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Ambush Bug says losing ain't all that bad after seeing THE LOSERS!!!
Hey all, Ambush Bug here again. I just got back from seeing THE LOSERS here in Chicago with my pal Capone and a crowd full of AICN Winners. Though I focus mainly on comics these days on AICN, occasionally when a comic book movie comes out (a rarity these days, I know), I want to chime in with the rest of the AICN chorus about my thoughts about the flick. Having been a huge fan of the Vertigo comic series from the moment issue one hits the stands, you may understand that seeing this film was a priority for me. Was this going to be another RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING or would it be THE DARK KNIGHT? DC has been hit and miss through the years and one things for sure, no matter how cool all the hype and trailers have been, until your @$$ is in that theater seat, you never know what the outcome is going to be.
The comic THE LOSERS to me was pretty much perfection. Back in the day when I was reviewing it regularly on AICN and long before plans for THE A-TEAM movie and IDW comics were planned, I compared THE LOSERS to THE A-TEAM if people actually died and the TV show was more tech savvy. THE LOSERS was a smart and action packed thrill ride birthed from the mind of Andy Diggle and one of the reasons why I perk up every time I see his name on a comic book cover. Though in my heart, I feel Diggle did his all time best comic book work on THE LOSERS, he’s still churning out some great stuff in DAREDEVIL and THUNDERBOLTS today. The other half of the team supreme that made THE LOSERS stand out as something unlike other books on the shelves was the stunning image work by Jock. Jock’s design in THE LOSERS was so crucial to the series. His hyper-dynamic yet simplistic line work made the action bound off the page. Every explosion crackled. Every hit hurt. Translating Diggle and Jock’s amazing work to motion pictures was going to be difficult.
So how thrilled was I to see Jock’s art adorn the opening credits sequence of this film?
The answer to that: Very thrilled.
The film opens fast with a series of quick cuts of character work from four of our five Losers, Pooch (Columbus Short, our noble transporter aka the B.A. Baracas of the team), Roque (Idris Elba, our darker merc who has a penchant for knives and second in command), Cougar (Oscar Jaenada, the silent sniper), and finally the man everyone is talking about Jensen (played by Chris Evans aka the new Captain America playing a witty tech geek). Much like Carnahan’s ADHD pacing of SMOKIN’ ACES, the camera flits back and forth to each actor in a staccato pace that would definitely test the patience of some. Director Sylvian White relies on this Michael Bay-ian cutting quite often in this film, especially in the action scenes, and if there is one major criticism I have for the film is that when the action occurs, more often than not, the action occurs, but it’s spliced and diced so much that it takes a few seconds for what just happened to register. I’ve seen much worse when it comes to editing these types of films, but if this is an annoyance to you, you’re going to be annoyed a bit with the film.
Chop suey editing aside, once the action starts in this film at about minute two of this movie, it barely takes more than five minutes to rest until end credits. This is a film that constantly is moving forward. The goal of the Losers is ever present. It’s a simple goal; revenge and trying to get the lives the Losers had stolen from them back and the film never stops at the 45 minutes mark to explain to the audience why it should give a fig. It doesn’t need to. The plot is simple. What makes it so fun is what the actors do with it. And they do plenty.
Director White assembled a top notch cast here. Though heading in, I had my reservations. Columbus Short lacks the stature and musculature of the Pooch from the comic, but his performance as the symbol of hope for the team is ever present in his nuanced performance. The pain he feels in his eyes when he makes the ultimate sacrifice to fake his death to protect his wife and unborn child is one of the prime motivators of the team to get their lives back.
Team leader Colonel Clay (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is a very strong role as well. Though occasionally looking like the bastard child of Brad Garrett and Javier Bardem, Morgan holds his own as the man everyone trusts to lead the mission. There’s a quiet moment between Aisha (played by the scrum-dilly-icious Zoe Saldana) and Clay where he admits his team all have someone to protect, but he has no one but his team. It’s a sad moment and Morgan plays it off perfectly. Later, Saldana finds out something about her dead father that resonates in her eyes. Moments like these are fleeting in this film, but it makes the explosions, the gunfire, and the action all the more important. Though this is a pretty fast paced film, these little character moments are what make you give a shit about THE LOSERS and what is lacking in most of Bay work and especially in Carnahan’s SMOKIN ACES (a fun action movie, but about as soulful as my sock drawer).
And then there’s Chris Evans. I think every geek on the planet going to this film is going to be thinking “What’s he going to be like as Captain America?” every time he saunters on panel. I know I did. For the most part, in this film, Evans played a geeked up Johnny Storm (a role that kind of put him in the forefront in the tepid but fun FANTASTIC FOUR film and its sequel). Here he’s the guy with the one liners. The guy who hits on the ladies but never gets them. Sure he’s been bulked up, which is the major difference between Jensen from the comic and Evans’ Jensen. But for the most part, I was smiling every time he walked in frame. In the comic, Jensen came off as annoying to me. He was the one Loser I wanted to see eat a bullet. But there was something likable about Evans performance in this film. Though I’ve yet to see him in a more dramatic role (I think he was in SUNSHINE, but his performance doesn’t stand out…note to self: watch that again), I have a good feeling that he’s an actor that can do well given the strength of the script. The script is fun here, so it works. Here’s hoping Evans has an equally good one for CAP. Nothing on screen had me screaming, now that's Captain America, but Evans' performance does seal it that he's a great character actor who nails the role of Jensen on every beat.
Finally, you’ve got to give it to Jason Patric as Max, the film’s baddie. I loved his turn as the heartless bastard in YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. He brings a lot of that sociopath into his Max character in THE LOSERS. Occasionally his scenes are over the top, but the little unscripted quirks he adds in (especially a playful game of “Got your nose!” with a midget waiter and the order to the Jacuzzi babe to “Stay wet.”) had me rolling. Max was much more serious in the comic, but Patric brings a callous and insensitive air to the role, making his disrespect for all things human all the more funny.
One other thing was a beef I had with the movie. The doomsday device, the dematerializer, just seems out of place in this gritty, real world action film. Seeing a CGI island be reduced to atoms made me think I was in a Bay or Emmerich vehicle. But after this CGI scene early in the movie, the tone shifts back again to real world stuff and all that could be easily forgotten.
Will this movie do well? I don’t know. It’s PG-13, so that means it’ll get more folks than KICK-ASS. But the lack of blood isn’t really a detriment to the film and the comic itself focused more on smart action than copious squib use. No one is screaming “FUDGE!” in place of Fuck and the lack of swears wasn’t noticeable. And as the PG-13 banner beamed up at the end of the film, I found myself a bit surprised, but acknowledged that there really wasn’t anything too offensive going on in this fun flick.
Is it a move I’d love to see a sequel to? Hellz yes. There’s definitely room for one in the end and I’d love to see it. Though I believe about two arcs were dealt with here, there are plenty more to be adapted. But I seriously doubt Evans will come back what with him playing Cap and all. So that may be the one speed bump sequelizers may find difficult.
But the movie itself is a fine comic book movie and a damn good action film. Almost all of the comedy worked. The pace was fast. And the characters came to play and did their job in making you care about the dire situations they fell into. As you can see, most of my review focused on the actors and the performances. That’s the main reason to see THE LOSERS. Comparisons to THE A-TEAM and THE EXPENDABLES are going to be all over the place, but those films will have to be pretty damn good to beat THE LOSERS. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
If you like the film, I recommend all of THE LOSERS trades by Andy Diggle and Jock. All are fantastic reads and worth seeking out at your local comic shoppe.
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, reviewer and co-editor of AICN Comics for over eight years and one of the original @$$holes. Check out his comic book shorts from Cream City Comics’ MUSCLES & FIGHTS VOL.3 and MUSCLES & FRIGHTS VOL.1 on his ComicSpace page. Bug was interviewed here and here at Cream City Comics and here and here about his comic from Bluewater Comics, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS: THE TINGLER #1-2. Look for more comics from Bug in 2010, including ROGER CORMAN PRESENTS DEATHSPORT in July, and the just announced vampire miniseries NANNY & HANK in August (and check out Jazma Online’s new interview with Bug about NANNY & HANK here). Bug’s latest comic is VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS #21: WITCHFINDER GENERAL on sale July 2010. Fanboy Radio recently interviewed Bug about it here.
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You don't agree with Massawyrm on The Losers then, I take it. Apparently you're more secure in your masculinity than The Wyrm.
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Very interesting. Massa review really, REALLY hated Jason patricks performance, so much so he says it very nearly ruined the movie for him entirely. Then this loved it and says his antics had him rolling. I get the feeling I'll be in the former category, because I think most things of this nature are very funny..but who knows. Point is, I'm going to go see this.
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or was Evans in the 1988 western?
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It was SUNSHINE. Thanks for the clarification.
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Cute, witty, and knows how to handle a bazooka
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She will be mine. Oh yes. She will be mine.
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Apr 22, 2010 11:57:51 AM CDT
WRITE MORE AICN REVIEWS YOU BUGGY BASTARD
by richard_gere_raped_my_gerbil
This was a good review. Please write more of them.That is all.
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Apr 22, 2010 11:58:16 AM CDT
His performance in Sunshine doesn't stick out?
by danielplainviewonvacationinboston
That performance MADE Sunshine the masterpiece that it is.
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Exactly my thoughts on this flick. And Bug, I thought the same thing about Sunshine. For some reason on 1st watch nothing stuck out for me. I went back and watched it again a couple weeks ago and Evans is great. That movie improves a great deal on second watching.
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Apr 22, 2010 12:20:00 PM CDT
he's only reviewing it cos one of the creators remembered him
by waka_flocka
i'm angry bitter cynical talkbacker. look at me!!
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I missed if you mentioned which part of the series this covered. Ante Up.
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Some of the older collected editions had gone out of print, so they're rereleasing them. Vol 1 just came out with the first 12 issues and Vol 2 will be out in August with the rest of the series.
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Especially coming from someone who loved the comic. It's settled then, they can have my money.
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few years ago from 2000ad megazine, threw in a photo of my dog and he drew a version of that on A3 for me in just marker pen and tippex...Top Man! God speed to him and all who sail etc
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This movie lacked the awesomeness of Kick-Ass. Plain n' simple. Two thumbs down & a limp dick.
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I'll catch it once it comes out on AMC classics.
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but I do agree Chris Evans and Jason Patric get it done and make the movie tolerable (and worthy of a few laughs).
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