FAIR VIEW

From IDMB:

Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

SPOILER ALERT!!!  SPOILER ALERT!!!  SPOILER ALERT!!!  SPOILER ALERT!!!

Review:

Although this Bond had a stellar cast [Judi Dench as M, Javier Bardem as Silva, Ralphe Fiennes as Gareth Mallorey, Albert Finney as Kincade plus Daniel Craig starring as James Bond), was stunningly filmed on location in exotic locales, has all kinds of forward thinking technology, terrific action breath taking sequences, I still found it disappointing. What was lacking was a cohesive plot and script.

For example, the computer genius villain, Silva, shows off to Bond how he can cause apocalyptic chaos anywhere in the world with the push of a button on his computer. Silva concocts this elaborate plan to draw Bond to his secret island, someplace off Asia no less, so that he, Silva, can be captured and taken to London. While there, the British agents are trying out how to break into Silva’s computer and meanwhile release his evil virus that unlocks his prison cell and allows him access to the London Underground. Silva vanishes disguised as a British Bobby. LOL! He meets up with his cronies who are similarly disguised and they drive by Westminster where there is a hearing for M, who is Silva’s real target. They go in and gun everybody down until Bond comes to the rescue. Now I ask, you. Why would a guy with so much computer genius not just push a button on the other side of the world to accomplish this???? Why use a computer virus just to do a drive by? Why not just enter the country using a disguise and fake ID and do the drive by? It doesn’t make sense any way you look at it. Also, have the British police/security not heard of bullet proof vests?

None of the scenes in the movie stand up to much rigorous thought at all. But I will spare you further analysis and you can take my word for it and just be prepared when you see the movie so that you will not be as disappointed as I was.

But, there were stunning visuals as in the first photo which was a scene in Shanghai where Bond chases down an assassin in a glass wall building. Reflections off of the glass windows were artfully captured.

There was an action sequence in the movie’s opening that included a motorcycle chase across roof-tops in Turkey that made me wish I was there shopping! LOL! Anyhow, it looked like fun! In addition, there were location shots of London and Scotland that will make you long for travel!

There was also Bond booty:

Plus a somewhat gay interlude with Javier Bardem that was very interesting.

But not as hot in my opinion as the torture scene from the first Daniel Craig Bond movie, Casino Royale:

I wanted so badly to love this film. I looked at all of the tremendous acting potential being wasted and thought what a shame! This one is full of exotic locales, glitz, explosions, gunfire and body count, and love for Mother England. But it was dragged down by tremendous plot holes and a terrible script. Watch it brain dead and you are sure to love it!

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

2009

2011

Both movie versions are based on Stieg Larsson’s book, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattooo”. Notes for this review were based on the IDMB for 2009 and 2011. I did refer to Wikipedia to check back on the plot for the 2009 version, since I saw it some time ago.

Both movies feature impressive casts and fine acting, and in that both are fine movies. The 2009 cast included: Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist, Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander, and Peter Haber as Martin Vander.

Noomi Rapace & Michael Nyqvist

The 2011 cast included: Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, Rooney Mara as Lisbeth  Salander, Christopher Plummer as Henrik Vanger, Stellan Skarsgård as Martin Vanger, Robin Wright as Erika Berger, Joely Richardson as Anita Vanger, and Goran Visnjic as Armansky.

Rooney Mara stiches Craig's head with floss

The plots were basically the same, a journalist, Mikael Blomqvist is helped by a female computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander, to solve a 40 year old murder, with subtle differences. The 2011 movie, which I assume was made to please American tastes, has a cast that is 20-30% prettier than the 2009 version. [Percentages are my estimates and therefore moot.]

In the 2011 version, I was able to understand the plot 5-10%  better because it was in English and because certain subtleties were removed and replaced with obvious actions. For example, at the end, when Lis embezzles money from the exposed Wennerström, she is shown shopping for her disguise and carrying out the plan, while in the 2009 version, we are only shown the news report and everyone just guessing that it is her. At times though it was as if I felt like I had got it already, and the film was hitting me over the head with a sledge hammer.

There is more kick-ass action in the 2011 version too. Lisbeth is shown taking down a mugger and this is all really great if you need to vent some anger at something. Her vengeance on her case worker is priceless, but I felt more cruel in the 2011 version.

In the 2011 version the title sequence is an incredible work of artistry that rivals any James Bond film and has been much spoken of.

Also, there is so much more skin in the 2011 version.

I guess there is no question that Americans like sex in their movies and the 2011 version adds plenty of it! Audiences get to see just about every inch of Rooney’s sylph-like figure, plus there is a lesbian sex scene and a bonus rape scene!!! What more could American male-chauvinists want? I’ll tell you what they could want. They would want Rooney to go after Daniel Craig and be rebuffed. That is exactly what happens in this film that changes the ending from the 2011 film and makes me so angry. She takes her billions in stolen cash and buys him a leather jacket, drives her bike to his place, only to see him with his blond partner. She throws the jacket in the dumpster and drives off, feeling dumped herself! Pathetic ending! In the 2009 film, she goes off happily with her money [What rich woman needs a man to be happy?] and Mikael Blomqvist is dumped and feeling left all alone. A much better ending in my opinion as the message is women are powerful. But I guess this is not a message that would sell in America.

What the Americans did in the 2011 version is that they took a fabulous, complex, dark, gritty, Swedish masterpiece and revved it up with slick sex, violence and misogyny into something that would please the heterosexual-male oriented American audience. They put a superior cast into it, to keep it credible. I though, am offended by the ending. I did enjoy the film, however. Even though Daniel Craig cringed through the entire thing; he was still hot in the sex scenes.

2011

2009

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2009 ***** stars

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2011 **** stars

Synopsis:

In 1941 as WWII was ongoing, three Jewish brothers, Tuvia Bielski (Daniel Craig), Zus Bielski (Liev Schreiber), and Asael Bielski (Jamie Bell) hide in the Belorussian woods after their father is murdered by the local police. While there, they face all the horrible moral conflicts of war and mange to save 1200 wandering souls from the Holocaust. It was based on a true story.

Tuvia and Zus

Review:

This was a pretty typical war movie and the acting was strong. There was quite a bit of violence and bloodshed, but it was not gratuitous. After all, it was a war. The melodrama could have been cut down a bit and is most evident in the trailer, which I am not even going to post here as I find it so offensive.

Tuvia tries to convince a community to join him in the forest

However, this is a story that must be told. The heroism of the three brothers was truly unique. These are the few Jews who stood up and resisted and were willing to fight for their lives and those of their race. They formed a working community where all were participants, and outlaws were not tolerated. How they managed to survive in the forest was amazing and fascinating to watch. Tuvia was quite a leader and his brother, Zus, quite a fighter if the movie is anywhere close to the truth.

There are romantic situations, but very little skin. There is no sex. I was so disappointed.

Tuvia and Lilka Ticktin (Alexa Davalos)

Asael and Tamara Skidelsky (Jodhi May)

I highly recommend this movie if you are a Daniel Craig fan and/or need to see another Holocaust flick (bonus – in this one the Jews win!).

I give it:

*** of five stars