Casting Vin Diesel in the lead role pretty much sums up the approach to the dialogue and having Wilson, with his long history with visual effects on both film and video games gives a clear indication of the intent with visuals. The science of the film is so dodgy, it need not be mentioned again.

The story as it is, is very minimal and revolves around Diesel’s Ray Garrison / Bloodshot character being a recycled killer. His programming is supplied by Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce) who gets to ham it up big time. Comic relief and the approval to mac out on junk food is provided by Lamorne Morris as Wilfred Wigans.

In these times of overwhelming reality, escapism is needed now more than ever and the disconnect required by this work on the rocky road to enjoyment is all encompassing. Load up with snacks, create and enter your own comfort zone and engage on a level of mindless enjoyment second to none. Just don’t forget to wash your hands afterwards.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesAUS

Hellboy is back, and he’s on fire.

From the pages of Mike Mignola’s seminal work, this action packed story sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, “Stranger Things”) called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants.

There he discovers The Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil series), a resurrected ancient sorceress thirsting to avenge a past betrayal. Suddenly caught in a clash between the supernatural and the human, Hellboy is now hell-bent on stopping Nimue without triggering the end of the world.

Hellboy is in Australian Cinemas April 11!

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Competition will be drawn 10 April 2019, winners will be notified by mail.

HELLBOY is directed by Neil Marshall and stars David Harbour, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, Milla Jovovick, Daniel Dae Kim and Penelope Mitchell.

HELLBOY releases in Australian cinemas on April 11!
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Colin Firth as Kingsman agent Harry Hart is flawlessly cast as our introduction to this world of perfect gentlemanly conduct and deadly killing precision. And in stark contrast to the recent proclivity of the Bond franchise to do away with all those cool spy gadgets, this film is littered with deadly hardware that would have made the old Q more than happy.

Underlining the cool technology on display is a story based on character development, honour and paying back impossible depts. Harry becomes a mentor to Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin (played with emerging star power by Taron Egerton) who is the offspring of a fellow agent and friend to Hart that had made the ultimate sacrifice. His mentorship is put to the test as they clash with billionaire baddie Valentine (played by Samuel L. Jackson) who taps into mind control and has the world on the edge of chaos.

The film misses few chances to shock the audience and often times goes into directions that have you shaking your head, Big budget action films don’t usually play with the rules this fast and loose. The end result is a defiance of the norm that will leave you with a smile on your dial and give you the opportunity to recommend this to friends without any hesitations. Few films this year will provide more entertaining escapism.

Rob Hudson

Kingsman: The Secret Service – another view

“Manners maketh man.”
 Harry Hart AKA Galahad

Kingsman kicks off guns blazing with Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing rocking on the soundtrack and a flash back to 1997. Wait. What? Money For Nothing in 1997? That’s not right! And superimposed over this driving soundtrack is a flashy opening credits sequence that would usually flag a forthcoming crap movie. But what I didn’t realise at the time was that Kingsman is directed by Matthew Vaughn. I’d seen the one-sheet for the film in the foyer and figured this was yet another entrant in the seemingly never-ending queue of comic book adaptations. If I’d known prior that Vaughn was the director, my initial doubts would have been unfounded as I would soon find out.

In 2010, Vaughn produced Kick Ass, a brilliantly violent super hero movie about social degradation, indifference and spiralling crime. Its themes were as hard edged as it’s violence and in this regard Kingsman is a worthy successor.

The story has Harry Hart AKA Galahad (Colin Firth) recruiting juvenile delinquent Gary ‘Eggsy’ Unwin (Taron Egerton) into the Kingsmen – a group of aristocratic crime fighters posing as tailors. Naturally there’s some internal resistance from the posh stodgies to recruiting a young chap from the other side of the tracks and this sets up the primary theme of class strictures and the boundaries they impose.

Vaughn is finding himself a master of action violence, a worthy successor perhaps to Quentin Tarantino. And Like Tarantino, Kingsman references many other films. Some explicitly so like Trading Places, La Femme Nikita and (rather comically) Pretty Woman. But others are more subtle like lisp-encumbered master villain ,Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson), is reminiscent of Mr Glass from Shyamalan’s Unbreakable and his lethal double amputee sidekick, Gazelle (Sofia Boutella), plainly channels Gogo Yubari from Tarantino’s Kill Bill. And the film as a whole has Vaughn clearly referencing the James Bond franchise (and giving it in the ass). As it turns out, James Bond through the “Kick-Ass” sphere looks mighty good!

Colin Firth is absolutely brilliant playing against type as the stiif upper lip killer. He’s the opposite number to Hit Girl in every respect and just as cool. Egerton also plays well as the chav who finds himself above his station and discovers there’s power in tweed. Mark Strong is as strong as ever as Merlin and it’s nice to see him at the opposite end of the crime scale to Kick-Ass. Jackson is a hoot as always as is Michael Cain as leader of the aristocrats, Arthur (yes, all the good guys have Camelot namesakes). And Boutella is a magnificent villain in both character and design.

The only downside is that the means by which Eggsy is recruited is a bit naff and unlikely but I suppose it is, after all, just a McGuffin.

Kingsman is ultra violent, ultra cool, funny and has a poignant social message to boot. It kicks out the jams from the get go and it’s the most fun you’ll have without watching Kick-Ass.

Stuart Jamieson
www.kingsmanmovie.com

If you thought peak hour trains were bad, wait until you see Snowpiercer. At the back of the train (1001 cars long according to the comic) are the underclass, given barely enough food to survive and used as breeders for the upper-class, who live in luxury at the front of the train, enjoying fresh food and entertainment.

The film details a revolution, where valiant souls from the rear fight their way through the train to find the engineer and the perpetual motion machine that runs the train through the lifeless world.

As viewers, we are inundated with science fiction that goes for effects (Pacific Rim) and/or style (Transcendence) over substance. The best science fiction challenges humanity by placing people in situations out of the normal. The best science fiction is not about the science, or fancy special effects, it is about people.

Snowpiercer does this by creating a post-apocalyptic dystopian future where the train is a microcosm of today’s world. It’s a ride worth taking, but remember to ignore the parts that make no sense (just like you do in the real world). I look forward to The Asylum’s inevitable mockbuster.

Fabulous Sebastian
www.snowpiercer-film.com