MOVIE REVIEW: EQUALIZER 3

 

Since giving up his life as a government assassin, Robert McCall finds solace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Now living in Southern Italy, he soon discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. As events turn deadly, McCall becomes their protector by taking on the mafia.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ammar, Remo Girone

Release Date: September 1, 2023

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence and some language.

Runtime: 1h 49m

The third and possibly final installment of the Equalizer franchise is a leaner, more focused entry which makes it the most effective of the three.  Antoine Fuqua's film is still as violent as ever, but he gives his main character a bit more time to breathe outside of his avenging angel persona.  There's a bit more nuance at play throughout which helps flesh out the character especially if you've followed his journey from the start.  Fuqua still delivers plenty of hero shots for his leading man with those visuals boarding between triumphant and menacing.  The action sequences are just as visceral and bloody as the past entries, but they are far less frequent than the first two entries leaning more on Washington's acting chops.  Denzel Washington has always been this series secret weapon as he pulls so much more out of the character than what's written on the page.  In this entry, he is given more room to explore moments of happiness and contentment before external forces bring him back to unleash his talents on a slew of faceless villains.  Washington does give the character a slightly different feel here, older more weathered and almost brutish in certain moments.  It makes those moments where his character unleashes his brand of justice interesting in that it could easily be flipped into a horror movie with little effort. Sadly, the supporting character are paper thin across the board, something that's been an issue with the three films.  Adding former Man on Fire costar, Dakota Fanning, should work better than it ultimately does with her character feeling more perfunctory than necessary.  Still the series as a whole is a testament to Washington's impressive talent and ability to make these films far more watchable than they would be in lesser hands.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

In this remake of the classic 1960 oater of the same name (itself a Western remake of Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, The Seven Samurai), seven gunslingers join forces in order to protect a small town from a mining tycoon (Peter Sarsgaard) and his goons, who plan to seize the residents' land by force. The seven-man army is led by a mysterious bounty hunter (Denzel Washington), and also includes a sharp-witted gambler (Chris Pratt), a troubled ex-Civil War soldier (Ethan Hawke), a mountain man (Vincent D'Onofrio), an expert knife thrower (Byung-hun Lee), an outlaw (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and a Comanche warrior (Martin Sensmeier). Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day). ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lee Byung-hun

Release Date: Sep 23, 2016

Rated PG-13

Runtime: 2 hr. 12 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

I’ll start by saying that I’ve never seen the original The Magnificent Seven film so I don’t have anything to compare it to.  The plot itself has been recycled multiple times so the story itself doesn’t hold much in the way of surprises.  Antoine Fuqua seems to know this so he tries his best to honor the classic westerns of yesteryear.  As such, you get plenty of scenic cinematography and high intensity shoot outs throughout.  Ultimately, the only way this film would maintain anyone’s interest would be because of the cast.  Denzel Washington holds the entire film together as the steely eyed bounty hunter.  The film is at it’s best during the first half as the team is assembled and we get a taste of each of the characters being assembled.  Some of which get more time than others but in the end you can tell the actors are just having a blast.  That keeps the film fun and interesting even as we start heading into very well worn territory in terms of story.  As such, The Magnificent Seven is an enjoyable bit of entertainment that could have used a tad bit more depth to make it truly standout.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Magnificent Seven

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for one of my more anticipated offerings of 2016, Antoine Fuqua's remake of The Magnificent Seven. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

When a brutal robber baron tries to steal a town right out from under its inhabitants, the townsfolk turn to an eclectic band of gunslingers to defeat him. So, dear reader(s), you're tired of remakes and reboots and rehashes, right? I hear ya. Hollywood apparently doesn't, but I do. Scarred though you may be by lady Ghostbusters and a decidedly Michael Bay-ish Ben-Hur, I'm asking you to give this one a chance. Please. 

Throwing the universe's most watchable actor, Denzel Washington, into an ensemble picture is a bit like putting a perfect diamond on a CZ-tennis bracelet--no matter how good the rest is, it won't compare--but he does a masterful job of leading this pack without actively scene-stealing. 

His diverse group of not-so-merry men is uniformly fantastic, with Byung-hun Lee and the brilliant Vincent D'Onofrio nearly walking off with the movie. Gunfights are tightly-choreographed chaos, a delight to watch. The picture also boasts some majestic scenery and a lovely score by Simon Franglen and the late James Horner. 

Throughout, it feels like a throwback to the glory days of Hollywood westerns. Among The Magnificent Seven's relatively few weaknesses: It relies just a little to heavily on Chris Pratt's appeal, while criminally wasting the lovely Matt Bomer. 

Haley Bennett overacts like a madwoman at times. There are some weirdly obvious inaccuracies, like blindingly-white teeth all 'round, and a few prominently-placed prostitutes who more closely resemble 1980s video extras than anything from the wild west. The entire cast is sweat-shiny for the duration...except Denzel, who is cool as a cucumber until the very end. 

Also, the movie is occasionally so very traditional as to appear almost comical on today's cinema landscape. This remake defies many current cinema norms. Though a battle is the picture's primary focus, there are no bloated, never-ending fight scenes. The pace is deliberate, but the movie is never dull. There's surprisingly little graphic gore, despite a Game of Thrones-esque body count. 

The single female lead provides opportunities aplenty, yet she's never shoehorned into a romance with any of our heroes. Finally, this film is utterly disinterested in kicking off a franchise. Come on, reader(s), when was the last time you walked out of the theatre without feeling like you'd just been set up for the next sequel? 

The Magnificent Seven is a beautifully-filmed, epic western that features top-notch performances from some of today's best and most-loved actors. Simply put, movies like this are why I go to the movies. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Magnificent Seven gets eight. 

Until next time... 

MOVIE REVIEW: SOUTHPAW

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as troubled boxer Billy Hope in this high-stakes drama from director Antoine Fuqua and Sons of Anarachy creator Kurt Sutter. At the height of his fame and success, Hope is convinced by his loving wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) to retire from the sport in order to spend more time with the couple's daughter Leila (Oona Laurence). On the night of his retirement announcement, a rival boxer calls out Hope and an altercation breaks out, killing Maureen. Hope's self-destructive behavior worsens, and Leila is taken away by child services. In order to redeem his life and get his daughter back, Hope must return to boxing under the tutelage of hardened trainer Titus "Tick" Willis (Forest Whitaker). ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Rachel McAdams, Curtis Jackson, Rita Ora

Release Date: Jul 24, 2015

Rated: R for some Violence and Language Throughout

Runtime: 2 hr. 3 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Southpaw can best be described as reverse Rocky.  Billy Hopes riches to rags to riches never really feels fresh just predictable.  Antoine Fuqua’s film mines better boxing films for material so the films plot feels inevitable instead of engaging.  Thankfully Jake Gyllenhaal delivers an engaging performance that carries the film on multiple levels.  His body is transformed into a believable junior middle weight boxer and the boxing sequences are some of the most realistic ever put on screen.  His intensity is ever present and makes the entire thing watch able.  Forest Whitaker joins the film about halfway through its runtime and it’s all the better for it.  Gyllenhaal and Whitaker make for an interesting pair even as the film rolls towards a predictable finale.  Southpaw isn’t the worse or best boxing film I’ve ever seen but it’s a solid mid range melodrama.

B-

Cindy Prascik’s Movie Review : The Croods / Olympus Has Fallen

Dearest Blog, yesterday I set out for the cinema, hoping two highly-anticipated offerings would meet expectations.
Spoiler level here is mild, limited to things you'd know from the trailers.

First on my agenda: DreamWorks Animation's The Croods.


A prehistoric family are forced to flee their cave after it's destroyed by a disaster that threatens to change their lives forever in this animated adventure featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage and Emma Stone. As a protective caveman father leads his family out of harm's way, the clan crosses paths with a resourceful teen named Guy (voice of Ryan Reynolds), who offers to help them reach a distant land where they'll be safe from an impending catastrophe that will soon alter the entire world. Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman round out the cast of vocal performers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Kirk De Micco

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman.

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013

Rated PG for some scary action

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Family


Much to the dismay of a rebellious daughter (Emma Stone), the patriarch (Nicolas Cage) of a pre-historic family believes the only way to keep them safe is to stay within the dark and gloomy confines of their cave home. His theory, as well as his ability to protect his family, are put to the test when the cave is destroyed.

Not gonna lie, dear Blog, I have a ridiculous amount of faith in DreamWorks Animation. Think it's got something to do with How to Train Your Dragon being...oh...only the best animated feature ever. I'm pleased to report that, despite a sluggish start, The Croods does not find my faith misplaced.

The Croods looks magnificent. No words could possibly describe just how gorgeous this film is; you have to see it. I was moved to tears a time or two by its physical beauty alone. Take Oz: The Great and Powerful, and multiply that by about a hundred. Full marks to the artistic and technical staff.

If The Croods' father/daughter tale is a little familiar, and if you see some things coming a mile or so out, that's easy enough to forgive in such a sweet and genuine picture. The voice cast is spot-on, with Cage and Stone joined by Ryan Reynolds, Cloris Leachman, and Catherine Keener.

The Croods does start out somewhat slow, and for 20 minutes or so, I feared I had another Oz on my hands; that is, I'd be left loving the look and nothing else. Once it gets moving, though, the movie's filled with action, laugh-out-loud moments, and a sincere and touching family tale.

The Croods runs 98 minutes, and is rated PG for "some scary action." It's no How to Train Your Dragon, but, of a possible nine Weasleys, it easily earns seven.

Next up was the action/thriller Olympus Has Fallen.



An ex-Special Forces operative and former presidential bodyguard must fight to take back the White House from terrorists who have kidnapped the Commander in Chief in this high-stakes action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter) and starring Gerard Butler. Melissa Leo, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, and Radha Mitchell co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Melissa Leo.

Release Date: Mar 22, 2013 Rated R for Strong Violence and Language Throughout

Runtime: 2 hr. 0 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller


When terrorists overrun the White House, taking President Harvey Dent, erm, I mean Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart) and his top staff hostage, it's left to Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), an ex-Secret Service agent, to save the President...and the nation.
Olympus Has Fallen is extremely well cast; every actor is a perfect fit for his role.

Aaron Eckhart is very leaderly as a young-ish Commander in Chief. Gerard Butler has never been a favorite of mine. I've softened considerably towards him since he became Stoic the Vast, but think I'm still holding a grudge over Phantom of the Opera!

Yet I found him surprisingly watchable in Olympus, and I think he plays the tormented hero well. Angela Bassett is a bit too hard-ass for my taste as Director of the Secret Service; for some reason, she seemed like a comical police chief on a 70s TV cop drama. My favorite actress and best girl crush Melissa Leo is as lovely and tough as ever as the Secretary of Defense.

Morgan Freeman makes a predictably solid turn as Speaker of the House, forced to take charge as both the President and Vice-President are in the terrorists' grasp. If I had to trust the world's safety to any one individual, I admit I'd be entirely comfortable if that individual were Morgan Freeman. The rest of the cast is up to snuff, the one exception being Radha Mitchell, whose teary-eyed close-ups got old pretty quickly.

Olympus Has Fallen features maximum carnage.

The body count is so extreme that even I grew tired of it, and it's not that sort-of cartoonish massacre you get with a GI Joe or super-hero movie.

As a result, any chest-thumping 'Murica! sentiment the filmmakers hoped to achieve is somewhat deflated. The effects are good, and the trashing of the White House and other DC landmarks is chillingly realistic.

Olympus Has Fallen clocks in at 120 minutes, and is rated R for "strong violence and language throughout." If I liked it less than I'd hoped, I attribute that partially to my feeling that nobody makes a Big Baddie quite like Russia did back in the day, and partially to the movie's having precious little of that feel-good cowboy vibe (think Die Hard) I kind of expected from the trailers.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Olympus Has Fallen gets six.

Our next question, dear Blog, is how many cinema trips can one individual fit into a long weekend that also includes three home hockey games, a midday hair cut n' color, and one full day of enforced family time (ugh). Time will tell!

Until next time...




Is it twisted that I'd totally do this cartoon person??