Cast:

Dwayne Johnson                       John Hartley

Ryan Reynolds                          Nolan Booth

Gal Gadot                                 The Bishop

Ritu Arya                                  Inspector Urvashi Das

After a pretty long break of providing movie and television reviews, I have decided to submit a new one. For this edition of “Was I entertained” I went to Netflix to select something to watch on a fall Saturday night. After logging into Netflix, I cued up my profile and started looking at the list I had created. Well, let me tell you, Netflix has a lot of great stuff, but we also came across a large number of crappy selections. So we started and discarded 4 films before we finally settled on “Red Notice”. 

We should have started with this film, as my wife and I are both fans of the 3 principal actors (Johnson, Gadot and Reynolds). For the people (like us) who do not rush to watch a new Netflix film once added, but wait a while, let me give you a quick synopsis of what “Red Notice” is about.

The film starts with a small (fictional) history lesson about 3 golden eggs that were apparently owned by Cleopatra after receiving them from Marc Antony as a wedding gift. Naturally, over the course of history, these eggs had disappeared only to be found by a farmer in the early 20^th century.  Two of the eggs were recovered but the 3^rd one was lost. Fast forward a hundred plus years, a very rich Egyptian wants to recreate the prestige of these eggs and present them to his daughter (also named Cleopatra) as a wedding gift, and he is offering 300 million to anyone who can provide them.

Enter Nolan Booth (Reynolds), the self proclaimed top thief in the world. He apparently knows the location of the third missing egg and is hell bent on stealing the other two from a museum and a gangster’s private collection. In the first scene where Nolan (Reynolds) is trying to steal the egg from the museum, he is being pursued by Hartley (Johnson), an FBI agent and an intrepid Interpol Inspector, Urvashi Das (Arya). The first contact between Booth (Reynolds), Hartley (Johnson) and Das (Arya) has an awesome chase sequence, with numerous quips, wanton destruction and everyone running full speed ahead. This actually sets the tone for the rest of the film as the heroes try to fulfill the rich man’s wish of providing the 3 eggs to his daughter as a wedding gift.

Due to a series of double crosses and twists, we find our two heroes in a Russian jail. Hartley (Johnson) and Booth (Reynolds) continue to perform a quick witted banter between the two and develop a friendship (Ok we knew this was going to happen, but it helps with the films enjoyment). We also are introduced formally to the Bishop (Gadot). We know that everyone wants the eggs, or in the case of Hartley (Johnson) a chance to clear his name as he felt that he was improperly incarcerated by Das (Arya). It is at this point, the action increases as the three are in search of the eggs while trying to elude Das (Arya). Not to give out too many spoilers here, lets just say that there are more double-crosses and twists in this film than a game of murder mystery. Some are predictable, some are downright surprising. Along the way, we are provided numerous scenic views from around the world (Rome, Bali, London, Valencia and Cairo to name but a few) and some stunning cinematography. While much of the film was completed in Georgia, there was still the actual cities filmed for the set-up of the scene if you will.  The jokes and action continue and we are also given an homage of sorts from other great movies, Raiders of the Lost Ark (trilogy), True Lies, National Treasure, The Thomas Crown Affair and Oceans 11. All in all, a pretty enjoyable action/comedy movie. 

What did we like about the film? Well, first I have to say that the chemistry between all the main actors was great. Granted, they have all been in at least one other film together besides Red Notice.  But to my knowledge this is the first time they have all been together for a film. The cinematography was excellent, the script was fast and funny and the direction seemed to be spot on. While there were some areas of predictability in this film, it was ok and we did not mind it. We were enjoying the experience. I also enjoyed the homage to the aforementioned classic films. It was clear that it was not a rip-off of ideas that some directors/films do, but rather a salute or acknowledgement of them. So in that aspect, we enjoyed that as well. 

As I mentioned, the chemistry was great between all concerned. So in that light, lets take a look at each character:

Dwayne Johnson as John Hartley: If you are a follower of these blogs, there is no doubt that you have determined that Johnson is a family favourite. I don’t think we miss any film that he is in as we know that it if Johnson is in it, we will probably like it a lot. Sure, some of his films are not as funny or action packed as others, but I really don’t think there is any of them that we outright disliked. In Red Notice, we find Johnson pretty much playing the role that he always does in his action comedies. Quick with the wit, the laugh, and the fists. His character, while not really “deep”, it is substantial enough that you don’t really see too many flaws. With the character of Hartley, you knew what you were getting, action, a few one liners and a few laughs.  It is proven formula for Johnson, and it works every time. Overall, we really enjoyed this character, and Johnson in Red Notice. Even though I have been watching his films ever since he crossed over to film from his wrestling days, I still enjoy pretty much all of his roles and characters. Sure, there maybe some weaker ones, but pretty much any film that he was a key character, has proven to be an enjoyable experience to watch in our household. All in all, another successful performance by Johnson.

Ryan Reynolds as Nolan Booth: Reynolds, much like Johnson, plays pretty much the same role that has made him a household name. He is quick with the wit, awesome one liners, and of course performs great action sequences. As with Johnson, he is also a family favourite. Hell, you could say he is a national favourite, as our city actually commemorated a street with his name just a little while ago. I have been watching his career progress since my wife and I first came across, “2 guys, a girl and a pizza joint”. For us, he made the show, and every film afterwards his career has just boomed, (well except for Green Lantern I suppose, but believe it or not, I actually did not hate that film as much as many others have). Deadpool is really where he came to his own and ensured that his fan base really solidified and gerw. In this film, I liken his character to what he played in “The Hitmans bodyguard”. Which was also an enjoyable character and role for him. He definitely has great chemistry with all his co-stars, and the character, while actually a bit shallow, was extremely enjoyable. From our perspective, another great film with Reynolds in it.

Gal Gadot as The Bishop: Gadot is really moving forward in the industry of late. I remember seeing her in the “Fast and the Furious” franchise and really wondered who she was. Time went on, she got more roles, some small, some large and her career just continued to grow. When she took on the mantel of Wonder Woman, she truly started hitting a-list roles and characters. In this film, she really plays both sides of the house, the antagonist, as well later on the protagonist (same as Johnson) and she did it well. Her comedic deliveries, while not as polished as Reynolds or even Johnson, were still well done and she played her character well off of their shenanigans and fast paced delivery. As with other co-stars, a fine performance in an enjoyable film.

Ritu Arya as Inspector Urvashi Das: This actress was familiar and it took me a bit to put a finger on where I had seen her before. It was not until I looked at IMDB that I found out that she was in The Umbrella Academy, a show that I found very intriguing. As the Interpol Inspector who was in hot pursuit of these ne’er do wells, she played it well enough against the star power of her co-stars. Her character actually reminded me of Reynolds love interest in the first Hitmans Bodyguard film. An important character, but yet one that could potentially be forgotten within the action and comedy of the film. That could be the problem when a relatively unknown actor is pitted against some major star power…the character can become lost. However, having said all that, we have to say her character and delivery was pretty good throughout the film, and her chemistry with her co-stars was also notable. Her character was actually the drive for many of the situations and the plot, but as I said before, it can almost get lost as you watch the film as you are anxious to see what will be the next and you forget that her character was the impetus. However, having said all that, her character was well played and we enjoyed it in the film.

So now is the question, were we entertained? Yes, we were. It was a nice light film that had plenty of action and laughs throughout. There was a solid cast, great snappy dialogue, wonderful cinematography and enough salutes to other films to make it worthwhile. We would recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of the 3 principal stars, or anyone who enjoys the buddy action flicks. All in all, a wonderful way to kill a few hours on a wet fall evening. 

Our rating: 7/10

If you are interested in any film that I have reviewed of the primary cast, please click on the links below:

Dwayne Johnson                       Skyscraper, Rampage, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Ryan Reynolds                           The Hitmans Wife’s Bodyguard, Criminal

Gal Gadot                                  Wonderwoman 1984,  Criminal

Cast:

Chris Pratt                    Owen Grady

Bryce Dallas Howard     Claire Dearing

Laura Dern                    Ellie Sattler

Sam Neill                      Alan Grant

Isabella Sermon            Maisie Lockwood

Campbell Scott             Lewis Dodgson

Jeff Goldblum               Ian Malcolm

Dewanda Wise              Kayla Watts

Mamoudou Athie          Ramsey Cole

Recently we went to COSTCO to pick up a few things…hundreds of dollars later we departed with not only everything we did not need (also forgetting to pick up what we went there for), but we also bought a package for the local cineplex at a discount. Our intent at the time was to see the upcoming new TOP GUN movie with it. So, Top Gun: Maverick is in our local theatre, we wait a few weeks for the crowds to subside a bit and make the walk over to the film. Even though it was playing in two screens within a half hour of each other, we could not get any seats. So, we looked at the marquee and decided on the latest Jurassic Park film. Jurassic World Dominion (JWD) to be exact. While it was not the reason why we went to the cinema (just like COSTCO), it was still a worthwhile choice. JWD is the sixth outing in this series and combines the principal characters from the 2 trilogies. 

This sixth and final film takes place 4 years after the destruction of Isla Nublar. Dinosaurs have pretty much expanded to live all over the world and are now co-existing with humans in a not so pretty balance. As is typical in this type of film besides demonstrating the good side of humanity that tries its best to co-exist with nature (morphed as it is) we also see the seedy underbelly as well. For example, we are introduced to the typical corporate greed storyline; i.e. the evil company (Biosyn) who is mutating locusts to a prehistoric version that will only eat wheat that is not of their manufacture, or to the cage fighting of smaller dinosaurs in gambling dens. As I said, the good and bad of humanity. 

For the first act of the film, we are basically re-introduced to all the principal characters from the Jurassic Park franchise. We find Grady (Pratt), Dearing (Howard) and Maisie (Sermon) living in the woods. The primary reason is to protect Maisie from the aforementioned evil companies and various bad-guys who would do her harm as she is a clone of Dr. Lockwood’s daughter, one of the founders of the original Jurassic Park. They are living in the woods, trying to keep a low profile, but as Maisie (Sermon) is now a teenager, and we all know how teenagers act, she does not follow the rules and just wants to go into town and explore. Grady (Pratt) and Dearing (Howard) are trying to do their best to raise her, while still fulfilling their own personal agendas. Dearing (Howard) and followers are having their own private war against Biosyn and what their doing to the dinosaurs and Grady (Pratt), is pretending he is a member of the Yellowstone cast as he gallops around the countryside hogtieing and lassoing the various wild dinosaurs.

Concurrently, we find Sattler (Dern) and Grant (Neill) reunite on a prehistoric dig. The reason for the reunion is that Sattler (Dern) has been involved in studying prehistoric locust who are decimating the food supply of the world…yet leaving anything Biosyn alone. She (Dern) is requesting Grant’s (Neill) help in finding evidence that Biosyn is behind this invasion of Locusts. 

So while the main characters are in the same film, they are actually following two separate storylines that we just know will intersect sometime further along. It is at this point we see poor Maisie (Sermon) kidnapped by some ne’er do wells who are in the employ of Dodgson (Scott) the CEO of Biosyn. So what we have here for the storylines are Sattler (Dern) and Grant (Neill) trying to pin Biosyn with creating a toxic Locust swarm and trying to save their day, and Grady (Pratt) and Dearing (Howard) traveling to Biosyn to save their adopted daughter Maisie (Sermon). Biosyn is the common thread, and it is there that they also all meet up with Malcolm (Goldblum) who is under the employ of Biosyn. All in all, a kind of twisted, intricate plot that will try and connect together in a reasonable and buyable conclusion. I won’t give out any more of the plot, needless to say, there is a lot of action, a plethora of dinosaurs (both new and old), chases, special effects and general mayhem throughout the film. 

So, what did we like about the film you ask? In the case of Jurassic World Dominion, we have almost as many likes as dislikes, but let’s start with the like portion.

1. The return of Dern, Neill and Goldblum to the franchise. The three of them embodied what was great about the series. All solid actors with incredible resumes. You can see the chemistry between them at all times, and they still manage to take a weak script and make it enjoyable.
2. Cinematography – We loved all the scenes in Malta, (primarily as it was one of our favourite holiday places), each scene brought back a memory of when we there and we both would point at the screen when certain sights/places would go by. The dinosaurs running around actually interrupted our memories!
3. The Animatronics’ and CGI were also first rate as what would be expected from this franchise. We enjoyed when all the dinosaurs were active in the film, there were just not enough scenes with them in it.
4. The additions to the franchise of Athie and Wise. They were both excellent supporting actors and I enjoyed their parts as well as their interaction with the main cast. 
5. Homages to previous films – I also enjoyed the several touches to previous films in the series. i.e. The shaving cream can, several quotes and scene repeats. However, at times the repetitive scenes were getting a tad old, so it was a dangerous game to keep revisiting the same sequences that were used so well before. 
6. D. Wong – on a smaller scale, seeing Wong again as the confused scientist who realizes what he had done was enjoyable as well. Even if his portion of the storyline was a little skewed.

Things that could have been done better.

1. Script and plot – These were both very weak. At points it seems that the script was written by a child, especially where the villain was concerned. His dialogue and part were in my opinion, almost infantile. The special effects did not really enhance the story, i.e. the flaming locusts, but it rather provided a distraction from how weak it was. The plot holes and inconsistencies were so numerous it was hard to count. In one breath, it is said how dangerous all the creatures are, the next breath, we are seeing a cheap version of fight club with the dinosaurs. So they are extremely dangerous, yet some idiot can have some for pit fights. I was also amazed that a Yellowstone wanna be, was able to take down a huge dinosaur with only a trusty lasso and trained horse…come on, some things go just beyond believable.
2. The Villain, Dodgson (Scott) was horrible. As I just mentioned, his dialogue was extremely weak, and he did not come across as a villain at all…more like a petulant child. I don’t know if this is the actor’s fault or that of direction/script, but it was horrible. 
3. The over use of the outstretched hand – Ok, this started to annoy me about ¾ of the way through the film. I was just sick of that movement. It was used far too much and when they all do it near the end…it was actually a head smack moment.
4. Overuse of previous film moments and blatantly stealing concepts from other films – it was ok to see a few scenes of homage to previous films in the series, but it was way overdone, and at some times ludicrous. So while I got a kick of seeing the shaving cream container from the first film, lets be realistic. That container was covered in mud etc, and no one knew where it ended up, so how could he have it in the office…another WTF moment. Also, some scenes I felt like we were in different films i.e. Fight Club, Star Wars, Fast and the Furious…to many ideas were stolen or repeated.
5. Not enough Dinosaurs – This whole franchise was about dinosaurs being reborn. Yet they actually had minimal screen time. You think it would have been more prevalent within the film. While on the subject of dinosaurs, it was always great to watch them break the law of physics and nature, but that’s ok, it did make it or action packed sequences (even if realistically it would not make sense).

That’s enough what I found was lacking in the film as far as major points. Now lets look at the cast:

Chris Pratt as Owen Grady: I like Pratt in most films, and I even liked him in this one. Not his fault if the script or storyline was weak. He is another actor who has been around it seems forever and has been in so many projects that you actually forgot him and how long he has been acting. Personally, it was not until Zero Dark Thirty that I started to remember who he was. (I know for others it is more Parks and Recreation, but I was not a fan of that show). I also think that for most people, it was not until his inclusion in the MCU as Peter Quill/Starlord that his career really took off. The Jurassic Park franchise really helped his status in Hollywood as one of the new a-listers. In JWD, he had enough action and comedic sequences to keep you entertained, and keep watching, even with the weak dialogue etc. As I previously mentioned, I got really sick of the outstretched hand with every dinosaur as I felt that sequence was way overused in this film. Was it a great performance for him…not really, but it was not horrible either. At least this film wrapped up a franchise and/or trilogy so the chances of him joining another JP film should be minimal. For further reviews on Chris Pratt films, see my review of the Tomorrow War. 

Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing: Here is another case of an actress who I had to look up and find out where I had seen her before. Howard has been around far longer than most people would imagine, in predominately small roles. In the first film of this trilogy, I really got to like her character, and her as an actress. However, as the trilogy continued, I liked the character less and less. She was stronger in the first film than in this one, in my opinion. In JWD, she comes across strong at the start while she and her followers invade a company to investigate the illegal use of the new dinosaurs, and that just falls to crap as she then converts to basically a weeping mother throughout the rest of the film. Even though her chemistry with other cast members was adequate, it did not do enough to save her in this role. As with Pratt, not her best film. 

Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler: Dern is a family favorite, she has been around for ever and is an extremely talented actress. Her chemistry with Grant (Neill) is awesome. It was a real pleasure to see her back in the Jurassic Park franchise and have her reunite with Neill. In this film, her chemistry really comes forward with her co-stars and it actually demonstrates what all fans of the original movie wanted to see – and that was Sattler and Grant ending up together. A fine performance from Dern in a rather weak film. 

Sam Neill as Alan Grant: My opinion of Neill is much like that of Dern. A family favourite who has been in such great roles throughout his career.  I think the first film I saw with him was “Dead Calm (1987)” with Billy Zane and Nicole Kidman, and I thought that he was pretty good. Then came “Hunt for Red October” where he also excelled as a co-star. In the years that past, we saw him in numerous films and shows that displayed his talent on both the large and small screen i.e Jurassic Park, Event Horizon, Merlin, Tudors to name but a few. In JWD, I found his talent to be present as always, his only limitations were that of script and scenes that are ultimately beyond his control. As with Dern, his chemistry with her was fantastic and he actually played the ageing Professor just as I imagined he would act. In this film, I only wish they gave Dern and Neill more leeway with their characters, as I am sure it would have undoubtedly enhanced the film. 

Isabella Sermon as Maisie Lockwood: While the character of Maisie is integral to the storyline of JWD, I did not really find her character engaging. Mind you, she is still very new in the business and her only credits to date are those with the Jurassic World franchise (2). Her chemistry with her principal co stars of Howard and Pratt was pretty good and believable. I am curious to see what she does next. 

Campbell Scott as Lewis Dodgson: Scott playing the principal villain of this film was basically just a time vampire. He would steal time from other worthwhile characters without really contributing to the film writ large. You could have put the villain as some kind of anonymous entity that no one really saw and it would have actually enhanced the film. I had to look at his resume to see what he had done in the past. While he looked familiar, nothing stood out. I was completely surprised at the volume of Scott’s work according to IMDB. The only thing that sort of came to mind was his character in Spider Man. With respect to JWD, his character as written was weak and had no real depth. This is probably not the fault of the actor, but that of writer/director. But needless to say, this was not a very good role, probably for any actor/actress.

Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm: Another iconic actor, Goldblum has been involved with some of Hollywood’s best films over the years. He returned to the role of Malcolm like a person putting on a comfortable glove. He continued his role and character just as any fan would imagine. Demonstrating great chemistry with his old co-stars of Dern and Neill, and also the same with Athie was enjoyable to watch. A talented actor who adds to any project that he has been involved with. The character of Malcolm while clichéd overall, is still an enjoyable experience on the big screen. 

Dewanda Wise as Kayla Watts: This character was new and a surprise for us. Watts (Wise), the mercenary pilot who was supposed to be one of the bad guys, yet becomes good. This is another case that Wise was familiar but couldn’t put my finger on it. According to IMDB, she has been around awhile, but for the most part has played more on the smaller screen. She has been a guest on many of the shows that I have liked over the years, “The Twilight Zone, Underground, The Mentalist, Boardwalk Empire and the Good wife” to name but a few. I enjoyed how she portrayed her inner turmoil as she made the decision to help our heroes, while still maintaining the “toughness” that she tried to exude in her character. I really hope that she gets some larger roles in the future as I believe that she has great potential. This was probably a good role for her to give maximum exposure for her talents.

Mamoudou Athie as Ramsey Cole: Cole (Athie) was the hand picked protégé/assistant to Scott’s Dodgson. He portrayed the right amount of subservience to trick Dodgson in the end. I really liked his character in this film. Another relative newcomer, I had only seen him in “The Circle” which I had previously reviewed, albeit he was in a minor role in that film. I enjoyed his role and his character and I really look forward to seeing him in future productions/roles.

So now comes the ultimate question, were we entertained? Yes, we were. Jurassic World Dominion is not a great film, but it is one that you can sit back and enjoy on a hot summer night. Watching this film on a big screen is a must as smaller screens will not do the special effects and animatronics the justice it deserves. Yes, the film has plot holes bigger than a brontosaurus, but it is still enjoyable nonetheless. If you are a fan of the franchise and the stars, then yes please go see this film. But really only to bring the series to a finale. The film may be the weakest in the franchise, but it does close some loops, bring the two trilogies together, and also to show the latest in special effects. If you are not a great fan, then give this a pass and try to go see Top Gun like we did!

Our rating: 5.5/10

Till next time!

Cast:

Scarlett Johansson                    Natasha Romanoff

Florence Pugh                           Yelena Belova

David Harbour                          Alexei

Rachel Weisz                            Melina

Ray Winstone                           Dreykov

Olga Kurylenko                         Antonia

William Hurt                             Secretary Ross

We finally regained power after a massive storm that wiped out most of the power grid in Eastern Ontario, we decided it was time to watch a good movie. One that both my wife and I would find entertaining. With that in mind, we went to the MC universe to find something that we had not yet watched. Black Widow seemed to fit the bill for this evenings entertainment. While this film was released last year, it was postponed several times due to the COVID pandemic so it was at least a year or so in the “can” prior to hitting the big screen.

There are currently 28 films in the MCU with at least 11 more in various stages of development. This film, the 24^th in the series takes place shortly after Captain America: Civil War, and it does include some “Black Widow origin” material as well in the form of flashbacks. 

The film starts with a typical U.S. Midwestern scene, two young girls, a mother, and a father. Dad comes home for dinner and announces that the family must depart on an adventure. Everyone rushes to the car leaving everything behind as they race to a small private airstrip where a small Cessna is waiting. Just as they board, we can hear sirens in the distance as a bevy of police cars approach and try to block this seeming innocent families escape. After a typical shoot-out that results in many cars shot-up, blown up and/or wrecked, our family flies away with the father hanging onto the wing. What was interesting to note was that we, the audience, discover that the father has some pretty strong muscles that are reminiscent of other superheroes in the MCU. They land in Cuba, and our suspicions are confirmed. This was a Russian family that was in the U.S. as a sleeper cell. Now back in the hands of Mother Russia, the two girls are removed. 

Fast forward a number of years and we see a number of assassins working in Morocco. A young blond woman is battling her foes in a spectacular series of stunts and gunfire. At this point, I was hard pressed to try and figure out which girl she was from the start, but by the end of the fight sequence it did become apparent that she was the little “Sister” of Natasha (Johansson). We are also re-introduced to the father, Alexei (Harbour) who is now in a Russian gulag, reminiscing of his glory days fighting Captain America and pretty much shaming all comers in arm wrestling. We have seen how this once lean warrior in the opening sequences has become old, fat, and slovenly. However, he was still capable of fighting when required. Concurrently, Natasha (Johansson) is being chased by her former employer Secretary Ross to answer for her “supposed” crimes that were committed in Captain America: Civil War. I don’t want to go to deeply in the story (weak one that it is) in case you have not watched it. So, with all this in mind, you can pretty much figure out the rest of the movie from there. Family re-unites, fights common foe and each other, defeats enemy and leaves opening for further MCU adventures. Pretty predictable, right?

Now that we have a basic sketch of the film out there, let us look at what was good about “Black Widow”. 

1. The cinematography: We loved the scenes from Norway, Hungary and Morocco. Each and every one of these scenes in the film brought forth our travel bug and urges us to plan another holiday. Besides the beautiful places that were filmed, we found the action sequences were filmed quite well, and did not seem to be too choppy or sped up to an unbelievable speed as it is done in some films of late. 
2. Plot/premise: Ok, I do realize that the plot of this film is pretty weak and extremely predictable even for somewhat of an origin story, but I do like the fact that they showed the start of Natasha’s life to be somewhat reminiscent of the show “The Americans”. “The Americans” is a tv-series of a family of sleeper agents that is hiding in the USA in the early 80’s. (A fantastic show that I highly recommend!). In that aspect, I thought it was pretty good. I also did enjoy the addition of the new characters from Natasha’s past. Especially the “father” and “sister”.
3. Character chemistry: The chemistry between the main characters was present, though not so much when it involved Natasha (Johansson). In my opinion it was the supporting cast, specifically Harbour and Pugh that carried the day in the film. Their comedic lines and deliveries were spot on, and for us, worked every time. Natasha (Johansson) seemed almost forced. She had better chemistry with her previous co-stars in the Avengers series than here.

Now what was bad about the film:

1. Plot: Even though I had mentioned above that the plot was one of the good things, it was also one of the bad things about the film. Too clichéd, too many plot holes, and also most importantly, why was the story told? Was it only to be a vehicle for Johansson so that she could have the lead in an MCU film? Was it means to introduce Yelena (Pugh) into the MCU and also the upcoming series on Disney? Of the two, I would say it was more of the later, with a touch of the former. The worst thing about the MCU is that Black Widow and Hawkeye are really 3^rdrate heroes. They have no powers or super technology, just some good fighting skills. Their storylines are never really amplified in previous films…they are almost like throw-away characters if you will. Put them in a situation where the real heroes have to save them. Additionally, at first this film felt more like a spy/thriller movie versus an MCU film, then in the last 20 minutes, it changed gears to be more “heroic”. I actually liked the first portion much better.
2. Characters: Now that they have fleshed out the Natasha Romanoff character, I like it less then before. This character is more suited in a supporting role versus lead. I also felt that at times, Johansson’s acting was a little off and did not flow as well as her supporting cast. Also, Dreykov (Winstone) was poorly presented in my opinion, and his role of the enemy was pretty comical.

While on the subject of characters, let us look at the main actors and their roles within Black Widow:

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff: I usually enjoy Johansson’s roles for the most part in the MCU. However, this time as the lead character, as mentioned previously, it felt off. Almost like she was not fully invested into the role. Her chemistry was spotty with her supporting characters and at times the delivery appeared wooden. However, having said all that, who can argue when Johansson is clad in either white or black leather? That alone will surely appeal to many fans! I must give props to some of the action sequences, they were well done and I always enjoyed a good fight/combat scene. For some reason, her comedic sequences fell short when compared to her principal co-stars. Not her worst role in my opinion, but not her best either.

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova: I have to say that Pugh’s portrayal of Yelena was actually the highlight of the film. Her comedic delivery, one liners, and action sequences were extremely well done. We almost fell off the chair when she accused Natasha (Johansson) of being a poser and always landing on 3-point stance and giving a hair flick before leaping into action. My wife has always laughed at these movies when that sequence is performed, and to have another character poke fun at it really enhanced the film for us. Granted it was the writers/directors who put the line in, but Pugh’s delivery made it hilarious. I also enjoyed her performance throughout the film, it felt it had more depth then that of the main star. I had not seen Pugh in anything prior to Black Widow, but I will definitely be on the look for her in the future, for I feel that she has great potential in the industry and am looking forward to what her next role will be.

David Harbour as Alexei: Alongside of Pugh’s performance, Harbour also gave a great portrayal of Alexei, the surrogate father of the two young ladies. Harbour is one of these actors that you see in everything, a supporting actor that probably works in more films then any A list star and has movie credits as long as your arm. To be honest, even though his face was always familiar, I never really started paying attention to him till the NETFLIX series Stranger Things. Looking at his resume, I realized that I have watched him in at least 25 different productions (film/tv series) over the years. Harbour was excellent in Black Widow, he was funny, action packed and was actually pretty integral to the story line. I especially enjoyed his “reminiscing” of previous greatness scenes, they were truly memorable. This was a truly enjoyable role to watch and I look forward to Stranger Things season 4 to see him again!

Rachel Weisz as Melina: Weisz, the ever stoic actress was OK in this film. She was great in the Mummy and a few other roles, but in this one, I found she was OK. Maybe it was the script or direction, but her character was not developed to the same extent of Harbour and Pugh. She could still carry some of the action sequences (maybe she learned it from her real husband, Daniel Craig), but the lighter side was not really present here. As I have said, an OK performance from this talented actress, she has done better in other roles, and I am sure she will in future ones as well. 

So, as with every review, now is the question. Were we entertained? Yes, we were. This was really a light film with lots of action and a few good laughs along the way. Was it a fantastic addition to the MCU? No, it was not. This was probably one of the weaker additions to the series, but one that does fill in a few holes in Natasha’s past. (let’s forget about any of the plot holes in this film). In “Black Widow” the real stars were the supporting cast, and Harbour and Pugh made the film worth the watch. I do look forward to seeing Hawkeye (whenever that gets released to something besides Disney) and seeing Pugh in action again. As previously mentioned, I also look forward to seeing Harbour in future roles, as I really think that here is another case of an actor who has been around for ever, but only finds his stride in their late 40’s. Either way, it was a fun film to watch, especially if you are a fan of the genre. 

Rating: 5/10

Till next time!

Cast:

Ryan Reynolds              Michael Bryce

Samuel L. Jackson         Darius Kincaid

Salma Hayek                 Sonia Kincaid

Antonio Banderas         Aristotle Papdopolous

Morgan Freeman          Michael Bryce Senior

Well here we are again, time to put fingers to keyboard and eke out another review. It has been pretty busy in the nations capital of Canada of late. We have battled the last version of COVID, stores are opening, restaurants are back and soon all other restrictions will depart. Also, here in Ottawa we have had to endure the Freedom Convoy and all that entailed and now that is done, we are being inundated with news of what is happening in Ukraine. It seems that we are reliving the last century all at once, and instead of 100 years, we are trying to condense it to two. So with all this in mind, we decided to try and find a film that had some great stars, and most importantly some levity. The solution appeared to be the sequel to “The Hitman’s bodyguard”. So I grabbed the blu-ray, put it in the player, lit the fire, poured the wine and got ready to be entertained.

Before I get into what I liked, didn’t like, scratched my head in WTF moments, or even the odd shout of “seriously”, lets take a quick look at the slim plotline (very slim plot). The “Hitman’s wife’s bodyguard” is the sequel to the 2017 film “The Hitmans’ Bodyguard” starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L Jackson and Selman Hayek in the lead roles. That film had the recently discredited Michael Bryce (Reynolds) becoming the bodyguard to Darius (Jackson). Of note, it must be mentioned that Darius (Jackson) is the reason that Bryce (Reynolds) lost his triple A rating as a bodyguard and was shamed publicly in the occupation due to the fact that Darius (Jackson) had killed Bryce’s (Reynolds) client. Needless to say, in the first film, the two overcome their issues, manage to save the relationship of Darius (Jackson) with his wife Sonia (Salma), patch up Bryce’s relationship with his better half and naturally save the day. So when the sequel arrived we were naturally looking forward to it. The first film was very fun and entertaining and as it starred some of our favourite actors/actresses, so we were totally onboard with this!

The film starts and we see our stalwart hero attending therapy for his mental malaise. With the help of his therapist he decides to take a small sabbatical, and that is when everything starts to go pear-shaped. Lounging on his chair with his noise reduction headphones on, the world around him goes to hell. People are being shot, everything is going crazy while he sits oblivious to it all. Enter Sonia (Hayek) who takes him in hand to explain the latest situation. Without giving out too much and causing spoilers, here is the story in a nutshell. Darius (Jackson), Sonia (Hayek) and Bryce (Reynolds) must save Europe from an evil madman Aristotle (Banderas) who wants to destroy the economy of the leading nations so that he can save his beloved homeland of Greece. Throughout, they must rescue Darius (Jackson), fight Aristotle (Banderas), reconnect with family, that being Bryce Snr (Freeman) and save the day. There are a few twists and turns along the way, a surprise here and there, and of course some laughs where we find out that our heroes will be successful. All in all, a mildly amusing action/comedy romp with some stellar stars. But let us take a closer look at what was good and what I considered bad with this film.

1. The scenery – For a couple who has been so hungry to be able to travel again, it was awesome to see all the sights that this film took place in. While predominately in Croatia, it epitomized what we love about Europe. The scenes were well done and we really loved all the panorama shots and coastlines, beaches, old towns etc. That part was fantastic.
2. Chemistry - As this was the 2^ndfilm that all the principle stars were in together, it was clear that they enjoyed working together and they easily fed off of each other to enhance the scene or dialogue.
3. Plot – Ok, the plot here was pretty weak and extremely predictable for the most part. It was only on 2 occasions in the film that I was actually surprised by the twist. That was with the introduction of Morgan Freeman’s character as Bryce Snr, and the final scene/epilogue of the film. All the rest I could have predicted with my eyes closed and one arm tied behind my back.
4. Action – There was plenty of action in this film to go along with the comedic sequences. The comedy was far more prevalent in this film compared to the original. While as mentioned previously, the plot was predictable, the action sequences and comedic interludes were enjoyable.
5. Characters – This was a bit of hit and miss for me. While I enjoyed the original 3 of the cast, I found that Banderas was kind of miscast in this one. Additionally, while Morgan Freeman as Bryce senior was always enjoyable to watch, for some reason, besides the twist to the character it did not seem to fit for me. On another note, Bryce’s (Reynolds) girlfriend from the first film was no where to be seen or mentioned in this film. You would think that the importance that she played in the first film, that somehow in this film she would have made an appearance or at least a mention. 

While on the subject of the cast lets look at them at this time.

Ryan Reynolds as Michael Bryce: I have to admit, my wife and I are huge fans of Reynolds. We remember him when he was on the sitcom “Two guys, a girl and a pizza place” and he was pretty much the star of that program. From there, we enjoyed his performances in various films, Van Wilder, Foolproof, Blade: Trinity, Just Friends, X-Men Origins, Deadpool (1&2), and of course the first Hitman’ movie, The Hitman’s Bodyguard. In each film his sarcasm, wit, comedic and action talent shone through. Of course he has made some pretty lame films as well i.e. Green Lantern, but overall we like pretty much most of his films/shows. In Hitmans’ Wife’s Bodyguard, he was following a character that was already made and he just had to follow through with what was created already. He delivered on the action and comedy, but it in this case, it did not seem fresh and new. Maybe it was the Deadpool films (where he does an excellent job) that made this character somewhat lacking. In the action sequences I was almost waiting for an arm to be broken and repaired or appendage to be cut off and regrown. With the appropriate quips to go along with the action. Yes, it was funny at times, but not laugh out loud like some of the aforementioned films that he starred in. Furthermore, the script required him to have a level of sensitivity and insecurity that did not really play out well in the film writ large. As I have mentioned, we enjoyed this character, but not as much as some of his other performances. 

Samuel L. Jackson as Darius Kincaid: Jackson is a perennial favorite of ours as well. No one can say “Motherf*&cker” like he can, and most importantly, get away with it. As with Reynolds, this was a character that also was a repeat, so we were not required to have any backstory or build up of the character. His chemistry with all was great as always and his scenes were bang on. I have to say that his facial expressions are also one his greatest assets in the film. With just a glare or a head tilt he can convey numerous expressions or emotions, and in this film he still delivers. One thing I did notice, as Jackson is 70 plus years old now (even if he doesn’t look it), his physical action sequences were reduced quite a bit. But, it still did not take away from the film. Overall, we enjoyed Jackson as Darius, while not his greatest role, it was still fun to watch. 

Salma Hayek as Sonia Kincaid: Hayek also returned for this film as Darius’ wife, Sonia. As with the other two, this character seemed to have received and portrayed the most growth. While only playing a minor role in the first film, she was the impetus and driving force of the sequel. It was her desire to help her husband and start a family that initiated the adventure. As with the other two principle characters there is great chemistry between Hayek and all the principal stars in this film. Hell, she has starred with all of them in the past, so there was proven chemistry already in place. Her character is still a spitfire of a lady and she has learned to curse like Jackson. In this film, Hayek is actually my favourite as she is playing a role that is not normally associated with her style. Yes, she has been the heroine or femme fatale, but not with the same intensity in her action sequences as in this production. A good performance by Hayek that helped ensure that this film was enjoyable.  

Antonio Banderas as Aristotle Papdopolous: For me, this is where the film starts to lose it. I could not buy him as a Greek Tycoon/criminal. His Spanish accent cannot be hidden! As it was a European set film, just keep him true to form and make him Spanish, not Greek. It actually made me laugh a bit, though I don’t think that this was the intent of the directors/producers with this role. However, having said all that, he did play an ok villain, though I prefer him in the heroic role. While his chemistry was fine, I found his role was lacking and he could have been utilized better in this production. For Banderas, this outing was not his best by a long shot, however, nor was it his worst. 

Morgan Freeman as Michael Bryce Senior: Here was a surprise casting and character for me. It did get the requisite laugh when he was introduced and allowed for some comedic interaction between the principle characters. But, as with Banderas, I found he was under-utilized in this film. Not only in scenes that required gravitas, but also in the comedic sequences as well. He was not able to stretch his talent to the full width and breadth that he is known for. An accomplished actor, for me, this role was just one that was done for friend (Apparently he has known Jackson since they were young actors starting in the biz). I don’t know if that was the case, but as with Banderas, this was not his finest role at all. His scenes while important and mildly effective could have been so much more in my opinion. However, Freeman is still a fantastic actor over all and you just can’t but help but being entertained when he is on screen. 

So, now comes the question. Were we entertained? Yes we were. This film is light, has enough action and comedy to keep you watching and has a phenomenal cast, even if they were not employed to their best capabilities. While this film left an opportunity for a sequel open, I really hope that they don’t. It was stretched enough as it was for this outing if they hit the well one more time for these characters it might one time too far. Part of the reason is that some of the principal characters are starting to get quite a bit older (Jackson) so that the believability and possibility of the film would become even more ridiculous and would take away from the success of the first film (and the limited success of the sequel). Let the characters and franchise come to a stop with this film and call it a day. Would I recommend this film? Actually, yes I would. Especially if you are fan of the original and the principal stars. Don’t expect Deadpool or Shaft, but just enjoy it for the ride that it is.

My rating: 5/10

Till Next Time!

Cast:

Russell Crowe               The Man

Caren Pistorius              Rachel

Gabriel Bateman           Kyle

Jimmi Simpson              Andy

Happy New Year everyone! I know it has been a few months since my last review, but hey, I’m busy with my life in retirement! However, having said that I have my promised my brother “aka, the Chairman” of Notinhalloffame.com that I would give him reviews of shows from time to time. Over the last little while though, there has not been much on tv or Netflix/Amazon that I felt like reviewing. Come on, it was Christmas time, so we were inundated with a plethora of syrupy Christmas films that my wife likes to watch. Ok, there are a few that I did not mind as there were enough sarcasm, comedy, or gratuitous sex scenes peppered in so that I could sit through the film. But in the genre of Christmas films, these things are sometimes hard to find. No matter how much I tried to tell my wife that Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are Christmas movies, she does not seem to get it!

So here we are, a new year and a new review. For this blog’s selection, I decided to pick the movie “Unhinged” starring Russell Crowe as “the Man” or nemesis in the film. The reason for this selection is as follows:

1. Russell Crowe usually makes great films, i.e. The Gladiator, Proof of Life, Cinderella Man, Broken City, Robin Hood to name but a few. (ok there were a few crappy ones too, Noah comes to mind)
2. This movie was actually released during one of the small windows of the pandemic that the cinema’s opened. So my thought was that if the movie industry was brave enough to release it during Covid, it was worth a try.
3. I had seen Pistorius before in “Offspring” a show that both my wife and I loved, and thought, hey she was ok in that, she might be alright in this film.

Unfortunately, my reasoning for watching this film were found to be erroneous.  I was wrong on so many levels. I know that you say, this can’t be true! Wrong on an opinion about a film before watching, say it isn’t so! But alas, “Unhinged” joins a long list of films that over promised, under delivered, and were just large piles of fecal matter. 

Before continuing on what I did and did not like about the film, let’s give a general outline of what it is about. The prologue of the film is a series of clips that outline how much road rage is hitting the country and that really no one is safe from it. Then the film really starts with a close-up of an obviously distressed man. At first glance, I thought it was John Goodman from years past, but no, this is a rather plump, heavy, bearded Russell Crowe. He is full of angst, popping some kind of pills like they are tic-tacs while looking at a home. Finally, he loses his proverbial shit, goes up to the house, breaks in, kills the occupants and sets it on fire. Then he returns to his truck and drives off. 

Cut scene to see a family trying to have breakfast. We are now at the home of Rachel, which she shares with her son, brother and I think his girlfriend. We are seeing all kinds of scenes on where they are trying to live a normal life, well almost normal for Rachel (Pistorius) for whom we find out that she is in the middle of divorce proceedings and her ex is trying for everything, and her career is in the proverbial toilet. Of course, she is now late for work, late for dropping off her kid at school and just basically having a crappy morning. So taking the freeway, she gets stuck in traffic and tries to find another way to try and recover her timings. In the process she pulls up behind the aforementioned truck. Still in a hurry, which the truck driver does not seem to be as he waits through a light, Rachel (Pistorius) goes nuts on her car horn, swerves around the driver while giving various hand gestures to the driver of the truck. Of course we know the driver is “the Man” (Crowe). He follows her, cuts her off a few times and then the fun begins. So, without giving out the whole storyline, we know that it is a serious case of road rage and fixation between “The Man” (Crowe) and Rachel (Pistorius), and that it will naturally end in a way that will be violent, bloody and oh so predictable. So as you can see from the quick synopsis, there is nothing here that screams Oscar winning storylines, or even acting. 

What did I like about the film…well not much really. The story line was weak and predictable, the dialogue appeared forced and there was little to no chemistry between any of them. But wait, I said what did I like about it. I would have to say the character of Andy, played by Jimmi Simpson. It does not matter what role I see him in, I always enjoy his slimy character portrayals. There is something about his characters that I always like. Unfortunately, he did not have much screen time and his character did end up as another victim of the man, sorry for the spoiler readers. But two minutes into the film, you would have figured it out anyways.

What didn’t I like? Well, it was nice to see Crowe in another product, but who knew we were going to see so much of him. I know that some actors gain/lose weight for roles, and I applaud them for that. However, in some instances is it really necessary for the story-line? In this case I don’t think it was necessary, he could have still portrayed the man who has lost it all with nothing left to live for without the massive weight gain. In my opinion that portion of the character was not really required. Hmm what else was there beside wooden performances from all of the characters…yes, the predictability. I felt like Nostradamus while watching this film, I could predict with uncanny accuracy what would happen next. There was no mystery for the film, no, what will happen next. See scene, know within 10 seconds what will happen in that scene and the next. For example, introduce young man at the gas station who offers our young heroine some help…you know his life span will only continue till the end of the scene and that he will be run over. No mystery here. There are so many examples of bad storytelling in this film that I could write a small book on them. Instead, I will content myself with this review. 

There were a few throwaway characters in the film, besides Andy (Simpson), the brother and his fiancée were included in the film to be merely cannon fodder for the rage of “The Man” (Crowe). You didn’t know why they were there in the first few minutes, thus I knew their characters would meet an untimely end in the film. If there was a little bit more mystery and maybe fleshing out some of the characters, it might have proved to enhance the film. I also found some of the technical aspects of the film to be way off base. For example, our young heroine starts her Volvo, and the dashboard has warning lights blazing that would put a Christmas tree to shame. Yet, she takes it on the highway and while being pursued by “The man” she drives it through hurdles that I am sure I saw on the Dukes of Hazzard. It really made me want to buy a Volvo, if it had that many issues and still could do all that…man, I need to buy me one! Also, for an individual who complained about the traffic and whose driving skills did not seem to be the best, she did learn fast and I was impressed on how the traffic would always clear for her when she was going down the congested road. A little too fake for my tastes.

Also, I found the role of the son, Kyle (Bateman), to be a little under developed. There seemed to be little to no chemistry between him and his mother. Yes, the character is important as there is nothing that can drive a storyline like a mother defending her child, in this case it just did not seem to work for me. 

As the characters in this film were so shallow, that the depth was that of a small puddle, I won’t go into how they were portrayed and what was good or bad about them. Just leave it to say that this was not a shining moment for Crowe (pretty much on par with his character of Noah in the film of the same name). I really hope that in Gladiator 2 (that is supposed to be in development) that he finds his mojo back and he returns as the actor that we all know that he is.

As for Pistorius, this is only the second character I had seen her in, and I hope that her choice of roles improves as to me, this was not a great leap for her, and did not display her talents. Will see what comes in the future.

Would I recommend this film, was I entertained? No on both counts. I would not recommend this film to anyone, even die-hard Crowe fans. Unless you can’t find anything else to watch on Netflix or Amazon, then maybe give it a try, other than that, I would give this film a hard pass and maybe watch an old classic with Crowe, i.e. Gladiator, Master and Commander to name but a few examples. 

Our rating: 2/10

If you are interested in any other GOOD film starring Russel Crowe, please consider the following recommendations.

Gladiator, Robin Hood, Master and Commander, Proof of Life, The Nice Guys, Broken City, The Next Three Days, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, L.A. Confidential

Till Next time!

Cast:

Elisabeth Moss                          Cecilia Kass

Oliver Jackson-Cohen                Adrian Griffin

Harriet Dyer                              Emily Kass

Aldis Hodge                              James Lanier

Storm Reid                               Sydney Lanier

Michael Dorman                       Tom Griffin

Well I’m back! After a month of trying to enjoy the last little bit of summer and a few road trips to the wine developing areas of our province, my wife and I decided to watch a film on a Friday night. For this film we chose the latest version “The Invisible Man” released in 2020. Throughout film history there has been somewhat over a dozen films that have captured the whole invisible man concept. Some better than others, several were comedies and a few had a string of sequels. In each instance they have tried to interpret the vision of H.G. Wells original thriller/sci-fi novel of 1897. Now of the dozen plus versions of this concept, in truth I have only watched a few i.e. Hollow Man, Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Memoirs of an Invisible Man and Hollow Man 2. As I mentioned, some were better than others, but I have to say that this latest version starring Elisabeth Moss was one of the more enjoyable ones. 

This latest version did not emphasize on the scientist or madman who wants to become invisible, it centers on the victims. Cecilia Kass (Moss) is in a horrible marriage, she has been abused, beaten, assaulted and demeaned by her husband and she is just trying to escape. We, the audience find this out in the opening sequence as we watch a terrified Kass (Moss) run around the house looking for a way out while her maniac of a husband is chasing her. After a few close calls she makes it to the road, just running and screaming madly. Luckily, a lady stops on the road, picks her up and takes her to a friends’ house. We later discover that the lady, was in fact her sister Emily (Dyer) and her long time friend is James Lanier (Hodge) who just happens to be a cop and a single father to his daughter Sydney (Reid). In essence that was the first 10 minutes of the film. Sure, there are some holes in the story that we try to figure out, and it is not until the lady, ok her now you know that she is the sister drops by the friends’ house to tell her that her husband is in fact dead; so she can start to live her life anew. It is then that a few of these gaps are filled.

In the next scenes, we are introduced to a really sleazy lawyer type, Tom Griffin (Dorman) who is not just a piece of slime, he is also the brother of the deceased. After revealing that Cecelia Kass (Moss) will be the recipient of a large inheritance (with some conditions), she returns to her friend’s house to share her newfound wealth. Shortly after this, we see some strange occurrences in Cecelia’s (Moss) life. Things disappear, move, turn on/off and unexplained noises occur in the night. Naturally, Cecelia (Moss) becomes terrified as she believes that her ex-husband is still alive and it has been a huge plot all along. This is actually where the movie starts to get really interesting. Not wanting to give out too many spoilers, let me just state that the film’s intensity increases, there are a few twists and turns, and the film finishes with a great fight and a satisfactory conclusion. 

So let’s start with what I did not like about the film. First, after the initial opening where we find our heroine running around crazily looking for a way out of the house, the next 20 minutes is slow, and I mean slow. We have some characters with no real backstory or raison d’etre. For example, the friend where she finds refuge after leaving her husband. James Lanier (Hodge). Here we have a single father who is taking this crazed women in. Ok, she is a friend, but the back story of their relationship is never revealed. Especially when we find out how much cash she is willing to share with him and his daughter from her new found wealth. Now, this must be a great friend to share that kind of coin! There should have been at least a little more substance to those characters and their relationship. I spent a while just trying to figure out how he played into the story line, and whether there was some sort of sub-plot that I was missing. 

Additionally, the character of the sister, Emily (Dyer). Again, where is the substance and meat to the character. Ok, she is a sister so there is the familial bond, but too many times during their conversations there is indications that there is more to the relationship and how she helped her sister over the years. Were these story points left on the editor’s floor? Maybe, or did the director just want to get to the slash and gore and not worry on how they got there? I don’t know. Either way, I was not really impressed on this character’s development as well.

The final point that did not impress me in the film was the fact that the “invisible man” seemed to possess superhuman strength. This was a bit far fetched once the “invisible man” and what/who he is has been revealed. The fight scenes were a little out there in this respect, for when an individual would grapple with their invisible adversary, the only advantage would be that they could not see what he was doing and only feel the effects. But once the victim got a grip on their foe, the strength of the person should come through and make the battles a bit more even in some cases. However, it would not have the same dramatic effect on the screen if it was done that way.

Now let us look at the characters that make up “The invisible man”:

Elisabeth Moss  as Cecilia Kass: First, I must say that I am not a huge fan of Moss, I can pretty much take or leave her in a film. Sure, she was good in Mad Men, but that was an ensemble piece and she was in a supporting role. I have heard good things about the Handmaid’s tale, but I have yet to watch it. Besides this film, I have yet to watch her in something that she was the principal star. But enough of her previous work. In “The Invisible Man” I found her character to be a tad too eccentric for me, yes her character was supposed to be scared and recovering from an abusive marriage, but to me, it was an uneven performance. Don’t get me wrong, we did enjoy the film and her role as the lead, but to my taste, it was missing something. Maybe, it was the fault of the editing or script, I am not sure, as I could not put a definitive finger on what it was absent for it to be a truly great role. 

Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Adrian Griffin: Jackson-Cohen was the abusive husband, and to be honest was relatively new to me. The only other role I had seen him in was as Ronnie in Mr. Selfridge, a Masterpiece Theatre production that funnily enough is what my wife and I are watching right now. But, back to his character, Cohen only had a very limited amount of screen time, as his role was more that of the unseen nemesis. When on screen, he was usually yelling and running around so we did not really see any “talent” from him if you will. The main focus of his character was the pieces that you did not see of him, just what was described by the others. All in all, a minor role, with no real on-screen impact.

Harriet Dyer as Emily Kass: This is another role that only had minor screen time. Dyer played the sister well and demonstrated a believable amount of emotion and angst when dealing with her sister’s situation. Her chemistry with the main characters seemed weak to me, and even when confronting her sister (Cecelia – Moss), it appeared forced. Again, Dyer is an actress whose work is largely unfamiliar to me so I had nothing else to compare it to. So overall, her performance was adequate to assist the storyline and pace, but not something that was memorable in my eyes. I would have to see her in another role to give me something to compare this performance with. 

Aldis Hodge as James Lanier: I have mixed opinions on Hodge in Lanier role. First, while I found his acting to be fine, not great, but fine, his character was one dimensional and had no back story to justify the significance of his relationship with Cecilia (Moss). If he was such a good and old friend, so much so that she could stay with him and his daughter for extended periods, why did he not intervene earlier in her abusive relationship. On top of that, he is supposed to be a cop! Why did he not assist before? His character required more backstory and fleshing out. This is not the fault of the actor, but that of the writer/director/editor. For all we know there was more to his character than what was presented in the final film. Additionally, he is a big guy, while fighting the “Invisible Man” you would think that once he got a hold of the guy, he would be able to do some damage. Unfortunately, he gets tossed around and smacked down like a rag doll. Looking at his IMDB profile, he has been in many small roles in shows that I have watched over the years, i.e. Numbers, ER, Bones, CSI, The Walking Dead and a Good day to Die Hard. But obviously he nor his characters have left a lasting impression to me. However, I do see potential, and maybe he just needs the proper role to give his career a catalyst that it requires.

Michael Dorman as Tom Griffin: This was actually my favourite character of the film. He was equally spineless and sleazy at the same time. His sleaziness just oozed out of the character and infected everything around him. I thought that Dorman played this character beautifully! Even though he only had a small amount of time on screen, his presence had a great affect, and he literally stole whatever scene he was in. As with the other characters, when checking the resume on IMDB, I was surprised that he was in other films/shows that I had watched, but could not remember his role/character. However, after seeing him in “The Invisible Man” I will pay much more attention to his characters in the future. 

So what did we like about the film you ask? I actually loved the camera work and direction for the most part. The ability for the camera to look at a portion of the room to give you the impression that there was something there was fantastic. It just fit I also enjoyed how the camera would put the characters (visible ones) to the side of the frame, thus giving you the illusion that the nemesis was in the empty space. For me, that was the highlight of the film. I accepted some of the one dimensional characters and plot holes to watch the camera work the scenes and thus heighten the tension! 

So would I recommend this film and were we entertained? I would have to say yes to both questions. “The Invisible Man” was a fine addition to the H.G. Wells repertoire of film adaptions. It had the tension, and excellent camera work that some of the earlier versions lacked. As I previously mentioned, I enjoyed the perspective of the victim rather than the aggressor in the film. This was a new way of enjoying the film that set it apart from the others. If you are a fan of Moss and a fan of the genre, then please give this one a try. You may find the same one dimensional characters and plot holes as I did, but sit back and appreciate the camera work, you will be entertained. Of that, I am sure.

My Score: 6/10

Till Next time!

Cast:

Ewan Mcgregor                         Dan Torrance

Rebecca Ferguson                     Rose the Hat

Kyliegh Curran                          Abra Stone

Cliff Curtis                                 Billy Freeman

Zahn McClarnon                        Crow Daddy

Well it has been a few weeks since my last review, but as we are in the dog days of summer, I have been busy with other outdoor activities instead of writing reviews. That is not to say that I have not watched a few shows lately, but they did not drive me to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard if you will. For example, we did check out Jungle Cruise at the Cineplex the other day. While that movie did include one of our favourite action stars (Dwayne Johnson) we found it to be forced and the chemistry lacking between the main characters. Don’t get me wrong, it was not a bad film, just not as good as his similar outings in Jumanji (1&2). We also watched the film “Rental” on Amazon which outlined the possible horror’s of renting an AirBnB. Even with some solid actors, the plot was too predictable and the story line and script were kinda lame. We also checked out “Fatman” starring Mel Gibson who played a rogue Santa. This film though mildly enjoyable was primarily selected due to the fact that it was filmed in Ottawa and the surrounding towns, and it was nice to see areas around our home that we could relate to. 

As I have quickly touched on previous viewings, let us take a look at this film. For this week, we have selected Dr. Sleep. This a film adaptation of a Stephen King novel of the same name.  Film adaptations of King’s novels are traditionally a crap shoot. It can either be brilliant or huge piece of fecal matter. For example, Carrie, Misery, Dolores Clairborne, The Stand were all excellent in my opinion, then you take Maximum Overdrive, The Cell, Silver Bullet and Lawnmower Man, these films were time vampires…meaning I will never get the time I wasted watching them back. 

On the other hand, Doctor Sleep was pretty good. It followed the novel to a point, contained an interesting cast, was well directed, scripted and acted, and provided us 2 ½ hours of entertainment. For a quick synopsis of the film, we must first touch on the film and book titled “The Shining” also a film adaptation from Stephen King’s novel. In “The Shining” we are introduced to the Torrance family, who are a little down on their luck. The father is an alcoholic who is trying to recover his career, a timid wife and a child who seems to have special gifts in the psychic realm. They are caretakers of a once luxurious hotel called the “Overlook”. This hotel which is only open seasonally must be taken care of during the winter to ensure it does not get too damaged by the elements on the off season. However, the big secret of the Overlook is that it is haunted by numerous ghosts of past patrons who were either killed, committed suicide or died while being guests. Naturally, as with all Stephen King tales, the ghosts wreak havoc on the people, causing them to slip over the edge. The father’s insanity was encapsulated perfectly by Jack Nicholson when he crashed through the bathroom door with the axe and ad-libbed “Here’s Johnny!” Naturally the son, Dan Torrance survived so that he could be in a sequel book and film.

So now about Doctor Sleep. We find the son, Dan Torrance (Mcgregor) leading a life of drunken debauchery that would make his father’s inebriated adventures pale in comparison. He is having flashbacks to the hotel, remembering Dick Hallorann (Lumbly) who helped him before and just stumbling through life. He wakes up in a small town where he hooks up with Billy Freeman (Curtis) a recovering alcoholic who sees the good in Dan (Mcgregor) and tries to help him. Freeman finds him place to live and a job in the local hospice. Additionally, he brings him to the local chapter of AA so that he can start to clean his body and soul and commence life anew. 

Concurrently, we are introduced to a roving band of miscreants calling themselves the “True Knot”. Bedecked in costumes and clothes of days long ago we discover that they are sort of a modern day Vampire. They don’t drink blood, but inhale a person’s essence, (what they call Steam) to ensure a long and healthy life. Led by Rose the Hat (Ferguson) and Crow Daddy (Mclarnon), they travel the highways and bi-ways of the US looking for children for have the shining. Once they are discovered, they are tortured and subsequently killed so that they can capture the steam (or shine) from these special individuals.

Now back to the main star, Dan (Mcgregor) has now enjoyed a period of sobriety and has made a place for himself in the community when he starts receiving messages from an unknown entity. This entity we later find out to be Abra Stone (Curran) who has a shining like no other, and a power level that can knock Dan’s (Mcgregor) socks off. 

So, not to give out too much more of the plot, Dan (Mcgregor) and Abra (Curran) hook up to battle the nefarious “True Knot” cult. This is pretty much the story without giving out the twists and turns of the plot. 

So, what did we like about the film? First it was a well thought out script and it was acted out nicely. The characters were strong and likeable, hell, even the “True Knot” characters had some likeability to them. The chemistry between all of them was evident and it ensured that there was a smooth delivery of the story. While on the subject of the story, it was evenly paced and did not have any down turns or periods of boredom. That is mark of a good film, especially when it spans over 2 ½ hours. CGI was actually at a minimum (thank god) as were the special effects. For example, in the book, Rose the Hat would unhinge her jaw and one giant tooth would come out when she fed on the steam. However, in the film, she would just breath in and her eyes would glow. I think if they would have followed the direction in the book, it would have come across pretty cheesy and take away the dramatic effect that was present in the director’s version. I also liked the flashback’s from “The Shining”. The director/producer did manage to find some actors that resembled the original cast of “The Shining” and also recreate some of the sets. Sure this was special effects etc, but nothing that was over the top, and also in my honest opinion – integral to the story. 

What didn’t I like about the film…. actually there was really nothing that stood out as bad. They could have enhanced the “Doctor Sleep” portion a tad more, but that would have made the film even longer than it already was. Also, as for the “True Knot” characters I found the “Grampa Flick” (Carel Struycken) character to be a bit comical, but it did have an important role to demonstrate what would happen to them all if they were not fed the “Steam” that they constantly craved. Other than that, I can’t really think of anything else that bothered me when watching the film.

Now, that the storyline has been discussed, let us take a deeper look at the actor and characters in the film: 

Ewan Mcgregor as Dan Torrance: I pretty much liked Mcgregor in most of his films and “Doctor Sleep” was no exception. To me, he was a believable character that resembled what I had created in my minds eye when I read the book. He can be dewy eyed and innocent, or hard with equal ease. He is a talented actor who I believe portrayed Dan Torrance well. His chemistry with the other characters was believable and did not seem forced. Nor did his actions as a burn out drunk. All facets of his role were well played and added to the story and the enjoyment of the audience. Another fine performance by Mcgregor. 

Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat: I really liked this character, while she did not really look like what I pictured in the book, (having a far younger resemblance than what I thought), she still played the character well. As the “True Knot” in charge, she had a commanding presence that let you believe that she had full authority of the group while also portraying a tired visage of wisdom and hunger if you will. Her chemistry with her sidekick Crow Daddy (McClarnon) was well played as well as the final scenes when she confronts Dan (Mcgregor) and Abra (Curran). Looking at her IMDB resume, she has been in quite a few good shows and movies i.e. The White Queen, Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation and Ghost Protocol and Life. One film that I see her coming up in later this year is Dune, which I really hope her role is as good as “Rose the Hat” and lives up to the Dune legend. If she does well in the next film (Dune) I really think her career could be on a faster trajectory and lead to even more complex and varied roles for her. I am looking forward to seeing how her career moves in the next year or so. Overall, a really good performance by Ferguson. 

Kyliegh Curran as Abra Stone: This was the first time I had watched a film or show with Curran in it, and having said that, I was mildly impressed. I found her to be a talented young actress and am looking forward to see her in future productions. Curran’s chemistry with her other stars was evident at all times, especially with Mcgregor. While her character was the lynch pin in the destruction of the “True Knot” it did not overpower the other star’s contribution to the end battle. I have no doubt that audiences will see her in future productions and that her talent will continue to grow and mature as she gets older.

Cliff Curtis as Billy Freeman: Curtis is the ultimate co-star. He can play a terrorist, a dramatic role, or comedic doofus with equal ease. His portrayal of Billy Freeman was integral to the development of Mcgregor’s Torrance. Seeing the good in Torrance (Mcgregor), he gives him his first chance on getting clean and living a new and worthwhile life. Not only does he believe in Torrance (Mcgregor) he stakes his life on it. All of this was done in a believable fashion that did not make you shake your head in wonder. I think the first time I had seen Curtis in a film was Deep Rising in the late 90’s and I liked him that movie. After that he has been in several other films that I have enjoyed i.e. Six Days Seven Nights, Virus, Three Kings, Training Day, and Fear the Walking Dead but to name a few. In each case he has delivered, just as he has in Doctor Sleep. This was another fine example of Curtis’s talent in an already accomplished resume of film and television. 

Zahn McClarnon as Crow Daddy: McClarnon has surprised me in recent years. Even though he has been around in the film and television industry since the late 80’s he has not really come to my attention until the last few years. That is when we started watching Longmire (excellent series) and Queen of the South (also an excellent series). It was his work in these two television shows that brought him to our attention. He is an accomplished and talented supporting actor who portrays the stoic, honorable man with skill. His chemistry with his co-stars was evident and as mentioned previously, especially strong with Ferguson. As with his co-stars in Doctor Sleep, this was another fine performance by an accomplished actor.

Now for the big question, were we entertained? Yes, we definitely were. As I had previously mentioned, this was not the Stephen King masterpiece film adaptation like Misery and Dolores Clairborn, but it was a very solid film that provided us with an escape for a few hours. Overall a well presented film that can be enjoyed if you have read the book or not. I would recommend this film if you are a fan of the supernatural genre, and/or a fan of Stephen King and Ewan Mcgregor. Even if the supernatural is not really your cup of tea, I think the dramatic story line and solid acting will still make this film an enjoyable experience for all. 

Our Rating: 6.5/10

If you are interested in other films starring the principle cast members, please consider the following recommendations:

Ewan Mcgregor             Trainspotting, Black Hawk Down, Star Wars ep 1 – 3, The Island, Angels and Demons, The Men who stare at Goats

Rebecca Ferguson         Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation, Life, The White Queen

Cliff Curtis                     Whale Rider, Fear the Walking Dead, The Meg, Live Free or Die Hard, Training Day

Zahn McClarnon            Longmire, Queen of the South

Till next Time!

Cast:

Emily Blunt                   Evelyn Abbott

Millicent Simmonds      Regan Abbott

Cillian Murphy              Emmett

John Krasinski               Lee Abbott

Noah Jupe                    Marcus Abbott

Djimon Honsou             Man on Island

Over the last few weeks we have been extremely busy so we have not managed to catch a movie or show that I felt inclined to review. First, I tried a film that I had been looking at for awhile, it was a sci-fi adventure drama with Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones to name a few of the top billed actors. This film was “Ad Astra”, but like the Shania Twain song, that refers to Pitt (and also mentions rocket scientist like in the film) so it fit the song twice over, Ad Astra did not impress us much! So after 40 minutes of plugging through the film I had to stop it and move on. Flicking through the Amazon Prime selections we came across “A Quiet Place – Part 2”. Now, I reviewed the first film over a year ago https://www.notinhalloffame.com/blogs/was-i-entertained/11332-review-review-a-quiet-place-2018 and we found the film was pretty entertaining overall, so I was looking forward to the sequel.

In the sequel, the opening starts sort of where the last film ended, with a small addendum. They actually fixed some of the plot holes of the first film by showing a flashback on when the alien/monsters actually came to Earth and the carnage that resulted after their arrival. In the opening scenes we find our family alive and in one piece attending their son’s baseball game. We can tell that this is small town USA as most of the town is at the game, and watching with enjoyment. We are re-introduced to the main characters, Evelyn (Blunt), Lee (Krasinski), Regan (Simmonds) and Marcus (Jupe). We also see their younger brother who dies in the first film. Additionally, we come across Emmett (Murphy) a neighbour and friend. As his character is just thrown in, you know he will be important later.

So the game continues, Lee (Krasinski) shows up with some fruit for the kids after buying it at a local store. Mind you, while there we see a few scenes on the television in the background of things crashing to the Earth, not to mention a few shots of key items that were critical in the first movie’s story. So, lo and behold, a meteor cuts across the sky over the game, panic ensues as all the parents grab their kids to run to safety. It is at this moment we see the Alien monsters go whipping around the town killing/eating anyone that they can come across. 

The film flips back and forth a bit at this time, giving us a bit of a backstory on the attack as well as starting right after the last film where their home is burning, Lee (Krasinski) is dead and the remaining Abbotts are on foot looking for a new home. In short, they meet up with Emmett (Murphy) who is having a clash of conscience, Evelyn (Blunt) continues to try and keep her family safe, Marcus (Jupe) tries to find courage, Megan (Simmonds) has an epiphany on how they can destroy the aliens, and naturally the baby continues to cry. As this is a new film on the streaming services (as it did not really get a chance in the theatres due to Covid) I don’t want to give out too many spoilers. But needless to say, the film does have a lot of drama and sufficient action to keep you tuned in. While there is some predictability in the film and obvious foreshadowing at times, the action scenes and dramatic sequences still made us jump as the directors/script had planned.

So, what did we like about the film? We enjoyed the fact that this sequel actually filled in some story gaps that were present in the first film. In the first film, all we see is some newspaper articles and wreckage with no real explanation, the sequel expands on the few nuggets of information while providing some clues to what would become important in the film (i.e. the toy spaceship, the pharmacy etc). We also liked the fact that the children’s roles were enhanced and that this film was not just a film with Emily Blunt at the forefront. The story line was a fair continuation from the first film, and actually did not have too many plot holes or inconsistencies.

However, having said all that, lets take a look at what was lacking. One thing that always bothered me with this film was the fact that the Abbott family always walked barefoot, yet when they hook up with Emmett (Murphy) and go to the island, everyone else has boots on. What’s up with that? It is like I said in my first review, I could not understand the whole barefoot thing in the country.  Additionally, the tops of their feets are dirty, ok I can get that, but why not the bottoms, they should have been caked in grime.  Even though I enjoyed Emmett’s (Murphy) lair, his booby traps and hidey holes would have made McCauley Culkin proud. Yet, the one thing I noticed, it would have been extremely difficult to ensure that it was quite when the traps were being set. Would that not have called the monsters/aliens? Sure there are a few other technical goofs like how can a manual turntable be playing consistently for months without human interference, or why is a train car showing claw marks on the outside, yet when they enter it, the hole created on the side is from something escaping, or my personal favourite, Evelyn (Blunt) yelling “run” to her daughter who is deaf and facing the other direction …that one just made me want to scratch my head. I also found that there was more discussion in this film, the first one had very little talking, and they acted with their eyes, emotions and facial expressions. In this outing, there was more discussion so there was less emphasis on the acting, but still it flowed nevertheless.

While we are on the subject of the acting, lets take a quick look at the characters in the film:

Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott: Blunt pretty much is the focal point of the film, even when not on the screen her character affects all. As with the first movie, Blunt displays great chemistry with her co-stars and she portrays an intensity of a lioness protecting her cubs throughout the film. Another good performance by Blunt in a thriller/horror film. The more I see her in film/television, the greater I can appreciate her talents.

Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott: This is the 2^nd film I have watched with Simmonds, but she is still playing the same character. In this film, her character has been expanded and we still see the obstinate teenager, but we also get to see the brains hiding behind the silence. Emulating her father for ingenuity, she realizes the importance of her hearing aid and the role it can play to defeat the aliens. Additionally, she puts the pieces together to use the devices with the Radio station as a weapon against them. Though she is relatively new to Hollywood, I am curious to see her in other roles and see how much her talents can grow. 

Cillian Murphy as Emmett: Even though Cillian Murphy has been around for quite awhile, I did not really pay much attention to him and/or his roles. However, along came Peaky Blinders, and during the last lockdown my wife and I managed to watch the whole series. It is at this point that I realized how talented Murphy was, and how many programs that I had watched over the years that he had either a starring role or a supporting one. In this film, while Murphy is in a supporting role as the family friend and fellow survivor he still manages to portray the intensity that we loved to watch in Peaky Blinders. Even though there was some predictability on whether Emmett (Murphy) would aid the Abbotts, you knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of time. However, he did project enough angst in his decision process to make you wonder if he would. Another fine performance from Murphy…too bad Peaky Blinders is finished as I really liked him in the show and the character he built.

John Krasinski as Lee Abbott: Krasinski really only had a minor role in this film, primarily in clips from the first film and some scenes at the start with respect to the Aliens first contact. His small portions were played well and I did like the fact that some of the plot holes or questions were answered in this film. A good, but minor outing for Krasinski overall (as far as his acting is concerned), but as a Director he did a very good job not only in this film, but also the first one as well.

Noah Jupe as Marcus Abbott: I found Jupe’s performance far better in the sequel than he did in Part 1. His fear was amplified in this outing as well as his uncertainty, and he did an excellent job of projecting these emotions throughout the film. I did like the fact that his character ultimately found the courage that he was lacking in the first film. This is the 4^th film I have seen him in and I enjoy the fact that his talents are expanding with each outing.  

Djimon Honsou as Man on Island: Honsou is a personal favourite of mine. He has a very small, un-named role in Quiet Place, Part 2, but it is integral to the climax of the story. I would love to say that his screen time was amazing and that he gave a great performance, but in this film, his part could have been played by anyone. They did not need an actor of his calibre for this, unless it was just another way to get a big name on the ticket. To me, his skill was underutilized for this film. I look forward to his next adventure/thriller movie where he will get a chance to show his talent on the screen again.

So, now, were we entertained? Yes, we were! My wife and I enjoyed the film, the story was well written and directed. It flowed well and the effects and script were fairly well done. We jumped when we were supposed to and cheered for the heroes on que. The added benefit was the completion of backstory which was lacking in the first film. My only criticism, was again, in this film they left it open for a sequel. Can Hollywood not tell a story from start to finish without leaving an opening for a further money grab? All things considered, we were entertained for a Friday Night, and we felt that our time was not wasted. If you are a fan of the original film, Blunt and/or Krasinski, give this movie a watch. You will enjoy yourselves, and should not be disappointed. If you are not into the whole Alien/Monster thing, you might want to give it a pass. 

Our Rating: 6/10

If you are interested in other films/shows with the main cast, please consider the following recommendations!

Emily Blunt                   Devil wears Prada, A Quiet Place, The Girl on the Train, Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario, Looper

Millicent Simmonds      A Quiet Place

Cillian Murphy              Peaky Blinders, Dunkirk, The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight, Red Eye, 28 Days Later

John Krasinski               A Quiet Place, Tom Clancy’s: Jack Ryan, The Office, Jarhead

Noah Jupe                    A Quiet Place, Ford vs Ferrari, The Titan

Djimon Honsou             Captain Marvel, Furious 7, Blood Diamond, The Four Feathers, Gladiator

Cast:

Chris Pratt                    Dan Forester

Yvonne Strahovski         Colonel Muri Forester

J.K. Simmons                 James Forester

Betty Gilpin                  Emmy Forester

Sam Richardson            Charlie

Mary Lynn Rajskub        Norah

Hello Again! It has been a few weeks since my last contribution, but as it is summer, the COVID lockdowns have started to ease, we have just been a little too busy lately to watch movies and write a review. However, last night we managed to find a good film to watch and I take pen in hand (ok keyboard) and attempt another review of a film or program. 

For the last several weeks I have been seeing an interesting trailer on Amazon Prime every time I turn on the fire-stick. This film is called “The Tomorrow War” starring Chris Pratt. The trailer’s seemed interesting, the concept, while not new, appealed to the sci-fi geek in me, and it starred Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic Park, Avengers etc),  Strahovksi (Chuck, Stateless, Dexter),  and Simmons (Spiderman, Justice League, The Accountant, etc), all actors that I really like. So what could be wrong with the selection? Actually, nothing. The film was an enjoyable escape that was decently written, filmed and executed. While not perfect by any means, it was entertaining enough to keep us watching and enjoying the ride. Sure, it had some technical and story line goofs, a little too many clichéd lines and some very predictable scenes, but it was fun, and in this day and age, fun is what we were looking for. 

So you ask what “The Tomorrow War” is all about? I am glad you asked, this film starts with Dan Forester (Pratt) coming home to what seems to be a party, I can’t quite figure out if it was his daughters birthday, a party for a football game, or some other unknown occasion. Busy on the phone while juggling the all important beer case and other necessary supplies, we discover that Forester (Pratt) lost out on a new position that would have set up his family. In this scene, we also see a shadow box filled with military memorabilia, (so at this point we know he is a vet, for almost every Vet I know (including myself) we all have a shadow box to highlight our career). We also find out that he has an estranged father who is trying to reach out to him and it is to no avail (J.K. Simmons). These points become important later on. So, back to the opening, his daughter is waiting for him to watch the game with her, they sit down, and lo and behold, a series of light and mist appears in the middle of the game and a platoon of heavily armed soldiers suddenly appear. 

Naturally the crowd goes batshit, everyone is tuned to them and the leader of the group of soldiers informs the players, audience and the world at that time that they are from the future and they need help. Earth has been invaded 30 years hence from a group of aliens that look like a cross between Predator, Alien, Tremors and the sandworm from Dune. These aliens are winning the battle for earth, and our future children need our help. They convince the world powers to provide military assistance, and after a short time a world wide draft is brought into place. Anyone can be drafted to serve a 1-week tour of duty in the future. However, they must have certain requirements (we will find out what later). After the tour of duty, only about 20 percent of the time soldiers dispatched return, and many of them are expressing PTSD symptoms, and lost limbs like no other war. So the war continues, we see clips from the news on how its going and Emmy Forester (Gilpin) just happens to be a psychiatrist who is treating these returning vets, so we get a little dramatic foreshadowing of what to expect.   

Well we see it coming a mile away, Dan (Pratt) gets drafted and meets up with a bunch of other civilians who have never seen the dangerous part of a rifle or have heard a gunshot. They get a crash-course on weaponry, and then do the time-shift to the future to begin their tour of duty. It is at this time that the rubber really hits the road and the film’s excitement begins. Humanity is on its last legs, battles are raging world wide and valiant heroes are fighting the aliens in Miami Beach. There are the requisite clichéd one liners, some pretty decent CGI, and great amounts of gore and violence during the battle. Yes, there is some predictability as well as some plot holes and technical goofs. But the story moves at a brisk pace so that you don’t really say WTF till later when you think about the films plotline in further detail. Overall, a pretty fast moving film that kept you watching.

What did we like about the film? As mentioned previously, the CGI was pretty decent, and the aliens were pretty cool. Sure, it was a melange of some of the other aliens in previous films, but it did have one added feature. These bad guys could throw spikes out of their tentacles like one of the characters in an X-Man movie (X-Men: The last stand to be specific). So that was pretty cool. The story line was a bit of a twist on some previous time-travel films, but it did have a glimpses of “Starship Troopers” and “Aliens” that were brought to mind during the film. Not that I minded it, just some scenes appeared very familiar to me. The chemistry between the main characters were pretty consistent and enjoyable. I especially liked the chemistry between Pratt and Strahowski, as well as Pratt and Simmons. Some of the supporting cast were mainly present for comic relief and in some cases to fill in missing plot holes. So that was not too bad. 

What didn’t I like? (Some spoilers will be given at this point) The fact that they would time-warp individuals who were young or old, fat or thin, with no military experience (for the most part) provided automatic weapons, grenades etc with minimal training to fight the war seemed a little out there. But I believe that the writer/director wanted to demonstrate urgency for it. But in reality, there would have been more friendly fire deaths than the Aliens just due to lack of experience. As with all war/space movies, the limitless magazines always annoy me. I know firing an assault rifle on full auto will empty the clip in about 3 seconds. Yet these guys can fire for an eternity before reloading. There were a few technical goofs. Like flying a C130 about 3 times the range of the aircraft, they would have to refuel at least once. Also, what was the point of landing the plane, yet then travel on snowmobiles for hours. Would it not have made more sense to fly closer? Also, how can an alien get at least 3 mags full of bullets into him, then when all else fails, a pistol shows up, and 2 rounds later it is killed. It did require some consistency, this became even more apparent when the F35’s were dropping ordinance to kill them and it did not seem a problem, aliens would get blown up. So, if they can be shot or blown up, why were we losing? If something can be killed, it can be defeated. One thing that really did annoy me was that there was no real explanation for the time travel. There was some banal explanation, but it could have been amped up more. (at least in my opinion). Additionally, there were several other inconsistencies, but oh well, overall, it was a pretty good film.

Now to the subject of the cast, I am only going to discuss some of the key characters and they are:

Chris Pratt as Dan Forester: Pratt is used to playing the hero lately and he does it well. He often comes across as the unwilling hero who rises to the situation. He easily plays the action star who is quick with a weapon, wise-crack or solution to the problem. Naturally, as the script provided the foreshadowing, we see he was a Special Ops guy in Iraq conflict, so that is why he has all the skills, and that he is a bit of a amateur scientist, he has the knowledge to defeat them. All very convenient, but hey this is an action movie time-waster, not a documentary! Additionally, Pratt demonstrates great chemistry with all his co-stars and supporting cast. This is what helps make him a very marketable actor. All in all, a pretty good performance from Pratt in a decent film.

Yvonne Strahovski as Colonel Muri Forester: As I have mentioned in previous reviews (i.e. Stateless) we have been fans of Strahovski since her appearance as Sarah in the tv series Chuck. Again, she has proven herself to be an entertaining actress in a halfway decent role. Her portrayal as the future Muri, a combination warrior/scientist was pretty good and her action sequences were well played. The chemistry that she had with Pratt was believable and helped to improve the film. Another good role for Strahovski that she can put in the resume with her other ones. 

J.K. Simmons as James Forester: J.K. Simmons has seemed to be around forever. His booming voice and over the top style has managed to make his characters endearing in many of his previous roles. As the estranged grandfather with some very unique skills, he again delivered. Sure, his history and backstory in the film is pretty anorexic, and hardly laid out, but what the hell, He is the curmudgeonly grandfather who can fly a plane, work with transmitters, handle explosives and weaponry. But, he is exactly the type of character you need in this film to help save the day. Even though his screen time was extremely limited, it was still vital to the stories conclusion. 

Betty Gilpin as Emmy Forester: Gilpin, another solid actress with actually minimum screen time in this film. Basically, just the start and finish with a few memory sequences. While not a major player in the film, her character as well as the young Muri Forester (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) provided the anchor and the reason to succeed for Pratt’s father character (Dan). Additionally, as her character was a doctor trying to rehabilitate the returning veterans it provided some dramatic insight on what he would experience when Dan got drafted (as we all knew he was going to) once it was mentioned in the film. Not a bad performance by Gilpin, nor a great one. But done well enough to help the film along.

Sam Richardson as Charlie: I am only adding Richardson in here as he was great for the comic relief in the film. As a nerdy guy who gets drafted along with Dan (Pratt), he is carried along for the ride and the one liners. I had to look to IMDB to see what I had seen him in and was surprised on all his character work and voicework that he had done over the years. He is one of these “minor co-star/extra” that you see all the time and can never figure out where he was before. Regardless, I found his contribution to the film enjoyable and as with all of the action films to-date, he provided the comic relief in the middle of the battle sequence. 

Mary Lynn Rajskub as Norah: Here is another character that I had to give an honourable mention. When she gets drafted along with Dan (Pratt) and Charlie (Richardson), I had to do a double take to figure out who she was. Then it dawned on me that she was one of the central characters from 24! In the heat of her fight sequences I was waiting for her to shout for Jack Bauer to come save her! Not a major role for her by any means, but it was nice to see her in an action role instead of playing the voice/brains behind a keyboard.

Now the big question, were we entertained? Yes we were! The Tomorrow War is a nice little Sci-Fi romp with lots of action, one-liners and CGI. Sure it has plot holes and inconsistencies…(really what movie doesn’t?) and there were a few times that I scratched my head after the film. But, it is not an Oscar contender but a nice little escape for a few hours. Amazon Prime did well in obtaining the rights for this production and if you have Prime, like the Sci-Fi genre, and are a fan of Strahovski and Pratt, then definitely give this one a go! I don’t think you will be disappointed. 

Our rate: 7/10

If you are interested in any other productions from the main cast, please consider the following recommendations!

Chris Pratt                    Guardians of the Galaxy (Franchise), Avengers: Endgame & Infinity War, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Passengers, The Magnificent Seven, Delivery Man, Zero Dark Thirty, Bride Wars

Yvonne Strahovski         Stateless (https://www.notinhalloffame.com/blogs/was-i-entertained/11655-review-stateless-2020 ) , Chuck, The Handmaids Tale, 24: Live Another Day, Dexter

J.K. Simmons                 The Stand (2020), Justice League, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Patriots Day, The Accountant, Spider-Man 3, Numbers, The Mexican, 

Betty Gilpin                  Nurse Jackie

Sam Richardson            VEEP, Mike and Dave need Wedding Dates, We’re the Millers, The Office

Mary Lynn Rajskub        24, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sweet Home Alabama

Till Next time!

Cast:

Anthony Hopkins          Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict

Jonathan Pryce             Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio/Pope Francis 

Main Cast

Joaquin Phoenix                        Arthur Fleck/Joker

Robert De Niro                          Murray Franklin

Zazie Beetz                               Sophie Dumond

Frances Conroy                         Penny Fleck

Brett Cullen                              Thomas Wayne

Shea Whigham                          Detective Burke

Bill Camp                                  Detective Garrity