Another object lesson in how easy it is, once you have strayed just a few inches from the path of truth, to slide rapidly into a forest of lies, half truths and deception. Ralph Fiennes wrestles with his conscience, his upbringing and his morals in this fascinating film based on a true story and crisply directed by Robert Redford. Don't miss it.
Much has been written about this film. It has been acclaimed by the critics and rejected as "disappointing by a few.
The plot is simple enough adapted from Comac McCarthy's novel and given the treatment by the Coen brothers. A combination which should,at very least, produce a "good" film
However "No Country For Old Men" is an exceptional film.
The mood is set with superb, atmospheric shots of the Texan landscape.
Llewellyn Moss [Josh Brolin] is out hunting and in this unforgiving landscape discovers the fly ridden bodies of a brutal slaughter. The bloody and shocking result of a failed drugs deal. Among the corpses he finds the booty - a bag containing some $2million.
He takes it and from that moment he is a condemned man, a hunted man; his fate is sealed.
On his track is a killer Anton Chigurh [Javier Barden]arguably one of the most chilling psycopaths portrayed on film. An intelligent ruthless killer, who decides who lives and who dies with the toss of a coin. Barden superbly portrays the cold, unemotional, relentless determination of a natural killer.
Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as the sherrif. Nearing retirement and world weary he finds himself caught up in this sequence of bloodshed and violence, which to him is mystifying and incomprehensible.
There is nothing superfluous in this film.
The script is sharp edged with black humour,there is no relience on special effects and the total lack of music enhances the feeling of foreboding.
Yes, the ending is unpredictible and and may leave some feeling disappointed or even frustrated,but all round this is a "must see" film with superb acting and directing and photography This is not a film to enjoy but rather a film to experience.
I would have to say this is one of my favourite films!I went to the pictures to see it and i loved it. Its one of those films you cant stop thinking about, and cant wait until it comes out on dvd.This film as everything you need it makes you laugh,makes you cry. If you like weepies and comedy chick flicks this is the film for you!
Milla Jovovich straps on an old gun-belt, puts on a pout and takes her midriff into another battle with crazed zombie hordes in 'Resident Evil: Extinction', proof positive that given a committed fan base, even the shoddiest of films can hop, skip & jump their way to a franchise. It begins promisingly enough; with Alice (Jovovich) clones meeting a variety of imaginative deaths at the hands of evil 'Umbrella' corporation scientists (whose T-virus began the zombie epidemic). Alice clone premise / synaptic memory link is borrowed from 'Alien: Resurrection' and proves to be quite poignant later on. Meanwhile, original GM Alice is hiding out in post apocalyptic Nevada; now a completely desolate wasteland (think 'Mad Max' or 'The Planet of the Apes' 'Forbidden Zone') overrun by zombies. Our badass, high kicking heroine soon stumbles across a desert caravan of survivors including 'Heroes' Ali Larter, Ashanti, 'Mortal Kombat's' Johnny Cage; Linden Ashby and 'RE' veteran Oded Fehr, back as 'Special Tactics Rescue Services' operative Carlos Olivera. Now had this movie displayed an ounce of wit; it could've featured someone kneeling in anguish before a sunken statue of Liberty replica, damning the human race all to hell, for so shameless is the 'borrowing' that more than half the fun stems from silently checking off all the sci-fi & horror movie riffs they've managed to steal in a mere 94 minutes. 'Highlander' director Russell Mulcahy brings some artistic skill to the proceedings, and a well shot bird attack is almost as good as the flying alien swarm in 'Pitch Black'. Now I've never been a fan of the series or an avid 'Resident Evil' player, and I'm more or less alone in thinking 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse' was best of a mediocre bunch. Paul W.S. Anderson (auteur of the original and writer/producer on both sequels) has strung out 'RE' for far too long and his franchise, along with the zombie genre revival itself, is well and truly over. I hope Milla & co. found their way to Alaska (though hopefully not to the town where they have '30 Days Of Night') but we really don't need another movie to find out: No more please Milla, for if you must shoot a sequel, than make 'Ultraviolet 2'. 'Resident Evil: Extinction' may prove enjoyable for fans, but is bit of a chore for everyone else.
Wonderful match destroyed by amateur photography and poor (Australian) commentary. Cameras focus on players, not the ball. Play could be anywhere on the pitch, and camera swing gave me a headache. Avoid.
"Into the Wild" surpassed my expectations. It is tells the story of Chris McCandless, a well-to-do university graduate who, frustrated with modern life and all of its hypocrisies, takes of into the wilds of America, eventually to Alaska, where he died. The film is based off the best-selling book of the same title, itself inspired by real-life and the real McCandless. Before watching it I was afraid that it was going to make the naive young man at its heart a hero. And at the beginning I was frustrated by the lack of focus on Chris and his journey - it features a voice-over narration from his younger sister and numerous flashbacks (actually within flashbacks, as we first see Chris in Alaska in the days leading up to his death, and much of the film is spent catching up to this point) explaining why he was so frustrated. However, having accepted that "Into the Wild" was not the film I wanted it to be, but was its own film, and having been won over by the beautiful landscapes of Chris"s journey, I found it very moving. Central to this sea-change of mind was that the film slowly but surely morphed from celebrating / hailing Chris, righteous martyr in a troubled world, into a real tragedy. It became tragic by building meaning into Chris"s life, not through his own character that I did not find particularly likeable, but through the emotional investments of those he encounters - his sister"s longings for his return, his parents learning to love each other in the grief of having lost him, the old man who he inspires to live again and who wants to adopt him, and many more. "Into the Wild" is moving not so much because of the audience"s loss of Chris, but because of our insight into the losses of the films other characters. Despite my scepticism, I think that this is definitely one the best films of 2007 - highly recommended.
If you enjoyed upstairs downstairs or duchess of duke street you will love this series very good period drama with some great stars 5 star !!!!
Stardust (2007)
Something I don"t understand:- in this age of fast editing and shots (how slow do old sitcoms look now?), why does the film industry insist on keeping with the traditional long lead-in to a film? How many films do you watch where you wait for it to "get going"? Long, explanatory beginnings. Quite. Most films. So how refreshing to find one which takes off straight away; Stardust credits the viewer with some intelligence.
This continues throughout the film; there is no tedious explaining of events...just because this is a fantasy film we do not need to have every "strange" happening explained. Further note to film makers:- we"ve already entered into the bargain by buying the ticket / DVD - we know the currency in this world is different thanks, and are pretty much up to the job as an audience.
Michelle Pfeiffer has an acknowledged star performance here; brilliant; Clare Danes is the other stand out for me, yes, I"m going to (mis)quote it, she does indeed "light up the sky" and the film, from her first entrance. With a lot of lovely "starlight" lighting, granted, but all the same. The Take That song, especially the lyrics, thoughtfully fit this film by the way - as opposed to the usual one-size-fits-all ballad tacked onto film credits - a travesty Rule The World didn"t make the final nominations list at the Oscars. Ilan Eshkeri"s music scoring is magnificently shaped to drive the action along.
Superb use of location - Scotland is used to great effect, and the Iceland beach scene is better than any CGI concoction. (Sad that it took the commentary to relay this; we are so used to CGI now we can barely appreciate real locations.)
Nice commentary by Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman, genuine insights into what didn"t work and was cut, editing, budgetary compromises etc.
Lots of original and witty touches in this, particularly those written for Mark Strong"s Septimus and the ghosts.
Great narrative and flow to the film; more from this team please, it was nice to be treated as an adult for once. I"m sure younger viewers would agree too; they also usually know more than they"re credited with.
This is without a doubt this is the best TV show in a long time. The acting is first rate, Ventimiglia in particular is a truly gifted actor.
The plot is unique and truly gripping, a potent mixture of suspense, emotion, superpowers and humour.
There a subplot for everyone, and everyone will find at least one character they can connect and sympathise with.
In short a brilliant series, a brilliant DVD box set with truly excellent extras.
5 stars!
Five days before he was assassinated, civil rights martyr and political activist Martin Luther King spoke to Harry Belafonte and said: "America has lost the little morality it may have once had, and I sit here deeply concerned that we're integrating into a burning house". Director Ridley Scott fans the flames of the aforementioned structural inferno with 'American Gangster', an enthralling, albeit narratively familiar, biopic chronicling the life & times of notorious 70's underworld legend Frank Lucas (another powerful performance by Denzel Washington) and his decade long clash with dogged narcotics detective Richie Roberts (a subtle & brooding Russell Crowe). Some critics were underwhelmed by Scott's bombastic production design coupled with the low key, slow burn execution of Lucas's story but 'American Gangster', as its title denotes, is an intra-national dialogue about culture, race and ideology. Frank Lucas was the embodiment of style; one who walked the well trodden path from drug dealing underling to undisputed king of Harlem; employing his ruthless entrepreneurial skills, (traits learnt during the bitter, ongoing experience of imposed socio-economic deprivation / racism at the hands of white America a.k.a. 'The Man') Lucas buys pure 'Blue Magic' heroin from its source (i.e. South Asia) smuggling product in the flag wrapped caskets of U.S. troops shipped back from Vietnam. An ironic exchange of the criminal powers that be exporting death abroad through war, and the criminal businessman at home importing death through drugs. Frank Lucas was an archetypal gangster of his age; as recognizable and flamboyant a figure as any Mafioso button. His reign and distinctive sartorial style going onto inspire movies like Gordon Parks Jr's 'Super Fly' (1972) and Larry Cohen's 'Black Caesar' (1973), though some may find Ridley Scott's glamorous, sometimes aspirational, depiction of his life detracts from some the era's real heroes e.g. Muhammed Ali, Angela Davis, Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, Huey Newton et al. For if Scott were to make an honest film about any of the above, he would have to criticise the ingrained prejudicial policies of his adopted homeland, something that 'Blackhawk Down' (2001) and 'G.I. Jane' (1997) suggest he'll never do. Questionable politics aside, 'American Gangster' is as well made and entertaining a picture as 'Donnie Brasco' (1997), 'Scarface' (1983), 'Serpico' (1970) and 'Casino' (1995) well acted with an intense / effortlessly charismatic performance by Denzel Washington, sporadic bursts of violence, cool soul-funk soundtrack and Proairetic codes not dissimilar to Michael Mann's 'Heat' (1995) this is one gangster worth bailing out.
In 1963, Pierre Boulle wrote a dystopian commentary on the world as he saw it - The Planet of the Apes. Five years later, with the emergence of the US civil rights movement, the ongoing war in Vietnam, and a growing state of tension between the USA and USSR brought into sharp relief through incidents such as the cuban missile crisis - the book became a film.
It was not without changes - as the vast majority of adaptations from novels will testify. Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowell took leading roles in a modestly budgeted science fiction film which was to impress almost all critics.
The story begins in space - during the return journey to Earth, on a craft piloted by a cynical, keenly observant Heston. For reasons unknown, the ship is forced to land upon an unfamiliar planet and with no hope of rescue, the crew find themselves exploring the barren wastes of their new home. Soon, they find themselves drawn into the native, mute, primitive human population - in a world where (other) primates have evolved to become a collective of dominant species. What follows is an exercise in social commentary, born of intelligent use of imagery and thinly veiled representations of our own world during the 1960's. The apes' certain knowledge of their own undeniable right to dominance, Heston's show-trial and the conflict between ape-species over matters of faith, belief and the proper role of science are delivered in thoughtful, intelligent writing. One wonders how closely the screenplay draws upon Boulle's writing in this respect.
Everyone knows of the closing scene, if not directly - then most of us will have knowingly or otherwise seen a homage or mock reference to it. As Heston spends his time on this new world asserting the rights of humans in an attempt to prove the ultimate superiority of man over his ape brethren, the iconic, closing image shows a half-buried Statue of Liberty, standing proud on an unfamiliar shoreline. Heston realises, perhaps a little later than we, that this unfamiliar planet is Earth of the future. It could be argued that we assume this at the outset, and that the protagonist's only function is to serve as an exponent of human virtues before acknowledging the ultimate folly of man.
In a time where blockbusters spend millions to computer-generate awe-inspiring images of destruction and inspire feelings of dread, we are able to look back on this gem from 1968. It reminds us that our stranglehold upon this world is a fragile thing, and that in the future, our civilisation, whilst perhaps not being surpassed by (other) apes, could so easily be half-buried in sand.
A film that is more than a memorable closing scene.
Pushing ten hours, and about the Holocaust, "Shoah" is no easy watch. Nor is it a perfect watch, or a flawless film. It is a sometimes horror and tear inducing, completely immersive experience. It is a documentary in which the director tracks down survivors and other eye witnesses to the Holocaust and questions them, to and beyond the point of crying, about their experiences. For example, he pressurises one man, one of only 2 survivors of the extermination camp at Chelmno, to return to the camp where he worked burying and burning his people, before the end of the war that is, when he was shot in the head. He survived this as the bullet missed the most vital parts of his brain. When he returns to the town, he is paddled down the river he used to ride with the SS and encouraged to sing the German songs he sang for them. Later he is brought to the Catholic Church the Jews were stored in before being gassed. Everyone in the village seems to recognise him, the 13 year old Jew who used to sing for the Germans in the river. This is all, as you might imagine, devastating. I did, however, manage to watch it in one sitting. During the ten hours I watched and listened to these peoples stories I felt a lot of things, and time ceased to be an issue. The images were often as beautiful as the dialogue terrible. The experience overwhelming. At times I even felt as though I could understand the Holocaust, an experience usually well beyond me. One particularly fascinating sequence maps the views of Christian Poles who witnessed the Holocaust. Although "Shoah" at times appears exploitative (despite the fact that that the interviewees believe that the film needs to be made) and has many other flaws, this film is essential viewing, even it cannot be done in one piece. The DVD presentation I am reviewing is excellent, and comes with a 180+ page book.
I quite liked the first "Saw", but not the second. I skipped the third and have now watched number four. They all feature people playing sick games of survival, portrayed in an often voyeuristic, but appealing way. In four we are treated to some of the now deceased killer Jigsaw's history, as well as, naturally, more creative and gruesome killings. The major drawing point of this movie is that it is well made, or at least it is well gory - starting with a forensic pathologist going at Jigsaw"s corpse with the tools of his trade. This is one of the more nauseating scenes in the three saw films I have seen, and if you are into that kind of stuff, well worth checking out. I"m not too into the blood and guts, and require a little more to keep me sitting through a horror movie. Gratuitous sex and / or nudity are the usual tricks, in combination with jokes, in-jokes and a bit of tension. These are lacking in Saw IV. But rather than being a draw back, this made me respect the movie for its brave execution(s, joke) that little bit more. However, despite the quality of its production and special effects the movie also suffers from a simple lack of creativity - the ear-mark of the first. For me this is a fatal flaw, as well as a let down. Nevertheless, I am going to check out Saw III, to witness quite how Jigsaw ended up on the slab.
Brick Lane tells the story of a teenaged Bangladeshi girl, Nazneen, who is married to a slightly rotund man, Chanu, twice her age, and in London. Once in London her life, in contrast to that in Bangladesh, is dull, filled with domestic routine and confined to an East London flat. However, after years of tedium and with her daughters in school, Nazneen takes a job, from the dashing Karim. In contrast to her bungling wide-boy husband, Karim is seductive, and seduces her. And then it is 9/11 and the politics of the story kick in. There were several elements of this film that I liked. Interesting characters: a Muslim mother, who with increased independence from working, starts an affair with a younger man; her husband who could quite easily be one of Dell-boy"s contacts in Only Fools and Horses; and the slightly dubious, flirty male romantic lead, Karim. The acting was good, especially of Chanu. And I like stories rooted in the minutiae of real life. I also like them to comment on life and politics. However, here Brick Lane disappointed. It hesitated in both its portrayal and discussion of prejudice faced by Muslims after 9/11, and their reactions to it. You hear, but do not see, the Bangladeshi community being abused in the street. At one point the film shows a community meeting. But that is all. The lack of any brave, possibly controversial or new insight into British Muslim life undermined the whole film for me. However, there have been much worse films made in the UK in recent years, and I am sure that a whole range of people can take something from Brick Lane.
This film catches your attention right from the start with the excellent Tom Jones singing the introductory song which moves straight into the story. The characters are very individual which makes them memorable. The movie is amusing and moves along very well. I enjoyed it from start to finish and would recommend it to anyone who likes to escape with a good cartoon. In fact, we lent the DVD to someone and it didn't come back. We will getting ourselves another copy!
Memorable characters and good storyline make this a catchy film for all ages.
Academy Award winner Costner stars as Earl Brooks, a man with a murderous alter ego who must continue to keep his two incompatible worlds from integrating. The alter ego is an instigating personality who encourages the conservative family man to act on his malevolent impulses. Attempting to catch the murder is Detective Atwood (Moore).
With previous directing experience including the films Stand By Me and Jungle 2 Jungle, which were very different to this film, Evans is able to handle this commercial flick like a pro. The script is mostly succinct with some clever twists. If when watching this film you feel as though you have stepped in half way through, don"t worry, some of the back-story of the main character is explained, but there are still few questions to keep you curious until the end. Evans structures his serial-killer thriller like the middle act of a longer story, which is a bold move until we realise the narrative involved within this story seems to be split to the point where it is difficult to understand why some sections of the story exist, while holds questions over others. Brooks raises more questions than the director and his co-writer, Raynold Gideon, can answer.
The only sections that may make viewers a tad hesitant, is when the film veers off into Atwood's private life concerning her ex-husband and an escaped prisoner; the later is futile to the story. Moore does however do a fine job as detective, with her "I"ll do it myself" attitude. Brooks interacting with his alter ego, who is manifested for the audience but really only in his head, looks like a very tricky concept to pull off not only for the director, but all individuals involved. Cook is known for his comedy roles, but has branched off in this role to play the foolish Mr Smith who is able to ignore the alter ego sitting in the backseat and continue as if it were only he and Brooks in the conversation.
With suspense music in all the right places, and shots that have viewers informed about past stories and events, this movie has done very well in all aspects. There are areas with gunshots, which will startle viewers while others that will make you laugh; not just because Brooks and his alter ego are joking, but the fact Brooks is joking with a man that doesn"t exist to the outside world. The most alluring angle concerns the bad seed - watch out for it.
The role of Brooks seems to be one that Costner was easily able to slide right into. This dark and disturbingly psychological thriller could give the star his first hit in years. If they make more movies about Mr. Brooks (apparently it's being set up as a trilogy), make sure if you"re attracted to and enjoy this one, you"ll be there for the others.
Director Kevin Smith follows up his string of low-budget movies with this hilariously funny slacker flick about Dante and Randal, the same two pals from the 1994 smash hit indie sensation Clerks, who waste the day away working in a burger joint, and due to some very weird material, are arrested, and return to their old ways. If you haven"t previously seen any of Smith"s work, it may be an idea to watch his back history before attempting to watch and understand this film, due to references from characters, scenes and sayings, but also reality. Jay and Silent Bob reveal they have money to lend to Dante and Randal to reopen the Quick Stop, as in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, they get a bunch of money from the Bluntman & Chronic movie. The characters of Jay and Silent Bob for example are now drug-free after having been busted and put on probation to reflect Jason Mewes' newfound sobriety. But rest at ease, they are otherwise still up to their usual antics.
The movie begins and ends just like Clerks, in black and white, and also with similar shots. The opening shots of lights going on at Mooby's and Dante putting coffee in the coffee pot echo the opening of the original, and in the end, when Dante and Randal put a sign out front the Quick Stop reading "I assure you, we're re-open!" and Randal"s line to Dante " you're not even supposed to be here today!" echoing a repeated line from the first film.
What makes this flick both winning and moving is its fidelity to the original "Clerks" ethic of hanging out, talking trash and refusing all worldly ambition. The conventional romantic-comedy has its elements imbedded here, with love, marriage and err...horses, as well as Smith"s fondness for crude jokes regarding all distasteful topics that Smith enthusiasts have come to expect. In addition to romance and humour, Smith is at his best as a self-implicating comedian of geek culture. The apex is a genuinely inspired debate between Randal and employee Elias about the relative merits of Star Wars vs. Lord of the Rings.
One thing that was missing from this film was Silent Bob"s traditional philosophical speech. In Mallrats, Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, he has one scene of dialogue, which shows his intelligence. Here, he is asked if he has anything to say, but has nothing. On the bright side, no Smith production would be complete without some of his actor friends returning; here we have Jason Lee and Ben Affleck giving cameo appearances.
It may have taken Smith 13 years, some say an unlucky number, to produce the sequel to a greatly loved flick, but there was no better time. Film fanatics have come to see Smith develop in his skills, throughout Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jersey Girl, to get to that stage where Clerks II is able to blow them out of the water and possibly become his best flick to date. Smith"s return has proven he can still cut it out there in Hollywood with the best writer directors LA has to give. Can"t wait to see what his next flick has in store for viewers.
Never before have I been so disgusted, sickened, and repulsed by a film...this coming from a lover of all things horror!
Black Sheep is the new flick from first time director Jonathan King, and he has done an excellent job, in making one creepy, distasteful, inexperienced and cheap looking film.
From the start with visions of a young lad wearing the bloody sheep carcass to terrify his younger brother you can tell things are not going to be as pleasant as you thought. This experience frightens the young boy, and causes a phobia of sheep he is still living with 15 years later when he returns to the family farm. It is here where small, fluffy and dirty white sheep become violent and aggressive when they are bitten and infected by a genetically modified lamb, one of the farmer"s projects. The story line is ridiculous. From one mutant sheep biting another and another to an entire herd of giant killer cotton wool balls hunting humans to snack on, or bite and turn into half sheep themselves.
This must be one of the most disturbing films this year has had to offer. Visions of blood all over the kitchen, a man eating his own flesh when transforming into a sheep to a pit full of discarded organs and leftovers, which is horrendous. The full face violence of sheep being shot in the face, ripping the flesh from bones, women having intestines ripped out and others having limbs bitten off is some of the most unsettling I have ever encountered - and that"s after watching franchises like Halloween, Nightmare, Friday 13th and Chucky.
The images of an individual"s transformation from human to weresheep look as if they have been adapted straight from American werewolf in London. The costume is effortless, obviously cheap in its making and looks like a deformed camel, not a sheep. I"ve seen scarier costume on the werewolf in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This film has been classified as horror comedy. Well it is actually neither. Attempts at humour like sheep driving a car off a cliff may well have been funny in animation, but when accompanied by mindless pro-activists and imagery that turns your stomach and makes you feel physically sick, the humour is wasted. Even the ending which has worked as humour in real life many times before is unsatisfying due in part to the previous scenes you would have experienced. The attempt at suspense and anticipation through sharp music at one point is wasted and not effective in the slightest.
Forget Silence of the Lambs and think Violence from the lambs. This film will have you feeling physically and emotionally sick while watching, and afterwards turn you against the idea of letting your children going to the petting zoo. Never again am I going to look at those animals the same. As for eating lamb, I never really ate it before seeing Black Sheep, and defiantly not going to be eating it after.
This Adam Sandler movie is a romantic comedy set in Hawaii. Sandler plays Henry, a Dr Dolittle-type vet whose routine is to pull tourists, not island girls, but things change when he meets a local girl called Lucy (Barrymore). Womaniser Henry falls hard for Lucy but finds the path to true love is strewn with landmines as she has no short term memory and doesn"t remember him 24 hours later; Lucy"s short term memory has been obliterated as the result of a severe blow to the head in a car crash. Now she wakes up each morning unable to recall a single thing from the day before. This unfortunate condition plays havoc with the girl"s love life.
Henry is not put off by this and decided to renew his love afresh everyday while trying to win over Lucy"s grizzled fisherman dad and steroid-addicted brother; what a charming bloke Henry"s turns out to be. As the vet at a Sea Life Park, his relationships with Jacko the Walrus and the almost human, cloth-wearing penguin were almost like Dr Dolittle.
Sandler"s old Saturday night live buddy Rob Schneider portrays Henry"s one eyed Hawaiian dope smoking sidekick Ula who is father to a collection of nauseatingly sweet kids. Of course not American comedy would be complete without a side-splittingly weird foreign accent? So we endure Henry"s eastern European aquarium colleague Alexa, an odd looking person of indeterminate gender. There is a good cameo from the legendary Dan Aykroyd.
This film is a sentimental, but often side splittingly funny, whose smart story serves up a new take on Groundhog Day, except with laughs. Its funny and unexpected romantic as well with Sandler showing surprising genuine charm when he isn"t dealing with a vomiting walrus, or serving up entertaining slapstick; there are plenty of jokes in the worst possible taste. Highly recommended if it"s raining outside and you want to escape to the tropics for a couple of hours.
Many original horror flicks been remade over the last few years; Thir13en ghosts, Dawn of the dead and the Hills have Eyes to name but a few. Remakes are renowned for being terrible, but if I were honest, I prefer this remake to the 1976 original, even if both didn"t really do it for me. Released 6th June 2006, (6/6/06)...that added a bit of style to the film. This symbolically represents the number 666, which is regarded as the number of the evil.
The story once again tells of the childhood of Damien Thorn, whose family are unaware that he is not their child, but the offspring of Satan and destined to become the Antichrist. Over the next five years disturbing events follow, all of which seeming to revolve around Damien. First there is the hanging suicide of his nanny at his birthday party, followed by animals going berserk on a trip to the city zoo and Damien himself becoming hysterical during a drive to church. Meanwhile, a series of photographs taken by photojournalist Keith Jennings foreshadow a number of shocking deaths, first of the nanny, and then of the local priest. Having become suspicious, Robert goes in search of Damien's real mother, and finds some very disturbing news; his own child was murdered on the night of Damien"s birth and not stillborn. Robert, convinced that Damien is the root of these incidents, attempts to kill his son in a church, by means of stabbing him with the seven Daggers of Meggido, in the shape of a cross — the only weapons in the world able to harm the Antichrist. Unfortunately, Robert is killed and Damien survives to reeks havoc and murder on another day.
The Verdict
Back in 1976 when the original was released I can only imagine the fear that was shot through the hearts of audiences watching. Over thirty years later, someone was bound to remake such a frightful tale, and I think an amazing job has been done. For individuals that have seen and loved the original, it may feel like a Re-telling just going through the motions and hitting the motifs that we all loved in the original. Yet, even though this Omen follows the original to the letter, there are a few modern aspects added in for this generation. In the original Damien knocked Katherine over the railings by bumping his tricycle into the chair she was standing on. In this version Damien knocked Katherine over the railings by bumping his scooter into the chair she was standing on.
The casting is perfect in contrast to the original. With Schreiber and Stiles as the younger Thorns, their love for one another seems genuine, and Stiles especially adds some nice touches to portraying a mother who is growing more and more afraid of her little boy. Then there is Damien. The original has him as a little British boy, just become familiar with who he really is, and what his purpose is. He doesn"t scowl and shoot demonic daggers every time he looks at someone, the way the young Fitzpatrick plays him. We know the kid is evil, most people watching have seen the original, and there is no need to show I repeatedly. With all that scowling, the poor kid will stay like it if the wind changes.
Fans of the original will say that ultimately, this one doesn"t measure up. Fans of this generation will love the film, just as I have, and just as we have loved previous remakes of old horrors such as Dawn of the Dead and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Just no one try an Exorcist remake, that would be a bad move.
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