Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Cast: (Voices) Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric The Entertainer, Andy Richter, Bernie Mac; Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath; Producers: Mireille Soria, Mark Swift; Music: Hans Zimmer; Genre: Animation/ Action/ Adventure/ Comedy/ Family; Distributor: Paramount Pictures; Running Time: 89 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Dance-loving lion Alex (voice of Ben Stiller), lively zebra Marty (voice of Chris Rock), worrier-giraffe Melman (voice of David Schwimmer) and voluptuous hippo Gloria (voice of Jada Pinkett Smith)—a quartet of wild animals pampered in New York City’s Central Park Zoo—find themselves stranded in Madagascar. Longing for the comforts of their city home they agree to take an “Air Penguin” flight across the Atlantic on a refurbished wrecked plane taped together by displaced penguins and chimpanzees. But what do you expect of a makeshift aircraft launched into orbit by a giant slingshot? They crash-land in an animal preserve on an African savanna. Here’s where the zoo-raised foursome get to meet their wilder cousins, problems arise, and the adventure begins.

The story is not complicated enough to interest parents or adult viewers but young ones perhaps couldn’t care less because there’s more than enough to get distracted with: the sunny atmosphere, the lush settings, the magnificent landscapes, thrilling action (sacrifice to a volcano), and the animals’ human antics. All these combine to make of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa a more engaging movie than the original Madagascar . But does this mean it’s safe enough for viewers of all ages to watch?

Parents are cautioned against the potty humor and the violent moves animations like to think they can get away with. Although on the surface it looks like it’s aimed to please kids, deep within it’s a film for adults (and precocious adolescents, perhaps). The four animals have issues too grown-up for young children to understand or be exposed to. Alex (the lion) tries hard to prove himself to his father. Marty (the zebra) undergoes an identity crisis when he joins a herd of zebras in the wild. Melman (the giraffe) is burning with secret love for Gloria (the hippo) who is in turn smitten by the charms of a he-hippo. It is claimed that with this story-line, Madagascar 2’s directors and co-writers Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath offer lessons about the value of self-confidence and true love. But it could also be perceived as a veiled challenge to the idea of conformity. As a toddler-lion, Alex is a disappointment to his father, the macho leader of the pride, because the son is giggly, loves to dance, plays with butterflies and is too friendly to be leonine. (A father unable to accept a gay kid?) As for the hippo-giraffe partnership—it remains ambiguous. It could be saying that true love knows no class barriers, or that one could defiantly go after one’s heart’s desire regardless of the impossibility of starting a family. For pray, tell us, can a hippo and a giraffe mate to produce an offspring? (Shades of same-sex marriages?) Let’s just hope the implications escape young viewers while providing a moral brainteaser to adult audiences.

Quantum of Solace: 007

Cast: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright, Judi Dench; Director: Marc Forster; Producers: Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson; Screenwriters: Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade; Music: David Arnold; Editors: Matt Chesse, Richard Pearson; Genre: Action/ Adventure; Cinematography: Roberto Schaefer; Distributor: Columbia Pictures; Location: Bolivia, Austria, Italy; Running Time: 110 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

James Bond, 007 (Daniel Craig) is shocked and badly shaken by what looks like his beloved Vesper Lynd had betrayed him and then she was killed. Determined to go after those responsible for her murder, he follows trails leading to places from London to Italy, Austria and Bolivia. He meets Camille (Olga Kurylenko), who he thinks could lead him to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) who appears to be working on a coup de tat, who, in turn could lead him to General Medrano (Joaquin Cosio), an exiled Bolivian, who happens to have been the man directly responsible for the massacre of Camille’s whole family. Bond believes that finding them and their Quantum Organization would mean the end of his search. 007 also goes looking for Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini), for some help, although in their previous association (in “Casino”) Bond had not been able to trust him wholly. As he continues his pursuit he is aware that MI6, the CIA, and of course the terrorist syndicate are after him. MI6’s M (Judi Dench) under whom he works does not trust him; neither does he trusts her with what is happening. He is making a desperate try to keep ahead of them and find the culprits he is looking for.

This is the second James Bond movie that Daniel Craig has acted in. It is history that the first Casino Royale was a box office hit. For those who enjoy James Bond and his exploits, Quantum of Solace could also be just as entertaining. It is a 110 minute fast-moving quest for those who killed the only woman 007 loved. He has been restless and unable to sleep because he has yet to catch the culprits, not minding the toll he has to pay for all the dangers he has to endure. He shows the ability of a super hero in the air, on the sea, riding a horse, a chase and fight on the rooftops, among other unbelievable but realistic looking actions. Because of the fast moving sequences of the story, viewers may want or need to watch a second time, so that they could better appreciate the details on the screen.

Take note that the protagonist in most instances in the story shows and acts how terribly angry he is by the murder of his loved one. To quote some lines in an observation from a review: ‘As M (Dench) puts it, if you want to see an anti-hero “so blinded by inconsolable rage that you don’t care who you hurt” then Craig’s ice-cool Bond is the guy to leave you shaken and stirred (Tim Evans, Sky Movies Reviews Editor). A touching scene to look out for is when “Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini) asks James Bond to forgive. He is asking Bond to be at peace with himself and part of that is forgiving Vesper, realizing that he was in love with her and she was in love with him.”(Ruben V. Nepales, Only in Hollywood.)

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Cast: Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman; Director: Kenny Ortega; Producers: Bill Borden, Barry Rosenbush; Screenwriter: Peter Barsocchini; Music: David Lawrence; Editor: Seth Flaum; Genre: Musical/ Comedy/ Drama; Cinematography: Daniel Aranyo; Distributor: Walt Disney Studious Motion Pictures; Location: Utah, USA; Running Time: 112 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 4
CINEMA Rating: For viewers of all ages

Sweethearts and senior high schoolers in Albuquerque, New Mexico Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) face the prospect of pursuing college hundreds of miles apart. A basketball star who loves to sing, Troy could go along with his father’s plan for him to join the team at the University of Albuquerque where his father Jack (Bart Johnson) is coach, or he could go to New York’s Juilliard School where someone had secretly applied on his behalf. The academically gifted Gabriella, on the other hand, has been accepted at Stanford University in California but hesitates to grab it lest she miss the familiar surroundings and her loved ones, especially her one true love Troy. Meanwhile, they are kept high and busy by the coming prom and a play based on their own lives that they have to stage.

A movie that ought to delight local audiences as Mamma Mia recently did—High School Musical 3: Senior Year has for its assets energetic dances, lively music, and songs anybody can sing along with. Viewers can easily follow the simple plot which is kept free of sub-plots and unnecessary glitches. As a big-screen sequel to High School Musicals 1 & 2, HSM 3: Senior Year boasts of crisp cinematography and costumes and sets that are absolutely eye candy. The young actors prove themselves up to their roles, performing their own songs and dances remarkably well. (It should also please the local audiences to know that Vanessa Hudgens is half-Filipino—another Lea Salonga in the making?)

High School Musical 3: Senior Year is family-friendly entertainment all the way, thanks to Disney. While it seems aimed at tweeners (aged between 12 and 19), it is nonetheless appealing for every member of the family, as proven by the response it gets from theater audiences who are mostly parents treating their grade-school kids and high schoolers on a sem break weekend. Some foreign reviewers have criticized the movie to be “too clean it squeaks”—alluding to the chaste relationship between the high school sweethearts—but this only goes to show that such critics must have seen too many Sex and the City episodes that they have come to expect the whole world to be so oriented. So it’s “too clean it squeaks”—what’s wrong with that? Isn’t it good for the family—especially the young members—to see a movie where the teenagers seriously think about education for a decent future instead of drugs and unwanted pregnancies? We asked teenagers who have seen the movie—they like it because they can resonate with the characters who have remained blissfully innocent up to their senior high year. Regardless of the dark realities about the youth that media want to play up, this is the greater reality—that there are still millions of teenagers out there who are emotionally healthy and are not in a mad rush to travel the road to perdition.

My Only U

Cast: Toni Gonzaga, Vhong Navarro, Dennis Padilla, Arlene Muhlach; Director: Cathy Garcia-Molina; Producer: Malou Santos; Screenwriter: John Roque; Genre: Romantic Comedy; Distributor: Star Cinema; Location: Manila; Running Time: 110min.;


Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Walang inaabot ng 25 anyos sa lahi ni Winona (Toni) sa kanyang mother side kung kaya’t nangangamba siyang bago sumapit ang kanyang ika-25 na kaarawan ay mamamatay rin siya. Ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya nagpapaligaw kahit kanino at ibinuhos na lamang ang oras sa paghahanapbuhay para sa bulag na ama (Dennis Padilla). Hindi niya alam na may lihim na pagtingin sa kanya ang kanyang kababata at kasero na si Bong (Vhong Navarro). Nang sumapit ang kaarawan ni Winona ay tuwang-tuwa siyang nakaabot siya ng 25 anyos. Itinuturing niya itong extension ng kanyang buhay. Ngunit malalaman ni Bong na may malubha palang sakit si Winona at hindi na rin magtatagal ang buhay nito. Ililihim ito ni Bong kay Winona sa pagnanais na bigyang kasiyahan at pag-asa ito sa mga nalalabi pa nitong araw. Ipinangako ni Bong sa sarili na babantayan at poprotektahan niya si Winona. Pero darating ang oportunidad kay Winona na makapunta ng Japan. Mapigilan kaya ni Bong lumayo si Winona? Paano kung malaman ni Winona ang paglilihim na ginawa ni Bong tungkol sa kanyang sakit? Magkatuluyan pa kaya sila?

Tulad sa inaasahan, isang nakakaaliw na pelikula ang My Only U. Bago at hindi karaniwan ang kuwento nito at sadyang nagampanan ng husto ng mga artista ang kani-kanilang papel. Ngunit hindi maitatatwang minadali ang pelikula kung kaya’t pawang maraming eksena ang kulang sa hagod ng emosyon. Ang labas tuloy ay sobrang de-numero ng istruktura nito at kitang-kita ang kamay ng manunulat sa buong kuwento. Bagama’t may kurot, wala gaanong kilig na mararamdaman sa kuwentong pag-ibig ng pelikula. Masyadong tumutok sa mga lumang joke at patawa na hindi naman gaanong naging epektibo. Nagbabalik ang mga lumang istilo ng mga pelikula na mayroong sayawan, kantahan, at mga gasgas na karakter na ngongo, mataba at andres de saya. Pati ang ilang pagsingit ng mga artista at karakter sa ibang pelikula ng Star Cinema ay pawang nakagulo sa daloy ng kuwento.

Sadyang nakalilito ang mensahe ng pelikula. Bagama’t sinasabi nito na ang tunay na pag-ibig ay naghihintay at nagtitiis, naging pawang makasarili pa rin ang bida sa pagtatago ng katotohanan. Sa pagkakataon bang ito ay tama lamang ang magsinungaling? Masyado ring pinangungunahan sa pelikula ang buhay at kamatayan. Kinondena nito ang pagiging mapaniwalain sa mga haka-haka, signos at kung ano pa mang kapangyarihan na hindi akma sa turo ng simbahan. Sadyang nakababahala rin ang mga eksena ng pamamatok ng asawang babae sa asawang lalaki at ang paggamit sa kapansanan ng tao bilang katatawanan. Sa kabila nito’y may mabuti namang mensahe ang pelikula ukol sa pagmamahal ng anak sa magulang,pagkakaisa ng magkakapit-bahay at pagmamahalang wagas hanggang kamatayan. Kapuri-puri rin ang ilang eksena na nagpapakita ng pagka-relihiyoso ng mga karakter. Yun nga lang, ang paniniwala nila sa Diyos ay pawang hanggang doon lang. Kapupulutan din ng aral ang masayahing disposisyon ng mga karakter sa gitna ng problema. Ang pagpapakitang ang kamatayan ay hindi lang isang malungkot na yugto ng buhay kundi maari ring maituring na masayang katapusan at simula ng panibagong paglalakbay.

City of Ember

Cast: Harry Tradeaway, Saoirse Ronan, David Ryall, Ian McElhinney, Tim Robbins Bill Murray, Lucinda Dryzek; Director: Gil Kenan; Producers: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Steve Shareshian; Screenwriters: Caroline Thompson, Jeanne Duprau; Music: Andrew Lockington; Editors: Adam P. Scott, Zach Staenberg; Genre: Fantasy/ Drama/ Suspense; Cinematography: Xavier Perez Grobet; Distributor: Pioneer Films; Location: Northern Island, UK; Running Time: 95 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Two hundred years ago, some kind of a terrible devastation rendered the earth no longer livable, driving the human survivors to dig deep down inside this earth and build a refuge- the City of Ember- for their safety and survival. Now having passed the two hundred years, increasing signs start to show that the City of Ember is breaking apart. The one huge power generator that takes care of the city’s power supplying air, light and heat is continuously breaking down. The water supply is affected by leaks and busted pipes. The food supply- in tin cans- for the people is running out. People are called together and assigned to do various tasks: To investigate, do repairs, make reports, run errands, etc. Two young persons given their chores are Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway) and Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan). They know one another because her father drowned when he was trying to escape with Doon’s dad, Loris (Tim Robbins). Doon and Lina appear to think that there were certain hidden things going on in the city that do not appear to be right. They pair up and begin to do a search of what is really happening. They discover the easy going and corrupt Mayor Cole (Bill Murry) has a well hidden stash of canned food for himself. More important they also find evidence through maps, hidden papers and poorly kept documents that there are clues showing an exit to the above outside earth and instructions on how to get there: their (all from the inner earth) only chance to escape from the deteriorating city deep under them.

Giving the main focus of the story to two young people: Harry Treadaway as Doon, and Saoirse Ronan as Lina shows the movie’s intent to catch the interest of the young viewers. In addition, advertisements about the possibility that City of Ember could be comparable to the Harry Potter films/stories serves as an enticement to potential viewers to check on it. The movie has a big cast and fast moving sequences to show the many events that have to take place to reach the planned ending. There are some interesting tenseful moments, aside from the many subplots. Harry and Saoirse, though seem to be unknown actors, did well in their roles. It cannot be helped that the lighting has to be darkish because of the location of the story: way down inside the earth.

Harry and Lina show their daring and willingness to risk themselves in finding the truth. They tried using the narrow and light boat against the rushing water flow to see if they could make the exit. They did, then sent a message to the people down below that there is a way out! Overall, there is the message of hope, to be saved. The darkness of the scenes: passage ways, rooms; a large fierce crab-like creature that runs after people and bites, are scenes not advisable viewing for young children.

Nights in Rodanthe

Cast: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Scoot Glenn, Christopher Meloni, Viola Davis; Director: George C. Wolfe; Producer: Denise Di Novi; Screenwriters: Ann Peacock, John Romano; Music: Jeanine Tesori; Editor: Brian A. Kates; Genre: Drama, Romance; Cinematography: Alfonso Beate; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: Carolina, USA; Running Time: 97 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Adreinne Willis (Diane Lane) has lived the life of a broken family for sometime since her husband Jack left her for someone else. She has been putting her life together, with her children- the hard-to-handle Amanda who wants her father back, and Danny, the younger boy. Suddenly, her husband shows up to convince her to take him back, to let him “come home”. Terribly upset and not knowing how to deal with the situation, Adrienne leaves the children in Jack’s care and goes away to some place quiet to think things over and decide what answer she is going to come up with. She volunteers to manage and care for her best friend Jean’s small seaside inn in Rodanthe, Carolina for the few days that the friend would be away. She has barely started to attend to things and settle down at the inn on the first day, when the first guest walks in, due to the coming storm. This is Doctor Paul Flanner (Richard Gere) the first-comer. He is also facing problems of his own, and is trying to find some quiet to think, and someone to talk to. The fierce storm breaks, threatening to bring down the whole inn. In their fright, and concern to protect each other from the flying and falling debris, the two quickly become close and begin to realize how they are feeling for each other.

It is a very well made movie, showing as is, a realistic view of marriage and family life. The problems that come between spouses, parents and their children are simply presented and shown as they happen in real life, easily recognized by the movie viewers. The external, on screen presentation, of the rushing in and then the crashing course of the hurricane help to enhance, for the viewers, the inner turmoil being felt by the troubled Adrienne and Paul. Richard Gere and Diane Lane’s acting is convincingly exceptional. The fine work of George C. Wolfe as the director should be acknowledged.

Nights in Rodanthe deals with problems and conflicts in marriage and family life that could break up a home. Here Adrienne and Paul have similar troubles: Jack left Adrienne and children Amanda and Danny for someone else. Amanda wants her father back, and blames the mother for the chaotic situation they are in. Paul’s wife left him a long while ago, because of it, their son, also a doctor, hates his father. The short time that Adrienne and Paul had together, helped them to talk about each other’s struggles as spouse and parents, and discover where they had gone wrong or been remiss. Each returns to their children, with self-confidence, boosted by their sympathy for and affirmation of each other. They continued to frequently keep touch through letters that sustained their love for each other. True love between people help them to help the loved ones become better persons. Between work and family, the home or family has priority. The sexual issues though not frequently presented, are rather highly intense. Sex outside married life is morally not acceptable.

The Strangers

Cast: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman; Director: Bryan Bertino; Producers: Doug Davison, Nathan Kahane; Screenwriter: Bryan Bertino; Music: Tomandandi; Editor: Kevin Greutert; Genre: Horror/ Suspense; Cinematography: Peter Sova; Distributor: Rogue Pictures; Location: USA; Running Time: 90 min.;

Technical Assessment: 2.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 14 and above

James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) arrive at the Hoyt family’s remote summer home in the middle of the night after attending a friend’s wedding reception. Both look sad and miserable. It turns out, Kristen just turned down James marriage proposal for some reason. After minutes of indifference and silence, they kiss and make-up and almost made-out but they are interrupted by the loud knocking at the door. James opens the door and to their surprise, at 4:00 in the morning, a lady stranger is looking for somebody who never lives in the house. Without the couple knowing it, they are stalked and menaced by three masked strangers who are able to get into the house.

Based on real events, The Strangers is another horror flick with no other point than scaring the audience. The movie actually succeeds in keeping its audience at the edge of their seats. There is enough suspense, thrill and madness required for the film’s genre. Liv Tyler delivers a fine performance and the audience has actually seen real humans in the presence of the two lead casts. But then, the movie lacks soul for there is no explanation on the killings. The plotline is too simplistic for a full length feature. The scary tactics are effective at the start, but towards the end, the audience gets tired of it and looks for more meat in the story otherwise the film becomes utterly predictable.

We are not safe anywhere, not even in our homes because strangers can just get in and spread horror and terror without any reason. This is all The Strangers has to say. It can be true that evil really exists. However, evil should not be deemed nor portrayed as an all-powerful force. The movie could have been better if there was at least a glimmer of hope for justice. The presence of the two Christian boys at the end is nothing more than a sign of desperation. It either says God is too late or God never rescues. The genuine love between Kristen and James is the only saving grace in the movie although it did not save them; their love made them stronger and bonded them together until death. Aside from the violence, blood and gore which may cause nightmares for the very young audience, parents should also be warned on the context of fornication and some degree of profanity in the movie.

Living Hell

Cast: Jonathan Schaech, Erica Leerhsen, James Mcdaniel, Jason Wiles; Director: Richard Jefferies; Producers: Deborah Del Prete, David S. Greathouse, Richard Jefferies, Gigi Pritzker; Screenwriter: Richard Jefferies; Music: Terence Jay; Editor: Russell Denove; Genre: ; Cinematography: Eric Leach; Distributor: The Sci-Fi Channel; Location: New Mexico, USA; Running Time: 92 min.;

Technical Assessment: 2
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Frank Sears (Jonathan Shaech) is a biology teacher traumatized after seeing his crazy mother shoot his dad and then herself and leaving him with the words “S-3 and V-12” carved on each palm of his hand. He makes his way to an army base in New Mexico to warn them about a terrible organism that has been created during the cold war as a biological weapon against the enemy but now buried in “ Sublevel 3, Vault 12” after the project proved too difficult to contain. Unfortunately, the secret chambers are opened and the creature is unleashed to consume everything in its way. It feeds on light and energy and grows at an alarmingly fast rate. Sears and Carrie (Erica Leerhsen), a haz-mat member recently widowed after her husband was killed by the creature, race to neutralize it before the sun rises and it becomes totally unstoppable.

Living Hell (formerly titled Organizm) offers nothing new. Its plot is very formulaic, the characters are caricaturist and unimaginative, the CGIs look unrealistic and the technical efforts mediocre. On the good note, the movie is quite exciting with quick pacing and a storyline that develops pretty well with some decent performances. Miraculously, the film turns out to be an enjoyable B-movie, good enough to pass a lazy evening with.

The movie offers a good debate about how to resolve a crisis - do we sacrifice an innocent few to save the greater majority? The authorities were ready to sacrifice a whole town full of innocent people just to stop the creature. Exploring other options required more efforts and were unreliable.. so just go ahead and nuke an entire town. On so many occasions, we are presented with this choice. Issues on poverty and population control, on crime and death penalty, on the Muslim conflict… Do we take the easy way out and disregard the rights and lives of some people so we can solve the impending problem? It seems the more preference is to turn a blind eye on morality and go with the more popular, more controversial option and less stressful option. Perhaps it is best to review how we prioritize life and remember that every single creature is God’s beloved. So at any given time, presented with any given situation, we must choose life. Not just the life of some selected people but all lives … that of the smallest and most insignificant up to the strongest and most admired person.

Max Payne

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges , Ludacris, Chris O’Donnell, ; Director: John Moore; Producers: Scott Faye, John Moore, Julie Yorn; Screenwriters: Beau Thorne, Sam Lake; Music: Marco Beltrami; Editor: Dan Zimmerman; Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama/ Thriller; Cinematography: Jonathan Sela; Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox-Film Corporation; Location: USA;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers age 18 and above

Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) works in a drab corner of a police precinct. Exuding an anti-social air about him, Payne is left alone by his officemates, knowing he has not as yet recovered from the trauma of losing his wife and his infant son. As a new colleague comes to know later, Payne had come home one evening to find his family brutally murdered in their own bedroom. Since then he has been distraught and obsessed with revenge, often venturing alone, disregarding rules and defying authority in searching for clues to lead him to the murderers. His relentless investigation gets him entangled in the underworld where he comes face to face with his enemies and realizes that he is dealing with power that is larger than life itself.

As an action film based on the 2001 video game of the same name, Max Payne went through almost seven years pre-production period but was shot only within two months. Wahlberg is a natural for the role of the distressed and hyperactive loner. In general it’s a very good cast, which makes for the convincing realism of the story. The darkness of the theme and the nature of the characters is complemented by the just-right music and effectively enforced by the cinematographic effects, the colors, lighting, shadows, the sets and locations (such as the abandoned warehouse). One noteworthy aspect of Max Payne’s visuals is the costume and the makeup—these are used with restraint, not exaggerated to define the characters or the situations. The has some loopholes, but they’re forgivable, considering the other superior elements of the movie’s technical aspect.

The theme of Max Payne may be revenge but the real issue is Payne’s inability to cope constructively with tragedy. Thus the movie speaks much of the human situation, and viewers who have ears (not only eyes) will listen to and find in its faint message the path to a solution that might in the future help prevent self-destructive situations from recurring. Payne as victim of loved ones’ loss may be emotionally-driven and seeking justice—understandable situations for humans to be in—but nothing in the past seemed to have prepare him for the brutal episode he found himself in. His single-minded compulsion at tracking down his enemies are rewarded, but at what cost? It’s important to note the extra footage after the credits; it gives you a clue as to the future Payne is facing. And perhaps, also a foretaste of a Max Payne sequel

Body of Lies

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russel Crowe, Carise van Houten, Michael Gaston, Vince Colosimo, Mark Strong; Director: Ridley Scoot; Producers: David De Line, Ridley Scott; Screenwriters: William Monahan, David Ignatius; Music: Marc Streitenfeld; Editor: Pietro Scalia; Genre: Drama/ Suspenses/ Thriller; Cinematography: Alexander Witt; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: Europe, USA, Middle East; Running Time: 128 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

CIA agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) chases terrorists around Middle East while his boss Ed Hoffman (Russel Crowe) gives him orders from the US and watches via satellite. Their latest mission is to track down and capture Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul), the al-Qaida mastermind behind a recent series of attacks in Europe . Ferris hopes to infiltrate a safe house and locate Al-Saleem, so he reaches out to the head of Jordanian intelligence Hani Salaam, (Mark Strong). However, unknown to Ferris, Hoffman makes his own sideline moves that destroys Hani’s trust and nearly jeopardizes Ferris’ mission. This results in a more complicated and convoluted series of cat-and-mouse pursuit of snaring Al-Saleem.

Body of Lies could have been an intelligent film about terrorism but it falls short in so many ways as far as storyline and clarity of motives are concerned. It does not really say anything new other than intensifying and confirming the United States’ selfish interests in eradicating global terrorism. The story is too linear that it nearly defeats its suspense-thriller feel. But the display of the latest CIA satellite technology is impressive. DiCaprio and Crowe are both superb in the movie. Audiences are easily drawn to their characters forgetting the two were once mere matinee idols. Both essayed their roles with depth, maturity and ease. Nuances and ironies are clearly depicted in most scenes which somehow makes the film an engaging treat. Apparently though, some plot layers remain to be just functional and do not drive home a point, eventually leaving the film with many loose ends.

There’s a bit too much graphic violence and profanity in Body of Lies. There’s torture, war, explosions, and emotional stress in almost every scene. The film says there’s no one to trust in this world and it is not safe anywhere. Some of these may be essential to the genre; however, too much blood and violence can have a desensitizing effect on audiences, especially the young and vulnerable. The film shows how the business of espionage can dehumanize man. Throughout the film, the characters lie to each other to make a mission successful. People kill and are killed to accomplish this mission. Loyalties are confused and divided; trust is undermined. Secret agent Roger Ferris’ dedication to his job and loyalty to the State is commendable. When he’s not being a spy, he can be a good hero example with his gentle treatment of women, children and friends, but his saving grace is he knows when enough (espionage) is enough.