REVIEW – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Sam Claflin, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Most sequel films are critically panned when they follow the same formula of the original, ala The Hangover. But in the case of Catching Fire, a near identical plot-line is employed, in keeping with the novel, yet it still feels wholly original. It is exciting, well-acted, and morally provocative. You really have to take a step back and marvel at the fact this film is aimed at teens. Sure the typical love triangle rears its head and a good few minutes is spent on a bit of snogging. But the gritty realism that shines through a quite frankly unrealistic situation is the mark of a film well made.

Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) is struggling to overcome the aftermath of her and Peeta’s (Hutcherson) survival of the Hunger Games. She has become a symbol of rebellion across dystopian land of Panem, drawing increasing antagonism from President Snow (Sutherland). Her false romance with Peeta also has ramifications for her relationship with bestie Gale (Hemsworth). When she is forced back into the Hunger Games arena the stakes are even higher and the competition even more deadly.

As I mentioned above, this follows essentially the very same formula of The Hunger Games. Katniss heads back to the arena which this time round is even cooler, she exploits a potential relationship with Peeta for the cameras, a very drunk Woody Harrelson helps her out, and her dresses are cool. It is a little beyond me why this works so well but I have a few theories.

The first is that at the moment Lawrence can’t put a foot wrong. She has an Oscar, been in a comic-book movie, has a massive franchise, and is now America’s sweetheart. Don’t get me wrong she is a terrific actress, bringing much needed quality to the character of Katniss. Katniss herself is a kick-ass heroine who is a refreshing change from the delightfully hate-worthy Bella Swann, increasing her appeal. The depth of the character with Collin’s novel created for Lawrence is a blessing for the franchise. The messed up Katniss of the books completes a perfect transition to the silver screen. She doesn’t pop wisecracks and kill without second thought. The Games are psychologically and physically taxing; she just wants out.

Hutcherson conjures up a much more solid performance as Peeta this time round. Gary Ross portrayed him as a bit of a useless git but the sequel sees him as a much stronger character, conflicted by the blurred lines in his relationship with Katniss. The useless git title seems to pass on to Hemsworth’s Gale who unfortunately suffers a lot from his character missing any action in the first two films. Compared to Gale, Peeta seems a much stronger and well defined character, his sacrifices and motives much more visible.

The supporting cast is excellent. Banks, Harrelson, and Kravitz do well as the pit crew. Seymour-Hoffman is likable as Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee. Claflin proves his doubters wrong by perfectly embodying fan favorite Finnick. His bit of wit and charm in the midst of the sociological musings of the plot is a welcome addition, so to Jenna Malone as sexy tribute Johanna Mason.

Donald Sutherland is suitably icy as President Snow. His portrayal of disarming politeness hiding a vicious core is brings to life a character not explored so much in the novels. He’s no Voldemort, more a cross between Santa and Vladimir Putin, an embodiment of the greed and corruption of the Capitol.

The themes at the core of the film flow from this fictional dictatorship, perhaps the links to similar real-life regimes giving that believability which is so necessary. The socio-political commentary may be lost among the smooching and archery to the teen audience but those who want to go deeper can discovery a very thorough commentary on politics past, present, and quite probably future.

With Francis Lawrence at the helm gone are the frenzied Psycho-esque camera shots to cover the blood and violence. This is a grittier film, although the fact the Games are contested by mostly adult ex-victors makes for less provocative violence. The scene where Katniss gets covered in warty pustules will scar many young boys dreams of J-Law and the little strings of saliva visible in kissing scenes are less than erotic. But that’s why this film is so good, its a dystopian fantasy that feels like it could actually happen. The bar has been set very high for future dystopian YA films like The Maze Runner and Divergent to meet,

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the mot though provoking film ever made for teens, Its cast, plot, and script are top notch which can only equal a great film. The onus is now on Team Lawrence to reproduce the same level of quality in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Skyfall – Review

SKYFALL (2012)

007 (Daniel Craig) becomes M’s only ally as MI6 comes under attack, and a mysterious new villain emerges with a diabolical plan. James Bond’s latest mission has gone horribly awry, resulting in the exposure of several undercover agents, and an all-out attack on M16. Meanwhile, as M (Judi Dench) plans to relocate the agency, emerging Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) raises concerns about her competence while attempting to usurp her position, and Q (Ben Whishaw) becomes a crucial ally. Now the only person who can restore M’s reputation is 007. Operating in the dark with only field agent Eve (Naomie Harris) to guide him, the world’s top secret agent works to root out an enigmatic criminal mastermind named Silva (Javier Bardem) as a major storm brews on the horizon. Albert Finney also stars in the 23rd instalment of the long-running spy series. The film was directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and shot by acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins (True Grit, The Reader, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)

Director: Sam Mendes

Writers: Ian Fleming, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan

Cast: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Berenice Marlohe, Naomie Harris

Producer: Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli

Box Office: US$1,108,561,013

Festivals and Awards: Won two Oscars, two BAFTAS, one Golden Globe, and numerous other prestigious awards.

Rotten Tomatoes: Sam Mendes brings Bond surging back with a smart, sexy, riveting action thriller that qualifies as one of the best 007 films to date.

Empire: Skyfall is pretty much all you could want from a 21st Century Bond: cool but not camp, respectful of tradition but up to the moment, serious in its thrills and relatively complex in its characters but with the sense of fun that hasn’t always been evident lately. One thing’s certain: James Bond will return…

Roger Ebert: Just as Christopher Nolan gave rebirth to the Batman movies in “The Dark Knight,” here is James Bond lifted up, dusted off, set back on his feet and ready for another 50 years.

guide2film:  Pretty dour at times and Craig never seems particularly charming as Bond but this film is saved by an excellent script and good performances from old hands like Dench and Bardem . It definitely males the improvements so obviously necessary in the previous film ‘Quantum of Solace’ but despite its improvement its still seems to lack the sort of pizzazz that separate good films and the great. The only female character of any value is ‘M’ and the other are Bond’s stereotypical flings while the  very British dialogue fails to excite. The action is good and despite my overt criticisms it is probably in third place on my espionage thrillers list behind Casino Royale and The Bourne Ultimatum.

REVIEW – THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Director: Alan Taylor

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christopher Ecclestone, Kat Dennings, Tom Hiddlestone, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard

Apparently it was inevitable. At some point Marvel would produce a stinker to thwart the progress made by their excellent work so far. So if it really was inevitable then why was Thor: The Dark World so enjoyable.

The film picks up where The Avengers left off. Loki (Tom Hiddlestone) is imprisoned on Asgard and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is roaming The Nine Realms, keeping the peace. But that peace is disturbed when Thor’s human  sweetheart Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) awakens an ancient force, The Aether, and consequently the villainous Malekith (Former Doctor Who star Christopher Ecclestone) who wishes to harness its power. With the universe under threat Thor is forced to free Loki in a desperate attempt to save everything he loves.

The problem with Thor has always been the believability of his character within the Marvel Universe and once again the studio succeed in drawing attention away from these sorts of plot holes to focus on an enjoyable story.

The storyline is dynamic and far superior to the original Thor (2011), revelling in the glorious contrast between Thor and his twisted brother Loki, a relationship which dominates the whole film. Tom Hiddlestone is delightfully greasy as Loki and in my not so humble opinion the best on-screen super-villain (the Joker doesn’t count). The character really makes a case for not just killing off villains between films, Loki is brilliant as a constant worry to Thor, whether as more of an entertaining side-plot as he is in this film, or as the main event as he was in The Avengers.

Loki: After all this time, now you come to visit me, brother? Why? To mock?

Thor: I need your help. And I wish I could trust you…

Loki: If you did, you’d be the fool I always took you for

The film starts slowly but quickly picks up the pace with some neat action and special effects sequences. Bringing on the creative team from The Game of Thrones was a masterstroke as they know what the fan boys (and fan girls for equalities sake). Minus the XXX content of Thrones, the all out action and traditional combat make for an entertaining sci-fi.

Kudos to Marvel for showing that they can bring the superhero action into space ahead of the release of Guardians of the Galaxy next year. Asgard is beautifully done and ‘The Dark World’ appropriately desolate. The battle scenes on Asgard, hell the whole movie,  should be a example to JJ Abrams and the Star Wars Episode VII team, it blending sci-fi with fun, not taking itself to seriously.

Thor himself is well played by Chris Hemsworth who has done well to portray the increasing maturity of the prince. I do have a few gripes about Natalie Portman’s character Jane…she’s annoying. In the style of Margot Kidder as Lois Lane she is genuinely frustrating and her character lacks depth. I for one am on Team Sif (Jaimie Alexander), who seems positively badass, although I seemed to get a hint of a Sif-Loki thing. But hell, I even liked Kat Dennings as the super dumb science prodigy better than Portman’s  empty eye candy.

Malekith does his job and goes about his universe-destroying duties without really being memorable but is used to introduce many plot points for future films.

I’ll write another article discussing the direction Marvel has used Thor to steer its universe into to avoid spoilers. Lets just say there are plenty of Easter Eggs in there for those eagle-eyed enough to spot them.

So now the onus on poor old Captain America to keep up the Marvel magic. Bring It!!!!!!

Related articles

• ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Review: Laughs and Character Make for One of Marvel’s Best (slashfilm.com)
• Review: Thor The Dark World (valleyofthedeer.wordpress.com)
• ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Cast Talk New Story, Darker Villains, More Action & Better Humor (screenrant.com)

Ten 2 Watch – For the week ending 21/10/13—IT’S STILL GRAVITY…

This week saw several changes to the our top 10 films of the moment. The Ten 2 Watch is a ranking of the top 10 DVD and Box Office releases and aggregates their popularity, box office/rental results and critical successes.

Ten 2 Watch                                                                                            

1. Gravity
2. Captain Phillips
3. Iron Man 3
4. Carrie
5. The Conjuring
6. Pacific Rim
7. Prisoners
8. This Is The End
9. World War Z
10. The Escape Plan

Gravity has once again topped the Ten 2 Watch on guide2film by a country mile by once again adding a box office topping weekend to its critical acclaim despite a number of new entries to the market. Alfonso Cuaron’s space thriller is already reaping in the awards at with wins at the Hollywood Awards last night. Captain Phillips retains 2nd with a consecutive runners-up box office weekend. Iron Man 3 catapults up from 7th to 3rd thanks to enormous online popularity for Robert Downey Jr’s charismatic hero after the DVD release. The remake of the horror classic Carrie places 4th on debut and could have been higher if not for a mixed critical response. Well received horror The Conjuring goes to 5th on its DVD release its critical success pushing it above another DVD debutant Pacific Rim in 6th. Prisoners went down from 5th to 7th as its time on the big screen winds down after a successful run. DVD This Is The End is up one this week as The Great Gatsby dropped out of the top ten. World War Z has fallen another three to 9th and seems to be nearing the end of its Ten 2 Watch run while The Escape Plan may have underwhelmed on its opening weekend but the Stallone/Schwarzenegger project did manage to eject the abject After Earth, rounding off the Ten 2 Watch.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 and Rush both disappeared from the list after a less successful Box Office weekend while new release The Fifth Estate failed to make any impact after bombing in the cinema.

Related articles

• Ten 2 Watch – For the week ending 13/10/13 – GRAVITY NOT COMING DOWN (guide2film.wordpress.com)
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QUICK REVIEW – The Prestige (2006)

The Prestige (2006)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Piper Perabo, Ricky Jay

The Prestige documents a brutal rivalry between two stage magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), over the length of their careers as they embark on campaigns to become the greatest acts around and destroy the career of the other.

“Now you’re looking for the secret… but you won’t find it, because of course you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn’t clap yet. Because making something disappear isn’t enough; you have to bring it back. That’s why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call “The Prestige”.” (Cutter)

THRILS: The cutthroat nature of the rivalry is brilliantly portrayed by both lead actors and the realistic approach to magical trickery in the early part of the film is down-to-earth and gritty. It’s nice to see some of the darkness Nolan injected into Batman being similarly put into this genre.

SPILLS: Unfortunately this film gets bogged down by an ending anyone with a keen eye can see coming, as well as an impossible scientific machine which ruins the realistic grounding of the rest of the film. I’m no scientist but even I can see David Bowie’s character is clutching at straws explaining his zappy thingamajig.

BEST BIT: Borden ruining Angier’s stage show midway through the film after uncovering The Prestige for Angier’s big trick, a rip off of his own,  The New Transported Man.

VERDICT: Worth the watch but try not to think too much about it. Just go with the flow.

REVIEW – Gravity

Gravity (2013)

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Paul Sharma

A masterful combination of reality and special effects has made Gravity the film of 2013 so far. Never before has space been so realistically explored on the big screen and never before has such beautiful cinematography been applied to the vastness of space. Gravity is gripping from start to finish and entirely deserving of the accolades being heaped on it, Alfonso Cuaron, and Sandra Bullock.

Gravity follows Mission Specialist Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) as they attempt to find safety after being cut loose from the Hubble Space telescope while on a spacewalk.

While the premise sounds interesting its hard to grasp the sheer magnificence of Cuaron’s work which has now set a bar for the space genre. The near perfect adherence to the laws of space and zero gravity bring a chilling realism to an already tense situation. Watching Stone helplessly attempt to stop spinning once detached from the spacecraft is gut-wrenching. The great Buzz Aldrin himself declared the film a magnificent reflection on the dangers of space.

Bullock is naturally captivating as the rookie Stone who is completely out of her depth. The vulnerability and fear her character experiences is magnified just by Bullock’s voice from behind her spacesuit. She has the perfect co-star in Clooney, the veteran astronaut with the experience and charm to balance her insecurities. With all the talk of the cinematography and special effects, this movie is hinged on the leads and I really couldn’t see anyone else pulling this off.

“Clear skies with a chance of satellite debris.” (Stone)

That’s not to see that the cinematography and special-effects are poor. They are almost certain Oscar winners, and when you consider that so far The Hobbit Trilogy has cost $500m, Cuaron’s use of a 100m budget is masterful. The sequences of destruction and chaos which take place in the dead silence of space are fantastic and there are many little scenes which vindicate spending extra on a 3D ticket while not so subtle shots which call to mind an unborn child or resurrection maintain an ethereal beauty.

Right about now I’m usually pedantically pointing out the flaws of a film but Gravity has left me stumped. It’s everything you’re promised and more. I’ve kept this review short so you can get the hell down to your local cinema and watch the movie!!!!!!!!!

Ten 2 Watch – For the week ending 13/10/13—GRAVITY NOT COMING DOWN

This week saw several changes to the our top 10 films of the moment. The Ten 2 Watch is a ranking of the top 10 DVD and Box Office releases and aggregates their popularity, box office/rental results and critical successes.

Ten 2 Watch                                                                                            

1. Gravity
2. Captain Phillips
3. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2
4. Rush
5. Prisoners
6. World War Z
7. Iron Man 3
8. The Great Gatsby
9. This Is The End
10. After Earth

Last week Gravity topped the list and Alfonso Cuaron’s space drama once again is at No.1 by a long way. A distant second but well clear of the remaining pack is Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks, which had a praiseworthy critical and commercial opening. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 climbs up 1 from 4th to 3rd on the back of more generous reviews a solid third weekend at the box office. Dropping 2 places each are Rush and Prisoners who now sit in 4th and 5th as they begin their box office wind downs are critical success. In 6th is World War Z, down 1 due to Captain Phillips, and in 7th is Iron Man 3 who benefits from continuing rental popularity to move up 1 and swap place with The Great Gatsby. After a successful DVD release last week, This Is The End suffers a slight downturn which takes it down to 9th, one ahead of After Earth which was released on DVD to some success despite critical and commercial failure in its cinematic run, giving it at least a week in the Ten 2 Watch.

Machete Kills, Now You See Me, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Don Jon, and Insidious: Chapter 2 are the films which miss out, a disappointing debut weekend for Machete Kills as it flopped horribly.

Check out the Ten 2 Watch below and watch them all (although you could be forgiven for missing After Earth) !!!!!

REVIEW – World War Z

World War Z (2013)

Director: Marc Forster

Cast: Brad Pitt, Daniella Kertesz, Matthew Fox, Mereille Enos, Peter Capaldi, James Badge Dale

I’ll begin by admitting that although it was not even close to perfect I enjoyed World War Z. It was one of those rare films which went into overkill in many of its aspects but still felt really cool. Pitt is commanding as the lead and pretty much the only character of any note. The zombies are scary, despite being less bloody than many previous big screen incarnations. The special effects are bombastic…. Its funny then that the flaws seem to be Pitt’s isolation, toned down zombies, and a special effects overload.

Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is a former UN employee called in to investigate a lethal virus turning folks into rabid zombies. He embarks on a globetrotting mission to discover a weakness in the virus before its too late for humanity.

Pitt pretty much runs a one man show with friends and family coming and going without playing any real role. The closest he gets to a companion is ‘Segen’ (Daniella Kertesz) an Israeli soldier he *saves* from infection. So Pitt gets a chance to show why he is both one of the worlds best actors and most bankworthy. Its a virtuoso display and to be honest he really makes us care for a character with very little depth. But despite Pitt’s heroics you can’t help but feel you need more than just him to care about. Sure humanity is in peril and Segen and Gerry’s family have their share of scares but Gerry is isolated and unable to develop as a character when he has no one to play off. Oftentimes Segen feels expendable, almost hastily added, not really a part of the story. When the most interesting thing about the character is their loss of a limb then perhaps their part should be expanded.

The lack of characters is mainly due to Gerry’s globetrotting. The US to Korea, Korea to Israel, Israel to Wales (??? I know…). This is central to the plot which has its moments of dysfunction (like a zombie somehow boarding a plane undetected). The climax is disappointing after the amazing visuals of Jerusalem and leaves you wondering how the infamous alternate ending went. I won’t give anything away but its an anti-climax that damn near make you cry.

The thrills of World War Z lie not in the characters and the emotionless plot but rather the visual thrills. The scene in Jerusalem is absolutely fantastic and my nomination for Scene of 2013, its horrifying yet amazing, a triumph of special effects. Sure at some stage they are over zealous in their use of CGI but name a blockbuster that’s not. The zombies are pretty generic but zombies and their portrayal have unwritten rules which the film follows to a T. The zombie genre is one not often perused at PG-13 level but films like this, I Am Legend, and Warm Bodies, have created a niche for the undead in blockbusters. They make for predictable storylines which do little to endear them to critics. But World War Z provides that bit more of a spark which makes it sequel-worthy. It’s is a fantastic spectacle and thriller, not a fantastic film…and its better off that way.

 ” If you can fight, fight. Be prepared for anything. Our war has just begun.” (Gerry Lane)

 

REVIEW – Man of Steel

Man of Steel (2013)

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Laurence Fishburne, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Ayelet Zurer

Man of Steel was released earlier this year in an explosion of special-effects laden action scenes and undeveloped characters. In saying that you’ve got to appreciate the task director Zack Snyder faced in developing this film before you can allow its flaws to go to your head. The DC Universe is by no means off to a poor start and Man of Steel will be a good launchpad for the sequels and possibly a Justice League film. Its mediocrity is disappointing but there are little veins of gold in this film which make it worth the effort.

Superman (Henry Cavill) is the last survivor of the planet Krypton sent to Earth where he has miraculous powers. When the world is threatened by a Kryptonian war criminal General Zod (Michael Shannon), Superman must find his identity to save his adopted planet and the woman he loves.

Sounds familiar right….that’s because it is. Superman’s origins are perused in both 1978’s Superman: The Movie and 2006’s Superman Returns so there is an element of familiarity which Snyder attempts to disguise by introducing the Clark Kent’s childhood through flashbacks. This serves only to make the film feel a little incomplete and disrupted but thankfully provides Superman with the character development of which every other major character seems to be starved.

Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) gets considerable screen time without any sort of introduction. Superman’s mum is nice and motherly but seems to just be someone for the villains to go after. Zod is given a sort of revolutionary/anarchist motive which fails to feel real, although credit to Michael Shannon for a good performance.

 “I was bred to be a warrior, Kal. Trained my entire life to master my senses. Where did you train? ON A FARM!?” (General Zod)

The most massive failure I believe is Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Nothing against Adams who is probably one of the best actresses around but her character and romance with Superman is pitiful. I know that Lois is an annoying reporter but the sheer good fortune she finds in discovering the Kryptonian ship and the way she magically track down Clark stretches belief. Her willingness to smooch a guy she just met and knows zilch about is a concerning failure on the part of her parents. Lois Lane is a central pillar in the Superman legendarium and deserved to be a bit more substantial.

Cavill is Superman and fits the blue spandex perfectly. He is the only character you genuinely care about despite suffering a hint of underdevelopment like every other character. He is a pop culture icon and therefore is allowed a certain immunity from criticism.

Not exempt from criticism however are the extensive action sequences and negligent property damage in downtown Metropolis. Sure, its Superman, action is part and parcel of the character but this is ridiculous. For those of you who have seen the climax which was pretty controversial I actually enjoyed it. The Superman-Jesus thin got a little tiring and biblical analogies can only go so far. The action was certainly cool but all cool things become uncool after a time and that’s the case with the inter-Kryptonian brawling.

Thumbs up to the special effects team who did more than the supporting cast. At least the damage was jarring and the fights produced the level of destruction you would expect from a super powered brawl. The scenes of Krypton with Jor-El (Russell Crowe) are awesome, a vivid imagination of Superman’s long lost homeland. When you see that scene you really get the impression the rest of the film will be something special. And for the comic book geeks there are the little Easter eggs to get them excited about Batman vs. Superman.

Mixed feelings are a part of watching Man of Steel but its worth watching just for the positive feelings and at least the failures involve bombastic special effects. Its the first rung on the DC Cinematic Universe ladder but with Batman vs. Superman due in 2015 its enough to get you excited.

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REVIEW – Now You See Me

Now You See Me (2013)

Director: Louis Leterrier

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman

You could be forgiven for viewing Now You See Me as a sideshow of ‘almost a-list actors’ hoping to make a little cash on a well perused premise. But upon viewing the film itself these sentiments are vaporised by a fun and imaginative flick which toes the line between fantasy and thriller. The cast deliver likeable performances which carry the film from start to finish, utilising a well written script with a slightly comic edge which proves a perfect fit for the stars.

FBI Agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) is given the case of a lifetime as he investigates a team of magicians called The Four Horsemen (Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher) who are inexplicably robbing banks live on stage. As the case develops, he and his Interpol partner Alma Dray (Melanie Laurent) are forced to question everything they believed impossible.

The leads are all very likeable in their individual roles. Mark Ruffalo plays the bewilderded Agent Rhodes perfectly and benefits from his charater perhaps being the only character in the film with a developed personality. The Four Horsemen are as likeable as underveloped characters can get, especially Harrelson and Eisenberg who revisit their enjoyable Zombieland chemistry. Their verbal sparring is well scripted and fresh, avoiding cliché and awkwardness and their execution of the magician scenes is spot on. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine are good in their respective roles although both do feel a little bit of a distraction from the main cast and Caine’s character is almost unnecessary

“First rule of magic: always be the smartest person in the room.”  (Daniel Atlas)

And while the camaraderie is enjoyable it creates an uneven tempo for the film which veers between tongue-in-cheek thriller and crime drama. The scale of the crimes being perpetrated by the Horsemen seems to diminished by their casual humour and apparent lack of concern. But towards the third act the film rockets into a film blown action film with explosions, combat and death which left me with the feeling we had moved from one story into another. You never really know if you are watching  a fantasy or a thriller, which is tantalising and irritating in equal measure. Its certainly not Harry Potter but some tricks really do defy belief

That’s not to rain on the imaginative premise which is quite successful in creating an enthralling storyline. You get the feeling a sequel was in mind in the creation of this film as various plot holes and unfinished storylines exist, most noticeably the unsatisfying conclusion to the ‘Eye of Horus’ subplot. And as mentioned earlier none of the characters receive any significant development a flaw which is very nearly lost in the fun.

A major plot twist shakes up the whole film, one I certainly didn’t see coming. While the shock and thrill of this development is exciting, after sitting back and thinking about it you realise the likelihood of it being *pulled off* are low.

Ah! What the heck! This is a film about magic so I guess it deserves some slack. It’s fun, its engaging, and it covers its flaws well. If you go in without overthinking it, it’s a damn good ride that draws you into a world of almost magic that hasn’t been perused for a while. One to watch.