Busy Bee - ultra quick roundup of latest releases

I'm pretty busy at the moment, so can't do as many reviews as I would like. So in true Hollywood fashion here is a sneak preview of my ratings for other films I've seen, reviews will follow and I'll remove this spoiler!





Remember me

Twi-hard fans won't find a lot to like here. I actually did. However, its unrelenting moody tone, slow pacing and rather unneeded 'shock' ending cheapened the whole thing.
**1/2

The Ghost

Polanski’s latest is awful. Don’t believe the critics applauds, it’s needlessly slow, poorly acted with some very creaky dialogue and an awful soundtrack.
*

Cemetery Junction

This may lose a star on a second viewing as I saw it after viewing the ghost, so anything was going to be great compared to it. It may completely clone the Dawn-Tim love triangle from the office, but Gervais's and Merchant’s film debut is funny, moving and sweet.
****

Whip It

Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut is shamelessly in your face, with a brash punk soundtrack, girly food fights, actual girl fights and a lot of roller skating. She can’t quite make the roller derby matches exciting enough, but it has enough comedy and heart to make up for it.
****

Wow! Its in 3D! zzzzzzz. Double Bill Review

Technology is improving faster that wallets can gain the cash for it.

My short life has seen some huge advances in technology in all fields of life. Despite the wonders of internet broadband, Sky Plus, and Facebook the greatest improved product in the last 10 years has to be the hand dryer. The metal box that used to blow out pithy puffs of luke warm air, forcing you to dirty your hands by rubbing them on your Jeans are over. We now have the ‘Air Blade’ and ‘Air Force’, mini hurricanes for all your hand drying needs.

There’s no doubting that in the last ten years visual entertainment has also seen a huge development, although nothing as dramatic and life style changing as the hand dryer. The transition from analogue to digital television slightly improved the picture; the transition from digital to high definition improved it slightly more. The blood, sweat and tears that dominate our screens when we watch a film can shine brighter than ever before. After going out and buying your HD JVC LCD TV (acronym overload there) you would hope that all that cash you’ve handed out would be a good investment. Seemingly not, as this month sees the release of the first batch of HD LCD 3D TVs.

3D at the cinema is a gimmick to prevent piracy and make you spend an extra £2 on your cinema ticket. A few films such as Pixar’s UP, Beowulf and of course Avatar do make pretty good use of it but I’ve yet to see a film convinces me it is the next step in film and television. The following two reviews are the latest 3D releases, and I’m going to try and convince you to save that extra £2, just see the normal 2D release, and enjoy the hand dryer for free.

Clash of the Titans (Louis Leterrier, 2010)

Eyes will roll

This month’s first 3D release is a remake of the stop motion 1980s classic of the same name. Childhood memories, cowering behind a pillow at my grandparent’s house during the terrifying Medusa scene were abruptly destroyed by this awful attempt.

The films plot is quickly explained by Gemma Arterton’s charater Io in the first three minutes and is pretty much the only narrative progression in the film. Set in ancient Greece, the film revolves around two Gods, Zeus and Hades, who decide to punish earth due to their lack of worship. Unlike the regular god, who punishes through a flood of 40 days and nights, these super Gods send down various creatures which our band of heroes must defeat. The leader of which is Perseus (Sam Worthington), who just happens to be a half god as his mother was raped by a disguised Zeus

Got all that? As that’s the only exposition you get before Louis Leterrier puts forth action set piece after action set piece. It turns out that plasticine monsters are far scarier than big budget CGI as this film fails to raise the pulses. It falls into the pit-falls of many sub-par summer blockbusters, failing to realise that, even if you have a 500 ft tall monster tearing up towns during a vicious storm, audiences will be falling asleep if you don’t care about the story or characters.

Every single character is under developed, there is a poorly done love story concerning Persues and Io, several unexciting fights and two great actors spouting reams of cheesy dialogue. Zeus and Hades, played by Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes should have been daunting, powerhouse performances but they seem to have taken their pay check switched on auto-pilot. Pitting the good and evil Nazi from Spielberg’s Schindler's List could have been fantastic casting, but it just adds to the disappointment of the film. Fiennes, using the same voice he uses as Voldermort in the Harry Potter series can barely muster a sneer.

This is the second time Sam Worthington has been thrust in our faces in 3D, and while Avatar was a good showcase at otherwise unconvincing technology, Clash of the Titans demonstrates the way film studios are exploiting audiences. Originally planned as a 2D film, Titan’s 3D was done post-production simply so they could charge more and it really shows. Backgrounds are blurry, colours are faded and there is very little depth. If you must see it, save your £2 and buy the original DVD second hand to show how much they have tainted its name.

Verdict

Any Director who manages to make the half snake half women Medusa, a giant scorpion and a Kraken boring needs to go back to film school, and watch the original while they are there.

*1/2

How to Train your Dragon (Dean Deblois & Chris Sanders, 2010)

Our second 3D release this month, is not improved, or tainted by the technology. It is simply a very well made family film.

This is the first film since 300 where Gerard Butler is not the most irritating actor ever to grace our screens. He should stick to his CGI form as the Viking Stoick, leader of a village which has a major pest problem, Dragons. While his follow Viking warriors are battling their way through the horned beasts, his son Hiccup is struggling to find his calling. Determined to show his father he can fight, he shoots down a Dragon, and discovers he is a better Dragon Trainer than Dragon Killer. He befriends his fire breathing friend and becomes the resident Dragon tamer.

Dreamworks animation has always been second to Pixar. Their franchises such Ice-Age and Shrek, while good, are never as visually impressive or emotionally involving as Pixar’s best work such as Up, Monsters Inc and Toy Story. In this case however, the studio has made their best work.

Visually the artists made a good choice to choose cartoonish rather than hyper-real animation. The various breeds of dragon are entertaining to watch, funny when needed and scary when the nasty ones turn up. Likewise the human characters are all likable and largely well written. The bizarre choice to give the adults Scottish accents and the children American ones aside, they will appeal to both children and adults in the audience.

The film isn’t always successful with its jokes, but it is always a pleasant watch, and never boring. The flight sequences in particular are spectacular. Hiccup takes his time taming his Dragon and they build a relationship that any dog owner will be able to relate too. The pacing is excellent, the climactic battle is well drawn out, but it is the build up that is the most fun.

Verdict

Avatar is not the best 3D release of the year. How to Train Your Dragon is a breezy enjoyable romp through a stereotyped but wholly realised land, make sure you catch this one before the inevitable sequel.

****1/2

Controversy! The age old debate of censorship arises in Roper Review

The Roper Review is sparking intense debate, ok slight hyperbole, but have a look at the link below so see the heated response my Kick Ass review generated from one induvidual.

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/blogs/7812587.Think_again_Joe_Roper_by_DaTa/

and my response

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/blogs/7984952.Think_again_Joe_Roper___A_Response/

Joe :)

Roper Review’s Round Up

Doing an Mphil in film, having a Cineworld card, and just being a general geek means I do visit the cinema rather a lot. As much as I love sitting in the dark room watching films, I don’t always have time to review them. Annoying things like uni work, actual work and a social life get in the way. Here is a quick round up of the films I have seen since starting this blog that I haven’t had time to dedicate a full length review to. A few of them don’t deserve one, a few of them do, so if you feel like doing one of them justice, there’s some homework for you. I mean what else could be more fun that bitching about films?

From Paris with Love (Pierre Moral, 2010)

The director of Taken; a film so outrageously violent and enjoyable in which Liam Nielson threatens to single handedly tear down the Eifel Tower this action “comedy” stars a fat, bold John Travolta and brit Jonathan Rees Myers.

It belongs back in the 1980s when casual racism, stupid story lines and car chase sequences were all the rage. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t laugh once or twice, and enjoy the odd fight or two, but the story in which John Travolta squeals with delight every time he shoots one of the “Pakistanis,” as he constantly calls them, leaves a lot to be desired.

** (2 stars – Unless you Jim Davidson in which case add three more)


The Crazies (Breck Eisner, 2010)

Yet another zombie movie.... although in such an over populated genre it does stand out as one of the better examples. A re-make of George A. Romero’s 1978 film, it stands alongside the excellent Dawn of the Dead remake. Director Breck Eisner has made a short, nasty and effective horror.

When a plane crashes in a small American town, a virus spreads turning those infected into homicidal maniacs. It is an impressive feat that the film manages to find a voice of its own and delivers some incredible tense scenes, with minimal gore. One scene set in a car wash may create the same anxiety that Psycho did for the shower.

Like the best Zombie films, it uses its walking dead (or crazies in this case) to deliver scares but makes the humans into the real enemies. The U.S military ruthlessly gun down innocents in fear, a sub-text very applicable to darker moments in our history. It delivers its chills and thrills quickly and effectively. Worth a watch, unless you are sick of Zombie films.

***1/2

Alice in Wonderland (Tim Burton, 2010)


Tim Burton, one of the most visionary directors currently working in Hollywood is getting predictable. Johnny Depp, one of the most watchable and adaptable actors currently working in Hollywood is getting boring. This film packs no surprises; but is an adequate, darkly gothic, yet child friendly sequel to Lewis Carols’ classic.

Tim Burton's last family picture, Charlie and the Chocolate factory was awful. In his latest he redeems his ability to mix the macabre with the merry but amongst the twisty landscape and Danny Elfman score; you will have seen it all before. The biggest disappointment is Johnny Depp, who does not seem to stray past his Captain Jack Sparrow comfort zone these days.

The first half is very enjoyable; if a little CGI heavy as the impressive world unfolds around Alice. Helena Bonham Carter is magnificent as the red queen, turning her into a big headed (literally) spoilt brat compete with lisp and stamping gestures. The second half is just the build up to a rather disappointing battle and the film turns into faux Lord of the Rings, which is no good thing. Worth a watch however for Carter, the strong performance of Mia Wasikowska who plays Alice, Matt Lucas’s brilliant Tweedle Dee/Dum expression and that excellent first half.

*** (3 Stars) Remove a star if you see it in 3D which I found to be blurry and rather distracting.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Niels Arden Oplev, 2009)


This is a very strong opener for the film adaptations of the late Stieg Larsson’s Millenium Trilogy. The crime series that depicts the exploits of Journalist Mikael Bloomkvist and goth computer hacker Lisbeth Salander.

Bloomkvist is asked to investigate a 40 year old disappearance of a girl. Salander becomes involved after being hired to hack his computer and becomes an unlikely ally in solving the case. It is dark and gripping film which derives its tensions through a fantastic screenplay rather the usual stalk and slash murder sequences which dominate the crime genre. It is also a detailed character study of Salander, whose mysterious past and moody demeanor makes her one fascinating anti-hero.

As a result of its small budget it can at times feel a little bit made for TV, but this would be one hell of an episode of Midsummer Murders.
**** (4 Stars)

I Love You Phillip Morris (Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, 2010)


Jack Nicolson once claimed that Jim Carry would be the “Jack Nicolson” of the next generation, and it is films like this that support that argument and make one forget all about Ace Ventura. I Love You Phillip Morris is based on exploits of con-man Steven Russell who escaped from prison numerous times to get back to his boyfriend Phillip Morris.

It is a story so amazing that if it wasn’t true the plot would be criticised for being farfetched. I won’t ruin his greatest escapes but one stroke of genius involves him dying his prison uniform green and walking out disguised as a doctor. Unlike the Bounty Hunter, reviewed below, this is a true romantic comedy with plenty of both. Those expecting more of Carry’s ‘zany’ comedy will find something far more subtle and convincing here. Its greatest strength is the way it involves the audience. Russell’s voice over openly invites us to make our own judgements of his actions, and its ending plays a huge trick audience that will horrify as much as it will raise laughter.
**** (4 stars)

The Bounty Hunter (Andy Tennant, 2009)


How does Gerard Butler keep getting romantic comedy roles? He is the most unlikable romantic leading man I have ever seen. When he was killing Spartans, he did just fine, but his ability to charm Katherine Hiegal, Hillary Swank and now Jennifer Anniston baffles. This ‘Romantic’ ‘Comedy’, which has little of either, concerns Milo Boyd, a bounty hunter whose latest job is escorting his ex-wife to jail. Low and behold, on their ‘wacky’ journey together they begin to question why they broke up in the first place.

We are expected to laugh as he pulls her around aggressively by the wrist, handcuffing her to whatever he can find, and then smile when they reignite their love life. The ever watchable Anniston is pretty good as his ex-wife/captive, but Butler is awful throughout and downright creepy at times. Realising the lack of on screen chemistry the film makers also choose to insert some rather pathetic action sequences. Just put me in Jail, it’s got to be more fun that this film.
* (1 star)

Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaughn, 2010)

It really does Kick Ass

Do you find the idea of a foul mouthed 11 year old girl getting kicked in the face by a fully grown man entertaining? Neither do the makers of Kick-Ass, although that’s what the press would have you believe. A recent Daily Mail article cited scholars, psychologists and lawyers to warn the public of the dangers of a film who’s comic book source materials tag line is ‘Sickening violence, just the way you like it’. The film delivers on this promise, and is not for the easily offended or the under 15s, but for everyone else it is an absolute must see.

The self appointed superhero title that the films protagonist Dave Lizewski gives himself is the first hint towards the films tonality. Dave is an average 17 year old American geek who spends his day avoiding girls, talking with his equally geeky friends and fantasising. His two main fantasies involve sexual rendezvous with the fairer sex, and being a superhero. After ordering a scuba suit of the internet, he attempts to fulfil his desires.

Unlike his fantasy counterparts, Kick-Ass has no special powers, just a lot of courage and naivety. When his first attempt at stopping crime results in getting stabbed, he awakes to find himself unable to feel much pain due to damaged nerve endings. That ability is as good as it gets for him, but it does let him take a beating. It is during his first mass beating that he begins to gain recognition. Parodying society’s obsession with celebrity culture and YouTube he becomes an internet sensation. This attracts the attention of some real life superheroes, and some all too real bad guys.

Hit-Girl and Big-Daddy are the real superheros and the film is impressively amoral in its approach towards them. Big-Daddy is hell-bent to get revenge on the organised crime syndicate, ran by Frank D’Amico, that resulted in a long jail sentence and the death of his wife. To help him, he effectively brainwashes his daughter into a lethal weapon, 11 year old Mindy Macready becomes potty-mouthed assassin hit-girl.

This is where the crux of the controversy has come from, and unsurprisingly, most of the films enjoyment. Hit-Girl is the best character to grace action cinema since Uma Thurman killed bill back in 2004. Set-piece after set-piece sees her slicing and dicing her way through D’Amico’s men and you’ll be rooting for her every step of the way.

Hardly a role model for young girls, but the film is not for children. The film makers had the balls to make an adult superhero film. Like last year’s Watchmen, it has some impressive gore, highlights include finding out what happens when you microwave someone, and crush them in a car compactor. However unlike that film, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Mixing action and comedy, is as dangerous as horror and comedy. It can result in both genres countering each other out generating and a film devoid of laughs and tension. Last year’s surprise hit ‘Zombieland’ in got the balance right, and Kick-Ass masters it. From teenage awkwardness, to the absurdity of the comic book genre, Jane Goldman’s script (Mrs Jonathon Ross) delivers laugh after laugh. Crucially though, it never spoofs the superhero genre; it takes its legacy and its fans seriously, whilst celebrating the ridiculous nature of the whole concept.

It is a film us Brits should be proud of, despite being set in New York it is a largely British creation. Matthew Vaughn, who previously directed the excellent ‘Layer Cake’ and the drab ‘Star Dust’, shows great skill here. Despite budget constraints he delivers breathtaking action sequences, each one brutal, hilarious and exciting whilst never repeating the same ideas. Mark Strong is excellent as the ruthless and coldblooded D’Amico and Aaron Johnston does teenage geek to superhero better than Toby Maquire’s Peter Parker. This is home-grown British cinema at its most subversive and surprising.

What elevates Kick-Ass from a fun action comedy into the best superhero offering in years is its ability to make you care about its characters. It has real heartbreak and tragedy amongst its belly laughs, Dave Lizewki is a character everyone can relate to, someone who simply wants to make a difference and feel like he matters. Despite the films outrageous ethics, including a stand-out scene where Big-Daddy shoots bullets at Hit-Girl to test out her Kevlar vest and later buys her two butterflies knifes to rip flesh with, it has good intentions. When asked by some thugs if he is crazy, Kick-Ass responds ’20 people watching on while 3 ass wholes beat the S*** out of a guy, and I’m the one that’s crazy?’

It’s not perfect, but no film is. Its soundtrack is hit and miss; the choice to have bananarama playing while hit-girl slices apart a room of drug dealers is pitch perfect but accompanying and at times the soundtrack is incredibly moving. However another action sequence is let down due to the odd selection of the chase music from 28days later, thus reminding you of this film and ruining any immersion. It could also be said that with the exception of D’Amico, the bad guys are simply Italian-America stereotypes, but this can be pretty much applied to every Superhero film set in Manhattan. None of these criticisms are enough to stop this film from gaining my first five star award.

Oh yeah...and it has Mclovin’ (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) from Superbad in it as a double crossing superhero called Red Mist. What more do you want for your money?

Verdict

It is a film that will horrify a few, and provide the rest with perfect Saturday night entertainment. Even after repeated viewings it still provides more fun, laughs and excitement than the vast majority of mainstream cinema has shown in last 10 years.

***** (5 Stars)

The Daily Mail cited can be found here....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1254384/Jonathan-Rosss-wife-Jane-Goldman-causes-outrage-film-featuring-foul-mouthed-11-year-old-assassin.html

Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2009)

Enter the mind of Martin Scorsese, mind your head.

Scorsese’s first entry this decade, in a career spanning 5 of them is brimming with trauma. His strongest films have some of the most traumatised, and traumatising characters ever to Grace our screen from Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle, Cape Fear’s Max Cady and Jesus Christ himself in The Last Temptation of Christ. His passion for older films inspired by America’s most traumatic events such as The Cold War and The Vietnam War, brimming with paranoia, violence and melodrama shines through in his latest work, Shutter Island.

A thick white fog, ominous horns dominating the soundtrack and nauseating camera angles are used to introduce the film, immediately bringing forth an atmosphere of foreboding dread. Breaking through the fog comes a ship heading towards Shutter Island, a high security asylum for the criminally insane. It carries two detectives, Teddy Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule; their assignment is to investigate the disappearance of a prisoner who seemingly slipped out of her cell which was locked from the outside. Once they arrive, all is not what it seems, the staff seem reluctant to help and Daniels his haunted by the ghosts of his past. He quickly realises he is unable to leave the Island, and beings a quest to uncover the truth about the real goings on, leading him into a world of cold war paranoia and insanity.

To reveal much more is to spoil the fun of the film. It is one long build up to a climatic ‘grand reveal’ and its trick is intricately set up with magician like skills by Scorsese. The twist is fairly obvious within 30 minutes; if you watch the trailer close enough you’ll be able to work it out, but that didn’t stop me questioning and doubting my thoughts throughout its’ long running time.

Scorsese’s films have been compared to as works of art; he blends the mainstream and the art-house brilliantly here, whilst mixing several different genres creating an unnerving and gripping experience. DiCaprio, his current muse, is strong as usual playing a hardboiled detective with a demeanour straight out of 1950’s film noir. He is no simple Humphrey Bogart imitator though, as the plot thickens his haunted past beings to meld with his present and he becomes a vulnerable and shaken character.

His past traumas, a murdered wife and his memories of a WW2 death camp are revealed in flashbacks. Delving into his psyche is moving and captivating, beautifully shot and insightfully revealing. Scenes with his wife played by Michel Williams provide the film with tenderness and contribute towards the story arc well. The scenes dealing with the genocide of the Jews are disturbing (as anything dealing with the Holocaust should be), well filmed, but ultimately unnecessary. Teddy has enough material to traumatise him, and the audience enough plot strands to deal with.

Ben Kingsley plays the asylums lead doctor, and is a joy to watch and work out as he balances on the line of caring doctor, and evil mastermind. Teddy begins to fear that the island may be using its patients for psychotropic experimentation and Kingsley along with the other staff never appears completely trustworthy. They are no less unnerving than the patients, but the real star of the show is the sets. Rundown buildings, jagged cliff edges, crashing waves, and woods complete with grave yards create a great playground for the mystery to take place.

Adding to the psychological thriller of a plot, and the film noir characters is a heavy layer of gothic horror. Several sequences are expertly crafted and nail bitingly suspenseful. Once the Island is stuck by a hurricane, the film takes on the form of a 1930s horror, and is the most successful attempt at the gothic genre in a recent series of failed efforts (see Wolfman Review). One particular set piece sees Teddy and Aule enter ‘Ward C’ the area for the most dangerous criminals, they are warned that due to a power outage some of them are still roaming free. This line alone is enough to send audiences into a frenzy of nervous tension, and Scorsese plays on this using fantastic sound effects. Whispers, metal clanks and heavy breathing occur whilst Teddy uses matches to light the narrow corridors around him.

As homage to melodramatic films of the past, and as an exploration of trauma and paranoia Shutter Island succeeds. Its’ style may be off putting to some simply because at times it is so extravagant. Loud discordant classical music, along with consistent heavy thunder, and frequent bizarre dream sequences may seem plain silly to cynics. However this is an exploration of the mind, a disturbed one at that, and no other director could have done it so much justice.

Verdict

Overblown, overlong, yet fantastic and gripping; it’s a horror/thriller/melodrama/film noir all rolled into one, and only Scorsese could pull it off with such clarity and meticulousness. Its ending may not come as a great shock, but you’ll have a great time getting there.

****

Green Zone (Paul Greengrass, 2010)

Matt Damon isn’t quite Bourne again.

No matter what Green Zone director Paul Greengrass claims, his latest film which is a take on America’s war on terror, it’s an unofficial Jason Bourne hits Baghdad. The marketers know it, plastering Matt Damon’s face all over the posters with his most Bourne like expression. Matt Damon certainly knows it, shouting and running in his most Bourne like way. The script writers certainly know it, weaving a plot combing action set pieces with a Jason Bourne like quest to find out the truth.

This is by no means a bad thing, the Bourne films make one of the best trilogies in recent times and Green Zone is at its best when it echoes the frantic intense pacing of those films. To review its best bits, is to review its ‘Bourney’ bits.

Enough of the past, the biggest flaw with Green Zone is what it does to separate itself from those films. It tries to be political. Everything about it is knowingly anti-American, which is the trendy thing all film makers appear to be adhering to at the moment. It worked in Avatar, when a few snide remarks from the film’s cornels echoed Bush’s speeches, it backfired in Brian De Palma’s Redacted which was an incoherent mess, and it doesn’t quite work in Greenzone.

The best film to tackle the war on terror so far is the Hurt Locker, which to the untrained eye could appear to be depoliticised. What it does have to say is powerful, exciting and poignant, three things that come all too rarely in Green Zone.

Basing itself in 2003, the story concerns Matt Damon’s character, simply known as Colonel Miller, and his crew looking for Weapons of Mass destruction in the city of Baghdad. Despite their ‘reliable sources’ nothing appears to turning up. The inquisitive character is approached by a local, named Freddy, who is Miller’s first lead to uncovering the truth. Needless to say Miller finds himself knee deep in conspiracy and deceit and battles against the American Government to uncover the truth.

Done delicately it could have been a conceivable plot; instead American politicians are reduced to Machiavellian baddies that would suit a James Bond film better. It is sheer Anti-American propaganda which relies on pure speculation to make its point.

Everything in the film wants to make you believe this is how it happened; the fantastic handheld camera work, minimalistic score and convincing location shooting make an intense journey. However, Green Grass’s determination to make a point about the arbitrary nature of the reason for going to war is under researched and over blown making the premise of the whole film appear ridiculous.

The writers have crammed that much conspiracy theory in there is little time for character expansion. Miller has no back story and little personality. There is very little personality to relate to. The rest of the characters are walking clichés. There is the reporter, determined to get to the truth, the ruthless politician, determined to get his way, and the cold blooded ruthless marine, determined to kill, kill, kill. The only interesting character is the Freddy who the script writers flesh out. Khalid Abdalle, previously playing a terrorist in Greengrass’s devastating United 93, has the only interesting role. Freddy, essentially Miller’s only Ally, provides the film with some much needed laughs and gives the audience someone to care about during all the fire fights.

It is these fire fights that make the film recommendable, and while this alone isn’t enough to save the film, they certainly keep you watching. Greengrass excels in putting the audience in the moment using street level angles and a handheld camera style. The final 20 minutes is a fantastically sustained set piece consisting of long shots and gun shots in which you have to remind yourself to breath.

Verdict

In short, Greengrass should have stayed more Jason Bourne, less Michael Moore. If you want a few hours of action, you could do far worse, but as far as an exploration of the War on Terror goes it is far too heavy handed.

*** (3 Stars)