that's not bad enough, the Joker has learned the location of his Harley.  And, he wants her back!

Let me say this about Suicide Squad.  I enjoyed the first half of it very much.  It had intrigue as you learn how ruthless and manipulative Amanda Waller really is.  The flashback sequences were fun as you came to discover how the Squad's members came to be at Belle Reve.  The few scenes featuring "Batfleck" were exciting.  It was humorous watching Harley be a looney toon.  Will Smith exuded the cool charisma we saw in his earlier days.  I had a big smile on my face as Flag ran down for the group how he would hit their kill switches if they "vexed" him in any way. 

The second half of the film involving  the team landing in Midway City and taking on the Enchantress I found far less intriguing.  For one, I thought the Enchantress and her brother were rather weak villains.  I tried, but, I just never felt the sense that all were in life threatening danger.  From the Joker?  Yes.  But, that's a problem.  He wasn't the main antagonist.  The Enchantress's converted human foot soldiers?  They were more unremarkable "bowling pins" than the Chitauri from the first Avengers movie.

 While we're on the subject, let's talk about the Joker.  Jared Leto's Joker is psychotic enough, I didn't question that.  I'm just not sure I'm completely on board with "gangsta'" Joker though.  The grill, the tattoos, and the bling just seemed odd and didn't feel like it completely fit my idea of this character.  It was weird for me.  It's a take on the character that I'll need to get used to.  The Joker doesn't necessarily have "people."  Well, not people he doesn't plan to kill later on.  I also think his character would have been more effective if kept to even more limited use than the way he was used here.  Like Batman, I would have preferred to see him more in flashback and, then, at the very end making a grand reappearance.  The Joker story running parallel to the main one felt a little crowded and unnecessary at times.  The Squad should have been the stars.  It's almost as if the powers that be didn't trust them to be that. 

Robbie's Harley Quinn was the most interesting character in the film.  Mercurial, goofy, and deadly, she was the best member of the group.  The remainder of the cast was competent, if unremarkable (with the exception of Waller and, at times, Flag).  Even Will Smith wasn't truly notable.  The setup of his character was excellent, but, later in the film it felt like he was just flexing threateningly at everyone.  It was a completely empty gesture when you figure Flag could have just blown his head off with the touch of a button.

The placement of this film in the DC Cinematic Universe feels a bit odd as well.  Their flagpole superteam isn't on solid footing as of yet.  And therein lies the issue with the DCCU in the first place.  Things just feel rushed and out of sequence.  It wouldn't be as noticeable if the three features so far were great.  Suicide Squad is primarily the B list and below of DC characters with one or two possible exceptions.  Was this the best time to introduce them when the perception of your cinematic efforts  outside of diehard fans isn't completely favorable?  It should make its fair share of money opening weekend, but, is anyone going to think about non-Justice League characters outside of that timeframe?  I guess time will tell.  But, DC just feels disjointed.  I'm going to bring up the dirty "M" word  right now.  But, you didn't have Guardians of the Galaxy or Ant-Man before The Avengers were a household name.  Marvel had a cohesive plan since the release of Iron Man.  DC seems like they're just throwing ideas against the wall and seeing what sticks. 

Before anyone thinks I'm being a fountain of negativity, I liked Suicide Squad.  There are decent action sequences, a notable first half, and pretty good soundtrack of recognizable songs that's on par with Guardians of the Galaxy.  But, I wasn't blown away.  Maybe I've been spoiled by Marvel Studios in recent years, but, I'm looking for excellence on the DC end of things, too.  I'm waiting to be mind blown, and, not just by individual parts or halves of films.  I want something from WB/DC that's top to bottom memorable.  We haven't gotten there yet.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/4 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Ghostbusters

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Ghostbusters
Released 7/15/16


"Who you gonna call?"

Ah, yes!,  The famous tagline of what is now considered Ivan Reitman's 1984 classic horror/comedy (emphasis on comedy).  Almost universally praised, there's no denying it's remembered fondly in many hearts and minds.

Then, there's the recently released 2016 remake which is the subject of the current review.  The press on this has been less than kind in many circles.  Pre-release, many moviegoers considered it a little less desirable than getting your fingers slammed in a car door and a little more desirable than death itself. 

In fact, the 2016 version from director Paul Feig has one of the most unusual divides between critics and moviegoers that I've seen for a Summer blockbuster with critics primarily giving the thumbs up and audiences just hammering it.  Now, I'm not a licensed critic (do they have licenses?).  And, I've often vehemently disagreed with them in many instances.  I'm just an average moviegoer like most of you.  But, the amount of vitriol that has come this film's way from moviegoing audiences has been jarring.  I think I've heard just about everything from all associated with the film trying to push a feminist agenda to not being funny to being a man-hating bore of a movie.  And note, most of this came before the movie's release.  Even people who have praised it have been accused of being paid off by the studio.

So, as I will be posting this review to multiple sites, let me just say I have no agenda here except to give you my honest opinion on a movie I just recently saw.  If you're one with a pre-formed opinion, or, one who has seen it and developed a strong opinion either positive or negative, there isn't much I can say that will influence you.  Instead, I address those of you who are on the fence about it.  Is the new Ghostbusters a blockbuster of Avatar proportions, or, is it destined to be the worst bomb since Ishtar? 

If you go into this film thinking it will be a frame-by-frame retelling of its 1984 ancestor, you would be mistaken.  We start with Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig), a professor of Physics at Columbia University.  Her perfect life is about to be shattered when a book she co-authored with a former colleague on paranormal investigation surfaces threatening her position at the university.  Wanting desperately to have the book retracted, Erin confronts her former friend and colleague, Dr. Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), and Yates' new partner, Dr. Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), an eccentric, but, brilliant engineer. 

Ghostly activity brings Erin back into the fold with the other two scientists as the three encounter violent paranormal occurrences throughout New York.  Enlisting the aid of streetwise city transportation worker, Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), the four women uncover a plot concocted by a man named Rowan who is attempting to amp the supernatural activity to bring about the apocalypse.  If this genius psychopath isn't enough, the newly formed "Ghostbusters" have to fight the tide of public opinion believing them to be frauds. 

So, here's the million dollar question (one of them at least).  Will the new Ghostbusters make you forget about the 1984 original?  No.  But, that doesn't mean you want to put your eyes out with a red hot poker either.  Now, I'm going to say something some may find controversial.  The original Ghostbusters has millions of fans and rightfully so.  But, while I thought it was very good, I never thought it was great.  As a matter of fact, it doesn't crack my top 25 of all time.  It may just sneak into my top 40.  In fact, it might only just crack my top 25 all time comedies.  In other words, I've never thought of Ghostbusters as a sacred cow that could never dare be touched.  If the 1984 version didn't exist at all, I think the 2016 version would be just fine with audiences.  There is really nothing in the film that's absolutely abominable.  It's crime is daring to retell a story that's considered a classic. 

There are a couple of danger areas that I read about prior to seeing Ghostbusters.  Let's address the first one, lack of chemistry between the four leading ladies.  I never had that sense as I was watching it.  As a matter of fact, the one character I thought I would despise going in turned out to be less abrasive and obnoxious as advertised in the trailers.  That would be Leslie Jones' Patty Tolan.  Don't get me wrong, she had her cringeworthy moments , but, there aren't nearly as many as you think.  Her eye-rolling moments are pretty much what you see in the trailers.  If that's enough to turn you off, so be it.  But, again, she's not as overbearing as you might think.

In a departure from the norm, both McCarthy and Wiig don't drive the movie's comedy train.  As madcap as both can be, they fall more into the supporting comedy roles even though they are the two biggest stars in the film.  As a comparison, you can think of them as taking the Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis roles in the in the original.  They're silly, but, not goofy. 

Goofy is reserved for Kate McKinnon's morbidly peculiar mad scientist.  There's nothing she can't build.  There's also nothing she builds that doesn't make you fear for your life.  Dr. Holtzmann is always "on."  I don't think she has one serious moment in the film.  Of the four heroes, she is the comic relief.  But, even as strange and as she is, there's one character that brings the laughter arguably more than she does.

Now when you think comedy, Chris Hemsworth doesn't readily come to mind.  If he does, you have a very vivid imagination.  But, here's the real eye opener.  He's actually pretty good at it.  Kind of playing to his own stereotype, he's the Ghostbusters' pretty boy secretary who is dumb as a box of rocks.  Actually, I think I might be insulting the rocks.  And, this isn't the first time Hemsworth has been decent in a comedic role.  There probably aren't many who saw last year's remake of Vacation.  His brief time onscreen was also one of that film's standout moments.  I'm not saying Chris is the next Eddie Murphy, but, he does have some comic timing.  And, seeing that his recent roles outside of Thor haven't garnered much attention, comedy might be an option for him.

So, back to the chemistry issue, I never felt that any of the cast reacted awkwardly to each other. How funny they are together, that's up to the movie watcher.  I thought the cast bounced off each other just fine. 

As far as a man-bashing feminist manifesto as I have also heard was a problem with this film, I didn't quite get that vibe from it either.  Yes, Chris Hemsworth is a moron.  But, Feig and company are playing with a comedic stereotype.  Andy Garcia who plays the mayor in the film is a smarmy jerk.  But, so, is his yes-man assistant.  Who happens to be a woman, by the way.  However, they did shoot the big monster substituting for the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in the crotch with their proton packs, so, take that how you like I suppose. 

Speaking of proton packs, I think one thing this film improved on was the offensive capabilities of the Ghostbusters' weapons.  Grenades, gauntlets, pistols, and proton whips are part of the new arsenal.  I also thought it was good idea not to do a frame-by-frame replication of the original.  If this is going to stand on its own as a new franchise for Sony, it needs to have its own unique voice which I think was accomplished.  There's still more than enough here that definitively says "Ghostbusters."  And, even if you are the nostalgic type, you have several cameos from the original GB crew to chew on.

The action moves the film along consistently.  It offers some disturbing apparitions that creep you out a little bit.  But, staying true to its comic roots, you also get cartoonishly absurd images that definitely wouldn't pass in a true horror movie.  But, it's Ghostbusters and not true horror, right?

Now, on to some things that didn't quite work.  I think the villain, Rowan (Neil Casey), was weak sauce.  I didn't quite grasp the motivation he had, and, he wasn't interesting enough to work without a decent motivation for pulling off his scheme.  He's just a genius nerd who happens to have an obsession with the occult.  And, then there's the new take on the Ray Parker, Jr. theme song.  I have no idea what they were going for here.  It's not modern, it's not cool.  It's every bit as bad as the GB2 theme song by Bobby Brown. 

Overall, the new Ghostbusters is not a classic.  It doesn't have a great villain.  It doesn't have any instantly memorable dialogue.  As you know, the original is filled with it.  But, there is nothing I found hideously wrong with the remake. Mine is just one opinion of course.  I'm not going to try to change anyone's opinion for the better or worst.  I can't.  As polarizing as this movie is, everyone has their own reasons for feeling the way they do.  Again, this is not the audience I'm speaking to.

I'm speaking to those who aren't quite sure.  The ones who have curiosity.  Ultimately, you will make up your own mind as to how well it stands up to the original.  For me, at least, it was a good time at the movies.  It's solid entertainment.  If you're curious, you can do worse than this.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/2 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

Central Intelligence

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
Central Intelligence
Released 6/17/16

In a Summer inundated with sequels, it seems rather strange to have a new weekend highlighted by an original feature.  Whoops, scratch that.  Finding Dory was released this weekend.  Oh well, the spy farce "Central Intelligence", was released this week as well.  Starring Dwayne Johnson and top comedian-of-the-moment, Kevin Hart, CI certainly has the comedic star power to be great.  But, also keep in mind both actors have given us such gems as The Game Plan, Tooth Fairy, The Wedding Ringer, and Ride Along 2.  So, I guess what I'm saying is I had a 50/50 chance of seeing something that was actually funny.

We begin in a common high school in 1996.  Friendless, overweight Robbie Weirdicht (Johnson) is grossly embarrassed at a school assembly when he's tossed onto the gym floor naked in front of the student body by a few bullies.  As an act of kindness, "Mr. Everything" in the senior class, Calvin Joyner (Hart), gives his letterman's jacket to Robbie to cover up.  As we'll learn later, Robbie leaves school never to be heard from again until...

Go forward 20 years.  Calvin's life hasn't turned out quite the way he envisioned.  Voted most likely to succeed by the senior body, he's stuck in a dead end, mid-level accounting job.  Sure he married the prom queen, but, professionally, his life stinks.  His protégé has just been given the promotion he was after while his wife is a partner in her law firm making her a far greater success in the business world.  He's at a point in his life where he definitely does NOT want to discuss it at his upcoming high school reunion, a gathering he has vehemently decided not to attend to the chagrin of his wife. 

At a low point, he reluctantly accepts a friend request on Facebook from someone who claims to know him.  Little does Calvin know that "Bob Stone" is the former Robbie Weirdicht.  To say Robbie has changed is an understatement as he's miraculously turned 300 pounds of flab into rock hard muscle.  How, you ask?  As Robbie explains, "I worked out six hours a day for the last 20 years."  Anybody can do it, right? 

He has a weird belief that Calvin is his best friend and has another bombshell to drop when they meet for drinks.  After easily dispatching a few bar thugs, he reveals that he's in the CIA.  That's not all, as he also needs his "friend" Calvin's accounting skills to uncover a plot to sell America's spy satellite codes.  Oh, and, he just happens to be on the run from the CIA who believe he's insane.  And, to be honest, so does Calvin. 

So, let's get down to it.  Is Central Intelligence funny?  The answer would be yes.  At times, it's extremely funny.  There's never been any denying of Johnson's comedic chops or timing going back to his days as "The Rock" in WWE.  Even in his "bad" movies like the aforementioned Game Plan and Tooth Fairy, he was the best thing about them.  In CI, he plays Robbie with an almost childlike quality relating to Hart's character.  It's funny, but, almost heartbreaking at the same time.  He's a grown man desperately seeking acceptance with more than a few deep seated psychological issues. He's genuinely hurt when his "friend" momentarily betrays him in the film.

Kevin Hart is a bit of an enigma for me.  I think he is a genuinely funny guy.  But, there are times he has a tendency to go too over the top with his buffoonery.  The recent Ride Along 2 (and, for that matter, Ride Along) is a perfect example of that.  I pretty much have that reaction to the late Robin Williams as well.  Comedy is always a funny thing with people (I swear I wasn't trying to do that just now).  Everyone has a different fine line between what's funny and what isn't.  And, it's ever changing.  Hart still walks through his same manic mannerisms as always in CI, but, it was a little more palatable for me here as he takes the less traveled road of straight man.

In a film that could have easily turned into a battle of one-upmanship of who gets the best gag, Johnson and Hart play very well off each other.  There's nothing special about the plot of this film but, these two keep it fresh and funny even through it's clichéd ending of the underdog getting revenge on his former tormentor.  There are even some pretty good action sequences to boot.

Speaking of tormentor, there are a few notable co-starring roles.  Jason Bateman is an excellent asshat (can I say that?) as the adult version of Robbie's lead high school bully.  If you saw him in 2015's "The Gift", you know it's a part he can play very well, although he goes back to his comedic roots in CI.  Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame is Robbie's former partner in the CIA who may not be all he appears to be.  Then, there's an ending cameo that was quite the surprise from a certain actress in an uncredited role.  I won't say who this is except she's become huge in recent memory. 

If you're tired of the endless parade of sequels this Summer, and, you're looking for something light and silly, Central Intelligence is here for you.  With two comedic leads who have excellent chemistry to the unexpected guest appearances, you can't help but have a good time.  Well, I did  hint that comedy is kind of a personal thing.  I was entertained at least.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***3/4 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good

X-Men: Apocalypse

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
X-Men:  Apocalypse
Released 5/27/16

It's survival of the fittest for Marvel Comics' mutant heroes as they face their greatest threat to date in this week's release of X-Men:  Apocalypse.  As far as superhero movies go, it's hard to garner any major positive attention with the phenomenal success of Marvel Studios this decade, but, after some very rocky moments earlier in the millennium, Fox's licensed X-Men franchise has experienced a resurgence.  From the respectable comeback of X-Men:  First Class in 2011 to the mega-blockbuster of 2014's Days of Future Past, Fox has been on a roll themselves.  They need something after their dismal Fantastic Four atrocities.  Sorry.  Had to go there.

Since Days of Future Past retconned their entire universe, the X-Men now have a malleable future that can steer away from the mistakes made before First Class.  The problem now is Fox has to keep that momentum going and try not to repeat past transgressions.  But, that's the trick.  The more success you have, the more scrutiny you are under.  And, the early returns on the latest adventure, X-Men:  Apocalypse haven't been kind.  James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, and Evan Peters reprise their previous roles.  Bryan Singer returns to direct his fourth film in the series.

Apocalypse starts in ancient Egypt where the godlike being and ruler, En Sabah Nur, is ready to undergo a metamorphosis by transferring his consciousness into a younger male body (Oscar Isaac) with the help of his chief lieutenants (The Four Horsemen).  Betrayed by a contingent of his royal guards, his lieutenants are killed and he's buried for centuries.  But, thanks to one of his Horsemen, the transfer to the younger body is completed.  En Sabah Nur will slowly regain his might while entombed. 

Forward to the 1980's, approximately ten years after the major events of Days of Future Past where we find a few new, yet, familiar faces on the chessboard.  We're introduced to a young Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) who is just discovering there's a major issue with his eyes.  An issue that's best solved at a certain school for the gifted in Westchester, New York.

Mutant shapeshifter, Raven (Lawrence), continues her role from DOFP as mutant advocate and liberator.  In other words, she hunts the globe for mutants who are mistreated and frees them from their captors. In one such instance, she breaks up an illegal cage fighting venue pitting mutant against mutant.  At this time she finds a winged warrior (Ben Hardy) taking on a blue-skinned teleporter (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

And what has become of infamous X-Men frenemy, Erik Lensherr (Fassbender), better known as Magneto?  The Master of Magnetism has been keeping a low profile for several years.  The way he's doing it may surprise you given his past history.

Meanwhile, at the aforementioned Westchester School for Gifted Youngsters, Professor Charles Xavier's (McAvoy), academy is thriving and teeming with young mutants.  His ever-present assistant and resident scientist, Hank McCoy (Hoult), has remained by his side.  One of Xavier's students is a particularly powerful telepath and telekinetic by the name of Jean Grey (Sophie Turner)

So, while not all bliss, things are relatively peaceful in the mutant universe.  That is, until En Sabah Nur is able to break out of his centuries-old prison.  It's an event witnessed by previous Xavier ally, Moira MacTaggert (Byrne), and felt around the world.  Rumored to be the first mutant ever on Earth, he not only possesses immense power on a personal level, he also has the ability to bestow power on others.  He's unlike anything the modern world has ever seen.  And, speaking of the modern world, he's not happy by what he sees.  Weak humans and their filthy technology rule the day.  In his world only the strongest should survive.  He'll tear this world asunder and build a new one. 

But, to do that, he'll need a new set of Horsemen, powerful mutants whose full potential he can unlock.  He finds his new crew in various arenas.  First, there's a petty thief in Cairo (Alexandra Shipp) with the ability to manipulate the weather.  Then, there's a female enforcer working for low-level criminal with the unique ability to create weapons of psionic energy (Olivia Munn).  Remember the winged cage fighter?  He's given a nasty set of metal wings to replace his feathered ones.  Finally, the fourth Horsemen is one of the most powerful mutants of all who will be made even stronger when En Sabah Nur forces him to embrace his true power.  Who is it?  That would be telling.

X-Men:  Apocalypse is a very busy film as it introduces several new characters.  And, I do include the reintroductions of previous characters here, too.  That's not usually a good thing for this genre. Here, it's done with varying degrees of success.

By far, the most fully realized new character is Jean.   Confident, yet fearful of her true power, there's a believable vulnerability to Sophie Turner's performance that is a standout.  She was good choice as the young Jean.

Tye Sheridan and Kodi Smit-McPhee offer a bit more fleshed out iterations of Cyclops and Nightcrawler.  It's a step in the right direction as both actors add more personality to their respective characters.

Unfortunately, I still don't think Storm has been fully realized.  Part of the issue is that she spent most of the film being manipulated by Apocalypse.  She really didn't have an opportunity to soar.  Also, if you're a fan of Angel/Archangel, you're not going to be too happy either.  There's still very little development here or resemblance to the character from comic lore.  Instead of a wimpy looking little guy like from The Last Stand, you have a tough, pit fighting warrior.  But, when the action starts, he's still very quickly dispatched.

The reaction to Oscar Isaac's Apocalypse has been mixed to say the least.  While I wasn't blown away by the performance, I thought he was a more than adequate villain.  Apocalypse's character has always been about ruling over a world where only the strong survive.  Upon his awakening in the film, every action he takes works toward that goal.  Now, I admit I'm not foremost expert on his comic book counterpart, but, I thought Isaac's conqueror was a believable one.

The backbone of the series since First Class remains the dynamic between McAvoy and Fassbender and their somewhat complicated "bromance."  It's a relationship that I believe has been captured better with these two actors than it was between Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.  These two have an easy chemistry onscreen captures that "two sides of the same coin" dynamic perfectly.

One thing that's usually been executed well in the X-Men series is the myriad power displays when the mutants are in action.  Apocalypse gives you a ton of eye candy in this department from the destructive nature of Cyclops' optic blasts to the blue smoke left in the wake of Nightcrawler's teleportations.  I think Storm's one on one battle with Cyclops was an excellent display of both mutants' capabilities.  Magneto's mastery of metal is always a welcome sight.  The symbolic "X" he forms with a couple of steel girders was a very nice touch.  Charles' fight with Apocalypse on the astral plane was a well-conceived fight for survival (on Charles' part at least).  I found the Psylocke's psionic weapons manifestations a different, yet, fresh take on her power.  Comic fans are used to seeing her power manifest in a single knife-shaped blade.  In the film she forms sword length blades and whips.  And, since she does survive the ensuing carnage, I'm anxious to see what else the creative minds come up with.  Then, there's Jean and the manifestation of a primal force that's been associated with the character for a very long time.

The scene stealer in the film again belonged to Quicksilver (Evan Peters).  I don't know who conceptualizes his action sequences, but, whoever does has a sense of humor that borders on the ridiculous.  His rescue of Xavier's students from the exploding mansion is easily one of the film's top three scenes.

Now, I just want to briefly touch on some things I found a little peculiar.  Number one, is Raven's/Mystique's new status with the team.  Trying not to give too much away, we'll just say Singer has strayed a bit from canon with this character.  I actually liked Mystique's role prior to the end of the film as being a type of mutant liberator.  Not on the same sometimes over-the-top scale as Magneto had a penchant for, but, on a smaller "righting injustices" type of deal.  She has definitely chosen a side by the end.  I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet.  I'm wondering if Lawrence had some influence on the story arc of this character in relation to her image.

Then, there's the one guy I haven't mentioned yet and he's kind of a big deal.  We are treated to small segment featuring everyone's favorite clawed mutant, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).  His appearance, taken from the iconic Weapon X story, is a treat because, hey, Jackman as Wolverine is always a treat.  But his appearance is completely unnecessary.  It's as if it's shoehorned in because someone figures any X-Men-related story has to involve him in some way.  If you're expecting to see Wolverine vs. Apocalypse one on one, you'll be sadly disappointed.  This isn't a negative in the film per se, as I'm a firm believer the X-Men series needs to become a little less Wolverine-centric, it's just a strange cameo that doesn't resonate much. 

I would be remiss for not mentioning this as I personally know one lifelong X-Men fan who has taken issue with the team lineup from the first X-Men movie.  If you believed the retcon would make way for the original X-Men team (Cyclops, Jean, Beast, Iceman, and Angel), that doesn't appear to be the case.  If you are one of these fans, I'm not sure when you're going to see it.  Maybe never.  But, for me, at least, I did feel a sense of excitement when the new team is introduced in the Danger Room with a now bald Xavier overlooking the process.

X-Men:  Apocalypse is not the best in the series, but, it's much better than many would have you believe.  This series has never been one to follow canon closely, so, if you've been hanging in until now, Apocalypse will give you no reason to stop.  It's a solid effort.  It's not Civil War.  It's not Deadpool.  Those were exceptional releases in the ever growing superhero genre.  Films like those can spoil you.  As fans we should always want the best.  While Apocalypse may not be that, let's not crucify it for being merely good.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

***1/2 stars

Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look.  Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good