Quick Movie Reviews: Vol 19

You can expect a few of these quick movie reviews over the next few days, as I try to cram as many movies in as possible. Then to top it off I shall unveil my top 10 movies of 2011 before the beginning of the New Year. Hot damn do I love it when a plan comes together. So let’s get this party started in a non Black Eyed Peas sort of way.

Hanna (2011)

A movie of a young girl trained to be an assassin wrapped in themes of fairy tales and scored by the Chemical Brothers. Joe Wright creates a unique film, one part spy thriller, one part child trying to find her place in the world. Of course this type of dualism wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t for the actress they selected. Saoirse Ronan is perfect as Hanna and she displays both an innocence and deadliness, I honestly think this girl is an up and comer and I hope to see her in more movies. She is aptly supported by Eric Bana as her father, and Cate Blanchett as the intelligence office trying to track her down. As a source of action the movie does deliver with some interesting camera work as well as a Chemical Brothers soundtrack that really gets the adrenaline pumping.

Conan the Barbarian (2011)

Born in battle in one of the most over the top scenes I’ve witnessed in a while, I was hoping for so much. Basically I wanted insanity up on the screen linked by action set pieces that would make any barbarian holler with joy. What I got was slightly disappointing as it’s a pretty standard fantasy action movie. I don’t think people will hate this movie as it’s competent in what it does, the action is decent and Jason Mamoa is pretty good as Conan, it’s just not a movie that I want to return to. When it comes to villains Stephen Lang didn’t really light my fire, I thought there was potential in Rose McGowans character Marique but I don’t think that potential was exploited to the fullest. But if you got a bit of time and looking for an action movie to kill that time you can certainly do worse.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

Speaking of wasted potential we come to this little movie starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Clancy Brown, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde and Walter Goggins being directed by Mr Iron Man himself Jon Favreau. This should have been good but instead it can get kind of boring in places. I shouldn’t be saying that as it’s cowboys versus aliens, lasers vs shotguns, the only way it could have been cooler is if ninja’s and pirates were added into the mix. There was a decision made to keep this movie as serious as possible, now doing this isn’t a bad choice as long as you can back it up with interesting characters and some deep themes running through out the movie, also in my mind the aliens would have to be pushed into the background as if they are front and centre too much you could get an unwanted camp vibe. Unfortunately with the decision made they failed to pull it off, and honestly should of embraced the camp vibe from the get go. Sure it wouldn’t have been an excellent well crafted movie, but at least it would have been fun.