Book Review: Revolt provides rousing conclusion to the Resistance Series

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Revolt, the fourth book in the Resistance Series by Tracy Lawson

Tracy Lawson and the Resistance Series is what Indie publishing is all about: Giving voice to new ideas, stories and passions and a distribution platform to get those creative works into the hands of readers. Her fourth book in the series, Revolt, brings the dystopian story of Careen Catecher and Tommy Bailey to a stirring conclusion that stays true to its Young Adult themes and characters but refuses to wrap-up the aftermath in a tight, pretty bow.

In Counteract, the first book (reviewed here), we met teenage college students Careen Catecher and Tommy Bailey, a former high school football player sidelined by an injury from a mysterious car accident. They are living in a near future (2030s) dystopian world where the national Office of Civilian Safety and Defense has been charged with “protecting” the public from terrorist attacks. Under the threat of a chemical terrorist attack, the OCSD developed and deployed a serum to protect citizens from its effects. Everyone is required to be inoculated  for their own protection. Careen and Tommy, however, discover that the antidote is actually a mind control drug used by the leaders of the OCSD to take control of the country. They are reluctant resisters. Tommy’s parents were supposedly killed in a car accident, leaving him to recover by himself. But Careen’s parents have disappeared, and Tommy joins her in trying to find them. 

Resist, book two in the Resistance Series

In book two, Resist (reviewed here), Careen and Tommy are on the run from the government after Careen is accused of killing the OCSD director, Lowell Stratford. They find themselves inadvertent and at first unwilling members of a nationwide Resistance movement. The nefarious ways of the OCSD become even more stark as the new director, Madalyn, continues to develop and deploy a serum that will extend mind control to the entire population. Careen and Tommy have different views on how to address the sinister plans of the OCSD, driving a wedge in their relationship that could be come permanent.

This theme continues throughout the series as we find the Resistance is less unified than those from the outside think. Resist brings the question of violent versus peaceful resistance to the forefront of the  story, representing a fundamental tension that ultimately leads to the dramatic climax in Revolt. Careen and Tommy both set out to disrupt the OCSD, but they end up the inadvertent victims of an explosion set by a rogue member of the Resistance.

Ignite (the third book reviewed here) takes us deep into the Resistance. Of the three books, Ignite might be the most traditionally “young adult” of this series. The character arcs of Tommy and Careen become more intertwined and complicated. Careen was wounded in an explosion at the end of Resist, and was captured by the OCSD. As the nation’s number one fugitive, Careen’s capture represents a coup for Madalyn…and an opportunity to manipulate public opinion in her favor. Madalyn breaks Careen down through torture and deprivation, ultimately convincing her that the Resistance is the real enemy. Careen becomes a spokesperson for the OCSD as Madalyn rebuilds her identity around the values and mission of the OCSD. Meanwhile, Tommy Bailey hides out in the mountains with other leaders of the Resistance looking for his opportunity to rescue her. Ultimately, Tommy embarks on his own mission to rescue Careen.

Ignite, book three is the Resistance Series

Meanwhile, Madalyn has shifted gears, moving from a chemical-based strategy for controlling the population to one based on 24-hour surveillance through a device called the Cerberean Link. Sold to the public as a way to protect children from starvation and illness, Madalyn envisions a world where everyone is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Working with Atari, a brilliant IT guru, she plans hijack the link for her own power and personal gain. Careen is one of the first people to be installed with the device, putting her own future, freedom and independence in doubt.

Revolt picks up immediately after Careen’s rescue by Tommy, and Lawson uses this as an opportunity to explore the deep, psychological trauma that afflicts those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Tommy’s patience is tested as Careen wrestles with night terrors, paranoia about being tested by Madalyn about her loyalty to the OCSD, and her own struggles to recover her identity and sense of purpose. The Resistance continues to fracture as one faction stays on course for violent revolution and another attempts a nonviolent political solution. The wild card in the story is the flawed but gifted Atari who appears to be a Resistance agent but could be working a double cross. Atari’s sense of self-importance keeps readers on the edge throughout the fourth book, never quite knowing which side he is more loyal to. While Lawson’s ending should leave most readers satisfied, she’s left openings for future books and storylines. 

Author Tracy Lawson

Lawson has created a vibrant, near-future dystopian world that fits well within the Young Adult science fiction genre and issues relevant to our times. Her willingness to grapple with substance directly gives the plots and storylines an embedded complexity that allow her characters to develop steadily and three dimensionally over the series. Her lean writing style keeps the pace fast and momentum forward. For those interested in a fast-paced, modern telling of the dangers of government overreach, the implications for personal freedoms and civil liberties, and how those values manifest themselves in the choices we make on a daily basis, Lawson’s dystopian series provides a great ride and lots of food for thought and discussion. 

For more on Tracy Lawson, visit her author page at amazon.com or her website, www.TracyLawsonBooks.com.

 

 

Take advantage of these special deals July 17-21 courtesy of Tracy Lawson:

Counteract: Book One of the Resistance Series FREE!

Resist: Book Two of the Resistance Series and

Ignite: Book Three of the Resistance Series for 0.99 each!

Get a FREE PDF of Shatter: Tommy’s Prequel to the Resistance Series, which includes a gallery of the amazing artwork created for the series! This prequel will NOT be available on Amazon.

Here’s how it works:

Order Revolt: Book Four of the Resistance Series on Amazon for $2.99:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071S8KFML

Email your receipt to tracy@counteractbook.com, and in return you’ll receive Shatter: Tommy’s Prequel to the Resistance Series.

Five not so obvious things to love about the movie Wonder Woman

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I am not a comic book or superhero fan, preferring more down-to-Earth characters facing situations that are more real world than fantasy. Yet, Wonder Woman is an excellent movie, one of my favorites so far in 2017 (see my movie review here).

For many, the strong female character is a big benefit, and I agree. As a novelist who features strong female characters in all my books, I found Wonder Woman’s emphasis on a strong, multidimensional character gratifying and long overdue. I attribute this to the directorial prowess of Patty Jenkins as well as the charisma and strength of Israeli actress Gal Gadot in the title role.

But Wonder Women distinguishes itself on several other dimensions as well. Here are five not-so-obvious elements to love about the film.

  1. Diana is a woman that kicks butt. And I mean a woman. She is not a woman dressed up as a man, competing with men on their terms. Perhaps the backstory of a race of Amazon women helps, but the writers have written her in as a strong female character. Her worldview is gendered female, albeit amazons are a warrior race. Wonder Woman, however, doesn’t rely on strength to defeat her enemies—a typically male response. Rather, she uses her tools, whether the “Lasso of Truth,” impermeable bracelets, or her shield. This is a refreshing acknowledgement of real differences between men and women, yet the story does not drive home a sense of superiority of one gender over the other. Rather, as a multidimensional woman, Diana brings a different perspective. She also brings a level of compassion to her warrior mission that adds layers and sophistication. (Some may argue that the compassionate element of her personality reflects a gender stereotype. I believe in fact it shows a human dimension that is not unique to either gender but manifests itself in different ways based on Diana’s background as an Amazon.)
  2. Combat choreography. The hand-to-hand combat sequences show a physical and emotional level of skill that is rare among actors and an attention to detail and fluidity unusual for Western filmmakers. As someone who studies martial arts (To-Shin Do ninjutsu), I appreciated the attention given to these details because it adds an authenticity to the actions of the characters and the plot. The interpersonal combat sequences reflect real combat techniques that can plausibly create the physical effects they intend to project (although, as in all action films, they are exaggerated for the camera and enhanced with special effects). Gal Gadot’s two years of military service as a combat trainer in the Israeli army no doubt adds to this authenticity. She know how to throw a punch and kick, the camera does a great job of capturing these maneuvers, and the director has used special effects such as slow motion to emphasize them as an integrated part of the action.
  3. The special effects are scaled. I still remembered being bored as I watched one of the Superman films as New York City (or was it Tokyo…or Chicago…or….?) was being decimated for no apparent reason other than to “wow” audiences with special effects. The effects did not move the story forward in any meaningful way—they were just showing a good guy and a bad guy throwing punches to see who would persevere and be left standing at the end. Jenkins, however, has scaled the effects in Wonder Woman to reflect the place and context of the scene and character. While we see and experience wild explosions and other fantastical elements, they don’t overwhelm the story or the characters.
  4. Seamless blending of an international cast. Gal Gadot is Israeli, Connie Inge-Lise Nielsen (Queen Hippolyta) is Danish, Elena Anaya (Isabella Maru) is Spanish, Chris Pine (Steve Trevor) is American, Robin Wright (General Antiope) is American, and David Thewlis (Ares) is British, and they all have accents. They also come from different cultures with different nuances about how to relate and interact with the different people as groups and individuals. Cultural unfamiliarity can often interfere with creating on-screen chemistry as the acting becomes wooden, formal, and less personal. The interpersonal connection is crucial to create believable relationships. The blend works in Wonder Woman, unlike other films (e.g., most recently Kong: Skull Island and the Great Wall). The director embraced their differences, and didn’t force a familiarity that might have been difficult to orchestrate. The screenplay artfully creates interplay among characters that embraces the differences and uses human to emphasize contrasts in perspective or cultural norms that further the development of the characters and story. (For example, one of many humorous scenes in Wonder Woman involves Diana walking in on Captain Steve Trevor as his is bathing naked.)
  5. A woman directed the big budget, superhero action film. Okay, this is obvious. But the significance of the trust the studios put in Patty Jenkins, and her ability to deliver a high quality superhero action film, should not be underestimated. This is a threshold event, probably more significant that Kathryn Bigelow’s success with war/thriller The Hurt Locker in 2008. Bigelow was the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director and the film won for best picture. I would not be surprised if Wonder Woman is nominated for Best Picture and Jenkins is nominated for Best Director. While the film is likely not strong enough to win Best Picture, Jenkins’ directing may well make her a favorite for Best Director.

Unfortunately, Wonder Woman is marred by a few significant plot holes and inconsistencies early on the film. But those will be the subject of another blog post. In the meantime, Wonder Woman is an excellent, engaging, and sophisticated action film that deserves in commercial success as the box office and the acclaim it has received from critics.

St Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum Educates, Inspires

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I finally achieved a major objective since moving to Florida: I visited the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. This is the world’s largest and most comprehensive pirate museum with more than 800 artifacts under one roof. The museum is just a stone’s throw from Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th century Spanish fort overlooking the Matanzas River.

I learned that the entire east coast of Florida was a prime location for piratical activity. The port itself was ransacked and pillaged numerous times.  In fact, the fort was built to help protect St. Augustine from pirate attacks. (I might have to send Isabella and Jean-Michel up the east coast of Florida in a future book in the Pirate of Panther Bay series.)

This Jolly Roger flag in the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum is one of just three surviving today.

The museum includes a ton of history relating to the Golden Age of pirates, including weapons, life on board pirate ships, pirates in film (including a Pirates of the Caribbean exhibit) and one of just three surviving Jolly Roger flags! Several new interactive exhibits have opened up, such as kiosks that allow visitors to learn about pirate havens, trading routes, and more about their favorite pirates (or pirates they just want to know more about). The museum includes a room that simulates what it would have been like to be below deck when pirates boarded your ship. Another area recreates the experience of loading and firing cannon from the deck of ships either defending themselves or attacking other ships.

This surgeon’s box shows the tools of the trade for trying to help wounded sailors at sea.

The visit helped me navigate several thorny historical facts relevant to the third book in the Pirate of Panther Bay series. Readers will spend some time below the gun deck of Isabella’s ship as Doc attempts to save sailors wounded during battle. One of the exhibits includes a fully decked out surgeon’s box with tools. Of course, in the 1700s, any wound was potentially fatal because the risk of infection was so high. Several period fire arms also helped me think through the limits of using those weapons during sea battles as well.

Francisco Menendez, a free black who helped organize a regiment and worked as a privateer to defend St. Augustine in the 1740s.

One of the most intriguing historical facts I learned surrounded Francisco Menendez. Menendez was a free black, and he helped defend St. Augustine and North Florida from pirates and other invaders (including the British).  In the 1740s, he became a privateer for the Spanish government and recruited other blacks to join him defending St. Augustine.

The role of blacks in colonial history is an underappreciated aspect of piracy in the Caribbean. Former slaves made up as much as a third of pirate crews on some ships. La Florida under Spanish rule was a haven for escaped slaves, which became a source of tension between colonial powers as well as the newly established United States in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. (The fact Isabella is an escaped slave fits well into the historical reality of Caribbean piracy.)

Check out the new interactive exhibits at the museum!

The museum has a lot to see and do since it added experiential exhibits. The museum is also set up for group tours, school visits, and other educational programming. Visitors should expect to spend several hours touring, and don’t neglect the Treasure Shop at the end!

For more information and to check out what has been added recently, listen to this podcast (Episode #60) from Under the Crossbones with Cindy Stavely, the executive director of the museum.

While you are at it, check out the podcast with me (Episode #20), too!

(The official book trailer for the Pirate of Panther Bay is fun, too. The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum needs a trailer or 1 minute promotional video.)

Review: Wonder Woman is a smart, well executed action film

1 Comment / Characters development, Film Reviews, Films, Independent Institute / , , , , , ,

My movie review of Wonder Woman is live at the Independent Institute. I really liked the film, and, as I mention in another blog post, I think this might be a break through film for women directors. The film is smart, well executed, and superbly directed by Patty Jenkins.

Perhaps one of the elements I appreciate the most is the multidimensional development of the main character, Diana Prince (Wonder Woman). She doesn’t lose her gender identity as she embraces the superhero role and heroic commitment to saving the human race. Diana Prince is not a character that essentially acts and looks like a man. Kudos to screenwriter Allan Heinberg for scripting a great character and giving her a worthy arc. Jenkins has also done an excellent job blending an international cast and using the story to play off their differences. Their differences become humorous interactions that deepen relationships and understanding.

In my longer review, I write:

Wonder Women contains an excellent story in a well-executed film that grapples with the conflicts between idealism and practicality, innocence and experience, gullibility and wisdom. Jenkins has crafted a film that infuses substance into a smart story. She uses well-crafted storytelling elements, such as defined and complex character arcs, to allow the anti-war social conscience that underlies the film to shine and provide a compelling context for the film.

This is great summer film—a lot of fun with great action sequences and excellent character development.

The complete review can be found here: http://bit.ly/IIwonderwoman

An article about five not-so-obvious things to love about Wonder Woman can be found here: http://bit.ly/5notsoWW

Stay tuned to this blog because the film is prompting me to think about several other articles on plot development and character development using Wonder Woman as a starting point for the riff.

 

Announcing #WomenPirateWednesday!

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On Wednesday, May 31, 2017, I will launch the first #WomenPirateWednesday (also #WPW) via twitter (@SamRStaley).

The idea is to highlight women in pirate history, literature, movies, entertainment, academia, and culture more generally. This weekly event will feature books, podcasts, movies, blog posts, and anything directly or tangentially related to women and the connection to pirates. I will be borrowing content liberally from podcasts hosted by Phil Johnson at UndertheCrossbones.com. My twitter posts will generally begin at 10 am ET and end at 10 pm ET.

Here’s a quick peak at the women featured on the first day:

Of course, The Pirate of Panther Bay and Tortuga Bay can be found at amazon, SYPPublishing.

Each week I’ll have a preview of the line up on this blog. Leave comments if you have content that you would like featured!

Five ways the Pirates of the Caribbean films misrepresent real pirates

Leave a comment / Film Reviews, Historical fiction, Pirate of Panther Bay, Tortuga Bay, writing and storytelling / , , , , ,

I recently watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and had to once again take a deep breath. The Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, I reminded myself, is intended for entertainment, not historical accuracy (my review of the film is here). As a social scientist and writer of historical fiction (The Pirate of Panther Bay, Tortuga Bay), I have to step back and remind myself that I take liberties when writing my books, too. Nevertheless, the films play loose with pirate history, and those misrepresentations should be acknowledged.

Nevertheless, these deviations from historical fact should be intentional and deliberate, not a result of carelessness or lack of interest. So, I have put together a list of five historical inaccuracies promoted or used in Dead Men Tell No Tales that may serve the plot but probably make historians cringe. This is not to say that the director, screenwriters, or producers were reckless, negligent, or didn’t care. Rather, this short list just provides a little real world correction to impressions that may have been left by the movies themselves based on what we “know” historically about Caribbean piracy.

  1. The ships are too big. Most pirate vessels were small, often one-masted schooners, because they needed to be nimble, fast, and navigate shallow waters. Larger vessels with multiple gun decks were slower and harder to maneuver. They were also easier to run aground. They were best used for blockades or large fleet battles. Hence, these larger ships were called “ships of the line” because they would be arrayed in lines, bow to stern, to engage the enemy. That’s the way fleets did battle up until the 20th century. Pirates were usually solo actors, like Jack Sparrow. A few, such as Blackbeard, were able to command multiple ships. But even Blackbeard’s ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, was a frigate without the multilevel gun decks depicted in the films. Frigates were among the larger warships designed for speed, agility, and firepower.
  2. The ships are too fast. Numerous scenes show larger ships of the line overtaking similar sized ships. While some of this can be chalked up to the fantasy elements of the film, in reality ships would pursue each other for days because the differences in speed were only 1 or 2 knots among similar sized vessels. The ships in the films are large, multi-deck warships that would be lucky if they could muster 10 or 12 knots under full sail. Schooners, brigs, and frigates were smaller vessels with relatively more sail area, and were designed for speed. A frigate, for example, could achieve speeds as high as 17 knots. (This is one reason why Isabella commands a brig in The Pirate of Panther Bay and Tortuga Bay.)
  3. Jack Sparrow is a sad excuse for a pirate captain. Pirate historians would be scratching their heads wondering why his crew continues to sail with him. He is an ineffective, bumbling criminal. He can’t even rob a bank effectively. Historically, pirates raided and plundered towns routinely. In fact, the fort in St. Augustine, Florida was constructed as a direct response to pirate raids on the town. Captains had to be effective leaders to earn the respect of their crews. In the films, Jack Sparrows crew follows him through friendship, loyalty, and pity.  
  4. Pirate captains were respectful of their crews. While pirate captains routinely used fear, intimidation, and violence against their targets, they had little scope to use the same tactics against their crew. The tyranny Barbossa uses against his crew would not have been tolerated, although the riches may have given him more latitude than usual. Pirates were ruthlessly rational and tactical, using violence to achieve specific ends. A democratically agreed upon set of Articles served as a binding constitution that provided transparent ways to distribute the booty in shares. Economist Peter Leeson has an excellent, accessible book on this called The Invisible Hook. (Or listen to the podcast with Peter at Under the Crossbones here.) Pirate crews were volunteers, and they elected their captains. A pirate captain in the Caribbean would not exact tribute from his crew without risking immediate defection. The crew could always elect another captain.
  5. The British Navy’s anti-piracy campaign was professional.  In the movies, the British colonial administrators are driven by deeply held beliefs in legend and superstition. In reality, the British successfully purged pirates from the Caribbean was eminently practical—they wanted to protect the shipping lanes for commerce. The British were remarkably successful, bringing the so-called “Golden Age of Piracy” to an end by 1730s. They achieved this through concentrated force, the ruthless pursuit of pirates, and a liberal willingness to hang anyone caught in the act of piracy. Pirates (as well as sailors generally) were very superstitious. So, this focus on legend and mysticism fits well within pirate lore and even beliefs among common sailors. However, in terms of colonial policy and strategy, the British Navy took a highly professional approach to ending piracy in the Caribbean.

Tortuga Bay, 2016 Eric Hoffer Award Finalist

Writing historical fiction puts authors in a dilemma—often history, or what we “know” to be historical, is at odds with a good story.  This appears to be the case in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies where battles between big ships seems to carry more dramatic effect. Authors of historical fiction have to make these trade-offs as well. For example, we have no historical records that a woman commanded a pirate ship in the  Caribbean, but Isabella does in the Pirate of Panther Bay series. Nevertheless, a woman in a leadership position, an escaped slave nonetheless, creates dramatic tension that moves the story. I have tried to nest the story in the real historical context of the times (and appear to have done this based on reviews).

I wonder if a more nuanced approach to storytelling in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies might have allowed a bit more historical accuracy without sacrificing dramatic effect. I have found smaller vessels provide more opportunities for dramatic tension and conflict that larger ships. This is why I found the original escape and pursuit of Jack Sparrow somewhat more satisfying n the Curse of the Black Pearl—at least the ships in the movie were closer to the right scale. But it’s also why Isabella continues to captain a smaller ship in the book series.

For more great history and all things pirate, check out Under the Crossbones, a podcast hosted by Phil Johnson. Phil interviews me in Episode 20 here, and he’s up to 92 episodes.

More details on the Pirate of Panther Bay series, including classroom guides and information on the literary awards the books have earned, can be found here.

The Pirate of Panther Bay is available at amazon.com here.

Tortuga Bay is available from amazon.com here.

 

Review: Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales

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Reminding myself that the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise was inspired by a theme-park ride is useful. As a writer of historical fiction, I find myself enjoying the movie much more. Such is the case for the fifth installment of the series Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales where fine acting and first class special effects shoulder most of the burden for creating an entertaining film. The caliber of the actors and producers, however, suggest this movie had much more potential than what was delivered on the big screen.

Multiple story lines bog down the plot in Dead Men Tell No Tales, and many viewers will find the story hard to track. New characters are introduced on top of a cast that had already expanded under the first three films. Dead Men Tell No Tales sequentially follows the third film (At World’s End), complicating matters, because the fourth film (On Stranger Tides) was a “one-off.” The story tried to capitalize on the popularity of Jack Sparrow and his crew independently of the established story line in the first three films, creating a nonlinear break in the story.

Dead Men Tell No Tales picks up with a young Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites, The Giver, Gods of Egypt), the child of Elizabeth Swan (Kiera Knightley, Bend it Like Beckham, Pride and Prejudice) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom, Curse of the Black Pearl, Troy, Lord of the Rings) on a quest to find the Trident of Poseidon, which legend holds will break all the curses of the sea including his father’s. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp, Curse of the Black Pearl, Platoon, Edward Scissorhands) holds the key to finding the trident through his bewitched compass, which will reveal the location of its owner’s most prized object. Through a series of comedic mishaps, Henry discovers and joins forces with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario, Maze Runner, Wuthering Heights), who also happens to be searching for the trident to vindicate her father’s scientific calculations left to her in a diary. Corina, however, is about to be hanged as a witch because no one believes her scientific ruminations as a brilliant astronomer.

When Jack Sparrow gives up his compass for a drink in a local tavern, a crew of undead Spanish Navy sailors led by Captain Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men, Skyfall, Before Night Falls) are released to continue their quest to rid the seas of pirates. This puts Captain Barbossa‘s (Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech, The Book Thief, Life and Death of Peter Sellers) pirate fleet in jeopardy. Barbossa is captured by Salazar, and his life is saved only when he relents to find Jack Sparrow. Everyone is now on the quest to find the Trident of Poseidon—Henry Turner to release his cursed father from the Flying Dutchman, Corina Smyth to prove her scientific brilliance, Barbossa to retain his power over the seas, and Salazar install himself as lord over the seas.

Keeping all this straight in difficult, and Dead Men Tell No Tales is prone to dialogue that fills in details and background for the audience (a classic case of Show Don’t Tell) with predictable results—slowing down the action. This is a problem because the Pirates of the Caribbean films are built on action sequences that include protracted sword fights, running duels among pirate ships and their pursuers, and chases through towns and jungles. Dead Men Tell No Tales has those scenes—one in particularly has Jack Sparrow dodging a ghost’s attempt to skewer him with a pike as he jumps from cannon to cannon between Bardem’s ship and the resurrected Black Pearl.

Juggling so many characters and story lines creates challenges for directors in a format as structured as film, where the the entire story must take place in a 2-3 hour window. Few characters really have a chance evolve. Henry Turner stays the same brash, precocious young man throughout the movie, although he falls in love with Corina. Salazar stays the same revenge and hate-filled pirate hunter. Corina becomes slightly less headstrong. While Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan make an appearance, but their time on the screen is not long enough to have a meaningful impact on the plot except to set up a sixth film.  (Hint: stay seated through the final credits.)  The lone exception is Barbossa whose hardcore piratical worldview sets up a personal dilemma that forces him to make a tragic but noble choice—and let’s Geoffrey Rush show his experienced acting chops.

Thus, the plot fails to bring much fresh to the story. The characters come off as flat despite excellent acting by the entire cast. (Even the brief part played by and credited to Paul McCartney—perhaps the only time a beetle is welcome on a wooden ship—was well done and, for me, worth the movie theater ticket price.) Dead Men Tell No Tales’ special effects, particularly those applied to the renderings of Salazar and his crew and the final battle for the trident, are also state of the art, so don’t be surprised to see a few technical Oscar nods to this movie next year.

Nevertheless, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is an entertaining film that stays well within the framework and spirit of the first three films in the franchise.

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a rousing romp through the universe

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My movie review and commentary on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is live at the Independent Institute blog. Guardians 2 is a fun, entertaining romp through the universe with the galaxy’s most dysfunctional family. The acting is more than adequate—Chris Pratt‘s (Peter Quill) comedic talents are evident as are those of Dave Bautista (Drax)—but James Gunn‘s script and directing is outstanding. He makes the most of a capable ensemble cast, including Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Michael Rooker (Yandu), and the voices of Bradley Cooper (Rocket) and Vin Diesel (Baby Groot). The special effects don’t overwhelm the story or the action, providing a nice balance between character development and plot. I’ve got more details of my thoughts in the blog.

I think this movie is underrated by some credits. This is a very smart, well crafted film. In particular, the main tension between Peter and his father Ego (Kurt Russell) is driven by a deep philosophical idea about personal identity—a heavy theme no doubt. But Gunn doesn’t let the weight of the idea slow the film down.  In fact, I believe this film is a great example of storytelling where substance drives plot. More often, filmmakers attempting to make a point slow the action down because it’s not integrated well into the plot. I will be writing on this point in a future post on this website.

I write in part in the Independence Institute review,

Despite the heavy theme, Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 remains a engaging film, a rare combination of state of the art filmmaking and substance. Gunn is able to combine a keystone cops comedic lightness with first-rate special effects, making the film suitable for a wide range of audiences. Gunn leverages the comic talents of his cast and quirky characters to craft an entertaining, action packed, and amusing addition to the Marvel Comics film universe. The movie has already grossed more than $430 million dollars worldwide, double its production budget, and seems likely to legitimately earn a spot as one the highest grossing films of the year.

I highly recommend Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, and I’m looking forward to the third installment which is already under contract.

Review: Kong: Skull Island Box Office Blockbuster Falls Short

1 Comment / Film Reviews, Films, writing and storytelling / , , ,

Kong: Skull Island continues to hold its own at the box office, generating $164 million in domestic revenues after seven weeks in theaters and $395 million outside the U.S. The film is definitely headed for a profitable ride, thanks in large part to the Chinese market. It’s persistence at the box office justifies a review, even if late, with a few comments about the story and its execution.

The film, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts,  has a fine cast, and a plausible premise (as far as King Kong monster movies go): Bill Randa (John Goodman, Raising Arizona, Monsters, Inc.), a government scientist, has discovered scientific evidence of a strange creature on a remote island that requires investigation. Set in 1973, the waning days of the Vietnam War, the movie  enlists an expert tracker (the Thor film franchise’s Tom Hiddleston as James Conrad) to help hunt the animal, a team of scientists to study it, and a military helicopter escort commanded by the aggressive Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson, Pulp Fiction, Dejango Unchained, The Hateful Eight). To counter balance the testosterone is a pacifist photo journalist (The Room‘s Brie Larson as Mason Weaver).

The digital effects are first rate. Many reviewers have commented on the exceptional attention given to animating Kong, one even going so far as to say the digitized gorilla steals the scenes from the live action actors. For the most part, I agree. That’s part of the problem with the film.

As a viewer, most people will connect more with Kong than any of the 13 actors and actresses listed as “stars”.   The CGI artists create more believable action a tension between Kong and his underground nemesis Skullcrawler, who is inadvertently roused to the surface by indiscriminate fire bombing in an attempt to kill Kong. One by one, the platoon of non-stars and co-stars is picked off by either Kong (who is a misunderstood hero) or the skullcrawlers.

This points to a second problem: the cast is simply too big. Although Kong: Skull Island is within the larger King Kong franchise, the characters are not recurring. As such, viewers simply can’t get close enough to the characters to care much about them. This probably for the better, even intentional, since they all pretty much die. In fact, the character viewers are most likely to care about, forgotten World War II aviator Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly, Boogie Nights, Talledega Nights, Guardians of the Gallaxy ), enters the film half way through. Brie Larson’s character survives, but her character doesn’t have much depth—she begins as a pacifist, and finishes as a pacifist basically able to say “I told you so, peace is good.”

Third, much of the detail surrounding the actualization of the monsters appears to have been forgotten. For example, a major fight scene between Kong and Skullcrawler takes place in a lake. As they thrash about trying to kill each other, characters watching on the edge of the lake never experience unsettled water or a wave that would be inevitable from such a fight. In another example, somehow twelve helicopters lead the team in the island even though they are transported on a ship capable of carrying six.

Fourth, the humans are plot devices, not characters that drive the story. All of them are expendable, and none have a meaningful arc. The movie is really about the monsters (and to its credit doesn’t seem to forget this). All the players do is position themselves to be killed by the monsters. Sometimes, as in the case of Bill Randa’s demise, the acts seem implausibly suicidal. This isn’t unusual in a monster film, but the best movies in this genre use the story as social commentary. In the original King Kong movie, viewers are left to wonder who is the real monster. We use the story to reflect upon ourselves. Skull Island adds nothing new.

The plot holes, transparent plot devices, and careless squandering of acting talent combined to make a weak movie. That said, if someone is looking for a lot of great digital effects, a really cool rendering of a giant gorilla, and some fantastic supernatural fight scenes in an exotic jungle location, Kong: Skull Island is hard to beat.

Review: The Promise, Armenia, and the Origins of Genocide

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My full review of the move The Promise is live at the Independent Institute. This narratively complex film never loses its main focus as a story of the Armenian Genocide. Nearly three quarters of the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire—1.5 million men, women and children—died between 1915 and 1924 through forced marches, conscription into labor camps, rioting, and mass murder.

I write:

If you want to know the origin of the term “genocide,” watch the film The Promise. Literally. The movie is billed as a romantic drama, but it’s really a well-produced, narratively complex story of the Ottoman Empire’s systematic and targeted extermination of 1.5 million Christian Armenians through starvation, forced labor, rioting, and massacres in what is now Turkey.

In fact, the word “genocide” was coined in 1944 by Raphael Lemkin, who drew directly from the Turkish government’s expulsion of 2 million Armenians between 1915 and 1924 to define the practical parameters of the term. The Promise, while fiction, does a hauntingly good job of staying faithful to the story of the what is often now referred to as the Armenian Holocaust.

Unfortunately, the film was sold as a romantic drama featuring a love triangle that doesn’t quite work. The love story serves a critical purpose, however, tying together Armenian internal conflict with the pogram’s political motivations and press efforts to raise global awareness of the atrocities. The acting by Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale is very good, but the chemistry for a love triangle simply isn’t there. I’ll analyze this in a later post on this blog, but all three characters need to be in sync and connected for a love triangle to work.

Nevertheless, even with this shortcoming, I recommend the movie. It’s a solid film, remarkably faithful to the real-world events that inspired it, includes epic visuals and digital effects, and tells an important historical story. It’s also highly relevant to events unfolding in the Middle East today.

Read the full review here.