Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) – Review

Review: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is generic yes, but still an entertaining and thrilling origin story. The film is about Jack Ryan, a man studying at Oxford who decides to leave school to join the Marines after the events of September 11, 2001. However, while in combat in Afghanistan, a helicopter he is traveling in is shot down severely injuring him, ending his military career. Now looking for a new way to serve, Ryan is approached by the CIA to join their financial crimes unit (being that he was working on his PhD in Economics before leaving school). Ryan accepts their offer and moves to New York to work on Wall Street (after finishing his PhD program). Meanwhile, Ryan courts Cathy Muller, a resident that he met while recovering from his injuries suffered in Afghanistan. Ten years later, Ryan and Muller are living together in New York and he is working in a trading firm, monitoring their trades for suspicious activity. He comes across something odd and the CIA sends him to Russia to investigate. Ryan thinks that the trades he is seeing could lead to the economic meltdown of the US economy coupled with a terrorist attack. But first he must uncover the plot.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is an adequate film in most every regard. It does what it sets out to do – i.e. it is a good origin story for Jack Ryan that will hopefully set up further adventures. Director Kenneth Branagh does a good job managing the characters, keeping the story and action moving forward, and creating exciting action beats.

That said, the biggest weakness of the film is that it is very generic. It is more or less a Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, James Bond type modern action thriller that audiences have seen many times and in some cases done better. Conceptually there is nothing new about this film or this type of character on a general level, and the action too is very typical. It is also a wonder that the film is based on an original story only using Tom Clancy’s characters rather than on one of the many Clancy stories that could have been slightly amended to be an origin story. Why ignore his vast array of great stories that are proven? The story in Shadow Recruit is not bad by any means; it is just typical and unsurprising. And thus, much of the story and the action (all being nothing new) sort of play in the background to what is actually the best part of the film: the characters themselves, specifically the villain Viktor Cherevin and Cathy Muller (who has an expanded role compared to other Jack Ryan films).

Branagh has always been a director who does his best work with actors, with the other aspects of filmmaking being more ordinary (that is to say, he is not a great director but an adequate one who generally gets good performances). The best part of this film is the performances – the dialogue scenes between characters are much more interesting than any of the bigger action beats. Though, to his credit, Branagh does keep all the action engaging and exciting. Personally, my favorite scene in the film came when Jack and Cathy meet Viktor for dinner. They put on a rouse to distract him while Jack breaks into his office to steal some documents, leaving Cathy to entertain/distract Viktor. The interplay between Cathy and Viktor is a lot of fun, and there is a nice bit of tension as the whole thing could be discovered at any moment. It feels like a classic spy-film scene.

Another thing that Branagh does to keep the film engaging is that he paces the film to move briskly. The film’s first act sprints through the events of Jack’s early life that shape who he is and why he ultimately ends up with the CIA. To some extent, the film probably could have been drawn out another 30-45 minutes for more development, which could have provided more character depth and narrative detail (and given it more of a classic spy-movie feel). But, at some stage the decision was made for this film to be more of a Hollywood style action thriller that relies on economic storytelling, quick pacing, and lots of action beats (Shadow Recruit is the shortest of all five Jack Ryan films), which is fine but it just leaves it feeling similar to many other action thriller franchises audiences have seen in the last few years. It does not bring anything new or different to the table, or really even try.

Jack Ryan has always been a character in film who finds himself pulled into action scenarios (even though he is constantly complaining that he is just an analyst). With Shadow Recruit, he is made an operative at one point, and the audience is shown (briefly) that he has a background as a Marine (rescuing two soldiers from the helicopter crash while having a broken back). Thus, his role as a man of action is not as surprising (as say Harrison Ford’s Jack Ryan who is a wrecking ball) – plus, this is what modern action film have become. Average movie fans do not want to see a man who stops terrorist plots from a desk (similar to a film like Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy); they want their star in the middle of all the action creating almost a mandate for what Hollywood franchise action thrillers should be.

 And so, on a brief side note, here is my ranking of all the Jack Ryan films (for those who are interested): 1) The Hunt for Red October (probably the most true to the idea of the character, but Ryan is really not the lead in the film), 2) Patriot Games, 3) Clear and Present Danger, 4) Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, and 5) The Sum of All Fears.

 All in all, Shadow Recruit works fine as the first chapter of the Jack Ryan reboot, and it does its job (as I would be interested in seeing future adventures with these characters and actors – but that all depends on international box office now, as this underperformed domestically opening weekend). And I suspect that fans of the genre, especially those who like it with a bit of action, will enjoy the film as it is both thrilling and entertaining, and best of all features good characters/performances.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Kenneth Branagh is best known for his work directing and starring in his adaptations of William Shakespeare’s work. In particular, his versions of Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Hamlet are great (and are to this date still his best films). But then he directed Thor for Marvel, and has since been expanding his scope as a filmmaker. As said in the review, the best moments of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit come in the scenes between characters, and that speaks to what kind of director Branagh is, but he does a good enough job with the action too. I am interested to see what he does with his next film Cinderella.

Patrick Doyle gives the film a great action thriller score that sounds like it tends towards the techno-thriller side, which in many ways is very fitting. The film does spend a lot of time with Ryan looking at financial transactions and code, and his big scene in which he breaks into Viktor’s office feels like something right out of a techno-thriller. Doyle’s music sets the tone and adds an additional level of excitement and tension. Haris Zambarloukos’s cinematography is good as well, but overall fairly standard for this type of Hollywood film. However, Andrew Laws does a wonderful job with his production design, especially with the sets in Russia. They are artistically compelling.

The performances in the film are strong across the board. Colm Feore and Nonso Anozie are good in small supporting roles. Kevin Costner plays Jack Ryan’s mentor Thomas Harper with his usual blending of a man who is both fatherly and tough (in a morally patriotic type of way). The scenes between Ryan and Harper are some of the better ones in the film, and it is really too bad that there could not have been more character development between them. Kenneth Branagh plays Viktor Cherevin, the film’s villain. In some ways he is just another in a long line of generic Euro-villains with some ambitious plot to bring America down. But, Branagh brings a lot more to the character with his performance. There is a real humanity and depth to this man, more than just pure cliché. The same can be said of Keira Knightley’s performances as Cathy Muller. She adds a lot more to the film than just merely being a girlfriend character or a damsel in distress (though she does serve those purposes too). She has a lot fight in her (and may even be a better and more willing spy than Jack Ryan). Knightley just seems to bring an added layer (much like Branagh) to the role; her Cathy feels like a fully realized person. And in some ways, the depth of these supporting characters makes this reiteration of the franchise seemingly have more potential than past Jack Ryan films that seemed to rest solely on the strength of their lead. Chris Pine is good as Jack Ryan. He does his action-man thing, and it works. But, he also sculpts it a little to fit the character too. His best work comes playing off Branagh, Knightley, and Costner.

Summary & score: While Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit adds nothing new to the action thriller genre, it is still yet another good film joining many other good and great films that the genre has produced in recent memory. 6/10

At the Movies – January 2014 – Part 2: Hollywood Films

Romance and Rom-Coms:

That Awkward Moment (Tom Gormican) – Romantic Comedy – Jan 31

Plot Summary: Jason, Daniel, and Mikey are three best friends who decide to take a break from dating to help each other get over their recent breakups. However, they each meet someone new but keep it on the down-low, each not realizing that the others are also hiding a new girl. And at the same time, they each come to decision-moments within their new relationships (like: what do I want in this relationship?). Filmmakers: Writer-director Tom Gormican is making his feature directorial debut with the film. He is working with composer David Torn (Everything Must Go), cinematographer Brandon Trost (This Is the End), and production designer Ethan Tobman (Twelve). Cast: The film stars Zac Efron, Miles Teller, and Michael B. Jordan, with co-stars Imogen Poots, Addison Timlin, and Jessica Lucas making up a pretty strong young cast (even including Playmobil person Zac Efron who is in a role that suits him better than most stuff he does – with this and Neighbors, 2014 might be his comeback/breakthrough year for comedy). Expectations:  As a big fan of romantic comedies, I am always encouraged by new films in the genre that actually look good (and not utterly bland and boring, which is normally the case these days). That Awkward Moment looks very funny (with R-rated humor) and has a great group of actors (lead by Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, and Imogen Poots). This might be a surprise great film; it certainly has the potential. Trailer: Here.

Serious Films:

Lone Survivor (Peter Berg) – War Drama – Jan 10

Plot Summary: The true story of Operation Red Wings, a failed 2005 mission involving four members of SEAL Team 10, the film is about soldiers who are sent into Afghanistan to capture or kill a notorious Taliban leader (Ahmad Shahd). Only one member of the team came home alive. Filmmakers: Writer-director Peter Berg is at his best when he makes films that balance drama and action, and are not overly bias one way – films like Friday Night Lights and The Kingdom. Lone Survivor seems like a good fit for him. He is working with composer Steve Jablonsky (Ender’s Game), cinematographer Tobias A. Schliessler (a frequent collaborator with Berg), and production designer Tom Duffield (who has also worked with Berg a few times). Cast: The film stars Mark Wahlberg and co-stars Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch, and Ben Foster. Alexander Ludwig, Eric Bana, and Jerry Ferrara feature in support. Expectations: Lone Survivor looks like a harrowing and intense drama. The title sort of gives away the ending – or so I thought – but really, the ending is quite unexpected. It looks like it could very well be Peter Berg’s best film to date, but will likely be lost among all the big box office and critical releases crowding December. It is probably worth checking out for fans of war dramas, as it looks like a very good one. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

Labor Day (Jason Reitman) – Drama – Jan 31

Plot Summary: Adele is a depressed single mother. She is looking for something in her life to give it purpose again, on top of raising her son Henry. One day she offers a ride to a fearsome looking man, Frank. He turns out to be an escaped convict, but Adele and Henry decide to shelter him as he is just what they need. Filmmakers: Writer-director Jason Reitman is back with his fourth feature film, following-up on three strong dramedies (Juno, Up in the Air, and Young Adult). Although, this looks like something a lot different from Reitman. He is working with frequent collaborators composer Rolfe Kent, cinematographer Eric Steelberg, and production designer Steve Saklad. Cast: The film stars Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. Clark Gregg, Tobey Maguire, James Van Der Beek, and Dylan Minnette feature in support. Expectations: Like I said above, Labor Day looks very different tonally from what Reitman usually makes. Originally, it was scheduled to be in competition come awards season, but it played to only so-so reviews during its festival screenings. 2013 was stacked at the top, so the decision was made (like with quite a few films originally scheduled for November and December releases) to push it back to early 2014. Nonetheless, this is still probably worth a rental for fans of Reitman – and it should feature strong performances from Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. Trailer: Here.

Action/Adventure:

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (Kenneth Branagh) – Action/Spy Thriller – Jan 17

Plot Summary: Rebooting the Jack Ryan series, this finds the young CIA analyst on the verge of becoming an operative. Ryan discovers a Russian terrorist plot to crash the U.S. economy and is sent into the field (on his first mission) to stop it. Filmmakers: Shakespeare thespian and director Kenneth Branagh has certainly embraced his new role as blockbuster director, as this comes on the heels of Thor. Branagh has a good visual eye and generally gets strong work from his actors. He is working again with his Thor collaborators composer Patrick Doyle and cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos. New to the team is production designer Andrew Laws (I Love You, Man). Cast: The film stars Chris Pine (Paramount Pictures feels good about what he did as the lead in their reboot Star Trek, so they cast him in this too), and features Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Branagh (playing the villain) as co-stars. Nonso Anozie, Colm Feore, and David Paymer are in smaller supporting roles. Expectations: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit looks very much in the popular mode of The Bourne Identity films (a style and tone seemingly also adopted by the Mission: Impossible and James Bond franchises in their recent films) – fast pacing with lots of gritty, impactful action and drama (which is probably why Ryan is actually a field operative in this rather than being an analyst who is also an action-man who finds himself constantly in the field, like the Harrison Ford films). This is in danger of feeling rather generic. That said however, it does look like a good action spy-thriller, and it has a good cast/director behind it (even if it is in part written by David Koepp who is kind of terrible). I am looking forward to seeing it. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

I, Frankenstein (Stuart Beattie) – Action Fantasy – Jan 24

Plot Summary: Frankenstein’s monster has lived for centuries as an immortal with super strength. In present day, he finds himself in the middle of a war for Earth between two powerful clans (of what appear to be angels and demons). It is up to him to save humanity from the rampage that the war will likely rain down upon them. Filmmakers: Writer-director Stuart Beattie has mostly made his career writing big Hollywood movies, but he also wrote and directed the B-action movie Tomorrow, When the War Began. This is his second feature. He is working with composers Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek (Cloud Atlas), cinematographer Ross Emery (The Wolverine), and production designer Michelle McGahey (Killer Elite). Cast: The film stars Aaron Eckhart, and features Yvonne Strahovski, Bill Nighy (as a villain, which is fantastic and almost makes me want to rent this), Jai Courtney, Miranda Otto, and Aden Young (from the very good TV drama Rectify) in support. Expectations: I, Frankenstein is essentially an attempt to make a new Underworld-like series (by the producers of Underworld). It looks fairly terrible and really should only appeal to fans of action fantasy films (like Underworld). Depending on the reviews, I may rent it (because, really, who am I kidding – I have seen all the Underworld films), but I am certainly not enticed by the trailers (despite the appearance of Bill Nighy!). Trailer: Here.

Comedy:

Ride Along (Tim Story) – Action Comedy – Jan 17

Plot Summary: Ben, a security guard in Atlanta, wants to marry Angela. But before he can, he must prove that he is worthy to her brother James, a detective. In an effort to win James’s admiration, Ben decides to join James on a 24-hour ride along on the job. What could happen (you know, other than really generic and tired jokes, pratfalls, and plot points)? Filmmakers: Director Tim Story has made his career directing big action movies like Fantastic Four and urban-market oriented films like Barbershop and Think Like a Man. With Ride Along, he tries to combine the two (though, last time he made a cop action comedy we were treated to the very awful Taxi, a remake of the much better French film). He is working with composer Christopher Lennertz (Supernatural) and cinematographer Larry Blanford (who shot Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Think Like a Man for Story). Cast: Kevin Hart and Ice Cube (who is also producing) star, with a supporting cast featuring John Leguizamo, Tika Sumpter, Bruce McGill, David Banner, and Jay Pharoah. Expectations: Kevin Hart has his moments as a comedian, and Ice Cube should make a good foil for him, but Tim Story is a terrible director, so I do not have much hope for Ride Along. This is only worth renting for big fans of Hart and/or Cube; otherwise, you probably want to avoid this (just remember Taxi, if you dare). Trailer: Here.

Most Anticipated Films of 2013 – Part 1: Blockbusters

Blockbusters:

Title: Elysium

Release: August 9

Genre: Sci-Fi Action Drama

Plot: The year is 2159. Earth is ruined. The wealthy live on a space station called Elysium while the rest of humanity toils away below on Earth, forced to stay there by harsh anti-immigration laws that preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. Backed into a corner, an ex-con, Max, agrees to take on a difficult mission to find a way into Elysium, one that could bring equality to the people of Earth.

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Main Cast: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, and Diego Luna

Why It’s Anticipated: Neill Blomkamp became one of the most hyped directors in the sci-fi genre after his first feature District 9. He was attached to a Halo movie (based on the X-Box game) until that project fell apart, but now fans finally get to see a new film from him. Blomkamp is again working with his District 9 collaborators actor Sharlto Copley, cinematographer Trent Opaloch, and production designer Philip Ivy again (though, Peter Jackson is not involved on the production side this time).

Editor’s Thoughts: Elysium was initially scheduled to debut in March but was pushed back to August. Why is not completely clear, but here are two thoughts: 1) March is overcrowded with big releases like Jack the Giant Slayer, Oz the Great and Powerful, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and The Host so maybe Sony wanted to place this in a different spot on their calendar and August is the month that District 9 opened in and succeeded. Or 2) the film is not as good as Sony was hoping so they moved it to August where summer blockbuster-like movies go to die (like Total Recall and The Bourne Legacy last year). Reviews of the script by online critics (take that as you will) have not been overwhelmingly positive. I am inclined to think it is more the former than the latter.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Gravity

Release: October 4

Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller

Plot: Two astronauts are the lone inhabitants of a space shuttle. However, after a piece of debris crashes into them leaving them adrift and alone, they desperately try to get back home to Earth.

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Main Cast:  Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Why It’s Anticipated: Alfonso Cuaron is one of the great directors we have today. He is coming off of two big critical and commercial successes in Hollywood with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (arguably the best of the series) and Children of Men (to go with his two excellent Mexican films Love in the Time of Hysteria and Y Tu Mama Tambien). Gravity has also been hyped after Cuaron screened an early cut for a small audience last year to strongly postive buzz – talk of twenty minute fluid single takes where a buzz among those who saw the cut. Also, having Sandra Bullock and George Clooney will help bring in average filmgoers, which will help the box office (which is good, as if cool films like this do well then Hollywood will make more original content from great directors and not just the same generic nonsense).

Editor’s Thoughts:  Gravity was initially scheduled for release in November of last year (and was one of my most anticipated of 2012), but Warner Bros. decided to push it back because the holiday season became overcrowded. Then, they thought briefly about releasing it in early 2013 (like March), but they like the film and think it has awards potential, which is why it now has the October release date. Another thing to be excited about is that Cuaron is working again with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Their work together on Children of Men is incredible, and this is supposed to feature amazing long-takes. This is the film I am most excited to see in 2013.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Release: December 13

Genre: Adventure Fantasy

Plot: Part two of The Hobbit Trilogy finds Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves continuing their journey to get the Dwarves’ home back from the vicious dragon Smaug.

Director: Peter Jackson

Main Cast: Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Richard Armitage

Why It’s Anticipated: An Unexpected Journey was one of the biggest films of 2012, so it stands to reason that The Desolation of Smaug will be equally as big. Plus, this film should be more action-packed as it will drive deeper into the meat of the story’s drama (which was sort of the problem with part one). Another great aspect of this film is that Benedict Cumberbatch is voicing Smaug.

Editor’s Thoughts: It will be interesting to see if Peter Jackson releases this film with both the high frame-rate and regular versions. I was interested, but never got around to seeing An Unexpected Journey in high frame-rate 3D so I cannot speak to it from personal experience. However, most people who did see that version felt that the high frame-rate ruined the movie (#HobbitVomit was trending on Twitter). So, will Jackson stick to his guns and try to win people over or will he give in to the criticism? I did enjoy An Unexpected Journey (even with its pacing issues) and am very much looking forward to part two, because I think it will be much better as there will be more organically story driven action and drama (instead of action scenes being overly long, artificially extended because the story does not have that much action for a big blockbuster).

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Iron Man 3

Release: May 3

Genre: Action Adventure Thriller

Plot: After attack is waged on Tony Stark, taking a huge personal toll, he sets off to find those responsible. His quest leads him to China where he faces his most powerful enemy yet, The Mandarin. Tony also wrestles with the question that haunts him: “Does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?”

Director: Shane Black

Main Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Ben Kingsley, and Rebecca Hall

Why It’s Anticipated:  The Avengers was the biggest film of 2012, and Iron Man and Iron Man 2 were relatively well-received by critics and loved by fans (well, more Iron Man than its sequel). Iron 3 kicks off Phase II of Marvel’s Avengers’ film series, and it looks like a fantastic movie rising to the challenge that Joss Whedon set with The Avengers (which is easily the best film in the series so far).

Editor’s Thoughts: While I cannot know this for sure, I suspect that Robert Downey Jr. brought writer-director Shane Black in to make this film, as they have a strong relationship (Black directed Downey Jr. in his film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which helped resurrect Downey Jr.’s career leading to him being cast as Tony Stark), after Jon Favreau stepped down.  Black is one of the best action writers in Hollywood (he wrote Lethal Weapon, The Monster Squad, The Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero, and The Long Kiss Goodnight before making his directorial debut and writing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang).  Iron Man 3 is only his second film as a director, but Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was brilliant so I have nothing but faith in his abilities. I would go further as to say that I am more excited for Iron Man 3 because Black is doing it. The film also boasts an impressive cast of new actors to the series including: Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Ben Kingsley, and James Badge Dale. In all likeliness, it is between this film, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Man of Steel for best summer film.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Release: December 25

Genre: Action Thriller, Drama

Plot: Rebooting the Jack Ryan series (again), this adventure finds the young CIA analyst uncovering a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy via terrorist attack.

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Main Cast: Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Kenneth Branagh

Why It’s Anticipated: Jack Ryan is Paramount Pictures’ Christmas blockbuster. The Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series has been a fan favorite since its first incantation in 1990 with The Hunt for Red October, only to be followed up with Harrison Ford’s (as Jack Ryan)very entertaining two films with director Phillip Noyce: Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Likely, this will be Paramount’s attempt to create another James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Jason Bourne like franchise and this will probably feature more action than past Jack Ryan films (but will also hopefully feature Ryan playing detective as well like the past films).

Editor’s Thoughts: The first reboot of the series, The Sum of All Fears, came too close to 9/11 and was just too much at the time. Paramount seems to have put together a good team for this rejuvenation (of a franchise I liked a lot in the 1990s). Kenneth Branagh did a good job with Thor and is otherwise a good filmmaker; it is also fantastic that he is playing the villain. The studio turned to Chris Pine as their new Jack Ryan. He is great in the Star Trek reboot, bringing a lot of swagger and energy, and should be a great Ryan. Keira Knightley brings a higher level of talent to the role of Ryan’s wife than past incarnations, so maybe she will be more involved in the drama as well. And, Kevin Costner is a really good choice to play Ryan’s mentor, as it is a role he does well. All in all, it is the cast, director, and my past nostalgia for the 1990s Jack Ryan adventures that have me very interested and excited to see how this turns out.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Man of Steel

Release: June 14

Genre: Action Adventure Drama

Plot: A retelling of the Superman origin story. Clark Kent is an alien infant raised on Earth. He grows up hiding his superhuman abilities. When his adopted world is threatened, he must decide if he should reveal his abilities to protect Earth.

Director: Zack Snyder

Main Cast: Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, and Kevin Costner

Why It’s Anticipated: Superman is maybe the biggest and best known comic book character. Plus, the creative team that reimagined Batman starting with Batman Begins (David Goyer and Christopher Nolan – who’s latest film, The Dark Knight Rises, was one of the best of 2012) is now taking on Clark Kent, which should have you very excited. Goyer and Nolan will probably ground the character in a more realistic character driven environment (as realistic as an alien who fights crime can be) with characters who will emotionally resonate with the audience. While Marvel and Disney want to make really fun comic book movies, Warner Bros (with Goyer and Nolan, et al.) want to continue to make comic book films (with great action) that also appeal as satisfying dramas (like The Dark Knight Trilogy).

Editor’s Thoughts: Zack Snyder makes a lot of sense as the director for a Superman movie. He has a great grasp of wonderful cinematic visuals, and his style, which seems to get in the way of his storytelling sometimes, will likely be reined in Nolan (who is producing). Snyder has an overall strong filmography as a director. Dawn of the Dead was a good debut, and 300 showcased his ability to pull off stunning visuals. While Watchman was good, it suffered from overindulgence in Snyder’s style. Sucker Punch on the other hand was completely derailed by Snyder’s style over story and content. Based on the Man of Steel trailers, it appears that Snyder has given the film strong (if not iconic) visuals but has put the story first, which is great news for the film. It looks like it is going to be very good (another piece of good news: Nolan has brought in his frequent collaborator Hans Zimmer to score the film). I also really like the casting of Henry Cavill as Clark Kent. I think he will make a fantastic Superman (and Michael Shannon is going to be a great villain – he was born to be a comic book villain).

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Pacific Rim

Release: July 12

Genre: Sci-Fi Action Adventure

Plot: Massive aliens attack Earth, threatening the very survival of the human race. In an effort to fight back, giant robots piloted by humans are used to wage the battle for Earth.

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Main Cast: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Ron Perlman, and Charlie Day

Why It’s Anticipated: Enormous mechanized warriors fighting huge alien monsters, what is not awesome about that? It is like Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (only Mechagodzilla is good and piloted by humans to stop Godzilla – and there are lots of both).  This should be a highly entertaining huge action film.

Editor’s Thoughts: For the fans of Guillermo del Toro, this holds a whole different level of excitement and anticipation. He is responsible for some good stuff (the Hellboy films and Pan’s Labyrinth), especially when it comes to creating creatures.  Pacific Rim also has a great cast – who is not excited to hear the crazy stuff Charlie Day gets to spout off? Whether this is just a big fun summer movie or something that transcends the blockbuster genre (like say The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises) remains to be seen, but certainly this is something to get hyped for if you like blockbuster action films.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Star Trek Into Darkness

Release: May 17

Genre: Sci-Fi Action Adventure

Plot: The crew of the Enterprise is called back to Earth, however when they arrive they find that a seemingly unstoppable force has devastated Starfleet and left the planet in chaos. Captain Kirk and his crew are tasked with going on a manhunt to bring the responsible man to justice.

Director: J.J. Abrams

Main Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Alice Eve

Why It’s Anticipated: Despite hardcore Star Trek fans having issues with J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek, it brought the cherished sci-fi world to the masses of movie-goers and they loved it (as did critics). Star Trek Into Darkness looks to be an even bigger adventure. Chances are if you liked the first film you are going to really like this one too.

Editor’s Thoughts: J.J. Abrams is one of the best action-film directors in Hollywood right now. His films have a frenetic pace – always moving forward and packed with action. Yet, he still is able to develop great characters. Plus, they are extremely fun and entertaining. Star Trek into Darkness is his fourth feature film (following Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, and Super 8). I am also interested and excited to see Benedict Cumberbatch play the film’s main villain. I think he is going to be fantastic (2013 very well could be his breakthrough year, as he is starring in an impressive list of films: August: Osage County, Twelve Years a Slave, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and this).

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: This Is the End

Release: June 14

Genre: Action Comedy

Plot: A bunch of friends go to a party at James Franco’s house, and then the apocalypse happens and they have to deal with it.

Director: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen

Main Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Danny McBride, and Jonah Hill

Why It’s Anticipated: The film features a ton of funny and otherwise great people on top of the film’s very funny stars in supporting and cameo roles, like: Jason Segel, Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Michael Cera, Craig Robinson, and Mindy Kaling (among others). Plus, the writing team of Rogen and Goldberg is responsible for Superbad and Pineapple Express (and Rogen wrote on Undeclared and Da Ali G Show, while Goldberg also wrote on Da Ali G Show and co-wrote the criminally under seen Hockey comedy Goon with Jay Baruchel), so generally their stuff is funny and very entertaining. Basically, this has most of today’s best film comedians all together in a crazy action-horror-comedy premise – how is it not going to be awesome?

Editor’s Thoughts: Based on the short Jay & Seth versus the Apocalypse, this has the potential to be an amazing comedy, and certainly the best of the year. But, it is so ambitious that it reminds me of Your Highness (which I thought was going to be brilliant and hysterical but it was ultimately disappointing), so this could just as easily fall apart as be fantastic. That is what happens when you go big – either it works and is great, or it does not and falls flat, but at least it has the potential to be great. Most comedies now are just boring, tired narratives reusing ‘it’ jokes from past films. Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Jason Segel, Paull Rudd, and Jay Baruchel are making the best comedies right now, so having them all in the same film playing themselves should be a lot of fun (and it helps that they are all real life friends and have wonderful chemistry, which is paramount in comedy). Plus, the premise sounds like a riot (I mean, there is a shot of Emma Watson with an ax in the teaser, so…).

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Thor: The Dark World

Release: November 8

Genre: Action Adventure Fantasy

Plot: After the events of The Avengers, an ancient race of Dark Elves threatens to throw the universe back into darkness – that is, unless Thor can stop them.

Director: Alan Taylor

Main Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, and Christopher Eccleston

Why It’s Anticipated: Thor outperformed the expectations that Marvel had for it, and now after the huge success of The Avengers this new Thor adventure has many fans very excited (though, this is well below Iron Man 3). Marvel is also bringing back almost the entire cast of the first film. The Avengers essentially made all the Marvel Phase II films must-sees.

Editor’s Thoughts: With director Kenneth Branagh not returning, Marvel decided to make an interesting and timely choice for his replacement in Alan Taylor. He is one of the major creative forces behind HBO’s Game of Thrones, directing six of the twenty episodes in seasons one (2) and two (4) and serving as a co-executive producer for all of season two. While Branagh gave Thor a fantasy feel, Marvel wants Taylor to give Thor a much more gritty realistic feel, though still keeping some fantasy aspects – basically they want it to feel and look like Game of Thrones. I think it probably will work out very well for them. Christopher Yost is also one of the film’s writers, which is a great thing too given the material.

Trailer (if available): Here