It comes as a pleasant surprise to find Dwayne Johnson, usually the hero in over-the-top action films, putting in a very convincing, often moving dramatic performance in the sports biopic The Smashing Machine.
With his famous face totally transformed by some remarkable special make-up, Johnson plays Mark Kerr, a pioneer athlete at the birth of UFC fighting.
Built like a prison wall and ferociously dedicated to victory in the ring, Johnson portrays Kerr as a gentle giant with a mild manner, even when his wife (played by Emily Blunt in an equally impressive turn) gets his banana smoothie wrong.
As with all good sports film, the emphasis here is on the character and what his experience tells us about life and universal themes such as persistence, addiction and dedication. Familiarity with the UFC world is not needed to enjoy this remarkable movie.
Long promised, Tron: Ares is the second sequel to the landmark 1982 Disney classic Tron, which was followed in 2010 – 28 years later – by the massively underwhelming Tron: Legacy. Talk about a long time between drinks.
It was worth the wait.
Though this glossy lark can’t lay claim to breaking any new ground – Tron pioneered the computer animation we take for granted today – it is a very engaging, high-end sci-fi adventure.
Following the concept of the original wherein the digital realm consists of computer programs that take human form, Jared Leto plays the stern-faced Master Security Program who defies his programming by breaking into the real world.
Visually dazzling and featuring some fabulously conceived action sequences, the film diligently reworks the age-old, ever-topical theme about the dangers of surrendering too much control to technology. Nicely done.
How’s this for a survival thriller?
A group of Australian soldiers endure the sinking of their transport ship only to find the floating wreckage they now occupy is being circled by a very large, very hungry shark.
Loosely based on a real event during World War 2, Beast of War is a very well-made, if conventional, creature feature that honours all the grand B-movie traditions, including stoicism, panic, lots of screaming and, of course, vivid scenes of the giant shark chomping down on the cast.
Unfortunately, another Australian film, The Travellers, doesn’t hit its mark quite as well.
Starring one legend, Bryan Brown, and directed by another, Bruce Beresford – who last teamed up for the 1980 classic Breaker Morant – the film tells of a successful stage designer (Luke Bracey) who returns to his childhood home to figure out with his sister (Susie Porter) what to do with their ageing father (Brown).
Despite its clear intention to be a tender, heartfelt comedy-drama, the story is surprisingly weak, with some nice moments of humour failing to cover up some pretty gaping story holes.
Quite a disappointment, especially given the calibre of talent involved.
Fresh from his Best Actor Oscar win for Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy went straight into starring and producing Steve, a solid, rough-edged passion project about a school for troubled teens.
In another terrific performance, Murphy plays the titular head teacher, a put-upon soul who has to deal with his harried staff, unruly teen pupils and the threat of imminent closure.
Shot in docu-drama style, it’s a quality piece of socially-minded storytelling featuring a strong turn from long-hauler Tracey Ullman, one of Britain’s finest comic talents playing it straight here.
Catch it on Netflix.
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