 Movie
Reviews
with Andy Gough.
The One
Directed by James Wong
Multiple universes exist, in which each of us lead very different lives. Yulaw (Jet Li) has realised that by travelling between these dimensions and killing himself off (is that murder or suicide?) in each dimension, he becomes stronger and gains superhuman abilities.
He has in fact killed himself 123 times before the movie starts, and there is only one more 'him' to kill before he becomes 'the One'. A few theories are offered about what will happen then, but Yulaw is certain that it will make him a god.
 Who's who? Jet Li kicking his own butt in The One.
It is in our universe that police officer Gabriel (also Jet Li) is the last alter-ego left. However, Gabriel has also gained superhuman abilities and is far more of a match for Yulaw than the two rather bumbling 'multi-universe cops', played by Delroy Lindo and Jason Statham, who are sent to apprehend him and restore balance to the many universes. The evil Jet Li is the most convincing of his multiple roles, although he spends most of his screen-time kicking his own ass.
The bastard child of Terminator and The Matrix, this action/sci-fi starring Jet Li failed to live up to my expectations. The effects are good, but by no means make up for the emptiness of the script. I particularly liked the 'dimensional wormhole' effect which took the characters between dimensions - it looked a million times more painful than the old transporters used on Star Trek.
There are plot holes so large you could fly a starship through them. If you like blazing guns, chase scenes and explosions then maybe there's something here for you but it truly is devoid of any emotion and is action for its own sake. The martial arts scenes are engaging, but you can't help wondering which Jet Li is which most of the time.
This is no Crouching Tiger, that's for sure, bordering on lame dog.
Rating: 2 stars
 One Night The Moon
Directed by Rachel Perkins
When a young girl goes missing in the outback, her parents (played by real- life couple songwriter Paul Kelly and Kaarin Fairfax, with their child Memphis Kelly as the daughter) embark on an extensive search with the aid of the police, but the father refuses to allow Aboriginal tracker Albert (Kelton Pell) to set foot on his land to assist in the hunt.
The dramatic conflict between the father and Albert is transposed into song.
As the search party fans out, the white man sings, 'This land is mine'. As the tracker departs, he sings, 'This land is me'.
Of course the whitefellas go off in the wrong direction and the child is not found, leading the mother to belatedly take responsibility into her own hands and reluctantly enlist Albert in the hunt.
Directed by daughter of Aboriginal activist Charlie Perkins, this very moving story is based on the true story of Aboriginal tracker Riley in Dubbo in the 1930s.
It is brilliantly acted and features hauntingly beautiful cinematography of our unique Australian landscapes. One Night The Moon was filmed on location in the stunning, mysterious and rugged terrain of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia.
The musical performances, which could easily have detracted from or trivialised the story, are outstanding and brought much depth and emotion to the plight of each of the characters. Not surprising when you count the talent involved includes Paul Kelly, singer/songwriter Ruby Hunter as Albert's wife and Kev Carmody.
Certainly not your traditional movie-going experience and don't expect a happy ending.
Rating: 4 stars
|
