Only God Forgives - DM Review

Stunningly and confidently shot, this film creeped along at a slow pace. This added suspense and made some scenes unbearable to watch.

And this was my main beef with this film. It was too much for me. Both in terms of the violence but also the coldness of the film. Very little characterisation and therefore ultimately, for me, no real reason to watch.

KST was great and brought the film to life. The rest I could take or leave. Although, the aforementioned scenes did affect me at the time, I have not really thought about them since which vindicates the film's vapid impression on me.

On the whole, disappointing. Looks good but left me cold. I applaud the bold direction and NWR making a film he obviously wanted to make. Although, my trip to Bangkok in December looks slightly less appealing now...(note to self) avoid the karaoke bars.

6/10

MD – Only God Forgives

A study of retribution Only God Forgives mixes the aesthetics of Asian cinema with the narrative drive of a western and the arch high-art of European auteurism. Sumptuously red, floral and lit with the precision of an operating theatre and the incisions and amputations to match, Nicholas Winding Refn has created a stark and stylised canvas on which to project a familiar familial revenge tragedy. Whilst Shakespearian in scale and tone it’s the visual language not the prose that drives the plot. Lingering that little bit longer through Mondrian patterns formed by windows, doorways and alleyways Winding Refn gives us time to look behind the eyes before we are exposed to the actions.

Ryan Gosling reduces the word count and increases the ice-blue stare and facial placidity as Julian, leaving the verbals to the flamboyant, vicious tongue of Kristin Scott Thomas as his mother, Crystal. From the moment she lands in Bangkok to bury her first-born son she dominates all around her, most notably her clearly second favourite offspring. It's surprising, immaculate and award worthy support.

Making up the triumvirate Vithaya Pansringarm is avenging angel Chang. Wielding authority and a much more nebulous power, comfortable as torturer and no mean dude on the karaoke machine he plays nemesis, teacher and patriarch to Julian.

As revenge begets revenge and the stakes and body count increase there is seemingly only one way this is going to end. However following an early third-act showdown between the male protagonists, the recognition of their warped reliance takes us in a different direction.

Julian figuratively and literally reclaims himself from his matriarchal dominance in a stunning denouement.

9/10

MD –Frances Ha

It is hard to imagine a more annoying and unlovable screen protagonist than Greta Gerwig’s titular slacker.  And as a supposed dancer she makes Kate Blanchet in ‘Benjamin Button’ look like Margaret Fonteyn. Frances dances and prances through Manhattan, bums her rent as she turns down work, bemoans her lot and spin so centrally in her own orbit that she’s in danger of disappearing up the vortex of her own arse.

Whilst the rest of the world around her makes some attempt to grow and develop Frances wistfully watches awaiting their mistakes whilst never having the courage to make her own. How much the filmmaking director/writer/actor pairing are ‘in on the joke’ is unclear and ultimately irrelevant. Because whatever the knowingness this is an unfunny comedy full of unlikeable people with an expectation of what life should bring them but no inclination to invest their energies into making it happen. They all deserve each other. I'm just not sure what we have done to deserve them.

1/10

MD – The Wolverine

Old snikt-hands is back in town – although this time it’s Tokyo – and as usual he’s a score to settle and an unsubtle armoury of tools to do the job. Much pleasure has come from this character in all forms – but as a movie solo act Wolverine is starting to outstay his welcome. Tedious Jean-dream anxieties, an insipid serpentine villain and a reveal we could see coming 70 years ago make this bland mutants-by-numbers. Like Morrissey, for all his brittle brilliance when he sparks off the rest of the group, his later solo efforts mutate into maudlin self-pity.

It says much that the three minute post credit pay-off is by far the most interesting and exciting moment of the movie.

4/10

MD – Wadjda

Timely playing against the backdrop of Malala Yousafzai speaking to United Nations, Wadjda takes the story of one girl’s desire to own a bike and builds a micro and macro study of the gender politics in Saudi Arabia. Our protagonist is determined to take the path of most resistance with a mix of defiance and innocence being genuinely unable to understand why her simple desire causes consternation. The widening of the story to examine other patriarchal norms - marital expectations and the impact on women’s ability to work without being allowed to drive – lends a fascinating incite into family life and Saudi society. Never preaching but always with a message the film cleverly includes the premise that learning the Koran inside out is a means to an end so as to subvert its interpreted teachings.

Wadjda is wonderfully and joyously acted throughout and satisfactorily concludes at a point of both hope and recognition of the distance left to travel.

8/10

MD – Pacific Rim

Every so often in Pacific Rim a del Toro trope of greatness seeps through; which makes it all the more frustrating of what this could have been.

The robots versus lizards showdowns are inventive, have a clarity and purpose and crucially don’t overstay their welcome – take note Zack Snyder. And there is an enticing set up is for an internationalist assault against a common sub-terrestrial enemy. Ultimately however the non-English speakers are marginalised and it becomes a barrel of clichés as the reluctant all-American hero and the old-time all-American hero – both played by English actors - save us all. Most unforgiving is the risible Lucaseque script full of butt clenching speeches and macho posturing. If only the script had been as interesting as the casting.

And, effective as he as in the beefcake role, I can never quite negate the image of Charlie Hunnam being anally pleasured in Queer As Folk. That specific rim will forever cloud my Pacific Rim.

6/10

MD – A Field in England

Full marks once again to Ben Wheatley for trying. He continues his impressive approach to subverting genre although this time it’s a hit and miss affair. The first act establishes some interesting characters that we would happily want to spend some time with…and then they start taking mushrooms and it all goes off kilter and is far less interesting. One or two moments will live long in the memory but like any bad trip in retrospect it was all a bit wobbly and forgettable.

5/10