Film Review:- "Spy - Susan Cooper Undercover"

THIS was a film we expected to be on the hit list for 1 or 2 stars, but instead it narrowly missed out on 5 out of 5 stars, getting 4˝ stars from us!

This is the funniest film we've seen in a long time.  Sadly it lost out of the 5 stars  due to unnecessary swearing by 2 of the characters, mostly Rick Ford, played by Jason Statham.  We are not surprised it managed to get UK film classification of:- 15.  But thanks to the strong direction given by director Paul Feig and with good screenplay, thanks to Paul Feig, it's one fantastic of globetrotting action comedy that delivers quite a punch to what is often a market that American Films find hard to succeeded in.  It's 2 hours and 2 minuets of fun!

The spoof opens up with credits directly targeting the 007 theme and progresses to take on many other films within that espionage thriller genre. The makes good uses of a full cast of well know stars, both English and American. This mix makes for an extremely amusing script that translates well, even making you jump at times...

The synopsis for the film is simple. It is all about CIA analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), who is an overlooked, overweight and despite having solid field training, she has never been active. She has in fact just work hand in hand on missions, via sitting in a very strange office at Langley, acting as external support for the CIA's most dashing agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law). Using high tech equipment and a hidden earpiece, Susan is the guardian angel, who helps Bradley avoid most danger throughout his and her career. But things are to go wrong and that opens the door for Susan Cooper to get out of the office and into the game... Susan wrangles her way into her first undercover assignment to help capture Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), who is thought to have assassinated her partner. Boyanov is also believed to be attempting to sell a suitcase nuke on the black market. It is a big task for a 'secretary' so can she achieve the mission. It is then, when the 'mission starts', when hi-jinks really start, as she tracks down arms dealer, with the 'help' of Nancy, played by Miranda Hart and also Bradley Fine, played by Jude Law, all sorts of strange things start to happen as she dodges drop a series of banana peels that are in her path.

This film is the American answer to Rowan Atkinson's "Johnny English", but sadly, it is not quite as good... It's oddly in our view as good as the latest English Spy spoof:- "Kingsman - The Secret Service."  So watch this space for "Spy 2" as it is truly a potential franchise to build up, and it has proven audience appeal world wide.

 

Our film Star Rating:- 4˝ out of 5

Film Review:- "San Andreas (2015)"

THIS is not a new subject and when it 1st came up on the film listings, we thought of a remake of the 1974 film:- 'Earthquake.' Yes, this 1 also has a dam as 1 of the major parts of its plot, but not in the same way! Move aside the stunt rider and it is kind of the same idea of a family trying to find each other amidst the devastation and danger. This film also had overtones of the 1990 television film:- 'The Great Los Angeles Earthquake,' yep, that was also about a massive earthquake that strikes Los Angeles, California.

So what makes the 'Rocks' latest film so good? Unlike the others, 'San Andreas (2015)' offers helicopter stunts to watery fun, which will keep you on your edge of your seat. Its plot might not be all that original, but fantastic special effects and mostly good acting, along with high pace action carries this film through. Sadly, at times, it kind of loses its way. 1 of the ways it loses direction is with the introduction of a pseudoscience plot that distracts from the main plot, and could have been left out. That pseudo plot and some unbelievably simple sequences, along with a few continuity errors, slightly spoilt what was, in all intentions, a good action film.

'San Andreas' is definitely just an action film, as the plot is a bit predictable and implausible. The main story is set around Chief Raymond 'Ray' Gaines (Johnson), who is a highly skilled Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter-rescue pilot and his family. He is in the process of getting a divorce and his family life is in turmoil after the death of his youngest daughter. But it will be the biggest Earthquake that will see the family face its true fight for survival, thanks to a massive 9.1 earthquake that starts ripping apart major Cities along the San Andreas Fault line. We could tell you the plot in more detail, but we are positive that if you want to know you can find it on many sites now, but telling you what's in store might spoil the roller-coaster action.

As an action film it is fantastic, but if looking for a bit of realism, it is lacking... Also it is a 12a, so not as shocking or gruesome as it could have been.  It could have also benefited with a bit sharper editing and being slightly shorter. We give it a rating of 4˝ out of 5 stars.

Our Star Rating:- 4˝ out of 5.