Keanu Reeves’ killer franchise has been reignited again – with a blow torch – with “John Wick – Chapter 3: Parabellum,” the third and definitely not last chapter in the ultraviolent tale about a former hitman at odds with the criminal underworld that shaped him. And while the hotly-anticipated follow-up to the 2017 hit comes in a bit long at 2-plus hours, the film like its predecessors is ghoulishly entertaining with all of Reeves’ kill shots and brutal hand-to-hand combat skills and will surely earn enough at the box office to justify a fourth chapter.
AUDIO: Click above to hear Tim’s review of “John Wick 3: Parabellum” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ 92 Morning Show” on KQRS-FM.
Picking up virtually where “John Wick: Chapter 2” left off, “Parabellum” finds Wick roaming the streets of New York with less than a half-hour to go before he’s declared excommunicado. In the dark criminal underworld, that means Wick’s lost all his protection from the covert international assassin’s guild who placed a $14 million bounty on his head for executing a high-ranking member of the High Table on the grounds of The Continental hotel, which is a safe haven for criminals.
“Parabellum,” a Latin word which translated to English means “Prepare for war,” wastes no time in giving fans of the franchise what they want, with hyperkinetic action scenes loaded with inventive hand-to-hand combat, lots of gunplay and truckloads of dead bodies. Not surprisingly, the killing (how this film averted an NC-17 rating is a wonder), will induce endless cringes and bouts of nervous laughter as Wick indiscriminately wipes out every bad guy in his way, and director Chad Stahelski does his best to make sure each death is more gruesomely creative than the last.
Reeves, like before, is charismatic as the stoic assassin still hurting from the loss of his girlfriend to cancer and the puppy she gave him (yep, dogs still play a prominent role in the film series), but as important as he is to the film, he’s not required to do all the heavy-lifting.
Halle Berry is wonderful addition as a badass assassin from Wick’s past, as is Angelica Huston as a crime boss, and Asia Kate Dillion (“Billions”) dominates the screen as the Adjudicator for the High Table, whose job is to lay waste to all people complicit in Wick’s actions. Back for another go-round is the always great Ian McShane as Winston, who owns and operates The Continental, and Laurence Fishburne, who stole the show in “John Wick 2” as the underground criminal leader The Bowery King.
Perhaps the biggest difference between “Parabellum” and the previous “John Wick” chapters is that this new tale seems to take more time to breathe between the mayhem to give us a look into Wick’s past to help shape the story. Easily the film’s biggest downfall is its excessive scenes of violence – not in terms of content: bloody brutality is what “John Wick” is all about – but just in the sheer numbers of times we have to see it. With a 2-hour, 10-minute runtime, “Parabellum” is long in the tooth, and the clipping of some unnecessarily long fight and execution scenes that have little bearing on the plot would have gone a long way.
Lammometer: 8 (out of 10)
AUDIO: Click to hear Tim review “John Wick 3” with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on “Paul & Jordana” on WCCO-AM.
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
You don’t have to catch ‘em all – the previous “Pokémon” movies or video games that is – to enjoy “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu,” an engaging live-action/computer-generated movie hybrid that brings the famed anime characters out of their anime world for the first time. Even though it is designed with fans in mind, the movie scores high points for making it accessible for those relatively new to the Pokémon experience, and the end result is a win-win for die-hard fans and newbies alike.
Justice Smith (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”) stars as Tim Goodman, a young man estranged from his police detective father for years when he’s called by his father’s superior (Ken Watanabe) with some bad news: the elder Goodman died under mysterious circumstances while conducting an investigation. Traveling to his father’s precinct in Ryme City – an idyllic metropolis where humans and Pokémon creatures exist on equal footing – Tim encounters his father’s detective partner: the bouncy, fun-loving, electrically-charged Pikachu.
This difference with this Pokémon (who can speak, but only say their own names), though is that Tim, unlike other humans, can actually understand what Detective Pikachu is saying. Taking advantage of their unique way of communicating with one another, Tim and Detective Pokémon (voiced by the always entertaining Ryan Reynolds) embark on a mission (along with an intrepid reporter played by “Big Little Lies” actress Kathryn Newton) to unravel the mystery behind the loss of Tim’s father and a devious plan that could bode ill for the residents of Ryme City.
Directed by Rob Letterman (“Goosebumps,” “Monsters vs. Aliens”)“Detective Pikachu” owes a debt of gratitude to the quick-thinking, fast-talking sensibilities of Reynolds, who no doubt interjected his gift for improvised dialogue into the film. The big difference, of course, is that the dialogue of the PG-rated, family-friendly “Detective Pikachu” is that the dialogue is far cleaner from his raucous, R-rated “Deadpool” movies, but that doesn’t make things any less entertaining. Quite simply, Reynolds has the innate ability to bring any of the characters to life, which is especially impressive when it’s a yellow furball that only previously existed in the two-dimensional animated world and could only utter the word “Pikachu!”
In this live-action Pokémon world, Reynolds makes the iconic character feel like a living, breathing creature, which is an incredibly difficult for any actor to do, whether they’re playing a human or otherwise.
Of course, “Pokémon” fans – whether they’re a fan of 1998’s “Pokémon: The First Movie,” the anime series, card game or “Pokémon Go” game — will get the most out of “Detective Pikachu,” even though the film has nothing to do with the insanely popular smart phone app. Newbies who want to take a deep dive in the movie will likely benefit most going into “Detective Pikachu” by seeing the 1998 feature, if not for any other reason to familiarize themselves with the many famed characters associated with the franchise and their back stories. That’s because “Detective Pikachu,” not surprisingly, is loaded with several creatures from the “Pokémon” universe, and the familiarity of which will provide for a much richer experience than for those people who go into the theaters cold. Otherwise, just see the movie for Reynolds – he’s that good.
Lammometer: 7 (out of 10) (Pokémon fans — 9 out of 10)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen make for appealing candidates, romantic comedy-wise, in “Long Shot,” an oftentimes funny, sometimes heartfelt, sometimes preachy and sometimes gross-out tale set amid the wishy-washy world of United States politics.
Theron plays U.S. Secretary of State Charlotte Field, a rising political star who plans on announcing her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election after a whirlwind, worldwide tour touting her global environmental initiative. Working with image and message consultants to bolster her appeal, Charlotte realizes she could use help interjecting a bit of comedy into her speeches, so he hires on a whim controversial journalist Fred Flarsky (Rogen) with a penchant for flying off the cuff. Even though his behavior, temperament and rage against the government and corporate machines make Fred a risk, Charlotte trusts her instincts because as a teenage girl, she used to babysit Fred as an adolescent.
For as odd a couple as Charlotte and Fred seem, Theron and Rogen have a surprisingly good chemistry, both comedically and romantically in “Long Shot.” The big issue is that while Theron continues to prove to her talents in different genres, Rogen, while funny, seems to play the same role of the stoner bud once again.
For a film about politics, “Long Shot” manages to mostly steer clear of the scumbaggery that pollutes today’s political climate, creating an almost idyllic world where politicians almost act like civil human beings. That’s not to say director Jonathan Levine doesn’t make the GOP a punching bag time and again throughout the film – or at least the party’s cable news supporter, Fox News (thinly veiled here as The Wembley Network). On the flip side, however, “Long Shot” introduces a positive Republican character with Christian values who puts a far-left extremist in his place — who effectively argues that Democrats and Republicans simply need to learn how to compromise to manifest the ideal notion of politicians actually getting work done on behalf of the people that elected them.
With a semi-fresh approach to the way politics are presented (Charlotte is not a complete idealist – she knows the system is deeply flawed if not outright crooked, and full-realizes that she needs to play the game in order to see her vision through), the story on which the foundation of “Long Shot” rests – the romance – is hopelessly predictable. “Long Shot” is an enjoyable film to be sure, it’s just doesn’t rise to anything special in the sea of cookie-cutter plots that have populated the romantic comedy genre for decades.
Levine, Rogan and Theron (who also serve as producers on the film) certainly give it their best to separate itself from other romantic comedies, particularly with the interjection of reckless drug use and graphic sexual humor into the third act, a move that ultimately causes “Long Shot” to lose any shred of believability as the film wraps up.
True, the scenes in the third act are very funny, but for a film that focuses on the serious matter of the long-overdue election of female president, you would have thought the filmmakers would have found a much more dignified way of going about it instead of hinging the endgame on a crude sex gag. As such, “Long Shot” gives the term “dirty politics” a whole new meaning, even if that wasn’t the film’s intention.
Lammometer: 7 (out of 10)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
In May 2011, I had the opportunity to talk with a relative newcomer to Hollywood, a nice Aussie actor named Chris Hemsworth, who would go on to star in one of the most successful film franchises of all-time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In celebration of the release of “Avengers: Endgame,” here’s that interview:
Although his appearance in “Star Trek” was brief, Chris Hemsworth’s emotionally-charged turn as Captain George Kirk in the 2009 blockbuster certainly made people take notice — including director Kenneth Branagh, who was looking for a star to anchor his film about the Norse God of Thunder.
“‘Star Trek’ actually came out when I was auditioning for ‘Thor’ — and Ken has said he had seen the film and was impressed,” Hemsworth said in a recent interview. “It was perfect timing.”
Oddly enough, Hemsworth, an Australian native, had precious little time to prepare for small, but pivotal role as the father of the iconic James T. Kirk.
“I was cast on Friday night at (director) J.J. Abrams’ office. He said ‘You got the job — you start Monday,'” Hemsworth recalled with a laugh. “I didn’t know much about what I was doing, but I left myself open and available to what I was doing and tried to find the truth in it. It was a lot of fun.”
While George Kirk was captain of his ship for 12 minutes, “Thor” definitely puts Hemsworth in command of the whole film, opening in theaters nationwide on Friday. The major difference is, while Kirk was a selfless individual who sacrificed himself for 800 others, Thor, when we first meet him, is the complete opposite: arrogant, selfish and hot-headed.
Lucky for Hemsworth, Thor’s attitude only represented his beginnings in an eventful character arc.
“That was the big incentive for me in wanting to get the part — I prefer, personally, a part that presents a lot of contrast,” Hemsworth said. “I wanted to get a part that was unpredictable because as people we’re unpredictable. You want to surprise an audience, and challenge their interpretation or views on who they think the character is. It makes the character certainly more interesting to watch, and certainly the script allowed for room to do that.”
Based on the legendary Marvel comic book series created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, “Thor” chronicles the character’s exploits in epic fashion: from his reckless ways as a powerful but petulant warrior in the mystical realm of Asgard, to his banishment to Earth by his father, King Odin (Anthony Hopkins). It’s there where Thor meets research scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), and must adapt from prince to pauper if he is to live among the humans and ultimately learn humility. And it’s where he will eventually have to face the dark forces sent from his world to protect the innocent of his new home.
Chris Hemsworth and Anthony Hopkins in “Thor”
The Shakespearean factor
While there were concerns expressed by the comic book’s faithful fans with the selection of a Shakespearean director in to helm “Thor,” Hemsworth said he never had a doubt in his mind that Branagh — who’s film adaptations include The Bard’s “Hamlet,” “Henry V,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “As You Like It” — was more than suited for the job.
“He’s kind of perfect if you think about it, with his Shakespearean background, because there’s an old English feel to this film and he knows that feel better than anyone,” Hemsworth observed. “Odin, Thor and that world pretty much represents the Royal Family with kings and queens. Thor’s journey is pretty much like ‘Henry V,’ which he did an Academy Award-nominated version of. For me, he was perfect — a resource of knowledge of the regality of that world.”
The bonus, Branagh offered in a separate interview, is that the tale of “Thor” has inherent Shakespearean qualities.
“The Marvel treatment of the Norse myth to attain, achieve and aspire to a god-like quality in themselves, whatever that might be — piece of mind or generosity of spirit — and reassessing what that means,” Branagh said. “That dichotomy, that paradox, that tension — between god and man, man aspiring to be god-like, and gods dealing to be human-like — is a kind of tension and exploration of the inner-life of a character that is very Shakespearean. ”
“I think in both cases, with a Shakespeare play like ‘Henry V’ and with a tale like ‘Thor,’ all of that is wrapped up adventure tale,” Branagh added. “That’s where those two intersect.”
Building the perfect Thor
While Hemsworth said he benefited from being in the company of Branagh, as well as such acting stalwarts as Hopkins, Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Tom Hiddleston (who plays Thor’s conniving brother, Loki), it was entirely up to 6-foot-3 performer to when it came to building Thor’s massive, sculpted body.
“It took a good five or sixth months of force-feeding myself buckets of protein, and then spending six or seven days a week in the gym,” Hemsworth said. “I’ve always been pretty active and played a lot of sports, but I’ve never lifted weights, so this was a whole new thing for me. My body didn’t set well with that weight, eating tons and tons.”
And, as Hemsworth found, the regimen didn’t stop when filming began. After all, he had to be ripped when it came time for removing his shirt (and see Portman’s and co-star Kat Dennings’ jaws drop collectively).
“I had to keep up with it because the shirtless scene was about three-quarters through the shoot,” Hemsworth said. “It meant at the end of a 16-hour day, I’d have to get into the gym. It was very exhausting. It was a good thing that I was prepared for it all.”
Chris Hemsworth in “Thor”
For the time being, Hemsworth, 27, said the workouts will continue, thanks to his role in writer-director Joss Whedon’s Marvel superhero ensemble extravaganza “The Avengers,” which is set for a May 4, 2012, release. Thor and Loki will be featured in the film, along with several other Marvel legends including Ironman (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo)/The Incredible Hulk (voice of Lou Ferrigno).
Hemsworth, naturally, couldn’t provide any plot details of the film, but assured his turn in the film will be much more than a cameo.
“The film certainly is the next step for Thor, and I was impressed how Joss managed to bring all these characters together and give them and equal sort of story and time,” Hemsworth said. “It’s going to be quite an iconic moment to see all those superheroes on screen together.”
Plus, being on the film will give Hemsworth another chance to snag Thor’s thunderous hammer — formally known as his Mjolnir — since he didn’t get to keep the prop from the first time around.
“They didn’t offer me one so I had every intention of just stealing it — so I missed my opportunity, unfortunately and came away hammerless,” Hemsworth joked. “In ‘The Avengers’ I’ll try getting another one.”
If they see Hemsworth driving off with a weighed down trunk, though, he’s sure to get busted.
“Security will strip me down and take it back,” Hemsworth said, laughing.
But hey, at least he’ll get to embarrass them with his ripped body.
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
