danielostrovsky Reviews

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Dance macabre, or Style above substance

[6/10 · 21 June 2023]

Before the reader starts hating me, I should admit that I happen to like action movies in general and Mr. Reeves in particular (having been a teen in the 90s, it's virtually unavoidable: Speed, The Matrix - great flicks). I also did enjoy the first installment of Baba Yaga vengeful adventures: even though it exploited way too familiar tropes, it could boast great action sequences, attention to detail, a lore of its own together with a subtle sense of humor and self-irony. Naturally, I was looking forward to a sequel which turned out to be a bit of a disappointment and then skipped the third chapter altogether. Seeing the ratings of the fourth part and reading raving reviews (coupled with some personal recommendations), I felt obliged to give the latest movie a go.

Sadly, the direction chosen by the filmmakers in the second part is felt even more strongly here. Stylish, elegant, smart, well-choreographed...violence? I couldn't shed the feeling that I was watching a three-hour ballet with guns and bloodshed. The action scenes (well, 70% of the movie) are inventive and (arguably) fun, but soooo unnatural - it's way too obvious when the actors/stuntmen just wait to be punched/kicked and kindly help to be thrown/tackled. It's a dance. The thing is that dance is by nature symbolic and expressive, whereas in an action film all the moves serve no symbolic purpose at all. The cherry on this blood-soaked cake is the famous top-down sequence where John executes baddies with a shotgun. Masterfully crafted, it was certainly transplanted from a video game, yet an invisible hand took the controller from the gamer turning us into passive viewers. Add absolute disregard for the laws of physics and human physiology: 3D-models of actors are run over by cars and thrown off stairs: there is no way a human body could stay intact after that, and the animation often looks clumsy as well. In between, we are fed gangsta/philosophic lines that aim to add more epicness. Admittedly, Chad Stahelski can create a stylish and intense dialogue scene as well as an action-packed one, but about 30 minutes into the movie you can't help realizing how grotesque and meaningless everything is. Why not call it Crank 3?

In this day and age, different media seem to intertwine and synergize more easily than ever before. John Wick 4 is a movie, and a ballet, and a comic, and a video game - everything all at once. Looks like some are impressed. I was bored, sorry.

Andor (2022– )

For Whom the Bell Tolls

[8/10 · 14 December 2022]

I do have one major complaint: why on earth didn't this team do "Kenobi"?

On a serious note: it's the most mature, well-written, and meticulous story SW universe has had so far. One might argue that it's too slow-paced and lacks excitement (yours truly is guilty of fast-forwarding at times). Having said that, the show has an absolutely different approach, as the creators emphasize the tense atmosphere, attention to detail, convincing acting, humanism. Personally, I had a feeling I was watching a solid World War II spy thriller. The fact that the series stay true to the original SW aesthetics (designed in the 1970s) only helps create this feeling with already old-fashioned tech and Nazi-reminiscent outfits worn by the Empire enforcers.

Hats off. Although a probable disappointment to those who seek more light-hearted action flicks, a true gem to middle-aged audience.

Prey (I) (2022)

A decent overhaul

[7/10 · 7 August 2022]

I wonder if female alien reptilians stick to their tedious chores while their husbands hop from one star system to another hunting, drinking, and generally having a good time...

Jokes aside, this is arguably the best thing that's happened to the franchise over 30 years. It does get ridiculous at times, it does suffer from modern agenda, it doesn't try to be something bigger than a one-evening entertainment, but the movie pulls it off.

It's well-paced (personally, I didn't mind a slow start), suspenseful, beautifully shot, with some decent action and a nice alien design overhaul. I don't think another movie with a squad of elite soldiers/mercs/criminals spraying bullets at the predator would do much good. This gritty down-shifting approach is certainly better, even though it has own flaws, it's predictable and won't win any awards. Was never meant to.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Complacent, predictable, forgettable

[6/10 · 27 June 2022]

I've been wondering when MCU will collapse under the weight of its own hubris and complacency. They've given (well, sold) us quite a lot of fun - it's been a thrill ride, honestly, but personally I can't just take it anymore. A visual feast, void of any content.

The special feature of this installment was an attempt to make the movie scarier and more psychological (or just psychedelic?) - and I did like this eerie vibe. Having said that, I wish Sam Raimi had been given a chance to turn it into a proper horror movie - could've been great. Hopefully, next time the producers will spend less on CGI and get a proper script first.

PS Thank you, Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, for making it watchable. No other highlights.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Painfully average

[5/10 · 26 June 2022]

"Certain scenes may upset some viewers" they warn us. Well, I was quite upset. Hopeful, perplexed, dismayed, horrified, and then just bored. The show is not as atrocious as some reviews claim, it's just downright mediocre. It does have a nice old-school-SW vibe and is visually appealing. That said, I do feel sorry for all these dozens of make-up artists, visual effects specialists, prop makers, etc. They put in hours trying to create something great, but all their efforts go down the drain because the writers and the director should just get other jobs and quit the film industry altogether. Both Kenobi and McGregor deserve better. As do Star Wars fans. All intelligent viewers deserve better.

Men in Black: International (2019)

Fun and entertaining

[7/10 · 25 August 2019]

Seriously, I don't understand why there's so much criticism piled up on the movie. Arguably, it's weaker than the Smith-Jones trilogy when it comes to chemistry between the main characters and the humor is somewhat stale at times, but the movie is pretty good by itself. The main purpose it serves is to entertain and "International" is honest about it - just don't have ridiculously high expectations.

Captive State (2019)

A rare movie

[8/10 · 24 August 2019]

Personally, I am glad such movies are made. "Rare" doesn't always mean "good" but in this case it does. That said, it certainly is far from entertaining and hardly suitable for some light-hearted Saturday night family past-time. Also, don't expect a sci-fi action - it's a (political) thriller and the alien invasion here could be replaced with any dictatorship. It is not fully clear whether the film-makers chose aliens for dramatic effect or just to make it easier for the audience to decide who the bad guys are. Sadly, history proved that not all freedom fighters make their country a better place. As for the story, acting, cinematography - everything works well together to create the atmosphere of oppression, hopelessness and despair. There have been complaints that the script is messy. Well, it is not. If you accept the fact that there is no main character, no hero, no saviour, no deus ex machina and just watch closely, you are in for a decent detective story as well where each scene has a purpose and makes sense (honestly, I was able to predict the final "twist" something like 30% into the movie and still enjoyed sitting it through). All in all, Captive State is bound to be misunderstood by those who want to unwind and is a rare gem for those who are open to a dark and thought-provoking story and are fed up with superhero extravaganza

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Marketing vs. Sci-Fi

[6/10 · 8 August 2017]

Did you miss it at the cinema and are now thinking about buying a digital version? If I were you, I'd wait for a sale. The film has been slated by some as the worst Alien movie ever. Nonsense. A team of professional movie makers with a solid budget behind are not likely to come up with complete trash. And yet, the unyielding feeling of wasted potential is certain to stay with you throughout the viewing.

It seems as if Sir Ridley and Co were forced to pack two movies under one wrapper. The first is a decent sci-fi flick exploring both the universe and mankind. It has wonderful visuals, attention to detail, a soundtrack that is reminiscent of classic sci-fi films. This movie deals with the questions of creation, freedom, even faith. But then marketing researchers step in and say, "Hey, the audience didn't like the absence of the xenomorph in Prometheus. Let's show it! No, let's show them some new species, too! And how about using averagely intelligent colonists as cannon fodder? It always works! The viewers also wanted to know more about the Engineers. Let's show their planet and its inhabitants! Oh, it doesn't go along with the atmosphere of the movie and we don't have the budget for it? Then we'll wrap it up in 2 minutes of heartless CGI. And don't forget to answer the question where these aliens came from. The focus groups indicate that it's crucial to the series!"

And so the story gets predictable, the alien is not scary and totally inapt, and the main character is a big-headed rogue android. Bravo! I am grateful for that sci-fi feel that the movie tried to deliver, but I wish Sir Ridley had plucked the courage to make something more coherent and fresh.