Veronica Mars: O Filme

I was not expecting very much from this movie and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Don't get me wrong this movie has its flaws. The plot while not bad is fairly predictable for anyone who has spent time watching police procedural shows. Many of the characters in the film also suffer from being cookie cutter clichés with about as much depth as a puddle. You know the crooked cop who is so bad he might as well be a cartoon character. However the movie moved along at a decent pace and the dialog was enjoyable, i even found myself laughing more than I thought I would. I imagine that fans of the t.v. series will enjoy this film more than I did. If you are not a fan of the t.v. series and you go in with moderate expectations you will enjoy it.

Excuse the use of the Sade song title, but it really sums up my feelings about this film. I wanted to like it, I really did. I liked the TV show, and even contributed to the Kickstarter campaign. I'm not sure what I expected, but what we got was basically a 2 hour TV reunion show (2 hours if you had commercials, the film is only 105 minutes).

In 10 years, the residents of Jupiter have gotten older, but not smarter or wiser. And, sadly, even though all of the actors expressed great enthusiasm for the project, they all seem a little tired. They're happy for the pay checks, but in the end, they are rehashing the same characters, with the same emotions and the same actions as 10 years ago. Kristen Bell always brought that world-weary sense of cynicism to Veronica Mars, even when she was playing a high school detective. Now she just seems weary. I would much rather watch her in 'House of Lies', where that more grown up cynicism shines.

Bottom line is we should all have just moved on, and let our memories of the TV show remain intact. This was not an elegant ending of a good show, but a sad reminder of what we once liked and enjoyed.

If you are a fan of the "Veronica Mars" television show, then you have probably already sought out a copy of the movie continuation released on March 14, 2014. Whether it be in the cinema during its limited theatrical release, On Demand, or legally streaming online via Amazon or iTunes, fans were able to feel the sensation of show creator Rob Thomas and leading actress Kristen Bell saying "thank you" to their cult of fans.

However, I understand most do not fall into the group of "Marshmallows," the nickname given to the faithful followers of the three season CW series that ran from 2004-2007, but "Veronica Mars" is necessary to see when it is released for home viewing because marks history by setting a precedent in its production genesis.

Thomas was not anticipating his indefatigably sarcastic teenage detective heroine would take her final bow at the end season three, an episode that concluded the series by leaving many cases unsolved.

Fans have bitterly urged Thomas to make a film since 2007 for closure. After many rejections and no volunteering movie studio offering to produce the project, Thomas and Bell structured a Kickstarter fundraiser as their last resort, a process in which fans donate money out of pocket to a cause. In the case of "Veronica Mars" fans, Kickstarter supplied them a chance to prove their desire to revisit their favorite characters again.

The deal proposed by Warner Brothers studios: if $2 million for the film's budget was raised through Kickstarter, then the film would go into production and the WB would distribute and promote it.

The goal of $2 million was raised within the first 11 hours that fundraiser was activated. "Veronica Mars" broke the record for largest Kickstarter project in history, ending with the total revenue amounting to $5.7 million for the film's production costs. Even if "Veronica Mars" may not tickle your movie buds, it should be seen for the principle of being paid for completely by the fans.

Eight years after escaping the nefarious people and crimes of Neptune, California, Veronica Mars has put her intelligence to use into law school and is now applying for positions at high power New York City law firms. She has rejected her interests and aptitude in the private investigation field, but Veronica quick to pick up her old tendencies in snooping around when her ex-boyfriend calls on her for help in clearing his name of murder accusations. Veronica returns to Neptune, struggling to keep a hold on her new life while being vacuumed into her old one.

The film caters to the fans of the show, but doesn't alienate new members from the empire. You will not be confused or lost if you have not seen the show. Some frivolous story items are placed for easy fans access to tame their nostalgia, but if you do not get the "in" jokes, the lines fly over your head without a second thought.

A strong theme of "Veronica Mars" is the idea of a shadow. The balancing challenge Veronica faces is something most adolescents confront after their education is fulfilled and life begins to call their name: the yearning for home. Should Veronica stay in New York and begin her career as a prolific lawyer or should she return to her father, old boyfriend, and high school friends in Neptune? Veronica has strived to not be swallowed up in Neptune's abyss since the death of her best friend—the murder case that originated Veronica's skills as a PI—so now that she has these supreme opportunities, why not take them?

Reoccurring mentions of magnets and visualizing shadows establish symbols of Veronica's inescapable past and possibly her future. Anytime Veronica makes a major decision, she is shot in backlighting, forming a silhouette resembling a shadow. Don't get me wrong, "Veronica Mars" is not a compelling piece of art from an auteur director like Paul Thomas Anderson, but the imagery is poignant and compelling enough for a pat on the back.

"Veronica Mars" the show was wickedly wonderful, but you could always feel the target audience. "Veronica Mars" the movie is slightly depleted from the flourishing freshness of the series because the young adult tone has been relinquished. Thomas releases his "teeny," over- edited, abundantly neon lit style from his suspense tale in the transition to a motion picture, a blessing and maybe curse.

The mystery is concise, compact and not easily cracked. The classic pungent dialogue of Veronica's acid-tasting sarcasm is utilized fully while the sleuth digs through the past for answers. Watching Veronica interrogate the sketchy and identify the guilty is amusing.

Veronica is rendered exuberantly by Bell, particularly when she blows her character's sardonic comments at the adversary characters. She breathes the funniest dialogue and is one of the central reasons that "Veronica Mars" is so enjoyable.

"Veronica Mars" is an addictive film that ends valiantly in the show's roots, which illuminates the "Marshmallow" in me and propels the start of something new in the narrative (maybe a sequel?). The DVD and BluRay will be released May 6, 2014.

Always loved it and the new series was, while not as good as the original, very good too.

In some ways, I am the worst person to watch the Veronica Mars film. After all, I have never watched the television show on which the film is based—or do I know anything about it. I am probably NOT the typical person who would go to see the movie. I also am probably not in the target audience, as I am nearing 50. However, on the other hand, there are LOTS of people who didn't watch the show—and in many ways, this film is for them. Fortunately, you do NOT need to be a fan of the series to understand what is happening in the film. The beginning did a good job of catching the viewer up on the character—so if you are drug along to the movie by a friend who LOVES the series, you don't need to worry about feeling lost.

When the film begins, you learn that Veronica has left her home town of Neptune and gone off to college—where she was a super-high achiever. She's about to begin working for a high-power New York law firm when the film begins—as she' a recent graduate of the top schools and with top grades. However, when her ex-boyfriend is arrested for murder, Veronica cannot sit back and let the case work itself out—particularly since she knows how corrupt her old local police force is. So, she puts her job offer on hold and heads home. Soon, she begins to detect a pattern— other old classmates have also died and there might be some conspiracy afoot. But, instead of letting the police or her father investigate, she springs back in to action—like, apparently, the Veronica Mars of old who cannot resist a mystery.

I noticed that People Magazine this week did a quick review of the film. They described by saying 'this is basically a deluxe reunion episode'. I would agree that it could easily have been a made for TV movie and has that look. However, as a lover of classic Hollywood films, I see it also as being very much like a B-mystery series—such as Charlie Chan or the Falcon---and with many of the same old clichés that were common in the 1930s and 40s. Now this is NOT meant as a criticism—more of a comment about the style of the plot. So, if you remove the very hip music and hipster dialog, you have so many elements that are familiar to fans of the mystery genre. There is the inexplicable confession that comes from one of the conspirators near the end of the film, a heroine who commits break-ins and a huge confrontation scene where the heroine attacks and temporarily subdues the evil killer—yet doesn't pick up his gun! All these clichés are very old and very familiar…very. However, it's how all this is packaged that is unusual. Some may adore the self- possessed narration and coolness of the film—and it obviously is trying to appeal to younger audiences (I'd guess in the 16-30 range in particular). As for me, it was okay—and the story reasonably engaging and interesting. My verdict, strictly for the uninitiated like me, is that while I would not rush to the theater to see this one, it is a pleasant time-passer and you won't dislike the film. I see it more as a film to watch when it comes out on DVD. However, this does not apply to the fans of the old show—they most likely will love it. After all, their show is back—the amazingly successful culmination of a HUGE Kickstarter campaign—one that set records for how much and how quickly it was funded! These folks will certainly enjoy the film…and look forward to the "Untitled Veronica Mars Spin off" currently listed as being in the works (at least according to IMDb). I hope that Kirsten Bell will have time to do this—she has been a very busy and successful actress since appearing on this cult TV show.