DanLives1980 Reviews

Suicide Squad (2016)

Still better than Fant4stic lol

[6/10 · 21 October 2016]

In five or ten years the next generation will no doubt appreciate this much more than we did, although I'm not dismissing it. Suicide Squad has plenty enjoyable qualities and enough to keep your attention. It's not a terrible film as long as you're not a film connoisseur or a comic book fan. For the most part it enjoys a superb production, albeit inconsistent at times. Saying that, I've never met a fan of the source material; not even over the great expanse of the Internet!

A rarity these days is that I managed to watch the movie from beginning to end, whilst paying attention. Saying that, I've done the same with Punisher War Zone and Freddy Got Fingered. I have a high threshold for good trash. I have a low threshold for vapid, soulless trash.

They made some pretty uninteresting characters work for the screen, but desperately diminished others, such as Harley Quinn in regard to her notorious qualities and back story; no doubt to handle the audience with kid gloves.

Will Smith's character is possibly the strongest in the whole film, even though his Deadshot is also light on authenticity. But he works at it while the likes of Killer Croc just snarls and skulks and Katana just serves as a token Asian with a fancy sword.

Jay Hernandez's El Diablo is the underdog for me in terms of redemption and likability and Cara Delavigne does a great job switching character, but is given little else to do other than look impressive. Joel Kinnaman is wooden at times, as always, but has come a long way.

But Jared Leto's Joker? I went in without expectation. I came out with "Feminist Trans 4Chan Toad doing a Scarface impression whilst sounding very much like Rob Schneider's Deuce Bigalow after dental surgery..." He is horrendous but girls will like him anyway, because, "Jared Leto!"

Scott Eastwood and Adam Beach are also massively wasted, and I'd feel sorry for Jai Courtenay, but he chose to audition for a character called Captain Boomerang so exactly what was he expecting to have to work with? Dumb dialogue? Poor humour and action? Check!

Otherwise it's full of spectacle that looks good for the most part and it creates a tone I'd expect of a movie based around comic villains, minus the romanticised Joker/Harley thread which I feel was the weakest link. But if this was the version the studio wanted me to see, I want to see Ayer's Director's Cut.

Damn it, DC, have some faith in your audience. I'm a Marvel fan and I'm still rooting for you!

Outpost: Black Sun (2012)

Most inferior to its originator.

[4/10 · 31 July 2016]

I was a fan of the surprising Outpost of 2008. It was one of the few offerings of the last decade that rose above its cheapness. Steve Barker showed great potential, something that was made clear with the help of veteran character actors such as Ray Stevenson and Richard Brake; not to forget a tightly wound atmospheric soundtrack! Surprisingly, Steve Barker returned to write and direct this sequel and yet it plays like a franchise that has been continued by an amateur replacement.

Whereas the film has strength in a few authentic battle-scenes and the use of functioning weapons and blanks instead of CGI muzzle fire (very important to me), this review isn't about trying to save what remains of a bad film. Its lack of good actors coupled with everything else that fails makes it fall flat beyond its promising opening scenes.

Barker makes the mistake of reinventing what worked to such great effect the first time around. I understand that he was trying to broaden the scope for a greater sense of danger regarding the plot but he fails to deliver on a larger scale. And yet by the time we return to the bunker, it's almost as if the movie ran out of funding.

Outpost was claustrophobic and played on informational - and sometimes sensory - deprivation. In Black Sun, the cinematography is loose, the characters are paper thin and rather than a sense of urgency, the film is paced with the impatience of a rushed production.

Furthermore I was let down by the sudden differences in the undead Nazi threat. In Outpost they couldn't die, not even after the EMP blast in the final scenes. Now all of a sudden they're being defeated with knives and they're dumber. They don't attack with the same savagery and they do a lot of screaming, which kills the mystery that actually made them frightening.

Finally, and I'm breaking my own rule of not spoiling movies in my reviews, what the hell made Steve Barker think it'd be good or scary in any way to throw a witch hag into the mix? The ending doesn't even deserve the result of your insulted intelligence!

Citadel (I) (2012)

Astounding exercise in the psychology of fear.

[9/10 · 31 July 2016]

This is what I'm talking about. Just when you think you're so jaded that nothing can affect you, along comes a film that straddles the line between horror and harrowing drama with the effectiveness of the movies that caused the worst nightmares of your childhood! Citadel flew under the radar back in 2012 and I can see why. It's too grim for the average viewer; the kind of people who seek to escape reality with the absurdity of popcorn movies. Citadel does not want you to escape. It wants to drag you deeper into the cold, black depths of its own private hell. That it does with perfect writing, directing, acting and location.

Too often the torch of "best horror film since..." is passed onto the rip-offs that have no intention of producing originality. They seek recognition for their ability to mimic their betters. Citadel is all alone in its personal nightmare, but if you see it, it will drag you in.

It's amazing how, with the right tools at your disposal, simplicity can lead to such profound filmmaking. Citadel's strengths may seem few at first glance, but through amazing acting on behalf of its lead character, the psychology of fear - the victim mentality, the onset of panic and anxiety, and a visceral insight into post-traumatic stress syndrome - can leap to the viewer like a virus.

With elements of Harry Brown and Tyrannosaur, Citadel is one hyper-real Aphex Twin urban nightmare, shameless in its teasing of the nerves and building atmosphere and suspense like the steam inside a pressure cooker.

See it!

The Purge: Election Year (2016)

The best and most suspenseful in the series

[8/10 · 25 July 2016]

The Purge movies have never been perfect, though how often can you call a movie perfect? What was important to me was that Purge: Anarchy sidestepped the curse of the sequel to better the original, and whereas my intuition had me worrying that Election Year would be its downfall, it's now in my opinion the best of the three! I believe that decent movies with potential deserve sequels over all else, with that in mind, and to see The Purge going from strength to strength has been a pleasure. Election Year's strength is that we get one particular surviving character that we can be emotionally invested in before the film has established itself.

Frank Grillo returns as Leo Barnes, once a cop and now personal security for a senator pushing to end the Purge if she becomes president. With that, the clock is already ticking as the powers that be want her dead.

Establishing new characters surviving purge night in Los Angeles, the addition of Mykelti Williamson is more than welcome, but I especially loved some of the new villains brought in, such as the psychotic schoolgirls and the battle hardened mercenary leader. It further reminded me of the Playstation 2 Manhunt games which I once lived for and gave Barnes way too much to contend with, upping the stakes, the suspense and the thrilling edge-of-your-seat battles.

One one hand, the film doesn't leap as far as it could, but not in the premise or where some actors seem to go overkill with their characters. Some others don't act like they're fighting for their lives or have any sense of conviction at all and some opportunities for jumps and scares aren't utilised. There were underwhelming moments just as I was warming up for a good fright.

But on the other hand, whereas critics miss the point in explaining why this would never happen in reality, Purge continues on the path not taken to bring something of a modern day Orwellian nightmare crossed with Manhunt and The Running Man.

It's sheer action and suspense, fantastical and unashamed, and you will root for these characters like never before if you loved the last one!

Preacher (2016–2019)

Garth Ennis's Vision turned up to 11.

[10/10 · 23 July 2016]

Not only does the Preacher adaptation hit the nail on the head, it stylistically and intelligently does Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon's work justice and then superbly extends on their fictional universe and rounds off each character just right! And not only does Preacher bring everything to life faithfully, it gives us more without spoiling what was already as good as perfect, such as Cassidy's high-jinx drug-fuelled adventures and angels DeBlanc and Fiore's funny and yet subtly endearing "woe is me" existence.

And I don't know if it's a compliment or an insult but Jesse, Cassidy and Arseface are the living embodiments of Dillon's sometimes silly and childlike artwork. But just like that artwork, it serves a very important purpose, because the comedic violence wouldn't work any other way.

Otherwise they nail the performances as does the rest of the cast. There's not a hint of grey in the whole show. It's wacky and wonderful, grisly and bewildering and yet sometimes very dark and reminiscent of David Lynch.

Extra props go to Ruth Negga's authentic and sometimes poetic Deep South take on Tulip O'Hare. She could easily be the strongest actor on the show. So could Jackie Earl Haley as Odin Quincannon, best described as a bald and hilariously psychotic Ronnie Corbett. Graham McTavish's Cowboy often steals the show without saying a word.

The gags are perfectly befitting of Ennis's Northern Irish humour and otherwise reminds me of Martin McDonagh's writing (Seven Psychopaths) and the direction and editing style are also spot on.

I cannot find a fault in this show except that I started watching it so early that I can't binge-watch it like I want to!

The Strain (2014–2017)

One of the Best Horror Shows EVER!!!

[10/10 · 23 July 2016]

I've always loved Guillermo Del Toro's work but that doesn't stop me from being fussy, so you know I'm not biased. I'm amazed that he can leave a feature film like Pacific Rim with so many flaws and yet produce a stellar show such as this - now heading onto the third and possibly final season - which pulls out all the stops and competes with some of the best dramas out there as a horror show! The Strain is a slightly new take on the vampire legend in the way that only Del Toro could bring and cleverly connects the present day with legend, lore and historic drama.

The premise allows for darkness and evil to grip New York from the troubled projects on up to the highest echelons of the wealthy and influential while the humble and the lost conflict over their own personal adversities. This is one of my favourite elements of the show. There are so many characters from different backgrounds that if you never read the novels or comics, you don't know who is truly for good but you'll feel for them, even some of the villains.

Portraying the most flawed protagonists that you could ever expect, the likes of Corey Stoll, David Bradley and Kevin Durand slam out perfect performances every time, as do the rest of the cast. And with support from the likes of Doug Jones, Stephen McHattie, Rupert Penry-Jones, Leslie Hope, Samantha Mathis, Sean Astin and Andrew Divoff, it's like a modern day X-Files on a deadline.

Fantastic special effects every time, no expenses spared, strong episodes every time and oodles of intrigue will leave every horror fan binge-watching just to see what happens every next episode.

For television this is a solid 10/10!

The Last Ship (2014–2018)

Well Worth Investing In!

[9/10 · 23 July 2016]

Some shows audiences are magnetised and some they're polarised against. The Last Ship is a popular show from TNT but doesn't seem to get a mention above efforts from the likes of HBO and AMC. This is one of few shows that I gave a chance and ended up binge-watching in the space of two weeks and I've never looked back since!

For a show that sometimes plays off like Star Trek (redshirts traded for Navy blue camouflage), I haven't been this emotionally invested in so many characters since the likes of Band of Brothers. And it shouldn't be hard to understand why.

With so much veteran talent and fresh promising talent in the same boat, and with a non-stop sense of danger that rises from episode to episode, it's been well-established that not even our leads are safely plot-armoured.

With Michael Bay's name on the crate and with the premise of the US military out to save the world once more, this could have been a predictable and overly patriotic sick bag.

Instead, thanks to brilliant performances (especially from Eric Dane, Adam Baldwin, John Pyper-Ferguson and Mark Moses) here is a series that will earn its stripes for seasons to come!

Drive Hard (2014)

Not great, not terrible.

[5/10 · 21 June 2016]

I question the ambition of this middle of the road action movie which has little in the way of actual action or surprise. Again, two often bankable but fading movie stars paired up in an effort that would even have gone unnoticed on terrestrial TV in the mid-'90s - I guess they need to work like the rest of us, but they're better than this! Thomas Jane is an ex-racer living in Australia, doing a 9-5 job that he hates and living in marriage limbo, when a client who may be a stalker turns out to be a bank robber with a higher purpose.

Jane is dragged into the crime, which quickly turns into a game of cops and robbers but then suggestively goes deeper as the corrupt bank pulls out all the stops to catch them. It's a shame that anybody other than Jane and Cusack don't appear to have acted in any capacity other than for soap operas, which is as good as pantomime; and that's what it often feels like.

It's a simple plot that works in the hands of a capable production company, and Drive Hard does feature some nice stunt driving, but it's rather tepid and doesn't dare to do much more than turn a few sharp corners.

It's just nice to have featured a Ford Falcon and a Mustang Fastback. There are some highlights. Jane's character suffers many a humorous mishap including a brawl with an old woman, but overall I could have been thrilled once or twice. That's not too much to ask.

John Cusack's appearance in the movie prompted me to forget what I was watching and to search the internet for the state of his health. He not only appears ill and barely invested, he looks like death, or more specifically George Stark in Stephen King and George Romero's The Dark Half, including the weird crud happening under the surface of his face.

Overall not a great film, and a lot will pass you by as a result of boredom, but it isn't awful if you must watch it for yourself!

Standoff (I) (2016)

Surprising and Suspenseful

[8/10 · 21 June 2016]

Just beyond the opening scenes, Standoff quickly rises above its cheapness as an enjoyable and gripping suspense thriller. Then we're treated to an old breed of filmmaking that hasn't been this well-done since the likes of Misery! I love both headlining actors dearly but they've unfairly fallen off the radar in recent years. I still buy into their efforts on occasion despite bitter reviews, though, because budget does not always make for a great movie. In this case, it hits the spot.

So an ex-military man turned mafia hit-man hunts the sole witness of a multiple murder - a young girl with a camera - to a lonely farmhouse inhabited by a grieving alcoholic. Literally this is the premise and the scene is set for a siege and an edgy war of wits as one tries to convince the other to let him have the girl and walk away.

Sometimes that's all you need; no winding plot twists to keep people guessing. Sometimes it's just about the suspense and the viscera, but Standoff benefits from a great script and the skills of the director who also wrote it.

It has an old-school feel to it, and when we get down to it, even the look of the film harks back to a day of shamelessly simple effectiveness.

Fishburne is on top form as the villain, bringing the ghetto mentality of former villainous roles from the likes of King of New York and Assault on Precinct 13. He's sharper than ever, bursting with character and both smouldering and cold-blooded.

Thomas Jane also throws in his strongest performance in a long time and his man on the edge versus the man on a deadline is both genius acting and writing at once. They don't make characters like this anymore. Back in the '70s or '80s the role could have belonged to Lee Marvin, James Coburn or Roy Scheider.

I'm surprised and saddened that Standoff isn't getting recognition. It deserves a round of applause!

Give 'em Hell Malone (2009)

Give 'Em A Budget, Hollywood!

[7/10 · 21 June 2016]

I was recommended this movie some years ago. I never did have the heart to get around to it until now. Thomas Jane has been treated badly by the film industry, though he's quite the eccentric and not much of a scenester, so I'm always apprehensive as to the movies he does, especially after The Mutant Chronicles.

And then there's Russell Mulcahy, who despite some valiant efforts never did better than Highlander. In fact he's often gone the direction of career suicide.

Give 'Em Hell, Malone! is a modern day LA film noir and also very comic-book by nature. It features a few good actors and then those who should not be encouraged (Doug Hutchison).

Bringing up director Russell Mulcahy, someone whose movies became increasingly cheaper with the arrival of digital, the film often suffers the look of a crowd-funded Internet series, only the likes of Mortal Kombat Legacy had better stunt co-ordination considering many of its actors had considerably less experience than Tom Jane and Ving Rhames.

Despite this, the writing is its strong point and our leads do deliver (though I hate Hutchison with a passion and doubt he could act his way out of a sandwich board). Malone's relationship with his mother is a definite highlight and the stunning Elsa Pataky deserved more to work with than looking pretty.

Thomas Jane's Malone is reminiscent of classic Charles Bronson at times but uncannily feels and looks like Humphrey Bogart aside from the comic violence and trademark Jane chuckle fodder.

Not a bad film at all. It just deserved to look more professional and to be less rushed!

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Very Flawed But Highly Underrated

[7/10 · 21 June 2016]

The movie I anticipated highly and over the already formulated and tired Marvel factory, I sadly never thought I'd have the patience to watch Batman V Superman a second time!

Name your own reasons, but:

-Jesse Eisenberg's terrible Lex Luthor. -That silly Flash post-dream sequence, which should have led to more. -A bloated and unnecessary run time of two and a half hours featuring scenes the film didn't need. -Awful dialogue unfitting of key characters. -Key characters who don't even seem to fit in. -Zack Snyder's Michael Bay-esque love of pointless slow motion. -Scenes with potential completely wasted (Robin's vandalised armour). -Hans Zimmer's uninspired soundtrack and Junkie XL's seeming absence.

You'd almost think Snyder was trying to mimic Joss Whedon!

But rather than throw my comics out of the pram, I felt that there was just too much to take on board in one sitting, as has always been the case with Snyder.

Despite the darkness and pessimism - Batman now having no qualms about putting gun toting henchmen out of his misery, and Superman using the fact that he killed Zod to offer fair warning - I see where Snyder is going and I'm alright with it.

Justice League is set to go up against world-destroying enemies. Their own personal enemies have all been murderous psychopaths, too, so maybe it's time to get real and to put more of a permanent solution to saving the world. Why the hell not?

And it's pretty clear at this point that as the meta-humans rise to the occasion, many key characters are set to fall by the wayside.

You also may not agree with deconstructing main characters, but this is the age we live in where everyone's a critic. BVS's pessimism teaches this lesson. These are dangerous times and all we can do is turn on each other through anger and helplessness; when our best is not good enough by the standards of others.

BVS's strongest points therefore are its analogies of present day terrorism, social justice and political correctness putting power into the wrong hands; and then the sheer effort put into action, brawling and some really tasty effects to get your teeth into.

Batman/Bruce Wayne rightly carries most of it until even he realises how out of his depth he really is, despite being able to go toe to toe with the Son of Krypton. And even though he's pretty helpless himself in some scenes, this serves to show the true power of meta-humans and monsters.

Again, the fight scenes are befitting of the kind of DC video game cinematics that led the way for the past half a decade (DC Universe Online & Injustice) and this is the perfect vision to rival Marvel's more cartoony Transformers feel.

In all, yes, there are lots of reasons to criticise BVS. But as time goes by you may find that you greatly appreciate where it does succeed and without being held back by bias or bitterness.

Cell (I) (2016)

Infuriating Title-Grab

[3/10 · 14 June 2016]

I was maddened in 2013 by the harsh truth behind World War Z. It seemed that the producers, in trying to really do what they wanted to do, used nothing from the iconic Max Brooks novel but the title and then made it up as they went along.

Cell, based on the Stephen King novel, does the same to a great extent. It does attempt to recreate key scenes and it does feature key characters, but botches them instead where it bothers to try. Nothing about this movie does the novel justice, not even the poor choices in casting.

The writing is another level of bad, omitting essential storytelling and dialogue for a bit of running around in the woods and grumbling about life. King's novel had volumes of great work to take from and it's now completely lost in translation.

From the opening scene it's laughably executed. The "Phoners" are not the same zombie-like flocks. They're running zombies performed by amateur dramatics students who all have their own interpretations rather than following the right concept (like a flock).

John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson are too old to convince us of their characters. Jackson's (Tom McCourt) is reduced from a charming but sarcastic gay, white and balding Boston office worker with a weariness for organised religion, to an apathetic rail worker who was also handily in Vietnam and yet has the strength to outrun running zombies and walk without a hitch across an entire state.

Cell also replaces an overlying sense of building dread with formulated urgency and loses suspense as a result. And in ditching the chemistry established between characters - which is how we originally endeared to them - you can't even care about them.

Gone are the co-survivors learning to travel by night as the "Phoners" go to sleep. Gone are the several nights learning between Jordan and Professor Ardai about how the Pulse likely works and how they might stop it.

And gone is the original purpose of the Raggedy Man, the representative of the flock leading the remains of humanity to their doom in Kashwakamak. Now he's just a white kid in a hoodie and the Phoners aren't developing extra sensory powers as they reboot.

For what it is, this adaptation of Cell should have changed its name and come with the note: "loosely based..." In that it would be what it is, otherwise; a really poorly budgeted and executed zombie movie starring two old guys running around the woods a bit until the inevitable crap ending.

Samuel L. Jackson will recover with another Avengers movie. John Cusack has now entered the Wicker Man stage of Nicolas Cage's career.

Tod Williams was not experienced enough to direct Cell or to take on such a highly anticipated project. All drama is toned down and all action is poorly executed, with much of the suggested good stuff happening off-screen at the best of times. And before you know it, you don't know what's happening and the movie has ended.

And don't get me started on the ending. I loved the novel's ending. All because most readers couldn't grasp it, King rewrote it for the movie and it's devastatingly risible.

Do yourself a favour if you were interested in this. Just go and buy the book and save yourself!

Defiance (I) (2008)

A Different Breed of War Film

[7/10 · 11 June 2016]

What with all the stories told from every faction of WWII and how everybody trounced those pesky Nazi Germans, things can get a bit formulaic! Defiance is a war era drama that takes a different stance, in fact it takes two; standing with one foot in the campgrounds of the Russian Partisans and the other in the camps of the Jews who dared to escape into the woods of Belorussia and Poland to survive the Holocaust.

It sports some finely crafted drama, though not perfect. It just does the best with what it has and thankfully it has authenticity and great acting on its side, despite some shortcomings and incidences of overstepping the mark.

Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber play the two older brothers of a slain Jewish Belorussian family who flee with their younger siblings into the woods, chased not only by Nazis but the police forces of their own communities who have sided with the enemy.

One brother goes on to lead the growing number of escaping Jews while the other - ostracised after rising tensions - joins the Partisans.

The story is sometimes sporadic in its delivery of drama and incidence, meaning that one theme is sometimes forgotten for the sake of a bit of action. Don't get me wrong, some of the action is superbly done, but I felt that there were some rushed scenes.

While all very well executed, I feel that Defiance suffered an occasional conflict in direction and style, but most viewers might not even notice this.

Craig and Schreiber's Russian is spot on and at times even seems playfully competitive, which adds much needed chemistry to such an ambitious tale of family. Jamie Bell is also on form.

Overall a fine effort, even though I felt it might actually have had more impact were it half an hour shorter.

Cross of Iron (1977)

Outside The Box

[9/10 · 11 June 2016]

One of the all-time classics of western cinema, Sam Peckinpah (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid) proved a huge feat of filmmaking strength with this gruelling and sadistic wartime drama pitting Nazi Germany against Russia on the Eastern Front! No stranger to controversy, Peckinpah masterfully handled both beasts on the frontline while coaxing an almost Shakespearean feel out of the story pitting not only army versus army but a Captain against his Lieutenant.

The hard-nosed but effective Lt. Steiner (James Coburn), commands a loyal unit of rogues against a marauding enemy as Germany inevitably fails to occupy the East. He not only has the respect and friendship of the men he fights with, but even the Colonel (James Mason) believes that his kind may be Germany's only hope.

His new commanding officer, Captain Stransky (Maximillian Schell) however - a highly educated and proud officer with the kind of superiority complex that one could associate only with a Nazi officer - quickly puts the situation further at odds with his dislike of Steiner.

As the barrage of infantry and artillery against the German line intensifies and costs more than any man is able to take, their rivalry comes to a head through an epic war in every sense.

Cross of Iron is first and foremost very gory and one of the first true war movies of its kind to swap paintball grade bullet wounds for explosive exit wounds and authentic wartime injuries, to the point where it could almost be considered Grindhouse; considering its production values.

Coburn takes the classic antihero archetype beyond Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, giving us a dirtier, more damaged frontman than had been seen before (and for some time after). Whereas Schell is deliberately cold, proper and clean cut as the kind of German we really love to hate. But he too goes beyond the stereotypical.

The support cast is brilliant and not just James Mason and David Warner as one would expect. Cross of Iron sports actual Germans playing Germans and are committed to creating stand-out characters that we do grow attached to.

What we end up with may be somewhat expected, but there is plenty you won't see coming and Cross of Iron sports anti-war messages of a different nature to that of what you may be used to. In fact, despite it's dated production values, it's totally on target.

Cross of Iron is one of the essentials of war film!

The Big Red One (1980)

A Cinematic Masterclass

[10/10 · 11 June 2016]

I grew up addicted to this movie. It was released the year I was born, responsible for a lot of worn out and chewed up VHS tapes. Despite conventional war movies constantly improving over the decades, by comparison they've failed to recreate what writer/director/war veteran and war movie legend Samuel Fuller did so well. This is his masterpiece! There are so many scenes in The Big Red One that have taught younger generations how to make scenes stand out in memory. Some give away the game too soon, others throw in scenes for shock or sudden plot twists. But if you settle in to enjoy this movie and look beyond Fuller's almost comic book delivery of the First Division's journey through WWII from North Africa through Europe, you'll appreciate the subtle hints at what's around every corner as they weigh in your gut like the dread that Fuller himself no doubt experienced as a GI in the war.

Character establishment is sometimes arbitrary but progressive, but in the case of key characters, whose stories make the bulk of the movie's context (neither completely anti or pro war), there are moments that even the film's seemingly dated production cannot make any less unsettling. It doesn't set out to shock but it may choke you.

Lee Marvin is at his very best as the badly ageing and guilt-stricken sergeant. Still he oozes roguish charisma, which is probably why his chemistry with the cast is so sharp.

Mark Hamill is a ticking timebomb of twisted emotion, Robert Carradine is delightfully cocky and Bobby Ciccone and Kelly Ward wear their uniforms like they were born for the battalion.

True to even the most frank of real life WWII stories such as Band of Brothers, this unit is comprised of men who thrive off each other, which makes The Big Red One feel so refreshingly authentic considering the time of its making.

And considering what we know now what we didn't know all those decades ago, and most certainly what I couldn't have known as a child, what we witness in the movie's final scenes make it all the more heart-wrenching to come to terms with.

This is a must see for all connoisseurs of war cinema!

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)

Action Packed Documentarian Butt Clencher

[8/10 · 11 June 2016]

I'm shocked that this is a Michael Bay movie. Everything I don't like about his directorial efforts (excessive slow motion cuts, glossy over the top music video production, corny action scenes) is missing from this movie. I went in without any knowledge or expectations and came out thrilled! 13 Hours is, if anything, a mercenary take (or if you prefer, private security contractor) on Black Hawk Down, immersing us into an escalating situation between the CIA and the extremist factions of Benghazi after the death of Muammar Gaddafi.

Although there is a little corniness, as I have come to expect from modern warfare biopic action thrillers (Act of Valor) it's not distracting to me and there's only ever enough to drive up emotional investment in the lead characters, which are mostly very easy to like regardless.

The cast is a minor stroke of genius. James Badge Dale clearly enjoys portraying military characters since his lead role in The Pacific and delivers yet again. John Krasinsky makes a phenomenal change from the role he's best known for - Jim Halpert in the The Office (USA).

And Max Martini lends solid support yet again after apparently having learned to bench press bulldozers or something. But the biggest surprise and character investment of all comes down to "Tanto" portrayed by Pablo Schreiber, who was by far my favourite and had me on the edge of my seat a fair few times.

13 Hours, thanks to the writing of Chuck Hogan (The Strain) and Bay's much sharper pacing, doesn't try to glorify either the politics or the violence. It sets up a disaster in the making with dramatic precision and provides just enough light relief for you to know that things are going to go from bad to worse.

And it does raise politics, in fact, and polarises viewers, because it isn't here to take sides. It was made to tell a true life story as it happened and why. And I do love that the CIA took a boot to the arse as a result.

Very impressive. Watch it with Lone Survivor and Black Hawk Down.

The Hive (2014)

Imaginative & Effective Horror

[8/10 · 14 February 2016]

I tend not to look for horror films anymore. Call me jaded but I grew up in the '80s. By the time I turned twenty there was nothing I hadn't seen, whether it was done well or badly. CGI ruined the rest! But the past few years has seen a resurgence in excellently crafted and executed horror films and The Hive is the latest that I must rank so highly. I believe this to be one of the best of the decade.

Don't think zombies when you see the trailer. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Evil Dead. Don't think tweeny love story like it was marketed. Although it has those elements, and they are a driving force, they're done well and quite maturely.

This is one of those movies that wades neck deep in the kind of horror that gave you nightmares as a kid and yet it also has the intelligence of Christopher Nolan's Memento, yet with a dash of Friday 13th and the late '90s Liev Schreiber sci-fi horror Phantoms.

I had very few hang-ups, going in with zero expectations, and left with zero hang-ups, all but for the choice in music at the end credits and the slightly cliché end narration.

The rest, from beginning to end, is an exercise in creepy, suspenseful, horror with a mind of its own; and possibly a secret subtext with a message about our modern society.

That dormitory scene later on...

Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–2018)

This Show Is Everything It Needs To Be

[10/10 · 12 December 2015]

When it comes to television I'm bored stiff, sick and tired of the pessimism and theatrical grit we've been overfed. It's time for a change and Bruce Campbell has brought it like rain to desert!

The Evil Dead legacy is one born of charm and daring, which is why Campbell has gone from strength to strength while still staying in touch with his long-enduring fan-base.

After being well and truly accepted by the mainstream, he's flexed his influential muscles and brought a classic back to life at the right time.

What can I say without spoiling this amazing show? Let's save the expected for last and start with the general setup.

-Excellent production, still reminiscent of the classics. -Great choice in cast, including special guests. -The mythology expanded; we now have freaky demons. -Classic mythology is also done justice. -Very die-hard fan friendly, and yet mainstream friendly too.

Money has gone into this show. Campbell is clearly an anchor to rely on no just as the show's lead, but for the production of the show, too. Every trick he could pull out of his sleeve, he has, and yet there's always a surprise in each new episode. I don't see this show ending any time soon, or losing steam.

Simpler reasons to love this show:

-It's gory as hell. It puts The Walking Dead to shame. -You'll laugh hard. If it's not for the comedy dynamics, then because our leads are having way too much fun with the effects team, and you can tell. -It's so refreshingly anti-PC. -Bruce is on top form, for action and one liners. -It has more atmosphere than most modern horror efforts. -Great character building, especially from Campbell, who doesn't usually get the chance. You'll laugh at Ash, you'll groan at Ash, but you'll also grow to feel for him like you haven't before.

All you ever wanted from an Evil Dead show is here, and more. This may be Campbell's last ride as Ash, like John Wayne's last western in that respect, but not until he's left his fans with what they've waited so long for.

He might be passing the torch to a new generation, but he's definitely out to prove that there is and will always be only one Ashley J. Williams.

This could happily be the last TV show I ever watch!

The Last Winter (2006)

Return to Paranoia Suspense

[7/10 · 30 November 2015]

It took me two watches to finally come around and give this movie credit where it was due. The first time I didn't see it all and I judged it unfairly as a result. It may not have helped that I saw it on the Horror Channel, which I only flick through out of boredom! It's a well crafted tale reminiscent of The Twilight Zone and with hints of Lovecraft, but also mostly steeped in reality with good use of psychology and paranoia like John Carpenter's The Thing.

You can't go wrong with it's cast, notably Ron Perlman, James Le Gros and even Kevin Corrigan and Jamie Harrold, who provide solid backing.

The theme is notably environmental horror with a big hint of the paranormal, which you can't tell in the Alaskan wilderness without a couple of natives on board. That theme, when it all mixes up with escalating events proves very atmospheric, and so whether you like the ambiguous ending or not, there's little denying that this slow-thawing chiller does a good job!

Re-Kill (2015)

Effective Action Horror

[6/10 · 30 November 2015]

So I've been trawling through the zombie horrors as of late. By chance I happened upon Re-Kill, which I originally bypassed on release! I can still see why, but I found myself surprised by how well-executed the action/horror was. Drop the corny REC (Spanish zombie movie) dialogue, the First Person camera angles (which caused me some motion sickness) and a few pointless scenes here and there and this movie is actually a nod to '80s Paul Verhoeven sci-fi parody and Left 4 Dead multi-player gaming.

It's not there for the drama or to deliver a message, it's solely there for the experience and as zombie shoot-'em-ups go, it does a fine job when it gathers momentum. It just takes some effort to get there as a result of distracting cut-aways to scenes the movie didn't need.

What surprised me first and foremost, though, was its cast. Roger R. Cross never quite made the transition from TV face to movie lead since cult sci-fi series First Wave.

In Re-Kill he gets his own platoon and he kicks ass. His character is quite reminiscent of Tony Todd's performance in the 1990 Night of the Living Dead remake.

Also surprising was the return of '90s rent-a-villain Bruce Payne, who takes the crazy hero slant for once. He's still creepy as hell, though. And Scott Adkins, a martial arts action hero as a meat-headed SWAT trooper? He's pretty intense and very welcome for this one.

Some other actors could have done a better job, or simply not had a job. At first you won't know if Re-Kill is trying to be serious or just resemble the silly 3D movies they used to play at Alton Towers but eventually it comes into its own.

I just wish they had a director's cut with the idiot cameraman voice deleted, or rewritten and performed by someone who isn't irritating.

Good effort, just not a great contender!

Dead Set (2008)

Half-Decent Little Zombie Flick

[7/10 · 29 November 2015]

What's not to like about a sudden zombie apocalypse trolling the attention seeking celeb wannabe contestants of a burned out reality TV gameshow? What's even better was that they used Channel 4's Big Brother and its original host to completely and utterly take the mick out of the tragically useless stereotypes that get picked for this show every year. Kevin Eldon did a fantastic job especially, portraying the miserable armchair politician type with a crush without a hope.

Dead Set takes a few good actors, a few television comics, and a brilliant special effects workshop and makes one of the best British efforts in horror there's been since 28 Days Later.

The great cinematography lends a lot of suspense and atmosphere, all in the right places (when it's taking itself seriously). The gore is fantastic and well executed, and the whole film - even the funny parts - are bleak.

What cheapens it for me is how quickly survival leads good characters into the clichéd survival mode reserved for Americans in B-movies. That ultimately leads to the movie's predictable ending with people dying stupidly where they don't die horrifically, but the comedy element somewhat balances that with equal measure.

I don't know if it was supposed to have some message at the end, but the one I took away was along the lines of "good, Davina's dead, let's put something else on the telly!" Never happened.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Bone Talksalot

[6/10 · 29 November 2015]

Bone Tomahawk isn't a perfect movie but for those with a love of good character actors it's an obscure little treat that toes the line between The Twilight Zone and Quentin Tarantino.

Don't wet your pants. I don't like Tarantino! There's a lot of talking. A lot. But the action, when it happens, is authentic and gruesome. It's classed as a horror western but it's just cowboys and Indians with conventional horror gore because it's about cannibals and on that front I wasn't disappointed.

Kurt Russell is a natural as always and leads like the pro he is. His chemistry with Richard Jenkins was best, and Jenkins is barely recognisable but is solid as usual. Matthew Fox has impressed me lately with his character efforts and this tops it. He's right out of the frontier days. I can never fault Patrick Wilson either.

The atmosphere seems to build on the fact that there's no music. None. Not even ambiance. It's like a constant sense of sinister awkwardness.

That can also slow a movie down, though, especially when there's so much talking.

My two main gripes are the beginning and the end.

Stop giving David Arquette acting jobs. The first ten minutes sells the movie. You almost couldn't give this intro away. The cinematography was also lazy at times.

The end is also too quick, so pointless, and ultimately sells the movie short. Some people like ambiguous endings. I used to, when the likes of John Carpenter could pull them off. I think everyone was eager to get home by the end, like the cast and crew.

It's worth a watch. The leads do a great job, but I feel they were let down at times by the rest of the production!

Skyline (2010)

Yaayyy... Awww... Yaayyy... Awww... Yaayyy... Awww...

[6/10 · 29 November 2015]

Ever see one of those movies that surprises you, then lets you down, then surprises you some more, then lets you down some more? So here's this LA alien invasion movie (LA being popular with invading aliens) and I've given it a wide berth for a while now, hearing so many mixed reviews. And immediately I'm saying to myself 'I love what they're doing here, bringing their own concepts to a pre-loved genre,' but then where it excels, it seems to fall short in equal measures elsewhere.

My gripe is that it's one part character building for characters you can't possibly care about and then two parts shallow spectacle (bringing back those cool concepts, lashings of action, really well done CGI with great texturing etc) where we ask ourselves how much of the beginning of the movie could we have done without if only to have more of a final act?! Do you get me? It teased rather than gave. After all it delivered, it was all just a tease to say "give us more money and we'll give you more movie" only it's not the ending I didn't like. It's that they took a whole movie to get to a point that could have been reached within the space of half a movie (if it was up to a certain Mr Blomkamp).

And that reminds me that I've been watching the lovechild of Independence Day and District 9.

Eric Balfour was in his element for action, David Zayas stole it and Donald Faison seemed wasted, if not out of place. In fact, the way the movie goes everybody seemed a bit of a waste.

Startling, dazzling, exciting, cool, grisly, edge of your seat...

For part of the duration at least. I wonder if they're releasing that sequel or do they still want more money?!

Containment (I) (2015)

Underrated Suspense Thriller

[7/10 · 28 November 2015]

Remember the nuclear disaster movies of the '80s? Remember the plague epidemic movies that replaced them as the next big thing to be scared of? Containment is nothing new when it comes to concept but you have not yet seen a viral pandemic scenario played out solely on a rough English tower block estate and that's what this is! I'm drawn to these movies like a moth to flame because I like a good disaster movie and I love survival horror. Containment is a little of both but it steers more towards the style of television drama and that's what it ultimately looks like.

I enjoyed the mix of character archetypes and the frankness between them. It gets the story going without wasting any time. There's little to suggest that any one character has plot armour above all others, or that any one character is destined to meet an exceptionally terrible fate. Everyone is in the same boat without romanticising character stories the way most disaster movies do.

The gritty urban setting is perfect, as is the tone, but rather than give in to the character-conventional theatrics, it's more a frank study of how certain people might respond to such situations. Some are just as uncompromising as the thuggish hazmat teams practically assaulting them in their own homes. Others are victim to it from the outset and that gives us a recipe for serious escalation.

Think Night of the Living Dead, and The Crazies! Although for me the best performance comes from the unofficial lead, taken by understated actor Lee Ross, the character Sergei (about as Russian as a tin of custard) steals the show so often that everything remains up in the air.

Other characters aren't so convincing; one reminding me of Dylan Moran's stereotypical stuck up weakling in Shaun of the Dead. You'll see what I mean. I found him a bit of a bad distraction at times. Otherwise this is a nice change.

If you want to drop the fancy spectacle and pick up on some effective drama, this is a movie for you.

Extinction (2015)

Superb Mutant Horror!

[8/10 · 9 November 2015]

So, we have this winter-based survival horror movie that's been given tepid ratings and being passed off as a low budget zombie flick...

SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE!!! Extinction begins with no time to waste in setting the atmospherics and then killing a lot of people to sate the appetite of horror fans with high standards.

It starts out as a zombie horror but then becomes something along the lines of a Guillermo Del Toro horror movie or series (hint), but I must be frank. Del Toro writes better drama than he directs, at least compared to the director of this movie. Applause is deserved also for the writing. It keeps you guessing.

Also..

Setting, lush! Cinematography, lush! Special effects, lush! It's picture perfect and yet dynamic, which is pretty hard to pull off consistently over such a duration in movies with thriller elements.

Others may be put off by the pairing of Matthew Fox and Jeffrey Donovan and a young girl being placed between them. If that's your hang-up, you couldn't be any more wrong. They're intense, honest, creepy and down to the bone gutting. Nobody could have done it better and I'm not a huge fan of Fox or Donovan, but they delivered.

I also usually avoid horror films with kids, myself. I just think they get in the way. Quinn McColgan as Lu is bloody terrific and I doubt the film would have been as effective or terrifying without her slant on what takes place, without being typical of a fictional child. She's so thankfully devoid of cliché.

How subtly done and finely nuanced the characters are puts Stephen King to shame, without spoiling anything, meaning that you can hate them when you must, but you grow attached to them regardless, which is almost a forgotten art in horror.

That brings me to the end. Here's a great horror movie that needs to be recognised as a collectible. It's not run of the mill, it's not clichéd and it's not all drama with no gore or action on account of a child. It's what horror movies need to be right now; freezing out the water and thickening the blood again. It's the best survival horror gets and it's accessible to anyone with good taste.

If you want to compare it to other good similar survival horrors, I'd recommend watching it with the 2009 French movie Mutants and/or The Colony. That was pretty similar. In that it had snow and stuff...