Rules of the Game: Helander’s Schlocky English Language Debut
Even though the film seems perfectly well aware of its own silliness as it recapitulates formulaic American action cinema tropes of days past, Finnish director Jalmari Helander’s Big Game never manages to elevate itself beyond a mere dose of basic mimicry. A follow-up to his cult audience courting debut, the strange evil Santa Claus movie Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, it would appear the filmmaker prizes his own amusement over his audience’s, at least judging from the inescapable hokiness tinging the film.
Where his first film displayed playfulness with its dark humor and memorable action sequences, he’s returned with a different set of vintage inspirations. At times entertaining, especially concerning its unique blend of cultures, and with surprisingly adept special effects sequences, this is goofy fun as long as you can keep your expectations in check.
Even though the film seems perfectly well aware of its own silliness as it recapitulates formulaic American action cinema tropes of days past, Finnish director Jalmari Helander’s Big Game never manages to elevate itself beyond a mere dose of basic mimicry. A follow-up to his cult audience courting debut, the strange evil Santa Claus movie Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, it would appear the filmmaker prizes his own amusement over his audience’s, at least judging from the inescapable hokiness tinging the film.
Where his first film displayed playfulness with its dark humor and memorable action sequences, he’s returned with a different set of vintage inspirations. At times entertaining, especially concerning its unique blend of cultures, and with surprisingly adept special effects sequences, this is goofy fun as long as you can keep your expectations in check.
- 6/26/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Samuel L Jackson leads a batty comedy thriller from the director of Rare Exports. Here's Ryan's review of Big Game...
Released in 2010, Rare Exports was a mischievous comic horror film about a small Finnish town menaced by a feral Santa Claus. Action thriller Big Game marks writer-director Jalmari Helander’s English-language debut, and like Rare Exports, it mischievously plays with the expectations of its genre.
Set in the mountains of northern Finland, it introduces Oskari (Onni Tommila, the returning star of Rare Exports), a 13-year-old boy nervously attempting to pass a coming-of-age test. It’s the custom in Oskari’s community for a boy to head out into the forest and hunt down the biggest animal he can find; as one elder puts it, “A boy goes into the wilderness and comes back as a man.”
The problem is, Oskari’s far from a born hunter; unlike his father (Jorma Tommila...
Released in 2010, Rare Exports was a mischievous comic horror film about a small Finnish town menaced by a feral Santa Claus. Action thriller Big Game marks writer-director Jalmari Helander’s English-language debut, and like Rare Exports, it mischievously plays with the expectations of its genre.
Set in the mountains of northern Finland, it introduces Oskari (Onni Tommila, the returning star of Rare Exports), a 13-year-old boy nervously attempting to pass a coming-of-age test. It’s the custom in Oskari’s community for a boy to head out into the forest and hunt down the biggest animal he can find; as one elder puts it, “A boy goes into the wilderness and comes back as a man.”
The problem is, Oskari’s far from a born hunter; unlike his father (Jorma Tommila...
- 4/29/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
When I saw "Super" at the Toronto Film Festival's Midnight Madness presentation, I really liked it. I wrote an enthusiastic review for it. I'm not sure I would have predicted, though, that the director of that film would have the biggest movie of the year for 2014, though. It is much easier for me to confidently predict that within the next few years, Jalmari Helander is going to be writing and directing giant Hollywood movies, and that he's going to be very, very good at it. His first film, "Rare Exports," felt like the sort of movie that Joe Dante would have made in the 1980s, a film that takes this left-of-center approach to some high concept idea, a film that would have a passionate cult fan base. His new film, which premiered at tonight's Midnight Madness, is an action movie called "Big Game," and it feels more like the sort...
- 9/6/2014
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Cast including Jim Broadbent and Ray Stevenson added to action adventure starring Samuel L Jackson, which begins shooting this week.
Principal photography is to begin tomorrow [Sept 12] on action adventure feature Big Game, starring Samuel L Jackson at the Us President alongside Onni Tommila as his surprise teen sidekick.
New cast additions include Jim Broadbent, last seen in Cloud Atlas, Closed Circuit and Le Week-End, and fellow British actor Ray Stevenson, known for roles in Thor and GI Joe: Retaliation.
Also joining the cast is German actor Mehmet Kurtulus (Short Sharp Shock).
Big Game will shoot for eight weeks on locations across Bavaria and at Bavaria Film Studios.
The film follows Oskari (Tommila), a shy 13-year old boy who ventures into a vast local forest, armed only with a bow and arrow and the aim of returning with a prize to prove himself.
But when Air Force One is shot down by terrorists, Oskari discovers...
Principal photography is to begin tomorrow [Sept 12] on action adventure feature Big Game, starring Samuel L Jackson at the Us President alongside Onni Tommila as his surprise teen sidekick.
New cast additions include Jim Broadbent, last seen in Cloud Atlas, Closed Circuit and Le Week-End, and fellow British actor Ray Stevenson, known for roles in Thor and GI Joe: Retaliation.
Also joining the cast is German actor Mehmet Kurtulus (Short Sharp Shock).
Big Game will shoot for eight weeks on locations across Bavaria and at Bavaria Film Studios.
The film follows Oskari (Tommila), a shy 13-year old boy who ventures into a vast local forest, armed only with a bow and arrow and the aim of returning with a prize to prove himself.
But when Air Force One is shot down by terrorists, Oskari discovers...
- 9/11/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Now that holidays are behind us; the leftover turkey all but gone from the fridge; the tinsel and wrapping paper stored and the pine needles swept...and the January blahs in full swing… But what's that? Why, there's one more present sitting in the dark under the Christmas tree, still waiting to be opened. Go ahead, see what's inside, go on…I dare you…
Every year around December, we are subjected to the same tired old Christmas staples over and over: It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Santa Clause, A Charlie Brown Christmas, blah blah blah blah blah… It's enough to make you spew rum-laced eggnog all over the living room carpet. But whilst each film is calculated to foster warm fuzzy feelings of goodwill and holiday cheer, few filmmakers seem to be interested in showing the cold clammy underbelly of the Santa mythology.
Every year around December, we are subjected to the same tired old Christmas staples over and over: It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Santa Clause, A Charlie Brown Christmas, blah blah blah blah blah… It's enough to make you spew rum-laced eggnog all over the living room carpet. But whilst each film is calculated to foster warm fuzzy feelings of goodwill and holiday cheer, few filmmakers seem to be interested in showing the cold clammy underbelly of the Santa mythology.
- 1/15/2011
- CinemaSpy
And a drum roll, please, because here are the winners from the 2010 Sitges Festival.
Oficial FANTÀSTIC COMPETICIÓ Sitges 43
Jurat / Jurado / Jury
Francesco Barilli, Jaume Collet-Serra, Colin Geddes, Jan Harlan & Elena Manrique
Millor Curtmetratge / Mejor Cortometraje / Best Short Film
The Legend Of Beaver Damm de Jérôme Sable
Menció Especial pel seu original homenatge a una indiscutible obra mestra del cinema fantàstic / Mención Especial por su original homenaje a una indiscutible obra maestra del cine fantástico / Special Mention for its original tribute to one of the undisputed masterworks of the fantastic cinema
Vicenta de Sam Millor
Disseny de Producció / Mejor Diseño de Producción / Best Production Design
Yuji Hayashida per Thirteen Assassins
Millors Efectes de Maquillatge / Mejores Efectos de Maquillaje / Best Make Up FX
Vitaya Deerattakul & Andrew Lin per Dream Home
Millors Efectes Especials / Mejores Efectos Especiales / Best Special Effects
Gareth Edwards per Monsters
Millor Banda Sonora Original / Mejor Banda Sonora Original / Best Original Soundtrack
Seppuku Paradigm,...
Oficial FANTÀSTIC COMPETICIÓ Sitges 43
Jurat / Jurado / Jury
Francesco Barilli, Jaume Collet-Serra, Colin Geddes, Jan Harlan & Elena Manrique
Millor Curtmetratge / Mejor Cortometraje / Best Short Film
The Legend Of Beaver Damm de Jérôme Sable
Menció Especial pel seu original homenatge a una indiscutible obra mestra del cinema fantàstic / Mención Especial por su original homenaje a una indiscutible obra maestra del cine fantástico / Special Mention for its original tribute to one of the undisputed masterworks of the fantastic cinema
Vicenta de Sam Millor
Disseny de Producció / Mejor Diseño de Producción / Best Production Design
Yuji Hayashida per Thirteen Assassins
Millors Efectes de Maquillatge / Mejores Efectos de Maquillaje / Best Make Up FX
Vitaya Deerattakul & Andrew Lin per Dream Home
Millors Efectes Especials / Mejores Efectos Especiales / Best Special Effects
Gareth Edwards per Monsters
Millor Banda Sonora Original / Mejor Banda Sonora Original / Best Original Soundtrack
Seppuku Paradigm,...
- 10/16/2010
- Screen Anarchy
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