Movie Reviews

By Lynne Martin

We’ve been hit with the latest movie adaptation of another Nicholas Sparks novel. Although I did enjoy THE NOTEBOOK, and was amused with DEAR JOHN, this latest installment is really starting to test my patience. SAFE HAVEN (2013) starring Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, and Cobie Smulders is going to be a major disappointment for any moviegoer who isn’t a hardcore fan of the watered-down product being turned out of the Sparks ‘mush mill.’

Forced to run from her old life, a young woman narrowly escapes capture before hoping a bus to Southport, North Carolina. Armed with a new identity, she slowly begins settling into the small town. Reluctant at first, our heroine eventually warms up to the attention of a local shop owner, recently widowed with two small children. Their growing romance proves to be the catalyst for change and renewed hope just as dangerous skeletons begin popping up from her past.

Duhamel and Hough are about as compatible plastic Ken and Barbie dolls. Although they both have anatomically correct parts, they’re unable to connect on anything other than a superficial level. Neither actor seems capable of showing any range of emotion beyond mild amusement which shifts into erratic bouts of fear. The twist at the end of the film is interesting, but five minutes does not make an entire movie.

For two great movies about women forced to run in a desperate bid to save their lives, check out SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY starring Julia Roberts, or ENOUGH starring Jennifer Lopez. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom, PG-13, 115 mins, Drama, Mystery, Romance, ** 2 stars out of 5.

A Good Day to Die Hard seemed like a drama club rehearsal

Back in 1988, we were all treated to the first installment in the groundbreaking DIE HARD action series. Now 25 years later, A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (2013) starring Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney, and Sebastian Koch is the fifth offering in that very popular and extremely lucrative franchise.

This time our hero John McClane finds himself in mother Russia, determined to track down his grown son Jack and find out exactly what kind of mess his prodigy has stirred up. Surprised by the sudden revelation that his boy is actually a CIA operative fighting to prevent the heist of weapons-grade uranium worth countless of millions, the father and son team are reluctantly forced to work together in a desperate bid to complete the mission.

Following in the true form of other DIE HARD movies, this storyline predictably takes a back seat to the explosive action. However, taking a backseat doesn’t have to mean rolling over and playing dead. The dialogue was so poorly written and delivered with such lacklustre effort; A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD sounded a lot like a drama club rehearsal caught on some parent’s smart phone.

If you’re looking for a fast paced movie with deafening special effects and don’t want to be hindered by meaningful character interactions…this movie will fill your needs. If you’re looking for anything else, you’ll be seriously disappointed. “Yippe Ki-Yay, Mother #$%^&*!”

Originally titled DIE HARD 24/7, the movie was renamed before release, rumors circulating that Kiefer Sutherland was not interested in hitching his 24 series to the DIE HARD franchise. Note: Willis plans to make a sixth movie before retiring the McClane character. Directed by John Moore, R, 110 mins, Action, Crime, Thriller. *** 3 stars out of 5.

Lynne Martin is an avid movie collector and a staunch supporter of sexual education. She currently resides in Alberta, Canada with her husband and their large extended family. For a complete list of her reviews and other works, or to leave a comment, please go to: www.lynnemartinbooks.com.

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