The Equalizer

***
UK Release Date: September 26th 2014

A man believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and has dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her.

Director: Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter, Olympus Has Fallen)

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace-Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Martin Csokas

Denzel Washington has taken a different turn with The Equalizer. His performance is no less enticing but his ex-CIA operative Robert McCall is exactly what a balls-out action needs; a ruthless man with the power to play moralistic vigilante. 

McCall's daily routine is regimented, pinning him as an obsessive compulsive. If someone were to hurt those around him, or disturb his routine, they're lifespan would be terribly shortened. 

Moretz's escort Teri falls under a bad case of misused potential. She's barely seen after being assaulted by the gangsters that 'own' her. McCall befriends her in the diner he visits every night, and his odd effection for her starts this chaos. He's upset the wrong people, and they just happen to be the Mafia. Washington claims the spotlight, dazzling the crowd with surprisingly intense action and a cool demeanour. There's little time spent with anyone else.

There are moments that come across as funny when they shouldn't be. One is Csokas's hired assassin. His dialogue is ropey, stripping him of his heinous edge. The second is McCall's last stand. He takes down his enemies with any tools or implements within in reach. Some are effective, others questionable (and laughable), siphoning the proposed emotion out of the scene. I guess we might do the same if we were in his shoes, or merely squirm like a coward. 

The Equalizer isn't a film that Denzel usually goes for, but his partnership with Fuqua has proved eloquent (Training Day). TE is less character driven than Training Day but highly plot driven. We get nothing out of McCall, no back-story and no emotional connection. Vengeance is the main dish, and it has been served well. 

That Awkward Moment

***
UK Release Date: January 19th 2014

Three best friends find themselves where we've all been - at that confusing moment in every dating relationship when you have to decide "So...where is this going?"

Director: Tom Gormican

Starring: Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Imogen Poots

That Awkward Moment isn't your typical rom-com. Instead of usually focusing on women and their man troubles, a trio of twenty-somethings and their issues are centre of attention. Tom Gormican has hit the spot with his writing and directing debut, possibly marking the start of a sub genre; the bromantic comedy.

Efron has grown out of the High School Musical typecast and on to bigger and better roles. He's Jason, an asshole to most women in his life but a likeable one. One that's fed  He's joined by Miles Teller, who relies on a close girlfriend to hook up with other girls, and Michael B. Jordan, ditched by his wife for another guy.

They make a pact to stay single for the foreseeable future, a no strings attached mentality, although none stick to their plan. Efron meets Imogen Poots, and Efron's attitude changes the moment his emotions get involved.

Efron isn't the golden ticket in this film. That honour goes to Miles Teller. He's had a recent run of form that's rendered him very unlikeable (21 and Over, Divergent) but has changed that with a bowlful of charm. 

A decent script has been written that let's the main three reign supreme. Efron, Teller, Jordan and Poots let the words slip off the tongue with ease. Not an awful lot happens, the narrative goes from point A to point B quickly, but the script and the character's wit maintains our interest.

Bloodsport

***
USA Release Date: February 26th 1988

UK Theatrical Release Date: March 1st 2003

Frank Dux has entered the Kumite, Hong Kong's illegal underground yet fabled martial arts tournament,  and faces the greatest fighters in the world.

Director: Newt Arnold

Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald Gibb, Forest Whitaker, Bolo Yeung

Bloodsport passes the test of time. It doesn't feel 26 years old. This B-movie never made it to the cinema. It was one of those predisposed flops that ended up as a cult film with an impressive fan-base, pelting Jean-Claude Van Damme into stardom. Not bad for a relatively unknown Belgian lad. 

Bloodsport is a true story about Frank Dux (Van Damme) and his participation in Hong Kong's Kumite. Will he be the first westerner to win the tournament? The narrative's build-up makes it easy to guess the outcome, but it's not a film about the ending (take Rocky for instance) but about the choreography and its unique characters.

What Van Damme lacks in acting skills he more than makes up for in fighting. Bloodsport is pure entertainment. The choreography in the fights (which there are plenty of) are outstanding and done by Frank Dux himself. 

There are plenty of interesting entries that add to Bloodsport's overall value, including Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb) whose strength is hidden behind his humour and Chong Li (Bolo Yeung) the bad guy and the retaining Kumite champion. 

The scripting isn't anything to go by, and the editing is a little scrappy in places (Dux's flashback of the time spent with his mentor doesn't quite get the impact it was hoping) but it can't be faulted on sheer satisfaction and enjoyment.

Paranoia

*
UK Release Date: March 10th 2014

An entry-level employee in a powerful corporation finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss's old mentor to secure for him a multi-billion dollar advantage.

Director: Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde, 21, The Ugly Truth)

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman, Amber Heard, Harrison Ford

Paranoia is a pointless existence in the world of cinema. If it weren't for the big names (Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford) then this would have gone straight to DVD. According to sources through IMDB, Kevin Spacey turned down the role that Ford eventually played. You can see why.

For starters there's no logical notion to calling this Paranoia. It's a psychological disorder with delusions and a disruption of emotion, neither which are displayed in this film. Paranoia is similar to many other films. The one that sticks out the most is Lucky Number Slevin because of it's two gang leaders and their hate for each other. Ford and Oldman are not at their best because a flat-noted script has them looking like two grumpy, old men, trying to outgun the other. It's a cat and mouse chase that's a poor reunion from their Air Force One days.

The young, bold lead known as Adam Cassidy is hired by global media owner Nicolas Wyatt (Oldman) to steal an idea from his boss's mentor. Adam receives all the riches (cars and gadgets) and struts around with an overly self-confident and assertive demeanour that shatters the moment a bit of trouble lands his way. A cowardly figure is harder to relate to than someone who gains the courage. To make matters worse Cassidy is very cold to his ill father, a part of the narrative that's never explained and goes no further than spitefulness. 

The story is consistently under-tone. No character is a likeable character. There are no backgrounds and the only romance on show has zero spark. Amber Heard's Emma is merely used and abused by Cassidy.

Paranoia plods along and by the end you'll feel like nothing actually happened. You're better off not wasting your time.   

Before I Go To Sleep

***
UK Release Date: September 5th 2014

A woman wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. One day, new terrifying truths emerge that force her to question everyone around her.

Director: Rowan Joffe (Brighton Rock)

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong

A lead character who has a serious case of anterograde amnesia is quizzical but alarmingly interesting. Both Memento and 50 First Dates, who have dappled in this before, have caught me off guard. The more I thought about them the more it hurt my head. 

The same doesn't go with Before I Go To Sleep, because the writers have managed to produce a fatal flaw in their script. An accident causes Christine (Kidman) to lose her short-term memory from that point forward. That was four years ago. She's been married for twelve, but doesn't remember her husband, her friends or any other family? 

Christine wakes up every morning having forgotten the previous days events. Her husband Ben (Firth) pieces the missing parts of her memory for her. Unbeknownst to him, Christine has been keeping a video diary courtesy of Dr.Nash (Strong), her therapist. There's no knowing what's going on or what's going to happen. We'll find that out when our lead does.

This tense thriller is supported by an effortless cast, with all looking quite comfortable in their roles. The air is thick with tension, and the characters full of sad tidings, centred around the constantly on edge Kidman, who's Christine has no time for happy thoughts. We can sense her distrust for those around her. We're constantly questioning Ben and Dr. Nash, wondering why each have the motives they do.

There are some great shock and twists, but you can't help feeling like you've seen this all before. The end product doesn't quite get the impact it was hoping for, especially when the progression is so good.

A Walk Among the Tombstones

UK Release Date: September 19th 2014

Private investigator Matthew Scudder is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife.

Director: Scott Frank (The Lookout)

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maurice Compte, David Harbour, Dan Stevens, Brian 'Astro' Bradley

Liam Neeson, as I might have said before, is a surprise action hero, an unlikely man that is close to many people's hearts because he makes an honest, real person in to a dominant force. Taken, The Grey and Non-Stop all show it and A Walk Among the Tombstones follows them spectacularly. 

There are blatant similarities with Taken, except this time it's not personal, it's business. Matt Scudder (Neeson) would rather devise a plan and use a different set of skills; his cunning and his choice of words. Bryan Mills (Taken) goes all-guns blazing. The streaks and hues of greys and dark colours and the constant spatter of rain that dominate the film add to it's melancholy tone. That and the desire to kill, to get revenge (for the husband) and that it's sombre throughout.

The plot is strong. There's no messing around. Scudder reveals his qualities and burdens as the pace quickens. He's a very interesting yet mysterious character, one that by the end you'll be hoping to see more of. Astro's homeless, intelligent youngster TJ helps Scudder but persistently tags along, like an itch that never goes away. The questionable partnership is absurd but a touch sentimental. TJ helps Scudder as much as Scudder helps TJ.

The finest yet deadliest pairing come from the kidnappers. Out of focus close-ups and off-screen teases leave this aura of sadism and immorality from Tombstones' unseen villains. We want some just punishment served.

Tombstones evokes a foreboding power from its characters and very dark script, having us on tenterhooks until the bitter end. To see more of Scudder's 'future' investigations would be great.

4/5