12 Strong Movie Review by Chris Hembury

12 Strong **

The true life story of how after 9/11 the U.S government sent a group of 12 special forces members on a mission to take a Taliban hot spot within 3 weeks. 

Chris Hemsworth (Thor) leads the charge with a excellent supporting cast with Micheal Shannon (The Shape of Water),Micheal Pena (End Of Watch) and Navid Negahban (Homeland). 

The story itself is captivating but the mistake here is the telling the story as commercial as possible this could have a been a TV movie by the Producers Bruckhiemer’s company that tel the film as if it was one. This is a American story the error is Americanising the telling of it in the usual fashion. If they could have told the story in a independent gritty way it could have been totally absorbing. 

Mel Gibson made big choices of how Hacksaw Ridge would have to play out in two halves and the second is full out absorbing horrific war. Spielberg made Saving Private Ryan visually 

12 Strong features almost TV coverage from the swirling aerials, pans and dolls shots by fails to have a distinctive independent style or vibe. 

The film’s true life story is well worth telling and in the hands of someone like Joe Carnahan (Narc) for instance it could have really found it’s tone.

By trying to look and feel like every other commercial film it loses chance to be truly original like it's source story.  

One sequence in particular where the soldiers charge the Taliban with missiles flying over their heads is a thrilling set piece. This shot POV or Normandy Beach style from Saving Private Ryan’s opening could have been a masterpiece of a cinematic battle. 

A by the numbers style war film of a truly remarkable achievement. It’s not a bad film by any means it just fails to be as remarkable as the achievement that was made in the story. If the filmmakers had been as fearless as the real life heroes who knows how daring this could have been.

A nice touch is showing the statue dedicated to the soldiers at the 9/11 site, fitting tribute. 

The Maze Runner: The Death Cure Film Review by Chris Hembury

The Maze Runner: The Death Cure ***

The third and final instalment of the Maze runner franchise arrives seeing the final showdown in the apocalyptic new world of the survivors of the disease that has wiped out population battle the powers that be for the cure. 

The film hits the ground running setting the tone for this action packed finale with a prison break train heist. It’s this action heavy hand of the film’s narrative that really helps you forget any weak areas of the script of potential plot holes by hitting you hard with action after action which is all handled and delivered very well. 

The film never raises to the heights of greatness but certainly completes the franchise very well and you’ll struggle to find to may films that tie up trilogies as entertaining as the film here does. Sure there’s Return of the King, Return of the Jedi but then there’s Godfather part 3, The Dark Knight Rises,   Spiderman 3, God forgive them Taken 3. 

The Maze Runner has delivered a entertaining trilogy where by each sequel has gone bigger than the last and delivered a finale that will please loyal fans and newcomers as well. 

The trilogy may not be Shakespearean in content but popcorn pleasing fan fare in it’s purest indulgence. 

The Post Review by Chris Hembury

The Post ***

In the era of the Nixon Presidency The Washington Post Newspaper has a choice to publish papers indicating the government has been misleading the public over the Vietnam War with the punishment potentially being prison and bankruptcy.

Meryl Streep plays owner of the family newspaper opposite Tom Hank’s no non sense editor in the pursuit of the truth and cost it could have on them both.

Such a important interesting story is bogged down by a lengthy screen time due to clunky slow narrative from the script that unfortunately dose not use it’s time entertainingly enough to engage the audience at all times.

The first act contains many elements that no matter how interesting aren’t that essential in the moving forward at any exciting pace.

The film directed by the master Steven Spielberg suffers from a lack of excitement from someone so achieved with the first hour made of countless dolly pan shots and simplistic coverage. Later on some more interesting shots in the crucial dialogue scenes get nice subtle direction and impressive mood setting angles which helps the emotion and flow of the film. Many shots you could have envisaged Hitchcock using in many of his closed intimate scenes back in the day.

Streep and Hanks hand in engaging performances but never have the goods in the script to deliver stand out or memorable roles.

The film in itself is extremely important in reminding us all of the importance of the free press in era of time that looks in many ways to have come full circle in Washington in terms of suppression of the media.

A nice touch ending also indicates the irony of the film’s message that is imprinted in history.

coco ***** Film Review by Chris Hembury

COCO *****

The latest animation by Disney is a modern day triumph showing that in ever changing climates that they still have the power to provide the heartwarming classic tales to new generations.

Coco follows the story of a young Mexican boy banished from following his dream of music by his family and on the celebrated Day of The Dead he triggers a curse that sends him to the world of the Dead. Yes, yes I know not quite Bambi in fact the pitch raises the question as to whether Disney was taken over by a morbidly obsessed fan of the latest Mexican hating President but evidently that is not case.

 

Coco is a beautifully crafted story that has to be one of the more original animations from Disney for some time.   The premise fresh playing on the traditions of the Mexican nation. The film highlights their diverse culture and celebrations in a glowing light instead of the hate filled rants coming from a certain White House Resident. The film makers have almost purposely taken the film as a climate orientated opportunity to ,  show the world that not everyone is painted with the same brush.

The story flows in the rather standard way in the first act but is truly notched up there onwards to propel expectations and style of the modern day animations much like Frozen allowed the twist to freshens it’s style.

The animators are in no doubt of their audiences which accounts not only for children but the adults accompanying them with a story that in the third act  has borrowed a narrative that is almost Shakespearean in it’s tragedy and unites the audience with it’s common humanity.

Knowing full well that the prime audience is children the makers impose good morals and messages in a story that touches, amuses, entertains and surprises you with sweet tenderness.

The jokes are funny, the songs are catchy and the effects are the standard spot on animations that just seem to fail to age.

I was skeptical of how Disney would pull of a hard sell premise of a kid who spends the film hanging out with dead talking skeletons but hey it works and I can’t wait to see what they do next.