Ninja Assassin (2009)

Ninjas exist in the same strange mythological space as zombies, pirates and cowboys, with a rich visual tradition somehow totally divorced from historical and scientific fact. A ninja can be anything from an unskilled fighter in black pyjamas to an occult master of time and space. Ninjas have been mutant turtles, fat comedians and shadowy assassins but they’ve never been taken too seriously, as demonstrated in Ninja Assassin.

Ostensibly a serious revenge film, Ninja Assassin is filled with buckets of blood and flying limbs, clunky exposition, and gratuitous scenes of protagonist Rain exercising shirtless. This is a classic B movie disguised by slick production provided by the Wachowskis and direction courtesy of McTeigue, best known for his film version of V for Vendetta. In fact, Ninja Assassin feels like an extended version of the slickest fight sequences from that earlier film. That’s not to say the visuals are without fault, however, as most of the night scenes seem murky and under lit.

The acting is a mixed bag, with the film existing in a strange world where absolutely everyone speaks near-perfect English, including Japanese gangsters and German neighbours. Even the love interest, played by British actor Naomie Harris, speaks with an American accent (though she works in Berlin for an international law enforcement agency). I’m not asking for the whole film to be in Japanese (unreasonable for a primarily-American production) but why not have some of the characters speak their native language even occasionally?

The best parts of the film are also the rarest: good, clear ninja action. For a film called Ninja Assassin, there actually aren’t that many good fight sequences. There’s a good bloody opening fight scene but the film relies too much of murky CG and sloppy gunfights to be a truly satisfying ninja experience. I wasn’t too disappointed in this film (as my expectations weren’t that high) but it rarely rises above an average action film, even with some decent gore; interminable flashbacks and sloppy dialogue make it more of a slog.

Survival of the Dead (2009)

When I was younger I used to ask myself what it’d be like if George Romero directed a new zombie film. How could he possibly top the legendary Dead trilogy, concluded in 1985? After him being only partially involved in the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead, the thought of a new Romero zombie film was almost beyond belief. Thankfully (though some would argue otherwise), Romero’s had a zombie renaissance in the last few years, with three new Dead films released in the last five years. Perhaps tellingly, the budget for these new films has decreased with every new release; his most recent, Survival of the Dead, was independently produced.

I think the decreasing budget helped this new film; by focusing on a small group of survivors in a confined area (echoing the original 1968 version of Night of the Living Dead), he’s able to get back to what he does best: depict humanity fighting amongst themselves while facing the walking dead.

There’s something charming about Survival of the Dead. The makeup is closer to what it was in the 1980s and there’s a lot more humour than there was in Diary of the Dead. Romero’s not taking himself or the film as seriously this time around and it makes for a much more enjoyable experience. There are a few new developments in the mythology of the zombies but everything works; he’s been making zombie films for over 40 years and he knows it inside and out.

The acting is about what you’d expect; some good performances but others a bit over-the-top. I liked Sarge, the main character, but I can’t tell you exactly why. I do like the fact that he was a small character in Diary of the Dead, which makes this film the first true sequel to any in the Dead series.

There’s also the expected level of gore with some good kills, both zombie and human. I know that CGI has progressed to a level now that it’s sometimes cheaper than practical effects, but I still prefer physical stunts and gags for zombie films. There’s just something more satisfying about a bloody squib exploding all over a zombie instead of his head disappearing in a CGI mist.

Though not to everyone’s taste, I enjoyed Survival of the Dead. Fun, gory, and occasionally thought-provoking: everything you’d expect from classic George Romero.

Tags: Romero, zombie

Let the Right One In (2008)

While finding something original in today’s culture of remakes and re-imaginings is often difficult, finding a new idea in the horror genre is practically unheard of. Since most horror films deal in common character and story types, when a film simply attempts to do something slightly different with an established genre archetype the result can either be terrible and banal (leading to the return to and reinforcement of genre status quo) or remarkable and innovative, leading to new interpretations of old ideas. Let the Right One In manages the impossible, bringing a fresh approach to a well-known horror archetype while still keeping within the boundaries of the mythology.

The tone and mood of this film is set early and never wavers: cold, austere, and distant. Several times I had to remind myself that this film was released in 2008 and not the early 1970s; even the use of CGI (though sparing) doesn’t detract from this feeling. The main focus of this film seems to be realism, perhaps to balance the unreal elements of story. The director strikes a fine balance between real and unreal, giving a believable picture of a figure of classic horror mythology living in contemporary society.

The acting in this film is quite good, especially from the two young leads. Both give mature, natural performances that help to strengthen the film’s credibility and realism. These performances help to increase the atmosphere of isolation and loneliness central to the film. That said, however, there is genuine warmth and tenderness between the young boy and girl which is a credit to the ability of the young actors.

In a time where horror films seem to getting larger and louder, I’m always pleased to see a director with a light touch and the confidence to make a small film about large ideas. Let the Right One In is a cold, haunting film and a welcome new take on an old formula.

Watchmen (2009)

For some films it’s hard to remain objective, a detached observer able to critique and analyse with an open mind. In this case, the Watchmen graphic novel made such a terrific impact on me as a teenager that there’s no way I could write an objective review of the film. Though completely separate entities, my enjoyment of the comic does colour my experience of the film which, primarily, strives to be as accurate an adaptation as possible, given the various limitations of film in comparison to comics.

Director Snyder was in a tough position making Watchmen. Would he truly adapt the graphic novel, cutting and editing a decidedly epic story that spans nearly six decades into a trim, cohesive and thought-provoking film or would he choose to follow the route previously set by 300 and make a near carbon copy of the comic, perhaps sacrificing a smoother-flowing film narrative for a more faithful translation? In the theatrical cut of the film, it’s clear he tried to do both, to varying success.

The major sequences from the comic are expertly represented, with matching composition and colours helping to create a seamless transition between page and screen. The characters are mostly how I imagined them and the world depicted is a familiar one from the comic. The problem lies with the fact that most viewers of the film won’t have read the comic and won’t be familiar with the world or characters of Watchmen. Snyder does a good job of quick exposition, not slowing the film down with a long history lesson, but there’s still a lot of nuance lost (not surprising considering the depth and complexity of the comic).

Where Watchmen stumbles a bit is in the action sequences. While entertaining and technically well executed, the fight scenes are slightly over-the-top, more akin to The Matrix or V for Vendetta. In fact, some of the film’s visuals are too slick, too glossy. A more realistic approach would’ve helped to ground the film further, creating a truly believable world and characters.

Ultimately, this film was made for the fans of the comic. For those not familiar with the world of Watchmen prior to seeing the film, Watchmen is an exciting, intelligent, dark comic adaptation filled with complex characters and moral ambiguity. For the full effect, however, you need to read the Watchmen comic and immerse yourself in the world created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Zack Snyder’s version of the world is good, but Moore’s is better.