HagenSteele Reviews

Tusk (I) (2014)

Comically horrifying and disturbing take on a classic genre

[7/10 · 4 January 2015]

This flick was surprisingly effective at creeping me the hell out, despite the somewhat tongue in cheek nature in which it was filmed.

Michael Parks gives another awesome performance as the antagonist, and his performance lends credibility to the somewhat ridiculous premise. The dude is creepy. Period.

Justin Long does an excellent job as well, as the protagonist / victim. In fact, the performances were solid across the board except for one character played by Johnny Depp. Johnny D sured does give off an inspector Closeau / Pink Panther klutz kind of vibe with his character.

/shrug Regardless, while I think the film might be a bit too gruesome for some, and to comical for others, for some, like me, it was a pretty good ride.

Good effort Mr. Smith.

Oscar for Michael Parks imo!

The Interview (II) (2014)

A swing and a miss for Rogen and company....

[5/10 · 27 December 2014]

Despite a solid supporting cast, the "funny" just wasn't with this one, IMO.

While there were some funny scenes and decent performances, they were sporadic, at best, and intertwined with a lot of "meh", and straight up idiocy.

A lot of the low-brow humor Rogen makes work in other films is used here, however, most of it just didn't work for me in this film. I don't know if it was because of the premise or poor execution, but the Rogen brand of humor just didn't work on this one.

This movie would have been 10 times better if Craig Robinson and Danny McBride had roles. As it stands, it's just another mediocre comedy.

5 of 10 stars, and best left to fans of the actors.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Fun movie and WAY better than I thought it would be...

[9/10 · 11 November 2014]

This film is a lot of fun to watch.

The effects are great, the costumes and props are great, and the actors do an excellent job with their characters. Top it all off with a kick ass sound track, and it is by far among THE best films made in the genre, and among the best put out this year.

Far too often these days, films are released that are just not enjoyable due to the formulaic approach used by Hollywood. Well, there IS some "formula" involved in the film, and they try to exploit the whole "grrll power!!" scene where females are fighting....which just looks ridiculous, but the film more than makes up for any minor flaws by simply being more fun to watch than to pick at.

Highly recommend giving this one a watch.

9 of 10 stars.

Chasing UFOs (2012– )

This show is terrible, and Nat Geo should feel terrible for airing it...

[1/10 · 30 January 2014]

Terrible, terrible, TERRIBLE show! The hosts are portrayed as idiots, if not childish, and they garner absolutely NO respect OR credibility throughout their "investigation". They fail to ask pertinent questions when talking with witnesses, and their is no consistency to be found in their investigative process. The overwhelming majority of "evidence" collection and assessment does very little, if anything, to prove OR disprove any given sighting.

This show is less like "In search of..." and more like "Honey boo boo", which is NOT what I want to watch. Chances are, YOU won't want to watch it either.

Nat Geo should feel bad for putting this dreck on the air, as it is little more than tabloid television.

Gravity (2013)

Excellent visuals, however, atrocious depiction of astronauts sinks this one...

[6/10 · 8 December 2013]

As an adult audience member, when you see the portrayal of astronauts as idiots horsing around in space, it makes a film almost unwatchable. And that's exactly what this film did.

Visually, the film was stunning, and the film crew can be proud. However, visuals alone can't make up for the way they depicted the actions of the characters. Hell, the audience wouldn't have done some of the things the characters did, and they aren't SUPPOSED to be trained astronauts.

Worth a watch if you can get past the silliness, but I won't be watching it again.

Captain Phillips (2013)

Entertaining and fair take on an awful situation

[8/10 · 5 December 2013]

What I enjoyed........

1. Acting - The cast did an excellent job all around, and I found it easy to suspend disbelief. Tom Hanks rocked, and the "bad" guys did a great job of incorporating both, menace, and sympathy into their characters.

2. Tone - The film did a good job of depicting an awful situation realistically. Often times a film can be either preachy, or propaganda, but this film showed the audience a view from both sides and allows the audience to be the judge. I appreciated that.

All in all I think it's worthy of adding to a home collection.

Eastbound & Down (2009–2013)

Among the best adult comedy shows of all time.

[9/10 · 24 November 2013]

What makes this show not only good, but absolutely AWESOME!?! Top notch writing, excellent performances, a tongue in cheek attitude the audience can sense and relate to, and the freedom and courage to go where few comedies DARE to travel.

The writers manage to weave a tale that is absolutely crazy, but at the same time you can sense a method to the madness. They try things few, if any, other shows dare to try, and while not everything works, they get huge laughs other shows can't for fear of the subject matter.

Danny McBride has one of THE best comedic deliveries of ANY comedic actor. When he says, or does, something completely ludicrous, insane, or ridiculous, he does it with a conviction that would make the audience believe practically anything, and if not, they'd WANT to believe. The dude is funny. Period.

Each season stands alone, and as a whole, the series will stand the test of time with classics like Python, Seinfeld, and Chappelle.

Give it a shot, hang on for the ride, enjoy the madness, and be prepared to laugh.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Enjoyed this much more than I expected. Jackson wins me over again.

[9/10 · 27 July 2013]

FIRST.....

I've never read any of the Tolkien books.

/shrug

Never have.

SECOND....

When it comes to this film, and the three earlier LOTR films, methinks that's a good thing.

I had no desire to see the first LOTR films, but after friends popped in a DVD, I was pretty impressed, as they truly are epic films.

I felt much the same about this film, and like the LOTR films, I found myself pleasantly surprised.

This is a GREAT film. Period. The characters are well acted, the costumes, sets, and props are among THE highest quality of ANY film, the visuals and effects are excellent, and the story is compelling.

I found this to be a FUN film to watch. The dwarfs are well played, and while they do have fun with the characters, they come off as serious characters that can appeal to adults as much as they can to younger viewers.

While I initially was hesitant to give this one a chance, I'm glad I did, and look forward to further releases.

An epic film worthy of an epic tale.

9 of 10 stars

World War Z (2013)

Formulaic action film akin to 28 days later...

[7/10 · 12 July 2013]

The majority of zombie films usually end up being pretty awful, and IF this film were ACTUALLY a zombie film, it too, would be awful.

However, this is NOT a zombie film.

This is an action film. An action film that looks like they spent 200 million dollars to make. That's not a bad thing, for the most part.

There's plenty of car chase scenes, explosions, crashes, frantic running, "Hollywood" gun play, and the usual mix of typical "Hollywood" action movie eye candy. It's obvious that the action scenes were the main effort of this film project, and some folks won't have a problem with that.

For those that prefer a bigger emphasis on story and character, this film doesn't have much to offer. Nor does it offer any of the eerie and macabre tones zombie fans enjoy. As a matter of fact, this film doesn't even HAVE zombies. The creatures in this film are more like....Olympic athletes.....on a bad "bath salts" trip.

Seriously.

They run faster than any human, jump further and higher, and could have been substituted by say, rabid dogs, or wolves, or any other fast predatorial beast.

If you enjoyed films like 28 days later, than you'll probably enjoy this film.

If you are looking for a zombie film, this film won't cut it, however, it holds its own as an action flick.

7 of 10 stars as an action film.

4 of 10 stars as a zombie film.

This Is the End (2013)

Crazy, brilliant, crass and crude, terrifying and hysterical...

[9/10 · 3 July 2013]

This film is NOT for everyone.

It's like ghost busters on steroids, with a bad attitude.

This film takes risks that other films refuse to take. It can be raunchy, crude, NOT for the squeamish or sensitive, and absolutely hysterical. This film will challenge your comedic sensibilities, and while the jokes and gags don't always work, they hit far more often than they miss, and they hit HARD.

Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride and the entire cast, should pat themselves on the back for a job well done. This movie, and this comedy crew, took a LOT of comedic risks throughout the film, and in most cases, those risks are rewarded with some big laughs.

Concerns of self indulgent narcissism on the part of the cast did NOT pan out on the screen. I never got the vibe that the cast was doing anything other than trying to sincerely put on the best comedic performance that they could.

Danny McBride deserves an Oscar for his performance. Period. NOBODY can do the crazy things he does, or deliver the crazy lines he does, with such commitment and conviction. He boldly goes where comedians fear to travel, and he somehow manages to make you laugh at things you wouldn't laugh at had it been another comedian. In this film, he makes "Kenny Powers" seem tame.

Craig Robinson, Seth Rogen, and James Franco, all deliver some serious laughs.

Jonah Hill nails his part with a sledgehammer.

I found that this movie was able to change tones and make transitions from one genre to another the way few movies can. The film FEELS like a comedy, and then it interjects horror aspects way beyond the typical "comedy/horror" film so as to lose any semblance of "comedy", and it becomes legitimately "horrifying". Then, it transitions back to "comedy" with something truly gut-bustingly funny. This film is like a roller coaster.

This film goes too far. Too often. However, you can't get the kind of payoffs these boys get UNLESS you are willing to step across a few lines. These boys leap across those lines, and the rewards were well worth the risk.

If you enjoy having your sensibilities challenged, and laughing hysterically, this film WILL deliver.

Just don't be surprised when you find yourself laughing at things you thought you normally wouldn't. Like, say, a giant demon creature with a giant smoldering.....well, just see for yourself.

9 of 10 stars.

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Solid performances, and visuals, pull this one through...

[7/10 · 1 July 2013]

I enjoyed watching this film, despite the fact that the premise was lost on me due to not picking up on the clues given by the film makers. I found myself caught up in the performances of the actors, and in examining the worlds created for them, rather than focusing in on the clues given that would tie the whole thing together. In a sense, I was lost until the end of the film.

/shrug

USUALLY, I have ZERO tolerance for films that seem to lack a cohesive story. This film is different.

I found myself thoroughly enjoying the cast as they played a multitude of different parts. From the veteran actors to the new recruits, the cast should all be proud of the work they did for this film.

The film did an excellent job of providing the environment for each character. From a futuristic "utopia", to a Victorian era sailing ship, I enjoyed seeing the contrast and attention to detail put into the scenery.

The only gripe I had with this film is the story editing. I understand the intent of the film makers, however, I DID find the story hard to track. There is a fine line in story telling between being cleverly subtle, and seemingly vague. The approach the film makers took seemed to be more on the vague side, which didn't work as well for me.

Maybe you'll figure it out easier than I did.

Regardless, I enjoyed this film and definitely believe it's worth adding to any collection.

7 of 10 stars.

Django Unchained (2012)

ANOTHER solid Tarantino film

[9/10 · 19 June 2013]

This film is NOT for the squeamish.

However, you can say that about any Tarantino film.

This film incites a roller-coaster of emotions from disgust and terror up to absolute joy and satisfaction. The subject matter is dark, and the execution is dark.

AND graphic.

And I would expect NOTHING less from Quentin Tarantino.

The actors are AWESOME.

From the lead characters, all the way down to the smallest supporting roles, Tarantino knows how to choose actors, and knows how to get great performances out of them for his films.

The visuals are AWESOME.

The look of this film takes me back to the films from the 60's and 70's. Very stylish, and uniquely Tarantino.

While Tarantino films may not be for everyone, due to his graphic portrayals of human nature, those who appreciate his work should find this as worthy as Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, or Inglorious Bastards.

Well played Mr. T.

Well played indeed.

9 of 10 stars

Rapture-Palooza (2013)

Wasted talent, wasted premise, and simply irritating to behold...

[4/10 · 18 June 2013]

Craig Robinson is about the only thing in this film worth seeing IMO, as I have yet to see one of his performances that he is not fully committed to, and just plain funny.

Funny.

That's what I expected in this film, however, it fails to deliver.

With a premise like the "rapture", there is all kinds of room for some serious comedy, but this film wastes that opportunity, and instead seems to make the actors take the irritating / idiotic approach to their roles, and in the delivery of their supposedly "funny" lines.

The actors deliver their lines, and react to events in the film, in a way that can only be described as "corny", ridiculous, and just plain irritating. Instead of sympathizing with the characters, I found myself hoping they would be "removed" so as to save me from having to watch them any further on the screen.

The ONLY actor that seems to know how to deliver a comedic line is Craig Robinson, but he is simply overwhelmed by the inferior comedic performances of the rest of the cast.

This film just didn't work for me, and I highly doubt it will work for you either.

/shrug

Don't say you haven't been warned.

4 of 10 stars.

Observe and Report (2009)

The darker the comedy, the sweeter the juice...

[9/10 · 14 April 2013]

Dark.

REAL dark.

Real, real, REAL, intentionally dark.

And I loved it.

They make the characters, and set, look and feel so "G-rated", and then they throw them into an "R-rated" world. I liked the contrast, whether intentional or not. The more bizarre things the story throws at these characters, or the more things we find out about them, the better. They pulled no punches.

I enjoyed the performances, but I especially enjoyed the commitment to the jokes, and the delivery used by Seth Rogen. That dude nailed the menacing aspect of his character, while at the same time keeping his tongue firmly planted in cheek.

There is a fight scene in a shopping mall with Seth, and I think it's one of the best fight scenes ever filmed. I cheered.

Then there's the scene with Seth and Anna after their date. They went there....and it was funny.....GLORIOUSLY funny.

Aziz Ansari has a role, and had some great lines, as does Danny McBride.

All in all, an excellent dark comedy and a future classic.

9 out of 10 because this film had the courage to "go there" more than once, and it paid off in humor.

The Prestige (2006)

Pretty entertaining and worth a watch.

[7/10 · 12 April 2013]

This film is a revenge film and deals with two professional magicians that share a tarnished history.

I enjoyed watching the story unfold, and while it was predictable at times, I thought the cast made up for some of the weaker plot issues.

The only major issue I had was the strange time line used by the film. The film frequently transitions from present time, to the past, and to different locations, and the transitions are not the smoothest. At times, I found that it was a bit challenging to recognize these transitions, and while you will figure it out eventually, this confusion took away from the film as a whole.

Definitely worthy of a watch, and while it's not one of the greatest films you'll see, it certainly won't be the worst either.

7 of 10 stars for: Good actors, good production values, and a decent story.

Your Highness (2011)

Danny McBride will challenge your sense of humor in an awesome way.

[6/10 · 8 April 2013]

I enjoyed this film mainly due to the fact that Danny McBride is NOT afraid to challenge your sense of humor. He will do ANYTHING for the joke, and his commitment and delivery will often times compensate for the jokes that don't land. From straight up silly, to down right crude and obnoxious, you never know where Danny McBride will take you, but you know it's going to be a hell of a ride.

The dude makes me laugh. Period.

This was a fun film to watch with tongue firmly planted in cheek. From the sets and costumes, to the special effects, I thought they did a great job with the production, and the actors delivered some solid performances.

6 of 10 stars as a Danny McBride fan

The Wolfman (2010)

Enjoyed this WAY more than I expected.

[7/10 · 12 January 2013]

Wow.

For me, this is one of those films you don't expect too much from, but it delivers WAY more than you thought it ever could. Hollywood doesn't do remakes very well, but this film is the exception, and I found it to be pretty exciting, and very entertaining.

The cast was great, as can be expected based on their track record in other films.

The "look" was great. The film had texture, doom, gloom, and was definitely pleasing to watch and examine.

The "Wolfman" was appropriate, and well done IMO. Good make up and decent special effects made it easy to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the show.

The action was pretty intense. This film took a straight forward approach to the actions of the beast, and to sum it up: The Wolfman kicks ass. Period.

Seriously.

The beast in this film does NOT play around...much. It pretty much wades through people hacking at a limb here, clawing at a throat there. The actions are brutal, and straight up beastly, and it ROCKED. I would like to see this direct approach used more often in films, as it works very well, and adds a sense of dread to the film. Well done.

I enjoyed how the story unfolded, and while there may be a plot hole here or there, I didn't find anything that took much away from the film as a whole.

All in all, a pretty entertaining and fun film, and I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed the film. Give it a shot.

8 of 10 stars (bonus for the surprise factor)

Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)

First two seasons > all the rest

[6/10 · 30 December 2012]

I don't watch a lot of TV, but when I do, I watch entire seasons on DVD rather than through the commercial source. That's how I watched Parks and Rec this past week, and this review is based on the series as a whole.

The first two seasons were excellent in my opinion, and I'd give them 9 of 10 stars due to....

-Cast: Very strong, and even the weakest link STILL worked on the show. -Story: Quirky, comical, entertaining.

ENTER SEASON 3, AND THE DOOOOOWWWWNNNN SLIIIIIIDDDEEEEE.........

Season 3 kicks off with the addition of two new characters. Two new unfunny characters that is...

Rob Lowe may be a great actor, I don't know. I haven't seen much of anything he's done. I DO know, however, that he is a HORRIBLE comedic actor, and I know this because I've watched him on Parks and Rec, and he is awful. Rob Lowe lacks the timing, commitment, and delivery of his comedic peers, which makes watching his character almost unbearable.

Rob Lowe is just one unwelcome addition to the show starting in season 3 though. This is where the show starts to take itself too seriously, and instead of being a good smart comedy, it slowly starts to transition into something more along the lines of a straight up "chick show" soaked in drama and estrogen, and seemingly more concerned with "empowerment" than "comedy".

I made it through season 4, but won't be watching any further.

So, in summary.....

Season 1 and 2: 9 of 10 stars Season 3 and beyond: 6 of 10 at best

Heckler (2007)

Whiny tone drags down an otherwise enjoyable film...

[5/10 · 11 October 2012]

This film takes a look at the heckler, the critic, and those they target for praise or derision. The film draws from a wide variety of individuals, who share their experiences as members in the entertainment industry, and in the world of sports.

While the film is interesting and entertaining, I found the enjoyment factor to be significantly reduced due to the approach adopted by Jamie Kennedy throughout the film. Rather than using an empirical approach to explore the issues, Jamie Kennedy seems to go for a more personal and emotional approach, seemingly designed to garner sympathy. In my opinion, this approach was not effective, and tarnished the film as a whole.

I found it interesting to hear how individuals from a wide variety of careers handle the criticism that comes with their chosen profession. Most seem to share a healthy outlook on criticism and take it for what it is, an opinion. Others, however, are not as mentally resilient, and are seriously impacted by negative comments written about them by any given stranger, from any given outlet.

This film asks the question, "What makes a critic qualified to be a critic?". While seemingly a simple question, I don't believe it's possible to quantify WHAT and WHY anybody likes OR dislikes any given performance. We all have our likes and dislikes, which is why there is so much diversity in the world of entertainment and sports.

The film makes a valid point about the nature of criticism, in that rather than addressing what they liked and disliked, and why, many critics simply make unsubstantiated personal attacks that have little to do with the project they are critiquing. Fair enough.

Sadly, the film didn't address the enormous amount of "fake praise" by critics (EASILY observed here on IMDb), nor did they address the impact critics actually have on potential customers.

Who actually goes off of what a "professional" critic says? I don't.

I make my decisions based on the performers in the project, the subject, and the opinions of like minded friends and associates. I can honestly say that I have NEVER made a decision to see ANYTHING based on the opinion of ANY "professional" critic.

In the end, this film is worth a watch, and if you can ignore the "emo / wounded" approach used by Jamie Kennedy throughout the film, you'll find it even better than I did.

I'd give it 7 of 10 stars, however, I became annoyed with the whiny vibe put out by Jamie Kennedy throughout the film, so I'm taking 2 stars back from the total.

End total: 5 of 10 stars.

The Road (I) (2009)

Too depressing for my taste........

[5/10 · 27 September 2012]

Spoilers below!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have been warned..........................

This film was well made, and well acted, however...........

I did not like this film, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Here's why.

It's too depressing. Period.

IF you are asking me to watch some horrid, depressing film, there BETTER be reason behind all that misery. Some hope. Some valuable lesson, or insight. I didn't get that with this film.

At all.

It was like watching somebody get tortured, which I would not choose to do. Why would I want to watch that? Why would anyone? I watch movies to feel GOOD, not MISERABLE, and this film left me feeling miserable.

Life's too short to deliberately bring yourself down.

Here's the essence of this film:

1. Good man lives a decent life. 2. Good mans' life is ruined by disaster. 3. Watch him slowly die as he and his son struggle to survive in their awful new existence.

That's about it. Not much hope in this film at all, or anything else that could be considered "bright". Plain doom and gloom, which I'm not into at all.

8 of 10 stars for acting, however, the movie as a whole gets 5 of 10 for having such a hopeless and gloomy story.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Not perfect, but close. THIS is what movies are SUPPOSED to be like....

[9/10 · 24 September 2012]

This is a well executed film about young love and innocence, with just enough humor to keep it balanced.

These stories have been done SO often, and poorly IMO, that my expectations were not very high. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this film, despite my initial skepticism.

First, the cast...

This is what lead me to see the film, as the cast is filled with veteran actors who, IMO, have played some of THE best characters on film in the past 40 years. The talent is diverse, and DEEP, in this film, and it showed. Our veteran actors don't disappoint, and their performances reminded me of WHY I enjoy their work so much.

The younger cast members held their own with the vets, and it was very easy to cheer them on throughout their adventures. Their performance was natural, completely believable, and entertaining to watch.

Second, the story....

There have been countless films about "young love", and what youth will do to pursue it, regardless of obstacles. The approach used in this film was unique, well thought out, and executed effectively in a very entertaining manner. I am not opposed to seeing the ugly nature of man and society portrayed on the screen, however, it's nice to see a well done film about some of the more innocent aspects of our behavior and society. This film delivers, and was like a breath of fresh air instead of the stagnant sex and violence filled poison that Hollywood usually produces. This film reminded me of some of the silly things I did at that age for the attention of my lady loves.

Bottom line: This film is an excellent opportunity to enjoy some of the finest actors in film perform a story that we are all familiar with, and have more than likely experienced ourselves.

Great film.

Not perfect, but about as close as you can be...

9 of 10 stars.

Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour (2011)

Novel concept, ineffective execution.

[2/10 · 9 September 2012]

This show boldly attempts to use a multitude of random sketch comedy bits to forward a singular story plot.

They fail.

Miserably.

There is a fine line in the world of comedy between ridiculous = FUNNY and ridiculous = STUPID, and this show doesn't just cross that line, it LEAPS across that line into the realm of stupid. Poor timing, poor transitions, and a lack of coherence all work against any potential comedy that may be developed in any given segment. While the individual characters created in each skit COULD indeed be developed into funny stand alone characters and comedy skits, the attempt to merge them into a running story line just doesn't work as executed.

Comedy is a hard genre to tackle, and while I applaud the attempt to mix a sketch comedy format with a running story line, the approach used in the show is simply not effective, and, frankly, not funny.

2 of 10 stars.

Grandma's Boy (2006)

Sad, pathetic, and the complete opposite of funny.

[1/10 · 6 September 2012]

Where to begin....

A few associates I know treat this film as if it is some kind of "cult classic", which I mistakenly assumed meant "good".

WRONG.

I figured as much given the premise, as follows: "A 35 year old video game tester has to move in with his grandma and her two old lady roommates." There isn't a lot of humor to be found in this premise.

SADNESS? Yes.

Comedy? Not so much.

How bad could it be? Bad. REAL bad.

Despite the cast doing the best they can with what they had (little to nothing), I find it exceedingly difficult to believe that anybody above the age of 12 could do anything but feel insulted by the ridiculous way the characters are portrayed, and the utter stupidity of the "plot".

This is another "man-child" film that attempts to capitalize on the "slacker" trend Hollywood is so fond of, however, it is completely devoid of humor, as I found all the gags to be PATHETIC instead of funny.

A grown man living with his parents and sleeping in a "race car" kids bed? Am I supposed to laugh at that? That's not funny. That is sad, pathetic, and the complete opposite of funny, which sums up the film nicely IMO.

I stopped watching after about 30 minutes, and highly recommend NOT wasting your time on this one.

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

Among the best series ever produced for T.V., if not, THE best.

[10/10 · 3 September 2012]

First, a disclaimer.....

1. I have not read any of the books this series is based on, nor was I aware of the author until the release of this series.

2. I was NOT attracted to this series until almost the end of the second season.

Why? Simply because the genre is usually not done well on T.V.. USUALLY it's pretty cheesy, campy, with a low budget, and terrible writing.

That about covers it, now for the rest.

DESPITE having absolutely NO desire to watch this show, I opted to give it a try due to the overwhelming number of my acquaintances who claimed the show was worth a watch.

They were right. I was wrong. TERRIBLY wrong.

The production values are excellent, the acting is excellent, and the story is well written, intriguing, and has a universal appeal that practically anyone can appreciate and relate to on a personal level.

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who appreciates a well produced, acted, and compelling story, as this series is one of THE best, if not THE best, series ever put out on TV, or film alike.

10 of 10 stars.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Doctorate level concept + 6th grade level execution = FAIL

[4/10 · 26 August 2012]

Abandon hope, all ye that fear SPOILERS! SPOILERS BELOW!!! YE HAVE BEEN WARNED! AAaarrggg.....

Bottom line up front: I found this movie to be EXTREMELY stupid and, frankly, insulting to the intelligence of ANY audience above the age of say....12.

Right off the bat, the film insults the audience by asking us to believe that:

1) Super high speed CIA operatives handle the conduct of covert prisoner exchange and transportation the same way they would a flubbed fast food order in a drive through.

"Dude....I didn't order onion rings, did you? No? Oh well, we're good, let's roll."

2) Criminal "masterminds" are stupid enough to try capturing AN AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT using another AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT by lowering hijackers on ropes/cable from AN AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT.

Seriously? Come on man! That was a RIDICULOUS premise, and the effect LOOKED as stupid as the idea! Writer: "O.K., and then they'll lower themselves down to the plane WHILE IT'S IN FLIGHT...yea! That's it! That's believable!" No. It's not. It's a stupid idea, and it LOOKED stupid in the film.

ALL THAT STUPID before the movie even gets started....

But the stupid never stops. It just keeps going, and gets WORSE.

• The Batman gets into a fight and sustains a debilitating back injury that can only be corrected through....prisoner medicine, ropes, push ups and sit ups!!!????? - An ENTIRE POLICE FORCE is stupid enough to be trapped in a sewer system. ALL of them.... WTF? - An ENTIRE POLICE FORCE is stupid enough to use civil war tactics, ie charge as a mob, against an entrenched force using automatic weapons.

• A federal government is willing to just write off a large metropolitan city.

• People can't manage to get into, or out of, a city undetected. Right.

There's just too much stupid to list in this film.

We are ALL willing to suspend our disbelief in a film, and that's one of the reasons we go to films. However, the film maker has to put some effort into it to make it look plausible, otherwise, it just looks stupid, and becomes irritating rather than enjoyable. This film seems to have taken a bunch of shortcuts that turned what could have been a good movie, into an irritating farce.

If a 6th grader was told to write a superhero script, I would imagine it would be very similar to this movie.

4 of 10 stars.