For Here or To Go?

I am strongly considering doing away with the dining aspect of the blog and focusing on film, games, observations or thoughts and gadgets or other general geekery. There is already so much to write about that I’m having a tough time keeping up and dining is the one thing that I could probably do without on this site. I’m not positive about this yet but I’m leaning towards this decision.

On occasion, I figure I could still write about a particularly engaging or outstanding dining experience but as it stands now, mentioning each new place I eat at is adding a ton of material to a stack that grows larger everyday, thanks to Gamefly and Netflix. On top of that, I want to start integrating a few more bits about my life; things I am experiencing or thoughts and observations I am having. I also want to start writing some quick blurbs about tech or gaming news. I’ve had a few of these posts and I’d like to keep that alive, even if it’s just a short snapshot of something I consider to be noteworthy.

So there will likely be some renovations to this blog, not that anybody cares. Just letting the few of you who might actually read these ramblings know that there will probably be some forthcoming changes.

Avatar

Summary

Considering my general affinity for all things geeky (film, games, gadgets, etc…), it took me a surprisingly long time to get caught up with what ‘Avatar‘ really was. I had heard that it was a huge project from James Cameron, whose work I thoroughly enjoy (Aliens, T2… come on). Still, for whatever reason, I didn’t religiously hunt down trailers or look up announcement or anything like that. I kind of just waited the whole thing out.

Weird, right?

So for a while, all I knew was the director, that it was huge and that it was supposed to be pretty exciting and crazy. Then about 2 or 3 weeks before it came out, I was witness to my first, full ‘Avatar’ trailer. I was immediately enticed, as this was the desired effect, and the seductive tendrils of bright colors, sparkling lights and violence captured me quickly. Still, there was just the slightest hint of uncertainty. This was supposed to be a huge hit and I had noticed an awful lot of CG going on… As I viewed more trailers, the idea of the movie became more evident and I was further drawn in. I was now genuinely excited for the release.

And what a release it was.

‘Avatar‘ is one of those movies that invades and propagates throughout the media network like a virus. Each plug, each ad, gives birth to a new cell of delivery and it spread like the plague. This movie was fucking everywhere. Seeing it at release just wasn’t in the cards for me, so I waited patiently while everyone else lavished seemingly impossible amounts of praise and accolade on the movie. People that were skeptical were beaming with positive reviews and the acclaim was palpable. It started to get to the point where I just didn’t think this movie could possibly be the finely crafted portrait that was being painted. Then there was the whole 3-D aspect. What? I would totally have to try that.

So alright, onto the movie. From the onset, and I mean that literally, this movie captures you. Perhaps it was the 3-D, in fact, I know that played into it. Either way, this is a film that captivates unlike any other film I have ever seen. I’m not saying that it’s the best movie I’ve seen, but I am saying that it held me suspended in a web of sheer awe for the entirety of its nearly 3 hour running time. That’s not easy to do. The whole thing is an unbelievable sensory experience. The focus of this film was clearly its presentation and distinct conceptual perspective on a rather common theme in filmmaking. The idea here is the age-old “white man is sent to invade/destroy a native/indigenous group of people, ends up sympathizing with their way of life, falls in love, shifts loyalties to the people he was sent to persecute. It’s been done before but I’ll say two things about that: 1. James Cameron wrote the framework for the film in 1994, earlier than most think; 2. Just because it’s been done before, that doesn’t at all dictate that it can’t be good. This is something that I’m a bit sensitive about because it kind of pisses me off. Too many people fancy themselves some kind of deep and complex individual who “truly” comprehends the nuances of film, narrative and scope. I’m not saying that I do, in every regard, but I am willing to be liberal when it comes to my conceptions about film (or many other things, for that matter). First off, writing a screenplay is not writing a book. Not at all. I don’t know much on the topic, and won’t claim to, but I know that much. Second of all, not every-goddamn-thing that is written, displayed or heard needs to be original. Get off your fucking high horse. If it’s done well and effectively and fluently translates the intended emotion and ideological core of the film, then there’s certainly merit there. If an intricate narrative is essential to your enjoyment in fim, then why are you bothering in the first place? The trailers certainly don’t convey an amazingly deep story behind its glossy exterior. No, you don’t have to like it. That’s how it goes. It’s art, and therefore an expression and ultimately subject to any type of criticism. That’s fine. But debasing something simply because one thinks that it’s not a novel concept or “has been done before” is, in my opinion, just not a good enough reason. For me, it borderlines on arrogance.

That being said, yes, the story isn’t the strong selling point here. It’s fine with me though and it’s a wonderful infrastructure for the true focus of the film. Once the audience is taken to Pandora, Cameron never stops illustrating the beauty, wonder and power of this world. I find that it’s a bit difficult to interpret the affair accurately, but one always feels as though they are on a sci-fi safari of sorts, observing the incredible ecology of something beyond our own habitat. Something wonderful and pure; derelict and dangerous as it may be. The colors are vibrant, the flora is illuminated, the wildlife glows. The entire world of Pandora brims with an organic elegance and it is lithely presented to the viewer. Though the “connection to nature” theme is also familiar, I absolutely loved the idea of the Na’vi physically connecting themselves to their world, both the land and the animals. For me, that brand of creativity is the essence of the film and is part of what animates and inspires the sigificance of ‘Avatar‘. There is a sense of mythology to the land itself and it resonates beautifully and powerfully with the characters and ultimately, out to the audience. There are plenty who will (have) take(n) issue with the “pro-nature” ideologies pervasive in the movie. Look people, this is entertainment. If Cameron wants to convey a point, well, he’s more than welcome to. Other than that, this isn’t a fucking religious scroll or parchment. By no means, does anyone have to consent to any philosophical interpretation present. Enjoyment is not synonymous with subscription. Personally, I feel like the message is pertinent, even if it is a bit trite. Call me a hippie if you’d like. Then promptly fuck off please.

The acting in the film was fine. I use that word intentionally because ‘Avatar‘ only had so much actual acting that needed to be done. What was there was good though and the performance capture influence on the animated characters was noticeable and very well done. Each Na’vi avatar looked and behaved like their human counterpart, which was cool to see. The characters were appropriate and I really never felt a strong sense of the performances feeling contrived, despite the ambitious ideals of the movie. The casting was also appropriate. Sam Worthington was a fantastic choice, as he generally leaves an impression of subdued strength and quiet prowess. I very much enjoy Sigourney in all respects and her role here is fitting. Smart, strong, bitchy. Stephen Lang is a legitimate badass, whose formidable physical presence is matched only by his violent inclinations and cunning villainy. Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi and Michelle Rodriguez are all good choices in their supporting roles, though I found their characters to be rather vanilla in a movie that was already rife with cliche elements. Last is Zoe Saldana who was another great choice in both voice and character and also happens to be rather easy on the eyes. It makes me super sad-face that we never get to see her as a human, as she is an actual Na’vi character.

I really would like to paint you a more vivid picture of the film, but let’s be real, you’ve probably already seen it and know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s just such an alluring piece of work and its ability to arrest then brilliantly arouse the audience’s sensory participation is impressive. The 3-D implementation is incredible and strongly recommended. If you’re even slightly considering this one, just go see it. The theatrical experience is undoubtedly worth it this time around. ‘Avatar‘ elevates movie-going to the next echelon and though it may not fall into your personal category of good film, it may be the most fun you’ve ever had while gazing at all those projected lights.

Overall Score (out of 10): 9.2

Summary

Story/Writing: Admittedly not the strong point of the film. Not bad though and provides an appropriate framework for the context and flow of the movie. Innovative expressions of some familiar elements provide a strong alleviation of thematic overexposure.

Acting/Cast: There really wasn’t a whole lot of traditional “acting” but what is there works just fine. ‘Avatar‘ uses a lot of performance capture and it works well to convey realistic movement, facial expressions and overall behaviors. The cast is well assigned from the supporting roles to the main roles.

Camera/Cinematography: This is where ‘Avatar‘ truly shines. Sure, a lot of movies can lull you in with special effects then leave you abandoned when it comes to full presentation. That’s just not the case here. The visuals are simply arresting and there is a consistent sense of awe and astonishment throughout. A legitimate tour de force in cinematic experiences.

Sound/Music: This is the full package when it comes to all things sensory and sound is part of that achievement. The whole movie is filled with incredible sound, particularly on the world of Pandora. The music is James Horner of Aliens and Titanic fame, among others.

Website: http://www.avatarmovie.com/

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/

Fracture

Summary

Fracture is one of those games that almost nothing exceptionally but manages to stay afloat. The game feels very marginal in almost every single regard, which is unfortunate because there are some neat concepts, in both the idea and the execution, that were just never fully realized. The game revolves around the political and militaristic struggle between two factions with very different ideals.

This is the game’s first letdown. The idea here is that there are two warring sides with polar perspectives on human evolution. One side advocates genetic and biological advances, while the other side supports the notion of mechanical and computer driven progression. The former faction originates and resides mostly in the Western hemisphere of the US and the latter group is based in the East. So there is a geographical disparity as well. This, in and of itself, is a pretty good framework for a good narrative arc and some really neat development. This potential is largely abandoned though and the story barely pulses along, driving only the point of a violent coup and the resulting actions. Throughout the course of the game, you come into contact with only two other real characters and neither of them are particularly well fleshed out. One of the characters seems to have some strange ability to tap into your thoughts, which gave me the impression that there were going to be some really cool supernatural developments. But guess what? Nothing happened. Literally nothing. The characters was never explained, given a distinct personality, nothing. It was frustrating.

Your character, the oddly named ‘Jet’ is on the mechanically enhanced side. As such, you fight against genetically altered enemies, many possessing skills like extra speed or biological fortitude. The enemies are generally unimpressive though, coming in massive waves and chaotically running around the screen. Speaking of which, the game really does just throw too much at you at any given time. It’s not that it’s too difficult because of that, it’s more that it gives the game a very cluttered and clumsy feel. By the end of the first stage, you are already tired of the hordes of enemies and mundane gunplay that comes with their presence. There are a decent variety of weapons to play with but the caveat is that there are very few with which they provide enough ammo to consistently use. One could utilize certain weapons then simply swap out weapons as they destroy the enemy, but the sheer volume of combat in the game makes this strategy difficult to implement. Jet carries only two weapons at a time, so choosing between consistent and powerful becomes a chess match. It could be construed as strategy, but instead, I took it as annoying as shit.

Let’s get to the gimmick of Fracture. The selling point in this game is that your character can manipulate, to a certain extent, the environment around him (the ground, mostly) in order to accomplish certain goals. These goals can be getting around or under obstacles or even creating temporary cover from enemy fire. This aspect of the game was actually decently realized. The ability to create cover on the fly is a cool addition, though it seems less novel when you factor in the ridiculous amount of fire you’re taking at any given moment… The developers have also crafted some pretty decent “puzzles” of sorts, that involve some creative mastery of the earth-manipulating variety. Especially towards the end of the game.

The sound in the game is generally lackluster. The enemies make strange noises, and since there are about 1 fuckdillion of them in total, it gets to be a bit much. The guns sound awful IMO. The voicework is OK, not good or bad really, just… well…. average. I don’t even recall the music.

So with all that, you’d think this game was one of the worst titles I’ve yet to play. Oddly enough, it was not. Despite so many shortcomings, I was still able to romp through it the better of two times. Once you get through it once and understand some of the inherent flaws, it gets considerably easier and smoother to play. It’s still nothing to compare to the other LucasArts title I’ve played recently though. In the end, it’s a rental, pure and simple. Buying this game would be a gross mistake but playing it isn’t necessarily the torture I’ve painted out. The biggest problem is that it’s just so damn average. There is almost nothing, outside of the neat integration of the environment manipulation, that will draw a player in. There is strong potential for a sequel here and I would welcome that if they could create a well-ironed out product that builds on top of the truly interesting concepts they’ve created and subsequently abandoned.

Overall Score (out of 10): 6.2

Summary

Graphics/Presentation: Just realized I didn’t even touch on this in the actual review. Why? Well, probably because the graphics are just like everything else in the game. Average. Not an eyesore, by any means but not amazing either.

Gameplay: The majority of it is unimpressive. The combat is frustrating and mundane. The earth-manipulation, however, is clever and well-done. There are some fun puzzling aspects with it too.

Story/Narrative: Two sides, one has a general that goes overboard and wants to take over. You have to stop him. The end.

Sound/Music: Again, nothing worth mentioning here. Poor gun sounds and forgetful music. Decent voiceover.

Replay Value: There isn’t a whole lot of reason to come back but I have to admit that the game’s flow ramps up tremendously with one playthrough.

Taste and Thirst – Downtown San Diego

Summary

I had never heard of this place before a month and a half ago. For the latter half of 2009, I walked around in Downtown quite a bit, and so probably walked by this place a fair share of times. Not only did I not really think to go there, I just plain didn’t even know it was there. I think it might be new-ish? It’s not a particularly hidden place… In any case, a friend and I decided to give it a try, after discovering that it had some pretty kickass happy hour specials.

Turns out that the place does indeed have some pretty kickass HH specials. I can’t actually recall most of them, but there’s pretty much one for every night of the week and I remember them being damn good deals. The actual establishment is not terribly large, with several tall bar tables parallel to a rather large and impressive bar, then a couple of standard tables towards the rear. There are a couple of TVs hung up on each end of the bar as well. Aaron and I grabbed a couple of spots at the bar. The girl behind the bar was friendly, greeting us and grabbing us a couple of drinks to kick things off. The drink special for that night was 2-for-1, which basically equates to 50% off individual drinks. Not a bad start.

Apparently, this place is known for their burgers and T-bone steaks. So I figured, “Hey, why the fuck not?” I ordered a standard cheeseburger, drank some beer and watched the basketball game. About 15 minutes later, our good arrives. This is not a hamburger. No. This is a meatloaf, placed between the confines of two buns, adorned with vegetation. This thing is fucking massive. It was one of those scenarios where I had to sit there and contemplate my attack strategy. I cut it in half and went to work. I was defeated at half. The french fries were pretty good too, though nothing really special. The second visit was a bit different. I ordered their philly cheesesteak sandwhich and tater tots. I was no impressed with the sandwhich. The meat came in larger chunks, instead of the usually finer, shaved form I’m accustomed to. The veggies were fine for the most part. The whole meal was just largely underwhelming for me. I definitely wouldn’t order it again. Unfortunate.

The moniker feels appropriate. ‘Taste and Thirst’ most certainly conveys both ‘food’ and ‘beverage’ and the place delivered on both counts. The menu is a bit limited and the place is kind of small, but the bar is impressive and the specials are awesome. Bring a friend or two, and you’ve got some good eats and drinks to dive into.

Overall Score (out of 10): 7.6

Summary

Ambiance: This place is more of a bar than anything else. There aren’t too many tables to use but the bar is nice and big. It’s also clean and inviting.

Service: Both times the service has been friendly and talkative. Food comes quickly enough.

Food: The burgers truly are awesome. The philly sandwhich I ordered the 2nd time through was the opposite. So it’s a mixed bag.

Price/Value: They have really good specials almost every night of the week and sometimes even during the day on the weekends. Outside of that, their prices are generally pretty reasonable and on par with most bar food.

Website: http://tasteandthirst.com/wp/

Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/taste-and-thirst-on-fourth-san-diego

Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway

Summary

I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this game. After all, I’ve never played any of the predecessors. I had a general idea of what kind of game it was, and with that shallow knowledge, I assumed it was something like the ‘Medal of Honor’ series. You know, sort of standard WWII shooter, maybe something that uses a team dynamic. I was sort of right, and sort of wrong, I’d say.

Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway is a shooter, yes, but it somehow transcends the adjective ‘standard.’ I say “somehow”, because I’m not exactly sure how to explain how it does that, but it most certainly does. I’ll do my best to sketch you a rough idea of why this is.

Let’s start with the gameplay. Hell’s Highway is a first-person shooter, but it switches to third-person once you duck into cover. This is key, because this is the perspective you will spending over half of your overall time in, and roughly 95% of your combat time in. Brother’s In Arms takes its use of a cover system pretty seriously. Failing to find and correctly utilize proper cover, will almost certainly result in your death. The game has no qualms over punishing you for thinking that it could or should be a run-n-gun. It’s odd,  but for me, this became the game’s biggest strength and biggest weakness.

The strength lies in the fact that each battle is a high-tension, strategy-based fight for your progress. Think of it this way: there are larger levels, broken up into “stages”, which are essentially defined as the individual skirmishes you will encounter. This feels very authentic, since my understanding of war is typically not defined as a single soldier, running through hordes of enemies with little concern for health or field dynamic. Most levels involve you utilizing a team, or even several teams, of troops to aid you and provide various strategic advantages. A couple of the teams include heavy machine gun troops, which provide excellent suppressing fire, or a bazooka team, for distracting, or even destroying enemy armor. How a player uses these resources greatly changes the flow of each battle. Sometimes, I used my team to provide covering fire while I plotted a course to flank the enemy. Sometimes, I just took cover, patiently marked my enemies and went for head shots. Mind you, head shots are the way to go. Unless you have closed the distance between you and the enemy considerably, then you’re best of just going for the head. Besides, if you pull off a particularly impressive shot, there is a cool slo-mo animation involving the bullet, a head and lots of blood. Excellent.

There are several points throughout the game, where the above dynamic does not apply, though it is the consistent manner in which you will move through the game. The stages or levels where this isn’t the case, were ironically, my favorite. One level in particular, titled “Down the Rabbit Hole”, starts you with no weapon and requires that you kill enemy guards, procure their weapons, then explore an abandoned hospital on the outskirts of Holland. This was, by far, my favorite part of the game. The atmosphere created in this level was haunting and effective. The cover system still applied, but felt far more visceral. It was far less chaotic, and therefore, far more personal. Ducking behind gurneys and medicine cabinets, while fighting 3 or 4 Nazi soldiers in a dilapidated hospital is far more my style. Interestingly enough, this is also where the game begins to showcase some of the psychological elements of the title. So it’s no surprise why I loved this part so much, right? So the gameplay is good. It feels right but I said that there was a weakness as well, didn’t I? The weakness for me, was pacing. The game just felt so slow and difficult at times. Because the battles are so involved, the rush I often associate with a first-person shooter was lost to the inherently more cerebral perspective that Hell’s Highway wants you to employ. I want to make a point here. By no means is this an actual flaw in the game. I am not stating that the game is any the worse for this style of gameplay. What I am saying, though, is that for me, this sort of game flow makes it difficult to want to pick up and play. The satisfaction I typically derive from a FPS isn’t all the way present here and that sort of stifles the experience for me.

The graphics in the game are great. Character models are some of the best I’ve seen on the PS3 thus far and the locales are impressive. The game is pretty damn violent, but never inundates you with gore. It’s a very selective title when it comes to presenting blood and guts. As a whole though, the presentation in this game is unbelievable. In fact, so much so, that I was taken aback by how impressed I was with the polish of the game. The voiceover work is wonderful and the characters come to life in a way that seems far more relatable than most other titles.

Then there’s the story. The story in Hell’s Highway is downright incredible. And here’s the weird thing: there isn’t really a direct narrative being told here. The story in the game is about the lives and experiences each of the soldiers in this division are having. It is simply amazing. The main protagonist, Baker, has a story and past of his own, but the game will revolve around the perspectives of several soldiers. Each one has a unique personality, ripe with distinctive traits and behaviors. The player really feels like they know these guys. As each story plays out, the web that is weaved and the eventual outcomes all bear great importance to Baker’s own sentiments and how he perceives his troops, the war and finally, himself. It’s a masterfully written game that focuses on character elaboration, instead of a traditional arc. The characters seem to have some developments based on occurrences from Hell’s Highway’s predecessors, which I unfortunately was not familiar with. Bummer, but not having exposure to the previous titles isn’t necessary to understand things in the game.

So all in all, Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway is a very well polished, unique and fun FPS. I have to admit that this isn’t a title I would come back to much, though, because I simply can’t get past the relatively slow and draining pacing of the game. Like I said before though, the style of the combat is by no means a bad thing, it’s just not ideal for me is all. The presentation is well formulated and the writing in this game warrants a play-through, if nothing else.

Overall Score (out of 10): 8.1

Summary

Graphics/Presentation: The graphics are terrific and provide some of the better character models I’ve seen on the PS3 yet. Textures are reasonably smooth though I did notice some pretty heavy lagging and drops in resolution during the more involved battles. Presentation is top-notch.

Gameplay: Well done cover system and a rewarding sense of accomplishment each time you progress. The team mechanics are decently efficient though your teammate AI is rather pitiful at times. Generally slow pacing makes it a difficult “pick up and play” title.

Story/Narrative: Expertly written by any definition of the term. Each character shines with distinct personality and development and the story(ies) really showcase the unique experience of each soldier. The main character’s personal struggles and observations of the various stories provides a cohesive narrative that brings the player a really effective framework for the game.

Sound/Music: Both are good. I didn’t even touch on this in the actual review but it is worth mentioning. The voiceover is fantastic and the general ambiance of the game is well conceived. The music is pretty standard WWII thematic type stuff, chalk full of horns and military-inspired pieces. Certainly good, but very familiar.

Replay Value: Not exceptionally high. There are some hidden gems to find, but the game doesn’t have a ton of unlockables or various modes to play. I didn’t try the online though, and if done right, I could definitely see the value in that.

Website: http://brothersinarmsgame.us.ubi.com/agegate.php?destURL=/

Metacritic: http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/brothersinarmshellshighway

Scoring

I think I’m just gonna make everything out of a possible 10 points. It’s all the same ratio, really, and I’m tired of trying to remember, and subsequently failing at recalling, the different scoring ranges for each category. Should make things simpler.

Ninja Assassin

Summary

Holy shit. I’ve described this movie in a single sentence before and I’ll repeat it to kick things off: “It’s like the creators weren’t even trying to make this movie NOT awesome.” I mean seriously. This movie is a whole lot of kickassery right from the get go. Look at the name of this film for god’s sake. I saw the poster, literally just the poster, and knew this film was for me. And boy, was it.

By the way, the title is not a simple repetition of the term; it is a description of the film’s contents. Let that stew.

In the same fashion as ‘300′ or even some Tarantino films, Ninja Assassin’s violence is gratuitous, relentless and over-the-top. The carnage begins at the onset of the film and lets up only when absolutely necessary to drive the story forward. Part of what I liked about Ninja Assassin is the transparent and relatively shallow plot themes that carry some surprising weight in the film. For starters, it doesn’t try to fool the audience or itself into thinking that it’s anything more than it’s supposed to be. It’s an action film, raw and unbridled, and it excels in that respect. The story that there is though, was surprisingly satisfying. There are elements of love, loyalty, and my favorite: revenge. I really enjoy revenge flicks, mostly for the visceral fulfillment that comes with cinematic vindication. Ninja Assassin is a fantastic revenge movie. It’s not unique, it’s not philosophical; it is bloody and it is cool.

Let’s shift gears for a bit. The visual presentation in this movie rocks the shit for a couple of reasons. The first is that, well, it really is so fucking cool. It just is. There’s fire and metal, rain and blood and things move and happen so swiftly and intentionally in the film. It seems as though the direction of the film was attempting to replicate the behavior of its primary constituents: the ninja. The camera angles focuses sharply then sweeps broadly, much like the weapons utilized by the ninja. It changes from slow and deliberate, a la Matrix, to rapid and jarring, reminiscent of some kung-fu films. Several scenes involve ninja fighting soldiers that are using modern weaponry, such as guns, and it’s a really neat concept. Bullets fly and spark while the ninja creep, stab and throw shurikens. It’s an awesome contrast of two very different approaches to killing. The second aspect is one that I really appreciated, partly because of my love for anime. There are some really neat supernatural components to the film, including the ability to focus energy to physically mend flesh as well as the ability to use the shadows in order to move faster than the eye can track. The latter ability is something I think is particularly cool and a really neat visual illustration of the notion that shinobi are “shadow warriors.” As addressed before, the movie uses various, copious elemental cues to highlight the emotional context of the scene. Some battles take place in the pouring rain , while others feature a fire raging around the characters. Each seems to reflect the tone of the combat and the accompanying sentiments. Then there’s the blood. There is so very much of it. What I loved about the blood is that it acted as more than gore in this movie. For me, the blood was a separate entity, its own character in each scene. It splashed, sprayed and fell in various ways and decorated the locales wonderfully. The killing seemed almost as a dance, the ribbons of blood moving with the blades. Grim? Sure. But I can appreciate the art in this kind of violence. There’s also a good chance that I’m fucking insane. These are not two mutually exclusive considerations.

The sound is something to address as well. The appropriate use of sound is something that was clearly an important factor in Ninja Assassin. Again, drawing a parallel between style and character, it felt like the aural environment was intended to be focused and dark. The atmosphere created by the sound is a powerful device in Ninja Assassin. The weapons created dramatic slicing and metallic sounds and the spiteful and murderous intentions of the ninja resonated in Raizo’s (the protagonist) thoughts as they approached. The water fell in torrents, pelting surfaces and fires blazed and crackled. Blood splashed against walls while short dashing sounds indicated the nimble movements of the silent assailants. The effect, for me, was incredible. The sensory incitement in this film is forceful and expertly realized. It’s a wonderful mix of sight and sound.

The characters in the film are relatively standard. Rain plays the lone warrior, doomed because of his warm heart, despite an incredibly refined killer instinct. Kosugi is the strict and unforgiving master. Naomie Harris is the innocent and kind-hearted support role for Raizo and Ben Miles plays the determined, straight-edge cop with good intentions. There’s honestly nothing new or interesting about any of these roles, with the possible exception of Raizo. Though not a novel character, his personality and ability garner excitement every time he is on screen. There is a veritable increase in my heart rate every time he does anything because, for the most part, anything = ruining everyone’s shit. Everyone often being groups of ninja, hence, Ninja Assassin. See? I’ll give you this tasty morsel: there is a scene where Raizo goes to the local laundromat to, you know, do laundry. It’s not a long scene but it ends with a dead woman. Fuck. This movie is not even kidding.

So look, I’m not gonna beat around the bush on this one. Ninja Assassin is the tits and I loved it. This isn’t the kind of movie that wants to be anything more than a bloody, violent and entertaining romp through a basic narrative. The story still manages to compel a bit though and the action sequences are jaw-droppingly cool. It’s a guilty cinematic pleasure, if you will, and if this movie is wrong, well, then maybe I don’t want to be right.

Overall Score (out of 10): 8.9

Summary

Story/Writing: It should come as no surprise that this is the weakest point in the film. The story is absolutely nothing special and the characters that navigate through it are generally stifled by that fact. Still though, the developments here are surprisingly effective and drive the film to each violent landmark.

Acting/Cast: The acting matches the profile of the story in this one. So it’s not that great but works for the purpose of the movie. Rain’s performance is pretty good, actually. The casting works well, with Sho Kosugi being my favorite placement.

Camera/Cinematography: Incredible. This is what defines this movie and it works magnificently. The camera flows ethereally through the scenes, much like the ninja, and the visual presentation leaves nothing to be desired.

Sound/Music: The sounds are effective and integral to the experience. The sensory environment crafted is a notable achievement in this movie.

Website: http://ninja-assassin-movie.warnerbros.com/

IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186367/