The latest releases reviewed
THE DARJEELING LIMITED ****
Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, Barbet Schroeder, Amara Karan, Bill Murray 15 cert
Deceptively simple and consistently engaging, Anderson's latest serious comedy is his warmest, most mature film to date as it follows three estranged brothers on a passage through India as a bonding exercise. It's accompanied by a prologue in Anderson's intriguing 13-minute companion film Hotel Chevalier, set in a Paris hotel room and featuring Schwartzman and Natalie Portman. MD
RESCUE DAWN ****
Directed by Werner Herzog. Starring Christian Bale, Steve Zahn 15 cert
Herzog makes a triumphant return to drama with this true story of a US Navy pilot (the incandescent Bale) who escaped from a jungle POW camp during the Vietnam War. A bracing combination of existential angst and careering action, the film is issued with a predictably fascinating commentary from Herr Herzog. DC
30 DAYS OF NIGHT ***
Directed by David Slade. Starring Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston 18 cert
Over-extended but atmospheric horror movie is set in an Alaskan town plunged into darkness for a month every winter. When vampires come to town, the sheriff (Hartnett) leads the locals in fighting back. The film could have lost a few superfluous sequences, but making one of the vampires an exceptionally bloodthirsty little girl adds to its menace. MD
THE KILLING OF JOHN LENNON ***
Directed by Andrew Piddington. Starring Jonas Ball 15 cert
The film, which focuses on Mark Chapman's behaviour in the weeks before he shot John Lennon, certainly makes no attempt to glamorise the drab, unsophisticated assassin. Sadly, like many films about boring people, The Killing of John Lennon ends up being somewhat boring itself. Good central performance from Ball. DC
BLACK SHEEP ***
Directed by Jonathan King. Starring Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason 15 cert
Following some ill-advised dabbling by mad scientists, a herd of sheep turn upon their human overlords and begin munching. This comic horror from New Zealand may not be quite as clever as it thinks itself, but it's great fun throughout and makes some attempt to issue a warning against dabbling in genetic engineering. DC
HITMAN **
Directed by Xavier Gens. Starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko 16 cert
The video game adaptation is such a grisly genre that if any film fitting the description fails to induce fits or vomiting it must be considered a partial triumph. The slick, empty Hitman, in which a bald Olyphant murders his way across Europe, just about qualifies. Just about, mind. DC
