Film Review: THE FRIGHTENERS (1996)

Co-Writer/Director: Peter Jackson
Running time: 110 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Horror
UK Release date: 24th January 1997

Watched on Sky+ Monday 27th June 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I hadn’t heard of this film before I got more involved in reading and writing about films. I became interested in the work that Peter Jackson did before he embarked on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ epic trilogy. So, when I can, I’m slowly going through his back catalogue. This is quite an interesting film with some nice ideas and some really great effects (for its day) but it does suffer from a slightly over-complicated plot and being a little too long. But more of my thoughts later, here’s a brief summary first.

Frank Bannister makes a living as a Psychic Investigator. After an accident five years ago, he can see and speak to ghosts. One of his clients is Ray Lynskey, who he had had a run-in with recently. Just before he leaves, after removing some troublesome spirits, he notices a mystical number on Ray’s forehead but thinks nothing of it. The next day Ray is dead. His wife, Dr. Lucy Lynskey, asks Frank to communicate with Ray and from this they form a friendship. More people die and it begins to look like Frank is the culprit, but he claims he’s innocent. The FBI even get involved in the shape of, the very strange, Milton Dammers. Eventually Frank and Lucy link it back to a serial killer, Johnny Charles Bartlett, who went to the electric chair many years before. Will Frank be able to stop Bartlett before he claims Lucy as his next victim? Well, you can probably guess, but you didn’t hear it from me right.

As I said at the beginning, this film does suffer from a rather over-complicated plot. The first-rate special effects go some way to making up for this, but not quite. Having said that, it’s still quite watchable with some decent performances; chiefly from Michael J. Fox as Frank Bannister and Trini Alvarado as Dr. Lucy Lynskey. Also worthy of note are Peter Dobson as Ray Lynskey, John Astin as The Judge, Jeffrey Combs, who was really off the wall, as Milton Dammers,  Dee Wallace as Patricia Ann Bradley and Jake Busey as Johnny Charles Bartlett. Oh, and worthy of a special mention, it was nice to see a small cameo from R. Lee Ermey as Sgt, Hiles.

I must admit I did quite enjoy this film, there were many sight gags that I found amusing and the musical score was pretty good too. A very well made film with some decent cinematography and, as I’ve already mentioned, some excellent effects, both CGI and animatronic. It does suffer though from the very complicated plot and it does seem to drag a bit towards the end, probably because it’s too long. Having said that though, it’s worth a viewing for some very interesting ideas that you might recognise from Jackson’s later works… Recommended.

My Score: 7.1/10

LINKS:
(RT = Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0116365/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/frighteners/
Trailer:

Film Review: FULL METAL JACKET (1987)

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Running time: 116 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 18

Genre: Drama/War
UK Release date: 11th September 1987

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 18th June 2011.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This film was on the TV in a pub I was frequenting last week. Being one of my all time favourites I was hopeful there was going to be a repeat showing. Fortunately the same channel obliged and I was able to record it for a viewing today. For me it is one of the three iconic films about the Vietnam war; the others being Apocalypse Now (1979) and Platoon (1986). I’m sure others will be mentioned in dispatches, but these are the three that have served me best. It is a film of two parts.

The first part deals with the training of a group of U.S. Marine recruits under the watchful eye of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman. Among the platoon are characters Hartman calls Private Joker, Private Cowboy and, the focus of much of his scorn, Private Pyle. Unfortunately Private Pyle isn’t really cut out to be a Marine and keeps making mistakes. It gets so bad that Hartman begins to take it out on the platoon whenever he screws up. This has a rather disastrous effect on Pyle and it doesn’t end well for more than one of them.

With training over the focus now switches to the theatre of action in Vietnam. We follow Private Joker who has become a journalist working for ‘Stars and Stripes’ magazine as a combat correspondent. He is sent into the combat zone with his photographer, Rafterman, where he joins up with a platoon that contains his old friend Private Cowboy. They are sent into a built up area to clear out any enemy combatants hiding inside. Having been pinned down by a sniper, it’s up to Private Cowboy to figure a way out of the situation. I’ll leave you hanging there, if you have seen the film, you’ll know what happens, if you haven’t well, it’s just a little incentive for you to give it a look.

Stanley Kubrick had a great eye for detail and looking at this film you can see that every little detail is perfect. I love the look and the feel of it, even though it is of two very distinct and very different parts. Great performances all round; in particular Matthew Modine as Pvt. Joker, Vincent D'Onofrio (who some of you may know from TV’s Law and Order: Criminal Intent) as Pvt. Pyle and R. Lee Ermey as Gny. Sgt. Hartman. Also worthy of note were; Adam Baldwin as Animal Mother, Dorian Harewood as Eightball, Kevyn Major Howard as Rafterman and Arliss Howard as Pvt. Cowboy.

I will admit that I, like most people I know, enjoyed the first part slightly more than the second. I think it’s because it has many more memorable, even iconic, scenes in it. But in defence of the second part, it was a hard act to follow! Having said that, the second part does deal with the gritty realities of war and goes some way towards satirising it. I should note there is an excellent soundtrack and the use of various songs throughout is well balanced against the visuals. Over all, a near-perfect war film (IMO) and one which comes very highly recommended.

My Score: 9.6/10

LINKS:
(RT=Rotten Tomatoes)
IMDb Page: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/
RT Page: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/full_metal_jacket/
Trailer (concerning Part 1):

Trailer (concerning Part 2):