X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
Hugh Jackman in my opinion is one of the best actors working in Hollywood today and to see him return to the role that made him a movie star in the first place, I had my expectations set pretty high and in the end was left with disappointment. Now first of all it has nothing to do with the actors, Hugh Jackman is just as a badass as Wolverine this time around like he was in the previous X-Men films but the problem with the Wolverine film is that it felt like a rush job. The special effects were only so-so given the big budget for this film ($130 million!?!), the new characters from the X-Men universe that are introduced in this film are not developed well and just become filler for the plot which was pretty weak also. Given that this is Wolverine’s origin film a lot of the story was told much better in Bryan Singer’s far superior X2, overall I would only recommend this film based on Hugh Jackman’s performance but you’re better off watching X2 again.
The BOOM Verdict: 2.5 out of 5
STAR TREK
Now I wasn’t a fan of the Star Trek series to begin with mainly because I grew up more on Star Wars as a kid and the Star Trek series wasn’t that appealing to me compared to George Lucas’s sci-fi creation. JJ Abrams (Lost, Mission: Impossible III) has not only hit every note right out of the park in this modern retelling of the Star Trek origin, he has also made me a Trekkie fan and I guarantee you that whether you are a Star Trek fan or not you’ll appreciate everything that is shown on that big screen. Beautifully shot, great booming soundtrack, plenty of wonderful special effects and a wonderful young cast just made this film such a treat to watch. It has all the makings of a true summer flick and I left the theatre with a big nerdy smile on my face.
The BOOM Verdict: 4.5 out of 5
ANGELS & DEMONS
Alright just to let everyone know I never read the book for Angels & Demons and I never read the book for The Da Vinci Code until after I saw the film, a film that many hated by I actually enjoyed it and Angels & Demons is no different. Tom Hanks is back as symbologist Robert Langdon (minus the ridiculous hair he had in the first film) who is called on to solving the murder of The Pope and prevent a terrorist attack on the Vatican. Tom Hanks is one of my favourite actors and I think he can do any role with the exception of an action star, Angels & Demons for the most part is Tom Hanks running place to place for a good chunk of the film and that sort of got tedious after a while but the plot kept my eyes glued to the screen and stopped me from throwing stuff so I would recommend this film if you’re not into the usual hi-tech special effects and explosions most summer films offer.
The BOOM Verdict: 3 out of 5
TERMINATOR SALVATION
I’m a fan of the Terminator franchise, Terminator 2 is easily one of my favourite films of all time but after witnessing the wackiness of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines I kind of gave up hope on this franchise and thought it should be put to bed. However Warner Bros. decided to reboot the franchise into a new direction and without its star from the previous films, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. So how did this new Terminator pan out...it was meh! I think Christian Bale is a fine actor but in this film he wasn’t very charismatic, I couldn’t find anything to like with his portrayal of John Connor. The special effects were pretty good, the action was decent and the soundtrack is just booming loud but missing the original Terminator theme which kind of bummed me out a bit. Terminator Salvation was a shot in a bleaker tone compared to the other films yet in all honesty I don’t know where else you can go with this franchise now, it's hit a dead end in my opinion.
The BOOM Verdict: 2.5 out of 5
UP
Man I think Disney and Pixar are just going to win best animated film at the Oscars every year because there’s one thing we know about them, they know how not to make bad films. The beginning of UP is very emotional and uses very little dialogue but gets its point across so well it made a lot of people in the theatre shed some tears, something I haven’t seen so far in a Pixar film. Animation is just incredible as always from Pixar although I was a little disappointed in the 3D because this film didn’t really push the 3D effects for the audience but rather made up for it in wonderful storytelling.
The BOOM Verdict: 4 out of 5
DRAG ME TO HELL
True horror has finally returned! After seeing Hollywood churning out remakes of old or foreign horror films, I’m glad to see something original, scary and fun. Sam Raimi is a director I am very fond of and most people know him for doing all the Spider-Man films but I remember him for his holy Evil Dead trilogy, the man knows how to make an audience jump. The story is about a loan officer who is ordered to evict an old gypsy woman from her home and finds herself cursed by the old woman, which turns her life into a living hell and has 3 days to get rid of the curse before she gets dragged into hell literally. Don’t be fooled by the PG-13 rating people, this film is gross out and creepy with a good mix of humour infused into the story...you're gonna get a fun ride out of Drag Me To Hell.
The BOOM Verdict: 3.5 out of 5
THE HANGOVER
Every summer there’s always that one comedy that wins everyone’s hearts with balls out laughter, this year that crown goes to The Hangover. Four friends go to Las Vegas for a bachelor party, get absolutely smashed and lose their friend who’s supposed to get married in a couple of days and must find him. Although I have never been to Las Vegas, this is a film that I enjoyed immensely due to its raunchy and outrageous humour plus the fact that I can relate to these guys and I know most of you have had crazy drunken nights as well. The Hangover is the best comedy of the summer.
The BOOM Verdict: 4 out of 5
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
First and foremost, I am a fanboy when it comes to stuff like Transformers and I don’t understand how many people hated on this film because I had a blast watching it like I did the first film 2 years ago. Sure I still prefer the first film over this one but Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is still fun escapist entertainment that has all the essentials a summer action blockbuster requires: lots of explosions, battles, car chases, crazy special effects and a good looking cast. Although the story was a bit thin and a bulk of the running time was spent on Labeouf and Fox arguing at each other, the action made up for it when it was there (which I felt wasn not enough) not to mention Megan Fox looks hot throughout the entire film lol. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is summer fun no matter how dumb you think it is but it's also not a great film either.
The BOOM Verdict: 3 out of 5
THE HURT LOCKER
We’re halfway through this year and I felt I haven’t seen anything that’s blown me away as far as story, action and strong characters. Well look no further because The Hurt Locker is right now my favourite film of 2009 (for now). After losing their team leader to a roadside bomb, a U.S. Army explosive disposal unit, brings in a replacement to help continue the job of diffusing many explosive devices throughout Iraq. The replacement is an adrenaline junkie who has a more gung ho style of diffusing bombs and isn’t afraid of danger thus putting the rest of his team at a huge risk. I’m not a big fan of these war films because a lot of them are preachy, they get melodramatic and end with some happy bullshit Hollywood ending, The Hurt Locker has none of that. The main character is straight up bad ass and likeable and the film is edgy, suspenseful and realistic. The filmmakers didn’t try to preach some political message to us; rather they are telling a well written story that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. A MUST SEE!
The BOOM Verdict: 5 out of 5
...there you have the reviews for May/June, part 2 of the summer movie review shall be arriving shortly so stay tuned!
