The Belko Experiment

In my teenage years, i tried working at an NCC Office building. I remember it being the most boring job ever. My job was to help a guy, trying to sort out papers, with order numbers, that had to be written down on a computer. I still remember how bored i was with this job. The man i worked with was nice, but i never understood why he loved writing down order numbers so much. It was like it was his favourite thing to do in life. If we talked about something else, he would fall right back into the numbers. Not the easiest co worker, but hey, at least it was an experience to try a different job. Office work have never made me interested. Sitting in the same building all day long, writing on a computer, having meetings, this is not my kind of thing. I am simply not fit to be an office guy. Speaking about offices, how many of you have seen the tv series The Office ? I have not seen many episodes of the BBC version, but i have seen many episodes of the american tv series. Now this is a great comedy tv series. Steve Carell and his co workers, who are clearly insane, will make your day feel better at any time. One of the reasons The Office worked so well, was because they knew how to make fun of ordinary day life situations, and turn the comedy volume up to an insane level. If you have not seen any of the seasons so far, i suggest you log in online to HBO and watch the seasons. I guarantee you will enjoy yourself. Maybe some of you remember the classic 1999 film Office Space, by director Mike Judge ? A classic comedy if you ask me, with lots of funny characters and some really funny scenes. Especially one scene, where an job interview is being done, and it is very important that you love singer Michael Bolton, if you want to work at this office ( just simply brilliant ). Last year, i think it must have been around september, i was reading about upcoming films, and came across an interesting title. A film called The Belko Experiment. As i started reading more about the film, i became more curious about the content. This seemed to be a completely different take on office films, and i do like films that tries to go a different way. After hearing some positive feedback from the cinema release earlier this year in America, i got a chance to experience The Belko Experiment. Is this one of the most original horror films of this year, or does this film fail to deliver what we were hoping for ?

A new day have just begun at the Belko Industries office building. All the employees are ready to work, and conversations are going around about all the latest gossip. But suddenly, an unknown voice in the building speaker, tell everyone to follow certain rules. To get out of the office building, as many as possible needs to be killed, and the office workers need to do this themselves. At first it seems as a bad joke, but when steel doors block every window, and people´s heads begin to explode, the people inside the building realise that this is not a joke. They have no chance, kill anyone you can, or you will be killed. Who is behind this insane game ? Is there any way out of this madness ?

If you loved the classic cult film Battle Royale, then you might actually be interested in seeing The Belko Experiment. This is sort of another version of Battle Royale, except in an office building, instead on an island. And i like the concept of this film. How far are you willing to go, to make sure you survive ? I would not say this is an original film in any way, but the positive surprise is that this is actually a intelligent film. It would have been easy, just to have people killing each other just to survive. But when you found out some more details, throughout the film, the story becomes more interesting. Director Greg McLean, ( who most horror fans know for his classic Australian horror film Wolf Creek ), combines different ideas and make The Belko Experiment feel like a roller coaster ride, within the walls of an office building. The film works effective as a psychological view on how we handle extremely difficult situations, when we are forced to do whatever it takes to think about ourselves. The cast is one of the highlights of this film. You have John C. McGinley ( who also were in Office Space ), Michael Rooker ( who is perhaps most known for his character Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead, including a number of classic films ), Melonie Diaz ( who were brilliant in the film Fruitvale Station ), Tony Goldwyn ( known for many films, including The Last Samurai ). The cast list is very long, but i think most actors does a good job with their performances. The dialogue between the characters also works well. Perhaps it would have been interesting with an unexpected twist, considering this film have a very interesting idea behind the plot. And this is where i wish The Belko Experiment could have explored some more, and perhaps taken some daring moves.  The hunt itself does include some cliches, we have seen before. A part from this, i will recommend that you watch The Belko Excperiment. It is not often you see a film like this one, that actually tries to do something different in the horror genre these days. One thing is clear from now on, if i ever find myself in an office building again, i will look where the axe is hanging on the wall. I no longer trust office workers after watching The Belko Experiment. Maybe something good comes out of this after all ?

Rating: DDD

It´s Only The End Of The World ( Juste La Fin Du Monde )

There are some directors out there, who from an early age knows how to make quality films. Directors that don´t care about the box office numbers, but focus on making a really solid film. There are of course many directors to choose between, but let´s take one example, Jeff Nichols. His full feature film Shotgun Stories, proved to be a unique experience, but this turned out to be just the tip of the ice berg. His next film Take Shelter, really lifted him up on a completely different level. The film is a really unique look into one man´s mental issues, if he really is right or wrong ? Michael Shannon in the lead role as Curtis, proved why Michael Shannon is one hell of an actor. His facial expressions, his reactions to different situations, it all shows why Michael Shannon made this wonderful film so good. If you have not seen Take Shelter yet, you simply have to. Director Jeff Nichols continued to make wonderful films, and his next one called Mud, really proved how good he is at telling strong, emotional stories. Matthew McConaughey is brilliant as the criminal Mud, who meets two young boys while hiding from justice. Mud is a must see, and let´s not forget, Reese Witherspoon is really good in this film as well. Let´s move outside America for a while and focus on European directors. Most of you have probably seen some really good films from Europe over the years, and i love a lot of films coming out from different countries. So let´s talk about one Canadian director for a while. Director Xavier Dolan have really made a big impression on film critics and audiences worldwide with many of his films. He is very young, only 28 years old and have directed 6 full feature films, and acted in several films as well. The films i have seen by director Xavier Dolan are very intelligent drama films, telling different stories from different peoples lives. And one of my personal favourite films that he have directed is Laurence Anyways. The story of a couple of a woman, and a transgender woman, who are in love, is both really beautiful but also show us how difficult it can be to live as a transgender woman. A very strong film, with a lot to say about relationships, making choices and dealing with life. Director Xavier Dolan keeps on working hard, and i always look forward to see his next project. After i heard that he won the award Grand Prix Award for his new film It´s Only The End Of The World. But that´s not all, this film have won 3 awards at the César Awards 2017, as well as 5 awards at the Canadian Screen Awards ( one of the awards was for Best Motion Picture ). I just had to see this film in cinemas, especially when i read that the film is based on a play about a homosexual man, who knows he is going to die soon. Since director Xavier Dolan have done such good films in the past, is this film his best film so far in his career, or is this a downfall for him ?

Louis ( Gaspard Ulliel ) travels to his mother ( Nathalie Baye ) and his sister Suzanne ( Léa Seydoux ) after being away for 12 years. Louis is a homosexual man, with a disease. He is going to die soon. And this trip to his family could be his last. But no one knows about this, and this could be the only chance he have to say goodbye. While he arrives he also meet his brother Antoine ( Vincent Cassel ) and his wife Catherine ( Marion Cottilard ). This is supposed to be a lovely family reunion, where the family is finally gathered together. But with Louis keeping his secrets to himself, can he be honest and tell the truth ? Or is it too difficult to handle ?

When you are emotionally attached to a film, you know it will stick to your mind. And this is exactly what It´s Only The End Of The World does. Seeing Louis going back to his family, trying to tell his family that he is dying, is a really emotional moment. How do you tell someone that you will die ? Do you have the strength to tell someone you love, that you won´t survive a disease? There are many questions around this subject, and i don´t think there is any real answer to them. All i can see is the pain in Louis eyes, when he knows that this might be the last time he sees his sister and mother. The acting from the cast is incredible. The characters are all very well written, and the power from the performances strike you from the very first minutes of the film, to the end. Nathalie Baye as the wonderful mother of Louis, is both charming, funny, and makes you enjoy every moment of her screen time. Léa Seydoux as Louis sister Suzanne, is a young woman with many issues kept inside of her, but with a good heart. Her perfomance is also very good, and you kind of feel sorry for her throughout the film. Vincent Cassel as the angry, self centered Antione, who hates everyone, is without a doubt the most powerful character of the film. When he gets really angry within the final scenes in the film, you can really feel how much anger he is carrying inside of him. Almost as if he is ready to explode. Vincent Cassel does one of his best performances of his career. I have never seen him this good in a film for many years. And of course the main character Louis, played by Gaspard Ulliel, is the shy son with a dark secret. Gaspard make his character feel mysterious, and at the same time you can recognize his shyness. When you see his sad eyes, that holds so much pain and sadness, you sit there in the theatre and wish his disease would vanish, that he deserves to live a long happy life. Director Xavier Dolan is known for making very strong films, and this film is not different in that sense. This is a powerful film that have so much to say. There is a lot of dialogue, and if you can cope with that, you are in for a very special theatre visit. It´s Only The End Of The World is in my opinion one of the most strongest drama films of this year. I actually went to see this film 2 times in a cinema, because i love this film. It is very hard to say if this will be one of the best films of this year so far, because we still have plenty of films coming out. But this is without a doubt one of the best film i have seen in cinemas in quite some time. If you love a really strong drama, with fantastic acting, you must see It´s Only The End Of The World in cinemas right now. Director Xavier Dolan is one of the most talented Canadian directors of our time, and he proves this clearly with this film.

Rating: DDDD

Colossal

Every year there are tons of films released. And i always try to look for something original, and interesting. Usually, you find something interesting within independent film releases. Since a lot of big budget films usually lacks of original stories, i prefer to turn to independent films. Not all of them are good of course, but most interesting films have something to offer. There are of course tons of titles to choose between, if we are talking about really good independent films. One of my personal favourite ones from recent years, has to be Nebraska from director Alexander Payne. The wondeful story of old man Woody ( played brilliant by legendary actor Bruce Dern ), who believe he won a lottery and need to get his money in Nebraska. This film is both funny, very dramatic, and with really beautiful cinematography by Phedon Papamichael. The film really managed to capture the feeling of how important it is to follow our dreams, even if they seem impossible. I suggest that you go online and buy Nebraska on blu ray, you have never seen actor Bruce Dern as good as he is in this film. A lot of actors from Hollywood have tried to head into smaller films, and in many cases it turns out to be a really good choice. Just look at Brokeback Mountain with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger ( both of them doing splendid performances ) from critically acclaimed director Ang Lee. A really strong film, made on a budget of only 14 million dollars, but proved why smaller films sometimes work better than big budget releases. This film also had actor Anne Hathaway on board. She also did a wonderful performance in Brokeback Mountain. Let´s talk about Anne for a while. She started out with the fluffy, girl film The Princess Diary back in 2001. At that time, i did see the film, but can´t say it was that good. So to see her develop her acting level, and land a role in a much better film, such as Brokeback Mountain, proves that anything is possible. Anne continued making some good films, including Rachel Getting Married and Interstellar. In the beginning of 2017 i was reading about a new film coming out this year called Colossal, with Anne Hathaway. As i watched the trailer, i could tell this was going to be something special. This film looked unique, and i just had to see it. Is this one of the most original films of 2017, or is this a film that failed to deliver something interesting ?

Gloria ( Anne Hathaway ) is an unemployed writer, struggling with alcohol problems. Her bad behavior, and her selfish attitude, is too much for her boyfriend Tim ( Dan Stevens ) too handle. So he kicks her out, and break up with her. Gloria is forced to move back to her hometown, to try and start all over again. She reunite with her childhood friend Oscar ( Jason Suedikis ), who have taken over his father´s bar. Oscar helps Gloria with her apartment, get her furniture and other things for her new home. He even help her get a job at his bar, but that does not help her, considering her alcohol problems. Still, they decide to have a night out, when Gloria passes out on a park bench. As she wakes up in this park, she does not know that this park will change her life. Within a certain area of this park, she is in control of a giant reptilian kaiju in Seoul, South Korea, that is seen on tv worldwide. At first Gloria does not understand why she is connected to this reptilian kaiju, but the park area seems to be holding some answers. 

There is no doubt that Colossal is one of the most odd films released this year. I can´t really say i have seen anything like this film, because the mix of genres are unique. Imagine a Pacific Rim film, mixed with 28 Days with Sandra Bullock, and throw in some Donnie Darko vibes in there, and you have something that might look like Colossal. I don´t honestly know what category i should place this film in, but it does not matter. I like to see a film that stands out, and don´t try to follow any trends. This film moves in all kinds of directions. This is the kind of film that some people, will probably hate. People, who don´t enjoy odd films will most likely stop watching after a while. I do believe that this is a film, for quality film audiences. Those people who prefer to see smaller films, because they don´t enjoy seeing another big budget box office release. One of the most positive surprises is how great the characters are in this film. In some ways they look just like ordinary people, but obviously they have something secret hidden within them. And once you get to find out more about their background, you can understand why they have a lot of issues from the past. It is so nice to see actor Anne Hathaway in one of the best performances she have done in years, as the alcoholic Gloria. Her character have lost hope, and lives day by day, with the help of alcohol. But the odd change, that change the film completely later on, makes her character become more interesting. I really enjoy the fact that Colossal completely changes tone later in the film, and mix in some really unexpected turns. I am not going to give away any details, but if you love a film that does not follow a certain pattern, then i think you might be happy with Colossal. Director Nacho Vigalondo, have directed several films in the past, and one of them that you might have seen is Open Windows with Elijah Wood. Not a unique film in any way, but watchable. However, i will say this. Colossal is the best film i have seen from director Nacho Vigalondo. He really stepped it up with this film, to a new level of quality. He nails great characters, and have a pretty solid story also. And i am happy to say that actor Jason Suedikis also does one of his best performances in his career. I seriously doubt you will see any film like Colossal this year, this is one of those films you won´t forget, because it is odd as hell. And this is why i enjoy this film so much, there is so much intelligence behind this story. Colossal makes you entertained, but this film also makes you think, about making choices in life. Make sure to see Colossal this summer, you won´t regret that you did choose to see this film.

Rating: DDDD

Predator ( 30 Years Anniversary )

The 80´s was a hell of a good time for action films. In fact, this was the period where some of the best action classics came out. Just think about it for a while, we got The Terminator, Aliens, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Robocop, Rambo films, and many others. The 80´s launched a lot of possibilities for action movie directors. They combined many different genres, and tried to combine some insane ideas. Some films were of course more fun to watch, without being good. While some films like Commando, with Arnold Schwarzenegger, turned out to be the right kind of film for the sunday family dinner. Lots of violence, classic dialogue and lots of muscles. Commando was cut a hell of a lot on swedish VHS, back in the days of VHS renting stores. I remember seeing the cut version, it destroyed the film completely. For some reason, some asshole thought that video violence was bad for you, when in fact they did not forbid swedish Dansband albums. At least i got to see the uncut version on Filmnet, a tv channel that showed a lot of action films. And of course i was so happy, because that showed me why censoring films was the work of Satan. Schwarzenegger released quite a lot of action films in the 80´s, and one of the classic ones that is actually turning 30 years old this year, is of course The Running Man. The idea of a tv show, where you hunt victims on live tv to kill, turned out to be a nice surprise. The film is actually pretty well made, and Schwarzenegger is also good in the lead role. If you have not seen The Running Man yet, i suggest you try and find the blu ray release. It is a fun ride, and have some classic scenes. But let´s stay here in the year 1987. Because this was the year when Schwarzenegger made one of his best film in his whole career. A film that changed the lives for many movie lovers forever, with an epic action film. I am of course talking about the film Predator, directed by John McTiernan ( the director who also made another great action film, Die Hard with Bruce Willis ). This film became a box office success, and fans of the Predator genre have always loved the first movie. In some ways, you could say that Predator gave us a different concept on sci fi action, because we have never seen a film combining a war film with an alien in a jungle. This year it is 30 years ago since Predator hit theatres worldwide, and of course we should celebrate this with a blu ray review. I had to see the film again just to see, if Predator is still a true classic, or have the film lost some quality after so many years ?

Major Alan " Dutch " Schaefer ( Arnold Schwarzenegger ), Blain Copper ( Jesse Ventura ), Mac Eliot ( Bill Duke ), Jorge " Poncho " Ramirez ( Richard Chavez ), Rick Hawkins ( Shane Black ) and Billy Sole ( Sonny Landham ) are all called in for a mission, deep down in the Val Verde jungle. Major General Homer Phillips ( R.G. Armstrong ) give Major Dutch all the information with Dutch all friend Colonel George Dillon ( Carl Weathers ). The mission is to rescue a cabinet minister, and his crew, as their helicopter seemed to have crashed into the jungle. The mission is to find them, and get them out. The chopper is located, but with butchered bodies hanging from the trees. Dutch and his men all head down into the deep jungle, and wipe out an army. But the evidence in this camp, turns out to be something completely different to what the mission was said to be. It seems that they have been fooled, that in fact the CIA lied, just to get Dutch and his men to do their dirty work. Dillon knew this, but did not say anything. A woman named Anna Gonsalves ( Elpidia Carillo ), found in the military camp, is forced to go with Dutch and his men, as they try to make their way back to safety. But during this time, one of the soldiers are killed, and disappear in front of Anna. Since she is the only witness, she can´t describe what she saw. But this turns out to be something, that no one is prepared for. Dutch and his men are now hunted, by an unknown alien life form, known as Predator ( Kevin Peter Hall ). 

One of the reasons why Predator is one of the best action movies of the 80´s, is because it does not hold back the brutal violence. You get massive shootouts, explosions, and a lot of rage, just the way you want an action film to be in the jungle, between soldiers. This film could have failed on so many levels, but thanks to director John McTiernan and his wonderful cast, you get all that you could wish for. I can´t say there are many military teams i have seen in films, that feels so connected, as this team does. Every single character give the film something positive, and you really feel like they are a team. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch, is simply outstanding. This is in my opinion one of his most iconic movie characters of all time. Maybe not on the same level as The Terminator, but still pretty close. Carl Weathers as Dillon, is one of those unforgettable characters. He might not be the best nicest guy in the gang, but his secrets during their mission makes the plot more reasonable. Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura is the bad ass war machine Blain, and if someone is going to clean up this jungle, you know he is the one to do it. Unfortunately, he is not one of the survivors, but you got to love his rough character. The story set in the jungle is a brilliant idea, because of the fact that this team of soldiers have been in many wars worldwide, but nothing as difficult as this one. The massive shoot outs last very long, and it is clearly made with an glimpse of an eye, to make it almost a satire of violence in some scenes. The Predator suit is very impressive, considering this was made in the 80´s. The alien looks really cool, and the make up effects works very well. The scene where Dutch and Predator fight against each other, is one of those scenes where the nostalgia level reaches to the top. The theme song, composed by Alan Silvestri, fits perfect to the look of the film, with a majestic string orchestra. The blu ray release i have, simply called Ultimate Hunter Edition, also includes some nice special features, where you learn more about the making of Predator, with interviews from the cast, and of course a Commentary by director John McTiernan. Predator is still today one of the most iconic action films from my childhood, and even if it has gone 30 years, the film does not fail to deliver quality. Since we are getting a new Predator film out in theatres next year, i suggest you buy the blu ray release of Predator, and gather all your friends for a movie night. Predator kicks ass in so many wonderful ways, and will always be classic for all ages to experience.

Rating: DDDD

Alien: Covenant

Mixing science fiction with horror is something, that usually does not work well. We have seen so many low budget horror films, trying to mix these genres together, and most of the films fall flat to the ground. But there are of course exceptions. And i think one of the most well known science fiction horror classics of all time, has to be the 1979 film Alien. This turned out to be a very dark, frightening sci fi horror film, that had a very unique look. The film became a huge box office success, and critics were really positive ( for the most part ). Sigurney Weaver as Ripley became one of the most iconic female action stars. Alien did not look like any other science fiction film around this time, so director Ridley Scott have really proved himself to be one of the best science fiction directors of the late 70´s. It would take many years until a sequel would be on the way. Of course, there was a lot of skeptical people about a sequel, how on earth can you do a film as good as Alien ? Then in 1986, we got the answer we all have waited for. The Terminator director James Cameron, took on the job to direct Aliens, and oh boy was this a good call. Aliens could be the best science fiction action horror film of all time, honestly. This is such a well made film, on so many levels. The aliens look bad ass, the characters are bad ass, the special effects are fantastic, and the cinematography as well. Aliens knocked everyone off their cinema seats. Critics loved it, audiences worldwide loved it, and i can still today call it the best Alien film ever. Director James Cameron really showed the world that he was the perfect choice to direct this film. After the successes of Aliens, it seemed that there were discussions about Alien 3. But there seemed to be problems surrounding the script, and the film got delayed. Until director David Fincher was chosen to make the film. Looking back at Alien 3, i can say that this could have been a good film. But i understand that director David Fincher did not get to do this film, the way he wanted to do it, because of the film studio demands. The final result turned out to be a big difference to Aliens in 1986. You could say that Alien 3 have some potential ideas, but did not manage to pull them out correctly. Sigourney Weaver did at least what she could with her role, so no need to blame her for anything. In 1997, after a lot of negative reactions of Alien 3, french director Jean-Pierre Jeunet was chosen to direct Alien Resurrection. This film did go back more to the roots of the Alien franchise, but was also critisized by critics and fans, for being a lame sequel. I actually had fun watching Alien: Resurrection in cinemas, it was an improvement from Alien 3. After the 4th film, it seemed as if Alien would not return for a long time ( unless you count in the Alien Vs Predator films ). And director Ridley Scott, did return with a sort of a prequel called Prometheus. This film was supposed to give us an idea of how it all started.  I enjoyed it, but did not really see it as an Alien film. So here we are in 2017, with a brand new Alien film in cinemas called Alien: Covenant, and director Ridley Scott is back as the director. Do we finally have an Alien classic in our hands, or is this the sequel that never should have been made ?

In the year 2104, synthetic android Walter ( Michael Fassbender ) is controlling the ship Covenant. On board the ship there are thousands of colonists on board the ship, sleeping in pods. When a sudden neutrino burst damage the ship, a lot of colonists are killed. Some of the survivors manage to wake up, and begin to repair the ship. Among the space ship survivors, we see Daniels " Dany " Branson ( Katherine Waterston ), Christopher Oram ( Billy Crudup ), Sergeant Lope ( Demián Bichir ), Tennessee Faris ( Danny McBride ) and many more. When a signal is picked up from radio transmission from a distant planet, the crew begin to investigate where this planet is located. It turns out to be the remote planet Origae-6. Since no one knows what is down there, or if there are any survivors down there that might need help, they decide to go down and check out for any signs of life. 

Since my early childhood, the Alien films hold a special place in my heart, especially Aliens from 1986. So, going in to the cinema to see Alien: Covenant, of course i had high expectations. Especially since director Ridley Scott is the director of the film, it has to be good, right ? Well, let´s just say maybe my expectations was too high. You see, this Alien film does have some quality to offer. You have a very good looking film, with well made cinematography by Dariusz Wolski. The film also manage to deliver, from a technological perspective. And i especially enjoy Danny McBride as the chief pilot Tennessee Faris. His character is exactly what a crew like this needs in space. Michael Fassbender, in double roles as David and Walter, manage to deliver a solid performance, as both characters. Katherine Waterston does a good performance, as the tough terraforming expert Daniels. I do enjoy the space sequences as well, surrounding the space ship. I found out recently that the space ship was actually build by hand. and that is very impressive.

Now, let´s bring up some problems.

For being a throwback to the classic Alien genre, director Ridley Scott makes it a bit too easy for himself. If he really wanted to make a film, that true Alien fans would want, he would have done a story with much more depth. Alien: Covenant is far too simple in the plot. It is basically the same story we have seen so many times before, except for a few details. I would have liked to see an unexpected twist in the plot, that no one would predict. A simple story can be good, but you have to bring something interesting into the story, or it will be forgotten pretty easy. Another problem is the fact that you don´t get to see any major battle scenes between aliens and humans. There are a few, that looks ok. But considering this is an Alien film, you would expect lots of gore, blood and brutality. There are a few moments where you recognize the Alien theme, but these moments don´t feel crafted in the right way. 

So what is my overall opinion of this film ? I feel kind of split in some ways, because i do enjoy some parts of the film, and we have seen worse Alien films in the past. So if you enjoy the previous Alien films, i don´t see why you should not see Alien: Covenant. There are some positive things in this film, and it feels more of a throwback to the traditional look of Alien, than what Prometheus did. Director Ridley Scott is without a doubt a technical director, and this is where he prove himself best. And a film like this needs to look very stylish, from a technological perspective. If he only could have changed the story, and thrown in some more solid ideas, we might have had a much stronger film. As it stands now, this is a film that will most likely split fans, with many different opinions. I still enjoyed seeing Alien: Covenant, even though the film have problems. This film looks really good, and the cast does help the film work ( when other problems become obvious ). I heard that there is another film on the way. I really hope that we will get some details improved to next time. Until then, you might as well see Alien: Covenant in theatres. Especially if you have seen all the other films, then you might want to know some details about the past. Remember the phrase:- In space, no one can hear you scream ? I don´t think you will scream this time around, but you might have some popcorn fun in the cinema seat. Flame thrower anyone ? You might need one, just in case those mean bastards climbs out of the cinema walls.

Rating: DDD

Boyka: Undisputed

I have thought about something. Why did i become so intelligent over the years ? And i know the answer now. It is because i grew up watching Cannon Films releases with Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and Michael Dudikoff. Is this possible ? Yes, you see you can try and learn all the math in the world, or how to calculate distances from a building to a post box. But in the end, the best way to become intelligent is to watch Van Damme´s classic Cyborg, to understand what life is all about. And there are three basics.

* Kick ass, ask questions later
* Always use less dialogue, use a big knife instead
* Make sure to show muscles, anywhere you pose

If only Harvard University could run this film every year during tea time, our students would be filled with very important knowledge for the future. We should at least thank director Albert Pyun for giving us this film. Cannon Films gave the kids of the 80´s everything you could ask for. Explosions, ninja swords, naked women, uzi guns, extremely hair styles from another galaxy. So it was a good time to grow up, because as kids we learned from the best source material, you would find in the VHS store. After the millenium kicked in, straight to dvd action stars kind of disappeared. Sure, Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and Steven Seagal still made films, but you did not see many new faces. Until we experienced british actor Scott Adkins. Before he landed inside the martial art films, he was actually an actor on tv series Doctors. But his true fighting skills on screen, really bloomed out on the film Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing. This was the first time we were introduced to see Scott Adkins as the russian fighter Yuri Boyka. The fight scenes between main actor Michael Jai White, and Scott Adkins in this film, became a delightful experience. The film is actually better than the original film with Wesley Snipes ( in my opinion ). Boyka became a very loved character, and Scott Adkins noticed how much the fans appreciated this russian fighting machine. Scott Adkins decided to return as the russian fighter Boyka in Undisputed 3: Redemption. This is without a doubt the best of the Undisputed films i have seen, so of course it was a good time. Boyka was kicking ass like never before. Unfortunately, the film flopped. Maybe the fans asked for something else, or maybe the film was a victim of the dvd industry, where people rather spend money on bigger budget films. Either way, Scott Adkins continued to work hard on several other films. He was clearly one of the most hard working martial art action actors in the movie industry, and in my opinion he clearly proved that with Ninja : Shadow Of A Tear. One of the best action movies i have seen in many years, and with some really amazing fight scenes from Scott Adkins. Buy this film on blu ray, or dvd, it should be in your film collection. When i heard rumors about Adkins returning as Boyka, i was of course very excited. A third film with the legendary character, how can we say no to that ? With such a talented action actor back in the lead role, is Boyka: Undisputed the big masterpiece of the film series, or is this a sequel we did not ask for ?

Uri Boyka ( Scott Adkins ) is fighting for the big league, and he seems to be unstoppable. His name is known worldwide, and promoters knows that the audience want to see Boyka back in the ring. But at a fight in Ukraine, Boyka kills one of his opponents Viktor ( Emilien De Falco ) in the ring. This is something that affect him personally. This was not what he planned to do. So he looks up Viktor´s wife Alma ( Teodora Duhovnikova ), to show his respect. Since Alma belive Boyka knew her husband, she arrange so Boyka can train for his upcoming matches in her husbands home made gym. Zourab ( Alon Aboutboul ) is a gangster, arranging fights and keep Alma under his strings, making sure she pays of her debt from her dead husband. But when the truth comes out, what really happened in the ring, Boyka is forced to open up to Alma, while he is about to risk his life for his most dangerous fight ever. 

Since i have always been a fan of Scott Adkins, i was looking forward to see the next Boyka film. And especially when this film was marketed to please the fans of the previous films. The character Boyka, the russian slaughter machine, is of course by now a classic character, and Scott Adkins does manage to deliver. But overall, as an action film, we do have some issues to talk about. The characters surrounding Boyika does not feel very interesting. In a film with fighting, you need some characters that stands out, so the main character is not the only interesting part of the film. And this is where we find Boyka: Undisputed. The film is saved by the brutal fights, and i suppose you can say that this is where the film manage to function. Scott Adkins have an amazing fighting ability, and he really show that once more. If you have seen the previous films, you can pretty much guess what the film will be like. It is a simple action film, that will only please fans of classic fighting films, such as we experienced in the 90´s. The acting is of course awful, what else would you expect ? It is clear that this film tries to step into a more dramatic perspective, almost as if Boyka does another version of Van Damme´s Kickboxer. I do like the idea, that director Todor Chapkanov ( assistant director on films such as London Has Fallen, and Messengers 2 ) want to give us another view of Boyka. Since he is getting older, maybe his view on life is changing as well ? Director Todor Chapkanov have not directed any martial art films before in the past, so for him to step into the world of Boyka is of course a challenge. He does do a good job on the fighting scenes, but for some reason he does not seem to care much about doing anything about the other characters. In one way, i can imagine that he knew that Boyka fans want to see most fighting scenes, so of course he probably thought it is better to focus on what fans want to see. The Undisputed films have of course delivered action entertainment for years, especially for the martial arts audience. Boyka: Undisputed follows up the previous films, with a more serious tone. I would not say that this is one of the better films, but it works as a sequel. If you are a fan of Scott Adkins, i know you want to see this next chapter. There is no doubt, Boyka is the cousin of Ivan Drago ( the greatest russian boxing character in history ), that will never stop. And this film shows that Scott Adkins still knows how to run a show. One advice though, never ask Boyka what he thinks of Fifty Shades Darker. If you do, you might not be standing up very long.

Rating: DDD

May is the month to stay awake

Greetings movie lovers worldwide, including Norway - The Holy Land Of Violins!

This is Captain Daniel speaking, the happiest mop boy on deck. I have some more reviews on the way and will try to post something extra before the month ends. One review that will be posted is of course Alien Covenant, a film i am really looking forward to see. Including the Steven Seagal film The Perfect Weapon ( should be a masterpiece, right ? ). Thanks to all my readers worldwide and prepare yourselves for some fresh reviews soon.

Cheers from Daniel - The Greatest Romantic Swede Ever