Chronicling the last days of a teenage girl that leads to her murder, which is linked to a previous F.B.I case.
Twin Peaks Fire Walk with Me like it’s TV series has found its place in entertainment history, no doubt with season 3 of Twin Peaks on the way it’ll find more fans along the way. Firstly it’s probably essential that both seasons of Twin Peaks are viewed prior to David Lynch’s spin off as it will make little sense without its predecessor. As a standalone film it simply doesn’t work unless viewed as a piece of art house as it acts as a prologue and epilogue to the TV show.
Lynch’s Fire Walk with Me is a dark, seedy and edgy prequel with the expected atmosphere, satire and surrealism. The theme music returns along with many of the cast of the original show. Like it’s ground breaking cult TV parent it’s unorthodox, somewhat non linear storytelling with a masked child, a red suited dwarf and its bizarre operatic style and humour. It’s sexually graphic, slow paced, off beat and unpleasant.
Twin Peaks series regulars Lara Flynn Boyle, Sherilyn Fenn and Richard Beymer do not return. There are an array of bit parts from the likes of Lynch himself to David Bowie and Kiefer Sutherland. Donna has been recast by Moira Kelly which is a shame but only from a continuity perspective. Special Agent Dale Cooper Kyle MacLachlan, Ray Wise, Chris Isaak appear to name just a few but the focus is on Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer throughout. Like the show it’s difficult to judge the performances given the subject matter’s own style.
It charts Laura’s drug abuse, loneliness, shame, guilt, confusion and the devastation of incest. And also deals with the perverse torment of the father. The themes are heavy and are a lot to stomach. This is not fun viewing and caution is advised.
Some critic’s and fans have grumbled it adds nothing new, but I disagree slightly, okay so you know who killed Palmer but it gives you a further insight into her mindset and Agent Cooper’s fate having been trapped in the Red Room and replaced by Bob, there’s hope of escape in the clues that lay in Laura’s foresight laced diary.
Fire Walk with Me does suffer from a TV feel possibly by design for linkage to the show, it’s unlikely due to lack of production values. It’s far from the polished Mullholland Drive (which originally was intended as a spin off film).
Like the series, Fire Walk with Me is one of those fictional worlds that you either buy into it or you don’t. Intended for completist fans only.
Wild Card- Statham goes all Burt Reynolds
Posted: January 31, 2015 in FILM REVIEWS/COMMENTSTags: action, action films, Heat, Jason Statham, remake, review, Simon West, Wild Card
Based on the 1985 novel Heat (Edged Weapons in the UK) by William Goldman and the remake of Burt Reynolds’ Heat (1986) there’s a fast car, periodic fight scenes, a mild mannered moralist character, Jason Statham must check them off and sign on the dotted line. And that’s not a bad thing Statham in the most typecast of role, rarely, if ever fails to deliver.
Simon West’s Wild Card is finely shot, it plays as an anti Revolver (2005), it’s linear, his Vegas is musty, hazy and dusty. The setting feels real and written intentionally or not what it lacks in pacing structure and credible fleshed out supporting character relationships it makes up for with Statham’s charisma and hand to hand action setups.
Part revenge, part self realisation film, its reminiscent of The Gambler (1974), Payback (1998)/Point Blank (1967), Get Carter (1971 and 2000 remake) to name a few. West offers a series of exceptionally well choreographed hard hitting, bone breaking, wince enduring scenes, which Statham effortlessly pulls off with a smidgen of drama. The action is raw, not dissimilar to the stylish John Wick (2014), and Wild avoids using guns mirroring Denzel Washington’s McCall in The Equalizer (2014).
To Statham’s (who also produced) credit you do root for the gambling Nick Wild, and you can’t help feel he may windup like Carlito’s (1993) Brigante or London Boulevard’s (2010) Mitchel by the end. It’s a pity it chose the action, cutlery stabbing route and you can’t help feel that some of the more dramatic scenes were left on the cutting floor despite Statham showing some great range.
The action is more raw than the stylish John Wick (2014), and Wild doesn’t like to use guns like Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer (2014). Both Milo Ventimiglia and Michael Angarano while entertaining look a little uncomfortable age wise in their respective roles. The supporting cast are mostly extended cameos from the likes of Anne Heche, Sofía Vergara and Stanley Tucci who notably steals the show as mob boss mediator Baby.
Digressing slightly, thanks to Bruce Willis taking pay cheques for small cameo roles it’s left a gap in the market for well loved but still under appreciated Jason Statham who, endless Transporter roles aside, has offered some decent performances in the West’s own Mechanic, Killing Elite, Revolver, spring to mind.
The production values are high. it goes beyond the out of the box action film in terms of look thanks to Shelly Johnson’s cinematography and West’s keen eye for detail giving him a knack for creating atmosphere.
Statham puts in an immense physical performance. It’s a solid action film, and quiet restrained, no big explosions, with minimum gun-play, it focus its on physical altercations. And for these reasons recommend.
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