Tag Archives: action thriller

MUTINY – Review

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Yes, it’s the last gasp of the Summer movie season, so let’s end it with a bang. And a boom. And a stab. And a roundhouse kick to the head. As you may have guessed, here’s one last action thriller before those cold-weather awards contenders begin to arrive at the multiplex. The star of this new movie is carrying on the action superstar era probably begun in the 1980s by Stallone and Schwarzenegger. They spawned a “cottage industry” of the genre, taken over by Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, and Jean-Claude Van Damme, along with the Asian imports, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. So who’s been toiling away with modest-budgeted “flyin’ fists” flicks? Why, it’s that Brit-born Jason Statham, who is indeed “back in action”, this time on the high seas (minus MEG) in MUTINY.

The story begins with a brief “fast forward”, then backtracks to introduce Cole Reed (Statham), a former London “bobby” who is now the head of security for a billionaire shipping magnate, Mr, Campallo (Ramon Tikaram). On this night, he’s off to celebrate the sale of his shipping company, BK, at a party for his retirement in Bangkok. The champagne is flowing at the swanky ballroom, but Cole’s “radar” is “up” after spotting some shady guests. Before the party ends, he drives his boss home. But they never make their destination. Near the docks, they’re ambushed. Cole does his best, but the army of killers takes out his boss and old friend. Reed recognizes several policemen mixed with the assassins. Naturally, the news reports that he’s the prime suspect in the murder. But Cole lifts the ID of one of the fallen bad guys and discovers that he’s a BK ship worker. Meanwhile, a former sailor named Angie (Annabelle Wallis) is called in to work as security on the BK cargo ship, the Artemis. As she prepares to cut short her shore leave (and reunion with her daughter), Reed hatches a plan to find out who is behind the fatal attack. Using the dead man’s ID, he boards the Artemis, captained by the imposing Madsen (Roland Moller). As Cole sneaks around the shipping containers, he discovers some startling “contraband”: sick, scared stowaways. Can he thwart these human traffickers while unlocking the conspiracy behind his pal’s murder, and eventually clear his name? Despite an unexpected ally, this is no “pleasure cruise”.

Much like his stoic fighting machine men of so many previous films, Statham isn’t flexing his dramatic “chops” on this one. Cole could easily be THE BEEKEEPER (sequel’s on its way) or A WORKING MAN seeking SHELTER. We get a sense of his grief over a past family tragedy before he gets down to “business”. That stoic stare is still fearsome, even as he tries to quickly make a plan to merely survive the night. He’s still a compelling screen presence, though I’d love to see him skewer this role as he did deftly in SPY. He’s got a great rapport with his co-star, Ms. Wallis, who has her own complicated backstory (single mother challenges), while she conveys a similar strength in battle. Moller has his own scary stare as the surly ship’s captain who might be up to the challenge of going “mano y mano” with this skilled stowaway. Kudos also to Adrian Lester as the military man who may just be our heroes’ best hope and salvation.

The masterminds behind the nautical mayhem are director Jean-Francois Richet and screenwriters J.P. Davis and Lindsey Michel. That last duo provides the barest of backstory before giving action fans just what they want. Ditto for Richet, who helms several great encounters on deck with the vast ocean as a backdrop, while all navigating the tight space below deck. The Artemis is a labyrinth with maze-like hallways where the baddies must be taken down with little room for flailing limbs. But there are plenty of corners for the heroes and foes to use. Of course, Statham displays his fightin’ feet and fists, though he also uses any tools at hand for some especially gruesome maiming ( that R-rating is so earned). At a taut 95 minutes, the dramatic ‘fat’ is at a minimum, with the tension kicking in after Cole boards the ship (speaking of 80s and 90s thrillers, I was getting lots of UNDER SIEGE vibes), Aside from the ocean setting, there’s not much variation on the Statham formula, but his many fans will certainly be enthralled and entertained during this MUTINY.

2.5 Out of 4

MUTINY is now playing in theatres everywhere

DISCLOSURE DAY – Review

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Steven Spielberg’s highly-anticipated DISCLOSURE DAY returns to the director’s long-standing fascination with outer space visitors to our planet. However, this is not a sequel to his CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE THIRD. Instead, DISCLOSURE DAY is a high-energy summer blockbuster action/thriller, that is more Roswell, UFOs (now called UAPs for “unidentified anomalous phenomena”), with a bit of alien autopsy, and related cover-up conspiracy theories, than “close encounters.” The aliens and spaceships are seen mostly seen in snippets of “old footage” that are part of the proof to be released. This action/thriller is about an effort to release this secret information that has been hidden for decades to the whole world, and those who are trying to stop that from happening.

DISCLOSURE DAY is thrilling as an exciting, entertaining action summer spectacular, with a breathless chase as the people determined to release that footage and proof to the world are pursed relentlessly by those who want it kept secret. Curiously, in this film, that is not the government but a secret private organization called WARDEX, which is connected the military, that has kept this secret information hidden for decades, while profiting from it.

As summer blockbuster entertainment, DISCLOSURE DAY has the goods. This grand chase is thrilling – outstanding really, pure big summer blockbuster stuff – although once they get to the end, some might find the ending less satisfying than one might hope after all the build-up. In some ways, DISCLOSURE DAY hearkens back to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK more than “Close Encounters.”

Spielberg assembled his A team for this blockbuster, with music by the renowned John Williams and cinematography by two-time Academy Award winner Janusz Kaminski, who was director of photography for SCHINDLER’S LIST and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Production design is by Academy Award winner Adam Stockhausen (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Bridge of Spies). Director Spielberg wrote the story, which was adapted into a screenplay by his long-time collaborator David Koepp.

According to interviews, Spielberg acknowledges being a believer in outer-space alien visitors. He was inspired to make a movie revisiting that topic, and concerns about government secrecy, by a story in the New York Times in 2017, about the Defense Department funding a secret military intelligence program to investigate UAPs/UFOs, and article that ended with a quote from the former head of that program saying that such information never should have been kept from the public.

Surprisingly, in DISCLOSURE DAY, it is a private company, not the government, that is keeping the secrets. The thriller also touches on a number of science fiction ideas and conspiracy theories around UAPs/UFOs, all used to drive the action.

The film plunges into that action immediately, with an opening scene where Josh O’Connor’s character Daniel Kellner is attempting to ransom his kidnapped girlfriend Jane Blankenship (Eve Hewson). The kidnappers are from WARDEX and they want the information that their former employee, cybersecurity expert Kellner, took from them, along with a powerful alien object called the “device.” But Jane and Daniel escape with the information, and the pursuit begins.

WARDEX is led by Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth, playing against type), who is convinced that release of that information will have a devastating impact on the world, which is poised on the brink of WWIII. WARDEX is also profiting from this secret information, reverse-engineering outer-space technology, or at least trying to, in the case of the “device.” On the other hand, Kellner is aided by a group of ex-WARDEX people led by Hugo Wakefield (Colman Domingo), who are convinced that people have to right to know that alien visitors are real and are set on making sure the secret information is released.

Actually, there are two main characters in this action/thriller. One is Josh O’Connor’s Kellner and the other is a TV weather forecaster in Kansas City, Margaret Fairchild, played by Emily Blunt. Margaret is ambitious to move up into news reporting and thinking about moving to another city – again – to advance her career, much to the dismay of her partner Jackson (Wyatt Russell), a musician who has finally found success in KC. As they talk in their apartment that morning, something happens that releases surprising hidden powers in Margaret – powers like being able to read people’s thoughts or unconsciously speaking other languages, including the off-world one she suddenly starts speaking when on-air later that morning.

Cybersecurity whistle-blower Kellner and TV meteorologist Fairchild have never met but both experienced a childhood trauma that neither can clearly remember, a connection that plays a role as the story unfolds. The film alternates between Kellner and Fairchild for quite awhile although the threads eventually join. While Kellner focuses on eluding WARDEX and keeping his girlfriend safe, Fairchild focuses on figuring out her new abilities and exploring their meaning, as she follows intuitive impulses that seem to direct her.

This high-energy relentless chase creates a splendid summer entertainment thriller, as the shadowy WARDEX company tries to prevent the release of their trove of secret information about aliens and spaceship by the elusive Kellner and his hidden allies led by Colman Domingo’s Hugh Wakefield. There is one breathtaking action sequence after another, with only brief pauses between, where the characters discuss the public’s right to know and what impact that knowledge might have on people.

One particularly spectacular sequence involves a train, a piece of cinematic entertainment that is pure brilliance and so full of nerve-shattering excitement, that it seals the film’s place as a top-notch summer blockbuster, the kind of sequence that Spielberg does better than anyone else.

The structure is like a classic thriller, with strong echoes of Hitchcock’s NORTH BY NORTHWEST.

Like in Hitchcock’s films, not all the reasons for the chase stand up to close scrutiny because they are there mostly to motive the plot.

Spielberg also adds scenes between chase sequences that hint at wanting to insert some larger meaning into this action summer blockbuster but that has limited success there. Particularly, the film raises questions around religion, about whether the existence of life on other planets or of beings with god-like powers might be destabilizing to the world. A bigger question, why are the space visitors here, is dismissed by Colman Domingo’s ex-WARDEX Hugo, who asserts that the aliens are too evolved to be a threat to humankind.

The cast is excellent. Josh O’Connor is very strong in this heroic action role but it is Emily Blunt who really shines, in her performance as a women suddenly given unique powers. Colman Domingo is comforting and fatherly as the man directing the group of people who believe the secret information needs to be made public, while Colin Firth is chilling as the one willing to do anything to prevent its release. Firth does a great job as this character, who becomes increasingly unhinged and willing to take risks as the story unfolds.

As big action entertainment, DISCLOSURE DAY succeeds, although some viewers, like this writer, may find the film’s ending a bit of a letdown after all that build-up. However, as a film with something to say, it is less successful than it is as pure entertainment. Whether Spielberg really has something to say, or is just trying to add some depth to his epic entertainment, is not clear but Spielberg does spend some time raising questions about the impact that knowing visitors from outer-space have been here would have on people, particularly on people’s religion. That question is explored largely through Kellner’s Catholic girlfriend and a nun played by Elizabeth Marvel.

Opinions have been divided on this film. If you are looking for summer blockbuster entertainment, I would say Spielberg’s polished DISCLOSURE DAY is just the ticket. If you are looking for something more groundbreaking, or a film that revisits some of the deeper themes of Close Encounters, or one reveals something big at the end, this isn’t it.

DISCLOSURE DAY opens in theaters on Friday, June 12, 2026.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

YADANG: THE SNITCH Review

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A scene from YADANG: THE SNITCH. Courtesy of Well Go USA

The Korean crime drama YADANG: THE SNITCH is longer on plot and shorter on action than most of those I’ve reviewed. The title gives you the same word in two languages. Protagonist and narrator Lee Kang-soo (Kang Ha-neul, best known here from Season 2 of ”Squid Game”) is framed for drug possession, imprisoned, then given the chance to work off his sentence by informing, and eventually turn ratting out drug dealers into a career. His benefactor is an ambitious prosecutor, Goo Gwan-hee (Yoo hae-jin). Their efforts are variably appreciated and hindered by a top cop, Oh Sang-jee (Park Hae-joon). All three deliver fine performances.

The first two enjoy a long string of successes until something goes sour. The intertwining of the massively-profitable drug trade with law enforcement and politics makes for a mare’s nest of players and shifting alliances that many might find hard to follow. (OK, I confess that I did.) Friends become foes, and vice versa, often in ways that may not be clear to viewers. It’s not a casual binge for those who care about plot-lines. Writer Hyo-seok Kim put most of the emphasis on character arcs and plot twists, rather than titillation or splashy action in this dialog-heavy script.

One other performer stands out as particularly sympathetic. Chae Won-Bin’s Um Su Jin is a popular young actress who starts using drugs and winds up in the middle of the plans and conflicts among the male leads. Her role as an ingenue who gets in over her head may be the most moving part of the film, despite relatively brief screen time.

There’s little sex or nudity; considerable drug usage and drinking – voluntary and otherwise; several scenes of gruesome violence. The result is a solid film requiring some concentration that may or may not linger in one’s memory.

YADANG: THE SNITCH, in Korean with English subtitles, debuts on digital Platforms from Well Go USA on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

CAUGHT STEALING – Review

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And now I believe we’re officially in the Fall movie season, as the newest project from one of the most acclaimed “indie” filmmakers of the last twenty-five years or so releases his newest work into theatres, not just in the “art house” cinemas, but in multiplexes everywhere (and maybe a few drive-ins). That’s because it’s a much more general audience “accessible” than many of his previous projects. For one thing, it boasts a stellar cast headed by a “rising star”. And it’s in the “area” of one of the most popular genres, one that’s usually abundant in the summertime, the “crime thriller”, mixed with a few quirky comedy touches. It’s based on a popular novel, actually part of a “series” whose “double meaning” title becomes apparent while watching CAUGHT STEALING.

After a bright and sunny prologue at the final moments of a big high school baseball game, we’re sent to the grimy Lower East Side streets of NYC circa 1998. Twenty-something Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) has a pretty great life “slingin’ suds” at a rowdy “dive bar”. The best part of his gig is “last call” when his gorgeous EMT girlfriend Yvonne (Zo Kravits) waits for him to lock up. From there, the duo heads to his grungy walk-up apartment. In the hallway, they run into Hank’s punk-rocker (mohawk and spiked leather jacket, natch’) Brit neighbor, Russ (Matt Smith). He’s gotta’ fly home to see his dying Dad, so he asks Hank to take care of his cat, Bud. No prob. After some “sexytime”, Yvonne leaves for work in the morning as Hank nurses one of many nasty hangovers. Seems he’s trying to numb the pain of a painful memory. A call to his mother in Patterson, CA eases his head as they bond over a love of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Later, he accosts two tough-looking Russians trying to break into Russ’s place. The thugs think that Russ gave Hank something they want. He tells them that he has nothing aside from Bud the cat, which earns Hank a severe beating from the two. Waking up in a hospital bed, he tells Yvonne that he can’t wait to be discharged. Back at his place, Hank is interviewed by Narcotics Detective Roman (Regina King), who informs him that Russ is into some shady business with the Russian mob, and he’s also involved with two “scary monsters”, the vicious Hasidic Drucker brothers (Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio). After they leave, Hank uncovers a key that Russ left. He heads back to the bar to hide it, but begins a “bender” that leaves him unable to recall what he did with it. This doesn’t sit well with the Russians, who return with their equally violent boss, a Puerto Rican club owner named Colorado (Benito A Martinez Ocasio, AKA pop music superstar “Bad Bunny”). Can Hank escape them as he tries to cut through the drunken fog of the previous night? And if he does lose them, what will happen if the Drucker brothers catch up to him? And when will that darn Russ return?

That rising star I mentioned earlier would be the very charismatic Mr. Butler, who is steadily building an interesting movie resume after his breakthrough as Elvis. He is the reluctant hero with roots in classic noir cinema. Hank is a fairly good guy who is plunged into the dark netherworld of 90s drug gangs. But he’s not without his own darkness. Butler shows Hank’s inner torment as he wakes up from memories of a not-so-long-ago time when his poor judgment took away everything from him. But there’s little time for pity, or for boozy amnesia, as the walls close in. Through his expressive eyes, Butler shows us how Hank must drink in his new situations while formulating a plan at near light speed. He’s also terrific in the lighter moments, especially in the crazy, flirty chemistry-fueled scenes with the bubbly Kravitz as his sexy voice of reason, Yvonne. She truly cares about Hank, which exacerbates her frustration with his lifestyle choices, revved up after that hospital stay was cut short. Another calming influence is King, whose tough but still tender cop may be just the guide to get Hank past this nightmare alive. Smith brings some angry, funny energy as the Cockney rocker who fights to keep his 80s style while adoring his kitty. Schreiber and D’Onofrio are very compelling as the brothers whose religious adherence and attire juxtapose with their murderous intent and ruthlessness. They seem reasonable at times, until they see an opportunity to strike with deadly force. At least they’re sweet with their Bubbe, played by the always endearing Carol Kane as the stern and nurturing matriarch, though there’s a touch of menace in the advice she offers to Hank.

The filmmaker of this intricately layered bit of “pulp fiction” is the man behind many “offbeat” cinematic “trips”, Darren Aronofsky. Here he’s working with Charlie Huston’s screenplay adaptation of his novel of the same name. For the most part, Mr. A keeps us firmly on “ground level” with few “flights of fancy” or flashy flourishes (he makes good use of slo-mo and drones). He keeps us right with Hank as we can almost smell his sweaty panic as he races through a very dirty and dangerous NYC (really wonderful location work). And as I mentioned, Darren puts a unique spin on several tropes of the classic noir thrillers of the 40s and 50s. With a flawed hero struggling to keep “afloat” while straining to recall a boozy night, the story riffs on films like D.O.A., DETOUR, and AFTER HOURS (which makes the casting of its star Griffin Dunne as Hank’s biker/hippie boss a great “nod”). I should mention that the folks behind the marketing are doing the film a disservice by selling it as a wild comic “caper” romp, since Mr. A doesn’t shy away from the brutality and “ick” factor around alcohol abuse (yes, Hank rarely makes it to the “porcelain throne”). Yes, there are a few sluggish sequences prior to the big action, with twists, finale, but it delivers all the thrills, though not as deftly as the recent RELAY (more stunts and explosives with this new one). Aronofsky appears to be working very well out of his “arty” comfort zone with the gritty thriller CAUGHT STEALING.


3 Out of 4

CAUGHT STEALING is now playing in theatres everywhere

MONSTER ISLAND – Review

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A scene from MONSTER ISLAND. Photo Credit: Shudder. Courtesy of Shudder.

It’s WW II. South Pacific. A Japanese ship is hauling POWs in chains to a labor camp. One of their own soldiers has done some sort of no-no and is also in shackles. He’s attached to an American GI for shared punishment. Ship bombed. They may be the only survivors, waking up on an unknown island, which just happens to be appropriately nicknamed MONSTER ISLAND. Neither speaks the other’s language. Both fear the other will kill them. Not exactly a chummy Crusoe and Friday, or Hanks and Wilson, pairing for an adventure. But the two have to reach a truce to stay alive.

Some cargo and bodies wash ashore, providing supplies. The island is uninhabited… at least by humans. They soon learn that the eponymous killing-machine beastie would call it home if it could talk, and is quite hostile to uninvited visitors. A few other survivors of the sunken ship show up. Our tentatively bonded protagonists, Saito and Bronson (Dean Fujioka, Callum Woodhouse – you can figure out which is which) hide and observe, since both are deemed enemies of the Empire. From one of the others we learn that the monster is known in the region as Orang Ikan. Though the name seems apelike, it’s a humanoid reptilian who kills not for food, but for being annoyed by trespassers. Surly to bed; surly to rise…

The screener I watched has no subtitles for the Japanese dialog, which actually adds to the eeriness of the proceedings for those of us who don’t speak it, since we don’t understand any more than Bronson does. The process of building trust and cooperation between enemies without a common language is awkward and suspenseful, as the two scramble to avoid or kill the eponymous monster. The premise adds humanity to the gorefest unfolding before us.

For a low budget production, there’s a lot to appreciate. The Indonesian jungle and beach settings are used to excellent advantage, lending variety to the action. The two actors deliver fine performances in this challenging situation. The guy in the creature suit isn’t fully shown long enough to look as cheaply crafted as it probably was. The killings are gruesome enough to turn many stomachs. The plot is largely formulaic, but the tension and danger elements play out well in the hands of writer/director Mike Wiluan, whose resume wearing both hats has been mostly in horror and action.

This won’t reach the heights of popularity that the ALIEN or PREDATOR franchises have achieved. But it’s still a respectable entry into the genre.

MONSTER ISLAND, in English and Japanese without subtitles, streams on Shudder beginning on Friday, July 25, 2025.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH – Review

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Hard to believe that the big Summer holiday, the Fourth of July, is almost here (and it’s on a weekend, too). Well, if you can’t hit the road or hop on a plane, the local multiplex is your best option for a tropical getaway on a secluded island. Now there’s a slight problem with this dot in the ocean. While flies and mosquitoes can dampen the fun, the pests here are much, much bigger. And very aggressive. And hungry (perhaps even “hangry”). Yes, we’re back in the movie franchise established way back in 1993’s JURASSIC PARK. After two “trilogies”, Universal’s ready for a bright, shiny “reboot” with an all-new cast trying to survive in this familiar foliage. Films are always a bit of a gamble, so is “seven” the “lucky number” for JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH?

This entry starts with a flashback from 17 years ago, as a research team in big, clunky haz-mat-like suits is scurrying about their lab. Looks like they’re tinkering with the dinos (always a big “no-no”), and as is usually the case in these stories, things go terribly wrong. After a few title cards explaining that the dinos we saw out in the world (Europe, the States, etc.) are succombing to unfamiliar climate and viruses, and that the general public has grown weary with the beasts (how fickle), we’re in the “present day” (really five years after the last JW flick). An exec for the pharmaceutical giant ParkerGenix, Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend), is stuck in NYC traffic as a dying Brontosaurus is lost near the Hudson. Ah, but he’s soon joined by the woman he was rushing to meet, “covert operative” Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson). Kreb makes his pitch: he wants to enlist her “team” to make a secret trek to the “forbidden” island home (travel is banned there) of the last thriving dinosaurs and collect blood and tissue samples (the dying nearby creatures are not “workable”). The “extracts” will be the basis of a heart disease “wonder drug”. He does insist on an addition to her team (aside from himself). They swing by the soon-to-be-shuttered dinosaur museum to collect expert paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey). Soon the trio zip down to a port in Ecuador to meet Zora’s team leader, Duncan Kinkaid (Mahershala Ali), who will take them in his high-tech boat to the home of “big lizards”, Ile Saint-Hubert. Along the way, they rescue a family whose sailboat was capsized by a school of aquatic dinosaurs. After a harrowing encounter just off the island’s coast, the family is separated from the “covert” team. As Krebs tries to grab a set of three samples (beasts based on the land, sea, and “air”), the family tries to make their way to a long-deserted village. But, when the mutated (circle back to the pre-title scene) dinosaurs go on the attack, the quest for science (and big “pharma-bucks”) becomes a desperate struggle to survive until a possible rescue. This is no relaxing “va-cay”…

After four years away from the MCU (the home of “never say never”) and a brief detour into the “Wes Anderson-verse”, Ms. Johansson is back in full action heroine “mode” as the “gun for hire” who secretly has a “heart of gold” (no surprise). She’s quick with a snarky quip, but can leap right into the chaos, kicking lots of scaly tail. Somewhat regulated to the “in distress” role is Bailey, a grizzled glass-wearing geek (a fantasy breathtaking “brainiac”), who tries to keep out of the “line of fire” while taking the time to gaze lovingly at the gentler behemouths (he did study under Dr. Alan Grant, y’know). And there’s an Oscar-winner (twice) getting in on the monster mash-ups. Ali is given a bit of a tragic backstory (broken family), but mainly he’s a modern update on the rascally sea captain who loves his boat nearly as much as a hefty cash commission. He makes a fine comic partner with Bailey. Since every party needs a “p##per”, this trip has the wonderfully “weasely” Kreb played with an unseen “twirling mustache” by the glowering Friend. Oh, let’s not leave out the “rescued” (not really “stowaways,” I suppose). Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is the concerned, though confused patriarch Rueben, who just wants some quality time with his daughters, college-aged Teresa (Luna Blaise) and adorable pre-teen “snacker” (loves that licorice) Isabella (Audrina Miranda), who is adorable even as she’s in constant peril. The dinos are enough of a handful, but Rueben has to also contend with Teresa’s slacker, goofball “bae” Xavier (David Iacono), who does wonders with the abrasive role.

They’re all told where to run (and what the “green tennis ball” represents, “monster-wise”) by a director who is no stranger to big studio “IP”, Gareth Edwards. After all, he made GODZILLA work for mainstream US moviegoers, and was behind the brightest light in the post-George Lucas space flicks, the superb prequel ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY. He does bring some fresh energy to the scenes of the beasties in full-attack mode, while still taking a moment to give a “shout-out” to earlier entries (mainly the 1993 OG). Unfortunately, he’s somehow hampered by the disjointed screenplay by (speaking of OG), the adapter of the first two films in the series, David Koepp (he worked on the first Spidey, too). The time in between attack never really holds our interest, despite giving a sad backstory to both Zora (she just lost her partner during a “gig”) and Duncan (who takes a moment to gaze sadly at a faded photo of his son), while Henry tries to convince them to do the “right thing” with the samples (who doubts them). The biggest problem with the story’s structure may be the inclusion of the shipwrecked family. They never really “mesh” with the “mission crew”, which may account for why they’re quickly separated from them after they crash land on the island. Perhaps it was thought that these “average” Joes and Josephines, without firepower, would be easier to put in jeopardy and appeal to moviegoers. The cutting back and forth gets somewhat irritating, much as a TV show would flip from the “A story” to the “B story”. Now it does lead to the big nighttime finale that brings everyone together for another explosive showdown with a new dino “big bad”, the mutant “Distortus rex”, whose look owes a lot to another franchise, mainly the Xenomorphs from ALIEN. Certainly the effects on the critters continue to impress, it’s great to listen to strains of the classic John Williams score, and the carnage hasn’t been toned down to be more “kid friendly”, though I found the relentless “product placement” extremely distracting (make sure the logo is readable on that dangerous floating wrapper). Fans of these flicks will enjoy the usual mayhem and “narrow escapes”, but many may wish for something less formulaic (though this is a big improvement over JWD) than the jungle “jump-scares” of JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH. Now keep your hands inside the boat…

2.5 Out of 4

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH is now playing in theatres everywhere

BALLERINA (2025) – Review

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With another post-Memorial Day weekend, yet another franchise arrives with a new entry at the multiplex. It feels like a week ago (and it was) that I wrote about the return of THE KARATE KID, which was a sequel/reboot that dealt with the loss of a major supporting character, Mr. Miyagi. This new film takes on the challenge of continuing a series when the major “title” character met his end (yeah, probably…) in the last installment. Well, you bring in another, similar “principal” and set the story during the “in-between” time of previous entries. This way, that beloved figure can be “ret-conned” using old footage and new scenes, as a supporting player “passing the torch”. Or in this case, “tossing a huge freakin’ gun with an endless clip”. And so, here’s the new “super action” diva known as BALLERINA, though many sites list it with the “play it safe” “intro tile” of IN THE WORLD OF JOHN WICK, since they want all to know that this “aint’ no” frilly ballet flick (but it does briefly concern that).


And it’s the first image we see, namely, an amusic-box style toy with a twirling tutu-wearing dancer in a glass bubble. It’s the prized possession of eight-year-old Eve, who is living a peaceful life with her widowed young father in a blissful beach estate. He mentions a lost older daughter before the tranquility is shattered by a force of heavily armed men. Eve hides behind a wall, but through a row of books she watches her battered papa get questioned by the group’s leader, a dark, brooding man known as the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). Before he expires, Daddy leads Eve away, after she spots an odd “X” marking on the wrists of the killers, to a safe spot where she is eventually taken in by Winston (Ian McShane), who puts her under the protection of the New York Continental. As the years pass, Eve (Ana de Armas) travels to the theatre location of the fearsome Ruska Roma to begin training as a classical dancer under the strict guidance of the “Director” (Angelica Huston). Actually, Eve divides her time between the ballet and bullets, as she also learns to become an elite assassin, and gets a bit of advice from a sullen visitor, John Wick (Keanu Reeves), himself. On her first big assignment, Eve encounters one of the “X-marked” men, which leads her to the Prague Continental, where another widowed father, Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus), is trying to break away from the “X cult” and the Chancellor. This sends Eve, despite stern orders from the Director to stay away, to a snowy, quiet Alpine village for a final “revenge quest” against the Chancellor, who brings in the “biggest gun” (you-know-who) to end the deadly dance of the blood-soaked ballerina.

As one of many who groused that her appearance in the last James Bond flick was far too brief (really one of that lackluster flick’s best sequences), I was pleased that we get to see the captivating Ms. de Armas in full “action queen” mode as the revenge-obsessed Eve. Her “hyper-focused” stare and superb physical combat skills really carry the simple story across the globe. We get to see a touch of Eve’s emotional anguish, often as she strives to be a “killer dancer” rather than the former, but the filmmakers want to firmly establish a new “force,” and Ms. de Armas is more than up to the often exhausting task. Plus, she has an excellent rapport with Reeves (actually their third film together), who slips right back into the stoic, sullen Wick as though he were donning one of his indestructible jackets. His time in her tale is brief, but Reeves brings the gravitas as he gently nudges Eve into the spotlight. Byrne is effective as the calm, cool mastermind, balancing a soft, gentle tone ( a mask, really) with the malignant, murdering tyrant interior. Also, as another tough crime veteran, Houston still captures us with her piercing glare as another major “player” in the global underground. Bringing a lot more warmth is the suave McShane, as the mentor/uncle to the emotionally scared little Eve. Another great father figure is Reedus as the dad “on the lam” who points Eve, like a weapon, toward her goal/target. Big kudos for the producers for giving us one last visit from the taken-too-soon Lance Reddick as Winston’s firm but friendly “right hand”, Charon.

Director Len Wiseman, perhaps best known for the first two UNDERWORLD action/horror flicks, gets the best from his impressive stunt team along with his f/x artists, to expand on the “Wick world”, as they travel the planet and leave countless corpses in their wake. Yes, action “adrelaine junkies” will get a strong “fix” here as Eve piles ups the baddies in loads of new creative waves. One sequence has her “making do” with boxes of old hand grenades, turning much of a massive basement into a “Pollack painting” of destruction. It’s all nasty R-rated splattered fun, up until a point (perhaps the 90-minute mark). Ultimately, the new “spin-off” suffers the excesses of the last Wick epics as the “first-person-shooter” video game-style mayhem becomes a tad tiresome past the two “full of fatalities” hours. Yes, some of the dance/fights are engaging and creative, but it all hinges on the flimsiest and cliched vengeance plots. The locations are pretty nice, particularly a massive indoor “meat locker” frigid dance hall. Ms. de Armas is a charismatic and stunning action heroine who deserves a bolder sequel script that will build on the stunt-heavy, “drama-lite” BALLERINA.

2.5 Out of 4

BALLERINA is now playing in theatres everywhere

PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS – Review

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It’s always great as a reviewer when you can alert folks to a film that’s truly worth their time, a real engaging story full of twists, turns, and often very pleasant surprises. An even greater “stunner” is the fact that it’s the sixth (though some may argue it’s the eighth) installment of a nearly forty-year-old film franchise. Normally, I’d suggest that you would be wise to order tickets early to see it at your favorite multiplex, but I can’t really do that. So, here’s the perplexing and frustrating part: it premieres on a streaming app. However, it’s more than worthy of an IMAX-sized screen. The last time I felt like this was three years ago, with the action/SF/thriller PREY. And, wouldn’t you know it, this is from the very same “shared universe”. By the way, did I mention that it’s an animated anthology? Just another element in the countless delights of PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS. Let the “hunt” begin!

Yes, I did say “anthology”. At least for most of the movie. Each section has its own time period and title. First is “The Shield”, set in the early ninth century. This is a Viking revenge fable focusing on the angry warrior queen Ursa (voice of Lindsay LaVanchy), who is leading a crew of killers, including her own teenage son Anders (Damian C. Haas), on a quest to take King Zoran out, the man who murdered her father. But when they breach his sanctuary, Ursa and her compatriots are not alone. It turns out that the hunters are being hunted by an otherworldly demon, a Predator. We zip ahead about 800 years for “The Sword”, set in feudal Japan. This one’s a tale of family rivalry as a grim shogun pits his two pre-teen sons against each other over the ownership of his estate. One brother triumphs as the other is banished. The years go by, and the father passes on. Before son Kiyoshi claims his inheritance, his prodigal brother Kenji (Louis Ozawa) returns. Ah, but a different Predator silently observes, waiting for his time to strike. Finally, we’re in the 20th century, though at the start of WWII. In “The Bullet”, we meet newly drafted Latino-American (I’m guessing Cuban) John Torres (Rick Gonzales) is a gifted mechanic stationed on an aircraft carrier near Vichy France. He yearns to fly, but his supervisor, Captain Vandy (Michael Biehn), just wants him to make sure the planes are ready for combat, including John’s rickety fighter he’s dubbed “the Bullet”. Several pilots land in damaged planes, telling of a weird, almost invisible “enemy”. Vandy takes his squad into the “danger zone” as John finds something odd embedded in one of the engines. It’s a metal spearhead, unlike anything on this Earth. He then disobeys Vandy’s orders and takes Bullet into the battle. He arrives in time to see several squad members get taken down by a “bogey,” which becomes visible when struck. It’s an attack spaceship piloted by another Predator. When the fight ends, John’s saga is far from over as he finds himself in a locked cell on a vessel along with Ursa and Kenji. The trio, who are unable to communicate, have odd metal collars snapped around their necks and are eventually led off the ship and into an arena filled with the Predator beings. The warlord/MC informs them that they must fight to the death or their collars will explode. But John tries to inspire them to work together. But can this mismatched team survive a giant, savage alien beast and attempt to somehow find a way home?

Speaking of PREY, the same talented director is behind this. Dan Trachtenberg works with co-director Joshau Wassung to create this compelling, original exploration into the mythos of these iconic movie alien a*#kickers. They’ve even taken animation feature storytelling to a new level, expanding on the dramatic possibilities opened up by the “Spider-Verse” films. Yes, there have been many dramatic/ action animated features before (BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM immediately springs to mind), but this tackles the brutal intensity of any live “R-rated” horror/action epic. While most of the straight-to-home-video films feel close to the “four-color” comic books, this is more akin to the darker balck and white “graphic” magazines from the Warren company (“Creepy”, “Eerie” and “Vampirella”, the “unholy trinity”), though Marvel would “dip their toe” with “Savage Tales” and its ilk. Basically, the carnage is more straightforward, as the Predators chop and dismember with ghoulish glee. Oh, and the creature design is inspired. Yes, each has that “crab-pincer” mouth, but each segment has wild variants with weird weapons. Fighting the Vikings is a Hulk-like, near seven-foot-tall alien (one of the crew calls it “Grendel”), sporting a “repulsor/sonic blaster” for a right claw. In Japan, we get a leaner. graceful sword-wielding hunter with a spear on a whip-like chain. The “battle ace” beast has a smooth dome as it propels all manner of devices (constricting nets, grappling hooks, etc..) from its armored hull. And the animation is superb, though it appeared a bit stiff in the early scenes. Perhaps this was to make the battle energy more impactful (it does). And each “chapter” has a distict tone, with “The Shield” looking dark and chilly”, “The Sword” giving a Springtime feel with the forest landscapes, as opposed to the 1940s early “recruitment poster color” of “The Bullet”. It’s all paced perfectly with an “Easter egg” final shot that will have fans jumping from their couches. And that’s my only real complaint. In a “just world” I’d have been swept up in these sprawling stories by being engulfed in the biggest screens, with booming Dolby-type audio. Nope, this is only streaming, and its quality is on par with any of the other recent franchise entries. Bravo to Trachtenberg and company. Those “trilling/growling” hunters are in great hands. And I anxiously await your next live-action installment in November, PREDATOR: BADLANDS. But for the next few months, fans will be delighted, becoming eager “trophies” for the animated epic PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS.

3.5 out of 4

PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS streams exclusively on Hulu beginning on Friday, June 6, 2025

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING – Review

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Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

It seems impossible that Tom Cruise would stop making Mission Impossible movies, but if you have seen any of the films in this franchise, especially the more recent ones, you know nothing is impossible in the Mission Impossible universe. Yet MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING is hinted to be the last in the franchise. We shall see about that. Of course, at some point, star Tom Cruise will have to step back from this action franchise, because everyone ages, including Cruise, in order to maintain a scrap of believability in this franchise built on ever-more impossible stunts. Still, since Cruise bares most of his muscular body, not once but twice, in this film, he may be telling audiences he’s still in good enough shape to continue, for now.

Fans are still enthusiastic about the action-fueled, stunt-packed franchise regardless, and if Tom Cruise wanted to go out on top for this series, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING would be a good choice. More cohesive and entertaining than the last one in the franchise, this round has now-freelance secret agent/do-gooder Ethan Hunt and his team in a ticking-clock race to defeat an AI entity taking over the world by seizing control of the world’s nuclear weapons, with a plan to wipe out humankind. It is thrilling, nail-nibbling excitement and entertainment throughout.

The series originated from a 1960s TV spy thriller series, with agent Jim Phelps and his team of skilled secret agents would thwart evil international plots, using a variety of disguises and technology. That show started with a frenetic, burning-fuse, jazz music theme, and agent Jim Phelps getting a secret assignment via audio tape that would always end with a message about official disavowing the teams action and the tape self-destructing, as it burst into flame. About all that remains of that origin show is a sampling of the catchy musical theme, a recorded message that self-destructs in a puff of smoke, and penchant for masks and impersonation. Even the name of the team leader was changed long ago by producer/star Tom Cruise, to Ethan Hunt.

As MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING opens, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team have become free agents but are still committed to doing good. When Ethan gets a recorded-message plea for help from the President (Angela Bassett, in a brilliant bit of casting), he lets bygones be bygones to come to the rescue, literally to save the world, or at least humankind, from a powerful AI entity that wants to rule the world, and is gaining control of the world’s nukes to do that. The all-powerful AI makes for a chilling villain, a real challenge Hunt’s skills and his team.

Along with the AI’s plan to wipe out humans, Ethan also faces a human adversary named Gabriel (Esai Morales), a smiling madman who believes he can seize control of the AI to rule the world himself, but who wants to let the AI grab all the nukes first.

Ethan’s team has familiar faces, such as Simon Pegg as tech assistant/right-hand man Benji Dunn. Hayley Atwell plays Grace, a beautiful young master-thief and skilled pickpocket who becomes an Ethan ally and sort-of love interest for Cruise, Pom Klementieff plays Paris, a roguish, deadpan and deadly fighter who has joined Ethan’s team, and Ving Rhames appears as brilliant tech/biomedical genius who is a long-time friend and help to Ethan Hunt. They are joined by a host of familiar names, including Shea Wigham, Nick Offerman, Mark Gatiss, and Janet McTeer, in various supporting roles.

But the real star of this show, as always, is Tom Cruise, in those impossible stunt sequences. In every movie in the franchise, those stunts get bigger and wilder, topping the previous one, and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING continues that mission well.

The stunt sequences are the major appeal of the series, and this one delivers. Thrilling, physics-defying sequences are abundant in this nearly three-hour long action thriller extravaganza. Stunt sequences take place in the air, with wing-walking on a pair of bi-planes, at at sunken sub in the freezing Arctic, and in numerous battles and fight scenes spanning the globe, either with Cruise battling a single foe or the whole team fighting a small army of baddies.

All the stunts and the effects are outstanding, and highly entertaining, even better than previous installments in the franchise. The thrilling, nail-biting underwater Arctic Ocean sequence is a highlight, where Cruise’s Ethan has to dive into a sunk sub to find an essential McGuffin to defeat the AI, risking life and limb in the freezing and dangerous environment of the deep ocean and on a shipwreck precariously balanced on the edge of a trench. Another thriller highlight is an air-borne, death-defying battle where Cruise’s Ethan chases bad guy Gabriel above a rugged African landscape – in biplanes.

Apparently eager to show off his physique, the aging Cruise gets nearly naked in two of these action sequences, including, mindbogglingly, in the frozen Arctic Ocean. Nothing is too preposterous in this franchise, which constantly tops itself with gravity-defying, physics-violating, and biologically-impossible thrillers, all performed reportedly by star Cruise.

These numerous stunt sequences, fight scenes and chase thrills periodically are interrupted by scenes of banter with his team, fizzy flirtations with the pretty pickpocket, and “I love you, man” emotional scenes with team members, particularly with Ving Rhames, as the tech genius who crafts a weapon that might defeat the evil AI. The whole thing takes place against a ticking clock, of course, as Ethan and the team race around the world to thwart the evil plan.

There are plenty of twists, lots of death-defying stunts, a few good guys (and baddies) lost along the way, and the whole thing is kept cooking along at a fast pace, although a few scenes could have been trimmed to reduce that excessive running time, mostly in some of the too-long emotional scenes between action sequences and a few extra fight scenes that don’t really advance the plot.

Still, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING delivers the over-the-top and top-the-last-one impossible stunt action, and plenty of Tom Cruise heroics, that fans of the franchise crave, whether this really is the final one or not.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE opens in theaters on Friday, May 23, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

ESCAPE – Review

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A scene from the South Korean action thriller ESCAPE. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

Recently, I’ve found a slew of Korean action flicks to be quite impressive, particularly for outstanding stuntwork and effects. Most have been contemporary crime-themed offerings. ESCAPE, despite its potentially action-heavy title, goes in another direction – longer on political propaganda. Still quite effective.

The protagonist is a sergeant in the North Korean army (Lee Je-hoon) in a unit patrolling the southern border with you-know-who. The area is riddled with land mines to deter deserters and defectors. He forms an elaborate plan to defect, including painstakingly mapping all the mines he’ll have to avoid when the time comes. Steve McQueen’s characters from PAPILLON and THE GREAT ESCAPE would both admire his level of preparation. His goal gets complicated when discovered by one of his men (Hong Xa-bin), who insists on going with him under threat of exposure. Any thwarted attempt would promptly be rewarded by execution, so the die is cast.

A greater obstacle arrives in the form of a smug, sadistic officer (Koo Kyo-hwan) in charge of enforcing discipline and managing political spin, when needed, to protect the image of the nation and its troops.  The two antagonists have an interesting backstory. The officer comes from a wealthy family for whom the sergeant’s family was employed, resulting in an uneven friendship of sorts in their youth. Surprising degrees of class difference emerge from a supposedly egalitarian Communist society, as the rich kid could have become a concert pianist, while the underling had few options among menial careers, despite his intellect and talents.

The mere fact of needing such extreme measures to keep its citizens and soldiers within its borders would be damning enough. But we also get plenty of elements that make the purported equality of the system look like a cynical lie. Privilege is not distributed equally or fairly. Intriguingly, despite the obvious agenda of demonizing the North, it wouldn’t take many script changes to flip the script and make it something the Supreme Leader would allow to be shown on his turf. I wonder if they shot some alternate scenes to go for that cash grab?

Most importantly, director Lee Jong-pil manages to pack considerable action, suspense and character conflict into his production. Koo Kyo-hwan is fleshed out as a surprisingly complex villain, even evoking a dollop of empathy beneath his overarching cruelty. The sergeant’s persona surprises with quick thinking and creativity on top of his stellar leadership and soldiering skills. The package delivers on action and entertainment irrespective of its polemic purpose.

ESCAPE, in Korean with English subtitles, debuts streaming on Well Go USA Entertainment on Tuesday, Jan. 14.