Dino-Mania!
June 14, 2015
Jurassic World (2015).
D: Colin Trevorrow. DP: John Schwartzman. W: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Colin Trevorrow & Derek Connolly. Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, Ty Simpkins, Vincent D’Onofrio, Omar Sy, Nick Robinson, Jake Johnson, BD Wong, Lauren Lapkus, Judy Greer, Andy Buckley. (based on the characters created by Michael Crichton)
One of the most anticipated re-ignitions of a franchise is definitely that of Jurassic Park. Released in 1993 the original spawned two sequels and an inordinate amount of money at the box office and beyond. Over twenty years since the original, Jurassic World abandons original characters for the sake of the rebuilt park that is dealing with launching its newest attraction, the genetically created Indominus Rex.
Firstly, Jurassic World never skimps on spectacle. The film itself feels like one long amusement park ride, which I am sure has massive commercial appeal. The introduction of the park is even through two kids attending for the first time. Their discovery of the park while its inner workings are being hammered out by the adults is an easy enough structure that never gets interesting. Yet the spectacle is immense. The visual effects are the driving force of the film and for that it is enjoyable. Indominus Rex makes the originals look like play things. There are far too many nods to the original, you’ll get a bit fatigued by them all. But thankfully the kids played by Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson never get too schmaltzy, despite an “our parents are getting divorced” cry.
The ultimate, and most discussed about, drawback of Jurassic World is its old fashioned approach to gender dynamics between its two leads played by Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt. There was a clear opportunity here to do something different or even modern and unfortunately two writing teams still endorsed jokes about running in heels and man as action hero and woman as stiff who needs to let loose. Creatively next to Mad Max: Fury Road this is atrocious, but in the context of Hollywood corporate machine this is just shamefully boring. Trust me there is one epic shot of Howard running in heels from a dinosaur while holding a flare, in an all white ensemble. Could we be more retrograde?
Yet somehow Pratt’s Owen is able to stay likable, even despite some silly lines and lots of panic staring. His character is no where near as developed in Guardians of the Galaxy yet his raptor scenes, including a big chase, are excellent. But frankly no one is really developed, all the money is in the spectacle not the script. I am glad Jake Johnson was there to gives us much needed lift and genre commentary through his nerdlicious tech dude Lowery. Himself a cliche at least he was aware of it. The money is already raking in and the Terminator trailers have begun. We shall see if that one shapes up to be better.
If I Only Had a Heart
March 10, 2014
Robocop (2014).
D: José Padilha. W:Joshua Zetumer (based on 1987 film by Edward Neumeier & Michael Miner). DP: Lula Carvalho. Starring: Joel Kinnaman/Gary Oldman/Michael Keaton/Abbie Cornish/Jackie Earle Haley/Michael K. Williams/Jennifer Ehle/Jau Baruchel/Samuel L. Jackson/Aimee Garcia/Marianne Jean-Baptiste/John Paul Ruttan.
Amidst the superhero conversation, but part of the transformer chit-chat, there must be a small discussion of the military and police forces within cinema. In the past few decades the man vs. machine debate has evolved to new levels. In films like 2009’s Terminator: Salvation and 2009’s Avatar whole plots rest on this very old concept. With the influence of video games on cinema it’s easy to not be surprised about anything the new Robocop brings to the table.
Robocop finds Detective Alex Murphy, played by AMC’s The Killing‘s Joel Kinnaman, in a disastrous situation. His body ravaged by an explosion meant to kill him, his wife makes the difficult decision to save him by allowing what’s left of him to be put into a machine cop suit. And I literally mean, all that’s left of him. Rather gruesome, and incredibly sad, Kinnaman’s Alex must psychologically accept his new body and emotionally abandon his former life. This new robocop as he is called is set to the streets, but of course complications arise. Unfortunately for Kinnaman who brings a much needed tenderness to Alex’s plight, he cannot fix what failed about this film.
Right off the bat the tone is disastrously set in an obnoxious way with plot markers. Samuel L. Jackson appears as an interceding hot headed political show host. This is clearly an attempt to seem topical and reflective of biases in the media, but the segments are jarring and smear the story with regurgitated boredom. Also, it’s been claimed that director José Padilha and even Kinnaman desperately wanted an R rating, with studio Columbia bawking and forcing them into PG-13. Even for the this lower rating there is an immense amount of violence. Most of it is structured like a video game, which these days feels overdone and disconnects the audience.
Ultimately, the saving grace of Robocop is Gary Oldman. Serious and subtle, the heart and redemption of the story lies in the eyes of Oldman’s bespectacled Dr. Norton. Grappling with balancing the man and the machine elements of his creation, in usual chameleon-esque form, Oldman gives the audience the conflict and spirit at the core of the film. His doctor harkens back to the grappling of Dr. Frankenstein who loved his creation, but abhors what he has done. The rest of the cast were forgettable, with poor Abbie Cornish adding another tear stained archetypal gal to her roster, much beneath her talent long established in 2006’s Candy.
On a final note, predominately I am stringent when it comes to reading novels before they are adapted for the screen or seeing original films before they are reincarnated. For Robocop I decided, with time being a factor as well, to work backwards and see how I fared. Now having seen this new slick, updated version I am more curious about the original. Maybe with an R rating set against an 1980s cinema context the concept will feel fresher.
Please comment on this conversation about the original. Will post again when I have seen it.