The Late Reviews Continue. Resurrected Post.
MBW was away at a conference it Atlanta. You know what that means: more reviews of films you all saw months ago. Now, working the day job, writing, and taking care of the HA can wear a man down some. So I have to admit I went to bed early a couple of times. Therefore I was only able to catch up on two movies.
First up, Black Panther. This is a film thoroughly enjoyed by many, one that resonated with a lot of viewers. I���m not inclined to tell someone he���s enjoying the wrong thing, that his fun is invalid. So, if you liked Black Panther, great. It didn���t work for me, though. There were a few good action scenes. Some of the visuals were impressive. Not all, however. The CGI fights of our titular hero looked false, like some of the early Spiderman��movie effects. The whole lost world vibe can make for cool story, but it is hard to swallow nowadays in a world encapsulated with satellites. And the writers suffered from Star Trek syndrome, with characters suddenly forgetting the technology at their disposal, thus allowing a problem to continue for dramatic purposes that they should be able to settle without difficulty. A lead character with the immense resources of an entire kingdom at his disposal ought to be in a better situation than BP allowed himself to suffer.
The setting didn���t work well for me. I had trouble rooting for a tribalistic monarchy. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Then there���s the end. If BP suddenly wished to benevolently share his country���s tech and resources, why not start with his neighbors? When comparing levels of poverty and disease, frankly Oakland doesn���t match the neediness of say, Senegal or Sudan or Namibia or���you get the picture. Start in your own backyard, man. (Yes, BP did tell the UN he was going to share with the world, but apparently the first priority was ��� California.)
I���ve enjoyed most of the Marvel offerings, so I went into BP with good will. But, as with the second Thor flick, it failed to entertain me. YMMV. But c���mon, armored rhinos?
Second, The HItman���s Bodyguard. Now this one pushed the right buttons. Near John Wick level action but with the hyperkinetic comedy snark of Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. Note to writers: a simple plot limits the likelihood of plot holes. There were some, if you trouble to think about it, and the action was ��� as is always the case with these films ��� implausible. No one should be able to long survive the trauma these characters do. But you know going in that���s in an action comedy. The film delivered precisely that. Plus Salma Hayek. Recommended with a couple of beers and a bowl of popcorn.
Feel free to tell me how wrong I am.
View more on Ken Lizzi’s website ��Like ������� 0 comments ������� flag
Published on June 24, 2018 14:12
