Film Review: LOCKOUT (2012)

Directors: James Mather, & Stephen St. Leger
Writers: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger & Luc Besson
Running time: 92 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Action/Thriller/Sci-Fi
UK Release date: 20^th April 2012

Watched on Sky+ Friday 29^th March 2013.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film got some really bad press on release and that’s probably why I decided to watch it. Well, that plus the fact its set in space with guns and all the stuff we boy like right? Ok, I’ll try to be calm now; I guess expectations were a little too high for this one but I decided it was worth the risk anyway. I must say it didn’t enthral me as much as I thought it would; exciting in parts, but ultimately… I guess I should tell you that part after this very brief summary.

When the President of the USA’s daughter, Emilie Warnock (Maggie Grace) is trapped on an orbiting high security prison where the inmates have taken control, there’s only one man to send it to rescue her. He is the recently unfairly convicted Snow (Guy Pearce). He has an ulterior motive and that is that the only man who has evidence that will absolve him is being kept at the same prison. He lands on the station and makes contact with Emilie, who is more concerned with getting the rest of the hostages safe. But it’s not long before the prisoners, led by Alex (Vincent Regan) and his psychotic brother, Hydell (Joseph Gilgun) realise jus who she is and the hunt is on! Add to the mix the good cop, Harry Shaw (Lennie James) and the bad cop Scott Langral (Peter Stormare) and a great game of cat and mouse aboard an orbiting space prison.

Whilst watching this I had a nagging feeling I had seen it all before… and I had! It’s ‘Escape From New York’ set is space! The trouble is, it’s not as good as ‘Escape From New York’ despite being set in space. It’s well put together with the exception of the CGI, which looked pretty ropy particularly at the beginning of the film. Performance-wise, well everyone was ok with nobody particularly standing out. I did think Guy Pearce does need to have a word with his agent though, he’s much better than this. Sadly I found it all a little too predictable and although it did have some exciting moments, it didn’t really satisfy.

SteelMonster’s verdict: NOT RECOMMENDED

My score: 5.2/10.

IMDb Score: 6.1/10 (based on 49,729 votes when this review was written).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1592525/

MetaScore: 48/100: (Based on 32 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 38/100 (based on 123 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 46/100 (based on 160,626 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lockout_2012/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[first lines]
Langral: Again, what happened in that hotel room?
Snow: Oh, it was coupon night and I was trampolining your wife.
[Snow is punched in the face]
Langral: You're a real comedian aren't you, Snow?
Snow: Well I guess that's why they call it the punch line.
[Snow is punched again]
Langral: You don't like me, do you?
Snow: Don't flatter yourself. I don't like anybody.
Langral: With that attitude, I can see why nobody likes you.
Snow: Oh, come on. People love me. Just ask your wife.
[Snow is punched again]

Snow: Don't get me wrong. It's a dream vacation. I mean, I load up. I go into space. I get inside the maximum-security nuthouse. Save the President's daughter, if she's not dead already. Get past all the psychos who've just woken up. I'm thrilled that you would think of me.

Snow: Ok, see here on the map?
Emilie Warnock: Yeah.
Snow: That's where the pod is. You get in it, you fly away. The good guys will come and get you, ok?
Emilie Warnock: On my own?
Snow: You're a big girl, right? Here's an apple and a gun. Don't talk to strangers, shoot them.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lockoutmovie
Official Site: http://www.lockoutfilm.com/
Trailer:

Film Review: COLOMBIANA (2011)

Director: Olivier Megaton
Writers (screenplay): Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Running Time: 104 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Action/Thriller/Drama
UK Release Date: 9^th September 2011

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 18^th August 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I must admit I do enjoy a decent revenge thriller; there have been many over the years, everything from ‘Death Wish’ to the ‘Jason Bourne’ films. The trouble is, there are only so many ways you can tell the story; have the makers of ‘Colombiana’ found yet another twist? Well I’ll tell you after this very brief summary.

When the parents of ten year old Cataleya are killed in front of her in Bogota, Colombia, she swears revenge on the leader of the gang responsible, Don Luis Sandoval and his lieutenant, Marco. Her father had given her a way to get to America and the means to find her uncle Fabio. He gives her an education and trains her in the art of assassination. Fifteen years later, Cataleya is a seasoned killer who always leaves a calling card on her victims. This attracts the attention of the F.B.I. in the guise of Special Agent James Ross. He decides to publicise her calling card and, in turn this alerts her parents’ killers to her existence. All is set for a dramatic showdown when it is revealed that the bad guys are ‘guests’ of the C.I.A. in New Orleans. I will leave it there or the Spoiler Police (F.B.I. Division) will be tapping my phone (again).

Well made with some nice set pieces and fight scenes; hats off to the stunt guys and effects gurus. All the performances were very good; particularly Zoe Saldana as Cataleya, Lennie James as Special Agent James Ross and Amandla Stenberg as Cataleya age ten. Honourable mentions go to; Jordi Mollà as Marco, Michael Vartan as Danny Delanay, Jesse Borrego as Fabio Restrepo and Callum Blue as Richard.

There are only so many ways to tell a story of revenge and, I’m afraid, this one doesn’t do anything particularly groundbreaking. I liked the fact that they took time to give an account of Cataleya’s back-story, but they failed to show us any of her training. One minute she’s a ten year old going to school, the next she’s killing a bad guy in a police cell. A love interest is brought into the story in the guise of an artist, Richard, with whom who she the occasional tryst. But you know nothing can ever become of it because of the path she’s chosen. Over all; although quite well made; I did find it lacked in too many areas. The pacing was all over the place and I didn’t find many of the characters very convincing. There are some nice set-pieces and fight scenes though but it’s not one that will stay long in the memory.

SteelMonster’s verdict: RECOMMENDED (just).

My Score 5.6/10

IMDb Score: 6.2/10 (based on 37,607 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1657507/

MetaScore: 45/100: (Based on 22 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 27/100 (based on 89 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 53/100 ‘Liked It’ (based on 31,781 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/colombiana/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Cat - 10: I want to be a killer. Can you help me?
Emilio Restrepo: Sure.

William Woodgard: Baby, you put one drop of blood in there, and they'll be your biggest admirers.
Nymphette: Really?
William Woodgard: Oh, yeah, baby. All the way down to your clean stripped bones.

Emilio Restrepo: Never forget where you came from.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/colombiana/
Trailer: