"Dracula Untold" Review

Universal Pictures continues their recent kick of revamping the image of their classic movie monsters: first with 2010's The Wolfman, followed by this January's I Frankenstein. October is among us and we're presented with Dracula Untold. If The Wolfman was solid and I Frankenstein lackluster, Dracula Untold is somewhere in the middle, straying from its horror roots, but still packing enough goofy charm to keep me entertained for an hour and a half.

The disconnect between this film and the house that Bela Lugosi built extends even to the name: Luke Evans plays Vlad, a prince who employs the help of a vampire (Charles Dance) to gain the power to defend his kingdom from a warlord (Dominic Cooper). Gone is Dracula's nightmarish atmosphere and menace, replaced instead with medieval battles and CGI grandeur: the bastard child of Underworld and Lord of the Rings.

Evans, despite doing his best Russell Crowe impression, works with a well-crafted character, able to tap into different aspects of his personality. When given his trademark powers (super strength and speed, transformation into a bat, sharp fangs, etc.), Vlad undergoes a lust for blood, which if he succumbs to, will seal his fate as a vampire for eternity, as opposed to the 72-hour free trial the vampire lets him try. This development forms Vlad into a man who questions, how much evil can one justify doing in the name of the greater good? This is an aspect of the story that hasn't been explored in any story prior, but is a welcome addition to the mythology.

In Dracula Untold's final act, the two armies clash in a valley underneath a monastery. The CGI is on full display, shot with the plasticity of a Call of Duty game, as Vlad shows off, decimating waves of enemies with kick-ass superpowers. The testosterone-fueled Mountain Dew-drinking twelve-year-old in me is in heaven. The action hits all the notes one would expect, but never in a way that drags. It shows what it needs to and moves on: competent with fun little twists.

If describing Dracula Untold in one word, I think "competent" fits. For someone who walked into the theater ready to hate this movie, I found myself enjoying a lot more than I expected. call it the beneficiary of lowered expectations, but I thought the new take on the vampire was handled well enough that it never delved into a caricature. Come into the film, lower your suspension of disbelief, and you'll find it an entertaining first half to a Saturday double feature. Thank you for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.  

  

"A Walk Among The Tombstones" Review

I feel like it's been ages since I've last typed away on this familiar screen. To try and excuse my absence, I thought I'd update you all on some events:

1) I got admitted into the University of North Texas for journalism. To put it blunt, I'm both excited and busy as hell. Five classes tend to beat all notion of free time out of oneself.

2) I got an internship writing for scifibloggers.com! This blog is supposed to be practice for other writing opportunities and because of my previous work on here, I got in! It's all exciting and I can't wait to see where it all takes me.

Despite writing for another site now, I wish not to abandon my first love. September 9th marked the anniversary of "The Man Without a Plan", and out of a desire to keep on keeping on, I type away now, writing another review. So what's on the docket this time? "A Walk Among The Tombstones."

The trailer showcases stylish use of shadow and cinematography that blends film noir with elements of a gritty 70's thriller. Toss in a straightforward mystery about a private investigator's search for the murderers of a drug trafficker's wife, put Liam Neeson in the starring role, and this looks like a winner, a strong entry into this year's fall lineup. Let me tell you, disappointment hurts.

The movie drudges along, packed with so many characters, it's difficult to keep track of all of them. As a result, I thought the movie had established enough to finish at the hour mark. Needless to say, I wasn't happy when I realized there was yet another hour to go. The script is so full, the movie requires three climaxes to finish tying up its loose ends. After the first time, most of the tension dissipates, and I just look at my watch, waiting for it all to be over.

Now, this doesn't mean the movie's unable to keep interest. Director Scott Frank (screenwriter for "Minority Report" and "The Wolverine"), along with the help of cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. (The Master), creates a New York that's gloomy, yet intimate, reflecting whatever mood the main characters feel. Through a dynamic use of shadows, angles, and transition, Frank manages (for the most part) to capture a dark atmosphere and keep tension going throughout.

However, there are some moments where the tone and visuals clash. A scene shows the two murderers (David Harbour and Adam Davis Thompson) scoping out the house of their next victim. As they're about to abandon their search (the current situation interferes with their "ethics", I suppose), a young girl comes into view, wearing a bright red coat, walking her dog. The scene moves in slow-motion, and as she waves to them, an upbeat pop song plays. I think Frank's use of irony is supposed to accent how disturbed the killers' psyches are, but the scene comes out of nowhere, and is played over-the-top to the point where I found myself laughing at its goofiness..

Speaking of confused tone, do you remember how people reacted (and still react) to Jar Jar Binks in "Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace"? Whenever he was on screen, he stopped the plot in its tracks and annoyed the audience every chance he could get. As a six-year-old in 1999, I didn't think much of it, but in 2014, let me tell you, I've found my Jar Jar. Brian "Astro" Bradley (Earth to Echo) plays T.J., an abandoned teenager whom Neeson's character befriends and grows to care for. He's a stereotype: the tough kid with a heart of gold. Scrappy Doo is at least cute; T.J. starts irritating and gets to the point where I want him gone, by any means necessary. He desires to be a famous private investigator; we're supposed to find him cute and brave as he gets himself in harm's way. Oh, gag me. If this was a kid's film, a more lighthearted piece, I'd be fine, but in a movie full of rape, murder, and bodily dismemberment, does no one see wise-cracking, "adorable" comic relief as out-of-place?

It's all these little details that stack the odds against "A Walk Among The Tombstones", but no one can deny its stylish ability to create a gloomy atmosphere. Fans of Liam Neeson get what they expect: a gruff exterior, dry, dark humor, lots of fights, and another master class in how to threaten someone over the phone. His performance is tough, yet approachable: one of Neeson's better performances in recent years. It's an overly slow burn, but if you want to see Liam Neeson do what he does best, I won't fault you. However, it's nothing I'd recommend a theater trip for.