The Host (2013)

Year: 2013

Director: Andrew Niccol

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, William Hurt, Max Irons

Before I begin my review…

I feel like I have come full circle with The Host cycle.

The book will always be plagued by the fact that Stephenie Meyer, creator of the Twilight phenomenon penned it. I was completely sceptical of it and I know many other people who assumed before knowing anything about it that it was just another Twilight.

So I read the book and was pleasantly surprised to find out that there were no sparkling vampires or chiselled werewolves to speak of. For my tastes, I enjoyed The Host far better than I did the Twilight books. I read 63 books last year including The Host (yes, I am a massive book worm as well as being a cinephile!) and it was one of my favourites for the year.

So naturally I was very excited about the upcoming film. Until the first few minutes of it when I discovered that I should have realised that it could never work as a film the same way it did as a book.

That voice inside her head.

As soon as I heard Melanie voice for the first time inside Wanda’s head, it was moment where I felt like smacking my forehead with an open palm. I was so excited about a book I really enjoyed being made into a film that I forgot in my excitement this crucial piece of information that could break it.

Some good books should be left just as that. Good books. We don’t need to make a movie out of it. Just because it is a good book doesn’t scream that the film will work.

Why don’t film producers work more on mediocre books so it’s image can be improved by creating a better film?

I think I just spoilt the ending of my review….

Review

It is said often enough that the book is normally better than the film and the usual reason for that is that some books just don’t transfer to the screen well.

The Host is unfortunately one of those films. Various aspects of Stephenie Meyer’s novel have had some bad treatment and have not been used in a way that makes them effective on the screen and instead makes them quite ridiculous. The story itself isn’t bad and is really quite creative, it’s just a shame that director, Andrew Niccol and Meyer in the producer role made some bad production decisions.

An alien race has taken over the human race in order to eliminate all hatred and violence and bring Earth to peace. They have done this by inserting Souls into human bodies and thus eliminating the human soul. Wanda, or Wanderer as she is known as at the beginning of the film (Saoirse Ronan) has entered the body of Melanie Stryder, who refuses to completely fade from her physical form. Wanda constantly hears Melanie’s voice I her head trying to get her to go to and protect her loved ones from being taken over by this alien race. Seeker (Diane Kruger) is suspicious of Wanda and keeps a close eye on her before Melanie convinces Wanda to seek out her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt), brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury) and her love, Jared (Max Irons). While Melanie is committed to Jared, Wanda is drawn to Ian (Jake Abel), forming a bizarre love triangle which involves three bodies, but four souls.

The Host has all the potential in the world with an intriguing and unique story, but it lets itself down in so many areas. The worst part of the film is the way in which Melanie’s voice inside Wanda’s head is created. It’s understandable that the film makers wanted to show how loud and clear her voice is inside Wanda’s head, but it sounds like nothing more than a dubbed over voice. Of course that is what it is, but that loses all the magic as it brings it seems so constructed. Melanie’s dialogue just sounds ridiculous at times and her constant “No! Please!” just becomes irritating and almost laughable.

There are other ways which this inner voice could have been achieved and heard by the audience, such as a quieter voice or perhaps even with some background noise, so that the audience could focus on the tension forming in Wanda’s mind and the expression on her face displaying this inner turmoil.

The film doesn’t really find momentum until about halfway through it (which is coincidently when Melanie pipes down), but even then doesn’t gain enough to create suspense and tension. The story is very interesting and the concept is intriguing, but the script doesn’t support the plot in the way which it should and doesn’t do it any justice.

The cinematography isn’t bad and some images are quite beautiful. However, the editing is pretty amateur, especially when it is chopping and changing between Wanda’s dream and the image of her in bed.

Honestly, the character of Wanda is not a very interesting or likable character. Obviously Wanda is supposed to be a very placid creature and is not supposed to experience emotion, but you feel no real attachment to the lead character and that is never a good thing. You are indifferent about who ends up with who and what happens to Wanda. This is not Saoirse Ronan’s fault, she was just not given much to work with. It’s a very lack lustre role.

Diane Kruger is not half bad as The Seeker. Even though his role wasn’t really a fantastic one and his performance wasn’t extremely powerful, you can see a glimmer of hope in Jake Abel that he does have big things in store for him. He shows emotion where need be, but again, his role calls for it to be pulled back. The Host doesn’t show what he really is capable of.

So many films have potential to be greater than they are and The Host isn’t one of them. People who haven’t read the book may flock to see it once they hear that just because it is based on a book by Stephenie Meyer, it doesn’t mean it is about vampires, yet that doesn’t mean you will like it any better.

4.5/10

You may have also seen Saoirse Ronan in....
The Lovely Bones
Hanna

Jack The Giant Slayer (2013)

Year: 2013

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci, Ewan McGregor, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ian McShane

Before I begin my review…

I know this has got hardly anything to do with the movie, but how good is the name Jack?

Jack will never go out of style. The name suits a little boy, a young man and an older man. It is such a distinguished and strong name. A Jack is not to be taken lightly. A Jack will do many great things. The fairy tale which Jack The Giant Slayer is based on, Jack And The Beanstalk does not have a Jack has the protagonist for no reason.  With a strong name comes a strong will.

I may be of a slightly bias opinion considering I did name my son Jack.

It is unfortunate that one of the most famous Jack’s in history is Jack The Ripper, but I think we can all get past the fact that it is highly unlikely the notorious serial killer’s name was actually Jack. I think it is safe to assume that whoever it was was a strong person, as well as being insane (we hope).

 I can assure you he is not the Jack I named my Jack after.

As he gets older, I am sure my Jack will love the fact that there is a film called Jack The Giant Slayer. I’m sure I will be watching this on DVD in years to come with my budding little film critic.

Review

Why not make a film based on the fairy tale Jack and The Beanstalk? It seems like everything has to be made into a movie, so why not?

It’s not necessarily a bad thing either, especially in the case of Jack The Giant Slayer. This is one fairy tale that could only be made in a time like now with the amazing cinematic techniques we have in recent times. Could you imagine how ridiculous the giants and the beanstalk reaching to the sky would have looked if made any time before the 1990’s? Animation probably would not have made the film too bad, but real life action would have meant complete B grade, and also maybe cult favourite status.

Jack the Giant Slayer is everything you would expect a fairy tale film to be. It is corny in the way that most fairy tales are, but is still entertaining enough and has some incredible special effects and cinematography.

Our hero, Jack (Nicholas Hoult)is a young farmhand who experiences a twist of fate when he visits the town market in order to sell his horse. He sells his horse to a desperate monk in need of transportation out of the city in exchange for a handful of beans. It is only when a terrible rainstorm occurs, that he realises that these beans are what grows beanstalks that reach high up to the land between Heaven and Earth where giants roam. Jack becomes a key part in the rescue of the Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson), who has been taken prisoner by the giants and he also must stop Roderick (Stanley Tucci) from achieving his goal which could threaten the kingdom.

The bad things about fairy tales and other well known stories being made into films is that unless the film makers have put their own spin on it, the film is predictable and very rarely has any suspense. This is no surprise and just something we must accept. Sometimes this can be a bore, but Jack The Giant Slayer isn’t that.

As one would expect from director Bryan Singer, the film is very well directed and very entertaining. It is just a fun film and at times, it is more like watching a historical film rather than a fairy tale. The film travels along at a steady pace, but the end seems quite sudden and then almost a little confusing. This in itself is confusing as a story which is quite simple to understand shouldn’t have an ending which confuses people.

Fairy tales are in general entertaining to watch on the big screen, but visually Jack The Giant Slayer is better than most. A great thing about this version of the fairy tale, is that the giants are made to truly look terrifying. They are not just big men, but are all deformed and evil. The beanstalk is also an amazing creation. The CGI of even the tiniest detail of the stalk is incredible. The landscape of each of the two kingdoms are just magnificent.

The time period is very well recreated and quite a pleasure to see. The battle scenes are very well orchestrated and have a slightly Lord of the Rings touch to them.

Nicholas Holt does well as Jack. With his career currently on the up, Hoult shows here that he has no problem being able to carry a film. Ewan McGregor gives a steady performance and his character is extremely likable. Eleanor Tomlinson’s performance is not a huge stand out, but she does do well.

Jack The Giant Slayer is entertaining and well made. It is a visual delight that shows you just how far films have come in regards to special effects and cinematography,

7/10

You may have also seen Nicholas Hoult in....
X-Men: First Class as Hank McCoy/ Beast

You may have also seen Ewan McGregor in....
The Men Who Stare At Goats as Bob Wilton
The Impossible as Henry

You may have seen Stanley Tucci in.....
The Lovely Bones as George Harvey
Easy A as Gill
Captain America: The First Avenger as Dr Abraham Erskine

Adventures in Zambezia (2012)

Year: 2012

Director: Wayne Thornley

Cast: Jeremy Suarez, Leonard Nimoy, Abigail Breslin, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Goldblum

Before I begin my review…

My thoughts on Adventures in Zambezia as I watching it was that maybe, just possibly, I am being harder critically on this film because it isn’t Disney.

 Disney may have just ruined my perception of every other animated film I will ever see. Actually, that isn’t true. Dreamworks have had a part in that as well lately. Disney though, I’ve been watching my whole life and the animation just keeps getting better and better. You think about animated movies chances are you will think of Disney…or a Dreamworks film such as Shrek or Kung Fu Panda.

 I was watching Adventures in Zambezia and thinking “Well, it isn’t up to the same quality of the animated films I usually see”…and then I think “It’s not Disney! That’s not fair! Stop comparing it to Disney!”

Disney is amazing, it rules the child within me and my 10 month old son already recognises the tune that plays at the beginning of Disney films when the castle appears, but that and now Dreamworks have ruined the way I see animation. I have to try and tear myself away from those two production companies when I set expectations about animation. I feel bad being an animation snob.

 Not saying that the movie Adventures in Zambezia and its animation is bad. If it was I doubt they would have made the movie if it looked like a load of scribble. Sorry for comparing you to Disney, Triggerfish Animation.

Review

 Adventures in Zambezia is quite a simple film, which makes it great for younger audiences.

With school holidays just around the corner in Australia, this is one film which families will be heading out to see. It won’t appeal to the older audiences as much as there isn’t much depth to it, but it is a very light and easy watch with some fun moments throughout.

Kai (voiced by Jeremy Suarez) is a young falcon who longs to see the world beyond the boundaries that he and his over-protective father, Tendai (Samuel L. Jackson in his first G rated film!) patrol. After an argument with his father, Kai takes flight to the bird paradise on the edge of Victora Falls, Zambezia. He arrives to find a place that is unlike anything he has ever dreamt about. When he meets Sekhuru (Leonard Nimoy) and his adopted daughter, Zoe (Abigail Breslin), Kai finds out that he has a connection to Zambezia that stems right back to his birth. Zambezia is also under the threat from Budzo (Jim Cummings) and his Marabou stork followers and Kai may just be the help Zambezia needs.

Adventures in Zambezia is very easy to follow with a simple plot and simple script. It is perhaps too simple for a wide audience to enjoy. It’s very predictable and there really is a lack of emotion. For an animation to stretch its audience, there typically needs to be a little depth there and maybe even a little tear shed along the way. However, Adventures in Zambezia is very much a surface film, there isn’t much below it. This is a great film for children, and at 83 minutes it is also the perfect length.

The animation has some great moments which are typically of the African landscape. Victoria Falls are recreated in spectacular fashion and the jungle is pretty impressive. There is also a great use of colour throughout the film.

Zambezia itself is actually quite fun whether you are a child or an adult. Zambezia, which is a bird paradise, is based on what an adult’s perception of paradise is. It is just like a 5 star resort on some tropical island. There is accommodation that is labelled as if it is a hotel room, an international touch down pad made out like an airport, tour guides and those gossipy hairdressers who want to make you beautiful for your stay. The paradise is actually very well constructed and creative.

The characters are fine enough, but again, they aren’t particularly in depth characters or ones that will stay with you for too long. The Marabou storks provide the majority of the comic relief and have some cracker conversations between them.

There is one question. Kai tells his father that he was in the zone, which his father replies “Which zone is that, the twilight zone?”  How does a bird who has probably never seen a human before know what the Twilight zone is? Did they show that TV show in Zambezia? Or is there another twilight zone which isn’t related to pop culture?

A great school holiday film and a very, very easy watch.

5.5/10