Cast:

Dean-Charles Chapman             Lance Corporal Blake

George MacKay                        Lance Corporal Schofield

Colin Firth                                 General Erinmore

Andrew Scott                            Lieutenant Leslie

Benedict Cumberbatch              Colonel Mackenzie

Mark Strong                              Captain Smith

Another weekend has arrived in this COVID filled planet and my wife and I chose another film for our viewing pleasure. For this week, we put 1917 into the Blu-ray player. I have had this film for awhile and had not yet gotten around to watching it, but once selected I was really looking forward to it.  So after charging my wine glass (this means filling it for those readers who are not familiar with the military vernacular), adjusted the recliner and started the film.

For the few people who have not heard of the film or watched it (2 less now since we watched it this weekend), 1917 is a film about which captures pretty much a 12-hour period in WW 1, and more specifically the actions of Lance Corporals Blake (Chapman) and Schofield (MacKay) as they deliver an important command from their General to that of a Regimental Commander (Col Mackenzie played by Benedict Cumberbatch). To further add tension and impetus to their mission, Lance Corporal Blake’s (Chapman) brother is an officer in that regiment, and these order’s could not only save the life of his brother, but also ensure that a whole regiment of 1600 men do not get slaughtered.

Pretty much, that is the story in a nutshell, two intrepid soldiers delivering the General’s orders to the Colonel located miles away. Their journey is fraught with danger as they cross the no-mans land between the two opposing forces, snipers, German soldiers and the confusion of war. As this film captures basically a moment in time with respect to the first world war, it does not try to analyze which side is right or wrong, or give any message of morality. Instead it demonstrates the Brotherhood of War, how soldiers in wartime become brothers, how they risk their lives for each other, not for King or country. The mission success is a bonus; the real success is that they make it through the conflict together. To me, that was the film. 

While the plot was really the soldiers journey, both physical and mental, I must commend the two main characters Lance Corporals Blake and Schofield played by Chapman and MacKay respectively. While both actors were relatively unknown to me, either I had not watched anything that they did, or what I did watch them in, their role was a minor supporting one. I was extremely impressed with not only their acting in this role, but also the chemistry that they portrayed with each other. The determination to succeed and fulfill their Commanding Officer’s mission was clearly evident, and was only surpassed by Blake’s (Chapman) need to save his brother from potential death. The cinematography was fantastic and the film felt that it was presented in all one continuous shot. While it was not, it was so skilfully edited and filmed that the appearance of it being continuous was just amazing. It kept you glued to your seat as you watched the heroes trudge through the muddy battlefield to their ultimate destination. Additionally, not only was the cinematography and scenes bang-on, but for me the costumes and props were also relatively accurate. I did have to look up a few things, for example the flashlights that Blake and Schofield carried. While that design was prevalent, it was mainly for officers. However, at least they were right for the period. Another thing I had to look up was if the British army had integrated units, and I did find out that in WWI, there were some British units that were integrated. So, it was still another part of the film that was factually accurate which also enhanced my enjoyment of the film.

While there are a number of relatively big names in this film, their screen time is actually quite minimal. Their performances were used so skillfully to enhance the story and provide the proper gravitas or impetus as needed. Another example of excellent acting, directing and writing!

Now it is time to take a look at the principal actors in this film. I have included the big names who were actually in supporting roles to discuss their part.

Dean-Charles Chapmanas Lance Corporal Blake: It took me a few minutes to recognize Blake from his role in the Game of Thrones, but I must say, the presentation he does as Lance Corporal Blake is just great. He reminded me of several other young soldiers that I had served with over the years. His sense of duty and determination were clearly evident throughout the film. His portrayal was believable and it wanted you to follow him through his journey. His chemistry with his co-star, Mackay, was excellent throughout their scenes together. For me, the role got me to notice Chapman as an actor, while his previous roles that I had watched he was just part of the scenery. This part was a great jumping point for his career and I look forward to seeing him in future productions. 

George MacKayas Lance Corporal Schofield: In the case of MacKay, while he has been around quite a while, I had not seen him in any of his films or shows. However, having said that I was quite impressed with his ability and screen presence. As the co-lead if you will, he had great chemistry with Chapman as well as the other main stars of the film. He projected the stoicism of a soldier who had seen the horrors while still imparting empathy. He embodied the concept of the Brotherhood of War and how relationships forged in fire truly last. His character, and MacKay as the actor carried the film to its successful conclusion, as in the case of Chapman, I look forward to seeing him in future productions.

Colin Firth as General Erinmore: Firth only has a small role in the start of the film as the commanding General who gives our heroes their mission. An accomplished actor, his skill in stage and screen were evident as he imparted the urgency of the mission to the soldiers. Not only did he act the part, but he also looked it as well, he truly portrayed a stereotypical British General. Another fine, but short role for Firth.

Andrew Scott as Lieutenant Leslie: Another well known star with a small supporting role. Scott’s version of Leslie was excellent in his representation of a no-nonsense, war-weary officer. Displaying the dry humour, in a tired, yet also in an educational fashion was also extremely well done. The few minutes of screen time that he had were excellent and in my opinion added to the backdrop of the story.

Benedict Cumberbatch  as Colonel Mackenzie: Cumberbatch can command a scene when he is in it, regardless if he is Sherlock Holmes or Khan, he is the scene, and he will keep you riveted while there. Cumberbatch’s only screen presence throughout the film is at the climax when the hero finds him to deliver the message. Once received, you can literally see him pondering the orders and analyzing results, much like he does when he has played Sherlock. A great, but short performance from Cumberbatch in an all round enjoyable film.

Mark Strong as Captain Smith: Strong is another actor who has been around for a while, and his presence also adds to the film. Playing a stereotypical officer of the British Army, he carries the swagger but also the wisdom well. It is his sage advice to Lance Corporal Schofield with helps him find the courage to confront Colonel Mackenzie in the final act of the film. A solid actor, with a solid performance.

As you can tell, I enjoyed the whole film, and while some scenes and secondary characters stood out, I will leave it to you, the viewer, to determine what scene will stand out for you. In my opinion this film stands out in the war film genre and should be included with other films/shows of the same calibre (Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Platoon, Patton, Hamburger Hill to name but a few). If you want to watch a good movie, I would highly recommend this film!

Our Rating: 9/10

If you are interested in other films/shows from the key cast members, please consider the following recommendations:

Dean-Charles Chapman             Game of Thrones, The Commuter

Colin Firth                                 Mama Mia, Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Kings Speech, The Last Legion, Bridget Jones Diary 

Andrew Scott                            Fleabag, Sherlock, Band of Brothers

Benedict Cumberbatch              Sherlock, Dr. Strange, Avengers: Endgame, The Imitation Game, Star Trek Into Darkness

Mark Strong                              Shazam, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Zero Dark Thirty, Miss Sloane

Till Next Time!

Cast:

Jessica Chastain                        Ava

John Malkovich                         Duke

Common                                  Micheal

Geena Davis                              Bobbi

Jess Weixler                              Judy

Joan Chen                                 Toni

Colin Farrell                              Simon

Diana Silvers                             Camille

Looking to NETFLIX for this weekend’s movie, I perused my ever growing list of shows and Movies that I had identified for my wife and I to watch. I stopped at Ava. Ava stars Jessica Chastain, a young actress whose movies have entertained us for the last few years. Right off the top of my head, I can think of 4 movies that I had watched in the last few years starring Chastain that I really liked, Zero Dark Thirty, Miss Sloane, Molly’s Game and The Martian. In 2 of them she was the principal star, and the other 2 strong supporting cast. I enjoyed all four immensely and was actually really looking forward to watching Ava. Not only did it have Chastain, but also Malkovich, a family favourite and Farrell, who we have liked in many of his previous films. So with that in mind, we cued up the film and poured our drinks. 

So before I get into critiquing the film, let me touch on the plot of it a bit. Ava (Chastain) is about a young woman who works for an unnamed agency or corporation that specializes in assassination. Ava’s background and experience is revealed to the audience with the opening credits. Within the first minute or two of the credits we see photos and action snippets of her as an all star athlete in school, followed by joining the military and becoming some sort of Uber soldier. Interspersed, the audience is also shown a few fitness reports that state that she is a bit of a lone wolf, unorthodox and not willing to take direction. Post military service, a scoreboard of targets is shown with red X’s drawn across their faces. This tells us, that Ava (Chastain) is a real bad ass and she has killed more people than Bin Laden and that she is to be feared. 

Next scene, she is on a mission and has picked up her target from the airport. Before completing her mission, she wants to find out why she has been given the mission to kill him. Apparently questioning your target before execution is verboten in this un-named agency and it gets reported up the chain to Duke (Malkovich) and Simon (Farrell) her handler and boss respectively. As a form of punishment, she is set up on her next mission for failure, and probable death. Foiling this plan, she decides to return to her home after 8 years away. 

Re-uniting with her estranged sister (Weixler) and her new fiancée (Common) as well as her long lost Mother (Davis), Ava (Chastain) tries to find herself again. Concurrently her handler (Malkovich) tries to save Ava, his young protégé from the evil boss Simon (Farrell). This is displayed by a a few quasi dramatic scenes with Simon (Farrell), and his daughter Camille (Silvers) with Duke (Malkovich) that seemed forced and wooden for all concerned. Meanwhile, Ava is trying to make up for lost time with her family, trying to fix all wrongs and attempt a reconnection. As you can probably figure out (as this movie is so very predictable) Ava’s life is in danger from her previous organization and for the rest of the film she is either running/fighting for her life or saving her family. Even though some spoilers are given, I have not really delved into details to allow you the opportunity to be “surprised” as the film progresses if you choose to watch it.

What did I like about the film? I did like the premise and the cast member, and the story-line was actually laid out quite well…but that is pretty much it. 

What did I think the film lacked? Well, the script was pretty lame, and there was no chemistry between the characters, well except maybe between Ava (Chastain) and Duke (Malkovich). Overall The plot was extremely predictable and the supporting cast could have pretty much been replaced by cardboard cut-outs for the actual acting skill that presented in the film. Additionally, the fight sequence with Duke (Malkovich) was also overly choreographed and you could blatantly tell that the speed of the camera was increased to show that he was supposed to be a mighty warrior. Unfortunately, it just looked to contrived and actually funny instead of giving the audience a front row seat to a great battle. 

So, what are we left with? Well, the cast and my thoughts of their performance. 

Jessica Chastain as Ava: Usually I really enjoy Chastain in her films. As I mentioned previously, her performances in Zero Dark Thirty, Miss Sloane, Molly’s Game and the Martian were exemplary. Even in some lesser known films like The Zookeepers Wife and Lawless, I enjoyed her performance. However, I cannot say the same for Ava. While she is good in a dramatic film, when she becomes the action star I find her lacking. Her action scenes were forced and when she tried to play tough…kind of unbelievable. Don’t get me wrong, she can be tough in films, but more in a court-room, analytics, or board-room then in a street fight. I just could not get into the character and her persona as an action star. I know several leading ladies of the past went on to star in action flicks and managed to really portray a kick-ass, tough, street fighter (i.e. Jolie, Therron, Weaver to name but a few) but in the case of Chastain, she should stick to more civilized fighting in the courtroom/boardroom. That is where her style excels.   

John Malkovichas Duke: Malkovich is one of my favourite actors. He can make us laugh, cringe, hate and/or like him at the same time. In this role, while his talent is evident, the character did not mesh with the rest of the cast. He was the elderly mentor to both Ava (Chastain) and Simon (Farrell), and yet it did not play well. The only chemistry in the film (too me) was between himself and Chastain, it was really not present anywhere else. Also, as I previously mentioned, his fight sequence was comical instead of action packed. Only in RED did I find his fight sequences well done, but then it was slanted to the comedic side on purpose. What he needed to portray was the same kind of malevolence that he did “In the Line of Fire” against Clint Eastwood…now that was believable, but then again, it was almost 30 years ago. Unfortunately, he is a great actor that was put in a poor film. 

Common as Michael: Even though Common has been around for quite a while, starting in the music industry and then transiting to film, I have not really watched him in a lot to say that he was memorable. For example, John Wick 2, Hunter Killer, Oceans 8, he was in all of them and I enjoyed the films, however, I do not remember him at all. Just goes to show how great his contribution was to the film.  Obviously, they were neither great nor horrible, he was just part of the cast to keep the story going. The only role that I have really watched him in and remembered was his part in the series “Hell on Wheels”. While not a great actor in that show, at least I remembered his part and the role he played in the storyline. In Ava, you could have put a cardboard cut-out of any actor and it would have showed greater talent and skill. He just was a talking one-dimensional character that did nothing to add to the film. Even trying to portray his angst that Ava was a former lover and he is now with the sister came off horribly. A very poor performance overall, and I hope that he gets better roles for him to grow as an actor. 

Geena Davis as Bobbi: Once a great actress, Davis has lost her edge and her talent for acting. For the few scenes that she was in, it might as well have been phoned in for all the effort she displayed in this role. Obviously, she needed a few bucks and just took the role for something to do. Even the most touching scene (at least the one that supposed to be) where she gives Ava the big reveal on how horrible a mother she was….well, was just plain horrible. Another case of a once big name riding on her previous laurels from real roles and movies.

Jess Weixler as Judy: I found Weixler kind of annoying as the sister in Ava. The little sister who was left behind to take care of ailing family and pick up her big sister’s cast-offs (Common) was just a little too clichéd for my taste. While she did not act badly in this role, I can’t say she was great either. Mind you, it could also be with who she was working her scenes with. Common and Davis gave sub-par performances so she did not have anything really to work with. My only experience watching her in film/tv to date had been in “The Good Wife” where I really liked her role and character. So obviously, it is not a talent thing, but more of her script/direction and co-stars.

Joan Chen as Toni: Chen, once a solid B actress, she had kind of drifted off into roles that were getting progressively worse and in productions that were abysmal. Her character here as the syndicate Madame who ran a gambling den was not only cheezily stereotypical but also not needed. The only thing it did was offer the reason for Ava (Chastain) to demonstrate her new fighting skills and garner a reason to help her sister and ex boyfriend/future brother in-law out. A real throw away character that was poorly written and acted. Chen had much better days in years gone by, but unfortunately I think those solid roles are long gone.

Colin Farrell as Simon: Here is another actor who I either love his film or hate it. He has a lot of talent and has demonstrated it repeatedly over the years. However, in Ava, playing a kind of hitman agency king-pin he was wasted. The character could have used a bit more backstory and also explain on how he could be Duke’s first protégé in one breath, and now his boss in the second. Kind of disjointed if you ask me. Also, there was very little chemistry between him and his co-stars. The only scene that he truly looked like was acting (though kind of weakly) was in the final act where he and Ava confront each other. In my opinion a poor role and performance from Farrell, who is talented actor…he just needed a better vehicle to project his skills.  

Diana Silvers as Camille: I am only throwing this one in for comment as it is now the 2^ndtime I have seen Camille in a role. First time was in “Space Force” that I reviewed last year and now she is Camille, Simon’s daughter. She really did not have much of a role except to either looked pissed or sullen in alternating fashion…oh year, and a very poor fight sequence. But then again, she is just starting out and has many years in which to perfect her talent. Of note, the last time I saw her (Space Force) one of her co-stars was also Malkovich…just as a little trivia piece. 

So, overall, were we entertained? Only in the most minor sense, while the premise was good and the film had several actors in it that I really like, it failed to deliver on most levels. For this type of film, I would probably skip Ava and move on to Atomic Blonde, Peppermint or Salt if you want to see something that has a little more finesse and production value and also keep you entertained throughout. But if you have watched everything else on NETFLIX or Prime, and you are a fan of Chastain, you might want to watch it…just be prepared to play a game on your I-pad to help pass the time during the boring sequences.

Our Score: 2.5/10

If you are interested in other films starring the main cast, please consider the following recommendations!

Jessica Chastain            Molly’s Game, The Zookeepers Wife, Miss Sloane, Interstellar, Zero Dark Thirty, The Martian

John Malkovich             Jennifer 8, In the Line of Fire, Con Air, Ripley’s Game, Red, Red 2, Space Force

Common                      Hell on Wheels, Hunter Killer, Oceans 8, Meagan Leavey

Geena Davis                  The Fly, Thelma & Louise, Beetlejuice, A League of Their Own, Long Kiss Goodnight

Jess Weixler                  The Good Wife

Joan Chen                     The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks, Judge Dredd

Colin Farrell                  Miami Vice, Tigerland, True Detective, Crazy Heart, The Recruit, Phonebooth, Hart’s War, Minority Report, S.W.A.T.

Diana Silvers                 Space Force

Till Next Time!

Cast:

Rami Malek                              Freddie Mercury

Lucy Boynton                            Mary Austin

Gwilym Lee                               Brian May

Ben Hardy                                Roger Taylor

Jospeh Mazzello                        John Deacon

Aidan Gillen                              John Read

Tom Hollander                          Jim Beach

I am still working through a stack of unwatched Blu-Rays that I had collected over the years, albeit with streaming services, the pandemic, and of course a reduced Hollywood production calendar, this stack is getting smaller every week. Grabbing the next disc, I was very glad to see that it was Bohemian Rhapsody, while I had bought this disc a year or so ago, I have just not gotten around to watching it. This movie struck a chord with my memories as a youth. Queen had an eclectic range of music that appealed to me and my friends. Songs like “We will rock you”, “Another one bites the Dust”, “Fat Bottomed Girls”, “We are the Champions” and of course the title song “Bohemian Rhapsody” were staples in our music library whenever my friends and I got together to have a party. Through the years, I have always smiled in remembrance whenever these songs come on the radio, while my music tastes may have changed over the years, my memories of Queen and their music were always enjoyable. 

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is a Biopic or Docudrama if you will, of Freddie Mercury rise to stardom as an individual and also as a member of the iconic Rock band “Queen”. As with many films of late, Rhapsody, starts with the end, and then flips backwards to tell you of the journey of the key characters and how they got to that point. Once in the flashback, we find a young Freddie Mercury (Malek), before he changed his name, working at an airport as a baggage handler during the day, and frequenting the pub scene at night. While on only touching on his origins, this film does display the early struggles of Mercury as an immigrant from Zanzibar with Indian roots, trying to assimilate in London in the early 1970’s. 

While touring the pubs and local music scenes, he meets up with Brian May (Lee) and Roger Taylor (Hardy), to join their band “Smile”, John Deacon (Mazzello) would join them in 1971. “Smile” would then be subsequently rebranded as Queen, just prior to their first album’s release.  

“Bohemian Rhapsody” portrays the band’s early struggles, internal and external conflicts, creation of the hits, recording, and finally in concert. The film had a steady pace that was easy to follow and when the music would begin it was part of the storyline and an integral inclusion. (Not like other films, where it would appear that they would break into song, without any consideration for the storyline at all). The casting was quite impressive, as many of the cast either resembled or were made to look like their real-life counterparts. While the songs were lip-synced, it was not done in such a way to take away from the story. Yes, it would have been more impressive if they performed all the songs, especially Malek, but not everyone has the chops for that kind of work. I was also very impressed with their movements while performing, specifically Malek, as it reminded me of the video’s and concerts that I had seen of Queen in my youth. Yes, there were some artistic licenses taken with the film, i.e. The signature mic-prop did not start during their first gig, the details around Mary Austin (from what I have read, changes were made to protect portions of her private life), and errors in dates for song’s and albums to name but a few. But none of these errors really took away from the film or the enjoyment. 

While the film centred on Freddie Mercury (Malek) there was also enough details about the other band members to ensure that they were not presented in one-dimensional way. Additionally, I was impressed with the way the film not only handled the craziness of a “rockers” life, specifically with respect to the drugs/alcohol and sex issues that would have had a great influence on their lives. Yes, these details were presented and shown, but it was done in such a way so that the film could actually appeal to a greater audience and not offend or overly distract from the story itself. 

The chemistry between the cast was quite impressive, each member played off of each other to ensure a great performance. I cannot really say that there were any weak characters in this film, as each and every one aided to the final product. Furthermore, while watching the film, it felt like you were watching Freddie Mercury, not someone playing him. Malek became Mercury, and you, as the audience forgot you were watching a film about the singer, and you could just sit and enjoy the ride. 

While we are on the subject of the cast, lets take a look at the major characters.

Lucy Boynton as Mary Austin: In our opinion, Boynton did a great job portraying Mercury’s best friend. You could see the love between the two characters that cemented their relationship as well as her acceptance of Mercury’s lifestyle. Not overly familiar with her past performances, as I had only seen her in “Murder on the Orient Express” a few years ago, I found that she supported Malek throughout the film and was integral not only to the story, but also that of the main characters. I look forward to seeing her in other roles in the future. 

Gwilym Lee as Brian May: First, I have to say that looking at Lee as May I must give kudo’s to the cast. They did a fantastic job of making him look like May. Like Boynton, I had not seen him in anything before, so I have nothing to compare his performance too. However, I found his performance to be extremely complimentary to the film and his co-stars. I thoroughly enjoyed his part in the film.

Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor: While not as good as casting choice in the “resemblance” department, Ben Hardy also did a great job as the drummer for Queen. His dialogue was well done, as well as the emotions during the tense moments of the band’s development and reconstruction. I was impressed that he learned to play the drums so that his shots during concerts etc. looked real and not staged. A relatively new actor, I had only seen him before in 6 Underground and X-Men Apocalypse. In both roles, he did a fair job, but as far as I am concerned, he came forward in Bohemian Rhapsody and really added to the product. 

Jospeh Mazzello as John Deacon: Another case of great casting of an actor to play a real person. Looking at the photos of both (actor/Deacon) there are enough resemblances to really add to the film. While it seemed that his character had the least dialogue or impact, he was still integral to the film. What I found the most surprising, was that it was Mazzello who I had seen the most in previous films/shows. Starting as a child actor, in such films like Jurassic Park and moving all the way to the mini-series The Pacific (also done with Malek) he demonstrates a wide range of characters throughout his life, and in roles that enhanced the project. In Rhapsody he continued to support the cast and move the story along. Overall, a pretty good performance!

Aidan Gillen as John Read: Gillen is another one of these character actors who always comes across as slimy or possessing a secret agenda. This type of performance continued, albeit at a lesser level in Rhapsody. As the manager to Queen, he embodied all the right characteristics of a manager in the music industry. His sliminess fit in the role and his chemistry was admirable in the scenes that he shared with the other characters. Gillen continues as always, to be a very good supporting actor.  

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury: I saved the best for last, Malek as Mercury was formidable. I have been watching him in television and film for a few years and he never ceases to impress me. He was Freddie Mercury, he embodied the spirit, the movements and mannerisms of a Rock Icon who I remembered growing up. I can see why he won all the awards when this film was made, and he deserved every bit of it. Even watching some of the real footage of the Live Aid concert and comparing it to the performance in the film, it was like watching mirror images. Just fantastic, however, kudo’s are not only to him for emulating Mercury to such a tee, but also to the support/direction/script that enabled him to provide such an awesome performance. Malek has great on screen presence, and it really shone through in this film. Dialogue and movements were extremely well done, and as I had mentioned previously, even though he was lip syncing the music, it still came across as believable and not hokey. What can I say, a truly great performance by Malek.

What did I like about the film? I think I pretty much covered it. First, there was a great story that was expertly delivered, and even though there were some warts in the characters, the direction/script/actors allowed them to come forward without overpowering or distracting the story. Excellent soundtrack, and an extremely talented cast that not only let you think you were watching the real people, but let you immerse yourself into the story. I even liked the small cameo by Mike Myers, I actually did not recognize him at first and then had to double check with IMDB that it was actually him!

Overall a fantastic film, that any music lover will enjoy. As far as musical Biopics go, I have to say I enjoyed this a little more than Rocketman, but that could be due to the fact that I liked the music of Queen over Elton John. I highly recommend this film if you are interested in Biopics, and Music/Rock history, so if you have not yet seen this film, que it up on NETFLIX or AMAZON PRIME, open a bottle of wine and get ready to enjoy a great story with some fantastic performances, not to mention, great music too!

Our Rating: 8/10

If you are interested in further shows/films from the principal actors, please consider the following recommendations:

Rami Malek                  Mr. Robot, Papillon, The Pacific, 24 (Season 8), Night at the Museum, 

Lucy Boynton                Murder on the Orient Express

Ben Hardy                    6 Underground, X-Men Apocalypse                    

Jospeh Mazzello            Jurassic Park, The River Wilde, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, The Pacific, Justified            

Aidan Gillen                  Shanghai Knights, The Wire, The Dark Knight Rises, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders      

Till Next Time!

Cast:

Gerard Butler                John Garrity

Morena Baccarin           Allison Garrity

Roger Dale Floyd           Nathan Garrity

Scott Glenn                   Dale

This week I decided to go back to Amazon Prime to see what I could find for a review. Lo and Behold, I came across Greenland as a new release and addition to the service. I watched the trailer, thought OK, a mild rip off of Deep Impact and Armageddon, with a hint of Geostorm and 2012. But, what the hell, will give it a try. Why not, it stars Butler and Baccarin, two actors that for the most part that I like their work. So, we queued up the film and settled in to be entertained. 

Now for a quick synopsis on what Greenland is about. I will try and not to give out too many spoilers, but in a nutshell, Greenland tells the tale of a family who is trying to survive after a near Extinction Level Event. A meteor called “Clark” (I found out later, named after Arthur C Clarke, and most specifically his story “Hammer of the Gods”.) will be hitting the Earth and basically wiping out all of civilization. Now, at first the public is told that it will miss Earth (even though the Gov’t knows it won’t) and they will only really see a meteor shower to provide some stellar entertainment.  Enter our hero of the story, John Garrity (Butler), he is a structural engineer and architect with marital problems. Going home (and into the spare bedroom) so that he can join his estranged wife and son to celebrate the son’s birthday, Garrity (Butler) receives a text and Presidential alarm stating that he and his family have been chosen to go to the Government bunker to weather out the calamity. As this warning happens not only when he is shopping for last minute party supplies, but again when all their friends and neighbours are at the house it makes for a few awkward scenes between Butler and Baccarin, as well as their house guests. Packing up their things, while their neighbours start to panic, primarily as they were not called we are presented with a scene much like Deep Impact when the lucky few were taken away to safety. The Garrity’s pack up and head out to the designated pick up point, and we are informed that there is a bit of an issue with respect to the son’s insulin medicine. This insulin is dramatic foreshadowing on what will play out later in the film.  

The Gerrity family is denied entrance to the base due to the medical issues of their son, becomes split up and must make their own way north. Allison (Baccarin) leaves John (Butler) a note stating to meet her at her fathers place in Tennessee. Again, I don’t want to give out too many spoilers, but let’s leave it to the fact that they all have very separate and distinct adventures, discovering the good and bad in their fellow citizens, and manage to re-unite at the father’s place (Scott Glenn) in Tennessee. 

While on the road, Gerrity (Butler) learns that Canadian pilots are ferrying people to the bunker located in Greenland so he decides that he must take his family North and eventually to sanctuary. That is pretty much the story, while I gave out some spoilers, (but were they really?). We knew from the outset that they would have problems getting to safety, that the destination was Greenland (hence the title), it was just the process of getting to sanctuary that I left out (sort of). 

So what did I like about the film, well, for once, Butler was not saving the world or a President, he was out to save his family. At least that was a welcome change. The acting and character development was not bad, not great, but not horrible. Butler usually delivers in the action genre, and he did so here. He played the father who just wanted to protect his family at any cost. He demonstrated good chemistry with his son Nathan (Floyd) and his estranged wife Allison (Baccarin). The only time that I found his character lacking was the scene at the in-law’s place in the barn. Ok, we had to find out why there was issues with his marriage, but it was poorly laid out and/or delivered. This could have probably been presented earlier in the film. 

Additionally, there were some pretty big goofs in setting and details in my opinion. Here are some of my first observations:

• I don’t think the technology is in place for a specific persons tv to get a personalized amber alert (or presidential alert in the case of the film).
• If there was enough research done for an individual lottery for rebuilding the states to include the families, I am sure it would have had the child’s diabetic condition.
• Yes, the drive according to Mapquest, from Tennessee to Osgoode Canada is 12 hours or so as mentioned in the film. But the timing is given in perfect conditions, not when highways would be jammed, accidents and meteor holes throughout. So 12 hours would not be the case here.Additionally, I had problems with the border crossing. I have used the border crossing closest to Osgoode on numerous occasions, and it is not even remotely the same. At least have something better than a sign, perhaps an empty line wickets between the two nations with the flags flying, and maybe the ever-present duty free store? Furthermore, there is no airfield in Osgoode as mentioned in the film, but there is a small airfield located not far from there (as well as the Ottawa Intl Airport a further 50k or so down the highway). 
• While on the subject of travelling from Tennessee to Osgoode Canada, the father in law (Glenn) says “take my truck, it has a full tank” well my friends, it would take more than one tank of gas to make it that far…at least 2 ½ to 3, depending on the gas mileage and speed. Could have shown our heroes siphoning gas from abandoned vehicles or even from a gas station itself.. However, this would further add to the 12 hour timeline for driving to Canada.
• Using a Twin Otter aircraft to fly from Osgoode to Thule AFB Greenland is ludicrous. We are talking a flight of about 3500km with a plane that only has the range of about 900km. I have flown in this type of aircraft in my military career, and while a robust airframe, it does not have magical abilities to fly that far. The distance from Osgoode to Thule AFB is approximately 3500km, the top speed of a twin otter is 296kph, so for simple math it would take 11 hours to fly there, but the asteroid that will end all life is expected in 6 hours…hmm, methinks that should not be able to make it in time. If they picked a C130 Hercules, it would have taken 6 hours (max speed 592kph) …would have been close, but could make it in time. 
• I have been to Thule AFB in Greenland on numerous occassions in the 80’s and 90’s, and trust me it does not look like what was portrayed, and I do not remember any “green spaces” like the film demonstrated. I do know that the film scenes for Greenland were shot in Iceland, thus the difference. But don’t make it look like the land of cream and honey when the countryside is very rough and barren. On a side note, I do have some great memories of the “Top of the World Club” in Thule…well ok, they were drunken memories, but it was a good time nonetheless. 
• I also have some issues with the way that the shockwaves were portrayed, in one scene, all the windows get blown apart, the next it just moves things around and previously broken windows are now magically repaired, poor editing here I believe.

Now it is time to take a look at the principal cast members of this Amazon film.

Gerard Butler as John Garrity: As previously mentioned, Butler is best suited for the action genre (i.e. 300) then the romcom (PS I Love you). While he can do both, he is best at action films where he can make the quick decisions, use his mind, and fists to solve the day. While he did not do much fighting here, the quick tempo of the film (besides the first 10 minutes) did make it for some half decent entertainment. He demonstrated good chemistry with his principal co-stars (Baccarin, Floyd and Glen) and portrayed believable emotions while he was trying to find and subsequently save his family. Not his best performance, but not his worst by far. Overall, I liked him in this role and I always look forward to seeing what he does next.

Morena Baccarin as Allison Garrity: I first noticed Baccarin in Firefly, (a sci-fi Cult favourite) and then subsequently in the remake of the series V. She is pretty talented and can pull off the worried mother, or tough alien Commander with equal ease. In the case of Greenland, she stuck with the worried mother who as the film progressed became stronger and harder. I must say that this is the first time in a while (including guest spots on various shows i.e. The Good Wife, The Mentalist) where she did not really use her sex appeal to get what she wanted. (Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind when she does that, but this was the first time that I had watched her in a show where she did not!) Her chemistry with Butler was pretty good and you could see her feelings change throughout the film from and estranged wife who was extremely angry with her husband, back to falling in love again. Pretty solid performance from Baccarin, and on par with what I have seen in the past.

Roger Dale Floyd as Nathan Garrity: This was the first time I have seen Floyd in any production. For a young kid he was not bad. Emotions and chemistry were well presented and I think that he has the potential to go further. I see in his resume that he is in Doctor Sleep, a production that I look forward to seeing in the near future. 

Scott Glenn as Dale: Glenn actually had a minimal role in this film, but I had to include him as I always liked his style. Having been around for decades, he has pretty much played the full gambit of roles, everything from a cowboy to astronaut. However, this is the first time that I can say that he really looked his age of 81. Even though he had minimal screen time and had a cheesy scene with Butler in the barn, he still pretty much stole the scenes with his presence (his presence, not the dialogue). I understand why they had to include the character, primarily as a place where they could all meet again, but it was really a throwaway role for Glenn. This was not his best role by far, but it was nice to see him in a film again.

Now for the big question, were we entertained? Yes, we were. While not an awesome film by any means, it was good enough to keep watching and it did initiate some conversation between my wife and I when the goofs were noticed (She too had been to Thule a few times, so we did talk about our mutual memories of the place). This film was far better for Butler than the last one we watched (Angel has Fallen) with him but still not as good as say, 300. It passed the time on a weekend night, and kept us watching. Would I recommend it? Yes, if you are a fan of Butler and Baccarin, you should give it a run. Also, if you like the whole “Death to humanity by meteor shtick” then this one is not a bad film to watch. It is more like Deep Impact and 2012 than Armageddon, but it follows a proven action formula and will entertain you on a winter night. So if you like what I mentioned above, and you have Amazon Prime, give this a shot.

Our rating: 5/10

If you are interested in other films/programs with our key characters, please consider the following recommendations:

Gerard Butler                Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, 300, Gamer, Law Abiding Citizen, Machine Gun Preacher                    

Morena Baccarin           Firefly, Homeland, Deadpool (1&2), V

Scott Glenn                   Silverado, The Right Stuff, The Hunt for Red October, Silence of the Lambs, Backdraft, Absolute Power, Courage under Fire, The Bourne Legacy,