Film Review: Dr. No (007)

Not counting the 1954 made-for-TV rendition of Casino Royale, the film adaptation of Dr. No is where the cinematic saga of James Bond truly begins. Chances are that you already know the man, even if you've never seen the movies; Bond's image and swagger have permeated through pop culture for the past five decades, crafting the classic archetype and stereotype of a British special agent (look no further than Austin Powers, Archer, or Kingsman for many fine examples of how far and how long the Bond image has persevered). He is timelessly appealing through his smooth combination of charm, sophistication, and ruthlessness.

Dr. No introduces us to the rough and romantic adventures of Bond. It's nowhere near as action-packed as other movies in the series, but its simplicity as a spy thriller is what makes it elegant. There are just a few fights and chases; when they happen, they are modestly satisfying and thrilling. Most of the film's appeal will be in the smaller details; the way Bond dives into the mystery and sidesteps henchmen at every turn is expert and cool. It gradually builds up to an outlandish climax, in which Bond confronts the titular Dr. No in his secret lair, and has to stop his evil schemes. This becomes the fundamental template for future Bond films, but Dr. No stands out with its fair share of iconic scenes, including Bond's introduction during a game of Baccarat, a certain scene at a beach where Honey Rider makes her appearance, and a memorable dinner scene with the villain.

The story follows after Ian Fleming's novel faithfully, although many parts of the story are changed. The story unfolds pretty neatly, gradually introducing the audience to Bond, the various characters he encounters, and the exotic world he inhabits. The plot has a satisfying structure, filled with just enough thrills and mystery to keep it moving. Even though Bond himself is an alluring character, most of the people in the film are one-dimensional; hardly anything is revealed about their motivations to make them stand out above the definitions of their archetypes. However, they all have a worthy presence and are likable to some degree. The film overall plays out as a fine piece of adventure and escapism, but it's only a small taste of even greater things to come.

The film sports very good photography and editing. Acting is swell; Sean Connery is perfectly charismatic and iconic as James Bond, embodying all the right aspects to make his character shine even to this day. Joseph Wiseman is pretty stiff and robotic as the villain, but for interesting effect. I felt Ursula Andress was somewhat unlikable in her role; she's best seen for her looks. I enjoyed the performances of Jack Lord and most other players. Writing is not too shabby. This production uses very exotic and interesting locales. Sets, props, and costumes are quite old-fashioned, but still very slick. The music score features a lot of really funky calypso music, but Monty Norman's main theme is an instantly recognizable tune that resonates to this day.

Dr. No is one slick thriller. Future Bond films will take the character to even more exciting adventures with even bigger stakes and bolder expressions, but this is the film that started it all, and it deserves a watch at least once.

4/5 (Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Good | Film: Very Good)

Film Review: Jupiter Ascending

There are some sci-fi films that take viewers to strange new worlds, but there aren't many at all that take viewers on a roller-coaster ride through a fantastic universe full of intergalactic kingdoms so huge that they make the Earth look puny. In the Watchowskis' latest film, they dive into the staggering possibility that there are interstellar dynasties much larger and older than the Earth, which remains totally oblivious to their ancient schemes.

As expected, the spectacle is huge, lavish, and larger-than-life. Some of the special effects are beautiful, showing incredible spaceships and planetscapes. There are a lot of fights and chases that involve high-speed alien ships, bizarre weaponry, and huge setpieces. As epic as the film is, it still takes the time to pace the characters through their discovery of the larger universe, allowing the plot to unfold at a laid-back pace. Through it all, the film never fully takes itself seriously; there's enough mild humor in the mix to keep the tone upbeat, without being overly silly. It's every bit as much of a fun thrill ride as movies like John Carter, or 1980's Flash Gordon. If that sounds like fun to you, then you'll likely enjoy Jupiter Ascending as well; if not, then don't bother.

The story for Jupiter Ascending is basically a fairy tale set in space, following in the same formula as Cinderella. It also borrows some cues from The Matrix, especially in regards to featuring a main character who discovers that there's a larger truth that everybody else is oblivious to. As various mysteries are solved and the overarching conflict is revealed, the villains' plot proves to be a pretty smart "what if" idea that can stagger the imagination. Unfortunately, these ideas tend to be sidestepped by the characters and the action. I felt the characters were fine for what they were; Jupiter Jones has enough of a backstory and motivation to make her story halfway interesting. However, relating to her and the other characters tends to strain some viewers' abilities, making the experience a hit or a miss.  In the story's efforts to draw out suspense, it goes through several peaks where the main heroine is thrown into peril and has to either fight or be rescued; the repetition of it can be tiresome.

The film looks marvelous, with good photography and editing. The actors seem to get a lot of criticism in this film. I could take or leave Channing Tatum's typical tough-guy wolfman role, but I was fairly enamored by Mila Kunis (although not everybody will enjoy her performance). Other actors can be a hit or a miss, but they all show some color and flair. Writing could be more focused, but the dialogue does carry the signature brand of Watchowski wit, intelligence, and charm. This production boasts pretty good-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is quite bombastic and adventurous.

While not everybody will enjoy this film, I felt it was a perfectly fine piece of adventurous escapism, which taps into the same energy and sense of fun I've always enjoyed in films of the genre. I'd even say that if this film was more serious, it'd be dull. If you're a fan of the genre or directors, this is worth seeing at least once.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)

Film Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." - Ernest Hemingway
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British spies are so cool. They always dress sharp. They act like perfect gentlemen. Every little thing on their persons is some kind of hidden weapon or device. They always defeat the henchmen, save the world from megalomaniac supervillains, and get the girl in the end. With Kingsman, Matthew Vaughn uses the standard British spy movie schtick to distill all the best elements of his previous films: a little bit of the training scenes from X-Men: First Class, a large portion of the ultraviolence and attitude from Kick-Ass, maybe a drop of the hard-hitting drama from Layer Cake, and voila, we have a martini that's far more shaken than stirred.

Even though the film may seem derivative, it's still a total blast from beginning to end. The action is very stylish and incredible; the fight scenes are expertly-choreographed and filmed in a way that shoves it all in your face (in a manner that reminded me much of the way The Raid 2 was staged). As the film progresses, less and less is held back, and the film paints a colorfully brutal picture of the fantasy of being a British spy. A few scenes - the pub fight, the church scene, the fight with the main henchman, and a certain scene involving microchip implants - are incredible on their own and make the movie a must-see for anybody who can handle them.

I thought the story was good and well-told. It wastes little time in establishing a great cast of characters we can relate to and enjoy, going so far as weaving inspiring themes of what being a gentleman really means. The story strikes an excellent pace and it shows exactly everything it needs to for the plot to unfold and reach its incredible climax. It is a very dense and fulfilling tale.

The subtext, unfortunately, is where certain wires are crossed and it can leave some viewers feeling confused. This is a movie that often mocks the conventions of other spy movies (including the original James Bond series), but the film plays out in all the same conventions, making it feel rather hypocritical. Same goes for the violence; the film's shock value should make it appalling, but most of it could be seen as a glorification. Kick-Ass had these same issues as well, but the contrast between tone and content made it more successful at being darkly comedic. With Kingsman, the contrast is not as strong, and it's hard to tell what stance it's supposed to take on these issues.

The film looks sharp, with decent photography and very punchy editing. A few of the action scenes are pretty fast-cut and have some shakey cam, but this is a rare case where I felt the frenetic nature of the scenes worked to the film's advantage. Acting is swell; the whole cast is colorful and enjoyable to watch. There is a ton of unnecessary swearing, but otherwise the script is great. This production uses good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects are sometimes good, sometimes so-so. The soundtrack is great too.

Kingsman is more outlandish than James Bond, gutsier than Jason Bourne, meaner than Jack Bauer. It's also colorful and nutty, a bit like 1998's Avengers, but far more successful at it. What makes it work is that it still has loads of style and action, but still tells a decent story. If you can handle the film's extremities, it's well worth the time.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Good | Film: Very Good)