Oct. 2: A Double Team Review: Wrecked

"A man trapped in a car wreck at the bottom of a ravine must overcome incredible odds to survive."

Directed by: Michael Greenspan, Rated: R, 91 minutes

So I have done a couple of Double Team Reviews at this point, both of them with Joe from Two Dude Review. This time around, I'm teaming up with David Gilleand who writes for Examiner.com and can be found here, on his Facebook page. Today we're discussing the 2010, Adrien Brody survival thriller, Wrecked. Below, I am in blue and David is in green. 

N: Okay, so what are your initial thoughts on Wrecked?

D: I really liked the film's level of suspense, Adrien Brody did a great job at portraying his character as always, and thought it had great pacing. How about you?

N: I thought it had moments of brilliance, but there were a lot of problems with it for me, such as random animals popping up everywhere and what not. I did really enjoy Brody's performance though. When he's the only guy on the screen he has to bring it, and I feel he really did.

D: Of course. I had one major issue with it, and that was if he was in the middle of a vast forest, why he couldn't simply get a couple of logs to use as clutches instead of crawling around the entire way through.

N: That is a good point. I kind of wondered that, but then just went with it. Crawling around, I guess, adds to the suspense and desperation he was suffering through?

D: I could see it that way, I just try to find the difference between metaphors like that and realism. So I am on the fence there.

When has crawling through a forest ever been a good idea?

N: What did you think of the overall story of the film? There's not a lot at the heart of it, with most of the reveals being in the final scene of the movie.

D: I think because there wasn't a whole lot, it added to the suspense, and that's just not something we see everyday in movies, and it is good to step away from the usual to get an audience reeled into another perspective.

N: Speaking of perspective, the first twenty minutes or so, with Brody trapped in a car in a ditch, was all we saw. Everything from his crowded little perspective. Did you think that was done well? It's hard not to compare something like this to say, Buried. Although it wasn't as claustrophobic, I felt it really was closing in all around.

D: I wasn't a fan of Buried apart from the overall idea of shooting an entire movie in one place with one person, but I think they did it particularly well in this one. Brody is really a great actor, and he prepared for this movie by staying out in Canadian woods in the winter, stuck in the car while the rest of the crew went to the hotel. You really have to give the guy credit for that. I really think that added to the believability to his situation, which in turn made the film that much better.

N: Certainly. This film could have easily been thrown out the window had the lead actor been somebody else. Brody carries the movie completely.

D: Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I disliked any role I have seen him play.

N. Yeah! Me too. It's just a shame that after his recognition for The Pianist, the guy's kind of faded off into nothing. He's a great actor.

Brody: "I won an Oscar and all I got was the lousy Predators". Seriously, how is this guy not in more big time stuff?

N. So, researching the film, I see that on IMDB it has a 5.1/10. While I felt that Wrecked is much more deserving than that score. What issues did you have with it that could explain such a low score by so many people?

D: I am guessing that because everyone's taste is different, some may not have been able to sense the suspense. It could be seen as repetitive  I could see someone saying "Okay, I get it, he's stuck. Get on with it".

N: True. Like I mentioned, the biggest complaint I had were the animals. The film really wanted to focus on a realism behind what Brody's character's situation is, but having random homicidal mountain lions pop up really pissed me off.

D: I never really thought about it. He was in the wilderness, things were bound to show up to add to that suspense, but you're right. Reminds me of how everyone complained about the cougar episode of 24.

N: That's the first thing I thought of! Thinking that f**king Kim Bauer was hiding somewhere.

D: This was definitely a spin-off.

N: Haha.

N: What did you think of the overall look of the film?

D: I think the massive size of the forest, and the fact that he went in circles was done very well. It was filmed in actual woods, so it looks real because it is. I never had any issues with the blood in the movie, and I often do. I guess the overall look had no flaws for me, what about you?

N: I really liked the look too. I've always been a fan of survival movies and I think this one captured the woods really well. And I agree, the blood looked good. It was that dark, realistic looking kind, and not that corn syrup and red food coloring look you see in a lot of low budget movies.

D: Which is why when I make movies, I stay away from the blood aspect.

The blood effects actually look real. Something you rarely find in films with this kind of budget. Thank God.

D: Well you said you are a fan of survival movies, so I guess how would you compare this to other survival movies?

N: I think Wrecked is up there, honestly. Sure, it's not as showy as a lot of the other ones, like The Edge, The Grey, or even 127 Hours, but it's still pretty suspenseful  The added plot-line that he can't remember anything that happened before the crash is also something new, that makes it more of a mystery thriller than a straight up horror movie.

D: Yeah I agree. I always like to say that presentation is key, not how big of a budget a movie has. I am a fan of survival films too, and I am really glad I saw this movie. I still think 127 Hours takes the cake, but this is up there as well.

N: To wrap things up then, what score would you give this movie on a scale of 1-10?

D: I'll give it an 8.

N: And what is your favorite part of the film?

D: Normally, I would say the end reveal, but my personal favorite part is when he finally got the dog to warm up to him.

N: I liked that part too. The look on his face when he realized he needed to share the tiny piece of beef jerky was genuine. I would give the movie a 7.4 out of 10. I thought the movie is filmed well and that Brody absolutely nails it with his performance.

Wrecked is a great little film that deserves your attention. It's slower than most movies of the survival genre, but it's beautifully shot and has an incredible actor in the leading role. It also packs a little mystery, with Brody's character waking up not knowing who he is. As we struggle along with him in his attempt to find rescue, we also begin to wonder what kind of man he is and what he was doing before the car crash. I would definitely recommend the film. 

The Good:

Adrian Brody delivering an exceptional performance, being the only man on screen for 90% of the film

The Bad:

homicidal mountain lions that pop up for no real reason but to add more suspense to something that's strong enough on its own without it

The Ugly:

the fact this movie isn't getting as much love as I believe it deserves, it's really good

Overall: 7.4/10

Trailer:

Want to team up with me for a future Double Team Review? Comment below with ideas or reach out to me on Twitter @CineKatz

June 15: Predators

A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators."

So I know I probably should have watched the original Predator for alien week, as I did watch the original Alien, but Predators was on TV and made for a much easier viewing. And while it may not be anywhere near as good as the original, Predators still entertains with plenty of violence, action, and gore. Plus, it has a pretty big name cast that all get to play fodder (and hide and seek) to the deadly, invisible, badass Predator. Predators also has a fairly decent plot that avoids from being too ridiculous, even if the dialogue is laughable at times. The film also gives way to Adrien Brody (The Pianist) being a true badass mother f**ker and shows that he may actually have what it takes to be an action star. Hell, his career has gone practically nowhere after his Oscar win in 2003 so why not fall into cliched action movies?

If The Pianist featured this Adrien Brody, the film may have taken a completely different route

In Predators, a bunch of ex-soldiers, mercenaries, and killers wake up as they are parachuting down into a jungle. None of them no where they are or why they are there and try to work together to figure out what's happening to them. After being attacked by a pack of alien dog creature beasts and have an encounter with a Predator, the misfit band of soldiers realize they are not on Earth but some strange alien planet. Royce (Adrien Brody) deduces that they have been dropped into an alien game preserve. With each soldier having a particular set of skills and being damn good at killing, they are a much tougher, meaner prey for the Predators to practice their hunting abilities on. Thus, cue the struggle to survive and outlive, outlast, and out-kill these alien captors and find a way back home, to Earth. Throw in Danny Trejo, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace (who oddly, fits), and a bunch of other badasses and Predators proves to be quite a ride.

And, in Predator fashion, a girl with a very big gun. 

Overall, I would recommend Predators if you're already a fan of the franchise. It is actually more of a sequel to the original two films, trying to stay away from the awfully awesome Alien vs. Predator movies. Once the action starts, it really never stops, and while most of the characters come and go too quickly, each actor is given a chance to shine and kill. The film does have plenty of things wrong with it, including some rather weak character development and piss-poor dialogue. However, the effects and action make up for the flaws and help remind you it's not meant to be taken as a serious action epic. When you narrow it all down, Predators is simply a game of cat and mouse, with the cat having heat vision, invisibility cloaking, laser cannons, and a tentacled face while the mouse simply has a bunch of guns. Boom goes the dynamite. 

The Good: 

a lot of action, a lot of blood, and a whole lot of Predator

The Bad:

a story that has moments of being pretty creative but with too much nonsense and underdeveloped characters to go anywhere epic

The Ugly:

some really bad dialogue that tries to be 80s awesome but comes across as 80s cheesy

Overall: 6.6/10

Trailer: