Into The Depths Of The Earth

For most people, the idea of caves trigger one of three reactions. For those who have problems with claustrophobia, the reaction is anxiety or downright fear. For those with a complete lack of imagination and wonder, the reaction is oh, who cares about that? For those of us with imagination, the reaction is curiousity, the yearning to see what's down there.

My caving experience is rather limited; I've never been to any of the big ones. I have vague memories of visiting a tourist trap called the Lost Sea on the way to Florida as a child. Growing up near the Niagara Escarpment, I was used to the caves and crevices that criss cross that particular natural feature. Here in the Ottawa Valley, the Bonnechere Caves are within reach, and I've visited them. Still, I've always been curious about the big ones, about seeing the grandeur of great hidden places hidden away in the earth.

The Chauvet Cave, first discovered in 1994, is a priceless treasure of human culture. Some thirty thousand years ago, the cave was being used by humans, who painted imagery on its walls. Almost exclusively animals, of course, with the odd exception, added on over millenia. Then the cave entrance was buried in a landslide, perhaps twenty five thousand years ago, and its secrets were lost to the outside world.

The cave was sealed off by the French government after the discovery; they were eager to preserve the paintings. Humidity and sweat brought in by people tends to have an effect on such works, so a strict protocol was drawn up to ensure the paintings would remain safely in place. As such, very few people have the chance to see the images with their own eyes.

At least, that is, until now. Filmmaker Werner Herzog was granted permission to film inside the caves, to document the place for posterity, and the result is the extraordinary Cave of Forgotten Dreams. The film made its debut last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, and has been lately circulating in general release, as a 3D release. I got a chance to see it, intrigued by the opportunity. Caves as part of movies are a bit of a hit and miss proposition; in terms of feature films, the horrific is usually given prominence over the grandeur, and so we get rephrensibly bad films such as Sanctum. In the case of documentaries, on the other hand, caves are an ideal subject, such as in the IMAX film Journey Into Amazing Caves.

Herzog is the ideal director for this kind of project. He's something of an eccentric storyteller (in a good way). His feature films include Fitzcarraldo, Invincible, and Rescue Dawn, while he's also gone into documentary territory before, with Grizzly Man, the story of a mentally unhinged man who met his end at the claws of an Alaskan bear.

Herzog and his crew were allowed time-limited access into the cave each day, filming the images and the interior of the cave in the 3D format. He's on the record as disliking 3D (unlike the current crop of studios who think it's the greatest thing ever), but in this case, he felt it appropriate. And I agree with him. I hate the format, but in this film, it works. I think Herzog's style helps immeasurably. He takes his time with the camera, slowly and carefully, and the paintings seem to take on a life of their own, emerging from the walls. It's not at all like a typical 3D film where the special effects are lunging out at you, making you nauseous or giving you a headache. In this case, the technology has the effect of drawing us into the cave.

Herzog narrates the film, and appears as himself; he's a likeable, gruff presence, a man who's gifted with innate curiousity. His small crew and relatively minimal lighting having the unusual effect of creating a similar effect that the people who once lived here must have felt. The lighting almost feels like torchlight, so we're seeing the images in a very similar manner as they saw them.

Throughout the cave, we feel their presence, these people who once lived here thousands of years in the past. It might be in the form of a footprint, or handprints still lingering on the walls. The art they left behind is striking and vivid, depictions of horses, bears, lions, rhinos, mammoths, and more. I found myself wondering about these people, long lost through the mists of time, feeling a connection to them that spanned the millennia.

The film drew me completely in. It's an astonishing achievement, giving us a view of a place most of us will never be able to see with our own eyes, and making us feel like we're right there with Herzog and the crew. It gives us a glimpse into the past, into times before recorded history, and gives us a chance to connect with distant ancestors through what they left behind. It's a profound, strangely beautiful record of a mysterious place. If you have a chance to see this film in the theatres, do so. You'll find yourself captivated.

Unless, of course, you're claustrophobic. Then you might have a problem.

Justice, Vengeance, And Conspiracy

"You're my witness. Should I not expect you to tell me the truth?"

On April 14th, 1865, with the Civil War at its end, President Abraham Lincoln took his wife to the theatre. There, assassin John Wilkes Booth shot him in cold blood, the culminating act of what was meant to be a three pronged attack by he and his associates, decapitating the leadership of the Union in one fell swoop. What followed in the days afterward included a manhunt for the assassin and his confederates, mass arrests, and an appetite for vengeance in the North that would have long lasting consequences. The story has been told in many accounts by historians, including a recent update by James Swanson called Manhunt. It has also found its way into novels, and to both the small and big screen. In recent years, the cable movie The Day Lincoln Was Shot depicted the assassination and its fallout.

In the second of my what was I thinking when I missed this in the theatre reviews, I'm turning my attention today to The Conspirator, which made a quiet debut last year in theatres, and has moved to the home video market. The film, by director Robert Redford, tells an often overlooked part of the Lincoln assassination: the trial of the other accused in the conspiracy, particularly the story of the only woman to be tried in the case.

The movie opens two years earlier, introducing us to a young Union officer, Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), wounded on the field of battle. Then it proceeds to the conclusion of the war, with celebration in Washington. With the surrender of Lee and the certaintly that other Confederate forces in the field would soon follow, the Civil War is at an end, and after years of bloodshed and calamity, it seems that finally, a page has been turned.

Looking back at it, we all know better. Booth, the famed actor and sometimes Confederate operative, cannot accept the turn of events, and he gets an unexpected opportunity when he learns of the President's theatre plans. He launches a spur of the moment operation, assassinating Lincoln, while sending one of his men after the Vice President and two more to kill the Secretary of State.

The assassination sequence at the theatre is familiar to most people, and Redford gives it the gravity it requires. He does the same with the other two aspects of the conspiracy, where we see the failed attack against Secretary Seward and the failure to attack the Vice President. Aiken, in Washington, witnesses the removal of the President from the theatre to the home across the street where he died a few hours later. It's a moment that impresses upon the young lawyer. From there, of course, Secretary of War Stanton (Kevin Kline) takes control, launching a manhunt, doing whatever it takes to root out the conspirators, and the manhunt ends with the death of Booth.

Of course, the film's not about Booth, and it's not about Lincoln. Their ghosts do hover over the rest of the film, but the story is about Aiken himself, drawn into defending one of the accused in the conspiracy trial, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright). His mentor, a Senator named Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), asks him to take the case. He's a Southerner who stayed loyal, and he believes that Mary needs a Yankee attorney. Aiken is reluctant, understandably. He believes Mary is guilty, and she's not exactly helpful in her own defense. Her boarding house was a meeting place for Booth and his gang, even before the assassination plot. Her son John was one of Booths' closest confederates, and while he had no part in the assassination, the government is still looking for him.

Aiken finds himself drawn into the case. He prepares a defense, finding inconsistencies in the case, meeting Marys' daughter Anna, who's ostracized and isolated because of her family. He's bothered that a civilian is being tried before a military tribunal, rather then by the civilian courts. He believes that basic constitutional rights are being trampled. And he comes to see that the lead prosecutor, Joseph Holt (Danny Huston) is actively stacking the deck against him and his client, interfering with witnesses. He pleads with Mary to reveal where her son is, something that as a mother she cannot do. His personal life and reputation suffer because of the case. And he increasingly wonders about her guilt, or degree of guilt, or innocence, while pleading with the tribunal not to let themselves give in to revenge.

The film is, at its heart, a courtroom drama. It brings up troubling questions that remain relevant today, about justice versus revenge and the rights of everyone to a fair trial. The tribunal wasn't about justice. It was all about revenge. Redford directs from a script by James Solomon, based on years of research, and he brings gravity and weight to the film, which has a deliberate, methodical tone to it, and an enormous amount of attention to detail. From my own knowledge of the story, I didn't seen any liberties taken with history.

Painstaking efforts for accuracy was made during production, and it worked. From the architecture of buildings and sets to the small details of costuming, props, and even gas lighting, the film feels very much like it's drawn out of the mid-nineteenth century. 

The casting of the roles is well done. Kevin Kline as Stanton is an interesting choice; you have to look twice at him to recognize him, though the voice can't be mistaken. There are things he says that would seem familiar coming from Dick Cheney, including being willing to ignore the rights under the constitution if it means saving the country. Still, as much as Stanton might be seen as an antagonist, his actions are still understandable. In those hours and days after the assassination, the magnitude of the shock on the country was something that wasn't felt again until the Second World War. Stanton and Lincoln had been friends, and the War Secretary was convinced the conspiracy was far larger then it was. Stanton wasn't right, but he wasn't quite wrong either. Kline gives the character a tremendous presence and a decisiveness at a point in time where, in effect, Stanton was the entire federal government.

Tom Wilkinson is one of my favourite actors. He brings a lot to each role. In this, he brings tenacity, a certain scrappiness and cynicism, and depth to his role. And as Holt, Danny Huston comes across as overbearing, but it's entirely appropriate for the role. He should feel like a formidable opponent, and Huston has that kind of presence.

It's wise of Redford to have cast general unknowns as Lincoln and Booth. Both actors do look the part (particularly Toby Kebbell, who's got Booth's look and personality perfectly), but appear briefly at the beginning and in flashback. Bigger names would have distracted.

The two leads are well cast. Robin Wright gives her role as Mary Surratt a distinct dignity. She holds back from Aiken, evading his questions, leaving the audience to wonder about her guilt, to come to their own conclusions. Robin does look dressed down, so to speak, but gives Mary a strength and sympathy that we can connect to, regardless of our opinion on the Confederate cause. Fundamentally, she wants to protect her child. We can understand that. And the bond that develops between she and Aiken is one of mother and son, so that as the film progresses, Aiken sees her in an entirely different light.

James McAvoy is the driving force of the movie, the idealistic attorney who's seen war, who believes in the law and in justice. He pleads to the better angels of our nature, to quote the President, but it's a plea that goes unheard. He makes the effort to exonerate his client, fights for her, and is there with her through to the end. McAvoy, who's quickly building an impressive resume of films, gives Aiken an earnest, sincere depth.

Redford the director has become one of the great craftsmen of film. He has a fine talent for telling a story, for making the best use of his cast and crew, and he uses this film to shed light on an often overlooked aspect of that time, with questions that still haunts us to this day. The Conspirator is a powerful, compelling, and dramatic film that you should see.

Time Is Running Out Before We Blow Up Again, And I Haven't Had My Morning Coffee Yet

"What would you do if you knew you had less then a minute to live?"


One of the many questions in and about the film Source Code, which arrived in theatres earlier this year. And today, in the first of two reviews for films, I'm kicking myself for missing it in the theatres. I recently had a chance to see it, and I came away impressed. The science fiction film stars Jake Gyllenhall, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, and Jeffrey Wright, and is directed by Duncan Jones. It deals with themes like time travel, fate, destiny, and family, and it requires repeated viewing. In fact, you'll like picking up on things you missed the first time.

The film opens on a commuter train on its way into Chicago, where a soldier named Colter Stevens (Gyllenhall) wakes up in confusion. He was last aware of being on a mission in Afghanistan, and has no idea how he came to be there. His seatmate Christina (Monaghan) sees him as someone else, a teacher named Sean who she's dating. While he tries to understand what's happening to him, a bomb goes off, killing everyone on board.

Stevens comes to in a strange capsule, where a military officer, Captain Goodwin (Farmiga), seen on a computer screen, informs him he's in an experimental system called the Source Code, allowing him access to the final minutes of a dead mans' life in an alternate reality. A bomb has indeed gone off earlier that day on a train, and the bomber intends to detonate a much larger one later in the day. He's told that he can't change the past, but through Source Code, there's a chance that the bomber can be identified in the prime reality and the bombing prevented. The project leader (Wright) lurks in the background, rather less sympathetic then Goodwin. He's more interested in ensuring that his program is viable.

Stevens is re-inserted several times into alternate realities, checking off potential suspects and gathering information. He tries to change fate, to save lives, even though he's been told it won't change the past in his own reality. And he comes to understand the full nature of what brought him into the program, something that he has to piece together on his own.

The premise is preposterous, of course, but ingenious and exhilirating at the same time. I was reminded of Quantum Leap, which had the premise of inserting a time travellers' soul into another body (in fact, there's a bit of an Easter egg linked to that television show in the cast). And then there's also Groundhog Day, the comedy that featured Bill Murray experiencing the same day over and over again. Memento also came to mind through the film, since that movie played around with the concept of fractured time. Lastly, I was reminded of Vantage Point, which, while not science fiction, dealt with the idea of examining the same few minutes of time from several points of view. One of the pleasures of a film like this is watching out for small details, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The audience is drawn right in there with Stevens, wondering who the bomber is, trying to piece together what's happening before the clock runs out.

Duncan Jones has only directed one previous feature, Moon, which I haven't seen, but this film certainly impresses. With much of the action through the film contained to a train and a peculiar capsule, and some of that action deliberately repetitive, Jones does a good job telling the story, ratcheting up the tension, drawing the audience along in this trip down the proverbial rabbit hole. His production and special effects crews really do their work well; the destruction of the train is seen several times in different ways, and feels harrowing. The effects used drawing Stevens into and out of the timeline have a suitably disorienting effect. And the music score is tense and haunting. 

The casting works well. Gyllenhall is a sympathetic lead, conveying initial confusion when he first finds himself where he doesn't expect to be. As the film progresses, we see his desperation, determination, his wish to save lives, and his choice to try to subvert fate. And he has personal things to come to terms with. Gyllenhall does a fine job making us empathize with Stevens, and brings a sincerity and likeability to the role. Michelle Monaghan, whose work includes Mission Impossible III (rumor has it Cruise had to stand on a ladder to come eye to eye with her) and Gone Baby Gone, is a likeable leading lady, even while her character finds herself confused by the behaviour of a man she thinks she knows. Jeffrey Wright, a character actor who's been around for years in many roles and has, of late, been appearing in James Bond films, is suitably grumpy as the Source Code project director Rutledge.

The standout of the cast, however, is Vera Farmiga. She really came to prominence in Up In The Air (if you haven't seen it, remedy that anon!), and she continues to shine here. As Goodwin, she's the friendly face each time Stevens comes out of figuratively being blown up again. She's sympathetic to him, wants to give him the answers he's looking for, and ultimately helps him in a way you might not expect. As an actress, she brings warmth, empathy, compassion, and professionalism to the role, and it's what she doesn't say that intrigues me. Her eyes convey so much that she doesn't need to say, and that's a credit to her skills as an actress. Someone else in the role would have been far less intriguing.

The film isn't perfect, of course. I have some issues with the ending, which I won't go into, since that would be spoilerish. Regardless, I admired the technical aspects of the film, the pacing, the cast, and the very premise of playing around with time. As preposterous as the concept at its heart, the film is compelling, clever, and ultimately very human. Like good sci-fi is supposed to do, it makes you ask questions, and it makes you think. Which, let's face it, you're not going to get from a movie with lots of explosions and robots that turn into machines and a dimwitted mouthbreathing troglodyte named Shia.

Get your hands on this film. You'll enjoy it.

The Sentinel of Liberty, The Spitfire, And The Overly Tanned Cranky Villain

Back in the 90s, I picked up the first in what's become a good sized collection of Captain America comics. It was the first issue of a storyline called Man Without A Country, and it featured the character framed for treason by a nasty piece of work named Machinesmith, stripped of his identity and citizenship, and exiled to Europe, where he had to clear his name and get back to the States just in time to save the President, who looked suspiciously like a certain former Prez who liked cigars, getting "serviced" by interns, and insisting he didn't have any relations with said interns. I'm sure Cap had to stop himself from rolling his eyes while saving Bubbas' miserable neck.

Captain America seems to be, at face value, a tricky kind of character to adapt to the big screen. There's been a previous adaptation from twenty odd years ago that I've seen bits and pieces of on cable, which is profoundly cheesy. We're talking mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, and gorgonzolla crammed together into a giant mountain of cheesiness. It didn't work, for a lot of reasons, among them bad writing, bad casting, bad effects... I'm sure the actors involved in that train wreck would like to forget it ever happened. There's also the issue that a character named Captain America might have problems doing good box office numbers in international markets. Put too much "rah rah pledge to the flag and apple pie" into the film, and it would turn off audiences around the world. Like I said, though, at face value. 

Having read the characters' adventures for some two hundred or so issues now, there's a lot beneath the surface. When he's written well, Cap's a man of integrity, principles, compassion, and personal fortitude. He's a soldier who everyone else naturally looks to as a leader. In fact, he's even been at odds with the direction of his country through the long run of the series. Among the challenges of a film adaptation are infusing the core of the lead character with those qualities, and toning down the bombast, so to speak.

Captain America: The First Avenger succeeds wildly as an adaptation, telling the World War Two adventures of the man who will become the leader of the Avengers. While the film has present day bookends, the bulk of the action is set during the War. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), is a small, scrawny New Yorker who yearns to join the war effort, but his physical condition seems to doom him to 4F status for the duration of the war. His best friend James "Bucky" Barnes (Sebastian Stan) is about to ship off to the European theatre, and Steve's frustrated. We quickly see him as a principled, decent guy, not willing to back down from a fight, who wants to do his part for the war effort. And while he's talking with Bucky at an exhibition, he's overheard by a scientist, Doctor Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci), who enlists him into a project he's working on, the super-soldier program.

Steve goes into training, among a group of other candidates overseen by a gruff colonel (Tommy Lee Jones) and a spitfire agent named Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Though he's the scrawniest of the lot, he's not a quitter; he shows fortitude, ingenuity, and ultimately bravery. Erskine selects him to undergo the procedure, which is witnessed by the brass and a German mole. Steve comes through the procedure, taller, stronger, and faster, transformed into a super soldier. The mole, of course, shows himself and ensures the procedure can never be accomplished again, and after taking him down, Steve finds himself spending his time in War Bonds Hell. It's actually a good touch (musical number notwithstanding). It reminded me of the fact that soldiers who'd won medals for bravery spent time back on the home front, raising money for war bonds and wishing they could be back in the thick of things. Steve has that look to him while on stages across the country in a stage costume variation of his uniform. He feels like he's wasting his time.

Fate intervenes while he's on a USO tour in Europe, allowing him to use his abilities to free captured soldiers from the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), the earlier test subject for Erskine. The Skull is a cruel, monstrous man whose face is as advertized. He's pure hatred personified, head of a Nazi research arm called Hydra, who has ambitions of his own. He's found a trinket that once belonged to Odin which comics fans recognize as a cosmic cube; it's a nice nod to the comic continuity, where the Skull has, for years, been obsessed with using cosmic cubes. The Skull uses it to power his advanced weaponry, plotting to strike against all of his enemies, aided by his right hand man, Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), who looks, well, much more human then I'm used to (in the comics, he lives on in a robotic body). Cap gets himself a proper field uniform and the familiar round shield, aided by Howard Stark (who will one day father Tony Stark, of course), and gathers together a team of commandoes, including Bucky, to go after Hydra bases in the months that follow, inevitably bringing them all back into battle with the Skull.

The film succeeds on many levels. The set pieces have a very Forties look to them, in pretty much every detail that we see from buildings to vehicles to the small things that fill up spaces. Even the advanced weaponry devised by Hydra looks retro, conceivably possible for the time. The costuming follows the same sense of detail; the soldiers' uniforms are very much in keeping with the time; the Hydra uniforms have a typically Nazi feel to them, and the Cap uniform as we see it fits the character. It updates the original look from the comics, but still looks very much like the character ought to look. The music, by Alan Silvestri, has a patriotic feel, epic when it needs to be, and just right for the film. The special effects, when used, feel fluid to the action around it, and not apart. The CGI involved in making actor Chris Evans look shorter and smaller then he truly is, is particularly well done. Director Joe Johnson (The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park III) did well with selecting the production crew for this one. The action scenes, particularly a raid on a train and the attacks against Hydra bases, have a real feel to them.

He also chose well in casting. Evans, who's played the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four films, has just the right look for the character. More to the point, he captures the essence of the character, a principled, honourable, decent guy who's out there doing his part for his country, the sort of man who, when put into the heat of battle, will naturally lead. This has to be the sort of person who, in the Avengers film, will give orders that characters like Thor and Tony Stark will follow, and Evans pulls it off.

Weaving plays the part of the Red Skull perfectly. He's played sadistic villains before, of course, and here he conveys the viciousness, the sadistic streak, and the ruthless ambition of the character. I'd say the Red Skull performance makes his Agent Smith from The Matrix films look like a real softie, which is saying a lot.

Hayley Atwell's prior acting resume is something I wasn't all that familiar with, but she makes a real impression as Agent Carter. She and Evans have an easy, warm chemistry between them, both before and after the procedure that makes him into a super soldier. She's bright, fearless, and she's got a spitfire personality. She also looks like she'd be right at home in the Forties.

Tommy Lee Jones has been playing grumpy and cranky guys for awhile now, to utter perfection. He's one of my favourite actors, and he has surprisingly quite a lot to do through the film. As is often the case, he gets some of the best lines.

Stanley Tucci has had a long streak of playing different roles as a character actor; he's one of those actors who's often the most interesting part of a film. One of my favourite roles for him was in the criminally underappreciated Undercover Blues. As Erskine, he inhabits a kind, fatherly mentor role, an inherently decent man who's seen the worst side of humanity and finds in Steve someone he can believe in.

Dominic Cooper gets to play Howard Stark, and he too gets a lot to do in the film. He's got a lot of swagger and suave to him, which we can definitely see in his son Tony in the Iron Man films. It's a nice touch seeing it in his old man.

There are a number of Easter eggs, to use an expression, that I liked. One, of course, is the typical Stan Lee cameo, which is so fast that if you blink, you'll miss it. Another is the brief appearance of the original Human Torch at the exhibition, a nod to the fact that Cap and Bucky were part of the Invaders team with the Torch and the Submariner, among others, in the comics, a concept that probably would have been too convoluted to use for this film. And the last is the formation of Cap's team, known to fans as the Howling Commandoes. The most instantly recognizable of them is Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan (Neal McDonough, who could have played Cap ten or fifteen years ago) in his top hat and handlebar mustache.

The film is really more of an action adventure film then a comic book adaptation. It feels true to the period setting, and has a lot of heart to it. Marvel's been moving in this direction for awhile with the Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, and Thor films, heading towards next summers' Avengers. This film, which ends with something of a cultural shock moment, sets the stage for next summer, and succeeds in presenting us with a Captain America who's not at all flag-waving bombast and fireworks, but an inherently decent man. Go see this film.

Mischief Managed, Dragons In Strange Places, And A Guy Who Desperately Needs A Nose Job

And so all good things come to an end, and so it must be for the Harry Potter universe (Potterverse? Multi-Harrys? Potteroplex?). With Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two out in theatres, the franchise has come to a close in a fitting fashion. JK Rowling's creation of a magical world has entranced readers and viewers from the releases of the first book whilst simultaneously performing a magic spell to help itself to some of the dollars in their wallets.

I recall back in the day the story that circulated around about Spielberg wanting to take control of the franchise before the first film was made, Americanize the whole thing, and probably cast Haley Joel Osment as Harry. Given that he had all of one good role in him and has grown up to still resemble the creepy gangly guy, I can only imagine how much of a disaster an Americanized Harry Potter series would have been, so it's good that the production remained a British one.

The decision to divide the final book into two seperate films was a wise one. Rowling developed a habit of writing longer and longer books as the series went on, and in earlier adaptations, large subplots had to be left behind in bringing the stories to the big screen. In dividing the book, it's allowed the story to play out in full, and rightfully so (unlike, oh, a certain pair of films that are doing the exact same thing to the last book in a tedious, eye-rolling vampire franchise starting later this year).

When last we left our three intrepid heroes, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, they had been spending their senior year ditching school, chasing down horcruxes, items in which the villain (Voldemort, of course, pale looking chap with a nose problem, anger management issues, and an overriding desire to grind everyone else beneath his feet) had placed parts of his soul to cheat death. They've been busy trying to destroy the horcruxes, camping out in a tent that has a whole lot of space inside, and thinking up ways to present their activities as extra credit so that they can graduate from Hogwarts. Part One ended with a dramatic escape and the sacrifice of the house elf Dobby.

Part Two picks up where the first movie left off. Most of the action revolves around two settings: a break-in at the goblin bank Gringotts and what can best be called the Battle of Hogwarts, which takes up the bulk of the film. Let's start with the former. The Gringotts sequence takes us down into the depths of the vaults in a way that might upset delicate stomachs (if you've got a problem with rollercoasters, you might want to close your eyes). It features a dragon, a secret vault, and ends with a very creative use of the London skyline. One wonders what a Muggle might think looking up into the sky and seeing something there that clearly doesn't belong.

The trail brings the trio back to Hogwarts, meeting a grumpy brother of the late Dumbledore along the way, reuniting them with their classmates and the staff at the school. Hogwarts has become a dreary place under Headmaster Snape, where rules are being enforced harshly, students are marching in lock step, and (one might reasonably assume) chocolate has been removed from the facilities. The film moves into the last act, with Voldemort and his forces laying siege to the school, confrontations ensuing, battles raging, and our heroes racing against time to stop the forces of evil. Oh, and of course that means a final confrontation between Harry and the fellow who has the facial reconstruction surgery appointment on Tuesday.

The battle involves a lot of destruction, death, and assorted mayhem, and has the proper feel of an epic fantasy film. The special effects crews really earn their pay throughout. Director David Yates, who's helmed the series since Order of the Phoenix, has become accustomed to the wizarding world, and has assembled a production staff of special effects, set designers, costume designers, musicians (composer Alexandre Desplat finishes the series with an epic score), and cinematographers that have kept the franchise fresh and true to its source, and the final movie is the capstone of the series.

Still, the films have always been about character, and the actors do well in the finale of the series. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have grown up playing the three leads, really coming into their own as performers, each capturing the essence of their characters. Ralph Fiennes, who's been playing Voldemort since Goblet of Fire, brings a profound sense of malice and evil to Voldemort. Matthew Lewis as Neville has, in the earlier films, more often then not been the comic relief, but here comes into his own, as Neville shows himself as a courageous hero (with some really terrific lines). Tom Felton, who's been the cruel Draco through all of these films, does the seemingly impossible and makes the audience feel sorry for him. Helena Bonham Carter, one of my favourite actresses, plays the sadistic and completely insane Bellatrix true to form, and the great Alan Rickman excels as the seemingly heartless but tragic Snape. Add to that the great British actors Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Mark Williams, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Ciaran Hinds, and many more from the duration of the run, and you've got a cast that most directors would kill for.

For all of the epic sweep of the film, I think the quiet moments are the best moments. Harry finds himself in conversations with ghosts at several points in the film. One, of course, is with Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). Another is with four people he loves. And a great surprise for me was his conversation with the Grey Lady, seen at last in the films (aside from a momentary glimpse in the first film). She's often been mentioned in the earlier books, but here she's played by Kelly MacDonald, another one of my favourite actresses. Another quiet and remarkable sequence has Harry seeing Snapes' memories, and finally realizing what kind of man his longtime nemesis truly is. There's a heartbreaking moment in the middle of all that, and Rickman's expression makes it happen. And another that stands out features our three heroes, standing on a bridge, a quiet conversation and an action undertaken that speaks to who they've become. The scene captures perfectly the bond between the three of them. The characters and the actors have a chance to breath, to take in all that's happened. They've come down a long road, and we've been watching them all along, seeing them grow.

The film brings the series to a close, and what a series it's been. The Harry Potter franchise has followed a young wizard and his friends from childhood to adulthood, dealing with themes of friendship, good versus evil, death, life, and loyalty along the way. It's given us some of the most memorable heroes and villains of the fantasy genre, and like all great children's literature, it's managed to appeal to adults just as much as kids. The adaptations have been ideal for the big screen, as faithful as they can be, and ultimately a success.

Now, if we can have the alternate ending turn up on the DVD featuring Harry turning evil, that would be splendid.

What?

Where Can I Get A Hammer Like That?

Better late then never, so they say. For a comic book fan, waiting a couple of weeks to see a film about a comic book character like this must be a cardinal sin. Oh well.

My first real exposure to the Marvel version of Thor was picking up a handful of issues on an impulse, which would come to be collected in the Worldengine trade paperback. Incidentally, it's a really good story, with Thor exiled out of Asgard, under attack from an unseen enemy, and trying to turn back the clock on Ragnorak. In between, he gets to spend some quality time between the sheets with Amora the Enchantress, a long time enemy who winds up as something much more.

Where was I? Oh, yes. In between the sheets... no, not there. Anyway, since that introduction to the character, I've followed the adventures of the god of thunder and his people. Most of that has had the distinction of being good writing and art. Small aside here, to those who don't follow the medium: if a fan raves about the outstanding art of Chris Bachalo and Humberto Ramos, turn and run. The fan in question must have rabies, be clinically insane, or something much worse.

For a long while Thor the movie was talked about as Marvel really got underway with some of the concepts from their catalogue of characters and history. While X-Men, Spider-Man, and Fantastic Four got taken up by seperate studios, the Avengers roster has become the focus of the Marvel Studios work in the last few years. Starting with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, a concerted effort was made to create a shared universe for film fans. This year Thor and Captain America add to that list.

Marvel selected celebrated actor and director Kenneth Branagh, who's best known for his work with Shakespeare, for the task of bringing the film to life. I've thought from the beginning that it was an inspired choice. Thor as a story, both comic and original mythology, always had a very Shakespearean sensibility to it, with sweeping epic themes, family drama and conflict, nobility and cruelty, and rich characterization.

Branagh obviously saw the potential in the premise. Aside from his Shakespearean films such as Henry V, Hamlet, and Much Ado About Nothing, he's done such eclectic films as Dead Again (a personal favourite) and the over the top Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. He understands as a filmmaker how to work with both the intimacy of characters and the epic sweep that a story like this requires. He was the ideal choice for this film, and it shows in every detail, from the cast he chose and their performances, to the production values.

The story plays out in Asgard, in the realm of Jotenheim, and on Earth, all cosmically linked as part of the Nine Realms. Odin (Anthony Hopkins), the lord of Asgard, bears the responsibility of the rule of his realm and the protection of his people. He is a husband to Frigga (Rene Russo), and father to two sons, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki ( Tom Hiddleston). On the day he names Thor as heir to his throne, Asgard is briefly invaded by Frost Giants, longtime enemies.

Thor impulsively and recklessly wants revenge. Odin refuses to allow it. Thor breaks the orders of his father and leads Loki and four friends, Sif (Jaimie Alexander), Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano), and Fandral (Josh Dallas) into Jotenheim for vengeance. Odin intervenes, and for his arrogance and disregard, Thor is stripped of his powers and exiled to Earth.

Odin and the boys

Frigga

Loki

Heimdall

Sif

Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg

Thor encounters three scientists, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) and Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings, who steals the show frequently). The film takes on a fish out of water element here, with Thor trying to adjust to life on earth and find a way home, a path that must take him through humility to his lowest point. He also spends a great deal of time bonding with Jane, who is bemused by this stranger with the tight abs and curious way about him. Natalie the actress also seems to look at him on occasion as if she's wondering where he was during the filming of Star Wars. Perhaps if Hemsworth had been cast, she wouldn't have had to put up with a future Darth Vader who didn't seem to constantly be on the verge of breaking out into tears.

Meanwhile, Loki being Loki (he is, after all the god of mischief) is up to all sorts of trouble in Asgard. Inevitably trouble must ensue.

I mentioned Branagh's good taste in casting. Hemsworth, who was previously only known to me for his cameo in the recent Star Trek, embodies Thor. It's easy to believe this guy is the god of thunder. He brings an arrogance and recklessness to the character early on, and his journey of discovery following his downfall is done just right. His low points feel genuine, and his turn to true nobility and self sacrifice fit the performance and the character.

Every hero needs a villain, and Hiddleston inhabits Loki just as I would have imagined him. He's envious, deceitful, ambitious, treacherous, bitter, and tragic. Hiddleston plays him well, and as much of a villain as Loki is, there are moments I truly feel sorry for him.

Hopkins as Odin is another good choice. The character can often seem distant and cold, and he certainly has that here, but he's a king with all of the responsibilities of a just ruler. He seeks to teach his sons the lessons he's had to learn, and his paternal instincts come out full force during the film. Rene Russo as Frigga is younger then I'd picture the character, but brings a sense of grace and warmth to the character.

Natalie Portman also gets well cast here. Jane is updated from a nurse turned doctor in the comics to an astrophysicist for the film, which brings her into contact with Thor. She gives the character spunk and a spark, and she and Hemsworth share an easy chemistry as they get to know each other. I particularly like seeing her get flustered.

The remaining casting choices are well made. Sif feels very true to the character in the comics, as do the Warriors Three and Heimdall, guardian of the Rainbow Bridge. Stevenson's take on Volstagg, while not as large in build as the character appears in the comics, is funny; a bit featuring his appetite midway through the film gave me a laugh, and serves as a nod to the character's history. And Skarsgard, who's one of the great character actors working today, is very welcome as Eric, as is Kat Dennings, who gets a laugh out of us at just the right time.

And there's a nice little Easter egg for those of us who know the characters: the appearance of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), my favourite Avenger, who will turn up in the Avengers film next year.

The production values are of great benefit for the film too. The costume design for the Asgardians has the right look, as does the set design and special effect work for Asgard, Jotunheim, and the cosmos. It gives the film that epic sweep and an attention to detail that's vital. Asgard looks majestic and beautiful, Jotunheim looks dangerous and foreboding, and the cosmos is achingly gorgeous. The battle in Jotunheim early on (the Frost Giants are particularly menacing, as they should be) and the fight against the Destroyer (a handy bit of Asgardian Weapon of Mass Destruction, by the way) are well rendered, and the Rainbow Bridge fascinated me. And last but not least, Branaghs' frequent collaborator Patrick Doyle gives us a full blooded, sweeping musical score that's heroic, bold, and intimate.

Thor is a film with many themes. A father and his sons. The bond between brothers. The call of duty of a king. The fall and redemption of a hero. The meeting of people from different worlds. An unlikely romance. The fantastic and the impossible. And gods walking the earth and truly finding themselves for the first time.

Oh, and driving the ladies crazy with one scene in particular.

Eye candy for the ladies

What's next for the character? Well, he'll be back for Avengers, and there are certainly more characters and villains to explore in the Thor realm. I'd love to see Surtur, the Midgardian serpent, Malekith, Karnilla, Amora the Enchantress, Hela, or Ulik the troll turn up in a future film.

I think we can skip Thor as a frog though.

Don't believe me?

I told you.

Now, like I asked in the title of this review.... where can I get hold of a hammer like that?