Bastille Day

As far as action movies go I tend to steer clear, not because I'm a snob who's above people beating each other up, but because I think that all the good action movies have already been made and the majority of ones coming out these days can't keep up with the movies of my youth. So when I have to go review these movies, I don't go with high expectations. Obviously I can be surprised, just like how I was with Bastille Day.

On the eve of the important French national holiday, American pickpocket Michael Mason (Richard Madden) steals a bag belonging to French bomb mule Zoe (Charlotte Le Bon), but after finding nothing of interest, he throws it in the trash. Soon after, the terrorists set off the bomb and Michael becomes the main suspect in a manhunt by the French police. But CIA agent Briar (Idris Elba) has also been assigned to bring Michael in to find what he knows. As soon as Michael finds out what he has been accused of, he sets out to clear his name.

On closer inspection, Bastille Day is a pretty current portrayal of what is going on in Europe, from the rapid rise of far right political groups clashing with with left wing protest groups, as well as the influx of asylum seekers. Of course, this isn't the main focus of the movie and only plays out in the background, along with the apparent reliance on social media everyone apart from the main characters seem to have. The plot is pretty fun and moves along at a great pace. I saw the plot of the bad guys coming a mile away, but of course anyone who has seen the original Die Hard will as well. In terms of the action, there were two memorable set pieces for me. Early on Richard Madden and Idris Elba engage in a thrilling rooftop chase where the stakes are pretty high, especially if you're afraid of heights like I am. The other one come in the back of a van, where the fight is choreographed around the movements of it.

Despite being a Hollywood movie, the film has cast no American actors which was a choice that I found very noticeable. Richard Madden (Robb Stark from Game of Thrones) was at times slightly annoying as the helpless Michael. I thought that his character would at least be a bit more assertive with the decisions he makes. Idris Elba stands out as someone not to mess with. If anything this is his audition for James Bond, much in the same way Layer Cake was for Daniel Craig. He has many more action scenes than I've seen him do before. Charlotte Le Bon doesn't really have much of a screen presence and when she is on the screen she just looks worried or scared. Kelly Reilly is absolutely wasted in this movie, relegated to a role where she just has to explain what is going on to Idris Elba. José Garcia is a pretty menacing bad guy and I would have liked to see him have a bigger part.

Bastille Day is on the whole a better than average action movie and I did have a lot of fun watching it. It isn't something worth running out to see right this instant, but it should be high on your list.

The Walk

Robert Zemeckis has a talent for telling eccentric stories on a grand scale, be it Back to the Future, Forrest Gump or Castaway. Now he’s adapted Man on Wire, one of the finest documentaries in recent years, into The Walk. 

Standing atop the Statue of Liberty's torch, our story begins with Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), reminiscing about his incredible experience atop the Twin Towers. Back in 1973, Philippe's livelihood rests on his ability to perform. His street act is filled with juggling, unicycles and of course, wire walking. A visit to the dentist's office however, give Philippe an idea for an incredible feat, a wire-walk between the two tallest buildings in the world (currently under construction).

After getting kicked out by his parents, he starts to practice at the Circus, where he falls under the watchful gaze of trainer Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley). Slowly Philippe forms a group of accomplices, starting with fellow performer, Annie (Charlotte Le Bon). The plan is in motion and they all travel to America, now all the group have to do is get to the top.

Considering the quality of the original documentary, it’s difficult to view The Walk as anything but unnecessary. It plays out as a heist film, similar to the re-enactments in Man on Wire, and plays up the theatrics well, with expectedly strong visuals from Dariusz Wolski. But the result is a hollow experience that doesn’t hold up to the whimsicality of Philippe Petit’s story. Zemeckis has bowed to peer pressure and favoured spectacle over story, and he’s done it with a film that should rely so strongly on the development and detail of the feat. 

Perhaps worse than that though, was the decision to cast Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Petit. I think Levitt is an exceptionally strong actor and has clearly trained himself to capture the charismatic essence of Petit, but all the electrifying performances and outrageous French accents can’t change the fact that it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a wig. At least I hope that’s a wig. He never really inhabits Philippe, instead he becomes more of a caricature of him. 

The relationships between the characters also seem skewed, particularly toward the end with the way Phillipe, his girlfriend and his accomplices separated after the event, which is quite an emotional moment in the documentary. Historical accuracy always seems to be an issue with biopics, but here it's less the about inaccuracies and more about the lack of connection to the people that was so well established through the interviews and depictions in Man on Wire. I can't help but feel that perhaps this film would have been in better hands with a French production house like Studio Canal rather than Tristar, or better yet just not made at all. 

If you're recounting events and depicting real people then spectacle needs to be firmed up with half-decent story-telling, and unfortunately Zemeckis only achieves the spectacle. Man on Wire is the only way to go for Petit's story. 

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Many people classify Jon Favreau's Chef as 'food-porn'. In comparison  Lasse Hallström's The Hundred-Foot Journey, is 'food-porn', that in some parts seems to border on real porn.

After their restaurant in India is destroyed during a riot and his wife is killed, Papa (Om Puri) takes his children to Europe, where they eventually settle in France after finding a derelict restaurant to set up in. Papa's son, Hassan Haji (Manish Dayal) is an incredibly talented young cook who is able to produce food that will draw local attention. The only problem is that there is a prestigious restaurant already open across the road, operated by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren).

A feud unfolds between Papa and Mallory, whilst Hassan catches the attention of sous-chef Marguerite (Charlotte Le Bon). Things are then further complicated when Mallory recognises Hassan's talent and decides to take him under her wings.
 
Helen Mirren always seems to bring so much life to her characters, but here she plays such a completely unlikable, borderline racist woman that even her natural charm can't manage to resuscitate the character. She does pull off a French accent for the most part and by no means gives a poor performance, but at the end of the day, you can't polish a t*rd. Om Puri's character is a lot more enjoyable to watch and is humorous with just the right amount of arrogance. However the rest of the cast were generally quite bland.

I think the real issue here though is the plot. It's fanciful and quite bizarre in it's level of suggestiveness in parts, such as a strangely erotic omelet-making scene between Mallory and Hassan which seems to be channelling this scene from Ghost. There's also the fact that the "war" between the two restaurants is illustrated in what seem to be very hectic training montages of slicing and dicing that are so over the top that you can't help but laugh. Then after all that, there's the excruciating finale that darts around in a series of false endings that go on and on. This script seriously needed some work.

Though it's not all bad. For one thing it's gorgeous to look at, with vivid colours and mouthwatering-food, not surprising considering the stylistic tendencies of cinematographer Linus Sandgren (American Hustle, Promised Land). There's also the humour, which (although a bit hit and miss) really keeps the whole thing afloat. In the end, it's certainly not a terrible movie and I'm sure it would appeal to many people, but it seems too dramatically forced and is lacking in many areas.