War Is Hell... "Hacksaw Ridge"

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Rated R

Starring Andrew Garfield, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington,

Directed by Mel Gibson

The Story:

Desmond Doss (Garfield) is a conscientious objector who still feels the need to serve his country during World War II. He enlists but refuses to carry a weapon. He simply wants to be a medic and do his part by saving people.

This is his true story.

The actions and decisions by Doss at an early age shape his beliefs as he grows older. He makes a fateful mistake one day that has nearly tragic consequences.

His parents (Weaving and Griffiths) are of course a huge influence on the man he would become. His father served in The Great War, and Desmond watches as everyone around him grows up and goes off to war.

He feels the need to make the sacrifice as well, even if it means losing the love of his life (Palmer) while in combat.

Of course the second half of the movie details Doss' training and the fact that the Army really didn't care to have someone unwilling to pick up a rifle take up their time and energy during basic training.

The movie establishes the rest of the characters at this point that will be a part of Doss' life until the fateful day on Hacksaw Ridge.

The horrors of war that Gibson portrays on film are just as effective as Spielberg's D-Day Invasion for Saving Private Ryan.

What Doss does once he gets to the top of Hacksaw Ridge is nothing short of miraculous.

It's an inspirational story, more than worth your time.

Final Grade: A-

Not Worth The Risk..."Everest"

Everest (2015)

PG-13

Starring Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, Emily Watson, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robin Wright

Directed by Baltasar Kormakur

The Story:

In 1992, Rob Hall (Clarke) started a service to bring ordinary hikers of all abilities to the summit of Mt. Everest. In the ensuing 4 years, they never lost a climber. By 1996, many other upstart companies were looking to make money by doing the same thing. Just to avoid the logjam, Hall proposed taking two groups to the top with rival Scott Fischer (Gyllenhaal). Unfortunately, one of the worst storms in the history of Mt. Everest was just hours away.

This is their story.

And boy, is it a lousy one.

First, it's beautiful. The location, the scenery, all amazing. What's real and what's fake are pretty hard to differentiate, and that's great in a movie like this.

However, there really isn't a lot of suspense.

You know the storm is coming, and you know just about everyone in the cast is going to die.

And if...IF.. the way the story unfolds is the honest to goodness truth...

Well, okay, I hate to speak ill of the dead...

BUT...

This wasn't the storm's fault.

Look at the number of climbers that survived the trek up and back.

No, this was the fault of the professionals who decided to shrug their shoulders and say, well, okay hiker, we'll get you to the top instead of sending your butt back to base camp.

That's infuriating.

None of them "deserved" to die, but if you were to say this was a movie and not based on real life, then yes, several of them got exactly what was coming to them.

And several others died because of the stupid choices that were made along the way.

Ugh..

The more I type, the angrier I get.

Which is not what I want from a movie-going experience.

So, I can't fail the movie on those terms, as it's technically competent and has a phenomenal cast.

Instead, I'll just advise you to spare yourself 2 hours of misery and annoyance.

Just watch the trailer, that's where all the excitement is, and know that pretty much everyone dies.

The end.

:)

Final Grade: C-

The Things They'll Do For A Beer..."Kidnapping Mr. Heineken"

Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (2015)

Rated R

Starring Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten, Mark van Eeuwen, Thomas Cocquerel, Anthony Hopkins

Directed by Daniel Alfredson

The Story:

In 1982, 5 men who are down on their luck and looking to better their life decide to turn to crime to make a buck. Their objective: kidnap Freddy Heineken (Hopkins) and demand a king's ransom.

This is that story.

The problem is, the story is rather bland, all things considered.

The crew decides they have to have money to make their kidnapping look legitimate, so they rob a bank.

Then they spend that money getting everything ready for the kidnapping.

Then they kidnap Mr. Heineken.

Then they sit back and wait for the money, but it never comes.

Then panic and paranoia set in.

Now, this works with a movie like Ruthless People because they add laughs and you get to see what's happening from the point of view of the kidnappers, the police, the victim, etc.

This movie gives you the point of view of the kidnappers.

Never do we see what law enforcement is up to during the entire process.

There is basically no tension or no other narrative attempt to make you feel like the criminals are getting away with it, or are being this close to getting caught aside from whatever the kidnappers may say or do reacting to something the viewer is never really privy to.

Hopkins screen time is all too brief as he attempts to get into the heads of his kidnappers.

The kidnappers themselves are rather a bland mixed bag of talent with little to do but yell and get worried a lot.

There is a nifty story buried in the movie, but the execution only gives you part of it.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C

A Review To "Sabotage" Your Labor Day Holiday

Sabotage (2014)
Rated R for language and bloodshed galore

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway, Terrence Howard, Mireille Enos,

Written and Directed by David Ayer

The Story:

DEA Agent Breacher (Schwarzenneger) leads his team on a raid.  During the raid, they decide to steal $10 million off the top of a stack of cash.  However when they go to retrieve it, it's missing!  They are suspended and investigated, but nobody on the team admits to stealing (and losing) the money, and eventually they are put back together as a unit.  Then, one by one, they start getting murdered by the drug lords they stole from.
Will they be able to find the murderer before it's too late?

Indifference.

That's what this movie ultimately ended up being for me.

It was a great cast, given not a whole lot to do except shoot, bleed and curse a lot.

In fact, some of the bloodshed and ways they were killed, this movie seemed like it wanted to crossover into borderline horror movie territory.

Any intrigue on who took the money, who is going to die next on the team erodes as the film moves along.

When the ultimate villain is revealed, it comes as more of a "well duh" moment, than a twist of the knife reveal to the team.

It could've been something special.

Instead, it was just something.

I'll take The Last Stand any day over this one as proof that Ah-nuhld can still make a fun movie.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No fun...no reason to see it again... I'd have to pass on seeing this one again.

Sometimes "The Debt" Will Cost You Everything

Some secrets cannot stay dead...

The Story:

In 1965, three young Mossad agents are in East Berlin.  Their goal is to find a villainous Nazi war criminal, Doktor Bernhardt (Jesper Christiansen) and bring him back to Israel to pay for his crimes.  Stephan (Marton Csokas) and David (Sam Worthington) are joined by newly appointed field agent Rachel (Jessica Chastain). Now, 30 years later, Rachel's daughter has published a book about the heroic Mossad exploits of her mother Rachel (Helen Mirren), David (Ciaran Hinds) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) and how they failed to bring the Doktor home to stand trial, but they did ensure he paid for his crimes when he attempted to escape.

Or did they?

This is a movie that lives in the flashback, and the opening is rather startling since we haven't yet figured out who all is who in the past and present.

However, they start filling in the gaps rather quickly and a great deal of the movie is focused on the mission in 1965 and how they attempt to bring the Doktor back alive.

As the flashbacks roll, there was indeed some startling surprises revealed both about the mission, and the characters themselves.

That Rachel has to basically go back into the world of shadows to rectify the mistake they made 30 years earlier is both harrowing and heartbreaking.

The movie alternates between thriller and drama, and the pacing seems to yo-yo with the direction of the story.  Sometimes it is full-tilt, and then it will slow down to focus on relationships.

Overall though, a rather engaging film with great performances all around.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: All things considered, rather low.  Glad I saw it, but no real reason to revisit this one. If I want to see Helen Mirren kicking butt, I'll watch Red. Again. :)

I Might As Well... Jump! "Man on a Ledge"

I am...an innocent man...

The story of a man inspired by a Billy Joel lyric...

The Story:

Nick (Sam Worthington) is a cop who was falsely accused, or so he claims, of stealing a diamond from a ruthless businessman (Ed Harris).  On the run, he brings to fruition a scheme with his little brother (Jamie Bell) to steal the diamond...for the first time... to prove that Nick is innocent.  To do this, Nick stands on a ledge of a hotel and threatens to jump.  This very public display is going to be Nick's second trial, and he's going to prove he's innocent... or die trying!

I will be honest, I loved this movie the second I saw the trailer.

When I finally saw the movie, it was just as good, if not better, than the trailer had promised.

So for those that say Hollywood never comes up with anything new, this was pretty new to me.

Or at least, it wasn't a sequel, wasn't a toy/comic franchise, wasn't a remake... so that's pretty new in my book.

Ed Harris is gleefully slimey as the bad guy.  In his career, he's played both sides of the law, but I think he relishes the turns when he's not wearing the white hat more often than not.

I am a fan of Sam Worthington, at least in making Clash and Wrath of the Titans watchable fun.  Count me as one of the 17 people on Earth to have not seen, nor really have any interest in seeing Avatar, and there you have it.

Also, well done to Elizabeth Banks who holds her own as a police negotiator who is in a deep downward spiral, but Nick feels he can trust her more than any other policeman on the force and insists she is brought in for the job.

Count me as a fan of this movie.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Potential: Extremely rewatchable, in fact I just watched it within the last week, thus the review.  And yes, I own it.