rowrulz Reviews

Spider-Man (2002)

A film for comic lovers and action buffs

[7/10 · 19 June 2002]

I went into the cinema expecting big things from this movie. It's been a huge success in the States and has been critically acclaimed for being a great action blockbuster.

Getting straight to the point, the movie wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I still enjoyed it as the action sequences were pretty cool and Tobey Maguire was excellent as the gawky Peter Parker. I think they could have done with a bit more humour and a bit more character building. The Green Goblin was a little TOO outrageous in my opinion also. The worst thing for me though was the lovey dovey scenes...bleh!

Definitely worth seeing. Fans of the comic book will love it, as will action fans in general. 7/10.

The Ring Virus (1999)

Reminds me of...

[6/10 · 14 May 2002]

Just to add something not mentioned by other reviewers, the video in this film reminds me a lot of the Video Game Silent Hill, with the eery grainy effects. Actually, I kept thinking of Silent Hill all the way through the film.

The film would definitely be better if the 'mystery' of the tape was kept more of a mystery. The explanation felt a bit flat. The well scene at the end though is pretty cool.

Amores Perros (2000)

A very strong Mexican film

[8/10 · 9 January 2002]

This is a very good film to go and see at the Cinema. It was the first time I've seen a film quite like this and when I realised there were going to be sub-titles I was a bit disappointed. I'd never watched a film with sub-titles before. Despite this, I found the film thoroughly enjoyable for the most part. In parts it is shockingly violent and yet is full of dark humour. The acting was great and some of the camera work was pretty nifty as well. The film is basically in three parts. The first is perhaps the most violent and is probably my favourite. The second is arguably the weakest and yet has a couple of laugh-out moments and is very tragic. The third is very intriguing and basically brings the story together. In conclusion, I would definitely reccommend this film to people who would like to see something gritty, darkly amusing and completely non-Hollywood-like.

Rating = 8/10

Cube (1997)

A promising premise that runs out of steam

[6/10 · 3 January 2002]

The premise of this film is very interesting: a group of strangers awake to find themselves trapped in a giant cube filled with death-traps. The characters are fairly strong and some of the traps are quite cool.

Unfortunately, the film takes a turn for the worse towards the end and seems somehow rushed. A satisfactory reason for the characters predicament is never given and the end of the film leaves one thinking, "What the...?" and not in a good way.

In conclusion, worth checking out if you're a sci-fi fan, but otherwise, not much here to see.

Rating = 6/10

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

The Borgs always rock the house!

[9/10 · 3 January 2002]

For me, the best Star Trek film ever, and since I'm a HUGE Star Trek fan, one of the best sci-fi films ever.

The Borg are a truly tremendous enemy and Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Data (Brent Spiner) are excellent as always. There is some great action in this film as well as some wonderful Star Trek moments.

As a non-trekkie you may only see this as an average sci-fi film, but if you're a Trek fan and haven't seen this film then you really should. Magic!

Rating = 9/10

The Thing (1982)

Stands the test of time

[9/10 · 3 January 2002]

When I first saw 'The Thing' I was truly amazed at just how gross some of the special effects were. Now I'm a little older I'm less grossed out but still impressed that the effects look so good nearly 20 years on. This film isn't all about gore and effects however. At times the suspense is very high and parts of this film still make me jump. I'm sure after watching this film, certain sequences will stay in your mind for a long time to come. I particularly like the ending, though it may be a question of preference. In conclusion, this film is enjoyable on several levels and is a must-see for all horror fans.