Review by Vives Anunciacion
Inquirer June 29, 2005
War of the Worlds
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Josh Friedman David Koepp
Based on the classic novel by H.G. Wells
Starring Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning
PG 13/ 116 minutes
Paramount Pictures/ DreamWorks Pictures
“Is it the terrorists?” asks the horrified Rachel as the family speeds away from the destruction behind them. Her father, Ray can barely answer back in shock. “They’re something else,” Ray says. War of the Worlds is really, something else.
Based on the 1898 seminal classic novel by HG Wells, War of the Worlds begins one ordinary afternoon in an ordinary town in New Jersey. Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) has just returned home from work in the pier docks. His ex-wife Mary-Ann (Miranda Otto, Eowyn in The Lord of the Rings) is dropping off their children Robbie (Justin Chatwin) and Rachel (played by the acting ingénue Dakota Fanning) for a weekend visit.
Ray isn’t exactly happy about the setup; he’s rather adjusted to the relaxed life of a single guy once again. As far as he’s concerned, as much as he loves his kids, he’s still childish himself. Just above their heads, a strange electrical storm is brewing in the skies.
The storm brings something else than just dark clouds. To the horror of onlookers, among them Ray, something huge emerges from the ground where the lightning struck. The gigantic object stands up, bellows a thundering horn and starts zapping the humans to ashes. The aliens have arrived and they’re not friendly.
The King of Hollywood Steven Spielberg retells the classic alien invasion story in a modern post-9-11 setting that is at heart, a family story. Spielberg manages to contain the drama focused on the Ferriers who represent ordinary humans caught in extraordinarily severe times. Shots are framed mostly in mediums and close-ups, at times consciously handheld to give the verite effect as if the viewers are there in the scenes.
This is a disaster movie, and as disaster movies go, there’s destruction and death galore. So much so, however masterfully shot or subtly enhanced by CGI, there’s too much repetition on scenes showing people in panic or suspenseful situations that, despite the emotions, render them trite. There are so many scenes that scream we’ve-seen-that-before, at times the movie becomes tiresome. Scenes of destruction, panic and mayhem are spectacularly staged, but the movie’s saving grace is its focus on the Ferriers’ determination to stay together and survive.
Tom Cruise makes a believable divorced everyday man and delivers a solid performance as an immature father tested to his core as he copes with insurmountable situations for his own and his family’s survival. But the real star of the show is Dakota Fanning, who I’m sure will at least receive a nomination for her performance in this movie.
Rachel is the heart of War of the Worlds. Dakota Fanning makes a compelling portrayal of a simple girl desperately trying to make sense of the chaos engulfing her and the trust she needs to give to her father. In her eyes are shown a breadth of emotions from fear, confusion, panic, anger distrust and finally comfort. The interplay between Rachel and Ray drives the narrow narrative to is fitting conclusion, although I’d say I have misgivings for the ending which I will not discuss.
The most compelling scene in the entire movie is the entire sequence involving the SUV. From the moment they hijack the vehicle (where Rachel first breaks down from confusion) to the ensuing race towards Boston (where Rachel screams, “Is it the terrorists?”) to the freeway where Rachel panics and Ray tries to calmly explain the ongoing pandemonium. The climax of this sequence is when they reach the ferry site and other survivors attempt to take the SUV from them forcibly – let’s just say the scene doesn’t show the best side of humans in extreme situations.
War of the Worlds has great moments, the times when the face of humanity is revealed and the bonds of a family are shown to strengthen. There are great moments too whenever Ray shields the harrowing scenes from Rachel’s eyes – but even this treatment is overplayed and repeated.
There are simply too many unnecessary panic shots where the narrative simply stops to show yet another way for an alien to destroy human life – half of the time the movie is really tiring. Add to this the very hurried and clichéd ending, the remake probably would have been better a little differently. But that’s just me, it’s not my movie.
Still the highlight of the show is a strong emotional journey of a family torn apart by events beyond their control. At the end of the day, humanity’s first line of defense is each other.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Domestic disturbance
Review by Vives Anunciacion
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Directed by Doug Liman
Written by Simon Kinberg
Starring Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn
PG 13/ 115 minutes
Twentieth Century Fox
Pity there isn’t a marriage between Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston anymore. As I have imagined several times, I wonder how it would have been to have dinner with the Pitts. Now it’s my belief the Brangelina thing is only a publicity stunt, and the rumors should stop where this movie begins. Really. Quit the chismis.
So what does a couple do when their marriage is falling apart? The best way is to get counseling. That’s what John and Jane Smith do when they realize their bogus marriage is going to the pits. The Smiths are a shy, quiet couple living supposedly normal suburban lives, except that both happen to secretly live very dangerous lives.
John and Jane are lethal assassins for hire, each working for a different organization. When each of them gets an assignment that reveals more than just a common target, Mr. and Mrs. Smith not only discover that the their marriage is a decoy, it’s also a professional hazard. They’ve successfully hidden their true identities from each other so much that they don’t know they’re both lethal weapons. The only way out of the marriage, at first, is to kill the competition, meaning each other. Suddenly, killing the spouse is a conjugal duty. Mr. and Mrs. Smith must turn to Smith-and-Wesson (that’s a brand of gun, so you know.)
Director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, The O.C.) takes a comedic shot at marital conflicts and pushes it further by making a movie that combines the War of the Roses and True Lies. The planet’s most beautiful persons (as far as magazines would tell) Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play the killer couple who give new meaning to the term domestic violence.
The entire movie is a hectic schedule of one action sequence to another in a way that expresses the ordeals that the couple has to go through in order to resolve their marital (and professional) differences. Pitt and Jolie share great chemistry together onscreen (no wonder the rumors), literally exploding into fireworks and pyrotechnics throughout the action-packed movie. They also share snappy witticisms thanks to a script that has been written and re-written several times to ensure a lively debate between the warring couple.
One good scene is a True Lies-type of tango where the couple confronts each other after finding out their true identities while at the same time executes a well-choreographed dance. But that scene puts Mr. and Mrs. Smith in a nutshell: the whole movie is foreplay for fetishistic coupling. Halfway through the movie, John and Jane are killing each other in their home only to end up where they truly belong – the sack. The fun and the comedy only mask what actually is a movie so full of guns and bullets they put Bad Boys to shame. Like the Poison song that John listens to in the desert scene, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is nothin’ but a good time.
Should marriage counseling fail, the next best option is the American standard for conflict resolution – brute force. At the slightest indication of disagreement, shoot each other. Ahh, I had the same feeling for this movie. At the slightest sign of discomfort, shoot the movie. Thankfully, I needn’t bother looking for the bazooka. Violence, thy virtue is beauty.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Directed by Doug Liman
Written by Simon Kinberg
Starring Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn
PG 13/ 115 minutes
Twentieth Century Fox
Pity there isn’t a marriage between Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston anymore. As I have imagined several times, I wonder how it would have been to have dinner with the Pitts. Now it’s my belief the Brangelina thing is only a publicity stunt, and the rumors should stop where this movie begins. Really. Quit the chismis.
So what does a couple do when their marriage is falling apart? The best way is to get counseling. That’s what John and Jane Smith do when they realize their bogus marriage is going to the pits. The Smiths are a shy, quiet couple living supposedly normal suburban lives, except that both happen to secretly live very dangerous lives.
John and Jane are lethal assassins for hire, each working for a different organization. When each of them gets an assignment that reveals more than just a common target, Mr. and Mrs. Smith not only discover that the their marriage is a decoy, it’s also a professional hazard. They’ve successfully hidden their true identities from each other so much that they don’t know they’re both lethal weapons. The only way out of the marriage, at first, is to kill the competition, meaning each other. Suddenly, killing the spouse is a conjugal duty. Mr. and Mrs. Smith must turn to Smith-and-Wesson (that’s a brand of gun, so you know.)
Director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, The O.C.) takes a comedic shot at marital conflicts and pushes it further by making a movie that combines the War of the Roses and True Lies. The planet’s most beautiful persons (as far as magazines would tell) Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play the killer couple who give new meaning to the term domestic violence.
The entire movie is a hectic schedule of one action sequence to another in a way that expresses the ordeals that the couple has to go through in order to resolve their marital (and professional) differences. Pitt and Jolie share great chemistry together onscreen (no wonder the rumors), literally exploding into fireworks and pyrotechnics throughout the action-packed movie. They also share snappy witticisms thanks to a script that has been written and re-written several times to ensure a lively debate between the warring couple.
One good scene is a True Lies-type of tango where the couple confronts each other after finding out their true identities while at the same time executes a well-choreographed dance. But that scene puts Mr. and Mrs. Smith in a nutshell: the whole movie is foreplay for fetishistic coupling. Halfway through the movie, John and Jane are killing each other in their home only to end up where they truly belong – the sack. The fun and the comedy only mask what actually is a movie so full of guns and bullets they put Bad Boys to shame. Like the Poison song that John listens to in the desert scene, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is nothin’ but a good time.
Should marriage counseling fail, the next best option is the American standard for conflict resolution – brute force. At the slightest indication of disagreement, shoot each other. Ahh, I had the same feeling for this movie. At the slightest sign of discomfort, shoot the movie. Thankfully, I needn’t bother looking for the bazooka. Violence, thy virtue is beauty.
Alien ant farm
Review by Vives Anunciacion
Inquirer Libre June 27 2005
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Directed by Garth Jennings
Based on the book by Douglas Adams
Written by Karey Kirkpatrick, Douglas Adams
Starring Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell, Mos Def
G/ 110minutes
Buena Vista International
At last a movie with almost no references to sex, barely any violence, and incomprehensibly irreverent it’s just few meters outside hilarious and miles away from boring. I’d say there is a God, but then we all know it.
Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman, from Love Actually and the original The Office) wakes up one day to find out his quaint English home is about to be demolished by Public Works to give way to a freeway. His recent friend Ford Perfect (Mos Def) appears in time, not to help save Arthur’s lonely home, but to rescue the Englishman from the impending obliteration of earth by interstellar bureaucrats called Vogons. The worthless planet earth was to be zapped to give way to hyperspace express, much like Arthur’s home. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Anyhoo, Ford reveals to Arthur his alien identity just before the earth is Death-Starred, and they hitch a ride with one of the Vogon spaceships. On the ship, Ford presents to Arthur a smart book called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy which explains in whole or in part (but always in lovely animation) the whats and wherefores of the entire galaxy – in short, the encyclopedia galactica for dummies. The Vogons discover the hitchhikers and eject them into the void of space.
Just in time, a cute spherical ship called The Heart of Gold absorbs the duo onboard. There Arthur reunites with a lost human love, Trillian (Zooey Deschanel) who has then become the shipmate of Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), an alien with two heads and three arms. Zaphod happens to be the newly-elected President of the Galaxy, and his first presidential action was to commandeer (read: steal) The Heart of Gold (how very us.)
With his home planet destroyed, his best friend an alien and the love of his life taken by an alien president chased by poetic Vogons, there’s no one for Arthur to ask for sane human relief. The spaceship’s robot Marvin (performed by legendary dwarf Warwick Davis) won’t be of any help either – it’s too depressed and cynical.
Hitchhikers Guide is a mishmash of goofball adventures and absurd gags I’m reminded of that quintessential British satire Monty Python and that Hollywood spoof Galaxy Quest. Except here, the narrative lacks a definitive focus as if it has taken the Improbability Drive too many times. Don’t panic! Thank goodness for British design and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, this movie is alive with wonderful visuals, colorful aliens and commendable acting. Note that John Malkovich is in the movie and Alan Rickman voices the severely depressed but incredibly cute robot Marvin.
I’m quite sure the parents of actor Mos Def named their offspring after the vile spaceport of Tatooine, Mos Eisley (Star Wars, remember?) It’s not surprising he’s playing the role of a space-trotting alien, but what on earth is he really doing in our planet anyway? Presumably for research, but what he’s really researching on, the movie didn’t bother explaining. Bugger yourself. Like it or hate it.
It may be condescending to declare this a smart, witty and thoroughly wry comedy, but it almost is. It’s British.
On one hand, it’s nearly two hours taken away from this crazy world, it’s almost refreshing to be brainwashed by something a little less worthless than political bickering. Then again, that’s nearly two hours taken away from life’s more productive moments – yadayadayada, and all that mumbo-jumbo about careers and self importance.
Oddly, it’s a surprise to understand that the engineers of the universe are presented in the movie as Creationists, without any predilection for evolutionary empiricism. Haha! I’m a geek.
And so The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy ponders on the most important questions in life, at some point shouting that the quest for happiness is the ultimate of human needs. Brazenly, it offers a specific answer to those questions no known existentialist has done so succinctly in earth history.
The answer to everything, it almightily declares, is 42.
Inquirer Libre June 27 2005
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Directed by Garth Jennings
Based on the book by Douglas Adams
Written by Karey Kirkpatrick, Douglas Adams
Starring Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell, Mos Def
G/ 110minutes
Buena Vista International
At last a movie with almost no references to sex, barely any violence, and incomprehensibly irreverent it’s just few meters outside hilarious and miles away from boring. I’d say there is a God, but then we all know it.
Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman, from Love Actually and the original The Office) wakes up one day to find out his quaint English home is about to be demolished by Public Works to give way to a freeway. His recent friend Ford Perfect (Mos Def) appears in time, not to help save Arthur’s lonely home, but to rescue the Englishman from the impending obliteration of earth by interstellar bureaucrats called Vogons. The worthless planet earth was to be zapped to give way to hyperspace express, much like Arthur’s home. So long, and thanks for all the fish.
Anyhoo, Ford reveals to Arthur his alien identity just before the earth is Death-Starred, and they hitch a ride with one of the Vogon spaceships. On the ship, Ford presents to Arthur a smart book called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy which explains in whole or in part (but always in lovely animation) the whats and wherefores of the entire galaxy – in short, the encyclopedia galactica for dummies. The Vogons discover the hitchhikers and eject them into the void of space.
Just in time, a cute spherical ship called The Heart of Gold absorbs the duo onboard. There Arthur reunites with a lost human love, Trillian (Zooey Deschanel) who has then become the shipmate of Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), an alien with two heads and three arms. Zaphod happens to be the newly-elected President of the Galaxy, and his first presidential action was to commandeer (read: steal) The Heart of Gold (how very us.)
With his home planet destroyed, his best friend an alien and the love of his life taken by an alien president chased by poetic Vogons, there’s no one for Arthur to ask for sane human relief. The spaceship’s robot Marvin (performed by legendary dwarf Warwick Davis) won’t be of any help either – it’s too depressed and cynical.
Hitchhikers Guide is a mishmash of goofball adventures and absurd gags I’m reminded of that quintessential British satire Monty Python and that Hollywood spoof Galaxy Quest. Except here, the narrative lacks a definitive focus as if it has taken the Improbability Drive too many times. Don’t panic! Thank goodness for British design and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, this movie is alive with wonderful visuals, colorful aliens and commendable acting. Note that John Malkovich is in the movie and Alan Rickman voices the severely depressed but incredibly cute robot Marvin.
I’m quite sure the parents of actor Mos Def named their offspring after the vile spaceport of Tatooine, Mos Eisley (Star Wars, remember?) It’s not surprising he’s playing the role of a space-trotting alien, but what on earth is he really doing in our planet anyway? Presumably for research, but what he’s really researching on, the movie didn’t bother explaining. Bugger yourself. Like it or hate it.
It may be condescending to declare this a smart, witty and thoroughly wry comedy, but it almost is. It’s British.
On one hand, it’s nearly two hours taken away from this crazy world, it’s almost refreshing to be brainwashed by something a little less worthless than political bickering. Then again, that’s nearly two hours taken away from life’s more productive moments – yadayadayada, and all that mumbo-jumbo about careers and self importance.
Oddly, it’s a surprise to understand that the engineers of the universe are presented in the movie as Creationists, without any predilection for evolutionary empiricism. Haha! I’m a geek.
And so The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy ponders on the most important questions in life, at some point shouting that the quest for happiness is the ultimate of human needs. Brazenly, it offers a specific answer to those questions no known existentialist has done so succinctly in earth history.
The answer to everything, it almightily declares, is 42.
Behold the man
Review by Vives Anunciacion
Inquirer Libre June 13 2005
Batman Begins
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by David S. Goyer, based on the characters by Bob Kane
Starring Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine
PG13/ 141miniutes
Warner Brothers/ DC Comics
Amazingly, Batman Begins is the least comical of all the Batman movies. It’s also the best Batman movie yet.
Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) creates a visceral adaptation of the Caped Crusader with a pronounced focus on Bruce Wayne’s human side rather than the usual effects-laden blockbuster movie so common nowadays. Exactly as the title implies, Batman Begins explores the origins and birth of the Dark Knight.
Christian Bale (Equilibrium, American Psycho, Empire of the Sun) stars as billionaire bachelor Bruce Wayne, who transforms himself into a dark symbol of hope and justice for the corrupted citizens of Gotham City. Growing up as a disturbed orphan, Bruce faults himself for the murder of his parents. He leaves the gilded trappings of Wayne manor to search the world for the means to end injustice and turn fear into a weapon against those who prey on the fearful. At his side is the loyal butler Alfred (played by the gentleman Michael Caine), who encourages his young master to find his destiny.
The movie starts in a rundown prison somewhere in Asia, where Bruce is recruited by the statuesque Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) for the enigmatic ninja organization known as the League of Shadows, led by Ra’s Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe, of The Last Samurai). After his long training, Bruce forsakes the League and returns to Gotham intent on ridding the city of its corruption. Having a high-profile status as Gotham’s most eligible bachelor, Bruce assumes a costumed alter ego to carry out his plans. Along the way, Batman encounters friends and foes alike, eventually becoming the legend he is now known as.
Of all the superheroes of similar stature, only Batman is the natural, normal human with no super power whatsoever. It is this distinction that separates and elevates him from the rest of the Justice League, using only his guts, his intelligence and his ingenuity to combat crime.
It is this humanity that director Nolan aptly and remarkably focuses on Begins, separating this Batman from the rest of the insipid comic book franchise. Using fear and paranoia as the main themes, Nolan explores Bruce’s fragile persona and buried insecurities before Bruce can put on the mask that will transform him into Batman. With incredible cast and great writing, Batman Begins packs so much meat in its story and has more palpable drama than the rest of the Batman movies combined, half of the movie feels like it’s from an Oprah novel rather than a comic book. Of late, it is almost redundant to commend Neeson’s acting, as well those of Caine’s, Oldman’s (as the pre-Commissioner Gordon), Morgan Freeman’s (as inventor Lucius Fox) and young actor Cilian Murphy as the Scarecrow. Great casting throughout, but I still have doubts with Katie Holmes as Assistant District Attorney Rachel Dawes. Unlike the benippled Batman and Robin, Begins doesn’t have superficiality out on its rubber sleeves.
Interestingly, Begins has less gothic feel as the Tim Burton versions (which is weird considering the comic book is gothic.) But it has enough elements visually and thematically which can either tie this movie with the rest of the franchise, or separate it entirely (who cares about Alicia “Batgirl” Silverstone?)
Better it was started over again; this is one Batman any city truly deserves. To the bat cave!
Inquirer Libre June 13 2005
Batman Begins
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by David S. Goyer, based on the characters by Bob Kane
Starring Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine
PG13/ 141miniutes
Warner Brothers/ DC Comics
Amazingly, Batman Begins is the least comical of all the Batman movies. It’s also the best Batman movie yet.
Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) creates a visceral adaptation of the Caped Crusader with a pronounced focus on Bruce Wayne’s human side rather than the usual effects-laden blockbuster movie so common nowadays. Exactly as the title implies, Batman Begins explores the origins and birth of the Dark Knight.
Christian Bale (Equilibrium, American Psycho, Empire of the Sun) stars as billionaire bachelor Bruce Wayne, who transforms himself into a dark symbol of hope and justice for the corrupted citizens of Gotham City. Growing up as a disturbed orphan, Bruce faults himself for the murder of his parents. He leaves the gilded trappings of Wayne manor to search the world for the means to end injustice and turn fear into a weapon against those who prey on the fearful. At his side is the loyal butler Alfred (played by the gentleman Michael Caine), who encourages his young master to find his destiny.
The movie starts in a rundown prison somewhere in Asia, where Bruce is recruited by the statuesque Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) for the enigmatic ninja organization known as the League of Shadows, led by Ra’s Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe, of The Last Samurai). After his long training, Bruce forsakes the League and returns to Gotham intent on ridding the city of its corruption. Having a high-profile status as Gotham’s most eligible bachelor, Bruce assumes a costumed alter ego to carry out his plans. Along the way, Batman encounters friends and foes alike, eventually becoming the legend he is now known as.
Of all the superheroes of similar stature, only Batman is the natural, normal human with no super power whatsoever. It is this distinction that separates and elevates him from the rest of the Justice League, using only his guts, his intelligence and his ingenuity to combat crime.
It is this humanity that director Nolan aptly and remarkably focuses on Begins, separating this Batman from the rest of the insipid comic book franchise. Using fear and paranoia as the main themes, Nolan explores Bruce’s fragile persona and buried insecurities before Bruce can put on the mask that will transform him into Batman. With incredible cast and great writing, Batman Begins packs so much meat in its story and has more palpable drama than the rest of the Batman movies combined, half of the movie feels like it’s from an Oprah novel rather than a comic book. Of late, it is almost redundant to commend Neeson’s acting, as well those of Caine’s, Oldman’s (as the pre-Commissioner Gordon), Morgan Freeman’s (as inventor Lucius Fox) and young actor Cilian Murphy as the Scarecrow. Great casting throughout, but I still have doubts with Katie Holmes as Assistant District Attorney Rachel Dawes. Unlike the benippled Batman and Robin, Begins doesn’t have superficiality out on its rubber sleeves.
Interestingly, Begins has less gothic feel as the Tim Burton versions (which is weird considering the comic book is gothic.) But it has enough elements visually and thematically which can either tie this movie with the rest of the franchise, or separate it entirely (who cares about Alicia “Batgirl” Silverstone?)
Better it was started over again; this is one Batman any city truly deserves. To the bat cave!
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Animal crackers
Review by Vives Anunciacion
Inquirer Libre May 31, 2005
Madagascar
Directed by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Written by Marc Burton, Billy Frolick, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer
GP/ 80 minutes
PDI/ DreamWorks Animation SKG
Now shipping
Talking animals have been a hit for moviegoers since Mickey was introduced in Steamboat Willie in 1928. We’ve been seeing a lot of talking animals in animations lately and Madagascar is no different. Really, it’s your usual funny animation. Operative word: usual.
There’s the crazy gang of dysfunctional animals as main characters, and then there’s the impossibly cute and insane support cast. Madagascar hits gold with the support cast and is lukewarm with the major cast. The good thing is that it’s really funny. The bad thing is that it’s only funny sometimes.
Four animal friends from the New York Central Park Zoo are having a grand time as celebrities. Born and bred in the zoo, Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the neurotic giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippopotamus (Jada Pinkett Smith) are average New Yorkers in many senses of the term.
Marty gets the mid-life crisis the day he turns 10 years old and starts wishing for a life more normal than their captive urban lives. He suggests a wild adventure to his friends, except that they would rather live within the comforts of the zoo than risk life and limb in a habitat completely alien to their own.
But Marty isn’t the only animal in the zoo yearning for its natural habitat. A group of exceptional penguins led by Skipper (Tom McGrath) are already in the middle of hatching “The Great Escape” when Marty stumbles on their elaborate plan. Marty gets the idea that his wish is in fact attainable, and disappears from the zoo in the middle of the night. Alex, Gloria and Melman track Marty down in Grand Central Station, where they create such an uproar that they end up captured, crated and put on a ship for Kenya’s wildlife preserve in Africa.
Still intent on their own plans, the paranoid penguins hijack the ship, throwing the crated friends overboard. Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are further shocked when they find themselves washed ashore on the beautiful tropical island of Madagascar.
There’s pop references and gags galore in this movie – from Saturday Night Fever to National Geographic even (maybe unintentionally) to Lion King. But just like DreamWorks’ previous animation, Shark Tale, Madagascar is just funny enough and not hilarious as most animations are expected to be. Themes of friendship and unbreakable bonds are dime a dozen. When the jokes work, they really work, but at the end of the show, there’s really nothing much from this “fish out of the pond” tale that we haven’t seen or heard before.
The animation looks stunning and the music is good enough. But there’s just nothing substantial with Madagascar in terms of animation technique, the voice acting or in the narrative to simply make the movie memorable enough beyond a week’s stay in the theaters. It takes time, literally years to create one full-length animation, and it’s disappointing to see all the immense effort get watered down by a very thin narrative that’s only lines away from the premise.
The best parts of Madagascar are with the crazy support cast – the penguins and the deranged lemurs led by King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen). They’re so cute and unforgettable, they take our thoughts and laughs, away from the main cast. Now that just doesn’t sound nice.
Inquirer Libre May 31, 2005
Madagascar
Directed by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Written by Marc Burton, Billy Frolick, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath
Featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer
GP/ 80 minutes
PDI/ DreamWorks Animation SKG
Now shipping
Talking animals have been a hit for moviegoers since Mickey was introduced in Steamboat Willie in 1928. We’ve been seeing a lot of talking animals in animations lately and Madagascar is no different. Really, it’s your usual funny animation. Operative word: usual.
There’s the crazy gang of dysfunctional animals as main characters, and then there’s the impossibly cute and insane support cast. Madagascar hits gold with the support cast and is lukewarm with the major cast. The good thing is that it’s really funny. The bad thing is that it’s only funny sometimes.
Four animal friends from the New York Central Park Zoo are having a grand time as celebrities. Born and bred in the zoo, Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the neurotic giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the hippopotamus (Jada Pinkett Smith) are average New Yorkers in many senses of the term.
Marty gets the mid-life crisis the day he turns 10 years old and starts wishing for a life more normal than their captive urban lives. He suggests a wild adventure to his friends, except that they would rather live within the comforts of the zoo than risk life and limb in a habitat completely alien to their own.
But Marty isn’t the only animal in the zoo yearning for its natural habitat. A group of exceptional penguins led by Skipper (Tom McGrath) are already in the middle of hatching “The Great Escape” when Marty stumbles on their elaborate plan. Marty gets the idea that his wish is in fact attainable, and disappears from the zoo in the middle of the night. Alex, Gloria and Melman track Marty down in Grand Central Station, where they create such an uproar that they end up captured, crated and put on a ship for Kenya’s wildlife preserve in Africa.
Still intent on their own plans, the paranoid penguins hijack the ship, throwing the crated friends overboard. Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are further shocked when they find themselves washed ashore on the beautiful tropical island of Madagascar.
There’s pop references and gags galore in this movie – from Saturday Night Fever to National Geographic even (maybe unintentionally) to Lion King. But just like DreamWorks’ previous animation, Shark Tale, Madagascar is just funny enough and not hilarious as most animations are expected to be. Themes of friendship and unbreakable bonds are dime a dozen. When the jokes work, they really work, but at the end of the show, there’s really nothing much from this “fish out of the pond” tale that we haven’t seen or heard before.
The animation looks stunning and the music is good enough. But there’s just nothing substantial with Madagascar in terms of animation technique, the voice acting or in the narrative to simply make the movie memorable enough beyond a week’s stay in the theaters. It takes time, literally years to create one full-length animation, and it’s disappointing to see all the immense effort get watered down by a very thin narrative that’s only lines away from the premise.
The best parts of Madagascar are with the crazy support cast – the penguins and the deranged lemurs led by King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen). They’re so cute and unforgettable, they take our thoughts and laughs, away from the main cast. Now that just doesn’t sound nice.
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