D.J. Haza on Birdman and Exodus: Gods and Kings…
It’s that time of year again when the film world is buzzing with whispers, rumours, hot tips and fan favourites for Oscar success. I ventured out to the cinema this week to see two very different films – Alejandro Inarritu’s Birdman and Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings.
One film is my tip for Oscar glory, and the other wont be anywhere near a golden statue unless the cast and crew decide to treat themselves to a plastic replica from a souvenir shop on the Hollywood walk of fame. If you’ve seen both films I’m hoping you’ve worked out which is which without reading another word! If not… shame on you!
I’ll begin with Exodus. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this film. But, there’s not really much to write home about either. There are some epic looking shots of ancient Egypt brought to life. There’s some decent action. The story’s ok. But… there’s nothing new here. Nothing Scott hasn’t done before. And better I might add!
Exodus feels symptomatic of the issue with a lot of Hollywood films these days – they offer us nothing new. Hollywood studios aren’t interested in art, they want cold, hard cash. And lots of it! So, they look for bankers. Something with a key actor attached. Something that already has an audience maybe. This is why we will soon be watching Rocky 34, Terminator 45, and of course….. Transformers 1,298! Everyone has heard of those films, they have a good idea what they will be about and they know the originals. So, they may have a look at the latest release, reincarnation, version or reimagining. Despite the long since deceased Stallone being propped up like a puppet, a CGI Arnold Schwarzenegger going back in time…. AGAIN! to save one of the Connor family, or Optimus Prime blowing more stuff up. Nothing new there!
It may be unfair to tar Exodus with the same brush as the ideas above, but it is lacking any real imagination. Part of the issue is that everyman and his dog has heard the story of Moses and his parting of the red sea…. Ah, sorry…. Plot spoiler alert! So, despite its attempts at drama, twists and plot lines I knew how it was going to end, I knew how it was going to unfold and there was nothing new to be gained from this incarnation of the age-old story.
Scott’s work too seemed very familiar. There were echoes of the recreation of Rome from Gladiator, the stylisation taken from Kingdom of Heaven and it seemed to be a tick box exercise on how to make a historical epic. Christian Bale’s character somehow felt very Batman at times too. Every so often he got frustrated, his voice became a little deeper and more husky. Any second I could see him proclaim to God himself…. “I am Batman!” But, he didn’t. Unfortunately.
It all seemed to smack of something Id seen before, but not quite as good. Scott seems desperate to recreate the glorious Gladiator, but fails with each and every attempt. Which is a shame. I think there’s a real yearning for a Gladiator type epic at the moment. Unfortunately, I don’t think Exodus: Gods and Kings is it, and not a single member of the cast or crew needs to practice an Oscar winners speech in their bathroom mirror’s come February.
Which brings me to Birdman. Wow. What a film! Exodus was an action filled historical epic with fight scenes and amazing looking CGI sets on the whole, but I still managed to play with my phone several times. My eyes wandering away from the screen as I scanned the Tinder prospects in the area briefly. Birdman is the polar opposite with it being a collection of people interacting in one building over 3 days. But! I felt like I couldn’t look away from the screen for one second for fear of missing something. Every moment, no matter how subtle seemed so rich with story, character and the beauty of cinema. It was incredible.
Birdman is different to most things out there at the moment, and… in recent memory. It was rich with character as each of these players moved through a few days in their lives showing their weaknesses, their egos, their flaws, their fears and reacting to those emotions bubbling on the surface and clashing with each other. The way the story was told, in seemingly one take, gave it so much impact as there was no fat, no dead space and no time to breath for the audience. It just kept coming. Seeing the world through the eyes of these flawed and damaged individuals had me on the edge of my seat.
The performance of each character was delivered superbly and Michael Keaton just about stole the show from Ed Norton. I believed each of these characters, I could see people I know in each of these characters, and… I could see myself at times. Inarritu managed to hold up a mirror to the world, and especially to that of artists, and show us how strange we are, how hilarious we can be and how completely irrational our egos make us act when they feel threatened.
If the Oscar panel are reading, which they aren’t, I say this…. Birdman is the film you need to be watching! A magnificent piece of filmmaking.
D.J. Haza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2vq4CudKRk&list=PL18yMRIfoszFJHnpNzqHh6gswQ0Srpi5E&feature=player_embedded
Originally published January 12, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
