Man Down

First Hit:  This film powerfully brings the point home about PTSD through one soldiers experience.

Writer Adam G. Simon and Director Dito Montiel effectively brings together the effects of war through one soldiers eyes by using three visual amalgamated stories.

It is important to note that every night there are 200,000 vets sleeping on the streets in the United States. And that there are 20 US veterans committing suicide every single day. This film sheds light on the cause.

Gabriel Drummer (Shia LeBeouf) and best lifelong buddy Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney) join the Marines together. They suffer and succeed together. Gabriel is married to Natalie (Kate Mara) and have a son Johnathan (Charlie Shotwell) who Gabriel loves dearly.

The film's stories are interesting and effective. But, until I connected the dots, about two-thirds the way through, the post war apocalyptic scenes didn’t work for me. I was initially frustrated and questioned these scenes, until the clarity came.

The interview scenes with Counselor Payton (Gary Oldman) were excellent. The use of this as a vehicle to share the knowledge that our government knows we have a problem and doesn't necessarily have the best tools to help soldiers was fantastic.

The scenes of the actual firefight were very strong in that they showed the bravery and risk soldiers take in a war such as the ones we fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. To have made a possible error with lives on the line is difficult to accept. To learn of a betrayal while overseas only compounded and added tinder to the raging bull within him.

LeBeouf was outstanding. To show the audience internal rage inside, while controlling the exterior of his face is a rare skill and here it was amazing. I felt the on-the-edge of bursting so much my heart ached. Courtney was excellent as his close friend. Having his back in war and in the apocalyptic world despite the betrayal, was perfect. Mara was wonderful in her role. The way she wanted and needed Gabriel to be there for her was palpable. Oldman was very good as the Marine counselor who worked on getting Gabriel to share his story and feelings. Shotwell was great as the young boy who loved and idolized his dad through it all. Simon wrote a very engaging and strong script. Using “Man Down” as the title and Gabriel and Johnathan’s code words – really worked for me as it expressed it all. Montiel had a great handle on this film. The lighting, sets, and sounds were very effective and he got powerful performances while telling a “need to hear” story.

Overall:  This film is haunting and important.

Criminal

First Hit:  Although a very improbable storyline, I enjoyed seeing Costner again.

I found it hard to believe the foundation that Dr. Franks (Tommy Lee Jones) found a way to implant the memories of CIA agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) into an uncaring prisoner Jericho Steward (Kevin Costner).

However, once I got past this and accepted the premise, the film was interesting enough to keep me focused. The reason why this transfer is to take place is that Pope had learned of a plot by “The Duchman” Jan Stroop (Michael Pitt) to sell dark-worm code.

This code allowed the owner to control all of the US Military’s defense systems while also being able to launch nuclear missiles. What he wants in return for the code is; $10M, a passport, and a new identity in the US. Pope was closing this deal but was shot and killed by an anarchist Xavier Heimdahl’s (Jordi Molla) team of enforcers.

Although Pope is physically dead the CIA is keeping his brain alive by hooking him to machines. Heimdahl wants the code for himself so that he can rule the world and will do anything to get it. Pope’s CIA boss Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman) is also very determined to get the code because he knows Heimdahl will hold the world hostage. This is when Wells hires Dr. Franks to try this experimental approach of moving the dying Pope’s memories to Jericho.

Costner is good at being the guy who sees and feels no consequences for any action he takes. There are multiple scenes showing this and he pulls it off. Ryan Reynolds has a more minor role although his thoughts are major part of the film. Pitt is sufficiently nerdy and agitated to pull of his role. Jones is somewhat miscast as he does better in stronger roles. Molla is very good as the antagonist. Oldman over acted his role, especially in the initial hospital interview scenes when Jericho gets out of surgery. Douglas Cook and David Weisberg wrote the improbable script although sections of when Jericho interacts with Pope’s wife and daughter were very good. Ariel Vromen did a good job of making the improbable story watchable.

Overall:  Costner's acting held this film together and made it very watchable.

Robocop

First Hit:  A good remake – this had more humanness.

Remakes are generally not as good as the original(s). This remake is clearly better. Mostly the characters are more clearly defined, the acting is better and the production value is far better. But what they really did was the adding humanness to Robocop.

Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) is hurt by a car bomb and there is little left of him. Raymond Sellars (Michael Keaton) owns a company that is pushing to make drones and robots the way crime is fought and dealt with in the US. Although these drones are used in the rest of the world, there is strong resistance in the US (Congress) to having drones manage our crime.

Dr. Dennett Norton (Gary Oldman) has an idea of combining a human (partial) and robotics to help make this transition. They choose Alex and using only his lungs, face, one arm, and brain, he builds robotics around him. Alex becomes a success after tinkering with his dopamine to make his more aggressive and less feeling oriented. His wife Clara (Abbie Cornish) and their son David (John Paul Ruttan) are distressed as they see their husband/father become less human and fight to see him.

Kinnaman was very good at being human, Robocop with some humanness, and Robocop with less humanness. Keaton was great to see again and as always he always seems to be on the edge of sanity – his mind is so quick. Oldman was very good as the doctor walking a fine line of integrity and doing things just for the money. Cornish was OK as the stressed wife who wanted her human, caring husband back. Joshua Zetumer and Edward Neumeier wrote a good script but it was the direction by Jose Padilha to use his actors to make this film work.

Overall: Someone finally got this film right – enjoyable.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

First Hit:  For a film labeled “Thriller”, I was not thrilled.

This very plodding overly complex with missing parts rendition of the John le Carre classic novel was, in essence slow to a fault.

However, the period photography, by graining up the film, was excellent.

This movie starts with a killing which takes place during the 15 minute long opening credits. It does set the tone for the film but the  tone is that this is going to be a plodding pragmatic film. There wasn’t one person (character) to care about during the whole thing.

I recall reading the book and finding it engaging but that was mostly because le Carre created something to care about. Here director Tomas Alfredson moves this thing along at the same confusing pace all the way through.

The gaps in the scenes were too large to enjoy putting the film puzzle together. It was at times as if I had to start all over again with each new segment, hold that piece and place it with another piece that might come later or came sometime before this scene. It was too much work for the payoff.

It was generally a flat plane of existence as were the performances by everyone. The stoic faces were suppose to engender intelligence and thought; but for me it only provoked boredom. What was worse was that they kept discussing how this mole was working at the highest places of British Intelligence.

However the mole didn’t seem to be causing much damage. It seem more about saving face (British face).

John Hurt as Control was the most dynamic of all the actors. His tired eyes said something. Gary Oldman as George Smiley (the point of the film) was so reserved that I wanted to reach out and way wake up! This, combined with his being a mindful pragmatic intelligence officer brought out of retirement to find the “spy” was almost unbelievable. Percy Alleline (played by Toby Jones) was one of the more amusing characters as he seemed to suffer from ego issues of being short and being seen. Colin Firth as Bill Haydon (the spy) didn’t do much spying in this film, obviously by design, but it seem hard to find out what he actually gave the Russians that were pissing the British off so much. Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan wrote this script which followed the lines of the book while Alfredson directed this in a cold (war) plodding way.

Overall:  Thrilled? No and for my money there was too much thinking and piecing together required to make this film interesting and fulfilling.

The Book of Eli

First Hit: This film was well made, well executed and very well acted.

The world has almost come to an end. Thirty years earlier, a flash of light was all anyone saw before it killed most of the people in the US (we assume the rest of the world as well). There are a few people who lived through the flash and they are now the elders.

Because it destroyed most everyone and everything, there are no schools, water is the most valuable commodity, and people are surviving anyway they can. Theft and brute force go along way towards obtaining what people want. There are few towns and one is controlled by Carnegie (played by Gary Oldman).

Oldman sends his henchmen out to find and collect all books. In particular he is looking for a specific book. This book, he believes, will give him the words to rule others, just like before the flash. The problem is that all copies of this book were either buried or burned.

Eli (played by Denzel Washington) possesses this book and is on a mission to deliver it out west. Voices told him he would know where to go and that he would be protected on his journey. Eli travels alone and wins all battles against the thieves and killers who want his water, food or book.

Eli happens into the town ruled by Carnegie who learns that Eli has the book he wants. Carnegie offers Eli everything to turn over the book and Eli responds that he knows when and whom to turn the book over to and Carnegie isn’t it.

The remaining part of the film is about Eli’s struggle to deliver the book to the intended audience.

Washington is perfect in this part. He is wise and smart enough to stay out of trouble while being agile and physically strong enough to handle the thugs who don't heed his warning. Washington’s intelligence and ability to keep the tone of the film from falling into scenes of good guy versus bad guy fights is faultless. Oldman as Carnegie is a stroke of brilliant casting. He commands presence during his scenes and keeps his role believable. As leader of the town, he is cognizant that leadership is always on a razors edge and he knows it, that’s why he wants the book. Albert and Allen Hughes directed this film with a wonderful touch. The scenes are not overly produced and complicated; they are direct without a lot of waste. The landscape represents just enough destruction and emptiness to provide the right backdrop to the world as it might be after we attempt to blow ourselves up.

Overall: This is an effectively done story and is definitely worth a watch.