Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

6/10

Starring

Benjamin Walker
Dominic Cooper
Anthony Mackie
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Rufus Sewell
Marton Csokas

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov

 

I wasn’t holding on to my seat as I watched. I wasn’t jumping for joy as the bad guys got axed, and I wasn’t thrilled by the lines either. But I loved the way Lincoln handled the axe This is one of those movies, that you see when you have completed your house chores and you just want to have a lie down.

The movie is based on the 2010 mash-up novel of the same name written by Seth Grahame-Smith. It was directed and co-produced by Timur Bekmambetov, along with one of my favorite filmmakers, Tim Burton (as producer not director). Just like the movie poster shows, the real-life figure of Lincoln is reimagined as a vampire hunter, going after bloodsuckers to save America.

Anthony Mackie was the high note in the movie. He played Abe’s longtime friend, Will, who later joins the hunt for the undead. It’s mostly his portrayal of the character that made his presence more pronounced than that of the lead, Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln).

The plot is a little loose. It portrays vampires as one of the pioneers of the slave trade before the Civil War. In Lincoln’s attempt to stop their reign and expansion, the American Civil War breaks out. The war sees men going after vampires who can only be killed by silver. It’s a massacre on both sides, until Abe steps up to the task, wielding the axe all over the place. His life is nearly cut short a couple of times, but he always finds a way to come out on top, mostly unharmed.

The script is all over the place. The story is a little shallow, and some things didn’t add up. Maybe it’s just me, but I expected better cinematography. I wasn’t too thrilled by some camera angles. Tim Burton’s influence is felt in the directing style, but his production weight feels missing. The actors kind of grew into their roles, meaning at first they all seemed not so into it.

Unlike the mockbuster Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies, this movie starts with Abe having no beard, just a young man out for revenge. The beard shows up after he gets into politics.

Also, this movie didn’t have the wisecracks like the mockbuster. Anthony Mackie did well here, compared to the mockery acting displayed in Man On The Ledge. Benjamin Walker is a new face to me, but I guess he’ll now be known as the man who played Abraham Lincoln in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Go see it. It was ok.

Brave (2012)

Brave (2012)

6/10

Starring

Kelly Macdonald
Julie Walters
Billy Connolly
Emma Thompson
Kevin McKidd
Craig Ferguson

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman

Brave is Pixar's move away from child-focused animation to a story with a bit more drama. The movie is enjoyable, especially if you don't know much about it and stayed away from the trailers. I was surprised at the turn of events, mainly the whole mother-and-daughter connection—it caught me off guard, as I was more accustomed to male-led stories. Brave is a shift from the usual. Having a female lead is something, but having two female leads and no romance or male attachment involved is a stab in the dark—a chance that Pixar took. It was a chance that paid off, met with positive reviews and a solid stake in the box office returns that year. It was a commercial success.

After the movie ends, you’ll know immediately that this isn’t going to win any Oscar, but you’ll feel glad you watched a nice movie.

Brave is a 3D computer-animated fantasy adventure film from Pixar. It’s set in the highlands of 10th-century Scotland, and the lead role, Merida, is Pixar's first female protagonist. The movie is directed by Brenda Chapman, Pixar's first female director, who also wrote the story.

One thing I want you to look out for when watching this movie is Merida's brothers. Those kids were a menace to the power of three.

Giving you the plot without revealing too much is tough, but I’ll try. Merida defies an age-old custom, causing chaos in her kingdom. After consulting a witch for help, she’s given a cake that triggers a drastic change in her family. Now Merida has to undo the spell herself before it’s too late.

The movie's flow is kind of shallow, and it felt short—like more could have happened, and it didn’t. You’ll love the scenery, though, and the way the women were portrayed differently from the men, especially in their manners and way of thinking. The movie did drive a message: mothers and daughters have to communicate, with both sides leaving room to understand each other. That message may not land well with male viewers who were probably looking for more action.

Voice casting is a part of the movie I enjoyed. It was Scottish to the core. I have lived in Scotland, and I can tell you, they tried their best there.

I can’t say for certain if the movie brought in the regular money Pixar is used to, but I do know it’s not a bad watch. It’s something you’ll enjoy.

Abraham Lincoln vs zombies (2012)

Abraham Lincoln vs zombies

4/10

Starring

Bill Oberst Jr.

Jason Vail

Baby Norman

Don McGraw

Directed by Richard Schenkman

 

The movie doesn’t hide the fact that it’s a low-budget movie. The actors are not known, the zombies sometimes looked like dolls waiting to have their heads chopped off, and the cinematography is poor. The dialogue is funny, but not in a humorous way, and the script was shallower than you’d expect. I struggle with myself to come to the understanding of why I even ventured to see this movie at all.

The Asylum is known for making low-budget movies, which they give names that look a little like the main box office release.
The movie being poached here is Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Well, Asylum released theirs, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies, hoping to make money off those who mistakenly think it’s the box office release.

The plot features Abe during the Civil War. As the Confederates were losing the war, they noticed some walking-dead, flesh-eating creatures plaguing the land. Abe jumps to the rescue of the United States. He’s seen slashing away as he leads a group of soldiers who go after every zombie in the area, with Abe somehow knowing too much about them based on past experience, which are shared in the movie dialogue.

The writers tied the movie around what led to the popular Abraham Lincoln speech, so for that I give them credit. The man who played Abraham Lincoln in the Asylum rip-off did well, if I may add, and made Abe look like a true badass. The fun part was seeing him look dull at first, then he starts to kill and the movie turns him into a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Hey, it even portrayed Abe as someone who had a little fling with a prostitute way back when. The acting from the lead for me is amazing.

Well, Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies lacked in reason, and the good guys were all written down a little too much to make Abe look good. The movie’s advert line should have been: “Come see Abe jumping to the rescue like Superman on heat.”

But it also showed Abe as being selfish. Hey, I will kill you if I don’t have feelings for you and you’re infested by zombie blood.

But I have to say the movie lacks so much, and it was obvious it was rushed to meet a timeline. I’ve seen some Asylum movies, and I have to say this one had too much talk.

Well, not much of a good watch.