ethanrunt

Mohammaed is the story of two brothers, the eldest, Mohammed (A stunning Kayvan Novak), has mental difficulties, which puts the pressure on much-younger Adam (Jayden Revri) to look after him on a day when he simply wants to head out and see a film, whilst their mother, Emily (Sophie Thompson), has plenty on for herself. A trip to the bank is the dominant setting for all the neatly-juggled dominoes to fall, and to take a light comic drama and turn it into a fun action movie. It's always a delight to be watching something that hits strong emotional beats with the script, finding honesty, but also takes into account the enjoyment of popcorn cinema and finds ways to lace the ideas and tones/visual themes into a project, and Mohammed is the kind of short with grand ambitions and effective designs to match them. Once the world is carefully established, the dynamics of the leads formed and fused for the audience, the film could take easy directions to hit hollow but effective-enough discussions on mental handicaps, carers, sibling bonds and the importance of family, but casing it in a pseudo- superhero movie (A pseudohero movie?) makes the pieces fit into an exciting tapestry that is carefully constructed so-as to not loose track of the balls of drama juggling in the air, but rather deliver home-runs based on each of the concepts examined in the short time frame, with the use of tension, thrills, big comedic beats and some exceptional dramatic moments that creep up when you're not looking and hit you harder than a Hulk fist.

Mohammed is the director's fourth short film, and as writer as well his voice and style is becoming confident and unique, taking ideas and elements from what has come before and packaging it up in ways as yet not seen, and it's very exciting to think of where the people behind a film like this will go. One of the strongest short films in recent years, the definition of a must-see.

From the start it seems like Superman Returns. A planet blows up, credits. and the film isn't even called Fantastic 4: insert subtitle here, but merely 4: insert. Does this mean they aren't fantastic anymore? It'd appear so.

From the get go on earth the team are like modern day Paris Hiltons, everything about their life is in the papers, and paparazzi are just overpowering the wedding of Sue and Reed, causing problems even for our beloved Stan Lee in his finest cameo, comedic wise at last, and at least it's not cheesy, i mean, 'Amazing how one man really can make a difference" ? But, not to spoil the brilliance for anyone, the movie, as stated everywhere in the build up, is all about the awesome action in the film. Yeah, OK, that may be, but mixing awesome action with CGI that looks remotely realistic wouldn't go amiss, i know it's a comic book, but it's not a cartoon adaptation, real people don't look or plastic-esquire you know!

Gripes apart, and there is one other that pops up later, the film is a testament to the belief that the last one was good but not enough. More comedy, more action and less of the plot problems, rather they add a new character, they work as a team, and Doom comes back and just as quickly turns on everyone in what can only be described as the moment the makers were hoping would make the film a PG-13 in America for reputation, unlucky guys, apparently.

Going from London to China to Japan, i think, and Germany, and just in New York, where the Baxter Building's roof now has glass on the top in the shape of their logo :) It's dizzying, and a little too fast, when in all they could have gotten it done slower with more breathing space between random action that rots your brain until you go, oh, it's almost over, but wait, they have to wrap it up, come on, okay, that's it, yep, oh, you aren't going to die? Damn, my smile has dissappeared from my face.

See, spoiling without spoiling, me so clever. The acting is average, Alba really annoying with them glasses randomly, and just not being great, she never is, but Evans and Chiklis showing great chemistry once again as everyone's favourites, and even more a-fussin' and a-feudin'.

On top of that, add the grandiose 4plane, the great Doug Jones doing what he does best, take that you motion capture wuss Serkis Jones knows how to not be human, unless the Pale Man really is what he is like... And Lawrence Fishburne adds deep bass and humanoid-ity to the Surfer, who, considering i never liked him, kind of showed me his worth, and although the film should be called Silver Surfer meets the Fantastic Four, as it's more his movie than their's, especially the final battle, the film keeps it's tone high, take that darker sequels, yes Spidey, AWE and X3! funny, silly, and despite poor graphics in some bits, and annoying moments including bad pacing, the film is just as good as the original, and shows promise once again that the next Fantastic Four could be a little longer and a lot less about Sue... 8/10