For me Legion from since the start of Season 2, has been slowly going downhill in quality, not only with too much focus away from the main story, but also its not quite as exciting as the awesome Season 1 was.
Luckily we got this truly incredible episode, that even though it again goes away from the main story in a way, it for a change makes it very worthwhile.
Finally we seen David's parents, which is of course Charles Xavier and his wife Gabrielle(both are played superbly by Harry Lloyd and Stephanie Corneliussen)and their story ties into David's perfectly. And their story is so raw and emotional, and very complex, and is a change of pace from the bonkers over the top feel Legion usually gives off.
I really loved this episode, and feel its the best since Season 1, and though its probably a one off in this show, I certainly want to see more of Lloyd's Professor X in the remaining episodes.
Has saved this show in a way, and fingers crossed its a change up for a lagging show lately.
Reviews
82 Reviews
Too confusing for its own good. Lost its sparkle since Season 1.
29 February 2020
Season 2 lost its way big time half way through the season, and Season 3's opener seems to follow the same route.
It only really picked up when David and everyone else turned up, but boy that first twenty odd minutes were pretty tedious.
Season 1 of Legion was utterly brilliant, whilst the first part of Season 2 was very good, but since its lost its way for me.
I really hope the remainder of this show picks up, as I still like it when it goes back to David's story, so stop with all the characters I don't care less about damn it.
Very realistic feel to this found footage horror, with proper scares at the end.
10 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know what some other reviewers are on about, as to me this very realistic found footage chiller had me hooked throughout.
Nothing much happened in terms of scares to start with, even though it was unnerving throughout IMO.
That last half hour though really brought on the scares with four top notch jump scares, that unlike many horror flicks lately, were out of the blue and truly made me jump(the first especially of them truly made me leap in the air, and I loved it).
Yeah ok it went a bit silly towards the end in terms of the Satanic stuff(copying Paranormal Activity I suppose a bit), and it was a bit short, with maybe a bit more story needed.
But it was another British found footage flick like The Borderlands too, that proves Britain possibly make the best actual scary horror out there.
How its on a 3 rating on here I will never know, I really loved it.
High Tension
(2003)
A thunderous and nail biting experience. Shame about the confusing ending.
2 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This grisly home invasion, turned rescue attempt, turned fight for your very survival, was possibly the most nail biting horror movie I have ever seen.
The tale of two best friends staying at one of the two's home, quickly turns into a blood soaked masterpiece, that never shy's away from showing every little detail.
Heads are lopped off, people cut to pieces, others are axed through the heart and even a little boy is blown away by a shotgun.
The villain we don't know anything about, and that is a great thing, because we then fear this guy even more. Not knowing why he kills anyone at anytime for any god damn reason is truly chilling, plus him being a disgusting pervert adds even more to what is a real nasty customer.
The acting by all is top notch especially Cecile De France as main character Marie who is not a heroine to be messed with, and she constantly darts out of rooms and finds ways of sneaking around not to be caught, but acts like a boss when she needs to. De France needs to be in more big movies, as she is very talented.
Like I said for about a hour and ten minutes, this is as gripping, great and gory as any horror thriller you may ever see. Its just that the weird ending lost it from getting the perfect mark. I shan't spoil, but it took me out of what we got leading up to the final part for me. I get it but didn't like the twist.
A stunning experience up to that point, and High Tension aka Switchblade Romance is proof that French, Spanish and German cinema can make some stellar horror, that can match Hollywood and Asia at times.
The tale of two best friends staying at one of the two's home, quickly turns into a blood soaked masterpiece, that never shy's away from showing every little detail.
Heads are lopped off, people cut to pieces, others are axed through the heart and even a little boy is blown away by a shotgun.
The villain we don't know anything about, and that is a great thing, because we then fear this guy even more. Not knowing why he kills anyone at anytime for any god damn reason is truly chilling, plus him being a disgusting pervert adds even more to what is a real nasty customer.
The acting by all is top notch especially Cecile De France as main character Marie who is not a heroine to be messed with, and she constantly darts out of rooms and finds ways of sneaking around not to be caught, but acts like a boss when she needs to. De France needs to be in more big movies, as she is very talented.
Like I said for about a hour and ten minutes, this is as gripping, great and gory as any horror thriller you may ever see. Its just that the weird ending lost it from getting the perfect mark. I shan't spoil, but it took me out of what we got leading up to the final part for me. I get it but didn't like the twist.
A stunning experience up to that point, and High Tension aka Switchblade Romance is proof that French, Spanish and German cinema can make some stellar horror, that can match Hollywood and Asia at times.
Code Red
(2013)
Apart from the very cool opening scene, this is a pitiful zombie flick.
27 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Is there anything even enjoyable about this zombie movie, well yeah the opening WW2 sequence. That sequence was a truly thrilling scene, and was a brilliant start to any movie. Its action was brutal and very gory. You could feel every beat, see every limb lopped off, see every rib cage torn out, and even bits of saliva drip from the guy we are following's mouth. As movie opening's go this is up there with nearly anything tbh, and certainly the best for a poor movie.
But its such a shame they ruined it after with a pretty terrible zombie movie, that made even the zombies and their kills pretty tepid.
The acting was catastrophic, the action after the opening bland, the characters very annoying, the effects poor, it was way too short, dialogue laughable and it had plot holes galore and stupid decisions(main hero and little girl turn up at the exact place the mother was looking for her, two characters run straight into gun fire, idiots not listening to get out of the bunker sooner, little girl nearly the only one outside alive even though the rest are either gone or turned).
Heck they even had the little girl(best of a bad bunch of actors)bitten(even though she clearly never was), before it cut to her on a operating table, with a massive rip to her face, who then lunges at the camera as a full zombie, before the movie ends(and leads to a TEN MINUTE CREDIT SEQUENCE, for this movie).
This only got a three star rating from me for that awesome opening scene, otherwise this could be a contender for worst ever zombie flick.
How could the makers themselves not see how drab it was gonna be.
But its such a shame they ruined it after with a pretty terrible zombie movie, that made even the zombies and their kills pretty tepid.
The acting was catastrophic, the action after the opening bland, the characters very annoying, the effects poor, it was way too short, dialogue laughable and it had plot holes galore and stupid decisions(main hero and little girl turn up at the exact place the mother was looking for her, two characters run straight into gun fire, idiots not listening to get out of the bunker sooner, little girl nearly the only one outside alive even though the rest are either gone or turned).
Heck they even had the little girl(best of a bad bunch of actors)bitten(even though she clearly never was), before it cut to her on a operating table, with a massive rip to her face, who then lunges at the camera as a full zombie, before the movie ends(and leads to a TEN MINUTE CREDIT SEQUENCE, for this movie).
This only got a three star rating from me for that awesome opening scene, otherwise this could be a contender for worst ever zombie flick.
How could the makers themselves not see how drab it was gonna be.
Cobra
(1986)
Good old fashioned cheesy fun. Just don't expect a Stallone classic.
27 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Look this is certainly not as fondly remembered or as great as Sly's finest flicks(mainly the Rambo movies plus Cliffhanger, Demolition Man or Copland), and it has some pretty wooden acting and a bit of daft plot if you think about it.
But if you want a action movie that just goes to town on the gunfire, bonkers explosions and cheesy one liners, then Cobra is a good watch.
I enjoyed it more a second time and as it was only about a hour and 25 minutes, so it never bored me or felt too long.
Stallone's ultra macho Cobretti aka Cobra trying to save model Ingrid(played by real life wife at the time Brigitte Nielsen), from the bonkers Night Slasher and his crew, is a bit of silly plot tbh, that only really belongs in the 80s heyday of Sly(or Arnie and Van Damme).
Saying that though the villain and his followers were darn good fun, and are pretty brutal throughout, butchering people for no reason in nasty ways(what he calls the weak of the population). That aspect of the movie worked a treat, especially when they just seem to love killing innocent folks, so as villains go Night Slasher was top notch(shame the very wooden Brian Thompson aka Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat 2 played him again in a laughable way. Guy was huge though so he worked in the tough guy stakes).
Its still great fun as I said, plus Sly utters some corking one liners, punches his boss at the end, looks awesome throughout and looks like he's having fun. Its action sequences too are great, especially the beginning with the supermarket thug and the shootout at the hideout.
Just don't go expecting a Sly classic, a 80s classic or a top notch action flick, as it ain't.
Just enjoy it for its cheesy appeal, its scary bad guy, Sly looking cool and its 80s type one liners(''Crime is a disease, I am the cure''. Indeed).
But if you want a action movie that just goes to town on the gunfire, bonkers explosions and cheesy one liners, then Cobra is a good watch.
I enjoyed it more a second time and as it was only about a hour and 25 minutes, so it never bored me or felt too long.
Stallone's ultra macho Cobretti aka Cobra trying to save model Ingrid(played by real life wife at the time Brigitte Nielsen), from the bonkers Night Slasher and his crew, is a bit of silly plot tbh, that only really belongs in the 80s heyday of Sly(or Arnie and Van Damme).
Saying that though the villain and his followers were darn good fun, and are pretty brutal throughout, butchering people for no reason in nasty ways(what he calls the weak of the population). That aspect of the movie worked a treat, especially when they just seem to love killing innocent folks, so as villains go Night Slasher was top notch(shame the very wooden Brian Thompson aka Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat 2 played him again in a laughable way. Guy was huge though so he worked in the tough guy stakes).
Its still great fun as I said, plus Sly utters some corking one liners, punches his boss at the end, looks awesome throughout and looks like he's having fun. Its action sequences too are great, especially the beginning with the supermarket thug and the shootout at the hideout.
Just don't go expecting a Sly classic, a 80s classic or a top notch action flick, as it ain't.
Just enjoy it for its cheesy appeal, its scary bad guy, Sly looking cool and its 80s type one liners(''Crime is a disease, I am the cure''. Indeed).
Resident Evil: Vendetta
(2017)
Simply put, the best Resident Evil movie yet.
21 January 2020
After two really cool and well made animations, we get a third Resident Evil animated movie, and boy oh boy, this was the most awesome so far.
This one was the most authentic game to movie adaptation of the franchise yet for me, and maybe the most faithful video game adaptation ever made.
From the vibrant animated style, to the use of the famous characters, to superb looking bad guys, to the gripping plot, to the pulse pounding action sequences, and to the zombie and gore mayhem, this was so damn enjoyable I never wanted it to end, and am praying a fourth movie is greenlit soon.
Voices not going with lips moving, and a few cheap jump scares aside, this is a dream for any Resi fan that adores the game franchise, and who didn't take to the live action movies(I like them too, but they are hit and miss for sure).
Not kidding, its one of my favourite animated movies of the 2010's and certainly a contender for best video game movie ever.
The Ward
(2010)
A bad return for a horror master. How did it come to this John.
21 January 2020
How John Carpenter went from The Thing, Escape From New York and They Live, to this very average, at times boring and badly cut mess, I will never know.
The story is pretty muddled, with it about one thing once, then about something else the next, before it has a barmy twist at the end.
The cast try their best(lead Amber Heard, as well as Mamie Gummer, Danielle Panabaker, Lyndsy Fonseca and Jared Harris), but the acting does verge into camp and wooden at times, and no one ever grips me.
The actual horror sucks IMO. Not once does it ever really scare me, and it always resorts to the dreaded cheap jump scare too many times. You can see any jump a mile off(character looks out at corridor or through a window, and BAMN there is the person waiting to pounce. Its so yawn inducing). Its a shame John has resorted to cheap scares, especially after he pulled off real skin crawling terror in his 80s heyday, without using loud jump scares.
Another thing that sucked was the girl ghost thing. I am not kidding, she was the most naff ghost I have ever seen, and after countless times she appears and not once scares me, I just thought God she is sooo boring. The Grady Twins she ain't believe me.
One more thing that irritated was the poor edit and the cuts that made The Ward feel like a made for tv horror feature or a feature length version of American Horror Story, certainly not a cinematic movie.
The early parts was a great start and interesting, plus the setting of a mental institution is always a creepy setting, and its not a woeful movie that compares with the worst ever.
But as its from such a talented man like John Carpenter, its a pretty poor effort from him, and stands as the worst of his I have seen so far(yes even worse than Ghosts Of Mars).
City of the Living Dead
(1980)
Worst movie i have sat all the way through, somehow.
31 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
How can anyone give any sort of praise to this truly abysmal zombie flick.
Its full of wooden acting, tepid dialogue, very bad dubbing in speech and very boring scenes that go nowhere half the time.
It also has a plot that I never understood, hardly no actual zombies(not the sort I expected), terribly annoying characters, the most grating musical score ever(man I hated it), incredibly stupid characters(honestly it gives Troll 2 a run for its money) and laughable moments where there shouldn't be.
Hell even the last act and final scene made no sense IMO, why was that woman screaming even though the threat was over(what was going on, doubt even director Fulci knew).
Boring, wooden, cheesy, annoying and contained no actual flesh eating dead(bar a few small scenes), which in you know a ZOMBIE flick that is woeful.
Stick to Romero's movies, Shaun Of The Dead or The Walking Dead.
Its full of wooden acting, tepid dialogue, very bad dubbing in speech and very boring scenes that go nowhere half the time.
It also has a plot that I never understood, hardly no actual zombies(not the sort I expected), terribly annoying characters, the most grating musical score ever(man I hated it), incredibly stupid characters(honestly it gives Troll 2 a run for its money) and laughable moments where there shouldn't be.
Hell even the last act and final scene made no sense IMO, why was that woman screaming even though the threat was over(what was going on, doubt even director Fulci knew).
Boring, wooden, cheesy, annoying and contained no actual flesh eating dead(bar a few small scenes), which in you know a ZOMBIE flick that is woeful.
Stick to Romero's movies, Shaun Of The Dead or The Walking Dead.
Same old same old really. One half great horror and kills. The other annoying characters and jump scares.
17 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Like the first three movies in this iconic horror franchise, this fourth part was half great and inventive whilst again it was half stupid and annoying(the third part admittedly was mostly great though, my favourite of the first four movies).
Again it had very cool, brutal, gory and memorable kills by the menacing hockey mask wearing Jason plus it is always a thrill to be at Camp Crystal Lake(a real standout location in horror flicks to me), plus a few kills from him at the hospital were cracking(first death in the movie was real nasty).
The problem like the other movies is the very annoying, daft, obnoxious and loud characters that are the main cast(again better ones in part 3)that mainly all are very irritating that its so awesome when Jason turns up to bump them off, only a few stood out as pretty interesting(mainly the bonkers Crispin Glover who plays his usual oddball type plus a young Corey Feldman as a geeky horror fan, who had a terrific arc throughout). The other gripe has to be the excessive use of jump scares, that though common in many of today's horrors, was unneeded in this era of horror. Yeah a few are ok when needed(like in Jason moments for example), but in non horrific scenes they are pain for the viewer, plus some are seen a mile off, so what is the point half the time(things like characters out alone, a character stood by a window and a character stood by Jason as he is motionless, often leads to a typical cheap scare).
Like I said the kills and locations are a joy plus Jason is such a icon in the genre but why do we always have very annoying characters, tacked on sex scenes, wooden acting, predictable scenes/moments and yes the cheap scare.
These movies would be so much stronger with these things toned down, its why I really liked part 3, it wasn't a masterpiece but it stands out much more than parts 1, 2 and this movie part 4.
Horror can be great but with endless cheap jump scares, it ends up being just very good in places.
Again it had very cool, brutal, gory and memorable kills by the menacing hockey mask wearing Jason plus it is always a thrill to be at Camp Crystal Lake(a real standout location in horror flicks to me), plus a few kills from him at the hospital were cracking(first death in the movie was real nasty).
The problem like the other movies is the very annoying, daft, obnoxious and loud characters that are the main cast(again better ones in part 3)that mainly all are very irritating that its so awesome when Jason turns up to bump them off, only a few stood out as pretty interesting(mainly the bonkers Crispin Glover who plays his usual oddball type plus a young Corey Feldman as a geeky horror fan, who had a terrific arc throughout). The other gripe has to be the excessive use of jump scares, that though common in many of today's horrors, was unneeded in this era of horror. Yeah a few are ok when needed(like in Jason moments for example), but in non horrific scenes they are pain for the viewer, plus some are seen a mile off, so what is the point half the time(things like characters out alone, a character stood by a window and a character stood by Jason as he is motionless, often leads to a typical cheap scare).
Like I said the kills and locations are a joy plus Jason is such a icon in the genre but why do we always have very annoying characters, tacked on sex scenes, wooden acting, predictable scenes/moments and yes the cheap scare.
These movies would be so much stronger with these things toned down, its why I really liked part 3, it wasn't a masterpiece but it stands out much more than parts 1, 2 and this movie part 4.
Horror can be great but with endless cheap jump scares, it ends up being just very good in places.
Excellent visuals and its very gripping, all the characters sound British though.
11 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
A very strong start to this true story series, with amazing visuals for a tv show, top acting, gripping scenes and a raw emotional feel.
But the strange non Russian accents(every actor is British, even though they all have Russian names) and the very stupid decisions by some of the characters is a bit off putting.
If you can look past both those things then Chernobyl could be a brilliant new show. They could of at least tried Russian accents, its a bit like the cast of Valkyrie, they never bothered with German accents for some reason.
But the strange non Russian accents(every actor is British, even though they all have Russian names) and the very stupid decisions by some of the characters is a bit off putting.
If you can look past both those things then Chernobyl could be a brilliant new show. They could of at least tried Russian accents, its a bit like the cast of Valkyrie, they never bothered with German accents for some reason.
Collateral
(2004)
A tremendously stylish crime thriller with Cruise on electrifying form as a against type assassin.
3 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is another very stylized crime saga from thriller genius Michael Mann(Heat, Public Enemies), that I feel is a pretty big deal IMO.
Yes its a utterly superb and gripping thriller from start to finish, but the reason its such a big deal is, is because the usually action lead superstar and normally good guy Tom Cruise goes way against type as a extremely cold hearted assassin who moves from target to target killing without a flinch half the time, this is so odd but very memorable and it works wonders in my opinion. Cruise brings his usual good looks, comical timing, kick ass nature and frenetic energy and moves it up a notch, his Vincent is truly one of the most coolest and lethal hitmen I have ever seen on the big screen, the amount of times he brutally killed his targets(plus others that cross his path)was awesome stuff, plus him stalking them(especially towards the end)was chilling and proves what a quality performer this guy is.
He is backed up by Jamie Foxx as poor cab driver Max being forced to drive Cruise's Vincent round LA as the bad guy goes after his targets. Foxx isn't as strong as Cruise, even if their chemistry is brilliant. Whether it is early on with Max first finding out about Vincent's antics, becoming his helper in crime, standing up to him at last and even reluctantly taking Vincent along to the hospital when he has to visit his mother(Cruise putting on the old charm as ever). Foxx is terrific and becomes more heroic as its goes along even if he appears a bit like his Amazing Spiderman 2 villain role Electro at the beginning(goofy and a bit cowardly), a very good foil to Cruise though.
The rest of the cast are more just tiny supporting players even if they all are very good. We have the beautiful Jada Pinkett Smith as Anne, a lawyer who Max falls for and who comes back into play in the corking finale. We also have a early role for Mark Ruffalo as a cop trying to find Vincent and Max, along with actor/director Peter Berg as his cop partner plus Javier Bardem in a small role as a gangster(shows his future quality in a small appearance)and of course a tiny cameo from future superstar Jason Statham, who delivers a package to Vincent in a airport(playing I think his Transporter character Frank Martin).
The movie is very stylish and not only reminds me of Mann's masterpiece Heat, mainly for its LA cityscapes, brutal and loud action scenes, shocks and the cool camera work, but it also reminds me of The Dark Knight , which followed about four years later. The skyscrapers, chases and wide shots as well as the memorable action moments remind me of the iconic comic book classic.
The film lulls a tad in the middle, mainly for the hospital visit plus Max in the club with Bardem's gangster and other slower moments drag a bit but the opening scenes especially the first few kills from Vincent are awesome(plus when Vincent guns down the two idiots who stole his briefcase in epic style), and of course the last 40 minutes or so when Jada's Anna reappears and is now on Vincent's hit list, its one of the most thrilling final acts I have seen, as Max really becomes a hero in trying to save his lady love from Vincent's relentless kill appetite(which sees a pitch black sequence in a office block plus a chase sequence before the last stand on a train). Another outstanding scene is in another nightclub which sees a couple of fantastic shoot outs plus Tom in full on Mission Impossible mode as he batters a few cops and gangsters(saving Max's life)and a shock death takes place after(again by Vincent).
Probably not in the very top level of Cruise's movies but its arguably his strongest and most menacing role still to date and makes the movie that much better because of it. He is backed up by cowardly then heroic Foxx, who also shows his future action potential. Jada gives one of her finest displays too and Ruffalo, Berg, Bardem and Statham are briefly memorable. Along with some of cinemas most stylized sequences, thrilling action and chases, dark humour, LA at its most visceral(both gorgeous and grim), a outstanding last act and a sad death, even though we really shouldn't care.
Michael Mann is the king of the crime saga plus Tom needs more roles like this now and then.
Yes its a utterly superb and gripping thriller from start to finish, but the reason its such a big deal is, is because the usually action lead superstar and normally good guy Tom Cruise goes way against type as a extremely cold hearted assassin who moves from target to target killing without a flinch half the time, this is so odd but very memorable and it works wonders in my opinion. Cruise brings his usual good looks, comical timing, kick ass nature and frenetic energy and moves it up a notch, his Vincent is truly one of the most coolest and lethal hitmen I have ever seen on the big screen, the amount of times he brutally killed his targets(plus others that cross his path)was awesome stuff, plus him stalking them(especially towards the end)was chilling and proves what a quality performer this guy is.
He is backed up by Jamie Foxx as poor cab driver Max being forced to drive Cruise's Vincent round LA as the bad guy goes after his targets. Foxx isn't as strong as Cruise, even if their chemistry is brilliant. Whether it is early on with Max first finding out about Vincent's antics, becoming his helper in crime, standing up to him at last and even reluctantly taking Vincent along to the hospital when he has to visit his mother(Cruise putting on the old charm as ever). Foxx is terrific and becomes more heroic as its goes along even if he appears a bit like his Amazing Spiderman 2 villain role Electro at the beginning(goofy and a bit cowardly), a very good foil to Cruise though.
The rest of the cast are more just tiny supporting players even if they all are very good. We have the beautiful Jada Pinkett Smith as Anne, a lawyer who Max falls for and who comes back into play in the corking finale. We also have a early role for Mark Ruffalo as a cop trying to find Vincent and Max, along with actor/director Peter Berg as his cop partner plus Javier Bardem in a small role as a gangster(shows his future quality in a small appearance)and of course a tiny cameo from future superstar Jason Statham, who delivers a package to Vincent in a airport(playing I think his Transporter character Frank Martin).
The movie is very stylish and not only reminds me of Mann's masterpiece Heat, mainly for its LA cityscapes, brutal and loud action scenes, shocks and the cool camera work, but it also reminds me of The Dark Knight , which followed about four years later. The skyscrapers, chases and wide shots as well as the memorable action moments remind me of the iconic comic book classic.
The film lulls a tad in the middle, mainly for the hospital visit plus Max in the club with Bardem's gangster and other slower moments drag a bit but the opening scenes especially the first few kills from Vincent are awesome(plus when Vincent guns down the two idiots who stole his briefcase in epic style), and of course the last 40 minutes or so when Jada's Anna reappears and is now on Vincent's hit list, its one of the most thrilling final acts I have seen, as Max really becomes a hero in trying to save his lady love from Vincent's relentless kill appetite(which sees a pitch black sequence in a office block plus a chase sequence before the last stand on a train). Another outstanding scene is in another nightclub which sees a couple of fantastic shoot outs plus Tom in full on Mission Impossible mode as he batters a few cops and gangsters(saving Max's life)and a shock death takes place after(again by Vincent).
Probably not in the very top level of Cruise's movies but its arguably his strongest and most menacing role still to date and makes the movie that much better because of it. He is backed up by cowardly then heroic Foxx, who also shows his future action potential. Jada gives one of her finest displays too and Ruffalo, Berg, Bardem and Statham are briefly memorable. Along with some of cinemas most stylized sequences, thrilling action and chases, dark humour, LA at its most visceral(both gorgeous and grim), a outstanding last act and a sad death, even though we really shouldn't care.
Michael Mann is the king of the crime saga plus Tom needs more roles like this now and then.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
(1997)
My my what a sloppy mess, what were they thinking.
29 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is possibly the most disappointing sequel ever conceived, it had so much potential but ends up as a very embarrassing and terribly acted mess.
The first movie wasn't a classic by any means, but its a pretty faithful adaptation of the iconic source material plus its always fun to watch from time to time.
The only reason I watch Annihilation every time I watch the first movie, is A I might as well watch it as I watched the original and B its so badly made and unintentionally hysterical, I just watch it to see how NOT to make a follow up to a pretty good original.
MK Annihilation goes badly wrong instantly tbh by changing three of the main actors from the original. We have James Remar replacing Christopher Lambert as Raiden(better actor than Lambert maybe but is a lacklustre and far less funny Raiden than Lambert's version), Sandra Hess replacing Bridgette Wilson as Sonya Blade(not a bad replacement and does more fighting but looks nothing like the actress she replaces)and worst of all Chris Conrad replacing Linden Ashby as Johnny Cage(this was the worst as the idiotic makers kill the character off inside of 7 minutes, the new actor got one line that I can remember, no wonder Linden turned this farce down).
It keeps on going down hill from here as this cast truly is as wooden as a piece of plywood plus they constantly rattle off line after line of atrocious dialogue(or is that direlogue)that soon becomes funny when its not supposed to. Lines like Kitana ''Mother, I thought you were dead'' Sindel ''Too bad you WILL DIE''. Jax ''You got a incredible set of legs...For kicking I mean'' and Kitana ''My mother is dead'' Sindel ''As will be her daughter'', its all dreadful(there are many more too).
The other really embarrassing aspect of MK2 is the woeful visual effects(said to be amazing on the dvd back cover), this is from 1998 and should of been far superior to this. Whether its the stone statue's that turn into abysmal looking beasts(hurt my eyes), cardboard cut out looking landscapes, un exciting looking explosions(explosions need to be cool, these were not)and worst of all that short bit in the climatic fight where Liu Kang and Shao Kahn turn into Kaiju looking creatures, my God above what was that, one looks like a dreadful looking version of King Ghidorah and the other a unscary looking version of that mutated wolf in Rampage(what was in the makers heads with that, made the movie even worse somehow).
Lastly we have the characters that to be fair look the part but are all badly short-changed. New characters from the games include Shao Kahn, Shinnok, Motaro(looks very cool but ruined by the tepid acting), Jade, Sheeva, Ermac, Cyrax, Milena, Nightwolf(''Cool huh, its my Animality'', SIGH)and Sindel(worst acting from a actress ever to me)plus we have the returning ones like Liu Kang, Kitana(both Robin Shou and Talisa Soto deserve better), Sonja, Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero(both wasted), Johnny(briefly)and Jax(becoming a main character now after a brief appearance in MK1, albeit by another actor). Nearly all are awful and hardly anyone has any chemistry, the original had a cast that had pretty great camaraderie but here its very laughable and stiff to watch especially when they try and be funny or threaten each other.
One thing that stops Annihilation from getting the dreaded one star is the pretty good fight scenes, and though like the original they could be better, we got a pretty good amount of them. Saying that though some are poorly done with bad effects and way over the top reactions from the actors at times(plus was Raiden trying to do hip hop in one of those fights, bizarre tbh). Best fights were Scorpion V Sub-Zero(with added 'GET OVER HERE' of course), Sonja/Jax v Cyrax, Liu Kang V Baraka, Sonja V Milena and Jax V Motaro. Let downs were Liu Kang V Shao Kahn, Kitana V Sindel and Liu Kang V Jade.
This has to go down as one of the biggest messes to hit a cinema screen, the acting is so bad its both cringing and laughable in equal measures(but damn funny too), the visuals stink, the plot a mess(taking over the world never seemed likely with such a un powerful lead villain), characters/actors looking different from before(either changing the actors to look nothing like who they replaced or not looking how they should be, like Raiden, must wear the lampshade head gear damn it), dreadful looking creatures, a bizarre Kaiju fight out of nowhere, pitiful lines, making Raiden weak(plus you can tell that is a stunt double or doubles a mile off), killing Johnny Cage very early, actors that clearly are in front of green screen throughout and rubbish explosions. Yes the fights are mostly cool, Robin Shou and Talisa Soto were decent and most of the characters(mainly the new ones)look like the video game originals, but MK Annihilation is still possibly the worst big screen movie ever made and maybe the worst sequel in history.
Also why was Raiden and Sindel brought back and not Johnny Cage, man you treated a iconic character bad MK:A.
GET OUT OF HERE, NOW.
The first movie wasn't a classic by any means, but its a pretty faithful adaptation of the iconic source material plus its always fun to watch from time to time.
The only reason I watch Annihilation every time I watch the first movie, is A I might as well watch it as I watched the original and B its so badly made and unintentionally hysterical, I just watch it to see how NOT to make a follow up to a pretty good original.
MK Annihilation goes badly wrong instantly tbh by changing three of the main actors from the original. We have James Remar replacing Christopher Lambert as Raiden(better actor than Lambert maybe but is a lacklustre and far less funny Raiden than Lambert's version), Sandra Hess replacing Bridgette Wilson as Sonya Blade(not a bad replacement and does more fighting but looks nothing like the actress she replaces)and worst of all Chris Conrad replacing Linden Ashby as Johnny Cage(this was the worst as the idiotic makers kill the character off inside of 7 minutes, the new actor got one line that I can remember, no wonder Linden turned this farce down).
It keeps on going down hill from here as this cast truly is as wooden as a piece of plywood plus they constantly rattle off line after line of atrocious dialogue(or is that direlogue)that soon becomes funny when its not supposed to. Lines like Kitana ''Mother, I thought you were dead'' Sindel ''Too bad you WILL DIE''. Jax ''You got a incredible set of legs...For kicking I mean'' and Kitana ''My mother is dead'' Sindel ''As will be her daughter'', its all dreadful(there are many more too).
The other really embarrassing aspect of MK2 is the woeful visual effects(said to be amazing on the dvd back cover), this is from 1998 and should of been far superior to this. Whether its the stone statue's that turn into abysmal looking beasts(hurt my eyes), cardboard cut out looking landscapes, un exciting looking explosions(explosions need to be cool, these were not)and worst of all that short bit in the climatic fight where Liu Kang and Shao Kahn turn into Kaiju looking creatures, my God above what was that, one looks like a dreadful looking version of King Ghidorah and the other a unscary looking version of that mutated wolf in Rampage(what was in the makers heads with that, made the movie even worse somehow).
Lastly we have the characters that to be fair look the part but are all badly short-changed. New characters from the games include Shao Kahn, Shinnok, Motaro(looks very cool but ruined by the tepid acting), Jade, Sheeva, Ermac, Cyrax, Milena, Nightwolf(''Cool huh, its my Animality'', SIGH)and Sindel(worst acting from a actress ever to me)plus we have the returning ones like Liu Kang, Kitana(both Robin Shou and Talisa Soto deserve better), Sonja, Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero(both wasted), Johnny(briefly)and Jax(becoming a main character now after a brief appearance in MK1, albeit by another actor). Nearly all are awful and hardly anyone has any chemistry, the original had a cast that had pretty great camaraderie but here its very laughable and stiff to watch especially when they try and be funny or threaten each other.
One thing that stops Annihilation from getting the dreaded one star is the pretty good fight scenes, and though like the original they could be better, we got a pretty good amount of them. Saying that though some are poorly done with bad effects and way over the top reactions from the actors at times(plus was Raiden trying to do hip hop in one of those fights, bizarre tbh). Best fights were Scorpion V Sub-Zero(with added 'GET OVER HERE' of course), Sonja/Jax v Cyrax, Liu Kang V Baraka, Sonja V Milena and Jax V Motaro. Let downs were Liu Kang V Shao Kahn, Kitana V Sindel and Liu Kang V Jade.
This has to go down as one of the biggest messes to hit a cinema screen, the acting is so bad its both cringing and laughable in equal measures(but damn funny too), the visuals stink, the plot a mess(taking over the world never seemed likely with such a un powerful lead villain), characters/actors looking different from before(either changing the actors to look nothing like who they replaced or not looking how they should be, like Raiden, must wear the lampshade head gear damn it), dreadful looking creatures, a bizarre Kaiju fight out of nowhere, pitiful lines, making Raiden weak(plus you can tell that is a stunt double or doubles a mile off), killing Johnny Cage very early, actors that clearly are in front of green screen throughout and rubbish explosions. Yes the fights are mostly cool, Robin Shou and Talisa Soto were decent and most of the characters(mainly the new ones)look like the video game originals, but MK Annihilation is still possibly the worst big screen movie ever made and maybe the worst sequel in history.
Also why was Raiden and Sindel brought back and not Johnny Cage, man you treated a iconic character bad MK:A.
GET OUT OF HERE, NOW.
Mortal Kombat
(1995)
No matter its problems, this is always a guilty pleasure and very faithful if a bit safe
26 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This video game adaptation(one of the first, still one of the best)will always stand in the guilty pleasure department to me.
Yeah its extremely cheesy, has woeful dialogue at times, awful effects close up, not enough brutal fights(nor much blood)and it feels a bit safe.
But its still a real lot of fun with the look of the characters truly spot on(especially Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Kano, Shang Tsung, Scorpion and Sub-Zero), the far away visuals impress, some lines so batty they come off as so funny, a couple of fights are epic(namely Johnny V Scorpion and Sonia V Kano), some of the classic video game traits are here(Raiden's bonkers headwear, Johnny's shades, Kang being the saviour, Scorpion's hand snake thing and of course the many catchphrases including GET OVER HERE, FLAWLESS VICTORY, YOUR SOUL IS MINE, FINISH HIM AND FATALITY).
Yeah its by no means a classic movie, a few of the fights could of been longer and more brutal and if this was not based on such a big property it would tank mainly for its stiff acting and cheesy lines(plus some of those effects, dear oh dear Goro and Reptile).
But I never tire of watching it as its still one of the most faithful video game adaptations out there and still one of the best plus its a masterpiece compared to the sequel it received.
Lastly love the brief appearance of Jax and the mention of Kung Lou.
Yeah its extremely cheesy, has woeful dialogue at times, awful effects close up, not enough brutal fights(nor much blood)and it feels a bit safe.
But its still a real lot of fun with the look of the characters truly spot on(especially Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Kano, Shang Tsung, Scorpion and Sub-Zero), the far away visuals impress, some lines so batty they come off as so funny, a couple of fights are epic(namely Johnny V Scorpion and Sonia V Kano), some of the classic video game traits are here(Raiden's bonkers headwear, Johnny's shades, Kang being the saviour, Scorpion's hand snake thing and of course the many catchphrases including GET OVER HERE, FLAWLESS VICTORY, YOUR SOUL IS MINE, FINISH HIM AND FATALITY).
Yeah its by no means a classic movie, a few of the fights could of been longer and more brutal and if this was not based on such a big property it would tank mainly for its stiff acting and cheesy lines(plus some of those effects, dear oh dear Goro and Reptile).
But I never tire of watching it as its still one of the most faithful video game adaptations out there and still one of the best plus its a masterpiece compared to the sequel it received.
Lastly love the brief appearance of Jax and the mention of Kung Lou.
American Psycho II: All American Girl
(2002 Video)
Mila Kunis is great, so was the plot but otherwise what was the point.
23 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Apart from a opening involving a brief appearance from Patrick Bateman(only there to set up this plot, plus its not Christian Bale)this hardly related follow up has nothing to do with the far better American Psycho.
It has moments that are sort of reminiscent of the original, with main new killer Rachel Newman(beautiful Mila Kunis in a early role)talking plans in her head, killings like in the first movie and the other characters oblivious to her actions but its so badly acted by others, it drags(even for a fairly short runtime), some actors just don't want to be there(some don't even know what they are doing half the time)and some scenes are inconsistent to the next scene.
Its not a disaster with Mila a terrific female form of Bateman, some killings are gory fun like the first, there are fairly funny moments, the ending was pretty good(even if you can see it a mile off)and William Shatner is hamming it up as ever.
But it takes an age to get to the ending, some other actors are poor and wasted, some moments really make no sense and worst of all it changes the original's key element, this killer is doing the murders, something we never knew was real or not in the first movie.
If it was unrelated to the original it would of been cooler, saying that though its acting and daft moments would still make this a average movie at best.
Thank goodness we had Mila Kunis leading it.
It has moments that are sort of reminiscent of the original, with main new killer Rachel Newman(beautiful Mila Kunis in a early role)talking plans in her head, killings like in the first movie and the other characters oblivious to her actions but its so badly acted by others, it drags(even for a fairly short runtime), some actors just don't want to be there(some don't even know what they are doing half the time)and some scenes are inconsistent to the next scene.
Its not a disaster with Mila a terrific female form of Bateman, some killings are gory fun like the first, there are fairly funny moments, the ending was pretty good(even if you can see it a mile off)and William Shatner is hamming it up as ever.
But it takes an age to get to the ending, some other actors are poor and wasted, some moments really make no sense and worst of all it changes the original's key element, this killer is doing the murders, something we never knew was real or not in the first movie.
If it was unrelated to the original it would of been cooler, saying that though its acting and daft moments would still make this a average movie at best.
Thank goodness we had Mila Kunis leading it.
A Clockwork Orange
(1971)
A revolutionary British movie that everyone should watch, just have a strong stomach
21 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of those iconic movies that anyone of any age(over 18s only though)should watch at some point in their life, even if its only once or twice.
Its a pretty strong watch with its depiction of ultra violence and rape(even if a lot of it is off screen)but if you can get over that its a gripping watch.
I won't spoil what happens but its tale of a crack pot young man who along with his 'droogs' fight with fellow gangs, brutally attack and rape who they want(not for the faint of heart)and who adore Beethoven(old Ludwig Van to Alex). This changes after a stint in prison(I won't say why, just watch)and after a type of treatment Alex seems changed and is put back into the world, the point though, is Alex really 'better'.
Malcolm McDowell is electrifying, bizarre, hysterical and chilling in his defining role as Alex. The guy is simply unstoppable as the truly nightmarish teenage, you cannot take your eyes off him whether he is brutally killing, being really funny or even sympathetic(towards the end). It honestly is one of the most memorable and most haunting acting displays you may ever see, certainly in a British movie.
The dialogue, pace and some of the supporting characters may irritate at times plus as I said you need a strong stomach at times and its not as incredible as some British movies I love more(Get Carter, Dead Man Shoes, 28 Days Later, Italian Job included)but its still one of the most unique, memorable, quotable, visceral and downright disturbing British flicks ever made.
Lastly you will never like Singin In The Rain the same again.
Its a pretty strong watch with its depiction of ultra violence and rape(even if a lot of it is off screen)but if you can get over that its a gripping watch.
I won't spoil what happens but its tale of a crack pot young man who along with his 'droogs' fight with fellow gangs, brutally attack and rape who they want(not for the faint of heart)and who adore Beethoven(old Ludwig Van to Alex). This changes after a stint in prison(I won't say why, just watch)and after a type of treatment Alex seems changed and is put back into the world, the point though, is Alex really 'better'.
Malcolm McDowell is electrifying, bizarre, hysterical and chilling in his defining role as Alex. The guy is simply unstoppable as the truly nightmarish teenage, you cannot take your eyes off him whether he is brutally killing, being really funny or even sympathetic(towards the end). It honestly is one of the most memorable and most haunting acting displays you may ever see, certainly in a British movie.
The dialogue, pace and some of the supporting characters may irritate at times plus as I said you need a strong stomach at times and its not as incredible as some British movies I love more(Get Carter, Dead Man Shoes, 28 Days Later, Italian Job included)but its still one of the most unique, memorable, quotable, visceral and downright disturbing British flicks ever made.
Lastly you will never like Singin In The Rain the same again.
American Psycho
(2000)
A unique and bonkers masterpiece, with a for the ages acting display by Christian Bale
20 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
A revolutionary classic in the psychological thriller genre, with a career defining performance by Christian Bale(the role that led to his most famous role as Batman, can see why)
Its one of those few movies that messes with your mind but doesn't ruin the movie, too many modern movies go over the top with their jumbled up plots, this movie gets its spot on.
You truly don't know if Patrick Bateman has carried out the insane murders or not, director Mary Harmon really confuses our mind to not know if Bateman has imagined it all, some of it or did kill all those people.
Bale is jaw dropping tbh and its his master-fall display that adds to whether he is a psycho, a great storyteller or is a bit of both. He also a lot of the time is down right hysterical, even in murderous rampage moments, strong sexual scenes or any other part, his Bateman will have you chuckling along frequently. His urge to keep returning videotapes, his incredible knowledge of pop music and no desire to do any work(and his love of a pristine identity card)are other standouts plus I have never seen as funny a dance to a Huey Lewis song as he did here(which led to the movie's most brutal and memorable death scene, Batman kills The Joker so to speak).
The rest of the cast including Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Samantha Mathis and Josh Lucas back up Bale brilliantly, with all getting their own time to shine, plus all at times seems to be as oddball like as Bale's Bateman. Also the lovely Chloe Sevigny as Bateman's receptionist Jean seems to be one of the few that Bateman actually likes(he intends to kill her but works out he can't, whether that means he was going to or not remains to be seen, I think he was in love with her), Chloe is very beautiful, kind and sweet as Jean.
The movie is very violent and gore soaked in places(and doesn't hold back on animal cruelty, even if its mainly off screen)plus if Bateman was carrying out the crimes then all the other characters must be either very dim or know about what he does and they don't care about it, which is a bit weird even for this movie. Also Reese is great but a bit wasted, her talents should of been put to better use, same goes for Mathis and Leto. Whilst the sexual moments are a bit much at times, even if some are done with dark humour attached to them.
This though is one of the very best psychological thrillers of all time IMO with a endless supply of iconic moments, scenes and funny lines plus a real brain thinker after you have watched it, making you think about it a lot after watching it. Led by a Oscar worthy Bale as a monster for the ages(or is he)and a terrific supporting cast, American Psycho is absolutely superb.
Its one of those few movies that messes with your mind but doesn't ruin the movie, too many modern movies go over the top with their jumbled up plots, this movie gets its spot on.
You truly don't know if Patrick Bateman has carried out the insane murders or not, director Mary Harmon really confuses our mind to not know if Bateman has imagined it all, some of it or did kill all those people.
Bale is jaw dropping tbh and its his master-fall display that adds to whether he is a psycho, a great storyteller or is a bit of both. He also a lot of the time is down right hysterical, even in murderous rampage moments, strong sexual scenes or any other part, his Bateman will have you chuckling along frequently. His urge to keep returning videotapes, his incredible knowledge of pop music and no desire to do any work(and his love of a pristine identity card)are other standouts plus I have never seen as funny a dance to a Huey Lewis song as he did here(which led to the movie's most brutal and memorable death scene, Batman kills The Joker so to speak).
The rest of the cast including Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon, Jared Leto, Samantha Mathis and Josh Lucas back up Bale brilliantly, with all getting their own time to shine, plus all at times seems to be as oddball like as Bale's Bateman. Also the lovely Chloe Sevigny as Bateman's receptionist Jean seems to be one of the few that Bateman actually likes(he intends to kill her but works out he can't, whether that means he was going to or not remains to be seen, I think he was in love with her), Chloe is very beautiful, kind and sweet as Jean.
The movie is very violent and gore soaked in places(and doesn't hold back on animal cruelty, even if its mainly off screen)plus if Bateman was carrying out the crimes then all the other characters must be either very dim or know about what he does and they don't care about it, which is a bit weird even for this movie. Also Reese is great but a bit wasted, her talents should of been put to better use, same goes for Mathis and Leto. Whilst the sexual moments are a bit much at times, even if some are done with dark humour attached to them.
This though is one of the very best psychological thrillers of all time IMO with a endless supply of iconic moments, scenes and funny lines plus a real brain thinker after you have watched it, making you think about it a lot after watching it. Led by a Oscar worthy Bale as a monster for the ages(or is he)and a terrific supporting cast, American Psycho is absolutely superb.
Raw
(2016)
Well acted and gruesome but could of been so much better.
20 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is another horror that truly wasted its potential by going a tad too daft in places and having moments that really make no sense.
It has some truly horrific moments and imagery plus really pushed the envelope for nearly making the viewer actually feel sick by what they are seeing.
But it loses steam as it goes along by having both sisters have the taste for human flesh, instead of just the main character, which just didn't sit right in my opinion. Some scenes of them biting each other just were strange especially in front of a crowd of people.
I also hated many of the over the top characters and things they get up to(the ridiculous ceremony to join the vet place they are living plus the excessive scenes of students getting drunk, having sex and forcing others into disturbing situations)plus Raw doesn't know if its a cannibal or vampire type flick, as the main character Justine seems to love blood as well as human flesh, odd that.
It has a really good first part and a grisly couple of twists towards the end(mainly Justine truly showing her ravenous ways in a shocking feast session)but too many annoying characters and drunken moments plus out of place sexual parts, got on my wick at times. I expected things like these in the movie but it was a bit over the top tbh.
Not a disaster with great acting and proper gore filled scenes but it was for me a true let down.
It has some truly horrific moments and imagery plus really pushed the envelope for nearly making the viewer actually feel sick by what they are seeing.
But it loses steam as it goes along by having both sisters have the taste for human flesh, instead of just the main character, which just didn't sit right in my opinion. Some scenes of them biting each other just were strange especially in front of a crowd of people.
I also hated many of the over the top characters and things they get up to(the ridiculous ceremony to join the vet place they are living plus the excessive scenes of students getting drunk, having sex and forcing others into disturbing situations)plus Raw doesn't know if its a cannibal or vampire type flick, as the main character Justine seems to love blood as well as human flesh, odd that.
It has a really good first part and a grisly couple of twists towards the end(mainly Justine truly showing her ravenous ways in a shocking feast session)but too many annoying characters and drunken moments plus out of place sexual parts, got on my wick at times. I expected things like these in the movie but it was a bit over the top tbh.
Not a disaster with great acting and proper gore filled scenes but it was for me a true let down.
Fear why can't you be this gripping every week.
16 February 2019
Season 3 of Fear TWD has been rather slow with the ranch setting but this episode was brilliant mainly as its set somewhere else.
A episode on the road and on the move is where Fear's far better older sibling The Walking Dead thrives best and Fear here worked far more gripping than normal because of the change of setting.
Add the fact we had a couple of characters reuniting, some true horror at the start with many zombies, a lighter tone in places(mixed with sadder moments)and some great acting by all.
Be like this every week Fear and you may get near The Walking Dead.
A episode on the road and on the move is where Fear's far better older sibling The Walking Dead thrives best and Fear here worked far more gripping than normal because of the change of setting.
Add the fact we had a couple of characters reuniting, some true horror at the start with many zombies, a lighter tone in places(mixed with sadder moments)and some great acting by all.
Be like this every week Fear and you may get near The Walking Dead.
Thrilling as always but ramped up to another level because of that twist.
16 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Every single episode of this already legendary crime saga is brilliant but the intensity is up another level now.
The revelation of just who is the traitor within the company is a real shocker and not who I suspected.
This is not only a shock but really ramps up the tension in the final three episodes of Series 4.
British television at its very finest.
The revelation of just who is the traitor within the company is a real shocker and not who I suspected.
This is not only a shock but really ramps up the tension in the final three episodes of Series 4.
British television at its very finest.
Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy
(2014 Video)
Some interesting twists than other Scooby Doo stories.
10 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I have always loved Scooby Doo whether its films or TV shows and I have to say this though not the most funny or exciting has many nice touches and twists that make Frankencreepy one of the most interesting SC films ever released. Scooby and the gang head to Transylvania(not that one but one in Pennsylvania)to visit a castle Velma has inherited but very odd things happen both before and after they get there that affects them all in very different ways. I won't go into too much details of the movie but just to say the cast as always were wonderful(especially legendary Frank Welker as Scooby and Fred,Matthew Lillard as Shaggy and Grey DeLisle as Daphne)and very funny in places(especially moments as always with Shaggy and Scooby plus Daphne)and had superb scenes with the characters getting affected by a strange curse(Fred losing his mind over the Mystery Machine's destruction,Daphne losing her confidence over her weight,Velma changing into a mad scientist and both Scooby and Shaggy gaining courage but losing their amazing appetite)plus as for every Scooby adventure the animation was stunning and vibrant and hasn't lost it after all these years of stories. Another winner from Warner Bros and for this still majestic five team of funny,clever and courageous friends(well not so much Scoob and Shaggy of course).
Leaves the best episode till last.
9 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This intriguing and at times breathtaking comic book style British series has given us some brilliant episodes and none were poor at all and everything including the bad guys,secrets and the truth about the mysterious bracelet all is revealed in a fantastic series finale.
After finally finding out who Golding is Harry meets the mysterious villain who of course is none other than the prison boss and new boyfriend of his estranged wife Anna Nikhail who of course doesn't care for her or her daughter and tells Harry to kill himself or he will kill his family.
Harry knows he has to escape prison and gets unlikely help from Tim Larson who shows him how to get out even though he may suffer himself when Golding's men find out.
Harry heads after Anna and daughter Daisy who wait for Nikhail(Golding)at his mansion but after showing his true colours to them he locks them in and waits for Harry's arrival after learning of his escape.
Now aware of Harry's innocence both his boss Winter and partner Suri race towards the location where Eve is also being held but can they all get out alive and stop Golding carrying out his evil plan and can Harry's bracelet save him and others when it truly matters the most.
Everything we have seen build up in previous episodes explodes here in a rip roaring series finale that has lots of twists,action packed scenes,brilliant acting,a real shock and cliffhanger type ending that sets up the recently announced second series perfectly.
James Nesbitt gives possibly the performance of his life in this hour as we follow his shock of meeting Golding,his prison escape,his brush with the law,his awesome punch up with Golding's main henchman and his desperate attempt to save his family before its too late.Nesbitt is known as a actor with a few quips ready to brighten things up but this hour shows his true talent at serious acting and he really is a thunderous leading man who whether he is beating up bad guys or escaping the attentions of crooked cop Orwell(Darren Boyd)we will him on till the end and hope he rescues his family in time.
After not really liking him early on Nikhail or is that Golding really turns into a top notch character who hams it up like all the best comic book bad guys and Sendhil Ramamurthy plays him with equal menace and cunning and the last few minutes especially show this is a real nasty guy wiling to kill anyone in any fashion to show it.
Others like Amara Karen as Suri,Steven Mackintosh as Winter,Eve Best as Anna and Boyd as slimy Orwell prove what a well put together cast this is and glad at last Suri and Winter finally see that Harry was telling the truth about Golding and what danger they are all in suddenly.
This was possibly the most action packed and gripping of the series whether its Harry making his escape through tunnels and the roof of the prison,his utterly brilliant punch up with henchman Collins,the tense standoff with Anna and Golding or the nail biting final ten minutes that had action,suspense and a shock I never seen coming as a major character is killed this was as good as any other thriller in either TV or film and because of the final scene it guarantees we haven't seen the last of Golding or the bracelet story line just yet.Talking of the bracelet it comes in handy whether its guiding Harry to safety in a jump from the prison roof or helping him rescue his daughter from drowning it really is special and mysterious,a real gem of a device.
I wasn't sure about this series to start with but it got better by the weeks and had one of the best lead characters in recent memory played by a supreme actor backed up by a very talented supporting cast with comic book style thrills and spills and this final episode of the first series showed off this the most and gave us one of the best TV finales in recent memory for me.Bring on series two next year.
After finally finding out who Golding is Harry meets the mysterious villain who of course is none other than the prison boss and new boyfriend of his estranged wife Anna Nikhail who of course doesn't care for her or her daughter and tells Harry to kill himself or he will kill his family.
Harry knows he has to escape prison and gets unlikely help from Tim Larson who shows him how to get out even though he may suffer himself when Golding's men find out.
Harry heads after Anna and daughter Daisy who wait for Nikhail(Golding)at his mansion but after showing his true colours to them he locks them in and waits for Harry's arrival after learning of his escape.
Now aware of Harry's innocence both his boss Winter and partner Suri race towards the location where Eve is also being held but can they all get out alive and stop Golding carrying out his evil plan and can Harry's bracelet save him and others when it truly matters the most.
Everything we have seen build up in previous episodes explodes here in a rip roaring series finale that has lots of twists,action packed scenes,brilliant acting,a real shock and cliffhanger type ending that sets up the recently announced second series perfectly.
James Nesbitt gives possibly the performance of his life in this hour as we follow his shock of meeting Golding,his prison escape,his brush with the law,his awesome punch up with Golding's main henchman and his desperate attempt to save his family before its too late.Nesbitt is known as a actor with a few quips ready to brighten things up but this hour shows his true talent at serious acting and he really is a thunderous leading man who whether he is beating up bad guys or escaping the attentions of crooked cop Orwell(Darren Boyd)we will him on till the end and hope he rescues his family in time.
After not really liking him early on Nikhail or is that Golding really turns into a top notch character who hams it up like all the best comic book bad guys and Sendhil Ramamurthy plays him with equal menace and cunning and the last few minutes especially show this is a real nasty guy wiling to kill anyone in any fashion to show it.
Others like Amara Karen as Suri,Steven Mackintosh as Winter,Eve Best as Anna and Boyd as slimy Orwell prove what a well put together cast this is and glad at last Suri and Winter finally see that Harry was telling the truth about Golding and what danger they are all in suddenly.
This was possibly the most action packed and gripping of the series whether its Harry making his escape through tunnels and the roof of the prison,his utterly brilliant punch up with henchman Collins,the tense standoff with Anna and Golding or the nail biting final ten minutes that had action,suspense and a shock I never seen coming as a major character is killed this was as good as any other thriller in either TV or film and because of the final scene it guarantees we haven't seen the last of Golding or the bracelet story line just yet.Talking of the bracelet it comes in handy whether its guiding Harry to safety in a jump from the prison roof or helping him rescue his daughter from drowning it really is special and mysterious,a real gem of a device.
I wasn't sure about this series to start with but it got better by the weeks and had one of the best lead characters in recent memory played by a supreme actor backed up by a very talented supporting cast with comic book style thrills and spills and this final episode of the first series showed off this the most and gave us one of the best TV finales in recent memory for me.Bring on series two next year.
The Punisher: Dirty Laundry
(2012)
By far the best The Punisher has been.
8 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
No matter the critics I am a big fan of both Punisher films from 2004 and 2008 especially Punisher:War Zone which is a extremely underrated comic book film that deserved more plaudits and better box office take.
I heard about this 10 minute short film a few years ago and at last got round to watching it and was simply blown away by a visually stunning,very violent,gory,well acted masterpiece that puts most full length movies to shame even The Punisher movies themselves.
Frank Castle(a ice cool Tom Jane reprising his 2004 role)who is another name for The Punisher is on his way to a laundromat to do his washing in a run down neighbourhood when he sees a nasty gang bothering a group of prostitutes but ignores it not wanting to get involved.
He then hears the gang leader raping one of the prostitutes and his anger begins to boil.When this same gang then try to mug a boy just trying to walk by Frank walks into a store over the road to buy some Jack Daniels but is still trying to mind his own business.
After a brief but memorable conversation with the store manager(a epic cameo from Ron Perlman)Frank exits the store with bottle in hand turns it upside down and smashes it over the heads of the gang members before beating the hell out of all of them until only Goldtooth(the leader)remains.
Frank then breaks both legs and the right arm of Goldtooth before pouring the whisky onto the now crippled bad guy and after asking him a question leaves a lighter by his broken body and returns to his washing.
Thinking he has got away with living Goldtooth sees the same prostitute he assaulted walk up to him and she picks up the lighter,after a brief think she lights it up and burns him in revenge whilst Frank walks back to his van with his laundry.
About to leave the young boy he rescued walks up to him saying he dropped his t shirt but Frank says he can keep it.The boy unfolds his new t shirt to see The Punisher symbol plastered over it.
Lets get this straight this plot is pretty basic because of the running time but that's the beauty of it.It roars straight into the plot and never looks back as each thing the gang does gets Frank more and more angry to the point of erupting like a volcano and when he does he unleashes hell like a man possessed.
Jane for me is the definitive Frank Castle and in this ten minutes he brings a stronger performance than ever before.He is a man just trying to do his washing in piece but trouble seems to follow him about and in the end he explodes like a raging inferno smashing skulls in with a bottle of whisky before taking guns and knives off the gang and giving them a beating they will never forget.He is like a spilt personality here as he is so calm and cool sat waiting for his laundry but his other side seethes under the surface as wrong doers are about to meet this ultimate bad ass.I really wish Marvel had kept Jane as the vigilante as just ten minutes shows how awesome he can be and this character can be in live action.Bring him into the MCU already,he would go up to Thanos,stare at him and the big bad would run like hell.
Apart from the beat down scene the most memorable scene had to be when Frank had a brief conversation with the store owner Big Mike played by another normally hard as nails actor Ron Perlman who goes against type to play a crippled and scared man who tells Frank about the time he tried to intervene in the gangs antics and was left crippled by them.He tells Frank someone needs to sort them out once and for all,its this wonderful chat that sets Castle on his way to bring The Punisher out to play.
This may only be ten minutes long but its crammed full of awesome moments and has some great imagery with light shining on areas to show what a nightmare neighbourhood this is that even just walking by can get you beat up or even killed with even the prostitutes frightened to look at the gang wrong fearing what they might do to them which of course happens.
In the space of about 2 minutes this short classic gives us a action scene that puts many feature films to shame with blood,guts and gore spewing everywhere as the gang realise this quiet looking chap is a stone cold man of justice who proceeds to beat the hell out of them and I wonder if the makers of The Walking Dead thought of Tom Jane as Negan as him swinging Lucille could of been glorious(he was the original choice for Rick)though Jeffrey Dean Morgan is awesome so that's OK.
Hopefully we will see Tom Jane play The Punisher again one day as this extraordinary short film was epic with a breathtaking and gory action scene where one man shows others who is boss,it had brilliant acting by Jane and Perlman and amazing visuals that show what nasty places there are about.A rip roaring tirade of vengeance.
I heard about this 10 minute short film a few years ago and at last got round to watching it and was simply blown away by a visually stunning,very violent,gory,well acted masterpiece that puts most full length movies to shame even The Punisher movies themselves.
Frank Castle(a ice cool Tom Jane reprising his 2004 role)who is another name for The Punisher is on his way to a laundromat to do his washing in a run down neighbourhood when he sees a nasty gang bothering a group of prostitutes but ignores it not wanting to get involved.
He then hears the gang leader raping one of the prostitutes and his anger begins to boil.When this same gang then try to mug a boy just trying to walk by Frank walks into a store over the road to buy some Jack Daniels but is still trying to mind his own business.
After a brief but memorable conversation with the store manager(a epic cameo from Ron Perlman)Frank exits the store with bottle in hand turns it upside down and smashes it over the heads of the gang members before beating the hell out of all of them until only Goldtooth(the leader)remains.
Frank then breaks both legs and the right arm of Goldtooth before pouring the whisky onto the now crippled bad guy and after asking him a question leaves a lighter by his broken body and returns to his washing.
Thinking he has got away with living Goldtooth sees the same prostitute he assaulted walk up to him and she picks up the lighter,after a brief think she lights it up and burns him in revenge whilst Frank walks back to his van with his laundry.
About to leave the young boy he rescued walks up to him saying he dropped his t shirt but Frank says he can keep it.The boy unfolds his new t shirt to see The Punisher symbol plastered over it.
Lets get this straight this plot is pretty basic because of the running time but that's the beauty of it.It roars straight into the plot and never looks back as each thing the gang does gets Frank more and more angry to the point of erupting like a volcano and when he does he unleashes hell like a man possessed.
Jane for me is the definitive Frank Castle and in this ten minutes he brings a stronger performance than ever before.He is a man just trying to do his washing in piece but trouble seems to follow him about and in the end he explodes like a raging inferno smashing skulls in with a bottle of whisky before taking guns and knives off the gang and giving them a beating they will never forget.He is like a spilt personality here as he is so calm and cool sat waiting for his laundry but his other side seethes under the surface as wrong doers are about to meet this ultimate bad ass.I really wish Marvel had kept Jane as the vigilante as just ten minutes shows how awesome he can be and this character can be in live action.Bring him into the MCU already,he would go up to Thanos,stare at him and the big bad would run like hell.
Apart from the beat down scene the most memorable scene had to be when Frank had a brief conversation with the store owner Big Mike played by another normally hard as nails actor Ron Perlman who goes against type to play a crippled and scared man who tells Frank about the time he tried to intervene in the gangs antics and was left crippled by them.He tells Frank someone needs to sort them out once and for all,its this wonderful chat that sets Castle on his way to bring The Punisher out to play.
This may only be ten minutes long but its crammed full of awesome moments and has some great imagery with light shining on areas to show what a nightmare neighbourhood this is that even just walking by can get you beat up or even killed with even the prostitutes frightened to look at the gang wrong fearing what they might do to them which of course happens.
In the space of about 2 minutes this short classic gives us a action scene that puts many feature films to shame with blood,guts and gore spewing everywhere as the gang realise this quiet looking chap is a stone cold man of justice who proceeds to beat the hell out of them and I wonder if the makers of The Walking Dead thought of Tom Jane as Negan as him swinging Lucille could of been glorious(he was the original choice for Rick)though Jeffrey Dean Morgan is awesome so that's OK.
Hopefully we will see Tom Jane play The Punisher again one day as this extraordinary short film was epic with a breathtaking and gory action scene where one man shows others who is boss,it had brilliant acting by Jane and Perlman and amazing visuals that show what nasty places there are about.A rip roaring tirade of vengeance.
Action packed thrill ride in Gotham.
7 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
After last weeks gripping episode we get a action thriller type instalment this time as Gordon's life is on the line plus two of Batman's greatest enemies join forces.
Tabitha Galavan meets a mysterious woman called The Lady to offer her money in exchange for killing Jim Gordon after her brother's arrest.
Whilst this happens Ed/Riddler teams up with Oswald/Penguin after discussions in Ed's flat lead to them both admitting they have both lost loved ones and are going to do something about it which of course for Penguin means killing Galavan for killing his mother and they torture a associate of Galavan's.We also see Bruce Wayne trying to find out more about Galavan and this includes being helped by Selina to get close to Galavan's niece Silver.
A hit-man attacks Gordon in the elevator that goes up to Galavan's penthouse and after a struggle Jim knocks him out but this is just the start as more hit men come for Gordon who with his Captain's help fend them all off in a blazing shootout but there is one left,known as Eduardo Flamingo this cannibal nut case waits for Jim outside(and kills some cops trying to help Gordon)and after a nasty punch up Jim gets him on the ground to arrest him.
Later on at the station Flamingo bites off the ear of a police officer who dies from her injuries later.Selina tells Bruce she has some proof about Silver whilst Galavan meets his sister in jail and tells her never to pull that trick again of trying to kill Gordon or he will kill her before finally the religious monks associates of Galavan arrive in Gotham led by Father Creel who kill a patrolmen and walk off.
This has to be one of the most awesome episodes of the show so far and not just for the epic sequences in Galavan's place but also the twists and turns involving the other characters.
Star performers this time are Ben McKenzie as Jim Gordon who has to go from action man to protector of his Captain and fellow officers back to action man all in one day.We also get to see a personal side to Barnes played by Michael Chiklis and his story of what he did as a soldier is very powerful stuff.Both Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor are exceptional as Ed/Riddler and Oswald/Penguin respectively who team up in style and as a Batman mega fan it was epic seeing two of his greatest foes pairing up.There is also a tense confrontation between Galavan(James Frain)and sister Tabitha(Jessica Lucas)in the prison where we see a real dark threatening side to the slimy charming character.
In terms of action and suspense this was crammed with it when Gordon first takes on the hit-man in the elevator in a gruelling smack down before a fantastic shootout takes place in Galavan's penthouse before Jim faces off with cannibal assassin Flamingo who after getting a bit of a kicking gets the upper hand and arrests the nut case but he wins overall when he kills the officer involved in the shootout earlier by biting off her ear in the station and this scene had a hint of classic movie Se7en about it.The episode ends in a great fashion too as the mysterious monks to do with Galavan headed by Father Creel(Ron Rifkin)arrive in Gotham,kill a patrolman and walk off into Gotham.
This outstanding episode had all the hallmarks of the best action thrillers like Heat and The Town plus some superb performances by both McKenzie and Chiklis,Riddler and Penguin double team,a epic couple of action scenes(shootout and both fights)and a gruesome finale,loved it.
Tabitha Galavan meets a mysterious woman called The Lady to offer her money in exchange for killing Jim Gordon after her brother's arrest.
Whilst this happens Ed/Riddler teams up with Oswald/Penguin after discussions in Ed's flat lead to them both admitting they have both lost loved ones and are going to do something about it which of course for Penguin means killing Galavan for killing his mother and they torture a associate of Galavan's.We also see Bruce Wayne trying to find out more about Galavan and this includes being helped by Selina to get close to Galavan's niece Silver.
A hit-man attacks Gordon in the elevator that goes up to Galavan's penthouse and after a struggle Jim knocks him out but this is just the start as more hit men come for Gordon who with his Captain's help fend them all off in a blazing shootout but there is one left,known as Eduardo Flamingo this cannibal nut case waits for Jim outside(and kills some cops trying to help Gordon)and after a nasty punch up Jim gets him on the ground to arrest him.
Later on at the station Flamingo bites off the ear of a police officer who dies from her injuries later.Selina tells Bruce she has some proof about Silver whilst Galavan meets his sister in jail and tells her never to pull that trick again of trying to kill Gordon or he will kill her before finally the religious monks associates of Galavan arrive in Gotham led by Father Creel who kill a patrolmen and walk off.
This has to be one of the most awesome episodes of the show so far and not just for the epic sequences in Galavan's place but also the twists and turns involving the other characters.
Star performers this time are Ben McKenzie as Jim Gordon who has to go from action man to protector of his Captain and fellow officers back to action man all in one day.We also get to see a personal side to Barnes played by Michael Chiklis and his story of what he did as a soldier is very powerful stuff.Both Cory Michael Smith and Robin Lord Taylor are exceptional as Ed/Riddler and Oswald/Penguin respectively who team up in style and as a Batman mega fan it was epic seeing two of his greatest foes pairing up.There is also a tense confrontation between Galavan(James Frain)and sister Tabitha(Jessica Lucas)in the prison where we see a real dark threatening side to the slimy charming character.
In terms of action and suspense this was crammed with it when Gordon first takes on the hit-man in the elevator in a gruelling smack down before a fantastic shootout takes place in Galavan's penthouse before Jim faces off with cannibal assassin Flamingo who after getting a bit of a kicking gets the upper hand and arrests the nut case but he wins overall when he kills the officer involved in the shootout earlier by biting off her ear in the station and this scene had a hint of classic movie Se7en about it.The episode ends in a great fashion too as the mysterious monks to do with Galavan headed by Father Creel(Ron Rifkin)arrive in Gotham,kill a patrolman and walk off into Gotham.
This outstanding episode had all the hallmarks of the best action thrillers like Heat and The Town plus some superb performances by both McKenzie and Chiklis,Riddler and Penguin double team,a epic couple of action scenes(shootout and both fights)and a gruesome finale,loved it.
Silly maybe but very engrossing episode of Gotham.
7 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not a huge fan of Barbara played by Erin Richards but she plays her part here in another thrilling episode which though silly and daft in places is corking towards the finale.
After falling for a trap by Barbara Jim Gordon fins himself and Leslie held at gunpoint by a deranged Barbara in the church he and Barbara were going to marry in before he met Leslie.
Whilst this goes on Galavan tries to persuade Bruce Wayne to hand over his company Wayne Enterprises to him in exchange for details on the person who killed Bruce's parents.We also see Ed Nygma try and bury Miss Kringle's body in the woods but he is interrupted by a hunter so kills him too,just after he finds a very injured Cobblepot in a cabin.
After a heated exchange Gordon gets the gun off Barbara but she manages to escape upstairs after Galavan's sister Tabitha turns up with others and tries to kill Jim but he shoots them and injures Tabitha before a confrontation in the church's upper floor with Barbara that ends with Barbara falling out the window and is badly hurt.
We see afterwards Jim arrest Galavan for his part in the abduction of the Mayor,this is just after Bruce declines Galavan's offer for his company but he still doesn't know who killed his parents.
As I said before I have never been much of a Barbara fan but I must admit she was on true psycho mode in this episode but as it went on you started to feel slightly sympathetic towards her especially in the final moments(a lot more than before)and Richards plays her beautifully and it won't be the last we see of her.
Other great performers were Ben McKenzie as Gordon(torn between two beautiful ladies),Donal Logue as his loyal partner Bullock,Morena Baccarin as Leslie,Cory Michael Smith as Nygma becoming The Riddler and as always Sean Pertwee as Gotham's funniest butler Alfred.
As an episode it was thrilling and often gripping even if you look past the stupid mistake the police make in falling for Barbara's obvious trap but the afterwards showdown in the church is one of the shows best sequences yet to me that is both exciting and quite funny in places before a corking shootout leads to a final confrontation between Gordon and his jealous psycho ex.Other good moments include Ed trying to bury his dead girlfriend and then the hunter he has to kill('what do I do with you' is something I think he said)and the meetings between Bruce and Galavan which show the true manipulative ways of the bad guy trying to take Bruce's life away from him bit by bit.
Look past the daft trick the cops fell for and you have a gripping and thoroughly enjoyable episode with Barbara on psycho form,Ed truly becoming his alter ego,action packed finale and the slimy Galavan brought down at last(for now at least).
After falling for a trap by Barbara Jim Gordon fins himself and Leslie held at gunpoint by a deranged Barbara in the church he and Barbara were going to marry in before he met Leslie.
Whilst this goes on Galavan tries to persuade Bruce Wayne to hand over his company Wayne Enterprises to him in exchange for details on the person who killed Bruce's parents.We also see Ed Nygma try and bury Miss Kringle's body in the woods but he is interrupted by a hunter so kills him too,just after he finds a very injured Cobblepot in a cabin.
After a heated exchange Gordon gets the gun off Barbara but she manages to escape upstairs after Galavan's sister Tabitha turns up with others and tries to kill Jim but he shoots them and injures Tabitha before a confrontation in the church's upper floor with Barbara that ends with Barbara falling out the window and is badly hurt.
We see afterwards Jim arrest Galavan for his part in the abduction of the Mayor,this is just after Bruce declines Galavan's offer for his company but he still doesn't know who killed his parents.
As I said before I have never been much of a Barbara fan but I must admit she was on true psycho mode in this episode but as it went on you started to feel slightly sympathetic towards her especially in the final moments(a lot more than before)and Richards plays her beautifully and it won't be the last we see of her.
Other great performers were Ben McKenzie as Gordon(torn between two beautiful ladies),Donal Logue as his loyal partner Bullock,Morena Baccarin as Leslie,Cory Michael Smith as Nygma becoming The Riddler and as always Sean Pertwee as Gotham's funniest butler Alfred.
As an episode it was thrilling and often gripping even if you look past the stupid mistake the police make in falling for Barbara's obvious trap but the afterwards showdown in the church is one of the shows best sequences yet to me that is both exciting and quite funny in places before a corking shootout leads to a final confrontation between Gordon and his jealous psycho ex.Other good moments include Ed trying to bury his dead girlfriend and then the hunter he has to kill('what do I do with you' is something I think he said)and the meetings between Bruce and Galavan which show the true manipulative ways of the bad guy trying to take Bruce's life away from him bit by bit.
Look past the daft trick the cops fell for and you have a gripping and thoroughly enjoyable episode with Barbara on psycho form,Ed truly becoming his alter ego,action packed finale and the slimy Galavan brought down at last(for now at least).
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