Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Unleashed (2005) - 7 stars out of 10

Unleashed (2005) - 7 stars out of 10

“Unleashed” blends kung fu and drama into a truly fascinating story.  It contains all of the action that you hope for in a Jet Li film but weaves that action around a worthwhile plot.  Martial arts films have the negative connotation of using a low-quality storyline for the sole purpose of stringing together several fight scenes, but this concept is so interesting that I legitimately like “Unleashed” for its story more than its awesome fight scenes.  The concept seems a little ridiculous as this fighter is raised like a dog and trained to turn into a killing machine when his collar is removed, but the film executes it in a way that makes it surprisingly believable.  Li’s character shows a convincing transformation through culture and music, aided by Morgan Freeman’s soft-spoken character and contrasted by the raw aggression of Bob Hoskins.  You always expect greatness from Freeman, but all of these actors provide better performances than your typical martial arts cast.  I was particularly taken with Kerry Condon, who somehow manages to keep up with Freeman and serves as a convincing role model for Li.  The story isn’t perfect as it drags at a few points, but the progressive revealing of information and action sequences always pick the tempo back up.  It isn’t often that you combine blood and weapons with a Mozart Piano Sonata, but the odd combination works perfectly in the context of “Unleashed.”

[Pictured: Bonus points to using music to help him find his humanity]

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

The Maze Runner - 6 stars out of 10

The Maze Runner - 6 stars out of 10

“The Maze Runner” is the latest in the string of teen-targeted dystopian adventure films.  It is impossible to avoid comparisons so, to be blunt, it is not as good as “The Hunger Games” or “Divergent”; still, the story is interesting and the intrigue will keep you watching until the end.  Unlike the aforementioned series’, this film doesn’t have any big-name actors (aside from Patricia Clarkson who is on-screen for less than 5 minutes).  The cast won’t be your reason for seeing this, but it also allows the story to develop without being distracted by the actors.  The plot leaves a lot of loose ends and its reliance on a sequel makes it a very disappointing stand-alone film, but it also has me so anxious to get some answers to my long list of questions.  Dylan O’Brien carries the momentum from the unexpectedly intense opening to the final Griever battle.  The boys also develop a strong Lord-of-the-Flies chemistry as if they were truly in this survival situation.  The movie reminded me of M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” from the start, but I was relieved to see that the Grievers are real to dismiss the possibility of it being a stolen concept.  I love that the time period is left ambiguous between the lack of technology provided to the boys and the complex robotic appearance of the Grievers.  I even began questioning whether the boys were on Earth.  The story is dark, the action is intense, and “The Maze Runner” will keep you curious from start to finish (and until the sequel is released).


[Pictured: The scenery may be the coolest part of this film!]