Bad Films

This week I sat down to watch two DVD's one to see if it was really as bad as everybody would have us believe and the other to see if it was any good in the first place. The films in question were David Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune and the second was Ultraviolet starring Milla Jovovich.

Dune is roundly condemned by critics the world over and provokes heated debate amongst those who have actually read the source material on which the film was based. When the inlay to the DVD itself tells you that a film is not that good you really have to worry. Is it is as bad as the critics would have you believe well no actually it isn't. Is it a good adaptation of the book. In parts yes in parts no. Whilst the use of a narrator is good the narration does not adequately explain who is who where they came from and why they are where they are. I found the script to be just terrible. The effects look decidely ropey which is never a help. Dune could, in the right hands, have become a masterpiece. Unfortunately it fails because the script and let's be honest some of the acting is dire. It doesn't matter how good an actor is if the material they have to work with is lousy. The later SciFi channel miniseries were better but only showed to a limited audience. It is with some trepidation that I have discovered that there is to be a new version out in either 2009 or 2010. Given the state of CGI today this could be monumental. But whoever makes this will have to get round the issue of script and explaining who everybody is ikf it is to stand any chance of success.

I hope that this along with another remaked in 2010, Highlander, are not condemned finally to the rubbish bin of the film world.


So then I sat to watch Ultraviolet. It appeared to me to be a kind of The Matrix meets Underworld meets Equilibrium. Unfortunately it is not even as good as the worst of these three (Underworld just in case any of you are wondering). The frightening thing is that this film makes Aeon Flux look good and that is really difficult. The script is lousy, the acting worse. To those of you who like vampire lore and vampire movies this really is one to avoid. The 'plot twist' such as it is can be seen coming after only a short while. To spare you the torture - the archcardinal is a vampire and his 'kid' ( who looks like Wesley Crusher) is not there to save humanity and end the war.


So if you are standing there in the video shop and all you can have is Dune or Ultraviolet get Dune it is at least bearable.