The Honorable Woman: Review of Jackie

Jackie

Director: Pablo Larrain

By Alex Watson

Stellar work from Natalie Portman brings American's most famous first lady to life. Jackie is a touching replication of a woman going through her darkest hour. Chilean director, Pablo Larrain expertly intercuts through three key periods in the life of Jackie Kennedy. What follows is a testament to the devotion of one woman to her husband even in death. Mrs Kennedy worked tirelessly following JFK's death to honour his memory and her fierce desire makes this one of the strongest films of 2016.

Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) is recounting the days before and after her husband's assassination in 1963. Telling her story to life magazine journalist Theodore H White (Billy Crudup) she aims to give an insight into that terrible time. Barely coping in the wake of this tragedy and the nation on high alert, Jackie is determined to give her husband a proper burial. With both her brother in law Bobby (Peter Sarsgaard) and other key members fearful of more trouble, she faces a tough battle.

Pablo Larrain doesn't take the linear route with Jackie and he and writer Noah Oppenheim decide to focus on three very different moments. The story mainly centres around that notable day in Dallas and watching Jackie clutching her husband's lifeless body wearing her iconic pink Chanel suit is heart-rendering. Even more so is watching her wiping the blood off her face while utterly traumatised. We also get glimpses into happier times such as her famous TV tour of the White House. The aftermath of JFK's assassination puts the entire nation in an emotionally fragile state. Jackie is a woman consumed by grief and barely keeping above water and is growing increasingly resentful with people's desire to shut her away. Her interview with Theodore is a tough nut to crack because he has to contend with a woman on her guard. While tearfully describing her words she spoke whilst John was bleeding to death, she shakily looks to him stating "Don't think for one second I'm going to let you publish that,"

Larrain also brings to light Jackie's confusion over her identity now she is no longer the first lady. The scenes alongside John Hurt's priest, Father Richard McSorley tap into the psyche of what her legacy really means? The dramatic weight of some scenes is sometimes carried without a word. During one scene she aimless wanders the White House taking pills and vodka while 'Camelot' plays overhead. All of her doubts, wonders and questions of how her husband will be remembered are beautiful expressed. The way the camera stays close to Natalie Portman draws us closer into the conscience of this famous figure. This effect feels fullest while we watch the bullet hit her husband's skull and in an instant her world is ripped apart. The audience feels like an intruder in a person's most private moment. Her relationship with Bobby also adds some family tension as he is sometimes overprotective nature makes her feel trapped.While his intentions mean well, he comes across being almost a sensor when he tries to keep Lee Harvey Oswald's death a secret.

The real firepower in Jackie comes from her desire to give her husband the send off she wants. Scared that the man she loves has already been consigned to history, Jackie refuses to let his memory be tarnished. Refusing to let her be alone for a moment, we are breathlessly drawn into her world and we see a soul that cannot rest. All throughout Jackie has to contend with the danger of being out in the open, with the nation still reeling staff are scared of another attack. Through her softly spoken tones, the former first lady makes the biggest waves. She will see this day through, the consequences be damned. Larrain's real mastery comes from how he portrays the suppression of her suffering during this crisis. Forced to keep up appearances, Jackie is very much the figurehead of JFK's legacy and on her strength of character alone this film carried forward. Few first ladies are as fondly remembered as Jackie Kennedy and this movie surpasses the boundaries of the average biopic film. Rarely do we get such a real glimpse into such an event, Larrain ensures out hearts go with Mrs Kennedy.

It feels like no-one else but Natalie Portman could have succeeded as Jackie. Portman perfectly personifies the horrific tragedy this woman suffered. Nailing Kennedy's iconic tones, this performance is one that is not only complex to pull off but requires a sufficient emotional investment. On all front, Portman is a revelation and is most mesmerising in her quieter moments. Such simple things as watching her husband blood drip off her in the shower increase the power of this turn. This role is one that will see her feature regularly this award season. After a few wayward of years of bad comedies, Portman is now firmly back on dramatic territory and this role feels like one she was born to play.

Jackie is a biopic picture that is unmatched this year and Pablo Larrain's Hollywood debut is one to truly savour.

Lucky Seven: Review of The Magnificent Seven

The Magnificent Seven

Director: Antoine Fuqua

By Alex Watson

The odds were stacked against Antoine Fuqua almost from day one when he announced his remake of The Magnificent Seven. Though there are sporadic moments of entertainment, this remake fails to even touch upon the cool or classy nature of either of the two originals. At points, Fuqua does manage to conjure a gold ol' western gunfire in the vein of Sam Peckinpah, but this remake runs out shells pretty fast.

The town of Rose Creek has been constantly bullied and robbed by rich businessman Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard). After the death of her husband (Matt Bomer), widow Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) convinces bounty Sam Chisholm (Denzel Washington) to help defend their town. Faced with a monumentally difficult task, Chisholm seeks out Civil War hero Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), tracker Jack Horne (Vincent D'onofrio) and drunken gunslinger Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt) alongside three more killers to keep the villains at bay.

While it has a slick delivery and an impressive cast, The Magnificent Seven is not a movie that will break any real boundaries. It is a fun experience, but there is little in the way of gritty or memorable in this desert. Starting with a gutsy entrance by Bogue who corners the village's population in a church and then burns the building to the ground, we at least get a nasty villain for the seven to play off against. Peter Sarsgaard is wonderfully nasty at this part but never gets to fully expose this evil at its fullest. Fuqua seems in a hurry to get the gang together and we never really get to learn anything of our heroes. Goodnight Robicheaux gets the deepest backstory as a Civil War sharpshooter nicknamed 'The Angel of Death' for his 23 kills. Suffering from PTSD, Robicheaux is a man who has become a toothless bear in the heat of battle.

The Seven each have their merits, Chisholm is a man looking for justice for something close to home, Faraday is cheeky chappie with a penchant for magic tricks, Horne is a gentle yet brutal tracker that looks like Santa Claus went rural. Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier), Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee) are just good at killing stuff. There are the obligatory montage sequences as the men train the town to defend itself while picking off the corrupt lawmen that have allowed Bogue to run riot. Being denied a chance to really know or understand these characters leaves a flat aftertaste and they seem like seven guys are just doing this deed because they have nothing better to do. While both John Sturges and Akira Kurosawa dedicated more time to allow their audience to know their heroes, this remake feels worst off without it.

When the big showdown hits, Fuqua does raise the film's thrill levels and as the body count stacks up. Sadly we have no heroes we are really rooting for and our interest in who lives or dies is long gone by this stage. Wanting to reenact grizzly finales like The Wild Bunch, Fuqua is left with a more family friend scenario and what could have been a gutsy display of iron will is just dull and uninteresting. Missing the presence of men like Yul Brenner and Steve McQueen, this seven bonds well together on screen but we never sense there is much comradery among them. Fuqua did a good job resurrecting The Equalizer with Washington, but lightning fails to strike twice.

Denzel Washington is cool as Sam Chisholm but his character depth is barely a foot deep. We know he has his own motives for going after Bogue, but we never really feel the heat or anger coming off them. A frequent collaborator with Fuqua, this movie will not go down as one of his more memorable efforts. Chris Pratt is also stranded in what is essentially a one-note role as Josh Faraday. Given little to do other than giving the same kind of lovable guy persona we've seen in all his recent movies, Pratt feels wasted in what could have been a good redoing of Steve McQueen's Vin. Ethan Hawke has some fine moments as Goodnight and is perhaps the one character that truly stands out, mainly because we actually know more about him.

The Magnificent Seven is another Hollywood classic given an inferior remake, all film fans can do is wonder what this could have been in better hands. Seven Samurai fans beware of future remake attempts.