Lockout, 2012It has been some time since we've seen a movie reviewed here. Rucht's Cabin in the Woods review was in the spring and my review on The Grey was nine months ago! Well I've watched a lot of movies since then, and many were deserving of a review...but it doesn't matter, on to this one.
I am a big fan of Luc Besson (the Professional, Fifth Element, The Big Blue, and more) so when I heard his name attached to this, I took notice. I'm also a big fan of Guy Pearce (Memento, Ravenous, LA Confidential) and when I saw him as the lead role I especially took notice, since he just doesn't do shoot 'em up sci-fi action flicks.
In the near future the president's attractive and feisty daughter gets taken hostage aboard a space station prison full of 500 of the worst criminals around. It's a bad situation and before they blow up the station, they send in a convicted ex-CIA tough guy looking to clear his name to rescue the girl and save the day.
Yup. That's it, that's the whole movie.
It's not a great movie, it's not even all that good of a movie, but I really got the sense that they weren't taking themselves too seriously at the same time. Seeing Pearce do a wonderful job as pandering action hero really made me think, he wasn't playing a one-liner spouting, dime-a-dozen action star, he was playing a parody of said action star. And in the end, I think he might be the only actor who could've pulled that off. It's subtle, but it's there.
It seems I've really been nit picky about editing in films as of late, and this one does not escape my scrutiny in the slightest. There were a lot of liberties taken that made the overall taste of the movie just feel feel choppy and lack depth. There is a particular pair of prisoners that are the antagonists, and their story is intriguing, but there's just not enough of it fleshed out to go on. The action is what you'd expect, with some consistent if not wholly uninspiring special effects work. There's no deep meaning or hidden message, no 'gotcha' moment in the end, just a straight forward sci-fi shooter. Which got me thinking, it makes a point in the credits to say "Based on an Original Idea by Luc Besson". Really? This whole movie was basically Escape From New York...in space.
It doesn't sound all that great, huh? Maybe so, but I still liked this movie. Guy Pearce alone makes it watchable and though there were a lot of moments that could be improved upon throughout the film, there were enough gems as well to make it worthwhile. Let me know if I steered you in the right, or the wrong, direction. Enjoy!
Even from the first time i saw the preview i said out loud "That's pretty much Escape From New York in space". I've always been thinking im gonna rent this once when i get around to it, but im not really clamoring for it. It's hard to replace Kurt Russel as Snake Plissken.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever do get around to it, you'll see it's even closer to Escape from new York than you might think!
DeleteLike I said, fun movie, maybe nothing to write home about but then again I kind of just did.
And yeah, Kurt Russell can't be replaced!
I saw this in the theater. I spent a good portion of the time thinking I should have sat right next to the only other person in the theater, just for the entertainment value. I got more the impression that Pearce was paying off an 'I owe you one' favor, than a subtle parody, but YMMV. Not bad, not good, like Earth-mostly harmless.
ReplyDeleteHa, you might be closer to the money on that one. Maybe I'm romanticizing Pearce's acting a bit much to be honest. At least I'd like to think that's what he was doing!
DeleteI should've gone with the Guide's "Mostly harmless" summary, it could've saved me from writing a few paragraphs!
I like when they reenter the Earth's atmosphere and it takes about five seconds to go from high orbit to a highway overpass. Now that's a landing. I found the movie entertaining but probably for the wrong reasons, maybe in the vane of a Scify original movie.
ReplyDeleteHa, I didn't want to spoil that part. Yeah, they make a big deal about the escape pod, but they never said, "Or you could just parachute from space no problem."
DeleteYour Scify original movie comparison is pretty spot-on.
he was playing a parody of said action star. And in the end, I think he might be the only actor who could've pulled that off. It's subtle, but it's there.
ReplyDeleteClive Owen does a good job of something similar in Shoot 'Em Up, where he seems bored by the whole thing. Well, Owen seems bored in everything he's in, but it works well as a contrast to the over-the-top action.
I know the movie just haven't seen it, of course now I'll have to check it out. I like Clive Owen too.
DeleteI saw this a few weeks ago and felt the same way as you. My GF likes Guy Pearce too, which influenced the watching decision. She didnt get why there were so many brits playing Scots in it either. (shes Scotch)
ReplyDeleteIn acting schools they teach Scottish and Psycho on the same day. So a lot of actors trying to play psycho come off as Scottish. Whether or not you tell her that is up to you. Good Luck.
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