REVIEW: FACE TO FACE (R2 DVD)

Film: Face To Face ****
UK release date: 20th June 2011
Year: 1967
Certificate: 12
Running time: 107 mins
Director: Sergio Sollima
Starring: Tomas Milian, Gian Maria Volonté, William Berger, Jolanda Modio, Gianni Rizzo, Carole André
Genre: Western/Action
Format: DVD
Country: Italy
Reviewer: Daryl Wing

His films never received the acclaim that two of his contemporaries Sergio Leone and Sergio Corbucci rightfully earned, but Italian auteur Sergio Sollima’s movies still deserve a wider audience. Face To Face (Faccia a Faccia), the second of his three westerns speedily sandwiched between 1966 and 1968, is considered one of his best, and the gang-busting, gun-toting actioner is finally released in the United Kingdom.

Upstanding history professor Brad Fletcher (Gian Maria Volonte) is reluctantly forced into retirement by his poor health and decides to move west for the warmer climate.

Almost as soon as he arrives, however, he is taken hostage by famed bandit Solomon Bennett (Tomas Milian), who needs to escape the attentions of the local sheriff, and by necessity Fletcher is forced to take up with his cohorts as they try to reunite the Wild Gang.

But the educated man's growing identification with the gang encourages him to stage a takeover from Bennett, and a crueler system of leadership is put into place just as Pinkerton Charley Siringo’s (William Berger) plans to rid Purgatory City of the gang appear to be succeeding…

If you don’t fight, you fail, and Brad Fletcher certainly isn’t the failing kind. On his death bed at the start of the film, along with Bennett who was shot in its opening exchanges, his transformation from teacher to tormentor is slick and convincing, even if the whereabouts of his illness gets lost in the baron landscapes of this intriguing western. His line, “you couldn’t have chosen a worse hostage, let’s just say I’m dying” to Bennett is slightly perplexing at first, but in time it’s clear that only his lust for life is fading fast.

Any quibbles about his desire to help Bennett instead of running are quickly brushed aside by both the beautiful visuals and, most importantly, the talented personalities along the way, ranging from Berger’s clever turn as Charley Siringo, who convinces his nemesis to reunite the Wild Gang in order to rid them from the fantastically named Purgatory City once and for all; a beautiful woman called Maria (Jolanda Modio), who questionably falls for Fletcher after being beaten and raped by him; to Rusty Rogers (Francisco Sanz), an all too brief but welcome comedic turn as an elderly man clinging on to his pointless existence by insisting he is still a wanted man even after thirty years in the wilderness.

Sollima isn’t afraid to pepper the screen with unsettling imagery, as a rabbit is shot, women are treated as punch bags then raped, families are massacred (including a frighteningly fantastic shot of the vigilantes appearing over the sand dunes) and a child is silenced by a bullet for daring to tell the Sheriff about the bank raid as he sits snoozing in the sizzling sun. The resulting shoot-out is easily the best moment from the film, as the perfectly planned heist is turned on its head in bloody, exhilarating fashion.

It’s here Sollima ups the ante plot-wise too, discarding of most of the Wild Bunch in order to concentrate on Fletcher’s creepy transformation, and Bennett’s disapproval of such, despite being solely responsible for turning the man into a monster. Fletcher, described early on as “from up North, he reads a lot of books”, and who at the midway point tries to guilt-trip the gang from stealing money from a mail coach by reading the accompanying letter, begins his slippery slope when he falls for the beautiful Maria. An excellent standoff against the lightning-quick gunslinger Bennett whets his appetite further, but it’s only when he realizes what an intelligent man can do in a town like Purgatory that he truly discovers his lust for life again – a fascinating journey mapped out in jaw-dropping style.

Face To Face also has its problems though. The search for final gang member Zachary is a little too long, and then brushed under the carpet as the audience aren’t given enough time to bond with him, which is a disaster when Sollima decides it will be him who turns traitor and leads the vigilantes in the film’s finale. How Bennett gets to his comrades before the marauding mob is even less believable, whether he knows the dessert inside out or not, and his escape from jail, lazily, is never even explained. The final showdown also raises eyebrows, not because the odds of fifty being defeated by two mercenaries need to be shortened, or because Bennett remembers how bad to the bone he actually is, but because Pinkerton Siringo baffles us with another change of heart that sits as out of place as Fletcher’s mutation into a sex-starved rapist.

An effective combination of genuine thrills, traditional storytelling, lush imagery and an outstanding naturalistic performance from its lead helps make Face To Face a fun, likeable western, and despite its flaws is imitated by many but bettered by few.

GREAT NIGHT IN: TANGLED (R2 DVD/BLU-RAY) ****

"When Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), the kingdom’s most wanted bandit, hides in a mysterious tower, the last thing he expects to find is Rapunzel (Mandy Moore). A hidden Princess, snatched from her kingdom in order to restore youth to the bitter Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), Rapunzel is a spirited teen with the unlikeliest of superpowers - that would be 70 feet of magical golden hair then. Together with a bunch of madcap creations, including the funniest chameleon ever to grace the big screen, Rapunzel sets out to learn the truth and maybe, just maybe, rediscover her roots (sorry). She’ll probably do a bit of singing and dancing along the way as well.

In this day and age it’s easy to forget the Disney of old, classics like Beauty & the Beast and The Lion King will forever stand the test of time, but computer technology has given animation a new face and it’s not always a pretty sight. New and old collide like never before in Disney’s latest feature length animation, a new twist on one of the most hair-raising tales ever told. The animation is sublime, a high definition experience you can’t afford to miss - it really is a visual feast from start to finish. So far, so shiny and new then, but it’s the old school styling that sets Tangled apart from the chasing pack.

Song and dance routines, quirky sidekicks, evil villains and dashing rogues - everything we have come to expect from the Disney of old, tied up with a knowing glance and a giant helping of laughs. For once, the dashing rogue is more than just a pretty face; in fact he’s actually one of the funniest characters in the movie. Pascal the chameleon takes top honours though, closely followed by Maximus, the smartest horse in the Disney universe, even if he does think he’s a bloodhound - but we’ll let that go for now. Murphy’s Mother Gothel makes for a refreshing big bad, lacking in special powers but packing one hell of a singing voice. The romance never feels forced either.

All in all, a good hair day is had by all - Tangled is the freshest, funniest and most enjoyable Disney fairytale in years. Nothing to be Grimm about here, so let your hair down and enjoy the ride."

REVIEW: TRACKER (R2 DVD/BLU-RAY)

Film: Tracker ***

Release date: Out Now

Certificate: 12

Running time: 98 mins

Director: Ian Sharp

Starring: Ray Winstone, Temuera Morrison, Andy Anderson, Mark Mitchinson, Gareth Reeves

Genre: Drama/Action

Format: DVD/BLU-RAY

Country: New Zealand

Reviewer: Daryl Wing

English-born Director Ian Sharp’s best work is arguably five episodes for the excellent television series Robin Of Sherwood (1984). Most of his other credits have also been for the gogglebox, whether it be a movie or part of a continuing drama. It’s therefore hard to get too excited about his return after an eight year absence; that is until you discover heavyweights Ray Winstone (who also found fame in Sherwood) and Temuera Morrison (the one and only Jango Fett) star in his freshest offering, Tracker, set in New Zealand’s spectacular landscape.

It’s 1903, and Arjan (Winstone), a guerrilla survivor of the South African Boer War, has landed in colonial New Zealand and is promised a generous bounty to capture Kereama (Morrison), a Maori seafarer accused of killing a British soldier.

Being such a successful tracker, what should be a simple job for Arjan turns into a dangerous game of cat and mouse as Kereama is no fool himself, repeatedly escaping, all the while insisting he is innocent.

As each man gains and loses the upper hand, they find they have more in common than simply a mutual hatred of the British, who aren’t far behind, by now suspicious of Arjan and desperate to capture Kereama once and for all…

Read the full review by clicking on the above picture.

10 REASONS TO WALK WITH THE DEAD

Easily one of the best television shows from 2010, The Walking Dead is a well-acted, unsettlingly convincing portrayal of a society tearing itself apart, quite literally. The premise is hardly original, Police Officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies, based on the American comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, and the scenes of brutality (a joy to witness such terror on the small screen), although exhilarating, play second fiddle to character conflicts and deceptions that grip harder than the undead.

There really is nothing else like it (that doesn't mean we want to see cheap imitations), so let’s make a toast to the brave souls that believed in a story following a group of people trying to survive in a world stricken by a zombie apocalypse, and reminisce about the good old days with the best moments from season one…

1. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”

Andrew Lincoln makes for a strong lead, but there’s a surfeit of fault-free support throughout the series. The opening episode’s Lennie James is so endearing it’s heart-breaking to watch as his character Morgan attempts to right a wrong and put his beloved wife out of her misery with a shot to the head from the bedroom window. At the same time, Grimes is putting another lame dog down, this time with more success, in a moment so gut-wrenching you end up feeling as sorry for the zombie as for our leading man.

2. “Other horses too, I bet…”

With the promise of food, safety, shelter, and maybe a couple of horses to gallop with, Grimes convinces a gee-gee to take him to Atlanta after failing to find other suitable transport. But it is a good horse that never stumbles, and after easily outrunning two of the undead waiting for a bus, a helicopter flying overhead leads Grimes and his comrade into the path of hundreds of starved flesh-eaters quite capable of, well, eating a horse. Animal lovers look away now…

3. “Have you been listening?”

Trapped in a tank, surrounded by walkers, Grimes must escape to an alley fifty yards away with fifteen rounds of ammo, the help of a stranger communicating via radio and one piece of advice, “Make a run for it.” Thus begins a frantic shooting spree, starting with a spade to the head, lots of dead undead, a bullet to spare in case things turn really nasty, and an impressive introduction for his future allies. It’s just a shame they aren’t so happy to see him…

4. “You got something you wanna tell me?”

Forced onto the rooftop for safety, Grimes is introduced to one-man-army Merle Dixon (the excellent Michael Rooker), who has just decided it’s democracy time, sermonizing the others with racist poppycock, allowing his fists to finish every sentence. It doesn’t help that eventually Merle wins the audience over, up to a point, and because his denouement hangs in the balance, Rooker’s return in season two is mouth-watering to say the least; especially as his more likeable brother Daryl (Norman Reedus) hit the roof when he discovered the others left his sibling for dead, handcuffed to one.

5. “One more thing, he’s an organ donor.”

Poor old Wayne from Georgia - not only did the poor fella get attacked by zombies, resulting in his own transformation, now even that has ended, and he lays lifeless on the floor, fun times with his girlfriend Rachel a distant memory, not even able to spend the few dollars in his wallet. Luckily, if Grimes ever finds his family again, he’s going to tell them about poor old Wayne, possibly omitting the part where he takes an axe and butchers the wretched soul in order to smear blood and guts of the deceased over his and Glenn’s (Steven Yeun) bodies to disguise that their vital organs are still intact. A bit like Shaun Of The Dead (2004), with the humour notched down to zero, our heroes, looking like two of Lady Gaga’s backing singers, almost make it past a ravenous mob of slain subjects when the heavens burst wide open...

6. “You got some balls for a Chinaman.”

I’m not sure what the worst job is, delivering pizza or sneaking down a street full of the living dead to retrieve a bag of guns and ammo, and the Deputy’s hat. Wayne teams up with Daryl, covering the Korean with a crossbow in this memorable melee, but their plans go awry in the shape of a gang of thugs who also have their eyes on the prize. They’re not that bothered about the hat, which is probably why it takes Grimes so long to back his friends up, but the group get a much-needed kick up the backside, whilst one of their foes gets an arrow up his instead.

7. “I told you all to leave me the hell alone.”

Whether you try and be discreet or not, out of toilet paper means out of luck, especially after nightfall, giving sister Andrea (Laurie Holden) a serious case of the birthday blues. A wife-beating lout may deserve every bit of his punishment, but the camp, outnumbered for the most part, is crippled by numerous body-ripping losses, in a bloody battle that thankfully reignites episode four, and is the catalyst for two of the best moments this series proudly offers. Welcome back boys, your timing is impeccable…

8. “I’m here now, Amy.”

Daylight offers little in the way of support as Daryl refuses to accept the decision to stop burning the bodies, allowing others the time to mourn and bury their loved ones. Apparently, that’s what people do. Daryl is probably right to disagree. He knows, unlike the others, that what a person shouldn’t do is cradle a zombie in their arms, regardless of kin, and apologise for not being around as the undead slowly becomes just that. So yes, Andrea, time heals all wounds and you're here now, which may or may not be all that matters, but it still doesn't explain why you haven’t blown her bloody head off. What are you waiting for? One extremely tense and nerve-shredding second later, Daryl holds his hands up and admits he may’ve got that one wrong.

9. “The camera, it moved.”

It’s 194 days since Wildfire was declared, 63 days since the disease went global, there’s no clinical progress to report and Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) doesn’t like company much. Not a good time for the group to decamp at CDC (Center for Disease Control), praying that Grimes is right to believe his old pal Morgan, whom fancied a cure was on the verge of being found. Instead, our survivors are discovered by more walkers, and Jenner can either let them all die outside, or against his wishes, he can open the door and share a few bottles of vino. Either way, their heads are going to hurt in the morning…

10. “You don’t get to do that.”

Pop quiz, hotshot… topside’s locked down, decontamination is imminent, you have one grenade, two minutes and no solution – what do you do? What do you do? A whisper in the ear sends Grimes and most of the crew packing, but Andrea decides to stay. It isn’t what Amy would want, but she’s dead, and adopted grandfather Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) isn’t having a bar of it. In the most touching scene of the series, DeMunn reveals all his thespian qualities and delivers a truly emotional tour de force that convinces Andrea to save herself, re-joining the others in living hell. Er…

MUST OWN: THE WALKING DEAD (DVD/BLU-RAY) ****

"The premise is hardly original: Police Officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies, but The Walking Dead isn't a one-off feature. Based on the monthly black and white American comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, this release is hopefully the first of many seasons, following a group of people trying to survive in a world stricken by a zombie apocalypse.

Director Frank Darabont (The Mist, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption) has truly delivered with this well-acted, unsettlingly convincing portrayal of a society tearing itself apart, quite literally. The scenes of brutality, a joy to see such terror on the small screen, are eventually the least interesting thing about the series; the character conflicts and deceptions gripping harder than the undead. And yet, the action and chills throughout will offer up enough surprises to satisfy an audience that thought they had seen it all - an unmissable experience."  

REVIEW: PSALM 21 (R2 DVD)

Film: Psalm 21 **

UK Release Date: 30th May 2011

Certificate: 15

Running time: 114 mins

Director: Fredrik Hiller

Starring: Jonas Malmsjo, Niklas Falk, Bjorn Bengtsson, Gorel Crona

Genre: Horror

Format: DVD

Country: Sweden

Reviewer: Adam Wing

Thomas Alfredson’s Let The Right One In is one of the strongest horror films of the last ten years, so I’m surprised that it’s taken this long for another Swedish horror movie to surface. Though to be fair, there’s a good chance that similar efforts have passed me by, because this latest offering arrives without the fanfare of Alfredson’s celebrated classic.

Directed by Fredrik Hiller, Psalm 21 is a routine thriller dressed in religious robes and familiar horror tassels. A film in which everybody acts suspiciously and the CGI enhanced demons outstay their welcome. Billed as a horror movie, you’ll be better serviced if you ignore the booming bass lines and quick-fire editing; no cliché is too contrived in Fredrik Hilller’s overindulgent oddity.

When popular Stockholm priest Henrik Horneus (Jonas Malmsjo) learns of his father's death from an apparent drowning accident, he travels to a desolate village in order to investigate the mysterious death. However, his arrival at the village sets dark forces into motion, opening a door to the other side where ghosts from the past cross over into the real world. Solving the mystery of his father’s death could prove to be the least of Henrik’s worries though, first he should think about saving his soul from the hell that consumes him.

Hiller’s direction is well intentioned, and the moody cinematography and creepy sound design occasionally hit home, but the Sixth Sense styling fails to disguise a horror movie that went out of fashion ten years ago. Thankfully, what Psalm 21 lacks in originality it makes up for in powerful performances. Jonas Malmsjo makes for a convincing lead, providing the film with a jittery, uneasy representation of a man losing his faith.

On the edge throughout, he is perhaps Psalm 21’s one true breath of fresh air, reigning in his performance at just the right moments. That said - running in slow motion should be left to the likes of David Hasselhoff and Megan Fox - though we can’t really blame Malmsjo for that one. Per Ragnar steals the show with an all too brief portrayal of Gabriel Horneus, lighting up the screen with a venomous display that would put Ian McDiarmid’s Sith Lord to shame.

The rest of the cast are on top form as well, a lesson to be learned by the effects team, who somehow manage to destroy all their good work with ham-fisted attempts at shock factor and scares. Had Fredrik Hiller dispensed with the precarious horror elements, Psalm 21 could’ve proved a worthwhile proposition. There’s precious little tension to be bled from the cloth of discontent, and the demonic effects are laughable rather than laudable. The screenplay is no less original, but the routine thriller elements do at least hit the right notes from time to time.

It’s all very familiar, hidden beneath a religious overcoat that tries in vain to take itself seriously, but despite the best of intentions, Psalm 21 stands in the shadow of every Asian ghost story from the past ten years. Psalm 21 runs out of steam after 70 minutes, tying up its loose ends but refusing to close the door. Fredrik Hiller takes his tale back to church, hammering home the well-worn themes of faithlessness and denial. It’s a powerful indictment that loses its edge, thanks largely to the routine nature of all that has gone before it. Jonas Malmsjo refuses to go down with the sinking ship of mediocrity, as do the rest of the cast, and together they just about disguise the banality of it all.

Never quite knowing which way to go, Psalm 21 fails to ignite as both a horror movie and a thrilling character study. The scares are uninspired, the twists too clearly signposted, and were it not for the exceptional work of the actors involved, Psalm 21 would’ve surrendered its soul long before the final credits roll.

REVIEW: YOUNG BRUCE LEE (R2 DVD)

Film: Young Bruce Lee ***
Release date: 30th May 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 90 mins
Director: Raymond Yip & Manfred Wong
Starring: Tony Leung Ka Fai, Christy Chung, Aarif Rahman, Jennifer Tse, Michelle Ye
Genre: Drama/Biopic/Action
Format: DVD
Reviewer: Daryl Wing

Bruce Lee is regarded by many as the greatest martial arts legend who ever lived. Produced by Robert Lee, his younger brother, and based on his own first-hand experience, Young Bruce Lee pays homage to the man who, uniquely, brought the power and majesty of Chinese Kung Fu to millions around the world. Directed by Raymond Yip and Manfred Wong, it arrives from the studio that brought you Jet Li's Warlords and the acclaimed Infernal Affairs Trilogy.

Almost named Push Lee by a confused father, Bruce (Aarif Rahman) was born in the year of the dragon and raised into a large family, spending most of his childhood swearing, fighting and performing in various movies, following in the footsteps of his pop, Cantonese opera artist Lee Hoi Chuen (Tony Leung).

Academically though, Lee is struggling, preferring to hang out with a close group of friends as they, quite literally, dance the nights away in clubs. Cocky but good-looking, Lee is inevitably caught up in a love triangle, and decides to distance himself, concentrating on his passion for boxing. A chance encounter with Charlie Owen (Alex Yen), the British boxing champion, results in a dream boxing bout.

With Owen demanding a rematch, the group of friends slowly part, following their own paths to happiness. And yet they must join forces one last time to help one of their own – one of Lee’s closest friends, Lau-lin Kong, who is throwing his future away thanks to a hellish drug addiction...

Young Bruce Lee is a two-hour drama with very little of the essential ingredient. On paper it’s big on ideas but, disappointingly, thin on conflict – a flimsy love triangle with Lee torn between two beautiful sweethearts, a boxing champ looking for revenge tagged on at the end, a family coping with the fall of Hong Kong, a young man battling his drug addiction, and Lee embarking on a movie career that will inevitably lead to stardom suggests great things. It doesn’t deliver. The real distinction of the film is that it crumbles under the weight of expectancy, with the final act the only thing that will please fans of Bruce Lee, the legend, rather than Phoenix Lee, the ordinary kid whose years growing up were at the very best, dull.

Yip and Wong sidestep the meatier aspects of Lee’s life, instead creating a dreamy atmosphere that tries to piece together several key moments, managing to conjure up a disappointing opening two acts in which very little actually happens. Skipping many years in the process, ditching action sequences just as the audience shift forward onto the edge of their seats, the two auteurs replace friction with birthday buns, a game of marbles and dancing the cha cha. Until the last half hour, the latter is easily the most exciting scene, choreographed and filmed in a surprisingly breathtaking manner.

But is this what the audience want to see? Bruce Lee’s brother, producer Robert Lee, clearly thinks so, and although discovering that the legend couldn’t ride a bike, swore like a trooper when he was barely old enough to walk, was pretty hopeless with girls and could put Patrick Swayze in the corner is fairly interesting, it doesn’t really justify a lengthy running time that sugarcoats his family before bombarding us with some sensational action sequences that somehow sit out of place. This, coming from a Bruce Lee movie, is astonishing.

Nevertheless, they are undeniably welcome – reward for observing such a damp squid of a film. With the help of slick cinematography, the scenes have a sleek, shadowy look that owes as much to Lee’s famous flicks from yesteryear as much to Stallone’s Rocky franchise. A strange score during the frantic no-holds-barred rematch between Lee and Owen is slightly distracting, but this is the best moment of the film, with the drug house rooftop climax a close second, and oddly, the cha cha competition in which Lee performs with his younger brother, more thrilling than you could probably imagine.

With its decent location and believable setting, one of the other notable pleasures is the performances. The characterizations may be pretty standard, they all emerge as too similar, but the casting is spot-on, even if Rahman’s Lee is at times too cocky, a bit smug, and less likeable because of it. The true winner in this movie, however, is the traitor who invades their home when Lee is barely old enough to walk, and who then appears at various points in an all too brief but brilliantly sleazy turn as the cartoonish villain of the piece, pushing the film towards it more satisfying action-packed conclusion.

Young Bruce Lee indulges in a bizarre tonal shift from dire drama to an action-packed finale bordering on thrilling. It’s hard work getting there, and fans of Lee will hate how such an icon has been made to look so ordinary, but skip to the end and enjoy some truly entertaining set-pieces that question the matter-of-factness of its opening two acts.

ONE TO FRUSTRATE: F (R2 DVD) **

"Sometimes straightforward plots are the most effective - an alcoholic teacher has to save his estranged daughter when a group of hooded youths attack their school at night - that’s pretty much it for Johannes Roberts enthusiastic horror outing. Starring David Schofield, Eliza Bennett and Ruth Gemmell, F comes on like a cross between Eden Lake and Hollyoaks, but does it make the grade or will it be staying on after class for detention?

Johannes Roberts has delivered a short, sharp, snappy ride that oozes tension from every pore. The murderous teens remain faceless throughout, stalking their prey like hooded ninja’s. They might get a ‘D’ in English, but when it comes to Physical Education they’re right up there with Jackie Chan.

Performances are solid, if not spectacular, despite the fact that these soulless creations leave little to root for. Schofield’s Anderson has no redeeming qualities whatsoever; he even slaps his own daughter, making it hard to get behind a character so undeniably weak. It’s a worthwhile performance though, one that’s in tune with the bleak nature of the premise.

Quite what happens next is anybody’s guess. Either Roberts ran out of money or the school secretary wanted her typewriter back, because F comes to a cataclysmic halt just as things are getting interesting. Perhaps I missed the deeper meaning, but F provides no answers, no retribution and precious little reward for your tolerance. The film is left wide open in the most ludicrous manner, begging for a frantic final third that never comes.

The hunters are no less human than their prey, but Roberts cranks up the tension with considerable ease. If you can overlook the abrupt ending F almost makes the grade, but never before have the words ‘must try harder’ seemed quite so appropriate."

REVIEW: CAGED (R2 DVD)

Film: Caged ***
Release date: 4th April 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 80 mins
Director: Yann Gozlan
Starring: Zoé Felix, Eric Savin, Arié Elmaleh, Ivan Franek, Igor Skreblin
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: France
Reviewer: Adam Wing

France has provided World Cinema with some of the greatest modern horror movies of the past ten years, including the likes of Them (2006), Switchblade Romance (2003), Martyrs (2008), Inside (2007) and The Ordeal (2004). Even when they aren’t quite hitting their stride, French horror movies are a whole lot more enjoyable than their American counterparts. Caged is the directorial debut of Yann Gozlan, and while it may not hit the same dizzy heights as these superior siblings, there’s much to enjoy from this French mash-up of Hostel and Severance.

Carole (Zoë Felix) is a young nurse with a humanitarian aid group that has reached the end of its mission. Before you can say, “I have a bad feeling about this”, Carole and her colleagues are kidnapped by mysterious strangers that keep them caged, captive and barely breathing in a sinister steel setting. It’s not long before the three friends discover what the kidnappers have in store for them, and if you’ve been paying close attention to modern horror movies of late, it wont be long before you realise it too.

If you can ignore the lack of originality from this latest French offering you’re in for an enjoyable ride. Back-story is provided by a harrowing flashback, after which we are given a chance to get to know the three main characters, as the air of inevitability looms overhead. Much of the second act is spent behind bars, as Carole and her friends wait to discover what’s in store for them, whilst failing to escape at regular and random intervals. The lack of subtitles for the kidnappers is a neat touch, putting us in the same precarious situation as the helpless humanitarians.

You’ll have to ignore the unintentional pun, but there’s very little ‘fleshing out’ to be found in Caged, because Gozlan refuses to waste time on character development and depth. The opening flashback is only included to provide heroine Carole with dire circumstance later on - which is all very formulaic from a certain standpoint - but you can’t fault the handling of the set pieces. Gozlan knows how to deliver suspense, and his use of editing, sound and vision is exemplary. His stylish direction is helped along by a stunning lead performance from Zoë Felix. Vulnerable and sexy, it’s a humanistic turn in an inhumane world, and Caged is all the more engrossing for it.

The second act hints at an amazing twist, however, the ‘big reveal’ is anything but original and Gozlan’s debut runs the risk of losing its spark. Thankfully, Caged breaks free from its chains in the final act, delivering an effective, shocking and highly enjoyable night in. It’s not particularly original, but the pace is frantic and the tension relentless, aided by a gripping lead performance and taut execution. A handful of suspenseful set pieces provide a fitting finale to a worthwhile, if not unforgettable, night in.

In a world besieged by carbon copies and poor imitations, it’s refreshing to see an unoriginal movie that still works. Caged doesn’t exactly raise the bar, but it lifts it high enough to provide an efficient escape from all things Hollywood.

HATE TO ADMIT IT: THE KING'S SPEECH ****

"Sat on the shelf for way too long, almost sent back to Lovefilm because I never thought I would be 'in the mood', The King's Speech was finally aired this evening after glowing reviews from every bloody sod that had seen it. How I hoped that they were wrong. How I prayed to be left speechless for all the wrong reasons...

Tom Hooper's movie (from out of nowhere, it has to be reminded) follows Bertie (Colin Firth, a name that usually makes me reach for the eject button), who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, and is suddenly crowned King George VI of the United Kingdom after the scandalous abdication of that bloke from Memento (2000), Mike from Neighbours, and the one who gets blown up at the beginning in The Hurt Locker (2008). He was born in England, don't you know... underated. That's all I'm saying.

I need say little about this movie though, other than it's truly astonishing how such a premise can have you on the edge of your seat (think Rocky Balboa about to face Apollo Creed). Okay, so it's not that thrilling, and other than a rainy sunday afternoon, I'm not sure when I'd crack this little gem from its casing, but nonetheless, it's still oddly exhilarating stuff. Geoffrey Rush is the star of the show, with Firth a close second, but what with the recent Royal Wedding managing to also hold my interest, I'm either getting old, or I need to watch Big Tits Zombie (2010) again."

GREAT NIGHT IN: I SAW THE DEVIL (R2 DVD) ****

Film: I Saw The Devil
Year: 2010
UK Release date: 9th May 2011
Distributor: Optimum
Certificate: 18
Running time: 140 mins
Director: Kim Jee-woon
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Jeon Ho-jin, Oh San-ha
Genre: Crime/Drama/Horror/Thriller
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: South Korea
Reviewer: Adam Wing

"Helmed by Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, A Bittersweet Life), one of Korea’s most successful directors, I Saw The Devil is an action packed thriller, both disturbing and brilliant in equal measures. Lee Byung-Hun (A Bittersweet Life) and Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy) play a deadly game of cat and mouse, serving up a devilish dish of bloody retribution and twisted revenge.

A psychotic killer is on the loose and nobody is safe from his sadistic brand of butchery. When the fiancée of an elite special agent becomes one of his victims, the hunter becomes the hunted and its fair to say that all bets are off. Kim Jee-woon has yet to put a foot wrong in the director’s chair, delighting audiences the world over with his gritty thrillers, haunting horrors and quirky black comedy. From The Quiet Family to The Good, The Bad, The Weird, Kim Jee-woon has proven himself to be one of the most accomplished directors in the world today.

Like A Bittersweet Life before it, I Saw The Devil starts slowly, but don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. The gentle drip feed of dread leads to an avalanche of glorified mayhem, brutality and bloodshed. Choi Min-Sik is his ever-reliable self as the psychotic killer of the piece, and Lee Byung-Hun impresses with a ruthless efficiency that slowly unravels as he loses his way in the darkness. There are plenty of twists along the way and once I Saw The Devil finds its feet it doesn’t stop running.

It certainly puts you off taking a break in Korea; seems like everybody’s a killer in Kim Jee-woon’s energetic offering - a thriller so chilling you’ll need a pickaxe to free yourself from the sofa. Bloody, brutal and breathless, I Saw The Devil is another fine example of Korean cinema - a cold and calculated exercise in vengeance from an undeniable talent, not to mention two of Korea’s leading performers."

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT: SPLINTERED (R2 DVD) ***

"Troubled teen Sophie (a feisty, likeable Holly Weston) drags her friends deep into the Welsh Forests in search of a local legend - a dangerous wild beast that uses its cunning and strength to brutally kill for pleasure. So when the beast leads Sophie and her friend, John, to an abandoned orphange, the hunters become the hunted.

Vulnerable, isolated and not knowing if she is being kept for food, pleasure or for an even darker reason by her Gollum-like tormentor, Sophie must confront long forgotten mysteries from her past to discover the truth about her captor in this play-it-by-numbers horror from auteur Simeon Halligan. It's certainly watchable, with a wonderfully creepy location and good performances by Weston and her untamed nemesis Stephen Walters.

The other characters are more frustrating than the predictable plot, with its opening standoff in the woods likely to decide whether you switch off or continue watching in the hope they all get horrifically butchered. Still, it's pleasingly short, there are a few tense stalk and scare scenes, some neat surprises, and despite the pointless flashbacks and dream sequences, Splintered stays intact until its bodycount-busting conclusion."

REVIEW: YOUNG BRUCE LEE (R2 DVD)

Film: Young Bruce Lee ***

Release date: 30th May 2011

Certificate: 15

Running time: 129 mins

Director: Raymond Yip, Manfred Wong

Starring: Tony Leung Ka Fai, Christy Chung, Aarif Rahman, Jennifer Tse, Michelle Ye

Genre: Biography/Drama/Martial arts

Format: DVD

Country: China

Reviewer: Adam Wing

Young Bruce Lee takes us back to the early days of a martial arts legend, seen through the eyes of his younger brother Robert. Robert Lee participated in the production of the film, which focuses primarily not on the fighting, but on the Lee family growing up. Produced by Manfred Wong (The Storm Riders) who also co-directed with Raymond Yip, Young Bruce Lee casts Aarif Lee as the legend-to-be. Aarif is no stranger to success either, having taken home the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Performer for his scene-stealing debut in the period drama Echoes of the Rainbow. He is joined by the likes of Tony Leung, Christy Chung, and Jennifer Tse (Nicholas Tse's sister) appearing in her big screen debut...

Bruce Lee was still a baby when his famous father, Cantonese opera artist Lee Hoi Chuen (Tony Leung), took their family back to Hong Kong in order to live near his mother (Lee Heung Kam) and sister (Michelle Ye). Bruce’s movie career started earlier than most people realise, and he made several appearances as a child actor, the first of which being The Kid at just nine years of age.

His connection to cinema led to romance with both Man Yee (Jennifer Tse) and Man Lan (Gong Mi), daughters of well-known stars in Asian cinema. These events are depicted at great length in Young Bruce Lee, so anyone expecting a kick-ass tribute has got a lot of waiting to do. The first fight sequence takes place over 70 minutes into the film, before that we are witness to layers of drama and sentiment, and several ‘key moments’ that shaped the future of action cinema.

The young Bruce hangs out with his friends, wins a dance competition, falls in love with the wrong girl, gets into fights we don’t actually see, and stars in several home grown movies. As a human drama it works really well, up to point. The only problem being that most people are expecting a human drama based on the life of Bruce Lee. In all honesty - if you weren’t already aware of the legend that is - you’d be hard pushed to find any evidence of it here. I was hoping to discover what made the man tick, an indication as to what drove Bruce to physical perfection, an insight into the man behind the myth - I wasn’t expecting to see school boy crushes and well choreographed dance sequences. The cinematography is splendid, as are most of the performances, but the insights we’re longing for are strangely absent.

Bruce's real passion, other than girls walking in slow-mo, was of course martial arts. His time studying Wing Chun under the tutelage of Master Ip Man is well documented - but not so here. It’s hard to imagine a year going by these days without a cinematic depiction of Ip Man, such is the influence he had on the world of martial arts, but in Young Bruce Lee we don’t even get to see his face - Donnie must’ve been waxing his chest that day. We do catch a glimpse of him in a photograph but that’s about it, then its back to the soap-style romance and family domestics.

An attempt to add excitement arrives in the final act, with the introduction of British boxing champion Charlie Owen (Alex Yen), not to mention run-ins with drug dealers and evil henchmen. Charlie’s arrival is what prompts Bruce to visit Ip Man, but it’s not until he steps inside the ring that things step up a gear - from an action junkie’s point of view at least. The fight scenes are choreographed incredibly well, adding a touch of much needed flair to proceedings.

Aarif Lee copes well enough with the heavy burden of portraying a cinematic legend, but its the scenes outside the ring in which he convinces most. Quite how much we can take from this depiction of Bruce’s early years is unclear, because the final act does come on like every other martial arts movie ever made. Bruce takes on the evil foreigners and battles with drug dealers in order to save his friend, which is all very enjoyable from a predictable standpoint, even though I’m not convinced that events ring entirely true.

Young Bruce Lee is a film of two halves, and neither half delivers the kind of experience I was expecting from it. The focus of the first hour is put on family life and friendship, Little Unicorn (MC Jin), Ngun (Hanjin Tan), and Kwong (Zhang Yishan) included. As a coming of age drama it works well enough, just so long as you forget who it is you’re actually dealing with. Direction is solid, performances are strong and there are some nice touches along the way.

The final act feels very formulaic, bowing to action excess in order to appease a cinematic demographic brought up on Lee the legend. The final moments find Bruce leaving for America in order to make a name for himself, and we all know what happened next. It’s a shame then that we don’t really get to know what happened to him before that, besides a two hour running time, obligatory romance and beating the British of course. The action sequences are pleasant enough, but it’s the lack of true insight that hits the hardest. Young Bruce Lee is a well-intentioned drama that works best if you ignore its main star. If you’re looking for an insight into the mind of an action icon, you’ve come to the wrong place.

If you’re looking for a quaint period piece with action undertones you’re in for a great night. Young Bruce Lee is a wasted opportunity to show the true face of a fighting legend, and if a sequel surfaces in which he takes on the Russians, I’m out of here.

REVIEW: DIRECT CONTACT (R2 DVD)

Film: Direct Contact ***
Release date: 13th June 2011
Certificate: 18
Running time: 90 mins
Director: Danny Lerner
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Gina May, Michael Pare, Bashar Rahal, James Chalke
Genre: Action/Thriller
Format: DVD
Country: Germany
Reviewer: Daryl Wing

A quick flick through perennial tough guy Dolph Lundgren’s back-catalogue makes for depressing reading. Superior movies like Masters Of The Universe (1987) and Rocky 4 (1985) are few and far between - even The Expendables (2010) and Universal Solider (1992) are standouts. Where did it all go wrong for this eighties action hero? Or did it all go wrong? His films (47 and counting) may not be appreciated by an audience force-fed by Michael Bay, but he’s still doing what he does best. With The Expendables reviving interest in his career, Lionsgate Home Entertainment have decided to release 2009’s Direct Contact, in which Lundgren ditches his trademark scowl and plays the good guy, but does he still have the power?

Mike Riggins (Lundgren), an imprisoned ex-Special Forces operative in Eastern Europe, is offered his freedom (and lots of cash) to rescue an American woman, Ana Gale (Gina May), who has been kidnapped by a ruthless warlord.

Shortly after freeing her, Mike discovers that the kidnap story was just a ruse to bring Ana out into the open. Riggins suddenly finds himself and his feisty charge being hunted by ruthless government and underworld organizations - all who want him dead and the mysterious Ana under their control.

With no one to turn to, and the enemies closing in, Mike must uncover the truth about Ana, gain her trust, and bring her to the safety of the U.S. Embassy…

Arriving nearly two decades too late, Direct Contact isn’t going to appeal to anyone under the age of twenty-five. Made with very little money it fails to revel in the spectacle of Transformers (2007), doesn’t have the brains of The Bourne Identity (2002), and isn’t as much fun as either. For those raised on Commando (1985) and Hard Target (1993), however, it will certainly cater for some fleeting, good old-fashioned entertainment, sparing enough time throughout to reminisce about the good old days when your dad would joyously accede to an eighteen-certificate instead of homework.

In today’s climate it’s impossible to watch Danny Lerner’s actioner without chuckling at the cheapness of it all. But for some, that’s also half the fun. And yet, through it all, Direct Contact cleverly insists on taking itself seriously. It’s a gripping, intensely harrowing film with a solid emotional core as both the hardened Mike and sympathetic to her captors Ana find the conflict mirroring the transformations occurring within themselves. Or maybe not…

What you do have is a movie with no interest in dimensional characters. A permanent resident in the “worst prison in the world”, Lundgren’s Riggins doesn’t believe in small talk (his American accent more convincing than his real one), has no enthusiasm for anything other than money, but can dodge a speeding bullet and pulverize his foes with considerable, engaging ease. He also struggles to climb into a parked car, but the old-timer is approaching sixty so let’s cut him some slack.

His compatriot, meanwhile, certainly looks the part, but don’t expect any acting fireworks from an almost mute Gina May – leave that to the countless car chases and gun fights that thankfully distract from inflammable cardboard characters and dodgy dialogue (“I don’t care who the hell you are, I’m just damn glad I met you”). May’s performance does improve, but it’s debatable whether even a young Jodie Foster could persuade us that their character has fallen for her new captor quicker than you can say buckle up, and then go on to deliver such a wonderful chat-up line as, “How’s your wound?” with such sincerity. Luckily for her, James Chalke’s support performance as villain Uncle Trent is simply embarrassing.

The only way to enjoy Direct Contact is to embrace its utter nonsense. Revel in the shabby dialogue (“I just happen to have an extra ten grand” and “This guy’s a loose cannon” are up there with the best); ignore the illogical as a tank is called in to take down Riggins on a motorcycle, a guard fails to hear a door slam ten yards away as the big fella creeps around like a clumsy battle droid, and the action is foolishly sped up to make some scenes look that much more dramatic. It also fails with simple back projection techniques (Lundgren’s driving would surely send them into a ditch), and in this day and age, surely it’s cheaper to whack a camera on the bonnet of the car. It certainly disrupts an audiences’ ability to suspend disbelief.

But then, the damage has already been done, with a couple of inspired shots: firstly, the aptly named Lerner introduces the classic point of view action sequence, as if we were in fact the motorcycle, terrorizing the unsuspecting public minding their own business on the sidewalks. He dares to do it again, this time the shot taken over the shoulder of a missile launched from the tank, missing its intended target, the bike, by miles. They don’t make them like this anymore. Or, rather, they shouldn’t make them like this anymore.

Sniping aside, Direct Contact is blessed by some decent fight choreography, plenty of half decent car chases and worthy shootouts (the standoff in the football stadium is extremely satisfying), and even surprises with its sporadic brutality. For some reason the air turns blue after the half hour mark, with characters deciding to unleash the f-word for no other reason than to convince us how angry they are, but there’s still room for Lerner to at least get something right when a car flips over in near-silent slo-mo, and then delivers his piece de resistance during the final act when Uncle Trent makes an explosive exit, and Lundgren delivers a truly killer line.

No one would ever call it good filmmaking, but Direct Contact is old school trash of the first order. In short, this one’s for those raised on Schwarzenegger, Stallone and Seagal; the action is passable, and Lundgren is surprisingly good. Remove a star if you’re under twenty-five.

GREAT NIGHT IN: MONSTERS (R2 DVD) ****

"Six years ago a NASA probe returning to Earth with samples of alien organisms crashed over Central America. Soon after, new lifeforms began to appear there and half of Mexico was quarantined. Today the American and Mexican military struggle to contain the giant creatures. Through this perilous infected zone a cynical journalist must escort his stranded boss' daughter to U.S. border safety, in Gareth Edwards' stunning debut.

Costing a couple of quid to make, Monsters benefits from an interesting premise, helped by subtle plotting, a believable backdrop, and two leads (Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able) worth rooting for. You may question why they are still hovering around Mexico when the story begins, but you certainly won't cross-examine their feelings for each other as the film progresses to its beautiful finale.

A romance with aliens should satisfy a larger audience, even if its lack of tense action setpieces will disappoint those expecting another District 9 (2009), or heaven forbid, Independence Day (1996). Still, a stronger script with more backstory for its striking leads, who at times seem far too composed considering the hell that surrounds them, would've tranformed this cracking debut into a cult classic - can't wait to see what Edwards can do with more money."