“JACK REACHER” Movie Review. He’s LARGER than LIFE.

“JACK REACHER” PRESS PREVIEW

Here we go again, it’s TOM CRUISE as the butt kicking badass in “JACK REACHER”.

For jolly good measure too. 

I’ve never been big on TOM CRUISE.

But he is very much in his element playing the iconic anti-hero JACK REACHER, a character created by British author LEE CHILD pow-wowing the baddies and tabling them all to justice.

“JACK REACHER” ensures you a fun ride, laced with action and dark humor.

 TOM CRUISE again displays his prowess that, whichever angle you may look at him, he commands stoic respect.

 This is a CRUISE brand and he empowers as the movie star.

As both producer and star, CRUISE has developed a potential franchise, a vanity project and a crowd pleaser.

The film opens with a horrific shooting of five innocents, throwing the heartland city into a stare of pandemonium.

The police follow the trail of clues that leads to James Barr (Joseph Sikora), a recent veteran and ham him as the shooter.

Beaten into a coma while in custody, Barr has enough time during his first interrogation to write a simple message:  “Find Jack Reacher.”

Before everyone, such as the district attorney (RICHARD JENKINS), Barr’s lawyer Helen Rodin ( ROSAMUND PIKE), and the lead investigator on the case, Detective Emerson (DAVID OVELOWO), can even discuss how to find Reacher, our hero strides nonchalantly into the police station.

 And as Reacher probes deeper into the case,  he realizes that James might not be guilty after all.

Writer/director CHRISTOPHER McQUARRIE blends action, suspense, thrills and comic relief skillfully.

As in any action film, you have to fully suspend disbelief  to fully enjoy this spy thriller.

If you are a fan of TOM CRUISE, then this film should not fail.

“TAKEN 2″ (2012) Movie Review. Will you be taken aback this time around?

“TAKEN 2″ PRESS PREVIEW

Rewind back to “TAKEN” (2008).

You’ll find that it is a French actioner produced by LUC BESSON where LIAM NEESON played a former government operative called Bryan Mills.

His daughter had been kidnapped by human traffickers whilst vacationing in Paris.

 Now, hell knew no fury like a father enraged. So in retaliation, he went on a rampage, shooting, hacking, carjacking, slicing and dicing, whatever – in a frantic bid to save his beloved daughter.

Such a violent display of a father’s protective affection, but “TAKEN” (2008) did revive NEESON’s then sagging career and turned him around as an action superstar.

“TAKEN” (2008) was immensely successful, both critical and box-office, specially in Europe and the East.

Fast forward to “TAKEN 2″, the 2012 sequel, and let’s see whether you will be taken aback this time around.

A quick run-through on the movie synopsis:

 Bryan Mills (LIAM NEESON) is a retired CIA operative, and is back for one last security job, this time in Istanbul.

He is reunited with his ex-wife Lenore (FAMKE JANSSEN) and daughter Kim (MAGGIE GRACE).

The family is holidaying in the Turkish capital, where danger lurks. He is yet to reckon with the wrath of the surviving Albanian relatives of those he slaughtered on his last quest to save his daughter from the sex trade.

The enemies vow vengeance and will stop at nothing to avenge the deaths of their loved ones.

“TAKEN 2″ is a follow-up film, and could have been a crackling, high energy thriller that delivers.

But the content of a mediocre script mars everything that could have made it an implosive actioner.

 LIAM NEESON pitches a compelling performance, but there are too many plot holes.

The movie dogs the same formula as the 2008 original, but there’s something clearly missing this time and it is predictability.

Without doubt, Neeson is the film’s greatest asset, commanding authority as he heroically takes command of the predicaments, fighting his adversaries to protect his family.

But is this enough?

 The scale of the story is just too confining for him to grow even more.

For die-hard fans of LIAM NEESON, this one is pure entertainment.

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“THE BOURNE LEGACY” Movie Review. A Reboot doused in a palatable New Dressing.

“THE BOURNE LEGACY” PRESS PREVIEW

An apt title, this one, and it has finally arrived.

“THE BOURNE LEGACY” proudly parades the continuation of this grit-and-intrigue actioner in the line of the fabulous BOURNE franchise.

Only that this time around, TONY GILROY, the co-writer of the earlier three films has taken over the helm.

 The newly established film director happily conjures his personal version, culled from using material from the original novels by the late ROBERT LUDLUM.

He breathes a fresh feel by injecting a new hero (JEREMY RENNER)  whose deeds will be exemplified, fighting for dear life, in death-defying situations triggered by events and characters from the past three films.

The first half of the film meanders with the spewing of red herrings, intensifying the suspense.

Action peaks in the second half and thence it is pulsating excitement all the way.

The JASON BOURNE character portrayed by MATT DAMON had been written off the hook.

Call it a rehash or a reboot, the old chapter has closed and a brand new chapter is now beginning. Now,  JEREMY RENNER is taking the form of AARON CROSS – and he alone will carry the weight of this movie.

He is ably supported with the “additions” of veterans such as RACHEL WEISZ, EDWARD NORTON and STACY KEACH.

JEREMY RENNER is Aaron Cross, an intelligence operative who participates in an integral secret government program called OUTCOME.  This project utilizes pharmacology to enhance soldiers’ brains and bodies.

After the inexplicable chain of events that happened in the last film “ULTIMATUM”, Jason Bourne uncovered clues in London and New York about the truth shrouding the secret government program that had transformed him into a ruthless killer.

OUTCOME’s head Eric Byer (EDWARD NORTON) therefore decides to shut down his program and kill all its members.

However Aaron Cross (JEREMY RENNER) manages to survive the shelling.

He enlists the help of biochemist Dr. Marta Shearing (RACHEL WEISZ) as he needs the intelligence enhancing medications in order to survive.

Together they flee from Byer’s agents who are out to silence them.

The two’s fierce determination to stay alive takes them on a dangerous journey through the US, the exotic East – culminating at Manila, where the last vital piece of the Bourne puzzle is located.

One of the notable action highlights of the film takes place in Manila where there’s a cat-and-mouse mayhem of dashing, jumping, kicking and acrobatics in dark alleyways, atop roofs and congested side streets,

jeepneys are spinning perilously at ferocious speed, relentless motorbike and car chasing to hump up the adrenaline rush.

These scenes were shot in Pasay City, Manila’s San Andres Bukid district, the Navotas fish port and Palawan, providing the notion that the Philippine locales can give the Thai’s (foreign film makers’ favorite location choice) a run for the money.

An entertaining film, depending on what you are looking for.

For avid fans of suspense and action thrillers, this one deserves your attention.

“THIS MEANS WAR” Movie Review. Harmless Entertainment where ALL’s FAIR in LOVE and WAR.

“THIS MEANS WAR” PRESS PREVIEW

In addressing this film, let’s take note that there are two definitive schools of thought.

What’s sauce for the goose ain’t going to be sauce for the gander.

It’s a case of “never the twain shall meet”.

In the West, “THIS MEANS WAR” received more than a critical mauling.

Irate reviewers are only too happy to laud it with a critical backlash.

It’s a “perfectly dreadful” flick, they rated.

Is it really?

The Asian audiences share a different mindset.

You can hear squeals and guffaws of infectious laughter throughout the preview, indicating that the press members must have enjoyed the movie.

Shouldn’t they be?

“THIS MEANS WAR” might cram in a lot:

All at once its’ a romantic comedy, sex farce, buddy-and-action flick, spy spoof all rolled into one.

Two chums are platonic sworn brothers.

They are highly-skilled CIA agents who will unhesitatingly go out on a limb to hold the fort for each other.

Yes, everything for the sake of the divine brotherhood.

That is, until they discover they are both in love with the same woman.

Now this is unforgivable.

You cannot control the green-eyed monster of jealousy when it rears its ugly head.

Now they are turning their backs on each other to bag the woman they both love.

All’s fair in love and war, and the best man wins.

So they head for war, a different kind.

Here’s where the fun to start.

Lead actress REESE WITHERSPOON is utterly charming.

Her leading men CHRIS PINE and TOM HARDY are sexy and swell.

Good acting, a fun-fun script, though not without flaws.

An entertaining popcorn bromance with a feel-good timing helmed by director McG.

I wouldn’t mind spending two hours of escapism and leave the cinema feeling good.

Go watch it, for all it is worth.

But please, first decide if you’d wear an Asian or Western mind.