Karate Kid: Legends (2025) Review

After the fantastic Cobra Kai, The Karate Kid Franchise has a new lease on life and we get a new film to add to the lineage in Karate Kid: Legends. I managed to find the time to watch the film and here is my review for Karate Kid: Legends. The premise of the film sees a young martial artist move to New York, he needs mentorship by two Sensei's to aid him succeed. 

Main Character

Newcomer Ben Wang plays Li Fong and he is an okay main character. He is pretty charming and a likeable enough character that you do want to root for him. But we just don't spend enough quality time with his character to really get enough development. It isn't like the characters from Cobra Kai where we get loads of time with them and Li needed more care put into his character. 

Supporting Characters

Jackie Chan reprises his role as Mr. Han from The Karate Kid Reboot and he is fun to watch here and you can tell that he is having a great time in this film. I wish we got more of him here and more character development but it doesn't take away my joy of seeing Jackie Chan in action. 

Joshua Jackson plays Victor Lipani and he is fun here and actually out of all of the adults I liked his dynamic with Li more then the others. Jackson is really likeable and you want to see him succeed, but the film just forgets about him about half way through which is a shame. 

I love Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in the original films and Cobra Kai but he phones in his performance here and he really doesn't need to be here. He is nothing but a glorified cameo and it just feels like he is here so they can justify calling it a Karate Kid film. 

The rest of the cast is just forgotten about and not given time to shine. Ming-Na Wen plays Li's mother and she is just unlikeable and given no time to develop. Both Li's enemy and love interest are generic and they just couldn't be bothered to really right them. 

Story

The story has some interesting ideas in it and I liked how Li trains Victor for his fight, also some of the interactions between Chan & Macchio are fun. But this films plot is all over the place, the first act feels like a film that doesn't need The Karate Kid licence, then a rushed training montage leading to an incredibly rushed tournament that doesn't really have any stakes. The story is incredibly predictable and if the rest of the film was good then that would be fine but it just encapsulates the problems that are going on here. 

Script

The script has some chuckle worthy moments and some okay drama/emotional moments. But overall, it just falls really flat. It feels like the screenwriters wrote way too many subplots and had no idea how to put them together and that led to this messy script.

Style

There are some decent action scenes and in terms of action I thought the final fight did a pretty decent job of upping the intensity. But the film doesn't have enough fights here and the pacing is a disaster. This film has way too much going on in it and it barely has a 90 minute runtime meaning everything is just rushed and half baked. 

Overall

Overall, Karate Kid: Legends is the definition of average. It exists and will be forgotten incredibly quickly, it feels like an elongated episode of Cobra Kai that wasn't written or directed to the same level. It has some moments but you will have seen them all before so it is probably not worth the time. 

Rating - 5/10

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Review

So, I recently went on a long trip so on the plane I had plenty of time to watch some films with the first one being Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire as I missed the chance to watch it when it came out in the cinema, now here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Kong trying to survive and find his place, when a new being comes into his life he must seek Godzilla to take down his enemies. 

Main Character

Do not let the title of the film confuse you as this is more a Kong film then a Godzilla film. Kong is handled really well here, it was awesome to see him in action and I actually cared about his character wanting to see him succeed. But Godzilla is barely in this film, he is so poorly used and it was frustrating that this character gets nothing to do, but I guess that is due to Godzilla having way more screen time then Kong in this franchise. 

Supporting Characters

Luckily this film has less focus on the human characters but they are still here. Rebecca Ferguson is back as Ilene Andrews and she is functional here, her character isn't particularly interesting but Ferguson is a good enough actor to make it pretty much work. 

Brian Tyree Henry also reprises his role as Bernie Hayes and I actually found him pretty annoying here, he is so over the top and ridiculous that it took me out of certain scenes. It just feels like he is trying to do his best Ryan Reynolds impression and it doesn't work. 

This is funny because Dan Stevens plays Trapper and he is also annoying. I love Stevens, but he is also ridiculous here and it is really jarring to watch as he really isn't funny despite the film thinking that he really is. 

Story

I liked Kong's story, seeing him going through the natural world was pretty cool and how the other members of this world react to him which leads him on a journey to fully become a hero. But again Godzilla doesn't really have a story and feels like he is dragged into the plot because he is in the title of the film. It is a bit of a cliché ending and it doesn't do that much for the franchise or for me. 

Script

The scripts in these Monsterverse films have never been the strong suit and that follows here. The writing is poor, the humour is way too forced and the jokes just didn't make me laugh and I never cared enough about the drama because of the way it was conveyed on screen. 

Style

The film looks fantastic, if you like your Monster action scenes then you will be happy with these as they are over the top and exciting as you would want from a film of this style. The film is also paced well enough and shows more of Kong then has been in certain previous films. 

Overall

Overall, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is an average film. It is fun watching the Monsters fight but this film offers very little new and it just feels like an easy and lazy film that hits the beats that you would expect and I think this is a film you watch in the background and don't really hunt out. 

Rating - 5/10

Hit Man (2024) Review

This film has been gaining plenty of traction on Netflix and has been the number 1 film this week and I have been a little late to the party but I have watched Hit Man and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a professor pretending to be a hitman in order to aid the police, he gets wrapped up in one of his cases which changes his life. 

Main Character

Glen Powell has been an actor on the rise and he plays the lead here and he is really good. He has such charisma on screen and he really does nail the duality of his role and the crazy situation that his character has been put in. He clearly has a bright future as a leading man and it will be interesting to see the projects he picks over the next few years. 

Supporting Characters

Adria Arjona plays Madison and does a really good job as Powell's love interest. The two of them have insane chemistry here and it does really feel like watching one of those crazy couples and her performance is a big part of that. 

Austin Amelio plays Jasper who is a colleague of Powell's character and I also liked his performance. He just plays the scumbag really well and I just really didn't like his character and Amelio nails it in this film. 

Unfortunately, the other members of the cast aren't that great. This film could have done with a few more interesting characters to add further intrigue to the story, especially some from his school life which seems to mostly be ignored. 

Story

The story is quite interesting, seeing how this man manages to manoeuvre himself between these multiple lives and identities is pretty fun. I must admit I was quite surprised that this is basically a romance film and the romantic story works really well. But this film is pretty cliché and isn't exactly doing anything that isn't seen before, it does squander its interesting premise and with a few tweaks could have been a really interesting story. Also the ending, while interesting is pretty abrupt with little explanation. 

Script

This film has some pretty quick dialogue and interaction between the performers, it also has some twists and turns that are pretty well written. But I heard this film was hilarious and I maybe chuckled once, it just isn't very funny and the drama doesn't really hit either. 

Style

Unfortunately, this is where the film really fails. The film is actually quite boring and that is due to the really slow pacing and the length of time it takes for the main plot to get going. There is just nothing really special about the way it is filmed and with a director like Richard Linklater I just expected more. 

Overall

Overall, Hit Man is an average film that falls way below the expectations that I had after some really good reviews. I would say give this one a miss unless you are a huge Glen Powell fan, though I am sure he will be involved with better in the future. 

Rating - 5/10

Meg 2: The Trench (2023) Review

One of the more popular monster films in previous years has its sequel Meg 2: The Trench and yesterday I had the chance to watch it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is years after the events of the first film, the group of scientists look to explore more of the ocean and this leads to the ire of many different enemies. 

Main Character

Jason Statham is back to reprise his role as Jonas Taylor and he gives a very similar performance to the one he gave in the first film. He is pretty stoic with a deadpan humour but there hasn't seemed to have been too much character progression between the two films. Statham works in this role but it isn't the most interesting character ever. 

Supporting Characters

Jing Wu plays Jiuming and he may be my favourite character in this film. He is just filled with so much enthusiasm and excitement during the film, I liked his chemistry with the other characters and he was a real star here for me. 

Shuya Sophia Cal reprises her role as Meiying. I didn't talk about her in my last review but she was an okay child actor, but she is slightly older here and I thought she was much better. She has good chemistry with the other actors and I think this could be the start of a longer successful career for her. 

Cliff Curtis reprises his role from the first film and gets way more to do here and you can tell he is having so much fun in this film. He is very entertaining and is clearly a great part of this film and I am glad there was more for him to do here. 

Page Kennedy reprises his role as DJ and I found him really annoying in the first film but he was really funny in this film. He has learnt from the experiences of the first film and it leads to some really funny sequences. Just in general, this group of characters together is way more entertaining then the people that was in the first film. 

Story 

I criticised the story of the first film but at least that story was pretty simple and focused on The Meg. This film is all over the place and tries to focus on way too much, it does the worst thing a film this can do, it takes itself seriously. The film is at its best when it is just silly but whoever decided on these plot points missed a lot of that. 

Script

The script was funnier then the first film. The last half of the film had me laughing pretty consistently and everything was so over the top that it just worked. The drama is hammered onto the first half of the film especially and it just does not work, even though I enjoyed the performances, it was hard to truly care about what was going on. 

Style 

The style of the film is more mixed this time, the film looks great. The film spends more time exploring the ocean so is forced to use more CGI and I think the majority of it looks really great. The action scenes are fun and the last 20/30 mins of the film were the absurd action that I wanted. But the pacing was just off, the first half of the film was a bit boring and dull and then the 2nd half was ridiculously fast paced and it made the film feel a bit unbalanced. 

Overall

Overall, Meg 2: The Trench is an average film. It is similar to its predecessor that if you want to watch a film that sees a lot of crazy action and funny one liners then this is the film for you but as a film it really isn't that great. 

Rating - 5/10

The Meg (2018) Review

In prep for Meg 2: The Trench, I thought I had to go back and watch the first film, The Meg. So yesterday, I watched the film and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of scientists encounter a legendary Sea predator, The Megalodon who is clearly the apex predator. 

Main Character 

Jason Statham plays Jonas Taylor and he is exactly what you expect. Statham plays the traditional character that he always does, the tough macho guy that ends up being this ridiculous action hero doing the craziest of stunts here. The Meg is no different, Statham is good in the role he is playing but there is no depth here and the film kind of tries to add depth but it is totally pointless and Statham doesn't do enough, though he is clearly a highlight of the film. 

Supporting Characters 

Cliff Curtis is a talented actor and he is pretty much the only decent supporting character here. He is a friend of Statham's and their chemistry is one of the highlights of the film, though he kind of gets pushed to the back of this large cast. 

The rest of the cast though are not good. Bingbing Li plays the love interest of Statham and there is very little chemistry between them and I guess I just never grew to care about the dynamic between the two of them which is a shame. 

Rainn Wilson is usually an actor I like, but he is insufferable here. He plays the rich CEO of the company that is studying The Meg and you can just imagine what he is like and it just didn't work for me and he was just annoying. 

As I mentioned, there is a big cast and some annoying performances by Ruby Rose, Page Kennedy & Robert Taylor. They are just unlikeable and you don't care about them at all despite the film really trying to make you care. 

Story

Look, I didn't go into this film expecting a great story but there is literally nothing here to really care about. We're not here for great storytelling, we are here to watch Jason Statham fight The Meg and I am fine with that but yeah the story is bad and there is no depth here. 

Script 

Th script is extremely cheesy but I can't lie that I chuckle at times, if you can turn your brain off and just enjoy the experience then some of it works. Some of it also doesn't, the drama is misused and some of the humour isn't very funny either. 

Style 

Where the film really thrives is the style. The action set pieces are really fun, they are ridiculous and over the top but they are great to watch and a lot of fun. The CGI is also pretty good and I liked the design of The Meg and how it was used. The films pacing flew by and I thought it was a really easy watch which is always a benefit. 

Overall

Overall, The Meg is an average film, but it is a very entertaining watch. If you just want a film that is ridiculous, over the top and fun then The Meg is for you, but if you need a bit more depth then it will not be you. 

Rating - 5/10

The Flash (2023) Review

    

With the DCEU coming up to its end we have finally got The Flash hit the big screen. This film has been one of the most complicated and controversial comic book films ever released but it has now released and I have seen it so here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Barry Allen go back in time and change the past which ends up changing major factors of the multiverse as a whole. 

Main Character

Ezra Miller has had plenty going on over the last few years but I have decided to ignore these things when reviewing this film. I thought Miller did a pretty good job as Allen, they are funny and quirky and feel like an appropriate character. The character goes through a real journey in the film and I thought this was one of the best parts of the film. However, Miller also plays a younger version of the character and I really did not like this performance, they were so annoying. I understand why the character is like this way but the majority of the film they are like this and it just misses the boat for me. 

Supporting Characters 

One of the main things people were excited about was seeing the return of Michael Keaton as Batman and he is a real highlight here. Yes, he is pretty cheesy but it just works with his charm and charisma, as a big fan of him in this role it was great to see him return and have some real time to shine as a character he is iconic for. 

Sasha Calle plays Supergirl for the first time here and I really liked her performance in the role. She isn't a huge part of the film but when she is on screen she is very opposing and fits the role very well. Her character is explored enough for an introduction but I do wish we could have had slightly more here from the writers. 

Michael Shannon as General Zod was one of my favourite villains in the DCEU, but he is used so badly here. Even Shannon came out and said he didn't enjoy making the film, he feels pointless here and that anybody could have played his role when there was definitely more they could have done with him. 

Ron Livingston & Maribel Verdu do okay jobs as Henry & Nora Allen but I never felt like they stood out considering how they were an emotional core of the film. They weren't bad but I never fully supported Barry's mission because I never connected with them like I did the TV version of the characters. 

Kiersey Clemons reprises her role from Zack Snyder's Justice League as Iris West, but she is another dull part of the film. Luckily, the film doesn't spend too much time with the character but even when on screen I never saw any charisma between her and Miller. 

Story 

The film has two parts to its story. When looking at the character of Barry Allen, I think the film shows how his inner conflict affects him, he is somebody who feels below other heroes but wants to do something that makes himself truly happy and selfish. The film presents this well throughout and thank goodness for that. This is because the rest of the films story is pretty bad, the majority of side characters are underused and not given time for us to grow and connect with them. But the major problem I have is that as somebody who has watched the majority of The Flash TV show, I have seen many things that happen in this film in that show and done better. The ending is also pretty terrible and I just think the really missed the mark with all the interesting things they actually could have done. 

Script

The film definitely had me chuckling at times. There were some actually pretty funny moments and that was nice to see here. There was also some good drama, there were a couple of really effective scenes that made us care about The Flash. But it misses quite a bit too, the film makes no sense a lot of the time, it also just drags out with dialogue that doesn't really do anything. 

Style

The film has some decent action sequences mainly involving Batman. It is cool to see this same Batman able to be given the time to really show how he can really work as an action star. But this is one of the worst looking films that you will see, the CGI is terrible and has truly some of the worst ever made. Also the pacing is bad, the first 30 mins are all over the place and feel like they are pointless to the film which is a major let down. 

Overall

Overall, The Flash just about is an average film. It really falls below the standards that were set and promised by the people in charge. It isn't terrible but I really don't think it is worth a watch unless you really like Michael Keaton as Batman and liked the TV show. 

Rating - 5/10

Fast X (2023) Review

We are finally here, 10 Fast & Furious films have finally hit and can we believe it that Fast X is finally here and I watched it today. This is another of those franchises with interconnecting films and that has made this franchise a bit confusing but here is my review for Fast X. The premise of the film sees the family under attack by a crazy criminal who wants revenge. 

Main Character 

Vin Diesel once again reprises the role as Dominic Toretto. He is exactly what you would think, he says a bunch of silly one liners and he won't stop talking about family. At the end of the day, I just found this performance as functional, it isn't particularly good but you know exactly what you are going to get and we have to deal with it. 

Supporting Characters

This is one of the biggest supporting cast of all time so I won't be going through everybody just the ones I thought was important. 

Jason Momoa plays the main villain an I have to say I thought he was the best part of the film. Some will find him so annoying that it goes too much but considering everything else in the film I enjoyed his character and thought he was having a blast on screen. It is nice to see a villain realise how ridiculous this premise is and live up to it in the craziest way. 

The film spoiled that John Cena would be reprising his role as Jacob from Fast 9 but as a good guy. It has been clear recently that Cena has become a stronger actor, with humour added and he was strong here. He has a great dynamic with a certain other character and it was fun to watch. 

The issue is that everybody else is pretty pointless. The crew of Han, Roman, Tej and Ramsey is so dull to watch and it is clear that they had very little for them to do but had to force them into something. They even introduced Brie Larson and she is fine but her character is given not enough to work with at all and that is a big let down for her star power. 

Story 

The story does an effective job of showing the mindset of the villain and why he is after Dominic Toretto and the family. It is escalated well and watching this confrontation was what I enjoyed over the majority of anything else here. The film just has way too much into it, mainly the story with the lesser characters such as Roman and Tej which was so dull and mind-numbing, the crew are split up and that is one of the weaker elements of any of these films. 

The ending though is pretty interesting and I actually thought this had me leaving the cinema in a better mood then I originally was regarding the future of the Fast & Furious franchise. 

Script

The script doesn't have much too it. The best thing is the guts they show with their storytelling aspirations at the end of the film and the fun that Jason Momoa is having, though I doubt it had much to do with the writing. The film just has all the clichés and for the most part I just think by this point in the franchise it never hits the levels that it has hit in the past. 

Style 

The Fast and Furious franchise has always been willing to push the envelope in terms of big action sequences and although this is one of the calmer films of recent years, it was still fun at times to see things explode for no reason at all. But the pacing of the film is missing, the film tries to do so much that it doesn't do an effective job of making the audience care about the majority of the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Fast X is an average film. As we get towards the end of this franchise it makes you wonder how they got so much out of it and unless you are a fan of this franchise it most likely isn't worth a watch. 

Rating - 5/10

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) Review 

DC are in a really interesting position currently. They are stuck between the remnants of the DCEU and the reboot universe being set up by James Gunn. One of the last films of the DCEU is Shazam! Fury of the Gods and I watched it yesterday with this being my review. The premise of the film sees after the events of the first film Shazam! is looking to try and keep his family together while taking on the new threat of the daughters of Atlas. 

Main Character

Zachary Levi reprises his role as the titular character and he does an okay job. He is clearly having a great time in the role and you can't help but enjoy watching him in the role. The main issue though is that he comes across as a bit too annoying for me. His character development is minimal and I just felt like the focus on his humorous side was just a bit too heavy here and that is a shame because if it was a little more balanced this would be deemed as a stronger character. 

Supporting Characters

Helen Mirren plays one of the daughters of Atlas and though this isn't one of her best performances or characters, I liked how she was giving it her all and wanting to make this an enjoyable watch. Mirren does her best to add some star power to this film and an enjoyable character. Djimon Hounsou returns as The Wizard, which is not a spoiler as he is in the trailer. But he is given way more to do in this film and he is certainly an enjoyable aspect of the film that was a pleasant surprise. But the rest of the cast fair worse. Jack Dylan Grazer reprises his role as young Freddie Freeman, he is the young actor who gets the most screen time here and gone is the charming kid from the first film and here is this loud and annoying kid that possibly ruins the entire thing. He gets way too much to do an absolutely nothing works. Lucy Liu & Rachel Zegler play the other daughters of Atlas and they are just really dull, Zegler is a really generic character that offers little and Liu offers incredibly little as well. The child cast is basically cast aside and that is a shame because the aged up versions aren't very good either and I didn't care about any of them at all. 

Story 

I liked how the story of this film really takes place because of events from the previous film and the link is well handled. There were elements of the story that had weight and heart to them but it just isn't emphasised a lot. This film tries to drip in lots of story beats but misses the mark with the majority of them. The motivations of the villains isn't particularly interesting and the whole family dynamic lacks the heart of the previous film. 

Script

This film has some decent drama in it despite the issues I have mentioned earlier in the review. It also has a few funny moments but for a film that relies on comedy it isn't that funny. Unfortunately, it is a weaker script then the previous film and just about gets away with being considered average. 

Style 

The film looks good, the CGI, action scenes and costume design is well done and feels worthy of a big blockbuster superhero film. Though the film isn't particularly well paced, it felt quite long to me despite clocking in at around 2 hours. I also feel the first act took too long to actually get going and thus made it difficult to completely get into the film. 

Overall

Overall, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is an average sequel that is way worse then the original film. It doesn't fit the mould of DC films and I think it is one that can be easily skipped and it won't matter in the long run. 

Rating - 5/10

Uncharted (2022) Review

After many years we finally have an Uncharted film, this film is based on the really popular video game franchise and today I have watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young man getting recruited to go on a hunt for a long lost treasure. 

Main Character

Tom Holland plays Nathan Drake and I can't help myself he is really entertaining to watch and I think this is just because of Holland's natural charm and charisma manages to drag him through. But the issue is that he just isn't what I wanted from Nathan Drake as a character, he is nothing like his video game counterpart and that is a big shame. I was watching the film and all I saw was Peter Parker just without his Spider-Man costume. Hopefully, this is only because this film came out just after Spider-Man: No Way Home but I do worry that Holland might become typecast and a one trick pony. 

Supporting Characters

Mark Wahlberg plays Sully and it is a similar story to our main character. He has plenty of natural charisma to him and his chemistry with Holland is really good and at least there is some sort of character development on show. But I felt like it was Mark Wahlberg walking around and the character of Sully from the video games and that was the issue for me, he is just the same as he is in every other film and this is a slight shame for me. Sophia Ali plays Chloe and I actually quite liked her, maybe because she was the one performer I didn't recognise made her feel like an actual character and somebody who was actually interesting to watch. The bad guys didn't work though, Antonio Banderas is here but he is just your generic villain and I don't know when but it seems like when a European bad guy is needed then he is the one cast and it just didn't work here. Tai Gabrielle is better as a villain but she isn't that great either but was at least a physical enemy to Drake. 

Story 

The story did a pretty good job of showing a young Nathan Drake starting his career and leading us on a fun adventure story across the globe that had shades of Indiana Jones to it. There is some sort of character development attempted and the actors seemed like they were having fun here. But there is a lack of depth and direction for the overall plot of the film. I think it could needed to pace itself a bit better and focus on the characters a bit more and give the villains way better motivations. 

Script

The film actually has a surprising amount of humour to it and I was chuckling my way through most of the film, mixed with a bit of heart made this alright. But there isn't enough here, I didn't care about the characters enough and sometimes it felt like the film relied on its star power instead of actually crafting these better written heroes and villains. 

Style 

The style has some really good action scenes, including the crazy cargo plane scene that was in all of the trailers. The film is quite relentless too, the adventure moves at a pretty break neck pace which is good but it also harms the characterisation and plot of the film. It was a fun action film without the depth needed to become a good film. 

Overall

Overall, Uncharted is a pretty average adventure film. There is some good here for sure and Sony are hoping to make this a franchise but it doesn't do enough for me to get me excited for that or recommend this for a watch. 

Rating - 5/10

Scream 4 (2011) Review

11 years after Scream 3, they decided to make a fourth Scream film and I have now watched it and here is my review for Scream 4. The premise of the film is set 10 years after the last film and sees Sidney return to her hometown which sees a re-emergence of Ghost Face and the killings. 

Main Character

Neve Campbell is back as Sydney and she is functional here, it is nice to see her back in the role and it seems like she is glad to be back. But once again there is very little added to her character and it just feels like she is here because it would be strange for her not to be here because it is a Scream film. 

Supporting Characters

David Arquette and Courteney Cox are back as Dewey and Gail and I have similar feelings towards there characters here as I did in the first film. They started off annoying me, but I grew on them and it was fun watching them work together after all the time since the previous film in the franchise. Emma Roberts comes in as Sidney's Cousin and she was a nice addition to the cast, she just fits the mould of the film well and she adds plenty here. But just like the other Scream films some of the other cast are overacting and it takes me out of it especially if and when they get killed. 

Story 

I actually quite liked the twist about who Ghostface is in this film. Also seeing the characters we know older and dealing with this situation is fun enough. But there is no doubt that there is plenty rehashed here and the plot isn't clever enough to get around this. There are probably too many characters which makes the film feel disjointed and for me taking a bit too long to get the blood pumping. 

Script

The script is alright, nothing great but nothing truly bad either. It has decent twists and turns which keeps the film enjoyable but some of the characters lack depth and the story overall isn't written with enough to interest. 

Style 

Once again the Ghostface killings are fun and just as bloody as they have always been if not even more then the others. But the pacing of the film isn't that great, I just felt like the film was going through the motions for some of it and it failed to truly keep me invested and interested. 

Overall

Overall, Scream 4 is an average film. It has some good moments but is too inconsistent and shows the limitations of a franchise like this. 

Rating - 5/10

Scream 2 (1997) Review 

After the success of the original Scream film, this sequel was greenlit very quickly and I have now watched Scream 2 and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Sidney move to College in order to get away from the killings of the past, but she gets dragged back in when a copycat killer bursts onto the scene. 

Main Character

Neve Campbell reprises her role as Sidney and I think she does an okay job here. There is no denying she keeps the essence of the character from the first film alive and there isn't any doubt that she does enough to keep the character interesting. But I don't know, I didn't feel there was as much intensity here and that she kind of just went through the motions at times and I didn't care as much here as I did in the previous film. 

Supporting Characters

David Arquette and Courteney Cox are back in there roles as Dewey and Gale and they are once again fun to watch. There is an argument that the characters haven't developed that much since the original but I can't help but enjoy there chemistry together. Liev Schrieber plays a role here and it is funny seeing how young he is here but he does a decent job. His character is a bit all over the place and feels a bit disconnected but I think he was fine. I have some issues like the first film with some of the overacting, even by talented actors and it just takes me out of the film and shows its age. 

Story

The story has some merit, it is interesting seeing a copycat killer and I couldn't work out who the killer was for quite a while which surprised me. But the film overreaches for me and I found the final reveal itself to be a bit lacking. I also don't think the characters felt the drastic repercussions from the original film as much as they should have done.  

Script

The script is okay and once again I like how this film attempts to deconstruct horror films and sequels in general. But there just isn't as much to this script as there was in the previous film and it mostly feels like a bunch of rehashed moments. 

Style

The film has some fun action and horror scenes. Credit has to go to the stunt people who are in the ghostface costume as they throw themselves around to make the action and horror seem even more intense. But the film doesn't hit the heights of its previous film and the film is a bit longer then it really needs to be. 

Overall

Overall, Scream 2 is an average sequel that rehashes most of the plot points from the original film but slightly worse. Unless you are a big horror fan then you can give this one a miss. 

Rating - 5/10

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Review

We now reach the end of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise with the second film and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Peter Parker dealing with his difficult relationship with Gwen Stacy when Oscorp causes more issues for Spider-Man. 

Main Character

Andrew Garfield plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man and he is really good. I actually think this is a really strong performance and he delivers really well as both characters. Peter goes through a lot and really struggles with the consequences from the previous film another thing I really enjoyed was seeing Peter actually as a genius which is done really well here. After the first film Spider-Man is now seen as a positive part of society and that leads to his own issues especially when it comes to his connection with the villains. 

Supporting Characters

Emma Stone is back as Gwen Stacy and even though there are elements of the plot that I didn't enjoy about her I can't deny how good she is in the role and how good the chemistry between her and Garfield really is. In terms of the romantic element they are easily my favourite one out of all The Spider-Man ones and it adds so much to have a couple you actually care about. Sally Field is pretty good as Aunt May, her character is the most oblivious in film history but I liked her dynamic with Peter as they do have a good chemistry. But the rest of the cast aren't particularly good and I am looking at the villains, Jamie Foxx plays Max Dillon/Electro and this is one of those performances that is so bad that you end up laughing at it, he plays this nerdy guy who gets turned into a supervillain. He is just filled with awful one liners and laughable motivations that just really doesn't work. Dane DeHaan plays Harry Osborne/Green Goblin and he is also pretty bad. He is really shoe horned into this film, and it starts off okay but he just becomes really over the top and cliché and then things get even worse when he turns into the Goblin. 

Story 

The story is easily the worst part of the film, it is all over the place and makes no sense. The film tries to focus on so many different story arcs but none of them get the time for the audience to get invested in. The ending is also terrible, the film has a clear ending but it decides to go on for another 10 mins or so and it really drags down the overall quality of the film. 

Script 

The script is just about passable, the humour with Spider-Man is really good and it is nice to see a confident version of the character on show. The dialogue between Gwen & Peter works well because the two of them have natural chemistry, not because of the actual writing. The overblown narrative is a huge issue and the drama just doesn't land as much as it should apart from a couple of moments. 

Style 

There are some very entertaining action scenes here and web swinging has never looked better. The Spider-Man costume is brilliant and seeing him in action is a lot of fun. But the looks of Electro, Green Goblin and Rhino are all awful and make a mockery of these characters. The pacing of the film is really hindered because of the amount of story arcs and length of the film. 

Overall

Overall, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an average film. There is just way too much going on and it over reaches which is a big reason why this version of the character ended the way it did. 

Rating - 5/10

Red Notice (2021) Review

Over the years Netflix has been getting bigger and bigger and Red Notice is the biggest film project that they have ever done and I have now watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a police profiler have to work with a thief to clear his name. 

Main Character

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays the lead character and he is exactly what you would expect. He is charming and cracking one liners left right and centre as you would expect by Johnson as he is a pro at doing just this. But I just feel like this is expected by now and the actual character here is really dull, I know this isn't a film to be taken too seriously but I just need some more character depth or else this is just another Dwayne Johnson action film with no substance. 

Supporting Characters 

Ryan Reynolds plays the thief in the film and I kind of feel similar with is performance. He is entertaining as he pretty much is in everything with one liners a plenty and the two of them have some decent chemistry. His character is handled better but it still leaves quite a bit to be desired and the humour was the thing that was chosen instead. Gal Gadot plays the antagonist and she seems like she is having a lot of fun. It did feel like something different for her as an actress and it made her performance stand out more to me then the other two more prominent characters in the film. Ritu Arya from The Umbrella Academy plays an interpol agent and she is functional but I guess I wanted to see more of her and what really motivated her to the plot of the film.

Story  

The story of the film has some fun and exciting set pieces with decent chemistry between Johnson, Reynolds and Gadot with the situations that they are placed in. But the film is so generic that it makes the whole thing worse. If you have watched some films you have seen plenty of story elements from this film and then they throw in a twist that makes little sense just to try and spice up the story a bit more. 

Script

The script has some funny lines and interactions in it, which considering this is a film that sees Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds share the screen you would expect that. But the film is pretty illogical and the drama falls really flat that by the end I kind of wondered what was the entire point of it overall. 

Style 

The film does have some good action scenes, they are fun and have lots of great stunt work and action co-ordination in tact. But there is just something a bit off, the pacing is okay though I think even the style is quite generic and it hurts the overall feel of the film. 

Overall

Overall, Red Notice is an average film. Despite the A List cast and heavy financial backing it falls short and needed better writing and creative decisions being made. 

Rating - 5/10

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) Review

It's been a busy week but I have finally found the time to watch Venom: Let There Be Carnage and now here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Eddie Brock and Venom have to figure out their relationship while going against a serial killer and his own symbiote. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock and voices Venom and he does a pretty good job. I just find his performance as Brock entertaining and clearly somebody who is enjoying himself. He doesn't get much character development but I think there is just about enough here to give Hardy props for his role in the film. Venom is actually given more development and it is executed pretty well, I actually felt feeling towards the symbiote. He is also pretty funny and for me the dynamic between Venom and Eddie Brock is probably the highlight of the film. 

Supporting Characters

The first Venom film suffered from not creating interesting supporting characters and it is a shame that this film is the same. Woody Harrelson reprises his role of Cletus Kassidy/Carnage from the post credit scene of the first film and I just never got invested in his character. He just came across as a weirdo and a guy with no character. Harrelson is clearly enjoying himself but the character of Carnage is not given the justification that he deserves here. Naomi Harris plays Shriek and unfortunately, she is even worse. She just has these terrible one liners and her over the top bizarre performance is just too much for me and does nothing for me. The great Stephen Graham plays a police officer and it's not even that he is bad, he is actually alright but his character is dull and there is literally no reason to care and it is a shame that such a talent is wasted here. Michelle Williams is back as Anne from the first film and she is just as boring here, I just don't like the character and I have felt like Williams phones it in and signed a contract that she had to be here as she does very little here. 

Story 

The relationship between Eddie and Venom is represented quite well here and I like how we saw more things from Venom's point of view this time around. But it is flawed, the dynamic between Carnage and Venom fails and the dynamic between Brock and Cassidy doesn't work either. The characters don't get enough time to develop and you won't care about anybody apart from Venom and maybe Eddie. 

Script

The script is okay, the humour was something I was worried about in the trailer but I can't deny that it worked for me. I chuckled quite a few times with Venom having some funny one liners. But the drama falls really flat and is so rushed that when it comes to the big showdown I kind of didn't care. 

Style

Both Venom and Carnage both look great and the clash between them is way easier to follow then the action in the first film. But the pacing is all over the place, it starts off at 100 miles an hour and then slows down and ties to focus on way too much. It needed a longer runtime to make the audience care about the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Venom; Let There Be Carnage is an average film that doesn't rise above its predecessor. It is okay and I don't think will bring any new fans but there is a huge post credit scene and that is all that people will be talking about coming out of this film. 

Rating - 5/10

Spectre (2015) Review

The last step to No Tie To Die sees me watch and review Spectre so here we go. The premise of the film sees Bond on the hunt for a mysterious organisation that sees his whole life and career come into greater focus. 

Main Character

Daniel Craig once again plays Bond and he does just about enough here, you can tell this is probably the least enthusiastic he has been about the role but he still gives a good performance and he keeps the essence of Bond alive. He is good in the action sequences and has some charm but this isn't his best time in the role. 

Supporting Characters  

Christoph Waltz plays the bad guy and he does an entertaining job, I have issues with the way the character is presented but he brings his usual amount of commitment and there is enough there to get interested in. Ralph Fiennes gets a larger role as M and he is just a great actor that really delivers in this role and again there are issues with his character arc but none of that can be aimed at him. But there are some issues that I have, Lea Seydoux plays the new Bond Girl here and I guess I just kind of never grew to care about her character and I didn't think there was much chemistry between her and Craig and it affected the whole 2nd act of the film. Andrew Scott plays a large role but it is a really generic role and it feels like a complete waist of a great actor and like why did they even bother if this was how he was going to be used. Even characters such as Q and Moneypenny aren't done as well here which is a shame. 

Story 

Now, we are at the point of the review where I talk about how much I hate the story of Spectre. Bond is on the hunt for this organisation and this has been building at least somewhat through the other films and it just falls really flat. Waltz isn't in the film enough and I didn't find the dynamic between him and Seydoux interesting at all which is a huge part of the film. There is also a plot arc involving the intelligence agencies and that feels really generic and dull aswell. 

Script

The script is alright, the drama doesn't ever really hit enough but there are bits and pieces. Craig has some fun moments with dialogue and that helps make the film a bit more entertaining then it has any reason to be. Overall, it feels weak and a bit drab, kind of like the film. 

Style 

This film has some fantastic action scenes. The opening Day of the Dead sequence is brilliant and it is a shame that nothing else in the film comes close to that, the film looks great and when the action happens it is on point. The issue is that the film is boring, it slows massively down and makes the film feel like a drag and a much longer film then it actually is. 

Overall

Overall, Spectre is a really disappointing average film. Luckily this wasn't Craig's last Bond film as it really goes out on a whimper. 

Rating - 5/10

Quantum of Solace (2008) Review

Before I go see No Time to Die next week I have some catching up to do and I watched Quantum of Solace today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees James Bond attempting to take down a mysterious organisation that is attempting to take over a country. 

Main Character

Daniel Craig returns for his second go as Bond and I think he is good here, there isn't as much intrigue or development for Bond but he is fantastic in the action scenes. Also when there is some drama for his character to deal with I think he does it well enough. I think he is let down by other elements of the film but in terms of his performance, I thought it was good. 

Supporting Characters

Judi Dench is back as M and she gets a meatier role in this film and she is good as you would expect. They do build the relationship between her and Bond and both both of them do a good job in doing just that. But the issue is with the rest of the cast, Olga Kurylenko plays Camille and I think there is a decent character in there but it isn't conveyed well enough and the main issue is that she basically just disappears for half of this film which forces them to rush into trying to make you care. Mathieu Amalric plays the bad guy here and he is dull it is unreal, this is just a guy that happens to be in James Bond's way and he could have been any villain and it wouldn't have mattered and thats a big shame. The film brings back Jeffery Wright as Felix Leitner and just wastes him and I forgot David Harbour was even in this film because he was used so little. 

Story 

The story for me is where this film really falls apart, it just isn't interesting at all. It tries to build up this mysterious organisation and Bond hunting them but basically gets pushed to the back to see Bond being chased for some convoluted reason. It tries to balance too many things and it ends up failing at pretty much all of it leading to a real lacklustre finale. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some good dramatic moments and as I mentioned before the relationship between Bond and M is handled maturely and appropriately. But there is a real lack of intrigue and depth to the rest of the drama and this film is incredibly serious, lacking the little subtle bits of humour that Bond films usually have.

Style  

The style has some good action scenes, they are high impact, exciting and for the majority well filmed. But it is also a bit of an issue, there is so much action that it feels like the pacing of the film is off. The film just clocks over 90 mins and it feels way too short and that affects the overall quality of the film. 

Overall

Overall, Quantum of Solace is an average film that really fails to follow on the great work that Casino Royale had done. 

Rating - 5/10

Candyman (2021) Review

Yes, I am a bit late to watch this film but today I found the time to watch Candyman today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the return of the dreaded Candyman as he returns to where the franchise began. 

Main Character 

Yahya Adul-Manteen plays the lead character and I thought he did a good job in the role. There are certain issues with his character and well the majority of characters but I actually am going to give him the benefit of the doubt as I think he really gave it his all and tried to make his character interesting and certain elements of the film let him down, as when it comes down to it for me he is the best part of the film. 

Supporting Characters

Teyonah Parris plays his girlfriend and I liked her in the role too. They work well together and she again tries to provide something to latch onto when it comes to her character, between this performance and her future in The Marvel Cinematic Universe as Monica Rambeau things are looking good. I really like Colmon Domingo as an actor and he is good in this film, I mean he is basically the character who dumps exposition but he does it well and his presence is very effective in the film. But there were a few characters who annoyed me, mainly Nathan Stewart Jarrett, he is just way too much here and I get that he is meant to be the comic relief but he is just not funny and took me out of the film as it kind of felt like he was acting in a different film to everybody else. 

Story

An important thing to mention here is that you don't need to watch any of the other Candyman films to understand what is going on. I know this because, I have never watched a Candyman film and I understood the story clearly. Now there are some things I liked, mainly just how accessible the films plot was for somebody who isn't a huge fan of the lore, I found most of it interesting. Though there are some clear issues, there is a clear pushing of social commentary in this film and that is fine but they beat it over your head and after hearing it so many times it becomes hard to really care. There is also a rushed feeling to it all and the final act goes against what most of the story has told us and it basically becomes a generic horror with little depth. 

Script 

The script is the one element that really holds this film back, it is just not good. The film never hits the dramatic level that it should, there are some good ideas here but they are executed so poorly that it doesn't really matter. The humour is thrown in with little success and it just feels like this needed a screenwriter of the top level to deliver a better script which could fix certain other elements of the film. 

Style

The film looks fantastic, the cinematography is beautiful and I really liked some of the techniques that were used to show off Candyman in some of his glory. But the pacing of the film is all over the place, to put it politely it's a bit boring, it takes so long to get going that it just takes you out of caring about the film. Also I am not one for loads of gore, but this film had to show more violence instead of hiding it, it builds and builds but doesn't feel like it does enough in that regard.

Overall

Overall, Candyman is an average film that does disappoint as the natural sequel to the original film. Unless you are a big fan of the original then you can leave this film and watch other horror films as we get closer to Halloween. 

Rating - 5/10

Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021) Review

After watching the first film in the franchise I have now watched Escape Rooms sequel Tournament of Champions and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees two returning characters from the first film Zoey and Ben as they attempt to track down the company behind the escape rooms when they get dragged into another game. 

Main Character

Taylor Russell and Logan Miller are back as Zoey and Ben and similar to the previous film they are just functional. Despite the fact that they were in the previous film I didn't find their characters any more interesting, they were alright before and they're only alright here. The actors are trying and that is the credit I am giving them but they don't give you lots of reason to care and the forced connection between the two of them falls a bit flat. 

Supporting Characters

Continuing the them from above, the supporting characters are better here then the ones from the first film but they just fall a bit flat in the terms of characterisation and making the audience truly care about them. There were some interesting ideas and some okay characters but the film fails in creating an interesting group of characters to get invested in. 

Story

The story is better in this film as a few of the characters have some actual thought put into them. Also, despite the fact that the ending is absurd and elements of it don't make sense, I can't deny that it intrigued me and had me actually wanting to see a third film in the frachise. But there are so many elements of the film that make no sense and the issue is still there in making you care about these characters are the fact that they are in real danger. 

Script  

The script does hurt the film, the dialogue is clunky, cheesy and generic. It really holds the film back and really saddles these performers with dialogue that even the most experienced actors would struggle with. 

Style 

The style of the film is the one element that is really improved. The escape rooms are much bigger in stakes and style and it looks impressive, whoever, was the person behind the scenes that designed these rooms they deserve big credit as they are fun to watch. Also the pacing is very frantic which if the characters aren't going to be particularly interesting it allows us to watch them in perilous positions at least. 

Overall

Overall, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is an Average film that improves on the original. I would say it isn't a film worth going to the cinema to see but maybe Escape Room 3 will finally deliver a good film in this franchise. 

Rating - 5/10

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) Review

I enjoyed The Hitman's Bodyguard so was excited for its sequel here and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Michael Bryce bought out of sabbatical to work with the hitman he has a vendetta against and his wife. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L Jackson are back in the two lead roles and there is no denying that they have strong and enjoyable chemistry together. There characters are in different points then they were in the previous film and they play it up well enough. The two of them aren't as entertaining as they were in the previous film but they they do just about enough to keep the energy alive. 

Supporting Characters

Really the only supporting character worth anything for me is Morgan Freeman and that is mainly because of how entertaining it is to see Freeman on screen in a film like this, he doesn't play a large role but it is an enjoyable one for sure. Salma Hayek has a much larger role in this film and she annoyed me here, she is just a shrieking violet for the majority of the film, she worked in the previous film because her role was small but she is just way too much here and it made this film worse then the previous film. Antonio Banderas plays the bad guy and similar to Gary Oldman in the previous film he is just as generic and dull as they come. He is so cliché and literally anybody could have played this role with this being another really week element of the film. Frank Grillo plays an FBI agent and his role is completely pointless,  he sleepwalks through the film and his role seems majorly unnecessary and just there to pad out the runtime. 

Story 

The story isn't exactly the part of the film that is focused on but it is really poor here, the film attempts to put some depth into the characters but it just doesn't work. Every twist is expected and the film doesn't even try to be inventive, the focus on Salma Hayek's character is annoying and it just doesn't work for this film and the dull villain and poor storytelling does very little for me with a pretty stupid ending. 

Script 

The script has some moments, the humour occasionally hits and had me laughing or at least chuckling which is better then nothing. But some of the humour and pretty much all of the drama falls short and lowers the quality of the overall film. 

Style 

The film has some really decent action scenes, they are brutal but enjoyable and you see all types of action scenes that keeps the film moving pretty well. But the film feels longer then it actually is, I did see myself checking my watch and maybe it is an overuse of action or maybe plot elements that do not need to be in the film. 

Overall

Overall, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is an average action film. If you loved the first film then you will probably at least like this one, but I liked the first film and did not really like this one and I am not sure it is worth the time to watch it. 

Rating - 5/10

Monster Hunter (2021) Review

There are plenty of films out at the moment and today I managed to find the time to go and see Monster Hunter and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of soldiers transported to a new world where monsters have taken over. 

Main Character

Mila Jovovich plays the lead character and she is fine. Once she starts to get into the role she shows a bit of personality and has a fun dynamic with one of the other characters. She sells the action scenes well and comes across as a legit action star for sure. But the issue is that her character is so boring and dull, the first act in particular she is unlikeable and it is difficult to turn that around for sure and the film can't do that enough to make this a really good character. 

Supporting Characters

Tony Jaa plays the main supporting character and he does a good job despite the fact that he barely speaks any English at all. He gives a very physical performance and does a really good job of being our introduction to this world and it is fun watching him on display and the dynamic between him and Jovovich is one of the more entertaining parts of the film. Ron Perlman plays a role here and he just doesn't get much to do apart from being the exposition dump and that is disappointing as he is pretty fun in his role. There are some other decent actors like TI and Meagan Goode and they are completely wasted and are actually annoying characters. 

Story 

The story is easily the weakest element of the film with very little placed on it. The characters aren't really given the time to make the audience care and there isn't much given to what is exactly going on and the depth that is needed. The ending is also really infuriating, it sequel baits so hard and it doesn't have the right to do that and it comes across as more annoying then exciting for future films in this world. 

Script

The script started off poor, but actually some humour came into it and I did chuckle quite a bit and it helped build the relationship between Jovovich and Jaa which was one of the highlights of the film. But the drama is poor and the film doesn't make the plot interesting enough, it just felt like the actual script wasn't a priority here. 

Style

This is easily the best part of the film, it looks gorgeous with the backdrops being jaw dropping. The creature design is great with all the CGI holding up really nicely. If you are looking for a film that sees people fighting huge monsters then this film achieves that very well. I love how the weapon and costume design is so over the top and absurd which more films should copy and embrace. The film also has a really intense pacing to it and with the other weaknesses at least it is entertaining to watch. 

Overall

Overall, Monster Hunter is a very average film. It does monster fight scenes really well and if the amount of care that was put into the style was put into everything else then this could have been something special but it is only worth a watch for people who like large scale fight scenes.

Rating - 5/10