2007-01-21

Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

Friday night, the screen packed to capacity with fans eager to see the final comeback of the greatest underdog in cinema history. Rocky Balboa, the inconceivable sixth outing for the boxing movie series, marks the final chapter in a story that began thirty years ago. And boy, is it a knockout piece of entertainment!

Stallone has written and directed an excellent send off for the lovable underdog. Strongly influenced by the first (and best) Rocky film, the structure and pace make for a very character driven movie. Long since retired, we find the former champ at a vulnerable time in his life. Struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife Adrian, trying to bridge the gap between himself and his estranged son, and not quite being able to let go of past glory. All this makes for a slow, thoughtful build up to the inevitable showdown; a process made all the better for Stallone's superb performance.

This wouldn't be a Rocky movie though, unless some quirk of fortune gave the guy one last shot at the big time. The premise is absurd: a computer fight simulation on a sports TV show pitches Rocky -The Italian Stallion- against current world champ (and generally cocky, arrogant little shit) Mason "The Line" Dixon. Rocky wins. So the fans and everybody else is wondering, what would happen for real? Thankfully the clunky plot device doesn't get in the way of enjoying the story.

Instead it opens the floodgates for a barrage of inspirational Balboa monologues. Keep pushing, strive to make the most of yourself, and when life hits you hard you get back up... and keep moving forward. That last one is a big theme throughout the movie. Whilst this could all come across as cheesy and a little hackneyed, from the mouth of Rocky it sounds genuine and sincere; the hard won philosophy of a simple guy.

It's a long time before the inevitable training montage kicks in, and not all the threads in the meantime work. Rocky's relationship with "Little Marie" and her son is engaging, but some of the scenes feel underdeveloped. Mason Dixon rarely feels more than two dimensional, but does have one good scene with his previous trainer. Conversely, watching Rocky struggle with the loss of his wife makes for some of the most touching, sad, yet beautiful moments in the whole movie.

An unexpectedly emotional journey, but don't worry as it ends with one hell of a fight! Capturing all the bombastic, overblown extravagance of modern boxing, it is a gruelling and often brutal showdown. Mixing what looks like high def digital camera with flashes of black and white, it's a visceral and visually satisfying finish.

As an end to the series you could wish for nothing finer. Cliched, cheesy, emotional, inspirational, and even uplifting. If you don't feel an overwhelming urge to rise from your cinema seat to chant "Rocky!" by time the credits roll, there's something wrong on the inside.


2007-01-15

The Last King of Scotland

Told through the eyes of his personal doctor, The Last King of Scotland is an unusual yet chilling portrait of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). What starts out as light hearted adventure, gradually plunges you into the dark heart of a complex man.

Newly graduated Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) leaves his parent's home for a remote mission in Uganda. Determined to make a difference over there, it is not long before his youthful spirit for adventure sees his path cross with that of the newly elected leader. After being invited to the capital, he is made an offer that will irrevocably alter his time in Uganda. Taking the role of personal physician, Garrigan becomes the vantage point from which we observe Amin -man of the people- change into a cruel, ruthless, and paranoid killer.

Whitaker's performance as Idi Amin is astonishing, and it's his scenes that make the movie so memorable. The hulking bear-like presence is genuinely intimidating, often terrifying. Whitaker portrays each facet of the man in such startlingly believable fashion, you dread the moment he appears. Which element will be on show: charming buffoon, idealistic man of the people, murderous dictator? Idi is all these things, yet despite the fear his appearance invokes there is a strong magnetism to the man drawing you in. It is genuinely chilling to watch someone so unpredictably brutal, yet also humorous and charming.

Sadly the same praise can not be passed on to other aspects of the film. The towering performance of Whitaker makes the average quality of the screenplay all the more obvious. As a device to portray Idi the story is at best functional. Supporting characters are not as fleshed out as they should be. An important sub plot involving the British foreign office is also minimally developed; all the more puzzling given it's relevance in the final reel.

It doesn't take much to read Garrigan as symbolic of Western foray in to African political affairs. A man seeing only what he wants to see, carrying himself with a mix of arrogance and ignorance. But watching the Doctor drink whiskey, sleep with married women, and blunder through horrific turmoil with complete naivety is often trying. Ultimately eliciting little sympathy, I found myself greeting his fate with indifference.

The Last King of Scotland is a good movie by virtue of one performance. As political comment it moves too swiftly over many details, but as an indirect portrait of Idi Amin it is compelling viewing.

2007-01-07

2006 (pt1)

As the brash and unruly cinematic beast that is 2007 plays out it's opening act, it would seem prudent to take a moment and reflect on it's strange predecessor. Scarred by a soulless Summer season and some high profile disappointments, was 2006 a good year for movies?

A small disclaimer: Despite best efforts I still managed to populate a list headed "stuff I missed but wished I hadn't". Prime amongst them indie darling Little Miss Sunshine, garnering high praise from pretty much everyone. Stranger Than Fiction, Will Farrell does his Truman Show and proves he's a good actor as well as a leading comic. Also the Al Gore fronted documentary An Inconvenient Truth, Luc Besson's Angel-A, and Marie Antoinette (come on, it has New Order on the soundtrack!). Still, I guess that's what DVD rental is for.

Twelve months on and it's easy to forget how strongly 2006 opened. Politically minded movie making was back on the bill, challenging audiences on a number of issues. Lord of War took on the small arms trade, highlighting the hypocrisy of Western government policy. (It also features a brilliant performance from Nicolas Cage, a morally empty yet strangely compelling arms dealing protagonist.) Next was a black and white slice of near perfection Good Night, And Good Luck. Directed by George Clooney, this look back at one of the high profile media clashes of the McCarthy era was eerily identifiable with our own troubled climate. Clooney cropped up again not long after in Syriana, a complex weaving of storylines revolving around the oil industry and it's inexorable link to the troubled Middle East. As if that wasn't enough, Steven Speilberg (of all people) then gave a thoroughly gripping account of Mossad retaliation for the Black September incident in Munich. Phew, it was shaping up to be a memorable year.

But it all went strangely wrong. In the run up to the Summer blockbuster season, several smaller projects disappointed. V for Vendetta was a pale shadow of it's source material, and proved once and for all the Wachowski brothers screw up every film they touch by tacking on a "redemptive power of love" ending. Underworld Evolution had it's moments of mindless fun, but ultimately proved underwhelming. Things then proceeded to get even worse with the frankly appalling Silent Hill; disturbingly atmospheric visuals, but little in the way of narrative or acting ability.

The big guns were on the horizon though, and Tom Crusie vehicle Mission Impossible 3 was first on the scene. Despite the lukewarm reaction, this turned out to be a first rate popcorn action flick. Skillfully tackled by J. J. Abrams, it would be the only major flick that delivered during those long sun drenched months. Slick, entertaining, and oh so enjoyable to watch. Which is more than can be said for the superhero outings that followed it. X-Men 3: The Last Stand was a disappointing end to the series. A convoluted mash of poorly realised ideas, and far too many characters for anyone but the fanboys to care. If only Brian Singer had stayed on as director, it may have been so much more; or would it? Jumping ship as he did to helm Superman Returns, which sadly proved a little underwhelming. Plenty of introspective character brooding and questioning the need for a hero, let down by being overly long and the fact Superman is just a little too invincible.

So leave it to Johnny Depp and his piratey chums to prevent the cinema audiences from leaving for good. With the second longest title of the year, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was good old fashioned swashbuckling family entertainment. It was a good forty minutes too long, but after the dire outings that preceded it I wasn't going to complain too loudly.

A tumultuous ride thus far, where we on the verge of an up turn in cinematic fortunes?