Point Break

"The only law that matters is gravity."

Apparently this is true, seeing as the law of film making drifted slowly and painfully out of the window. Let me start by saying, I have never seen the original Point Break. Yes, I know, smack my wrists. So this review will be from a perspective that doesn't take the original into account.

When Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey), an extreme sports hero, joins the fBI, the perfect case falls at his feet. A group of high octane daredevils committing crimes for the gain of others. The group is lead by Bohdi (Èdgar Ramìrez) and actually delivers his performance very well. Bohdi pursues the "Osaki Eight" which is eight extremes of various sports that "honour the forces of nature" and Utah has to prove himself to become part of the crew and stop the next crime. Ray Winstone made an appearance as Pappas, but isn't really worth talking about. He did make an exceptional chauffeur though.

I'm not one for giving too much story away, but I'm in luck because there was probably less story than there were credits. It's predictable plot turns and poor delivery allow you to drop focus and emotion for the characters. So when they are risking their lives, there's no attachment to them, losing any thrill.

So the film was saved by the stunt scenes? You'd think... unfortunately only a few were worth not blinking for. I was hoping this film would play out like a long Red Bull commercial, but there were a few scenes spoiled by poor CGI. This was only enhanced in 3D. The first surfing scene, the mounting climbing and the opening scene, all very thrilling. Great camera work, powerful settings and real life feel. The rest felt more distant. When the CGI looks like CGI, it takes the edge off of the moment. Nothing more so than the poor ending. Two guys on a stormy ocean, with 100ft waves, yet stand perfectly still to have a chat. Didn't feel very extreme.

I'm not really harsh on films, always trying to find the good in them. This had its moments with some very brave stunts. But I don't think you can drop story for a moment. It's essential to capture your audience. It's quickly forgettable, and that's such a shame for a film that was set up to be everything a good film should be.

Guess I'd better buy the original to see where Ericson Core went wrong.

The Revenant

The Revenant is a beautiful piece of work, with scenery that will dwarf you and make you feel completely insignificant on this planet.

As the film opens, you can see it's going to be a thing of natural beauty and raw imagery. With filming being done across three countries (Canada, United States and Argentina) there was many opportunities for stunning backdrops.

The camera pans up along running water as it glides down through the forest and ripples around the feet of the gun welding Americans. It's just stunning from that moment up until the final credits.

Straight away the whole audience is brought into battle. The huge open space it takes place in is captured so incredibly well by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and you get the sense of helplessness from the Americans as they try to flee.

But then later on in the film, Alejandro has no problems changing the situation and making everything feel like the characters are cornered by their foes. The scene with the bear attack is just hypnotising as you watch poor Glass (Leo DiCaprio) get thrown around like a piece of turf, and you feel all lose of hope. It's undoubtedly well directed.

Hugh Glass (Leo DiCaprio) and Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) are the main stars of the Revenant, and deliver as always. Leo had a hard part to play. I don't know how many of you know what the definition of Revenant is, but I'll give it to you, as it helps explain the film:

"Revenant: A person who has returned, especially supposedly from the dead."

And that's exactly what Hugh Glass goes through. Pushed to the edge of life and brought back again for revenge against Fitzgerald (keeping spoilers to a minimum). Does he pull it off? Absolutely. Is it his best performance? Maybe not, in my opinion. I'm not sure why I think this, but when you look back on his career, there's just better roles that jump to mind. Tom Hardy brings his hard man role. He's perfect for it, however you may struggle to understand his dialect at the start of the film. It's very... mumbled. Like a Rocky film...

The main thing you get from this film is the hardship all of the actors (and crew) must have gone through to bring you a final product. From something small like placing their hands into a freezing cold river, all the way up to climbing into dead a carcass. Poor Leo, he'll do anything for that Oscar. If you appreciate anything, it's that this must have been a killer to shoot.

This all adds to the survival element. The iced water, the minimal gear they carry around, the confrontation between characters, there's no time for them to relax. The Revenant is a gore-fest. If you're a little squeamish then there will be several moments where you'll be watching through your fingers. There's a point when Glass drinks from a stream, and the water runs out of his throat from an injury caused by the bear attack. It does add a certain realism to the film that I wouldn't have had any other way.

The Revenant is a thing of beauty. But it can be a little slow. The fast paced pieces are thrilling. But there seems to be very little build up to them. The main storyline of Glass getting his revenge on Fitzgerald manages to keep you gripped till the end, but the other scenes seem to fall short of suspense. They're also being hunted down by a Native American tribe, the Arikara, which you tend to forget about. This should be a big part of the tension, yet it seems to slip into the background.

These are minor issues though, as the film looks like it should be narrated by David Attenborough on the big screen. It's well directed, with long cuts (like Birdman) and real backdrops, with zero greenscreen. Great actors and a story of revenge. All these things make for a movie experience that will draw you in, and make you root for Leo! And I don't mean rooting for him to get Oscar...