I consider Nicolas Cage to be a great actor. He can do comedy, drama, or action movies without too much problem. You can believe him to be funny, dramatic, or heroic in his past movies. However, he has produced some awful movies lately. Knowing, Next, Wicker Man, Ghost rider, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice were all pretty bad movies. While National Treasure movies were entertaining, it was not exactly great compared to his other works. With that in mind, I did not have too much expectation for his latest movie, Drive Angry. The trailer hinted at some ridiculous, over the top action movie. While it was fairly ridiculous and over the top, it was not as bad as I expected.

John Milton escapes from hell to find his kidnapped granddaughter. A Satanic cult leader kills Milton’s daughter and kidnaps his granddaughter in order to sacrifice the baby. Soon as his daughter is killed, Milton escapes from hell to track down his granddaughter. While looking, he runs into a waitress named Piper who is in need of help from her fiancé. Together, they follow various leads to track down Jonah King before he has chance to sacrifice the baby. Also, Milton has to evade the Accountant who was dispatched from hell to track down Milton and return him to hell.

The movie is a simple action flick. There’s not much plot except the hell twist. We get various chase scenes and some shoot outs. However, the over the top action sequence and really cheesy dialogue make the movie somewhat entertaining. Piper seemed like unnecessary character throughout the movie. But, with action movies aimed at younger males, it’s not a bad idea to have Amber Heard in some revealing clothes. Overall, its decent movie to waste few hours.

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Once you see Jason Statham on the cast list, you know what type of film you are going to be watching. Mainly, Statham is associated with action movies. I can’t think of single movie that Statham started that didn’t involve some type of violence/action. He has made a great career out of playing a singular type of character in most movies. Even so, he does do fantastic job at being an action hero. The Mechanic is no exception. The 2011 version is the remake of the classic 1972 version starting Charles Bronson. Perhaps Statham is the newer version of Bronson.

The story is about a professional hit man named Arthur Bishop. He is one of the very best assassins who specialize in many different type of assassination. The latest assignment from the top is to eliminate his long time friend and mentor Harry. He agonizes over the decision. However, shown the evidence of betrayal by Harry, he goes ahead and eliminates Harry. When he runs into Harry’s son, he decides to mentor him to become a great assassin himself. After few missions, Bishop finally learns the truth about Harry and Harry’s son suspects Bishop had something to do with his father’s death.

This is fairly straight forward movie. I’m pretty sure you’ll see the ending half way through the movie. The ride toward the ending isn’t bad though. You’ll get to see Statham’s trademark action sequences as well as some great demise of bad guys. Ultimately, it is fairly predictable movie with little substance.

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The Green Hornet starting Seth Rogan is the remake of the 1960s television series starting Bruce lee and Van Williams as Kato and Green Hornet respectively. The television series itself was based on the popular comic book. With the recent fondness of movies based on comic books, it was inevitable for Green Hornet to be made into a movie. However, Seth Rogan as the main lead was little odd choice as I can’t wrap my head around an action movie centered on Seth Rogan as the lead. While I am a fan of Seth Rogan, I’m most familiar with him in a comedic role. The movie was written by Seth Rogen and you can clearly see he is a big fan of the franchise.

The plot isn’t overly complicated or even all that interesting. Playboy Britt Reid, played by Seth Rogen, inherits a media empire when his father is murdered. He quits his partying and becomes serious about fighting crime with the help of his side kick Kato. Britt becomes a “superhero” fighting Benjamin Chudnofsky’s crime empire. The entire Chudnofsky and his criminal gang run the city and somehow Britt connects his father’s death to the Chudnofsky gang.

To be honest, I didn’t think I’d like the movie at all. Seth Rogan is funny but I didn’t think he could carry a comic book movie. I think Seth Rogan fits well with the movie. If it was X-man or other action oriented movie, he would not be a good fit. However, he fits fairly well in the role of Britt Reid. Jay Chou as Kato is relatively new face for the western audience. However, he is one of the most popular entertainer in Asia. The interaction between the two leads was the highlight of the movie. I’d say this is more a comedic film than an action film. Overall, I enjoyed the movie.

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The combination of Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe has produced some great movies in the past. They seem to like to work with each other as shown by the sheer number of movies they have done together. And, for most part, they have made good solid movies. So, I was fairly excited when Scott and Crowe teamed up once again to make Robin Hood. There have been countless Robin Hood movies and it seemed like there was little Scott could do to add to the already abundant Robin Hood story. After watching the film, I was fairly impressed with the direction of the story.

Instead of the standard Robin Hood story where he is an outlaw from the start, we start off at an earlier point where Robin Longstride is a part of the English army returning from the crusade. During the return, the king is killed in a siege. Few of the knights are instructed to return the news of the death. However, during the return, they are ambushed and killed. Robin Longstride and few of his friends fled the battle once the king was killed. On the way back to England, they happen to come across the dead knights. There, he promises Robert Loxley that he will return the Loxley family sword to his family. Once they return to England, he decides to stay with Loxley family and assume the family name Loxley in order to help out the family.

This movie really has nothing in common with previous Robin Hood movies. This could have been any generic medieval sword and adventure type of movie. This isn’t said to disparage the movie. On the contrary, Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe deliver a great movie. But, for people expecting the typical story line of Robin Hood might be disappointed. What we do get is a prelude or part 1 or the overall movie. The movie screams for a sequel that details the typical outlaw life Robin Hood leads. The end feels like a set up for the next movie. The disappointing box office result may prevent a true sequel to this great movie.

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It is not easy to make a great transition from video games to the big screen. Only handful has made a successful jump from game to movie. The movie industry is littered with awful video game adaptations. We only need to look at Mario Brothers or Street Fighter franchise to see the massive failure attempts. It’s not surprising the movie studios were bit hesitant to make a video game movie. However, with the video game sales surpassing the box office sales, it is inevitable that there will be more video game movies. It’s no surprise Disney jumped into video game movie with producer Jerry Bruckheimer behind the Prince of Persia. While there are bigger franchise in the video game sphere, Prince of Persia might be the most suitable franchise for the Disney Company.

Dastan is a street rat who gets adapted by the King of Persia after some altercation. He grows up as a Prince surrounded by royalty. Dastan distinguishes himself as a warrior prince in various battles. Persian Army learns of Alamut’s involvement in supplying weapons to Persian enemy. Persian army invades the city on this information. Dastan distinguishes himself again as a great warrior. After the battle, the King of Persia dies under suspicious circumstance. The blame is placed on Dastan as the killer. In order to prove his innocence, he runs away with the help of Alamut’s princess. While investigating the matter, he learns of the special dagger that could change the history of Persia.

With Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, you get everything you expect from Bruckheimer production. While it is rated PG-13, adults should be able to enjoy this film unlike some other Disney films. At first, I was skeptical of Jake Gyllenhaal carrying a big budget action film. But, he does great job as the lead. Gemma Arterton as the princess Tamina is what you would expect from the role. The other surrounding cast such as Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina are top notch actors who compliment the main characters very well. This is a very enjoyable summer pop corn flick you should not miss.

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Kick-Ass, a comic book adaptation, has received some great reviews and buzz. A lot have compared it to Superbad or any other nerdy-sex comedies to come out of Hollywood in droves. While I’m not denigrating Superbad or other similar films, Kick-Ass is really different film. While it does retain the nerd factor from Superbad, it is mainly an over the top live comic book movie. There are some crazy over the top violence in Kick-Ass. While there have been more violent films, non has come from a small girl with a very violent streak.

The story revolves around Dave Lizewski, a nerdy high school kid with a big crush on the school’s popular girl. As expected, Dave is a big nerd who is into comic books and video games. Tired of being pushed around, Dave decides to become a “superhero” even without any super powers. On one of his outing, he stands up to three thugs who are beating on one guy. Even though he doesn’t really take care of the thugs, he does just enough to chase them away. This entire encounter is caught on tape and Dave becomes an internet sensation. Through some misunderstanding, he becomes entangled in a crime that involves real superhero duo Hit Girl and Big Daddy. Together, they have to deal with dangerous drug dealer.

This is different type of superhero movie. It is not Marvel or DC comic book adaptation. You will not see any Spiderman type of story. While you do see some elements from Batman, you will not associate this movie with any other superhero movies. While movie does center around Dave Lizewski, aka Kick-Ass, it is Hit Girl that takes the center stage. The diminutive Chloe Moretz delivers a winning performance as the foul mouthed assassin. You will be hard pressed to find better young actress to deliver this type of performance. Overall, Kick-Ass is an enjoyable movie.

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The Good, the bad, the weird is the Korean take on the Sergio Leone’s classic Spaghetti Western, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. This has to be truly one of few Korean movies to deal with Western subject. Instead of the Wild West, the setting is the 1930s Manchuria. Until recently, Korean films were mostly dramas and melodramas. Only in last 10-15 years has Korean cinema produced broader genre including action and adventure films. The Good, the Bad, the Weird is the latest attempt at something different that might appeal to international market.

The story revolves around three characters trying in pursuit of a treasure map. The story opens up with a hitman, the Bad, trying to steal a map from a Japanese official traveling by train. During the robbery, a thief, the Weird, steals the map from the Bad. The Weird escapes with the map. Meanwhile, a bounty hunter comes upon the scene and decides to pursue the Bad for the bounty. All three are tangled up in a classic chase as they all hunt for the treasure and each other.

The movie is clearly influenced by many classic western movies. Even so, the movie has distinct Korean elements. There are some humorous dialogues that might only appeal to native Korean speakers. Even so, the overall plot and subject matter should appeal to broader international audiences. There are some breathtaking cinematic and photography in Manchurian desert. The opening train sequence as well as all the action sequences are top notch. Any fan of western and Spaghetti western should appreciate this fine film.

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The remake of the 1981 classic Clash of the Titans retains the overall similar plot and adds the latest visual effects. While the original wasn’t a big success, the story and mythology was ripe for a modern update. The lead actor, Sam Worthington, seems to be in every other movie these days. The success of Avatar has propelled him leading man in Hollywood. Even before the release, the early screenings returned poor reviews from the viewers. The critics universally derided the movie as being shallow and light. My expectations were fairly low after the first round of reviews. The movie wasn’t total bust but it was a letdown.

The overall story is in line with the original 1981 version. The war between human and gods is about to erupt in the Greek city of Argos. Humans, following the lead of the King, rebel against the Gods and look to overthrow them as the supreme ruler of the world. The three brothers, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades all decide that humans must be dealt with in harsh terms. Tangled up in this war is son of Poseidon, Perseus, who has been raised by fisherman and his family. Hades plans to overthrow Zeus during the war. Perseus must track down Hades and find a way to defeat him and expose his plot to Zeus and Poseiden.

The action is the main attraction of this film. There are many action sequences including the fun battle between Perseus and Madusa. The fight sequences are fairly straight forward and heavy on CG usage. The character development is extremely thin and poorly done. The overall story is driven from action sequence to action sequence without any character development. With talented cast and very action oriented story, the movie should have been better. Instead we are left with a mediocre movie with some decent action scenes.

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The Book of Eli doesn’t disappoint the targeted audience. The post apocalyptic western film is as advertised. The plot isn’t really original. It’s your standard post nuclear war movie where civilization has taken a giant step back into chaos and anarchy. Small pockets of communities exist with warlords controlling the population. Murder and rape is rampant and food and water shortages persist throughout the World. This is the setting where Eli is on a mission to deliver a book to the western part of the United States. It is the year 2043 he is nearing his goal of reaching California. However, there is mad warlord in a town that is searching for a specific book. It wouldn’t be a big spoiler to mention that the book is in fact the Bible. There is not very subtle hint about the war and the cause. It seems that Bible was burned along with other books in the aftermath of the war.

The movie’s strong point isn’t the philosophical ideals. Instead, it is the action that makes the movie enjoyable. There is a deeper meaning the directors are trying convey. But, it is very thin and overly employed in other movies. It feels like they tried to thrown in religious angle where it was not needed. This isn’t to say that it detracts from the film. In fact, it does have the uplifting feeling once the credits roll. All that aside, the action is very slick and well choreographed. If you are a fan of the post apocalypse genre, you will be right at home with this film.

Danzel Washington is perfect as Eli, the wandering warrior with mission. Gary Oldman once again plays the villain. It seems like Gary Oldman was made to be a villain in most movies. Perhaps it’s because he does it so well. You really can’t argue with Oldman playing a villain. The Mila Kunis character seems to be an afterthought. Her character isn’t really needed or serves any purpose except to have attractive female cast. Even so, she is a terrific actress and does her role without any problem. Overall, the film was enjoyable and well worth the purchase.

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James Cameron’s last film, Titanic, was the highest grossing film in the history. Cameron’s latest film eclipsed Titanic at the box office. Taking in over 2 billion dollars, Avatar has become the highest grossing movie of all time. Like Titanic, the big budget and overly hyped, Avatar had some worried that it might bomb at the box office. However, like Titanic, Avatar raked in massive amounts of money across the globe. James Cameron waited over 10 years since his last film to work on Avatar. As soon as you watch Avatar, you understand why he waited so long. 10 years ago, technology didn’t exist to create all the effects shown in Avatar. More than half of the movie is done purely on computer generated form. In the past, you could tell CG from reality in distinct form. Watching Avatar, you forget that you are watching CG.

In terms of plot, there isn’t too much to distinguish itself in originality. A lot of people have compared to Dances with Wolves and rightly so. The plot is not much different from Kevin Costner’s epic western movie. The story opens up with Jake Sully taking on a mission previously assigned to his twin brother. His twin brother was to go to Pandora on a project to get to know the natives through the usage of avatar. The natives, Navi, are resisting the mining company that intends to mine for a highly valuable ore. The avatars are made to look like the native Navi. The controllers are connected to their avatars and are able to control them. While getting to know the Navi, Jake Sully come to respect and love them. Thus, he sides with Navi to fight the evil corporation.

While not completely derivative, Avatar does borrow heavily from other movies. But, in terms of technical achievement, there is no equal. Even with known plot line, Cameron does excellent job of telling the story. The movie’s appeal is not just aesthetic, the story as well as the actors all make for a great entertainment. James Cameron’s patience has paid off. While we have seen some great CG effects in the past movies, none have come close to what Avatar has achieved. Avatar has blurred the line between real actors and computer generated actors. While real actors provide the basis, Avatar is one step closer to a completely generated actors on big screen.

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