Humanity Hallows Issue 5 Out Now
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By Jordan Murphy
T2: Trainspotting, starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Johnny Lee Miller and Ewen Bremner, is the sequel to the 90s cult classic hit Trainspotting. Directed by Manchester’s own Danny Boyle, T2 follows the cast 20 years on. Renton, Sickboy, Spud and Begbie all make a return in this stylish sequel that just falls short of the stellar original.
The film is about maturity in both its characters and time; it’s not just a sequel in name, as you are re-introduced to every character. You, as the viewer, feel the life they’ve lived and how they are failing to adjust 20 years on. This is especially apparent in the character of Spud (Ewen Bremner), who steals every scene he’s in. It’s quite a sad film, not in the sense of weeping, but depressing. Though there are plenty of funny scenes, there are underlying tones of loneliness, loss and betrayal.
The film harkens back to the original by showing unused footage and past clips. This gives the film a nostalgic feel but also resonates the feeling of losing touch. It soon becomes clear that the character of Spud takes the central role, the only character with a complete character arc; Bremnar’s portrayal is funny and sad at the same time.
Ewan McGregor is excellent (as always). He’s one of the best actors working today, and this film only does him justice. He takes the lead again as Renton and plays him as well as he did 20 years ago. This is only helped by excellent supporting roles. More often than not, most scenes with Robert Carlyle end with laugh-out-loud moments. However, he shows his acting talent with a well ranged performance that goes from hilarious to terrifying in a matter of seconds. The same praise goes to Johnny Lee Miller. Though his character, Sickboy, feels the least fleshed out, he still gives a pretty excellent performance.
Much like the original, T2 has a brilliant soundtrack, with songs from Wolf Alice, Iggy Pop, Queen and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and each track feels justified to be there. It makes for a great compilation album that has enough variation to keep it from being stale.
The film’s weaknesses come with certain story arcs that feel disjointed and in turn make the film’s pace feel uneven. In an interview with NME, Bremner stated that 40 per cent of footage wasn’t even used and it shows. Some scenes feel out of place and often come out of nowhere and kill the pace of the story. Maybe in an extended cut, this will be resolved. However, for a theatrical release, some of T2 felt unnecessary. This is a minor complaint about a film that has so many positives.
Overall, T2 is a pretty great film. Danny Boyle has delivered a sequel that will satisfy the audience and re-engage the world with the cast. Not only do McGregor and the rest give great performances, but it really feels like they have aged with the characters they portray. Though some scenes feel out of place and disjointed, it doesn’t impact the film in a major way. Trainspotting may be better, but that isn’t a negative.
Rating: 4/5
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