Astro Boy

Astro Boy has been around for decades. The series started off as a black and white cartoon and has had many different incarnations over the years. I was excited to hear Astro Boy was being made into a CGI movie.  I never got the opportunity to watch it until now.

The movie gives background on the character that I never knew before. Astro Boy comes from a floating island in the sky of technological automated wonders called Metro City. The human inhabitants are serviced by robotic helpers that do every conceivable chore. The creator of Astro Boy, Dr. Tenma (voiced by Nicolas Cage) whose son Toby is vaporized by a run-away "Peacekeeper" robot, decides to create a robot duplicate to replace him. 

He created the robot so that he would be powerful enough to prevent harm from ever befalling him again. This includes outfitting him with rocket boots and arms that transform into powerful blaster cannons. Dr. Tenma successfully brings "Toby" back to life, infused with all the memories of his late son. 

The robot "Toby" even bears a striking resemblance to his deceased son. Tenma bonds with the robot and schools him from home. Everything seems wonderful for a time until Tenma realizes that this robot is not his son--but merely a machine--and rejects him.  

Blaster cannons activated

Tunneling thru the ground was trademark tactic in the cartoon.

After being hunted down so he can be deactivated, Toby ends up getting blown off the floating island and wakes up in scrap heap of robot parts on the surface below. The surface has become a wasteland of refuse cast off from the island above.  There is a civilization of humans and robots existing under less hospitable conditions on the surface as well. It is here that Toby gets the name Astro as he continues his search for acceptance. 

Astro on the surface pretending not to be a robot.

Flying high above Metro City

The voice cast also includes notable actors such as, Kristen Bell, Charlize Theron, Samuel L. Jackson, Nathan Lane, Freddie Highmore and Donald Sutherland.

Astro Boy vs. Peacekeeper

The special effects, the CGI and the battles are nothing short of amazing. Especially the final battle at the end between Astro Boy and the gigantic "Peacekeeper" robot. 

Where the movie falters is its depiction of Astro Boy. To satisfy the delicate sensibilities of the American audience, they decided to give Astro Boy a full set of clothes.  Normally he appears in just a pair of speedos.

Astro Boy from the cartoon series.

Seriously, its just a robot. There's no need for modesty. Fortunately at the end, we get to see Astro Boy in his true form. I think its a great movie for younger audiences but probably not as captivating for an older one. Personally I'd like to have seen a lot more action, but for an origin movie it wasn't bad. For taking me back to my childhood and the spectacular effects, I'll give Astro Boy 3.5 fingers out of 5.

Skyline

Skyline is a theatrical release about a horrific alien invasion in which mankind has utterly no hope of surviving. The trailers seemed spectacular and the special effects top notch with plumes of blue energy plummeting to the Earth heralding the invasion. Then reality sets in.

 

 
I was fortunate to see Skyline at no cost because I don't think the movie is worth paying for. I'm with the reviewers that saw Skyline and thought it should have been a Syfy Channel Original Movie. Yes, the special-effects are better than what you'd see in a made-for-TV production, but the story is exactly what I'd expect from one.

This can't be happening!

Skyline uses a storytelling technique that is a strong indication of a weak story and one that I personally dislike. It starts out in the midst of the alien invasion and then several minutes into the gripping beginning we get a sub-title that says 15 Hours Earlier! (The TV series The Event suddenly came to mind). I suppose its an attempt to help the audience connect with the characters, but at that point, in my opinion, the movie really isn't worth watching. 

Sadly, Skyline features a cast of TV actors which solidifies the argument this should have been a made-for-TV movie. The characters aren't the least bit interesting or even worth delving into their backgrounds which thankfully we're not given much of.

The film stars Eric Balfour (Haven, 24 and Six Feet Under) as Jarrod, Donald Faison (Scrubs) as Terry, Scottie Thompson (Trauma) as Elaine and Brittany Daniel (Kelly Pitts from The Game) as Candice. I want to single out Brittany Daniel's character for a moment. No offense Brittany. I love you as an actress but we really need to see more range. The character of Candice was no different from the character she plays on The Game. A woman who gets by on her gorgeous looks to land a man with money and then the relationship goes sour. They might as well have called her Kelly.

Kelly Pitts, is that you?

I haven't had to do this in a while, but why is this black man in this film?

This "brainless" (and I do mean that literally) affair gets even more bizarre when half of the city is laid waste by the alien invaders and hundreds of people are seen being sucked up into the giant mother ship. Yet, during all this mayhem, the building the main characters inhabit, still has electricity, running water and elevator service. It seemed almost an after-thought that the electricity and water was finally cut off near the conclusion of the film. 

Skyline instills a sliver of hope with a preemptive Air Force strike that appears to destroy the mother ship, only to have it resurrect itself minutes later. The aliens are depicted as a mix of insectoid, squid-like creatures (I was reminded of Starship Troopers) and machine. To make the storyline even more absurd, there is another unwelcome plot twist at work where Jarrod becomes some sort of alien-hybrid with super powers.

Don't look into the light!

If you're looking for an alien invasion movie there are much better ones out there, such as Cloverfield (if you can stand the hand-held camera perspective). This one just doesn't make the grade.  Out of 5 fingers I'm giving Skyline 1.5.

Tron Legacy

Tron Legacy is an amazing sequel to the original film filled with dazzling technological special effects and jaw dropping action sequences. Although the movie starts out in 1989, it is important to note that original Tron was released in 1982. Out of all the high tech action and pyrotechnic displays, perhaps the most notable and incredible special effect, is the ability to make Jeff Bridges look the same age he was when the original movie came out. 

Jeff Bridges as the ageless Clu

In fact, the movie goes out of its way to recapture the look and feel of the 1980s with low-res faded flashbacks, a booming techno music score and some 80s lingo. It has been many, many years since I saw the original Tron and the sequel does its best through a series of flashbacks to fill in all the gaps. 

Jeff Bridges as the aged Kevin Flynn

In addition to Jeff Bridges as both a young (Clu) and older version (Kevin Flynn), Tron Legacy also stars Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn, Olivia Wilde (the enigmatic 13 from House M.D. who up and disappeared off the show. It's good to see what she's been up to.) as Quorra and Bruce Boxleitner (Babylon 5) reprising his role as Alan Bradley / Tron. 

Olivia Wilde as Quorra

For 21 years, Kevin Flynn has been trapped in a digital universe, unable to return home due to his own creation, Clu. He left behind his young son Sam who for years thought he had been abandoned. Now in his mid-20s and a lone rebel who refuses to take up his father's mantle, he balks at the idea to take control of the Encom empire his father left behind. Sam's mentor and surrogate father figure Alan Bradley comes to his apartment with a message that he received a page from a number at his father's old arcade. It here that Sam discovers a secret lab hidden beneath the arcade.  Unexpectedly digitized by initiating a series of commands on his father computer, he ends up in the digital world where the adventure begins. 

Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn

Although there are some slow moments in the movie when the action hits pause and teters on the brink of boredom, for the most part, Tron Legacy is a roller coaster ride. It is especially fulfilling at the end when the elder Flynn shows the true extent of his abilities. What was missing for me was having Sam Flynn be some sort of prodigy where he could manipulate the digital world like his father and perhaps surpass him in that regard. At best he was able to pull off death-defying stunts based on his own misadventures on Earth.  

The Light Cycle match with contemporary CGI tech was astounding.  I marveled at the liquid-like crystalline aspect of the digital life forms. I left the theater thoroughly entertained and I definitely recommend Tron Legacy. Out of 5 fingers I give it 4.5.

Universal Soldier: Regeneration

The original Universal Soldier is back in this straight to DVD release. I found Universal Soldier: Regeneration to be a sleeper movie loaded with brain-blowing out action, devastating gun-fights, ear-splitting explosions, and inhuman hand-to-hand combat. Taking place years after the original movie, Jean-Claude Van Damme reprises his role as Luc Deveraux. An aged and seemingly impotent, decommissioned "Uni-Sol" who's undergone years of therapy and drug treatments, to get him back in touch with his "feelings" so he can live a normal life.

Unfortunately, nothing ever goes as planned. Enter a terrorist group with their own next-generation Uni-Sol, named NGU (Andrei Arlovski). Which is short for (you guessed it) Next Generation Uni-sol. They threaten the world with nuclear catastrophe by seizing a crippled Chernobyl nuclear reactor and plan to unleash a lethal ravaging radioactive cloud. To thicken the plot, they also kidnap the Russian prime minister's son and daughter and hold them hostage. 

Before: Woe is me.

After: Who do I kill?

The only hope is to reactivate Luc Deveraux. Fortunately his original programming was so deep and ingrained that it doesn't take long to bring him back to his former fearsome self. Infused with all manner of drugs and injections, he is rearmed and reprogrammed. 

Andrew Scott

NGU

Deveraux must not only take on his old nemesis Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren) from the original Universal Soldier but also NGU. The thing that really stands out in this film is the music score when the fighting takes place. African drums rise to an inevitable crescendo heightening the action in an adrenaline pumping way.

Someone is about to die.

My recollection of the original Universal Soldier is a bit hazy, but this movie stands on it's own without having to go back to the 1992 movie to refresh your memory. Universal Soldier: Regeneration isn't a low-budget offering. The film was released theatrically in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, but not in the United States, which it should have been. As an action movie that delivers, I'm giving Universal Soldier: Regeneration 4 out of 5 fingers.