Darkmatters Review: PAUL

Paul (15)


Dir. Greg Mottola

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Prepare for some quality close encounters of the nerd kind…

In the beginning there was Spaced, it was a superb slacker TV comedy that fused sci-fi geekiness with laugh out loud comedy to winning effect. Spaced launched the comedy genius partnership of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost onto the world and it also paved the way for their excellent big screen films Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Now the dynamic duo reunite for a new comedy of intergalactic proportions - ‘Paul’. This is the tale of two average sci-fi nerd earthlings, Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost), who pick up a hitch hiker named Paul whilst trekking across America's UFO heartland. But Paul isn’t your average traveller – he’s a crash landed alien with a foul mouth and extra-terrestrial powers - who joins the guys on a bawdy road trip that just might alter their universe forever.

"The good, the bad and the nerdy - Comic-Con"

‘Paul’ is the ultimate fan boy sci-fi movie reference viewing experience, a love letter to every cinematic Martian adventure and close encounter we’ve had. From Star Wars through E.T. and Aliens – Paul is packed with dialogue lines, visual gags and nods of the head ripped from those classics of the genre.

Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been amongst us for a while, he’s been trapped at a top-secret military base for the last 60 years. But it seems that his usefulness to them appears to be coming to an end and so he promptly escapes pursued by gun toting federal agents. Graeme and Clive are the unwitting humans who he picks to help him get back to his mother ship – and comic misadventure on a grand scale ensues.

"We come in peace..."

Director Greg ‘Superbad’ Mottola brings a more frat boy feel to Paul and evokes a harder side to the comedy of his leading men than Edgar ‘Scott Pilgrim’ Wright did in Hot Fuzz etc. So it’s possible that you’ll be a bit offended by Paul if looking for the traditional Pegg / Frost vein of good natured comedy.

The special effects are great and Paul the alien is a masterpiece of CGI creation, fitting in superbly with the talented human cast which includes Kristen Wiig as a one eyed hill-billie bible basher love interest!?

Overall Paul is a triumphant blast – effectively pressing the inner nerd buttons and packing in more smiles per minute than any other comedy so far this year.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö

(4 - my God, it's full of stars)...

Awesomeness ööööö – take me to your leader
Laughs öööö – lots of quality laughs
Horror öö – nothing too grim
Babes ööö – Kristen Wiig is fair
Spiritual Enlightenment ööö – faith in a God who can love more than one species required!?
- - -
Second opinion - try Den of Geek

"worth Wiig-ing out for?"

Darkmatters Film Review - Push

Push (12a)

Dir. Paul McGuigan ‘Lucky Number Slevin, Gangster No.1’

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

I have seen the future; it involves telekinetic powers, stylish visuals and a desperate struggle between good and evil but doesn’t it always? This time however we’re deep in neon throbbing Hong Kong in the company of a 13-year-old ‘Watcher’ Cassie (Dakota ‘Man on Fire’ Fanning) who draws pictures of what is yet to happen. Cassie meets up with ‘Mover’ Nick (Chris ‘Street Kings’ Evans) who can move things with his mind. Together they look to thwart a dastardly scheme by global hero abducting organisation known as ‘Division’ headed by baddie ‘Pusher’ Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou) who can push suggestions into people’s heads.
Also in the mix is another pusher named Kira – she is the only hero to have survived the Division’s insidious programme to make an army of super powered telepaths and is now on the run.
Push is a superhero thriller that will please fans of TV’s ‘Heroes’ – it plays out with a smart plot, cool action scenes and some lush visuals. Director McGuigan knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat, my son Luke admitted to being seriously impressed (and as he’s nearly a teenager it takes quite a lot to elicit that kind of response nowadays).
The mix of super-humans includes freaky Chinese guys who can kill with their screams – called ‘Bleeders’, people who can create illusions called ‘Shifters’ and bloodhound like ‘Sniffers’ who can track people by the scent they leave on objects. There’s also ‘Stitchers’ who can heal and ‘Wipers’ who can remove memories, it all makes for a vibrant and highly entertaining package. Push also has surprising depth in that it raises some deep questions about predestination, free will and the repercussions of our actions. As Carver tells Cassie at one point: “I don't know why you're even trying. You already know the ending to this story,” superhero films generally follow a tried and tested formula (even the amazing Dark Knight which has now grossed over $1million world-wide).
But Push is a breath of fresh air – encompassed by Cassie’s sassy response of: “We're going to change it.”

I’d recommend this to people who found Twilight too girly or have been cheesed off by mediocre sci-fi efforts like last year’s Jumper, in a gloomy economic downturn, Push is just the sort of exciting escapist nonsense required.

Arbitrary Darkmatters final rating of: ööööööö (7 - Good)

Darkmatters quick reference guide: Action 8, Style 8, Babes 8, Comedy 6, Spiritual Enlightenment 6

Quote: "I don't have to be a Watcher to see where this is going."