Oh how I hate giving low ratings to movies but unfortunately for this movie it is necessary. If this had been a small independent production I might have given it a higher rating. But, this is a SONY major production for Marvel; therefore I am being somewhat more critical. The storyline is actually fairly decent. That is, unfortunately pretty much where the movie strengths end. The script is poorly written. The acting is weak at best. Action sequences are terrible. The directing is awful. The movie is exceedingly predictable. Characters are flat with little or no development. The entertaining parts are fleeting and few and far between.
Reviews
256 Reviews
Watchable but an ever declining franchise
6 April 2024
As part of the Sniper franchise this movie is likely the worst of them all. It is more of a parody than a Sniper movie. If this wasn't part of the franchise I might have rated this higher. It is silly, light hearted and whimsical. It's more of a comedy than an action movie. So it's been a downhill trend of the franchise from intense drama/action to silly comedy. The script is mediocre and the acting is passable. The character interaction is well done. It generates most of the humor. Lady Death is recast so that specific character dynamic is different. It's a watchable movie that has entertainment value but a total pendulum swing from the origins of the franchise.
Encanto
(2021)
Mildly entertaining
3 April 2024
Here is another mediocre movie from Disney. The animation is well done and the music is wonderful, but other than that the movie just plods along. It is missing the "oomph" of the Disney of old that made so many movies memorable. It falls into the "cute" category. It's entertaining but lacks the punch of either comedy or tragedy of the Disney classics. There isn't anything overtly bad about the movie. Yet it is one of those movies that at the end, one is kind of glad that it ended. It just isn't captivating enough for an almost two hour movie. Is it worth a watch? Yes, but don't expect to be wowed.
Haunted Mansion
(2023)
An interesting adaption.
3 April 2024
Typically I am not a fan of remakes, especially when the adaption is done by the same studio. This movie had a ton of potential, but somehow it simply falls short. The movie starts off fairly dull and flat. However, as the movie progressed it actually got interesting. The different storyline used for this adaption is an interesting one. It is a much more suspenseful movie than the 2003 version (although it didn't start that way). It is fairly well casted with decent performances. Special effects of ghosts from the Disney attraction are well done. Overall the movie was entertaining but was missing the "oomph" to carry it to a more memorable movie.
Cold Pursuit
(2019)
Flat and senseless
2 April 2024
A movie of vigilante justice, Cold Pursuit, is listed as a comedy. Ummm....no. Yes, it has the occasional dark humor when someone gets whacked, but to call this movie a comedy is just an injustice. The movie isn't out right horrible. It had some potential. The storyline itself carries forward. Yet the execution just turns out flat and senseless. The acting is quite "meh." Liam Neeson's performance is definitely not stellar, but is adequate overall, given the general performance of the movie. The movie drags; the movie seemed twice as long as it was. I almost shut this off halfway, but managed to endure through and I have already forgotten most of the movie. Yes, it is that memorable.
Lightyear
(2022)
Mediocre at best
23 February 2024
Light-year has it's entertaining moments but overall the movie is mediocre. As a basis for the Buzz Light-year character for Toy Story, the movie fails miserably. If they had not forced that association the movie might have been more plausible. For me it isn't a Pixar favorite. The animation is good. The voice acting is well done although Chris Evans gives an excellent performance, Buzz just isn't Buzz without the talents of Tim Allen. The movie lacks the typical Pixar humor in abundance. As a result the movie seems to drag on more than a solid Pixar movie should. So, Disney, sort of a big swing and a miss.
Please don't do drugs...
25 January 2024
I think the writers must have been in major hallucinogens when they wrote this. This movie is just so messed up on many many levels. The premise is good, and the inner messages are very strong How the movie was executed is so outlandish that it seems like an almost endless stream of nonsense. There aare a few funny parts but far from being anything near a solid comedy. The script is just absurd. Some of the things written are meant to be funny but certainly just come off as childish and stupid. The acting however is quite good throughout the movie. The cinematography is ok.
I certainly would not have recommended this for any awards, unless there is one for most bizarre.
There was a lot more potential that could have happened, but alas it didn't.
I certainly would not have recommended this for any awards, unless there is one for most bizarre.
There was a lot more potential that could have happened, but alas it didn't.
Gotham Knights
(2023)
Fail
20 January 2024
Based on the series premise the show has potential. However, it is basically a near total failure. The series suffers from a non believable storytime and some really horrible writing. I'm not sure how this got past the pilot phase. The Duella character is so annoying as to really dislike the show. There is some character development throughout the series but it is overshadowed by such poor writing. Acting is marginal at best. Visually the show fits the mood for Gotham. Action sequences vary in quality from scene to scene. Unfortunately most DC based series are lacking and this one certainly is lacking. It is somewhat better than a few that has more than one season, so I was slightly surprised that this one won't see a second season.
30 Days of Night: Dark Days
(2010 Video)
Another sequel bites -
16 January 2024
So here we go. Here is another horror movie sequel that bites - literally and figuratively. The original 30 Days of Night was a decent horror movie. Unfortunately this movie fails where the original succeeded. The acting is marginal at best. The script is mediocre and the directing poor. There are a few instances when the movie shows potential, but then quickly can't get out of its own way. The movie just gets more absurd as the story unfolds. Too often, the movie industry relies on a previous success in selling their sequels. I didn't really have much in the way of high expectations and it barely met even low expectations.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
(2023– )
Disney fails - AGAIN
16 January 2024
Ah, so many times Disney tries, and tries but continues to fail. From the previews I expected much more from this series. Unfortunately it doesn't even stand up to the previous movies, let alone the book series. Acting is lacking, as is directing in this series. The script is mediocre at best. Disney strays from the books. Why? Who knows, but in doing so upsets fans of the books and disorients those who go in to read the books. Not that the movies were fantastic, but they were reasonably well done. When redoing decent works, whether as a new series, or movie reboot, you have to at least achieve results as good as what you are remaking. Disney fails at this as they have failed in most of their newer series and movie reboots.
Star Wars: Visions
(2021– )
A nice collection of short stories
10 January 2024
Star Wars Visions is an animated collection of short stories. The quality of animation and story varies greatly from episode to episode. In general the stories are good, with several being excellent. At least in season 1 there are a couple of duds. Several of the animation styles I found to be quite unappealing. The series is better than I expected, given the typical blase Star Wars series Disney has come up with. Typically the animated series surpass most of the live action series. This series so far isn't an exception. It will be interesting how the series proceeds in season two I am looking forward to watching it.
Bering Sea Beast
(2013 TV Movie)
Yeah... it's a No
29 December 2023
A made for TV movie that fails to deliver. SyFy has basically never delivered a good sci Fi movie. This is no exception. It isn't the worst movie of all time but it is definitely lacking. The premise of sea creatures feeding by exsanguination isn't a bad one but the movie execution is. The script is horrible, down right horrible. Acting is passable. Special effects are some of the worst I've seen for a more modern movie. As typical for low budget creature features, there is absolutely no character development. Thankfully it is not a long movie. If you have not seen this movie, I recommend passing it by.
Entertaining but not TMNT
23 December 2023
I wasn't quite sure what to expect watching this movie. First of all I am not a huge fan of the style of animation. So, for me it was a bit of a big strike against. But the biggest strike against it is changing the characters and the backstory. Villains weren't really villains and weren't allowed to shine.
It's campy, full of cliches and quite silly. That's the part that works. Voice acting is quite good. There really isn't much for character development. The storyline is overly simplistic. Being, primarily a kids movie, that was expected.
Despite all the flaws it is entertaining but it starts from what is the TMNT's.
It's campy, full of cliches and quite silly. That's the part that works. Voice acting is quite good. There really isn't much for character development. The storyline is overly simplistic. Being, primarily a kids movie, that was expected.
Despite all the flaws it is entertaining but it starts from what is the TMNT's.
Stormbreaker
(2006)
Had a lot more potential
21 December 2023
First off I have never read the novels this movie is based on. With that said, the movie just came across flat. It is light hearted, but the comedic parts come across as feeling forced. Given the cast, this movie really had a lot more potential. I'm not sure if it's a matter of the script or a matter of directing. One of the movie's stronger points is its action sequences. They are well choreographed and well executed. Unfortunately the principal villain is flat and ineffective. The supporting villains are comic book like but are slightly more effective at being villainous. Overall the movie is entertaining, but not a great flick.
The Peacemakers
(2021)
Substance Use is Recommended...
14 December 2023
Substance Use is recommended for this film. Yes, a likely requirement. The movie takes an interesting probe into the human condition and the political and sociological problems of our world. Although the movie accomplishes it's goals, it does so in a long and somewhat obtuse way. The acting and voice acting are well done and the script is fairly well written. The storyline however gets a bit vague at times. The dialogue is the crucial aspect of the movie. It tends to drag on at times leading to missing key moments. For the most part, the movie is entertaining and often light hearted. Overall it's a watchable movie, but somewhat dorgettable.
Hirokin: The Last Samurai
(2012)
Why did I keep watching?
13 December 2023
I didn't have a lot of expectations for this movie. And thankful for that, because this movie fails to deliver. Most of the movie is unoriginal, stealing from movies like Star Wars and Gladiator. I can't imagine how they titled this as "samurai."
The movie has a reasonable cast, but the script is lacking. The acting itself is almost passable but there is failure in execution by poor directing. The quality of action sequences varies greatly. The sword play scenes suffer the most with poor choreography and lousy cinematography.
There was definitely potential, limited as it may have been. But the movie just doesn't carry forward, and the movie drags on.
There was definitely potential, limited as it may have been. But the movie just doesn't carry forward, and the movie drags on.
Wing Chun
(1994)
Entertaining
12 December 2023
Wing Chun is a silly romantic king fu comedy. It's campy but it's entertaining. Full of kung fu with well choreographed combat, the movie has plenty of action. It remains light hearted and gets pretty silly at times (fairly typical of Chinese kung fu movies). Michelle Yeoh and Donny Yen give strong performances. Unfortunately Wing Chun isn't really used in the movie. Although in close fighting becomes a focus in the final battle. There are quite a few of unrealistic wire stunts which add to the silliness of the movie. For a 1990s Chinese kung fu film it is fairly well constructed and thought through. If you like kung fu movies this is worth the watch.
Blowback
(I) (2022)
Blowback lacks and blow back
7 December 2023
A B-rated action flick that was simply lacking. The movie had potential but simply fails to deliver. The acting for the most part was mediocre at best, although the protagonist lead delivered better than most. Although Couture is not a great actor by any means he simply falls flat in this movie. The script is below par but the dialogue comes across as mostly believable. The cinematography was fine. Directing was lacking. Nothing new in terms of a story - a guy with a past doing the wrong things for the right reasons. Given the cast the movie certainly could have delivered more. Overall it is watchable, but very forgettable.
Viking Destiny
(2018)
Better than expected
7 December 2023
Overall the movie has entertainment value. It has a ton of potential but it simply falls short on it's actual delivery. The storyline is sound and cohesive. The acting was par throughout the movie. Dialogue was relevant for the most part. The script suffered at times having scenes that were simply kind of stupid. The fight sequences were mostly mediocre but rarely fell completely flat. There is character development during the movie for both the protagonist and the villain. I'm not sure what the budget was but the movie came across as relatively low budget. Could it have been better? Sure, but it was watchable and mostly entertaining.
Merlin and the Book of Beasts
(2009 TV Movie)
Not horrible but....
7 December 2023
It seems that more modern fantasy movies just can't get out of their own way. This isn't the worst movie I have watched, but it wasn't really any good either. Overall the storyline can be followed. The script is mediocre. The acting is mostly reasonable, except for the characterization of Merlin's voice. The action sequences are mostly sub par. Special effects are extremely low budget. There is surprisingly character development over the course of the movie. Unfortunately that doesn't counteract the numerous negative components of the movie. It is watchable (barely so) but I definitely would not go out of my way to watch it.
Horus
(2022)
It's pretty bad
6 December 2023
I tried to give this movie a break, as it is a low budget production. It simply is pretty bad. I have seen better fan made films. The storyline is rather obscure. It is difficult to know who any of the characters are. In addition there is absolutely no character development. The acting is completely flat. Most of the dialogue is senseless, and often nearly incomprehensible. The script is terrible. Despite the low budget the cinematography isn't awful but not that great either. There is a lack of any real action sequences, which at times lets the imagination create what happened. This is definitely a movie that isn't worth watching.
A Hitman in London
(2015)
What did I just watch?
5 December 2023
Ok - it isn't the worst movie I have ever watched but it is definitely lacking. It has a reasonable cast but the acting varies so much that parts of the scenes are almost unbearable to watch. The action scenes also vary greatly scene to scene. Some are well choreographed while others are sloppy and camera angles make it difficult to see the action. One of the biggest problems with the movie is the poorly written script. Some of the dialogue just doesn't make any sense. At times the dialogue doesn't even fit the story line and other times it doesn't fit the character. Despite its many short comings, the movie does seem to have some thought behind it - keeping it from being a total loss.
Ahsoka
(2023– )
Swing and a Miss
29 November 2023
Disney hypes up another TV series and once again doesn't deliver. This series has a good cast, yet can barely squeak by with much in anything of real entertainment. The scripts are childish and lack imagination. The acting is far below par for the given cast. Action sequences are just down right boring. Costume design is absolutely horrible. In essence most Star Wars fan films deliver far more than even the best moments of this series. It does make a bit more impact than the Mandalorian but then again, so does watching paint dry. Disney keeps failing despite having great actors to work with. Maybe next time, but I highly doubt it.
Secret Invasion
(2023)
Another Miss
29 November 2023
With the Disney take over of Marvel, there have been a lot of changes to both Marvel movies and TV shows. Unfortunately those changes have not been to the improvement of either movies or shows. This yet another miss by Disney Marvel. The series is mediocre even at its high points. It is well cast, but the acting is far subpar. The script is so "meh" as to he uninspiring. Action sequences range from mediocre to bad. They have so much to work with yet there is the continuation of delivering shows and miniseries that are barely above terrible. Bring back the days when Marvel series like Daredevil and the Punisher brought real excitement and drama to the screen. Secret Invasion certainly does not.
Among the Shadows
(I) (2019)
Just no
26 November 2023
What do you get when you mix bad acting with a poor script and a senseless storyline? You get this movie. It is simply down right horrible. It is a miserable attempt at an Underworld conflict of werewolves and vampires. Sadly, the storyline is disjointed with subpar acting. Characters come across as so flat as to be less than two dimensional. I am not sure how this garbage ever got released. Even the "action" sequences lack any action and fall flat without impact. Yes you can add this to a list of movie titles to pass on. When movies are this pathetic it gets difficult to come up with the required number of characters to post a review.
Tell Your Friends