DVD Reviews - August 11th

IN BRUGES

I have a theory that I'd like to put forward, and that is that everything immediately becomes funnier when said in an Irish accent. My theory bodes well for Martin McDonagh's comedy 'In Bruges', his first full length feature following Oscar winning short he directed, 'Six Shooter'. It follows two hitmen, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) who are sent to hide out in Bruges by boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) following a hit gone awry for Ray. What follows is a deviously dark comedy that is charmingly offensive in the hands of the two leads as it pokes fun at Belgium, Americans and racist midgets (although they prefer to be called dwarves) amongst others.

Farrell is perfectly cast as the juvenile Ray who is bored stiff in the Flemish city (albeit still tormented by the enormity of accidently killing a child during the hit) and he strikes a marvellous chemistry with Gleeson's more willing tourist Ken, catalysed by a superbly sharp witted script. The jokes are superb and the characters are so well forged that there are some truly touching moments between them towards the end. On the flip side there isn't a huge amount of plot to speak of and Fiennes' character is merely a watered down version of Sir Ben Kingsley's iconic role in 'Sexy Beast'. This can all be forgiven thanks to the consistent laughs and unique brand of morbid comedy that provides a welcome change to the standard Hollywood fare.

Verdict: Probably not for the easily offended but definitely for anyone with a good sense of humour, it's one that will grow and grow on you.


[REC]

Jaume Balguero's Spanish horror flick has been successful enough that not only has it secured a sequel but also an American remake, entitled 'Quarantine' which will be released later in the year. It utilises the (now surely exhausted) device of filming on handheld cameras, this time it's a news cameraman doing the filming and he is following television reporter Angela Vidal (Manuela Velasco). The news duo are following two fire-fighters for a night, when they are called out to an apartment building and a fireman and a policeman are viciously attacked the health authorities seal off the building with them and the residents trapped inside.

There was once a time when filming using a handheld camera would set your film apart from the crowd but there has now been a glut of such films and it would require something special to stand out from the crowd. '[REC]' doesn't really stand out but establishes itself as a solid example of the handheld-horror sub-genre. There are a good amount of scares and the tension is maintained throughout. Velasco's engaging reporter is the character we're supposed to root for and her endearing performance makes it hard not to, however there aren't any other character's developed enough to warrant a mention. The ending however is disappointing and the final shot almost laughable but it's short running time means that there's rarely a dull moment.

Verdict: It's fairly average and there's certainly nothing new on show but it's still a decent watch. For those who don't like subtitles, 'Quarantine' arrives in October.


SON OF RAMBOW
Fear not, this is not a spoof of Rambo, but the tale of two young boys who set about making a home movie sequel to 'Rambo: First Blood' and along the way forge an unlikely friendship. It's set in the glamorous location of Plymouth (circa the early 80's) and our protagonists come in the form of Will (Bill Milner) - a shy boy from a deeply religious family - and Lee Carter (Will Poulter) - the bad boy of his school but bullied by hid older brother. The two connect when Will (whose religion forbids him from watching television, listening to music etc) sees First Blood for the first time and his imagination runs away with him, Lee Carter borrows his brothers video camera and they set about making their own version.

The two boys as leads are fantastic, the performances are touching and their interaction together is fantastic. The way the two characters' relationship grows throughout the film is in no way artificial, they become friends without really realising and it is this friendship that underpins the entire movie. It's easy to scoff at the premise and ponder how sickeningly cheesy it may be, but upon viewing there thankfully isn't a whiff of this. So much credit must go to director Garth Jennings the story is based on his own childhood and one senses that this is how the youngsters are so easy to relate to. The scenes of the home movie being filmed are a hoot (the casting of Rambo a particular delight) with the humour glistening through even the more subdued scenes. And even the man himself Sly Stallone is a fan, calling it "heart-warming", now who can argue with that?

Verdict: A huge improvement for Jennings whose previous picture 'The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy' was very disappointing. Think 'Be Kind Rewind' but with a lot more heart and substance.