Saturday, 14 September 2013

Review: PACIFIC RIM (2013)

PACIFIC RIM (2013)
My Thoughts:
I saw this movie at the cinema about a few months ago so this is another retrospective review. Now I am an urban fantasy geek so ofcourse I love big monsters and a fight of good versus evil. The cinematography wasn't too bad but for some reason the movie makers still used good old fashioned props in lieu of CGI (computer generated imagery). I could clearly see the non-moving plastic bits. Although they clearly have CGI because the fantastical elements interacting with live actors has to be CGI. So I don't know the reasoning behind it, but it brought the rating of this movie down a notch. Though you couldn't rate it too low because when they did use CGI, the mixing of CGI with non-CGI elements is smooth and flawless. It was fantastic to watch! The plot was quite straight forward. Evil monster present. Beat evil monster. The end. But like I said, I am a fantasy geek, so I tend to forgive a lot just to get my fantasy fix. I find this movie entertaining enough to warrant... probably a 4. But not masterpiece enough to get a 5.

Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 4
Script/Story Itself = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 4
Plot = 3
Acting = 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries



Pacific Rim 2013
Pacific Rim (2013)
Starring Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Produced by Legendary Pictures.

Genre: urban fantasy

Pacific Rim (2013) Storyline:
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes - a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) - who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse. Written by Del Torro
Source: Info in the Pacific Rim (2013) Storyline was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/ on 14/09/2013.

Movie Trailer:

Movie Links:
www.pacificrimmovie.com
wiki
imdb
facebook

Monday, 2 September 2013

Movie Review: MORTAL INSTRUMENTS

Magnus Bane
My Thoughts:
I haven't read the book so I can't compare the story in both media. I can tell you, however, that I found some of the characters in the movie are too stupid to live (TSTL). This discourages me from reading the book because I couldn't help wondering if they are even more of a TSTL in the book than they are in the movie. But not all characters are stupid. Take Magnus Bane for example, he seems to be one of the bad guys but he knows which side would keep him alive. So not all characters are TSTL. And then there's Jonathan Rhys Myers who plays the bad guy to perfection! Wonderful performance!! It seems that it's just the main characters who are stupid. WTF?!! And then as if that is not enough, the plot depends on some characters acting stupid to give the story a little bit more drama. Rather weak plot. However the world building and the CGI (computer generated imagery) which brought this fantastical world to vivid life is awesome!! The mixing of the CGI and the physical set and live actors is seamless! The flow of images looked smooth. The CGI team flippin' deserves a raise!

At the end of it, I enjoyed the movie. But I hope they would do a better job with the second movie, specially with the script and plot.

Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 5
Script/Story Itself = 2
Ending = 3
World building = 4.5
Plot = 2
Acting = 3

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 cherries



Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones (2013)
Starring Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Zegers, Jemima West, Robert Sheehan, Godfrey Gao, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Directed by Harald Zwart.

Genre: urban fantasy YA

About Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones (2013):
Set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother (Lena Headey), Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures. Based on the worldwide best-selling book series. Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Source: Info in the About Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones (2013) was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1538403/ on 24/08/2013.

Movie Trailer:

Movie Links:
www.themortalinstrumentsmovie.com
Wiki
imdb
official facebook

The book from which the movie was based from:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Book 1 of the Mortal Instruments series
Genre: urban fantasy YA

About City of Bones:
Don’t miss The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, soon to be a major motion picture in theaters August 2013!

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.
Source: Info in the About City of Bones was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256683.City_of_Bones on 24/08/2013.

Friday, 16 August 2013

Movie Review: PERCY JACKSON: THE SEA OF MONSTERS

My Thoughts:
I went and watched Percy Jackson: The Sea Of Monsters last weekend simply because there was nothing else to watch. Among the choices in the cinema, it was the only urban fantasy movie. And me being an urban fantasy geek, this movie got picked. First off, I have to give kudos to the cinematographic team because they did a fantastic job! And the director, for seamlessly blending the 3D animation elements with the live actors/elements of the movie! The story though was a bit mundane and predictable. The plot wasn't bad. It was just that, the story could have been told better. But then again, this is a young adult (YA) story where the audience is expected to suspend disbelief a bit more than an ordinary story. Another thing which brought the rating of this movie just a tad down is Logan Lerman needs to practice a bit more on his acting if he plans on continuing on having an acting career because he is obviously not very good at it. Luckily, he is the only one out of all the main characters in the movie. However, after all that moaning.... at the end of it, for a movie chosen because there simply wasn't anything else better, it was good entertainment!

Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 5
Story itself = 3.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4
Attention to detail = 5
Acting = 4
Casting = 4
Plot = 3.5

Cherry Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Percy Jackson: The Sea Of Monsters Trailer:

About Percy Jackson: The Sea Of Monsters:
In order to restore their dying safe haven, the son of Poseidon and his friends embark on a quest to the Sea of Monsters to find the mythical Golden Fleece while trying to stop an ancient evil from rising.
Source: Info in the About Percy Jackson: The Sea Of Monsters was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1854564/ on 16/08/2013.

Starring Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson. Along with Alexandra Daddario and Douglas Smith. A Fox 2000 film.

Movie Link(s):
www.percyjacksonthemovie.com
imdb
facebook
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google+
youtube

The book from which the movie was based from:

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Genre: urban fantasy / young adult

About The Sea of Monsters:
The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan's amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a "half blood" whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan's series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment. In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book's drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.
Source: Info in the About The Sea of Monsters was taken from GoodReads at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28186.The_Sea_of_Monsters.

Sunday, 21 April 2013

Review: THE HOST (2013)

My Thoughts:
I went to watch this movie on the week it came out at the cinema but didn't get to review it straight away, so this is now a retrospective review. For like, a month or so retrospective. I think Saoirse Ronan really did well with her portrayal of both Melanie Stryder and The Wanderer/Wanda. I think it was a brilliant performance indeed! The movie followed the book quite closely as far as I can remember the book. And I liked that in the movie. However the ending for some reason was more exciting in the book than it happened in the movie. And I didn't rate the plot a high score because as far as I can see there wasn't much of a plot really. The entire thick book and/or the movie was all about the coming of age of Wanda and that was it! An introduction to the world of Wanda. But how the story was told is what made all the difference and this was translated well into the movie from how Stephenie Meyer told it in the book. Or maybe I saw it that way because I already knew the story going into the movie. Either way, I really like the way the story was told in the movie. Or the way the story unfolded in the movie. I guess that also contributed in making the world building a really beautiful one too. Or it could be that the world building was just simply masterful and intricate. Or maybe I am just being biased seeing that I am already an old fan of the book. Another positive thing about the movie is it seems that in the movie, my idea of the book was given a visual representation, and I liked that seeing that I am a "visual-touchy-feely" kind of reader. So I enjoyed the movie and looking forward to reading the next book in The Host series. I hope that they will make a movie of it too and that they will do the same excellent job they did with this one!

Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Attention to detail = 4.5
Acting = 4.5
Casting = 4.5
Plot = 3.5

Cherry Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


The Host (2013) Trailer:

About The Host (2013):
When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.
Source: Info in the About The Host (2013) was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1517260 on 21/04/2013.

Movie Link(s):
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

The book from which the movie was adopted from:

The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Book 1 of The Host series
Genre: dystopian science fiction/fantasy

About The Host :
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.
Source: Info in the About The Host was taken from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1656001.The_Host on 21/04/2013.

Friday, 28 December 2012

Movie Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

About The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012):
A younger and more reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out on a "unexpected journey" to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of Dwarves to reclaim a their stolen mountain home from a dragon named Smaug.
Source: Info in the About The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/ on 28/12/2012.

My Thoughts:
So I finally watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and I was disappointed. It was just a first chapter of a bigger book. The movie ended in a cliffhanger. Although the mixture of digital animation with live actors was beautifully done and seamless! Kudos to Weta for a real professional job! But I think I will not be rushing to the cinema for the next installment of this series. I might just buy or rent the dvd.

Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 cherries


Movie Trailer of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012):


Sunday, 18 November 2012

Re-watch Central: LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
Released by New Line Productions, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers and WingNut Films.
A star-studded affair including Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee and Cate Blanchett to name a few. Directed by Peter Jackson.
Format: dvd

About Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring:
In the Second Age, the Dark Lord Sauron attempts to conquer Middle-Earth using his One Ring. In battle against the Elves and Men, Prince Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron's hand, destroying his physical form and vanquishing his army. However, Sauron's "life force" is bound to the Ring, allowing him to survive while the Ring remains. Isildur, corrupted by the Ring's power, refuses to destroy it. When Isildur is killed by Orcs, the Ring is lost in a river for 2,500 years. The Ring is found by Gollum, who possesses it for centuries until it is found by the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

Sixty years later, Bilbo leaves the Ring to his nephew, Frodo Baggins. Upon learning that the Ring belonged to Sauron, the Wizard Gandalf the Grey warns Frodo that Sauron's forces will come for him. Gandalf catches Frodo's gardener Samwise Gamgee "eavesdropping" underneath a window and sends him with Frodo to leave the Shire. Gandalf rides to Isengard to meet with the head of his order, Saruman the White, who reveals that Sauron's servants, the Nazgûl, have been sent to capture the Ring. Saruman reveals himself to be in service to Sauron, and imprisons Gandalf atop his tower. Saruman commands Sauron's Orcs to construct weapons of war and produce a new breed of Orc fighters: the Uruk-hai.

While travelling to Bree, Frodo and Sam are joined by Merry and Pippin, and are nearly captured by the Nazgûl. At the Inn of the Prancing Pony, Frodo meets the mysterious ranger Aragorn, who hides them from their pursuers and agrees to lead them to Rivendell. During the journey they are attacked by the Nazgûl. Aragorn fights off the creatures, but Frodo is wounded by their Morgul blade, which will turn him into a wraith. While chased by the Nazgûl, Frodo is saved by the Elf Arwen who uses her magic to summon a surge of water that sweeps away the pursuing Nazgûl. Arwen takes Frodo to Rivendell where he is healed by her father, Elrond. Gandalf escapes Saruman's tower with the aid of Gwaihir the eagle and travels to Rivendell. Elrond calls a council of the races still loyal to Middle-earth to decide what should be done with the Ring. It is revealed that the Ring can only be destroyed by throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom, where it was forged. Frodo volunteers to take the Ring, accompanied by Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, and Aragorn. They are joined by the Elf Legolas, the Dwarf Gimli, and Boromir, man of Gondor, to form the Fellowship of the Ring.

The Fellowship set out but are hindered by Saruman's magic. They travel through the dwarf Mines of Moria. Inside, they find that Orcs have overrun the mines and slain the Dwarves; they also realise that Gollum is following them, determined to reclaim the Ring. The Fellowship is attacked by Orcs and a Balrog, an ancient demon of fire and shadow. Gandalf confronts the Balrog, allowing the others to escape, but both Gandalf and the Balrog fall into an abyss. Mourning Gandalf's apparent death, the group flees to Lothlórien, where they are sheltered by its rulers, the Elves Galadriel and Celeborn. That night, Galadriel informs Frodo that it is his destiny to destroy the Ring. The Fellowship continue their journey. Meanwhile, Saruman assembles a force of Uruk-hai to hunt the Fellowship.

After arriving at Parth Galen, Boromir gives in to the Ring's corruption and tries to take it from Frodo, believing that it is the only way to save his realm. Frodo manages to escape by wearing the Ring and becoming invisible. Boromir realises what he has done, and attempts to find Frodo, who decides to continue his journey alone, heeding Galadriel's warning that the Ring will eventually corrupt the other members of the Fellowship. The Uruk-hai arrive and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli attempt to hold them off while Frodo escapes. Merry and Pippin lead the Orcs away from Frodo and are nearly killed. Boromir tries to save them, but in the process is shot fatally by the Uruk-Hai leader, Lurtz. The Uruk-Hai capture Merry and Pippin. Aragorn slays Lurtz and tends to a dying Boromir, and promises him that the world of men will not fall. Boromir dies with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas by his side.

Sam finds Frodo, who reluctantly lets Sam join him. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli set out to rescue Merry and Pippin. As Frodo and Sam gaze out at the land before them, they grieve over the others. Frodo says that he is glad that Sam is with him and the two Hobbits set off towards Mordor.
Source: Info in the About Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring was taken from Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings:_The_Fellowship_of_the_Ring on 18/11/2012.

Movie Trailer of Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring:


My Thoughts:
When I re-watched this dvd last night I was fresh from having just watched Immortals (2011) and I could appreciate the distinct difference between a well-done animated software combination with live actors cinematography and one which is not. Lord Of The Rings (LotR) is obviously well-done. It wasn't dark all the time to hide imperfections. And it made a world of difference in the watching experience! I have to say that Peter Jackson did a pretty good job! I heard that he is a stickler to details. And it paid off. It made the difference between a 5 out of 5 movie and one which is a 3.5 out of 5.

Both films (LotR & Immortals) have numerous fight scenes. Both in a one-on-one kind and mass battles. One of my complaints in Immortals is that their fight scenes were not quite realistic, though I have to give it to the actor that the moves looked smooth. Still ridiculous. None of that ridiculous fight scenes can be found in the LotR. Even after a few re-watches, I could not find one. Maybe the director of Immortals should have hired the fight scene expert/coordinator in LotR.

I also have to give a nod to the actors for doing very well! None of them was like Kristen Stewart whose "sad face", "shocked moments" and "sad performance" all looked the same. I have to give it to her though, she is pretty, but she can't act. The actors and actresses in LotR were not only "lookers", but they can act! Sure, I have a few nitpicking issues, but, I can forgive those for the wonderful movie time I got out of this film. Suffice to say that I really enjoyed this film and there will be more re-watches in the future and looking forward to watching The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) in December!
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries


Movie Trailer of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012):


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) movie release date: 13 December 2012 (UK)

Saturday, 17 November 2012

Movie Review: IMMORTALS

Immortals (2011)
Released by Universal Studios and Relativity Media.
Starring Henry Cavill and Mickey Rourke in the lead roles as heroes and villains.
Format: dvd

About Immortals:
Before the dawn of man or beast, immortals waged war against each other in Heaven. The victors declared themselves gods while the vanquished were renamed the Titans and imprisoned beneath Mount Tartarus. The Epirus Bow, a weapon of immense power, was lost on Earth during the war. In 1228 B.C., the mortal king Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) of Heraklion searches for the bow, intending to use it to release the Titans to spite the gods for failing to save his family. Hyperion captures the virgin oracle Phaedra (Freida Pinto), believing that she can use her visions to find the Epirus Bow's resting place.

In a small village nearby, the inhabitants prepare to flee to Mount Tartarus to avoid Hyperion's army. One inhabitant named Theseus (Henry Cavill) is a skilled warrior trained by his mentor the old man (John Hurt). Theseus and his mother Aethra (Anne Day-Jones), considered undesirables because Theseus was born from Aethra being raped, are forced to stay behind by Athenian soldiers including Lysander (Joseph Morgan). Theseus ably battles multiple opponents until the Athenian officer Helios (Peter Stebbings) intervenes and discharges Lysander from the army for his actions. Lysander travels to Hyperion, offering his service and the village's location. Hyperion accepts, but maims Lysander for being a traitor. Hyperion's forces attack Theseus' village, murdering the villagers and Aethra, and taking Theseus captive.

The old man is revealed to be Zeus (Luke Evans) where he meets with his fellow gods Athena (Isabel Lucas), Poseidon (Kellan Lutz), Ares (Daniel Sharman), Apollo (Corey Sevier), and Heracles (Steve Byers). Zeus warns them not to interfere in mortal affairs as gods where Zeus believes that until the Titans are released, they must have faith in mankind to defeat Hyperion. Theseus is enslaved alongside the thief Stavros (Stephen Dorff). Phaedra, who is held captive nearby, sees a vision of Theseus. Phaedra organizes a riot, using the chaos to escape with Theseus, Stavros, and the other slaves. Theseus decides to pursue Hyperion and attempts to capture a boat, but he and his allies are overwhelmed by Hyperion's forces. Poseidon purposefully falls from Olympus into the ocean causing a tidal wave that wipes out Hyperion's men. Phaedra sees another vision of Theseus standing near a shrouded body. She determines that Theseus must return home to bury Aethra.

While laying Aethra to rest, Theseus discovers the Epirus Bow embedded in nearby rock. He frees the Epirus Bow, but is attacked by Hyperion's henchman the Minotaur (Robert Maillet). Theseus kills Minotaur and uses the Bow to save his allies from being executed before collapsing from poisoned scratches inflicted by Minotaur. Phaedra tends to Theseus and later falls in love with him, stripping her of the visions she deemed a curse. The group returns to Phaedra's temple while Hyperion and his forces are away at Mount Tartarus. At the temple, Stavros and Theseus are lured into an ambush and Theseus loses the Epirus Bow. Outnumbered by Hyperion's men, Ares directly intervenes to save Theseus and Athena provides the men with horses to reach Mount Tartarus. Zeus arrives and angrily kills Ares for disobeying his command. Zeus tells Theseus that he and his allies will receive no more aid from the gods and he must justify the faith Zeus has in him alone. Before leaving with Athena, Zeus tells Theseus to prove him right. The lost Epirus Bow is brought to Hyperion.

Theseus, Stavros, and Phaedra travel to Mount Tartarus. Theseus tries in vain to warn Hellenics' King Cassander (Stephen McHattie) of Hyperion's plans, but Cassander dismisses his talk of gods as myth, intending to negotiate peace with Hyperion. The following day, Hyperion uses the Bow to destroy Mount Tartarus' seemingly indestructible wall killing Helios. Theseus leads the Hellenic army to war against the Hyperion forces, killing Lysander. Hyperion ignores the battle and storms through to Mount Tartarus killing Cassander. Hyperion uses the Epirus Bow to breach the mountain and free the Titans before Stavros and Theseus can stop him. The force of the release knocks the mortals down. Stavros takes the Epirus Bow and kills a Titan, but is massacred by the other Titans. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Heracles and Apollo arrive and battle the Titans while Theseus fights Hyperion. Zeus destroys the Epirus Bow with the Warhammer of Ares. The gods prove more powerful than the Titans, but they are overwhelmed by the sheer number of Titans with all but Zeus and Poseidon being killed. Theseus kills Hyperion and Zeus collapses Mount Tartarus on the Titans before ascending to Olympus with Athena's body and Poseidon. The collapsing mountain wipes out Hyperion's men. The mortally wounded Theseus is also transported to Olympus for his sacrifice and given a place among the gods.

Several years later, Theseus' story has become legend and Phaedra has given birth to Theseus' son Acamas (Gage Munroe). Acamas is met by the old man who informs the child that in the future, he too will one day fight against evil. Acamas sees a vision of the sky filled with gods and Titans fighting with Theseus amongst the combatants.
Source: Info in the About Immortals was taken from Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immortals_%282011_film%29 on 17/11/2012.

Movie Trailer:



My Thoughts:
I like the premise of gods and humankind fighting for good versus evil. Hey, I am a fantasy geek! Anyway, so I bought this dvd. And of course because it was on sale at Asda's. The cinematography was quite good although a bit dark. I guess the darkness helps hides the imperfections. So I wasn't too fond of that. I could allow that some scenes might be in darker mode than others, but the entire movie in the dark?? Well, anyway, I still like the blending of magical elements with the actual live actors. Now the plot, Like I said I like the premise of gods and humans fighting for good, but, it was never properly explained why the rules are as they were. So what if somebody breaks the rules? What then? King Hyperion was evil so he has to be defeated, but I think he has the right of it to question the rules. If he wasn't evil, I would have rooted for him! To me things has to make sense. Not just it is so because the director says so. No, I don't buy that. It drops the rating of the movie a notch down.

This movie obviously has lots of fight scenes. One-on-one and mass battles, the works. I appreciate the acting abilities of the actors in making things look smooth and expert-like. What I don't appreciate is the logical-ness of the fight. Of course your opponent is going to point his blade to his own neck instead of towards the enemy?? WTF!! Yeah, the fight scene expert/coordinator of this movie needs to be shot!

Okey I have a few rants about this movie, but I can fast forward those bits which are annoying, so I still enjoyed this movie. I give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 in entertainment value.


Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries