Archive for May, 2012

REVIEW: Special effects are all that keep ‘Battleship’ afloat

I have a soft spot in my heart for big budget action films. Perhaps it’s because I’m a guy, or maybe it’s the impressive special effects coming to life on the big screen — the theater really is the place to see this kind of movie. As I’ve stated before, I give these types of movie a free pass on things like plot direction, acting and character development. I’ve now realized just how far that leash extends with toy company Hasbro’s latest foray into the film world, “Battleship.” I don’t know how many kids still play the actual game Battleship, but Hasbro execs certainly hope the film will re-stimulate an interest in the game — as well as a recently released series of video games. So is the film a hit or miss?

In 2006, NASA begins sending messages to a distant planet identified as one similar to Earth in hopes of contacting intelligent life. In 2012, several hostile alien ships respond to the message, one of which crashes into a satellite during entry to Earth’s atmosphere. The remaining ships land in the South Pacific near Hawaii — where a multi-national naval competition is taking place, and begin efforts to establish communication with their planet. World-class screw-up Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch, “John Carter”) is reluctantly forced into a leadership role as the highest ranking officer remaining after the aliens destroy a naval destroyer. Hopper must unite the remaining naval crew members at his disposal while using limited and outdated resources to prevent the aliens from contacting their planet and waging an all-out global attack on Earth.

I realized while watching “Battleship” just how much I could allow in the name of the genre. This film makes its Hasbro sibling “Transformers” look like “Citizen Kane.” The subplots are inexcusably ridiculous, the acting is awful, and the cinematography relies too much on unnecessary slow motion shots in an effort to create overly-dramatic moments. I’m pretty liberal when it comes to stretching the bounds of verisimilitude and excusing bad scripts, but “Battleship” takes things to a level even I cannot acquit. I’m not sure where to begin, so I’ll just touch on some of the lowlights.

In the opening scene, Alex Hopper’s brother Stone (Alexander Skarsgard, “Melancholia”) exclaims to his slacker sibling, “Either get a job or join me in the Navy!” A few minutes later, after Hopper is arrested for stealing a chicken burrito from a convenience store in an effort to impress a girl (yes, you read that right), Stone shouts, “It’s time for a new gameplan, you’re joining me in the Navy!” Apparently joining the Navy is as easy as tagging along with your older brother. Of course, all of this sets up the maturation of Alex throughout the film, but this exposition lasts entirely too long and is completely implausible.

I’m always a tad confused when studios spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a film (about $200 million in this case) without investing in the actors. Jeremy Renner was rumored to star in the film before the role eventually went to the unlikeable Kitsch. Renner would have brought some depth to the protagonist that is missing in Kitsch’s portaryal of Hopper. How Rhianna was cast in this film is a total mystery to me. Her acting is atrocious, and her character is literally the only female in the entire Naval force. Brooklyn Decker appears in a Megan Fox-style role, running around in tight shorts and a tank top for most of the film. Another mystery is how Liam Neeson ended up attached to this project. He must have owed director Peter Berg a favor. I’m not asking for Tom Hanks, but casting some proven veterans in the lead roles could go a long way in making up for such farcical situations.

The only saving grace of this film is the special effects. The aliens have some pretty cool weaponry that destroys things in an uber-effective manner — which is really what you pay to see in a film such as this. There are some fun battle scenes, and Berg uses a creative way to work in the old grid system of attacking your enemy a la the board game. But that is only one scene in an entire film based on a board game — so it’s not surprising that overall the film is a big miss for Berg & Co.

Travis Yates

REVIEW: ‘Haywire’ has right idea, wrong execution

I have to preface this week’s review with a caveat as to why I’m not reviewing the record-shattering film “The Avengers.” I’ve been looking forward to the climax of the Marvel series for some time now, but a funny thing happened on the way to May 4: the craze of 3-D. I’m a strong opponent of 3-D films. It seems kitschy to me; something a child might find interesting. As a film connoisseur, I find it only detracts from the story and overall film experience. Film is indeed a visual art form, but it also incorporates storytelling, sound, audience psychology and participation, and acting. 3-D stresses the visual component and places less importance on all other equally important aspects of film. The homogenization of Hollywood continues — and I refuse to be a part of it. So when I discovered the local AMC theater was only offering “The Avengers” in 3-D, I boycotted the theater all together and instead turned to its little sibling, the DVD, to see what was new. I wanted to see “Haywire” when it was in theaters but didn’t get the chance, so I thought it was a perfect compromise for this week’s new DVD review.

Private contractor Mallory Kane (Mixed Martial Arts star Gina Carano) is on the run after being set up and framed for murder. She doesn’t know who is responsible, with potential guilty parties including her boss Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) and the government agent that hired her firm (Michael Douglas). Kane sets out on a mission to find out while hopping countries on the run. She begins to uncover a conspiracy that runs deep and leads her to people she never expected.

Veteran director Steven Soderbergh surprisingly misses the mark with “Haywire.” As spy films often go, not everything is revealed to the audience all at once – figuring it out for ourselves as the audience is a big part of the genre’s experience. The problem with this film is so little is revealed during the first hour that it becomes more frustrating than enjoyable. When the pieces do begin to come together, it involves minor characters who you have to try to recall and find yourself asking, “Who?”

The film is an interesting mix of its predecessors. It features the action and backstory of “Rambo,” the plot of “The Bourne Identity” and the feel of a classic spy film a la “Ocean’s Eleven” (not surprising considering Soderbergh directed the modern “Ocean’s” series). Unfortunately, this is not a case where the sum is greater than its parts. Chase scenes last entirely too long and involve mostly Carano running from unseen threats. It is a stop-and-start affair that never settles on a consistent pace. As girl power goes, Carano fits the bill, but the fight scenes are over-choreographed and also stretch implausible amounts of time.

The cast is star-studded with McGregor, Douglas, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender and Bill Paxton joining newbie thespian Carano. Unfortunately, they appear in limited fashion, contained mostly to short sequences, flashbacks or phone calls. Soderbergh misses an opportunity to use the incredibly talented cast at his disposal to piece more of the complicated story together, instead dedicating about a third of the screen time to Carano’s stunts, fights, and chase scenes.

This was definitely a case of “right idea, wrong execution.” The film has an intriguing plot, interesting locations and mise-en-scene, a tremendous cast and a fresh new action star in Carano. You never really feel sympathetic for Mallory Kane because she never stops kicking butt long enough to reflect on her own dire situation. A little less action and more focus on character development could have made “Haywire” a solid addition to Soderbergh’s resume. Instead, things seemed to go a bit haywire for the film and we end up with a shallow action flick focused on the physical nature of the attractive female protagonist rather than her emotional side. Finding a balance of the two could have done wonders for the film.

Travis Yates