Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (2015)

7. Jupiter Ascending

The Wachowskis don’t get any respect. Despite creating one of the defining science fiction films of the last twenty years, their new films are treated with indifference, if not active scorn. Maybe its because nerd culture wants to see its visionaries fail. Or maybe everyone’s still pissed about “The Matrix” sequels. The directors haven’t had a real hit since those films. People ignored “Speed Racer’s” day-glo imagery and sugar-rush excitement and then it bombed. People ignored the deep storytelling, clever genre juggling, mind-blowing visuals, and spiritual richness of “Cloud Atlas.” Then it bombed. Still somehow getting mega budgets, the Wachowski returned to “Matrix” territory with a big sci-fi action movie. “Jupiter Ascending” was originally planned for a July release, during the same summer when a quirky sci-fi movie became one of the biggest hits of the year. But then the studio actually looked at the movie and got cold-feet. They made some bullshit excuse about special effects not being done, pulled the movie from summer, buried it in fucking February and then – guess what? – it bombed. When there’s blood in the water, Hollywood is more willing to make a 176 million write-off then take a risk on something unexpected connecting with audiences. “Jupiter Ascending” immediately developed a cult following because duh.

Jupiter Jones is a Russian-American woman living with her family of fuck-ups and cleaning toilets for a living. Jupiter has no idea that she’s actually the secret reincarnation of the matriarch of the most powerful family in the galaxy. When the villainous heirs to that galactic crown discover this, they come after the girl. Sent to protect here is a hunky, half-wolf space warrior. Soon, Jupiter is made aware of her alien family tree, the origins of the human race, that half of space belongs to her, and that her life is very much in danger.

Throughout their career, the Wachowskis have been very open about their influences. Before adapting an anime and a massive science fiction novel, they made “The Matrix,” a movie heavily influenced by both of those things. “Jupiter Ascending” came about because producers asked the siblings to create an original sci-fi IP. Similarly, “Jupiter Ascending” looks a bit like a Jack Kirby comic book, feels a lot like an anime, and has the scope of a major sci-fi novel. At times, it feels like an exceptionally long series or book condensed into one two-hour long movie. Plot points that other films would devote long stretches of time to are succinctly explained in a few short scenes. There are characters with long histories whose pasts are only hinted at. On one hand, it’s easy to see what the filmmakers were getting at. This is the story of a normal person suddenly being thrust into a complex, strange world full of things she doesn’t entirely understand. On the other hand, it’s not difficult to imagine the film being turned into a 24 episode animated series with few changes in story. The result is a movie that is beautifully designed and detailed but sometimes moves so fast, the audience can’t keep up.

In the aftermath of “The Matrix,” genre cinema was full of stories about “chosen ones,” seemingly normal people who have an astonishing destiny revealed to him. “Jupiter Ascending” is about this too. However, the filmmakers seem to be toying with their own ideas. The details of Jupiter’s chosen status are so convoluted – the far-flung reincarnation of a 9000 year old intergalactic queen of industry – that it borders on parody. Jones explores the strange new world at her feet but her goal always remains returning home and protecting her family. Moreover, she’s not an action hero. She’s not a variation on Neo. She doesn’t know kung-fu. Instead, Jupiter’s quiet intellect, and a keen ability to understand the motives of those around her, keeps her alive. She’s a different sort of chosen one and a welcome change of pace.

Here are some of the huge ideas “Jupiter Ascending” casually tosses around. The script discusses the origins of the human race. Turns out, man didn’t evolve naturally on Earth after millions of year. Instead, humanity is one of the oldest species in the universe and has its origins among the stars. These space-fairing humans executed the dinosaurs and seeded the Earth with man, leaving us Earthlings unaware of our galactic roots. The reason why is another huge plot point. The leaders of the empire are practically immortal, living through multiple centuries with ease. Their long lives are credited to bathing in a magical elixir that renews the body’s cells. And this elixir is made from the genetic tissue of other people, harvested from the many, unaware planets the space-humans have established. Conceptually, the film also deals with the weight and loyalty of family, Jones remaining devoted to her simple roots despite the crazy adventure she’s on. Any one of these ideas would be enough for most movies but “Jupiter Ascending” is far more ambitious then that. If there’s one thing the Wachowskis have never been short on, it’s ideas.

An interesting move “Jupiter Ascending” makes is its approach to the evil empire. The House of Abrasax is the family that controls the resources of the universe, especially the antidote to aging. The three siblings at the top, and the film’s trio of antagonists, are Balem, Titus, and Kalique. At times, the three play as the decadent, idle rich you’re used to seeing as bad guys in sci-fi movies. Balem is a nut job with mommy issues who frequently wears robes and sits on a throne. Titus is a decadent playboy, cavorting in a sci-fi orgy room with a party of willing partners. Kalique, meanwhile, hangs out in Grecian robes and manipulates those around her with a sweet smile. However, the movie doesn’t treat the bad guys like a wicked royal family. Instead, they’re something far more insidious:  Businessmen. The villains’ plot revolves around controlling resources. Jupiter is targeted because she’s an unexpected heir who has a stronger claim to the resources Balem and Titus desire to control. The crushing bureaucracy of the situation is emphasized in a humorous sequence where Jupiter and friends spend all-day getting papers signed, forms filled out, and the correct legal documents necessary to cement her status as royalty. It’s a funny moment to insert into your sci-fi/action epic and a further example of how textured the world of “Jupiter Ascending” is. (It also features a cameo from Terry Gilliam, an appropriate shout-out to “Brazil.”)

Even the people who didn’t much liked “Jupiter Ascending” seemed to agree that it’s gorgeous looking. The aristocratic villains lounge in giant, ornate mansions, pinned above rolling waterfalls. Balem’s lair is an impressive gothic cathedral, full of huge archways and imposing pillars. As the title indicates, the final portion of the story takes place within Jupiter’s Red Spot, creating a truly alien feeling location for the action-packed climax. The outer space scenes are full of color, elaborate ships floating above planets made up of swirling colors. The blackness of space gives way to rich, interstellar tapestries. A moment that got a lot of play in the trailers has Mila Kunis wearing a white rose gown, floating above a wedding ceremony, a visual stunner of a moment. The costumes and production design are equally impressive.

“Jupiter Ascending” is also an action movie. And a fairly successful one at that. Most of the action scenes revolve around Caine, the canine/human crossbreed that becomes Jupiter’s protector. Caine gets around on a pair of hover boots, a sort of silly idea on paper that the movie sells fairly well. This allows him to tumble through the air like an acrobat, blasting the bad guys with laser guns. He spin-kicks an alien into a mirror and, several scenes later, performs an inverted roundhouse kick to the head. Mostly, the hover boots lend a certain dynamic quality, the hero smoothly gliding into conflicts, reflecting proton rays with his laser shield. The action high-light of the film is an aerial chase above the skyline of Chicago. Caine and Jupiter weave between cars, jump in their own space ship, and take control of another ship, slicing through the enemy’s craft with their own wings. It’s impressive and, even more impressive, the movie later tops it with a giant robot assisted dive into the center of the Red Spot, the machine dodging a whole fleet and mechanized hammers.

Maybe what I liked most about “Jupiter Ascending” is the nutty array of aliens it puts on screen. Employed by the Abrasax are a race of space-shifting little aliens. They resemble the classic greys of UFO lore but have rat-like muzzles and long, spindly limbs that bend back and forth. Also working for the bad guys are the Sargons, a race of reptilian aliens that heavily resembles dinosaurs or dragons. These guys are my favorite, as they look amazing and are beautifully brought to life. Amusingly, all of their names are prefaced with a “Mr.,” making them sound like accountants. During the finale, Caine fights one of the creatures and we see how well utilized the dragon’s wings and tail can be. Also among the aliens are robots with mechanical faces partially removed from their heads, armless sentries in leather gimp masks, and scheming, rat-faced humanoids. Like the original “Star Wars,” the film sometimes throws interesting looking critters into the background, like the elephant-human hybrid that shows up just for the hell of it.

When trailers for “Jupiter Ascending” first arrived, I reluctant to get excited for the movie. Mostly because I had yet to be sold on the two leads. Mila Kunis, though obviously talented, had yet to really impress me. As Jones, she is allow to show a quiet intelligence and a decent, romantic sense of humor. While the character grows, Kunis’ performance shows a richer, earthier side. After years of being considered just a beefy piece of meat, Channing Tatum has successful reinvented himself thanks to some sharp comedic turns and some dramatic heavy lifting. As Caine Wise, Jupiter’s dogboy body guard, his performance is mostly physical. It’s clear Tatum never feels entirely comfortable under the make-up and it never looks great on him. However, he has decent chemistry with Kunis and seems capable as an action hero. Meanwhile, Sean Bean plays a variation on his typical role as a roguish action hero. He does just fine. And, surprise!, he makes it to the end of the movie too.

Around the time “Jupiter Ascending” was limping into theaters, Eddie Redmayne was well on his way to winning an Oscar for “The Theory of Everything.” His controlled, disciplined performance as Stephen Hawkins is in contrast to his role here as Balem, the movie’s main villain. Redmayne spends the entire film whispering ominously, saying everything in a hushed, craggy rasp. His intensity is whip-like while the character remains a viable, calculating threat. It’s a very strange performance but one in tune with this odd ball movie. Douglas Booth as Titus is more expected, filling the role of an oversexed, manipulative sleaze nicely. The excruciatingly named Tuppence Middleton is harder to read as Kalique.

Since the film is so sprawling there are more then a few ideas seemingly thrown in for the hell of it. The silliest aspect is Tatum’s character being half dog, something that’s brought up repeatedly but has very little affect on the actual plot. Twice, his character gets out of horrible jams in ridiculous ways. The first moment has him hanging onto the side of a space ship as it seemingly crosses the cosmos. The second time his executioners ignore him sneaking a space suit out of the airlock, providing enough air for a wandering ship to save his life. There’s also a trio of bounty hunters, one of them played by Wachowski regular Doona Bae, introduced early on. These characters are distinctive and seem like they’ll be important. Instead, they disappear before the hour mark and are never brought up again. This is just one of the times its obvious that hundreds of pages of notes were written for the film and only a small percentage of that made it on-screen.

It’s hard to say if “Jupiter Ascending” was ever destined for anything other then box office failure and a cult status afterlife. I’d like to think that, as a summer release, it would have found an audience with its far-out visuals and exciting action. But who knows. Dumped in the middle of winter, there was no chance of it succeeding. Once again, a studio had no confidence in the Wachowskis’ utterly distinctive vision, leading to a subsequently apathetic audience. This is the third time in the row it’s happened, yet they keep getting chances to make these huge, crazy movies. So who knows what they’ll do next, even if it won’t be the sequel this movie is clearly calling out for. “Jupiter Ascending” is another fun, imaginative, if slightly incoherent sci-fi epic from the filmmakers. [Grade: B]

Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (2012)

6. Cloud Atlas
“Cloud Atlas” is a difficult film to summarize. It is, perhaps, the most ambitious film I have ever seen. The Wachowskis have never been one for small ideas. Even in a career defined by arch ambitions, these two took on a project that actually required a third director to bring it fully to the screen. Tom Tykwer, formally of “Run Lola Run” and “Perfume,” another filmmaker well known for films that others wouldn’t dare tackling, was brought in to film half of the movie. The final result is a beautiful film.

In order to talk about “Cloud Atlas,” you’ve really got to compartmentalize its stories and themes. The word “ambitious” comes to mind again when you realize this is practically six very different films woven together. While each of the stories are vastly different to the point of belonging to different genres, themes, ideas, visuals, characters, and actors recur throughout all of them like musical motifs, elegantly appearing over the course of decades. The clopping of horse hooves transitions into the rumbling of the train tracks. A rush of water cuts to another character, separated by years and miles, submerged in water. The title comes from a piece of music presented in the film and, appropriately, the transition from moment to moment are poetic and natural.

1849: A costume drama set on a slave ship crossing the Pacific Ocean. After inspecting a plantation for his father-in-law, Jim Sturgess finds himself suffering from ill health and headaches. His doctor tells him a parasitic worm has dug into his brain. This merely provides a set-up for the segment’s primary premise. A run-away slave, David Gyasi, hides on the boat, Sturgess being his only confidant and friend. Over the course of his journey, he finds himself challenging his assumptions and beliefs, handling impending death and racism.

The first of the Wachowski directed sequences, this one prospers from both high production values and strong performances. While it’s very easy to misuse voice-over narration, “Cloud Atlas” uses it’s nicely throughout. Sturgess’ voice reinforces the segment’s themes without being too obvious about it. Sturgess gives a good performance, jumping back and forth between extremely ill and contemplative. Tom Hanks does a surprising turn as the piece’s villain. Hanks has no problem ugling up and downplaying his natural likability in favor of sleazy villainy. David Gyasi, as the escaped slave, is probably the stand-out player. It would have been easy to fall into the Magical Black Man cliché, and you might be able to make the case it still does, but Gyasi creates a full character with personality and flaws. Without going too far into spoiler territory, Hugo Weaving shows up at the end to deliver a theme-defining monologue in his usual tyrannical hiss. It’s amazing how much sinister intent that actor can sum up with a single line-reading. The direction is strong in some moments, like a sail roping scene that is highly intense, but in other moments the Wachowski’s usually strong action direction actually falters some. A late period struggle is shaky and unfocused. It’s the only really distracting moment.

1936: England on the brink of World War II breaking out, a drama of character. A gay would-be composer runs away from Cambridge, leaving his lover behind, in order to apprentice under a famous composer whom he greatly admires. In letters to his lover, he relates his experiences there. Though the composer is prickly at first, the two eventually become close and collaborate on a piece together, the title-lending Cloud Atlas Sextet. Themes of class relation and racism bubble to the surface again, especially when the composer’s Jewish wife is forced to interact with a Nazi. About at the mid-point, there’s a serious plot point and this segment changes tones quite a bit. The main character is forced on the run from the law again.

The ’36 sequences, the first Tykwer-directed piece, are probably my least favorite. Most of my issues come out of the late period event that forces the latter half of the story in a different direction. It’s the film’s only dishonest moment. A few characters act differently then you’d expect them too. Even then, there are some extraordinary moments. Someone describes a dream of the film’s future events. The main creative break through, when the sextet first comes together, works well. My favorite bit is near the very end, another dream sequence, when two characters destroy a shop full of fine china in slow-motion. Ben Whishaw, as the on-the-run kid, gives a very good performance, showing off a lot of roguish charm. Jim Broadbent gets his first very meaty role in the film as the grouchy composer. Broadbent is a highly versatile actor and he certainly gets to show his chops here. James D’Arcy, playing the lover, does most of his acting with his face. He has little dialogue. I also take a bit of issue with this segment’s ending, which is actually spoiled at the very beginning. It comes a bit out of nowhere and, once again, seems like a dishonest move for the characters.

1973, San Francisco: A journalist, the daughter of a deceased war veteran, is working hard to break out of her mold and find a great, political story. She gets more then she asked for when investigating the murder of a nuclear physicist. (The same character D’Arcy played in ’36, now as an old man.) Very soon, she’s finds herself the target of a hitman, attempting to cover up a conspiracy, an engineered attempt to cause a nuclear disaster.

Tykwer makes up for the weaknesses of the 1936’s sequences with this one, one of my favorites in the film. Once again, the genre shifts, with these moments belonging squarely to the political thriller genre. Halle Berry, an actress who I’ve never been a big fan, gives a surprisingly good performance here as Luisa Rey, an extraordinarily strong female protagonist. This is a woman who literally pulls herself out of a sinking car. There’s a moment when two characters have to fall in love over a very short period of time. This normally wouldn’t work, you’d think, but the performances pull it off. The direction of Hanks’ characters shift in this moment. Keith David, one of my favorites, has a strong supporting role, even if it doesn’t look like it at first. Hugo Weaving is once again called into play a cold, calculating villain. He’s fantastic in it, of course. In the latter half, this becomes a story about two characters being pursued by one character. Legitimate thrills as engineered in small moments, like someone lurking behind a window, and big ones, like the lights going off on a bridge, a car sailing over the edge. There’s a wry sense of humor to this one which never undermines the tension. Instead, it adds a charming quality. As with all of the elements to this film, this easily could have been a fantastic feature on its own.

2012, London: A book publisher, Jim Broadbent in his leading role, suddenly finds himself the center of attention when one of his clients tosses a snobby critic over the ledge of a building. The thuggish author’s brothers track down the publisher for money. That is not what this segment is about. Instead, Broadbent flees to the countryside, hoping to find safe harbor in his brother’s home. It doesn’t go as well as he hoped. Broadbent instead ends up locked inside a nursing home ruled over by a tyrannical nurse. A wacky comedy ensues about a ragtag group of people fighting back against restrains and almost rekindling long lost love.

Once again, I can’t help but point out the tonal shifts here. In most films, cutting back and forth between such diverging tones would be a problem. Brilliantly, “Cloud Atlas” balances it all. The 2012 moments play out with a light, romantic tone. (It’s that romantic tone that honestly ties the whole film together. More on that later.) Broadbent does great in the lead role, playing his indigent British charm to great effect. Hugh Grant, another reoccurring actor, despite being under some not-totally convincing old age make-up, does the best in his collection of roles. Voice-over is used fantastically again. My favorite moment involves a flashback to younger days, which is pays off a dirty joke in surprisingly light-hearted terms. A character who usually only repeats one phrase has a predictable, but still touching, pay-off. Once it’s confirmed that this is a story about misfits coming together for a mission, it really starts to work. The pub brawl climax is both hilarious and appropriately thrown-together.

Moving ahead to 2144, Neo Seoul, Korea: The fast food industry, instead of hiring employees, instead build genetic clones for the minimal work. The dark skylines of Seoul are appropriately dystopic and, in the traditional of “Blade Runner,” the bright colors of advertising billboards try to bloat out the industrial bleakness of the world. Following the death of another waitress, unassuming Sonmi-451 unwittingly becomes the center of a revolution. Whisked away by the revolutionary underground, the evil omniscient corporate overlords attempt to crush the rising tide. Chase scenes, shoot-outs, horrifying revelations, and emotional upheaval follows.

The Wachowskis return to familiar territory with this one, an action-heavy sci-fi story that balances big action set pieces with philosophy. Jim Sturgess, despite some not-totally convincing Asian make-up, reveals himself as a surprising action star. Obviously, the Wachowskis are great at engineering action sequences. And they certainly don’t disappoint. There’s a great close-quarters shoot-out which climaxes with a huge chase scene, over the neon blue freeways of the future. The brothers get to indulge their general love of far-out science fiction, with some of the wild visuals on display here. My favorite is the apartment walls that can be set to any climate.  Unlike the love story in “The Matrix,” the romantic subplot works extremely well. Doona Bae is obviously the center piece here. The story of someone young and naïve being pulled into an amazing destiny is a standard sci-fi premise, but Bae’s sweet, touching performance holds it all together. She has great chemistry with Sturgess, which is good since their romance is the entire emotional heart of the piece. This storyline got perhaps the biggest response out of me, with touching character work and shocking story reveals.

Finally, the distant future: Hawaii, in the wake of an undefined apocalyptic. Culture has splintered into separate classes and tribes. On the island, live peaceful shepherds in villages, worshiping Sonmi from the previous segment. The shepherds are at constant risk from the violent cannibals that live in the woods. In the distance, society continues in some way in a far advanced futuristic world. A nurse visits the island, looking for passage to a forbidden land. Tom Hanks plays Zachary, the seemingly schizophrenic shepherd, the only man who can lead her to where she needs to go. Hugo Weaving continues his villainous role as a spectre, with ghoulish green skin in a bizarre top hat. It’s left ambiguous what exactly Weaving is, delusions or demon.

The biggest obstacle with the far-flung conclusion is that the characters speak in a particular dialect, a degraded English. It takes a while for your ears to tune to the language. Moreso then any other part of the film, “Cloud Atlas” truly creates its own world with this one. The production design is fantastic here, with every hut having a textured, lived-in quality to it. When we climb out of the villages into the mountains, the eye for detail continues. Some spellbinding visuals result here, such as a satellite dish that opens up like a blossom. Probably the most intriguing aspect revolves around Weaving’s demon, a character that tempts, influences, Hank’s simple shepherd. Watching Hanks resist and handle this evil whispers is fascinating. It’s probably Hank’s best performance in the film. Once again, him and Berry have a surprising chemistry. Surprisingly, this story also erupts into action-movie violence near the end, which is very intense and effective. The entire film is tied together with an epilogue set even further in the future.

I can’t imagine what the editors on this film went through. The film truly would not have been as good if the six stories were told in solid blocks. Cutting them together, the main theme here is brilliantly illustrated. Acts of kindness and cruelty ripple throughout time. A brilliant moment comes near the end. In the distance future, a character describes her hope that she will be reunited with her love after death. In the past, her words are mirrored in actions. Casting the same actors in numerous parts are far more then just a gimmick. It’s integral to the movie’s entire point.

My biggest issue with “Cloud Atlas” is that the make-up is wildly inconsistent. When you have men playing women and vice-versa, it can come off as just a little distracting, especially when the character is an important one. Overall, that’s a very minor issue. It’s a real shame that “Cloud Atlas” failed to find an audience at the theater. That it’s over three hour longs certainly didn’t help its case in mall cineplexs. (The length is never an issue, not when there’s this much story to cover.) Well, I loved it. After the divisive “Speed Racer” and “Matrix” sequels, this is bound to put the Wachowskis back on track, I suspect. Though probably a much cheaper one. [Grade: A]

Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (2008)

5. Speed Racer

“Speed Racer” is crazy awesome. The Wachowski Brothers have made a live action cartoon. Not a live action movie that adapts a cartoon, like previous failures including "Scooby Doo" or another John Goodman movie, "The Flintstones." Those movies attempted to strike a balance between the real world and the cartoon one, conveying neither convincingly. The Wachowski, instead, throw the idea of balance out the window and decide that this isn’t an adaptation of a cartoon, it is cartoon, that just happens to have real people in it. An attitude like that probably wouldn’t have worked for most movies.

However, the extensive use of green screen effects changes those chances of failure. The entire film has an exaggerated, overly colorful, animated look to it that totally establishes in the audience’s mind that this is something different. While “Sin City” and “300” have tried before, “Speed Racer” is the first time the green screen effects truly displaces the viewer into another world. "Speed Racer" is a candy-colored kaleidoscope of hyperactive kookiness.

The action sequences, which aren’t limited to car races by the way, are the pinnacle of this technology. Car racing has never been engaging to me. Didn't watch NASCAR as a kid and have never been a fan of the "Fast and Furious" movies. The Wachowskis film the car races like the fight scenes in "The Matrix." This is exactly as insane as it sounds. Cars jumping up and flipping around, deflecting projectiles, battling each other. I suppose it's just a question of wither or not you buy the universe created on-screen. If you do, I honestly found some of the action scenes exciting and unpredictable. The story is composed of several long races, obviously, and the directors find a way to fill each with real “Hell yeah!” moments.

I knew I loved this movie when, halfway through the run time, all of the characters break into a massive kung-fu fight. Characters that have absolutely no other reason to do so are suddenly experts in the martial arts. Bodies are tossed around, massive kicks are thrown, everyone is flipping head over feet, and anime speed-lines are employed throughout the whole sequence, the musical score humming along utterly seriously the entire time. It's hysterical, in both meanings of the word. If it was any other filmmaker, I'd said somebody was on crack during the production of this film. But, no, the Wachowski brothers are really just insane. Gloriously insane.

It's that dual quality of being completely over-the-top and yet totally sincere that makes the movie work for me. Like a big budget version of the Adam West Batman movie. This is ridiculous to a high degree and everybody is in on it, not cracking a smile once. The cast is totally in on the game. I'm not sure if John Goodman is even aware of how absurd everything he is. He's such a total professional, he brings the same level of stately understanding to every role he plays. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast are definitely aware that they are playing cartoon characters. Susan Sarandon smiles and plays mom, totally sincere in her love for her children and family. Christina Ricci exaggerates her normal level of pixie adorableness to its farthest reaches. Matthew Fox gives the best performance. Stone-faced, moving as awkwardly as the original cartoon character, he even sounds like Racer X did on the show. Emile Hirsch is admittedly a little flat. Of course, Speed has always been the least interesting character in his own show.

Swear to God, I'm not crazy here. I found the familial drama in the film to be genuinely touching at times. Listening to two characters talk about how much car racing means to them, how they bound over it, is ridiculous on paper. Of course, the rest of the movie is ridiculous too. So I guess I just bought. Hey, fathers and sons bond over real life stuff much more goofy then that. The love and togetherness of the family is obviously the main theme of the entire movie. And who doesn't want a family that will stand by you in everything, even when racing through a desert while evil doers fling bee hives at you?

As much as I love a lot of things this movie does, it’s not perfect. Spritle and Chim-Chim, who is at least a real monkey instead of a CGI character, were annoying on the old cartoon and are, big surprise, annoying in the movie. Their little skits are often overly frantic (Which is really saying something in a movie that's frantic throughout) and break up the pacing in an unnecessary way. The characters seem like blatant attempts to appeal to the kitty crowd. The movie is a little long (though it never feels long) and those two could have easily been cut out.

The plot is oddly complicated. I mean, what more do you need in a "Speed Racer" movie besides race scenes? But there's gangsters and attempts by evil businessmen to manipulate the stock market with race scores. I suppose that's no less wacky then anything else in the movie but it feels a little out-of-place in a kid's film. Roger Allam totally sells it though, each line dripping with over-the-top villainy. 

Another big issue is that the movie peaks too early. After 120 minutes of brutal car battles and hilariously over-the-top fight scenes, the climax feels too easy. Speed blasts through the finish lines, decimating all of his enemies. This is probably in keeping with anime conventions, but I feel he should have been challenged right up the finish line instead of the way it actually goes.

There are stumbles but, hot damn, “Speed Racer’ is too out of control for me not to love it. Joel Silver must be a really cool guy if he knew he was basically going to get a cult movie that would barely register with the public at large but still was willing to fork over several million dollars for it. There’s no denying it. I have to agree. Pancakes are love. [Grade: A-]

Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (2003) Part 2

4. The Matrix Revolutions

No. No, it doesn’t.

“The Matrix Revolution” disappoints. The biggest reason why is because it doesn’t provide a satisfying conclusion to the story. If the Wachowski Brothers didn’t exactly undermine the central point of their series, they at least forgot what made the first film so entertaining and invigorating. Any victories the character gain feel strictly pyrrhic.

The first thing “Revolutions” does is prove "Reloaded's" cliffhanger meaningless. Neo is trapped in some wacky place outside of the Matrix… That doesn’t play into any other part of the movie. The Train Man, played by the appropriately grody Bruce "Gyro Captain" Spence, is introduced as a powerful villain. He has two scenes. Neo is rescued in less then thirty minutes and the movie continues on, never looking back. The only purpose these early scenes have is to introduce magical little girl, Sati, who doesn’t factor into much of the rest of the movie.

Well, they have another purpose. The shoot-out in the Hel Club is the last example of fun action in the whole series. Reverse gravity shoot-outs are always entertaining. It’s nice that the filmmakers let Trinity and Morpheus have one more moment of genuine ass-kickery, since they’re stuck in confined places for the rest of the movie. Carrie Anne-Moss sells the whole “I Love Neo!” thing as hard as she can, for better or worst. I don’t think we really needed a second helping of Merovingian though. Also, total missed opportunity to see Monica Bellucci in a tight leather outfit.

The conflict between Neo and Agent Smith, who has evolved into an omnicidal maniac, is the main point of the film. Just by the laws of dramatic events, this can’t happen until the end. We’ve got two hours-nine to fill and the siege of Zion to get too. We have to sit through all this other shit and a bunch of characters we don’t care about doing stuff.

The whole Bane subplot doesn’t amount to much. Smith entering the real world has terrifying implications that aren’t followed through on or even discussed much. The only purpose these scenes serve is to blind Neo. About that. We never get a satisfying explanation for why Neo’s One powers extend into the real world. The Oracle’s explanation basically boils down to “Yep, you can do that now.” The real reason Neo develops new, completely improbable powers is because the Wachowskis had to up the ante. When your character all ready has God-like powers by the end of movie one, how do you raise the stakes in the sequel? “Give him more powers” is the first answer and also the least advisable one. The filmmakers wrote themselves into a corner but their solution is uninspired and badly conceived.

As for the attack on Zion, it’s problematic. The special effects still hold up, even though this movie is nearly ten years old. (Christ, I feel old.) We take giant robots in movies for granted today, but the APUs had a real novelty at the time. The images of the Sentinels swarming into Zion, a giant black cloud of death, a dark subversions on impregnation imagery, is still breath-taking. And, hey, the Sentinels themselves are still awesome looking.

The Kid isn’t a bad character but, really, who gives a shit about this guy? The same with Zee and… What’s her face. The Other One. These aren’t the character we’re here to see. They are thinly developed in their own right. Captain Mifune is at least kind of fun but his constant war-cries are annoying. Who do you think you are, Reb Brown?

The War of Zion is visually exciting but quickly wares out its welcome. The Hammer’s run fares a little better. First off, it takes up less screen-time. Secondly, it at least features established characters. Thirdly, there are some pretty cool shots in these scenes, such as the ship flipping upside down through the tunnels or just barely missing crashing to the ground, the blue electricity spreading out over the floor.

The worst part about either story threads is that neither end up mattering. The Hammer completes its run but Zion is still screwed. Humanity is still doomed. The fate of the universe has always been in Neo’s hands. All they’ve really accomplished is preventing the machines from killing a few more people. The movie was just burning time until it can get to the important stuff. And, hey, here’s some more bullshit with the Zion Council of Elders. Captivating.

Machine City is impressive and, admittedly, Neo and Trinity’s run there is sort of exciting. The shot of her seeing the sun for the first time could have been amazing but instead settles for being kind of sweet. As for Trinity’s death… It pisses me off. He spent half of the last movie trying to stop her from dying. To kill Trinity at this point is just messing with the audience’s emotions. Once again, Anne-Moss sells her dying monologue for all its worth, even when getting her mouth around the Brothers’ awkward dialogue. Once more, it should have been amazing but has to settle for merely not-shitty.

Finally, we get to the only real reason the movie exists: Neo and Smith’s final showdown. The climatic battle is amazing and almost makes up for the rest of the film. The two opposing forces fly around, tossing each other through buildings, tearing through pavement like tissue paper. The fight brings anime to mind too, especially with all those giant shockwave created domes of rainwater, an especially neat effect. When it comes to epic nerd action, no other film has come this close to realizing it on-screen. (It makes me wish the Wachowskis really would direct the “Justice League” movie.)

Goddamn, Hugo Weaving is a good actor. He makes dialogue that would sound ridiculous coming out of any other actor’s mouth sound spine-chillingly malicious. Focusing a large portion of the film around him was a great idea. It’s a shame Keanu seems as confused as the audience. He’s out of his league at this point.

Despite the awesome lead-up, the ending is the weakest part. On first viewing, I didn’t understand what exactly happened. It’s not very clear that the machines use Neo as a conduit to send an anit-virus into Smith. The hero’s death doesn’t inspire any sadness. By this point, the audience is exhausted. With all the talk of fate and choice, it feels inevitable. Morpheus, the only surviving member of the original cast, never gets any sort of resolution. His deepest dream comes true but the film’s focus is elsewhere. The ending is so damn vague. The Matrix still exists. The Machines are still in power. There are millions of people still imprison. Zion is far from safe. What kind of victory is that?

The script tries to force an allegory about free will. How everyone has “a choice.” I’m sorry, was it too much to ask for an ending where the Machines are defeated definitely and humanity is given a chance to start anew? I guess I should admire the shot at ambiguity but, after three films, I was hoping for something a little more solid. It’s seriously not that well done. The final scene gives the audience a good idea of how these films went astray. None of the characters we actually care about are present. Instead, Miss Worthless Exposition and Col. Talks-a-lot trade barbs about something. Lame. There’s no other word for it.

The true appeal of “The Matrix” lied in its wish fulfillment, swift use of sci-fi paranoia, and general sense of style. The sequels went up in a completely different direction. Maybe the directors started to believe their own hype. Maybe they listened to the hardcore internet crazies too much. Perhaps there was no other choice. “The Matrix Revolutions” is a frustrating conclusion to the series. Between the two sequels, there was probably enough solid material for a pretty good film. The rambling, padding, and misguided narrative choices make the awesome moments harder to remember. [Grade: C]

Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (2003) Part 1

3. The Matrix Reloaded

“The Matrix Reloaded” disappointed a lot of people. How couldn’t it? The first film was hugely successful and had an immediate impact on action and sci-fi cinema. By the time "The Matrix Reloaded" came around in 2003, a lot of the tricks that made the first film so influential had all ready become old hat. With a rocket sled of hype leading up to the release of the second film, failure was, in many ways, the only option.

Not to say I’m dismissing “Reloaded” of its many flaws. There is a primary issue here that prevents the film from succeeding: Filler. It’s a problem familiar to two-part sequels. The Wachowski brothers only seem to have written enough material for a movie and a half. Obviously this wasn’t acceptable so a whole bunch of stuff had to be thought up to fill out two separate run times.What could have been one good film instead had to be awkwardly split in half and padded out to two.

The first act is the biggest culprit. Over half of the Zion section could go. The political bits, Neo conversation with the head councilmen, Link’s family life, and especially that stupid, stupid rave scene. Even after all that, there’s more: Neo and Seraph’s fight scene exists for absolutely no reason other then it's been a while since we've had an action beat. (The script even admits this.) The Oracle’s exposition is even more heavy handed then before and further drags down the pacing. The introduction of the Merovingian and his retarded orgasm dessert could have been trimmed or cut all together.

Finally, over an hour into the movie, the plot starts to move. The Keymaster brings some purpose to the story and the second half of the film mostly revolves around some pretty impressive action. That is until progress bumps into Colonel Sanders and gets bogged down in even more confusing, unhelpful exposition. The worst kind of exposition: The type that doesn't actually explain anything. This was the first clue that, when it comes to the philosophical subtext of these films, the Wachowskis are kind of full of shit. After that huge roadbump, Keanu plays Superman for a while and then the movie ends. And then keeps going for a few more minutes. Then the movie really ends on a cliff hanger that seems so obscure that the urgency barely registers at all.

Sadly, the problems don’t end with the padding. From a writing perspective, the ending of the first film presents a huge challenge to a sequel. Neo had essentially become invincible. Where the hell do you go from there? Sure, it provides plenty of opportunity for awesome ass-kicking, but from an audience perspective, it's makes any of that action tricky to care about. The movie tries to get around this in three ways. First, by making Neo uncertain about his destiny. Watching the guy who can fight, stop time, and kick massive amounts of ass sit around and angst about what this all means is, coincidentally, the exact opposite of what anyone wants to see. Keanu Reeves did all right as a wonder struck newcomer in the first movie but as a high-kicking reluctant messiah, his limited range becomes all too obvious.

The second strategy to give the film some sort of emotional center is by focusing on the romance between Neo and Trinity. That was one of the weaker elements of the first film and even the writers/directors seem to know that. So, they have this huge spectre of Trinity's prophesied death hanging over the entire film, literally from the very beginning. And, you know, we like Trinity well enough, as a bad ass action figure. But implying that she can die at any minute makes her seem weak. Keanu’s under-emoting further exacerbates the problem. Most frustratingly of all, the issue of her death is resolved in an incredibly unsatisfying manner. For all these factors and more, a major subplot of the film is nothing but limp.

The third strategy to make all of this cohesive is by adding several time limits to the story's action. Sentinels are tunneling towards Zion in several days. Oh shit! It's a shame we're never given a reason to care about Zion. Making it the last bastion of human civilization turns out isn't enough. Making it a big, sweaty rave party really doesn't work. Filling it full of characters we don't really care about certainly doesn't help. A number of time limits are imposed in other places, what with doors closing at specifics times. This works a lot better. Still, there's way too much screwing around in the story to keep things from feeling really urgent.

And, before I move on, can I mention that Lambert Wilson is really annoying? I think his ridiculous French accent and constant sex life references were meant to be funny. They're not. And did I mention that Neo's flying never looks wholly convincing?

Still, I can’t totally trashed “Reloaded.” There are moments that keep the movie interesting. First, those action sequences. The Neo vs. multiple Smiths confrontation is damn neat. It features the kind of creativity and willingness to go anime over the top that made the action scenes in the first film so impressive. It also gives us a heaping helping of Hugo Weaving, an leveling force of pure entertainment the movie really needed a lot more of.

The chateau fight is more simplistic but similarly exciting. It features less special effects. Instead, it feels like a good old fashion Hong Kong action movie brawl. The freeway chase that it leads into is the center piece of the film. It gets a little long but it's hard to resist leaping motorcycles and giant semi-trucks crashing into each other. And when Morpheus kills a mini-van with a katana and a machine gun, causing it to explode in a massive fireball? That shit is cool, son.

I don't totally hate some of the new characters either. Niobe, as played by Jada Pinkett-Smith, sort of comes off like a version of Trinity with a lot more attitude. Attitude makes a lot of difference and, if the character is never given much reason to emote, she at least makes an impression. Similarly, her partner, Ghost's unrequited crush on Trinity is an element that could have been explored more. The Keymaker isn't much more then a walking, talking plot point, but Randall Duk Kim at least provides enough weight to make him memorable. I wish Monica Bellucci was given more to do. If her purpose was to do nothing but look fantastic in that dress, mission accomplished on that one.

Yes, the fight and action moments almost make it worth while but, perhaps, a sequel to “The Matrix” was just a doomed proposal. Maybe the conclusion to the series will fair better? [Grade: C]

Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (1999)

2. The Matrix

Think back, readers, back to 1999. For those of you who were there, you surely remember the first time you saw “The Matrix.” This is the film that blew more then one suburban teenager's mind. Simply put, there wasn’t anything quite like it at the time. The movie has just about everything. It combines cerebral sci-fi, Hong Kong action, summer movie explosions, and college philosophy. It manages to be very smart as well as incredibly entertaining, a crowd pleaser and a brain teaser. Maybe the Wachowski Brothers stole all that stuff from other sources, but they certainly imbue the material with an effortless, invigorating, contagious energy.

Let’s deconstruct this appeal, slightly, shall we? There's a reason I referenced teenagers in particular being impressed with the movie. The premise of reality as we know not being real plays into any young person's sudden distrust of authority, in this case the ultimate authority of their own senses. That can be pretty horrifying, and the movie certainly entertains that interpretation. However, the matrix sequences are incredibly freeing. Here's a movie were you can literally become a kung-fu master, helicopter pilot, or super bad ass just by having the information downloaded into your brain. By 1999, the hacker, rave, and black trench coat fashions were actually all a few years pass their prime. It's these equal themes of paranoia and freedom through self-determination that made the movie truly popular. No wonder the film inspired such fanatical devotion.

As a genre thriller, the film is hugely successful. The story is gripping right from the exciting, mysterious opening scene. Here we get the first dose of the bullet time fighting style. That became a cliché so quickly but at the time it was a way of doing fight choreography that was unique. We get hit with it nearly seconds into the film and it really blindsides the audience, telling them this is something different. Even after being ripped off and parodied countless time, it’s still so fucking cool, especially during the climatic battles.

Beyond just the fight scenes, the movie's distinctive visual style was really impressive too. The greenish tones of the matrix are realistic but removed from reality. When compared to the harsh tones of the real world, it stands out even more. The creativity displayed by the Wachowski brothers during the fight scenes translates to the rest of their directorial style. Throughout the movie, during moments like the Construct or the Jump Training Program, the camera approaches from angles you wouldn’t immediately expect. Images like giant walls of guns swooping out of a pure white room or towers of humans in mechanical pods immediately resonated into sci-fi history as unforgettable images. Despite being over ten years old at this point, the special effects in the film hold up amazingly well. There's a grit and weight to all of the CGI effects here.

The ensemble cast is fairly strong throughout. Laurence Fishburne imbues the role of mentor with a real sense of gravitas. The movie never quite stoops to making him a wise old sage cliche simply by acknowledging his self-doubt. Carrie-Anne Moss conceals a similar self-doubt as Trinity beneath a mask of steely strength. Joe Pantoliano does play the sort of slimy bastard role he’s done before, but, hey, it’s what he’s good at. He makes it astonishingly easy to like his character at first and, upon the big plot reveal, even easier to despie him. I wish we had gotten to spent a little more time with Marcus Chong, Anthony Ray Parker, and especially Matt Doran since Tank, Dozer, and Mouse all seem like pretty interesting characters and each actor is up to the challenge. 

The best performance is Hugo Weaving. Snarling, staring, and villainously monologuing, he is a comic book bad guy, just barely under over-the-top. Yet Weaving is having such a ball in the role, you can’t help but relish the opportunity to be bad as much as he does. He imbues every line with villainous venom. Now, we come to Keanu. Reeves isn’t a great actor but he can do well in certain roles. Perhaps Neo was a bit out of his range, with all the deep thinking required for the part, but he at least gets the wide-eyed confusion and wonderment down pat. His surfer dude stiffness is never distracting, which you can't always say.

As awesome as so much of the movie is, there are flaws. The pacing could use some work. The first act is solid, despite not much happening beyond exposition, but its fascinating exposition and this is a movie where knowing the rules before really getting into the story doesn’t hurt any. Things begin to dribble a little during the second act, especially during the visit to the Oracle which could have used some editing. However, after Morpheus’ capture the story gets the drive it needs and the third act kicks off a fantastically paced series of excellent action sequences.

I get the impression there might have been some last minute rewriting or rearranging with the script. As I pointed out above, killing off half of your cast midway through the movie, before even really getting to know any of them, plays like a cheap, easy way to ratchet up suspense during the middle chapter of the film.  Generally, I think a lot of the traitor subplot could have used some rearranging. Also, I've never been much convince with the movie's use of epic archetypes and prophecies. Things like the Oracle and The One all seemed more like attempts to build up a mythology behind the story then anything natural to evolve out of the writing process. The final reveal of Neo as the One and the way it wraps up all the plot lines at the end there can't help but come off as somewhat cheap. Finally, the Neo/Trinity love story has always been pretty flat. There's just not much chemistry there. The romance seems destined instead of natural. Sadly, all of these problems would play even further out in the much maligned sequels. But, more on that later. 

Despite it's own problems and the problems it would create, I can't help but love "The Matrix." Call me a hopeless nostalgic, if you want too. I stand by my opinion. It's just that awesome. [Grade: A]

Director Report Card: The Wachowskis (1996)

I've often found myself in the rare position of having to defend two of the most successful filmmakers in history. The general conscious with the Wachowski Siblings seems to be they changed the sci-fi and action landscape with "The Matrix" and then... Not much else of note. Well, I'm here to prove that belief wrong! There's at least a few more things of note. The two are certainly one of the quirkier mainstream filmmakers around. Their upcoming film, "Cloud Atlas," might actually be the most ambitious film in a career of wild ambition. But before we get to that, let's talk about their earlier films first?

1. Bound

“Bound” is a pretty awesome movie. The Wachowskis shot the film as a calling card, proof that they could tell a tight, involving, suspenseful story in an economic, exciting way while preserving their own style. Mission accomplished. The film limits its cast to three primary characters and places them in one location for the majority of the run time. Essentially, it boils down to three fantastic performances and one tight twisting story.

Before we get to all that stuff, let’s talk about what everyone talks about when the film comes up in conversation: This movie is ridiculously hot. You’ve got Jennifer Tilly, in her prime, squeezing all of her ample curves into slinky dresses and tiny lingerie. Gina Gershon, despite butching it up to look as masculine as possible, still can’t disguise the fact that she is a very attractive woman. The chemistry between the two is immediate. It starts as meaningful looks and eye flirting. The sexual tension builds and builds. The tension almost erupts during the incredibly hot tattoo touching scene but, even then, we are denied. Finally, when the lesbian love scene does come, it is absolutely intense. The movie doesn’t cut away; there are no slow pans to billowing curtains here. The direction is just shy of being explicit. Suffice to say, it’s one of the most erotic scenes ever to be put down in a mainstream film.

All right, about the rest of the movie: it’s pretty good too. After our principal cast is established, the main plot gets rolling. How the scheme unfolds makes up the rest of the film. It starts out so simple. So simple in fact, the situation is actually being explained to us as it happens, the planning stages being inter-cut with the actual execution. Oh, but everything that can go wrong will go wrong.

Joey Panteloney is so intense here. Yeah, it’s not like he hasn’t played a nervous gangster before, but this has to be the definitive nervous gangster role. The moment when the plan starts to get ridiculously out of hand is so brilliant. The way time is slow down and the bullets fly through the air feels like a prototype for bullet-time. Gershon is removed for this large portion of the story, instead hiding behind apartment walls. Somehow, her predicament, to watch without being able to help, mirrors the audience’s perspective. We watch the situation spiral wildly out of control, with more and more roadblocks being thrown into the path.

The plot is expertly constructed, running smoothly the whole time but still feeling completely improvised. One of the most fascinating things about the film is figuring out where everyone’s loyalties lies. Joey is a stressed out beyond belief and just a hair shy of loosing it, any minute now. (Which he does several times.) Corky is sticking to her guns and knows how not to screw up a good plan. But Violet is the real wild card. Is she only in it for her self? In the end, is she going to screw over everyone and walk away with the money? You’re not sure until the movie is over. This suspense even extends to minor characters. How much do they know? Who is going to do what now? Ultimately, it wraps up in one of the most statisfying endings I’ve seen in recent memory.

“Bound” works so well as a thriller. It sets up suspense brilliantly and over and over again. It’s a smart, sleek, ridiculously sexy flick. People who only know the Wachowski’s from “The Matrix” franchise need to give this gem a look. [Grade: A-]