The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film)

Based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper and the 1936 film by George B. Seitz and screenwriter Philip Dunne, The Last of the Mohicans is the story of two sisters who are accompanied by a major during the French and Indian War where they’re saved by a white Mohican warrior who accompanies them to a fort where their father is stationed at. Directed by Michael Mann and screenplay by Mann and Christopher Crowe from an adaptation by John L. Balderston, Paul Perez, and Daniel Moore, the film is a thrilling adventure film set during the French and Indian War in the Adirondack Mountains in the then-British colony of New York where a man tries to help two sisters reach their father while dealing with all sorts of foes. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Jodhi May, Russell Means, Wes Studi, Eric Schweig, and Steven Waddington. The Last of the Mohicans is an exhilarating and gripping film from Michael Mann.

It’s 1757 during the French and Indian War between the British and American colonials against the French and various Native American factions where a trio of Native Americans save a major and two women following an ambush by Huron warriors on their way to a fort that is the home of the women’s officer father. It’s a film that play into three men who live a life of peace and generosity as they decide to help these two women to be with their father yet things would get complicated once they arrive at their destination during this conflict that is happening. The film’s screenplay by Michael Mann and Christopher Crowe that was also based on Philip Dunne’s screenplay for the 1936 film by George B. Seitz does play into the world that its protagonist Nathaniel Poe/Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) lives in with his adopted father Chingachgook and adopted brother Uncas (Eric Schweig) as they live to hunt and be good company to other colonial settlers.

The first act is largely about Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) wanting to accompany his lover Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her younger sister Alice (Jodhi May) as their father Colonel Edmund Munro (Maurice Roeves) who is stationed at Fort William Henry. Major Heyward and his entourage is accompanied by the Huron warrior Magua (Wes Studi) unaware that he’s leading them an ambush by his own tribe as he has a hatred towards Colonel Munro over events from the past that related to his family. It would be Hawkeye and his family that would save the Munro sisters and Major Heyward where Cora isn’t sure about trusting Hawkeye yet realizes what is at stake. The film’s second act that takes place at Fort William Henry during a battle with the French army led by General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm (Patrice Chereau) where the Munro sisters learn that from their father that they weren’t supposed to come.

The screenplay wouldn’t just play into this developing relationship between Hawkeye and Cora but also revelations that would plant the seeds of what is to come in this shaky alliance between the British forces and the colonial militia. After witnessing what happened to a family that Hawkeye and his family knew and Colonel Munro’s dismissal over the incidents due to lack of evidence. Cora realizes that even someone like her father is more concerned with maintaining his position rather than have the militia return to defend their home and families. The film’s third act which has everyone leaving the fort is about survival as well as the ideas of war where one group of people want to do what is honorable but another has personal reasons to wage war.

Mann’s direction is definitely astonishing in terms of its visual presentation and intense approach to action. Shot on location largely on the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina as well as various locations in the state as upstate New York and the Adirondack Mountains. Mann would use the locations as characters in the film as it play into a world that is peaceful only to be ravaged by war as it opens with Hawkeye and his family hunting and bringing food to eat and share with a family. The simplicity in Mann’s direction is key to the relationship Hawkeye would have with Cora later in the film with its usage of close-ups and medium shots as well as the brief moments between Alice and Uncas with the latter being protective of her from danger. The usage of hand-held cameras would play into the action as well as Hawkeye and his entourage trying to get to the fort and later hide from Magua and his tribe.

Mann’s usage of the wide shots would play into the scope of the battle scenes as well as the attention to detail of the French digging trenches and getting closer to the fort as well as the distance of cannons firing toward their target. Mann’s usage of tracking and dolly shots add to the detail of the landscape and chaos of war while he would also aim for precise compositions to play into the suspense as it relates to Magua ambushing the British army. Mann knows when to break from the action and suspense as its climax where Hawkeye meets with the Huron sachem Ongewasgone (Dennis Banks) in a plea for peace and mercy despite Magua’s need for revenge. Mann would know when to keep things engaging but also play into the drama. Overall, Mann crafts a riveting and adventurous film about a white Mohican who help two British women and officer find safety during the French and Indian War.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its natural approach to lighting for many of the daytime exterior scenes as well as some scenes at night including one beautiful scene in a cave with the waterfalls and the usage of fire as it is a major highlight of the film. Editors Dov Hoenig and Arthur Schmidt do brilliant work with the editing as it has elements of style with its usage of slow-motion and rhythmic cuts as well as some other stylistic moments that play into the action, suspense, and drama. Production designer Wolf Kroeger, with set decorators Jim Erickson and James V. Kent plus art directors Robert Guerra and Richard Holland, does excellent work with the look of the homes of some of the characters as well as the interior of the fort and tents as well as the design of the Huron tribe camp. Costume designer Elsa Zamparelli does fantastic work with the costumes from the rugged look of Hawkeye and his family as well as the militia to the period dresses that Cora and Alice wear as well as the uniforms of the soldiers and officers from both the French and British.

Special makeup effects/prosthetics designer Vincent J. Guastini does amazing work with the look of the Huron tribe through its makeup as well as their Mohawks and other hairstyles of the times. Sound designer Lon E. Bender does superb work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sounds of guns and cannons that help play into the action and its impact. The film’s music by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman is incredible for its bombastic music score with its usage of heavy percussions, woodwind arrangements, and other instruments that play into the drama and suspense while music supervisor David Kershenbaum would use a traditional Scottish piece performed by Dougie MacLean as one of the film’s music themes along with a piece performed by Clannad as it’s a highlight of the film.

The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Jared Harris as British lieutenant early in the film talking with militia, Colm Meaney as an officer in Major Ambrose, Pete Postlethwaite as one of Colonel Munro’s officer in Captain Beams, Dennis Banks as the Huron sachem Ongewasgone, Tracey Ellis and Terry Kinney as a couple in the Camerons that Hawkeye and his family are friends with, and Patrice Cheraeau in a terrific performance as General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm as the French general who is a man of principle as he is also someone that cares about the rules of engagement and humanity as he tries to get Magua to honor these ideas of war.

Maurice Roeves is superb as Colonel Edmund Munro as a British officer who is the father of Cora and Alice as he is dealing with being trapped as well as trying to maintain his position only to be indifferent towards the situations that colonial militia are dealing with. Steven Waddington is fantastic as Major Duncan Heyward as an officer who is hoping to marry Cora as a man trying to protect them as well as maintain his own position in rank while dealing with the chaos of the ambush from the Huron. Russell Means and Eric Schweig are brilliant in their respective roles as the father-son duo of Chingachgook and Uncas as two Mohican warriors who are family to Hawkeye as they help the Munro sisters find safety with the former being a master warrior while the latter becomes a source of comfort for Alice. Jodhi May is excellent as Alice Munro as Cora’s younger sister who is dealing with the ambush and terror of war where she befriends Uncas whom she becomes close to.

Wes Studi is amazing as Magua as a Huron warrior who harbors deep hatred towards Colonel Munro as he is revealed to be a double-agent for the French where he is hoping to get his revenge and bring honor back to his tribe. Madeleine Stowe is incredible as Cora Munro as a woman who deals with the ambush and situation that she and her sister are encountering while getting an understanding about Hawkeye and what she sees as she would gain a completely different perspective from what her father sees about what is really happening in the war. Finally, there’s Daniel Day-Lewis in a phenomenal performance as Nathaniel Poe/Hawkeye as a white man raised by the Mohicans since he was a boy as he is someone that knows what is happening as he is doing what he can to protect the Munro sisters while falling for Cora as it’s a charismatic and thrilling performance from Day-Lewis who proves he can be tough and heroic.

The Last of the Mohicans is a tremendous film from Michael Mann that features a great performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. Along with its ensemble cast, Dante Spinotti’s gorgeous cinematography, its immense music score, beautiful locations, and themes of war and honor. It’s a film that play into a group of people caught up in a deadly conflict as well as see things that would complicate the ideas of war forcing them to survive and evade the horrors of war. In the end, The Last of the Mohicans is a magnificent film from Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile – Thief - The Keep – Manhunter – L.A. Takedown – Heat – The Insider – Ali – Collateral – Miami Vice – Public Enemies (2009 film) – Blackhat - Blackhat - Ferrari - (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #73: Michael Mann Pt.1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2019

William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a modern take on the famed tragic love story involving two young people from feuding families falling in love with each other. With a screenplay Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, the film is the chance to redefine the famed Shakespeare story in a modern setting while retaining Shakespeare’s dialogue to maintain his language. Starring Leonardo diCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Brian Dennehy, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Diane Venora, Harold Perrineau, Miriam Margoyles, Paul Rudd, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a dazzling film from Baz Luhrmann.

The story of Romeo & Juliet is often told in many variations as it is about the tragedy of two young people who fall in love in the middle of a war between their families. By setting it in present time where guns replace swords and cars instead of horses, Baz Luhrmann and co-screenwriter Craig Pearce allow the story to be told for a new audience who might not be able to understand William Shakespeare’s story. As a result, not only does Luhrmann and Pearce were able to be faithful to Shakespeare’s tragedy as well as retain his language but also find a way to make it relevant for a teenage audience as well as be engaging enough for older audiences.

While the script does make some alterations for the story in order to make it more dramatic, Luhrmann and Pearce do maintain that sense of faithfulness in the story while not using exposition to explain the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues other than they’re just two businessmen who hate each other. Caught in the middle of this feud are their children Juliet Capulet (Claire Danes) and Romeo Montague (Leonardo diCaprio) who prefer not to be involved as Juliet is already set to marry a governor’s son in Dave Paris (Paul Rudd) while Romeo is reeling from a break-up. Meeting at party at the Capulets mansion, the two fall in love as they have no idea who they are yet realize what families they’re from. Still, neither Romeo nor Juliet have a care in the world of what their families would think as they hope their union would bring peace to their feuding families though there are those like Juliet’s cousin Tybalt (John Leguizamo) who sees Romeo and the Montagues as villains.

Characters like Juliet’s nurse (Miriam Margoyle) and Father Lawrence (Pete Postlethwaite) would play their roles as those who would try to create the peace between the two families yet events would shatter this peace leading to Romeo’s banishment from Verona Beach and Juliet’s own despair. Even as Father Lawrence would try to do things to get the two together in the film’s third act yet the schematics of what Shakespeare would do to convey the tragedy that is to come.

Luhrmann’s direction is definitely stylish in its presentation as he shoots the film largely in Mexico with bits of Miami as Verona Beach. Filled with an array of dazzling shots and some gorgeous scenery of the locations, the direction is definitely off-kilter in the way the modern world is presented where it’s a mixture of rich and poor where both feuding families go into these locations. While Luhrmann is known for creating images that can be very dazzling and often over-the-top at times. There are also moments where Luhrmann knows when to slow down and create something that is simple and understated such as the scene of Romeo and Juliet seeing each other for the very first time through a fish tank. The way Luhrmann presents this meeting has images that are just beautiful in the way the faces reflect in the glass as there’s a lush musical accompaniment in the background.

It’s one of those moments that shows Luhrmann’s skills as a filmmaker and as a storyteller while he finds a way to inject bits of light humor in the romance while letting Shakespeare’s dialogue flow naturally through the young actors. Even in the way he frames some of the scenes such as the scenes in the church where Luhrmann creates a lot of colorful imagery and maintain that sense of beauty and tragedy that is to happen. The use of TV news footage also helps maintain an air of suspense to establish the chaos of the feud as well as the film’s climax while both films open and end with an anchorwoman (Edwina Moore) reciting the opening and closing text of Shakespeare’s words. Overall, Luhrmann creates a sensational yet entrancing take on William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy.

Cinematographer Donald M. McAlpine does amazing work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with the use of lights in some of the film‘s interior settings as well as the nighttime exterior scenes along with some lush camera work in the daytime exterior scenes such as the trailer park Romeo was banished to. Editor Jill Bilcock does brilliant work with the film‘s hyper-stylized editing with some of the fast-cutting in the party and confrontation scenes along with some slow yet methodical cuts in some of the film‘s romantic and dramatic moments. Production designer Catherine Martin, with set decorator Brigitte Broch and art director Doug Hardwick, does great work with the look of the Verona Beach with its location dressing and places that Romeo often hangs out as well as some of the interiors of the church and Capulet mansion.

Costume designer Kym Barrett does fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes at the costume party many of the characters wear to some of the colorful casual clothing that Romeo wears and the dresses of Juliet as well as some of the design of the guns the characters carry. Visual effects supervisor Rebecca Marie does nice work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the minor backdrops of some of the exterior scenes. Sound editor Tim Holland and sound designer Gareth Vanderhope do wonderful work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the parties as well as the chaos of some of the film‘s violent moments.

The film’s music by Nellee Hooper, Marius de Vries, and Craig Armstrong is superb for its mixture of lush orchestration and low-key electronic music to convey the sense of action and romance with Armstrong‘s string arrangements playing out the sense of romance. The film’s music soundtrack contains an array of pieces ranging from alternative rock, pop, dance, and soul music that is an intoxicating mix to play out the sense of romance and tragedy. Songs by Garbage, Everclear, the Butthole Surfers, Gavin Friday, Des’ree, Radiohead, Kym Mazelle, the Cardigans, and many others are just some of the reasons into why the film is so full of life as it helps elevate the film’s sense of drama.

The casting by David Rubin is incredible as it includes an outstanding collection of actors for this film. In small roles, there’s M. Emmet Walsh as an apothecary who runs a pool hall, Quindon Tarver as a choir boy, Edwina Moore as the anchorwoman, Vincent Laresca and Carlos Martin Manzo Otolora as a couple of Capulet soldiers, Zak Orth and Jamie Kennedy as a couple of Montague men, and Jesse Bradford as Romeo’s cousin Balthasar. Other notable small roles include Vondie Curtis-Hall as the police authority Captain Prince, Dash Mihok as Romeo’s peaceful cousin Benvolio, and Paul Rudd as the very dorky governor’s son Dave Paris who is set to be Juliet’s husband. Miriam Margoyles is wonderful as the nurse who is sort of a mother figure for Juliet as she also tries to help create the union with Romeo. Pete Postlethwaite is superb as Father Lawrence who sees Romeo and Juliet’s love as a chance to end a feud as well as trying desperately to bring true love to the forefront.

Christina Pickles and Brian Dennehy are excellent as Romeo’s parents who are concerned for Romeo while Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora are great as Juliet’s parents where they add a sense of extravagance to their roles. Harold Perrineau is brilliant as Romeo’s friend Mercutio who is a fun-loving man who tries to defend Romeo against the Capulets and Tybalt. John Leguizamo is amazing as Tybalt as a man who hates all Montagues where Leguizamo definitely goes all out for the role of this very vile man.

Finally, there’s the performances of Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes in their respective roles as Romeo and Juliet. Both actors bring in performances that are just phenomenal with diCaprio maintaining that mix of sensitivity and bravura as Romeo while Danes brings a sense of awkward innocence and angst to her role as Juliet. The duo are really the highlight of the film as they have great chemistry together and definitely display chops that they would unveil in the years to come.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is a spectacular film from Baz Luhrmann that features sensational performances from Leonardo diCaprio and Claire Danes. Along with great technical work, a brilliant soundtrack, and a superb supporting cast. It’s a film that takes William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy to the modern world and make it accessible for a new audience while having something Shakespeare fans can enjoy. In the end, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet is an enchantingly rich film from Baz Luhrmann.

Baz Luhrmann Films: Strictly Ballroom - Moulin Rouge! - Australia - The Great Gatsby (2013 film) - The Auteurs #23: Baz Luhrmann

© thevoid99 2013

The Constant Gardener

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/4/05 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel by John Le Carre, The Constant Gardener is the story about a British diplomat who tries to figure out what happened to his wife where he discovers about illegal business practices involving pharmaceuticals in Africa by his own government. Directed by Fernando Meirelles and screenplay by Jeffrey Caine, the film is about a man dealing with his wife's loss and how he tries to help uncover into why she was murdered in Africa. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bill Nighy, Danny Huston, Donald Sumpter, and Pete Postlethwaite. The Constant Gardener is a phenomenal thriller from Fernando Meirelles.

The film is about a quiet British diplomat who learns about his the murder of his activist wife as he tries to figure out what happened to her. Yet, he goes into a journey into figuring out why she was murder as in Kenya as it relates to the illegal business practices relating to pharmaceuticals. The story is largely told from the the eyes of this diplomat named Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) who is quiet individual who often escapes into being a gardener. The death of his wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) forces him to asks questions as he asks those in his government about what happened forcing him to go to Kenya himself. Even as it involves a top political official in Sir Bernard Pellegrin (Bill Nighhy) where Quayle begins to piece out the things his wife was trying to uncover as it involves illegal testing on Africans where he eventually meets a doctor in Marcus Lorber (Pete Postlethwaite) whom he met some time earlier as Quayle realizes it's a bigger thing that concerns Africa as a whole.

A lesser director or someone more commercial would've tried to get away from a lot of the social commentary of the film to go more into the romantic subplot of the movie while trying to make it more appealing for a mass audience without being too preachy. Director Fernando Meirelles and screenwriter Jeffrey Caine refused to polish any of those ideas. Caine's adaptation of the Le Carre` novel gives the story a wonderfully stylish thriller that has a bit of romance and suspense as well as some insightful social commentary. What is going on in Africa with its poverty, people dying from disease, and being used as guinea pigs for drug testing is truly disgusting. The way Caine told the story was giving the film's first act a non-linear structure of flashbacks even a bit of that in the second and third act.

The structure of the story is wonderful where the first act is Justin's relationship with Tessa and dealing with her activism. The second act is him grieving and realizing what she was trying to do. The third is him finally realizing his own role and the sacrifices he's making. This is some great storytelling with a lot of dangers about pharmaceuticals where things can go wrong in the side effects. Even in the social commentary, we see things where Meirelles captures every awful that is going on and at moments, we see Tessa and later on, Justin trying to do what is right for one person where maybe, that little moment can change someone's life.

Meirelles' ability to give the story not just a genre-bending style in the storytelling but his raw approach of directing gives the film some intense reality. Shooting on location in Africa, Meirelle captures everything from the landscapes, deserts, to the shanty towns and villages where all those poor people live. With his regular cinematographer Cesar Charlone, the film is shown just as it is without any kind of visual effects or artificial lighting. The scenery in Africa is very epic in its look while using all the people as extras where hopefully, he and the people involved probably gave them some kind of hope in this amazing film.

Even in some of the most intense moments, Meirelle does what is necessary, even in something like he death, he does what a wise director would do. Even in why Justin finds comfort in the gardens he's in that is really metaphoric to what Tessa is doing. Meirelles' directing is truly a remarkable step up from what he achieved in his 2002 film City of God. Charlone meanwhile, in scenes in London and Berlin goes for a grainy, monochrome hand-held style of shooting to give the movie a realistic, dreamy look while his African photography style is exquisitely amazing.

Editor Claire Simpson brings in wonderfully-paced, stylized cutting approach to the film in its 130-minute running time where it doesn't feel very slow. Plus, the non-linear style of the movie doesn't lose itself once the story keeps going. Production designer Mark Tidesley also does well in capturing the authenticity of what Africa looks like from its villages and the surroundings of the rich lifestyle where the government lives as does costume designer Odile Dicks-Mireaux. Finally, there's the exquisitely harrowing, dramatic film score of Alberto Iglesias who brings in the intensity style of a thriller as well as the intense drama of Justin's anguish over Tessa's death. Also there is a great soundtrack of nice African music in the background.

Then there's the film's cast with some wonderful standout performances from the African actors and extras in the film, notably the children who Justin and Tessa would try to help as the audience can hope have a nice future in these troubled times. The film also features some great performances from Archie Panjabi, Anneke Kim Sarnau, Gerard McSorley, Donald Sumpter, Rupert Simonian, and Richard McCabe as the sympathetic, caring allies that Justin and Tessa have while trying to protect each other from their own government. Hubert Kounde is also excellent in the role as Arnold who might be suspected of wrongdoing but we see that he's a wonderful companion with Weisz in his knowledge of Africa while trying to be her partner in helping people.

Pete Postlethwaite is brilliant as a doctor who does all he can to help poor villagers and Africans while taking on children as his assistants as a man who is doing the right thing while living in fear of the knowledge he holds about Tessa's death. Bill Nighy is brilliant as the slimy Bernard Pellegrin who is doing everything he can to cover up his business while giving dark threats to what he wants to do. Nighy deserves a lot of credit for playing a villainous diplomat, especially recently in the recent TV film The Girl in the Café, that was written by Richard Curtis and directed by David Yates, where he plays a mild-mannered diplomat who is under pressure too in trying to save the world. Danny Huston is also excellent in his role as a shady diplomat whose intentions for Tessa is being conflicted with his own political desires. Huston brings a lot of emotional intensity and complexity to a character that could've been done more in a traditional style of writing but there's something more human about in it in Huston's portrayal.

Rachel Weisz gives her most passionate and intense performance as Tessa with a combination of power, spark, warmth, and sadness. Also playing with a prosthetic labor-suit, Weisz brings in a realism and attitude to a great character that has no limits and is very free. In her scenes with Fiennes, we see the warmth that she brings and her frustrations into his lack of support. Ralph Fiennes is extremely brilliant as the mild-mannered turned passionate fighter Justin Quayle. Fiennes brings in a lot of restraint and subtlety early on while struggling with the idea of his wife supposed infidelities and her activism. Fiennes brings a lot more development to the role as he does all he can to help out despite his lack of power and strength.

The Constant Gardener is a superb film from Fernando Meirelles with the amazing performances of Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. It's a thriller that raises questions into the world of pharmaceuticals as well as how those are profiting from it while ignoring something that could help the world. It's also a film that isn't trying to be heavy-handed in its message though it is balanced by the human drama about man's devotion to his wife. In the end, The Constant Gardener is a marvelous film from Fernando Meirelles.

Fernando Meirelles Films: (O Menino Maluquino 2) - (Domesticas) - City of God - (Blindness) - (360)

© thevoid99 2013

Alien 3

Directed by David Fincher and screenplay by David Giler, Walter Hill, and Larry Ferguson from a story by Vincent Ward, Alien 3 is the story of Ellen Ripley waking up after crash-landing on a refinery planet near a prison. There, she deals with her new surroundings as well as the fact that an alien had boarded her escape pod as she and various prisoners try to fight off the alien. With Sigourney Weaver playing the role of Ellen Ripley once again. The film also stars Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Brian Glover, Ralph Brown, Paul McGann, Danny Webb, Pete Postlethwaite, and Lance Henriksen. Alien 3 is a thrilling yet messy film from David Fincher.

After crash-landing into a refinery planet that includes a maximum security prison nearby, Ellen Ripley wakes up to learn that she is the only survivor of the crash leaving everyone else dead while the android Bishop (Lance Henriksen) is damaged beyond repair. In the care of the prison’s doctor Clemens (Charles Dance), Ripley learns what has happened as she looks at the crashed pod where she believes something was on board. Ripley convinces Clemens to perform an autopsy on one of the bodies as Ripley realize nothing is there as she is given permission by the prison’s superintendent Harold Andrews (Brian Glover) to hold a funeral. After shaving her head and accepting the fact that she’s in a prison full of men who hadn’t seen a women in years, Ripley deals with her new surroundings only for something bad to happen when one of the prisoners is found dead.

Andrews leads the inspection as the outcast prisoner Golic (Paul McGann) returns feeling deranged as Ripley believes something isn’t right. Taking what was left of the android Bishop as well as the flight log, she learns that an alien did board the pod though Andrews doesn’t believe so but the prisoner Dillon (Charles S. Dutton) believes that Ripley is right. More incidents emerge as Dillon, Ripley, and the other prisoners realize that there is an alien in the prison that is killing everyone but Ripley. With Andrews’ assistant Aaron (Ralph Brown) reluctantly taking command and no weapons available, the situation becomes dire as everyone tries to make plans to trap the alien and kill it with toxic waste. Yet, more problems emerge where Ripley makes an unsettling discovery that would only bring more trouble. With Ripley, Dillon, Aaron, and the remaining survivors left to deal with the alien as a rescue team from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation is coming. Ripley and the prisoners do whatever it takes to kill the alien.

The film is essentially a continuation of Ellen Ripley’s story and her encounter with an alien where she finds herself in an all-men’s maximum security prison where she’s surrounded by murders, rapists, and all sorts of things yet they’re not her problem. The problem is that there’s an alien that got attached to her pod and ended up getting its way into the prison. With no weapons on board and a bunch of scared prisoners who have also embraced a form of Christianity, it looks like there’s no sense of hope. Yet, there’s Ripley who has faced these aliens before yet she finds herself dealing with other problems that would make her a bigger liability.

The screenplay definitely plays to the element of suspense as well as its sense of horror and the stakes that these prisoners have to encounter. Yet, it plays too much into the formula of what happens where there isn’t a lot of surprises that occur while there’s very few characters that the audiences seem to care about. While the script’s lack of surprises in the way many characters are killed off is too as well as the involvement of the corporation that comes in late in the film. There is still something that is engaging in the way Ripley deals with the situation but there’s new stakes that emerges for her. Even as she makes a discovery in the film’s second half where it adds to the problems that emerge as she is aware that she is becoming more of a liability.

David Fincher’s direction is very stylish in terms of the presentation that is created with very fast and fluid camera work for the chase scenes along with more intimate moments involving the characters. Yet, there’s moments in the film where it definitely shows that Fincher definitely didn’t have a lot of control due to some very dodgy visual effects scenes and other moments that makes the film a bit silly. It’s also a major step-down from its predecessors considering that there’s not a lot of surprises and the suspense doesn’t carry much weight. Things get more clumsier in the third act not just in the final battle but the arrival of the corporation where it plays to things that are quite obvious as well as something that could’ve been a fitting finale. Overall, Fincher does a decent job with the film but it is hampered by the fact that the studio interfered too much to let him really give the story more bite.

Cinematographer Alex Thomson, with additional work by Jordan Cronenweth, does nice work with the film‘s photography with its sepia-drenched look to convey the dreary look of the prison. Editor Terry Rawlings does some excellent work with the editing to maintain the air of suspense as well as using dissolves and jump-cuts to help create some intense moments in the film. Production designers Norman Reynolds and Michael White, along with set decorator Belinda Edwards and supervising art director Fred Hole, does superb work with the look of the prison as well as the hallways and boiler rooms where it often takes place.

Costume designers David Perry and Bob Ringwood do fine work with the costumes as it‘s mostly ragged prison clothes and coats that the prisoners wear. Special effects supervisor George Gibbs and the visual effects of Philip Sharpe do some terrific work with some of the visual effects though some of the animation including the movement of the alien looks just downright silly. Sound editor Gary S. Gerlich and sound designer Harry E. Snodgrass do some excellent work with the sound to maintain that sense of terror that occurs throughout the film. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is wonderful for the way it plays out the drama and the suspense with its orchestral bombast.

The film’s ensemble cast is brilliant as it does feature some nice small performances from Paul McGann, Pete Postlethwaite, Holt McCallany, and Danny Webb as prisoners who help out Ripley fight the alien as well as Ralph Brown as Andrews’ assistant Aaron and Lance Henriksen making a cameo as the damaged android Bishop and its creator. Brian Glover is terrific as the prison’s warden Harold Andrews who gets to chew up the scenery while Charles Dance is excellent in a more low-key yet subtle performance as Dr. Clemens who befriends Ripley. Charles S. Dutton is superb as the prisoner Dillon who helps Ripley out in fighting the alien while making sure that all of the prisoners know what they have to do in order to survive.

Finally, there’s Sigourney Weaver in a brilliant performance as Ellen Ripley where Weaver gets to display more leadership as well as internal conflict as a woman having to fight another alien while dealing with something that she realize that would impact everything else.

Alien 3 is a good though underwhelming film from David Fincher. While it features an excellent performance from Sigourney Weaver, the film is definitely among one of the weakest entries of the franchise due to its lack of surprises as well as some incomprehensive moments. For fans of David Fincher, this film isn’t the great debut that it wants to be as it doesn’t feature a lot of the visual traits that he’s known for in later films. In the end, Alien 3 is an engaging but somewhat lackluster film.

David Fincher Films: Se7en - The Game - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Gone Girl

The 15 Essential Videos of David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

Alien Films: Alien - Aliens - Alien: Resurrection

© thevoid99 2012

The Town (2010 film)

Based on Chuck Hogan’s novel Prince of Thieves, The Town is the story of a bank robber who meets and falls for a bank manager whose bank was robbed as he and his gang is being pursued by authorities. Directed and starring Ben Affleck and screenplay by Affleck, Peter Craig, and Aaron Stockard, the film is a bank robbery drama that is filled with elements of the caper genre as Affleck sets the film in his native Boston. Also starring Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Jon Hamm, Pete Postlethwaite, Slaine, Owen Burke, Titus Welliver, and Chris Cooper. The Town is a masterfully-crafted and thrilling heist drama from Ben Affleck.

After a robbery in Charlestown near Boston where a bank manager named Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) was taken hostage for the duration as the event left her traumatized. Later interrogated by FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm), Claire talks about what she can remember as Frawley wants to lead the investigation over the robbery. Meanwhile, Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), Jem Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Gloansy Magloan (Slaine) and Dez Elden (Owen Burke) go over the take as they believe that Claire has talked to the FBI. While Jem wants to get rid of her, Doug decides to do the job where he would later meet her as he starts to get to know her without wanting to do anything.

With Frawley and his partner Dino Ciampa (Titus Welliver) making theories about the robbery that they believe is connected to reputed crime boss Fergie Colm (Pete Postlethwaite), they start to target Doug and his team since Doug’s father Stephen (Chris Cooper) is already serving a life sentence. Doug and Claire’s relationship starts to grow after Doug told a very personal story about how his mother left him when he was six though Jem remains suspicious about what Doug is doing. Still, Doug’s time with Claire gives him enough reasons to want to leave the life of crime after another heist that nearly goes bad. Frawley’s investigation has Doug, Jem, Gloansy, and Dez being interrogated by Frawley and his men about the recent robberies.

Though there wasn’t enough evidence to incriminate them, Frawley still decides to pursue them after learning that Doug is dating Claire as he decides to go after by revealing to her the truth. With Doug wanting to leave Charlestown and Boston as he tells Jem, Jem doesn’t like the idea as he reveals that Fergie wants them to do a job. Doug says no as he decides to tell Fergie himself only to realize that he’ll have to as Fergie decides to target Claire. With Doug deciding to do the job and tell Claire who he is and what he needs to do, Frawley decides to find out what will happen next as he targets Jem’s younger sister Krista (Blake Lively) for information on the job.

The film is a heist drama where a bank robber who was the son of a bank robber decides to give up the life of crime after falling for the bank manager he had taken hostage in a previous heist. Wanting to leave this life that he knew as it was passed down from his incarcerated father, he is forced to deal with loyal friends, a FBI agent, and a crime boss whose power reaches beyond the city of Boston that can put this man in check. The screenplay that Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, and Aaron Stockard create is brilliant for the way the heists are set-up and how everyone tries to do everything else afterwards while leading normal lives in their downtime. While there’s different narratives that would follow the actions of Doug and Frawley, the latter of which is trying to capture lead the hunt for Doug and crew.

Both men are presented in different ways where Doug is a criminal that does bad things but wants to try and keep things low key as he later decides to leave the life of crime. Frawley is just a guy that is just doing his job though he will do things to get answers that seem questionable although he’s not really a bad guy. Other characters like Jem and Claire are just as complex as Jem is just a criminal that wants to do what he feels is right and doing it carefully so he wouldn’t have to go back to prison after serving nine years for killing someone. Claire is also interesting because she is just this traumatized woman who doesn’t reveal everything in her interrogation as she befriends this guy while wanting to get her life back in order. The one character that doesn’t really work is Jem’s sister Krista since she’s only there as a plot device late in the film as it’s the one character that is badly underwritten.

Ben Affleck’s direction is definitely engaging for the way the heist scenes is played out while it’s the set-up and planning that is just as interesting. Shot on location in Boston, the film opens up with quotes about the world of Charlestown and its history of crime as it then goes into this amazing heist that moves a bit fast but also slows down to maintain the tension that occurs. While Affleck manages to keep things exciting and thrilling in these heist scenes with car chases and shootouts along with more low-key moments. He also balances it out with understated dramatic moments where it is about this man trying to help out this woman he had robbed without her knowing what he did.

With simple medium compositions and some camera movements to play out the drama. Affleck is able to keep the dramatic moments simple with bits of humor while also creating tension for scenes when Doug has to deal with Jem, Frawley, and Fergie in different situations. Notably as it would involve revelations that would add to Doug’s own understanding about his mother’s disappearance and why his father went to prison. Overall, Affleck creates a very smart and mesmerizing heist-drama that does a lot for what is expected in the genre and more.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit does a brilliant job with the film‘s photography filled with blue and green colors to exemplify the look of Boston with a bit of dark textures for some of the film‘s nighttime interior settings. Editor Dylan Tichenor does excellent work with the editing to play up the energy of the chase scenes while slowing things down for the film‘s tense heist scenes with its methodical pacing. Production designer Sharon Seymour, with set decorator Maggie Martin and art director Peter Borck, does terrific work with the set pieces for the film such as the banks and homes of the characters while a lot of the locations are actual sets including the climatic heist at Fenway Park.

Costume designer Susan Matheson does very good work with the costumes such as the masks Doug and the gang wear in the heists to more casual clothing for the rest of the characters. Sound editors Aaron Glascock and Curt Schulkey do amazing work with the sound work to capture the tense atmosphere of the climatic Fenway Park heist to the chaos of the chase with screeching tires and police sirens. The film’s score by Harry Gregson-Williams and David Buckley is wonderful for its bombastic and energetic orchestral score for some of the film‘s heist scenes along with more low-key piano-driven pieces to play up some of the drama in the film.

The casting by Lora Kennedy is superb for the ensemble that is created as it includes small appearances Dennis McLaughlin as Fergie’s henchman Rusty, Titus Welliver as Frawley’s partner Ciampa, Victor Garber as a bank manager in the opening heist scene, and Chris Cooper in a small but memorable role as Doug’s incarcerated father Stephen. Other notable small roles include Slaine and Owen Burke in their respective roles as robbers Gloansy and Dez while Pete Postlethwaite is great as the very chilling crime boss Fergie. Blake Lively is pretty unremarkable as the very underwritten role of Doug’s ex-girlfriend/Jem’s sister Krista as she is often seen drunk and desperate as it’s just a very bad performance.

Jon Hamm is incredible as the cunning FBI agent Frawley who is willing to go to great lengths to capture Doug and Jem while is willing to do things that are questionable though effective. Jeremy Renner is brilliant as Doug’s best friend Jem who is this aggressive robber that isn’t afraid to do what is needed as he tries to understand why Doug wants out as it’s one of Renner’s best performances. Rebecca Hall is phenomenal as Claire who tries to deal with the trauma of being robbed as she finds comfort in Doug’s presence only to be more troubled by who he really is. Ben Affleck is excellent as lead bank robber Doug who tries to come to terms with his criminal life as he seeks a way out while dealing with all of the consequences as he tries to redeem himself.

The Town is a rich and engaging heist-drama from Ben Affleck that features a terrific ensemble that includes Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, and Jon Hamm. Fans of heist films will definitely enjoy the film for the way the heist is played out and set-up along with the tension that occurs. Notably as Affleck creates a film that doesn’t stray into conventions and keep things simple with its drama and suspense. In the end, The Town is a remarkable film from Ben Affleck.

Ben Affleck Films: (Gone Baby Gone) - Argo - (Live by Night) - Air (2023)

© thevoid99 2012