SUM
      41
      SHOW
      POSSIBLE
      POTENTIAL
      AT
      CIVIC
      CENTRE
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      16,
      Canadian
      pop/punk
      quartet
     
     
      Sum
      41
      played
      to
      an
      enthusiastic
     
     
      crowd
      at
      the
      Charlottetown
      Civic
     
     
      Centre.
      The
      Ontario-based
      group
     
     
      are
      evolving
      quite
      quickly,
      going
     
     
      from
      juvenile
      pop
      punks
      who
      play
     
     
      short
      and
      catchy
      teen
      anthems
      to
     
     
      juvenile
      pop
      punks
      who
      play
     
     
      slightly
      rawer
      and
      heavier
      teen
     
     
      anthems.
     
    

    
     
      At
      the
      first
      of
      their
      com-
     
     
      mercial
      career,
      the
      group
      seemed
     
     
      doomed
      to
      fall
      into
      the
      same
      trap
     
     
      of
      pretty
      much
      every
      other
      copy-
     
     
      cat
      band
      that
      dealt
      with
      the
      same
     
     
      material.
      However,
      their
      latest
     
     
      album
      has
      revealed
      a
      side
      of
      the
     
     
      band
      that,
      properly
      nurtured,
     
     
      could
      separate
      them
      from
      the
      rest
     
     
      of
      the
      crowd
      and
      allow
      them
      to
     
     
      grow
      into
      a
      more
      formidable
      rock
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Waiting"
      and
      "Over
      My
      Head
     
     
      (Better
      Off
      Dead)",
      while
      still
      pret-
     
     
      ty
      simplistic,
      do
      show
      a
      possible
     
     
      future
      for
      the
      band.
      -
     
    

    
     
      While
      still
      pretty
      juvenile
     
     
      characters
      ,
      Tuesday's
      night
      per-
     
     
      formance
      showed
      that
      the
      group
     
     
      doesn't
      allow
      their
      antics
      to
      get
      in
     
     
      the
      way
      of
      professionalism.
      The
     
     
      stage
      set-up
      was
      well
      done,
      and
     
     
      even
      resembled
      some
      of
      the
     
     
      stages
      from
      bands
      of
      old
      that
     
     
      obviously
      have
      influenced
      the
      live
     
     
      style
      of
      the
      group
      such
      as
      Iron
     
     
      Maiden.
      Their
      were
      various
      com-
     
     
      binations
      of
      colored
      lights,
      and
     
     
      the
      two
      flashing
      high-beam
      style
     
     
      panels
      toward
      the
      back
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ;
      stage.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sum
      41
      themselves
      were
      in
     
     
      good
      form,
      energetically
      moving
     
     
      about
      the
      stage
      in
      every
      possible
     
     
      direction.
      The
      sound
      quality
      was
     
     
      great,
      and
      the
      mixing
      was
      done
     
    
   
   
    
     
      just
      right
      so
      that
      the
      lyrics
      could
     
     
      be
      clearly
      heard
      despite
      the
      vol-
     
     
      ume
      of
      the
      instruments,
      a
      prob-
     
     
      lem
      that
      tends
      to
      plague
      other
     
     
      rock
      shows.
     
    

    
     
      The
      opening
      acts,
      fellow
      pop
     
     
      rockers
      Jersey
      and
      Treble
     
     
      Charger,
      held
      their
      own,
      but
      as
      is
     
     
      the
      role
      of
      supporting
      acts
      took
      a
     
     
      backseat
      to
      the
      main
      event.
     
     
      Treble
      Charger
      had
      some
      fun
      with
     
     
      the
      young
      average
      age
      of
      the
     
     
      crowd,
      taking
      the
      time
      to
      point
      out
     
     
      that
      they
      were
      still
      able
      to
      drink
     
     
      on
      stage,
      and
      what
      a
      shame
      it
     
     
      was
      that
      the
      crowd
      was
      not.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      '
      Musically,
      Treble
      Charger
      was
     
    
   
   
    
     
      fine,
      though
      their
      performance
     
     
      seemed
      to
      lack
      energy
      at
      times
     
     
      as
      they
      simply
      stood
      in
      place
      on
     
     
      stage.
      Jersey,
      the
      youngest
      band
     
     
      of
      the
      three,
      suffered
      from
      some
     
     
      of
      the
      problems
      that
      beginning
     
     
      bands
      do,
      but
      managed
      to
      enter-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      tain
      and
      get
      the
      crowd
      into
      the
     
     
      spirit
      of
      the
      evening.
     
    

    
     
      The
      entire
      evening
      clocked
      in
      at
     
     
      only
      slightly
      over
      three
      hours,
      a
     
     
      problem
      that
      arises
      with
      newer
     
     
      bands.
      Realistically,
      neither
      Treble
     
     
      Charger
      or
      Sum
      41
      has
      the
      histo-
     
     
      ry
      and
      song
      selection
      to
      carry
      a
     
     
      headlining
      tour,
      and
      together
     
     
      barely
      manage
      to.
      Both
      are
      still
     
     
      trying
      to
      make
      their
      way
      and
      fig-
     
     
      ure
      out
      what
      exactly
      they
      want
      to
     
     
      be
      by
      a
      process
      of
      elimination.
     
    

    
     
      However,
      assuming
      they
      stick
     
     
      around
      both
      acts
      have
      the
      poten-
     
     
      tial
      to
      go
      from
      being
      simple
     
     
      pop/punk
      bands
      that
      fit
      in
      a
      crowd
     
     
      to
      being
      great
      Canadian
      rock
     
     
      bands
      with
      vibrant
      futures.
      The
     
     
      price
      was
      right,
      the
      potential
      was
     
     
      there,
      and
      the
      evening
      provided
      a
     
     
      chance
      to
      kick
      back
      and
      enjoy
      the
     
     
      on-going
      evolution
      of
      a
      modern
     
     
      rock
      act.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      band.
      Songs
      such
      as
      "Still
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Once
      Upon
      a
      Time
      There
      Were
      Better
      Films
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I'll
      begin
      this
      review
      with
      a
      question:
      How
      many
      of
      you
     
     
      folks
      enjoyed
      the
      1995
      Robert
      Rodriguez
      film,
      Desperado?
     
     
      For
      those
      of
      you
      who
      didn't
      enjoy
      it,
      I
      wouldn't
      recommend
     
     
      seeing
      this
      movie.
      For
      those
      of
      you
      who
      did,
      go
      rent
      it,
      it's
     
     
      a
      far
      better
      experience.
      "Once
      upon
      a
      time
      in
      Mexico"
      is
     
     
      the
      sequel
      to
      "Desperado"
      and
      does
      a
      fine
      job
      not
      outshin-
     
     
      ing
      it's
      predecessor.
      Truthfully,
      it
      has
      a
      hard
      time
      outshining
     
     
      a
      Campbell's
      soup
      commercial.
      Let
      me
      begin
      to
      pointing
     
     
      out
      what
      is
      right
      with
      the
      movie,
      as
      it
      is
      the
      shorter
      list.
     
    

    
     
      Foremost
      is
      the
      cast;
      this
      movie
      has
      a
      fantastic
      group
      of
     
     
      actors
      in
      it.
      Willem
      Dafoe,
      Johnny
      Depp,
      Mickey
      Rourke,
     
     
      Antonio
      Banderas,
      Cheech
      Marin,
      and
      Selma
      Hayek
      are
      the
     
     
      more
      famous
      actors
      in
      this
      film,
      and
      they
      do
      a
      pretty
      good
     
     
      job,
      really.
      It
      also
      has
      Enrique
      Igelsias
      in
      it,
      who
      really
     
     
      doesn't
      do
      a
      bad
      job.
      It'll
      take
      another
      film
      to
      determine
     
     
      whether
      or
      not
      he
      has
      acting
      merit.
      Of
      the
      characters,
      only
     
     
      3
      of
      them
      really
      stand
      out
      as
      entertaining,
      each
      for
      different
     
     
      reasons.
      Johnny
      Depp's
      character
      is
      manipulative
      and
      noti-
     
     
      cably
      insane,
      yet
      at
      the
      same
      time,
      his
      malicious
      insanity
     
     
      makes
      him
      fun
      to
      watch
      and
      adds
      some
      levity
      to
      the
      film.
     
     
      Mickey
      Rourke's
      character
      is
      probably
      the
      most
      emotional-
     
     
      ly
      fleshed
      out
      of
      the
      characters.
      He's
      one
      of
      the
      more
      moral
     
    
   
   
    
     
      of
      the
      characters
      and
      it's
      obvious
      he's
      done
      things
      he's
      not
     
    
   
   
    
     
      happy
      with.
      It's
      the
      kind
      of
      character
      one
      can
      feel
      some-
     
     
      what
      sorry
      for.
      Then
      there's
      Marco
      Leonardi's
      character,
     
     
      who's
      complete
      apathy
      toward
      the
      situation
      makes
      him
     
     
      quite
      enjoyable
      to
      watch.
     
    

    
     
      Well
      now
      that
      we're
      out
      of
      the
      good,
      it's
      on
      to
      the
      bad.
     
     
      First
      on
      the
      chopping
      block:
      the
      script.
      The
      script
      is
      posi-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      tively
      rancid,
      with
      most
      characters
      spouting
      nothing
      more
     
     
      than
      insipid
      drivel
      for
      the
      entirety
      of
      the
      film.
      With
      lines
     
     
      like
      "You
      wouldn't
      dare
      kill
      me
      over
      $10,000,
      you
      wouldn't
     
     
      dare.
      You
      wouldn't
      dare."
      and
      "Are
      you
      a
      Mexi
      ‘can'
      or
      a
     
     
      Mexi
      ‘can't
      I'm
      amazed
      I
      didn't
      tear
      the
      ears
      from
      my
     
     
      head
      and
      throw
      them
      at
      the
      screen.
      Along
      with
      the
      bad
     
     
      script
      comes
      the
      bad
      dubbing.
      On
      at
      least
      three
      separate
     
     
      occasions,
      what
      characters
      are
      heard
      saying
      and
      what
      their
     
     
      lips
      are
      saying
      are
      different
      things.
      I'm
      wondering
      if
      the
     
     
      dubbing
      department
      didn't
      simply
      splice
      in
      sound
      whenever
     
     
      they
      thought
      it
      would
      be
      cool,
      instead
      of
      where
      it
      should
     
     
      actually
      go.
     
    

    
     
      From
      bad
      sound,
      let's
      go
      to
      bad
      visuals,
      such
      as
      the
      over
     
     
      use
      of
      unnecessary
      CG.
      It
      seems
      like
      almost
      every
      fight
     
     
      sequences
      winds
      up
      being
      done
      more
      on
      a
      computer
      than
     
     
      simply
      having
      people
      fire
      blanks
      at
      each
      other.
      Honestly,
      if
     
     
      I'd
      wanted
      to
      see
      computer
      generated
      characters
      beating
      the
     
     
      stuffing
      out
      of
      each
      other,
      I'd
      have
      stayed
      at
      home,
      saved
     
     
      $7
      dollars,
      and
      played
      Soul
      Calibur
      2.
      At
      least
      it
      has
      better
     
     
      graphics,
      sound,
      and
      story.
      In
      addition
      to
      the
      overuse
      of
     
     
      CG
      there's
      in
      the
      complete
      and
      improper
      integration
      of
      it.
     
     
      This
      is
      a
      SPOILER
      ALERT,
      so
      if
      you
      don't
      want
      to
      know
     
     
      something
      pretty
      intrinsic
      to
      the
      later
      part
      of
      the
      story,
      as
     
     
      intrinsic
      as
      anything
      could
      be
      to
      a
      story
      that
      shoddy,
      then
     
     
      you
      may
      wanna
      skip
      to
      the
      next
      paragraph.
      Johnny
      Depp's
     
     
      CG
      eye
      sockets,
      which
      are
      visible
      after
      his
      eyes
      are
      gored
     
     
      out,
      are
      really
      poorly
      done.
      They
      don't
      react
      to
      the
      environ-
     
     
      ment
      at
      all,
      such
      as
      sand
      being
      blown
      into
      his
      face.
      The
     
     
      color
      doesn't
      change,
      he
      doesn't
      seem
      to
      notice,
      nothing.
      It's
     
     
      really
      badly
      done.
     
    

    
     
      Further
      in
      the
      visuals,
      comes
      the
      usual
      problems
      I
      have
     
     
      with
      action
      films.
      First
      off,
      who
      is
      the
      unfortunate
      shod
     
    
   
   
    
     
      who
      always
      drives
      a
      gasoline
      truck
      in
      front
      of
      vehicles
     
     
      careening
      out
      of
      control.
      Honestly,
      is
      there
      a
      union
      of
      the
     
     
      idiots,
      are
      they
      some
      sort
      of
      "new
      age"
      kamikaze
      pilots,
     
     
      what?
      It
      never
      ceases
      to
      amaze
      me
      that,
      no
      matter
      what,
     
     
      free
      roaming
      cars
      will
      always
      crash
      into
      gasoline
      trucks
      for
     
     
      unnecessary
      explosions.
     
    

    
     
      Then
      there
      is
      the
      "Magical
      Guns
      from
      nowhere",
      which
     
     
      Banderas
      seems
      to
      have
      in
      spades.
      It
      seems
      like
      every
      time
     
     
      he
      empties
      a
      gun,
      he
      has
      a
      fresh
      one
      to
      replace
      it,
      until
      he
     
     
      has
      finally
      emptied
      all
      his
      weapons.
      It's
      like
      something
     
     
      you'd
      see
      in
      a
      computer
      game.
      I
      was
      just
      waiting
      to
      "I
     
     
      fragged
      j00!!!1"
      appear
      in
      the
      lower
      left
      corner
      during
     
     
      some
      of
      the
      fight
      scenes,
      I
      really
      was.
     
    

    
     
      Finally,
      there's
      his
      DOOM
      guitar
      at
      the
      start.
      I
      call
      it
      a
     
     
      DOOM
      guitar
      because
      it
      has
      a
      machine
      gun,
      a
      shotgun,
      and
     
     
      a
      rocket
      launcher,
      all
      conveniently
      placed
      inside.
      As
      any
     
     
      seasoned
      DOOM,
      or
      any
      first-person
      shooter
      for
      that
      mat-
     
     
      ter,
      player
      can
      tell
      you,
      you
      can
      carry
      as
      many
      guns
      as
      you
     
     
      need,
      without
      any
      form
      of
      encumberance.
      This
      is,
      of
     
     
      course,
      incorrect,
      but
      who
      am
      I
      to
      tell
      people
      that
      a
      guitar
     
     
      can't
      fire
      live
      ammunition
      and
      still
      play
      properly,
      after
      all,
     
     
      I'm
      not
      a
      guitarist.
      :
     
    

    
     
      In
      the
      end,
      it
      doesn't
      really
      matter
      what
      I
      say
      though,
     
     
      because
      there's
      far
      too
      much
      wrong
      with
      this
      film
      to
      be
      fit
     
     
      into
      just
      one
      little
      review.
      I
      mean,
      there
      are
      some
      com-
     
     
      mendable
      things,
      notably
      the
      lack
      of
      screen
      time
      given
      to
     
     
      Enrigue,
      but
      there's
      still
      too
      much
      wrong
      with
      the
      movie
      to
     
     
      be
      salvageable.
      Now,
      I'm
      sure
      some
      of,
      if
      not,
      all
      of
      you
     
     
      will
      disagree
      with
      me,
      but,
      to
      be
      frank
      about
      it,
      I
      don't
      care.
     
     
      That's
      the
      point
      to
      this
      type
      of
      thing;
      I
      criticize,
      you
      take
     
     
      what
      you
      want
      from
      it.
      That's
      it,
      that's
      all,
      I'm
      done,
      enjoy
     
     
      yourself,
      and
      go
      see
      a
      good
      movie.
     
    

    
     
      -:page
      [15]
      September
      22
      2003:.