Speak No Evil (2024) Review

I haven't been to the cinema for a while and I saw this film being marketed so I decided to go today and watch Speak No Evil and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a family invited to spend a weekend with a family that they met abroad but everything is not quite as it seems. 

Main Character

James McAvoy plays Paddy and he is fantastic in this film, he is one of the best actors working today and roles like this clearly proves it. He is so charismatic and just the way he delivers his lines are fascinating and he is giving a brilliant performance that you just want to learn more about him and see him more on screen. 

Supporting Characters

Mackenzie Davis plays Louise and Scott McNairy plays Ben and they are the couple spending the weekend with McAvoy and his family and they are really great. They play their roles really well and even though they are frustrating at times it works for this film and Davis in particular really shines in her role and I want to see her in more things. 

Aisling Franciosi plays Ciara and is the wife of Paddy and she is really good. Even though McAvoy is the clear standout she has great chemistry with him and she delivers a strong performance and she added so much to the tension and drama that is going on. 

Even the child actors are great, Alix West Lefler as Agnes & Dan Hough as Ant really deliver on their roles. In fact Ant is one of the more interesting parts of the film and when we meet him we see why he is a bit different and how difficult a role this is and how well he really did. 

Story

The story is interesting, the film takes its time in getting you invested and make you care about the characters in this film. You see the different characters perspective and you know it is building into a big reveal towards the end and it delivers on that well. I just think the film ends really abruptly, I understand why but it did leave me feel like I didn't really get any answers. 

Script

The characters are written extremely well and they are interesting and really fleshed out, the way the film progresses is really well handled and you gain a greater understanding of the circumstances. But the film did make some of the characters a bit stupid at times and some of the storytelling devices are slightly repetitive. 

Style 

I really like how the film presents itself and the way the film uses tension to bring in the viewer and make this a pretty scary situation. It isn't a horror film and uses minimal horror tropes which I am really thankful of and made me enjoy it more. However, the film has some slightly odd pacing. It just takes ages to really get going and I feel like this film would have been even better had it been cut down by like 10 mins and more killer, less filler being in the film. 

Overall

Overall, Speak No Evil is a good film and a pleasant surprise of 2024. It's not perfect, but keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout and McAvoy gives a truly special performance. I think if you have some spare time then Speak No Evil is a worthy time at the cinema. 

Rating - 7/10

Thunderbolts* (2025) Trailer Review

After a relatively quiet year for The MCU, Marvel Studios have today released the first trailer for one of their films next year Thunderbolts* There has been plenty of leaks and info released about the film but this is our first official look and here are my thoughts of this trailer for the upcoming film. 

Yelena & Bucky will be the leads

The beginning of the trailer makes it pretty clear that Yelena is going to play a major part in this film and after her redemption in Hawkeye, I am looking forward to seeing her in a leading role here. The end of the trailer also makes it clear that Bucky is once again going to be in the leading role. I do wonder how his character has got in this situation after the events of Falcon and The Winter Soldier but I am sure we will have plenty of time to find out. 

It seems like the characters lack purpose. 

We hear Yelena talking about her lack of purpose, while we see Bucky entering a court room and John Walker reading articles about his failure as Captain America. We also see Red Guardian with no work and down on his luck, it gives a decent reason for them all to get involved in the story. 

The Main Characters are set up

We See Yelena, John Walker, Ghost, Taskmaster & a man called Bob bought together seemingly trying to kill each other. They quickly realise that there dark histories has led to somebody wanting to kill them and take them off the board which will force there team up. 

Ghost & Taskmaster have new costumes

Ghost played by Hannah John-Kamen and Taskmaster played by Olga Kurylenko are two of the least used villains in The MCU and they are back for this film and they both have new costumes. I like the fact they have streamlined Taskmasters costume and actually makes it look like a woman is the one beneath the costume. The Ghost costume is completely different and I am not a huge fan and think it looks a bit clunky and cheap. 

We are introduced to Bob AKA Sentry

While the characters fight, we are introduced to Bob who will be played by Lewis Pullman. The characters know nothing about Bob and we are given hints to what we can expect from him. Sentry in the comics is similar to Superman and is extremely powerful, we even see the Sentry logo later in the trailer so it seems he will be a big part in the film. 

Bucky is on his own mission tracking Valentina 

We see that Bucky isn't with the other members of the group straight away and is on his own mission. The trailer makes it clear that he is spying on Valentina and trying to find out what she is up to. Valentina has basically been the Nick Fury assembling these characters together so that will be how these characters come together. 

Are the Thunderbolts working for Valentina?

Later on the trailer we see Red Guardian, Bucky, John Walker, Yelena & Ghost meet with Valentina and find out what is going on. It even links to a moment earlier in the trailer where Bucky asks Valentina what the plan is. 

Bob isn't in this shot, my initial theory makes me think that once he becomes Sentry he is going to turn and become the villain of the film and the threat that the group has to take on. 

What is the * in the title?

There was recently some big interest in a slight change to the title with the addition of an Asterix next to Thunderbolts. It seems likely that the group of characters that we see in the trailer aren't actually the Thunderbolts and they are going to go against the real group led by Sentry. 

Can it escape The Suicide Squad comparisons?

Ever since this film was announced it has drawn huge comparisons to DC's offering of The Suicide Squad and on the surface I can see why. Obviously, this is a different group of characters and I am hoping that this film does some things to stand out and be different then those other films. 

Overall

Overall, I am excited for Thunderbolts* and this trailer did add to my hype and I am looking forward to seeing this film and hopefully can be another hit for Marvel Studios.  

First Impressions - The Penguin (2024)

In the week of comic book TV premiers we now have DC's delivery with the first episode of The Penguin. After the success of The Batman, this show was quickly announced to focus on Colin Farrell's Penguin and how he attempts to take over the criminal underworld after the events of the film. I have watched the episode and here are my impressions, obviously there will be spoilers here. 

Colin Farrell owns every scene that he is in. 

Before we start to talk about the actual episode, credit has to go to Colin Farrell who does an amazing job as Oz Cobb and owns every scene. The makeup and prosthetics is a big commitment for an actor and if you didn't know you would struggle to recognise him. He is perfect as this criminal that is trying to build up his empire and I am a big fan of this character.

The show is very soon after The Batman

At the end of The Batman, we saw the death of Carmine Falcone and the destruction of the slums of Gotham city by Riddler and his forces. It shows a city still in disrepair and that the wealthy were unaffected by the disaster at the end of the film. 

Penguin kills Alberto Falcone

Upon the death of his father, Alberto Falcone has taken over the criminal empire of his family, However, at the beginning of the episode he runs into Oz and ends up disrespecting him and Oz ends up killing him. This is obviously going to be the big event that gets the show rolling and puts Oz under pressure. 

Sofia Falcone returns

A big event of the episode sees the return of Sofia Falcone. She has been locked up in Arkham but is now out. She is looking for her brother and she seems pretty twisted, we learn throughout the episode that she is unhinged but also clever as she works out pretty quickly that Oz was involved in her Brothers disappearance. 

Penguin does anything to survive

Throughout the episode, Penguin seems to do a lot in order to survive. He pays off a prostitute to be his alibi, he attempts to run away with his mother and he even tries to offer his services to Maroni. That last one does feel like a part of his grand plan and now he is locked in to taking over the Empire. 

A War between Falone & Maroni has been set up

Sofia captures Oz and tortures him to try and find out where Alberto is. But during the interrogation, the car that has Alberto's body arrives at the manor. This is clearly set out to show Maroni being the one who killed Alberto and thus start a war between the two families. This should see Penguin trying to manipulate both sides and takes his spot as the king. 

Overall

Overall, I enjoyed the first episode of The Penguin. It is slower paced and does take a bit of a time to get going but it is a cool mob show and I think these characters are going to be interesting enough to keep me invested. 

First Impressions - Agatha All Along (2024)

After WandaVision made its way to Disney+ a standout character was the villain Agatha Harkness played by Kathryn Hahn. So Disney and Marvel Studios made the decision to make a spinoff show based on the character called Agatha All Along. After a long wait we now have the first 2 episodes of the show on the streaming service and here are my first impressions of the show, there will definitely be spoilers for this show here. 

Agatha is trapped in a spell

At the end of WandaVision, we saw Wanda using her powers as The Scarlett Witch and The Darkhold to imprison Agatha and punish her for her crimes. We find out here that she is living as a detective in a hard boiled cop show that is incredibly cheesy. It seems like she has been living this life for the last 3 years and she only starts to work out what is going on when a big event happens. 

Aubrey Plaza plays a vengeful witch

We meet Plaza in the Detective episode as a fellow detective. But it is clear that her and Agatha know each other from there witching days. There is a clear dislike for each other and for a reason that we don't quite have, Plaza wants to kill Agatha, hopefully this gets revealed in the future episodes. 

Wanda Maximoff is Confirmed Dead

At the end of Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness, Wanda ends up presumed dead but here we have a confirmation that she has died. Because of her death, Agatha remains trapped in her spell permanently but starts to remember being a witch. I think in terms of the wider MCU, I don't think this means Wanda will stay dead and I even think this show might be setting up her return. 

The People of Westview remember what happened in WandaVision

This isn't a huge part of the episode but it is mentioned a few times that all the people in Westview remember everything that happened during the events of WandaVision. This must be pretty traumatising for these people as they were basically brainwashed, which does further enhance that Wanda did some pretty bad stuff. 

Who is Joe Locke playing?

There has been plenty of speculation towards who Joe Locke is playing on the show. His identity is clearly a major part of the show as many characters ask who he is. It seems like a spell stops Agatha from learning his name and any real information about him. 

The biggest theory is that he is playing Billy Maximoff. A younger version of the character seemingly died in WandaVision but this is the theory that makes clear sense. He really wants to team with Agatha and I believe he is doing this in order to attempt to resurrect his mother and have the life with her that he never got. They will have to explain how he is alive but they have plenty of magical ways of doing this. 

Is the show necessary?

As entertaining as Agatha was in WandaVision. I do question whether she needed her own spin-off show. I think there was more room for her character to appear but she is pretty unlikeable at this point in the show so it makes it hard to fully care about her. I do fear that the only reason this show has been made was to resurrect Scarlett Witch and have an excuse to bring her back into The MCU. 

Overall

Overall, the first two episodes of Agatha All Along are not that inspiring, there are entertaining moments for sure but I found it quite dull at times and the storytelling devices weren't that unique and were pretty cliché. I will keep watching the show but I am not overly confident that this is going to be one of Marvels best Disney+ Shows. 

L.A. Noire (2011) Review

While playing video games, you get games that have associations with big organisations that maybe don't get as much love as they should and I feel like L.A. Noire is one of those games so I decided to re-play the game and here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees a War Hero & Rookie Cop rising through the ranks of the L.A.P.D during the 1940s. 

Characters

Aaron Stanton plays Cole Phelps and he is our main protagonist here and he is fantastic. Due to the technology used for this game we really get to see the extent of his performance and the depth he gives Cole. Cole is definitely a flawed hero and has some real issues that we have to deal with as players and Cole was a great character. 

Later on in the game we end up playing as Jack Kelso played by Gil McKinney and he was also a great character. He is a bit more intense then Cole and we don't spend as much time with him but he slips into the protagonist role really well and it feels seamless. 

Over the course of the game you are paired with different partners and they are all great characters and have great chemistry with Cole. Michael McGrady playing Rusty Galloway is my favourite and his development over the Homicide desk is really fun. Adam J Harrington as Roy Earle is the biggest slime ball in the game and he relishes in it making him one of the most memorable characters in the game. Sean McGowan as Stefan Bekowsky & Keith Szarabajka as Herschel Briggs are good partners and add a lot to their desks. 

There isn't one bad performance in this game and the technology really enhances these performances and makes it closer to TV or Film. Some of my favourites being John Noble as Leland Monroe & Peter Blomquist as Dr Harlan Fontaine. 

Story

The story is really interesting and nailed the tone of the 1940s and the brutality of Los Angeles. All the cases are interesting and as you get different partners throughout it keeps things fresh. The desks are Traffic, Homicide, Vice and Arson, Homicide was my favourite and I loved playing though the different cases on the desk, the others are really good and the story gets more focused in the final 2 cases. There are flashbacks that further enhance the story and shows Cole and Jacks journey while they go though their cases. The main issue for me is the ending of the story, it just feels a little weak and sudden, it kind of fits the tone of the game but it just left me not satisfied and I wish we had got a bit more. 

Side Content

This game doesn't have a lot of side content. The main one being the street crimes you can deal with and these are short but somewhat entertaining and break up the pace of the main cases pretty well. But it feels like there is a lot missing here and there was potential to have a more interactive world, more activities could have fleshed the game out and given the beautiful world life. 

Gameplay

The best part of this game are the interrogations, these interrogations are so unique and have never been done since and I have no idea why. These are the best part of the game and trying to decipher whether people are lying or telling the truth is a real challenge and kept me engaged throughout. There are gun sequences, car chases and foot chases that are all well done but they clearly aren't the focus compared to the interrogations. 

Graphics

The game looks fantastic, especially with the re-mastered version that I played. The technology used adds to every performance and makes every character feel like real people and made the interrogations feel more difficult. The locations are beautiful and I think it does add a lot to the background of the game. 

Overall

Overall, L.A. Noire is a great game that has so much good to it. This is such a unique slower paced game that won't be for everybody, but if you can handle that then you will fall in love with this game and want to keep investigating. 

Rating - 8/10

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1 (2022) Review

I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings but I did not want to watch this show and had little interest. But with Season 2 just starting its release schedule, I thought it was time for me to watch this show and I have now watched the first season of Rings of Power and here is my review for it. The premise of the show is set thousands of years before Lord of the Rings and sees the different species try to survive against the dark forces of Middle Earth. 

Main Character

Morfydd Clark plays a young Galadriel and I did find it unfortunate that I really didn't care about this character. She is just really dull and the show doesn't do a good enough job of making you care about her or her character. Clark, does try and that deserves a bit of credit but with her being the clear protagonist of this show, she falls really flat. 

Supporting Cast

The cast is pretty large, and it is mixed for sure. I think a lot of the performers were hampered by shoddy writing and poor storytelling which gave them little to work with. 

Robert Aramayo plays young Elrond and I really liked him. He doesn't really feel like Elrond but I can't deny that he is entertaining to watch and there is plenty of depth made to his character and I found the scenes involving him and Durin played by Owain Arthur to be the most entertaining of the show. 

Charlie Vickers plays Halbrand and he is alright, he actually has some charm and charisma to him which helps him rise above some shoddy writing for the character. I thought he did a good job and made me intrigued by his character. 

But the rest of the cast really suffers, Arondir played by Ismael Cruz Cordova is really boring. He is great in the action sequences, but he is so monotone and soft spoken that it was hard to care about him and he just falls really flat, especially with how much time we spend with him. 

The story involving Daniel Weyman as The Stranger and Markella Kavenagh as Nori is really dull and boring. It tries to be mysterious but it never really goes anywhere, it took till the finale to try and make them interesting but there characters were a sore part of the show. 

Story

The story really misses the mark. I saw it described as a fan fiction of JRR Tolkein's work and I am afraid that it does really feel like that. The show tries to force intrigue and interest by hiding a lot of information about the characters but that made it really hard to get invested. Then the final episode has a few reveals that feel rushed and not earned for the show and I hope the story improves in the future.

Script

The show is unfortunately not written well. All the dialogue feels really forced and those bits that are good are due to the actors rising above this shoddy writing. Not much makes sense and making so many storylines that involve mystery makes things feeling frustratingly not complete. 

Style

Easily the best part of the show is the style. The show looks beautiful, you can tell it has a huge budget and for the most part it is really effective. Middle Earth looks great and I am glad that this show has the essence of the universe with both its looks and also its fantastic music choices. The action scenes are also great and have a bit more brutality which I definitely enjoyed. 

Overall

Overall, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 1 is a bad show and falls really flat of its licence. It is definitely an example of style of substance and I hope the second season is a huge improvement on this as the franchise deserves way better. 

Rating - 3/10 

Twisters (2024) Review

I happened to be away travelling when this film came out, but due to its success it is still in the cinema and I managed to watch Twisters today and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a retired tornado chaser convinced to come back to Oklahoma and work to find out ways to stop the impact that Tornados have on people. 

Main Character

Despite what the marketing told everyone the main character is Kate played by Daisy Edgar Jones and she was great in the film. Her character is really great and Edgar Jones manages to do the best with the material and I really rooted for her character and wanted to see her succeed as she is just so likeable in this role. 

Supporting Characters

Glenn Powell plays Tyler and I love his character in this film. Powell is super charismatic and charming mixed with the obnoxious nature of his character. He is just having a blast here and seeing a guy enjoying himself so much is really nice and I genuinely think Powell can be the biggest name in Hollywood over the next few years if he keeps on going the way he is. 

Anthony Ramos plays Javi and he has a big connection with Kate and I really thought their chemistry was great. He kind of gets relegated once Powell appears but I think Ramos does the best with what he has and delivers a good performance. 

The rest of the cast are great too. David Corenswet who will be the next Superman plays Scott and does a good job as an annoying antagonist and it was nice seeing Katy O'Brian in a different role that we have seen her lately in recent franchises. 

Story

The story does its job solid enough, it showcases its characters really well and makes you care about them as these massive tornadoes are after them and causing havoc. They dip into the real problems that natural disasters like this affect people with death and destruction. But this film is pretty one dimensional with its storytelling and there is a sub plot that doesn't really go anywhere and kind of feels like it was added to the script to make the film a bit longer. 

Script

The script has some genuinely really funny dialogue and moments and these characters do feel like real people. I mostly cared about the drama and I wanted to see these characters get through these situations, but some of the writing doesn't quite work and that does kind of link to narrative in the film. 

Style 

The film looks fantastic, with modern technology it allows us to see Tornadoes in all of their CGI glory and really put these people under threat. The film is paced really well and balanced the action and character work very well. 

Overall

Overall, Twisters is a great film. It is a genuine surprise for me and I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anybody and I can't wait to watch it again. 

Rating - 8/10

Game of Thrones Season 2 (2012) Review

I continue my re-watching of Game of Thrones with the second season. I have managed to watch the entire season and here is my review. The premise of the show sees after the deaths of Robert Baratheon & Ned Stark, war rages amongst the 7 kingdoms with many parties looking to stake their claim and take The Iron Throne. 

Main Character

After Ned Stark's death, the show definitely became more ensemble. But I think the character that steps up is Tyrion Lannister played by the fantastic Peter Dinklage, he is the hand of the king this season and it means he gets way more interactions with main characters and he is great. He is charming and charismatic with his character truly developing over the season and Dinklage deserves a tonne of credit for that. 

Supporting Characters

Just like the first season, this show has a load of characters and everyone is fantastic, probably even better then the first season but there are way too many to talk about so I will only be talking about some that really stood out to me. 

Lena Headey reprises her role as Cersei Lannister and she continues to be brilliant on screen. She is manipulative and just pure evil but Headey is such a good actress that at times you even start to feel a bit of sympathy for this clear villain. 

We get way more time this season with Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister and he shares a lot of scenes with Arya Stark played by Maisie Williams. Williams is so much better this season then she was previously and Dance is always amazing. Their interactions are genuinely some of the best moments of the season and just simple conversations were captivating. 

Jerome Flynn as Bron is one of my favourite characters on the show and he really gets time to shine here alongside Tyrion. As he is in Kings Landing, he also gets to interact with other main characters and it gives him real time to shine.

Jack Gleeson has become more grown up as Joffrey Baratheon and this is easily one of the most evil and sadistic characters put onto a screen. He is just so arrogant and annoying and a whole fanbase unites in wanting to see him dealt with. 

Story

This season certainly has way more storylines then the previous season and some of them are really great. Everything that happens at Kings Landing is fantastic, the intrigue and politics mixed with action makes it my favourite part of the show alongside Tywin & Arya's storyline at Harrenhall. But there are some story arcs that I just didn't find as interesting, mainly being Jon Snow at the wall and Daenerys at Qarth. I understand that they fit a purpose but I just felt like they weren't that interesting here and was just focus for future seasons. 

Script

The script is still fantastic, the blend between drama and humour is fantastically managed and makes the majority of theses characters feel like real people that are just in crazy situations. The writing is top notch and even though it is an extravagant show, that is probably the best part of the show. 

Style

The show has very clearly had a budget increase and it uses it superbly. Everything feels more crisp and polished, culminating with The Battle of Blackwater Bay which is one of the greatest episodes of the entire series run. The pacing of the show is well done, despite the amount of balancing of stories and I was thoroughly engaged. 

Overall

Overall, the second season of Game of Thrones is fantastic. It is still at the high level of writing and the larger budget allows them to show battles that we didn't get in the previous season. There are just a few stories that don't quite work which holds it back from being truly epic but it is a fantastic season that continues the strong quality of the show. 

Rating - 9/10

Alien: Romulus (2024) Review

After a few years, we have a new Alien film and though inspiration from Ridley Scott, the franchise is in new hands and we get a film that is made my new people who are passionate about the franchise. I saw Alien: Romulus yesterday and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film is set between Alien and Aliens and sees a group of young people trapped on a station with organisms that are out to get them. 

Main Character

Cailee Spaeny plays Rain and she is the main character of the film and I thought she was great here. I know very little of her work but she definitely gives a strong performance here and is a great lead character that we are meant to care about and I think that I did for sure. 

Supporting Characters

My favourite character in the film is Andy played by David Jonsson. Early on we find out that he is a synthetic and I think the film is really clever in the way that it handles his character and his role amongst the group of young people. He deserves a lot of credit for playing this pretty emotionless character and manage to make him one of the most interesting parts of the film. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the group fair a bit worse and I really didn't care about any of them. The young cast come across as annoying especially the one played by Spike Fearn who feels like he should be in a completely different film. 

There is an appearance that is a big spoiler but made the film much more interesting and I thought it added a lot to the film but yeah I can't really talk about it so you will have to see the film to find out what I am talking about. 

Story 

The story is interesting, the reason for these kids being on the station isn't that deep but when they get there, these characters encounter interesting things and there are valid and logical reasons as to why these Aliens are on the station. However, this film has a twist towards the end of the film and it just felt really weird and out of place for this film and that took me out of this pretty enjoyable experience. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some good dramatic dialogue and moments that made at least some of the characters interesting and made me care about them. However, there was a lot of weak dialogue, the build-up of the side characters and the introduction of our gang isn't handled particularly well. 

Style

The film takes stylistic choices of a mixture of Alien, Aliens & even a bit of Prometheus and I thought it really worked. The action is fast paced, but there are those slower more horror based elements and the fact that the film has both makes it more interesting. But the film does have a bit of a pacing issue and that is mainly from the first and last act that don't quite work and I wish they could have been handled differently. 

Overall

Overall, Alien: Romulus is an above average film that when it is at its best it is really good. However, there was enough that I didn't like to hold the film back from hitting the heights that I think it was capable of. I do hope that this franchise can continue but improvements will be needed for sure. 

Rating - 6/10

Alien (1979) Review

I am off to see Alien: Romulus tomorrow, so I thought it was about time to rewatch the film that started the franchise and the film that takes place before Alien: Romulus chronologically in Alien. So I watched it today and here is my review for a film considered a classic. The premise of the film sees a crew answer a distress call which ends up with them encountering a deadly lifeform.  

Main Character

Sigourney Weaver plays Ripley and she is great in this film. She is a strong character and is one of the most famous female lead characters of all time and this film introduces us to the awesome performance. She gets plenty of time to shine in this film and she was a great lead character. 

Supporting Characters

A young Ian Holm plays Ash and for me he is the most interesting member of the Nostromo crew and Holm absolutely nails it in the role. He is the science officer of the crew and there is just a lot of intrigue about his character and Holm really excels here. 

The rest of the crew are good and involve some big actors such as Tom Skerritt as Dallas & John Hurt as Kane. They are decent but their characters are never really fleshed out but they fill the roles well and do well with what they are given. 

The Alien itself is such an interesting design and I love how this film conveyed The Alien as a true threat to the crew and its lack of screen time actually added to that effect and made every time it does appear feel special. 

Story

The story does a really great job of showcasing a predator hunting down its prey and these humans really struggling to deal with it. There is another interesting story that comes into play in the film which is pretty interesting but isn't particularly the focus here. The issue is that the film doesn't really make you care too much about the majority of the characters and spends a bit too long building atmosphere and tone instead of a plot. 

Script

The script is fine, there are one or two scenes that are pretty memorable and have some good dramatic dialogue. But I never really felt the relationship between the characters and as I mentioned above I never really cared about anyone and the lack of interesting dialogue plays its part. 

Style

The film does a really great job of building tension and atmosphere. You have no idea when The Alien is going to strike next and the film really delves into its horror vibe in order to keep the viewer on edge. But, I have to be honest this film is really slow, especially for the first act. It takes way too long to get going and doesn't do enough in that build up to add to the complexity of the majority of the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Alien is a good film that nails its atmosphere and the objective that it wanted. I know it is probably a controversial opinion to say this film is a bit overrated but I kind of feel like it is, but it is still a good watch especially if you are a fan of horror. 

Rating - 7/10

The Acolyte is Cancelled! - Season 2 will not move ahead at Disney

So after a few weeks of speculation and hearsay, the news came out today that Disney have decided to cancel The Acolyte and are not moving forward with a second season on Disney+. I must admit, I am a little surprised at this news and have some thoughts on it which I will go through now. 

The Acolyte will become the Black Sheep of Star Wars

With The Acolyte clearly planning for multiple seasons and becoming a big part of the Star Wars Universe, it seems that The Acolyte will be long forgotten due to its lack of success. Over the years other forms of Star Wars media have become forgotten such as Star Wars Resistance and The Original Clone Wars show and unfortunately I think The Acolyte will join this list. 

I actually think this show had potential

I will be the first to admit that The Acolyte fell short of expectations and I wish it had been better. But I don't believe the show was anywhere near as bad as people thought it was and after the finale, I was one of the few that was actually intrigued by what the future held for this franchise. Seeing Plagueis and Yoda introduced in the finale and the conflict between The Sith and Jedi was something I was excited for. 

The Budget was probably too big to risk

Even though certain elements of The Acolyte looked a bit cheap, there is no doubt that this show would have had a bigger budget then most shows and due to the negative fan reaction and diminishing viewership I assume that played a part in not risking the chance to spend lots of more money on a second season. 

Review Bombing does need to stop as it is hurting content

This show became notorious for the amount of review bombing that it received. Basically, people were slamming the show and giving episodes low ratings before the episodes were even released. This clearly showed people just trying to get the show cancelled without even seeing if it is any good, we have seen this for numerous shows this year and it needs to stop as it clearly causes issues with these shows getting longer shelf life. 

Should this be a worry for Skeleton Crew?

The next Star Wars show is Skeleton Crew, which comes out in December and I do have worries for it already. People were not receptive to this new content and judging by the trailer for Skeleton Crew, I think that people could have similar reactions to it. If that happens, I think Disney might stop taking risks with Star Wars and we might get more mundane ideas in the future. 

Overall

Overall, it is always sad when a show gets cancelled when it clearly had plans for future seasons and I do think some outside forces caused this to happen. But there is no denying that The Acolyte wasn't good enough and Disney need to do a better job with its Star Wars content in the future. 

Game of Thrones Season 1 (2011) Review

After watching season 2 of House of the Dragon and seeing numerous clips of the original show online, I decided to go back and re-watch Game of Thrones and I have just got through the first season of the show and here is my review. The premise of the show sees noble families attempt to put themselves on top through war, politics and backstabbing. 

Main Character

Sean Bean plays Ned Stark and he is fantastic on this show and is the clear protagonist. This show is full of morally grey characters but Ned is just a good guy and Bean is fantastic in the role. He is a strong presence and I really loved seeing his character having to deal with the politics of the kingdom. 

Supporting Characters

This show has a massive cast, so there is no way I will be able to talk about them all and apart from some of the child actors, everyone is fantastic and really truly cares about their performances and trying to make this the best show possible. 

Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion Lannister and for me he is the best character on the show, he is so charismatic and you can't help but support his devilish side. Dinklage revels in this role and he just owns every scene that he is in. 

Emilia Clarke plays Daenerys Targaryen and her story is very separate from the other characters and she does a fantastic job. She really develops over the season and I think Clarke really grows in her performance. 

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister is a truly fantastic character, she is so unlikeable but there is definitely reasons to sympathise for her and the nuance of Cersei is a big part of the show and Headey knocks it out of the park. 

Aidan Gillen as Peter Baelish and Conleth Hill as Varys are two characters that revel in their screen time and the chemistry that they have together produces some of the best scenes in the entire show. Their characters are really well written and seeing their philosophies clash is fantastic. 

Story

The story is fantastic, you get a bit of everything from this show and there is a lot going on. But unlike some other shows it manages to make all of it interesting and make you care about it. Seeing the political debates and issues at Kings Landing with the supernatural elements with The Wall mixed with the war conflict between characters makes it feel like we get everything. The end of the season really pulls no punches and takes risks that I think makes it stand out and truly makes it legendary. 

Script

The script is incredibly well written and every character is written well to make you care and interested in their stories. The dialogue is so sharp and the blend between drama and humour is so well done that you literally just see people talking and it is some of the most interesting scenes in the show. 

Style

The shows look is fantastic, I love the costume design and the clear budget that Game of Thrones has. But it knows how to film scenes effectively that makes you realise that in this season it isn't too over the top and full of CGI, it feels gritty and dark. The different stories bounce together really well and they all are interesting and make you want to continue watching. 

Overall

Overall, Game of Thrones Season 1 is an Epic season of television and one that will go down in the history books and one that everybody should see. It shows the true quality of the franchise and how high the standards are. 

Rating - 10/10

Kraven The Hunter (2024) Trailer Review

A Big Trailer kind of snuck under the radar yesterday and that is for the upcoming film Kraven The Hunter and I watched the trailer today and here are my thoughts on Sony's next attempt at making a Spider-Man Villain a franchise. 

The Film will be R-Rated

Possibly the biggest thing from this trailer is that Sony have now made the decision to make this film R-Rated and extremely violent. Now, I actually think this fits Kraven as a character so I am fine with this but I do wonder if they saw Deadpool and Wolverines success and felt like they wanted to get on the R Rated train. They missed the boat with Venom and Morbius not being R-Rated so I am glad that they have made this decision. 

Kraven seems to be hunting Hunters

One of the rumours going around is that they have turned Kraven into an animal loving character and that he has a hatred for hunters and poachers. Now that isn't fully confirmed here, but we see a scene where he uses hunters traps to kill them and I really hope this film doesn't see Kraven becoming this animal activist as that goes against the character completely.

Russel Crowe has a hilariously bad accent 

Russel Crowe is a fantastic actor but his roles in comic book films are pretty mixed and judging by this trailer it looks like this will be more on the Zeus level instead of Jor-El. Over the years, many actors have given bad Russian accents and it is nice to see it continues here and Crowe is probably going to be a hard watch here. 

The Action Scenes looks Decent

This trailer focuses more on the action side of a comic book film and I think it looks decent to be honest. The restrictions being lifted due to the films rating probably allows them to be a bit more creative and hopefully shows Kraven in full flow. 

We are Briefly Introduced to The Chameleon

In the comics and here, Kraven is the brother of a character called The Chameleon. Someone who has the ability to shapeshift and has caused plenty of problems for Spider-Man in the past. I think there is only a small chance that we see these powers but with the inclusion of this character there always is that potential. 

Rhino is here in all of his CGI Glory

It was reported a few months ago that regular Spider-Man villain Rhino was going to be a main antagonist for this film and we get a clear look at him here and I must say it is pretty bad. We see him as a normal guy until he puts on the suit which seems to be more synthetic and it just looks really silly. It seems Rhino doesn't translate well to the big screen, I think the version from the Spider-Man PlayStation games should be the base for that character. 

Aaron Taylor-Johnson seems miscast

I said this when we heard the news that Aaron Taylor-Johnson was going to play Kraven that I thought it wasn't the right fit and all of the footage I have seen hasn't changed my mind and that is a shame. Again, similar to Rhino I think the inspiration for Kraven should come from the Spider-Man PlayStation Game where he was handled perfectly. 

Is this the last throw of the dice for Sony?

Over the last few years, Sony has decided to take Spider-Man side characters/villains and have tried to turn them into their own franchises and I think everyone can agree that they have failed. Venom has made some good money but the films haven't been rated highly. Morbius and Madame Webb were both critical and financial disasters so Kraven is the last chance in my opinion. 

Overall

Overall, Kraven The Hunter looks like it could be a bit of a mess and it does give me Morbius vibes for sure. The decision to go Rated-R will hopefully give it the bump that it needs but I must admit that I am not particularly excited for this film. 

Borderlands (2024) Review

It seems that video game based TV Shows have finally started to get a bit of traction but I still think video game based films haven't quite found their feet and the next to try its go is Borderlands and I saw it today and here is my review for Borderlands. The premise of the film sees a group of misfits attempting to open a vault and keep it away from an evil corporation. 

Main Character

Cate Blanchett plays Lilith and boy she really tries to make the best out of this role and the reason I am giving her some praise is just because of the care that Blanchett clearly has. However, Lilith is a dull character and one that becomes kind of absurd as the film progresses. I just didn't care about her and for your main protagonist that is not a good thing. 

Supporting Characters

Ariana Greenblatt plays Tiny Tina and similar to Blanchett, you can see that she really cares and enjoying herself on screen and that makes her somewhat enjoyable. But her character is super unlikeable and I didn't really care much about her. 

Kevin Hart plays Roland and this is probably the biggest miscast in the film. If you get a comedian like Kevin Hart then I would expect him to make me laugh but he was so boring and dull, his character is pretty serious and Hart offers literally nothing to the performance. 

Jamie Lee Curtis plays Tannis and she gives a truly awful performance, her character is all over the place and just makes weird noises and has strange delivery of dialogue throughout. She is a terrible person but the film wants you to care, but you really won't. 

Edgar Ramirez plays the villain Atlas and he is so dull its unbelievable. I honestly, can't believe this guy gets big roles as I don't think he has ever been good and that continues here. He is such a boring and generic bad guy that offers nothing to the film. 

Jack Black voices the iconic character Claptrap and I found him super annoying in this film. I think if it had been in moderation it could have worked but he is all over this film and he just doesn't stop talking and the majority of his dialogue isn't funny which takes away from the whole thing. 

Story

The story of the film is just garbage, it is the most boring and predictable plot line that you will see in a film. It is your traditional misfit gang that starts enemies and grow as the film progresses but it is really forced and I didn't care about any of the characters or their struggles. The final act is really stupid and predictable which encapsulates this film. 

Script

The script has absolutely nothing to it. I don't think I laughed once and I didn't care about any of the characters through the drama and emotion. With this cast it needed good writing but it just isn't here and it adds to the overall woes of the film.

Style

The film has some decent action sequences, they are fun and do a somewhat good job of representing the games but there just aren't enough of them. The CGI is varied during the film, some of it is okay and some of it is rubbish. The film is really short and feels a bit rushed for sure, though with the quality I am glad it was shorter. 

Overall

Overall, Borderlands is a truly awful movie which is such a shame because I really think there was potential here, really do avoid this film and with so much to watch in the cinema at the moment pick one of the other films which is hopefully better. 

Rating - 2/10

House of the Dragon Season 2 (2024) Review

Over the last 8 weeks, House of the Dragon has been the biggest show in the world and now the second season has finished and here is my review for the show. The premise of the season sees both factions preparing for a great war and attempt to find advantage to their claims to the Iron Throne. 

Main Character

Matt Smith reprises his role as Daemon Targaryen and he is just fantastic in his role. I must admit that his storyline isn't the best this season but Smith has so much charisma and absolutely owns every scene that he has on screen. 

Emma D'Arcy has a greater role as Rhaenyra Targaryen and it is great to see the character really come into their own and D'Arcy is fantastic. The character is struggling with her claim to the iron throne and I felt like there was greater depth added to Rhaenyra. 

Supporting Characters  

Olivia Cook is back as Alicent Hightower and I really liked the juxtaposition between her and Rhaenyra. She is struggling in King's Landing dealing with her sons causing chaos and the friction that she has caused in the majority of the relationships in her life. 

Even though he doesn't have as large a role Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower is one of my favourite characters on this show and he nails it once again. He is just thinking a few steps ahead of all the other characters and I just love seeing him in work. 

Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen is a real shining light this season. He really steps up this season and gives a fantastic performance, there is a lot of nuance to his character and at times I even felt a bit sorry for him which shows his quality as an actor. 

Ewan Mitchell also does a great job as Aemond Targaryen and I really found this character interesting. He is very cool and calculated and you see his character develop over the season, Aemond has conflict with the other characters but seems to have a side of him that does want to rule. 

There are so many characters in this show that I won't have any time to talk about them all but everybody does a fantastic job and the acting is probably the best part of the season. 

Story

There are elements that I really enjoyed in the story. The conflict that goes on within Alicent and Rhaenyra is a great part of the show and I really enjoyed both sides taking different political risks in order to put themselves in a stronger position. However, there are some elements of the story that don't work as well. Daemon's story in Harrenhall is pretty bizarre and even though it has a good payoff, it takes way too long and could have bene completed in a few episodes. Also the season kind of doesn't have a true ending, it just feels like setup for next season which is a big let down. 

Script

The script is okay, there is some interesting dialogue and a lot of the drama does hit in the right way and make you care about the main story that is being told. But this show still lacks some charm that Game of Thrones had, it is incredibly bleak and this just doesn't make it as enjoyable a watch. 

Style 

Visually, the show looks amazing. It is clear the budget is extremely large and that really gives it this epic scale, some of the action scenes are breath-taking and seeing dragons in full flight is still amazing to see. But the pacing of the show is off, there are too many story arcs and some of them are really not given the time for an audience to care and again it just feels like set up for the next season. 

Overall

Overall, House of the Dragon Season 2 is good, it still has a lot of the great things that the previous season had. However, I do think this is a step down and Season 3 really needs to step it up and deliver on the promises this season makes. It is definitely a good watch and should be watched, I just don't want the standards to drop lower. 

Rating - 7/10

First Impressions - Cobra Kai Season 6 (2024)

So, I am a huge fan of Cobra Kai and the first part of season 6 was released recently and I have watched the five episodes. Because of this new bizarre release structure that Netflix have it means the whole of the season won't be out until next year and I hate it, but it is what we are stuck with. I think it is fair to only give my first impressions of the show and then do a review for the final season of Cobra Kai when it has been released in its entirety. So here are those first impressions and there will be spoilers for the first part of season 6 here. 

Johnny and Daniel are still having problems

Last season we finally saw Eagle Fang led by Johnny Lawrence and Miyagi-Do led by Daniel LaRusso come together to form one dojo in order to take down Cobra Kai and even though they had their issues they managed to do that. But this season has seen them arguing all the time again, to be honest it feels quite repetitive, I don't expect them to be best friends but the excessive amount of arguing is frustrating and gives me flashbacks from previous seasons. 

Kreese is back leading a new version of Cobra Kai

We saw at the end of Season 5 that Kreese had escaped prison and we expected him to play a major part of this season. He has travelled to Japan to align with Kim Da-Eun who we saw last season and we see the approaches match up to give Kreese a chance to take down Johnny and Daniel at the Sekai Taikai with a new branch of Cobra Kai. 

Is Chozen coming back?

In the first few episodes we see that Chozen is somewhat struggling with his identity and where he stands in the world after Terry Silver almost killed him. He seemingly decides to take a trip back to Okinawa to try and find himself but it isn't mentioned by anybody else and we don't see Chozen again. Surely Chozen will have to return in some form or else this will be an awful ending for a character that I really like. 

Is Master Kim the brother of Mr Miyagi?

During the season, the protagonists find a box that belonged to Mr Miyagi and it has some shady things. It does seem that some of the information doesn't match up with information that Daniel LaRusso has about the character. A theory that I have is that Master Kim who is the master in charge of the new Cobra Kai is the brother of Miyagi. It would add to the drama of the confrontation of Cobra Kai vs Miyagi-Do and might even give a bit more information about Miyagi. 

What is the show going to do with Kenny? 

Kenny was a major antagonist of the show last season but after the fall of Cobra Kai he is recruited to Miyagi-Do and though he is really cocky he manages to fit in. But due to another storyline going on, Kenny fails to make the team for the Sekai Taikai and is kind of left in limbo. With the majority of the main characters now away at the tournament, I do wonder how he fits into the rest of the show. 

Will Devon be honest about how she made the team?

Throughout the season we see Devon doubting herself despite the clear support that she has from Johnny. But she does give into her darker impulses and gives Kenny laxatives to make sure she makes the team. I have to believe that she will come clean with what she did and knowing this show we could see a redemption story where she helps Miyagi-Do win the tournament. 

Tory re-joins Cobra Kai 

Tori goes through some real hardship and it reaches a new level when her mother dies. Peyton List gives a fantastic performance here and you totally understand why she would leave Miyagi-Do and re-join Cobra Kai. They will use her grief and anger to fuel there plans and Kreese being back in the fold will help with her joining. 

Was Kreese involved in Tory's mothers death?

This is a theory that came to my mind straight away. Kreese makes a return to The Valley and asks Tory to return to Cobra Kai as his champion but she refuses. We later have a scene where Tory is told that her mother is in better health and is recovering well, but literally the same episode she dies. It seems strange that she goes from improving to dead in a short amount of time and I do wonder whether Kreese causes this event to convince Tory to join Cobra Kai again. 

Who will win the tournament?

One of the biggest compliments I can give to this show is that they have created a lot of characters that could realistically win the tournament and be well written. I think Miyagi-Do will finally defeat Cobra Kai but I am really looking forward to seeing the different twists and turns that the show takes to get there. 

Overall

Overall, I think this is one of the weaker starts to a season of Cobra Kai and feels like it is a lot of build up. Some of the teen drama and the constant bickering of Johnny and Daniel has held the show down, but if the Tournament delivers then this could be an amazing final season of Cobra Kai but I currently have slight mixed feeling about what I have seen so far. 

Sherlock Holmes (2009) Review

On my flight back from Malaysia, the last film that I decided to watch was Sherlock Holmes, I have seen this film a few times and was looking forward to seeing it again so is here my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Sherlock Holmes attempt to stop a sinister plot from destroying London at its core. 

Main Character

Robert Downey Jr plays the titular character and he is fantastic in the role. You really see his intelligence and the way his mind works and I thought Downey really nailed the feel of an investigator that Holmes clearly is. It is hard to take your eyes off of him on screen and that is great to see in this film. 

Supporting Characters

Jude Law plays Doctor Watson and he is really great too. The chemistry between him and Downey is off the charts and they just blend incredibly well and it is one of the real driving forces of the film and his performance drives that. 

Rachel McAdams plays Irene Adler and she is a lot of fun here. She is a very quick witted character and she also had great chemistry with Downey. The inclusion of her character is mainly to set up the sequel but she is fun to watch. 

Mark Strong plays the villain Lord Blackwood and though the character isn't particularly interesting Strong does enough to deliver a fun performance and makes him the appropriate adversary for Holmes in this film. 

Kelly Reilly plays Mary Morstan who is Watson's Fiancé and even though she isn't in the film a huge amount but she is a fun addition and the constant arguing with Holmes is pretty entertaining. 

Story

The story is really interesting, it is a genuine mystery and watching Holmes and Watson try to figure it out with all the twists and turns is interesting. There is also clearly a development in their partnership and that grows as the film progresses, the villains motivation isn't the best but the way the film explains it makes it sound really cool and interesting. 

Script

The script has some really quick and charming dialogue. The characters interact really well and the dialogue makes them more interesting. Though I will say that this film does fall short on its dramatic moments and dialogue, I never felt fear for the characters or really care about them being in peril even though the film does try. 

Style

I really liked the visual style of this film, old school London looks really great and it just feels like a world that director Guy Ritchie would create and it very much fit this interpretation of Sherlock Holmes. The action scenes were also really good, they use some unique techniques to explain the action and I really liked it. 

Overall

Overall, Sherlock Holmes is a fantastic film that is a really fun watch. The cast do a great job and I loved the investigative nature of the film. Definitely give this film a go and I am pretty sure you will really enjoy it like I do.

Rating - 9/10

Mothers' Instinct (2024) Review

I saw a trailer for this film earlier this year and I found the time to watch Mothers' Instinct and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees after a tragic accident, two lifelong friends lives seem to change and cause more suspicion. 

Main Character

Anne Hathaway plays Celine and Jessica Chastain plays Alice and they are both really great in this film. The chemistry between them really drives the film forward and even though their actual characters aren't the best the quality of these two performers really drives it up and makes these great performances. 

Supporting Characters

Anders Danielson Lee plays Simon & Josh Charles plays Damian who are the husbands of the two lead characters. They both have smaller roles but they are both very good and give strong performances in this film. 

Young actor Eamon Patrick O'Connell plays Theo and I don't want to be too harsh but I thought this was a weird and weak performance. This kid is really strange and I don't think he was strong enough to fit the role he was given. 

Story

There is no denying that this story is interesting, it has twists and turns throughout keeping you guessing. Both Celine & Alice have good character arcs and the performers do a good job with it. But the film is a little bit confusing and doesn't quite work, the ending of the film falls a little flat and doesn't have quite the impact that they think it does. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some really good dramatic scenes that made me care about the situation that the characters are put into. This film is really grim though and at times a tough watch, it also doesn't exactly deliver on all of its twists which is a bit of a shame. 

Style

The film is directed by Benoit Delhomme who is mainly known for his cinematography which is shown by this film being very beautiful and well shot to keep the suspense up throughout the film. But this is also the 1st film he has directed which is probably why the film isn't paced that well and was actually pretty boring throughout. 

Overall

Overall, Mothers' Instinct is an above average film. It has plenty of intrigue and suspense to it with two fantastic lead performances. It's not one to rush out to find but I think down the line it could be a good watch for people. 

Rating - 6/10

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) Review

When growing up I was a big fan of The Kung Fu Panda films and this year we have the fourth film in the franchise and recently I found the time to watch it and here is my review for Kung Fu Panda 4. The premise of the film sees Po needing to train a new Dragon Warrior while attempting to stop a sorceress looking to seize the powers of Kung Fu Masters. 

Main Character

Jack Black is once again back as Po and I feel like he could play this role in his sleep and he does a good job here, it is just like he has done in the previous films. The character does clearly go through a character arc and I felt like the film did a good job in conveying that and he feels like a different character by the end of the film. 

Supporting Characters

Viola Davis voices the villain The Chameleon and this is a pretty cool villain and it seemed like she enjoyed her work in the role. I mean there isn't much depth to her character but her motivations were fleshed out just well enough that it worked for me. 

Dustin Hoffman is back as Shifu and his chemistry with Jack Black is great and Hoffman is enjoying himself. I do wish he had been in the film a bit more as his role is largely reduced compared to what it was before. 

Awkwafina plays Zhen and she spends the majority of the film alongside Po and I really found her annoying. She is meant to also go through a character arc but hers just did not work for me, she isn't funny and I did not like Zhen as a character. 

James Hong as Mr Ping and Bryan Cranston as Li are back in their roles and I enjoyed seeing them but their characters were more annoying in this film and they get way more screen time then they should. I just found myself annoyed watching them go on their journey compared to the main story. 

Story

The story is functional, the best part is clearly Po's character arc and how he develops over the film which I did enjoy but there is plenty wrong. Zhen's character arc was dull and predictable and the story involving Mr Ping & Li is frustratingly mediocre and takes up way too much screen time. The ending manages to bring things together but it just doesn't make you feel much. 

Script

The script has some funny and heartful moments that are mainly aimed at children and when it does that it works. But there is an equal amount that just don't pay off and I think that is because the writing for some of the characters and the fact that this film doesn't have the detail that other films in this franchise have. 

Style

The film keeps up the similar style from the previous films and it does work. The action scenes flow really nicely and if you have been a fan of the franchises action scenes then you will enjoy this. But the pacing of the film isn't that great, despite the fact it clocks in at 90 mins the order of certain scenes doesn't allow the film to flow that well which is a shame. 

Overall

Overall, Kung Fu Panda 4 is an above average film. It continues the legacy of this franchise well and does just about enough to be watchable, if you are a fan of the franchise then you will like this film, if not then it is one to skip. 

Rating - 6/10

Morbius (2022) Review

I have wanted to watch Morbius for years and never found the time, but a 13 hour flight was the perfect chance to watch this film that I have heard so much about in the past and here is my review for Morbius. The premise of the film sees a doctor try to cure himself of a blood disease but accidentally infects himself with Vampire Blood. 

Main Character

Jared Leto plays Michael Morbius and I really didn't like him in this role. He is obviously a good actor but between Morbius and The Joker, I think he should stay away from comic book roles for the rest of time. I don't think he is helped by other things going on but he is really bland and there is just no reason to care or support Morbius and that is a shame. 

Supporting Characters

Matt Smith plays Milo and he is so over the top that it is really cringe, but he is clearly really enjoying his screen time and giving it his all and he is the only person who can actually say this. His dynamic with Leto isn't particularly good but Smith has so much charisma that I couldn't stop watching it. 

Adria Arjona plays Martine Bancroft and is basically here just to give a romance for Morbius. She is a talented actress but she offers nothing here and she is one of the duller characters that you will meet in any comic book film. 

Jared Harris plays Emile Nicholas and I think he was okay here but he barely has any screen time. He feels like he is just a plot device for the story but I feel like Harris could have been a better part of the film and how he is used is a disappointment. 

Tyrese Gibson plays Simon Stroud and this might be the most offensive performance in the film. Gibson is mainly known for his energetic role in The Fast & Furious films but here he is so boring and monotone that it makes me wonder why they even bothered casting him and he felt really out of place. 

Story

The story is all over the place. The ideas presented here could have worked but they tried to do them all together which meant they didn't work. The focus should have been more on the relationship between Morbius and Milo and I mean it should have been written a lot better but it has a romantic story and seeing Morbius against the police. The plot doesn't make much sense and is another low point for the film. 

Script

The script is also pretty bad, the drama didn't make me care about anybody in this film and the humour is super cringy. The blend of the two isn't handled well and the writing of the plot just makes no sense and it fits this films rubbish tone. 

Style

Now there are a few decent action scenes and I enjoyed the fact that it pushed the envelope for its 12 rating which I do appreciate. But a lot of the CGI is rubbish and some of the action scenes are lacklustre. The films pacing is all over the place too, it felt really long even though it is actually a normal length film. 

Overall

Overall, Morbius is a pretty terrible film that lives up to the expectations that I have been told. No good things come from this film and should be avoided at all cost. 

Rating - 2/10

Ranked - The Monsterverse Films

Ever since The Marvel Cinematic Universe became a thing, every film studio wants to get their own cinematic universe that they can market it. One of them is The Monsterverse which focuses on characters such as Godzilla & King Kong and different monsters, we have had a good number of these films that have connected so here is my rankings from the worst to the best. 

5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

The 5th film is this franchise is probably the one that should be the last as I just don't think it is particularly good. There is a slight improvement on the focus of Kong with a great style to it. But the film basically ignores Godzilla and the writing is really bad. Unfortunately, it is a lazy cash grab that isn't worth the watch. 

4. Kong: Skull Island (2017)

The film that introduced Kong to this universe was also really average. Kong is great and I enjoyed everything to do with him and once again it visually looks fantastic. But this film has an amazing human cast and apart from Samuel L Jackson & John C Reily they all phone it in and are so dull. There is weak writing and too much focus on the human characters that lets it down. 

3. Godzilla (2014)

The film that started it all is the Godzilla film that came out in 2014. Seeing Godzilla in all his glory is amazing and Bryan Cranston is fantastic in his role but it does have some big issues. Aaron Taylor Johnson & Elizabeth Olsen are so boring in their roles and I didn't care about their characters at all. The lighting wasn't that great and overall it just fell a bit flat which was a big let down. 

2. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

An improvement on the first film, King of the Monsters is an above average film that focuses a bit more on the lore of The Titans and shows Godzilla fight more Monsters. The Style is fantastic and some of the human characters are okay, but there is still too much of a focus on the human characters and this film feels like it misses some opportunities though it is clearly the best on the list so far. 

1. Godzilla vs Kong (2021)

The main reason that this film is so high on this list is because it is the best film at focusing on Kong & Godzilla and making them actually interesting characters. The action scenes are fantastic and the film is paced pretty well which again is the best it has been so far in the franchise. Some of the human characters are decent but once again there are some weak performances with poor comedy. The films story doesn't really take any risks and just goes as you would expect and that is a shame but this film is definitely a good watch. 

Overall

Overall, The Monsterverse is pretty weak in terms of its film quality. The films are mostly average but make loads of money so I think while these films are making money we will be getting more of them and hopefully they can improve the overall quality of The Monsterverse.