The Lone Ranger (2013)

The story of a masked man and his Indian companion as they look to find themselves in the early days of the Wild West.

The retelling of the classic tale of the Lone Ranger and his trusted side kick Tonto, all told to a little boy through the ancient memories of the great warrior. When John Reid returns to his small home town of Colby to practice law, little does he know he will be drawn into a web of suspense and intrigue that will make him question everything for which he stands.

Together with his "Magical" steed "Silver" and his trusty companion "Tonto", he will risk life and limb to avenge the murder of his brother and bring down the bloodthirsty gang leader "Butch Cavendish".

Legendary Director Gore Verbinsky, the genius behind the "Pirates of the Caribbean" and most recently "Rango", now turns his attention to a rather more well known story, bringing to the big screen "The Lone Ranger" and his companion "Tonto". He does a fairly decent job on this film; one which could have gone either way with his audience over the age of 35 who remember the classic series.

Johnny Depp does a great job in the role of both the Aged and Youthful, "Tonto", bringing a comedic element to the film which keeps it rolling nicely, with a laugh here and there as the action continues unabated. Once more Depp moves slightly further away from his iconic "Captain Jack Sparrow", but never strays too far from the core character which has elevated his star to the very top of his profession. His portrayal of "Tonto" is enjoyable and he makes the character a lot more fun that one might have expected.

Armie Hammer returns to the big screen for the first time since donning his tights as "Prince Alcott" in "Mirror Mirror", this time taking a far more serious role as "John Reid" and "The Lone Ranger". He gives a decent performance, showing a good amount of versatility which may leave the audience wondering what is next for this talented actor. His vengeful, yet contained portrayal of the much loved law man is worth the admission fee alone, but you do wonder if he could have brought a bit more manliness which the role demanded?

William Fitchner seems to be at the very peak of his career, rolling out one film after the next. Hot on the heels of his showing as "John Carlyle" in Elysium with Jodie Foster and Matt Damon, he plays a far more darker character in the form of the ruthless killer "Butch Cavendish". Fitchner brings style and panache to a difficult character, combining the "Devil May Care" attitude along with the cold and calculating ruthlessness of a career criminal. He truly is the highlight of the film for me and his sinister portrayal mixes well with the comedy from Depp and Hammer.

British veteran Tom Wilkinson is excellent as "Latham Cole", the ruthless railway company boss, who will stop at nothing to achieve the goals which he has set for his transport conglomerate. Helena Bonham Carter once again gives a great performance as the Madam "Red Harrington", her ivory leg and dark cynicism, always good for a few laughs. Ruth Wilson does well as the love interest "Rebecca Reid" and this should prove a useful step in moving her from a TV career and onto the big time.

The film, as a standalone piece,  is a good bit of cinema, but for those of us who grew up with the original series, it seems to pale slightly.  The action is good, but is fine for all of the family, while the story carries on at a decent pace, but will never really have you on the edge of your seat. The combination of Depp and Hammer is a good one and would be interesting to see again. Worth a watch.

6/10

Kick Ass 2 (2013)

Three years after Kick Ass first jumped onto our screens, he is back and this time looking to join a team....

Crime fighting super hero Kick Ass has now reached high school and decides to take his heroic escapades to the next level, by joining a team.

With the help of a group of like minded crime busters, he goes to work cleaning up the city, but will have to deal with the evil intentions of his Arch nemesis, "Red Mist", who is hell bent on revenge after the slaying of his crime-lord father.

Both sides will form armies and fight to the death as the deranged "Red Mist" does everything in his extensive array of powers to avenge his fathers' demise. A world of change awaits Kick Ass, as he comes to terms with the reality of the dangers involved with the costume he has chosen to wear.

The second in the highly successful series, returns the popular Kick Ass and Hit Girl to our screens, once more trying to rid the worlds of the criminal element. A good attempt to revive the glory of the first smash hit, but one which falls sorely short in entertainment value. The characters have to come to terms with teenage angst and a few more reality checks, which leaves a distinct lack of comedy in this second incantation.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson reprises the role which rocketed him to fame in 2010 giving a decent showing as both "Dave Lizewski" and the inimitable crime fighter "Kick Ass", but there is something missing from the loveable teen of the first film, a darker, more serious side seems to have taken hold of the character and for me, not one for the better.  In his first outing since "Anna Karenina" he gives a good performance, but the character and the way it is written lets him down. Keep an eye on this talented actor and look for him to take on more serious roles in the coming years.

Chloe Grace Moretz first burst into our collective consciousness as "Hit Girl" a foul-mouthed pre-teen, expertly trained by her rather deranged "Big Daddy" to be the ultimate killing machine. We have seen her sparkle in the likes of "Hugo" and "Dark Shadows" since then, showing the acting talent which has already made her a super star, but her high school version of "Hit Girl" is not one that will be long remembered. The role was perfectly suited to an 11 year old girl in 2010, but now as a moody and troubled teen does not hold the same fascination as before. A truly talented actress, but not her best outing as both "Hit Girl" and "Mindie Macreedy"

Christopher Mintz-Plasse is the one shining light in this one; moving from his character of "Red Mist" to the vengeful and power mad, "MotherF*cker". He is hell bent on avenging his father, who was killed by "Kick Ass" with a bazooka. His portrayal of the truly deranged character brings some much needed comic relief to the film, as he appoints himself the worlds' first super villain. His building of a gang of super criminals is entertaining and also a little sick, but makes for a few, much needed high points in the film.

Young Claudia Lee, who makes her big screen debut in this one as the arch high school nemesis of "Hit Girl", does a sterling job as "Brooke" and I think we can expect big things from this talented 17 year old.

Clark Duke, known to the world for his roles in "The Office" and "Robot Chicken", gives a very decent performance as "Marty" as well as the deceptive crime fighter "Battle Guy". His natural comedic talent shines through in this role and adds a lot of much needed substance to this film. Legendary funny man Jim Carrey, returns to the big screen for the first time since "Mr Poppers' Penguins" , with a great, if far too short, showing as "Colonel Stars and Stripes". His borderline lunacy and dedication to the cause are commendable and he is a shining light in a movie which would otherwise have been short of appealing features.

The film fails to deliver in the wake of high expectations, falling a bit flat and is not the finest piece of cinema you will see this year. The established characters are tired and possibly a bit too old in this one. The lack of comedy is noticeable and in places the film is down right depressing. I was expecting something a lot more light hearted and was disappointed.

Not an alltogether bad film, but I was expecting a lot more...

5/10

The Double

In the game of international espionage, its often hard to tell who is chasing who....

For his entire career as a CIA agent, "Paul Shepherdson" chased down and killed a group of Russian spies known as the Cassius Seven, intent on destroying the American way of life. He got them all except one, a phantom known as "Cassius", a man who seemingly vanished into thin air. When the super-spy kills an American senator, Shepherdson is brought back into the fold and asked to track him down.

"Ben Geary" is a young FBI rookie, who made his name by studying and writing a thesis on all that was "Cassius". He is invited to lead the investigation alongside his hero "Shepherdson", but as they get closer and closer to tracking down the maniac killer, the more he begins to suspect that not only he, but also his young family may be in mortal danger.

A double agent with a deadly secret will be unveiled, but on which side of the line they will land, nobody can really tell...

Topher Grace, better known to the world as "Eric Foreman" of "The 70's Show", makes his first major film since "Predators", with a very decent showing as serial killer obsessed FBI Agent "Ben Geary". Together with Hollywood veteran Richard Gere they bring to the screen a very decent spy film; certainly the best Cold War inspired thriller since "Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy".

Grace gives a very decent performance, which is creditable, but you still see glimpses of the naughty teenager which brought him onto the world stage. He looks ill at ease in the action scenes, and this film has many, but good gives a good all-round showing, in what is his first lead role on the big screen. He interacts well with Gere and keeps the suspense going throughout the film.

Richard Gere was almost born to play this sort of spy role and does superbly as the vengeful "Paul Shepherdson". He almost seems to live this role and reminds me a lot of his epic performance in "The Jackal". His character is deeply troubled, obsessive and in seek of revenge, but also in some way looking for a normality which he can never have. His darkness is perfect for this film and he does well in the action scenes too.

Hollywood legend Martin Sheen does a fantastic job as CIA Director, "Tom Highland". It is a shame we see this talented actor so infrequently. He really does a great job in this film, while Odette Annabele does an okay job as the young "Natalie Geary". Her move from TV may have been a bit premature, but it would be good to see her in a more serious role in her next outing.

The movie is well paced and will keep you guessing until the very end. The audience gets the feeling that the cat has been let out of the bag very early on in the script, but you'd be wrong! Watch out for a lovely twist. Well worth the effort and a good watch. I look forward to seeing more of Topher Grace on the big screen.

5.5/10

How I Spent my Summer Vacation

A thief who crashes to safety over the Mexican border ends up in a local prison which is unlike any he has ever seen...

A career criminal who steals 4 million Dollars from a crime boss crashes to freedom over the Mexican border, only to be picked up by the local police; have all of his ill gotten gains taken; and thrown into the most unorthodox prison he has ever seen.

There he meets a chain smoking, fatherless ten year old whose only purpose in life is provide a new liver for the evil prison owner. The two strike up the most unlikely of friendships, keeping an eye out for each other as the crook, "Driver" pitting various groups of criminals against each other in an attempt to get back the money he stole.

His paternal feelings for the the boy, and the undeniable attraction to the boys mother, are more than enough of a distraction to him, never mind the various groups of unscrupulous drug dealers, crooked cops and the owner of the prison, trying their utmost to end his life.

Also released under the title of "Get the Gringo" this is Mel Gibson's first outing since the horrendously bad "The Beaver" of 2011 as he tries to put his worst days behind him and return to what he does best. In this he succeeds, delivering a very decent performance, showing that whatever his problems away from the big screen, he is still a fairly decent actor and able to hold up a feature film with some aplomb. As well as being the narrator and writer for the film, he delivers a fine showing, reminiscent of some of his best work in films like "Payback". Hopefully this is the first step on his long road from career suicide and he can scale the heights which took him to "Lethal Weapon" and "Braveheart".

Little known Kevin Hernandez takes the role of "The Kid" in only his second major outing, following on from 2011's "The Sitter" and delivers a lovely, moving performance, well as much as a foul mouthed, chain-smoking 10 year old prison dweller can. He is convincing, and his character is likeable and will have the audience rooting for him throughout. Keep an eye out for this talented youngster as I think he will grow into bigger and better things.

Mexican born Dolores Heredia gives a sterling performance as the down-trodden yet defiant "Kids Mom" who is the closest thing you can get to a love interest for the main character. In her most major project to date she is pleasant to watch, combining well the hardness of her character while also showing great concern for her only son, who has a death sentence hanging over his head. I look forward to seeing more of this 20 year career actor, as she moves into English speaking films.

American actor Peter Gerety is good as the slimy foreign "Embassy Guy", trying his best to get his hands on the money, deservedly stolen by the lead character, while Daniel Giminez Cacho gives a fantastic showing as head honcho "Javi". The film is well paced with scenes of extreme violence, but also a good few touching moments. Its enjoyable and a good watch, and hopefully the sign of more to come from Mel Gibson.

7/10

Point Break (1991)

A former college football superstar turned FBI secret agent is sent to hunt down a group of bank robbers.

A washed up veteran and an up and coming FBI rookie, looking to make a name for himself are thrown together by their domineering captain in order to catch a group of bank robbers known as the "Ex Presidents" because of the masks they wear during their heists.

In order to infiltrate the gang, "Agent Johnny Utah" is forced to learn how to surf and has to live the life of the men he is tracking. His partner "Pappas" has to change his views on a few things as together the agents on the complete opposite of the spectrum learn to work together. "Utah" has to come to terms with his feelings for "Tyler" and decide where exactly his allegiances lie as he tries to bring down the men intent on ending his career, permanently.

Keanu Reeves heads up the fairly well known cast in what has become a cult classic amongst surfers and film fans, playing the role of former college football legend "Johnny Utah" who joined the FBI after blowing out his knee in a championship game. He gives a respectable performance, but it clear that he certainly improved as he got older. His facial expressions (concerned look which he seems to perpetually wear) is a touch boring in places, but he fits in well with the whole surfing lifestyle you find it easy to root for his gun-ho attitude to things.

Hollywood veteran Gary Busey does well as the abrasive, yet somewhat pathetic, "Agent Pappas", written off by his superiors for his whacky ideas, but a lot smarter than people give him credit for. His character is convincing and likeable. Legendary Patrick Swayze is perfect in the role of philosophical surfer "Bodhi", always in search of the perfect wave, but taken to robbing banks in his spare time. His performance is almost personal, as if he truly believes what he is sprouting, but, probably one of his finest roles. He is a bad guy you cannot really dislike, instead, respect for his rugged determination.

Little known Lori Petty, gives a passable showing as "Tyler" in what was probably her second biggest role behind 1995's "Tank Girl". Although a lead role, you sort of get the feeling that she is a bit part player, her acting talents never really coming to the fore. John C McGinley who went on to super stardom as "Doctor Cox in Scrubs" gives yet another superb performance as "Captain Ben Harp", a hard assed ball breaker as only this man can do. He is one of the highlights of the film.

Keep an eye out for a cameo from Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chilly Peppers who does a fairly decent job in the role of "Tone". The film is very watchable indeed, with some truly spectacular cinematography of the surf and the men who try to master it. The action is intense and the story is well paced, certainly worth the two hours you spend watching it.

6.5/10

21 Jump Street

Two down on their luck policemen go undercover as high school students....

In the feature film version of the 1987 Hit TV Series, two keen policemen who never seem to able to do anything right are sent down to "Jump Street" an undercover unit whose despotic captain decides that they two young looking men will go undercover at a local high school in order to crack a drugs ring.

The best friends have to stay out of trouble, try not to throw any parties and track down not only local dealers, but also the suppliers of the drug which is already responsible for the death of one student. Their biggest challenge comes in adjusting to the fact that their roles are reversed. Those who were cool in high-school in 2005 are no longer cool now, and those who were completely unpopular, are now hanging with the cool kids. If they can keep from killing each other they may well be able to take down a gang which seems determined to flood the market with dangerous chemicals.

It is never easy to take an iconic television series (which launched the superstar career of one Johnny Depp), but the directing team of Phil Lord and Chris Miller have done very well to bring 21 Jump Street to the big screen. Helping them very nicely are a hugely talented cast, that brings just the right amount of laughs to this project and some truly memorable one liners.

Jonah Hill as "Schmidt" and Channing Tatum as "Jenko", both of these talented actors perfect in these roles and showing that they have the ability to certainly take these leading showings in major titles. Tatum continues to impress with yet another good role, growing it seems with each and every film he makes. The duo have good friendly chemistry and the audience has difficulty in deciding who to support. Rapping actor Ice Cube is a delightful surprise in this one in his brilliant portrayal of "Captain Dickson". His in your face attitude and classic one liners makes you wonder why we do not see him more often on the big screen, a true highlight in this film.

Dave Franco follows up his showing in the 2011 "Fright Night" as the drug dealing "Eric Molson", a character you will love to loathe, while Brie Larson gives a decent showing as the somewhat dim "Molley Tracy". New York born Rob Riggle has a good outing as the incredibly dodgy "Mr Walters", while Deray Davis is good in the role of menacing gang leader "Domingo".

A well paced film, with plenty of action and good laughs, and may well remind a lot of the audience what it was like when we were back in school. Also keep an eye out for wonderful cameos from Johnny Depp and Peter Deluise (The original cast), a truly special moment in the film.

I am not sure if these holds a candle to the original TV series, but this film stands up by itself and is well worth a watch. Plenty of comedic value to keep most of the family happy, but also tackles the odd serious modern issue. Enjoyable, but won't win any awards

6.5/10

The Guard

A small town Irish policeman gets mixed up in an FBI Investigation and has to work side by side with one of its best agents...

A confrontational Irish policeman, who runs his small police force like he would his own kingdom, is forced to work with one of the best agents from the FBI. After a drug related murder in a small seaside town, the FBI drug agency sends one of their finest men to try and crack a smuggling ring which is trying to sneak a $500 million cache under the noses of the Irish police.

The Agent, "Wendell Everitt" has to come to terms with the locals not co-operating, or even speaking his language; the police, either not able or willing to help him and also a bunch of homicidal  maniacs trying to send him back to the US in a coffin.

The international criminals have no problem killing anybody who gets in their way. It's left up to "Sergeant Gerry Boyle" to put aside the fact that his elderly mother is on her deathbed, and half of the IRA wants to kill him; to make sure that the biggest drug deal in Irish history, doesn't happen.

A laugh out loud comedy that makes you try to stifle the giggles at things you really should not find funny, but also a serious story, with some very mature themes, but a true pleasure to watch. There are none of the bells and whistles or special effects that most films these days seem to rely on; just good old fashioned script writing and some very decent acting.

Irish actor Brenden Gleeson plays the lead role of "Sergeant Gerry Boyle", this superb actor giving one of his finest showings in a long time, as a pig headed, slightly racist and extremely opinionated small town policeman. Gleeson calls it as he sees it and has his own special way of policing, some might find it illegal, but it seems to work for him. He is sincere and genuine, but at the same time has some truly classic, comical lines that string scenes together, superbly.

Kansas City born Don Cheadle gives a fantastic performance as "FBI Agent Wendell Everett", a highly born and highly intelligent man who sees this case as a big stepping stone in his career. He works perfectly in conjunction with Gleeson and does a phenomenal job of keeping the film racing along.

Liam Cunningham does an awesome job in the role of "Francis Sheehy-Skelfington", a dastardly criminal, who is willing to go to ruthless ends to ensure that his enormous deal goes properly. Mark Strong gives yet another excellent performance as the ringleader "Clive Cornell", trying to make sense of all the things going wrong. Slovenian born Katarina Cas gives a decent performance as "Gabriela McBride" in her first big screen role. Keep an eye out for this talented beauty in the future.


The film is incredibly funny, yet moving and emotive at the same time, with an action packed and mystical ending. It may offend, in fact there is a good chance that it will, but the film works well, with good pace and enough blazing battles to keep most fans happy. I really enjoyed this film and it is well worth the time you spend watching it.

7/10

Safe House

The most dangerous man on the CIA's wanted list hands himself into a safe house in Cape Town. Now all the house keeper has to do is keep him alive...

When "Tobin Frost" the man at the very top of the CIA's most wanted list walks into a Safe House in Cape Town to hand himself in, he puts not only his own life, but also the lives of everybody around him in jeopardy as they struggle to keep him alive.

Matt Weston is bored on his detail, knowing he is more qualified than to "House sit" in a beautiful location, but a place where nothing really ever happens. He has a hotline, to one of the big wigs at Langley, but keeps getting told to bide his time, soon something will come up and he will be first on the list. He is told to babysit "Frost", but for some reason, for a house that is not meant to exist in the outside world, his, suddenly is getting a whole lot of attention and his quiet existence is shattered by various would be assassins.

As he struggles to figure out a way to contact his handlers and also stop from dying, he takes his prisoner on the run and the body count mounts as those chasing both him and "Frost" make a last ditch attempt to stalk their prey on the beautiful streets of the South African city.

If "Agent Matt Weston" can figure out who has authorized the hit on his prisoner before its too late, then maybe he can stay alive, but with a secret force and half the CIA on his tail, it does not look good. He will discover that sometimes you don't want to know the answers to certain questions....

The film is an action packed roller-coaster ride from start to finish. Back-stabbing, double crossing and keeps the audience guessing to the very end, who on earth may be behind the ginormous body count. The action takes place on the back drop of the streets of possibly the most beautiful city in Africa, capturing the carnage, while every day life goes on unabated. The story is intricate, but rather decent to watch and will have action fans drooling in their chairs throughout.

Ryan Reynolds returns to the big screen in his first serious role since "Green Lantern" and impresses with a far, far better performance than his last outing. He seems to enjoy the depth that goes along with playing CIA Agent. "Matt Weston", allowing himself to fully embrace the heart-stopping chases and death defying shootouts that he must endure to keep a man, who he doesn't know, alive. His acting is respectable and worth the ticket price, and it would be good to see him in a few more testing roles, he has more to show.

Hollywood legend Denzel Washington is his usual genius with his delivery of the character of the fugitive, "Tobin Frost". An ex CIA Operative, he vanished off the grid and has back-stabbed his country for the past decade, but now needs to know which of his many enemies, wants him dead. This is his first outing since the action squash-buckler, "Unstoppable" in 2010 and it is so good to have a man of his talents back in the driving seat. His grasp of "Frost" is inspired, showing coolness even under the most deadly of pressure, but you imagine that he is always secretly aware of who is trying to do him in. His performance, although not as in depth as the likes of "Courage under Fire" or "Philadelphia" is still inspired and well worth your time.

Irish born Brendan Gleeson has been on an awesome run of late, with such hits as "The Guard" and "Albert Nobbs" to his credit in recent months, comes up trumps once more as CIA Director "David Barlow". The audience will never really know whether to trust the mentor to the lead character; he seems to always have a hidden agenda and may not always be putting the interests of his service in first place. Vera Farminga, does well as fellow CIA agent Cathernine Linklater", one who seems on the level and actually wants to see the situation resolved amicably. Nora Arnezeder does a convincing job as "Ana Moreau", the under fire girl friend to "Matt Weston".

All in all this is a decent film. The pace is good, the plot intricate, but not impossible to follow, while the action is intense and the drama emotive. This is a film that will entertain quite a wide audience demographic and with the South African setting proves that Cape Town is a really viable location for feature films. Keep an eye out for a truly superbly shot scene at a local football game. Well worth your time, but probably not one for the kids

6.5/10 

Safe

When the underworld and police force of an entire city rush to track down a little girl who can remember insanely large, numbers, only one man can save her...

When a young Chinese girl, renowned for her ability to be able to remember incredibly large numbers is taken by a gang from her mother and brought to America, they intend to use her for their own nefarious purposes. Once she escapes their clutches and is the only one who knows a combination for a fortune, she becomes the most sought after commodity in New York. With gangs of various ethnic origins and also the entire police force and corrupt politicians after her, there is only one man who can protect her. A washed up ex cop who has taken to drinking and living rough!

Jason Statham is not particularly known for his ability to make deep and emotive films, but in Safe, he does deliver a rather pleasant surprise. Do not fret, there is still a body count that would make Jeffery Dalmer blush, but with it comes a softer side to the man who has brought us such horrors as "The Transporter,1,2 and 3 and also Expendables", but maybe, just maybe, this time he has turned the corner

For all the hard core Statham fans out there, don't worry, he still kicks ass and takes names, but there appears to be a softer side to the man, if only in small doses. Who knows, we may see some more serious roles from this action hero, probably interspersed liberally with what he does best, but it is promising.

Catherine Chan, in her first big screen outing, plays a superb role as the talented "Mei", looking suitably terrified as the action continues relentlessly around her, but delivering her lines in a believable and mature way, which belies her youth. She compliments Statham brilliantly, and I would not be surprised to see these two paired again.

Reggie Lee follows up his role in "Crazy, Stupid Love", with a very decent showing as "Quan Chang", trying to be a fatherly figure to "Mei", while maintaining his menacing character in the New York underworld. Screen legend James Hong, gives a superb performance as "Han Jiao", the cunning and malicious leader of the Chinese Gangs. You almost got the feeling as though this role we written for him.

Robert John Burke delivers a sterling performance as the corrupt "Captain Wolf", while Chris Sarondon, quite easily steals the show as the extremely nasty, New York City Mayor.

Expect tons of action, as you would with any Statham film, but this one feels as though it has more than his usual fare. Certainly worth the watch and should be enjoyed by those who are not usually fans of his films.A very decent film.

7/10