Monday, March 21, 2011
Michael Allen
**Some spoilers be below.
Directors: Paul Tanter and Alexander Williams.
Writer: Paul Tanter.
Jack Falls is the third film in a series of neo-noir crime thrillers (trilogy). This title releases in the United Kingdom March 21st, with a North American release unannounced. This is Paul Tanter's first time behind the lens and his adaptation of his own graphic novels is best in this third film. However, Jack Falls never rises above the cliches of the criminal underworld and the characters therein e.g. the femme fatale, the criminal overlord.
Jack, played by Simon Phillips, transitions into this third film with a near mortal bullet wound. Consort Natasha (Olivia Hallinan) saves his life, with some persistence. Soon, Jack is on the track of those who tried to end his life. The following is a shallow mystery, that reveals a former colleague and officer as the instigator of nefarious deeds. Jack has his revenge, while the ending promises ever more in the series.
The visual style of directors Paul Tanter and Dominic Burns is very similar to the 2005 picture - Sin City. Jack Falls is primarily shown in high contrast black and whites, with occasional flashes of colour added for ambiguous effect. There are no problems with the production of the feature, but the story is much like a been-here-done-that sort of style.
The genre of crime thriller is almost the only genre that this reviewer has seen from the home country of England, in recent years. If it is not Bonded by Blood, or Shank, then it is Jack Says, Jack Said and now Jack Falls. There seems to be a fascination with the criminal underworld in England, as this genre repeats itself often.
In Jack Falls, you even have the same actors from some of the films mentioned above reappearing, including: rap artist Adam Deacon (Shank), and Tamer Hassan (Bonded by Blood). Jack Falls is not as apocalyptic as Shank, nor as poorly realized as Bonded by Blood. However, the film does not break any new ground. Likely, this is due to the genre, neo-noir. This is a genre rarely utilized and this is also a genre that is strict in structure e.g. protagonists with amnesia, double-crossing seductive women. So, the results are similar to the detective mysteries of previous years (middle 19th Century to later).
Jack Falls is for those who are interested in crime and its consequences. Apparently, this is a number of you, as there are multitudes of films in this genre. Yet, this reviewer needed a little more mystery and a little less use of conventions. Both of these elements are hard to replicate in a genre that is rarely replicated.
Overall: 6.5 out of 10 (nice cinematography, Phillips seems to be the weakest of the actors, a little slow until the final 1/3, average to above average writing).
Do not take my word on it, there are a few other reviews on this title:
Jack Falls at Devon Cornwall (Tom Leins)
Jack Falls reviewed at Best of Film, by Alice Sinclair:
Jack Falls Reviewed by at BOF
The first film, Jack Says, has been reviewed here on 28DLA:
Jack Says Reviewed by Michael Allen
Jack Says, Jack Said and Jack Falls can be found here:
Jack Falls' Official Website
And the Jack Falls official fan page is listed here:
Jack Falls on Facebook
Previous entries from the series include Jack Says and Jack Said, with the graphic novels shown here, rather than the films:
Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA
| | | | | |
Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis by Email
Posted in: 2011,adaptation,crime thriller,dominic burns,graphic novels,jack falls,jack said,jack says,movie review,mystery,neo noir film review,new noir,paul tanter
0 comments:
Post a Comment