White House Down (2013)

When it’s over, I liked this film. I have heard so much criticism, that I wanted to see for myself why there was so much bad press. While touring the White House, Policeman John Cale (Channing Tatum) is separated from his daughter, Emily (Joey King), when the White House if overtaken by a team of paramilitary. It is up to John to save Emily, President Sawyer (Jamie Foxx), and the world. Quite a lot for one man to pull off, but he did, with the help of the people he was trying to save. WHD was not a one man show, but a collaboration of the trio, with some added help from a stuffy White House tour guide (Nicholas Wright). WHD was not mind-blowing or original, but it was fun. I liked it for its patriotism and the love story between father and daughter. There were two symbols defining patriotism – the American flag and the White House – both represented throughout the film and played crucial roles in moving the story forward. The love story made sense and was believable, since John had made a lot of mistakes with his daughter in the past, he was determined not to let her down, at all costs. With many people comparing this film to Die Hard, stating that it was a “knock-off”, I did not see the similarities or agree with the criticism. My advice would be to go into this film without expectations. Don’t expect a political thriller with depth, because it was not a thinking film. It was a summer action flick that was meant to entertain, and it did.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Call (2013)

When it's over, State Your Emergency would have been a better title. Halle Berry is Jordan, a 911 operator who is determined to save a young woman (Abigail Breslin) from her kidnapper (Michael Eklund). The filmmakers took great care to show the world of 911 operators and the daily grind and pressure the job puts on them. There was nothing hidden in this film, making it predictable from beginning to end. The film was not concerned with surprising you, but rather keeping you hinged to the story. It was not a story about solving a case or hunting down a serial killer, but instead, a story about the pursuit of a lead, provided by Breslin's character, Casey, who was trapped in the trunk of the kidnapper's vehicle. There was plenty of suspense, keeping me at the edge of my seat. The state of urgency in each scene kept the story racing, as the viewer was pulled into the search for Casey. Berry and Breslin were believable as they took their characters through the emotions of fear, anger, and courage. Eklund's character, Michael, started out as just your usual stereotypical serial killer, but evolved into a sick calculating madman, that took some skilled acting to convince the viewer. The trio were the driving forces that kept the tension escalating, but it was the ending that made The Call disconnect. The abrupt ending was all wrong. I enjoyed the first 85 minutes, but it lost me in the end. Note: the film was 94 minutes long. Certainly, I would recommend a viewing, because the suspense will be worth it, just don't expect the ending you want. 

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

After Earth (2013)

When it's over, Director M. Night Shyamalan failed to convince. After a crash on apocalyptic Earth, Kitai (Jaden Smith) must venture on a perilous journey to signal for help in order to save his father, General Cypher Raige (Will Smith). There were three things that plagued this film – Jaden Smith, the creature, and Earth. In essence, this was a sci-fi coming-of-age story, but it did not feel like one. Jaden Smith was a weak carrier for the film. His performance was not convincing nor believable, and frankly, I really did not care whether he lived or died. With all the CGI available, why would a big budgeted film have a creature that resembled something out of a Starship Troopers film? The Ursas were large, blind predatory creatures that hunted by sensing its victim's fear. The only way to defeat them was for a person to “ghost,” to disconnect their fear. The creatures lacked originality or intelligence and simply existed to be a challenge for Kitai. I thought the Ursas were pivotal to the story and should have been carefully developed and interwoven into the entire story. Finally, Earth seemed to look the same, and the animals have not evolved. This was disappointing, because I did not feel I was transported 1000 years into the future. Will Smith pushed aside the humor and offered up some good scenes, mostly confined to his chair after his ship crashes. There were some interesting elements in the film, such as the concept of thermal shifts, where temperature varied in different pockets in the terrain; and the idea of “ghosting.” The mother condor proved to be the bravest character, and the only emotional link I had with the entire film. Bottom line, it came down to believability, and After Earth did not make me believe. 

My rating: 2.5 out of 5

The Last Stand (2013)

When it's over, Arnold Schwarzenegger took his stand. A small border town sheriff must stop a cartel boss from crossing the U.S. border into Mexico. This was Schwarzenegger's first major film since leaving office as Governor of California. It was a decent comeback, and definitely not one of his better films, but the usual Arnold stuff were there - one liners, big guns, and violence. Much of the film's shortcomings came from a weak supporting cast, and if they were removed, the story would remain unchanged. It was clear the film was all about Schwarzenegger, as he carried the entire film from beginning to end. For gun enthusiasts, there were plenty of classic firearms featured including: the Colt Dragoon, Colt Thompson, and the Vickers Machine Gun, which all packed big punches. The Last Stand was not a thinking film nor was it realistic, but it was entertaining and it gave me what I needed after a long busy day - some diversion.

My rating: 3 out of 5

The Man with the Iron Fists (2012)

When it's over, kung fu is not hip-hop. It may work in the right filmmaker's hands, but Director/Writer Rza is not that one. The story takes place in a village in feudal China where assassins, warriors, and British soldiers try to steel a chest full of gold. In the village, a former monk turned blacksmith (Rza) tries to defend his community. There are no shortage of big names including Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, and Rick Yune, but this does not help the film, except to market it. Two things this film desperately need are: (1) replace the lead actor, which in turn would replace the director, because they are the same; and (2) make it clear who and what the story is about. Quentin Tarantino produces this awful tribute to classic kung fu films. The film would have been ten times better if he had been in the writer/director seat. The kung fu is cheesy and the gratuitous violence demoralizes the film. The acting is poor, reinforced by a weird blend of characters that make this film so awful, awful, awful.

My rating: 1.5 out of 5