Kung Fu Panda 2 Review

Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG)

Director: Jennifer Yu
Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman

If you had to choose a mammal to do Kung Fu, a panda does not immediately spring to mind. This premise is what set the initial fuzzy fighter film apart, being, as it was, a movie about the most unlikely of creatures becoming a martial arts master. It was fun and action-packed, with a knowing wink to the kung fu films of old.

This sequel suffers from being (a) far less fun, and (b) far less fun. An effort to unveil the truth of Po’s (Black) “surprise” adoption and a journey to find his inner peace, the film suffers from an ill-conceived effort to be more mature, becoming far more serious and getting mired in overbearing sentimentality. There are some nice visual flourishes and it does look beautiful in places, but the animation flair runs dry in the cut-and-paste fight scenes which dominate the second half. Sadly, far from being sheer awesomeness, this panda is more sheer tediousness.

Rating: 3/5

Green Lantern Review

Green Lantern (12A)

Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong

DC comics hold some of the comic book world’s hottest properties, with the major leaguers including Superman and Batman. However, it is fair to say that the Green Lantern (here, Ryan Reynolds), the only human member of an intergalactic police force that harness the green energy of will power, has never really hit such dizzying heights of popularity; and on this evidence, perhaps never will.

While the first and final acts sizzle with energy and creativity, the film is overwhelmed by a stifling mid-act which is so static and thick with exposition, it almost derails entirely. Along with wasted secondary characters and poor chemistry from the leads, there is jarringly over-baked emoting, smelling strongly of mature cheddar. The effects are mixed, veering from Avatar-levels of detailing on the planet of Oa - the home of the Green Lantern Corps - to shonky set-pieces and unintentionally hilarious CG characters. Sadly, Green Lantern emerges looking less a super-hero, and more a super-snot!

Rating: 2/5

May Tweeviews

Attack the Block (15): London hoodies take on alien invaders. Great concept with well measured blend of humour and drama. Chavs rule! ★★★★☆

Fast Five (12A): Not so much a film as a series of loosely connected ludicrous action pieces and The Rock. Unintentionally hilarious. ★★★☆☆

Hanna (12A): Unique, stylish noir thriller in a Grimm-inspired quasi-reality. With a teenage girl assassin. Quite brilliant. ★★★★☆

The Way (12A): Family Sheen manage to produce an intimate journey of self-discovery and redemption which isn't boring. Kudos! ★★★★☆

Thor (12A): The trickiest Avengers set-up is loud & colourful fun. OTT godly campery, alongside witty earthly banter. Marvel's best to date! ★★★★☆

Water for Elephants (12A): Less elephant + more Patterson = charisma imbalance. Waltz saves it from sugary schmulz, but only just! ★★★☆☆

The Way (12A)

The Way (12A)

Director: Emilio Estevez

Cast: Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, James Nesbitt

“You don’t choose a life, you live one”. Tom (Sheen), a buttoned-down eye specialist, is haunted by these parting words from his adventuring son, Daniel (Estevez). When he receives a call that Daniel has died on the El Camino De Santiago trial, Tom decides to finish the journey his son began. Joined by an assortment of fellow pilgrims - some of whom do border on caricature – he leaves his safe and sterile life behind and sets off into the unknown.

Stunningly set against the vast and sprawling countryside of Europe, The Way is an intimate story of one man’s attempts to reconcile a lost relationship, while also opening himself up to rediscover his need of faith and of community. Father/son combo Sheen and Estevez have crafted a very personal journey, appropriately set at a walker’s pace, allowing the film to breathe, and the viewer to absorb both the scenery and characters.

Rating: 4/5

Water for Elephants (12A)

Water for Elephants (12A)

Director: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Robert Patterson, Reece Witherspoon, Cristoph Waltz

With the notable exception of Jurassic Park, films centring on pseudo-anthropomorphic creatures - be it dog, monkey or killer whale – have the unerring ability to become cookie-cutter, over-sentimental, bargain bin trash. Thankfully, with Water for Elephants, such clichéd pit-holes are avoided, minimising the elephant element, and focussing more on the human love triangle of the circus hand (Patterson) falling for the beautiful wife (Witherspoon) of the jealous, and slightly deranged ringmaster (Waltz).

Patterson is still very much Twilight’s Edward Cullen, simply transferring his brooding vampire intensity to a less supernatural prohibition America. There is plenty to look at, with lots of fine period detail, and enough menace from Waltz’s character – the finest thing in the film - to avoid becoming too saccharine. Unfortunately, the Titanic style book-ending feels too neat, destroying any opportunity for real tension, and creating a regrettably hollow pay-off.

Rated: 3/5

Hanna (12A)

Hanna (12A)

Director: Joe Wright

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana

She’s only young, bless her, but she really can kill people! Hanna (Ronan), brought up by her father alone in the snowy wilds, has lived a life of isolation and preparation in order to become the perfect assassin, while fulfilling an as-yet undisclosed purpose. Set in a Brothers Grimm-inspired quasi-reality, Hanna is full of outlandish fairytale characters (Tom Hollander’s freaky killer is a particular highlight) and even more outlandish action set pieces, but is at heart the story of a girl trying to find her place.

Director Joe Wright does have a tendency to veer between tones (evidenced in Atonement), lurching from action, through broad comedy, to noir thriller with little warning. While this has the potential to be disorientating, the relentless pacing, married to a pitch-perfect score from The Chemical Brothers, and grounded by Ronan’s vulnerable, yet hard-ass central performance, keep the plot fizzing along nicely.

Rated: 4/5

My Birthday List

These are films I would like to own. It gives you an idea of my quite distinctive tastes.

Please do not feel any pressure to buy me anything (Karen is no doubt planning to shock me with all of them!), but if you do, please do remember what a significant impact I have made on your life to date... (any gifts from my followers in Pakistan and other such foreign lands can be sent to The Megacentre, Sheffield, S2 5BQ)

The Kings Speech

Monsters

Hitchcock 14 disc box set

Unstoppable

The Town

Scorsese Box Set (green with red face on)

Planet of the Apes collection – 6 disc box set

David Lynch Collection

Seven Samurai

West Wing Box Set

12 Angry Men

One flew over the cuckoos nest

Sunset Boulevard

Dr Strangelove

The third man

Breakfast at tiffany's

All about eve

The 400 blows