Based on the comic by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the sequel to the 2012 re-boot where Peter Parker deals with new foes as well as trying to protect his girlfriend Gwen Stacy while trying to uncover the secret of his parents’ disappearance. Directed by Marc Webb and screenplay by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Jeff Pinker from a story by Kurtzman, Orci, Pinker, and James Vanderbilt. The film has Parker struggle with his role as superhero as he also deals with elements of his family’s past as well as deal with new foes as Andrew Garfield reprises his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Also starring Emma Stone, Sally Field, Dane DeHaan, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti, Felicity Jones, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, and Chris Cooper. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an extremely messy, bloated, and very uninteresting film from Marc Webb.
The film revolves around Spider-Man not only dealing with being a superhero who saves everyone in New York City but also coping with who he is as Peter Parker as he tries to juggle a lot in his plate as his relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) begins to suffer. Especially as he sees ghostly visions of Stacy’s father (Denis Leary) which forces Peter to keep a promise that Gwen’s father has asked. When an old friend of Peter in Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) returns to take over his father’s business, Peter begins to wonder about what happened to his parents and why they left him as he faces a series of villains that all have a grudge towards Spider-Man. It’s a film that could’ve been very simple but due to many subplots and stories revolving around Parker’s struggle in his relationship with Stacy as well as the secrets about his family ends up being a film that is very incomprehensible and hard to follow at times.
The film’s screenplay is an example of how messy the film is as it tries to put a lot into the story where it would move from one subplot to another. It’s one of the reasons why the film felt hollow and unsatisfying as it is unable to really do something. At the same time, there are aspects of the script that look like it wanted to say something but it ended up being cut out in the end due to time constraints and such. The villains in the film aren’t very interesting as Aleksi Sytsevich (Paul Giamatti) is just a crazed thief who only appears in an early sequence and at the film’s ending. The character Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) starts off as this nerd whom Spider-Man saves but an accident involving electric eels where he becomes Electro has him end up being one of the lamest villains ever. While the character arc of Harry Osborn is sort of interesting, the payoff in having him become the Green Goblin is another disappointing moment.
There’s so much in the script that really fails to really do anything as the story involving Peter’s father Richard (Campbell Scott) does get unveiled but ends up raising more questions about exactly what was Norman Osborn (Chris Cooper) trying to do that led to Richard’s disappearance. Even as it relates to Harry who is succumbing from a disease that would claim Norman as it would play into this confrontation between him and Peter in the third act. There’s attempts to put in some humor in the film as it involves a captured Electro and a mad scientist in Dr. Kafka (Marton Csokas) which doesn’t work at all. While the few highlights in the script involves Peter trying to maintain his friendship with Gwen as well as trying to get answers from Aunt May (Sally Field) about his father. It’s not enough to really save the film from being interesting.
Marc Webb’s direction is definitely all over the place as it’s clear that he was trying to do something where he wants to give audiences everything they want. Instead, it’s a film that feels like several different movies that all feature Spider-Man but none of it really feels cohesive. The sequence of Spider-Man chasing Sytsevich that is inter-cut with Gwen becoming valedictorian is an example of what the film is going to be as it tries to be funny and exciting but ends up being very incomprehensible. While Webb does keep things simple for scenes involving Peter and Gwen as it includes a few funny moments, some of the humor does feel forced such as a scene where a security officer (B.J. Novak) tries to go after Gwen.
It’s among the many issues that the film has where Webb definitely feels overwhelmed by the scale as some sequences such as Spider-Man’s first battle with Electro in Time Square is quite bloated as would the climatic two-on-one battle between Electro and the Green Goblin. There’s very little chance for the audience to grasp into what is happening where it meanders in some places while the payoffs end up being very disappointing. Then there’s the ending which is very clear that Webb isn’t in control as it does feel over-drawn and overblown to set things up for the next film. Even as there’s parts of the film where it feels like they’ve been cut down to get things moving as it feels like they’re part of something longer. All of which is shown that it’s a studio that is in control of the film and the overall result is a film that doesn’t bring anything exciting nor anything that is remotely entertaining but rather pointless and empty.
Cinematographer Daniel Mindel does some nice work with cinematography for some of the scenes in New York City but it never really does anything to stand out visually as it often feels like it‘s dominated by visual effects. Editor Pierto Scalia does terrible work with the editing as it plays into too much fast-cutting for the action scenes while some of the montages of Spider-Man doing his duty is comically bad. Production designer Mark Friedberg, with set decorator Susan Bode and supervising art director Richard L. Johnson, does excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the Oscorp building and its main office as well a few places in the city. Costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott does good work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the exception of the corporate clothes of the people at Oscorp.
Makeup designer Ve Neill does some OK work with the look of Electro in his electronic state though the look of the Green Goblin ends up being very silly. Visual effects supervisor Gregory L. McMurry does some superb work with the visual effects for the way Spider-Man moves around with his webs though some of it is very bloated such as the scenes involving Electro with all sorts of electricity that just looks dumb. Sound designers Eric A. Norris and Addison Teague do some fine work with the sound though some of the sound effects feels like they‘re trying to create sounds for dubstep records which were unnecessary. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer, Johnny Marr, and Pharrell Williams has some worthwhile moments in its orchestral score from Zimmer with some guitar flourishes by Marr yet much of the contributions from Williams as well as Junkie XL, Michael Einzinger, and a few others are awful as it ranges from bad dubstep electronic music to other bombastic moments that are terrible while some of the music contributions from Phillips Phillips and OK Go is just crap.
The casting by Kathleen Chopin definitely has some moments though many of the actors that do appear in the film definitely are wasted in some uninspiring parts such as Felicity Jones as Harry’s assistant Felicia, B.J. Novak as an Oscorp securities officer, Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz as Peter’s parents in the film’s opening sequence, Colm Feore as an Oscorp executive who tries to cover things up from Harry, and Denis Leary in a very silly performance as Gwen’s late father who continuously haunts Peter about keeping that vow. Marton Csokas is hilariously awful as Dr. Kafka who is this mad scientist that seems to be from another film as he’s playing music from A Clockwork Orange as it’s a performance that is just mind-numbingly stupid to watch. Chris Cooper is OK in his brief role as an ailing Norman Osborn who warns Harry about what will happen to him as it’s a good performance but definitely under-written considering Norman’s history with Peter’s father.
Paul Giamatti is horrible as Aleksi Sytsevich as this Russian criminal who battles Spider-Man early in the film as he sports a bad accent as he isn’t seen until he is part of the film’s over-drawn ending as Rhino. Sally Field is excellent as Aunt May as she is trying to cope with being all alone and caring for Peter while admitting that there’s some dark truths in relation to Peter’s father that she doesn’t want Peter to know about. Jamie Foxx is alright as Max Dillon/Electro as this nerd who thinks he’s special when he meets Spider-Man only to get into an accident as he becomes this very lame villain which doesn’t do anything for Foxx. Dane DeHaan is pretty good as Harry Osborn as this old friend of Peter who learns he is dying from a disease only to go crazy as DeHaan does goes overboard with being over the top while looking very stupid as the Green Goblin.
Emma Stone is wonderful as Gwen Stacy as Peter’s longtime girlfriend who copes with him being the superhero as well as the vow he made with her father as she tries to uncover the things that Oscorp is hiding. Finally, there’s Andrew Garfield in a fine performance as Peter Parker/Spider-Man as Garfield has some moments where he is being cool and anguished but some of the humorous moments feel awkward as well as some of the very emotive scenes as it’s really due to the script that doesn’t do him any favors.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a film that doesn’t live up to its amazing namesake. In fact, it is an absolutely horrific and extremely lifeless film that doesn’t offer very much other than elements of boredom and too many storylines that it is hard to follow. It’s a film that showcases what happens when a franchise gets re-booted for the wrong reasons and in the hands of people who don’t know a thing about films. In the end, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a horrendously bloated and nonsensical film from Marc Webb and the people of Sony and Marvel.
Spider Man Films: Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - The Amazing Spider-Man - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Spider-Man: Far from Home - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse)
© thevoid99 2014
Written and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller from a story by Lord, Miller, Dan Hageman, and Kevin Hageman, The Lego Movie is the story of an ordinary construction worker who is asked to join a quest to help a wizard defeat an evil lord. The film is an animated feature inspired by the Legos building toys as this ordinary person is believed to be part of a prophecy to help the world of Legos from this evil tyrant. Featuring the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Alison Brie, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Charlie Day, and Morgan Freeman. The Lego Movie is a truly fun and extremely awesome film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
Set in a world where it’s built entirely on Legos, the film revolves around an ordinary construction worker who finds a relic that is believed to be part of a prophecy to stop an evil lord from wreaking havoc and instill conformity as part of his vision of perfection and order. By taking part in a quest with a group of misfits led by a wizard, this ordinary worker in Emmett (Chris Pratt) finds himself realizing that he has been in a world where he doesn’t feel special as those question about whether he is this master builder that the prophecy claim to be. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it has compelling themes on the idea of conformity vs. individuality where the latter is rebelling against the ideas of this evil lord in Lord Business (Will Ferrell) as they’re known for creating things based on spontaneity. Yet, Lord Business is an individual who hates these ideas where Emmett would force this band of misfits to work together and find a way to use their spontaneity to defeat the evil lord.
The film’s screenplay definitely plays into aspects of conventional ideas about conformity vs. individuality yet the balance of that is Emmett as he is just this ordinary construction worker that is just trying to fit in as he works on creating buildings based on instructional manuals. When he meets this mysterious woman named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) where he would accidentally find this relic, he comes across something where it is clear that he wasn’t meant to find this thing as he would team up with Wyldstyle and this wizard named Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) who is a master builder that leads a group of master builders. Yet, they’re pursued by Lord Business’ henchman Bad Cop (Liam Neeson) as they trek through different worlds as they do whatever it takes to stop Lord Business from unleashing the mysterious weapon known as the Kragle.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s direction is definitely wondrous not just for the fact that they created this unique mix of 3D computer animation with traditional elements as they would use Legos as their template. It’s also in how they use Legos to tell the story as well as play into how these characters interact with one another and feel like they’re a part of something. It’s part of the dramatic conflict that occurs in someone like Emmett who wants to fit yet he is unable to stand out as many of his co-workers just think of him as just no one. Much of the compositions aren’t just simple but they also have elements of surrealism in the way Emmett interacts with his surroundings as they’re very strange worlds that he is in. Among them is a world of the West, a medieval world, a world set in the clouds, and all sorts of crazy things that is definitely everything that Lord Business wants to get rid of.
The direction of the film also has elements that feels like a low-budget film where it’s clear that Lord and Miller are having fun as if they are playing with actual Lego toys. Even as the sense of spontaneity comes in whenever characters create something to get out of a bad situation. There’s also superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Gandalf, and many others that appear in the film as they do serve some importance to the film as it also plays to how silly things are in the world of Legos. Especially into what the object known as the Kragle is as there are elements that add to this strange sense of surrealism which does bring a sense of joy and weirdness that feels very accessible. Overall, Lord and Miller create a very delightful and extremely fun film about an ordinary construction worker trying to save his Lego world and its people.
Cinematographer Pablo Plaisted does excellent work with some of the lighting schemes needed for some of the film‘s interior sets to play into the colorful look of the film. Editors David Burrows and Chris McKay do fantastic work with the editing to play into the energetic tone of the film as well as slowing things down for the suspenseful moments. Production designer Grant Freckelton does brilliant work with the look of the Lego buildings and other objects to play into the strange world of Legos. Sound designer Wayne Pashley does superb work with the sound effects including the smaller things into how some things are built. The film’s music by Mark Mothersbaugh is amazing for its mixture of orchestral music with elements of electronic and other offbeat music as it also features the song Everything is Awesome by Tegan & Sara.
The voice casting by Mary Hidalgo is incredible as it features voice cameos from Will Forte, Dave Franco, and Jorma Taccone in small roles as well as other voice performances from Cobie Smolders as Wonder Woman, Channing Tatum as Superman, Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, Shaquille O’Neal as a Lego version of himself, and Charlie Day in a very funny voice performance as 80s space guy who always wants to keep building a spaceship. Other notable small voice roles include Alison Brie as a very optimistic hybrid of cat and unicorn called Princess Unikitty while Nick Offerman is hilarious as a pirate character called Metalbeard who seeks vengeance of Lord Business. Morgan Freeman is excellent as the mysterious wizard Vitruvius as he is this wise man that is often in some very funny situations. Liam Neeson is superb as Bad Cop as this good cop/bad cop who is often forced to do Lord Business’ bidding as Neeson also voices Bad Cop’s parents and his good side.
Will Arnett is fantastic as the voice of Batman as this hilarious variation of the superhero who is often full of himself and thinks he is better than everyone. Will Ferrell is brilliant as Lord Business as this evil tyrant who is keen on making sure that everyone is doing things his way in an act of conformity. Elizabeth Banks is amazing as Wyldstyle as this tech-savvy fighter who was trying to find the mysterious relic as she becomes an object of affection for Emmett while dealing with her own flaws as an individual. Finally, there’s Chris Pratt in a remarkable voice performance as Emmett as this ordinary construction worker who learns that he is part of a prophecy that can save the Lego world as he copes with trying to live up to those expectations while admitting that he is just ordinary.
The Lego Movie is a phenomenal film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Featuring a great cast as well as a unique premise that is inspired by Legos, it is a film that manages to be full of imagination as well as bring out all sorts of joy for those who love Legos. Even as it manages to infuse elements of surrealism and weird things that manages to be crazier than it actually is. In the end, The Lego Movie is a sensational film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
Phil Lord & Chris Miller Films: (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) - 21 Jump Street - 22 Jump Street
Related: The Lego Batman Movie - (The Lego Ninjago Movie)
© thevoid99 2014
Written, directed, and co-starring Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do! is the story about the brief rise and fall of a band from Erie, Pennsylvania who become one-hit wonders during their meteoric rise to stardom. The film is an exploration into the world of 1960s pop-rock music as a jazz drummer comes in to play for a local band as he changes their fortune into this one song that would become a major hit for the band. Starring Tom Everett Scott, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron, and Chris Ellis. That Thing You Do! is a charming and entertaining film from Tom Hanks.
The film is a simple story of a band from Erie, Pennsylvania during the early 1960s where they ask a local jazz drummer to fill in as he would do something to their song that would help them win a contest and later achieve fame and success all in a brief span of time. While it’s a film with a common story about one-hit wonders, there is something very engaging in the way Tom Hanks tells the story as it plays to not only aspects of his own youth in an age where British bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Clark Five inspired kids to pick up instruments and play rock n’ roll. It is largely told from the perspective of four young guys who had struck a chord with their audience and talent agents who believe that these guys have something. Yet, their success is short-lived due to mistrust towards record labels as well as other things as its drummer in Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) is seen by many as the smart one who is responsible for the band’s success.
Hanks’ screenplay definitely plays to this traditional schematics of a rise-and-fall scenario yet it’s more about how Guy Patterson turned this little band in Erie called the One-Ders (often mistaken for the O-Needers) and gave them attention by turning a ballad called That Thing You Do! into an upbeat pop-rock song in order to win a local contest. Though Guy was just a replacement drummer, his desire to win is what changes things as the fortunes of guitarist/vocalist/leader Jimmy Mattingly (Johnathon Schaech), guitarist/vocalist Lenny Haise (Steve Zahn), and the unnamed bass player (Ethan Embry) go well as Jimmy’s girlfriend Faye (Liv Tyler) joins them for the ride. Even as they would get the song recorded with the help of Guy’s uncle Pastor Bob (Chris Isaak) that gets the attention of a local manager in Phil Horace (Chris Ellis) who would then give the record to Playtone talent agent Mr. White (Tom Hanks) who would manage and rename the band as the Wonders into stardom. Mr. White would take the band on the road with other acts from the label as the Wonders become stars just as the song races up the charts.
While there are elements of cynicism about the way the record industry works, there is still this air of innocence as it relates to the band’s rise as everyone including Faye are excited. Upon the news that the song went top ten and the band had to leave the touring circuit for a chance to appear on national television, things change where Jimmy begins to question things about the band’s future. While Jimmy is seen as the talent of the group, Faye as the muse, Lenny as the buffoon, and the bass player as the innocent player. Guy is always seen as the smart person in the band as he is the first to ask questions about contracts and such as well as what the band should do. While Guy is having lots of fun, he still has a desire to play jazz which is his first love as he would meet his idol in Del Paxton (Bill Cobbs) who would tell him the dangers of being in a popular band and all of the trappings of stardom late in the film. All of which culminates with the band’s performance at a national TV show for all of America to see but it would also be a moment that would shape the band into their downfall.
Hanks’ direction is very simple as it does have this feel of a film that is set in the 1960s in a small town in Pennsylvania. Much of it involve Hanks just keeping things to the point such as his introduction to Guy Patterson as this young man who works in his father’s appliance store while spends much of his off hours playing along to his favorite jazz records. It is in sharp contrast to the more raucous world of rock n’ roll which Guy likes but prefers jazz as Guy always looks more like a guy who is into jazz while everyone else is more in tune with what is happening in the 1960s. Hanks’ approach to humor definitely feels natural as well as having this air of spontaneity such as the scene where the original drummer Chad (Giovanni Ribisi) breaks his arm which would lead to Jimmy and Lenny asking Guy to fill in. Hanks’ compositions don’t aim for elements of styles though there are some homage to the pop films of the 1960s including the surfer film where Jonathan Demme makes a cameo as that film’s director.
The direction also plays into that world of 1960s pop concerts and talent contests where the latter showcases a variety of music performances from folk to mariachi music where it would be the One-Ders that would steal the show due to Guy’s fast drumming on Jimmy’s ballad. Hanks’ usage of crane shots definitely play to the scope of some of the performances as well as how audiences react to these shows. Even as Hanks uses an intimacy to play into the Wonders’ rise where they play clubs as it has an air of excitement which is a major contrast to the climatic TV performance they would play where the cameras are much broader in its look while the song itself becomes, expectedly, a bit tiresome which is typical of one-hit wonders. Yet, it does play into how brief a one-hit wonder band career can be but it would lead to moments for these individuals who would prosper with their brief encounter with fame. Overall, Hanks creates a very delightful and fun film about a band’s brief rise and fall as one-hit wonders.
Cinematographer Tak Fujimoto does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography for much of the daytime exteriors including scenes in California along with the intimate and dark look of the clubs the Wonders would play early in the film as well as the broad lights of the variety show they would play. Editor Richard Chew does brilliant work with the editing in creating a few montages to play into the band‘s success along with some stylish cuts to convey some of the film‘s offbeat humor. Production designer Victor Kempster, with set decorator Merideth Boswell and art director Dan Webster, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the appliance store Guy‘s family runs as well as the hotels and other places to play into the look of the 60s. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does wonderful work with the costumes to play into the looks of the characters from the colored suits they would wear as a band to the clothes that Faye wears.
Visual effects supervisor Steve Rundell does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects such as the audience the Wonders would play in the tour along with a few tricks to make the film look like it was set in the 60s. Sound editor Richard King does superb work with the film‘s sound as it plays into the sound of the audience singing along to the song as well as some scenes set in intimate places such as the basement where Guy plays his drums. The film’s music by Howard Shore is terrific for its mixture of 60s-based kitsch music with a few orchestral touches and some guitar-pop flourishes to play into the period of time in the film. Even as the film’s original music features songs written by Hanks, Shore, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, and several others to play into that period of 60s rock and pop music plus some jazz pieces.
The casting by Howard Feuer is incredible as it features cameo appearances from Peter Scolari as the variety show host Troy Chesterfield, Gedde Watanabe as a Playtone photographer, Tracy Reiner as the star of the beach film, Jonathan Demme as that film’s director, Barry Sobel as the goofball in the beach film, Clint Howard as a radio DJ, Bryan Cranston as Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Marc McClure as the TV show director, Colin Hanks as Faye’s escort to the TV show, Elizabeth Hanks as a bored girl at the dress shop, Rita Wilson as a jazz club waitress, Holmes Osborne as Guy’s father, and Giovanni Ribisi as the Wonders’ original drummer Chad who would break his arm.
Other notable small roles include Chris Ellis as the drummers’ original manager Phil Horace who would get the band to play top gigs around Pennsylvania, Alex Rocco as the Playtone Records boss Sol Siler, Robert Torti as the pop singer Freddy Fredrickson, Chaille Percival as the pop diva Diane Dane, Obba Babatunde as a hotel concierge who would treat Guy and Faye with great care, and Chris Isaak as Guy’s uncle Bob who would record their first record. Bill Cobbs is superb as jazz legend Del Paxton whom Guy idolizes as he would finally meet him at a Los Angeles jazz club as he would warn Guy about the fleeting moments of fame and being in a band. Charlize Theron is wonderful as Guy’s self-absorbed and vain girlfriend Tina who is often concerned with how she looks rather than what Guy does. Liv Tyler is fantastic as Jimmy’s girlfriend Faye who is the muse for the songs that Jimmy writes as she joins the band on tour where she definitely connects with Guy in terms of having fun.
Tom Hanks is amazing in a supporting role as Playtone music executive Mr. White who watches over the Wonders in their rise to fame while making sure they do things right as he takes a liking to Guy for his talent and brains. Ethan Embry is terrific as the unnamed Bass Player who is an aspiring Marine as he is the most innocent member of the group that has a thing for the soul-singing group the Chantrellines. Steve Zahn is funny as Lenny as the dim-witted member of the group that likes to have a good time and flirt with the ladies. Johnathon Schaech is excellent as Jimmy Mattingly as the group lead singer/songwriter who is the most serious member of the group as he hopes to create his own music until he realizes what he must do to make it. Finally, there’s Tom Everett Scott in a brilliant performance as Guy Patterson as a jazz-loving drummer who joins the Wonders as he reaches stardom and becomes famous for wearing sunglasses while being the smartest person in the group into doing what is best for the band.
That Thing You Do! is a phenomenal film from Tom Hanks as it features a great cast and a fun soundtrack. The film is definitely a very joyful and exciting film that not only captures a period in time where everyone was having fun listening to rock n’ roll but also in how young men formed bands in the hopes of making it. It’s also a film that manages to be re-watchable and still manage to be as potent since its original release. In the end, That Thing You Do! is a sensational film from Tom Hanks.
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski, Prisoners is the story of two girls who had been abducted as a father and a detective both go on the search to find the girls. The film is an exploration into abduction as a man of the law tries to do things right while a father becomes obsessed with his search. Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Maria Bello, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, and Melissa Leo. Prisoners is a gripping yet eerie suspense-drama from Denis Villeneuve.
Set during the Thanksgiving holidays in a small town in Pennsylvania, the film is about two girls who have been abducted as one of their fathers goes into a frantic search to find them while a detective does the same as the latter delve into many clues about abductions in the town. It all plays into two men who are both trying to find two girls as they suspect a young man with a RV truck but when evidence proves to have little results. It would force Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) to take the law into his own hands which would cause a lot of problems and obsessions for Dover. Even as Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) begins to notice Dover’s troubled behavior as he is taking on the case with great care as he goes even deeper into dark secrets as it relates to many abductions in the town.
The film’s screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski explores what men will go through to find two girls who had been abducted on Thanksgiving Day as it plays into this search where Keller Dover and friend Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard) do whatever to find their daughters who were just going to Dover’s house on that day and were supposed to return. Instead, something goes wrong where Keller’s son Ralph (Dylan Minnette) reveals that he saw a RV truck nearby where the girls were playing nearby as Detective Loki manages to arrest the owner in a mentally-challenged young man named Alex (Paul Dano). Though Loki believes that Alex is innocent yet wants to keep an eye on him, it only angers Dover whose obsession with finding his daughter has him kidnapping Alex and torture him in his father’s old home as Franklin and his wife Nancy (Viola Davis) both realize what Dover is doing. For Franklin and Nancy, it makes them uneasy while Dover’s wife Grace (Maria Bello) has fallen apart to the point that she thinks her daughter is dead and blames herself.
The diverging paths that Dover and Loki take showcases what these two men would do as Dover basically suspects Alex due to comments or the fact that he was singing a variation of Jingle Bells which only triggers Dover’s rage as he would descend into alcoholism. While Detective Loki is the more practical of the two men, he would lose himself in the case as several false leads and troubling clues only get him in trouble as a man he suspects in Bob Taylor (David Dastmalchian) would only lead him to different paths. Loki would also question a pastor in Father Dunn (Len Cariou) who would also have some very strange answers that doesn’t just relate to the case but also in the town’s dark history concerning abductions.
Denis Villeneuve’s direction is very entrancing for the way he explores life in this small town in Pennsylvania that looks like every other town in America. Especially as it’s set during the Thanksgiving/Xmas holiday period where there isn’t a lot of sunshine but a lot of gray skies with bits of rain and snow to set the mood of the film. It’s quite grimy in its look as it starts off very calm until the drama kicks in where Dover and Franklin embark into their own search with no result which leads to Detective Loki who is called in as he was eating all by himself in a Chinese restaurant on Thanksgiving. The interrogation scenes are very intimate yet some of the drama that plays into the search and Dover’s own troubled descent does drag the film a bit where it has a sense of what is going to happen.
Things do pick up in the second act once it becomes clear of how far Dover will go to find answers much to the disgust of Franklin and Nancy as the direction becomes much tighter in terms of its suspense. Especially in the room that Alex would be in as Dover’s own form of torture to get answers where Villeneuve’s use of close-ups and medium shots come into play. Even in scenes relating to Loki’s own investigation where the use of recorded video footage in the interrogation scenes showcase how Loki can be in control or sometimes lose control. Things do come to ahead in its third act where it plays to the lost sense of obsession that looms in Dover and Loki trying to be the one person to make things right. Overall, Villeneuve creates a very terrifying yet powerful film about two men and their obsession to find two little girls who have been abducted.
Cinematographer Roger Deakins does phenomenal work with the film‘s cinematography as it has a very naturalistic look for many of its daytime interior/exterior scenes while the usage of lights and candles for scenes at night are truly exquisite to play into the dark mood of the film. Editors Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach do excellent work with the editing to create some unique rhythms to play into the suspense and drama as it often has this slow burn to play into the mystery over what happened to the girls. Production designer Patricia Vermette, with set decorator Frank Galline and art director Paul D. Kelly, does amazing work with the look of the homes the characters live in as well as the home that Dover‘s father lived in that he would use to torture Alex. Costume designer Renee April does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual to play into the look and seasonal setting of the film.
The makeup work of Donald Mowat and Pamela Westmore is brilliant for the beat-up look that Alex would sport after the abusive torture that Dover would give him as well as the look of his aunt Holly (Melissa Leo). Visual effects supervisor Phillip Feiner does terrific work with the film‘s minimal visual effects for the look of snowfall in a few scenes to play up as set-dressing. Sound editor Robert Alan Murray and sound designer Tom Ozanich do superb work with the sound to play into the sense of terror such as Alex‘s screams inside Dover‘s torture chamber as well as some eerie scenes set at home. The film’s music by Johan Johannsson is fantastic for its haunting score that is a mixture of low-key orchestral music and piano pieces with some ambient textures to set the dark mood while music supervisor Deva Anderson brings in a soundtrack filled with music by Radiohead, Ocean, and other traditional pieces.
The casting by Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee is great as it features notable small roles from Wayne Duvall as Detective Loki’s superior Captain O’Malley, Len Cariou as Father Dunn, Zoe Soul as Franklin and Nancy’s teenage daughter, Kyla Drew Simmons as Franklin and Nancy’s adolescent daughter who is abducted, Erin Gerasimovich as Drover’s daughter Anna who is also abducted, David Dastmalchian as a person Loki suspects in the film’s second act, and Dylan Minnette as Dover’s teenage son Ralph who watches over his mother while seeing his father begin to fall apart. Melissa Leo is terrific as Alex’s aunt Holly who claims that her nephew is innocent as she becomes a key player in the film’s third act. Paul Dano is excellent as Alex as a young man who is suspected of abducting the girls as he is captured and tortured by Dover.
Maria Bello is wonderful as Dover’s wife Grace as a woman ravaged by her daughter’s disappearance as she becomes lost in grief while Viola Davis is superb as Nancy Birch who discovers what Dover is doing as she tries to find reason as well as find her daughter. Terrence Howard is fantastic as Franklin Birch as a father who is coping with his own loss as he discovers what Dover is doing as he becomes anguished with wanting justice but also wanting to do things in the right way. Jake Gyllenhaal is incredible as Detective Loki as this detective who is trying to find the two girls any way he can while dealing with Dover’s insistence to find them as Gyllenhaal brings a sense of determination and care into his character as someone who is trying to do what is right. Finally, there’s Hugh Jackman in a remarkable performance as Keller Dover as this man who is obsessed with finding his daughter as he begins to suspect Alex as he descends into madness and nearly loses himself into what is important as it’s a very dark role from Jackman.
Prisoners is a fantastic film from Denis Villeneuve that features phenomenal performances from Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. While it’s a film with some flaws, it is still compelling in exploring how far men will go to retrieve someone that they care for as well as someone whose job is to find that person and deal with the consequences. In the end, Prisoners is a marvelous film from Denis Villeneuve.
Denis Villeneuve Films: August 32nd on Earth - Maelstrom - Polytechnique - Incendies - Enemy (2013 film) - Sicario - Arrival - Blade Runner 2049 - Dune-Part One (2021 film) - Dune-Part Two - (Dune: Messiah) - The Auteurs #68: Denis Villeneuve
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the memoir of Jean-Dominique Bauby, Le scaphandre et le papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) is the story about the famed editor of Elle magazine who suffered a stroke at the age of 43 where he would become paralyzed as the only part of his body that moves is his left eye as he would tell his own story from that eye. Directed by Julian Schnabel and screenplay by Ronald Harwood, the film is an unconventional bio-pic as Mathieu Almaric plays the role of Bauby from the man who had a charmed life as he later succumbs to paralysis as he copes with the remaining days of his life. Also starring Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze, Anne Consigny, Isaach de Bankole, and Max von Sydow. Le scaphandre et le papillon is a majestic yet rapturous film from Julian Schnabel.
In 1995 at the age of 43 while driving with his son, Jean-Dominique Bauby suffers a stroke as he wakes up three weeks later realizing he is paralyzed as the only thing he can see and feel is from his left eye. Throughout the course of the film, Bauby would use his eye to communicate with the help of a kind nurse in Henrietta (Marie-Josee Croze) through a series of letters that are used frequently where Bauby would write his memoir with the help of an editor in Claude (Anne Consigny) as he would reflect on his own life as well as his own life with his ex-girlfriend Celine Desmoulins (Emmanuelle Seigner) and their three children. Bauby also talks about the day of his stroke and his meeting with his father (Max von Sydow) as he begins to contemplate about the days he has left in his own life.
Ronald Harwood’s screenplay definitely plays with a back-and-forth narrative structure of sorts since it is told largely from Bauby’s perspective about the life he had as well as the life he is having as a paralyzed man. Much of it would involve aspects of what Bauby did as well as his frustrations of having to live where his left eye is the only thing that is working as he thinks about sex and football. The film’s title serves as a metaphor for the life that Bauby is in as it would appear in a series of surrealistic things that are playing in his head including things that aren’t from his time as Harwood uses a lot of voice-over narration to play into Bauby and his struggles. Even as he reveals flaws into who he is as a person as he is someone that is very selfish and sleeps around with various woman as he even fantasizes about the women who are helping him. Upon knowing that he’s got a limited amount of time, the self-reflective approach to the narrative not only helps Bauby but display someone who is trying to find some kind of redemption as the script allows him to do that.
Julian Schnabel’s direction is truly mesmerizing for the way he shoots nearly half of the film from Bauby’s perspective as if the camera is playing the role of Bauby’s left eye. There’s elements of hand-held cameras with blurry edges to play into that idea that the camera is Bauby where it shows an idea of how he is feeling and how he is coping with being paralyzed. Scenes shot outside of the eye has this sense of style in the way Schnabel he shoots photo shoots as well as scenes on the beach where Bauby is surrounded by his children. The scenes involving Bauby and his father are among the most intimate and powerful to showcase this relationship that is quite unique as they’re both going through some form of illness. Schnabel’s approach to metaphoric images are entrancing as it plays to some of the surreal elements in the film yet they do make sense into what Bauby is dealing with as he is a man coping with death and aspect of his own charmed but troubled life. Even as Schnabel creates compositions and framing devices to play into the man’s final days as it showcases the kind of life that Bauby had and how he refused to die without making some kind of difference. Overall, Schnabel creates a very enthralling yet intoxicating film about a man dealing with death as the only part in his body with any sense of life is his left eye.
Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski does incredible work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of colors and lights for the scenes shot from the perspective of the eye with some scratchy blurs and images to some of the interior/exterior scenes including the use of gorgeous colors and lights for a sequence at Lourdes where Bauby is intrigued by elements of spirituality. Editor Juliette Welfing does amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts as well as creating a few montages and other stylistic cuts to play into Bauby‘s dizzying life. Production designers Michel Eric and Laurent Ott do brilliant work with the look of the hospital room and its hallways including some very mesmerizing scenes of shops at the city of Lourdes.
Costume designer Olivier Beriot does nice work with the costumes from the casual clothes of the main characters to some period clothing presented in a few surrealistic scenes in Bauby‘s head. Sound editor Francis Wargnier, with mixer Dominique Gaborieau and recordist Jean-Paul Mugel, does fantastic work with the sound to create textures into Bauby‘s narration as well as what he might be hearing in his head along with some of the atmosphere in the locations. The film’s music by Paul Cantelon is wonderful as it’s mostly low-key with its plaintive piano score to play into the different moods of the film while Schnabel supervises the film’s soundtrack that features music from the Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, U2, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, Charles Trenet, Emmanuelle Seigner with Ultra, and the Dirtbombs.
The film’s phenomenal ensemble cast includes some notable appearances from Lenny Kravitz as himself in a photo shoot, photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Michael Wincott, Jean-Pierre Cassel in a dual role as a Lourdes vendor and a friend of Bauby, Elvis Polanski as a young Bauby, Gerard Watkins as a doctor, Marina Hands as Bauby’s Lourdes’ date Josephine, Niels Arestrup and Isaach de Bankole as friends of Bauby who visits him, Agathe de La Fontaine as his mistress Ines, Olata Lopez Garmendia as a therapist, Patrick Chenais as the doctor who would tell Bauby his condition, Emma de Caunes in a fantasy version of Empress Eugenie, and as the trio of Bauby’s children with Desmoulins, there’s Theo Sampaio, Fiorella Campanella, and Talina Boyaci. Max von Sydow is brilliant as Bauby’s father as a man who hopes for his son to go into a better path as he also copes with his own stroke.
Emmanuelle Seigner is excellent as Bauby’s ex-girlfriend Celine Desmoulins who is the mother of his three children as she reconnects with him in the wake of his illness as she provides the reasons for him to be faithful. Anne Consigny is amazing as Claude who would help Bauby write his memoir as he is intrigued by her beauty. Marie-Josee Croze is fantastic as the nurse Henriette Durand who would be the one to communicate with him through an alphabet system that she would perfect as she would help others in communicating with him. Finally, there’s Mathieu Almaric in a magnificent performance as Jean-Dominique Bauby as he brings a sense of cool and charm to the man in his prime as well as a selfishness and confusion. When he’s paralyzed, Almaric maintains a restraint to his role where he uses his own left eye to do the performance as it’s just astonishing to watch.
Le scaphandre et le papillon is an outstanding film from Julian Schnabel as it features a phenomenal performance from Mathieu Almaric as Jean-Dominique Bauby. Along with a great supporting cast, some amazing technical work from Janusz Kaminski and Juliette Welfing, Ronald Harwood’s screenplay, and a mesmerizing soundtrack. The film is definitely very unconventional in terms of its presentation as well as creating something that feels very engaging in a way a man deals with mortality. In the end, Le scaphandre et le papillon is a tremendously powerful film from Julian Schnabel.
Julian Schnabel Films: Basquiat - Before Night Falls - Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse - Miral - At Eternity's Gate - The Auteurs #43: Julian Schnabel
© thevoid99 2014
One of the key figures who would kick-start a new wave of American independent cinema in the 1990s only to become a major player in American cinema. Steven Soderbergh is a filmmaker who makes a diverse array of films that often plays to people’s struggles with the realities of their situations and how they overcome it. Whether it’s in polished studio releases or offbeat, experimental film pieces, Soderbergh always keep people guessing into what he would make. While he has retired from the world of filmmaking in 2013, there is no question in how much of an impact Soderbergh has made for cinema.
Born on January 14, 1963 in Atlanta, Georgia to an university administrator/educator in Peter Andrew Soderbergh and a house wife in Mary Ann Bernard, Steven Soderbergh spent much of his childhood moving in various places in the American South before finally settling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where his father was the Dean of Education at the University of Louisiana. In his teens, Soderbergh became fascinated with the world of filmmaking as he would make a bunch of 8mm short films with equipment from the school as he would hone his craft during those years. Especially as he became influenced by an array of filmmakers such as Richard Lester, Terry Gilliam, and many others. After graduating from high school in 1981, Soderbergh went to Hollywood in an attempt to forge his career as a filmmaker but things eventually didn’t go well as he would work in odd jobs in the industry as well as being a freelance film editor.
Part one covering 1985 to 2000 can be read here and part two covering 2001 to 2014 can be read here at Cinema Axis.
© thevoid99 2014
Due to having caught the flu over the Thanksgiving weekend as I struggle to create new reviews and finish up various projects. I will not be posting anything for a while as I'm going to go on a little hiatus until I am 100% and ready to go. For anyone that written any comments and I had accidentally deleted them. I apologize. My head is not in the right shape of mind. Until then, I better take care of this fucking flu.
Directed by Richard Donner and screenplay by Channing Gibson from a story by Alfred Gough, Jonathan Lemkin, and Miles Millar, Lethal Weapon 4 is the story of Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh leading an investigation into a Chinese smuggling ring involving slave laborers and other things involving triad gangs. The fourth and final film of the series has Riggs and Murtaugh not only deal with personal changes in their life but also aging as it’s finally catching up with Riggs as Mel Gibson and Danny Glover reprise their roles as Riggs and Murtaugh, respectively, while being joined by series regulars Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Damon Hines, Ebonie Smith, Mary Ellen Trainor, and Steve Kahan. Also starring Chris Rock, Kim Chan, Eddy Ko, Calvin Jung, and Jet Li. Lethal Weapon 4 is a good though very messy film from Richard Donner.
The fourth film has Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh not only get promoted as captains due to a technicality over the years of chaos and destruction the two caused as they lead an investigation into a Chinese criminal syndicate involving slave labor and smuggling. During their investigation into the world of Chinese triad gangs, Riggs and Murtaugh also endure some changes in their personal life as the former learns he is going to be a father while the latter is going to be a grandfather. While Murtaugh tries to find out who is the father of his new grandchild that only Riggs, Lorna Cole (Rene Russo), and Murtaugh’s family know, Riggs ponders about being a father as well as marrying Lorna as he wonders if it will dishonor the union he previously had with his first wife a long time ago. Yet, the two are joined by Detective Lee Butters (Chris Rock) in the case with help from friend Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) who has become a private detective in uncovering this Chinese smuggling ring as they deal with a ruthless triad negotiator in Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li).
The film’s screenplay retains many elements of the first three films that were very lively and fun yet it lacks substance where it wants to be funny as well as be an action film. There’s no balance to the script which really hurts the story while some of the humor at times can get meandering such a scene where Butters and Getz complain about cell phones that goes on for too long. It’s among the issues that the film has as well as gags about some of the extra money that Murtaugh has been carrying which Riggs has been asking about. Still, there’s aspects of the script that is compelling such as Riggs’ anxiety about having a family as well as the fact that he is getting older which makes him insecure about his duties as a cop. With Murtaugh there for him, Riggs copes with these changes as he also helps Murtaugh cope with becoming a grandfather. There’s also a subplot where Murtaugh finds a Chinese family whom he takes in as he feels like he’s making a difference. All of which leads to this showdown between the LAPD and this Chinese triad organization.
Richard Donner’s direction is quite frenetic in terms of its action sequences as it opens with this rainy scene where Riggs and Murtaugh try to subdue a pyromaniac. It all plays into the sense of elaborate approach to action with doses of humor as it’s clear that Donner wants to kick the film off with a bang. While Donner wants to maintain that balance between humor, action, and suspense in his compositions and set pieces, he doesn’t succeed entirely due to the messiness of the script. Though many of the shots he creates doesn’t do anything new, some of it does feel uninspired where Donner wants to put more humor where it tends to drag the film at times. Still, there’s elements of the film that are engaging such as Murtaugh bonding with a Chinese man whose family he took in as well as Riggs dealing with the expectations of fatherhood and being there for Lorna who occasionally helps out in the investigation. Yet, Riggs and Murtaugh have to do whatever to protect those they care about in a very sprawling climax involving gunfights and kung fu as it shows that if they’re going to do something stupid. They’ll do it together and do it with style. Overall, Donner creates an enjoyable though overly familiar film about two guys leading the way to face off a Chinese criminal organization.
Cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak does excellent work with the look of the nighttime exterior scenes such as the opening sequence while taking the advantage to use stylish lighting schemes for some of its interiors. Editors Frank J. Uroste, Dallas Puett, Kevin Stitt, and Eric Strand do nice work with the editing as it‘s straightforward in terms of its fast-paced cutting approach to action while slowing things down for the suspenseful moments of the film. Production designer J. Michael Riva, with art directors David F. Klassen and Richard F. Mays and set decorator Lauri Gaffin, does fantastic work with the renovated looks of Riggs‘ trailer home and Murtaugh‘s home as well as the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown.
Costume designer Ha Nguyen does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the exception of the clothes that Ku wears that is more traditional Chinese gear to display his ferocity. Visual effects supervisor Michael L. Fink does wonderful work with the minimal visual effects which involves much of the film‘s action sequences including the opening scene. Sound designer John Pospisll, along with sound editors Mark A. Mangini and George Simpson, does superb work with the layers of sound from the waves of explosions and fisticuffs as well as the layers of gunfire and things that occur in the different locations of the film. The film’s music by Eric Clapton, Michael Kamen, and David Sanborn is pretty good for its mixture of blues, orchestral, and jazz to play into some humor and suspense along with some blues-based cuts by Clapton while the film‘s soundtrack features songs from War and Van Halen with vocals by Gary Cherone.
The casting by Marion Dougherty is brilliant as it features notable small roles from Conan Lee as a triad leader that Ku wants to free, Eddy Ko as a man named Hong that Murtaugh meets as he takes him and his family to his home, Kim Chan in a hilarious performance as a triad boss named Uncle Benny, Calvin Jung as a detective who knows a lot about the Chinese world and their tactics, Ebonie Smith and Damon Hine in their respective roles as Murtaugh’s younger children Carrie and Nick, Traci Wolfe as Murtaugh’s eldest daughter Rianne who is pregnant, and Mary Ellen Trainor as Dr. Stephanie Woods whom Riggs decides to harass in a humorous manner after she refuses to help him. Steve Kahan is terrific as Captain Murphy who would promote Riggs and Murtaugh to captains in the hope they can do less damage and lead the investigation due to insurance reasons. Darlene Love is excellent as Murtaugh’s wife who would help Lorna and Rianne with their pregnancies as well as deal with the Chinese family that is staying with them as she raises question about all the money she and her husband have been giving away.
Rene Russo is superb as Lorna Cole as Riggs’ girlfriend as she ponders if he will marry her as she begins to embrace the idea of motherhood while helping Riggs and Murtaugh with bits on the case. Jet Li is fantastic as the ruthless Triad negotiator Wu who is a true master of kung fu as he proves to be a very challenging opponent for everyone involved. Chris Rock is pretty good as Detective Lee Butters who aids Riggs and Murtaugh in the case as he provides some funny moments while making Murtaugh uncomfortable in how affectionate he is towards him suggesting that Butters is gay. Joe Pesci is wonderful as Leo Getz as a longtime friend turned private detective who also help out in finding clues while being put into some very dangerous and funny situations. Finally, there’s Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in amazing performances in their respective roles as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh as two men who not only cope with old age but also personal changes in their lives as they try to take down a Chinese criminal organization in the only way they can which is through mayhem.
Lethal Weapon 4 is an entertaining yet flawed film from Richard Donner that features excellent performances from Mel Gibson and Danny Glovers. Along with a strong supporting cast that features Jet Li in his American film debut, it’s a film that has things that made audiences love those character though the story is lacking in times in terms of creating a tighter story as it ends up being more of a comedy than an action film. In the end, Lethal Weapon 4 is a worthwhile yet messy film from Richard Donner.
Richard Donner Films: (X-15) - (Salt and Pepper) - (Twinky) - (The Omen) - (Superman) - (Inside Moves) - (The Toy) - (The Goonies) - (Ladyhawke) - Lethal Weapon - (Scrooged) - Lethal Weapon 2 - (Radio Flyer) - Lethal Weapon 3 - (Maverick) - (Assassins) - (Conspiracy Theory) - (Timeline) - (16 Blocks) - (Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut)
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Richard Donner and screenplay by Jeffrey Boam and Robert Mark Kamen from a story by Boam, Lethal Weapon 3 is the third film of the film series where Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh team up with an internal affairs officer in pursuit of a former LAPD detective who has turned into an arms dealer. The film has Riggs and Murtaugh not only deal with a former cop who is selling guns to young men but also for the fact that the latter is retiring as Mel Gibson and Danny Glover reprise their respective roles as Riggs and Murtaugh while being joined by franchise regulars Joe Pesci, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Damon Hines, Ebonie Smith, Jack McGee, Mary Ellen Trainor, and Steve Kahan reprising their roles from previous films. Also starring Rene Russo, Gregory Millar, and Stuart Wilson as Jack Travis. Lethal Weapon 3 is a sensational film from Richard Donner.
The film has Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh not only deal with a former cop who has become an illegal arms dealer to fund his own real estate venture as they’re joined by an internal affairs officer who is investigating the case. Meanwhile, Murtaugh is set to retire in less than a week as he isn’t just coping with the need to retire but is also confronted with the severity of his case which involves armor-piercing bullets known as “cop-killers”. Teaming up with the internal affairs officer Lorna Cole (Rene Russo) and getting help from friend Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), Riggs and Murtaugh not only take on the case but also deal with how intense it is as their antagonist is Jack Travis who is a man that knows every police code and how to get around them. Yet, he is driven by greed and chaos as he used to be one of the good guys only to be so corrupt that he was kicked out of the force.
The film’s screenplay, which features additional contributions from Carrie Fisher, doesn’t just explore these two cops trying to uncover this case of illegal arms dealing but also for the fact that young African-American men are the ones who are buying these guns. Even as Murtaugh would shoot a young man with one of those guys who is revealed to be one of his son’s friends as he becomes consumed with guilt as he would withdraw himself from everyone including his own family. This would force Riggs to continue the investigation with Cole for a while as the two develop a rapport with one another over their love of violence and the Three Stooges. Once Riggs gets Murtaugh back in the game as he reveals how Murtaugh’s retirement affects Riggs, it becomes clear how special this partnership is as Riggs knows Murtaugh is teetering on the edge as he would protect him.
By the film’s second half, Murtaugh starts to display a bit of craziness as his grief becomes the driving force to confront those who had been dealing weapons as it would lead to some discoveries about Travis’ real-estate ventures as they seek Getz’s help. Getz’s appearance in the film definitely adds a lot of humor as he has reinvented himself as a real estate dealer as he tries to sell Murtaugh’s house while he is someone that can get connections about Travis’ line of work which does lead to this explosive third act where Riggs, Murtaugh, and Cole confront Travis and his men not only to save their friends in the police force but also stop Travis from killing men on the force.
Richard Donner’s direction starts off with a bang where Riggs and Murtaugh try to defuse a bomb only to make things worse as it plays to that mix of action and humor. Especially as it takes place in the span of more than a week as Murtaugh is spending his final days as a detective until he retires. Much of the compositions are simple as Donner keeps much of the humor light-hearted and natural for gags such as Riggs trying to quit smoking or Murtaugh dealing with an admirer he met during a chase. Still, there is a balance to the humor and action in the way Donner plays out as well as some light-hearted moments where Riggs is definitely part of Murtaugh’s family as he would be the one to find Murtaugh at his lowest as it’s one of the most powerful moments of the film.
The direction is also sprawling in terms of the action set pieces from the opening sequence of a bomb destroying a building to some chase scenes. Notably a chase scene in the third act where Riggs and Murtaugh save Captain Murphy from Travis as Riggs borrows a motorcycle to chase Travis and one of his goons onto an unfinished highway. All of which leads to this very violent and elaborate climax that shows why Riggs and Murtaugh are the last two cops that should be messed with. Add Cole to the mix and there is more trouble as she is a total ass-kicker as the result is an explosive climax that also includes bits of humor. Overall, Donner creates a very exciting and funny film about two detectives who are joined by an internal affairs officer in taking down a former cop who has gone bad.
Cinematographer Jan de Bont does excellent work with the cinematography to capture the sunny look of the scenes set in Los Angeles including the nighttime climax scene with its use of fire and elaborate lights. Editors Robert Brown and Battle Davis do brilliant work with the editing with its use of rhythmic cuts to play into the action and suspense including the chase scenes as well as some of the film‘s funnier moments. Production designer James H. Spencer, with set decorator Richard C. Goddard and art director Greg Papalia, does fantastic work with the look of Murtaugh‘s home as well as Riggs‘ trailer home in a renovated state as well as some of the places such as the precinct where Riggs and Murtaugh work at.
Sound editor Robert G. Henderson does nice work with the sound to play into the sense of chaos that goes in the gunfights as well as some scenes set in the Los Angeles subways and at a hockey game. The film’s music by Eric Clapton, Michael Kamen, and David Sanborn is superb as its mixtures of blues, orchestral music, and jazz play into the air of suspense and action as well as some humor that includes variations of the Three Stooges theme while the soundtrack features songs by Sting and Elton John.
The casting by Marion Dougherty is incredible as it features notable small roles from Andrew Hill Newman as a jaywalker Riggs and Murtaugh harass, Gregory Millar as an associate of Travis in Tyrone, Nick Chinlund as an arms dealer working for Travis, Jason Rainwater as a young rookie cop that would help in saving Captain Murphy, Mark Pellegrino as an associate of Travis who gets arrested early in the film, Bobby Wynn as Nick’s friend Darryl, Jack McGee reprising his role as the carpenter from the previous film as he helps Riggs renovate his home, Delores Hall as the bank security driver who is attracted to Murtaugh, and Mary Ellen Trainor as the police psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods who keeps asking Murtaugh to come see her in a very awkward moment with him and Riggs.
Ebonie Smith and Damon Hines are terrific in their respective roles as Carrie and Nick Murtaugh who are hoping for the dad would retire while Traci Wolfe is wonderful as the eldest daughter Rianne who is trying to make it as an actress as she asked Riggs to find her dad when he didn’t come home over the shooting of Darryl. Darlene Love is excellent as Murtaugh’s wife Trish who is anxious about her husband’s impending retirement as, in the extended cut of the film, has him not forget his bulletproof vest while asking Riggs to keep her husband out of trouble. Steve Kahan is superb as Captain Murphy who knew Travis when he was once a cop as he is later captured by Travis in order to get access to some weapons. Stuart Wilson is fantastic as Jack Travis as this former cop who has become an arms dealer in order to fund his own real estate ventures as he is a really fun and sly antagonist.
Rene Russo is great as Lorna Cole as this internal affairs officer who leads the investigation over what Travis is doing as she proves to be an absolute ass-kicker who doesn’t take shit from anyone making Riggs fall for her. Joe Pesci is brilliant as Leo Getz as he brings in that great sense of humor as he tries to help Murtaugh sell his house while aiding them in finding clues relating to the case. Finally, there’s Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in marvelous performances in their respective roles as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh as the two maintain that sense of chemistry of mayhem and hilarity while also showing their vulnerable side during an intense moment involving a grief-stricken Murtaugh. Even as the two switch personas for a bit where Murtaugh gets a bit crazy and Riggs being the straight man as Gibson also displays a lot of humor in his performance that includes a very funny scene where he tries to win over a guard dog by acting like a dog.
Lethal Weapon 3 is a remarkable film from Richard Donner that features thrilling performances from Mel Gibson and Danny Glover plus strong supporting performances from Rene Russo, Joe Pesci, and Stuart Wilson. The film isn’t just one of the finest action blockbusters of the 1990s but also one of the funniest. It’s a film that has something for everyone while also having something for the smart audiences as well as audiences that want some excitement. In the end, Lethal Weapon 3 is a phenomenal film from Richard Donner.
Richard Donner Films: (X-15) - (Salt and Pepper) - (Twinky) - (The Omen) - (Superman) - (Inside Moves) - (The Toy) - (The Goonies) - (Ladyhawke) - Lethal Weapon - (Scrooged) - Lethal Weapon 2 - (Radio Flyer) - (Maverick) - (Assassins) - (Conspiracy Theory) - Lethal Weapon 4 - (Timeline) - (16 Blocks) - (Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut)
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Richard Donner and screenplay by Jeffrey Boam from a story by Shane Black and Warren Murphy, Lethal Weapon 2 is the follow-up to the previous film from 1987 where Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh who are tasked to protect a federal witness who is involved with a smuggling operation from South African dealers who are protected by diplomatic immunity. The film is another mixture of action with buddy comedies as Mel Gibson and Danny Glover reprise their respective roles as Riggs and Murtaugh as they‘re joined by Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Mary Ellen Trainor, Damon Hines, Ebonie Smith, and Steve Kahan who all reprise their roles from the previous film. Also starring Joe Pesci, Patsy Kensit, Derrick O’Connor, and Joss Ackland. Lethal Weapon 2 is an explosive and enthralling film from Richard Donner.
When a group of South African dealers catch the attention of Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh and the rest of the LAPD, what happens becomes a war between good and bad in a film where these two men try to do whatever to get these men despite their protection under diplomatic immunity. Once they are reassigned to protect an obnoxious federal witness in Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) who is connected to this smuggling case involving these South African government officials led by this consulate. Riggs and Murtaugh do whatever to nab these men and find evidence that can allow them to be tried under American jurisdiction but complications ensue once these men make the war with the LAPD very personal which only push Riggs and Murtaugh to the edge.
The film’s screenplay definitely shows these two mismatched partners not only becoming closer and bring out the best in each other but also give them a chance to have an element of balance into their different personalities. Especially as Riggs often goes to Murtaugh’s home where he reveals to Murtaugh’s wife Trish (Darlene Love) about his wife’s death years ago which shows Riggs opening up more to Murtaugh and his family. Upon getting assigned to protect Getz, the element of comedy starts to get more into play where Riggs and Murtaugh find a foil in the often irritating Getz who is this accountant that always curse and complain about things as he also knows a lot as he proves to be a vital asset to Riggs and Murtaugh in their case.
The antagonist in these South African smugglers and criminals led by this consul-general named Arjen Rudd are men who are driven by money and power as they transport illegal currency to apartheid-era South Africa. Even as the case would have revelations about Riggs’ own past in laundering money for smugglers which he wasn’t proud of as it played into his decisions to join the police force. Rudd and his men not only use devious tactics to intimidate Riggs and Murtaugh where they would break-in the latter’s home to scare him and his family. Even the rest of the LAPD get pushed to the breaking point as Riggs and Murtaugh’s superior Captain Murphy (Steve Kahan) wants to go after them but various jurisdiction issues prevent them from doing what is right. Once the film’s third act had the LAPD pushed to the breaking point where both Riggs and Murtaugh realize that these men don’t respect the law. The two would do whatever it takes to carry out their own brand of justice.
Richard Donner’s direction is quite extravagant in terms of action sequences and the fact that he has something to say about the idea of apartheid. Even where he would put some humor such as a scene where Murtaugh and Getz enter the South African consulate embassy where they would harass officials in order to get Riggs to antagonize and confront Rudd and his men. While much of the humorous moments are shot in intimate manners as it would include some very funny gags such as reaction to Murtaugh’s daughter Rianne (Traci Wolfe) making her acting debut in a condom commercial. It is balanced by this air of suspense and action that plays out in the film where it adds to the stakes of what Riggs and Murtaugh have to deal with.
The action sequences are very explosive that includes this montage where Rudd’s men do horrific things to try and wipe out the LAPD as there’s some dark elements that play into the drama. Even as Getz becomes a target which adds to Riggs and Murtaugh to take the law into their own hands where it’s third act features some of the most elaborate sequences ever created. Presented in a wide shot with some unique camera angles, it is definitely a highlight that would be followed by a major climax as it reveals that diplomatic immunity or not. One must never ever fuck with Riggs and Murtaugh. Overall, Donner creates a very thrilling and compelling film about two guys going up against a group of politically-racist criminals.
Cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt does excellent work with the cinematography from the usage of lights for many of the scenes set at night to the array of interior lights for the cold offices that Rudd works at. Editor Stuart Baird does brilliant work with the editing from the fast-paced cuts of the opening chase sequence to the slower moments for its humor and suspense. Production designer J. Michael Riva, with art directors Richard Berger and Virginia L. Randolph and set decorator Marvin March, does amazing work with the set design from the look of Rudd‘s home as well as the office he has in the South African embassy.
Sound editor Robert G. Henderson does superb work with the sound from the layer of sounds of gunfire and explosions to the quieter moments involving conversations and in some of the film‘s humor. The film’s music by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton, and David Sanborn is fantastic for its mixture of orchestral bombast courtesy of Kamen to the sound of blues and jazz from Clapton and Sanborn to play into the humor and drama while the soundtrack features a cover of Bob Dylan‘s Knockin‘ on Heaven‘s Door by Clapton, Sanborn, and Randy Crawford and songs by the Beach Boys and George Harrison.
The casting by Marion Dougherty and Gail Levin is great as it features notable small roles from Jack McGee as a carpenter fixing Murtaugh‘s home, Dean Norris and Jenette Goldstein as a couple of fellow detectives, Traci Wolfe, Damon Hines, and Ebonie Smith as Murtaugh‘s three children, and Mary Ellen Trainor in a wonderful role as the police psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods who is treated with humor by Riggs. Steve Kahan is terrific as Captain Murphy who tries to make sure Riggs and Murtaugh keep themselves in check as they will be in big trouble if they interfere with Rudd who is protected by diplomatic immunity. Darlene Love is superb as Murtaugh’s wife Trish who accepts Riggs into her family as she learns about what happened to his wife. Patsy Kensit is fantastic as Rudd’s secretary Rika who secretly despises Rudd and his views as she would fall for Riggs and his antics. Derrick O’Connor is excellent as Rudd’s henchman Pieter Vorstedt who is a man that proves to be extremely devious with his own tactics as he also has some revelations for Riggs which would motivate him for vengeance.
Joss Ackland is brilliant as Arjen Rudd as this consul official for the South African government who masterminds many of the schemes for the sake of profit as he carries an air of arrogance over how’s protected by diplomatic immunity. Joe Pesci is hilarious as Leo Getz as this accountant whom Riggs and Murtaugh has to protect as he knows a lot about what Rudd is doing as he brings a lot of charm to his role as well as the fact that he is a great foil for both Riggs and Murtaugh. Finally, there’s Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in remarkable performances in their respective roles as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. Gibson maintains the very crazy and funny approach to his character while also revealing elements of how sensitive he is. Glover continues in playing the straight man as well as bring very funny as he and Gibson continue to have this electric chemistry.
Lethal Weapon 2 is a marvelous film from Richard Donner that features great performances from Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, and Joe Pesci. The film isn’t just a sequel that manages to just as good as its predecessor as well as be very entertaining. Even as it play into the world where two guys trying to beat up the bad guys in some of the most explosive moments in the film. In the end, Lethal Weapon 2 is phenomenal film from Richard Donner.
Richard Donner Films: (X-15) - (Salt and Pepper) - (Twinky) - (The Omen) - (Superman) - (Inside Moves) - (The Toy) - (The Goonies) - (Ladyhawke) - Lethal Weapon - (Scrooged) - (Radio Flyer) - Lethal Weapon 3 - (Maverick) - (Assassins) - (Conspiracy Theory) - Lethal Weapon 4 - (Timeline) - (16 Blocks) - (Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut)
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