"Reign of Fire" is an incredible twist on the fantasy genre. For a long time a lot of people have pushed the sci-fi genre in with the fantasy genre, however not many stories actually incorporate both at the same time. This movie was one of the first times I have seen the combination of sci-fi and fantasy. The writing in this movie was amazing. Also there were many times when I felt like I was watching a war movie instead of one about dragons. There was only one flaw in the movie and that was because the writers left out a few major faults that dragons of myth are rumored to have.
When I watched "Reign of Fire" something happened that does not usually happen with me when I watch movies. I began to feel sympathy with the characters. The actors' performances were truely believable, but more importantly the writing was great. Gregg Chabot, Kevin Peterka, and Matt Greenberg all did a phenomenal job on the story and screenplay. The story itself is a break from the normal dragon fantasy tale. However it still recalled similarities with other dragon stories.
Several scenes in the movie evoked similar feelings as war movies. To fight the dragons the people used warlike strategies, and the castle where Quinn and his people lived looked much like a refugee camp. Also scenes of a destroyed and dragon-guarded London provokes thoughts of a world war and armageddon. Grey landscapes and smoldering London buildings helped this film to become even better.
Many people probably know dragons in myth have a lot in common with reptiles. Although the writers did an excellent job on the script and the story, they did leave out the flaws dragons are rumored to share with present day reptiles. These flaws are ones like slow movement in cold weather and the inability to see something if it isn't moving. If viewers overlook these neglected faults then they can enjoy a great fantasy and sci-fi movie.
My overall rating: 3 out of 5
Showing posts with label Christian Bale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian Bale. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
"The Machinist" (2004) [R]
"The Machinist"(2004) is an interesting take on dramatic revelation style movies such as "Memento" (2000) and "The Sixth Sense" (1999). The best way to enjoy this movie is to strip it of its commonalities with other revelation movies and focus on other qualities. Such as the cinematography. The storyline itself, when taken to its basic form, is not at all complex or new. However, when filmed in the way it was and set in the sequence that it was, it becomes a stimulating movie of self-discovery.
In addition to the cinematography, the movie contains some interesting "connectives." These are unspoken of signs that hark back to other scenes in the film, and they're never given much attention; it is always assumed the audience will catch on. Among others, one of these signs is in the form of a sticky note containing words uttered earlier in the movie. If I write about the other connectives they will give away the meaning of the movie. Viewers will have to see the movie on their own to understand the other signs.
Now that I've written on things done behind the screen, I must comment on Christian Bale's performance. His job on the part was nothing short of amazing. He knew when to keep his cool and when to lose his mind. I was convinced that he was the role, and not just playing the part; there was not a second in the movie when I could see through his performance. The most shocking factor of his acting in this film was how skinny he became for the role. Everytime I saw Bale in a scene that showed his upper body I was afraid he would collapse out of his inability to hold himself up.
Although I have said many good things about this film, I must show both sides of the coin, so to speak. The cinematography, the signs, and Bale's performance were all good, however the story itself was nothing special. If this movie was in book form I would not have been thrilled at all. It was too much like other revelation movies made in the past fifteen years or so. I do not recommend it for its story, but I do for its cinematography and for Bale's performance.
My overall rating: 2.5 out of 5
In addition to the cinematography, the movie contains some interesting "connectives." These are unspoken of signs that hark back to other scenes in the film, and they're never given much attention; it is always assumed the audience will catch on. Among others, one of these signs is in the form of a sticky note containing words uttered earlier in the movie. If I write about the other connectives they will give away the meaning of the movie. Viewers will have to see the movie on their own to understand the other signs.
Now that I've written on things done behind the screen, I must comment on Christian Bale's performance. His job on the part was nothing short of amazing. He knew when to keep his cool and when to lose his mind. I was convinced that he was the role, and not just playing the part; there was not a second in the movie when I could see through his performance. The most shocking factor of his acting in this film was how skinny he became for the role. Everytime I saw Bale in a scene that showed his upper body I was afraid he would collapse out of his inability to hold himself up.
Although I have said many good things about this film, I must show both sides of the coin, so to speak. The cinematography, the signs, and Bale's performance were all good, however the story itself was nothing special. If this movie was in book form I would not have been thrilled at all. It was too much like other revelation movies made in the past fifteen years or so. I do not recommend it for its story, but I do for its cinematography and for Bale's performance.
My overall rating: 2.5 out of 5
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