• Review Index
  • About Me
  • Suggestions

vinnieh

~ Movie reviews and anything else that comes to mind

vinnieh

Tag Archives: Joseph Mazzello

The River Wild

29 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

1990's, Action, Curtis Hanson, David Strathairn, John C. Reilly, Joseph Mazzello, Kevin Bacon, Meryl Streep, The River Wild, Thriller

A well directed action thriller that isn’t breaking any original ground but at the same time isn’t trying to, The River Wild has tension, great scenery and fine acting headed by an athletic Meryl Streep.

Gail Hartman( Meryl Streep) is a history teacher for the deaf who used to be a river guide along the rivers of Idaho. She still occasionally practices something similar, albeit in Boston and with no sign of danger or adrenaline rush. Gail is married to the distant Tom(David Strathairn); a constantly busy architect who spends more time on his job than being there for his wife and kids, in particular Roarke( Joseph Mazzello). The young boy resents his father for never being around and believes that his approaching birthday will be another when his father won’t show. Gail takes Roarke to Idaho for some white water rafting, Tom surprisingly tags along but their journey down river is still awkward as Tom doesn’t know how to connect with his family. Along their journey and as Gail tries to repair her strained marriage, they come across charming Wade(Kevin Bacon) and his friend Terry(John C. Reilly) . They are having trouble navigating the river and are pretty ill prepared. Gail starts to help them, which causes them, especially in the case of Wade, to become closer to Gail and Roarke. Gail enjoys the company of someone she sees as needing help and being likeminded. Roarke finds someone to talk to in Wade, in comparison with his staid father who he doesn’t have the best of relationships with, stemming from Tom’s frequent absence and dedication to his work. Though they are friendly at first, the fact that Wade and Terry keep popping up along the river alarms Tom and later Gail, as does some questionable actions like spying on Gail and Tom when they briefly wander off and being cagey on the reasons they are on the river. A reconnecting Gail and Tom decide to ditch Wade and Terry as subtly as possible after becoming increasingly alarmed by the duo. Just as try to escape with Roarke, they are violently stopped by Wade, who begins to show his cruel and nasty colours . It transpires that the duo have robbed a large sum of money and to evade capture decided to go down the river. They really hadn’t thought their plan through very well as Wade can’t swim and they must advance further than The Gauntlet to get away. The Gauntlet is a death defying set of rapids that adventurous Gail went through in her youth, but it has since been declared too dangerous following a death to one rafter and paralysis for another. Threatening the family, Wade forces Gail to take them to The Gauntlet, despite her warnings of its impending doom and how barely anyone makes it out alive. The family is separated after a scuffle between Tom and Wade. Tom, beginning to shed his image as a boring, corporate drone goes ahead on foot through the wilderness, hoping to figure out a way to ensure the safe return of his wife and son. But just how long can Gail protect her son and herself from danger as treacherous water lies ahead? And can Tom catch them up and derail Wade’s deadly plans?

Curtis Hanson efficiently brings out the adventure, tension and drama at the heart of The River Wild with considerable skill. The story may seem familiar and some beats that you’re well aware of take place, but Hanson has you glued with his direction. He knows it’s all in the mounting of tension and then letting things take flight, complete with some surprises. The use that the family has of sign language is an inspired choice that allows them to communicate in a way unfamiliar to their kidnappers and wonderfully succeeds in being in the family back together in crisis. The first part of the film is all in the build up that effectively introduces terror through little hints that take on greater meaning once the kidnapping and forcing to help begins, the big set pieces come. And they are spectacular scenes as the beautiful yet treacherous landscape is observed( in a stunning showcase of cinematography) as a race for survival ensues. Though not every part of the story works and it can smell of contrivance, the overall content is pleasingly action packed yet has some emotion to make a difference. For a movie conveyed with action and thriller elements, The River Wild doesn’t scrimp on character development or getting us to know the central players in the story. There’s already some tension before anything truly suspenseful happens. The family unit is already falling apart and thankfully being well observed, while resisting the urge to go into full on soap opera on water territory. Jerry Goldsmith is on score duties and his skill in dripping suspense in is key to the atmosphere here; along with sneaking in some gorgeous pieces of moving symphony to compliment the lush surroundings about to be overtaken by nail biting tension.

The acting is of a high calibre it must be said. Heading things is the ever impressive Meryl Streep flexing a sense of physicality we are not used to from her while retaining a humanity that grounds things. Streep is a force of nature; glowing with a radiance and an intimidating stare, coupled with protectiveness, vigour and freedom. Simply stated, Meryl Streep is the driving force behind The River Wild with a dedicated role that shows off her dedication to her work, a great physical presence of toned arms and legs and how she can slot easily into any genre like the true professional she is. Projecting evil and oozing dangerous charm is the talented Kevin Bacon, whose boyish appearance is used to great effect in masking the true depravity and violence of his character before letting it out. Bacon just really knows how to unsettle here as he plays games with the other characters and tries to really get inside their heads. His frequent clashes with Streep are a highlight as they face off wonderfully in a thrill ride of a movie. I always enjoy seeing Kevin Bacon in a film and in The River Wild it is no exception. Also very strong here and an actor that I feel is often overlooked is David Strathairn, who is superb as the absent father forced into action. Strathairn gets the sense of a man too wrapped up in his life that he’s become desensitised to everything important to him and also credibly charts his rise to being a reliable thinker and survivor. Once Strathairn is separated from the others, his journey begins and its pretty great to see him change so realistically and excellently from a boring workaholic to quick thinking and unrelenting in his hope of saving his family. Its a classy turn from the gifted David Strathairn. John C. Reilly shades his supporting role as lackey with some nice grey areas, while Joseph Mazzello plays the plucky kid with the right amount of spirit and hear.

For my money, The River Wild is an underrated action/thriller that is spearheaded by a sensational Streep and generates some real excitement. By the numbers as sine of it is,

Jurassic Park

15 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 33 Comments

Tags

1990's, Adventure, Ariana Richards, Bob Peck, Jeff Goldblum, Joseph Mazzello, Jurassic Park, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough, Sam Neill, Samuel L. Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Wayne Knight

The delightful duo of Gill and Emma invited me to take part in a tribute to the excellent Jeff Goldblum. I’ve always been a fan of his and enjoy whenever he graces the screen. I decided to review the adventure blockbuster that is Jurassic Park.

A full on thrill ride with eye popping effects and Steven Spielberg at some of his best, Jurassic Park is an ageless spectacle with the power to shock, scare and entrance from start to finish.

Dr Alan Grant( Sam Neill), who specialises in Paleontology and Dr Ellie Sattler(Laura Dern), whose field is Paleobotany are romantically linked and currently working on another dig of dinosaur fossils .One day to their Montana dog comes eccentric billionaire John Hammond( Richard Attenborough) who has a proposition for them. He has created a theme park off the coast of Costa Rica which is inhabited by cloned dinosaurs, which his team of scientists managed to create after extensive DNA testing and sampling. Hammond is worried because there have been doubts about the safety of the park and he wants Alan and Ellie to view it and give their opinions. Naturally, they accept the offer and are joined by mathematician and chaos theory nut Ian Malcolm( Jeff Goldblum). Also visiting are Hammond’s grandchildren, Lex( Ariana Richards) and Tim( Joseph Mazzello), who are more than curious about the park. Upon arrival, Alan, Ellie, Ian and the kids are bowled over by the cloned dinosaurs that have been brought to life and in the flesh. And though some of the group have their doubts about how ethical it all is, Hammond’s enthusiasm remains undimmed. Yet all of this will change as danger lurks right around the corner. A disgruntled worker by the name of Dennis(Wayne Knight) has accepted a shady offer to smuggle out dinosaur embryos to a competitor. To do this, he sneakily shuts down the security of the park in order to disguise his theft and leave undetected . The shutdown causes all power to go out but more dangerously, the electric fences that guard the dinosaurs open, setting the scene for chaos as the many carnivorous creatures go on the hunt with humans as their prized dinner. Alan ends up sheltering the terrified kids, while Ellie, Ian, Hammond, plus game warden Robert Muldoon( Bob Peck) and chief engineer Ray Arnold( Samuel L. Jackson) , attempt to restart the power and avert more horror. It’s up to the survivors to make it through the park and to safety before they end up on the menu.

Jurassic Park finds Steven Spielberg at some of his most fun and skilled. He displays sense of wonder at seeing these prehistoric beasts and then cranks the tension up when all hell breaks loose. He knows how to entertain and keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this adventure with sequences of immense excitement and haunting terror existing right after the other. Simply put, it’s one of his best movies which is saying something considering the excellence in his filmography over the years. Memorable scenes abound like the magical first glimpse of the towering Brachiosaurus that’s truly staggering , the terrifying encounter with a Tyrannosaurus Rex and the nasty Velociraptors menacing Ellie in the maintenance shed as she switches the circuit breakers on and the children in the kitchen narrowly escaping being attacked. Many of these moments hold that balance between scary and exhilarating. I like the look at how playing God never ends up well, but it sure can be extremely entertaining to watch. There’s the greedy Dennis getting his comeuppance when attacked by an initially friendly dinosaur reveals itself to be bloodthirsty, Hammond’s growing realisation of what he has created and the chaos that ensues once the prehistoric creatures are let loose. One can’t speak about this movie without mentioning the influential special effects in it. They make the dinosaurs feel so real as if you could reach out and touch them. I mean, we all remember the first time we, like an awe-struck Ellie, witnessed the Brachiosaurus in all its glory, right? Or the first attack of the enormous Tyrannosaurus Rex on the visitors at nighttime? The blend of the then new CGI and animatronics is seamless in execution and so thoroughly convincing at bringing these ancient creatures to jaw-dropping. John Williams is on hand with one of his most suspenseful and alive scores; charting the wonder of the park then plunging us into the terror of fighting for survival against hungry dinosaurs.

Sam Neill has the laconic attitude right for his role, while shading it with a winning curiosity and eventual mellowing of his character’s occasional dour and solemn nature. In fact, he’s  one of the main heroes of the piece as he’s entrusted with two young children to protect against creatures he knows a lot about. Laura Dern backs him up with intelligence and when it’s called for action; her run to the shed and ordeal inside leave you on the edge of your seat as you watch an ordinary woman fighting against a terrifying situation. And of course the man of the hour and resident scene stealer is here by the name of Jeff Goldblum. Portraying the know it all mathematician who drops sarcastic yet ethical  questions, Goldblum is a hoot. And considering for a big chunk of the film he’s incapacitated, he’s still dispensing entertaining one liners among the terror and excitement. It’s the definition of a star supporting turn. In a fine showcase, Richard Attenborough subtly shows the dreams of an eccentric man of money and his realisation that it isn’t the most ideal or safe thing to do. Although his actions are questionable, he just boasts a certain geniality that is hard to fault. Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello are thankfully talented child actors who you feel for on this journey. Fine work also comes from Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Peck and Wayne Knight in this adventure, particularly from Jackson as the gruff chief engineer who is never seen without a cigarette.

A simply phenomenal adventure with stellar effects, fine cast, wonderful music and the masterful Spielberg at the helm, Jurassic Park is a film you can never grow tired of.

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012

Categories

  • 007 thoughts and reviews
  • Adventures of Satrap
  • Announcements
  • Awards and Achievements
  • Birthdays and Tributes
  • Blogging Community
  • Blogging Questions
  • Creepy
  • Gif Posts
  • Humour
  • Movie and Television Trivia
  • Movie opinions and thoughts
  • Movie Reviews
  • Music reviews and opinions
  • Photography Discussion
  • Rest In Peace
  • Sport
  • Television Opinions
  • Television Reviews
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
August 2022
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Jul    

Tags

007 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's 2010's Action Adventure Announcement Based on a true story Bernard Lee Bette Davis Birthday Blogs You Should Follow Cate Blanchett Comedy Crime Desmond Llewelyn Disney Drama Fantasy Foreign Language Film Gillian Anderson Halle Berry Happy Birthday Horror James Bond Judi Dench Julianne Moore Julia Roberts Liebster Award Lois Maxwell Madonna Maggie Smith Matthew Fox Meryl Streep Music Musical Mystery Natalie Portman Neve Campbell Period Drama Psychological Horror Psychological Thriller Rest In Peace Romance Romantic Comedy Science Fiction Spy Supernatural Horror Thriller

Top Posts & Pages

The Railway Children
Desperate Housewives Season 4
Lyric Analysis - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Kylie Minogue: Where the Wild Roses Grow
Henry and June
Desperate Housewives Season 3
The Godfather Part II
What Is Your Opinion on Nudism?
The Godfather Part III
Who Is Your Favourite Character in The Godfather Trilogy?
Lost in Translation
Follow vinnieh on WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • vinnieh
    • Join 3,764 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • vinnieh
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...