World War Z (2013)

Human nature can be an understatement – however we are being reckless, confused or simply ignorant does not compromise with a society of beasts let alone with the unreasoning undead!

Paramount Pictures in association with GK Films, Hemisphere Media Capital, Skydance Productions and Plan B Entertainment present…

The film was based on the novel of Max Brooks in the same title which was released on September 12, 2006. It tells the tale of a fictionalized post-apocalyptic war and is narrated by an agent of the United Nations depicting the individual accounts of survivors and their stories that gives levity on the social, political and environmental effects of the conflict while trying to focus on survival in the aftermath…

Modern day Philadelphia, a family just starting their day as routine dictates, they come across city traffic only to find that there is more to it than meets the eye! Too much commotion taking place, helicopters traversing the skies, while police goes back and forth without given word on what is really going on!

Then amidst the crowd, chaos started to climax as people are seen running from all directions while vehicles are overturned from out of control maneuvering while injuring people in the process! As an overview comes into play, a bigger picture is previewed so we can already see the culprit and now, all hell breaks loose!

Directed by Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball) he was able to take into detail the needed plotline to make this project work after tireless revisions! Working on the premise to actually make it substantial and not just make it as a generic zombie film.

The story was initially drafted by J. Michael Stracyznski (Babylon 5) his inspiration was “The Bourne Identity” that encompassed locations with the socio-political issues that came into fruition when the pandemic struck the population. While the Screenplay was re-written by people who has produced stories on political unrest, military extractions, stampeding crowds and alien invasions like Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom) coming from the latter part of the genre comes Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) and Damon Lindelof (Prometheus) who even was tasked to handle the third arc of the script just to compensate at least additional footage to make the plot more appropriate.

Starring Academy Award and Golden Globe Nominee Brad Pitt (Interview with a Vampire) as Gerry Lane and Mirelle Enos (Gangster Squad) as Karin Lane, they portray the parents for their two daughters as they try to get out of New Jersey alive as possible getting into a safe zone to be extracted by the United States Government in order for Gerry a former United Nations Investigator to work with the military to locate the source of the virus and find a cure in the process!

Gerry is the go to guy, he has been to Liberia, Chechnya and Sri Lanka just because he is the best personnel at their disposal! Brad brings his A game to make his character inspiring, calm and collected he does all things with clear precision and having the innate understanding to keep his family secure and safe in the process!

Three time Academy Award Winner for Best Cinematography is Robert Richardson, a diamond in the rough who given the audiences well-received films like “JFK”, “Aviator” and “Hugo”! Setting his sights in Malta, London, Glasgow and later on with reshoots in Budapest, he was able to exploit the grand scale of cities that were used to convince everyone that they were in that actual location while giving emphasis key subtle moments to showing a bird’s eye view of the visceral carnage that is happening when the horde attacks in a grand scale!

As the premise focuses more on the protagonists and with lesser roles to play, these guys still came up front and center just to help convey the story James Badge Dale (Iron Man 3), Matthew Fox (Vantage Point) as soldiers doing their best to provide what is necessary to keep Gerry alive while David Morse (The Getaway) a South Korean base detainee sheds more light to how it all started and where he can find the next trail of “patient zero” since Israel and its impeccable timing to finally finish constructing their walls after thousands of years has been set to be the next destination.

A very rare film that integrated all the needed composition for the story to blend and work as one! With great directing, a faithful adaptation from the source, moving music, captured landscapes and spectacular VFX what could go wrong? Speaking of which, the amalgamation of both practical sets with the CGI has been was well distributed, it sets them apart specifically to amplify the horror while keeping intact key moments that enable the audience to understand more so separate the character, his observations and the frenzy brought in by mere ignorance of the populace!

This is where Scott Farrar (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) of Industrial Light & Magic, he was able to provide a completely different approach when it comes to this man eating undead! Together with his team, they studied how a zombie would act and react in different circumstances, in the film they were noise triggered but more importantly they can move fast, they will be at your throats in a heartbeat. Another aspect included in the study was how they behaved like wild beasts preying like predators for their next kill this together with the mass collectiveness of ants, Scott gave them even better abilities that can be unwavering like a tidal wave!

The storytelling gave a huge impact on society and it moves you, this is not your typical zombie flick that gives emphasis only for survival but as mentioned earlier, how the Director was able to fully utilize the narrative and convey the bigger elephant in the room which is the cure or is it the “camouflage”?

The film was a genuine nail biter (pun) along with the complex nature of humanity as it enters its final days; it is up to us if we continue to be the bane of this world or be our own bastion! The Author in collaboration with Paramount Pictures has done a successful soon to be franchise. With the inclusion of being grounded to reality made it more appealing to watch as fantasy meets science while being taken as a sort of documentary in a sense that it gave emphasis on how real this can be and will it actually exist in our world? Bottom-line, be essential or go extinct!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Evolution takes another form so better be prepared for it’s going to be a jungle out there and it will drive you bananas!

20^th Century Fox in association with Dune Entertainment, Big Screen Productions, Ingenious Film Partners and Chernin Entertainment present…

A major over haul from a long line of classic films which I believe most people will prefer in order to settle a grounded framework that will enable another set of a better franchise in the coming years ahead! It centers on Apes as they are used to term the superclass Hominidae together with humans, gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans, another way to call their level would be Hominoids!

A remote jungle…

A traumatic experience from a Troop (collective) with a certain female captured, compounded and named “Bright Eyes” after a string of lab tests that involved a virus called ALZ112. What turns out to be a medical breakthrough was inconclusive, yes! With a lot of promise not for humans…but rather with another species!

Writers Rick Jafffa and Amanda Silver (The Hand that Rocks the Cradle) has worked on a very huge platform inputting enough details from the previous stories directly or indirectly to create a new predecessor as they inculcate in the film an unstoppable chaos that depicts real life scenarios! This will happen when oppression has gone too far and everyone turns a blind eye towards it. Wonderfully written which gave the sections of the film perfect amalgamation of sequences that made it sublime.

Directed by Rupert Wyatt which gave his second major picture to date since “The Escapist”! I hope he keeps up and will be given more projects to tackle. His guidance had made a huge impact in the potential of the film’s premise to what is going on out there that covers diversity, animal rights and the involvement of science especially in the medical field.

Art Direction plus the Production teams of Helen Jarvis and Claude Pare respectively made their homework with tenacity. Cinematography by Andrew Lesnie, already won an Academy Award for his work in the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring which makes his collaboration with Andy a lot more fulfilling!

Least we forget Weta digital the company founded by Director Peter Jackson! The Award winning studio had produced such great films since 1993 focusing on visual effects and CGI animation which comprises the LOTR Trilogy, King Kong and of course the groundbreaking sci-fi hit Avatar! I believe this film will be a contender as well!

There were intrinsic elements that make this film so surreal it certainly needs to be elaborated.

MISUSE OF POWER + VIOLATION OF RIGHTS = MUTINY

The first thing that was evident is the reason, the origins for the uprising which the title connotes; this of course would correspond to the given plot. Hunted down, unwillingly tested and tortured what more can you ask for?

GEN SYS owner David Oyelowo (The Last King of Scotland) as Steven Jacobs, level headed, passionate about his work and his money, nothing matters to him except his business and the approval of the board directors to further fund his project. His only goal is to seek the cure for the disease, fair enough but at what costs? Or how many more lives of these animals will be needed in order to attain them?

On another side note, two actors return to the foray, villains as part of the story’s father and son tandem! They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks as Brian Cox (Iron Clad) as a preserve owner John Landon who schemes more so tolerates the horrible acts of Dodge played by Tom Felton (Harry Potter) who will not see what’s coming for him.

FATHER AND SON DYNAMIC

Before he was a scientist, he was a son to his father and in his heart he will find a way to save him. James Franco (Tristan & Isolde) plays William Rodman, a San Francisco Genetic Therapist team lead who is at the brink of curing a disease that has made humanity suffer for hundreds of years.

The medium for his work, Alzheimer’s has been the burden of Charles Rodman; he is John Lithgow’s (Cliff Hanger) screen character! It was nice to see John do a little bit of drama and being back in films, the perennial actor was well known for his role in the TV hit comedy series 3^rd Rock from the Sun!

We can say that one scientist was also partly blamed for this inexorable predicament even as humane as it can be, helping your own father get better is the primary thing to do in spite of too much severities.

Another angle was the growing up primate and his human Dad, there was always laughter in the house and Will has been torn up between his work duties, his sick father and his surrogate son! It was really heartfelt to watch seeing how he faces so many uncertainties for their future and even if it means that he has to let Caesar go…

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE LESSER BEINGS

The neighbor Mr. Hunsiker got into his psyche as one of the reasons why hatred started to run through his veins. Then out of the cruelty dealt by Dodge and his friend, Caesar grew a foreboding bitterness towards humans even more into which will be the catalyst for his plan. To add insult to his superior intellect, his tormentor gave him a bath that he will never forget! Even scenes with the preserve Alpha male Lucky have been deterrent to what Caesar stands for…his name was not just given to him without purpose!

Now, for the star of the show, Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings: Return of the King) is the lead character who I call “Chimpanzee 2.0” commands his role, his legion of followers to freedom. After playing Gollum and King Kong, he still never fails to mesmerize audience with his innate ability to express the character he plays. He carefully affixes his facial expressions, movement that adds to his charisma which was on par with his character’s animosity!

We could see here that his mission was not just to liberate his kind but it offers more on what they wanted humans to feel how they were treated. After so much chaos, the stand-off was a marvelous scene to gaze at it signifies the type of leader Caesar is and why his unwavering legion is loyal to his sovereignty.

Andy’s portrayal reflects really well and it shows how Caesar was brought up even with the amount of intelligence he has, he never abused it furthermore he had shown compassion a lot of times in the film. Bottom line, he was just an angry ape who needs to be understood!

THE INEVITABLE IMPECCABLY WAITS…

So everything falls into place for a sequel, a concluded first round barrage (Apes 1: Humans 0), a casualty from a re-engineered ALZ113, we also had hints of the bloody nosed pilot who will take flight into greater heights and watch him crashing down…that will send millions of lives to the brink of their agonizing demise! Lastly, playing in the background is a lost mission to Mars looming for a comeback (I think it’s better if they don’t!).

Frieda Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) as Caroline Aranha, a Primatologist who serves as Veterinarian and lover to the scientist extraordinaire. She has been with the family for a quite a few years now and seeing how Caesar progresses she will now be a part of something bigger to come.

I don’t know but for heaven’s sake the kiss was not necessary it was done so many times already and it was too pedestrian! But we could see this actress blossom and bring more inspiring films to the big screen! We won’t know what will happen next, maybe character continuity will take effect for the sequel that she might help out in the coming pandemic and that would be awesome to see!

Very touching film full of morals about life and people, we always have that intuition of being superior from others and regrettably will be the cause of our downfall. Caesar became human in essence and his chest pounded with grief and resentment! His last words were uttered in subtlety but its meaning gave a very clear exclamation point! To think that the bright eyed primate was an orphan only longing for the love and acceptance of a family but it was never meant to last!

The Apes drape upon the giant Redwoods awaiting their fate that has yet to come…

Perfect Sense (2011)

Humanity can only succumb to this instinctive innate emotion, a precursor which is so palpable even if it’s not seen, heard, felt or spoken of…love will always have that primordial influence!

Sigma Films in association with BBC Films and IFC Films present…

There is Darkness, there is Light…

Formerly titled “The Last Word”, a tale entangled by a paradox that circles around repeatedly to bring humanity to its knees and yet everything it negates and infuse the senses was clearly narrated by Kathryn Engels which helps define what was being manifested in the film!

Yes, cigarette smoking at the street, in a park or simply at a kitchen backdoor can be the perfect alibi to clear someone’s head and a common thief to start a conversation…

The Chef

Ewan McGregor (Big Fish) is Michael, he loves to cook; he wants to give his best to his customers! He is a Chef, busy, service, order, delivery while trying to ignore his associate talking about someone…he moves on to his next plate!

His performance was really played spot on, how he composes himself at the kitchen; working on his presentation, his facial expressions, carefree attitude and movements compliments his demeanor for appropriateness to his character’s culinary expertise! The other side of the coin would be his eccentric individuality! The first shot gave him a sense of a wandered off lover who can’t sleep while someone is in his bed…or if he’s sleeping in another! I find him commendable in other films, but this was the a very rare chance that he carries himself with vindication!

The Scientist

Eva Green (Womb) portrays Susan, a zealot for her work as a Epidemiologist, she is obligated to make sure that health events and coherent guidelines in a given population is in check while providing solutions that involves preventive measures in terms of vaccines, medicines and with intelligence reports to counter the issues involved up to the point of damage assessment and control!

She calls Michael her lover “Sailor” coming from her father’s old habits! I love how a woman eats with her hands; Eva had some moments with “Kingdom of Heaven”, she makes it so natural as she entices Michael after a quick meal and a sob story! When a woman falls in love, you can see it in her eyes what makes her interested to a man, how he works and moves! In this case, it’s the way how he takes care of a guest, of a stranger, of her vulnerability!

Coming back to work, Susan encounters a man who was contained due to a symptom which rippled out rapidly in the last 24 hours in different states! Confused and without any clue what is currently happening! The Severe Olfactory Syndrome (SOS) was diagnosed from the aggravated driver who suddenly lost his ability to smell, under which circumstances comes across to the other protagonist’s side of town. People, both staff and customers from the restaurant where Michael worked were experiencing the same symptoms! They were unprepared and without any comprehension, it turned into battling a virus that affects Europe spreading from the United Kingdom to the coasts of Spain, playing in the background of a conspiracy, a contagion…

It was typically, generally a love story but a twist of something insurmountable, encompassing everyone in the process. It was the overall backdrop of losing the senses starting with the ability to smell as mentioned earlier! Now, people just started to get really hungry eating anything both edible and inedible alike, then suddenly its gone like an evanescence, it quickly disappeared as if it was someone who was controlling them to have these moments of gluttonous nirvana!

After 35 minutes of screentime…the fundamentals of beliefs became concise, clear like a sword piercing in the open air without direction, without prejudice! As the story unfolds, the cataclysmic agenda soon unravels for the audience as we see the film turn into its wider horizons; the virus suddenly turns into a pandemic that becomes uncontrollable, plunging the planet into chaos with Biblical proportions!

Less than an hour after supposedly all things went back to normal, a scientist from Bangkok started to inform the UK that they have people with hearing problems. Named Severe Hearing Loss Syndrome, the said condition sets in another turn to the world as panic with greater afflictions come into play, bereft by the human condition to not being able to focus on logic turning against each other like rabid animals! It spreads from Thailand, India China and Russia like wildfire without any remorse or the means of desisting!

The Scottish Film Director David Mackenzie (Asylum) gives it a profound and a fascinating take on loosing something or someone in a given instant! Previously collaborated with Ewan in the 2003 film “Young Adam”, he makes another journey to humanity’s disposition to survive, an invisible enemy tearing up continent per continent! He was able to cleverly tell the story with great performers including Connie Nielsen (Gladiator) and Ewen Bremmer (Trainspotting) together with Ewan in 1996!

Max Richter (Darwin) gives his music from the gloomy violin and the tranquility of the piano as they caress the moods in every scene then carefully integrated from the camera’s point of view! Cinematography was done by Giles Nuttgens (Heaven on Earth) subtle but still infuses the dynamic of being forlorn and the chaos that goes around with it. Every moment was captured to give the pace and the flow to naturally commence as it is conveyed by the cast and at times during narratives!

With Editor Jake Roberts (The Last Great Wilderness), he helps put together a vignette of different situations around the world culminating to losing faith and still finding the strength to move on despite the desperation reeking every time the virus evolves into something more volatile! While Screenplay was made by Kim Fupz Aakeson (Aftermath) who was able to visualize a world full of passion and sensation from everything we do and instill these aspects of life surrounding these two lovers from worlds apart in terms of their profession yet bounded to their feelings for one another.

The template was actually simple, pedestrian in my opinion but it was somehow given an little bit of an ante-up coming from a background that implies wiping out what was needed for humanity to survive, it therefore leaves out the elemental factor of one of two completely opposite energies: life and death, yin and yang, order and chaos!

People say that it was flat footed, predictable and loosely up in the air in different directions. True, but at least delivery of the cast was nonchalant and effective bringing in a different take in a story that literally moves your world, appeals to your senses without the need of medication for being “love sick” nor even a sumptuous meal served exquisitely in a impeccable time like this…

The Crazies (2010)

Who are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood? It’s the people you “fear” each day!

Participant Media in association with Imagenation Abu Dhabi and Overture Films present…

In a fictionalized town named Ogden Marsh, Iowa, a peaceful place with a population of 1,260. A Sheriff driving his patrol car, a man committed to his job and getting an unpaid coffee, a perk not given even for an officer of the law. The crowded stadium is shown while a baseball game commences, he’s rooting for the Pitcher while applause continues to pour in and suddenly a man out of nowhere shows up with a shotgun…

Director Breck Eisner (Sahara) brings a George Romero classic to the big screen once more as a remake of the 1973 film in the same title. He was able to instill the sense of overbearing dread and uses it well to compensate the lack of dialogue especially for the remaining protagonists. I have to say the story was well written and executed with the subtleties of inducing human nature at its worst. Breck focused on the details making it relevant and relatable to watch and experience considering that he had no box-office superstars to play his characters.

The lethargic Timothy Olyphant (Hitman) as Sheriff David Dutten while his wife Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill) portrays Judy the town’s resident Doctor. Their on-screen chemistry seemed genuine with enough conviction with their responsibility to their town, being a couple and what is yet about to come! Radha was never new to films with horror as its template, playing one of those “assumed” for being contaminated she still give her condition a fighting chance while Tim makes the most of his investigative skills with the help of his always over eager but reliable Deputy Russell played by Joe Anderson (The Ruins) and find an answer to all of this “madness”!

The film shies away from the zombie genre and to give it synergy of a disease related premise plus add the horrific tendencies of these mindless hosts and you’ll get this chaotic merriment of epic proportions! I like the way they approached the set up, some levity on the season since its Spring already and people were having a good time in a sunny day when suddenly tension becomes to build for a yet still unknown reason. You could feel the rousing forlorn of grief scheming its way to the residents while the antagonist slowly creeps out of its dark corner.

Writers Scott Kosar (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) together with Ray Wright (Case 39) and George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead) himself! The trio brought a unique take on an outbreak that actually spread through the water supply wherein a cargo plane en route to Texas was carrying a prototype biological weapon named “Trixie” based on “Rhabdoviridae” a virus referred to in taxonomy as an order of “Mononegavirales” which is related to the likes of Ebola, Mumps, Measles and Rabies viruses!

There was no need to exaggerate the means of terrifying the audience; shooting silhouettes from swaying trees, weird scenarios or someone will grab you unexpectedly and slowly paced cameras panning on corners or hallways. It will come out eventually and you don’t have to wait long for you to feel the ramifications brought upon this neighborhood! It was like a cancer that slowly grew little by little until the manifestation showed its ugly side (no pun intended)! There is the tension in the air, you could see how it progresses while the Director gives you clues on why this is happening. Concomitant to situations that inches it way to bring about the chaotic visceral nature of these infected hosts though mistaken for being “zombies” they are not, they are affected by a pathogen in their contaminated water, they don’t eat human flesh or brains for that matter but they will kill either by being provoked or simply through their deranged insanity!

Other contributing factors to make the film surreal are music from Award Winning Mark Isham (The Mist) with Almost Human Studios taking care of the prosthetics and make-up while Robert Green Hall (Quarantine 2) provides the SFX to sum up this nail biting epidemic! I do have a penchant for the supernatural but these films keep bringing engaging stories that will keep you coming back for more especially with the zombie genre or anything related with a disease that spreads in the population, if you watched this one might as well follow “The Walking Dead” its better off than the recent vampire television series’ as of late!

Another commendation given for this film was they were able to win the “People’s Choice Awards” for “Favorite Horror Movie” of that year considering with its plot and marketing which even states “Fear thy Neighbor” on its theatrical posters! Speaking of which, it may give resolute fear on the follow through since there is only one town to focus on but primarily what does the underlying cause made all these things come into fruition? You’re getting warmer, if you guess it’s the Government you are absolutely in the right direction! How do these people with clandestine purposes explain their actions and come up with these “monstrosities” let alone the assigned personnel who enforce these protocols maybe we can ask the descendant of the Vanderbilts’ Mr. Olyphant himself.

It was great, the ending even gave a hint on a sequel and I can’t wait as this “eye in the sky” monitors the last two remaining survivors and will execute its next programming. Talk about “Terminator” meets “Eagle Eye” for crying out loud.

Happy trails David and Judy…

Push (2009)

Super powered people existing in this mundane fictionalized world can be conspiracy centric not until someone can erase your memories or implant thoughts to let you forget all about this film!

Summit Entertainment in association with Icon Productions and Infinity Features Entertainment present…

In a world where super beings exist, it has been an enigma when it comes to history as reports and speculations suggests that even before World War II began, Germany’s Adolf Hitler has been conducting experiments together with his scientists from people that have special abilities and use them to win the war and conquer the planet!

Director Paul McGuigan (Lucky Number Slevin) gives an empathic but boring synergy that was “Push”! Although, he was able to utilize the ethnic, crowded backdrop of Hong Kong just to give it more diversity just to shy away from the typical stereotyped films being based in the United States, Moscow or United Kingdom! Together with Writer David Bourla (Nostradamus) who was working on a time-travel based film but rather got into doing this convoluted story instead which only suggests a premise of pastiched interwoven conspiracy theories that do actually exists but can be subliminally coursed through in these type of media just to compensate what’s really going on in people’s lives and in their “secret” lives!

This guy has played different characters in the comic based genre! He has been tipping the scale for a couple of publishers already which makes him in demand in Hollywood to date! His latest outings were “The Losers” which included this epic failure. While gaining more levity and respect from Marvel where he played Johnny Storm also known as the Human Torch with two not so “fantastic” movies ! But he was able to redeem himself as the titular star spangled soldier Captain America and more so being a member of the “Avengers” which is considered the best adaptation in comic book history (so far)! In this feature, Chris Evans (Cellular) is orphaned “Mover” Nick Grant, for years he has been laying low on his tracks trying to find the right time to avenge his father. It seems that Chris has a knack for government experimentations that lead to his character being molded to lead the country by envisioned patriotism or through a revolution of war!

So he is soon joined by Dakota Fanning (Trapped) as a young and eccentric “Watcher” Cassie Holmes! Her involvement in being one of the main protagonists was of course the same old trick in the book “to defeat the evil doers of course”! Seriously, Dakota has a lot of potential in becoming one of the sought out actresses if she can only choose good enough projects. But talent can always be trumped by mediocrity if not handled with caution or being “watched” carefully!

While native Brazillian actress Camilla Belle (The Patriot) portrays Kira Hudson a “Pusher” who is actually the point and center of the film. Having escaped her captors and death, she was injected by an experimental serum that pushes the boundaries and limits of these gifted beings! Including Cliff Curtis (Collateral Damage) as “Shifter” Nick Waters and Ming-Na Wen (Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within) as another “Watcher” but more powerful than Cassie! With the supporting casts in tow, they were able to provide viable screentime to convey the story and make it more sensible considering that they were all part of a bigger plan in the first place!

Hiding a dangerous past, this is where Djimon Honsou (Unlawful Entry) as Agent Henry Carver high ranking officer of the government sanctioned group to be very meticulous on how he handles his people knowing that a more powerful way of manipulating their capabilities can be harnessed well, even if it means to take lives just to justify their means. Djimon could have been a competent villain if there was something that was added into his character’s physical or psychological aspect!

All things come into play until they wipe each other out just to say that “this world is not big for the two of us” which can be overdramatic but it does give a definite belief that only one of these two elements of good and evil will exist in the end! As the protagonists just got the idea of sticking together to fend off and once and for all stop the Agency known only as the “Division”, they go around town searching for clues, finding places that they can converse their lines and move on as they try to avoid the “bleeding” Triads and get that very significant package first in order for their kind to survive!

Also, with fantasy oriented films like these, it is essential to make use of its VFX and SFX in order to work hand in hand with the script’s premise! How will they be able to utilize these “powers” on the big screen can be a daunting task considering that there are so many variables like how to make it interesting for the audience to know motives of these characters, how to introduce them efficiently, up to what extent can they use their powers and make it believable as they time it right with subtle moments or in times of visceral conflict!

To be honest, it could have been worse since the original story has transpired into a comic book mini-series under the tutelage of Wildstorm and being an imprint of DC Comics, they were able to publish a coherent backstory that served as a prequel for the film! These guys cannot really convert quality adaptations beyond their primary flagship superheroes such as Superman and Batman! Furthermore, it was just a clichéd treasure hunt trying to find their way in some foreign land to fight for their lives and to free themselves from some “new world order” before someone literally puts a bullet in their heads!

Chronicle (2012)

Power is its own greatest enemy alone and can be further proven catastrophic when compromised youths exploit it!

20^th Century Fox in association with Dune Entertainment and Davis Entertainment present…

Directed by Josh Trank (The Kill Point) and co-written by Max Landis (Fear Itself) who also arranged the well paced Screenplay. The two very talented young men who did not have enough experience finally broke the barriers and became today’s bankable and most sought out film makers in their respective fields.

Josh started work as an Editor and Director for a television series before getting the major gig of a lifetime. At the age of 27, he was the youngest to achieve one of the highest grossing US box office openings! While Max, who has been mentored by his Father, John Landis had his hands full since selling his first script when he was only 18 years old. Their baby project boomed its way to the movie going public and gaining momentum since it’s already the dawn of comic books being translated into the big screen!

Their story focuses on three teenage boys who founded a hole that hid an alien like crystal that emitted radiation little do they know that it will change their lives forever! Dane De Haan (Lawless) is Andrew the cousin of Matt portrayed by Alex (Almost Kings) and lastly, Michael B. Jordan (Blackout) who steps up the plate as Steve.

Their all in their senior year of high school, trying to survive daily routines in which for others may seem typical, something you just have to go through in order for you to graduate! But these three had very different backgrounds that make things more interesting and diverse given that each one of them had lives that will shape their fate and confirm their destiny!

Andrew Detmer loves to film and document things, he’s quite, thin and an introvert. His mother is dying of cancer while his father was a fireman who got into drinking when he stopped working after an accident. The boy was constantly bullied and publicly humiliated, criticized for his weak demeanor making him more secluded that is why his cousin wants him to have fun and to meet people so he can socialize but that’s just the tip of the iceberg…

While Alex Russell gave an impression in the first part of the film to be a nuisance (well, that was the idea) just trying to live his own life but in fact, in the long run you can see how he transpires his attitude towards his family and most especially with Andrew who looks after him like a brother. His reasons are just but as adolescents, he still has issues to settle before everything is too late…

Finally, Steve Montgomery the last piece of the puzzle is a multi-awarded student, famous and oozing with charisma and wealth! This guy has everything but he still can mix with the masses and does have friends that he can call his own. But all things have their limit even for a rich kid and this is where he needs to put the boundaries…

So which one of them can harness the full extent of responsibilities? Will soon find out! The primary cast had their own way of telling the story and all will change when things got way out of hand. They say when push comes to shove, you can only go too far before someone gets hurt! Josh and Max made this film to place a huge question mark about how powers should be used and up to what extent! We are not even talking about the court of law, military might, jurisdiction of property or air space, we are defining the actual and literal force that can move everything and everyone with a single thought.

I once heard this from a previous employer that people has only two instinctive reactions when they are being gripped by someone its either they stay in line and be passive or break free and retaliate! A person can only take so much before they burst out and once that happens you better be ready for the consequences. The boys, pulled pranks in the community although being careful not to overuse their newly found gifts (or curse) and its just basically how they have reacted with it, they horse around until it gets the better of them!

It was an interesting story, seeing that given the dialogue set-up to be personal with the help of hand held cameras which makes it more engaging as it gives further emphasis on their decision making process of each individual. The self-evaluation comes into play specifically with Andrew that I can even see with how Max Landis informs and communicates to the public his varied opinions it was like breaking the fourth wall when in fact they he was just documenting his emotions considering that he sees himself as an “apex predator” which resulted from being lambasted by bullies and by his father!

In another aspect, the VFX was mediocre but only because of a measly budget of 12 million from wiring and background CGI and green screen used in which South Africa’s very own Simon Hansen’s and his company Atomic Visual Effects can do so much! The good news is with successful financial returns and being widely accepted by critics, Chronicle has made a clear impression that even with a market niche presentation tailgating the likes of major superhero movies it comes out of its own with way better output and as expected a cult following!

With great results, the actors have pulled off more projects coming their way especially with Dane who has been phenomenal with his career as of late giving the troubled youth persona a fresh new look, his next film will be “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in which he will play Peter’s best friend Harry Osborn. While Michael has voiced another superhero named Cyborg in DC Comics and from Marvel Comics, he just recently played the clusterfucked “Fantastic Four” reboot. Alex on the other hand has his 2013 busy for the upcoming “Carrie” remake and the recently concluded “The Host”.

I really hope that they can still push through with the sequel with a climactic battle that resulted much “collateral damage” being given emphasis by Professor James Moriarty the yang of Sherlock Holmes yin! I also liked how they referenced the premise with “Akira” given that two best of friends growing up like brothers needs to assert where they stand in order just to prove a point! As they can further understand what happened to the juveniles who caused much death and destruction to the city of Seattle! The missing link pertaining to the alien crystal and who buried it and where does the lone survivor of the three go from here? And for the mother of all questions, who else would have this power?