dermobreen

"Alive Actually" would have been a better title for this film as it is both a survival thriller in the vein of Alive and a love story à la Love Actually. It's a thriller/chick-flick – a strange mish-mash of genres that actually works.

Director Hany Abu-Assad brings us the story of two strangers (Ben, played by Idris Elba and Alex, played by Kate Winslet) who, after surviving a plane crash in the snow- covered Colorado Rockies must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements. When they realise help is not coming, they are forced to embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness while learning about themselves and each other along the way.

Based on a book by Charles Martin, this film fails to bring the realities of either aspect: survival and romance, to a satisfying conclusion. The romantic element is predictable and leaves no surprises. The survivalist aspects bring some suspense and wince-out- loud moments, there is never a feeling of dread or that they might not make it. What I found interesting, from a psychological aspect is how such an experience might draw to people together, akin to Stockholm Syndrome. Because the characters are very two-dimensional, I found myself trying to understand their motivation and what might draw them together other than a basic need to support each other. Both Kate and Idris give it everything they've got but the chemistry is not there.

The other thing that concerned me with the film was the sense of time. We are told that three weeks have gone by but it only feels like three days. Plus Kate's hair is perfectly curled every morning.

The only positive note in this tired trope-filled movie is that they did not eat the dog.

Wait for it to come on TV.

2 out of 5

Martin Campbell is no stranger to action films having brought us two Bond re-boots; Casino Royale with Daniel Craig from 2006 and Pierce Brosnan's first 007 outing, Goldeneye in 1995. The Foreigner is his latest action film and once again he is teamed up with Pierce Brosnan who is channelling his full Gerry Adams impersonation.

Jackie Chan plays an immigrant in London who owns his own restaurant. His wife and one of his two daughters were killed many years ago during the evacuation of Saigon. He lives with his only daughter who is tragically killed by an IRA bomb in London. He goes straight to the top of the IRA food-chain and intimidates Pierce Brosnan to give up the names of the bombers. What ensues is an explosive cat and mouse thriller between the two main protagonists played out against the back-drop of further IRA bomb violence in London from a rogue IRA cell.

This is where we need to say a word or two about the film's context and target audience. I watched this in a packed theatre in Silicon Valley, California. I dare say most if not all of the subtleties of the plot were lost on the audience. Indeed specific references to the Omagh bombing may not resonate with a global audience. The second problem is Jackie Chan. Audiences have come to know him as a lovable clown in most of his roles. There is nothing funny about his role in The Foreigner. It is played straight, yet the audience in my screening were laughing and giggling at what I believed were serious plot points and/or action sequences.

Campbell delivers a taught thriller full of Republican intrigue, back-stabbing and dare I say it "normal" Irish politics. The British government do not come out of this cleanly either. Their Machiavellian plotting and use of Brosnan's character is cold and devious. 

Jackie Chan brings us a subdued performance, befitting the grief he is experiencing. Brosnan brings us a fully-fledged Garry Adams which may be lost on some not familiar with the conflict or the politics of Northern Ireland. There is a strong Irish support cast including Orla Brady. 

Is it the best of Campbell's work, sadly no. It is not as tight or as tense as his earlier work, such as Casino Royale. It is, however a notch above some of the current offerings in the cinema. Pierce Brosnan's channeling of Gerry Adams is almost worth the price of admission alone.

3 out of 5.

A question I've been asked, given that Blade Runner 2049 is being released thirty-five years after 1982's Blade Runner, is; do I need to have seen the first film? I believe it will make a lot more sense, indeed it may only make sense, if you have seen the first film. The next question is; which version of the first film? Yes, there are seven. For me, and for Ridley Scott, it's The Final Cut version. So before we talk about the new film, trust me, it's complicated. Other preparations you need to make before viewing Blade Runner 2049 are: get a good night's sleep beforehand, use the bathroom and bring a flask and sandwiches. This film is 163 minutes long.

At the end of Blade Runner (depending on which version you watched), Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) rides off into the sunset with Rachel (Sean Young), a replicant he fell in love with after "retiring" Roy Batty and his mates. Director Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 introduces us to a new Blade Runner named "K" (the name given to police personnel who hunt down and "retire" replicants), played by Ryan Gosling. K is despatched to the desert to retire a replicant farmer (Dave Bautista). While there he discovers the buried remains of Rachel and a new mystery is born. Along the way he encounters other replicants and eventually, his investigation leads him to Las Vegas where Rick Deckard has been living out his life. Together they embark on solving the mystery.

I'm being deliberately obtuse in my exposition because I don't want to give away the plot twists and turns and more importantly, the end.

There is a great support cast including Robin Wright who plays K's police chief and Cuban native Ana de Armas who plays K's holographic girlfriend in an emotive performance. Jared Leto turns up as Niander Wallace who has taken over replicant manufacture from the bankrupt Tyrell Corporation.

Blade Runner 2049 carries on in the same style as the 1982 film. From the cityscapes to the future it projects, the new film creates a believable 2049, darker and more miserable than 2019 (the time period the 1982 film was set). The sprawling metropolis, the single-colour palettes in the desert, the lighting through water and the framing give a real sense of  the dystopian future ahead. Kudos to cinematographer Roger Deakins. It also continues the central question of the 1982 film: what does it mean to be human? Are just the sum of our memories? Do humans have souls? There is a lot going on. To it's credit, Blade Runner 20149 does not pander to the audience. It assumes they are smart and can deal with these topics without being spoon fed. There is no long exposition to explain the plot. There are twists and turns and Villeneuve knows the audience are intelligent to keep up.

Seeing Harrison Ford back in action is a joy. He throws himself back into the role he played 35 years ago with gusto and the film is better for it. He clearly has an affection for the character of Rick Deckard who is probably the most enigmatic character he has ever played. For his part, Ryan Gosling makes an excellent addition to the story line as the new Blade Runner. His expressionless face captures the lack of empathy with which he retires replicants. As the film progresses we see a tender side of him with his girlfriend and his struggling to make sense of dreams from his childhood. His closing scenes, with echoes of The Shining are touching.

As a continuation to the 1982 film, Blade Runner 2049 takes the story forward in a thought-provoking fashion while leaving some of the unanswered questions from the 1982 film still unanswered. For example, there was great debate at the end of Blade Runner as to whether Deckard was a replicant himself. Don't be expecting this film to answer that. If you truly want the answer to that, you will need to read Philip K Dick's short story: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? We know they dream of unicorns!

An amazing 4.5 out of 5. This intoxicating film will need several viewings and each will be as brain-twisting and as welcome as the first. I look forward to the next instalment. Hopefully we won't have to wait 35 years!