Saturday, 18 April 2015

MOVIE REVIEW: LET'S BE COPS (2015)

Let's Be Cops is a 2015 comedy movie that provides a bit of a shake up to the old buddy cop formula. Featuring a white guy and a black guy who are approaching mid-life and are quite disappointed in life, they each experience what it is like to be respected in the community. And once this happens, there is no turning back for them.

The big downside for this movie is that it just isn't very memorable. I can't really recall the names of the characters. One of the characters is a video game designer and the other character a washed-up former highschool football star. After the games designer gets his latest game shot down, they take some leftover police costumes to a costume party.

What follows next is semi-predictable. They like the response they get and the respect when they are walking home in uniform. They then decide to do it more often. Originally it goes well until they get over there heads. What follows is that true cops show that they are the real heroes they are while the main characters help out and find their self worth.

Being predictable isn't bad, however. This movie keeps up the constant laughs without any sudden tonal shifts. The main characters never turn into action heroes and the situational comedy is constant. Every time they get in over there heads, you wait to see it blow up in there faces. Although at the end it takes some liberties for the happy ending, it makes sense in the context of the movie.

Overall, Let's Be Cops is a surprising movie. It was constantly entertaining with a clear story that never tried to be something that it is not. It also earned its happy ending (for the most part).

4 out of 5  Legal Waffles.

Thursday, 9 April 2015

MOVIE REVIEW: FAST AND FURIOUS 7

Fast and Furious 7 is kind-of just there as a movie. Fully embracing it's ridiculousness, this movie feels the worse for it. It definitely feels like a step backwards from Fast and Furious 6 because it is missing the earnestly that number 6 approached it's subject matter with.

Fast and Furious 7 features the return of the all-mighty Vin Diesel and is Paul Walkers final Fast and Furious movie (due to tragic circumstances). It goes on to show that some car drag-racers are really the best people for the job of high-level spywork and security operations for some unknown reason. This time they are being hunted by Jason Statham in revenge for them crippling his brother. The Rock is also in there but it feels like an afterthought.

There really isn't too much to say about this movie. It has removed all pretence of restraint to show cars jumping out of planes and between buildings (as shown in the trailers). And it feels the worse for it. The whole movie is that Vin's crew are glorified and are more than a match for a team of international arms dealers and a globally-feared assassin because of their street-smarts.

Fast and Furious 7 falls down because of this. The action scenes may sound impressive but they fall flat as there is no emotional investment in anything. They keep trying to outdo themselves to diminishing effect and the earnestness it used to have is gone. Fast and Furious 6 was surprisingly good as it struck a good balance. Fast and Furious 7 feels competent and nothing more or less.

2.5 out of 5 Drag-Racing Waffles.