Act of Valor

Director: Mike MacMacoy
Lead Actor: Alex Veadov, Nestor Serrano and Roselyn Sanchez
Genre: Action, Adventure
Synopsis:

          The America’s Navy SEALs showed their heroism and patriotism in the film: Act of Valor. It is visible in the various transitions of the scenes, the camaraderie as a team in completing their specific mission to combat terrorism.

http://www.impawards.com

Review:

          The portrayal of the characters appeared to be realistic, especially the abduction of Roselyn Sanchez, the CIA agent. A woman undergoing torture is so disturbing; it looks realistic to the viewers of the film. The Navy SEALs are given the task to rescue the agent. At the later part, the soldiers discovered that a group of terrorist plan to jeopardize the lives of people in United States of America. Eventually, set of SEAL teams were deployed to stop the terrorist leader and his allies. Thus, it would be more appealing if they interviewed the victim.

          I have noticed that the soldier who is expecting to be a father acted differently. There is no emotion as he speaks to his wife in the film. Thus, the narrator in the film expresses the reason that soldiers cannot show sympathy. It answers the acting skills of the actor, justifying to empathy reaction to his wife.

          The flow of the film seems realistic and simple, despite the random change of scenarios from different places: Philippines, Ukraine and Indonesia. The usage of Filipino language was comprehensible, despite the slang way of speaking and thumbs up for the Russian fluency. Though the Filipinos look so passive along the story, since there is no serious interactions happen.

      For the technical part, it is amazing the maneuvers of the soldiers. The soldiers’ movements are concise in targeting the enemies. It will bring the viewers’ to appreciate the genre of this film. On the other hand, it is not advisable for the younger ones to watch the bloody action scene.

          Over all, the theme of the narrative story focuses more on the responsibilities to serve the country. It is also emphasize the worth of being loyal to each other. The heroism based from a true story, the film would never last to remember. Taking the credit of good deeds, it will fade away. It is a typical soldier interaction against the unlawful actions of terrorism that happens not only in America, but also to the other side of the country.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Running Time: 1:50

CZ12: Chinese Zodiac (2013)

Director: Jackie Chan
Lead actor: Jackie Chan
Genre: Action, Adventure

Synopsis:The ancestral artifacts were made the man on search for them in this film. The 12 Chinese zodiac bronze heads are the relics in old times that sold in million in auctions. 

http://www.southdreamz.com

Review:

          The film started to a stunts using body-customized roller blade by the lead actor Jackie Chan (Martin). In some points of view, the introduction of the story was vague to comprehend the plot. In addition, the mixed languages used made the movie lines incomprehensible. 

        The flow of the story is so simple, though the actions in every scene showed the trademark of Jackie Chan moves. Most of the actors are Asians; it out shined the other foreign actors. It showed the flexibility of the native speakers to communicate through the medium of Chinese language.

         As the story played on the screen, I find the jungle place roaming around with the team to search and the humorous lines are not that appealing for the viewers. Moreover, the place depicts the old-fashioned film Indian Jones. It will not be new to the movie goers, though the execution of the adventurous act was done according to catch and chase scenario.

         As it circulates the media network that this will be the last film for the actor Jackie Chan, he can take all the credits that had been successful in the limelight of showbiz. The future plans can never tell what will be the next for him. But there will be the possibility that he can have more films and be a director and doing the stunts off the screen.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Running Time: 120 minutes

Resident Evil: Retribution 5

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Lead actors: Milla Jovovich
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action

Synopsis: The story is a series film of Resident Evil, Alice was captured by the Umbrella Corporation. She was chased by the people under the control of the Red Queen. They are claiming that she's a traitor of the corporation; the rule of thumb is to terminate her as called Project Alice.   

http://www.newsarama.com

Review:

          The film started with the continuation of the last series, the actions showed by Alice (Milla Jovovich) against the people under the control of Umbrella Corporation, including her friend Ally (Jill Valentine). A fast track of the movie shown when the airships crashed into the ship, explosion happened and she fell projected to the ocean.

         Waking up from deep sleep, Alice persona changed into a lovely wife of Todd (Oded Fehr) with a deaf daughter Becky (Aryana Engineer). In this setting, the child played being deaf and protraying a remarkable usage of sign language. But the uttering of words seems so clear enough to hear, the real deaf person used to have slurring of speech or stuttering manner.

           In spite of the effects done in the film, some viewers might not appreciate the zombies smarter than the traditional lifeless souls in the old days. Other creatures are in goliath-size figures, it seems a bit unscary to watch. It takes the credit of showing the real type of online game. The story had shown the maze-type of escaping from the Umbrella Corporation. For the online players of this online game would be delighted to view in the big screen.

Rating: 7 out of 10

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

Director: Justin Lin
Lead actors: Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Bow Wow, Brian Tee, Nathalie Kelley
Genre:Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Synopsis: A young, easy-go-lucky man Sean Boswell has the passion of drag racing in the neighborhood. He was send to Tokyo by her mom, since she got tired moving from one place to another due to his being troublemaker. Once arrived to Tokyo, he managed to continue his interest in car racing and things turned into a more complicated situation.

http://www.byhero.com

Review:
The film had showed the indifference of having the car races; the plot circulated more in Tokyo. It is quite unrealistic for some part of the scene that they can have races within the area of Tokyo, a very busy country. Although the proper cues delivered in actions, the actors race within the territory of Japan.

It depicts the real scenario of being foreign in an Asian country that includes the culture and language practiced in Tokyo. As Sean Boswell (Lukas Black) portrayed, the language barrier in the school. Though I find it strange, some international school can communicate in English language.

Living with his biological dad (Brian Goodman), Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) had to make an adjustment period. The last option made by her mother (Linda Boyd). Meeting new friend in school: Twinkie (Bow Wow), love interest Neela (Nathalie Kelly), drifter coach Han (Sung Kan) and an opponent named DK (Brian Tee).

I am not sure if the scenes are just to promote the beautiful places of the country or rather focus more on car races over opponents. The moviegoers would be delighted to watch the movie as it showcased the flexibility of genre. There is fast phase of the story; it might be confusing for some viewers. Although the director directed the movie scenes with style, the plots showed the action stunts.

Push (2009)

Director: Paul McGuigan
Lead actors: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle and Djimon Hounsou
Genre: Action, Fiction

Synopsis:

The film showed the extraordinary powers possessed by different characters, the story focuses on how to combat the greediness. The supposed to be superheroes to serve the people were divided into two groups.

http://collider.com

Review:

          The supernatural possessed of every individual was narrated by the young girl as a “watcher” (Dakota Fanning). The division track down all the people with supernatural powers since 1945. The plot seems so unusual since it is started with the control of the United States government as an experiment. There is a hanging background of what had happened to Nick as the “mover” after his father was killed by the division. Nick and Cassie got acquainted in Hong Kong; the plot was so strange to hide in this area. It doesn’t show in the film what made Nick (Chris Evans) it as a hiding place for the “mover”, the film fast track the pace of the story.

          Kira (Camilla Belle) played the role as a “pusher”, if her ability is to take control of the people surrounds her, why she was captured by another person who had the same ability named Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou). With this kind of supernatural, Kira is still weak as a “pusher”, that’s the reason why she was administered a certain drug for the sake of experimentation.

          Along the course of the film playing, the ability of the “watcher” is to foresee the future; then why they need the assistance of a character that can “sniff” by Emily Hu (Ming-Na), to look for Kira. Thus as they had reunited and became as team in the movie, the “shadow” (Nate Mooney) will protect Kira, the “shifter” (Cliff Curtis) and Cassie’s mother. They planned a strategy to overturn the situation against the division.

          Nick’s plan to have envelopes to each of the main player of the movie, he let the “wiper” to wipe out his memories. Each envelope has different set of situational scenario to save all the characters in the film. The viewers will be able to think and complete the puzzle on how the story ends.

Rank: 7/10

Hellboy II : The Golden Army (2008)

Director: Guillermo Del Torro
Lead Actors: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Anna Walton, John Hurt, Jeffrey Tambor, Roy Steele, Mike Kelly, Andrew Hefler, Ivan Silverman, King Kalbor and Luke Gross
Genre: Action, Adventure and Fantasy

Synopsis: 
A war ended between beasts and human with an agreement to set boundaries of their respective territories. The story is in mystery, then one ambitious beast plan to rule the world against mankind. Hellboy and his team are ready to protect the world from invaders.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com

Review:
The film evolves in three dimensional plots, the past, present and the future. The war between the beasts and mankind made peace to each other to end their conflicts. The Prince Nuada revealed his plan to invade the world and the rule the people.

In the story, the director showed the normal relationship between Hellboy and his partner. Taking in account the role in married life as husband and wife, it is a typical argument between two partners.

This movie is not advisable for the children to watch without the guidance of their parents. Since some of the scenes need to be explain, especially the story narrated by Hellboy's foster parent about the war between the golden army and humans. On the other hand, it was a typical scene of a child (Hellboy) to be curious about waht he see and perceive. It was explaining to him of what's real or not.

The creature forms in the film were so unique compared to cartoon Marvel comic characters. That made them needs to be discrete in the public. They should work invisible to normal people in the community.

Hellboy's character is some way disturbing if the child is watching the scene alone, since he smokes tobacco. This will not be a good image to view, in most case, the adult can relate to the lifestyle since they are aware of this kind of situational kind of life.

Basically, the movie is entertaining to the viewers who like fantasy, the action maneuvers are carried out in spite the heavy-built structure of Hellboy. 

Rank: 7/10

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Director: Paul Greengrass
Lead actors: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney and Joan Allen
Genre: Action

Synopsis:

         After Jason Bourne surpassed of getting away from the people tracking him down. He managed to go in Paris, France. Bourne meets his girlfriend's brother Martin Kreutz and relayed the bad news, that she was shot and died in India. The CIA agents continued to manhunt Jason Bourne, since the Treadstone operation and the Black biar was revealed by Simon Ross. In some way, it was connected in conspiracy and lead to looking for Bourne.  

http://www.autoblog.com

Review:

          After having shot by Kirill, Bourne runs for his life in Moskova (Moscow), Russia. He showed his mortal combat-like with the policemen and pleads off.

         In Turin Italy, Simon Ross (Paddy ConsidIne) met somebody in a restaurant. The good thing in this story, they know all the informations about their target, like Jason Bourne. Bourne met the brother of Marie, Martin Kreutz and he elaborates the cause of death of his sister. The emotions were so instense between the two.

          Simon Ross is a British national and worked as a reporter. He knows about Bourne and the Blackbriar operation. They meet in Waterloo station to discuss the essential informations. Bourne was really good in making technical calls through landline, while the CIA is tracking down Ross with all the CCTV was managedly controlled in the station. Jason had shown the accuracy of his movement and instructions to Bristish reporter. Ross died for distrusting Bourne; he started to moved and killed by an assassin Paz of Blackbriar.

          Meeting in a restaurant is odd to talk about the situation. I think Von (David Strathairn) and Pam (Joan Allen) can do it in close door, probably in the headquater's office. Along the course of direction, it showed an intermittent flashback of memories by Bourne.

          I like the language of directions, so accurate. The scenario mislead the back-up plan from Blackbiar and the police patrol in the vicinity of Neal Daniels' office in Madrid, Spain. Wherein, Julia Stiles comes in the picture, she helped Bourne to locate Daniel in Tangiere, Morocco.

          The asset Desh Bouksani was send to terminate Daniels, he succeed with his mission. The next target is Nicky since she deviated the mission, the flow of the film as directed was incredibly executed in different setting of the places.

          Jason portrayed excellent in his stunts, running over the wall embedded with broken glasses. As he jumps off from the buildings to save Nicky from the asset named as Desh. During the combat actions between Bourne and Desh, it was the first time that Julia Stiles showed her manly stunts. Noah Vosen back from his office, I find not real in opening the bolt uttering his name as the code to look for the secret files. It seems the metal box is not an automated.

          The movie had shown different ways of communicating with their lines, as seen between Pam and Bourne in New York City. The real truth unmask on the last part of the movie, Bourne confronted Dr. Hirsch (Albert Finney) as the one responsible for having behavior modification for Treadstone operation and Pam found the anomalies behind the upgraded Treadstone  operation as Blackbriar. Jason Bourne escapes from the scene when he jumped in East River. 

The distinct music was still used as their soundtrack, the places were really new for the eyes of the viewers and definitely, they will appreciate it.

Rating: 9/10

Running Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes 

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

Director: Paul Greengrass

Lead Actors: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Gabriel Mann, and Joan Allen   

Genre: Action

Synopsis:

 The Bourne Supremacy is the continuation of Jason Bourne's life story. He was suffering from retrogade amnesia; the memories are hunting him from being a former asset in Treadstone Project, worked as a CIA assassin. There are flashbacks of memories as once engaged in the operation. He wants an answer that lies behind the past events of his life.

http://www.imdb.com

Review:

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente) settled in India to live a new life. The past life hunts Bourne; he managed to write in his personal journal. At this point of time, he was still having an episode of amnesia. In the first movie, there were no indications that Bourne had traumatic brain injury. But the possibility of drowning, lack of oxygen will damage the brain. The lead actor (Matt Damon) portrayed the role effectively for losing his memories.

Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) is having an ongoing operation in Berlin, Germany. The two of her CIA agents’ team were killed by the Russian agent Kirill and framed Bourne living a fingerprints' mark in the area. In the movie, it didn't show how they got Bourne's fingerprints.

The director Paul Greengrass showed the typical lifestyle in India. I like the scene of chasing Bourne and Marie by Kirill, it is so realistic especially crashing at the side of the bridge and falling to the riverbank. Obviously, the film killed the character of Marie as she was shot in far range of a Russian agent. 

The feeling of outraged, Bourne decided to avenge the death of his lost, bounded to Italy. At the same time, Pam confronted Ward Abbott (Brian Cox) about the project Treadstone. Joan Allen portrayed effectively so strong and showed authority about the issue. 

When Bourne was placed in custody, he was questioned the purpose in Italy. The agent was so lame to interrogate Jason, the part of knocking him down off-guard. Bourne was assumed to be the culprit in jeopardizing the Landy's operation, the notion that it might be connected to Treadstone Project. The security was not tight; there are no other securities on stand-by.

Along the course of events, Bourne was haunted of what really happen in Berlin. Finding the answer, Bourne made an agreement to talk with Nicky Parson (Julia Stiles). If we recall in the first movie, Nicky worked as Logistic in Treadstone. Eventually she doesn't know the assignment about murder of Neski in Berlin. I find it strange that Nicky acted so scared to Bourne. As a CIA asset, they should be tough in nature.

In Moskova (Moscow) Russia, Jason Bourne went to find Irena Neski. It was a very striking moment to ask forgiveness for killing her parents. You can see the face how terrible to live alone after the death of her parents. At the end of the story, Bourne was able to redeemed himself and able to record the conversation between him and Abbott to Landy in New York headquarters. Before hanging the phone, Landy gave his real name as David Web, birthdate and was born in Missouri.

    

The music produced in the movie by John Powell collaborates during the action scenes. The actors had portrayed effectively in the film, but with some flaws seen. The delivery of their lines were so clear, the Russian language uttered in the film was properly enunciated. That brings the direction as another good quality, similar to the first movie "The Bourne Identity".

Rating: 9/10

Running Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

The Bourne Identity (2002)

Director: Doug Liman
Written By: Tony Gilroy, W. Blake Herron & Robert Ludlum
Lead Actors: Matt Damon, Franka Potente & Chris Cooper
Genre: Action, Suspense

Synopsis:

           A man was found at the Mediterranean Sea 60 miles South of Marseille. He is experiencing retrograde amnesia, trying to find his real identity. Along the course of looking the real truth, Jason Bourne ( Matt Damon) acquainted with Marie Helena Kreutz. Eventually, both went to Zurich to retrieve what is in silver box deposited in the bank. The mystery started and the life became complicated, since the Treadstone under the umbrella of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was looking for to them. They aim to terminate Jason Bourne to conceal the anomaly of the Treadstone operation.

Photo Credit: http://www.umn.edu/

Review:

          A stormy weather in Mediterranean Sea near Marseille, the fishermen on a board in the sailing boat rescue a man afloat in the strong waves of the body of water. The man (Matt Damon) sustained a gunshot wound at the upper back area, particularly at the left lateral scapula and at the right medial border of the scapula. One of the Italian fishermen aided him by removing the bullets. Further ocular inspection of the body, the fisherman noticed a scar at the hip area, he incised and found approximately 3 inches length of penlight-size laser; it shows the bank account number in Zurich. The man awakens that seems disoriented, concluding that he is manifesting amnesia episode. Moreover, he speaks fluently in different languages. I appreciate the multilinguistic skills, it shows how good the lead actor Matt Damon in uttering the proper enunciating the languages. In my mind, why does it need to incise a healed scar. The bottom line, the film story will be ended if the fisherman didn't recovered the details from that object. After a few days staying on the boat, Jason Bourne decided to take off in the pier to search further.    

          Assuming that he is empty-handed traveling through riding on a train. He decided to sleep on a bench in the park, and then the policemen approached and asked the identification documents from him. The confrontation escalated that he executes his ability to defend himself. The night after the incidence, he went straight to the bank. At first, he thought that his identity will be found from the silver box. But then, he got confused for having numerous passports with different names and nationalities, currencies from different states and a gun. Then he rushed to pack his things in a red bag and leaves the gun.  I feel strange that a gun can be deposited for safety keeping in a bank. 

          When Jason Bourne sensed that the police are looking for him, he goes straight into the US embassy. In the embassy, an officer tried to stop him but Bourne outwits them. In my opinion, they had seen Bourne in the building but the policemen didn't give order to the others to encircle the vicinity.

          After going down from the edges of the building, Bourne persuade a woman (Marie Helena Kreutz) with car parked at the back of the building. Jason offered her to an initial payment of $10, 000 to bring to Paris and be paid another $10, 000. Marie was hesitant to help him, since the police car passed-by and suspecting was the one they are looking for. She needs the money agreed to go along with Bourne's travel plan, ignoring the fact that it would be a danger idea. The portrayal by Franka Potente is very convincing as she had the conversation with a stranger.

          A strong personality of Alexander Conklin (Chris Cooper), the leader of Treadstone showed his power to deploy three assassins to chase and eliminate Jason Bourne. Since Jason failed to kill Wombosi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), the Treadstone need to conceal the truth behind that mission. The film shows a well-organized networking to activate the invisible assassins. 

          As Bourne and Marie arrived in Paris, they proceed to his apartment. Marie has the chance to leave him having $20, 000 is enough, but she decided to go along with Bourne. Since the Treadstone identified her as a gypsy. Getting into his apartment, he started to investigate any clues for his identity. Then he redialled his phone, checking any traces of having last call. Then he found out that he has reservation in Regina Hotel with the name of Michael Kane. At the end of the line, Kane died in a vehicular accident. Then suddenly one of the assassins (Castel) tried to kill him, Bourne successfully pinned down the man and asked any information that may lead them to something, but the man run through and jumps out from the building. While Marie was in hysterical for knowing that Castel's bag contains pictures and description of them. Then shocked of what she had witnessed. Both escape from the scene, while assisting Marie moving out from the building.

          The Treadstone manages to bluff Wombosi by putting a false dead body in the morgue. Wombosi went to the morgue, he strongly believe that the body is not the one who attempted to assassinate him. Both Bourne and Kreutz followed after in the morgue, but the dead body was moved out. Prior to that, they made a tactic to get essential informations in Regina Hotel. I find it entertaining; Marie had a simple conversation by obtaining information in the Hotel. On the middle of the street, the newspaper headline that Wombosi died and Bourne figured out that he is an assassin. The next thing happen, Jason and Marie decided to hide in France. The place belongs to Marie's stepbrother (Eamon) lives.

          The night staying the house, Bourne decided to have a new life with Marie. In the following day, the Eamon's dog is nowhere to be found. Then Bourne asked Marie, Eamon and children to hide in the basement. Bourne with Eamon's shotgun exiting from door's entrance, he shot the explosive tank to distract Professor (Clive Owen). In the field, Bourne got the chance to shoot Professor and opened-up about the background the Treadstone. Eventually the assassin died, Bourne persuaded Marie to move away for safety. It is very inspiring moment saying good bye and losing hope not to see each other again. 

          Finally, Bourne makes a call to Conklin to meet with him, that's one of his strategies to track down the Treadstone Headquarters. There is no second thought, Bourne confronted Conklin and the Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) pointing the gun to them, he started to remember the lost memory of his real identity and the mission for not killing Wombosi. The reason, Bourne can not do his task because Wombosi's children are in the yacht. Wombosi awaken and shot Bourne twice at the back before jumping off to the open sea.  Afterwhich, Bourne wanted to be free from the shadow of Treadstone as requested to Conklin. Jason Bourne noticed that the conversations was tap in the radio, he managed to flee by killing two people. The last assassin named as Manheim shot to death Conklin, then Abbott shutdown the Treadstone. Then he presented the end of the project operation and proposed Blackbriar as the next operation. The ending showed that Marie had her own scooter's venture in Greece, as Bourne suddenly showed up. It was really a happy ending for the couple.

          The flow of the film directed was very entertaining in terms of the stunts acted by Matt Damon. The music blended during the fight scene, it adds interest to the viewers.

Rating: 9/10
Running Time: 1 hour and 56 minutes