Bianca SSouthland Tales – Movie Review
May 5th 2008 05:29
It’s taken a little longer than expected but I have finally gotten around to reviewing Southland Tales, the second film by Donnie Darko writer and director Richard Kelly. The film stars: Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Miranda Richardson, Holmes Osborne, Kevin Smith, Cheri Oteri and many more.
Filming for Southland Tales begun in August 2005, it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2006 at 160 minutes long, in exchange for financing for more visual effects, Kelly negotiated with Sony Pictures to cut down the length of the film. It was finally released on November 16, 2007 in only 60 theatres. It went direct to DVD in Australia on the 30th of April.
El Paso and Abilene, Texas have fallen victim to twin nuclear attacks on July 4, 2005 – a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions which has sent America into World War III. The PATRIOT Act has extended authority to a new agency known as US-IDent, which keeps constant tabs on citizens – even to the extent of censoring the internet and using fingerprints in order to access computers and bank accounts. In order to be able to respond to a newfound fuel shortage in the wake of global warfare, the German company Treer designs a generator of inexhaustible energy which is propelled by ocean currents, called "Fluid Karma." Unbeknownst to them, the generators alter the currents and cause the Earth to slow its rotation, ripping holes in the fabric of space and time. In Los Angeles, a city on the brink of chaos overshadowed by the growth of the underground Neo-Marxist movement, we follow the criss-crossed destinies of Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson), an action film actor stricken with amnesia; Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar), ex-porn star in the midst of reconverting; and twin brothers Roland and Ronald Taverner (both played by Seann William Scott), whose destinies – on one evening – become intertwined with that of all mankind.
Southland Tales was absolutely butchered by critics, I on the other hand really enjoyed it. The first time I watched it, admitedtly half the film went right over my head, the second time around, other things started coming together and it made a whole lot more sense, however saying that I do feel that Kelly started off with this amazinginly different story and simply lost his way telling the story. We will never know, unless they release a directors cut (like Donnie Darko) if the edited/ cut scenes would have made a difference to the storyline.
The cast were all supberb in their roles, ordinarily if I see a movie with Dwanye Johnsons (The Rock) name on it, I will slowly quicky put the dvd back and back away, he was great in this movie. I also have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Justin Timberlake, despite the fact that I think he is an absolute tool. My only complaints Mandy Moore!! And Janeane Garofalo’s cut scenes, hopefully there will be a directors cut, with her scenes.
There is one thing about Southland Tales that critics cannot deny, and that is, it is an extremely stylish film, from the cinematography, to the set dressing, to the wardrobes, stylistically the film is beautiful. The amazing US-IDent set, gives the feeling of an Uber Big Brother constantly monitoring the American citizens, the constant Military and Police presence further fuelling the dystopian society caused by WWIII.
The films fantastic score was created by Moby, and the soundtrack featured The Pixies, Elbow, Janes Addiction and Krysta Now’s ‘Teen Horniness is Not a Crime’. Music not featured on the soundtrack, but featured in the film include; ‘All these things That I’ve Done’ by The Killers, ‘Blackout’ by Muse and ‘Tender’ by Blur.
Definitely not for everyone, extremely original, but I felt Kelly got in his own way telling the story.
3/5
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