Monday, September 10, 2007

Identity (2003)

Strangers from all walks of life: a limo driver (John Cusack) escorting an 80's movie star (Rebecca de Mornay), parents with a young son, a cop (Ray Liotta) transporting a convict (Jake Busey), a prostitute (Amanda Peet), newlyweds (Clea Duvall and William Lee Scott) are caught up in a nasty rainstorm, stuck at a motel in desolate Nevada, run by a nervous manager (John Hawkes). Soon they realise they may be at the motel for another reason when they're being killed off one by one. As tensions flare and fingers are pointed, they have to get to the bottom of why they're there. Meanwhile in an undisclosed location, a psychiatrist is trying to prove the innocence of a man accused of murder in an eleventh hour trial. Directed by James Mangold from Girl, Interrupted.

The film starts off as a classic "whodunnit", then flips and twists many times.

Rating: 2/5.

Four (2002)


Set in 1884 Sudan, this adaptation from the A.E.W. Mason novel tells the story of a British officer who resigns from his post just before battle and subsequently receives four white feathers from his friends and fiancee as symbols of what they believe to be his cowardice. Little do they know he's actually going undercover and plans to redeem his honour. Starring Heath Ledger, Kate Hudson, Djimon Hounsou and Wes Bentley.

Slow, draggy, dark lighting. To sum up it all in one word: boring! Djimon Hounsou stood out in this film, though.

Rating: 1/5.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)


A sequel to The Bourne Supremacy and the third film of the Bourne Trilogy, Matt Damon reprises his role as amnesiac, trained CIA assassin Jason Bourne.

Bourne is once again brought out of hiding, this time inadvertently by London-based journalist Simon Ross (Paddy Considine), trying to unveil Operation Blackbriar, an upgrade to Operation Treadstone, in a series of newspaper columns. Bourne sets up a meeting with Ross and realises instantly they're being scanned. Information from Ross stirs a new set of memories, and Bourne must finally, ultimately, uncover his dark past whilst dodging CIA's best efforts in eradicating him. Bourne has been on the run for 3 years and this time, it ends.

The best action film I watched this year. A neatly crafted plot, good mixture of action and suspense, and fine closure. Enjoyed the chasing and fighting scenes in Tangier. Don't miss it!

Rating: 3/5.