Troll Hunter (Trolljegeren)

 

If you go down to the cinema today you’ll be sure of a big surprise, well, particularly if you go to see ‘Troll Hunter’. Since it is not on very wide release it may require some time to find a cinema that hosts the film, but it is worth going to see this smart and well shot Norwegian flick as it is consistently entertaining. The biggest surprise comes from the fact it was made on a budget of $3 million (19,900,000 NK), which to put into context is 1/65^th of the budget for the new Transformers movie which cost $195 million to make.

‘Troll Hunter’ uses the well worn found footage gimmick with hand held camera shots, but adds new life to this old method of adding ‘realism’. The film uses the best points of past releases, such as the teens in the wood set up of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ as well as the CGI monsters a la ‘Cloverfield’. This combination of different techniques makes the film feel fresh and original. The teenagers in the woods are Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen), Johanna (Johanna Mørck) and Tomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), three film students who start to follow the suspected poacher Hans (Otto Jespersen) until they find out he actually hunts trolls (the CGI monsters in question). It turns out that not only are trolls real, but the Norwegian government knows about them and wants to keep them secret, though it is never explained why they bother keeping them alive at all.

The concept of the film is inspired: taking the well known Norwegian export of troll myths and presenting it as if it might be a possibility. A lot of thought was clearly put into rationalising the myths, such as how an animal could biologically be allergic to sunlight, as well as how they may look and act if they were truly alive. Every troll, and you get to meet a good number of them, looks both fantastically mythical, but also realistic. The director cleverly uses night vision shots in order to keep the realism of the trolls intact even though the budget is only a fraction of other films released.

As well as the trolls being well researched and thought through, the government agency in charge of them (the troll security service or TSS) that has the feeling of legitimacy that only comes when the film subject has been properly and fully researched. The TSS was full of men in suits, forms that needed to be filled in and cheap outsourcing- all the embodiments of bureaucracy. Hans is the most interesting character. Being the only troll hunter in the TSS he is a disgruntled employee who hates the long hours and bad pay, yet still strongly believes in what he is doing. He may not look it, but Hans has a deeper, understanding side that Otto Jespersen brings out,very impressively when you consider that Jespersen is originally a controversial Norwegian comedian

The pacing of the film has been well set with the slower parts that set the scene at the start quickly leading towards large scale action. What easily makes this film great is how audiences are shown a troll within the first third of the film, there is none of the teasing or alluding to what they might look like. This works out well, because then audiences are not disappointed by what they are shown (unlike what happened to a certain cloud of black smoke). The slower parts may not go into the characters as much as they were probably designed to, but as soon as the running starts (beware of the motion sickness at these points) the film doesn’t easily let up until the final credits roll. However, not all the scenes are hard and fast action, the film certainly as a more comedic side as well. There are scenes placed between the running that make you smile and not take it all a little too seriously. Whether it is having men in suits haggling over the prices of dead bears or Hans using three billy-goats to lure out a troll under a bridge this light bit of humour means that ‘Troll Hunter’ is not the doom and gloom that you are used to with ‘found footage’ films.

Overall ‘Troll Hunter’ is not like many films out at the moment as it does not have a well known cast or huge budgets, but it has the balls to try and break into cinemas outside of Norway and that should be recognised. In the end it is a film that everyone needs to see in order to appreciate what can still be done with a camera and computer and without the clout that Hollywood has.

Degree- 2:1

An enjoyable film that pushes what can be done 

on a budget and makes audiences realise how 

much we should ask for from the big movie studios.

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

Julia’s Eyes (Los Ojos De Julia)

A film with Guillermo del Toro’s name on it is like a car with a Ferrari badge, you know it is going to be good quality, and ‘Julia’s Eyes (or ‘Los ojos de Julia’ in Spanish) is no exception. Although there is a lack of Guillermo del Toro’s visual prowess and grandeur, director Guillem Morales creates a film that is probably more shocking and thrilling than ‘The Orphanage’.

The film makes the audience jump right from the start and doesn’t let up for the entire 112 minutes. Julia (played by Belén Rueda) is devastated after her blind twin sister Sara has committed suicide. Although both the police and her husband Issac (Lluís Homar) believe there was no foul play involved, Julia suspects otherwise, and goes off in search for the killer. She must shine light upon this mystery quickly as she is slowly losing her sight due to the same degenerative disorder that affected her sister. And as her sight gets worse she becomes the killer’s new target. This short synopsis does not do the tension the film creates any justice as this is a film that is all about successfully creating tension the likes of which most audiences never feel.

Julia’s failing vision is certainly the aspect of the film that is most terrifying and is what puts this film leagues ahead of many other thrillers. The idea of being unable to see who or where the killer is, of being constantly in the dark and not knowing who to trust, the concept is terrifying and the movie expertly plays off this primal fear. Morales uses the great cinematography and music to constantly build up the tension to unbearable levels that leave the audience craving for something to happen just to give them some relief. The soundtrack causes hearts to beat faster while the blacked out shots create real fear during the chase scenes.

A distinct part of the film that really helps heighten up the tension is Belén Rueda’s sympathetic and engaging portrayal of Julia. Unlike many other thrillers, such as Paranormal Activity or Scream 4, Belén Rueda manages to make the audience engage with her character so that in the end we want her to survive. When she hears someone in her room at night we hope she gets out of there quickly and as her sight starts to fade we feel sorry for her. These feelings comes about partly due to Rueda’s engaging portrayal of Julia, but also because Julia is a well written, interesting character, at least for a thriller movie. She has a job, relationships, dreams, fears and a personality, which instantly makes her more relatable and therefore easier to empathize with. When this is all put together means that Julia’s survival is important to us and this helps raise the tension beyond a normal slasher/thriller.

The ‘who dunnit’ aspect of the film potentially lets it down a little bit. Although there are plenty of twist and turns within the story the more experienced moviegoer will likely see outcomes of a lot of the twists. Saying that, however, Morales and co-writer Oriol Pualo, have included enough red herrings so that although you may have a good idea about what will happen next you never completely know. The tension does also drop a little about 2/3^rd of the way through, but this comes as a godsend as up till then you are on the edge of your seat for almost every minute. This doesn’t mean the ending is a let down though, although the film never reaches the tension highs it did at the start it still manages to hook us up till the very last scene.

Overall this film is by far the scariest film on release at the moment, and possible up there with being one of the scariest ones of all time. It does all that a scary film should do and it does it well. There is tension, gore, mystery and surprises they stay with you till the next day. Don’t say you weren’t warned. See it for yourself.

Degree- 1st

Easily one of the scariest film out at the moment

and possibly one of the scariest films ever

this one will certainly keep you up at night afterwards.

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

As foreign language films go ‘The Extraordinary adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec’ certainly feels different. Doubtless many similar films are made and released, but most of the ones that arrive on these shores tend to follow the same pattern:they are often character based criticisms on how tough life can be and what is important about being human; this film on the other hand is a more light hearted bit of fun than deep melodrama and is more enjoyable because of it.

Based on a series of Franco-Belgian comics written before and after the Great War, ‘The Extraordinary adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec’ follow author and investigative journalist Adele Blanc-Sec (Louise Bourgoin) as she searches ancient Egyptian tombs for a way to cure her twin sister Agathe from her coma. As this is going on a pterodactyl, which has remained dormant for about 130 million years, is terrorising early 20^th Century Paris.  This gives you an idea of the off the wall feeling that the film has, and it is this quirkiness that is the film’s strongest part. From walking mummies discussing what site to see all the way to a pterodactyl pooing on the Parisian commissioner (yes both do happen) the film does not take itself too seriously and is full of charm and laughs because of it.

The bulk of the charm certainly comes from Louise Bourgoin, who plays Adele Blanc-Sec. She is an exceptional example of a great leading lady with stunning looks, excellent comic timing and great acting chops. Adele is a great character, one that Hollywood’s leading ladies should try to emulate. Often many central female characters end up being strong right up until they are in trouble and then they ask for the help of their male love interests. However, not only is Adele smart, but she has no need for a male love interest, which is refreshing as many Hollywood films include love interests just so that a sex scene can be shown in the trailer. As well as being strong and independent, Adele is also very funny, and this comes from a script filled with little witty one-liners and turns of phrases, which help maintain the film’s light hearted feel.

Since it is in French it of course sounds beautiful, but the visuals are also stunning as well. Set in 1912, ‘The Extraordinary adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec’ is a gorgeous period piece, filled with bright frocks and smart suits and of course the wide streets and bohemian rooms of Paris. Each scene is stunning to look at, whether it is an ancient tomb or Adele’s lavish flat, the film certainly looks stunning. There are a few areas where the film does look a bit cheap, namely the poor animation of the risen mummies and the pterodactyl, but this is of little consequence for the overall feel of the picture.

This film is certainly not for everyone. If you are looking for a serious bit of drama or maybe some form of enlightenment then you will likely leave ‘The Extraordinary adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec’ feeling that it was all superficial twaddle.  However, if you take the film as an enjoyable, light-hearted bit of fun then you will leave feeling elated and excited to see if Adele Blanc-Sec has any more adventures on the horizon.

Degree- 2:1

Not the deepest film you’ll ever see, but where it lacks depth

this film has charm that more than makes up for it.

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

For the twelve people who haven’t heard of Stieg Larsson, he is the Swedish journalist turned novelist who wrote the ‘Millennium trilogy’, a phenomenally successful crime series which has sold over 3 million copies world wide. The first book, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, was adapted onto the silver screen over a year ago, and has grossed about $100 million worldwide since then. Larsson tragically died in 2004 before his books were published so was unable to see what a phenomenon he had created. However, it has also been rumoured that Larsson left half finished manuscripts on his computer, so we might yet witness the release of more books and films by this talented thriller writer. Having heard all about the hype, this reporter settled down in the balmy French countryside to read all three books as ‘research’ for reviewing the DVD. How’s that for dedication?

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ follows Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) as they try to solve a 40 year old mystery. Henrik Vanger, the retired head of a Swedish industrial dynasty, wants to learn more about the disappearance of his favourite niece Harriet and hires recently disgraced reporter Blomkvist to help him. The film becomes very dark very quickly as Blomkvist and Salander delve into the hidden secrets and lives of the Vanger family, all of which are suspected to be involved in the disappearance. Director Niels Arden Oplev keeps very close to the original material, even including the disturbing sexual and religious aspects that could have been downplayed by a less daring director. Larsson himself was an expert in right wing, anti-democratic extremism and Nazi organisations, and to ignore the more disturbing aspects of his book would have been an insult to its fans. Thus, many scenes are necessarily graphic, and the 18 rating strongly hints at some of the horrors you might witness; even pre-warned readers will find certain scenes hard to watch – they are far more hard hitting than words on a page.

The stand-out character in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ is Lisbeth Salander. Lisbeth is different, very different, to most heroines. She lacks the usual beauty of the girl-next door or the femme fatale, instead sporting the grunge look with an all black outfit and multiple piercings and tattoos. She is a social outsider, but has computer skills (amongst other talents) like no one else; she also has a strong sense of justice, an unbreakable will and a violent streak. All of these qualities make her unpredictable and therefore completely interesting to watch. Although Noomi Rapace plays Lisbeth extremely well, the film’s audience cannot understand her as well as readers of the book do. Oplev is unable to get into her head fully through the medium of film, and as a result it is a lot harder for the audience to comprehend the complicated mechanics of her mind and see her as more than just another troubled young woman.

In fact, losing detail in the translation from page to screen seems to be a recurring flaw in the movie. Many minor characters and plot-lines are missed out in order to make the 500 page book into a more streamlined 153 minute film. This, however, means that the story loses a lot of depth and characterisation, and at times it feels that you don’t really get to know any of the characters that have been left in, particularly the two main ones. For instance, Lisbeth’s first guardian and Mikael’s boss both play huge parts in the book in adding dimension to the protagonists, but in the film they do not feature at all. Still, Oplev does certain effective things with the film, such as showing the beautiful scenery of Sweden (one suspects the Swedish tourist board may have been involved at a few points in its creation) as well as having it all filmed in the country’s native language. Oplev also introduces new scenes to tie in with the parts of the story that become jagged due to the loss of minor characters. This is done very effectively so the film adaptation feels closer to ‘Lord of the Rings’ in continuity rather than ‘Harry Potter’. However the great aesthetics don’t counter-balance the slight loss in depth that has occurred due to the editing and alterations.

Overall the film is very good: dark, tense and rewarding. Its a good adaptation of the book and perfect for those who want to experience the story telling of Larsson, but don’t have the time to read the novel. Tragically, our American cousins’ dislike of subtitled films meant that it only grossed $10 million. Predictably, a Hollywood version is on the way. It remains to be seen whether Rooney Mara will be able to pull off unconventional Lisbeth Salander, certainly not if the studio bosses have any creative input. So before the American rehashes grace our theatres, it would be best to check out the original Swedish version on DVD and its sequel, ‘The Girl who Played with Fire’.

Degree: 2:1

A gripping thriller that stays loyal the book, but

loses something along the way onto the silver screen.