Press. voanews.com
This time of the
year, Hollywood rolls out its big-budget films. Monsters and superheroes are
framed by spectacular special effects on IMAX screens, and the industry's big
stars flex their muscles, figuratively and literally.
Most of these
movies promise chills and thrills for not a small fee at the box office, and
though they are not usually Oscar heavyweights, they are meant to quench
theatergoers' summer thirst for adventure. Some of the industry's big-budget
flicks look promising for their originality and good acting and for their
revival of classic movie franchises.
Filmmaker Ridley
Scott returns to his iconic Alien franchise with his new Alien: Covenant. It
takes place 10 years after his 2012 Alien film Prometheus, which did not fare
that well among the diehard fans of the sci-fi horror franchise because it
veered off the monster plot line of the genre.
Now, in Alien:
Covenant, Scott returns to his fiendishly intelligent and indestructible
xenophorms preying on humans on a distant planet. To the delight of Alien fans,
Alien: Covenant bursts out following the same formula as the original Alien
film almost 40 years ago.
Crew members of
a colony ship are lured to an unknown planet after they receive a human signal.
When they land, they discover Earthlike living conditions, but what looks at
first like a haven soon turns into hell. The crew is decimated by the horrific
acid-dripping crustaceans.
Katherine
Waterston, who plays Daniels, a terraform expert and captain of the ship,
resembles Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, the heroine of the original films. The
designs of the creatures are as horrific and awesome as ever, and the 3-D IMAX
technology adds detail to the gruesomeness of their attacks.
Michael
Fassbender adds a Shakespearean tone with his dual role of two
identical-looking "synthetics," as artificial intelligence is called
in the film. The upgraded synthetic, Walter, is part of the crew and
human-friendly, while David, the first version stranded on the planet, is
ruthless and destructive.
The film's story
line is meant as a prequel to Scott's original Alien trilogy and the opening
chapter to new Alien sci-fi horror installments. And though Scott sacrifices
originality for form, Alien fans will probably love it, and Hollywood will
likely cash in.
Guardians of the
Galaxy Vol. 2
After the
unexpected success of the original Guardians of the Galaxy, filmmaker James
Gunn makes a bigger, flashier sequel with the same cast, as the guardians are
embroiled in new adventures. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 mixes action with
raunchy humor and relies on the successful chemistry among the cast of bankable
actors such as Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper and Vin
Diesel.
The impressive
visuals and 1970s rock music aim to attract moviegoers of all ages, a formula
that has proven very successful for the movie industry. So far the sequel has
grossed over $630 million.
Wonder Woman
One of the most
anticipated superhero blockbusters this summer is Wonder Woman. As a woman
herself, director Patty Jenkins creates a dynamic female superhero, an Amazon
princess who leaves her realm to go and fight a war to end all wars.
Wonder Woman is
fleshed out by actress-model Gal Gadot, who also served as a combat instructor
in the Israeli army. Gadot promises to make this DC Comics superhero memorable
for many sequels to come. Chris Pine plays Colonel Steve Trevor, a male
sidekick, offering Wonder Woman all the adulation and adoration she deserves.
If Wonder Woman is meant to show female moxie, Gadot has got it.
The Mummy
Tom Cruz
headlines the revamped The Mummy and shows off some wicked stunts while chasing
the resurrected malevolent creature in ancient tunnels under modern London.
Sofia Butella plays a convincing mummy, a role first played by Boris Karloff in
1932. This is the first time the mummy is fleshed out by a woman. Butella plays
ancient Egyptian Princess Ahmanet who wakes up from the dead and unleashes her
rage on humanity because her father broke his promise to her and did not make
her Pharaoh.
War for the
Planet of the Apes
In War for the
Planet of the Apes, Andrew Serkis reprises the role as simian leader Caesar in
a motion capture suit (which creates a special effect that blends human and ape
features), who rises against humans to avenge his kind. Woody Harrelson plays
the diabolical colonel set to destroy Caesar and the apes once and for all. The
success of this franchise, mainly due to special effects and Serkis' fine
acting, has whetted Hollywood's appetite for another robust box office in the
middle of summer.