Skyfall

007 is back, and back with a bang. After the disappointment that surrounded and engulfed Daniel Craig's second outing as Bond in Quantum of Solace, the people at Pinewood Studies had to make a film that was full of action and filled with all of the charm and quirkiness that Bond is so famous for.

So, a high target for Skyfall to hit, even more so because of the blockbuster-filled year that has bombarded 2012 with films like Avengers Assemble and Batman: The Dark Knight Rises. But, armed with the deadly Walther PPK, Skyfall hits the target straight through the centre of the bulls-eye. The film is not so amazing just because of James Bond, though. Skyfall is packed with new characters that help make the film the achievement that it is. Javier Bardem plays as Silva, a villain who is threatening to release the names of all of the under-cover MI6 Agents over the internet. Boring, you say? Boring, it is definitely not. Bardem's villain is a beautifully gruesome mixture of evil plans, eerie monologues, and a hidden deformity. The perfect mix for a Bond villain, and Javier Bardem plays the character so incredibly well that, in some scenes, he even steals the limelight from Bond himself. Judi Dench is back as M and, as usual, plays the part to a tee. Dench is superb as Bond's best girl, with a feisty attitude and quirky lines of sarcasm playing off of Craig's short and just-as-sarcastic remarks. An actress not to forget, is Eve (Naomie Harris), an MI6 agent working with Bond during the first film sequence in Turkey. Although she does not particularly stand out against the main character's, Harris holds her own and does not get lost, with smart lines and a sexy scene with the main man himself. Ralph Fiennes and Ben Whishaw also do well with the scenes that they were in, with subtle and sleek lines that comfortably edge them away from being forgotten. A character who you forget and don't particularly care much for is Severine, (played by Berenice Marlohe) a sexy, mysterious woman without much storyline or purpose.

Skyfall is delightfully balanced between gun shots, large explosions and bare-knuckle fights, with the quiet, plot-unveiling scenes that were lost in Quantum of Solace. Sam Mendes has directed the film to a five star standard, with elegantly-shot fights and steadily shot tense, nail-biting scenes. The music throughout the film is brilliantly put together, also featuring the same-old Bond tune that we all know and love. The title song by Adele is also effective as it flows through you during the surreal opening credits sequence.

Overall, Skyfall is a credit to the Bond franchise, as it is an exciting thrill-ride of action, gadgets, guns and girls. A well-written script, featuring the sharp short lines of the old Bond films, but without them being camp and over-shot. Congratulations Mr, Bond, the 50 years of the franchise have been well celebrated with this film.

Looper

Looper is an amazing, cleverly-made masterpiece that puts a twist on time travel. The film is about a Looper called Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), 'loopers' are an elite group of assassins who kill people that are sent back from the future, but when Joe's older self (Bruce Willis) gets sent back, it is up to Joe to kill his future self. The film is an exciting mixture of action, yet is balanced well when the action is put on hold. From the moment that we see Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he has been transformed to look like Bruce Willis, and transformed he has. Understandably, his voice differs from Willis', which is to be expected, so generally the team behind the transformation have done an excellent job.

The casting for this film is exceedingly brilliant. I did, at first, feel that Bruce Willis may overshadow Joseph Gordon-Levitt, yet they are both so equally superb that they have the right balance between them to almost lead the film together. Emily Blunt, despite not being in the film as much as I had initially thought, also did an excellent job as her role of Sara, a single mother who lets Joe take refuge on her farm. All together, the cast work well and the different atmospheres and moods of the film are not only transpired from the music, but also from them.

The direction in the film is spellbinding, the film is put together in such a manner that upon leaving the cinema, you really do want to see it again. The flash-forward to show the transition from Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Bruce Willis is outstanding, giving the viewers an almost Inception-esque view on time travel, with twists and turns right until the last scenes.

Overall, the film is a flurry of excitement, great graphics, a stellar cast, and with it being beautifully directed with an excellent score to boot. The story and script are both well written and well put together, making the film an outstanding watch, leaving the viewer intrigued from the very beginning, all the way through until the end.

Dredd 3D

Negotiation's Over.

Dredd 3D is a violent, gruesome and grim film about a Judge in a futuristic city. I myself was relatively intrigued about the film coming to cinemas, but after having watched it, I can see that it was much better that I had imagined, it was a diamond among the rocks of films that have been out lately. The entire film is well set out, with a gripping set of events that have you watching the screen with wide-eyes and a lust for more. Your eyes are immediately glued to the screen, right from the moment that Dredd mutters the first words of the film.

 

Generally, films that come out in 3D are nothing special. Generally there is no point in them being in 3D at all. But Dredd is something different, I am personally glad that Dredd is out in 3D because it just pulls you in even more. Throughout the cinematic experience, the parts that stand out (particularly in 3D) are when the slo-mo drug is taken. The whole screen is filled with the glistening spots of red blood, or the shimmering droplets of water. You, as the viewer, feel that you too have taken a dose of the drug and are going at a slower speed rate, falling gracefully down to the bottom of the 200-storey block.

 

The cast is a mixed bag. Karl Urban is excellent as Dredd, as viewers we want him to succeed and we want to see what his gun will do next. Olivia Thirlby is warming as psychic wanna-be-judge Anderson who has come a long way from being that annoying friend on Juno. The only other cast member who stands out (which is no problem) is Lena Headey, who plays the exceedingly un-nerving Ma-Ma, who is a well known ring-leader of a clan. Neither Thirlby nor Headey come close to stealing the show from Urban, yet they are not people who you would believe the film would be better without.

 

Despite the film focusing on both Dredd and Anderson, we see Anderson develop through the film, she starts off as a failing rookie who won't be good enough and ends up as a kick-ass judge who gets things done. Dredd and Anderson thrive off of each other, Dredd showing how to get things done, but Anderson reminding him that there is a little bit more than just kicking ass. It sounds soppy, but really, it's not. This is the first film I have seen in a long time where there isn't some soppy love story involved with the main character and some secondary wanna-be, which, overall, enhances the fact that Dredd is a loner. He does what he does because he does it for the law. For the city.

 

Overall, Dredd 3D is a thrill-ride of blood, violence, kick-ass weaponry, and a great cast. It hits the spot for viewers who are waiting for a comic-book film that emanates edgy violence, with some quirky one-liners and a story that is well-written but not overpowering. I highly recommend seeing it, as it is an experience that won't be forgotten. For all of the good reasons.