| Witness This | Golden Grahams |
REBEL MOON –PART ONE: ACHILD OF FIRE 15
Emergency insurgency…
★★★★★ OUT NOW NETFLIX
Zack Snyder doesn’t do things by halves, but even by his standards, part one of his long-gestating space saga is a thunderous slab of mythological sci-fantasy. This epic re-do of Seven Samurai takes a standard ‘getting the band together’ scenario and elevates it to operatic heights.
Anthony Hopkins’ voiceover establishes the Rebel Moon universe, which has been plunged into discord by the slaying of a benevolent king. Asserting their authority, the forces of the Motherworld demand that the farmers of peace-loving satellite Veldt surrender their harvest. What nasty Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein) doesn’t know is that runaway warrior Kora (Sofia Boutella) isn’t about to let her new pals get picked on.
Kora sets off across the galaxy to find a posse of freelance fighters who’ll repel Noble’s next visit: a ragtag team of mercenaries who are each introduced with an elaborate set-piece. It all ends with a dramatic reversal that brings things to an explosive if inconclusive conclusion – the inevitable price of A Child of Fire being a scene-setter for part two (The Scargiver). But fans of Snyder’s heightened brand of filmmaking won’t be left wanting, and if the performances rarely extend beyond two-dimensional archetypes, there’s still fun to be had with Charlie Hunnam’s wily, Han Solo-esque pilot.
THE VERDICT Snyder’s passion project risks being subsumed by self-importance, but delivers no end of bombastic mayhem.
WONKA PG
★★★★★ OUT NOW CINEMAS
Sheer Willy power…
In Paul King’s (Paddington) Dahl-iverse confection, Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) is a young man with a crazy dream, hungry to share his bespoke chocolate creations with the world’s candy capital. Our guileless fantasist clashes with chocolate-cartel boss Slugworth (Paterson Joseph) and winds up reduced to forced labour. Yet as Wonka befriends fellow outcasts, including orphan Noodle (Calah Lane), he clings to his vision.
Resisting Wilder/Depp mimicry, Chalamet whisks up his own gentle Wonka from a measured mix of naivete and knowing wiles. Some will complain he’s too benign, too warm, but he summons a musical-ready lightness and bonds generously with the winning Lane.
The vibrant stylings are equally on-point, accommodating hints of playful whimsy and Wizarding World-ish world-building to maintain a sense of handmade personality. The tunes are buoyant and infectious, with composer Joby Talbot and songwriter Neil ‘Divine Comedy’ Hannon elevating story beats into expressive musical extravagances. True, Wonka threatens to OD on its own supply of Brit stars near the climax; momentum dips as King strains to juggle cast members. But as Wonka and Noodle take flight, companionship and compassion emerge as Paddington-esque themes, mixed with loving care. If you could use some anti-cynical uplift, you’ll be eating out of King’s hand.
THE VERDICT King brings his Padding-touch to Dahl, lacing a melodious pick-you-up with heart. It gets busy, but the cast, songs and spirit soar.