Three Amigos! (1986)

Director: John Landis
Starring: Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, Martin Short, Alfonso Arau
Certificate: PG
Genre: Comedy, Western
Awards: None

The Three Amigos are actors that star in silent films where they play lone rangers who save people. Being mistaken for their onscreen personas. A mexican village hires them to rid them of a terrible bandit. The actors however, do not know that this time it is for real.

Three Amigos is basically a parody of The Magnificent Seven. It's humour can only be described as silly. There is one part with a singing bush that was so weird that I was in hysterics. It is definitely an enjoyable film.

****Good

Three Amigos Trailer

Hidalgo (2004)

Director: Joe Johnson
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharrif, Zuleikha Robinson, Louise Lombard
Certificate: 12
Genre: Western
Awards: None

Hidalgo is the name of the horse owned by Frank Hopkins (Mortensen). The two perform for a circus and occasionally fail to stop the slaughter of red indians - which is a sore spot for Mr Hopkins because he is half Red Indian. While performing in the circus, Hidalgo is described as the greatest endurance horse. However, a servant of an arabian Sheik who has no knowledge of exaggeration demands that the circus stop calling the horse that or enter an endurance race in Arabia to prove Hidalgo is the best. Hopkins agrees.

Hidalgo is a western that is set mostly in Arabia. The race is a lot more interesting than it looked like it was going to be thanks to some dastardly characters and a man with a trained bird. I'm glad that the film did not go down the route of just having a connection between man and horse in favour of some more interesting characters and subplots including abduction and gunfights.

Altogether, Hidalgo is a well put together film that has nice characters and a good story. It gets predictable near the end but their probably was no other appropriate way to finish it.

****Good

Hidalgo Trailer

Spaceballs (1987)

Director: Mel Brooks
Starring: Bill Pullman, John Candie, Daphne Zuniga, Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks
Certificate: 12
Genre: Comedy, Sci Fi
Awards: None

Spaceballs is a parody of the massive space opera Star Wars and a few other Sci Fi films. It tells the story of a rogue named Lone star (Pullman) who is offered a reward to rescue Princess Vespa (Zuniga) from the evil Lord Helmet (Moranis).

Spaceballs is a hit and miss comedy. A lot of it just seems tacky and rubbish but it has it's genuinely funny moments (Such as John Hurt's cameo with a surprising twist). The acting is abysmal from the main three characters. Moranis makes the film work as lord Helmet. He's funny and whenever he is off camera, you want him to come back.

If you compare this to some of Brooks' earlier works such as Blazing Saddles, this film seems like a cheap film with not much thought put into it. It was Disappointing but the best bits are definitely quotable.

***Okay

Spaceballs Trailer

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (2010)

Director: Mike Newell
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina
Certificate: 12
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Adventure
Awards: None

During the time of the persian empire. An adopted prince named Dastan (Gyllenhaal) is wanted for the murder of his father, but he is innocent. He has also come across a mysterious dagger that can turn back time. Dastan also brings along princess Tamina (Arterton) who knows about the dagger and what harm it can do in the wrong hands. Dastan tries to find out who really killed his father while strange beings try and take the dagger from him.

Although Prince Of Persia did not light the world on fire, I feel that it was a pretty decent action film. It's a shame Disney are not planning on continuing the series as it would be interesting to see what happens to the characters.

Prince Of Persia does seem to be the first good Video-Game adaptation. It was entertaining and was stylised pretty well. However, if the reversing time gimmick was used a bit more it would have made it a lot more interesting.

****Good