stickman007 Reviews

Russkiy Reyd (2020)

Well done action scenes. Convoluted plot.

[6/10 · 2 December 2022]

Like others here I was impressed by the action quotient of this flick. All hand-to-hand fisticuffs, edged weapons, and gunfight sequences were done better then you see in a lot of other similar type movies. Realistic and bloody.

The story however was weak. There was a revenge aspect that was never fully realized along with a somewhat humorous visually realized treatise on Russian real estate transactions. Also an ending that begs for a sequel.

If this same crew had a decent budget and a good script for some project with a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE or DIE HARD type vibe I think they could put out a real winner I would check it out for sure.

Warrior (2019–2023)

Poorly filmed fight sequences.

[3/10 · 30 November 2022]

I got this during a free On Demand timeline and was looking forward to seeing it after reading some reviews here, but especially because I saw that Joe Taslim was involved.

Unfortunately, this show appears to have had, with the exception of Taslim, very few trained martial artists involved, and a lead, Andrew Koji, whose skill set is sadly lacking. No doubt that is why just about every fight is in a darkened room with the participants wearing middling to pitch black clothing. It's difficult to even see the weapons used, much less any actual contact. Mostly we are treated to loud crashes and an audio track crammed with heavy breathing & grunts.

I tried to look up Andrew Koji's history which claimed training in Karate, among other colorfully named disciplines but it's apparent that he probably is an actor who had some crash courses in martial arts for the series. You can tell he was not brought up in the arts because most of what he does consists of arm work. His arm work is mostly flailing & straight punches, rarely kicks. When he does kick, they are front kicks, low side kicks and low sweeps, with lots of film editing at different angles - all easy kicks for an untrained martial artist.

Watch Joe Tamlin, whose main skill set is Judo, use his kicks to move forward and make physical contact with his opponent. Also no heavy breathing or flexing for show. Even his arm work is skillful. You can see he has trained since he was young as his moves are smooth. No leaping or prancing about. If you really want to see an expert like Taslim do his thing watch THE RAID, or especially THE NIGHT COMES FOR US exclusive on Netflix. Joe Tamlin really represents the "Heroic Bloodshed" quality in Asian films today. I know he is in the film business to make a living and unfortunately this WARRIOR series is a low quality offering when it comes to martial arts action. Taslim is just coasting here.

The rest of the series is pretty boring as well. Nowhere near as good as BANSHEE. Hoon Lee is pretty fair though he has little to work with here. They don't let him do the cross-dressing tran thing which helped BANSHEE be so original in comedy as well as action. Also, for this being about gangs they do damn few illegal acts to actually make any money. No banks to rob. No plots to carry out. Instead of being villainous the villains mostly just whine about how everybody is picking on them. I will admit that I skipped about half the episodes in the 2nd season because it was so boring.

I did watch the last episode completely however, and it promises more of the same boring plotlines coming soon. Probably more of the same poorly choreographed fights in a darkened closet or dimly lit alley as well. Crashing garbage cans and heavy breathing, Can't wait.

Hopefully Joe Taslim is getting big bucks here. He's the only reason I gave this corporate studio offering three stars btw.

Can't wait to see him again in something that's actually... Exciting !!!

Bosch: Legacy (2022– )

Once good. Now contrived fantasy.

[2/10 · 3 June 2022]

The original BOSCH series was a fairly realistic police procedural combined with a "whodunit" aspect that was generally pretty solid adult entertainment. Unfortunately this continuation (LEGACY) with many of the same characters resembles one of those ridiculous older TV series like MAGNUM PI. In fact, MAGNUM PI was probably more realistic.

In LEGACY Harry Bosch doesn't have to do much legwork because he has a sidekick hacker named Mo who can pull just about anything Harry needs out of thin air. He can access just about ANY security camera used ANYWHERE to find ANYONE. In one (incredible) instance Mo even picks up very clear video of the mysterious female assassin stalking Harry while she is murdering another character. He can bug anybody's car as well since he magically knows when their $250,000 car is being serviced and which mechanic to bribe. Harry routinely will read off a list of what he needs from Mo and it will shortly be delivered to him.

The bad guys are stupid as well. A billionaire hedge fund manager who also steals gasoline from a refinery. WHAT? Never mind, Harry blows the place up with stunningly bad SHARKNADO type CGI and the dumbest rent-a-cops... ever. Then, those nasty Russians who are talking about their secret plans allow Harry to wander into their factory lair and he actually listens to them conspire while he's slouching outside the doorway!!! He does wear a disguise though, Yep, he pulls his hat down over his face so the security cameras can't see him. Later Harry is trailed by the aforementioned lady assassin (who wears fashionable black tactical assassin clothing everywhere) but Harry tricks her with the old reliable "moving-but-empty-elevator" gimmick PLUS the always popular "pillow-under-the-cover" cliche. All dangerous assassins seem to fall that private investigator trickery.

Maddie is now a police officer so you also get to see this 115 pound Dirty Harry tackle the mean streets of LA with her feisty Latina partner. Even though police departments in big dangerous cities never pair two women patrol officers together. Except for this show where they even get to hassle gangsters. So funny to watch.

For the socially conscious among you there are also two very evil white cops who do terrible things. But not for money? Hmmm, Anyway, now you know who to look out for at the local police departments so pay attention to the evildoers.

There is plenty of this hilarity throughout LEGACY, so be sure to watch every episode. Or you can just re-watch Magnum grinding it out in Hawaii.

Ricky Gervais: SuperNature (2022 TV Special)

...And you shall know him by his enemies.

[10/10 · 29 May 2022]

Just for a lark I read the lowest reviews, The "1 out of 10" critics.

They were, almost uniformly, exactly what I expected. People who said they really REALLY liked Ricky... back in the day.

But now, he just doesn't have it anymore, dang it. So sad.

Truth is he ate the woke mob for lunch in a hilarious rat-a-tat style fast talking, hard hitting monologue.

Ricky Gervais is obviously one of those gifted comics who thrive on being challenged & vilified by the truly stupid.

Thank you Ricky. And also, thank you Netflix.

Yakamoz S-245 (2022)

This is the reason I watch Netflix.

[7/10 · 25 April 2022]

I had watched INTO THE NIGHT over a year ago and tho it wasn't the greatest sci-fi story it moved at a rapid pace and was not boring. I kinda enjoy End-of the World genre flicks if they're somewhat original in nature, or at least trying to be.

Anyway, that's the reason I enjoyed INTO THE NIGHT and kept the title in the back of my mind & waited for another season.

That's also the reason I tried out YAKAMOZ S-245. It was actually clever the way it was spliced together with INTO THE NIGHT but I didn't realize the connection until the submarine headed to the seed storage bunker in Norway.

So, I'm more intrigued now, and waiting for the next installment in the series from... whatever countries survivors shows up next.

The biggest plus, for me anyway, with Netflix, is the ability to watch more foreign movies. The Hollywood stuff is almost all woke crap or superhero sequels to infinity and beyond.

The best action flick I've seen on Netflix is a French crime drama called LOST BULLET. The best horror series I've seen is KINGDOM, from Korea. A lot of good stuff from Korea.

I could go on but the point I'm making is that the US of A studios are not doing it for me anymore. A lot of other people feel the same way I'm sure. Just look at the world $$$ market.

I'd rather watch a 2nd or 3rd world young-gun studio effort with some hungry talent on both sides of the camera then a tired-ass, re-cycled Hollywood snooze-fest.

Race: Bubba Wallace (2022)

So... In today's NASCAR is actual WINNING races still that big of a deal?

[2/10 · 3 March 2022]

Netflix has a great series called F1-DRIVE TO SURVIVE. I like it a lot, very interesting, beautifully filmed, new season next week, can't wait! I love the sport of racing. I use to race motorcycles. When I was a kid I thought I'd be a champ at moto-cross. Then, when I got into my teens, I met the kids who had the real talent.

One of the things about racing cars that you draw from F1 is how dangerous it can be. Sure, you've got a crew behind you & all that research & money & what not, but you still gotta drive a car 200 plus miles an hour & maybe die. NASCAR is no different than F1.

That's the brutal reality of motorsports. To receive Top-Drawer fame status in NASCAR you really have to risk your life & have talent.

Except now, it seems there are other ways to achieve Top-Drawer fame.

Richard Petty once implied in a statement that if Danica Patrick was a male driver in NASCAR that nobody would even know her name, and he was correct. Sure, Patrick has the guts to climb behind the wheel and race, but she's not as great as the other drivers. She's rich & famous because she's a woman participating in a sport traditionally dominated by men. Simple fact. She has achieved top draw fame.

Bubba Wallace does NOT have a great record in NASCAR. Still, he does climb behind the wheel & takes the ultimate risk but he's not as great as the other drivers. Simple fact. He's sure got Top-Draw fame now tho.

I'll say that the real villains of this doc are the black FBI agent that ran this ridiculous investigation & the white NASCAR exec who still assert that this was some hate crime & to hell with the evidence. They're scum.

2 stars for the great racing footage. It appears that others are more impressed.

Restless (2022)

French cop having a hard day.

[3/10 · 26 February 2022]

Not sure why people don't mention the actual name of the Korean movie that inspired this French copycat.

The name of the Korean movie is- A HARD DAY- That is the English title anyway. (In case anybody wants to check it out) French crime cinema, Historically, is about the best there is I think. That's why I am a bit disappointed they did an almost carbon copy of the Korean original.

That said, about the most entertaining crime thriller I have ever seen on Netflix since my subscription began years ago is a French original titled LOST BULLET.

I heard a rumor that the producers of that instant classic were making a sequel named LOST BULLET 2.

Not the most original title I must admit, but I sure hope the rumor is true.

Ganglands (2021– )

By the numbers...

[3/10 · 2 October 2021]

I actually watched all the episodes' hoping it would improve. French cinema does the best crime genre of all developed countries. Been that way since the 1950's, but they have to have their misfires as well.

This is a good looking and well filmed production to be sure, but that's where it ends. The crew that assembled this were just checking off the boxes on their list. All gangsters must look like male models, check. The bad bad guys cannot hit a barn door with a shotgun,check. The good bad guys cannot miss, check. The teenage girls are all lesbians, check. Scruffy teen petty thieves (who also look like male models) immediately learn to become professionals overnight, check. On and on.

I should have stopped at episode two and watched LOST BULLET again.

Ban ye xiao zi (1980)

A different kind of hero.

[10/10 · 26 July 2021]

This movie apparently gets a lot of grief because it's not THE SAME DAMN PLOT LINE. In this flick the hero is actually more of an anti-hero. He's a petty thief and when he's fulfilling his quest for revenge he has no problem trying to trick and decieve his more dangerous opponents. Not what a "goody two shoes" would do, but hey, whatever works.

Also, the sex and nudity involved in the movie gives it some sleazy, WTF moments that true Grindhouse fans can appreciate.

Night in Paradise (2020)

Arthouse shoot-em-up.

[8/10 · 30 June 2021]

As Hollywood continues it's slide into irrelevancy, the Asian (and especially the Korean) film industry is quickly taking over market share with new and original concepts.

NIGHT IN PARADISE has a schizophrenic, humorous quality about it, as it explores a short but eventful relationship between a gangster on the run and a morose girl with a fatal disease and an itchy trigger finger.

I won't try to explain the movie except to say that it feels like a collaboration between Ingmar Bergman and Sam Peckinpah.

Check it out.

The Ice Road (2021)

MOVIN ON redux

[5/10 · 29 June 2021]

C'mon folks, give Liam & company a break here. What can you expect from a "Trucker" movie nowadays? Especially after viewers have been exposed to around 10 years or thereabouts of the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise. Why, We're lucky Gurty didn't use his tools to rig up a Kenworth jet ski to shoot across the waves and deliver the goods.

I remember when I was really little and in the early seventies when me & my older half brother - who was a trucker - would pop some popcorn and sit down to watch Sonny & Will in another exciting diesel fueled adventure in MOVIN ON. Without fail in every episode my brother would call attention to some crackpot idea dreamed up by the two heroes to get the job done. He would explain to me, in detail, why these stunts dreamed up by the script writers would never work but every week we always sat down to watch Sonny & Will once again overcome another stubborn obstacle to keep their semi chugging down the highway into the sunset.

At least with THE ICE ROAD we get some enthusiastic participants who are willing to shout, scream and get dragged around by big trucks. Our chosen few never quit when faced with frozen waves chasing them, or unkillable killers determined to stop them one way or another. The chase scenes aren't MAD MAX caliber either but there is some good stunt driving and scenic outdoor location shooting. Also, when somebody pays the ultimate price there's at least a reason for their sacrifice.

This flick ain't no BREAKDOWN but it's better then those musical action movies from India.

The Exception (2016)

Good looking set design...and more. A real feast for the eyes.

[7/10 · 28 June 2021]

Imagine if you will, that DOWNTON ABBEY existed in Nazi occupied Holland during World War II. Check it out.

Lost Bullet (2020)

Best gearhead, action, crime drama to come down the pike in a long while.

[10/10 · 19 June 2020]

What a treat. This is the kind of movie Hollywood is incapable of producing today. While they churn out "blockbuster" super-hero garbage for the sheep, the French and Koreans are eating their lunch. This is basically a simple tale, expertly told. Brutal violence, speed, death and survival in the lawless streets of Paris. As soon as it begins you will be bowled along in the twists and scrapes of the action... perfectly paced. The ending, perhaps unintentionally, leaves open the possibility of a sequel, but could lightning actually strike twice? Watch this movie. It will stick in your memory for long afterwards.

American Assassin (2017)

Much better than the usual PG-13 Hollywood yawn - fest.

[8/10 · 18 September 2017]

I'll start by saying that sometimes this spy/terrorist/revenge genre can seem a bit stale but after watching this effort by director Michael Cuesta I was very entertained.

My own belief is that while Hollywood has the biggest budgets on these types of movies it is consistently last, IMO, in marking all the "action" check-off list boxes. For the absolute finest in cinematic violence and realism look no further then the products coming out of Asia. I first was hooked by HK cinema and directors like John Woo and Tsui Hark back in the nineties. Nowadays my favorite studio is Well-Go. Stars like Donnie Yen, Tony Jaa and Iko Uwais are my benchmark in "Action Cinema" and ASSASSIN comes the closest to pleasing my blood stained palate of any U.S. production in a long time.

Regarding the cast, Dylan O'Brien is probably very close in age to the actual character. At first he resembles a typical urban millenial yuppie type but his transformation to a psychotic professional killer is believable in mind as well as body. Props also to a ripped Michael Keaton who appears to be about forty years old (he is 66). No disrespect, but Tom Cruise and Matt Damon are probably the least able (physically and age-wise speaking) to portray their characters of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne. ASSASSIN also contains some righteous R rated death dealing almost on par with the recent offerings from Asia such as THE BERLIN FILE or HEADSHOT. Fight fans can rejoice at the long shots and excellent choreography involved in ASSASSIN as well. The BOURNE series (for example) contained mostly headache inducing close-up flash editing. Matt Damon even admitted in print that he did not excel in hand to hand combat and relied heavily on the editing involved. Other recent action offerings like THE EXPENDABLES franchise are pretty much a carnival barkers promise to bring back the magic of the eighties.

Finally, tho the output of this genre is admittedly high the plots can still be topical. Right now (September 2017) we could realistically be involved in a shooting war with North Korea. The country of Iran is well into production of nuclear weapons with which they publicly vow to destroy an already nuclear equipped Israel. Meet Julian Assange, he will pay you big bucks to tell him what happened to Seth Rich. Meanwhile hundreds of civilians worldwide (but mostly in Europe) have died this year in bombings, shootings, stabbings or vehicular homicide, pretty messy. So, while ASSASSIN may not be the "greatest" movie on tap here,it's still pretty good and a lot better than some of the efforts starring people (not necessarily knocking any particular celebrities here) who are more frequently on a red carpet and the cover of People magazine.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Where is John Woo when you need him?

[3/10 · 24 September 2016]

Saw this last night and did not have to spend money on a ticket. If you want to see this movie I strongly suggest you try the same. Please help strike a blow against the gratuitous spending coming out of Hollywood.

I'll avoid all the talk about this flick being a sequel to this or that or what genre it actually tries to represent because, to me anyway, this movie is all about spending 100 million dollars to cram every cliché you ever saw into an action/drama/comedy/morality play/western film, & then name it after another(kinda boring but considered classic)western film and advertise it mercilessly until it becomes the next "must see" event.

First off, the script is pretty much ALL wisecracks with special attention to diversity, (nothing TOO racist tho). Chris Pratt excels at this btw. Denzel himself is either bored or trying to channel Tony Anthony. We also get the slob, the noble warrior, the ninja, etc etc. You know the drill by now. The townsfolk are the familiar lickspittles, except for the aggrieved heroine, natch. The villain is laughably awful. Fugua had a chance here with Sarsgaard as Bogue, but turns him into a screaming slobbering joke. I'm surprised he didn't ride into town in a BMW with a Rolex on his wrist & yakking on his cell. He's certainly got enough product in his hair to audition for a runway model. Is this what Fugua thinks epitomizes the evil 1 per cent? I had to wince every time Bogue appeared on screen and couldn't help thinking of Gabriele Ferzetti and his wonderful performance in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST as Morton,the conflicted railroad baron. This M7 is so corny.

The shootouts are well filmed tho, (hey, 100 million $$$) but after the first 20 or 30 killings Fugua musta got bored and decides to throw in gatling guns and dynamite. No tanks this time apparently. Then a few more hundred stuntmen die while Fugua ponders his next effort, EXPENDABLES 4.

Bottom line... 3 stars for set design, correct period bangers and non wire fu stunts. So then. If you are a movie fan who can't wait for TRANSFORMERS #12 where I think they destroy every city on earth & then crack the world in half you will probably like THE MAGNIFICENT 7. Enjoy.