Donlevy Reviews The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

We come to it at last -- the end of an era. The Middle-Earth saga is (essentially) complete with the third and final entry in the trilogy of The Hobbit films, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. It has certainly been a long road to get here, not the least of which has been making three movies out of a single book. I've had a mostly positive outlook on such a choice, as I feel the reasoning was sound in fleshing out additional characters and stories, but even I knew after the announcement of a third movie and the eventual name change what to expect. The Battle of the Five Armies is exactly what it sounds like: a giant effin battle. It's maybe a testament to how padded out the movies have become to make an entire film out of the last few chapters of the book, but while Five Armies certainly feels like the most stretched of the trilogy, I found it to be no less satisfying. Indeed, the battle that is the film's namesake is one hell of a battle, and despite a lingering overall feel, Battle of the Five Armies does just enough right to send off the movies in a proper and dramatic fashion, even if it doesn't reach the heights of something like Return of the King.

The film picks up immediately after the events of Desolation of Smaug, with said fiery-breathing-Cumberbatch-voiced dragon descending upon Lake-Town to exact vengeance. Battle of the Five Armies literally wastes no time getting straight to the action, and it's quite a move to resolve the aftermath of Desolation in a very dramatic and exciting way before the opening title even shows up. With Erebor vacated, Thorin and his company take control of the city and its riches. Both the people of Lake-Town and the elves of Mirkwood stake claims on parts of the great treasure, but Thorin is overcome with a sickness of the mind from the treasure hoards, and becomes paranoid, obsessed, and near-mad. Strife looms overhead as the nearby city of Dale is occupied by the men and elves, who prepare for confrontation unaware of the threat of the orcs led by Thorin's nemesis Azog closing in.

Gandalf's side of the story in Dol Gulder from Desolation is also concluded right away, where the White Council comes to his aide in one stellar and crowd-pleasing scene. I mean, Saruman O.P. Oh and Galadriel don't take anybody's crap. And Elrond is just a badass. Really, it's quite a fun scene! Although I have to be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about that entire story arc. Yes, it's a nice way to connect to Lord of the Rings by showing Sauron returning, but at the expense of basically sidelining Gandalf until he can reunite with Bilbo and the dwarves. I...understand why it's the case, even though it is primarily fan service.

And speaking of fan service, goddammit Legolas! Alright, I think it's fairly safe to assume that Legolas is included primarily as another popular connecting character to Lord of the Rings that isn't Gandalf or the White Council. You know something though? I'm, personally, fine with that. I am perfectly and totally fine with that. Legolas is and always has been an audience favourite, and at the very least, it makes logical sense given he's the son of Thranduil. A minor thing I love too (SPOILER ALERT), he provides an awesome way for Thorin to get Orcrist back after being captured by the elves in Desolation. It makes for an excellent, little scene near the end of the film (END SPOILERS). Legolas also serves as a sort of proxy between Thranduil and Tauriel, and with Tauriel being a character entirely unique to the film trilogy, I was eager to see how her side of the events would unfold. Tauriel's confrontations with Thranduil prove quite interesting, and serve as a notable contrast between her eagerness to help and Thranduil's reluctance to sacrifice the lives of his kin.

As is the namesake of the film, yes, there is a battle. A large battle of which involves fewer than six and more than four armies. The action involving and surrounding the battle itself is, indeed, quite excellent. There's lots of sweeping landscape shots and up-close scenes of the armies doing battle both on the fields and in the city. I must say what a joy it is to finally see a Dwarf army do battle, as apart from the beginning of Unexpected Journey, not even Lord of the Rings featured the race in such a large number. Finally seeing them contrast (and throw insults at) the elves is a definite highlight, especially given what comes right after!

This does, however, function highly into my disdain of the overuse of CG. Particularly in Dale, there's an awkward combination of CGI and characters that interact in oft-putting ways. It makes some scenes in Dale and elsewhere simply feel too artificial. It's an issue I've had with the entire trilogy, really. CGI just doesn't do some scenes the justice they deserve. But otherwise, it all generally works. It likely won't age well, but for now it's a petty grievance, and hardly destroys the film.

Despite the CGI issues, the one-on-one fights between characters are still pretty great, and Thorin's in particular is resoundingly satisfying (yes, even with the silliness of that scene. You know the one.). I found Thorin's arc, extending from the two previous films, to be fairly gradual, and quite well done! What a wonderful comparison it is to make between Thorin and his treasure, and Bilbo or Frodo with the One Ring. It's fascinating and interesting watching Richard Armitage give Thorin such a menacing feel, and makes for engaging scenes with Thorin and either the elves, or his company. And it's certainly enjoyable watching Thorin try to fight his own sanity, and the aftermath.

There is no doubt in my mind however that Battle still feels like the most padded of the three movies. It's obvious having three movies of one book feels awkward already, but the trade-off of having added material is, well...having added material. For instance, there's a great deal of talk about the forces of Angmar to the North that Thranduil, Legolas, and Gandalf make mention of. Okay, great, I love that their talking about Angmar! It's a substantial series of events to allude to. But...this is the last of the three movies! Why must you bring it up only to have such a plot subside nearly immediately, only made mention of once more during the final scene with Legolas?

I don't agree though that other additions have the same problem. I genuinely found that other additions to the movies over the books, such as the confrontation between Thorin and Azog, paid off in a surprising and profound manner. It's more in the context of character interaction, and expanding roles rather than sidelining them. Thranduil and Bard are good examples, where the situation in Dale prior to the battle is a part of the book, but is given far more visual cues and context in the film. And having Gandalf and Bilbo there too is a plus.

By the end, Battle of the Five Armies delivers on a satisfying and emotional level, that much can be said. No, it doesn't reach that epic feel of Lord of the Rings, and Battle certainly feels like the most stretched out, with silly moments and an over-abundance of CGI and fan-service souring the experience. And yet, the film resolved everything between narrative and action in a gratifying and substantial way; a way unique to the film trilogy. It may be a sort of give-and-take scenario here, where for every enjoyable scene there's a scene of fluff and fan-service to go along with it. However, Battle has the added benefit of being the concluding entry in a trilogy, and as such has far more weight to every scene. So, I feel it's a classic case of the good outweighing the bad. Far from perfect, and yet, surprisingly successful in concluding a trilogy, and providing closure and a full-circle to the Middle-Earth saga.


YAY

• You certainly get a battle; exemplary and gratifying action. Gets right to it!
• Most additions made to the movie from the book pay off surprisingly well.
• Narrative is wrapped up with emotion and satisfaction. As good a conclusion as could be hoped!
• A final, excellent score from Howard Shore (and excellent credits song by Billy Boyd!).
• Enjoyable crowd-pleasing moments that make for fun times! However...

NAY

• ...some of those moments feel arbitrary and silly. There's an over-reliance on fan-service. 
• Some scenes use far too much CG, and make for awkward interactions with characters.
• The most visibly stretched and padded of the trilogy.

Donlevy Reviews The Lego Movie!

Everything is awesoooome....

Wow. 

If you think of something called The Lego Movie, the first thought would probably be anything but what it actually is. What could have easily been a cashed-in, generation pandering, monetized-centred mess of wasted talent turned out to be the exact opposite, and likely one of the best movies of the year. Easily one of the most memorable, quotable, and all around enjoyable films in recent memory, The Lego Movie is a stunning achievement in nearly every field, and one that both younger and older generations can experience together.

Emmet Brickowski (Chris Pratt) is a simple Lego construction worker, and one who is so non-outstanding that all others fail to find anything noteworthy about him. Always following the instructions to the number, Emmet lacks free-thinking in his simple life. This all changes with a chance encounter with the fiery Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), where Emmet encounters the mystical Piece of Resistance, and is then thought by Wyldstyle and Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman) to be the prophesied "Special," who will save the world from Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and his superweapon, the "Kragle." Emmet's simple life is turned upside down as he encounters the other "Master Builders," including Wyldstyle's boyfriend Batman (Will Arnett), the pirate Metal Beard (Nick Offerman), and the "1980's-something spaceman," Benny (Charlie Day).

The plot is really cool, and it's all extremely well paced. The film doesn't hold back in showing off many different and unique locations, and it's always exciting to see cameos from characters and sets that you may not have been expecting. It adds to the excitement and anticipation of what's to come, and keeps you invested for the entire duration of the film. The voice acting is top-notch, with a stellar cast of some of the finest actors around. Everyone I mentioned before is charming, witty, and funny, and I might add that Will Arnett plays the best Batman I've heard in a long time. And to top it off, there's Liam Neeson as Bad Cop/Good Cop, who is after Emmet and the Builders. It helps in no small feat that the writing is both smart and funny, able to appeal to a wide audience both young and old. Nothing feels awkward or out of place, and along with the previously mentioned voice actors, it all just works seamlessly and flawlessly.

From the beginning, there are numerous hints and nods to the larger scope of the narrative, from the self-referential humour to the direct acknowledgement of other "sets." In a way, it has a meta feel, but it's one that I think everyone, regardless of age, can enjoy based on experience. There's a particular twist later in the film that drives everything home, and all the build-up and references, pardon the pun, fall into place. The best part of it though is just how well it works. It's as if with one swift move, the movie becomes immediately more than the sum of it's parts (again, pardon the pun). I'm obviously not spoiling it, but it really does just elevate the movie on a whole new level. It becomes something more significant in a subtle and non-pretentious way, and it has a lasting and immeasurable appeal that spans the generations of everyone watching the movie. It sounds silly and far-out, but in the context of the film, it somehow totally fits.

Visually, the movie is entirely comprised of LEGO pieces. And when I say entirely, I mean everything from the clouds to the fire effects. It's a visually amazing film, and in terms of animation alone, it's one of the best. Construction, and especially destruction, of various pieces, buildings, or sets is filled with intricate pieces everywhere, and there is one scene in particular that rivals the most dramatic Lego destruction you may have ever thought of. The designs of everything from Batman's Bat-Vehicles to Lord Business's tower are neat and worthy of set's unto themselves (which I imagine are a reality anyway). And a lot of the times when pieces are moving around, there's this funny and cute little whooshing or "child-like" sound that accompanies it. And uh, speaking of sound, The Lego Movie is also not without a delightful soundtrack of it's own, along with one ever-catchy song you'll have to see the movie to hear in a proper form. It's...um...well it's sort of...awesome...

Which pretty much sums up the movie in general, everything is awesome! I really didn't expect this kind of passion and nuance in a Lego movie, and yet, here I sit proven delightfully wrong. It is a fabulous film, well and truly. It's got something for everyone, no matter the age, and the movie doesn't shy away from bringing a strong charm and humour that nails all the notes, and then some. Rounded off by a fantastic voice cast and extremely well done animation and visuals, The Lego Movie is something Special. An undoubtedly memorable film that is sure to be one of the best of the year, The Lego Movie is not to be missed.

SPACESHIP!


YAY

• Appealing to literally everybody, young and old.
• Infinitely charming and funny.
• Fantastically, uh, fantastic voice acting!
• Visually amazing. Everything is LEGO and it's awesome! Everything is awesome...
• Superb twist later on that makes an already great movie an incredible movie.
  
• SPACESHIP!

NAY

• No real issue with the film in which I can put something into the "NAY" part of this review. Seriously, any faults are few and far between.

SPACESHIP!

Donlevy Reviews RoboCop (1987)!

Alright, time for some RoboCop! The remake/reboot of the 1987 original, simply named RoboCop, was released only a couple days ago. But screw that, I'm talking about the OG RoboCop from 1987! Ha, if people still say "OG." Anyway, as action movies from the 80's go, RoboCop is pretty notable, and memorable, for the time. Sure you had The Terminator, and Rambo, but you know what was missing? A cyborg cop! Yeah, the merchandising for this movie must have been a field day. RoboCop had enough weight to follow up with two sequels, both of which I hear are nowhere near as good as the original, but we don't care about those movies today. No, what you're here to know is if the original is worth watching. And you know what? It definitely is. As action movies go, RoboCop is damn good. It's got some crazy violence and action, great effects, and one badass cop. It's aged better than I though it would have, and while it still suffers from an overly-ambitious plot, RoboCop is definitely a noteworthy action flick.

In a near-futuristic Detroit (2014, as a matter of fact), crime and corruption has eroded much of the city, where everyone from the police to the government is at the mercy of corporate giant OCP (Omni Consumer Products). Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is reassigned to a local precinct with officer Anne Lewis (Nancy Allen) as police officers contemplate a strike, and on a routine patrol, chases after known crime boss Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith, ie. Red from That 70's Show!). Murphy is shot down and effectively left for dead, but OCP uses his body as the basis for their new RoboCop program, and they transform Murphy into...well, RoboCop. Did you expect something else? RoboCop then proceeds to be a badass and takes on the scum of Detroit, all the while OCP watches over him. Watch the movie to know the rest!

To get the main criticism with the movie over with first, the background plot is pretty underdeveloped, and a lot of supplementary material is kind of left hanging, or unaddressed. There's a lot of background events happening over the course of the film, like the aforementioned police strike, as well as a brewing war overseas. They're nice touches that add to the setting, but have little to no impact on any events in particular. A lot of this is told through simulated TV news briefings, with an 80's flair, and while the stories follow a beginning and end over the course of the movie they offer no real payoff, and ultimately, they become rather unnecessary. The whole thing with OCP and their limitless reach is a neat concept, and I like how it's already a given, but it feels a little too convenient at times, although to the film's credit, much of it IS actually addressed. 

But the rest of the movie knows what it's all about: the flow of the film is top-notch, with an immediate and adequate display of awesome from RoboCop as soon as he's complete. His introduction is short, but neither slow nor hasty, and he quickly gets into the groove. One-liners abound as RoboCop dispenses his robotic justice to the felons of Detroit, and so efficiently that his effectiveness is readily apparent. Later in the film, and without spoiling much, RoboCop removes his helmet, and it goes a long way to show how good Weller is in the role. There's a strange subtlety in his movements, and it's really cool as he begins to show a little more humanity each minute. But damn, if there's one character to watch, it's freaking Smith's character Boddicker. Slimy, sly, and cold, the performance is just so good. The use of the character is such that he continually amounts a stronger offensive force against RoboCop at each meeting, and the final shootout against Boddicker and the rest of his gang of memorable thugs is very, very cool. 

The one prominent effect in RoboCop, besides the plethora of blood and explosions, and one really far-out toxic waste effect (all of which are really cool) is the stop-animation used for the ED-209's. They're menacing and powerful, and it really shows in the face-off between ED and RoboCop at the top of the OCP building. The effect is really cool and natural, and not afraid to add a slight gag every now and then (one in particular reminiscent of Star Wars). On that, there are just a couple of bits of humour thrown in to offset the otherwise dystopian setting. Characters or one-liners, or even really weird and sexist commercials, add a bit of "light-heartedness," that surprisingly doesn't feel out of place. I mean, jeeze, when you think about it, the whole movie is about a mechanical cop giving off a few catchphrases every now and then. How serious can you really be?

The action is great, the pace is smooth, the effects are slick, and the performances are of the top quality. RoboCop is most definitely a fine film indeed. Sure, some of the plot is up in the air, or sometimes meaningless, but the rest of the movie's action and enjoyability make up for it. Go watch this movie. Yeah, watch it! Don't go see the remake. Watch the original. It's a damn good time!