Nightmare On Elm Street, The Back-Up Plan and Harry Brown Reviewed Posted by Matt Smith 21 May, 2010 - 2:49 PM

The Back-up Plan

 

Starring Jennifer Lopez and Alex O'Loughlin.
 
The Back-up Plan is a pretty predictable by the numbers romantic comedy with two very good things going for it. The two good factors come in the form of Jennifer Lopez, who is unsurprisingly beautiful as Zoe, and Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin as her love interest Stan.

Unfortunately the two good factors are not quite enough to pull the film into worthwhile territory. The premise is quite appealing, Zoe sick of waiting for Mr Right to come along decides to get pregnant via artificial insemination, only for Mr Right to turn up after all.

From there the film goes in most of the directions anyone that has ever been to the movies would expect. There is the odd funny moment, but most will be looking for the exit before the film reaches its conclusion.

Three out of Five Stars. 

 

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Starring Jackie Earle Haley.

In recent years Hollywood has made a habit of reinventing old horror classics for new audiences hungry for all things creepy. As a general rule, they usually make a mess of it and the 2010 version of Nightmare on Elm Street is no exception.

The first Nightmare on Elm Street film was truly scary and able to conjure up nightmares of the type depicted on the screen. Following films went downhill from the first but this latest offering sets a new low mark for the franchise.

Pretty, model looking teenagers are gradually carved up by the horror version of Edward Scissorhands, and it is hard to actually care less. The films one redeeming feature is Jackie Earle Haley who breaths new life into the iconic Freddy Krueger character.

Do yourself a favour, hire the original Nightmare on Elm Street, draw the curtains, turn the lights off and you probably won’t want to venture out into the dark to the cinema anyway.

Two out of Five Stars.

Harry Brown

Starring Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer.

Harry Brown sees Michael Caine takes on the vigilante role as an ex marine living in the projects in East London. The housing estate is home to an assortment of various dead beat drug dealers and thugs, along with some decent folk, like Harry Brown himself. That is until Harry’s mate is killed by the aforementioned thugs.

The death pushes Harry over the edge and onto a mission of vengeance where he takes no prisoners. Michael Caine is in fine form as the vigilante and he is ably backed by a young police officer played by Emily Mortimer.

Those that enjoyed Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino should love Harry Brown. Those that felt that Gran Torino lacked a little gratuitous violence will probably enjoy Harry Brown even more.

Four out of Five Stars.

 

Leave your comment

• Maddy Towns says

  i think i would love too see nightmare on elm street considering i have not seen a scaey movie thats actually scared me

  Posted Monday 24 May, 2010 8:20 PM