Mumbai Calling is the latest in a long line of British sitcoms, but one that is fairly modern, almost completely original, and utterly different from anything that as come before. The shows premise revolves around British-Indian Kenny Gupta (Sanjeev Bhaskar), who is unwillingly sent to India to improve the profitability of his companies call centre, Teknobable. Also appearing is Terri Johnson (Daisy Beaumont), who was sent in to assess the job being carried out by Kenny, and Dev Raja (Nitin Ganatra), the extremely laid back call centre manager who works solely for the money and doesn’t really care how the call centre is run as long as he can have a laugh and catch a glimpse of the odd belly dancer.

Throughout the series the call centre attempts to address the various problems that the Indian workers have in communicating with their British customers; from not being able to understand regional accents, to lacking assertiveness and occasionally losing their temper. All of these issues are tackled with some truly absurd plot lines that involve everything from Bollywood heroes, the Indian mafia and a drink driving cabbie, all the way up to a photocopied rear-end. Yet despite how clearly ridiculous the plots are, they gel perfectly with the sitcom format and series as a whole, making it easy to watch, without the need to pick holes in the plot.
 
Characterization fits exactly the same pattern, as almost every character (bar Kenny Gupta) is played in such an over the top fashion, and as a complete stereotype, that they become almost pantomime like; Dev Raja possibly being the main culprit, as he is every bit the Indian counterpart of The Office’s David Brent (doesn’t enjoy work, sex mad, constantly messing around and often making a fool of himself, although Dev is liked by his peers, and is actually a good friend to them), Terri Johnson is the 30 something single business woman that we have seen so many times (workaholic that holds a deep sadness within and is just itching for Mr. Right to come along and whisk her away) and even some of the call centre employees are stereotypes, such as the cowardly young man that’s being forced into an arranged marriage because he is too scared to stand up to his parents and the and the cynical woman who is trying to do her job correctly and help the customers but can’t because she is surrounded by idiots that just won’t listen to her. Yet again, despite the characterization being heightened beyond the point of reality, it works in this situation, and many of the characters funniest moments come from their absurdly heightened stereotypical natures.
 
The idea of setting the show in an Indian call centre was an extremely clever one, as practically every British viewer will be able to relate to being put through one to of those terribly annoying call centres where  it is difficult to understand the unhelpful foreigner speaking on the other end. This series is clever because it approaches that subject matter from the other side of the coin completely, expressing just what a difficult job the Indian call centre operatives really have in dealing with nuisance callers, terrible computer software and a great deal of the seemingly retarded British public.
 
Direction and the style of the show are also interesting as it is very fast paced and something that appears pretty new to British comedy, featuring many seemingly random and irrelevant (although very funny) sequences that are reminiscent of a ‘Family Guy’ style “Just like that time I… (Insert random joke)”. Like most other sitcoms the plots are very episodic, so it wouldn’t have mattered if you missed one or two during it’s TV run, and the only real lasting plot element is the will they/won’t they relationship between Kenny and Terri; a relationship that is nowhere near as intriguing as the Ross and Rachel dynamic, or even entirely believable, but it does have its moments, both funny and sweet.
 
All in all this is a fresh new comedy show that despite being overly Asian is quintessentially British; featuring every type of famed British humour, including toilet jokes, endless innuendos, a good deal of slapstick and downright silliness, and even the odd clever lengthy set-up. In truth it’s surprisingly good, and despite a possibly off putting setting, it’s a barrel of laughs from start to finish; granted characters are all heightened beyond realistic levels, the situations are ridiculous and the humour is daft, but aren’t those all the things that make a good British comedy funny?

Picture:

The picture quality of Mumbai Calling can be summed up in two words, consistently average. That is not to suggest that this is in anyway a bad transfer, although it is somewhat under whelming; the series uses a wide range of vibrant and bright colours, as well as the mucky mid tones of the Indian streets, and the contrast stands up rather well to these extremes, as does the picture quality itself, with little if any noticeable difference between the indoor studio shots and the scenes set outdoors in the Indian sun. There’s no real grain to speak of, for a DVD transfer, but the detail levels aren’t especially high either, and as almost all of the series was shot indoors the overall impression is that they could have done better. Anyone not looking for superior quality, or content with mid range quality, will be more than impressed, because there are no problems, but this transfer certainly won’t hold water against other TV series such as the BBC’s impressive transfer of their Robin Hood series (Blu-ray picture on that release is superb).

Audio:

Audio, as with the picture, is nothing spectacular. Being a sitcom Mumbai Calling doesn’t need the most diverse and expansive soundfield, however it could have greatly benefited from some bustling street noise emulating from the rear speakers (during the outdoor shots), however being released with only two channel stereo that was not possible. However, sound levels are extremely clear with dialogue clearly audible over the hustle and bustle of the Indian call centre, and once the volume level is set it will never need to be altered. A big drawback on the audio front though is the Mumbai Calling theme tune, which is possibly on of the most annoying themes ever created, and played repeatedly over the DVD menu, and several times during each episode.

Extras:

Mumbai Calling has three extra features, a making of, a series Promo and an interview with Sanjeev Bhaskar and Nitin Ganatra. The making of featurette is extremely long (lasting just over an hour), and unnecessarily so; there’s the usual behind the scenes look, interviews, outtakes and other assorted extras, but each feels stretched. There are some interesting moments and anecdotes in it, such as the discussion of how Indian culture affected the shoot (needing to have everything blessed every morning and refusing to remove pigeons from the set) and how Nitin was mistaken for a terrorist while running through an airport to attend his child’s birth, and it is clear that everyone who worked on the show loved the experience, however this feature is only for hardcore fans, as it becomes tremendously tedious very quickly.
 
The promo, as you may have guessed, is just a long advert, and one that actually manages to make the series look less funny than it actually is; one to avoid. The interview with Sanjeev Bhaskar and Nitin Ganatra is similarly pointless as it has a rather bland tone and neither one really expands on the series or provides any interesting info or anecdotes.

The Bottom Line:

Mumbai Calling is a very good comedy series for one simple reason, it’s funny. It’s no Fawlty Towers, it’s no Blackadder and it’s certainly no Only Fools and Horses, but it has all the elements of a classic British comedy; toilet humour, innuendo and slapstick all tied in with suitably ridiculous plots. The acting is somewhat over the top, but that suits the characters and situations perfectly, there are some interesting guest stars (such as Richard E. Grant) and a new and suitably modern setting. The extras on the DVD are largely a waste of time and the picture and audio quality is far from astounding, however, that shouldn’t deter anyone from watching this laugh out loud comedy. Obviously anyone who isn’t usually into comedy should stay away, but viewers that like a good laugh are such to enjoy the series and at around £12 it’s a bargain price for a series that comes highly recommended.

The Series: 7/10
Video: 6/10
Audio: 6/10
Extras: 3/10
Overall: 6/10

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Mumbai Calling Series 1 DVD Review

Marley & Me is the true story of John Grogan (Owen Wilson), his family, and their dog Marley. Based on John Grogan’s best-selling autobiographical book of the same name ,this is a true American dramedy (half drama, half comedy), following the Grogan family from John and Jenny’s (Jennifer Aniston) wedding, through multiple house moves, job interviews, pregnancy scares and mishaps, births, and the one constant throughout; Marley, the Grogan family dog.

Marley & Me is based on John Grogan’s best-selling autobiography, of the same name, which was in turn based on a series of newspaper columns he wrote, while working for a high profile Florida newspaper, chronicling all major, and many mundane, events in his family life, that were often centered around the often comical antics of the family dog Marley.

The film begins shortly before Grogan accepts the job at the Florida newspaper (with his wedding), and details the decision making process behind buying the now infamous dog (as a way to prevent his wife from getting pregnant), his career shift from mediocre journalist to insanely popular column writer, and the growth and evolution of his relationship with wife Jenny and their children.

The first thing to note when choosing to watch Marley & Me is that it isn’t a typical romantic comedy; anyone expecting the usual boy meets girl while walking dog, boy and girl grow close, boy and girl have a tiff, boy and girl live happily ever after plot, will be severely disappointed. When the film begins the boy and girl have already met and fallen in love, and instead the film follows their marriage over a period of 13 years, including all its highs and lows, from pregnancy to vacations and even neighborhood break-ins. However the main focus of the film, is the relationship that grows between each of the family members and Marley, “The World’s Worst Dog” (according to John Grogan), as despite chewing furniture, swallowing jewellery, and some rather inappropriate humping, Marley’s affectionate nature shines through and he really becomes a member of the family.

Both Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston perform the films comedy elements with ease despite the fact that the film isn’t the usual rude teen/slapstick comedy that Wilson usually shines in or the sitcom/child friendly ventures that have made Jennifer Aniston so popular, yet there is plenty of comedy here, practically all of which revolves around Marley’s antics, with the remainder being made up of some clever and witty character jokes, all of which are at least chuckle worthy, if not laugh out loud funny. However it is in all of the films emotional scenes where the true acting talent of the main stars shows through, as there are tears of joy as well as sorrow, plenty of rage, and a good deal of humility all conveyed by both of the headlining stars, and both Wilson and Aniston performed their respective parts very well, with Owen Wilson’s being possibly his most adult (although not entirely his most convincing) performance to date.

Direction and cinematography here are nothing awe worthy, and stick fairly close to genre standards, with little flair being shown, although such a style has only become standard because it works well for the genre, and whilst not being especially fresh or modern, the style works perfectly well for the film.

In short Marley and Me is a true heart-warming family story, as it is both suitable for family viewing and tells the story of a real life family and everything that they experience over a thirteen year period, and while it is aimed mostly at the romantic-comedy loving female audience it’s also suitable for men as it’s a different story that is both funny and emotional and has several scenes that just about any viewer will be able to personally relate to. The film isn’t without its problems, such as despite occurring over thirteen years and having children that by the films close are at least coming to the end of primary school, the main stars don’t appear to age even a day and both finish with a full head of blonde hair despite finding each others first grey hair near the beginning of the film. However it’s a film that delivers exactly what it promises; a tale that guarantees to give a good hard tug on every viewer’s heart strings, and leave them thinking “aw.”

Picture:

The DVD release of Marley and Me has a picture that is at the height of DVD capabilities; the colour palette isn’t overly strong but has enough pop to make the right elements clearly stand out, flesh tones are completely natural, and the detail level is also fairly high. This is a top quality DVD transfer with as little grain or image problems as possible, and for people who crave superior image quality Marley and Me is also being released on Blu-ray Disc, and if the DVD is anything to go by the picture on the Blu-ray edition should be nothing short of superb.

Audio:

Marley and Me plays with a 5.1 soundtrack which, strangely for a new release, is only available in English. As with any drama/comedy the soundtrack won’t prove to be a speaker testing extravaganza, because there are no car chases, no gun fights, and no scenes that require much in the way of surround, however the sounds used are very effective; dialogue is heavily anchored to the front speakers, being both clear and easy to understand, music resonates mostly from the front, with quieter sounds emanating from the rear speakers, and there is a good deal of ambient noise in the many outdoor scenes which add to the realistic feel of the story. Overall Marley and Me received a very effective, although not noteworthy, soundtrack.

Extras:

Marley and Me has a plethora of extras including a look at finding and training the 22 dogs used to play Marley (“Finding Marley”), Cast and crew discussing working with children and animals (“Breaking the Golden Rule”), a talk with Marley (“On Set With Marley: Dog Of All Trades”), a short detailing how difficult it was to recreate an accident that happened on set (“When Not To Pee”), deleted scenes with commentary, a discussion about the benefits of adopting a dog (“Animal Adoption”) and finally a gag reel.

Unfortunately the review disc only contained the “Finding Marley” and gag reel extras, but both were certainly worth a watch; they are both short enough so that they don’t become boring (8 and 5 minutes respectively) and the Finding Marley featurette is interesting in how it explains how some of the best scenes in the film were spur of the moment suggestions made by the dog trainers, how unruly and funny some of the dogs were, and how they had to undergo ‘anti-training’ in order to become Marley. The gag reel isn’t overly funny and seems more of a montage for the cast to look back at fondly, yet there are moments that are likely to make you smile, the funniest of which involving the crew trying to get a perfectly clam and happy baby to cry on cue, and having great difficulty in attempting it.

Having only seen two of the features it is impossible to provide a true rating, but from those two it appears that any fan of the film will likely enjoy watching the extras on this disc, because they are amusing, short and easy to watch, and have the same tone as the film itself. Anyone who opts for the Blu-ray version will also receive two additional features revolving around dog training; a picture in picture training trivia track, and a dog training 101 bonus view video.

The Bottom Line:

Marley and Me is a surprisingly good film, the acting from the main cast is solid, the story is everything it should be; amusing, heart-warming and full of emotion; and it doesn’t fail to gain a reaction from the audience. It’s also a film that is well suited to just about any occasion; it’s a film that parents can enjoy with their children, it’s perfect for any couples romantic night in, or even just a girlie night alone with a bar of chocolate. The film itself has also been given a good release package as the DVD version at least has a top quality picture, an effective yet not awe-inspiring soundtrack, and extras that perfectly fit the tone of the film and are very easy to watch. This is definitely a film that is more suited to women than men, but there’s plenty for male viewers to enjoy; in short it’s an emotional story that’s well worth buying and would make a great present for any lady.

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Marley & Me, DVD Review

The Wrestler has been heralded as Mickey Rourke’s big comeback film, it was called the film of 2008, and many viewers and critics alike were surprised that it didn’t receive any Oscars, or even more than the two nominations it was given, but now that the hype has died down, and the DVD and Blu-ray have been released, it’s the perfect time to revisit Darren Aronofsky’s Golden Globe winning epic.

As the title suggests, the films plot revolves around a professional wrestler, Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson (Mickey Rourke), who was a wrestling superstar in the 80’s but has completely run out of luck and has gone from headlining major shows at Madison Square Garden to performing in independent shows at local halls, for a handful of cash that doesn’t even cover the rent on his trailer-park home.

Randy works at a local supermarket to supplement his income just enough so that he can continue wrestling, and despite detesting the menial job, and the way he is treated by the store manager, he sticks at it because he is desperate for the money. Yet a good deal of the money he earns, goes on medical bills (as he needs treatment after every match), drink and dances at his local strip club, and steroids so that he can maintain his bulky physique and keep wrestling.
 
Randy dreams of a return to his heyday, and early on in the film a possible opportunity to achieve that goal is presented via the form of a potential wrestling match with ‘The Ayatollah’ which first occurred twenty years before, and was regarded as Randy’s greatest ever match, and career high point. However in a more minor weekend match Randy is severely hurt after pushing himself too far; in a match that involves staple guns, glass panes, steel chairs, barbed wire and even a crowd member’s prosthetic leg; and after 14 minutes of torture and a crowd pleasing victory, Randy’s body finally gives in and he suffers a near fatal heart attack.

Doctors then inform Randy that he should stop wrestling, and that any exercise he conducts should be kept to a minimum, but as there is next to nothing in Randy’s life that gives him pleasure, he is left with possibly the most difficult decision he will face; to try and adjust to a life without wrestling, stuck in a dead end job with a horrible boss, or attempt to return to wrestling greatness, but risk another fatal heart attack.

It’s hardly surprising that Randy craves the limelight, as the only people that treat him with any respect are younger wrestlers, very young children that live in his trailer park, and a stripper named Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) who insists that he is just another customer, and yet despite the fact that these people treat him the best, they all seem to idolize and admire, yet simultaneously pity him.

Randy’s efforts to stay away from the squared-circle lead him to chase a relationship with Cassidy, and reform the one he lost years ago with estranged daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood), and all of these efforts lead to some truly emotional and heartfelt moments that perfectly showcase the acting talents of all three main stars. Evan Rachel Wood (of ‘Thirteen’ fame) is completely believable as the daughter that Randy has failed time and again, perfectly blending strength, weakness and the desire to cut all ties with her father, despite obviously loving him; she and Rourke have an excellent chemistry, that really makes it seem like these two characters have had a past together and, despite all outward appearances, do care for one another.

Marisa Tomei as Cassidy/Pam, the stripper, also plays her part extremely well (as evident by the Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress) as the everyday lady/stripper who, not unlike Randy, is constantly staggering on the line between fantasy and reality. Marisa acts superbly, seeming in a constant state of confusion, inner turmoil and bewilderment as she is unaware of the direction she should be taking (just like Randy) as  her aging body is failing her (once again like Randy) and she knows she cannot continue in the line of work she is in. Her character obviously cares for Randy, and there are some very intimate moments between the two, although she is constantly on guard and doesn’t want to mix work with real-life.

Most importantly, Mickey Rourke, plays titular character Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, and the whole film is basically one depressing event after another for him; his career fails (although we never see exactly how), he is flat broke, he has lost ties with everyone he loves, and finally, after one particularly gruelling hardcore match, his heart gives in and he is forced away from the one thing in life that gives him pleasure, wrestling. There’s no questioning the fact that Mickey’s performance here was utterly brilliant, and well deserving of not just the Oscar nomination for Best Actor (which he received), but also the win (which sadly he did not); he literally becomes Randy, in every scene he is in, the ballsy F-you attitude, the seedy nightclubs and the huge amount of emotional heartbreak he suffers can all be seen, and sincerely felt through Mickey’s enigmatic performance.

Mickey Rourke has always been a great actor, standing out in just about every film he has appeared in, yet The Wrestler wouldn’t have been too much of a stretch for him as almost all of the trials and tribulations experienced by Randy, Mickey has also experienced; he was snubbed by the very industry he loved (wrestling/Hollywood), largely forgotten by people that claimed to be fans of his, broken and beaten with a failing body (also reflects Mickey’s boxing career), experienced failing relationships and the loss of people close to him, and both men also worked menial jobs in anticipation of their one big comeback. Randy was so much like Mickey that Mickey actually rewrote huge chunks of dialogue, and personally wrote Randy’s heart-warming speech near the end of the film about himself!

The resemblance between the two is striking, and used to full effect, and the entire film is littered with metaphors and similes that perfectly mirror what is happening to Randy; the case of the aging stripper being a perfect example. The stage and fantasy aspect is also mirrored, with a camera shot of Randy entering the wrestling arena being recreated for Cassidy entering the strippers’ stage, and Randy later entering the Deli-counter. Music also plays a large part in the metaphor, as music from Randy’s heyday (the 80’s) is always presented as being good, whilst modern music (heard in the seedy strip club) is generally presented as being bad, or even foreboding. The 80’s songs also perfectly reflect Randy, as they are very good, catchy, songs that have probably been forgotten by most people.

The attention to detail, shown in the use of metaphors and songs, also plays out perfectly with another metaphor, where Randy and a young kid play a N.E.S. (Nintendo) wrestling game (a playable game actually created from scratch for the film), and discuss the much more modern Call of Duty franchise, which Randy knows nothing about, highlighting the fact that he is clearly stuck in the past.

There are surprisingly few wrestling matches in a film about a professional wrestler (with Randy only participating in three), however no more are really needed, as this is more of a drama than a sports epic, and instead of relying on glitzy matches the Wrestler prefers to tell an emotional story about a troubled wrestler, that’s willing to do just about anything to reclaim his former glory. The acting is superb, the dialogue is spot-on and while overall this is a fairly depressing ride, it’s one with a huge amount of emotional impact, and one that comes highly recommended.

Picture:

As with most Blu-rays nowadays, the Wrestler comes via a full 1080p transfer that actually holds up pretty well. Due to the films limited budget, and director Darren Aronofsky’s shooting style, the Wrestler was filmed entirely with handheld cameras, in a documentary style, and the 1080p transfer obviously heightens the level of grain on what would have already been a fairly grainy picture. Having said that, while detail may not be pristine, it is still very clear, with all the tears, scars, and drops of blood on Randy’s body being clearly evident, and there is no problem making out any important part of the picture. The film uses a fairly muted colour palette, which accurately reflects the tone of the movie, and successfully makes backdrops appear bleak yet real, and skin-tones naturalistic. Despite the grain, black levels remain consistently deep, which is an obvious plus in a film which contains a surprising number of low-lit scenes, including night driving and strip-club interiors.

Audio:

The Wrestler contains one of the finest DTS-HD-MA soundtracks to date, ambient noises such as seagulls and traffic heighten the experience and realism of the quiet scenes, whilst the booming music, pumping bass and ever present screams of cheers erupting from the crowd after every thumping body blow, completely surround and immerse the viewer in the arena, an experience which is further helped by the use of handheld cameras. The arena effect is also present in the strip-club scenes, which provide a good deal of surround sound, and immerse the viewer in the location.

Despite the thumping music and crowd cheers, the soundfield never grows too large, and thankfully the volume doesn’t need adjusting at any point during viewing, as dialogue is perfectly represented (even resonating from the rear channels when appropriate), and easily understood.
 
Musically the Wrestler has a very good soundtrack, from the moody modern hip-hop beats of the strip club, to the ever popular 80’s hard rock of the Wrestling arena, there’s something to impress everyone, and Clint Mansell’s minimalistic score (recorded by Guns N’ Roses own Slash) is well represented and accurately captures the tone of the film.
Overall this is a thoroughly impressive soundtrack that has the ability to easily immerse viewers in Randy’s world, and unlike most, actually enhances not only the experience, but the story as well.

Extras:

Extras for the Wrestler are fairly limited, and come in the form of a making of documentary titled “Within the Ring”, which runs for just under 45 minutes, a 16 minute interview with Mickey Rourke, and the obligatory trailer.
 
Within the Ring is an interesting feature that sees director, writer, producers, professional wrestlers/extras, and Evan Rachel Wood discussing almost every aspect of the filmmaking process, from devising the story, to choosing locations, and the ever important filming process and what it was like working with Mickey Rourke (although it’s clear that there were tensions on set that aren’t discussed here). There are several clips of unused matches, talk of on set improvisation and the perspective of some real wrestlers that were used in the film.

Mickey Rourke’s interview is the standard close-up shot of him talking to the camera, but fascinating nonetheless as Mickey is as compelling as ever, and extremely open about his experiences, sharing plenty of stories and anecdotes. It’s especially interesting to hear Mickey compare himself to Randy, how he looked down on wrestling before the film, how the filmmakers couldn’t raise any money on his name, and how Darren Aronofsky went as far as to make him believe that his dog had died in order to get a truly sad performance from him.

Whilst the trailer is HD, the other features are in standard definition, with 2 channel sound that on the Within the Ring feature is difficult to hear and requires constant volume adjustment. Having said that all of the features are worth watching as they are very interesting, yet it’s surprising that not one solitary clip of Marisa Tomei discussing her role and the filming process, or the sit downs with professional wrestlers, such as DDP and Rowdy Rody Piper, discussing the film, which were showcased on the Wrestler’s official website, were included.

The Bottom Line:

This is clearly the film that is propelling Mickey Rourke back into the mainstream (although considering his talent he should never been away), and rightfully so, as this is a truly emotional journey that will leave any viewer emotionally strained and with a newfound respect for the sport, as it clearly showcases the lengths that these sportsmen go to in order to please the crowd, and highlights just how dangerous and ‘real’ wrestling is. It’s an extremely clever film that is multi-layered and littered with ingenious metaphors and perfect dialogue that makes the world seem all the more real, it manages to tackle big issues such as steroid abuse without making them too big a deal, and show some excellent displays of wrestling.

While the story maybe a tad depressing, it’s extremely engaging, honest, and true to life. The acting of all major characters is superb, with Mickey’s performance being as close to perfect as possible, the effects are brilliant and while picture quality isn’t prefect, the documentary look and immersive soundfield help to enhance an already great film. The Wrestler is unquestionably one of the best films of 2008, and it’s interesting to see a film that is essentially a Metaphor for Mickey Rourke’s struggle in returning to fame, it’s a shame that some of the interview footage from Marisa Tomei and professional wrestlers wasn’t included in the extras, but all-in-all the Wrestler is an astonishing piece of filmmaking, and one that is well worth picking up.

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The Wrestler, Blu Ray Review

Season 7 is the final season of the Shield, and it’s clear from start to finish that the series hasn’t lost any of the hard-hitting, gritty realism, that’s had fans hooked since early 2002. The stories are as edgy as ever, there’s plenty of action, brutality, and a plot that twists and turns so often that once you start watching, you won’t be able to stop. It’s also the most shocking series yet (fans will know that’s a pretty bold statement to make), as there’s about ten or eleven episodes (out of a 13 episode series) with cliff-hangers so surprising that not only will they make any viewers jaw hit the floor, but leave them with only two thoughts; “wow!” and “what’re they going to do next?”

The Shield was created by Shawn Ryan (writer for Angel, showrunner for The Unit, and co-wrote Terminator Salvation) and revolves around the exploits of the L.A.P.D. within the fictional Farmington District. The series’ main protagonist is Detective Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), who heads the Strike Team; a four man unit that deals solely with gang related crimes, and aren’t above planting evidence on suspects, beating confessions out of them, and even occasionally raising the bar to outright murder and other questionable activities used to keep peace on the streets and supplement their income.

The main issue presented by the series is the use of force, and corruption within the police department, as the actions of Vic and the rest of the Strike Team are not only vicious, but immoral and downright illegal, yet they always seem to do more good than harm; granted now and again they ‘forget’ to turn in a brick of heroin to evidence, or make back-room deals with drug dealers and murderers, but all the beatings, murders and stitch-ups they ever conduct are against people that are truly deserving; serial rapists, paedophiles, murderers, pimps or drug dealers; and because of this no viewer can truly hate Mackey or the Strike Team as a whole.

In the pilot episode Mackey was referred to as “Al Capone with a badge” but as another detective pointed out, as long as people feel safe, and crime is down, as far as the public are concerned “it’s don’t ask, don’t tell,” and while most people may agree with that in real life, we have not only been told, but shown the actions of the Strike Team for the past six years, and as this is the last ever season fans were itching to find out if Mackey would finally get his comeuppance, or what depraved acts he would have to commit to escape scott free.

The next section of the series review should only be read by people that have seen at least the first six series of The Shield, as while it contains no real Season 7 spoilers, it does refer to events from earlier series. People that haven’t seen the earlier series’ should skip ahead to Acting/conclusion, Picture/Audio quality, Extras and the Bottom Line.

Season 6 ended with Shane (Walton Goggins), once again, being in way over his head with a gang; the Armenians, which led to him letting slip that Vic had ripped off the money train, and even kidnapping Vic’s wife and children to protect them from an Armenian hitman. Season 7 kicks off with a bang, as within the first few seconds Shane’s wife is bound and gagged, and Shane is receiving a beating from Vic and Ronnie (David Rees Snell) and is forced to tell them about the Armenians and just how screwed they all are.

From that point Vic, Shane and Ronnie are again forced to work closer together, and the season’s early episodes focus on the efforts to catch and kill any Armenians that know of their involvement in the money train robbery and could, by association, be a threat to their families. Shane is trying to find the Armenians before Vic and Ronnie, in order to keep his involvement in their predicament under wraps, and once more tries to redeem himself for killing Lem back in season 5.

Vic and Ronnie (him especially) aren’t too forgiving; they want to end the Armenian threat, find out how involved Shane is, and if not to avenge Lem’s death outright, to at least cut all ties with Shane. Inevitably tensions boil over, and the surprising actions of some of the main characters shift the story in a totally new direction. Without giving too much away, the remaining members of the Strike Team find themselves in more trouble than they have ever been in before, it’s clear that at least one if not all of them are going down, either to prison or the morgue, and the team’s inevitable descent to hell comes extremely rapidly from that point onwards.

The shift mentioned occurs in episode 8 (titled “Parricide”) and it is possibly the finest episode of The Shield ever produced; it has some of the best writing, best acting and most nail-biting moments of the series entire run. It is an episode that will not only have viewers on the edge of their seats, but holding their breath for the full 45 minute episode simply willing certain characters to do/not to do certain things, and this episode (more so than most, yet all in this season are brilliant) is a perfect example of why The Shield has been so beloved by fans, why the first season gained the most Emmy nominations for a basic cable drama, and just what an all-round brilliant show it was.

Unfortunately however, The Shield has now ended, and most people reading this will be interested in one thing above all else, ‘was the finale any good?’ and in short, it was unexpected. That comment shouldn’t be taken too negatively, as there are many things about the final episode which would more than please the shows legions of loyal fans; the fact that it was written solely by Shawn Ryan (shows creator and sole writer of the pilot episode), that references and even appearances are made by supporting cast members from earlier seasons, and most importantly of all, that every major storyline is satisfactorily and realistically closed.

Spoilers End

Realistic is a word that perfectly describes the series’ ending; as whilst it may not be the ending that most fans were expecting, it’s one that would probably have happened, had the events of the entire series been real; and on reflection, it was truly a piece of writing genius to end the series in such an unexpected, realistic and still shockingly powerful way.

As one would expect, the finale is tied up almost entirely with the fate of Vic, and it’s one of many episodes that keeps you guessing right until, and even past, the episodes closing scene. It’s an extremely powerful episode that will memorize just about anyone watching, there’s unexpected twists even at such a late stage in the game, and it is acted so well that the emotions of all key characters can actually be felt by the people watching, an example would be any one of several scenes where the camera holds steady for 30-40 seconds on a close-up of Mackey’s face, with no background noise or anything but his expression to convey the complex emotions felt by the character, and they are all scenes which Michael Chiklis pulls off exceptionally well.

The acting in this series is nothing but superb, Michael Chiklis is as convincing as ever as Vic Mackey, the tough cop that believes he is trying to do the right thing, and effectively carries the wider range of emotions needed to be conveyed by his character this series; having to show sadness, empathy, and convey a feeling that he knows he is taking things to far, and is disgusted with himself, but is unable to stop.

However it isn’t just Michael Chiklis that deserves all the credit, as the acting from the supporting cast is also exceptional; Walton Goggins, as Shane Vendrell, had to carry his character through some especially dark times during the season, and despite being an extremely difficult character to like, he was convincing and created a character that was easy to hate, yet deserving of an innumerable amount of empathy. David Rees Snell has the finest season of his Shield career as the third Strike Team member, Ronnie Gardocki, and it’s a season described in the commentary as the corruption of Ronnie because in several episodes Ronnie is forced to commit acts worse than he has ever done onscreen before. He’s an extremely likeable character, and it’s nice to see him get more screen time than has been awarded him in the past, and while David’s acting might not be as critically praised as that of Michael Chiklis or Walton Goggins, he easily matches their stellar standard and his performance far surpasses simply being believable, making it easy to feel for his character.

The rest of the regular cast also have their fair share of screen time and decent stories this series, Billings’ law suit reaches its climax, Dutch (wonderfully played by Jay Karnes) becomes involved in a disturbing case regarding a potential teenage serial killer, and the extent of Claudette’s (a character played to perfection by CCH Pounder) illness is made clear, and Aceveda (Benito Martinez) edges ever closer to the mayors desk.

To sum up, The Shield is, and has always been, a magnificent series, and season 7 is impressive enough to not only contend with but even surpass some of the earlier series’. The acting from all regular cast members, guest stars and even those reappearing in smaller supporting roles (the return of Tavon was a personal highlight) is as near perfect as possible, the stories are just as shocking and powerful as ever, with Vic barely hanging on through most of the series’, and the individual tragedies that befall a number of key characters are enough to move viewers to tears.  This is one of very few series’ that can be classified as essential viewing, as the writing quality, the show’s style and overall impression of the show haven’t failed to disappoint for seven years.

Picture:

The Shield has always been known for it’s gritty look, and as with all earlier series’ you can expect a good deal of grain on this transfer, something which is so noticeable that it even warrants a mention in the season openers commentary. However, grain here isn’t the result of a bad transfer, but rather a reflection of the series’ on-the-fly style of filming, and use of handheld cameras that provides a near documentary style look to the show. For that reason alone it should not be put down, and the fact that contrast remains consistent throughout and the picture looks a good deal better than the earlier series’ mean that whilst being far from perfect, the picture quality is more than adequate (actually adding to the realistic feel of the show), and doesn’t distract from the edgy storylines contained in each episode.

Audio:

Audio on previous Shield boxsets has been pretty limited, with seasons 1-6 having only 2 channel mixes, and unfortunately whilst online info states that season 7 has a 5.1 audio track, it only played in standard 2 channel stereo, with no options to change to 5.1. It’s understandable that the fast paced nature of the show, use of handheld cameras and the crews style of filming, would make it difficult creating a full 5.1 track during filming, but The Shield is a show that could really benefit from some decent surround sound; there are numerous action sequences, scenes on city streets and even quiet moments where the low hum of fluorescent lights being heard through the rear speakers would provide another level to the show and help to further immerse the viewer; however this isn’t the case, and season 7 of The Shield still has the same tired audio quality of the first season. A track that will be far from impressive, but boasts clear dialogue, ambient, and action noise levels throughout, and while it will not heighten the experience of the series, neither will it distract from the compelling story.

Extras:

As with all previous The Shield boxsets there are deleted scenes for every episode (51 scenes in total) with optional commentary by creator Shawn Ryan, and while the scenes themselves may prove interesting (but brief) the commentary really isn’t needed, as it generally consists of ‘this was a good scene but we cut it for time’ and little else.

There is also episode commentary on every episode, with commentators changing from main cast members, to writers, directors and crew, and they are surprisingly easy to listen to and informative. The commentaries conducted solely by the writers can become somewhat tedious, but the ones with directors and cast (particularly the finale) are interesting enough to please both fans and casual viewers alike; as they are littered with stories about the decision making processes, behind the scenes antics, banter between cast members, interesting question posed to one another and funny anecdotes, that all prove worthy of a listen.

Finally there are two making of featurettes: “Last Call: The Final Episode”, which is only really for real fans, as it mainly consists of the cast giving small speeches and heartfelt goodbyes to one-another, and “Nobody Expects to Lose, Nobody Expects to Die: The Shield’s Final Act”, which is more of a traditional making of, with some interesting cast and crew interviews conducted before, during and post filming, behind the scenes shots, and recapping the final season and showing how the ending was reached.

The most puzzling extra(s) of all come on the final disc, as there are ‘deleted scenes’ from the final episode, that seemed strangely familiar, because they were in fact only deleted in the U.S. and anyone who watched the finale on Channel 5 would have already seen these scenes. The scenes even appear in the episode when watching them on the DVD, the only difference being that in the deleted scenes section, they have worse picture and audio quality. Even more baffling, is the ‘bonus episode’ which is the U.S. version of the finale, which is exactly the same as the one that aired here, but with the ‘deleted scenes’ actually taken out, and unfortunately the only way to watch the two-part finale as a whole is to view the ‘bonus episode’ with removed scenes.

In short, a nice collection of extras, with many interesting deleted scenes and commentaries and a nice making of featurette, although the ‘bonus episode’ really wasn’t needed.

The Bottom Line:

Summing up, season 7 of The Shield is pure television brilliance, it’s the perfect (even if rather unsettling) ending to possibly the best show on television and has lost none of its impact since its hard-hitting pilot first aired. All major stories are summed up powerfully well, there’s a closing montage that’s brought many viewers to tears, and no-one could argue that there could have been an ending that better suited the characters and situation that they found themselves in. Granted the picture quality is far from perfect, but that’s a stylistic choice rather than a transfer issue and actually adds to the realism of the show. The audio also isn’t up to scratch with most new releases, but that shouldn’t put anyone off when there’s a plot this intricate, gripping and truly shocking. Season 7 isn’t the place to start if you’ve never seen The Shield, because events from not only seasons 2-6 reach their culmination, but so does the storyline first opened up in the shows pilot episode. If you already own seasons 1-6, then 7 is a must buy as it rounds everything off brilliantly, otherwise the soon to be released, excellently presented, complete box set, comes highly recommended.

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The Shield Series 7, DVD Review

Seven Pounds reunites Will Smith with both the director (Gabriele Muccino) and producers of The Pursuit of Happiness, to create another personally focused melodrama.

Smith is introduced as IRS agent Ben Thomas, an emotionally troubled man that is on a quest to make a difference to the world and help some truly deserving people. From the films outset he is dolling out all kinds of help to people that have fallen on hard times and can’t afford to pay the tax man (a welcome prospect in today’s financial climate), but not everyone receives his uniquely generous help, as he goes above and beyond the requirements of an IRS agent in researching the clients backgrounds, and gets fairly angry with anyone he deems less than deserving; including a doctor that runs an old folks home but is less than caring to his residents.

The main focus of the film rests on the relationship between Smith and a woman who is not only is large amounts of debt, but also has a severe heart condition; making her doubly in need of Smith’s help. Their relationship begins when Smith approaches her regarding her tax debts, he then decides that she is a good person and doesn’t deserve to be worrying about debts with her illness, she becomes intrigued with him, and despite his efforts to keep a distance the two grow immeasurably close, as she grows more and more ill.

Without giving too much away, the films climax comes after realizing why Smith’s character is so emotionally damaged, and watching him go above and beyond, what even Bob Hope would do, in an effort to both redeem himself from previous actions and truly help a select group of people he feels are deserving.

The incident that emotionally damaged Mr. Thomas and led to the events of the film are hinted at throughout by a number of short flashbacks that provide brief snippets and clues into his world prior to the beginning of the film. The flashbacks, are supposed to provide seemingly confusing shreds of information, that when pieced together towards the end provide a full account of his traumatic past, however this isn’t the case; it’s glaringly obvious to just about anyone watching why Smith is doing what he’s doing (the title is a bit of a giveaway as well, if you can work it out) and by the time the mystery unfolds and the so-called ‘twist’ is revealed, you will have seen it coming for so long that it simply leaves you thinking “so what.” 

The over reliance on the twist is one of the major things that lets Seven Pounds down, the romantic element, which appears to be the main focus of the story, never really gels with the other side where the viewer needs to ‘work out’ why Smith is doing what he’s doing. It may have worked better if one or the other was focused on more heavily, or better still if it was mainly about Smith’s attempts to redeem himself, how he arrived at the making the decision he has made (something that’s never satisfactorily explained) and the ethical questions that it raises.

Despite the holes in the story the acting remains solid throughout, Will Smith gives a good yet not groundbreaking performance, constantly appearing troubled and tormented by his past, it’s not a very subtle or unique showing, but one that does the job very well. Smith’s love interest is played by Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Death Proof), and while she shines while playing the romantic side of her character, she never comes across as overly sick, which is strange for someone who, as we are constantly reminded, is only one mild sneeze away from burning out her heart and keeling over. Barry Pepper (We Were Soldiers, Saving Private Ryan) plays Smith’s best friend, and pulls off the tragically loyal yet morally confused man who’s just trying to do right by his friend, it’s also nice to see him in another non-army role. Arguably the best acting in the film comes from Woody Harrelson, in a brilliant yet surprisingly brief role as the overly nice blind man that for some unknown reason is berated and stalked by Smith’s character. Woody plays his part excellently, being extremely nice and yet clearly showing that underneath it all he is brimming with hatred and resentment to those who treat him badly, this is a true testament to his acting ability and one that provides a clear case for placing him in more starring roles in the future.

In brief, Seven Pounds is a film that’s likely to maintain interest all the way through, as it never becomes boring, however it suffers from an over-reliance on ‘mystery’ elements and it blatantly obvious twists. Too much is given away too soon, and whilst having only one extremely flat melancholy tone throughout adequately reflects the experiences of the main character, it’s not the best way to tell a story. Cinematography is more than adequate although not outstanding, there’s a decent cast and the acting is solid, but all in all this is one fairly unremarkable film.

Picture:

As you’d expect from any of Sony’s newer major releases, Seven Pounds is presented in full 1080p glory, and it’s a transfer that won’t disappoint. The picture is extremely detailed, and there are several shots (particularly one outdoors scene in a field) that look truly amazing. Blacks levels are superb, being both rich and deep, and whilst the colour does veer slightly to the yellow side of the spectrum (and it is very slight), slightly distorting flesh tones, the contrast remains incredibly good. Seven Pounds is one Blu-ray that, at least in picture terms, most owners will be impressed by.

Audio:

Another thing viewers expect when buying a new Blu-ray release is a quality soundtrack, and once again Seven Pounds delivers, with a Dolby True HD 5.1 track which, like the picture, it’is a fairly impressive one. As this is more of a drama, and focuses on the romance between Smith’s and Dawson’s characters, obviously there isn’t much action; which means that this isn’t really a movie that should be used to test your systems setup. However, the volume, unlike many releases, is perfectly leveled throughout; meaning that not once does sound become overbearing or too quiet to listen to; this is best heard through the dialogue, which is perfectly aligned in the front and center channels, and never even slightly difficult to understand. The score, which fits the tone and individual scenes of the movie exceedingly well, is well worked into the film and spread through each of the channels very effectively, as are the ambient sounds present most notably in the exterior scenes. Overall this is a brilliant soundtrack, not one that’s going to show off your system, but one that’s perfect for the film.

Extras:

The list of extras is fairly standard when compared to most discs, there’s the usual audio commentary (a fairly boring solo effort by director Gabriele Muccino), a standard making of (called Seven Views on Seven Pounds, and consisting of talks from the director, writer, producer, editor, composer, and other crew), around four minutes worth of deleted scenes (all boring and add nothing to the film) and interviews with the cast (called Creating the Perfect Ensemble). There’s also about half a dozen trailers for other films, which is always a welcome addition, and two short features which are pure filler, but interesting nonetheless; one based on the life of the box jellyfish, and another about the art of the printing press. All in all the features are a fairly standard mix, but they’re pretty informative and mostly interesting; the jellyfish feature being of particular note.

The Bottom Line:

Seven Pounds definitely isn’t a film to write home about, rather than action, story or special effects, its main selling point is simply having Will Smith as the main star. The story doesn’t play out as happy, sad or uplifting; it attempts to be a mystery but gives away too much, and every twist, small or large, fails to shock or surprise. Smith’s character says that being unremarkable would be a step up for him, but being unremarkable is exactly the level this film achieves. Avid Will Smith fans may want to rent Seven Pounds, as there’s enough going on to maintain interest for one viewing, but it really isn’t worth a second watch. Sure the extras aren’t bad, sound and picture are both great, but that doesn’t make up for the colossal problems with the plot. It is a good disc, but it’s an ultimately forgettable film.

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Seven Pounds, Blu Ray Review

Pascal Laugier’s Martyrs is the first ‘real’ horror film in years for one simple reason, it’s horrifying. The French director pulled no punches with this film, and has made possibly one of the most graphic films ever to be released.
 
Although saying that this isn’t your average slasher film that’s completely void of any plot, this is instead a twisted story which revolves around violence and torture. It begins in the 70’s, when a young child named Lucie (Mylène Jampanoï) is found wandering the French roads with obvious signs of abuse. The police soon find that she had been tortured at great length in a disused slaughterhouse, which she had apparently never left, and strangely for an abuse case of this nature there are no traces of sexual contact. Luice is soon placed in an orphanage, where she befriends a girl called Anna (Morjana Alaoui), although she remains traumatized by what has happened to her, beings self-harming, seeing things and refuses to communicate the experience to anyone else.
 
After one fairly frightening incident in the care home involving a mutilated girl, the film picks up fifteen years later, after the pair have left the orphanage, and still traumatised by her ordeal Lucie is out for revenge. She tracks down her former abusers, and aims to make them pay for what they did, however Anna isn’t so sure that it is them, as the only evidence is a newspaper photo and Lucie’s old memories. The onset of violence is quick and uncompromising, as Luice exacts her particular brand of revenge with little remorse, spattering the victims’ blood all over the pristine white walls they called home.
 
That look, the red blood on white walls, is very powerful; presenting the setting almost like an abattoir, something which is heightened by the level of brutality and limited colour palette used, as practically all major colours seen are red, white or black. It’s not just powerful, but mesmerising, and yet slightly distracting, as you constantly realize that the cinematography and direction have come together so perfectly that every shot is tragic, yet beautiful, but that success is also a downfall as the viewer is constantly reminded that they are watching a film.

 
Then again, Martyrs is also a film that can thoroughly draw the viewer in, and keep them transfixed, as mentioned before; this isn’t an average slasher film, and characters here really matter, you feel disturbed yet saddened by Lucie’s actions, waiting for her to ‘get better.’ It’s similar with Anna, at the beginning you are slightly indifferent to her, as she is little more than the rational side of Lucie’s personality, but as the story progresses she becomes worthwhile, and particularly in the latter half anyone watching would feel a deep sympathy for the ordeals that befall her. Martyrs is largely void of other characters, and whilst they appear, and in some cases play fairly important parts they are largely soulless (something that is perfectly fitting for the majority of later characters) but also have believable interactions with one another, something helped that the acting by all parties involved (particularly Morjana Alaoui and Mylène Jampanoï) is superb and near faultless.
 
Horror fans won’t be disappointed, as there is plenty of gore here, and Martyrs is definitely not one for the squeamish, there’s gallons of blood, a fair chunk of torture and plenty of cringe-worthy sadomasochistic charm, but that’s not to say that other audiences won’t be entertained, as the story develops, particularly in that latter half, as more of a spiritual one and has you caring what happens to the leads, not simply waiting for the next bimbo to get bumped off. The particularly graphic nature of the film rejects the notion that less is more, and instead opts for bloody, shocking realism, allowing the viewer to see everything, something which could have failed the film, if not for the amazing job conducted by the effects department; every gunshot, cut, hammer to the head or even skin-peel (that’s right, skin-peel) looks real, not just good, but real. Prosthetics, CGI and make-up all work together exceptionally well here to create an effect even hardened viewers would have troubled picking apart, and help to fully immerse the viewer in the gory spectacle.
 
In short, Martyrs is simply a must for any horror fan, it’s got shock value, will make you jump and doesn’t fail to frighten. However, one point that is worth hammering home, it is a French film, without an English soundtrack, so be prepared to read the subtitles; and for those of you thinking that as it’s a horror “ahhh” sounds the same in every language, it does, but remember there is a story here, with character interaction and spiritual messages which you will need to read to fully appreciate this film. And again, it is very violent, so if Hostel was too much for you, steer clear as the truly graphic nature of Martyrs is likely to not only have you up all night, but to have you up all night with your head down the toilet.

Picture:

Martyrs is presented in full 1080p glory, and it’s a transfer that doesn’t disappoint; every spatter of blood, every wrinkle and every tear are as rich and detailed as can be. This isn’t The Dark Knight, or RocknRolla, but it’s amazingly close, blacks are bold and deep, the contrast is particularly striking and helped by the director’s choice of colours, and whilst there is the inevitable spot of grain, it’s hardly distracting, hardly noticeable and hardly there. Truly one of the best Blu-ray transfers to date.
 
Audio:

Once more Martyrs fails to disappoint, as the soundtrack is presented in DTS HD Master Audio, and the 5.1 track is crystal clear. However surprisingly for a horror it makes little use of the rear channels, with only one or two relatively short uses during the entire film and it isn’t a film with much bass, but there is some subtle application of the woofer. Seppuku Paradigm’s score was completely forgettable, some people say that the best film scores are ones that you do not notice, a statement that isn’t totally without merit, but do not expect to be moved either way by the music from the relatively new composer. Whilst this may not be the sensory extravaganza that one would expect from a horror title on Blu-ray the sound is perfectly clear, and more than adequate for shocking the audience, and progressing the story.

Extras:

The special features on the disc are limited, yet quite in depth and detailed. There is a making of featurette, interview with writer/ director Pascal Laugier and an interview with the special effects/make-up artist Benoit Lestang. Each one is fairly detailed and interesting, with a uniquely intimate and low budget family feel. However any non-French speaker is likely to become both distracted and bored whilst watching the features, as they consist of constant talking (as you would expect from an interview) and therefore the need to read subtitles makes them feel stretched.

The Bottom Line:

Martyrs is well worth a look, even if that look comes from behind a cushion. I usually wouldn’t put much stock in foreign films, and generally don’t want to read subtitles, but for anyone that doesn’t mind having to read this is a gem. Strangely for a horror film it actually has realistic characters that you will feel for, and a strange yet slightly undefined spiritual element. If horror or subtitles aren’t you’re things then steer clear, as a strong stomach is needed to watch Martyrs. Picture and audio quality are superb (despite little use of rear channels) which more than warrant the extra money for the Blu-ray, but the extras would only really be suitable for hardcore fans, or French speakers. It’s a unique film, that’s worth a look, has garnered huge praise, been marked for a Hollywood remake and propelled Pascal Laugier to the big time; so if it’s simply the language that puts you off, it maybe worth waiting for the Americanised version, or Pascal’s upcoming remake of Hellraiser, otherwise, I advise you watch this beautifully crafted, uniquely twisted thriller.

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Martyrs, Blu Ray Review

The Film:
To put it bluntly, American History X is one of the best and most powerful films ever released. It’s a message movie that, unlike most message movies, has a right to take itself seriously, and doesn’t once come across as pretentious. The message contained is an anti-racist one, which is told from the perspective reforming neo-nazi Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton), and his impressionable younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong), and follows Derek’s rise to skinhead hero, eventual fall and incarceration, and his post prison attempts to rebuild his and his family’s life and prevent his brother from going down the same path.

American History X is the title of a one-on-one class created for Danny (Furlong), by the principal Dr. Sweeney (Avery Brooks), after he turned in an assignment on Mein Kampf that argued for Hitler as a civil rights activist (which didn’t sit too well with his Jewish teacher or black principal). Danny’s first assignment for the new class is to write a new essay, about what happened to his brother Derek (Norton), and how those events have shaped his view of society; with the majority of the film forming a visual representation the essay, and Danny’s recollection of the events, and the other half/remainder containing the events of the day of Derek’s release and Danny writing his paper.

The film actually only takes place over a mere 24 hours, from the morning that Derek is released from prison to the following morning when Danny takes his essay into school, and so most of the film is shown through extremely vivid and detailed flashbacks; detailing Derek’s transformation from normal adolescent to the figurehead of the D.O.C (the most notorious white supremacist gang in Venice Beach) after the traumatic death of his father, the events that lead to his prison sentence, and troubled time whilst inside, and what eventually makes him decide to reform.

Every shot in the movie is superbly crafted, but it is during the flashback scenes that the artistic flair of first time director/cinematographer Tony Kaye really shines through; everything from the past is shown in beautiful black and white, with many exceptionally placed slow motion elements, alternate angles and close-ups. While the flashbacks are wonderfully shot, they are rather lengthy and form such a large part of the film they run the risk of turning it into a black and white film and spoiling its fast paced nature, thankfully neither rings true; as the transitions from colour to black and white and back are done so smoothly they could easily go unnoticed, and viewers have been known to say that they didn’t even realise entire sections were black and white.

This isn’t an action heavy film, but rather an emotionally driven story, although it does contain some of the most brutal and uneasy violence seen in a film of this nature, and it is made all the more poignant because of the rhetoric Derek uses and the actions he takes; when he leads a group of skinheads into trashing a store that employs illegal immigrants, or sadistically murders two black men on his own front garden, it all seems so real that it could be happening outside your house right now.

The rhetoric and actions of the characters, and specifically Derek, combine to create some of the most believable characters in any film, and the truly scary thing about American History X is that despite the fact that Norton’s character is literally brimming with pure evil (during the flashbacks), shown best by the ever-so proud smile and wink he gives whilst being arrested for murdering two black men, it is still so easy to believe in him. When he speaks about illegal immigrants, job stealing, drug use and the problems raised by so called equality, everything he says has such a strong element of truth that it is easy to see how real people get drawn in to these gangs and end up committing some of the heinous hate crimes that they do. Yet for all Derek’s wrongdoings there is only one scene where it’s possible to turn on him (at an uneasy family discussion about race and Rodney King that turns violent), as in all others he doesn’t do anything wrong; he beats people up, but they’re all “border jumpers” so shouldn’t be there anyway, he bans all black people from the public basketball court, but only by winning a game of basketball against the cheating black players, and yet when he finally reforms (after some realizations and tough times in prison) he remains just as compelling; it’s easy to feel happy for him, yet sad at the same time and immensely proud that he finally has the guts to fix his life.

Danny is just as believable a character as Derek, and while not quite as compelling, that is because of his character, and not the acting of Edward Furlong, who actually did a brilliant job of creating a true to life confused youngster that illustrates just how impressionable teenagers can be and how easy it would be for them to go the wrong way. This is one of only two noteworthy performances by Furlong (the other being Terminator 2), yet arguably his best, and one that showed the true potential he once had.

Other performances come from Beverly D’Angelo, as the boys mother (a solid and convincing, yet not spectacular performance), Elliott Gould as Danny’s Jewish history teacher and his mother’s ex-boyfriend (solid showing as the uneasy and scared teacher/partner), and Avery Brooks as Dr. Sweeney, the principal at Danny’s school and Derek’s old teacher and mentor (near faultless performance of the teacher that’s eager to help; he’s a believable mentor and convincing as someone that does outreach work with gangs, a far cry from his role as Captain Sisko in Deep Space Nine). Two other notable showings are Stacy Keach as Cameron Alexander, the mastermind behind the white supremacist gangs (good acting, but not astounding or dissimilar from that of his role as the warden in Prison Break), and Ethan Suplee (Randy from My Name Is Earl), as the true extremist and full believer of the white power rhetoric (he plays this part immensely well, and will make any My Name Is Earl fan watch the show in a completely new light).

To round off, American History X is, despite its limited financial success, one of the most powerful films around. It’s possibly the only message film around that’s actually moving enough to change opinions, and if you’re not into messages there’s no need to worry because it’s a film that has something for everyone; there’s an emotionally rich and detailed story, a good deal of action, nazis, an extremely important prison element and all rounded off with a brutal and shocking conclusion that will astound almost any viewer.

Picture:

When first watching American History X on Blu-ray it’s clear that there is a large amount of grain present, although that’s largely because of the way the film was shot, being a stylistic choice, and not simply a bad transfer. If anything the 1080p upgrade is a surprisingly good transfer, being much clearer than the standard definition release and whilst there are noticeable parts of the picture containing blurred edges, and fine details that are less than perfect when compared to more recent hi-def blockbusters, blacks are much deeper and richer than previous releases and the contrast will not disappoint; a clear step up from the last release.

Audio:

Sound on this edition has also been upgraded, to a 5.1 Dolby True HD track which, whilst making relatively light use of the rear channels, and containing large sections of relative silence, is extremely clear. There are one or two minor issues however, such as the odd voice or sound effect coming from the wrong speaker, or jumping speakers with little transition or reason, however it’s an easy thing to miss, doesn’t occur too often, and probably won’t put even a single viewer off, especially when there is such an immersive and gripping story to contend with.

Extras:

The extras have to be the only disappointing thing about this Blu-ray release, as there are no new features compared to the feature-lite standard definition release. The only feature available is a short collection of short deleted scenes, none of which are terribly interesting or long, and would have added little to the story if included in the final cut. A making of documentary, or preferably an alternate cut, would have been much appreciated, but both remain extremely unlikely to ever be released as Tony Kaye remains adamant that his film was “raped” by New Line and Edward Norton’s editing, and wishes to have nothing further to do with it or them. The packaging is also less than brilliant, as while the front cover may be on a par with the standard definition release, the back is much more colourful than the last release and presents a much happier tone than this modern tragedy warrants.

The Bottom Line:

Tony Kaye may have hated it, there’s lacklustre packaging, hardly any extras and picture and sound quality that are a ways below reference quality, however, this is one film that everyone should own; the story is so powerful it truly has to be seen to be believed, it will give every viewer a unique experience depending on their preconceived level of prejudice, and will convey a whole range of emotions including anger, pride, joy and above all, sadness; the mark of a true tragedy. Picture and sound are below reference quality, but are still miles ahead of the standard definition release, the cinematography and acting are truly brilliant, and the exciting and moving story more than makes up for any faults with this disc. American History X is a worthy addition to any collection, that more than warrants the extra £6 for the Blu-ray; but even if you’re feeling cheap, £5 for the SD release is a bargain that’s too good to pass up.

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Our Ratings

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American History X, Blu Ray Review

The Series:

ITV1 drama usually concerns itself with crime, family difficulties or the odd period piece, however lately they’ve been moving into new territory with shows such as Moving Wallpaper (fictional show about producing another fictional TV show) Primeval (a show where a team of scientists battle prehistoric and futuristic creatures that have entered our time-space) and the focus of this review, Demons, which centres around a small band of demon hunters.

Demons aired earlier this year, to slightly mixed reviews and declining ratings, but with the DVD and Blu-ray release just around the corner is this six episode series worth picking up?
 
The show revolves around Luke Rutherford, a London teenager who learns from his godfather that he is the last descendant from the Van Helsing Line, and it’s his job to put and end to all the demonic and ghoulish goings on in and around London, whilst also trying to live a normal teenage life consisting of exams, parties and girls. The general plot is stupidly unrealistic, far-fetched and downright absurd, but it mirrors a string of successful American counterparts such as Supernatural, Angel and almost exactly mimics Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as she found out she was the latest in a long line of vampire slayers thanks to help from a guardian and also battled vampires and demons whilst trying to lead a semi-normal life.
 
British networks have tried for years to create a supernatural series that could rival those in the states, and whilst we tend to get the basic idea right, the shows never last. Take HEX (which happens to be made by the same production company as Demons), it had a short two series run on Sky1 and had a similar concept; a girl at an English school finds she is a descendant of a line of witches and must battle demons; it was never episodic, yet the arc felt purposely stretched, the effects were poor and the departure of both lead character and lead demon didn’t help improve ratings for the second series. Problems that affected HEX and other like-minded shows generally all boil down to one thing, money. Unlike the Americans, we simply don’t spend enough on decent television, which is why we lose all our best writers, actors, editors and effects producers to the states.  The latter being especially important, as a supernatural series such as this relies heavily on creating believable effects.

 
As British shows don’t have the budget for blockbuster, or even block-denting, effects they tend to do two things, gear even more to youth culture (by showing exams, parties and boozing) and go overly ‘quirky’ in order to create a ‘unique’ selling point. Thankfully Demons refuses to go down the same path; yes there is a driving test and one or two scenes set in a college, but then the hero is only a teenager, and as for quirks; granted there’s quite a few, including the odd semi-bullet-time fight effect that’s likely to make you cringe, and villains that look like they have just stepped off a panto stage, but they’re generally in good fun and the show doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously.
 
Whilst the villains may look they belong in panto, they don’t act like it, and most are played very well with a darkly comedic and ruthless edge; Mackenzie Crook’s (Gareth from the Office) Gladiolus Thrip being a perfect example, as despite the ridiculous costume he manages to still appear threatening. The costumes were a stylistic choice that I disagree with (especially the inclusion of a very unconvincing rat/man), but the style carried by the rest of the show is inspiring; it produces a London that is stylish, gothic, dark and yet youthful and real all at the same time. The Stacks (underground library and teams HQ) looks like any old library, aside from the hobbit hole front door and the fact it’s based in an underground passage, yet is a safe place that any viewer would love to have a nose around.
 
Addressing some of my misgivings about British television, the effects department have done a terrific job on this show, the Demons make up is done exceptionally well, and the shows effects are surprisingly stunning in some parts, with the main let down being a fully C.G. monkey/gremlin in episode one. The high standard is achieved as the show seems to know its limits; it doesn’t try and recreate dinosaurs, show shape-shifters or any other especially tricky elements, instead confining the C.G. work to mainly fast shots that are perfect for the show.

The stories are another area where Demons surprised me, they are pretty generic and you’re likely to have seen them a dozen times, but they are still well told (for the most part) and the real gold lies in the writers ability to tie classic stories into the modern context; with the Series’ best episode being directly related to characters from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (thankfully the big man himself does not appear). It’s a darker episode than most with, with elements taken from Angel and Blade (but don’t expect Blade levels of gore on a 12 Certificate), some good action and genuine character moments.
 
For the most part characters in this series are simply there, not to be disliked or cared for, but there are some points where emotions boil and you do care for them. Christian Cooke is just what you’d expect as Luke, the pretty hero who doesn’t exactly know what’s going on but always manages to dispatch enemies with ease and still go to college. One of the most perplexing things about his character was the ease with which he took the news that he was destined to fight demons; barely batting an eyelid at the thought of facing supernatural creatures and death for the remainder of his life. Holly Grainger plays Ruby (a carbon copy of Xander from Buffy) who also took Luke’s news surprisingly well, she often saves the day but only sticks around to help fight Demons because she is secretly pining for Luke’s affection. Philip Glenister (Gene Hunt from Life on Mars) plays American Rupert Galvin, Luke’s protector, mentor and godfather all in one. He embodies the emotionally scarred, gruff hero, and while the accent is different, the coat’s a different colour and there are demons instead of criminals, the role isn’t that different from Gene Hunt, so it’s one you know he can do well. Rounding off the main cast is Survivors star Zoe Tapper as Mina Harker, the blind piano player with psychic abilities that has been helping Galvin for a number of years. Zoe’s performance is adequate, but rarely more than that, and is not helped by her occasionally forgetting to act blind.

There are also guest appearances from actors such as Mackenzie Crook (playing one of the Series more perilous demons), Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew) plays a brilliant part as Father Simeon, a helpful yet eccentric zombie priest, and Father Ted’s Mrs. Doyle as a psychic fraud.

The first episode of the series, is as expected, typically British, somewhat cringe-worthy and suffers from the worst effects of the series, but as the series progresses it begins to find it’s own becoming slightly darker and much more watchable with some decent (but mostly unoriginal) stories. There’s the usual banter between characters providing a small element of comedy and of course the demon battling scenes, which when absent of bullet-time(ish) effects are choreographed fairly well, however afterwards even a mild scratch seems to find the heroes in need of medical attention. The last episode however, despite possibly setting up a new intriguing enemy for the second series, was a bit of a let down, feeling rushed and out of place, attempting to go too big too soon.
 
Despite the average to disappointing bookends, the series delivers exactly what it is supposed to; it’s simple family light entertainment, an easy watch that’s perfect for the kids. Is this a British Supernatural? No. Is it a British Blade? No. It’s Doctor Who with demons and a library instead of Cybermen and a time machine. But for fans of any episodic show following a similar format, or people looking for an easy show that will impress the kids, this is it.

Picture:
If I were to be generous to this transfer I would describe it as bad. This 1080p transfer is not up to the job and suffers from noticeable grain with picture quality having obvious differences between not only episodes but scenes as well. By the end I may have grown slightly accustomed to it, but the picture seemed noticeably better on the final episode although still not great. Watching closely you can tell this is a high definition disc, and should be higher quality than the DVD version, but if you are buying this don’t expect a reference quality disc by any means.

Audio:
Similarly disappointing is the disc’s two channel audio, as this is a series that really could have boosted it effectiveness by creating some subtle rear channel soundtracks to heighten the uneasy feeling of some of the darker scenes. What sound there is however is clear, well balanced and well placed, and Jack C Arnold’s series score is particularly impressive being worthy of a big budget film. The theme tune (Eyes of the Night by Starlight Mints) is also noteworthy as it is fits the show perfectly being modern, upbeat, memorable and likely to get stuck in your head for hours.

Extras:
Demons contains no extras whatsoever, aside from the obligatory interactive menu (which actually looks rather nice) and the option to turn subtitles on and off.

The Bottom Line:
Demons is an average series, more mature/gore hungry viewers should look elsewhere (possibly at Blade: The Series, or Supernatural for something in-between), but this is perfectly suited for Saturday night family entertainment. The stories are far-fetched, acting mostly average and some scenes are laughable, but it’s true to form and provides good honest fun.  If you’re a fan of Doctor Who type shows, this is a must buy, but being only six episodes long, having poor picture and unmoving audio quality it may be worth settling for the standard DVD, or even waiting until that comes down in price. Also if you were planning on buying to catch up before the next series airs, there’s little need as Philip Glenister has announced that he will not be returning, and has put the shows whole future in doubt.

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Demons, Blu Ray Review

The Film:

When news of writer/director Guy Ritchie’s new gangster project, RocknRolla, surfaced, I have to say I was hopeful, yet not optimistic. Whilst I was a massive fan of his first two (Lock, Stock and Snatch) the third (Revolver) was an utter car wreck. So, is RocknRolla a spectacular return to form, or another miss?

As with any Guy Ritchie film you can expect a very detailed and intricate plot with several different elements all separate yet interconnected, and all winding towards each other for the big finale. Very briefly the film concerns crime boss Lenny Cole, played by Tom Wilkinson, offering to bribe councillors for planning permission for some Eastern European Crooks, who happen to lend him a painting which gets stolen by a junkie musician named Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell) – the RocknRolla. Obviously Cole tries using his gangster ways to track down this painting as the Europeans want it back, but they have their own problems, as the money they are supposed to pay Cole with keeps getting stolen, thanks to insider information given from their accountant to One Two (Gerard Butler) and the Wild Bunch, who need the money to clear their own debts with Cole.

If you’re not confused by now, I’d be impressed, but there’s no need to panic, as this is possibly one of, if not, the easiest to follow of the Ritchie films to date; which is both a positive and a negative. It’s good because it’s never really confusing, but bad because you never really get to experience the shocks and thrills presented in Lock, Stock or Snatch, as it’s all laid out from the start and any plot development can be seen a mile off.
 
Another thing that’s somewhat lacking, is the humour that was so evident in those first two films; lines like “Could everyone just stop getting shot” or “it was at a funny angle” are completely absent but there are a few laughs; mainly presented around one character finding out a mate of his is gay, a couple of robberies and during a superbly constructed robbery/chase flashback scene. A scene that lasts a good few minutes has action, humour, and a good bit of directorial flair and is one of the best and most memorable parts of the film.

The real problem here is not necessarily the story, as whilst unsurprising it’s fairly well thought out and expressed… aside from the pacing; Lock, Stock and Snatch gained momentum throughout, growing bigger and bigger until the climax and eventual cool down cliff-hanger. RocknRolla simply doesn’t, it never really takes off, and while great deals of events occur and the story keeps progressing, you’re continually left waiting for it to get going.

One of the biggest shocks of the film was the absence of Jason Statham, who has appeared in all three of Guy’s other crime films, but couldn’t be in RocknRolla because of a scheduling conflict. To make up for that, we have Tom Wilkinson, who easily pulls off playing crime boss Lenny Cole, a role not dissimilar to the one he played in Batman Begins. Gerard Butler (of 300 fame) as One Two is the loveable low-level criminal, a role he fits fairly well, yet somehow isn’t quite as endearing as you’d expect, and doesn’t seem quite hard enough to fulfil the role. Other than that the cast is largely full of people that you will recognize, yet might have trouble placing, such as the girl from Mission Impossible 2 (Thandie Newton), the agent from Entourage (Jeremy Piven) and the bloke from that episode of Sharpe (Mark Strong).
 
Ritchie has a gift for picking out untapped talent and Mark Strong really shines as Archy, Cole’s right hand man, a loveable honest gangster who’s loyal to the end. The rest of the cast however are nothing special, Thandie Newton gives a fairly lifeless performance, and Jeremy Piven whilst acting as good as ever, isn’t really given a chance to shine (watch Entourage or Smokin’ Aces for classic Piven). The real untouched gem in this picture is Toby Kebbell, as Johnny Quid, while some of his scenes don’t really require all that much acting, others that would be downright difficult he performs with ease; when he’s high, he really does seem strung out, when he flips, you believe he’s a real psycho, and the hardest of all, when he’s crying and sad (or pretending to be) you actually feel sorry for him.

In the end, RocknRolla, is a decent film (miles better than Revolver), one that will make you smile, give you a good dose of action and the typical tough cockney bravado that you expect from the genre. The plot whilst appearing confusing, is easy enough to follow, and well shown, but by the end, your left with a resounding ‘is that it’ feeling as it never really seems to take off; but then again, Ritchie is planning to turn this into a trilogy, and if this is simply the first act then the rest should surely be worth a look. RocknRolla is worth a look in its own right, and should entertain any fan of the British crime genre, but would probably have faired better if I didn’t hold Lock, Stock and Snatch in such high regard.

Picture:
 
RocknRolla is presented in beautiful, and it is beautiful, 1080p quality and doesn’t disappoint. Blacks are bold and deep, and look especially good next to the heightened and stylised colour palette selected for the film. It’s obvious that a good deal of enhancement took place as far as colour is concerned, but it was done so well that you will be hard pressed to figure out what is real and what’s been artificially altered. There are a couple of points where grain rears its ugly head and tiny fluctuations in contrast levels, but you really have to look for them. Granted there have been better transfers than this, but not many, and anyone who is watching the film instead of simply examining the picture should certainly be impressed.

Audio:
 
Musically RocknRolla lacks the commerciality of Lock, Stock and Snatch, instead, containing a much more subtle soundtrack that whilst different from earlier ones, works extremely well. Music plays a large part in flashback scenes, but for the most part goes unnoticed, but where the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack truly shines is concerning the effects; it’s by no means a film that will test the limits of your speakers throughout, as rear channels and the woofer remain largely silent (aside from the odd bit of background noise), but what that means is that when the action does kick off you really know about it. Sound here (unlike most transfers) is actually a part of the film, not simply an added effect, and every little nuance is directed from the right angle, with the right sound and employed at the right time. I was thoroughly impressed with this soundtrack as it fits the world completely, not one to test your set-up with, but one that works exceptionally well for the film.

Extras:

Additional scene: Will You Put the Cigarette Out
An amusing little scene, that is less story progressing and more of a mild comedic sketch, hence why it was cut. It takes place before the main robbery and basically consists of the Wild Bunch joking around with One Two who’s running on a treadmill and annoyed at another bloke smoking, hence the name of the scene.

Blokes, Birds and Backhanders: Inside RocknRolla (HD)
A 15 minute behind the scenes featurette, that flies by. It contains all the usual cast and crew interviews, some shots showing how scenes were constructed, discussions of the films metaphors and the evolution of London. Only problem with this extra is that it is too short, and doesn’t delve into making/shooting of the main robbery scene as much as I’d have liked.

Guy’s Town: The Director reflects on his fascination with the ever-evolving London (HD)
Despite the name, this isn’t just a conversation with Guy Ritchie, there’s interviews with Thandie Newton, Tom Wilkinson, Gerard Butler and crew members all discussing locations, and how London has changed over the years. The sections on locations such as Battersea Power Station and Canary Wharf are interesting, yet the feature is a little redundant as most of the clips are shown in the Blokes, Birds and Backhanders feature.

In addition there’s the regular commentary provided here by Guy Ritchie and Mark Strong, and a free digital copy of the film for download. Here I can’t really comment on either as I’m generally not one for commentaries, and digital copies don’t interest me as they appeal more to people that watch films on there ipods, but those people will be disappointed, as strangely the digital copy is not itunes or ipod compatible.

The Bottom Line:

RocknRolla is surely worth a watch, it’s a very good London crime film in its own right; just don’t go into it hoping for another Lock, Stock/Snatch. Picture and sound quality are both excellent making the extra three pound for the Blu-ray well spent. The extras are nothing special, just a couple of shorts tacked on because that’s what customers expect nowadays, but that should hardly stop you from watching the film, and I recommend you do watch it, just don’t expect a miracle.

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RocknRolla, Blu Ray Review

Saying this is a Clint Eastwood film is no understatement, he couldn’t have made a bigger mark on this film if he tried, even his sons got involved; one in a starring role and another composed the score. The only thing Clint didn’t do, was write the screenplay, that was handled by a first time screenwriter Nick Schenk who frankly did a fantastic job, so good in fact that when Clint got hold of the script he insisted that the studios not be allowed to change a single word (changes were eventually made, but only changing Minnesota, where the film was originally set, to Michigan, where it was finally shot).

The plot is surprisingly simplistic, yet at the same time multi-layered and rich with thought provoking elements, not to mention a thoroughly believable angry old man that isn’t afraid to get stuck in and give the local gangs what for.

It begins, with Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) burying his wife, and his disapproval for the way the world is turning out is instantly shown, as his own grandchildren are dressed like they are going to a rave and making jokes at their grandmothers funeral, prompting the Dirty Harry growl and glare that will be used so often during the next two hours. Walt’s bitterness is not unfounded, and you can easily see why he has become so grumpy and withdrawn from his family as they are all lazy, some are dope smoking, all selfish and only spend time with him when they want something.

He doesn’t disown his family, but remains withdrawn from them and lives a mostly private life, with his main point of contact being the local priest who is determined to get Walt to go to confession (something he flat-out refuses to do). Another of his main gripes with the world is seeing the state of the neighbourhood, as all other Americans have left and he is now surrounded by Hmong people from South East Asia, something the inherently racist Walt cannot abide. One night it gets too much for him, as a local Hmong gang begin beating the boy who lives next door and when it spills onto Walt’s front garden he grabs his old service rifle and orders the gang away.

The next day he finds out that he has, quite by accident and irritatingly, become the neighbourhood hero praised by all the local Hmong who shower him with food and gifts. He objects to this at first, determined not to be liked, until (after helping the girl next door avoid a potentially nasty situation with some other local gang) he slowly starts to grow closer to the kids living next door. And as the young lad he ‘rescued’ promises to do work for him for a while they become friends, with Walt acting as a sort of father figure, helping Tao (the young boy) find a job and giving him advice on his love life.

But it’s not all hunky-dory from there on in, the gang that Walt shooed from his lawn keep causing trouble, which causes Walt to react, and things escalate to violence against his new friends, and as we all know Clint wont stand for it; he hatches a plan, and goes to sort the gang out, with severe consequences for those involved.

To sum up, Gran Torino is almost like a neo-Dennis The Menace, told from Wilson’s point of view. Clint Eastwood being Wilson, the grumpy old man that’s annoyed by youth, hates Dennis (Tao and the other Hmong next door) and is just after his privacy, before slowly growing to like Dennis, then riding to the rescue when he gets into trouble.

Now, you could be forgiven for thinking that this entire film was Hmong propaganda just written to show how lovely they are as a people, whilst every American portrayed in the film (including Walt) has a real attitude problem, with the white young stereotyped to be as obnoxious as possible. But this film isn’t propaganda, and was written by a white man, it’s simply a different way of telling the buddy/mentor stories that need to have two very different people thrust together, such as Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour and Men in Black.

The film isn’t overly action-packed but that doesn’t seem to matter because there is a real story here, one that will hook you in, keep you entertained and have you really caring what happens to the characters. Plus, what action there is, is extremely well done, not simply filler; with every shot successfully driving the story forward.

Characterisation is also well done here, with Clint Eastwood’s Walt embodying the way many people feel having their neighbourhoods overrun by gangs and foreigners; he is the grumpy old man inside all of us, wishing people were hardworking, private preferably white (in his eyes) and most importantly not near him. In fact when he becomes the hero of the neighbourhood he does so purely by accident; “Get off my lawn” he tells the gang, not ‘leave the boy alone’ or ‘nobody does that sort of thing in my neighbourhood’ – “Get off my lawn.” And his actions work, they are noble and really make you want to stand up and do something about the problems in your community. His character also stays believable all the way through, as he never does a complete u-turn like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, he accepts the people he likes, and is still short with everyone else; by the end of the film he is still calling Tao and his sister names like ‘egg-roll’ and ‘zipperhead’, however at some undefined point they shifted from being racial put-downs to affectionate nick-names.

The Hmong kids next door also seem well portrayed, I don’t pretend to know a lot about Hmong culture, but the kids are all traditional yet very American at the same time, and obviously have their own lives aside from the main story, not being completely tied to Walt.

This may not be a film for everyone, although even most people that usually dislike Clint Eastwood would get something positive out of this. Some people complain of slow pacing or a lack of action (I’ve already explain why the action isn’t an issue) and the pacing suits the style and tone of the film, in real life things wouldn’t kick off and finish in a day, it takes time to set things up and that time is put to good use here, fleshing out the characters and giving you something to care about. I would advise anyone to see the film as even if you are niggled by some small thing or are appalled by the racism early on, by the end you’ll have been happy, sad, annoyed and gung-ho, you’ll have laughed and you will appreciate what a good film this is.

To sum up, Gran Torino is basically a brilliant film. It’s Clint Eastwood’s first leading role since Million Dollar Baby, and whilst the sound of a 78 year old action hero wouldn’t normally fill me with confidence, he pulls it off perfectly, like no-one else could, and it is quite possibly the best I have ever seen him. It’s a film that will have you wanting to watch it again the second you finish, not because you’ll see the twists coming this time round, but simply because there hasn’t been a story this good, this well told, or this real, for years.

8/10

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Gran Torino, Cinema Review