Film review: Oblivion (2013)

Oblivion (2013)

The Future’s White

Release Date: 10^th April 2013

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Cast: Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Morgan Freeman.

Plot: After an alien race renders the Earth inhabitable, the human race migrates to Saturn’s moon, Titan. Left on Earth to maintain energy production for the moon, Jack Harper (Cruise) and Victoria (Riseborough) are the last two people on the planet. Or so they think.

VISIONARY director Joseph Kosinsky takes another stab at creating a futuristic sci-fi with Oblivion, based on a graphic novel he wrote but supposedly never published. His last work was his directorial debut, Tron Legacy – which was an ambitious flop haunted by stunted characters and an awkward script. Unfortunately, Oblivion follows suit.

Tom Cruise stars as Tom Cruise, playing another Jack, again struggling to fit into a role that hides his fame. The Jack is question is Jack Harper, a maintenance man situated on an apocalyptic Earth in charge of repairing and monitoring drones designed to guard tidal energy- processing machines that somehow send said energy to Saturn’s moon Titan, where the rest of humanity has retreated. After an alien invasion that was preluded with the destruction of the moon (thus upsetting the planet’s gravity causing earthquakes and tsunamis), humans nuked the place to rid the Earth of the. Them, the invaders, called ‘Scavengers’ by man, live underground, bent on sabotaging the energy operations that keep mankind alive in distant space. The story itself has some plot holes and jogs ahead of the audience at times, as well as being predictable and quite obviously inspired by similar films, (Moon, 2001: A Space Odyssey, even WALL-E) but is decent enough.

In fact, the first 25 minutes or so are the most enjoyable, in which Harper embodies a futuristic Will Smith of I Am Legend, drifting around the nuclear wasteland repairing drones and reminiscing ‘classic’ football games circa pre-apocalypse. These things take place in either very barren, dry exteriors or very clean, shiny, and rather white interiors. If there’s anything we’ve learned about the future from sci-fi, it’s that it’s very white. A lot of effort goes into Oblivion’s visuals, including a pretty cool fragmented moon, but not enough in characters or their dialogue. Jack’s partner, Victoria, played by Andrea Riseborough, brings a more human dynamic to the film, even with some dodgy dialogue. Oblivion looks quite promising up until it starts to creak under the story’s weight, its tangled and half-baked details slowly drifting from viewers’ attention, who by the third act, become aware of its uncertain direction and running time.

Eventually Morgan Freeman and Olga Kurylenko make their entrances, but fail to add anything other than story propulsion to the mix. Oblivion could be described as an empty shell – it’s a fairly decent narrative, but lacks subtlety, message (which could be the irresponsibility, vulnerability, or subordination of humanity), and character exploration, using its exterior qualities as a driving force. Riseborough, Kurylenko and Cruise do well considering the film’s two-dimensionality, but see Oblivion for extended immersive and indulgent visuals that caught your attention in the trailer.

VERDICT: Kosinski handles the scale of his tale well, but the acute details of his characters aren’t touched upon. That said, it turns out alright, despite a shaky script and a messy finale. ★★★

Game Review: Bioshock Infinite (2013)

BIOSHOCK INFINITE 

Bioshock Aims For The Sky

Developer: Irrational Games

Publisher: 2K Games

Genre: FPS

Platform tested: Xbox 360

AT Bioshock Infinite’s announcement, gamers familiar with the franchise had much to be sceptical about. After a relatively disappointing second instalment (no coincidence that creator Ken Levine happened to sit that one out), there was little confidence that anything would clear the bar set by the original BioShock. It looked like a port and re-skin of Rapture, the underwater dystopia that was home to the first two games in the series. Make no mistake, though – it may be the strongest in the series to date.

STORYLINE

Perhaps the best place to start is with Bioshock Infinite’s storyline. A game promises a lot when it relies solely on a single player campaign; such is the prevalence of the online gaming market today. But boy, does it deliver. The player assumes the role of veteran Booker DeWitt, a man given a chance to ‘clear the debt’ by bringing a girl to New York to an unidentified party. Of course in true Bioshock fashion, he is not simply a pair of eyes behind a gun. He is much more than a contextual tool, as is Infinite’s whole ensemble of characters.

We, as the audience, are thrust into the narrative at a point where events are already set in motion, and it is not long before the player is thrown into the splendour that is ‘Columbia’, the city in the sky. A Self- proclaimed utopia: in reality, an ultra-nationalist, racist, oppressive dictatorship run by the egotistical ‘Father’ Zachary Comstock, who assigns himself the status of ‘Prophet’. The ‘girl’ in question is Elizabeth, who is seemingly imbued with a special ability to open ‘tears’ in space, and guarded by a giant mechanical creature dubbed ‘Songbird’.

 The equilibrium phase is integral to the setting of the events to come – and a second play-through demonstrates just fine a balancing act the developers have struck in order to tell a story. Essentially, you are enticed, without knowing too much. Nonetheless, something is amiss about the whole place, as is quickly learned. Eventually Infinite leads us to an unpredictable, revelational conclusion that few will see coming, and possibly the best narrative twist since the original’s ‘Would you kindly?’ turnaround, if not the greatest plotline in gaming history.

GAMEPLAY

So all this talk about an impeccable narrative is great, but what of the gameplay? Nothing particularly new here – which isn’t a bad thing, of course – left hand uses ‘Vigors’ rather than Plasmids, right is for old- timey guns, and upgrades come in the form of various clothing (gear) that when equipped allow certain perks and abilities. We are also given choices that affect the story slightly, allowing for more replay value. The Vigors themselves are what make the series different from your average shoot-‘em-up, and aid in various ways during battle with Columbia’s forces. Personal favourites include Bucking Bronco (which propels enemies into a state of low gravity for easy pickings), Charge (essentially a re-skinned Big Daddy drill attack), and Return to Sender (a shield which directs enemy attacks back at the enemy). Most have secondary functions, but are rarely necessary. As for the enemies, there are various archetypes equipped with alternates to your Vigors, which helps to even the odds. They will also make use of the Skylines that accommodate Columbia, which are primarily used for Booker’s transport needs, also contributing to some fantastic cinematic sequences. The most memorable enemies are by far the Big Daddy substitutes, the Patriots. Part intimidating, part satirical, these mechanical giants manifest in the form of the founding fathers, which quote their historical counterparts while riddling Booker with bullets. Strangely, they can’t help but serve as irritatingly entertaining.

Thankfully, you have something else on your side – Elizabeth. In fact, she is such a significant element of Infinite that she deserves as much focus as any of the game’s key aspects. For the first time in history, gamers actually prefer the sections in which she accompanies you. Think of the past annoyances of friendly AI – notably recent Resident Evil instalments – and just how annoying, obstructive and useless they were. Elizabeth is nothing of the sort. In fact, she is a delight in every way. She will toss you ammo, salts (to power your Vigors) or health packs when you most desperately need them. Which you will. She also contributes to some helpful, well-scripted dialogue with Booker, which ranges from humourous to story- enriching (in hindsight of the conclusive events, of course), thus enlightening the quieter moments. In addition to all this, she will use her special abilities to open tears, therefore providing a wealth of battle tactics. Unlike Resident Evil 5’s Sheva, she is integral to both story and gameplay, easily taking the mantle of the greatest AI partner a gamer could wish for. Keen observation will also pick up on a sort of Big Daddy/Little Sister mirroring between her and yourself as a player, though she is never under any threat, as the game will tell you with a notification; ‘Elizabeth will look after herself’. Well, thank God for that.

Bioshock Infinite retains the mechanics of previous instalments while fine-tuning the smaller stuff. There’s still a selection wheel for Vigors, but Infinite trades in the weapon cycling system for a Call of Duty style two-gun at a time feature, which will have you constantly debating what to swap for what. There are often at least three guns you may want to carry, but are subjected to being left to guesswork about what might come in handy in the next encounter. The player will also benefit from venturing into Columbia’s dark corners – often a rewarding experience for the kleptomaniacs among us.

A few minor hitches, though: Battles, once or twice, can seem overwhelming, and mis-spending of upgrades can result in a challenge which is just the wrong side of good sport. Put frankly, the enemies can be altogether downright irritating. Patriots are faster, stronger, and better equipped than Booker ever is, and his virtuous Vigors just don’t cut it often enough. Other criticisms of the game have said that Infinite’s objectives seem to continually divert, resulting in the player forgetting why they are doing what they are – but heck, it’s not proclaiming to be anything other than loyal to the Bioshock series, which has had players doing this since 2007.

The graphics are decent enough in the Xbox 360 version, but screenshots of PS3 and PC in particular demonstrate that Infinite is running Xbox 360’s graphics card to exhaustion. The odd loading icon appears in the corner of the screen when passing through areas, and the occasional texture pop haunts the system’s creaky hardware. The sound is, well, sound, however: a great soundtrack accompanies the player as they journey through Infinite’s story, which, as you guessed it, again serves as a vessel of narrative elements. The game also sees the return of voice recordings in the form of Voxophones, which are highly collectable and – yep – narratively beneficial.

VERDICT: Worthy of all the awards and praise, Bioshock Infinite keeps players occupied, and leaves them satisfied. The developers clearly ran a tight ship, with every detail meticulously thought over and implemented with masterful precision. Play through it once to have your mind blown. Play through again, and appreciate the inner workings that went into doing so. Only parting thought is where the series is headed next – but that is a definitively exciting one. Bar = set.

RATING: 9/10

Review: The Paperboy (2013)

The Paperboy (2013)  

Released: 15 March 2013

Director: Lee Daniels

Cast: Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack

Plot: Reporter Jack Jansen (Efron) returns to his hometown to investigate the murder of a local Sherriff, for which the convict (Cusack) is on death row.

ADAPTED from Pete Dexter’s novel of the same name, The Paperboy managed to snag itself a Cannes selection, probably due to a style and flair usually absent from Hollywood thrillers. But this combined with a solid, intriguing story and characters worth investing your attention in make it a distinguished piece of modern filmmaking. Shot on grainy widescreen 16mm and enlarged to 35, sometimes reflecting elements of Blaxploitation as well as sexploitation, the film appears as if literally plucked from the 70s, born of the era’s values and a product of its troubles.

It tells the story of Jack, of the Jansen family, which consists of his brother Ward (McConaughey), father and stepmother whom Jack and Ward are not particularly fond of. Rather, Jack finds friendship and maternal affections in his house help Anita (played brilliantly by Macy Gray, also narrating to the same degree), which result in some of the more memorable and adoring scenes, one even arguably the most humourous. The role of Jack marks Efron’s best work yet, batting the critics who associate his career with that Disney trilogy – an image by no means easy to shed, yet here is successfully so.

Kidman is barely recognisable as the white- trash object of Jack’s obsession Charlotte, looking and acting as if plucked from a Deep South edition of The Only Way Is Essex (The Only Way is Texas?) than the typically classy damsel Kidman audiences have familiarised themselves with. It could even be her standout performance, if not, a strong contender. Here, it is certainly the standout. It also provides a change of pace for McConaughey; whose performance grows on a script so easy on the ear it also feels as if the audience is witness to documented conversation. In an equally notable fashion, home grown actor David Oyelowo and John Cusack (his best work too) take on highly enjoyable and prevalent roles that are by no means peripheral.

The film’s strength is in its subtle storytelling, which is counterweighted simply by its content and subject matter. The graphic and just-the-right-side-of-gratuitous violence and sex just feel denotative of such a Southern lifestyle lived by its feral inhabitants. We see the more glamorous inner city settings, beaches and offices, which are contrasted with the bleak, dirty shabbiness of the swamps, where its dwellers are equally unappealing (and we’re not just talking about the crocs).

The real drama comes from Jack’s awkward and desperate desire to ‘jump on’ (as narrated) Charlotte, while trying to contemplate her desire for dangerous men – depicted in two prison visits, one of which is the film’s best, if most crude, scene. The audience is occasionally put behind the eyes of the youngster for daydream or half-conscious sequences, most if not all of which veer on at Kidman’s Charlotte longingly or lustfully. He’s a brash, often mouthy and emotive individual, and she, an overtly sexual, self- destructive mess – but something inside us wants to see it work out. Which, though, is something that the narrative playfully but consistently wraps a cloth of uncertainty around.

It is not without fault, though. At times the script leaves too much to wonder, and viewers could feel as though they are backtracking what’s previously happened in order to understand what’s happening before them, like flicking back through a lengthy novel. However, this is usually where The Paperboy once again grasps your attention in often a shocking way, and in a rare scenario by today’s structural standards, the third act not only maintains the pace of the prior two, but stands above them.

Pete Dexter (writer of both the original novel and screenplay) and Lee Daniels (writ/dir.) work together successfully to assert ownership over this engaging piece of cinema – it is most definitely a result of their respective skills – resulting in a finished product that is poignant, memorable and timeless in its content, sporting re-watching value (little things can be picked up on in hindsight) and dynamic characters that accompany a visually compound picture of high quality.

Verdict: Melodramatic and affecting yet strangely engrossing, The Paperboy tells a thrilling tale of mystery, troubled youth and societal decay with an effective vintage sheen. Have an accommodating mind and don’t be perturbed by the criticism. ★★★★

Review: Gangster Squad

Gangster Squad (2013)

The Fellowship of the Crime Ring 

Released: 10 January

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone

Plot: Los Angeles, 1949. Mickey Cohen (Penn)’s reach stretches everywhere – even within the law. Realising that the only way to lock him up is operating outside it, Sgt. John O’Mara (Brolin) sets up the ‘Gangster Squad’, a team of men willing to play Cohen at his own game.

RUBEN Fleischer’s last outing, 30 Minutes or Less, was widely ignored having been overshadowed by its funnier older brother, the highly marketable spin on a popular and successful genre, Zombieland. Melting violence and humour together delicately yet enjoyably, It was the closest the US had ever come to replicating the refreshing thread of comedy famously portrayed by Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead.

Gangster Squad almost nails this. It builds upon the basis of The Untouchables, but never quite rises to the same heights – no Oscars for best supporting role here. That said, the ensemble here – the Gangster Squad – bounce off one another nicely.

The main strengths here though, are Brolin and Penn. The former is the strong headed, brave, equally-as-moral-as-tough Costner- stand in, while Sean Penn is more stand out than stand in. Boasting far more character than screen time (sadly), he drives the film as a viciously ambitious Mickey Cohen, who locks his associates in lift shafts then burns the building to the ground, chains a man to two separate cars (wild-west style, minus the horses) and orders them to drive apart, or makes literal use of the phrase ‘you know the drill’. Never has Cohen been portrayed with such attention to detail and a fearsome on screen presence.

Elsewhere, the supporting cast carry the drama at a favourable pace, never slowing, but also never faltering. There is a good story to be told, and it wraps up without leaving the audience feel short-changed. Fleischer knows how to pay cast members the attention they are due, especially considering the sheer size of it here, and saddles each character with a selling point. That considered though, the running time doesn’t allow for deep enough character exploration beyond Brolin, Penn and Gosling, but, frankly, most will be content with this.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are given a chance to replicate their romantic chemistry seen before – one or two of their moments feel like Crazy, Stupid, Love’s deleted scenes – though both are good performances standing firmly on their own merits, albeit their status as tokens for a more general market. A very trebly Gosling is ideal as smart, ladies man (though fictional) Jerry Wooters, who goes to show, in a shooting outside a restaurant, that he is willing to punish a bad guy accordingly:

“You won’t shoot me, you’re a cop!”

To which he replies, “Not any more.”

Other characters are purely a product of their casting, for example Nick Nolte must have been first call as the Police Chief determined to prise LA from Cohen’s grasp, or Giovanni Ribisi as the nervy but good- willed eyes and ears of the operation. They are all of course, simply good guys willing to do some bad to pull a city through a corrupt epoch.

In terms of directing, narrative and performance, Gangster Squad is a decent movie. It may not be as consistently rich in character as The Untouchables or as sophisticated as LA Confidential, but it certainly throws enough punches and covers enough ground to warrant recognition as a great gangster flick.

Verdict: Gangster Squad is the ideal weekend movie, championing brawn over brain whilst being gutsy and unafraid to expose post- WWII LA with unsubtle honesty. It pulls a Tommy gun trigger and doesn’t let go until the drum empties. ★★★★