One Battle After Another (2025) Review

This film has been out for a few weeks and I have finally found the time to go and see One Battle After Another and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a Father go on the hunt for his daughter when an old enemy returns. 

Main Character

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob and he is fantastic. I don't think there is too much surprise to hear this as he is one of the best actors of this generation but his performance here is really great. He is the bumbling fool but he plays it really well and there is just such pace about his performance that you can't help but keep your eyes on him throughout. 

Supporting Characters

Sean Penn plays Col Steve Lockjaw and this is one of the best villain performances that I have seen for a long time. He is super intense and scummy but there is some uniqueness to him that makes him really stand out. He is a real star of this film and I have a feeling there could be an Oscar Nomination heading his way. 

Benicio Del Toro plays Sensei Sergio St Carlos and he is his enigmatic best. Del Toro is one of the most charismatic actors around and he really owns that in this film. His delivery of lines is so quick and his dynamic with DiCaprio is one of my favourite parts of the film. 

Chase Infiniti plays Willa and she is fantastic. She is a new actress but she has a huge future and she is a real shining light here. She isn't just a damsel in distress but she has strength and Infiniti really plays the role well. 

Teyana Taylor plays Perfidia and even though it is a smaller role in the film she is fantastic to watch and eats up the screen for the opening sequences of the film and is a crucial part of the overall film. 

Story

I really liked the story, It feels like it moves at a brisk pace and we are on the run with DiCaprio and we really feel like we are part of his mission. Characters motivations and beliefs are pretty basic but they work for this film and the poilitcal nature that is hovering in the background. 

However, I wasn't as big a fan of the final act and I think the story makes some odd decisions. There is one part of the film in particular that is underdeveloped and I think if you have watched the film you will know what I mean. Certain characters don't really get any closure and it just would have been nice to have got that. 

Script

The script has some tight writing. The dialogue is fantastic and it makes these characters feel like real people with some real crazy stuff said. As I said above, I have some issues with the plot but I can't deny that the film does a great job in balancing its characters story and keep what could have been a confusing story relatively simple. 

Style

The film is absolutely beautiful. It feels somewhat old school in the way it is shot and presented just really stands out and it is all the better for it. This film is pretty long, it clocks in at over 2 hours & 30 mins and I was never bored. The pacing is great and the film moves well, keeping me invested throughout. 

Overall

Overall, One Battle After Another is a fantastic film that should be seen by all movie goers. I think it will be one of the frontrunners at the Academy Awards next year and it is such a great watch that will end up being one of the best of the year. 

Rating - 9/10

The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025) Review

For many years, Netflix have been making films with some big names and The Woman in Cabin 10 is no different. This film is based on a novel and has a huge cast filled with lots of talent and I watched the film today and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a journalist invited on a luxury Yacht, an event causes her to question everything and everyone around her. 

Main Character

Keira Knightley plays Lo and she is perfectly adequate in this film. I mean she is a great actress and she delivers a performance that is something she can do pretty easily. It is just her character is really dull and there isn't enough in this film to really make me care about her, which is a real shame. 

Supporting Characters

Guy Pearce plays Richard Bullmer and he is really similar to Knightley in that he plays the character well but there just isn't anything really interesting about him and it just feels like Guy Pearce is delivering the minimum that he is capable of which is still decent. 

David Ajala plays Ben Morgan and he is meant to be a love interest for Knightley but it doesn't really work. There chemistry just isn't there and the film isn't written well enough to get the audience invested in them. Ajala is okay but it does feel like he could be played by numerous people. 

Hannah Waddingham, Kaya Scodelario & David Morrissey are big names but are given absolutely nothing to work and I didn't care about any of them and I don't understand why as these are super talented people. 

Story

The story is not particularly interesting, as I have said above the characters are super weak and obviously add nothing. The film doesn't give us enough time to know the characters and the big twists was pretty predictable to me leading to a rushed and bland ending. 

Script

The film has some okay dialogue, especially at the beginning of the film. The best character interactions come in the first act and it made me feel that this film would be better. But the next 2 acts are boring, predictable and as cliché as you get with a big part of that having to go to the writing. 

Style

The film looks pretty good, it has some nice views and it just comes across as pretty sleek with its filmmaking. But the film is super short, barley clocking in at 90 mins. This means everything is underdeveloped and doesn't give the characters time to become interesting which is the biggest weakness of the film. 

Overall

Overall, The Woman in Cabin 10 is a Below Average Film and just another copy and paste release for Netflix. This film has a superstar cast but they didn't bother to focus on other elements of the film and t is just a big disappointment. 

Rating 4/10

The Last of Us: Left Behind (2014)

Pretty quickly after the initial release of The Last of Us, a DLC Expansion was released call Left Behind. This DLC further expands the story and gives us a bit more time with Ellie and really focuses on her character. The DLC goes through her origin and bridges the gap between some events in the main story. Here are my thoughts on this DLC Expansion. 

We play as Ellie

In the main game, we have a bit of time to play as Ellie but the majority of it we play as Joel and I really feel like the main game is Joel's story. Left Behind is Ellie's story and playing as her helped with that as we learn more about her and her relationship with Riley and taking down infected and humans alike. 

The Game is split into two timelines

The game flashes between two different time periods in the games timeline. We start off in Winter with Ellie looking after Joel when he got injured in the main story. The other is a flashback that shows Ellie's origin with Riley and how they both got infected. The Flashbacks are incredibly engaging with the story, whereas the other story is focused on the gameplay and the balance is pretty good. 

The Gameplay is still strong

The gameplay is pretty much the exact same, just without all the weapons that Joel uses. It is still great and the more mini games in the flashbacks breaks up the action and makes it feel different to the main story. 

The Relationship between Ellie & Riley is really well done

We get a brief mention of Riley in the main story and how she got bitten alongside Ellie. But this DLC does a great of showing the two of their characters and the chemistry they have together. Despite the lack of time we see of them, I really cared about their relationship even though I knew where it ended. 

The Pacing is a bit slow and it is way too short

The only thing is that the flashbacks have no combat and that makes this slow game feel even slower. I appreciate the story and the focus on it but I could have done with a bit more of creative gameplay. Also it is super short, I wouldn't say I am great at the game but I finished it in 3 hours which is just way too short and I could have done with even a few more hours. 

Overall

Overall, The Last of Us: Left Behind is a great character piece for Ellie and does a great job of showing her past. But it is a bit boring and is way too short, it is a good companion place that should be played after finishing the campaign but it falls a little short of the main campaign. 

Rating - 7/10

The Last of Us (2013/2014) Review

For years I have heard that The Last of Us is one of the best video games ever made, I've tried to get into it before but I never quite got too grips with it. But recently, I decided that I was finally going to play the game to completion and I finished the main story last nice and its DLC story today, so here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees a deadly disease destroy a chunk of humanity, a rugged man goes on a mission that might give the human race a second chance. 

Characters

The Prolific voice actor Troy Baker plays Joel Miller and he absolutely knocks it out of the park. He is a gruff, angry man who seems to lack humanity but as the game progresses you really see Joel grow as a person. He has so much depth to him and Baker plays it superbly, this is one of the best video game protagonists that I have ever seen. 

Ashley Johnson plays Ellie, she is a vital character in the game and is so much fun to be around. Though the situation is pretty dire, she has plenty of wise cracks and jokes to get her by. The chemistry between Johnson & Baker is brilliant and really carries this game.

The rest of the cast are way smaller in the size of their roles but are also really well acted. Henry & Sam are two brothers that the protagonists meet and they are really well acted and reflect the two of them really well. 

Tommy & Tess are allies to Joel & Ellie and both have pretty fiery personalities that make them memorable and fun additions to the cast here. 

Story

The story is really where the game truly thrives here. The main characters are so enriched and developed fantastically. The world is built incredibly well and it really feels fleshed out which adds even more to the performances. I really cared about Joel & Ellies story and the large amount of cutscenes didn't upset me and had me gripped to watch. 

Side Content

This game is pretty linear, it is a very story driven game and focuses on its characters, gameplay and story. There are some pretty cool collectables and some good crafting mechanics that can be done. There is also a multiplayer, however, nobody is playing it anymore so I can't really comment on it. 

The fact that this game is so engaging means I can overlook the fact that there isn't too much side content and I would rather have a game like this then a massive game that fails to provide the depth that this game has. 

Gameplay

The game's gameplay is a little bit different to what I am used to. It is a real Survival Game, you have limited resources and this really forces you to cherish your ammunition and really plan your attacks. Though there is a large variety of weapons and gear that keeps the game fresh and unique. You fight both humans and the infected monsters and the game balances these incredibly well, you have your more action missions against humans compared to your horror missions with the infected and it is balanced in a way that both are engaging. 

Graphics

I played the first remaster of The Last of Us that was made for the PS4 and it looks fantastic. The character models looks great and the designs of all of the infected are horrifying and fit the world perfectly. Also, this game has tremendous sound design that just adds to the creep factor of certain elements of the game. 

Overall

Overall, The Last of Us is as good as people say and is an Epic Video Game journey that has some of the best character and story work that I have ever seen in a Video Game. It is a must play for anybody that enjoys single player video games and I can't recommend it high enough. 

Rating - 10/10

Wednesday Season 1 (2022) Review

Ahead of the second part of the second season of Wednesday, I thought now would be the time that I actually watch this really popular show and give my take on it. So the last few days, I have watched the first season of Wednesday and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees Wednesday Addams transferred to a school for pupils with powers, when an attempted murder takes place, she sets out to find out the potential killer. 

Main Character 

Jenna Ortega plays the titular character and she is fantastic. This is an incredibly nuanced and complex character and Ortega nails it with her delivery and mannerisms. The character must be a tough one to play but I was interested in Wednesday throughout and I thought Ortega was a huge part of that. 

Supporting Characters

Hunter Doohan plays Tyler and I thought he was also really good in his role. The dynamic between him and Wednesday is well handled and I actually bought into their development as a potential romance. 

Emma Myers plays Enid and is Wednesday's roommate throughout the season. She was great and the perfect foil for Wednesday as she tries to deal with moving to a new school. Their chemistry was excellent and a real highlight of the show. 

Gwendoline Christie plays Principal Larissa Weems and she was great. This is a strong performance from her and even though she doesn't have loads of screen time, she really delivers and owns the screen in the scenes that she is in. 

All the school mates are well cast and even though the school doesn't necessarily play the biggest part of the show the kids never annoyed me which is a bonus considering shows that are set in high school are likely to have some annoying kids. 

Story

The story is good, this is a classic mystery but it definitely did a good job keeping me interested and invested. It also did a good job with its school storylines which are limited because usually they aren't very good. However, the ending of the season feels rushed. It's like they forgot they only had 8 episodes and rushed the last episode to get every story arc completed just in case they didn't get a second season.

Script 

The script is great, there is a great combination of humour and drama. Also the dialogue is very quick and witty that elevated the characters here. Though I thought the final reveal was a bit predictable it still did a good job of keeping me guessing so that shows a decent level of writing. 

Style

I really liked the artistic style of Wednesday. It really stands out and makes it unique compared to other shows and was one of the main reasons I liked this show. But this film has a pacing issue and as I mentioned earlier I think the ending of the show is a bit rushed and lacklustre, also there is some bad CGI here at times which is hopefully better in the second season. 

Overall

Overall, Wednesday Season 1 is a Great Show and does a great job of building this universe for hopefully a bright future. It is a show you should watch as it is a brisk and enjoyable watch.

Rating - 8/10

Weapons (2025) Review 

Over the last few weeks, Weapons has been the most popular film in the world and though this usually wouldn't be a film that interests me, I decided to check it out and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees 18 students mysteriously disappear with a community looking to find out what exactly happened and why. 

Main Character

There are a lot of characters in this film but I would say Julia Garner as Justine is the main character here and she does a great job. She is the most interesting character and really struggles with the situation. Garner really shines and is quickly becoming a household name that we will see more and more of as the years go on. 

Supporting Characters

Josh Brolin plays Archer and he is also great. He is the main parent who is frustrated with the situation and he really delivers on this. Brolin really brings the intensity and it is great to see him in a role like this. 

Alden Ehrenreich plays Paul and even though I found his part in the film to be quite jarring, I thought he was very good in it. He plays a cop that is loosely linked to the overall plot but it is pretty interesting seeing this guys life go slowly downhill during his part of the film. 

Cary Christopher plays Alex, the only child in the class that doesn't go missing. He is great and really delivers especially for a child actor. As you learn more about him and what he is going for you see just how complex the predicament that he is put in and Christopher does it very well. 

Benedict Wong and Austin Abrams get their chapters as Marcus and James and though smaller roles they both did good jobs in their roles. 

Story

The story is segmented into chapters which focus on one of the characters and the film isn't in chronological order. This added some unique feeling to the storytelling and intrigue to what exactly was going on. The first act really had me sucked in and wondering what exactly was going on with the kids and the adults that are being focused on. But the second act gets a bit distracted in a sub plot and the third act falls flat with a pretty ridiculous and laughable ending that really went against the tone of the rest of the film. 

Script

The script was okay. Similar to the story, I feel like the writing for the first act was sharp and interesting but it definitely falls down in the later parts of the film as the film isn't quite sure how to resolve the situation they put themselves in. 

Style 

The film does a really good job of building suspense and intrigue with its filmmaking and style. There were some really tense scenes that you weren't sure what exactly was going to happen. However, I feel like the film was at its weakest when it went with the horror film tropes and they made me sigh as it took away all the intrigue and suspense. I also think the film could have cut one or two of the chapters and expand some of the more interesting ones to aid with the pacing of the film. 

Overall

Overall, Weapons is a good film that does a somewhat good job of building intrigue and suspense. Just don't expect this to be the film to revolutionize horror as it really isn't that. Probably one you can wait till it comes onto a streaming service. 

Rating - 7/10 

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (2020) Review

Even though Assassin's Creed is one of the biggest video game franchises ever created, I have never played one all the way through. However, that has now changed as I have just played through an Assassin's Creed game in Valhalla. After over 70 hours of gameplay, here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees a group of Vikings travel to England where they look to build a new life and gain power in the country. 

Characters

The main character Eivor can be either Male or Female. I chose the male option and played through the entire game this way. Eivor grew on me as the game progressed, at first I thought he was just a brute but he actually became pretty charming. He grows as the game progresses and his character development is well handled. 

Basim is back from previous games and here he is a cool companion to Eivor, Sigurd and the settlement. He is always a bit mysterious and as you delve into his story he is an interesting character that I didn't really know about as I haven't played previous games. 

Sigurd is the leader of The Settlement and he is pretty cool if not pretty complex. As the game progresses he goes through a lot and his relationship with Eivor becomes more strained and it's then that you see his character shine. 

You meet so many characters in this game and they are all well voice acted and well performed raising up some of the mediocre plots. 

Story

I like the characters stories and the development of these group of Vikings from a small settlement to booming colony. The character clash and have real progress which is nice to see. However, the game has a repetitive story. You go around England attempting to recruit allies and there is a large amount of these with many feeling very similar which gets a bit dull. Also, to someone who isn't a fan of the franchise, the ending is really confusing and I had no clue what was going on and how it linked to the overall lore of Assassin's Creed. 

Side Content

As you saw above, this game took me ages to complete and that is because of how much content is here. I enjoyed some of the side content, I enjoyed helping the people at the settlement and committing raids for resources and gold. Though, this game has some really boring side content too that feels like a quantity over quality approach which I don't think ever works in a game. 

Gameplay

The Gameplay is really good, it took a bit to get used to but I loved the Combat. You have lots of choices when it comes to weapons and they all play differently. There is a good amount of enemies with a lot of challenging boss fights to keep you on your toes. The stealth isn't as good but with practice I managed to even start getting good at this element of the game. 

Graphics

Probably the best part of the game is the graphics. The game looks drop dead gorgeous and nails its feeling and aesthetic. It is great to travel through the world on your long boat and attacking all the interesting locations. 

Overall

Overall, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is a great game that I had a lot of fun playing. It is a long game with plenty to do but it is well worth it and I would suggest this is a game to play, but probably when you have played the other games so you have a better grasp on what is going on. 

Rating - 8/10