Joker: Folie a Deux (2024) Review

I loved the first Joker film but I have always thought a sequel was unnecessary and there has been lots of negative responses to Joker: Folie a Deux and I have finally had a chance to see this film and here is my review. The premise of the film sees Arthur Fleck locked up after the events of the previous film and meets someone who gives him a new lease on life. 

Main Character

Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck and he is really trying here. He still clearly has passion for this role and their are elements of this performance that are similar to the first film. But there just isn't that depth that he had in the first film and the character is completely butchered here. There is no development of his character and it feels like he actually goes backwards and it was really disappointing. 

Supporting Characters

Brendan Gleeson plays a Security Guard and he is good in the film. He is really unlikeable but the dynamic between him and Arthur is actually pretty interesting, it's just not a huge part of the film and doesn't really get any resolution. 

Lady Gaga joins the cast as Lee Quinzel and I thought she was pretty weak here. I didn't care for her dynamic with Arthur and the fact that she doesn't fit the role that she was hired to play and the character was weak. It feels like she was just brought in to sing and no care was taken to her character. 

The rest of the cast are given little to work with and some are only in like one scene. The guy playing Harvey Dent did nothing to convince me that he is this iconic comic book character and that was a shame. 

Story

The story doesn't really exist, it is incredibly messy and doesn't take advantage of the fantastic ending from the previous film. It focuses on the relationship between Arthur and Lee and that is really dull so that doesn't help. The first act of the film could have been removed and the film would be better for sure. The ending of the film is also terrible, it comes across as over indulgent and makes no sense and I hated it. 

Script

The script has a few chuckle worthy moments and a few darker moments and that managed to salvage a few moments in the film. But overall the writing for this film and the characters isn't good enough and makes all the characters seem worse and poorly written. 

Style

The film took the bold approach of being a musical and it really doesn't work here. First of all Joaquin Phoenix is a poor singer and it totally goes against the tone of the film. All the intense situations are just broken up by these over the top singing sections which means there was no reason to ever care about anything. The film is way too long as well and really drags making it a pretty dull time at the cinema. 

Overall

Overall, Joker: Folie a Deux is a bad film that is a huge step down from the previous film. The film is boring, dull and offers nothing new to the table. It feels like a cash grab that failed at that even, don't waste your time on this film. 

Rating - 3/10

Scream 3 (2000) Review

Next in the Scream review series comes the third film in the franchise and I watched Scream 3 today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a film being made about the events of the previous incidents when another Ghostface killer surfaces. 

Main Character

Neve Campbell is back as Sidney and unfortunately the character doesn't work here and I am not sure it is even Campbell's fault. The character isn't even really in the first half of the film and it feels strange that this character that has been a big part of the franchise is just talked about and doesn't do much. Then when she is on screen, there isn't anything there, she has weird visions about her mother but it just doesn't feel like it hits the mark at all. 

Supporting Characters 

With Sydney not really a part of the first act it leaves David Arquette as Dewey and Courteney Cox as Gale to take centre stage and I can't deny that when I first saw them I was annoyed with their characterisation. But as the film goes on they both become there more charming selves and it is fun to see them working together and being a team. But they do waste some actors such as Patrick Dempsey and Lance Henriksen, they don't offer much to the project and thats a shame considering there star power. Also all the new young actors are over the top and I know it is a trope of this franchise but it has never really worked for me. 

Story

The story again misses the mark, it makes fun of being the end of a trilogy but it follows all of the tropes and it becomes all basic. I thought the reveal was a surprise but the motivations felt forced and just chucked in there because they weren't sure what to use as part of the end of the trilogy. 

Script

The script was actually okay, there was some chuckles in this one. They were in weird places but I thought it was better then the last film but the drama still falls a bit flat and the film isn't as clever in it's storytelling as the first film at least. 

Style 

The film still has exciting death and action scenes. I will always love the over the top and exciting Ghostface encounters, though I would argue we see a bit too much of him in this film. The pacing isn't that great for the film though, it takes too long to get going and that makes you a bit fed up when some exciting things happen. 

Overall

Overall, Scream 3 is a poor film that is a low point for the franchise and makes you wonder whether they even needed to make any films after the first film. 

Rating - 3/10

Spider-Man 3 (2007) Review

With less then a week to go to Spider-Man: No Way Home, I have now finished the original trilogy and here is my review for Spider-Man 3. The premise of the film sees Peter Parker coming into contact with an alien symbiote while his life is thrown into turmoil by villains and his complicated love life. 

Main Character

Tobey Maguire is once again back as Spider-Man and unfortunately this is easily his worst performance in the role. He is fine, as he could play the role in his sleep at this point. It is just Peter is pretty unlikeable in this film and the writing for him is poor. Maguire is only doing what is asked but you can't help but think that he doesn't give as much to this film as he does the others. 

Supporting Characters

Probably the best character in the film is Flint Marko/Sandman played by Thomas Haden Church. He isn't just an average bad guy, he has interesting and has compelling motivations that if in a better film could have been explored to a greater length. JK Simmons is once again back J. Jonah Jameson and he is great in his small role here, again I kind of wish he could have been on screen more but he is always entertaining to watch. Kirsten Dunst is back as Mary Jane Watson and this is the film where I couldn't stand her, she is just really unlikeable and the plot tries to make you care but you just really won't. The film focuses way too much on her and her own story and it just doesn't work and she comes across poorly. The same could be said of James Franco as Harry Osborne, he was set up really well in the previous film but he is really wasted here and it just feels like he was an afterthought which is disappointing. Topher Grace plays Eddie Brock/Venom and he is just bad, I think the actor has even admitted he isn't good in this film, he was just horribly miscast in the role. It doesn't help that he is barely given anything to do and feels really tacked onto the story here. 

Story

The film is all over the place in terms of its storytelling. It tries to focus on so much that it ends up failing on the majority of its fronts. You have three villains that are fighting for screen time, romance and action, it has been reported for years that the studio forced Venom into the film and it really shows with this mess of a movie. 

Script

The script also isn't good. The drama isn't there, it comes across as cringe and weak. The charm worked in the previous films to a certain extent but it fails here. The humour isn't there either and really turns the characters into idiots and kind of ruins them from the previous films. 

Style 

The action scenes are pretty decent, in particular the Spider-Man vs Sandman subway fight. The Black Suit Spider-Man looks great and the CGI is pretty effective for a film that came out a long time ago. But the film is paced really badly, again as I complained about earlier, there are too many plot threads to focus on and it messes up with the pacing and tone of the film. 

Overall 

Overall, Spider-Man 3 is a poor film. It is a big let down to finish the trilogy and its one that all involved would like to forget. 

Rating - 3/10

Beckett (2021) Review

It seems like this film has been watched plenty over the last few days on Netflix so I watched Beckett and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a man trapped in Greece on the run for his life. 

Main Character

John David Washington has been really busy lately and he plays the lead role here and he is very good in the role. He is really the only character in the film and you follow him all the way through this mad journey and his performance is easily the best part of this mess. It is a very physical performance and he just feels like your normal guy and he is the one you feel sympathy for. 

Supporting Characters

As I said Washington is the star here and the only real character in the film despite there being some stellar talent on show here. Alicia Vikander, Boyd Holdbrook & Vicky Krieps are in this film and all of them are fine and decent as you would expect but it just feels at the same time that they are wasted. These are some great performers and they are all basically cameos who Washington comes across and that is a let down. 

Story 

The story is an absolute shambles, I still am not sure why Washington's character was on the run. The film overcomplicates every aspect of the story and I checked out after 10 mins, it struggles to engage and make you care about anything other then David Washington's strong performance. The film also has a pretty insulting ending that makes you wonder why you even bothered. 

Script

The script is also weak, this is a boring miserable script that doesn't connect you with what exactly is going on. Whoever, wrote it clearly wanted to make this really complex thriller but it just fails miserably at it. 

Style 

The style of the film is also just a bit slow, I think this is meant to be a thriller but it doesn't have much that is thrilling about it. There are some action scenes but they don't make sense, this is an average guy who somehow turns into Batman and manages to beat people up in creative ways and it just doesn't add up. The film just isn't paced well and takes way too long to get going and doesn't keep you hooked throughout. 

Overall

Overall, Beckett is a bad movie. It has a strong lead performance and not much else and I just don't see who it appeals to so I would give it a skip. 

Rating - 3/10

Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) Review 

When I was younger I used to watch the Looney Tunes and I loved and the original Space Jam is a guilty pleasure film for me so I had a tiny bit of excitement for the sequel New Legacy and I had the chance to watch it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Lebron James sucked into an artificial world where he must unite the Toon Squad to win a game of Basketball. 

Main Character

As mentioned above, Lebron James plays himself as the lead character and he seems like a pretty charismatic guy in real life but that is not the case here. He is so boring to watch here, and for the majority of the film he is just reacting to what is going on with the whole world. The film forces him to deliver some emotional scenes and he just can't do it and it really makes the film fall flat. 

Supporting Characters

Don Cheadle plays the bad guy in the film and he just looks like he is having a really fun time with the role, this is no great villain performance but he is possibly the most entertaining part of the film and that has to count for something. Onto the toons and they are pretty entertaining, the old classics are there by Buggs Bunny, Wile Coyote and Foghorn Leghorn and memories of my childhood came back. But they also get put into the background for Lebron, I never really got Zendaya voicing Lola Bunny and guys like Semmity Sam and Daffy Duck have little to do and the biggest negative is giving my favourite character Marvin Martian barely anything to do. I didn't really care for Lebron's onscreen son and Sonequa Martin-Green is really wasted as Lebron's wife. 

Story 

The story offers very little. The whole theme of fatherhood is let down by weak performances and a weak dramatic script. The first film had the looney tunes in the forefront but here they feel like afterthoughts, in favour for Warner Bros very clear poor marketing and they try to cram all these franchises that they own in order to try and convince you to watch them. This is despite the demographic of young kids will have no idea what half of these franchises even are. 

Script

The script does have a few chuckle worthy moments and although I complained about the obvious marketing ploy, a lot of the cameos were quite funny to me as a big film fan. But the drama really isn't there and a good chunk of the comedy feels like it should have been left in the prime days of the tunes. 

Style 

The animation for this film is pretty great, it looks exactly like it should for the majority, until it goes to more CGI instead of animation and it becomes a bit strange. Also this film felt really long, the last basketball game itself feels like an hour long and I shouldn't be feeling like that in a family friendly film with Looney Tunes characters. 

Overall

Overall, Space Jam: New Legacy is a bad film. It will have some people who grew up with The Looney Tunes and the original film but they will not like it and kids shouldn't be bought up watching this garbage of a film cause it has some nice visuals. 

Rating - 3/10

Escape Room (2019) Review

I'm going to see Escape Room: Tournament of Champions tonight, so I thought I better watch the first film in the franchise Escape Room and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees six strangers trapped in different escape rooms looking for a way to survive. 

Main Character

Taylor Russell plays Zoe who is our main character here and she is just fine in the role, for a young actress she has some decent moments but unfortunately her performance falls down because her character is so generic and boring. She is basically this incredibly intelligent girl who has the answer to everything and it makes it a bit annoying at times. There is so little explained about her as a character that it makes it tough to care despite an actress really trying to make you care which is a shame. 

Supporting Characters 

The rest of the cast fall down with this too, the actors are trying their best to give good performances but are let down by poor writing and poor characterisation. I mean Deborah Ann Woll from Daredevil is here and does a decent enough job, the rest of the cast are also okay. But we have the arrogant businessman, the PTSD army vet and the drugged up youth. It was like they just didn't want to bother creating interesting characters because that was too much effort. 

Story 

The story is where the film really falls down. The overall idea of a horror film in an escape room is a pretty decent idea, the issue is that a franchise like Saw exists and this idea has been done before plenty of times. It could have worked, but the characters aren't interesting and there is minimal time spent getting you to care about them in any way with a frustrating cliff-hanger ending that the film did not earn. 

Script

The script is also bad, the dialogue is cliché and the overall writing for the story is just badly handled. The writing mixed with poor character development is the biggest hinderance for the film. 

Style 

The film actually has some pretty interesting escape rooms that deal with different types of challenges for the group of people to go at, the film is also paced pretty well, I never got bored and think the film was dragging. But I think the issue is that this film is a bit tame and by the end I feel like I have barely learnt anything about the overall plot. I hate to make the comparisons to Saw but the traps in those films are way more inventive and brutal then what we see here. 

Overall

Overall, Escape Room is a poor film. It doesn't do enough for horror fans to sink their teeth into and it doesn't do anything to convince others to watch so this is one you can skip. 

Rating - 3/10 

Without Remorse (2021) Review

This film has been heavily marketed by Amazon and I have finally found the time to watch it and here is my review for Without Remorse. The premise of the film sees an elite soldier go on the hunt after his wife is killed. 

Main Character

Over the last few years Michael B Jordan has become a real film star and that shows here as he manages to add a little bit to this completely bland character. Jordan just has the presence of a movie star and it is sometimes exciting to see him take down bad guys are here. But the issue is that this character is incredibly dull and boring, I never once cared about him and his motivations despite the fact I clearly should. A weaker actor then Jordan would have been totally useless but he manages to save it a little bit. 

Supporting Characters

This film has an impressive supporting cast. Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell & Guy Pearce are in the film and it feels very similar to the main character in that these actors do a decent job in their roles but their characters are so basic and generic it is unreal. When you have a talented cast, it feels worse that their talent has been wasted and that these roles might as well have gone to up and coming actors who could have got themselves recognised a bit. 

Story 

The story is here is as bland and generic as possible. It has some similar vibes to a film like John Wick but that has way more depth and unique world building to it that this film didn't. I didn't care about any of the characters and any twist and turn is incredibly predictable from minute one to the final minute and it just did nothing for me. 

Script

The script also did nothing. It takes itself incredibly seriously and misses the mark. The drama is dull and not conveyed well enough and there is a lack of balance in terms of the tone and it just causes this film to be incredibly forgettable. 

Style 

The style is possibly the most important part of an action film and this film does it okay. There are some decent action sequences that are well performed and that is crucial to any sort of entertainment that is here. But there isn't any action scene that really wowed me, it just feels a bit safe and forgettable and that is how the majority of people will see this film. 

Overall

Overall, Without Remorse is a poor action film. It is clear that this is meant to be a start of a Tom Clancy Film Franchise but this is a bad start and there are plenty of better action films out there to sink your teeth into. 

Rating - 3/10

Saw 3 (2006) Review

Despite a bit of a break, I am back reviewing the Saw films and that continues here with Saw 3 and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Jigsaw and Amanda kidnap a doctor in order to keep himself alive while another man must go through a test of his own. 

Main Character

Tobin Bell is back as Jigsaw and this is probably his most lacklustre performance. He still has that chill to his voice and he is a pretty calculated horror villain and that continues here. But the issue here is that he doesn't really do that much for the majority of the film, he just finds himself laid in bed and saying cryptic things which is just not as interesting as what we have seen in previous films. 

Supporting Characters

Angus MacFadyen and Bahar Soomekh play the two new people playing Jigsaw's game and they are just bad here. They are overacting and it is really hard to care about them even though the film really wants you too. the first film did this effectively but this film is more like Saw 2 in making it hard to care about them as characters. Shawnee Smith is back as Amanda and she is annoying, she is also really overacting and it just doesn't work, she comes across as the complete opposite of Jigsaw and while I was watching the film I just wanted her to go and have him take centre stage like he has in previous films. 

Story 

The story is a bit of a mess but there are some okay parts to it. Macfadyen's character Jeff has to go through a pretty emotional time of it and at times it works okay but then the film goes and screws it up. There is also a good explaining of Amanda's character and how she fits into the Saw history and mythos which I did like. But the main issue is that there is way too much going on, it feels like they had a few story ideas but only had one film to do it in which makes this feel like a bit of a Frankenstein of a film that is a bit all over the place in terms of its storytelling. Also the film feels like it has to deal with characters from the previous film and spends way too much time on it when it plays a pretty small part of this film's overall story. 

Script

The script is nonsense to be honest with dialogue that is really poorly written and makes this film go from having a bit of gory charm to cringeworthy. Plus the ending is absurd and feels like just a lazy excuse to keep the franchise going as characters start doing really stupid things. 

Style 

Saw has always been known for its gory death-traps and this film ramps it up and makes it feel more reliant on the gore then previously expected. They are entertaining in a terrible way and actually pretty ingenious which is the main thing that keeps you watching this mess of a film. But this film is way too long, it drags its heels in for probably 15 mins too long and with these different stories it just doesn't work. 

Overall

Overall, Saw 3 is a bad film that relies on shock gore to keep people invested. Saw started off as a pretty unique concept but this film is more like your generic horror film and not a particularly good one at that. 

Rating - 3/10

Things Heard & Seen (2021) Review

This film made its way to Netflix today and I managed to find two hours spare so I watched it and here is my review for Things Heard and Seen. The premise of the film sees a couple move to The Hudson Valley where things start to unravel and there might even be supernatural forces in play. 

Main Character

Amanda Seyfried and James Norton plays the two leads here and they both do okay jobs. Neither of their characters are particularly interesting but they are clearly two talented performers and they try to make the most out of what they have and that is some pretty good qualities. But you won't care about either of these two characters or there plights as it is just really dull and mundane with very little reason given as to really why these characters are in this situation. 

Supporting Characters

The amazing Rhea Seehorn is here and she is obviously the best part of the film having some great scenes and she is the best character in the film. This is the first thing I have seen her in since watching Better Call Saul and it is great to see that she is still really good here and despite every other part of the film faltering she doesn't for one moment. F. Murray Abraham is in this film and he is decent but his character is a bit all over the place but he is a presence on screen and it is nice to see him here. But the rest of the cast just play these generic characters that offer very little whether it be the young performers or Karen Allen of Indiana Jones fame they are bland. 

Story 

This story is absurd and not in a good way. It just doesn't work, despite a few okay performances there is nobody to really latch onto and the whole supernatural element is wasted and feels just like a reason for a wacky ending and to stretch this film to 2 hours long. It has plenty of clichés and the last act in particular is just ridiculous and comes out of nowhere and makes these characters feel more like actors playing roles then real people. Plus the awful ending and you have a pretty terrible plot. 

Script 

The script is also bad, the dialogue does nothing to enhance the plot or its characters. It just comes across as mixed convoluted and basic and these two styles just don't mix and make this a nightmare of ideas put into one film. 

Style 

The style of the film looks okay, it does a half decent job of showing the small scale of the place that this couple moves too and has some decent camera work and cinematography. But this film is just really boring and its pacing is lacklustre. This film should never been so long and probably could have done away with the whole supernatural aspect and it might have been a slightly better film. 

Overall

Overall, Things Heard & Seen is a poor movie. It just lacks any interest or intrigue, it is too slow and when it does try something shocking it fails at it. Give this one a miss. 

Rating - 3/10

Thunder Force (2021) Review

With the Coronavirus pandemic shutting Cinemas worldwide it seems like Netflix have become a force in terms of gaining the rights to films with big stars in it and Thunder Force is no different and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees two former friends both get superpowers and attempt to save Chicago from other superpowered beings. 

Main Character

Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer play the two leads here and its weird, I think both of them are pretty bad in this film but there is no denying they seems to be having fun together and it actually added a bit of energy and life to this pretty generic film. But on their own it doesn't work, Spencer isn't an actress that does comedy much and it clearly shows as she is quite stiff and rigid in her performance which is clearer due to the over the top performance by McCarthy. Now I know Melissa McCarthy can be funny, I have seen her do good work such as Spy and Can you ever forgive me? She just isn't funny here and she needs the right director and project to get that out of her and this film was not it. 

Supporting Characters

Jason Bateman. That is it the best part of this film is Bateman, he plays a half man half crab and he is actually pretty funny. He just adds some quirkiness and ridiculousness of the right kind that really fits and it is just a shame that the others in the film just can't get the same quality out if them. There are some other decent actors such as Bobby Cannavale, Melissa Leo and Pom Klementieff but they are such dull characters and for me it is just a real waste of the talent that the film has and sometimes I wonder why bother casting these big name performers if you aren't going to give them interesting and funny material to work with. 

Story 

The story is absurd, but it doesn't embrace it enough. I want to see more superpowered beings for Thunder Force to go up against and it feels like the film either didn't have the budget or weren't creative enough to do that. The film tries to make you care about the characters but I really couldn't as apart from Bateman I just didn't care about the characters or their whole story because the film does nothing to make me care. This film also has something that happens in the last act that really annoyed me because it didn't feel earned and even though this is a comedy I feel like things should at least feel like they fit in the film we are watching. 

Script

The one job of a comedy, make me laugh and this film really failed at that. I maybe smirked a few times but I never laughed as they is no clever comedy here, it is just the most basic of basic attempts to make you laugh and you can easily see right through it. Also the drama doesn't work, it has all been done before and this film isn't good enough for it to get me invested. 

Style 

When the action is happening there is no doubt that it can be fun to watch and fitting for a spoof of Superhero films. But I checked and the first time Thunder Force go on a mission is 45 mins into the film, that is unacceptable and by that point I had already clocked out of what the film was trying to achieve. 

Overall 

Overall, Thunder Force is a bad comedy. McCarthy is in another comedy stinker and I just think this film lacks any of the qualities that a good comedy needs and unless you love the two leads this is one to avoid. 

Rating - 3/10

SAS: Red Notice (2021) Review

This film made it's way to Sky Cinema last Friday and last night I sat down and watched SAS: Red Notice and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a small force of trained mercenaries hijack a train where one man has to stop them. 

Main Character

Sam Heughan plays one of the main characters here and I thought he was okay. He was good in the action scenes and provided a physical presence to the role which aided in the film, also I like some of the things they do with the character in terms of the mental state of the character. But it just isn't handled well enough and Heughan is quite dull in his performance and the film doesn't do a good job of making you like him or care about him. Ruby Rose plays the main villain and I actually thought she was the more interesting character and sold her insanity in a more interesting way. She gives a menacing performance and Rose does as good a job as possible, but in the end her motivations are very dull and it wastes the opportunity given due to her decent performance. 

Supporting Characters

This cast has plenty of well recognised actors, though they don't exactly get much to work with. Andy Serkis is a nice fun character here, he is completely over the top and kind of like he is in a different film to the rest of the cast but you cannot deny that he is entertaining. But others like Hannah John Kamen, Tom Hopper & Noel Clarke are given very little to work with and despite being good actors the characters are bland and don't offer much to the overall product to the film.  

Story 

The story here is really bland too, this films plot feels like it belongs in the 1990's where action films like this were churned out all of the time. The film wanted to do something unique with the two main characters but the story doesn't do enough to make it interesting and as I said above the whole motivations for the villains is cliché and not well thought. Also the film has twists and turns and I am pretty sure not one of them makes sense and the end of the film cops out and takes the easy way out instead of providing something unique. 

Script

The script as well is weak and really does hurt the film. It provides cliché motivations and twists that are unnecessary and feel like a poor attempt to try and make the film feel better then it actually is. The film also takes itself really seriously too and kind of misses the point of an action film like this. 

Style

There are some good action scenes here that are pretty violent and are the best parts of this film. The film is paced pretty well and despite a longer runtime that I would like, I never really felt bored by any of it. Though I think with the other elements of the film being weaker I needed more from the action scenes and some truly memorable sequences which the film doesn't have. 

Overall

Overall, SAS: Red Notice is a pretty poor film that just feels very forgettable. It has some okay action but there are so many better action films out there and this is one to avoid. 

Rating - 3/10

Sentinelle (2021) Review

This film came onto Netflix last Friday and I saw it is literally 75 mins so I gave it a quick watch and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a damaged French Soldier on the hunt after her Sister 

ends up in a coma. 

Main Character

I always think it is crazy that Olga Kurylenko was a Bond Girl, it just feels like she has disappeared over the years and that is a shame, but she plays the main character here and I think she did a decent job. She gives as strong a performance as she can with the material she is given, this is a pretty damaged person and character and Olga does a good job of showing that and especially, in the first act you saw it. But there is a limit on the character for sure, she doesn't get much development and there are elements of the character that aren't ever addressed and you wonder why this is the case. 

Supporting Characters

This film doesn't have a particularly large cats and I am going to make this section nice and quick by saying none of them are particularly great. Olga's family don't do much, the police are bland and the bad guys are cliché dull characters, so this is a big weakness of the film. 

Story

Olga's character has an interesting story about her, you can tell she isn't your average soldier and that is made clear and the film does an alright job of that and it is cool seeing her go after these bad people. But the film lacks any depth towards it, and as I said the supporting characters are generic and it just feels like someone wrote this film incredibly quickly and it holds the overall product down. 

Script 

The script is also a weak part of the film, the drama isn't there and there is literally no humour. As I said it feels like this was a script that was written really quickly and not given much thought to it and that really shows when you think about it. 

Style 

The style of the film has some decent action scenes. It is cool to see Olga going after people and it is well filmed and pretty graphic at times for sure. I also appreciated that the film doesn't overstay its welcome and drag it out for much longer then it needed. But this film has some strange pacing, there are elements of the plot that don't need to be there and it slowed the film down and feels like it was only there because this film is already short enough. 

Overall

Overall, this is a pretty poor film. It is one that was written and made incredibly quickly and it feels rushed and despite its short run time I feel like it isn't a film that needs to be seen. 

Rating - 3/10

Coming 2 America (2021) Review

So after over 30 years the sequel to Coming to America has come out on Amazon Prime and here is my review for Coming 2 America. The premise of the film sees Akeem have to travel back to America to find his long lost son and build a relationship with him so can can become his heir. 

Main Character 

Eddie Murphy is back as Akeem and I think he is just okay here. You can't get away from the fact that he is Eddie Murphy and he has a bit of that charm still there and by the end of the film you get back to kind of liking Akeem. But I really felt like he sleepwalked his way through this film, he isn't very funny at all and maybe Murphy's long break from acting came into play here. It also doesn't help that Akeem is made to be pretty unlikeable here, it is for the convenience of the film but it just doesn't feel right and it turns you off from him completely. 

Supporting Characters

Onto the best part of the film and that is Wesley Snipes, this guy is clearly giving his all and is actually the one that felt like he was having some real fun with his role as the opposing general. I know the reports that he can be a bit tough to work with but when he is like this he is somebody that is a great asset for any film and I am still holding out hope he can have a role in Marvel's new Blade film. Arsenio Hall is back as Semmi, and he is good, I mean that man hasn't aged a day in 30 years and seems to enjoy his rare outing on the big screen by giving a decent performance. Shari Headley, James Earl Jones and John Amos are back in smaller roles and they are all decent in their roles, even if I wish there was more of them. But it is most of the new cast that I didn't like, Jermaine Fowler plays Akeem's son and I really didn't care about him, he just comes across as a really arrogant person and for me never really becomes likeable and I never really cared about his relationship with Akeem which is meant to be the main part of the film. Also I like Leslie Jones and Tracey Morgan but I didn't like them in this film and they just came across as more annoying then funny. 

Story 

The story is really poor here, most of the characters are more unlikeable here. As I said the connection between Akeem and his son didn't work for me and the dynamic between the characters never grew and I never found myself caring. The film also kind of goes against the original film, the characters haven't developed anywhere near enough despite it being 30 years. 

Script 

Now for a comedy, the main thing I require is to laugh and I think I laughed a total of twice here, one time right at the end and during the end credits. The film is just not funny, it feels forced and poorly written with the drama not fairing much better. It isn't a film with really any twists and turns and that worked for the original film because it had charm and was funny but this film has none of those qualities. 

Style 

Now one of the things that I liked in this film is that it spends more time in Africa and it added something different to the film in a positive way, with a nice change in scenery. But like its predecessor, the film is too long and its pacing is pretty poor a lacklustre script not helping. 

Overall

Overall, this is a poor comedy. It is just a sequel that should never have happened and is one that will hopefully be long forgotten. Even if you are a fan of the original film give this one a miss so that film can stay fond in your mind. 

Rating - 3/10

Honest Thief (2020) Review

With the cinemas finally reopening in the UK it means some films that came out around October are now being shown and Honest Thief is one of those and I saw it today so here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a former Bank robber attempt to turn himself in, when he is caught up in a plot involving the police department. 

Main Character 

Liam Neeson plays the main character here and I mean what is there to say other then that ever since he played Brian Mills in the first Taken he has been doing this role and he could do it in his sleep. He is functional and will always have a paycheck but there is nothing new or exciting here, he phones it in and does the minimum which is good enough for only an okay character. 

Supporting Characters

Kate Walsh plays his love interest and I thought they actually had pretty decent and likeable chemistry together, I mean her character has nothing too her but I thought she did a fine job with what she was given. Jai Courtenay is an actor who has an interesting career and I actually think he does a decent job here, he is an egotistical bad guy but he plays it pretty well and he is a guy you just won't like which means he is playing the role well. But the rest of the cast offer nothing, the great Robert Patrick is completely wasted and given nothing to so which makes you wonder why even bother getting him here for this role. Jeffery Donovan plays a cop and this guy was laughably bad, he is such a cliché and just does nothing here for anybody to care about, not even his mum. 

Story 

The story though did very little for me, there is not a unique and new bone in this film's body and it needs to be called out for that. I didn't really believe in Neeson's character and his backstory and the film does nothing to interest you and make you care. The motivations are paper thin and despite some decent performances it is hampered by a weak plot and one that ends with pretty much no resolution to it. 

Script

The script is also very generic and does nothing to it and is probably the biggest thing to blame for the lack of interest given to this film. Again the actors do a better job with pretty poor material and similar to Neeson the people writing these films have an easy job and don't do anything to try and innovate and become interesting. 

Style 

The film has some decent action sequences and chase scenes that at least kept my attention for a little bit more then the rest of the film but there isn't enough. This is a criticism I have with quite a few of these films of Neeson that it takes way too long to actually get to the action and takes ages to build and by the time you get to the action you just don't care. 

Overall

Overall, this is a poor lazy film that will rank low on these Neeson action films for sure. Unless you are a die hard fan of Liam Neeson avoid this film and do something else for 90 mins. 

Rating - 3/10

Ava (2020) Review

So this film suffered due to the Covid 19 pandemic but has now found its way to Netflix and it seems people are watching it, so I have watched it and here is my review for Ava. The premise of the film sees an assassin hunted down due to her interesting style of work. 

Main Character

Jessica Chastain plays Ava here and she is completely functional in the role, Chastain is a great actress and she does an adequate job in the role. She is good in the action scenes and does a decent job as the mysterious assassin here. But there is nothing unique at all about her character and it is just eye rolling, you are given no reason to care about Ava and when they try and force you to care it fails and falls really flat on its face. 

Supporting Characters 

John Malkovich and Colin Farrell plays supporting roles here and they do well because they are good actors but it is just the shame that the same as Chastain there characters are paper thin and not given anything to work with. The rest of her family troupe are awful and I actually wanted to see them get killed, which doesn't happen too often, I thought Common was terrible and really miscast in the role that he was given. 

Story 

The story sucks, it is so cliché it is unreal. Even now I am still not really sure why the bad guys are after Ava and I am not sure why I should care. This film offers nothing new in terms of storytelling and literally is a tick box of all the generic action stories and does them all really awfully despite a really strong opening 5 mins that is the clear highlight of the film.

Script  

The script follows the story in being pretty terrible, there is no dialogue that is interesting and the story is written so poorly. It is like the writers for this film watched some mediocre action films and thought we can do that but worse and that is what you get with Ava.

Style 

The style definitely has some decent action scenes, Farrell & Chastain (and their stunt-doubles) all do a decent job in the action scenes to make it seem pretty intense and brutal when it needs to raise the stakes. But the film doesn't offer anything ground breaking and new, also some of the action scenes are filmed pretty poorly and that lets the overall film down, I just wish the film had continued the style from the first 5 mins as that is really good but it ends up feeling like an action film you have seen plenty of times before and done better. 

Overall 

Overall, this is a poor action film that offers absolutely nothing new to the genre and it is one of the laziest films you will see. Don't waste your time with this film and go and watch any of the John Wick films instead. 

Rating - 3/10

Ghosts Of War (2020) Review

So this film came out quietly to Video on Demand earlier in the year but it has now hit Netflix so I have watched it and here is my review for the film Ghosts Of War. The premise of the film sees a group of soldiers arrive at a French Mansion during WW2, not only do they have to deal with Nazis but also a supernatural threat. 

Main Character

Brenton Thwaites who plays Dick Grayson on Titans plays the lead here and he is nothing more then functional, he has got some talent as an actor and has proven on that show that he can be good and for me he was the best character here. Though that really isn't saying much, he just has very little character here and despite everything you won't care about him and whatever comes of him in the film. 

Supporting Characters

There is a group of soldiers with him played by actors Kyle Gallner, Alan Ritchson, Theo Rossi & Skylar Astin and you will not care about any of them whatsoever. They have done other okay things but they are given nothing to work with and you literally won't care about any of them and whether they live or die and that really hurts the overall product. 

Story

The story is pretty by the numbers, well until we get to the end of the film which I will go into in a minute. There is a tense feeling about the film and it keeps you and the characters on edge and as I said there is a twist late on in the film and I am not sure what to make of it. It feels like it comes out of nowhere and feels out of place but I usually criticise horror films for being generic so fair play to this film for trying something different. But I think we can all agree that the very end of the film is terrible, no spoilers but it is so unfulfilling and feels like a cheap way to end the film.

Script 

The script is really bad, the dialogue is as dull as dishwater and it helps to make the characters so uninspiring and dull and make you not care about them. The twist aside there is pretty much no creativity and it is a film that you have seen over and over again. 

Style 

The film does have a very tense feeling and does a decent job of portraying that, it makes the house they are in feel like a dangerous place. But I thought the pacing of the film was very slow, it was only 90 mins long but it felt much longer and that made the film drag a lot for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is a poor horror film, there will be plenty of these every year and even though this tries to change things up it fails overall and is one you can skip. 

Rating - 3/10

Rebecca (2020) Review

So this film is a remake of the famous film directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock of the same name and has now made its way to Netflix and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young newlywed arrive at her husbands family estate where the legacy of his former wife Rebecca remains. 

Main Character

Lily James has been in the news lately for some pretty bad things but let's just talk about her performance in this film and unfortunately I didn't care about her character at all. She is just so dull and she never seems like a human being, she is either overacting every scene or just moping about. Also her character is so inconsistent, it is tough to explain without spoilers but she makes some decisions that just feel very strange and like they don't fit with what we have seen throughout the ret of the film. 

Supporting Characters 

Kristen Scott Thomas plays the head maid in the house and I thought she did a good job, she is very chilling and stern in the film, she comes across as a dastardly person and she just does a good job at it here. Sam Riley who I like as an actor has a small role here and I thought he did a good job, it's just a shame that he doesn't have more screen time and more to do here. Armie Hammer plays the husband in this film and he didn't do much for me, he also was a dull character, that I never cared about him or their relationship. They just lacked chemistry and the problem is that neither of them gave me a reason to care about them and this relationship that we are meant to be rooting for. 

Story

The story in the film has some interesting things in it, especially towards the end of the film as more is revealed about what exactly is going as reveals get made and things get more crazy. But none of it really matters, it is very jumbled and not expanded upon, it is like the film meanders so much for the first half of the film that it has to rush the last act and it is clear to see with a truly awful ending. 

Script 

The script isn't very good, there is no memorable bits of dialogue and nothing that fleshes out these characters. As I said earlier the writing is so poor and rushes lots of its plot to the 3rd act which makes you confused. 

Style 

The best part of this film is that it is really nice to look at, it has great costumes, great locations and great visuals and that is about it. This is a really slow film that feels 3 hours when it is only 2, with not much going on it just feels like a real slog to get through. 

Overall

Overall, this is a really poor film and shows why sometimes remakes and reboots are just unnecessary unless it is going to be done to a high quality. Save yourself 2 hours and skip this one. 

Rating - 3/10

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) Review

Finally, I have made it the final film in my X-Men review series and it is Dark Phoenix and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees after an accident on a mission in space Jean Grey is infused with an alien force and takes on a new destructive personality. 

Main Character

Sophie Turner plays Jean Grey here like she did in Apocalypse but I found her performance much weaker here. The issue is that we never have time to spend with Jean as a character, we are introduced to her in the previous film and then she turns so quickly here that we learn so little here that it makes it hard to care about her. Turner also doesn't add that much to the performance which also doesn't help with the character, though maybe with a stronger script she would have had a better chance. James McAvoy is back as Xavier and I thought he was good here, I actually like how they treat his character, he is seen more harshly and you really see a different side to him here that we have never seen in previous films. I mean this is his weakest performance as the character but he gives enough to be satisfied. 

Supporting Characters

Michael Fassbender as Magneto has been my favourite part of these newer X-Men films and he does try here and again similar to McAvoy I give him credit for that and it is enough for some praise but his character is so dull and actually pointless here. After Apocalypse for me his character arc was finished but they have to force him in here even though it actually doesn't make any sense. Now onto the rest of the cast and just how boring they are, Jennifer Lawrence is back for a small role as Mystique and she just doesn't even try here, you can tell she wasn't interested in being in the film but signed a contract. Same could be said about Nicholas Hoult as Beast who also is performing half hearted and really his character makes some decisions that don't really make any sense for him and it just screws the character over. Tye Sheridan plays Cyclops and he should have been a really important part of this film due to his relationship with Jean but he is so wasted here. He has no charisma or charm here at all and the issue is that you don't buy into there relationship at all due to the fact that we never actually see it on screen for long enough. Also if you came here to see more of Storm and Nightcrawler from the previous film then you are out of luck as they do nothing interesting here and don't get me started on Quicksilver who is ignored completely and he might as well have not been a part of the movie at all. Jessica Chastain plays a villain here and she is so generic, this is a really boring and wooden performance for a character that has nothing memorable about them at all. 

Story

First things with the story is just pretty much ignore everything from the previous films as they are never addressed and this film actually contradicts things from those films which is just crazy. This film doesn't have a clue what it is trying to tell with its story, it doesn't give us enough time or effort to care about Jean Grey as a character making it hard to root for her in any way. It feels like there is a film missing here between Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, the characters don't get developed here and it feels like that the film rushes the characters arcs so you feel lost and confused as to exactly what you should be interested in. Also why is this film set 10 years after Apocalypse, it is unnecessary and actually makes no sense with the actors looking no different in 10 years which also takes you out of the film or at least it did with me.

Script

This script is bad, there isn't one bit of memorable dialogue at all, I literally watched the film and I cannot remember any particular lines from the film. The characters, especially Jean Grey are written so poorly that you are given no reason to care, except maybe for Xavier and Magneto because we have seen more of them as characters. 

Style

Now the one thing this film will get credit for is the action scenes, they are actually really good here. They are exciting and well filmed and do a good job of showcasing the different powers that are in screen, it also shows Jeans powers better then The Last Stand did. But this films pacing is just weird, for a nearly 2 hour film it feels like a 90 minute movie. It ignores character development and intrigue to focus on action and exciting this which really holds it back. Also what the hell happened to those awesome costumes at the end of Apocalypse, the X-Men costumes here look awful and cheap similar to First Class but even worse that they should never been seen. 

Overall

This film is just really bad, even for big X-Men fans this isn't worth a watch and I would advise that you don't put any time or effort into this film. When Disney eventually reboot the X-Men I hope they stay away from the Dark Phoenix story as it seems to not work well on the big screen. 

Rating - 3/10  

How to Build a Girl (2020) Review

So this film recently found its way to streaming in the UK and has been gaining a bit of buzz so I have watched How to Build a Girl and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a teenager living in Wolverhampton become a popular but conflicted music critic. 

Main Character

Beanie Feldstein plays the main character and no slander on the actress here because I am sure she is talented but I couldn't get on board with her character. Her character came across as so annoying and I know this is part of her story arc, but even when she is meant to be good she comes across as annoying and I really found it hard to sympathise for her. As well the accent just didn't work for me, I am pretty certain she isn't from the midlands and it is pretty distracting here.

Supporting Characters

This film actually has a talented supporting cast, but most of them are in very small roles which is a let down. Paddy Considine plays her father here and I thought he was great, he is just a very charming actor and you see how his character affects her and he does his job well. Alfie Allen most known for playing Theon Greyjoy in Game Of Thrones is here and he does a really good job, he plays her friend and I just think he is a good actor and he does a fine job in the role. But the rest of the family and co workers didn't interest me and felt like generic stereotypes that actually does a poor job in representing men and at times it makes this feel like a feminist puff piece. 

Story 

The story here is okay, it is one of those coming of age stories and it is done okay, the character starts in one way and ends up in a completely different way which is a good sign. But this film hits every beat of that formula without going against it once and it really holds it back, also as I said earlier this film is clearly not aimed at me and it feels like a film that tries a deeper message but just fails. 

Script 

The script is also okay, there are a few chuckle worthy laughs and moments which makes it pass nicely. It is just never that moment that really makes you laugh and I thought the majority of the drama fell flat. 

Style

The style of the film didn't do enough for me, I felt this film was a bit slow and meandering and it just didn't do anything to particularly stand out and rise above its pretty generic story. 

Overall

Overall, I thought this was a pretty poor film that just didn't do much for me personally, though I think there might be a demographic for this film I wouldn't recommend it. 

Rating - 3/10

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) Review

So the next film on my X-Men reviewing list is the third film in the franchise X-Men The Last Stand and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the government come up with a Mutant cure which cause a divide in the mutant community, while Jean Grey comes back with a darker more destructive personality. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman is once again the lead here as Wolverine and he is okay here. He still has that charm and charisma there which is good for an action star, but the character development and the intrigue of his character is gone here. It just feels like he relies on his charisma and the actual performance just isn't as strong and honestly I think the lesser quality of the whole film does hurt his performance. 

Supporting Characters

Halle Berry as Storm was really good in X2 and I think she is just as good here. She takes a larger role here and she fits her role here. Sir Ian Mckellen is back as Magneto and once again he is a great villain here and even though I think it is the least interesting of his performances he still rises above and does a great job. Newly added to the cast is Kelsey Grammer as Beast and this was inspired casting, he is superb and such a cool character here in this film. But then to the rest of the main cast, Sir Patrick Stewart is good as Xavier it is just he is so poorly used here and it feels like he was an afterthought here and wasn't a character of importance. Now onto Famke Jenssen as Jean Grey and she is so dull here, this is a very lifeless performance and this film does nothing to make her interesting at all. Also characters like Iceman, Shadowcat and Rogue are here and really poorly used and are clearly afterthoughts here too. 

Story 

This story is an absolute mess, it literally is all over the place. It just seems filmmakers don't know how to do The Dark Phoenix saga as it really doesn't work here and we will talk about it when I review Dark Phoenix. This cure storyline and The Phoenix stuff could be interesting if told individually but trying to fit both of them in this film, means neither stands out and neither have enough intrigue to keep you interested and this really just makes this film brainless action. Also this film really lacks conviction, it makes some radical decisions but by the end of the film goes completely against them and takes the easy way out. 

Script

The script here is not good, the drama for me didn't work it was really poorly done and I just didn't find myself caring for the heroes, in fact the film does such a bad job I actually ended up rooting for Magneto which I am pretty sure I am not meant to do. The humour only works when Jackman does it, I mean Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut has some of the most absurd lines in any film ever made and it really doesn't work. 

Style

As mentioned earlier, this film tries to focus on its action and yeah there are some pretty grand and exciting action scenes here. But I mean there isn't anything that is truly amazing here at all, I would argue there are much better action scenes in X2. Also the pacing of the film is all over the place, it is really choppy and tries to focus on too much in the first hour of the film. 

Overall

Overall, this film really brings a sour note on this trilogy, and changing director really doesn't help things. I would say even if you are an X-Men fan maybe this one is one to skip as I feel like it doesn't really add anything much of worth. 

Rating - 3/10