jacobhunt6 Reviews

Blade Runner (1982)

It's not what you expect, but it's still brilliant

[7/10 · 18 August 2020]

I get the feeling that a lot of people watch Blade Runner expecting it to be a sci-fi action thriller in the vein of Star Wars, or at least be more action-oriented than it is. But, even though it's visceral and different, Blade Runner is a classic once you get past the disappointment at the lack of laser fights.

Taking after Philip K. Dick's novel, Blade Runner is more of a commentary on the role of technology in society. And the depths and lengths to which it goes to explore the issue are incredible. It's a film with layered characters, dialogue laden with undertone and a whole lot of metaphor and motif.

Harrison Ford has found his own in another role seemingly written for him. He plays the disenchanted protagonist excellently (a la Star Wars and Indiana Jones), and this time is met with a wonderful opposite in Rutger Hauer's Roy, an antagonist whose morality and motives are put into question right until the end of the film. It's one of those stories that offers more questions than it does answers, leaving you pondering what it all meant and what happens next.

I always enjoy a film that leaves its thematic question open to interpretation. Blade Runner never settles on who the "good guy" or the "bad guy" is, but instead poses you a question and leaves you to consider it for yourself.

7 out of 10, definitely don't expect a space opera, and expect it to make you think.

Alien (1979)

A brilliant atmospheric horror

[8/10 · 18 August 2020]

In this film lies the explanation of why so many of the modern additions to the Alien franchise have got it wrong - Alien has never been about the creature itself, but about Scott's manipulation of the atmosphere of the film.

Even in this first instalment in what is now a franchise, the Alien generates fear and suspense, despite the fact that it now looks markedly less realistic than the CGI versions we see today. While it still does work, the costuming used for the Alien in 1979 requires a little more suspension of disbelief to play along with. But it's still terrifying.

That's because Scott gets in your head. He brilliantly builds up this creature with grotesque imagery, a brilliant soundscape that plays with sound and silence and the hopeless feeling on entrapment created by the vacuum of space. It's not the alien that makes us frightened - in fact, we only see it directly a scarce few times. It's everything else. There is a constant feeling of unease right from the very beginning of the film, and that's what works so well about it.

I must also mention Sigourney Weaver's performance. She manages to capture both incredible strength and intense fear magnificently, and she's worthy of mention as one of the best female leads in any film ever made.

8 out of 10, expect a proper horror film, one that has you constantly on edge even after the film is over, and doesn't just resort to cheap jumpscare tactics.

The Terminator (1984)

It's a neat blend of entertaining action and compelling sci-fi

[8/10 · 18 August 2020]

For all that The Terminator offers in terms of a brilliant action antagonist, thrilling fight sequences and iconic quotes, it also offers a narrative that gives a great deal of satisfaction.

First and foremost, this is the perfect role for Arnie. As wonderful as he is in terms of his overbearing figure and incredible athleticism, emoting has never been Schwarzenegger's strong point. So, Cameron put him in a role devoid of emotion, where he can loom as a cold, heartless and intimidating antagonist. It is no wonder that this is the ultimate Arnie role - it was basically written for him, and I could not possibly praise his performance enough. He is genuinely frightening as a villain.

But beyond the icon that The Terminator has become, the story also feels right. While it's definitely one of the greatest sci-fi and action films of its time, it's a lot more than that, too. It sets itself up well, paces itself nicely, and gives a good pay-off at its conclusion with a lot more detail than you would expect. Cameron's attention to detail and imaginative world-building are tremendous, and it's among his best work for sure.

As would be expected from a film made in the 1980s, a few of the visual effects are getting old enough to begin to break immersion (namely the animation of the Terminator's robotic body), but by the time those come into play, The Terminator has you hook, line and sinker. It's a fast-paced and intelligent story littered with intensity and the brilliance of Arnold Schwarzenegger at his best.

8 out of 10, expect to love it whether you're a fan of action films or want something with a little more narrative complexity.

Forrest Gump (1994)

Beautiful, and executed to a tee

[10/10 · 26 April 2019]

Forrest Gump is the defining motion picture of the latter half of the 20th century, in so many ways. It is a heart-warming, heartbreaking and beautifully constructed film that takes its audience on an emotional journey that will change hearts, minds and perspectives. The performance of Tom Hanks is utterly astounding. Hanks truly is what made this film a class above, and this is a sterling performance that stands out even in such an accomplished career. He brings heart, sincerity and empathy to a role that immediately captures the love and respect of the audience and leaves them in tears at the beauty and tragedy of Forrest's experiences. The story itself is a genius concept executed to perfection. It is an exploration of the last fifty years of the 20th century through the eyes of a literal everyman. The innocent, unassuming perspective of Forrest Gump allows the audience to reflect on some of the highest and lowest points in America's history through a fresh set of eyes, seeing history from the point of view of someone without the prejudices and biases that come with educated thought and opinion. Forrest's mental handicap was necessary to create such a powerful everyman character, and yet Hanks manages to execute this without resorting to comical stupidity and dampening the credibility of the film's sincerity. To emphasise the perfection of this film's writing even further, it is an exemplification of circular narrative, with incredible use of music and a variety of film types, camera angles and colour palettes to cover the roughly fifty-year period within its narrative reaches. Robert Zemeckis and his production team simply do everything right. This is a beautiful tale of love and hate, war and peace, comedy and tragedy that will be talked about for decades, and rightfully so. It is a testament to the writing of Winston Groom, and of course the directing of Zemeckis. Hanks' performance is backed up by a supporting cast that executes their respective jobs perfectly, with special mention for Mykelti Williamson and Gary Sinise. Bubba and Lieutenant Dan are iconic characters that reflect tumultuous periods of American history, and their interactions with Forrest are beautifully executed to a tee. Forrest Gump is unique in so many aspects. It is a wonderful exploration of the world through a fresh set of eyes, which is a concept so frequently attempted and so rarely achieved to such an impact as this. The world often needs to reflect on itself without its own prejudices, and there is no better film than Forrest Gump to show us all the state of affairs that we live in. This film should rightfully go down in history as one of the greats, and Hanks' performance should be hailed as perhaps the greatest leading performance in cinema. He captured our hearts from the moment that feather settled on his shoe and kept them neatly tucked in his suitcase until that feather drifted away yet again. Beautiful filmmaking at its finest.