IN A NUTSHELL:
A young boy learns that a superhero who was thought to have gone missing after an epic battle twenty years ago may, in fact, still be alive.
The movie was directed by Julius Avery, written by Bragi F. Schut, and stars Sylvester Stallone.
THINGS I LIKED:
Who doesn't love Sylvester Stallone? I love the idea of him as an aging superhero. He does a great job and looks fantastic. What an epic career he's had.
Javon "Wanna" Walton stars as the young boy who pulls Samaritan out of "retirement". Don't let his innocent face fool you; in real life, he is a fierce, five-time Georgia State Boxing Champion and four-time USA Boxing South East Regional Champion. He's the youngest athlete to represent the brand Under Armour!
There is a sweet chemistry between Stallone and Walton.
The opening credits look and feel like a comic book, superhero movie. Well done.
I got a kick out of reading the boy's list of people he thought might be Samaritan. One of the notes he wrote said, "Pizza delivery guy - ran really fast." ha ha
There's a tasty twist that adds surprising depth.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
"Take back what is yours" by stealing from others? That's what's wrong with society today. People think they're entitled to what others have worked very hard for with no thought of how their actions affect others. Of course, that's the mantra of the bad guys in this movie, but I'm seeing this attitude more and more in everyday life.
There are plenty of action sequences, although none of them are very memorable.
Some of the CGI isn't very good.
It's not entirely clear what Samaritan's or his brother's superpowers are.
Does anyone want an origin story?
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Profanity spoken by adults and kids, including an F-bomb
Kids steal
We see a shirtless man from the back with scars all over him
Bullying
A bad guy encourages others to loot and commit violent acts
Violence
Destruction
THEMES:
Physical and emotional scars
Being relevant
Helping the innocent
Service to others
Aging
Fear and courage
Change
Reputation
