Our seventeenth Maneater movie is Rise of the Gargoyles.The movie has a couple of things going for it.For starters,the monsters,as you may have guessed,are Gargoyles.They're some of the coolest monsters in the entire Maneater Series.They're swift,they're large,and they reminds me of Black Swarm if the Wasps where
big.The next is the plot,it's pretty cool.Judgment Day has arrived and these Gargoyles where imprisoned,and this guy is man kinds last hope.The plot is really nice and makes for a lot of interesting moments in the movie,but the third and final thing the movie has going for it the fact the movies pacing is really smooth,and doesn't feel to fast or to slow,which is something I thought would plague the movie (consider this is a movie where the monsters are Gargoyles).But over all,the movie sets itself up nicely and the plot is good.
The acting is also good.It's surprising since the lead actor was in the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.And in there,he was pretty weak.Ignoring that,I find the acting to also lack moments where it's over the top (at least I couldn't find any) or under acted.The acting remains smooth and very nice.The third act also lacks bad acting,which is surprise because that's when a Sy-Fy Original will tear itself apart and become bad (or worse than it already was).The delivery of the dialogue is decent,but I think it could of been better.Come on,just say your lines,the Gargoyles don't have super hearing! For all you know,they go by movement and/or echolocation! Oh well,you can't fault the realism (whatever realism there is in the first place) when your trying to act like it's Judgment Day.Over all though,the acting is good,but the delivery of the lines could be better.
The directing is a mixed bag.For starters,once again,the Gargoyles are flying,and attempting to not shake is a bit hard.Though Rise of the Gargoyles isn't that shaky.Now my main problem with the directing is the lighting.I know that Gargoyles turn to stone during the day,and come out at night,but the lighting reminds me a bit of another Maneater movie,Carny.It's pretty dark and a bit hard to see.Reminds me of Sea Beast,but at least that's another good Maneater movie.Now ignoring the fact that,well,the lighting is accurate on the Mythology of Gargoyles,the shakiness is like Sand Serpents.Of course,it's still there,but at least it isn't vomit worthy or gives you a sickening feeling of Vertigo.It could be better,but over all,the directing passes none the less.There really wasn't much to say about it,you can at least see the Gargoyles.
The characters are very good for a Sy-Fy movie.They are developed nicely,they're is some emotion in them,they have SOME personality's,and you still lack sympathy.Well,you get the majority of it.There not stupid and act when they need to,rather than just running around in circles,claiming they're getting somewhere like in Grizzly Rage or fucking Gryphon.The Gargoyles are obviously the heroes though.They kill the extras,they kill obvious "main" characters who where there to just be snacks,and they whoop a lot of ass.Though it sucks when someone who you hate in the movie out maneuvers them.Well,they eventually pick off every character I hate.Gargoyles aside,the characters are good enough to pass.There isn't much wrong with them,but you root for the Gargoyles,just like you would for the Wyvern or the Catfish thing.
The dialogue fits the acting like bread and butter.It's nicely written and fits the tone of the movie (most of the time).The development of the characters is good too,since there really isn't much time for it when Gargoyles are flying around and it's Judgment Day.By the third act,the dialogue is still nice and brisk.To be fair,the dialogue never goes up or down,and is probably the best part of the entire movie.I can't spot many problems with it and it surprisingly doesn't age throughout the movie.The delivery isn't that great,but it's still pretty good as the movie goes on.In a nut shell though,the dialogue is easily the part of the movie and easily some of the best in the entire Maneater Series.Which is good,because Rise of the Gargoyles,at first glance,would seem to have everything wrong.Especially dialogue (the title would ooze horrendous cheesiness).
The CGI is nicely done.With quite a few Gargoyles,the wing movement is good and they look sorta impressive.However,they also look a bit goofy.But seeing as how they're coloring hides out some of the facial details (or is that the lighting mister director?),you may not be able to spot it.Evidence your CGI can still look goofy,no matter how impressive.Nit-picking aside,the CGI is good for a Sy-Fy Original,but since I haven't seen a Gargoyle statue in a bit,I'm not sure if it's a good representation of a real statue.Now seeing as how they did nail the wing movement,maybe a real statue,and the CGI itself,what else is left? The stone look to them.Now the stone looks a little bit off.If you look at the boxart alone,the Gargoyle looks a bit rubbery or a bit smooth for stone.Like the goofiness of them,you might be able to ignore that.But a long story short,the CGI is good,even if the Gargoyles look slightly off.
Over all,Rise of the Gargoyles is a load of fun,and another good entry into the Maneater Series.It's main flaw is the fact the lighting is a bit off (even if to keep in tone of the mythology behind Gargoyles),and the nit-picks at the CGI.But everything else over whelms the flaws.It's a nice,fun ride and pretty much speaks for itself.When you look at the title itself,it either oozes awfulness or sounds like fun.In this case,Rise of the Gargoyles is a lot of fun,and I do recommend it.And like every other good Maneater movie,I can't guarantee you'll like it,but I have more faith in this one than the other ones.It has enough enjoyability to carry it through it's run time.I score Rise of the Gargoyles a 7 out of 10.Our next Maneater movie is yet another fun ride!
April 20, 2011
