Hey everyone, been a while. Thank you all for faithfully watching my work, and for all the comments, faves and pageviews - right now, I'm at the magic number of 11,111! I'm serious! I think that's really cool, and can't be more grateful.

I'm in a pretty good place now, writing professionally for a movie magazine - even though I'm not getting paid (I'm a "contributor") but, for an 18 year old fresh out of school, I couldn't ask for more.

I'm now uploading better-quality scans of my older work, as most of those are digital camera photographs. So do go and poke around the older coloured pencil pieces from 2008-9, and hopefully soon all of them will be uniform quality scans.

Thanks always,

Jedd

I realise it has been a long time since I wrote a journal entry. As the year draws to a close, I'd like to wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a happy new year.

I've been working on my blog as of late, which contains film reviews and other movie-related musings. Do have a look if you will!

[link]

Thanks everyone!

Movie Review

INCEPTION
2010

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Released by: Warner Bros Pictures

As many reviewers have noted, this summer movie season...well, it's almost not deserving of being called a summer movie season at all. Sequels. Remakes. Reboots. Rehashes. Re-what-have-yous. Granted, they were not all bad, but neither were they all good. Along comes Christopher Nolan, saviour of the movie universe, with Inception.

The psychological action-thriller centres on Dom Cobb (DiCaprio), a skilled "extractor". Cobb is a master of a specific kind of corporate espionage: he enters peoples' minds while they are asleep to retrieve secrets from their dreams.  

Cobb and his partner Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) are approached by the wealthy Saito (Ken Watanabe) to perform "inception": planting an idea instead of stealing one. Their target is Robert Fischer Jr (Cillian Murphy), the son of a terminally-ill tycoon. Saito wants Fischer to disband his father's empire.

However, Dom is a deeply troubled individual, and with valid reason: he is wanted for the supposed murder of his wife Mallorie (Cotillard), and visions of his wife manifest themselves in the dreams Dom enters. Being a fugitive, Dom is unable to return to their children.

Dom assembles a team to help perform the inception, consisting of Arthur, college graduate and "dream architect" Ariadne (Ellen Page), "forger" Eames (Tom Hardy) who impersonates others within a dream, Yusuf (Dileep Rao) the "chemist" who formulates the drugs needed to enter the dream state and Saito himself, as a "tourist" in the dream world.

And then things get (even more) complex.

In many ways, Inception, despite its mind-bending premise, is classic Christopher Nolan. Memento, Insomnia and the Prestige all display similar traits in that they enjoy playing with the audiences' minds. However, Nolan is a director who learns, and after gaining the experience of the big-budget Batman films, is able to translate his ideas into mind-blowing spectacle.

Inception exemplifies the thinking man's blockbuster, and it is very rare that filmmakers of tentpole summer fare treat their audiences like geniuses. After scores of films that are so painfully dumbed-down, it doesn't hurt to watch a brain cell-jolting flick like this one once in a while.

Inception operates on its visuals: the notion that anything is possible within the world of the dream allowed production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas to go wild. The film includes such scenes as an entire city folding in on itself, a freight train running through a city, an assault on a fortress that wouldn't be out of place in a Bond movie and a desolate, abandoned dream city filled with crumbling buildings. One of the many great sequences in the film is a zero-gravity fight scene performed by Gordon-Levitt along the corridors of a hotel. Even for audiences jaded by the proliferation of "wire-fu" since the Matrix films, it's exciting.

Inception's greatest asset however is arguably its emotional core that functions like a rope guiding the viewer through the labyrinth of story. Leonardo DiCaprio has carved a career out of playing emotionally-complex characters, Cobb indeed brings to mind DiCaprio's recent performance in Shutter Island. Cotillard is also commendable in that it's never easy to play a character who exists only as a figment of another character's imagination, and Cotillard does this hauntingly well.

The rest of the cast, too, is an iron-clad ensemble. There is literally not one weak link, everybody is perfectly cast. Gordon-Levitt especially seems to be emerging as a bona fide movie star, after making a name for himself in smaller character films. Watanabe manages to be dignified yet possess a misleading sinister streak as the employer and money man.

Tom Hardy is a hoot as the comic relief who is actually really useful. My favourite however (it could be just that I'm a 17-year-old male) is the lovely Ellen Page, who has no problems portraying the youngest yet deepest character in the film. My only complaint with regards to the cast is that Michael Caine, as Cobb's mentor and father-in-law, is woefully underused.

If you're tired of being insulted by blockbusters that throw money at the screen and hope it sticks, then treat yourself to one of the best cinematic uses of money ever. There's no shortage of spectacle or intelligence in what I can safely say the best movie of the year. And it's only July! Or is it...

RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

Jedd Jong Yue

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME
2010

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley
Directed by: Mike Newell
Released by: Walt Disney Pictures

In 1989, Jordan Mechner created the first Prince of Persia videogame on an Apple II. Since then, the videogame franchise has come a long way and is one of the more successful and recognisable titles in the industry. Jerry Bruckheimer Films acquired the film rights to the 2003 videogame Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and now it's a Disney blockbuster.

Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal), an orphan from the streets of Sixth Century Persia, is taken in by King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup) and his brother Nizam (Kingsley). Dastan takes his place as the adopted brother of the two sons of Sharaman, growing up as a Prince. Now adults, the three princes lead an assault on the Holy City of Alamut, suspected to be the site of several forges where weapons for enemies of Persia are manufactured.

In Alamut, they encounter Princess Tamina (Arterton), the guardian of the Dagger of Time. The wielder of the Dagger can turn back time and only he is aware of what happened. Dastan is framed for murder at the victory celebration, and escapes with Tamina. Neither likes the other a whole lot, but have to cooperate so that Dastan can prove his innocence and Tamina can safeguard the dagger.

Along the way, they meet Sheik Amar (Alfred Molina), an "entrepreneur" who runs an ostrich-racing syndicate. Amar assists Dastan and Tamina in travelling to a sanctuary where the dagger can be safe. They are ambushed by Hassansins, treacherous hired killers skilled in a variety of deadly arts.

It is revealed that Nizam is behind the scheme and plans to use the dagger to turn back time such that he and not his brother Sharaman would be the true king. Dastan and Tamina thus have to prevent the dagger from falling into the hands of the evil Nizam.


Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time sets out to be an epic, sweeping adventure. There is some spectacle, several good action sequences and well-choreographed fight scenes. Despite this, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time feels more like an average Hollywood actioner dressed as a sword-and-sandals tale.

It is more than obvious that the film's main purpose is to try to replicate the success achieved by Disney and Bruckheimer's previous venture, the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. As such, comparisons are inevitable. Unfortunately, Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time does not feel as refreshing and swashbuckling as the Pirates of the Caribbean films, especially the first movie. It had a bigger scope, took greater risks filmmaking-wise and really broke more ground.  Elements of other Disney films are readily recognisable: the street urchin-turned prince from Aladdin and the evil uncle from The Lion King, among others.

The film boasts a cast that can be best described as "interesting". Indie darling Jake Gyllenhaal may seem the furthest thing from a marketable action star, but he is very charming and likeable as Dastan. Gyllenhaal's dedication is also evident in the amount of muscle mass he gainted to play the Prince, providing plenty of eye candy in what is not a typical ladies' film. Gyllenhaal performed many of his own stunts, including swordfighting and parkour-style jumping across rooftops. Who knows, this may be the start of the Brokeback Mountain guy's mainstream movie action star career.

It is a bit of a pity then that his leading lady doesn't exude the same kind of appeal. The casting of Gemma Arterton seems to be inspired by choosing fellow English Rose Keira Knightley as the leading lady of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Arterton is stiff and shares little chemistry with Gyllenhaal, and looks nothing like the perceived image of a Far Eastern princess. There is a scene where Tamina removes her veil and the whole room gasps at her beauty-while Arterton is somewhat attractive, that's incredulous at best. I would have rather a Bollywood beauty be cast as Tamina, someone like Malika Sherawat, Frieda Pinto or Katrina Kaif.

Ben Kingsley is excellent as a moustache-twirling evil uncle, and it is no surprise at all when he is revealed to be the villainous mastermind-that eye shadow should be indication enough. Being half-Indian, he definitely pulls off the Middle-Eastern look better than many of his costars.

It is Alfred Molina who steals the show as the comic relief. His character Sheik Amar is greedy, shifty and untrustworthy, but somehow Molina makes him utterly likeable, relishing the chance to ham it up just a little.

Filmed partially on location in Morocco, the film possesses a hint of the exotic. However, the film feels culturally and historically ambiguous, especially since everyone speaks with a crisp British accent. Also, the audience can easily tell when the action moves to the soundstage, and, unlike Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,  it's not going to win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects-or anything else, for that matter.

That being said, the film is undeniably good fun, and is really something the whole family can enjoy (a good measure of violence keeps it from being too juvenile). Just keep one eye closed to the faults and go along for a theme park-style ride.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

Movie Review 22/5/10
THE LOSERS
2010

Starring: Jeffery Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Jason Patric
Directed by: Sylvain White
Released by: Warner Bros Pictures

In 1970, writer Robert Kanigher created The Losers, a World War II comic book story about the titular team of soldiers. More than thirty years later, Andy Diggle took the idea and loosely adapted it into a comic book series about a former special forces team abandoned and betrayed who reunite, published under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. Sylvain White brings that version of The Losers to the silver screen with this comic book come to life.

A search and destroy mission in Bolivia goes horribly awry and The Losers, comprised of Clay (Morgan), Roque (Idris Elba), Pooch (Columbus Short), Cougar (Oscar Janaeda) and Jensen (Chris Evans) are left stranded in the country with no money and passports to return home.

A mysterious woman named Aisha (Saldana) grants the Losers safe passage back to the United States, asking that in return they kill Max (Patric), an enigmatic and all-powerful criminal mastermind who tried to kill the Losers in Bolivia. Max plans to purchase a powerful new bomb and start a war to "restore balance" to the world.

Clay falls for Aisha, amidst the Losers' scepticism about where her loyalties lie. They quickly learn that Max is a force to be reckoned with, and it will take every last bit of the team's myriad skills to even come close to stopping him.

A cross between The A-Team and GI Joe for adults, The Losers is loud, brash, silly fun, but not entirely pointless too. It stays close to its comic book roots and seems to have leapt off the page. The film does not aim to be realistic in any fashion and is helped by a large dose of the ridiculous, which includes pop culture references from Slumdog Millionaire to a Journey song. Surprisingly however, this is not to its detriment, and helps it become the escapist fantasy we go to the movies for.

Flashy action sequences aside, the cast is what carries the film. It is, after all, about The Losers. Jeffery Dean Morgan is the comeback kid of the season, following his turn as The Comedian in another comic book adaptation, The Watchmen. Morgan is grizzled and tough, believable as the leader of the gang of soldiers.

What is key is that beyond their functions as experts in areas such as weapons, demolition, precision sniping, hacking computers and commandeering of vehicles, each of the Losers are somewhat likeable as people. Chris Evans, who will soon portray Captain America in the Marvel Comics film, effectively steals the show as the motormouth Jensen, displaying expert comic timing and formidable biceps.

Zoe Saldana milks her sex appeal for all it's worth, and plays a tough action chick yet again, after turns in Star Trek and Avatar as the token butt-kicking female. Her dynamic with the Losers is interesting to watch and, handy with a bazooka, she serves as more than mere eye candy. Alas, as hard as he tries, Jason Patric is neither menacing nor mysterious enough as Max, despite the demented displays of random unwarranted killing.

Director Sylvain White does not have many films under his belt, most famous for dance film Stomp the Yard and several music videos. White brings his MTV sensitivity to the fore with dynamic camerawork that adds to the comic book feel and proves he is sufficiently adept at directing action and staging explosions.

By the time an entire island is consumed into a vortex and disappears into the sea, audiences should know not to take the film too seriously, kick back and enjoy the ride. This is nothing spectacular or groundbreaking at all, but it will pass the time amazingly well. Ultimately, it's a guy's movie, so relax, break out the beer and the popcorn, and watch The Losers work their magic.

RATING: 3.5/5 STARS

Jedd Jong Yue

Movie Review 4/5/10
IRON MAN 2
2010

Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Released by: Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures

The year was 2008. The Incredible Hulk and Batman were busy brooding and fighting inner self-conflict. The other superhero on the block that year was of course Iron Man. While he had his problems too, the movie's biggest achievement was making being a superhero fun again. In the sequel, the fun continues.

However, a bit of a dampener has been put on all this fun. Tony Stark (Downey Jr) is dying. The arc reactor in his chest that is keeping him alive is also slowly poisoning his blood, and he has not found a suitable substitute to power himself. At the same time, the US Government is demanding that he turn over the Iron Man suit, and he is reviving the Stark Expo that his father once held. All this plus keeping up the playboy/superhero image. How much can one man handle?

And then of course there are the villains. Ivan Vanko (Rourke), the son of Howard Stark's Russian partner Anton, is bent on exacting revenge on Tony Stark after Anton was exposed as a spy and deported many years ago. Tony Stark's competitor Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) facilitates Ivan's research, as Ivan helps Hammer construct an army of drones.

Still, Iron Man has allies he can rely on. Virginia "Pepper" Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is his returning long-suffering Girl Friday. Samuel L. Jackson is spymaster Nick Fury and Scarlett Johannson is the agent Natasha Romanoff working under him, masquerading as "Natalie Rushman" from the legal department. Meanwhile, his friend Col James Rhodes is torn between his duty to the US Government and his loyalty to Stark, eventually donning a version of the armour to become Iron Man's partner War Machine in a faceoff against Hammer's drones and Ivan Vanko himself.

The movie's biggest strength is its cast, who manage to hold their own against the visual effects, action set pieces and other bells and whistles. Robert Downey Jr re-inhabits the role it seems he was born to play with efficient ease. He fleshes out the eccentricities of Stark, from driving in the Monaco Grand Prix to peeing in his Iron Man suit, all the while conveying the pathos of a man faced with his mortality.

With a lead as charismatic as Robert Downey Jr, it is important that the supporting cast is not eclipsed by him; and here they hold their own against Downey Jr as well. Gwyneth Paltrow is back from the first film, constantly frustrated at the antics of her employer. It takes awhile for one's eyes to adjust to the sight of Don Cheadle as Rhodey after being used to Terrence Howard in the role. The actor apparently left over monetary disputes, and while Cheadle may be a more established actor, perhaps he isn't as suited to the character as Howard was. Still, he's okay.

Samuel L. Jackson previously appeared in the post-credits stinger for the first film, and is basically playing himself, the coolest badass in the world, plus an eyepatch. Scarlett Johannson is as easy on the eye as always, be it in a cocktail dress or skin-tight catsuit. She also handles her action sequences very well, taking out a corridor of guards with an array of gadgets and judo throws. Director Favreau reprises his role as driver Happy Hogan with much aplomb, he even gets to throw a few punches.

In the villains camp, Rourke is excellent, a worthy successor to Jeff Bridges' Obadiah Stane. He is convincing as a hard-as-nails Russian prisoner, covered in tattoos and complete with matted hair and a toothpick between his teeth. Sam Rockwell oozes misplaced charm as a sort of evil Austin Powers (it is impossible not to draw the connection with those glasses) and a "corporate creep" whom the US Government clearly has no business trusting.

That said, the bells and whistles aren't too shabby either. Jon Favreau, previously famous for acting in movies like Swingers and directing family fare, proved he could competently direct high-octane action with the first Iron Man, and continues to prove it in this movie. The action set pieces are sheer eye candy, from the first action sequence at a Formula 1 racetrack in Monaco to the sprawling Stark Expo, which echoes its real life counterpart the World Expo being held in Shanghai this year.

Screenwriter Justin Theroux, more famous as an actor, turns out a witticism-a-minute script that while buoyant and pacey, is still more than a little bogged-down by the heavy theme of impending death. Continued from the first film is a sense that the movie takes place in the real world-only a real world three times more awesome than this one. Appearances by newspeople such as Christine Amanpour and Bill O'Reilly lend some sort of credence to the fantastical proceedings. Look out also for comics creator Stan Lee's cameo as Larry King. And stay past the credits for a scene that sets up a future Marvel Comics film.

In the end, Iron Man 2 offers almost as fun a thrill ride as its predecessor, and fares well when compared with the first film too. Downey Jr carries the film on his shoulders, assisted by a competent supporting cast and mind-blowing visual effects. This sort of escapist entertainment (barring Stark's blood-poisoning condition) is why we go to the movies, and hopefully Marvel keeps this up in their slate of upcoming films.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

Jedd Jong Yue

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
2010

Starring the voices of: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera
Directed by: Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
Released by: Dreamworks Animation

Dragons. They're the mythical creatures prevalent in one form or another in almost every culture. Dragons have also been a cinematic mainstay, starring in films such as Dragonheart, Dragonslayer, Reign of Fire and animated films such as Shrek and the classic Pete's Dragon.

Now, Dreamworks, also responsible for the Shrek franchise, have breathed life, just as dragons breathe fire, into a popular childrens' book. It is during the time of the Vikings, and they have made a living out of killing dragons that terrorise their village. The story focuses on Hiccup (Baruchel), a teenage misfit who prefers to use brains over brawn and doesn't seem to be going down the traditional dragon-slayer route, much to the chagrin of his father, the chief Stoick the Vast (Butler).

Using an invention of his, Hiccup manages to down a Night Fury, a very rare breed of dragon. However, he cannot bring himself to kill it, and subsequently befriends and tames the dragon, which he names "Toothless" for its retractable teeth. Through his interactions with Toothless, Hiccup becomes a kind of "dragon whisperer", bewildering his classmates in dragon training, and inciting the jealousy of Astrid (Ferrera), an "action girl" Viking whom Hiccup nurses an unrequited crush on.

It is not long before Hiccup's double life is unveiled, and he has to convince the Vikings, most of all his father, that the dragons are not the vicious beasts that they are made out to be.

First of all, How to Train Your Dragon looks stunning. Beautiful animation brings a stylised Viking village to life, and every detail, from Stoick's impressive beard to the scales on the dragons, is vividly realised. Toothless is given very expressive, liquid eyes that dilate and contract, and convey so much emotion. The film is also very kinetic and boasts beautiful camerawork that makes it feel more like a live-action film, and the action scenes are great as well.

The 3D technology is used to its full potential here, giving depth to the already-lovely landscapes and fleshing out the characters. It also pulls the audience into the action scenes, especially sequences of the dragons in flight. Most of all, it makes the characters, be it human or dragon, that much more real and relatable, which is the greatest way that 3D technology can be used.

But visual spectacle is nothing if there's no story to back it up. Thankfully, there's a good one here, a simple but effectively-told tale about the bond between man and animal. It's also a coming-of-age story that every teenager who has felt awkward or outcast (make that all of us) can relate to. Hiccup's relationship with Toothless almost recalls classic boy-and-animal films such as the Lassie movies, Black Beauty and the Flipper and Free Willy films. It goes without saying that Toothless is a most adorable creature, comparable almost to Pixar's loveable robot WALL-E, and probably the cutest dragon one ever will see.

The voice acting, while perhaps not a highlight of the film, is undeniably good. Dreamworks is notorious for capitalizing on star power, with actors such as Eddie Murphy, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Will Smith having provided the voices for their past films. Here, Gerard "King Leonidas" Butler is perfectly cast, his gruff Scottish accent giving a sternness to the tough Viking chief. Butler is also able to express the frustration many parents feel at their children who seem to march to a different beat than they did. Jay Baruchel inflects his delivery with wit and a certain dorky charm, which suits hiccup to a T. Ugly Betty star America Ferrera is also good at the "tough gal" shtick, and actually sounds believable as a teenager.

John Powell, who has previously scored the Jason Bourne movies, X-Men and Mr. & Mrs Smith, among others, provides an excellent soundtrack for this animated adventure. The music during the action scenes is rousing and kinetic and conveys a Viking toughness, but there are also romantic and subtle moments in the score, particularly during Astrid and Hiccup's shared flight.

In the end, How to Train Your Dragon is a bit of surprise, considering this is the studio that always plays second fiddle to Pixar animation, and has produced roundly mediocre films such as Shark Tale and Madagascar, that rode primarily on pop-culture in jokes and not much else (surprisingly, and to its benefit, How to Train Your Dragon has nary a pop-culture reference). Sure, this is probably no Ratatouille or Finding Nemo, but it is Dreamworks' best effort yet, and comes darned close.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

Hello all, I welcome to celebrate with me: 7000 pageviews! Wahoo! Many thanks to all who've supported me and my art, I really appreciate it and could only have come this far with the support of this community of like-minded artists. Also, my most recent pieces have started sporting my stamp, which shall be my new trademark. My Mum got it made for me in China; it's my name in Chinese. I think it adds a certain touch to each piece and honours my Chinese heritage too.

I'm grateful for all the comments about my artwork I've received here on DevArt, some constructive criticism, others generally kind words. However, today I received this from a Mr "John Smith"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, no offense, but you should really give up on drawing. It's not your gift so you might as well just give up. I've looked at all of your deviations and each one of them has got increasingly worse. My 8 year old sister draws better than you and even then that's not saying much. It maybe fun for you to draw, but expressing yourself with this horrible artwork for deviantart members to see brings down the community to a low level. If you could even draw a simple stick figure I don't even think the proportions would be correct. Just trying to tell you because your artwork isn't that good and that people may ignore you because most of your art isn't a strong point for you. You should try expressing yourself in another way perhaps in literature, photography, or perhaps even other traditional art besides drawing.

I'm just telling you this so that you won't be embarrassed by other people that would make fun of your work.

John Smith"

Wow, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed detraction John. I appreciate it. However, I don't appreciate others telling me to drop my passion altogether. Sure my artwork is not that good, sure I'm not born gifted in art, but I do it for fun and it's something I enjoy. Now, this John Smith is a mysterious character. He's "joined DevArt today", has no comments or artwork either than the one he left on my page, and has written nothing about himself on his profile either. So, what's your take on John Smith's criticism? I for one will continue drawing, thank you very much Mr Smith.

Hello all! I've just joined three groups, a Batman one, a Star Wars one and one for musicals. I've found that submitting one's artwork to groups really gets the faves, pageviews and comments rolling. It is very encouraging and a great boost for anyone on DA. You also get to join a community of like-minded artists. I highly recommend choosing a group or two and joining it.

Movie Review         9/1/10
SHERLOCK HOLMES
2009

Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Mark Strong
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Released by: Waner Brothers Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures

Gone are the deerstalker hat, the cape and the bumbling Watson. This new version of Sir Athur Conan Doyle's literary classic sleuth is more action hero than passive thinker. Robert Downey Jr takes on Holmes, with Jude Law, acknowledged as something of a sex symbol, a less unwiedly Dr Watson. Ex-husband of Madonna Guy Ritchie, famous for his British gangster flicks at the helm. Does this combination breathe new life into the 223-year old character?

The story, while utilizing several characters created by Conan Doyle, is not based directly on any of the original Holmes tales. In the film's beginning, Holmes and Watson apprehend the villainous Lord Blackwood (Strong) who has been committing murders in the name of the occult.
Blackwood is sentenced to death, however he mysteriously rises from the grave to terrorise London and establish his own new world order. Holmes and Watson work in tandem with Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan). Holmes' old flame, the beautiful cat burglar Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), enters the fray and together with Holmes and Watson has to foil Lord Blackwood's devious plans.

There are many who will complain that this iteration is a bastardisation of the Sherlock Holmes they know and love, what with his martial arts prowess and behavioural eccentricities (Holmes plays the violin to flies and experiments anaesthetics on Watson's bulldog). However, it is hard to disagree that introducing the classic character to a new generation is a good thing, no matter how different from the traditional idea of Holmes he may be. And Holmes still possesses the sharp deductive and observation powers he has always had, putting them to good use on multiple occasions in the film.

Despite its darker moments in which the movie addresses occult themes, the film has a buoyant mood throughout, making it thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. It is a popcorn-level intelligent film, not completely dumbed-down but nothing mind-bending either. It is more an action film than much else, and the action is delivered well in several exciting setpieces. The film is also very well paced with nary a dull moment and few superfluous subplots.

Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law are excellent as the pair of Holmes and Watson. Both play off each other with much aplomb and share palpable chemistry and "bromance", coming off more like a married couple at times than a team of detectives. Downey Jr clearly has fun with the character, just as he did in 2008's Iron Man as the titular character. Jude Law's Watson is more competent foil than idiot sidekick, which is welcome change after centuries of Watson being typecast as Holmes' inferior.

Mark Strong, who has appeared in Ritchie's previous films Revolver and Rock'n'Rolla makes a sufficiently dastardly villain who proves more than Holmes' match, even though he is an original character and has never appeared in any of the books. It is hinted that Holmes' literary archnemesis Professor Moriarty will be the primary villain of the sequel, but for the time being audiences won't mind making do with Strong's Lord Blackwood.

Rachel McAdams is a serviceable femme fatale, but doesn't come off as someone whom Homes can truly fall for or be outwitted by. Perhaps a more experienced actress could have done a better job, but McAdams' portrayal by no means renders the film weak. Also representing the female camp is Kelly Reilly as Watson's fiancée Mary Morstan, whose intent on settling down with Watson comes into conflict with Watson and Holmes' "Victorian Buddy Cop" routine.

The film has a wonderful period flavour, with recreations of the iconic Baker Street where the duo are based and London landmarks serving as the setting. The film is punctuated with Ritchie's signature stylistic flourishes, including kinetic slow-motion action sequences. An interesting touch is how Holmes goes through every move in his head before jumping into a fight, a thought process visually represented to the audience.

However, some of the computer-generated effects come off as slightly dodgy, especially during the climax which takes place at a London landmark that in the story is still under-construction. This is no real handicap though and can be accepted as part of the style of the film.

Sherlock Holmes may not be original or groundbreaking, but it sure is jolly good fun that will have audiences looking forward to the next mystery the team of Downey Jr's Holmes and Jude Law's Watson will solve.

RATING: 3.5/5 STARS

Jedd Jong

Come this Saturday, I'll be moving. I've stayed at my current house for almost ten years (moved in June 2000) and it's time to move on. I'll miss lots of things about the current place, including the gym, the minimart and the pool (it's a condominium-and old one, but still). Most of all though, I'll miss one of best friends and downstairs neighbour Al. I got to know him when water from our bathroom floor started seeping into his roof a few months after we moved in, and have become good friends ever since. Hopefully Al will drop by the new place often. There are still lots of things to be packed and there will lots of unpacking ahead as we move in, but hope to be able to draw again as soon as we're settled. Another friend here on DevArt is Sarah, known here as Forty-Fathoms. Sarah, if you're reading this I miss talking to you (ever since your Y! Messenger was down) and hope everything is well. On a side note, I am currently 8 pageviews away from 6000, which is another milestone! Thanks to everyone for all your support, encouragement, advice and most of all freindship. Okay everyone, enjoy the holiday season and a blessed Christmas to all!

2012
(2009)

Starring: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures

It's the end of the world! And who better to be at the helm than Roland Emmerich, famous for his large-scale-destruction streak? After all, this is the man who brought us Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998) and the Day After Tomorrow (2004). Emmerich's student film Das Arche Noah Prinzip (The Noah's Ark Principle) about a weather-controlling satellite that creates mass floodings, was one of the most expensive student films in German history, and Emmerich himself acknowledges that 2012 owes a lot to this early work.

In 2009, the sun emits the largest solar flare in recorded history, and American scientist Adrian Helmsley (Ejiofor) discovers that the earth's core temperature is rapidly increasing and that a global disaster is impending. He alerts the Chief of Staff Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt) who appoints him as an advisor as the world's governments make secret plans for how to deal with the impending doom.

Fast-forward to 2012-Jackson Curtis (Cusack) is a divorced writer and limousine driver who takes his kids on a camping trip to Yellowstone. However, he discovers the park swarming with military personnel, and sees that a lake that he and ex-wife Kate (Peet) used to visit is completely dried up. Curtis meets end-of-the-world conspiracy theorist Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson). Enormous surface cracks and disruptive earthquakes, coupled with the government's assurance that all is under control, further convince Curtis that something is not right.

From here on out, the hell that we came to the theatre to see breaks loose, as Curtis struggles to save his family from a myriad of destructive phenomena. Los Angeles sinks into the Pacific Ocean, Las Vegas collapses, St. Peter's Basillica falls on praying masses, Yellowstone itself turns into a supervolcano, the earth's poles shift such that the south pole is now Wisconsin and a tsunami sweeps an aircraft carrier into the White House, crushing it. I must admit, that last one is one of the most creative ways the presidential residence has been destroyed onscreen.

The ensemble cast put in gnerally strong performances and you could mistakenly think you were watching some kind of tour de force drama from the cast list. Cusack is not the first name that immediately comes to mind when one thinks "apocalyptic blockbuster", but for that exact reason he works well as the harried everyman faced with–literally-the end of the world. He and Amanda Peet make a decent divorced couple, and the two are assisted by competent child actors Lily Morgan and Liam James.

Woody Harrelson clearly relishes his chance to go over-the-top as the prophet of doom who is actually right, and Chiwetel Ejiotor comes off as fairly intellectual as he wades through the psuedo-science as Dr Helmsley. Oliver Platt does a good job at making himself unlikeable as the amoral Anheuser and the dignified Danny Glover is believeable as the self-sacrificial president of the United States, especially now that we really have an African-American president in office.

Thandie Newton as the first daughter, Thomas McCarthy as Gordon, Kate's current boyfriend, Zlatko Buric as a Russian billionaire, Beatrice Rosen as his girlfriend, Johann Urb as their pilot, Jimi Mistry as Helmsley's Indian associate and Singapore's very own Chin Han as a Tibetian ship-welder round out the cast.

With that many names however, the film finds itself spread too thin trying to tell everyone's stories and cover all the bases at times, so despite multiple attempts at depth, several characters are still left out in the cold. However, credit has to be given to the writers who have created more than a semblance of a plot, even if it isn't the best possible plot by a long shot.

But who are we kidding, nobody wants to see 2012 for the performances. At least, not for the performances alone. True to its promise, the film delivers some awe-inspiring visuals and the spectacular sweeping shots of utter destruction are a sensory feast. As is the staple in disaster movies, iconic landmarks get knocked over as if by a gleefully sadistic child. Not only that, entire cities go under in a matter of minutes. One particularly heart-thumping sequence involves Jackson and his family in a limousine outrunning collapsing buildings and uprooted roads as Los Angeles meets its doom. That scene is the epitome of the big-budget disaster movie and paves the way for more destruction as the film runs on.

However, the film running on is a bit of a problem. At 157 minutes, 2012 is way too long by half. The first half-hour or so of the film is spent on mostly redundant setup and psuedo-scientific explanations, so it is a while before anything gets properly destroyed. I would have rather the movie jumped straight into the action and blow us away with a terrific opening sequence.

In the end, 2012's greatest strength is that, unlike the Himalayan mountains it depicts, it doesn't get drowned in the visual effects and it doesn't deteriorate into a mind-numbing epilepsy-inducing lightshow. It's as blockbustery and disastery as blockbuster disaster movies get, and it is a popcorn-munching thrill-ride. However, thanks to strong performances and truly impressive visuals, it rises slightly above being just another empty, big-budget Hollywood vehicle. Slightly.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

What does everyone think of the new film 9, from director Shane Acker and producers Tim Burton and Timur Berkmambetov? My review follows.

Movie Review 12/9/09

9
(2009)

Starring the voices of: Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Jennifer Connelly
Directed by: Shane Acker
Relativity Media/Starz Animation


In 2005, Shane Acker made an 11-minute animated film for his university thesis at UCLA. This film, called 9, took four-and-a-half years, on and off, to animate and went on to win several awards. Arguably its greatest achievement was impressing Tim Burton, who, along with Wanted director Timur Berkmambetov, went on to adapt it into this feature film. Something that made these two well-known filmmakers want to see more surely has the makings of something special.

9 takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, in which humans have lost a war with machines that have turned against them. A scientist (Alan Oppenheimer) imbues his spirit into nine "stitchpunks", burlap rag dolls, who must fight for survival in this hostile, bleak environment populated with ferocious machines.

The nine consist of 1 (Plummer), the authoritarian self-proclaimed leader, 2 (Martin Landau), a kind inventor, curious but shy twins 3 and 4, engineer and mechanic journeyman 5 (John C Reilly), prophetic artist 6 (Crispin Glover), she-warrior 7 (Connelly), 1's brutish bodyguard 8 (Fred Tatasciore) and the film's protagonist, the earnest but naïve 9 (Wood).

9 accidentally activates the fearsome Fabrication Machine, which is able to create dastardly creatures such as the pterosaur-like Winged Beast and The Seamstress, reminiscent of a snake. Worst of all, the Fabrication Machine sucks the life force out of the stitchpunks for its own sustenance. 9 and his motley crew of comrades must battle the Fabrication Machine and save themselves-the only things left of humanity.

9 is a visionary, inventive and original piece of work, a complex, dark and layered visual feast with a computer-animated exterior that belies some depth and maturity, much more than a run-of-the-mill kid-pleaser cartoon anyway. It's a very human story, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that there's nary a human in sight.

Despite its numerical name, 9 is anything but by-the-numbers. Despite utilizing the familiar plot device of a post-apocalyptic world overrun by machines, the idea is presented in a visually-arresting fashion. A truly immersive environment has been created for the film, and one can't help but feel drawn into it. The animation is also very fluid, and each of the 9 stitchpunks has a distinct personality visible in their body language.

9 also sets itself apart from the herd with its intense and menacing tone. While perhaps more accessible than quirkier and equally-dark animated fare such as Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride, this is not a film recommended for very young audiences. This quality makes it a good contrast to Disney/Pixar's Up, far brighter and cheerier and an excellent film as well, though in different ways. 9 offers several good scares and some high-octane action sequences to be had, and the bleakness is milked for all it's worth.

While the strongest point of 9 is undoubtedly its captivating visuals, there is plenty of aural spectacle as well. The details in the sound design are breathtaking, and the musical score by oft-Burton collaborator Danny Elfman and Deborah Lurie is evocative and suits each scene well.

However, the voice acting seems a little disconnected, and since so much emphasis is placed on the look of the film there ends up being little the voice actors can contribute, regardless of their talent. Christopher Plummer however stands out, fairly effectively conveying the quick-tempered, irritable and domineering nature of 1 through his voice acting.

Unfortunately, 9 seems to possess plenty of unmined potential, with philosophical, political and even spiritual issues hinted at but not fully addressed. It seems director Acker has only scratched the surface with his brilliant material and, this being his first feature film, has yet to bring his A-game to the fore. 9 is great as it is, but with more room for characterization, subtext and other storytelling elements, it could have been excellent. The film is also let down by a slightly plodding plot, even though it clocks in at a mere 79 minutes.

Even so, 9 emerges as a profound and superbly-crafted animated masterpiece that keeps its promise of being different from so many other animated films aimed squarely at children and possessing little substance. This one looks like a strong contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Look out, Up.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

Hooray, I have reached a whopping 5000 pageviews! Thank you so much to everybody for your support, help and encouragment! Woo hoo!

Movie Review           21/8/09

UP
(2009)

Starring the voices of: Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson
Directed by: Pete Docter and Bob Peterson
Pixar Animation/Walt Disney Studios

Toys, insects, monsters, fish, superheroes, cars, rats and robots. And the star of Pixar Animation Studios' latest film? A cantankerous septuagenarian. Can a grumpy old man carry an animated film, the first to open the Cannes Film Festival? I am among those who think that the genius animators and storytellers at Pixar can make anything work-to a certain extent, at least.

Carl Fredericksen (Asner) is an aging, widower balloon salesman whose beloved house is threatened by a construction company. The film's prologue tells the story of how and 8-year-old Carl meets his future wife Ellie, both sharing an interest in the adventures of famed explorer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer). A montage sure to bring a tear to any eye shows the couple getting married and growing old together, working towards their dream of moving to Paradise Falls in South America, until Ellie passes away.

To keep his promise to Ellie to move to Paradise Falls, Carl creates a makeshift airship out of 10 000 helium balloons that lift his house off the ground. Carl, in his floating house is on his way until he discovers he has extra baggage in the form of an over-enthusiastic boy scout-type named Russell. Carl reluctantly lets Russell tag along, knowing he has no choice.

Surviving a violent storm, the two eventually make it to South America and attempt to walk to Paradise Falls, dragging the floating house along. On the way, they meet an exotic bird of paradise whom Russell nicknames "Kevin", a talking Golden Retriever named Dug (Peterson) and Charles Muntz himself. However, mayhem ensues when Carl and Russell discover Muntz will do anything and everything to capture Kevin alive, having been previously called a fraud for bringing back a skeletal specimen of the bird.

Up's greatest strength is its whimsical premise-a house carried into the sky by innumerable colourful, helium-filled balloons. The image of balloons emerging from under an unfurling tarp is awe-inspiring and beautifully-rendered, as is much of the movie.

Up is also undeniably a character piece. There is so much depth in the relationship between Carl and Ellie, even though it is told in 15 minutes and, for the most part, without dialogue. This whirlwind journey through the travails and simple joys of the 70 years they spend together is the film's strongest portion.

A masterful balance has also been found in the characterization of almost everyone in the film. Audiences are able to laugh at Carl's incessant grumpiness, but also sympathise with the hardship of losing his wife. Russell is endearing and not in the least irritating, as animated sidekicks can often be. Seven-year-old Jordan Nagai is perfectly cast as the rotund foil to Fredericksen. Bob Peterson, also the movie's co-director, injects boundless energy into Dug, which makes for one of the most entertaining talking dogs in the cinematic history of talking dogs. Christopher Plummer also audibly relishes playing the stereotype, if only in voice, of the flamboyant adventurer with a Machiavellian streak.

The movie seems to hit all the right notes in combining plenty of delightful humour, moments of sadness, visual spectacle, an adventurous spirit and genuine peril-those heights are frighteningly realistic, especially in 3D, and there is plenty of dangling thousands of feet up in the air.

However, Up is not perfect, and despite its many positive points, is not Pixar's best effort in my opinion. The first half of the film is noticeably better than the second; for all it's worth the primary colours of the rainforest and fairly exciting chase sequences cannot outshine the heartfelt love story between Carl and Ellie.

Up is also admittedly far-fetched, and while every effort is made to ground the story, it just seems to float up and up and up. Portions of the film are a little too fantastical to be readily relatable to the audience. While the story is inventive, it is not as visionary or well-told as, say, Ratatouille or Finding Nemo. Even in terms of visual spectacle, Up doesn't pack as much as Pixar's action-packed superhero satire The Incredibles or WALL-E. The latter also has a slightly more endearing main character to carry the film.

All that said however, Up supercedes many mediocre animated films that cram too many pixels and not enough story into their 80-90 minutes. One can always expect more from Pixar, and despite its shortcomings, Up rises satisfyingly far above average.

3.5/5 STARS

Jedd Jong Yue

one of the last summer blockbusters this year is about to be released Stateside. Here in Singapore we got an early look (for once) at this action-adventure fantasy actioner, so here's my take.

Movie Review 5/8/09

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA

Starring: Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Sienna Miller
Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Distributed by: Paramount Studios

The first G.I. Joe figures were produced in 1964, noting the success of Barbie dolls and functioning as a similar toy for boys. Following the dismal Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, this is the second blockbuster this summer to be based along a line of Hasbro toys. But should the Hasbro logo at the start of the film be the equivalent of a warning sign?

This film functions as an origin story, telling of how Conrad Hauser /Duke (Tatum) and Wallace Weems/Ripcord (Wayans) join the elite covert special forces unit code named G.I. Joe, paralleled by the rise of the villainous Cobra Command organization.

James McCullen/Destro (Christopher Eccleston), descended from a long line of weapons manufacturers and traders, is the founder of the Military Armament Research Syndicate (MARS) and sells high-tech nano-technology missiles to NATO. Duke and Ripcord lead a convoy to transport the weapons back to the United States, but are brutally attacked along the way. Leading the attack is Baroness Anastasia DeCobray /The Baroness (Miller), to whom Duke was engaged years earlier.

Upon their request and after further training, General Hawk (Dennis Quaid) inducts Duke and Ripcord into G.I. Joe. The other members of the elite team include the beautiful and sharp intelligence expert Scarlett (Rachel Nichols), the mute and mysterious ninja commando Snake Eyes (Ray Park), communications specialist Breaker (Said Taghamaoui), ordnance expert Heavy Duty (Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje) and Cover Girl (Karolina Kurkova), General Hawk's aide de camp.

The Joes proceed to infiltrate and take down Cobra, who plans to use the warheads to destroy the major cities of Beijing, Moscow and Washington D.C. The organization counts among their number, besides Destro and the Baroness, the disfigured Doctor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), master of disguise Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) and ninja assassin Storm Shadow (Lee Byung-hun), the last having a long-standing feud with Snake Eyes.

Plenty of high-octane brawling ensues, including an infiltration of the Joe's base The Pit, a car chase in Paris and a submersible battle around Cobra's underwater base beneath the Arctic ice.

G.I. Joe: the Rise of Cobra is first and foremost a comic book or cartoon come to vivid life, and its strongest point is that it accepts the fact and does not take itself too seriously at all, reveling in its relative silliness. The film's over-the-top nature is best exemplified by the sprawling hidden bases in locations as preposterous as under the Sahara Desert and at the North Pole, and the good old-fashioned "evil megalomaniac takes over the world" storyline. All this brings to mind the Bond films of yore, which over the last few years have lost much of their glamour and ridiculous spectacle.

However, it is painfully obvious at times that the movie tries to pack far too much into its 118 minutes, turning it into a partial cinematic equivalent of an elephant standing on thin ice. One action sequence begins barely before the last ends and as such it's difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the proceedings-even when they are balanced with a nice assortment of character moments.

Characterization is not paper-thin per se, as one would expect with this sort of motion picture, but rather around as thick as a weekly magazine. To a limited degree of success, the film balances the wham-bam action sequences with the romantic subplot between Duke and the Baroness and also the rivalry between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, which stretches back to their childhoods.

Surprisingly, the performances are pretty much up to par, even though it is a given all eyes will be on the action and visual spectacle rather than the actors. This is the one genre of movie where over-the-top is welcome; everybody gets a chance to play the stereotype, and each of the actors seems to enjoy that very much.

Marlon Wayans, usually extremely irritating in insipid comedies such as White Chicks, Scary Movie 3 and Little Man, reins himself in a little here and manages to play a main character as well as be the comic relief fairly well. Korean hunk Byung-hun stands out amongst the baddies with his cool ruthlessness and is sure make any girl's heart go all a-quiver when he rips off his shirt during a climatic fight with Snake Eyes.

Dennis Quaid manages to lend this fantasy actioner some credibility even with his almost-caricature portrayal of General Hawk, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's evil Doctor and Christopher Eccleston's Destro combine as an enjoyably by-the-(comic)-book force of villainy-Gordon-Levitt, known as a "serious young actor", visibly relishes the chance to go all Darth Vader-deformed and complete with menacing heavy breathing.

On the female front, Miller blatantly milks her party appeal for all it's worth as the femme fatale in tight leather and cleavage-revealing outfits. It is nice to see the English rose in more mainstream fare after her turns in such films as Factory Girl and the Edge of Love. Rachel Nichols, having just appeared in Star Trek, fulfills the requisite beauty-with-brains role as the yin to Miller's villainous yang. The two female leads give another reason, besides the nostalgia factor, for guys to see this film.

Channing Tatum is most disappointing, bland and unremarkable, as if he were playing any old soldier from any old war drama instead of a recruit into an elite team in an action-fantasy piece. He should be thankful for the supporting cast that backs him up.

Ultimately, the movie comes off as Wanted-lite, complete with entirely unbelievable action set-pieces, which include Duke and Ripcord wearing "accelerator suits" chasing the Baroness and Storm Shadow-with Snake Eyes hanging off the side of their Hummer-through the streets of Paris (leaving innumerable cars destroyed in their wake) and the ensuing destruction of the Eiffel Tower by way of nano-mites.

However, for a movie aimed in most part at youngsters and created mainly for the purpose of selling toys, it packs in an overwhelming amount of unrelenting violence. There are a smorgasbord of explosions, fisticuffs, flying bullets and impalements, and even a particularly brutal fight between two ten-year-olds. The Cobra henchmen get the worst of it: they are thrown into electrical arcs, set on fire, have grenades shoved into their helmets, fall into bottomless pits and get disintegrated from the inside-out.

In the end, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a fairly entertaining trifle perfect for the attention-impaired and those who like their action flicks served with lots of (less-than convincing) CGI sauce. It's a delightfully B-grade, feather-weight fantasy fuel for your inner ten-year-old boy that stays on the right side of average (Joe).

RATING: 3/5 STARS

Jedd Jong Yue

I became a Deviant on 1 July 2007. It's been two years and I hope there'll be many more to come! It's wonderful to see how far I've come since I first joined, and I have to give a shoutout to my wonderful friends and supporters: FortyFathoms, Shigdioxin, Riartha, Kadryn, LieutenantHawk, Galagoo, Sketchcom94, fratboy44 and many more. Thank you always for your friendship and support!

In short: it's bad. For more, read on!

Movie Review          24/6/09

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
2009

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox
Directed by: Michael Bay
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

It's a sequel. Based on a line of toys. And directed by Michael Bay. These are warning signs if there ever were any. Still, being a summer tentpole blockbuster, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen generated impossible amounts of hype. Here is my advice up front: don't buy into any of it.

It has been two years since the events of the first film, and the military has formed an alliance with the good-guy Autobots to rat out the bad-guy Decepticons. The Decepticons are still after the hero from the first film, Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf), now a college freshman struggling to live a regular life after saving the world. Now, he has Cybertronian glyphs imprinted into his brain, making him the key to find an ancient device.

This device is the Star Harvester, turning suns into energy for the robots, which the Fallen, the vengeful last of an early generation of Prime robots, is after. Upon this flimsy fragment of plot are piled endless skirmishes between the Autobots and Decepticons, with plenty of military involvement as well. Sam, his girlfriend Mikaela (Fox), conspiracy theorist roommate Leo (Ramon Rodriquez), Major William Lennox (Josh Duhamel) and Air Force Combat Controller Robert Epps (Tyrese Gibson) from the first film and even Sam's parents (Kevin Dunn and Julie White) are all flung into the thick of the action at one point or another.

The film is pure, unadulterated Bayhem – read: noisy, overblown and very unintelligent. Director Michael Bay relishes in packing as many explosions as possible into most of his movies, this one being no exception, and consequentially leaving very, very little room for anything else. The target audience of teenaged boys ultimately wants to see giant robots bash each other up, and this the film offers up plenty of. However, the melees between Transformers are excessive and get old very quickly, even when supplemented by F-16 bombing runs and tank artillery fire and locales as exotic as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the rose-red city of Petra. There are only so many ways that one robot can trash another, and by the last act one would be hard-pressed to even care.

The problem with the action sequences, in addition to their excessive nature, is that none are very inventive or engaging, turning the film into a same-old same-old smorgasbord. One major action set piece is almost an exact duplicate of another from the first film. This is a pity as Bay clearly had the resources to make something special at his disposal. Bay famously has connections to the military, so in addition to a messy robot wrestling match this becomes a sort of propaganda film as well. The film's running time of 147 minutes is also merciless overkill. Revenge of the Fallen is ample proof that it is possible for a film to be overwrought and overtly simple at the same time. There is only so much Bayhem the mind can handle.

Thankfully, there are (albeit all too few) flashes of comic brilliance. John Turtturro returns as a former government agent reduced to working in his mother's deli, his semi-delusional patriotism put across with much aplomb, particularly in interactions with Sam and Leo. Look out too for comedian Rainn Wilson's (of The Office fame) cameo as Sam's sleazy college professor. Unfortunately, most of the other humour is redundantly crude or offensive-do we really need irritating twin stereotype "gangsta" Autobots or a transforming toy truck humping Megan Fox's leg?

The rest of the cast put in okay performances-considering the frustrating nothingness they were given to work with. Shia LaBeouf reprises his slightly neurotic, fish-out-of-water portrayal of Sam Witwicky and shows he is somewhat deserving of his current Hollywood it-boy status. Megan Fox manages to look sexy not only when perched suggestively atop a motorcycle but also when running away from killer robots, and looking sexy is all she needs to do. Kevin Dunn and Julie White are a hoot to watch as Sam's embarrassing parents, their caricature performances grounding the movie somewhat. In the end though, character development of any sort is drowned out by the pyrotechnic bells and whistles, and the characters' believability is stripped away as the film progresses. Michael Bay's affinity for crazy camera movements even during simple dialogue scenes does nothing to help either.

The saving grace of the film is ultimately the stunning computer-generated effects by ILM, Digital Domain and other effects houses. As with the first time around, the idea of transforming robots in our world is sold effectively enough with incredibly realistic textures and movements. Unfortunately, apart from several close-ups, Bay's epileptic camera movements ensure we never get to see a decent shot of the robots, particularly when they are brawling. In one fight scene where the camera was relatively still, the screen was mostly occupied by big honking pillars. And there is also the sneaking suspicion that we've seen this all before. Alas, this film is evidence that no film can ride on visual effects, no matter how spectacular, alone.

Forget the Decepticons. Michael Bay is the biggest menace to the human race.

RATING: 2/5 STARS

Jedd Jong Yue

The June school holidays have just begun and I'm looking forward to kick back a little. I haven't been breaking out the pencils of late as I'm busy writing reviews for summer blockbusters I've just seen. Here's the latest!

Movie Review          30/5/09

TERMINATOR: SALVATION
2009

Starring: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin
Directed by: McG
Released by: Columbia Pictures

It has been six years since the last onscreen Terminator outing, a mediocre-at-best effort that functioned almost purely as Arnold Schwarzenegger's last major film outing helmed by Jonathan Mostow. McG (actually Joseph McGinty Nichols) in the director's chair does not seem to be much of an improvement, however the film is, surprisingly, far more salvation than damnation.

It is 2018, and the earth has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland run amok by fearsome machines known as Terminators, controlled in turn by the rogue defense system Skynet. The survivors of the nuclear fire form the resistance, led by the prophesized messiah figure John Connor (Bale). The Terminators are enslaving humans for research and it is up to the resistance to shut down Skynet. While some are skeptical of Connor's leadership, he is assisted by his pregnant wife Kate (Bryce Dallas-Howard) and a loyal team of  rag-tag soldiers, including the fetching and feisty Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood) and right-hand-man Barnes (rapper Common).

Meanwhile, teenager Kyle Resse (Yelchin) is targeted by the Terminators. He appears to be just an ordinary kid surviving after Judgement Day, assisted by a young-but-seeming-fearless mute girl (Jadagrace Berry). Thing is, Reese will travel back in time to 1984 to protect and inadvertently impregnate Connor's mother Sarah. Hence, Connor's father is much younger than him, and Connor has to rescue Reese from the Terminators so he can be sent back in time and father him in the end – wrap your head around that!

Sam Worthington enters stage left as the enigmatic Marcus Wright, a convicted murderer who donated his body to cybernetic research in 2003. Wright reappears in 2018 with a muddled past, unsure of his identity and harbouring a mysterious secret, which is revealed in the trailers anyway-he is a Terminator-human hybrid but is unaware of it. Because of his physical duality, the resistance fighters, especially Connor, are suspicious of the stranger and where his loyalties lie. Only Blair sees the human side of Wright, putting her at odds with her comrades. The plot gears turn quickly and lead up to a confrontation with Skynet's latest Terminator model, the T-800 Model 101.

First of all, there is plenty of Terminator lore to sift through, as it is an expansive universe made up of three earlier films, comic books, novels, video games and the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. However, this is what the fans have wanted to see, the resistance in full force and a veritable sea of Terminators as opposed to just one or two sent back in time. Surprisingly, the film is rather self-contained, with throwbacks to the previous films to tell the story quite effectively. In fact, the film is almost one big tribute to the franchise, with everything from the famous lines "Come with me if you want to live" and even "I'll be back" to an almost scene-for-scene homage to the factory fight from the first film thrown in. The original Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger even makes a digital cameo, his younger visage plastered onto bodybuilder Roland Kickinger (who plays the T-800 Model 101). Some of this makes for good trivia-spotting, but it does seem to go overboard at times.

The trailers and most promotional material make very clear that this is meant to be one big honking action extravaganza, and indeed it is. There is literally an explosion of some sort going on every other minute. Thankfully, these sequences are varied but all tight and exciting in their execution. The Terminators in the film are part-computer-generated, but mostly the masterpieces of the late creature effects designer Stan Winston, making this one of his last films. Plenty of Terminator variants are shown in brutal action, from the speedy Moto-Terminators and the piranha-like hydrobots to the chain-gun-toting T-600 models and the gigantic, multiple-armed harvesters. The action is good loud fun, but there are instances where the din of the effects bells and whistles threatens to drown out the emotion and human drama.

It is a good thing, then, that the performances are more than able to stand up to the visual fireworks. Christian Bale, fresh from playing another pop culture icon in The Dark Knight, steps into the shoes previously occupied by actors such as Edward Furlong, Nick Stahl and Thomas Dekker. Having Bale, arguably one of the most dedicated and talented actors of his generation, headline a flick definitely lends it some pedigree. Bale's talent apparently comes with a temper though, as evidenced by his infamous profanity-filled tirade recorded onset. Ignoring that, he seems well able to juggle the action and dramatic aspects of this picture. In the end however, Bale seems to only put in 70-80% of his all into this flick, and this is far from the best we've seen the Welsh actor do. Still, Christian Bale's 70-80% is in my opinion probably better than most actors' 100%.

As for Bale's onscreen future-father Anton Yelchin, his performance is quite remarkable. Yelchin also appeared in the recent Star Trek film, and in both these summer blockbusters he has definitely proven to be a fast-rising star. Here, Kyle Reese is a savvy and spirited teenager struggling to survive an onslaught of killer machines, which I thought was more interesting to watch than Michael Beihn's portrayal of an older Reese as a world-weary soldier from the future playing guardian angel for Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor. Since then though, Biehn has faded into relative obscurity, but I do not foresee that fate for Yelchin.

Ultimately though, the film belongs to Sam Worthington. The Australian actor plays up the conflict and enigma of his character with much skill. Marcus Wright could have easily suffered severe malfunction in the hands of a lesser actor. The characters, particularly the Terminators themselves, have been mostly all-good or all-evil; here Worthington bravely steps into the grey and excels at doing so. Despite this being a summer popcorn blockbuster, Worthington's performance is captivating and it shows that he has immersed himself in the role. Worthington does not let the large amount of prosthetic or computer-generated effects applied to his person hinder his performance, and goes deep into the psyche of the character, this displayed especially in his interactions with others. Of course, the definition of human is somewhat examined and the anti-hero that is Marcus Wright will definitely have you rooting for him. I will go as far as to say that Worthington's performance may be this year's equivalent of the late Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight.

In the ladies' corner, Bryce Dallas-Howard is obviously a notch or two up from Claire Danes' exhausted-looking portrayal of Kate Brewster in Terminator: Rise of the Machines. Her character functions as a source of moral support for John Connor, and is also a handy surgeon too. Moon Bloodgood is more fun to watch however, despite being visibly less skilled an actress as compared to Dallas-Howard. Bloodgood's Blair Williams is a Resistance pilot and the stereotypical kick-ass tomboy ready to stand with the boys in the war against the machines, but her scenes with Marcus Wright provide what little gravitas the film possesses to the hyper-action proceedings.

Despite hearing many negative things about this film, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. However, I still think it was slightly unfortunate that this film was handed to McG, who, having directed the risible Charlie's Angels film and its sequel is visibly a far way off in terms of directing skill and vision from James Cameron, who created the series. McG struggles to prove he's up to the mammoth task of delivering a new entry into the venerable sci-fi franchise, but all things considered he did a rather decent job. The action is solid and very thrilling, everything and more one would expect from a smashup between humans and machines, but it is the stellar performances that save this movie from the scrap pile and make it very, very worth watching.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

Jedd Jong