Mockingbird In A Blizzard

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: Variety

Director: Brad Bird
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson, Huck Milner, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener.

Incredibles 2 may have taken 14 years to return on the silver screen, but that doesn't seem to be the case for the continuity of the story. When Incredibles 2 opens, we're taken back to the exact moment our super family suits up and faces off against the Underminer, who we first saw in the very end of the first film. From there on, Bird has set the stage for the epic return of the well-known super family. And boy, it's a blast.

Picking up from where the first film left off, the superfamily known as the Incredibles face yet another challenge: the government. As their last showdown leads to more damage, the government decides to ban all superheroes in the city in fear of impending threats and casualties from any major oncoming battles should there be one. The Incredibles, being the cause of this ban, are forced to return in hiding, masking their real identities whilst letting go of their superhero ones. As Bob/Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and Helen/ Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) struggle to find the best solution for their children, they're offered another chance at bringing superheroes back into the light with the appearance of tech tycoon Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his tech genius sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener). However, it's Helen who takes over the role of superhero duty, leaving Bob with the kids and an array of complications in taking care of the family on his own.

This time, it's Elastigirl who gets most of the spotlight and the action, having been given the oppourtunity to shed the more positive light on superheroes. As she leaves to pursue her opportunity to do so, Bob is left on parenting duty, taking care of the raging teen hormones of his daughter Violet, who blames him for intervening her relationship with her crush Tony; Dash, who wants nothing but actually take part in any kind of superhero action, such his fascination with his father's infamous incredi-mobile. The most boisterous of the bunch though, is Jack-Jack; who's having a blast with his newfound powers: being able to multiply himself, turning into the demon-like creature that we first saw in the first Incredibles, and willing himself to combust into fire.

Image source: AceShowbiz

Role-reversals may not be something new nowadays, since it's something of a current theme, but Incredibles 2 gets along with this just fine. It doesn't undermine the gender roles the way the 2015 Ghostbusters might have done (the whole women rule, men suck type of thing), but encourages them to challenge themselves when they're needed to take over the other's role. Bob for example; has taken over parenting duty, and finds that it is not as easy as it seems. He realizes the struggles of parenting kids who are going through adolescence and puberty, something that Helen had to go through in the predecessor. But through it, he finds a newfound motivation and even meaning for his family. Elastigirl, on the other hand; finds that some missions aren't worth going through alone. It sets a new kind of depth to the role revearsal theme.

And it isn't the only pressing issue of the film. Following similar steps to what Fox and Marvel had previously done with the X-Men, or the MCU with Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Captain America: Civil War, not everyone is happy to have superheroes on their side. The Incredibles may have saved countless lives in the predecessor, but the damages in the city that they have caused is severe, and worth investigating. Their fight with the Underminer had drawn the final straw on the government, resulting in the ban of superheroes, leading the superfamily to comply with their wishes in defeat rather than walk out in victory. This may not be the biggest pressing issue, as the film isn't fully flawless in presenting this issue, which is slightly unfortunate, since this is the main drive of the story and what lead to Elastigirl taking the task of bringing superheroes back into the light again. Since this is an animated film that clocks in under two hours, it's understandable that this isn't delved more than it did in the film.

But the "super" elements are also what drives the film alongside its more non-action elements. Brad Bird directs the action effortlessly. There's a whole lot of fun action going on here, and most importantly, it's cohesive. Bird just knows how to set the stage for an entertaining action setpiece that isn't all over the place and actually has a sort of cohesion to it. Even in both animation and live-action, Bird has a natural talent of bringing cohesion and endlessly entertaining action sequences that aren't repetitive of previous sequences or other films of the same genre, which is why scenes like Tom Cruise's harrowing climb on the Burj Khalifa from Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol or the Incredibles' fight against Syndrome in the first Incredibles film remain memorable setpieces. They're easy to follow but impeccably boisterous and entertaining at the same time. And because it's animation, there's plenty of limitless possibilities of crazy action scenes with fluid control over its camera shots that could never be achieved in live-action, no matter how grand the CGI is.

Image source: AceShowbiz

Incredibles 2 offer a new kind territory in terms of story, but remains grounded in terms of showcasing the things we loved about this superfamily. They need to be as tight-knit of a family as they are super, and the film, as well as its predecessor; presents this in a fun and heartwarming way. There's plenty of room for the family to click with us as an audience, and the film does that in incredible fashion. The film's freedom from the bigger picture of setting up a franchise of its own is also evident. Incredibles 2 is not bound in trying to set something that's to come in the next (if there even if a next film) like what most superhero films are doing noawadays. It is simply its own thing, hence why Incredibles 2 is a sequel worthy of standing alongside its predecessor.

Overall verdict: It's clear that Incredibles 2 isn't a film that exists to be a cashgrab, but a well thought-out superhero story that could rival even the best live-action films of its genre. The role revearsals give a bigger depth to the family dynamic without undermining both genders involved, and it remains grounded as it is super. There seems to be a lot of thought and care placed in nearly every single element of story, be it the action, the story, or even the issue that is raised. After 14 years of waiting for this incredible superfamily to return, it's safe to say that this is a sequel worth waiting for.

Stars: 4.4/5

Trailer

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: The Indian Express

Director: J.A. Bayona
Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones.

The very first Jurassic Park has a very special place in my heart. Back in kindergarten, I used to come over to my friend's house and watch it repeatedly with him. Somehow, we never got bored of it. The magic was always there, no matter how much we've seen each sequence. It's a timeless piece of film, and remains as one of my fondest childhood trinkets. Now, it has become a franchise of its own, with the second and the third following closely after the first one. Then 2015 brought us Jurassic World, in the hopes of giving the franchise a fresh concept and a new cast. Fast forward to 2018, and we have its long awaited sequel, Fallen Kingdom.

Three years after the fall of Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom begins with the ruined Isla Nublar and the remains of the abandoned park, whilst the predecessor's two leads, Owen and Claire; both have different occupations and duties. This of course, is intervened by the sudden active volcano of Isla Nublar that threatens to destroy the island and its remaining dinosaurs; leaving the world to question the safety of the dinosaurs and their right to live. Claire, now an active activist for the protection of the dinosaurs; is enlisted for a rescue mission to evacuate the dinosaurs from the island. This leads her to pursue her former co-worker Owen, an expert on raptor behavior. But what they didn't know was the real sinister reason behind the rescue mission, which they discover once they're on the island.

If it's one thing that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has spectacularly delivered, it's the roars. Fallen Kingdom is fully aware that the dinosaurs are what we're here for, and the tension is raised here. There's more of the familiar scares, and there are some pretty damn good scares here than in the first Jurassic World. Once the dinosaurs are out, the film really gets going and relishes its dino-filled fiesta with tension-filled sequences that are genuinely thrilling and boisterous. Fallen Kingdom has much more of the tension-filled sequences that are brilliantly executed, and nearly succeeding in creating the same kind of tension that the first Jurassic Park is well known for, like a scene where Claire and Owen attempt to hide from a dinosaur that plays out like the kitchen scene with the raptors in the first Jurassic Park. Then they would also throw in some fun sequences like our two leads attempting to draw the blood of a sleeping T-Rex.

Image source: Universal Pictures, Variety

And the visuals are spectacular. Despite being an action packed dino ride, Fallen Kingdom presents some of the best cinematography it has to offer. There are a couple of beautiful shots that the film lingers upon, like the shadow of a dinosaur looming over a wooden horse toy, or a shot of a brachiosaurus being consumed by the ashes of the island's active volcano, and that's just some of them. Given that the film's director, J.A Bayona has some experience with horror, Fallen Kingdom has some appealingly horrific imagery that takes the tension and visual spectacle of the action adventure to another level. This makes the sequences far more enjoyable as it adds a visual spectacle in what could have been only a fun and edge-off-your-seat romp.

Our two leading protagonists, Owen and Claire, have a mature progression in this installment, having different occupations since the fall of Jurassic World. Claire is the head of the Dinosaur Protection Group, fighting for the evacuation and safety of Isla Nublar's breed of surviving dinosaurs, while Owen is busy building his own shack far from the bustling roads and city. There's some good chemistry between the two actors, but that doesn't mean it eventually transcends fully to the characters and the arc that they go through together, particularly if it's meant to be romantic. But fear not, there are more interesting supporting characters this time around (not including its antagonists though), with the appearance of two members from Claire's Dinosaur Protection Group, one being a doctor as well as an expert in dino biology (or paleoveterinarian as she calls it) and a software analyst. The two supporting characters add some much needed variation to the story, providing their skill set and their roles in driving the story alongside our leads.

When the first Jurassic World focuses on the fun of the park, Fallen Kingdom focuses on the much more dire things like whether or not dinosaurs should have the same rights to live as any other living creature on earth. Fallen Kingdom attempts to emphasize on the more sympathetic and human part of the dinosaurs rather than them being used for the entertainment of others. The active volcano on Isla Nublar is only one, if not half, of the two main arcs in the film. As Owen and Claire assist the others on their dino rescue mission, there's a much more sinister intention behind the rescue mission. Think of it as the saying, "out of the frying pan and into the fire." That's essentially what these dinos are getting into. Perhaps though, this is also one of the film's weaknesses in some ways, its execution of the more serious and darker elements of the story. Jurassic World was simply a ride, but Fallen Kingdom dismisses that this time around for a more deeper story.

Image source: Comic Book Movie

However, of course the execution isn't all that satisfying, despite its efforts. In some ways, it looks as if it could fall to the same pit as Jurassic Park II and III in failing to execute its more serious aspects and what could have been a different and unique kind of concept. Not to mention some obvious twists that perhaps one may have already seen from a mile away, especially with the reveal of its big bad. The antagonist of the film, unsurprisingly not limited to only a dinosaur, is the equally unsurprising reveal of an evil military cooperation that seeks to use the dinosaurs as a weapon of destruction. Wonder where we've seen that before...oh wait, that was the same formula given to the antagonist of the first Jurassic World film. The human antagonists have literally learnt nothing from its predecessor, which makes it repetitive and pretty boring to see.

Overall verdict: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom still excels in creating some damn good scares and compelling tension. When the roars start, that's when the film truly gets going. The supporting characters are much more appealing this time around, playing as equally vital of a role as our leads, but its execution of its serious elements is not as compelling as its other aspects. The big bads of the film really feel like a copy of Vincent D'Onofrio's character and his motivations in the first Jurassic World film, except that this time, the villains are slightly one step ahead of D'Onofrio; and the execution of a darker element to the film is not as satisfying as hoped. But simply put, however bland or unsatisfying the execution of the much more concerning message that the film is trying to convey, Fallen Kingdom still has a much more compelling way of creating tension and at least still an appreciated attempt at actually adding some depth to the franchise.

Stars: 3/5

Trailer

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: starwars.com, Entertainment Weekly

Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Paul Bettany, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo.

When it was announced that the next anthology film would be a spinoff of Han Solo's younger days before the events of A New Hope, people were sceptical. Was it ever going to work? How will it cast a younger actor to play a role that has already been defined and turned into a legend by Harrison Ford, making it seemingly impossible to have anyone else in the role of the space smuggler other than Ford? Was it a necessary story to be told in the ever expanding Star Wars universe? Solo: A Star Wars Story managed to answer these questions, though not in the way that you'd expect.

Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the upbringing of the iconic smuggler who would later become one of the heroes of the Rebellion in the years to come. The now young Han Solo navigates his way and finds his place in the galaxy far, far away in the midst of becoming a great pilot. His upbringing in the crime-filled planet of Correlia leads him to butt heads with the Empire during sometime of his journey. Eventually, he finds his true calling when he stumbles upon Beckett (Woody Harrelson), an infamous soldier turned bandit who introduces him to a life of smuggling and a lifelong journey of crime.

Alden Ehrenreich has some great moments here as Han Solo, and he even makes the role his own, never fully dependent on hammering in an impersonation of Ford's portrayal of the iconic smuggler. Sure, there are moments where you could tell that there's something off in Ehrenreich's portrayal, especially during a scene where he imitates Ford's swaggering walk; but for the most part, there's something boisterous and new in his portrayal, showing the more young and naive side of the man we would later know to be the smuggler we see in the Cantina in later years. It's not so much of an attempt to impersonate Ford's memorable portrayal, and that's a good thing for this film's case.

Image source: starwars.com, Entertainment Weekly

One of the good things about Solo is that it's a fun Star Wars film when it comes to the action sequences alone. It's your typical Star Wars action fiesta that's a feast for the eyes. You have your usual blaster faceoffs, your Star Wars style hand-to-hand combats, and of course, spaceship chases, because what's Star Wars without a chase between our heroes' spaceship and an Imperial fighter ship? And they're good fun, and are for the most part, one of the film's best aspects. And if you've seen any of the trailers, there's also the return of the Millenium Falcon, and the scenes with the Falcon were just excellent, just as it is with the previous Star Wars films.

But there's a catch to this, because the fun stops there, and here's where Solo's hyperspace ride comes to a halt with a big loud screech and a whole lot of bumps. Solo: A Star Wars Story has some seriously agonizing pacing issues. Things just happen so quickly that we're not given the time to process it, and it doesn't revel in the things that happens. Once one sequence happens, it moves to another, and then another without ever considering the cohesion of the story it's trying to tell. The film has buckets full of potential, but the film doesn't seem to realize the ammount of potential that they could have delved into more instead of jumping from one arc to another and let the former be forgotten.

Then there's the characters. The characters are the ones who had the most potential in the film, in fact, the film has many potentials brimming within the story as a whole, but that's because those certain potentials lie in the characters. Unfortunately, there is no signinificant character development for our heroes, and while there are significant developments for the plot itself, the film doesn't give enough time to cement said development. The film would go from one thing to another like the other was never there, like a scene where a character is furious at another, but the next moment, that character who was furious to the point of having the urge to kill is suddenly lightened up by the appearance of some sort of solution, and that certain character just goes on their merry way as if they weren't shouting in anger just a moment ago.

Image source: starwars.com, Entertainment Weekly

Solo has so many interesting arcs that show up here and there, but the film dismisses it for another less interesting arc, or in this film's case, a safer, less risky arc. And there isn't even really a main story in the middle of everything that happens. Solo feels like a film that consists of a bunch of different sequences with no core story to rely on. There's no cohesive relation between any of the sequences, each of them feeling episodic and as if they each have a different arc of their own that don't come together in the end, and it makes you question why it needed to be told. There's no risks taken, no depth in the overall story, and it's quite a hollow shell beneath all that boisterous sci-fi action galore.

Overall verdict: Solo: A Star Wars Story presents some very fun action sequences in a typical Star Wars fashion, relishing its slick and boisterious tone, but lacks the substance beneath all the action that could have made it so much more than a generic film. The pacing is really the biggest issue here, as it doesn't allow room for possible potentials to be fully realized and its developments within the plot and the characters feel forced and quick to the point where you're not sure if there's any clear development at all. Solo could have been so much more, had it not tried to force its way through arcs that don't tie together as a whole. It's unfortunate, because Solo had so much potential, but it seems as if those potentials are eventually dismissed in favor of something else.

Stars: 2.3/5

Trailer

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: comicbookmovie.com

Director: David Leitch
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Morena Baccarin, Stefan Kapičić.

As the age of superhero franchises continues to rage on, each year there's always that one gem of a superhero film that stands out from the rest, or even several films. Deadpool was one of those gems. And there's certainly no doubts that after the success of the 2016 film, a Deadpool sequel would be inevitable. As we recover from the emotional wreck of a film that is Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool has returned to ease the pain for a while with a whole lot more humor, fourth wall breaks, and captivating new recruits.

Deadpool 2 opens with a world tour of Deadpool's very own killing spree, rounding the worst of the worst. But as tragedy strikes, Wade Wilson, the man behind the masked anti-hero; has hit rock bottom, and his attempt to ease himself leads him to a series of even worse scenarios. Along the way, he meets a young mutant named Russell, who's having issues of his own, one of them being the fact that he also happens to be the target of a time-travelling robotically enhanced soldier from the future known as Cable. Determined to protect the young mutant from harm, Deadpool sets out to create his very own super group to stop Cable from going after the young mutant.

Deadpool 2 cranks up the violence level and is having one hell of a time doing it. It's a grandeur of chopped limbs and blood, basically in typical Deadpool fashion, because what's Deadpool without a lot of gore and fourth wall breaks? The over the top violence that is often mocked upon is what creates Deadpool. But Deadpool 2 saves the best for last: there's more heart and humanity in this one. Deadpool may have his low points, but the first installment had glossed over most of them with fourth wall breaks and more humor. This one, however, doesn't shy away from its heavily emotional moments, reveling in it instead of running away from it.

Image source: 20th Century Fox, Empire

As Deadpool comes face to face with new mutant Russell, Deadpool is given the chance to somehow be a brother figure, perhaps even father figure; to the young and confused mutant. There's a great chemistry between Reynolds and Dennison, creating a "will they or will they not" vibe in the context of friendship rather than romance. With the introduction of the X-Force team in the likes of Zazie Beetz's Domino and the non-superpowered Peter, there's a lot of room for some great banters, and Deadpool 2 delivers on that spectacularly. And being that it's Deadpool, it certainly doesn't hold back on the swearing, or the adult jokes either, despite its reliance on pop-culture references this time around.

But it's not until the emergence of Brolin's Cable that the film really gets going and becomes a whirlwind of fun action sequences and an impressive performance from Brolin's time-travelling mutant (hilariously called out as the guy with the Winter Soldier arm during one scene). With the infinity gauntlet already behind him, Brolin jumps out of the Mad Titan's shoes and into the time travelling soldier's with ease. This is where most the good stuff is, because Brolin just kills the role and embraces the complex morality of the enhanced soldier from the future.

Image source: comicbookmovie.com

Deadpool 2 seems to be more reliant on pop culture references for its humor instead of the adult humor that the first film had so relished on, which is why it seemed more accessible this time around. Some of its funniest parts come to when Deadpool pokes fun at Logan for hopping on the R-Rating bandwagon with heavy gore, or when Deadpool attempts a Basic Instinct but miraculously failing. It's all in good fun, and the best part is, it's a genuinely good time. The fact that this installment is even more accessible than the first just makes it even better than its predecessor. Not to say that the first wasn't iconic, but one of my biggest gripes with the first Deadpool was the adult humor that often didn't hit for me (I'm not used to adult humor all that much, but that's just me). Deadpool 2 however, was a different story, because honestly, I can't remember laughing and smiling that much in a film since Thor: Ragnarok.

Deadpool 2 is an epic good time, and splendidly directed by David Leitch (whom the film refers to as the guy who killed the dog in John Wick). Leitch knows how to choreograph his action sequences, as already shown previously in John Wick, aka the film where he killed the dog. And from all the wittily gory action and the all-out humor, it still has a coherent narrative in the midst of all the Deadpool-esque fiesta. Deadpool 2 knows its advantages of standing out amongst the endless waves of jaggernaut superhero films like Avengers: Infinity War. Deadpool 2 has its own thing going, and whatever it has going, it clearly has everyone's attention.

Stars: 4.2/5

Trailer

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: Heroic Hollywood

Director: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a vast franchise and a heap of films and heroes under its belt. When it was announced that Infinity War would bring nearly every single hero from Phase One to Phase Three, it's clear that the MCU is dead set on creating a grand cinematic universe, and now with the release of the biggest crossover in film history, it is no longer child's play, their universe works. Ten years down the road already, and the MCU has shown no sign of slowing down, and Avengers: Infinity War furher emphasizes that.

Avengers: Infinity War takes place a few years after the events of Civil War, where the Avengers have been divided, each with their own duties. But as Thanos wages conflict on the universe, the Avengers, along with some new heroes as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy; take a stand against the Mad Titan and save the universe from the oncoming chaos.

Avengers: Infinity War opens with a bang, and a dark one at that. It gives you everlasting chills even before our heroes unite. Whatever doubts you had about Thanos and how the hell he'd make an impression on us, the first sequence tells you exactly how much of a menace he can be. It perhaps has something to do with Brolin's performance. Thanos walks around chaos like he's meant to own it. Brolin's performance gives the Mad Titan a compelling presence, even when he's on exposition duty. Thanos sees not a disease, but a crumbling world. He's not hellbent on causing destruction, but sees a solution for a troublesome world. "At least I'm the only one with the will to act on it," he says in one scene with determination in hopes that his vision would garner favor. The saying goes that every villain is a hero in his own mind, and Thanos is exactly that. His willingness to achieve something seen an menacing is unlike other MCU villains, the same amount of determination that our heroes would do to stop a villain.

Image source: comicbook.com, Marvel Studios

There are many characters in this film with different arcs, yet the Russo Brothers managed to balance all these arcs effortlessly. It can get a little choppy at first, sometimes even up to the point where there's so many character arcs that you have to follow that you sometimes forget about a particular arc until the film goes back to it. But Infinity War's biggest strength lies in the triumph to bring all these heroes together and have them interact. These interactions are not only joyful to the eyes of fans, but are emotionally great as a whole. There's an incredible dynamic between these characters, and to see characters that have never met before interact for the first time reminds you how far Marvel has come in establishing such a vast universe with an array of characters.

Infinity War is a grandeour of superheroes, and what a wonderful treat it is, as the Russo brothers managed to knock it out of the park with balancing every hero imaginable. And the interactions are unexpectedly splendid. The union of the many heroes who were once scattered in their own films is a wonderful sight to see, with clashing egos and unity of powers as well as some incredible chemistry between the cast. This isn't just a mere attempt at throwing every hero randomly to garner people's attention, there's an obvious proof of love and labour put in to these characters, and the all-star cast in the likes of Downey, Pratt, Cumberbatch, Holland, Evans, and many more don't fall back upon showing their devotion into playing the beloved heroes we all know and love.

And Alan Silvestri's score here is just incredible, and a huge step up from the previous films. Silvestri drops the constant attempt to make the music epic and settles for more melancholy pieces, which just amps the emotional scale of the scenes. Moreover, it's memorable. I went out of the film with a certain melody stuck in my head that is constantly played throughout the film, composed in different tones from chilling to downright emotional. You'd think that with a film as big as this, the score would follow the same steps. It doesn't. Instead, it adds a much greater depth to the already grand film.

Image source: Forbes, Disney

But Avengers: Infinity War is merciless. The Russo Brothers and the whole Marvel team are done with sparing our heroes from inevitable tests that take them beyond their own limits. Every hero is taken so close to the breaking point, that it's unclear as to who walks out alive by the end of the film. One of the gripes that people have with superhero films is having a villain that is an equal of the hero. Infinity War crushes that gripe to a pulp. Thanos is stronger than all the Avengers combined. Despite our heroes' will and intelligence, Thanos is more than that. He even taunts someone for not using the greatest weapon that Thanos himself has not claimed, but the latter has in disposal.

Avengers: Infinity War is as grand as it is emotional, and a splendid spectacle that also manages to sneak in a couple of humor here and there without overshadowing the emotions that the film aims to send. It's safe to say that the MCU has taken a risk that perhaps other cinematic universe aren't able to top for years to come. And they've done it in spectacular fashion. There's aspects of heroism and humanity in these heroes that we've seen grow individually from film to film. With a ten year journey, the MCU has proven that they are ready to take the big leap, the mighty heroic landing with Infinity War. And the result? An epic collision from one hell of a universe that works in many ways than one.

Stars: 4.3/5

Trailer

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: Variety

Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Hannah John-Kamen, Win Morisaki, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg.

Adapted from Ernest Cline's pop culture galore novel, Ready Player One follows in the footsteps of a classic sci-fi adventure filled with Easter Eggs, fantasy quests, and one big wondrous adventure.

Ready Player One takes place in the year 2045, where nearly all of the human population spend the majority of their time in the OASIS, a virtual reality world created by James Halliday; where anyone could be anything. They could create their own avatars, they could compete for virtual wealth and explore through multiple worlds such as the likes of Planet Doom or a casino the size of a planet. The OASIS is limitless, functioning as a form of escapism from the dystopian reality that humanity has chosen to adapt and survive in rather than improve it.

The film begins in the midst of an all out virtual quest, announced by Halliday before his passing, to discover three keys in order to unlock the final Easter Egg that would grant the player full control of the OASIS. The quest gained popularity among players who are willing to obtain the ultimate prize, but as the years went by, the number of players searching for the three keys has decreased, except for Wade Watts, a player from Ohio who goes by the name Parzival in the OASIS and is one of the players who are still in search of Halliday's three keys. His involvement in the quest gains him not only popularity, but the attention of the IOI (Innovative Online Industries); a company dead-set on obtaining the OASIS to their full control.

If you just want to be swept in one hell of an adventurous ride, then you're in for a treat, because Ready Player One delivers exactly that. The story is just fast-paced, but it's the right amount of fast paced. It immediately sucks you right in to the world of the OASIS and the many things that it has to offer. The film is very much revolved around the hunt for Halliday's Easter Egg, and it just so happens that one of the players looking for it is none other than our protagonist. What the film does that makes the film so enticing is how they make the hunt both a visual treat and an adventurous treat. I mean, there's a car race sequence with King Kong smashing cars and roads from every angle, and a trivia maze that centres around The Shining's infamous Overlook Hotel, and all these are coordinated by the one and only Steven Spielberg. It's the perfect recipe for a splendidly good time.

Image source: Collider and Warner Bros.

Of course, it's a film that relies a little heavily on nostalgia, given the astounding amount of familiar Easter Eggs from the likes of Back to the Future and The Iron Giant, but the best was definitely a sequence revolving around Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The character of James Halliday has created a pop-culture wonderland, and some Easter Egg-filled quest that perhaps only a director like Spielberg could bring to life with such authenticity and wonder, but at the same time, using the right amount of nostalgia and turn it into a celebration of its influence on the people who resonate with these nostalgic elements. These Easter Eggs are what makes Ready Player One, well, Ready Player One. The whole pop culture bonanza is part of the experience. No, you don't have to be up to date with some of the pop culture references embedded in this film, you don't have to try and find a pop culture reference that you know in order to have a good time, because you're already too busy having fun anyways.

Ready Player One's most strongest points lies within its world building of the OASIS. The OASIS is the first bit of information that we delve into the moment the film begins. Not Wade Watts, not the suburban 2045 Ohio where he resides, but the OASIS. The OASIS began as nothing more than a form of escapism, and functions as nothing more than good fun. It's the stuff that happens in the OASIS that makes the film worth watching. The OASIS is made of more than hundreds of different worlds and players masking in alternate identities. But there's a message to this virtual reality galore. The OASIS is exciting and vibrant, whilst the real world is nothing compared to what the OASIS has to offer. Technology becomes both an ally and an adversary to humanity. The OASIS is used as an escape to reality, but how much are humans willing to accept their own reality? The film proposes this kind of concept, balancing the excitement of the OASIS to the harsh reality outside of it.

There is however, some downside to it. Take away the Easter Eggs, and the OASIS, and you've got the players themselves, one of them being Wade Watts. Some aspects of their characterisation feel as if it's lacking something, as if the parts that are meant to be the more grounded and human parts are quickly dismissed in favor of returning its focus to the OASIS and Halliday's Quest; particularly around Tye Sheridan's Wade Watts and Olivia Cooke's Samantha. Despite the great performances from all the actors respectively, there's something odd about how in some ways, the virtual reality counterpart of the players, Wade in particular, have a better setup than their actual human counterparts who are meant to serve as the human elements that ground the film's virtual bonanza. Together though, these ragtag group of players (one of them being Wade's Parzival and Samantha Cook's Art3mis) are a force to be reckoned with, even when their human counterparts are together in the real world.

Image source: Collider and Warner Bros.

Ironically, the subplot revolving around James Halliday and his best friend/OASIS co-creator Ogden Morrow that plays like The Social Network and Steve Jobs all mashed together; is the human element that actually worked best, creating something wholly real over the artificial. The film explores the already passed Halliday throughout the course of Wade's journey, yet it's Halliday himself by the end of the day who becomes more of a fully realised character than the protagonist.

In the end though, there is a heart to these players, and there's a particular scene that really hit me, one that reminded the audience that the avatars and the characters we see in the OASIS are just mere human players searching for a place to escape, that they're not looking for a big loaded profit for their own selfishness or a chance to take over the world; they just want a chance to earn something greater than themselves that's limited by reality, but could be achieved through the OASIS. Ready Player One is in a way, an homage to a classic 80's adventure for the modern generation, filled with every nostalgic Easter Egg imaginable, but centered around it are the human elements that ground the film, despite some lacking; that takes you back for a second and remind you that the real world is right next door.

Stars: 4/5

Trailer

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image source: heroichollywood.com

Director: Roar Uthaug
Cast: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas.

Video game adaptations have mostly been a hit or miss when they're brought to screen. One moment, you're mesmerized by the concept and the story of the game, and the next, you're witnessing its ruin on the silver screen. Even if I've seen a couple of video game adaptions, I'm not as attached to their source materials as much as I am with Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider is the one video game series (other than the Indiana Jones games) that I have played and loved from time to time. I was a huge fan of anything that had to do with adventures, thanks to the Indiana Jones films (I loved playing the games as well back then) I was so fascinated by the fact that a video game could have a female protagonist in the center of its story. Lara Croft, the female archaeologist who has a knack for the ancient relics and artifacts, who isn't afraid to brave tomb by tomb to get her hands on a piece of history. Although I didn't complete all of the games, I still managed to complete the first Tomb Raider game, Tomb Raider II, and Anniversary, which I'd say; I'm pretty damn proud of that.

Then came the rebooted game, which I loved so much, and that was due to the fact that there was so much to the game than just a wickedly fun gameplay. It showed a much more vurnerable Lara Croft, and an enticing story with a new take on Croft's origins. When I saw that the new Tomb Raider adaptation was looking to follow the same type of story, I had some hope. Unfortunately, it was crushed sooner than I thought.

Tomb Raider is the origin story of our heroine Lara Croft, the woman who would become the badass archeologist that we would come to know and love in the games. She starts off as a bike courier who refuses to acknowledge the fact that her father has truly passed from a recent mission. That doesn't stop Lara from eventually finding out that her father isn't who she thinks he is, due to her discovery of his hidden job. Determined to finish what her father started, Lara sets out on a journey to keep a supposed supernatural force from the world from falling into the wrong hands.

Image source: IMDB

This Tomb Raider clearly takes more notes from the rebooted 2013 game rather than the previous games (and the story elements are the same as the rebooted game, too), and that's swell, because I enjoyed the story from the reboot a lot. The problem is, not every game can be adapted, no matter how good the story is from the game. Tomb Raider is one of those cases. In the game, you feel the tension and the need for survival. The mystery of the supernatural force that the story delves into makes for such a fun and interesting gameplay, especially when it takes the whole game to try and resolve. When adapted however, that feeling is gone, replaced by the urge to get it over with. There is really nothing I could take from the film that screams memorable or enjoyable even. It's great that it's taking on a more realistic and serious note that the rebooted game so greatly delves, but clearly, that hasn't worked wonders on outweighing its hollow story. And the problem isn't at the more serious take on the story, it's how the story itself is executed.

The biggest problem with Tomb Raider is the fact that they jump through every scene and arc like it was an obstacle that was needed to be passed quickly (that might not be a game pun). It jumps through arcs and scenes without delving any further for the sake of the plot, which is unbearably awful. Whatever arc or scene that just happened in a flash, that's all you're going to get, which is why Tomb Raider is devoid of any type of emotion or even a sense of surprise, and there's even a plot twist that happens that was never established that much in the first place, so once the twist happens, you just don't care anymore; you've gone through nearly two hours without any buildup to anything. There's things set up about some characters that eventually lead to nothing, and there is no significant progression in terms of character development. The villain who had a backstory that was never delved any further or mentioned again; was reduced to a stereotypical villain with nothing memorable and no special motivation that makes us interested in him.

Image source: IMDB

The aspect that became the saving grace of this film however, is Alicia Vikander. She's captured the vulnerability and tenacity that Lara Croft has in the rebooted games. The Lara Croft that we see in the beginning has so much zing and attitude, that it actually gives a much more charismatic vibe of the character from Vikander, which I really liked. It's when the story stumbles into the action part that she loses this spark in favor of setting up the action hero that we love, but without the charisma and charm from the script that makes the character from the games itself so special. This Lara Croft should have had layers, possibly even more of a complex character than Angelina Jolie's portrayal, and it could have been that, judging from Vikander's performance; but the script doesn't allow that to happen. This particular Lara Croft, when not fighting, is sometimes the worst decision maker when it comes to times of danger. At times, she doesn't react immediately when danger is ahead and isn't one for the most logical choices (she even chooses to stay back and fight the villain during an escape scene where she's already one step ahead of him and could have run off towards the exit which is clearly not blocked by the villain and is right there). Thanks to Vikander's performance though, there's still something good to be taken from this portrayal.

Having been a huge fan of the games, it's a pleasure to see that some of the action sequences embodies what the actual gameplay is like. The film at least gave some kind of visual that is similar to the vibe given in the games, particularly the rebooted Tomb Raider. Some of the action sequences are pretty entertaining, and a bike chase sequence that could just be a setup for a Premium Rush sequel set in London is excellent, but are visuals truly enough to make an enjoyable experience? Not when the awful pacing and storyline stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of a visually enticing game adaptation. I'm not saying that this should have followed the exact story or concept of the game completely to recreate the charm that it had, but it should have at least had a good story and a sense of a great adventure with our lead heroine.

For the most part, Tomb Raider just feels more like a generic action film instead of a fun adventure film with a complex action heroine who is more than just a skilled combatant, but a soon-to-be brilliant archeologist. This film has some fun elements, I'll give it that, but it has nothing special from the story itself, which is even worse considering that the pacing is also atrocious, and really could have had more time setting up what they already have instead of moving on to something else; which is a shame, because as an origin story, it could have been great, or at least enjoyable. Unfortunately, that is not the case for this film.

Stars: 2.5/5

Trailer

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