Film Review - Vacation

Hollow Holiday

Film: Vacation

Cast: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate

Directed by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein

Duration: 1hr 39mins

Rating: * * 

A reboot of the ‘80’s National Lampoon comedy, Vacation is just another faulty assembly line product from the Hollywood factory.  It aims at cashing in on the nostalgia factor but beyond that, it has nothing to offer. Unless you find watching someone take a dip in a lake filled with excrement or the killing of an animal with it’s intestines all over the place as funny. 

Although it starts off on a fairly positive and funny note, where a now grown up Rusty (Ed Helms) is a pilot working for a budget airlines and leaves the control in the hands of his senile co-pilot. But apart from the odd gag when you let out a chuckle, it all starts going downhill.

The Griswald’s, that’s  Rusty’s wife (Christina Applegate) and their sons set out on a trip for some much needed family bonding but it doesn’t quite go as a planned.  While their vacation goes haywire, you are subjected to some crude and lewd jokes. Chris Hemsworth makes an appearance but that’s not enough to save the day.

Apparently, a sequel is being planned, let’s hope that better sense prevails. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 16th Aug 2015

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Film Review - Thor: The Dark World

Hammer and Tongs

Film: Thor: The Dark World

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston

Directed by: Alan Taylor

Duration: 1 hr 52 mins

Rating: * * 1 / 2

Considering that its predecessor was not great shakes, the expectations from Thor: The Dark World were on the lower side. Directed by Alan Taylor who has done considerable work for television and is at the helm of the next Terminator movie, this is certainly a more entertaining outing than the previous one primarily because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. In fact, it may sound odd but the humor which is the saving grace in this action film. 

Unless you are a serious fan of the franchise, you’ll find plenty of mumbo-jumbo going on here. All action films need a strong villain but Malekith (Christopher Eccelston) has been relegated to the back seat. He had unsuccessfully attempted to fight Odin’s father (that would be Thors grandfather) to destroy the universe using the Aether. He wants to give it a shot again. With Loki (Tom Hiddleston) captive Thor (Hemsworth) has to take on the bad guys but due to lack of resources, he forced to take his brothers help. 

Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) the scientist and Thor’s love interest also gets teleported to Asgard and the fight keeps shifting from outer space to Earth and the finale happens in London. 

All the science, physics and talk about the alignment of the Nine Realms appears complete baloney; there is no conviction in that. In fact it reminds you of those Hindi movies where the priest waits for particular planets to line up so that he can do his pooja and ward off evil. Except that there are plenty of special effects that Hollywood has its disposal. 

Thankfully, there is the odd tongue in cheek joke every now and then to prevent the proceedings from getting to giddy. Kat Dennings plays Darcy, Jane’s friend and her character provides considerable comic relief. One of the Avengers is also seen a cameo and as he did in Thor, Loki steals the show again. The success of the next Thor film (although Avengers is due next) will depend on the screen time given to Loki. Natalie Portman’s character is again a weak one, she has precious little to do. Thor mostly indulges in action scenes summoning his hammer from time to time there is also a funny scene where he hangs it like a coat. 

Thor: The Dark World is not such a bad outing, you wish there was more though, not in terms of time but content.

(Published in The Navhind Times on 10th Nov 2013)

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Film Review - Rush

Need For Speed

Film: Rush

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde

Directed by: Ron Howard

Duration: 2 hrs

Rating: *  *  *  *

 If you are a racing or Formula 1 fan, you’ll be ecstatic after watching Rush. If you don’t care about cars and Formula 1, the chances are that you will still be euphoric, because this Ron Howard film well and truly stands out. The director has been making films and some good ones at that, for more than four decades now and this effort deserves applause.

For sports fans, the rivalry of James Hunt and Niki Lauda is legendary. Most may not have heard about it so try not to do a Google or Wikipedia search, instead watch the film first.  

Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl, the ill fated soldier who falls in love in Inglorious Basterds) comes from a rich family but is disowned by his father. He wants to be racer, but his family is against it. He has a steely determination and discipline though to make it to the top. James Hunt (Chris ‘Thor’ Hemsworth) on the other hand is talented, occasionally reckless and loves all the good things in life, particularly women.

They both competed for the top spot in F1 racing and that real life story is about tragedy, guts and glory.

Howard and his writer Peter Morgan have got all the facts rights, as we know them. There is no shying away from mentioning names or even talking disparagingly about well known company brands.

Extremely well shot by Oscar winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire) the race scenes and especially during the climax I noticed more more than a handful of people literally on the edge of the seats

The film is a triumph of storytelling and it has everything in good measure. Daniel Bruhl as Niki is spot on and ditto with Chris Hemsworth in a more memorable performance.

Rush is certainly one of the best films from Hollywood this year.  Go for it!

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