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Film reviews

Borderlands Review

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I loved the Borderlands video game franchise. I had anticipated that the writer and director would bring in some galore of expertise. That filmmaker is Eli Roth. When Borderlands had a PG-13 film rating, my gut started to warn me there might be floppyness. The mediocrity holds. Borderlands is a tragedy. Mind of Roth does not have the creativity for in-depth tragedies or stellar violence. There is a limited amount of that in  Borderlands. That leaves the writing on the wall of this dreadful adaptation from the video game franchise. It is an adaptation where the writing and pacing do not correlate for forms of invigoration. It is one of those flicks where tolerance will be necessary.

The film gears on Lilith (played by Cate Blanchett). Lilith is a bounty hunter. Lilith has a dreadful past. She finds her way back to her home planet Pandora. For those who have played video games, it is clear how the planet Pandora would be. Lilith is on a mission to find the daughter of Atlas. Atlas is the hierarchy as an S.O.B. Lilith finds this task complex without assistance. Lilith assembles of a team. They are all cocky. Her team consists of Roland (a mercenary played by Kevin Hart), Tiny Tina (an adolescent demolitionist played by Ariana Greenblatt), Krieg (Tina’s sidekick and played by Florian Munteanu), Tannis (a quirky scientist played by Jamie Lee Curtis), and Claptrap (an egotistical robot and played by Jack Black). All these characters are fit for their bonker roles, but that cannot save the audience from the dreadfulness of the outline itself.

It is an adaptation that fails to see concepts all the way through. It tries to be in its direction for humor and escapism (from the mind of Roth), and it is muddy. With an adaptation like this one, I thought it would seem more interactive. I expected there to be more open-world roaming moments (to feel like the video game itself). This one tries to stay in its lane and care about the mishaps of humor with Hart, Black, and the rest of the poor film in and of itself. There is no seriousness to the hero vibes of Borderlands. There is only frustration.

Pacing is a trainwreck in Borderlands. There is a saying that goes, “She seems deranged.” Instead, it should be “This dynamic is deranged.” Borderlands is a band of misfits that keep making the boredom feel worse. Its setting is a low-grade Mad Max environment meeting a massive roadblock of inconsistency. Borderlands does not know its elements for an enthralling adaptation.

The obliviousness of characterizations works for the atmosphere of Borderlands. The characters are the added fixation to the plot. They deserve much better. Borderlands is not action-packed, and it is not exhilarating. Borderlands only relies on humor (which keeps it dry). The opening makes its audience think of the video game franchise. The rest of the film goes in its wrecking way. It continues to be full of cliches. Regardless, there is no justice of achievement in Borderlands. One out of four stars.

Film reviews

It Ends with Us Review

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This is a romance based on a book. The film is played out with feelings of love in a period of happiness during younger days. It Ends with Us is a title with several meanings such as disconnectand confusion which gives the audience something to think about. The most positive aspect of the film is that its two female stars are Blake Lively and Jenny Slate. Lively is the lead in the film, and Slate is in the supporting role. It Ends with Us involves falling and getting back up which is somewhat poetic. Throughout the film, there are a trail of questions that swerve and struggle to stay in their lanes.

The setup is around love. The plot is strongly set on Lively’scharacter, Lily Blum. She has lived a rough life of turmoil and abuse. Her name inspires her to open a flower shop. In the back of her mind, Lily remembers what it means to fall in love and feel a surreal connection. At one point she was in love with a man named Atlas Corrigan, played by Brandon Sklenar. Their connection made her feel safe. Later, she meets Ryle Kincaid, played by Justin Baldoni. Lily just wants to live a successful life and run her flower shop. Her friends, Allysa (Slate) and Marshall (played by Hasan Minhaj) try to be there for her. Lily continues to have reminders of the abuse due to the Ryle’s behaviors. How bad is it though?

It Ends with Us is clear in its patterns of distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Lily is unhealthy most of the time with Ryle. When Lily has Atlas on her mind she feels at ease. Their paths do cross again. When that happens, does Lily’s turmoil have a revelation? The positive aspect of the film being focused on Lily falls flat due to the tackiness of romance.

The film is built upon accidental moments. Those scenarios feel repetitive. This can be seen when Lily falls down the stairs when she has an argument with Ryle. After that happens, he tries to act like it does not exist. This may seem like a spoiler, but this is a pattern of repetition to expect in It Ends with Us. The conflicts keep trying to find fulfillment in a desperate romance which makes the film cheesy and predictable. However, it still has good writing, editing, and pacing which is centered on the path to happiness.

Overall, the theme of connection is what keeps being traced back repeatedly in It Ends with Us. There are moments when arevelation seems possible, but then it resorts to conflict andimmediate dismissal which is overly predictable. The romance vibes are not especially unique or special. Lively and Slate are great in their roles, but the film’s dynamics keep going awry.

With Lively and Slate playing close friends, I found magic in their relationship in terms of having a friend to talk with or figure things out with. Their friendship also paints a clear portrait that demonstrates happiness is possible. Unfortunately, too many scenes in this film lacking and there is too much predictability which is a pet peeve of mine. Two out of four stars for It Ends with Us.

Film reviews

Trap Review

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I am a fan of M. Night Shyamalan. Some of his films can be hit or miss for many, but all of them have are unique in his sense of directing. This was not the case with Trap though, as it truly repeated. If audiences have seen the trailer or TV spot numerous times, then the film itself may be a disappointment. I found myself feeling like each outcome was already in the back of my mind. The mediocrity of Trap is its layout—a concert with thousands of people and one target. That whole outline was already presented in the trailer. There is no misleading or captivating misdirection to find a joyful aspect of suspense in Trap.

The film is focuses on Cooper (played by Josh Hartnett), and his daughter Riley (played by Ariel Donoghue). Cooper takes his daughter to a pop concert at an arena type venue. There are thousands of people and all kinds of security. The high amounts of personnel make Cooper feel curious and uneasy. He does a lot of looping around in and out of the concert to put the pieces together. Apparently, there is a killer on the loose, and the concert is a hole for him to fall into. Cooper goes through all kinds of corridors to get answers. The question soon arises if he himself is the killer.

The stadium setting of the film is probably the point of scarcity. The rest of the film is a blur. There is direct dialogue that seems comical and witty, which does add to the fun, but not to the peril which the audience might expect. With Shyamalan being a man of limits and set in his ways, Trap has that approach and relies almost too much on that style to carry it through. The concept of thinking about a concert and a strange personality with Hartnett’s performance is the proper tactic where audiences will grasp the most from the story.

Questions of fear stroll through Trap. What if Cooper is the killer? Does that interfere with the concert moment for his daughter? Does that put others in danger? Are there other aspects of his personality that are hidden. The characterization of Hartnett’s performance has him in a continuously twitchy and nervous mode (this is also seen in the trailer). As I have said before, if audiences have seen the trailers, most of the film is kind of given away. It is just not unique as it searches for tactics of surprise for the audience. It would have been better to have more originality within the concert setup from Shyamalan.  It would have taken it in a direction completely opposite than how Trap progresses and falls flat.

One of the most dreadful (almost two hours) I have had recently. A film that felt like a long concert with no attention-grabbing dialogue. Only a quiet mode of Tetris trying to find an escape and survival. Trap is one of the least engaging films from Shyamalan. There are so many rushed moments throughout andalso many that do not seem to make sense at all. “Sense” in the direction of finding the routes for what may seem appealing and entertaining. Two out of four stars for Trap.