Tidbit: 'Red Notice' (2021; PG-13)

 

l watched this through a drowsy haze. As such, I might recant some of my thoughts. 

I admire how they try to flip convention on it's head, and tell an old story in a new way. The double-double-double-double-crossings, and twists, start to feel implausible though. Ryan Reynolds seems to be doing his usual schtick; sort of playing Deadpool-lite, without the red suit. Dwayne Johnson is unusually unheroic, unlike the 'alpha male' roles we're used to seeing him play, where he's solving problems mostly with brute strength and bullets. Gal Gadot is curiously not believable, in her performance. She seems to be 'phoning it in'. Something is amiss. The villain, a man who enjoys throttling people to death, is a cardboard character; not nuanced or interesting at all. 

'Red Notice' has moments of enjoyable humour and action though, but they're few and far between. Interestingly, a great deal of CGI--it's quite plain to see--is used in the action sequences in 'Red Notice', yet the action retains a fairly visceral quality. It retains a sense of danger. There are two impressive, swirling camera moves that are either CG or captured with a drone; a noteworthy joke that gently jibes at Amazon's Alexa; and a fun little nod to Indiana Jones. 

There are hints of 'True Lies' (1994; R) and 'Get Smart' (2008; PG-13) in a dance scene between Johnson and Gadot, but especially 'True Lies'. What's missing is the tango piece 'Por Una Carbeza', to make it an overt reference to the 1994 film. There's also hint of a sequel, at the end, and if it's anything to go by, then the franchise is off to a not-so-good start, l feel. 

However, I did learn that gold reflects radiation, and as such, it appears red on a heat scanner. If it appears blue, its not gold. 😊

Tidbit: 'Enemy at the Gates' (2001; R)

 

 

In August, this year, I watched this 20-year-old movie, for the first time. I had long been curious about it. That curiosity partly came from a glowing review that a fellow student gave it, back in 2001/2002, in art school. The rest of it, maybe came from film magazines and articles on the Internet.

For a long time I had it in my head that it had been directed by Wolfgang Petersen ('Das Boot', 'Enemy Mine'); perhaps because of the word 'Enemy', in the titles 'Enemy Mine' and 'Enemy at the Gates'.
 

It was, instead, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, and co-written by Annaud and Alain Godard.
 

No one puts on an accent. There are English and American actors playing either Russian or German officers, and it somehow works. Bob Hoskins is impressively intense and intimidating, as Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Jude Law is quite likeable as the legendary Russian sniper, Vasily Zaitsev. Rachel Weisz is endearing as Tania Chernova, Zaitsev's love interest. Ed Harris is quietly effective as German sniper, Erwin Konig, who's sent to Stalingrad to kill Zaitsev. Joseph Fiennes' Russian commissar, Danilov, seems to be in Zaitsev's shadow, from the first moment we meet him, up to the moment that he sacrifices himself, and is killed by Konig's sniper bullet. Ron Perlman's Russian sniper, has an annoying sarcasm.
 

'Enemy at the Gates' vaguely reminds me of Spielberg's 'Saving Private Ryan' (1997), even though the carnage at the beginning of Annaud's film, seems like a walk in the park when compared to the jarring beach landing sequences in Spielberg's film. I guess it's mainly because both are World War 2 films that focus on infantrymen (and women). I was pleased to discover that there was a real Vasily Zaitsev, and that his rifle is on display in a “Stalingrad battle” museum, where everyone can see it. I was surprised to see women fighting alongside men, on the front lines, in this movie. It turns out it actually happened.
 

Annaud does not hold back in depicting sexual intimacy, as clearly shown by his 'La'Amant/The Lover' (1992). There's a moment of physical intimacy between the lovers, Vasily and Tania, that takes place in rather restricted conditions (they are in crammed quarters, surrounded by sleeping soldiers, and have to make certain they're neither seen nor heard), yet it has a searing intensity. I can't help but wonder whether it was Weisz's exposed body that we saw in that love scene with Law, or a body double's.
 

This movie has a magnificent score by the late James Horner. But the one theme that, to me, stands head and shoulders above the rest, is the one called 'Tania'. It's the one piece of music that sort of defines 'Enemy at the Gates', for me. It captures Vasily and Tania's romance, beautifully. That theme, the endearing performances of Law and Weisz, and the strong chemistry between the two, are mainly why I'll be revisiting 'Enemy at the Gates' for years to come.

Tidbit: 'Marie Antoinette' (2006; PG-13)

I watched this movie, some 9 years ago, because the poster is a sight for sore eyes; Kirsten Dunst can act; and l had heard or read, that the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, had arrogantly said that her peasant subjects, who couldn't afford ordinary bread, should eat brioche instead. And that that had grave consequences for her. Also, the film's writer-director, Sofia Coppola (cousin of Nicolas Cage), is highly regarded. Also, 'Marie Antoinette' reminded me of 'Amadeus' (1984; PG), which is set in a similar time, and which l thoroughly enjoyed. Anyway, l missed the point of Coppola's film. Perhaps when l revisit it now, after so long, I'll see what it's getting at.

Tidbit: 'Atomic Blonde' (2017; R)

Three things stood out: the evocative cinematography, colour grading and raw, gritty fights. 

I found the plot complicated, but it'll probably become less so with subsequent viewings. 

There's a sapphic romance here. 'Anna' (2019; R), another high profile spy movie fronted by a female, also has a sapphic romance. As a doe-eyed Christian viewer, this raises questions around morality. But l digress. I wonder though, whether Luc Besson, the writer-director of 'Anna', took inspiration from 'Atomic Blonde'. 

Aficionados of martial arts movies will recognise Daniel Bernhardt, who replaced Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 'Bloodsport' movie franchise. Bernhardt plays a goon, here. James McAvoy is, to his credit as an actor, frustratingly ambiguous as rogue agent Percival. You never know what his intentions are, or whose side he's on. 

Charlize Theron displays amazing grit and athleticism in playing CIA agent Lorraine Broughton, who's an expert in hand-to-hand combat, amongst other things. Toby Jones' character, Eric Gray, is as dislikeable as his Hydra minion in the 'Captain America/Avengers' movies. 

I don't know what to make of the performances of John Goodman (CIA official, Kurzfeld), Sofia Boutella (Delphine), Eddie Marsan (Spyglass) and Til Schweiger (Watchmaker). But I suppose they were adequate. 

'Atomic Blonde' is fair, l think.

Review: 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' (2015; PG-13)

 

 

Mild Spoiler Alert.

Cue the song 'Compared To What', by Roberta Flack. It's 1953. East and West Germany are divided by the Berlin Wall. Suave, star CIA agent, Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), is sent to East Germany, to get feisty, talented grease monkey Gabby Teller (Alicia Vikander), and bring her to West Germany. Gabby's estranged scientist father, Udo Teller (Christian Berkel), has discovered a way to easily make enriched uranium (the most important ingredient in an atomic bomb), and is feared to be making an atomic bomb for the Nazis. 

The CIA hope that she'll help them find her father, so they can stop him from building the bomb (and take his priceless research for themselves). Meanwhile, the KGB have also sent an agent to East Germany, the far less suave, doggedly determined Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), to get Gabby, for the same reasons; finding Udo Teller, stopping him from building the bomb, and acquiring his research. Kuryakin tries to stop Solo from getting away with Gabby, to West Germany, and fails. When the CIA and KGB realise that the threat posed by Udo Teller's building an atomic bomb for the Nazis, is far too big for them to stop, individually, they decide to partner up. 

Agents Solo and Kuryakin, who have a seething dislike for one another, are forced to work together. It is discovered that Udo Teller is being held in Rome, by Alexander (Luca Calvani) and Victoria Vinciguerra (Elizabeth Debicki), whom Gabby's uncle, Rudi Teller (Sylvester Groth), works for. Gabby is to pretend to her uncle, that Kuryakin is her fiance, so that Kuryakin can get close enough to gather much-needed intelligence. Kuryakin is to play along, and pretend that Gabby is his fiancee. Solo is to pretend to be an art dealer who deals in rare pieces, as the Vinciguerra's are serious art collectors, so that he can win over Victoria, and syphon top secret information from her. The three--Solo, Kuryakin and Teller--go to Rome. So begins their adventure.

When I saw, in the opening credits, that this was a Guy Ritchie film, I was pleasantly surprised. l had no memory of it, from my first viewing, in 2016 or so, because, rather strangely, I hadn't enjoyed this movie, then. I had relegated it to the mediocre heap. One night, this year, 2021, I decided to revisit 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', just to remind myself why I hadn't liked it the first time. I was pleasantly surprised, again, when I had a ball watching this movie, the second time round. It seems l've changed in the intervening years, since 2016. I am amazed.
 

At the beginning, when Napoleon is making his way to East Germany, while Roberta Flack's glorious song 'Compared To What', is playing, the footage looks genuinely old, momentarily; it looks convincingly 1950s. I wonder whether that was achieved digitally or practically.

I like the scene when Gabby is trying to break the ice with the Russian spy Illya--swigging wine; dancing, beautifully l must say, to loud music ('Cry To Me' by Solomon Burke); trying to cajole him into dancing with her; tackling him to the ground. It's cute and funny. Vikander is quite endearing here. She's also, at times, beautifully vulnerable. Side note: Alicia Vikander, whom l admire as an actress, seemed to have a less feminine frame, here, than l remembered; her silhouette seemed to be more angular than curvy. American actor Arnie Hammer is believable as quick-tempered Russian spy, lllya Kuryakin; English actor Henry Cavill is believable as suave American spy, Napoleon Solo; there is a palpable irony here. 

l don't quite know what to make of Elizabeth Debicki's turn as Victoria Vinciguerra, wife of wealthy heir Alexander Vinciguerra. Oftentimes, I don't know what to make of diva characters; does such a role ask much of a performer? I guess she was adequate. Hugh Grant is quietly charming, as British intelligence officer Waverly.

In a park in West Germany, when Solo and his boss Sanders (Jared Harris), are walking to the men's restroom, Sanders talks about how they, the CIA, labour tirelessly to save the oblivious citizens, from extinction, and receive no thanks. He says, boastfully, "I tell myself, Solo, that inside every Kraut, there's an American trying to get out". This is just one of many witty moments in this film. Also, Solo nicknames Kuryakin, 'Peril', as in 'the Red Peril'; Kuryakin, in turn, nicknames Solo 'Cowboy'; The Cowboy and the Red Peril--it has a nice ring to it.
 

The music in this is brilliant. Roberta Flack's 'Compared To What' and Nina Simone's 'Take Care of Business', stand out. There are other songs, whose names and artists l don't know yet, that are also notable. Daniel Pemberton's catchy, jazzy score is beautifully elaborate and evocative of the time period. There's a beautiful flute- and drum-based theme, that stands out.

There are two notable moments of exposition. One is when, Solo, Kuryakin and Waverly, are in a helicopter, flying to an aircraft carrier, when Waverly reveals Gabby's affiliation to him, and why she took a course of action that jeopardised Solo and Kuryakin's safety, and mission. Solo then says "Let me translate this into English", and goes on to summarise for us, the audience, rather helpfully, the actual meaning of what Waverly has told them. 

The other moment is when Victoria has gotten away with the fully functional bomb that Teller has built, and our heroes are trying to pinpoint the position of her boat, Diadema, through a radio signal. Diadema is contacted via radio, its captain answers the call. Knowing that Victoria would be listening in on the call, Solo is then put on, to trick her into taking the call. He then speaks to her, as a diversion to keep her on the call long enough to pinpoint her position. A missile, synced to the bomb in Victoria's possession, is then launched her way, from the aircraft carrier that Solo and crew are on. Diadema is blown to smithereens, along with Victoria, and the bomb. This series of events is then explained to us, the audience, through a rerun. I thought this was unnecessary, as the sequence of events was pretty straightfoward.

For me, most of this film's appeal isn't in the action, which is passable, but in the beautifully acted, often witty interactions between the characters; it's in the drama. It's also in the Italian setting and language, the costume design, the subtitles, the cinematography; the artiness of it. It plays, quite enjoyably, like an arthouse film and old TV serial, rolled into one. The man referred to in the title, l wonder who he is. Maybe it's Waverly, because as far as I can tell, he brought Solo, Kuryakin and Teller together, to form U.N.C.L.E. Side note: I noticed Solo stealing the Contessa's bracelet, the third time round (by now I've seen the movie twice, since the debut viewing in 2016). There's a certain satisfaction that comes with spotting such details.

It's interesting to see the creative compromises that filmmaker's make to meet the requirements of an age rating, in the case of this film, PG-13. Kuryakin, while defending himself, fatally attacks Alexander, Victoria's husband, with a knife. Interestingly, the knife remains bloodless. I think keeping the knife bloodless, was one of many compromises, that Ritchie and his collaborators made, to keep the film from getting a more restrictive rating, like an 'R', for example. Was it important for us to see blood on the knife? Mmmaybe not.

Having recently watched Ritchie's 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' (2017), the names Lionel Wigram (writer, producer), John Mathieson (cinematographer), and Daniel Pemberton (composer), which appear in the credits of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', stood out, because the same names also appear in the credits of the 2017 film. People like to work with people that they have a synergy with.

This is the kind of film that you want to watch multiple times.

Review: 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword' (2017; PG-13)

Camelot. Man and mage live together in peace. The jealous Prince Vortigern (Jude Law), brother of benevolent King Uther (Eric Bana), secretly strikes a deal with the power-hungry mage Mordred (Rob Knighton). Mordred is to lay siege to Camelot, and defeat King Uther, so that he and Vortigern can seize power. With his powerful sorcery, Mordred attacks Camelot and is about to claim victory, when Uther confronts him with sorcery more powerful than his, in the form of an enchanted sword, given to Uther by the good mage Merlin. Uther kills Mordred, thwarting Vortigern's evil scheme. However, there's conflict in Camelot, ill-conceived reprisal attacks on the mages in the land, are carried out. Uther eventually puts an end to the attacks.

Vortigern, undeterred, seeks, and eventually finds, sorcery powerful enough to enable him to defeat Uther, with huge sacrifice incurred. Vortigern mounts a coup, and seizes power. Having taken the form of a demon warrior of some kind, Vortigern kills the queen, Igraine (Poppy Delevingne), and duels his brother Uther, eventually landing a fatal strike. As Uther draws his last breath, he tosses his enchanted sword in the air, and kneels, while the sword plunges into his back, merging with his body and turning him to stone. Uther's heavy, calcified form, with the sword attached, falls through the pier, into the deep water beneath. Meanwhile, Uther's infant son, and rightful heir to the throne, Arthur (Zac and Oliver Barker), escapes in a skiff, to Londinium. There, Arthur is taken in by prostitutes, and raised in a brothel, where he stays until he's a man (Charlie Hunnam). He learns the ways of the street and becomes a big boss of sorts.

Meanwhile, the water level in the lake where Uther's body sank, has dropped, revealing the sword, its blade encased in stone. Vortigern is told by the syrens (Lorraine Bruce, Eline Powell and Hermione Corfield) that the receded water level means that as evil rises, so too does an opposing force rise to challenge it. Vortigern launches a campaign to find Arthur, so that he can kill him. He rounds up as many men in the kingdom, as he can, of Arthur's age, to come and attempt to pull the sword from the stone, as only Arthur, rightful heir to the throne, can pull out the sword. An altercation, in Londinium, with a band of vikings under the protection of new, despotic King Vortigern, lands Arthur in the hands of the Blacklegs, the evil king's notorious enforcers, who take him back to Camelot, and to The Sword. Arthur extracts the sword from the stone, and is rendered unconscious when the sword's awesome power courses through him. He wakes up in a prison cell, in chains, at which point his uncle, Vortigern, king of Camelot, comes to confront him. So begins Arthur's epic, perilous journey, to accepting his destiny, taking back the throne, and restoring order.

I realised, after watching this film for the first time, that the infant Arthur escaping in a skiff, and being found by women (in this case, prostitutes) who take him into their care, had (with no intention to trivialise the Holy Bible) echoes of the baby Moses' journey, in the Book of Exodus, who was found by Pharaoh's daughter, hidden amongst reeds along the banks of the Nile River, in a reed basket waterproofed with tar and pitch, and taken into her care, thus escaping death. While writing about the film, after having seen it a second time, I picked up on more echoes. Vortigern's treachery and murdering his brother Uther, reminded me of Cain's murder of Abel, in the Book of Genesis. Also, I was reminded of Disney's 'The Lion King'; Uther being the benevolent Mufasa, Vortigern being the treacherous Scar, and the infant Arthur being the cub Simba. Arthur's whole journey; escaping Camelot as a royal infant, because of upheaval caused by a treacherous uncle, growing up in exile, making friends along the way, and returning to Camelot to claim his birthright, is similar to the cub Simba's journey in 'The Lion King'.
 

I was struck by the anachronistic use of 21st Century English in such a medieval-type setting, albeit fantastical, but medieval nonetheless. The oddness of it, is curiously appealing though. I seldom hear the word 'coffers' used in a movie, and here it's said several times. It's likely because most of the movies I watch are of American origin, and their subject matter seldom requires the use of such a word as 'coffers'. I was pleasantly surprised to see David Beckham, in a cameo role, as a Blackleg named rather interestingly, Trigger. He orders Arthur to pull the sword from the stone. "Right. Ten digits round the blunt bit. Give it a tug," Trigger commands. For a moment I couldn't believe it was Beckham, then I thought about how this was a Guy Ritchie film, a filmmaker who, in my mind, is passionately English. Then I resolved that it was indeed David Beckham, the former Manchester United footballer, whose left foot was legendary. Also, Beckham appeared quite briefly in 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' (2015), another Guy Ritchie film, as a projector operator.

There's a trick that Ritchie likes to use, in which the camera locks on an actor's face, in a close-up shot, and moves in sync with the bodily movements of the actor. He uses it here, in a foot chase in which the Blacklegs pursue Arthur and his crew, with humorous effect. "MOVE!" Arthur and his cohorts shout--with the camera closely locked on each of their faces--at people in the street, trying to clear the way. Ritchie used the same camera trick, in a foot chase no less, in 'RocknRolla' (2008).

Charlie Hunnam is charismatic and interestingly ambiguous, as Arthur. He has a funnily deft way of relating both past and future events; of spinning a yarn. There's a moment when he's relating, to a Blackleg allied to him, how he came into possession of viking loot (the aforementioned altercation which, inadvertently took him back to Camelot); he's appealingly articulate and cocky, and takes liberties with the facts. There's another scene where he's explaining to Bedivere why they don't need the support of the barons, to take back the throne. He skilfully paints a scenario for his comrades, in which the barons, whom they haven't approached yet, poke fun at their request for support, and refuse to be led by Arthur, who was raised in a brothel, by prostitutes. The joke has something to do with a 'boudoir'; I couldn't help but laugh audibly. Consequently, they don't approach the barons, and go at it themselves.

Djimon Hounsou, as Pendragon loyalist Bedivere, has gravitas; he, to some degree, moors the film like an anchor. I liked how he was vociferously against sending Arthur to the perilous Darklands, for fear that Arthur might die there, before taking back the throne. "You want him to think big? Give him something big to think about," reasoned the mage (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), in oppostion. Berges-Frisbey is intriguing as the mage. She has a tortured aura about her; she looks like she's had an extremely difficult existence, to the point that smiling and laughing are out of the question. She reminds me of French actress Lea Seydoux. Both have a strong, sort of peculiarly European, sensual appeal.  

Jude Law, whom I admire as an actor, is interesting as Vortigern. He looks genuinely anguished each time he has to make a human sacrifice--first his wife, then his daughter--to the moat hags. Vortigern looks genuinely peeved when trying to get a word in, while his lieutenant Mercia (Peter Ferdinando) unnoticingly carries on speaking. "Mercia!...Do your f&$#@ng job!" Vortigern finally manages. Aussie actor Eric Bana is passable as Uther Pendragon. He has a seriousness and weariness about him, that is fitting for a king. Maggie (Annabelle Wallis), a member of Vortigern's Court loyal to Uther, who helps the resistance, has a marvellous, regal beauty about her. I've seen Aidan Gillen, who plays Pendragon ally Goosefat Bill, in another movie before, but I can't seem to remember what it is.

 
It's not often that l watch a film with characters named Back Lack (Niell Maskell), Wet Stick (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Goosefat Bill (Aidan Gillen), Blue (Bleu Louie Landau), and so on. The names Back Lack and Wet Stick though... there's something comically boudoir-esque about them.

Interestingly, the name Excalibur, given to Arthur's sword, is not uttered in this film, at all. The sword of legend is only referred to as "the sword". The syrens or moat hags, that Vortigern sacrifices his wife and daughter to, are exceedingly creepy; genuinely scary. It speaks to Vortigern's desperation, that he is willing to have dealings with such a vile and frightening entity, in order to become king. This film, unlike its 2004 predecessor ('King Arthur', helmed by Antoine Fuqua), which skims over paranormal phenomena, is unfettered in its depictions of the occult, of evil. To the degree that some would dismiss the movie as 'demonic' or 'satanic' or just plain evil. But evil has to be portrayed as such, evil, so as to be distinguishable from good, and also to underline the seriousness of the threat that our heroes face. This is the stuff of mythology, of folk tales, of... storytelling. I don't know.

The fights in which Arthur uses the sword's magical powers, are impressive to behold, yet difficult to follow. Most of all, the final fight between Arthur and Vortigern, who has transformed into a demon warrior. The fight is awe-inspiring, visually, but disappointingly difficult to follow. I could barely see the strikes, or how they landed. It's difficult, technically, to convincingly pit a fighter with a sword, against a fighter with a double-ended scythe. I hate to say it, but I found the fight to be a chaotic, noisy lightshow.

Arthur, just before his coronation, resolutely tells the vikings that he will not honour the promises made to them by the previous king (the now deceased Vortigern). He then, quite proudly, makes it clear that, by addressing him, they now address England and its people, and that if they disapprove, they can deal with him as the roguish man they met previously, and see how they fare. The vikings acquiesce, and Arthur invites them to join him at his table, for a meal, after which he adds "Why have enemies, when you can have friends?" It's all played beautifully by Hunnam.

I sensed an undercurrent of English pride, running through 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword', which, though I'm not English, I found appealing.
 

This film is definitely worth a look.

Tidbit: 'Desperado' (1995; R)

They don't make 'em like they used to. I hadn't watched 'Desperado' in 19 years or so. It looks rough around the edges now, but it's still a superbly fun, quirky Latin-flavoured action-comedy-drama. The influence of Hong Kong action movies (likely those of director John Woo, with Chow Yun-Fat playing lead) is quite apparent to me now. The use of slow motion; the hero's dance-like usage of two pistols in elaborately designed, bloody gunfights. It's such a joy to see young(er) versions of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi, Quentin Tarantino, Cheech Marin and Danny Trejo. 😊