Rec 2

In 2007 Rec sneaked quietly into the cinemas. About a week later it left just as quietly, eventually to be discovered on DVD, before the inevitable American remake (Quarantine). However, if you were one of the few lucky people like myself to see Rec in the cinema then you experienced a film that was quick, smart, at times bloody, and at other times, bloody terrifying. Writer / Directors Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza, begin REC 2 15 minutes following the conclusion of the first film. This time we have an official from the Ministry of Health and a Spanish SWAT team entering the apartment block to discover what is going on in there. The film is shot using the same hand-held camera perspective of the original. However, though this still works, Balagueró and Plaza drop the ball by cutting down on the tension in favour of a screenplay that is explanation heavy. It’s understandable that a sequel has to expand on the original, but in telling the back story we miss out on the claustrophobia that was the mainstay of the original experience. Frankly, it isn’t really all that scary. Or even all that gory (the famous neck bite from the original being a distant memory now) However, the film is saved by the fact that the screenplay is pretty smart, with a neat twist at the end. In addition, it will probably make you want to watch the first film over again (which is no bad thing). Though it may feel a bit diluted now, beware that there are even more explanations to come what with Balagueró and Plaza planning both a prequel and a further sequel.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
This misses the sweaty palmed rawness of the first film, but it’s disturbing storyline and smart finish mean further instalments will be anticipated, if not eagerly. Rating: 6/10

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

It’s hardly a secret that films based on video games are usually dire affairs. However, most don’t have Mike Newell directing, Jerry Bruckheimer producing and Jake Gyllenhaal starring. OK, OK I know that doesn’t mean much to some people (and after Bruckheimer's Transformers films, that’s a fair comment), but their involvement with this means we have a film that pokes it’s head above the usual parapet of computer game dross, though it still isn’t all that memorable. Based around the game of the same name, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has Gyllenhall as the Prince in question brooding around 6th Century Persia getting to grips with a few family problems, a beautiful princess (Gemma Arterton) and some somewhat suspect dialogue. Having said that, the plot itself is actually fair game. I could be more harsh on this, but this is clearly a film aimed at a family audience (the main plot device is called “The Dagger of Time” for goodness sake) and it does the job that is required. However, it falls apart very quickly towards the end, especially during the ridiculously CGI heavy over the top final showdown. Acting wise the cast does what is required, but little else. Overall, this is standard blockbuster fare, hitting the marks for the target audience. However, it’s likely that most people would get more enjoyment from the computer game.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Loses marks for some wooden acting and over reliance on CGI, but there is still entertainment to be had. Rating: 6/10

Cop Out

What on earth has happened to Kevin Smith? It’s hard to believe that the director of Clerks would 16 years later be giving us dross like Cop Out. Clerks is still an undisputed classic, but Smith has been on a slide for a long time now and Cop Out could be the nadir. The biggest problem with the movie is that though it’s supposedly a homage to the 1980’s staple of buddy cop films, this isn’t clear from watching it. Is this really a nod to Lethal Weapon et al, or is it a parody? You could see it either way really. Bruce Willis and Tracey Morgan are the cops in question in this one, who, and tell me if you’ve heard this one before, get suspended at the start of the film due to a botched sting operation! Oh, the originality. Suffice to say, they continue with a subsequent investigation and you get the usual mixture of action and quips. There are a few funny laughs to be had, but they are few and far between. To be fair to Morgan, he does put his heart into it and doesn’t come across as annoying as in the trailer. Sean William Scott also pops up with a few laughs. Willis meanwhile flies along on autopilot. Overall though, the film just reminds you as to why these kind of movies have fallen out of favour somewhat. You can still enjoy the old ones (a lot of them through rose tinted glasses of course) but this proves this genre is moribund for the moment, not helped by the awful score. If you really go in expecting nothing you may get some enjoyment, but I’d say this is only worth watching for Kevin Pollack’s two second impersonation of De Niro. Honestly, unlike Cop Out itself, it is a cracker.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Homage or not, this just isn’t funny or smart enough to refresh a cannon of films not really that popular at the moment. Rating: 3/10

The Losers

I’ve got a soft spot for films like The Losers. For all intents and purposes, B-movies, with a knowing sense of their own stupidity, which don’t take themselves too seriously and where it looks like everyone is having a blast. Sylvain White’s film is perfect Friday night film fodder. There’s nothing original here, in fact you’ll probably forget you’ve even seen this in a few years time, but what there is is enjoyable enough. With a short running time, White doesn’t worry too much about back story of the characters and speeds through the film after the initial set up. The set up being that a team of US Special Forces soldiers are betrayed whilst on a mission in Bolivia and are presumed dead. The Losers then make their back to The States to gain their revenge on the person who set them up. Making up part of the group are Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chris Evans and Idris Elba, who all excel in their various well written parts. White handles the action scenes with a crazy mixture of slow motion and frantic editing, and we also have some nice comic book images during the opening and closing scenes. It doesn’t all work though. Even though this is based on a comic you may find it all a bit too absurd. Jason Patric as the main villain doesn’t really work either. Trying to exert menace mixed with a comic edge it’s a decent stab by Patric, but it mostly falls flat. That apart, and the fact this may seem a bit A-Team lite, I’d still think that particular upcoming summer flick may have to go some to join this in terms of it’s high entertainment value.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Jokey, fast, loud and with a knowing wink to the audience. Fun stuff. Rating: 7/10

Robin Hood

Now here’s some heavy hitters. Ridley Scott as director, Brian Helgeland on (re-writing) script duties and Russell Crowe as the lead. One problem though. Is there really a clamour to see another film about Robin Hood? Scott and Helgeland perhaps sensed this early on as much like Batman Begins and Casino Royale, Robin Hood goes back to the start to give us a story concerning the origins of the Hood myth (though it appears commercial measures still dictate, as the original title of Nottingham fell by the wayside). So, was it a wise decision? Overall you would say yes, though the film isn’t quite the sum of its parts. Scott directs with (what else?) an assured hand and neatly moves the story along just at the right moments before navel gazing sets in. Though there is some dodgy editing at times suggesting that a version with more grue was also filmed and I’d expect to see that surface on DVD. Crowe is solid as Robin of Longstaff and there is strong support from the rest of the cast, including Oscar Isaac as a delightfully slimy Prince John. However, the purposely sidelined Sheriff of Nottingham is a waste of Matthew Macfayden. Cate Blanchett brings the required gravitas to Marion Loxley that the screenplay gives her but the romantic plot line between her and Crowe is below par and they rack up zero chemistry together on the screen. Of course, much has been made about Crowe’s accent. It’s definitely not that great and I can only assume the close relationship between Scott and Crowe prevented Scott from pointing out it needed brushing up somewhat. Having said that, to me, it sounded a bit Irish at the start but then seemed to disappear totally for the rest of the film. Negative points aside though, this is still enjoyable stuff which, though I’m sure Scott wouldn’t like it, comes across more like a fantasy adventure (swords, sandals, girls) than any sort of serious historical comment. The climactic battle at the end doesn’t quite hit home as it should, especially after the decent build up Scott gives it, and it’s not helped by Blanchett's and the (soon to be?) merry men arriving in a somewhat underwhelming fashion. Overall, this probably won’t live too long in the memory, and I doubt they’ll be a follow up, but Scott directs well (including some stunning sweeping camera shots of the green and pleasant land), the actors all seem to be enjoying themselves and the screenplay is nicely polished.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
The heavy hitters land their punches, but none of them are knock out blows. Rating: 7/10.

The Joneses

The ironic message of The Joneses is not does all the money in the world make you happy? But does all the money in the world plus all the latest gadgets in the world make you happy? Well, this is a film so of course it doesn’t you fool! The set up for The Joneses is that the eponymous family (David Duchovny, Demi Moore, Amber Heard, Ben Hollingsworth) arrive in an already loaded suburb and impress the locals with their golf clubs, watches, cars etc. However, it’s all a scam, the Joneses are actually a fake family, planted in order to boost sales of anything and everything that costs and arm and a leg. That’s not a plot spoiler by the way, as though the Joneses aren’t revealed to the audience as to who they really are until about 20 minutes into the film, this plot twist scene, which is meant to make the audience sit up in their chairs, is pretty much telegraphed from the start. Derrick Borte's dramedy just about succeeds in both areas, with some subtle laughs thrown in throughout the film before a moving key emotional scene at the end. You’ll also get a kick out of some of the gadgets on show, though whether you have the wallet of course is a different matter. One problem with the film though, apart from its somewhat credibility stretching premise, is that would all those clearly rich people actually need any encouragement to buy such treats in the first place? Plus, do people really want to watch a film about a load of people rolling in green? However, this is well acted by the four main protagonists, especially by Heard and Hollingsworth as the children of the fraudulent brew, and it’s an unusual film, if not an entirely memorable one.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
This is somewhat thin, but what it does has is enjoyable enough, though the ending is a bit fudged. Rating: 6/10

Furry Vengeance

Two things that struck me about Furry Vengeance. First, for a film about talking animals, instead of having a load of Hollywood’s hottest stars providing voices, the animals talk to each other via gurgles, squeaks, roars or whatever noise said animal would make. This is backed up via a few visual translation bubbles which do provide the odd titter. The second is the amount of CGI animals on show. Come on guys, has it got to the stage now that even cuddly critters are reduced to being computer generated? Obviously for some of the antics the animals get up too in a film you need some effects, but for even simple things we get badly imposed creatures sticking out like a sore thumb. Brendan Fraser takes the lead roll in this kids flick, working for a property developer looking to demolish a forest in order to put up some expensive abodes. However, furry vengeance is on the menu as the woodland animals fight back in a array of slapstick attacks. Oh yeah, and there’s poo on the agenda. Lots of it. The best I can say about this is that it should appeal to real youngsters, but apart from that its pretty dire stuff for the rest of it. Fraser loves appearing in these family films and he is fair game for the “punishment” the animals dish out. However, even he can’t save this from being a terrible mediocre effort in terms of effects, plot and dialogue. There’s the occasion laugh, but this is a way below par kids film and by the time the skunks lift their tales for the umpteenth time in the film, any originality has disappeared a long time ago….

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
For tiny tots that like poo jokes only. Rating: 3/10.