TWO ACTION FILMS

Never mind the plot, just watch the action and the special effects. That seems to be the message of Die Another Day, the 20^th in the James Bond series, and Matrix Reloaded, the follow-up to the incredibly successful Matrix.

Die Another Day, about a wealthy lunatic who is threatening the safety of the world, moves very quickly, really too quickly at times, and the plot is so confused that the characters never get the chance to develop properly. On another note, the action sequences are fantastic and the visual effects are stunning. Pierce Brosnan makes a believable Bond, the best since Sean Connery, and Halle Berry as his ruthless ally is amazing, playing a character just as uncomplicated as Bond himself.

The action in Matrix Reloaded, a sincere fiction movie about a group of humans struggling for freedom against a machine army, is much slower to get started and, unlike Bond, there is a lot of phoney philosophical talk mixed in with the comic-book story-telling. Fortunately, once the action starts, there lots of fights and chases done, of course, with all the incredible special effects that we expect in a Hollywood movie. The actors who play the heroes are all impressively physical in their numerous fight scenes, but unfortunately, elsewhere their performances are rather wooden. Only Harold Perrineau as the navigator brings some life to the film with his shouts of “Yes!” from the control room when something goes right. He at least seems not to take his part too seriously.

So, all in all, if it is action, excitement and escapism that you want, these two films are for you.

1.2. Look through the pieces of advice for writing a good film review. Find how these pieces of advice are reflected in the model answer.

1. Catch your readers’ attention in the opening sentence.

2. Make the plot summary very brief: your aim is evaluation.

3. Include evaluative adjectives as you go along.

4. Include negative points as well as positive ones.

5. If you are reviewing two films, use the language of comparison and contrast.

1.3. The words and phrases below can be used to make evaluations in a review. Decide which of them are positive and which are negative.

(particularly) memorable; (entirely) predictable; (truly) original; (really) lively; (excruciatingly) boring; (totally) unconvincing; over the top; (extremely) popular; riveting (viewing); (almost) inaudible; (incredibly) stylish; (vastly) overrated; entertaining; (profoundly) moving; (quite) sophisticated; (absolutely) hilarious; (refreshingly) different; (a bit) flat; (beautifully) recorded.

2. In the review of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” the paragraphs have been jumbled. For questions 1-5, arrange the paragraphs in the right order.

AThe film sustains its timeless qualities further by being more than just an exciting thriller. It is not only the salesman that Stewart is spying on, it is also the newly wed couple, the songwriter and Miss Lonely Hearts, the sad old spinster. We too watch their stories unfold and question the moral dilemma of the nature of privacy in respect of both Stewart and ourselves.

BIn classic suspense style, we remain unsure whether the murder has taken place right up until the climax. By showing the events through one man’s eyes, Hitchcock uses a more unusual method as we are drawn into the character’s feelings of frustration and fear. This culminates in the scene when we see James Stewart watching his girlfriend who is trapped in the salesman’s apartment, and we wonder whether he will now witness her murder.

CRear Window is enduring in its ability both to entertain through the power of suspense and to provoke thought in its exploration of more serious issues. Its originality places it high up the list of classic psychological thrillers and it is likely to remain there for some time to come, entertaining young people of each generation.

DHitchcock’s Rear Window is a nail-biting thriller which is as entertaining for young people today as it was when it was first released. The film combines an exciting plot, with an original and gripping way of relating it, and also raises more serious questions about the nature of voyeurism.

E The whole film is seen through the eyes of one man, played by James Stewart, who sits in his cramped apartment, temporarily confined to a wheelchair. He entertains himself by looking out of the rear window of his own apartment and watching the activities of the residents in the apartment block opposite. What starts as an amusing pastime, however, gradually becomes a dangerous activity as he becomes convinced that the salesman played by Raymond Burr has murdered his invalid wife. James Stewart enlists the help of his girlfriend, Grace Kelly, and his nurse in order to spy more effectively, and the tension mounts.

3. For questions 1-12, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).

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