Marvel's Avengers (2020) Review

After recently having the displeasure of playing Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, it made me think about going back and playing the Marvel equivalent Marvel's Avengers. So I did and here is my review for the game, though I have to stress I didn't play any of the DLC, just the main campaign and its side missions. The premise of the game is set 5 years after The Avengers split up, a superfan attempts to bring them back together to fight a new threat.

Characters

The lead character of the game really is Sandra Saad as Kamala Khan, which I thought was handled pretty well. She is a bit annoying at times but I liked how she interacted with the other Avengers and how her own personal development is handled. 

This has all the trending high level video game voice actors playing these iconic super heroes and it is a bit of a mixed bag. The best is easily Nolan North as Tony Stark & Troy Baker as Bruce Banner. They are given the most time to shine and the chemistry between the two of them and Kamala is probably the best part of the game. 

Laura Bailey plays Black Widow, Travis Willingham plays Thor & Jeff Schine plays Captain America and they are all functional. The issue is that they are really poorly used and the games doesn't do a very good job of making you care about them because they are given smaller roles in the story. 

The villains aren't very interesting either, MODOK is pretty bland and the twist at the end of the game does very little to make me interested in the rest of the content. 

Story

The story has a lot of potential and I did like the conflict in The Avengers and how the story does make you question whether The Avengers cause more damage then good but the game doesn't do enough with the story. The Avengers reunite way too quickly and a lot of the hostility seems to disappear quickly, the ending of the game also feels more like setting up future content instead of giving players a satisfying ending to the campaign. 

Side Content

There is lots of content in this game, which is to be expected from a live service game. All the main Avengers have story quest lines but the problem is all the side content is incredibly repetitive and feels like you are just grinding through to level up your characters and give them better gear, which never feels like it really does anything. The payoffs to this content isn't worth the hassle and it doesn't really add much to the characters and thus is a waste of time. 

Gameplay

The main positive I can say for the gameplay here is that all of The Avengers feel unique and play like I would expect them. The Hulk feels like Hulk, Thor feels like Thor etc etc and it makes gameplay feel okay. But the problem is that it feels very hollow and repetitive, every mission is the same and there is literally no variety to it with next to no boss battles which is a big problem in a Super Hero Game. 

Graphics

I actually don't mind the base costumes given to the characters and I really like the variety of costumes for each character including costumes from the films. But the game doesn't look very next gen and at times looks a bit ugly especially with its facial animations, it doesn't feel like the blockbuster that it really should. 

Overall

Overall, Marvel's Avengers is a Below Average Game that literally just exists to take money from its players and relies on its licence that has been beloved by fans. This should have been a game for the ages but it falls heavily on its face and is forgotten and should not be played. 

Rating - 4/10

Back in Action (2025) Review

Netflix release a bunch of films every year and this is the first real big budget film that they have released in Back To Action and I watched the film today, so here is my review. The premise of the film sees two parents who are former spies forced back into action when their identities are exposed. 

Main Character

There are two main characters here in Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz as Matt & Emily are they are really great here. Especially considering this is Diaz first film in 11 Years and some serious medical issues that became of Foxx. They know what film they are in and they are just really fun to watch, their chemistry is really there and it carries this really basic film. 

Supporting Characters

Glen Close plays Ginny and I thought she was also having a great time with the film and the fun character that she is given. She is allowed to be a part of some action scenes and it is just fun to watch her here. 

However, this doesn't always work and an example of this is Jamie Demetriou who plays Nigel. He is just overdoing it a lot and I thought he wasn't very funny which was a shame because he was clearly enjoying himself. 

Andrew Scott plays Baron and though he is a fantastic character I just didn't care for him in this film. He plays the most generic agent and I just think it seemed like he wasn't particularly comfortable with the role and it didn't quite work. 

Then onto the two kids Alice & Leo, they were both really annoying and to be honest when they were in danger I just really didn't care and that was the problem when that was supposed to be the emotional part of the film but it doesn't work. 

Story

The story of the film is just so bland and boring with a lot of it not making any sense. I didn't really buy the family bond that is supposed to being built between the characters and the arcs that they all go through. There are twists and turns that are staggering and feel like they were just thrown in here with no real thought with an ending that was kind of insulting. 

Script

The script is also really bad. Foxx and Diaz have to work throughout the film to make the most of of this pretty dire script with cringeworthy dialogue and story beats that a teenager could have wrote. 

Style

The film does have some pretty entertaining action scenes that are very nice to look at visually. However, none of these scenes particularly stand out and there is a bit too much use of slow-mo and action scenes with pop songs which got a bit annoying after the third one. 

Overall

Overall, Back in Action is a Below Average Action Film that feels as generic as it comes. It is great to see Jamir Foxx & Cameron Diaz deliver fun performances with great chemistry but the rest of the film falls flat and is one you can skip. 

Rating - 4/10

Nosferatu (2025) Review

This film came out in the United States in 2024, however Nosferatu was only released in The UK in 2025 and I have watched it, so here is my review for this film. The premise of the film sees a newly married man travel to meet a count who is looking to buy a house, he doesn't realise that there are other things at play. 

Main Character

Lily Rose-Depp & Nicholas Hoult play Ellen & Thomas Hunter and they are the main characters here and they are both very good in their roles. We spend the majority of the first act with Thomas and the mental torture that he is going through and Hoult does a great job in selling this for an audience. The second act more focuses on Ellen and you see her go through her own mental trauma and she really fits into the film and does a great job. Then the final act shows them both together and they both really shine in their roles. 

Supporting Characters

After Kraven the Hunter, it was nice seeing Aaron Taylor-Johnson do a great job in Nosferatu in the role of Friedrich Harding. He is the most sceptical character here and Johnson nails being that slightly mistrusting character and he deserves real credit here. 

Willem Dafoe plays Professor Von Franz and he is a lot of fun here. He is introduced quite late in the film but you can see that Dafoe is really enjoying his work and embraces with the absurdity of the premise of the film. 

Unfortunately, though I was disappointed in the performance of Bill Skarsgard as Count Orlok. He is just a weirdo with no real depth or intrigue to him and when he is on screen I find him pretty weird to look at and that the idea of taking him down is more interesting then him as a whole. 

Story

The film does a great job of building intrigue and atmosphere for its story. Seeing the journey that Thomas goes through is pretty interesting and as the threat grows I liked the group that was trying to stop Orlok. But this film has a really dull ending that feels rushed and ends abruptly, we are left with more questions then answers and considering how this film is made I think that was the wrong way to go. 

Script

The script was okay in terms of dialogue, there was nothing truly memorable for me but it was written well enough. It is just character decisions and motivations aren't written particularly well and it doesn't quite match with some of the really good performances that are on show here. 

Style

The style of the film looks really good and does a great job of building the tone and atmosphere that the film wanted. I was creeped out throughout and the excellent score and sounding played a big part of that. But this film is sometimes overly violent for violence sakes and the film is pretty poorly paced and we could have cut some runtime off of the film to make it more cohesive. 

Overall

Overall, Nosferatu is an above average film and a pretty big disappointment for me. If you are a big horror fan then you might love this film but for me there just wasn't enough here and I think this is just an okay film that could have been a lot better. 

Rating - 6/10

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024) Review

Last year, Rocksteady released the newest Video game in the Arkham franchise in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and was met with awful reviews and feedback, so I skipped out on it. However, this game is the monthly free game on PlayStation Plus so I thought it was about time that I played it and I have now finished story mode so here is my review. The premise of the games sees Braniac take over Metropolis and hijack The Justice League, so The Suicide Squad is brought in to take them down. 

Characters

You play as four members of Task Force X - Deadshot, King Shark, Captain Boomerang & Harley Quinn and they are all fine. The voice actors all do fantastic jobs and there is a huge amount of voice lines here. But they do come across as pretty annoying at times and they just aren't particularly fun characters to play as. Harley is the only character who has appeared in previous Arkham games but she feels like a completely different character here and like they just forget all the terrible things she has done in those games. 

The rest of the cast also really suffer, especially the Justice League. The Flash, Green Lantern and Superman are handled really badly and there is absolutely no care given to fans of these characters. But the biggest disrespect is given to Batman played for the final time by the legendary Kevin Conroy and he is handled so poorly. This is the same version of Batman from The Arkham Games but he is an idiot and is so nerfed for the plot and treated so badly that I found it incredibly insulting. 

Debra Wilson has been in big video game projects recently and she plays Amanda Waller here and she is super annoying. It isn't really her fault but the writing is so bad for her and she just shouts the entire time with her getting on my nerves throughout the game. 

Other supporting characters such as Penguin, a resurrected Ivy and Toyman are super annoying and feel really out of place in this game. 

Story

The story is absurd and doesn't work. As I said before, I didn't really care about any of the characters and the idea of these characters killing The Justice League is just utter nonsense. The story has no depth to it and every mission is just an excuse to play the repetitive content that has no variety too it. The ending is also insulting and is just a way to set up for future DLC instead of giving the player a fulfilling and worthwhile ending to the game. 

Side Content

The side content in the game is mind numbingly boring and dull. It is your usual bog standard protect and escort missions that go on and on and the problem is that the game basically forces you to do these missions or else you can't continue the story. There is no evolution and the interesting side missions from previous Arkham games completely gone except for Riddler Trophies which was a bad part of the previous games. 

Gameplay 

Now, there is some entertaining gameplay, mainly when you are travelling around Metropolis with the characters as they all have different ways of doing this. I also had the most basic enjoyment with some of the gameplay and special attacks but overall the gameplay is not very good. Again it feels incredibly generic and like all the characters are the same which is such a shame. The boss battles are terrible and make a mockery of the characters we are fighting and the repetitiveness of it all really doesn't help. 

Graphics 

The film has some really well made cutscenes with the whole presentation of the story being really well done and it flows really nicely. But the actual game is quite ugly and the setting of Metropolis is a truly terrible map that offers nothing. Also the costumes were really disappointing with very little variety for the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a bad game that is just hoping onto the trend of these long running service shooters. The story is insulting, the gameplay isn't very good and the game looks pretty ugly. It is insulting to say that this is in The Arkhamverse, I didn't play any of the DLC and judging by the performance of this game I won't be and I don't recommend anybody to play this rubbish. 

Rating - 3/10

Playing Nice (2025) Review

Yesterday, all four episodes for ITV's new dramatic show Playing Nice was released and I found the time to watch all of the episodes and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth and now both couples attempt to get the most out of the situation. 

Main Character

James Norton plays Pete Riley and he is okay in the show. It is clear that Norton is a good actor and we have seen that in previous projects and he really is trying and committed here. But this show makes his character pretty unlikeable and irresponsible. The things that his character does makes little sense and even though we are meant to be rooting for him, I really struggled to do so. 

Supporting Characters

Niamh Alger plays Maddie Wilson and she is good in the show. It feels like she should have been the main character and towards the end of the show they kind of start pivoting towards this. Don't get me wrong, the writing isn't the best for the character but Alger does good enough to rise above it. 

James McArdle plays Miles Lambert and he is a fun part of the show. He is really over the top but the fact that he realises it makes him entertaining. But the writing for his character falls off a cliff towards the end and I think the show missed the shot in making him an interesting character. 

Jessica Brown Findlay plays Lucy Lambert and I really didn't care about her character as the show didn't do enough to make me care. She is very quiet and underdeveloped until it is rushed to give her a character towards the end of the show. 

Story

The story is somewhat interesting. Seeing these people dealing with this situation is interesting and the way that both couples try and manipulate each other to get custody of the two children. However, there are no likeable characters here and to be honest both couples are bad parents and it really makes me not root for anybody. It ends up heading into soap opera territory and certain things really don't matter and the ending is too clean and generic for my liking. 

Script  

The script isn't great, in fact I think the writing for the show is easily the biggest let down here. The story is rushed and none of the characters are written well with a lacklustre ending. 

Style

The style of the show does a good job of setting the backdrop in Cornwall and kind of tries to use the setting as a bit of a character and that does work. But the pacing of the show is all over the place, so much is thrown at you that very little of it actually sticks. It could have done with more episodes or cutting some elements of the story to make it a better experience. 

Overall

Overall, Playing Nice is a below average show that is pretty disappointing. It's only 4 episodes so is a pretty quick watch but I think there are better shows then this that you can spend your time on. 

Rating - 4/10

Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (2025) Review

My first review for 2025 is here and it is a tv show that focuses on the real life events of the Lockerbie plane disaster, so it is a pretty serious watch. I have watched all of the 5 episodes and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show focuses on a doctor who is trying to get justice for his daughter and all the lives that were affected by the Lockerbie Plane Disaster that took place in 1988. 

Main Character

Colin Firth plays Dr Jim Swire and you won't see too many better performances then this all year, he is truly fantastic. You see the real emotion and harm that comes to him during the entire show and the longer the case takes the more it takes out of him and his family. Firth really delivers this strong performance of this real man and you are really on his journey and support him. 

Supporting Characters

Catherine McCormack plays his wife Jane and she is also brilliant. Though we see this show mostly through Jim's eyes we really see how it affects Jane and makes her feel like she is sleepwalking through life without her husband. McCormack really nails it and though she isn't the focus she is an integral part of the show. 

Sam Troughton plays Murray Guthrie who is a journalist that works with Jim Swire and I really liked their dynamic. He clearly cares about the story and wants to get the evidence required to help Swire and the families affected. The chemistry between him and Firth is really great and I really enjoyed all the scenes they had together. 

There is a big supporting cast and everybody just feels very genuine and appropriate for the story that is being told here and I give credit to every performer and this is a great ensemble cast. 

Story

The story is obviously very upsetting and emotional and it handles it really well. It was gripping and kept me interested as there was twists and turns about who might have been responsible for the plane crashing in Lockerbie. But the films ending didn't quite work for me, it is difficult when you do a show based on real life events as you can't change it too much, but the ending was pretty drab compared to everything else that was shown during the show. 

Script

Due to the subject matter, I was expecting an intense and emotional script and we get exactly that but it works really well. You really feel the emotion that is being conveyed on screen. It was a really well written show and though it gets complicated at times, I thought it explained everything pretty well. 

Style

The show is well filmed and does a really good job of conveying the intense subject matter and does enough to keep you hooked for the next episode. Though, I do think the show drags at times and maybe could have cut an episode and really tightened everything up to create an even better experience. 

Overall

Overall, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is a Great Show. It is a hard watch and I will probably never watch it again but it is a really interesting watch and has some excellent performances. I would recommend watching this show once so you can truly understand more about this tragic story. 

Rating - 8/10

My Most Anticipated Films of 2025

I didn't get a chance this year to see as many films as I would have liked, but I am planning on changing that next year and watching as many films as I can. There are quite a few films that I am looking forward to but I had to reduce a list to 10 and here are my personal most anticipated films for the upcoming 2025. 

10. Predator: Badlands

For a long time, the Predator franchise was dead and not looking like it was not coming back. But then a few years ago we got the Predator spin-off Prey and it was fantastic. It was the revival of the franchise and the next film Predator: Badlands is coming this year which has me excited. We know very little about the plot but apparently the main character might be a Predator itself and that would be a new wrinkle for these films. Hopefully, the momentum starting from Prey will be continued here. 

9. Nobody 2

Over the last few years, one of the biggest surprises was this great action film Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk in the lead. Which means that the sequel coming out this year is one of my most anticipated and I am very excited to watch it. We know nothing about the plot but I still have hype and am looking forward to getting more info on it. 

8. The Fantastic Four: First Steps

This film is only 8th on this place because we haven't seen a trailer for it but I am very excited for Fantastic Four: First Steps. We have been waiting for years for The Fantastic Four to join The Marvel Cinematic Universe and the hype is still there. I am intrigued by some of the casting and hope they can really deliver a great film that really emphasises how great these characters can be. 

7. Karate Kid: Legends

My love for the Karate Kid franchise really came through Cobra Kai, which has been a revelation and has brought new fans to the franchise of Karate Kid. Now with that series at its end we are getting a follow up film. Ralph Macchio is back as Daniel Larusso and Jackie Chan will reprise his role from the reboot of the franchise that came out years ago. I am curious to how they will handle this film but hopefully it can keep the spirit of Cobra Kai alive. 

6. Ballerina

Following John Wick's huge success we have the first spinoff film Ballerina. The trailer for this film looks fantastic and Ana De Armas looks like she will fit into the role well. I just hope the spotlight is put on her and this is another exciting action film from this franchise. 

5. Wicked: For Good

I was sceptical when I went and saw the first part of Wicked. But I really enjoyed it and had a great time with Wicked so I am very excited for part two which is now called For Good. Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande are fantastic in their roles and it will probably get developed more with further connections with the original Wizard of Oz film which is exciting. 

4. Thunderbolts*

After a lack of super hero movies in 2024 we are getting more in 2025 and the first to make this list is Thunderbolts* Basically, this is Marvels version of The Suicide Squad and the trailers have been emphasising this with the film looking really fun. The cast looks great with everybody having fun and I hope that this film really delivers and builds up these characters. 

3. Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

As the films have progressed, Mission Impossible films have kept improving and are some of the best action films that have come out over the last few years. With the title it seems like this could be the last film in the franchise for a while and I am sure that Tom Cruise will want to go out with a bang and that is an exciting proposition. 

2. Captain America: Brave New World

As I mentioned above, we are getting more comic book films and a big one is Captain America: Brave New World which is the first Captain America film with Sam Wilson played by Anthony Mackie in the lead. I think the trailers have been really good and I am really liking the tone that this being shown. This film will also have Harrison Ford as Red Hulk which is something we have been waiting years for. 

1. Superman

After the trailer was released, Superman shot to number 1 in terms of my most anticipated film of the year and I am so excited for this film. We haven't had a Superman solo film for a long time and I just really enjoyed the trailer and again the tone that is being set here. This is a really important film and I am really hoping they nail it. 

Overall

Overall, I am very excited for the film selection this year and I am hoping that all these films and more deliver and help cinema really recover after the effects of Covid.