*Originally posted at Filmoria*
The western; a staple of a cinematic era long past, but one genre
that provides a new instalment from time to time. Gone are the days of
the classics that involved John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and others, but
every so often we get a glimmer of hope that this throwback genre still
possesses a certain magic that is simply undeniable. Looking to hit the
target is John Maclean's Slow West, a film that defies the usual framework of the classic western and instead throws up much, much more.
Jay (Kodi Smit-McPhee)
has embarked on an epic journey that will see him travel from Scotland
to the very ends of America's West in search for the one true love of
his life, Rose (Caren Pistorius). Having spent much of
their childhood together and going against the wishes of their families,
the pair shared a special bond, one that Jay still believes is very
much worth travelling thousands of miles to rekindle.
Travelling the dangerous and outlaw-heavy plains, he soon comes across the barrel of a gun, only to be rescued by outlaw Silas (Michael Fassbender),
whose wish to see the boy to safety in return for money seems like an
offer too good to refuse. What Jay doesn't know is that Silas is
actually on his own quest, with Rose's bounty and the riches it brings
firmly on his mind.
John Maclean's western is about as compelling
as a modern day genre offering can get, blissfully swatting the familiar
mould of the dust-covered, gunslinging adventure scenario, in order to
bring to viewers something much
different. Instead, the debut director delivers to us a striking story
that pits two individuals on different ends of the spectrum and
questions their own being and theories about life.
Smit-McPhee's
Jay is hypnotised by love and the beauty of life, while Fassbender's
Silas is simply awaiting death and destruction at every corner he
reaches. This dynamic makes for a striking on-screen partnership, with
both actors playing their part in fusing a solid and powerful duo. The
younger of the pair is admittedly emotionless at times, but this
actually plays into the film's and the character's strengths, with
Fassbender often commanding as he has reliably done so in so many other
films in his repertoire.
Along the way, Slow West sees us
encounter a whole host of outlandish and trigger-happy foes, with each
adding that something extra under the simmering sun and dusty lands.
Among those, Ben Mendelsohn's Payne, whose past with
Silas adds an extra dynamic in what is a rather simplistic and singular
layered movie. Not that it needs to be anything more - to the contrary -
Slow West is in fact stronger for its direct narrative, blending a number of flashbacks with its present day unfolding of events.
This all couples with some simply sublime cinematography that screams at us for more of the same from this sector of
the film universe. With New Zealand serving as an ecstatic backdrop of
America's West, we are dealt with exceptional postcard visuals blooming
with every frame. From the dusty oranges to the resplendent flowering of
the forests, there is a distinct beauty about Slow West that once again sets itself apart from your run-of-the-mill western.
The
beautiful landscapes and capturing of every intricate detail only shift
into further brilliance in what is an utterly enthralling finale; one
that is shot with sheer awareness of what a classic shootout should be.
Gunmen hiding amongst the corn, a house under fire, and our focus duo in
their own predicaments, the finale of the film will have you squirming
and bolt upright in equal amazement and dread, with an air of
unpredictability remaining until the final moments. Beauty and dread
combine to culminate in a fascinating conclusion to a film that pays
dividends for its audience remaining patient.
Slow West
is exactly what is says on the tin, a slow-burn western that delivers in
its gradual build-up and tips the scales in terms of cementing itself
as a rather diverse offering within the rarely visited genre. With
Fassbender and Smit-McPhee in the driving seat the film is always in
safe hands, and with some simply exquisite direction and cinematography
you would be hard pushed to find a more impressive debut feature of this
ilk in recent times.
Bloody, beautiful, romantic and enthralling, Slow West is certainly a western that demands attention and so much more.
It has been a while since I posted a review on this, my very own blog, and what better way to come back than with a film everyone has been talking about...
It’s amazing to think that
in a blockbuster season consisting of two of the most popular comic book franchises
ever, it is another film that seems to have ramped up the marketing and sent the
hype factor into ultimate overdrive. Prometheus is the long-awaited latest
entry into Ridley Scott’s Alien universe and has been one that fans of the
series have craved since a series of misfiring sequels. Sometimes, though,
where expectations hit their peak, films ultimately let fans down and in
Prometheus’ case this could well be the biggest let-down of the year.
After Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and partner Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover identical markings on a number of cave paintings littered around the world, it sets off an expedition into an unknown world where the origins of mankind may finally be discovered. Teaming with individuals working for global colossus Weyland Industries, the 16-man crew embark on a journey into the unknown on their ship, Prometheus. Upon landing in the unknown territory, it soon becomes clear that they will get more than they ever could have bargained for.
Ridley Scott was always going to revisit the franchise that he so wonderfully set up way back in 1979, but even with today's advanced technology on his side, Prometheus is let down by pure loss of direction and mediocre scripting. Before we focus on why it doesn't quite hit the sweet spot, there are some plus points along the way.
Visually, the film is a beautiful spectacle; a grand ship the focal point for the opening scenes whilst making way for splendidly eery landscapes and moments of awe in which our characters find themselves in the midst of technology from the future. Admittedly, the 3D tends to give up after a mere 20 minutes of the film but is saved by moments of brilliance in the computer generated arena.
In terms of star power, Prometheus contains enough heavyweight acts to breeze through but it is only a select few who come out unscathed. Charlize Theron's moody Weyland boss Meredith Vickers is a treat in terms of a character we can love to hate, whilst Idris Elba's ship captain offers sarcasm and laughs to the full.
Coupled with these impressive performances, it is Michael Fassbender who steals the show as android David. An often misunderstood individual by his crew, David is the most interesting of the 16-man gang and Fassbender captures the feeling of a non-human somehow inch-perfect. Resulting in the character becoming the most intriguing of them all, David's persistence in uncovering the truth is both fascinating and keeps us guessing as to his motives on the mission.
Moving on to the less-than-satisfying, and it is unfortunate that Noomi Rapace, as exceptional a leading lady she has proved to be in the past, is frustratingly ordinary. Almost as if she is holding back, Rapace never quite gets to grip with her role in the vain of Weaver's Ripley. At times likeable, but ultimately flat, Rapace never quite commands her scenes over her supporting cast and is often outshone by those who should not be in the limelight.
Moving on, the film's structure never allows a sense of fluidity and is often a misguidance in keeping the audience on track with the story. Partly expecting a similar feel to Scott's original, Alien, the plot wavers off plot from the Alien universe in some ways and this, in turn, provides more than a little disappointment.
Unable to fully maintain a claustrophobic feel to the proceedings and any real memorable sequences, Prometheus is a huge turn in direction to what many may have expected and because of this, fails to wow to its full potential. With further viewings, the thesis of Scott's world may be uncovered more but on first view it results in the hype machine failing to deliver the goods.
Film rating: 3 out of 5 F's
After the critics reception to the third X Men instalment and Wolverine, the Marvel franchise needed somewhat of a refresh and this came in the form of an origins story revolving around the main two characters in the X Men Universe, Magneto and Professor X. If ever there were two characters in X Men that needed their pasts delved into it was these two and Matthew Vaughn has made this possible; but is it a story that is worth paying attention to?
Enter the 1960s, John F Kennedy is President, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is on the brink of becoming a professor and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) is on a path of destruction in order to get to his mother's killer, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). When it soon becomes apparent that Shaw and his associates are looking to start World War Three the government reaches out to Xavier to put together a team of mutants to stop humankind's biggest threat.
In pursuit of Shaw, Xavier and the government, including best friend Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), the future Mystique, soon cross paths with Lensherr and, despite his willingness to release his anger at every possible moment, agrees to band together with them to stop Shaw before war is unleashed. A sparkling friendship soon develops between Xavier and Lensherr and a mutant team is banded together in an effort to restore peace.
With Shaw also having his own team of mutants to hand he pushes the boundaries to get what he wants, humankind once again suffering, but not if Xavier and Lensherr have anything to do with it. Once Shaw's plans are unveiled it is full hands to the pump and other mutant heroes, the apprentices of Xavier's school of mutants come to the forefront and the foundations are laid down for the new future of the X Men.
Without a shadow of a doubt the X Men franchise has been re-ignited and is stronger than ever. In a bold move to invigorate new life into the saga, Vaughn has unleashed a fantastically mesmerising film that gives a great insight of two of the great comic book characters.
It is simple to say that he also hit the nail on the head with casting, a charismatic Michael Fassbender leading the way with his superb showing as Erik Lensherr and an equally impressive turn out from James McAvoy as Charles Xavier. Both are convincing in their roles and support from the likes of the excellent Kevin Bacon and rising stars Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult (as Raven and Hank McCoy, respectively) just enhance the viewing pleasure.
The two hours runtime flows seamlessly, with Fassbender commanding each scene with such personality and a great turn from tamed lion to unleashed evil. McAvoy mirrors Patrick Stewart's wise and calculating Professor X down to a t and Kevin Bacon's Sebastian Shaw is a suitably evil nemesis.
As the second Marvel release of the year, First Class easily surpasses the earlier success of Thor and is a clear front runner early in the field for the best superhero movie of the year, better yet Fanatical Film would regard it as the best in the X Men saga, including X2 which was a pure gem. So we know just ask for one more thing, continue the saga with yet again another massively gripping and genre defining sequel.
Film rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The lowdown: Matthew Vaughn has brought to screen a perfect origins story and the great combination of powerful story, superb characters and flowing action make this the superhero movie to beat this year.
