Dir - Ridley Scott
Overall: MEH
While certain aspects have improved with Ridley Scott's second Alien franchise boost Alien: Covenant compared to Promethius, oddly others have declined. Overall the film is better and far more compelling, with several well-rounded characters that are written solid enough to actually care for. Primarily though, it is the arc of David 8 and the always exceptional Michael Fassbender's dual role as both he and Walter One, a rather "good brother/bad brother" paradox that works quite well in this context, (even if the film's "twist" regarding him is so readily apparent that it could even be argued that it was not meant to be a "twist" at all). Naturally, it is Fassbender's performance that is mostly to praise and this is another prime example of how he could easily be considered one of the very best actors working this century. As far as the stumbles, Covenant still adheres to the same set up where a crew of space marines check out a planet and encounter/get infected with the alien virus bug thing and at this point it is a bit impossible to really garnish any suspense whatsoever out of it. The CGI is embarrassing looking and an obvious step down from Prometheus, which is quite odd in the first place coming from such a major-budgeted movie such as this. Also, there is a lack of H.R. Giger design influence for this one, which was always nearly the very best part of any Alien movie. Still, Fassbender kills it so it is probably not worth missing just for that alone.
Dir - Andrew Getty
Overall: WOOF
Despite featuring the always wonderful Michael Berryman in as creepy a role as ever, The Evil Within is a trainwreck of a film with an odd backstory. Oil heir, businessman, and eccentric recluse Andrew Getty decided to write, fund, and film The Evil Within, (at first called The Storyteller), mostly in his own mansion, on and off for upwards of fifteen years. Cast members dropped out along the way and at the time of Getty's death, the movie was still unfinished and editor/producer Michael Luceri stepped in to finally wrap it all up. The result is the strange work of an amateur filmmaker that simultaneously shows flashes of both a large budget AND a limited one. Numerous location sets that were most likely on Getty's own property look peculiarly designed, (including one outdoor restaurant that the characters visit upwards of six times). The stop-motion special effects though are often very elaborate and could perhaps distract one from how poorly written, acted, and structured the movie is. The numerous flaws end up "winning" this battle in the end though. Before the ending very much spirals into ridiculous oblivion, the movie is borderline agonizing to sit through. Whether Frederick Koehler is endlessly monologuing in a "normal" voice or a stuttering one as a slow person who asks "why?" after every sentence his split personality says, the dialog is terrible all the way through. The story both drags and appears rushed, coming off as barely coherent in the end.
Dir - Andy Nyman/Jeremy Dyson
Overall: GOOD
Though it essentially amounts to an Amicus anthology horror throwback, Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson's film adaptation of their own stage play Ghost Stories has enough rewarding elements going for it. Each of its supernatural-laced stories are tweaked ever so slightly to differentiate themselves from each other. The first involving a night watchmen is the most straight-forward, while the second involving a high-strung teenager out for drive is the funniest, and the final wherein Martin Freeman finally shows up is the most bizarre. Nyman and Dyson still regrettably structure most of their scares around the spooky music + things get quiet = tension releasing noise/visual, but there are a couple of interesting and well done moments that step out of this cliche, moments that should not go upraised. The final act of Ghost Stories is effectively unexpected, but it also gets kind of messy and generic from a plot twist standpoint. Still, both the familiarity and handful of exciting adjustments to the genre ultimately make a fun experience as opposed to a pointless, (or worse yet), insulting one. It is a very rare example of a retro-styled, modern day horror film that rides the line of both being a deliberate homage while at the same time steering the genre just a tidbit into some new ground.
No comments:
Post a Comment