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Twisters (2024)
Disaster Movie or Disastrous Movie?
I'm truly surprised with how less than thrilled I was throughout this entire movie. I thought it would be a safe bet at least in the entertainment department. I'm a fan of the original and thought this could be bigger and better in at least some aspects. Twisters should have upped the suspense and visuals, but mostly it just ups the cheesiness. The action, the emotion, the drama, the romance... it's all as cheesy as a Hallmark movie. The film doesn't have an original bone in its body. It's cliché after cliché.
Even a charming Glen Powell in a cowboy hat couldn't save this mediocre, unclever disaster of a disaster movie. Director Lee Isaac Chung was not the right man for this job. He had a winning cast and a good budget, but an uninspired story and amateurish directing derailed the thing. I'll give it 5/10 because it's perhaps passable as some dumb fun, though for me, it was too dumb and not enough fun.
Caddo Lake (2024)
Destined to be a Hidden Gem
This little movie just climbed into my top 5 of the year so far.
I jumped into Caddo Lake knowing absolutely nothing about it, and what an experience it was! It was riveting and fascinating for me. I loved the gritty tone and ominous atmosphere. For a moment, I thought I might be watching a horror film. It felt like something terrible was about to happen.
It ultimately went in directions I was not at all expecting, and the mystery captivated me. I was hooked all throughout the building tension and then intrigued by the eventual reveals. The setting and the characters feel very authentic. The swampy scenery alone makes this an interesting movie to watch. The acting is superb. Dylan O'Brien is especially impressive.
I can see this movie being one of those hidden gems that gradually gains recognition for how good it is. I recommend watching before hearing too much about this one.
Underworld (2003)
A Great Start to a Series that didn't Live Up to it's Potential
Underworld is a violent, action-packed, vampire vs werewolf thriller... what's not to love? I've enjoyed watching this film multiple times over the years. Even this most recent time, though I saw some weak spots. But I was still entertained throughout.
One of these weaknesses is the cliché of bullets flying all around people and rarely hitting them. Am I supposed to believe that vampire warriors who have been hunting werewolves for centuries can't shoot better than that? But I'm being picky. Considering Underworld was released in 2003, it looks pretty dang cool.
I believe Kate Beckinsale was my first favorite female action star, thanks to these Underworld movies. This movie's whole cast is great. They could keep making sequels to this movie, and I'd keep watching them, though unfortunately the first is the best and that will likely never change.
Underworld: Evolution (2006)
Decent, But Should've Been Better
Underworld: Evolution picks up right where the previous film left off. The first film was exciting and did a fine job setting up this sequel. Unfortunately, the sequel fails to keep up the pace. One would expect slicker, more exciting action sequences, but what we got was more of the same, just less of it.
The story is slower and simpler. The new characters aren't nearly as interesting as the first Underworld made us believe they would be. Most are very one-dimensional. It's all too straightforward and I could tell they struggled filling the movie with content as some parts feel like a time filler.
It's hard to believe there were 3 years between the two movies. With that kind of time on their hands, why does it feel rushed and uninspired? All this said, it's still decently entertaining, though ultimately unsatisfying.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)
A Prequel Better than all the Sequels
Making the third Underworld movie a prequel was the right move. There was a better story to tell from the past than they likely could have come up with for a future story. I haven't seen Blood Wars yet, but I feel like it's safe to go ahead and declare Rise of the Lycans the second best movie of the series.
Getting to go back in time created some cool battle action to watch. Vampires and werewolves felt very natural in the setting. I liked the straightforward vampire vs werewolf storyline with a side of forbidden romance.
If we couldn't have Kate Beckinsale for this particular movie, Rhona Mitra was a great choice to star in her stead. In my opinion, she has a very natural vampire-like appearance to begin with. With the focus being on the three characters played by Mitra, Michael Sheen, and Bill Nighy, the movie is enhanced by some strong performances. Bill Nighy in particular didn't hold back and gave one of the best vampire performances I've seen.
This was a solid addition to the fantasy/horror genre.
Underworld: Awakening (2012)
The Oddball of the Series
Underworld: Awakening is where the quality of the Underworld series went under. I wouldn't call Awakening a bad movie, but it's sloppier and cheesier than what came before it. Much of the acting and dialogue is unconvincing. The CGI looks cheap. The whole movie in general looks lower budget than the previous installments. I was surprised to see so many familiar faces in the cast of what sometimes feels like an old straight-to-DVD horror flick.
For fans of the series, or even the fantasy/horror genre, the movie is watchable. It's short and there's enough action to make it worth one watch. It just didn't have the same feel as the previous movies, and I wish the storyline was more interesting. There is a plot twist I didn't see coming, so I applaud the writers for that much.
However, the movie didn't leave me with much hope that Blood Wars would be very good. 5.5/10.
Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)
Not the Worst of the Series
I'm going to rank Blood Wars as better than Awakening, mainly because it has more of that Underworld feel to it. I also went in thinking Blood Wars was going to be awful, and while the story is once again mediocre at best, the movie is better than l expected.
Once again, it's some cool vampire vs werewolf action that makes it worth a watch. The Nordic vampire coven was also an interesting element to an otherwise not so interesting story.
By the end of this movie series, the quality resembled a sci-fi television series. The budget restraints held it back, as did the lack of good ideas.
I could see this series continuing if it explored its universe of monsters more. I feel like I'm done with the whole Selene/Michael storyline. If they continue with these movies, which they likely won't, it's time for a change up. I'm honestly surprised it made it to a fifth movie though. I give this one 5.5/10.
Abigail (2024)
Solid Vampire Horror with a Dash of Fun Thrown In
Abigail made my list of most anticipated movies for this year, and it didn't disappoint me. It has great atmosphere created by the spooky music and old manor the film takes place in. This atmosphere made it feel like a great spooky season watch.
I was expecting an all out horror comedy, but the comedy is more understated than I expected. The good part about this is that the movie doesn't feel overly silly or dumb. In other words, it's not a spoof. It's a legit vampire horror movie that also wants to be fun, not unsimilar to The Cabin in the Woods.
The cast really made this work. Every performance is excellent and fun to watch. Most notable is the memorable performance from Dan Stevens. He's like one of those bad guys who you hope make it to the end because he's so entertaining to have around. Furthermore, Alisha Weir and Melissa Barrera captivate with their performances.
The horror genre is far from stale and dried up, and I would say the same for vampire movies. Movies like this one and Renfield are great examples of recent well-made and fun movies that know how to entertain.
8/10 may feel like a high score to some, but if you like the vibe and style of this movie, it may just strike the right chord with you as it did with me.
Woman of the Hour (2023)
Strong Directorial Debut
True crime is all the rage these days, and I can understand it. Stories like this one are so crazy it's hard to believe they're true.
"Chilling" was the primary word that came to my mind when this movie finished. Anna Kendrick demonstrates that she is a true talent both in front of and behind the camera.
As good as her performance is, Daniel Zovatto's is even more important for this movie. He switches back and forth between charming and creepy so often and with such ease. I had to remind myself that his character was a creepy murderer and not some likable guy with a few demons. The movie never goes long before reminding us that he's a monster.
Kendrick takes the opportunity to address more than just the facts of this story. It's a very feminist movie and goes after the creepy men of this Hollywood culture and the struggle women faced of not being taken seriously. She drives in her point, verging a little toward overkill perhaps, but not so much that it gets in the way of the storytelling. In the end, this movie felt fresh and unique and I was glued to the screen throughout.
Trap (2024)
Interesting Concept/Entertaining Movie
Trap is far from perfect in some aspects, but it was a good movie to me in that I felt satisfied in the end. Sometimes all a movie needs to be is entertaining, and I was indeed entertained. Josh Hartnett carries this movie with a performance that looked like he had a lot of fun with.
M. Night Shyamalan has cemented himself as one of my favorite directors, and I love that his recent movies have been such a family affair. His daughters are also very talented and there's something sweet about families being able to work together on stuff and it work out so well for the project. Saleka Shyamalan gets to show off her acting skills in this movie and I never once thought, "she only got this part cause she's the director's kid." She's right for the part. It was also fun seeing
M. Night Shyamalan himself with an acting role in the movie.
Most serial killer movies are pretty dark, but they kept this one pretty light and had some fun with it. There are even occasional comedic moments. That's not to say there isn't also suspense and tension. It's an odd thing going through a movie from the serial killer's point of view. As he's trying to figure out how to escape from this concert, you know he needs to be caught cause he's the bad guy, yet at the same time, you want to see if he's able to escape and how he'll pull it off.
Shyamalan just keeps the interesting ideas coming. It was interesting to me that they spoiled that first twist in the movie's trailer. Normally I avoid trailers because they reveal too much but I somehow ended up watching this movie's trailer and it was a good reminder not to do that again.
I was surprised at weaknesses in the dialogue and by how much the story required me to suspend my disbelief, but I didn't have a hard time overlooking these problems in this particular case. I realized we're not supposed to take this movie so seriously, but rather just enjoy Hartnett and the wild concept.
By the way, shoutout to Ariel Donoghue for a fantastic and very convincing performance as a young girl out with her dad seeing her favorite artist in concert. She understood the assignment. I'd never heard of her before but I believe she's going places.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Everything You Want from a Deadpool Movie, with a Big Wolverine Bonus
Deadpool and Wolverine is sheer entertainment, and that is its main objective, but afterwards when you get a break to stop and think about it, you realize it really juggled a lot. In the midst of the onslaught of jokes and violence, are well-handled tributes and well-placed Easter eggs and references. It tells its story well enough while making room for lots of fan service. It's indeed a real crowd pleaser, which is what it most wants to be.
For those who have issues with multiverse movies, don't worry, Deadpool and Wolverine is a Deadpool movie before it's a multiverse movie. I don't think people go see these movies for their amazing stories. People want to laugh and have fun. So if you liked the first two movies you'll have a blast with this third installment. The action is wild and exciting. I was hanging on every word of dialogue as I didn't want to miss a single joke or reference.
The movie is so self-aware and just what Marvel needed at this time. I like how they humorously acknowledge instances where the MCU and the genre as a whole have fallen short. Deadpool speaks for the fans. It shows us that the writers are at least aware of what the people have been saying.
Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool know how to create a good time, but I admit I was most excited about Hugh Jackman and Wolverine. It was so good to see him back as the character, but even more comic book accurate than we've seen him before.
I loved that they managed to give us humor and heart with this movie. Marvel has given us a few examples of how a movie can be ridiculous and hilarious and yet somehow get serious and sentimental without it feeling jarring or out of place. It makes me think of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Both of these trilogies came out strong with a very successful first movie, followed it with a good sequel that was also fun, and then ended with their biggest and best.
Twister (1996)
Great For Its Time, Still Good Almost 30 Years Later
Twister is completely ridiculous, but it works. I mean, how many good movies about tornados can you name?
There's a reason why Twister is the first movie everyone thinks of when asked to name a tornado movie. It's a real 90s classic. To be released in 1996, it looks really good. I would even say it's ahead of its time visually. As I watched it here in 2024, it did not feel like I was watching a disaster movie from the 90s.
I found the story to be simple but likable. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt worked really well together. I liked the romantic tension between their two characters throughout the story. The whole team of tornado chasers is a fun group of characters and their objective is interesting.
We get some decent thrills from the movie. I thought the sound effects they used for the tornadoes was interesting. It was like animal growling. That, along with the fact the tornadoes seemed to actually chase people at times, made these twisters seem predatory. Tornados are terrifying, we need to feel some terror while watching a disaster movie about them. There are a couple of moments in Twister, like the opening sequence, that do a good job in this area.
I haven't seen many tornado movies, but I feel pretty confident that Twister is the best one out there (unless the new Twisters is able to beat it). It's not a great movie by certain standards, but it's great in its own way.
Fun Fact: I hadn't watched this movie since I was a kid, and I totally mixed it up with another tornado movie from 1996 that I watched growing up called "Night of the Twisters." You can imagine my confusion when certain scenes from my memory weren't popping up during this recent rewatch of Twister!
Land of Bad (2024)
Good Despite Flaws
We get Liam and Luke, but where's Chris? It's always cool seeing siblings acting together.
Land of Bad is actually quite good, for the most part. The last little portion, the climax, is heavy-handed and it overstays its welcome some. The rest of the movie shows off some talent. Most notable is the cinematography. It takes us in close with the characters and gives us some cool perspectives. It made what could have been a stereotypical and mediocre action film feel fresh.
The movie has more style than I was expecting. Perhaps a little too much on occasion but I don't like to nitpick. Director William Eubank shows us he has vision and potential. He just begins losing a bit of his tight grip on the whole thing as the movie begins to wrap up.
By the end, I felt that the tone was a little everywhere. One scene we're watching brutal violence and torture, and the next we're getting comedy and grocery shopping. There's such a contrast between what's happening in the war zone and what's happening on the other end of the comms. It's a little jarring sometimes.
Russel Crowe's character is quirky and fun and Liam Hemsworth's character is green but capable. Both stars do a fine job. I feel like the story gave me some insight into an area of military operations that I was unfamiliar with.
Overall, I enjoyed this movie that started strong and finished a little wobbly. It's pretty cool when a cinematographer takes the director's chair, and William Eubank has demonstrated he's talented in both areas, though in this case at least, he's a better cinematographer.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
Fun Movie, fun cast!
As a fan of both Henry Cavill and Guy Ritchie, I was thrilled to find an early access showing of this movie at a nearby theater.
Ungentlemanly Warfare looked to be a good time, and indeed it is! It's a neat story and they made the telling of it fun. Thankfully it isn't goofy. It's not nonstop jokes, but it has a good sense of humor and I heard a good bit of chuckling in the theater throughout the movie, much of it coming from myself.
You can tell Cavill had fun with this role. He shows off some range as his character is very different from the brooding muscle man that many people associate him with. It was delightful watching him do comedy. I haven't seen much of Alan Ritchson's work, but it was easy to see why he has such a growing fanbase. He's the muscle in this movie and proves to be a great action star. The whole cast is great and they give us a lot of fun characters.
Action-comedies seem to be Guy Ritchie's specialty. He maintains a good balance of action and comedy and works so well with large casts as he lets every character feel like they matter to the story.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Should be Called: "Kong: Minus Godzilla"
If you want to see an empire fall, keep making potentially epic movies like Godzilla x Kong into silly drivel.
As a big fan of 2014's Godzilla, I'm quite disappointed with this latest MonsterVerse installment. I'm angry at the direction they went with this movie. It's gone the way of too many franchises such as Fast & Furious and Transformers where the filmmakers have stopped taking it seriously. I'd rather they just not make the movie than make a joke out of it. It's such a trivial, forgettable, cheesy experience. The New Empire has the tone and style of a kids movie. The characters are silly and shallow, the sets look cheap, the CGI is mediocre, and most of the humor falls well below the intellectual level of an adult. It can't even be called good escapism because so much about it is unconvincing.
If nothing else, this should have been visually thrilling. Rather, the monster fight sequences look like something on the level of those corny Power Rangers shows I watched growing up. It's so chaotic and looks so fake! The directer clearly had no idea what people want to see from such a movie. I remember watching 2014's Godzilla and getting goosebumps as they so expertly portrayed the power and scale of Godzilla. Not once during The New Empire did I think, "These creatures look awesome!" I wanted to feel overwhelmed by their presence, but the filmmakers paid no mind to that. They might as well have been human sized creatures fighting each other.
It terms of story, they tried to do way to much. It got to the point where it felt like they were throwing something new in every 5 minutes. This is definitely an example of quantity over quality. Even if the runtime were as long as Peter Jackson's King Kong from 2005, it wouldn't have been long enough to make all of this work.
One of the biggest crimes this movie commits, is it makes Godzilla an unnecessary character. I love Godzilla, but here he's a side character who's only in the movie to get more viewers to the theater. The New Empire would have been much better if it cut out all the other kaiju and focused on Kong and the primary ape villain who ends up getting a much smaller role than expected.
I'm someone who has a soft spot for family-friendly adventure/fantasy films, and I couldn't even get with this movie. While most of it is watchable, the ridiculousness of the last act completely turned me off.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
I didn't think it would live up to the hype, but it did!
What happens when you give an expert filmmaker like Denis Villeneuve a massive movie budget and a massive amount of talent to work with? You get a massive, powerful movie. I left the theater thinking, "I just saw the movie of the year."
I was aware of the hype going in, but did not expect to personally give Dune: Part 2 a 10/10, but it reminded me of the full potential of cinema. There are many movies that entertain me, but this one was more than simple entertainment... it was an experience. It's not often a movie gives me goosebumps, and I got them multiple times throughout this movie.
I thought to myself while watching, "This is what top-notch movie making looks like." I also thought, "This has got to be the most expensive movie ever made." It's visually out of this world. In a time where streaming movies at home is the most popular way to see a movie, Dune: Part 2 is another reminder of just how special seeing a movie in theater can be. The cinematography and sound alone make this a movie that must be seen in the biggest theater possible.
It's hard to believe without seeing it, but Dune: Part 2 will be counted among the best sequels ever made, best sci-fi films ever made, best literature adaptations ever made, and perhaps best films overall ever made.
Road House (2024)
Such a Good Time! Just What I Needed
Road House is a lot of fun! It's a self-aware tropical Western. It's clever, it's funny, and the action is exciting.
The choreography of the fight sequences is so good. Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor show off some impressive physiques and cool UFC fight moves. You can tell they're both having fun, and the viewer can't help but also have fun.
I love the setting of the story. It's very immersive and the beachy vibe suits the tone of the movie. I don't watch UFC fighting, but I imagine this movie is a similar thing in that it's not about technicalities or depth, it's about entertainment and having a good time. And in my eyes, they achieved with Road House what they set out to do.
If I wanted to get nitpicky, I could complain that at times the dialogue isn't the best, or that not everyone's acting is on point, but there's more than plenty to make up for that. There are a lot of fun and likable characters that create some delightfully humorous interactions with the protagonist. And as usual, Jake Gyllenhaal poured 110% into this role. I love that his passion for his craft is always so evident.
Damsel (2024)
Fun Fantasy Escapism
To put it plainly, I dig dragons. Damsel's dragon may be the coolest movie dragon l've seen since Smaug. If it wasn't for the ending which I felt was a little cheesy and heavy-handed, I would say they completely knocked it out of the park with this Netflix film. The rest of the movie is good fun. I love a good adventure/fantasy flick and this one delivers most of what I was looking for.
Unlike with most adventure/fantasy films, Damsel is contained to a relatively small space and it has a relatively simple plot, and it's refreshing, exciting, and suspenseful at times. It's a beautiful movie to look at. I'm talking landscapes, costumes, colors, the creativity with the lighting, and the overall picture quality make this movie eye candy. It reminded me a little of 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth in how imaginative it gets visually.
The design of the dragon is splendidly ferocious. Her voice and dialogue contribute to her menacing presence. Millie Bobby Brown exudes confidence and determination and gives us a character we can put confidence in.
I like that this is a grittier film than it could have been. No unnecessary humor. It takes itself seriously and gives us some good PG-13 violence and dragon action!
Madame Web (2024)
Not Exactly Good, but Definitely Over-Hated
Madame Web is like a fast food meal that isn't up to standard, but it's edible enough to eat. I remember watching Morbius and not seeing cause for all the hate it had received. With Madame Web, I get it, but I still think people are being too harsh on it.
Perhaps it's because they are frustrated that it's not the movie it was presented as. It can hardly be considered a superhero movie. Or maybe it's that people can't look past the bad within the movie to enjoy what's actually pretty entertaining if one has the right mindset. The beginning is rough. I started worrying that the whole movie might be this pitiful. But it gets better. I would describe the movie has having good moments, bad moments, and a lot of okay moments.
The four leading ladies are the highlight. Watching them interact is fun and they even got some laughs out of me. Each of the girls has a unique personality that makes them interesting. Oddly enough, the best acting in the movie comes from an unexpected small role for Emma Roberts. It felt like she was on another level compared to everyone else, though Adam Scott is also a great addition.
The glaring fault of this film is its villain. What a major misstep. I'm not sure what was going on with his voice. It didn't sound like it was coming from him. It sounded like he had been dubbed. He would move about but his voice wouldn't move with him. He was not an intimidating presence, nor was he an interesting character.
I feel like if they had gotten the villain right, it would have fixed 70% of what was wrong with this movie. The other 30% consists of some bad dialogue and the fact that this is a superhero origin film that fails to be a superhero origin film. I could get mad about the deception and direction of this movie, but I never felt like getting up and walking out of the theater. But the level of quality we see from this movie isn't setting up Sony for a successful future for their Spider-Man universe. There's some sloppy, cheap, and made-for-streaming filmmaking on display here.
Now that we've been introduced to the characters, a sequel could be a lot of fun, if (mild spoiler alert) they give these girls their spider superpowers. I would go see that.
Code 8: Part II (2024)
A Follow-Up Fail
I enjoyed the first Code 8, and I was looking forward to getting more, but instead we get less. Less superpowers, less world building, less character work, less story, and it's all around less compelling. 5 years between the two movies, and they still didn't have a story worth telling.
This Code 8 sequel feels like a copy of too many other movies I've seen. Its biggest crime is that nothing about it is very interesting or entertaining. Some movies have a great idea that is executed poorly. This movie lets down right out of the gate with a poor idea. I'm having trouble thinking of a movie with characters more forgettable than this one. I could say that about the whole movie in general. In fact, as I write this, I can already sense the movie fading away in my mind.
They could have at least amped up the usage of superpowers to create exciting and visually cool action sequences. It's strange that a movie about people with superpowers does so little with superpowers. It's like making a movie about surfers but not showing much actual surfing. It could still work I guess, if it gets us invested in what's going on with the characters, but in this case, I simply didn't care. Everyone lacks personality and there's no chemistry between anyone.
Code 8 (2019)
Code 8 is a fun little sci-fi/thriller.
I enjoy watching the Amell cousins working together. Fans of CW shows (Arrow, The Flash, The Tomorrow People) are likely already fans of Robbie and Stephen and therefore should like what this Netflix film has to offer. It creates a small but interesting universe where some individuals have special abilities.
I love superpower themed shows and movies, but Code 8 is more of a crime/drugs/gangster thriller with some superpowers thrown in to create the scenario. The movie works. It throws in some heartfelt moments. There's some suspenseful action sequences. It felt kind of felt like watching a season of a really good CW TV show and I left satisfied and excited for season two (aka, Code 8: Part 2).
Dune: Part One (2021)
Took a Couple Viewings to Appreciate It
We have a rare case here of me liking a movie more the second time I watched it. I admit I wasn't a huge fan of it after the first watch. I felt it was slow. After a second viewing, I still think it's slow, I'm just not holding that against it anymore. I could appreciate the slowness this time. There's a lot of world-building to do and I found it interesting this time. I have no knowledge of anything Dune-related outside of this one movie, and I believe this also hurt my first time viewing experience. There's a lot to grab onto and I processed it better this time.
I'm happy that I'm excited for part 2, but I'd like for it to give us a little more action than part 1, and I feel that it will. Desert landscapes aren't my favorite, but I still thought it was a beautiful movie to look at. The cast here is great, but I can't say the characters are the strongest aspect of the movie. It's this Dune world and the whole scenario that makes this movie so interesting.
It requires some patience and focus, and perhaps even a second viewing, but it's a cool movie. Sci-fi fans should especially enjoy what this offers. 8/10 may be a little generous, but I feel when paired with the sequel (that I'm assuming is fantastic), it can be considered great as a unified experience.
Lift (2024)
Very Enjoyable
Lift is a familiar feeling heist film. I feel like l've seen its type quite a few times, but I always tend to find myself having a good time. This movie is likable and easy to watch. People who simply desire a safe bet for some evening entertainment should find themselves satisfied. It's what I would call a typical mid-grade Netflix film: Not great, not bad, but well-made enough to be good.
I find Kevin Hart to be funny, but I had a feeling going in that this wasn't one of those type of movies. I was actually looking forward to seeing Hart playing a different kind of character than I'm used to seeing. Don't get me wrong, his character, as well as the movie in general, has a sense of humor. There are some jokes, but this isn't a comedy and this isn't Kevin Hart being a comedian. Rather, his character is a kind, thoughtful, and caring thief. There are some definite Fast and Furious vibes here. He's the Dominic Toretto character and his team is very much like family to him. Thankfully, this is more like Fast & Furious when it was a bit more grounded.
The cast is great and the characters each have something about them that makes them cool. While the movie will likely blur in my mind with other similar movies over time, it hits the target it was aiming at and I enjoyed it.
Meg 2: The Trench (2023)
First Meg is fun, this one is dumb
I'm writing this as a fan of the first film.
Meg 2 makes the first Meg movie look like a work of sophisticated, cinematic genius. There's such a thing as dumb fun, but Meg 2 is just plain dumb. The first half of the movie is unrealistic, yet watchable and even exciting at times.
As for the latter half of the film... well, they just stopped trying. As the film turned into the Sci-Fi Channel cheese-fest I expected the first film to be, I lost interest. I hung in there to the ending that never felt like it would come.
I suppose the writers and director thought all the comedy would make up for the sheer ridiculousness of it all, but it would have had to be a lot funnier than it actually was. Silly doesn't mean funny. The only bright spot of all the madness is Jing Wu. He seemed like he was genuinely having so much fun. His fun, likable character somewhat saved the moments he was on screen. As for everyone else, let's just say I don't think this movie was good for anyone's acting career.
Directer Ben Wheatley should be embarrassed. The sheer laziness and sloppiness on display is agitating. If it were a Sharknado sequel, then it would have delivered on expectations, but people expected more out of this sequel.
Sisu (2022)
Comedy in Disguise
If you turn off your brain, and pretend the protagonist is immortal, and inherently lucky... actually, just pretend he's Wolverine. That's the only way to make any sense of this movie. You also have to accept it as a total comedy. A matter of fact, fans of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad should love this movie. It's a dumb, over-the-top, excessively violent comedy that entertains through its sheer absurdity and visual appeal. I have to say, I did like it much more than The Suicide Squad.
The story is more likable, but that's not saying much. I'm disappointed that things did not pan out as expected from the first few moments of the movie. I was immediately drawn in by the gorgeous and vast Finnish landscapes. The picture quality is top notch and I was feeling the cinematography in general. The music and visuals set a tone that seemed to promise a gritty, serious movie along the lines of "Rambo" and Mads Mikkelsen's "Arctic." It's a gradual descent into the realm of ridiculousness from there. By the end of the movie, it's obvious it's a full on joke as it reveals its true identity to us. That's not what I wanted from the movie, but I still found it to be interesting. But dang this could have really been something great.
Jorma Tommila does an awesome job acting with mere facial expressions. I kept being reminded of Mads Mikkelsen's character and performance from "Arctic." I want to see more of this guy. Aside from good acting and offering a lot to look at, this really is a dumb movie unfortunately. But I can see why it has its fans. I can't give it more than a 4.5/10, but it's the most likable 4.5/10 movie l've ever seen.