rodbone123 Reviews

Leave the World Behind (2023)

Huge build up to a crappy end

[3/10 · 11 December 2023]

Initially I was really drawn into the characters and waited for the antagonists to be revealed. What a disappointment. The ending just feels really lazy. I can't fault the production or actors, they all did great. But based on the terrible 'conclusion' I told my other half not to waste their time sitting through two and a half hours of what began as a great movie and flopped so pathetically at the end. Someone ran out of inspiration, wrapped it all up and tossed it in the garbage. I'm guessing the writers and director think it's cool or whatever to leave their audience so dissatisfied but all that does for me is guarantee that I won't be hanging for their next film.

Rampage (2018)

Decent fx and Morgan are the only reasons to watch this

[6/10 · 16 March 2023]

I reckon I'd be forgiven for thinking a 14 year old boy wrote the script. The Rock saunters around dropping cheesy lines and smashing almost as much stuff as the gorilla. We get it, you're a big tough guy who can play the big tough guy role, but that's really the limit to Johnson's acting ability.

The antagonists are basically just recycled from every other movie you've ever watched.

It seems as though the filmmakers wanted their audience to kind of take this movie seriously?? They could have upped the ante on the comedy factor to make this movie a lot more fun, with less eye rolling from the audience.

The sfx are good and I love me some Negan, so points for casting some eye candy who can also legitimately describe themselves as a thespian.

Troll (2022)

Corny, recycled character troupes

[3/10 · 12 January 2023]

The premise is original enough but the good factor in this movie ends there. The main female character and her experiences echo Jodie Fosters character in Contact- eg tragic past but she's going to save the day anyway-the hot military dudes and government shoot now and ask questions later, the conspiracy theorist who everyone wrote off as being a nutjob is proven right. You've seen it all before. The sfx aren't bad. If only the same old overused characters and cheesy lines were omitted. Does every hero have to have the same old story of broken relationships with their family or spouse? It would be interesting to watch a happy person save the world.

What Josiah Saw (2021)

We get it- families sometimes suck

[5/10 · 19 December 2022]

Ok, so it's a family drama first of all. I don't know why this movie is being touted as a horror film, maybe because I'm horrified that I sat through the whole damn thing only to say that the "twist" has been done before- with less boring and quite frankly tiring build up. Yes, it's well made, but the ending didn't justify the bloody long journey to get there. The "horror " element will shock and appal those who live under a nice, comfortable rock. Everyone else will let out a resounding MEH and wish they tuned into something else. I really didn't find this movie particularly original or entertaining.

Skyfire (2019)

Bit cheesy but a fun ride

[7/10 · 28 October 2022]

If you can ignore the English dubs it's not too bad at all. The overprotective father versus headstrong daughter storyline feels a bit clichéd, I feel like the translation let this aspect down a bit though. The scenery shots are gorgeous, it it wasn't for the giant angry volcano I'd visit this island too. As with any big budget action ride you will need to suspend some disbelief but having said that, I was squirming during a few close calls for the hapless folk trying to dodge a river of lava screaming towards them. I've seen way worse efforts being pumped out of Hollywood - I'm talking any recent Bruce Willis movies here. This is a nicely shot, exciting ride that I enjoyed.

The 9th Life of Louis Drax (2016)

Original enough but ultimately a tad unsatisfying

[6/10 · 21 October 2022]

The subject matter is dealt through the eyes of a child, which keeps it all fairly- um - innocent? The problem I have with this movie is that the 'twist' is dealt with far too gently. It could have been a sucker punch to the guts which in turn, would have made this the sort of movie that sticks with the viewer long after they have watched it. Having said that, I can't fault the acting, sets, editing etc. It's a beautifully shot movie with believable characters. It encompasses love, life, death, loss and the great unknowns of the future. For me, it turned out to be a little bland, which kinda made the 'supernatural' aspect barely worth the effort.

Cosmic Sin (2021)

Clichéd and clunky

[2/10 · 21 October 2022]

I turned this movie on with some expectations -Bruce Willis and Frank Grillo, right? Shouldn't be too bad? Unfortunately, ten minutes in and I was already discovering how wrong I was. Some B and C grade actors have been thrown in the mix, I guess the movie makers decided to throw a few unknowns in because they had to fork out a fortune to get Willis and Grillo- but the acting talent definitely ends with the big guys, and so did the budget. This claptrap recycles old Independence Day troupes and doesn't even do a good job of it. Bruce Willis is the same character he plays in every movie- world weary, hard-done-by, ex expert at everything you can name, reluctantly dragged into a catastrophe so he can rescue everyone. You've seen it all before a thousand times.

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

A whole lotta people yelling at each other

[3/10 · 8 October 2022]

I got bored. Just when this film finally picked up some steam, it stalled and became an argument fest. Way too many scenes involving the characters just verbally crapping on each other. It does nothing whatsoever for the storyline. I honestly got to the point where I was ready to turn it off and just read the Wikipedia synopsis to find out who the bad guy is. I'm really at a loss trying to figure out why so much time in this movie is taken up with screaming matches. Maybe it's supposed to have a message about the dangers of drugs and alcoholism?? Or how not to treat other people? It's a "meh" for me.

Nix (2022)

Bored to death 20 minutes in

[1/10 · 27 September 2022]

I'm guessing that the writer and director had visions of a haunting family drama, but missed the mark woefully. There's something to be said for giving your audience some credit for their ability to read the room. There's no such credit here, with every character's role over-played just to make sure the viewer gets the picture of family dysfunction. At least some small degree of subtlety would have helped, and given the audience the opportunity to wait in anticipation for more character revelations. But no, the characters are thrust in your face, along with the 'spooky' character whose lurking presence does little to instil a sense of dread. There's no room here for the viewer to relate to the characters- they are so painfully over-acted and clichéd that it's downright annoying. The premise itself isn't terrible, but it is so poorly executed that it becomes unbearable.

Proximity (II) (2020)

I wanted to like it but.....

[3/10 · 2 August 2022]

Ok. Good lead actor, good cinematography, spfx not too bad. But the storyline, holy cow what a let down. I know you're supposed to suspend your disbelief and just go along for the ride, but like a lot of others who have reviewed this movie, I couldn't get past the suddenly ridiculous turn this movie took. How the actors got through without either laughing at the absurdity or crying over their bad career choices is beyond me.

Flee the Light (2021)

Tries to be seriously scary but it's seriously stupid

[2/10 · 17 February 2022]

The storyline feels sketchy, bouncing from one scene to the next almost absurdly. You don't get the time to engage with either of the two leading characters on any emotional level, which left me feeling indifferent to their supposed struggles- one being seriously mentally ill and the other desperate to help. It's too rushed. The 'twist' midway through the film feels inauthentic, despite some feeble attempts to allude to it earlier on. Any true horror elements are sorely let down by crappy fx. Movies like Hereditary are proof that implied threats and a lack of yellow eyed ghouls can be profoundly scary- maybe if this film focused more on character development and actually took its time to build up suspense rather than slamming the viewer into absurdity, it may have been impactful. It's a pity, because I was interested by the final revelation. If it was a story well told, the idea could have been a franchise like Insidious.

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Very pretty but.....

[5/10 · 9 January 2022]

The end doesn't justify the means for me. It's a pity, because it is a visually stunning movie. It really drew me in to begin with, then the plot unravels into a disappointing mess. The lead female actors voice ( was it intentional?? ) made me feel like I was watching a four year old play dress-ups. And I guessed one of the plot 'twists' halfway through. I feel as if a bolder approach to the story was warranted. It had the potential to shock and surprise it's audience, but chose not to.

The Djinn (2021)

Let yourself be drawn into the atmosphere

[7/10 · 9 January 2022]

If you can set aside expectations of big Hollywood production and engage in this movie, you might just like it. The young lead actor is amazing. It isn't the most original story, nor does it have expensive bells and whistles, but it's not a bad little horror.

Till Death (I) (2021)

How To Stay Pretty Under Terrible Circumstances

[5/10 · 28 October 2021]

Interesting enough story and some good effects, but I gotta ask how Megan Fox supposedly wakes up in the morning looking like a supermodel and stays that way after washing her face and basically going to heck and back. As if she's not attractive without the make up and false eyelashes? But the pretty girl in the gritty action movie has to stay pretty, doesn't she? Fox does a fine job as the hapless heroine desperately scrambling away from the bad dudes. The film makers could have at least put in the effort to make her look the part.

Boss Level (2020)

This critical biatch actually liked it

[8/10 · 7 March 2021]

There's a few old cliches throughout that could have been ditched, but on the whole, it's a fun ride. I watched happily all the way through which is kind of unusual for me. Maybe I've just watched too many dumb movies. It's well made, well acted and very entertaining.

Psycho Goreman (2020)

Utter garbage

[1/10 · 5 March 2021]

If an over long episode of power rangers style crap is up your alley then go for it. I'm guessing the film makers were going for a 'so cheesy it's funny' vibe but this movie definitely doesn't hit the mark. I couldn't even watch it through to see the ending, which is unusual for me. The main character is so vapid and annoying, I'm kinda hoping she got eaten by a space monster and everyone else else lived happily ever after.

Sacrifice (VII) (2020)

I guessed the "twist" ending :( you probably will too

[2/10 · 10 February 2021]

This movie tries to slowly build up to a regrettably foreseeable and deeply unsatisfactory climax. Pretty views only go so far and don't make up for a boring and pointless plot. Go for a walk instead.

Sweet River (2020)

Slowly goes nowhere

[3/10 · 9 December 2020]

Here we have a drama film that includes a supernatural subplot which, unfortunately, doesn't lend as much to the film as it could have. It's a pity because I think it could have had the potential to be a genuinely spooky movie, but the real message within is a story about grief and loss, not things that go bump in the night. I watched till the end hoping for dramatic revelations or a great twist that made it worth the effort, but I was disappointed.

The Voices (I) (2020)

Coulda shoulda woulda been a good movie.

[2/10 · 30 October 2020]

Sweeping aerial camera views? Check. Eerie music? Check. Lulling the viewer into a false sense of security that this will be a good hour and a half spent? Check. Then, sadly, follows a predictable " twist" to the storyline and an abrupt and deeply unsatisfactory ending. I hate falling back on old chestnuts myself, but I'm feeling compelled to release the much loved catchphrase on this website- the good reviews are obviously coming from friends and family members of the filmmakers. I'm a huge fan of indie films and I don't think that a big Hollywood budget is necessarily required to make an unsettling and thought provoking film. There's no doubt that the cinematography is beautiful and that the script writer had great expectations. Unfortunately, the tone is lost. Ambiguous endings are all the rage these days and in some cases, appropriate. Not here. It's as though everyone got sick of this trash and decided to wrap it up as quickly as possible. Can't blame em.

Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot (2020)

Wasted potential

[1/10 · 17 July 2020]

What could have been an interesting new twist on the good old Camelot tale turned into a fractured dud. The disjointed storyline and, at times, confusing dialogue makes this attempt at reliving the good old days of magic and mystery fall pretty flat. If you're in the mood for Camelot fun, re-watch the good old version starring Julia Ormund and co.