Antibodies

Antibodies is a horror film in the vein of Silence of the Lambs. It comes fully equipped with a villain that makes your skin crawl, a noble police officer investigating a crime, and a cast of other characters that may or may not be disposable. What sets this film apart from other serial killer horrors/dramas is the mastery with which the serial killer, Gabriel Engel, plays his surroundings. Much like Hannibal Lecter, Engel is in control of the people around him.

The version I watched was filmed in German with English subtitles. I am never a huge fan of subtitles because I spend more time reading than watching the nuances of the performances. This film, however, makes it worthwhile. The performances are excellent and the journey down the path of evil is only enhanced by the effort of reading to keep up. It made me feel continuously one step behind Engel. It also made me feel sympathy for the officer, Michael Martens, who comes to interview the killer.

The twists and turns, manipulation, and moral depravity of Engel made think, which is good. For fans of this type of film, it is difficult to decide whether you root for the villain or you root for the good cop. This film masterfully takes the audience back and forth between sheer distaste for the serial killer and shock at the falling of the noble Martens. To describe the plot further would be a disservice to those brave enough to view it... so I will not spoil the experience for you.

The ending, which could have been so many things, was perfect. It was the right balance of restoration of faith and confronting the true monsters under the bed. In this world, sometimes we find the monster within ourselves. Writer Napoleon Wilson makes his point well without preaching at the audience. He captures the conflict between faith and justice, good and evil... all while illuminating the fact that both of these reside in all of us.

 

Fanboy Verdict: ****1/2 stars for a twisted plot, crushing my soul and restoring my faith in humanity. Plus, awesome ending. Fanboy approved for total crime/horror creepfest.

Summary and additional reviews available at IMDb.

Cabin in the Woods... Didn't those kids know better?

The characters in Cabin in the Woods are straight out of the American horror movie formula. Smart guy with an attitude, promiscuous girl, strong guy, girl who is smart and quiet and the guy she is supposed to fall in love with. Just in case we missed it, the overseers discuss in detail how they are making sure we have a cast of stereotypical horror movie victims. Pheromones, chemicals and other substances from the chemistry department ensure we get to see the horror movie to which we are accustomed. In fact, the order seems sadly predictable. By the midpoint of the movie I was left wondering, "Is this supposed to be commentary on bad horror movies?"

 We find the cabin, which looks eerily like the location used in Mama. I think I even recognized some of the furniture. Remember the little girls standing on top of the refrigerator... Check - its there. The main characters look as weary and disappointed as I do by this point in the movie. They are also oblivious to all of the same old horror movie setups. Why do they always have a keg?

Choose... which is reminiscent of the books they published for middle school children. Go to page 47 if you pick the book; go to page 102 if you pick the shovel. Had I known better, I would have chosen to stop on the first page. I think these kids should have as well. A horrible death awaits them... but the viewer might not be so lucky.

Some of the scenes are visually striking, like the eagle in flight around the mountain. However, they, as well as the movie in general, are ruined by the interruption of the overseers in the background. The eagle hits a force field and is vaporized. A man on the roof chronicles the kids' progress on their trip. All of this made me feel as if there would be no surprise in what happens. Which, in fact, was not correct. I was surprised by the cast of villains (all kickbacks to classic horror movies), and I was surprised by the ending. And I don't think I mean that in a good way. While the movie sorta makes you think, it only does so because it turned your brain to zombie mush by that point.

Then again, maybe I drank the punch. Early reviews called this movie, "the scariest movie of the year!" While it conjured a bit of camp a la 13 Ghosts, this film failed to live up to the hype. It just made me sad to be human. Don't watch it for a scare. If you don't know it is a comedy them you might be disappointed.

Fanboy verdict: **   2 stars for creativity, but I kinda want my Saturday back. Fanboy approved only if it is the only thing playing on SyFi at 2 a.m. Or if you are drinking with friends.

Summary and other opinions available at IMDb.

Conan the Barbarian

Initial and subsequent reviews have consistently panned the 2011 release of Conan the Barbarian. As such, I avoided the movie at all costs. In fact, every movie whose title character resembled the Conan portrayed by Jason Momoa was an instant turn-off (sorry John Carter). Finally, curiosity overcame my resolve and I watched the film for myself.

First thing to note: although it is clear that this film had a good budget, do not expect too much of it. No Oscars here. After you discard all notions of an epic film experience (hopefully before you begin watching the film) you will be prepared to enjoy the movie for what it is.

Momoa plays the title character. Before we meet him we get the story of the child who is "battle-born" and brought into the world in the midst of tribal warring. The young Conan is played with harrowing ferocity by Leo Howard. It is through the will and determination of the barbarian child in this story that I found sympathy for the film. A good backstory set the pace and the motivation for the rest of the film, as I think it does for Conan the Barbarian.

The adult Conan is far less charming than I would have hoped. He is clearly modeled after the 1982 Conan the Barbarian character. The physique and appearance are the same but the charisma of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his classic role. Once the charisma is overlooked Momoa is able to redeem the story with his sheer dedication to the role. This is a classic barbarian tale and Momoa ultimately plays the part well.

The story is typical for this type of film: the barbarian seeks revenge against an evil warlord who is empowered by a witch. In this case, the warlord is played by Stephen Lang, who is able to portray the evil character with a motivation and complexity that many villains are lacking. Lang's Khalar Zym is heartbroken by the death of his wife and consumed with the desire for power - a power he hopes will allow him to resurrect her.

Other noteworthy performances are Ron Pearlman as Conan's father and Rose McGowan as the witch daughter of Zym.

Fanboy verdict: **1/2 stars... If you remember fondly movies like The Beastmaster and the original Conan then you will like this. Fanboy approved for occasional viewing.

Magic Mike... is a little less than magic.

Women everywhere are buzzing about Magic Mike, so I bit the bullet and and piled into the theater to check it out. First thing to note was that there was only one man in the theater... probably dragged in by his older wife. The rest of the audience was women of all shapes, sizes, races and nationalities. Naked male flesh is a great uniting agent.     

And what a spectacle of flesh it was. The cast features actors currently making hearts throb everywhere. Channing  Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew Bomer and Matthew McConaughey all shake and strut their stuff. The plot is cliche and the ending is overly heavy on morals but that isn't why women go to see it anyway. 

The movie began with lots of flashing, dancing and fine specimens of manliness. Channing Tatum, who starred in the 2006 dance film," Step Up," proves he can still move despite his action hero physique. He clearly has skill above and beyond the typical bump and grind. The other actors performed well but Tatum  had the best moves.

McConaughey's role may be largely and unjustly overlooked. As the announcer and owner of the male review, he serves as greased up eye candy of the majority of the film. He also serves as the big business villain that makes Tatum's Mike appear pure and idealistic. Interestingly, I quickly noted that McConaughey is lighted differently throughout the film compared to the other actors. When Tatum and McConaughey face off over their differences McConaughey is lighted from above, with strong shadows on his face that make him appear older. He appears much older than  in most of his other recent films. However, he proves that he can still move throughout the film.

The film is highly ... *clears throat* ... entertaining. At least it is until just over halfway through. Then the typical array of problems occurs and the moral lesson is offered up. Where the movie falls short is that the audience is not looking for a lesson. They are looking for a thrill and a nice smile from a mostly nude man. The moral was too heavy for the lighthearted start of the film.  It resulted in a rather disappointing experience.

 Fanboy verdict: ** stars... Fangirls only. Skip the theater and get the film on DVD. Watch it with a group of friends over cocktails. Skip the second half... maybe that will make it better. So not fanboy approved. 

Puncture

Puncture, released in 2011, is a movie about lawyers. It is a movie about problems. It is a movie about good versus evil... but more than that, it is based on a true story about humans and their struggle to affect the world around them.

The story begins with a young nurse who is stuck by a needle when caring for a patient. She consequently contracts HIV. Out of this tragedy comes the development of a safety needle that will eliminate needle sticks. The situation spirals out of control as a law firm representing the man who developed the safety needle takes on the hospitals, lobbyists, and the health supply group who want to suppress the new product and the changes it will bring.
   
Chris Evans, currently known as Captain America in The Avengers, plays Mike Weiss, a troubled but brilliant attorney who risks everything for this case. Evans portrays Weiss with cocky charm and fiery intensity. He pursues his character to the finale, breaking the audience as we watch him apparently self-destructs in the process.
   
Mark Kassen, who produced the film with his brother, Adam, also stars in this film. Kassen plays Paul Danziger, Weiss's partner in the law firm. Danziger is the family man and the stability of the firm. The contrast of the two characters highlights the complexities of their case, shedding light on the troubles that arise.
   

I was deeply moved by this film. It reaffirms my thoughts on human nature, both good and bad. It left me pensive and wanting to share the dark beauty of the tragic figures in this story. Weiss slowly self-destructs on the screen so we can see clearly that there is light in the darkness.

     
Verdict: **** 3/4 stars. Not your typical fanboy fare bus Highly Approved for conspiracy and reality.

Blitz

2011 saw the release of Blitz, starring Jason Statham as Brant, a cop with a predilection for vigilante justice. This film is raw and gritty and strikes at a primal place in the urban soul. 

Statham, as we have grown to expect, plays a variation of most of his previous characters. Perhaps it is the gravelly voice or the stern facial expressions... Mr. Statham is one of the most typecast actors in Hollywood at the moment. However, it seems to work for me. He knows the characters and what makes them tick. He is authentic and honest in his portrayals. (Disclaimer: I am not counting the two Crank films.)

The cast includes Paddie Considine, who is brilliant as Nash, the role of the outside cop brought in to work on the case. He is believable and a worthy ally for Statham's Brant. Also noteworthy are Zawe Ashton and Aiden Gillen. Gillen's street punk villain captures the angst of the pseudo-punk and Ashton's roll of the the fallen vice cop rounds out a complex list of main characters. 

Being a born and bred American, I found some of the British accents a little thick... I had to listen closely to catch everything. However, it was well worth it in the end. This film has the frank violence of other vigilante films that I love and an ending that sets all wrongs right for me. I will be watching this one again.

Verdict:**** stars. Fanboy approved for revenge and prevailing in the system!

Boy Wonder

2011 saw the release of the movie, Boy Wonder. The film stars a cast of largely unfamiliar faces and is led by Caleb Steinmeyer, who plays the troubled Sean Donovan. The plot summary can be found at IMDb. Beware: this site contains spoilers.

I am not sure how I missed the theatrical release of this movie but I found it to be strongly thought provoking. How far would a person go to get justice? This is a common theme addressed many times in past films. Think The Crow and The Brave One. It is the small glimpses into the mind of Sean Donovan that set this film apart.

Boy Wonder uses the concept of a child who grows up surrounded by violence - an abusive father - as the proving ground for vigilante justice. It is clear that young Sean learned his lessons well. He is a smart young man who is focused solely on seeking justice for those wrongly killed. But how far can this path lead?

Sean works to piece together what happened on the night his mother was murdered. He attracts the attention of the police, who see him initially as a victim unwilling to let go.  As the story progresses, it becomes clear that there are many victims that go unnoticed. Is Sean a hero for protecting these victims or is he becoming the very evil he seeks to fight? This is a personal question provoked by the film. How far would you go and what would you be willing to become?

Fanboy Verdict: ***** stars for excellent acting, good action and a strong story. This movie is definitely Fanboy Approved!