Star Trek: Into Darkness - Film

In the second film from the reboot of this classic Sci-fi franchise, we pick up as we left off with Captain James T Kirk getting into all kinds of trouble, and almost getting members of his crew killed.. again. The first scene delves straight into the action with a mission going slightly awry for the crew of the Enterprise. Then the story really begins. A disgruntled Starfleet officer by the name of John Harrison attacks Starfleet and then flees into Klingon territory, knowing full-well that it could cause a war if someone from earth were to follow him there.

It keeps getting better. There are a couple of lovely twists, especially for those of you who have seen the previous films and series. Some may not like this take, but I guarantee that if you liked the first reboot, you'll love this. It carries on in the same vein of the first film; it's full of action, great effects, interesting landscapes, a well-thought-through plot and a few laughs too. The way that the crew have been swapped about a bit and put out of their comfort zones is really clever. Sulu's turn at being captain is a priceless moment. The fact that the entire cast seem to have come back is also brilliant. It wouldn't be the same without Anton Yelkin's Russian accent or Karl Urban's cynical eyebrows.

Speaking of actors, there are so many that stood out. Some in good ways, some not so good. Chris Pine, in one particular scene, brings tears to the eyes, while Benedict Cumberbatch's superhuman villain is pure genius. The character suits him down to the ground. He's clever, sneaky, and he fights, too! His evil acting was perfect. Sometimes people can overdo the evil. Take the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz: The Great and Powerful, for example, whose laugh was so forced you wondered how she wasn't coughing after every cackle. Zachary Quinto has always been a favourite too. It's amazing how likeable Spock is, given that he hardly shows any emotion. Still, Benedict Cumberbatch wins the acting trophy hands-down.

There are some amazing effect moments; red vegetation and weird white crusty-looking indigenous species are there from the first scene. I also loved the warp dust that you get at the beginning as the title comes up. But really it's the climax where the best parts are. A free-falling spaceship anyone? Or perhaps you'd prefer a fight that ends up about 50 feet in the air with futuristic buildings all around? Maybe the aliens are more your thing. If so, look out for a lot of strange-looking people. My favourite is the one that looks rather a lot like Data, with a computer in the back of his head, bright blue eyes and a robotic voice.

So that is probably enough gushing. This film is well worth a watch, even if you've never watched the like of this before. You'll quickly get into the action and laugh with the rest of us at a few comments. It is, however, recommended that you watch the first film before this one. Should I give it a 10 out of 10? I think I will. It's the best film I've seen for a few months.

Image from renegadecinema.com

The Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux

So you've seen the stage production and the film of this horror/romance (starring Gerard Butler, of course, though there are loads of them), but what about the book? Will it be as heart-wrenching, as terrifying or as poignant?

Well, the short answer is no, but not for lack of trying. The main reason why is that we never get the point of view of the main characters; the Phantom, Christine and Raoul. The book is set out like a history, the author directly sets out some facts and piques our interest by telling us about the disappearance of Christine Daae, the strange story of the opera ghost and the death of the Count de Chagny (not to be confused with the Viscount de Chagny, Raoul). The rest of the book comprises of diary fragments and writing from two or three other characters, not unlike Dracula, which is also comprised of diary entries and records of the events. Maybe that was how you wrote horror stories in the late 1800s/early 1900s, but it is not to everyones taste.

However, the book has some very good points. The first is that the mystery of the entire book is kept till right at the end.. what really did happen the night of Christine's disappearance? If you've never seen the film/ stage versions, you won't be disappointed. If you have, keep reading anyway, there are many changes that will keep you guessing. The shadowy Persian, for example, is a character that really stands out. He was new to me, but his history with the Phantom and his narrative were both extremely interesting. It really makes you realise the type of person the Phantom really is, as we see many sides to him.

There was one more thing that made the book lose more effect; the Phantom has a name. Now, everyone deserves a name, and the Phantom has acquired one; Erik. This now makes him a little too human to be the monster described by the Persian. He loses his mystery, and the strange charm in not knowing who exactly they are. A name gives someone attributes, a personality. The name Erik, for example, is Norse for Eternal Ruler. While this is extremely apt for the character, it gives away some idea of who he is. In the film/musical, we do not know the man at all, and can only judge him on his words and actions.

The book builds beautifully into a pacy finish, complete with torture chambers and a plot to blow up the opera house. A tiny let-down was the conclusion, but it is a let down in every version. At one point you think, how on earth will this end up happy? The way this is implemented seems, at least to me, like a bit of a cop-out. However, it does show humanity in the Phantom again, showing there are many sides to a monster, rather reminiscent of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. At least the book ties up all the loose ends well. It answers every question you could have though of, which is something the film does not do. How does the Phantom's voice seem right close to your ear, yet nothing is there? You will find out!

All the best loved elements of the Phantom story are here; the fallen chandelier, the death of a man by the Punjab lasso, the underground lake where the Phantom lives, the secret tunnels of the opera house, the secret engagement of the two young lovers, the loss of the Prima Donna's voice.. I was very happy to see that all of these were original ideas from the book.

Although the style of the book is dated (it was originally published in 1909 after all), it still manages to pack a punch and is a very good read. This is, however, one of those rare books where the film is actually better.
It's a 7 out of 10.

Image from Wordpress

You can find 'The Phantom of the Opera' for free on Kindle.

To redirect to my post on the film version starring Gerard Butler, please click here.

The Prince: A Selection Novella - Kiera Cass

'Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection...
Before Aspen broke America's heart...
There was another girl in Prince Maxon's life...'

For those of you who have read and loved The Selection, this short story will give you all the extra details you wanted to know. This time we have Prince Maxons viewpoint as he goes through the Selection process.

Judging from the above description of the Novella, I assumed that this would be set much before any of the events that happened in the first book. You would be forgiven for thinking the same. However, that isn't true. Instead, the book is set a couple of weeks before the names are called out and ends just after the Prince has met the girls. More of a midquel than a prequel. Therefore the description, for me, was not a very good one. However, the actual story was genius. It not only delves into the Princes mind, but also that of his parents. It tells you exactly what happened when it came to the selection process and all about this other girl.

That's enough spoilers for you. As it's only a short story, this will only be a short review. An enjoyable, quick, light read that gets you thinking about the first book all over again. It even has a excerpt from the next book, The Elite, for you to dive into. As if you weren't excited enough already about its release. The book is only out on Kindle I'm afraid, but if you have a Kindle, go ahead and pick it up for 99p (or the equivalent of that in whichever country you're in). It's certainly worth it.

Four out of five. And look out for The Elite, out on the 23rd of April.

Image from http://d.gr-assets.com

Haven't read The Selection? Check out my review here.

Jack the Giant Slayer - Film

Running with the same theme as Snow White and the Huntsman, Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Jack the Giant Slayer is the retelling of the classic fairytale, Jack and the Beanstalk. But don't expect talking harps and golden egg-laying geese, director Bryan Singer has done away with those and has replaced them with a princess and a team of guards.

Nicholas Hoult is yet again in the spotlight as the protagonist, Jack. You may have seen him recently in Warm Bodies, which satirised zombie films and Shakespearean tragedies to great acclaim. Either way, in both this film and the last, it was Nicholas Hoult that moulded the story into something really worth watching. Jack was not the idiotic farm boy in the story that we all know. Now he is a fairly lovestruck boy who, despite his fears, shows great courage. I think most people will enjoy the fact that he is no longer a thief and that he fights for not only the girl he loves, but for  the kingdom of Cloister as well.

The cast is utterly star-studded. This usually makes for either a great film or a really bad one. You will spot the likes of Ewan McGregor (who was actually my favourite actor in this film, his character was so likable and noble), Ian McShane, Stanley Tucci and Warwick Davis Even the vocal talents of Bill Nighy can be heard (remember him as Davy Jones in Pirates of the Carribean? Just stick that voice on a giant and leave out the strange snarly noises). Perhaps it was lucky that it wasn't filled with the biggest names, and that for the most part, the main characters were fairly unknown actors. I find that quite often having too many big names all competing can make the acting seem very shoddy.

The storyline is perfect. It had a great blend of action, romance and adventure, all set in a beautiful and sometimes surreal landscape. The costumes were well-designed and looked wonderful on the actors. The giants were exactly how you would expect them to be; humanoid but ugly, and very cannibalistic. A quick warning though on some of the effects. Children and adults may find them gruesome. There is a fair bit of death and destruction, but despite that the film has a surprising 12A rating.

The pure Britishness of the film cannot be denied; British actors, British story (did you know that originally Jack and the Beanstalk was set during the times of King Arthur and that he met him on his journey? No? I didn't either). I love that Bryan Singer (who, incidentally, is American) has picked up on this and done it justice.

This film is possibly more for children and teenagers than adults, but it is still good fun and I would recommend a watch at least once. Anyone who remembers that tale from their childhood and would like to see a nice twist on it will enjoy the story. In fact, there is a rather large twist at the end, where it all gets rather real. I am still unsure on whether I like it that way or not. But enough about that. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.

Four out of five. A solid performance on everyones part.

The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas

This book, first of all, is stunning to look at. Black colouring on the edges, a kaleidoscopic feeling cover in yellow, red and black, perfect black script in curling, jaunty lettering. Um, wow.

Ariel Manto is a PhD student who is interested in thought experiments and the works of Thomas E. Lumas, a little known writer whose ideas were extremely radical. Saul Burlem, her mentor, is missing, but Ariel carries on her studies regardless. That's when she comes across an extremely rare book; The End of Mr Y. The catch? The book is cursed. If you read it, you die. You can guess what happens next. Ariel reads it, and soon discovers that not all of the book is fiction. By drinking a little bit of holy water and carbon, a person ca transport themselves to the Troposphere; a place where you can read other people's thoughts, see Gods and even go back in time. Oh, and did I mention that two guys from America are after her and the book?

There's one or two things to mention about this book. It takes a little while to get into it. I was beginning to wonder if Ariel would actually try to get into the Troposphere or not. It wasn't until the middle of the book that things really started to get moving. The other thing is that this book has conversations relating to the existence of God, quantum physics, and various theories that I have actually almost forgotten now. So, some readers may have to persevere if they are not at all interested in these things. However, the ideas and theories in the book are every plausible, and that, I believe, is the mark of a good book. Like when many people were sure Dan Browns 'The Da Vinci Code' was based on truth. Well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

Ariel, as a main character, is bittersweet. Just when you think you like her she will say or do something self-destructive or stupid. She is very clever, so we tend to feel that she should know better. Her past is sometimes difficult to empathise with. Her current situation isn't one you'd necessarily like to be in either. Still you do feel for her sometimes.

The writing style is nice, descriptive, but sometimes the dialogue is too much. Explanations of theories and arguments, though necessary for the plot to develop and for the big reveal at the end, are taxing. If you're tired, it's quite likely to not sink in at all.

Having read the whole book, it is fair to say that the plot is interesting, clever and absorbing in part, but I cannot say that it was 'hugely enjoyable' (as The Times said) for me.

Two out of five I'm afraid. Good premise, great ideas, but not a book that I'll be likely read again.

PS; You may have heard of another novel that has taken off a bit more; 'Bright Young Things'. I havn't given up on this writer, so I may be giving this a go.