Mad Max: Fury Road Review

I’ve always admired the Mad Max franchise’s depiction of a post-apocalyptic wasteland filled with ferocity, savagery and the roar of rusty engines. V8-powered, bolted together vehicles churning fire and oxidised steel on a horizon of hell is a welcome contrast to the grayscale and zombie-ridden surroundings the “post-apocalypse” genre has been saturated with. Yet as a story of “The Road Warrior’s” revenge, redemption and survival, the series hasn't had the same impact as its visuals and sound. George Miller’s recent career has been one filled with dancing penguins and little of anything resembling action cinema. Yet for a director who’s been 30 years absent from the franchise, Mad Max: Fury Road is arguably the best in the entire series. 

Essentially a two hour vehicular chase, Max is caught up in Imperator Furiosa’s break for freedom 

while being chased by Immortan Joe’s convoy of adrenaline-fuelled madness. The theme of survival is encapsulated in nearly every facet of the film’s world; the citizens of the Citadel are ruthlessly held under Joe’s clenched grip over the water supply. Joe himself needs to continue his line through his breeding girls. Furiosa’s attempt to escape the horrors of her current situation and Max’s sheer perseverance to endure. There’s little doubt that Fury Road focuses its attention on the action and visuals, which leads to the film suffering from a lack of depth towards the end. Yet for a script that’s light on substance, the likes of Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy offer a compelling team as the wreckage ensues. The brief moments of respite offer enough character to maintain their mysticism whilst giving them some semblance of humanity and empathy. Theron’s Furiosa takes centre stage in a commanding, yet fragile performance that steals the show from Max. Tom Hardy is suitable gruff and cynical under the unfortunate circumstances he finds himself in. There’s a flashy yet vain attempt to “re-address” his tragic backstory and psyche, but he shares the characteristics of a protagonist from the spaghetti western formula; weathered and mumbling. It’s entertaining, but a few more lines of dialogue wouldn’t have hurt him or the film. The supporting cast, especially Nicholas Hoult, does a similarly fine job.

While light on story and dialogue, the barebones nature offers a solid foundation for which the visuals and sound design flourish. The world of Mad Max is one of “fire and blood” and “madness” as our protagonist says in the opening monologue, and while the harshness and hostility of the environment and its inhabitants is clearly evident, the film is visually stylish and repeatedly stunning to watch. For an apocalyptic wasteland comprised of deserts and rocky outcrops, Miller injects a swell of colours and tones; yellows, oranges, and blues that add variation and vibrancy. The warped realities of society and humanity shown within the set and production design, help craft the treacherous surroundings and its characters. The symbolism of Valhalla, the War Boys’ chanting V8 in front of an podium of steering wheels, and the harvesting of “mother’s milk” add a twisted richness to film’s design. These small details further the construction and theorising of these personalities and locations which has been a staple of the franchise’s style. The careful use of CGI and Miller’s desire to champion practical effects really adds to the sheer savage and hard-hitting nature to the film. Vehicles twist and buckle under the weight of collisions and debris litters the pristine sand dunes. Everything has force and an incredible amount of speed. Meanwhile Junkie XL’s thunderous soundtrack of pounding drums, vigorous guitar strumming and sharp shifts in tone reinforce the crazed fury that’s being depicted on screen.

Mad Max: Fury Road is another fine example of action cinema that doesn’t require an over-zealous  and contrived screenplay to remain engrossing and thoroughly entertaining. A simple narrative, interesting characters, incredible production design and thrilling stunt choreography turn the two hour runtime into a beautiful and unhinged storm of destruction and lunacy. It’s lovely.

8/10

Favourite Film and TV Characters: The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane

While The Dark Knight Rises remains a film that has split the fans, Tom Hardy’s Bane has been universally met with approval. I’d go as far as arguing that he was the most notable character of 2012. From his strong physical presence to his unique voice, Bane offered a significant challenge to the Bat that was evident during his screen time. The original character of Bane is a complex one that, as with the very nature of the comic book industry, has a variety of backstories and personalities. The initial creation of the character had been for the sole purpose of breaking Batman’s back during the Knightfall storyline in the early 1990s. However the sheer popularity surrounding him resulted in the character becoming a regular villain in the Batman franchise. 

My first exposure to Bane was through Joel Schumacher’s horrendous Batman and Robin. Subsequently and understandably, the character cemented himself as a Luchadore with an terrible case of uncontrollable rage. It was only through reading Knightfall and Bane’s other comic appearances that he revealed himself to be a more engaging and profound individual. While the general populace see him as a giant brute with the capability of toppling buildings and picking up cars, there’s a tragic angle that distinguishes him from the likes of Killer Croc and Scarecrow. Surprisingly I’m not a massive fan of Knightfall, primarily because it’s rather dated. The writing and the art obviously resonates with hardcore fans of Batman, but the comic never clicked for me. This was Bane’s first appearance and while it was an intriguing one, it left more to the imagination than the series was actually capable of showing and facilitating, which inevitably was the problem of his original purpose. Nolan’s Bane, on the other hand, offered a realistic perspective that was genuinely more interesting and confounding . 

After Heath Ledger’s Joker stole the entirety of The Dark Knight, Rises was always going to have a tough time replicating the sheer impact and presence that he brought to film. The choice of Bane was undoubtably a challenge for both the film’s writers and fans to wrap their heads around. Taking a drug fuelled, “mexican wrestler” and framing him within the context of Nolan’s gritty and realistic world wasn’t an easily comprehendible notion. Yet the end result offered both a clever and physically impressive adversary that was distinctive and undoubtably inspiring. 

At the heart of my love for the character is Tom Hardy. Hardy’s performance, both physically, vocally, and especially through his eyes, was a captivating one that managed to surpass the impact of much of the film’s cast. His physique silenced some of the hardcore fans, but more importantly was the fact that he and Nolan used their freedom with the character to bring something different. This villain wasn’t simply a fully-charged brute, but like the comics he was an highly intelligent and formidable antagonist.

His voice, while criticised, has a menace and bellow that resonated throughout the film. Apparently Hardy drew inspiration from Bartley Gorman, an Irish traveller and boxer known as the “King of the Gypsies”. Other sources have linked him using the likes of Richard Burton and other British actors to formulate the voice. Either way it still remains distinctive and effective. The distorted and mechanical mix and various inflections resulted in simple chit-chat and breathing seeming a lot more threatening and fierce. Meanwhile, his appearance channels a militaristic but constricted look. The mask and the general abundance of straps showed a character restraining his descent into sheer pain-induced rage, but one that’s visually striking as he stand over a crippled Batman. The physical prowess is there through Hardy’s toned physique, and so too was the scarred mien from his tormented ordeal in “The Pit” and his past. 

But where Hardy’s performance surprisingly succeeded was the manner in which he captured Bane’s human side. Behind the “swagger” that persists through his taunts and general laid back attitude as he watches Gotham fall, there was a mysterious and emotional angle to the character. His origins and early existence are all shrouded in ambiguity, with his adoption into “The League of Shadows” and his relationship with Talia Al Ghul providing an more ardent exploration into his psyche than was previously expected. His expulsion from the League and dismissal by Ra’s Al Ghul hinted at a darker and vindictive expansion of the character that went beyond the intentions and notions the group stood for. Meanwhile the tears he sheds towards Talia proved to be an unexpectedly, fascinating divulgence that offered a touching moment showing a robust chemistry between the two. In some respects it’s pretty impressive to see a character suddenly exposed in an almost sympathetic light. And this is where Bane differed from the previous antagonists of the trilogy. While Ra’s Al Ghul and the Joker offered a constant state of unpredictability throughout the course of the films, their onscreen persona’s did little to change from the madness and panic that surrounded them. Here for this solitary scene, we’re shown the tragedy and frailties of Bane’s character. And that proved to be more intriguing then the rest of the film and his anti-climatic exit. 

I really like The Dark Knight Rises even with its flaws and problems. But Bane in particular stood out. From a great idea in concept and writing, his comic book persona caught an interesting balance within Nolan’s perspective. Bringing him back to a more “human” character with more of an emotional stake in the narrative and characters, Bane offered a distinctive looking and sounding adversary to the omnipotent Batman. Tom Hardy’s great performance managed to add something other than a physical presence, and less of the stereotypical hulk many understand the character to be. Even with the endless parodies and impersonations, Bane still remains captivating to watch and undoubtably one of my favourite film characters. 

Lawless Review

After an aggressive marketing campaign, Lawless hits screens with a rather mixed reception. An adaptation of Matt Bondurant’s novel The Wettest County in the World, the film is essentially a “biographical” action/drama that saw itself nominated for 2012 Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or. With a star-studded cast consisting of Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy, and with director John Hillcoat (The Road, The Proposition) at the helm Lawless showed some initial promise. Yet in reality it’s a film that struggles to build and develop its story, characters and themes in an engaging and memorable methodology.

Set during the Prohibition period of the 1930s, the film follows the Bondurant Brothers; Forrest (Tom Hardy), Howard (Jason Clarke) and Jack (Shia LaBeouf), a notorious and brutal family of moonshine bootleggers. However the arrival of Special Agent Charlies Rakes (Guy Pearce) not only puts their illegal operations in trouble, but their lives. Lawless’ main problem is its writing. Nick Cave’s adaptation of Matt Bondurant’s novel lacks substance and depth towards both the film’s characters and the plot. With a story dominated and centred around the three leads, the script fails to establish anything profound about them, their brotherhood or their “war” against Rakes. For the majority of the film, Shia LaBeouf’s character arch takes precedence. Yet even his unoriginal  ascendence from whinny “rookie” to whinny, wannabe macho isn’t a sophistically told or realistically evolved narrative. The introduction of Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska merely serves to further add to some pretty faces to the sagging second act with forgettable romances that fail to develop from Hillcoat’s use of montages. On the whole, apart from the so-called “legend” surrounding Hardy’s character, there’s nothing captivating or engaging with any of the trio or the story, which is a completely no no for a “biographical” tale. 

The sheer talent on offer surprisingly culminates in no actor or actress truly standing out and impressing. Shia LaBeouf puts in his standard delivery in a performance that really requires someone with a lot more screen presence and diversity. Tom Hardy’s rather indistinguishable accent and bashful personality is the most interesting character, yet he suffers from the lacklustre nature of the script. Jason Clarke is forgettable in a role that requires little from him except his fists. Meanwhile Guy Pearce offers the polar opposite from his fellow leads in an over-the-top performance that tries too hard to fill the role of the antagonist in a film consisting of unsympathetic and unpleasant personalities. As for Gary Oldman, his top-billing culminates in approximately 7 minutes of screen time that feels rather pointless in hindsight. Along with the rising stars of Chastain and Wasikowska, its a real shame that the writing dilutes the impact of the entire cast.

Visually Lawless fails to do anything interesting with its period or Virginia setting. Hillcoat’s previous film The Road succeeded in portraying an post-apocalyptic world, desolate and deranged through impressive cinematography and set locations. Here, apart from the extreme violence, that really adds nothing artistically or thematically, Lawless lacks any visual flair, to the point that CGI is even used to enhance pyrotechnics. The environments are recycled in numerous scenes giving Lawless a noticeably small scale. Even the soundtrack can’t escape its generic nature with cliche folk songs, and rather mistimed and mismatched musical accompaniment in various scenes. 

Overall Lawless is a mildly entertaining film that is undoubtably hindered by its writing. It’s a shallow affair that fails to build on its brief moments of intensity and magic, and to take advantage of its very capable cast. Disappointing. 

5/10

RespawningCouch Podcast: Audio Review: Lawless

This week: Jack and a disappointed Nick give their thoughts on big release Lawless.

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The Dark Knight Rises Review

The Dark Knight Rises 

Christopher Nolan’s Batman films have easily become the most critically applauded and financially successful of the superhero’s long catalogue of film adaptations. Grounding the characters and universe in a semi-realistic manner has brought a “rebooted” look and grasp to the capped crusader. From the camp, safety PSA-type of the Adam West television series to the gothic surealism of Tim Burton’s efforts, Batman arguable has finally found his cinematic footing in the streets of a modern Chicago under the direction of Nolan. With the sheer hype and expectation towards his last Batman film, the question was always going to be whether it would mirror or surpass the “flawless” status The Dark Knight has received. 

Set 8 years after the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham still mourns the death of its hero Harvey Dent yet prospers under his valiant legacy. In comparison Bruce Wayne has become a reclusive cripple and has hung up the cowl and cap.  Meanwhile dangerous mercenary Bane has escaped custody and threatens to eradicate the filth and corruption of Gotham through an elaborate yet destructive plan. Rises continues to showcase the prowess and complexity to the Nolan brother’s writing and direction. Pushing the scale, the Joker’s previously hinted chaos in Knight is thoroughly realised through Bane’s brutal plans. Continuing the morbid and deeply unnerving atmosphere of fear and anxiety, the film manages to convey the tumbling descent of both Gotham’s heroes and citizens. It’s an engaging and well-structured story that manages to balance various narratives courses and the introduction of a multitude of new characters. However the writing is by no means perfect with some of the dialogue falling flat, and the conveyance of time never persists from the visual changes in the seasons. The third act falters under its need to answer every question and reveal additional twists and turns without the substance and length to do so, as it did in The Dark Knight. Nevertheless, it’s a smartly written and carefully balanced story, for the most part, that constantly builds the tension and thrills culminating with an ending that’s pretty much perfect. 

The grandeur of The Dark Knight Rises is further emphasised by the superb and impressive cast Nolan has coordinated. After the introduction of Two-Face during the rather rushed and overly frantic third act of The Dark Knight and the sheer number of recognisable actors in Rises, there was certain skepticism over the overall integrity and balance of the film. Christian Bale returns to the forefront after Heath Ledger stole the show in Knight. His troubled emotional and psychological state of mind becomes paramount to both the story and his character’s own progression. Some may argue that we’ve seen this before, but Bruce Wayne’s own internal struggles and flaws present a much more interesting and integral affair than the simple actions of Batman. In comparison, as the film’s lead villain Tom Hardy’s intense performance as Bane provides a truly threatening and compelling character that has the substance and context to build from. His voice-work and the subsequent voice modulation, arguably more comprehensible than Bale’s, offers a varied personality that’s almost charming even with his intimidating appearance and crippling conviction. Anne Hathaway’s inclusion in the film as Selina Kyle, A.K.A Catwoman, had been a source of tension and while my personal attachment to the character still rather looks down on her portrayal, she does well creating a sense of chemistry with Bale. Meanwhile Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s considerable screen-time shows his capabilities and growing ability onscreen. While his character Officer Blake may seem too perfect in front of Gotham’s decaying backdrop, Levitt has an interesting depth that holds its ground amongst a strong cast that each manages to leave an impression. 

The cinematography continues the greys and dark tones we’ve come to expect from a Batman film. Changes in locations and scenery add a few more colours to the monotone palette, while Batman’s traditional fondness for the darkness is swept away by the questionable over-use of daylight. Cinematographer Walter Pfister continues the slick and gritty visual style of the previous films with some gorgeous shots of the desolate streets of a snowy Gotham or the verticality of the Pit. Yet Rises’ 12A or PG-13 rating have obviously lead to the cutting down of violence, which quite evidently hurts the film’s editing and subsequent flow. Cut-aways seem out-of-place and the sound design rather whimpers at idea of making Bane’s “handiwork” seem a bit more brutal and ferocious. Labelled an “action film” by many, Nolan reaches Michael Bay proportions with missiles and explosions destroying cars and buildings. It’s an abrupt shift from the styles, subtly and vision of the original comic material. However Rises’s set-pieces are intense and impactful. Batman’s sewer fight with Bane in particular is a stunning exchange of fists and dynamic camerawork. Meanwhile Hans Zimmer offer’s a very familiar and tense soundtrack that continues to uses the deep notes and constant drum beat of his recent work. 

In the end The Dark Knight Rises is a highly enjoyable and solid conclusion to a truly remarkable trilogy. Is it the best of the three? No, but while I still believe Batman Begins captured the quintessence of the characters, setting and feel, Rises maintains the high standard we’ve come to expect from Nolan’s films. The story and dialogue have a few minor hitches, and holes can be poked at the third act’s revelations, but the performances are fantastic and the general direction culminates in a stunningly engaging and satisfying ending. 

8/10 

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Review

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy  

Strangely for a British-based, potentially award-winning film, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy had a rather lack-lustre build up. While it picked up near its release, few trailers and little media attention had resulted in the film slipping under the ‘radar’. However when reviews began to emerge, ‘amazing’ ‘brilliant’ and ‘spectacular’ were terms plastered onto every poster, TV spot and film article. The ‘prediction’ of a BAFTA winner became apparent, thus an intrigue was inevitable. Originally a novel by John le Carré, it was adapted into a BBC television series in 1979 starring Alec Guinness. Having not read the book or watched the series, it was interesting to see Tomas Alfredson condense a seven-part show into 2 hours. Known for his direction of 2008’s Let the Right One In, Alfredson has had a relatively sparse filmography and has tended to stick to Swedish film-making. Therefore with a star-studded British cast, and a very British story, how would he manage?

The plot follows a number of officials from the British Intelligence Service as rumour spreads of a ‘mole’ leaking information to the Soviets. George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is taken out of ‘retirement’ and is tasked with finding the double agent among four primary candidates; Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds) and Toby Esterhase (David Dencik). On first glance, the film’s plot seems simple, however after witnessing a botched operation in Budapest and a ‘setup’ in Turkey, its an engrossing and quite complex narrative. Many will find the story a bit hard to follow as it skips back and forth between time slots, but nothing that really impedes the film. However the film’s pacing is a bit all over the place. A long-winded intro sequence/ montage of Gary Oldman being silent in different locations gets tiresome. And when he finally speaks, it fails to match the build up. The overuse of long, drawn out shots of people sitting and ‘first-person’ perspectives from files, slow the film’s pace and become tedious. Thankfully by the end of the film Alfredson nails everything, creating tense and dramatic sequences and a very fine and satisfying last note.

Acting-wise, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy has a fantastic cast that definitely showcases British performances from established actors and up-and-coming ones. Benedict Cumberbatch puts in a superb performance as Peter Guillam. His amazing voice and energetic screen presence create a sophisticated and memorable character. Tom Hardy also puts in a stellar performance as Ricky Tarr, whilst Mark Strong is brilliant as usual. However Gary Oldman’s performance is the one that has grabbed the media’s attention. His portrayal of Mr Smiley’s lonely, muted personality is nothing special. But during the course of the film, through dramatic and fierce dialogue confrontations, his character comes into his own. However with such a big cast, the likes of Stephen Graham and Ciarán Hinds seem underplayed. While I recognise that condensing a seven-part series inevitably results in the omission of scenes and a immediacy to events and characters, why cast lead actors? Hinds doesn’t say anything in the entire film, while Graham has a few scenes but little dialogue, neither really showing their talents. It’s disappointing but understandable. 

The film’s look and feel is fantastic in its recreation of the 1970s. From the cars, fashion and general aesthetic, its an immersive experience that feels very stylish and slick. On the other hand, the soundtrack is somewhat confusing from Alberto Iglesias. Jazzy and classical notes scream the era and match the somber yet chilling visuals. However Mediterranean guitars don’t correspond to the rainy, grey vistas of London. The choice of Julio Inglesias’s cover of Charles Trénet's “La Mer” is a bizarre one that doesn’t suit the film’s captivating ending. 

Overall Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is very good film, however is slightly disappointing when compared to the critical ‘hype’ the film has gained. Great performances, stunning production values, and a gripping story result in an enjoyable experience. While it isn’t the “powerhouse“ or “masterpiece” that many have stated, it’s a fine effort by Tomas Alfredson and is one that’s up there as one of 2011’s best. Definitely Recommended after a “Summer of Blockbuster Shlock”.

8/10