mr_shya Reviews

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

The changes from the novel version didn't help

[7/10 · 10 January 2012]

This is an excellent movie, don't get me wrong. I loved the cinematography and the acting was superb. To fully review all of these points you would have to write an article that would be too long for this review.

What I want to write about though are the changes from the novel-Version. And I don't refer to the fact that George Smiley was always described as a little overweight...

The Scene, in which Smiley refers to his encounter with the Soviet head of intelligence was explicitly narrated in the novel, whereas in the movie version, it was just a short narration of Gary Oldman. Although the movie generally uses lots of flashbacks, this is where I really missed it! (Although it is great that you never see the antagonist...this could have been achieved differently).

Other more substantial changes have been made to the story of Jim Prideux (Mark Strong) that did in my opinion not help the movie-version. It even left out a lot of action-scenes which could have made the movie a little more thrilling. I get it that this is not supposed to be a James-Bond clone, but you kind of expect a little action in a Spy-Thriller, don't you? Although it is possible that by my high expectations (I really loved the novel) prevented me from making up a balanced opinion, I was a little disappointed. Nevertheless, if I had not read the novel I doubt that I would have understood it completely on first viewing...

In conclusion, it is still an excellent movie, but it should have stuck a little closer to the novel.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

I thought, Michael Bay apologized for part 2...

[1/10 · 5 July 2011]

I don't always review films, but when I do, it's either because the movie is great, or it really sucks! Which one do you think it is?

I thought Michael Bay apologized for the second movie, but still he didn't seem to have learned anything. The annoying parents were still there (although I have to give him credit for keeping their screen-time to a minimum) And although he put some well-achieved actors in this movie (John Voigt saved Transformers 1, in my opinion), both John Malcovich and Frances McDormand are both redundant for the plot (if there was anything like a plot) and also had pretty ridiculous roles.

And yeah, you have to give the movie some credit for the special effects, but now really think about it!

...Were there any amazing scenes apart from those in the trailer? I don't think so. Optimus slashing some Decepticons, Building falling down with protagonists in it, City of Chicago under a large-scale attack of spaceships... all in the trailer...

And now some more points that make the movie the terrible piece of cinematic pulp it is:

-product placement (yeah, all computers are lenovo, I get it)

-soundtrack (some nice pieces from the first one but anything new? anyway,what has become of linkin park?)

-non-existing jokes (at some points you feel you were supposed to laugh, but couldn't really find anything funny... just weird)

-what the fudge did the Chinese guy from hangover do there?

Predators (2010)

It's a decent movie, don't spoil it with your expectations

[7/10 · 14 March 2011]

I am a little disappointed, not by the movie but by most of the comments.

Start off with the movie. It was okay, obviously not reaching up to the first Predator movie, but still it was fun to watch, what more do you want? The camera work was actually better that in most of todays action-movies. And the ending (not the final fight, but the actual last pictures) just put a smile on my face.

But now get this, if you actually read some of the comments, you ask yourself if this is still the movie-rating-site I can trust, with so many morons posting their misguided opinions around here...

For example, some guys are wondering why this highly developed species is abducting humans just to hunt them... Seriously? You don't get that? FUN! Excitement, Challenge;also the reason why they don't use their futuristic weapons too much. (And by the way, Yakuza is Japanese, not Chinese)

Also that the characters were just a rip-off from the first movie... basically because there once again was a soldier with a mini-gun. That's called referencing and I gave the movie points for that. Also that they copied large parts of the soundtrack from the first movie... well you just can't improve on perfect.

Decent movie, fun to watch!

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Great characters make this movie a masterpiece!

[10/10 · 29 June 2009]

The Action-sequences in this movie are, although better than average, not what makes this movie worth watching. It is the characters, the emotions and the relationships.

The Opening Words, War is a Drug, are not just to sound cool, they reappear as the main message over and over again in the movie, although they are never spoken out. Drugs make you addicted, Drugs confuse you, Drugs make you do dangerous, stupid things. These characteristics can all be seen in the movie.

Very interesting are as well the guest roles of Guy Pierce, David Morse and Ralph Fiennes, all showing a different types of soldiers in the war. The shallow type, to whom the war appears to be fun. The cowboy, who fights for glory and is as well impressed by great actions. And finally, the nefarious Bounty hunter who is only seeking profit in the war. All these characters build a contrast to the protagonist, showing what he is not.

A film that has it's message hidden, yet clear and strong can only be called one thing, a masterpiece.

(little cheesy, I know. But I really loved this movie)

Far Cry (2008)

You need to know, what to expect

[7/10 · 27 March 2009]

I went to see this film in the cinema with some friends of mine and we expected the movie to be complete trash. Since Uwe Boll is regarded the worst director ever, we expected to see a stupid, bad, ridiculous action movie with a story hardly good enough for a video game.

And this was, what we got.

This film will just make you laugh all the time. Not for actual jokes in the movie, but more for the ridiculous characters. Come on, a German ex-elite soldier making his living as a boat-captain in Canada, Meets the niece of another German ex-elite-soldier, who works for an evil, mad, German scientist who is trying to create the new Master-Race of biologically modified soldiers for the US-Military...in Canada. Then there are the stereotype Mercenary, the stereotype Soldiers and the stereotype Monsters.

Speaking of ridiculous characters, what exactly is Emilio's role in this film? Still, the action was surprisingly good and the movie all in all was very entertaining. If you want to see art, it's your own fault you didn't like the movie. But if you want to see a movie, too ridiculous to be taken serious, I promise you, you will be fine with "Far Cry"