george.schmidt

WEREWOLVES (2024) * Frank Grillo, Kartina Law, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kamdynn Gary, James Michael Cummings, Lydia Stylsinger, James Kyson. Lackluster lycanthropic auctioner that comes across as a PURGE-like plot-line - after a year's anniversary of a super moon's global occurrence which turned billions of people into werewolves the eve of the event returns with Grillo and Law as CDC scientists attempting to save the world. Fairly terrible in every aspect - weak screenplay, inept direction, overwrought musical score - albeit a decent mix of CGI and practical f/x for the fearsome monsters with nary but 2 cool kills. The so many loose ends and outrageous overlooks makes for a very tedious journey into boredom. Vastly disappointing.

GLADIATOR II (2024) *** Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah, Matt Lucas, Alexander Karim, Yuval Gonen. Filmmaker Ridley Scott returns to Ancient Rome to continue the saga of Lucius (Mescal), who is forced into battles as the empire continues its stranglehold on its populace. While it is nearly a carbon copy of its original with far-too-many-paralells (betrayal and redemption) the film's merits are that it feels fully lived in thanks to its continuing amazing production values. Washington has a field day as a snake-in-the-grass mover and shaker and while Mescal manages to channel Russell Crowe's earthy growl and glare he comes across a bit flat and uninspired.

HERETIC (2024) *** Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace. Filmmakers Scott Beck & Bryan Woods deliver a creepy and surprisingly insightful & thoughtful horror film about faith, organized religion and ultimately free will when a pair of Mormon girls (Thatcher and East) find themselves in the minotaur's labyrinth when they encounter a supremely sinister would-be-converter (Grant giving a brilliantly eerie turn) whose devious game of chance becomes a battle of wits to the death. A few surprises and well-conceived dialogues make up for the final acts rather rushed effort to conclude overall making a unique offering into a slight shoulder shrug of 'ok, then'.