CGI does the trick

MANILA, Philippines - Advanced technology filmmaking may serve as cornerstone for success of comparison-prone reboots. But remarkably amusing characters can also be as essential to keeping the excitement, with or without the display of mind-boggling camera tricks.

For two of this month’s releases, Evil Dead and Star Trek Into Darkness, that point can be stressed as both are able to showcase appeal through CGI. Yet, memorable cast members do stick to the mind long after letting loose of that suspension of disbelief made possible by computer graphics.

In Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead, a couple of characters was portrayed by convincing actors.

Lou Taylor Pucci as Eric and Jane Levy as Mia stand out because they faded well into their vulnerable characters as the dude who can’t keep himself from reading cryptic words from a strange book and the gal who wants to go out to the woods without the company of her friends, respectively.

Mia’s scary face peeping from a slightly-opened basement passage while mocking out words easily rises as the film’s defining image, while Eric’s irresistibly funny turn as the geek taking all the blows and nails but dying hard provides the dark comedy it needs to attract the fanbase of the Sam Raimi original.

That Evil Dead 2013 brought in $26M on its opening weekend only shows the gut-wrenching gore it delivers play well with audiences expecting it. You have to be a big fan of the 1981 release to really appreciate the point of excessive decapitation and blood spurt, and of course, a “rapist” tree.

With Star Trek Into Darkness, producer-director J.J. Abrams has once again taken his craft into full swing with all the earth-shattering actions it orchestrates. The opening sequence alone is an eye-mesmerizing teaser that can convert even those who have incessantly debunked the series’ appeal.

Three figures rise above to carry the movie beyond space glory — Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock, Benedict Cumberbatch as John Harrison, and Simon Pegg as chief engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott. While Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk manages to pull though a decent performance as the main star of the trek, Spock’s demeanor punches more into the wonder of space war and exploration.

Main antagonist John Harrison creeps into the bones in the same vent that villains of major blockbusters are able to espouse. With his superhuman stance, he lives up to his tag as a one-man force to reckon with.

Then of course, there’s the scene-stealing Scotty care of the accent-heavy portrayal of Simon Pegg. Each time he appears, guaranteed smiles will be raised with all his quick wit and proper timing.

Star Trek is loaded with well-conducted sci-fi action scenes and a good supporting cast led by Zoe Saldana and Bruce Greenwood whose screen charm is evident as he speaks each word of his lines.

Evil Dead opened last May 8 while Star Trek Into Darkness, a Paramount presentation distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corporation, will be shown in cinemas tomorrow, May 15.