Philippine Asian News Today Vol 18 No 20 | Page 32
B8
MOVIE REVIEWS
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY October 16 - 31,, 2016
By Alan Samuel
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (PG) ***
Backfire!
It’s one man taking on
the military establishment in
Jack Reacher:: Never Go Back .
Reach for your wallet and go to
any Cineplex complex on your
own or with a friend to take in
this action feast anywhere in
B.C,
With a local connection this Paramount Pictures is
the second in The Jack Reacher
Arsenal based in the million dollar book selling sensations. Back
for more mayhem is Tom Cruise
in the title role. Somewhat if a
loner this ex-military Dynamo
has a habit of meting out justice in his own - as he seems fit.
This time Reacher has plenty of
opportunity to do his thing as a
friend in the military gets jailed
on espionage charges.
Reacher’s once upon
a time commanding officer is
played with equal relish and conviction by Vancouver born Cobie
Smulders. This woman can
go toe to toe with Cru ise and
is equally effective in the macho area. Together they make
quite the pair. Besides dodging what looks like the whole
weight of the American military
aligned against them there is
also a family issue which adds
a further twist On This engaging
drama which has rot at the top
in abundance.
Deprecated pacing
and meaningful performances
throughout is action drama has
some very clever dialogue and
enough surprises to engage audiences. If you like action and
enjoyed the first Reacher outing
you will enjoy the second. Being
a global superstar is not easy.
To. cruise fits the bill here and
does not disappoint!
Mean Dreams (PG) ***
Wild Oats!
Beware new things. Out in
the country a young boy comes
of age in a hurry in Mean Dreams.
Fresh from a rousing debut at
The Vancouver International film
Festival this heavyweight drama
from Elevation Pictures is now
making waves at select Cineplex
Odeon theatres around B.C.
Farm hand Jonas
Ford leads a rather sheltered
life on a remote farm run by
an aloof dad and dysfunctional
mother. Showing star qualities
in the making as a young Matt
Damon/Leonardo
DiCaprio
lookalike is Josh Wiggins. Good
rural qualities come in handy as
Josh befriends new neighbour
Casey Caraway, much to her
authoritarian father’s chagrin.
That more worldly presence
and outlook on life exhibited
by Sophie Celisse provides the
perfect counter to Jonas.
Heroes come in all
shapes and sizes. But when
Jonas decides to go against
Casey’s hard living dad officer
Wayne it sets off a chain of
events few could predict. Get
prepared for a barn burner of a
movie as Bill Paxton sets back
good parenting for centuries
thanks to his brutal portrayal of
a know-it-all guardian(?).
Disturbing
beyond belief Mean Dreams
is a troubling tale of young
love, parental interference
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and a fight to survive. Full of
surprises the atmosphere here
is well preserved with buoyant
performances reeling you in.
And Colm Feore also plays a
hand in Giving the law a bad
name.