Knowing

Knowing, 2009.

Nicolas Cage, oscar winner and the biggest action star of the 90s (see The Rock, Con Air & Face/Off) was on a big run of strike outs when this reviewer decided to part with his $15 of his hardest earned to see his latest offering. Bangkok Dangerous, The Wicker Man remake, Next & Ghost Rider were all akin to having tabasco sauce forcefully shoved into one's eyeballs. Quite simply, big Nic needed this film to do well at the box office and for it to be entertaining for his legions of loyal, if not growing somewhat impatient, follwers.

Well, this film goes someway to redemption. The film was a huge box office success taking over $180M worldwide.

The film centres on a series of apocalyptic events, as predicted by a troubled young school girl in the 1950s. A university professor, Cage, takes it upon himself to decipher to girl's predictions in order to prevent any future disasters. Edge of your seat special effects and a surprisingly strong sense of tension throughout keep this film moving along nicely.

It is hard to take Cage seriously these days though in many ways, whether it be the hair plugs or the fact that it is laughable to think of him as a professor.

Early in the film, heavy focus is placed on his relationship with his son and troubles he confronts in moving on from his wife allow him to explore his other side (he did win an Oscar. No really, he did) which hasn't been seen much at all since 2002's Adaptation.

This is an entertaining film which this reviewer believes most will enjoy, although it was hard not to think back to Cameron Poe or Stanley Goodspeed.

6/10

Willo

Saw

Spawning the most successful horror franchise of its generation, this film is not for the squirmish. The brainchild of two Aussie blokes (Leigh Whannel & James Wan, the former playing the character of Adam) who went on to make millions from this film and its five sequels (with more in the pipeline).

The film begins with the aforementioned Adam and Lawrence (Cary Elwes) dazed, confused and chained in an abandoned warehouse. Through sharply executed flashbacks and the perspective of investigating officers (one of whom is played by Danny Glover of Predator 2 fame) the audience is dragged through the deviant plots developed by the man known only as the Jigsaw Killer until the brilliant climax which will have you gagging for more...luckily there is more. Heaps more.

This film attracted a stellar cast and the flashback scenes are crisp while the pace of the movie doesn't slow for a moment.

An impressively fresh take on this genre which breathed new life into it.

9/10

Willo

The Marine

The Marine, 2006

This film starring World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) mega star John Cena and T2's Robert Patrick is a product of WWE Films, the studio known for bringing us such classics as The Condemned and See No Evil.

Filmed in Australia, a fact quite obvious to the keen eye, the story starts with Cena (a US Marine stationed in Iraq) laying the smackdown on the bad guys with a couple of moves from his pro wrestling repertoire.

The story kicks off in earnest when the T-1000 kidnaps Cena's wife (the very luscious Kimber from Nip/Tuck) following a bungled jewellery store heist. Cena decides to inform the proper authorities, allowing them to follow procedure and get his wife back while he goes for 9 holes.....NOT! I don't think!

Upon discovering his wife's kidnapping Cena redefinies what it means to 'go to town' on the baddies. This film has more explosions per minute than any film since Simon Phoenix hit the silver screen & there is a great nod that all fans of the Terminator franchise will enjoy. The action is pulsating which compensates, partly, for the wafer thin storyline and predictibility of the characters involved.

This is a fun action flick, Indie loving plonkers will turn an eyebrow up at this I've no doubt but if you take it for what it is you'll enjoy the ride.

5/10
Willo

The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker (2008)

This film from Kathryn 'don't call me James Cameron's ex' Bigelow (Point Break) is the most intense war movie seen since Saving Private Ryan, but for so many different reasons.

Whereas SPR had plenty of Spielberg's 'mates' onboard dropping dimes into his Yarmulke affording him the ability to stage the haunting events of D-Day, this film succeeds for exactly the opposite reason.

Made on a budget of only $11 million and shot just a few kilometres from the Iraq border in neighbouring Jordan, it is expertly shot, directed and edited throwing the viewer head first into the action witnessed by the small group of protagonists. This is a raw and intense exercise in film making.

From the opening scene the viewer is thrust into the eyes of an Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) unit stationed in Baghdad. They are forced to overcome internal disunity, worries back home and the ever present threat of the often hostile Baghdad natives all the while trying to simply finish their tour.

Jeremy Renner (the bad guy from SWAT, I think) is excellent in the lead role, he doesn't look like your convential leading man which helps his performance immensely. I mean, would it be credible if we were forced to believe that someone who looked like Brad Pitt would be defusing road side bombs in Iraq?

What this film does that so few are able to is to get the audience to feel what the characters feel. This is accomplished by showing each of them in many different situations (from combat scenes & roadside detonations to drinkin' & family life) throughout the course of the story thus creating a level of complexity rarely seen and the raw atmosphere that is created by Bigelow, which one has to think is attributable to the low budget and shooting on (near) location.

9/10

willo