They do the game a disservice by making this film so stupid. Wahlberg wasn't the right choice for the lead, or Kunis for Mona Sax. I wanted to ignore the bad reviews but they are accurate. The supernatural aspect is dialled up and yes I know it's drug related, but that wasn't a huge part of the game. The game was a coherent storyline with extraordinary action scenes, the film has none of this. The game had a clear blueprint and the filmmaker ignored what made the game so special. A reboot would be very welcomed.
Reviews
383 Reviews
Defendor
(2009)
Different Vigilante film
29 April 2020
The film was surprisingly good and Harrelson throws himself into an interesting role. I had expected this to be another Super and Kick-ass clone buy it managed to have its own identity. The films budget impacts the storyline and you could sense this wanted to be a bigger film. The film is at its best when it uses the cast to full effect. The gritty style and the fun take on a well worn vigilante style hero was the right move.
The Island
(2005)
Flawed and over the top
29 April 2020
The Island has Michael Bay's style all over it and a less stylish filmmaker might have delivered a coherent film. Bay tends to believe his aggressive filmmaking style is what we want but that's definitely not the truth. The film throws everything at you and that high rise action set piece demonstrates the filmmaker doesn't know how to stage a tension set piece. The cast is talented but are left with nothing. This would've been better handled by a talented filmmaker with less focus on mind numbing action. This flopped at the box office for good reason.
Fast Five
(2011)
Finally
24 April 2020
The series was finally piecing it together in the last film but the storyline was slightly underdeveloped. Fast five manages to resuscitate the series and course correct it into something more fun and mainstream. If you look at how far the series has changed along the way, it's quite impressive. Justin Lin has grown into the saviour of the series and the film benefits from the style he started developing in Tokyo Drift. The film is growing in cast with each new film and while Diesel and Walker aren't the only reason people turn up, the hole required to replace them would. The series is now having fun with the premise but the idea of this film series running 10 movies is absolutely insane.
Fast & Furious
(2009)
Return of the original cast
24 April 2020
This film starts pulling together all the parts of the series that worked. The spin-offs had been somewhat successful but they lacked the core strength of Diesel and Walker being together. Walker has grown into his role over time and the improved dialogue allows for less cringe worthy exchanges. The plot is still generic and is only a slight improvement over number 2. Disappointing plot undermines what should've of a slam dunk. The revenge plot is new for the series and from this moment on the storylines grow even more insane.
Extraction
(2020)
Gritty and action packed
24 April 2020
Netflix continues with the strong A list cast lead films and this one is not bad. The film may over complicate the storyline but it's a well created action film that the trailer didn't service very well. Well anchored by Hemsworth and unlike Downey Jr he chose a great project following Avengers Endgame. Netflix are dominating the streaming market and I can only hope this is the first of many more action films. Hollywood stopped producing these films so the niche needs to find a home.
2 Fast 2 Furious
(2003)
Disappointing sequel
23 April 2020
The first film was dumb fun but the sequel lacks any real storyline and it's a shame. The cast is good and the lead chemistry is better than the first film. The dialogue and character's are still cringe inducing but a gifted filmmaker is able to elevate this above the mess. The series made the right decision to spin-off away from Diesel but with this cliche riddled plot, it never stood a chance.
The Fast and the Furious
(2001)
Point Break
21 April 2020
If they were going to update Point Break, this was a better option compared to the actual remake. The cast are all newcomers and the success was deserving. The filmmaker Rob Cohen has only delivered one coherent and worthy film and that's Dragon. The Fast and the Furious has the name of an old genre film and fills it with some odd choices. This film has given birth to a series of films and if you venture back to the beginning you'll find a less complicated film. Okay but not a great film.
The Kill Team
(2019)
Tension filled thriller
13 April 2020
This is a strong characterisation of real life events. The film is filled with uncomfortable tension, something the filmmakers should've increased. The film is slow and is clearly aimed at the indie market. I wanted more depth and the film could've benefited from a longer running time. Great filmmaking debut.
Swamp Thing
(2019)
Why did this get cancelled?
12 April 2020
This was an incredible adaptation and a massive surprise. DC are finally doing good things within their tv and film division. It might not be the Alan Moore version, but this is a better version than we deserved. Unsure why they pulled the pin on this incredible series, but they need to bring it back in the near future.
Incredible and underrated
10 April 2020
My memory of this film wasn't the best and I've often skipped over it. I watched the 2.10hr version today and I enjoyed every minute of the film. It's ambitious in scope and a space opera at its heart. The one thing people agree about, that it's slow. I felt the filmmakers wanted to create something more cerebral and thought provoking. Time has been very kind to this film and I honestly felt I've missed what is a slow, but rewarding film. It wasn't the Wrath of Khan but that's what makes Wrath of Khan so good. This laid the foundation for the return of the original cast and was tagged as boring. It's slow and it's the scope of the film that rewards. This deserved a revisit.
Last Christmas
(2019)
Predictable stuff
5 April 2020
Just not my thing. It was predictable and rather empty. It was a film full of cliche story beats and one dimensional characters. The filmmaker has done better and this is disappointing. The film hits the third act and this is just run of the mill stuff. I thought this might be a strong if predictable film, but sadly it wasn't.
Prospect
(2018)
Good indie SciFi
5 April 2020
This was a slow burning sci fi film and managed to overcome the storylines pitfalls. Prospect is a film that won't appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy ambitious low budget filmmaking, this may appeal to you. It wears its character development front and center, leaving you with some slow moments. Prospect would've been nice to see on the big screen, but 4k was a nice replacement.
Bloodshot
(2020)
Predictably empty
5 April 2020
Valiant enters the movie scene with a meh entry. Vin Diesel wasn't an inspired choice and derails what could've been a smash hit. The filmmaker doesn't inject energy, and the action is adequate at best. There's enough here to keep you interested. I hope there's no more in this series, maybe a reboot in 5 years. They might blame the Convid-19 as the reason, but this was going to be a tough sell. It's amazing Vin Diesel hasn't hit the VOD market.
Death at a Funeral
(2007)
Very Funny
5 April 2020
British comedy can be very hit and miss. I tend to like the darker humour and this is one of those comedies. It's not going to convert those that find Mr Bean the greatest, but anyone that enjoys character comedy, this will fill the void. Death at a Funeral is a smart film and it was quite rare in this day and age. I only wish they made more of these films.
1917
(2019)
Strong Film
3 April 2020
The style of the film reminded me of Dunkirk and that's a good thing. It has stylish filmmaking, with the central focus on the character's. 1917 had so much hype surrounding it and I managed to avoid it. I don't believe it was the best film of 2019, but it was a great film. Much was said of the making of the film and Sam Mendes has created a tense film. I love watching long takes, it's something rewarding and in the moment. 1917 has my distinguished award of being the most ambitious studio film of the year.
Meet the Parents
(2000)
Timeless Comedy
3 April 2020
This is one of those films I wasn't a huge fan of on release. It was a massive success and the hype was everywhere. This is one of the films that built Ben Stiller's career in mainstream Hollywood. This film built a series of inferior sequels and endless copycats. This film is hilarious and highly quotable. It's weird and with each story beat, it grows more and more uncomfortable. This is a strong film and should appeal to the entire family. I think I had too much hype on release, but it grew on me over time and the filmmakers were clever with concept. A must-see.
Coco
(I) (2017)
Believe the Hype
3 April 2020
Coco did solid business on release and I finally understand why. Pixar was a force to be dealt with and no other studio had managed to compete with the level of heart and storyline in their films. But, like all good things, money pushed Pixar down another road. Coco is a return to the Pixar original story zone and it's worth every minute. I had ignored this film until 4k. It was just one film that didn't appeal to me, but I was 100 percent incorrect. This is an instant classic and that finale is amazing. This is Pixar firing on all cylinders.
In Hell
(2003)
Heavily Plotted Van Damme Vehicle
3 April 2020
It's interesting to see Ringo Lam and Van Damme partnering on further films. Maximum Risk was a underrated action film and deserves more recognition. In Hell is an odd film in the Van Damme filmography, but it does have its moments. My only real issue is the lack of Ringo Lam style. The film wasn't an ideal match for his energy. The plot was very poor until the prison and I don't really understand how Van Damme was convicted. The central idea was to get him in prison and from that moment it's watchable. Okay film, but not the film it should've been.
Knock Off
(1998)
Odd Van Damme Film
3 April 2020
This is honestly a better career choice for Van Damme, and aligning himself with Asian filmmakers had proven fruitful. The only issue here is the overall budget and the messy incoherent plot. The action is incredible and some of those stunts are fun to watch. I enjoy Chinese and Hong Kong films, they're crazy and real. This was essentially the end for Van Damme at the box office and it's a shame. Knock Off is an Asian/Hollywood hybrid and it's quite fun to watch.
Maximum Risk
(1996)
Stylish Van Damme Film
3 April 2020
Maximum Risk has always been a favourite of mine. Ringo Lam makes his Hollywood debut, much like John Woo had with Hard Target, and incredibly with Van Damme as well. Maximum Risk is a slower Van Damme film and was largely ignored at the time of release. Sadly Van Dammes mismanagement of film choices and production problems had started to catch up with him at this point. It's a good film and underrated. It's hard to find and I could only view on DVD. Still enjoy this film after all these years.
Cars 3
(2017)
Hopefully the end
1 April 2020
Cars has never been the successful series like Toy Story, but with the merchandise profits, it kept a steady output. It's quite interesting a world ruled by cars felt the need to copy mankind. I would assume they would build something more suitable for them. That's just a question that comes up every time I watch this series. This hopefully concludes a long winded series, that should've concluded after the first. This leaves the series in a concluding style that brings the central character full circle. Not a great arc for the character, but it's an arc. At least this film maintains the heart component that fits most Pixar films, compared to the previous film, which was a complete dud.
Cars 2
(2011)
Weakest Pixar Entry
1 April 2020
Cars has always been the weakest Pixar series, but this has the recognition of being their worst. Empty film, and a film that wasn't required. Cars 2 takes the central figure and hides him in the background. This is all about Mater and everyone knows, Mater is strictly a support character. The Cars series has always been about the bottom line. Disney's influence is felt here and that's a shame for an independent studio like Pixar. This was made during a rough patch for the once invincible studio.
The Fog
(1980)
John Carpenter returns
30 March 2020
John Carpenter has been making films for his fans for years, and The Fog is no different. It's a little too campy in places, but it's a wild journey. It's flawed with its story and character arcs, yet Carpenter maintains momentum. The film score isn't as ambitious as something like Halloween, but it still maintains the creative style. This isn't one of Carpenter's best sadly.
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