theVade Reviews

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner 2049 did to Blade Runner, what Rogue One did to A New Hope.

[10/10 · 8 October 2017]

Blade Runner 2049 is not only one of the best Sci-Fi films to date, but has instantly become one of my favorite films of all time. It is first a piece of art before being a means of revenue, and was the best and only approach to the classic film that anyone could have asked for. It not only answers dying questions but presents news ones, and is a great addition to the beautiful landscape of the Sci-Fi genre as probably one of the best films that the genre has ever seen. The acting is superb, the visuals are to die for, and the story is unforgettable. Sure some might argue that the pacing of the film is slow at times and some characters are left underdeveloped, but Blade Runner 2049's negatives come with their trade offs. Both Zimmer and Wallfisch bring back Vangelis' iconic score in a new and creative way, and Villeneuve has solidified himself as one of the greatest directors of our time. In the end I decided to give Blade Runner 2049 the highest rating I could possibly give it, as it won itself The Golden V as well as "Straight V's" on theVade Review Bar or a 10 out of 10. And with all that being said, my closing thoughts on Blade Runner 2049 are ironically the same as to what the film is meant to represent. It is a replicant that is more human, more masterful, and more beautiful than its original will ever be.

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Mother! (2017)

An allegorical film which will be either loved or hated.

[7/10 · 5 October 2017]

Overall, mother! was an interesting film which will be either loved or hated by members of the audience. The ones that love it will understand the message that Aronofsky was trying to paint, while the ones that hate it will be mindless fools who went in with the intention of it being another stupid horror film. Luckily I had a small bit of knowledge going into the film so I was able to understand the picture pretty well. While others might not have the same luck, it's really not hard to catch on by the third act. In the end mother! was a truly unique film that featured a beautiful hidden message, and won itself a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 7 out of 10. Aronofsky's allegorical film is another one of those movies that will leave the intelligent dumbfounded, and the dumb invoked with more questions than answers.

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Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

The Golden Circle is still a sequel shadowed by its beloved predecessor.

[7/10 · 30 September 2017]

Although it seems like I beat the crap out of this film, I honestly enjoyed it. Sure it had its issues and mistakes, but if you go into it knowing that it might not be a good as the first film, then you'll end up having a great time. Yes the antagonist is poor, the opening exposition is rushed, and a lot of characters are just thrown into the background, but even with that Kingsman: The Golden Circle is still a pretty good time to be had. Contrary to popular belief, I really enjoy Vaughn's unique style of directing, and although some might find it immersion breaking, I think it's a great way to help differentiate the Kingsman series from other films within the genre. Egerton was great again as Eggsy, and both Strong and (surprisingly) Berry provided some great performances and character depth. Although critics might disagree with me on this one, I decided to give Kingsman: The Golden Circle a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 7 out of 10. But with all that being said, The Golden Circle is still a sequel shadowed by its beloved predecessor. It's not a film to break the sequel curse, but it does do a pretty damn good job at trying to.

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American Assassin (2017)

By no means a great action movie, but not horrible either.

[5/10 · 22 September 2017]

Sure American Assassin isn't a great film, it's barely a good one even at that, but for all the hate that it's been getting.. eh, maybe it wasn't that bad. Dylan O'Brien and Michael Keaton did a great job, and although the film features a pretty mediocre story with decent action sequences, it still had some issues with immersion breaking CGI, and pretty awful pacing. Although I've seen plenty of better films, American Assassin still pulled out with an "Alright" on theVade Review Bar or a 5 out of 10. It is by no means a great action movie, but I will say it was a hell of a lot better than the last movie I reviewed with Assassin (Assassin's Creed) in the title..

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It (I) (2017)

One of the greatest horror films that I think the genre has ever seen.

[10/10 · 13 September 2017]

Other than some really really minor issues I had with the film, It ultimately provided audiences with one of the greatest horror films that I think the genre has ever seen. The fantastic cast, characters, scares, and tone leaves this as one of my all time favorite movies, and a film I will have no problem watching in the years to come. Because of It's fantastic direction in its story, acting, and execution, I have decided to give It The Golden V as it also receives "Straight V's" on theVade Review Bar or a 10 out of 10. Chapter Two cannot come any faster, as it has me counting down the days until 2019, but until then I will just have to continue reviewing horror films with the constant line of, "Still not as good as It."

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Logan Lucky (2017)

The Logan curse (sorta) continues from family to film.

[5/10 · 25 August 2017]

As sad as it is, this movie is pretty decent but its few flaws make this movie lose a lot of value in the long run. Although I thought this film had some merit to it, it's honestly one of those films that's worth watching when it comes around to basic television. Although Logan Lucky has a decent story and good acting, it pacing struggles to provided a memorable ending like that of Ocean's Eleven and other movies alike. With all that in mind I decided to give Logan Lucky an "Alright" on theVade Review Bar or a 5 out of 10. The Logan curse continues from family to film, as the unlucky issues of pacing, drawn out endings, and spoiled comedic content make this a film that will have you wishing you could steal back your money and time.

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Detroit (2017)

A little unworthy of the big screen.

[7/10 · 16 August 2017]

Although this was a great film with some minor flaws in its pacing and exposition, it still provided some incredibly tense moments and some great acting. There are of course some times where you begin to ask yourself how much is fiction and if that could truly happen, but then again this was a completely different world that these people lived in 50 years ago. In the end I decided to give Detroit a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 7 out of 10. Although this is a story that everyone should know and remember, it's a story that only takes a half hour to tell, which is a little unworthy of the big screen.

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The Dark Tower (2017)

Another (mediocre) attempt at taking a novelized series and trying to paint it on the big screen.

[5/10 · 6 August 2017]

The major disappointment with this film was that The Dark Tower is just plain boring. Never enough information for us to care about the protagonist, and too little attention to detail for us to connect with him either. The Dark Tower features some of the worst editing in a film I have ever reviewed, and its visuals are just mediocre apart from a couple of scenes. Idris Elba is the saving grace to this film through both his performance and character, and McConaughey brings some effort to the table as well. There really isn't much more to talk about when it comes to The Dark Tower as it is just another attempt at taking a novelized series and trying to paint it on the big screen. In the end it turns out to be another boring and forgettable film, as its lack of detail and emotion kills any form of enjoyment from this movie. Although I've been pretty harsh on this film, I decided to give The Dark Tower an "Alright" on theVade Review Bar or a 5 out of 10. Elba really does give his all to keep this tower standing, but in the end there is nothing going to stop this spire from crumbling all the way to the ground.

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Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

2 hours and 17 minutes of a thousand, "Never agains."

[3/10 · 1 August 2017]

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets was an absolute mess of a film, and provided another mediocre movie experience. Sure the first 30 minutes where joyous to watch, but that's all that I recommend that you see when it comes to this film. The rest is a boring mess that will have you wanting to leave the theater before the climax, and if you make it to the climax you will have already put the pieces together way before the film wanted you to. With conclusion time approaching, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets won itself a "Bad" on theVade Review Bar or a 3 out of 10. Another boring film, and another 2 hours and 17 minutes of a thousand, "Never agains."

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Dunkirk (2017)

A story that many of us have forgotten in the form of a movie that none of us will ever forget.

[10/10 · 23 July 2017]

Dunkirk was one of the best films of the year, if not the decade. Its unique way of storytelling and emotional score provided one of the best films that Nolan has directed to date, and is an amazing masterpiece in modern film. Although its unique way of storytelling might turn some people away, it left me with my jaw on the ground and tears in my eyes. Nolan's direction in visuals have progressed beyond that of Interstellar, and proved to be one of the most visually stunning pieces of film in a long time. With all that in mind, I had the easy task of rating this film, which won itself The Golden V, as Dunkirk received "Straight V's" on theVade Review Bar or a 10 out of 10. Nolan continues his streak of memorable films by providing us with a story that many of us have forgotten in the form of a movie that none of us will ever forget.

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War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

A solid film in a fantastic trilogy.

[7/10 · 17 July 2017]

War for the Planet of the Apes was a good film that provided some of the best CGI I have ever seen, and some of the best characters out of any series. Although it is a great addition to the already great series, it is probably my least favorite movie out of the three as its long runtime, weird pacing, and mediocre villain aren't as memorable as the ones that came before it. I decided to give War for the Planet of the Apes a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 7 out of 10, as it is a solid film in a fantastic trilogy. Although this is a movie titled "War" it features very little of it, and its marketing is very deceptive, but what it makes up for in references, characters, and CGI is worth the watch, and worth the wait for a future Planet of the Apes remake.

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Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Disappointed by this highly anticipated film.

[5/10 · 11 July 2017]

The film was just alright as it never blew me away nor left me wanting to leave the theater. John C. Reilly had some pretty good moments, and both him and Samuel L. Jackson stole the show when it came to any sort of character development, but isn't that wrong that I care more about the human characters than Kong himself? None of the cast is even remotely important, and like I said above, most (if not all) the characters were used as expendable exposition. Sure the end came with some awesome fight scenes and decent art style, but what is a movie named Kong without the King himself having a bigger role than the expendable humans? In the end I decided to give Kong: Skull Island an "Alright" on theVade Review Bar or a 5 out of 10. Yes, I was disappointed by this highly anticipated film, but the creative team should feel even worse when the best part of this film was a post credit scene dedicated to the cooler older brother in the newly extended monsterverse.

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Logan (2017)

One of those movies that I feel will age better with time.

[7/10 · 11 July 2017]

Logan was a good time and definitely worth the price of a ticket to see it. Keen's character is fantastic, and both Jackman and Stewart were great while their characters weren't as fleshed out. The western tone gave the movie a distinct feeling, unlike any other superhero film, but gets boring in the lack of set pieces. The finale takes chances that are unexpected from these types of production companies, and really brings out a lot of emotions that one might not expect to feel when walking into this movie. In the end I decided to give Logan a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 7 out of 10. Although it's a little higher than I wanted to give it, this is one of those movies that I feel will age better with time, ironically the opposite of Logan's character in Logan.

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Get Out (I) (2017)

There really isn't much to complain when it comes to Jordan Peele's first film.

[9/10 · 11 July 2017]

Get Out is a fantastic film, and a hit for audiences around the world. The acting is great, the story is great, the pacing is fantastic, and the movie looks fantastic. There really isn't much to complain when it comes to Jordan Peele's first film. So to go with all of my praise, I decided to give Get Out a "Very Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 9 out of 10. I can't wait to see what will come next.. possibly a film called Come In? Who knows?

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A Cure for Wellness (2016)

Just another bust at the box office.

[3/10 · 11 July 2017]

There really isn't much I can say about this film other than it being pretty bad, and extremely confusing. I spent most of the time trying to figure out what the hell was going on with the person I went with. And even she fell asleep during the film. So in the end I decided to give A Cure for Wellness a "Bad" on theVade Review Bar or a 3 out of 10. Its sub- par acting, boring pacing, and decent overall story and great cinematography make up for just another bust at the box office.

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The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Grab The Kragle, cause this film is crumbling brick by LEGO brick.

[5/10 · 11 July 2017]

I walked out of The LEGO Batman Movie more confused as to what I was going to give it than any other movie I've reviewed before. Sure the acting, comedy, and animation were fantastic, but that still doesn't make up for its horrible pacing and lack of a real villain. With a cold heart I decided to stay with my gut and award The LEGO Batman Movie an "Alright" on theVade Review Bar or a 5 out of 10. Yes I might have been a little too harsh on this film, but when animated films like WALL-E can blow me away, I won't let films like these slide. So grab The Kragle, cause this film is crumbling brick by LEGO brick.

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Split (IX) (2016)

I will say I am impressed with Shyamalan's first real hit in over 15 years.

[7/10 · 11 July 2017]

Split was a pretty good film. Although Shyamalan holds a special place in Hell for what he did with The Last Airbender, I will say I am impressed with his first real hit in over 15 years. In the end, I decided to give Split a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 7 out of 10. The film had great acting (for the most part) and had a great story, but its anticlimactic ending and horrible supporting characters really bogged this film down. Hopefully the sequel to the film won't have me too split on its rating the next time around.

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The Circle (I) (2017)

Failed by the thing it was most scared of.. "Unfulfilled potential."

[3/10 · 11 July 2017]

This film was an absolute mess and a complete let down of a movie. The acting by Emma Watson was.. confusing to say the least, and the repercussions of the fictional technology seemed unrealistic and just plain ridiculous. Sure Hanks, Boyega, Oswalt, Headly, and Paxton did a decent job acting, but that was all that really helped add any meat to this dead elephant of a film. The attention to detail in some scenes, and set design was something I found pretty enjoyable, but when you pay more attention to the world of the film more than the story of the film you know the writing behind this movie has failed.. and failed hard. In the end I decided to give The Circle a "Bad" on theVade Review Bar or a 3 out of 10. I really wish this would have been a good movie. It had all the potential to be a stellar 'out of the blue' type of film, but it ultimately failed by the thing it was most scared of.. "Unfulfilled potential."

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Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

The Spider-Man movie audiences deserved, and the MCU needed.

[9/10 · 11 July 2017]

Spider-Man: Homecoming was the Spider-Man movie audiences deserved, and the MCU needed. It is a refreshing take on the iconic character that audiences have grown so fond of, and is so elegantly executed in every aspect of the film. Tom Holland is Spider-Man, and the best on screen adaptation of the character to date, and his enthusiasm for the character can be see throughout his performance. Michael Keaton was a fantastic villain, and one of the best the MCU has seen, as he is humanized to the point where the audience both fears and understands him. The writing in this film is fantastic, the characters are phenomenal, and Spider-Man: Homecoming is one of (if not) the best MCU films to date. Spider-Man: Homecoming won itself a "Very Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 9 out of 10, and will stand as the new standard for MCU films.. lets just hope Sony doesn't screw this one up.

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Baby Driver (2017)

A movie that will have you racing to the theater time and time again.

[9/10 · 11 July 2017]

Baby Driver was a beautiful classic in today's day in age, and features a great set of characters, a great cast, a great story, an beautiful visuals all to the sound of an incredibly memorable soundtrack. With that I gave Baby Driver a "Very Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 9 out of 10, as it has to be one of the best films I've seen all year. This has to be Edgar Wright's best film, and is a movie that will have you racing to the theater time and time again.

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Cars 3 (2017)

In 2017, this film series has finally run out of gas. And the bad news is.. that's a good thing.

[5/10 · 11 July 2017]

Cars 3 is a predictable, anticlimactic, decently acted, and full of small continuity errors film, yet it still features some of the best visuals in animation to date. Although this film was still enjoyable at times, I never really connected to the characters like I did in the original film over ten years ago. Sure this film was good enough for young kids, but to me it wasn't, and I decided to give Cars 3 an "Alright" on theVade Review Bar or a 5 out of 10. Sadly the Cars franchise had such great promise when it originally took to the road back in 2006. Now in 2017, this film series has finally run out of gas. And the bad news is.. that's a good thing.

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It Comes at Night (2017)

Another one of those films that most people will let slip by.

[9/10 · 11 July 2017]

Although this turned out to be another one of my favorite films this year, this also proved to be another one of those films that most people will let slip by. In the end It Comes at Night was a fantastic thriller that featured a great cast, an original story, beautiful cinematics, and a thought provoking ending that will leave people searching for answers in any way that they can find. So with that in mind, I decided to give It Comes at Night a "Very Good" on theVade Review Bar or a 9 out of 10. This is a film that doesn't come at night, but out of the blue, and will never let you know what It is truly about.

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Wonder Woman (2017)

A great change in pace for the DC Extended Universe.

[7/10 · 11 July 2017]

It was a good film, and a great change in pace for the DC Extended Universe, and I hope to see Snyder learn from this film with Justice League later this year. Wonder Woman featured a stellar cast, a fantastic lead, a great origin story, and beautiful score, but still suffered from some minor writing issues, and was a little too reliant on its CGI. Gal Gadot nails her role, yet again, and won herself a "Good" on theVade Review Bar or 7 out of 10 for Wonder Woman. Although this is the film the DCEU needed, I look forward to November with the Justice League since that's the film that we deserve.

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47 Meters Down (2017)

It's one that you'd rather be mauled by sharks over and over again than watch, and that's if the continuity doesn't kill you before then.

[1/10 · 11 July 2017]

47 Meters Down was indeed one of the worst movies I have seen in recent time. It features some of the worst continuity, characters, acting, and writing that I can recall, and was ultimately a great concept torn apart by the sharks that are represented by the issues I listed above. 47 Meters Down ultimately got a "Very Bad" on theVade Review Bar or a 1 out of 10, which is a first here on theVade. Skip this one folks, as it is one that you'd rather be mauled by sharks over and over again than watch, and that's if the continuity doesn't kill you before then.

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Baywatch (2017)

It is a forgettable mess that I would much rather get a sunburn over than see again.

[3/10 · 11 July 2017]

Honestly, it's bad, but it still wasn't the worst film I have ever seen. Its acting is terrible (except the two I mentioned above), its characters are horrible, its writing is really bad, the villain is more annoying than menacing, and the jokes that it presents throughout the film are either okay or never cause a single chuckle. In the end I decided to give Baywatch a "Bad" on theVade Review Bar or a 3 out of 10. It is a forgettable mess that I would much rather get a sunburn over than see again.

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