Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

For his directorial début Rupert Sanders delivers a very dark take on the classic Snow White story. Though there is little in common with most Snow White stories, it does hit specific plot points; wicked witch (Ravenna, Charlize Theron), poisoned apple, and dwarves. Initially imprisoned by Ravenna, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) escapes, then with the help of the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) makes her way to her Uncle's castle, whereupon she returns with an army to overthrow Ravenna's cruel rule.

First of all I must say that the film looks fantastic. The costumes are all fantastic, down to the little details on Ravenna's dresses; there are many beautiful exterior locations giving the film a real epic feel; and some of the visual effects were amazing. In particular the dark army at the beginning of the movie is brilliantly realised, the way Ravenna exploded into Ravens is great, a cool troll, and the dwarves were amazing.

Where the film falls flat is in some of the cast, namely Kristen Stewart; she just doesn't have the charisma to pull off a main role like this. She is wooden and just looks uncomfortable for most of the film, not least when she gives her morale-rousing speech for the army - Theoden this is not! Actually half way through the film I found myself thinking "Has she actually really said very much?" Charlize Theron is a good actress, and her Ravenna is good; though having seen Eva Green's performance as Morgan in Camelot, I thought that she would have been a much better Ravenna. The other main character is Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and thank goodness for him; he is the one character we really care about. His Huntsman is gritty, initially of questionable loyalty, and has great wilderness survival skills; so Aragorn basically. To continue the LOTR theme, I noticed that Snow White seemed to have the Tree of Gondor on her shield! The supporting cast are fine, including Sam Spruell as Ravenna's brother Finn and Vincent Regan as Snow White's Uncle, Duke Hammond. The Dwarves are also good, the likes of Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone and Nick Frost having their faces digitally imposed onto small actors.

An entertaining romp that looks amazing, and far enough removed from the classic fairy tale for miserable uncultured people like me to enjoy it. Going for it are some sumptuous visuals, a tremendous scale of production and a rousing score by James Newton Howard; against it are a few below par performances, especially from Kristen Stewart who just isn't right for this kind of role.

Prometheus (2012)

30 years after Ridley Scott changed cinema with his terrifying and brilliant film that started a phenomenon, he returns to the franchise to answer some questions and raise new ones. Set towards the end of this century the events precede those in Alien, and follow the scientific crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they set out to discover the origins of humanity.

The film is stunning; from the slick design of the Prometheus, the terrifying size of the dust storm, the creepy caverns, to the bots that map the caverns and Charlize Theron’s outfit. Ridley Scott’s visual style goes from strength to strength, and with today’s technology is as beautiful as it ever was. Linked with this style is the tremendous quality of the production; production designer Arthur Max has worked exclusively with Ridley Scott and David Fincher and clearly doesn’t pull his punches. The cinematography is also beautiful, the lighting of the Prometheus, the gloomy caves and the stunning aerial sweeps of the icelandic scenery at the beginning; it actually reminded me a lot of the beginning of The Shining.

The cast are mostly brilliant; Charlize Theron plays it very cool as Meredith Vickers, the captain of the Prometheus who views this expedition as a mission and nothing else; Idris Elba is groovy as Janek, the pilot of the Prometheus; but certainly the stars of the show are Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender. Rapace is brilliant as Elizabeth Shaw, the scientist who helped discover the Engineers’ (the alien race are referred to as Engineers) code in archaeological digs around the world. Initially on the mission as more of a consulting scientist, it soon becomes clear that Shaw is the one making the important decisions, and with the personality to drive the rest of the crew and the plot forwards. I don’t think Scott could have found a better actress currently working to carry on the mantle of Ripley. Fassbender is equally fantastic; having just finished watching 300 (because, you know, it’s a fun way to spend a couple of hours), he really is an adaptable actor! As David he has exactly the right stage presence for the role; he is slightly aloof, dogmatically believes that all his actions are correct, yet there is always the feeling that he has an alterior motive. Generally he steals every scene he’s in, and those when he acts opposite Rapace are the best.

I suppose that I was expecting a film with more traditional Alien canon. On the one hand I was disappointed that it wasn’t that film, but on the other I’m glad it wasn’t! If the life cycle of the aliens had been exactly as all four previous Alien films, I think Prometheus may have come across as too stale and unimaginative, so for that it’s great. Of course I loved seeing more background to the Space Jockey from Alien, though there are still some unanswered questions.

I’ve read a few reviews, and many people seem to be complaining about plot holes. Now I agree that there are a few parts where there is no explanation and a little would have been nice; but on the whole, the people complaining about plot holes are simply complaining about daft things that happen in any Sci-fi film. Spoilers! Yes it was silly that Vickers ran immediately away from the crashing ship instead of ducking to the side, but that’s hardly the first time that’s ever happened in a film! Yes it’s silly that Shaw is extremely active for one who has just undergone invasive surgery, but that’s hardly new; Operas were doing that a hundred years ago as people who were dying of tuberculosis were singing their hearts out! Spoilers end. I watched Alien very soon after (the wife didn’t know that the Engineers were the Space Jockey from Alien, in fact she couldn’t remember the Space Jockey at all), and I’m glad we did because there are as many “plot holes” as people are calling them in Alien, they just get ignored because it is such a damn fine film. When Dallas is in the air ducts and Lambert tells him the Alien is on the move towards him, he sits in a junction where the Alien could come at him from all angles! Dumbass! Toward the end when Ripley is alone and has just set the auto-destruct, she is on the way back to the escape shuttle when she comes across the Alien. She is terrified and runs back to try and reverse the auto-destruct. Why? She’s holding a flame thrower. Torch the fucker! See, no Sci-fi is immune from silly plot points. So ends my defence of Prometheus.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent film. Stunning, superbly acted, exceptionally made and truly terrifying at points. Fabulous to see some background to the crashed spaceship on LV426, and it raises as many questions as it answers. This was the one film that I was really looking forward to this year (as well as the Hobbit naturally), and it didn’t disappoint. Now, having written this, I really want to see it again.

The Road

The road is a post-apocalyptic film following the lives of a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Based on the book of the same name (written by Cormac McCarthy), It tells the story of how the man provides for and looks after his son, until he becomes very ill and the son then has to look after his father. We never learn what the event was that led to the the destroyed world in which the film is set, but through flashback we do see why the mother (Charlize Theron) is no longer around. When the man finally dies (tuberculosis? I don’t think we actually find out), the boy is found by a “veteran” (Guy Pearce), his wife and two kids, and so he finds some stability in this world (presumably...).

The shattered world in which the film is set is very 28 Days Later/Survivors/I am Legend-ish, but what sets is apart is the colour: there isn’t any! Everything is so subdued and mute that the film is essentially black and white, except for fire. Sometimes warming, sometimes sinister when it appears that the sky is burning; the fire brings a stark contrast to everything else in the world. Perhaps this is a reflection that fire is the only thing that is man-made now. The only other colour is a rainbow in a waterfall; all animals are dead, the trees are dying and falling down, there is really nothing colourful.

Adding to the sombre feel of the film is another haunting soundtrack by Warren Ellis and Nick Cave. Perhaps not as stunning as the soundtrack from The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; but still, that looking out of the window on a rainy day/sense of loss ambiance is very apparent. The chord progressions these two come up with get me every time; the track “Memory” is very “Song for Bob” (which actually really choked me up the first time I listened to it outwith the film).

Viggo is superb as the everyman character who is thrust into this situation by the fate of the world, and who just wants to take care of his son. He manages to bring a humility and realism to the character, who is completely committed to his son:

“All I know is that the boy was my charge. And if he was not the word of God. Then God never spoke.”

But at the same time he is able to show a real desperation, and demonstrate that he is prepared to do anything to protect the boy. I really think Viggo is perfect for this role; don’t get me wrong he is great as Aragorn, Weps (apart from the flat-top), and in G.I. Jane; but his “guy next door” demeanour is far more suited to this film than as the King of Gondor. There is also a very brief appearance by Robert Duvall, though you can hardly tell it’s him; and despite what the extras on the DVD say, it really probably wasn’t worth getting him for the 5 min he’s on screen.

Overall The Road is a very good film, not a very cheery film, but a good one. The dynamic between the Man and his Son works really well, and you really feel the emotions the characters are going through as they try to find food, avoid cannibals, and not lose the food that they have found. Viggo is great, and the whole film has an atmosphere that is far more bleak than other films in this genre, and is difficult to shake.