The A-Team

The A-Team
Year: 2010
Director: John Carnahan
Cast: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Sharlto Copley

In My Own Words
Ah, another remake! To be completely honest, I have never seen an episode of the TV show “The A-Team”. According to my lovely father, the film version is nowhere near as corny as the television series. Those who are big fans of the original show will most probably see this as a downfall, but those like myself who are not familiar with the show, will most probably see it as a plus. There is nothing worse than going to see a movie which is based on an old television show or movie which you haven’t seen and being completely confused. I guess that’s what directors of these films have to watch, that they don’t discriminate and that they can reach the widest audience possible. “The A-Team” didn’t fall into the “just for fans of the original” category, which is a great thing so people, such as myself, can also enjoy this film! I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this film and happy to say so!

Any “The A-Team” television show fans here? What did you think of the remake? I can only ponder which television show will get its remake next. I have actually heard that there is a “Gidget” remake on it’s way!

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
Finally, a great action film with amazing special effects and a solid story. This doesn’t happen too many times in a year, but “The A-Team” is one of those rare films. It is thoroughly entertaining and extremely enjoyable film which will delight not just fans of the television series. The A-Team are Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith (Liam Neeson), Lieutenant Templeton Peck (Bradley Cooper), B. A. Baracus (Quinton “Rampage” Jackson) and Murdock (Sharlto Copley), a group of soldiers who have been accused of a crime they didn’t commit. In order to clear their names, there is a lot of clever planning and illegal activity (eg. Breaking out of jail) to be undertaken. From here, they endeavour to prove their innocence and uncover the true instigator of the crime.

The special effects in “The A-Team” are truly amazing. Special effects in action films these days are getting better and better and “The A-Team” is an example of what they can provide these days. These are plenty of explosions and high-pace action sequences to keep you interested the whole time, there are certainly no boring moments. Although some of the scenes may make those who are afraid of heights or those who suffer from motion sickness feel quite nauseous. The action can become a bit too much at times, meaning that it can sometimes seem just like a showcase of special effects and can be a bit over-indulgent. The story does not lack lustre as a result of this onslaught of action, as many films fail into the habit of doing. The script is very well written and extremely clever. Not only this, but it is also quite funny. The cinematography in particular scenes is also extremely impressive, particularly the court case scene.

The acting is not bad in the film, but it’s not its strongest point. Liam Neeson does well as Hannibal and does actually resemble an older George Peppard, who played the same role in the original television series . Sharlto Copley is probably the stand out of the actors in the main roles in his role as Murdock. He isn’t the standout for the reason that his performance is particularly better than the others, but his character is very well constructed and very funny. Jessica Biel gives an impressive performance as Charisa Sousa, playing the role of a hard-hearted captain who shows no mercy.

“The A-Team” is a lot of fun and a one of the best action films of the year. Not an Oscar winner, but a good film nevertheless.
7/10

Clash Of The Titans

Clash Of The Titans
Year: 2010
Director: Louis Leterrier
Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton

In My Own Words
Curiousity usually gets the better of me with movies. If a film is based on a book, I will read the book before I see it. If the film is a remake, I will see the original before I see it. However, this was not the case with “Clash Of The Titans”. I have not seen the original “Clash Of The Titans”, and this time I was actually really pleased that I hadn’t. It felt like one of the only times I have been able to judge a remade film as a stand alone film. I have heard that fans of the original film have not liked the remake, and that there is numerous differences between the two. So my thoughts on the film may also be different to those of the original film’s fans, as I was watching it in a different way to them. I will watch the original “Clash Of The Titans” in the future. It will be interesting to see whether I like the idea of seeing the original after a movie, more than seeing it before, although I guess that will always depend on the movie I am watching.

My opinion of the film, definitely not the best blockbuster action movie I have seen, far from it. Yet the story kept me entertained for most of it. I have never known much about Greek mythology. I had a crash course during my Media, Ideology and Culture class a year and a half ago in college, but that was only the basics. So I learnt a lot more during this film and I would love to find out more it in the future. Oh, by the way, remember how in my review for “The Rebound” I mentioned how at the cinemas, it is like you are seeing double when seeing what is now showing? This is another type of film I can add to the equation. “Clash Of The Titans” and the upcoming “Prince Of Persia” look incredibly similar in the trailers. Particularly since Gemma Arterton is in both films.

These are my own words and here is my review.

Review
“Clash Of The Titans” is a film that could have been so much more. The subject matter is one that so much could have been achieved with, yet it falls remarkably short. For those who are not interested in Greek mythology and special effects don’t strike a chord, this film will be an utter bore. The story and special effects are what save the film. Perseus (Sam Worthington) is found at birth by a fisherman and his wife, who raise him as their own. When the human race rebels against the Gods, Hades (Ralph Fiennes) kills his family in his attack on the people. Perseus vows revenge against the Gods and sets fort with the soldiers of Argos to battle the Gods. It is during this time that Perseus is approached by Io (Gemma Arterton) and told that he is in fact the son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), making him half man, half God.

What makes “Clash Of The Titans” a forgettable film is purely a case of bad directing. The film is not suspenseful or gripping at all in the way that an action film should be. It just feels weak and at no time do you feel completely engrossed in the film. Although Sam Worthington is usually in his element in an action film, as has been proved in “Terminator Salvation” and “Avatar”, this role does not do him any justice. His dialogue feels over-acted and at times almost inappropriate and silly. The camera angles and styles used during several of the crucial scenes do not work well and all and do no justice for the actors or the story. The camera use does not compliment Worthington’s performance at all, and does the same thing for Gemma Arterton’s performance. This also comes down to a bad choice of dialogue in the screenplay. Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson do well as the two deities, but their roles are quite miniscule compared to Worthington’s. One can also argue that there is perhaps too many characters in the film, and not enough room for character development of each of them. Perseus is well constructed, but there is really no room for any more character development for others.

On the other hand, the special effects and the visuals are quite stunning. They are well crafted and bring the world of Greek mythology to life. Such visuals as the Pegasus and Medusa are gorgeous. They also seem completely realistic, which is always a huge advantage when undertaking a mythical project. The interpretation of the ancient, mythical world is well done. It is very interesting and a great lesson for those who are not familiar with Greek mythology. The film does differ from it’s original, which some people will appreciate, while others will not be impressed by.

It is a shame that “Clash Of The Titans” does not measure up to what it could have been. It is nothing more than a mediocre action film with a good subject matter. With a better direction style and a stronger screenplay, it could have been one of the great action/adventure films of 2010, but instead is a film that will not be remembered in years to come, except as maybe a helpful resource when studying Greek mythology and its characters.
5/10