21 year-old Sean Wilson, from Torquay, Englany graduated from the University of the West of England in Bristol with a 2:1 in Film Studies and English. Sean also loves music, especially film music from composers such as John Williams and Thomas Newman. With his love of film, reading and writing, Sean reviews films for the Fujairah Observer!  

Washington DC; a mugger ploughs into the rainy night; taking refuge in an alleyway a gunman emerges and assassinates him and another man, inaugurating a gripping tale of corporate conspiracy. Based on the acclaimed BBC TV series from 2003, the opening sequence of its big budget adaptation proves director Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) is excellent at handling sophisticated, adult subject matter. A troubled pre-production has led to the film being formed and re-formed, making one curious to know how it might otherwise have turned out. Brad Pitt was originally on-board but walked because of the Hollywood writer’s strike. With the production delayed, his prospective co-star Ed Norton had to jump ship too. However fascinating it would have been to see the Fight Club co-stars back on-screen, whether it would have made the film any better than it is, is doubtful. Now Russell Crowe leads the new cast (and it’s still an excellent one) as Washington Globe journalist Cal MacAffrey, investigating the double shooting on the same day that congressman Stephen Collins’ (Ben Affleck) – coincidentally Cal’s old roommate- aide dies under a subway train. Sensing a connection, McAffrey teams up with blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) and soon an intricate conspiracy involving the future of American national security is looming.Despite the threat of familiarity (Cal is the atypical chubby, slobby, streetwise journo; there’s a riveting but clichéd underground car park chase), MacDonald’s film is nevertheless an authentic looking and intelligent thriller. Shot with a feel for the corridors of journalism and politics (cramped, newspaper stuffed desks versus the whitewashed expanse of the Capitol Building), the decision to update to America’s capital adds a timely, post-Iraq relevance. Streamlining the original 6 part series into two hours is a tough call but the film does a good job of it, with its relentlessly gripping conspiracy narrative never letting go. For every piece of Hollywood theatrics (the creepy ex-marine presented as a sub-Terminator character), there are some fascinating nuances to be gleaned from the merging of media markets at Crowe’s newspaper (presided over by Helen Mirren’s editor) to the updated references to blogs and the internet.As was evident from The Last King of Scotland, in itself a clever blending of fact and fiction, MacDonald has a sure hand lending credibility to outlandish scenarios. More often it’s the little details that grab the attention: a secretive relationship with Collins’ wife (Robin Wright Penn) leads her to accusing Cal of mixing people with sources. Elsewhere, a detective states, ‘This is not a story, it’s a case’. The result is a richly layered entertainment, more so than most. In fact, bizarrely, the only false notes come from Mirren as Cal’s no-nonsense editor. While Affleck and McAdams are ideally cast as the oily politician and perky wannabe respectively, Mirren’s jolly hockey sticks British patter seems strangely out of place in the ball-busting world of American journalism. Elsewhere it’s pleasing to see Jeff Daniels get more work as a corrupt senator and Jason Bateman does a great turn as a drug addled would-be informant. Crowe’s dog-eared reporter steals the show however, with the actor proving there are few better at the moment at portraying understated, world weary heroes. In the increasingly cynical climate, portrayals such as Crowe’s Cal will only become more relevant to the mainstream Hollywood genre piece.

Sean's rating: 8/10

Throughout it’s 40 odd year history Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek has had something of a chequered history, veering from camp (the original TV series), to pseudo intellectual (The Motion Picture) to Patrick Stewart’s mainstream exploits on Next Generation.
Now along comes new whiz kid on the block JJ Abrams (Lost, Mission Impossible III) and injects something long absent from the series: fun. The results are terrific. Beginning with a striking and emotional opening sequence, in which baby Kirk is born while his father sacrifices himself by charging into a Romulan attack ship, commandeered by the ruthless Nero (a chilling Eric Bana), Abrams’ populist mix of character smarts and thunderous action immediately establishes a new tone (similar in fact to last years Iron Man) for the series.
The multi stranded story then picks up with the rebellious, fatherless Kirk showing a penchant for joyriding, while on the other side of the universe, young Spock is having trouble reconciling his half human, half Vulcan nature. Probably the most eloquent and engaging sequence in the film, the parallels between the two characters set up their collision course later in life, with Kirk played with boyish zeal by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto giving the finest performance as the older, emotionally neutral Vulcan. The film then jumps ahead again three years, with the hard living Kirk, having been encouraged by Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood), enlisted in Star Fleet. The universe spanning narrative then serves to bring the rest of the familiar Trek characters together in their battle against the nefarious Nero, including the perpetually frustrated Bones (Karl Urban, excellent) and the luminous Uhura (Zoe Saldana).
It transpires that the evil Romulan is seeking revenge for an, as yet, undisclosed tragedy in his past, resulting in a mass genocide on a certain iconic planet that provides opportunity for more emotional impact allied with a gigantic space drill and a thrilling mid-air pursuit.
The central narrative in fact becomes so confusing when time travelling ships are thrown into the bargain that it reps the film’s weakest point – but it propels forward at such a ferocious and thrilling pace it hardly seems to matter. Refreshingly for a blockbuster, character is never compromised, the human element always being at the centre (especially the dramatic Kirk-Spock conflict).
Chock full of striking imagery (the opening reveal of the Romulan ship is magnificent), excellent effects and careful production design (the sleek white interior of the Enterprise has obviously been modelled after fan memories of the original), Abrams clearly has great respect for the franchise. Leonard Nimoy even gets a substantial role as opposed to a mere cameo.
Despite the absence of William Shatner and an underused Simon Pegg (as Scotty), the director demonstrates Spielbergian flair at fusing intelligent thrills with the latest in effects and entertainment. The film’s sense of humour is also delightful and remarkably confident, being worked into some of the busiest scenes. There’s also a pleasing sense of franchise expectations: when Pine’s Kirk finally takes up the Enterprise’s hotseat for the first time, there is the real sense of a new generation of filmmakers aware of what’s gone before but taking it in a new direction.
And when Michael Giacchino’s sweeping choral adaptation of the classic theme tune kicks in, the next franchise instalment isn’t only anticipated: it feels necessary. With so many more universes for Abrams and his crew to explore, even at warp speed it can’t come soon enough.

Sean's rating: 8/10