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Film Review: Star Trek Beyond – 6/10

‘Fear of death is illogical…’

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Historically, I was never really a fan of Star Trek. Indeed, at one point I saw it as a direct competitor of my beloved Star Wars and so became smarmily dismissive of Trekkies and the franchise they followed. It was JJ Abrams who converted me with his 2009 reboot but I don’t have the requisite background knowledge to really appreciate the new Star Trek movies as I should. I enjoyed Into Darkness but that is probably related to my undying love of all things Cumberbatch.

As we reach the third instalment I don’t think there is enough going to really capture and hold my interest. The introduction of Idris Elba, the world’s most boring and overrated actor, only added to my growing sense of ennui whilst watching Star Trek Beyond.

The casting of the main Star Trek crew has always been the reboots’ secret weapon but there isn’t enough humour or panache in the script to make the most of the talent available. Many people complain about the Marvel movies feeling ubiquitous and samey, watching Star Trek Beyond I understand how they feel. I don’t know whether it is my lack of interest in Star Trek on the whole or diminishing returns in terms of quality (or both), but Star Trek Beyond took me three sittings to sit through. I kept being distracted by pictures of cats or my actual cat or other cat related shenanigans.

There are a few genuinely memorable scenes in Star Trek Beyond and the main cast once again perform admirably but when you are constantly being upstaged by both real and fictional cats it is probably time to stop making new Star Trek movies for a while.

 

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Film Review: Snatch – 8.5/10

‘You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity…’

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It’s been many years since I last watched Snatch but I have seen it so many times that watching it again felt like slipping into an old shoe. Unfortunately, I have that same feeling every morning when I slip into some actual old shoes because I can’t afford new ones. I digress. Snatch is what happens when loads of disparate but brilliant elements come together to form one glorious whole. It is difficult to think of a film that boasts a cast as eclectic as Benicio Del Toro, Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham and Frank fucking Butcher from Eastenders. Snatch uses this madcap collection as a strength rather than a hindrance however and Guy Ritchie’s razor sharp script is as hilarious as it is ingenious.

Watching Snatch, it is easy to see why Brad Pitt was once the biggest movie star in the world. More importantly however, it is also obvious why Pitt was also considered one of the best actors of his generation. His powerhouse performance in Snatch is as good as any in a hugely successful career and is also one of his most unique. Pitt would be nothing without the rest of his cast though and they have as much fun as the viewer.

One of the reasons that Brad Pitt doesn’t totally steal the show is that Jason Statham is so compelling. After making a career out of starring in the same one word titled film over and over again (Transporter, Crank, Redemption etc etc) it is easy to forget why Statham became such a global star in the first place. The Derbyshire born actor has the comedic chops to go with his ridiculous good looks and it’s a shame we haven’t seen him in more challenging roles.

Snatch is rightly considered one of the best gangster films of all time and it is Guy Ritchie’s finest achievement. You know something is a cultural milestone when people quote it without knowing what they are quoting from, even years later. Snatch is one of those films. A true classic.