(film review) - San Andreas

Can The Rock do any wrong? Ummm, of course he can. He is not immune. I mean, there are actors all over the world and Hollywood who do nonsensical films. Maybe just for a paycheck as they simply 'Mail-It-In', but The Rock has been trying to choose his films wisely. I won't mention the film he did with the Lion on his head, Hercules, (Opps, I just did), although, I never saw it, I heard it didn't do very well. Ahh well, I'm kind of glad I didn't as the trailer didn't do much for me anyway. Anyway, this film, San Andreas, a film a lot of people thought it was a film based on a very popular 2004 video game by Rockstar North for the Playstation 2 called Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, this film is NOT that.

Raymond "Ray J" Gaines (Dwayne Johnson) is a Los Angeles Fire Department Air Rescue Pilot who does just that, rescue people who are in accidents. He has a wife, Emma (Carla Gugino) and a daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario), but their relationship has it's complications and is a little strained. When a Seimologist, Lawrence Haynes (Paul Giamatti) discovers a small earthquake which warns of an even bigger and mightier Earthquake yet to come which can potentially be felt on the west coast, Ray J must do all that he can to save the people he loves, his family.

A fairly simple plot and something we have seen probably a bagillian times, but this time it stars, Dwayne Johnson and everybody loves, Dwayne, right? Trying not to go into any spoilers, but it is plain to see that everything goes to sh*t and Dwayne has to save people. No plot twist. Nothing special at all, other than the special effects. From what you can gather in the trailer, all the destruction and falling/crumbling buildings, this film does exactly what 2012 does. It also had a Tsunami. However, with 2012, I really did feel that the film was more of an environmental advert once I left the cinema. With this film, I didn't.
The Rock doesn't do anything too grand here, but he doesn't just 'Mail-It-In'. I like his story and his relationship with his family, but other than his great charisma channeled through into his character, everything else is fairly redundant. None of the other characters have much gravitas or even add much to the story plot. But since the plot is a huge major earthquake whilst one guy tries to save his family, who really cares.

An entertaining popcorn flick with a lot of destruction and actually makes you think, "WOW" especially if you know the area (So I have been told). Have a watch. If you like this type of thing and if you adore The Rock. I mean, who doesn't Love what The Rock is Cooking?

(Vintage Film Review) - Cloverfield

With what we already know about the film, i.e. in most cases, nothing. You actually leave the cinema experience not much different from before you stepped in. However, i must say, this was not a rubbish film to watch.

You follow a video fly-on-wall, documentary in which you meet and follow one person and his friends through an unforgetable experience all caught through one video camera. From when the film starts, it does not take very long until the action starts and does not end. If you watch the film to the very end, you'd understand.

This film is a disaster movie and not for the squirmish. Without giving the film away too much. I can only say what has been said by movie reviewers and that is, it is a cross between Godzilla and the Blair Witch Project.

The film is done in a way that is just like the Blair Witch Project, however, with some "Thing" running around lose in New York City (as per usual). This is NOT your one man takes on all odds kind of film. You can expect casualties in abundance, buildings toppling over and well....you know, your average blockbuster film like Independence day or Godzilla filmed from just a random guy from the public with his friends and a lot of battery power in his little camcorder, which captures an event that passes and doesn't actually seem to stop.

Acting was flawless and because of the way the film was shot, you can't help to feel involved and actually in the film. It's not like your watching a movie with actors playing people (in which you are), but it is like your actually in the film and what you watched was a close friend of yours or someone you knew or heard of in the real world.

This film is deep. This film is different. This film is Cloverfield and you should watch it.

2 February 2008 at 01:08pm