Category Archives: Historical

I expected this movie to be terrible – beyond terrible. The Rotten Tomatoes scores were abysmal, and the trailers were pretty bland. But it was a hot summer night, and I was out with friends – so, why not give it a shot? After all, there’s some perverse enjoyment that can be obtained from ripping apart bad movies.

It’s not a great movie – not by any means – but it’s also not that bad.

The plot is linear, generic, and almost exactly what you’d expect from a big-budget Lone Ranger reboot helmed by Gore Verbinski (director of the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” films). East Coast lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer), after witnessing the death of his lawman brother at the hands of evil Butch Cavendish, joins forces with enigmatic Native American Tonto (Johnny Depp) and becomes a masked hero himself. Cue lots of train chases, explosions, and zany adventure.

It’s worth mentioning that some of the action scenes are pretty great, including an epic final showdown backed by the galloping strains of Rossini’s William Tell Overture. More than once, moments of real cinematic exuberance shine through an otherwise muddy storyline, lifting “The Lone Ranger” above its tonally bleaker competitors.

The acting is also surprisingly strong. Johnny Depp’s Tonto is played well, though never approaching the heights of Jack Sparrow. Armie Hammer makes a great Lone Ranger – unlike Henry Cavill’s Superman, Hammer actually seems to be enjoying himself, and that enthusiasm does a lot to propel the film forward. No one’s going to be nominated for any Oscars (and things never reach the gleeful, over-the-top bonkers-ness of “Fast and Furious 6”), but “The Lone Ranger” is plenty watchable.

One disappointing element of the movie is its vaguely Luddite approach to history. The relationship of Western industrialists to the local Comanche community relies on un-subtle leftist cliches: of course the military-industrial complex is universally corrupt and evil. Pitting the Lone Ranger and Tonto against a force of merciless outlaws would’ve made for fine cinema in its own right – there’s no need to insert heavy-handed sociopolitical commentary. (That’s not to say that this isn’t an important conversation to have – the relationship of American “agents of progress” to Native American populations was certainly characterized by a horrific degree of exploitation and abuse. However, it cheapens the weight of that theme to shoehorn it into a throwaway summer blockbuster.) Along those lines, the movie is also probably too dark for what it tries to accomplish (was it really necessary to make Butch Cavendish a cannibal?) but it’s not really much worse than the “Pirates” films.

As far as crazy, switch-your-brain-off-at-the-door summer blockbusters go, one could do much worse than “The Lone Ranger.” It doesn’t take itself too seriously (a flaw that wrecked both the “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequels and “Man of Steel”), and it ends up actually being pretty fun. There’s enough kinetic action, callbacks to classic Lone Ranger tropes, and offbeat humor to keep the film from sinking under its massive (2.5 hr) runtime.

VERDICT: 6.5/10
Forgettable? Sure. Formulaic? You bet. Entertaining? Yep.

Normalized Score: 2.4

Disclaimer 1: I love musicals. Disclaimer 2: The novel “Les Misérables” is one of my all-time favorite books. That said, this movie is flat-out incredible.

After a string of highly-anticipated movies that turned out to be disappointments (“The Bourne Legacy,” “Taken 2,” “The Hobbit”) I’m delighted to report that “Les Misérables” – brought to the screen by “King’s Speech” director Tom Hooper” – is a riveting cinematic adaptation. Not only does it succeed as a version of the stage musical, but it’s also a fantastic retelling of the source material (head-and-shoulders above the 1998 Liam Neeson version).

The film, like the sprawling novel, spans several decades: convicted felon Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), his soul redeemed through the sacrificial charity of a kind bishop (Colm Wilkinson, Broadway’s original Valjean), changes his name and becomes the mayor of a small French community. In so doing, however, he breaks his parole…attracting the notice of obsessive police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). Shortly after rescuing Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a young woman forced by desperate circumstances into prostitution, Valjean is compelled to disclose his true identity. Pursued by Javert, Valjean adopts Fantine’s young daughter Cosette and flees to Paris.

The story then skips forward several years, picking up on the eve of student uprisings in Paris. Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), by now a comely young woman, falls in love with revolutionary Marius (Eddie Redmayne). But with Javert still on the prowl, Valjean fears for her safety…and, when violence ultimately breaks out, tragedy appears unavoidable.

“Les Misérables” is a grand, dynamic story crying out for a cinematic adaptation…and this movie delivers in spades. Somehow, it manages to be huge and intense and dramatic without sacrificing intimacy. This is almost wholly due to the magnificent performances of the principal cast. Jackman inhabits the role of Valjean, Crowe (surprisingly) pulls off a perfect Javert, and Hathaway deserves an Oscar for her soul-wrenching portrayal of Fantine. Once the film transitions to its second half, some of the tortured interpersonal intensity fades…but what it loses in rawness, the movie makes up for in sweeping audiovisual spectacle.

“Les Misérables” is not a subtle movie, but Victor Hugo was never a particularly subtle writer. Indeed, this picture’s grandiosity works to its own advantage: what might’ve seemed too melodramatic in a non-musical adaptation flows beautifully when sung.

Director Hooper, in an unprecedented move, recorded the film’s songs live on set (rather than recorded in a studio and dubbed in later). This, perhaps more than anything else, lifts “Les Misérables” to its breathtaking heights. The actors and actresses aren’t just singing; they’re emoting, channeling joy and love and grief in what must’ve been a ferociously demanding experience. Highlights include Hathaway’s show-stopping rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” (yes, it’s every bit as good as you’ve been told) and Jackman’s performance of “Bring Him Home.” It’s hard to capture, in any review like this, how much of a difference this makes. Suffice it to say that this isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen before – and all future musical films are staring up at a very high bar.

Anyone even tangentially familiar with “Les Misérables” is likely already aware of its themes: grace, redemption, self-sacrificial love, and the tension between justice and mercy. None of these elements are lost in translation: Hooper’s vision is suffused with the strongly Christian underpinnings of Hugo’s source material, culminating in an incredibly moving final scene. One can only hope that more Hollywood directors will follow suit.

Little else need be said here, except that “Les Misérables” demands to be seen – or perhaps more accurately, experienced. While certainly lengthy, I can’t imagine a more compelling incarnation of Hugo’s timeless classic. And of course, the music is superb.

Unequivocally recommended.

VERDICT: 10/10
The gold standard for any future “Les Mis” adaptations – and one of the best movies I’ve seen this year.

Normalized Score: 9.2