Gorillaboi

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Another great instalment

With this Planet of the Apes reboot, it's pretty remarkable how consistently good all four of the films have been. To carry on making 8+/10 (in my opinion) movies over four back-to-back attempts, is such a rare feat nowadays.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is an impressive addition, considering the challenge it faced with having a very important character missing.

It still manages to create a compelling story, good set of characters, excellent visuals, solid pacing, etc. And if you enjoyed the previous three, you will almost certainly have a fun time watching this one.

Look forward to seeing the next one!

8/10 for me.

Leave the World Behind (2023)

The awful ending will leave you very annoyed

This film is a great example of creators knowing how to build suspense with vague plot developments (which is the easy bit).....but then having no clue how to marry that with a satisfactory conclusion / explanation.

Movies which "leave it up to the viewer" and think they're smart by doing that, need putting in the trash. It's not smart. It's lazy and devoid of any talent or creativity.

It's a slow movie which teases small bits of info as a big event is taking place. It makes for good first hour, but where I was then expecting it to pick up the pace and start rewarding the viewer with a revelation or two.....it instead continues with tiny, painstaking developments. I then quickly realised this movie isn't going anywhere and a very disappointing ending was being served up.

The ending was in fact worse than what I thought.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

It's OK. Getting a bit boring/predictable though

It's an ok action movie. But much like many of the other titles, it's not one that will stick with you for anything memorable

The new addition (the thief) is decent. Some of the car chase scenes were great. But everything else is repetitive and something you see in every MI film. The plot is also pretty boring.

If you're someone who can't get enough of spy action flicks and are a huge fan of this franchise, then sure, you'll like it.

But if you're a neutral like me and you just want a new, fresh experience with developing ideas, then you'll find this a tedious watch for the most part. The film is long and it does drag.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Undoes the good work of Bumblebee (2018)

The Transformers movie franchise has long been a series of expensive garbage flicks with lots of noise, explosions, and little else. Something typical of a Michael Bay offering these days

There was however an air of optimism with the recent Bumblebee movie - which was fresh, heartwarming and a welcome change from the previous instalments that kept getting worse and worse

Finally, it was a good Transformers movie (not seen since the very first one).

But with this one - Rise Of The Beasts - we've gone back to the cheesy tropes of the other movies that offer nothing exciting or fresh. A pretty big disappointment considering how good Bumblebee was. I don't know what went wrong with this and why they went back to trashy formula of before. But whoever pushed this franchise back into that direction, needs to be dropped

4/10. Terrible movie.

Prey (2022)

Good idea, but poor execution

Going into this movie I was super excited about the indigenous setting and characters. And I felt the creators of the movie had come up with a fantastic idea in placing the Predator in that part of the world, to mix it up with hunting and tracking expertise of the Native Americans

But what could have been a solid 8/10 flick, is reduced to a sub-par product for many reasons.

Female teen is the protagonist, with absurdly high stealth and killing skills that, at no point in the movie, feels like she's in any danger. She's just too perfect and too smart at everything. When a character like this is presented to you (with all of her supe skills immediately present), it has a drastic impact on how the rest of the movie plays out. You then begin to care very little for the circumstances/dangers she's thrown in, because you know she'll always come out on top

So overall, a somewhat boring, predictable movie with all of the usual tropes surrounding a female heroine. Instead of making a genuinely good movie and letting the good writing of a female character do its talking, they try to hard to push this agenda that "girls can do everything you can too". And it results in a very average movie.

6/10.

The Batman (2022)

Nice change from the typical comic book movie

Right off the bat I'll mention that, in terms of making a good movie, The Batman is vastly superior to any of the garbage mustered in Zack Snyder's titles, as well as 90% of other CGI-infested superhero movies with the usual tropes.

It's well written, well directed, well structured, and has a plot which is smart and interesting. The characters are also good and fit in well with the movie's overall premise. All of the reveals and plot developments tie in nicely with one another. It's just a good, textbook movie that does very little wrong.

You might then think why I've only given it a 7/10 (which isn't a bad score). It's just that for it to be an 8/10 or a 9/10, it has to offer something incredibly unique and magical. Like a Dark Knight (9/10), or a Logan (9/10), or even a Deadpool (8/10). I appreciate The Batman is a different type of movie to some of those. But at the same time, it isn't anything ground breaking like the Nolan Batman films were. Rather, it' a very respectable effort of continuing the tradition of grounded, realistic comic book movies.

With that said, a lot of praise needs to be given to everyone who made this. It is a very good movie that avoids the pitfalls of so many other lazy comic book titles out there.

The Adam Project (2022)

First half is fun, second half is predictable

I'm a big fan of time travel movies and this one has a very fun / enjoyable start. It shows great potential with the chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and the kid. It sets up what you would hope would be a plot / mission that's equally as good.

However it eventually fails to live up to the charm of the first 40 or so minutes, as it falls into a typical cat-and-mouse plot with clichéd chase scenes and a mission that you've seen million times before in other movies.

It has a few nice moments in terms of relationships between characters, but ultimately, it fails to offer any unique / clever aspects to it. And thus provides for a predictable viewing where you'll be clock-watching towards the final third.

Fresh (2022)

Starts good, then quickly falls off

One of those films that, with its beginning, shows great potential. Somewhat likeable characters and decent chemistry between the two leads.

But when events develop, the one of the characters is forced to take a change and the charm that existed in the beginning quickly evaporates.

The villain's motives are clichéd. The performance from the lead actress isn't anything to remember by. And the events of the movie are easily predictable en route to a boring ending.

Vikings: Valhalla (2022)

Similar charm to the earlier Vikings seasons

Going into this my expectations were pretty low giving the following reasons:

1. The vikings themed TV shows and movies were become very boring

2. The original Vikings series nose-divded pretty badly in the latter seasons

But much to my surprise, Vikings Valhalla's first season was a very enjoyable to watch. Sure, it suffers from some of the same tropes of its predecessor, but you'll quickly overcome them after the first episode. The storylines are decent, the characters are interesting, the acting is brilliant, and the costumes / setting is also impressive.

More for me, though, is its brilliant simplicity. None of the characters are over the top. They don't overfill it with too many subplots that you care little about. The filming and camera shots are fantastic, letting you soak in the natural beauty of its locations. Even the costumes are basic, but give it more authenticity (as opposed to the leather biker garments of before).

So yeah, a pleasant surprise for me. Will be interesting to see if it can maintain this quality. Right now, it's a 7/10.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Worse than what I feared

Remember everything you loved about the original Matrix (and even the sequels)? Well, forget every single thing of them, as you're not going to see it in this one.

In the original series you had memorable action sequences that defied the norms....and Ressurections replaces them with poorly shot / edited / choreographed garbage.

In the original series you had one of the greatest villains ever (Agent Smith) in cinema that stole every single scene involved in....and Ressurections replaces him with a Chad.

In the original series you had the frightening and depressing realisation the real world was a dark, cold, lifeless existence with unforgiving sentinels covering every inch of the surface....and Ressurections replaces that with a somewhat pleasant Krypton type world where humans enjoy peace and high-five their machine friends. No, I'm serious. They literally high five machines in this film.

In the original series you had intimidating agents that gave you the sense of immenent danger....and Ressurections replaces them with zombies lol.

Honestly, I feel like this was a deliberate abomination of a much loved franchise. For what reason, I will never know.

But one thing I do know, is that if they ever hope to make a redeemable title again, this needs to be taken away from the Wachowski sisters (or whichever one that worked on this) - who, at this point, aren't capable of making a good Matrix film again. Give it to a new fresh director.

Foundation (2021)

Worth watching only for Lee Pace's performance

The very first teaser / trailer that came out for this, made this look very impressive. Great trailer.

But unfortunately, after having watched all of season 1, there are only a handful of redeeming qualities about this show:

• Sets
• Costumes
• Visual affects
• Acting from Lee Pace - who plays Brother Day

The latter point (the performance and presence of Lee Pace) is probably the main thing worth commending. Other characters / plots will quickly bore you, and you'll find yourself skipping them so that you can return to what's happening with Brother Day and his royal siblings.

The main protagonist -- the young mathematician -- is nothing more than a Mary Sue. She's too perfect and lacks flaws to make her an interesting watch. Her, along with another female protagonist, are involved in predictable sub plots / scenes in which you know they'll come out successful in the end. Boring.

Pretty disappointing, for me. Had high hopes for it, but the incredibly high budget and brilliant performance from Lee Pace, aren't enough to save what'll go down as a very mediocre sci fi show.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

It's so bad, why bother even making it?

I ask the above question, because clearly there has been NO attempt here to make a good movie. Like, what even is the point of going through all this effort (actors, writers, affects team, etc) if you have no intentions of creating anything even mildly impressive?

Sure, I get that it's a money-making title. And that the end goal is to exploit a fan-base that'll throw their money to see their favourite comic-book characters depicted on the big screen.

But there are no redeeming qualities about this. Absolute zero. The acting, the story, the action, the characters, the humour..... none of it can be commended lol. It's almost like they've deliberately made a bad movie.

Dune: Part One (2021)

Dune definitely justifies the hype!

Going into this movie, I knew nothing of the lore. So I approached it completely free of any bias. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. Puts a lot of high-budget modern movies to shame.

The cast is strong. All of the performance very polished. Likeable characters. The soundtrack was incredible. And the cinematography is phenomenal. It's everything a big-screen movie should be.

Even if you're clueless about the franchise (like I was), you'll pick up the story fairly easily (despite there being many layers to the it). The character and world building is excellent, and by the end of the movie you're left wanting more.

Go see it. Make sure there's no distractions when you do. Allow yourself to be immersed into the film and you'll enjoy it like I did. Cannot wait for the next installment.

The Many Saints of Newark (2021)

Soprano fans will enjoy it. Others not as much.

If you're a fan of the TV series, you will ease into this film and enjoy it right off the bat. All of the performances from each of the actors, do justice to the characters from the show.

The story itself as well as how it gives references to events decades later (as well as all of the Easter eggs) were adequately done. And I think it sets itself up nicely for prequels (be they in the form of a movie or TV series). Just a good all round move in terms of acting, pacing, story and directing.

But at the same time, I do appreciate that those unfamiliar with the TV show, won't be able to enjoy it in the same way. To them, this will be just another run-of-mill mobster flick. Without any attachment to the characters, it may not have the same magic.

The Green Knight (2021)

Beautifully shot, but may not be for everyone

This movie is right up your street if you appreciate:

• cinematography / visuals
• medieval era of films
• poetry
• applying personal interpretation

And it will help you, when going into this film, being aware that it's based on a 14th century poem.

Otherwise the high-action, sword-swinging movie you're expecting, will cause you bitter disappointment..

I personally enjoyed it. I loved the sound, design, costumes, and the presence the Green Knight (fantasific CGI, sound & visuals given to him) created.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Just as bad as the first Suicide Squad

I'm not sure whether there's a profound desperateness for DC movies to be good, but there is a huge drop in standards these days for comic book movies. Especially their comic book movies.

I'm probably in the minority for thinking this is as bad as the first one. But it is. And I don't understand how this has managed to maintain a 7.5 rating? There's nothing redeeming about this movie. The humour, characters, plot, etc. Are all well below par.

Jungle Cruise (2021)

An average run-of-the mill jungle adventure flick

If this movie came out in the early 2000s, it would have been considered half-decent. It's got the same vibe as The Mummy and Pirates of the Caribbean.

But in 2021 where it's not been long after two Jumanji films set in the jungle (which also star Dwayne Johnson), was there even any need to make this film?

Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson give respectable performances. But not enough to save the movie from a boring plot, boring villains and a somewhat forced, cringe love story.

All-in-all, a very forgetful movie which was lucky to snap up an Emily Blunt to even be involved in it.

Blood Red Sky (2021)

Decent watch (if you don't expect too much from it)

I'm sure it's probably borrowed from other movies on a plane (be it snakes, zombies, etc). But with me not remembering much from them, I found this movie somewhat enjoyable and refreshing compared to other vampire or zombie films.

The reviews I've read so far are a little harsh. Because if you judge this movie on its own and not punish it for whatever previous titles have existed, this is a well-made movie.

The plot is fair simple and well structured. The motives of each of the characters are believable. The build-up and structure of the story is good. Acting is reasonable. The editing and way in which its shot is reasonable. Even the make-up of the monsters was pretty good.

One thing I can say for sure, it's better than the other Zombie flick released this year (Army Of The Dead)

Better Left Unsaid (2021)

Beware of the fake reviews

I went into this seeking a fair, balanced look at the extremes that exist on both sides.

Instead it's a one-sided critical analysis of the extreme left - to which the extreme right are treated as a by-product.

The Tomorrow War (2021)

A D-level version of Edge Of Tomorrow

Some of the headlines I'd read before watching, suggested it was a surprisingly enjoyable sci-fi action movie

That would be true......if this was released in 2005.

And no, I don't say that because of the CGI or anything. That aspect of the movie was okay. But rather, the clichéd tropes, attempted comedy, score, etc. All seemed dull and tedious. The type that had already been done numerous times before.

Just picture a Transformers level movie (the sequels and beyond), but with alien aliens instead of robot aliens. And that's because of the overbearing use of inspirational scores, good guys always coming out on top, lame attempts at comedy, and so on.

Plot was okay'ish. Had somewhat of a decent concept. But then it gets lost in the usual modern Alien sci-fi action formula. And made worse by nonsensical plot-holes.

A vastly inferior movie to, say, Edge Of Tomorrow - which is a million times better than this could ever hope to be.

Wrath of Man (2021)

A decent heist / revenge movie

This movie doesn't break new grounds, but it knows what it wants to be (a revenge movie) and does it adequately.

The hero's motives are easy to root for, and they're conveyed in a well-structured plot with good pacing and a consumable run-time. Thankfully, the movie takes a break from the usual Guy Richie tricks which have long been out-dated. Instead, it adopts a more conventional method of story-telling (flash-backs are limited) and results in an enjoyable action/heist/revenge flick that will be right up your street if you enjoy those type of movies.

The action wasn't extraordinary, but the gun-fight scenes were respectable. The manner in which they were shot and edited also made for easy viewing, so that you appreciate the danger / stakes the characters are in. It avoids the pitfalls of many action films of today that are plagued by shaky cams, CGI and fast editing - which are often done to mask the poor way in which the scenes are filmed. Wrath of Man doesn't suffer from this, as the basics (such as camera angles, stunt-men, pacing, etc) are done in a very good, text-book method.

So yeah, definitely give this a watch.

Army of the Dead (2021)

D-Level movie at best

Can't think of a single redeeming quality about this movie - other than it being of a genre that's usually fun.

But this is another reminder of why Zack Snyder is nowhere near the director his hardcore fans make him out to be. And unlike the painfully long movie, I'll keep my review short and concise:

• Terrible acting and characters
• Poor visuals
• Poor dialogue and writing
• Poor action
• Too many cliches / tropes

I almost got the impression it was deliberately trying to be bad. Because it took a very simple premise (that would otherwise have been an enjoyable movie if it fixed the obvious things), and turned it into the atrocious movie it is.

Mortal Kombat (2021)

Mortal Kombat fans will enjoy it

This movie is far from perfect, but it's important to note that it doesn't pretend to be. It knows its main focus is in its hand-to-hand combat action, and in that regard it delivers a somewhat decent product for its target audience.

I do, however, believe it could have done a better job in terms of pacing and plot structure. We know this possible to do without compromising the action (because the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie did so). But this 2021 version instead abruptly jumps from one fight scene to another without there being any lead-up.

I do also believe there is lots of material in the MK franchise to have actually made a series of movies - instead of rushing the stories and character arcs into one. The characters have interesting backgrounds which, if explored, could have made the events of the film more meaningful and of more substance. And on the topic of characters, the main lead in this is completely unnecessary. The game itself, as mentioned, has amazing characters. There really was no need to introduce an entirely new person that viewers care very little for. If it instead focused on Scorpion (who has a very strong introduction), this movie would have been far better.

(That said, Kano was brilliant in this. Whoever wrote his character and his lines, deserves props. He was surprisingly hilarious)

But back to the plot, in its defence I guess it didn't have the time or budget to the things I recommended. Maybe they had just one shot to make a movie that would be enjoyed by the general masses. And with that in mind, they created a product with cool fight scenes, affects and costumes.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)

Not as good as the ratings/reviews suggest

I respect the overall message this series projects. But in terms of the actual TV show itself, it isn't anything to rave about. In fact, I'm left a little annoyed by the misleading scores/reviews which made this out to be a great show - when it's anything but.

Characters extremely boring. The villain(s) and their motives don't present anything exciting. The plot -- even for just 6 episodes -- drags out. The dialogue and events are very cheesy. And the action, for which it's supposed to excel in, is C-level. Even the effort I'm placing in writing this review is lazy; simply due to how the series left me feeling after watching it.

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

A simple, enjoyable monster-action movie

Going into this, I had very low expectations.

But I was surprised with the sensible route this film took. It doesn't bother wasting your time with pretentious storylines or human characters that you care very little about. Instead, it devotes most of its time to the monsters and gets straight into the action.

The CGI and camerawork was textbook and made for easy viewing. The fight scenes were very enjoyable. And perhaps the best thing about it (or, at least my favourite) was the little story arc they added for Kong. The journey he undertakes is not only fun to watch, but it's very relevant to the overall plot.

It's not a perfect film by any means. But it also doesn't pretend to be. It knows what it is (a film about two monsters duking it out), and it gives you that in the best possible way it can.

So yeah, a decent a popcorn movie.