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.
When you look up to the sky and notice the second star to the right gleams brighter than the rest of the heavenly beings you know there must be other signs of other life. You’ve heard of the tales of mermaids, pirates and Indians; you’ve even heard of the boy who would never grow old. But what if what you’ve heard is not all that there is? What if the story had another story? What if the story that you’ve always known wasn’t the beginning at all? What if the story you’ve always known is actually the middle?
The Story
PAN takes a turn from the classic story written by British playwright, J.M. Barrie. Unlike Finding Neverland, this new adaptation of the tale takes pleasure in using poetic licence to shed light to how Peter Pan became Peter Pan. Keeping the orphan theme, we begin with a desperate mother (Amanda Seyfried) trying to keep her son safe from “The War”. Using either of World Wars as a backdrop for another war that was being waged in a parallel universe – i.e. Neverland – we’re taken from our known world into the enchanted land where time is suspended and belief is the bedrock of your capabilities.
We see a young James Hook (Garrett Hedlund) struggling to find a way back to our world since he was enslaved by the evil (addition) of the fair, yet merciless Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman). We get a background story of how the lost boys happen to be in Neverland – both by choice and through slavery, as well as a feistier and ageless Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara).
Roles and Casting
Now the reason why I’m doing this section differently is because Jason Fuchs only uses Barrie’s characters and setting. He created his own story by reviving classic characters who’ve touched the lives of many children across the world.
Levi Miller is a sassy Pan. Miller completely captures Pan’s playfulness and childishness in this adaptation retaining Barrie’s magical touch. But Fuchs’s Pan also sees Miller portraying Peter’s identity crisis of being “just Peter” and “the one” they call “Pan”. Miller did a great job balancing child-like playfulness with the more mature emotions that come with attempting to understand honourable sacrifice rather than being defeated by reckless abandonment.
Garrett Hedlund had the heavier weight of attempting to create a fellow hero out of the iconic one-handed villain. Channelling his inner Indiana Jones, Hedlund creates a suave and over confident Hook who uses his charms and bravado to hide his cowardice. His role was to distract audiences from the old narrative to bring them into Fuchs’s “long before” notion. There are traces of the beloved villain, but it was interesting to see not just Fuchs’s recreation, but also Hedlund’s interpretation of Hook’s own identity crisis in a land where anything is possible through “thinking ‘happy thoughts’”.
The more interesting additions are Blackbeard and Tiger Lily.
Although Tiger Lily has always been part of the story, she’s always seen as Peter’s playmate and Wendy’s competition. In saying that, Fuchs’s portrayal sees Rooney Mara step up and be less of the damsel in distress that the Disney animation portrayed her to be, but rather depicted her as a warrior princess. Mara isn’t just a badass, she is also Pan’s guide to unlocking his potential. Poetic licence takes control as Mara and Hedlund share touching moments of “flirting”, extended gazing and awkward sentence finishing. In this tale, Tiger Lily and Hook seem more inclined to be attracted to one another than the suggested Tiger Lily and Pan combo that we’ve always known.
Blackbeard’s addition to the story was the most interesting rewrite in this film and Hugh Jackman is brilliant as always. But I thought the integration of the two myths was a little overdone. It’s not that Jackman wasn’t great – and I’m always proud of our Aussie representatives – but I’m a bookworm, which means I like sticking to the story as much as possible. I felt like the addition of Blackbeard was just an excuse to make this a pirate movie rather than a Peter Pan movie. By adding Blackbeard, Fuchs gave much of the plot to a character that isn’t even in the original story, meaning original characters had to give way to a single character who had to be weaved into the story. Like I said, I love Hugh Jackman, but you can’t name a movie “PAN” if it’s not even about Peter Pan. The majority of this film was about keeping a boy who “might be or might not be” Pan away from Blackbeard.
Special Effects
Regardless of what I think about the rewrite, I thought the creation of Neverland was amazing. From the ships to the crocodiles, the mermaids to the fairies, but what I loved the most was the memory tree and Mermaid Lagoon’s mystical waters. I loved that the lines in the stump of the tree and the bubbles animated the flashbacks. The special effects team get two thumbs up from me!
Music and Soundtrack
This department also gets a special mention for their addition of Nirvana’s, Smells Like Teen Spirit as a play on words for our first introduction in Neverland. The integration of popular culture for the sake of making a point was top notch! Well-done team!
Overall…it’s a good film, not the one you’re used to or remember, but it’s one that you will laugh at and appreciate. If you like the original story, watch this film with an open mind. If you’re looking for a new adventure, this is for you. No age limits, like J.M. Barrie intended, this film is for anyone wanting to escape to Neverland.
Mutants aren’t the only ones close to extinction. If
there’s any trace of mutation in you’re DNA you’re just as hopeless as anyone
who can read minds or shape-shift. Welcome to the future, where the human
population is at an all time low and machines threaten to demolish anyone that
is different at any cost. In a time where nothing is certain, it’ll take more
than just the X-Men to secure life on a dying planet.
The Story
Picking up from where X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men:
First Class ended, we have a collision of past and present in the latest
installment of the X-Men franchise.
In this latest release, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is sent back to 1973 to erase
the current future in order to restore humanity’s faith in mutants. This
blast-into-the-past sees both the original cast – Patrick Stewart, Ian
McKellen, Halle Barry, Ellen Page, and Shawn Ashmore – and the current cast –
James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Holt – into
one gigantic A-List compilation.
This film not only continues the plot that the
original comics take, but also undoes the inconsistent and story
progression found in X-Men Origins:
Wolverine and the unforeseen deaths of characters in X-Men: The Last Stand. As though to remedy past mistakes, X-Men: Days of Future Past literally
re-boots and removes everything they were slammed for in the previous films,
and pick-up the remaining pieces as though all is right with the world again.
The main story in this film is to wipe out the
concept of mutant-inhalation from history altogether. What this film really
does is bring back characters that we love very much and make sure that they’re
stories don’t get to screwed over in the future. Thus, the plot for this film seems
to mirror the inner-workings off-camera, just as much as successfully progress
the overall plotline of future films.
Who says art doesn’t imitate life?
The Cast
Hugh Jackman has been loyal to Wolverine over that last fourteen
years and I have to say, with the help of incredible writing, we have definitely
seen multiple sides to Wolverine. This particular film shows the caring and emotionally
contained Wolverine. Being the only one from the future, Jackman portrays a more
mature character in this film – he’s like the dad disciplining the children who
have misbehaved while his back was turned.
James McAvoyand Patrick
Stewart play two different points of view of Charles Xavier. McAvoy plays
the uncharacteristically unhopeful Charles who sees the destruction of humanity
in the future as none of his business, where as Stewart plays Professor X as the
wise professor who sees hope no matter what. The opposing portrayals bring
forth another dynamic to the Charles Xavier; in this film, we see a weaker side
of Charles that later gives birth to the strength inside of the beloved
Professor.
Michael Fassbenderand Ian
McKellen, much like McAvoy and Stewart, portray different sides to Magneto.
Fassbender embodies the same callous Erik that we see in First Class and throughout the X-Men
Trilogy. By contrast, McKellen plays a worn-out and beaten Erik who, much
like Stewart’s portrayal, is wiser and apologetic for his callousness. The two
juxtaposed depictions of Magneto sees the inevitable division between the two
friends, regardless of the past, present or future.
Jennifer Lawrenceand Peter
Dinklage both play the “bad guys” in this film. Lawrence reprises her role
as Raven (a.k.a. Mystique) and delves into the “mutant and proud” mantra that
she takes with her at the end of First
Class in order to kill and destroy Dinklage’s character, Dr. Bolivar Trask.
The two villains in this film help develop the plot as Trask is attempting to
bring down the mutants once and for all, while Mystique is attempting to stop
that plan from proceeding, with no knowledge of the dire consequences for the
future. The dualistic nature of villainy in this film really begs viewers to
question who is ‘good’ and who is ‘bad’.
In saying that, with all the characters that are
prominent in this film, the question of good and evil is always being asked.
***
Overall the film was a blast to watch. There are times where you are absolutely
drawn in solely by the action, and other times you’re pulled by the emotion.
There are also times, like most of these Marvel films, you’re laughing until
everything hurts. But the majority of this film is emotional, you have to
remember that the balance of the future sees that everything is done right in
the past in order to save the future – that’s a heavy burden for anyone to
carry, fortunately, there’s a team who’s got that covered.
Logan (Hugh Jackman), a.k.a. “The Wolverine”, is once again
a lone wolf. After the devastating death of Jean Grey (Famke Janseen), Logan’s
never been able to grasp what life should be like without her – and being
immortal, it would be a long and lonely life.
The Story
The sub-story is Logan is trying to find a way to come to
terms with the loss of Jean Grey. Throughout the film, Jean appears to him in
dreams and visions beckoning him to come to her – that is, to die – which is
impossible for his genetic mutation. The main story (that all the trailers showcase)
is the idea that Logan has become human; needing the help of modern medicine
and having someone to look after him, while simultaneously (and voluntarily)
keeping a Japanese company heiress, Mariko Yashida (Tao Okamato), safe.
I personally liked the dual storyline that happens in this
film. You have the main storyline that carries all the action, while the other
serves as the underlying theme of Logan wanting to be human or normal. What I
liked most about the story was it was focused mainly on The Wolverine. Unlike the first film (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and the X-Men Trilogy, there weren’t too many mutants in the one film. Since
that was the case, you were able to grasps the story and believe the action
playing-out before you.
The Cast
Hugh Jackman –
Brilliant (as always) as he reprises his role as Wolverine. Like any role he’s
been given, Jackman gives 100% and brings a delightful balance of humour, wit
and seriousness to the role, and Wolverine is no different. Hugh was absolutely
flawless.
Rila Fukushima –
plays fellow mutant, Yukio, an adopted daughter of the Yashida family.
Fukushima was a great sidekick for Wolverine, and at times became the main
source for comic relief. It was great to see a female-bad-ass in combat boots
and fiery red-hair. Kudus to Rila!
Svetlana Khodchenkova
– plays another mutant, Viper, Yashida’s doctor as well as one of Logan’s
nemesis in this film. Khodchenkova was vicious, sensual and, well, gross.
Spitting everywhere as well as shedding her skin – it’s a given for a
reptile-like mutation. But she was believable on both accounts – scientist and
villain – so kudos to Svetlana as well.
Tao Okamoto –
following the current trend of the paradoxical trait of being a kick-ass damsel
in distress, Okamoto was a brilliant surprise in the storyline. I don’t want to
say too much, because (a) you kind of see it coming and (b) every superhero
needs something added to their story to keep audiences entertained – meaning all audiences. But I thought she did a
great job contrasting the roughness of Jackman’s beastly character with the
gentleness and grace of Mariko.
Famke Janseen –
it’s always nice to see familiar faces, and Janseen’s is no exception. After
her abrupt and colossus death in X-Men:
The Final Battle, it was nice to see the Jean Grey that Logan fell in love
with, rather than the Jean Grey that she disappeared as.
Setting
Setting the film in Japan was a great idea. Not just plot-wise,
but as well as action and scenery wise. The beauty of several Japanese gardens
contrasted with iconic Japanese skyscrapers, along with several provincial
residencies were all excellent places to tell each part of the story.
Overall
The film was a great addition to the Marvel collection of the X-MenSaga, but it’s also a great film that
stands on it’s own. Marvel fans will
love the simplicity of the story line as well as the execution. What I love the
most about Marvel films is the transcendental
inclusion of different languages, cultures and the histories that turns the
differences into a similarity. You get a great sense of the Japanese culture in
this film and really appreciate how history interplays with the world of Marvel. The only thing left for me to
say is: GO SEE IT.
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