Al_Toro Reviews

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

Overall I hoped for much more

[6/10 · 6 December 2010]

Before I start my review, I'd like to tell you that I'm big fan of Frank Darabont, especially for Shawshank, Green Mile and The Mist. I am also very fond of zombies - both movies and gaming.

Still, I didn't like the movie and not because it is not "typical" zombie movie. Why:

• the acting skill varies from mediocre to offensively poor

• the drama in the movie is too much; I agree that this is not a bad thing by itself, but it is very poor made - I couldn't feel a thing while watching the drama moments, such as loss of sister, family reunion and leaving friend behind

• there is nothing original in the film and the clichés are badly done; for example the scene with blending in with the zombies is terrible

• the characters behaviour is amazingly terrible - most of their decissions are plane stupid; the survivors camp is in the middle of the forest for Christ sake, dozen zombies come unnoticed IN their camp and they are arguing for each and every thing in chaotic manner; how did these guys survive even before the zombies? This is just one example, I can give 100 of those; and what was that with the Mexican gang, is this 80's action movie? Those guys survived, because they "baricated the windows" but the army... hmmm they couldn't... It's just lame. Also the characters are at one time protecting themselves from zombie blood, another time literary putting it in their mouths; and blood almost NEVER splatters on them...

• there are some series with no zombies at all; that would be OK if there was something interesting in them

Your call... I think the movie is weak and very overrated because of the word "zombies".

Hellsing (2001–2002)

My favorite anime by far

[10/10 · 16 November 2010]

I find Hellsing to be by far the best anime I've watched, not because of the story or art, but because of the characters. Just put together Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing, Alucard, father Alexander Andersong and other secondary characters like Jan Valentine. It's f****** awesome dudes, they rock too much.

The other thing, that seemed overlooked in most reviews - the OST. This is by far the best OST I've ever heard, I listen it 8 years now, each and every song and not a hint of being fed up of it. Pure brilliant.

In the end, it could have been better, in drawing, in story, etc... Still its genius is to overwhelming to get something different than 10/10 from me

I've watched the OVA also, it lacks the strength of the original and the weebo Seras Victoria scenes... it's just tooooo much for me

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

How can you say it is underrated?

[7/10 · 12 February 2007]

First, the combat choreography is not anything special - the massive battle is weak, the battles of Diesel vs some bonus troops is also nothing special (you can check out Banleau 13 for example to see what a battle should look like; or compare it to matrix... Riddick isn't anything special)

Story - almost none, but this is not a weak point, we don't expect one here BUT, how can they copy the evil guys so much from the Starwars Sith. They have almost the same code, ideas, hierarchy !

Yep, if you are amazed how Vin Diesel speaks his heavy lines with his bass voice and this is what satisfies you in a movie, you can give this one 9 or 10. Otherwise I see nothing so great and find vote higher than 6-7 very overrating

Night Skies (2007)

Bad characters, nothing original

[3/10 · 16 January 2007]

Don't thing there are spoilers in, but if you are very pedantic, there might be something mentioned, very little and that will not affect the inhuman joy of watching the movie. But however :

SPOILERS !!!11!

The characters reactions are very unnatural. It must be some kind of rare combination between terrible directing and bad acting to achieve it. Every scary-wannabe element in it is such a cliché, we laughed during the whole movie - you just know what will happen. It is not interesting, nor scary, nor it has any sense in it. When one of the guys went in the forest in the middle of nowhere (without even checking if she is back in the RV with the others, where she was of course) screaming the name of his girlfriend, looking for her, it was impossible not to remind me for the Pablo Francisco jokes about dumb horror movies : "Anybody home?" A man is obviously entering a house. Scary killer's music (in this movie it was the dumb scary creatures' sound ala Grudge) "Billy?" the scary sounds again "I'm gonna get naked and take a shower" They are so easy to kill you can strangle them with a wireless phone

All together, the movie sucks. Don't watch it. Go to youtube and watch some Pablo Francisco instead ;)

House of Wax (2005)

Who voted that high and especially 10 for this movie anyway?

[3/10 · 27 November 2005]

MAY SAY SPOILER INSIDE. Not pretty much though, don't think that the good part of this movie can be spoiled by knowing something of the story line.

Two nice things inside - some bloody moments and Paris Hilton's ass. And two jokes. Very stupid movie. More brainless than Texas Chainsaw Massacre, otherwise pretty much the same. Did the director tried to explain how didn't the cops try to search this city... there were about 30-50 dead bodies there. And the main characters did not feel pain at all. Are they immortal or senseless??? Not scary at all. No suspense. No horror. Nothing clever in the story, just another family of maniacs. No mystery.

Whatever... Don't watch it