Tag: Family

Harry Brown (2009) Film Review

Rating 18
Length 1h43
Release 11.11.2009 (In the US)
Director Daniel Barber
About Harry Brown, a retired Royal Marine, leads a lonely life with his only friend, Leonard Attwell. His life changes when Leonard is killed, following which Harry decides to seek revenge.
Moon: Full moon as the film enters the final act
Where to Watch: Disney+ and UKTV Play
Trigger Warnings: Gang violence, drug use, rape, debilitating illness
Trailer:

The Good

The cast and the acting is on form. Without Michael Cain and Emily Mortimer, this may not have had the impact it did. There’s an immediate attachment to Harry and what becomes his mission of retribution.

The story, while simple enough, holds enough back to give an impressive and surprising final act. It also doesn’t conform to the usual tropes and arcs; giving the narrative a more grounded and real-world feel.

I certainly got the impression this was green-lit on the back of the successful Taken. Harry Brown is an a-typical archetype similar to Bryan Mills. Making the character older, and a veteran has a developed understanding for most audiences and could put people we know into a new perspective.

The Bad

I felt as if the perspective of the Police Force could have been developed a little bit more. Yes, we get the idea that there’s politics and optics at play but I would have a little more than lip service to truly feel the impact of Frampton’s transfer come the final act.

The Ugly

The violence and drugs make this a tough watch. Don’t get me wrong, they need to be there and it’s that necessity which makes it all the worse. The culture that is grown within the community is one of shocking desensitisation and unfortunately, it is all too real. Not only that, the gang members never take responsibility for their actions and its a bitter pill to swallow.

There’s significant trigger warnings for this film, but I must expand upon the traumatic rape represented in one scene. Not only is the act filmed and being watched on repeat by the gang, the woman is drugged into unconsciousness and from my perspective it could be misconstrued as a snuff film. It is horrific, it will be triggering for survivors and the most chilling of all is that I cannot say with any conviction that it was unnecessary.

Final Thoughts

A powerful, all too truthful, watch. You won’t be viewing it for entertainment purposes, but this film takes everything of the vigilante comic book hero franchises and addresses it in a real world setting with an added layer of commentary about different generations and what they fight for.

Flora & Ulysses (2021)

Rating PG
Length 1h 35
Release 19.2.2021
Director Lena Khan
About Flora, a 10-year-old girl with an imaginative mind, rescues a squirrel and names him Ulysses. She soon discovers that Ulysses is blessed with superpowers which help them embark on various adventures.

The Good

  • This is a heart-warming story about family and superheroes. It takes on an origin story, of sorts, but provides the viewer with enough charm that even those fighting the superhero fatigue will be won over.
  • Danny Purdi is excellent as the “villainous” squirrel catcher. Community fans will love that he gets to provide some excellent physical movies references throughout the film.
  • The film made the absolutely right choice when not giving Ulysses a voice. It kept him cute and Grogu-like.
  • It has a belter soundtrack. Almost GotG-lite.
  • Allyson Hannigan and Ben. Schwartz were adorable together and apart. The fact that they both reduced me to tears is a testament to them, their ability to demonstrate the hardships of a relationship, individuality and creative blocks.
  • Matilda Lawler is one to watch. She 10 year old Flora a delight to watch and her narration was perfect. She’ll bring any kid watching onboard straight away.

The Bad

  • The CGI of both Ulysses and Mr Klaus is a little disappointing. While all the actors work well with the furballs, I just found them reminiscent of the early 2000 CGI; almost too glossy and separate from the rest of the visuals.

The Ugly

  • I did not like the development of the character William. The actor did a fine job with what he had to work with, but I just really didn’t like the gimmick of him being blind. I most certainly didn’t like the usage of the outdated term “hysterical blindness”. With a film that has the charm that this does, the jokes feel forced and painfully gross.

Final Thoughts

Its definitely a film for families and one those young at heart will enjoy too. There’s some nice Easter Eggs for comic book and film fans alike. Its certainly on my list to watch again.