'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Plot Problems

'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Plot Problems 

Is a 10 year time jump vital for the story?

 

According to ComicBookMovie.com, the plot of ‘Dawn of the Planet of Apes’ is described as such:

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species. 

After watching the trailer for the movie, I can truly say that I’m extremely anxious to watch this movie. Tonally, this film is definitely darker than its predecessor, a trend familiar for most Hollywood sequels nowadays. 

Essentially, a virus has almost eradicated the human species off the face of this earth. The film is set 10 years after ‘Rise of the Planet of Apes’, so the virus has done its work effectively, since whatever left of human civilization shown in the trailer, appears to have set back people by a century or two. And if Gary Oldman’s voice in the trailer is to be believed, humans fighting amongst each other would have also aided this regressive transition for the human race. 

The last movie had Caesar and his fellow primates residing in The Red Oak Forest, seeking sanctuary among its towering trees. To move from that to a state of anarchy and lawlessness is a big, profound and perplexing jump. It is a massive, if not revolutionary change to have humanity at the mercy of primates. This brings the question as to whether this upcoming installment should focus on the ten years that have passed, or whether it should pick up after humans have been brought to their knees.

Of course, most would say that the spread of the virus via airline routes as depicted by the final scene, should be sufficient to clarify this situation.  Had a movie been developed on the 10 years since, it would simply be another ‘Contagion’ or other virus movie. 

But what the trailer illuminated was that humans were now at the mercy of Caesar and the other primates. Isn’t it worth knowing how we got there? The virus and the genetically enhanced primates should be part of the answer but not the entire response. After all, Caesar didn’t possess an army of millions at his command to have mankind under his foot. The trailer also reveals that his hairy friends still reside among the trees, instead of sheltering in apartments and hotel suites. Maybe this is a sign that there’s much more to come from this franchise, and more left for the apes to do in upcoming installments. This franchise is truly alive and well with the reboot, and a ten year fast forward from the last installment may be crucial, to spare the film from turning into another generic virus-spread movie. 

In fact, a fast forward may be necessary as detailing the path that led humans to that sorry state may be too ludicrous to put on screen.  Of course, I understand that the film is dealing with intellectually superior apes, which in itself is an otherworldly phenomenon, but having primates messing around with things like nuclear weapons and such may be preposterous (just an example), for now at least given that the previous film didn’t elaborate extensively on how smart these creatures are, since it was merely an introduction.

While I would have loved to understand how things got so horrible within 10 years in the ‘Planet of the Apes’ universe in lurid detail, it ultimately may be unnecessary and distractive, as everything could be pinned down to the spread of a virus that affects human beings, and not the apes. And besides, Caesar and his friends don’t seem to have done much during that time since they seem to have been holed up in a forest, rather than proceeding with executing some megalomaniacal plan. That decade which was skipped may, as a result, be ignored, as the most interesting and compelling story may still be waiting to be told.  

22 Jump Street Trailer (2014) : Too Similar to 21 Jump Street?

22 Jump Street Trailer

Too similar to 21 Jump Street?

22 Jump Street has released its red band trailer. Our favorite characters Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are back, but I’m even happier to see the return of Ice Cube’s Captain Dickson who to me, provided the best moments of the previous installment. Who can forget him saying “Infiltrate the dealers, find the suppliers!”? 

While I know that the film won’t fail to deliver on the side of laughs, I’m slightly let down by the anticipated plot lines. The trailer sees the police duo go through college, but it’s clear that they are once again trying to find a drug cartel embedded in university. The previous film also dealt with a drug bust, so are they going for a similar story? SlashFilm.com reports that another component of the story will be the duo beginning to “question their partnership.” This, too, was a strong element of 21 Jump Street where there was an element of role reversal and Hill was the cool guy in school while Tatum hung out with the geeks, drawing them apart. Will the audience be disinterested if the film is more like the previous film, or less like it?

Setting that aside, there are things going on that should help differentiate this film from its predecessor. Firstly, Jenko and Schmidt will be trying to infiltrate a college crime circle instead of one in high school. We all know how different high school was from college, so there is definitely potential to explore new areas. As the trailer mentioned, the fraternity aspect comes into play. Secondly, the film sees the two cops requesting for the aid of the last film’s villains, played by Dave Franco and Rob Riggle. That, too, should add an interesting dimension to the new addition depending on how big a role these actors will play. But still, it remains to be seen if the balance of the old and the new will make a decent combination for movie goers.

 

 

Grudge Match (2013) Movie Review

'Grudge Match' Sports Comedy Review

 

Movie Musing Rating: 6/10

 

I got to see an advanced screening of the ‘Grudge Match’, starring Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro and Kim Basinger. The story revolves around two Pittsburgh boxers (the two leading men of course) who get a chance to enter the ring once again after 30 years of retirement. That retirement was enforced when Razor (Stallone) opted not to fight ‘The Kid’ (De Niro), depriving ‘Kid’ of his rematch for the title. Thus, a grudge ensued between them, and was further fuelled by the primary female lead of the film, Kim Basinger.

I will opt not to reveal details of the movie in the hopes of having a spoiler-free article. But there’s no point to doing that anyway, given that this sports comedy follows a predictable plot line. I could easily pass myself off as clairvoyant and set up shop as a soothsayer if all movies were like this. But anyway, circumstances force Stallone’s character to accept conditions for a rematch with De Niro’s ‘Kid’. Stallone works in construction and has an ailing friend named ‘Lightning’ (Alan Arkin) to take care of, who also happens to be his former boxing trainer. Hence, financial turmoil is what forces Razor to take up the offer. ‘Kid’ on the other hand, runs a bar and a car dealership, so instead of money fueling him, it’s purely the need to salvage his pride after his loss to Razor 30 years ago.

Since this movie is about settling a 30 year old grudge, a central theme of the film is reconnecting. The reason for Razor’s sudden exit from boxing is explored through Kim Basinger and Robert De Niro. Inevitably, rekindling an ancient relationship also becomes a focal point for one boxer, but this comes off poorly. The specific boxer’s (not saying who) relationship with Basinger is quite childish at times. It seems as if the two are stuck in their teens. This is especially true with Basinger’s character who fidgets about like a giddy teenager.  I could elaborate on this a bit more but then I’d be laying down spoilers in abundance. And for your information, the 60 year old Kim Basinger still looks stunning and beautiful, and I don’t think surgical enhancements are the reason for that.

By all means, the plot isn’t a gem of any kind. But you will have more than a few laughs while watching the film. Firstly, it sees two retired boxers trying to get back in the game, so the training programs and workouts they go through will elicit some humor, especially De Niro’s since he isn’t in any kind of peak shape. Stallone still has some muscle definition, though much less in comparison to his last few movies, specifically in The Expendables. Then there’s the grouchy trainer Lightning, who through Alan Arkin’s delivery portrays an aging man out of touch with society quite perfectly. Stallone, too, plays an out of touch character quite effectively, one who is oblivious to the tech developments since 1980 I suppose. Alan Arkin’s character shows more tech savvy than his boxing student in this movie. Finally, we mustn’t forget Kevin Hart’s blabbering antiques. He plays the businessman/agent trying to arrange the boxing match-up between the two Pittsburgh boxers and if you’ve seen his stand-up comedy, you know how his lightning speed dialogue and high pitched tone can crack you up, even if it’s nonsense spewing out of his mouth.

You should watch ‘Grudge Match’ if you are in real need of some distressing as there will be an assortment of jokes throughout, but some may fall flat due to their slapstick nature. You won’t have much to go by way of surprises since the plot follows a generic structure and the romance of the movie will make you squeal. It’s definitely not the best comedy but has plenty of moments of laughter.

 



Jupiter Ascending (2014) Trailer: Wachowskis' New Sc-Fi Addition

Jupiter Ascending Trailer with Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis

IMDB.com explains the story of ‘Jupiter Ascending’ as such:

"In a universe where humans are near the bottom of the evolutionary ladder, a young destitute human woman is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe because her very existence threatens to end the Queen's reign."

I am not overly enthusiastic about this premise, or rather the manner in which the trailer put the story out. What put me off was that massive spotlight enabling people to travel upwards. It resembled the transportation beam I saw in ‘This is the End’ which allowed Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel to enter Heaven.

Then there was that introduction which initially painted Channing Tatum’s character as the ultimate hunting machine. A few seconds later and he’s fawning over Mila Kunis. It seems that my reservations are created by the little components of the film instead of the actual plot, which can actually be illustrated in a better manner. Incorporating a romantic aspect into the film with Tatum and Kunis makes the whole thing icky.

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Godzilla (2014) Teaser Trailer: Most Intimidating Version Yet?

Various Godzilla Versions in Movies

Today saw the release of the new trailer for Godzilla, the reboot that is to be released in May 2014. It stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen. I must say that it is extremely strange to see Cranston sporting a longer hair style after his outing in Breaking Bad, where we were accustomed to seeing him without any hair on his scalp.

Anyway, the trailer starts off with a speech from David Strathairn I presume, where he speaks to a group of soldiers who jump off a plane into a smoldering city. This sequence was exceptional, where a wide angle shot allows the storm of dust and debris Godzilla has created to be caught. It truly looked like an apocalyptic nightmare. Then we move into the first person view and witness the carnage from the perspective of one soldier as he descends into the city from the skies. The teasers are set up perfectly here, as we can only see a glimpse of Godzilla’s spiky back through a screen of filthy air and fire.

The teasing continues, with us only being able to see the destruction the Kaiju monster creates until the last few seconds of the trailer, where we once again see his spiky back, as if massive shards of glass were jutting out, and then we see his head. Unlike the 1998 model of the monster which was more like a T-Rex, this version has a shorter snout (I hope it’s the right word). I wanted to look at the various versions of the creature that had appeared in film, since its inception in 1954.

The 1954 film was made by Japanese film company Toho and decided to have a monster that was a combination of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus and an Iguanodon. Filming for the first film relied on a scaled model of Tokyo and it was a man in a suit (Haruo Nakajima) that played the role of the Kaiju monster. As of today, Toho has released 28 Godzilla films with the last being distributed in 2004, so I’m not going to go through each iteration.

Instead, I wanted to compare the original monster with the ones in the American productions. I was first introduced to Godzilla through the 1998 American film when I was 3 years old. Naturally, I hold this film in high regard despite universal objection by the masses. What can I say, kids are easily impressed by anything surreal. This version seemed to specifically focus on the T-Rex look for the monster, opting to discard or minimize the influence of the other dinosaurs that served as inspiration for the original Japanese film. Hence, we got a longer pout and a faster creature.

And now, with the 2014 reboot trailer being released, I can honestly say that it is more faithful to the original than the 1998 Mathew Broderick film. What stood out to me was that massive, plated back and the shorter pout, features that were present in the 1954 Japanese original. The monster in the upcoming feature also appears to be larger than in the 1998 feature, but much slower. This makes sense since a larger creature generally tends to travel at reduced speeds.

The problem for me is that I’m partial towards the 1998 monster, simply because it was the first Godzilla movie I watched and I love the T-Rex in general, so it created a stronger impression on my mind. While the upcoming version of the reptilian hybrid looks more intimidating, the shorter pout makes it look slightly comical. As of now, I’m conflicted about which iteration had the most awesome-looking monster.  I think it’s the 1998 version, but then again, we’ve only had teasers of the monster in the 2014 movie so we can certainly expect more to come.  

Godzilla in 1998

Godzilla in 1954



Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman: Pros and Cons

Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman in 'Man of Steel' Sequel

Warner Bros. is having a hard time with the ‘Man of Steel’ sequel since announcing its development at Comic Con 2013. People weren’t sure about having Batman in it given that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy only concluded last year. Christian Bale’s performance, I suppose, is still fresh in the audience’s minds. Then came the news of Ben Affleck’s casting as Gotham’s Dark Knight. The internet was ripe with criticism, particularly regarding Affleck’s acting ability, and a frequently mentioned movie to illustrate this point was ‘Gigli’. The uproar was so great that Change.org even had a petition, requesting, or rather demanding Warner Bros. to cast a new face for the DC superhero. And now, we know that Wonder Woman will also feature in this ‘Man of Steel’ sequel. Isn’t it easier to call it ‘The Justice League’ instead?

We can put a face to Wonder Woman now, and it happens to be Gal Gadot, who starred in the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise alongside the likes of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. The internet yet again flooded with dissatisfaction, although it was less intense in comparison to news of Affleck’s casting. There were several reasons as to why Gal Gadot’s inclusion was received with negative feedback.

Cons

·         Many people were expecting to have other actresses vying for the role of the Amazonian. A front runner on most people’s minds was Jaimie Alexander, who plays Sif in the Thor movies. Some of her fans had even posted artwork online, depicting the actress as the female superhero. So when you don’t have your way with things, you are more than likely to pout about it.

·         Acting ability was yet again a concern this time. Besides the Fast and Furious movies, Gadot has no other noteworthy acting credentials to boast about.

·         Appearance was the number one worry among DC comic book fans. Take a look at any of Wonder Woman’s comic book appearances, and it’s clear that she’s somewhat athletic, muscular if I may say so, and generally fleshier than Gadot is right now. One thing that is really striking is her bust for its sheer voluptuousness, something that Gal Gadot doesn’t seem to have in her arsenal.

Not surprisingly, though, I find that most of the setbacks to having Gal Gadot are advantages to the movie.

Pros

·         She isn’t recognized strongly with another franchise. This is where I believe it is better to have Gadot than someone like Jaimie Alexander. Alexander is already associated with another movie series. She is Sif from the Thor movies. When people are overly familiar with an actor or actress playing a specific role for a franchise, it’s difficult for them to process that actor playing someone else. This is especially true if that actor finds work in the same genre. Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. It would be preposterous to have him play another mutant or superhero, because he’s distinctly connected with the character of Wolverine. Since Gal Gadot isn’t linked significantly to a specific franchise, this baggage doesn’t come along with her casting.

·         To me, her appearance is an advantage. Gadot has won the Miss Israel title (2004) and represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant. Is there a greater accolade to represent one’s beauty in this world? She has the same hair color as Wonder Woman and same skin tone as well.

·         She has had military training with the Israel Army and served in the Israel Defense Forces for 2 years. This was the specific reason that she cited for Justin Lin having recruited her for the Fast and Furious movies. Wonder Woman, too, has to exhibit her own share of fighting prowess, not to mention using her “Lasso of Truth.’ Given her training with the military, this stuff should come naturally to her.

I know that people will still pick on her appearance. But remember that Gadot will be working with Zack Snyder. Snyder, through his partnership with Gym Jones, turned the cast of 300 and Henry Cavill into walking army tanks. I’m sure he could do the same with Gadot, though not to such a great extent. Actors have been known to put on weight for their film roles. Christian Bale frequently adjusts his weight for his films, putting on 10 or 20 kilos at a moment’s notice. Chris Pratt recently got in shape for his job in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ It can be done. The only problem is that I’m not aware of any female celebrities putting on weight for their movies. Usually it happens the other way. Charlize Theron put on weight for her film ‘Monster’ but lost her sex appeal along with it (in her defense, she had to play a serial killer). Gadot can’t afford to have that for this movie role.

Personally, I think that this is only a minor qualm. These days, aspects like appearance can be fixed easily due to stellar make up departments and digital technology. Then we mustn’t forge the power of natural exercise. Snyder and co will work hard at making Gadot an Amazonian Princess. Quite frankly, I don’t share the worries and concerns of the masses about Gal Gadot’s casting. I’m more troubled by all these components taking the spotlight off the Man of Steel. I thought this was supposed to be a Superman movie.