Filmsy - Movie Reviews Blog

Movie Review: Solomon Kane

by

Solomon Kane, from the title alone, evokes the same mental image as “Alan Quatermain” or “Abraham Van Helsing” – either the movie will be about a swashbuckling hero or a sage protagonist with a wealth of knowledge used to help others.

But Solomon Kane is neither of these fictional characters. Based on the character created by pulp writer Robert E. Howard, Solomon Kane is a wandering puritan who lived in the 17th century and whose goal is to vanquish evil wherever he encounters it. The character appeared in many stories in Weird Tales, the seminal title that brought many high quality pulp horror stories.

I am not thoroughly familiar with Solomon Kane as a character so I’ll base this review solely on what I have seen in the movie and based on what I have just seen, Solomon Kane is a character that should really be given as much focus as the other comic book characters enjoying the adoration of the public.

Solomon Kane revisits the same familiar tropes of faith and repentance but given a deliberate Hollywood polish of expansive cinematography and special effects. Michael J. Bassett, who both wrote and directed the movie, tried to do his best to cram as much of Solomon Kane’s origins in order to give the audience a heftier idea of why he seeks redemption. As “origin” movies go, Bassett also had to contend with trying to cram in as much background story as he could without eating up too much of his available screen time. It’s a worthwhile effort and I feel that even though he has not fully achieved his goal, it was still a passable effort that gave us a good glimpse of Solomon Kane before he repented and began his quest for the deliverance of his soul.

Luckily, Bassett had a very capable actor in James Purefoy who injected just enough pathos in his performance that by the middle of the movie, the audience really roots for him. It is quite easy to ham it up in a movie like this but Purefoy managed to evade this easy trap. His Kane is fractured, conflicted and tortured but there is a nobility that shines through and a goodness that emerges naturally in his performance. Speaking of actors, I was quite happy to see the great Pete Postlethwaite as the well-meaning William Crowthorn. Actors like him always give any movie a worthwhile sheen and as always he delivers here. I feel that Jason Flemyng is thoroughly underused as the villain Malachai. His screen time is just not enough.

The cinematography was a bit hit and miss. I don’t know if it was the copy that I was viewing but there were some scenes that were a bit too poorly lighted. But it’s undeniable that Bassett has a great eye. There were some gorgeous scenes that would put to shame most of the hacks in Hollywood — which makes me wonder why Bassett is not being given more high profile projects. Solomon Kane is loads better than the very poorly made Van Helsing. To compare him to Stephen Sommers is an insult to Bassett.

I am also a bit underwhelmed by the movie’s ending. You get this feeling of wanting more but from the looks of it, it seems that the people behind the movie are hoping to make a franchise out of it. Hopefully, the movie has performed well enough to actually merit a sequel.

All in all, Solomon Kane is one of those action/fantasy movies that are not being noticed because it doesn’t have the pull of an A-list actor. But I think the beauty of this movie is precisely the fact that it is not totally consumed by Hollywood’s touch. Fantasy/action fans would be well advised to check this movie out.

Rating: B+

Red Sonja reportedly being offered to Megan Fox

by

More than a year ago I blogged about the planned Red Sonja remake that Robert Rodriguez was planning. In this remake, his then girlfriend Rose McGowan will get the titular role of Red Sonja. Rodriguez was set to produce it with Douglas Aarniokoski as the director. The team even released teaser posters featuring McGowan in her sexy Red Sonja costume.

But with nary a sign of the Red Sonja project moving there are doubts that it will push through. Recently, Rose McGowan was announced to have snagged a role in the Conan remake and she won’t be playing Red Sonja in this movie. She will reportedly play the role of a witch.

Now there are rumors that the Red Sonja role and movie is being offered to Megan Fox. I think she is a worthy choice for the role. She definitely has the femme fatale looks that is needed to give justice to Red Sonja. All she needs to do is to put on some muscles and a little weight and she’s all set to go.

Hopefully, this project pushes through. I know that millions of men will be waiting for Fox to don the Red Sonja outfit.

In addition to McGowan, Aarniokoski is apparently off the project as well and they are looking for another writer to take a pass at David N. White’s script.

Pajiba says that an offer has now been made to “Transformers” star Megan Fox to play the mythical flame-haired comic-book vixen with a sword. Will she take the role? We’ll have to wait and see.

In June ’08, the project was described as follows:

In her return we find Red Sonja, a young girl risen from the ashes of tragedy to become the most feared woman warrior of all time. The mythical red-head blindly seeks vengeance on those who destroyed her family. In her path of destruction she discovers a larger purpose for her unearthly powers: to save all Hyrkania from the villainous Kulan Gath.

Alien prequel to be shot in 3D, new trilogy being prepared?

by

The success of James Cameron’s Avatar has prompted other directors and movie studios to follow the bandwagon. A slew of new 3D movie projects are being announced almost daily and one of these new movie projects could be the planned Alien prequel being made by Ridley Scott and 20th Century Fox.

Shadow Locked, a sci-fi site from the UK, was able to interview Roger Christian, the art director who worked on Star Wars and Alien. Christian is in a good position to talk about the prequel because he has met with Scott about the movie and there’s talk that he could possibly work on it again with Scott. He did confirm that it is going to be shot in 3D. He also shared Scott has a clear vision of where he wants the movie to go and hinted that with the whole concept “had legs to go on”, there is a possibility that a new trilogy may be in the offing.

I’m certainly looking forward to this. I think Scott’s Alien is one of the best sci-fi horror movies ever made. And I even think that it blows Cameron’s Aliens out of the water.

Luc Besson to release new pterodactyl adventure movie

by

Luc Besson was, at one time, one of my favorite directors. I was blown away by La Femme Nikita and Leon and fell in love with the cheesy sci-fi stylings of The Fifth Element. I even liked Subway. But lately I have not been very impressed with his ouevre as a director (his writing credits stand up a bit better in the Oughts though).

But his recent project has caught my attention once again. Les Aventures Extraordinaires D’Adele Blanc-Sec is a movie that is as strange as they come. The movie, which will star Louise Bourgoin, is set in 1912 and tells the story of a young reporter, Adele Blanc-Sec, who is like an Indiana Jones archetype who battles with corrupt politicians, crooks, scientists and devil worshippers. In this movie, she battles what may probably be her biggest nemesis, a pterodactyl that sows terror on Paris. Yes, you read it right, a pterodactyl.

I am so watching this movie.

Conan lead announced

by

Conan is one of the most iconic characters in the world of fantasy. the Cimmerian barbarian turned king is the acknowledged fantasy alpha male and one of the toughest fictional protagonists. Of course, Conan is more familiar to film fans as the character that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star.

The star turning power of Conan is the reason why it is such a coveted role. With talks that a Conan remake is already being developed, actors left and right are being touted as the perfect Conan. You would, of course, expect to see familiar names and established stars vying for the role of Conan. But th announcement of Lionsgate and Millennium Films about the new Conan has caught quite a few people by surprise. The role was announced to have been given to Jason Momoa. Yes, I don’t know who he is either.

The 30 year old Momoa is a virtual unknown. His most prominent work before Conan was in the sci-fi TV show Stargate Atlantis. He’s also set to appear in the new HBO mini series, Game of Thrones. I’m not familiar with Momoa’s work but from his pictures, he does look like he could be perfect for the role. I’ll hold off judgement on the guy’s acting skills because a) I haven’t seen his work and b) Conan is not really going to win anyone an Oscar — if you can grunt and look good doing it then you’ll perfect for the role.

Oh, and speaking of grunts and Oscars, Mickey Rourke has been offered the role of Corin, Conan’s father.

Conan will begin filming this March 15.