A GOOD NIGHT BEHIND THE SOFA: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 (R2 DVD) ***

"More of a prequel, Paranormal Activity 2 takes place a few months before the events of the first film, as Kristi (Sprague Grayden), sister of Katie (the future housemate of the malign spirit), tries to live a normal life with her new baby Hunter, likeable hubby Daniel, the teenage daughter from his first marraige, and, oh-oh... Ali, their gorgeous German Sheppard.

Once again, it isn't long before strange noises are heard late at night, and once again, you'll have a firm grasp on the cushion that sits handily beside you. It may have lost a little of its originality, but director Todd Williams has upped the ante with the shock-scare moments, and despite a slight lull between each, every set-piece is well exectuted, with several key scenes well worth the wait - some good scary shit."

REVIEW: SPARROW (R2 DVD)

Film: Sparrow ***

Release date: 15th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 87 mins
Director: Johnnie To
Starring: Simon Yam, Kelly Lin, Lam Ka-tung, Lo Hoi-pang, Law Wing-cheong
Genre: Comedy/Crime/Drama/Romance
Studio: Terracotta
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
Reviewer: Daryl Wing

The 'Jerry Bruckheimer of Hong Kong', Johnnie To, has enjoyed a startling career to date, ending the nineties on a high before suffocating in the creative and financial lull endured by a struggling Hong Kong film industry in 2001. Hitting form again with the release of award winner Running On Karma (2003), Breaking News (2004) and Throw Down (2004), the prolific auteur then delivered the mighty Election (2005) and its follow up. Not afraid to venture into the world of comedy, crime-caper ‘Sparrow’ attempts to merge the criminal world with humour and romance, but will a tale about pickpockets falling for the same mysterious woman leave an audience feeling short changed?

A band of pick-pockets (‘sparrow’ in Hong Kong slang) are enjoying a profitable year when their corrupt world is disrupted by the sudden appearance of a beautiful and mysterious lady, who has the nerve to turn the tables on them.

Following her trail, the pick-pockets are led to a face-off on the streets of Hong Kong with a rival pick-pocket gang, with both gangs vying for the possession of this enigmatic lady. As both sides struggle to decide who she plans to side with, revelations about her past reveal a sweeter side to her personality, and a hidden yearning for freedom…

An avian attack in waiting then, with hundreds of starved cynics perched on the edge of their seats, claws freshly sharpened, all waiting silently for any false move so they could take to the sky and begin their savage assault on one of Hong Kong’s most consistent directors – and Sparrow disappointingly allows them all to scratch his eyes out, despite bearing a vivid hallmark of good intent.

It houses all the trappings of a decent gambol across the innocent pastures cultivated by some of Hollywood’s greats from the fifties and sixties. So much so, in fact, if Sparrow starred Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, you would probably appreciate its little oddities far more. The problem is that Johnnie To appears to have lost himself in such a sugar-coated world that he failed to construct a plot that can’t be written down on the back of a postage stamp.

Overpopulated with thinly-drawn characters (and over familiar casting), it’s hindered by a cheap impersonation of Hitchcock’s worst material, and suffers from a director keen to stamp his authority all over key scenes whilst forgetting the rest. The introduction neatly pulls the viewer into this world of over indulgence – and it also sets the stage of expectation at a level the ensuing 80-minutes fail to meet.

It’s difficult to work out whether or not the pacing is deliberately sluggish, because just as scenes start to sag, To does something quite magical, upping the ante, not to mention the interest levels. With a Breakfast at Tiffany’s vibe running throughout, impressive moments include our main protagonist being outsmarted by a girl who can clearly drink until the cows come home, an amusing escape in a crowded lift, To’s obsession with dressing his male leads in ladies rags continuing with a tense massage scene, and the visually poetic finale in the rain with a handful of umbrellas. They may not be searching for a ginger cat, there’s no kiss in the downpour, and it may not make a great deal of sense to western viewers, if to anyone at all, but it’s certainly captivating, and easily the highlight of the film – if indeed you make it that far.

Whether a few minutes of pleasure justifies enduring the other 80 minutes is debatable however, because it takes an eternity for the plot to find its feet, tripped up by an unexplained interest in photography, a cigarette smoking scene about as erotic as kissing an ashtray, To trying to convince the audience that men on crutches can climb ladders just as easily as those without (in fact, they can do everything just as well), an unpaid set-up involving a café owner that laughs at his customers, and not enough backstory or characterization to convince us that the heroine/villain deserves such puppy-eyed adulation.

In its favour, Sparrow is able to walk a careful line between nostalgic crime-caper trappings (the damsel in distress, the sophisticated charmer, quirky side-kicks and goofy innocence) and modern, crime-riddled realism, even if it does frustrate with a fanciful feathered friend who is only too happy to be a flying metaphor. Where is that ginger cat when you need it? How it all ties together is anyone’s guess, and how the journey wasn’t as painful as this review sounds is a bigger crime than those witnessed throughout; in any case, it’s visually satisfying and bizarrely intriguing, with performances impossible to assess and a dreamlike experience suited to Sunday afternoon viewing.

Nestling snugly between his successes and failures, Johnnie To’s Sparrow almost falls fowl of the audience with a film that never really takes flight, and yet has enough magic to carry you through to its fascinating and equally perplexing finale.

REVIEW: INK (R2 DVD)

Film: Ink ****
Year: 2009
UK Release date: Out Now
Certificate: 15
Running time: 107 mins
Director: Jamin Winans
Starring: Christopher Soren Kelly, Quinn Hunchar, Jessica Duffy, Jennifer Batter
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller
Format: DVD
Country: USA
Reviewer: Adam Wing

It’s hardly surprising that I’d never heard of Jamin Winans’ mind-bending sci-fi thriller before it dropped through my letterbox; Ink’s birth was anything but typical. None of the big studios picked up the film for theatrical and home distribution in the US, so Double Edge Films pitched the movie directly to independent cinemas, DVD, Blu-ray and online distribution by themselves.

It was a move that worked, because Ink became one of the most downloaded movies on file sharing torrent sites - 400,000 times in a single week - exposing the film to a much larger audience. The UK release is brought to you by 4 Digital Media. Prepare yourself for alternate timelines and dreamlike sensibilities, because if the film achieves nothing else, Ink will at least twist your perception of reality.

John (Chris Kelly) is a businessman in a hurry to get to his car, stressed out and somewhat distraught, he’s completely oblivious to the truck that’s heading his way. As he falls unconscious, he dreams of playing with his daughter Emma (Quinn Hunchar). Don’t worry though; things are about to take a turn down Disturbia Avenue. Warriors called Storytellers exist in an alternate version of reality, providing us with the good dreams we have while we sleep. Then there are the Incubi, artificial beings that fashion nightmares and take us to places we don’t want to go.

That’s when we first meet Ink - a lone drifter who appears to do just that; but after a frantic battle with the Storytellers, he kidnaps Emma from her home and leaves her physical body in a comatose state. However, the drifter's drum gets damaged in the fight, and without the code - a short piece performed on the drum - he can’t open a portal to the realm for which John’s daughter was intended. Still with me? Good. The three Storytellers responsible for Emma, Allel (Jennifer Batter), Gabe (Eme Ikwuakor) and Sarah (Shelby Malone), along with a blind Pathfinder named Jacob (Jeremy Make), search for a way to bring Emma out of her coma. A fourth ally, a Storyteller named Liev (Jessica Duffy), attempts to dissuade Ink from delivering the girl to the Incubi in order to become one himself.

Ink is a high-concept thriller that weaves seamlessly between the conscious and subconscious. Combining the nightmarish visuals of Dark City with the mind-bending complexities of Donnie Darko, Jamin Winans’ sci-fi thriller is unlike anything you have seen in a while. It’s a low budget affair, but one that makes the most of its funding. The visuals are stunning throughout, from the special effects to the costume design, and Jamin Winans incorporates original ideas at every turn. The fight scenes are tightly choreographed, even if the editing is a little too frantic at times, but the way in which the real world rebuilds itself after they come into contact with it is beautifully realised.

Winans successfully infuses a dreamlike quality, not to mention some of the most creative characters of the fantasy genre, and the elements combine to compelling effect. Performances are stronger than you might expect, and the characters are well drawn. Chris Kelly impresses as the conflicted father and businessman, and Jeremy Make possesses more than enough charisma to carry off the role of blind pathfinder Jacob. Jessica Duffy injects warmth into her role of Storyteller, and the relationship she builds with Emma is heart warming.

Despite these factors, Ink still falls short of perfect filmmaking. The choppy editing style is a little too chaotic at times, and the action sequences occasionally feel out of place. The films convoluted structure will alienate and confuse as many as it impresses, and the dialogue isn’t as creative as the inventive cinematography.

Ink falls short of greatness then, but only just, and both Jamin and Kiowa K. Winans (costume and art direction) are names to keep an eye on. For the most part Ink feels like a breath of fresh air, successfully combining inventive special effects with intriguing concepts and design. More than that, Ink is a humanistic tale. Telling a story that everybody can relate to, even if you do have to overlook the more fantastical forays from time to time - we’re still in the realm of science fiction after all. If you can overlook the limitations you’re in for a spellbinding journey that demands to be seen time and time again.

It’s not always an easy watch, but in the end, the world of Ink comes together like the words on a page. Ambitious, dreamlike and never less than compulsive, Ink writes its name at the very top of Independent filmmaking. Never heard of the film? You have now.

REVIEW: PANDEMIC (R2 DVD)

Film: Pandemic **
Year: 2009
UK Release date: 9th May 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 138 mins
Director: Takahisa Zeze
Starring: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Rei Dan, Ryoko Kuninaka
Genre: Drama/Action
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: Japan
Reviewer: Adam Wing

Outbreak gets a Japanese makeover in Zeze Takahisa’s crisis drama, in which a deadly virus is the key to mankind’s annihilation, infecting millions of people and threatening to destroy the lives of many more...

Tsumabuki Satoshi (Dororo) stars as a young doctor who finds himself centre stage in a fight against a highly contagious illness that begins with flu-like symptoms and ends in death. Dan Rei (Love and Honour) plays a World Health Organization officer, not to mention token love interest, who joins him in the race against time to find a cure. They used to be lovers but personal ambition drove them apart, and now they must work together in order to survive the relentless chaos that threatens to consume them.

Directed by Zeze Takahisa (Flying Rabbits), Pandemic spreads fear through the heart of an impressive supporting cast including the likes of Sato Koichi (The Magic Hour), Ikewaki Chizuru (Strawberry Shortcakes), Fuji Tatsuya (Flavour of Happiness), Kuninaka Ryoko (Train Man) and Mitsuishi Ken. It’s a large ensemble, and as a result, Pandemic struggles to find its feet early on.

Most of the characters are faceless at first, and not just because they’re wearing surgical masks either, which means that the majority of them fail to make an impact. Much of the opening act is spent in surgery - Pandemic wastes no time in cutting to the chaos - which gives Takahisa a dilemma that he struggles to surface from. Without the viewer’s investment in characterisation, any attempts at emotional blackmail are found wanting, simply because we haven’t had enough time to care about the individuals yet.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Takahisa’s picture - this being a Japanese production and all that - would be more than willing to embrace the heartbreak. Heartbreak equals sentiment, and Japanese filmmakers do love to wallow in melodrama and misery. Takahisa should be credited for reigning in the anguish, Pandemic sure has its moments but they’re not as troublesome as they could’ve been.

The only real issue you’ll find is with the weather, because the emotional downpour comes as frequently as the rain. Instead of relying on his impressive cast to do the hard work, he enlists the help of Mother Nature, bringing on the storm clouds in order to hammer his point home. It’s calculated and unnecessary, reaching for affecting but coming away with mildly amusing.

Things do improve in the second act, as the main characters find their voices and the devastation threatens to engulf an entire nation. Pandemic touches on themes of love and loss but never fully commits to either of them, skimming off the surface in order to cater for everybody. Occasionally it does hit home, but not as often as you would like, fortunately you can always rely upon children to bring about an appropriate emotion.

The love story that takes place is almost an afterthought, and isn’t helped by the director’s decision to throw in every possible weather condition known to man. Just in case the rain hasn’t convinced you of their emotional trauma, down comes the snow in a cynical attempt to turn up the turmoil. Takahisa, restrained for so long, pushes one too many buttons and Pandemic struggles to make a genuine impact.

The same can be said for the final act, which arrives on the scene half an hour too late. Takahisa really goes for the heartstrings, utilising every trick in the tearjerkers handbook, but his characters just aren’t engaging enough and Pandemic drags its heals towards an inevitable conclusion. At times it feels like you’re watching a hospital procedure documentary, especially in the opening act, and these scenes fail to affect because they're just not personal enough. That’s the biggest problem with Takahisa’s picture, if you consider the potential of the drama at hand, there’s very little pay off beyond intrigue and curiosity. Intrigue in the storyline and its ramifications, not in the characters and their eventual outcomes.

A captivating scenario and compelling themes are commendable, but Takahisa fails to deliver the goods when it comes to character development and requisite emotion. Pandemic aims high but misses the mark, outstaying its welcome much like the very outbreak it depicts.

REVIEW: ZHANG YIMOU'S BLOOD SIMPLE (R2 DVD)

Film: Blood Simple **
Release date: 18th April 2011
Certificate: 12
Running time: 95 mins
Director: Zhang Yimou
Starring: Sun Honglei, Xiao Shen-Yang, Yan Ni, Ni Dahong, Ye Cheng
Genre: Comedy/Crime/Drama/Martial Arts/Thriller
Studio: Momentum
Format: DVD
Country: China
Reviewer: Adam Wing

A week doesn’t seem to pass these days without an ill-conceived Western remake of an Eastern classic. Hell with it - they don’t even have to be classics anymore. Zhang Yimou is best known for martial arts period dramas like Hero and House of Flying Daggers, but here he turns the tables on Hollywood with a loose remake of the Coen Brothers cult classic Blood Simple.

A strange choice on paper perhaps, and there’s not a lot of evidence on screen to suggest otherwise. Honglei Sun, Xiao Shen-Yang and Ni Yan star in the aptly named A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop, available to own for the first time on R2 DVD. Wang (Dahong Ni) is a miserable noodle shop owner in a desert town, but considering the dim-witted company he keeps it’s hardly surprising. His wife (Ni Yan) feels neglected and finds comfort in the arms of Li (Xiao Shen-Yang), one of her husband’s employees.

Wang finds out about the affair and schemes to murder his adulterous wife and her lover, but situations like this are rarely that straight forward. Li keeps hold of a gun that his lover had bought in order to kill her husband and together they plot his demise. Little do they know that he has bribed patrol officer Zhang (Honglei Sun) in order to kill the illicit couple - it’s a foolproof plan surely, what could possibly go wrong?

Zhang Yimou drops wife-fu swordplay in favour of slapstick comedy and costume drama, so at least the actors look pretty, but did he really have to drop the ball as well? Lets be brutally honest from the word go - it doesn’t really work now, does it? Zhang Yimou has created a beautiful picture, with stunning scenery, outlandish costumes and dazzling cinematography. He’s taken elements of a classic film-noir and combined them with what can best be described as regional humour, and that’s me being polite. Slapstick, juvenile, regional, whatever you want to call it, this unique style of comedy has never travelled well, and it really doesn’t work in a film of this nature. 80’s Jackie Chan caper maybe, loose remake of a moody Coen Brothers favourite - not so much.

The plotting is slight and yet the scattershot themes and characters are all over the place. One early scene finds our four protagonists making dough, which is all well and good if you like watching plate spinning, but quite where it fits in the grand scheme of things is never made clear. Perhaps the scene was included to further prolong a pretty lean running time, because when you take into account the slapstick comedy and needless asides, Zhang Yimou’s Blood Simple doesn’t have a whole lot to say.

Performances are solid throughout, if not a little wide-eyed and over-stated, but the comedy doesn’t translate to a Western world and all that you’re left with is a straightforward premise that’s easy on the eye. The cover art for the DVD release is certainly misleading, suggesting an action epic in the same vein as Hero and House of Flying Daggers, but the cold hard truth is nothing of the sort. Blood Simple may have performed well back home, but on UK shores it will struggle to find an audience.

If you’re going to frame a routine thriller with juvenile humour, make sure it’s funny first. Simply put, A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop misses the mark completely. In fact, it almost makes you want to sample some local cuisine instead.

REVIEW: NORWEGIAN NINJA (R2 DVD)

Film: Norwegian Ninja ***
Release date: 18th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 77 mins
Director: Thomas Cappelen Malling
Starring: Mads Ousdal, Jon Øigarden, Trond-Viggo Torgersen, Linn Stokke, Amund Maarud
Genre: Action/Comedy/Thriller
Studio: E1
Format: DVD
Country: Norway
Reviewer: Adam Wing

From the team that gave us Norway’s first Nazi zombie horror movie comes Thomas Cappelen Malling’s Norwegian Ninja. That’s right, there really is a film called Norwegian Ninja...

The most startling revelation of course is that it’s based on a true story - mostly. We’re talking about the true life tale of Arne Treholt, a former Norwegian Labour Party politician and diplomat convicted of high treason and espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union and Iraq during the Cold War. Treholt's espionage is one of the most serious spy cases in the modern history of Norway. He was arrested in 1984 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, even though the Norwegian government pardoned him in 1992 after serving just 8 years of his punishment. Perhaps we should start again though, just in case you missed the part where the film dared to call itself ‘Norwegian Ninja’.

It’s fairly obvious that Thomas Cappelen Malling’s debut feature doesn’t take itself too seriously, but then, what would you expect from the producers of Dead Snow? In the hyper-surreal world of Norwegian Ninja, Treholt was never a spy. He was of course a bona fide Ninja, entrusted by King Olav to lead a secret force of enlightened shadow warriors called The Ninja Force.

Norwegian Ninja takes place in the time leading up to Treholt's arrest. The Ninjas discover that Stay Behind, a sinister NATO force created to battle the Soviet Union, are planning an attack on Norwegian soil. The Ninjas must defeat the conspirators at all costs in order to keep Norway free. What follows is a loving tribute to all things Bond, with gadgets, ageing ninja’s and skycars aplenty. Not to mention special powers, comedy penguins and hell with it, Norwegian Ninja has comedy penguins - consider me sold.

Dead Snow was a huge success because it arrived with massive crossover appeal, what’s not to love about Nazi zombies and horror comedy? Norwegian Ninja doesn’t have zombies, Nazi’s or horror, which suggests to me that finding an audience might be a little more troublesome. What it does have is comedy, but you’ll be hard pushed to find it if you’re not in tune with this style of humour. The comedy stylings presented throughout are more restrained than you might expect, either that or I just didn’t get it, but Norwegian Ninja comes with a knowing glance and a sprinkling of throwaway highlights all the same.

It’s certainly a curious beast, combining newsreel feeds, documentary footage and surveillance camera hi-jinx to jarring effect. Some of it works brilliantly, and the rest of it masks an obvious lapse in genuine humour. The musical score is often inspired, and gives the film a strangely surreal vibe that serves only to bolster the films oddly enjoyable nature.

Performances are strong throughout, and it helps that everybody on the other side of the camera is on the same page. Thomas Cappelen Malling refuses to go for the easy kill, favouring subtle humour and likeable characters over slapstick comedy. It’s a realistic approach - considering the fact that Norwegian Ninja also embraces absurdities like flying cars and Star Wars style telekinesis - that might be lost on a mainstream audience, but that’s not to say it isn’t a commendable one.

Unfortunately, the offbeat nature of Norwegian Ninja is likely to alienate the movie going masses. Thomas Cappelen Malling should be applauded for refusing to conform, but in doing so he has created a perplexing cinematic oddity. The cheap special effects, espionage trimmings and oddly affecting characters make for compulsive viewing at times; unfortunately any attempts at genuine humour hit and miss with alarming regularity. Maybe it’s just me but Norwegian Ninja should’ve been a whole lot funnier, and despite the best of intentions, Malling’s movie succeeds as a casually comical spy thriller that opts to confuse rather than amuse. No doubt many will embrace the films fantastical flourishes and offbeat eccentricity, but for me Norwegian Ninja remains a well-intentioned failure. If a film were to be judged on originality alone, we’d probably be looking at one of the strongest pictures of the year.

Thanks largely to a brilliant cast, Norwegian Ninja isn’t without an ample dose of charm, but the title alone suggests a more amusing affair, and at the end of the day, that’s my one and only criticism of Malling’s debut feature. When it comes to comedy, Norwegian Ninja just isn’t funny enough.

GREAT NIGHT IN: MEGAMIND (DVD) ****

"To think I left this sitting on the shelf for a while - hell knows why. It's true that I didn't enjoy Skrek much, thought Madagascar was laboured and Kung Fu Panda lacked a certain something (and starred a certain someone I just can't empathise with), but then there was How To Train Your Dragon. It's not as good as How To Train Your Dragon, by the way, but this often hilarious tale about the least successful supervillain the world has ever known is easily the second best film from Dreamworks.

When Megamind actually kills his nemesis, a superhero known as Metro Man, he soon realises that life has no purpose anymore. You just can't have a supervillain without a superhero. Realising that achieving his life's ambition is the worst thing that ever happened to him, Megamind goes to extraordinary lengths to regain some kind of meaning to his world, creating this hilarious journey packed with cracking one-liners, lush imagery, a rocking soundtrack, and Will Ferrell actually starring in two genuinely funny films from 2010. Imagine that... no funny films ever, and then two come at once."

  

SPLATTER CLASSIC: THE MACHINE GIRL (R2 DVD)

Film: The Machine Girl ****
Year: 2008
Certificate: 18
Running time: 97 mins
Director: Noburu Iguchi
Starring: Minase Yashiro, Asami, Kentarô Shimazu
Genre: Action/Comedy/Crime/Horror
Studio: Cine Asia
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

"What would you do if your little brother got bullied for money? What if he couldn't pay enough, so violence breaks out, and he gets murdered? You get mad first, then even, right? Well, what if the bully was the son of a crazy Yakuza crime boss, and he'd just hacked off your left arm as a reminder not to screw with them?

By imbuing the proceedings with an abundance of creatively juicy havoc - some of it fantastically disgusting - including human tempuras, nail-gunned faces, finger sushi, exploding torsos, countless decapitations and girl on girl action with the legendary drill bra - Noburo Iguchi's The Machine Girl makes you wonder how far somebody's imagination can take you, then shows you in all its relentlessly savage violence. More engaging then most splatter-fests, if you haven't already, you really need to witness this hilariously distasteful, gory masterpiece."

  

REVIEW: THE MAN FROM NOWHERE (R2 DVD)

Film: The Man From Nowhere *****

Release date: 11th April 2011

Certificate: 18

Running time: 119 mins

Director: Lee Jeong-beom

Starring: Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hyo-seo, Won Bin

Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller

Studio: E1

Format: DVD

Country: South Korea

Reviewer: Adam Wing

What do you get when you cross action-thriller Taken with The Bourne Identity? One of Korea’s biggest movies of 2010, that’s what. The Man From Nowhere was both a commercial and critical hit back home, picking up Blue Dragon, Daejong and Korean Film Awards along the way.

Won Bin (Mother) won Best Actor at the Daejong and Korean Film Awards, and it’s not hard to see why - The Man from Nowhere brings with it one of the coolest action heroes of the last ten years. It’s a simple concept - a mysterious agent goes to desperate lengths in order to save a girl - which makes way for stylised action and emotional drive. So-mi is played by award-winning child actress Kim Se Ron, and writer-director Lee Jeong Beom takes to the action-thriller genre like a duck to water, adding a welcome does of humanity to the violence and bloodshed.

Tae Sik (Won Bin) runs a pawnshop on the wrong side of town, able to live a quiet life pretty much keeping himself to himself. His only friend, and somewhat reluctantly I might add, is So Mi (Kim Se Ron), a young girl who likes to take refuge in his shop. Trouble comes a calling when So Mi's junkie mother shows up on the scene, hoping to pawn a camera bag - a camera bag full of stolen drugs. Gangsters tear up the pawnshop to get the drugs back, and Tae Sik discovers that So Mi and her mother have been abducted. Tae Sik is presented with an opportunity to rescue the two girls, but in doing so he runs the risk of revealing his own dark past, to both the gangsters and the law enforcement officers hunting them down.

It’s not often that we’re able to embrace the best of both worlds, but Jeong-beom Lee has achieved just that. The Man from Nowhere is blessed with some of the most electrifying action sequences of the year. The close-combat choreography is brutally realistic, and Won Bin is an arresting presence as the stone cold agent with vengeance in mind. Never less than believable, he acquits himself perfectly, striking the right balance between icy cool and fiery as Hell.

As seen in Mother, Won Bin is very much in tune with his softer side, but it’s a balancing act that rarely succeeds in the action-thriller genre. The Man from Nowhere successfully counteracts the rough with the smooth, providing both hard and heart in equal measures. Won Bin might not look like your typical one-man killing machine, but in Tae Sik he has clearly discovered his darker side. It’s a stunning performance, aided by Kim Se Ron, bringing with her the emotional hook on which the films delicate balancing act hinges.

Jeong-beom Lee orchestrates with the deftest of touch, fuelling the burning fires with quick fire editing and dazzling camerawork. Even the most straightforward of scenes - one in particular finds our reluctant hero jumping through a glass window onto the street below - are graced with polish and pizzazz. The camera follows him down to the ground as he rolls back to his feet; it’s a fleeting moment, but a majestic one none the less.

Jeong-beom Lee could’ve walked the same path as similar directors in this field, but The Man from Nowhere feels both comfortably reliable and shiny and new with him at the helm. The characters are perhaps well worn, ranging from silent and deadly to one flew over bat-shit crazy, but conforming to convention is not always a bad thing - especially when the characters are provided by a memorable supporting cast with a penchant for scene stealing. The Man from Nowhere successfully combines violence, bloodshed, heart and soul, courtesy of two pitch-perfect performances, noteworthy support and stirring direction. The action is fast and frantic, and the drama reaches places you weren’t intending to go.

Action-thrillers don’t get much better than this, and even though you didn’t see it coming, there’s a chance you wont be forgetting Won Bin’s man from nowhere in a hurry.

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE: CONFESSIONS (R2 DVD)

Film: Confessions
Release date: 25th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 106 mins
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Starring: Takako Matsu, Masaki Okada, Yoshino Kimura
Genre: Drama/Horror
Studio: Third Window Films
Format: DVD
Country: Japan

Adapted from the award winning debut novel by Kanae Minato, still high on the sugar-coated ripples of critical acclaim with his previous features Kamikaze Girls and Memories Of Matsuko, genre-busting auteur Tetsuya Nakashima returns like a scalded cat with Confessions. Gone are his trademark candy-coloured worlds, replaced by a sinister universe contaminated by disease, bullying and murder. Will Nakashima’s delicious new direction hit the sweet spot once again, or will it leave the audience with sweet Fanny Adams?

Yuko Moriguchi (Takako Matsu) is a middle-school teacher whose 4-year-old daughter is found dead in the school’s swimming pool. Convinced that two of her students were responsible for her daughter's murder she returns to her classroom and begins a final lesson the students will never forget.

Referring to the killers as Student A and Student B, Yuko’s ramblings are at first treated as tommyrot by the children half listening to her inane drivel. Then she reveals that two of the cartons of milk they had been drinking prior to her arrival have been laced with the HIV infected blood of her dead child’s father.

Confessions spill quicker than the milk, as each suspect reveals motives, allies, and a disturbing lack of sympathy. Will Yuko be satisfied with their acceptance of blame, knowing only too well that they aren’t old enough to be truly punished for their actions, or will she decide to end her teaching career by going out with a bang?

He said: All films should be this pretty. Exploring the dark side of adolescence with wit and delicacy, Confessions creates a disturbingly bleak atmosphere that more than compensates for a sparse plot.

She said: Based on the award-winning novel by Minato Kanae, Confessions (a.k.a. Kokuhaku) is a beautiful, tragic and deeply affecting drama about a teacher's terrifying plan to avenge her daughter's murder.

He said: A film more about mood than substance, ordinary teen irritants are blended with the extreme so seamlessly here it’s frightening, as we see when, early on, Student A (a chilling turn by Yukito Nishii as Shuya) reveals his unrivalled genius by creating contraptions to torture cats and dogs and another electrifying invention to stop purse snatchers.

She said: Confessions takes us on a troublesome journey into the minds of Japanese adolescence. Witnessing events from various points of view - the teachers, the students and the parents - each character has their own tale to tell. Told mostly through voice-over, Confessions builds towards a stunning climax, highlighting the tragic realisation of innocence lost.

He said: It’s certainly a haunting tale that will linger long in the memory, helped by a dry sense of humour running all the way through it (the students rendition of KC Band’s ‘That’s The Way I Like It’ is absolutely brilliant), with gruesomeness and giggles combining perfectly, culminating in a genuinely explosive denouement.

She said: Nakashima’s screenplay shifts from character to character, presenting an alternative angle at every turn. The opening act, a thirty-minute indictment if you will, is nothing short of breathtaking. Setting the scene, the uncompromising teacher unveils her vengeful plan to an unruly classroom. It’s remarkably unsettling, and Nakashima keeps the mood grounded in bleakness with images of raindrops, thunderous storm clouds and copious shades of grey.

He said: Takako Matsu’s performance as the scarred teacher is deftly restrained: her intense opening monologue is so gripping you’ll question how thirty minutes have zipped by. But Nakashima masters such a lengthy confession with ease, cutting to cold and harsh visual flashbacks, classroom mayhem and a self-contained story so beautiful it’s almost a disappointment when the new term begins.

She said: Confessions is a tough pill to swallow at times, drowning in corrupted characters and tragic circumstance, but it’s never less than compulsive. Dreamlike sensibilities combine with a haunting score to provide a movie going experience that remains utterly intoxicating throughout.

He said: Clearly helped by an artist who has already mastered the form, Nakashima soaks Kanae Minato’s script in such lush imagery you’ll gladly drown in its dreamy slo-mo sequences (at its stunning best in the pouring rain), entwined with wide-eyed acts of violence that will make the journey uncomfortable but compelling.

 

She said: Confessions provides us with the most breathtaking scene of the year, of quite possibly the last ten years, a sublime tribute to the filmmaking prowess of Tetsuya Nakashima. It’s an explosive end to a deeply affecting movie, a film that wilfully ignores the demands of modern theatre audiences. In the hands of a less capable director we could’ve walked down the all too familiar terrain of all out gore. There is bloodshed and twisted humour to be found, but it’s in keeping with the mood of the piece, and subtle lead performances keep the film grounded without ever resorting to excess - it’s not often you can say that about Japanese cinema these days.

 

He said: Without showing anything overtly, Confessions projects an atmosphere of palpable evil and menace with minimal locations and fuss. Fine-tuned characterizations help a plot structure that could become confusing if not dealt with so brilliantly, but this sophisticated shocker is slightly let down only by the plot’s thinness.

 

She said: Confessions blew me away.

 

He said: It’s obvious the only confession this movie needs to make is that it will blow you away.

 

She said: You won't be able to hear the sound of something important disappearing forever, because thankfully, Confessions is available now for you to behold. If that’s Yuko’s revenge, then I like it.

He said: Bursting with inventive visuals and a slew of nasty surprises, Confessions is a beautiful piece of work harmonized with a cracking soundtrack, brilliant screenplay and wonderful performances. Put simply, the best film of 2011.

REVIEW: SEA WOLF (R2 DVD)

Film: Sea Wolf ***
Release date: Out Now
Certificate: 15
Running time: 178mins
Director: Mike Barker
Starring: Sebastian Koch, Stephen Campbell Moore, Neve Campbell, Tim Roth
Genre: Drama/Action
Format: DVD
Country: Canada/Germany
Reviewer: Daryl Wing

Inspired by the Jack London novel, Sea Wolf has already been adapted for the screen twelve times, starring such prestigious names as John Garfield, Barry Sullivan, Christopher Reeve and, lest we forget, Charles Bronson. With Mike Barker (Best Laid Plans, Butterfly on a Wheel) at the helm and an impressive cast including Tim Roth and Neve Campbell, will this two-part mini-series prove to be lucky at the thirteenth attempt?

Wolf Larsen (Sebastian Koch), the ruthless Captain of the notorious seal hunting vessel Sea Wolf, takes onboard pompous castaway Humphrey Van Wyden (Stephen Campbell Moore), a literary critic who hasn’t done a hard day’s work in his life.

Instead of abandoning him at the next harbour, Wolf puts him to work, ruling over him with an intractable iron fist. To Wolf's surprise, the graft transforms Van Wyden into a hardened adversary – almost every bit as formidable as Wolf himself.

But the arrival of Wolf’s brother and arch-rival, Death (Tim Roth), and the rescue of another castaway, Maud (Neve Campbell), the beautiful daughter of a rival ship owner, creates friction aplenty - our male adversaries giving the seals a day off to fight over love, life, and pretty much everything else…

Though this swashbuckling epic seldom strays from entertaining, its impressive pacing diverting enough to ensure there’s no time to ponder a lack of backstory or characterization, Sea Wolf struggles to stay afloat because apart from Van Wyden and Maud (a sweetly innocent Neve Campbell), the rest of the cast are about as likeable as fish fingers. Stephen Campbell Moore continues his impressive rise by trying his best as our main protagonist, but not even Rick Stein could cook up enough empathy for a man who can’t even defend his career choice convincingly, let alone a damsel in distress.

Similar to The Call of the Wild, Jack London’s previous bestseller, The Sea Wolf tells the story of a soft, well-educated protagonist, from a wealthy background, forced to toughen up by exposure to cruelty and brutality. The screenplay by Nigel Williams (with over thirty years’ experience writing for television) differs from the original text, beginning with an ‘accident’ that sees Van Wyden set adrift at sea. In the novel the ferry he is travelling on collides with another ship and sinks – a case of keeping the budget in check after blowing most of it on high profile actors.

Whereas Van Wyden’s transformation from weakling to warrior is slightly unconvincing (his personality swims with and then against the tide so often it’s nauseating), Wolf Larsen’s brutal and cynical persona barely changes throughout the three hours on offer here, equally frustrating despite attempts to convince us he’s actually highly intelligent and intellectual. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt him to read some Ben Elton every once in a while. Instead, he displays characteristics of a sociopath as he murders and abuses people without hesitation, seeing no value in life. His only weakness is his brother Death (an even grumpier Tim Roth), because his brother is simple minded, a cripple, and so is able to enjoy life unburdened.

One of the key events in both the film and the book is an attempted mutiny against Wolf Larsen by several members of the crew. Those that suffered mostly in the opening half of the film have enough reasons to justify such an attack, and other members of the ship’s compliments are willing to put the final boot in, but without allowing any of the characters a backstory of any kind, all you’ll really be left wondering is why on earth they decided to board the ship in the first place.

Worse still, Larsen, demonstrating his inhuman endurance, strength, and conviction by squashing potatoes in his bare hands (honestly), manages to escape relatively unharmed, and the next day the crew are back doing what they do best – oddly obeying Larsen’s bullying orders as if nothing ever happened, hindering a film that belies its lengthy running time with some decent swashbuckling and impressive visual effects.

The second part of the tale is easily the better of the two, when Larsen’s ship, the Ghost, picks up another castaway (the novel has them pick up more than the lovely Campbell), hinting at a past relationship between herself and Van Wyden. Straying from the original text once again, their past is rarely touched upon, the relationship never openly discussed and barely hinted at, which annoys, especially as Wolf Larsen also feels something for her (not that we need any more conflict).

There are few surprises or bursts of originality here, especially when Van Wyden and Maud decide they can repair the ship after becoming stranded on an island, whilst Larsen, suffering from yet another headache, is rendered blind, yet still manages to hunt them down. His tedious headaches further cripple the plot, with no hint of an explanation as to what they may be caused by – instead we’re just left to swallow the feeble plot device, one that will ultimately lead to the unsatisfying finale. There is, however, a strong desire to entertain, and it does manage to do so, despite every character somehow managing to grumble and groan throughout.

The action is plentiful, the setting is opulent and the whole journey moves at an old-fashioned, ship-steady pace aided by a satisfying score. Yet Sea Wolf is ransacked by miserable characters that lack empathy and two pantomime villains that eventually lack menace.

REVIEW: MY SOUL TO TAKE (R2 DVD)

Film: My Soul To Take *

Release Date: Out Now

Certificate: 18

Running Time: 102 mins

Director: Wes Craven

Starring: Max Thieriot, Emily Meade, Frank Grillo, Denzel Whitaker, Zena Grey

Genre: Horror

Format: DVD

Reviewer: Adam Wing

If you had to choose one word to describe the directorial career of Wes Craven, you would probably go with something along the lines of ‘inconsistent’. Before and after granting the movie world with one of its biggest icons, master of horror Craven has had more than his fair share of misses.

For every Scream there has been a Vampire in Brooklyn, for every Red Eye a Cursed - don’t even get me started on Deadly Blessing. Both Shocker and The People Under the Stairs hit the mark, as did early contenders The Hills Have Eyes and The Last House on the Left. The problem is of course, until the release of slasher sequel Scream 4; the last entry on his C.V. will always read My Soul To Take. It’s a good job we don’t have long to wait then, or then again, maybe not - perhaps we should all be lowering our expectations right about now.

Written and directed by Wes Craven, My Soul To Take introduces the world to a whole new bogeyman - the terrifying tale of the Riverton Ripper. As legend has it, the Ripper swore he would return to murder the seven children born on the night he died. Now, 16 years later, people are disappearing again - this is the part where you need to pay close attention. Has the psychopath come back to take revenge? Did he survive the night he was left for dead? Has he been reincarnated as one of the seven teens, and will you stick around long enough to find out? Only one of the seven has the answers, and Wes is going to make you work damn hard to find it, but if they hope to save their friends they must face an evil that just won't rest. Well I say that, the chances of a sequel are pretty slim now so there’s a good chance he’ll get some rest tonight.

The opening ten minutes, rather than setting the tone of the movie, only serves to confuse and frustrate. Structurally My Soul To Take is a mess from start to finish. Compare the first act to that of the original Scream and the differences are obvious. Events are explained away as the movie progresses, but it’s hard to invest in a film so out of tune. The Scream series introduced us to a group of likeable teenagers, but Craven’s latest is blessed with neither the screenwriting talent of Kevin Williamson, nor the acting credentials of Neve Campbell and friends.

Leading man Adam (Max Thieriot) is impossible to believe in, largely because he’s so incredibly wet. His character is supposed to be troubled, but Thieriot is incapable of channelling the inner demons required for the role, leaving us with a whiny teenager who rarely convinces. The rest of the cast is made up of disposable teen fodder, none of whom seem capable of making a lasting impression - unless of course, you’re talking about on the end of a very sharp knife.

Craven frames real world events with dreamlike surroundings, reminiscent of A Nightmare on Elm Street, but nowhere near as effective. Adam’s hallucinations lack credibility and invention, feeling formulaic rather than frightful. Not only that, but Wes regularly mistakes verbal aggression for genuine fear, and make no mistake about it, The Riverton Ripper is the nastiest villain he has ever put on screen. The bogeymen in Craven’s classics have always been a little bit comical - Elm Street, Scream, The People Under the Stairs - memorable villains of course, but not entirely clever. The Riverton Ripper swears, stabs and swipes in all the appropriate places, but fails to set the screen on fire with a dreadful costume and a very bad hair day.

Unable to change gears, My Soul To Take stumbles into an overly talky final act, and a fearless finale free of any tension - the final confrontation itself wouldn’t feel out of place in an episode of Scooby Doo. The acting is poor, there are precious few scares, and the characters are blessed with memorable dire-logue like “It’s not ok for everybody to be killing each other all the time” - well I’m glad we cleared that one up. The worst crime of all is that Wes doesn’t seem to be trying, and if this is a sign of things to come, then the prospects of a second Scream trilogy are escaping through the cat flap as we speak. The good news is that Wes has picked himself up before, so chances are this is just another blip on his colourful career.

My Soul To Take lacks passion, heart and scares. Not to mention good writing, a memorable villain and worthwhile performances. It’s a mess of a movie that would probably have Ghost Face running for cover, a horror film in which the soul of the title was clearly lost before filming began.

HORROR CLASSIC? THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE

Film: The Slumber Party Massacre **
Year: 1982
Certificate: 18
Running Time: 73 mins
Director: Amy Holden Jones
Starring: Michele Michaels, Robin Stille, Michael Villella, Debra Deliso
Genre: Horror
Format: DVD
Reviewer: Adam Wing

When it comes to revisiting classic horror movies of the eighties, it’s hard to ignore a movie that dares to call itself The Slumber Party Massacre. So I did what any self respecting film fan would do in this type of situation - I tracked down a copy as soon as possible. For arts sake, obviously. From a certain point of view, The Slumber Party Massacre doesn’t let you down. It’s a film about a girls slumber party, which means you’re forced to sit through the obligatory taking off of clothes, and the unavoidable putting on of skimpy nightwear. Then there’s the occasional shower scene, and don’t forget the whole ‘massacre’ part of proceedings. There’s bloodshed - usually naked - but there’s definitely bloodshed.

An eighteen-year-old high school girl is left at home alone, so she decides to have a slumber party. There’s friction between some of the guests and a new girl in town, but that’s about as deep as it gets, I really don’t want to overcomplicate matters. So the new girl decides to stay at home (just across the street from the host's house) to take care of her sister. Meanwhile, a radio broadcast informs us that a murderer - with a keen eye for power tools - is at large, and is making his way to the party. I’m pretty sure he has a back-story, but to be honest, any attempts at depth felt over-ambitious.

Before you cry ‘exploitation’, lets consider the facts. The Slumber Party Massacre was written, produced and directed by women. So there you have it, now run to the fridge and fetch me a cold one. There’s no sex of course, but there’s more than enough flesh on display, delivered alongside a bevy of classic lines like “I think your tits are getting bigger”. It really is that well written. The killer himself is about as scary as a kitten in a dress, and the death scenes - of which there are many - are less intimidating than taking your niece to The Bear Factory on a lazy afternoon. It’s amazing we never made it to major franchise territory, because The Slumber Party Massacre is just as bad as any of the Friday the 13th sequels, but with added tit.

I know what you’re thinking, how can I ignore a slasher movie called The Slumber Party Massacre? If you check out the trailer it will only encourage you more. Do yourself a favour though, put your hormones on hold and listen to common sense. If you’re anything like me then I apologise, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

REVIEW: THE DETECTIVE ( R2 DVD)

Film: The Detective ****
Release date: 11th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 109 mins
Director: Oxide Pang
Starring: Aaron Kwok, Liu Kai-chi, Wong Tak-bun, Lau Siu-ming, Lai Yiu-cheung
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Studio: Terracotta
Format: DVD
Country: Hong Kong
Reviewer: Adam Wing

The Pang Brothers are back. The most infuriating filmmakers in the world today, Danny and Oxide Pang have been taking us on a ride to cinematic Heaven and Hell for the past twelve years. Often inspiring, often insipid, you get the idea. They’ve been making films together since the dawn of time (not bad for a pair of directors still in their forties) and for every work of art (Bangkok Dangerous, The Eye, Recycle) there has been a work of arse (The Messengers, The Eye Infinity, The Storm Warriors). Their solo projects are even more puzzling, ranging from intermittently entertaining to darn right annoying.

Of the two brothers Danny would appear to be the least talented behind the camera, either that or his choice of solo projects have been decidedly dubious. In Love With The Dead, Forest Of Death and Leave Me Alone leave a lot to be desired, and believe me; I really wanted to like these movies. Oxide’s output frustrates because his solo projects, while entertaining, still feel uneven and lack the killer blow of their work together. Both Diary and Abnormal Beauty have a lot going for them, but there’s something missing with both of these movies, resulting in a watchable experience rather than an unmissable one. The Detective arrives on DVD this month courtesy of Terracotta Distribution.

Aaron Kwok stars as Tam, an occasionally dim-witted private detective who doesn’t have what it takes to become a police officer. The Chinese title of the film translates to C+ Detective, which pretty much says it all really. He takes a job from an associate of his, which requires him to track down a girl from a photograph. The associate claims that the girl is trying to kill him, but Tam remains uninterested until he puts a pile of cash on the table. Bodies are uncovered, mysteries are unearthed and Aaron Kwok truly captivates, aided by fine camera work and a note-worthy script that teases in all the right places.

Oxide is armed with an intriguing story, and even though he’s been found guilty of pulling the same rabbit out the same hat before, there’s more to his style than cheap jump cuts and boisterous sound design. Similar tools of suspense are used here but they’re put to better use in a genre not already drowning in the stuff. Oxide's visual style is always compelling, not to mention 'itchy'. There's an unease running through the heart of the picture that keeps you hooked. Then there's Kwok's performance, a term that can’t always be relied upon, but Kwok truly owns The Detective and it’s a good job too, because he’s barely off screen. A fine supporting turn from Liu Kai-Chi aids him; Liu plays old friend and fulltime ‘proper’ police officer Chak.

Let's not forget Oxide’s input though, keeping things moving without ever taking his eye off the prize - he may have learnt a few lessons from the past after all. Oxide’s visual talent should never be denied, but he has been known to drop the ball when it comes to coherence and storytelling. Not that Oxide allows you to contemplate, he returns to his horror routes whenever the pace slows down - utilising a series of familiar jump cuts and loud noises - but with The Detective in never feels at all intrusive, the calm in this case is punctured by car chases, explosions and suicidal butchers. That's not to say The Detective is perfect. There’s a back-story that doesn’t really go anywhere and a few developments are never truly explained, at least not to a satisfactory standard. Pang attempts to tie up the loose ends with a handy final scene, but only really addresses some of the issues of an over-ambiguous script.

The DVD comes with a Making of Featurette, Behind the Scenes at the Gala - World Premiere, UK trailers, insights into Terracotta Distribution and an introduction by Oxide Pang himself. With regards to the movie, Oxide has delivered a highly enjoyable detective thriller, a ride you’ll be more than willing to take. The Pang Brothers are set to infuriate me until the end of days, I know that, but that doesn’t mean I wont be watching. The Detective isn't quite up there with the best of the brothers back catalogue, but it's certainly a reminder of their talent behind the camera. Generally speaking, a step in the right direction for the Pang Brothers is a cut above the rest of world cinema, and with news that a sequel is already in production; there’s never been a better time to catch up with Oxide’s energetic opening.

Offbeat, unconventional and brought to life by a director free to escape his horror-infused comfort zone, it doesn’t take a detective to work out where this review is headed.