Patrick OConnor Reviews

Jason X (2001)

Jason kicks some butt in outer space...

[20 December 2002]

The Friday 13th movies are something of a dichotomy. On the one hand, these movies are cheap trash with no more right to retain a place in movie history than Adolf Hitler has for winning a humanitarian award. On the other hand they are tremendous fun. I liken the 13th movies, and others of the ilk to the old Hammer movies; The endless chain of Frankenstien vs Werewolf meets Dracula, etc.

There is no subtitle for the movie, but one could imagine it being "Jason goes to space"... but forget that, it should be "Jason gets a budget". I reckon they spent more on this movie than all the others put together.

They certainly didn't spend it on a script, or acting. No change there then! They beefed up the special effects though and actually used some proper science-fiction concepts (such as nano-technology).

So, with a budget chucked at it and some self-parody enclosed within it what can one say about it? The script was awful, the acting was cheesy, there was no tension or suspense or any chance of being scared. Yet, I had a good feeling deep down inside when I saw the revamped Jason. Good to see Kane Hodder playing Mr Vorhees again.

So, overall, a reprehensible pile of trash that should be avoided at all costs.

But Oh Lordy-lord, was it fun. :) I'm up for another sequel...

The Straight Story (1999)

A masterpiece from David Lynch, again.

[20 December 2002]

If David Lynch were to turn into a small island just off the coast of Cannes and do the can-can to the strains of "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" it would fail to surprise me. Two things did surprise me about this film. The first was the "Walt Disney presents" in the opening credits. I would never have thought that Disney and Lynch... Lynch and Disney... but there you have it. The second surprise was in the ending credits when it became apparent that this was a film based on a true story.

In many respects this film is like The Elephant Man in that it tugs on the heart-strings in a restrained way. The Straight Story had me weeping at one or two points, and chuckling in others. The slow pace, masterful use of silence, and the cinematography and soundscape all added up to an unassuming and beautiful masterpiece.

Having spent so much time in the small-town America of Illinois I was immediately at home with the scenery and the pragmatic characters depicted in the movie. The film has a lot to say about being old and having regrets, but delivers a positive message to us all.

All in all, David Lynch, who is one of my favorite directors, has created another movie that will take pride of place in my movie collection.

Babylon 5 (1993–1998)

The Westernised Mahabharata, an absolute epic.

[30 October 2002]

Babylon 5 presented us with a plausible futurism enveloped in a sparkling mythology. It showed us the present human condition shunted forward into the future and it did it with style. The very first thing I liked about B5 was the fact that space vessels are as dirty as the politics. The comforting "Oh,everything is okay in the end", the sugary "Humans have evolved beyond the need for money and war", and the stock Hollywood motto "If he ain't good then he must be evil" were thrown out for B5. Sci-fi grew up with B5 and it stands a giant above all that went before. "The line that cuts through the heart of good and evil is grey", as Nietszche might have said if he had watched a few episodes. The cynical and pessimistic treatment of authority and power in the series are balanced by fragile hopes and dreams of the characters. The characters are exceptionally well-drawn and the actors mostly do a superb job (sorry Bruce, no dice...another "My father used to tell me," anecdote and I would have gone nuts); No need for Londo to play a trombone to give his character some faux dimension. The Babylon 5 story as a whole (five seasons and numerous TV movies) is epic and highly entertaining. If you never saw it then watch it from episode 1 to the final episode. It makes a few false steps along the way but a little Londo and G'Kar action can make a human being very forgiving. As Kosh would say........,"Yes."

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000 Video)

A near return to form for the Hellraiser series

[30 March 2002]

Having seen the abysmal Nightmare on Hellraiser Street (a.k.a Hellraiser III) and the turgid offering that was Hellraiser IV I was surprised that Hellraiser Inferno showed some return to form. Think Angel Heart meets Jacob's Ladder, with the return of the ambivilent lead Cenobite (and not Mr Krueger with added pins) we saw in the original movie and it's sequel and you know what to expect. It's a bit more existential than it's decent prequels but no less enjoyable. Chris Young's fantastic Hellraiser score is nowhere to be heard in this film, which is a shame. Thanks to this it lacks a sense of majestic grandeur that even Barker's claustrophobic original had, and so plays more like a decent television movie than a theatre release. Derrickson must have realised that less is more with regard to the use of Doug Bradley (who plays the lead Cenobite), and wasn't that the Chattering Cenobite I saw in the movie minus his legs? Not a fantastic film by any means, but definitely better than I expected it to be. Hellseeker is the next Hellraiser film, featuring the delectable Ashley Laurence, and I can only hope that it will be on a par with the originals. If Inferno shows that the franchise is on the up and up then the next sequel might really be a classic.

Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) (2000–2001)

Great television.

[10 October 2001]

The new Randall and Hopkirk(deceased) blows the original away. It is slick, stylish and cool in its retro way. Vic and Bob are perfect as Randall and Hopkirk, and the innovative story-lines hold the interest. With the superb special effects, good cinematography, and tight direction it is safe to say this series will go on for many years. I for one am glad of that.