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Reviews
Civil War (2024)
Another dishonest trailer leads to lower audience ratings
Once again 'Civil War' suffers from the current Hollywood failure of either telling the whole story in the trailer, or misleading the prospective audience with a trailer that promises something different to what the film ultimately delivers. In this case it's the second issue and comments from other reviewers show the frustrations of many.
Personally I'd had a quick look at the synopsis and so was cool with the idea of the film revolving around the photo journalists, especially having had a long term interest in the work of the Magnum Photos photographers. It definitely shows the brutality of war, especially given that this is a civil war, with citizens v citizens, rather than against foreign powers (either named or unnamed). There are some real moments of tension, and the full range of emotions experienced by the main characters.
Some plot points / technicalities do stand out as being somewhat unrealistic but IMO they're not enough to derail the overall story.
Final customer advice. Check the synopsis before you go see the film. Don't trust the trailer.
FBI: All the Rage (2024)
End of FBI for me
Well I gave the programme another go, with the first episode of this new season / series, but sadly there's no evidence of it improving on the continued decline of recent seasons, and there's plenty of other options to spend the time watching.
It's a shame that a show that was decent in early years has deteriorated so much, but guess theres only so many good stories out there. And the cast can only deal with what they get handed.
The main complaint has been the basic procedural errors that the characters made in their daily operations. Shouting 'stop' to suspects from a distance that gives them a good 100 yard start, going into situations without backup, and miraculously always knowing where the suspect is heading in a maze of streets, alleys, corridors etc so that agent #2 can take out the bad person with a tackle or clothes line arm.
Then you add in the number of episodes in the last series where an issue in a main characters life is directly reflected in the crime / criminal that is being investigated. Too same-y, so thanks for some good stories in the early years but this has run it's course for me.
Argylle (2024)
Where the Kingsmen Films got it right....
Argylle gets it so wrong...
The Kingsmen films were never meant to be serious spy films and never were. They were a nice balance of action, comedy and some zaniness, which worked and provided a freaky take on the genre.
Where Argylle goes wrong to me is that it turns the action up to 11, along with the wackiness but the humour is by and large gone. Add in a confusing story line and obvious CGI settings and the film is lost.
The film has good actors but by and large they were wasted. Samuel L Jackson's character is pretty much a cameo of a cameo, and Bryan Cranston's character lacks the glint in the eyes that made Colin Firth's Harry Hart such a success in the original film series.
Very disappointing overall.
Reacher (2022)
That Tricky Second Season
There's a phenomenon in the music industry where after great success with a maiden album, the singer or band in question struggles to match the same levels of critical and/or financial success with their second album.
It feels very much the same with the Reacher TV franchise. An excellent first season with a good story and Reacher's physique being corrected onscreen after the diminutive Tom Cruise in the movies, let down in this recent second season.
As mentioned elsewhere Reacher and his team go against all their training and principles, blinded by revenge to wipe out the bad guys, even seemingly taking sadistic pleasure in some of the torture/ killing.
This revenge rage also prevents Reacher and Co. From making good tactical decisions that those with their military experience should do. A great example is in the final episode when despite knowing what previously happened to their comrades, no efforts were made to disable or take out the helicopter in the early stages of the attack on the villains base.
Ok so it would have taken away the drama of the final airborne scenes, but good military operations tend to aim at eliminating drama, resulting in a higher percentage of success.
Hopefully the third season returns to the promise that the first season showed. Time will tell.
FBI: God Complex (2023)
Getting same-y now...
This season has had too many instances where one of the main characters has been going through something in their personal lives that is directly reflected by the circumstances of the cases that they and the team are investigating at the same time.
This time it was health issues around the pregnancy of Scola and Nina, resulting in Stuart having to make a potential life and death decision, at the same time the team are chasing a murderer with a God Complex who believes the power of life and death is theirs to decide.
It's lazy writing to keep using this device, and to be honest in this instance takes away from the Scola / Nina story and some good emotional acting from these two actors.
Here's hoping this trope ends with the conclusion of this season.
FBI: Family First (2023)
Good Episode Undermined by Continual Series Theme...
This episode could have been a strong one, especially with the story around Tiff's family and her brother, but it was undermined to an extent by a continual theme in recent FBI episodes. This is that whatever is happening in a main character's personal life ends up perfectly reflected by occurrences which are part of the case.
In this episode Scola's speech to the suspects relative could have also being spoken word-for-word to Tiff in reference to her brother. If this story device had been used more sparingly it probably wouldn't be as obvious, but it is the repetition across the season's episodes that begins to grate on this viewer at least if not others...
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Another great director past his best...
As a long time admirer of Martin Scorsese, this film promised so much, but apart from the running time, delivered less than the promise.
The premise of the story was good, and the acting excellent, but the pace was slow and the film could do with some judicious trimming in the editing suite. Some scenes were overlong and others such as the autopsy scene were jarring and completely unnecessary.
It seems like another recent example of a great director who has either forgotten the need to tell a tale concisely, or that has no-one around them to have a quiet word, rather than just agreeing and admiring the master.
Look forward to seeing the 'non-Directors Cut' of the film to experience what could have been.
Frasier (2023)
A good idea in theory...
But in practice Frasier should have been left alone in the annals of great TV Shows.
Although Frasier is the singular titular character, the strength of the original series was the ensemble cast with strong characters like Martin, Niles, Daphene and Roz (even Eddie the dog). With the loss of most of these fine actors by circumstance or choice, the Frasier reboot is sadly lacking, and the new characters are pale imitations / replacements.
Kelsey Grammer is quickly back up to speed with the characteristics, mannerisms of the Frasier persona but without the other characters he struggles. The tossed salad is greatly diminished without the scrambled eggs.
Hypnotic (2023)
Different but not Unique
The thing about this film (and maybe why it's getting the hate from some quarters) is that it's different from the majority of Superhero/ Brainless driving stunt/ interminable sequels/Game or Toy tie-in or Cinematic Universe movies that tend to haunt the worlds multiplexes.
Ok the concept leans towards previous 'alternate reality/ things aren't really what they appear to be be' movies, but this one has a somewhat fresh take.
Think it would be difficult to find viewers that could honestly say that they sussed the twists and real outcome of the story in the early parts of the film. There was enough misdirection and twists to keep the majority of the audience guessing.
It's doubtful that the acting was ever meant to trouble the 2023/24 Awards season, but with the points above plus some decent action sequences, and a reasonable running time, Hypnotic is a decent way to spend some cinema time if you don't want the films listed in paragraph #1.
Bullet Train (2022)
Lock Stock meets Murder on the Orient Express...
Meets Snakes on a Plane...
In a bizarre, ultra violent, blackly comedic action movie that pays homage to its Japanese location whilst taking subtle digs at aspects of its culture.
As previously mentioned it is VERY violent at times, with a creativity in kills beyond the repetitive 'shot to the chest, then double tap to the head' routine of the John Wick films. On occasion the violence adds to the dark comedy.
It is the type of film you would have seen Guy Ritchie or Tarantino make back in his prime.
Refreshingly different but here's hoping that Hollywood doesn't look at a sequel or a range of wannabe imitation flicks.
Station 19: Crawl Out Through the Fallout (2022)
Need to take a 360 degree view
Another good episode, apart from the school bus / radioactivity storyline.
There was nothing to stop the Station 19 crew going round to the other side of the bus to extricate the school children and take them out in a direction away from the radioactive materials.
Not as dramatic but more believable.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
The Horror, the Horror...
I regard myself as a casual cinema goer rather than particularly a Marvel fan, and for me the film was enjoyable.
Sam Rami added a horror element which lifted the film from the usual mass destruction/ no consequences style of most superhero films. And it was good to see both sides of the Wanda / Scarlet Witch character.
Don't think it was a problem that the film maybe didn't explore more of the alternative worlds in the Multiverse; it was more the MV concept that was an interesting element. Some nice unexpected cameos added to make a decent trip to the cinema:
The Rookie: Long Shot (2022)
Two Poor Episodes in a Row
I was hoping that the previous poor episode was a one off, but alas not.
The bounty hunter storyline was ridiculous and the actress/ show legal adviser not much better.
What was good about the show is rapidly deteriorating and becoming a smaller percentage of each episode.
Next episode is going to be key to whether the show gets ditched from my viewing schedules...
Operation Mincemeat (2021)
'The Imitation Game' set the standard...
... for this type of film; but unfortunately Operation Mincemeat failed to deliver in a similar way.
Interesting story but as others have said far too much attention to the romantic subplot/ simmering jealousy, which at one point looked likely to derail everything.
So in conclusion, a subpar effort.
The Rookie: Fight or Flight (2022)
Rookie Story Telling
Potentially the poorest episode of the entire run of The Rookie since it began. Kid nicks a Police helicopter way too easily and is instantly a star pilot. Stupid assistant / PA story.
Other stories are stronger but pulled down by the overall mix.
Hopefully just a low quality blip and not the start of a trend.
Ambulance (2022)
Leave your brain in the cinema parking....
And you might just enjoy it..
Plenty of action, some innovative use of drone cams, but massively improbable.
Some typical Michael Bay scenes but you know that going in.
Uncharted (2022)
Suspend your belief & the laws of Physics...
....and it's a fun action adventure that's worth your time if you take it at face value and don't ask too many questions.
Nice locations, some treasure clues to decipher and lots of action. Just don't take it seriously.
Nightmare Alley (2021)
A good film in there somewhere...
... struggling to get out.
Good to see a film set in a different era / setting, with strong acting from lead actors.
However the slow pacing and overly long running time dropped it back to being pretty average, and as it came towards the close the final scene was signposted loud and clearly...
Sure Del Toro fans will laud it in a similar way to how Tarantino fans raved over 'Once Upon a Time...', but to me it wasn't all that. The real disappointment is that it could have been.
The 355 (2022)
A decent action movie- that just happens to have female leads
If you're after a decent action movie with some good set pieces and stunts, following a decent story then go see this film.
If you're after ultra- realism, then maybe it's not for you, but then none of the action franchises (Bond, Bourne etc ) are massively realistic either.
If you have problems with female leading roles this isn't for you either.
If you give it a go, you might find out that you have an enjoyable two hours at the movies.👍