Blockbuster
21st
Century Science Fiction Adventures
by
Kristin Battestella
Fantastic
special effects and computer generated visuals make for some stunning
films these days –
of their whirlwind spectacles there is no doubt! However, this
quartet of recent blockbusters both intergalactic and adventurous
represents how some tent pole features and popcorn flix can provide
more superb science fiction storytelling than others do. Because, as
George Lucas used
to say,
“A
special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing.” Cough.
Interstellar
– Director
Christopher Nolan (Memento,
people,
Memento)
assembled an all-star cast including Matthew McConaughey (Dallas
Buyers Club), Michael Caine
(Hannah and Her Sisters),
Anne Hathaway (Les
Miserables), Jessica
Chastain (The Help),
Matt Damon (The Martian)
and more for this 2014 quest brimming with rural reflections,
nostalgic farms, interplanetary travel, NASA secrets, and beyond. The
generational clashing over old ways, new technology, bad harvests,
and earthly starvation mixes well with dangerous decisions, avoiding
black holes, perilous waterworlds, and ruthless ice planets. Society
has changed priorities and not everyone can adapt. When do you stop
struggling on earth and risk space to save humanity? Do you trust
mysterious wormholes and distant, possibly habitable worlds? How does
one choose between saving our species for the immediate or the long
term? The close to home family reasons, global causes, and project
revelations progress well – nothing is superfluous and less CGI
reliance adds realism alongside well-edited tickling clock moments.
An excellent score relates simmering peril, sweeping heartstrings,
and the silent but catastrophic space drama. Though they may be
tedious voiceovers for some, philosophical quotes, poetry, and
biblical references bridge time and space transitions while robots
with personality keep the personal in focus. These beautiful visuals
aren't action for action's sake, which may disappoint millennial
viewers who think science fiction is meant to be an hour and half of
desensitizing preposterous. Conversely, some black hole theories or
paradoxes and other inconsistencies or coincidences creating
Inception outward
feelings may also irk
high brow audiences. However, it's easy to forgive any theoretical
leaps or a slightly abrupt ending because we are so invested in the
emotion core at the forefront here. SF is at its finest when using
the fantastic – like the titular travel – for inner examination.
Instead of numbing superficial stupidity, the thoughts here remain
fixed on relatively or time's human impact and the disparity of each
as children age at home while a father far away does not. Man versus
Man, man versus nature, man versus himself – is our worst enemy not
technology, space, or climate change, but the limitations we give
ourselves? The tiny human elements and awe inspiring spectacles here
provide multiple viewings as well as reflection for the mind and
soul.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Let's get to the knocks against
this 2015 aka Episode VII first. From the droid with vital
information, the desert planet home of A New Hope orphan, and
heroes “getting too old for this sort of thing” to hot shot
pilots, rediscovered lightsabers, and a space battle over a super
duper Death Star, it's obvious this is Star Wars all
over again. Despite honoring the past via quips, casting, and vintage
homages, this is nonetheless a soft reboot removing the bad taste of
the prequels so audiences will follow Disney's plans for Star
Wars henceforth. VII
has no real ending – just a
placeholder asking us to wait for critical characters and backstory
revelations. Though likable, newcomer Daisy Ridley's Rey is
conveniently good at everything. We hope that potential has a reason
in future films, but there's no excuse for criminally underusing
Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones)
and Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave).
In a time when Hollywood desperately needs diversity and superior
women, both are unnecessarily hidden onscreen. Phasma could have worn
an imperial suit instead of a helmet, and while charming, Maz Kanata
needn't be another diminutive Yoda who inexplicably disappears
anyway. More quick editing and script changes contribute to the
phoned-in Adam Driver (Girls)
villainy, and it's obvious someone will go ala a sacrificial Ben
Kenobi. If true sequels where really intended, why not adapt Heir
to the Empire and the now
alienated Expanded Universe? And yet...I really liked this movie!
Practical effects, time to introduce the new setting, and the promise
of the younger, varied, and gender neutral cast work well with the
nostalgia of the original stars. Audiences familiar with the
franchise and wide eyed youths can immediately recognize the feel
good space opera action and heroics. Heck, I was misty at seeing the
opening crawl! Fans root for these scattered peoples, power
struggles, and Jedi misinformation to be corrected. We hate this
wannabe Empire because we witnessed the adventures this next
generation is going to discover. While some franchise films can
easily get this difficult position wrong (more on that below), this
shrewd bridge picture succeeds in making sentimental viewers thirsty
for more.
A
Split Decision
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
– I've been asking for more films to be set in the sixties, and
director Guy Ritchie's (Sherlock
Holmes)
2015 update of the original spy series should be the perfect excuse
for a period set blockbuster caper. Unfortunately, the accents used
by the underwhelming, miscast trio of Henry Cavill (Batman
v Superman: Dawn of Justice),
Armie Hammer (The
Lone Ranger),
and Alicia Vikander (Ex
Machina)
are too off to have any rhythm. The film itself is equally stilted
and dry with poor pacing between music video styled montages,
information dumping dialogue, and brief conversations not always in
English before another montage, action sequence, or music moment.
Despite on the move, coming and going scenes, the story confusingly
meanders on who is who and what location is where – and the travels
don't explain or make the plot any more interesting. It's very easy
to zone out on such patchwork, which I confess I did do somewhere in
the middle. Cartoonish villains don't help, for the tone never
decides whether such ham is full comedy or just a bad Bondian
fantasy. Though trying too hard at being retro cool and at times
looking more like millennials playing dress up in their parents
clothes, the classic tunes are a welcome soundtrack. There should be
more of this kind of lovable panache and mod décor, but even
enjoying the blu-ray visuals is a bumpy two hour ride. We couldn't
wait for this to end – that's when you find out this picture is
meant to be the titular beginning, an origin story with franchise
hopes. Maybe this isn't all bad for audiences who like fly by night,
don't worry about the plot hackneyed. However, this movie sums up the
biggest problem facing all these big screen television remakes.
Whether an update is set in the proper time period or not, the
original series is readily available on over the air stations,
streaming services, and video – and I would rather watch that than
this. Robert Vaughn, yes!
Billions
of Dollars yet dare I say Skip It!
Jurassic World –
I feel like I'm the only person on the planet who didn't like this
long gestating 2015 fourth installment in the otherwise entertaining
dinosaur franchise. It's no fun seeing seemingly badass dinosaurs
anew when superfluous characters and cliché family rifts add to one
annoying pair of brothers – an angry for no reason teen and a
hyper, uber smart younger son, because, of course. The boys stupidly
go off a monitored path and explore where they aren't supposed to
just so the disaster action can be set in motion. Today's audiences
are expected to believe these kids know how to magically fix a jeep?
And it's a vehicle that's sat rusting since the first 1993 movie, no
less! Scientist Bryce Dallas Howard (The
Village)
– no, lookalike Jessica Chastain is not
in this movie – also goes dumb and sheds her business style to
convenience the plot as needed. However much we respect the girl
power, poor thing never finds time to bag some sensible shoes and
spends the entire picture running in high heels. Those legs have to
impress rugged motorcyclist cum dinosaur whisperer Chris Pratt
(Guardians
of the Galaxy),
amirite? When a picture is meant as a family friendly juvenile
spectacle, this kind of opposites attract adult romance is
unnecessary. Maybe we've lost the original awe and are too accustomed
to such visuals, but this CGI isn't very good, either. Spin the
wheel, close your eyes and throw the dart, for the trite plot turns
and pedestrian technological designs here are already getting old
fast. Most of the action is hectic running and disaster screaming
with ridiculously bloated deaths peppering the confusion. Massive
crowds in peril repeatedly remain in peril, and the nonsensical
finale resorts to shocks and nostalgia before resolving nothing –
deliberately leaving everything open for a new trilogy. Viewers know
that franchising is what they are going for, but they didn't have to
be so obvious in making this a two hour trailer for what's next.
Ultimately, the original, timeless Jurassic
Park still
did it better, and if your belated sequel can't best the original,
then what's the point? *drops
the mic*
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