As we noted in the review for the first film, the decision to
do flashback sequences in a different animation style just set this toonhead's heart a flutter.
Not exact matches
He doesn't have much to
do, but an exposition - heavy
flashback sequence where the character's true loyalties are revealed is one of the film's biggest highlights.
The finished film doesn't play like a patchwork, but there are signs of cuts and stitches: a strange, abbreviated hot - air balloon
sequence in one
flashback, and McGregor's role in general, especially the way it waffles around his degree of villainy.
The addition of several
flashback sequences revealing a much younger Max (played by Freddie Highmore) is a nice touch, but it doesn't offer anything new about his relationship with Henry that the audience doesn't already know.
Boyle and Simon Beaufoy's script
does provide many
flashbacks and fantasy
sequences, so the film isn't confined in the same way as Buried, but all the same this must be the kind of challenge that actors relish.
Though she doesn't crack the case — instead, like in Ocean's Eleven, we learn Jimmy got away with the money through an elaborate
flashback sequence — she
does make an appearance at Clyde's bar at the end of the movie.
The
flashbacks and dream -
sequences are truly haunting and easily among the best things Marty has ever
done.
Doneen fills in some of these gaps with documentary footage from past BBA raids and also with beautiful
flashback animated
sequences from Jason Carpenter, who
did similar duties on Guggenheim's He Named Me Malala.
Perhaps all would be forgiven if M: i: III were competently - directed (while M: I - 2 is one of the stupidest films ever made, as John Woo is one of the best action directors of the past twenty - five years, damn if it's not beautiful, coherent, auteurist stupidity), but it's a glassy - eyed, dead thing complete with superfluous
flashbacks to events we don't care about involving characters we don't recognize, an interminable party
sequence in which Cruise trots out his smile like it was a weathered, beaten - down trophy wife, and a smug, self - congratulatory conclusion full of high - fives, victory arms, and shit - eating grins.
Blunt's take on Norah is marginally less successful, although she certainly
does an adequate job of Norah's conflicts and destructive personality traits, while allowing her moments of truth, particularly in scenes shared with
flashback sequences of her mother.
Here, he pumps up the saturation on the
flashbacks / dream
sequences to three - strip Technicolor intensity, causing stained wood to look not inappropriately blood red and actual blood to seem wetter than it usually
does on screen.
Obi - Wan didn't appear in Force Awakens, but his voice could be heard saying Rey's name in the
flashback sequence, which could be a hint.
No new information was released, but we can always
do a dream
sequence flashback — cue fog and spinning background thingy.