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Thunderbirds (2004)
So much potential, so sadly wasted
Perhaps it's because I really want to see a decent interpretation of the central Thunderbirds idea that I can watch without wincing, but I find I can't really condemn this film.
It's bad. Let's make no mistake about that. It's really bad. The 'plot' is trite, clearly aimed directly at children with no thought for the millions of adults who loved the series. The acting is generally awful, despite the talent signed up - I'm afraid I have to put that down to direction. The dialogue is stilted and forced, the pacing is terrible, the 'characters' are simply dreadful. It's a bad film.
But of course, we've already heard all that. So how about what's good?
The FX were, unsurprisingly, adequate. The subtle redesign of the Thunderbirds themselves was very nicely executed, with a good blend of '00s modernism and the original '60s flashiness that we all loved. The inner workings of Tracy Island were very well done, though I wish we could've seen more of it. All in all, the general feel of the rescue scenes was excellent. If only they could've done the same for the rest of it!
The only other bright spot in the production was the due of Lady Penelope and Parker. They really seemed to 'get' the spirit of their characters.
So, advice for the sequels:
1) Get some real characters.
2) Get a plot that makes a little bit of sense.
3) Let the actors *act*!
4) Get rid of Tintin-Sue and give the girl some flaws (this could come under point 1, but it was so glaring I felt it deserved an entry of its own)
5) Get a director, producer and writer who were fans of the series. Get some people who *understood* the series.
6) Try to remember that sitting in the cockpit of TB1 while the bad guy is still at large is NOT the time for a big father-son heart-to-heart talk. Save that rubbish for a more appropriate time.
And definitely 7) get a sponsor that isn't going to paste "FORD!!!!!!" over every single vehicle in the film. I'm surprised we didn't see a "FORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" sticker on any of the Thunderbirds.
Shrek and Harry Potter have both shown quite clearly that a story aimed at children doesn't have to appeal exclusively to children, and that a story aimed at both children and adults can be extremely effective and successful. If ever there was a candidate for the same treatment, surely it's Thunderbirds, which a child-pleasing action-based ethos as well as a huge adult fanbase already in place.
Sharpe: Sharpe's Gold (1995)
The most adapted adaptation
Seeing as how a large part of the plot of the book of Sharpe's Gold - in reality the second one in the series - was taken and used in Sharpe's Rifles, the first film, this was always going to be the most Adapted adaptation.
About the only thing kept in the adaptation was the presence of the Provosts - other than that, this is an entirely original Sharpe adventure.
It's a good one, for all that - it's fun, though it's hard to take seriously. The serious parts are rather too far-fetched to take seriously, but Sharpe's 'apology' more than makes up for that.
Dragon Fighter (2003)
Reasonable enough entertainment
It ain't great. The plot is unimaginative, the characters are stereotypes, and you can see what's going to happen a mile away, but hey, that applies to most films these days.
It's nothing spectacular, but it kills a couple of hours, and the 24-esque split-screening does add a somewhat classy element. If it's on TV, watch it. Don't bother going out of your way to find it, though.
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Flawed, but a good effort
I've been putting off seeing this film, as I was afraid I would be disappointed. Luckily, I wasn't.
Ben Affleck is convincing in the role of the 'accidental hero' Ryan - you never get the feeling that he's setting out to be a hero, just that he's in the right place at the right time to make a difference, and that he's just doing what he can.
The first half of the film is interesting - we see enough of the Bomb Plot to know what's going on, without going into the intricate details that so often slow the books down. It's interesting seeing the little snippets we get here and there from the good guys POV. There's a real humanity to Ryan (being teased by his boss, looked down on by the bigwigs), as well as a sense of being caught up in events he can't really control. This is good.
The second half of the film is a lot tenser. The handling of the detonation was good - no grisly, slow-motion shots of people being blown apart, just focusing on the main characters. The aftermath was perhaps a little overdone (Ryan driving through the flaming city came out of nowhere - it was rather offputting), but luckily it didn't last long, and soon enough we were into a tense potboiler. The handling of the growing crises was believable - given what we knew about the US and Russian Presidents, each decision was true to character, and it was easy to see each move being misinterpreted on the other side. Eminently believable.
The only major problem I had with the crisis at the end was the Backfire attack on the US Carrier. In the book, this role was filled by tanks stationed in Berlin, a situation which obviously had to be rectified for the film. However, the attack was simply unbelievable - the US Navy has practiced this exact scenario too often for them to be taken so completely off-guard, especially after what had just happened in Baltimore. Still, it looked good.
I was very pleased not to see rampant Americanism running through the film. It could so easily have become "America good, being reasonable, Russia bad, being nasty", but if anything, Russia was the defender, and America the aggressor. What could easily have become overbearing became tension-building instead.
I can't rate this 10/10, because it wasn't perfect, but I'd say it rates a solid 8.
The Crow Road (1996)
Very impressive
At first I only watched this because of the impressive use of the landscape of the west coast of Scotland, and area I'd toured earlier that year. However, I was soon pulled irresistibly into the complex, detailed storyline. Be warned - this story probably isn't good for anyone who can't keep track of several plots running concurrently. While the flashbacks can sometimes be confusing, they add so much to the story.
The acting is also wonderful. All the characters come to bright, shining life from their first appearances.
And let's face it, how many stories begin with the words "It was the day my Grandmother exploded"?