RipCordless

A pop-culture consumer who keeps it, by design, in the shallow end of the pool.

Film Review

Review | Avengers Endgame

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I’ve seen Avengers Endgame twice since its release and though I enjoyed the experience, I just don’t believe it was the perfect conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) everyone is claiming. Truth be told, when compared to Avengers Infinity War, Endgame doesn’t quite match up — and there are some very specific reasons. Fair warning: spoilers ahead.

The tone of Endgame begins right where Infinity War left off with the remaining Avengers reeling from the loss of the friends and colleagues. In fact, the entire world (read: universe) is suffering. Stark is adrift, Thor is cloaked in bitterness, while Thanos is injured but content in the results of his madness. The Avengers exact almost immediate revenge on Thanos but the chance to possess the stones and reset the slip through their grasp with the death of The Mad Titan.  After this grim beginning, all seems lost but the story shifts on a rather random happenstance and thus begins some mild disappointment at the remaining viewing experience.

The gritty story veers sharply into a set of subplots which seemed more grounded in fan service and comedy than story development. The numerous shifts in timeline combined with an homage to past Avenger personalities was, at times, elegant and a nice tribute to the franchise but seemed to distract from the somber fact half of all life in the universe had been snuffed out — which is why I just don’t believe it did any justice to the Infinity War storyline. Please don’t misread my intent, the film continued the tradition of having a spectacular production value, with actors who know every nuance of their respective roles, and it was a joy to see one last film celebrating this ensemble cast. However, like so many times before, it could have been much better.

The plot rounded nicely into Thanos’ discovery of the Avengers attempt to stop, prevent, or rectify (the paradox of time travel can be so confusing) The Snap which culminated with a massive battle for control of the Infinity Stones. Unfortunately, the fight of this proportion seemed all too brief, was filled with forced moments of significance (you know what I’m talking about), and ends with a sacrifice of epic proportion.

The film concluded with some very dead Avengers, a passing of torch (retiring other Avengers) and a feeling of completion. When the dust cleared, I found the viewing experience to be slightly too long (3 hours, 1 minute) but worth seeing in the theater. From where I sit, Avengers Endgame earns a RipRating of 8/10 (Infinity War was 9/10). Not as good as Infinity War but one helluva ride.

As a postscript to my review, I wish Captain Marvel had been used more in Endgame. Her arrival, heralded by the cryptic pager at the end of Infinity War, promised a substantial remedy to Thanos’ power but sadly she seemed to be an afterthought. Additionally, I wasn’t impressed with the transformation Thor to a fat, giggling Avenger with PTSD and a drinking problem — it just shat upon arguably the second most powerful Avenger (after Captain Marvel) and tainted his unflappable reputation. On the other hand, it certainly provided a vector for him to join what was left of the Guardians of the Galaxy team.

Review | Sicario: Day of the Soldado

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I recently watched Sicario: Day of the Soldado, more to settle a debate between Tango and Luellen, than any desire to see the film. Don’t misunderstand, I thoroughly enjoyed the original because the film didn’t ask forgiveness for its own brutality and honesty. Enter Sicario 2, a film which literally began with a bang but slowly ebbed into a distant fizzle. Centered around the struggle for southern border security, Sicario: Day of the Soldado initially hinted at terrorist incursions from Mexico but then seemed to lose focus and dabble with with a handful of discordant topics including covert ops, changed allegiance and, most annoyingly, teenage angst.

In a predictable plot arc, the U.S. government decides Mexican cartels are now terrorist organizations, thus allowing a broader scope of interdiction tools on the battlefield. Chief among those tools is a steely-eyed covert operations officer, played by Josh Brolin, and our resident assassin, played by Benicio Del Toro. Things move quickly and initially the action is hot and heavy with small unit combat, a healthy dose of executions, but things take an odd turn as the film begins to lose focus and settles on the plight of two teens. Caught up in the mayhem of border conflict, both walk different and uneven paths further contributing to the lack of a cohesive experience. That trend continues downward which scatters the story and leaves the audience wondering why they are following the path of a teenage coyote with aspirations of grandeur.

What brings the film back from the edge is the acting prowess of Brolin and Del Toro. Masters of their respective craft, both deliver strong performances and elevate a weak script. In one particular scene, Del Toro musters incredible fortitude to overcome a tragic event and manages to do so with convincing intensity. The tone of darkness continued from the first film but, again, is marred by the uneven plot. Fittingly, the final scene finishes the job like an assassin putting the final round in the head of the target. Though I won’t drop a spoiler, I found myself in an eye-roll moment as the final line is uttered. Truth be told, kinda threw up a little.

Should the writers removed the teenage coyote and kept the focus on-point, this film could easily have rivaled the first but as things stand, we landed miles away from what made the original so enjoyably dark. In the final analysis, Sicario: Day of the Soldado is nothing but a rental, likely worth tracking down upon release but you wouldn’t make a mistake it you waited for a RedBox coupon — solid but not great, with a Rip Rating of 5/10. As for the original debate and for what it’s worth, I think I come down closer to Tango than Luellen — but not by much.

I recently watched Sicario: Day of the Soldado, more to settle a debate between Tango and Luellen, than any desire to see the film. Don’t misunderstand, I thoroughly enjoyed the original because the film didn’t ask forgiveness for its own brutality and honesty. Enter Sicario 2, a film which literally began with a bang but slowly ebbed into a distant fizzle. Centered around the struggle for southern border security, Sicario: Day of the Soldado initially hinted at terrorist incursions from Mexico but then seemed to lose focus and dabble with with a handful of discordant topics including covert ops, changed…





The assassin returns but fails to impress under the weight of a discordant plot and too much teenage angst. Grab the rental.

Review | Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Story / Plot - 40%

Acting / Dialogue - 65%

Production Value - 55%

Originality / Twist - 30%

Viewing Experience - 60%

50%

The assassin returns but fails to impress under the weight of a discordant plot and too much teenage angst. Grab the rental.


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Review | Solo

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Despite a host of negative reviews, I decided to return to the Star Wars universe to catch SOLO. What followed was a festival of boredom, a yearning to leave the theater early, and deep regret in paying full price (albeit, a friend paid) for a pedestrian film best reserved for the discount shelf at your local convenience store. So, why don’t we get into this SPOILER-FREE review of SOLO.

What hurts SOLO most is the ponderous, predictable plot that does little to capture the attention or imagination. Set in the shady underworld of the Empire, SOLO centers on the backstory of Han Solo, the legendary scoundrel-come-savior of the original films. Tasked with recovering high value products, Solo’s crew predictably fails and remains on the hook for the goods the rest of the film. What follows are obvious betrayals and counter-betrayals as the audience is treated to some tedious and yawn-worthy plot developments. The film pauses far too often in clunking attempts to develop characters but those pauses become the problem — they are too frequent and are far from compelling.

Beyond the plot, we’re left with actors who never really pull off the illusion. Alden Ehrenreich, who plays Han Solo, just doesn’t have the confidence, cheek, or guile to capture the true essence of Harrison Ford. His love interest, Qi’re, played by the dark-haired version Kaleesi herself, Emilia Clarke, seems out of her element. The chemistry between both actors is near non-existent and I was left thoroughly unconvinced at their budding romance. The two outstanding roles are offered by Woody Harrelson (as Tobias Beckett) and Donald Glover (as Lando Calrissian). Unfortunately, their combined excellence does little to rescue the film.

Once the dust settled, I walked out shaking my head in disappointment. Ron Howard has lucked his way into directing yet another flat film with little in the way of passion or excitement. Unless you’re a Star Wars junkie, committed to checking out the latest release in the universe, I would hold off on the theater viewing. SOLO is, at best, a rental with a coupon in hand. Worth seeing (eventually) but you’re missing very little should you decide to take a pass. For me, the Rip-Rating lands somewhere around a 5/10, but I could be talked into a 4/10 should the mood strike me.

Despite a host of negative reviews, I decided to return to the Star Wars universe to catch SOLO. What followed was a festival of boredom, a yearning to leave the theater early, and deep regret in paying full price (albeit, a friend paid) for a pedestrian film best reserved for the discount shelf at your local convenience store. So, why don’t we get into this SPOILER-FREE review of SOLO. What hurts SOLO most is the ponderous, predictable plot that does little to capture the attention or imagination. Set in the shady underworld of the Empire, SOLO centers on the backstory…





A pedestrian journey, marred with ponderous action, and a viewing experience which does not do the Star Wars universe justice.

Review | Solo

Story / Plot - 40%

Acting / Dialogue - 45%

Production Value - 60%

Originality / Twist - 30%

Viewing Experience - 50%

45%

A pedestrian journey, marred with ponderous action, and a viewing experience which does not do the Star Wars universe justice.


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Review | Atomic Blonde

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Decided to see Atomic Blonde after watching Charlize Theron talk about the film at Comic Con. She teased the high-action thriller by showing a preview fight scene in a stairwell and I was hooked. What could only be described an intense single scene translated into a highly enjoyable film filled with stylized action, edgy cinematography, and a unique presentation which only added to the ride.

Directed by David Leitch in essentially his directorial debut on the big screen, the film is clean, focused, and moves along at a nice pace — which is interesting because Leitch has 19 assistant director/second unit credits and 83 stunt or fight choreography credits. Clearly Leitch rose through the ranks and has put his hard earned skills to use in Atomic Blonde to great effect.

Charlize Theron, plays Lorraine Broughton, an English MI-6 agent who is sent to Berlin in 1989, just as the wall is coming down. The backdrop of chaos sets a nice foundation for a traditional spy story of asset protection while playing a game of spy-outwit-spy on a brutal scale. Theron plays her role to perfection with high level espionage, devastating (read: realistic) hand-to-hand combat sequences, wrapped in a staggeringly elegant package. Speaking of realistic, at San Diego Comic Con 2017, Theron explained she wanted to be sure the fight sequences were realistic for a woman. Sure enough, elbows, knees, and body-weight mechanics were deployed by Theron with graceful execution. No cut-aways or tight shots but mostly long and wide angles showing Theron doing some serious damage. Much like Keanu Reeves in John Wick, Theron clearly put in significant effort to ensure the fight sequences rang true and I found myself uttering, “Oh” and Ah” at the speed of delivery — which can also be said for the pace of the film.

Atomic Blonde continues its steamy journey through the back alleys of Berlin as Broughton chases clues, escapes hectic situations, and works to protect some and expose others. Audiences are treated to a sexy, fast-paced journey, where the plot stays within reach, and you find yourself wondering who is working for whom throughout the chaos. In this two-hour journey, I never found myself bored or looking for a snack run — the plot simply didn’t allow those kind of distractions.

Atomic Blonde ended with a nice, slightly surprising wrap and I was left smiling at the conclusion. This (potential) franchise is a welcome addition to the spy thriller genre and I look forward to seeing Theron continue to develop the stylized Lorraine Broughton in more interesting ways. More please.

Decided to see Atomic Blonde after watching Charlize Theron talk about the film at Comic Con. She teased the high-action thriller by showing a preview fight scene in a stairwell and I was hooked. What could only be described an intense single scene translated into a highly enjoyable film filled with stylized action, edgy cinematography, and a unique presentation which only added to the ride. Directed by David Leitch in essentially his directorial debut on the big screen, the film is clean, focused, and moves along at a nice pace — which is interesting because Leitch has 19 assistant director/second…





Stylized action and a fascinatingly cool protagonist make this traditional spy thriller something to see. Worth your time.

Review | Atomic Blonde

Story / Plot - 6.5

Acting / Dialogue - 7.5

Production Value - 7.5

Originality / Twist - 8

Viewing Experience - 8.5

7.6

Great Ride!

Stylized action and a fascinatingly cool protagonist make this traditional spy thriller something to see. Worth your time.


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Review | Dunkirk

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Though only one generation ago, the sacrifices of World War II are often forgotten in modern society. People lean less upon the lessons of history and more upon and  latest pop culture nuance or trend. And I can easily fall victim to the next shiny object, just like everyone else, but once and a while an event comes along to remind us of the past. I wanted Dunkirk to be that nudge for 2017 — sadly, the film fell dramatically short.

Written and directed by Christopher Nolan (of Dark Knight fame), the film documents the plight of the British Expeditionary Force trapped in the French town of Dunkirk, caught between the might of the German army and the unrelenting misery of the English channel. Make no mistake, Dunkirk actually happened in 1940 and was the rallying cry during the D-Day invasions some five years later.

Nolan attempts to tell the story of tragedy then triumph but fails to deliver on a massive scale. Though there are many sins in the Dunkirk narrative, one of the greatest falls within the realm of character development or depth. Nolan does not allow the audience the luxury of connecting with any character nor does he craft a plot with any weight — beyond simple, brutal survival. Furthermore, the film is badly discordant in its narrative — jumping from one scene to the next in quick succession. One moment you’re on the beach, then a boat at sea, then a fighter aircraft, and once more back to the beach — but back in time four hours, or was it forward? The frequent shifts left me puzzled at why we’d jumped just when I was beginning to invest in the prior scene.

Beyond the discordant plot, the music of the film (it’s a stretch to call the film’s score, “music”) is easily its most annoying element. Think of any film you’ve watched with an impending scene of suspense; the music builds with a something’s-about-to-happen tone then at some point there is a reveal. The music in Dunkirk is almost two solid hours of suspenseful music with no finish. Think of the Jaws theme, just before the first attack, but for about two straight hours. Yeah, miserable. Perhaps it was the theater but that music drowned out much of the sparse dialogue.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the excellent reproduction of the vintage aircraft and uniforms in Dunkirk — a single moment of brilliance in an otherwise tedious experience. Oh, and please don’t make me talk about the magical gliding Spitfire flown by the film’s only star of note, Tom Hardy. I’m still waiting for that thing to land… wait, what?!

With no plot to speak of, a nerve-grating musical score, and a characters you care little about, Dunkirk is a missed opportunity to tell a powerful story which continues to leave a mark on the French and English consciousness. Nolan fails in this telling and I’m confident I’ll never see nor recommend anyone take the time to watch this film. #CouldHaveBeenBetter

 

Though only one generation ago, the sacrifices of World War II are often forgotten in modern society. People lean less upon the lessons of history and more upon and  latest pop culture nuance or trend. And I can easily fall victim to the next shiny object, just like everyone else, but once and a while an event comes along to remind us of the past. I wanted Dunkirk to be that nudge for 2017 --- sadly, the film fell dramatically short. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan (of Dark Knight fame), the film documents the plight of the British Expeditionary Force trapped…





What could have been a fabulous story-telling experience, ended up being a docudrama with high-end special effects --- and a perpetually gliding Spitfire

Review | Dunkirk

Story / Plot - 5.5

Acting / Dialogue - 6.5

Production Value - 8.5

Originality / Twist - 5

Viewing Experience - 5

6.1

Disappointed

What could have been a fabulous story-telling experience, ended up being a docudrama with high-end special effects --- and a perpetually gliding Spitfire


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