Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024) Review

Last year, Rocksteady released the newest Video game in the Arkham franchise in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and was met with awful reviews and feedback, so I skipped out on it. However, this game is the monthly free game on PlayStation Plus so I thought it was about time that I played it and I have now finished story mode so here is my review. The premise of the games sees Braniac take over Metropolis and hijack The Justice League, so The Suicide Squad is brought in to take them down. 

Characters

You play as four members of Task Force X - Deadshot, King Shark, Captain Boomerang & Harley Quinn and they are all fine. The voice actors all do fantastic jobs and there is a huge amount of voice lines here. But they do come across as pretty annoying at times and they just aren't particularly fun characters to play as. Harley is the only character who has appeared in previous Arkham games but she feels like a completely different character here and like they just forget all the terrible things she has done in those games. 

The rest of the cast also really suffer, especially the Justice League. The Flash, Green Lantern and Superman are handled really badly and there is absolutely no care given to fans of these characters. But the biggest disrespect is given to Batman played for the final time by the legendary Kevin Conroy and he is handled so poorly. This is the same version of Batman from The Arkham Games but he is an idiot and is so nerfed for the plot and treated so badly that I found it incredibly insulting. 

Debra Wilson has been in big video game projects recently and she plays Amanda Waller here and she is super annoying. It isn't really her fault but the writing is so bad for her and she just shouts the entire time with her getting on my nerves throughout the game. 

Other supporting characters such as Penguin, a resurrected Ivy and Toyman are super annoying and feel really out of place in this game. 

Story

The story is absurd and doesn't work. As I said before, I didn't really care about any of the characters and the idea of these characters killing The Justice League is just utter nonsense. The story has no depth to it and every mission is just an excuse to play the repetitive content that has no variety too it. The ending is also insulting and is just a way to set up for future DLC instead of giving the player a fulfilling and worthwhile ending to the game. 

Side Content

The side content in the game is mind numbingly boring and dull. It is your usual bog standard protect and escort missions that go on and on and the problem is that the game basically forces you to do these missions or else you can't continue the story. There is no evolution and the interesting side missions from previous Arkham games completely gone except for Riddler Trophies which was a bad part of the previous games. 

Gameplay 

Now, there is some entertaining gameplay, mainly when you are travelling around Metropolis with the characters as they all have different ways of doing this. I also had the most basic enjoyment with some of the gameplay and special attacks but overall the gameplay is not very good. Again it feels incredibly generic and like all the characters are the same which is such a shame. The boss battles are terrible and make a mockery of the characters we are fighting and the repetitiveness of it all really doesn't help. 

Graphics 

The film has some really well made cutscenes with the whole presentation of the story being really well done and it flows really nicely. But the actual game is quite ugly and the setting of Metropolis is a truly terrible map that offers nothing. Also the costumes were really disappointing with very little variety for the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a bad game that is just hoping onto the trend of these long running service shooters. The story is insulting, the gameplay isn't very good and the game looks pretty ugly. It is insulting to say that this is in The Arkhamverse, I didn't play any of the DLC and judging by the performance of this game I won't be and I don't recommend anybody to play this rubbish. 

Rating - 3/10

Playing Nice (2025) Review

Yesterday, all four episodes for ITV's new dramatic show Playing Nice was released and I found the time to watch all of the episodes and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth and now both couples attempt to get the most out of the situation. 

Main Character

James Norton plays Pete Riley and he is okay in the show. It is clear that Norton is a good actor and we have seen that in previous projects and he really is trying and committed here. But this show makes his character pretty unlikeable and irresponsible. The things that his character does makes little sense and even though we are meant to be rooting for him, I really struggled to do so. 

Supporting Characters

Niamh Alger plays Maddie Wilson and she is good in the show. It feels like she should have been the main character and towards the end of the show they kind of start pivoting towards this. Don't get me wrong, the writing isn't the best for the character but Alger does good enough to rise above it. 

James McArdle plays Miles Lambert and he is a fun part of the show. He is really over the top but the fact that he realises it makes him entertaining. But the writing for his character falls off a cliff towards the end and I think the show missed the shot in making him an interesting character. 

Jessica Brown Findlay plays Lucy Lambert and I really didn't care about her character as the show didn't do enough to make me care. She is very quiet and underdeveloped until it is rushed to give her a character towards the end of the show. 

Story

The story is somewhat interesting. Seeing these people dealing with this situation is interesting and the way that both couples try and manipulate each other to get custody of the two children. However, there are no likeable characters here and to be honest both couples are bad parents and it really makes me not root for anybody. It ends up heading into soap opera territory and certain things really don't matter and the ending is too clean and generic for my liking. 

Script  

The script isn't great, in fact I think the writing for the show is easily the biggest let down here. The story is rushed and none of the characters are written well with a lacklustre ending. 

Style

The style of the show does a good job of setting the backdrop in Cornwall and kind of tries to use the setting as a bit of a character and that does work. But the pacing of the show is all over the place, so much is thrown at you that very little of it actually sticks. It could have done with more episodes or cutting some elements of the story to make it a better experience. 

Overall

Overall, Playing Nice is a below average show that is pretty disappointing. It's only 4 episodes so is a pretty quick watch but I think there are better shows then this that you can spend your time on. 

Rating - 4/10

Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (2025) Review

My first review for 2025 is here and it is a tv show that focuses on the real life events of the Lockerbie plane disaster, so it is a pretty serious watch. I have watched all of the 5 episodes and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show focuses on a doctor who is trying to get justice for his daughter and all the lives that were affected by the Lockerbie Plane Disaster that took place in 1988. 

Main Character

Colin Firth plays Dr Jim Swire and you won't see too many better performances then this all year, he is truly fantastic. You see the real emotion and harm that comes to him during the entire show and the longer the case takes the more it takes out of him and his family. Firth really delivers this strong performance of this real man and you are really on his journey and support him. 

Supporting Characters

Catherine McCormack plays his wife Jane and she is also brilliant. Though we see this show mostly through Jim's eyes we really see how it affects Jane and makes her feel like she is sleepwalking through life without her husband. McCormack really nails it and though she isn't the focus she is an integral part of the show. 

Sam Troughton plays Murray Guthrie who is a journalist that works with Jim Swire and I really liked their dynamic. He clearly cares about the story and wants to get the evidence required to help Swire and the families affected. The chemistry between him and Firth is really great and I really enjoyed all the scenes they had together. 

There is a big supporting cast and everybody just feels very genuine and appropriate for the story that is being told here and I give credit to every performer and this is a great ensemble cast. 

Story

The story is obviously very upsetting and emotional and it handles it really well. It was gripping and kept me interested as there was twists and turns about who might have been responsible for the plane crashing in Lockerbie. But the films ending didn't quite work for me, it is difficult when you do a show based on real life events as you can't change it too much, but the ending was pretty drab compared to everything else that was shown during the show. 

Script

Due to the subject matter, I was expecting an intense and emotional script and we get exactly that but it works really well. You really feel the emotion that is being conveyed on screen. It was a really well written show and though it gets complicated at times, I thought it explained everything pretty well. 

Style

The show is well filmed and does a really good job of conveying the intense subject matter and does enough to keep you hooked for the next episode. Though, I do think the show drags at times and maybe could have cut an episode and really tightened everything up to create an even better experience. 

Overall

Overall, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is a Great Show. It is a hard watch and I will probably never watch it again but it is a really interesting watch and has some excellent performances. I would recommend watching this show once so you can truly understand more about this tragic story. 

Rating - 8/10

My Most Anticipated Films of 2025

I didn't get a chance this year to see as many films as I would have liked, but I am planning on changing that next year and watching as many films as I can. There are quite a few films that I am looking forward to but I had to reduce a list to 10 and here are my personal most anticipated films for the upcoming 2025. 

10. Predator: Badlands

For a long time, the Predator franchise was dead and not looking like it was not coming back. But then a few years ago we got the Predator spin-off Prey and it was fantastic. It was the revival of the franchise and the next film Predator: Badlands is coming this year which has me excited. We know very little about the plot but apparently the main character might be a Predator itself and that would be a new wrinkle for these films. Hopefully, the momentum starting from Prey will be continued here. 

9. Nobody 2

Over the last few years, one of the biggest surprises was this great action film Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk in the lead. Which means that the sequel coming out this year is one of my most anticipated and I am very excited to watch it. We know nothing about the plot but I still have hype and am looking forward to getting more info on it. 

8. The Fantastic Four: First Steps

This film is only 8th on this place because we haven't seen a trailer for it but I am very excited for Fantastic Four: First Steps. We have been waiting for years for The Fantastic Four to join The Marvel Cinematic Universe and the hype is still there. I am intrigued by some of the casting and hope they can really deliver a great film that really emphasises how great these characters can be. 

7. Karate Kid: Legends

My love for the Karate Kid franchise really came through Cobra Kai, which has been a revelation and has brought new fans to the franchise of Karate Kid. Now with that series at its end we are getting a follow up film. Ralph Macchio is back as Daniel Larusso and Jackie Chan will reprise his role from the reboot of the franchise that came out years ago. I am curious to how they will handle this film but hopefully it can keep the spirit of Cobra Kai alive. 

6. Ballerina

Following John Wick's huge success we have the first spinoff film Ballerina. The trailer for this film looks fantastic and Ana De Armas looks like she will fit into the role well. I just hope the spotlight is put on her and this is another exciting action film from this franchise. 

5. Wicked: For Good

I was sceptical when I went and saw the first part of Wicked. But I really enjoyed it and had a great time with Wicked so I am very excited for part two which is now called For Good. Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande are fantastic in their roles and it will probably get developed more with further connections with the original Wizard of Oz film which is exciting. 

4. Thunderbolts*

After a lack of super hero movies in 2024 we are getting more in 2025 and the first to make this list is Thunderbolts* Basically, this is Marvels version of The Suicide Squad and the trailers have been emphasising this with the film looking really fun. The cast looks great with everybody having fun and I hope that this film really delivers and builds up these characters. 

3. Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

As the films have progressed, Mission Impossible films have kept improving and are some of the best action films that have come out over the last few years. With the title it seems like this could be the last film in the franchise for a while and I am sure that Tom Cruise will want to go out with a bang and that is an exciting proposition. 

2. Captain America: Brave New World

As I mentioned above, we are getting more comic book films and a big one is Captain America: Brave New World which is the first Captain America film with Sam Wilson played by Anthony Mackie in the lead. I think the trailers have been really good and I am really liking the tone that this being shown. This film will also have Harrison Ford as Red Hulk which is something we have been waiting years for. 

1. Superman

After the trailer was released, Superman shot to number 1 in terms of my most anticipated film of the year and I am so excited for this film. We haven't had a Superman solo film for a long time and I just really enjoyed the trailer and again the tone that is being set here. This is a really important film and I am really hoping they nail it. 

Overall

Overall, I am very excited for the film selection this year and I am hoping that all these films and more deliver and help cinema really recover after the effects of Covid. 

Kraven The Hunter (2024) Review

Over the last few years, we have seen Sony attempt to make their own shared universe using Spider-Man villains and here is their latest and probably last attempt for the time being - Kraven The Hunter. With a lack of interest, I found the will to go and watch the film today and here is my review. The premise of the film sees after receiving super powers, Kraven goes on the hunt after people that do bad deeds. 

Main Character

Aaron Talyor-Johnson plays Kraven and unfortunately he is incredibly boring in the role. He just seems to not really care about the role and that he is sleep walking through it just to get his pay check. I always thought he was a weird choice for the role and that is what came to pass. A big issue is the writing, the people who wrote this film know nothing about the character and changed him so much that he doesn't even feel like Kraven anymore and that is a big shame. 

Supporting Characters

Fred Hechinger plays Dmitri Kravenoff and he does a decent job here. This film is built on family and the family relationships here and pretty much all of the heavy lifting comes from Hechinger and the next actor I will mention. 

Russell Crowe plays Nikolai Kravenoff and though he has a slightly silly accent it works and Crowe shows he has star power. He is clearly the person who really cares about the film and his role which hasn't always been the case so credit to him for that. 

Ariana DeBose plays Calypso and she is the most useless character in this film and I don't know why she was included. It just seemed like they needed a companion for Kraven, she never helps him and there is no real development and backstory for her character. 

In the trailer it was revealed that Alessandro Nivola would be playing Aleksei Sytsevich AKA The Rhino, but this was not a version of The Rhino that comes across well at all. He is a bit of a weirdo and that actor really overplays it, it just feels nothing like the character in the comics which adds to the idea that the people making this film didn't really understand the characters. 

Story

The story is completely nonsensical and is awful. They are forced to turn Kraven into this hero for justice which goes against the traditional nature of the character but the film is just dull and convoluted. They spend 30 mins trying to explain how he got his powers but they do it in such a poor way that I still don't understand it. The film rushes way too much and doesn't explain any of the characters and why I should care about what is going on. 

Script

The Script is really bad. It tries some really bad humour, they try and make Kraven a bit funny which is again not like his character in the comics but none of it works and Taylor-Johnson doesn't deliver them very well. I didn't care about any of the characters or the situation they are put in and that makes it feel pretty lifeless. 

Style

The film has some entertaining action sequences and a big part of that is the level of violence incorporated which makes it stands out, which is funny that is R-Rated but none of the Venom films were. But some of the action scenes are very short and just as they get going they stop and the CGI is pretty terrible throughout, especially that of Rhino, who looks like a cartoon character. 

Overall 

Overall, Kraven The Hunter is a really bad film. It has everything poor about it in a comic book film and it should never have been made. The action isn't good enough and the characters are not well realised leaving this an utter mess and one of the worst comic book films that you will ever see. 

Rating - 2/10

 Moana 2 (2024) Review

After a big release in 2016, we now have the sequel for the hit Disney animated film Moana. I watched the film today and here is my review for Moana 2. The premise of the film sees Moana forced to go on a journey to unite the people of the ocean. 

Main Character

Auli'i Cravalho plays Moana and she is great again as she was in the first film. She has a bit more of an arc in this film and Cravalho does deliver in this role. Moana is a great lead character and one that is pretty easy to root for and care about. 

Supporting Characters

Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui and though his role is slightly reduced he is still really fun to watch and he is also given a bit more depth towards him. He just oozes charisma on film and Maui is a great character. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast really does suffer. This film sees Moana take on a crew of characters called Moni, Loto & Kele but they are all pretty boring and offer very little in this film except being a reason for Moana's development which is a shame. 

There is a villain, but they are really underdeveloped and it just doesn't have enough to really make you care or understand them. 

Story

The story is okay, there is some better development for Moana & Maui in this film which I can give credit to. But overall, similar to the original this film is incredibly paint by numbers and doesn't offer much new. In fact if you examine it, the plot of the first film and this one are pretty much identical and it did make me sigh and notice the predictable nature of the film. 

Script

The film probably does have a bit more drama to it but in the end it does come across as a bit forced and lacks the stakes to deserve it. Also the humour just doesn't have the same feel to it here and definitely feels like it has been dumbed down to younger children. 

Style

The film continues to look beautiful, the colours are really well realised and it is lovely to see such fantastic animation on the big screen. However, the pacing is a little bit off and there were some large lulls in the film. Also the songs are just not as good here, the departure of the great Lin Manuel Miranda is sorely missed. 

Overall

Overall, Moana 2 is an Above Average Sequel. It is a decent film and will fill its job of being great for young children and families. But it doesn't do enough to make it stand out and lacks the joy and feel of the first film which means this a less enjoyable time. 

Rating - 6/10

Moana (2016) Review

I am going to see Moana 2 tomorrow, so I thought it would be a good idea to finally find the time to watch the original film and review it here. Well, now I have done that and here is my review for Moana. The premise of the film sees a young girl attempt to find a demigod to try and stop a curse on her people that he caused. 

Main Character

Auli'i Cravalho plays Moana and she is great in this film. This character was strong, smart but also funny. She was a great protagonist for this film and I think it was the perfect time to have a great character for young girls to root for and see succeed without any love interest to be seen here. 

Supporting Characters

Dwayne Johnson Plays Maui and he brings all his charisma and enjoyment to the role and he was a blast to watch. The film mostly focuses on the dynamic between Maui & Moana and Johnson added a lot to this and the dynamic between the two of them is a great highlight. 

The rest of the cast aren't in this film much but a big part of the film is Rachel House who plays Gramma Tala. Their is a really sweet relationship between her and Moana and it really catapults the films plot well. 

Temuera Morrison plays Chief Tui and he is good in his role. We see how he is an overprotective father but also the head of his tribe and how the two things kind of conflict and leads Moana onto her journey. 

Story

The film does an effective job with showing Moana on this journey and having Maui along for the ride with them continuously interacting. However, the film is a bit generic with its storytelling and I don't think it does quite enough with its characters to make me care enough unfortunately. 

Script

The script is alright, I chuckled throughout the film and some of the drama is really well handled. But as I mentioned above, the film doesn't quite do enough with the writing of the film or the characters to make them really stand out. 

Style

The film looks beautiful, it really nails the colour pallet and makes it come across as this beautiful and exotic place. The animation is really well done and the film flows very nicely and didn't overstay its welcome. The film doesn't have loads of songs but the ones it has are great and memorable. 

Overall

Overall, Moana is a great film that delivers as a fun family friendly film. It isn't exactly ground-breaking but does enough to keep you interested and entertained throughout. 

Rating - 8/10