Book of Eli // Legion
Book of Eli
I think I've said before that Denzel Washington can sell me just about anything. If I haven't said it before, then I'm saying it now. He has a certain gravitas about him where he can say the most ridiculous things, do the most ridiculous things, be in the most ridiculous situations, and still you'd be like, "well, it's Denzel, clearly this must be an acceptable reality."
Book of Eli isn't preposterous, except for the part where it is. I liked it, though it skeeved me out in places, but that's my own kneejerk reaction at play. I think I shall cut the rest of it, just in case.
Sorry, I have a kneejerk reaction to the whole THIS IS THE LAST BIBLE OMGGGGGG WE NEEDS IT. Though I have to say I laughed OUT LOUD in the theater at what Gary Oldman's character says about how he needs it 'cause that book can help him to control the weak and the pathetic. I have to go with Ebert in thinking: dude, you control water and supplies and you've got 23947283 men working for you. I don't think you need the Bible to become the lord of your domain.
BUT, let's leave aside my disdain for organized religion and the improbable plot point. The movie itself was shot BEAUTIFULLY. Though beautiful is not quite the right word, because the scenes are grim and dirty. But the color palette is amazing. There are these wide expansive shots of desolation and destruction, and it's got that old west wild frontier feel. Certainly, there were elements of the Western. It's got two of your classic stories. Man goes on a journey. Stranger comes into town. On an elemental level, the movie struck me.
There was surprise!Ray Stevenson. Without surprise!Nazis. Always a plus. Ray Stevenson's character intrigued me. There were these little moments. Clearly not entirely a brute, because his letting Eli go, and then his slight hesitation before taking the book later, just... idk. Plus the way he died. Like. There was something there. I wish I can explain it better.
Mila Kunis was woefully miscast, I feel. Too cute, too well dressed. The character should've been a diamond in the rough sort, not so clearly gorgeous.
Like with Daybreakers, I'm left wanting more. There's a better story lurking just around the edges. Daybreakers had better world building whereas Book of Eli had the grounding presence of Denzel.
Legion
AKA the movie I've waited MONTHS to see. Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahha. I have to admit a certain disappointment though. Once again, I wanted more and didn't get it. The best bits were in the trailer. I'm really tired of this happening over and over.
Somebody said it and it's so true: Paul Bettany was acting in a whole different movie from the rest of the cast. IDK IDK, I like Paul Bettany, but he almost took it a little too seriously. Like, Dennis Quaid had just a hint of the ridiculous in his performance, which befits the movie. But Paul Bettany, damn. He was just srs biznes all the way through. Granted, I generally love commitment from an actor. See: Parker, Craig in Legend of the Seeker. But somehow, eh, Bettany wasn't hitting it quite right for me.
Plus, man. I wish they knew what they were doing with the story. There was Bettany's Michael, Lucas Black's Jeep, and Adrianne Palicki's Charlie. Whose story was this? I know, I know, why am I even talking about story in a movie like this, but this shit matters, man. I'm reminded SO MUCH throughout Legion of Demon Knight, which was a FABULOUS B-horror movie starring Jada Pinkett, Billy Zane, and William Sadler. That had a three-prone character thing going, and you know what? That movie OWNED with the characterization (and performance), and it was a fucking Tales From The Crypt movie.
I wish Legion drew a better line through the three characters, or just flat out decided one character whose story it was. Because it ended up being half-ass on all three. I'm all kinds of dissatisfied at the ending, tbh. Made me want to watch Demon Knight again, actually, because goddamn, that movie is fucking awesome on so many different levels.
ETA: Actually, I wanted to get into female stories, female agency, etc, etc, but man, I'm STILL too tired to talk about it. Meh. This is clearly not a good sign.
I think I've said before that Denzel Washington can sell me just about anything. If I haven't said it before, then I'm saying it now. He has a certain gravitas about him where he can say the most ridiculous things, do the most ridiculous things, be in the most ridiculous situations, and still you'd be like, "well, it's Denzel, clearly this must be an acceptable reality."
Book of Eli isn't preposterous, except for the part where it is. I liked it, though it skeeved me out in places, but that's my own kneejerk reaction at play. I think I shall cut the rest of it, just in case.
Sorry, I have a kneejerk reaction to the whole THIS IS THE LAST BIBLE OMGGGGGG WE NEEDS IT. Though I have to say I laughed OUT LOUD in the theater at what Gary Oldman's character says about how he needs it 'cause that book can help him to control the weak and the pathetic. I have to go with Ebert in thinking: dude, you control water and supplies and you've got 23947283 men working for you. I don't think you need the Bible to become the lord of your domain.
BUT, let's leave aside my disdain for organized religion and the improbable plot point. The movie itself was shot BEAUTIFULLY. Though beautiful is not quite the right word, because the scenes are grim and dirty. But the color palette is amazing. There are these wide expansive shots of desolation and destruction, and it's got that old west wild frontier feel. Certainly, there were elements of the Western. It's got two of your classic stories. Man goes on a journey. Stranger comes into town. On an elemental level, the movie struck me.
There was surprise!Ray Stevenson. Without surprise!Nazis. Always a plus. Ray Stevenson's character intrigued me. There were these little moments. Clearly not entirely a brute, because his letting Eli go, and then his slight hesitation before taking the book later, just... idk. Plus the way he died. Like. There was something there. I wish I can explain it better.
Mila Kunis was woefully miscast, I feel. Too cute, too well dressed. The character should've been a diamond in the rough sort, not so clearly gorgeous.
Like with Daybreakers, I'm left wanting more. There's a better story lurking just around the edges. Daybreakers had better world building whereas Book of Eli had the grounding presence of Denzel.
Legion
AKA the movie I've waited MONTHS to see. Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahha. I have to admit a certain disappointment though. Once again, I wanted more and didn't get it. The best bits were in the trailer. I'm really tired of this happening over and over.
Somebody said it and it's so true: Paul Bettany was acting in a whole different movie from the rest of the cast. IDK IDK, I like Paul Bettany, but he almost took it a little too seriously. Like, Dennis Quaid had just a hint of the ridiculous in his performance, which befits the movie. But Paul Bettany, damn. He was just srs biznes all the way through. Granted, I generally love commitment from an actor. See: Parker, Craig in Legend of the Seeker. But somehow, eh, Bettany wasn't hitting it quite right for me.
Plus, man. I wish they knew what they were doing with the story. There was Bettany's Michael, Lucas Black's Jeep, and Adrianne Palicki's Charlie. Whose story was this? I know, I know, why am I even talking about story in a movie like this, but this shit matters, man. I'm reminded SO MUCH throughout Legion of Demon Knight, which was a FABULOUS B-horror movie starring Jada Pinkett, Billy Zane, and William Sadler. That had a three-prone character thing going, and you know what? That movie OWNED with the characterization (and performance), and it was a fucking Tales From The Crypt movie.
I wish Legion drew a better line through the three characters, or just flat out decided one character whose story it was. Because it ended up being half-ass on all three. I'm all kinds of dissatisfied at the ending, tbh. Made me want to watch Demon Knight again, actually, because goddamn, that movie is fucking awesome on so many different levels.
ETA: Actually, I wanted to get into female stories, female agency, etc, etc, but man, I'm STILL too tired to talk about it. Meh. This is clearly not a good sign.