Showing posts with label Vince Vaughn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vince Vaughn. Show all posts
Monday, 23 October 2017
Jailhouse Rock: Review of Brawl in Cell Block 99
Brawl in Cell Block 99
Director: S. Craig Zahler
By Alex Watson
Vince Vaughn is an actor that many people still disregard. S.Craig Zahler's Brawl in Cell Block 99 might just cast a whole new perspective on this man. Turning a career-best performance, Vaughn shows a newer and tougher side to his persona. Currently going through a career renaissance, the 47-year-old shows he might be casting off the shackles of his comedic past.
Bradley Thomas (Vince Vaughn) is a former tow truck driver turned successful drug runner. When he is arrested in a botched police bust, Thomas refuses to talk and is given seven years in jail. While in a medium-security prison, Thomas is informed by a creepy middleman (Udo Kier) that his former boss has captured his pregnant wife Lauren (Jennifer Carpenter). To erase the debt caused by his imprisonment, he must get transferred to maximum security and kill a man in Cellblock 99.
A quietly ferocious presence throughout, Bradley Thomas from the opening frame shows he is not a man to be messed with. Fired from his job as a tow truck driver- Thomas wordlessly drives home and finds his wife about to leave him. Rather than screaming and shouting, he instead goes to town ripping apart her car. All of his anger and frustration with life are channelled through this bending of metal. Quick to remind people he's called Bradley, not Brad- Thomas is a man who has a 'get her done' attitude which leads to his vast success as a gun runner. Zahler takes his time actually getting Bradley behind bars- remaining loyal to his values is what sees him get in trouble. At first, he gets put in a safer prison and seems content to just do his time and come home to his wife and future child.
The first hour of Brawl in Cell Block 99 trundles along at a steady pace- but when Bradley is given his ultimatum inside the jail, the movie is given a huge shot of adrenaline. At first a placid character, the second half sees our hero becoming a hulking figure of revenge. Informed that his wife has been taken and that his unborn child will be mutilated by an abortionist if doesn't comply, you can almost feel the anger on his lips. Zahler's film becomes a thrill ride from this point and he doesn't hold on back on the gory details. Picking fights with both prisons and guards alike to get closer to this target, Bradley will do whatever it takes. Watching the bones break and the blood spray, audiences will definitely squirm in discomfort.
Getting landed in max proves to be a tricky last step as it lands him in the custody of the slipper Warden Tuggs (a scene-stealing Don Johnson). Tuggs is a man who believes in 'limited freedom' which will become even more limited the more Bradley pisses him off. When he goes past the point of the no-return, our hero never once blinks. His sheer physical presence alone marks him out a real danger. In one scene he cooly beats the seven bells out of a gang of prison yard thugs without breaking a sweat. It becomes clear that he may be fighting a losing battle, but his well-being is the furthest thing from his mind. Zahler takes us the dark region of a desperate man, but it is presented with a gritty cool that makes all the more fascinating.
After impressive turns in Hacksaw Ridge and True Detective, Vaughn has now become a fascinating talent. Effortlessly keep this picture together, Vaughn shows no strain at the physical side of this role. His Bradley Thomas is a one-man machine and although he is going through every person's worst nightmare, he keeps his composure. This picture shows a whole new ability of the man known for his easy money slacker films. You might be expecting Owen Wilson or Ben Stiller to appear at first, but once Vaughn gets going it is impossible to take our eyes off him.
Brawl in Cell Block 99 might not be easy viewing, but it is a tight and tense thriller that showcases the talents of Vaughn and Zahler.
Saturday, 12 November 2016
Hell in the Pacific: Review of Hacksaw Ridge
Hacksaw Ridge
Director: Mel Gibson
By Alex Watson
After years in the wilderness, Mel Gibson seems to be working his way back. His new project Hacksaw Ridge is a fitting tribute to our WWII veterans. Focusing on the story of Desmond Doss- who was awarded the Medal of Honor despite being a conscientious objector. Gibson's direction brings the man's strength of character to life. On the battlefield is where this picture scores highly and we are given the best war scenes since Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan.
Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) is a young man who wants to serve in WWII but his refusal to bear arms puts him at a disadvantage immediately. Superiors Captain Glover (Sam Worthington) and Sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn) want him gone. Despite his brutal treatment Doss refuses to give in. Shipped over to the Pacific, Doss must contend the fiery hell of battle in Okinawa. Without firing a single bullet, Doss will show these men of war what courage really is.
Mel Gibson takes his time over telling Doss' story and the fast half of Hacksaw Ridge explains why he maintains his pacifist beliefs. Raising in rural Virgina to an abusive, alcoholic war veteran father (Hugo Weaving). His first experience with violence nearly kills his brother in a play fight. Reinforcing his belief in the sixth commandment, Doss resolves to never hurt anyone. He begins a cute romance with his future wife Dorothy (Teresa Palmer), a nurse at his local hospital. Their courting has a glowing innocence of youth and feels very much like the calm before the storm. When Doss enlists in the US Army and begins basic training, at first things go swimmingly but he refuses to pick up a rifle things get ugly. His purity of heart and self sacrificing are just the start of what will become a life altering experience. The early scenes between Doss and his father are like hearing the voices of the soldiers already lost, as his father begs him not succumb to same fate his his lost friends.
Called out by both Howell and Glover for his beliefs, Doss soon finds himself ostracized by his squad and deemed a coward. Glover fears he is damaging troop morale and cannot under why a pacifist would join a combat regiment? During this sequence we get a firm glimpse at his refusal to give in. Doss is beaten up, given extra duties, refused leave but still resolves to complete training. Even when faced with an easy out of military service, Doss still will not pick up a rifle. With a court martial pending it takes a piece of bravery for his afflicted Dad to save him from spending the war in jail. Doss' argumens about his right to serve will melt even the most stubborn of hearts. Although a proven team player and demonstrating sheer courage, he is frown upon by even the most senior officers. Continually bruised and scarred from his experience, Desmond emerges as a hero before he even sets a foot in WWII.
Arriving in Okinawa is where Hacksaw Ridge shows its true colours. As the troop watch the numerous dead bodies and shellshocked troops heading away, it is clear this is a place men fear to tread. Taking this island is all important and Glover explains this could swing the war towards Allied victory. Entering the battlefield, the nerves tingle all around us and surrounded by the ashes and fire of combat are the tenacious Japanese army. Be prepared for continual anxiety and claustrophobia because when the bullets fly this combat zone turns into hell on earth. Soldiers are ripped apart in moments and the men we have become familiar with are lying dead all around. Gibson doesn't hold back and his fascination on showing the guts and brutality of war bring us right into the horrific nature of war. Through his excellent direction, Gibson shows just how perilous Doss' sacrifices to save his comrades really was. Fearlessly diving into the heat of battle to drag another to safety while ankle deep in the insides and blood of the fallen- Doss keeps praying for the lord to just let him save one more. His display of bravery is rousing to the core and a true hero of the battlefield is born.
Andrew Garfield turns in an Oscar worthy performance as Desmond Doss. It is hard to imagine another actor that show the same kind of heart as this man? Garfield embodies the spirit of Doss and plays his character like he doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. With this and his role in Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' Garfield is on a career high and is a frontrunner for the awards season. Sam Worthington and Vince Vaughn also give as good as they can. Vaughn in particular is scene stealing as the loud Sgt. Howell. Hugo Weaving in a brief role in the one that is the most poignant. Weaving ably demonstrates the effect that war has on a man's mental state. His character is lost in a haze and feel confusion over what precisely his generation were fighting for when so many were killed?
Mel Gibson as a character might never be fully redeemed, as a director we forget just how great he can be with the right material. Hacksaw Ridge is a movie that puts him on the map again and there is no better man than Gibson to tell the story of Desmond Doss.
Director: Mel Gibson
By Alex Watson
After years in the wilderness, Mel Gibson seems to be working his way back. His new project Hacksaw Ridge is a fitting tribute to our WWII veterans. Focusing on the story of Desmond Doss- who was awarded the Medal of Honor despite being a conscientious objector. Gibson's direction brings the man's strength of character to life. On the battlefield is where this picture scores highly and we are given the best war scenes since Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan.
Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) is a young man who wants to serve in WWII but his refusal to bear arms puts him at a disadvantage immediately. Superiors Captain Glover (Sam Worthington) and Sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn) want him gone. Despite his brutal treatment Doss refuses to give in. Shipped over to the Pacific, Doss must contend the fiery hell of battle in Okinawa. Without firing a single bullet, Doss will show these men of war what courage really is.
Mel Gibson takes his time over telling Doss' story and the fast half of Hacksaw Ridge explains why he maintains his pacifist beliefs. Raising in rural Virgina to an abusive, alcoholic war veteran father (Hugo Weaving). His first experience with violence nearly kills his brother in a play fight. Reinforcing his belief in the sixth commandment, Doss resolves to never hurt anyone. He begins a cute romance with his future wife Dorothy (Teresa Palmer), a nurse at his local hospital. Their courting has a glowing innocence of youth and feels very much like the calm before the storm. When Doss enlists in the US Army and begins basic training, at first things go swimmingly but he refuses to pick up a rifle things get ugly. His purity of heart and self sacrificing are just the start of what will become a life altering experience. The early scenes between Doss and his father are like hearing the voices of the soldiers already lost, as his father begs him not succumb to same fate his his lost friends.
Called out by both Howell and Glover for his beliefs, Doss soon finds himself ostracized by his squad and deemed a coward. Glover fears he is damaging troop morale and cannot under why a pacifist would join a combat regiment? During this sequence we get a firm glimpse at his refusal to give in. Doss is beaten up, given extra duties, refused leave but still resolves to complete training. Even when faced with an easy out of military service, Doss still will not pick up a rifle. With a court martial pending it takes a piece of bravery for his afflicted Dad to save him from spending the war in jail. Doss' argumens about his right to serve will melt even the most stubborn of hearts. Although a proven team player and demonstrating sheer courage, he is frown upon by even the most senior officers. Continually bruised and scarred from his experience, Desmond emerges as a hero before he even sets a foot in WWII.
Arriving in Okinawa is where Hacksaw Ridge shows its true colours. As the troop watch the numerous dead bodies and shellshocked troops heading away, it is clear this is a place men fear to tread. Taking this island is all important and Glover explains this could swing the war towards Allied victory. Entering the battlefield, the nerves tingle all around us and surrounded by the ashes and fire of combat are the tenacious Japanese army. Be prepared for continual anxiety and claustrophobia because when the bullets fly this combat zone turns into hell on earth. Soldiers are ripped apart in moments and the men we have become familiar with are lying dead all around. Gibson doesn't hold back and his fascination on showing the guts and brutality of war bring us right into the horrific nature of war. Through his excellent direction, Gibson shows just how perilous Doss' sacrifices to save his comrades really was. Fearlessly diving into the heat of battle to drag another to safety while ankle deep in the insides and blood of the fallen- Doss keeps praying for the lord to just let him save one more. His display of bravery is rousing to the core and a true hero of the battlefield is born.
Andrew Garfield turns in an Oscar worthy performance as Desmond Doss. It is hard to imagine another actor that show the same kind of heart as this man? Garfield embodies the spirit of Doss and plays his character like he doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. With this and his role in Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' Garfield is on a career high and is a frontrunner for the awards season. Sam Worthington and Vince Vaughn also give as good as they can. Vaughn in particular is scene stealing as the loud Sgt. Howell. Hugo Weaving in a brief role in the one that is the most poignant. Weaving ably demonstrates the effect that war has on a man's mental state. His character is lost in a haze and feel confusion over what precisely his generation were fighting for when so many were killed?
Mel Gibson as a character might never be fully redeemed, as a director we forget just how great he can be with the right material. Hacksaw Ridge is a movie that puts him on the map again and there is no better man than Gibson to tell the story of Desmond Doss.
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