But to me, it was really a weird experience. You know how they say that actors/directors should do one for the studio and then one for themselves? It was like the director did the first half for the studio and the second half for himself.

And your review has me interested in checking it out now.

January has been kind to these sorts of films as of late: Haywire, The Grey, Contraband.

The first half is mostly set-up, and has most of the scenes from the trailer. Lots of shaky cam and CIA control room arguing – basically, a Bourne knock-off, just not as good. The control room is almost identical to the one used in the last 2 Bourne films, complete with Vera Farmiga as Pam Landy. Denzel and Ryan Reynolds are just stock characters and all of the action scenes are par for the course and almost unintelligible. (Is Greengrass the only one who can shoot the shaky right?) No surprises – almost sleep inducing.

But then, starting with a scene in a train station (real original, right?), the film becomes darker and Denzel and Reynolds change. It was like the director and writer finally decide to fill their characters out, like blowing air into balloons. The acting gets better, the dialogue gets better, the tension gets escalated, the stakes are more defined – you get the point. From that point on, I was riveted (corny word, I know).

The last act reminded me of other films, but naming them would be kind of spoilery, I think. There was one grimy fight sequence in the last act, however, that compares favorably with Daniel Craig’s first kill as James Bond in Casino Royale – the black and white bathroom scene.

The color palette is like “Domino”, but maybe a shade darker. The camera work has enough close-ups to resemble a slow character-study drama. This seems pretentious in the first half of the film, like the close-ups are promising something that the movie can’t deliver. The movie lives up in the second half, though.

My biggest disappointment was Vera Farmiga. She just mailed it in, especially when you make the obvious comparison to Joan Allen from Bourne, who was awesome. Brendan Gleeson was Brendan Gleeson – ’nuff said.

I don’t think my opinion will be shared by many – I think the movie is at 50% on RT right now, but I really liked it. It may just be a classic case of low expectations.

Also related to the Chronicle talk has there been a Superhero movie that stars the villain and ends with him winning? The only thing I can think of that comes close is Wanted which isn’t really a Superhero movie after they stripped the super stuff from it for mainstream audiences.