'Lockout' ClevverMovies Review
Sub ClevverGames - http://bit.ly/k66fSa
Lockout Trailer http://bit.ly/yU6WUY
http://bit.ly/clevvermovies - Click to Subscribe!
http://Facebook.com/ClevverMovies - Become a Fan!
http://Twitter.com/ClevverMovies - Follow Us!
Saint and Mather's new film Lockout hits theaters this week and we've got your ClevverMovies review to help you decide if it's worth your hard earned dollars.
In Lockout, the president's daughter Emilie, played by Maggie Grace, is kidnapped by ruthless inmates in a maximum security prison in space, and it's up to Agent Snow, played by Guy Pearce, to single handedly infiltrate the base and rescue her.
Now I must admit, though the film is based on an original story by Luc Besson, the man behind such great thrillers as The Professional, La Femme Nikita, and most recently Taken, the plot synopsis actually read much more like a retread of John Carpenter's Escape from New York. In that film the protagonist, Snake Plissken, is also tasked with infiltrating a maximum security prison and single handedly rescuing the president. So does this new film bring anything new to the table, or is it just Escape from New York - in Space?
For starters, I thought the film had a great sense of humor. It is very reminiscent to the action heyday in the 80's as the film definitely makes sure not to take itself too seriously. The opening interrogation scene is literally one one-liner after another, and they are all genuinely funny. Snow's interactions with other characters, especially with Emilie, are also quite entertaining. However, I would've liked to have seen a little more depth to Snow's character as although we do get to know that he has a sardonic sense of humor, we don't know much else about him. Even John McClane in Die Hard had moments when he wasn't cracking jokes. I did appreciate Guy Pearce bulking up though, he looked the part, and it really contributed to the action scenes.
Speaking of the action, it is pretty well done. For example, there is a fantastic sequence where Snow tries to get out of an air vent with simulated gravity. I also loved how they took advantage of having a virtual camera during the big freeway chase, as the shots dynamically change with hardly any cuts at all. The fight scenes are okay, and I see they were going for the Bourne style of action by going handheld and using extremely quick cuts, but because of focusing so much on this aspect a lot of the fight choreography is lost, and I found myself wondering just how the bad guys ended up lying on the floor. The shoot outs are decent, but for a movie in which the poster prominently displays a machine gun, a little too few and far between.
The film moves along at a brisk pace, and although there were a couple plot points that seemed a little too convenient, it never really pulls you out of the movie. That is until you get to the final 5-10 minutes of the film though. I won't spoil any details for you, but there is a giant plot twist thatcomes out of nowhere and seemed extremely tacked on to me.
Despite its narrative weaknesses, the film features a strong performance from Pearce along with some pretty slick action scenes. So although it is conceptually similar to Escape from New York, it has a different tone and a very different kind of protagonist, which makes me confident in recommending that you guys check it out if you're a fan of lighthearted action films. Are you looking forward to Lockout? Let me know what you think in the comments below and make sure to hit that subscribe button for the latest news, previews and reviews right here on ClevverMovies. This is Tatiana Carrier, thanks for watching.
