Articles by robert-greenberger
Sun Aug 2, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Race to Witch Mountain' on DVD
When the opportunity presented itself, I could not help but wait to screen the DVD of Race to Witch Mountain
Much as the recent Taking of Pelham 123 had to update itself to reflect today’s technology and storytelling, this film works in many modern touches so some credit goes to screenwriters Andy Fickman, Mark Bomback, and Matt Lopez. The two orphan children from the book are seen here as aliens in human form, escaping from their crashed flying saucer, trying to obtain a device they need to not only save their ecologically challenged home planet but prevent a deadly invasion of Earth. How they got separated from their ship and why it didn’t have better security, allowing it to be taken by the military is glossed over.
Instead, they use their powers to obtain cash then hire cabbie Dwayne Johnson to take them to where their object is located. Black-suited government agents are chasing them along with an assassin from home that has followed them. Atop that, needlessly complicating the story and never fully explained are goons from Johnson’s criminal past who try to apprehend him for their boss.
Tue Jul 28, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Rreview: 'Torchwood: Children of Earth' DVD
There was a great deal of hew and cry that the BBC renewed Torchwood
Now, a mere four days after the event aired on BBC America in the States, BBC Video is releasing the story on DVD. This is one that will be worth seeing more than once.
The first two seasons of the Doctor Who spin-off were uneven affairs, as it dealt with darker and more adult themes but also couldn’t find a consistent tone. With the latter episodes of the second season, it seemed to be hitting its stride as they dealt with the death of one member of the team and then losing a second.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! REALLY!
Continue reading Rreview: 'Torchwood: Children of Earth' DVD ›
Thu Jul 23, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Green Lantern: First Flight'
The care and attention to detail given the direct-to-DVD animated films based on DC Comics’ properties is evident. As a result, watching Green Lantern: First Flight
In fact, the script for this feature, premiering tonight at the San Diego Comic-Con and going on sale Tuesday, does a nice job of encapsulating the necessary backstory for the Guardians of the Universe and the Green Lantern Corps. The film moves along at a nice pace and with most of it taking place off planet, the animators have a terrific time designing locales, aliens, and interpreting the GLC from comics for the screen. I can quibble and say that I wish the original Gil Kane design for Hal Jordan’s costume were used or that Abin Sur resembled his comic book counterpart but it’s all minor.
The story is a fresh take on Hal Jordan inheriting the power ring and joining the Corps. As adapted from the 1990s version, Sinestro shows up to act as his trainer and reveals his corruption, forcing the student to fight the teacher. On the other hand, in the comics, Sinestro (voiced nicely by Victor Garber) was so manic about instilling order; he first blurred and then stepped over the line between protector and dictator. In this film, Sinestro is just corrupt and dismissive of the Guardians.
The Guardians suffer in translation. Originally, they all appeared identical, based on Israel’s David Ben-Gurion, so they could act in concert. Here, they are more distinctive to the point of looking goofy. They used to be mostly omniscient but here are weak and flawed, annoyed that a flawed human received the great Abin Sur’s ring, forgetting the ring’s programming to seek out the most appropriate candidate. These living power batteries are mishandled and their influence diminished.
Perhaps the biggest change between the comics and the film is that the yellow power that Sinestro adopts is not taken from Parallax, the embodiment of fear, but is some unexplained substance that rivals the green energy the Guardians used for their Corps. It just exists and is nowhere near as dramatically compelling. Screenwriter Alan Burnett usually doesn’t make errors like this and it’s a shame it hurts the film’s impact.
Hal, who was very nicely handled in New Frontier, is less an imposing figure here, despite Christopher Meloni’s solid voice work. He questions the Guardians, bonds with his fellow corpsmen, and does heroic work but doesn’t resonate as a hero or as the Greatest Green Lantern of them all. As a result, the film is nowhere near as powerful as it should be.
The two-disc DVD comes complete with feature trailers on the previous animated released along with an intriguing sneak peek at the next offering, September’s Superman & Batman: Public Enemies. A short featurette on Blackest Night is a nice teaser for the comic books. The second disc comes with a short chat with Geoff Johns about Green Lantern along with Johns and others talking about Sinestro and the Guardians. The GL-themed episode of Duck Dodgers is included along with a two-part JL Unlimited animated adventure.
Overall, it’s a nice package and worth a look but the lack of a strong lead character and stereotypical villain posturing robs the story of the potential power.
Here's a four minute preview of the movie, via MTV SplashPage:
Wed Jul 22, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Leverage' Season One on DVD
There are only so many hours one can devote to television watching so a show has to garner some excellent buzz in order to get sampled in my household. I was initially tempted by TNT’s Leverage
There’s little original about the premise since it’s been heavily compared with the Oceans movie or television’s A-Team. The latter is more apt as is a comparison with Mission: Impossible without the federal angle. In fact, in watching Timothy Hutton’s Nate Ford, he really is a modern day George Peppard, blending his insurance investigator Banacek with his A-Team Hannibal Smith. Looking a little shaggier than Peppard, Hutton is a deeply flawed man and makes for an interesting series lead. He is struggling with his alcoholism at the same time as he copes with the grief of losing his son, denied insurance coverage for treatment by the firm he worked for. As a result, he comes to form a team of thieves who will now do good and pick up where the law leaves off.
The pilot episode cleverly introduces the quintet of characters while giving us the briefest of glimpses of why they were criminals and what drove them. Across the 13-episode first season, you watch them grow and bond with one another in unusual ways as each gains a family for the first time and they come to realize being good guys isn’t all that bad. Their cases are nicely varied and while the cons are a tad too slick and without true complications to be threatening, the show is engaging.
A series like this lives and dies by its cast and the ensemble put together shows a terrific eye from the production team led by co-creator (and former Blue Beetle writer) John Rogers and producer/director Dean Devlin. While Hutton is the most recognizable face, genre fans will welcome Gina Bellman (Jekyll) and Christian Kane (Angel) along with newer faces Beth Riesgraf (Alvin and the Chipmunks) and Aldis Hodge (Friday Night Lights). Across the episodes we learn interesting things about their characters, delighting in Hodge’s tech geek who uses Doctor Who actors as aliases and is One of Us. Kane’s brawler turns out to be an excellent chef and Bellman’s Sophie is a would-be actress but truly horrible on the stage.
The show has a slick look and in the hands of Devlin and fellow director Jonathan Frakes (who handled two shows) there’s a relaxed feel among the cast as they go up against crooked bankers, mobsters, senators and the like. Many of the stories have that ripped from the headlines feel, which keeps things feeling modern.
Guest stars enliven most episodes especially with the always welcome Mark A. Sheppard’s insurance company rival, who appeared in four shows and Kari Matchett (Studio 60) as Hutton’s ex-wife. Many other familiar faces turn up and are welcome.
The four disc set contains copious commentary throughout and a tremendous number of deleted scenes, many showcasing Hodge’s improvisational skills. Other featurettes include Leverage: Behind the Scenes, a nice look at the cast and crew; Anatomy of a Stunt Fight, a pretty standard feature with Kane; The Cameras of Leverage, a bizarre visual valentine; Leverage Gets Renewed, a fun peek as the cast learns the news; and, Beth Riesgraf’s Crazy Actress Spoof, which is amusing for the first half.
The series debuted its second season this past Wednesday and I have to say, it’s off to a strong start. There will be two sections, seven episodes now and another eight in the winter.
Tue Jul 21, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Dollhouse' Season One on DVD
There are television creators who are placed under the microscope every time they produce something new, hoping it will generate the same pop buzz and ratings success of their previous series. While a Jerry Bruckheimer can churn out cookie cutter series, the ones with more unique and distinctive voices tend to be more hit or miss. In Joss Whedon’s case, he followed Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel with Firefly. While a cult favorite, the series and its feature film incarnation failed to win the wide audience required to remain viable. As a result, all eyes were on him to see what his next trick would be and most were cautious given that the new series Dollhouse would appear on Fox, where a previous regime sabotaged Firefly through ineptness.
People cringed when the new show, featuring Whedon-alum Eliza Dushku, was given the dreaded Friday night at 9 slot but were also given fewer commercials allowing more show time allowing Whedon’s characters to come to life.
Dollhouse divided critics and fans and the ratings were iffy at best so the real surprise in May was that the show was renewed at all. Now, during the summer, about two months before the series returns, Fox is releasing a four-disc first season set on Tuesday. They provided the first three discs for review, reserving the fourth disc for consumers to discover on their own. That disc contains the unaired thirteenth episode that could well have been a coda to the series had it been canceled and shone the spotlight on Amy Acker’s Active, codenamed Whiskey. Here's a clip:
Mon Jul 20, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Watchmen Director's Cut' on Blu-ray
No one can fault Warner Bros. for not giving their best marketing effort to get people to come find out for themselves why the fans and the mass media have been falling over themselves to hail Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen
While the diehards attended more than once to sop up every nuance, the rest of America seemed not to care anywhere near as much. For those of us familiar with the language of comic books and graphic novels, we easily followed the movie while those less versed found it off-putting despite the brilliant 12-minute opening that set the stage. As a result, the film earned just $107,509,799 domestically and with additional $75,225,483 from international screens, it stands as a commercial disappointment.
As I said in my review last March, the film was not at all a creative disappointment. There are sharp performances, especially Jackie Earl Haley and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and while there are favorite characters missing or diminished, the movie does a solid job condensing the story. Still, it feels constrained and probably would have worked better as either two films or an extended premium cable miniseries (although that would have been prohibitively expensive to mount). Now we have additional footage in The Watchmen Director’s Cut being released tomorrow by Warner Home Video. It’s available in standard and Blu-ray editions, each packed with extras. Here's a sample:
Continue reading Review: 'Watchmen Director's Cut' on Blu-ray ›
Sun Jul 19, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Pushing Daisies' Season 2 on DVD
When Pushing Daisies
Somewhat retooled during the writers’ strike, ABC brought it back this past fall and by Christmas it was gone with three episodes unaired. Those finally got seen in June and now the entire second season is available as a four disc box set, being released Tuesday from Warner Home Video.
The second season continued to have the feeling of a fairy tale and maintained the basic tenants of the series from Jim Dale’s delightful narration to the everything is slightly over-the-top but you buy it visuals.
Still, the cast probably had a few regulars and recurring players too many and the storylines reflected that. We have Olive hiding as a nun, taking away from the core cast and concocting stories to bring the cast to her. Ned’s daddy issues continued to flare up along with the improbable introduction of half-brothers that only bloated the stories for a while. No sooner were they dispatched than we turned to Chuck’s daddy issues complete with Daddy’s resurrection. The best part of that was how he reacted and took advantage of the situation, causing fresh problems for Ned and Chuck. Coupled with Chuck’s story was her aunts and the arrival of Dwight, a recurring antagonist who got caught up with Vivian.
It felt messy and overdone, and for those trying to sample the show, it was probably dense and off-putting. For those of us who watched it regularly, we delighted in the bizarre cases, highlights including the honey-based cosmetics murder, the death of Colonel Likkin and the case of the dead window dresser.
Clearly, the writing was on the wall, allowing Bryan Fuller to try and tidy things up in the final three episodes. The penultimate story, which possibly had the best script of the season, allowed some closure to Emerson Cod’s search for his daughter, allowing the finale to wrap up Chuck’s issues with her Aunts, one of whom turned out to be her natural mother.
The core cast was nothing but superb from beginning to end. They played everything straight in a wacky world and each appeared as fully-fleshed out people with surprising quirks and hobbies (Emerson’s knitting for example). The chemistry between Lee Pace and Anna Friel helped the romantic fairy tale feel and they were more than ably supported by Kristen Chenoweth and Chi McBride. The guest cast was a nice blend of the familiar and the less familiar but everyone played their parts larger than life, adding to the unreal feel of the series.
The 13 episodes are complemented by four short featurettes: The Master Pie Maker which was heavy on clips and not enough interview material with the cast about the show overall; From Over to Table, which focused on bringing the scripts to life that could have benefitted with a little more on the props and set design; Secret Sweet Ingredients, a strong piece on the wonderful music from composer Jim Dooley; and, Add a Little Magic, which was a brief look at the visual effects. They, like the pie Ned served, were sweet morsels leaving you wanting more.
Much like the series, this may be gone from television but will live on as a maxiseries from WildStorm. For now, though, the second season comes recommended.
Sun Jul 5, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Peanuts 1960's Collection' DVD
I’ll be honest and tell you that I am in the minority who felt that Peanuts stopped being funny after 1972 and should have been retired long before Charles M. Schulz’s death. All its charm and whimsy had been drained out of it as witnessed by the 1970s material that has been reprinted since his passing. The world had changed and their innocent worldview ceased to feel at all relevant. But once Schulz found his characters and voice, the strip was brilliant for quite some time.
By 1965, Charles Schulz’s Peanuts had grown to become one of the most popular comic strips launched since the end of World War II if not the 20th Century. It made perfect sense that the characters would eventually find their way onto television. They were first licensed for use as pitchmen for Ford in 1961 and appeared in black and white commercials animated by Bill Meléndez. When Lee Mendelson tried to make a documentary on Schulz in 1963, he hired Meléndez to create a short segment while hiring Vince Guaraldi for the score. The proposed show never sold but sowed the seeds for what came soon after.
As we know today, that first holiday special, was something unique and heartwarming from Guaraldi’s amazing score to the characters being funny and poignant. While the holiday-themed specials have become television perennials, several of the others have not achieved the same attention.
That oversight is rectified in the Peanuts 1960's Collection
Sat Jul 4, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Erotic Comics: A Graphic History Vol. 2'
Celebrate the 4th with the 1st Amendment!
There is sharp divide between erotica and pornography in any media, including comic books. To help draw attention to the former while casting a jaundiced eye at the latter, Britain’s Tim Pilcher has produced two strong volumes entitled Erotic Comics: A Graphic History
Pilcher breaks down the book into five sections -- Porn in the USA, Gay and Lesbian Comix, European Erotique, Tits and Tentacles: The Japanese Experience, and Online Comics Eroticism – devoting a spread or two to specific creators or titles. As a result, we see the familiar such as Dave Stevens and Frank Thorne to those deserving of more attention in the states, such as Italy’s Giovanna Casotto, who provided the stunning cover artwork.
He does a good job quickly sketching in biographical details and telling you about the works that make them worthy of inclusion. Each section works in its own chronological order and oddly, the USA section covers the Comics Code, something better left to the previous volume, and largely ignores most mainstream efforts at erotica. Most disappointing was that Vaughn Bode and Phil Foglio were left out since both produced some of the most imaginative and clever erotic comics during their careers. The book relishes the controversies stirred up by someone as mainstream as Howard Chaykin producing Black Kiss, or Barry Blair’s descent into porn comics in order to make a living.
Continue reading Review: 'Erotic Comics: A Graphic History Vol. 2' ›
Mon Jun 22, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Inkheart' on DVD
After its success with The Lord of the Rings, New Line wisely began scouring the bookshelves for other properties that could feed the appetite of a growing public to whom fantasy was no longer reserved for the geeks. They snatched up several including Cornelia Funke’s German novel, which first saw print in fall 2003. Inkheart
New Line grabbed the rights and shot the film in fairly quick order but the hoped for December 2007 release got delayed and then the Writers’ Strike forced them to juggle their schedule and then Warner Bros. gobbled up New Line and before you knew it, Inkheart was quietly released in January. And here we are in June with an equally quiet video release, coming Tuesday.
Inkheart was the name of a fantasy book that Mortimer (Brendan Fraser) read one night to his young daughter Meggie. When its characters came to life, his life was changed as his loving wife Resa (Sienna Guillory) vanished at the same time, trapped in the book. Mo never read aloud again and began a quest for a new copy of the book to free his wife. However, Capricorn (Andy Serkis), leader of the foul beings that came through, fled and established a castle in Italy and built up a powerbase, not at all desiring to go home. In fact, the only one who desired a return to print was Dustfinger (Paul Bettany), a fire performer who missed his wife. For years, Mo sought the rare book, only to have copies vanish from under him as Capricorn also sought the out-of-print tome to destroy.
Now, Meggie (Eliza Bennett) was 12 and Mo finally found a new copy at the same time as Capricorn’s goons. Meggie finally begins to learn the secret her father had been harboring and gets caught up in Capricorn’s machinations to seal his place on Earth.
The movie has tremendous potential for wonderment in addition to a rich relationship between father and daughter. There’s time for moody tension and opportunity for nice character bits and humor. Instead, we get a mashed up film where none of that potential is achieved. There’s little subtlety to the performances, save Bettany, and the story begs for better treatment. Instead, David Lindsay-Abaire’s screenplay misses every opportunity to rise up and be wonderful (and what’s scary for ComicMix readers is that he’s attached to Spider-Man 4). Director Iain Softley robs the film of its magic, delivering everything with the same tone and feel rather than using a full palette.
The Aunt, played by Helen Mirren who must have grandchildren, really has nothing to do and is more of an annoyance than participant. Jim Broadbent is wasted as the novel’s author although he has a sympathetic and briefly sketched character arc.
Watching it, I kept wondering why Mo didn’t just read a Superman comic or a strategically chosen book and bring with him an army to stop Capricorn’s evil plot? Never addressed. And then we get the climax which had the look and feel of the final scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark, spoiling a chance to redeem the film.
To see what the film could have been the one and only extra on the DVD is a lovely bit with Bennett reading from a chapter of the novel, a scene not included in the film.
Sat Jun 20, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Lost' Seasons 1 & 2 on Blu-ray
ABC’s Lloyd Berman had a nifty idea: turn Survivor into a drama. He handed the notion off to producer J.J. Abrams, who at the time was riding the critical wave of success with the network’s Alias. Abrams, in turn, sat with Damon Lindeolf and Carleton Cuse and they brainstormed a concept and characters. From there, they shot an expensive, moody, intriguing pilot that got everyone’s attention. And suddenly, Wednesday nights were appointment television evening as everyone wanted to watch Lost and dissect it the following morning.
In the hands of these three, they took a high concept and turned it into one of the most layered and nuanced television programs ever attempted that demanded the audience pay attention. Not just to the dialogue or performances, but the little details in the backgrounds. Was that really Hurley winning the lottery being broadcast on Korean television? By concentrating on the show, by demanding our attention, the producers delivered with surprise after surprise, twists and turns that you couldn’t possibly see coming.
They hired an ensemble and told them all they were expendable. And wisely, they used flashbacks to make us care about these unfortunate survivors. We learned about them, and their odd connections with one another, while propelling the storylines forward as the island itself came to life. Before that first season ended, it became clear the island was going to be as important a character as Jack or Claire or Charlie or Locke. Nothing may have surprised as much as learning that Locke was wheelchair bound before the crash. The island was magical in some way.
And the names. The names demanded attention to find their sources and understand what that also told us about the characters. There was nothing like it and we were enchanted.
Sat Jun 13, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'The Complete Steve Canyon on TV' Vol. 2
The second volume of The Complete Steve Canyon on TV is just out and there are 12 more episodes from the one season series based on Milton Caniff’s wonderful comic strip. As with volume one, no one other than Canyon appears from the strip and there’s precious little in recurring characters on the show.
This is a perfect example of 1950s television when the star was role model perfect and merely there to propel stories along. We learn nothing about Canyon, who has a wide network of friends and acquaintances from coast to coast. While based at Big Thunder, his adventures take him far and wide as he helps those in need or is caught up in problems that just happen to occur.
Clearly, the highlight of the two-disc set is the Christmas episode written by Ray Bradbury. On the one hand, it’s a typical holiday television story and on the other, it has a spiritual and emotional depth missing from so many seasonal tales. Not only that, unlike so many Canyon episodes it tugs at your emotions as Canyon ferries a group of Hungarian refugee children to a German base where local families will host them for the holiday. Canyon has to figure out why one girl finds no joy in the holiday and his solution is a nice, universal one.
On the other hand, some of the histrionics in other episodes stagger those of us raised on more nuanced acting. “The Search” has a hammy Jeanette Nolan as a panicked wife begging Canyon and the Air Force to locate her missing, well-connected husband. She chews the scenery, wailing beyond human reason for most of the 30 minutes.
The remaining stories range from illness overseas to a damaged landing wheel. The final episode, “Strike Force” starts off well with a tension missing from most of the other stories but then becomes tedious as Canyon commands a three-part strike team on a Cold War exercise over the Atlantic. We’re told how difficult the coordination will be and how tough it is on the pilots for flying 10-12 hours each to be precisely in position on time but everything goes perfectly with no twists, surprises or reason to worry. The episode did make great use of archival footage.
Another pleasure in watching these shows is to see guest stars we know from their later works. Leonard Nimoy has a fairly thankless role in one while Gavin McLeod and Jack Weston get the have some fun with more substantive roles in a different story. The final episode, “Strike Force” has a blink-and-you-miss appearance by Mary Tyler Moore.
The episodes are crisply restored, most complete with commercials from the era with audio commentary from some o the guest performers and historians. This is definitely worth a look for those who love the character or old-time television.
Thu Jun 11, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Bayou' Volume One
One of the first questions posed regarding digital comics is just how you make any money from a strip available for free. The usual answer is that the strip, if it’s any good, will find an audience who will then happily pay for a print compilation. That seems to be the model for DC Comics’ Zuda Comics as they released Bayou
Zuda has been a nice place to find some new talent or see familiar talent try new things. The interface is fairly dreadful but the content is a nice mixed bag, veering just a little too much on the traditional genres of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Few, though, use the genre as a jumping off point with the same affection and craft as Love’s feature. He called it "a southern fried odyssey", set in 1933 Mississippi when the races were segregated. Two little girls, one white and one black, play as equals despite their parents’ views. When the white girl goes missing, Lee’s father is arrested for the crime and so begins the girl’s adventure.
Working with 1-4 panels per page (or screen), Love leisurely introduces us to the world of the Deep South and its players. Wisely, they are products of their time but not stereotypes or clichés. His simple art and lush color are wonders I these days of scritchy line art and oversaturated pages. Love knows how to tell a story from pacing to dialogue to art and color. No wonder the strip was lauded last month at the Glyph Comics Awards taking home five awards, including Best Writer, Best Artist and Story of the Year, Best Comic Strip, and his lead character, Lee Wagstaff, was declared Best Female Character.
The problem with the collection, though, is that at 160 pages we get only part of the story. Nothing is resolved and everything is left dangling, forcing you to wait for a second volume or more before we find out who these creatures living in the Bayou are and will Lee be fast enough to save her daddy from a lynching he does not deserve.
The book also lacks any sort of introductory material about the strip, Zuda or Love. All we get are a few sketches at the back to show the development, but even those pages are lacking context.
Bayou in print is a wonder to behold and comes recommended but be careful. Love’s work and the world he created are addictive and you will be left wanting much more.
Tue Jun 9, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Nobel Son' on DVD
Every now and then you see a movie advertised as coming to video and you scratch your head wondering why you’ve never heard of it. Nobel Son, which opened December 8 and is available on DVD today, is just such a case. The film stars Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Eliza Dushku, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Pullman, Ted Danson and Danny Devito. Pretty nifty cast.Now, check out the official synopsis: On the eve of Barkley Michaelson's father receiving the Nobel Prize, Barkley is kidnapped and the requested ransom is the $2,000,000 in Nobel Prize money. When his father refuses to pay it starts a venomous tale of familial dysfunction, lust, betrayal and ultimately revenge.
Sounds like it should be a pretty cool thriller. And yet. And yet the film lasted a mere three weeks during the holiday season and earned a meager $540,382 at the box office. As we’ve discussed previously, the timing for serious dramas was off this holiday season, a factor no one could anticipate or program around. Instead, films opened and the studios hoped for the best.
This film probably deserved a better audience, but it also deserved a sharper script. Randall Miller and his wife Jody Savin co-wrote the script which Miller directed and the story has flash-forwards and flashbacks, and weaves one scheme after another. However, by the time you get to the last scene, you’ve seen everyone scheme, everyone outsmart the next guy and it got too convoluted and clever for its own good.
One of the film’s failings has to be that they don’t round out any of the characters. You have the good son, the son-of-a-bitch father, the pretty and smart wife, the psycho girl, the dogged detective and little else. Admittedly, there are a few surprising character turns by the end, but there’s little to set these up and some feel tacked on or coming from left field. Instead, we needed to really care about one or two of the characters and keep things from being twisty and turny for its own sake.
A psychological thriller needs clear patches so the twists come as a surprise. Here, it’s all surprise and you wonder. Danny Devito’s OCD tenant in the home owned by Rickman and Steenburgen is a perfect example. He shows up, helps move the story along then his arc is dramatically closed but you wonder why he’s there at all. Similarly, Ted Danson plays Rickman’s Dean and has absolutely nothing to do in the film. Rickman plays a wonderful pompous ass but you have no clue why he’s married to Steenburgen, who is underutilized. Dushku plays a variation on her usual character and plays nicely off both Hatosy and Greenberg.
There’s a great story here, one that could have made for a real enjoyable experience but the writer didn’t service the director and the director didn’t visually add anything to help the writer. Being the same person, Miller failed his own film.
The movie comes with a bare bones assortment of features including three deleted scenes, one of which is an alternate ending that doesn’t change much. The Making Of featurette is lackluster and self-congratulatory.
Tue Jun 2, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Review: 'Defiance' on DVD
James Bond meets Robin Hood meets the Nazis...?
We here at ComicMix write about heroes all the time. They tend to be muscle-bound, wear spandex and appear in the fevered imaginations of writers and artists. In the real world, people are given the title hero when they are bystanders, victims, or their feats are fairly ordinary. As a result, the term has been somewhat watered down and in need of rehabilitation.
The process could have begun last winter when two movies about World War II were released, featuring very different kinds of heroes. Neither Valkyrie nor Defiance
Defiance visited a different side of the war, that of the victims, the Jews who rose above their adversity and defied by Nazis by surviving, led by three amazing brothers. Bother films suffered because by the time they were made and released, the country’s mood was too dour to pay attention to serious dramas or care about dated acts of heroism.
Today, though, Defiance comes out on disc and worth a look. Again, an incredible story from the war has been uncovered and brought to the screen. Edward Zwick first began writing this story in 1999, based on Nechama Tec's Defiance: The Bielski Partisans, and finally managed to shoot the story in 2007, starring Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, and Jamie Bell as the brothers Bielski. They were your lower class workers in Belarus when the Germans began killing the Jews. To survive, they fled into the forest where they played as boys. Fairly quickly, the scattered refugees in the forest coalesced around these three, who took on the responsibility of caring for them, and more importantly, organizing them to survive the impending winter.
While the film focused entirely on that first formative year, it should be noted they survived in the forest for three years, with over 1200 walking to freedom when the war ended. The brothers had their differences, with Tuvia (Craig) and Zus (Schreiber) arguing over what to do and Zus eventually leaving to serve with the Russians for a time. But we see how these “street smart” people came to lead a motley crew of intellectuals, peasants, upper class, and just plain folk who needed guidance. We watched as news reached them of now-dead loved ones, including Tuvia and Zus’ wives. In time, people took Forest Wives and Husbands, seeking comfort where they could.
Zwick is no stranger to historical tales (Glory), and brings the same attention to detail and character here. Not only do the brothers evolve over the course of the story, but we watch all the bit players adapt, change, and grow; filling the screen with a sense of life that Bryan Singer’s Valkyrie was devoid of. The movie is not entirely faithful to history as combat sequences including the climax were added for “Hollywood” concerns but their struggles, especially the harsh winter, ring true.
The film is backed by several special features. The 30 minute Making Of shows the attention to the little things extended to the weapons, costumes, and makeup – all well displayed. Zwick took portraits of some of those who survived and we’re treated to a nice black and white gallery. Children of the Otriad: The Families Speak, though, is the highlight, as the children and grandchildren of the Bielskis talk of their fathers and what they were like after the war. Whereas Asael (Bell) died soon after these events, the two remaining brothers survived and worked side-by-side in the trucking industry here in America for 30 years. We see them as older men in bar mitzvah footage, and it’s hard to see these elders as war heroes but there they were and while Zus still had a spark of life, Tuvia carried a gravity about him. Lilka (Alexa Davalos), the woman who came to marry Tuvia after meeting in the forest, never seems happy in the footage. Her children spoke of her inability to fully enjoy anything, another price exacted by World War II.
