I didn't want to review Paul Greengrass’s "22 July" last week, mostly because it portrayed the white nationalist extremist who shot and killed 77 people at a Labor Youth camp in Oslo, as a rational person. Not just that, but Greengrass lays down the terrorist's agenda quite elaborately, having him explain exactly why he committed the insidious act. Briefly, the attacks were carried out to call attention to the wave of to Islamic immigration in Europe and to his view that feminism has created a European “cultural suicide”, whatever that means. The fact that Greengrass's camera has no problem letting the guy explain his extreme right-wing agenda in a measured and somewhat neutral fashion, handheld camera in tow, irked me.
Read morePaul Greengrass' shaky handheld camera is back in "22 July"
Paul Greengrass made the use of handheld camera 'hip' in Hollywood with his 'Bourne' movies and, by all accounts, he should most definitely be put on a list of the most influential action filmmakers of the 21st century. His films make you feel like you are really there, in the thick of the action. His very best work ("Captain Phillips," "United 93," "Blood Sunday," "The Bourne Supremacy"), heroic stories of unimaginable horror with edge of your seat thrills, reinforced the importance of the handheld camera, as a way to bring ultra-reality, at the movies.
Read more