I don't really know what I was expecting going into this to be honest but what I ended up getting, certainly wasn't a disappointment.
However, it took me until the final few frames of the movie and a few days of reflection to actually realise it.
Even though I was unsure what I would be feeling and thinking while watching this, I was absolutely certain that Jake Gyllenhaal would take my breath away, with his natural grace and quiet anti-hero-esque qualities - obviously my confidence in Jake The Big G (as he is now known) was not unfounded. He was faultless and devastatingly human and endearing, in what was actually quite a cheesy predictable movie. He outshone EVERYONE.
By everyone I mean specifically Ryan Reynolds.
I had a conversation the day before watching this, about who would catch my eye, who would take the focus - would it be Ryan Reynolds' charm and force of nature personality or would it be JG with his gag reflex activating talent?
It actually turns out, it didn't really matter as they didn't really share that much screen time. When they did though my eyes didn't leave JG.
RR is a good entertainer and a good actor but he is largely just himself, whereas Jake is just not from this planet, he's clearly from another dimension that produces sickeningly talented actors, who are destined to be ignored by The Academy, forever more.
Anyway.....
Life is a 2017 American, Sci-Fi/Horror movie, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson.
The film itself is well made, acted, shot etc. But it's nothing we haven't seen before. Which is only a shame if you look at it that way.
Its jumpy and gory, whilst still managing to be thought provoking and dreamy although I still found myself groaning and cringeing on a few occasions, I must admit but even with the predictable as rain at a festival storyline and the 'twist' ending (saw that coming a mile off) its still a breathtaking film to look at, with gorgeous wide shots and tracking tumbling shots which push you to experience the zero gravity surroundings, making you feel all floaty and nauseous at the same time.
As harsh as it may sound, the ending was my highlight and it made me realise what I'd just seen and how I should have been looking at it. The score, the aerial shots, everything about it was perfect.
It made me see that its another one of those movies, that you have to be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate or even a little bit 'in the know' where the genre is concerned, if you get what I mean.
Upon reflection, I think of it as a homage to the 80's Sci-Fi movies we love so much and the 'Alien' movies in particular.
I also found myself thinking of 'Cabin in The Woods' - it wasn't until I saw the final frames of that film and had a bit of a think about it, I realised that it's a clever and slightly ridiculous genre piece, that is one big love letter to horror movies.
The above paragraph applies completely to Life - look at it that way and you won't be disappointed.
However, it took me until the final few frames of the movie and a few days of reflection to actually realise it.
Even though I was unsure what I would be feeling and thinking while watching this, I was absolutely certain that Jake Gyllenhaal would take my breath away, with his natural grace and quiet anti-hero-esque qualities - obviously my confidence in Jake The Big G (as he is now known) was not unfounded. He was faultless and devastatingly human and endearing, in what was actually quite a cheesy predictable movie. He outshone EVERYONE.
By everyone I mean specifically Ryan Reynolds.
I had a conversation the day before watching this, about who would catch my eye, who would take the focus - would it be Ryan Reynolds' charm and force of nature personality or would it be JG with his gag reflex activating talent?
It actually turns out, it didn't really matter as they didn't really share that much screen time. When they did though my eyes didn't leave JG.
RR is a good entertainer and a good actor but he is largely just himself, whereas Jake is just not from this planet, he's clearly from another dimension that produces sickeningly talented actors, who are destined to be ignored by The Academy, forever more.
Anyway.....
Life is a 2017 American, Sci-Fi/Horror movie, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson.
The film itself is well made, acted, shot etc. But it's nothing we haven't seen before. Which is only a shame if you look at it that way.
Its jumpy and gory, whilst still managing to be thought provoking and dreamy although I still found myself groaning and cringeing on a few occasions, I must admit but even with the predictable as rain at a festival storyline and the 'twist' ending (saw that coming a mile off) its still a breathtaking film to look at, with gorgeous wide shots and tracking tumbling shots which push you to experience the zero gravity surroundings, making you feel all floaty and nauseous at the same time.
As harsh as it may sound, the ending was my highlight and it made me realise what I'd just seen and how I should have been looking at it. The score, the aerial shots, everything about it was perfect.
It made me see that its another one of those movies, that you have to be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate or even a little bit 'in the know' where the genre is concerned, if you get what I mean.
Upon reflection, I think of it as a homage to the 80's Sci-Fi movies we love so much and the 'Alien' movies in particular.
I also found myself thinking of 'Cabin in The Woods' - it wasn't until I saw the final frames of that film and had a bit of a think about it, I realised that it's a clever and slightly ridiculous genre piece, that is one big love letter to horror movies.
The above paragraph applies completely to Life - look at it that way and you won't be disappointed.