SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: IT ~ CHAPTER TWO (2019)

Two years ago the movie going world was taken by storm by the big budget remake/theatrical adaptation of Stephen King's infamous novel IT. It became the highest grossing horror film of all time making $327 million domestically, an achievement made all the more staggering by the fact that the film was rated R. At the end of the film, unbeknownst to most, came the ominous title card: IT - Chapter One. This cued us all in that a sequel was coming. Anyone who knew the book saw that this was coming as the book showcases two stories happening simultaneously, the story of the kids and the story of the adults.

The book as well as the original television mini series alternated chapters of the adults with chapters of the children, both stories progressing and unfolding together. The 2017 film reapproached the material by streamlining the narrative, separating the two stories and showing us just the kids story by itself. And now we're receiving the adults story.

This new film has a lot to live up to. IT: Chapter One seemed to strike a nerve with audiences and tap into something beyond expectations. The description "Lightning in a bottle" seems appropriate for that film. But can lightning strike twice? 2017 saw perhaps the peak of rated R features with 2018 showing a downward trend with R rated features. By now, IT Chapter 2 has been out for almost a month and, while the film is still doing incredible business for a horror film as well as a rated R film, it is proving less profitable than its predecessor.

I know I'm late. It took me a while to get around to seeing IT: Chapter Two. Well, I've finally seen it! I liked it but I didn't think it was as effective as Chapter One. So let's get into it!

THE PLOT

The Losers Club returns to Derry 27 years later as Pennywise returns for another feeding. Only this time the Losers are ready for Pennywise and armed to destroy him once and for all! But Pennywise is waiting for them with a few tricks of his own in store.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

It Chapter One benefited greatly from nostalgia and the mythic reputation surrounding both the book and the original television mini series. It also benefited from the fact that the original television mini series had been made for television with a rather limited budget. No matter how much you may love the original television mini series, it set the bar fairly low for a bigger budget theatrical film to surpass. Pennywise was brought to life in 2017 with technology and effects that either didn't exist in 1990 or weren't financially feasible for a television production. Not to mention powerful performances by the child actors and a breakout performance for Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the dancing clown. And then there's this film's presentation of the story, the first to present only the kids side of the story without the adults story.

With horror sequels it is always a difficult task. The audience knows what to expect and they know how the monster works. With certain horror icons like Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers, as a fan, I go to their movies to see them do what they do best, not necessarily to be scared. With icons like Freddy Krueger and Pinhead the possibilities are endless with what they can do thus sequels to these characters' films can still thrill and surprise and horrify. One of the observations I made with Pennywise's depiction in the previous film was how similar to Freddy Krueger he was. One would then think that the character of Pennywise could continue to be interesting in subsequent depictions, right?

Honestly, I felt Pennywise was kind of bland in this second chapter, at least in terms of how he was handled by the filmmakers. Bill Skarsgard continues to kill it with his acting, but I couldn't help but feel as if Pennywise was underwritten in this film. His "game" wasn't upped this time around I felt. In short, I didn't feel this film was as strong in the scares department as the predecessor. Most of what we were seeing was mere illusion and even the protagonists knew these illusions couldn't hurt them. That right there took some of the bite out of it. There were some great moments still such as Beverly meeting the old lady (which was completely given away in the trailers).

Honestly what I really enjoyed this time around was the casting. I loved the actors they cast as the older versions of the kids. Jessica Chastain, working with Andy Muschietti again (MAMA 2013), was great as Beverly. James McAvoy and Bill Hader were wonderful. And the surprising standout for me was James Ransone as Eddie. I've enjoyed James Ransone in the Sinister films as Deputy So-&-So and he is even better here as Eddie. Ransone with Hader made this film surprisingly funny, far funnier than the previous film. As a result I felt myself laughing more than screaming.

I was also surprised at how much of the young cast we were graced with. The actors cast as the Losers in the previous film were all great and this second film gave us a surprisingly large amount of new footage with them, so much so that this film felt more in line with the book and original television mini series as we were constantly jumping back and forth between the past and the present. In this respect this new film felt more faithful to the book.

The sad part though is that the scares weren't as powerful this time around, which I realize is all relative. Fear, like humor, strikes each person differently. What's scary to some may not be scary to others. Personally I felt Pennywise was underutilized. I also noticed even more similarities with Freddy Krueger too, yet where Freddy grew more wild, imaginative, and frightening with subsequent sequels (even Nightmare Pt. 2), Pennywise felt the same at best or subdued at worst. I was also surprised (not in a good way) that the filmmakers essentially repeated Pennywise's final form from the original television mini series. I love stop-motion animation but the ending of the original television mini series is easily the weakest point. While the special effects were good this time around, it's just me but, I wish Pennywise's final form would've been redesigned. The giant spider-crab, even with great special effects, still isn't very intimidating. I really enjoyed Pennywise's backstory and the brief glimpse of his "demon" form from the flashback. I wish they would've gone more in that direction for his final form.

All in all I liked this film but not for the same reasons I liked the previous film. Maybe if they do the prequel and explore Pennywise's origin hopefully they'll be more inventive and daring with the clown, showcasing new scary powers and making him frightening again.

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10

For more of my thoughts on the previous ITerations and Stephen King adaptations check out these posts below!

Stephen King's IT (1990)
IT (2017)

PET SEMATARY (2019) 

TOP TEN KING OF FIGHTERS CHARACTERS

TOP TEN KING OF FIGHTERS CHARACTERS

MEMOIRS OF AN OLD TIMER

Fighting games began as a form of punishment for little kids back in the 90's, or at least that's how it felt to me for a long time. When STREET FIGHTER II came out you could find an arcade cabinet of it just about anywhere from Godfather's Pizza to the local "Gas N' Shop" fillage station. I first saw it in a bowling alley and watched some kid beat the heck out of another kid playing as Chun Li. Then I saw Blanka and became very intrigued. "There are monsters in this game?! Yes!"

I began playing and getting my butt handed to me almost every time. Eventually I started getting better and later I experienced the rush of destroying a fellow gamer in competitive play. I was never great, mind you, but I got to a point where I could hold my own against normal players such as myself. I became addicted to this genre of gaming afterwards and remain to this day. I still suck of course, but I win every now and then.

With the popularity of Street Fighter II came waves of imitators and shameless knock-offs. And being the burgeoning fighting game junkie that I was I had to try as many of them as I could, constantly jonesing for that next hit. Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct, Primal Rage, Clayfighters, Eternal Champions, and many more. Even classic franchises of different gaming genres got in on the action like Double Dragon V, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters, and (released much later) Castlevania: Judgement. Even the main cast of Final Fantasy VII showed up in fighting game once upon a time: Ehrgeiz - God Bless the Ring.

And that's how I came across the many great titles from SNK PLAYMORE. Art of Fighting (meh), World Heroes (meh), Fatal Fury (yeah, okay), Samurai Shodown (oh hell yes!), and The King of Fighters (YES!)! I remember as a kid Godfather's Pizza had a Neo Geo arcade cabinet with all of the SNK fighting games on it. The first one I really took to was Samurai Shodown. Once the Playstation/N64 era came about I blindly purchased The King of Fighters 99' on psOne (I know, I know! I missed the great KOF 98' by a year!). Anyway, I liked the game but it was nowhere as amazing as Street Fighter Alpha 3 (my fighter of choice at the time).

The King of Fighters is SNK's premiere fighting game series. It is a mash-up of several different SNK games containing characters from Ikari Warriors, Psycho Soldier, Athena, Fatal Fury, and Art of Fighting. Originally the series was intended to have a new entry released every year, similarly to how sports games released an updated version every year. KOF 98' is widely considered the pinnacle of the series in terms of competitive gameplay. I have been deep diving KOF 98' recently and it is as amazing as they say. But I'm only discovering it now. KOF 99' started me off and then in college my friends and I started playing KOF 2000 and KOF 2001, both games I felt were improvements over KOF 99'. My buddies and I tracked down an arcade palace the next town over and discovered KOF 2003, the next truly amazing entry in the series.

After 2003 the KOF series stopped being annual and became numbered, the next entry being KOF XI. By then I was already a dedicated fan and have kept up with the series (save for the latest entry, KOF XIV on PS4). A significant part of what makes a great fighting game are the characters. You can have great gameplay and mechanics but if the character roster is small and unispired there's not enough to get invested in. And vice versa, if there's great characters but you can't play as them then you don't really want to play the game.

I love the characters from The King of Fighters series. One of the first characters I attached to was the newly introduced hero of KOF 99', K' (K-dash is how you say it). And the more I play the more characters I come to love. I'll even go as far as to say that SNK's character designs are far more compelling than Capcom's (well, mostly but Capcom does have some characters that I dearly love too).

So, without further pontification, on with the list already!



THE BONUS

#11
 SHEN WOO

First Appearance: The King of Fighters 2003

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters XIII

I actually don't have much to say about this guy. He design is fair, cool but nothing special. He looks like he's a thug from some beach town on one of the coasts. But what I like about this guy is solely how he plays. He's a boxer with a loose cannon style and attitude. In the right hands he can be deadly and all over the place at the same time. No one expects this guy to be any good and that may be just the advantage one needs to deal some real damage with Shen Woo.

It's all in the punches. I know I should have more to say but beyond the fact that he's really just a fun character to play as, there isn't much else. Maybe over time, if SNK keeps refining him and evolving his character, he'll become something more. Hell, it wouldn't be the first time SNK did so.

#10

IORI YAGAMI

First Appearance: The King of Fighters 95'

Favorite Rendition: Capcom Vs SNK 2

The great sin I've committed is here. Iori Yagami was the second hero of the KOF series, set up to be the antithesis to protagonist Kyo Kusanagi. In the original KOF story arc, the Orochi Saga, Kyo, Iori, and Chizuru all band together to stop the legendary evil dragon Orochi from returning to the earthly plane. He has an awesome and compelling story and has become one of KOF's icons. It's arguable that he's an even better character than Kyo Kusanagi! And that's why I say it's the great sin I've committed by placing Iori so high on my list. The even greater sin is that Kyo isn't anywhere on this list!

The short of it is that while Iori has a great design and an even better personality, I can only sometimes play with him. I like Iori's character very much and I want to like him more. But there are some games where I take to him like a shark to bloody waters and other games where he refuses to let me play. It's like the game itself is temperamental! Sometimes he works, the moves are there when I look for them, and my opponents fall. Other times I can't get anything to work and I hit the pixelated pavement hard. It's a 50/50 shot whether Iori works for me or not and because of that he's a favorite but not one of my mains. He's so flighty in our relationship.

#9

 KULA DIAMOND

First Appearance: The King of Fighters 2000

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters XIII

Kula Diamond, the Ice Queen. The King of Fighters franchise is chock full of fire manipulators but Kula remains the lone cryokinetic among the cast (correct me if I'm wrong). So, the original hero of KOF, Mr. Kyo Kusanagi, received a rival in his very next game in anti-hero Iori Yagami. Well, when K', a pyrokinetic, became the new protagonist in KOF 99' SNK revealed his rival the very next game with Kula Diamond.

Kula's cool. She brings a new style, gameplay, and look to the KOF series. She's got a great design and a killer moveset. She leans a bit on the "anime girl" esthetics in terms of personality and look, but in those attributes she finds a uniqueness and identity that separates her from the crowd.

#8

ELIZABETH

First Appearance: The King of Fighters XI

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters XIII

There are only a handful of weapon wielding warriors in the KOF series, Billy Kane (oh, how I hate Billy Kane), Whip (lord do I hate Whip), and Elizabeth (oh, I actually like this one, yes I do). Elizabeth looks like she stepped forth from a Jane Austen book into the crazy world of fighting games no less. She sticks out like a sore thumb, a sore thumb that somehow looks wicked despite everything else. I can't explain the period piece wardrobe beyond that she's French aristocracy and maybe a bit of an equestrian. She was a childhood friend of KOF 2003's new hero, Ash Crimson, and is pursuing him.

I totally dig the "out of place" attire and the high class attitude. The personality fits the design well, but just as important, so too does her fighting style. I hate the other weapon users in KOF for the mere reason that I can't play as them and they usually destroy me. But with Elizabeth I found a weapon user that I can play with and torture everybody else for a change. Elizabeth can only be found in a few games, three of the last four, but most of which are among the finest KOF games out there. I hope Elizabeth makes a return to the franchise eventually as she's too unique and cool to waste.

#7

BLUE MARY

First Appearance: Fatal Fury 3

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters 2003

Blue Mary was a character that completely took me off guard. She's grappler character and a counter-move fighter. In my young experience when I first saw Blue Mary, a female grappler was kind of rare. She was a bit difficult for me to figure out but once I keyed in she became a very fun character to play as. Her grapples and counters make for an unexpected and surprising fight and keep the fight feeling fresh.

Her design is sporty yet cool and she's got a hard nosed yet playful personality. For a while there it seemed SNK was pushing her to be the main love interest for original Fatal Fury hero, Terry Bogard. She has a similar story to someone else down this list, that of a widow whose husband was killed in a secret mission against the badguys behind the KOF tournament. Left with their dog, Anton, and the jacket her husband gave her, Mary sets out to bring down the corrupt organization behind KOF. But what's really fun about her backstory is seeing how SNK incorporated those elements into her win poses and intros i.e. the dog Anton.

#6

ROCK HOWARD

First Appearance: Fatal Fury ~ Mark of the Wolves

Favorite Rendition: Capcom Vs SNK 2

Rock is the son of the original SNK fighting game villain, Geese Howard. Terry took him under his wing after Geese was defeated and committed suicide (allegedly as he reappears in future games). Rock first appeared in Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves, a game set several years in the future. He has a cool hybrid style of fighting featuring moves from both his father Geese and his mentor Terry, plus a few tricks of his own. As you can imagine, this mix of a fighting game hero and final boss moveset makes him incredibly fun to play as.

Add in to his gameplay a badass design and cool personality and what you get is an instant classic. He first debuted in Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves for the Sega Dreamcast, a perfect fighting game by all accounts save a limited character roster. For a while this was his only fighting game appearance. Then he received a wonderful appearance by Capcom's designers in Capcom Vs SNK 2, another amazing fighting game. He appeared in the offshoot series The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact and then in a crazy SNK mash-up fighter called NEO GEO BATTLE COLISEUM (a personal favorite of mine). But he finally made his proper KOF debut in KOF XIV only a few years ago.

Why did it take SNK so long to bring Rock in is anybody's guess.

#5

KING

First Appearance: The Art of Fighting

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters XIII

A woman named King? Interesting, yes? Don't let her simple appearance fool you, King is an undisputed Muay Thai kickboxing champion and will destroy you if you get in her way. By now you've noticed the difference between Capcom fighter designs and SNK's designs. Where Capcom goes for loud bombastic visuals with their characters, SNK goes for understated real world designs (mostly, but they do have some crazy character designs when they want) that don't really speak until they're seen in action. A perfect example of this understated approach is King.

King first appeared in the game Art of Fighting as a non-playable enemy character and even possibly a man at first glance. She was a bouncer at the villain's bar (forced to work there against her will). Later she is defeated and freed from the villain's grasp by the heroes and then fights alongside them. So, initially I thought she was a man (perhaps on purpose by the game designers or because of the SNES graphics or both). Seriously, this was the 90's and she had short hair, wore a tuxedo, and I was a simple kid. I didn't know women could dress like that back then! Anyway, with the reveal of her as a woman actually made her cooler in my opinion.

As the games went on and graphics got better there was no mistaking her femininity. But what brings everything together and makes her such an endearing and awesome character is the design coupled with the fighting style. King is an incredibly fun and kick ass character to play as, and she looks so cool as she kicks your ass too. She's a part of main team in KOF 98' and one of my "go to's" in every game she's in.

#4

VANESSA

First Appearance: The King of Fighters 99' (non-playable)

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters XI

At first glance Vanessa doesn't seem like much. But sometimes a design doesn't really pop until you see the personality of the character. And even then the design and characters become even more endearing once you play as them. Such was the case with Vanessa. What her seemingly simple design lacks her attitude and fighting style make up for in spades. Not to oversell it too much but Vanessa is greater than the sum of her parts.

Vanessa is a secret agent tasked with infiltrating and gathering information on the corrupt organization funding the King of Fighters tournament. She's got a grudge to settle with this shadowy organization as they were responsible for her husband's death. Teamed with other heroes among the KOF combatants, Vanessa and the others make their move to take the villains out and save the day.

Generic, sure, but there's more going on with Vanessa than most. She's also the fighting game genre's first ever female boxer! She even reminds me a bit of Street Fighter III's Dudley in terms of a cool and classy personality. She's not in every game in the franchise (which is a crime) but the games that she is in, KOF 2000, KOF 2001, KOF 2002, KOF XI, and KOF XVI, Vanessa is one of my mains,

#3

K' 

First Appearance: The King of Fighters 99'

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters 2000

The KOF series has a great number of "hero" characters, by that I mean particular characters that drive the story i.e. the protagonists. Kyo Kusanagi was the first hero introduced in the series followed quickly by Iori Yagami (an anti-hero for the series). Both of these KOF icons' stories came to a grand finale with KOF 98'. When I first came to the King Of Fighters series it was with KOF 99' for the PSX. That game introduced a new hero for the new KOF story beginning in that game: K' (or K Dash as I later learned how it was supposed to be spoken). I had no idea who he was nor how to play as him. It took my buddy Ross and later games KOF 2000 & KOF 2001 to show me how awesome K' was to play as.

First off, K' has an undeniably cool design (notice how the platinum hair would prove quite popular among video game characters in the following years... Dante from Devil May Cry anybody?) and a quiet yet explosive personality. K's main feature is his "fire flick" where, with a flick of the wrist, he throws a little wave of flames. It's not impressive by itself, but you can chain it together with other moves. You can kick the flame across the screen making it a projectile. You can kick it straight up into a fiery anti-air strike. And you can take that flame with you in a massive uppercut that travels the screen. It's these variations that make K' unpredictable to fight against and fun to play as. Not to mention challenging to play as too.

K' became one of the first KOF characters I really took to and as a result he has remained one of my mains and one of my favorite KOF characters overall.

Ouch!

#2

MAI SHIRANUI

First Appearance: Fatal Fury 2

Favorite Rendition: The King of Fighters 98'/The King of Fighters XIII

SNK's first female fighting game character came in the form of the beautiful kunoichi (female ninja) Mai Shiranui. Much like Chun Li from the Street Fighter series, Mai was the sole female character of the series originally, making her debut in 1992 with Fatal Fury 2. That same year other female fighters would emerge in another new SNK fighter, THE ART OF FIGHTING, but unlike Mai neither were playable. Not only was she the first SNK female fighter, but she is arguable the first "sexy" female character to grace the fighting game genre.

Mai's design is rooted in Japanese tradition as she dons a classic, yet skimpy, uwagi top, fundoshi covered by a tikusan with decorative waist bands, and tabi socks. In romanticized Japanese myths surrounding ninjas, the most beautiful kunoichi used their looks to get close to enemies or high ranking officials and extract valuable information. Of course the deeper into enemy territory these ninjas ventured meant they needed considerable martial arts skill to escape with their lives too. Thus the myth of the kunoichi being as deadly as they were beautiful.

There is no denying Mai's incredible sex appeal. But unlike many fighting game characters whose only endearing attribute is their sex appeal, Mai has an incredible moveset that makes her a powerhouse in the ring. I'm not gonna deny that I first noticed Mai's design before anything else (I mean, c'mon, look at her!) but I quickly dismissed her and moved on to someone else. But then KOF XIII came out. During a random match in which I was playing as Mai I started stringing together combos and trashed one of my buddies (when he was his BEST character!). I suddenly started looking at Mai as a real serious character as opposed to merely eye-candy. Now Mai is one of my mains and one of favorite fighting game characters overall.

A visually appealing design coupled with a great moveset and awesome playability. Not to mention her carefree and enthusiastic personality make her an undeniably fun character to play as.

Literally the hottest character in the game 😋

#1

TERRY BOGARD

First Appearance: Fatal Fury ~ King of Fighters

Favorite Rendition: Fatal Fury ~ Mark of the Wolves/Capcom Vs SNK 2

SNK's very first fighting game, and technically the first game to feature The King of Fighters tournament, was none other than the original Fatal Fury. There were only three playable characters in the game: Terry Bogard, Andy Bogard, and Joe Higashi. As one of these three characters you would fight against eight different non-playable opponents and battle SNK's original boss character, Geese Howard, at the end. The game was designed by the man who gave us the original Street Fighter, Takashi Nishiyama. Truthfully, Fatal Fury didn't stand up against the real king of fighting games at the time, Street Fighter II. But it did begin SNK's road to greatness and present players with arguably the greatest fighting game hero of all time: TERRY BOGARD.

Frank Yagami of THE FIGHTERS GENERATION described Terry Bogard perfectly as "developing over time." Terry started as a cheesy American stereotype. As the games went on and his moveset expanded and refined so too did his character. His design, which really hasn't changed all that much, has benefited with age. As styles and sensibilities changed over the years so too did the lens with which I viewed Terry through, in other words: what once was dorky and cringe-worthy became classic, cool, and embraced. Simply put, Terry looks awesome and plays even better. Then there's Terry's second look (he only has two different designs) which I'd be inclined to say looks even cooler, but truthfully I can't decide which look for Terry I love more.

When I first played as Terry it was in Fatal Fury Special for the SNES (Super Nintendo). I didn't take to that game or the other SNK fighters of the time but I did recognize Terry when I bought KOF 99' but it still took until playing Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves for me to recognize Terry as the great character that he is. My eyes were open after that and every game I played following, new or old, I made sure to test how well Terry was rendered. I love his moves and his style. His personality is fun and lively and he genuinely seems like a good dude to hang around with (he even took in Geese Howard's son, Rock, after Terry inadvertently orphaned the boy).

Unlike Street Fighter's RYU, who admittedly set the bar for fighting game heroes and is cool in his own right, Terry has a great range of character and personality making him all the more enjoyable as a character and, in my opinion, the greatest fighting game hero of all time.

Boom.

And there you have it!

My favorite King of Fighters characters, one of my favorite fighting game franchises with some of my all time favorite video game characters.

Who are the KINGS of fighters for you?

Let us know in the comments below!

And for more top ten lists check out the posts below!

TOP TEN LISTS

 TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GUYS
TOP TEN FIGHTING GAME GALS
TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: MALE)
TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (VIDEO GAMES: FEMALE)
  TOP TEN FAVORITE NES GAMES
TOP TEN SNES GAMES

TOP TEN CASTLEVANIA HEROES
TOP TEN CASTLEVANIA GAMES

 

TOP TEN FAVORITE NINJAS (COMIC BOOKS)

TOP TEN CINEMA SAMURAI

 

TOP TEN GHOST RIDERS

TOP TEN GHOST RIDER VILLAINS 
 TOP TEN DOCTOR STRANGE VILLAINS 
TOP TEN MARVEL SUPERNATURAL HEROES
TOP TEN MARVEL HEROES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF 
TOP TEN LEAST FAVORITE HULK STORIES  
 TOP TEN INCREDIBLE HULK VILLAINS  

  TOP TEN MARVEL COSMIC VILLAINS
TOP TEN MARVEL COSMIC HEROES   

TOP TEN MARVEL COSMIC WOMEN
  TOP TEN MARVEL SUPER VILLAINS

TOP TEN THOR VILLAINS  

TOP TEN MARVEL SUPER HEROES

TOP TEN FAVORITE X-MEN

TOP TEN MARVEL SUPER HERO TEAMS  

TOP TEN MARVEL ROMANCES 

TOP TEN CAPTAIN MARVEL STORIES    

 

TOP TEN DC SUPER HEROES
  TOP TEN WOMEN OF DC

 

TOP TEN ACTION MOVIE HEROES  

  TOP TEN 80'S MOVIES I GREW UP WITH
TOP TEN FOO FIGHTERS ALBUMS

TOP TEN GREATEST TURTLES TOP TEN GODZILLA MOVIES

THE 100 GREATEST KAIJU
TOP TEN FAVORITE KAIJU

TOP TEN GIANT MONSTER MOVIE CLASSICS

TOP TEN UNIVERSAL MONSTERS

TOP TEN FAVORITE ZOMBIES

TOP TEN JOHN CARPENTER FILMS  

TOP TEN ANIMATED MOVIE VILLAINS

TOP TEN CHILDHOOD CARTOONS
  

 

SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: RAMBO ~ LAST BLOOD (2019)

ALERT: NORMAL GUY REVIEWS MOVIE! Film at 11:00 pm.

WHEN RAMBO DREW FIRST BLOOD

Even back in the 80's HBO was a premium channel. My family didn't have HBO when I was growing up, but my grandparents did. I remember spending the night at my grandparents' house when I was a kid in the 80's and watching RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II for the first time. I had never seen something so intense and powerful in my young life. My grandparents recorded it for me and I watched it all the time growing up. It isn't a stretch to say that Rambo II may be the genesis of my love of the Action film genre.

I saw the original FIRST BLOOD in my early teens. I was too young to understand the politics when I first saw Rambo II, but with the original film and its very different portrayal of the protagonist I first began noticing something was very wrong. Struggling with injustice, hypocrisies, and the evils of the world is, to me, the core of the franchise and the character. The previous four films all stem from real world events and issues of the time in which they were made. And in these footsteps so too does the latest and presumably last film in the series, RAMBO: LAST BLOOD.

In short, I loved this movie. Is it for everybody? Absolutely not. It is dark. It is dour. It portrays very real evils of the world without a shred of light. This film goes to levels that the JOHN WICK franchise wouldn't dare tread. The worst thing the John Wick films ever did was kill a dog. Rambo: Last Blood has an actual meaningful and soul-shattering death in it as opposed to the admittedly cruel and heartbreaking death of a puppy in John Wick. The death of John Wick's dog feels like the perfect excuse Baba Yaga needed to do what he secretly had been wanting to do all along. Whereas THE death in Rambo V feels like the only appropriate and decent response to the real world monsters who prey upon innocence.

This is why the film character of Rambo will always remain the untouchable and undisputed king of action movie heroes... in my opinion, of course.

THE PLOT

Rambo, upon returning home and reacquainting with family he hadn't seen in decades, finally finds a measure of peace in his life. His 18 year old niece, seeking a degree of closure, asks to see her child-abandoning father across the Mexican/American border. Knowing full well the area of Mexico in which her scum of the earth father lives, she is told not to go by her grandmother and uncle. Desperately needing answers, she sneaks across the border without their knowledge and is abducted by the cartels. Rambo crosses the border to find her and bring her home, but what he finds is far crueler and darker than anything he has ever seen.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

If you're squeamish at all this movie may be too much for you to handle. Think of the movie LOGAN with arguably an even more brutal climax. 

Let's provide context first. The original First Blood film is a very different film from what would come after. Rambo: First Blood Part II transforms the character and story into a more grandiose blockbuster action film, but with very real world concerns at its core. Rambo III feels like an extension of Rambo II, taking the epic action to the next level. RAMBO (2008 a.k.a. Rambo 4) dials back the Hollywood esthetics and transforms the franchise again into something very real, ugly, and intense. When I saw Rambo 4 I was blown away. It became a benchmark for action films and intensity. Horror films need to study R4 and take notes. To this day I still look at R4 as a high water mark for action films, pure and undiluted (meaning to humor, no romance, no other genres bleeding in like most blockbuster action films of today).

It seems movies nowadays have to make you laugh, thrill you, and excite you all in one film. Pure genre films seem to be a rarity today... but I digress.

Anyway, Rambo: Last Blood once again changes things up from where we've been before. The previous film ended with Rambo finally returning home. We are shown a Rambo at home, not in prison or self-imposed exile or in a war-torn country. But even at home he's still at war with the traumas of his past, taking medications to keep his mind in order. At first glance it appears as if this "Man of War" has at last achieved peace. But even at home he finds peace is something that will forever be denied him. War and violence find him, as they always do, and they have taken a different shape: the Cartels. There is no happy ending for a man like Rambo.

While this new film reframes the landscape we're used to seeing him in, Rambo: Last Blood maintains similar esthetic to R4. It is dark, dour, and uncompromising. It's a pure hardcore action thriller. And when I say this movie goes dark, I mean it. So few movies tread this level of darkness. The setup of the Mexican cartels as pure evil is extremely effective. I wanted those cartel monsters dead in a serious way. If you ever had the idea that Hollywood had watered down Rambo into merely another popcorn franchise, this film is a stark wake up call. Rambo is more intense now than he's ever been and every bit the legendary figure he should be.

The story is straight forward and striking. The pacing is quick, the filmmakers not wasting a single moment. The lighting for the film is extraordinary too, in particular the scene where Rambo's niece confronts her father. And the contrast between light and darkness is beautifully rendered, both literally and figuratively. The build up to the film's climax is expertly done, by the end of the film both Rambo and the filmmakers hold nothing back. And Rambo delivers the justice in spades. Rambo threatens the final villain with a phrase that's usually taken figuratively, but this time Rambo meant it literally. And it is gloriously gruesome. I literally lurched out of my seat and applauded as Rambo dispatched the final villain.

I know I've droned on about this movie by now, but I really enjoyed this film. I think it might be my favorite movie of the year so far. Too few movies of late have carried this much power and gravitas. These last two Rambo films are nothing short of incredible.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

 I'll admit that this movie isn't for everybody and a far amount may not be able to handle it. But not every movie should be made for everybody. These filmmakers know exactly who Rambo is and what Rambo want to be. And in that individuality is where Rambo sets himself apart from the crowd to become something truly legendary. Okay, I'm finally done kissing ass now, I promise. Well, maybe...

TOP TEN ACTION MOVIE HEROES  

  TOP TEN 80'S MOVIES I GREW UP WITH

TOP TEN CINEMA SAMURAI

SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: READY OR NOT (2019)

Horror is a versatile genre. Horror films can possess a wide range of experiences and emotions in a single movie. It's part of the reason why I love the genre as much as I do. That, and the fact that I love monsters and usually horror is the central genre to find monsters. This movie doesn't have monsters in it (save for human monsters) but it is a wonderful example of the range inherent in the horror genre.

READY OR NOT is a purely delightful experience. It'll warm your heart with love and romance. It'll make you laugh. And it'll make you scream, squirm, and shout, "Oh $#!+! Did they just do that?!" It might make you nauseous too if you're faint of heart or have a sensitive stomach. Like I said, this movie is delightful!

I loved Ready Or Not.

THE PLOT

Grace is about to marry into the gaming tycoon family, Le Domas. The night of the wedding at midnight she learns of a strange tradition within the family: every time a new person marries into the family they must play a game. The game to be played is decided by a mysterious antique box which spits out a card with the name of the game printed on it. No one knows what game will be played until the box reveals the card. Grace pulls the card reading Hide & Seek. Whilst hidden, Grace learns this is no ordinary game of Hide & Seek. Her life depends on her staying hidden until dawn.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Ready Or Not is pure entertainment. In the style of Evil Dead II, Return of the Living Dead, Re-Animator, Feast, and Piranha 3D, albeit not as zany as these, Ready Or Not is a rollercoaster ride of laughs and thrills. These kinds of films either hit this delicate balance or miss the mark entirely. Ready Or Not sticks the landing brilliantly.

Samara Weaving is central to this film's success. We experience most of the film through her eyes and as a result we experience most of the many emotions through her. The actress pulls off an incredible range of emotions by the film's end and we feel it too. She knocks it out of the park. I also thought the majority of the cast nailed it too. Many of these actors are surprisingly funny and dementedly entertaining.

There's some great gore effects and blood splatter too. And the violence and blood is executed tastefully at first but as the movie ramps up so too do we see a judicious escalation in blood and gore. The execution of the film as a whole I felt was very well done. The only real letdown for me was the final reveal of Mr. LeBail (the Devil). As cheeky as this movie is they don't embrace their own tone in the character design of LeBail, but instead opt for a rather underwhelming normal looking dude lacking even the remotest of devilish grins whatsoever. I could've used a little more of LeBail's presence throughout the film too, but I understand part of the delivery of this film was us wondering if the Le Domas family was telling the truth about LeBail or if they're just insane. Meh, not a big deal overall.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10

I should have more to say about this movie, but beyond its black humor and blood and guts what more is there to talk about. This movie isn't for the squeamish. It's intense, demented, and above all wildly entertaining. Definitely an addition to the collection upon its dvd/bluray release.

SILVER TONGUED SILVER SCREEN: 47 METERS DOWN - UNCAGED (2019)

When most people say, "Ugh, another shark movie?" you have me saying "Woohoo! Another shark movie!" Thanks to the stellar shark movie from 2016, THE SHALLOWS, shark movies have become a summer movie tradition. Four years and counting now (could this year be the last?) we've received a theatrical shark movie that have been fairly consistent in quality in my opinion. Shockingly all four of these films have been PG-13 which I feel leaves the door open for a truly intense R rated shark film that I desperately want. The Shallows is easily my favorite of these four films but this newest one may be a close contender.

This year's summer shark movie is the followup to 2017's 47 METERS DOWN. A sequel only in terms of theme and premise, 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED takes the shark movie premise in a new and surprising direction. While I love shark movies, I love monster movies more. I also love horror movies (shock!) with one of my favorites being 2005's THE DESCENT (a horror masterpiece), a film about a group of women trapped in an unexplored cave system and running from a monstrous tribe of cave-dwellers. 47 Meters Down: Uncaged combines all of these elements into a wicked shark movie.

I can't blame anyone for getting one look at this movie and thinking it to be utter trash. The plot sounds ridiculous and it is actually (you're not wrong). But, oh my god, did I enjoy the hell out of this movie.

THE PLOT

A group of four friends explore a newly discovered submerged Mayan city. A cave-in traps the four young women in the flooded ruins leaving them no choice but to explore the labyrinth to find another exit. They soon discover fish and sea life that have been trapped in the underwater city for hundreds of years, evolving to survive in the darkness, including a hungry albino great white shark.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

I was prepared for an awful film heading into the theater. And for a while there it seemed like that's exactly what I was going to get. The first ten to fifteen minutes aren't exactly awful but it does come across as rather generic teen movie fluff. But when they enter the cave and we receive our first good look at the submerged Mayan ruins I couldn't help but appreciate the setting. If director Johannes Roberts could boast anything about this film it would be crafting an incredibly potent atmosphere.

Then comes the introduction of the shark. The characters knock over a column in the chamber that kicks up a ton of sediment, creating cloudy waters and low visibility. It is in these murky waters that the albino shark swims into view, ghost-like, blending in against the dirty water. The shot is amazing and if you aren't paying attention you'll miss it. From that moment I was hooked. But what really blew me away with this movie was how well the film sustained the tension and crafted the scares. There were numerous moments that had me jumping (me! a guy who watches horror movies over and over!). I felt the suspense and terror was well sustained throughout the remainder of the film.

And the shark. Oh how I love the shark. It was more than just a shark. It was a genuine monster. The movie doesn't just present the fish as just your common hungry great white shark. This shark has a unique, seemingly malevolent personality. First off, it looks rather unnerving with its blind eyes, scars, and the way the light reflects off it. And their white eyes are completely unnerving. Second, the way it moves and the way it swims is different than regular great whites. It moves slowly giving it a creepy, almost zombie-like persona. As a fan of monsters, sharks, and horror, the albino sharks here terrified me and landed very well with me.

The movie, like the Descent once again, manages to be scary without the sharks which adds greatly to the tension. The music by tomandandy was also well done and utilized to great effect. It's not a soundtrack that I'd like to listen to on its own but combined with the visuals it creates an amazing sound design for the film. Other than the screaming tetra fish (you read that right) the sound design in this film is a high point.

The ending of this movie leans hard into the ridiculous and outlandish with full on "slow-mo" action shots, fearless hero moments, and just balls to the wall insanity. I could see the ending going too far for some people. I just went with it, I was enjoying myself after all, and found it to be a great way to end one ridiculous movie. Just nuts, but oh so awesome too.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10

I know, I enjoyed this movie way too much, probably more than any sane person should. This year seems to be the year of the B Movie for me as I have enjoyed most of these that I've seen this year. I still feel that The Shallows is still reigning champion for this latest batch of legit shark films, but wow did I enjoy this movie. We'll see if the summer shark movie tradition continues beyond this film though. If not, hopefully killer alligator movies like CRAWL will take up the baton (if you haven't seen Crawl I highly suggest you do).

For more of the Shark movies and similar style movie fare check out these other posts below

THE SHALLOWS

THE MEG

CRAWL
PIRANHA 3D (2010)
THE PYRAMID