With it coming out the time of year it did no one knew exactly what they were getting when buying a ticket to
Seventh Son. Even after only reviewing films legitimately for a couple of years it has become something of a tradition to walk into a sci-fi/fantasy film in February that has for one reason or another experienced production issues and been delayed and this year was no different as
Seventh Son clearly continued the unwanted trend that the likes of
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and
I, Frankenstein made customary. A perfectly average fantasy film within the constraints of the fantasy genre,
Seventh Son suffers only from being rather boring in spots with not enough narrative umph to push it towards what feels like the obligatory two-hour mark. It is a movie you know and recognize before it even begins and once it does you recognize every beat because it has seemingly pulled something from every other movie of the same vein. The music is reminiscent of any Hans Zimmer score you've heard over the past few years or any of its multiple imitators after
The Dark Knight and it feels like they took the backlot of any number of films set in medieval times and re-used it with no updates or customizations. The stars, Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore, do what they can without any kind of character development and Bridges, more than anyone else, seems to have taken this on more for a paycheck while delivering a performance so ridiculous he seemed to be testing the limits of just how far his credentials might get him. It is both hilarious at times and incomprehensible at others. I couldn't tell whether or not the pedigreed actor was really trying to develop an original character, but by the time he's fighting his third CG monster I imagined any kind of effort that might have been sparked from reading the formulaic script was all but dead and he was just having some fun. I can't really defend the film and there's no reason to. I had a fine enough time and it aligned with the expectations you can't help but have for such a film. No more. No less. Full review
here.
D
The Loft was quietly released at the end of January and generally received horrible reviews. Strangely enough, I have a desire to see this film and find out if it's actually as bad as I've heard or if there is a reason the talent it acquired was attracted to a script that fell through in production. I'll be sure to give it a rent soon.
Another flick that received a rather minimal release, but that I was rather intrigued by was
Cut Bank. It is officially available to own on DVD & Blu-Ray today after receiving a limited theatrical run and VOD release earlier this year. Looking similar to last years
Cold In July, this southern pulp thriller has an able cast and an interesting enough premise that I will add it to my rent list as well.
And finally this week,
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus is another Spike Lee joint I missed that looks to be in the same vein as 2012's
Red Hook Summer and generally have no interest in visiting. If you are a fan of Lee though, here's your chance to add his latest to your collection.
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