RoboCop (2014)

RoboCop is a 2014 American science fiction action film directed by José Padilha. 

With a $130 million price tag on this film reboot , Colombia Pictures has hedged heavily on this reboot . 

With no stinger or extras during the credits , one does wonder about a sequel . But all $130 million is seen on the screen , special effects are good through out the film . 

Almost undetectable except in battle sequences between the hero and his large counter-part.

The story remains the same as the 1987 with some modern twist , the updates make the hero far more aware as they begin , but his awareness and emotions is faded in the middle by order of the evil bad guy , and a turn of heart leads to RoboCop rescue and victory in the end .

Does the story of man or machine , still ring through today ? In 1987 many could barely understand computers , far less dream of the Internet . 

In 2014 RoboCop is nearer to reality than fantasy , and this give far rise to the more moral questions that are scratch on the surface, and fail to have the deep moral discussion that could have been explored.

Actor Joel Kinnaman is the wounded police officer transformed into the Crime-Fighting Cyborg, to say the acting by him was emotional or wooden in parts , is only to say he did exactly what was required of him in the script.

Actor Gary Oldman is once again amazing , did not recognize him until after the film was over and the credits rolled. 

While Samuel L Jackson must have been pissed , spending days in front of a blue screen , only interaction was with Michael Keaton .

At the end of the day , the truth is , the special effects are the star of the film ,  and as a result the story feels like it suffered . In 1987 where more of the action was done in real , the 2014 digital special effects add to the excitement , and the dialogue to establish character and story-line was not there .

An opening sequence, with the occupation of Tehran by American force , don't expect a box office bump from it's release in IRAN.

With a run time of less than two hours , I felt a lot more could have been included , and I hope to see much more in an extended DVD . But definitely a must see on the big screen , if just for the roller coaster ride of action , car chases and special effects .

Digicel Imax, WoodBrook, Port-of-Spain

Rise of the Planet of the Apes ( 2011 )

Rise of the Planet of the Apes . ( 2011 )

Apes will Rise .


Such is the tag line of the movie , and the Apes do Rise . 

The Storyline is quite simple , through a series of unfortunate events ; and the development of a new drug , delivered with a virus . Apes Rise . Caesar , is the first , and then come the others , and the revolution beings .

The apes are real , Special Effects are NOT Noticeable at all . We have come a 1000 years from Arnold Scharwergger's horrible appearance in a Terminator 3 , or the Scorpion King in the Mummy 2 .  

Watch out for all the nods to the original films , the launch of the ICARCUS spaceship carrying Charton Heston in the original 1968 movie , as well as Heston appearing on a TV in the background . And Of course the infamous line is spoke "Get Your Hands Off Me, You Damn Dirty Ape"    

What is most interesting , and is not addressed directly in the movie , is not the demise of mankind , or the rise of the apes , but the story of the apes .

Caesar address the basics problem of revoluntary leaders everywhere , ape is weak , apes together are strong . And the true cynic in the film , state a fact , APES STUPID .

And this bring up a question , when was the script written ? The question arises when the revolution starts . One gets the sense that the recent revolution in the middle east Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria , stirred on the story . Did art imitate life , or did life imitate art ? Or has the revolution become so predictable , we can insert the template into a script .

In 1979 , the Shah of Iran fell to people power , protest in the streets . In 2009 those same leaders of 1979 , shot citizens in the street .

The Apes are not in fact Apes , they are  young people , the next generation . 
Who shall inherit the reigns of leadership ?
Where is our Caesar ?  






Twitter hash tag #apeswillrise

Battle - Los Angeles (2011)

Aliens Invade !

And the good people of earth fight back , Defending their home .

All Civilians are to be evacuated inland . Leading the government attempt to save the citizens from the invading army , is the Proud , the Few , the Marines , Semper Fi .

After the normal first encounter butt kicking from a superior force , this small band on Heroes re-group ; and re-engage the enemy .

In the end , we fight to a draw .

But do not worry , as the credits roll , we are going back for more .



The movie is an ongoing battle scene , and the gun battles barely pause for a breather , before it starts back again . Making it truly a boy's movie , a friend of mine tagged it as RAMBO 6 . He expected Arnold and Sylvester to appear out Beverly Hills in a pimped up Hummer , machine guns blazing .

The continuous violence and heroism was a little to much for older audience , but the young people ate it up , cheering on the marines .

Michelle Rodriguez , known for tough-chick roles , has once again been type-casted in her role from Resident Evil and S.W.A.T. as the bad ass soldier . If I was ever in trouble , I know who I would like to have come rescue me .

In the end the film seems like an infomercial for military recruitment , be a hero is the message , and I am sure the recruitment numbers are up for the month of the film's release .

Another movie doomed for late night re-runs on cable television .

I am Number Four ( 2011 )

The movie opens with a hunt , and the victim is Number Three . The plot continues that , Number four is aware of the demise of the first three , and he knows he is next . With his protector's guidance, ( a Cêpan , for those of you wanting to learn the LINGO ) they are on the run to a new town , a new school , new friends and bad guys hot on their tails . So the chase is on and story is predictable .

When buying the tickets , the female cashier warned us , and told us not to bother . Her actual words were "A Big man like you would not want to see that " .

Then while inside , on the way in to the theater , ran into a friend , who say her friends walked out on the film .

So when I sat down , I was ready for a REAL BOMB , however I was satisfied after wards with the normal junk food movie produced by Hollywood .



The problem was not the story , or the special effects ; it was the thin story and cheap special effects .



The Good Guys and the Bad Guys are from planets far, far away . They were involved in a war between the races . A War scene that is never seen , and would have cost money . For reference pull out the T2 : Judgement Day DVD , and watch the opening sequence between mankind and the machine army . This could have setup in the audience minds , the ability to accept the story .

The absence of this sci-fi homeworld world war scene , gave the story a real thin layer . You had to really work to suspense your dis-belief .

Super-powers young person smacked of "Smallville" , and there is no KRISTEN KRUEK to help the story along , just some high-school blond .

Many friends and family of who I spoke to dis-liked the film . However . . . . the audience target is not in my friends and family range .

The release of the film , between Harry Potter 7.1 and 7.2 , and before the Twilight 4.1 and 4.2 , should be an indication of whom they are targeting : They are trying to past the torch , from one TWEEN book series movie franchise to another TWEEN book series movie franchise .




The listing says the book is the first of six , and by the time we reach the sixth movie , we may have a major franchise on our hands . Are story writers are going for a Space Age Harry Potter , will we return to Krypton and take revenge and liberate our world ?

There is a lot of story line to fill in , alot of background to go through . Special Effects companies be on the alert . We could go into a all out work horse here to give Star Wars a run for their money , action figures and all .

But this is not " A New Hope " .

The major thing as the credits rolled is the name "Micheal Bay" , With Transformers 3 in the can and due for release soon , if he seeks to role over this into s success full franchise , he better start planning from now .