The Last Days Of American Crime (2020) Review

This film hit Netflix today and I have had the chance to watch The Last Days Of American Crime and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a crew attempt to commit a heist just before a signal comes in to play to stop anybody from commiting a major crime. 

Main Character

Edgar Ramirez plays the main character here and honestly I have never been a big fan of his, I just find him really boring to watch and this film is no different as he is such a boring lead character. There is nothing unique about him at all as a lead character and the film gives you no reason to care about him or why he is doing what he is doing so it leads you to become bored by him.

Supporting Characters

The great Sharlto Copley is in this film and when he is on the screen he is clearly the best actor here, I just don't really understand why he was here. His character plays no part in the plot really and it feels like a weird excuse to pad out the length by putting him in here. Anna Brewster plays Ramirez's love interest here and I mean she has the best motivations here, but they still don't work and I didn't care about their romance. There was just nothing there and no chemistry between the two performers to make it interesting or compelling. Michael Pitt plays there associate and he is that character who is just insane for being insane's sake, he has family issues but none of it is expanded enough for you to care and you really wonder why Ramirez's character even decides to work with him as it makes no sense.

Story

The premise of the film is pretty interesting but it is just executed so poorly, you don't care about the characters and the heist doesn't get the attention that it deserves so you aren't exactly clear why and what they are planning to do. There is a side plot with the police that isn't expanded at all and it feels like it is there for no real reason at all. The end of the film is crazy and tries to make you care about the characters but you just don't.

Script

The script is really boring here, the drama didn't connect with me or make me care about anything and there is literally no real humour making this a very sombre and frustrating experience. 

Style

The style of the film has some decent action scenes that are really over the top making them fun experiences, it is just there aren't enough of them. Plus the film is 2 and a half hours which is absurd, it drags on to a slow painful death, the film should have known what it was and aimed for 2 hours or even a little less instead of dragging on with one of the slowest paced movies you will see all year.

Overall

Overall, this is a really poor film, so boring and so slow. It just about avoids a 1 rating because of some fun action scenes and Sharlto Copley but it was close because I was so bored watching this film and recommend nobody waste over 2 hours of there day with it.

Rating - 2/10

Jurassic World (2015) Review

Before watching this film's sequel I have decided to rewatch Jurassic World and here is my review for the film. The premise sees in 2015, Jurassic World has been opened on Isla Nubla, when a new genetically modified Dinoasur escapes it causes chaos.

Main Character

Chris Pratt plays the lead in this film and he is good in the role. He is very charming and charismatic like you would expect from him but he actually has a pretty interesting character. You can see he feels about the dinosaurs in a different way to previous lead characters that he does care about them and doesn't just want to see them all destroyed.

Supporting Characters

Bryce Dallas Howard plays a large role in the film and I thought she was fine. She has an arc here and does change throughout giving some decent emphasis here but it wasn't perfect by any means. Her chemistry with Pratt wasn't great and seeing her run through the park with high heels was laughable. Vincent D'onofrio plays a bad guy here and he is usually a great actor but I thought his character was silly here. He is very campy and over the top with an absolutley absolutley ridiculous plan that feels like a stupid part of the film. Like Jurassic Park there are two kids who need rescuing but it worked there and doesn't here, the two kids are annoying, the older one is a creep and the younger one spends most of the film crying and I didn't care about them at all during the film.

Story

The best part of the story is easily seeing John Hammond's vision come to life by seeing a Jurassic theme park even though after the events of the other film it makes no sense for it to open but it is great to see. Seeing this new Dinosaur go through the park is fun to watch and enjoyable as it does feel like something new and fresh. But there are some absurd side plots mainly including D'onofrio's character's idea which is beyond believeable, plus this film does follow the trend of Jurassic Park 3 a bit with a very long chase scene taking up plenty of the plot but it doesn't go to those lengths. 

Script

The script has some decent dialogue, it actually has some cheesy moments that I think peppered in actually worked here. Some of the humour took away from the drama and I could have done with being a bit less, but it was nice to see a return to the nature vs nurture debate that was part of the original film. 

Style

The style for the film is great to be honest, yes the dinosaurs are all CGI here but they look great. In this modern era CGI is so good that it was the natural choice here and it makes the Dinosaurs feel larger and more scary then they have in previous films. As I said it is nice to see a Jurassic Park and I could have done with seeing even more of the park as it really is an interesting idea.

Overall

Overall, this is a good film, it doesn't hit the iconic nature of the original film but it is a fun film that brings in a new audience and is a worthy addition to the Jurassic franchise.

Rating - 7/10

Jurassic Park 3 (2001) Review

Next in my Jurassic Park films is the one everybody regrets watching Jurassic Park 3 and here is my review for the film. Years after first going Jurassic Park, Dr Alan Grant goes to Isla Sorna, where Ian Malcolm went in The Lost World to show a couple around but they have alterior motives. 

Main Character

Sam Neill is back as Alan Grant in this film and he really tries here. He brings his charm and gruff to the role like he did before and he is good in the role. But the issue here is just his character's motivations, there is absolutley no reason for him to logically go to the island and it goes against his character but the film does it anyway. Also you can see that he lacks a quality supporting cast to work off like he did in the original Jurassic Park film. 

Supporting Characters 

William H Macy and Tea Leoni play the couple and they are really bad in this film, they are annoying to watch and over the top to add to it. Plus this film tries to make you care about them even though they are clearly the villains here as they manipulate Alan Grant for there own needs making it hard for you to care abou them. There is also this character called Billy who is possibly the biggest idiot in the film, he is meant to be Dr Grant's assistant but he does everything against him and literally acts like an idiot even though he is meant to be an expert on dinosaurs. Just like the last film there are characters here who are clearly there to be cannon fodder for the dinosaurs and it is so obvious.

Story

As mentioned the story for Grant's motivation is awful, he literally says at the beginning of the movie he would never go back to the island and then 5 minutes later he is on his way to the island. Also making you try and care about the other characters fails and you really just don't, the intrigue from the first film is completley gone and this film feels like a prolonged chase scene with one of the most idiotic endings any film will ever have.

Script

The script is really bland here, gone is the whitt and clever dialogue and the drama and added is screams and pointless family drama. It feels like the screenwriters all changed for this film, oh wait they did, they got a new writing team who just did not understand how to write a script for a Jurassic Park film. 

Style

The style of the film has some entertaining action sequences, the dinosaurs mostly look good but you can see here they are pretty much all CGI instead of the more practical methods of the past and it is clear to see. But the most crazy part of the film is that it barely clocks in at 90 minutes, it feels incredibly short for a Jurassic film and omits any interest and intrigue to make it a boring monster chasing movie.

Overall

Overall, this film is an insult to be called a Jurassic Park film and should be avoided at all cost. If you want to watch the franchise then you can ignore this one as it mostly feels like a standalone film in it's own right.

Rating - 2/10

Sergio (2020) Review 

This film hit Netflix not that long ago and I have now seen Sergio and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is set in the aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq and focuses on the life of UN diplomat Sergio Viera De Mello. 

Main Character

Brazillian born actor Wagner Moura plays the lead actor and he does a good job in the film. Obviously Sergio was an important person in real life so it was high pressure to live up to the person and he lives up to it. You can see he is one of those people who is a nice guy and sticks by his belief to stop war, he is just an easy character to root for because you know he stands for good things and the actor delivers a strong performance here. 

Supporting Characters

Ana De Armas from Knives Out plays his love interest in the film and she does a good job. She has a strong character and I actually thought they had pretty decent chemistry together making them a decent partnership and a romantic couple you want to succeed. Though the rest of the cast don't have anything to them, they aren't given as much of a focus so at times when you are meant to care I just didn't because the film gave me no reason too. 

Story

The story is actually more of a love story here and as a love story it works and they are a good couple together. Seeing there relationship grow is a highlight of the film and is nice to see. But I must admit when I heard about this film I was hoping to see him as a diplomat, it happens but it isn't expanded enough to make it interesting or really see him doing what he is known for. Plus the ending of the film for me wasn't presented that well, it can't be changed due to the real life events but it could have been made larger and more epic then it was. 

Script

The script has some decent drama to it mostly romantic dialogue but nothing that stands out. There are no standout dramatic scenes and I know this is quite a serious film but nobody has any funny moments which just feels unnatural as human beings are funny, so it is hard to believe that not one person would have some humour to them. 

Style

Now we get to the style of the film, alot of this film happens through flashbacks but they go a bit all over the place and aren't that interesting. Plus this film is really slowly paced, it never picks up its pace and feels like it lulls it's way through 2 hours that won't be very memorable. 

Overall

Overall, this is a very average film, the person it is about is more interesting then this film about him and I would say unless you are interested in Sergio Vieria De mello then this is one you can skip.

Rating - 5/10

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Review

Next in the Jurrassic Films to watch for me is the second one the Lost World and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Ian Malcolm forced to return to an island filled with dinosaurs to rescue his girlfriend. 

Main Character

As mentioned Jeff Goldblum is back as Dr Ian Malcolm and this time he is our main hero here and he is great in the film. The character of Malcolm oozes charisma and is so likeable, similar to the previous film it seems like he is the character with the most logic and that he is always right. His motivations for going to the island is well founded and you actually understand why he does it and why he cares about going back there.

Supporting Characters

A young Vince Vaughan is in this film and he does a half decent role here, he is an entertaining character and it is nice to see him amongst the crew. The late Pete Postlethwaite is in this film as a kind of anatagonist but he is one of the best characters in the film, he actually has some intrigue and interest to him for sure. The rest of the cast aren't interesting, Julianne Moore plays Goldblum's girlfriend and I just found her quite annoying and actually felt they had little chemistry here and her character could have been played by pretty much anybody. I also didn't care much for the father - Daughter plotline which came down to not really caring much about the daughter in the film. Plus there are lots of characters here and you can tell the majority of people here are just cannon fodder to be eaten by dinosaurs.

Story

The story to get Goldblum to the island was well done here. You see his point of view and need to return, I also like how they basically introduced a third party with another group of people on the island which is well done. But as I mentioned I didn't care about both the girlfriend and daughter relationships with Goldblum and the last act feels like you are watching a different movie and that it feels really tacked on. 

Script

The script has some humour to it especially from Goldblum that made me laugh, but the script is weaker then the first film. The interest of nature vs nurture isn't really here, traded for a more generic monster like film. Plus the drama of the characters plots doesn't work enough for me.

Style

The style of the film really comes down to the Dinosaurs and they are fine but not as strong as the first film. When it uses the practical effects especially for the T-rex is still looks great and the action scenes are more dark and aggressive. But this film focuses too much on its CGI, they look more fake then before and it does take you out of the film. 

Overall

Overall, this film is a fine sequel to Jurassic Park but it is not as strong as it should be for this franchise and will be a let down if you are expecting a film as good as the original Jurassic Park.

Rating - 6/10

13 Reasons Why Season 1 (2017) Review

So this show has a new season coming soon so I decided to start watching 13 Reasons Why and here is my review for the first season. The premise of the season sees a teenage boy attempt to work out the truth behind a friend and her reason for killing herself. 

Main Character

Dylan Minette plays Clay and he is a really good character on this show. He is our eyes that we see this show through and I thought he was really interesting, at the start of the show he seems like the squeaky clean nice guy and you see how this show wears him down and makes him question everything that has happened to him over this time. He was easy to root for but wasn't boring and has a nice arc throughout the season. 

Supporting Characters

First we have Katherine Langford who plays Hannah Baker who is the girl who has killed herself, we see her story which shows why she did it. She is a great actress and she does a good job in this show, at times her character comes across as whiny and over the top but overall you understand where she is coming from. The best part is her and Minette's chemistry when they work together they bounce off of each other very well and makes them both more likeable people. The rest of the cast also do a great job, they are mostly all interesting characters, I don't want to go into too much as saying much about there performances might gave away things about them and that should be seen for yourself. 

Story

The story is interesting, the story is structured into 13 tapes focusing mainly on a character and what they had done wrong to Hannah. The character's have interesting stories and the show does a good job in understanding what they exactly did to Hannah. Also this story doesn't over dramatise some truly horrific things that take place on this show, it is brutal but it seems like it fits the story. However, there are tons of characters here and some of the plot points aren't finished and are kind of forgotten about. Also there are some things that happen that you would wonder if it would do the damage that it does but I guess it is difficult if you have never been in that situation. 

Script

The script is really dramatic, at times it feels right and you really feel like everything has and is going wrong for the characters. There are some little bits of humour that are nicely done but the show focuses so much on drama that it makes it feel like a tough slog and that these people aren't teenagers and are just TV characters. 

Style

The style has some great pacing, you want to know more at the end of every episode and find out what is on the next day. It also does a really good job of bouncing between the two stories of the past and present day having them connect well. Though the show has so much going on that some of the characters and stories are underdeveloped so when it comes time to care it does become difficult. Also this show shows some really hard stuff, so if you find things like rape hard to watch then this could be difficult to watch.

Overall

Overall, this is a good first season of a really tough show filled with great performances and some tough subjects. But I will say if you have suffered issues such as suicide or rape or can't deal with these things then I stress this probably is not a show for you. If you do decide to watch this show I would advise you take your time and don't watch it late at night as it really is a tough subject matter to deal with.

Rating - 7/10 

Jurassic Park (1993) Review

With Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom coming to Netflix on Friday I have decided to go back and rewatch the other films in the franchise starting with the legendary Jurassic Park and here is my review. The premise of the film sees a group of experts sent to an island where an excentric Billionaire has cloned Dinosaurs for an amusement park, but the obvious happens leading to the beasts escaping and causing chaos. 

Main Character

Sam Neil plays Dr Alan Grant and he is great in the film. He is basically the audience as he is mesmerised by the dinosaurs and as an expert in the field he gives us the lowdown on the different dinosaurs. He has a great mix of gruff and charm which makes him an interesting character, he also has an arc which fleshes his character out even more changing him up from where he starts the film.

Supporting Characters

We have one of the greatest supporting characters in any movie here, with Jeff Goldblum playing Dr Ian Malcolm. He is so charismatic and cool, he has one liners coming out of everywhere and it makes him the guy that you are drawn to when he is on screen even with huge dinosaurs here. Laura Dern plays Ellie and does a really good job, she is a strong female character and one you can root for really easily. One thing I noticed here more then before is just how good the late Richard Attenborough is as Hammond, he is such an interesting character who goes through a phylosophical journey through the film and sees his character have a fascinating arc. Samuel L Jackson, the kids and all the other smaller roles are good and help boost the film even more. 

Story

The story here is brilliant, for the first half of the plot you are wowed by the dinosaurs and the park itself. Also the characters are all really interesting and the debates they have about science and morales is really interesting and full of depth. Then the 2nd half of the film is where everything goes wrong and the film becomes a brilliant thriller, you care about the characters and the film builds the tension really well. Seeing the different dinoasurs and how they react to the people is great to see and it does a great job in it's ending not sequel baiting, even though we would get sequels.

Script

The script is great, as I have mentioned there are some really interesting debates about whether the idea of cloning Dinosaurs is right or wrong and the characters make it interesting. The humour is here, Goldblum brings so many laughs here and the drama is well handled too.

Style

This is where the film is at it's best, this film's style changed cinema in my opinion. Along with Terminator 2 this film is heavily credited with progressing CGI and animatronics, the dinoasurs look incredible, better then some things that come out now and this film came out in 1993 it is just incredible. Watch this film for the amazing effects alone and get a film that hits every level with it. Plus this film has one of the best scores ever by the legendary John Williams,

Overall

Overall, this is one of those epic and special films that have been made. The awe and wonder of the film is a real highlight and this is a must watch for people that haven't seen it.

Rating - 10/10