Movie Review - The Legend of Tarzan

The Legend of Tarzan

Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Christoph Waltz, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Rory J. Saper, Christian Stevens, Sidney Ralitsoele,  Djimon Hounsou, and more.

Directed by: David Yates Screenplay and Story by: Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer Based on the Novels/Stories by: Edgar Rice Burroughs Cinematography by: Henry Braham Music by: Rupert Gregson-Williams 

Premise: Lord Greystoke is invited by the King of Belgium to tour the innovation and advances put in place in the Congo in Africa. Greystoke turns the invitation down. Until an American convinces him it would be the perfect cover to investigate growing rumors of slavery there. Unbeknownst to Greystoke (aka Tarzan) there is a deeper plot afoot - one in which he plays a major part. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Alexander Skarsgård, and Margot Robbie all gave great performances for the film. They made for a great cast combination.  Everyone involved did a great job. Due to how the story unfolds, Mr. Skarsgård show us different facets of Lord Greystoke. Including the battle he wages internally between the life his parents wanted for him and that which he lived in his youth. Margot Robbie plays the American raised in the Congo and Tarzan's love, Jane. Fighting her own battles during the adventure, Margot does a great job going toe-to-toe with Christoph Waltz. Samuel L. Jackson added a lot of the comedic touches as well as pulled out pieces of Tarzan's story for the audience. Watching him deal with his wounded pride as the 'ignorant natives' prove much more hardy and crafty than he expected was fun to watch.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Multiple companies were employed for the special effects and they were well worth it. The gorillas, the elephants, the lions, they all looked fantastic. The head rubbing scene between Tarzan and a lioness he'd know as a cub was awesome to behold. (I was so jealous!) 

The Mangani apes were fabulous. Each was distinct enough the audience could easily tell which was which. Kala's, Kerchak's and Kala's ape son's expressions and body language spoke volumes. 

The scene with the ostriches was cool and a lot of fun. All the animals were amazing. The fog special effects in the region of Opar were very well done. Several explosions, a ton of bullets, and some massive destruction filled the special effects docket. :)

But the most impressive special effect, in my opinion, had to do with Tarzan's hands. Living among the apes since he was a baby, Tarzan's muscles and bones developed differently from the human norm. The hands appear more like a gorilla's. Though an unspoken thread in the plot, the fact Kala gave him a rock to help him shape his hands so they could be more effective makes a large impact. It is quietly referenced several times and is a facet of his inner struggles. 

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: Per the Edgar Rice Burroughs website there have been 41 Tarzan films and 57 one-hour television episodes made. So rather than do the expected origin story in this film, the writers took a different route to get us acquainted with the characters. One that I think made the film different from other retellings and worked well to craft a good film. 

Rather than as the Lord of the Jungle, we meet John Clayton as Lord Greystoke. He's been years away from the Congo and has been serious in taking care of his duties as the heir of Greystoke. John has embraced the land of his birthright as if he'd never been anywhere else. He is refined, well educated, intelligent. With small flashes back to his time in the jungle, we do get bits about his origin. But they take a back seat to the overall story arc, so it enhances what is going on, but doesn't over shadow it.

Jane's love for the people and country she was raised in was a lovely surprise. Her relationship with the small village her father taught in was bright and heartfelt. You could feel they were all family.

There are hidden bits of homage and in-jokes sprinkled through the film for both the books and the previous films/tv shows. There are also bits of humor interspersed throughout. (My favorite was the warriors leaning out of the way on the back of the train. lol. You'll know when you see it. :) ) 

A lot of themes are explored. The meaning of family, not quite fitting in, what it is that makes us who we are, how actions have repercussions, and more. 

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: While many of the stunts are CGI, there were still plenty of real stunts to keep the department quite busy. Fights, gunplay, avoiding stampeding animals - they had plenty to keep them occupied.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: Between several locations in England and those in Africa, there is much to delight the eyes. Add in some CGI and all the vistas were quite impressive. Long panned views of the grasslands, aerial shots of the jungle, or just pockets in the trees - every shot told its own story. In fact, towards the end, they actually do.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: From presenting Lord Greystoke in his finery to slowly divesting him of clothes, the department did some nice costuming work. The makeup was excellent as well. They gave the different tribes their own distinct looks, helping to show their diversity. The work on Tarzan's bite from both the special effects and makeup department was outstanding. 

Conclusion: The Legend of Tarzan is a lovely new take on the old tale. There is lots of action, cool vistas, villains, and heroes.  All the fun things that have made Tarzan the icon he's been since the first story hit the stands back in 1912.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Pay Full Price to See Again!)

Movie Review - Spectre

Spectre

Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Andrew Scott, Monica Bellucci, Dave Bautista, Rory Kinnear, Alessandro Cremona, Jesper Christensen, and more.

Directed by: Sam Mendes Screenplay by: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Jez Butterworth Story by: John Logan, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade Based on Characters Created by: Ian Fleming

Premise: Though put on suspension, James continues to pursue an unofficial case left for him by M upon her death. The deeper he goes, the stranger the case gets, especially when he comes across documents relating to his dead foster family. All this on the cusp on the double O program being merged with MI5 and a huge push to get all countries to share information between intelligence agencies. Worse, all of it might be connected. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Daniel Craig once more reprises his role as James Bond 007. As always, he is quite smooth. Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, and Ben Whishaw do great work as M, Moneypenny, and Q. It was lovely to see the last two get some play! Andrew Scott was nice and slimy as C. Christoph Waltz created quite a presence as Oberhauser. Léa Seydoux also did a great job as the unwilling Dr. Swann.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Cool gadgets, explosions, planes, loads of fun treats from the special effects team. The prop plane scenes were very reminiscent of the Roger Moore period. The facility in the desert harkened back to the Sean Connery period as well. A lot of subliminal homage seemed to be going on. Very nice!

Super kudos on the whole "Day of the Dead" celebration in Mexico. The parade scene and the super cool floats were outstanding! The girls with the turning dresses almost appeared to be floating along. (Hiding Segways underneath perhaps?) :)

3) Story - Thumbs Up: The film starts with a sentence - "The dead are alive" and aptly starts on the "Day of the Dead". The entire film uses this theme in a myriad of ways. It also ends up tying together all the previous Daniel Craig films as pieces of a greater whole, and a much larger threat to the world than any of them ever imagined.

But more than just Daniel's films got represented. There were a ton of tiny moments or bits paying homage to many of the previous Bond films as well. The way the prop plane was used, the thug Hinx, who was very reminiscent of Jaws in Moonraker, and more.

While the mini mission starting the film was definitely awesome, a couple of things were odd. The main being why James hit the helicopter pilot when the man was unarmed and a plaza full of people lay below, especially since the pilot was the only one keeping it in the air. Later, yes, he needed to hit him, but when he had his hands full with another man at the beginning? It was odd.

The way Christoph Waltz is introduced in glances and bits was very well played. The entire scene in the meeting in Rome was fantastic and said so much about the man, without him actually doing a lot. Later, his character is diluted a little, his explanation for his involvement and interest in James pushed as the reason he's done certain things, yet, not quite fitting with everything. His main scheme was evident, but the group's ultimate goal? Not so much. Or at least what was presented didn't seem enough? I could have missed something though.

Madeleine Swann was fun. Unexpected things for her and James in the film - the past once more affecting the future. What was funny is how much is given away during the beginning song! Almost a trailer in its own right. lol. (Heck the title song "Writing on the Wall" also seemed to be an in-joke as you'll note on a wall towards the end!)

One more bit of fun - Moneypenny, Q, and the new M get a bit of action too! Nice to see them get involved. (And that Moneypenny is NOT waiting for James. heh heh.)

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of hand to hand combat, car chases, car crashes, airplanes, helicopters, and more! The stunt department was kept very busy. Shaky cam came into play during the foot chase in Mexico, but thankfully it didn't last long and not really used again during the rest of the film. Yay!

Loved the fight scenes on the train! Talk about destruction and beat up stunts! This fight also has elements which will remind you of the Roger Moore James Bond films.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film has bits all over the world, so a ton of different locals are used -- Mexico, Italy, Austria, Morocco, England.

As I mentioned earlier, the "Day of the Dead" celebration in Mexico City was fabulous! The cinematography took full advantage of the parade as well as all the other locations. The giant scope of some of the scenery were perfect for grandiose sweeps to feed the eyes.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: They totally had me on the "Day of the Dead" sequence - the costumes and masks were totally awesome. Jame's costume is the one you see in the back on the movie poster, making several layered in-jokes since James is an assassin and therefore death, but also merges well with the name of the evil organization. :P Check out the cool dresses and the painted skeleton parts on the ladies, and the nice suits for the men. Loved that whole section!

Conclusion: "Spectre" is full of all the things we love about James Bond - lots of action, foreign  locals, cars, guns, and more. A nice ending to a long, unexpected story arc are things are brought together.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again)

Movie Review - EPIC

EPIC

Starring: Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Beyoncé Knowles, Blake Anderson, Aziz Ansari, Chris O'Dowd, Steven Tyler, Jason Sudeikis, and more.

Directed by: Chris Wedge Story by: William Joyce, James V Hart, and Chris Wedge Screenplay by: James V Hart, William Joyce, Daniel Shere, Tom J Astle, Matt Ember Based on the book "The Leaf Men and The Brave Good Bugs" by: William Joyce Cinematography by: Renato Falcão Music by: Danny Elfman

Premise: Moving to her father's house after her mother's death, Mary Katherine is disappointed to see he's still up to the same strange research that led her mother to leave him years before. Her father believes there's an advanced civilization of diminutive people living in the forest. So when it looks like the solstice, combined with a full moon, has her father running about even more than usual, MK decides the new arrangement isn't going to work after all. But when the three legged, one eyed pug, Ozzie runs off into the forest, MK goes after him, and stumbles into the middle of a battle of good versus evil. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Thumbs Up: I've always enjoyed the work of Colin Farrell and Josh Hutcherson and their voice acting on this film was well done. Amanda Seyfried gave a great performance as the grieved and troubled MK. Christoph Waltz looked to have had some fun as Mandrake. Beyoncé Knowles came across as a great and wise queen. The comedy tag team of Aziz Ansari and Chris O'Dowd definitely did a lot to amuse. Though some of the different accents thrown in at different places and not always consistently so did jar a little in places.

Of course one of the most fun characters in the film had no voice at all - Ozzie - the three legged, one eyed, old pug.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Blue Sky Studios did an awesome job with the look of the film. From the gorgeous hummingbirds to the wilting of plants, the detail was astounding. Seeing the leafs and plants used as clothes, flying boats, and moving doors made the world of the forest really come alive with wonder. The scenes of Queen Tara arriving at the small lake in her flying ship and then stepping on the lily pads were gorgeous.

Inversely, watching the rot arrows deform the tree limbs, wilt leaves, and other destruction were also quite impressive. Mandrake's home was the essence of decay.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: Overall the plot of the film worked, but wasn't necessarily outstanding. There were a few small surprises, though not many. We barely got a glimpse into the culture of the Leaf Men and those they protect, or even the structure of life in the forest, which would have given the plot more depth and context. The whole side business of betting and fixed bird races didn't mesh well with what little the audience was shown of the culture. Even the problems with Nod seemed forced and without any real substance. Late in the film, we find where Nod lost his father, it made no sense why Ronin and Nod's dad would have been there in the first place and it was never discussed. (If anything, it lent a dark undertone to what the two might have been up to at the time.)

I found the use of Ronin's name rather odd. Since the Leaf Men obviously followed many oriental ideals in the way they fought and lived, the fact they would give their commander a name meaning 'masterless samurai' seemed strange. Though with what happens to the queen, perhaps it was apt.

Another odd point was a thread pursued in three different prongs - the act of loving someone yet there being obstacles keeping you apart and no solution ever becoming apparent - the queen and Ronin, Grub and MK, MK and Nod. It's rather a depressing theme and seemed out of place in what was advertised as a combination action and comedy animated film.

Conclusion: EPIC wasn't so epic. And its name if one of the worst for a film ever. The animation is totally well worth watching. The film definitely had its moments, but it won't have you running off to tell all your friends about it. With all the birds, Grub and Mud, and Ozzie, there might be enough there to entertain the younger kids.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Better For Matinee)

Movie Review - Django Unchained

Django Unchained

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L Jackson, Kerry Washington, Walton Goggins, Don Johnson, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, Nichole Galicia, Tom Wopat, Quentin Tarantino, and more.

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino Written by: Quentin Tarantino Cinematography by: Robert Richardson

Premise: A bounty hunter is needing information about three brothers, so he stops the chain gang Django is part of in order to try and get it. Things don't go as expected, and Dr. Schultz ends up liberating Django from his current owners. He offers Django a job and once it's done, he will set Django free. Later, impressed by Django's unexpectedly good shooting skills, Schultz asks Django to partner up with him for the winter and in return he will help him track down his wife, who was sold away. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jamie Foxx gave a good performance as the slave turned bounty hunter Django. Christoph Waltz added a lot of flavor to the film with his fun performance. Leonardo DiCaprio was intense as Monsieur Candie, showing all that was good and bad of plantation owners. Samuel L Jackson did a great job as both comic relief and story twist. Seeing Don Johnson again was a lot of fun. He seemed very much at home playing Big Daddy.

2) Special Effects - Thumbs Up: All the things viewers expect from a Tarantino film were present - mainly bullets, explosions, and tons of buckets of blood. The big battle scene saw close up bullet wounds, flesh piercings, and a lot of screaming.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: In most Tarantino films plot is normally something thrown along to string the action scenes along in films such as these - so it was a nice surprise to see this one try for more. While a lot of the events were what one might expect, there were still several unexpected surprises, which was fun.

The story, however, did suffer at a couple of spots as the audience is yanked out of the current event to do a quick flashback to some comedic bit of information. Though the bits on their own might be funny, they totally destroyed the rising tension or disrupted the story's flow, basically making them not worth while.

That being said, there were other spots where the tension build up was masterfully done or the scene itself set up in a very fluid manner. Sadly, the few hiccups marred the overall experience.

One item that grabbed me hard was a side character that was shown two or three times, yet she seemed so unusual and out of place I kept thinking it had to mean something but it didn't. It was a woman at Candie Land, who dressed like a man and wore a red bandanna across her face. Her presence was even weirder when they showed the dog handlers at home and she was in the back looking at a 3D photograph of the Parthenon. Yet unless it was some kind of inside joke, it had no value. So it detracted and jarred rather than add to the film.

The beginning of the "Django Unchained" had a very 70's feel. A lot of the music very 20th century fare, yet most fit and at times even added to the scenes they were played in. So nice job there.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: Whether it was falling from horses, being shot by their own people, getting pinned by horses, or having extra pieces of themselves blown up or shot off - the stunt department did some great work in the film.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film was full of great locations. There was good contrast between the small town in Texas, what we saw of the slave depot in Mississippi, and Candie Land. The great locations also gave way to some great cinematic shots as well. The giant tree over the small family cemetery and the sunset behind it won't soon be forgotten - utterly lovely.

6) Costuming/Makeup - Total Thumbs Up: The period clothing looked great. It varied from area to area and even by nationality, which was a nice touch. It also served to easily allow the audience to tell the different standings of both blacks and whites.

Conclusion: If you have enjoyed previous Tarantino films, you should be quite happy with this one. The film is longer than you'd expect, clocking in at 165 minutes. But since the story was decent and held several surprises along the way, it won't seem that long. Be warned though, there are several disturbing scenes, so I would very much caution against taking younger viewers to see it.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)