Tag: Thierry Arbogast

FREELANCE (2023)

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Directed By: Pierre Morel

Written By: Jabob Lentz

Cinematograohy: Thierry Arbogast

Editor: Chris Tonick

Cast: John Cena, Alison Brie, Juan Pablo Raba, Christian Slater, Marton Csokas, Alice Eve, Sebastian Eslava 

An ex-special forces operative takes a job to provide security for a journalist as she interviews a dictator, but when a military coup breaks out in the middle of the interview, they are forced to escape into the jungle.

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A one and done entertaining enough to keep your interest, but never a desire to return or see it again 

All the ingredients are there for a typical run of the meal action comedy starring John Cena and the lovely Alison Brie who still looks ravishing with each role. 

One of the many problems here is, though they don’t have any real chemistry with one another, which helps power these films as the mismatched bodyguard and subject who don’t necessarily end up, romantically with one another, but have such polar opposite personalities that they are usually arguing with one another, but have great banter 

The action scenes try to be exciting, but they come across very basic but entertaining the most surprising thing about the film was that Cristian Slater has a supporting role that is smaller than it should be. Coming from action movie director veteran Pierre Morel (TAKEN, PEPPERMINT) One would expect something a bit better. Even if just visually. 

I wish I could say that there’s something that sets up this movie to be something different than your basic action film that has a male and female that don’t get along, but learn to respect each other and work together.

The only difference might be that their relationship doesn’t go where you expected to. Other than that, this is pretty much a paint by numbers, action comedy that is possibly enough to be entertaining, but doesn’t offer too much originality, especially with John Cena and the lead who does what the script calls for and while he does have the comedic chops and the action sensibility And the charisma the film, just please you don’t really feel anything.

It’s entertaining enough to pass away the 90 minutes in. Again Alison Brie as always is quite sexy in this movie though doesn’t really get to do much of the action .

In the film is more noteworthy for its comedic scenes rather than its action scenes. As that might be the film, saving Grace as other than that it’s brutally violent with a not necessarily memorable villain, 

I want fries, but can’t tell if it’s the visuals or the budget the direction but things just seem to be a bit off. I won’t let it overcome. It’s weaknesses

it plays simple enough for its audience. As a good time waster. 

Grade: C 

LUCY (2014)

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Written & Directed By: Luc Besson 

Cinematography: Thierry Arbogast 

Editor: Julien Rey

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-Sik, Analeigh Tipton, Pilou Asbaek, Amr Waked, Julian Rhind-Jutt 

A woman, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.

The film starts off as a Eurotrash crime story. That becomes an action-adventure revenge story then goes to a full Science Fiction movie.

So that it feels like an excessive superhero movie, before trying to be something more. Which eventually Makes little to nonsense or becomes philosophical though feels too convenient. As her needling abilities come to use anytime. In an impossible situation or fight.

The film tries to put in a mystery we learn and wonder with her through these situations and events. She is forced to be a drug mule and the compilation of drugs in her system allows her to strike back. 

The film is diverse as it has an international cast and seems to be the beginning of Scarlett Johansson as an action star. Again this leaves a stunning young lady as a Warrior amongst the chaos. Who never loses her beauty or a fight it seems In a Luc Besson production. 

The real social terror of drug trafficking and sex slavery internationally. The film tries to use the horrors of these social Issues and add into it an action-fantasy element. That borders also on a revenge story. Only she gets past the revenge and her enemies just want to destroy her after she has mostly forgotten about them. 

It seems to also be a retaliation against not only dumb blinders allusions but also skinny helpless damsels. Showing they can take care of themselves and then some and all the while gaining consciousness and awareness. 

To keep the film from being a typical action film shoot ‘em up it seems like that is the only reason the consciousness theme was thrown in. Also as an ultimate dream that taking enough drugs leads to spiritual bliss.

Entirely written by Luc Besson. He actually decides to direct this film also. He usually writes and produces these films and leaves a newcomer or protege to direct. While the film is sharp considering he decided to direct it. It should be a lot better than the final product. 

In the end, the film seems to be about finding consciousness and enlightenment and rising above it all. 

Grade: C

THE FAMILY (2013)

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Directed By: Luc Besson  Written By: Luc Besson & Michael Caleo Based in the Book Written By: Tonino Benacquista Cinematography: Thierry Arbogast Editor: Julien Ray

Cast: Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tommy Lee Jones, Dianna Agron, John D’Leo, Domenick Lombardozzi, Vincent Pastore, Jimmy Palumbo 

The Manzoni family, a notorious mafia clan, is relocated to Normandy, France under the Witness Protection Program, where fitting in soon becomes challenging, as their old habits die hard.

The film goes from a zany comedic one moment then wants us to believe In The dramatics and tension of situations. They then usually relieve themselves in ridiculous ways. Filled with Italian mafia stereotypes. 

As each character finds their own hustle daughter seems to suffer the most

Just as with the ridiculous ark of Diana argron’s character sets out to seduce her teacher and then when he decides to end the affair for Good reason. She is ready to kill herself in a dramatic fashion. I guess the script is aiming to show the vast emotional unpredictable terrain of teenage girls In love?

Robert DeNiro seems to be having fun once again sending up himself and mob movies

The film has style but shows it rather sparingly and usually only in the action scenes.

The film should be a slam dunk. Though even the lost-in-translation-type jokes and setups don’t work here. As the film seems more of a high-concept comedy that has come too late. Usually, the film is just as appealing and Rich as a bunch of action scenes in a small town. That is when the film at least comes alive

Director Luc Besson is bringing Hollywood-style blockbusters and big action stores to more typical European locales and surroundings.

Here it doesn’t feel like anyone is trying. They more or less seem to be trying to coast on their own laurels. Just as the film seems to try to coast on the big-name cast and be seen as more of a prestige picture

Considering all the talent involved this should have been a slam dunk. It definitely should be better and sharper. Even if dumbed-down, It should definitely be better in the action sequences that director Luc Besson is usually an expert at.

The film feels so middle for the road, lazy and lacking effort. Its tone is all over the place and the humor seems obvious or just lost in translation. 

Every character goes their own way and eventually abs their own secrets. Breaking the rules they hold each other to. Except for surprisingly Robert DeNiro’s character who all the other characters think will. 

The film feels like they should men ore for character considering the talent. Instead, the film just feels thin like an idea without true follow-through very 1980s and 1990’s.

Grade: F

ANNA (2019)

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Written & Directed By: Luc Besson
Cinematography By: Thierry Arbogast
Editor: Julien Rey 

Cast: Sasha Luss, Cillian Murphy, Luke Evans, Helen Mirren, Lera Abova, Alexander Petrov, Anna Krippa 

Anna is a young beautiful girl who managed to make a career in the fashion world. More recently, she was a simple model from Moscow, but in a very short time she was able to enter the elite. Once she entered the hotel of an influential and very dangerous person, after which a whole mountain of corpses was discovered there. The girl is being interrogated by special services, but she has absolutely nothing to tell on this fact. She looks scared, and no one suspects her. Anna goes free and begins preparing for a new business. Under the guise of a fragile beauty, is hiding the world’s most dangerous assassin, who has not yet misfired.

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VALERIAN & THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS (2017)

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valerian

Written & Directed By: Luc Besson
Based on the Comic Book Series “Valerian and Laureline” By: Pierre Christin & Jean-Claude Mezieres
Cinematography By: Thierry Arbogast
Editor: Julien Rey 


Cast: Dale DeHann, Cara Delevingne, Ethan Hawke, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu, Alain Chabat, Rugter Hauer, Louis Letterier, Benoit Jacquot, Olivier Megaton 


In the Century XXVIII, the space station Alpha is a city where beings from different planets live together exchanging their knowledge and culture. Peace is granted by a human force, including Major Valerian and his partner Sergeant Laureline. They are assigned by the Defence Minister to retrieve the last species of converter in a dangerous mission. They succeed and back to Alpha, unknown humanoids abduct Commander Arun Filitt expecting to steal the converter. They head to a forbidden area that is infected but Valerian and Laureline follow them and disclose a hidden secret about the race and the infected area.

The film might have played better as an animated film. Which would have saved on the budget. Though As the Live action element is what brings the audience in. It also exposes the weaker and more ridiculous elements of the film.

The one thing I can say positively about this film is that it is very beautiful and very colorful.

The film seems more hellbent on truly creating and immersing you in it’s world. Then adding a plot line they relied heavily on a conspiracy. As it will leave the audience confused with action sequences that are exciting, but we wonder not only what it the point as it serves as a distraction or sidebar to the main story. Which only comes into focus later in the film. As at times you forget what is the main point of the film.

The film is filled with side characters galore. Who are great in small doses and would work as recurring characters. You want to see come into the film if it became a franchise.

The film reaches for epic heights as it desires to explore a galaxy and feels way too long. As often the film ends up being confusing for the audience and it seems to be confused itself.

Rihanna’s scenes are one of the only time the movie becomes lively and truly alive. Even with the thinness of the writing for her character and making it obvious it was written for a star to play.

The two leads are miscast and have absolutely no chemistry or believability in their roles. Dale Dehann is usually a good actor but a heroic action lead does nothing for him. He never comes off as dangerous or authoritative.

Cara Delevingne has the look but for such an unorthodox character. She lacks any charisma or signs of life for her character. So she comes off as stiff and non-exciting. Though most of the cast plays it as seriously as they can but at least with flair.

Even the humor throughout the film comes off as stilted and is never as funny as it thinks it is.

You can see the budget of $200 million independently financed dollars on the screen. As the film is definitely audacious. Yet it feels rather formless and is after an experience more than just a plotted film narrative adventure.

It does feel more like a comic book type movie as the adventures seem to come and pile up on Top of one another. Which is what leads to the confusion.

The opening scene works as a prologue with great silent filmmaking that ties the majority of the rest of the film together, but could have been a great short film itself and shows what the film could have been.

Director Luc Besson is a success and has made enough movies through producing and either screenwriting it story by credits. Though as a director his career started off well and seen as a major force of French filmmaking behind the camera. His later more modern projects have proved to be more disappointing and rather commercially bland (THE FAMILY) This project like his previous science fiction film THE FIFTH ELEMENT Seemed to have both sides working together when it came to artistic and commercial filmmaking.

While this is a beautiful film to behold. It feels like an amusement park ride. Exciting while here as it fills you with joy and opens plenty of distractions. Once it’s over you leave with an empty feeling and a sensitivity to lights as the move is really about nothing and seem to have no point or heart. Even though it’s supposed to be about humanity.

I realize this is a popcorn movie, but you leave with barely anything to hold on to. Barely even the filmmaking. Only the special effects.

This is what I mean when I refer to this film as a digital movie. It seems more made on a computer rather than physically. As this movie is a prime example of DIGITAL MOVIES.

These are films that are supposed to be live action but seen more animated. Truly dependent on special effects more than anything not necessarily movies like THOR: RANGAROK but more films like WARCRAFT that are based on videotapes which these digital films more remind you of as everything is more photorealistic then real. Except for some live action filmed.

As sometimes depending on the source material that is the only way it seems to be able to make them

Not necessarily films like POLAR EXPRESS which despite using motion capture technology is still considered an animated film overall more like something and where at least I began to notice it heavily a movie like VAN HELSING.

Now with studios having more of a desire to make live action renditions of traditionally animated tales. It seems unavoidable as technology has caught up but the reasons these tapes were animated to begin with seems to be that they were so hard or expensive to make love action on the first place.

Now of course more and more films use CGI for or instead of special effects but these specific films are just filled with so much digital in that you can barely tell what is physical and real.

I decided to address this phenomena or type of film as it is not totally a genre. After watching this film and having recently seeing the trailer for Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the book READY PLAYER ONE. Which has so many pop culture references that it seems needed for a film of that magnitude where you get to rewrite and reenact so many classic moments.

These films are pure imagination as they are on another level of things we can never love or envision. Which was also thought of movies and film at certain points. I don’t know if it’s good or not better for the future but I believe it to be a new medium and reality to a certain degree we will have to get used to. Less human and more artificial and stylish.

Films such as AVATAR and VAN HELSING, This film comes off as an less balanced AVATAR

I will give the film points for what it tried to achieve, but needed more balance and a more steady tone.

The movie feels like a WATERWORLD esque fiasco without the star power or ego to blame it on. It is similar seemingly singular grand epic vision that no one in particular asked for or even requested or thought needed.

Though have to give it up for trying something so big and somewhat experimental.

Grade D+