Friendly Fire: This Means War Review

This Means War

Director: MCG

By Alex Watson

Romantic comedies are a film type that keeps rolling off the Hollywood conveyor belt. Every year there is a least one a month on our screens. Some of us delight in the reliable, albeit similar story lines and the warm glow it brings to our hearts, others however, simply roll their eyes with contempt as they are yet again dragged to the movies. The main argument is that are these films really worth sitting through again and again? But more importantly, how does a film-maker keep on top of the laughs to ensure the critics and audiences rave? This week we look at director MCG’s new comedy, This Means War.

The main story focuses on two top CIA agents and best friends, FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) who have both been demoted after a mission to capture terrorist Heinrich (Til Schweiger) went drastically wrong. Very soon the two men both meet and fall in love with un-happy singleton Lauren (Reese Witherspoon). Gradually their once solid brotherhood turns into all out rivalry as both men strive to win the ladies heart.

This Mean War covers all the basic features of a typical romantic comedy, but refreshingly, it goes above them and delivers a very slick and assured film which gives plenty of laughs. The centre story has been covered in many films, where two hot guys go for the same girl. But in This Means War we have best friends who are senior government agents, and they are willing to abuse resources and manpower to get the girl they love! The moments when they spy on Lauren talking to her best friend about their best and worse features, is truly hilarious! This feature gives the movie its greatest strength as we have not one but two male protagonists we are cheering for and like Lauren; we simply cannot choose who she should go for?

The competition between the two men is another excellent feature of this film. Tuck and FDR are men of extreme resources and it seems in this there is no level they won’t sink to. All through the film we are continually guessing what each man will do to ruin the other’s date. We have Hardy tranquilising Pine right before he is about to literally score big time with Lauren!  And Pine responds by turning on the sprinklers in Hardy’s flat when he going for the kiss. These moments, break the mould of a typical romantic film and the laughs come thick and fast.

Director MCG has been the subject of numerous slating campaigns in Hollywood over the years. His version of Charlie’s Angels was mauled by critics, but since directing Terminator Salvation, his star has steadily been increasing. This Means War is another big step in the right direction. Although the story line is light in places, his handling of the action and romance is well timed and precisely executed. Because of this picture gleams and gives the story a suave edge to it. He may have made mistakes in the past, but there is proof that this man can redeem himself.

The real charm of the film comes down to the success of its lead trio. For Tom Hardy, this is a departure for his usual roles. In films such as Bronson, we saw an engaging (though slightly frightening) presence. But in This Means War, we see that his soft side is just as effective and as Tuck, he is a revelation. Chris Pine showed us his leading man credentials as Kirk in Star Trek once again he gives another solid showing. Pine gives us a care-free playboy who is yearning for more in life and has finally found it. Reese Witherspoon is on familiar ground with this role; after all her name was made on films such as Sweet Home Alabama and Legally Blonde. But her performance doesn’t lapse as a result. As Lauren she is sweet and very believable, but more crucially she appeals to the audience and doesn’t become an enemy in the midst of dating two good looking guys.

This Means War so far is a leading candidate for one of the years more original comedy films, the chemistry between the three leads make the picture seem so effortless and will have you leaving the cinema with a wide grin on your face. Though it will pose question about how Tuck and FDR’s CIA careers didn’t suffer in the face of the events portrayed! MCG please give us more pictures like this, maybe then we will forget Charlie’s Angels ever existed.

Breaking Down The Walls: Safehouse Review

Safe House

Director: Daniel Espinosa

By Alex Watson

Rogue CIA agent thrillers are a regular feature on our screens all through the year. The results often vary in quality, in recent times we have seen great examples of these such as The Bourne Series, Syriana and The Hunt for Red October. But with some many different ones available, how does anyone keep this idea fresh and new? This week we analyse Denzel Washington’s new offering Safe House. His last offering The Book of Eli was well received by both critics and fans alike, but in recent times his career has been a hit and miss affair. Will his new film restore his golden reputation?

Set in Cape Town, South Africa, Safe House sees rookie CIA agent Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) stuck playing house keeper at a secret safe house. He yearns for more experience in the field and feels wasted in his current role. However, things take a dramatic turn when notorious rogue agent, Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) turns himself into the U.S Consulate to escape assassins that are pursuing him. Frost is taken to the safe house for interrogation, but whilst there the killers strike again and wipe almost the entire CIA team out with only Frost and Weston still alive. Weston promises his superiors he will bring Frost in, but very soon he begins to doubt his choice.

Safe House is certainly on familiar ground with this story and it works all the usual cliques as best it can. The whole story of the bad agent, who might have a good heart, has been done before and doesn’t really exceed itself.   In the last act the twists come thick and fast. The only problem is that we can spot them a mile away and it feels a lot like a game of join the dots! This isn’t to say that this film is at all bad, but it just doesn’t raise its game when it has the potential to. Director Daniel Espinosa (in his English Language debut), has good command over the action scenes and it is here where the story fires. A car chase early in the film will have people on the edge of their seats as Weston tries in vain to avoid machine gun wielding assassins!

The main pairing of Frost and Weston is the real heart of the movie, like all odd couples they have their petty squabbles to begin with but when they bond it feels as if they could have been partners in the field. From the very beginning we feel the frustration of Weston as he is stuck in a meaningless role built on the promise of what could be! Frost however, has been everything he aspires to be. But as the movie progresses Weston throws his CIA book out the window as he learns that the superiors he looks up to are maybe no different than the criminals they pursue!

Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds are very watchable in this film. Washington in particular gives the movie a raise in quality with his performance as Frost. He is very aloof and calculating and we genuinely wonder where his loyalty will lie in the end? Reynolds does well as the naive new boy, his innocent eyes develop a steely gaze in the midst of Frost’s mind games, and all through we can feel him gradually changing sides! But in the supporting department, Brendan Gleeson and the excellent Vera Farmiga are wasted in their usual office desk CIA roles. The two have been proven quality in their most recent films. But in Safe House, Espinosa relegates them to the sides when their involvement should have been much more!

While it might not stand the test of time, Safe House will offer viewers a typical solid night of entertainment.  Washington is very capable actor and we have seen that in his film such Training Day, Malcolm X and The Hurricane. I hope that soon he brings us something that reminds of the engaging presence that he is able to bring to our screens!