dtfernandes Reviews

Batman Begins (2005)

A Perfectly Cromulent Movie

[8/10 · 22 July 2005]

I must say, I think the market for comic book movies is becoming a bit saturated. Fortunately "Batman Begins" is able to distinguish itself from the majority through a well-written story and solid acting(I'll begrudgingly acknowledge even Katie Holmes was alright). With the exception of the first Spiderman and the original Batman, you'd be hard pressed to find a better comic adaptation on film. What I found particularly interesting was the focus on Bruce Wayne rather than his alter ego, Batman. For whatever reason previous Batman movies had revealed little about Wayne himself, choosing rather to focus on the heroics of the superhero he created. I think what makes this movie more enjoyable is that the audience sympathizes with Wayne whereas previously they had simply admired him for his bravery.

One problem I did noticed that has been mentioned pretty frequently is that the action is sometimes difficult to follow. I found this to certainly be the case. Batman tends to have a much darker streak than other comics and you can understand Christopher Nolan's desire to be true to this trait. He does himself a disservice, however, with narrow shots of various fight scenes as it leads to some ambiguity as to what is actually happening. I would imagine that this problem will be corrected in the sequel.

This movie is definitely worth a viewing if you enjoy comic-based films, or even just action films in general. Christian Bale, in my estimation, surpasses Michael Keaton as the best Batman and Liam Neeson plays his supporting role as Wayne's mentor well. While Michael Caine isn't really tested, he is still a pleasure to watch. "Batman Begins" leaves me, and I'm sure many others, eagerly anticipating a followup.

Wedding Crashers (2005)

Hyped

[6/10 · 21 July 2005]

Maybe it was because of the hype and my lofty expectations entering Wedding Crashers but overall I was disappointed with this film. While the idea is solid and there are some moments of brilliance it is ultimately ruined by a cookie cutter plot and an attempt to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. The potential of this movie is derailed during the way too frequent attempts to play to the "chick filck" demographic. Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrel can be some of the funniest people when left to their own devices, but I have trouble believing the claim that they were the creative forces behind most of this movie as is widely reported. Some of the funniest scenes and lines were improvisational, but these moments are definitely outnumbered by the insufferable amount of scenes that forward the "plot." I'm sure studios are reluctant to release films that don't have a feel-good resolution, or that are irrelevant and nonsensical, but this film is so formulaic it hurts. This movie ends up feeling as much "50 First Dates" as it does "Old School." In my opinion this movie would have been funnier, although perhaps less financially successful, if they had made it far less predictable and clichéd. Unfortunately this movie will make a good deal of money and will make the studios even more averse to producing real comedies.

xXx: State of the Union (2005)

A crime against humanity

[2/10 · 1 May 2005]

All I am trying to say is that if we are going to put Saddam Hussein on trial for war crimes, everyone involved in this film needs to be held accountable in a similar manner.

Someone once said a million monkeys, using a million typewriters with an infinite amount of time could reproduce Shakespeare. I don't know if that is true, but I guarantee you one monkey, with one typewriter and let's say, oh about 15 minutes could bang this one out from script to cutting room. Ice Cube is obnoxious, unnecessarily arrogant while his portly figure prevents any rational human being from believing he is the deadliest man in the world. Xzhibit (poorly) plays a supporting role of a gangster, who works in a chop-shop something you think wouldn't be a stretch given his days on pimp my ride. Don't worry, his role is small but his few moments on screen will have you wanting to rip your beating heart out of your chest. The rest of the cast is better, as in not offensively bad actors. I particularly enjoyed the token goofy and smart white guy.

One trend that has been developing and increasing in recent times is the tendency for movies to a facet of American culture that is popular at the time. This movie, for example, does so with the auto-restoration craze. Why? I don't know. Does it work? Absolutely not. The movie is also very aggressive with some Ja Rule or DMX style hip hop as you would expect.

This movie was doomed from the start. Casting Ice Cube as the lead was the biggest mistake in the entire production. He does not have what it takes to pull off a lead role, let alone in a big-budget action movie with a poor script. This movie might have had potential, unfortunately Ice Cube's poor performance is blinding and it's difficult to understand what the potential might have been.

Does God exist? After seeing this movie it's more difficult for me to believe he does.

25th Hour (2002)

painfully unsatisfying

[4/10 · 14 January 2003]

As of last night I was not a member of IMDb, but this movie disappointed me so much, I felt compelled to express my view. I really wanted to like this movie. From the moment I first saw the trailer I looked forward to its release. All the actors play solid parts, but the script and editing are so atrocious you will leave this movie feeling empty. Aside from one amazing scene this movie is hardly worth watching. It drags on, occasionally teasing you with a glimpse of how good it actually could have been, but more often exploring an issue that it will never resolve. The movie is literally as boring as my life, which is sad for the viewers and for me as well. It's 7. whatever rating stems from the fact that people don't look at this movie objectively. Take away Edward Norton and Phillip Hoffman and ignore the fact that Spike Lee directed it, this movie would not be popular I assure you. The performances of these individuals, while noteworthy, come in an awful film. The story itself offers the viewer nothing. It possesses neither entertainment value nor intellectual value. It just is. If you seek the most anticlimactic two hours of your life, 25th hour is a safe bet.