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Maxyger756
Enjoyability- 6 points
Animation/Cinematography, Story, Characters, Themes- each 1 point
For example:
Enjoyability- 7/10= 4.2, Story- 8/10= 0.8, Characters- 9/10= 0.9, Animation- 9/10= 0.9, Themes- 10/10= 1
Overall score: 4.2+0.8+0.9+0.9+1= 7.8/10
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Ranking every Godzilla film I've seen so far
Ranking every Pixar film(up to Inside Out 2)
Every Godzilla film ranked by its IMDb score
Monsterverse films ranked with detailed review {worst to best}
2019 animated films ranked
Every 63 film reviews I did ranked {update}
Ranking every DreamWorks film
Every film I have reviewed ranked {113 films}
Reviews
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
A weird pick for me...
Even if this film was objectively good, there's not much for me to say here since Wes Anderson's features are nothing like others so this film is going to be pretty difficult to talk about and express my feelings. But I'll try to explain why Fantastic Mr. Fox is such a fantastic film
Story- 7/10
Even if the film had good writing, the first half just felt a bit too empty. Like the stakes, score, or anything that resembles intensity is absent. Some of the plot points even felt like it was pulled straight out of the bloom without any substance or buildup and it will get you confused occasionally. However, once Mr. Fox's real master plan starts, the film's charm starts as well. All the substances that make a film interesting are brought up and made it pretty fun. It's fun, charming, full of action, and great dialogue but that still doesn't mean the problems from the first half wasn't present. There's still a lack of proper explanations and starts to use overused cliches which in turn makes the ending fight more predictable. But it could also just be me not being used to Wes Anderson's style. So there's a high chance I will eventually come around to re-review this film in the future
Animation- 9/10
Just like the storytelling Wes Anderson's animation is also nothing like the others. Yes, I know that stop-motion is unique itself but his style differs from this too. This is a feature that feels like it's 100% stop motion with no signs of computer animation sprinkled on there. The animals have great, special designs that makes them truly stand out. And the animation is certainly not aimed towards children. The cute animal design you usually expect from an ordinary animated film is not here at all. A lot of them look exactly like animals or even disturbing like the rat. Oh, and another thing is that the film does not shy away from showing the audience blood, violence, and intense scenes. All of this makes Fantastic Mr. Fox look distinct and I like it. But the animation isn't all perfect. The animals may have great-looking designs, but I can not say the same for some of its humans. It's difficult to explain but if you have seen this film, you'd understand what I'm talking about
Characters- 6/10
One thing to let you know is the cast is HUGE. Despite this, there were only 2 characters that drove the plot. First is our main protagonist, Mr. Fox who is also unsurprisingly the most interesting one. He starts out acting like the animal he is, a fox. By the end, he still acts like a fox but he does go through a pretty interesting character arc where he realizes he can't go against his nature but outside that, he doesn't learn anything new. His son arguably goes through a more interesting arc but he is barely given any time screen time or any scene where he regrets his mistakes. I'm about to say something unpopular but everyone else felt like an afterthought and contributed very little to the plot. The villain works for what he is someone who is threatening and intimidating but he is also one-dimensional. His entire personality boggles down to "Let's catch this fox". But none of the characters were actively annoying so I didn't hate the characters, they were ok
Themes- 8/10
Because the film lacked substance in the first half, I caught up with the themes very late into the film. And yes, the lessons may have been commonly used tropes but they were executed well even if they sometimes felt forced to give the film more intensity
Enjoyability- 7.5/10
All of the problems I mentioned above did negatively affect my enjoyment but I still ended up liking it at the end of the day. The characters were fun, the animation was excellent and charming. There were good lessons and the story felt engaging in the 2nd half.
Rating: 7.5/10
I'm sorry if this review was a bit off. Because I tried my best to think of something to share because this film is nothing like the others. That's why it is so great, because of its uniqueness and mystery
Recommendations: If you have little kids, I don't recommend letting them watch this with you because there were some mild swear words, and some amount of violence. This is a PG-13 film if you will.
The Lego Movie (2014)
Everything about this film is awesome
As a kid in the 2010s who was into Legos, you would find it unsurprising how The Lego Movie was my jam. I used to watch it ALL the time. But I also haven't watched this in quite some time. So my last watch more or less felt like a memory lane for me. Did it hold up during my most recent viewing? Let's find out
Story- 8/10
If you already don't know, The Lego movie was directed by 2 animation legends, Chris Miller, and Lord Phil, and the outcome was fantastic. These 2 iconic duo managed to turn overused clichés into something that feels unique, and special. They managed to turn a generic love interest into someone who's genuinely interesting and endearing. Making all the drama between Emmet and Lucy all the more effective. Not to mention the comedy. If you want to see some comedy and want to have a good laugh, this is your bet. But unfortunately, the story suffered from one major drawback that affected the experience. And that is its pacing. The story moves way too fast and gives everyone besides Emmet and Lucy barely any characterization and gives very little time for you to pick up on the film's message. But even with that said, this is a solid story to kick off with
Animation- 10/10
The film had a solid story, but the main appeal of this film is undoubtedly the stellar animation. It purposely slows down the frames to give it a stop-motion feel, and it works in its favor too. It makes it look like an actual Lego moving which makes the film more alive in a way. But that's the only great thing about the animation. A lot of the builds used in the film were highly creative and, made it easier for it to grab your attention. Before Spider-man: ITSV, this was one of the best animation crafted and it still holds up perfectly fine today
Characters- 9/10
Emmet, our main protagonist starts as the most average guy you can think of. But throughout the film, he learns that he's special yada yada yada. You may think this is just another generic "believe in yourself' trope. I mean yeah it is, but it's the execution that makes it special. He went through a highly endearing self-discovery journey and it hit me deep. Even if the rest of the cast didn't get to go through the same deep development. All of them still managed to be enjoyable and I found no one annoying
Themes- 10/10
I already said the animation was spectacular and the main attraction. But for me, the best aspect of The Lego Movie was its messages. And it's all because of that one talk Emmet had with the boss. Emmet uses all the character development he went through and says them to the boss. "You are the most talented, most interesting, and most talented person in the whole universe, and you are capable of doing amazing things. Because you are this special" has to be one of the strongest lines ever said in an animated film. Not only thanks due to its amazing build up, but also because of Chris Pratt's amazing delivery.
Enjoyability: 9/10
The enjoyability can sometimes be affected due to its fast pacing. But that doesn't change the fact that this is still a highly enjoyable watch. Due to its creative animation, humor, and action, this was a banger!
Overall: 9.1/10
Even if I already knew this was going to be awesome, I was still surprised by how incredible this film ended up being. And if you haven't watched this, I highly recommend you to do so because this IS a must-watch.
The Wild Robot (2024)
Just like Roz's, I will rate this film's performance a 10
From the 2 trailers I did see, I expected this film to be an 8/10. I knew it was going to be good. But what I didn't know at the time was how this film was going to end up being a masterpiece and become my favorite animated film of the 2020s. Let's discuss why. I will also be leaving a message for DreamWorks after my review
Story- 9/10
The weakest aspect of The Wild Robot has to be the writing. But even with that said, this film still manages to tell a breathtaking, emotional, powerful story that will touch your heart. It takes a relatively simple concept and turns it into a phenomenon. With the dramatic stakes, it makes it easy for it to catch the audience's attention and to see what's going on. The emotional moments have such an amazing buildup to them and made every single one of them a tearjerker. The only complaint I have is the first 20 minutes where it lacks a bit of substance but other than that, this story is a sight to behold. Oh, I forgot to mention how funny this film is. But it's not the typical DreamWorks edgy, potty humor you have come to know. Instead, it's the type of humor that's a bit dark. But not anything too bad. I'm not lying when I say I laughed just as many times as the little kids did. In a way, this is the anti-DreamWorks movie
Animation- 10/10
Right from the start, I could tell this film's animation style was similar to that of DreamWorks' earlier works like The Bad Guys. However, The Wild Robot takes advantage of that and makes every single shot mesmerizing to look at. With its backgrounds, character designs, and special effects, this film makes its world more lively, and vibrant than photorealistic animated movies do. And not a single bad character design to be found.
Characters- 10/10
This film is relatively stacked with its characters. But the writing somehow manages to make all of them enjoyable even if some may get little screen time. Roz is an incredibly likable main protagonist and a character really easy to root for. Fink may have gotten a lackluster introduction, but he's just as endearing as our main protagonist. And at last, Bright Bill is a very emotional character and one that's also easy to root for. The villain is the weakest part of it. But she's not particularly bad so I am not taking away points
Themes- 10/10
There are a ton of animated films out there with compelling themes, but very few of them can change your perception and change you. However, The Wild Robot managed to change my perception on wildlife and made me question the purpose of life. Chris Sanders has a pattern of using overused tropes and messages but executes them flawlessly. That pattern continues here
Enjoyability- 10/10
Because of everything I explained, The Wild Robot is an extremely enjoyable film and one that grabs your attention the entire way through. Never was there a point where I was bored. No, I was fully invested in it the entire time. Even the opening 20 minutes I mentioned still manages to be enjoyable thanks to its spectacular writing
Overall: 10/10
I can completely understand why a ton of critics declared the Wild Robot to be DreamWorks studio's best film. I still think this is just shy of beating The Prince of Egypt but this is still the best movie they have made since then. And that's I am excited to be awarding this the badge of awesomeness and the trophy of honor. I can never fully emphasize how much I love this film
DreamWorks, thanks for everything you guys have done. I know some of your films were stinkers but I grew up with the films you guys created. You all have affected the way I view films and taught me what cinema can accomplish. I know you guys aren't gone but your studio is. I hope you guys succeed in making films in other animation studios.
The Garfield Movie (2024)
Just as lazy as Garfield himself
Earlier this year, I was planning on watching this film in theaters. But since the reception of the feature was so bad, I opted for Inside Out 2 instead. Now that the Garfield movie has been released on streaming, is this film as bad as the critics say? Let's find out
Story- 3/10
The reason why I named this review "Just as Lazy as Garfield himself" is because of how lazy the script was. It takes multiple overused clichés and mashes them into 1 feature. Whether it would be the breaking-in scene, or how some lines were delivered. All of this causes the film to be very predictable. I kid you not, I predicted every single twist the second they were introduced. It desperately tries to be funny but the attempts of a laugh just fell completely flat on your face. There is nothing that makes the story of this film special and just makes it look like your average kid's film. But my biggest problem has to be the structure and substance. This film's lazy attempts of an emotional moments would've been a lot more impactful if it the movie opened with the backstory of Garfield's dad. The creative team decided to place his tender moments and scenes long after he was introduced. Speaking of which, Vick is a non-canon character. In all previous Garfield media, Garfield's father was never mentioned or shown at any point
Animation- 7/10
Ok now we got the worst part of the film out of the way, let's talk about the animation. It looks good and respects the style of the original comic books. But that doesn't change the fact that merged eyes look horrifying on humans. It looks decent on the animals but man, the humans look like sleep paralysis demons. Not to mention, the animation tries to be all wacky and zany which doesn't work out. However, I've got to admit that the animators were pretty creative on this. Especially the scene where Garfield orders a bunch of food on the train. Even if it's not the best animation, the animations did what they could
Characters- 4/10
Let's start with our famous ginger cat. Garfield is a passable main protagonist who doesn't offer something special, but also isn't someone atrocious unlike some other in this film. His dad had the potential to be a super-interesting character but he's fine. The Incredibly hairy bull was fine. The only character that was fun is Odie. Not only it is because he can't say any obnoxious jokes, but also because he's just a fun dog in general. But then we have one of the worst villains in animation history. Welcome to the gray cat and her completely bland henchmen. Not only was her motivation incredibly stupid, but also because she's just not scary. No matter how hard the film tries to make her look like some twisted evil maniac, I will always view her as a goofy idiot who desperately needs therapy. And, her henchmen are completely one-noted and had much depth as a cheese sandwich
Themes- 3/10
In most films, I can quickly pick up on what the film is trying to say to the audience because their writing allows me to be fully invested in its story and lets me pick up on small details. That's not what happened here. They introduced the themes of the film well over an hour into the film and even then, I couldn't understand what the movie was trying to say. Stalk your son every day? Be remorseful about a happy son and dad? Eh? If these were in the opening or early parts of the film, then I would have been much more positive but please don't portray your message near the god damn climax
Enjoyability- 5/10
So because I wrote an incredibly long rant, did I enjoy this film? Sort of. The one thing I need to address is that yes the film is rather weak, but it's not terrible enough for me to be completely un-interested in the movie. I watched the entire film without any breaks because it was enjoyable enough for me to do it
Overall: 5.2/10
I mean, I should've expected this to be like this since Garfield as a media isn't like the most serious thing. If you're a fan of Garfield, then yeah, go check it out. But if you're not a fan of Garfield, you're not missing out on anything by not watching this.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Probably the true best DWA film
Did you know that HTTYD is the highest-rated DWA film on IMDb. And it is very rare to see someone mention this film negatively. Let's find out why this film is beloved
Story- 10/10
HTTYD is one of those films where it's just good. When a feature film is fantastic, I usually have a lot to say about them. But HTTYD is an exception. The story is just well done, great concepts and ideas, and every scene furthers the story and advances the plot. It was excellent from start to finish and there was no point did I ever felt disappointed or let down. This is a rare example where I have no problem with the story and its structure
Animation- 10/10
Yes, the animation may seem a bit dated at first glance but think about it. The flying sequences aided by the wonderful soundtrack are mesmerizing to look at. The character animation is single-handedly fluid and the character designs are expressive. Not to mention this film just generally looks better than other animated films of 2010. How to Train Your Dragon as a franchise is known for a lot of things and the beautiful animation is one of them
Characters- 9/10
Everyone besides the side characters are fun and did serve a point to the film's plot. I say that because they just don't do anything, they're whole point is to be the comedic relief but since this is generally a very serious-toned film, they don't get much screen time. Everyone else was just great. Hiccup is the quirky loner who gets appreciated, and I love his character. Astrid could have gotten more screen time and characterization but she's not bad either. Stoic is a great addition and an amazing father(at least at the end). But my favorite has to be Toothless. He's so cute and most of my laughs came from him.
Tones/Themes- 11/10
One of the biggest reasons why HTTYD is so appreciated is because of its themes and tones. I know that I'm not allowed to give an 11/10 but c'mon man, this is peak cinema. The message revolves around stereotypes, and the reclamation of empathy as a strength. It was told so well told that I'm jealous of it
Enjoyability- 10/10
With all the heart, laughs, flying scenes, it's safe to say that this film was one heck of a good time. If you haven't seen this, please do because this is a guaranteed good time
Overall: 10/10
This isn't my favorite DWA film, but this is probably the best one. It isn't perfect, but for what it is, it deserves all the all of those praising it has gotten over the years.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Flies as high as the dragons
I used to have mixed thoughts on this film. And I, for the longest time, considered this to be the worst of the 3. But upon re-watch, it finally hit me how good Dragons 2 is. Let's find out why
Story- 9.5/10
For the first 2 acts(the first 70 minutes), the story was going in the perfect direction. We'll get to that third act later but what an amazing writing. Every joke lands, the emotional moments are powerful, the stakes are high, each moment had a perfect build-up. For the first 70 minutes, I didn't detect any flaws which is amazing. But then you have the climax. This is where the film kind of loses my interest. I don't know what it is but something about the 3rd act makes me lose interest in the movie. I mean, this is still great story-telling and necessary to progress the plot but I just didn't feel the magic the first 2 acts had. But other than that, this is probably one of the best DWA films in terms of its story and structure
Animation- 10/10
In terms of its story, it is on par with its predecessor, but one major upgrade it had over 1 is the animation. The first HTTYD looks great, 2 looks magical. Just look at all these stunning environments and settings. The flying scenes are gorgeous accompanied by a great soundtrack. Not to mention how much detail the animators put into this, the slick designs of the dragons, the great character animation, spectacular special effects. I am not kidding when I say that this film looks better than most animated films of today.
Characters- 8.5/10
Dragons 2 focuses more on the dragons and revolves around dragons. But that doesn't mean the humans aren't endearing! Hiccup was interesting, the dynamic between his parents was even more interesting. And as much as how annoying the side characters were, they are directly involved in the plot this time around though. But I just have a really big problem with one specific character, that being Drago Bludvist. For someone whose introduction was built up perfectly, he had the potential to become a fantastic villain. But his voice acting sells it for me. 60% of the time, I can't even understand his dialogue and he always speaks in one tone, no different kinds of expressions. If he had a good voice actor, then I probably would've already placed him in the best 10 villains list. However, he isn't a terrible villain either. So Drago doesn't completely ruin the experience
Tones/Themes- 10/10
This film promotes peace over violence. And this central theme is illustrated beautifully across the feature. It does make you not want war. The second message of the film is to overcome self-doubt. While it is a common trope many films use, this film does it better simply by having good writing. The messages were well told throughout the film so I'll give it a 10
Enjoyability- 9/10
Just like what I said in the story section, the first 2 acts are great. Since I had 0 problems, I had a blast watching it! It could be even more enjoyable than the first film because this one has awesome action scenes, and it's visually delightful sequences. If the 3rd act climax was a bit better, then I would have had no problem giving this section a score of 10
Overall: 9.2/10
In conclusion, HTTYD 2 is an amazing sequel and falls short of the masterpiece title, but this film undoubtedly earns the badge of awesomeness. Dean Dubois, good job.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
Ralph breaks his franchise
I have no idea why the general public thinks this is a good film. In my opinion, it's far from a good one, and it's not even mediocre as well. It's bad. This is essentially Disney's version of the Emoji movie, because the 2 films are awfully similar to each other. Both of them have awful advertisements everywhere, both of them are trying way too hard to be hit and cool with the kids, both of them have unlikable characters. While this film isn't as awful as the emoji movie because of its better animation, and better writing but that's not saying much. Also, this film also has a lot of unique problems I'll go over now
Vanellope and Ralph's chemistry was very interesting and heartwarming in the first film. This time, their friendship feels toxic. Ralph is now an obsessive guy that acts like a baby for way too long. Vanellope wasn't as insufferable as Ralph but that doesn't change the fact that she was an entitled idiot. Not even animation was good as well. Just like the Emoji movie, we stay in the same environment for 100 minutes with just a few exceptions like the racing game.
Ok, I have a lot more to say about this film but I'm in a rush right now so I have to go
Rating: 4.0/10.
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Great in many ways
Wreck-It Ralph is a Disney film that was released back in 2012 which definitely didn't get robbed at the 2013 Oscar academy awards show.
While it is your "I don't want to be the bad guy" trope you've probably seen a lot of times. This film does it better than others simply due to its brilliant execution and interesting set of characters. On top of that you also have good humor, great animation, and compelling characters that truly makes this a worthwhile animated feature. And this is probably the best Disney film that is not based on various fairytales. Instead, this film is a love letter to video game fans alike.
I have very few criticisms. But the biggest one is the fact that Vanellope and Ralph's friendship sometimes feels rushed and misses crucial points but since their friendship ultimately becomes something heartwarming, it's forgivable
Rating: 8.5/10
Sorry if this review is rushed lol.
Despicable Me (2010)
The only time Illumination has tried
I'm pretty sure it's safe to assume that Illumination is the animation studio that tries the least. Every other studio makes a great film at least once in a while but Illumination's films are always the same "meh" experience and none of them has yet to top Despicable Me. Let's find out why
Story- 7/10
So we have our main protagonist, Gru who wants to steal the moon to become the greatest villain ever but he gets distracted by his recently adopted daughters and then he decide not to steal the moon. While this is kind of the "I don't want to be the bad guy anymore" trope, the execution is good nonetheless and makes for an effective story. However, you'll occasionally get the generic haha funny moments like its sequels but it isn't bad in this film. Some scenes can be a little over the top but they don't drain you like they do in its sequels so it isn't that bad.
Animation- 7/10
The animation is most definitely not on the same level as other 2010 animated films. But considering how this is a studio's first film, I'll give it a pass. The background animation is decent and the character movements are animated well...but it's just that the character designs don't sit right with me. They all look like cartoon characters and they just look too goofy to me
Characters- 9/10
Despite the story just being ok, the characters were surprisingly well-written and fun to be around. The scenes where Gru bonds with the girls are pretty wholesome and they're connection can be felt. Vector wasn't threatening or intimidating but he's a fun goofball. The minions can bring out some laughs and cute moments. It's just the boss I have a problem with. His motivation wasn't really interesting and the scene where he fires Gru makes you say "huh" but everyone else helped make the feature a lot more fun
Themes/Tones- 7/10
The central message is about how good can overpower evil and it explores the family trope very well. While this isn't necessarily a very powerful message, the execution does work in its favor
Enjoyability- 8/10
Thanks to the film's fun characters, good themes, and good humor, the feature does manage to be enjoyable. While some of the scenes can drag on and how some scenes could have used better writing, I'll go and say that you'll likely have a good time
Overall: 7.8/10
You know, I was expecting worse outcomes but I ended up leaving satisfied. It isn't mind-blowing or anything but for Illumination standards, this is a miracle.
Tangled (2010)
The best Disney film from the last 20 years
Tangled was a huge part of my childhood growing up. As a blonde little boy, I used to believe I was the male version of Rapunzel and I used to make references to Tangled all the time. Anyway, enough of my childhood, let's discuss about why this film is so awesome
Story- 8/10
The story was very strong in the first half. But from the 2nd act and onwards, I felt like the story got progressively weaker and took a predictable route. I would go as far as to say that the feature sometimes felt generic, even cliché at certain points. But the premise is still good, the comedic scenes are hilarious, and the story still manages to be engaging in the later scenes.
Animation- 10/10
The biggest strength of Tangled has to be the high-quality animation. Everyone has excellent character designs, it gets creative when using its special effects, the character movements are fluid and slick. Not to mention, we go through tons of different environments that are all equally mesmerizing to look at. This is a rare example where the environment genuinely feels like a fairy tale and this is thanks to the amazing animators
Characters- 9/10
Rapunzel, our main protagonist is someone who's passions are infectious. You can feel her character as if you were there. And every comedic moment with Flynn is automatically comedy gold. Gothel or "mother" is a passable main antagonist. She does have a pretty decent villain song and a good motive but I didn't get intimidated by her. The side characters are bland though. Tangled rather has a big cast so not everyone gets to shine
Musical numbers- 7/10
They were good and catchy. That's the best thing I can say about Tangled's songs, because the musical numbers of Tangled easily gets overshadowed by better ones from other Disney films. But it also could've been worse
Tones/Themes- 9/10
The messages of Tangled are "Have your freedom and do whatever you want" or "You cannot trust everyone" and these messages were handled and told well throughout the film. Besides this is the type of theme that necessarily doesn't get used much so it has some freshness there
Enjoyability- 8.5/10
The first 2 acts were a very good time. With some creative sequences, hilarious moments, and beautiful animation that helps make the film so enjoyable, until the 3rd act. Yeah is it just me or does the climax go on far way too long and concludes in a weirdly generic way. But other than that, this was a very good time
Overall Rating: 8.6/10
If you're a fan of Disney, fairytales, or just animated films in general. Then I would highly recommend you to check it out if you haven't already. It isn't perfect but what's done well is done extraordinarily. And I'm happy to give this film the badge of awesomeness.
Shrek 2 (2004)
I'm jealous of how good this film is
Shrek 2 is the type of film that is always a guaranteed good time. No matter how many times I watch this film, the jokes will get a laugh out of me and I always leave highly satisfied. Let's find out why it is so great
Story- 10/10
The story is very engaging and my eyes never left the screen throughout the film. It has a very complex premise but Shrek and Fiona's love for each other makes it work out. Also, Shrek 2 checks everything that should be in a perfect sequel. Expand upon the first film's universe, introduce new concepts and ideas, continue the narrative of the first film and many more. Not to mention how hilarious this film is. I seriously laughed at every single joke out loud, no matter how many times you watch it, the humor will always be extremely funny. By the way, this film is far less anti-Disney than the first film is. Yes it still has some blatantly obvious scenes but Shrek 2 focuses more on its characters and its story
Animation- 10/10
One problem this film has is to make the visuals as realistic as possible. But the thing is, Shrek 2 was released around the time when technology was limited so by modern standards, it doesn't look super realistic so the fairytale creatures still look like fairytales anyway. If it is outdated, just look detailed Far Far Away is. The special effects still look sick and we go through many different environments.
Characters- 10/10
It rather has a big cast of characters. But all of them are well-written and extremely fun to be around. Every re-occurring character maintains their charm and energy. I would go as far as to say that Shrek, Fiona, donkey were a lot more fun here than they were in the first film. The new characters are even better. The Fairy Godmother is a fantastic villain and Puss is another fantastic addition. The gang who saved Shrek had little screen time but every time they're on, they immediately steal the show.
Themes/Tones- 10/10
While the central message of Shrek 2 is something that's been done countless times, Shrek and Fiona's love for each other makes it stand out. It is a perfect continuation of the first film's tones and themes.
Enjoyability- 10/10
Because of the humor, I never got bored or got tired of anything. I enjoyed everything about this film to the fullest extent. Every voice actor who participated in Shrek 2 gave their best performances and you can tell they are having a good time. Not to mention that the musical numbers aren't just good, they are magical. The "I need a hero" sequence at the climax has to be one of my favorite scenes of all time.
Overall: 10/10
When I first started reviewing films, I was originally a lot more generous than I am today. But even with harsher expectations, it still blew my mind. One last thing, the musical numbers are a BANGER. Seriously, Shrek 2's version of various songs are now my favorite ones. And this film gets the badge of awesomeness with ease.
Transformers (2007)
Transformer fun for everyone
As a kid, I was obsessed with the first 3 Transformers films and used to watch them once every month. Most of my childhood favorites didn't hold up upon re-watch so let's find out if the Transformers suffers the same faith
Story- 4/10
The story is the weakest part of this film for many reasons. Any scene besides the action sequences was just boring and not very interesting and offered nothing special. The writing fails to make the twists or the dramatic moments reasonable. In my opinion, there was no good reason for the police to arrest Sam and many scenes didn't make sense to me which proves that the writing is on the weaker side of things. However, the story does pick up from the 3rd act and becomes interesting. Still doesn't change the fact that it was predictable though,
Cinematography- 8/10
For the first 80 minutes. There was no particularly exciting scene which almost made me turn the TV off. It does become intense and cinematic when the Transformers show up and the 3rd act climax was pretty well done. But because the soundtrack wasn't great, it made it slightly less exciting.
Characters- 6/10
Our main 2 protagonists, Sam, and Mikaela were just ok. They weren't terrible but also not fun to be around and I didn't feel the connection between Sam and Bumblebee. The Transformers didn't have much screen time but they had their quirks that made them stand out. Megatron was just an ok villain. He wasn't intimidating nor was he a terrible villain.
Tones/Themes- 6/10
The film's central message revolves around sacrifice, and taking risks. I couldn't pick up on the central message until Optimus Prime said it himself. The tone was the same as your average 2000's action film so yeah
Enjoyability- 7.5/10
Without spoiling anything, I will just bluntly say that the first half is boring, and the second half is fun. Because most of the best moments happen after the Transformers are introduced. The action in the 3rd act climax was handled pretty well. But the entire film as a whole still didn't have any funny or deep moments
Overall: 6.9/10
If the writing was a little better, I would have been praising the feature. It was pretty close to being a solid, great film. If you're a fan of the Transformers and haven't checked out the feature yet, then go ahead. So does it still hold up? Maybe.
The Emoji Movie (2017)
This film turned me into the "meh" emoji instead of Gene
The emoji movie is quite possibly the most universally hated animated film ever made. As a critic myself, I went to see the feature myself and yep, it IS that bad
Story- 1/10
The concept of the film is pretty weird but under the right hands, it can become a solid feature. But it turns out that the exact opposite happened. It was made by the worst people possible. Oh god, how can you mess up on the story this bad? This film tries desperately to be cool and hit with the kids all as having dozens of ads shoved into your face. I have never seen such a desperate attempt at a box office hit in my whole life. Other than that, the humor is obnoxious, every character except the main 3 feels like an afterthought. It will take me a whole day just to fully express how god-awful the story is but I think you guys get the gist so let's move on
Animation- 4/10
Conceptionally, it may be not that bad and looks good at first but if you think about it, not even the animation is decent. Every emoji has the same character design but just with different facial expressions. All of the apps except Candy Crush are identical to each other but just with different colors. And, we don't get any visually appealing place in the film, we are just stuck in this one environment on the phone which quickly gets boring
Characters- 1/10
If the story is bad, then the characters usually suffer the same faith and it's no different here. Everyone has no backstory, they just spawn in the film without any introduction. Gene's parents were terrible because it is hard to feel emotions for a character who doesn't show emotions themselves. I DESPISED high-five. I actually wanted him to stay in the dumpster because that dude irritated me so much. He has to say an obnoxious joke every line and it makes for one of the most hate-able characters ever perceived in animation. Gene is just way too overdramatic. Like he storms off when someone says something slightly disrespectful. The queen emoji(yes I already forgot her name) is the only character that doesn't get on your nerves and has actual good motives but it's just that her character arch gets dragged down by Gene which makes her unlikable as well. The villain has as much depth as a water drop. And just like the story, it will take me forever to explain everything wrong with the characters
Tones/Themes- 1/10
Have you ever experienced a film where the message of the film feels hypocritical? Then say hi to the emoji movie. Seriously, look at how much the world hates Gene. And when he's not being insulted, the film does a very nice thing by shoving its message down your throat. Or if that's not happening, the constant arguments of the characters will give off mean-spirited vibes that crushes any potential enjoyability. Speaking of which
Enjoyability- 1/10
Because of everything I explained, there is no enjoyment here. I have never kept a straight face unwillingly for 90 minutes straight but today, I did that because of the Emoji movie.
Overall: 1.7/10
Honestly, I'm glad this feature exists because future film directors will have something to look to and say "Yeah let's not do that" Now I will say something good for the film. It is not as bad as Foodfight! So it isn't the worst animated film of all time. But this is still the worst one to ever come out of a major animation studio. If you value your time or sanity then please, don't watch this film. You'll thank me later
P. S. I'm sorry if I disrespected the creative team or the people behind the film.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
The best animated film of 2016
Despite how popular Japanese culture is worldwide, Hollywood rarely creates a Japanese-based film so going into this I didn't know what to expect. But what I got was something amazing. Let's find out why this film is so great as it is
Story- 9/10.
First of all this film as a whole is very creative. With how the action scenes are handled and how Kubo tells his stories, you can easily tell that the creative team poured their souls into making this feature film. They also emphasized the dramatic moments which made for an intense feature and I absolutely loved it. You can feel the energy and intensity when a fight scene happens. The jokes are cleverly told, the emotions are powerful, the action scenes are very creative, and more awesome elements can be found in Kubo and the 2 Strings. Just one complaint I have is the ending. It was a little disappointing and I felt like there could have been a better one or how the plot can be a little predictable at times. But other than that, the story is one of many strengths this feature has
Animation- 10/10
As great as the story is, the best aspect of Kubo and the 2 Strings is definitely the sensational animation. All stop-motion films are mesmerizing to look at but this film is even better than them because it has an incredibly fluid animation, creative character designs, amazing special effects, beautiful backgrounds and it's unique settings.
Characters- 8/10
This film rather has a small cast. Our 3 protagonists are all likable and really fun to be around. Kubo is a kid who's a good storyteller and someone who learns valuable lessons on his journey, Mother or Monkey is someone who's highly protective of her son and is also the only normal character. Beetle or Kanjo, the father of Kubo is someone who has a goofy personality but also a compassionate dude. He ended up being my favorite of the bunch because most of the film's humor is based on him and most of them do get a laugh out of me. But my biggest problem of not only the characters but the entire film is the villain(s). They hardly have screen time and the grandfather does make for a bland antagonist
Themes- 10/10.
Throughout the journey, each of our protagonists learns something from another protagonist. It has this mysterious tone across the first 2 acts and to my surprise, I couldn't predict any of the twists and of course, all the twists eventually lead us to the main message of the film about how our memory is the greatest magic.
Enjoyability- 9/10.
With vibrant animation, creative and intense action scenes, interesting themes, fun characters, and clever jokes. This film is highly enjoyable and will guaranteed to be a good time
Overall: 9.1/10
Honestly after checking this out, I am now interested in checking out more of Laika's works because this film is simply outstanding. And of course, I will give this film the badge of awesomeness.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
The best of 2022
I genuinely cannot believe this big of an upgrade can exist. The first film was just meh to me. But Maverick single-handedly improved upon every aspect of the original that will make for an unforgettably awesome experience
Story/Plot- 10/10
The story was one of the weaker aspects of the original top gun. But dang the storytelling is so rich and engaging left to right. It gave us a lot more fighting sequences as well as making the progression of the story a lot more natural and earned. A film with a 10/10 story comes once every blue moon and this film is one of those instances. Unlike the first film, Top Gun: Maverick is a lot more heavily focused on the premise of the film and a lot less focused on dating. So because of that, we get a ton of well-crafted battles and training montages that are always a guaranteed good time
Cinematography/Special effects- 10/10
Because this film took place more than 30 years after the original, the technological advancement is noticeable. So the quality, and special effects are much better than that of the first's. It may come as a surprise to know all the jets used in the film are actual jet fighters. So the fighting sequences are much more entertaining this time around. Not to mention that the soundtrack is an absolute banger!
Characters- 9/10
Nearly every character, old and new has a ton of characterization and the perfect amount of screen time to make them fun to be around. Shockingly, some of them had some emotional resonance as well. I love the fact that Penny and Maverick weren't chasing after each other like some couple. Instead, their relationship felt a lot more real and natural. Speaking of which, Maverick is way more interesting and likable than he was in the first film. He isn't your generic cocky main protagonist this time around. He is compassionate about his students and his passion just shoots straight through. Maverick makes for such a great teacher. The only problem with the characters is that Hangman could have been given a better motivation but it is not that big of a sting though
Writing- 9/10
The writing was spectacular. It is good from start to finish and tells the story in a shockingly mature way. It makes you think this is a modernized 80's film and that just adds up to its freshness
Enjoyability- 10/10
Yes, there may have been no deep moments or any funny characters but instead, this film has awesome flying sequences and interesting dialogue. I am hearing comments about how they only were on the edge of the seat and I can totally relate! It was that much of a good time
Overall: 9.8/10
Honestly, this film was very close to being perfect. It boggles my mind. Like why did you guys put time and effort into making a Top Gun sequel. That was just an aggressively ok film but this film feels like it happens in another universe because the difference in the quality is that big. I can honestly say that I'm ok with a 3rd installment
I will now award Top Gun: Maverick the badge of awesomeness and the badge of a perfect sequel.
Top Gun (1986)
Mostly mediocre but it had it's moments
To be honest, this film had the potential to become an all-time due to its unique premise about jets but because of bad writing, it just became your average generic movie
Story/Plot- 3/10
The best parts of the movie were the opening and the climax when the flying and fighting happens. Everything between them is not very fun to watch or engaging. For a while, I thought this was a high-school romance film rather than a film about planes. I only remembered when Maverick's best friend died. Speaking of which, none of the attempts of an emotional moment hit. Like I could tell the writers really tried but Goose's sheer lack of characterization got the better of me. The main plot isn't also engaging, surprise
Cinematography/Special effects- 7/10
Because this was made by a big studio, the special effects were better than most films that came out during the 1980's. However, the cinematography wasn't on the same level. In my opinion, the soundtrack was bad, and remember, a good soundtrack is crucial to making a film feel epic so I never really got really hyped up at any point during the film
Characters- 4/10
For like 80% of the run-time, Maverick was very unlikable. I ended up cheering for Iceman during the race because my man is kind of creepy, was way too cocky and so much more. His girlfriend was just kind of whatever. And I have nothing to say about everyone else because they had a serious lack of screen time and a lack of characterization
Writing- 4/10.
For a good chunk of the film, the bad writing creaked through the interactions. You have very unfunny jokes. Also, why do you have a 2-minute long montage of Maverick making out with his girlfriend? I came here to see some epic airborne battle scenes, not a R rated adult film
Enjoyability- 6/10
You know because of everything I just said, I really didn't feel like sitting through the middle chunk but I decided to anyway just in case if the climax is actually about planes. And fortunately, that scene came. It has a ton of creative moments and overall an exciting battle to see.
Overall: 5.4/10
I really want to ask Paramount a question. Why did you guys make a genuinely well-crafted sequel 36 years after this film? I'm pretty sure even the people who grew up with film had forgotten it by the time Maverick came around. Despite this film's lackluster quality, I'm excited to see Maverick because that film's IMDb rating is crazy high.
Incredibles 2 (2018)
The worst disappointment and quality downgrade in cinema history
I saw this back in 2018, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember the film at all. I saw that nearly every film critic bashes this film pretty hard. It only took me to watch the first 10 minutes to realize how god-awful Incredibles 2 is. Bare with me here as I'm going to be writing a very long rant
Story/Plot- 2/10
This just may be the weakest Pixar film in terms of its story. Actually, I would say that this film hardly has its own story at all. Every single character development from the first film is completely scrapped altogether just to redo them all over again without any of the original's brilliance. If Mr. Incredible was the main protagonist, it would have been the exact same film as the first. I clearly remember the family discovering Jack Jack's powers at the end of the last film. I also clearly remember supers being legalized at the end of the first film but it is just illegal again wallah. And look, they even ended this film the exact same way they ended off the first film. Like they even erased Tony's memory for no good reason other than to make it even more similar to the first than it already is
Animation- 6/10
The animation was very realistic, too realistic actually. I'm the type of person that prefers style over quality so as you would guess, I don't like hype realistic CGI. To make things a lot worse, every single character still has the same cartoony character designs from the first film. So none of the characters feel like they belong in the environment. Also, the designs of the new supers just scream laziness to your eyes, they're suits are all very similar to each other and they also have really bad color combinations.
Characters- 1/10
I strongly dislike how every character was just unlikable or boring, no interesting nor fun character to be found. Every single character from the last film suddenly has no development, in fact I felt like everyone's flaws were worse this time around which they already learned from in the first film. Like how Mr. Incredible gets jealous at Elastigirl. Violet is literally what every teenager girl is like in hollywood. Jack Jack keeps on sneezing to the roof that it just gets annoying at the end. But the absolute worst thing in this entire film is Evelyn. She is super lame, extremely predictable, she always has this bored look, and never did her voice actress really gave in on her performance. It wouldn't have sting so much if she didn't take so much screen time. Plus every single new character is forgettable and not really good. By the way, I didn't like how every single character just dropped their attitudes in a blink of an eye. Like Violet was just a chaotic mess in the first half, but suddenly became an understanding calm person in the 2nd half of the film
Writing- 3/10
Once again a failure. I don't get why they needed to make some of the conversations overly stretched just for it to end in a joke which none of them I understood and its not just one thing, every single punchline is delivered this way which makes for a painfully excruciating experience. None of the attempts of an emotional moment hit
Enjoyability- 5/10
I don't understand why they decided to make this a baby film. It would have been understandable if they made the sequel a few years after the first but considering this came out 14 years after. It's only right to assume that everyone who grew up with the original film had become adults by then or at the very least, teenagers but this film is so dumbed down for babies man. Like how they re-introduced Edna just for her to have a few haha funny moments with Jack Jack. I also didn't like how the middle chunk of the film is just so boring. When Elastigirl was captured, there was a good 30 minutes of just nothing, almost feeling like a filler. The only, I mean the ONLY saving grace of this film is the action. The choreography is well done but not so for everything else
Overall- 3.4/10
Wow, what an unbelievably terrible product. It wouldn't have sting so much if the first film wasn't an all-time classic that's genuinely a well-done superhero film, and I swear if they decide to make a third movie, I'm gonna lose my mind.
Inside Out 2 (2024)
The biggest shocker of the year
I never planned to see this in theatres. Because Pixar has a pretty bad record with sequels and I hated a lot of them. I saw the trailer and didn't think much of it. But I decided to watch it anyway. From the first 5 minutes, I got a huge sigh of relief because the character development from the first film is still there and it didn't recycle the first film
Story/Plot- 8.5/10
For the first time since Toy Story 3, a Pixar sequel felt like a natural continuation of its predecessor. They expanded the universe, introduced new concepts and characters. It even portrays the first film's message stronger but that's where one major blemish comes in. Sometimes, it felt too much like the first film and the tone of the film wasn't that distinct from its predecessor. So because of that, I occasionally got that feeling of unoriginality. However, I would say it still has a really strong story and excellent themes
Animation-8.5/10
The animation arguably looks better than the first. It has a ton of creative scenes and visually stunning shots. The style of the new emotions looks great and there's really no scene that felt like it was lacking in the animation department. It's just that most of the film happens in the exact same place as the first does so no new environments. Still though, the animation of this film is really really good
Characters- 10/10
Scoring a 10 on the characters section is extremely rare, but Inside Out 2 did it anyway which just shows how above and beyond this film is. The biggest issue of the 1st film is the lack of certain characters. Any emotion besides Joy and Sadness felt almost pointless. But they surprisingly fixed that issue here. Every single emotion had a big role in this film and no one was sidelined, all of them had a fitting with what emotion they represented
Writing- 9/10
It was exceptional, for the most part. The writing started out really strong but it got progressively weaker as the film went along. So the 2nd and 3rd acts are noticeably less entertaining than the first. But overall, this is easily the best-written Pixar film since Coco
Enjoyability- 8/10
Overall I would say I had a very fun time. It's hilarious, it's emotional, it is visually stunning and it has everything you could possibly want in a feature film. But my biggest problem comes from this section. As much as I enjoyed the 3rd act climax, it just continued on for a bit too long.
Overall score: 8.4/10
This is probably the most shocking film Pixar has ever made. I can't believe how well it works. It's miles better than most of its kind and the best Pixar film since Coco. This is legitimately the only non-toy story Pixar sequel where the quality comes pretty close to beating the original.
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Splendid work!
If I have to pick a studio that is the most consistently good, it'd be Aardman studios. I can't name a single bad project from them and they all range from a decent 7/10 to genuinely well done 9/10's. While this is not quite their best work, this is still their best work marketed by DreamWorks.
Story/Plot- 9/10
Our classic duo is catching bunnies but from an accident during one of the procedures, Wallace now turns into a were-rabbit during the nighttime. I like how it took a little while to reveal this twist and the scene where Gromit discovered Wallace's secret gives me chills every time. One thing I didn't expect was this film being a parody of the horror genre. Not in a mockery way but just making it humorous whilst working well as its own horror film
Animation- 9/10
If it's stop motion, then I would automatically rate it a 9/10. Wallace and Gromit: TCOTWR however doesn't really have exceptional animation nor special effects due to the relatively low budget so I won't be giving out that rare 10/10, but it was very close though
Characters- 8.5/10
Wallace and Gromit is one of the most famous duos in the world if I'm being honest and they both have their own charms to them which makes their each perspective characters interesting. Victor was a decent villain and everyone was pretty memorable.
Writing- 8.5/10
Ah, what a good writing/script. All the jokes work and not a single bad line to be found. Did a fine job at immersing us onto this unique experience
Enjoyability- 9/10
As I said before, this film is really funny. It also got me invested in Wallace's character which made the film all the more interesting. Plus the few emotional moments it has does hit
Overall rating: 8.9/10
Easily the best DreamWorks-Aardman film out of the 3. Like c'mon this is such a hard film to hate.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
An exciting, fast paced adventure
I swear Mr. Peabody & Sherman is a lot better than I remember it being. This film may be even up there alongside DreamWorks' best works like Kung Fu Panda and Shrek. It was about time we got an exciting animated film that's about time travel
Story/Plot- 8/10
It's not completely original as this is a book adaptation but they did a pretty decent job at bringing the beloved book to life. It also teaches the audience about parenthood and that it is ok to show affection to your child the way you want. It's such a heart-warming story that ultimately makes up for a great father-son bond
Animation- 8.5/10
All of DreamWorks' films have stunning visuals and Mr. Peabody & Sherman is no exception. Although it isn't so good that it grabs your attention. Just pretty
Characters 7.5/10
Most of them works well but the villain is a huge letdown for the quality. I found her more annoying than intimidating and she really lacks screen time, just your everyday Karen. But because there were really only 3 other central characters. So because there are so few central characters, it wasn't overstuffed and all 3 of them had a ton of heart(Mr. Peabody, Sherman, Penny). Also, the historical figures were a nice addition because they ultimately made the experience more fun
Writing- 7/10
Now, this is where the only major blemish comes from. There were plenty of pointless arguments and separations that served no point in the story. The thing is, these scenes are not so pleasant to watch. But the writing is fine throughout the rest of the film
Enjoyability- 8/10.
Due to our fun characters, and the fun time travel gimmick, It was surely a fun experience! The humor was decent and got me laughing here and there too
OVERALL: 7.9/10
It was super close to being an 8/10. For anyone who hasn't tried out Mr. Peabody and Sherman, I would highly recommend you do. I mean besides the writing and Ms. Grunion, there's really not much to pick out on.
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)
Aggressively ok film
Let's all agree that after the 2 fantastic films DreamWorks put out in 2022, everyone immediately set their expectations high for this film as both the Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: TLW genuinely blew everyone's minds away. This is probably why Ruby Gillman, despite being not that bad, is still rated really low due to the high expectations
Story- 5/10
It isn't the most amazing thing in the world and it is very unoriginal with its ideas. Plus very cliche moments here and there. I actually thought this would have worked better as a tv-show with the angle it was going for
Animation- 7/10
It was very unique tbh. I prefer experimental styles rather than the boring CGI animation. But some designs looked awful and probably also would fit better in a TV-show
Characters- 5/10
None of the characters are fleshed or really sticks out from the crowd. You have the boring twist villain and the awkward teenager who really despises her mother just because of one reason. Yeah they weren't great
Tones/Messages- 5/10
It barely even had a tone at all. It's so fast paced that I didn't have time to really spot or feel any consistent tones. The message is also not told in the most sophisticated way.
Enjoyability- 6.5/10
Not landing a high spot because the fight scenes are just straight up bland and boring. Not funny except for a few scattered gags and fails to have any emotional resonance with me. The uncle was decent though,
Overall- 5.6/10
Ruby Gillman wasn't the worst thing. But I can definitely see why it bombed so badly at the box office. It lacks everything that grabs audience's attention.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Very messy film that is frustrating
This is probably better than the last film but that's not saying much. Jurassic World Dominion somehow was turned into a rescue-sci film with dinosaurs added for fun. At least it's garbage predecessors still had a focus on the dinos. I immediately braced for awfulness as our team picked out a triceratop and kidnaps him where none of the dinosaur's kind exists in the beginning instead of saving all of them
There is just too many going on and there is too many subplots during the 2nd act
1. Owen and Claire are on an adventure to rescue mission and are in Malta fighting people
2. Some other bad guys have convinced Maisie to stay aboard
3. Henry for some reason created gigantic locusts that is destroying crop fields around the US
4. The OG characters from the original trilogy are back for no reason and they are on another adventure that is definitely not straight up copied from the previous films
And all of these completely different subplots that could even be separated into their own films finally meet up during the 3rd act climax. However the ending was a bit entertaining, I admit but then we have a cliche film moment near the end where Henry says "I must come along with you guys to fix my mistakes" and our team says "No no no, you're a bad boy" but then Henry is forgotten as a dinosaur sees them and he's immediately allowed to come along.
What I'm frustrated about is our central trio(Owen, Claire, and Maisie). Owen is still having trouble with Blue but even though he admits that he failed to tame her, and Owen is still doing that annoying pose when he comes across dinosaurs. Speaking of which, blue has 0 purpose in this film, neither is her daughter. I feel like it would have been better if they killed off Blue in the last film to give the movie a bit of a more of an emotional resonance with the audience. Maisie also really despises her parents for no reason and suddenly loves them at the climax. Claire was somewhat decent but she did have her fair share of her own awkward, dumb moments
The story is not even about dinosaurs anymore. In fact, I don't even know what this film is trying to be about. A dinosaur film? A search and rescue film? A survival film? Or a film that has no themes or thematic richness that is cashing off our nostalgia with inconsistent tones? You know maybe the last one is correct.
One positive I have to say other than the entertaining climax is also the new characters. Yes, even if they already re-introduced the OG people, they still had room for new characters. But they weren't half bad though. Kayla had a ton of personality and she was actually useful and Barry, with not much screen-time still left some moments.
Wow, that was a very long review, probably my longest one ever but that says a lot about how bad this product was
Rating: 5.1/10.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Basically a Jurassic Park 2 reboot
Before going to see this film for the first time, I noticed that the reviews and ratings were extremely negative, even more so than Jurassic Park 2& 3 which were films I definitely did not enjoy and I can see why.
If you really think about, this is the exact same thing as the 2nd film. Going back to the abandoned park but you encounter people who are trying to sell dinosaurs. But this film takes that idea and makes it it's central plot instead of survival shenanigans. But at this point we've gone so far with the "lets save the dinosaurs and oh we gotta have to run away" shtick that its something usual and boring now. Like 95% of franchises lose their charm by movie number 4 or 5 and this series is no exception
But I did still enjoy this product at the end of the day. The final chase between the Indo-raptor is entertaining. And the plot does come around to be exciting towards the 3rd act and of course Blue just steals the show. Good CGI, and good acting.
Rating: 5.4/10.
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Not so sure about this one
Jurassic Park 3 tries very hard to recapture the magic the first did. With new dinosaurs and returning of old characters. But it sadly ended up becoming a pretty dull, dumb film that contradicts the vision for a fine product
If you really think about it, this is basically the 2nd film all over again. Going to Jurassic Park island for expedition but they figure out it was a bad idea and narrowly escapes death. While 3 has advantages over 2 in many ways such as being more creative and innovative, 2 simply had a better story and plot. Speaking of which Jurassic Park 3's plot and story is hilariously bad.
But there was some stuff to enjoy out of this film. The chases with the Spinosaurus were very fun and the long survival scenes with the pterodactyls were fun as well. The humor occasionally caused a few chuckles and the CGI for the monsters look ahead of its time
Rating: 5.5/10.
Jurassic World (2015)
Surprisingly good
I am so glad they decided to make new, modern thrills while keeping the original concept alive and mixing it up with nostalgia. While on my JP binge-watch, I was getting tired of the blandness that is JP 2 and 3. While it doesn't quite reach the quality of the first film, this is still a highly worthy watch for any dinosaur fans out there
This more or less felt like a direct sequel to the original film that was released in 1993, pretty much ignoring the existence of the 2 previous sequels other than the bird cage of the third film. Instead of being a boring decade-late sequel or a soulless reboot, it actually took advantage of the decade late release by it taking place at a far later timeline so there was some new stuff like a whole new park, and completely new ideas were brought to the table as well. Chris Pratt taming raptors is something not nuanced but certainly a fresh idea instead of reusing the first film's ideas all over again. The writing was good overall but it occasionally suffered from poor dialogue
And these new ideas lead to them making a completely new dinosaur which never has existed in the real world, aka Indominus rex. The team did a pretty good job at establishing the new star as a threatening and an intimating force that feels powerful. Not to mention that the dino's design looks sick.
The action is something that is not as epic as the survival chases of the original trilogy but with the help of an improved CGI, the action is certainly more amusing to look at. Such as the final showdown between the Indominus rex and a T-rex
However Jurassic World does have one major blemish. That being the human characters. They're fine but none of them are really fleshed out or have any particularly memorable or dark scenes. So any attempt of an emotional scene falls completely flat. Heck, even Chris Pratt's character(Owen) wasn't really interesting despite the good acting. The 2 boys failed to make me feel for them and all the other characters were just meh.
But overall I highly respect Jurassic World for not becoming a soulless cash-grab it so easily could have become. Instead introducing new concepts and modern thrills while staying true to the original film's tones and themes. Also a major improvement over Jurassic Park 2& 3
Rating: 7.7/10.