Red 2 (2013)

Maybe it's finally time to retire.

Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses is in for another ride as he and his team of elite operatives are on the mission to locate a missing portable nuclear device built during the Cold War. Along the way, they cross paths with terrorists, assassins, and government officials who are all itching to get their hands on the weapon that will turn the tides of hegemony. If this isn't bad enough, Frank must also deal with his relationship with Sarah which seems to be in trouble as well.

This movie is a whole lot different from the first one, and that's not a compliment. What bothers me the most in this sequel is that it has more comedy than action. What's worse is the fact that it's barely even funny at all. The action scenes fail to deliver as well. This was a comedy film with action when it should have been the other way around. What this film missed that its predecessor had was the balance. Red was able to balance the action and comedy quite well. It entertains you and gives you the great action you deserve unlike the sequel we have here. Watching the film felt like a giant goose chase around the world. It bothers me how I was so detached to the film despite the fantastic, yet overused, locations they have for the movie. Paris, London, and Moscow: these are gorgeous places yet watching the film feels like I can easily see them across the street. The film is fond of travelling from one place to another without giving much importance to the current place they stay on. In one scene you are in Paris and the next you are in London. It doesn't give you the time to appreciate and understand what's going on. By the time the places shift again, your brain would still be in the previous location trying to piece together what happened. 

The ensemble cast doesn't help either. For some reason, the film probably thinks that the more characters they put, the better it will be. Well it definitely thought wrong. The fact that they added more characters was a risk in the field of characterization. That many characters require a great need of character development or depth or else they will come off as flat and shallow. However, I am more lenient with character development in action films compared to other genres. What I usually look for in action films is how smart the characters are, the decisions they make and their relevance in the film that can contribute to the development of the film. What irks me the most in this film is how bipolar its characters are. At one point, they are allies and then in a not-so-surprising turn of events, that ally turns out to be a villain. Some go the other way around. This is a cliche in the genre of action films, wherein an ally turns out to be the villain or vice versa. Red 2 makes use of this cliche and to be perfectly honest, it's fine with me. But what's not fine is how they used the same concept over and over again until it got so old that you would just have to wait for the next twist. If you can still call it a twist that is. 

Bruce Willis was less badass in this film. I expected so much more from this man. This does not seem to be his year since A Good Day to Die Hard and G.I. Joe: Retaliation were both failures. It's probably the other cast members that are stealing his spotlight especially Helen Mirren. Helen Mirren is one hell of a woman in this film, just like in Red. She was able to pull off her character quite well and was able to give a performance worth praising despite being stuck in an upsetting movie. The other woman in the film is Catherine Zeta-Jones who was okay. Not that good and not that bad either. Her character was bad though, but that's another aspect. In terms of acting, she did what she could do to save her character's uninteresting life. Byung-hun Lee had so much potential in this movie. I love his character except for the third part where it all went downhill. Not his fault though, once again, all the blame is on the script. Last actor I'll mention is Anthony Hopkins. He is one of the reasons why I really wanted to watch the movie. It's Anthony Hopkins for heaven's sake. Watching Anthony Hopkins was entertaining but with a little bit of annoyance from time to time but still tolerable. I like how flexible his character is and how he plays it. Anthony Hopkins is able to put on a good show despite being in a movie that no one may want to see twice. 

In terms of the technical aspects, I noticed how the film had some trouble in terms of its continuity. I usually don't mind them as long as it only happens once but I noticed more than couple of them throughout the film. Other than that, the rest were all good. 

Overall, Red 2 was a good try but a miss. If you're looking for some good old action-comedy film, then you have nothing to see here. If you're looking for a good action film, still nothing to see here. A comedy film? Not even close. But if you just wanna kill and waste time, then you might want to consider this.

Rating: 1.5/5

The Purge (2013)

Who would you kill first when this happens?

In the year 2022, the United States is a nation reborn. The economy is good. Employment rates are up and crime rates are way down low. This is all because the government has approved a law called The Purge, wherein for 12 hours, all criminal activity is legal. The Purge acts as a way for the people to cleanse themselves of all the hatred and negative emotions in their hearts. All the victims of the Purge are then given thanks for sacrificing their lives for the betterment of the country.

The very first thing I like about this film is the concept that fuels it. Though the thought of it alone is highly improbable, one really can't help but think of what they will do if they are in the shoes of the characters in the film. More than its genre of being a thriller, it is a film that challenges society's value and morals. The thought of the purge may be very unlikely now but one will never know if it can really happen in the future. The establishing sequence of the film which is a series of CCTV footage of various crimes and murders alone is gruesome enough that one may actually consider the purge as a solution to the problems of society. The film questions the morals of man: would you be a realist or an idealist?

The film, aside from being thematically driven, is character driven as well. It offers a variety of different characters that have their different beliefs and perspectives with the concept of the Purge. James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) is a successful security developer that has gotten wealthy thanks to his sales of home security systems designed for the purge. His character is stuck in reality and is thinking of the practicality and logic of things. He is married to Mary Sandin who is the closeted idealist in the family. She follows what her husband says because she trusts him and she believes that it is the best for the family. They have two children, one of them is Charlie whose conscience and ideals have set the film in motion. It is this little dude that opened the door for the bloody strangers that is being hunted down. In a world inhabited by human beings, Charlie is the only character that is humane in it. Though his actions and decisions may be the cause of annoyance from the audience, it further shows his idealistic nature and humanity, in contrast to the people around him. The film has good characterization and character development. As the film progress, the characters that are initially blind and naive are shown to have learned what they needed to learn. The characters' attitude and personality have deeply changed by the end of the film. There is great contrast in their characteristics from the film's beginning until the end.

However, the film is mediocre in the field of thriller and horror. Though the concept may be new, it still relies on heavy cliches and old-fashion tricks and scares that fail to deliver. The film is actually a reminder of the thriller film The Strangers. Though they may differ in concept, the execution and technique is very similar. So zero points for originality right there. Not to mention, it was very anticlimactic. The build-up could have been better but it was good enough for a one hell of a ride climax, but instead it offers us cold and stale performances of the antagonists. I can't blame you if you would expect so much by the third part since you have been led to believe in the beginning that the villains are a force to be reckoned with. There is too much anticipation for nothing. There is a twist at the latter part of the film but that as well is only a slight improvement from its previous problem. 

Overall, the crazy concept of the film is the only interesting thing to see here. Don't expect to be blown away with its so-called thrills and horror. It's such a pity for an interesting concept to go to waste. Could have definitely been executed better. High hopes for the sequel perhaps? But do expect a good performance from Ethan Hawke though. The guy just knows how to do it.

Rating: 2/5

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013)

A sea of convoluted mythological mess.

After the events of the first film, Percy is now living like any other demigod in Camp Half-Blood. However, nothing stays normal for so long in the world Percy lives in. He finds out he has a cyclops for a half-brother named Tyson, whom he has difficulty accepting at first. But that's the least of his troubles as the camp finds itself vulnerable after the magical tree protecting it has been poisoned. Percy, together with Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson, must embark on a quest to find the Golden Fleece that has the power to heal Thalia's poisoned tree. Along the way, they will cross paths with an old foe and face an ancient enemy that only the gods themselves defeated a long time ago.

Those who read the novel will definitely hate this film adaptation. Having read the book as well, I have noticed how the film took a different path in telling the story. To be fair, I understand why the film deviated from the original story since Rick Riordan's novel is not exactly 'film-adaptation-friendly.' The book has too much going on that if the film follows it, it would most probably be five hours long.  So the main concern is, how will the writers be able to make the film interesting and somewhat faithful to the story of the novel at the same time? Whatever answer they came up with this question is definitely the wrong one.

Sea of Monsters suffers from losing a sense of direction halfway through the movie. It does not know its destination. It's lost in a sea of disoriented and unwanted ideas. It has too much going on that it almost did not make any sense. One difference from the novel and the film is that the former manages to make sense despite having lots of ideas and story arcs. The film tries to incorporate the same technique but it only results to the lack the creativity and depth to entertain the audience. There was nothing mythical and magical about the film and no matter how much CGI they use, it wouldn't save it even if its life depended on it. The ending was very anticlimactic as well, not to mention illogical. How is one demigod supposed to beat an ancient titan that took three Olympian gods to defeat before? But of course, the film finds a way. The characters are not exactly the smartest out there. When faced with a decision to make, they choose the dumbest option which would eventually lead to the dumbest result. The movie is not as funny as it thinks it is. Often times I would just sit with a poker face whenever they would deliver a punch line. 

The CGI isn't the most impressive either. There is only one scene in the entire movie where I find the use of CGI very effective. It was during the time where the Oracle of Delphi was telling Percy the history of the Titan War. It was presented creatively by using the stained glass as an inspiration. Other than that particular scene, the rest were either mediocre or a failure. 

In conclusion, the film is one hot mess that will only exhaust and drain your energy until it ends. It may probably entertain a few people below ages 12 but if you're older and you know better, then the film is definitely a disappointment. 

Rating: 1/5

Cinemalaya: Sana Dati (2013)

A romantic film but not really.

Under the Directors Showcase for the 9th year of the Cinemalaya Film Festival, Sana Dati tells the story of a woman named Andrea as she is about to get married but on that fateful day, a man comes and throws everything into disarray, causing Andrea to remember the man she truly loves. 

Reviewing this film is difficult without having to spoil some scenes in the movie, but I will do my best not to. Director Jerrold Tarog said it himself that this is a film about flawed characters who makes flawed decisions. Writing the film seven years ago, he wanted a break from the usual, typical, and shallow romantic films in the industry, hence the creation of this film. As romantic as the movie may look and sound, believe it or not, it is actually an anti-romantic film. But the way he executed the real purpose of the film is subliminal which would require a deeper understanding of the film for you to get it. 

I have given you the biggest spoiler it has, which is its anti-romanticism. However, it is up for you to find out how it became like that. How did something so melodramatic and romantic on the surface had a different meaning after all. This is well-crafted film proves that you don't need the cliche and typical love stories to satisfy you. As a matter of fact, the realism of the film will haunt you. Maybe the concept of the film doesn't always happen in real life but it shows the brutality and the harshness of the world we live in. It shows that not everyone gets a happy ending like the fairy tales we always heard of as we were children. The prince charming in the white horse may never come and that's life. Deal with it, the movie tells you.

The film takes place in the present during the wedding day, but just before the ceremony begins. However, it would always have flashback sequences that develop the entire plot of the film. It's like an unsolved puzzle at first but as the film progresses, the pieces starts falling into places and you start seeing the bigger picture. Everything would eventually make sense. There may be times where the constant flashbacks can be a bit disorienting and would leave you lost. Nevertheless, you will still find your way back and appreciate the film.

The film has good characterization. I love the character of Paulo Avelino the most. His character has so many secrets that it keeps bothering you throughout the movie and when all is revealed, you feel a sense of relief yet sadness as well. Avelino is able to give life to his character well. He was able to make the audience sympathize with his character and make the audience believe and be naive just like the character of Lovi, Andrea. Lovi Poe on the other hand also manages to captivate the audience. Her character Andrea, isn't really the most charismatic girl out there. Andrea is a confused and troubled woman whose past keeps on haunting her which causes her to make bad decisions in life. I did not like Andrea but that's not a bad thing since I'm sure that her character was meant to be like that. Lovi Poe is able to give justice to the character. She was able to portray the characteristics needed for Andrea to come into reality. Tj Trinidad's character is also well-played. He plays the character of 'the other man' in the movie, but unlike in typical films where you despise the other man, you would feel pity for Trinidad's character. He is only a man who gets caught in the middle of a conflict he doesn't know about. The audience can sympathize with him rather than hate him.

Overall, the film is beautifully made and a great and unique addition to the genre of romantic films. Great casts, great story, great cinematography, great director, great movie. Hopefully this would be the start of a revolution in the field of romantic films here in the Philippines.

Rating: 4/5

Cinemalaya: Ekstra (The Bit Player)

The crowd brings the scene into reality.

Ekstra is a film under Directors Showcase for the 9th year of the Cinemalaya Film Festival in the Philippines. This film directed by Jeffrey Jeturian tells the story of Loida (Vilma Santos), an ordinary woman who, most often than usual, gets to be in soap operas and movies. In addition, she also gets to act alongside high-profile celebrities. As fun as it all may sound, unfortunately for Loida, in all her acting career, she is just an ekstra (bit player) who is rewarded with a meagre salary. To make matters worse, Loida has a daughter in college whom she is financially supporting alone. Despite all her worries, she still dreams of making it big someday. But until then, she must continue her work as a bit player in yet another job offering. Will this be her big break or will it be another typical day for her?

Ekstra explores the world of the lonely voice in the world of entertainment. The film is meant to bring justice and honor to the little people who makes a scene complete. Without them, a scene is empty and useless. In a thought from the film, a setting from a movie or soap will be meaningless and awkward if the only ones present in it are the lead actors.

The entire film is a satire about film making like the film Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank) but this time, it is centered on the world of the bit players. However, every once in a while, the audience are pulled away from the satirical approach whenever Loida is interrupted by her daughter with text messages coming from the world outside of showbiz. This sudden interruption allows the audience to see that people in the entertainment industry are also human beings who experience problems just like everyone else. Aside from that, it also serves as the film’s way of snapping its fingers at the audience who might find some parts of the film draggy. The film’s running time of two hours might be fine for some but for me, it didn't need two hours to establish what it needed to say.

The moment the film starts the harsh world of the bit players are already established. In a world where looks matter, even the bit players need to meet a specific look requirement or else they’ll get the boot. Even children are not excluded in the shallow world of showbiz. In once particular scene, children who were not good looking enough were rejected and asked to leave the vehicle that is supposed to take them to the location for the shooting. 

Vilma Santos' acting does not fail to deliver, as expected from a veteran actress. However, there is some concern about how much justice she gave to the role. Vilma Santos is one of the biggest names in the history of Philippine Cinema and that name will definitely go down in history. So in relation to this, the role of being a bit player given to her can draw skepticism. For one reason, she is a well-known star who has established an image and persona for more than a decade that can't be easily brushed off in a single film. In a film with an ensemble cast like this, how is Vilma Santos supposed to downgrade her semblance and be the bit player we want to see? The concept in paper works well, no doubt about that. The harsh world that the bit player lives in is established and well-understood but what raises a question is the portrayal of the role. In one particular scene where Loida asks to have her picture taken with Pilar Pilapil, what I saw were two veteran actresses, who each made a name for themselves, taking a photo. There are lots of big names in this movie, from Cherie Gil and Eula Valdez to Marian Rivera and Piolo Pascual. How is THE Vilma Santos supposed to keep a low profile alongside them? What would have served as a better challenge and social experiment in the film would be "what if they had a nobody play the role of the bit player?" Would the audience have watched it for the story and purpose itself or would they have watched it for the cameos of the famous celebrities in it? Whatever the answer may be, the film would have definitely did its job.

Rating: 3/5