Review: THE A-TEAM

Growing up, there were two TV shows that kept me out of trouble on a Saturday afternoon, Knight Rider and The A-Team.  I wanted to be B.A. Baracus, get a mohawk, drive a cool black van and shout lines like, "I pity the fool" and "I ain't getting on no plane".  So when I heard they were going to make an A-Team movie, I felt like an excited twelve year old all over again.  Could this be as good as the TV series and how would a new set of actors handle the iconic characters that make up these 'soldiers of fortune'?

Fans of the TV show will already know the plot, as the film stays pretty faithful to the original story.  The team of army rangers are arrested for a crime they didn't commit and promptly escape a maximum security prison to clear their name.  That's it in a nutshell.  All that's left to do is throw in some action set pieces, a few one liners and a couple of cameos and you've got your above average summer blockbuster.

This isn't a bad movie by any means, but it's not a great one either.  To start with, I wasn't too sure about the casting.  Bradley Cooper (Face), Sharlto Copley (Murdoch) and Patrick Wilson (Lynch) were all great in their roles and fitted the characters well, especially Wilson, who was clearly loving being the bad guy.  However, I wasn't keen on Liam Neeson as Hannibal.  I realise George Peppard's shoes are going to be almost impossible to fill and I'm a fan of Neeson as an actor (especially when he was kicking some serious arse in Taken), but I just don't think he's good at doing that 'tongue-in-cheek' thing. If I'd been casting this I would've given Kurt Russell the role.  But hell, what do I know?  Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson did an alright job as B.A.,  but he was wasted on a boring sub plot that saw him finding his 'inner calm' or something.  Finally, we were given Jessica Biel (Sosa) to help even out all this testosterone and although the bog-standard script tried to give her character some depth, she ended up just being a nice bit of onscreen totty.

Gratuitous Jessica Biel shot

The good thing about this film is it doesn't take itself too seriously. This means, for the most part it's a fun ride, just not a memorable one.  The CGI is a bit ropey in places, especially during the tank vs drone mid-air battle sequence.  Also, without sounding like a grumpy pensioner, the editing was so quick at times you couldn't actually see what was going on. The final set piece wasn't great either and it didn't feel half as clever as they wanted you to think it was.  C'mon guys, a cargo ship full of containers? Surely you could have come up with something a bit more thrilling than that?  I have to admit I expected more from Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin Aces), especially as this was produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, but sadly they didn't quite deliver.  That being said, I did leave the cinema feeling I'd been entertained, which can only be a good thing considering some of the rubbish that's been out this summer.

Part of me (a small part) would really like to see them do a sequel.  Now they've set up the characters and the story, it feels like they could have fun with it second time round.  However, as this one cost $110m to produce and only made $75m at the American box office, that might not be happening any time soon.

Michael's Tip:  If you're a big A-Team fan and you want to see some extra footage, make sure you stay till the end of the credits.  I was the only person left in the cinema at the time, so clearly not too many people knew about it, but if you're willing to wait 15 minutes or so, you'll get to see a couple of cameos from the original TV series.  Why they hid them away here is beyond me and to be honest the footage isn't that good, but I did enjoy seeing some one the old team back on the screen. 

Michael's Movie Mark     6/10

Top 10 Worst Action Movies - Twitter Vote Results

You can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter.  So enjoy the glittering turds that make up the Top 10 worst action movies, as voted for by my Twitter friends. 

If you'd like to get involved with the next Twitter vote, then follow me on @mikeyunderwood.

10.  Prince of Persia (2010)


The most recent film on our list, Prince of Persia is proof that $200m does not make a good movie.  In fact, where the hell did all that money go? Seriously, someone needs to pay a forensic accountant to go through the books and see how much they actually spent on this thing.  Also, Sir Ben Kingsley is a superb actor, so what on Earth is he doing taking this rubbish role?  He deserves more respect than that, he's a knight of the realm.  This could have been a great film, but instead it just left you feeling a bit empty inside.





9.  Chain Reaction (1996)

After starring in Speed in 1994, Keanu Reeves had hit the big time, so why oh why did he follow that smash hit with three dreadful movies; Johnny Mnemonic, A Walk in the Clouds and this awful piece of trash, Chain Reaction?  I'm not going to bother going into any plot details, it would be a waste of everyone's time.  Suffice to say, I hope Morgan Freeman fired his agent.

8.  Barb Wire (1996)

There's no denying Pamela Anderson was brilliant in Baywatch a red swimsuit, but only because she had great boobs.  Let's face it, she didn't get the job based on her acting ability, so why someone gave her a lead role in this movie is beyond me.  Based on the popular comic book, this film even had the geek squad asking for their money back or a signed pic of Pammy naked at least!  

7.  Glimmer Man (1996)

Wow, 1996 was not a good year for movies!  Anyway, there were a huge number of votes for Steven Seagal films, but Glimmer Man beat them all. I like his movies (except the ones were he went all eco friendly and wouldn't use guns) but I realise they are a bit crap. The point is, you know what you're going to get if you choose to watch a Seagal film.  Violence, swearing, revenge, violence, swearing and violence. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't go to the cinema to watch one, but if it's on TV, I would definitely take a look.

6.  Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

I wasn't going to include sequels, otherwise you're getting into Starship Troopers 3 territory, but this one was an exception.  As with many sequels to a smash hit blockbuster (Godfather II aside) this was a poor film...really poor.  Basically, it was the same film, but on a boat. Genius. The fact that even Keanu Reeves didn't want to come back for this one says it all. Although I'm sure Sandra Bullock doesn't give a crap anymore, afterall she's got an Oscar now!  

5.  Catwoman (2004)

I'm embarrassed to admit that I paid to see this film at the cinema. The thought of Halle Berry in a tight PVC costume was just too much for me to resist.  It was a hormonally based decision that I will always regret. Terrible script, dire effects and poor directing made this the worst film of 2004.  Even Halle Berry said (when collecting a Raspberry award for worst actress), "thank you to Warner Bros for putting me in this piece of sh*t goddam awful movie". I rest my case.






4.  Batman & Robin (1997)

A Batman suit with nipples. Arnie as Mr Freeze. Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy. This is what happens when comic book movies go bad.  It was so camp and over-the-top, it made the original 60s TV show look like Panorama! Joel Schumacher is a fantastic director (Falling Down,Time to Kill and The Client), but he is ultimately responsible for this stinking pile of poop. You'll find it hard to meet anyone who'll admit to liking this film, and if you do, you'll know they're lying.







3.  Streetfighter (1994)

I had completely forgotten that Kylie Minogue was is this movie.  In fact, I'd completely forgotten about this movie and I now remember exactly why that was.  Jean-Claude Van Damme was at the height of his fame having starred in Universal Soldier, Hard Target and Timecop, however his decision to take the lead role in this was a serious mistake.  Everything about this film was weak. The plot, the fight sequences, the special effects, the acting...I could go on.  Although it didn't kill his career, it did leave him in intensive care.







2. Ultraviolet (2006)

Where do I begin with this mind numbingly dire movie?  Milla Jovovitch was excellent in The Fifth Element and bareable in Resident Evil, but she is way off course in this disaster of a film. The script is possibly one of the worst recorded on celluloid and I'm tempted to say it's all 'style over substance', but to call it 'style' seems down right offensive...to style. It would have just about worked, if only everything they did and everything they said was just...better. Sadly, it wasn't. 





And now it's time to reveal the movie voted 'Worst Action Movie Ever' by my Twitter friends...




1. Battlefield Earth (2000)

If you've never seen or heard of this film before, count your blessings, because it's a shocker.  I promise you, after fifteen minutes you'll be losing the will to live and after thirty minutes you'll be wondering if you can overdose on pick n mix. Yes, it really is that bad.  It's so bad, it's actually funny...at times.  Everything about it looks done on the cheap.  The make-up, the costume and the special effects.  What was Forest Whitaker thinking? The script is absolutely atrocious and even the writer has formally apologised saying, "I penned the suckiest movie ever". Yes you did. Fool.



Thanks to everyone on Twitter for voting.  I'll do another one soon.

Michael's Movie Posters

A big thanks to my Twitter friend @CarlTidy for sending me these 'adapted' movie posters.  I'm loving the Die Hard one, but have to admit my ego is now one poster away from imploding!

If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, then just click on this link http://www.twitter.com/ and search for @mikeyunderwood.

My Top 50 Movies

It wasn't easy narrowing down my favourite films to a list of just fifty, but I gave it my best shot.

There were three rules I used to compile this list:

1.  All films must be English language. 
2.  All films must be from the period 1960-2010.
3.  All films had to be seen by me at least once.

Please feel free to leave a comment (whether you agree or disagree with my choices) and maybe suggest films you think should/shouldn't have been included.





50.  ROAD TO PERDITION  (2002)

49.  THE FRENCH CONNECTION  (1971) 

48.  DONNIE DARKO  (2001)
47.  GLADIATOR  (2000)
46.  SCHINDLER'S LIST  (1993)

45.  MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN  (1979)

44.  THE GODFATHER  (1972)

43.  E.T.  (1982)

42.  THE DEPARTED  (2006)

41.  WITHNAIL & I  (1987)

Withnail & I  (1987)

40.  RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK  (1981)

39.  UNFORGIVEN  (1992)

38.  SCARFACE  (1983)

37.  CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND  (1977)

36.  NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN  (2007)
35.  DIRTY HARRY  (1971)
34.  RESERVOIR DOGS  (1992)
33.  CHINATOWN  (1974) 
32.  BACK TO THE FUTURE  (1985) 

31.  HEAT  (1995)

Heat  (1995)

30.  2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY  (1968)
29.  FIGHT CLUB  (1999)
28.  LA CONFIDENTIAL  (1997)
27.  MEMENTO  (2000)
26.  THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS  (1991)

25.  SWIMMING WITH SHARKS  (1994)

24.  THE MATRIX  (1999)

23.  STAR WARS: EPISODE V - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK  (1980) 

22.  THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY  (2001-2003)

21.  PULP FICTION  (1994)

Pulp Fiction  (1994)

20.  JAWS  (1975)

19.  TAXI DRIVER   (1976)

18.  ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST  (1975)

17.  PSYCHO  (1960)

16.  ALIENS  (1986)

15.  THE DARK KNIGHT  (2008) 

14.  THE TRUMAN SHOW  (1998) 

13.  THE GODFATHER: PART II  (1974)

12.  TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY  (1991)

11.  RAGING BULL  (1980)

Raging Bull  (1980)

And now it's the Top 10. These final ten films are in NO particular order, as I found it impossible to sort out.

                                                          

10.  BLADE RUNNER  (1982)

9.    DIE HARD  (1988)

8.    THE USUAL SUSPECTS  (1995)

7.    THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION  (1994)

6.    THE SHINING  (1980)

5.    INCEPTION  (2010)

4.    SE7EN  (1995)

3.    GOODFELLAS  (1990)

2.    GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS  (1992)

1.    ALIEN  (1979)

Alien (1979)

                                                    

Review: INCEPTION

After directing The Dark Knight, there was always going to be huge pressure on Christopher Nolan to 'produce the goods' on his next movie, but has he delivered?

There was so much hype surrounding Inception, I was sure it was going to disappoint. All too often films fail to live up to expectations...The Last Airbender anyone? However, early word on this film was almost universally positive with just a few saying it was over contrived and complicated, leaving the audience confused long before the credits rolled.

I'm pleased to report that Inception is an incredible film. An original, mind bending, thrilling slice of movie entertainment that manages to capture and hold your attention for every second of its 148 minute running time. Don't get me wrong, you do have to concentrate throughout and there will be times when you find yourself trying to figure out exactly what's going on, but for me that's all part of the enjoyment. As much as I love 'popcorn' movies, every now and again I like to be challenged and surprised. Inception does this and much much more.

The film is set in the not-too-distant future where Cobb (Leonardo Di Caprio) heads up a specialist team that use advanced technology to enter people's dreams and extract their secrets. However, instead of extracting, they are hired by Saito (Ken Watanabe) to perform an 'inception', the almost impossible task of planting an idea into someone's subconscious. A job made all the more difficult by the appearance of Cobb's wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), who seems intent of sabotaging the whole plan.

Leonardo Di Caprio is on top form, proving that he could well be the best actor of his generation. His work here even tops his fantastic performance in Shutter Island earlier this year, which will give you some idea of just how good he is in this movie. He is complimented throughout by the superb supporting cast, including the always brilliant Tom Hardy, who is clearly relishing his role providing the welcome moments of light relief during some of the more intense scenes. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays reliable side kick Arthur, and has some of the best action sequences, including a stunning corridor fight (pictured below). It's great to see him in a big mainstream movie, as up until now he's been cutting his acting chops on smaller, low budget films like 500 Days of Summer. The same can be said for Juno's Ellen Page (not including her turn in X-Men 3), who plays Ariadne, the newest member of the team who soon realises that things aren't quite what they seem with Cobb (Di Caprio). She's also the character that helps us understand what's actually happening, so pay particular attention whenever someone's explaining something to her about the inception process!

Somewhat surprisingly for a $200m summer blockbuster, the CGI and special effects are used to enhance the story, rather than suffocate it, and this is some of the best movie magic you're likely to see. It's so well integrated into the action, that you'll sometimes forget what you're watching should be impossible.

So, did I leave the screening confused? The truth is I didn't. On my newly created (just for this review) movie scale of confusion, 1 being Bambi and 10 being Guy Ritchie's Revolver, then Inception is probably a 7. I'm not going into detail, as I don't want to ruin the film for those people that haven't seen it yet, but as long as you're paying close attention, you shouldn't end up confused.



The bottom line is that Christopher Nolan is a genius. Let's not forget, he didn't just direct Inception, he wrote it as well. Considering how complex and detailed this film is, it's amazing he managed to edit it into a coherent movie at all, let alone produce (in my humble opinion) the best film of 2010 and arguably the best film of the last ten years. He apparently first pitched it to Warner Bros a decade ago, but with a much smaller budget. To be honest it's hard to conceive how this could have been 'done on the cheap', but I guess if anyone could have done it, it would have been Nolan.

Inception is film making at its very best and I loved it.


Michael's Movie Mark   10/10