Journey on the Road to Perdition.

I was a little teeny-weensy anxious before I went to watch Sam Mendes' latest offering Road to Perdition. As I followed the course of its production for close to 2 years, I guess I've been thoroughly impressed with the kind of commitment Mendes had devoted to this film even more so because the movie is an adaptation of the famed DC graphic novel of the same title written by Max Allan Collins and illustrated by Richard Piers Rayner. Normally comic book adaptations are high on action and low on emotion, therefore with the appointment of Mendes, who is known to be emotionally and psycologically adept when it comes to his work and the casting of character actors like Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law and Stanley Tucci, it got this movie geek totally psyched. Hyping about something has its perks and dangers and one of the most revered consequence of hype is the huge juggernaut that can bruise, maime and finally destroy a reasonably good film. Hence we arrive once again at my sense of mild trepidation.

But lo and behold my fears have come to nothing! Yes folks, I love Road to Perdition! My faith in this film has not gone to the bin! I don't haveta go for movie redemption and stay off films for 2 weeks(like i promised to 2 blog entries back). tee hee! oh wait...I've yet to watch Monsoon Wedding...grumble... By now, you guys must be quite familiar with the plot of Road to Perdition right? With me going on and on and on(X100) abt it. So I'll just get to what made me continue to champion it. The actors are amazing and they conveyed the spirit and message of the film more than effectively. Too bad there's too little of Stanley Tucci. Tom Hanks is the meloncholic hitman, Michael Sullivan who works out of loyalty and duty. Paul Newman is the powerful businessman who has to deal with being a brutal mob boss and a father. Jude Law, still looking good despite his attempts to transform himself into an unkempt criminal, is Harlen Maguire, another assassin who doubles as a criminal photograher for a cover. Tyler Hoechlin as Michael Sullivan, Jr was competent as the boy who's fraught with grief, guilt and an all encompassing love for his father.

I guess what really mattered most in the film is the dynamics between actors/characters particularly Micheal and Mike, Jr; John Rooney and son, Connor Rooney. The film portrays the relationship between fathers and sons; parent and child. It's quite obvious that the relationship between Michael and Mike, Jr which is developing and growing serves as a foil to the one between the Rooneys which is deteriorating throughout the film. But what touched me the most is the underlying message that a parent will and should put family first before loyalty to others no matter how close one is to that other. Michael Sullivan gives his all to protect his child, and so does John Rooney, eventhough their methods invloved sacrificing lives, ties and even honour. Therefore the pun of the title. Perdition is the name of a town where Sullivan and his son are headed. Perditon also means eternal damnation. The journey that Sullivan has to take in order to exact vengeance which brings him further into the underbelly of society will lead him to damnation but the sole purpose of protecting his son from all the evils of his world and even from becoming a man such as himself, ultimately becomes his salvation.

Speaking about awesome films in production...at the moment, this movie geek is hyping about a cool, little project in development for about a year already. The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, also based on a graphic novel, centres around the Britain in 1898 of an alternate reality. An anti-gravity element has been stolen and a team of agents are required to recover it and solve the myteries surrounding its theft. But what makes this film so interesting are the agents who make up this league because they include:
Ms Mina Murray(think Bram Stoker*huge grin*)
Mr Allan Quartermain(some kinda miner, y'know.*wink*)
Captain Nemo(he's into deep oceans and fought a giant squid once.*teehee*)
Dr Henry Jekyll(has a close friend named Hyde.*double wink*)
Dr Hawley Griffin(made see-thru into a fashion statement.*smilez*)
Dorian Gray(he's a famed pretty boy.)
Readers out there, you'd find these peeps quite familiar, yes? *nudge nudge*
Cool movie to look out for in the summer of 2003.

Staying in again today and it's driving me nuts! Luckily Eileen accompanying me out tom, u're awesome Eileen!! =) Wish I'm passing the time @ film fests. The 59th Venice Film Fest wrapped up screenings last night and right now The Toronto Film Fest is going on. I need to be there! Sobs! Anywayz, till the next madness, peace and out.