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

Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024) Review

After the entertaining Bad Boys: For Life came out a few years ago it was guaranteed that we would be getting a fourth film in the franchise and here it is in Bad Boys: Ride or Die and I saw it today with this being my review. The premise of the film sees Mike & Marcus on the run after their former Captain is accused of working with the Cartels. 

Main Character

Will Smith as Mike Lowry and Martin Lawrence as Marcus Burnett are what carries this film and the chemistry that they have together. They both look like they are having a blast and their enthusiasm and energy is what I really enjoyed. Though, I can't deny that both characters have story arcs and they both come out of nowhere and are a bit bizarre and hold the movie and these characters back. 

Supporting Characters

Paola Nunez makes her return as Rita and I enjoyed her character, she is an old ally of Mike's and she has taken over the captains role and I thought she gave a pretty solid performance and I enjoyed watching her. 

But the rest of the cast aren't great, Jacob Scipio is back as Armando and this guy has very little charisma and intrigue about him. This comes after a bland performance in the previous film and it just seems this guy can't live up to the hype of taking over from Will Smith which this film possibly wants. 

Vanessa Hudgens as Kelly and Alexander Ludwig as Dorn return for this film in a clearly reduced role and they are pretty much given nothing to do except being some low level comic relief which doesn't really work when the main duo are way more entertaining. 

The film really wastes the talent of Ioan Gruffudd and Rhea Seehorn with these generic characters when they are capable of so much better. Seehorn in particular is an amazing actress with her work as Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul being Emmy worthy, hopefully she gets better roles then this in the future. 

Story

The previous film tries to tell a more personal story and had some success but this film falls flat on its face. There is one scene at the beginning of the film that takes away the whole intrigue for the film and I wish it never happened as it would make the film much better. Both main characters story arcs are dumb and the villains motivation is basically money which is super dull and made me not really care about anything that happened to anybody in this film as it was incredibly predictable. 

Script

There is no denying that this film has some pretty chuckle worthy moments and I think I was doing this pretty consistently throughout the film which was nice to see. But some repetitive jokes fall a bit flat and really aren't as funny as the writers think they are. Also the drama is really not there, as I said I never really cared about any of the characters towards the end and the weaker script doesn't help. 

Style

The style of the film is pretty similar, there are some good high octane action scenes that are a lot of fun and in particular I love the sound of the guns and loud they are, it makes it feel like you are in the action scenes. However, there are other action scenes where the camera is shaking everywhere and I couldn't tell what was going on, there is also one scene where for some reason they try to make it look like a video game and it looks incredibly cheap and tacky. 

Overall

Overall, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a below average film that for me is the worst of the franchise. It can't follow up from the previous film and this is probably the end of this franchise and that is probably a good thing. If you are a fan of this franchise, maybe wait until it goes on streaming, if not then give it a miss. 

Rating - 4/10

Pinocchio (2022) Review

Alongside Marvel & Star Wars it seems like Disney's other obsession is remaking iconic animated Disney films through a mix of Live Action & CGI. The newest version of this habit is Pinocchio, release on Disney+ Day, this new remake of the original classic is out now and I have watched it so here is my review. The premise of the film sees a lonely toy maker wish that his toy would come to life, we now see the adventures of Pinocchio as he tries to become a real boy. 

Main Character

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth voices Pinocchio and he does a completely serviceable job. He is pretty energetic and you can tell that he is really trying his best in this role. But Pinocchio just comes across as a bit annoying, his character is just frustrating to watch at times and the fact that this film is clearly aimed at kids means there isn't much to work with. 

Supporting Characters

Tom Hanks plays Geppetto and he is as good as he can be. The fact that it is Hanks rises this performance, but it is really silly and adds nothing to the film, he even disappears for a while which makes you think that Hanks just did this because he had some spare time. Joseph Gordon Levitt play Jiminy Cricket and he really masks his voice here that I didn't even know it was him till I looked it up and that is good. He is probably over used but there is no denying that he is somewhat entertaining here. There are a few other characters here, but none of them are given enough screen time to really care or learn about them. Though one appearance by an actor I had no idea was in the film was nice to see. 

Story 

The story is all over the place and doesn't really do anything that I like. There is the relationship between Pinocchio and Geppetto, but it is ignored for a large part of the film. It just feels really unfocused with Pinocchio going on these different journeys that do not connect and feel like they're different episodes on a TV show. It would be interesting to see if the original felt like this but it was definitely a criticism here. 

Script 

The script actually has some funny moments that made me chuckle. It even has some modern references dropped in there at times that worked but also came across as quite confusing due to the setting of the film. But the film lacks real heart which for a film like this is essential, it falls short on the emotion and that is a great shame. 

Style 

The film looks pretty good sometimes and pretty poor at other times. Disney pumps plenty of money into this and it does come across well with some spectacle here and there. The CGI for Pinocchio isn't great and the pacing for the film is all over the place. 

Overall

Overall, Pinocchio is a below average film that isn't worth the time for anybody. It seems Disney are pushing forward with these live action remakes but this is one you don't have to waste time with. 

Rating - 4/10

Venom (2018) Review

With Venom: Let There Be Carnage coming out in The UK tomorrow, I thought that I had to go back and watch the original Venom film which I have only seen once before and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a struggling reporter bonded with an alien parasite who have to save the world. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock and he does a decent job here. You can tell he is fully committed and giving everything to the role and because he is a good actor it mostly pays off. It's not one of his best performances but he has a bit of charm and humour to him that does enough and his interactions with Venom is the highlight of the film. Hardy also voices Venom and is really good at it, the dynamic between the two of them is really good and I just wish there was more of it in this film. 

Supporting Characters

Michelle Williams plays a romantic foil for Eddie Brock and I just couldn't get invested in her as a character. The dynamic between her and Hardy is just never there for me and it just feels like that there has to be a love interest but they didn't put much time and effort into it. Riz Ahmed plays a bad guy and honestly, I have never been a huge fan of his and he is just really bland in this film. This is a mixture of poor writing and a weak performance that doesn't hold up against Hardy who is really trying. This cast is so small and unfortunately, apart from Venom and Eddie there are no character that stands out.  

Story 

The story is also a mess, things just don't make sense and none of it is interesting at all. The bad guys plan doesn't add up and the plot is really not given the focus that it needs. It takes way too long to get to the meat of it and even then it doesn't do enough to keep your interest. 

Script

The script actually has some funny moments, the dialogue between Eddie and Venom is decent and thank goodness for that because the drama is poor. The relationship drama doesn't work and the conflict between our protagonist and antagonist is not done well to say the least. 

Style

Venom himself looks great, the CGI is really good and I really like how large he is compared to the previous iteration that we saw in Spider-Man 3. Some of the action scenes are decent as well, but I do wish they could have pushed the violence a bit more as it seems a bit tame for Venom. The pacing for the film is a bit all over the place too, it takes too long for Venom to actually come on screen with the film being quite short, it doesn't use its time effectively. 

Overall

Overall, Venom is a below average film. Tom Hardy really tries but the rest of the cast aren't great and the story is all over the place so lets hope the sequel will be better. 

Rating - 4/10

The Green Knight (2021) Review

This film had plenty of buzz about it when it just disappeared off of the UK release calendar. But The Green Knight has finally come to Amazon Prime and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees one of King Arthur's Knights sent on a quest to prove himself. 

Main Character  

Dev Patel plays the main character Gawain and he does an alright job. Patel is a really good actor and he does manage to show that here with a decent performance, but the issue is I never cared about the character and despite Patel clearly trying I just found him quite unlikeable. You spend the majority of the film with this man and I guess I never felt a real connection with him and it just bought down my entire enjoyment of the film. 

Supporting Characters

There are some big names in this film, Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton are the best of the bunch. It's not there best work but they deliver some good moments and the film became more interesting once they were given more to do in it. The rest of the cast offer little whether it be Sean Harris as the king or some of the B list MCU actors such as Barry Keoghan and Erin Kellyman who get little to work with. 

Story

The story actually does some interesting things at the end, it isn't an easy watch for sure. You have to work out what is going on, but the last 15 mins or so are fascinating and it feels like with a better film it would be a perfect ending. But the rest of the film is just a bit strange and unfocused, as he meets people on his journey it is just too broken up and confusing. It really tries to make this a really deep film, but I think it just went too far and gave pretty much nothing definitive on screen and made it all open to interpretation which makes it a very hollow experience. 

Script

The script is just nothing, as I said above, the majority is made to be open to interpretation which just leads to a lot of big words that mean nothing. The drama fails to deliver and this is a very humourless affair. 

Style 

Easily the best part of this film is the visuals and score, they are literally incredible. If I was just rating these two factors this film would be a 10/10 but there are way too many other issues. A big one being the pacing of the film, it just drags a lot. This isn't an action or fantasy action film and it never really picks up the pace with it feeling like a slog. 

Overall

Overall, The Green Knight is a below average really disappointing film. With all the build up I was excited to finally watch The Green Knight but it just over-reached and tried all these wacky ideas with a weak execution. 

Rating - 4/10

Jolt (2021) Review

This film was originally slated for a theatrical release but Amazon realised that nobody would go to watch it so put it on their streaming service and I watched Jolt this morning and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman with medical anger issues have to go on the hunt when a man she falls for disappears. 

Main Character

Kate Beckinsale plays the main character here and she is the best part of the film as she is really trying to carry this film on her back. She takes the poor material given her and gives this interesting protagonist that I actually ended up rooting for, despite the weak motivations. I'm not sure if there is a future for her in a franchise like this but hopefully we see her in more roles like this in the future. 

Supporting Characters

Stanley Tucci is in this film and what more is there to say, he is great because even in the worst films he usually delivers and he does here. Some of the best scenes in the film are between Beckinsale and Tucci and its a shame there weren't slightly more. Jai Courtenay plays her romantic interest and he isn't in the film much but he just doesn't do it for me, unless he is throwing a boomerang like in The Suicide Squad I am just not interested in him and find him really bland. Bobby Cannavale and Laverne Cox play cops after her and they just offered very little, they were basically comic relief and considering that the comedy is really bad in this film it means their characters are bad. 

Story 

The story really hampers the film, it is just incredibly messy and ruins a somewhat interesting idea. I knew it was going to go wrong when there is this really awful exposition narration and it just continues with characters having poor motivations and confusing twists that just don't make any sense. The film overreaches and spends way too much time with elements of the film that aren't interesting at all and it ends up killing the film. 

Script

The script though is the weakest part of the film, the dialogue is so bland with the drama not hitting any emotional notes or make you really care. The humour is way overplayed and it is just really bad with somebody writing this who had no idea how humans interact by forcing humour that is really out of place. 

Style 

The action in the film is okay, there are some decent pretty brutal action sequences and the film doesn't overstay its welcome with its length and the pacing is pretty good. But the action isn't standout, and there just aren't any memorable action scenes making it a pretty forgettable experience. 

Overall

Overall, Jolt is a below average action film. There are so many action films these days that are just forgettable and this is another one with no standout reason to watch apart from Tucci and Beckinsale giving good performances.

Rating - 4/10  

Fast & Furious 9 (2021) Review

After a really long delay, the time has finally come for the new Fast & Furious film to hit cinemas and today I saw the 9th film in the main franchise and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the crew bought back into the action when Dom's brother Jakob comes after them hunting for a device to take over. 

Main Character

Vin diesel has become the poster child for the fast and furious and it feels like he could play Dom Toretto in his sleep and he does that here. He is functional but uninspiring, it feels like he sleepwalks through the film, just doing about enough but not pushing himself at all to raise his standards and that is kind of how this whole film feels and he is a large part of that. 

Supporting Characters

The cast look like they are having some fun with the roles, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster & Nathalie Emmanuel are all decent in their roles and provide some exciting and fun moments. Even though its a small role one of the best parts of the film is seeing Charlize Theron back as Cipher and Theron does a great job and it makes me wish she was a larger part of this film. Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson are back in their roles and there are occasional funny banter between the two but they just became to much for me and transitioned from entertaining and funny and became truly annoying. John Cena plays Jakob and they really tried to make me care about his character but it just didn't really work, the flashbacks try but he is just a bland villain and does nothing to stand out. The issue is that Cipher is in the background and it makes me wish she had been the main villain of the film instead of Jakob which is a large issue. Sung Kang makes his big return as Han and it let me down, all these years there has been this campaign for him to be bought back and the way they explain that doesn't really make sense and Han is such a small part of the film that it makes you wonder why they even bothered with it. 

Story 

The story doesn't work, Fast and Furious has always struggled with its plot but this is one of the weakest yet. There are the flashbacks that try and build the relationship between Dom and Jakob but it doesn't work and I think that is because the film gets bogged down with too much going on. Over the years the franchise has become more and more absurd with this one being the most crazy to date and it just doesn't work at all. Bringing Han back and the absurd maguffin device that is there just to drive the plot forward back just feels really contrived with a generic ending that feels like it truly lacks effort. 

Script

The script is also pretty bad but it really knows it and plays it up. Some of the humour had me chuckling for sure and when on screen the flashbacks do bring some heart, but it is just not enough. Overall, the drama falls flat and the humour becomes so contrived and basically addresses the stupidity of the whole franchise which doesn't work as well as some other films have done before.

Style 

It is crazy to see how the Fast and Furious franchise started and how it looks now. Cars explode and things explode everywhere, the film doesn't obey the laws of physics and is just there to see absurd action scenes that sees people survive things that they should never ever survive. But there comes a time when those things don't matter because none of the characters seem to be in any real danger so it is just explosions for the sake of explosions. Also the film is way too long, it is nearly 2 and a half hours and it has no right to be that way at all. 

Overall

Overall, Fast and Furious 9 is a below average film. It seems like this franchise is hitting the end of the road and Fast 9 is just a film where things explode and not much else so give this one a skip unless you are a huge fan of the franchise. 

Rating - 4/10

Army of the Dead (2021) Review

A bit later then I would have liked but I have now watched Zack Snyder's new film Army of the Dead and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of mercenaries attempt to pull of a heist in Las Vegas after it is infected by a Zombie Apocalypse. 

Main Character

Dave Bautista plays the lead and I think he does a decent job in the role. He feels like a lead actor and a good fit for this whole universe as the main character. But the issue is that there isn't enough there with the character and that isn't really his fault. There are so many characters involved and there is a feeling to give them all something to do, so there is not enough given to him or a reason to really care about his character in the big moments. 

Supporting Characters 

This film has a huge cast so I won't have time to go through them all but there are mixed results for sure. There are some good actors like Garret Dillahunt, Hiroyuki Sanada and Omari Hardwick and they are all very functional in their roles but when the film ended I realised that I didn't care about any of the characters that were on screen and despite these performances that is a huge issue. Ella Purnell who plays Bautista's daughter is so annoying and frustrating to watch which makes it worse when she gets given more of the spotlight then was really necessary. Even Theo Rossi, he isn't in the film much but he plays the same role as he always does and he just adds very little to the whole feel of the film. There was big controversy as Tig Notaro was added late on into this film through greenscreen and effects and it didn't quite work for me. Firstly, the character is the comic relief that isn't very funny and it does become clear that the actors weren't on screen together that much and once you see it, its hard to avoid it. 

Story 

The story had a great premise and I kind of wish that this film had been more about the events that take place at the beginning of the film. Also I liked how the zombies were handled and that it wasn't the generic zombies but they had a hierarchy and society which was one of the more interesting parts of the film. But the characters are just so dull and it really became hard to care about whether any of them lived or died, also their motivations just confused me and it seemed a bit bizarre why some of them would even want to go on this heist for the rewards on offer. 

Script

The script is easily the worst part of the film for me. The dialogue is clunky and uninspired, with drama  and humour being bland and barely worth even mentioning. There are good performers here, but they are not given much to work with and that really hurts this film. 

Style 

The film looks good, Netflix clearly pumped a lot of money into this film and Zack Snyder always makes good looking films with at least some decent action scenes. But this film has a real pacing issue, it is way too long clocking in at 150 minutes, which is ridiculous giving the type of film that this is. 

Overall

Overall, Army of the Dead is a below average film that really disappoints. There is just too much attempted here and it ends up falling flat and not a film you need to spend your time watching. 

Rating - 4/10 

Saw 2 (2005) Review

The next film in my prep for Spiral is Saw 2 and I have now watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a detective attempt to rescue 8 people who have been placed into a game by the nefarious Jigsaw. 

Main Character 

Before starring in what feels like 100 series of Blue Bloods Donnie Wahlberg plays the lead here and the best thing I will say is that he is pretty functional in his role. He plays the detective well and feels like a natural fit with the franchise as a whole. But the issue is that there is nothing special or unique about him and he is just really generic, I just wasn't particularly interested or captivated by anything to do with him at all. 

Supporting Characters

Shawnee Smith is back as Amanda and she is given more to do with her role here and she is similar to Wahlberg in that she is very functional in her role and this is a very physical role that she has to achieve. It's just she isn't that good in making you care and really she could have been a completely new character and I feel like the film wouldn't have been much different. We actually get to see more of Tobin Bell as Jigsaw and I just feel like he has such an interesting and cool voice that it makes Jigsaw pretty maniacal. It is just I feel a little bit that this film shows a bit too much of Jigsaw and where the first film built this aura around him it just basically tells you everything here. But the cast of the people captured by Jigsaw are so all over the place and bad that you won't care about a single person and want to see them die pretty horrible deaths. 

Story 

There is no doubt that this story ramps it up from the first film and raises the stakes in a pretty large way. There are also some pretty cool unique death traps here that are way more creative from the first film and in typical Saw fashion there is a twist and it works pretty well even though I feel like it will never have the impact that the first film have. But the film has an issue with its characters and not making you care about a single human being presented to you which for me is pretty important even in a 90 minute horror film. 

Script

The script just isn't very good. The dialogue is poor and the characters are poorly written which just makes this film feel a bit cold and pointless. Yes I said there is a twist and it is executed pretty well but for me it doesn't save the mess of a script that is put on screen here. 

Style 

As mentioned above, the film is definitely bigger in scale and for the most part it does work as it allows some more creative deathtraps that may have been off the table before and that works here. But even though the film isn't that long, it feels long and I think that is down to just the larger amount of characters that have to have backstories that just aren't explained well enough and slow the whole thing down. 

Overall 

Overall, Saw 2 is a below average film and for me is a step down from the original. Yes it has a bigger budget and more well known actors but it falls flat and loses the charm that the first one had and I would saw it is one that can be skipped. 

Rating - 4/10 

Why Did You Kill Me? (2021) Review

This documentary made its way to Netflix this week and with its short run time I thought I would give Why Did You Kill Me? a watch and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a family use social media to attempt to track down who killed a member of their family. 

Onto the good bits and that is that the film is pretty well paced, usually I want quite a bit of time spent to understand all the aspects of a doc but this one really only needed 80 minutes and that made it an easy watch in terms of its runtime. 

It was also pretty cool to see the actual footage of the police interviews with the suspects. It feels very authentic and it just adds a sense of realism and intrigue as you see the different people getting interviewed. 

But the rest of it is a bit of a mess. the issue is that pretty much everybody involved is unlikeable. The film wants you to care about the victims family but they all come across as truly terrible people and it just feels like I kind of waisted my time. 

Also, it's something I have mentioned before but this just doesn't feel like something that needed a documentary. Obviously, somebody getting killed in terrible but the whole thing isn't that absurd, the use of social media is common place these days and I think this would have been way more impactful had it come out closer to the event though that was not possible. 

Overall, Why Did You Kill Me? didn't do much for me and I think it isn't gonna be one of those big documentaries. If the premise interests you then give it a go but other then that I really wouldn't bother. 

Rating - 4/10

Antebellum (2021) Review

After a disruptive release schedule Antebellum has finally made its way to the UK on Sky and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman trapped in a terrifying scenario and how she adapts to life within it. 

Main Character

Janelle Monae plays the lead in this film and I thought she was decent here. Her character goes through a lot in this film and you do really sympathise for her and Monae does a good job of telling that particular story. But the issue is that there isn't a huge amount of depth to her character and we don't learn enough, I don't want to go into depth because this film is guarded in secrecy but I think the fact there isn't enough meat to the role is what holds it back. 

Supporting Characters

There are a few supporting characters but in my opinion only one of them was that memorable and that was Kiersey Clemons. She isn't in the film a huge amount but she is the highlight of every scene she is in and you really grow to care about her and I felt like maybe the film would have been more effective if she had been the main character of the film. But the rest of the cast are paper thin, the bad guys are cliché and offer nothing unique and new to their roles and the friends of Monae's character are just annoying and really took away from the film. 

Story 

The story is interesting, there is no doubt it keeps you guessing throughout and I can't deny that I was intrigued as the story went on and then the twist came and I thought it was a good idea and something I didn't see coming. But then it all comes down to execution and that is sorely lacking here, the plot deviates too much in its second act and takes too long to get going to the point where the story gets interesting. Then the last act is a bit all over the place with plot holes and stupidity coming from plenty of different places. 

Script

Easily the worst part of the film for me. The script has no bite to it, this film has serious subject matters but the script doesn't convey them well enough and you will have seen plenty of films that have done it way better and made you feel plenty of emotions. Also don't get me started on the humour, it is awful and made one particular character the most annoying character you will see in any film that there is. 

Style 

This film looks great, the film is shot beautifully with cinematography that rises this pretty small scale film above the really bad level. However, the film is just too slow for me and takes too long to get to its point which takes interesting ideas and stretches them out for way too long. 

Overall

Overall, Antebellum is a below average film. It has a few nice ideas but doesn't execute them well enough to be at the level it wants to be. I would say unless you are a huge fan of thriller/horror then give this a skip it isn't that good. 

Rating - 4/10

Infinitum: Subject Unknown (2021) Review

With the pandemic, certain films go under the radar and Infinitum: Subject Unknown is one of those films and I found time to watch it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman trapped in an alternate reality as she tries to escape and work out what is exactly going on. 

Main Character

Tori Butler-Hart plays the lead character here and I think she does a decent job, she is in this film on her own and she portrays the loneliness well. We follow her around for 90 minutes and I definitely felt like her character, she is lost and confused and lets face it so was I as a viewer. But there is only so much she can do with this character in this film, she is a woman of few words and when she does talk it sometimes feels jarring as she talks to herself and the dialogue is poorly written and that takes her performance from good to just okay. 

Supporting Characters

As this film heavily emphasises in its posters Sir Ian McKellen and Conleth Hill have roles here but I swear to you they are barely in it. They are decent in the 5 minutes of screen time and it feels like they took the majority of the budget up and maybe it was wasted as despite them doing fine they don't add too much to the overall project. Apart from that there isn't really anybody else in the film and I know this film was made during the lockdown so the less actors involved the better but maybe one or two more being bought in towards the end could have helped the film. 

Story 

This film has an interesting vibe on its story, it does a really good job of sucking you into the story we are being told and like the lead character we aren't exactly sure what is going on and at least for the first act I was interested. But this film fails in its attempts to be original, it follows Sci-fi tropes when it really doesn't need too and it really holds the film back. Plus the ending of the film is pretty terrible and leaves you with the wonder of why exactly you decided to watch the film. 

Script 

The script is weak, the dialogue is pretty non existent and that isn't a huge issue bit it is here. It is more the writing for the plot which ends up falling flat and it feels like somebody wanted to make the film interesting but then they were fired and this new writer decided to just go with the basic levels of Sci-Fi. 

Style 

The film does a decent job with creating a tense environment and as I said, the first act creates this interesting concept and level of a lack of control for the lead character that is pretty effective. But the film just falls back into an unoriginal format and the pacing starts to fail and despite this being an extremely short film it feels like it could have been even shorter. 

Overall

Overall, Infinitum: Subject Unknown is a below average Sci-Fi Film. Credit to them for being able to film during the UK lockdown and there is some decent elements here but the film lacks originality and doesn't do enough for a positive score. 

Rating - 4/10 

The Glorias (2021) Review

This film took its time but finally made its way to the UK this week and I have watched The Glorias and here is my review for it. The premise of the film follows the life of Feminist icon Gloria Steinem as she campaigns for woman's rights. 

Main Character

There are a few people that play Gloria here, with the main two being Julianne Moore and Alicia Vikander and they are both really good in the film. I personally preferred Vikander's section of the film because I thought her version of the character was more interesting and compelled me greater then when Moore was on screen. But both actresses do really good jobs in their roles and provide a decent outlook on this real person and the life that she led. 

Supporting Characters

There are some decent supporting characters here. Janelle Monae & Lorraine Toussaint were the highlights for me and I thought they provided some life and energy to the film when it needed it. But I also thought there were plenty of paper thin characters on screen, especially on the male front which made this film at times feel like a film that doesn't provide a fair argument. Also the child versions of Gloria didn't really do anything for me and I guess that wasn't the actresses fault but it was a part of the film I wasn't a huge fan of. 

Story  

The story obviously is important and highlights a key part of the women's right movement and it does a decent job with that and is the part of the story that works. But this story is a bit all over the place, it jumps all over the place in terms of timelines which feels very jarring and unnecessary and it really hurts the plot. I thought the switch from Vikander to Moore was handled poorly and felt really weird, especially considering none of the other performers changed despite the time difference. 

Script 

The script is also not great, the dialogue doesn't do anything, apart from one forced scene in the last act it feels a bit timid. For a story that is so heavy and emotional it feels like the characters never get angry and never show just how invested they are. 

Style 

The style is also a real issue and for me the worst part of the film. As I said before, the changing of timelines is incredibly jarring and makes the film feel like a bit of a mess to watch. Also the film is 2 hours and 20 mins and that is way too long, it drags its heels in and tries to show so much that it feels so long and there is at least 20/30 mins that could have been taken off here. Also there are some really weird sequences that just feel really out of place and a bizarre choice. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average film that didn't really interest me. There are some decent performances, but I would say this is only a film for people who are already interested in the Woman's Rights Movement and Gloria Steinem but other then that this one is worth a miss. 

Rating - 4/10

Willy's Wonderland (2021) Review

With the crazy time the world has been in, sometimes we just need to watch a silly film and Willy's Wonderland fits that criteria and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a drifter tricked into becoming a janitor for a former funland where he has to fight for his life. 

Main Character

The great Nicolas Cage plays the lead role here and he just really fits this film and shows his charismatic demeanour. He is a character that doesn't say much and through just his actions and facial expressions you get all the information that you need from his character. I mean though I will argue that maybe we could have done with even more crazy Cage here and a bit more intrigue added, I just felt like there was a bit more that could have been done here with the character.

Supporting Characters

I mean the rest of the cast isn't worth anything, there are a bunch of younger actors who are here for one clear reason. I'm not gonna say what that is but I am pretty sure everybody knows and they are all bad actors and were bad here. Emily Tosta and Beth Grant play the largest supporting roles but they offer nothing and really feels like they are here for exposition sequences that are really forced and feel out of place. 

Story 

The idea of the story is fun, seeing Nicolas Cage go against these robots in this setting is good and there are some pretty glorious fights that range to the absurd. But this film gets a bit too bogged down on its plot, it is at its best when it is Cage versus the robots but it brings in these other characters with back stories and I just didn't care and it took away from the film. 

Script

The script is pretty awful, the dialogue is really bad when it happens, the writers bogged down the plot too much and tried to do too much, I mean they could have done it but at least try and do it better then long exposition sequences. 

Style

The film looks like it was made for about a £100 but I actually thought that was part of the charm. It looks unpolished and cheap but works and makes the action scenes feel more gritty. I mean these scenes are great and had me laughing throughout and that made me enjoy the film way more then I should have, also the film has a great runtime of only 90 mins. 

Overall 

Overall, I would say this is a below average film and it is. But I can't deny that I had some fun with this film and if you aren't a film purist and want something to laugh with and turn your mind off then I would actually say this could be worth a watch. 

Rating - 4/10

Outside The Wire (2021) Review

Another year, another Netflix action film is here to watch, this time it is Outside The Wire and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a drone pilot have to team up with android officer in an attempt to save the world. 

Main Character

Anthony Mackie plays Leo the android who I thought did a good job here and bought quite a bit to the role. He is basically the tough mentor and he does it pretty effectively, his character goes all over the place in the final act and it comes close to ruining it but it doesn't take away from his decent performance. But there is another main character Harp played by Damson Idris and I did not like this character at all. He does something at the beginning of the film that makes him unlikeable from the start and he never recovered for me and I never came around to care about him. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting cast don't offer anything because the film doesn't try to make that happen. The bad guy is as generic and dull as you can imagine and everybody else in the film is barely here and they aren't given anything to really work with. The film only really cares about its too main protagonists and forsakes every other character here.

Story 

The story is serviceable at best, I like the fact that Mackie's character was an android and how this world uses synthetics in general was pretty interesting and could have and should have been explored more. The film just doesn't do a good enough job of exploring it's themes and messages and the final act is so ridiculous and basically feels like it comes out of nowhere in order for the film to try and feel unique.  Also the ending feels very abrupt, I don't know why lately it feels like films I watch are ending abruptly and this one is no different not answering all the questions it needs to. 

Script

The script is fine, Mackie spits out some pretty good dialogue and the story does have a few good elements. Though like its story the script falls very short and tries to be more interesting then it is and it could have done with either focusing more on the interesting parts or just be a full on action film. 

Style

The style of the film has some pretty decent action scenes that do show the horror of war. But the film doesn't do enough with what it has, probably because there wasn't the budget that the film really needed for something so ambitious. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average action film that doesn't do anything to change up the game and really make it stand out and is one you can happily skip. 

Rating - 4/10

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (2021) Review

So 2021 has been a bit sparse in new content but this documentary came to Netflix this week and I have watched Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy and here is my review for it. The premise of the doc looks at the growth of Crack use in the 1980's and how it affected the United States and the people that live there. 

First this doc did a pretty good job in showing just how addictive Cocaine was and how it affected these normal people. You always here and see in things such as film and TV that show people using Cocaine but this doc showed real people who had been affected by it and just how badly it hit them and their life. 

It also shows how big the scale got in America and just how badly the Crack use affected culture all the way to the top of government and every state. 

But this film is clearly lacking detail, I always worry about this when a documentary chooses to use the film format is that there is so much to discuss but not enough time for it to be shown. This film has plenty to talk about but it fails to really invest and make you care enough. 

Also this film is really biased, it makes these jumps in logic and tries to connect things with very little evidence and just feels like a bit of a propaganda piece for 90 minutes that doesn't have that much to really say. 

Overall, this is a below average documentary that doesn't do much and feels like one you don't really need to watch unless you love documentaries. 

Rating - 4/10 

Small Axe - Alex Wheatle (2020) Review

So we are almost at the end of the Small Axe series with the penultimate film Alex Wheatle and here is my review for it. The premise of the film follows the story of Alex Wheatle as he goes from a child to young man who ends up in trouble with the law. 

Main Character

Similar to Lovers Rock this films main character is played by an unknown, Alex Wheatle is played by Sheyi Cole and he does an okay job here. I actually think he shows enough to tell me that we will see more of him and he shows some charm here which is pretty impressive considering this is his first thing ever. I am sure in real life Alex Wheatle was an important and impressive person but this film fails to tell you that, there is nothing interesting about Alex and it makes you not care about this entire film. I mean the film is literally named after him but could I tell you anything distinctive and interesting about his character, I mean no I couldn't and that hurts this film that doesn't really do anything with anybody else. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting cast isn't really filled with any interesting characters but it has some young actors and actresses who fit nicely into the film and are nice to watch, but they are not given anything to do and it doesn't help flesh out this story or the people around Alex. 

Story

The story also doesn't do much for me, I mean this man is known for being really into his literature but you never see him write anything so what is the point. It introduces some interesting ideas and concepts but fails to capitalise on any of them, it goes through his life but never shows anything in particular detail to draw you in and keep you invested. 

Script 

The script is okay, it does show some pretty intense dialogue and moments and makes you feel a bit uncomfortable, I also chuckled a few times. But this films layout of the story structure is really bad and it hurts the flow of the film and it doesn't do enough to rise it to the levels of other films similar to this. 

Style

The style of these Small Axe films are very similar and this one is no different, it shows off the culture and environment around this person and does a decent job of it. But the issue is, apart from Mangrove these films have been pretty short and it kind of feels like you aren't watching a proper movie, it also doesn't help that the film is slow and takes way too long to get going. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average film that is more like Lovers Rock then Mangrove. Again if you are watching Small Axe this is one that you can give a skip too. 

Rating - 4/10 

Mulan (2020) Review

So this film has been available on Disney+ for an extra fee for months but I am really cheap so I have waited till it is free with the streaming service to watch it and that day is today so here is my review for the 2020 version of the film Mulan. The premise of the film sees a young Woman disguise herself as a man in order to take her fathers place in the Chinese army. 

Main Character

Chinese actress Yifei Liu plays the titular character and I mean she is fine in the role, she feels appropriate for the role and does a decent job in the action scenes which is important for the role and she does an okay job in some of the emotional scenes. But I just don't really know why I did not care about Mulan much in this film, I just couldn't find anything to attach myself too and I found her character to be quite dull and not offering much to stand out in terms of a lead role. 

Supporting Characters

This film doesn't have a particularly great supporting cast but the one who stands out to me is Donnie Yen, his character isn't the most compelling but he does a fine job and you can tell he is easily the best actor in the action scenes and he is a highlight in these scenes. I also thought the actor that played Mulan's father did a good job and sold the emotion of their scenes well together. But the rest of the cast didn't do much at all, I mean Jason Scott Lee plays the main villain but similar to the animated film, he is just a bad guy Mulan has to defeat with no character and no depth to him. Different to the animated film there is an evil witch added here and it seems they tried to give her some character but they failed and she becomes an addition that feels out of place here. Like the animated film Mulan has some allies in the army and they were charming in that film but it doesn't work here and these characters are dull and you really won't care at all. 

Story

In these Disney live action remakes I feel like they are damned if they do damned if they don't. If they keep the story the same they are accused of being lazy and if they change it people go against it so this film kind of does a bit of both. Characters like Mushu are missing and I honestly think this story doesn't work and I will explain why, in the animated film the reason it works is that Mulan goes from this normal girl who becomes a warrior but this film completely changes it and attempts to make her some sort of superhero and it feels cheap and like the film loses all of its heart. The other issue is that I didn't care about any of the characters here, not even Mulan and the film really banks on you doing that which hurt its plot. 

Script  

The film has some okay dramatic moments in it that actually works which is better then most things here. It is just, I am not saying this film should be a comedy, but it takes itself so seriously and becomes a drab watch as the seriousness makes you care less and less about this pretty dull execution. 

Style

One thing the film has going for it, is that it looks amazing. In terms of its visual this is one of the best of the year in my opinion, the backgrounds look great and if the film was scored on the way it looks only it would be a much better score. But it isn't and here we go with another criticism but it is actually a technical one, when the action scenes were taking place there are just so many cuts, the film is cutting all over the place and it becomes so jarring, it is hard to explain unless you watch the film. The only time it doesn't do this when Yen is doing action and it seems like the rest of the cast weren't as strong in the action or the director was just poor at filming them. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average film that actually upsets me. If people remember back at the beginning of the year, this film was high up in my most anticipated films of 2020 and it just fails to hit those levels and leaves it one of the biggest let downs in recent years. 

Rating - 4/10 

Small Axe - Lovers Rock (2020) Review

So I was wondering how exactly to review the Small Axe Anthology that is happening on BBC right now, but due to this being a collection of films I decided to review each film separately and give my thoughts on each one with its own merits. So I decided to start with the 2nd film in the series Lovers Rock and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a house party take place in West London looking at different relationships between the people there. 

Main Character

Amarah-Jae St Aubyn is a completely new actress, this film is the first credit to her name and she is good here, she is easily the most likeable character here and the one we see the film through and she just wants to have a fun time at this party when things happen out if her control. Though I think, the whole idea of the film doesn't help, she isn't really given much in terms of development, the film just shows her at a party dealing with boys mainly and it didn't allow her to really flex any acting muscles, but a good start to her acting career. 

Supporting Characters 

The same can be said for the supporting cast, Micheal Ward plays the main supporting character Franklyn and he does a fine job, with most of his scenes coming with Aubyn and they have decent chemistry together. Though like all the cast, the supporting characters, though showing talent are given pretty much nothing to do and little development which does hold the film back. 

Story 

Lets be truly honest there is no story here to speak of, it is just a film that looks at a group of peoples lives, with a few scenes of discomfort but there is nothing to explain here and for me it hurt the film. You are never given a chance to learn anything about the characters, they are just random people and you do wonder for a bit why you should care and why you should really get invested in the characters in the film. 

Script

The script is functional, there is an okay amount of drama between the people, that could probably be expected for a party and a few chuckles but there is nothing memorable about this script and apart from one of two moments doesn't do enough to hit the levels. 

Style

The style is also okay, I must say in 2020 it is nice seeing a party of people enjoying themselves without worrying about a pandemic and there is some pretty cool amount of music. But this film is really slow in its pacing, it also shows some bad things like racism and rape, but barely looks at it, it could be looked at like that was the point, but it also made it feel a bit pointless and like why did they even bother with it. 

Overall

Overall, this for me was a below average film, with some talented performers, but nothing happens in this film. It doesn't really have much of a message or purpose, so I would say this is one you can skip. 

Rating - 4/10 

 The Rhythm Section (2020) Review

So this film came out earlier this year and I missed it but now I have had the chance to watch The Rhythm Section and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman seeking revenge against people who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family. 

Main Character

Blake Lively plays the lead character here and she is fine. She does a decent job in the action sequences and there were times were you felt for her character, but there just isn't enough there. You don't learn enough about her character to really care and there is nothing particularly interesting about her as our lead character here. 

Supporting Characters

Jude Law plays her mentor in the film and I thought he did a good job here, the best part of this film is easily watching Law train Lively and he plays the role well. But like Lively I thought there was more that could have been done with his character but this film just doesn't have the time or effort to go through with it. Sterling K Brown is a good actor but I have no idea what his character was about here, he is a pretty charismatic guy but that is not on display here and it just feels like he is wasted and a bit bland. The rest of the cast doesn't have anything to offer really and just feel like people for Lively to go after. 

Story

The story is good when it shows the training element. I like how Law and lively interact and seeing the training is interesting and the best part of the film. But my god this story is convoluted and it is hard to follow, again the fact that you don't care about Lively makes it difficult for you to get emotionally invested and care about the emotionally hitting parts of the film. Also the end of the film feels really rushed, it seems to breeze by and by the time you can take stock on what has happened the film is over. 

Script

The script is really dull, there is nothing stand out about it at all. The dialogue is bland, there is no humour and the drama doesn't do enough to get you invested in the characters or the plot, which as mentioned is written poorly and makes it hard to follow. 

Style

The style has some decent action scenes in it, one in particular is really good and it is just a shame the rest can't stand up to it. It is just a shame that with action films such as John Wick and Extraction with fantastic action this is just another by the numbers action film that has nothing that stands out. Also the pacing of the film isn't great, as I said before the ending feels really rushed and didn't work for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average action film that don't stand out. I honestly feel like this film would have been better as a TV series but unfortunately it is a by the numbers dull film that isn't worth watching. 

Rating - 4/10