Shadowking1001 Reviews

Escape the Field (2022)

What a complete waste........

[2/10 · 15 October 2023]

This could have been a good movie. The actors were good and so was the setting. Most of the movie maintained a sense of mystery, and kept the my interest. I was actually looking forward to the reveal, but unfortunately, that never happened.

The ending was one of the dumbest and laziest wrap-ups I have ever seen. The last few minutes ruined the entire movie. There is absolutely no explanation provided, and you are just supposed to accept a nonsensical and completely unimaginative ending. Had they writers spent just 5 mins to think up a more interesting ending, this would easily be rated much higher. That awful "non-ending" takes away four stars.

Recommendation: strong pass (unless you want to spoil your mood at the ending; especially after having invested so much time to watch this movie). I should've heeded the warning of some reviewers. Too late for me now......

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

Please let this franchise go extinct along with The Megs....

[3/10 · 1 September 2023]

I have always liked creature features, especially shark themed movies. Unfortunately, this is a lame sequel. And that is not to say that the first movie was outstanding - that was a very average movie.

The plot and the writing in this movie was extremely lazy and juvenile. For a movie entitled Meg, there was unfortunately not much of Megs to be seen for the majority of the movie. It was more of a deep sea crime show with a ridiculous plot. The dialogue from start to finish was so shallow and cliche, that one wonders if it was written by a bunch of high schoolers or some AI software.

The characters regularly make the dumbest decisions, and the shootout scenes are so unbelievably contrived that you have to roll your eyes. The black character who provides the comedy for the movies, has been transformed from being very ineffective in the first movie, to some sort of special forces operator in this movie, and we are just supposed to believe that. In fact, he kills many highly trained mercenaries WHILE cracking jokes.

Besides all the reasons NOT to watch this movie listed above, the one positive is its 'appearance" of a big budget movie - with its large sets and decent CGI.

The Turning (2020)

Absolutely garbage waste of time

[2/10 · 7 August 2023]

Not sure what the writers, producers and director were thinking when they discussed the concept for this project. The only positive was the setting and mood of the film. Other than that, it is composed of a random collection of events (scenes) that do not build towards anything. There is no continuity in character development/discovery, and neither is there any existence of a coherent plot. This movie is the dictionary definition of wasted time that you cannot get back. I am actually so annoyed at myself for expecting to get something out of this. The ending has to be one of the most pointless ever in cinematic history. Please do not make the same mistake.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

Usual feeble premise, but with nice CGI

[3/10 · 22 April 2023]

This movie could've been so much better, had the writers put in a little bit more effort into the storyline. The CGI surrounding the monsters and the battles were above average. Unfortunately, the often repeated and dim-witted plot of saving Earth from humans is so tiresome.

So, since the "bad" humans are damaging the planet, the obvious solution - of course (eye roll) -is to release pre-historic monsters so that these "titans" can kill billions of human lives and completely destroy all civilization across the entire planet. Ok, not psychotic at all.

I wanted to like the movie, and I do like some of the visual aspects, but the storyline and many characters was so ludicrous, that the movie falls flat and I lost all interest in the outcome.

Umma (2022)

Was excited to watch it, but regretted I did

[4/10 · 17 April 2023]

This is one of the movies where that did not a direction as to how it should flow.

The beginning one third managed to create some curiosity. The middle one third looked promising with some good cinematography and building of horror movie-like atmosphere.

However, the final one third was all over the place, and sadly didn't amount to much at all. The movie inexplicably departed from the nice build-up of tension, and most annoyingly, the climactic resolution was incredibly tepid. It seemed like they were running out of money and time, and so decided to end the movie as soon as possible.

In summary, the acting and cinematography were decent (added one star for this). However, the directing was poor and resulted in the haphazard flow of the movie. Unless you are really desperate to watch something, I would give this movie a pass, because there is nothing new or good here.

Sivaji (2007)

One of the worst movies ever made

[1/10 · 29 March 2023]

This is one of the dumbest movies ever made in the history of movies. It is so slapstick and non-serious.

The main storyline of injustice and revenge is very mediocre and done hundreds of times before. This takes up only about a quarter of the movie. The remainder is just a collection of immature and ridiculous scenes that really insult the intelligence.

I don't know who thought it would be a good idea as a movie plot for a man and his crazy family to be borderline creepy and stalking a strange girl that he does not even know, with the sole plan forcing her to marry him just based on her looks.

This is a terrible movie, which I would not recommend to my worst enemy.

616 Wilford Lane (2021)

Average watch

[5/10 · 11 February 2023]

I did not go in to this with much expectations. The movie started out promisingly (when there was no dialogue), but once the characters started talking, it went downhill. It quickly became apparent that this would be a poorly produced fare with mediocre script and acting. The horror component was mild, and would definitely disappoint hardcore horror fans. At this point, the movie deserved a 3 rating.

What was interesting however, were the couple of twists towards the end of the movie. I found them refreshing as they were totally unexpected given the flow of the movie. You typically have a sense of what is going to happen in such movies, so these twists were welcome. So I am bumping the rating to 5.

Is it a must see? Probably not. But it definitely isn't the worst option available to watch out there.

Sniper: Rogue Mission (2022)

Several notches below terrible.

[2/10 · 28 January 2023]

Saw the low ratings, but still thought I would give it a try. I typically don't mind B movies if they have some decent acting and action. And I certainly wasn't expecting an Oscar winner here.

However, this movie was even worse than I expected. It is a disgrace to the previous Sniper movies. The writing was amateurish, and the futile attempts at humor and drama fell flat so hard.

The acting was terrible - very shallow and wooden. At no point do you connect emotionally with any of the characters. The "bad guys" were hilariously atrocious - the only thing missing was bad-guy matching uniforms.

The movie was full of cliches and had a very basic plot. The producers tried to use loud music score to drum up some emotion and increase tension (in case you had fallen asleep) but it ended up being mostly annoying.

So in summary, my advice would be to give this a hard pass unless you are THAT desperate to watch something.

Fistful of Vengeance (2022)

Corny and amateurish

[3/10 · 12 October 2022]

Straight off the bat, this movie is several levels worse than the series. The plot is insultingly shallow. Characters just come and go without much connection to the story itself. The annoying MTV style production force-fits songs into every other scene. The only positive was I could stop paying attention and can do something else until the song ends - because I knew nothing worthwhile what's going to happen while the song was still playing.

I will give props to the decent cinematography and location. Everything else about this movie was atrocious. The acting by everyone is terrible - shockingly worse than the series. The lead actor is one of the worst I have ever seen. Had the plot made him take a vow of silence, the entire movie would have benefitted.

This is a strong pass for me. Total waste of time.

Reptilicus (1961)

This is a classic alright, but not in a good way

[2/10 · 13 September 2022]

This is definitely one of the worst monster movies of all time. The acting is atrocious. We have dialogue where the military commander on the ground who has been tasked with destroying Reptilicus and save the city, and issues real-military-commands like: "We have to clobber him (Reptilicus) with the heavy stuff!"

The special effects is insanely bad, even for this time period. The effects team fashioned a sock puppet to be as the monster. We mostly ever see only it's head and neck while the rest of the body is hidden perpetually behind buildings. They also cut out little paws that were then stuck onto the sock puppet, which means they never move at all.

Finally, the main reason Reptilicus seems so mad all the time is probably because it is unable to close its mouth, or move its plastic tongue. I can imagine how annoying that would be, and hence understands it's urge to destroy the entire city.

This movie is good for laughs, but not if you are looking for anything even remotely realistic.

See (2019–2022)

Dystopian Daredevil warriors

[5/10 · 29 August 2022]

To watch this series, you really have to check your brain and logic at the door. Which is very disappointing because it appears well done with regards to sets, locations, props and costumes.

But the whole blind thing - is absolutely ridiculous. I tried to ignore this fact but just could not get away from the fact that it is IMPOSSIBLE for blind people to do 90% of the things they do in this series.

One example of an illogical scene was the crowded battle field where warriors are fighting in close quarters and swing deadly weapons, but are somehow able to avoid friendlies and ONLY attack enemies! ***major eye-roll*** (they all apparently possess Daredevil's superpowers)

It is also a silly concept that these blind characters wear jewelry/crowns, have designer tattoos, stylish color coded clothes, and great hair-dressers - all the very things designed to provide a visual impact, and which will be lost on the blind.

So I managed to get to the end of the first episode (S1E1). Unsure if I will continue watching - the illogical blind angle is very distracting for me. If I do watch more, I will update this review.

As of now, it is a big pass for me.

Not Okay (2022)

Nothing new

[4/10 · 29 August 2022]

This is just another stolen credit/valor to benefit one's self kind of movie, and involves mainly the the social media generation.

The main character inadvertantly gets caught up in a lie about a terrosist attack, and then, continues to lie about it as she gains fame and recognition. The plot is predictable, but the main characters do put on a good performance. However, the story would have benefitted had the producers reduced the drag in the middle and added more towards a meaningful ending.

Additionally, I feel its becoming repetitive and downright annoying when movies lazily throw out disparaging "woke" terms that target certain communities and value system. Sadly, you come to expect such dialogue in many movies these days. If it was "Not Okay at some point in the past, then it's "Not Okay" today either. And for this,, I remove one star.

The ending seemed rushed and it was clear the writers could not decide how to end the movie, so just left it vague without any closure for the main characters.

The Rental (2020)

Could've been good, but the ending was asinine

[3/10 · 17 August 2022]

The movie started out well. The slow burn that builds the tension was fine. Then it became a slasher movie, also fine - because you think there will be a reveal. Movies and characters therein need to have some plot and motivation that the audiemce can understand or connect with. Unfortunately, the final third of this movie ridiculously did not have ANY of that. Instead, some dude in a mask suddenly shows up, and starts running around killing people for no apparent reason. Once he finishes them off, the next scene is of him buying another house to do the same to some other unsuspecting renters. Really?? Wont the police catch on if he keeps repeating this?

You basically sit there saying, "Ok, what's going on?" Sadly, the somewhat decent start and build up during the first part of the movie is completely washed down the toilet.

What a waste of my time!

Prey (I) (2022)

Fun brainless watch

[6/10 · 17 August 2022]

Premise is that a 100lb teenage girl takes on and defeats one of the most deadly hunters in the universe (not world mind you, but universe). So my recommendation would be to NOT ask such logical questions, but enjoy the movie for what it is - some mindless action flick with great cinematography and sets. The plot is very shallow, and the outcome is very predictable. Good for a one-time watch on a rainy afternoon.

Locke & Key (2020–2022)

Final season ruins the series

[5/10 · 17 August 2022]

Started out with an interesting story line, and so the first season was a good watch. Second season was not too bad as well. But the third season was so infuriating. Writers became so lazy, that instead of writing good scenes, the only way they can get things to happen is to make the characters do the dumbest possible things. Such lame writing really makes you roll your eyes and lose interest in the story. I ended up doing other things or was on my phone most of the second half of S3. Sad demise for a reasonable interesting series. If they do resurrect this for S4, I would likely not be watching.

The Curse of La Patasola (2022)

Light plot with poor execution

[2/10 · 16 August 2022]

A bad combination of both makes a bad movie, which this is. The plot is a hot mess while the characters are very shallow and they all seem to be vying for the most disliked person award. The ending does not make any sense whatsoever.

A definite pass for me.

They/Them (2022)

Insult to intelligence

[2/10 · 15 August 2022]

Not sure what Kevin Bacon saw in the script other than being desperate for money or craving social acceptance. This movie had a terrible and predictable plot, and dished out high doses of social commentary instead of actual horror.

I'm ok with making movies with certain topics, but for goodness sake, build it into the story rather than attempting "conversion therapy" on the audience! The characters were extremely plastic and unlikable, so I ended up not caring what happened to any of them. This audience connection to characters is essential for any good movie, let alone a slasher/horror film.

Would not recommend this movie at all.

Terror on the Prairie (2022)

Enjoyable western but has its flaws

[6/10 · 8 August 2022]

It was a resonably good western. The sets and cinematography was excellent. It is rough, gritty and somewhat graphic.

However, the movie suffers from plot holes and characters making illogical decisions. I like Gina Carano, but her acting in this movie was very plastic and underwhelming - definitely the worst of all the characters. Sadly, she missed the opportunity to excel, because her character could have shown a wide range of emotions. However, from the first scene to the last, she seemed very disinterested, sluggish and emotionless.

Having no music throughout the movie worked in opposite ways. While it highlighted the the lonely desolation of the place, it also did not help to heighten the emotions within the movie, causing it to drag in many places.

Hell Trip (2018)

Know what you are getting into

[3/10 · 5 August 2022]

This is your typical SYFY type of movIe. It has your typical predictable cheesy plot, tons of bad over-acting and mediocre effects. In the movie's defense, this is definitely not one of the worst ever produced. So if you enjoy watching movies like this, you might not be disappointed.

Lightyear (2022)

Very bland....

[4/10 · 18 July 2022]

Story was not compelling enough to keep my interest throughout - a little boring at times. And Buzz just didn't seem right. I am open to have other actors (voices) play past beloved characters, but it just seemed to fall flat here.

I would not have regretted skipping this movie at all.

Sicario (2015)

Intense and realistic

[7/10 · 13 July 2022]

Excellent story telling and great cinematography. The story keeps you engaged throughout. Compelling performances by all the actors. Thumbs up especially to the three main protagonists: Benicio Del Torro as the quiet but menacing operator, Josh Brolin as the shrewd and calculating CIA agent, and Emily Blunt as the ambitious but conflicted FBI agent. Shout out to Delta team portrayed as a rough but professional group.

Highly recommended.

Backtrace (2018)

Actors desperately needing paychecks

[2/10 · 9 July 2022]

This is an extremely substandard movie and very boring to watch. Even the shootout scenes were so fake that I hardly paid attention to who was getting shot. Most of the actors simply phoned this in and seemed desperate for the movie to end. So was I.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Mediocre MCU movie

[6/10 · 18 May 2022]

This is miles away from the previous Dr. Strange movies / which had somewhat intriguing characters and storylines. However, Disney are definitely running out of ideas, and this movie obviously had a deadline to meet. It's much darker than the previous MCU movies, but I didn't mind that as much.

What annoyed me was the lazy rehashing of old plot lines while injecting a ton of great CGI, and then calling it a day. They recycle the multiverse concept and resurrect Wanda's obsession with her kids from the Westfield series, and escalate it ten fold. Then threw in some random characters and (convenient) powers without much background.

It seems to me that these new found powers are more of a convenience to MCU, so Disney can churn out future movies by bringing anyone back from anytime - especially when they run out of original ideas again and are forced to rehash old plots/characters (as evident in this movie).

In summary, good watch if you are not looking for something new.

No Good Deed (2002)

Ocean's 11 this is not!

[5/10 · 11 May 2022]

This would be good for a lazy Sunday afternoon when you don't want a complex movie that demands your full attention. If you overlook the dubious nature of the "heist", and the illogical relationship between the characters, you might get through this movie.

Jack the cop accidentally stumbles upon a this band of thieves while looking for a neighbor's daughter. Hoop is a violent half-wit who lacks self-control and just seems an illogical inclusion for such an operation. Tyrone is decent enough as a menacing but cunning leader, but his plan for stealing the money is too simplistic and silly. The Quarre couple's connection to this group seems so out of place that it needed some context, but was never provided, except that the husband flew planes during some war, and the wife cooks. Erin is the distressed femme fatale, and Milla Jovovich does a good job of melting hearts with her good looks and vulnerable demeanor. Finally, David the banker who falls for Erin's wiles and is conscripted to be part of the heist, appears irritatingly naive and too emotionally unstable to be taken seriously for someone in his position.

Overall, not a masterpiece, but it's not the worst thing to watch either.

Seventh Son (I) (2014)

Okay movie but annoying growling

[5/10 · 15 January 2022]

Its good watch for a rainy afternoon. Nothing earth shattering. It had a decent story line, along with good sets and CGI.

The most off-putting thing about this movie was the odious growling of Jeff Bridges, where it looked like he was talking with a mouth full of marbles the entire movie!

So for me, that knocked the review down because that was not fun to watch.