The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Review

"I'm going on an ADVENTURE!"

Those were words that I could definitely relate to prior to seeing the first of The Hobbit films. Middle-Earth was my home as a child and so to go back to it again as a young adult in his 20s was like a dream trip down memory lane. But sometimes going back to your past can have two different conclusions: you either relive the old days or you regret coming back because the magic is gone. Well...

The Plot

When the Grey Wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellan), offers a hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), the chance to go on an adventure, he quickly refuses. But when 13 dwarves arrive at his doorstep led by the rightful King Under the Mountain, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Biblo finds himself being dashed away from the comfortable life of Bag End to the dangerous journey to the Lonely Mountain. Their mission? Retake The Lonely Mountain from the Great Wyrm, Smaug.

And that is only the beginning of their journey...

Review

As a Lord of the Rings fan and a Peter Jackson fan... I was disappointed. Was it because I have high expectations? No. My main problem with the film is how it follows the trend of splitting singular books into multiple films. I was completely fine when Jackson and his team announced the film was going to be split into two movies. I was certain there was enough material in there that can be stretched that long without resulting to fatigue. But when it was announced that so much was filmed that they can now turn it into three movies, that's when I started lowering my expectations. And my biggest fears were right.

I should be used to having an over 2 hour yet under 3 hour Middle-Earth film by now but for some reason, this movie doesn't do it for me. I just kept thinking to myself a lot of what happens in this movie is extremely unnecessary as it takes nearly an hour, maybe less but almost an hour, for Biblo to decide that going on an adventure with Gandalf and the Dwarves is a good idea. It just really feels like a very slow drag and not the type of drag that happens occasionally in movies. This entire movie is just one huge drag. And this is mainly due to the very sad attempt of trying to flush out the personalities of ALL the dwarves that go on this journey.

I'm not a hardcore Tolkien fan who knows all the names of the dwarves, but if a movie is effective in making everyone's introduction memorable then I should remember most of them. Unfortunately, I don't. I don't even remember the names of the ones played by James Nesbitt and the other dwarf who seems to be friendly towards Freeman's Bilbo. The only ones I remember clearly are Kili (the one who seems too good looking for a dwarf), Bombur (the obnoxiously fat dwarf with the crazy beard) and of course Richard Armitage's Thorin (this story's Aragorn but not as noble). Those three dwarves had something distinct about them that made them standout more so than the others. Don't get me wrong, they all look visually distinct from one another. But as far as being visually distinct and having personalities, that goes to Thorin, Kili and Bombur. But then again, Thorin should be the one with the most personality. But unfortunately he comes off as the most unlikeable dwarf amongst the crew, and this guy is suppose to be a main character. It is not Armitage's fault, the character was just written that way.

Then there's the returning cast members who mostly comprise The White Council. These being McKellan's Gandalf, Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, Hugo Weaving's Elrond and Christopher Lee's Saruman. They are all very welcoming returns and in fact probably one of the few things I liked most in the movie. Though Gandalf and Elrond are players in the book, the addition of Galadriel and Saruman was definitely meant as a way to tie in to The Lord of the Rings. There really isn't much to say about their performances because they're in it for a short while, but they are good. But there is a new member amongst the White Council who proved to be another highlight I enjoyed about the movie. That character is Radagast the Brown played by former Doctor Who, Sylvester McCoy. It's always refreshing to see another wizard in the mix, even though he's not in the book. Amazingly he's not involved in this story at all, but it was nice seeing someone crazier than Gandalf.

But if we're going to talk about the old and the new cast there are definitely two standouts of this film.  That being Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and Andy Serkis as Gollum. Freeman is just perfect as Bilbo and he completely owns the role as his own. He doesn't feel beholden to Ian Holm's small portrayal of him in The Lord of the Rings, but it definitely feels like his Bilbo could grow up to become Holm's Bilbo. And what more can be said about Andy Serkis as Gollum. He's perfection, and is definitely one of the fond memories of Middle-Earth you'll be happy to revisit. Their pivotal meeting appropriately known as "Riddles in the Dark," is hands down the best scene in the film. Freeman is excellent and the effects on Gollum are outstanding. If only the rest can be said about the other effects in the film.

Peter Jackson pulls a George Lucas by overusing CGI in this movie. Sure there are lots of nice wide shots New Zealand here and there, but for some reason the overtly CG gloss on the creatures and the locations comes off as...off putting. It doesn't have the same grit that the previous trilogy had, and this is pretty disappointing for someone who loved the use of practical and CG effects. But in here, even if there are practical effects, they are completely overshadowed by an overload of CGI. One of the most jarring ones for me was noticing that the Orcs and Goblins were no longer guys in costumes. Apparently Jackson had filmed them with guys in makeup and costumes, but was so dissatisfied that he had them all replaced with CGI monsters that he finds more appealing. While that explains why someone as imposing as Manu Bennet is playing the White Orc, Azog, as a CGI character, it seems sad that Bennet is doing motion capture for a role that doesn't require motion capture. I mean, the guy was in Spartacus for crying out loud! But alas, he was a last minute replacement so he had to be CGI. But that doesn't excuse the excessive nature that Jackson and his team have thrown into this movie.

Final Thoughts

This trip down memory lane has proven to be a disappointing one. While it is great to see some solid performances by newcomers Martin Freeman and Sylvester McCoy alongside old timers such as Ian McKellan and Hugo Weaving, that isn't enough to save the film. Too much CGI in a film franchise that was praised for being the perfect balance of practical and CGI. Poor attempts at trying to develop a huge number of dwarves that we don't really care about, and that includes the one who is suppose to be the main character, Thorin. And this movie is pretty much the living proof of the Clerks 2 complaint: THIS MOVIE IS NOTHING BUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF WALKING! WALKING! And not the interesting kind like in Fellowship. I mean the boring kind. 

SCORE: 6/10 - There's still wonder, but a lot of it seems to be missing...and boring

For a review of the next film, CLICK HERE

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Review

"For Frodo."

That gets me every time.

The Plot

The board is set, the pieces are moving, they've come to it at last. Frodo (Elijah Wood), Sam (Sean Astin) and Smeagol (Andy Serkis) are now in the heart of Mordor with their mission coming close to an end. The city of Minas Tirith of the kingdom of Gondor is the last stronghold for the forces of good and it needs its rightful king to return. That king is Aragorn (Vigo Mortensen). The great battle for Middle-Earth begins and ends here.

Review

There is a common belief that the third film in a trilogy is always the weakest link. But that is not the case for this film. The Return of the King is easily the best finisher to a trilogy in blockbuster cinematic history. All the elements and players built in The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers comes to a head as the climax of this long story finally comes to an end.

There is no possible way I can do everyone justice, but I'm going to knock it out this way. Know these names: Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellan, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving and Liv Tyler are incredible. All of them deliver knockout performances in this emotionally charged grand finale. Even smaller roles like Cate Blanchett's Galadriel and newcomer John Noble's Denethor add so much to this already large ensemble of nuanced characters. But of course at the center of this ensemble's side of the story is Mortensen's Aragorn. Here we see the king has definitely returned and has fully accepted who he needs to be against the forces of darkness. That is to be there with his people for one final stand against Sauron, in order to give a chance for the real standouts of this film.

Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis may have been strong in the previous films, but their performances reach a whole new level in this film. And one unsung hero has finally reached this very same level. That is Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee. He has been mostly Frodo's support for the entire journey and the only sound voice of reason. Smeagol's manipulation of Frodo brings their friendship to a near devastating end, but it also shows just how powerful these three actors are. In here we truly see that Astin's Sam is the hero of the story. This is because of how much he rises to the occasion compared to Frodo who is going through the motions because he feels like he has to. It is this pairing and the splinter that tries to break them that make them the incredible standouts of this film. If anything, it is a wonder why Wood and Astin are not in more bigger mainstream films, because I firmly believe they deserve to be. Serkis on the other hand has capitalized on his success as Smeagol/Gollum by continuing to be a driving force in motion capture. But there is no denying that these three definitely gave the third film it's true conflict that is not a climactic clashing of armies, but rather a clash between individuals over the source of evil. 

That's not to say the clashing of gigantic armies was not necessary. When the film is not focusing on the mission to destroy the ring, the Battle of Minas Tirith makes the battle of Helms Deep look more like a skirmish. This is a chance for director Peter Jackson to unleash everything in the makeup and special effects department on the heroes and their humanly hosts. It is an all out war in the most spectacular fashion but also grounded in the reality of war. It is terrifying. Especially if you're outnumbered and the opposing army has flying Black Riders (Nazgul), gigantic trolls, vicious wolves, and titanic elephants (oliphants/mumakil) on their side. Yet through all the chaos, Jackson never forgets to show the human drama that is going on in every tier of the city. The fact that this chaotic war can easily flow with the more smaller yet more important story of Frodo, Sam, and Smeagol is a true testament of a talented director as well as an incredible editing team. 

If there is a complaint that is commonly brought up, yet mostly understood, it is the multiple endings of the film. Some people felt that the final scenes in the movie felt more like a string of epilogues instead of one singular epilogue giving a singular closure. While I'm perfectly fine with the endings, I do always wonder every time I watch if there was a certain ending the film could've stopped at in order to convey a singular ending that people would be satisfied with. But with all out honesty, I can't think of one. All the endings may drag out the film, but at the same time all are needed in order to bring proper closure instead of a closure.

Final Thoughts

It is no surprise to me that this film won 11 Academy Awards at the Oscars. In fact, it was the first time that I watched the Oscars all the way through just to root for this film to win everything. I may have been a child hitting 13, but even then I knew how incredible this film is. And looking at it now, it still holds up after all those years. It is the film that you wished all third films in blockbuster trilogies would be. Sure, some complain about the multiple endings but in the end all of them are necessary. Peter Jackson, the cast and practically the entire nation of New Zealand achieved something special with this film. One that I was certain as a kid can never be repeated again. And after watching The Hobbit movies.... I was right.

SCORE: 9.5/10 - A near perfect ending to an amazing film trilogy

For a review of the previous film, CLICK HERE

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Review

Divide and conquer

That's pretty much the best way I would describe this film. Except maybe the conquer part. Not all of them necessarily do that.

The Plot

After a devastating blow that shatters the Fellowship, the splintered groups go off on their own personal journeys. Aragorn (Vigo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) set of an a long foot chase to save Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd). But their paths will once again be split as one group shall enter the kingdom of Rohan and the other will becomes guests to the kingdom of Fangorn Forest. Frodo and Sam continue the mission that was given to them as they continue to trek to Mordor. But their journey becomes complicated when the previous owner of the ring, Gollum (Andy Serkis), wants it back.

Review

As a child, this was the first film I asked my parents to see it twice. Because to me, it was just so much better than the first movie. It's been over a decade since I saw it in theaters as well as constant reruns on my DVD player. And now that I have a lot of experience in how a good movie should be, I know that this film really was worth begging my parents to see twice in the theaters.

The film begins with a bang, a continuation of the battle between Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and the gigantic fire demon, Balrog. It was my favorite scene in the previous film and I was so glad we get to see an expansion of that battle. This opening very much hints at Gandalf's return as a White Wizard, and it was just an excellent way of reintroducing Gandalf to the audience or informing those who did not see the first movie as to why it was a big deal for him to be back.

But enough with reintroductions, it is time for introductions. Because if you've read my review of the first film, then you know I believe the main cast is incredible. But now, let's shift the focus to some newcomers by focusing on the kingdom of Rohan. There is King Theoden played by Bernard Hill, Eowyn played by Miranda Otto, Eomer played by Karl Urban and Grima Wormtongue played by Brad Dourif. Hill's Theoden is pretty much the focal point of the main plot of this story as it revolves around his kingdom and their battle against the turncoat wizard, Saruman (Christopher Lee). He knows how to play a king, and displays a regret as to how he can let Saruman control him for so many years. It is a highly underrated performance, but I believe the most important one in the film. 

Miranda Otto's Eowyn is pretty much set up as Aragorn's new potential love interest in a love triangle that is non-existent because he's in love with Arwen (Liv Tyler). But she does offer up a really nuanced female presence that was not that strong from the previous film. Sure, the last film had Tyler's Arwen and Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, but they're more like pivotal roles rather than mainstay characters. Not to knock on them though, as they play them well. But Otto really has a lot of depth to her character, especially given that her character arc begins here and will definitely pay off in the next film. It's too bad that the same can't be said about her brother played Karl Urban or for the lesser antagonist played by Brad Dourif. Both of them are hugely talented and play their parts well. And in the end that's all that really matters for ensembles. Not everyone has to be given room to grow as long as everyone is on the same level in performance and plays critical roles. But that doesn't mean none of them can steal the show, because Andy Serkis did.

This is Serkis's big breakout role and it will also be the role that will define his future career along with redefining special effects. His performance as Gollum, a creature who was once a river hobbit called Smeagol, is this film's standout performance. It is a large testament to the Weta Digital team behind creating the Smeagol character and to have it match with the incredible acting that Serkis unleashes every time he's in front of the camera. Which says a lot because even though we don't see Serkis, we definitely hear him and see his movements telegraphed through this strange CGI achievement. It did not take long for me to buy into this creature existing because of just how good Serkis and Weta were at bringing it to life. He makes the Sam and Frodo story portion of the movie a lot more fascinating because of his strangeness. What would've been a dull stroll to Mordor immediately became one filled with tension and some humor with Serkis in the mix. But he wasn't the only spectacular part of the film.

The third act of the film known as The Battle of Helm's Deep is one of the best battle scenes ever put on film that would not be surpassed until The Return of the King. This battle showcased the intensity of war in a black and white situation, yet there is still heavy drama built around it. This is really Mortensen's chance to shine as the man who will be king, and he proves that he is definitely capable in this climactic battle. Unfortunately this is also the battle that gave Hollywood executives the idea that having large CGI armies clashing is what will bring people to the movie theaters. Thus came films such as Troy, Alexander and Kingdom of Heaven just to name a few. This film is also responsible for giving executives and producers the idea that fantasy films need to have a large battle between armies in them at the end of the movie. I speak extensively about this problem in my article, Why Lord of the Rings ruined fairy tale movies, so I will not go into too much detail. But I can't deny that this was one of the most intense fantasy battles ever put on screen at the time.

Final Thoughts

As the second act of the trilogy, The Two Towers delivers in upping the stakes and developing the characters even further. What it also achieves is bringing in new characters ranging from large to vital roles and not having it feel too crowded. This is a true mastery of what an ensemble is and continues to hammer home the notion that a fantasy film could be in the conversation of being an incredible cinematic achievement with drama. What's best of all is that it doesn't feel like a set up for a final film, but a film that has it's own standalone plot that still goes hand in hand with the other films it is bookended by. 

SCORE: 9/10 - An incredible progression of what Peter Jackson started with the first one

For a review of the previous film, CLICK HERE

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Analysis and Review

"Apes, together...STRONG!"

The unexpected hit known as Rise of the Planet of the Apes gave way for the arrival of this film. A powerful story with a powerful character who is not even human.

Plot

It has been 10 years since the Simian Flu has wiped out most of the human race. Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes have evolved due to the side effects of the drug that created the Simian flu. They're now a flourishing community that is slowly becoming a highly intelligent species. However when the first humans in two years enter the picture, the gears of war silently begin to turn. And only Caesar and the human Malcolm (Jason Clarke) can hope to stop it.

Analysis

A story is everything. A message is everything. Both need to go hand in hand together. And when it is found in a blockbuster, that is something to truly behold. It is a common belief to think that summer blockbusters just need to be fun with style over substance. That doesn't mean that there is no substance, it just isn't what makes a blockbuster. The Planet of the Apes series is not blockbuster material. I'm talking about the original series. These were hardcore science fiction films dealing with the race issues, the dangers of nuclear weapons, inevitability of the end. It was grim yet had a slight flair of entertainment value that can veer into blockbuster territory. I still believe that the current Apes films are not really summer blockbusters. They are films, promoted as summer blockbusters that deliver enough thrills to make people believe it is a blockbuster when it really isn't. That's not to say none of the Planet of the Apes films have been blockbusters. 

Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes was a blockbuster. Because it had style and no substance. Remember what I said about blockbusters being style over substance? Well, that substance may not be important but it has to be there. Burton's film did not have substance. While it succeeds as a blockbuster in terms of box office, in terms of being intelligent it fails. Why would I want a blockbuster to be intelligent? Especially if Tim Burton was one of my favorite directors? Well, because the movie he was remaking was based on an intelligent movie. A powerful movie. The makeup effects in Burton's film were superior thanks to Rick Baker, but even great makeup can't cover up a movie with no substance. I enjoy the movie as a sci-fi B-movie throwback but since it is a remake of a smart film, one would hope that the film would live up to that intelligence. Luckily this new series begun by Rupert Wyatt and now helmed by Matt Reeeves does just that.

Review

The first thing to get out of the way is Andy Serkis. The man is ridiculously talented and deserves a lot of recognition for what he has done for not only this film but for the industry as a whole. His portrayal of Caesar is amplified not only by his performance but with the thousands of animators who dedicated their time to ensure that we can see his performance merge organically with the chimp leader. His contribution to Motion Capture and how it has grown into a legitimate acting art form cannot be ignored. It shows from how he was able to guide the other actors in this film in how to embrace the technology to become an extension of themselves rather than just a special effect. It shows especially for actor Toby Kebbell who becomes the tragic antagonist Koba in a performance that can even rival the king of motion capture. Their performances as two apes with the same ideals but different ways of going about it really is the drive of the film. There are moment when you forget this they are CGI rigged to actors but rather actual living breathing chimpanzees that can act. It truly is an amazing thing to behold.

The second thing to mention is the story and the theme of the movie. It is very rare for something to be billed as a blockbuster to have an incredible yet simplistic story that makes its theme known but never as something that is hit over the head. The theme being misinformation can lead to disaster. There is good in both apes and humans, but where there is good there is also the potential for evil. Because of that potential, sometimes it overshadows the idea of good for both sides. It is what makes the film compelling in that there is no clear cut apes are good and humans are bad. In this film both sides are to blame for what will eventually lead to one side returning to savagery and the other rising to power. 

As powerful as Caesar and Koba are along with the story that is driven by both of them, they are unfortunately the only strong well rounded characters of the movie supported by one dimensional characters. That's not to say that is a bad thing, because the human cast played by Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Gary Oldman were great with the roles they were given. They served the story naturally and Clarke's Malcolm is a great surrogate for James Franco's character in the previous film. And while there is small hints of other dimensions to their characters, in the end all of them still appear one-dimensional. Which is a shame because they were all fantastic with what they're given. Even the unknown actors who support them.

It is a shame to also say that the other apes aren't really given much to work with either. The only big name among the apes that might be known to some is actress Judy Greer who plays Caesar's wife Cornelia. She doesn't do much but her presence adds a lot to the idea of family. But one cannot deny that they are all amazing.

Final Thoughts

This is one of the best movies this summer and definitely a film that is masquerading as a blockbuster. It has heart, it has soul, it has story and it has flaws. The flaws prevent it from being the best of the summer, but there is no denying that this is definitely The Dark Knight of the rebooted Planet of the Apes series.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - HAIL CAESAR!!!