alvarax Reviews

Eragon (2006)

Not as unfaithful as they say, and I recently read Eragon so I will defend it.

[7/10 · 7 May 2024]

I've watched this movie a few times before I read or even knew of the book/books, and I still enjoy it for it's adventure and fantastical themes. I recently finished the novel for the first time, finally! It takes a long time for it to get going and there's quite a bit of a stopping and starting in it's length, which delayed me in finishing it. People say this movie is very unfaithful to the book but I disagree, some of it is altered or rearranged yes but otherwise it's actually cleverly carved out. Now there are some big changes like a certain characters death, and the final battle being different in the book but in my opinion is more exciting in this film; though the only main casualties are that the characters are not developed enough due to certain elements being cut out.

Murtagh for example is not developed enough, which is a shame as his character is very interesting in the novel. The bond between Saphira and Eragon is also shrunken in this film, which is a shame as Eragon comes off as less compelling in this film then he is in the novel; for the most part anyway as there are chapters where I groaned at him. In the novel his experience with raising Saphira are some of my favourite moments in the book so it's disappointing that some of that wasn't extended into the movie; but that's a minor thing.

As I said earlier this film isn't as inaccurate as some would claim, as some parts of it are just not narrated upon; for example Arya's imprisonment at the hands of Durza. I loved Durza in this film!! Robert Carlyle did a fantastic job in the role and all though he's in this more than he should be based upon the novel, I think it would've been an equal crime to waist such great casting and talent. I also loved Saphira in this movie, she and Durza are the highlights for sure.

If this movie had been 15-20 minutes longer I think it would've been better received, as another casualty with the run time is that the relationship between Brom and Eragon is rushed and a lot of the heart and bonding between the two of them is missing from this film.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)

An all right movie mixed in with some good and great moments.

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

Snow White and the Huntsman is an ok movie with some good and even great additions. Charlize Theron as Ravenna the evil queen is fantastic, definitely the best performance in the movie! Though I wish the evil queens original costume made an appearance; even a brief one.

She captures the beauty and ruthlessness of her character so well and even though I feel her powers are overinflated in this movie; she's like Morgana from King Arthur sometimes!! It was still entertaining.

Kristen Stewart is the weak point of this movie, she has the look for Snow White but that's it; she's not a compelling lead. The other characters are fine, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman is well suited; Ravenna's brother is serviceable and freaky like her. The dwarves are ok, nothing special and everyone else is the same.

I also liked the effects in this movie, especially in the dark forest. Ravenna's backstory is also interesting in my opinion, and I appreciated the extra time taken to show her point of view. This dark take on Snow White is worth the watch, it won't spellbind you like Disney's original; but it's a nice alternative viewing for the classic story.

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Boring, senseless, and stupid. Took a while to get through

[3/10 · 28 April 2024]

There's little to like in this version of Alice in Wonderland, it's animation is good but the story, or whatever excuse for a story there is; is lame. All the characters suck, the red queen is kind of entertaining as is her card army; I did like the part where Alice get's stuck in the white rabbits house; that was funny; but most of this movie is just senseless events one after the other with just a very small concept of Alice trying to find her way home.

Even the mad hatter and the hare are pretty lame, so apart from the colourful animation and some interesting events here and there I'd give this a skip.

Aquaman (2018)

Visually amazing, along with a fun, comedic and adventurous tone.

[8/10 · 27 December 2023]

I really like Aquaman, I wasn't sure what to expect from it beforehand but the trailers looked cool and after watching it I had a smile on my face. Patrick Wilson as Orm is my favorite part of this film, he really captured the character flawlessly, and his Ocean Master costume was perfect. All the costumes in this film were amazing, along with the visual effects, the world building, and of course the trident's or quindents.

This film in my opinion has a great mix of heart, humor and adventure, all though admittingly some of the dialogue does make me cringe at times. Like when Arthur meets the Daroca or however it's spelled.

The score was incredible all the way through, it reminded me of Tron at times, and I'm a big fan of that. The action was amazing, the final fight is one of my favorites; even through Arthur breaking Orm's trident the way he does doesn't sit as well with me as when Orm breaks Arthur's.

Amber Heard as Mera is pretty good, Black Manta is very well cast, King Nerious was cool; and the plot was simple and well focused; it helps when time limits are not applied!! I'm looking at you WB.

A billion dollar title well deserved, liked it so much I went and saw it twice in the cinema's. Had a good smile both times.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

A dark, intriguing tragedy; with an excellent score.

[7/10 · 16 November 2023]

The story of Snow's descent into villainy is interesting and sad, I found myself hoping that he would resist it; and I found myself liking Lucy Gray; despite Rachel Zeglers Snow White comments and recent behaviour. I liked the relationship between Lucy and Snow, it felt a little rushed but perhaps the urgency of the situation made it as so. I disliked seeing Snow and his male peers dressed in there red dresses, that annoyed me, and I found the dialogue difficult to hear; which was a problem for most of the film. The supporting characters are ok, pretty undeveloped but not dislikable.

The score in this film is impressive and I liked the singing despite other reviews criticizing it for too much musical performances. The story ended sooner than I expected, but I haven't read the book so I didn't know when to expect the end.

I found the film entertaining and more unique compared to it's future installments, and I liked the Snow and Lucy relationship more than the Katniss and Peter one. I'm probably in the minority on that, but I was just more interested and felt the acting was better between these two.

Captain Blood (1935)

I went in uninspired, and came out delightfully impressed.

[9/10 · 27 August 2023]

Where the hell have these kinds of pirate movies been my whole life!? Why is treasure island considered the benchmark and not this, this is way better! More accessible where as treasure island is better off for children. The plot for this movie is simple and yet so well told that I ended up boggled by the end.

There's not a single character that I disliked, not a single scene that bored me, one romance scene did make me cringe a little but it's brief so I'll forgive it. As someone who thinks the pirate genre is in dire straits I was so happy and surprised to see something good that exceeded what I was used to in pirate material. I'm a young man so it seems that I'll have to dig into the past more often for pirate material, and hopefully I get similar feelings that I got from this.

Brilliant stuff, Captain Blood is a dashing good time, both the man and the movie.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Boring and deceiving, stay away from Biopic's Nolan.

[5/10 · 11 August 2023]

The trailers for this film leaned way too much into Robert Oppenheimer's atomic bomb phase, where as this film actually only focuses on it for about an hour or so. Despite being a well acted, well visualized, and well adapted or faithfully adapted story; this is still a movie!! And you need to give the audience a reason to care. Oppenheimer as an individual is a boring and immoral lead, and his supporting characters aren't any better, or interesting for that matter. I feel like this should be a glorified documentary instead of a film, slap biopic on it if you want but unless your a science or history whiz this is a hard film to get invested in.

The middle of this film is where I really got bored, the last hour was ok, and the beginning was eh; but by the end I was just asking myself, and I should care about this why? I didn't even get to see the atomic bomb drop and kill people! How could you not include that? At least a brief scene would've sufficed.

Historical films in my opinion need a balance of education and entertainment, and this film has none of that. It's just slow, slog fested history with no effort into connecting audiences with the characters. Next time Mr Nolan, stick with what your good at, because this isn't it.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)

Loved it!! however Dracula himself looks like a Gargoyle.

[9/10 · 10 August 2023]

The trailer for this film both interested but also concerned me, as lyrical trailer music irritates me every time. However I'm happy to report that this film is still the one you see in the trailer, but even better! And it's more touching than you might expect.

As for Dracula himself I'm a bit on the fence, as he looks more like a gargoyle instead of a vampire; though I did enjoy his nightly hunts regardless. He only speaks once in this film, which is disappointing but I'll trust the director's judgement on this. The score for this film is exceptional, it meshes so well with the themes of terror and isolation.

The characters are all fine, there's no notable ones in my opinion but no dislikable ones either. I ended up feeling for them in a neutral sense since we all know what will happen to them, it's just a question of how and when. The lead character and the captain were my favorites.

I felt the length was pretty much perfect, and the ending was good even if it's got a few extensions which may surprise people.

Overall I'm very satisfied, thank you Mr Ovredal, your passion and effort is clearly shown in this movie.

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018)

Still pretty good, but the finale is a tad disappointing

[7/10 · 3 April 2023]

I watched this in 2018 when it came out but didn't review it; so I rewatched it recently and decided too. Mowgli is enjoyable, the voice acting of the animals is all really good, and Mowgli himself is pretty well casted. The film carries on nicely, it didn't feel too long or too short, Christian Bale as Bagheera was the standout to me, and I didn't really like the voice of Baloo, but he looked pretty good CGI wise. Shere Kahn was all right, Cumberbatch as the voice doesn't really work as well for me, just because I've heard it as Khan and Smaug as well.

Kaa the snake was also really good, probably better than the Disney version. My only disappointment with this film is the climax, I much preferred the 2016 remake finale over this one, as Khan is defeated rather easily in this version. Also, his paw injury is never explained? Unless it's implied that the hunter did it? Still would've liked an explanation. Kahn's hyena friend also seemed to serve no purpose, he doesn't attack Mowgli, and he doesn't seem to plot or scheme to try and harm him in any way.

As with my original viewing of the film, I like it, but I'm unlikely to remember it after a week or so.

Christopher Robin (2018)

A fantastic film of heart and joy, as well as tears.

[9/10 · 31 March 2023]

I never fell in love with Winnie the Pooh as a kid, but I may have now, as I couldn't stop teary eyes from forming. This film has so much meaning to be found, and it's all done in a natural heartfelt way. Ewan McGregor is good Christopher Robin, and Haylet Atwell is a nice Mrs Robin also.

Pooh, Tiggar, Piglett and so forth take a little time to get used to in this real world look for them, but there all just as lovable as there animated counterparts. Not much to complain about from my end, I was entertained for most of the duration.

The soundtrack is also one of my favorite parts about this film, it meshes so well with the themes, and it helps add the atmosphere of the experience.

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023)

The potential was there but it was never quite reached.

[5/10 · 22 March 2023]

As someone who never had a strong attachment to Winnie the Pooh, even as a child, I can understand the distaste towards this premise; but I still wanted to see it regardless. The film's opening is interesting, but unfortunately after that it becomes less interesting. The college girls are boring and dislikable, and it would've been much better if we focused on Christopher or perhaps an old friend of Christopher who comes looking for him after the beginning.

The kills are probably the best part of this movie, and they were fun to watch but I would've liked a more interesting plot to engage in. Winnie and Piglett look all right, it's explained that there animal hybrids, I think, all though some of Pooh's... abilities are a little questionable.

I will say I was entertained, the climax is interesting, a little confusing at first, but I liked it. If a sequel comes I'll give it a crack, but make it more centered and personnel, don't add random teenagers into the mix.

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

Ok but nothing special, the premise was cooler than the movie itself.

[6/10 · 9 March 2023]

Exorcising Dracula's castle was both an interesting and surprisingly funny addition to this film, and I have to say I almost laughed when Lee's Dracula discovers it. Having his castle both burned and then tainted in his mind, leads to an interesting story where Dracula spends most of this film outside of his domain of choice.

The lead characters are likeable enough, even the monsignor is ok, along with his wife. The ladies are as beautiful as ever, and I felt sad when they were preyed upon by the vampire.

Overall this film was all right, the finale was a little rushed but it was different and kind of clever. There's one scene that's silly though, and I hope that they never repeat it, you'll know it once you see it.

Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

Boring and bad, I ended up not caring whether Dracula won or lost.

[4/10 · 9 March 2023]

I was let down by this sequel, this is the only Christopher Lee Dracula film so far which I actively don't like. None of the characters interested me, and not even the beautiful women could keep me interested this time around. There's some interesting scenes here and there, like a brothel scene which is new, though it felt out of place even if it was nice eye candy. The finale was crap, and even though Dracula dislikes Crucifixes and god the whole death scene with him in this is just lame.

The premise had potential but it was squandered by the lack of interesting characters. Dracula's servant was also off-putting, and he came across to me as more of a freak than a follower. Hopefully I won't remember this garbage.

Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

Pretty good, better than the first in my opinion.

[7/10 · 6 March 2023]

I liked the resurrection of Dracula in this film, and the introduction is good with the four strangers stumbling upon the vampire's castle. Klove is excellent in this film, and he's almost as creepy as Dracula himself; even though Lee's take is more monstrous rather than creepy.

The finale was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I thought that the running water addition was funny, and not in a good way; but I suppose it's a method that you could use.

Lee's performance is better in this one in my opinion, and I'm growing more used to the silent take that he's offering, and I think for Lee he's better as a silent monster.

The abbot was a cool addition, and a nice distraction from the annoying fallible male lead. He's so easily swayed or influenced by whatever that he came across to me as a petty follower and cuck. As always the women are very pretty, and you can partly understand Dracula's intense desire for them.

Scars of Dracula (1970)

Too long, but Lee's performance is growing on me.

[6/10 · 6 March 2023]

This film dragged on more than the other Dracula film's that I've watched, you could've shaved off five or ten minutes and still had the same sort of film. Once again the women in this film are beautiful, but the male protagonists are boring and shallow. Christopher Lee's take on Dracula is growing on me, at first I didn't like it much because he barely spoke, but the depiction of him as a silent monster is growing on me. His dialogue is good in this film though, and his deeper voice that I'm used too is well used in his performance as the imposing vampire.

His resurrection was strange though, and there's a certain scene when he's asleep that confused me greatly, but otherwise this film is ok. Klove was interesting as well, not sure what I thought of the portrayal but I think I prefer past performances. Unfortunately there's nothing truly memorable in this movie, and I'll probably forget it in a few days time.

Horror of Dracula (1958)

Good but not great, Lee's Dracula is a little underwhelming

[7/10 · 5 March 2023]

I like the look of Christopher Lee's Dracula, but unfortunately he lacks the seductiveness and charm of Lugosi's take. The score for this film is good, a bit over the top but still fitting. Van Helsing is fantastic in this movie, and is easily the best part for me. The blood and action is a nice addition, but it didn't add much dread to my experience.

I liked the details of vampirism in this story, and I found the introduction interesting, and Dracula's bride was beautiful! It's a shame we didn't get more of her. The castle looked nice and the finale was ok, but I expected more from this film, and I have to say it only just reached the good threshold for me.

I'll give the sequel a shot but I'm hoping Lee get's a better chance to shine as the prince of darkness.

Dracula (1931)

Very slow , but also creepy and imaginative

[7/10 · 5 March 2023]

Dracula is creepy and socially awkward in this film, and he definitely acts like a person who's been stuck in a castle for a long time. The addition of his wives was strange though, as there not particularly used for any apparent reason; and seem to make Dracula's awkward yet imposing demeanor a bit befuddled. The actor's stare was both piercing and amusing, as unfortunately this film relies a little too much on it.

This films takes a long time to get going, there's bits and pieces here and there that nibble away at your interest, but it's only after about forty minutes or so that your interest peaks. The finale is a little underwhelming, but Dracula's castle is a stunning backdrop for it.

I was also confused by Dracula's supposed seductive power's in this film, I know that he's supposedly romantic and seductive in appearance, but it seemed as though that he can actually seduce people through his mind or something? It was a little strange, but maybe that's a part of his mythology.

I liked it overall, but it requires a very patient mind to sit through it.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

I've never been so angry at a movie, what a disgrace!!

[2/10 · 27 February 2023]

Despite the Last Jedi's misdeeds, I still had some faith and potential ideas for this film's hopes, but as one would expect Disney canned those because they just don't care. Rey is a stale protagonist that nobody cares about, and honestly is so op and emotional that she'd be better off as a sith rather than a jedi. That was my hope, that Rey would turn to the dark side while Kylo would return to the light. That possibly could've saved this film for me, but no, it wasn't meant to be.

This film has so many plot contrivances and holes, and it's massive battle has no stakes and no levity whatsoever. Emperor Palpatine's return is nonsensical, even though Ian mc diamond puts in a good performance, and his climatic showdown is laughable, at least once you get past the seething anger that comes first.

Kylo get's punked once again in this film, with a weak story arc and an even weaker resolution, I really feel for Adam Driver, I'm so sorry man, you deserved better.

Anakin Skywalker's legacy is trashed, and the Skywalkers' themselves are degraded as nothing more than shadow's that are forever ignored in favor of the great Rey. Without spoilers, this is not the Skywalker saga anymore.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Atrocious, I think I lost brain cells after watching this crap.

[1/10 · 27 February 2023]

This is the most insulting Star Wars material I've ever seen, and after The Rise of Skywalker I thought I'd seen the worst of it. Not only did this show ruin Kenobi, but it degraded Vader as well, and wasted both actors terribly. This shows breaks canon shamelessly and because of that leaves Obi Wan in a stupid situation at the end which is now entirely his fault.

I never finished the Kenobi novel due to issue's with the author's style, but focusing on Leia instead of Luke was a foolish decision, as it now damages the believability of a New Hope. Not for one second do I believe that this Obi Wan becomes the one seen in the original trilogy, same with Vader.

Without spoiling anything, Reeva is the worst aspect of this show, but then again everything is the worst aspect of this show. Obi Wan Kenobi is a copy cat of Last Jedi Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader is a fool who for some reason has no qualms about killing his officers, yet when certain other inquisitors disobey him, he lets them off the hook because reasons. The plot armor and contrivances are astounding, like lightsabers for instance, by god there joke now.

I honestly felt dumber after finishing this show, and I had to reverse the damage after with some much needed decent star wars. Owen Lars was the only decent thing about this show, everything else, terrible. I could rant on some more, but I'll save my breath.

The Last of Us (2023– )

Eh, pilot is too long and I'm not feeling some of the casting.

[6/10 · 22 January 2023]

An hour and twenty minutes is WAY too long for a pilot, this first episode had too much filler and all of it was concentrated on Sarah. Sarah sucks, I'm just gonna say it, the game version is way better and this Sarah is nothing like her minus the clothes. Pedro's Joel is fine, but he's not as tough and hardy as Troy Baker's Joel. Ellie seems ok, and Tess I'm not sure about. It took about half an hour for this episode to actually start following the game, and by that time I was just bored; and when the game finally started happening I just didn't care. A lot needs to change for me to get interested, but hey, this still leads to Last of us 2 so why bother.

King Kong (2005)

Incredible and beautiful, Peter's Jackson's underrated masterpiece.

[10/10 · 2 January 2023]

This film is unique and special compared to others like it, and Peter Jackson deserves all the accolades for creating such an experience. The set pieces are amazing, the cast is fantastic, the music is moving, and King Kong himself looks gorgeous. I felt so many things during this long but entertaining film, I felt awe, I felt satisfaction, I felt laughter, and then I felt sadness. Everything is so well done, the action is awesome and monster movie fans will get there fill of cool fights and epic finishers, drama goers will get there fill of tension and emotion, and story lovers will get there hit of intrigue and imagination. I had to wait a long time to watch this film, but it was so worth it, and I had great trailers and great imagery to make me look forward to witnessing this triumph of a film. Thank you Peter Jackson, you have a made a film for the ages.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Gorgeous and mesmerizing, but inferior to the first.

[7/10 · 27 December 2022]

Following up after Avatar was always going to hard, as I feel like the first didn't need a sequel. Like the original this film is breathtaking to look at, and since I love the sea I was perhaps more astounded by this imagery than last time. Unfortunately the story is weaker this time around, and harder to justify since I'm one of the few who liked the original's plot. Neytiri is also sidelined in this film, which I found disappointing since she was a standout in the first.

Jake Sully now has a family with Neytiri, two son's and two daughter's; followed by an adopted son. The family dynamic is the core strength of this film, however the children themselves are a mixed bag. The story relies so much on them getting into trouble that it becomes annoying, however there are some scenes which ALMOST make you forgive them for this.

The action and effects are just as amazing as the original's, but unfortunately this film is still very much the same as the first. I wanted to feel what I felt during the original, but unfortunately I didn't, and even though I wasn't bored, I wasn't as invested either. If the third film does happen, I hope there's changes made to make it more engaging.

This film is longer than the first however it's not noticeable, all though five or ten minutes extra would've pushed it. There are quite a few scenes which I disliked in the movie, like a certain pregnant Navi riding off into battle, but overall I liked it; however I can't say I'm enthusiastic about another one.

Avatar (2009)

A gorgeous and immersive film, with a story! and plenty of heart

[8/10 · 22 December 2022]

I rewatched Avatar since I hadn't seen it since it first came out. I watched it twice when it came out and saw it in 3d which amplified my experience with it. If any film was built for 3d it's this film, but even without it I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it. A common complaint I hear about this film is that it doesn't have a story, but what about Jake Sully's story? What about Sigourney Weaver's story? Or Zoe Saldana's Neytiri?

Those three characters are the story driven elements of this film, and I was invested in each one of them. People only praise this film for it's CGI or special effects, but I feel that it deserves better than that. Theme's of belonging, family and acceptance are weaved wonderfully into the narrative, as well as a strong environmental theme which some people will hate, but may fail to see the importance behind it.

Avatar is an emotional journey which take's audiences to a brand new world of beauty and wonder, and for it's younger viewers, could have a range of lessons which inspire and enlighten there minds.

Injustice (2021)

Not as good as the comics, but an impressive attempt.

[7/10 · 1 December 2022]

Injustice was always going to be difficult to adapt, arguments would be waged on whether it should be an entire universe or a series, but I think this singular movie has covered it well. It won't please everyone and I understand some of the critics of this film, but I'll explain why I liked it.

Firstly it covers the major highlights of each volume rather well, it's inferior to the comic yes but it does a sound job in making these highlights coincide smoothly.

Some of the character deaths will annoy people and I understand one particular one rather well, even though I thought it was clever. As far as I know most were accurate, and they drew good emotion when they occurred.

The ending was great, and I much prefer it to the video games ending, which without the video game component would make little sense if any. I didn't enjoy the twist with the video game either, so having this film pretty much ignore that pleased me very much.

I liked the animation, I liked the voice acting, and I found the length to be satisfying, and it covered most of the material that needed to be covered.

There's definitely some stuff that would've been cool to see in this adaptation, but overall I'm happy, and I prefer this to any of the other DC animated stuff as of late.

Black Adam (2022)

Entertaining and satisfying, The Rock's passion shows all throughout this film.

[8/10 · 20 October 2022]

I admit the trailers didn't really excite me for this film, but I still wanted to see it since I could tell there was passion within it. Dwayne Johnson does a commendable job as Teth Adam, which was something I was curious about as to whether he would adopt the character or himself. I'm pleased to say that he does, minus the accent that some depictions of Black Adam have.

The JSA are all solid, I'm still not really sold on Hawkman but he's all right for the role he plays. Brosnan does a great job as Dr Fate, and I wish there was more of him but I was happy with what we got.

Some will critic the non stop action in this film, and there is a lot but I feel that it's mostly entertaining. It does draw away from potential world building or character development, but I think we got enough to fill in the requirements this film needed to succeed.

The villain is one dimensional but I wouldn't say that there bad, there is some interesting lore behind them and there connection to Teth, so I personally found them interesting and enjoyed the spectacle that they brought.

Finally the comedy is hit and miss in this film, and there are some occasions where it doesn't fit with the Black Adam tone. I liked the tone overall, and the music was good, but some of the comedy could be scrapped to fit with the mood.

I'm getting sick of seeing pop songs in over the top actions scenes, please stop doing that!