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DVD review: Darkest Hour

by Cinema Perspective
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The events of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Britain’s troops from Dunkirk, were told on-screen across land, air and sea last year. Now the story is revisited once again in Churchill biopic drama Darkest Hour, directed by Joe Wright. As Nazi Germany continued to invade Western Europe, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain loses control of his cabinet and is forced to resign from his position. Despite severe doubts from his party, Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) is reluctantly appointed as his predecessor. With the support of his wife Clementine (Kristin Scott Thomas) and secretary Elizabeth Layton (Lily James), he endeavours to guide the nation through World War II.

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DVD review: Child 44

by Cinema Perspective
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Joseph Stalin-era Soviet Union was cold, callous and colourless at least according to Swedish filmmaker Daniel Espinosa who directs mystery thriller ‘Child 44’, based on Tom Rob Smith’s best-selling novel of the same name. Tom Hardy leads an impressive top-billed cast as disgraced military cop Leo Demidov, who independently heads up an enquiry into a series of vicious child murders that are ignored by a corrupt government. With his wife Raisa (Noomi Rapace) accused of espionage and colleague Vasili (Joel Kinnaman) proving a problem at every turn, he turns to an experienced General Nesterov (Gary Oldman) for assistance in his manhunt, resulting in an intense investigative film enhanced by strong acting and crisp cinematography.
  After a slow start that admittedly lectures more than it entertains in history-lesson fashion, the character-driven plot begins to take shape. Not following the standard three-act structure, the narrative sets itself up establishing a multitude of characters and then detours off on tangents, switching focus at points but maintaining a stronghold grip on the central performance that holds it together. Espinosa shows his capabilities as a director in sharply choreographed action sequences which benefit from tight, precise editing. Fight scenes both on a train and later in a puddle of mud are gruelling, and prove to be stand out moments amongst the slow but measured dialogue-laden sections that surround them.
  The thick Russian accents on show are what jump out from the performances at first glance as many of the main players are British, posing the frequently-asked-question over why locals aren’t used for historical pieces such as this. The answer is provided in Tom Hardy’s turn as he welcomes another challenging, complex leading role. His fierce character is flawed but fascinating, defying the odds against him to do what he believes is right. Once you see past the aforementioned accents which are often dodgier than a backstreet vendor pirozhki, there are others to admire within the supporting cast, helped by the rich characters adapted from the book. Kinnaman is really good as one of the many spiteful villains of the piece, and Rapace is nuanced but emotive in parts. In a packed out troupe, Gary Oldman, Vincent Cassel and Jason Clarke fall into the sorely underused category.
  ‘There is no murder in paradise’ is a line that is repeated a few times during conversations throughout Richard Price’s screenplay, referring to the apparent motto of the brainwashed regime at that time, avoiding to recognise foul play under their supreme leader. This biased depiction has sadly but unsurprisingly resulted in a less than friendly reception from Russia following the film’s release. In spite of the inaccuracies and uncertain sub-plotting, it is very well made and possesses the appeal of old fashioned inscrutability. ‘Child 44’ is anchored by another visceral and versatile performance from one of our biggest acting talents, who portrays a family man at heart with psychotic tendencies, but a moral compass just robust enough to make us support him.

4stars

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DVD review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

by Cinema Perspective
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Three years ago, the long-running apes franchise underwent a series of tests, receiving a prequel injection to bring it into the modern day. The sequel to the prequel, set a decade later, is ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’. A simian flu virus born from scientific experimentation has spread across the globe, causing widespread destruction and the collapse of human civilisation. With earth’s resources running out, time is limited and man’s desperation threatens to lead to war with an army of apes who have formed an organised ‘ape not kill ape’ democracy since they were liberated by their leader Caesar, the key survivor from the original. Directed by Matt Reeves, this blockbuster is packed with action and stunning special effects but also has bags of intelligence, making it not only a hugely entertaining but thought-provoking follow up.
  The conflict simmers quietly for a while as we are welcomed into Caesar’s carefully constructed environment in the opening section of the film. We are introduced to his friends and his growing family, and simply marvel at the highly impressive CGI work on display as the apes learn the lingo and ride around on horses. It’s a while before we are confronted with a human face, which is unimportant due to the fact that the apes arguably have more character, each of the new characters stamping their own identities in the story and proving to be much more interesting than the humans.
  The expected man vs. ape dynamic is implemented, triggered by fear of what harm the other race could do to their chances of survival, but this dynamic cleverly twists to become less straightforward when morals come into play. Very soon it’s man vs. ape, man vs. man, ape vs. ape and it’s difficult not to have ounce of sympathy for each and every one of them at one point or another, no matter how skewed their views become.
  Andy Serkis is known for bringing big screen computer-generated creatures to life, highly thought of for his work as Gollum in Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth epics, and with Caesar, he puts in another astounding performance. Nods to his past are touching without being overcooked, and Serkis deserves heaps of credit for the portrayal. Likewise is Toby Kebbell, the man behind Caesar’s tortured adversary Koba; an ape with nothing but hatred for humans who lashes out when Caesar offers them a helping hand. The apes really do outshine the male counterparts, and while Jason Clarke and Gary Oldman aren’t bad in their roles, they ultimately fill the places necessary to carry the plot forward.
  With good and bad on both sides, ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ refuses to offer up the easy choice between man and ape. Instead, we are asked to identify with both through the exploration of families, friendships, loyalties and perhaps most importantly fear. It’s a complex battle which is set to kick off in the next instalment. In terms of entertainment value alone, the apes reign supreme in this visually impressive picture. At the end of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, we had tracked a lovable chimp’s development to intelligent ape. Now he is a fully fledged hero. All hail Caesar.
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