The title makes it easy to figure out Pay Back is a revenge movie. Directed by Fu Xi, the movie is totally Hong Kong style and enjoyable if you like these types of movies. The style is choppy and unclear at times, which is, most likely, Fu Xi’s style.
The real reason this type of movie attracts people is the fight scenes. Pay Back scores big time with the fight scenes, but there are a couple of mediocre ones. The tongue and cheek aren’t too bad either with a jab at being good citizens. As good citizens, we are supposed to tolerate life as it comes. Not so true oh wise one, karate chop, and jab.
The story is about a decent man, who has a wife and child, but trouble comes along. His family is taken away from him by vicious gang members. Now, it is payback time, so the gang is hunted down and fight scenes ensue. The movie has potential, but a bit convoluted with scenes not relating to other scenes.
I am sure it is worth watching if you like martial arts.
Directed and written by talented and Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan, Mojave indicates that Monahan is better at writing movies than directing them. On his next try, he should take a course in Directing 101. He has a talented cast with moments that are enthralling, but these factors barely compensate for moments of inauthenticity and emotional contradiction.
Thomas, played well by Garrett Hedlund, is a well-known filmmaker who is filthy rich but troubled. He goes on a journey into the Mojave Desert to set himself apart from his life of prosperity, coked-up producers, and seedy agents. He hopes to find comfort and peace. All the same and one of the inconsistencies of the story, Thomas demonstrates the opposite. He screams at the coyotes, drinks, and drives crazily. He even crashes his jeep. Stranded with less than a gallon of water and some smokes, he heads off to nowhere. It obvious he is heading for a death wish. Then, he sees a figure over the horizon.
The figure is Jack, played well by Oscar Isaac, who appears at Thomas’ campfire. Jack has a screw loose with backwoods intelligence. He talks non-sequitur about Shakespeare, Jesus, and government corruption. All in all, he is downright evil. Thomas and Jack start fighting with Thomas leaving him unconscious by the fire.
From this point on, the story gets mighty crazy, convoluted, and just plain wild, depicting the worse of Hollywood. The movie is really about men confronting their demons. The cinematography by Don Davis is magical with wide shots of moonlit landscapes and dark, foreboding interiors.
Mark Wahlberg shows up as the over-the-top, coked-up producer, and Thomas’ producing partner. He offers comic relief to the high-tension testosterone movie. I am not sure that was Monahan’s intention.
Which brings me to the conclusion that I would have liked to have known the characters better, so I could understand their motives and actions. Otherwise, it is just too confusing.
I am sure Monahan will direct another movie. But, his dance card is a bit full with 10 screenwriting gigs, so it will be some time before we see him take another jab.
Directed by Chris C. Miller, Extraction opens with CIA field operative Leonard Turner, played by Bruce Willis. The scene is an important part of the story because the bad guys kill his wife, and he prevents his son from being killed as well.
The Father-and-Son Dynamic Explained
Next, we see his son Harry, played by Kellan Lutz, and it is ten years later. He followed his father’s footsteps and is a CIA agent. He is training under the keen guidance of Leonard’s best friend, Ken, played by D.B. Sweeney. Harry wants to be a field agent like his father, but keeps getting turned down. He is assigned to a project involving a top-secret piece of electronic equipment called CONDOR. It is pretty powerful and can control anything electric.
Inside the High-Risk Rescue Mission
Leonard is sent on a mission to purchase CONDOR and gets captured. Harry learns of it and wants to save his father, but is told to stand down. Harry figures out who captured his father, but the CIA says he isn’t strong enough to help save his father and send him home with an armed escort. Harry breaks away and sets his sights on saving his father.
Victoria Phipps, played by Gina Carano, is assigned to the case. She is one of the best field agents, and to make the story more interesting, she is Harry’s former lover. She lets him join her and help track down CONDOR, find his father, and take down the bad guys. Time is the key to pulling this all off, and they have to work fast. The story has some twists and turns, and confusion occurs when trying to figure out who the bad guys are and who the good guys are.
How Extraction Blends Espionage and Action
Seems like a pretty good action movie, but in all honesty, it isn’t that great. Technical glitches with the overall sound and vocals are disconcerting. The odd edits and jumps prevent the flow of the story. On top of that, I enjoy watching Carano do her action stuff, which I have seen in her other movies. She’s great, but in this movie, she doesn’t do much. I mean, she is a former MMA fighter. Let her show her stuff.
All in all, I really wanted to like this movie, but it started great, but didn’t hold its momentum.
Kit Harington plays a former MI-5 agent, Will Crombie, who investigates the disappearance of Harry Pearce, played by Peter Firth, when he is blamed for the escape of a ruthless terrorist. Harington is known for starring in Pompeii, and I’m happy to see him in a different role.
Directed by Bharat Nalluri, MI-5 is a very compelling spy thriller and conspiracy movie. I am amazed by all the twists and turns the storyline follows. Even the ending has a twist I didn’t expect.
Hidden Twists and Ending Explained
The movie kept me on my toes, trying to figure out who is who and who is now who. Just one betrayer after another carries the story. The characters in the movie are very real in the sense that they conflict with the spy work they do. Is it morally justified or for the greater good? Nice touch on ethical choices; refreshing. “You are responsible for your actions.”
I did notice the budget constraints of producing this movie, but still, the action scenes were skillfully done and not over the top. Just enough to hold my attention and believe the scenes were real. Some movies go way overboard with the action sequences, and I no longer believe what is happening because it is just too unreal.
The Connection Between the Movie and the Spooks TV Series
I heard that this movie is based on a British TV show called Spooks, and when the show was distributed to the States, the title was changed to MI-5. With that, if you are familiar with the TV show, you’ll recognize the characters in the movie and be able to follow the storyline much better than someone who hasn’t seen the television show.
Vin Diesel movies make money and entertain in a simple but direct way. The Last Witch Hunter is a little different and not a simple movie.
Directed decently by USC alumnus Breck Eisner, the movie is both large-scale and commendable. Eisner crafts a distinct urban fantasy-horror universe that stands out from other films in the genre.
Is The Last Witch Hunter Worth Watching Today?
The story begins in the past, with a group of silver-haired warriors on an important journey to slay the evil Witch Queen, played by Julie Engelbrecht, who has placed a curse on the whole countryside. The warriors fight bravely, in suspense and terror, as if they were facing a monster, not a witch. All in all, this part of the movie is very good.
Who Is Kaulder, the Last Witch Hunter?
The story moves forward to the present. We meet Kaulder, played by Diesel, an immortal hero with a very complex, angst-ridden personality. If you are familiar with Diesel’s characters, you know he is still sarcastic and badass as ever, making his dedicated fans over-the-top, hand-slapping happy.
Powerful Alliances and Dangerous Betrayals
He teams up with Axe and Cross, a group of priests. Dolan, played brilliantly by Michael Caine, works closely with Kaulder but retires and unexpectedly dies. Kaulder suspects his death is caused by “dark magic beyond evil,” meaning the Witch Queen.
Action, Fantasy, and Horror Collide
Eisner adds a lot of action scenes, some awesome scary scenes, a strong supporting cast, and plenty of really useful computer effects featuring vibrant monsters and crazy spells.
However, the story has no surprises, only clichés, yet it’s a Diesel movie, so no complaints either.
Elijah Wood’s Role Explained
Elijah Wood is excellent as Kaulder’s sidekick, a geeky priest in New York City. He adds a lot to the story and production. I like seeing him with Diesel because they are so different in real life. Yet they work well together on screen.
All in all, it is a pretty good movie and worth seeing if you are a Diesel fan.
Written and directed by Antonio Simoncini, Lords of Londonexplores family ties and loyalties tested. The thriller takes place in the dark city of London and exotic Italy with lush sunsets and beautiful, colorful landscapes.
Standout Performances That Drive the Story
Ray Winstone (Snow White and the Huntsman) is billed as the star of the movie, but he is not in the film all that much. Glen Murphy and Giovanni Capalbo (The Passion of the Christ) are the real stars of the movie, while introducing Cassius Terence Murphy.
On the Internet, the reviews aren’t all that great, but the movie won Best Film at Italy’s Abruzzo Film Festival and the New York Hell’s Kitchen Film Festival World Cinema.
Rise and Fall of London’s Criminal Elite
We follow London gangster Tony Lord, whom Murphy believably plays. Lord is the son of the notoriously ruthless Terry Lord, played very well by Winstone, a typical role you will see in other movies like The Departed. He is a natural gangster, as shown in flashbacks, and is not in the film all that much. The story centers on his son, Tony, who must confront his father’s past. We see his father being violent and abusive toward his son. The scenes work in the film because they build the film’s overall tension.
Gritty Realism Meets Cinematic Flair
All in all, Simoncini crafts a well-honed film through its editing. He cuts from the present to the past, which is very effective as the story unfolds.
The title makes it easy to figure out Pay Back is a revenge movie. Directed by Fu Xi, the movie is totally Hong Kong style and enjoyable if you like these types of movies. The style is choppy and unclear at times, which is, most likely, Fu Xi’s style.
