BoxOffice101 Movies

  The first film was released in 2007 with Cage and the curvy Eva Mendes in the lead. The film a hit but not a super hit in terms of being one based on a popular Marvel Comics character. It made an estimated $29,000.000 on a $110,000,000 budget. The sequel bravely titled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance released Feb 17,2012 worldwide. No wonder it released on Feb 16 in the UAE as local film co. Imagenation Abu Dhabi co-produced it. They are also known for producing Colin Farrell starrer The Way Back 2010 and the above average spy thriller The Double 2012.

    In GR 2, we see Cage umm... many years after his super stud days. The past is depicted in a series of stylish comic strips, oddly similar to those used to explain the events in the Infamous game series. So it could be seen from this point forward that this film was meant to target regular comic book readers.

  A French black priest who rides a nasty motorcycle played by Idris Elba visit Cage asking him for help. Cage is asked to save a kid from the Devil himself. Elba was also seen in the Marvel comic based Thor 2011, and his role although not being as charismatic in this film, it is still more entertaining than the lead's. The Devil was played by veteran Irish actor Ciaran Hinds. His performance was decent but not as badass as Sam Elliott's in the first part. The kid (Fergus Riordan) played his part well.

  For the pros and cons. The film has a more creative plot than the previous. Of course one would remember the awe-inspiring antics of Jason Statham in Crank and Crakn 2: High Voltage while seeing Cage. It is to remembered this venture is directed by the same duo Neveldine/Taylor. I'm a big fan of theirs. Although critics' reactions to their 2009 film Gamer were highly negative I loved it. I still regard it as the best virtual reality action film after The Matrix series. I was shocked when it flopped. But that's cinema life.

  GR: S of V is a roller coaster ride, literally! The action will leave you fixed to your seats wanting more. Much better than GR 1's amateurish fighting scenes where every conclusion was merely predictable. The film itself is a mix of Crank and Gamer. Those who hated or loved Ghost Rider don't fear. This one is completely different than the last. The main character's design is more ruthless, his bike more grotesque and the scenery is of total Eastern European descent. As opposed to the last part being completely All-American.

  But it also safe to mention that the prequel had its plus points. The stunts carried out were to fun, even over and over again. The Devil and his son played by Wes Bentley were cast perfectly. And the scene where the Rider rides up a skyscraper is unforgettable. Other than that, a weak predictable plot. Average acting by Cage and tried acting by Mendes, although I don't think most people were concentrating on her respective skills. The ending plain sucked as well. It had the potential to be written better.

  Overall, I've given Ghost Rider a 2.5/4 while Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance gets a 3/4. If you want to watch a boring All-American version of this classic flaming skull chain-slinger then watch the former. Or if you want a full throttle action ride with little info. on the plot details, then catch this one in the theatre halls while it's still on.

  This sequel opened with $22m at the US box office behind Safe House $24m and The Vow $23.5m. Less than half of the original's opening. But with a $57m production budget just above the half of the former's, it's less embarrassing. It is 4th on the Presiden't Day Comic Book Weekend behind GR 1, Daredevil and Constantine. I predict it would make $70-$85 worldwide at the end of its theatrical run.

Another rising star, best known for her role in James Cameron's Avatar, Zoe Saldana stars in the action film Colombiana.
  The movie stars off well. The plot is painfully simple. Girl's parents get murdered. She escapes, heads off to a developed country (in this case the US). And gets taught by her boss uncle played perfectly by Cliff Curtis to become an assassin, to avenge the killing of her family.
  I watch the TV series Nikita occasionally and it's the epitome of bad-girl-wanting-to-get-revenge syndrome. Colombiana uses this motive well in its overall running time. Saldana's acting was also worthy, not of an Oscar, but on convincing the audience including me that she can pack more than a punch. The best role-playing was done by Curtis, his darkness lights up the whole film.
  What encouraged me to watch the film full? The choreography. Action scenes were decent enough and well-executed, and not overdone. There was no sentimentality involved in the dramatic acts. If you wish to watch a film with a predictable plot but good fighting, then Colombiana delivers the goods. 2.5/4 from me.

THE DOUBLE MOVIE DOWNLOAD

  The Double is a 2011 spy film, and worth watching. To start with, I did not have high hopes in watching this one. I thought the plot and directing would be mediocre. But I was surprisingly impressed.


  The film stars H-wood veteran Richard Gere, and Topher Grace best known for his role as the fiend Venom in Spider-man 3. Directed and co-written by Michael Brandt with Derek Haas. The film follows retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere) called in once again to duty when the murder of a Kansas senator takes place. The assassination is said to be done by a person on top of the CIA's most wanted list Cassius, who had not shown his mark from about 20 years. Young FBI agent Ben Geary (Topher Grace) assists Paul, and is also his greatest fan, in tracking down the serial killer once and for all.
  The plot unfolds interestingly though slowly. It was not as cliched as with most CIA-based flicks. The directing was well done with decent action scenes. Michael Brandt is best known for writing Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma, and shines a bit with his directing debut.
  The film is co-produced by Imagenation Abu Dhabi and I was amazed not to have seen the film made in any part of the middle east. Seems the Arabs are getting less egoistic after the success of Ghost Protocol. I award the film 2.5/4. It's the opposite of Colombiana, better story but average action.

  I officially declare this the worst movie trailer of 2012.

  The Clash of the Titans (2010) was, what would you say, the reverse of an epic Gods-filled blockbuster. Although Sam Worthington's stone-faced acting suited the role the whole story was handled foolishly. I haven't seen 1981 original but if that was a classic then this was far from it. Nevertheless it made a little above $490m on a $125m budget.

  Sam's latest movie Man on a Ledge entered the box office last week at 5. It's even more humiliating that his film to be beat by low-budget Chronicle and Katherine Heigl starrer One for the Money. I'm not a great fan of his acting. He seems to have no charisma but maybe that's the trick. Nowadays, with so many showy actors he may be the only one who doesn't know how to act. Or it could be that the movies were just too good for him. And most of his roles suit him. He's not some expressionless lover boy. He's a lean, mean machine (Terminator cliche). I'm surprised if he could even tell a joke in real life and laugh at it. But his personality had given him the Terminator Salvation role. The 2nd best Terminator after Judgement Day.

  Sam received even better profitable offers in The Debt (boring as the title) and Avatar. All I would love to see in his new film is Liam Neeson's dialogue delivery. Even the action shown in the trailer feels to deliver any sort of wrath.

  It's releasing on the March 30 weekend in Digital 3-D and IMAX 3-D and I bet it will come 1st followed by Immortals director Tarsem Singh's Mirror Mirror starring Julia Roberts. And Rachel Weisz's The Deep Blue Sea at 3rd and Goon at 4th. Good luck Sam, you may as well end up in the Guinness Book of Records for highest earning poker-faced actors.