INVICTUS *** PERCY JACKSON AND THE LIGHTNING THIEF ***
Dir: Clint Eastwood (12A, 1 mins) Dir: Chris Columbus (12A, 120 mins)
Morgan Freeman is the man born to play Nelson Mandela: it’s been on the Tipped as the franchise to replace Harry Potter, this even shares a director with
cinematic cards for years and finally comes to fruition in this worthy, if a little its wizardy rival, Chris Columbus. Let’s hope he doesn’t make this adaptation as
plodding, snapshot of South Africa and the Rugby World Cup of 1995. Instead of dull as Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone. Based on the books by Rick
focusing on the entirety of Mandela’s life, the epic Long Walk To Freedom, we have Riordan this has titular teen Percy, played by Logan Lerman, discovering that he is
a moment in time, when all South Africans united under one banner – sport. Back the son of the Greek god Poseidon (as you do). Zeus’ lightning bolt has been stolen
in 1995, The Springboks were not a rugby powerhouse. Captain Francois Pienaar, from Mount Olympus, and Percy is the prime suspect. Caught in the crossfire of
here played by Matt Damon, had a demoralised side, beaten by the English, with a a battle between warring gods, Percy must find the real thief, clear his name and
solitary black player. The team in fact symbolised apartheid, but Mandela insists find his missing mother. He and two fellow teens played by Alexandra Daddario,
that if the country can get behind this team, much can be achieved. He was right, and Brandon T Jackson, embark on a cross country quest, encountering the likes
and Eastwood’s final rugby montage can’t help but sweep you along in its feel-good of Uma Thurman’s Medusa, Rosario Dawson’s Persephone and Steve Coogan’s
bravura. Freeman is all gravitas and occasional cheek as the African leader, Welsh Hades along the way. A strangely accented Pierce Brosnan appears as Percy’s
actor Julian Lewis Jones acquits himself well as Mandela’s white security guard, Greek teacher, and indie darling Catherine Keener cameos as Percy’s mum. It’s
and the whole film is full of integrity, with only the odd, blatantly sentimental song boisterous, FX-heavy teen fun that plays fast and loose with Greek mythology but
striking a false note. Solid stuff. Opens Feb 22 manages to entertain well enough, and should keep myth fiends happy until the
Clash Of The Titans remake. Opens Feb 12
COP OUT *** CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY **** CRAZY HEART ****
Dir: Kevin Smth (1, 90 mins) Dir: Michael Moore (1, 117 mins) Dir: Scott Cooper (1, 107 mins)
Kevin Smith, director of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy After the Bush administration and the US Health care Jeff Bridges is majestic as ever in this touching drama
and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, gets a bigger budget system, Michael Moore turns his polemic on the financial about a washed up country star attempting to make some
and someone else’s script in what will hopefully be more system, making a rather pertinent documentary for our sense of his life. Bridges plays Bad Blake, a singer/song-
of a box office success than his last film Zack And Miri times. He attacks the nature of capitalism, which he writer who knows all about the blues. Once at the top
Make A Porno. Now Smith gets to play in the world of the asserts rewards greed rather than free enterprise. He of his game, he is now sentenced to playing obscure
cop movie, with a slacker vibe. Bruce Willis stars with 30 has no clear solution, however, apart from corporate piano bars and bowling alleys, his career and health
Rock’s Tracy Morgan as a pair of mismatched cops on responsibility and shaming those who have into providing on the skids. When journalist Jean Craddock (Maggie
some serious missions: finding a stolen baseball card, for those who have not. In America health care payments Gyllenhaal) walks into his life, however, he rediscovers
coming to the aid of a kidnapped woman and getting cripple employees struggling to keep a mortgage, and some self respect, but cannot give up the bottle. Can this
involved with gangsters. It harks back to the style of 80s if a worker gets ill for a prolonged period, he’s soon woman and her four-year-old son really tame Bad Blake?
cop favourites 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop, with bankrupt. Wall Street is painted as a gambler’s cartel with Beautifully observed by Bridges and writer/producer/di-
Harold Faltermeyer of Axel F fame even supplying the Moore even cordoning off the Stock Exchange with crime rector Scott Cooper, this is an emotional character study
music. Hopefully working on other writers’ scripts – Robb scene tape. It’s engaging and often shocking, and taps full of depth and nuance based on Thomas Cobb’s novel.
and Mark Cullen in this case – will not defang Smith a groundswell of anger everyone has felt in the midst of It’s also got a fantastic soundtrack courtesy of T Bone
whose verbose, filthy dialogue has always been a highlight the present recession. Moore leads us through personal Burnett. Cameos from Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall
of his films. This used to be called A Couple Of Dicks – a tragedies, corporate greed and staggering statistics. It’s don’t harm the film either, but it is Jeff Bridges who
funnier title. Let’s hope the film, like the title change, Fahrenheit 9/11 for the financial institutions – biased, makes this truly great, acting and singing his own crazy
isn’t a cop out too. Opens Feb 26 certainly, but never dull. Opens Feb 26 heart out. Opens Feb 22
and James MacAvoy star in this account of Russian writer Tolstoy’s attempt to balance fame and wealth with love and the simple life. Great performances. SOLOMON KANE (15) James Purefoy stars as
Conan writer Robert E. Howard’s mercenary who has sold his soul to the devil, but battles evil nonetheless, in a sword and sorcery epic full of British thesps. Watch out for Purefoy’s Westcountry accent.
EVERYBODY’S FINE (15) Robert De Niro does winning warmth in this family drama, as his widower tries to reconnect with his disparate family. Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale.
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