Just Seen... TRESPASS (2011)

Rubbish * Ok **Good***   Great**** Unmissable *****

            

Trespass **

             Batman and Robin on one side, Falling Down on the other. Bad Company (if anyone recalls the Chris Rock/Anthony Hopkins 2002 action flick) on one side, A Time To Kill on the other. When we think of Hollywood director Joel Schumacher most people are understandably skeptical of his work they are about to watch.

           

             In fairness this may a trifle unfair with the solid work outweighing the bad, but in Hollywood shit sticks and the stench of the frankly torrid Batman and Robin will always follow Schumacher like a unwanted creepy stalker. But the man has earned his bacon enough to prove us wrong with appearance of a cinematic masterpiece...  

          On that note along comes the new thriller Trespass. Featuring an A list Academy Award winning cast Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman! So far so good! However if your not recalling this film in the cinema listing that's where the plot thickens.  Interesting enough this film broke the record for the fastest ever move from cinema release to home video release which happened in a mere 18 days being pulled from it's limited theatrical release after only 10. Not the clear signs of a cinematic masterpiece.

       The movie grossed $24,094 which is great if it's some student project you made for $10,000, in fact that's amazing and your sure to progress far in the industry having displayed clear money making skills in this money making industry. However this was not a student film made for $10,000 this was Hollywood thriller made for £35,000,000... oh shit.

      The plot is that whilst man and wife (Cage and Kidman) are chill-laxing in their massive hi tech mansion armed robbers.... Trespass! Cage and Kidman are taken hostage forcing a game of wits between the family and robbers as they try and get their hands on Cages diamond fortune, but beware things may not be as they seem.

        The fact that the film was rushed at record breaking speed onto On Demand actually makes sense because Trespass at the end of the day is in nature a TV movie, with money and Hollywood hands surrounding it, but all the money in the world cannot change or improve what is.

       What "is" is a basic plot with plot twist and turns that I hardly think would worry the likes of The Sixth Sense, and sexed it up with;

a)Money 

b)A list Stars

C)Hollywood director 

      

       What do they have in common? They are all wasted, especially the money. The money most of which I can only imagine went on inflated wages (or cast bribes) because the film itself is very lo budget in terms of production value. The film consists of mainly one major location (Mansion)and a reasonably small cast. In fact this could have been made by students which I think could have had allot more exciting creative use of talent, which often happens on lower budgets, because often creativity is forced to solve issues instead of money. In fact had this been a low budget TV film or student film it would have been received and appreciated allot better. It's the involvement of Hollywood talent that ultimately works against Trespass.

       The A list cast try with Kidman coasting and Nicolas Cage attempting the material but hardly convinced of his role, a point probably made by the man himself when he walked off set wanting to part swop with the main bad guy part (Liev Schreiber all primed to replace Cage) but the next day returned to work in the same part. The interesting thing is the supporting cast especially the main robber try harder than the leads, with more interesting character traits (mental issues, heroin addictions) which is most probably the reason Cage wished to swop parts giving himself more to play with. In fact with Cage in that part he stood a good chance of scene stealing but ultimately opted for the safe leading man part.       

        
             The direction is fine,but pretty much consists of coverage of the transpiring events and the occasional Without A Trace style back flash effect routine but where's the Hitchcockian signature shots, the suspenseful innovative style to keep the audience entertained in a limited location film. The director is more than capable of doing this, in fact his done it! Phone Booth was a innovative directional suspenseful entertaining film considering it's exceptional limited location... a er phone booth.  

Outcome

        Trespass does the job, provides what you would expect, but nothing more and with the talent available that is a shocking wasted opportunity.

        Joel Schumacher said in a interview that his general reception of his film by people he spoke to was that he made a "edge of your seat thriller!" whoever said that is either a suck up or needs to get out more. In fact if they really loved this I imagine Quantum Of Solace would blow their minds totally.

     

P.s

Anyone who wants to watch this film don't waste your money... I don't mean it like that it's available on youtube.  

Trailer: