Jack Reacher

   Jack Reacher has got 2013 off with a good start, although it was actually released on Boxing Day, so technically it's last year's film...Nevertheless, it is a very good film, though it doesn't challenge my top 10 films of 2012 and I don't believe it will challenge the best of this year either.
   Tom Cruise is as enjoyable as ever to watch and he has good chemistry with Rosamund Pike, who plays Helen, the lawyer who takes on the seemingly impossible task of helping Barr (Joseph Sikora) avoid the death penalty.
   Jack Reacher is based on a series of books by Lee Child, and though Tom Cruise does a great job, Jack Reacher is supposed to be about six foot five and Cruise scrapes in at a modest five foot seven. However, I think only the hardiest of Jack Reacher fans will have a problem with this.
   The car chases are exciting and the fight scenes have a comical edge to them as Reacher has little trouble beating his enemies senseless. The film begins to trail off during the second half and although the final fight sequence is well shot, humorous, exciting, tense and intriguing, I can't help but feel annoyed that Reacher decides to put his gun down and fight his main enemy with bare hands. He could at least have his gun knocked out of his grasp instead of voluntarily laying down his weapon to endure a punch up.

For fans of Tom Cruise, Lee Child and humorous action scenes.

Stars ***

Catch .44

   I spotted Bruce Willis and Forest Whitaker on the front cover of this DVD and thought it might be worth a ganders. I wasn't disappointed either, well, apart from the end, but I'll come to that soon...Tes (Malin Akerman) and her two friends have a job to do for their crime boss Mel (Bruce Willis) and it sounded straight forward. All they had to do was intercept a drug deal that was going down on Mel's patch at a small and innocent diner. As the story unfolds it becomes more than just a simple drug interception.
   The flashback scenes being interspersed throughout the film help build up a picture of how all of the characters are in the situation they are in, adding edgy suspense which helps the plot build up to the final act. Whitaker is brilliant throughout, his almost schizophrenic personality as Ronny gives him the opportunity to show off his acting skills, with varying accents and an erratic personality.
   I think I could write a page or two on the ending, but to avoid making this a spoiler I'll try to explain my annoyance with as little detail as possible...Willis is only a supporting character, his scene with Whitaker was top notch, as the two great actors put on top performances. I foolishly let myself believe that I was going to get the ending I wanted, a different ending that would have made this film a 4 star in my eyes, but a star gets knocked off for what they decide to do.

For fans of great acting performances, gritty thrillers and annoying endings.

Stars ***

End of Watch

   Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena put on great performances as two young officers of the LA beat. At the beginning I didn't know if I liked their characters or not. They came across as immature, foolish cops with massive egos, however, they grew on me as the film progressed.
   A routine traffic stop leads to an address, which stirs Brian's (Gyllenhaal) curiosity, but ends up marking them both for death as they get on the wrong side of the Mexican cartel. The way the Cartel members come across makes it very easy to dislike them. Or maybe I just couldn't stand the way they talked...
   Brian records his shifts on camera even though his superiors and many other officers are not happy about it. This creates a great sense of gritty realism as many of the shots come from Brian's cameras. The film takes place in the darker side of LA, there's no Hollywood, big mansions or fancy living. This is the real world and a harsh one at that.
   End of Watch is a gripping crime thriller that also doesn't lay low on the humour. Jake Gyllenhaal is picking his films wisely and this is one definitely not to miss.


For fans of cops, realism and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Stars ****

Argo

   Argo is based on the true story of the 1980 CIA-Canadian secret operation to remove six fugitive American diplomats from Iran. It is directed by Ben Affleck, who once again shows his directing prowess with a brilliant film. I am a fan of his other films The Town and Gone Baby Gone.
   There are countless recognisable faces, such as the well known John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Affleck himself. There are also the actors that you recognise straight away but take a few minutes for you to remember where you have seen them before, such as Tate Donovan, who plays Joshua, a love interest of Rachel in Friends and Clea Duvall from The Faculty. I found myself constantly saying to myself 'bloody hell! Look who that is!'
   The film was tense, moving and full of suspense. I felt entrenched in the six fugitives dilemma all the way through, as the worry, fear and anxieties of the trapped Americans were transferred through the screen with the great script, directing and acting.
   The film was certainly not devoid of humour. Arkin and Goodman's scenes had a lot of comedic value, but there was humour dotted all around, which helped break up the suspense and give you a few moments to laugh and take a breath before returning to the edge of your seat.
   I have seen too many average films at the cinema of late, interspersed with the odd great one. Maybe that can be blamed on half term which brings out the kids films, and Halloween which sees its yearly dose of painfully average horror films. However, now that storm has blown over, the cinema is seemingly back on track with the awesome Skyfall and now the dramatically brilliant Argo.

For fans of suspense, true stories and more suspense.

Stars ****

Photo from www.guardian.co.uk 

The Hunter

   Ex-mercenary Martin (Willem Dafoe) is sent on a mission to search for the supposed last Tasmanian Tiger, which were officially classed as extinct, by a biotech company who believe it carries a unique and valuable chemical. Obviously it ends up being more than he bargains for as he tries to deal with the racist locals and find this elusive last tiger before his bosses grow impatient and send a replacement.
   Dafoe is very good through out, his hardened character weakening to his soft side as the film ticks on. This was helped very much by the family he stays with, especially a non speaking little boy who brings out the sensitive side of Dafoe's character. Sam Neill's supporting role adds a nice touch to the story and I had to wonder which side Neill was on as from the off he seemed suspicious of Dafoe.
   There is no doubt that at some point Dafoe was going to come across the apparently extinct Tasmanian tiger, but it wasn't clear whether his ethics would get in the way of the job he was hired for.
   This is a gripping hard edged thriller, with Dafoe excelling in his role. Dafoe has the screen presence to keep you intrigued from start to finish and you share in the dilemma with him, wondering yourself what the best course of action to take would be.

For fans of well performed hard edged thrillers and Aussie accents.

Stars ****