Support your local crap movie

[andrewducker]

Behind all the overcrowded pomposity of the story, the monsters out of some fanboy video game and the semi-arty, cologne-commercial design, you get the unmistakable sense that director Len Wiseman and screenwriter Danny McBride actually gave a crap. "Underworld" may be ludicrous; it may pack too many geek-fantasy elements into one package; it may really not work at all. But it's nowhere near Hollywood's usual condescension to the fantasy audience, which may mercifully, in the post-"Rings," post-"Harry" era, be a thing of the past.

If anything, "Underworld" is an overly detailed slice of a new fantasy universe, one just as concerned with delivering a convoluted saga as with chills, thrills, ass-kicking and vampire babes in bodices and cat suits. If this story doesn't bloom into a new franchise, it sure won't be for lack of trying. From the first moments of the film, when Beckinsale rushes through a bewildering voiceover narration and then plunges into an extended subway gun battle where we can't tell who is who or what in hell is going on, the filmmakers are unafraid to set us a steep learning curve.

Says Salon.

And this is one reason I love films like Equilibrium or Highlander - films that may not be classics, and have definite faults. It's because the people behind them are trying to make something good - they clearly care deeply about them. And I'd much rather see a problematic film that someone cared about than a pixel-perfect one that's got nothing behind it.

Comments

[ekatarina.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

I was just talking to someone about how someone with a terrible voice can be a great karaoke experience. If they put their heart and soul into it, then I can well be entertained.

As for Equilibrium, I really enjoyed it, and then I got even more listening to the director/producer tracks. Some of that was the blips and errors. Some of that was the imaginative ways they solved problems, and some of that was just listening to a man talk about his passion, his creation, his "child", and *that* is cool.

Katja

[moniqueleigh]

*nods* When the creators of a film (actors, directors, producers, etc. I include them all in this.) truly care about the end product, you can actually see it. It actually is a visible part of the movie. So much that it's very easy to completely miss the faults, at least on the first viewing.

And if you're lucky enough to find a film where it's obvious that everyone involved cared, then you may not notice the faults for many, many viewings. *sigh* Highlander was like that for me. It took several viewings before I started noticing the things that didn't quite work.

[andrewducker]

Yeah, Highlander, Cube, Equilibrium, Underworld. The Matrix is kinda like that, but that's one that made it really big.

[moniqueleigh]

Ehhh... If you're thinking of the first Matrix, I agree. I couldn't help seeing every glaring problem with the second, though. Ick. Every few minutes, I felt I had to drraaag myself back into the suspension of disbelief - "Yes, it's a movie with f/x, get back to the story now." I'd have preferred the f/x to be a little less noticeable, a bit more integrated into the story, & not so much "Ooo! Nifty! Look what we can do!"

I've not yet seen Cube, Equilibrium, or Underworld. I do reeeally want to see Underworld, though - from the trailers, it looks gorgeous!

[andrewducker]

Cube and Equilibrium are both IMHO better than Underworld, but they're all good. Cube and Equilibrium are both out on video, if that makes it any easier.

[moniqueleigh]

Yeah, I need to check out the rental places. I'm sooooo far behind on movies. Opposing work schedules make keeping up with movies difficult at best. :\ But, hey, at least now I know which ones to look for next time we go! :)