USA/UK/Ger 2004
Director: Oliver Stone
Score: ***

When watching ALEXANDER, the last big action blockbuster to hit screens this year, it should be remembered that the film is made by uncompromising director Oliver Stone. His films, like PLATOON, JFK and NATURAL BORN KILLERS are known to be disturbing, violent, artsy, political and personally biased. The beginning of ALEXANDER, for example with Greek letters overturned into the title credits on figures (like the eagle) superimposed on sculptors is an indication that a complex film is in motion. ALEXANDER, an Oliver Stone film is definitely bolder and in a way more challenging that any other action flick so far this year. Fortune favors the bold—is the quotation that flashes on the screen at the film’s start. No doubt Stone wishes the same blessing on his new bold film.

At a length of close to three hours, the script by Stone, Christopher Kyle and Laeta Kalogridis tackles Alexander’s life from child (wrestling with other boys) to husband, lover and warrior, as narrated by an aged Ptolemy (Anthony Hopkins). His stormy relationship with his father, the one-eyed King Philip (Val Kilmer) and scheming mother, Queen Olympias (Angelina Jolie) are given as much emphasis as the battles from Macedonia to the east ending in India. 

Colin Farrell carries the weight of his role comfortably on his broad shoulders. Odd though is the Irish accent that is kept by most of the actors playing his soldiers in the army. There are quite a few other Irish actors in the cast including Jonathan Rhys Myers. (Jolie sports a Russian one for an even stranger and unexplained reason.)

Stone’s film gets preachy at times. Hopkins’ narration, especially at the start often never makes any sense.

For example, there are long monologues—of things not of land or gold but of mind—with other flowery expressions. Stone’s attempt at telling his tale in non-chronological order tends to be a bit irritating and disjointed, but it evens out the screen times among the many actors. His decision too, to tell of incidents before they happen—for example, the viewer is warned of King Philip’s murder before the deed is done and of Alexander’s successes and failures before he fights his first battle—take away any anticipation, an important ingredient much lacking in the film’s execution. Stone’s politics, of why the Greeks are say, superior to the Persians comes across as simplistic. He gets away with it though as the logic is explained to Alexander when he is a child. One has to hand it to Stone for the non-compromising homoeroticism present in the film. Though there are no explicit gay scenes (there are straight ones), the smooches and implications are present, Alexander is portrayed as a bisexual with his adored male lover, Hephaistion (Jared Leto). Compare this to TROY, where actual lovers Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Patrolus were ridiculously reduced to the state of cousins for American audiences. Another point to note is the difficulty of carrying on the momentum of the plot without a strong villain or narrative.

The action scenes are exciting enough, aided by effective CGI effects. The middle Macedonian battle, complete with flanking maneuvers, shown bird’s eye-view, with thousands of arrows and spears is impressive as is the final battle done in red filters (as in the scenes in NATURAL BORN KILLERS) to simulate the bloodiness of the battle.

The film effectively ends with Hopkins’ narration bringing the film to a full circle. Hopkins declares Alexander’s defeat in the east as worthier than most conqueror’s victories.  Is Oliver Stone saying then that ALEXANDER, if a flop at the box-office is still a worthy effort?  ALEXANDER no doubt is worth much more than that!

Review by Gilbert Seah.

Pakistan/Fr/Ger 2003


Score:
***

Director:
Sabiha Sumar

Set in 1979 Pakistan when General Zia-ul-Haq took power firing Islamic nationalism, SILENT WATERS centres its story on a village Muslim widow, Ayesha (Kirron Kher) and her interaction of her beloved son, Saleem (Aamir Malik). She has all her hopes on him. But Saleem falls prey to the attraction of the city of Lahore and soon takes up with a group of Islamic fundamentalists.

Director Sumar’s film is rich in history, drawing from the past when the Indians and Pakistanis were divided in their sub-continent in 1947. Though the people of different religions lived as neighbors, they were at war with each other. Women were particularly at threat, from the males. They were often killed by their own for fear of being captured and raped by the enemy. If the latter happens, they are forced into servitude to bear children in shame. Ayesha is one such victim. Sumar also contrasts the daily chores of the villagers (both men and women) with the politics going on elsewhere throughout the country.  Effective are scenes in which religious chanting are then followed by those of women relaxing from the chores or a village barber cutting his customer’s hair. What good would fighting for any religion have to do with leading anyone leading a better life? For one, widow Ayesah has her own problems, surviving on her pension. The transformation in Saleem’s behaviour is disturbing in the way he begins mistreating his devoted girlfriend and his mother. 

One wishes that Sumar’s film would have a happy ending where everyone is reconciled.  But this will no doubt compromise the film’s theme (Hollywood style) and the message of the importance of individuality and personal honour compromised. Director Sumar has made controversial documentaries for Channel Four Television and her experience shows.

Review by Gilbert Seah.

Korea, 2004
Director: Kang Woo Suk
Starring: Sol Kyung Gu, Jeong Jae Yeong

Plot: In January 1968, the South Korean Military forms a special group, the 684 Special Unit in response to the North Korean Special Unit 124 which infiltrated South Korea. The unit is loaded with convicts who have nothing to lose, 31 men with either life imprisonment or death sentences. The group is brought to the island Silmido, and given a choice either to go back, and serve out sentence, or to stay on the island and take on a special mission. All that stayed undergo rigorous military training and become perfect soldiers to enter North Korea and kill the president Kim Il-sung.

The remarkable thing about SILMIDO is the fact that it is based on a true incident. I wasn’t that familiar with that event before viewing the film. And for those of you out there who are unfamiliar with the “Silmido” incident in 1970, let me just say that it was an incident that fueled the hatred between the North and the South. That said, it feels like everyone involved in the production of the film has taken great care to accurately depict one of Korea’s most controversial terrorist acts in contemporary history.

However, something must have happened along the way. The film indeed does have conflicts with itself. SILMIDO is not just a based-on-a-true-story. This DIRTY DOZEN-ish actioner offers quite high-octane action sequences and not so quite emotionally captivating moments. One minute they introduce a bunch of killers who must make a decision to possibly sacrifice their lives for country in very realistic way, then all the sudden this dramatic music swells and suddenly the film feels like… a Bruckheimer film… nothing more than THE ROCK or CON AIR.

The actors do a solid job, but you can’t really single one out. This is very much an ensemble piece. We follow the bunch as a whole, and focus on any individual character is very limited. Their performances provoke some good emotions out of the viewer by doing a fine job, especially showing their mistrust for each other and their dislike growing to their mutual respect and admiration.

One might feel that the story of this political misjudgment is suited for a documentary rather than an event film. That might be true. But for what it’s worth, this version of the story is strictly for entertainment value and it does its job, somewhat.

Review by Shogo!

Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Shame, Hatred of Humanity, Embarrassment and Dan Aykroyd.
Directed by: Joe Roth
Columbia Pictures

To quote Norm MacDonald: “Happy birthday Jesus! Hope you like crap!”

In what can best be described as a total aberration of all things good about Christmas, in his unholy plan to eradicate the holiday, Satan has teamed with lawyer/quasi-novelist John Grisham, Harry Potter director Chris Columbus and the elderly-pleasing Tim Allen to unleash the Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse, the horrific CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS.

In the whitest community ever, the whitest family ever, the Kranks, are saying goodbye to their white daughter, the whitely named Blaire. She’s off to Peru to do work with the Peace Core (which if you see her, you know there is no way this girl has even seen dirt), and that leaves Luther and Nora, the titular Kranks, without the will to live——at least you’’d think that way from the way they cry and carry on the whole time.

In a fit of rage, Luther decides that they’re going to skip Christmas this year and go to the Caribbean.
Now if this were real life, everyone would be happy for you and let life progress on it’s typical downward spiral.

But this being a crappy movie, the whole white neighborhood mobilizes and makes them prisoners in their home, constantly tormenting and harassing them to almost terrorist levels. I mean, honestly: the neighborhood is practically on the edge of suicide when the Kranks won’’t put Frosty on their roof. They stage protests and are on the verge of throwing Molotovs when Blaire, along with her Peruvian FB in tow, decides to come home.

Now this is where the movie gets plain out-of-hand: along with the fire and police departments (thank you tax dollars!), the whole community decides to throw a huge, outlandish Xmas celebration for Blaire.
And a woman with cancer gets a free cruise.

The sheer logic of this movie, even suspending ALL disbelief, is so far gone that it makes STAR TREK: GENERATIONS look like a documentary. Tim Allen does what he does best——no, not cocaine——but flail around like a diseased porpoise and Jamie Lee Curtis wails and shrieks, erasing any credibility she had left. And Dan Aykroyd takes a paycheck and goes home to Donna Dixon, where he will probably write BLUES BROTHERS 2050.

Call me a cynic, call me a Scrooge——but I’d rather spend Christmas with the Hitlers than the Kranks.

Review by Louis Fowler.

HK 2002)
Directors: Andrew Lau and Alan Mak
Score: ****

INFERNAL AFFAIRS is the biggest Hong Kong hit in decades, drawing a record HK$7 million when it opened during the Christmas of 2002. Not only does the film boast two of the city’s hottest stars (Andy Lau and the more recognizable Tony Leung of HAPPY TOGETHER, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE and other Wong Kar Wai films) but it has a multi-layered plot skillfully executed by its two directors in a film that is as entertaining as it is handsome to look at – a rarity in Hong Kong films.  (INFERNAL AFFAIRS has already spawned a prequel and a sequel.

Lau and Leung play moles, one planted in the police force and the other in a gangster triad.  The film begins with the two young men training in the force.  Leung is expelled but secretly hired to infiltrate the triad while Lau clandestinely reports to his triad boss while serving in police uniform.  The rest of the film interweaves the action of the two culminating in a confrontation as both discover each other’s identity.

Directors Lau and Mak develop a compelling tale by focusing on twin parallels - reflected in the nature of the two bosses – the chief inspector and drug king-pin; in the similarities encountered in the tasks performed by the two moles and again in the emotional trauma resulting in the prolonged playing of an uncomfortable role.  It is clear that the play in the cops and robbers game is interchangeable as it is ambiguous.  The loyalties that the moles develop as a result are as disturbing as it is real in life.  The action sequences (car crashes, chases on-foot and gangland executions) are sufficiently exciting, complementing the moody nature of the crime drama. As a bonus, there are some magnificent looking shots, for example, in the shoot-out sequence in the covered car park - the floor scattered with puddles of dark water reflecting the action taking place.  Master cinematographer Chris Doyle (mentioned in the opening credits) clearly must have left in his imprint here.  On the other hand, cheap theatrics like the elevator doors opening and closing on a slain body look too staged.

But it is the darkness and moodiness of the film that finally captivates.  There are no heroes in this story – just survivors.  The Chinese title, which translates to “Wujian Path” tells it all.  Wujian is the name of an ancient form of hell – a continuous hell, the one in Buddhist mythology of the worst kind.  It also reflects the torment particularly faced by Leung as the traitor in the triad.  Only two high ranking officers in the police force know of his undercover.  When one is killed and the pressure mounts, he has to seek psychiatric help to retain his sanity.

Lau and Leung are charismatic in their lead roles, portraying both a vulnerability and strength in their characterizations.  Their mentors (triad boss and police chief) are also brilliantly played by Eric Tsang and Anthony Wong.  Pity the female roles are under-written.  The psychiatrist (Kelly Chen) helping Leung through his trauma appear to be just going through the motions and Lau’s fiancée (Sammi Cheng) is more irritating, whining and complaining most of the time.

For all the praise that can be bestowed on INFERNAL AFFAIRS, one can only regret the tardiness at which the film has reached local screens. Miramax had bought the North American rights. It is only after its HERO broke box-office records that INFERNAL AFFAIRS got a release.

Review by Gilbert Seah.