At the Cinema - February 2009

The International – 8 – This one really surprised me.
Way better than I expected. The story about a huge bank playing in global arms dealing starts a little complicated, and gets even more so. But the centerpiece of this movie is a heart thumping chase through Manhattan. It features the good guys quietly searching for, then following the bad guy to a showdown at the Guggenheim museum. These scenes are filmed so well, that they pack more punch and tension than any of the wild car chases or Indiana Jones – Bourne – Bond – Die Hard expeditions that border on the ridiculous. Let’s face it. Most adventure movies are just that – ridiculous. We watch while laughing because they are so implausible. Here, the chase culminates in a scene at The Guggenheim museum that is anything but implausible. In fact, it is so good it is nothing short of incredible. I don’t want to give too much away other than to say I have no clue how they shot it. Most movie confrontations feature the bad guys missing and the good guys connecting on every shot and every punch. This isn’t like that. No implausibility here. No blurry action. Just some amazing work that we’ll be watching over and over on DVD for years.

After that, the movie comes down to earth and gets a little confusing, but it’s still well worth your time. What could be more evil than a bank?
The director is Tom Twyker and I thought his “Run Lola Run” 10 years ago was terrific. This makes me want to take another look. Rent it if you missed it before. Clive Owen continues to build his action resume, although in one scene he is inexplicably clean-shaven. Naomi Watts is a little wasted as the Manhattan DA who has to spend too much time justifying her investigation before “they” shut it down. If they gave out supporting actor Oscar’s for action villains, Brian F. O’Bryne as the assassin would be worthy. He’s quiet, deadly, and his shifting alliances add unexpected depth.
If you like thrillers, even when they’re a little muddy, you’ll like this one. The Guggenheim scene is why I go to movies.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – 7 – I’ll be the first to admit this isn’t for everyone. I’ll also admit that thanks to Buffy, I never seem to get tired of vampire storylines. I’ve seen all three of these vampire/werewolf movies and I like them. The previous two movies had Kate Bleckinsale shooting and slicing so what more could you want? This prequel actually has a pretty good story. Not for everyone. You already know if you’re a fan.