Film Review | Suicide Squad

Superman changed the world the day he decided to rule our skies with his presence. It changed even more when Batman’s vigilante prowess earned him the keys to Gotham.

With these meta-humans floating around, we mere humans need our own guarantee that we’ll be safe if Batman and Superman decide that they’ve had enough of us “normals” and wanted to create their own version of normal. 

Enter: Amanda Waller (Viola Davis).

In a new world full of glorified freaks, you need to fight fire with fire. Waller’s answer: Task Force X – a.k.a. the Suicide Squad.

The Story

The overarching plotline follows the Suicide Squad being approved for recruitment and then having to save the world from an accidental mole in their unit. The sub-plot follows the Joker (Jared Leto) searching for his devoted Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).

The overall plot is pretty good, actually, it’s one of DC’s better films since their Superman reboot. David Ayer’s adaptation of John Ostrander’s comic was pretty close…well considering it’s an ever evolving series. Let’s face it, it’s nice to hear a bit more dialogue after Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice had Jesse Eisenberg talking the whole time while the two protagonist were stuck in a stare-off.

The sub-plot on the other hand, as much as it made sense, made the Joker more like Harley Quinn and less like the Joker that the comics present him to be. What I mean is, the Joker’s always been presented as a selfish, Batman-obsessed lunatic who was only using Harley to do his bidding. Although we do see a little of that side in the film, the sub-plot undermines the character development and portrayal of the Joker as he is seen as caring rather than ruthless. 

The Cast

Viola Smith was as conniving as she was menacing. Her fearlessness was matched by her fierceness as she forced her point for the need to use villains to protect humans from the so-called ‘heroes’. In a film full of bad guys, she the worse guy that you’ll love to hate.

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag was the perfect portrayal of a tortured soldier willing to do anything for ‘God and Country’. He was as endearing as he was fierce and, at times, he was pretty funny too!

Cara Delevingne proves that she not just a pretty face as she takes on a role that calls for duality. As Enchantress, she was purely evil as she fights for her freedom from the hands of Waller. As June Moon, she was relatable and had the audiences wanting the best for her and Flag throughout the whole film.

Will Smith must have asked to skew his character a little considering he was funnier than the comics portray Deadshot to be. Although, his comedic side was forgivable when Deadshot’s fatherly side is shown. We see the protective and distant mercenary whenever he’s with his daughter Zoe, played by Shailyn Pierre-Dixon.

Margot Robbie accurately portrayed the beloved Harley Quinn. Rocking the current HQ attire to all of her loveable antics, Robbie brought the psychotic-lovesick-clown to life. I will say her Harleen Quinzel was less believable, but then again, we didn’t see as much of her as we did Harley Quinn.

Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang was also pretty accurate, but with the changes with Deadshot, we don’t really see the competitive nature between these two characters that the animated films highlight. (Then again we see that more between Deadshot and Flag.) Regardless, Courtney’s Boomerang was dead-on and hilarious.

Jay Hernandez was my favourite. He was believable, relatable and, for the most part, heroic. I’d say he was more hero than villain considering his tortured past and his personal decision to give himself up to the authorities was the basis of his character evolution.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s portrayal of Killer Croc was undermined by all the other big names and ‘beautiful’ people. I wish he played a bigger role throughout the film, but I am glad he received a more central part towards the end of the film.

Karen Fukuhara was great as Katana. Although, for a jam-packed film, I wasn’t sure if her character was used as much as she should have been. Sure she was Flag’s protector, but her character seemed as though she was forced into the story. But, hey, for her first film, she did really well!

Jared Leto’s Joker was over advertised for someone who was barely in this film. I don’t know what everyone was going on about and I don’t really know why Leto himself committed so much to character with so little screen time. Look, I get it could be for future Batman films, but seriously everyone needs to relax. In saying that, Leto did a great job in separating his Joker from his predecessors, so, congrats dude.

Overall… DC fans will love it regardless of what the critics say. Personally, I didn’t have high expectations and I was pretty surprised with how it all turned out. The opening was a little unnecessary and redundant, but it set the scene. As much as the Joker was oversold, I was glad to see that the Squad made their movie theirs.

sL Star Rating: ★★★

Next on sL: TBA or Bad Moms

Film Review | The Legend of Tarzan

We’ve all heard the stories; the myth; the legend.

But where is he now? What is he doing? Who has he become?

Will we ever really know Tarzan?

The Story

Now, for many of us, we’re aware of Tarzan through Disney. But the legend of Tarzan actually came from 20th century author, Edgar Rice Burroughs – heavily inspired by Kipling’s, The Jungle Book. Following closely to the original roots of the story, Village Roadshow Pictures decide to embellish their production with a dash of history between Belgium and the United Kingdom.

Now you guys know me, I have no issues with adding a bit of history to fiction, unfortunately the history enthusiast in me died a little while watching this film. Although I admire the writing team’s attempt to make Tarzan’s story relevant in some realistic way, I will say that they should have just stayed with the fictitious core and left the history for another movie (like, 12 Days A Slave or Amazing Grace). I also understand that there’s a need to move away from the animated film as well as giving audiences something new, but the attempt to mix reality with fiction just opened gaps that poor character development filled.

I said it with Charlie St. Cloud and I’ll say it now: You can have the best cast in the world, but if there’s no story there’s no point. In this case there’s no story, little character development and too much scenic and graphic compensation.

The Cast

NB: The poor storyline did not mean the film had bad acting.

Alexander Skarsgård was fantastic in bringing Burroughs’s original character to life. Though he had very little dialogue, his facial expressions and body language were enough to make him both endearing and fierce.

Similarly, Margot Robbie was great at portraying a ferocious and, at times, comedic Jane Porter. Returning to the original plot, the Aussie actress dons her superb American accent in order to make Jane both entertaining and admirable.

Christoph Waltz was also a very good villain. Text-book antagonist with no remorse. So nothing too difficult on his part, but well done nevertheless.

Samuel L. Jackson’s character was the most confusing character in the film. He’s not the typical sidekick either, he’s kid-of just…there. Not to say that SLJ wasn’t brilliant, I just think his character was out of place. When I say “out of place,” I mean he doesn’t sit well in either the historical attempt or the fictional homage; his just an additional character to be relevant. Other than not having a lisp, he might as well have played Valentine from Kingsman (suav, wise-ass Valentine, not psycho-wants-to-kill-the-world Valentine). He had, on the other hand, a great background story to relate with Tarzan, but nothing really important to the core story.

Overall… just hire it out. Thanks for the Vmax experience Event Cinemas, but I think you should just keep it playing on the regular-screens. It’s a good film for families with teens, but if you have little ones, just stick to Disney.

sL Star Rating: ★★

Next on sL: Suicide Squad

Film Review | Ghostbusters

Patty (Leslie Jones) was just doing her job when she met Rowan (Neil Casey) – she didn’t realise he wasn’t your ordinary subway anomaly. Abby (Melissa McCarthy) and Jillian (Kate McKinnon) were enjoying another day at work. And Erin (Kristen Wiig) always believed in ghosts, but when she’s reunited with Abby, her humdrum-college-professor life is splattered.

The Story

As a whole, this gender-reversed remake follows the original plotline with a serious upgrade in technology. The changes are in the character foundations that shape the film with its own series of ghostbusting antics. It begins with two old school friends (unwillingly) reuniting after Abby, and her colleague, Jillian, ask Erin to help her with a paranormal distress call. 

As soon as they encounter their first real ghost – one that proves several of their scientific theories – they’re all kicked out of the collegiate payroll.

The uniqueness of this film stems from the traces of estrogen that dusts its self into the back story of Kristen Wiig’s character. Haunted for a year at the age of eight by the mean-old-lady-next-door; scarred for life by the repercussions of knowing that no one believed her. This traumatic history gives way to small pockets of Erin’s psychological need to prove herself to everyone who don’t believe in ghosts; proving that she really does matter in a world that doesn’t care.

To add a nice little role-reversal cherry at the top of this cake, Chris Hemsworth (a.k.a. Kevin) features as this film’s Janine (Annie Potts), to show that men can sometimes be just as useless as women.

The Cast

Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy were as hilarious as they were endearing. Wiig was great at balancing Erin’s awkward geekiness with her trauma-based need to be believed. She gave us just as many belly-clenching moments as fearfully saddened empathetic thrills. McCarthy was both comical and fierce as the leader of the pack. Unlike Erin’s constant need to be believed, Abby simply cared about continuing the work and didn’t give a stuff about what people thought about her.

Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones matched Wiig and McCarthy in their depiction of Jillian and Patty. Jillian is your typical tech-geek whose quirkiness lies in her suave approach to science and life. Patty is you resident New Yorker who asserts herself as resourceful and necessary to the operation. As an ensemble, this foursome beautifully playoff one another and never overshadowed each other. They’re solid unit and you know you’re always in for a good time with these ladies. So…who you gonna call?

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Earnie Hudson and Sigourney Weaver also make their own unique cameos in this film, gaving the original audience a nostalgic hit. Not to metion Slimer, Stay Puft Marshmellow Man, The Scoleri Brothers and the Ancient Dragon ghosts all pay a visit to wreak havoc on New York City once more.

Overall…it’s one for all ages. You’ll be laughing until your sides are hurting just as much as be yelling at the person who brought you to see this film. It’s as light hearted as it is scary.

sL Star Rating: ★★★
Next on sL: The Legend of Tarzan

Film Review | Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Warning: Please note that this film is rated ‘R’ in the USA.

All Mike (Adam DeVine) and Dave (Zac Efron) wanted to do was give their sister, Jeanie (Sugar Lyn Beard), the best time on her big day. What started as an ultimatum from their dad (Stephen Root), turned into the biggest whirlwind of deceit, laughter and disaster.

The Story

The hilarious plotline for Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is founded on an actual Craigslist advertisement written by the real Stangle brothers. Andrew Jay Cohen's and Brendan O’Brien’s screenplay follow two mediocre liquor salesmen trying to find “nice girls” for their sister’s wedding to keep them in check before, during and after the big day.

They placed their advertisement on Craigslist to later be swamped by creepers who only want a free “vacay”. When everything looked bleak, Tatiana and Alice make a dramatic entry – seemingly to solve all their problems. Only thing is…Tatiana and Alice are only playing nice – an all-expenses paid vacation as dates, c’mon – it’s a disaster waiting to happen!

Cohen and O’Brien embellished the real turn of events to give us barrels of laughter, but if you’ve watched interviews with the Stangles and their cameo story, there may have been some truth to parts of the film.

The Cast

Zac Efron and Adam DeVine have been herald as accurate portrayals of the Stangle brothers, but not without their own perks. DeVine stuck with his guns in terms of his comedic flair and over-the-top dramatisations. Efron was his charming self with a dash of his badass nature in Bad Neighbours. Together they were a casting match made-in-heaven.

Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick were just as funny! Kendrick’s sad-hot-mess Alice suavely matched plaza’s nonchalant and sassy Tatiana. They were brilliant at overplaying and underplaying their two-faced characters, taking Mike and Dave – along with the audience - for a spin.

As a foursome, I tip my hat to the casting team. These four worked well as individuals, duos and as an ensemble. Well done, everyone!

Overall…as much as this is not for children under the age of eighteen, it is for those of you out there who think you’re the life of the party and know that you’re really not – but you’ll act like it anyway. It’s a ‘You-Do-You’ film that matches this generation’s comedic prowess. 

I will also stress that this is not a family film, nor should any child under the age of eighteen see this film, some things are better left for your later selves.

sL Star Rating: ★★★★

Next on sL: Ghostbusters 

Film Review | Me Before You

Desperate. That's how Louisa felt after loosing the job she's held for six years; it's how she felt when Mrs. Taynor was interviewing her; and it's how she felt every morning since she agreed to attend to William Traynor.

The Story

It's 2009 and Louisa (Emilia Clarke) and her family are going through a rough patch with the economic decline. Accepting a job that needed no qualifications, Lou finds herself strapped to insufferable Will Traynor (Sam Claflin). Sure she can't say that to his face since he's a quadriplegic, but surely he could at least smile at her.

But when Will receives a visit from two devastating blast from the past, the icy tension finally breaks between employer and employee. But just as the tension eases, an avalanche of truth tumbles down towards Lou as she realises that her six-month contract is a countdown. It's a countdown to show each other that life is worth living.

Based on Jojo Moyes' bestselling novel, the adaptation is pretty accurate to the book. Flowing the same plot and the same struggles that both Louisa and Will go through, it's a picture-perfect book-to-film adaptation.

The Cast

I will confess that I saw the trailer before I read the book, so I have limited my imagination this time around. But in saying that...

Emilia Clarke did a brilliant job with bringing Louisa to life! Since the book is written in (mostly) Louisa's perspective, Clarke did have a lot of guidance in terms of her characterisation. In truth, based on what I've seen in interviews, Clarke is Clark. They have the same energy, humour and wit - and this role is far from her fierce portrayal of Daenerys on The Game of Thrones. She's lively, funny and down to earth.

Sam Claflin on the other hand was brilliant at juggling the brooding, sarcastic and witty nature of Will Traynor. It was clear that he enjoyed the little one-liners that he exchanged with Clarke as well as the tension that he built with his silence and facial features. He was also very controlled in his portrayal of a man who's paralysed from the shoulders down. I dip my hat to you Claflin, that would have taken a lot of time to master.

Stephen Peacocke gets another special mention since he's a fellow Aussie. Pretty accurate portrayal of Moyes' comic relief and soundboard. Plus, it was nice to hear an Australian accent in a sea of British tones.

Overall...it's definitely one for the ladies. I will say the service at Event Cinemas Gold Glass was amazing and the food was worth every penny. Thank you guys so much!

sL Star Rating: ★★★

Next on sL: Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

Film Review | X-Men Apocalypse

Just when we thought peace would reign, remnants of the ancient world awakens to destroy humanity's modern foundations. En Sabah Nur's slumber is finished, the Apocalypse has begun.

The Story

Continuing their quest to undo mistakes from the early 00's, X-Men: Apocalypse follows the growth and progression of Professor Xavier's "School for the Gifted".

Although the original X-Men Trilogy tapped into the full potential of favoured Marvel characters, this instalment follows the flashback plot of X-Men: First Class.

We see Jene Grey (Sophie Turner), Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) and Ororo Munroe - "Storm" (Alexandra Shipp) not only discover their powers, but find mentors who teach them how to unleash their abilities.

Original First Class and Days of Future Past characters are given meatier background stories in this instalment. This allows their stories and character development to blossom in ways that are both familiar and refreshing for long-time X-Men readers and viewers.

Apocalypse offers viewers a psychological journey into morality and spirituality. It pushes mental boundaries without offence, allowing you to think deeply and question the foundations of your own choices and abilities - even as a human.

The Cast

As always, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult did a magnificent job in reprising their roles. I cannot wait to see what they do next - that is if they do reprise their roles for another installment.

Evan Peters, Rose Byrne and Lucas Till receive special mentions for their reprisals too! It was nice to see Byrne and Till back in action, I missed them after the first film! Peters is still as funny as ever, but it was good to see a slight seriousness when it comes to the curiosities about Quicksilver's father.

Now, for the noobs...

Sophie Turner is a great Jene Grey. Not only does she capture the essence of the character that Famke Janssen created sixteen years ago, but she also brings a new air of mystery to the abilities that Jene Grey posses.

Tye Sheridan distractingly looks like Charlie Puth in this film, but this is permissible considering he does a great job bringing a more vulnerable side to Cyclops. Unlike James Marden's super serious take on the role, the teenaged Scott Summers is understandably struggling with being an adolescent and a mutant all at once - what an evolution in puberty! Sheridan was funny, serious and emotional, everything you need from a character who's been set up as a the typical Rebel Without A Cause who later becomes a real team player.

Alexandra Shipp's version of Storm is quite unique in the sense that she starts on the wrong side of the fight. We see a more naive version of Storm that is completely different to Halle Berry's stern, cool, calm and collected portrayal. Shipp beautifully portrayed a young girl finding her way in a harsh world. 

Kodi Smit-McPhee gets top marks, not only for holding a German accent, but for adding to the comic relief in this film. It's not easy to play a character "poofs" on demand, and he made it look easy! Smit-McPher is a brilliant younger version to Alan Cumming's original portrayal.

Ben Hardy's characterisation of Angel is vastly different to Ben Foster's original character. Although reviving the role doesn't make much sense in the timeline, he did a great job making the character his own.

Olivia Munn brings Psylocke to life nicely. Unlike the rest of the newbies, Munn has a lot of leeway in terms of breathing life into the character. Since Psylocke is a fairly new addition, there's not much to say, but Munn did a great job in making her an enigma - one that needs to be watched for future reference.

Oscar Isaac plays an excellent contrast to McAvoy and support to Fassbender in his role as Apocalypse. Although, you can't help but draw similarities between his character and James Spader's portrayal of Ultron (Avengers: Age of Ultron). He is as menacing as he is intriguing.

Overall...the film is one for all ages. It deals with family, friendship and morality in a way that you'd never imagine.

sL Star Rating: ★★★★★

Next on sL: Me Before You

Film Review | Captain America: Civil War

Uncle Ben once told us that “with great power comes great responsibility,” but here’s the big question: who keeps us responsible.

The Story

Following the destruction of Ultron in Sokovia, the world is once again openly questioning its safety in the hands of the Avengers. Although it owes much to the renowned heroes, many people who hold powerful positions feel powerless and see the Avengers as vigilantes.

The story adlibs much from the original comic in the sense that it moves away from identity and privacy crisis to a more personal look into why the Avengers do what they need to do.

We see Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) finding himself in need of a babysitter every time his ego gives way to his conscience. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) finds himself fighting for and against his past and present friends. The internal moralisation of each team comes down to minimising damage to civilians – whether it be through being tethered or ostracised by them.

The Cast

Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. are pros after seven films. Arguably, Iron Man and Captain America are their most memorable – undoubtedly their longest – roles of their careers. After seven films, not to mention the rest to come, it’s not hard to see that these two know and love their characters.

Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland are the new comers who need special attention seeing as their alter egos ignited excitement just by featuring in trailers. Boseman takes on Black Panther, a loving son who has his father taken away from him and is hungry for vengeance. Holland takes on a more challenging role by taking the mantel of (previously Sony-owned) Spiderman.

Both new comers did a great job in making their characters their own. Bringing Black Panther to life gave the film that darker edge and retained the need to avenge the loss inflicted upon a person. Spiderman on the other hand is a little harder to play seeing as we’ve just seen a reboot. But I have to hand it to Marvel, Holland gave an impressive performance as the prodigal son comes home.

Overall…comic enthusiasts will be saddened by the changes, but will have an amazing time anyway. Look, if you love Marvel and anything to do with comics there’s no stopping you from watching this movie. You will enjoy every minute. Personally, I was looking for Joss Whedon’s touch when it came to the fight sequences, but I will commend the Russo brothers for sticking with their flair from Captain America: The Winter Solider.

sL Star Rating: ★★★★

Next on sL: X-Men: Apocalypse

Film Review | Eddie The Eagle

Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to get it? Eddie (Taron Egerton) did. He wanted to have his moment; he wanted to show his father, his doctors – even his teammates! – that he could be an Olympic Champion.

The Story

This film is based on the true story of Michael ‘Eddie’ Edwards, England’s 1988 Winter Olympics Ski Jumper. The film follows the minimal, yet satisfying, highs, as well as the mounds (pun indented) of hurdles throughout Eddie’s journey to Olympic glory.

Adding colourful characters with their own tainted glories, the story leaves you with stitches in your stomach for laughing too much. It also has its tender moments where you’re left empathising with Eddie, not to mention the breathtaking countdown every time he buzzes down a slope.

The Cast

Taron Egerton brings a clear dedication to the character with his full embodiment of Edwards. His facial features and quirky characteristics bring an endearing factor to Eddie and leaves audiences cheering and clapping every time he took a jump.

Hugh Jackman is an excellent support in this film. Playing a non-existent character, Jackman provides an extra element of comic relief as well as a dollop of reality for a story that’s against the odds.

Overall…it’s a family film with a great moral that rings throughout the whole film: determination, with calculated risks, leads to soaring above the doubt.

sL Star Rating: ★★★★★

Next on sL: Captain America: Civil War

Film Review | The Huntsman: Winter’s War

Once upon a time, there were two sisters. They were inseparable. The older sister was endowed with great beauty, but with great beauty comes a grave cost. Her younger sister, though she too was beautiful, was more gracious and loving. But in her graciousness, she was blinded by a love far greater than her elder sister could handle.

The Story

Jumping on Disney’s success with, Frozen, Universal Studios takes Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale, The Snow Queen, in order to redeem their previous film, Snow White and the Huntsman.

Using Snow White and the Huntsman as a middle ground, we see Eric’s (Chris Hemsworth) past: how he met his wife, Sara (Jessica Chastain), how they fell in love and how he lost her. Although Charlize Theron reprises her role as the evil queen, Ravenna, she gives way for Emily Blunt, a.k.a Freya, to truly capture the cold-hearted ice queen.

The story surrounds Freya’s journey of supposedly naively falling in love, only to have her heart broken, thus unlocking her dormant power. Taking hold of her own kingdom out of her anger and discontent, her frozen heart drove her to extreme measures. In order to fill to void of a losing her daughter long before she even knew her, she builds an army of Huntsmen and conquers the northern lands. She has one law: Do not love; it is a sin. But regardless of her hard heart, love breaks through her frozen walls in more ways than one.

As a whole, the story bookends the previous film really well. It is well written and well adapted in terms of merging two fairytales into one. Although I do have a few questions like:

• Where does Finn (Sam Spruell) sit in all of this power play between the two sisters?
• Wasn’t Eric the one who woke Snow White to begin with?

AND… (*SPOILER ALERT*)

• So…why did she marry William in the end?

I guess three easy questions aren’t so bad considering its predecessor…

The Cast

Chris Hemsworth still takes your breath away as he wields his axe and plays the hero of the story. Hemsworth depicts his character with much more liveliness in this film than the first. It’s as though this film brings out a lighter side to the Huntsman – and so it should! The story gives way to multiplicity within characters and Hemsworth stepped up to the plate.

Emily Blunt is divine in her own version of what it means to be a broken and tortured queen to that of Theron. Her portrayal of a seemingly loveless ruler was as believable as her portrayal of a lovesick, obedient sister. She too understood the power of duality in her portrayal of the ice queen. There was a delicate balance of demanding respect and weakness in her character – she truly was chilling.

Jessica Chastain is a beautiful support to Hemsworth and Blunt. In a film where oestrogen runs strong, it is great to see another girl harnessing physical prowess rather than magic or a spine-tingling speech. Her character also plays a central role to the story and it’s great to see that actions really to speak louder than words – especially when it come to love.

Charlize Theron is still as devious as she was in the first film, but instead of over powering her fellow cast members, it is clear that her talents have been matched. Commanding power with presence was great, but it was excellent to see that Blunt and Hemsworth equally matched her in line delivery and heart-racing action.

Overall…the story is MUCH better than the first film; the acting is not just excellent in every single cast member, but also very well balanced. It’s worth every penny you pay. If fairytales with action is your cup of tea, then this is for you.

sL Star Rating: ★★★★★
Next on sL: Eddie The Eagle