Review - Source Code

It has become all too popular in the last year to describe any action film with an ounce of intelligence as "Inception meets [insert ridiculous comparison here]". The quote is then plastered all over the poster of said film and the studio reaps the financial benefits of a misled audience. Luckily, the Source Code poster has managed to avoid this particular pitfall. Despite being labelled "Inception meets Groundhog Day meets Final Destination", the marketing fellas decided against whacking that on but there is always hope for the DVD cover. That is not to say however it has not attempted to disguise itself as something it is not.

On many of the posters is the statement, "From the director of Moon". For the cineliterate then this would no doubt immediately tick a box. Duncan Jones' piece was one of the finest directorial debuts in years in terms of creativity, vision and producing miracles on a budget. But for the cinecynic, the phrase "From the director of...." is an immediate red flag. An attempt to cash in on former glories perhaps? To move the film away from popcorn action film and towards the philosophical?

Having watched the film, it has hard to say what Jones' input is. The film works perfectly well for the run time. It is not overly long and never seems tedious despite the script requiring that it replay the same moment again and again and again. The performance by Jake Gyllenhaal does the job and as usual he is a likable screen presence. Though it seems as though it is a directing by numbers exercise and what creative input Jones has seems to be limited in this well rounded bit of Hollywood action fluff.

The problematic issue that lies at the heart of the film is that in many ways it is just a Tony Scott film without the blurry slo-mo action shots. A well-built and personable hero? Check. Numerous large set piece disasters? Check. Explosions? Check. Denzel Washington? No. Wacky government science programme a la Deja Vu? You better believe it. The audience are convinced not to question the sheer lunacy of the script because it's all "metaphysics/metamechanics/metanonsense...basically you would not understand". Pseudo-science so beyond belief is used to sellotape together a ludicrous story. Though it does allow for some intriguing questions to be asked about life and death, as soon as the bright lights of the box-office hit then you will be wondering how you did not end up chuckling at the daftness unravelling on screen.

Jones will no doubt be unharmed though. The film has picked up a range of four star with a rather impressive 71/100 on Metacritic. Whether that may be down to the attachment of the appealing pairing of Jones/Gyllenhaal, the fact that there is little to complain about in terms of visual realisation or maybe it just caught the critics on a good day. As with a Tony Scott film - turn your mind off and you will probably have a good time.

Review - eXistenZ

eXistenZ - capital x, capital z.

A virtual world made reality through the use of living Playstations known as biopods connected to their user via an umbilical cord. A reality in which both desire and fear act as the creative force in the imaginary world. Leading those inside it to the darkest realms of their imagination and to question where their real lives end and the game begins.

Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a world famous games designer, a hero to those jaded by the limits of the everyday and a target for extremists who fear the significance of the waking world is being devalued by her creations. Following an attempt on her life at a promotional event for her latest construction of fantasy, her safety is entrusted to a trainee marketing man moonlighting as a security guard in the form of Ted Pikul (Jude Law). Initially reluctant, Geller persuades game virgin Pikul to join her in eXistenZ to see whether her biopod has survived the stress of the assassination attempt. And thus begins a journey through different levels of reality as the pair descend deeper into the game.

Law for all of the tabloid attention that he attracts is often overlooked in terms of his acting ability. His performance as Pikul shows great subtlety as he moves between video game avatar and the anxious reluctant hero - ushering the audience away from the solid groundings of reality until finding themselves as lost in the void as he appears to be. For all the flak he seems to take, there is no doubting his ability in front of the camera.

The film, written and directed by David Cronenberg, is full of his usual relish for blood and throbbing guts. The alternative reality providing the perfect foundation for creative and extravagant use of his favoured splatter. As ever though, he displays vision beyond the gore that makes for a darkly involving and entertaining experience. A puzzle that requires attention for the duration but highly rewarding. For a film that is now over a decade old, the themes seem as relevant now as ever and ahead of the time in terms of concept. Looking at the nature of our reality whilst also questioning human fervour for escapism via virtual worlds - simply illustrated by the umbilical cords used by game users. With the release of Inception last year, it is difficult not to see this film as precursor with the levels of reality similarly broken down into clear stages before slowly blurring into one. Cronenberg brings his concept to life with the craft and execution one would expect from the Canadian director. Worth seeing on the ideas alone, the style with which it is depicted comes as a real bonus.