Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Directed by Eli Craig and screenplay by Craig and Morgan Jurgenson from a story by Craig, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is about a couple of hillbillies who get a case of mistaken identity by a bunch of college kids who believe they’re a couple of killers. The film is a spoof of sorts that play into horror films set in the South with a twist as two men who are just simple nice guys find themselves dealing with idiotic and mean college kids. Starring Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Chelan Simmons, and Jesse Moss. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a witty yet exhilarating film from Eli Craig.

The film follow two hillbillies who go to West Virginia for a vacation at a cabin where they come across a group of college kids who are convinced that these two hillbillies are a couple of crazed killers when it isn’t true at all. It’s a film about misunderstanding and what people think of when they see a certain kind of people and expect the worst. The film’s screenplay by Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson follows these two men in Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) who are just wanting to go to a cabin for a vacation and fix the cabin up as they would encounter these college kids where Dale is drawn towards the psychology student Allison (Katrina Bowden) but has a hard time talking to her. When Allison fell off a rock during a skinny-dipping attempt, she is saved by Tucker and Dale but her friends think they saw her being eaten prompting her douchebag boyfriend Chad (Jesse Moss) to try and save her thinking the hillbillies are trying to recreate the infamous Memorial Day Massacre. Immediately, things go very wrong for Chad’s friends where paranoia and misunderstand would lead to very deadly situations.

Craig’s direction definitely has element of styles as it play into many of the visual tropes expected in slasher films set in the woods yet putting a humorous twist on it. Though it’s set in the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, the film is actually shot near Calgary, Alberta in Canada. Craig does use the location as a fitting setting where it’s nature that sort of plays into the suspense rather than the characters while Craig’s approach to compositions in the medium shots and close-ups are straightforward. There’s a few wide shots in the film yet Craig chooses to emphasize on the characters reacting to a certain situation or their reaction to the increasing body count that would happen throughout the film. Much of the violence in the film is stylized but is approached with humor showcasing the stupidity of what happens when someone judges a person for who they are or the way they look. Overall, Craig creates a hilarious and exhilarating film about a group of dumb-ass kids making an assumption over a couple of nice hillbillies whom they believe are creepy serial killers.

Cinematographer David Geddes does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of natural lighting for some of the scenes in the woods in the daytime along with some low-key yet stylish lighting for the scenes at night. Editor Bridget Dunford does nice work with the editing as it has bits of style in its approach to rhythms to play into the humor and suspense. Production designer John Blackie, with set decorator Sean Blackie, Amber Humphries, and Thomas Walker, does fantastic work with the look of the cabin that Tucker and Dale would try to fix as well as the truck stop early in the film. Costume designer Mary Hyde-Kerr does terrific work with the costumes from the overalls Tucker and Dale wear to the more stylish and casual look of the college kids.

Special effects makeup work by Sharon Toohey and prosthetics designer David Trainor do brilliant work with the look of some of the gore as well as the look of a character during its third act. Visual effects supervisor Lee Wilson does wonderful work with the visual effects as it relates mainly to the bits of gore and horror that is used for humor. Sound designer James Fonnyadt does superb work with the sound in creating an atmosphere for some of the suspense as well as in some of the violence. The film’s music by Michael Shields and Andrew Kaiser is amazing for its mixture of rock, country, and folk to play into the atmosphere of the American South with its soundtrack devoting to music of that area.

The casting by Sean Milliken is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Phillip Granger as a sheriff, the quartet of Travis Nelson, Alex Arsenault, Adam Beauchesne, and Joseph Allan Sutherland as four of the students, Christie Laing and Brandon Jay McLaren as a couple who are part of college camping trip, and Chelan Simmons as Chloe as the typical dumb blonde with high heels as she provides a lot of humor to her role. Jesse Moss is excellent as Chad as the college frat boy with a hatred for hillbillies as his motive is unveiled as someone who thinks Tucker and Dale are killers as he emphasizes the persona of ignorance.

Katrina Bowden is fantastic as Allison as a psychology student who is the voice of reason of sorts as someone who gets falls in a skinny-dipping attempt only to be saved by Tucker and Dale where she realizes that they’re not what Chad and her friends claim to be. Finally, there’s the duo of Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine in amazing performances in their respective roles as Tucker and Dale. Tudyk and Labine provide a sense of charm into their performances with Tudyk making Dale the more confident and reserved guy who is trying to help the more insecure and socially-awkward Dale as they’re just a joy to watch.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a remarkable film from Eli Craig. Featuring a great cast, a witty premise, and a great mixture of horror and comedy, it’s a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously while displaying some of the worst aspects of humanity when it comes to judging people. In the end, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is an incredible film from Eli Craig.

© thevoid99 2017

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Directed by Gareth Edwards and screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta with characters created by George Lucas, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the story of a group of Rebel spies who are tasked to find the plans of a new weapon by the Imperial Empire known as the Death Star. The film is a prequel to the original 1977 film as it play into a group of different individuals who go on a mission to find a way to destroy this new super weapon in the hope that a rebellion can bring balance back to the galaxy. Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen, Riz Ahmed, Genevieve O’Reilly, Jimmy Smits, Mads Mikkelsen, and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. Rogue One is a sprawling and gripping film from Gareth Edwards.

The film follows a young woman whose father is a renowned engineer as he has left a message about how to destroy a secret weapon the Imperial Empire called the Death Star. After being freed by Rebel spies, she reluctantly joins them as she is aided by an Imperial defector, a reprogrammed Imperial droid, two outsiders, and a Rebel officer who would retrieve something that could give hope to the Rebellion against the Imperial Empire. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it play into not just the idea of rebellion but also what is at stake and how this young woman finds herself needing to deal with the loss she’s been carrying for years as she is also unsure if she wants to help the Rebel Alliance. The film’s screenplay is filled with not just some complexities of this conflict that is brewing between the Imperial Empire and the Rebel Alliance but also a young woman caught in the middle as she is more concerned about reuniting with her father and learn about what he has been doing since he was taken from her.

The character of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is seen as someone who has been a small thorn for the Empire as she is first seen in a prison labor camp where she is released by some spies who want her help to find her father in Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) who has sent a message to the Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). Jyn knows Gerrera as he had raised her following her father’s abduction and her mother’s death where there is some history but Gerrera is reluctant to help the Rebel Alliance knowing that their own political ideals is what is holding them back. The script also reveal more about Galen who has been forced to help create the weapon that is the Death Star under the supervision of former friend/Imperial leader Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) who is hoping for some recognition but is contending with the thirst of glory with another Imperial leader in Grand Moff Tarkin (Guy Henry w/ digital facial re-creation and voice of Peter Cushing).

The script also reveal some of the flaws of the Rebellion as its intelligent officer Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is ordered to do something for the Rebel Alliance but he becomes unsure as he’s also filled with some guilt of what he had to do for the cause. Yet, there are those such as the former Imperial cargo pilot Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), the blind warrior Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), and mercenary Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) who all believe that there is some form of hope no matter how bad things with the Imperial Empire trying to take hold of the entire galaxy. Even as there is a scene in the second act where Jyn is in the middle of a Rebel Alliance meeting where it is clear how worried and fractured they are as they’re unwilling to take some kind of chance. Another aspect of the script that is unique is that it shows a much broader view of the galaxy as it’s set in different planets to play into the way the Imperial Empire is controlling everything as it has something that does feel real.

Gareth Edwards’ direction is definitely vast in terms of not just the different planets that is set throughout the film but also this sense of danger and repression that looms throughout the film. Shot on various locations such as Iceland, Jordan, the Laamu Atoll in the Maldives, and some interiors shot at Pinewood Studios in Britain. Edwards create something that does feel more broader as it establishes a galaxy where the Empire has dominated so much from moons and bases where they’re controlling every aspect of life in the galaxy. It’s something that feels oppressive and real as the sequence on the planet of Jedha where it has these unique camera angles, compositions, and shots that almost mirror events that is happening in real life. That sense of grounding realism in a sci-fi adventure film give Edwards a lot to focus on the story and characters without having it be overwhelmed by the visuals.

The direction also has Edwards maintain something that is intimate as it relate to the characters where the film does have flashbacks as it relates to Jyn’s past but also opens with a sequence in which Jyn is forced to see her father be taken as well as the death of her mother in the hands of the Empire. While the film does have a dark and serious tone as it relates to the stakes and what this group of rogue rebels are going after. It does have some humor whether it’s comments from the reprogrammed Imperial droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) or some of the Easter Eggs that relates to the franchise. Still, the film does have something that is immediate into what is happening where does bear elements of war films for its climax which is once again grounded in reality but also with a sense of adventure. Especially as Edwards uses a lot of wide and medium shots to capture the scope of the battles on the planet and in space to play into a conflict that forces the Imperial Empire that they’re not all invincible. Overall, Edwards create a thrilling and engaging film about a band of rebels finding the key to destroy a major weapon and bring hope to a rebellious faction.

Cinematographer Grieg Fraser does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the way some of the scenes are lit in the exteriors for the different look in the planets as well as in the way some of the interiors are used in the lighting. Editors John Gilroy, Colin Goudie, and Jabez Olssen do excellent work with the editing as it play into the suspense and action while providing moments that do establish what is going on without deviating too much into conventional fast-cutting styles. Production designers Doug Chiang and Neil Lamont, with supervising art director Alastair Bullock and set decorator Lee Sandales, do amazing work with the design of some of the ships and bases of the two warring factions as well as the design other places including city exteriors from different planets. Costume designers David Crossman and Glyn Dillon do fantastic work with the design of the costumes from the ragged clothing of some of the rebels to the uniform of the Imperial including the one that Krennic wears. Makeup artist Amy Byrne and hair stylist Andrew Simonin do terrific work with the design on some of the creature in their facial designs as well as the look of Saw Gerrera in his declined state.

Visual effects supervisors Jonathan Cheetham, Luke Dodd, and John Knoll, along with special effects supervisor Neil Corbould, do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of some computer-created effects for some of scenes in space as well as the facial design of Grand Moff Tarkin that looks realistic as well as the usage of practical effects that help add a sense of realism to the film‘s look. Sound designers David Acord and Christopher Scarabosio, with sound editor Matthew Wood, do superb work with the sound as it play into the chaos of the battle scenes along with the sound of the droids and lasers. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is great as it feature elements of bombast and soaring string arrangements to play into the adventure and drama while knowing when to use some of the music made famous by John Williams as it is a highlight of the film.

The casting by Jina Jay is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Warwick Davis as a member of Gerrera’s partisans, Alistair Petrie as General Draven who orders Cassian to do something secret for the Rebellion, Ben Daniels as a general who would take part in the climatic battle, Beau and Dolly Gadsdon in their respective roles as the young and younger Jyn, Nick Kellington as an alien who took part in the battle that is famous for his laugh, Valene Kane as Jyn’s mother Lyra, Genevieve O’Reilly as Rebel Alliance co-founder Mon Mothma, and Jimmy Smits as Senator Bail Organa who is also trying to find some hope for the Rebellion. Guy Henry’s performance as Grand Moff Tarkin with the digital facial impression of the late Peter Cushing is definitely marvelous to watch as it brings a famed character back to life and give him some crucial importance to the story.

In the role of Darth Vader, Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous provide the physical performances of the famed Sith lord with the voice of James Earl Jones as the character is more intimidating than ever as he’s only in a few scenes but make it so memorable to watch. Forest Whitaker is excellent as former Clone Wars veteran/Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera as an old family friend of Jyn Erso who is trying to deal with Empire any way he can as he is suspicious about many until he sees Jyn and Galen Erso’s message where he realizes there is some form of hope emerging. Mads Mikkelsen is superb as Galen Erso as a renowned engineer who is forced to take part in the creation of the Death Star as he would send a message revealing that he has exposed a vulnerability that would destroy the Death Star. Ben Mendelsohn is fantastic as Orson Krennic as an Imperial director who oversees the construction of the Death Star as he hopes to get some recognition for his work as well as deal with the emergence of the Rebellion. Riz Ahmed is brilliant as Bodhi Rook as a former Imperial cargo pilot who defects to the Rebellion as he carries Galen Erso’s message while being someone who is aware of the grasp of control of the Empire as he wants to do what is right.

Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen are amazing in their respective roles as the mercenary Baze Malbus and the blind warrior Chirrut Imwe as two friends who are resourceful and can do a lot with Malbus being the powerhouse of the two and Imwe is someone that is highly skilled as the latter is also aware of the Force and believes he can wield its power. Diego Luna is remarkable as Cassian Andor as a Rebel intelligence officer who is tasked with getting information about Galen Erso with Jyn’s aid where he becomes conflicted with his actions where he sees the bigger picture of what needs to be done. Alan Tudyk is incredible as K-2SO in a mixture of motion-capture and voice work as this reprogrammed Imperial droid that is often spouting numbers and probabilities as he is this fun comic relief that annoys Andor but proves to be quite helpful. Finally, there’s Felicity Jones in a phenomenal performance as Jyn Erso as a young woman who is reluctant to help the Rebellion as she’s been through a lot yet realizes what is at stake while coping with the loss of her family which only drives to wanting to do something and bring hope to the galaxy.

Rogue One is a tremendous film from Gareth Edwards. Featuring a phenomenal ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, a gripping story, and a killer score. It’s a film that doesn’t just give help bring in some new ideas and such to a popular franchise but also provide enough moments that its fans can and enjoy as well as casual audiences to be engaged by. In the end, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a spectacular film from Gareth Edwards.

Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker

Related: The Star Wars Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas

Anthology Series: Solo: A Star Wars Story - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)

George Lucas Films: (THX 1138) - (American Graffiti)

Gareth Edwards Films: (Monsters (2010 film)) - (Godzilla (2014 film))

© thevoid99 2017

Big Hero 6

Based on the comic book series by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau, Big Hero 6 is the story of a tech prodigy who creates a robot that helps him fight against a masked villain with the help of friends. Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams and screenplay by Robert L. Baird, Dan Gerson, and Jordan Roberts, the film is set in a futuristic hybrid-city of San Francisco and Tokyo where a young kid tries to learn what it means to be a hero as well as cope with loss. Featuring the voices of Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney, T.J. Miller, Jamie Chung, Genesis Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., Alan Tudyk, Maya Rudolph, and James Cromwell. Big Hero 6 is an exhilarating and touching film from Don Hall and Chris Williams.

Set in a futuristic city that combines San Francisco and Tokyo into a city called San Fransokyo, the film follows a 14-year old tech prodigy with little direction in life as he is encouraged by his older brother to use his talents where a tragic incident prompts the boy to become a hero and fulfill his brother’s wish to help people. It’s a film that isn’t just a boy coping with loss but also befriend a creation of his brother in an inflatable healthcare robot named Baymax (Scott Adsit) who would inspire him to do good. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just follow the young life of Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) who is this brilliant and smart kid that can create robotic stuff including micro-bots as it would be something he and Baymax would have to go against as it’s under the control of a mysterious masked villain. While Hiro and his friends do have a suspect as it relates to a tech entrepreneur in Alistair Keri (Alan Tudyk) who would give Hiro an offer for his micro-bots earlier in the film at a showcase. Yet, there are some things that become complicated as it relates to the grief Hiro has for his brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney).

The film’s direction by Don Hall and Chris Williams is definitely extraordinary for not just the setting of the film but also in creating something that bends a lot of genre but knows what it wants to be. The look of San Fransokyo is definitely a marvel as it does look and feel like a city that has its own unique style while Hall and Williams use some wide and medium shots for the locations while going for the latter in some of the intimate moments involving Hiro and Baymax. The close-ups would play into some of the emotional moments while the direction also has some humor as well as scenes that showcase Hiro’s talents along with the things Tadashi’s friends are able to do. It adds to some lavish sequences that are added with some gorgeous visuals due to the contributions of cinematographers Rob Dressel and Adolph Lusinsky in how some of the scenes at night are lit.

Aided by production designer Paul A. Felix and art director Scott Watanabe as well as visual effects supervisor Kyle Odermatt in the way some of the scenes in the sky look with Odermatt creating a very surreal sequence that occurs late in the film. There is a richness to the animation while it also leans toward the world of comic books as Hall and Williams definitely maintain that look of a comic book as the characters in the form not only are inspired by comics but also play up its sense of whimsy and adventure. Overall, Hall and Williams create a fun and heartfelt film about a young tech prodigy fulfilling his brother’s wish to do good by becoming a hero.

Editor Tim Mertens does excellent work with the editing as it has some nice rhythms to play into the action as well as in some of the humor without deviating too much into fast-cutting techniques. Sound editor/designer Shannon Mills does amazing work with the sound in creating some sound effects as well as in the way Baymax sounds. The film’s music by Henry Jackman is fantastic as it has these amazing orchestral flourishes in the strings as it play into the sense of adventure as well as in the drama and suspense as it is a highlight of the film.

The casting by Jamie Sparer Roberts is great as it feature some small yet notable voice roles from James Cromwell as a tech college professor who sees promise in Hiro’s work with micro-bots, Maya Rudolph as Hiro and Tadashi’s aunt Cass who raises them and runs a café, and Alan Tudyk as the tech guru Alistair Krei whom Hiro and Tadashi’s friends suspect as the mysterious masked villain because he wants the micro-bot tech that Hiro created. Genesis Rodriguez is wonderful as chemist wiz Honey Lemon who becomes part of the team due to her creation of powerful chemicals while Jamie Chung is fantastic as GoGo as an electromagnetic wiz who is also very athletic. Damon Wayans Jr. is superb as Wasabi as neurotic laser engineer who creates weapons involving lasers as he is also the most cautious. T.J. Miller is excellent as Fred as the school’s mascot who is the biggest comic book nerd as he is the wild card of the team.

Daniel Henney is brilliant as Tadashi as Hiro’s older brother who shows Hiro the things he can do and his ambitions where an incident would lead to his passing yet would find a way to give his younger brother some wisdom. Scott Adsit is amazing as the voice of Baymax as this robot who is this object of innocence as his object is to help people in need as a medical robot as it’s a character that is so complex where it shows something that has a lot to offer as it’s one of the most adorable and heartfelt characters in a film. Finally, there’s Ryan Potter in a marvelous performance as Hiro Hamada as a fourteen-year old robotics prodigy who deals with loss as well as a lack of direction where he is determined to solve the loss of his older brother as well as deal with growing pains as Potter’s performance is a highlight of the film.

Big Hero 6 is a phenomenal film from Don Hall and Chris Williams. Featuring some amazing imagery, top-notch art direction and animation, a great voice ensemble, and a heartfelt story about doing good and coping with loss. It’s a superhero film with heart as well as providing something much more than just being entertaining and fun. In the end, Big Hero 6 is a sensational film from Don Hall and Chris Williams.

© thevoid99 2016

A Knight's Tale

Based on the story The Knight’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer, A Knight’s Tale is the story of a squire who decides to become a knight as he becomes a hero to the people while gaining the ire of a tournament champion. Written for the screen and directed by Brian Helgeland, the film plays into a young who comes from nothing and becomes a champion with the help of other peasants as well as those who are from the world of nobility. Starring Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossaman, Alan Tudyk, Laura Fraser, Berenice Bejo, James Purefoy, and Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer. A Knight’s Tale is a gloriously entertaining and engaging film from Brian Helgeland.

The film revolves a young squire who decides to become a knight following the death of his master as he’s aided by a couple of friends in his quest to become a champion despite not being connected to any kind of nobility. With the aid of a broke and naked Geoffrey Chaucer and female blacksmith in Kate (Laura Fraser), William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) would find his way to climb up the ranks as tournament champion while hoping to defeat the great champion Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) and win the heart of a noblewoman in Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossaman). While it’s a story that is quite simple, Brian Helgeland creates something that manages to be universal in this young man who was born a peasant squire who does these joust tournaments and becomes a champion of the people.

Helgeland’s script plays into William’s determination to become a knight in the hopes that he can get out of his hardened upbringing and go for something more. Yet, he would share it with his friends as well as intrigue Jocelyn who sees him as someone that is very different from the knights that often court her. To the film’s antagonist in Count Adhemar, he sees William as someone that doesn’t play by the rules nor is someone that behaves a certain way as his jousting style is one that Ademar replies as no style at all. It adds to this conflict of sorts of old world ideals vs. new world ideals as William represents the latter in his pseudonym Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland.

Helgeland’s direction is filled with not just an air of simplicity in the compositions but also something that is very offbeat in the way he fuses 20th/21st Century ideas into the film such as music and product placement logos. Notably as Helgeland discards the idea of anachronisms in scenes where songs by Queen or David Bowie are played in parties or jousting events as it makes sense in the scenes he creates. Many of the compositions in wide and medium shots play into the many locations set in the film as much of it is shot in the Czech Republic near Prague. Helgeland’s usage of close-ups add to some of the drama as well as the humor including some scenes where William looks back into his life as a child and the dreams that are instilled in him wanting to make his own destiny. Even as it plays into that determination of a man from a poor background giving people from his world hope in becoming champion as well as defying the odds. Overall, Helgeland creates a riveting and exciting film about a poor squire who becomes a champion for the people.

Cinematographer Richard Greatrex does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with some naturalistic lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes while creating some unique lighting schemes and moods for scenes set at night. Editor Kevin Stitt does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts, montages, and dissolves to play into some of the action and humor in the film. Production designer Tony Burrough, with set decorators Dominic Smithers and Jiri Zureck and art directors John Hill and Grant Armstrong, does amazing work with the set pieces from the jousting arenas and castle halls as well as the tents in that period of medieval times. Costume designer Caroline Harris does fantastic work with the costumes from the gowns that the noblewomen wear including the dazzling clothes of Jocelyn to the armors and robes the knights wore.

Hair/makeup artist Pebbles does nice work with some of the designs for Jocelyn‘s hairstyle and some of the makeup she would wear. Visual effects supervisor Tim Burke does terrific work with the minimal visual effects that include a few set dressing scenery including one shot of the old London Bridge. Sound editor Jon Johnson does superb work with the sound from the way the spears sound against the armor to the sounds of swords clanging. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral flourishes and folk pieces to play into the periods of the time as it is mixed in with late 20th Century music from Queen, David Bowie, War, Thin Lizzy, Rare Earth, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Sly and the Family Stone, AC/DC, and Eric Clapton.

The casting by Francine Maisler is phenomenal as it features some notable small roles from Steven O’Donnell and Jonathan Slinger as men Chaucer owes money to, Nick Brimble as William’s old master Sir Ector, Leagh Conwell as the young William, Christopher Cazenove as William’s father who encouraged him to go after his dreams, Scott Handy as Adhemar’s assistant, and James Purefoy as the knight Sir Colville whom William befriends. Berenice Bejo is wonderful as Jocelyn’s lady-in-waiting Christiana who would be Jocelyn’s conscience and liaison. Laura Fraser is terrific as William’s blacksmith who would create a new armor for him while showing him how to dance with a woman for a ball. Alan Tudyk is fantastic as William’s friend Wat as this very tempered squire that always throw a fit while hoping to eat again. Mark Addy is excellent as Roland as another of William’s friend who is also a squire as he is also a conscience of sorts for William.

Paul Bettany is brilliant as Geoffrey Chaucer as a writer who becomes William’s herald as well as speak for him before the matches where Bettany also provides humor from the way he’s introduced as he’s walking on the road completely naked. Shannyn Sossaman is amazing as Jocelyn as a noblewoman who copes with her status and being seen as a prize until she meets William and realizes that he just cares about her as an equal as it’s a very delightful performance to watch. Rufus Sewell is incredible as Count Adhemar as jousting champion and nobleman who tries to woo Jocelyn while dealing with William’s presence which he sees as a threat as he’s a fun antagonist to watch. Finally, there’s Heath Ledger in a spectacular performance as William Thatcher as a young peasant squire who dreams of becoming a knight as he seizes the chance to become one while trying to do what is right as well as be humble as it’s one of Ledger’s definitive performances.

A Knight’s Tale is a remarkable film from Brian Helgeland that features a phenomenal performance from the late Heath Ledger. Along with a strong ensemble, a compelling story, and a fun soundtrack. It’s a film that manages to be a story that is entertaining with characters audiences can care for. In the end, A Knight’s Tale is a sensational film from Brian Helgeland.

Brian Helgeland Films: (Payback) - (The Order (2003 film) - (42) - Legend (2015 film)

© thevoid99 2016

Frozen (2013 film)

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, Frozen is the story of a young princess who treks through rugged mountains during a cold winter to retrieve her estranged sister who was responsible for the cold winter through her icy powers. Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and screenplay by Lee from a story by Buck, Lee, and Shane Morris, the film is a tale of sisterhood where a young princess tries to save her older sister from herself with the help of a mountain man, a reindeer, and a snowman. Featuring the voices of Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, and Santino Fontana. Frozen is a dazzling and heart-warming film from Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

The film plays into the relationship between two sisters as the eldest is born with powers to produce snow and ice as she is afraid to hurt her younger sister leading to a schism between the two prompting the younger to get her back home. While it is a film about sisters, it is also a film about love between these two women as the eldest in Elsa (Idina Menzel) wants to protect Anna (Kristen Bell) from herself as she had accidentally hit ice at Anna when they were kids and cut herself off to protect her. Yet, Anna has no memory of that incident as she is confused by their estrangement until they come together for Elsa’s coronation ceremony where problems emerge where Elsa turns the kingdom into ice and isolates herself in her own castle. Anna wants to get Elsa back home with some help yet things become complicated when it is clear how dangerous Elsa has become to herself and to Anna.

Jennifer Lee’s screenplay takes it time to explore the troubled relationship between Elsa and Anna where Elsa’s icy powers are the real problem as they’re forced to live in isolation in their castle for much of their life as they would also deal with the death of their parents separately. When Elsa comes of age to become queen, she has a hard time dealing with the responsibilities that she has to face as well as controlling her powers as she is being exposed to the people in her kingdom. Even as Anna falls for a prince named Hans (Santino Fontana) while a duke (Alan Tudyk) from a neighboring country wants to do business with her only to plot Elsa’s assassination once her powers are exposed. When Anna goes to find Elsa, she gets the help of the mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his reindeer Sven, and a living snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad). Yet, the forces such as the Duke of Weselton would try to complicate things as well as Elsa’s own powers as she continuously shuts herself off from the people that really cared about her.

The direction of Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck is truly astonishing not just in its visual setting but also in the animation as it blends hand-drawn animation and 3D computer animation. With its team of animators, the film has this wide canvas to create this land that Elsa and Anna live in as well as what it would look like in the winter time. Much of it involve some wide shots and scenery to play into that world where it includes some unique lighting schemes to play into the mood of the film as Elsa’s emotions is the catalyst for her powers. There’s also some medium shots and close-ups into the way Lee and Buck wanted to frame the characters including some of the elements of love in the way Anna falls for Hans. Some of it is presented in a comical manner as characters like Sven and Olaf are comic figures yet they do help drive the story as it relates to the concept of love and being there for one another.

There’s also some dazzling sequences that play into a sense of action as it’s driven by emotion where the mixture of the animation styles manage to work very seamlessly. Especially in the film’s climax where it plays into the world that the sisters had lived in as well as the forces who want to stop Elsa for their own reasons. Much of the compositions of that sequence as well as what is at stake comes into play as it maintains that theme of love and sisterhood. Overall, Lee and Buck creates a truly exhilarating and touching film about the love of two sisters.

Editor Jeff Draheim does brilliant work with the editing with its use of montages, jump-cuts, and other rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and drama. Production designer David Womersley and art director Michael Giamo do amazing work with the design of the castles and places the characters go to. Sound designer Odin Benitez does fantastic work with the sound from the way ice sounds when it cracks and the way some of Elsa‘s powers are shot from her hands. The film’s music by Christophe Beck is superb for its bombastic orchestral score to play with the film‘s adventurous tone while the songs by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez is just incredible for the way it helps tell the story as songs like Let It Go, Do You Want to Build a Snowman?, For the First Time in Forever, In Summer, and many others doesn’t just give the film a musical feel but also has more to say as it is a true highlight of the film as the songs themselves are great in their own.

The voice casting by Jamie Sparer Roberts is excellent as it features some notable small voice roles Maurice LaMarche and Jennifer Lee as Elsa and Anna’s parents, Chris Williams as the very funny trading post manager Oaken, Maia Wilson as a troll Anna meets in Bulda, and Ciaran Hinds as an elderly troll in Grand Pabbie who reveals a lot about Elsa’s powers and how she can control it. Alan Tudyk is terrific as the scheming Duke of Weselton who wants to gain power of some of Arendelle’s commerce while planning to have Elsa killed later on. Santino Fontana is superb as Prince Hans of the Southern Isles who woos Anna into being engaged with him as he would try to save her. In the voices of the young Elsa and Anna, respectively, there’s Eva Bell and Spencer Lacey Ganus as the 8 and 12 year old versions of Elsa while Livvy Stubenrauch does the voice of the 5-year old Anna while Katie Lopez and Agatha Lee Monn provide the singing versions of the 5 and 9 year old versions of Anna.

Josh Gad is a total delight as the snowman Olaf as this snowman who wants to experience summertime as well as being a comic relief with some nice commentary about love and its power. Jonathan Groff is amazing as Kristoff as this mountain man who provides ice to Arendelle as he reluctantly helps out Anna with his reindeer Sven, who is a fantastic companion, as he would introduce Anna to the trolls that he had been raised by. Idina Menzel is brilliant as Elsa as this troubled young woman who has powers to create ice as she tries to shut herself off so that she wouldn’t hurt anyone as Menzel also provides a lot of weight into her singing as she makes Elsa a truly engaging character. Finally, there’s Kristen Bell in a remarkable performance as Anna as Elsa’s younger sister who just wants to help and reach out to Elsa unaware of what Elsa can do as Bell’s determination, anguish, and exuberance in her singing just makes Anna a very complex character.

Frozen is a truly outstanding film from Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee as well as the team of Disney Animation Studios. Not only is it a musical that is very soaring with its songs but also with a strong story that can captivate audiences of any age. Especially as it is an animation film that can dazzle cinephiles but also astonish children while having something profound to say about sisterhood and love. In the end, Frozen is a phenomenal film from Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

© thevoid99 2014

Wreck-It Ralph

Directed by Rich Moore and screenplay by Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee from a story by Moore, Johnston, and Jim Reardon with additional contributions by John C. Reilly, Sam J. Levine, and Jared Stern, Wreck-It Ralph is the story of a titular video game bad guy character who decides he doesn’t want to be the bad guy anymore by leaving his game in the hopes he can get a medal and earn the respect of the other characters from his game. The film explores the world of the arcade video games from the early 80s 8-bit games to the games of the 21st Century where a bad guy becomes the hero as he finds himself in different games and befriending a character who is considered a glitch. Featuring the voices of John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Mindy Kaling, Joe Lo Truglio, Dennis Haysbert, and Ed O’Neill. Wreck-It Ralph is a sensational and astonishing film from Rich Moore.

The film is about the titular bad guy (John C. Reilly) whose job in the video game Fix-It-Felix Jr. as all he does is wreck a building while the game’s titular character (Jack McBrayer) fixes it. Ralph does the job for 30 years but feels unappreciated as he decides he doesn’t want to be the bad guy anymore and earn a medal in the hopes he can get respected. When Felix learns that Ralph went to a shooting game called Hero’s Duty to get a medal, he tries to stop him but other circumstances lands Ralph in the candy-based racing game Sugar Rush where he meets and help a young girl named Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) to be in the race despite the fact that she’s a glitch. Yet, there’s something that Ralph had brought that would threaten not just the game but also all of the games in the arcade as he and Felix have to stop it.

The film’s screenplay does have this traditional structure where the first act is about Ralph leaving Fix-It-Felix Jr. after feeling unappreciated by other characters in the game as he meets a character from Hero’s Duty where he learns about getting a medal until an encounter with a cy-bug causes trouble. When Ralph finds himself at Sugar Rush, he meets Vanellope who is this character that is a glitch as he is annoyed by her at first yet decides to help her so he can get his medal and she can become a character in the game. Still, Ralph and Vanellope have to deal with the character King Candy (Alan Tudyk) who believes that if Vanellope becomes part of the game. She will ruin it because she is a glitch and the game will be unplugged leaving all of the characters homeless like another legendary game character in Q*bert and his fellow villains.

The script succeeds in giving characters motivations and such to drive the story where Felix teams with Hero’s Duty character Sgt. Calhoun (Jane Lynch) to find Ralph as well as cy-bug that had entered Sugar Rush as it’s a creature that becomes whatever it eats and create chaos until someone lights a beacon to get rid of them. Felix falls for Sgt. Calhoun as he also tells her about a character named Turbo who was this popular racing game character who got jealous when a new racing game emerged where he hacked into the game and put that and his own game out of commission which adds to Felix’s motivation to get Ralph back in their game or they will be unplugged.

Rich Moore’s direction is dazzling not just in the way he presents the world of the arcade games but also for the fact that it’s set in an arcade where many characters meet at the plugging board to interact and be at other games after closing time at the arcade. Even the games themselves are set in a world that is unique where characters are seen drinking at Tapper’s where on the screen, some of the game characters are shown in high-definition or in 8-bit animated style. With the help of supervising animator Doug Bennett, Moore’s direction has these very broad and sprawling images where the animation also helps out in the look of the characters as Tapper and most of the minor characters in Fix-It-Felix Jr. all have this jerky look to their movements since they’re programmed in an 8-bit animated style.

The animation also features a lot of video game references where there’s numerous cameos from many great characters in the film such as an early scene where Ralph attends a video-game bad guys anonymous meeting with villains from Pac Man, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros., and Sonic the Hedgehog as well as many others. It adds to this very unique world that is very appealing to audiences that grew up playing video games as well as the evolution of video games from 8-bit to high-definition animation. Overall, Moore creates a truly exhilarating and imaginative film about a bad guy’s desire to be good and do good in the world of video games.

Editor Tim Mertens does brilliant work with the editing with its use of stylish rhythmic cuts as well as play into the energy of the action and humor that occurs in the film. Art director Ian Gooding does amazing work with the look of video game world from the sugary-confection of Sugar Rush to the dark world of Hero‘s Duty. Sound designer Gary Rydstrom and sound editors Frank E. Eulner and Marshall Winn do fantastic work with the sound with the way some characters move to the sound effects that is used in the games that the characters go to. The film’s music by Henry Jackman is superb for its mixture of orchestral-based music to play into the action along with some electronic and 8-bit music to help create that world of the video games while the soundtrack features contributions from Rhianna, Skrillex (who makes a cameo in the film), Owl City, Kool & the Gang, AKB48, and the video game novelty duo Buckner and Garcia doing the film’s theme song.

The voice casting by Jamie Sparer Roberts is incredible for the voice ensemble that was used as it features some notable voice work from Edie McClurg, Rachael Harris, and Raymond Persi as characters from Fix-It-Felix Jr. with Persi also voicing a zombie at the Bad-Anon meeting. Other noteworthy small voice roles include contributions from director Rich Moore as King Candy’s assistant Sour Bill/Zangief from Street Fighter, Horatio Sanz and Adam Carolla as the Sugar Rush police officers, Joe Lo Truglio as the drunk Hero’s Duty soldier Ralph meets at Tapper’s, Dennis Haysbert as the general at Hero’s Duty, Mindy Kaling as the Sugar Rush racer Taffy Muttonfudge, and Ed O’ Neill as the arcade owner Mr. Litwak whose character is sort of based on the Twin Galaxies arcade founder Walter Day.

Alan Tudyk is excellent as the Sugar Rush ruler King Candy who tries to get rid of Vanellope in the hopes that she doesn’t ruin the game while there’s an added layer to the character that makes him far more intriguing. Jane Lynch is fantastic as Sgt. Calhoun as a no-nonsense bug killer who helps Felix find Ralph and the cy-bug that entered Sugar Rush as she is baffled by Felix’s attraction towards her. Jack McBrayer is brilliant as Fix-It-Felix Jr. as a game hero who fixes everything with his magical hammer as he tries to find Ralph and get him back or else he and the other characters in the game become homeless.

Sarah Silverman is amazing as Vanellope Von Schweetz as this glitchy character who just wants to be in the race as she befriends Ralph where Silverman adds an energy to the character. Finally, there’s John C. Reilly in a remarkable performance as the film’s titular character where he brings that sense of humility and determination to his character making it one of Reilly’s best performance that is crucial to making Ralph a very unforgettable character.

Wreck-It Ralph is a phenomenal film from Rich Moore and Disney Animation. Featuring some dazzling visuals, a superb music soundtrack, and a brilliant voice cast, the film manages to do more than just be a kid’s film as it appeals to gamers as well. Largely as it features the world of the arcade as well as the different kinds of video games that has endured for more than 30 years. In the end, Wreck-It Ralph is a spectacular film from Rich Moore.

© thevoid99 2013

3:10 to Yuma (2007 film)

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/9/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on Elmore Leonard's short story, 3:10 to Yuma is the story about an ex-Civil War sharpshooter who is asked to accompany a vicious criminal to a prison train as he and various men are being followed by the criminal's gang. Directed by James Mangold with a screenplay by Stuart Beattie, Michael Brandt, and Derek Haas with elements of the 1957 adapted script by Halstead Welles for Delmer Daves' version of the film. The film explores the world of temptation as a farmer and a criminal try to outwit each other. Starring Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Gretchen Mol, Logan Lerman, Alan Tudyk, Ben Foster, Vinessa Shaw, Dallas Roberts, and Peter Fonda. 3:10 to Yuma is a sprawling yet adventurous film from James Mangold.

The film explores a rancher named Dan Evans (Christian Bale) whose life hasn't been great as his ranch is suffering from a drought while he's in debt as well as getting threatened by a man named Hollander (Lennie Lofton) who wants Evans' land for the railroad. When the criminal known as Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) has been captured after stealing money from the railroad barron Grayson Butterfield (Dallad Roberts), Evans volunteers to help the Pinkerton officer Byron McElroy (Peter Fonda) to accompany Wade to the prison train to Yuma along with Doc Potter (Alan Tudyk), Butterfield, and Evans' 14-year old son William (Logan Lerman). Yet, the party is being pursued by Wade's right-hand man Charlie Prince (Ben Foster)and the rest of Wade's gang as a battle of wits emerge between Evans and Wade about what to do where Wade tempts Evans into helping him while Wade isn't sure if he can take Wade's offer.

The original film version of 3:10 to Yuma was essentially a western that was part character-study, part suspense where it's about these two men trying to play a game of wits in seeing how far they'll go in dealing with their own morals. Director James Mangold, obviously a fan of the original, doesn't tinker with the film's old formulas very much. Instead, he helps expand the story, add a few new characters, and take the western genre back to form with some new methods. The film's script that was written by Stuart Beattie, Michael Brandt, and Derek Haas definitely brings back some of the original dialogue that was written by the film's original scribe Halstead Wells. What is very surprising is that the dialogue that is used again manages to be as relevant as it was heard back in the original 1957 version.

The script also works as a device of character study where it's really about both Ben Wade and Dan Evans. Wade, a sadistic man who can be very charming and witty while is also a ruthless killer who is even willing to kill one of his own men for gain. Yet, part of his redeeming qualities is how he reminds someone like William that he's not a good man despite the growth of respect he has for Dan for his bravey. Dan Evans is just as complex as a man who is forced to swallow a lot of his pride in order to maintain the survival of his family. Yet, he too has a dark side that he doesn't like to show that Wade manages to discover. What's surprising is that both men have similar morals, characteristics, and pride. It's where the film's script succeeds in.

The direction of James Mangold is very solid throughout the entire film in how he maintains the faithfulness to the original film. While the female characters like Alice Evans (Gretchen Mol) and Emmy (Vinessa Shaw) aren't as big as they were in the original film, they still play to what's expected in the plot. More importantly, the plot is expanded where the original film is 95 minutes and this version adding thirty more. While the violence and language is more confrontational in the original, it's definitely because Mangold adds elements of directors like Sergio Leone and in a lesser extent, Sam Peckinpah. There, he still manages to bring that quality that is expected in the genre in terms of the idea of men running lose, doing wild things, shootouts, and such. One complaint that might be understandable in comparison to the original film is the ending.

Probably because of what Mangold is trying to convey in terms of where the genre was then and now. It might work on some aspects but might not work with some audiences. Still, Mangold brings the genre right back to its essential that makes not just purists satisfied but also people new to the genre to be excited about.

Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael brings a wonderful look to the film with its gorgeous, epic-like photography with the film's inspiring location shot in New Mexico. The film's nighttime scenes from the outside with the blue sky is mesmerizing as is some of the daylight exteriors that manages to maintain its grittiness. It's definitely a highlight of the film. The location in New Mexico and with a $50 million budget definitely gives the production with the saloons, farms, and towns created by production designer Andrew Menzies and art directors Greg Berry and Jay Hart a look that is authentic and a reminder of what was great in that genre.

Costume designer Ariane Phillips definitely create some nice suits for Dallas Roberts while the cowboy clothing for the rest of the actors maintains its grittiness. The makeup also works since a lot of them wear beards or a mustache whether it's the clean, handlebar mustache look Roberts have to the dirtier, grimy look that both Ben Foster and Peter Fonda have.

Editor Michael McCusker definitely goes against the current fast-cut, fast-paced editing style of today's films that would've hurt this film. Instead, he goes for a more traditional, intense style that manages to keep the film's pacing while the action is definitely attentive for the audience. During the more suspenseful moments, the cuts are definitely slow but engaging to maintain the tension between the main characters. Sound editor Donald Sylvester also adds atmosphere by using the sounds of the wind, horses, whistles, and such to play true to the film and its genre in terms of its suspense.  Music composer Marco Beltrami adds a bit of symphonic orchestra to the genre but uses it in a low-key approach with the rest of the score performed on acoustic guitars and string instruments to play to that old-school atmosphere of the western.

Finally, there's the film's cast and what a hell of a cast does it have. Smaller performances from the likes of Sean Hennigan as the Contention City marshal, Rio Alexander and Johnny Whitworth as two of Wade's men, Forest Fyre, Luce Rains, and a un-credited cameo from Luke Wilson who gives a great performance as one of Boles' posse. Benjamin Petry is good as the little Mark Evans who has a great line that comes from the original film while Lennie Lofton is sleazy as the land-grabbing Hollander. Vinessa Shaw, playing the Felicia Farr role, is good as the sexy Emmy who is charmed by Wade. Kevin Durand is funny as the annoying Tucker, who manages to hate both Wade and Evans for different reasons while having a scene where he sings a song that angers Wade.

Alan Tudyk of Firefly/Serenity fame manages to give an excellent, yet funny performance as Doc Potter who manages to have some funny one-liners while admitting to not carrying a gun very much. Gretchen Mol is wonderful as the caring Alice Evans who loves Dan but also despises him a bit for his choices as she tries to maintain the household. Mol, who shows a more hardened maturity than in previous roles, is only a few scenes which is a shame since her performance really stands out by not playing a conventional farmer's wife.

Dallas Roberts from Walk the Line is great as the money-hungry Butterfield who thinks he has control only to realize that money can't buy everything while eventually becoming a tool for Evans' own pursuits. Logan Lerman is excellent as William Evans, a boy who seems to idolize Wade while losing respect for his own father. His development in the film is handled very realistically as he learns about sacrifice and why his father makes choices that sometimes aren&#146t right as he plays the character with maturity and energy.

Peter Fonda is brilliant in his small but mesmerizing role as the old, gruff Byron McElroy who manages to have a lot of hatred for Wade as Fonda's exchanges with Crowe are just fun to watch. Fonda, who has done westerns in the past, manages to bring that old school attitude that shows he's been there before and his performance is truly memorable that even his late, legendary father Henry would've been proud. Ben Foster is the film's sole scene-stealer as the psychotic Charlie Prince. Foster, sporting a beard and marks around his eyes, is a force that has to be seen where though he's a more sadistic, traditional villain. He has his loyalties and wit as he tries to save the man he's admired so much. It's a great performance from the young actor who proves he can act with the likes of Fonda, Crowe, and Bale.

Christian Bale gives one of his best performances as the troubled, prideful Dan Evans who was played by Van Heflin fifty years before. Bale's intense, layered performance shows the actor bringing a subtlety and grit that isn't seen very often but only expanding his range following his work in recent years. Though his character doesn't have a lot of humor, he still manages to have some wit and charm while maintaining his own stance against someone like Russell Crowe. Russell Crowe, in the role of Ben Wade that was played by Glenn Ford, is brilliant. Though Crowe didn't manage to play a great western character in Sam Raimi's The Quick & the Dead, this film proves he was born to be in a western.

Crowe's mix of charm, sadism, and antagonist attitude proves to be right as he plays the Wade character to the hilt. More importantly, he makes the audience to either love or hate him in whatever he's doing. The comradery between two great actors like Crowe and Bale are just amazing to watch and what's really great to see in those performances is how much fun they're having. Bottom line, both Crowe and Bale bring the kind of performances that purists of the genre will surely love.

The 20007 remake of 3:10 to Yuma is a marvelous film from James Mangold thanks to its cast led by Christian Bale and Russell Crowe as well as its devotion to pay true to the western genre. The film isn't just a faithful remake to Delmer Daves' 1957 film but also ensures the vitality of the western genre as both films would make a great double-feature. In the end, 3:10 to Yuma is an exciting and enthralling film from James Mangold.

© thevoid99 2013

Serenity

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/23/06 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the short-lived cult TV series Firefly, Serenity is the story of renegade crew that is carrying two fugitives where they make a discovery about a man that is trying to find them. Notably as one of the fugitives is carrying a secret about that would impact an on-going war between a totalitarian galactic government and zombie-like creatures called Reavers. Written and directed by Firefly creator Joss Whedon, the film is a continuation of the series by picking things up from a series of comic stories where Mal Reynolds and the crew of the vessel ship called Serenity as they evade from the control of the Alliance government. With a cast that includes the show's main cast like Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, and Ron Glass along with David Krumholtz and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Serenity is an imaginative and exciting sci-fi action film from Joss Whedon.

After watching a video of a break-out for a troubled prisoner named River Tam (Summer Glau) who escaped the lab with help from her older brother Simon (Sean Maher), the Alliance leaders hires a top assassin named the Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to find the Tams and deal with them as they believe that River is carrying a dark secret concerning their war with the Reavers. At the ship of Serenity, Captain Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) is organizing another mission with his longtime war buddy Zoe (Gina Torres) and their gruff weapons-man Jayne (Adam Baldwin) as Mal decides to bring River for the job. Though Simon isn't happy about the idea, he reluctantly accepts as the psychic river proves to be useful for the heist as she senses the arrival of Reavers where the gang barely escape with their take. Despite the success of the heist, Simon decides to leave Serenity over what happened as he's taking River with him. Landing at another planet where the ship's mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite) is upset about Simon leaving, the crew including its pilot/Zoe's husband Wash (Alan Tudyk) go to a meeting at a bar where River stumbles into the bar. There, she sees a video where she says the word "Miranda" as all hell breaks loose forcing Simon to say something as he reluctantly re-joins the Serenity crew.

After revealing what happened to River, Mal is angry at Simon for the danger that River could've brought as the crew turns to a computer geek named Mr. Universe (David Krumholtz) to decode the video message as Mal decides to protect River from the Alliance. Seeking refuge at the planet of Haden where they reunite with one of the ship's former passengers in clergyman Shepard Book (Ron Glass), Book believes that River might be carrying something that is secretive and that Mal will need to do whatever it takes to protect her. After getting a message from another former passenger in the escort Inara (Morena Baccarin), Mal decides to check if there's a trap in Inara's home where he meets the Operative who wants River Tam. Thanks to Inara's help, she and Mal escape the Operative as they return to Serenity where Jayne feels paranoid about River. After River breaks out of her handcuffs, she shows Mal the place they're looking for as they also deal with the news about the Operative's attack on Haden forcing Mal and crew to go into the treacherous world of Reaver territory where Miranda is. Arriving at the planet, the crew make a drastic discovery about the Reavers through a video log that reveals the Alliance's involvement. Needing to expose the information publicly, the crew decides to go to Mr. Universe's home planet while being at the center of a massive battle between the Alliance and Reavers.

Part of the genius of Joss Whedon is that he is someone who is able to create interesting stories in a certain genre, take another genre and try to create something of its own. For Serenity, he succeeds not only in pleasing fans of the TV show Firefly but also bring in a new audience where he manages to introduce its characters while allowing a lot of back story for them. Though it's not entirely perfect, Whedon does bring in a unique vision to his sci-fi Western story where although it mostly takes place in a science-fiction world. There's elements of the West whether it's the pistol that Mal is carrying to some of its dialogue, setting, and background music. Whedon as a writer creates wonderful tension, interplay with characters, back stories including romantic subplots involving Mal/Inara and Simon/Kaylee that feel natural in their own reluctance. Whedon the director is very hands on with his characters and situations while he even does things that audiences will hate like killing off some beloved characters. Still, he ends up creating a hell of adventure audiences can enjoy.

On the technical front, cinematographer Jack N. Green does some wonderful coloring for the film's grimy yet futuristic atmosphere with some tinted coloring in some of the film's exterior sequences while more intimate shades in the interior settings. Production designer Barry Chusid also does excellent work in creating different looks whether it's the open-spaces of Haden, the exotic Indian look of Inara, or the futuristic cities with the help of visual effects supervisor Loni Peristere who does wonderful work in creating the future and battle sequences. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter also does some great work on the film's costumes with giving each character a distinctive look whether it's Inara's exotic clothing to the more militaristic look of the Operative. Editor Lisa Lassek does some great work in the editing by keeping the film's rhythm while doing some great cutting in not giving the film a quick-cut feel. Sound editor Geoffrey G. Rubay also does some great work in the sound to convey the feel of battle and the fragility of the Serenity ship. Composer David Newman does some great, flourishing acoustic work while some of the music by Whedon and Andrew Dorfman owes more to the West with its dorbo-acoustic guitar arrangements.

The film's cast includes such memorable small performances from such minor characters of Firefly like the twins of Mingo & Fanty played by Yan and Rafael Feldman along with Nectar Rose as Mr. Universe's robot wife, and Sarah Paulson as the woman on the video log. Of the two cast members who weren't in the TV show, David Krumholtz is excellent as the funny techno-geek Mr. Universe while Chiwetel Ejiofor gives one of his great performances as the Operative. Ejiofor brings a lot of complexity to his role as he plays the character with a lot of subtlety and intelligence that he doesn't fall into the trap of a one-dimensional villain as he says that he's a monster yet doesn't act like one. From all the cast members of Firefly, every character is back as they give something to everyone of the fans. Ron Glass is excellent as the religious mentor Shepard Book who likes to annoy Mal with some wise sermons while being the kind of person that the crew can turn to, even when his fate goes for bad where at least, he delivers a very funny line.

Sean Maher is also good as the protective Simon Tam who is desperate for the safety of his sister while struggling with his role as a brother while trying to be part of the Serenity crew in his feelings for Kaylee. Jewel Staite is also good as the mechanic Kaylee who is the most feminine character, aside from Inara, of the team who also has feelings for Simon while trying to understand the behaviors of Mal as she is the youngest member of the crew. Morena Baccarin is great as the exotic Inara who has strained feelings for Mal yet sacrifices her own rich lifestyle to help the Serenity crew as she becomes a very resourceful member of the team. Adam Baldwin is the film's funniest character as the tough-guy Jayne who says the film's funniest lines and is all about action while feeling he can lead the crew though lacks leadership skills. Summer Glau is the film's most exciting character of River as she brings a lot of layers to role as the quiet, innocent character who can sense things while being awkwardly funny yet when she goes into fight mode, she's very dangerous as Glau is really great in the role.

Alan Tudyk is also funny as the timid yet smart pilot Wash who has some great lines while being the husband for Zoe as he is the right-hand man for Mal in the cockpit as Tudyk delivers one of the film's funniest lines, "I am a leaf on the wind". Gina Torres is great as the tough Zoe who is the only person who understands Mal the most despite his flaws while is the most serious character while being wife to Wash. Nathan Fillion is great in the role of Mal as a ship captain who doesn't know everything yet is trying to lead his crew through good and bad. Fillion really commands the film though really acts more like a team player as he has great chemistry with his actors as he acts like a tough guy who has heart though he doesn't want to use it at times.

Serenity is a fun and truly imaginative sci-fi film from Joss Whedon. Armed with a great cast, amazing visual effects, and witty dialogue, it is definitely a film that does a whole lot more for the genre. Particularly as it will give viewers, who hadn't seen Firefly the chance to get to know these characters. The film is definitely one of Joss Whedon's great creations as it's truly one of his most essential works. In the end, Serenity is an adventurous film from Joss Whedon.

Joss Whedon Films: The Avengers (2012 film) - Much Ado About Nothing (2012 film) - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Justice League

© thevoid99 2012