Every Asylum film gets rated 2-3 and gets a load of negative reviews. Yes, some of them are bad, others terrible. But lots are OK, some are actually pretty good (like "Sharknado 5") and many are more entertaining than the big budget Hollywood garbage they are based on. Like this one. I gave it 10 in hopes someone might read the review. In fact it's worth about 5 (the Statham originals about 3).
OK the concept is completely ridiculous, just as it is with those originals, but there's nothing in here nearly as silly as our Jason shoving off a megalodon by bracing feet against its nose and the story makes a lot more sense than lazily written trash like "Tomorrow War". OK, the acting is not Oscar-worthy but compared with the likes of Statham and Chris Pratt (to say nothing of T Cruise, K Reeves etc.) it's actually pretty good. And this is FUN! It's not meant to be taken seriously like the Hollywood guff you guys pay all those millions to watch, just to be enjoyed for what it is. The characters are fun, the script OK, the action may sometimes be silly but it keeps coming.
So why all the hate? I think because there's no budget, therefore no expensive stars and the effects look awful - especially true here. Do we have no imagination any more though? Can we not enjoy a fun action story which doesn't have well-known (yawn) faces and a bunch of expensive CGI? For me it's worth 5 for the enjoyment I got from it and all those useless Hollywood money-wasters - maybe 2 or 3 maximum. If we're talking entertainment for its budget, this is pure 10/10.
One area Asylum often scores heavily is with the action roles it gives to women - always well-represented when soldiers, agents or police are involved. This one opens with the all-female crew of a mini-sub bravely sacrificing themselves. The pint-sized rogue female CIA agent (the excellent Amy Rider) not only takes out heavies of all nationalities with the extremest of prejudice, but physically kidnaps a male specialist who has the knowledge she needs to get things fixed. The smart scientist is female, the dumb one male, and even the obsessed psycho admiral has a sensible and sane female #2 to take over when he finally flips. All pretty well spot on, I'd say. Thanks Asylum, maybe one day Hollywood will catch up with you.
OK the concept is completely ridiculous, just as it is with those originals, but there's nothing in here nearly as silly as our Jason shoving off a megalodon by bracing feet against its nose and the story makes a lot more sense than lazily written trash like "Tomorrow War". OK, the acting is not Oscar-worthy but compared with the likes of Statham and Chris Pratt (to say nothing of T Cruise, K Reeves etc.) it's actually pretty good. And this is FUN! It's not meant to be taken seriously like the Hollywood guff you guys pay all those millions to watch, just to be enjoyed for what it is. The characters are fun, the script OK, the action may sometimes be silly but it keeps coming.
So why all the hate? I think because there's no budget, therefore no expensive stars and the effects look awful - especially true here. Do we have no imagination any more though? Can we not enjoy a fun action story which doesn't have well-known (yawn) faces and a bunch of expensive CGI? For me it's worth 5 for the enjoyment I got from it and all those useless Hollywood money-wasters - maybe 2 or 3 maximum. If we're talking entertainment for its budget, this is pure 10/10.
One area Asylum often scores heavily is with the action roles it gives to women - always well-represented when soldiers, agents or police are involved. This one opens with the all-female crew of a mini-sub bravely sacrificing themselves. The pint-sized rogue female CIA agent (the excellent Amy Rider) not only takes out heavies of all nationalities with the extremest of prejudice, but physically kidnaps a male specialist who has the knowledge she needs to get things fixed. The smart scientist is female, the dumb one male, and even the obsessed psycho admiral has a sensible and sane female #2 to take over when he finally flips. All pretty well spot on, I'd say. Thanks Asylum, maybe one day Hollywood will catch up with you.