Roweee Reviews

John Dies at the End (2012)

Interesting but messy

[31 December 2012]

I went into JOHN DIES IN THE END knowing nothing about the plot or premise and came out none the wiser. I'll give it props for some interesting and compelling elements that raise it above your average horror/comedy film but the film's script and direction is a confusing mess. You would think the movie would at least make sense of its title!

My main issue is the poor characterization, meaning I cared little for these characters and confused about their motivations. The fantasy elements made me question the reality of what I was seeing, removing much of the thrill of danger these characters are supposed to be in. Why are these seemingly random things happening? Will any of this be explained to my satisfaction? Is it all a dream? Are they just all on drugs?

What's disappointing is this could have been a much better film. Reading up on the book it is based on seems to fix my gripes but that just highlights the poor script choices that were made.

Ted (2012)

Good idea with average execution

[18 November 2012]

I was looking forward to TED after hearing generally positive reviews and good word of mouth. I'm not a big fan of writer/director Seth MacFarlane's other works like FAMILY GUY, American DAD and THE CLEVELAND SHOW but I have found them amusing at times.

This film suffers from similar issues I have with those works. The comedy is often random, mainly one liners, packed with pop cultural references and toilet humour. If you go in with this understanding there is quite a bit to enjoy.

But the plot is wafer thin, predictable and the characters undeveloped. The third act seems to be thrown in for some action sequences. It's all about the gags in the end but I really expected more laugh out loud moments. It's a good concept that could have been executed so much better. In the end you might have some fun but it's ultimately a forgettable film.