Hollywood Movie Reviews

Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor are well-cast as adversaries in Doug Liman's film revolving around a bouncer whose relocation to a small time leads to a confrontation with a crime boss.

Doug Liman has helmed some impressive action films and Road House is no exception; action fans will definitely get a kick out of this one, thanks to amazing performances from the aforementioned duo.

Gyllenhaal as Dalton is believable, portraying a talented fighter who abhors violence. The irony works but his restraint is put to the test when he is pitted against a crazed warrior bent on shedding blood.

McGregor is nothing short of outstanding as Knox, the antagonist who more than matches Dalton's skills. Their fight scenes are frenetic and well-executed, with close-up shots taking you right into the brutal fistfights.

This film isn't all about the action though; there is drama in between as Liman attempts to balance both in a story that hardly pretends to be anything more than a crowd-pleaser.

Those who want entertainment would do well to forget the original and just enjoy this one because it is good in its own way. While it has its shortcomings, it exceeds expectations when it comes down to dudes beating the heck out of each other.

Lovers of the action genre will want to see this more than once (I know I will). Gyllenhaal and McGregor rock!

Millie Bobby Brown excels in this sword-and-sandal epic, effectively portraying a young woman's transition from a helpless damsel to an absolute badass.

Viewers were warned that this is no fairytale and it shows when things begin to get interesting in a film that is both visually stunning and utterly irresistible.

Brown plays Elodie, a girl who after getting married to a prince is thrown into a living nightmare; she is offered as a sacrifice to a ferocious dragon and must fight to survive and escape her ordeal.

The actress showed the potential to become an action star when she gained prominence for portraying Eleven in Stranger Things. In Damsel, she proves that she is with a performance reminiscent of that of Emilia Clarkes in HBO's Game of Thrones.

As for the dragon, it is nothing short of awe-inspiring, thanks to outstanding CGI and one heck of a voice actress. I gaped at the magnificent creature when it was revealed in all its glory.

The film also has eye-popping cinematography and top-notch visual effects, the expected giving what was glimpsed in the trailer.

Robin Wright, Ray Winstone, and Angela Bassett make up the major supporting cast and everyone plays their parts well. However, I had an issue with Bassett trying to speak in a British accent. Her attempt to do so failed completely.

I was cautiously optimistic about this fantasy adventure and kept my expectations low. Thankfully, I had an absolute blast.

Highly recommended for lovers of the genre. This is blockbuster material.

Even though Bryce Dallas Howard leads the ensemble action thriller, it's Sam Rockwell who practically anchors the film which gets entangled in endless webs and unending plot twists.

Mixing humour, action, two well-cast leads and an all-too-familiar script, Matthew Vaughn's espionage flick puts Elly Conwell (Howard) smack in the middle of the events of her novel.

Elly, a renowned writer has to trust spy Aidan (Rockwell) when he unexpectedly shows up inside a train to save her from some devious characters.

While going on the run, the clueless heroine must rely on her imagination and creativity to solve the big question; why are the bad guys after her because of a book she wrote?

The plot itself is good but the execution is tainted by too many elements battling for relevance. Even the action is unsteady. Fans should watch out for the last act where Howard gets involved in some of the best action sequences you will ever see on screen.

Singer Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, and John Cena take a backseat to the central characters and that's even an understatement. So, those who decide to see Argylle because of them will be shocked by the amount of screen time they get.

Films of this genre often have lies, deception and betrayal but this one takes it a bit further by doubling down on all of the aforementioned stuff. Halfway through, I began to wonder who the real bad guys were and if the protagonist was really the protagonist.

Argylle tries to be very good and doesn't hit its ambitious target. That notwithstanding, the journey itself is worth following, thanks to Rockwell who sets up the necessary ass-kicking before Howard goes full throttle in the third act.

Conclusively, it is a good watch, nothing more.

Thomas Vincent directs a totally predictable but fun film. The two leads are endearing and cute in their roles, with David Oyelowo playing the bewildered spouse excellently well.

It's not easy leading a double life and Kaley Cuoco convincingly embodies the caring wife and ruthless killer for hire. The chemistry between her and her co-star works well in advancing the plot of the movie.

I particularly enjoyed the scene the onscreen couple shares with veteran actor Bill Nighy. It was the precursor to the ensuing chaos.

As expected, the film has a few lapses, one of which is the issue of Dave (Oyelowo) never having deemed it fit to visit his wife's workplace in the time they have been married. 

Another flaw in the writing is the villain played by Connie Nielsen, who is typically a stock character. The protagonist, who is skilled as an experienced killer, isn't given a worthy foe to defeat and the final confrontation is kinda anti-climactic.

Role Play sets out to be an entertaining movie and in that regard, it works. Thankfully, the action is good (not remarkable, but good) and the comedic tone is not overly done. I only wish it wasn't so predictable at times.

In all, it's a good flick to pass the time as long as you choose to tune out the plotholes. Cuoco and Oyelowo are a perfect match and deliver the goods.

A lot of fans and critics have rushed online to bash this film and I honestly don't get the reason for the hate. James Wan bids the DCEU a fitting farewell in a sequel that is entertaining and visually striking.

First off, the first film is better in every way and that is something I kind of expected. Here, Wan leans more into the humour and sometimes, it comes across as forced, with Jason Momoa overdoing it a bit from time to time.

There is further exploration of Atlantis and we get to see the sibling dynamic between Aquaman and Orm (Patrick Wilson). The pairing works wonders; Wilson easily steals his scenes with Momoa as almost every quip from him is worth rewatching.

The story is pretty much what I expected, with no major twists involved. I'm glad to say that a horrific death rumoured to be in it is entirely false.

We can't review a superhero movie without talking about the visuals, vis a vis, the action, cinematography, and special effects. The action is cool (Wan is good at it) but not as good as the first film, the cinematography is what you expect, and the special effects are awesome.

Momoa doesn't bring anything new to his portrayal of the titular superhero besides the many jokes, yelling and fighting. His onscreen brother Orm, however, is the one to watch here. His character arc is well-written and by the end of the film, he leaves you satisfied.

The antagonist loses some of the appeal that made him a bit scary the first time as I waited for him to strike a major blow on the hero that never quite came.

Credit must also go to Amber Heard, who saves Aquaman on more than one occasion. I only wish she had more screen time.

There isn't much left to say as DC fans know that this marks the end of the extended universe. For me, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom checks the major boxes required for a blockbuster and I will definitely see it again.

Once again, Zack Snyder fails to deliver despite having access to one of the biggest streaming platforms and maybe a blank check for this movie.

Based on what I saw in Army of the Dead, I deliberately lowered my expectations, ignoring those praising the sci-fi epic on social media. Alas! Even then, Rebel Moon bored me for the most part (this is coming from a die-hard Snyder fan!).

Sofia Boutella stars as Kora, a woman with a hidden past who has to take up arms when the cruel hands of the Motherworld reach her once peaceful settlement. She finds both allies and foes in her quest and must make a stand before she loses the life she has come to hold dear.

I will start with the story; it basically borrows from almost every sci-fi action movie we have seen before and brings nothing new. There is no character development and the dialogue borders between cringy and annoying. The so-called world-building was anything but, in my opinion. Almost all the worlds shown were grim, dark, and dusty.

As for the visuals, I'm so sick of Snyder draining the life out of whatever colour he uses. Bro, why not just make it a black-and-white film instead? The cinematography is a far cry from what I envisioned and I wonder again how this came to be despite the blank cheque.

Boutella lacks the charm or charisma to shoulder this film as the protagonist and she and her co-stars mostly seem wooden in their delivery, sometimes saying their lines like a poem recital.

The biggest issue I had was the action, which is lame; a major surprise since this is a Snyder movie. The fight choreography is awful, and the blows not landing were too obvious. After seeing the action sequences, I daresay the genre is dying. 

The antagonist is a one-dimensional asshole who doesn't even carry a real weapon despite being an Admiral. He has something akin to a walking stick, which he uses to pummel victims. The actor who played him looked bored for the entirety of his screen time.

The director had talented actors, including the great Djimon Hounsou and failed to properly utilize any of them. None of their characters made me care as they were all uninteresting.

One good thing about the movie is its score which is wasted on a film that should not in any way be compared to the Star Wars franchise.

For Snyder fans who loved Army of the Dead, this will please you. For others, this is a no-go area. It is in the end an average movie at best.

Over the years, we have been inundated with countless spy movies, some of which end up repeating what has come before. Netflix's Heart of Stone is no different from most of them but it keeps your attention thanks to a charismatic lead and some eye-popping visuals.

The title is a pun which references the last name of the eponymous character and the object of the film's conflict, the latter being basically 'Godseye', the powerful machine we first saw in Fast 7.

It's good to see Wonder Woman star Gadot take on more action roles. Here, her character's strong moral code makes her question some of the things other spies don't.

As Rachel Stone, Gadot steers the narrative where it needs to go and her charisma is more than enough to keep some focused on what she is doing.

The issue with Heart of Stone is that as a spy action movie, it doesn't break new ground. While that is not a bad thing, one would expect that it would bring more to the table to stand out from other films in the genre.

On the positive side, the use of tech gadgets and the frenetic action sequences make for a worthy distraction from a totally predictable plot and a clueless antagonist.

Heart of Stone would not have the appeal it does if not for Gadot and Okonedo; their pairing works well, with actress Alia Bhatt also adding something substantial with the mystery surrounding her character.

This film is good, maybe very good but it doesn't compare with Bond movies. Nonetheless, I would recommend it for action lovers.

For what it's worth, director Juel Taylor gets the whole mystery thing right here, using a delectable trio of talented actors to immerse you in a tale of intrigue, conspiracy, and cover-ups. The bad thing, however, is that They Cloned Tyrone doesn't finish off strong despite starting stupendously.

John Boyega is Fontaine, a brooding young man who is more of a fighter and less of a talker. After 'surviving' a shooting following a confrontation with a notorious gangster, he teams up with a pimp (Jamie Foxx) and a prostitute (Teyonah Parris) to find out why and how he could still be alive and what the powers that be want with him.

Bloody, humourous, ambitious, intriguing, and downright crazy, this film is definitely a crowd-pleaser until it slowly becomes a victim of its own ingenuity.

The pacing is good, the actors spectacular, and the dialogue witty. I guess what went wrong is the writing because midway, the story wavers and climaxes into an all-out brawl that culminates in a boring monologue with an annoying antagonist.

I enjoyed They Cloned Tyrone so much until it became predictable. Boyega is compelling as the anti-hero who rushes first and asks questions later.

Foxx is charming and entertaining, playing Slick so well that I couldn't imagine anyone else getting the part. As for Parris, she gives the men (and the viewer) something to hold on to so that you never forget her even when she is offscreen.

This is a film that I thought would give Netflix something really good to boast about this year (the last memorable thing to release on the streamer was Nimona) but alas, that doesn't prove to be the case.

Aside from the tumble into mediocrity, They Cloned Tyrone is a charming flick that will crack the ribs of fun seekers who don't mind the film's imperfections.

For me, this is good enough to not be forgettable in a hurry but not remarkable enough to want me seeing it again.

Visually speaking, Rob Marshall's retelling of the classic animation is replete with awe and wonder.

Like James Cameron's Avatar, the aquatic life is brimming with numerous sea creatures and boasts colourful characters that leave you mesmerised.

When it comes to the story and the director's interpretation, The Little Mermaid doesn't do anything beyond the expected.

As the headstrong and naive protagonist, Halle Bailey is able to depict a character literally out of her element and the adventures she must undergo to win the love of her life.

While the lead star's efforts are commendable (especially her vocal ability), her acting doesn't quite show the range I envisioned. In this, she is not to blame as she worked with the script she was given.

The animal sidekicks aren't the scene stealers I thought they would be; Awkafina manages to trump the others every now and then but it felt like I'd already heard the jokes somewhere else.

As the sea King Triton, Javier Bardem looks imposing and has the required charisma but isn't given enough time to shine. The backstory with his late wife was barely mentioned and could have been shown on screen.

Jonah Hauer-King plays Prince Eric the way he is meant to. He doesn't do anything spectacular with the role and neither does he stumble in the portrayal.

Perhaps the most interesting character in the film is Melissa McCarthy's Ursula. I knew she would be fun to watch and I totally enjoyed how she ate up all her scenes.

The Little Mermaid doesn't break new ground among Disney's live-action retelling projects and it certainly is not the best of them despite what may be circulating online (to me, that title goes to The Jungle Book).

Conclusively, Halle Bailey's musical performances are worthy distractions from the fact that this is a good movie that many excited fans are calling great.

The Mouse House has done a good job but it has to do a whole lot more to justify the essence of live-action remakes.

Despite the star power of the two A-listers headlining this spy movie, Ghosted ends up being something that looks like what was written by amateurs or teenagers.

From an overlong premise to Chris Evans looking like he was miscast, Dexter Fletcher's film seems plagued with unending pitfalls.

While Anna de Armas is no doubt eye candy material, I was shocked that she had zero chemistry with Evans and that her character is in no way memorable.

Right from when the duo gets thrown into the spy game, it becomes clear that there were almost no stakes involved (I literally found it hard to believe that they were in any form of danger).

In my opinion, Apple wasted a considerable sum on this mediocre project.

While cameo appearances are always welcome, they always have to add something to the story. In this case, all the unexpected stars who appear are just there to show the level of idiocy they can descend to.

Oh, and the villain of the film (who is a two-dimensional character with nothing to do but make half-assed threats) is played by an incredible actor whose talents are completely wasted here.

The action is totally subpar and while the movie had one or two moments where it looked like it would go somewhere, it finally fizzled out into nothingness.

Those expecting something very good should skip this. Film lovers who are cool with predictably cheesy stuff with boring dialogue can see it.