Film Review: SALT (2010)

Reviewed by Nikita (ex-media student)

Angelina Jolie plays the titular character of Evelyn Salt, a CIA operative that is accused of being a Russian spy. It then quickly becomes clear that she is not quite who she says she is, which leads to Salt hiding from, and then fighting, almost every other person in this film.

This is obvious, modern day, propaganda but it is still enjoyable if you narrow your scope a little. The plot itself isn't very complicated but that doesn't matter because this film is almost entirely comprised of action. Although this doesn't sound very entertaining, it is! Angelina Jolie undoubtedly contributes to this but perhaps the biggest component of these action scenes is the editing, as well as the soundtrack. In hindsight, it is really an achievement that the filmmakers have managed to create a film that is intensely suspenseful and gripping for almost two hours without spending a whole lot of time on anything else.

Salt isn't a deep film, it's also not very realistic; this is the more realistic equivalent of a superhero film. That said, the film is enjoyable and (slightly) thought-provoking, and definitely holds up to repeat viewings.

Film Review: Kidnap (2017)

Reviewed by Zeel (A2 Media)

It was a cat-and-mouse thriller, which is expertly choreographed, and Halle Berry's acting was exquisite! However, at first I was initially put-off by the film's synopsis. Usually I would have passed this over in an instant but I decided to be open minded and give it a chance and I have to say I was not disappointed.  The acting, cinematography and stunt-work were masterfully crafted in such a way so as to get you emotionally invested throughout and are constantly given just the right amount of information to keep you on the edge of your seat. I believe that this film engendered such a visceral reaction. Sometimes whilst watching a film, if you cannot relate to nor care about the characters the film falls flat, and you consequently lose interest very quickly. Not so with 'Kidnap'. The relatability of Berry's character, plus the superb job she did with this role, puts you right in the car seat next to her.

Initially I felt let down by the length of the car chase scenes as they dragged along in some cases, but despite this the storyline was hooking and the plot twists kept me enthralled. The camerawork and cinematography are enough to keep audiences confused yet still understand what is going on.

Overall, this movie was utterly jaw-dropping.

Film Review: Captain America - Civil War (2016)

Update: Nikita's review made it to review of the week on the Into Film website. Well done!

Reviewed by Nikita (A2 Media)

Although the title claims Civil War is a Captain America film, it is really another Avengers film. The large starring cast helps keep the film fresh and funny but it also means that Captain America's personal story line (his relationship with Bucky, and with his girlfriend from back then Peggy Carter) is almost entirely sidelined. This is also especially disappointing as it is the end of Cap's trilogy. If you were looking for a film about Captain America, you're not going to find it here.

The film starts with half of the Avengers on a mission that leaves an apparently large amount of civilians dead. Although nobody has cared about this before, this particular incident is enough for the government to step in and try to rein the Avengers in through the Accords, a contract that means that the Avengers' every move as superheros will be controlled by a panel of strangers. Tony Stark, feeling fresh guilt over the death of a teenager, agrees to sign it, saying that they need to be controlled. Steve Rogers notes that governments have agencies and agencies can change. It's a very interesting debate but unfortunately, the film doesn't actually spend much time on this. Instead the plot really revolves around Sebastian Stan's Bucky/The Winter Soldier - except it doesn't. Very quickly, the action is reduced to childlike arguments; they fight for the sake of fighting. 

The budget for Civil War is huge and it's clear where they've spent it. The film is packed with very impressive fight scenes (and one even more impressive scene with a young Robert Downey Jr.). While the fight scenes add little for the amount they're on screen, they are very entertaining. Oddly enough, the big fight with all of the Avengers is hilarious. That's right - hilarious. Anthony Mackie, as Sam Wilson, has witty one-liners throughout the film whilst Paul Rudd's maniacal Ant Man and Tom Holland's first appearance as wisecracking Spider Man truly elevate the fight scene in terms of humour. Their short stint in the film is also perhaps the ideal length for a superhero to appear in another superhero's film.


The truly annoying thing about this film is the potential it had as a solo Captain America movie and how entertaining it was despite that. Am I still annoyed at the lack of focus on Captain America? Of course. Is it still funny and worth your money? Unfortunately so.

Interview with David Dein

Interviewers: AS students Sneha and Kanaiya

Interview: David Dein from MissPatelMedia

BFI Trip: An Introduction to the Film Industry

On November 2nd 2016, our AS Media Studies class went on a trip to the very renown BFI in Southbank, Central London. The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television. From the minute we entered, we were blown away by how modern and civilised the building looked on the outside and the inside. We had the opportunity to go inside to be welcomed by their very large screens and comfortable seats. We were first introduced to Rob Miller who talked us through what would happen in the day and with about 300 other students from different schools, we went through very interesting sessions:

• Independent vs. Mainstream Film
• Production Industry Overview
• Distribution and Marketing
• Exhibition

Alongside, we also participated in interactive Q&As with people who were very respected in their field. These were Camille Gatin (Film Producer), Gareth Lowrie (Director of Marketing for Universal Pictures), and Rob Kenny (Director of Operations at Curzon). As well as learning interesting case studies which would help us for our AS exams, we were also able to learn more about some of the wide range of career choices linked with Media and Communications.

Kanaiya