Gringo

First Hit: This was a quirky film that I liked more than I thought I would with a few over the top scenes.

I didn’t know what to expect from this film and that was a good thing.

The premise is that Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton) and Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) run a pharmaceutical company that is struggling to survive. Working for them is Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) who is a close friend of Richard.

Harold oversees their drug producing operations in Mexico. Unbeknownst to Harold, Elaine and Richard have made a deal to sell the company and a new formula to someone else. However, another group knows about this new formula that will make someone a lot of money. This formula is in a safe in the Mexican operational building.

Additionally, Harold is out of the loop about his wife, who has asked him for a divorce. He doesn’t know that his wife is having an affair with Richard.

Despondent over his impending divorce, and discovering his bosses do not support him, he quits his job and plans to disappear in Mexico.

Throughout all this, the deal with the purchasing pharmaceutical company is falling apart, the formula has been stolen and warring factions are brought into play. Then Richard hires his mercenary brother Mitch (Sharlto Copley), to find Harold, kill him if needed, and help resolve the theft.

All of this sets up situations that are both suspenseful and over the top funny. Some of the funniest scenes are with Elaine as she uses her sexuality to lure people to decide things her way.

Edgerton was good as the sex charged company man. Theron was over the top funny and bawdy in her portrayal of Markinson who wanted to get ahead using any means possible. Oyelowo was very funny as the trusting husband and employee believing that if he worked hard and obeyed all the laws, he’d be successful. The ending helps this ongoing riff. Copley was great and over the top and a skilled mercenary. Anthony Tambakis and Matthew Stone wrote this quirky screenplay that I enjoyed. Nash Edgerton did a fine job of getting the actors to engage in this film.

Overall: This film had enough laughs and engaging scenes to make it worth its’ while.

Free Fire

First Hit:  Not many screenwriters and directors attempt to shoot an entire film in one room and this film shows why. Part of the issue with shooting a film in a one room, with a few scenes outside the room, is that the room set has to be dynamic or amazing and/or the characters have to be inspiring and so engaging that the audience is on the edge of their seat. Some films focus on one or the other while most of the rest try to focus on both. This one appears to focus on character development but by limiting any movement in the set because people are in a gunfight and pinned down, the difficulty in making the characters interesting, is pronounced.

What we have is two factions. One group wants to buy some M-16 rifles and another group wants to sell guns. The deal is filled with mistrust as the rifles that get delivered to the meeting place, a broken-down warehouse, are not M-16s. This creates tension between the two factions.

What blows this up is one of the guys Stevo (Sam Riley) who’s on the team buying the guns for the IRA, got beaten up by Harry (Jack Reynor), one of the guys from the seller’s team. Harry beat-up Stevo because he said some very rude things to his sister. When they each recognized each other they start to fight and the two sides begin shooting at each other and thus begins about an hours’ worth of shooting in a small confined space.

During the shooting the sides call out to each other and some of their past association comes to light.

There are very amusing parts and quips along the way which worked, however, the fight was too long and it ran out steam about 20 – 25 minutes into the gun battle. Although the ending wasn’t predictable, it didn’t mean much because I didn’t care a whole lot.

Regardless of the film, if there is nothing to root for, care about, or associate/connect with, then the experience dies and the film fades from my mind just as soon as I get up out of my seat.

The actors that stood out during this film were: Armie Hammer (as Ord) the strong arm. Brie Larson (as Justine) as the smoother between the two groups. Sharlto Copley (as Vernon) another strong arm. Others, like Riley and Reynor, were good, however this film didn’t quite lend itself to strong acting, just short quips and brief explosions of anger or shooting. Amy Jump and Ben Wheatley wrote a quippish script. Wheatley as director did get something out of the limited script, but after 20 minutes of the OK corral in a broken down warehouse the film just fizzled out.

Overall: This film had possibilities but in the end, it failed on all levels.

The A-Team

First Hit: Overly long, failed to be interestingly complex, but the characters and explosions were fun to watch.

I admired that this film didn’t fall into the trap of trying to be its namesake television show.

To set up the characters and their relationship there is a long (Okay real long) opening segment prior to the film title appearing on the screen.

This set up tells us that B.A. Baracus (played by Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson) is the newest member of the group and that included Hannibal (played by Liam Neeson), Faceman (played by Bradley Cooper), and Murdock (played by Sharlto Copley).

Each team member has a special skill and we get to experience their skills as the film moves along. After the opening segment, there is a short interlude where the team works together in Iraq. After distinguishing themselves as the only team to deliver in Iraq, they get themselves involved in a job to steal back some US currency printing plates.

However, this job is a partial setup between the CIA, top Army intelligence, the regular Army and a group of private security people.

This is the main story for the film; however the writers don’t believe we think they're capable enough so we’re shown their will, strength, and skills again, by being wrongly thrown in prison so that we can see them escape.

The film drags on with a bunch of effects, like surviving their plane being blown up by parachuting down inside a tank which was in the cargo area and as it falls to earth it loses two of its three chutes, therefore to slow their descent they fire the tank gun at the ground while they fall. Who thought of that for the script?

BTW: Best shot, the aerial view of the wreckage of the container ship after being blown up.

Neeson, plays smart rugged and gruff well. Cooper plays I’m pretty and tough reasonably well. Jackson plays brutish and compassionate adequately, Copley plays psychopathic really well. Jessica Biel plays Army intelligence in a way that wasn’t believable. Patrick Wilson plays a CIA honcho like he had earned his stripes through years of good work but it appears on the screen as simplistic arrogance.

Overall: Some of the characters were amusing and there were occasional out loud guffaws, but you’ll have to sit through a lot to get them.

District 9

First Hit: Extraordinary film which had lasting effects about how one thinks about the human race and our actions towards ourselves and others.

It’s wonderful when a film defies and goes far beyond its trailers. For about two months I watched the trailers. Each time I wondered if I’d bother to go see it.

Something inside me kept knowing at me saying, “it might be more than you think”. In fact there is one scene in a trailer that stuck with me, it was one about the aliens not having the ability to go back home. This scene pulled me in because if aliens were able to land on earth and their space ship is hovering, and they can’t leave it, then the story might be interesting.

The beginning of the film gives enough information by using a reporter and news bulletin format so that when we’re dropped into the story we are not in disbelief about situation. The space ship is stuck a few miles above the city, and after an extended period of time of exploration and contact attempts, earthlings broke into the ship and found numerous aliens in desperate need of nourishment. To assist the aliens and keep them separate from humans, the government set up a walled refugee camp for them on the edge of Johannesburg.

Although the Prawns (as the aliens were called because they look like shrimp) started thriving, by having more children, they are trapped in this camp and are being taken advantage of by both the human race (who is experimenting on their bodies) and a small group of Nigerians who are running a strong-arm black market operation.

In retaliation, the Prawns wreck their own camp and riot from time to time. Sound familiar? It should, because this is what humans to do other humans as well. We take special groups of people and “for their protection”, create camps, special housing, and planned developments as a way to control their lives.

The main character Wikus (played by Sharlto Copley) has been promoted to lead the project to relocate the Prawns to a new location outside the city limits. The Prawns have been in their current location for 20 years and the city folk would rather have them leave, but as a second best thing they want them moved farther away from Johannesburg.

The plan goes awry when they attempt to oust a Prawn who’s created a way to start their spaceship, gather the remaining Prawns and go home. 

Copley was excellent as the lead character moving from a man with a slight attitude based on the position he was given towards a man with compassion towards the Prawns as he began to see how the actions of the government and corporation in charge of security were affecting the Prawns. As the film moves forward he teams up with a Prawn and together a bond is created. Neill Blomkamp directed and also co-wrote this interesting and powerful film. Although there are a lot of violent moments, the theme carries this film to a beautiful end.

Overall: This film was entertaining, thoughtful and violent. And, although the violence was pointed, the theme of compassion and humanity were the shining lights as the film winds to a beautiful end.