★★☆☆☆ After garnering praise for his screenwriting efforts on both Dirty Pretty Things (2002) and Eastern Promises (2007), Steven Knight makes his directorial debut with Hummingbird (2013). Previously titled Redemption, this London-set thriller is not your typical Jason Statham vehicle. Yet, while "the Stath" proves he's up to the task, the uneven screenplay is where most of the film's problems stem from. Statham stars as Joey Jones, a homeless ex-Special Forces soldier living on the streets with his companion Isabel (Victoria Bewick). When they are attacked by local hoodlums, Joey escapes by breaking into an apartment.
Upon realising that its owner will be out of town for the summer, Jones begins to rebuild his life and, with the help of compassionate nun Cristina (Agata Buzek), he soon sets out to find the missing Isabel. There are many interesting narrative threads at work in Knight's Hummingbird; in addition to the rags to riches element, there...
Upon realising that its owner will be out of town for the summer, Jones begins to rebuild his life and, with the help of compassionate nun Cristina (Agata Buzek), he soon sets out to find the missing Isabel. There are many interesting narrative threads at work in Knight's Hummingbird; in addition to the rags to riches element, there...
- 10/22/2013
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
It’s not hard to spot a “Jason Statham movie”. Suit and tie? Check. Wicked fighting skills? Double check. Awesome backstory? Triple check. Steven Knight’s directorial debut, “Redemption” (aka “Hummingbird”) has all those three things, though you might not realize this is a Jason Statham movie until the Stath finally beats up some punks, which doesn’t happen until nearly 30 minutes into the film. Even then, you will be hardpressed to call “Redemption” a “Jason Statham movie”, as it never really progresses the way you expect it to, much less climax the way you were probably predicting (or hoping for). Being unpredictable is “Redemption’s” biggest asset. The film is filled with pathos and glitzy, gritty London nighttime scenery, picking up with a traumatized, on-the-run former Special Forces guy (awesome backstory!) Joey Jones living on the streets with his buddy Isabel (Victoria Bewick), when they’re accosted by local toughs.
- 6/28/2013
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Film: "Hummingbird"; Cast: Jason Statham, Agata Buzek, Vicky McClure, Benedict Wong, Ger Ryan, Dai Bradley and Victoria Bewick; Director: Steven Knight; Rating: ***
"Getting alive for one summer!" is how Sister Cristina encapsulates "Hummingbird". This film has layers that intriguingly unfurl. At the core of it is an interesting story of a gangster and a nun.
This film, which spans over a period of eight months from spring to autumn, uses the small petite Hummingbird beautifully as an analogy since it makes its presence felt in Britain during this period.
Set in London over a period spanning February to October, writer-director Steven Knight's film highlights the redemption of the protagonist and issues like - the.
"Getting alive for one summer!" is how Sister Cristina encapsulates "Hummingbird". This film has layers that intriguingly unfurl. At the core of it is an interesting story of a gangster and a nun.
This film, which spans over a period of eight months from spring to autumn, uses the small petite Hummingbird beautifully as an analogy since it makes its presence felt in Britain during this period.
Set in London over a period spanning February to October, writer-director Steven Knight's film highlights the redemption of the protagonist and issues like - the.
- 6/28/2013
- by Rahul Kapoor
- RealBollywood.com
Other movie stars get into the profession for the fame, the money, the girls. Jason Statham just wants to be The Catcher in the Rye.
In film after film, going back as far as "The Transporter," he's played characters out to save a damsel in distress, out to rescue some woman in need of rescuing.
That's the set-up in his latest, "Redemption." But it's more than that. And the fact that this isn't the only sort of character he's played, that he makes even relatively routine actioners like this one interesting. is why it's never been fair to compare him to muscleheads like Stallone and Schwarzenegger, Van Damme and Seagal. He's better than that.
Something happened to Sgt. Joseph Jones over in Afghanistan, something glimpsed in flashbacks partly shown as drone surveillance video. He deserted, went underground. And now he's homeless, a haunted vet on the mean surveillance-camera-covered streets of London,...
In film after film, going back as far as "The Transporter," he's played characters out to save a damsel in distress, out to rescue some woman in need of rescuing.
That's the set-up in his latest, "Redemption." But it's more than that. And the fact that this isn't the only sort of character he's played, that he makes even relatively routine actioners like this one interesting. is why it's never been fair to compare him to muscleheads like Stallone and Schwarzenegger, Van Damme and Seagal. He's better than that.
Something happened to Sgt. Joseph Jones over in Afghanistan, something glimpsed in flashbacks partly shown as drone surveillance video. He deserted, went underground. And now he's homeless, a haunted vet on the mean surveillance-camera-covered streets of London,...
- 6/27/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Luke Treadaway stars in Thirteen Steps Down, a gripping psychological thriller based on the novel by Ruth Rendell, coming to ITV on Monday 13th August.
The two-part drama centres on a young Notting Hill mechanic Mix Cellini (Treadaway) who is fixated by both a local model Nerissa Nash (Elarica Gallagher) and a long-dead serial killer, John Reginald Christie, the real-life petty criminal who murdered eight women in Notting Hill between 1943 and 1953.
27 year old Luke (represented in the UK by Hamilton Hodell) already has an impressive CV of film and TV roles. He was nominated for a British Independent Film Award as most promising newcomer for his role as Barry Howe in the 2005 film Brothers of the Head. He made his first television appearance the following year as Adam Solomons in eight episodes of The Innocence Project. Other roles have included Theo in the TV movie Clapham Junction, Eddie in ten...
The two-part drama centres on a young Notting Hill mechanic Mix Cellini (Treadaway) who is fixated by both a local model Nerissa Nash (Elarica Gallagher) and a long-dead serial killer, John Reginald Christie, the real-life petty criminal who murdered eight women in Notting Hill between 1943 and 1953.
27 year old Luke (represented in the UK by Hamilton Hodell) already has an impressive CV of film and TV roles. He was nominated for a British Independent Film Award as most promising newcomer for his role as Barry Howe in the 2005 film Brothers of the Head. He made his first television appearance the following year as Adam Solomons in eight episodes of The Innocence Project. Other roles have included Theo in the TV movie Clapham Junction, Eddie in ten...
- 8/9/2012
- by noreply@blogger.com (ScreenTerrier)
- ScreenTerrier
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