The Reviews: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Marvel typically struggles with its sequels. With the exception of Iron Man 3 – a film I enjoyed a lot more the second time around – they’ve struggled without the direction of an origin story. This is usually the opposite in blockbuster franchises that spend too much time focusing on exposition and in the case of superhero films, the origin story. This left me with low expectations for Captain America: The Winter Soldier a follow-up to one of the weaker films staring the most vanilla character in Marvel’s “Phase One,” line-up. Thankfully, Captain America: The Winter Soldier finds hidden resources in its character and incorporates some intense action sequences using the titular villain to make the best Marvel film yet and one of the better for the superhero genre.

The film follows Captain America aka Steve Rodgers (Chris Evans) who is still adjusting to life in the modern times. He’s become the main agent at S.H.E.I.L.D but is still searching for a life outside his “work.” His closest friends are his boss Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and colleague Black Widow aka Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson)but all of his friends are dead or at the end of their life – there’s a touching scene where he spends time with his love-interest from the first film. Unfortunately his professional life seems to be falling apart as S.H.E.I.L.D is developing technology that will allow them to monitor humanity’s every activity in the name of a protection – betraying our hero’s belief in America’s nobility which may be tied to potential corruption in the organization. When Rodgers digs too deep into these theories, the organization – headed up by Robert Redford in a casting callback to the government conspiracy films of the declares him and those closest to him fugitives, sending the Winter Soldier to hunt them down.

It’s a lot of plot – there’s even more that I glossed over in the interest of avoiding spoilers – which actually works towards the film’s benefit since the Captain America character doesn’t have the personal demons of Tony Stark or Bruce Banner. Breaking his already shattered world gives him much-needed depth. The film even compares him to returning veterans as he observes a support group led by franchise-addition Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie). Unfortunately, this depth results in an over-reliance on a teary-eyed Evans staring into the distance.

I have a hard time blaming Evans for the repetitive tendencies because he delivers in all other aspects of the character. Also receiving more dimensions is Black Widow who has grown with every film appearance. Hopefully Mackie’s Wilson gets the same treatment in subsequent films because he’s proven to be a great presence in the likes of The Hurt Locker and Pain & Gain. Both Jackson and Redford give solid performances as well but other than Redford’s movie star-presence there isn’t much another actor couldn’t contribute.

The two biggest strengths of the film are tied to the addition of the Winter Soldier. Taking cues from Robert Patrick’s T-1000, The Winter Soldier is a stone-cold-killer that is the most bad-ass and best incarnation of a character since The Incredible Hulk in The Avengers. With the villain’s ruthlessness comes some amazing action scenes that consist mainly of guns grenades and gauntlets. It’s not just the incorporation of real-world-weapons that make the action refreshingly grown-up. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo reportedly used Heat and The Raid as inspiration for their action scenes and its evident in all the best ways as each sequence is as intense as the last. The only downside to these sequences is they greatly outshine the plot which is predictable especially if you’ve seen the previous entries in the Marvel cinematic universe.

I’m torn whether I can recommend this film to those unfamiliar with the Marvel series – despite the box office receipts there are some who fit into this category.  The action sequences and mere presence of Winter Soldier are tons of fun and will prove to the detractors that these movies aren’t simply for the fanboys but there are some key plot points that will lack the impact for the dedicated will appreciate. Regardless, this will be a tough film to top by even the best summer blockbusters.

****/*****

The Reviews: The Grand Budapest Hotel

As of late, nostalgia has infected our culture be it on the Internet, television and even film. It has been a through-line through writer/director Wes Anderson’s filmography whether it’s Dignam trying to live out the heist movies of the 70s or Mr. Fox’s desire to live out his glory days. In his latest The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson takes his most head-on approach to the topic and it’s one of his most fun outings yet.

The film opens on a student leaving a set of keys on the grave of an author and begins reading the Author’s book, The Grand Budapest Hotel, the opening of which is narrated by the Author at the time he wrote it (Tom Wilkinson), remembering when he first heard the story at said hotel – played by Jude Law – from Mr. Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham) recounting the story when he was younger – played by Tony Revolori. These multiple levels of memory do an excellent job of setting up the very Wes Anderson-world that exists through the majority of the film in that the multiple levels of narration allow for the style to exist – whimsy and all. The only true reality that exists is the snowy cemetery at the very beginning and very end of the film. The rest is merely the students’ interpretation of the book.

The majority of the film focuses on the aforementioned Zero starting a career as lobby boy/apprentice to Gustave H. (Ralph Finnes), the concierge at the famous Grand Budapest Hotel. Gustave is known as being a socialite who wines and dines the wealthy elderly women – particularly the blondes – who frequent the hotel. One of his favorite guests, Madame D. – Tilda Swinton in some amazing make-up – passes away. She leaves the priceless fictional painting “Boy With Apple,” to Gustave leaving her relatives, particularly her son Dimitri (Adrian Brody) furious. Gustave and Zero steal the painting, leaving Gustave as a prime suspect for murdering his former lover.

The rest of the film is a caper comedy following Gustave and Zero as they run from the police, Dimitri and his private investigator (Willem Dafoe) and later the German Army. Just as the film is about nostalgia, the script draws inspiration from other heist comedies like The Pink Panther series and Marx Brothers films. Anderson’s past films, particularly Tenenbaums, show a longing for a lifestyle and upper-class that was very rare or never existed. This is one of the main complaints laid by his critics but here it exists pure fiction and while the flaws of that time are ignored with a few references to the racism of the tim in the impending Nazi reach for power, this is also the film where Anderson acknowledges the danger of nostalgia. When Law’s writer asks the older Moustafa if Gustave was one of the last relics of a forgotten time, Moustafa acknowledges that Gustave’s was already part of forgotten time, in his prime.

Speaking of Gustave, it should be noted that Finnes proves he should be a permanent addition to Anderson’s regulars just as Edward Norton – he’s back as a Chief Police Inspector Henckles – did in Moonrise Kingdom. He has the comedic timing and delivery that highlights Anderson’s strengths as a writer and director. One example that sticks out is in the way Finnes and Anderson implement a meticulous use of profanity in the dialogue. Finnes delivers them in the same proprietary fashion as all of his lines making them as funny as anything in the film.

Also new to Anderson’s cast is Revoli as Zero. His characters’ nervousness is new for Anderson who usually writes characters – particularly children and teenagers – as being confident beyond reality. While he fits into Anderson’s swift dialogue and blocking, Young Zero is one of the most human characters he’s written since Max Fischer in Rushmore. That growth from Anderson, even if its incremental, goes a long way in Anderson’s worlds that are often muddled in their aesthetic and humor. It’s the ambition to face nostalgia and venture into new territory that makes the film worth facing.

****/*****

The Reviews: The Lego Movie

On my sixth birthday, my big gift was the Lego  “Fire Breathing Fortress Castle”. I still remember my “Nintendo 64 Kid” reaction. I had just gotten into Legos and while I had the occasional “Ice Tunnelator” or “Pirate Lookout”, it was my first full set. My Dad played a crucial role in helping me match the box art but the pieces soon made it into the family Lego bin to be used as needed. The Lego Movie takes place in that bin from our childhood.

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have incorporated the Lego aesthetic with the sense of humor they first brought to the scene with “Clone High” and incorporated that with the same emotional depth that made 21 Jump Street such a pleasant surprise. Credit also has to be given to the Lego corporation and Warner Bros. who allowed Miller and Lord the freedom with their countless licenses.

The film follows Emmet (Chris Pratt) an enthusiastically average construction worker who lives his life following directions for both work and life. The instructions are handed down by President Business (Will Ferrell) who runs the country through a corporation that controls every aspect of the world. There is only one song and one television show and both are massive hits. Emmet’s world is turned upside down when he meets the beautiful Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and finds a mysterious brick that will dismantle President Business’ reign of control over the world after joining a group of rebels called “Master Builders.”

The plot borrows a lot from traditional science-fiction fare but applies Lego’s in creative ways. The Matrix stuck out to me, particularly watching scenes where the Master Builders see random pieces and build something new off the top of their head in the same way Neo sees the code of his false world. The script even goes out of its way to make fun of this – instead of “The Chosen One,” our heroes refer to Emmet as “The Special.” There are some elements that don’t carry over as well, particularly the romantic plot between Emmet and Wyldstyle that doesn’t address the same level of parody as other instances. Thankfully the film finds its pathos in ways I won’t spoil here.

The performances are excellent all-around. The movie officially kicks off 2014 as Pratt’s big year with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy coming out this summer. On the surface, his voice work comes off as generic because that’s the character but he plays enthusiasm and a “gee-whiz” persona that he has developed as Andy on “Parks and Recreation.” Though here his character’s simple-mindedness comes from naiveté, rather than stupidity.

Both Ferrell and Banks are great as well though Banks isn’t given much in terms of the script and her arch is the less meaningful for it. Ferrell on the other hand is great as the villain. He proved he does very well in the role in the underrated Megamind. Unlike that performance though, his transformation is much more sudden causing a wooden performance in an otherwise powerful scene.

The brilliance in the other performances is one of casting and writing as much as anything else. Morgan Freeman as the Obi-Wan Kenobi character is the perfect role for him, as is Nick Offerman as Metal Beard, a brilliantly designed mecha-pirate with shark on one arm and dual-canons on the other. Will Arnett is also excellent as a parody interpretation of Christopher Nolan’s Batman. There are so many superb smaller-supporting roles that it will be entirely up to the audience to pick their favorite – mine is Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as Superman and Green Lantern respectively.

Like a the bucket of random Lego pieces that create this world. Every random piece of the film from the writing, casting, performances and aesthetic comes together to form a truly special, greater whole.

****/*****

What did you think of The Lego Movie? Is it the best you’ve seen so for this year or has something else stood out. Let me know in the comments below or send me an email to tylerlyonblog@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at @tylerlyon.

The Reviews: Gravity

It’s taken longer for the IMAX format to take off in the way my nine-year old mind thought it would back in 1996. After seeing the likes of Alaska: Spirit of the Wild, Fantasia 2000 and Cyberworld 3D even my young mind realized this format was reserved for documentaries and other “spectacle films,” leaving “real” movies on the smaller screen. While Christopher Nolan’s Batman sequels have adopted the format for each of their action sequences and James Cameron’s Avatar was soley spectacle, neither fully embraced the format.

Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity comes closer than any other at meeting this medium even if Cuaron is more dedicated to the Dolby ATMOS sound system than the display format and while critics and audiences are rightfully applauding the visuals – more on those in bit – the sound design is a marvel. I didn’t think think anything could top the races in Rush in the sonic department but whether it’s Steven Price’s score, or minimal sounds of space that follow the ever-moving camera.

It’s hard to imagine long-time Cuaron cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki would ever top the long takes in Children of Men. The fluidity in the opening sequence as it follows our three astronauts moving in and out of first-person as if the camera in zero-gravity is the closest younger viewers will ever come to seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1966. For the best visual experience, I can’t stress this enough: See this in 3D, on the biggest screen possible. On a full-size IMAX projection, there is no screen as so much a window that offers an experience rival to any major theme park ride.

Keeping the film from treading too far into spectacle for it’s own sake is the in the performances, specifically Sandra Bullock who carries most of the weight. Looking back on the last five year’s who could have called the lead from The Proposal and All About Steve would not only star in the biggest sci-fi movie of the year but also give the best performance of her career. She finds the truth – as they say – in her performance which is all the more impressive considering the meticulous blocking and timing used during the shoot. While the comparisons to Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley are apt, I couldn’t help but think of Anna Scott (Julia Robers in Notting Hill) who is characterized as a star because she’s in a “space movie.” I have never been the biggest fan of Bullock. That has changed.

As much as I could rave about my experience, I can’t help but wonder if I would be as enthusiastic had I merely seen it in 3D or *gasp* old fashioned 2D. James Cameron’s Avatar left me equally enthusiastic. I haven’t revisited the two and a half hour epic since then, not even when stumbling upon it on cable. I imagine I will revisit Gravity in the next year before I give Cameron’s film any thought beyond this review because it’s a much better film but it won’t ever live up to that first viewing, even on a large TV with an excellent sound system.

The Reviews: Kick-Ass 2

Defining what counts as “satire,” seems to be more and more difficult, especially in the cynical internet-age where “irony,” and “sarcasm,” are losing their meaning by the tweet. Seth MacFarlene’s biggest detractors point to his Oscar hosting gig where he got away with making racist jokes or singing songs like “We Saw Your Boobs,” by making fun of immaturity and ignorance at the same time. In the end , the jokes are out there and those who don’t understand the intent and even those who do still laugh at them.

Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) face-off against The Motherfucker (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) in the disappointing Kick-Ass 2.

2010’s Kick-Ass managed to balance between making fun of the superhero blockbuster while still having plenty of ultra violence. In the sequel, new director Jeff Wadlow fails to find the balance of the first film by fully committing to making an action film. This wouldn’t be a bad thing if the film didn’t believe it was still lampooning the genre.

The film opens on the familiar narration from Kick-Ass/Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) that followed through the first film though it’s less used in the sequel as he takes a back seat to Hit-Girl/Mindy Macready (Chloe Grace Moretz) who is starting her freshman year of high school by cutting to train Kick-Ass so they can patrol the streets together, honoring her superhero-father’s legacy. Mindy’s adopted father (Morris Chestnut) puts the squeeze on this in an attempt to protect from the life her father led and caused his murder.

This is one of the areas where the film succeeds. The idea of these heroes being as responsible for their enemies crimes was touched on int The Dark Knight but is actually addressed more head-on here. When we get to the final showdown between the make-shift Justice League, Justice Forever and an equally amature League of Doom, it’s just a gang fight (two of the older superheros in the group even bring this up). While the brawl mines some inspiring moments from the minor Justice Forever heroes fighting together, the true motivations make it a selfish endeavor. Kick-Ass just wants to end the personal attacks from the worlds first real super villain, The Motherfucker/Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who seeks revenge from for Kick-Ass killing his mobster father at the end of the first film…and fame.

D’Amico and his alter-ego should be addressed because his character is one of the most problematic to come out of a summer blockbuster in a long time. Mintz-Plasse is very good at turning the spoiled D’Amico into a sinister super villain however the character is exemplary of the films reveling in violence. The scene that’s getting the most attention is a poorly conceived rape joke where D’Amico can’t get aroused to assault a female member of Justice Forever. The intent is to prove D’Mico is a true pretender but once he says a line showing his intentions, he becomes a rapist, regardless of his motivations or the outcome. Furthermore, his “failing,” the first go around doesn’t justify his successful attack later on.

Both of these attacks are meant to target the titular hero but the script belongs to Moretz despite Taylor Johnson making the most with not much to do. The best material in the film follows Hit-Girl’s transition into high school. Her Heathers experience with the local mean girls is a lot of fun and the script hits that annoying teenage girl character perfectly. Moretz is also the only actor asked to go through any internal arc and she handles it perfectly. Its her arc and performance that makes the penultimate scene find the films only truly touching moment.

Supposedly, the film’s message is “We Could Be Heroes,” but it’s in the stylings of The Wallflowers cover, not the David Bowie original. For some reason that song was on the Godzilla (1997) soundtrack and like that cover, the irony is lost, choosing to embrace the violence that was only a small piece of the charm of the original.

**/*****

The Reviews: Blue Jasmine

With Blue Jasmine (opening in wide release this weekend) writer/director Woody Allen combines the duel plots his 2004 film Melinda and Melinda. Cate Blanchett plays Jasmine, an upper-class Manhattan socialite who can’t imagine a life without designer fashions and a guest home in The Hamptons. She’s forced to move-in with Ginger (Sally Hawkins) her blue-collar step-sister. Jasmine is dead broke – though she can fly first-class – because her late-husband (Alec Baldwin) was arrested for running a Bernie Madoff-esque operation that she’s willing to turn a blind-eye to because it funded her lifestyle.

With his supplanted character, Allen returns to his fascination with class divide – even by having his main character move from one of the most expensive American cities to another – Jasmine still clings to her designer outfits and luggage, while Ginger owns her bohemian fashions. If there’s a positive personality quality in Jasmine, she looks down on her sister’s lifestyle, not her sister. “You could always do so much better,” Jasmine repeats throughout. She has reason to say it. Ginger is divorced with to kids by her ex-husband (Andrew Dice Clay, in one of the film’s strongest performances) whom Jasmine suspects hit Ginger at least once. Ginger’s new boyfriend (Bobby Canavale) doesn’t register any better with Jasmine. She can’t imagine anyone not constantly striving for that elegant lifestyle though it’s clear she repeats because she has nothing else to say to Ginger.

While the repetition offers some characterization for Jasmine and sends us to the ending, it’s also the films biggest flaw. As with most rehashes, the material here is far weaker than it’s predecessors. Allen’s best work has a strong respect for the audience so the only reason for the repetition seems to be to fill time. The story arc isn’t clear and it certainly didn’t need to be but it’s far from compelling and when we get to the big reveal, it results in a shrug rather than a gasp.

It’s a shame because the acting is top-notch across the board. Blanchett continues to prove she is the best actress working today. She treads the line between trauma and insanity to its sweaty, murmuring, Stoli-downing perfection. Her performance allows the transition to the aforementioned ending to move smoother than it should. Beyond the lead, Louis C.K. is at his most charming as an alternative love interest for Ginger. It might be this reviewer’s love for C.K. but his short time on-screen is a joy to watch. Even Peter Sarsgaard, who has been spotty  as of late, fits into Allen’s writing style cleanly.

That’s what makes Blue Jasmine a win for Allen and as he continues to release a film every year, it’s what we have come to expect. They might be sloppy or derivative of his own work but thankfully there will always be actors ready to give him everything they have and make the most of what’s on the page.

*** 1/2 / *****

The Reviews: Fruitvale Station

True- story films, be they biopics or historical dramas have the difficult task of balancing fact and drama. On one end you have films akin to the The Social Network which favors the later. For the former, there’s United 93 which presents itself, particularly the actions on the plane at face value. Both of these examples are excellent films, partially because they commit to primarily one side of the spectrum. The more traditional entries of the genre – particularly the long stretch of biopics in the early 2000s – struggle with finding this balance. First-time writer/director Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station is one of the best out of that traditional group. There’s room for improvement as it occasionally falls into the same trappings of the genre but the performances elevate the film to the sobering experience many strive for, but few achieve.

The most noticeable problems are when the drama interferes with real life. There are plenty of moments of foreshadowing that remove the reality. Two that stand out are a scene in which Tatyana tells Oscar she’s scared of the fireworks because they sound like guns and she’s worried about him getting shot, the other is where Ms. Grant encourages her son take the train into the city. The latter likely happened given the involvement of the Grant family in the film’s production but had that not been publicized at the film’s release, the scene feels like Coogler is using hindsight to remind us where this is going – though the excellent choice to open with the real-life video footage is impossible to forget , even if the audience has already seen it. The scene with his daughter is another story as it feels and in all likelyhood is made for the film.

Michael B. Jordan rises above these genre trappings though as he never loses the real life qualities that make the film strong. Very few actors could take a role that’s this complex and hit every note with as much skill as the last. Throughout his last day, he goes from charming, to angry, to compassionate and vulnerable. Even in the film’s lone flashback during a visit with his mom while he serves time in prison. His hardened demeanor jumps to desperation as he’s pulled away from his mother. It’s rewarding to see Jordan has evolved the talents that made him so memorable in both “The Wire,” and “Friday Night Lights,” while making this performance stand on its own.

It would be impossible for any actor to come out from Jordan’s performance so it’s forgivable that no one rises above it here. While Spencer struggles through the majority of the movie, although she isn’t given much to do. The film’s final fifteen minutes are a reminder of why she has an Oscar on her resume as she becomes the central character.

Credit has to be given to Coogler for the way the police are portrayed in the films climax. At the start of the sequence, it looks like we’re getting a stereotypical villan played by Kevin Durand. While there’s no attempt to justify his actions he clearly Grant’s murder crosses even his line. There’s even a shot of the guilty cop – a different one – during the sequence who’s clearly overwhelmed by what he had just done. In just a matter of minutes, Coogler creates a well-rounded recreation of the incident without justifying any of it.

That commitment to fully formed characters and moments – even the smallest – is what makes Fruitvale Station a successful film. Jordan’s performance makes it stick with you long after leaving the theater.

****/*****

The Reviews: The To Do List – A Pro-Sex, Sex Comedy

It’s hard to deny writer/director Maggie Carey’s The To-Do List stands out not only from its competition at the box office, but also from others in the “losing-it” genre. The film is one of the first pro-sex sex comedies that doesn’t sneak-in the syrupy message of sex being for the “right person,” amid jokes about bodily fluids, excrement and slang. This credit is due entirely to the films central character Brandy Klark (Aubrey Plaza) being the most three dimensional character in the genre since Steve Carrell in Apatow’s The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Like Carrell, Plaza gives a performance to back up the writing as she attempts to cram four years of sexual experience into one summer.

The films greatest strength is in the way her character melds perfectly with the premise while easing into any issues with the gender twist on the genre. Klark’s Type-A personality and impeccable scholastic skills allow her to prepare for her journey the same way she would for one of her many AP tests – on all of which she got a perfect score – work her way up to losing her virginity to the guitar toting head life guard Rusty Waters (Scott Porter). Thankfully, neither Rusty nor any of her other marks turn out to be jerks in the way they are in Easy A – even if it is a better film. They’re sex-driven like any young adult but never to the point it makes them a bad person.

Unfortunately, the full lead characters don’t take away from rest of the film which is a run-of-the-mill sex comedy. We have seen the aforementioned gags – particularly the gross-out moments – in other films and while those might not be up to the level of To Do List and makes the sum of all that’s hear weaker than its individual strengths.

Among these is the use of the setting. I assume this won’t be the last 1990s but hopefully a few of them improve reach the mastery of the era as Adventureland did with the 1980’s. What we get here is best summed up in the opening credits which by themselves are effective, but is otherwise ripped from any given Buzzfeed list, highlighting Pearl Jam posters, Liz Frank binders and mix tapes. The film is peppered with other nineties trinkets that are end to themselves rather than serving the story or any of its characters.

While Klark doesn’t need any support, some of the smaller characters need all the help they can get. Brandy’s parents are played by the usually excellent Connie Britton and Clark Gregg and while the give their characters everything in their arsenal, the characters fail to deliver on their moments. I suspect Carey means Brandy’s father to be a role reversal on women’s portrayal in male oriented comedies but it would be better if Britton’s character was as well-rounder as her on-screen daughter. Unfortunately this lack of balance do hurts the impact of her one-on-one moments with Brandy.

This lack of focus in the film surrounding Brandy comes through strongest in the film’s final gag. I don’t want to go into too much detail but the punch line has some problematic implications that fall more in line with the plot of the 70’s adult classic Deep Throat than the feminist pro-sex nature of the rest of the film.

I suspect The To Do List will join its predecessors in the ranks of premium cable rotation and home video to find its audience – it will have to since it’s already out of most theaters. Those interested should seek it out if only for Plaza’s character and performance as well to see what is hopefully just the beginning of the pro-sex sex comedy. I’m equally hopeful that those future films will improve on it.

***/*****

Pacific Rim Review On Topical Todd

Hey readers! I reviewed Pacific Rim for Topical Todd. Spoiler Alert: I liked it. You can check it out here. Here’s a preview:

“Expectations for director Pacific Rim aren’t high but unlike other films with lukewarm expectation , director meets the bar it sets for itself which is better than flying low of lofty expectations. Director Guillermo Del Toro successfully takes influences from Asian science fiction and applied it to a blockbuster formula we have seen before to make it feel fresh.”

The Reviews: Pacific Rim Refreshes The Formula

This review was originally published on TopicalTodd.com 7/16/2013

Expectations for director Pacific Rim aren’t high but unlike other films with lukewarm expectation , director meets the bar it sets for itself which is better than flying low of lofty expectations. Director Guillermo Del Toro successfully takes influences from Asian science fiction and applied it to a blockbuster formula we have seen before to make it feel fresh.

 

Set in the future where a group of monsters dubbed the Kaiju regularly attack cities along the Pacific Ocean. In response, humanity has joined together to build giant robots called Jaegers to fight off the Kaiju. The film shows its formula from the beginning as it opens on brothers Raleigh and Yancy Beckett (Charlie Hunnam and Diego Klattenhoff) as they are called into action to fight a Kaiju.

The movie’s biggest strength is its readiness to get to the action and we’re treated to a battle worthy of a climax – and they only get better. Unfortunately it doesn’t go as well for our heroes as it does the audience. Yancy is dead, forcing Raleigh into exile. The united governments relegate the Jaeger program in favor of a wall leaving Commander Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) to bring Raleigh back for one last effort to save the world for good. Upon his return he finds a new co-pilot in the hopeful scientist Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) whom he must train to help him save the world.

We’ve seen this familiar formula films like Top Gun or the more recent Fast and Furious 6. While both those are more efficient in multiple ways, they don’t have the atmosphere that Del Toro brings to the picture. Both Hunnam and Elba give performances limited by a script that would give more wiggle room for the likes of Tom Cruise or Jeff Bridges. Which is disappointing, considering the character work in the Hellboy movies or Del Toro’s foreign work.

It’s no surprise that the best written character is also where you’ll find the best lead performance in Kikuchi – not to mention the fact that she’s the only Asian lead in a film loaded with nods to Otaku culture. Mako respectfully scoffs at Pentecost’s efforts to keep her out of the cockpit and is focused on her sole goal of killing Kaiju. Again, credit is due to the script for not forcing her into a romance with Raleigh. While there are hints of intrigue and attraction towards her co-pilot, their relationship is closer to Goose and Maverick than Han and Leia. Fathers should encourage their daughters to come to the movie with them and their son as there won’t be a better female role-model this summer.

I have only touched on the film’s highlights, which are in the fights. As I’ve said before, the opening battle is enough to put the best climactic conflict to shame and they only escalate in scale. This summer has been full of senseless urban destruction and while a large part of Hong Kong is decimated, the script makes it clear, our heroes do everything they can to keep battles at sea – in a nice touch one carefully steps over an overpass rather than walk through it. Del Toro reaffirms that he’s the king of creature and tech design by injecting unique personality without allowing cartoonish behavior. He also avoids relying on slow motion, opting instead to keep the audience well-oriented at all times.

It’s Del Toro’s commitment to delivering on these strengths that makes the weakness – again there are many – easily forgivable. This is especially true when so many blockbusters aim high only to fall far too short.

****/*****