WEEKEND PIC: March 28 - 30 2008

Your Guide to the Weekend Viewing

1. THE WATER HORSE (fantasy adventure with Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, Emily Watson and Brian Cox) Rated * * * (out of 4): This 'Free Willy'-type tale about the 'origin' of Loch Ness monster Nessie should delight kids under 10. For the older folks, it is still a passable flick for the family. (Reviewed below)

2. GONE BABY GONE (mystery thriller with Casey Affleck, Amy Ryan, Morgan Freeman dna Ed Harris) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): A mentally and emotionally provoking movie by first-time director Ben Affleck. The missing girl tale will grab us and take us through a rollercoaster ride of intensed emotions. (Reviewed below).

3. SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (fantasy thriller with Freddie Highmore (right), Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker and David Strathairn) Rating * * * (3 stars): Just like the Chronicles of Narnia, this one takes us to the fantasy realm of goblins, hobgoblins, trolls, and an ogre. More 'meaty' than "The Golden Compass" although not as stylish.

4. AWAKE (drama with Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard, Lena Olin and Christopher McDonald) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This tale about being awake while under the knife offers nightmarish terror but it soon deviates into Hitchcock territory with its twist about a conspiracy.

5. BE KIND REWIND (comedy with Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This comedy about some video store guys reshooting their own version of blockbuster movies is rather funny. However, its appeal is limited to movie fans and those who can stand Jack Black.

6. 27 DRESSES (romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Edward Burns and Malin Akerman) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A very predictable romantic comedy about a 'serial bridesmaid' (Heigl) who finally realises her loved one only to lose him to her sister. Good show by Heigl too.

7. AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (costume drama with Leon Lai, Donnie Yen and Kelly Chen) Rating * * (2 stars): It looks like a homage to the old Shaw flicks but soon turns corny and terribly uninspired. And it is no use blaming it all on Kelly Chen's acting!

8. Dr SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO (fantasy comedy with voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell and Carol Burnett) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A kiddie treat just like "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", this fantasy tale about Horton the elephant (Carrey) may be rather tedious for adults. The animation is great though.

AWAKE: Nightmare Under The Knife

AWAKE (suspense drama)

Cast: Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard, Lena Olin and Christopher McDonald

Writer-Director: Joby Harold

Time: 85 mins

Rating: * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? This 'high concept' movie works on the scary conceit that some patients wake up halfway through surgery and experiences the horror of being cut up while they are helpless and conscious. However, while this concept is only worth a ER-subplot, British writer-director Joby Harold fashions out a plot twist about a conspiracy which helps to move the story forward a bit but does little to augment the main plot about anaesthetic awareness.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? Wealthy corporate heir Clayton Beresford Jr (Hayden Christensen) is a man with everything, including a hot fiancee in the sultry Samantha (Jessica Alba) but sorely needs a heart transplant. When a donor heart is available, and his surgeon friend (Terence Howard) operates on him, Clay finds that he is fully awake but paralysed during the whole surgery. This allows him (and us) to discover what is really going on with his life and how the people he trusts are now betraying him.

HITS & MISSES: The first few minutes of the surgery sequence (shot partly at Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan) are excrutiating to watch - and may even haunt those who imagine themselves going under the knife. However, the movie soon takes an interesting but predictable turn into Hitchcock territory - and the mental anguish is compromised for a 'spirit-in-limbo' subplot. Sure, this melodramatic turn is fine as it moves the story along but plausibility is threatened.The best performance here belongs to Lena Olin as Clay's protective mother who would do anything to protect her son's life and legacy. Alba does a good job of providing eye candy to her role while Howard delivers a credible perf as the controversial doctor-buddy. Christopher McDonald plays the inept and inebriated anaesthesiologist who is stupid enough to carry a liquor flask in his pocket. Director Harold claims to have been inspired to write the film while suffering from a painful kidney stone.

THE LOWDOWN: Centring on a nightmare plot that can torture audiences, "Awake" has enough tension and twists to keep us awake throughout the movie. But don't count on blockbuster standards.

THE WATER HORSE: Splashing Fun for Kids

THE WATER HORSE (fantasy adventure)

Cast: Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, Emily Watson, David Morrissey, Priyanka Xi and Brian Cox

Director: Jay Russell

Time: 105 mins

Rating: * * * (out of 4)

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Take "Free Willy", mix it up with the Nessie (or Loch Ness monster) myth and throw in a touch of "King Kong" and you will get this kiddie fantasy that should delight the whole family. Of course, kids below 10 would enjoy it more that the older 'uns...

WHAT'S IT ABOUT? The story opens in a pub near Loch Ness in Scotland where an American tourist couple notices a newspaper photograph of the monster 'Nessie' on the wall. The guy remarks that it's a fake and one of the locals (Brian Cox) agrees with him. He then tells the story which takes us back to 1942 when Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel), still in denial about his father's death in the Second World War, finds a mysterious egg on the beach.

The egg hatches a cute tiny reptile which Angus names Crusoe. Angus feeds it and nurses it together with his sister (Priyanka Xi) and their handyman Lewis Mowbray (Ben Chaplin), while keeping it secret from his mother (Emily Watson) and Capt Hamilton (David Morrissey) who is iin charge of the soldiers billeted at their Scottish mansion. Crusoe grows very fast and soon Angus is forced to release him into the Loch - providing the 'origins' of the legendary Nessie.

HITS & MISSES: Every child loves a pet and here, youngsters will love the cute Crusoe, a cross between a dinosaur and a snail with web feet. We root for Angus, who, while caring for Crusoe, is able to overcome his grief over his father and re-connect with his family and those around him. And what makes this "Water Horse" likeable is the way in which it weaves one of the world's most enduring modern-day legends into its narrative.

Of course, we have to overlook the implausible sequences in which Angus is carried underwater astride Crusoe, and the many near-misses between the monster and the soldiers' cannonballs. What matters is that its lead star Alex Etel is entirely credible and that the more famous adult cast provide effective support. And yes, the CGI Crusoe looks real enough.

THE LOWDOWN: A by-the-book fantasy adventure that should entertain the whole family.

WEEKEND PIC - March 21-23 2008

Your Guide to the Weekend Viewing

1. GONE BABY GONE (mystery thriller with Casey Affleck, Amy Ryan, Morgan Freeman dna Ed Harris) Rated * * * 1/2 (out of 4): A mentally and emotionally provoking movie by first-time director Ben Affleck. The missing girl tale will grab us and take us through a rollercoaster ride of intensed emotions. (Reviewed below).

2. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (fantasy thriller with Freddie Highmore (right), Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker and David Strathairn) Rating * * * (3 stars): Just like the Chronicles of Narnia, this one takes us to the fantasy realm of goblins, hobgoblins, trolls, and an ogre. More 'meaty' than "The Golden Compass" although not as stylish.

3. 27 DRESSES (romantic comedy with Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Edward Burns and Malin Akerman) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A very predictable romantic comedy about a 'serial bridesmaid' (Heigl) who finally realises her loved one only to lose him to her sister. Good show by Heigl too.

4. Dr SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO (fantasy comedy with voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell and Carol Burnett) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A kiddie treat just like "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", this fantasy tale about Horton the elephant (Carrey) may be rather tedious for adults. The animation is great though.

5. AH LONG PTE LTD (Singaporean comedy with Fann Wong and Mark Lee) Rating * * 1/2: This Jack Neo outing must have been inspired by the HK series "My Girlfriend Is A Gangster" with Fann Wong doing the honours as a gang moll in this spoof about illegal money-lenders (Ah Long) and even Malaysian politics.

6. 10,000 BC (prehistoric actioner with Camilla Belle, Steven Strait, Cliff Curtis and Reece Ritchie) Rating * * (2 stars): Even in the days if the wooly mammoth, men fight over a woman - in this case a blue-eyed Belle - in Roland Emmerich's derivative tale of a lost civilisation that seems to be a rip-off of 'Apocalypto'. (Reviewed below)

GONE BABY GONE: Good Show by the Afflecks

GONE BABY GONE (mystery drama)
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John Ashton, Amy Ryan and Amy Madigan

Director: Ben Affleck
Time: 115 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (out of 4)

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Ben Affleck has shown that he is good in front of the camera but here he proves that he is even better behind it. This first directorial role sees him successfully engaging his viewers in a mystery drama on both intellectual and emotional levels. Also, we get a surprise performance from his younger brother Casey.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? A young girl, Amanda (Madeline O'Brien), has been kidnapped in South Boston and private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) are approached by Amanda’s relatives (Titus Welliver and Amy Madigan) to take the case. In their probe, Patrick and Angie have to deal with opposition from the girl's drug-addicted mother, Helene (Amy Ryan); the police chief, Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman); and the two cops working the case, Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton). Soon the investigators discover a critical clue but cannot prevent the tragedies that force them both to re-consider life’s values.

HITS & MISSES: Ben Affleck has done a superb job with this adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel (Lehane also wrote Mystic River which was adapted by Clint Eastwood). The pacing is great, taking us through twists and turns of the plot and through its multiple layers of mystery. It also helps to have a talented cast. Ben’s brother, Casey, gives a surprise performance here, adopting a subtle, low-key approach even in high-intensity sequences. Amy Ryan, on the other hand, is effusive in portraying the vile and vulnerable mother. Harris, Freeman and even the second-stringers acquit themselves well.

Don’t expect the usual Hollywood ending here. The movie unravels a lot of moral questions about what is in whose best interest and who gets to decide. These will keep our minds going even after we leave the Cineplex.

THE LOWDOWN: Another pleasant surprise by Ben Affleck, just like “Good Will Hunting”.

WEEKEND PIC: March 14 - 16 2008

Your guide to the Weekend Viewing:

1. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (fantasy thriller with Freddie Highmore (right), Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker and David Strathairn) Rating * * * (out of 4): Just like the Chronicles of Narnia, this one takes us to the fantasy realm of goblins, hobgoblins, trolls, and an ogre. More 'meaty' than "The Golden Compass" although not as stylish.

2. Dr SEUSS' HORTON HEARS A WHO (fantasy comedy with voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell and Carol Burnett) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A kiddie treat just like "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", this fantasy tale about Horton the elephant (Carrey) may be rather tedious for adults. The animation is great though.

3. AH LONG PTE LTD (Singaporean comedy with Fann Wong and Mark Lee) Rating * * 1/2: This Jack Neo outing must have been inspired by the HK series "My Girlfriend Is A Gangster" with Fann Wong doing the honours as a gang moll in this spoof about illegal money-lenders (Ah Long) and even Malaysian politics.

4. 10,000 BC (prehistoric actioner with Camilla Belle, Steven Strait, Cliff Curtis and Reece Ritchie) Rating * * (2 stars): Even in the days if the wooly mammoth, men fight over a woman - in this case a blue-eyed Belle - in Roland Emmerich's derivative tale of a lost civilisation that seems to be a rip-off of 'Apocalypto'. (Reviewed below)

5. CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (drama with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This one is a winner among the so-called 'war on terror'-type movies of 2007. It has three Oscar-winning stars - and a powerful, humorous script. (Reviewed below)

6. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (drama with Daniel Day-Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Barrett and Paul Dano) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): An epic tale of family, newfound wealth, power and greed - with a fiercely intense perf by Day Lewis as an oil tycoon who gradually loses his soul. (Reviewed below)

7. THE MIST (Stephen King thriller with Thomas Jane, Andre Braugher and Marcia Gay Harden) Rating * * * (3 stars) Director Frank Darabont is back in his element with this King novella about a town under siege by mutant insects and religious zealots.

8. VANTAGE POINT (action thriller with William Hurt, Dennis Quaid (pictured, left), Forrest Whitaker and Sigourney Weaver) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A terrorist attack on the US Prez in Spain, seen from six perspectives, provides the usual twists and turns but a rather predictable movie. There's an ironical touch to the ending, though.

10,000 BC - Emmerich's Apocalypto

10,000 BC (adventure)
Starring: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis, Joel Virgel, Affif Ben Badra and Nathanael Baring

Director: Roland Emmerich
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * * (out of 4)

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? It looks like Roland Emmerich has taken Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto” caper (based on a lost Maya civilisation) and transplanted it in Egypt. And if that’s not enough, Emmerich, who co-wrote the screenplay with Harald Kloser, also borrowed ideas from fables like Androcles And The Lion to beef up the plot. However, while “Apocalypto” had a fast pace, lots of chase thrills and a reasonably intelligent story, this one is highly derivative, predictable and many notches down the intellectual pole.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Basically, it is about two men’s tussle over an exotic-looking, blue-eyed femme. D'Leh (Steven Strait), a young hunter of the Yagahl tribe, has set his heart on two targets – the blue-eyed Evolet (Camille Belle) and winning the coveted white spear in their last hunt of the woolly mammoth. He succeeds in both – only to lose Evolet and some of his friends to the ‘four-legged demons’ who are actually raiders on horseback. One of the raiders takes a liking to Evolet and wants her for himself. Like those of “Apocalypto”, these marauders abduct tribes to work on the pyramids near the Nile. Teaming up with his mentor Tic-Tic (Cliff Curtis), D’Leh trails Evolet’s captors to Egypt, encountering flesh-eating prehistoric swamp ostriches and other weird creatures (a’ la “Jurassic Park” ) along the way.

Oh yes, D’Leh also has a run-in with a saber-tooth tiger, setting up the above-mentioned Androcles subplot which turns out rather contrived. According to the Old Mother (Mona Hammond) of the tribe, D’Leh and Evolet are destined to free their people from the clutches of the demons – and so we find D’Leh uniting the various down-trodden tribes of Africa against the slave merchants and temple priests.

HITS & MISSES: The moment you hear Omar Sharif’s opening voice-over mouthing trite like “Only time can teach us what is truth and what is legend”, you know you are in for a silly ride. Computer-generated magic provides limitless possibilities but Emmerich does not seem to capitalize on it to work up the suspense and mystery of the subject. In fact the music soundtrack seem to overpower and sometimes drown out the action, shot on location in New Zealand, South Africa and Namibia. Those looking for National Geographic-type beefcake and cheesecake scenes will be disappointed. There is no eye-candy here.

Also, the acting by the relatively unknown cast does little to keep us enthralled and there are times when we stop ourselves from laughing at the inane lines. The Yagahl clan converse in English while the other tribes speak foreign tongues – creating many cringe-worthy situations in their dialogue. However, Emmerich’s forte is sprawling epic-style sets and here the panoramic scenes are spectacular and breath-taking.

THE LOWDOWN: A tribute to Apocalypto and a cheap remake of One Million Years BC.

WEEKEND PIC March 7 - 9 2008

Your Guide To The Weekend Viewing:

1. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (fantasy thriller with Freddie Highmore (right), Sarah Bolger, Mary-Louise Parker and David Strathairn) Rating * * * (out of 4): Just like the Chronicles of Narnia, this one takes us to the fantasy realm of goblins, hobgoblins, trolls, and an ogre. More 'meaty' than "The Golden Compass" although not as stylish.

2. CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR (drama with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): This one is a winner among the so-called 'war on terror'-type movies of 2007. It has three Oscar-winning stars - and a powerful, humorous script. (Reviewed below)

3. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (drama with Daniel Day-Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Barrett and Paul Dano) Rated * * * 1/2 (3.5 stars): An epic tale of family, newfound wealth, power and greed - with a fiercely intense perf by Day Lewis as an oil tycoon who gradually loses his soul. (Reviewed below)

4. THE MIST (Stephen King thriller with Thomas Jane, Andre Braugher and Marcia Gay Harden) Rating * * * (3 stars) Director Frank Darabont is back in his element with this King novella about a town under siege by mutant insects and religious zealots.

5. VANTAGE POINT (action thriller with William Hurt, Dennis Quaid (pictured, left), Forrest Whitaker and Sigourney Weaver) Rating * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): A terrorist attack on the US Prez in Spain, seen from six perspectives, provides the usual twists and turns but a rather predictable movie. There's an ironical touch to the ending, though.

6. 10,000 BC (prehistoric actioner with Camilla Belle, Steven Strait, Cliff Curtis and Reece Ritchie) Rating * * (2 stars): Even in the days if the wooly mammoth, men fight over a woman - in this case a blue-eyed Belle - in Roland Emmerich's derivative tale of a lost civilisation.

7. PARIS JE T'AIME (Anthology of short films about romance, set in Paris, directed and starring various international celebs) Rated * * 1/2 (2.5 stars): This compilation of 18 vignettes by some of the top directors offers a mixed set of tidbits but nothing filling. Quite an interesting tour de force of Paris, too. (Reviewed below)

HVO: Good Luck Chuck, We Own The Night, Becoming Jane and No Reservations

Home Viewing Options: DVD reviews

GOOD LUCK CHUCK (rom-com)
Starring: Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, Dan Fogler, Ellia English

Director: Mark Helfrich
Time: 90 mins
Rating: * * 1/2

THIS 2007 effort was taken off the cinema circuit in Malaysia and it is the top-selling DVD in the US! All for a good reason: It’s plot is pure male fantasy – and there are sequences of tits galore, including a shot of a woman with three boobs!

Comedy Central’s comedian Dan Cook plays the title character, a dentist hexed with the dubious gift of being the good luck charm for women seeking to get married. Every girl that Charlie sleeps with will fall in love and marry the next guy after him. Of course, this results in dozens of women offering their bodies to him for sex while Charlie is head-over-heels in love with penquin-keeper Cam (Jessica Alba). Problem is this: While Cam is ready to commit herself to Charlie, he can’t because if he has sex with Cam, he would lose her…

Okay guys, I know what you are thinking. No, you won’t get to see J-Alba topless (but pretty much every extra). Alba is not known for her acting but she is rather adorable here Cooking up great chemistry with Dan. This is basically a hit-or-miss comedy and first-time helmer Helfrich often gets the timing off. Still, it is just the DVD for a night with the boys!

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WE OWN THE NIGHT (crime drama)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes and Tony Musante
Writer-Director: James Gray
Time: 117 mins
Rating: * * 1/2

IT is like a cross between “American Gangster” and “Eastern Promises” – about two brothers on opposite sides of a crackdown on a Russian drug mob. Bobby (Phoenix) runs a popular nightclub for his Russian boss and has a hot girlfriend in Amada (Eva Mendes). His brother Joseph (Wahlberg) and father (Duvall) are cops. Things come to a boil one night when Joe raids Bobby’s nightclub, and later gets shot in the face. Bobby now finds that he must take sides…

This ‘brothers-torn-apart’ caper is old hat and the performances are nothing to shout about either. After about an hour of tension, things start to get predictable and ridiculous. However, the show-stealer is Mendes who gets our attention as a caring girlfriend caught in a dangerous situation.

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BECOMING JANE (romantic comedy)
Starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith and Joe Anderson
Director: Julian Jarrold
Time: 120 mins
Rating: * * *

Like “Shakespeare In Love”, this is a semi-fictional biography of novelist Jane Austen and her love life. It is 1796 when 20-year old Jane (Hathaway) meets Tom Lefroy (McAvoy) - a penniless student of law who is entirely dependent upon his rich uncle (Ian Richardson, in his last film role) for his upkeep. Tom is not suitable for Jane but they fall madly in love. This liaison does not please Jane's mother (Julie Walter), who wants her to marry the dull, humourless nephew of Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith). Jane's father (Cromwell), encourages her to do what suits her soul.

Hathaway does justice to Jane, providing her with the same wide-eyed intensity that we saw in “Devil Wears Prada” while McAvoy will stir female hearts with his rendition of Lefroy who is ever-ready for a bout of fisticuffs. The real Lefroy, by the way, married a wealthy Irish woman, had seven children with her and was a successful lawyer.

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NO RESERVATIONS (romantic comedy)
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin, Patricia Clarkson, Jenny Wade, Bob Balaban, Brian F. O'ByrneDirector: Scott Hicks
Time: 105 mins
Rating: * *

THIS little concoction is an adaptation of Sandra Nettelbeck's 2001 German comedy, “Mostly Martha”, but don’t expect another gem like “Eat Drink Man Woman” or “Like Water For Chocolate”. The problem lies in its lead star Zeta-Jones who seems to be the one having reservations about showing off her romantic self. She plays Kate, a Manhattan master chef who has no life outside her kitchen. When she becomes guardian of her orphaned niece (Breslin), she struggles to relate to the child. Meanwhile, the new sous chef Nick (Eckhart) threatens to usurp both her work and domestic domains - and the usual emotional tussle follows, with predictable results.

Eckhart is incredibly sweet and dashing but as expected, it is 'Little Miss Sunshine' Breslin who walks away with the show again!

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN: Good But Not 'Best'

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (crime thriller)
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson and Kelly MacDonald
Writer-Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen
Time: 120 mins
Rating: * * * 1/2 (Out of 4)


WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Yeah, what’s the big deal about “No Country For Old Men” that it should grab four major Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay)? I have to admit that it is a well-made movie – albeit with a rather disappointing ending – and, arguably, the best work of the Brothers Coen so far. But Best Movie of 2007??? I guess this either reflects on the yardstick used by the Academy members, or perhaps the Oscars ain’t no place for reviewers like yours truly…

WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Three men, actually. The first is welder Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) who finds US$2 million in cold hard cash at the scene of a drug deal gone bust while hunting in the Texas desert. He decides to keep the money but makes a tragic mistake of returning to the scene. The second is Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem, above), a hit man sent to recover the money from Moss. Chigurh, a humourless sociopath, is coldly efficient and sometimes brutal in disposing of anyone who gets in his way, including a cop. This brings us to Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) who puts his retirement on hold to crack the case. And oh yes, Woody Harrelson plays a cocky bounty hunter who is also looking for Chigurh.

HITS & MISSES: Basically, “No country For Old Men”, adapted from the novel by Cormac McCarthy, is a shoot-’em-up flick with its hit man as the main attraction (or character study). Chigurh is such a sadistic ‘lean, mean, killing machine’ that he often toys with his victims, offering them a toss of the coin chance for their lives. After watching his cold, calculated style of executions, especially with a cattle stun gun, even the sound of his voice sends shivers down our spine (which accounts for the Oscar vote for Bardem, who seems more of a lead than a supporting actor).

Brolin’s Moss, however, is easier to understand and empathise with, although it is extremely implausible (not to mention stupid) for a guy like him to risk everything by going back to the scene just to satisfy his conscience. Jones’ Sheriff Bell, the movie’s narrator, is the moral voice and commentator about how alienated the world has become for old men like him.

Joel and Ethan Coen, who jointly write the screenplay and direct, keep the pace taut and tight, emphasising every sound and visual for maximum tension and suspense. Just catch the cat-and-mouse game between Moss and Chigurh at the motel and you will see how well-constructed the sequences are. As a form of entertainment, however, this one will not make you go ‘wow’ at the end. Instead, you will be thinking ‘what the f…’ when the closing credits appear.

THE LOWDOWN: “No Country For Old Men” has not broken any new ground. It is as engaging and disturbing as “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill” – but certainly not worthy of its Best Film Oscar.