Olympus Has Fallen and so Has My Opinion of this Film

Initially I was not planning on seeing Olympus Has Fallen. However, recommendations from my boss and Chris led me to my decision to see it. From what they told me, it sounded like a movie I could get into. It sounded like it would be an homage to cheesy action flicks of the 90s. I tried going into the film expecting this, however, it didn't quite go over as well as I had hoped.

Olympus Has Fallen has some good elements to it. Antoine Fuqua is a director I respect, on one hand, as he directed one of my favorite crime films of all time (Training Day). However, he has also had a handful of rotten films, and I believe this is one of his stronger weak films. There are a few genuine thrills in this film which helps it compensate for some of the formulaic writing. Gerard Butler gives his best performance since Law Abiding Citizen, and Aaron Eckhart also gives a believable and charismatic performance as the president of the United States. This film is also about 70% action/thrills/excitement, which makes for a pretty easy watch. The finale between Gerard Butler and the Korean dude was badass and definitely the strongest scene in the film.

I had a lot of problems with Olympus. Heavy CGI sequences, a thoughtless script, and plot holes are just a few issues that come to mind. Additionally, the villain is very shallow and not fleshed out at all, and this is a problem that comes from the page and the screen. Some scenes were overly brutal, the only purpose being to serve as shock value. I also felt like this film ripped off some of my favorite movies/TV shows, and unsuccessfully so. Olympus feels like a Die Hard film with all the fun sucked out of it. Take that image and mix it with your average season of 24 and you have, voila!---Olympus Has Fallen.

Olympus Has Fallen is not a total train wreck. It has SOME humor and cleverness, but not enough for it to rise above the countless duds of films in this genre. Antoine Fuqua's direction certainly helps, though. Let's hope White House Down is better....(probably not. But a guy can dream, right?)

MY RATING:

2.5 out of 5

-Kevin A. Millward-

Chris Reviews Olympus Has Fallen

Everyone should know about my love for cheesy, over the top action films by now. Yes I love films like Independence Day and Airforce One, so when you heard about this movie coming out you had to expect me to go and see it. The real question is, did it suck like the majority of movies that have come out this year or was it a bit of nostalgic action fun?

The Good-

This was actually a lot of fun! It reminded me a lot of the big budget action films from the 90's like Airforce One and Independence Day. If you can get passed the extremely unrealistic premise there is a lot to like from a purely entertainment perspective. Gerard Butler gives a pretty bad ass performance with a good collection of one liners. The action scenes are impressive and engaging albeit overly dramatic. I think the main thing that made it work for me though is that the film knew what it was and had fun with it. Also I guess North Korea has replaced the Soviet Union as the bad guys in action movies now with this and Red Dawn both using them as the villains.

The Bad-

 It is extremely over the top, unrealistic and overly dramatic. For those who are looking for a "good movie" stay away from this film. The acting is not very good, there are quite a few plot holes and several very ridiculous situations. I can understand why some people would not like this film at all.

Summary-

At best this is a B movie but its the kind of B movie that I really enjoy. I came in without any expectations and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Is this a movie that I will remember a few weeks from now, probably not but I had a good time when I watched it and that's what matters. All in all this is a movie that should please the average moviegoer but will not fare well with the critics. Recommend for those into campy, cheesy action movies!

MY RATING-

3.5 out of 5

Chris "Da Franchize" Hart

Kevin Reviews The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone... not incredible to critics, but pretty good by my standards. I was looking forward to this one for a while. With a promising cast, I expected it to be good. However, I was hearing echoes of Gangster Squad as I got amped to see this film so I was cautious. I went in with an open mind and here's what I thought...

Critics were too harsh on this film. Yes, there were flaws with it which I will discuss shortly, but all in all, this is a solid comedy well worth watching. I found myself laughing at most of the jokes and there didn't seem to be anything recycled from films of this caliber. Alan Arkin is great as Burt's mentor. Jim Carrey is...well, Jim Carrey. Over the top as always, but acceptable as the antagonist. Steve Buscemi is great as always although I am questioning the casting in his role. Olivia Wilde is smoking hot and that's all I need to say about that. This is a vivid film with some hilarious costumes and makeup, showcasing one of the more visually interesting films of the year.  The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is what you would expect from a film about a failing magician: slapstick humor and a few mouth-dropping gags. If you go into the film knowing this, you are more likely to come out liking it.

This is not a great film by any means. For starters, Steve Carell is disappointing as Burt Wonderstone. He has no charisma in this role, and that is partly due to the poor writing and character development which is present in all the characters in this film. Additionally, and even more problematic, is the humor in this film. It is too much sometimes, and rather than being funny, it comes off as the writers trying too hard. I'm speaking mostly on the scenes with Jim Carrey, as they were very hit-and-miss. This film is also very predictable and doesn't take any risks. At all. Not to say that ruined the film for me, but it would be nice to see something with such a talented cast go above and beyond the standard.

I would call the movie "The Enjoyable Burt Wonderstone" because that's a more accurate title. It wasn't quite what I expected, but it still stands as the best film I have seen this year. That's not saying much, as nearly everything Hollywood is putting out right now is complete garbage, but it is still worth mentioning. I drew parallels between this film and Ted (2012) in the sense that Ted got good reviews and I hated it, and this got bad reviews and I really liked it. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone does what it needs to do and that's what makes it a watchable film. I just wish more critics would realize that.

MY RATING:

3.5 out of 5

-Kevin A. Millward

Kevin Reviews Oz the Great and Powerful

2013 brings us yet another spinoff of a classic film that I was skeptical about but had high hopes for as it was in the hands of Sam Raimi. The trailer looked promising but did it live up to its hype?

Oz the Great and Powerful stands as one of the more visually striking films of recent memory. Colorful and vivid, it is a treat to the eyes as the land of Oz is recreated with a meticulous eye to detail. Even the intro titles were spectacularly original and nostalgic, making the first 10-15 minutes of the film the strongest. Production and set design is fantastic, with costumes and sets that look phenomenal. James Franco, who I've always liked (for better or for worse) gives a thoughtful performance as Oz. Charming, funny, and sensitive, Franco managed to pull me into the story from the start. This film had a healthy dose of humor, as well, which came from the two supporting characters, who also gave solid performances. The writing was superb in the first half of the film as well...

...but then it's like they changed writers after the first act. Cliches bog the movie down and make it difficult to take too seriously. Additionally, Mila Kunas is terrible in this film; her acting abilities in this film are borderline Nicolas Cage-ish. This film is excessive on the CGI front, which is another thing that weakens the score for me. The film seemed to get away from itself and go off track after the first act, and that ruined it for me.

Oz the Great and Powerful is not a dud in any sense. It presents some strong visuals and a remarkable performance from James Franco. However, inconsistent writing, poor acting from the supporting cast, and some minor plot holes pushes me to give a thumbs down. This film is purely a crowd-pleaser and your average moviegoer will probably enjoy this fantasy film, but a movie phenom like myself has to give this a fair rating.

MY RATING:

2.5 out of 5

-Kevin A. Millward