Displaying items by tag: Arturo Castro

TRON: ARES

US, 2025, 119 minutes, Colour.

Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Jeff Bridges, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson.

Directed by Joachim Honning.

Just over 40 years ago, there was a dramatic breakthrough in visual style in movies, focus on computer games in the early years, AI experimentation, IT business rivalries. This was Tron, starring Jeff Bridges. It can be seen as something of an alert to what was to come in imaginative moviemaking.

Then, 25 years later, 2020, the sequel: Tron: Legacy. In this meantime, IT technology, special effects and computer graphics had developed substantially. And the scenario moved from one generation, the Flynns, led initially by Jeff Bridges, and his rival with the ominous American name, Dillinger, David Warner. They have given way to the next generation and technology and business conflicts, Kevin Flynn, Bridges’ character, trapped in The Grid.

It is now only 15 years since Tron: Legacy. And the scenario has moved to the next generation, but the Flynn business taken over by two Korean-American sisters, one dead, the other, Eve Kom, played by Greta Lee, in the struggle with the new Dillinger generation, Julian, played by Evan Peter. One might say that Julian is not bothered by moral scruples – although his mother, a cameo by Gillian Anderson, does raise some questions of integrity. And, 40 years later, here is a venerable Jeff Bridges, a cameo reappearance as Kevin Flynn.

For the running time of the film, the central characters and the audience are confined, practically trapped, in the Grid. And in terms of characters, the scenario is confined to the key characters in the conflicts, Eve and her eager assistant as well as the public relations representative versus Julian. Not too many humans taking major roles. Sometimes, throughout the action, it is reassuring to see that some kind of normal life is going on in the background, the buildings in the streets, cars in the streets, glimpses of actual people…

The main life characters, in fact, are AI created warriors, Ares, with the name of the God of War, played by a rather subdued in comparison with his other performances, Jared Leto. The other is Athena, Jodie Turner-Smith, African-American, with a gold shaved head, named after wisdom but certainly, as the action goes on, female version of Ares.

The technology explains how they are created, the work of Julian Dillinger, a certain time span before they disintegrate and are reassembled, but, as they interact with the humans, developing many human qualities themselves. Which builds up to a confrontation because Ares sees the malice of Julian and becomes an ally of Eve whereas Athena builds up the hostility and confrontations.

But, perhaps the principal impact of this version of Tron is in the visuals, the darkness of the Grid illuminated by flashing light, red light, swift moving, part of the battles as more and more creations take to battling against Eve, rather spectacular confrontations. And, eventually, as we guess, a dramatic one-to-one.

It looks as though Ares has the potential to become a kind of AI superhero if there are to be more adventures (and the screenplay more than indicates that this is the intention) and Ares is given something of a saviour figure status in a momentary recreation of da Vinci’s Last Supper with him at the centre.

Probably best for the fans and for any audiences interested in technological visual developments – and another superhero franchise.

1. The franchise, over 40 years, the episode in 2011, 2025, the next generation?
2. The original, the plotting, the Flynn family, the rivalry with the Dillingers, AI, the science and technology, the technical possibilities?
3. The visuals, locations, labs, machines, special effects, the creation of Ares and Athena? The functioning? The musical score?
4. The Flynns, Kevin trapped in the Grid, his reappearance?
5. ENCOM, the history of the company, Eve, career, new manager, seth as her assistant, Ajay Singh and his expertise? The contrast with the Dillinger company, Julian, his motives, malicious, rivalries? The intervention of his mother? His staff, achievement, headquarters?
6. The creation of Ares and Athena, AI, capacity for absorbing human qualities? Disintegration and reconstruction?
7. Ares, his mission, the interactions with Eve, Alaska, the pursuit, the contrast with Athena, working for Julian? The buildup to conflict between the two?
8. The character of Ares, machine, superhero qualities, humane qualities, action, interventions, skills, final achievement?
9. Julian, his defeat? Eve, her final success?
10. A film for the fans, the story and characters, the technology, the musical score, the special effects? Ready for a sequel?

SEMPER FI/ BROTHERS IN ARMS

US, 2019, 99 minutes, Colour.

Jai Courtney, Nat Wolff, Finn Wittrock, Arturo Castro, Beau Knapp, Leighton Meester, Jared Bankens.

Directed by Henry Alex Rubin.

The title is the motto for the Marines. There is an alternative title focusing on the camaraderie between male friends and in war.

The setting is 2005, an ordinary American town, an introduction to a group of friends at a bowling alley, enjoying themselves, creating a bit of mischief with the owner, but carrying on their lives. Their leader is Callahan played by Australian Jai Courtney. He is older than the others, responsible for his half brother, Oyster, Nat Wolff. We see glimpses of the life of the other friends and their relationships, the visit to a bar, flirting, a fight in the toilets and the unintended death of a young man.

The group is also a reservist group and is called up to go to fight in Iraq – some scenes there, fighting, deaths, and Callahan in a confrontation with an arguing Iraqi and his shooting him – and the impact for the rest of the film in his not being charged in any way, returning home, resuming his way of life.

Oyster is arrested for the death of the young man in the toilet, resentful towards Callahan, going to jail, attacked by the guards in jail, drugs planted in his cell, put in solitary. When Callahan comes to visit he is surly and refuses to communicate with him.

The effect of the war, his rough past, getting his life in order, becoming part of the police force, the impact of the experiences in Iraq have upset Callahan and he determines, after the failed visits to Oyster, to free him from jail and get him across the Canadian border. He draws on the friends to collaborate in the plan, one supplying surveillance machine but reluctant to help because of his wife and child. Callahan also consults a friend who is against the war but is a lawyer, getting information and advice from her.

There is tension on the scene where the bus with the prisons is attacked, confrontation for Callahan, Oyster and his escape. Callahan finally having some satisfaction in doing something for someone else, especially Oyster, in his life.

1. The original title? The motto of the Marines? The alternate title, military fraternity, relationships independence?
2. 2005, setting, the town, streets, bowling alley, homes, the military, the fort? Scenes in Iraq, the desert, military action, dead and wounded? Prison? The musical score?
3. The introduction to the brothers, their friendship, Callahan and his leadership, half-brother to Oyster, legal guardian, age and experience, the other friends, the episode at the bowling alley, competitiveness, friendship, the owner and his reaction, allowing them to play? The competitive running? The homes? At the bar, flirting with the girls? Oyster, wanting to buy the girls a drink, his rival, the fight in the toilets, the fatal injury to the man, his death?
4. Callahan, older than the others, role in the police, the reservists, going to camp, the exercises, Oyster unsettled, the fight, the domestic work? The clashes with his brother? Independence? The girls, the fight, Callahan seeking him out, his plan to escape the country, with the help of Snowball? Callahan confronting him, handing him over?
5. Oyster, his age, wilful, his book and plans to succeed, the arrest, his resentment, in prison, with the apples, the brutality of the guards, planting drugs, solitary? The visit by Callahan, his resistance? The buildup to the escape, Callahan’s speech about being substitute father, Oyster and his final response, crossing into Canada?
6. The friends, bowling alley, competitiveness, girlfriends, military reserve, their going to Iraq, the scenes of action, Callahan and his confronting the man about the bed, the protests of the man, his shooting him? There all returning home? The action taken against Callahan? The effect on him – or not?
7. The visits to Oyster, failure of communication, the decision to get him out, the discussions with the group, Jaeger and the loss of his leg, Milk collaborating, Snowball and his earnestness, Dwyer, his wife and child, opting out, giving the surveillance machine? Callahan, his determination, the discussions with Stacie, the past, her relationship with Jaeger, lawyer, against the war in Iraq, discussions about the penalty for abduction?
8. The abduction, the car, the prisoners in the bus, Jaeger at first missing, the tire, the bus careering, the signals to Callahan, the confrontation of the guard, the guard able to ring through for support, Callahan’s boss and his trying to persuade Callahan to give up, the rescue of Oyster, taking him to the border, his getting through? Callahan, driving, the opposite direction, finally caught?
9. The final moment, Callahan and what he did for Oyster, motivations, the law, responsibility, penalty, the future?