By Troy Ribeiro
FILM: The Penguins of Madagascar
VOICEOVERS: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Malkovitch
DIRECTION: Eric Darnell and Simon J Smith
These animated, flightless birds fly high in the entertainment arena! In this edition, the no-nonsense tactical team of penguins, who stole hearts in the previous three Madagascar films, get their own feature to prove that they are high-profile entertainers.
Directed by Eric Darnell and Simon J Smith from a finely-tuned script, the film is a high-pitched and action-packed, revenge saga.
The film begins by reintroducing, to the audience, the illustrious globe-trotting spy team of the Madagascar series.
The back-story: Three penguins- Skipper (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Miller) and Rico (Conrad Vernon) step out of the norm of their traditional “flocking together” group to save an abandoned rolling egg from hungry seals. The little penguin that hatches from the egg is named Private (Christopher Knights). Together, they form a formidable group unearthing covert operatives ever since.
Ten years later, during one of their espionage expeditions at the behest of Dave (John Malkovich), also known as Dr Octavius Brine who is a super genius Octopus disguised as a human scientist, the quartet are captured by North Wind rescue team. This is an elite undercover inter-species task force dedicated to helping animals who can’t help themselves.
Now in captivity, the four of them realise that Dave is nursing a grudge against them for stealing the attention showered on him years ago at the San Diego Marine Park, although they were oblivious of the incident.
And now he is out to seek revenge against all penguins for being the more popular and beloved attractions at soos. He intends carrying out his plan by subjecting all penguins to “Medusa Serum”, a solution he developed which would change them and thus render them unappealing to humans for the rest of time.
Luckily for the penguins, the North Wind rescue team arrive to help. The team is headed by the arrogant gray wolf known only as Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch). He is assisted by the loving bear Corporal (Peter Stormare), the hot-headed, explosive and demolition expert harp seal known as Short Fuse (Ken Jeong) and the intelligent “Intelligence Analyst” snowy owl Eva (Annet Mahendru).
It’s race against time for the combined teams under Skipper and Classified to see if they can stop Dave before he succeeds.
Narrated in a non-linear fashion, the story is not at all elevating. The plot is simple, cute and occasionally funny. The voices lent by the star cast synchronise aptly with the characters and their moods.
While the kids will ruminate over the high octane action scenes, it’s the pun-filled dialogues like “Nicohlas! Cage them,” or “We are North Wind! Nobody dare break wind” that will keep the adults in splits.
Overall, with attractive well-packaged visuals, good picture-perfect animation and competitive background score, the film will appeal to kids and adults alike. It is engaging and entertaining at the same time.- IANS
Promising premise
FILM: Dying of the Light
CAST: Nicolas Cage, Anton Yelchin, Alexander Karim, Irene Jacob, Aymen Hamdouchi
DIRECTION: Paul Schrader
The release of The Dying of the Light was accompanied by a minor wave of controversy. Director Paul Schrader claimed he had been excluded from the editing process. His original cut, it seems, didn’t go well with producers.
The story has promises. Evan Lake (Nicolas Cage), a veteran CIA agent, has been ordered to retire. But when his protege (Anton Yelchin) uncovers evidence that Lake’s nemesis, the terrorist Banir (Alexander Karim), has resurfaced, Lake goes rogue, embarking on a perilous, intercontinental mission to eliminate his sworn enemy.
However, time is running out in more ways than one. Banir is suffering from a rare blood disease that might kill him before he faces justice, while Lake has been showing signs of dementia. And try as he might to keep the tremors and fading memory from his bosses, Lake is found out and forced into retirement. Even worse, the CIA doesn’t seem all that compelled to go after Banir, or convinced that he’s even still alive.
So, along with eager and supportive younger agent Milton Schultz (Anton Yelchin), Lake heads overseas for the “one last job” to find Banir and take him out, before his disease consumes his brain.
If you’re a fan of Cage Rage, then you’re treated to a few delights throughout the course of his engaging performance as CIA agent Evan Lake.
There are thankless supporting roles for Anton Yelchin and Irene Jacob as associates of Lake, although neither is allowed to make much of an impression.
The plot takes Lake and Shultz from the US to Romania to Kenya, though there’s not much local flavour or action along the way.
Survival drama
FILM: Escape (in Norway: Flukt)
CAST: Ingrid Bolso Berdal, Kristian Espedel, Isabel Christine Andreasen
DIRECTION: Roar Uthaug
Ten years after the Black Plague ravaged their country, a poor family sets out on a journey for a new home. On a remote mountain pass, they are attacked by a band of merciless killers led by the vicious Dagmar (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) and the only one spared is young Signe (Isabel Christine Andreasen), who is taken hostage.
At the gang’s camp she meets fellow kidnap victim Frigg (Milla Olin) and learns about a terrible fate that awaits her. There is nothing for it but to escape, but Dagmar will not let Signe go that easily.
At first glance, Escape appears to be a kind-of Game of Thrones take on medieval survival; however, this is a straight-up survival-horror film. At a brisk 80 minutes, the film flies by. If this was 30 minutes longer, it might have outstayed its welcome.
Isabel Christine Andreasen, who plays Signe, is wonderful. Playing terrified, strong and heroic at various parts of the film, the young girl is talented.
DVDs courtesy: Saqr Entertainment Stores, Doha
