Tag: alex-garland

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) Movie Review- Now That’s More Like It!

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Last summer, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland teamed up once again to bring us 28 Years Later, a sequel that was nearly TWO decades in the making for this series! On paper, this should’ve been a textbook example on how to revive a franchise! Not only because you are bringing back the original blood from the original 28 Days Later but so much so time had past since the last installment in 28 Weeks Later that releasing a new installment now made perfect sense in terms of franchise continuity and this current age of horror we are currently living in. However, there was something that felt quite off!

Whether that was because of Boyle’s bold directing style he’s always been known for, it’s very uneven tone, and ending in a way that felt so out of left field that it never felt like it belonged in the same ballpark to begin with, 28 Years Later wasn’t the pitch perfect relaunch needed to justify an entire new trilogy of films, nagging loose ends be damned. It’s not that the humanity wasn’t presence behind and in front of the camera but it’s more that it got plagued by the virus.

However, that didn’t stop Sony Pictures from wanting to shoot back-to-back new entries to the 28 Days Later franchise in an attempt to jump on the same “welcome back” horror train that have made the new Scream movies a success! Instead of Danny Boyle, it’s Nia DaCosta (Candyman (2021) & The Marvels) that would be in charge of following up on the previous film’s divisive ending in the hopes to keep the franchise’s engine running, (although writer Alex Garland did return for this installment as well). While I’m not sure she will be able to do that from a box office standpoint, she CERTAINLY did it from a quality standpoint!

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple feels like the film that most audiences members were wanting the first time around! It offers a much greater expansion of the post-apocalyptic setting that this series has been set in since day one, it has more layers to the overall themes surrounding humanity and survival, a much better and more balanced tone that never takes you out of the picture, and laying out bread crumbs in ways that actually feel satisfying rather than manipulative. While some of the flaws from the previous film are carried over (shaky cam, certain characters faith left in the air, an extremely juicy cliffhanger, etc..), The Bone Temple is able to pick up where the original 28 Years Later left off in the best and most satisfying way possible.

Premise: As Spike (Alfie Williams) is inducted into Jimmy Crystal’s (Jack O’Connell) gang on the mainland, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) makes a discovery that could alter the world.

What makes The Bone Temple a successful second impression for 28 Years Later is not only improving upon what didn’t work about the previous film but also expanding upon the things that did. The main aspect being a deeper dive into this post-virus world and the people that have survived/suffered from it. The main driving force here is the exploration of the alpha infected and the forever pantsless, raising the question of which side generally has more humanity than the other regardless of how they were impacted by the virus. While, yes, we have seen stories surrounding zombie-like creatures discovering more humanity within themselves (A.K.A. Day of the Dead), there’s something a bit extra when viewed from the perspective of a literal scientist!

That exploration is on full display between the scenes with Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Ian Kelson and Chi Lewis-Parry’s Samson. Not only because both actors are able to sell the hell out of each moment they are on screen together but because it gives the deepest dives into the overall message about how everyone in any universe will always have humanity within their grasp, all they have to do is reach for it. Even if these kind of themes have become a staple of these post- apocalypse flicks, the aesthetics performances, and subversive narrative choices is able to help present it in a fresh new light.

When it comes to the virus-infected group presented, the Fingers gang is about as brutal and creepy as they come. While they do have an introduction that comes close to capturing the same over-the-top energy that brought down the previous film, it is able to show great restraint throughout the movie , where you have those moments of goofy levity but are still able to get satisfying gore and take them seriously as a legit threat. And yes, the Fingers gang is clearly motivated based on overly religious faith but it still serves as a nice contrast to everything that has gone wrong in the world that the characters are set in, showcasing the downfall of society in isolation, with the (no pun intended) KILLER performances from Jack O’Connell as the main fingers leader, Jimmy and Erin Kellyman as a more sympathetic fingers member as Kelly. This aids in making the dynamic between Dr. Kelson and the Fingers all the more compelling, the contrast of two different kinds of people who based their actions on either proven science or twisted beliefs.

The main MVP here has to be the woman behind the camera in Nia DaCosta. While she unfortunately got thrown under the bus with her taste with the MCU machinery with The Marvels (which I still enjoy for what it was), she is able to carry over her masterful directorial skills with horror that she displayed with Candyman (2021), with possibly even better results here. While far less camera tricks or random bullet time moments that Boyle did the last time around, she is still able to provide her own significant stamp here. The camera work is beautiful, the atmosphere is haunting yet mesmerizing, the brutality from the fingers clan delivers the skin-crawling horror set pieces that’s needed for a film like this, and even the sound designs offers a few new tricks up it’s sleeve during important key moments that makes the film feel more appropriate to see in a theater. Ms. DaCosta is able to provide her own distinctive voice that is able to feel appropriate to the franchise and NOT off putting.

It’s not quite a 100% though. There are certain sequences that is plagued with that awkward shaky cam that the previously film suffered from, making a handful of moments uncomfortable to watch because of how poorly it’s framed and NOT because it’s legit horrifying. There’s also Alfie Williams’ Spike that feels a bit like a footnote this time around. While his arc here is functional and works well enough in it’s own right, he doesn’t have as much importance to the narrative as he did the first time around, lacking that family dynamic hook that made his character compelling from the previous film. And while there is a surprise character played by a surprise actor (That got me nearly as excited as seeing Tobey Maguire in No Way Home!) that does leave the door open about what a potential third film could deliver, it will certainly make for a VERY depressing “what if?” scenario if we never do get that third film in the near future.

It made have taken a second try but 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is able to deliver the complete full package I wanted from the last film, while standing as perhaps the best installment in this franchise since the original. The acting is terrific, the horror and gore will disgust you in the most delightful ways imaginable, and it is still able to follow the franchise’s overall themes by continuing to offer fresh, new, and different perspectives about a world that has plunged into total chaos without taking you out of it or even inviting comparisons to the world that we are currently live in. I sure hope this is able to find it’s audience because if not, then MAN are they missing out!

Ranking The Films of Alex Garland

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Alex Garland is one of the most interesting filmmakers in recent memory. He tends to make film that is able to deliver beyond anyone’s expectations for both the better and the worse. Regardless of what you think about his films, you can’t deny the man is usually not afraid to go all in on controversial matters or explore hidden depths within the sci-fi genre. Results always vary but no doubt, it’s always compelling to see a filmmaker always swing for the fences even if it always doesn’t work off.

With what is perhaps his biggest film to date just coming out in theaters in Civil War, let’s take the time to rank his four films released up to this point that he has been credited as a full-on director.

However, I would like to give one honorable/unqualifiable mention to this list.

Dredd (2012)

Dredd (2012) is one of the most underrated/overlooked gems that has been released for the past decade. A solid, intense, and incredibly enjoyable sci-fi action flick that’s able to improve on nearly every shortcoming that the original Judge Dredd had and be something even more than that. The main reason I can’t add this to the list is that despite writing the screenplay for it and did help complete the film, Alex Garland did NOT get any credit as director, that goes to Pete Travis.

Still, Dredd (2012) is a gem and it tanking at the box office still remains one of the biggest cinematic tragedies in recent memory! Hopefully, the cult following for this remains so strong that one day a sequel will be greenlighted!

Now that mention is out of the way, let’s get to ranking the official four films in Alex Garland’s directing library!

5.) Men

Alex Garland’s first film set outside his comfort zone in the sci-fi genre attempts to explore the inner depths of toxic masculinity and the mental state that abused women go through when having to deal with it. It’s just a shame that Garland couldn’t think of anything compelling to go along with that or provide an engaging narrative to get this obvious point across.

Men is ego-filled filmmaking at it’s absolute worst! The message of toxic masculinity is thuddingly obvious and not well handled, sequences are way too drawn out and repetitive as hell, it’s own attempt at shock value gets old very quick, and the final act remains one of the most infuriating climaxes of a film that I’ve ever suffered through in theaters. Even commendable performances from Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear along with a handful of stand out sequences (particularly the haunting tunnel scene) can not save Men from being the preachy and pretentious mess that it is!

Men was always going to be a film that was controversial no matter what given it’s subject matter but the end results of it just gives certain folks more ammo to support their own grift-filled narrative. Between this and the next film I’m about to talk about, it’s for the best that Alex Garland does more research on the subject matter he is tackling so the films don’t come across as distractingly obvious or inaccurate as it does. Plus, having a woman co-write or co-direct this film likely would have helped to! Just saying!

4.) Civil War

On the surface, you think you know exactly what you are going to get with a film like Civil War. In a year with yet another controversial election for America that is expected to arrive in the coming months, what better way for A24 to coast on this hot topical year than putting their own spin on an America that we are dangerously close to approaching to in real life? The kind of film that leaves no stone unturned and be unafraid to tear into every single realm of America politics and inner turmoil of the U.S. governments! The kind of film that is basically guaranteed to earn it’s F rating on Cinema Score like a pride badge of honor! The kind of film that would likely cause fights from hard core liberals and devoted conservatives during theater screenings! However, when you sit back and look at Civil War with an open mind, it’s surprisingly as apolitical and pointless as they come.

It’s doesn’t amount to being the political cringe fest that most viewers envisioned it as. It doesn’t commit to being the overblown disaster flick that it constantly flirts at throughout the entire picture. And it doesn’t even seem to be interest on exploring it’s own take on what a modern day civil war set in America could or would be like. Civil War just acts as a typical America murder porn flick with not much rhyme or reason do it and will likely leave viewers wondering what point Alex Garland was trying to make here.

It’s certainly as well made and well acted as you would expect from Garland himself but it lacks any creativity or boldness that this director is usually unafraid of showing off. I don’t know if this was because Garland was unsure which kind of movie he wanted to make or if he just didn’t want to piss anyone off but Civil War just seems as confused as all the people that are fighting in the movie are. Even if this movie’s overall theme is about how all war is pointless and nobody wins, that doesn’t justify this film’s existence any better.

3.) Warfare

Remember how I said that it’d be better for Mr. Garland to do more research on the subject matter he tackles with this films? Well, he apparently took that advice to heart with Warfare, easily the best non-related sci-fi work he has done to date and one of the better war films in recent memory. Based on the real-life experiences of Ray Mendoza during his service in the Iraq war as a U.S. Navy SEAL, the film act as an re-enactment of an encounter he and his platoon experienced on November 19, 2006, in the wake of the Battle of Ramadi. To keep the film as accurate as possible, Garland collaborated with Mendoza and real-life vets apart of that conflict by taken the film’s material exclusively from the testimonies of the platoon members, and is presented in real time beginning from the main title.

Warfare is a war film that has no agenda than showcasing the life-changing events that shattered the life and mental stability of a group of hard fighting soldiers. There’s no traditional Hollywood war tropes, no forms of military propaganda, and never tries to waste your time of filler of any kind. It’s 90 minutes of horror, intensity, and filling you in the shoes of being an everyday soldier in the army. The cast works, every sequence will have you on the edge of your seat, and this is more than worth the extra bucks to watch it in full IMAX.

While I’m not sure Warfare will be as memorable or rewatchable compare to other war movie classics and even Garland’s other work, it works well enough on it’s own that you won’t regret spending your time and money with. If Garland wants to continue making films with real-life and important subject matter, hopefully he takes the rights notes from this film and he might just get even better in the upcoming future.

2.) Ex Machina

Alex Garland’s directorial debut that came out in 2015 was about as perfect of a first impression as you could imagine. Ex Machina is able to be an imagative, creative, and engaging tale about the emergence of A.I. and how the human race responds to being in a world with technology as their overall counterpart with the realization that there is not much different between the two. The film has big ideas that it executes tremendously well, while also leaving a lot of room for further analysis. 

You also have to credit the stellar performances given by the main players here which consists of Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and ESPECIALLY Alicia Vikander, who all carry the entire picture on their backs all the way through with little to no hassle. Seeing Ava’s transformation from being a mindless robot to an artificial intelligence that is perhaps more intelligent than either Nathan or Caleb realize is really fascinating to see play out and keeps leaving you guessing on what will come next. Even the somewhat iffy last stretch isn’t enough to derail the impressive achievement that Ex Machina is.

Ex Machina is the best kind of sci-fi. The kind that treats it’s audience like human beings and doesn’t need to rely on pure action and spectacle to make for a satisfying experience. Masterfully directed, smartly written, and wonderfully performed by it’s main cast, Ex Machina was able to start Alex Garland’s directing tendure on the best note possible. Even in a year that saw the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ex Machina remained as the best sci-fi film of 2015 that happened to star Oscar Issac and Domhnall Gleeson.

1.) Annihilation

For as great as Ex Machina is, I still don’t think it tops the absolute sci-fi horror masterpiece that is Annihilation. This still remains not only the best film in Alex Garland’s filmography but one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century thus far. Even when facing release problems by Paramount and Skydance and criticism from the original Author, Annihilation is Alex Garland at his most creative, ambitious, and pure visionary!

This is a very engaging and complex story of a group of female scientists who are summoned to an enchanted forest to uncover a mystery as to what happen to a group of male scientists during this phenomena. The mystery as to what is happening on screen is intriguing and full of hidden details that beg for repeat viewings, the characters are well defined and engaging, the visual imagery is mind blowing, the slow pacing feels well utilized and earned, the tension is felt the whole way through, the score is absolutely mesmerizing, and the final 20 minutes contains one of the best and haunting climaxes I’ve seen in any film. It also feel refreshing to have an all-female cast done in a way that makes sense for the story it’s telling and not strictly to try to earn a few brownie points.

I understand it’s divisive to some but Annihilation still remains my favorite work from Alex Garland and one of my personal favorite sci-fi movies. It remains one of the most engaging and mesmerizing theater experiences that I could recall. There wasn’t a single moment where I wasn’t blown up away by the visuals, tension, performances, plot turns, score, and just plain attention to details. I sure hope that author Jeff VanderMeer comes to his senses one day and realize the absolute brilliance that is the film, Annihilation. This isn’t just Alex Garland or sci-fi at it’s best, it’s pure filmmaking and cinema at it’s best! Annihilation remains a sci-fi film that I’ve gone back to many times and will continue to do so in the future!

Civil War (2024) Movie Review- Fighting A Pointless War

AdamLeave a comment

On the surface, you think you know exactly what you are going to get with a film like Civil War. In a year with yet another controversial election for America that is expected to arrive in the coming months, what better way for A24 to coast on this hot topical year than putting their own spin on what an effed up America would like? The kind of film that leaves no stone unturned and be unafraid to tear into every single realm of America politics and inner turmoil of the U.S. governments! The kind of film that is basically guaranteed to earn it’s F rating on Cinema Score like a pride badge of honor! The kind of film that would likely cause fights from hard core liberals and conservatives during theater screenings! However, when you sit back and look at Civil War with an open mind, it’s surprisingly as apolitical and pointless as they come.

It’s doesn’t amount to being the political cringe fest that most viewers envisioned it as. It doesn’t commit to being the overblown disaster flick that it constantly flirts at throughout the entire picture. And it doesn’t even seem to be interest on exploring it’s own take on what a civil war set in America could or would be like. Civil War just acts as a typical America murder porn flick with not much rhyme or reason do it and will likely leave viewers wondering what point Alex Garland was trying to make here. It’s certainly as well made and well acted as you would expect from Garland himself but it lacks any creativity or boldness that this director is usually unafraid of showing off, even with his last godawful film in Men. I don’t know if this was because Garland was unsure which kind of movie he wanted to make or if he just didn’t want to piss anyone off but Civil War just seems as confused as all the people that are fighting in the movie are.

Premise: In a dystopian future America, a team of military-embedded journalists (Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson) races against time to reach Washington, D.C., before rebel factions descend upon the White House.

The element that is the most striking about Civil War is how little it is interested in exploring this dystopian version of America that we are follow our four main characters in. There is no explanation as to what this civil war is about, why either side is fighting one another, or the concrete difference between the current political climate in the real world vs the one that this movie is set in. The film basically expects you to fill in the blank yourselves about the context of the world this movie is set in and insert your own politics to have the civil war make any sense.

There are hints of that kind of version that is scattered throughout the film. The major example is that of Texas and California being on the same side. That’s a great start in going all in on the ridiculous nature of that concept but the film doesn’t go far beyond that. The screenplay by Alex Garland is shockingly stale, lacking any sort of risk taking on exploring this own version of America or any logical reason as to why the civilians are fighting in the first place.

The biggest plot element involves our four lead characters, who are professional journalists and assigned to cover all the commotion that is happening throughout the course of the film. Despite the clear intend on exploring the impact of journalism and the consequences that can come from those involved in that industry, it’s hard to be invested in it because the film constantly makes it clear that they are in the wrong the whole way through when they truly believe they are in the right. It also doesn’t help that the main characters are constantly making dumb decisions throughout the entire movie with no self awareness that it makes you wonder how they even got hired for this job in the first place. While that might be the intention when it comes to the overall arc that Cailee Spaeny’s character, Jessie Cullen, she is so out of the league with everything happening that it makes it so hard to root for her. Even when we get to the point where she learns the lesson she is suppose to, it doesn’t feel earned in the slightest because none of it feels real.

And that is the exact issue with Civil War at it’s center. Despite the film throwing everything but the kitchen sink at you when it comes to war, causality, and politics, it doesn’t feel real because it doesn’t seem interest as to why this is all happening in the first place. And if there is no purpose, then what is even the point of all this fighting in the first place?

I’m well aware certain folks are gonna argue that is the true intention of Civil War. Alex Garland is trying to make it clear that all of this is pointless because war itself is pointless since no one truly wins at the end and we all lose. If that’s the case, then why make the movie at all? Just because something is intentional by design doesn’t automatically make it good. Like if someone took a dump in my mouth and then say it was okay because it was done on purpose, then does that make it any better? No, it doesn’t! It’s just tasteless!

At least the movie is well-shot with solid production throughout. Outside of a few scenes with distracting CGI, this does have the proper care and treatment as you would expect from Alex Garland behind the camera. The best sequences involve the main cast of journalists we follow having to take photos while massive battles are happening. They make for some rather intense and suspense heavy sections with glorious sound design to aid them. Those are easily the standout sections of the entire movie and definitely shows the hidden potential that is constantly hinted at throughout the entire picture.

The entire cast does their part as well. It’s always nice to see Kirsten Dunst in movies and she does the best here with what she is giving as basically the leader of the group. Wagner Moura acts strongly as the right counterpart to the rest of the cast, Stephen McKinley Henderson is entertaining in every scene he is in, Cailee Spaney has strong potential to stand out as her own as an actress, and we desperately needed more of Jeff White throughout the picture. And as everyone has said, Jesse Plemons is great in his one notable appearance in the movie, even if it makes even less sense when you put it within the context of the movie and not just with the trailers.

Civil War comes across as a cinematic equivalent of a make-your-own buffet that expects the audience to bring their own ingredients with them because it doesn’t seem to have much of it’s own. When taking into perspective of the nonexistence politics and overall lack of context to anything happening, Civil War is at its heart just an empty disaster flick with only a handful of intense sequences and a strong cast to help pull it through. And considering it’s timing and placement as to when this movie is coming out, it’s clear that A24 was wanting something way more than that.

Perhaps this has to do with Alex Garland tackling something outside of his comfort zone and coming from the UK rather than the USA but it’s baffling how Civil War seems to be utterly unaware and confused of not just the current political climate in America but even in it’s own distinct universe. It may not be my least favorite film from Alex Garland (That honor goes to Men!) but Civil War is easily his most tame and thematically empty film he has ever released!

The only kind of politically heavy folks that will get angry over this film are the ones that brought their own politics into the theaters with them moments before it even started. Because when you look into the deeper meaning of the film’s politics and it’s current status quo of it’s own America, it all just feels pointless. If that is what Alex Garland intended from the beginning, that’s on him but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Congrats, Disney! When it comes to making the superior Civil War movie, you guys win this round1