Heads of State (2025) Review

This film has been making waves this last week and I have finally got around to watch Heads of State and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees The President of The United States & The Priminister of The United Kingdom go on the run after they are targeted by Terrorists. 

Main Character

John Cena plays Will Derringer and Idris Elba Plays Sam Clarke and they really fit this film well. Cena is the over the top American who really grinds on his British counterpart. Whereas Elba plays the straight man well and is clearly frustrated at dealing with Cena throughout the film. They have worked together before and their chemistry is great being the real highlight of the film. 

Supporting Characters

Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays Noel and she is good in the film. It takes a while for her to properly get involved but she is an entertaining third wheel to the major protagonists. Her character takes part in some of the best action scenes and she was an effective fit for the role. 

Jack Quaid has a small role as a special agent here and I loved his performance. He was so much fun and he just showed that he is a great actor that he could take this already entertaining film and make himself a really memorable part, even with limited screen time. 

However, other actors don't get as much to work with. Paddy Considine plays the villain and he is bland here. He is a great actor and the story gives him some decent motivation but the film really fails to capitalise on it and he is just like many villains in comedy action films, bland. 

The rest of the cast just fill out their roles but offer nothing to really stand out Even Carla Gugino as The Vice President is a boring character. 

Story

Look, this film doesn't take itself too seriously and thus the story isn't exactly Citizen Kane. However, it does a good job showing the dynamic between these two guys who don't like each other and how they can learn from each other. But at the end of the day it is a really generic film that follows pretty much every trope known to man and that is a shame as I think there was some potential to make things a bit better with ideas that they half bake. 

Script

Similar to the point above, don't expect this amazing script. I mean it lacks real drama and does have some eye rolling comedy. But, overall this film is pretty funny and I laughed quite a few times during it which I believe was the point of this film, so I was happy with it. 

Style

The film has a really fun style. It has some genuinely great action sequences that range from the ridiculous to something you might see in more serious films. It is paced well and I was thoroughly enjoyed throughout and never got bored. 

Overall

Overall, Heads of State is a good film that is a lot of fun. You have to know that you are in for a silly action film but if that is right up your street then give Heads of State a watch. 

Rating - 7/10

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

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

Main Character

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

Supporting Cast

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

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

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

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

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

Story

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

Script

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

Style

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

Overall

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

Rating - 3/10 

The Boys Season 4 (2024) Review

Due to being away, it took me a while to watch the last episode of the fourth season of The Boys but I have watched it and here is my review for the fourth season of Amazon's acclaimed show The Boys. The premise of the season sees The Boys attempt to finally kill Homelander after he starts to use his powers in public to cause fear. 

Main Character

Karl Urban is once again back as Billy Butcher and I really like his character this season. After taking Temp V last season it is clear that Butcher is dying and doesn't have much time left and Urban really sells that. He is more brutal this season and trying to achieve his goals before he goes and Urban kills it this season. 

I have always believed that Homelander played by Antony Starr is one of the best performances in any medium and this continues here. Homelander goes through so many emotions this season and I just love watching his mind work and I can't emphasise how great Starr is in this show. 

Supporting Characters

Over the last few seasons A-Train played by Jessie T Usher has been one of the more interesting characters and this season really gives him plenty of screen time to further flesh out his character and he nails it. You see the conflict in him and that he actually wants to be a hero and not just Homelander's pawn. 

On the contrary is a fantastic performance by Chase Crawford who plays The Deep, he becomes more committed to Homelander's cause and you really see the violence come out in him and Crawford plays this sleezy bad guy so well. 

But I do think some of the characters get treated poorly this season. Jack Quaid plays Hughie and he goes through the ringer this season, his story does feel a bit disconnected from the main plot and Quaid is given very little to do and I just didn't care too much about him. 

Erin Moriarty as Starlight is kind of insufferable this season, they do plenty of things to make you really not like her character but I never really felt any real redemption for her and I just wanted to see her get taken down and taken off of the show. 

There is a huge cast and new characters such as Sister Sage, Firecracker & Joe Kessler are fantastic but characters we already had such as Frenchie and Kimiko are really misused and are actually pretty annoying. 

Story

The overall story is pretty interesting, it shows The Boys and Butcher going to extreme lengths to try and take down Homelander. With Homelander really trying to hit his endgame and put supes in charge of the world. It is showed really well and I really like how the stakes have been risen for the last few seasons of the show. But, similar to previous seasons every character has to have their own individual stories and some of it just sucks, too much is going on and certain plot elements just aren't very interesting. But the show has a fantastic ending which has me excited for the fifth and final season. 

Script

The show is still really well written, there is the combination of humour and drama here. The show is as outlandish as it has been before and this season it definitely leans into the politics within The USA but I always believed the show has made fun of elements of US politics so it has always been there. 

Style

The show has kept the violence in their action and it just works for The Boys and the crazy elements makes it stand out to other shows of somewhat similar ideas. It is paced well enough despite the amount it tries to cram in and I think it was really fun weekly entertainment. 

Overall

Overall, The Boys Season 4 is one of the weaker seasons of the show but it is still a great watch for fans of the show. With the next season confirmed to be the final. it has me excited for how they are going to give this show the send-off that it deserves. 

Rating - 8/10

Gen V Season 1 (2023) Review

With The Boys Season 4 ongoing weekly it seemed appropriate to go back and watch Gen V for the first time, especially as characters from the spinoff are set to appear on the main show. I manage to watch the whole first season pretty quickly and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a group of students who are at superhero school deal with student life while attempting to expose a darker secret. 

Main Character

Jaz Sinclair plays Marie Moraeu and I really liked her character. We learn a lot about her during the show and how she differs from the other students that are kind of already in the system with Vought and used to the superhero culture. She definitely develops over the season and gives a strong performance, it also helps that her powers are some of the more unique ones in The Boys universe and adds some real creativity. 

Supporting Characters

Lizze Broadway plays Emma who is Marie's roommate and the two of them have really good chemistry together, at first I thought she was going to be a shallow character but no, they give her a fantastic character arc and I really did care about her as the season went on. 

Maddie Phillips plays Cate, who is kind of treated like the popular girl in school but ends up by chance as part of this group of friends. She delivers a really good performance and the majority of her development happened towards the back end of the season but I thought it was really effective. 

Jordan Li is an intetesting character and is a Bi-Gender Super Hero played by both London Thor & Derek Luh and the character really fits this universe. They are a determined individual and she was clearly the one who cared most about their hierarchy in the school but that is developed throughout the show. 

Unfortunately, earlier this year Chance Perdomo died in a Motorbike accident with Gen V being one of his last roles as Andre and it is a shame that we won't see any more of this character in the future. Perdomo is great as Andre and he is another really well written character that was charming throughout.  

This is a large cast and everybody does a fantastic job of delivering great performances that flesh out the universe of this spin off. 

Story 

The story is good. This show does have some teenage angst stories but in this environment, I didn't really mind and it flowed nicely. There is plenty of intrigue and mystery to the plot and I remained invested as the season went on. The only issue that I had was the very ending of the show, it feels like lazy writing and someone enters the show that feels like a lazy excuse to set up Boys Season 4 instead of giving Gen V a true fulfilling ending. 

Script

The script is good, it has that familiar feeling to The Boys. I did think at first that there was just too much profanity but the more I think about it, that is how kids at schools act so it isn't that crazy and the fact that all films in school don't act like this is more crazy. I also liked the drama and did care about plenty of the characters which is great. 

Style

The style of the show is great, if you are a fan of The Boys then you will be expecting an over the top style and it is here in abundance. The show was paced really well too, with episodes flying by and having me intrigued throughout. 

Overall

Overall, Gen V is a fantastic spin-off and easily does enough to stand out on its own and become a must watch. Similar, to The Boys it is an acquired taste but if you can handle it Gen V is definitely worth a watch. 

Rating - 9/10

The Idea of You (2024) Review

The Idea of You has been one of the most popular films this week and with being available on Amazon Prime, I decided to sit down today and watch the film and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a 40 year old woman unexpectedly end up in a relationship with a 24 year old lead singer of a world famous boy band. 

Main Character 

Anne Hathaway is a great actress and plays the lead character Solene here and I thought she did a really great job in this film and really added a lot to this film. Hathaway adds to the real emotion of her character and takes this one dimensional person and turns her into an interesting character that you actually can care about. 

Supporting Characters 

Nicholas Galitzine plays Hayes who is the love interest in the film and I actually thought he did a really good job too. He was a charming young man and I really saw the depth of his character and that he truly cared about Solene in the film. Hathaway & him had great chemistry in the film and I genuinely felt like these were two people who cared about each other. 

The rest of the cast don't really offer a lot because the film doesn't really care about them. Ella Rubin as the daughter Izzy & Reid Scott plays the ex husband Daniel and they are both okay but the film doesn't give enough reason to care about them or give them much to work with. 

Story

The story is interesting and I think the chemistry of the two main leads made this story a lot better and easier to understand and follow. It also briefly looks at how something like this affects others but doesn't go far enough with it. I do wonder what the response to this film would be if the genders were reversed of the two characters but it wasn't an issue to me. However, this film is pretty predictable and at times pretty cheesy. It holds the film back and makes it feel like one of those romance films that you see released all the time which is a shame and the ending totally nails this. 

Script

This script is similar to the story in terms that it has promise but ultimately gives into the basic nature of romantic films. There is some dramatic moments that are good and some funny moments but it overall falls a bit flat and again feels pretty cliché. 

Style 

The film looks decent in terms of how it is presented, there isn't really anything special about it but it just comes across as a nice looking film. But this film has serious pacing issues, it goes on for way longer then it should and really drags. It doesn't give some interesting ideas the weight it needs and focuses on silly parts of the relationship. 

Overall

Overall, The Idea of You is an okay film. The two main characters have really good chemistry but the film is let down by just being quite formulaic and not really adding anything new to the genre. 

Rating - 6/10

Fallout Season 1 (2024) Review

Before I start this review, I have to say that I have never played a Fallout game, though I know the basic premise so I won't be judging my opinion of the show based on any of the games. Though I have now finished watching the Fallout TV Show and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a post apocalypse world after a nuclear war which sees people living in vaults underground to avoid the dangers of the surface. 

Main Character

Ella Purnell plays Lucy McLean and she is fantastic in this show. Her character has a fantastic character development throughout and I just think she played up the role really well. She was a likeable character and somebody who was easy to root for in this show. There is a naivety to her as she interacts with other characters but it can come across as charming and gives her a way to develop. 

Supporting Characters

Aaron Moten plays Maximus and he is decent in his role. It personally took me longer to care about his character then the others and I just think Moten didn't convey much emotion or reason to care about him. But that does mostly change midway through the show and Moten starts to grow into the role and add some more personality. 

Walton Goggins plays Cooper Howard/The Ghoul and he is tremendous in both versions of his character. We see Goggins as Cooper in his prime, before the nuclear war and it is interesting to see, especially compared to his undead bounty hunter persona in the modern day story. He is very charismatic and the fact that he has all this story about him does make him the most interesting part of the show and Goggins smashes it. 

Moises Arias plays Norm McLean and he is very good in the show and gets given his own story arc which is actually important for the overall show. He is mostly separate from the other main characters but he does an effective job and I grew to like his character more after the first episode. 

This has a big cast, that have smaller roles here and they are all great. This world is full of lively people and it feels like a vibrant world because of their performances whether they be on the surface or in the vaults, it was really effective. 

Story

The story is great, as I said I have no idea about The Fallout story in the games but I became really invested in this shows plot and interested throughout. We see stories both on the wasteland and in the vaults and both are pretty captivating and do a good job of developing the characters. The flashbacks are good as well and are used effectively to give more context for the storytelling. 

Script

The show is well written, it has moments of comedy in there but also plenty of dramatic moments that made me care. There are many twists and intrigue here and I think the writing did an effective job of showing this. 

Style

Amazon clearly had high hopes for Fallout as you can see the massive budget used and the show looks fantastic. Both the wasteland and Vaults look so unique and fully encapsulate the tone of the show. Though, I think there were some issues, mainly the overuse of slow-mo in action scenes. I think slow-mo is a tool that can be used effectively but it has to be used carefully and this show definitely overuses it. I also know that country music is heavily involved with the games and it is well treated here but again it is just overused, especially during some of the action scenes that didn't require it. 

Overall

Overall, the first season of Fallout was fantastic. It made me super interested in this universe and hyped for a potential second season. Even if you haven't played any of the games, this is still a show that should be watched because I think you will really enjoy it. 

Rating - 9/10

Reacher Season 1 (2022) Review

Ahead of the release of the second season, I decided to go back and watch the first season of the acclaimed Prime Video show Reacher. I got through it pretty quickly and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show sees a mysterious man get arrested for murder but is needed by the police to help solve the crime. 

Main Character

There have been a few films based on the character of Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise in the lead role which didn't quite work. This time we get Alan Ritchson playing the lead role and he was perfect for this role. He is physically intimidating person but you can tell that he is fantastic at his job and that he is one step ahead of everybody. He is very charismatic and Reacher is one of the better characters that I have seen in a TV show. 

Supporting Characters

Malcolm Goodwin plays Oscar Finlay who is a police detective who sort of works with Reacher. He is a really interesting character here, there is a huge juxtaposition between Reacher & Finlay and I think that is why it really works and why this character adds so much to the role. 

Willa Fitzgerald plays Roscoe Conklin and she is great on the show. The chemistry between her and Ritchson is brilliant and a true highlight of the show. She is a strong character and from the moment she is introduced Fitzgerald does a great job. 

Maria Sten is bought in as Frances Neagley and she is a fantastic addition. We don't meet her till like the mid-point of the show but its a great new character, she has a history with Reacher in the war and I liked the dynamic between the two as former war buddies. 

Bruce McGill plays the Mayor and he is exactly what you would expect, he is a snivelling corrupt Mayor and he really is great as this unlikeable guy. 

Overall, every single performance is fantastic and I really credit the entire cast for their hard work. 

Story

The story is very effective, its basis is pretty simple. We see this outsider get arrested but it ends up that he is crucial to investigating what exactly is going on and it is done really well. It feels like the town of Margrave is its own character and that it controls what Reacher does. However, I think they slightly fall a bit flat on the ending, it feels a little rushed and a little convoluted which kind of goes against the overall vibe of the show. 

Script

The script is fantastic, Reacher is sometimes a man of few words but when he does talk he is both charming and intelligent. There is a lot of drama & intensity to the dialogue but almost moments of gravity and humour that makes the people and situation feel real. 

Style

The show is paced really well. The 8 episodes flew by and I was interested throughout each one of them because they all feel slightly different. The action is fantastic, it moves really well and feels brutal, it is violent but only a few times does it ever get very gruesome but they are very gratifying. 

Overall

Overall, Reacher is a fantastic show that had me gripped throughout. This is easily the better depiction of the character and if you are a fan of crime shows then this has to be seen and now I am really excited for the second season. 

Rating - 9/10

Hunters Season 2 (2023) Review 

I enjoyed the first season of Amazon's show Hunters and the second season has finally come out and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees The Hunters split up, but they are reunited in order to take down the last remnants of The Nazis - Adolf Hitler. 

Main Character

Logan Lerman reprises his role as Jonah with a lovely new hair cut and he is really good. He has clearly developed as a character since the first season, gone is the timid young man and he is now a hardened Nazi killer by the time Season 2 picks up. He does an effective part in this role and it is clearly one that he was able to sink his teeth into. 

Supporting Characters

Josh Radnor plays Lonnie Flash and he was one of the more enjoyable parts of the first season and this continues here. He is a fun addition to the cast and you can tell that Radnor is really enjoying his time in the role and they try and flesh out his character a little bit. Jennifer Jason leigh makes her debut in this season and she is fantastic, probably my favourite character of the show. She is the most interesting and her addition to the mix really adds new flavour to this somewhat generic crew & story being told. Honestly, most of the other crew kind of blended into the background for me, there wasn't enough progression with their characters and it maybe feels like there are too many. The villains don't really work either, the guy playing Hitler is fine but nothing more and that is a major letdown. But the biggest misfire is Al Pacino returning as Meyer Offerman in his own flashback story, after the events of the previous season this felt so unnecessary and like they had already paid for Pacino so might as well put him in the show. The character isn't developed by this and I wish Pacino had been used sparingly throughout this season of the show. 

Story 

The story has an interesting hook on it in that it is the hunt for Adolf Hitler and when it focuses on that it does thrive. Seeing how this over the top scenario of Hitler surviving would potentially work is interesting and opens up lots of opportunities. But, I also do think this show misses its potential, there are so many characters and they try to give all the characters their own story, but it ends up being quite superficial and non-consequential to the overall plot. The ending also felt quite rushed and bland to me which never helps. But the biggest issue, is the amount of time it spends on the Meyer Offerman flashback story, this thing does not need to be there and then I would say at least a quarter of the runtime is spent on which is way too much. 

Script 

The script has some pretty good drama, some effective performances do deliver in making you care about this pretty serious subject matter. But there is some comedy that doesn't quite work and I just think a lot of the characters were written sub-par and there was plenty more that could have been done with them. 

Style 

This show has a pretty violent style and for the most part I enjoyed that, the action felt gritty and real. It also uses its scenery well embracing its time period and international locations. But the shows pacing is off, there is too much jumping times between flashbacks and the current storyline. There is also probably a few episodes too many which does hurt the overall product in the end. 

Overall

Overall, Hunters season 2 is an above average show that is still quite enjoyable. It has plenty of flaws and I don't think it is probably worth it unless you really enjoyed the first season, but overall an okay effort. 

Rating - 6/10

The Boys Season 3 (2022) Review 

For me, The Boys has been one of the most consistently entertaining TV shows over the last few years and the third season of the show has just finished on Amazon Prime and I have watched it all and here is my review. The premise of the season sees Homelander having to deal with the fallout of dating the Nazi Stormfront and The Boys looking for different methods in there mission to stop the super powered. 

Main Character

Anthony Starr plays Homelander once again and I really don't think it is a stretch to say he gives the best performance of anybody in any TV show currently. The character of Homelander has so much depth to him and this season you really see this man with all this power dealing with issues that he can't always deal with. He contrasts so well with our other main character Billy Butcher played by Karl Urban, he is so gruff but the show really delves into his character and starts to give us more depth into who Butcher really is and why he is so motivated by his goals even when there is clear ethical issues. Both of them give fantastic performances and there differences is what really makes them stand out as special characters. 

Supporting Characters

There are so many characters on The Boys that I won't be able to talk about them so I am going to try and keep it to the main ones here. Jack Quaid is back as Hughie and the show does more with his character then in the previous seasons. He is more involved with the action and I like how his relationship with Starlight is highlighted and how that has really changed over the show. Speaking of Starlight, Erin Moriarty does a great job in the role and she is really pushed with her acting chops this season. I really like the dynamic between her and Hughie but she has her own interesting personal story that gets plenty of time and is handled well. Laz Alonso is given way more screen time as Mothers Milk, there is real humanity to his character and it is so cool seeing him able to stretch his acting chops and give potentially the most depth to a performance. Jensen Ackles makes his debut as Soldier Boy and he knocks it out of the park, this sort of Captain America spoof is darker and the perfect character to introduce here and I love seeing how his introduction changes everything up and adds uncertainty. The rest of the whole cast do a fantastic job with so many giving top notch performances. 

Story

The show does a fantastic job with the storytelling in terms of creating fascinating characters that make you care and be intrigued by them. There is real emotion from these characters and the story has enough twists and turns to keep you invested. But, since the beginning of the show I have always said The Boys has too much going on in terms of the amount of story elements and this season is no different, with pretty much everything being interesting but not exactly feeling connected. Also certain things teased at the end of the previous season wasn't quite fulfilled here. 

Script 

The script is fantastic, the dialogue is both funny and tragic. The characters are really well realised by the personalities that they are given which is credit to the writing and acting. The show always keeps you on your toes and I think it is one of those that you never know what is coming next. 

Style 

The show looks fantastic, you can tell that Prime Video put a huge budget behind The Boys and it pays off. The action scenes are well done and this show is still as gory as ever, it does not hold back in terms of the sex and violence. It might be too much for some people, but I think by now you know if you are going to like The Boys or not so it shouldn't be an issue. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic season of The Boys and is probably my favourite one yet. This show won't be for everybody but it is so unique and definitely worth a watch just to see if it could be for you. 

Rating - 9/10 

The Boys Presents: Diabolical Season 1 (2022) Review

I am a big fan of Amazon's show The Boys and now they have released a spinoff anthology animated show called Diabolical. I watched through it all today and here is my review for it. The premise of the show looks at 8 original stories that fit the tone of The Boys and features some of their characters. 

This show varies so much that it is really hard to talk about. The best episode by a country mile was the final episode which looks at some of the origins as Homelander, The amazing Anthony Starr returns to voice the character and he does such a great job in showing how he became the character that we know in the live action show. If the show had been all of this then this show would have been amazing and something truly worthy of the title. 

But the show has seven other episodes that for me ranged from average to bad. It has an amazing collection of voice actors but none of them get any chance to shine because it is hard to care about them given the extremely brief time we spend with them. The episodes are only about 10-15 minutes long and it makes it an easy watch in terms of length but also quite unfulfilling in the way it presents itself. 

The violence is even more over the top here then it was in the live action show but it felt more pointless here. The writing is sub standard and it just feels like shock value to me and something that felt like just an excuse to see just how much they could get away with. 

Overall, The Boys Presents: Diabolical is a below average show that unless you like the live action show is not worth the time. Even then just watch the final episode and avoid the rest. 

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  

Without Remorse (2021) Review

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

Main Character

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

Supporting Characters

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

Story 

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

Script

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

Style 

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

Overall

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

Rating - 3/10

Sound of Metal (2021) Review

For a long time now I have heard great things about Sound of Metal and with 6 Oscar nominations the hype intensified. But due to the Coronavirus it has only just come to Amazon and I watched it this morning and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a drummer's life changed when he starts to lose his hearing. 

Main Character

Riz Ahmed has always been an actor I have liked but I never saw this performance coming as he is absolutely amazing in this role. This is easily the best performance of his career and he truly deserves all the praise that is coming his way. You really see the tragedy of his character as he starts to lose his hearing and you feel a connection with him here and the real life changing journey that he has to go through in the film. 

Supporting Characters

Olivia Cooke plays his girlfriend in the film and she is also really good, there relationship is really well presented and you see how they care for each other and react to the situation that he has been put in. She isn't in the film a huge amount but she plays a very key role and she realises that very well indeed. Paul Raci plays a sort of mentor figure to Ahmed and he is also fantastic which is crazy because he hasn't really acted that much over the last 10 years. You can see this is a film and character that was important to him and he gives it his all having an interesting and great chemistry with Ahmed that carries a large chunk of the film. Lauren Ridloff and Mathieu Almaric have small roles and are both good, with Ridloff probably being the most high profile deaf actress that there is, her presence felt appropriate and added some real depth to the project here. 

Story 

The story is really good, if you want to watch this film for loads of cool music scenes then you are going to be disappointed. This isn't a film about music, it is a story about one mans journey and how a life changing experience affects him and the others around him and it does an amazing job of that. Riz Ahmed sells it so well and you really see his journey play out and you care so much with an ending that is equally thought provoking and rewarding in its nature. 

Script

The script is really great, the drama is really well presented and handled differently to what you expect from movies with a serious subject matter in there. There are also some nice bits of humour that adds some levity to the whole film and what is going on. Also the film has plenty of sign language and I really like how it was handled and made it something that an audience member such as me would be interested in learning. 

Style 

The style is good but mainly the sound design which is incredible. The film does an amazing job of making you feel like you are going through this crisis with Ruben our lead character. The lack of sound and ability to hear other characters is equally uncomfortable and tragic but adds so much depth to the characters and the film. But literally the only thing holding this film back from a perfect score is the pacing, it just drags its heels in at times and the subject is interesting enough but I think a slightly quicker pace at times would have really helped. 

Overall

Overall, Sound of Metal is a fantastic film that everybody should see. It's also amazing that this is a directorial debut by Darius Marder so expect a big future from him. This film has to be in contention to win the Oscar categories its in and deserves the two hours it takes to watch. 

Rating - 9/10  

The Mauritanian (2021) Review

This film has had quite a bit of buzz about it and came to Amazon last week and I have now had a chance to watch it and here is my review for the film The Mauritanian. The premise of the film sees a man attempt to fight for his freedom when he is detained in Guantanamo Bay for years without any charges against him. 

Main Character  

It seems like that 2021 is a very good year for Tahar Rahim. After his brilliant outing in BBC show The Serpent he continues that here with one of the best performances of the year and is a performance that should have gained him an Oscar Nomination. He is fantastic here, despite being accused of terrible things, Rahim does a great job in making you feel sympathy for him and caring about the situation that he has been put in. The film explores plenty of his life and it is a good way to show the man underneath the accusation and that is crucial to the film. 

Supporting Characters

Jodie Foster plays the main lawyer representing him and she is good also. Her character has a clear arc and progression in this film and Foster does a good job in showing that and the reasons for her defending her client. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the opposition Lawyer and despite a very thick Virginian accent he is also good. The accent is a bit strange at first but it grew on me as the film progressed, I just liked how the parallels of Foster and Cumberbatch's characters affects the story and adds depth to the people that are seen on film. Shailene Woodley and Zachary Levi are also good in their roles and add plenty when they are on screen. 

Story 

The story is really interesting. There are huge questions of morality and right and wrong which is handled in a very mature but interesting way. The characters are great and really well realised by the performers that it makes you care about this interesting real life tale. But I have one issue which hurt the overall film for me and that was the fact the film spends a long time setting up a trial which we barely see. I love courtroom dramas and I would have happily watched another 30 mins to an hour if it made the film a more complete experience. 

Script

The script is really good, the drama is really well realised and makes you care about the people and the interesting story. But what also surprised me was that this film had little sprinklings of humour and it worked for me with this script maybe also getting ignored of an Oscar nomination. 

Style 

The style of the film is good, it keeps you interested for the majority of the run time and does show the real horrors that happen in this prison and to this man. Though as I said above, I felt like the film could have gone longer and needed a stronger finish. Also this film changes its aspect ratio when in different timelines and I get it for a thematic approach but I just felt it was unnecessary and was a bit jarring. 

Overall 

Overall, The Mauritanian is a great film that should be watched. It has an amazing lead performance and a gripping story and I think this film deserved a bit more recognition from The Academy so don't miss it. 

Rating - 8/10 

Made in Italy (2021) Review

This film came to Amazon Prime yesterday and this morning I decided to watch Made in Italy and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees an artist and his estranged son travel to Italy in order to sell the house left to them by his late wife. 

Main Character

Liam Neeson and his real life son Micheal Richardson play the two lead characters and they are both good in their roles, especially when the focus is put on their relationship and the dynamic between them. It feels extra special as if you know about their real lives then you will know that both of them kind of lived through this life with Neeson's wife passing away and both of them having to deal with the situation. You can tell it gives extra weight to the performances and a love for the film that they are making. 

Supporting Characters

This film has a lack of supporting characters but a few of the performers do some okay work in their roles. Lindsay Duncan & Valeria Bilello are good and does have some nice chemistry with the two leads to provide some nice scenes. But there are also some characters that are given very little to do and I mean it just feels like there isn't any weight given to the characters here. 

Story 

The story has some good moments to it, the relationship between Neeson and Richardson is what carries this film and it is at its best in the last act of the film and leads to a nice ending for the story with some pretty moving scenes. But the film doesn't do enough and have enough meat to it in the first two acts and it just feels like we are going through the motions without much innovation or new ideas. 

Script

As I said, this film is very personal to the two lead actors and when they really tap into that there is some emotional scenes that maybe due to the actors real life add extra layers of emotion there. But its strange, everywhere I look this film is described as a comedy but it isn't very funny at all and is actually at its best when it is more serious, which isn't great for a comedy. 

Style

This film has really nice backdrops, the film spends the majority of the runtime in Italy and it looks beautiful. The film does a really good job in showing just how lovely this part of the world is and it adds something to the experience. But even though this film is barely over 90 mins, it still feels a bit slow and takes too long to get going, which isn't great. 

Overall

Overall, Made in Italy is an above average film. I don't understand the really negative reviews, this is a nice film that plays it a bit safe but there are some good things here. I would say you can do worse for 90 minutes but this one is only going to be for people who watch plenty of films. 

Rating - 6/10 

Coming 2 America (2021) Review

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

Main Character 

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

Supporting Characters

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

Story 

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

Script 

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

Style 

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

Overall

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

Rating - 3/10

I Care A Lot (2021) Review

This film made its way to Amazon Prime over the weekend and last night I had the chance to watch I Care A Lot and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a crooked legal guardian have her life turn upside down when she tries to swindle a mob boss's family. 

Main Character

Really ever since her amazing performance in Gone Girl, Rosamund Pike has been on the rise and she plays the lead character here and I thought she was really good in the film. I must say she plays one of the worse and most despicable people ever put on screen but somehow she makes you kind of care about her and want to see her succeed. Pike is enigmatic in the lead and delivers some great monologues, I think it is interesting seeing her character and how she works and Pike again delivers a really good character here. 

Supporting Characters

The great Peter Dinklage plays the bad guy here and of course he is good, his character is one note but Dinklage seems to be having a good time in the role and he provides a nice contrast to Pike and provided an interesting enough angle though there wasn't enough uniqueness to the character. Eiza Gonzalez plays Pike's partner and I thought she was good too, their chemistry together is good and I like how she is influenced by Pike and they work together with a nice relationship being built here. But the rest of the cast that are here are pretty bad or just not given anything to do, it feels like these three were the only people they cared about and the rest of the cast are nowhere near as strong. 

Story 

The story of Pike's character is really interesting. It reminded me at times of how I felt watching Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul and I love those shows so it was onto a win there, the world is interesting and the lead character is interesting as she tries to build this business. But this show has some weak characters, there are good actors like Dinklage and Gonzalez who aren't given enough to work with and feel a bit wasted. Also the third act is absurd and feels like it is from a different film and really feels strange and has a really bad ending in my opinion. It is similar to another film that I am not a huge fan of and it just felt weak for me. 

Script

The script is okay, it does a good job of making Pike's character interesting and the whole idea interesting but that is about it. The rest of the characters are poorly written and as I said above the story just falls off of a cliff and that is a major disappointment. 

Style 

The style of the film feels energetic and exciting as it introduces these characters and the world we are in and gets off to a good start. But similar to the rest of the film, the style gets more absurd and I just kind off wish there was more nuance to the plot and the pacing and gave the characters more interesting things to do. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average film with a really good lead performance. It had real potential but falls flat in the last act, there is enough intrigue for people who watch a lot of films but those who don't probably give this one a skip. 

Rating - 6/10 

Greenland (2021) Review 

So this film came out in some cinemas in the US late last year but has only just come to The UK via Amazon and I have watched Greenland and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a family attempting to survive when a Comet threatens the Earth. 

Main Character 

Gerard Butler plays the lead here and I thought for the film that is being shown to us he does a really good job. He just plays the leading man well and is a pretty convincing lead in the film, his character isn't the most revolutionary and unique but again for the film that Greenland is I think he does a good job. 

Supporting Characters

Morena Baccarin plays his wife and again she is perfectly adequate for this film, she provides some good emotion to the scenes that she is a part of and I thought her and Butler had pretty decent chemistry. Roger Dale Floyd plays their kid and usually films like this having a kid actor can be a death sentence but I thought he was good and he adds plenty to his role and is one of the better parts of the film. Everybody else is solid too, with a nice small role for Scott Glenn which is always good to see. 

Story 

Look the story is overall ridiculous, it's a disaster movie what do you expect? But I actually think this film has a decent story that rises above that simple genre. The first act of the film is really good and I like how the film shows the different lengths that humans will go to survive as it actually felt pretty realistic. It's just the film can't keep the intrigue going and the entire last act is bland and feels like your generic disaster film and that is very disappointing. 

Script

Again the script is actually pretty good, giving some dramatic moments and really raises the stakes for the situation the characters are in. It is just this film doesn't really have many of those slower character moments and it could have done with those to give a little break from the huge end of the world drama. Also again maybe some creativity and intrigue could have been added to the thinking for the end of the film.

Style

The style of the film feels really big in scale and pretty impressive and that definitely helps in the quality of the film. The issue is with the pacing of the film, after the first act it kind of falls flat and doesn't do a good job of keeping you interested throughout. 

Overall

Overall, I actually think Greenland is a decent film. I usually am not a huge fan of disaster films but there are plenty of worse things you can do for two hours then watch Greenland. 

Rating - 7/10

One Night in Miami (2021) Review

This film has made its way to Amazon Prime and I have now had the chance to watch One Night in Miami and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is a fictional story of a night where Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Cassius Clay and Jim Brown gather to discuss their impact on the civil rights movement. 

Main Character

Kingsley Ben Adir plays Malcolm X and I thought he was fantastic, he truly sells the militant aspect of the man and the way he is truly committed to the civil rights movement. Over the years the main focus has been on Martin Luther King Jnr and rightly so but it is nice to see more spotlight on Malcolm X and Adir nails it here and creates an interesting depiction and one where you can see the positives and the troubles with his mindset. 

Supporting Characters

Eli Goree plays Cassius Clay who as we all know became Muhammed Ali and he is also great. You really see Ali's personality and charisma come to life which makes him the most entertaining aspect here but Goree knows how to show his vulnerability at times and show the inner workings of Ali when it is needed here. Leslie Odom Jnr plays Sam Cooke and he is really great here, the confrontations between him and Malcolm X were the highlights of the film for me and Odom Jnr just shows how great an actor he is. After watching Hamilton we know he can sing and when given the chance he knocks the singing scenes out of the park and really feels like Cooke. Aldis Hodge plays Jim Brown and he also does a great job and when given time to shine he delivers though I do believe he is the one given the least to really do here which is a bit of a shame. 

Story

The story is way more interesting then I thought it would be, it basically sees these four iconic figures debating in a single room and these performances and subject matter really make it captivating and a story that you want to watch that feels like an interesting informative piece. The one thing is that I feel like the story doesn't wrap up that effectively, the ending falls flat and I feel like the film could have gone on longer and really wrapped the film up in a satisfying and great way but it does fall flat. 

Script

The script is really good, the dialogue hits some really heavy and dramatic notes and it makes you buy into the film and it really relies on these great scenes as the film is pretty simple in premise. There is also some humour that works and makes this situation and characters feel more real and like friends. 

Style 

The film has a great style, especially when you consider the majority of the film takes place in one room, it is directed really well and makes this room feel claustrophobic and like our characters are trapped in there having to be honest with each other.  But similar to the issue I have with the plot it feels like the last 10 minutes fall flat, I truly believe this could have been a 3 hour film and the film could have progressed where the film ended and really deliver a more epic story. 

Overall 

Overall, this is a great film with some truly brilliant acting and directing from first time director Regina King. It is a slower paced film but worth your time if you are interested in well acted films that look at real social issues. 

Rating - 8/10