"The Escape Artist" Review - David Tennant Thriller Is More Proof That Some Drama Belongs To TV, Not Film

This week has seen the release of two London-based judicial thrillers, based on the British justice system, focusing on its great cornerstone that everyone, however badly they are accused of behaving, is deserving of legal defence.

On the big screen, ‘Closed Circuit’ asks what happens when the prosecution’s evidence could compromise national security. The answer: the employment of a Special Advocate who must decide what to share with the defence barrister.

‘Closed Circuit’s director told HuffPostUK that the scale of this film, showing London in all its glory, the Thames, the Eye, the traumatic explosion at the beginning, all justify its presence on the big screen.

David Tennant plays a defence barrister, with little choice over whom he gets to defend

But I’d argue the opposite – that for certain stories, especially those involving the intricacies of the legal system, a requisite amount of exposition, the need for strong, evolving, subtle character arc – a television three-parter is a far more natural home.

‘The Escape Artist’ just helped prove my point. The story, penned by David Wolstencroft was a thrilling exploration of what happens when the values of star-performer defence barrister Will Burton (David Tennant) – that EVERYONE deserves legal representation – come back to haunt him.

I’m not going to ruin it for those still to see this on iPlayer, but can safely say that Tennant proved once again why it’s Hollywood’s loss and our gain that he hasn’t yet converted his telly success into an LA pile. Or perhaps he’s just a natural small screen actor.

David Tennant was paired with Ashley Jensen in an effective screen partnership

Either way, he can play this kind of role in his sleep now. As Burton, he is the same middle-class, successful family man we saw in ‘The Politician’s Husband’. What altered him from his morally ambivalent character in that previous outing was his pairing with the deceptively soft presence of his co-star. As his wife Kate, Ashley Jensen hardly seemed to be acting, she made it look so effortless, and yet she changed all the chemistry in the room, and altered Tennant’s bearing accordingly.

Didn’t like Toby Kebbell as Burton’s client, but then I realise I wasn’t meant to. And I’ll definitely be tuning in to see what happens next. Next Tuesday. Happily in front of the telly.

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UK Entertainment – The Huffington Post

"The Escape Artist" Review - David Tennant Thriller Is More Proof That Some Drama Belongs To TV, Not Film

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

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As Marvel continue through their self-titled Phase 2 of films, they return to Asgard and the home of the hammer-wielding hero Thor. Set two years after the events of the first film, Thor: The Dark World catches us up with the comings and goings of the dysfunctional ruling family of Asgard.

Our hero Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is subduing the uprisings in the nine realms caused by the destruction of the Bifrost at the behest of his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Meanwhile on Earth, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) accidentally stumbles upon a mythical power, which wakes the dark elves, lead by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) who plan to conquer all the realms. It is only with the help of his treacherous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) that Thor stands a chance of stopping the elves and bring harmony to the 9 realms.

Let’s get a few facts about Thor: The Dark World out in the open from the outset. It is the shortest Marvel film to date and as such it rarely drags or feels baggy. It is also the funniest Marvel film to date, which considering previous films have had the likes of Robert Downey Jr. in them is no mean feat. Finally if you leave the cinema with a strong sense of déjà vu, don’t panic, I’m here to help you out. The film you’re thinking of is The Phantom Menace.

Now don’t panic, I’m not saying Thor: The Dark World is a disappointment, but the parallels with the first Star Wars prequel are numerous and continuous. From the sound effects of lasers, to the blend of science fiction and fantasy all the way to an unexpected older fighter. The parallels also extend to the overall feel of the films. Director Alan Taylor a veteran of Game of Thrones, tries to bring his own somewhat darker take on the nine realms, but never quite strays away from the a rod first created so wonderfully by Kenneth Branagh. Then there’s the comedy. While there can be no doubt about the high-level of comic writing, Taylor doesn’t find an effective way of blending the more melodramatic elements. This leaves Thor: The Dark World tonally uneven.

The drama is therefore left to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki who is on electric, scene-stealing form as you would come to expect. But he is really the fancy dressing on the overall entertainment meal that is Thor: The Dark World. It is actually Chris Hemsworth bold, brash Thor who provides the emotional range and during one particular scene he creates a fully-formed character complete with depth and engagement. It’s very much his film.

Comparisons to the original are unavoidable and without Branagh’s deft-touch of mixing comedy and drama it doesn’t quite match up. But it is big, bold and very, very funny.

Rating: * * * 1/2

Follow Thomas Patrick on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thatfilmguytcp

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UK Entertainment – The Huffington Post

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

"Made in Chelsea" TV Review Series 6 Episode 3 - The Definition Of Madness, According To Einstein And Spencer Matthews

Albert Einstein apparently once described insanity as the ability to do the same thing over and over again, and expect a different result. Probably the first time that big benevolent brain has come to mind during ‘Made in Chelsea’.

This then could apply to Jamie splitting his favours between Lucy (Watson) and Phoebe – surely the definition of a rock and a hard place. Getting on the wrong side of one of those stern-jawed gals – unfortunate. Both of them – well, that’s just bad management.

Go on, Fran, just hit ‘Delete All’ and be done, I dare you…

Or it could equally apply to Spencer, getting into far too cosy a love hammock with the current squeeze du jour (this week, STILL Stephanie), talking about ‘this relationship’ until he’s blue in the face, failing to understand why she doesn’t like him hanging out with the ex, and then strangely strangling himself with the love cords of his own making.

Of course, it could just as well as apply to us mugs tuning in for this particular slot of a Monday evening, hoping against hope that someone shakes off the shackles of peer pressure, deletes every single number in their mobile phone and – dare I say it – gives Cheska or Rosie Fortescue a storyline. What AM I thinking? Madness.

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UK Entertainment – The Huffington Post

"Made in Chelsea" TV Review Series 6 Episode 3 - The Definition Of Madness, According To Einstein And Spencer Matthews

Ender"s Game - The Review

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May contain spoilers

I try not to play video games when my wife is in the room because she’s not a gamer and I know how bored she gets watching me building bases and zapping CG aliens.
And that’s the problem with Ender’s Game, the new sci-fi adventure based on the novel by controversial author Orson Scott Card.

For the most part it’s a slick, intelligent and mostly compelling yarn, a mash-up of Wargames, Tron, Starship Troopers and assorted other sci-fi adventures.

Asa Butterfield is superb as the eponymous young hero, and director Gavin Hood surrounds him with a worthy supporting cast, including Viola Davis and tattoo-faced Ben Kingsley.
(It’s a lot more rewarding than Hood’s previous fantasy, X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

Arguably the weakest link is Harrison Ford as gruff seasoned military man, Hyrum Graff. He sounds laboured as he reads the dialogue, like he has little faith in the material, or is wondering what time he can wrap up shooting so he can have his dinner. Yes, he probably had the same demeanour shooting Star Wars in the mid 1970s, but here he lacks the charisma of Han Solo.

The problem is for the most part you’re watching someone else playing a game. There’s a disconnect between the audience and the key protagonists, especially Ford, who is usually seen through windows or behind desks. There’s a barrier between him and us which rarely lowers.

In a previous blog I remarked that Ford hadn’t made a good film in 20 years, and while Ender’s Game is far from a disaster, it’s also not the winning mix of Harry Potter and Star Wars that the ad campaign suggests.

Ender’s Game image: Chartoff Productions/Taleswapper/OddLot Entertainment/K/O Paper Products/Digital Domain/Distributed by Summit Entertainment/Lionsgate

I was impressed by the bulk of the movie. It was smart and treated the audience with a degree of intelligence; surreal moments involving a game were suitably dreamy and nightmarish, but as the film built to its finale I didn’t know if I was watching a simulated battle or the real thing.
And the finale is stunning to look at; a flurry of spaceships swarming like fish engage the eye as the young warriors build to an edge-of-the-seat, do-or-die climax.

But the last few minutes are disappointing. A personal bugbear, the hero’s name being repeated constantly by a character, set my teeth on edge, while the open-ended conclusion is clearly set up for a sequel that I fear may never happen.

I enjoyed this far more than most Potter films, but I doubt Ender will engage the audience enough to return to your local multiplex in a couple of years.

I hope I’m wrong as I’d love to see the hero actually physically tackle some alien bad guys instead of orchestrating their destruction from behind a computer screen.

Follow Roger Crow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RogerCrow

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UK Entertainment – The Huffington Post

Ender"s Game - The Review