Helsinki Times

Dim chance of success

WHAT is it about 3D? Does it improve the overall quality of a film? James Cameron and the size of his retirement nest egg may suggest otherwise, but somehow it seems that shelling out extra dosh for what amounts to wearing sunglasses indoors takes away from the cinema experience. Ever taken your glasses off midway through a film to check the difference? The glare is almost blinding!

Unfortunately cinema’s current fascination with 3D was just the experience that got in the way of my enjoyment of Martin Scorsese’s latest, Hugo. Cinema-lovers around the world have been falling over themselves to praise the film, beside themselves with excitement at the thought that one of the world’s greatest auteurs is tipping his hat to the 3D format.

But squinting through the dim to ascertain what’s occurring onscreen as the bridge of your nose becomes increasingly irritated underneath your temporary goggles – is it really worth the extra euros?

Here Asa Butterfield earns props for not being the typically annoying onscreen youngster as he sets about uncovering the clues to the origins of the mechanical man that he and his father had been tinkering with before his father’s death. Living behind the scenes at Gare du Nord in Paris, Hugo’s search leads him to some of the most inspired filmmaking of Scorsese’s career.

But once again, the confounded 3D takes away from the spectacle: shots that should be overflowing with visual detail, popping and crackling with colour and spectacle, are rendered flaccid by the sheer murkiness of the image. Stellar camerawork from Robert Richardson and charming performances by Chloë Grace Moretz and Ben Kingsley aside, my enjoyment of the film unfortunately was lost in the shadows.

At this stage it doesn’t look like the film will be offered in 2D on its release in Finland. Fingers crossed that this will change.

While following in the footsteps of Brendan Fraser might have most actors looking for a new agent, we all can smell what The Rock is cookin’ in Journey 2: colossal box office. Here, following up Journey to the Center of the Earth from a couple of years ago, Josh Hutcherson teams up with the ex-wrestler on a mission to find his grandfather, Michael Caine. With Luis Guzmán also joining the cast, you might just find yourself tempted to give this flick a go.

Meanwhile, Safe House sees young CIA agent Ryan Reynolds tasked with keeping an eye on fugitive Denzel Washington in a safe house. But what to do when they are attacked and are soon on the run?

Finally, set in the 1800s, local film Härmä sees Mikko Leppilampi growing his beard out in preparation for being number one at the local box office next week.

JAMES O’SULLIVAN
HELSINKI TIMES