Doctor Strange (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 115 minutes
Director: Scott Derrickson
Writers: Steve Ditko (comic), Scott Derrickson, Jon Spaihts and C. Robert Cargill (screenplay)
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlberg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins

Doctor Strange is now in Australian cinemas and is distributed by The Walt Disney Company.

Doctor Strange brings a new brand of superhero to the Marvel universe who relies more on the power of the mind, spirituality and inner strength rather the traditional battle of the brawn and super-gadgets. Although visually spectacular with an exceptionally strong cast, Doctor Strange has a recycled plot not unlike other Marvel films and a less than satisfying finale.

Egotistical and arrogant genius neurosurgeon, Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) feels like he has had his life ripped from him when a serious car accident leaves him with seemingly irreversible nerve damage to his hands. In a last desperate move to find a way to restore his body to the way it once was, he travels to Kathmandu where he believes he will receive help spiritually, but finds that he enters into a world of sorcery that is overseen by The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). As Stephen opens his mind, he finds that this world is not all it seems and that he may be the one to protect it from the Dark Dimension.

Doctor Strange is a rather deceptive film. It is wrapped up very nicely to look as though it is a breath of fresh air to the Marvel Universe with a new type of superhero in a strange new world, when it really is an atypical superhero introduction film. It has rightly drawn comparisons to Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man as the two lead characters in both films have the same initial character traits and embark on the same journey of self-rediscovery after life-changing events. It is, of course, obvious that Dr Stephen Strange is going to become the hero of the story (hence the name of the film), yet the rest of the film is unpredictable, but unfortunately not in a good way. Spending the latter half of the film wondering where it is going is normally perceived as a positive, but not when the finale is met with the exclamation of "Was that it?"

However, the film's downfalls are disguised by it's breathtaking visuals and incredible special effects. Doctor Strange is a film that must be seen in 3D and on as big a screen as possible to be able to grasp how exquisite it truly is. The creation of an alternate dimension is sublime and beauifully original (although some scenes do replicate Christopher Nolan's Inception). The only criticism that can be said for the visual aspects of the film is that the make-up for Mads Mikkelsen as Kaecilius and his cohorts is rather lack lustre with the over-obvious use of glitter.

And while the story falters, the stellar cast do all they can to make the film work. Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr Stephen Strange is a perfect piece of casting. Cumberbatch has an extraordinary screen presence and dominates every scene he is in just like a hero is supposed to do. He brings his dry, but amusing sense of humour which, as always, works well for him and adds to the enjoyment of the film by living up the dialogue. Rachel McAdams also continues to further impress in her role as Strange's love interest, Christine Palmer. Always charming and likable, she actually does bring something new to the Marvel superhero love interest in that she is not the damsel in distress, but the voice of reason who is not as much in awe of Strange's new found powers, but more irritated at the absurdity he has brought to her life and career.

Doctors Strange could well have been just another run of the mill superhero film, yet the filmmakers have dressed it up to be something that seems original with it's extravagant visuals and solid cast who each bring something new to the film.

7/10

The Imitation Game (2014) film review

Year: 2014
Running Time: 114 minutes
Director: Morten Tyldum
Writers: Andrew Hodges (book), Graham Moore (screenplay)
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, Alex Lawther

The Imitation Game is now showing in Australian cinemas and is distributed by Roadshow Films. Now showing in the United States and United Kingdom.

With an incredibly strong cast and screenplay, The Imitation Game is an extremely solid and highly enjoyable film. Looking at the relatively recent discovery of how Alan Turing and his associates came to play a major part in ending World War II, it is Benedict Cumberbatch who is at the centre of the film and truly makes it a memorable experience with his incredible performance.

In 1939 Great Britain, war has just been declared and one of the country's greatest mathematical minds, Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) has just been employed by the government to help crack the code of the German's encryption device, Enigma. As Enigma's code resets each day, it is an extremely difficult talk and a race against time, but to break it would bring about the end of the war. A team of great minds are assembled alongside Alan to try to solve Enigma, including champion chess player, Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode) and Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley). In order to do this, Alan builds his own machine to work against the Germans, a decision that is not made without criticism from those around him. However, if Alan can get the machine (which he has affectionately called Christopher) to crack Enigma's code, it would be the greatest weapon against the enemy and would once again bring peace to the world.

The story of Alan Turing is not only intriguing, but one which everyone should hear in order to understand that it wasn't the weapons on the battlefield that ultimately made a difference. Some of the greatest minds worked in top secret conditions to bring peace to the world. As this part of history was kept a government secret for over 50 years, this story has not been told on the screen before and brings a new understanding to the quest for peace in the war years. The Imitation Game is a truly unique experience for this reason and it's screenplay does the story of Alan Turing's life and most important achievement complete justice. As well as chronicling the war days, flashbacks to Alan's childhood are used to connect the viewer to and understand the character of Alan further. The screenplay is exceptionally well written and the dialogue very witty and surprisingly hilarious at times. As Alan Turing wasn't particularly sociable, he suffered from a lack of personal skills and his honesty and reactions to certain aspects of human behaviour and speech are highly amusing.

The film isn't continuously suspenseful, but rather has bursts of tension. These moments are actually quite eerie, as one can feel the tension of the characters on screen trying to work against time to solve the code and prevent the war continuing with thousands of lives being lost. They are connected to the war and although they are working far away from it, in the moments of silence at the end of the day you can somehow hear the sounds on the battlefield far away. The film is quite moving at times, but it is the story which is most powerful.

With the majority of The Imitation Game being set in 1939-1942, the film is incredibly nostalgic. The costumes and production design are perfect for the time period, but the attitudes captured are also time relevant. Being female, Joan is always the outsider of the group and although she is in fact a woman quite ahead of her time, the way everyone around her see's her is perfectly suited to the time period.

While the screenplay is brilliant, it is Benedict Cumberbatch that The Imitation Game will most be remembered for. Cumberbatch is absolutely brilliant as the quirky genius. He channels Turing wonderfully and gives an incredibly controlled performance. He delivers his comedic lines perfectly and is able to become likable to the viewer while behaving hostile, but he also plays the damaged Alan so well. It is a role which shows Cumberbatch's versatility as an actor as he shows the many sides of Alan with such conviction.

Although none of the other characters in the film are really given a great deal of background or development, the rest of the cast all have strong screen presences and work perfectly alongside Cumberbatch. Keira Knightley is wonderful as Joan Clarke in a performance which is also controlled and strong without being forced. Charles Dance, Mark Strong and Matthew Goode all have tremendous screen presence and also do very well.

The Imitation Game is a unique story which is not widely known, but one that should be. Benedict Cumberbatch proves his incredible versatility as an actor and ultimately carries the film to the success that it is.

8/10

12 Years A Slave (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 134 minutes
Director: Steve McQueen
Writers: Solomon Northup (novel), John Ridley (screenplay)
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael K. Williams, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano

12 Years A Slave will be released in Australian cinemas on the 3oth January 2014 and is distributed by Icon. Now showing in the USA and the UK. Please see local guides for details on times and locations.

!2 Years A Slave is without a doubt the most powerful feature film of the year. It has everything one would associate with a perfect film and potential award winner as it is completely unforgettable and immaculately made. As a result of it's perfect direction by Steve McQueen and incredible performances by all the actors involved as well as a wonderful adapted screenplay, the film is overwhelmingly emotionally powerful and honest in the most brutal way. It is a painful, but wonderful cinematic experience which consists of so many best achievements for the 2013 year in film.

 Based on a true story, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a free man from upstate New York who lives a happy life with his wife and two children. When he ventures to Washington DC with who he believes to be two businessmen interested in his talents on the fiddle, he is abducted and sold into the slave trade in the deep south. His first master is the sympathetic Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) who treats Solomon, who is now known by his slave name of Platt, with respect, but after giving one of his paid workers, Tibeats (Paul Dano) trouble, he is sold to notorious hard man, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). Epps is known for "breaking" his slaves and when questioned by those who advise him otherwise such as Bass (Brad Pitt), he insists that he will do whatever he wants with his property. Soloman exhibits an incredible amount of strength and resilience to make sure her survives long enough to see his family and be free once again.

12 Years A Slave is an incredible and heartbreaking tale of one man's fight for freedom in the slave trade. Flowing at a perfect pace where nothing feels rushed and nothing feels left out makes the film consistently captivating and allows for a great deal of attachment to take place between the viewer and the characters on screen. McQueen's film is extraordinarily memorable for it's incredible tale of the fight for freedom and it's welcomed but full-on intensity.

The film itself does not sugar coat the issue of slavery and gives perhaps one of the most brutally honest cinematic looks at slavery in pre-Civil War in the deep south of America. While films such as 1939's Gone With The Wind has given us a slightly distorted or best possible outcome look at slavery in the past where the masters are sympathetic to and treat their help well, 12 Years A Slave looks at the true terrors many had to go through. The film is extremely graphic in certain scenes and this can be very upsetting for some and extremely uncomfortable to watch. A great deal of the ways which the slaves are treated in the film are not censored in any way, shape or form and will upset and dismay many viewers. Yet, you feel true appreciation for Steve McQueen not holding back and wanting to show people this terror to give them a real perspective of what slavery could be like. The film is so powerful in the way that it makes you feel shocked, disgusted and heartbroken, but you are also overcome with how beautiful the film surrounding the hard emotions are.

Although visually confronting at times, 12 Years A Slave is just a pleasure to the eye. There are some absolutely stunning shots of the Louisiana plantations and their surrounds of the cotton fields, bayou and woods. The amazing sunset shot over the top of the trees and the scenes which naturally such as these are accentuated by the amazing musical score. The score itself gives such an impact and as the same haunting music appears throughout the film, it starts to increase emotion more each time each time you hear it.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is magnificent as Solomon Northup. He completely personifies the character and changes as the film goes on as a result of his circumstances. Although you see a man who is being worn down by what he is going through, you also see a man with an incredible amount of spirit and so much fight left in him despite what he is going through. One of the most powerful moments in the film is when the camera is on Ejiofor as he sits and looks around the plantation and at one moment he looks straight down the lens of the camera and it is as though he is really looking at you personally and pleading with you to help him.. It is an amazing moment because looking into his eyes you forget that this is an actor and is really a man of unfortunate circumstances looking for help from anyone who will listen.

Newcomer Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely incredible in her first film appearance as slave girl and object of Edwin Epps' affections, Patsey. She is another character who has an incredible amount of strength in her. Although she does have a death wish as she believes it is her only way out of that way of life, she is still full of life. It is such a sweet scene where you see her in the field making her own dolls, as you see the young girl who is still there and dreaming of happiness. Her final half an hour in the film is just overpowering and heartbreaking. She is a true star and if Patsey is anything to go by, her future career is going to be legendary.

Michael Fassbender gives a perfect performance of such a complex character. Epps is absolutely brutal and a real monster, but there is something else there. It is almost as though he struggles to maintain his brutality and has moments when he is on the verge of giving into being sympathetic, but pulls himself back into believing that his slaves are his property and that he must do what he can to make his assets work for him. There is no denying that he is evil, but his evil is felt greater in some scenes than others. Fassbender is so interesting to watch and every scene he is in brings both a sense of dread and a sense of intrigue. The scene between him and Ejiofor chasing each other is a great piece of cinema and the two have a great chemistry in the oppressed slave and tough master relationship.

Sarah Paulson, who plays Epps' wife, is also very good. Her character also has many layers which are to be examined when deciding what type of a woman she is. Like her husband, she has her moments when she borders on sympathy, but feels she has to reason to make it seem like she isn't sympathetic. Of course, she isn't sympathetic towards Patsey and here she demonstrates how fiercely loyal she is towards her husband by sticking around even though she threatens to leave. Paulson is quite scary at times and another very charismatic character. Benedict Cumberbatch also does well and Brad Pitt's performance is brief, but very effective.

Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave wants to show everyone the extreme hardships and horrors those in the slave trade had to endure, and that being free in the north didn't mean you were always free from danger. Intense and beautiful, 12 Years A Slave will be praised and remembered for years.

9.5/10

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 161 minutes
Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: J.R.R.Tolkien (novel "The Hobbit"), Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and Guillermo del Toro (screenplay)
Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Aidan Turner, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch (voice)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is now showing everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films

There is a lot to talk about when it comes to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Funnily enough this reflects the film and the series of films quite well. There is a lot going on in the film so it is only to be expected that there would be a lot to discuss. However, unlike the book to film adaptation, we don't have that much to talk about to make three posts about it.

There is absolutely no denying that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a very well made film and has intended to make the most of everything available to it. After the incredible success of Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's  The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit is extremely reminiscent of the former and maybe even trying a bit too hard to be it. It really depends who you are as to how you feel about this. Some people will be over the moon that they are lucky enough to be indulged once again with Middle Earth, while others just won't be able to get past the fact that three films are being made out of one book and therefore have added so much which wasn't in the original film. For a Tolkien fan, this film holds a lot of emotional baggage, both good and bad.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug begins where The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey left off, as Bilbo (Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the band of dwarves make their way to Erebor to reclaim their homeland. Along the way they come into contact with the elves and the people of Lake-town, while they try to avoid capture and death at the hands of the Orcs who are following them. As Bilbo tries to resist the power of the ring which he is carrying, he also must gather all the strength he can as according to the dwarves, he is the thief who must venture into the mountain and at all costs try to avoid being noticed by the fearsome dragon, Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).

It is true that if you didn't like The Lord of The Rings you won't like The Desolation of Smaug. However, if you did like The Lord of The Rings, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will like The Desolation of Smaug. Taking the prior knowledge into the film that Peter Jackson and his team of writers have taken a reasonably short book (as opposed to the three book in The Lord of The Rings trilogy) and made three films out of it does tend to suggest that the film makers are indeed trying to reach for the stars. It is certainly trying to be another Lord of The Rings and in all honesty it does do well enough in doing that. The Desolation of Smaug really does have the same atmosphere as the previous trilogy and the story (with all it's additions) does play out in a similar fashion. Unlike it's processor, it does feel at times like there really is a little too much going on at once and one too many subplots. Comparing the film so much to The Lord of The Rings does seem like a sin, but given The Hobbit is basically part of the Lord of The Rings story, it is extremely hard not to.

The computer generated images used in the film are spectacular. The creation of Middle Earth locations such as Mirkwood, the Elf Kingdom and inside the mountain are incredible. The final scene in which the dwarves and Bilbo are taking on Smaug really is a visual masterpiece with the CGI perfecting the location as well as the enormity and magnificence of the dragon. The make-up used for characters such as the Orcs and the skin-changer, Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt) is very well done and in the case of the Orcs, very scary. The action sequences are also enhanced by CGI and although very impressive, can get to the point where they seem just a little too far fetched and ridiculous. For example, the scene where the dwarves are being swept down the river in barrels and trying to escape the Orcs while Legolas (Orlando Bloom) holds them off is just way too choreographed to be taken seriously.

Martin Freeman once again does well as the lead character, Bilbo. He gets very much into character and is very consistent with this character from the beginning to the end of the film. The role doesn't call for any huge emotional scenes in this film and all of his establishment of character is done in the first film, but he does as well as anyone could in the role. Ian McKellen is always an absolute thrill as Gandalf and every scene he is in is enhanced by his presence.

Richard Armitage, who plays the dwarf Thorin does well, although his performance borders on corny in the final scenes. Luke Evans as Bard is actually quite an interesting character and has a real sense of mystery to him. Evangeline Lilly's performance of the female archer elf Tauriel feels very overdone, while Orlando Bloom doesn't do too badly even though his Legolas doesn't have a great deal to work with. Benedict Cumberbatch's gives voice to both Smaug and also the Necromancer is quite interesting and fitting, particularly for Smaug.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will and has already done well due to the intrigue that Peter Jackson has created in his adaptations. His film making is known by all for being ambitious but successful and this film is a perfect showcase of his skills.

7.5/10

August: Osage County (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 121 minutes
Director: John Wells
Writer: Tracy Letts (play and screenplay)
Cast: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepherd, Margo Martindale, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Benedict Cumberbatch, Misty Upham

August: Osage County is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Roadshow Films.

Pulitzer Prize winner, August: Osage County could not possibly have made its switch to the big screen in a more powerful way.

August: Osage County doesn't hold anything back and it's family politics are a heavy burden on the audience, but in the best possible way. It is almost confusing as to what type of film it actually is. Too heavy and emotionally draining to be a comedy, but too many laughs and speckled with black humour to be labelled a drama. However, there is no way of getting around the appreciation for its wonderfully adapted screenplay and also its quality performances, especially by the consistently brilliant Meryl Streep.

As the film opens on Beverly Weston (Sam Shepherd) describing how he and his wife, Violet (Meryl Streep) have an unspoken agreement in their marriage where he drinks and she takes pills, the foundation is set for understanding that this is one intense family. When Beverly disappears, the whole family is reunited which brings all the problems they have with one another to a head. The Westons three daughters, Barbara (Julia Roberts), Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) and Karen (Juliette Lewis), who are all incredibly different try to keep the peace for their parents, but trouble finds them whether they like it or not.

As the above poster for August: Osage County suggested, this film is very much like being seated at somebody else's family dinner table and being confronted with all their problems. It is incredibly uncomfortable and often cringe-worthy and embarrassing, but there is something so wrongly entertaining and exciting about it. You want to go and tell everyone you know about it, if you didn't feel so tired and emotionally drained from it. This is August: Osage County to a tee. It is wonderful and exhausting.

The dialogue is brilliantly worded in a very well constructed screenplay, but this is only to be expected considering the author of the play, Tracy Letts also wrote the screenplay. The conclusion of the film doesn't offer any uplifting message which will not be to the liking of those who want to be given atonement. The opportunity is there to take from the film what you think it is trying to tell you. Whether it be that children exhibit the same behaviours as their parents whether they see it or not, that you can't choose your family members, that we are all covering up secrets or even if this is just a source of entertainment and you are not supposed to take anything from it, it is really up to the individual to decide. Visually there are some incredible shots of the Oklahoma country side throughout the film. It is really quite an oxymoron as the countryside is so peaceful, yet inside the Weston's house it is complete mayhem.

In conjunction with the wonderful dialogue, it is the incredible performances of complex characters which really make August: Osage County a success. Meryl Streep is such a powerful force as the head of the Weston family. Violet is not a pleasant lady, but she commands everyone's respect as the family's matriarch. Streep is incredible in this role and she brings out so many different facets of Violet's personality. She is a thrill to watch and highly entertaining, but always leaves you feeling unsettled and just a bit scared.

Julia Roberts also does her best acting in years. Her performance is so controlled and maybe a little too neat at times, but still very powerful. Her character is very much like her mother as she is very complex and Roberts is able to give us so much information about Barbara just through little moments throughout the film. Roberts and Streep have perfect chemistry as well, playing the tense mother and daughter roles very well. The chemistry also between Roberts and her on screen husband, Bill (Ewan McGregor) and daughter, Jean (Abigail Breslin) is perfect. The scene between the three of them outside at night is unforgettable.

Every actor does very well in the film. Benedict Cumberbatch is particularly impressive, as his character of Little Charlie shows the true anxiety of being in a family like this. The scene at the bus stop between he and his father, played by Chris Cooper is perfect representation of how any normal person would react having to be subjected to this. Cooper is also wonderful, as his performance is not over the top, but subtle and powerful in its subtlety.

While often uncomfortable due to it's burdening weight, August: Osage County is powerful in a most welcomed fashion with memorable performances by a truly stellar cast.

8/10

The Fifth Estate (2013)

Year: 2013

Running Time: 128 minutes

Director: Bill Condon

Writers: Daniel Domscheit-Berg (book), David Leigh and Luke Harding (book), Josh Singer (adaptation)

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Bruhl, David Thewlis, Laura Linney, Stanley Tucci, Alicia Vikander

 

The Fifth Estate is now showing in Australia, the USA and the UK.

 



Julian Assange is without a doubt one of the most intriguing figures of the twenty-first century. He may not be everyone's favourite person, but everyone wants to know what he has done, what he is doing and what he is saying. Assange is perceived as being a one of a kind dangerous man, as he has no weapons to fight with besides the truth and the ways he can obtain it.

So it definitely comes as a surprise that The Fifth Estate doesn't provide a solid platform for this enigmatic figure. One may toy with the idea that it may still be a bit too soon to have a feature film about the Wikileaks founder, but it is more to do with the fact that the film has no sense of suspense or tension and is void of any emotion. It is such a shame that an interesting case such as Wikileaks should be presented in such a tedious manner and is unable to grasp the emotion and seriousness of the situation. Yet, the representation of Julian Assange by Benedict Cumberbatch doesn't disappoint.

The Fifth Estate chronicles the rise of Wikileaks from it's very beginnings as seen largely through the eyes of Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl). Berg worked closely with the infamous and enigmatic Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) during the quest to uncover the truth that some of the world's largest organisations are withholding from the public. This was the quest that led Assange to having access to the collection of the most incriminating documents in American history. Whilst The Fifth Estate covers in great detail the events that led up to this controversy, it also looks at the relationship between Berg and Assange and gives insight into the real Julian Assange.

The biggest problem with The Fifth Estate is that it is completely void of tension and emotion. In a film such as this in which a recent and culturally significant event is being represented, it is vital that it have the ability to create an emotional impact. There is no emotion felt throughout the whole film, not even when dealing with the revelations of Bradley Manning, which is such an emotional topic anyway. The film coasts along without any urgency and adds at least another ten minutes on at the end which doesn't need to be there. This ten minutes is obviously there for the reason that director, Bull Condon is trying to help the film finish on a spectacular and meaningful note, but it does quite the opposite. The drawn out ending has viewers leaving the film remembering that they just felt bored and this is the memory they take with them about The Fifth Estate.

However, the cinematography is actually really wonderful and equally intriguing. The virtual workspace of Wikileaks is represented brilliantly and is genius, as it represents the deception virtual workplaces can hold. The beginning montage is also very good and the subtitles giving the sense of coming straight of a computer is a nice touch. The soundtrack is most fitting as well.

The actual character of Julian Assange in the film leads us to think that maybe The Fifth Estate has been made a little too early. Anybody who has followed Assange's movements over the past few years and seen footage of him or has seen this year's documentary, We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks will recognise many of the scenes are actual recreations of Assange. There are several scenes which mirror Assange's conferences and also one which is a recreation of footage of Assange dancing in his unique style. However, Assange being the person he is is not a personality which transfers well to screen. From what we have seen and heard of him, he is a very complex human being and has a very distinctive air about him. To those who are not familiar with the man (although it is unlikely there are too many who aren't), some of the dialogue used by Benedict Cumberbatch's Assange may seem a little too unusual and his dancing scene especially will seem ridiculous. At this point in time, it is probably a little too soon to be seeing a take on Assange on the screen. His character isn't likable at all on screen, but many may argue that he is not likable in real life as well if Daniel Berg's experiences are anything to go by. One thing is for sure, he is still an interesting and complex character, but he may not be the character current movie goers are interested in seeing. In a few years time when Assange is categorized as an historical figure, he may be even more interesting on screen when audiences are interested in knowing what he was really like. At this point in time, it doesn't feel as though we are finding out anything about Julian Assange that we don't already know, especially if you had already seen We Steal Secrets this year.

Yet this is no fault of Benedict Cumberbatch's. It is evident that Cumberbatch has studied Assange's behaviour, dialogue and body language in great depth for the film and it has paid off, as he does very well and is better than the film he is in. The Englishman's Australian accent is very convincing, just like his portrayal of Assange. Daniel Bruhl is good, but it doesn't feel as though the screenplay gives him enough opportunity to really show emotion or take his performance further. The same can be said for Alicia Vikander who plays Berg's girlfriend, Anke Domscheit. She really does not have enough to work with and all we see are sparks of potential.

It is a shame that we don't see enough of Laura Linney in The Fifth Estate because she is wonderful in this film as Sarah Shaw. She is such a strong female character and shines in her role. Stanley Tucci is in the same boat as James Boswell, as he really does not have enough screen time.

With more emotion and suspense, The Fifth Estate would have worked better in a few years time when people feel the need to find out more about what really happened with Wikileaks. Just a little too soon and a little too weak.

4.5/10



You may have also seen Benedict Cumberbatch in......
Star Trek Into Darkness as Khan

You may have also seen Daniel Bruhl in.....
Rush as Niki Lauda

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Year: 2013
Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, Alice Eve
Now showing in Australian, New Zealand and UK cinemas
USA release 17th May 2013

After 2009's Star Trek, it became evident that you don't need to be a Trekkie in order to appreciate the film and the same can be said for Star Trek Into Darkness.

J.J. Abrams is perhaps the most in demand director in Hollywood at the present time when it comes to sci-fi and he shows in this film why that is. Star Trek Into Darkness can be watched and enjoyed by those who are not usually sci-fi or Star Trek fans. Keep in mind though, don't expect to understand who the characters are and what they are about if you haven't seen the first film or past members of the Star Trek family.

Captain of the USS Enterprise James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) loses his position on his ship after violating prime directive in order to save Spock (Zachary Quinto). A new and dangerous enemy by the name of John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) has emerged who has a grudge against Star Fleet. The Enterprise sets out to seek Harrison and have instructions to fire all 72 torpedoes which are on board on sight. Harrison has a few surprises up his sleeve when he, Kirk, Spock and Nyota Uhura ( Zoe Saldana come face to face with each other.

Star Trek Into Darkness is an absolute treat for Trekkies, sci-fi fans and those who enjoyed the 2009 film.  The enjoyment of this film isn't restricted to those three watching categories. It has some incredible action scenes and amazing special effects. This film has more action than what many genre action films have. The sound effects are also pretty incredible that accompany the special effects, as well as being on the brink of deafening. The CGI is also amazing and the recreation of the future of San Francisco incredible.

The screenplay isn't bad. The story is easy to follow and perhaps a tad simple, but that is fine because it is executed in spectacular fashion. There are some good laughs at the hands of Kirk, Spock, Bones (Karl Urban) and Scotty (Simon Pegg).

The only real problem, if you can call it that, is that unless you have seen any of the Star Trek films, you may not enjoy this film as much as you could. The storyline itself isn't much of a challenge to understand, but it is the characters that are not able to be enjoyed for who they are. However, this is the same in any type of film in a series. It is not a major problem, but it does help to have that reference at hand.

Benedict Cumberbatch is the absolute star of the film. He is just so interesting to watch on screen and steals every scene he is in. You cannot tear your eyes away from him. The scene in which he talks about losing his crew is so powerful. Cumberbatch is brilliantly evil.

Chris Pine does well in his role, perhaps better than he was in the 2009 film. Zachary Quinto is very, very good as Spock. His dry sense of humour is fantastic and the moments when he breaks his Vulcan mode he is fantastic. The chemistry between Pine and Quinto is great, as is that of the two and Karl Urban.

Star Trek Into Darkness lives up to it's expectations of being one of the biggest blockbusters of the season. It is worth all the excitement. If action is what you want, J.J. Abrams provides.

7.5/10




On a side note.....
This is completely off topic (well, not completely), but when I saw Star Trek Into Darkness and saw Zachary Quinto on screen for the first time, this is what I thought of.




"The Big Bang Theory" has a lot to answer for when it comes to Star Trek! And when thinking about Leonard Nemoy, this is the scene I thought of.


I'm not quite sure that Trekkies will be completely impressed that I have used this space to show Star Trek references in "The Big Bang Theory", but they are always good for a bit of a giggle!