Jonah Hex

I didn’t plan to see this movie, but there wasn’t a lot of options and I wanted to go see a film. I don’t know the source material, but found the namesake character intriguing. Overall the movie ended up feeling too much like the 1999 Wild Wild West just replace Will Smith and Kevin Kline with Josh Brolin. Kenneth Branagh with John Malkovich. And Selma Hayek with Megan Fox. There you go. While I didn’t have high expectations for this film, it was obvious that it could have been a much better film. Besides the fine actors mentioned there were also smaller roles for guys like Michael Shannon, Tom Wopat (Dukes of Hazzard) and Will Arnett. The entire casts acting skills were wasted, save Megan Fox who I am not sure can act but she does wear a mean corset. The film clearly lacked vision and was edited to death. One of the rare times I would say a longer more developed movie would have been better. Also, I have a hard time believing a giant cannon ship was the best storyline they could find from the comic series.

Edge of Darkness

I saw this before Mel Gibson’s latest crazy public outburst, so I won’t comment on that. But the guy is simply a shell of the actor he once was. Of course it didn’t help that the movie was a pretty lame attempt all around. I am guessing the film was trying to be similar to Taken but add in a deeper conspiracy, but it failed on both counts. First it had none of the emotional gravity of Taken, mostly because Gibson is not Liam Neeson. But also Gibson’s character was out for revenge whereas Neeson was a father out to do whatever it took to save his daughter – two very different motives. Protecting your daughter at all costs resonates, while vengeance doesn’t (or at least didn’t in this film). As far as the conspiracy – it was stupid and full of holes. The evidence seems to just fall out of the sky and could have been exposed a million times over without Gibson’s character getting involved at all. I wonder if this will be the last Mel Gibson movie I ever see? I sort of hope so.

Shutter Island (revisited)

I know I have already reviewed Shutter Island, but I watched it again. And on second viewing I was much more impressed with the film in its entirety. I had none of the apprehensions of heavy-handedness the second time around. Also, I am even more clear that the story can only have one definitive meaning to the end – I will spare the spoilers, but if you doubt the ending, watch it again.