We Are Movie Geeks All things movies… as noted by geeks.

August 28, 2025

CAUGHT STEALING – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 10:50 pm

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

May 29, 2025

KARATE KID: LEGENDS – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 8:18 pm

And with the first official post-holiday “Summer cinema” weekend at the multiplex, here comes the return of another beloved movie franchise. Though it doesn’t boast the longest wait between installments, its storied history is one that the IMF might have a tough time sorting through. It’s hard to believe that the initial was over forty years ago. That flick and its two sequels became cable TV staples in the 1980s. Then, a reboot was attempted with one of the stars in 1994 with a “gender switch” for the title lead. Didn’t work, but that didn’t stop a complete remake/reboot 15 years ago, which was a modest hit. Now, after a popular “spin-off” streaming TV, here’s a “re-do” that combines and unites the original trilogy and that 2010 version. With those mixed characters and legacies, it’s no wonder that this one is labeled KARATE KID: LEGENDS.


This new flick begins with footage from 1987 as the late Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) relates a bit of family history. It seems an ancestor took a “slow boat to China” many years ago, where he exchanged martial arts techniques with the Han family (or is it a dynasty). Flash forward to modern-day Beijing, where a member of that lineage, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), runs a popular wuguan (a kung fu school). Well, it’s not popular with his niece, Dr. Fong (Ming-Na Wen), who abhors fighting after losing her eldest son, Bo, to a vengeful rival after a big match. Unfortunately his kid brother Li (Ben Wang) studies there while hiding from Mom. But that will end as she is headed to the states, where she’ll join the staff of a NYC hospital. Just after relocating, Li befriends a bubbly young woman named Mia (Sadie Stanley) will helps her father Vic (Joshua Jackson) run his Victory Pizza eatery. Things get complicated when Li learns that Vic owes some dough (get it) to a cruel local loan shark, who happens to run the MMA school, Demolition Dojo, whose “star student’ is the vicious Conor (Aramis Knight), the jealous ex of Mia. When some of the loan shark goons try to rough up Vic, Li thwarts them with his skills. Vic insists that Li help him train to get back in the ring to earn a cash jackpot that’ll get him out of debt. But when an illegal blow sends Vic to the hospital, Li decides that he must enter the city-wide fighting competition known as the “Five Boroughs”. Now, he’ll need a coach. After explaining his problem over the phone to Mr. Han, the master unexpectedly shows up at the Fong home. There’s less than two weeks to train, so Han hops on another jet, this time to the west coast to recruit the former student of his old pal Miyagi, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). But with the start of the tourney quickly approaching, can Li take down Conor, even with the coaching of these two seasoned fighting masters?

In talking up the cast, I suppose we should begin with the new “double K” (and yes, he’s also “special”) himself. Wang as the reluctant young warrior. He effectively balances a snarky sense of humor with a beguiling sweetness, which had me thinking of the actors who donned the Spidey suit (actually, one character refers to Li as the “Asian Peter Parker”). He’s a good kid, despite his bouts fighting a painful loss, and like Parker, he blames himself. But we’re rooting for him, especially in his romantic pursuit of the tough, though vulnerable, “street smart” Stanley, as Ms. Mia. Yes, they’re both charming, but the master of that is the always entrancing Mr. Chan as Mr. Han. Sure, he’s often a terse taskmaster, but his quieter scenes with Wang convey a great warmth as a most comforting coach and mentor. Plus Chan has great comic rapport with Macchio as the reticent “side man”, giving Wang the wisdom of his own teenage struggles. As for the actual “parental figures”, Jackson also piles on his own brand of “Bronx bro” charm as the pizza man papa who hopes he has one more title bout in him. Then there’s that ethereal beauty, Ms. Wen as Li’s loving, but firm mother, who barely contains her concerns over losing another child to the martial art “battlezone.”, It’s a shame this terrific talent (maybe the fiercest “Agent of SHIELD”) isn’t given more to do. Of course, an action movie needs a compelling villain. Here, Knight is a swaggering, sneering hellion who encompasses the dark side of competitive combat. And happily a bit of comic relief is provided by the very funny Wyatt Oleff as Li’s dweeby tutor Alan.

In his feature film directing debut, Jonathan Enwistel keeps the pace flowing smoothly through its 94 minutes (huzzah for brevity) while providing some effective visual “razzle dazzle”. Big kudos to him for using several bits of classic 2D-style animation for the locale “bookmarks” ( the boroughs, round numbers, and “contact points”), and especially for the early illustration of the Myagi family history. Now, I know that “training montages” are a staple of sports-themed stories, so we get plenty of them, not only with Han and Daniel working with Li, but also with Li using kitchen utensils to get Vic in shape, so I expected them. Luckily, Enwistel keeps its length fairly “pared down” with a minimal mix of “slow-mo” and pop anthems. These set pieces harken back to the original concept, which is tweaked here (instead of NYC to LA, we get China to NYC), but the tropes of picking one’s self up to continue the fight are solidly in effect. Yes, there are few surprises here, other than the fun of pairing Chan with Macchio, so series fans will get a big steaming bowl of cinematic “comfort food”, a warm movie cookie (maybe a “fortune” inside). Well, at least Montreal doubles nicely for the Big Apple, and as “re-imaginings” of 80s classics, there’s still a lot of punches and kicks to be had with KARATE KID: LEGENDS.

3 Out of 4

KARATE KID: LEGENDS is now playing in theatres everywhere

August 8, 2024

IT ENDS WITH US – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 10:58 pm

It’s only been a couple of weeks since the Summer’s biggest box office smash, y’know those two “fightin’ friends” from the MCU, so it feels a bit odd that a very serious “issue” drama based on a best seller is dropping into the multiplexes. Really, shouldn’t this be an “awards contender” for the much cooler Fall months? Well, literary adaptations other than the “YA” franchises do often get a Summertime release (two years ago WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING arrived that July). And this film does star the wife of one of the aforementioned Marvel spandex-wearing icons. Can she lure away some of the Summer cinema crowds as the novel’s heroine who declares (yes, she actually “drops” the tile in the “third act”) IT ENDS WITH US?

Oh, the actress mentioned above is Blake Lively, who plays the story’s “main focus”, thirty-something Lily Bloom. We first encounter her as she drives back into her family’s lush suburban neighborhood and is greeted at the front door of her two-story childhood home by her teary mother Jenny (Amy Morton). Sure, she’s happy to see Lily, but the reunion happens because of the death of the patriarch Andrew (Kevin McKidd). A visit to her old bedroom evokes many memories, some nice and some not-so-nice. Her nostalgia is interrupted by Jenny who reminds Lily that she will be a speaker at the memorial service (“Just say five good things about him”). Ultimately Lily is unable to come up with anything and marches out of the church as a shocked Jenny looks on. Then Lily returns to Boston and decides to reflect while sitting on the ledge of the top-floor terrace of a downtown apartment highrise. That’s where she meets one of its residents, smoldering (along with tall, dark, and handsome) neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). The two flirt and even share some “naked truths” with Lily offering up the biggest stunner. She lost her virginity in high school to a boy who turned out to be homeless. It’s then that the hospital calls him and they go their separate ways. For Lily, she’s rented out some retail space and is turning it into a “high-end” flower shop. During her downtime, Lily recalls that long-ago secret romance with the mysterious loner Atlas (Alex Neustaedter). Her thoughts are interrupted by a quirky local named Allysa (Jenny Slate) who wants to be the store’s first staffer. After the place is open to the public they get their first customers, Allysa’s zany investor hubby Marshall (Hasan Minhaj) and Allysa’s brother…Ryle! Small world! The big romance truly begins, but his darker side emerges soon after they frequent the “hot” new trendy restaurant “Root” which is owned and managed by the now adult chef Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar). Will the man from her past open her eyes to the warning signs coming from Lily’s current love?

This story’s stumbles are somewhat smoothed out by the confident bravada performance of Ms. Lively, doing some of her best work since that underrated gem A SIMPLE FAVOR. As Lily she projects a no-nonsense demeanor though seemingly aloof to her family tragedy, her eyes tell us that it was a troubled childhood. We see some of that melt away as she begins her relationship with Ryle, but the tough exterior holds as she is determined not to be a new “notch on his bedpost”. We see another side when she’s reunited with that lost first love, making way for her awakening to the dangerous path before her. Baldoni is all smooth silky charm as Ryle, somehow giving their “meet cute” a sultry edge. This gives even more power to the cruel twists in his behavior much later. Slate is the usual scene stealer as the story’s comic relief, doing a modern-age riff on the pampered rich diva who thinks the working class is a fun escape from the “high life” (think a younger Karen from “Will and Grace”). Minhaj is her perfect match as the energetic “money mover” hubby Marshall. Sklenar is effective as the somber, often stoic but empathetic first love Atlas (something in that name) who tries to hide the feelings that Lily has rekindled. Unfortunately, there’s little resemblance to his teenage version played with a defiant dignity by Nuestaedter. On the other hand, Lively’s teen version really works thanks to the splendid casting and dramatic chops of Isabela Ferrer who perfectly captures the euphoria of a first infatuation.

I was surprised to see that the director/producer of the film is the male lead Baldoni, which is some impressive “heavy lifting”. Interestingly his last feature was another literary adaptation from five years ago, FIVE FEET APART. He never lets the pacing sag, even as he indulges in several cliche romantic montages (“boozin’ and bowling”) and veers into the area of “Nancy Meyers lifestyle porn” as we take in Ryle’s “ready for the magazine layout cover shoot” digs. This makes the shift in tone, into a domestic violence drama, so jarring. Yes, it’s an important topic, but so much is hidden from us (Lily even refers to herself as an “unreliable narrator”) that it deflects the message, Plus there are so many wild “callbacks” and coincidences. And like most “rom-coms” a major conflict could be quelled with just a few words (Lly is reduced to chanting a mantra of “Baby…baby…”). There’s an opportunity to explore the motivations of the abuser, but one character provides an explanation that’s too simplistic, reminding me of the Simon Oakland denouncement in the last minutes of the original PSYCHO. Then the final act tosses another element in that isn’t really explored in order to provide an inspiring final fade-out. Maybe Christy Hall’s screenplay from Colleen Hoover’s best-seller needed another “pass” or two. Perhaps fans of the book will enjoy the movie “spin”, but unaware moviegoers may think they’ve entered a high gloss basic cable TV “message movie” with the unwieldy histrionics of IT ENDS WITH US.


2 Out of 4

IT ENDS WITH US is now playing in theatres everywhere

July 11, 2024

FLY ME TO THE MOON – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 9:04 pm

Yes, I see that title and I immediately picture “ole’ blue eyes”, a trench coat draped over a shoulder, crooning that catchy 1954 Bart Howard classic. And that’s just what the producers want to evoke, to get you in a nostalgic mood for a frothy romance set against the backdrop of the “space race”. Mission accomplished, but could a “rom-com” really work against the somber historical backdrop we’ve seen in heavy, serious films like FIRST MAN, A MILLION MILES AWAY, HIDDEN FIGURES, APOLLO 13, and the HBO miniseries, “From the Earth to the Moon”.Now, that’s the trick, much like the possible results facing NASA, Will it blast off or crash land? But it’s “star power” rather than rocket fuel that propels FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Modern movie audiences need a short primer on events 55 years ago, and the filmmakers provide a brief one for the film’s prologue, In 1968 the “whiz kids” in Cocoa Beach Florida are rushing to make good on JFK’s promise to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. Leading the “brainiac bunch” is former fighter pilot Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) whose steely determination stems from his part in the tragic events of Apollo One a few years before. The story shifts to NYC as we meet advertising/marketing expert Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) who has just “put one over” on some auto execs. But her celebration is brief when she’s exposed by Nixon’s “special operative” Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson). Why? Well, he has a bigger client for her and her trusty aide Ruby (Anna Garcia) because the Prez needs help “selling” the space program to the populace. The women fly down to Florida in time for Kelly to have a “meet cute’ with Cole at Wolfie’s Diner. Things take a sobering turn when they meet again, as Cole has little time or respect for their publicity plans. But they finally realize they must work together to get the money pipeline flowing from a stubborn group of congressmen. But then their renewed attraction is almost snuffed out by the return of Berkus who tasks Kelly with creating a “set” where they can film a phony moon landing, in case Apollo 11 fails. Can she get everything together for this fraud without Cole finding out? Or will she listen to her heart and do the right thing for “the right stuff”?

That aforementioned “star power”? That is ably supplied by the pairing of the lead duo at the center of the plot, bringing true sparks to the often formulaic rom-com genre. Tatum proves that he’s got more dramatic depth than you might gather from his mesmerizing moves as MAGIC MIKE. He projects an “old school” screen hero’s sense of decency as the project-focused Davis who has a huge weight on his shoulders that could be erased if he can get this job done to honor his fallen teammates (the first trio) and perhaps his “captain”, who set the stage but can’t be there for the finale. Not surprisingly, fun and romance are neglected until he meets her. In a nice twist on the genre’s conventions, Johansson’s Kelly is the free spirit with shaky morals who lightens the load for Cole, who helps her regain a sense of right and wrong, putting honor before profit and chipping away at her cynicism (in her first scenes, Kelly is almost a “Donna Draper” in a riff on “Mad Men”). This role really taps into the charm she gleaned in her MCU role of the Black Widow.


The “support team” is led by the always interesting Harrelson whose laid-back persona is given a dangerous edge as a quip quickly morphs into a threat, punctuated by his black attire and ever-present switchblade (to slice citrus for cocktails, of course). And there’s some great work here by two other TV sitcom vets. Ray Romano uses his hangdog everyman charisma as Cole’s right-hand man, who feels more like a proud “uncle’ as he fills in the “backstory” for Kelly. The biggest “scene stealer” is Jim Rash, an Oscar-winning screenwriter but forever Dean Pelton of “Community”, as Kelly’s snippy, flamboyant director Lance Vespertine (the name speaks volumes) who brings a bitchy sense of camp to the fairly somber “conspiracy”. Kudos also to the “junior squad” led by the energetic Garcia who can’t suppress her hippie leanings along with the NASA comic tag team of Donald Elise Watkins and Noah Robbins who provide a great jolt of manic comic energy.

Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

Guiding this talented ensemble is someone who’s best known for being a guiding force on the TV versions of several DC superheroes (streaming and broadcast), Greg Berlanti. This is actually his third feature film and a big dive into the mainstream as he harkens back to the “above the title” pairing of classic movie couples (Gable and Lombard, Bogie and Bacall, Tracy and Hepburn). Despite the somewhat lengthy 132-minute runtime, he keeps the story from Keenan Flynn and Bill Kirsten that Rose Gilroy crafted into a screenplay from getting too slogged down in space nostalgia. Like that neglected 80’s classic THE RIGHT STUFF it highlights the awe and wonder along with wit while mixing in the movie “mating rituals”. But it doesn’t leave out the sense of danger with several flashbacks to that fatal pre-launch tragedy to the hovering Berkus who could be more “spook” than a spy. The time period is recreated very well, though it may seem that it’s the early 60s since the engineers all have the white shirt/thin black tie basic except for the pseudo-turtlenecks favored by Cole, perhaps to set him apart or to better highlight Tatum’s rugged physique. As for Johansson, Kelly appears to channel Marilyn Monroe in her early makeup and hairstyles (those blonde “bobs” are dazzlin’) but she “loosens up’ by the finale, perhaps to reflect the changing times and her embracing a new “morality”. Unlike the teaming of Gosling and Blunt at the start of the Summer, this pair really connects as they size up each and verbally spur before the big “clinch”. The great “needle drops” of classic tunes really help “seal the deal” and send Kelly and Cole piloting fans of retro romance soaring “among the stars” in FLY ME TO THE MOON.

3 Out of 4


FLY ME TO THE MOON is now playing in theatres everywhere

June 6, 2024

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 8:53 pm

Buckle up because the Summer movie season kicks into high gear with a brand-new installment of a big loud action franchise. This one goes back 29 years, so it’s a few decades behind the recent FURIOSA which is the latest entry of a series that’s now 45 years old. Oddly this weekend’s big release marks only four years since the previous, the shortest turn-around time of the four. Yes, this makes for a quartet centered around a buddy-cop duo that’s well into middle age but still embraces a youthful moniker in BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE.

As this adventure begins, detectives Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are racking up the moving violations as they speed through the sun-baked streets of Miami. But they’re not in pursuit of a “perp”. No, it’s Mike’s wedding day, to his beautiful physical therapist Christine (Melanie Liburd). Naturally Marcus parties way too hard and is felled by a massive heart attack, much to the shock of co-workers Kelly (Vanessa Hudges), Dorn (Alexander Ludwig), and Captain Rita (Paola Nunez) who’s with her new beau, Mayor (and maybe future governor) Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd). But while Marcus recoups in the hospital, the evil plans of the mysterious McGrath (Eric Dane) are set into motion when he has a hacker wire millions of dollars of drug money into the account of the former police captain (RIP) Howard (Joe Pantoliano). As Mike visits Marcus, he awakens after a vision (involving that same late boss) and announces that he is now “invincible”. This is set aside when they’re called in about the new “evidence” that Howard was “on the take”. Mike is determined to clear him. But how do they get info on the possible “framers’ in the powerful drug cartel? His best link may be his incarcerated illegitimate hitman son Armando (Jacob Scipio), who was revealed in the previous film. When they try and bring him in for questioning, McGrath sabotages the air transport, sending the trio on the “lam”, after being “set up” for the murders of the pilot and security. Now the trio is wanted, not only by the feds, including Howard’s daughter turned FBI agent Judy (Rhea Seehorn) who wants revenge against Armando, but also by the underworld when McGrath puts out a multi-million dollar dead-or-alive bounty on them. Can the trio survive despite Mike’s crippling anxiety attacks, take down McGrath, and clear their names?

The series duo appear to be “punching the clock” as they try to inject some new life into this now multi-generational action storyline. Smith seems to be going through the ‘tough cop” checklist which may account for the addition of the “panic attack” dent in his armor (the Kryptonite for this super-cop). Perhaps this was thought to give Mike an “edge’, while Smith tries to recapture that “Big-Willie magic” and make audiences forget that Oscar “incident” (now the former “July 4th King” has to get a month’s head start at the box office). For much of the time he’s the irritated ‘straight man’ for the ham-fisted histrionics of Lawrence, now a bug-eyed caricature shouting out every line as though the volume makes up for the lack of real wit. The rest of the cast mainly blends into the background with Hudgens and Ludwig doing a riff on the “guy in the chair” clicking away on the keyboard as Nunez tries to keep the title twosome on track. Dane as McGrath is a cliched one-note thriller sadist, but at least one other male twosome gets a chance to shine. Scipio seethes with resentment and a bit of familial yearning before he flexes his fight skills in a terrific prison yard smackdown. Ditto for Dennis Green as the “straight from the front lines” Reggie, the son-in-law of Marcus, who becomes a fearsome protector when the baddies breach “casa de Burnett”. There are a couple of “fan service ” cameos from actors seen in earlier installments along with a needlessly explicit bit of nastiness from Tiffany Haddish, there just to shock us and earn the “R” rating.

The mayhem is overseen by another duo, Aldi El Arbi and Bilall Fallah who helmed the last entry, FOR LIFE, four years ago. They attempt to “ratchet up” the frequent stunt scenes while trying to engage us in the bond between the two leads ( who sometime behave as though they’re in different flicks). It all gets a bit exhausting as the story lumbers through so many late-last-century action blockbuster cliches and set pieces. I mean the establishing shots of a fun and sexy city in the sun feel lifted right out of a classic first season “Miami Vice” from the 80s (not to mention the intrusive “product “placements”). Plus the guys telegraph the big plot “twists” (the guns are taken so they can be used in the frame moments later) included the big climax in an ole shuttered alligator theme park (could we get a CGI attack ala’ ERASER, mmm). And boy, are A and F thrilled with “drone tech”? The camera careens over the chaos in some many dizzying bits, you may regret having those concession stand nachos. It leads up to an extended piece in the middle of the big rescue that feels like a “first person” shooter video game as we bounce from Mike’s POV to the almost endless “goon fodder”. And of course, there’s the mind-numbing property damage as they create auto wreckage for several new huuge junkyards. Plus the big reveal of the opening moments with Mike tying the not is quickly jettisoned. His bride Christine exists, like many characters, to be an eventual pawn in McGrath’s plan (not even a bit with the newlyweds setting up a shared home). ah, but there’s ample time for a cringy revamp of the big theme song (we needed this “pep rap”). Of course, this doesn’t matter to fans of the franchise as they see these two taking on the baddies (an encounter with backwoods rednecks goes nowhere) and making things “blow up real good”. For casual viewers who can make it past all the winking bits of “fan service”, you may wish that they will finally hang up the holsters and turn in their badges after BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE.

1.5 Out of 4

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, June 7, 2024

January 4, 2023

A MAN CALLED OTTO – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 4:31 pm
Tom Hanks is Otto Anderson in Columbia Pictures A MAN CALLED OTTO. Photo by: Niko Tavernise

So, we’re almost a week into 2023 and all that holiday cheer is so…last year. What a perfect time for a film centering around an older fella’ who’s…well, a human version of the grinch, sans green fur and the larceny. And who’s taken on this role? It’s none other than the movie’s “Mr. Nice Guy’ himself, “America’s dad” (perhaps grandpa; now), and two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks. Hey. we all need to “shake things up” a bit, and get out of our “comfort zone”. But are his filmgoing fans ready to accept him as a real grouch AKA A MAN CALLED OTTO? BTW, this has no connection to A FISH CALLED WANDA or THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE, in case you’re wondering.

When we first encounter Otto Anderson (Hanks), he’s raising a stink at his local hardware store because he doesn’t see why he has to pay for another foot of rope, when he only needs another six inches. From there he’s off to his gated community, a “pre-planned” set of “cloned” small two-story houses, just outside of Pittsburgh. Every morning, before he trudges off to his long-standing factory job, he makes the “rounds” Otto considers himself the “enforcer” of the homeowners’ society’s rules, quick with his notepad jotting down any infractions (not separating the recyclables, trimming the lawns, etc.). During this, he growls at some of his neighbors, including a talky “speed-walker”, a delivery driver parking too long in a guest, spot, and a young woman who doesn’t “curb” her pooch. Perhaps worst is the jerk from the real estate agency (Mike Birbiglia) who drives through “no vehicle” walkways. As far as work goes, he’s out of it, forced into early retirement by his company’s new, much-younger owners. On his way back home, he stops off at the grave of his beloved wife Sonya for a chat before embarking on his home “project”. Remember that rope, well it will be part of his plan to join Sonya. But as he puts the noose around his neck (while dressed in his best suit), a commotion outside distracts him. A family has rented out the house next door, and the husband can’t back up with the trailer attached to the old SUV. Being an auto buff, Otto has to intervene. He meets Pittsburgh native Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), his pregnant Hispanic wife Marisol (Mariana Trevino), and their two pre-teen daughters. Needless to say, Otto is most unpleasant to them, but his gruffness doesn’t stop Marisol from reaching out to him. Can this young optimistic family break through his emotional barriers and get Otto to “lighten up” and perhaps put aside his “project’ and find a reason to go on living?

Well, can we buy our “bosom buddy” Mr. H as an unsociable curmudgeon? Hmmm, somewhat, especially in the first act as he focuses his disdainful glare at anyone coming into his sight range. But it’s more intense irritation than blind fury. We know his bark (more of a cry for help) is much worse than his bite as we wait for this stomping iceberg to gradually melt. And though we’d never want to deal with him in reality, Hanks makes Otto a compelling, often unpredictable toxic troll. By the story’s midpoint, we see that he’s met his match in Trevino as Marisol whose wide smile burns through the near-constant clouds of an Eastern winter (the scenes really seem chilly). She brings a lot of energy to the forever frazzled mama, though we wonder why she doesn’t give up on the “old mope”. Garcia-Rulfo is a likable doofus daddy who gladly lets her “run the show”. Rachel Keller is quite endearing in the flashback sequences as Otto’s soulmate Sonya. It’s a shame that we only get a couple of brief scenes with the gifted stand-up comic Birbiglia as Otto’s up-tight, buttom-down weasel of an arch-nemisis. Luckily Mr, B makes his every sneer count.

Now, as many of you know this is a remake of a Swedish film (A MAN CALLED OVE) based on a beloved novel of the same name, Back in 2016 it was the year’s biggest foreign-language box-office champ, so it’s got big snow boots to fill. Hanks is more than up for it, though he lacks the lumbering menace of that film’s lead star, Rolf Lassgard, who has an aura of real danger, as though he’s a bear just awake from hibernation (and you’re a tasty salmon). To “hedge their bets” the screenplay adapter, David Magee, has retained most of the story “beats” while shuffling some flashback sequences around a tad. Still, Sonya seems more saintly here as we meet a few of her former students who remind Otto of her unconditional kindness. And it’s a shame that director Mark Forster (talk about a wide resume, from MONSTER’S BALL to Bond) didn’t cut back on the antics of Otto’s cartoonish neighbors who seem lifted out of an ABC TGIF sitcom (plus the amped-up antics of the “newbies”). Still, it’s nice to see Hanks in a big lead role after doing supporting work in the past year. And it’s got a bit more bite than most “family-friendly” dramedies, despite the sentimental “memory pieces”. Even though he can be annoying and dismissive there are worse people to live next to than A MAN CALLED OTTO.

2.5 Out of 4

A MAN CALLED OTTO is now playing in select theatres

November 22, 2022

DEVOTION(2022) – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 10:28 pm

It’s important to keep in mind when sitting down to the big holiday meal in a day or so, that many families will have a temporary missing seat at the table. That’s the case with so many households with loved ones serving in the military. And then there’s the empty seat that goes from temporary to permanent. This Thanksgiving weekend’s new film release touches on that with a tale of real-life heroism in the sky. Oh, but it’s not another TOP GUN wannabe, although it features one of the recent sequel’s hunky young stars. This is based on a conflict 72 years in the past. And, as I said, it’s all true concerning a group of men who possess a very special kind of DEVOTION.


The saga starts at a naval air base in Rhode Island as Navy fighter pilot Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) arrives for his new assignment. After checking in with his CO Dick Cevoli (Thomas Sadoski), Tom heads to the locker room and nearly runs into another pilot Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors). He’s the only African American flyer Tom’s ever met, but the men find they have much in common. Ditto for the rest of the elite squadron. However, Brown rarely socializes with his co-workers (he doesn’t even drink), preferring to spend all of his time with his wife Daisy (Christina Jackson), and their toddler daughter in their rented house. One night, Tom sees Jesse stranded after his car breaks down and offers him a lift home where Tom and Daisy share a beer. Soon after, time at the base gets more intense as Korea becomes a “hot zone. The whole squadron must get familiar with their new Corsair fighter jets in preparation for the “big show”. And things pick up even more when the squad is transferred to an aircraft carrier off the coast of Italy, where Brown must deal with on-deck landings and a group of racist Marines. Tom offers his help, but Jesse wants no special treatment. Everybody has a relaxing shore leave in Cannes, France (and rubs shoulders with an iconic silver screen starlet), But Tom and Jesse butt heads over dealing with equality and confronting prejudice. This flares up in Korea when Jesse ignores orders from Tom (put temporarily in command) during a bombing raid on a bridge. But they’ve got to put their “beefs” aside when they’re sent to back up ground troops during a deadly battle with an overwhelming horde of Chinese forces. Can they become a tight team and make it back home alive?

This story provides another terrific role for a star on the rise, Majors (he’ll soon face off against CREED before, reportedly, taking on the Avengers). His Brown is often quiet, even stoic, but we see that his emotions are bubbling beneath the surface. When he does vent, in a powerful solo sequence facing the camera as a mirror, Majors is riveting and heartbreaking as he rattles off a litany of racist bile he’s endured. Yet he also shows his tender side with his two loves (other than flying), Daisy and his sweet baby. When seeing this, Powell as Tom subtly sneaks in an envious grin. Yes, in many of the scenes, particularly with the French ladies, he’s got that Han Solo roguish charm, but Powell gives us much more of the inner soldier loyalty, building on his scene-stealing turn in the last TOP GUN flick. Sadoski projects a patriarchal warmth as the best “old man” these hotshots could ever hope to follow. He’s tough but doesn’t hide his pride and affection for his “guys”. And speaking of affection, Jackson shines as the apple of Jesse’s eye, who quietly worries for her spouse, but tries to coat her fear with a sassy, “no BS” demeanor. We also get an energetic group of young actors, including pop star Joe Jonas, who provide superb support for the lead duo.

Director J.D. Dillard has ably recreated the nostalgic look of the early 1950s tempered with the rise of tension in the early start of the “Cold War” (and those frozen Korean battlefields illustrate it). He shows us the monotony of the constant readiness for that siren to blare, ushering the guys into their cockpits. The screenplay by Jake Crane and Jonathan Stewart, adapting Adam Makos’ book, avoids several flying ace cliches while giving the Browns a rich, romantic backstory. At times the film gets bogged down with too many heated exchanges between Jesse and Tom over the racial bias of the era. Oh, but when this film gets airborne, it soars. with scenes almost as stunning, well as that other aerial epic from a few months ago. The planes twirl and twist, breaking formation and cutting the clouds from every possible angle. The dog fights are just as deadly as the ones in that “galaxy far far away”, and the sequence with the pilots making practice landings in their new rigs is a tense nail-biter. It all leads to an ending that’s a true emotional “gut punch”. It makes us wonder whether if in the similar type of situation, we’d have the same level of DEVOTION.


3 Out of 4

DEVOTION is now playing in theatres everywhere

July 14, 2022

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 10:47 pm
Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) finds a feather in Columbia Pictures’ WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.

So now we’re at the mid-point of the cinematic “travel-palooza” that has taken up most of the spots at the nation’s multiplexes this Summer. Since the Marvel heroes have taken us to distant worlds and maniacal multiverses, how about something a bit closer to home, say the East Coast of the US? Oh, and for this flick let’s turn to a mainstay of movies, namely an adaptation of a very popular (still on those lists) literary best seller. To be honest I wasn’t familiar with the source material and thought it was in the “young adult” category, much like those HUNGER GAMES novels. Ah, but this is more of an “all ages” page-turner, maybe more of a “beach read” now made into a “watch”. It certainly seems to have “something for everyone” in this torrid tale of late 60’s love and murder set in North Carolina. As the story’s heroine tells us, that’s WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING (though it’s not an animated musical).

And it opens with said murder, as a group of bicycling pre-teens finds a body at the foot of a massive fire tower on a hazy evening way back in 1969. The town sheriff and his deputy make the ID. It’s Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson) former high school football star and part of a rich prominent family. A note wasn’t found, so the death is thought to be “foul play”. The local gossip leads them to seek out the “Marsh Girl”, Kya Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones) resulting in a speedboat pursuit ending in her arrest. As she waits in the local jail cell, Kya reflects on her life. She’s part of a family that’s lived deep in the woods, almost “hidden away” in a rickety shack. Pa Clark (Garret Dillahunt) was a boozy fisherman/trapper who pummeled his family when he wasn’t “hoisting” a bottle. His violent temper drove his wife away along with most of his kids. Finally, Kya was the only one left until he took a hike, leaving her to fend for herself. Luckily a kind local boy named Tate would visit (not knowing she was alone). And thanks to the caring couple who ran a dockside general store, she decided to try and attend the nearby grade school. But her lack of footwear earned her the March Girl label. The humiliation inspired her to hide away from the locals until now teenaged Tate (Taylor John Smith) found her and offered to mentor her. While teaching her the “three R’s”, they fell in love. When Tate was accepted into college, he promised Kya that he’d return to her. Years passed as the broken promise haunted her. So much so, that she entered into an affair with the surly Chase. When she hears of his engagement, Kya rebukes him leading to Chase stalking her and viciously attacking her. So, will she be found guilty of his death or can the “out of retirement” defense lawyer Tom Milton (David Strathairn) convince the jury of her innocence?

At the film’s center, doing a splendid job of juggling the cliches and making the overheated dialogue bearable is the talented Ms. Edgar-Jones (another Brit carrying on the tradition of Vivian Leigh by doing a “pitch perfect” Southern belle accent). She expertly conveys the “floating on air” joy of first love and the soul-crushing sorrow of heartbreak. But she also imbues Kya with a determined dignity, even as the townspeople gawk and whisper, never staying silent when the mockery begins. Smith has the thankless role of the “dream beau”, a golden-haired sensitive lad who seems plucked from the latest CW teen drama. Yes, he makes her swoon, but his flaws do help put the main mystery in motion (his excuses are pretty weak, though). The juicer role may be Chase, played with a perpetual sneer by Dickinson, the dark-haired flipside of the noble Tate. We know he’s the worst type of “break-up back-up’, but Kya is somehow unable to see it until his inner monster bares its fangs. As for the veteran co-stars, Dillahunt makes for a most menacing patriarch, but he somehow injects some humanity into Pa when he’s touched by Kya’s gift to him (perhaps this prompts his departure, trying not to snuff out her kindness). And that kindness just flows from Strathairn as the underdog lawyer we’ve seen go against the powerful in countless dramas. It’s a testament to his talent that he steers Milton away from parody and cartoonishness.

It’s a pity that the film itself quickly submerges under the murky water of Southern-fried gothic satire. We’ve led astray almost immediately as the local’s descriptions make us think that the “Marsh Girl” is a riff on the Wolf Gal of the classic Lil’ Abner newspaper comic strip, with bushy eyebrows, strategic facial smudges, and verbal skills that make NELL sound like a Havard grad. No, she’s mostly seen in simple sundresses without shoes. Speaking of costuming, her lawyer Milton is mainly seen in crisp light-colored linen suits ala Mr. A Finch, though I’m surprised he wasn’t saddled with suspenders, in order to pluck them as she says, “Now, yore’ Honor, ‘ahm jes’ a simple country defendor…”. Just a nod to many tropes including the couple running the country store who often veer dangerously into “magical minority” territory. It’s certainly a step down for screenwriter (adapting the book by Delia Owens) Lucy Alibar who gave us the really imaginative bayou fable BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD. In her second feature directing effort, Oliva Newman is able to sprinkle in a few visual flourishes that occasionally elevate this from being a “super-budget” Lifetime Cable TV tear-jerker. The glorious forest and swamp settings and the recreations of 60’s Americana (Ah, Western Auto and Piggly Wiggly) are done with skill, but then some ridiculous sequence will tarnish those bits of artistry. To put it succinctly, this is an over-heated, sudsy, soapy mess, but it can provide some amusement for those in the right frame of mind. Outside the theatre, I threw out alternate ideas and plot twists that would’ve made those 125 minutes zoom by (I imagined an Agatha Christie big courtroom reveal). The book’s readers may appreciate this, but for those who don’t get a “camp” kick out of this tale, it’s a sure bet they won’t be eager to revisit WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. Oh, and we never hear the critters, but we know where they hang out.

One Out of Four

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING is now playing in theatres everywhere

November 18, 2021

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 7:20 pm
Mr. Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) with Podcast (Logan Kim) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) in Columbia Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.

What at first seems to be a nostalgic multiplex return trip to a much-beloved flick from decades ago, actually begs a somewhat interesting question. When a reboot (or “re-imagining”) doesn’t “take” at the box office, can the studios have a “do-over”? Well, it somewhat happened in 2003 with what was really a TV property based on a comic book property. Audiences didn’t embrace Ang Lee’s fairly artsy (and cerebral) take on the HULK, so many were skeptical when the then head of Marvel Avi Arad said they’d be back. And they were in 2008 with THE INCREDIBLE HULK which built on the fan base for IRON MAN and laid the groundwork for the MCU (Doc Banner’s a big “player” there to this day). Jump ahead to 2016 when a new “spin” on an iconic 1980’s fantasy/comedy incurred the “wraith of internet fan-boys” and did a B.O. nose-dive (and it really was undeserving of the vitriol). So Sony now wants to find out if part of the title rings true for its franchise as it goes back to the “drawing board” with GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.

Oh, but we’re not back in the Big Apple where the other series entries were set. Nope, we’re many miles east as a battered old truck careens through the sleepy streets of Summerville, OK as though something was on its tail. It dashes off the “hard-top” onto a dirt road leading to a ramshackle farmhouse. Leaping from the vehicle, its shadowy driver gathers up some strange, but somewhat familiar device, to battle this unseen force. But they’re of no help. Cut to a much larger city as single mother Callie (Carrie Coon) gets word that her long-absent father has passed and left her his home. Since they’re behind on the rent, she hits the road with teen son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and pre-teen “whiz kid” Phoebe (McKenna Grace). They’re underwhelmed by the Summerville estate, but since they’re locked out of their previous place (back rent), they’ve got to make the best of it. While Trevor applies for a job at the local burger drive-in, to be close to the cute server Lucky (Celeste O’Connor), Phoebe attends Summer school. There she befriends the energetic Podcast (Logan Kim) and bonds with her teacher Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) over the sudden frequent seismic tremors. Back at the house, she discovers hidden labs full of old charts and intricate, though outdated, machines and data collectors. Meanwhile, Trevor starts tinkering with the vintage vehicle in the garage (and what’s with that logo on its side). The tremors appear to be emanating from a nearby closed mine. So what was Grandpa doing there? And what was his connection to a legendary supernational event back in 1084 NYC?

Though the film is dotted with familiar faces (yes, the OGs are present), its biggest strength comes from the excellent performance by young Ms. Grace. Though mainly known for playing the “child” versions of title characters (I, TONYA, and CAPTAIN MARVEL), she builds on the promise we saw in the “under the radar” gem GIFTED. As Phoebe, the coolest “kid brainiac” around, she’s got a sly snarky line delivery that shields her from the dangers of “evils beyond science”. She’s so cool that she’s never “out-cooled” by the always engaging Rudd, who turns the charm dial way up past 11. Who wouldn’t want a teacher so laid-back, popping 80s scare flicks into the ancient VHS player as the “daily lesson” (too bad he didn’t have MAC AND ME)? Plus he’s got an enthusiastic curiosity that matches the “new kids in town”, even ‘Phebe’s’ awkward “hormone-hyped” teen brother played with a smitten daze by Wolfhard. Sure he’s a more mature variation of his “Stranger Things” role, but he’s an endearingly clueless doofus, especially around O’Conner’s Lucky, his ultra-cool dreamgirl who befriends him. But one of the characters must deal with ghosts of the past along with the present. Coons as mom Callie still projects a tragic vibe even as she guides her kids with humor, though everything in their new home is a reminder of the father who was never there. After scene-stealing turns in GONE GIRL and THE NEST, it’s great to see this talented actress again on the big screen (though she was CGI-enhanced in the last two AVENGERS epics).

After the franchise fans were so “riled up” five years ago, this “retry’ feels almost like a “we’re sorry” cinematic greeting card as it almost bursts with nostalgic reverences for those earlier flicks. The new music score by Rick Simonsen presents several clever “riffs’ on Elmer Berstein’s iconic themes. And the film deals with the legacy of the first film even down to the man behind the camera, It’s Jason Reitman, son of the original director Ivan (he also co-wrote the script with Gil Kenan), quite a change from his more “down to Earth” fare like JUNO and UP IN THE AIR. He handles the big action set pieces well, though the interplay between the family (and Phoebe and Gary) resonate more, This “keys in” into the fairly radical approach to the series, in making it more “kid-friendly”, though it has the PG-13 rating, it may be more for the spooky stuff (there’s a couple of good “jump scares”). At times it recalls the “teen gang’ films like EXPLORERS and THE GOONIES that may have occupied the screens next to the first couple of entries. Unfortunately, it also recreates the often sluggish pace of those films, as it enters a “midway slump” which saps the energy and derails the flow. It then seems as though plot points and effects are being “checked off” a big “fan service”.clipboard. “Slimer”-style funny spectre-check. Demonic dogs-check. I will say that the twist on the first film’s towering threat is pretty clever and very well done. But after that bit of whimsy, the piece just trudges along to the mandatory “showdown” and “reconciliation” (which includes some off-putting CGI resurrection). Yes, the franchise’s fervent “base” will enjoy this one more, but it’s a pleasant “look back’ there’s not much to warrant a look forward (as the post-credits scene hints). GHOSTBUSTER: AFTERLIFE will “scare up” a few bucks, but it’s not enough to get new “recruits’ into the jumpsuit and strapping on the “proto-packs”.

2.5 Out of 4

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE is now playing in theatres everywhere

1-sheet of Columbia Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE.

December 12, 2019

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 11:02 pm

So what’s a favorite gift that’s usually under the Christmas tree, usually straight from the North Pole? Aside from the dolls (and action figures), craft sets, and sports equipment. a staple would be a game, more specifically a board game. That was the thinking of the celebrated author of children’s’ books, Chris Van Allsburg, when he came up with the beloved “kid lit’ classic that was made into an even more beloved 1995 fantasy adventure flick, JUMANJI. Twenty-two years later “reboot fever'”struck Sony/Columbia Studios (along with most of Hollywood), so they decided to do an upgrade. First, they tossed out the dice, spinners, and all the board game fixtures and opted to go high tech (somewhat) and make it a video game. Mind you, it was somewhat “old school” with a cartridge, console, and joysticks, rather than the computer and internet systems. Oh, and instead of things escaping from the game, the players would be “sucked in” and become avatars (played by a quartet of adult stars). This “re-imagining” was a box office smash two years ago, so here comes the third (if you count 2005’s ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE) spin-off/reboot/sequel, JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL.

As Christmas break approaches, the four young heroes of the last film, then high schoolers, now college freshmen, are looking forward to reuniting in their New Hampshire hometown. Well, all but Spencer (Alex Wolff), who’s just not adjusting to life at his NYC school. Hey, he’s even taking a “break” from his new, now long-distance GF, Martha (Morgan Turner). When he does make it to the family house, he finds out that he’ll have to share a room with his cranky Grandpa’ Eddie (Danny DeVito), who’s nursing a hip injury. That first morning, while Spence’s mom is at work, they get a surprise visit from Eddie’s former business partner Milo (Danny Glover). Things are tense between the two, so Spence, instead of joining his old pals at the town diner for Brunch, retreats to the basement and digs out the, now busted, Jumanji video game. Sometime later, Martha along with Bethany (Madison Iseman) and “Fridge” (Ser’Darius Blain). drop by to see why Spence didn’t show. They get their answer when they head to the basement to find the game now repaired and sending out sparks. It activates and pulls in Martha and Fridgein, via a glowing green light. Boom, they’re back in the jungle with the same avatars. But some things have changed. Martha is still Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), but Fridge is now Prof. Oberon (Jack Black). Both are stunned to find that Milo is “Mouse” Finbar (Kevin Hart) and Eddie is Smulder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson) Seems the guys upstairs get zapped, too. Where’s Spence and Bethany? Nigel (Rhys Darby) soon shows up to explain their mission: something about retrieving a mystical magic jewel stolen by Jorgen the Brutal (Rory McCann) and his legion of nasties. Can they succeed, this time facing sand and ice, before using up their game lives (only three), and finally return to the real world? Again? Otherwise, it’s game over…for reals!

The returning cast slips into their roles with ease, though they get to put on new spin via their “real world” players. Most entertaining may be Hart (never thought I’d say that) who expertly mimics the slow, measured line delivery of Glover, quite a change from his usual manic, motor-mouthed characters. Less successful, but still committed, is Johnson doing a crotchety ole’ East “Coastaaar” as DeVito, while still looking fierce in his Doc Savage cosplay (whatever happened to the movie project). Black, as the Fridge-filled Prof is still a comic whirlwind as he riffs on RDJ in TROPIC THUNDER. And free from the blue make-up of her Marvel role, Gillan makes a terrific action heroine, as she exchanges those short shorts for a snowsuit (and this time she does “dance fighting” and twirls a mean set of nun-chucks). Also returning is Nick Jonas as “Seaplane”, who appears to be auditioning for an Indiana Jones prequel (or maybe a slightly older Jonny Quest). Adding to the avatar mix is Awkwafina playing master thief Ming, though she’s not given much to work with in the script. It’s a shame that this gifted comic actress (a true scene-stealer) is saddled with bits and one-liners that fall flat. On the other hand, we’re treated to the still sharp comic skills of Mr. DeVito, who continues to get laughs with just a glare or his slow shuffle. And his pairing with the affable but meandering (get to the point already) Glover as Milo is pure comedy team gold. Let’s get them their own “buddy comedy” because neither is “too old for this…er…stuff”.

Jake Kasdan also returns as the director and co-writer, though he ‘s often a traffic cop/tour guide getting us and the principals from one familiar set-piece and sequence to the next. Sure they’ve changed locales, quickly going from the previous jungle settings to the deserts of 1980’s action epics, to the snowy mountains right out WHERE EAGLES DARE or where the Avengers fought Baron Strucker, but they go through the usual routines of bicker, fight, and flee, then repeat. All this is toward thwarting a most generic villain, who we are told is “brutal”, but who mainly towers over Johnson while yelling orders to a platoon of extras who may have wandered off the set of the next Mad Max movie. Sure the CGI beasties are much better than those in the 95 original, but they often seem to have little real “weight” with the manic mandrills bouncing from one rope bridge to another with little impact. Although, big kudos for somehow making the ostriches intimidating. Still, youngsters will get a kick out of Johnson’s cartoon heroics as he slaps the baddies into solid walls (is he part Kryptonian), and at the slapstick antics of Hart and Black, but those a bit older may be tempted to check the time (it could use a good 15 minute trim). At least with the two Dannys, JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL often rises slightly above the level of the usual sequel. Now turn off that game and go outside and play, you kids!

2 Out of 4

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