PANDORUM movie review

Pandorum

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue

Running time: 108 minutes

Year: 2009

Directed By: Christian Alvart

Written By: Travis Milloy

Pandorum trailer

What happens when you awaken on an abandoned ship in space alone? Is the simple premise of Christian Alvart's Pandorum. Starring Ben Foster and Dennis Quad as the two men who find themselves on an abandoned space craft with no memory of what has happened. This dark tale should leave you feeling lonely, claustrophobic, and above all frightened about the prospect of having no way of survival.

We open with Bower (Foster) who awakens from hyper sleep and finds himself wandering a space craft's flight deck alone. After freshening himself up and attempting to remember what he is doing there he finds another man, Payton (Quaid), who has also just woken with no memory of how they got there. With all doors having been sealed shut due to the failing power Bower climbs through a ventilation shaft, breaking himself into the main decks of the ship, in order to get answers and turn the power back on. Meanwhile Payton stays behind in order to guide him through the dark corridors via the control computer that can be powered manually. Whilst searching the ship Bower comes across others who have also awoken to the silence, however it doesn't take long before Bower finds himself meeting the one reason the ship is so desolate. With monster like killing machines hot on his tail Bower, and his new team, must be lead by Payton through the dark tunnels of the ship in order to regain power from the nuclear reactor before they are killed by the mutations breathing down their neck.  

The mood of the film is very dark, chilling, and silent. When the film opens we spend several minutes alone with Bower and the silence with him is almost overbearing. Instantly you find yourself in the midst of space alone with him. Again when he ventures into the heart of the ship we hear nothing but silence until the high pitch screeching of the zombie like monsters startles you. The cinematography by Wedigo von Schultzendorff highlights the light amongst the dark and gives us a futuristic feel to proceedings. The vision of the film is actually one of the only highlights as much of the rest of it doesn't feel as good. The characters aren't very fleshed out, we learn very little about them and at times failed to really care if they survived or not. The script is poor, especially some of the dialogue. At one point a character says 'I remember last time I woke from hyper sleep I couldn't remember anything for months.' That's funny you just remembered that!! The story also fails to grip you and at times it is hard to follow where the characters are going. The dark corridors actually work against this part of the film.

The story is a major issue with the film. The intrigue and tension at the beginning was infectious but as soon as we were introduced to the zombies in space I found myself losing interest. It was a mash of many films put into space. At first it felt like we may get an Alien type film but ended up getting The Descent crossed with Event Horizon. Throughout the film we also see many flashbacks which seem to have very little need to be there, especially considering by the end they had little to do with the story. The overall reason for the story turns out to be quite an interesting idea, I won't give it away here, but it ends in such a poor way as if it is all a happy ending which my interpretation of the film is that it is not. The B story has us learning about a space paranoia called pandorum; see the title comes in somewhere, which sends people into a mad state when they believe that everyone around them is there to kill them. This is constantly mentioned throughout and the problem with this is that is then becomes slightly obvious what is happening in one strand of the story. The finale of the film is also a major let down with things coming together quite poorly and with none of it ever really making sense. There are two stories going on throughout, in a much bigger story, but they seem to become confused with each other by the end.

This is not a film I would recommend. Of course it will have its fans out there but for me this was a poorly executed movie. The tense scenes from the beginning soon dispersed and it became something we have seen before. The performances weren't particularly good either with Quaid delivering his poor lines poorly, and Foster seeming wrongly cast as the hero. The film is packed with problems and issues and it is one I fail to see what the point actually was. Not much makes sense by the end and the finale becomes too easy and happy for a film that started so dark and morbid. Overall a disappointing piece of work which shows why it struggled at the box office, meaning a sequel is not going to be made. Phew!

1.5 / 5

Next film to review: THE WRESTLER

In Cinemas This Weekend: Ghouls, goblins, and monsters all in one hotel.

Over the next few weeks there seems to be very little to be released at the box office. Nothing here really leaps to me and draws me to see it, this is the same for next week to, and a few of the films are made entirely for children. Of course that doesn't mean adults can't see them too but I find it odd that over the space of 2 weeks 30% of the films are for kids. There are also a couple of films that could turn out to be little charms hiding away but there isn't much that the average movie goer would of heard of via trailers in the theatre or marketing around their town centre. However sometimes these sorts of films are the ones that end up being the best ones, who would have thought Warrior would have been my favourite film of last year! If you're looking for a hidden gem this week then take a look at your releases below.


1. Dracula, Frankenstein, and Quasimodo, among others, need a break from the norm every once in a while and they don't want to be pestered by people who judge them instantaneously, so where better for them to go then the HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA where all monsters can go as a community. That is until a young man stumbles across the hotel whilst travelling through the mountains. An animated tale with scary proportions. Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, & Selena Gomez. Want to see things that go bump in the night?

Hotel Transylvania trailer

2. In PUSHER we see Frank, a local drug dealer well known within his gangster community in London, however his life is soon sent spiralling out of control as over the course of one week he is pushed to test his inner most limits. Starring: Richard Coyle, Bronson Webb, Agness Deyn, & Mem Ferda. How far can he be pushed?

Pusher trailer




3. Book adaptation ON THE ROAD sees Sam Riley's young writer, Sal Paradise's life altered by the arrival of a free spirited couple whilst he travels across country in search of inspiration for his next writing piece. Also starring: Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, & Amy Adams. How will he fare on the road?

On The Road trailer



4. Dax Shepard plays a man in witness protection in HIT AND RUN but comes out of hiding in order to transport his girlfriend across the country to LA. With this man now resurfacing the feds and his former gang members, led by Bradley Cooper, chase them across country, one to protect and one to kill. Also starring: Kristen Bell & Tom Arnold. Will it all be worth it?

Hit And Run trailer



5. Ever wandered if you could create your own girlfriend? Well in RUBY SPARKS young writer Paul Dano manages to create one whilst suffering writer's block, however he isn't entirely sure if she is real or in his head causing him to write absurd stories to see if his new character is led by them. Also starring: Zoe Kazan, Annette Bening, & Chris Messina. Is this the way to find love?

Ruby Sparks trailer







There you have your 5 films for the week then. None of them in particular jump out at me and if it wasn't for the internet I would have only seen the trailer for Ruby Sparks. Although without the internet I wouldn't be able to give you this lovely blog!! Maybe over the next few weeks cinemas are playing it cool in preparation for Skyfall at the end of October. Let's hope so as I hate it when I can't get excited about heading to the cinema. Hope you find a winner among them.






 

NEWS - Armie Hammer rumoured for Batman in Justice League movie.

Over the past week there has been lots of film news that I could have broadcast to you. Nothing particularly popped up more than once or twice however meaning that the one piece of new that did pop up a couple of times was that Armie Hammer could be set to play the next Batman. What made me bring this to your attention then was that the Total Film Facebook page have also broadcast this news and invited comments of what people thought about this potential casting. The comments were not good. Many were simply stating no, others that he was too young, and most that no one will replace Christian Bale. Many still slate Bale as a Batman though which I think is wrong as I think he is brilliant as the caped crusader. I have no doubt that Hammer would also perform to top quality but is he right for the part? I'm not so sure but that could be because I don't think a new Batman needs to be made for at least ten years, and I don't want a studio to cash in on Avengers fame by bringing out the DC version of it.

Hammer's involvement is just a rumour at the moment but then again so is the Justice League movie. For those of you who don't know him Hammer played the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, J Edgar Hoover's lover in J. Edgar, and will be seen next year along side Johnny Depp in The Lone Ranger. His CV is building and he is getting some juicy roles however is he right for Batman? After the success of the Christopher Nolan version will anyone ever be again? More news on this over the next few months I'm sure.

QUESTION: Best Liam Neeson character?

With Taken 2 being released this week I thought it would only be right to ask you which character you think is the best one Mr Neeson has played. This could be due to his performance or to the character himself but let's face it Neeson does make a character his own. The five I have picked for selection are the five I think he is most known for, or the ones that he is very noticeable as, so without further ado; what is Liam Neeson's best character?




1. HENRI DUCARD/ RA'S AL GHUL (Batman Begins) - Liam Neeson turns up in this film at the very beginning to help Bruce Wayne fight injustice against the corrupt in Gotham City, ultimately feeding Bruce with the idea to become a legend. He may be a good guy at the beginning but his true identity becomes apparent towards the end where we learn he is Ra's Al Ghul himself and was training Bruce to take down Gotham.








2. OSKAR SCHINDLER (Schindler's List) - Playing the title character in Spielberg's epic, Neeson brings a subtle sadness to the character who does all he can to rescue the Jews from the concentration camps after learning about the hideous crimes the Nazi's undertake on them.










3. QUI-GON JINN (Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace) - Here he plays the master of Ewan McGregor's Obi Wan Kenobi. Neeson trains him and feels every bit a teacher, much like he is when Ducard, but it is when he has to stand and fight himself where Neeson excels, in the final battle with Darth Maul.








4. BRYAN MILLS (Taken) - In the surprise hit of 2008 Neeson plays a Father, who was once in the CIA, who must hunt down the people who have kidnapped his daughter to sell on the International prostitution circuit. Neeson has some great lines and confirms himself as an action hero of the future.










5. ASLAN (The Chronicles Of Narnia) - This one had to be put in there as it is so obviously him every time that Lion speaks. The fact that Neeson is a lion is a warrant alone to have the character of Aslan on this list. Neeson's voice adds to the ferocity that a lion is connected with, and that boom, which the base in a cinema highlights, in his growly voice makes you wonder if that is how a lion would sound like if he spoke.




There you have it then, 5 of Liam Neeson's most well known characters as well as some of his best. If you would like to vote on them add your choice in the comments, or if there is any others add them yourself. My favourite would have to be Ducard as it was him that created the Batman; although sometimes I do think was it actually Neeson himself who suggested the Batman? Either option sounds great.

New on DVD this week: Prometheus

On DVD this week happens to be one of the films I was most excited about this year. The trailer looks astounding, the director is fantastic, the cast are brilliant, and it is taking us back to a world we all loved thirty odd years ago. However when I saw the film I was really disappointed and it didn't live up to half the expectation I had for it. Many other critics have loved it though so don't be put off by my reasons for not liking it. It has been reviewed on this site so have a look at it if you are considering renting this film. I still may rent it myself to see if I can piece together all the unanswered questions. As well as that there is Tom Cruise as a rock star and Plan B's directorial debut. Have a look below.




Recommended
PROMETHEUS - Ridley Scott returns to the world of Alien in the sort of prequel to it. The premise this time is a crew heading to a distant planet to investigate whether or not our creators inhabit it, however things don't go as smoothly as they wanted it to.

Prometheus trailer








ROCK OF AGES - A musical starring some pretty big names about a young couple who meet in a mysterious club whilst pursuing their Hollywood dreams. The club consists of some outrageous characters including Tom Cruise with long hair, and is being threatened of closure by Catherine Zeta Jones feminist group.

Rock Of Ages trailer








ILL MANORS - Directorial debut for Plan B brings us a story roughly like ones he witnessed when he grew up living in London. The film is a gritty urban affair based around the gang violence going on in the city.



Ill Manors trailer

TAKEN 2: Everything I expected, which isn't particularly a good thing.

This week saw the release of Taken 2 the sequel to the 2008 hit Taken which set Liam Neeson up for action hero stardom, and done for the action genre what Scream done for the horror. It was almost inevitable that a sequel would soon be in the works. Once again Liam Neeson comes back to reprise his role, as does Maggie Grace, and Famke Janssen, but this time we are given a different director in Olivier Megaton, who directed Transporter 3 and Colombiana, which basically highlights to us that this man can direct action so what a match up this should all be; an action director, an action star, and a great action franchise, so why did it all feel wrong?

The set up of the film is quite dull considering the first film felt dark. When Brian (Neeson) takes a job guarding a Sheikh in Istanbul he invites his ex-wife and daughter over to spend some time together once his job finishes, however in neighbouring country Albania the Father of one of the men Brian slaughtered in the first film has vowed revenge and has begun hunting the former CIA agent down. When they finally meet this Father (Rade Sherbedzija) takes Brian and his wife and continues to hunt for the daughter, who Brian must talk through this ordeal via a CIA gadget phone. The plot never really derails from a typical revenge plot with the hero fighting back, escaping and then having to kill everyone in order to free his family from it all happening again. It is a premise we have seen so many times before which is a real let down considering the first one, although lacking in depth, had a plot that was fairly original when it come to a typical action film. The stakes were also different in the original, which was his daughter being sold to a prostitution ring, whereas here it is his life that is at stake which seems a little old fashioned. Taken took a step forward from the typical action film but unfortunately Taken 2 has taken two steps back.

As well as the plot being similar to many films out there the film also suffered from taking areas of other films and placing them in the story line. The fight scenes seem more like the Bourne film fight scenes, with a jerky camera, up close framing, and fast cutting. The chase scene to a railroad looks exactly like the one we will see later this month in the new Bond film Skyfall. When Brian removed his jacket to fight it reminded me of his previous action film Unknown. The roof top chase sequence had hints of Colombiana and The International. And finally, which annoyed me the most, was the music which was taken straight from the Drive soundtrack. It felt like the film was really rushed through production and people didn't really have much of an interest for it. I know many films take from others but when the first movie was so different in its premise and action set ups it is highly disappointing that this has taken a cliched route. Much of this could be down to the direction as, although we have seen Megaton create some exhilirating action sequences before, it feels like some of the actions scenes here are flat, especially the first fight scene, which takes place at about the thirty minute mark of a ninety minute film. The set up is definitely over run.

Other than the opening act, which does take a while, the rest of the film seems to go by with a blink of an eyelid. It seems to take an afternoon for everything to take place, which make it feel slightly rushed, especially the climax which showed how much of a wimp Rade Sherbedzija's character really was. He just backs himself into a corner afraid, which begs the question; if you are so afraid of him why did you only leave him with one guard in a cell and tied to a pipe? The villain goes from a Joker silhouette (I've noticed more baddies being drawn this way) to a coward, he never became meaner, and we never doubted that Brian would win. There are a few things that do save this film though, it is fun I'll give it that. The middle action scene with the chase through the streets, despite having seen it before, was exciting and the way in which Brian works out his location is also well done. Another reason it gets an extra thumbs up is because it stars Liam Neeson, who has become a great actor over the last decade, however his name is much better than his performance here as to me he was on auto pilot, and seemed as uninterested with the making of this film as everyone else did. The delivery of his lines was unenthused but that could also be down to the cliched script he had been given. The best performance in this movie was definitely Maggie Grace.

What we end up with then is a film that has disregarded the greatness of the first one. Taken was a great film, it changed the view on the action genre and brought us a new superstar; however the sequel has diminished all of that. People will either like this because they love Neeson and feel they should like it, or others will hate it as it isn't a patch on the first. We were pretty split on our decision as to what we thought as we both agreed with how badly executed it was but that we had fun whilst watching it, and despite Neeson's unenthused performance he still was fun to watch when kicking ass. We went into the film expecting to see a film that shouldn't really have been made and that is exactly what we got. The production company saw money to be made here and in those terms it would have succeeded but as a good film it certainly has not. It feels rushed and as if ninety percent of the people involved also didn't agree it should have been made.

Pros: The map and shoestring scene is clever and some of the action sequences.

Cons: Miles behind its predecessor and what appears to be a product of some uninterested people.

6.5 / 10

Top 10 of 2012 so far:


1. The Dark Knight Rises     10 / 10
2. The Hunger Games     8 / 10
3. Snow White And The Huntsman     8 / 10
4. Avengers Assemble     7.5 / 10
5. Looper     7.5 / 10
6. Ted     7.5 / 10
7. 21 Jump Street     7.5 / 10
8. Lawless     7 / 10
9. The Expendables 2     7 / 10
10. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol     7 / 10

In Cinemas This Weekend: Emma Watson is Hermione no more

Hello everyone its Friday again meaning there are more films to be released in cinemas for you all to go out and see. As I've already stated above Emma Watson will be starring in a new film and it won't be alongside a scarred wizard with glasses, although I can't judge I haven't seen this new film. As well as that we have Liam Neeson, Ethan Hawke, and Whitney Houston's final film. There are 6 films for you to choose from so have a look below and see which one jumps out at you.


1. The Emma Watson new release is THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, where she plays a senior in college who, along with a friend, take a freshman under their wings and teach him the ways of the college, and of life. Also starring: Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, & Dylan McDermott. Will you want to be a wallflower?

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower trailer

2. Back in kick ass action is Liam Neeson in TAKEN 2, the sequel to the success story of 2008. This time he faces the Father's of the men he killed who wish to gain revenge against him and his family. When he is kidnapped along with his wife he must relay instructions to his daughter over the phone for her to ultimately save him. Also starring: Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, & Leland Orser. Would you cross this man?

Taken 2 trailer


3. Yet another horror of ghosts in the house proportion in SINISTER, where Ethan Hawke plays a writer who moves in the house of a murdered family in order to gather research on them for his new book. As he digs into the mystery he start to see a ghostly figure that was involved in the killings and now it is coming after him. Also starring: Juliet Rylance, James Ransone, & Fred Dalton Thompson. Will this be deadly?

Sinister trailer


4. Star of How I Met Your Mother Josh Radnor directs, writes, and stars in LIBERAL ARTS. The story of a working man heading to his former college to celebrate the retirement of his old professor, but upon meeting a student he instantly falls in love and is faced with a powerful attraction that builds between them. Also starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Zac Efron, & Richard Jenkins. Can we help who we fall for?

Liberal Arts trailer


5. Whitney Houston unfortunately died before this film was finished but at least SPARKLE will give us one last chance to see her do her thing. In it she plays one of three sisters who become local stars due to their singing talent, however the more fame they collect the more turbulent their relationship becomes and this tight group of sisters begins to fall apart. Also starring: Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, & Derek Luke. Want to see the final swan song?

Sparkle trailer







6. Finally is Brit flick THE KNOT written by and starring Noel Clarke. The story follows Mena Suvari and Matthew McNulty as they prepare to tie the knot but things aren't going to be that easy and plenty of mishaps seem to be standing in their way of making it down the aisle. Also starring: Talulah Riley. Will they tie the knot?

The Knot trailer




There are you six films to choose from this weekend. Each film does have something that will attract people. One has a Harry Potter star, one is the sequel to a fantastic film, one will scare the wits out of you, one stars a popular sitcom actor, one is your typical romantic comedy, and one stars one of the greatest singers of our time. Plenty to pick from not enough time to see them all, I suggest you pick wisely.