Da 5 Bloods (2020) Review

This film hit Netflix yesterday and I have now seen Da 5 Bloods and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Four African American Vets return to Vietnam to find the remains of their old leader and the gold that they hid together.

Main Character

Delroy Lindo plays the most fleshed out character and he is amazing here. He owns every scene he is in, there are times where you can't take your eyes off of him, he is the one most affected by the war and he does a really good job of portraying this. He is the most interesting character in the film and I thought he was the best part of this entire film. 

Supporting Characters

The rest of the crew have good chemistry together, but there is no doubt that I didn't care about them anywhere as much as Lindo and I felt like as the film progressed I cared less and less about them. Chadwick Boseman is in this film and does a decent job when he is on screen but he doesn't really have much of a character, we are told all these good things about him but we never see him so it makes you question just how good he is. The rest of the cast didn't do much for me whether they were protagonists or antagonists they were pretty dull and generic. 

Story

This story has an interesting premise to it, as you see these guys hunt for this gold you see how it affects them and how there lives have changed and it is done well. Also this film has plenty of moral and political questions to ask and some of it was handled well, others not. This film has too many side plots that feel pointless and it takes up a good part of the first act making it pretty much an hour in before they actually go on their journey and by then I was a bit bored. Also this film tries to mix real life issues with this film and I thought it was handled very clumsily, it feels like Spike Lee the director was trying to send a very clear message but in my opinion it took away from the movie and felt like he was just was trying to tell the history of black culture which is obviously important but I am just not sure if it was needed in this film. 

Script

The script has some really grest dramatic dialogue, it has some really memorable moments and builds the tension really well. The humour used here didn't really work for me and I think that will be a subjective thing but I think it also had something to do with how it was used sometimes leading to a clashing of tones.

Style

The film as mentions does a great job in building suspense and tension, there are some really uncomfortable scenes and this film did a great job with it. Also there are a few good shootouts here when they happen and this film is filmed really well with a unique style to it. But I can't help but mention that the pace is just off, the first hour is so slow and with the film being 2 and a half hours it needs to grip you early but for me it just didn't. 

Overall

Overall, this is clearly a passion project by Spike Lee and there are some highlights for sure mainly being his style and the lead performance. Though, I don't believe this will be remembered as one of his greats as sometimes his beliefs overpower the story and this is a longer film then it needed to be. If you are a fan of war films then this might be for you and it is a decent watch but I wouldn't say it is one to rush to see. 

Rating - 6/10

Artemis Fowl (2020) Review

This film was meant to be released to cinema around this time but due to the pandemic Disney decided to put it on there streaming service Disney+ so here is my review for Artemis Fowl. The premise of the film sees a young man have to hunt down a secret society of fairies in order to locate his missing father. 

Main Character

Young actor Ferdia Shaw plays the titular character and I don't want to be to harsh but he is not good in this film. He is such a bland character and you are literally given no reason to care at all, that is due to the poor pacing of the film but also due to his performance which isn't inspired at all. It takes all the interesting parts of the character from the book and waters them down to make him a really boring character. 

Supporting Characters

Josh Gad has a pretty big role here and he did a good job here, not his best work but he is the most entertaining character here and the one who looks like he actually wants to be there and wants to try and make the film decent. Nonso Anozie does a decent job here too, we don't learn much about him but he has some moments to shine. Now onto the rest of the cast, Lara Mcdonell is here as a fairy and I didn't really care for her as a character, she doesn't get much development and the performance didn't do anything to stand out for me. Colin Farrell is in this film and he tries but he has nothing to work with and he is wasted here making it more frustrating to why he was even cast in this role in the first place. Then we get to Dame Judi Dench and wow she is terrible here, she has some weird Irish accent and has the worst dialogue imaginable to make this easily one of the worst performances that she has ever given.

Story

The story is so chopped up that you won't care about anything. First of all there is no indication as to really why Artemis is so intelligent and why exactly everything is going on, you are given no reason to care about anybody here and the plight that they are in. The issue is that with this film being rushed out I feel like plenty of scenes were left out which included character development scenes but they are not here and the film just makes no sense at times with a cringeworthy sequel bait ending which will never be followed up on. 

Script 

The script here is really poor, there is no humour and the drama is really weak as I said earlier which makes you not care about any of the characters. The screenplay is really poorly written and deserves all of the crticism that it gets.

Style

The style has some okay action sequences and some of the designs are good to see and have real potential. But the CGI doesn't always hold up and makes this film feel like it was from the 90's instead of 2020. The pacing of this film is also awful, it clocks in at 90 minutes and with the rush it feels like you learn nothing and aren't given a reason to remember this film. 

Overall

Overall, this film is a waste of time. This film was clearly meant to be a start of a franchise but it won't be because it is a terrible film that had potential but was executed poorly and is not worth a watch.

Rating - 2/10

Inception (2010) Review

With Christopher Nolan's new film Tenet set to hit the cinemas hopefully some time soon I have decided to watch the film it has already been compared to in Nolan's big hit Inception. The premise of the film sees a thief who is tasked with stealing secrets using dream like technology have to gather a team to plant an idea into a mind of a CEO of a huge company. 

Main Character

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb and he is as usual excellent in this role. He is the soul of this movie and you really care about his character and want to see him succeed, he has such emotional depth to him but a mix of charisma that makes him a true leading man here. I don't want to go into too much depth about his character but he is fascinating and you learn more and more as the film progresses and it adds layers to his performance. 

Supporting Characters

Ellen Page plays the main supporting character and she is really good here. She is the new member of the team so she is our insight into this world but she has plenty of heart and her relationship with DiCaprio is a real strength to the film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in this film and also does a great job, his character does plenty of exposition but it never feels boring and it fits his character well. Also when it comes to the action scenes he is the standout here and has some truly memorable moments. Tom Hardy plays a big role here and he is the most charming character, he oozes charisma and is just a really fun character to watch do his thing. Ken Wantanabe, Cillian Murphy & Marion Cotillard are also great in there roles. 

Story 

This story is hard to talk about to say the least so I won't go into it too much but it is incredibly innovative. The story keeps you on your toes throughout and keeps you fascinated, it combines excitement, emotion and intrigue superbly. It takes a bit of time to get to the main crux of the story but every part of the setup is really interesting and just being put into this world is so unique. The ending of the film is also amazing, it has been debated for years and I love how this ending is thought provoking and makes the audience talk about it. 

Script

The script here is great, it has the issue with having plenty of exposition but it does a really good job of it, making those scenes as interesting as the shootouts. The emotion and humour is a really good blend to make these characters feel like real people even though the concept is crazy. 

Style

The style of the film is brilliant, the action scenes are fantastic to watch and all feel very different and really unlike anything we have seen before. The score by Hans Zimmer really adds plenty to the film and really makes it feel epic, even though the film is 2 and a half hours it never felt slow or boring and kept my interest throughout.

Overall

Overall, this is a truly special film, it is one of them most unique ideas ever put on the screen and it really delivers. This film is not a casual watch, it is one you have to pay attention to throughout and it might be complicated at times but it will be worth a watch for sure. 

Rating - 10/10

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil (2019) Review

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil (2019) 

This film got added to Disney+ this week and I have now watched the sequel to Maleficent, Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Maleficent's Goddaughter Aurora becoming engaged to the Prince, which causes both of them to question where there loyalty lies.

Main Character

Angelina Jolie is back as Maleficent and it was like she was born to play this role. She visually owns the screen as the character and she mixes the humanity and evil side of her character really well. She doesn't do that much these days but this role is one of those that really fits her as an actress. 

Supporting Characters

Michelle Pfeiffer plays the Queen in this film and she is great here, she owns her role as the snarky evil old hag and you just really don't like her. Her character isn't that unique but there is enough about her to make her interesting and she is a worthy adversary here. Elle Fanning plays Aurora here and I thought she did a good job, her character is pretty generic but her relationship with Maleficent is well done here and I actually found myself caring about there relationship. Ed Skrein, Chiwetel Ejiofor & Robert Lindsay also all do good jobs in there small roles here adding plenty to the film.

Story

The story here has plenty going on but really the highlight is Aurora & Maleficent's story. They feel similar and mirror each other well, you see there loyalties split here and you feel for both the characters as the film does a good job in making you care about there relationship here. But as mentioned there is more going on in this film, some of it isn't really fleshed out and feels like maybe it could have been left out here. Also no spoilers but this film has a very Disney ending, with a film with a titular character that is mostly seen as a villain it plays it really safe and refuses to take any risks.

Script

The script has some good moments to it, there are some chuckle worthy moments and some decent drama. But overall it isn't that great, there is some humour that doesn't quite work and some of the drama that doesn't hit mainly in the supporting plot lines.

Style

The style is mostly good here, the costume design is fantastic, it looks brilliant especially for Maleficent who really stands out. Some of the action scenes are good aswell and feel really large scale fitting this film. But the issue is that sometimes the CGI doesn't exactly hold up and this film has some scenes that are in darker lighting that are actually quite hard to follow.

Overall

Overall, this is a good sequel here that will be entertaining for families and adults alike. If you liked the first film then this film is worth a watch for sure and a decent sequel.

Rating - 7/10

365 DNI (2020) Review

This film recently hit Netflix and has been seen by quite a few people so I have now decided to watch it and review 365 DNI. The premise of the film sees an Italian mafia boss kidnapp a woman and give her 365 days for her to fall in love with him. 

Main Character

The main girl in this film is called Laura and I checked the actresses history and she has done nothing before this film and it really shows as she is terrible here. It feels like she was hired just because she is attractive and was willing to do things that maybe other performers wouldn't be. Her character is laughably bad and has no depth to her at all, she is so weak and you really wonder why you should care about her in the film. Then there is the main guy who is probably even worse, he is so aggressive towards her and unlikeable, the fact that these two people would have any type of relationship is absurd and is hard to watch as it is all the film gives to you.

Supporting Characters

There are literally no interesting supporting characters, it is all the stereotypes you would expect. The ex partners of both people, the crazy bestfriend and the old school gangster but none of them are performed well at all and you are given no reason to care.

Story

There is a slightly interesting premise here but it requires good acting and good storytelling which this film has neither. The two leads have no chemistry together and actually their relationship is pretty abusive and really hard to root for even though the film tries to make you. There are some generic side plots that are there to pad out the film and play no part of the main plot, plus the ending is awful with no explanation at all. 

Script

The script is shocking, the dialogue is truly laughable, there is no hu,our and no drama which makes the film even worse then it should be. 

Style

The film's style mainly focuses on it's sex scenes and yeah they are well done but honestly it is not worth the time, you can find things on the internet that is the same and quicker to watch. This film forgets what it is, it goes on for two hours which is way too long and makes this film feel longer then it has any right to be.

Overall

Overall, this is one of the worst films I have ever seen, this film is there for it's sex but the rest of them film has the porn level of acting and storytelling that comes with it making it a truly awful film.

Rating - 1/10

Alex Rider Season 1 (2020) Review

There was an attempt many years ago to try and make Alex Rider a film franchise but it failed and now Amazon have taken a chance and looked to launch a TV series with the same character and here is the review for the first season. The premise of the season sees after his uncle is mysteriously killed Alex Rider is recruited by a shady organisation to infiltrate a school and find out there intentions. 

Main Character

Pretty unknown actor Otto Farrant plays Alex Rider and the best thing I will say is that he is functional in the role. He is fine in pretty much everything, fine in the action scenes, fine in making you care and fine in keeping you interested. But that is it, he is just fine, there is nothing remarkable about him at all and it is hard to buy him as this spy because he spends no time training and you just aren't given a great reason to overly care about him. 

Supporting Characters

Brenock O'Connor who played Olly on Game Of Thrones plays his best friend and he does a decent job here. You buy into their relationship and believe that these two would be friends, he plays the geeky sidekick which we have seen before but he does it well here. Stephen Dillane who played Stannis Baratheon also on Game Of Thrones is here as the head of the organisation and he is fine in his role, you don't learn too much about his character but he is good in the role and you want to learn more about him. But the rest of the cast aren't so interesting, the villains are generic and the rest of the good guys don't have much about them and again it doesn't give you enough of a reason to care. 

Story

The story actually has some interesting moments to it, the premise of being in this school is great as you aren't exactly sure what is going on but when it is all revealed it is actually a good reveal that will suprise you. It's just there is too much going on in the background, the stuff in London isn't that interesting and I felt like the finale was weak and the show could have actually ended the episode before and that would have set up a more interesting second season. 

Script

The script is okay, it builds the suspense and tension really well, by hiding the true motivations of the story it leads to interesting reveals in the later parts of the season. But overall, the drama and humour isn't there to a high enough level making the characters less interesting for sure. 

Style

This show has some impressive set pieces too it with good action scenes here. But there aren't enough really, plus the pacing of the show lets it down. It just takes way too long to get going and this season could have been 6 episodes long which I think would have made it much better and more exciting.

Overall

Overall, this is a very average show, there is nothing insultingly bad about it but also nothing particularly memorable about it. I would say avoid this one unless you are a fan of the books or are a huge spy fan it might be okay but there is better out there. 

Rating - 5/10

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) Review

 

After watching the previous films in this franchise I have come to watch the newest Jurassic Film - Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the island being destroyed by a volcano which causes Claire and Owen to return and try and save the dinosaurs. 

Main Character

Chris Pratt is back as Owen Grady for this film and he is fine here, he mostly has the charm and charisma that he usually has and it makes him likeable enough. It's just hos character has no development over this film after the last film, his motivations at first are pretty poor and you wonder why he really goes on the journey. 

Supporting Characters

Bryce Dallas Howard is back as Claire and the one thing I can say is that her character actually had some development here, she is a more loving person for the dinosaurs then the previous film. But she does spend plenty of this film just screaming and I just don't feel her and Pratt have any real on screen chemistry and that continued in this film. Rafe Spall plays a really generic character here and you really won't care at all, you know what his motivations are and you know where is character is going. Also if you are watching this film because you saw the trailer and saw Jeff Goldblum back as Dr Ian Malcolm then don't because he is literally in two scenes that are both in the trailer which was hugely disappointing.

Story

The story is where the film really falls down, the characters motivations for going to save the dinosaurs is really mixed and you find it hard to believe. All the characters who seem like villains are and they all have really poor motivations and basic performances. There is also this story involving this young girl that feels really tacked on and there is a twist involving it that is absurd and even worst it literally plays no part in the story at all. The ending sets up an interesting idea for future films but it also feels silly and over the top and after watching the plot you have checked out by then. 

Script

The script is really poor too, the romance between the two main characters is really poorly written and it feels like we wasted our time dealing with it in the previous film. Plus characters are written to do really stupid things and the humour doesn't work especially with a couple of characters that are literally in there to try and be funny but they just fail.

Style

The style of the film is where the film kind of improves, the dinosaurs look great here and there are some fun action sequences. Plus this film maybe does the best job in the franchise at building tension and focusing on the more horror elements which is a nice thing to see. But also this film is pretty slow and its pacing holds it back, the slower parts of the films aren't interesting and it holds the film back. 

Overall

Overall, I was really disappointed by this film, it is much slower then its predecesor and the film isn't as exciting. It is a poor film and not worth a watch even if you are a big fan of this franchise.

Rating - 3/10