Movie reviews - 2004-09-02

This week:- I, Robot- The Cooler- Immortel

I, Robot
Director: Alex Proyas
For a movie that had so much potential to be both an entertaining blockbuster and a thought provoking experience, it's disappointing how insignificant its impact is. It's entertaining to be sure, but considering the meaty and morally challenging subject of robots increasingly taking over the human world, "I, Robot" is surprisingly lightweight and superficial. The real problem is in the film's weak script, which just isn't gritty enough. But "I, Robot" also lacks suspense, and it too often chooses the easy, and sometimes ridiculously implausible way out. The special effects are great, but the overall look of the movie is ripped off from "Minority Report," a movie which, it has to be said, created a much more complete feeling of a futuristic world than "I, Robot" manages to. ** 1/2
Julie Vinten

Somewhere in the back of your brain you realize that you have seen this movie before. Though it isn't quite clear whether it was in another lifetime, another place or a different time zone. You may possibly have read exactly what you see on the wide silver screen. According to the credits, this movie was "suggested" by a collection of short stories written by Isaac Asimov (1920-1992). Naturally, every fan of science fiction is aware of one of the masters of the genre. "I, Robot" is a sci-fi thriller which has very little to do with Asimov's original stories. Will Smith is the most familiar face in the cast. Despite its flaws and obvious mistakes, this movie entertains as well as provides an enticing escape from day-to-day reality. *** 1/2
Laimons Juris G

The Cooler
Director: Wayne Kramer
This movie is set apart by some really exceptional acting. It does have a few inconsistencies in the story, together with some predictable turns and stereotypical characters. However, the superb and layered performances make "The Cooler" really enjoyable. Alec Baldwin's strong performance almost steals every scene he is in, and William H. Macy is great as always as the hapless guy whose luck changes when he falls in love. Macy and Maria Bello make an unusual yet appealing match, and the chemistry between them is strangely real. "The Cooler" shouldn't be thought of as realistic, but as a charming love-story with some gritty elements thrown in - a fairytale for grownups. This movie is original and stands out in its own quiet way. III
Julie Vinten

This movie is set apart by some really exceptional acting. It does have a few inconsistencies in the story, together with some predictable turns and stereotypical characters. However, the superb and layered performances make "The Cooler" really enjoyable. Alec Baldwin's strong performance almost steals every scene he is in, and William H. Macy is great as always as the hapless guy whose luck changes when he falls in love. Macy and Maria Bello make an unusual yet appealing match, and the chemistry between them is strangely real. "The Cooler" shouldn't be thought of as realistic, but as a charming love-story with some gritty elements thrown in - a fairytale for grownups. This movie is original and stands out in its own quiet way. III
Laimons Juris G

Immortel
Director: Enki Bilal
The movie takes place in New York 2095, in a world where humans and non-humans live side by side. Director Enki Bilal's depiction of the distant future is quite interesting. Based on his own comic book, the movie is created almost entirely using computer graphics with just a few key characters performed by real actors. The images are like expressive paintings, the dialogue is unreal and poetic, and the movie has a highly symbolic mindset. Unfortunately, although it's visually intriguing, it's truly emotionally cold. The narrative doesn't seem to matter all that much to the writer/director as the story really doesn't make much sense, and the characters are very two-dimensional. All in all, the movie never quite manages to reach the epic heights it sets out to scale. **1/2
Julie Vinten

"Immortel" is a most unusual and surrealistic sci-fi adventure, which takes place in New York City circa 2095. Looking more like a video game or even a Saturday afternoon TV cartoon for kids, this French production combines computer-generated characters with live actors. Sufficiently dark and gloomy, there is a certain something that will either keep your eyes glued to the screen or maybe you'll just want to throw up your hands in frustration and let out a piercing scream. This flick is definitely not for everyone. The main irritating factor for this reviewer was the abundance of European accents to be found in the Big Apple of the future. Aren't any Americans left at all and where did they go? Belgrade-born Enki Bilal directs his own comic book creations. ***
Laimons Juris G