For It Is Man's Number

Wednesday, 4 February 2026

Prime Time: The Wrecking Crew (2026)

Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa star as two estranged half-brothers who reluctantly reunite after the death of their father. He was killed in a hit and run, but it soon becomes apparent that there was more to his death, and James (Bautista) and Jonny (Momoa) start an investigation that turns parts of Hawaii into a warzone as they upset bad guys, destroy numerous vehicles, and work their way up the chain to face off against whoever is the head villain behind everything.

Simple and entertaining, and even managing to feel well-paced for the 124-minute runtime, The Wrecking Crew is sometimes a nice throwback action comedy that is happy to make the destruction ridiculous, the main villain obvious, and every pay-off predictable. Writer Jonathan Tropper is happy to make the leads enjoyably childish when it comes to the insults and competitiveness between them, and he does well to refrain from adding too many twists and turns that would get in the way of the fun.

Both of the leads are good in their roles, with Momoa having the most fun of the two of them (being sillier and more irresponsible for most of the runtime), and there's a great supporting cast that includes Temuera Morrison, Roimata Fox, Frankie Adams, Claes Bang, Jacob Batalon, Morena Baccarin, Stephen Root, and one or two others you may recognise.

While director Ángel Manuel Soto does well enough with the material, he fumbles things in a couple of ways. First of all, he overdoes at least one main set-piece. I enjoyed the ridiculousness and carnage of a sequence that has road vehicles and a helicopter targeting our heroes, but it's nowhere near as much fun as the moments that have more grounded and crunchy action. There's also at least one moment, a reveal, that would have worked better as a punchline to an earlier set-up, but it's simply presented without any other context to improve it. And don't get me started on the ill-advised Oldboy homage. These might sound like minor complaints, but they stand out more because of the other times that the film gets things just right.

Anyone after an easy bit of entertainment should find enough here to enjoy, even if it keeps slipping up every now and again. I suggest a sequel, if we get one, keeps everything much more grounded, maybe kills off, or seriously hurts, one of the main supporting characters, and gives us a moment or two when we can at least consider the possibility that one of our leads is in very serious trouble. It would definitely be worth pairing up Bautista and Momoa again though. They play off one another well, and they feel very capable when it comes to the physicality of their fight scenes.

6/10

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Tuesday, 3 February 2026

Pillion (2025)

While Pillion has been referred to often as "the gay biker movie", and sometimes as the "sub/dom film with the lad that used to play Dudley Dursley", it's actually got a lot more going on than those short descriptors might suggest. Not that those descriptions are wildly inaccurate. Pillion IS a gay biker movie, to some degree, and it IS the sub/dom film starring Harry Melling (seeing his Harry Potter role shrink smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror as he moves, for better or worse, from one interesting project to the next).

Adapted from a book, "Box Hill", by Adam Mars-Jones, this is the tale of Colin (Melling), a young man who encounters Ray (Alexander Skarsgård). Ray can give Colin what he is seeking in a relationship, but maybe not everything. Colin, you see, has a real affinity for devotion. He enjoys being very submissive. And Ray is very happy to be dominant. As long as he sees that the dynamic is working for the two of them. Can it keep working though?

Directed by Harry Lighton, who also adapted the source material into screenplay form, this is one hell of a directorial feature debut. It's bold, in terms of the exploration of the relationship and the sex and nudity shown onscreen, it's interestingly nuanced, and it's surprisingly moving by the time all of the pieces fall into place for the finale. While the relationship shown onscreen isn't a great depiction (there are no important conversations about rules, boundaries, reciprocity, etc), it's arguably a necessary one for someone still trying to find out their own boundaries and self-imposed rulebook. The negatives are placed alongside the positives to show something that, while more extreme than most, puts the main characters in a very similar position to many other people (no matter their gender or sexuality). Every relationship can have aspects that seem odd to those looking on from the outside, but if things work and happiness is maintained then that's all that matters (as long as everything is legal, of course, and nobody else is being hurt).

And that's the thing about Pillion. While it will upset the homophobes, and maybe make more unprepared viewers gasp at some of the more graphic moments, it's basically about things that we've seen in many other movies. Self-discovery, what it takes to make a relationship work, grabbing moments of happiness. The sub/dom dynamic may make it all seem unique, but the journey will be very familiar to those who see beyond the assless chaps and symbolic padlocks.

Melling may be the one who goes through more of a transformation here, but both he and Skarsgård are equally good. The fact that the relationship can be so easily believed, even as one individual is being constantly tested, is testament to how good the leads are. It's also worth mentioning Lesley Sharp and Douglas Jones, playing the parents of Colin. They have a very good time playing generally understanding parents who find themselves a bit bemused when they see their son starting to become some kind of man-servant for a handsome stranger, and Sharp is especially delightful when dropping a well-chosen insult during a dramatic dinner scene.

I could say much more. I enjoyed the score from Oliver Coates. I thought the visuals and sound design were fantastic. There's not really any one element I would criticise, although things become almost unbearable for viewers at times. Thankfully, the third act delivers a very welcome silver lining after a sky full of gathering clouds.

9/10

Monday, 2 February 2026

Mubi Monday: 45 Years (2015)

If you have been in any kind of relationship with someone for 45 years then you may think that you would know everything there is to know about them. And you may think there's nothing that would ever make you feel less secure in that relationship. That's probably incorrect though. We all have things that we don't want to say to even our closest confidant, whether it's that bedroom fantasy that you've never been brave enough to discuss, the memories you made with someone else many years ago that can never be fully wiped away as they helped to make you who you are today, or even just the amount of times you examine the toilet paper after every attempt to wipe away the klingons hanging around uranus. Unsurprisingly, 45 Years focuses on that second option, but it could just as easily be about any of them, although I am not sure Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling would be as comfortable discussing their bathroom habits.

Having had to miss out on a celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary, Kate (Rampling) and Geoff (Courtenay) are gearing up to make a big deal of their 45th year together. The couple are rocked, however, by the death of someone that it turns out Geoff was in a relationship with before he ever met Kate. This takes Geoff on a journey through some reminiscences while Kate starts to wonder about how this revelation reframes their relationship to one another.

Based on a short story, "In Another Country", by David Constantine, 45 Years is written and directed by Andrew Haigh. Haigh has a filmography well worth exploring, but this is arguably his weakest film, despite the strength of the lead performances. It's the kind of film that feels as if it would be much better to see as a staged play, with very little added to the material to make it more cinematic or feeling as if it benefits from the medium.

Both Rampling and Courtenay ARE superb though, the former being clearly unsettled and concerned by a revelation that the latter considers to be a footnote in his own life. There's clearly love between the two main characters, but also a disparity when it comes to how they both start to act on the lead up to their big anniversary date. As is made clear in certain scenes, Courtenay's character doesn't even realise how his actions and attitudes are affecting his wife, but he tries his best to mollify her when it's clearly described to him. Both of the stars get to go through a great range of emotions, but it's Rampling who gets the best work, being more present and affected by everything than Courtenay's slightly (typically?) oblivious man. While there are few supporting cast members, Geraldine James gets a scene or two, and is always good to see onscreen.

I certainly wouldn't have enjoyed or appreciated this film if I'd watched it as a much younger man, but it's one that will be of interest to those who have been in any long-term relationship. Some things are taken for granted, whether they should be or not, sometimes the past looms up to cast a large shadow over the present, and sometimes the present needs to be shaken up slightly, just enough to get rid of any complacency and insecurity that may be clinging on to either party like a wet sweater. The longer the relationship, the stronger things can be, but there are still ways in which the rug can be pulled from under your feet. 45 Years shows one such scenario, and how one moment can create a ripple effect throughout an entire lifetime.

7/10

Sunday, 1 February 2026

Netflix And Chill: The Rip (2026)

While I knew that I would make a viewing of The Rip a priority because of it co-starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in lead roles, I was pleased to find out that it was directed and written by Joe Carnahan. Carnahan may not be working at the level that he once was, but the guy still delivers some decent entertainment.

Everything here begins with the death of Captain Jackie Velez (Lina Esco). This leads to her team being questioned, with nobody above suspicion. Things then get even trickier for the team when they're tipped off about a stash house, and soon discover that they're going to have to count and keep safe an amount of money that exceeds $20M. If ever there was a temptation for someone who wasn't hestitant to kill a police Captain, this should expose any traitors in the midst of the group.

Inspired by a true story, which was worked on by Carnahan and Michael McGrale, there's nothing here in the by-the-numbers plotting that should displease those who know what they're in for. The twists and turns are predictable, but also satisfying. The main cast members all look very capable while waving their guns around through the clouds of testosterone. Okay, there aren't really any memorable action set-pieces, but the rest of the film plays out as expected, and the story ultimately proves better for the focus on intelligence and mistrust ahead of fights and gunplay.

Damon and Affleck are a proven combo, they're the mac & cheese of millenial blockbuster stars (which I mean as a compliment, although I am sure others will use the same analogy as an insult), and they work as well as ever here. Damon is the one in charge, and the more level-headed one of the two, perhaps due to having a different view of the unfolding situation, but he's also under as much, if not more, suspicion than anyone else in the team. Steven Yeun gets a decent amount to do, Teyana Taylor continues to impress now that she seems to have been finding better roles for her talent, and Catalina Sandino Moreno is, well, there. She's fine, but not really given anything to do. Sasha Calle is very good as the young woman who has her home raided while hoping to skip and dance through some grey legal areas to avoid arrest, Kyle Chandler is a DEA agent who might return in time to help or hinder our leads in the third act, and Scott Adkins has a good time with his role, playing Affleck's brother.

The screenplay may not be stuffed with memorable dialogue, but it works for what the film wants to do. What doesn't work is the visual style (or lack of) throughout. I'm sorry to say, but cinematographer Juanmi Azpiroz presents everything in a horribly murky mix of muted blues and something akin greyscale. I assume this wasn't necessarily his choice, nor the result of his work alone, but I'm naming him as the main culprit because it's the worst aspect of the film and he should have looked through his viewfinder and convinced everyone else to do a lot better.

There are other good things about this, but they tend to be tied to the production and profit-sharing model put in place by Damon and Affleck. What's actually in the movie itself is decidedly average, all things considered. It could have been elevated by another one or two passes on the script and a few more meetings about getting the visuals improved, while keeping everything in line with the aesthetic that Carnahan wanted.

6/10

Saturday, 31 January 2026

Shudder Saturday: The Severed Sun (2025)

With the striking imagery of a woman raising an axe against a bright yellow background, The Severed Sun definitely had a poster that caught my attention when I saw it in thumbnail form. I hadn't heard anything about it though, and could only surmise that it seemed to be a slice of British folk horror. That was enough for me to decide on giving it some of my time.

Emma Appleton plays Magpie, a member of an isolated religious community. Magpie is the subject of much discussion when her abusive husband is violently assisted off this mortal coil. Her father, The Pastor (Toby Stephens), thinks he can still help to fix things, and help her by presenting a new husband (John, played by Barney Harris), but maybe another force is ready to guide anyone who believes in it strongly enough.

Written and directed by Dean Puckett, making his narrative feature debut after years spent working on various shorts and documentaries, this is more interesting than it is successful, but there's a lot here to mark Puckett out as someone very capable and very worth keeping an eye on. He does well with the central idea, as well as allowing his cast to flesh out their characters in a way that I didn't expect when I noticed the relatively brief 80-minute runtime, but there just needed to be one or two other tweaks to tilt the whole thing into something truly unsettling and horrific. For as much as I enjoyed watching how this played out, I am not sure who else I would recommend it to.

Appleton, who I last saw in Lola, does well in the lead role. She gives a performance that establishes her character as bold and defiant enough to make those around her uncomfortable at the idea of how much she could upset the established order of things. It also helps that she spends a lot of the runtime battling against Stephens, doing a good line in sanctimony, and an insistent and unfriendly "neighbour", portrayed very effectively by Jodhi May. Harris does well enough, as do the likes of Lewis Gribben, Oliver Maltman, and James Swanton (the latter unrecognisable in a beastly role).

Puckett doesn't add anything truly exceptional to the general conversation about patriarchy and misogyny that has been more and more prominent throughout the last decade, but he handles the potentially difficult material well, and includes some moments of impressively striking imagery. While this isn't his first film, strictly speaking, it certainly feels like a good calling card for whatever might come next. And whatever might come next is something I will be interested in checking out.

7/10

Friday, 30 January 2026

The Family Plan 2 (2025)

There were two main reasons for me watching The Family Plan 2 last month. First of all, I had recently watched The Family Plan. Second, it seemed to have some Christmas trimmings, which meant I could possibly include it alongside many other seasonal choices. It turns out that, like the film itself, neither of these reasons are good enough.

Director Simon Cellan Jones and writer David Coggeshall return to their main roles here, and they have most of the main cast members back with them. The main family members are Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Zoe Colletti, and Van Crosby, with the youngest one now portrayed by Peter and Theodore Lindsey. It's coming up to Christmas, and Dan (Wahlberg) wants the family to spend some quality time together, which is why he takes them over to London to reunite with Nina (Colletti). Nina is surprised by their arrival, especially as her boyfriend (Omar, played by Reda Elazouar) is using her shower at the time. Things don't look as if they'll be happy and idyllic, particularly when Dan is targeted by an individual (Kit Harington) with a very personal and powerful motive for revenge.

This is nonsense, and not in the same way that the first film was nonsense. That was silly, but it was entertaining enough to make the silliness feel like an acceptable enough price to pay for the plotting and action beats. This is just ridiculous, especially as viewers find out more and more unbelievable details about the backstory of our main character. And while the whole family are once again along for the ride, it feels like they're constantly being nudged to the side in order to keep the focus on Wahlberg and Harington, who are arguably the two least entertaining performers onscreen.

Okay, there are some decent sequences that make use of a couple of great locations (one being London, the other Paris), but nothing else about the film feels worth your time. The small twists are blindingly obvious, the action is dull and somehow a bit dated (they showcase some parkour as if it's the latest cool thing to crash into the action movie scene), and there's no kind of development of the family bond that we had last time around.

Wahlberg can do this kind of thing on auto-pilot, and that's what he seems to be doing for the majority of the runtime. Harington never really feels like a major threat, although he does better when his character isn't trying to be a super-villain. Monaghan, Colletti, and Crosby try to enjoy the scraps thrown their way, Elazouar is a decent addition to the main group, and I was pleasantly surprised to see Sanjeev Bhaskar in a small role.

Feel free to pick this if you can't think of any other way to spend 106 minutes, but don't pick it just because you enjoyed the first movie. And certainly don't pick it if you want an action film that might also give you some Christmassy warmth and colour. Jones ands Coggeshall have worked together here to deliver the bare minimum in all regards. And I'm annoyed that I will inevitably watch a third instalment if one is made.

4/10

Thursday, 29 January 2026

Regretting You (2025)

Another romantic drama based on a novel from Colleen Hoover, who seems to be quite the hot commodity when it comes to movie adaptations at the moment, Regretting You is a film that I didn't entirely dislike, but I couldn't fully enjoy. I tried to figure out exactly what the film was doing to turn me off, but I couldn't out my finger on it. Then it struck me. This is a film focused on a couple of teens that spends far too much of the runtime also showing us the lives of the adults. And it almost infantilises those adults, turning them into people simply cosplaying their own teen storylines alongside the actual teens.

Mckenna Grace is Clara Grant, daughter of Morgan (Allison Williams) and Chris (Scott Eastwood). Clara is going through some standard teen stuff, although that now includes an interesting development after an encounter with Miller Adams (Mason Thames), but she doesn't always want to confide in her mother. That's why she is happy to also have her Aunt Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald), who appears to be happily married to Jonah (Dave Franco). Happiness is fleeting though, and Clara has her world turned upside-down when her father and her aunt both die in a car crash, creating a lot of pain and a need to reframe every memory held by Clara, Morgan, and Joshua.

Directed by Josh Boone (who has, let's say, mixed results throughout his filmography), this is standard stuff for anyone who knows what they're getting into. If you're familiar with Colleen Hoover, or if you've seen any of the films based on the works of Nicholas Sparks, then you'll know the mix of melodrama and gentle humour here. Whatever is happening is always BIG, it's love and hate stuff, life and death, and there are many silver linings to be seen amidst the gathering stormclouds.

Writer Susan McMartin struggles to adapt material that may well work better on the page, considering the time jump that starts things off and the frankly bizarre relationship complications that we watch playing out, but at least the younger cast members make the most of things.

Both Grace and Thames are performers I have enjoyed watching over the past few years, and seeing them used as nominal leads here is more satisfying than anything else in the film. Both do well with what they're given, and they get on with one another in a way that feels impressively natural. Williams is decent enough in her role, and certainly does much better work than Franco, Fitzgerald, or Eastwood, and there's another bonus point here for giving supporting roles to wonderful relative newcomer Sam Morelos and wonderful old-timer Clancy Brown.

Watch this in the right frame of mind, or in the right company, and you might appreciate the emotions of it all, the moments that have characters acting cute, and the infrequent laughs. Watch it in a bad mood though and you'll probably struggle to stop yourself from smashing your screen, particularly during the many times things slow right down to show Franco brooding more, either in the foreground or loitering behind another character he seems unable to be honest with.

5/10

Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Prime Time: Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (2023)

It's odd now to finally get around to watching one or two particular movies that were a part of the attempt to create a DCEU to rival the MCU phenomenon. I left it this long to watch Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom because this particular cinematic series was already pronounced dead by the time the film landed in the home rental market. In fact, I only kept this on my radar because there was a pleasingly cheap bundle on both Aquaman movies that I decided to purchase digitally. It just sat there though, like some unfinished novel written by a family member buried a few years ago.

The strange, and slightly irritating, thing is that this isn't too bad. It's a bit messy, particularly when you think of how it started compared to the finished product (I don't want to rehash all of the stuff about Amber Heard, but she certainly suffered in a biased court of public opinion that intertwined with superhero movie fanboys to create a toxicity you can almost feel emanating from the editing decisions made here), but it's fun.

Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is now a father, and rules his kingdom alongside his lovely wife, Mera (Heard). Unfortunately, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) still wants revenge for the death of his father. He has a new weapon to help him, a Black Trident, and a plan that involves a lot of Orichalcum, a power source that creates huge amounts of greenhouse gases when used. Aquaman needs to figure out where Black Manta is based, as well as how to stop him. He can't do it alone though. He is going to need the help of his imprisoned brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson).

Writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick may be working solo this time around, although helped by a few others (including Momoa and director James Wan) when it comes to the main story ideas, but he does well to make this feel like a decent continuation of the story we got in the first movie while allowing Aquaman and Orm to have enjoyable bickering between them that keeps a lot of the film firmly in the realm of the buddy action flick.

Wan can handle the scale of the film, and certainly seems keen to include a number of homages to other movies (I loved the moments that called back to some classic Harryhausen works, and there's even a wonderful little audio nod to one of the greatest horror movies of all time), but he lacks some clear direction. This is a distraction, nothing more and nothing less. Black Manta never feels like a big enough threat, individual episodes are just that, and the ending is just a waiting game until everything pans out exactly as you know it will.

Momoa is still fun in the main role, his casting was one of the better choices made during this time, and Wilson works well alongside him, the two having great rapport that feels as brotherly and fun as it needs to. Abdul-Mateen II does well with what he's given, but he's not given enough. Heard feels like she's making occasional cameo appearances, Randall Park is fun as Dr. Shin, someone caught up in the unfolding Black Manta scheme while trying to figure out how he can get out of it, and there's room for returning appearances from Temuera Morrison, Nicole Kidman, and Dolph Lundgren, as well as amusing voice performances from Martin Short and (also returning) John Rhys-Davies.

I doubt I will rush to watch this again, but it was just about on a par with the first film. It's a shame that nobody had the confidence to lean into the sillier and weirder elements, which is where the film works best, but we can enjoy the fact that those elements were at least given some screentime.

6/10

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Sisu: Road To Revenge (2025)

Not only was Sisu a great film, it was a great film that revolved around the idea of someone hurting and killing large numbers of Nazis. It felt so much more satisfying in light of recent events, and I was happy when they announced a sequel. Sisu: Road To Revenge is, frankly, ridiculous. It's even more ridiculous than the first film. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does stop it from being as good as the previous Sisu adventure.

Jorma Tommila returns in the main role, Aatami Horpi, and this time he is determined to dismantle the home where his family was murdered, hoping to rebuild it elsewhere. Other people don't want that to happen. Aatami is an embarrassment to them, a real stain on their fake big book of achievements. And that's why Yeagor Dragunov (Stephen Lang) is tasked with stopping our hero, by any means necessary.

With Jalmari Helander back on writing and directiung duties, and his leading man as comfortable and capable as ever with whatever he's asked to do onscreen, Sisu: Road To Revenge is, in some ways, everything you could want from a sequel. It gets moving that bit quicker, it escalates the situation sooner, and it builds and builds to a finale that is entertainingly bonkers. As a character, Aatami is almost equal parts Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, but without the consistent failures of the latter. He's quick, ingenious, and happy to strap himself to a rocket if it means it will give him an upper hand.

If you liked the first movie then you're going to have a lot of fun with this one. It has a few moments that are glorious in their gleeful violence, one involving planes and one involving a train carriage full of bad guys, but it doesn't quite work as well. Maybe that's due to the new villains (it's a load of Russians this time, portrayed as evil and lacking any conscience, but still not as satisfying to watch be maimed as Nazis), or maybe it's just harder to keep thinking up set-pieces that will top the ones we've already seen.

Tommila is fantastic, and Lang is an excellent personification of the army that is out to kill our hero, but there aren't enough other characters to help keep viewers engaged in between the kills. Richard Brake appears onscreen just long enough for people to figure out that it's actually him, and there's a lovely dog portraying a very good boy, but that's about it. Maybe next time, and I do hope there will be a next time, give us someone else for Aatami to protect, because we know that the film isn't going to end prematurely with his death. IF the unkillable one is killed, it's going to be somewhere close to the end credits.

An easy one to recommend, but I know that I'll end up revisiting the first film many times before I choose to revisit this one. Mind you, the two together make for a hell of an entertaining evening, which is maybe the best way to experience the full journey of this unstoppable and determined whirlwind of vengeful violence.

7/10

Monday, 26 January 2026

Mubi Monday: Die My Love (2025)

I can easily see why director Lynne Ramsay wasn't initially keen to work on this film, which looks at the disintegrating mental health of a young woman after the birth of her child. Ramsay previously gave us the ultimate look at that kind of thing in We Need To Talk About Kevin. That also had an exploration of nature vs. nurture though, whereas this is all about someone losing their own identity, and healthy love of life, piece by piece. It has motherhood in the mix, but it's really more about how we can sometimes give too much to other people in relationships that then leave us without enough energy to properly take care of ourselves. Sometimes that is the fault of the other people, especially if they keep demanding too much of your time and attention. Sometimes it is a fault with the person who wants to keep busy and serve others while avoiding any time that could lead to some introspection.

Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson are, respectively, Grace and Jackson. The two of them move into a home left behind by Jackson's deceased uncle. It needs a lot of work done to it, but it at least feels like a good home for them to start their family. Jumping forward slightly, Grace is left at home a lot with their young son, Jackson is often working away, and things start to sour quicker than a carton of milk left on the windowsill on a scorching summer day.

Based on a book by Ariana Harwicz, Ramsay has done well to collaborate with Enda Walsh and Alice Birch on the screenplay, but quite possibly did even better to assemble a cast who all had faith in her process and were up to the challenge of portraying their characters in a convincing and natural way. The screenplay works well in terms of the structure and the strong thematic core running all the way through it, but the film works as well as it does thanks to the lack of vanity shown by Lawrence and co.

LaKeith Stanfield isn't given much to do, sadly, but is as welcome as ever in his supporting role. Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek get moments that easily remind you of how great they are, but everything steps up a level when either Pattinson or Lawrence are onscreen, with the latter particularly strong delivering a performance that could arguably be considered the best of her career. It is, however, a performance much better than the film that she's in.

I really like the work of Ramsay. She's been delivering one fantastic film after another for almost the entirety of her directorial career. Die My Love is good, and it tries to walk a line between the many clouds and the infrequent silver linings, but it doesn't ever do enough to become great. Whether due to the source material (which I am unfamiliar with, sorry) or her own choices, Ramsay feels a bit undecided about where exactly she wants to take the characters. She also blurs reality and fantasy in a way that works against the potential impact of various moments in the third act, which is a stark contrast to the way she has handled such a blurring in her previous features.

There's still a lot to enjoy and appreciate here, and many others have heaped a lot of praise on this already, but it feels like the weakest film yet from Ramsay. Perhaps she was right to be hesitant when initially offered this opportunity. It certainly feels as if she doesn't have the confidence and instincts here that have served her so well elsewhere.

6/10

Sunday, 25 January 2026

Netflix And Chill: Train Dreams (2025)

I made some time for Train Dreams this weekend because it is one of the few films nominated in the main categories at the 2026 Academy Awards. There was no other reason. I didn’t even really know what it was about, but I suspected it might be one that didn’t impress me. Joel Edgerton is someone I am still wary of, despite the fact that he has quietly delivering brilliant performance after brilliant performance now for at least the better part of ten to fifteen years. And even people who praised the film seemed to avoid mentioning what it was actually about, which made me think it was going to be less than captivating.

Happily, I was wrong again. Edgerton plays Robert Grainier, a man who just happens to be born at a time when American is starting to build railroads and hurtle towards a momentarily gleaming and awesome future. But the hard work must be done before the celebrations can begin. Rail tracks are laid, gangs of men are left in the wilderness to work hard and risk death every day, and few of the jobs helping to create a transport infrastructure are without major risk. Robert can keep thinking about his wife (Gladys, played by Felicity Jones) while he sees the pain and death around him, but it isn’t long until his own life starts to be overshadowed by tragedy.

Adapted from a novella by Denis Johnson, this screenplay by Greg Kwedar and director Clint Bentley (who also co-wrote Bentley's first feature about five years ago) is an enjoyable look at the many changes one man can see happening in a particular lifetime. Robert may seem to be a background character, in many ways, but he is a witness to a very interesting chapter in history, as well as being an important part of the machinery used to build and shape the USA, in more ways than one. Bentley takes in everything around the main character, but the narrative and Edgerton's presence, as quiet and still as he is, stops viewers from forgetting who is the essential jigsaw piece completing the big picture.

Edgerton is a calm and stoic lead, as good here as he has been in any other role he's had throughout his career. He has the right face for showing endurance and growing tiredness. Jones has a lot less to do, in many ways, but works perfectly as the woman so beloved by him that her presence is felt reverberating through everything else that he does. William H. Macy is delightful in a bittersweet supporting role, and there are great moments for Clifton Collins Jr., Paul Schneider, John Diehl, and Kerry Condon. Everything is also helped by the superb narration from Will Patton, who has the perfect voice for this story.

At once both small and vast, this is an epic tale told through the prism of one "bystander". It's a timely reminder that, however much we want to participate or stay out of things, we are all a constant part of history. We can add something worthwhile, we can allow horrible things to happen without intervening, but we all play our part. And if that isn't something that everyone needs reminding of right now then I don't know what is.

9/10

Saturday, 24 January 2026

Shudder Saturday: Mother Of Flies (2025)

Another horror movie written by, directed by, and starring John Adams, Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser, Mother Of Flies is another interesting use of the genre to explore something a bit more thought-provoking and relevant than some of your more straightforward fright flicks. The Adams Family, as they are often affectionately known, excel in using their limited resources and budgets to present something that has a bounty of ideas to make up for the relative lack of polish. Let's not be unfair to them though, they're also bloody good when it comes to the technical side of things.

John and Zelda play Jake and Mickey, a father and daughter who are on a journey to visit a witch (Solveig, played by Poser). This is all to do with a medical diagnosis that Mickey has received, one that doesn't give her a very good chance of survival, and she decides that she may as well give something else a go, something other than science and medicine that may simply postpone the inevitable.

While describing and discussing Mother Of Flies, there doesn't seem to be that much to it. My plot summary covers everything well enough, although we also get some backstory about Solveig and her place in the local area, and there aren't really any big shocks or surprises, despite some effectively unnerving imagery used here and there to show the ongoing cycle of life and death, as well as the battle between good health and various ailments. It feels more substantial when you're watching it though, and not just because it is based on the real experiences that the family have had with cancer throughout the past few decades. While horror can entertain, while it can make you tense and scared, while it can have you impressed by gore gags and fun kill scenes, it also provides a fantastic backdrop for many conversations that we should strive to make less discomforting for ourselves. Death is never far away in horror movies, of course, but it's good to take the more fantastical elements of the genre and juxtapose it alongside the everyday pains and horrors that so many endure in their lifetimes, either inside themselves or while helping loved ones.

I don't think anyone here is at the top of their acting game, certainly not in comparison to some big names who would never do this kind of thing nowadays anyway, but they have the bonus of being a family unit who can act around one another in a way that lacks any nerves or self-consciousness. Poser gets to have the best moments, which tends to happen when you play a witch known for your witchy ways, but all three leads to a decent job.

There's also another very good selection of music here, also from the family, and, overall, this is yet another worthwhile genre film that rewards those who have (like myself) decided to try and keep up with every feature that these talented creatives put out there. It's not quite up there with their very best, but it's absolutely one to make time for. You might even spend some time after the end credits have rolled considering what beliefs are generally supported by the masses and what aren't, and what difference that really makes to those who live their lives with enough personal faith to ignore whatever others say about them.

7/10

Friday, 23 January 2026

American Gigolo (1980)

"What are you doing this evening?" my partner asked me.

"Watching a prime slice of sexy Richard Gere in glorious 4K," I replied.

"Ewwwwww, he's not sexy," she then said.

"Many would disagree with you. Especially in the 1980s," I told her.

Whether you view Gere as a sex symbol or not, and it's hard to argue with his possession of that status for at least a number of years, American Gigolo is a film that has writer-director Paul Schrader firmly in the "he definitely is a sex symbol" camp. And the way he films his star, it's hard to disagree. Unless you're my partner, I guess.

It's embarrassing that I took so long to get around to this that I reviewed another Paul Schrader movie, The Walker, a few years ago, describing it as a film that may not be too similar to other Schrader films. The Walker is about a male escort who finds himself mixed up in a murder. I didn't really like it. American Gigolo, as many are already aware, is about a male escort who finds himself mixed up in a murder. I really liked it.

Gere plays Julian, a classy escort who wears all the right clothes, has all the right moves, and says all the right things to keep his clients happy. His life starts to get a bit complicated when he starts a relationship with Michelle (Lauren Hutton), the wife of a senator. It's complicated further when a client turns up dead, bringing him to the attention of Detective Joe Sunday (Hector Elizondo). But at least his life is soundtracked by Giorgio Moroder and a repeated Blondie track.

While it's obviously a bit dated nowadays, American Gigolo feels as if it was always a magical blend of the cool and the uncool. Gere is suave and sexy, his life is full of great accessories and treats, but he's also surprisingly emotionally available for many of his clients. He's shown as a very capable man, but is also rendered useless as he becomes more and more tangled in a web that could lead to him serving some serious time in prison.

A lesser film in comparison to the others that Schrader directed between the late 1970s to mid-1980s, it's still an interesting way to make use of some of his usual themes with material that feels more "sellable" than some of his other works. The runtime - just under two hours - passes by quickly enough, and the stars have enough fun to ensure that nothing ever gets too grim and unenjoyable. It's a bit lacking in depth, but that's in line with the world that viewers are shown around, which makes it a nice marriage of content and form.

Gere enjoys a few iconic moments, something that he did remarkably well in his biggest cinema hits, and Elizondo is an entertainingly tenacious, but generally polite, detective. There's also a fantastic turn from Bill Duke, playing a pimp named Leon. Hutton is lovely in the role of Michelle, Carole Cook and K Callan are two other women who get to enjoy Gere's company when the opportunity presents itself, and Nina van Pallandt is very good as the woman who connects our lead with the women who want to, well, connect with our lead.

The Moroder music helps, but the big plus is Gere being able to anchor the film with what would most commonly be referred to nowadays as BDE. It all depends on how you feel about him though. I'm a fan, especially when he's used as well as he is here. My partner, on the other hand, is not.

8/10

Thursday, 22 January 2026

The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)

Okay, look, hear me out. I know that I can't add much to the amount of praise already heaped upon The Bridge On The River Kwai. All I can do is agree that it's a masterpiece, praise the cast (especially Alec Guinness giving what I consider to be one of his very best performances), and remind everyone that it was based on a book by the same author who gave us Planet Of The Apes. So there you go. Job done.

Well . . . I guess I could say a bit more.

For those who have yet to experience the majesty of The Bridge On The River Kwai, it's essentially about a group of British POWs forced to build the titular bridge for their Japanese captors. Colonel Nicholson (Guinness) butts heads with Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), who doesn't believe in abiding by the rules of the Geneva Convention, but he also believes in keeping his men busy, and giving them a sense of achievement. Meanwhile, a lone escapee (Shears, played by William Holden) is ordered to return with Major Warden (Jack Hawkins), and one or two others, on a mission to destroy the bridge.

I loved this movie the first time I saw it, and that love has never diminished with any subsequent viewings. It's a masterpiece. You can feel the heat and the dirt on the POWs, and the battle of wills between Nicholson and Saito is legendary. This puts human nature under a microscope while maintaining an epic backdrop, paying very careful attention to the world-renowned stiff upper lip that seems to be a vital component of the British army. The screenplay by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson is wonderful, Michael Arnold's score equally so (even if it is incorporating the very familiar "Colonel Bogey March), and Jack Hildyard's cinematography is, while not on a par with the visuals delivered when Freddie Young was working with director David Lean, at least as lush and expansive as you could hope for. Especially in the astounding final sequence.

If you haven't seen this already then you should really make time for it ASAP. There's a decent smattering of humour throughout (particularly in the scenes involving Holden trying to enjoy his freedom, but also in the wry exchanges between Guinness and Hayakawa), there's not one mis-step in the lead performances, and the 161-minute runtime moves by far quicker than expected.

You should also watch many other Lean movies though, and this is what prompted me to take the plunge and review The Bridge On The River Kwai here. Feel free to argue the point, but I find myself worrying that Lean seems to be at risk of being forgotten nowadays. People will still take time to discuss the Ealing films, there's always room for Powell & Pressburger to be included in conversations, and we've seen a very talented crop of British directors gain prominence and platitudes throughout the past few decades, but Lean seems to have fallen slightly out of fashion. Perhaps it's the epic runtimes of his most well-known movies. Perhaps it's the fact that they're not being put front and centre on any of the major streaming platforms (let's face it, Netflix is as likely to promote Lawrence Of Arabia as it is to ask you to turn your phone off while you watch their content). Whatever the reason, or maybe it's just me missing/forgetting some obvious celebrations of his work, Lean deserves his flowers. And he may as well get them for The Bridge On The River Kwai as for anything else he did. It's glorious cinema.

10/10

Wednesday, 21 January 2026

Prime Time: Death Of A Unicorn (2025)

Despite the general negative reviews I saw for Death Of A Unicorn, I held out hope that I would enjoy it. There's a decent idea at the heart of it (some people hit a unicorn with their car, and it's not long until some mono-horned revenge seems to be on the cards) and a great cast. In fact, my hopes would have been even higher for this if I'd known in advance that it not only included Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant, but also Will Poulter, Sunita Mani, Anthony Carrigan, and Jessica Hynes.

Rudd and Ortega play Elliot and Ridley, a father and daughter heading to an important weekend event which could improve Elliot's earning potential. He has to schmooze his super-rich boss (Grant) and his family (his wife, played by Leoni, and son, played by Poulter). Things are complicated by the fact that Elliot hits and kills a unicorn on the drive there. Well . . . he THINKS he has killed it. There's no time to mourn for the beast though, nor appreciate the majesty of it, when the assembled rich folk realise that unicorns have magical healing properties.

The first full feature helmed by writer-director Alex Scharfman, this is full of amateur errors, although it must also be said that Scharfman does well with the visuals and his ensemble cast. He cannot nail down the tone though, starting things off with an emphasis on black comedy, trying to then deliver some scenes of tension and gore, and then swerving back to the comedy, but not without shoe-horning in some unearned emotional moments in the third act. The 107-minute runtime makes the whole thing feel a bit baggy, most of the dialogue lacks a required sharpness, and the very end scenes add to a feeling of the whole thing just being ever so slightly pointless.

Rudd is good, even if he is asked to dull his light slightly, while Ortega strives to make more of her part than just being "moody girl who sees the truth ahead of everyone else". Grant and Leoni are effortlessly enjoyable in roles that they could do in their sleep, and Poulter has the most fun of anyone onscreen, playing his part with a hilarious mix of selfishness, stupidity, and attempted menace. Hynes is an interesting choice for her character, and I must admit to being so delighted to see her in such an unexpected role that she didn't have to do any more than be present onscreen to keep me happy, and both Mani and Carrigan are used to highlight the huge chasm that exists between the haves and the have-nots (aka the employees).

This could have been so much more. Some decent creature design aside, it's a visually unappealing film, the main message running through it has been conveyed so much better in a number of better movies released in the past few years, and I would even say that the music by Giosuè Greco and Dan Romer is sadly lacking something. All of the ingredients are here, but only one or two can still be tasted by the time the lacklustre end result is served up.

4/10

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)

It's strange to find that every new instalment in what is now a fine horror franchise comes loaded with worry and curiosity about where things are going next. I was relieved when I ended up enjoying 28 Years Later as much as I did, but that wild ending had me wondering about how the next instalment would be handled. And then finding out that it was being directed by Nia DaCosta made me uneasy. I like DaCosta, I always want her to do well since she did such great work with Candyman, but "The Bone Temple" seemed to be moving further into dark territory that was also quintessentially British.

Whether or not DaCosta knew about every disturbing detail in her own movie, and I would hope that writer Alex Garland gave her a primer on one or two key elements, she proves to be a fantastic choice to helm this middle section of what looks set to be quite a brilliant and intriguing horror trilogy. It's already two for two at this point. Now I have worry and curiosity about how the final part will play out.

For those wanting a very brief plot summary, as long as you've seen the previous film, we rejoin this dangerous world as young Spike (Alfie Williams) is being initiated into the gang of Jimmys that saved him at the end of the last film. The leader is Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), and they are on a mission to serve Old Nick. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) is still tending to his ossuarium, and he's also hoping to find a way to communicate with, and perhaps even cure, the infected alpha known as Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Kelson and Crystal have very different ways of dealing with the world around them, but fate may bring them together in a way that might force them to find some common ground.

If you enjoyed both Williams and Fiennes in the previous movie then you're going to find their performances equally enjoyable here, although Fiennes gets to do a bit more than the younger cast member. It's arguably O'Connell who steals the show though, embodying absolute evil with a smile and a winning way with words . . . and a real affinity for the antics of the Teletubbies, but Lewis-Parry continues to cast a hell of a large shadow in the role of Samson, particularly when in numerous scenes that have him interacting with Fiennes. Nobody disappoints, but the others worth highlighting are Emma Laird and Erin Kellyman, both standing out as the two female members of the Jimmy gang (named Jimmima and Jimmy Ink, respectively).

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is two films perfectly intertwined. One is a study of evil, and also a look at how people working together can overcome the greatest obstacles. The other is a full-blooded selection of horror movie moments, with arteries cut, flesh torn, and innocent people dragged into sadistic games. And then it stops to deliver a show-stopping sequence that makes incredible use of a very well-known Iron Maiden song.

I cannot think of anyone being disappointed by this if they made it all the way through the previous film. DaCosta may struggle to put her stamp all over this, but there are choices and flourishes that are more in line with her aesthetic than the standard look of the series. It's commendable that she also maintains a consistency that allows the whole thing to feel like a natural extension of the unfolding storyline though.

I may have an obvious bias here. I enjoy every single entry in this film series. The fact that these new films have gone from being unnecessary titles that nobody seemed to want to important and fresh ways to examine the human spirit and expand the lore of the infected is incredible. And there are now three features that could easily be in contention whenever the time comes to pick an outright best film in the series. I will remain worried and curious until the third/final film is released, but that's just habit at this point. All of the evidence so far assures me that I should be optimistic and excited.

9/10

Monday, 19 January 2026

Mubi Monday: Dessert For Constance (1981)

A French TV movie from the early 1980s that looks at the immigrant experience with great tenderness and gentle humour, Dessert For Constance was yet another in a long line of movies I just decided to put into my viewing schedule because it was made available to me. I'm glad I did, particularly when considering how differently the same story might be treated today.

Sidiki Bakaba and Cheik Doukouré are Bokolo and Mamadou, respectively, two immigrant street sweepers in Paris who need to find a decent sum of money quickly in order to help their sick friend, Bono (Elias Sherif), get home to his mother. Inspired by a cookbook that they find in the trash, Bokolo and Mamadou believe that they have the knowledge required to win a TV show based around cooking knowledge.

Adapted from Daniel Boulanger's novel by Maurice Pons, this hour-long (give or take) bit of pleasantness is directed by Sarah Maldoror. If you're unfamiliar with the work of Maldoror then you're in the right place. I am also a newcomer to her filmography, but this has spurred me on to hopefully catch some of her other work one day (she seemed to mostly work on TV movies and shorts). Maldoror works with the material to keep everything far away from the pessimism and misery that could have been running through it, ultimately giving viewers something that has the qualities of a very modern fairytale. Bokolo and Mamadou are quite the double act, but they're not goofballs.

Bakaba and Doukouré are very good in the main roles, both so natural that I was surprised to see that they both stayed in the acting trade for decades. Sherif only has this one credit, and doesn't have to do too much with his screentime, while the other main role (for someone interacting with the leads anyway) is played wonderfully by Jean Bouise.

Making use of a cookbook as a central plot device is a very easy way to remind people of connections that can be made without considering geography, race, class, or any number of other factors. If the way to someone's heart is through their stomach then shared favourite foods can be about so much more than just sitting down together at the same table.

If you can see this, and I know that it will be a difficult one for you to get hold of unless you have the varied and strange options I tend to have at my fingertips, then I recommend you give it your time. It's just over an hour long, it's unexpectedly delightful, and occasionally silly, and it's a fine antidote to the deluge of anti-immigrant rhetoric that has taken over the news and media in the past few years.

8/10

Sunday, 18 January 2026

Netflix And Chill: Wake Up Dead Man (2025)

It's time for another Benoit Blanc mystery written and directed by Rian Johnson and this time around the murder mystery has repercussions that affect a small local church. There are more twists and turns, there's another stacked cast (although, with respect, maybe not as stacked as the previous two movies), and Craig feels as if he has become completely comfortable in a role that has most successfully allowed him to move further away from under the shadow of Bond. Is it any good though?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that Wake Up Dead Man is perhaps the most interesting and substantial Benoit Blanc mystery yet, but it's not necessarily as much fun as the previous instalments in the series.

A Monsignor is the murder victim this time, but he also might have enough belief in the idea of resurrection to make his death less permanent than some others (hence the title). The main suspects are a younger priest with a troubled past, loyal members of a small congregation, and . . . some divine retribution?

I expected to have fun with Wake Up Dead Man. I expected to enjoy the cast, which also includes sizeable roles for Josh O'Connor, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott, Thomas Haden Church, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Daryl McCormack, Cailee Spaeny, and Mila Kunis. What I didn't expect was a film that mixed a murder mystery with an exploration of organised religion, personal faith, and the good and bad aspects of both. Some of the cast members may suffer slightly as they wait on the sidelines for some of the runtime, and Blanc himself doesn't come into the movie until about the 40-45 minute mark, but it's impressive to see Johnson use the template for such a thoughtful and insightful conversation about how people can be guided, or misguided, by someone, or something, helping to direct their moral compass.

Both O'Connor and Brolin are superb in their roles, the former quiet and contemplative while the latter is keen to deliver some fire and brimstone fury in sermons designed to drive away those he disapproves of, and Close, Washington, and Scott are the highlights from the rest of the ensemble, although everyone does good work. Then you have Craig, having even more fun this time around with a character who is more comfortable in his own skin than anyone else onscreen.

Johnson knows that he has people onside by this point. That gives him the space and time to wander around some new territory, always checking back in often enough to show us what is happening with the murder investigation. Patience is rewarded, no questions are left unanswered, and Johnson makes effective use of our goodwill without squandering it.

Some have already stated that this is their favourite Benoit Blanc mystery yet. I'm sure there are others who were disappointed. I'm also sure that it has at least done enough, in terms of audience numbers and conversations, to make a fourth outing very possible. Johnson seems to be very happy helming these, Craig seems to be just as happy to star in them, and viewers tend to be happy with the end result. I'm already curious as to what song title will be used next.

8/10

Saturday, 17 January 2026

Shudder Saturday: Don't Torture A Duckling (1972)

Some people really like Don't Torture A Duckling. They view it as a great giallo, and they view it as a great film from director Lucio Fulci. I need to start this review by saying that I am not one of those people. It's generally entertaining, but not necessarily in the way that was intended.

The plot is quite simple. A number of children have been murdered in a small Italian town. The police work their way through a few suspects, including a woman who seems interested in witchcraft, while a visiting journalist (Andrea, played by Tomas Milian) and a shamed young woman (Patrizia, played by Barbara Bouchet) stumble on some information that may eventually lead them to solving the case.

Co-written by Fulci with Roberto Gianviti and Gianfranco Clerici, this is, on the one hand, a sharp commentary on hypocrisy and at least one major institution. On the other hand, it's a bit too silly and amused by the many distractions littering the runtime to be considered a real classic. I assume that those who are fans of it appreciate the sleazy vibe and the nasty edge to it, especially in the cold approach to depicting the multiple child deaths, but there's a disappointing lack of tension here, nor anything that could be considered particularly stylish or visually attractive (with the notable exception of Miss Bouchet, of course).

Milian and Bouchet are the stars, even if they have to linger in the background as the film heads off to show us another murder or a suspect being side-eyed, at the very least. The fact that Bouchet has to act in a couple of scenes in which she teases a couple of different young boys is an odd choice, but one that all involved commit to. Florinda Bolkan is the witchy woman who becomes the number one suspect, Irene Papas and Marc Porel end up dragged into the unfolding pain and misery, and Vito Passeri is enjoyable as a character who has to convince everyone that he "didn't murder any kids, honest, it was just an opportunity to make some money by demanding a ransom in exchange for details of where a body is buried".

This doesn't have any of the Fulci treats that I find in many of his other features, personally. It's not even his best slasher movie to make use of a duck (that would be the dark and violent The New York Ripper, which has the killer being ducky during a number of phone calls). I'm not one to yuck anyone's yum though, as it were, and many others would probably recommend this. I didn't hate it, and it's too enjoyably bonkers to completely dismiss, but I can't see me being keen to revisit it as I revisit a number of other Fulci greats.

5/10

Friday, 16 January 2026

Primitive War (2025)

Like many people, I didn't expect much from Primitive War, a film easily described as part Vietnam war movie, part Jurassic Park. And like many people, I was very impressed as the wonderful end credit sequence started to roll. It's overlong, not all of the characters stand out as individuals, and the screenplay, co-written by Ethan Pettus and director Luke Sparke, is full of lines you have heard in every other war movie, but it's more fun than Jurassic World: Rebirth, on a budget of less than 5% of that franchise instalment.

Ryan Kwanten is the biggest name here (well, Jeremy Piven is also in the cast, but he's used sparingly in a few scenes that bookend the main action). Kwanten plays Baker, a man leading his platoon through a jungle valley that turns out to have a number of unexpected dinosaurs roaming around. It's all down to a military plan, and those dinosaurs may end up wanted by those in power seeking every advantage in the ongoing war.

While I don't know if this was put together in exactly the same way, Primitive War feels as if it is to dinosaur movies what Monsters was to alien movies. Although, and it's important to note this, Primitive War has an approach that is far less coy, with those involved having the confidence in the FX to pack more fun into the whole thing than expected. It takes a bit of time to ease viewers into the premise, after an attention-grabbing opener (much like the main films it is emulating), but it doesn't take any steps backward once everyone becomes aware that there are dinos on the loose.

Kwanten is decent enough in his role, he acts and looks suitably like a typically tired and dogged war-time soldier. Others acting just as tired and determined to escape the warzone include Nick Wechsler, Anthony Ingruber, Aaron Glenane, Carlos Sanson Jr., and a handful of others. While none of them really stand out, they work together well enough to feel like the unit they are. Tricia Helfer plays a woman named Sofia , someone who knows more than the soldiers about what is going on, and she does the job of delivering the exposition and reminding everyone of the stakes.

I've not seen anything else from Sparke, and I don't know if he's done anything else that comes close to being as entertaining as this, but I look forward to what he lines up next. Considering how well this has gone down with those who have given it a chance, Primitive War may prove to be the breakthrough title in his filmography. The pacing isn't perfect, and some failings make it obvious that this is the first feature produced from something written by first-timer Pettus, but the good easily outweighs the bad. You even get some pleasantly surprising soundtrack choices that help it to sit alongside numerous other Vietnam movies with the same tunes accompanying the visuals.

7/10

Thursday, 15 January 2026

Predator: Badlands (2025)

Another instalment in the Predator franchise directed by Dan Trachtenberg, fans should be very happy to hear that this is easily on a par with (and maybe even better than) his previous live-action Predator movie, Prey. In fact, between these two features and his animated side-project, Predator: Killer Of Killers, it would seem that nobody could be a safer pair of hands for the continuing success of this iconic character.

The story this time around concerns Dek (played under a whole load of make up by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Yautja who doesn't seem ready to take his place alongside many the others in his community. He's not managing to get through the standard rite of passage, despite his brother trying to help him, and his father thinks he should be killed. Which is why he ends up on a planet where almost everything is deadly, hunting a beast said to be unkillable. He soon ends up begrudgingly accepting some help from Thia (Elle Fanning), a synth who is currently missing her legs. The allies seek to get Dek his trophy, but there are others on the planet with similar aims, and they might end up also wanting to bag Dek.

It's hard to overstate just how great this is. Written by Patrick Aison, this is a film that has a mix of superbly cinematic moments, inventive action, the Predator details that you want to see, and sheer fun. It makes the union at the heart of the film feel plausible, helped by the fact that Dek is young and sorely in need of whatever advantage he can make use of as he attempts to "prove his worth", and allows viewers to become invested in the outcome, especially when the characters change direction in the third act toward a different destination.

Shuster-Koloamatangi gives a superb physical performance, and it's one that draws you in and keeps you onside throughout (contrary to the many dissenting voices who were critical of the look of his character when the first trailer was released). Fanning is equally good, helped by make up in a different, but just as effective, way. Her upbeat manner juxtaposed alongside the rough and straightforward nature of her new "friend" makes for most of the fun in the first half of the film, and she also gets herself involved in some great action sequences. The fact that she also gets to show another side of herself later on is a bonus, and allows her to feel like a very worthwhile new addition to the ever-expanding WYCU (Weyland Yutani cinematic universe).

All of the flora and fauna design is impressive throughout, the different environments all feel real, CGI is generally on point, accompanied by Jeff Cutter's superb cinematography, and Trachtenberg also helps lift everything up by making use of a frankly brilliant electro-infused score from Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch.

This is what a modern Predator film should be. This is what a fun sci-fi action flick should be. If only they could do the same now with the Alien franchise then we could eventually look forward to a much better attempt to showcase both creations in one feature.

9/10