In the picture: The Invisible Man and Spenser Confidential

movie reviews

A strong performance by Elisabeth Moss powers the uneven The Invisible Man; Spenser Confidential is a bland, formulaic action flick

The Invisible Man ★★★

Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Michael Dorman

Directed by: Leigh Whannell

Tagline: What you can’t see can hurt you.

If you need proof that a terrific actor can massively elevate the material they’ve been given, then look no further than The Invisible Man, a horror thriller that is driven by a riveting performance by actress Elisabeth Moss.

The film begins with Moss’s character, Cecilia, fleeing the house of her controlling, abusive partner, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who is a tech entrepreneur celebrated for his ground-breaking work in optics. With the help of her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer), Cee takes refuge at the house of her childhood friend, James (Aldis Hodge). She is petrified that her ex will come after her until two weeks later when Adrian seemingly commits suicide.

Adrian’s will, handled by his brother, Tom (Michael Dorman), leaves $5 million to Cecilia and gives her the hope that she can now move on with her life. But creepy things soon start happening around her, leaving her to wonder if Adrian is somehow tormenting her. The people around her are certain that he is dead, whereas Cecilia is convinced that he is alive and is using his optics expertise to become invisible in order to harass her.

It’s the psychological tension in the first half of the film that works rather well as the terror of the situation becomes more and more palpable. As things progress though, the movie takes a few wrong turns and ends up in fairly formulaic territory. A predictable twist then leads us to a somewhat underwhelming ending.

Not all of it feels entirely convincing, but Moss makes sure that the project remains fascinating with her intense performance. 

The Invisible Man does leave you wishing, though, that Leigh Whannell had managed to maintain the film’s anxiety-inducing tension till the end, since the psychological horror elements are so much more interesting than the eventual revenge thriller turn. Still, the film earns points for providing a new spin on the ideas of its source material, and an impressive lead performance ensures that the otherwise uneven movie remains worth a watch.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

Spenser Confidential ★★1/2

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin, Iliza Shlesinger, Bokeem Woodbine, Donald Cerrone, Marc Maron, and Austin Post

Directed by: Peter Berg

Tagline: The law has limits. They don’t.

Director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg have teamed up once again. Their fifth collaboration sees them resurrect Robert B. Parker’s Spenser by way of a very loose adaptation of Ace Atkins’s novel Wonderland.

Portrayed by Wahlberg, Spenser here is a police officer who gets into an altercation with his captain, John Boylan (Michael Gaston), after discovering that the latter has been involved in domestic violence. A five-year prison sentence later, Spenser is released from captivity, but on the very day of his release, two cops are murdered, including the aforementioned Boylan.

In a bid to find out what actually happened, Spenser teams up with his new roommate, Hawk (Winston Duke), and, with a little help from his mentor Henry (Alan Arkin), investigates the crime, hoping to clear an innocent man’s name and take down the actual guilty parties.

Things unfold pretty much as you’d expect. Despite the random insertion of a conspiracy in the second half, the overall outcome remains predictable. There isn’t anything particularly original about the project, nor is it terribly exciting. There are a few jokes that work but for an action comedy, the humour is often lacking and the overall film never settles on a consistent tone.

Wahlberg’s acting is serviceable if unexceptional. Duke, however, isn’t particularly memorable; Iliza Shlesinger (who plays Spenser’s ex) overacts and is distracting; and an unconvincing Austin Post (a.k.a. Post Malone, portraying an adversarial inmate) doesn’t exactly leave you looking forward to his next acting gig.

There’s nothing really special about Spenser Confidential, and those familiar with the character the movie is based on may be even more critical of this incarnation, but if you’re looking for a generic action flick to while away an evening, then this otherwise bland episode just might fit the bill.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 15th March, 2020 *

In the picture: Sonic the Hedgehog and All the Bright Places

movie reviews

Sonic the Hedgehog is a whole lot of fun; All the Bright Places is a derivative young adult melodrama

Sonic the Hedgehog ★★★☆☆

Starring: Ben Schwartz (voice), Jim Carrey, James Marsden, and Tika Sumpter

Directed by: Jeff Fowler

Tagline: Try to keep up.

After much-needed revamping following the furore about the character’s uncanny appearance, Sonic the Hedgehog has overcome his initial design hurdles and made his way to cinemas in a surprisingly enjoyable adventure.

Now looking suitably adorable, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) finds himself evading baddies in this live-action adaptation of the Sega video game franchise.

When his extraordinary powers of supersonic speed make him a target of power hungry bad guys, Sonic is sent to Earth where he must stay hidden and never stop running. If he is discovered, he can use one of his magical rings to create a portal to another planet where he must then continue to live in isolation.

But the loneliness is starting to take a toll on the friendless hedgehog. He has grown fond of the local sheriff, Tom (James Marsden), and his kind veterinarian wife, Maddie (Tika Sumpter), from afar, but can’t risk making contact with humans.

His frustration over his predicament leads him to inadvertently cause an energy surge that knocks out the region’s power. Evil scientific genius Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey) is brought in to figure out what happened; he promptly discovers Sonic’s existence and makes it his mission to capture the space creature.

Sonic then ends up joining forces with an initially reluctant Tom to reclaim the rings that he has lost in the ruckus and escape the mad scientist who is on his trail.

The adventure that ensues may not be a cinematic masterpiece but it is still a whole lot of fun. The humour generally works. Young viewers, in particular, are likely be delighted by Sonic’s antics, and there’s enough charm here to keep grownups invested too (even if they may otherwise find the tale simplistic and predictable).

The titular character is lovable, his human sidekick (portrayed by a very charismatic Marsden) is affable. The exuberant Carrey is entertaining in the comedic style he is so well-known for.

Jeff Fowler and his team have done a fairly solid job revamping a project that initially seemed to be going awry. Ultimately, Sonic the Hedgehog may not break any new ground and clearly won’t redefine cinema, but this family-friendly adventure will ensure that viewers have a good time and exit the screening with a smile of their faces.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

All the Bright Places ★★☆☆☆

Starring: Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra Shipp, Kelli O'Hara, Lamar Johnson, Keegan-Michael Key, and Luke Wilson

Directed by: Brett Haley

Tagline: Live life at full brightness.

YA clichés converge in All the Bright Places, a tragic teen romance that tries very hard to tug at your heartstrings but fails to make much of an impact.

The story revolves around two high school students, Violet (Elle Fanning) and Finch (Justice Smith). Violet is struggling with the death of her sister. Finch is struggling with mental health issues. The two are brought together when Finch finds Violet standing on the ledge of a bridge. The pair bond with each other after deciding to collaborate on a class project that requires them to explore their home state of Indiana.

The project comes off as derivative from the get-go as the screenplay does little more than put together hackneyed beats. (You can easily tell from the staid storyline and how things unfold that this film found its beginning as a young adult novel.) 

The movie’s handling of some of its developments is also a tad problematic; instead of the deep take the difficult topics need, we are given shallow melodrama. The ending in particular is very weak, leaving us with rushed, unconvincing closure instead of the more raw, dark, complex outcome that would have been more realistic.

The acting isn’t exactly stellar either, especially from the stilted Fanning who seems miscast as the lead; her performance is too unnatural, and she does not feel like a good fit for the role. Smith delivers the better performance and keeps the film afloat even though the movie fails to give his story the depth it needs.

There are moments that work, but things do not come together as a touching, convincing whole. Brett Haley makes some good use of cinematography and sound, but, all in all, this predictable drama struggles because of a derivative screenplay drenched in teen drama tropes.

Rating: 2 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 8th March, 2020 *

In the picture: Fantasy Island and The Last Thing He Wanted

movie reviews

Fantasy Island is nonsensical; The Last Thing He Wanted is an incoherent mess

Fantasy Island

Starring: Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Portia Doubleday, Ryan Hansen, and Michael Rooker

Directed by: Jeff Wadlow

Tagline: The island knows your secrets.

Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island is testament to the fact that not all old franchises warrant revivals. This horror reimagining of the 1970s’ television series of the same name lacks not just scares and thrills but even basic logic.

The proceedings commence as a group of contest winners arrive at a supposedly magical resort where “anything and everything is possible”. The island, run by mysterious host Mr. Roarke (Michael Peña), will apparently fulfil each guest’s deepest fantasy. 

The troubled Melanie (Lucy Hale) wants revenge on a childhood bully (Portia Doubleday); businesswoman Gwen (Maggie Q) wants a do-over so that she can accept a marriage proposal she rejected many years ago; policeman Patrick (Austin Stowell) wants to enlist in the army in honour of his late father; while step-brothers J. D. (Ryan Hansen) and Brax (Jimmy O. Yang) want to “have it all”.

The guests are led to their respective scenarios; the experience of each is tailored specifically to their desires. But their dream vacation soon turns into a nightmare. Stuck in an increasingly dangerous situation and obligated to see their fantasies through to their conclusion, the group must figure out what is going on and find a way to escape.

For a project that’s meant to offer a horror adventure, Fantasy Island is neither spooky, scary, or even remotely thrilling. The film might manage to generate mild curiosity but holds no actual tension or suspense. 

Fantasy Island mostly just finds itself struggling with preposterous and convoluted set-ups before ultimately arriving at its nonsensical conclusion. There is an unexpected albeit lazy plot twist (made up of elements that horror movie buffs will find familiar) in the third act; if you don’t see it coming, it won’t be because the twist is shocking or brilliant but because it’s just plain ridiculous.

The characters are grating, the acting is poor. This is the kind of project that would make sense if it landed on a streaming service or had a straight-to-DVD release, not something that deserves a big screen outing.

Its basic premise is mildly interesting, and the concept does hold some potential, but to actually make the most of that potential, the film would have had to either embrace its inherent darkness or have some fun with its preposterousness. Fantasy Island does neither, and is, as a result, neither an entertaining nor a satisfying horror experience.

Rating: 1 out of 5

*****

The Last Thing He Wanted

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Rosie Perez, Edi Gathegi, Mel Rodriguez, Toby Jones, and Willem Dafoe

Directed by: Dee Rees

It isn’t often that not even a single aspect of a film merits praise. Even cinematic projects that go awry usually have some positive elements that deserve a mention. Yet Dee Rees has somehow managed to make a movie so abysmal that it’s hard to find anything good to say about it.

The Last Thing He Wanted is a political thriller so incoherent, disjointed, convoluted, and boring that its very existence proves to be perplexing.

At the centre of its tale is dedicated, heroic journalist, Elena (Anne Hathaway, not at her finest), who wants to uncover the truth about U.S. government-sponsored violence in Nicaragua and the smuggling of weapons to a troubled region. But she is instead assigned the more insipid task of covering the 1984 election. When her estranged, sick father (Willem Dafoe) asks for her help in one of his ill-conceived moneymaking schemes, Elena finds herself in the middle of the very story she hoped to break.

Things go from bad to worse. A shady government official played by (a visibly bored) Ben Affleck enters the story, then just disappears from it for long stretches before entering it again.

Meanwhile, Elena, tries to find the truth with the help of fellow journalist Alma (Rosie Perez) … while either being aided or pursued by her contact Jones (Edi Gathegi) … while trying to placate her daughter who is unhappily stuck at a boarding school … while working as a maid at a resort owned by an expat portrayed by Toby Jones.

There are too many arcs, but not much convincing drama. Any of its many threads – brave journalism, weapons smuggling, a frayed father-daughter or mother-daughter relationship – could have made a compelling narrative. But here, none of them do.

The film seems to want to offer something deep, moving, and meaningful but instead ends up being shallow and dull. None of the puzzle pieces fall together with any elegance. Its choppy editing makes the narrative go randomly from scene to scene without bothering with things like flow and relevance. The atrocious screenplay includes lines like “You wanna see a monkey drive? Buckle up. Follow the bananas” and is over-reliant on grating voiceovers.

What you are ultimately left with is a subpar movie that takes itself too seriously, gives you no reason to care about its events or characters, has no redeeming qualities, and just wastes two hours of the viewers’ time.

Rating: 0 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 1 March, 2020 *