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Atlas (2024)
More of a Sci-fi psychological drama
Depending on your interest level of sci-fi and drama, you may or may not enjoy this movie. Of course, there's no shortage of impressive and elegant CGI considering the genre but this movie takes a different plot path, relative to the now-predictable "AI-becomes-sentient-and-quickly-obliterates-mankind" plots like you see in the Terminator and Matrix franchises. They take a different direction of how AI becomes sentient and its actions condemning mankind in this movie.
Some have said Jennifer Lopez was incorrectly cast but she's no stranger to drama roles considering she's played similar psychologically-conflicted characters like in The Cell (2000), Enough (2002), and The Mother (2023).
I wouldn't put this movie on the same sci-fi caliber as Aliens, Terminator or Blade Runner but at the very least, this movie is worth a watch if you're bored on a Tuesday night.
The 355 (2022)
Honestly Not Bad At All
If you can get past the Ocean's Eleven and Jason Bourne comparison, this movie isn't half bad. Yes, it's an all-female cast set against a typical international espionage plot but it goes beyond the clichéd "femme fatale" image when things actually get serious midway through the movie. Yes, many of the parts are predictable and you already get an idea of who is playing for which side but there is lots of intrigue as things begin to unravel when you least expect it.
I like the idea of female espionage operatives working together (you don't see that a lot). Also with the exception of one main character, these women are not female operatives who kick ass. They're operatives who kick ass that happen to be female. I'm also not aware of many spy movies where the main team of heroes each represents their respective country and clandestine organization. I'm also impressed with how they added authenticity as operatives (e.g. Diane Kruger speaking in both fluent French and German).
They do show realism as you see character flaws, raw emotion, and visceral reactions to situations that many of us would easily crack under the pressure and duress. The action and fight choreography scenes are decent so don't expect dramatic Krav Maga or Jeet Kune Do one-on-one fights as the main focus of the movie is not trying to back track to figure out who the main bad guy is at the top of the food chain. This movie is worth a watch if you're looking for an espionage thriller that takes a different direction.
Red Notice (2021)
Ocean's Eleven and National Treasure Meet at the Temple of Doom!
If Danny Ocean, Indiana Jones, and Ben Gates all walked into an establishment, this movie would be the plan written on their bar napkin. Unsurprisingly, you see Gal Gadot's WW assertiveness, The Rock muscling his way around, and Ryan Reynolds doing his signature Deadpool comedic lines during this entire movie.
There is no shortage of plot twists so be prepared to become lost on why some things happen the way they do. One issue I have is Interpol being so naive and borderline bumbling that it's hard to take them seriously in their apprehension efforts. Also to be honest, the originality of this film involves subtle references and mimicking of several existing franchises (ahem, like the ones mentioned up top). The plot structure is linear and predictable in terms of which way to go next and it feels like hiring three A-list actors to sell this movie is what makes up for said linear plot structure.
However, this movie is watchable with gorgeous international scenery, fast-paced action, and lots of humor. The interesting part is that I did not see one person die, nor did any character shoot a henchman or security guard with a firearm which leads me to believe this is a family-friendly film. Don't bother with reason, just watch it and enjoy!
Run Hide Fight (2020)
No it's Not Die Hard in School
I get that people keep comparing this to a Die Hard rip off but here's why it's not. First, there's no ransom or heist attempt (very different from a school shooting). Second, the actors are teens. You can't honestly expect John McTiernan-caliber Die Hard action and Oscar-level performance from a movie that features high school kids (of course there is cheesy, awkward, and clichéd dialogue). Don't get me wrong, the actors (especially the lead protagonist) do a fantastic job of portraying trauma and giving you an inside look into real-life situations such as Columbine. Third, this is Daily Wire's first attempt at movie-making so I didn't get a vibe they were going for a cinematic home run.
As many other reviewers have pointed out, politics was not a theme in this movie. However, I found it interesting they mentioned several issues such as bullying and how law enforcement protocol can be easily exploited. Just like in Columbine, law enforcement spent too much time waiting outside before going in and it was odd there wasn't more effort to communicate between students, parents, & law enforcement about the situation (e.g. How many shooters, what types of weapons they're using, location, etc.) considering the abundant use of smartphones today.
Overall, this was a good movie that makes you think about life, how we treat each other, and the importance of communication between children, parents, and teachers.
Breach (2020)
Oh sweet baby jeebus...
Well here we are in 2021 and it's puzzling how we're still being subjected to CGI, weapon props & redressed TV show hallways from the 1990's (I've seen better special effects on YouTube videos). This movie takes place over 200 years into the future...and yet we're still using gunpowder, AR-15 rifles, and flamethrowers that look like tactical super soaker water guns. Not sure if they blew whatever budget they had on getting permission to use the Halo warthog gun turret sound effect but the other comical part is these "futuristic" guns utilize 50-round drum magazines, yet zero shell casings come out and the AR-15 bolt dust covers remain closed when they're fired.
I've seen B-movies where one A-list star carried the movie in order to improve viewership as well as acquaint the audience with a no-name supporting cast. However, there are plenty of familiar faces in this movie (along with discount space John McClane) so I'm not sure how they duped...err I mean convinced them as well as signing Bruce Willis.
I'm not going to beat a dead horse so I'll leave the other problems with this movie to my fellow reviewers who share my opinion and we all agree, that's 90 minutes we'll never get back.
The Tomorrow War (2021)
The Only Good White Spice...Is a Dead One!
What's interesting about this movie is that you get a sense of what it may really feel like if aliens invaded us and suddenly, every able-bodied man, woman, and child had to suit up and fight for the survival of humankind (like casually putting on a chest rig and belt & pistol holster over your yoga outfit). I also wouldn't second guess the time travel logic (I'm still confused from Endgame) and just go with it. There are moments that are bit clichéd (estranged family members come together under a common threat) and scenes that are definitely far out of left field but it's still an enjoyable flick. You can tell Chris Pratt is channeling his inner Navy SEAL/Zero Dark Thirty role during his missions and plays the confident (but humble) protagonist.
This movie is watchable, farfetched, and interesting but done just right. Don't overthink it and don't take it too seriously. Just turn off your brain and enjoy!
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Like Cliffhanger but with Fire
I guess Hollywood ran out of things to reboot and decided to flip the script by repackaging already-done plots and fluffing it up. Just like Cliffhanger, we have a traumatized professional outdoorsy person who regains their mojo by helping an innocent victim evade organized crime-savvy people all while being surrounded by nature. They spend the entire movie staying away from the bad guys who are so myopic in completing their "mission", they become oblivious to the elephant in the room (ahem, a pesky forest fire that's exponentially growing). Everything else pretty much mimics what happened in Cliffhanger.
I'm no survival backpack-prepping Paul Bunyan, nor am I aware of the US Forest Service's firefighting infrastructure so I can't really comment on the accuracy of the survival/outdoor/forest scenes but I did find out this movie deviates from the book its based on...a lot (no surprise).
Overall, this is one of those movies I would watch if I was bored on a Tuesday night and it happened to already be included in my streaming service subscription. I get the feeling this movie could have been much better if they actually stuck with original novel plot.
Beyond Skyline (2017)
Almost Decent
The first Skyline movie was "meh" as it was a sci-fi survival drama. This sequel attempts to add several different elements to shake things up which makes it both interesting and confusing and hard to take seriously (more on this later).
The plot runs alongside the first movie but transitions into a rescue & escape type of flick. The glue that holds everything together is Frank Grillo's character who stops it nothing to rescue his son (and then a little girl) who was captured by the blue man group. The scenery changes which is a welcome visual but ruined by over-the-top stunts resulting in marginal-to-no injuries that should have either killed or severely injured the protagonists (and said wounds mysteriously heal later in the movie).
Action is what you'll find later in the movie and by action, I don't mean our heroes kicking in the alien door with guns blazing (use your imagination or you might recognize those two familiar actors from that certain 2011 battle royale flick).
I would have given this movie a 6/10 because it's better than the first IMO but I took a point off because the end-credits ruined it. I'll put it this way; the end-credits visual would make sense if this was a comedy (or action comedy) but it just doesn't work for this genre and basically nullifies the movie's premise which is why it's hard to take seriously.
This movie is definitely watchable and the transition keeps things interesting but don't expect gold.
Coming 2 America (2021)
Uh...Yeah
This movie was all over the place. From the odd and unnecessary celebrity cameos to the forced rehashed jokes, the beginning of each scene felt like a nostalgic reveal, like "I wonder which returning actor is going to appear now and is he/she going to say their signature line(s)?" Even the barber shop scenes were just awkward.
Many times I could tell Eddie Murphy was trying extra hard to stay in character, almost like he had trouble taking the role seriously (even though it's a comedy).
What I find ironic is that in the original Coming to America, Lisa was a strong, confident, hard-working black woman (and it wasn't crammed down our throats). In this sequel, she's reduced to a silent, bitter queen who apparently isn't allowed (or doesn't care) to voice her concerns to Akeem. We don't see her confidence, business expertise or leadership skills benefitting Zamunda's economy (considering her fundraising efforts and growing her dad's restaurant in CTA). Even Madge Sinclair (the OG queen from CTA) naturally commanded respect and occasionally put James Earl Jones' character in check which didn't require woke politics.
I'm just glad this was already included in my Amazon Prime subscription, because I would not have paid money to see it. Watch it for the reprised roles and rehashed jokes if you must, but don't expect anything more.
Outside the Wire (2021)
Ignore The Visual Marketing
Regardless of which side you walk on the political aisle, the main takeaway I got from this movie was "At what point does the U.S. (and U.N.) mind its own business?" This movie's geopolitical themes include genocide, civil war, totalitarian rule, and nuclear war. CGI looks great but the plot deviates from what you expect. The protagonist's unrealistic military back story aside, this flick is enjoyable-ish if you want to see how future technology is envisioned to assist our military infrastructure.
Inside Man: Most Wanted (2019)
Uh....Yeah
They definitely add a plot twist that you don't expect which is a good thing; otherwise you're naturally inclined to think it's the same rehashed plot from the first movie. Regarding the "heist" itself, let's just say the target is a bit farfetched (ahem, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of New York).
The biggest issue I found is that if the Federal Reserve is being threatened, why have a skeleton law enforcement team working? The protagonists struggle to piece together the bank robbers' plot because they have one admin assistant FBI agent doing computer research and the lead officers are an NYPD negotiator and an FBI agent/instructor...and that's it. It's almost like the FBI and the NYPD didn't have the manpower to spare because the Federal Reserve doesn't appear to be high priority.
This movie is watchable and definitely keeps you guessing but I'd say watch it if you're a fan of the first movie but don't expect Oscar-worthy performances.
Man with a Plan (2016)
Was Hoping for a Solid Father Figure like Uncle Phil...
I went into this show with an open mind but it showed me this is what Joey Tribbiani's life would be if he changed careers, got married, and had children. Don't get me wrong, I loved Matt LeBlanc as Joey in Friends but I'm tired of seeing father figures being portrayed as incompetent buffoons and the butt of endless jokes in today's sitcoms. It was funny back in the 90's with Home Improvement and Married with Children but that premise has been done to death and now it's just getting old.
At least with Tim Allen's Last Man Standing, he's a competent and responsible father who could teach and discipline his children, put food on the table, and put his foot down when things got real. Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air showed us you can have a solid father figure and still have it be a funny sitcom at the same time.
Feels like a missed opportunity and it's honestly hard to not see LeBlanc as Joey in this show (and waiting for him act out one of Joey's tendencies from Friends). Maybe a different network will pick this show up and tweak its premise but who knows...
Peppermint (2018)
Honestly Good & Not Hollywood Ridiculous
Imagine the Punisher's back story but gender swapped and you get Peppermint. But what I really enjoyed about this movie is that Hollywood doesn't turn Jennifer Garner's character into an invulnerable, superhuman revenge machine that cannot be stopped. She's clearly had weapons & martial arts training but isn't infallible as a character.
The whole "female badass heroine" idea didn't really strike me as revolutionary. I've been enjoying female heroines since Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), and the Terminator movies as a kid so I perceived Garner's character as a vigilante who happened to be female. Her tactics, ingenuity, and quick-thinking are what impressed me and what allowed her to do the extensive damage she does in the movie.
There's no over-the-top action, plot, or crazy CGI & camera shake/angles. However unlike other vigilante movies like Deathwish (both the OG and the remake), Garner's character purposely went and got herself trained and doesn't rely on sheer luck and opportunity to get things done. Other movies like The Punisher, Taken, and the Equalizer involve protagonists who have had military and/or espionage/tradecraft training which they conveniently utilized to dispense justice and thus give them an advantage.
Bottom line, Peppermint is a solid revenge action flick that's great to watch and tells you just how much a mother will do for her family.
Bastille Day (2016)
Refreshingly Raw and No-Nonsense Entertainment
Considering there are no shortage of ridiculously unrealistic buddy cop and team-up style action & espionage movies in existence, this movie is refreshingly raw and gritty. That is, no over-the-top humor, very realistic fighting scenes, and a plot that could actually happen considering the current political climate.
They definitely combine the themes of terrorism and corruption with a splash of espionage in this movie which wouldn't surprise me if this art is truly imitating life. Idris Elba's CIA operative character is competent but not perfect. He's not a clichéd, overpowered Jason Bourne super agent who can speak six languages and win every fist and gun fight. And Elba's body language & swag (along with playing an espionage agent) basically makes this an indirect audition for him to take on the 007 mantle in the future.
With the exception of Elba's character speaking to his CIA people and his two co-stars, the majority of the movie is in French with, of course, subtitles. Not sure why this is a complaint with other reviewers (the movie takes place in...wait for it...France). If you can read subtitles, you can follow the movie just fine.
Bottom line, don't expect grand car chases, obligatory international breathtaking scenery, or some overcomplicated plot. If you can do without the excess movie-making flair, puns, and clichés of traditional espionage movies, you'll enjoy this flick.
Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020)
Talk About an Identity Crisis...
This animated series feels like 1/3 Simpsons, 1/3 Futurama, and 1/3 Star Trek. The premise revolves around the lives of often-ignored crew members; in this case four Ensigns who work in the bowels of the ship and their adventures (or shenanigans depending on how you look at it). It's this reason that makes the show difficult to take seriously.
The Star Trek franchise is a sci-fi show first with humor, sarcasm, and silliness being a distant last. We get the opposite here. In some instances, you feel like you're watching a sitcom set against a Star Trek-themed backdrop.
Star Trek show episodes typically run around 1 hour which gives enough time to establish the plot, understand & deal with the conflict(s), and then resolution. Lower Decks' 30-minute episodes means things happen quickly and not enough science-ey stuff happens. So basically you're left with bite-sized adventures/discoveries/science stuff sandwiched between constant jokes, hustling, running, and sarcasm. I think this is the biggest problem with faithful ST fans who expect a sci-fi show to actually have...sci-fi.
As a longtime ST fan, I applaud the creators for their imagination but I think they need to rethink Lower Decks if they want this show to survive. My guess is that Lower Decks was created to cast a wide net to attract a new (and perhaps younger) audience who aren't sci-fi nerds and they decided to throw in some Red vs. Blue humor to spice it up.
Underwater (2020)
Not That Bad and The Plot Doesn't Waste Time
Let's get the history bias out of the way; with the exception of the commercial rigs and equipment, this movie is not trying to copy The Abyss (1989). That was a sci-fi thriller; this movie is sci-fi horror. Imagine a modernized version of Deep Star Six and Leviathan (both also released in 1989) but this movie's plot begins when everything is literally coming apart. I think this was intentionally done to grab and keep your attention as horror movies often start slow and build up suspense.
Throughout the movie, you wonder what exactly is happening and who or what is responsible for the catastrophic damage to the station. Because it doesn't waste time with horror at the beginning, don't expect character development. I think they did fine establishing everyone's job and easy-to-deduce area of expertise and mini-backstory.
Honestly it's not that bad considering there hasn't been a decent aquatic horror movie in a while (that doesn't involve sharks) and takes place deep under water.
If you decide to watch it, don't expect James Cameron-caliber cinematic precision and just enjoy it!
Doom: Annihilation (2019)
Honestly Not Bad and Pleasantly Surprised
Let's start with history to establish some perspective. If you can make a movie based on a video game with a $60 million dollar budget with an A-List actor (and former wrestler) and still have it be terrible, I doubt you can do worse with a low budget reboot. Because of that, don't expect gold as this flick has "B-Movie" written all over it. You see it with the no-name actors, the same redressed corridor sets for different scenes, cheesy dialogue indicative of the limited budget they were working with, and the CGI that was silly at best.
If you can get past that, you'll encounter a plot of space marines being routinely sent in for base security, only to discover a "situation" and investigate. They make no shortage of references to the Doom franchise which is nice but what I really enjoyed is the "unexpected". That is, you actually see these marines doing marine stuff (e.g. hand-to-hand fighting, etc.) and midway through the movie, you'll wonder why it appears the movie is about to end when it's just getting interesting.
They didn't shoehorn a strong female heroine in the name of feminism but instead had a nonchalant display similar to Sigourney Weaver in Aliens (1986) and Linda Hamilton in T2 (1991). The movie's look and feel isn't incessantly dark and terror-filled like the game and this movie takes place on the Martian moon Phobos instead of on Mars (like the game).
I don't believe this flick was made to redeem the franchise from the cinematic disaster that was Doom (2005) but it's definitely an interesting re-imagined story. If you decide to pull the trigger, just turn your brain off and enjoy it.
Hunter Killer (2018)
Pleasantly Surprised!
To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie. I heard it got negative reviews (I'm guessing biased) and my suspicions were confirmed because this movie was actually very good. The plot definitely pays homage to Hunt for Red October (1990) and Crimson Tide (1995) with a splash of Lone Survivor (2014) which keeps it very interesting. You don't see the unexpected plot changes coming and what you think is going to happen (based on film clichés) doesn't happen which adds to the suspense. The modern submarine tech used and CGI were also excellent in that they weren't overdone and is believable such as the detachable mini sub piggybacking off the submarine (which was an experimental prototype in Hunt for Red October back in 1990) and the drone reconnaissance torpedo to augment the submarine's eyes and ears on search & rescue attempts:
The only issues I found :
- Common playing a Rear Admiral (dude looks like he's in 30's) when achieving that military rank after 20+ years of service would easily earn you noticeable wrinkles & gray hairs
- Unnamed Navy SEAL team apparently being short-staffed
- Gerard Butler's Scottish accent that always comes out to say hi
Agreeing with several IMDB commenters, if you have actual military experience or are a military history/trivia buff, just turn off your brain and enjoy the flick. It's not supposed be on par with Crimson Tide (1995) in which military accuracy was paramount for its premise. Besides that, forget what the haters say, this flick is worth the two hours!
Skyscraper (2018)
All Over The Place
Let's address the elephant in the room; this is not even close to a wannabe Die Hard flick. Instead we have the common "It's shiny so let's sabotage it" plot.
In other words, something new goes live (ship, building, technology, etc. that's astronomically expensive but is designed to benefit mankind which justifies its cost) and a scorned individual (or group) has a nefarious plot to bring it all down or exploit it to threaten mankind, usually because he/she/they were betrayed at some point or the classic case of the inventor being shunned from his own creation.
I feel like the copious amounts of wall panel terminal CGI and gratuitous scary height shots are compensating for the lackluster plot (we get it; they're really really really high off the ground). Unfortunately CGI and grand visuals are staples in modern movies so if they are trying to emulate a Roland Emmerich flick (e.g. ID4 and 2012), we've seen it before...a lot.
I love The Rock but it's difficult to take him seriously considering he gets stabbed on the left shoulder by rogue debris, he pulls it out & patches himself up, then proceeds to pull himself up through the many instances when he's hanging on for dear life.
I'll leave the rest of the movie a mystery if you truly want to see it but to be honest, it's a red box rental at best so don't expect gold.
Death Wish (2018)
Great Reboot Idea but Poor Execution
The concept of a movie reboot is a double-edged sword. It's refreshing to re-tell a story but certain things need to be considered for in order to fit with modern times.
First, the OG Deathwish (1974) with Charles Bronson introduced us to the vigilante genre of film. It was intriguing and made you wonder how he was going to get through it. We understood Bronson's character was an architect with zero knowledge of firearms and hand-to-hand combat so his clumsiness and vigilante success (due to luck & chance) made sense. In this reboot, Bruce Willis' character is a handsomely-paid surgeon and since today, there's an MMA gym at every street corner and no shortage of ex-SEALs who can provide private firearm instruction & Krav Maga training via a Google search, it was odd Willis' character had to resort to YouTube-style education to learn how to field strip and maintain his glock.
Second, Charles Bronson's 1974 character didn't have to worry about technology incriminating him. But it was hard to watch Bruce Willis' 2018 character inexplicably evade ubiquitous city surveillance such as crosswalk/stoplight cameras and countless random witness smartphone cameras (there's always someone who can easily record and quickly post it to social media) with the exception of his backside being caught.
Third, considering most police departments today have technology and a decent forensics environment on their side, it was odd Chicago PD was slow to connect Willis' character when he left his blood (aka DNA) and prints at multiple skirmish locations.
Fourth, I love Elisabeth Shue; she is a terrific actress! However I think she was a miscast in this movie. Shue just has that daughter-ish look so it was odd seeing her snuggle up with Willis' (who has that older & mature look). I think Michelle Pfeiffer, Kim Basinger (who Willis starred with in Blind Date - 1987), Diane Lane, Rene Russo, Andie MacDowell, and Sela Ward could have played a more age-appropriate wife.
In summary, it feels like they shoehorned the original Deathwish plot into a modern day film without looking at how our society has evolved since the 1970's. It's great to watch but I feel the original Deathwith (1974) was more compelling.