Director Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to adapting novels to the big screen. More recently he has become the face of adapting graphic novels into silver screen successes. First, he adapted Mark Millar’s creator-owned comic “Kick-Ass” and turned it into a cult hit. Then he went on to revitalize the “X-Men” after the catastrophe known as “The Last Stand,” bowing out of the director’s seat for the sequel to return to Mark Millar for his series, “The Secret Service.”

In Vaughn’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” from the moment the screen fades from black to a cassette player playing Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing,” the tone is set. As bombs fly overhead, devastating a desert castle, the building cartoonishly falls away into title cards while the action roars on off screen. The man fighting turns out to be Harry Hart, played by Colin Firth and the father to our lead. The events that follow tear Gary “Eggsy” Unwin’s (Taron Egerton) family apart and send him down a path of petty crime and disobedience for authority. However, after getting into major trouble, he must call upon an old friend, Mr. Hart, to help him. After watching over Eggsy for a short time, Hart sees all the right qualities and offers a spot to tryout to become the newest member of the Kingsmen.

What this movie gets so right is its ability to play with the genre. Campy spy films are becoming a thing of the past. Movies with an outlandish villain, a quirky yet near invincible sidekick and a hero with fine taste in alcohol are few and far between. This movie is aware that it can be funny and takes every opportunity to be self-referential. Valentine, Samuel L. Jackson’s diabolical character, says, “Well, this ain’t that kinda movie,” rather than falling into the trope of giving his doomsday speech.

The movie even references some of the great spies and action heroes like James Bond, Jason Bourne and the infamous Jack Bauer to get a good laugh. What is impressive about all this is that none of these nodes and quips take you out of the movie. Being self-referential is a thin line between clever or painfully annoying, and by never fully breaking forth, the film is able to keep you submersed in the world it has created.

The action choreography is stunning and fun. There are also scenes with just pure action and violence. Was it over the top? Yes, but it never felt forced or gory; it was all to progress the story and show you how serious and real the situation was. The fast sweeping and flipping camera angles kept the fight intense, making you hold your breath.

It is often said, even in this movie, that a great spy film is nothing without its villain. If a tiny voice in the back of your head isn’t cheering for the villain, then the movie has no tension. “Kingsman” went to the right man for the job with Jackson. He has played a quasi-villain in films like “Django Unchained” and “RoboCop,” but “Kingsman” puts him at center stage. Even though the character is so outlandish, with his crippling fear of blood and horrible lisp, Jackson manages to make it believable. A perfect counter point to Valentine’s flamboyance was Sofia Boutella’s role as Gazella — a henchwoman who has metal blades from the knee down and no backstory. Like Jaw’s teeth, her legs make her interesting and fun to watch. But with no motive, she never over shadows Valentine, as it should be.

Sophie Cookson’s character, Roxy, was not from the original comic and had little to no role throughout the film. She ended up as a possible love interest with no real purpose other than to fill in a few plot holes. While this may be a set up for a story line in a second film, it seemed like a large waste of screen time especially in comparison to Gazella, for whom you could not wait to come back on screen.

Taron Egerton did a good job of bringing the character of Eggsy to life. He was realistic, but never took it too seriously. The sparkle in his eyes when he walked into the room of spy suits and gadgets was the same look any teenager would have in that situation. However, more than a few times, the Welsh actor attempted an English accent that sounded overbearing and almost unrecognizable. Luckily, his character never broke into a monologue or had to explain any crucial plot devices.

The movie’s fresh sense of style and direction keep it relevant in a world of gadgetless spy films and forgettable villains (we are looking at you, “Quantum of Solace”). Besides a few minor gripes, the movie was a fun, well-shot, lighthearted spy flick that gives you a reason to watch it again for the memorable characters. Hopefully, its subtle nudges at the genre will be heard and well received.

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David Lee MCT Campus
Keanu Reeves stars as the titular character in the action movie “John Wick.” Reeves plays as an ex-hitman who comes out of retirement in order to get revenge on the gangsters who wronged him.

People keep asking if Keanu Reeves is back.

With his track record, it would almost be strange to think he ever left. While he is best known for his high-octane hits like “Speed,” “Point Break” and, of course, “The Matrix” trilogy, Reeves’ illustrious career stands on his reputation as a versatile actor, transitioning between comedic and serious roles with an ease few others can claim. However, Reeves’ career has suffered as of late, due to films like “Constantine” and “47 Ronin,” both of which failed to satisfy fans who favored the original or preexisting material. Though these films were led by directing icons like Francis Lawrence, the negative response may well have been a lesson in the ambiguous validity of reputation, which perhaps led Reeves to take a gamble with first-time director Chad Stahelski, as the title character in his latest film, “John Wick.”

The film opens to a beaten and bloodied John, struggling out of a crashed SUV. He pulls out his phone to watch a video which then rolls into a montage of his past; this shares with the audience a brief glimpse into John’s backstory, from his happiest memory to the moment he is told that he will lose the love of his life. Snapping back to reality several days before the crash, John is woken by his beagle and rises to continue with his quiet life, seemingly haunted by the shadows of loss and regret. The pair goes for a drive in John’s classic ’69 Mustang Cobra, until they are met with three young Russian men in search of trouble as one challenges John to sell his car. When John refuses, a subtle albeit terse threat foreshadows danger ahead. The men seek their revenge at John’s house that night, driving off with the Cobra and leaving John for dead in his living room. Word soon gets to Viggo Tarasov (played by Michael Nyqvist), a ruthless Russian mobster and John’s ex-employer. When Tarasov learns that his son Iosef (played by Alfie Allen) was involved in the attack, he warns that John Wick, otherwise known as the “Baba Yaga,” or “Boogieman,” is a dangerous man to cross. While Iosef’s first mistake becomes obvious in light of John’s reputation as a hit man, it is all too clear that his second mistake was to leave him alive. With nothing left to lose, John will stop at nothing to seek his revenge, and he is certainly qualified for the job.

“John Wick” is the epitome of the action genre. As revenge stories go, films hardly ever seek to accomplish more than to entertain with constant action. While the script is fairly average and it is not likely to be the season’s biggest blockbuster, the film is not meant to take a swing at becoming a box office leader. It simply relies on action, from intensely choreographed fight scenes and explosions, to classic muscle cars and fast-paced highway chases. In certain ways, the movie is reminiscent of Reeves’ iconic films of old, although they had noticeably fewer slow-motion clips than “The Matrix Reloaded.”

As for props, fans of all-American classic vehicles will find this movie a showcase of dream cars. Among the lineup, John’s ’69 Mustang makes an appearance early on as a central presence in the film, a distinct connection to the pain and memory of his lost love. He is later outfitted with what appears to be a late ’60s or early ’70s Chevelle SS. The Chevelle may not have the same sentimental value to John as the Mustang, but it makes for quite a statement on the drive to a shootout.

Yet beyond the physical presence of the cars and guns, the reality of each action sequence delivers the quality of the film. Within the action genre, few movies consider the actual threat of bullets piercing through the windshield as their steadfast heroes speed headfirst into the storm. Instead, rather than granting him luck or an extreme talent at dodging bullets, the film keyed in on John’s thought process, even if that meant driving in reverse to stay out of the line of fire.

That being said, John Wick is not the average action film hero. He evidently feels pain, whereas other characters must have extremely high pain tolerance as they walk into the sunset with several bullets in them. The same reality is true for all unfortunate victims of John’s revenge as well; Stahelski didn’t pull any punches in depicting the physicality of being shot. To further immerse the film in reality, John is consistently aware of his ammunition supply and reloads appropriately. Rarely, if ever, are movie characters seen counting bullets and improvising their plan of attack in order to conserve what little ammunition they have left. Going into such detail was certainly a bold move by the first time director, and it proved to be worth the risk. Directors can easily overload the audience with this, but if done successfully, believing that one man could fight impossible odds becomes much more tangible when his thoughts and fight for survival make sense according to reality.

Those who enjoy an old-fashioned revenge story will likely be saving this one for their backlog. “John Wick” delivers on the central purpose of nonstop action and is hopefully a sign of a promising future in directing for newcomer Stahelski.

As for Reeves, yeah, I’m thinking he’s back.

“Palo Alto,” based on “Palo Alto: Stories,” a novel by James Franco, is Gia Coppola’s directorial debut. In many ways, this movie fulfils many of the tropes of a James Franco film: well acted, a thick plot and, of course, lots of marijuana. The film was enjoyable but just a tad overdone at times. For example, spending 10 seconds looking at a dropped milkshake while characters talk in the background.

The story begins with Teddy and Fred, played by Jack Kilmer and Nat Wolff, respectively, in a parking lot smoking. While talking, Fred suddenly slams the accelerator and sends the car into the wall in front of them, laughing uncontrollably. This sets up a film with a unique view on what some believe a modern American teenage life to be. We then meet April (Emma Roberts) and Mr. B (James Franco), her soccer coach and teacher. It then jumps to the first of many house parties in a town with little to no presence of authority to be seen.

The movie makes sure to hit every party cliche: red cups, lampshades and, of course, everyone waking up scattered and disheveled. Eventually, April and Teddy begin to show an interest in one another, which quickly dissolves when a girl named Emily (Zoe Levin) leads Teddy upstairs and April sees them. From there on out we see the two spiral in different directions: Teddy turns to drugs and is arrested for a DUI, and April gravitates toward a more mature man, Mr. B.

The major love story is between April and Mr. B. James Franco does a wonderful job of portraying a charming man in his late 20s looking for love with one of his students and players. He continually invites her over to baby sit his child and insists that she should come over so that he can help her study. April is tentative, but eventually gives in. In light of James Franco’s recent scandal with underage girls, this story felt especially disturbing. Every time he gave that crooked smile, it made my stomach turn.

Teddy is given a shot at redemption from his crimes. He must spend time at the local children’s library. Fred once again shows up in the story to mess things up. After getting into some trouble, Teddy has to meet with his parole officer. During this meeting he switches between what is actually happening and, for some odd reason, a scene of himself reenacting “Where the Wild Things Are” in the pajama suit from the book. I’m sure this made a lot more sense on paper, but in the movie it was a mess. Teddy is then sent to work at a retirement home where he spends a lot more time drawing. One of the residents reminds him that he must always follow his dreams, which is when we begin to see the only real epiphany for any character in this film.

Fred is the misunderstood, unloved drug addict, who of course finds love with Emily, the girl desperate to feel loved. He comes over to her house one day and convinces her to sleep with him by using the line, “Do you like building forts?” I am still unsure exactly what that means, but I assume it has some deeper philosophical meaning. The next time he comes over, she runs around in the backyard. The scene is shot from his perspective, his voice is overheard but his face is never shown, and his lines overlap themselves. He describes how later that night he eventually leads her to be raped by multiple guys. It was an interesting way to film such a sensitive scene, and I applaud Gia Coppola for doing so. Eventually Emily and Fred get into a fight at another party, and she hits him over the head with a bottle sending him into a rage.

The ending is sort of a compromise, which is consistent with this movie, since it was a mix of a typical teenage romance and a stoner flick. While the ending is open-ended, it is clear that one story is a happy ending and the other is not. I believe the movie lost itself at times trying to be overly artistic while failing to explain major plot points. The story seemed to have some sort of message that they just didn’t have time to film. However, this is the case for many novels in their big screen debuts.

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Ajon Brodie The Triangle
Lana Del Rey performed hits like “West Coast” off her latest album “Ultraviolence” at The Mann Center’s Skyline Stage May 11.

Lana Del Rey came to the Mann Center for the Performing Arts’ Skyline Stage and delivered a knock-out performance May 11. 

Del Rey, known for her hit songs “Summertime Sadness” and “Video Games,” has received some poor reviews due to her performance on Saturday Night Live in 2012. This performance was what I believe many fans were expecting from her concert: awkward body movements and poor vocals. However, what the audience received was the ultimate Lana Del Rey experience as she sang under “the pale moon light.”

After a short set by Jimmy Gnecco, which received mixed feelings from the crowd, the stage slowly began to fill with smoke and the crowd became restless. Finally, music began and Del Rey walked out wearing a floral print long sleeve dress with a leather belt around her waist that I believe she stole from a ‘70s housewife.

She opened up with “Cola,” which was a nice unexpected twist for an opener. It benefitted many fans, as it was a good opportunity to hear her voice without 14,000 people, mostly teenage girls, singing along as the majority of the audience was unfamiliar with the tune. 

Her next two songs were “Body Electric” and “Blue Jeans.” These songs were much more well-known and they allowed a lot more of the audience to sing along. The only issue with this was that about 90 percent of the audience proceeded to bring out their iPhones to snapchat the event to their BFFs. 

After three songs she paused to ask if she could “grab a cigarette,” which she proceeded to smoke during the next few songs. Del Rey is probably seen as a stage act with that distinct, sexy smooth voice, which almost sounds falsified. However, seeing her on stage it was easy to see that’s really who she is as she talked with the crowd. 

She told the audience, “I wanted to play a song called ‘West Coast,’” (her new single) which caused an instant confusion in the audience as to why she could no longer sing it. The answer was obvious, “Although I wouldn’t feel right. I should sing a song called East Coast.” She then proceeded to sing “West Coast” as reformatted for the East Coast.

There were multiple points during the performance when she would come down into the audience, one thing I feel many performers no longer do. Her continued interactions with the audience along with the small outdoor venue size made the concert feel intimate. 

By now, the sun had set on the hill and we stood on a warm spring night under the moon overlooking the beautiful city skyline. The band would play random intrudes before each song, which really kept the audience on their toes. Del Rey asked as the music played on, “Are you sure you guys can see me? It’s pretty smoky up here.” This comment was met with a roar of cheers. 

As the roar died, the beat dropped and the iconic strings of the song that titled her second studio album began to play. “Born to Die” was probably one of the best-performed songs of the night. She belted every word, danced along with the audience, and seemed to enjoy watching us have a good time.

Del Rey played her most recent hit, “Summertime Sadness,” followed by another vocally stunning performance of “Million Dollar Man.” Before the next song began, the stage went dark and Del Rey began conversing with a man sitting at a piano off in the darkness as more smoke rolled out. The pieces of the conversation from Del Rey’s side were “You want to play what?” 

The audience pushed forward in anticipation, “I think we can do that for them.” The piano cords were struck and the audience erupted as a Harley Davidson filled the video screen behind her and the band. Everyone harmonized along as “Ride” began playing.

Although she had played some fan favorites, nothing made people take pictures and record video quite like “Video Games,” Del Rey’s first hit single. After “Video Games,” the band had a real chance to bring a song alive with the next song, “Gods & Monsters,” and they really delivered. 

Finally, Del Ray wrapped up by telling the audience that we were her “favorite sexy audience” and thanked us for singing along before a long pause. The band began playing another long intro before the familiar violins of “National Anthem” began to play. 

The song closed with a 10 plus-minute outro in which Del Rey came down into the audience signing the baseball cards that were given out when we entered the venue and taking pictures. Never before have I seen an artist who cared so much about her audience. 

Very rarely do you see a concert with a performer with such stage presence. While the lack of any encore was upsetting, especially considering the set was only around an hour and 15 minutes, no fan could leave disappointed. 

Everyone there got to experience Del Rey in her element: a concert with touches of nature, held under the stars and city lights.

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Andrew Garfield (left) and Emma Stone (right) star in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” as Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy. Garfield and Stone are a couple in real life, and their chemistry translates well onto the silver screen.

“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is officially my second favorite Spiderman sequel of all time.

All jokes aside, after hearing in 2011 about the reboot for the Spider-Man franchise, I was less than thrilled. “The Amazing Spider-Man” was anything but a good movie and Peter Parker/Spider-Man, as played by Andrew Garfield, was more of a misunderstood hipster than a beloved “everyman nerd” hero, with a weak storyline at best.

However, the tongue-in-cheek comedy style of the sequel was reminiscent of the original ‘80s “Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends” television show, and it’s an attribute that fans of the series deserved in this new trilogy. Director Marc Webb has turned the franchise around with a well-written story that will fulfill any viewer’s needs for a night out at the movies.

The movie opens with a quick recap on the whereabouts of Peter Parker’s missing parents. It then takes a dark turn from a kid friendly comic book movie to something entirely more sinister. The scene escalates quickly and doesn’t allow the viewer any time to get situated. After about five minutes, if you can stay seated through the action and confusion, the movie begins to hit its stride as we see the first appearance of Spider-Man. This new vision of the web-spinning hero is exactly what fans  have been waiting for. His witty banter with criminals and street thugs is enough to make even the most cynical of viewers crack a smile.

As the movie progresses, the teenage side of Peter is exposed to the audience as he struggles with his relationship with Aunt May, played by Sally Field, and his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone. The adolescent struggles of Spider-Man are the most nuanced and important aspect of his character, which is why I was so happy to see it successfully portrayed through this film.

As tension between Peter and Gwen begins to pick up, the story shifts to the introduction and backstory of Jamie Foxx’s character, Max Dillon, who soon makes his transition into the villain Electro. Max Dillon initially appears as simply misunderstood, but he is soon revealed to be a psychopath. After Spider-Man swings in to save him from a flying vehicle, Dillon becomes obsessed with the costumed web slinger. The interaction between the two soon leads to the first superhero vs. supervillian fight scene in the movie. It’s definitely one of better superhero movie fight scenes in recent movie history, featuring an epic standoff in Times Square, bringing Spider-Man to the forefront of the public’s eye.

The movie then returns to the action between Peter and Gwen. Their relationship has grown between the first and second movies since the death of Gwen’s father in the first film. His dying words to Spider-Man were to stay away from Gwen, and his disobedience to Gwen’s dead father leaves Peter with intolerable guilt. The up-and-down love story between the two has become much more fleshed out, and it felt like a surprisingly engaging teenage romance instead of an unnecessary addition used to fill a cliche. Teenage romance and foolish commitment is exactly the love story you want from a Spider-Man film, and real life couple Garfield and Stone provide exactly the right chemistry on screen.

However, the movie’s writers were far from perfect when it came to additional storylines. Many characters and scenes seemed to be added for no apparent reason or for just a quick nugget of seemingly obvious information. Peter’s parents’ backstory was the most notable example of a seemingly unnecessary storyline. It was a solid 20-30 minutes of the film but it added little, if anything, to the story. The real tragedy of the writing was the addition of the character of Harry Osborn, played by Dane DeHaan, because his storyline seemed rushed.

The Harry Osborn story is recognizable to anyone who is even slightly familiar with the Spider-Man story, which may be why writers felt so comfortable adding it. However, with no mention of the character in the first movie, to suddenly drop him into the plot felt extremely strange, mostly because his character was obviously going to become a villain.

DeHaan, when asked about his character by USA Today, told reporters, “There are not many movies where you start off as a seemingly normal guy and by the end you are a full-blown monster.”

The only issue with this is no one could possibly believe Harry Osborn is a good guy. His father was a villain in the first movie; Harry has jet black hair, red beady eyes and a swiveling chair. Honestly, the only things missing were a white cat and a face scar, and he could have been cast in a Bond film. It was often hard to stay with the movie while bouncing between almost ten different storylines. The crowded storylines did hurt the film in the end, but if you could follow along or were able to see past the clutter, the movie was solid.

One thing that many people overlook during a movie, including myself, is the soundtrack. However, this movie’s soundtrack was impossible to ignore. The new stylized theme composed by Hans Zimmer truly refreshes the series. Throughout the movie, some songs are more notable, as they include Peter playing them in his room, but what makes the soundtrack so good is its ability to immerse the viewer without being overwhelming. The sense of tension brought on by The Electro Suite was undeniable. Every time it played, the movie made a transition to the grand action scenes that the first film was so deprived of.

With the accomplishments of Marvel Studios’ Avengers taking over themarket, the standards are high for new comic book movie adaptations. Not only does Sony Pictures meet those standards with “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” they exceed them.

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