Yet Another Enormous Reviews Update
Review of Tales of Halloween (2015)
Best thing: Neil Marshall's segment concludes the film and, perhaps unwisely, begins by trying to tie the disparate strands together. It features an unconventional villain (that I won't spoil) and it is wonderfully silly.
Worst thing: The voice of the cartoon alien. It was weird enough that they did an 'alien versus Jason' kind of story, and weirder still that the alien is a cutesy cartoon. But that voice? In a film where so many of the stories fail to make that much of an impact, it seems wrong to claim that the worst part is featured in this rather more creative and memorable entry. But seriously that squeaky, yet otherwise perfectly average, voice. It just completely pulls me out of the film in a really annoying way.
The main names that attracted me to this film were Lucky McKee and Neil Marshall.
McKee chose a great actress for the main role and had some great visual ideas for her character's creepy appearance. Unfortunately the ending of that segment feels like a bit of an anti-climax.
Neil Marshall's segment is actually pretty cool. The problem however, and this is true of all the segments, is that nothing in this movie really blows me away. I find myself appreciating anthologies like VHS2 and XX all the more because they have those high points.
Tales of Halloween is fine. That's about it. It has its John Landis cameo and its “Jason vs an alien-possessed body” sequence, so it's not wholly unmemorable. But there's nothing really creepy, really gory or really spectacular here.
C+
Review of Before I Wake (2016)
Best thing: Heck, any of the magical dream sequences are brilliant. This film has a brilliant and creative premise. A child whose dreams become real while he sleeps allows for some pretty cool imagery.
Worst thing: Final resolution seems a little too easy for a number of reasons. Both logistically with the adoption authorities and emotionally considering all the horrifying events leading to that point. That being said, it's not a horribly unsatisfying ending by any means.
Mike Flanagan's "Before I Wake" struggled to be released so after Flanagan's "Hush" became a highly lauded Netflix original it's perhaps not surprising that they were willing to release this film too. (Apparently this was released in UK cinemas, but I must say, it went under the radar.)
The concept is actually brilliant. A child's dreams become real, but so do his nightmares. A boogeyman in his nightmares sometimes escapes and eats people.
The film also has grounding in reality through the adopting couple whose own child died while young and they clearly aren't over it yet.
In the second half the move to a conclusion is a bit awkward. The explanation is quite clever, but I still found the resolution a bit hard to accept. When you are experimenting with anything you generally have to prepare for the possibility that it could go wrong. That has to count double when you are experimenting with the supernatural. Particularly a supernatural entity that can swallow you up making you disappear forever.
Before I Wake is essentially a fantasy movie, but it's also a horror film because magic is creepy. Dreams coming to life can be spectacular and uplifting, but it can also be horrifying. It's a great concept, but I didn't engage that much with the characters here.
B-
Review of House (1985)
Best thing: Such cool inventive supernatural monsters. Very keen on the Vietnam soldier zombie.
Worst thing: The Vietnam scenes may actually be the least believeable part of the film (in a film with flying sentient gardening tools). When the soldiers get surrounded by Vietkong and escape by quickly shooting the enemy troops down it feels very obviously untrue to life. It's okay though, because the fun tone of the film and the general dream-like feel to the scenes mean you can roll with it.
I love a good horror comedy and House is just so much fun. And it helps that we have great characters to follow.
When you have a ghost story it helps when it is grounded by real life elements. Here there is a suggestion that the hauntings may actually be connected to the protagonist's flashbacks to his time in Vietnam.
While the ending makes no sense it's somehow fitting and the film is fun enough that it doesn't matter.
There's something really sweet about House. There are parts that are a little cheesy and the film allows itself to get a little too silly in places. But this is a solid fun film and well worth checking out if you want a light fun horror comedy.
B+
Review of Alien (theatrical cut) (1979)
Best thing: This is a film that benefits from being simple but effective. While shots of the main alien are short and, having seen the sequel first, I'd already seen the alien in all its glory, the really interesting part for me is the face hugger. The shot where it starts tightening its grip with its tail around John Hurt's neck is awesome.
Worst thing: The alien is so fast you cant see it coming, even when it is right on top of you. Yet Ripley is able to spot it on route to the shuttle without it seeing her and decides in this long inter-weaving set of corridors that there is no other way to the shuttle. This glimpse of the alien is so short and unclear that I’ve wondered for years why she decides to shut down the self destruct. Now I know, but it's confusingly presented.
Yeah I know, everyone loves Alien and thinks its the best of that series. Fine. But I was actually shown Aliens first so I'd seen far more lingering shots of the alien before, not mention lots of aliens before. Plus the aliens I'd seen seemed to be able to move much in a more graceful manner.
In my opinion, the moment the alien finishes with John Hurt, the pacing in Alien takes a massive hit. I really get tired of all the running down corridors. I tried the director's cut a while back and was surprised to find that, despite being shorter, it drags even more. I definitely had a much better time here with the original cut.
And another thing that's really bugged me. There's one scene where it appears to be raining inside the ship. Is it a big leak somewhere? The ship maintenance technician in that scene doesn't seen alarmed and in fact decides to wash his face in the dripping water! Nobody else bugged by this? Just me?
Naturally, for all my qualms, I do still like Alien. It's a pretty simple horror film, but the first half with the face hugger is so good and there are enough cool moments in the second half to tide me over.
I very much like the dystopian totalitarian Mother computer system that dictates what they do from a creepy plain black screen. But overall not much is really done with this aspect. It isn't used to develop the kind of wider themes we see in Prometheus or Covenant. But, like I said, it's simple and effective.
Alien is a cool little sci-fi horror movie and I'm glad it has been so influential. But for me, I think it becomes very dated the minute you see James Cameron's bigger bolder sequel.
B+
Review of Aliens (Director's Cut) (1986)
Best thing: The discovery and skirmish with the alien queen is incredible. This is a film that is made by its last act. It actually drags a little at some points in the middle, but that finale turns out to be well worth the wait.
Worst thing: Can Noot please just shut the hell up? She has the most annoying voice ever!
Thinking back, I only really like three of James Cameron's movies. The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Aliens. Somehow James Cameron's sensibilities at the time matched very nicely with the Alien mythology and he really had something to say with his 'marine corp in space' concept.
The concept of the alien queen fits in so neatly and so nicely, it feels almost like they must have had this concept in mind from the start. The design of the queen, however, was absolutely mesmerising.
I was watching the director's cut and I think that's my preferred version of the film. That being said, I always find it jarring when Captain Hollister from Red Dwarf shows up as someone helping to manage the colony.
Aliens is now a classic sci-fi action movie along with Cameron's similarly iconic Terminator films. This is an absolute must-see
A+
Review of Aenigma (1987)
Best thing: As you'd expect from Lucio Fulci, there are some very inventive deaths. My favourite involved a girl trying to get out of a room with her boyfriend's decapitated body. But every door she opens comes back into the same room. Great stuff!
Worst thing: The opening to this film is incredibly dumb. "We thought we'd set up a complicated prank involving setting up microphones around her fake date and then driving our cars at her." What? Also the death by snails is a bit hard to take seriously.
Okay it's official. I'm a massive Lucio Fulci fan now. Zombie Flesh Eaters, The Beyond (oh my god!), A Cat In The Brain and now Aenigma. Seriously, this stuff is great. Nightmarish, crazy-gory and creepy as hell but with that sense of fun that all good horror films need.
Aenigma is about a girl taking her revenge from a coma by possessing a new girl to the school of the girls who bullied her. (I thought Fulci's work was supposed to be misogynistic? The character of the new girl felt very anti-slut-shaming and the film features the violent murder of predatory man.
It's not quite the same visceral horror as you get from zombie attacks and Aenigma isn't always as gory asFulci's other films, but this is still a strong horror film and surprisingly plot-driven for a Fulci movie.
B+
Review of Blade Runner: Final Cut (1982)
Best thing: Rutger Hauer is amazing in every scene. The whole way he moves and acts is so creepy in such a fascinating way. It's easy to see why Anne Rice envisioned him as the vampire Lestat. However, the visuals will always be the very best thing about Blade Runner. When I first watched the film it seemed darker and less captivating, possibly because it was on VHS. I don't know if it's the improvements in the Final Cut or just that I'm watching a DVD, but it's brighter and I can finally make out all the little details.
Worst thing: Seriously, what is the point in the rape scene here? It's hard enough to connect with Harrison Ford's character without him being an utter prick. Is it to show how low Rachael has sunk? We met her as a secretary in a smart outfit and now she's on the run and in an abusive relationship. That's pretty dark, but it's a side-show to the story of the replicants confronting their creators.
When I first saw Blade Runner I didn't get it. It was a dark dingy vision of the future. In some scenes it was actually hard to even make out was happening. The characters were often intentionally weird because they are robots and the lead protagonist is withdrawn and we never really come to know him. There was also a slow dull scene where the protagonist is sitting around playing piano and dreaming of unicorns that seemed to go on forever.
Watching the Final Cut, everything is better. The visuals are clearer. The unicorn dream scene doesn't seem to last so long or drag so much. Somehow Ford seems to have a little more personality this time. I have read that they cut a swear word and replaced it with father, but in a film where, on first viewing, I struggled to understand the point, a line like "I want more life father" feels more suitable thematically.
I keep hearing people complain that Blade Runner: The Final Cut removes the ambiguity over whether Harrison Ford is a replicant. Frankly, if he's not a replicant, the unicorn dream is a dumb waste of time. The Final Cut's final scene shows us clearly what silver origami animal Harrison Ford picks up and the better pacing made it easier to grasp the full significance of this. It makes this a proper ending rather than just leaving me cold like the original director's cut did.
The Final Cut is the only version of this film that I actually like. Besides, Rutger Hauer, the main characters are still too flat and this is a film more focused on mood than story or character. I know Blade Runner is viewed as a classic, but for me it's just 'fine'.
P.S. This video indicates that another change in the final cut from the director’s cut is an increase in the amount of gore. We’re only talking about a few short clips, but I think it really does help to add to the drama and up the stakes. It’s one thing seeing that Rutget has stabbed himself with a nail, but seeing that he has to shove it all the way through his hand? It’s more impactful and makes it clearer how short term this solution must be. The upcoming demise of the replicants as they track down their creators is a vital part of the film, so it’s not just gore for the sake of it. It’s an important part of the dramatic progression of the film. Drama that I thought was way too lacking in the first “director’s cut”.
B-
Review of Dirty Harry (1971)
Best thing: Do ya punk?
Worst thing: How long have you been a detective? You don't know how the law works? I can understand Dirty Harry being frustrated by how the system works, but as a seasoned detective it's hard to understand why he's so surprised that a perp will walk in those circumstances.
Dirty Harry felt like it was full of clichés, most likely because it was the first film to do any of those things. Dirty Harry is the original "I work alone" cop-on-the-edge.
Clint Eastwood is great, of course. He's a little too chilled at times, mind you, but that is how his character is written. There's a scene where he's saying he'd rather they didn't cut off his trousers to remove a bullet. Seriously dude! You'll at least have a bullet hole in them anyway, not to mention bloodstains.
But in any case, Dirty Harry is a classic for a reason. Some elements struck me as a little ludicrous, such as when they are being attacked with a machine gun and no one is calling for backup, but I had a lot of fun.
A+
My Review of 21 (2008)
Best thing: Kevin Spacey being intimidating or ethically questionable is always great.
Worst thing: Right from the beginning this film had me screaming at the screen: "Stop saying chicken dinner!" Seriously how did they think the protagonist targeting the audience with a condescending voiceover would be a good idea?
The premise is pretty cool but none of it ever comes close to seeming real.
A bright kid is frustrated by his lack of money, but he discovers that one of his teachers is showing groups of students how to win at Blackjack by counting cards.
The film seems to follow a clear formula and the presentation of the film isn't that exciting. It was actually frustrating how close this was to being a good film.
21 is annoyingly average, but too much of the film is plain naff for me to recommend it.
C+
Documentary Review:
Review of The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened? (2015)
A pretty thorough documentary on the unmade film "Superman Lives!" The main aim seems to be countering the ridicule on the internet brought on by a photo of Nicolas Cage mid-blink, wearing an ugly purple Superman outfit. This is mainly established by some behind the scenes footage, though the documentary puts that footage into a clear context. The highlight of this documentary is the big reveal of a suit with internal lights that is quite spellbinding.
All that being said, there's limited benefit in unpacking the making a film that was never made. It feels quite clear that much of what was done did not lead to a movie for good reason.
This documentary on Superman Lives still demonstrates some interesting things:
- That Kevin Smith's script probably wasn't all that good.
- That the producer Kevin Smith worked with really WAS desperate to make a movie that included a giant spider.
- The reason that studio projects continue to go through development and investment for long periods with no sign of a release date is basically ‘sunk cost fallacy’. (The more creative turmoil the project goes through and the more they spend, the harder it is to accept that they should just give up on the project.)
- The way that the intentions for Superman Lives! fed into later iterations i.e. that it should have a greater level of action, that it should involve the ‘death of Superman’ story line, that it should re-imagine Superman's home world of Krypton. (These are all elements that Singer's Superman Returns would shy away from.).
As a pleasing portrayal of a variety of interesting aspects of a failed production, including old behind the scenes footage and more recent interviews, “The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened?” certainly feels worthy of your time if the subject matter appeals to you. I enjoyed it.
Best thing: Neil Marshall's segment concludes the film and, perhaps unwisely, begins by trying to tie the disparate strands together. It features an unconventional villain (that I won't spoil) and it is wonderfully silly.
Worst thing: The voice of the cartoon alien. It was weird enough that they did an 'alien versus Jason' kind of story, and weirder still that the alien is a cutesy cartoon. But that voice? In a film where so many of the stories fail to make that much of an impact, it seems wrong to claim that the worst part is featured in this rather more creative and memorable entry. But seriously that squeaky, yet otherwise perfectly average, voice. It just completely pulls me out of the film in a really annoying way.
The main names that attracted me to this film were Lucky McKee and Neil Marshall.
McKee chose a great actress for the main role and had some great visual ideas for her character's creepy appearance. Unfortunately the ending of that segment feels like a bit of an anti-climax.
Neil Marshall's segment is actually pretty cool. The problem however, and this is true of all the segments, is that nothing in this movie really blows me away. I find myself appreciating anthologies like VHS2 and XX all the more because they have those high points.
Tales of Halloween is fine. That's about it. It has its John Landis cameo and its “Jason vs an alien-possessed body” sequence, so it's not wholly unmemorable. But there's nothing really creepy, really gory or really spectacular here.
C+
Review of Before I Wake (2016)
Best thing: Heck, any of the magical dream sequences are brilliant. This film has a brilliant and creative premise. A child whose dreams become real while he sleeps allows for some pretty cool imagery.
Worst thing: Final resolution seems a little too easy for a number of reasons. Both logistically with the adoption authorities and emotionally considering all the horrifying events leading to that point. That being said, it's not a horribly unsatisfying ending by any means.
Mike Flanagan's "Before I Wake" struggled to be released so after Flanagan's "Hush" became a highly lauded Netflix original it's perhaps not surprising that they were willing to release this film too. (Apparently this was released in UK cinemas, but I must say, it went under the radar.)
The concept is actually brilliant. A child's dreams become real, but so do his nightmares. A boogeyman in his nightmares sometimes escapes and eats people.
The film also has grounding in reality through the adopting couple whose own child died while young and they clearly aren't over it yet.
In the second half the move to a conclusion is a bit awkward. The explanation is quite clever, but I still found the resolution a bit hard to accept. When you are experimenting with anything you generally have to prepare for the possibility that it could go wrong. That has to count double when you are experimenting with the supernatural. Particularly a supernatural entity that can swallow you up making you disappear forever.
Before I Wake is essentially a fantasy movie, but it's also a horror film because magic is creepy. Dreams coming to life can be spectacular and uplifting, but it can also be horrifying. It's a great concept, but I didn't engage that much with the characters here.
B-
Review of House (1985)
Best thing: Such cool inventive supernatural monsters. Very keen on the Vietnam soldier zombie.
Worst thing: The Vietnam scenes may actually be the least believeable part of the film (in a film with flying sentient gardening tools). When the soldiers get surrounded by Vietkong and escape by quickly shooting the enemy troops down it feels very obviously untrue to life. It's okay though, because the fun tone of the film and the general dream-like feel to the scenes mean you can roll with it.
I love a good horror comedy and House is just so much fun. And it helps that we have great characters to follow.
When you have a ghost story it helps when it is grounded by real life elements. Here there is a suggestion that the hauntings may actually be connected to the protagonist's flashbacks to his time in Vietnam.
While the ending makes no sense it's somehow fitting and the film is fun enough that it doesn't matter.
There's something really sweet about House. There are parts that are a little cheesy and the film allows itself to get a little too silly in places. But this is a solid fun film and well worth checking out if you want a light fun horror comedy.
B+
Review of Alien (theatrical cut) (1979)
Best thing: This is a film that benefits from being simple but effective. While shots of the main alien are short and, having seen the sequel first, I'd already seen the alien in all its glory, the really interesting part for me is the face hugger. The shot where it starts tightening its grip with its tail around John Hurt's neck is awesome.
Worst thing: The alien is so fast you cant see it coming, even when it is right on top of you. Yet Ripley is able to spot it on route to the shuttle without it seeing her and decides in this long inter-weaving set of corridors that there is no other way to the shuttle. This glimpse of the alien is so short and unclear that I’ve wondered for years why she decides to shut down the self destruct. Now I know, but it's confusingly presented.
Yeah I know, everyone loves Alien and thinks its the best of that series. Fine. But I was actually shown Aliens first so I'd seen far more lingering shots of the alien before, not mention lots of aliens before. Plus the aliens I'd seen seemed to be able to move much in a more graceful manner.
In my opinion, the moment the alien finishes with John Hurt, the pacing in Alien takes a massive hit. I really get tired of all the running down corridors. I tried the director's cut a while back and was surprised to find that, despite being shorter, it drags even more. I definitely had a much better time here with the original cut.
And another thing that's really bugged me. There's one scene where it appears to be raining inside the ship. Is it a big leak somewhere? The ship maintenance technician in that scene doesn't seen alarmed and in fact decides to wash his face in the dripping water! Nobody else bugged by this? Just me?
Naturally, for all my qualms, I do still like Alien. It's a pretty simple horror film, but the first half with the face hugger is so good and there are enough cool moments in the second half to tide me over.
I very much like the dystopian totalitarian Mother computer system that dictates what they do from a creepy plain black screen. But overall not much is really done with this aspect. It isn't used to develop the kind of wider themes we see in Prometheus or Covenant. But, like I said, it's simple and effective.
Alien is a cool little sci-fi horror movie and I'm glad it has been so influential. But for me, I think it becomes very dated the minute you see James Cameron's bigger bolder sequel.
B+
Review of Aliens (Director's Cut) (1986)
Best thing: The discovery and skirmish with the alien queen is incredible. This is a film that is made by its last act. It actually drags a little at some points in the middle, but that finale turns out to be well worth the wait.
Worst thing: Can Noot please just shut the hell up? She has the most annoying voice ever!
Thinking back, I only really like three of James Cameron's movies. The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Aliens. Somehow James Cameron's sensibilities at the time matched very nicely with the Alien mythology and he really had something to say with his 'marine corp in space' concept.
The concept of the alien queen fits in so neatly and so nicely, it feels almost like they must have had this concept in mind from the start. The design of the queen, however, was absolutely mesmerising.
I was watching the director's cut and I think that's my preferred version of the film. That being said, I always find it jarring when Captain Hollister from Red Dwarf shows up as someone helping to manage the colony.
Aliens is now a classic sci-fi action movie along with Cameron's similarly iconic Terminator films. This is an absolute must-see
A+
Review of Aenigma (1987)
Best thing: As you'd expect from Lucio Fulci, there are some very inventive deaths. My favourite involved a girl trying to get out of a room with her boyfriend's decapitated body. But every door she opens comes back into the same room. Great stuff!
Worst thing: The opening to this film is incredibly dumb. "We thought we'd set up a complicated prank involving setting up microphones around her fake date and then driving our cars at her." What? Also the death by snails is a bit hard to take seriously.
Okay it's official. I'm a massive Lucio Fulci fan now. Zombie Flesh Eaters, The Beyond (oh my god!), A Cat In The Brain and now Aenigma. Seriously, this stuff is great. Nightmarish, crazy-gory and creepy as hell but with that sense of fun that all good horror films need.
Aenigma is about a girl taking her revenge from a coma by possessing a new girl to the school of the girls who bullied her. (I thought Fulci's work was supposed to be misogynistic? The character of the new girl felt very anti-slut-shaming and the film features the violent murder of predatory man.
It's not quite the same visceral horror as you get from zombie attacks and Aenigma isn't always as gory asFulci's other films, but this is still a strong horror film and surprisingly plot-driven for a Fulci movie.
B+
Review of Blade Runner: Final Cut (1982)
Best thing: Rutger Hauer is amazing in every scene. The whole way he moves and acts is so creepy in such a fascinating way. It's easy to see why Anne Rice envisioned him as the vampire Lestat. However, the visuals will always be the very best thing about Blade Runner. When I first watched the film it seemed darker and less captivating, possibly because it was on VHS. I don't know if it's the improvements in the Final Cut or just that I'm watching a DVD, but it's brighter and I can finally make out all the little details.
Worst thing: Seriously, what is the point in the rape scene here? It's hard enough to connect with Harrison Ford's character without him being an utter prick. Is it to show how low Rachael has sunk? We met her as a secretary in a smart outfit and now she's on the run and in an abusive relationship. That's pretty dark, but it's a side-show to the story of the replicants confronting their creators.
When I first saw Blade Runner I didn't get it. It was a dark dingy vision of the future. In some scenes it was actually hard to even make out was happening. The characters were often intentionally weird because they are robots and the lead protagonist is withdrawn and we never really come to know him. There was also a slow dull scene where the protagonist is sitting around playing piano and dreaming of unicorns that seemed to go on forever.
Watching the Final Cut, everything is better. The visuals are clearer. The unicorn dream scene doesn't seem to last so long or drag so much. Somehow Ford seems to have a little more personality this time. I have read that they cut a swear word and replaced it with father, but in a film where, on first viewing, I struggled to understand the point, a line like "I want more life father" feels more suitable thematically.
I keep hearing people complain that Blade Runner: The Final Cut removes the ambiguity over whether Harrison Ford is a replicant. Frankly, if he's not a replicant, the unicorn dream is a dumb waste of time. The Final Cut's final scene shows us clearly what silver origami animal Harrison Ford picks up and the better pacing made it easier to grasp the full significance of this. It makes this a proper ending rather than just leaving me cold like the original director's cut did.
The Final Cut is the only version of this film that I actually like. Besides, Rutger Hauer, the main characters are still too flat and this is a film more focused on mood than story or character. I know Blade Runner is viewed as a classic, but for me it's just 'fine'.
P.S. This video indicates that another change in the final cut from the director’s cut is an increase in the amount of gore. We’re only talking about a few short clips, but I think it really does help to add to the drama and up the stakes. It’s one thing seeing that Rutget has stabbed himself with a nail, but seeing that he has to shove it all the way through his hand? It’s more impactful and makes it clearer how short term this solution must be. The upcoming demise of the replicants as they track down their creators is a vital part of the film, so it’s not just gore for the sake of it. It’s an important part of the dramatic progression of the film. Drama that I thought was way too lacking in the first “director’s cut”.
B-
Review of Dirty Harry (1971)
Best thing: Do ya punk?
Worst thing: How long have you been a detective? You don't know how the law works? I can understand Dirty Harry being frustrated by how the system works, but as a seasoned detective it's hard to understand why he's so surprised that a perp will walk in those circumstances.
Dirty Harry felt like it was full of clichés, most likely because it was the first film to do any of those things. Dirty Harry is the original "I work alone" cop-on-the-edge.
Clint Eastwood is great, of course. He's a little too chilled at times, mind you, but that is how his character is written. There's a scene where he's saying he'd rather they didn't cut off his trousers to remove a bullet. Seriously dude! You'll at least have a bullet hole in them anyway, not to mention bloodstains.
But in any case, Dirty Harry is a classic for a reason. Some elements struck me as a little ludicrous, such as when they are being attacked with a machine gun and no one is calling for backup, but I had a lot of fun.
A+
My Review of 21 (2008)
Best thing: Kevin Spacey being intimidating or ethically questionable is always great.
Worst thing: Right from the beginning this film had me screaming at the screen: "Stop saying chicken dinner!" Seriously how did they think the protagonist targeting the audience with a condescending voiceover would be a good idea?
The premise is pretty cool but none of it ever comes close to seeming real.
A bright kid is frustrated by his lack of money, but he discovers that one of his teachers is showing groups of students how to win at Blackjack by counting cards.
The film seems to follow a clear formula and the presentation of the film isn't that exciting. It was actually frustrating how close this was to being a good film.
21 is annoyingly average, but too much of the film is plain naff for me to recommend it.
C+
Documentary Review:
Review of The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened? (2015)
A pretty thorough documentary on the unmade film "Superman Lives!" The main aim seems to be countering the ridicule on the internet brought on by a photo of Nicolas Cage mid-blink, wearing an ugly purple Superman outfit. This is mainly established by some behind the scenes footage, though the documentary puts that footage into a clear context. The highlight of this documentary is the big reveal of a suit with internal lights that is quite spellbinding.
All that being said, there's limited benefit in unpacking the making a film that was never made. It feels quite clear that much of what was done did not lead to a movie for good reason.
This documentary on Superman Lives still demonstrates some interesting things:
- That Kevin Smith's script probably wasn't all that good.
- That the producer Kevin Smith worked with really WAS desperate to make a movie that included a giant spider.
- The reason that studio projects continue to go through development and investment for long periods with no sign of a release date is basically ‘sunk cost fallacy’. (The more creative turmoil the project goes through and the more they spend, the harder it is to accept that they should just give up on the project.)
- The way that the intentions for Superman Lives! fed into later iterations i.e. that it should have a greater level of action, that it should involve the ‘death of Superman’ story line, that it should re-imagine Superman's home world of Krypton. (These are all elements that Singer's Superman Returns would shy away from.).
As a pleasing portrayal of a variety of interesting aspects of a failed production, including old behind the scenes footage and more recent interviews, “The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened?” certainly feels worthy of your time if the subject matter appeals to you. I enjoyed it.