film reviews: battle l.a. and more!
Battle LA. Director: Jonathan Liebesman
The action/war/sci fi film Battle L.A follows a platoon of U.S. Marines who are required to save the remaining civilians in the Santa Monica area during an alien invasion. Shot in documentary style to create a sense of realism, the film is dominated by one thing only: battle scenes. As a result, it feels overly long and while we are briefly introduced to a series of stereotypical men in the opening of the film, there is very little character development. Overall, the film is reminiscent of a video game.
Griff the Invisible. Director: Leon Ford
Griff the Invisible is a quirky superhero comedy, about an average man who dreams of greater things. Ryan Kwanten plays Griff – a socially awkward character who experiences workplace bullying by day, but seeks to protect the innocent by night. When he meets and forms a connection with Melody (Maeve Dermody) an aspiring artist/scientist, Griff’s world is changed dramatically. While the idea behind the film is very far-fetched, it’s a refreshing Australian film from executive producer Jan Champan, who previously brought us the likes of Bright Star and The Piano.
Limitless. Director: Neil Burger
What’s the cure for writer’s block? According to Neil Burger’s new film Limitless, the answer lies in a secret drug which allows users to utilise 100% of their brain activity. The film follows Eddie (Bradley Cooper), a struggling writer who becomes addicted to the drug which gives him almost super-human abilities – he writes a novel in a day, learns to speak French fluently in minutes, works out algorithms for the stock market and the list goes on. Shots of the New York City skyscrapers and bright lights dominate the production design, but the fast-paced camera work feels like a rollercoaster ride – and while this effectively illustrates the ups and downs of substance abuse, the ending appears to glamorise the drug overall. Nonetheless, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro should keep audiences interested.
Rango. Director: Gore Verbinski
The animated Western Rango follows the story of a lonely chameleon (voiced by Johnny Depp) who wanders into a town in America’s Wild West. Here he unwittingly usurps the role of the town’s sheriff at a time when the inhabitants are suffering from a severe water shortage, as a result of political corruption. With an all-star cast including Australia’s Isla Fisher, Bill Nighy and Abigail Breslin, Rango is an entertaining film that is not just aimed at children – there are various references to Western classics, Clint Eastwood, and Johnny Depp’s role in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
