2020-2029, Film Review

One Battle After Another (2025)

Posted on October 4, 2025November 13, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Warner Bros. Pictures and Ghoulardi Film Company**

One Battle After Another – Film Review

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, Benicio Del Toro, Alana Haim

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Synopsis: A washed-up former revolutionary is forced to confront his past when both he and his daughter are hunted by a former foe…

Review: You’d have to be living under a rock to be unaware that the political climate in the United States in 2025 is as fraught and bitterly divided as it has been at any point over the past decade. In such politically charged times, it takes a brave filmmaker to hold nothing back and go for the jugular with a thorough, uncompromising look at the land of the free and what the country actually stands for. Enter Paul Thomas Anderson, with a film two decades in the making, where the revolution will very much be televised.

In one of, if not the, most frenzied first acts of the year, Pat (DiCaprio) and Perfidia (Taylor) are two members of the far-left revolutionary group the French 75. The group have gathered outside an immigrant detention centre to storm the facility and release the migrants detained, while also perpetrating attacks against other key targets against the country’s infrastructure. These attacks capture the attention of Colonel Steven J Lockjaw (Penn), who makes it his personal mission to hunt down and eliminate the group’s members at any cost. Pat and Perfidia soon fall in love and have a child, whom they name Charlene. After their daughter’s birth, Pat is determined to lay low and leave his revolutionary days behind, but Perfidia isn’t one to give up the fight so easily, which lands her on Lockjaw’s radar. After 16 years of lying low, now going under the aliases of Bob and Willa (Infiniti), the duo find themselves on the run again when they realise they are once more in Lockjaw’s crosshairs.

After an adrenaline-charged first act that throws you headfirst into the heat of the action, Anderson briefly gives the audience a moment to catch their breath, but don’t get too comfortable. One Battle After Another truly lives up to its title; while the characters may have claimed an initial victory, the war is far from over. Loosely adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, Anderson’s screenplay is sharp and scathing in its criticism of modern-day America, and the parallels between the revolutionaries and the pushback against the US government’s callous and inhumane treatment of migrants are all too relevant in the absurdity of this timeline. Yet, this is a film with a lot more on its mind as it also scathingly rebukes the hatred and oppression that marginalised groups, especially immigrants, face and a society which allows this contempt to filter into society through truly poisonous ideologies such as white supremacy. Such hatred, while those at the top perpetrate rampant corruption. It is all too relevant to the absolute authoritarian hellscape that is the US in 2025, which ensures the film hits like a sledgehammer, with a powerful and furious urgency.

Having come very close to working with Anderson on 1997’s Boogie Nights, Leonardo DiCaprio can finally add Anderson’s name to the distinguished list of filmmakers he has worked with across his career. DiCaprio rarely disappoints, even when the film around him is an absolute dumpster fire (looking at you Don’t Look Up). Unlike that film’s pitiful attempts at humour, Anderson combines the tense political themes with a surprising amount of humour. Not least because in those 16 years, he has developed a penchant for anxiety-reducing drugs to ease his paranoia, which is understandable given his revolutionary past. Consequently, he spends a not insignificant part of the film stoned out of his mind, while wearing a knitwear bathrobe that could give Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski a serious run for his money. Taylor makes her presence felt with what little screentime she has, but it is to the film’s detriment that she only appears in those explosive first 30 minutes and disappears thereafter.

Going toe to toe with such a titan of the industry would be a daunting task for anyone, especially a newcomer, but Chase Infiniti goes toe to toe with her more experienced counterpart and more than holds her own with a fierce and spirited performance. Even in the midst of a society that is seemingly crumbling before her very eyes, there is fire in her belly, especially when it comes to the threat posed by Lockjaw and her determination to find and be reunited with her father. Penn gives a fiendishly frightening turn as a bigoted and loathsome human being (those individuals being well represented in the current US administration) who thrives on the cruelty and mistreatment of others and will stop at nothing with almost robotic-like efficiency until he finds his target.

Shot in stunning VistaVision, Michael Bauman’s cinematography is nothing short of breathtaking, pulling the audience into a vividly chaotic world on the brink of collapse, yet still managing to find beauty amidst the turmoil. Jonny Greenwood continues his collaboration with Anderson with a score that pulses with intensity, driving the film’s 162-minute runtime with an electrifying energy that ensures the pacing never lags, culminating in a pulsating, edge-of-your-seat action sequence in the third act. The fires of revolution have been lit, and it is up to all of us to ensure they never go out, especially in the face of fascism, bigotry and tyranny from power-hungry madmen. Viva La Revolución!

Combining comedy with high-intense and serious drama in a society on the brink doesn’t always fully mesh. However, with the power of its performances, especially newcomer Chase Infinity, and its furiously urgent messages ensures Paul Thomas Anderson has made the most important film of his career to date.

2020-2029, Film Review

Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)

Posted on July 13, 2025August 18, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment**

Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025) – Film Review

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein

Director: Gareth Edwards

Synopsis: Five years after the events of Jurassic World: Dominion, a new expedition sets off to the research facility of the original Jurassic Park in pursuit of dinosaur DNA that could lead to a medical breakthrough…

Review: Dinosaurs, you just can’t keep these prehistoric creatures off the big screen. Three years ago, much spectacle was made of the third and supposed final chapter in the Jurassic World franchise to be the one to close the curtain on a franchise 65 million years in the making. Having brought the past and the present together and stomped its way to another billion dollars at the worldwide box office, it seemed as though every last morsel of dino DNA had been extracted, and it was time to let it rest once and for all. But, in the immortal words of Jeff Goldblum’s Dr Ian Malcolm from the first film, “life finds a way”, and well, the franchise found a way to resurrect itself once more.

It has been five years since the events of Dominion, where dinosaurs and humanity were forced to co-exist alongside each other. However, due to climate change, the majority of the planet’s surface has become inhospitable to dinosaurs, except for a few areas around the equator. Consequently, these areas have become no-go zones for humans. It is discovered that the DNA of the creatures is the key to a potential new treatment for heart disease, which could be very profitable if brought to the mass market. Therefore, pharmaceutical company executive Martin Krebs (Friend) recruits Zora Bennett (Johansson) and palaeontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (Bailey) to lead a mission to the island of Île Saint-Hubert to retrieve these samples of dino-DNA and bring them back. Though when venturing into the land of dinosaurs, you know that things are not going to go as planned, and it becomes a desperate bid for survival.

In some ways, the subtitle of Rebirth is an apt one because the slate has been totally wiped clean in that no one from any of the previous six films shows up, even for the briefest of cameos. Given franchise films have in the past often tried to mine and utilise the nostalgia in place of telling a good story, this is a welcome development. You would think that with a whole new collection of characters, this would offer original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp and director Gareth Edwards, himself no stranger to tackling films with gargantuan-sized monsters, the opportunity to take the franchise in an exciting new direction.

Alas, while there is enjoyment to be found, it is broadly more of what you would come to expect from a Jurassic adventure, with our protagonists setting off to this island to fulfil their mission, only for things to go wrong and for the dinosaurs to start eyeing up these humans as their next meal. Of course, the film also doesn’t pass by the opportunity to use John Williams’ theme from the original film for a predictable but effective blast of nostalgia, because who doesn’t get emotional hearing that incredible theme from the greatest musical maestro cinema has ever seen?

In Edwards’ capable hands, having also ventured to a galaxy far far away, the action sequences are unquestionably spliced with some Spielbergian DNA. However, they certainly get the blood pumping and the adrenaline flowing, including an enthralling sequence where the crew is in a race against time to extract the DNA from a Mosasaurus and a mission to save a family whose boat has drifted into some dino-dwelling waters. Compelling as these scenes are, such is the threadbare and minimal development of these characters that it becomes hard to be fully invested in their quest.

Even with such talented actors, like Johansson, Ali and Bailey turning in reliably solid performances, the material they are given lacks sufficient meat on its bones to make them as compelling as characters from previous films in the franchise, severely lacking in a memorable line or, indeed anything at all. You want to see them accomplish their mission and avoid a fate that has befallen many characters in this franchise. Yet, since the attachment the audience has to them is so threadbare, it is of little significance who makes it out of the island alive.

It is remarkable that in the 30 years since Spielberg first brought dinosaurs to life in a truly captivating way that will forever remain timeless, every sequel has attempted to replicate that magic, yet none have managed to accomplish that goal. The results have varied from entertaining to the bizarre sight of a dinosaur saying “Alan” to Sam Neill’s Alan Grant. While dinosaurs will always have an inherent appeal, it’s clear that this franchise has run out of fresh ideas. Given the inconsistency of the films over such a long period, perhaps it is time to consider letting it go the way of the dinosaurs once and for all.

Despite offering some entertaining moments, Rebirth fails to offer anything new and instead regurgitates well-worn tropes from previous films. A franchise that once roared has become stale, toothless and in need of fossilisation.

2020-2029, Film Review

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025)

Posted on June 9, 2025July 14, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment, Thunder Road Films and 87Eleven Entertainment**

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina – Film Review

Cast: Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, Keanu Reeves

Director: Len Wiseman

Synopsis: After being trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organisation, an assassin sets out on a quest for revenge after her father was murdered…

Review: It is incredible to think that a film about a man who embarks on a violent and personal mission to exact revenge on the goons who killed a puppy, a gift from his beloved late wife, could spawn such an enthralling and gritty action franchise. Taking a close look at the murky criminal underworld and a network of assassins with hotels all around the world for these assassins to rest in between jobs, all while allowing its titular hero to find endlessly creative ways to eliminate those who wronged him. Yet, after four films that have shot and stabbed their way to a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, and a spin-off TV show about the New York Continental. However, the time has come for the passing of the torch and for a new central figure to pirouette her way to take the limelight, that the Baba Yaga has carried so successfully.

Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum and Chapter 4, Eve Macarro (de Armas) is a ballerina turned assassin who has been training in the traditions of the Ruska Roma for over a decade after her father was murdered when she was a young girl. After a decade of gruelling training, Eve graduates from the programme and is sent out on missions by the Ruska Roma’s uncompromising and strict director (Huston). Yet, the whole time, the thought of getting back at those who were responsible for her father’s murder is never far from her mind. When she comes across a clue that could lead her to them, she defies the director’s orders and sets off on her quest for revenge, and no one is going to stand in her way from getting to the bottom of who killed her father.

Anyone who saw 2021’s No Time to Die will know that when de Armas’s CIA agent Paloma meets Bond to infiltrate a meeting of the nefarious SPECTRE and fend off their goons, it delivered one of the film’s most exhilarating sequences. Despite a scandalously brief amount of screentime, she certainly left her mark on the franchise, and probably several of those SPECTRE goons, when she kicked their arses. Opportunities arose for her to develop that impressive turn alongside 007, but they never quite materialised. Thankfully, this is the one that doesn’t waste her talent and, much like Mr Wick, allows her to showcase her incredible action skills and get inventive in how she takes down her enemies. Flamethrower? Check. Grenades? Check. Ice skate blade? Check. Hell hath no fury like a woman on a deeply personal mission of revenge, and de Armas commits to the physicality of the role and does the majority of her own stunts in tremendous style.

The Wick universe is synonymous with slickly directed and stylish action scenes, where bad guys are dispatched in a violent and brutal fashion. Even with some reported reshoots helmed by franchise veteran Chad Stahelski, Len Wiseman brings an experienced hand to them. Yet for a female-led spin-off, it is a massive missed opportunity to not have a woman assume the responsibility of director. Shay Hatten’s script is surface-level at best when it comes to providing Eve with a sufficient amount of depth beyond her mission. You want to root for her, given the personal nature of her quest for revenge. Despite slotting in seamlessly as a spin-off to the underworld established by the first four John Wick films, the script does her a disservice, as she is explicitly told to “fight like a girl” by Ruska Roma teacher Nogi (Duncan-Brewster).

In a world where numerous badass female assassins have gone toe-to-toe with their male counterparts, and especially given what we know de Armas is capable of as an action star, it’s counterproductive and works against establishing Eve as a force to be reckoned with in this universe. This is not something she explicitly needs to be told when preparing for her missions. Perhaps a female director would have enabled the action to stand proudly on its own two feet, but instead, it cannot escape the shadow of Keanu Reeves’ legendary hitman. Speaking of Mr Wick, his appearance here could have been nothing more than a gratuitous cameo for the sake of nothing more than fan service, but he does serve a purpose in Eve’s revenge mission against the Chancellor (Byrne). An antagonist for Eve to confront for the pain he’s caused her, but he could have been so much more and is ultimately given paper-thin depth and development and pales in comparison to the villains of the John Wick films.

Checking back in to this brutal world of legendary hitman and bloody revenge is always a welcome one, especially as it represents our final chance to bid farewell to the late Lance Reddick as the concierge Charon. However, despite de Armas’s best efforts to twirl, shoot, and stab her way through as many bad guys as she can, as entertaining as these moments are, they don’t quite reach the heights of the films that have come before it. Still, there is definitely room for further expansion, and hopefully Eve Macarro will get her chance in the future to establish herself as a force to be reckoned with in the same breath as the Baba Yaga.

Ballerina is at its most exhilarating when Ana de Armas is tearing through bad guys through any means at her disposal, but ultimately, the spin-off doesn’t quite hit the heights set by the previous entries in the franchise.

2020-2029, Film Review

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025)

Posted on May 26, 2025June 10, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media and TC Productions**

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – Film Review

Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Shea Wigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Henry Czerny, Angela Bassett, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Synopsis: Two months after the events of Dead Reckoning, the IMF continue their mission to prevent the AI known as The Entity from unleashing global chaos…

Review: “Your mission, should you choose to accept it.” Ever since this iconic line was first uttered in the original Mission: Impossible film in 1996, it has been quite an incredible journey over the past three decades. Eight globe-trotting missions, some truly death-defying and insane stunts, and over $4bn at the worldwide box office— all largely due to the extraordinary tenacity and commitment of the man who has been at the heart of it all from the very beginning: the one and only Tom Cruise. He is someone who has always worked his hardest and has never stopped running (literally), in his bid to entertain the audiences. However, there eventually comes a point where the time is right to close the curtain on a franchise. Now, after the events that were set in motion by Dead Reckoning, Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Mission Force take their (supposed) final bow.

It has been two months since the IMF became aware of the existence of the sentient and nefarious AI known as the Entity, which has since made itself known to the world, causing complete and total havoc for governments across the world by taking control of the nuclear arsenals of some of the most powerful nations. With time running out before the AI causes a devastating global catastrophe, the IMF learn of the existence of a software that could neutralise the Entity. With the fate of the world as we know it at stake, as Ethan himself tells the President of the United States, Erika Sloane (Bassett), “I need you to trust me, one last time”. With the stakes somehow higher than ever before, Ethan and his crew embark on a mission to prevent the villainous Gabriel (Morales) from getting his hands on the AI.

There comes a point, even when you have had a great a run as Mission has, that the time will eventually come for the franchise to take its final bow, one last mission to accept if you will. Ever since taking the reins with Rogue Nation, Christopher McQuarrie and the age-defying star that is Tom Cruise have crafted some of the best action cinema, with the latter’s commitment to putting Ethan in perilous predicaments to deliver spectacle on a truly epic scale. Unfortunately, McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen’s script is bogged down by a bloated and extremely slow first act that delivers a mountain of exposition and is on its own mission to recap every film that has led to this mission. It comes across as completely redundant, given that the audience will have more than likely been with Ethan since he first accepted his mission back in 1996, and it puts an unnecessary drag on the film’s nearly three-hour runtime.

Furthermore, in the same vein as its predecessor, it is evident that McQuarrie and Cruise were so laser-focused on the stunts and how they would be accomplished that the script was relegated to the realm of an afterthought, serving merely as a vehicle for some jaw-dropping stunts. In doing so, it gives long-time Mission stalwarts, such as Simon Pegg’s Benji and especially Ving Rhames’ Luther with not a great deal to do beyond their usual supporting roles as long-time friends of Ethan. They frankly deserved far better, given how they have been key members of the team for so long. Furthermore, even the newer members of the team, such as Hayley Atwell’s Grace and Pom Klementieff’s Paris, are also underutilised, all the more disappointing given their memorable introductions in Dead Reckoning. Given the increasing capabilities that humanity has been seeing with the rise of artificial intelligence, there is a point to be made about how this technology may one day bring the world to its knees and cause unprecedented havoc. That being said, if you break it down for even a minute, the plot is so ridiculous that it doesn’t make one iota of sense, and Gabriel does not leave a lasting impression as the antagonist.

What does not disappoint is Tom Cruise, because when does he ever let us down? When you consider the truly staggering stunts he has managed to accomplish over the years, from climbing the world’s tallest building, to hanging off an aeroplane mid-flight and riding a motorcycle and parachuting off a cliff? Surely, he can’t pull off anything more jaw-dropping than that? Well, leave it to him to continue to find new ways to make it his mission to laugh in the face of death with two truly set pieces, with one involving a deep-sea dive that might make people discover a fear of deep water, or thalassophobia. From one end of the spectrum in the deep depths of the ocean to the skies above us, as his other mind-boggling stunt is another stunt involving biplanes, with Hunt literally hanging off them and a terrifying drop back to earth. It will set your heart rate soaring, and your palms will sweat profusely. It truly has to be seen to be believed.

Since the first fuse was lit all those years ago, it has been a wild and exhilarating ride across those nearly three decades. Eight missions, and some truly nail-biting and tense action set-pieces. The impact that Cruise has had on cinema as a whole is immeasurable, and we can be immensely grateful for everything he has put into this series. Time will tell if indeed this is the final mission Ethan Hunt and the IMF will accept, but if it is, it is not the explosive bang it would have hoped for.

A confoundingly dull first act of flashbacks threatens to derail the mission before it really gets going. However, once the film moves past this point, it hits top running speed and never looks back.

2020-2029, Film Review

Gladiator II (2024)

Posted on November 19, 2024December 1, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Paramount Pictures, Scott Free Productions and Lucy Fisher/Douglas Wick Production**s

Gladiator II – Film Review

Cast: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Yuval Gonen, Matt Lucas, Tim McInnerny

Director: Ridley Scott

Synopsis: After his home is invaded and conquered by the Roman army, Lucius Verus is forced to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Maximus and become a gladiator…

Review: “What is your Roman Empire?” is a question you may have noticed has popped up a lot in interviews recently, thanks to a trend on social media in which men are asked how often they think about the Roman Empire. If one were to put this question to Sir Ridley Scott, the answer would probably be a fair bit due to the fact among the legendary director’s distinguished filmography, many could point to 2000’s Gladiator as his magnum opus, and for good reason. The story of a Roman General who is betrayed and sees his family murdered on the orders of a corrupt emperor, then becomes a gladiator to seek vengeance, in this life or the next, has stood the test of time for its epic scope, an incredible array of characters, enthralling action sequences, and one of maestro Hans Zimmer’s greatest scores of all time. After nearly a quarter of a century, the Roman Empire evidently wasn’t far from Scott’s mind because, like a triumphant gladiator, he returns to the Colosseum, in thrilling style.

Sixteen years after the death of Maximus in the arena following a personal bout with his uncle Commodus, Lucius Verus, going by the alias “Hanno”, lives in the Roman province Numida with his wife Arishat, a far cry from his early life by his mother Lucilla’s side in preparation for a very regal future. In the years since, Lucius’s grandfather Marcus Aurelius’s dream that was Rome is a distant memory, with the twin Emperors Geta (Quinn) and Carcella (Hechinger) presiding over corruption and political turmoil. This has left some in the Roman army, such as General Acacius (Pascal) increasingly disillusioned with their rule. When his home is conquered by the Roman army, Lucius follows in the footsteps of Maxiums and becomes a gladiator after being sold into slavery. He soon comes to the attention of former slave Macrinus (Washington) who senses Lucius’s rage and looks to offer him a path to satisfy the rage he has against those who invaded his homeland and murdered his family.

It’s remarkable that even at 86 years old, Ridley Scott shows no signs of slowing down and continues delivering spectacular films, particularly in the swords-and-sandals and historical epic genres, in a way few directors can match. However, creating a sequel to such a beloved and iconic masterpiece is undoubtedly a daunting and risky endeavour for this legendary director. Reteaming with his Napoleon screenwriter, David Scarpa’s screenplay wisely chooses to follow the narrative beats of the original. In this continuation, the protagonist experiences a significant loss, which drives him to channel his grief and intense rage against those responsible for inflicting great pain, for the loss of those he held dear and for those who cost He takes his vengeance to the Great Colosseum of Rome, where he must fight in several bloody battles to the death, while trying to convince anyone who will listen of his grandfather’s dream. However, as Lucius will soon find out, the depravity that went on while his uncle held the throne is nothing compared to what has been allowed to unfold in the nearly two decades since under the reign of the two men who sit on the throne that by all rights, should have been his.

Like a fatal blow in the Colosseum, the film’s powerful central message – that will strike deep and echo in eternity – lies in its damning indictment of modern-day politics. In recent years, the world has seen numerous figures rise to power on the back of populist rhetoric. When these charlatans rise to power, with their unchecked egos demanding loyalty from anyone and everyone while never giving anything in return, they leave considerable damage in their wake and show little to no thought or consideration for the harm they have inflicted with their arrogance and pomposity. It serves as a damning reminder of what can happen when such dangerous and unqualified demagogues are allowed to assume positions of power.

Such political chaos and turmoil allow for some savvy and cunning figures to exploit the corruption to get ahead, and this is where Macrinus thrives. Washington, the legend that he is, is clearly having a ball with this role and he captivates every time he’s on screen, so much so it matters not that he is speaking with his natural accent. Filling Maximum’s armour is a tough ask, but Lucius’s arc makes for a compelling one, and Mescal gives a suitably wounded and gritty performance, his anger and fury with those in power never too far from the surface. Meanwhile, Quinn and Hechinger are suitably deranged and loathsome as the maniacal emperors, channelling Commodus’s wickedness and being accompanied by a pet monkey, as you do.

Some of the action scenes in the original could very easily lay claim to some of the best action of Scott’s long and glittering career as a director. So how does the octogenarian director top what he accomplished 24 years ago, by putting the history book to the sword and refusing to give a damn whether or not the events depicted in the Colosseum have any foundation in historical fact. Battles with manic baboons, and rhinos, and filling the Colosseum with water to recreating a great naval battle. It’s all utterly bonkers and wild, how can you not be entertained and give a thumbs up and watch the carnage and bloody battles unfold on screen in all their bloody glory. Yet, given the film’s exorbitant $250m budget, some of the VFX looks lacklustre and merits a thumbs down. Matching the lofty standards set by the first film was always going to be a tall order, but with Scott committed to delivering swords to the wall action and the political machinations that are all too relevant today, gives this sequel the strength and honour it needs for the audience to say: We who love Gladiator salute you, Sir Ridley.

It could have been an almighty risk to return to the Colosseum 24 years after Gladiator conquered everything before it, but with a scathing critique of modern-day politics and a memorable Denzel Washington performance, this sequel will leave you more than entertained.

2020-2029, Film Review

Borderlands (2024)

Posted on August 28, 2024September 2, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Lionsgate Films, Summit Entertainment, Media Capital Technologies, Arad Productions, Picturestart, Gearbox Studios and 2K**

Borderlands – Film Review

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, Jamie Lee Curtis

Director: Eli Roth

Synopsis: A bounty hunter is tasked by a powerful businessman to find and rescue his daughter on an inhospitable planet…

Review: Film adaptations of video games offer filmmakers so much potential. There is no shortage of games that are developed with such scope in their world-building and their richly developed characters to represent ripe material for them to translate these incredible adventures to the big screen and introduce these stories to a wider audience. It is a fundamental aspect for anyone who sets about this task that they honour its source material and adapt it in a manner that delivers thrills for both fans of the games and wider audiences in general. Who knows, perhaps it could inspire some to pick up a controller and dive into the world on which it was inspired? While recent video games such as The Last of Us, Fallout and the two Sonic movies succeeded, Eli Roth’s adaptation of Gearbox Software’s Borderlands fails and fails miserably.

After a massive dump of exposition about the world of Pandora (sadly not that one) and why everyone in this world might be interested in this mysterious vault, we meet infamous bounty hunter Lilith (Blanchett) on some other planet whose name you almost certainly won’t remember once the credits have rolled. Lilith is approached by a powerful businessman named Atlas (Ramirez) who tasks her with finding and rescuing his daughter Tiny Tina (Greenblatt) as Tina may hold the key to unlocking whatever is being kept in this vault. Lilith reluctantly returns to Pandora to find Tina. Along the way, she encounters and joins forces with a mercenary named Roland (Hart) and the brutish Krieg (Munteau) with a rag-tag group of characters on a quest to find some MacGuffins on a quest so generic you have seen a million times before, and also done so much better. You will wish you were watching that movie and not this derivative pile of junk.

**“Somewhere down here is a better script than the one we used…”**

A rag-tag, oddball collection of personalities brought together by circumstances on a mission with significant consequences at stake. It cannot be denied that Roth is trying to channel the Guardians of the Galaxy vibe, with tonnes of mic-drops to boot. Unfortunately, unlike what James Gunn accomplished with his trilogy of the Galaxy’s most lovable collection of a-holes, the script, credited to Roth and Joe Crombie, does absolutely nothing to put a shred of development on any of these characters or why you should even remotely care about their mission and whether they succeed. The film, which initially went into production in 2021, later carried out reshoots in early 2023 overseen by Deadpool director Tim Miller. Craig Mazin – the showrunner of Chernobyl and co-showrunner of The Last of Us – later had his name removed from the project. One look at Mazin’s resume and he seems like the perfect writer to help adapt a video game franchise from the console to the screen. Yet he didn’t want his name anywhere near it. Go figure.

With a lazy and mind-numbingly boring script and painfully obvious green screen, things do not get much better when it comes to the performances. Even with ridiculously talented actors, the dialogue delivery is monotone, bland and tedious to sit through, with attempts at humour extremely juvenile and unfunny. Blanchett tries her best, but not even she can elevate this insipid material and neither can her fellow Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis. Kevin Hart as Roland the mercenary is completely ineffective and Florian Munteau’s Krieg comes across as an inferior, considerably less amusing version, of a certain Drax the Destroyer. Ariana Greenblatt can be thankful she has her great performances in projects like Barbie and Ahsoka to fall back on because, like just about everything else in the film, she comes across as obnoxious and annoying. Though, nothing is as nearly as annoying as Claptrap the robot, voiced by Jack Black. Clearly intended to be the comedic sidekick, he is excruciatingly unfunny and makes you wish someone would deactivate him and then blow him to smithereens several times over.

One can only speculate, but given Roth is known for his work in horror films, it could be reasonably assumed the film initally tried to go for a more R-rated tone in keeping with the source material only for the studio to stipulate that they stick to a PG-13 rating, hence the reshoots. An R-rating may have marginally improved matters, but when a film is this lazily written, shoddily edited and put together, it is beyond redeemable. With more than 77 million games sold (as of November 2022), the Borderlands games franchise is clearly doing something right. Fans of the games would be wise to stick to the world that exists on their consoles because this dull and uninspired mess deserves to be banished to the apocalyptic wasteland it came from and never heard from ever again.

Despite its talented cast, this substandard adaptation of the popular game franchise is devoid of a shred of personality and thoroughly deserves its place on the scrapheap of worst video game adaptations. A complete and total misfire.

2020-2029, Film Review

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Posted on May 27, 2024May 31, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Warner Bros. Pictures, Kennedy Miller Mitchell and Village Roadshow Pictures**

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Film Review

Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme

Director: George Miller

Synopsis: Years before the events of Fury Road, a young Furiosa is taken from her home and family by the warlord Dementus…

Review: It was nothing short of a spectacular triumph when the Mad Max franchise finally came revving back onto our screens after a 30-year absence (including a significant period being stuck in the deepest depths of development hell). Even with all the frustration that would have surely brewed following its severely troubled production, Mad Max: Fury Road blew our collective socks off when it was finally unleashed. Aside from the mind-blowingly impressive, practical effects-driven action sequences and flamethrowing guitars, it also introduced us to a character who would outshine Max himself. Namely, Imperator Furiosa, played immaculately by Charlize Theron. With the character having such an impact, it is not remotely surprising that in those long years spent trying to get Fury Road up and running, the visionary behind this franchise George Miller came up with a story centred on this one-armed badass warrior. As the trailer so succinctly summarised: this is her odyssey.

Approximately 15 to 20 years before she encounters the Road Warrior, a young Furiosa (Browne) lives with her family in the Green Place of Many Mothers. In this bountiful utopia, all the inhabitants are skilled warriors and resources are plentiful. However, after Furiosa is kidnapped by the minions of the Warlord Dementus and his dangerous gang of bikers, she is taken prisoner by Dementus. With Furiosa in tow, he travels to the Citadel to challenge the tyrannical rule of Immortan Joe, leading to Furiosa spending many years in servitude to both men. Yet through all these years, she retains that ferocious spirit and is determined to fulfil her promise to her mother to find her way back home.

For all the praise richly and justifiably heaped upon Fury Road as a masterclass in crafting heavy metal, balls-to-the-wall action spectacle. It cannot be argued that it was a little bit light on plot and could be summarised as one big, long car chase set over the course of a few days. Therefore, Miller and returning screenwriter Nico Lathouris have crafted a different beast, but one that serves as the perfect companion piece. Split into episodic chapters charting Furiosa’s journey and how she learns to adapt in the harshest of environments where lawlessness is rampant. She must also learn to survive while in the servitude of these despots looking to either gain or maintain their grip on power in the remnants of a society where lawlessness is rampant, with only a few places left that have not fallen into ruin.

Such was the charisma and sheer force of nature in the performance that Charlize Theron gave in initially bringing this character to the screen, Anya Taylor-Joy had some enormous shoes to fill stepping into this role and doing her justice. Yet it’s a challenge she rises to phenomenally, though admittedly not for the first third of the film as it falls to young Alyla Browne to portray the Imperator in her childhood. As she grows up in this brutal environment, Browne imbues the character with steely hardiness and resilience into her adult years.

As an adult, Furiosa does not have a substantial amount of dialogue. Still, sometimes actions speak louder than words, and Taylor-Joy fits the part of Furiosa like a prosthetic arm. Though in the same vein as how Furiosa outshone Mad Max in his own film, Chris Hemsworth as Dementus threatens to drive away with the film, atop his insanely cool motorcycle chariot. Sporting scraggly hair and beard and decaying teeth, a far cry away from the princely and regal aura of the God of Thunder, imagine a cross between the Joker and a pirate, and you have the craziness that is Dementus. Hemsworth is delightfully batshit bonkers in this role and he owns every minute of screen time he has. Meanwhile, taking over the role from the late Hugh Keays-Byrne, Lachy Hulme is equally menacing as Immortan Joe.

With a lot more emphasis on character, Miller takes his foot off the pedal when it comes to the action sequences and it is not full-throttle from practically the opening credits. Such was the intensity of those adrenaline-fuelled action scenes of Fury Road that have set the standard for filmmakers when it comes to action scenes, surely Miller couldn’t surpass himself again? Like his fellow master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Miller is proving age is just a number because he is not allowing himself to slow down. One scene in particular, involving the iconic War Rig, is truly mind-blowing, worth the price of a ticket alone, and demands to be witnessed on the biggest screen possible.

For all the action mastery that Miller has in his arsenal, by splitting the story into episodic chapters, the pacing stalls from time to time resulting in the two-and-a-half-hour run time dragging in a couple of places. However, it remains crystal clear Miller is in his element developing and enriching this mad sandbox of a world he first brought to life back in 1979. 45 years later, he’s absolutely still going strong. Should he continue to sit in the driving seat of this franchise, audiences will likely be more than eager to start those engines and come along for the ride.

Considerably more character-driven but with plenty of mind-blowing action and a scene-stealing turn from Chris Hemsworth. Under the vision of the mad magnificent genius of George Miller, audiences shall bear witness to 2024 being the year of desert power!

2020-2029, Film Review

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

Posted on May 9, 2024May 18, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© 20th Century Studios, Jason T. Reed Productions and Oddball Entertainment**

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – Film Review

Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy, Travis Jeffery, Lydia Peckham, Neil Sandilands, Eka Darville,

Director: Wes Ball

Synopsis: Many generations after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, a young ape goes on a journey of discovery after his clan comes under attack…

Review: When the Planet of the Apes franchise came roaring back to life after a near decade of absence in 2011, it was the foundation on which arguably the best trilogy of the 2010s was built. Centred on Caesar, a genetically advanced ape who in his lifetime, rose up and led the apes in a revolution, saw his authority challenged by a rogue ape, and later led the apes into a war against the humans before he succumbed to his injuries. Portrayed by the master of motion capture by Andy Serkis, this rebooted trilogy set an exceedingly high bar for any future films. It is a bar that this new instalment swings for but ultimately falls short of matching those lofty standards.

Set hundreds of years after Caesar’s passing, apes have become the planet’s most dominant species, with humans regressing into a more primitive and feral-like state. The apes are divided into clans, with one clan developing a strong bond with eagles, including young ape Noa (Teague) who’s being prepped by his father for an important ceremony and must complete a significant ritual beforehand. However, after his clan comes under attack from a military-minded clan, Noa must go on a journey to find any survivors and establish the motivations of this combative clan. Along the way, he encounters a human (Allen), who is being hunted by the clan as they believe she is smarter than all the other humans and has crucial knowledge to access something of great significance to the clan.

Such was the enormous cultural impact of Caesar during the previous films, a list of the best characters of the 2010s would be incomplete without his inclusion. Caesar’s shadow looms large over this new generation of apes, even several hundred years after his passing. With the passage of such a long time, Josh Friedman’s screenplay takes its time to introduce the new Eagle clan and their peaceful existence, which stands in unique contrast to the more warmongering apes. The latter have taken Caesar’s teachings and misinterpreted them as a means to perpetrate violence against both other ape clans and humans. By contrast, the likes of orangutang Raka (Macon), who is fighting hard to preserve Caesar’s teachings and their true meanings. This puts Noa in a tricky position as to what he should do with this human, and whether he should trust her, or leave her to the warmongering apes.

Teague brings a likeable presence to Noa and imbues him with a sense of honour and a determination to do what is right and to honour his family and his tribe. Unfortunately, though no one else at least in his tribe is as memorable or given nearly as much development as Noa. However, as far as the other ape characters go, Macon as Raka brings no shortage of wisdom and imparts valuable knowledge to Noa as he proceeds on his journey to rescue his family, who have fallen into the servitude of the militaristic tribe and its leader Proximus Caesar (played with a blend of charisma and arrogance by Kevin Durand). His name would suggest he is a descendant of Caesar, and while he certainly echoes Caesar’s prominent “Apes. Together. Strong” mantra, Proximus is a far cry from the legendary leader he idolises. He possesses a messiah complex and is driven by the belief that not only what he is doing is right, but precisely what Caesar would have wanted the apes to do, making the audience wish the great Caesar’s ghost would reincarnate and give him a sharp and thorough rebuking.

Having done the visual effects work for the previous instalments, the craftwork on display from the geniuses at Weta is once again nothing short of extraordinary with such photorealistic visuals, it completely makes you forget that these are human actors in some rather unusual-looking suits bringing these apes to life. Unfortunately, outside of the apes, the only human character who is given a substantial amount of development is Freya Allan’s mysterious character, whom Noa and Raka name Nova (in a callback to the character of the same name from War for the Planet of the Apes). There’s an element of mystery to her, but as the film progresses and we learn more about her, certain decisions she makes are extremely perplexing and ultimately leave the audience with more questions than answers as to her motivations. The script could have fleshed these out more.

At 145 minutes, Kingdom is also the longest movie in the series to date. While this runtime is sometimes necessary to establish this world generations after the events of the previous film, it can also be to its detriment, particularly in the latter half. With this being reported as the first journey in a brand new trilogy, it has laid solid but imperfect foundations for future films to build upon. Time will tell if this new group of apes prove to be as strong or as memorable as Caesar’s remarkable journey from genetically modified ape to messianic primate.

Retaining the visual splendour of its previous instalments, Kingdom goes for some big swings with weighty themes about legacy and differing interpretations of teachings but doesn’t quite hit the heights of Caesar’s trilogy.

2020-2029, Film Review

The Fall Guy (2024)

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Universal Pictures, 87North Productions and Entertainment 360**

The Fall Guy – Film Review

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu, Teresa Palmer

Director: David Leitch

Synopsis: A battle-scarred stuntman is recruited to save the production of a big blockbuster movie after its star goes missing…

Review: You might not know their names, (unless they go by the name of Tom Cruise), but some of the best action scenes in cinema history simply would not have been possible without the incredible feats of countless bravery from stunt performers. These courageous men and women, risk life and limb for the purposes of the audiences’ entertainment. Yet their incredible accomplishments have so far not been their dues by major award shows. While one can only hope that one day, that becomes a reality, the latest film from stuntman-turned-director David Leitch serves as a delightfully funny and brilliantly entertaining acknowledgement of the bravery of these professionals and their craft.

Colt Seavers (Gosling) is an experienced and battle-scarred stuntman who has worked as the stunt double for movie star Tom Ryder (Taylor-Johnson) for several years. One day, while working on set, Colt has a serious accident, and suffers a severe injury. This causes Colt to nurse his wounds, cease all contact with his co-workers and camera operator girlfriend Jody (Blunt), and hide away from the world. However, after a lengthy period away, Colt is called by executive producer Gail (Waddingham) and tasked to resume his stuntman duties, but also to save the production of Jody’s directorial debut Metal Storm, after Ryder has been reported missing.

Loosely based on the 1980s TV show of the same name, Drew Pearce’s screenplay is filled to the brim with witty meta-commentary of an inside look at the movie business. As well as being a tribute to the incredible bravery of stunt performers, it takes a look at what goes on behind the scenes of big-budget motion pictures, the decisions directors and studio executives may have to face when assembling such a massive blockbuster, and the efforts to which studios will go to secure the keynote spot at a certain flagship comic con to promote the film. On top of all this, it brings a sense of mystery to it as Colt must investigate the circumstances surrounding Ryder’s disappearance, which shall not be spoiled here but suffice to say, Colt certainly gets more than he bargained for.

Hot on the heels of his Oscar-nominated, scene-stealing performance as Ken in last year’s smash hit Barbie, Gosling once again combines charm, charisma and scorching good looks in his performance. There truly is nothing this man cannot do. Having worked so tremendously as one half of a hilarious double act in The Nice Guys, this is a further demonstration of his wonderful comedic talents (and endless bouts of Kenergy). Aside from Gosling’s committed and hilarious performance, a key component of what makes the humour so effective is the sizzling hot chemistry he shares with Emily Blunt’s Jody, a further demonstration of the lasting power of the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Jody, who is understandably not best pleased about Colt’s decision to isolate himself away from her after his accident, has enormous fun in the methods she chooses in her capacity as the director to get back at him for ghosting her and effectively ending their relationship.

After charming audiences for three seasons as the initially reluctant owner of a football club in Ted Lasso, Hannah Waddingham is having the time of her life as Metal Storm‘s executive producer and threatens to run away with the entire show. Spending the majority of its runtime on Colt and Jody’s dynamic as ex-boyfriend/girlfriend and stuntman/director, and the secretive efforts of Colt and Gail to find the missing movie star, results in the rest of the cast getting very little screentime. Fittingly, for a film giving these stunt performers their dues, what does have a lasting impact is the stunt work on display. Leitch and this incredible team of stunt performers go all out to accomplish remarkable stunts, all captured in camera with no hint of CGI trickery. From a gripping car chase across Sydney’s streets, to Colt being forced to do the same stunt repeatedly for multiple takes, as well as perhaps the most impressive stunt of them all, the breaking of a record for the amount of car flips that was once held by Casino Royale. James Bond, eat your heart out.

While the ensuing hi-jinks of the mission to find Ryder have no shortage of entertaining and comedic moments, it does begin to run a little out of steam towards the end due to a severely overstretched plot. However, the journey of getting there more than makes up for it. Audiences owe these stunt professionals so much for their fearlessness and dedication for as long as cinema has been around, and one can hope this finally cajoles the industry into giving them the long overdue awards and recognition they deserve.

A joyous and entertaining fusion of action, comedy and romance, with electric chemistry between its bona fide movie star leads ensures The Fall Guy is a non-stop blast of fun and a sincere love letter to the stunt community.

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2023

The Killer (2023)

Posted on October 28, 2023November 14, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Killer – Film Review

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Charles Parnell, Kerry O’Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard, Emiliano Pernía, Gabriel Polanco

Director: David Fincher

Synopsis: An assassin on a mission to eliminate a target finds himself up against his employers after the mission goes awry…

Review: “Empathy is weakness, weakness is vulnerability” narrates the nameless assassin at the centre of the latest film from the master of suspense David Fincher. It is probably a requisite in that particular line of work that one would need to not allow their feelings or emotions to interfere in the name of getting the job done. Cinema has seen no shortage of films centred on the worlds of espionage and paid assassins. In the hands of a director whose methods are as targeted and as precise as its titular hitman, he brings an entirely unique perspective to this genre, unlike anything we have seen before.

The eponymous assassin (Fassbender) is contracted by his employers to eliminate a target by any means necessary, even if it means waiting for days on end for the opportune moment to present itself. While he lies in wait, he will prepare meticulously to ensure he is ready, but he will also find time to engage in regular day-to-day activities, such as ordering fast food and doing yoga. The precise and methodological approach he takes towards his job is procedural, and he will merely bide his time waiting for the moment to strike. When the moment does arrive, a rare mishap leaves him wondering who might now be after him and if he is about to be the one in the crosshairs of his employers.

Adapted from the French graphic novel series of the same name written by Alexis Nolent, the script by Andrew Kevin Walker (reuniting with Fincher after the duo worked on Se7en) wastes no time getting down to business. It whizzes through the opening credits almost quickly as a speeding bullet, though it slows back down again as through an extensive period of narration by The Assassin as he gets ready to carry out the assassination he has been paid one presumes an exorbitant amount of money for. From there, once the planned hit has been botched, the film is divided into chapters as he goes across the globe to confront his employers and seek retribution against those who may have targeted him, or those close to him in response to the botched job. He does all this while having a penchant for destroying mobile phones and listening to The Smiths. Who knew that listening to Morrissey is the perfect ambience an assassin requires to commit brutal acts of violence?

Before taking a three-year break away from the big screen, Fassbender was in something of a rut having starred in a series of films which did not have the best of receptions either critically or commercially. Therefore, it is immensely satisfying to see him return to form in a big way as he is electrifying here. Given he’s in just about every frame of the film, he commands the screen with a presence with an intensity and an aura of someone you absolutely do not want to mess with. He’s a man of few words but has an icy death stare that would make anyone’s blood run as cold as the deepest depths of the South Pole during a long and dark winter night. For understandable reasons, Fincher keeps his camera trained on Fassbender to the extent that pretty much every other member of the cast is given very little or sparse screen time. However, each one, especially Tilda Swinton makes their screentime count.

There’s a foreboding nature running through every frame of the film thanks to the atmospheric cinematography from Erik Messerschmidt, and an intense score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It is all overseen by a director who like his main character, is methodical and meticulous in how he shoots his films. His command of the craft is never in doubt, particularly when it comes to what is one of the most brutal fight scenes in a film this year or in a good long while for that matter where every punch and blow is strongly felt. While the story itself is light on substance and could have delved more beyond the surface level of the assassin’s psyche and what makes him tick, it is hard to count that against it when everything is so slickly and stylishly presented. This should come as no surprise given that like his titular assassin, Fincher shoots to thrill, and thrill he most certainly does.