Gemini Man (2019)

Three years before Will Smith spectacularly self-harmed Will Smith in front of millions of viewers, Will Smith starred in a film which had him trying to avoid being caused harm by . . . Will Smith. Many might have tried to call Gemini Man a prescient film when it was released, but nobody could have seen just how prescient it ended up being.

A high concept written by David Benioff, Darren Lemke, and Billy Ray, and directed by Ang Lee, Gemini Man is an action thriller based around the sci-fi idea of cloning a top assassin to then kill and take over from that assassin when they have come to the end of their usefulness. Smith plays Henry Brogan, and younger images of him are used to portray Junior (aka the clone). Brogan ends up being targeted when he's due to retire, and he ends up on the run with an agent named Danny Zakarewski (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to stay one step ahead of the soldiers under the command of the ruthless Clay Verris (Clive Owen).

Although this film would have benefited from keeping the central idea a bit more of a mystery (I have mentioned it here because it's on the poster and was all over the marketing), it still manages to be quite good fun when delivering on the action front. Okay, viewers may get a bit impatient while they wait on Brogan to accept the strange reality of his predicament, but Lee and the writers try to keep everyone distracted with a fine opening sequence, a great late-night attempted ambush, and an extended gunfight that is inventive and thrilling. And that's without even mentioning the great moments that have Owen chewing the scenery in a turn that has him one step removed from Dr. Robotnik.

Smith is great in the lead role, and his familiar visage is used well for the younger version of himself. He's always convincing, and this feels like an a-list star doing their best to elevate b-list material. It's a gimmick film, but that gimmick is boosted by Smith's presence. Winstead is very good, and convinces in the action set-pieces, although she has to rely on Smith, sadly, and I still think she deserves a full-on action lead role with franchise potential (Kate came closest, but also seemed to quickly get lost in the sea of wannabe-Wickflicks). As for Owen, see my previous comment about him. It's no criticism. I love his performance here, and he seems to be having loads of fun in his role. The other person worth mentioning is Benedict Wong, playing a good friend/facilitator named Baron who wants to help keep our leads breathing.

It doesn't really matter how good the acting or the action is though. What matters is how convincing the film is when old Will Smith comes face to face with young Will Smith. I would say that, for the most part, it works well enough. Using a variety of tricks to hide his face for certain sections of the film, Smith the younger looks decent enough when finally allowed to be front and centre. There are a few moments that have him looking like a paused videogame character compared to the fully real humans alongside him, but they don't really unbalance the film. Until the very last scenes. I'm not sure if this was shot in reverse order or if the technology couldn't handle showing us this character in full daylight, but the very end of this movie has the worst computer imagery of the entire film, which makes it hard to get through the end credits while remembering the earlier highlights.

There are other mis-steps. Both main Smiths are a bit over-emotional when you consider their occupation, the timeline never feels quite right, and some turns in the third act feel a bit too hasty and implausible. I still rate this as a fun time though. It's not great, but it's good enough to help you pass a couple of hours.

6/10

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Bad Boys: Ride Or Die (2024)

Most people who know me, and know my approach to viewing movies, may already know me as Kevin 7, a nickname given to me because of how often I tend to rate movies 7/10. I don't see anything wrong with that, as I have said on many occasions. I always want to enjoy every movie I watch, and few of them are truly great, so a 7/10 is a decent rating that many movies achieve if they throw in enough ingredients that I enjoy. The Bad Boys movies, now up to four in total, work hard to remain the most consistently Kevin 7 action comedy movie series I can think of, thanks mainly to the cool visuals and, most importantly, the interplay between stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

While I always try my best to avoid spoilers, this review will feature details of the previous movie in this series. It picks up some time after those events, but there is a consistency and use of important details to move things along (e.g. Captain Howard has not been miraculously resurrected, and Mike Lowery still has an incarcerated son who might one day be able to help with some major investigation).

Things all start with smooth bachelor boy Mike Lowery (Smith) finally tying the knot to a woman named Christine (Melanie Liburd). All is well and good until Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) has a heart attack. Things have to change, and stress should be avoided. Which makes it bad timing when news is leaked about the deceased Captain Howard having been a dirty cop for years. Unwilling to believe that nonsense, Lowery and Burnett end up conducting their own investigation, with a little help from beyond the grave, and they soon find themselves being framed by some powerful villains, ending up on the run with Mike’s son, Armando (Jacob Scipio). 

One or two changes aside (like Tasha Smith now taking over the role played by Theresa Randle in the first three movies), this is exactly what you expect from a Bad Boys movie. The plot zips from one enjoyable action set-piece to the next, the warmth and humour between the two leads has stayed the same since the first movie, and it’s all about the mix of humour and extremely loud gunfights. And there’s something about it not changing too much that adds to the appeal. The formula was perfectly set in the mid-1990s and seeing it play out in the same way is strangely refreshing. Maybe it’s the nostalgia factor, but maybe it’s just good to see something that isn’t trying to round off every sharp edge in an attempt to appeal to every single viewer demographic. This is aiming to please one demographic, fans of the Bad Boys movies.

Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are as arguably more confident behind the camera this time around, livening up numerous scenes with brilliantly inventive camerawork and set-ups. The script, written by Chris Bremner (returning from the last film) and Will Beall, is largely nonsense, especially when it comes to some new characters who have journeys that you can predict from their very first scenes, but it’s highly entertaining nonsense. Could more have been done with the idea that Marcus thinks himself invincible after leaving hospital? Yes. Could some non-twists have been played better? Yes. But the stars shine, and there’s one sequence focusing on a relatively minor character that feels like one of the best overdue, and unexpected, payoffs in any film series that has endured for almost thirty years already.

Smith and Lawrence could play these roles in their sleep, so it’s great to see them stay so lively and fun, both having a noticeable twinkle in their eyes as they continue their cinematic bromance through more pain, flames, and bullets. Scipio gets to do more this time around, and turns into someone who feels worthy of the arc given to him here. Eric Dane is an impressive main villain, helped by a script that makes him ridiculously well-informed and powerful until the grand finale, and there are numerous henchmen who look very capable of handling themselves in a fight until they are overpowered by our heroes. It’s good to have some screentime again for Paula Núñez, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, and Dennis McDonald (AKA Reggie), and there are fun moments for Tiffany Haddish, DJ Khaled and John Salley (both returning), and Enoch King (as a scene-stealing shop clerk). Other people are sadly wasted, including Liburd, Smith, Ioan Gruffudd, and, worst of all, the great Rhea Seehorn.

I have seen many headlines weighing up what the success or failure of this film would mean for the career of Smith. I never thought about that once while the film was playing. I thought about how much fun it was to be back in the saddle alongside Marcus and Mike, and how great it was to watch something so intent on delivering great stunts and pyrotechnics without having to layer in any meta commentary or feel as if it was apologizing for existing. None of these films are absolute classics, but they are all very rewatchable, and a very easygoing Kevin 7.

7/10

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Netflix And Chill: King Richard (2021)

There are two big things that work against King Richard while you are watching it. One is the memory of that Oscar slap "heard around the world", especially when you realise how it underlines why Will Smith gave such a good performance in the role of a man who continues to believe in himself as others dismiss and disrespect him. The other is the fact that this is, ultimately, a film about two of the greatest sportswomen in history . . . told with a focus on the father who guided them to greatness. I'm not saying that the film isn't delivering the truth, or a truth presented to the world by the Williams sisters and their father, but it feels as if some more care could have been taken to show a bit more of the sisters dealing with the choices made by their father.

If you have even the most passing interest in sports, and particularly tennis, then you will be familiar with the Williams sisters (Serena and Venus, played here by Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney, respectively). Both hold multiple records, both are formidable athletes, and both have walked their career path with great dignity and a care to keep supporting, and inspiring, many others. And both were able to fully realise their potential thanks to the grand plan created by their father, apparently. This film shows how their father, Richard Williams (Will Smith), created opportunities that allowed them to break into a world that didn't look set to welcome them with open arms, and it's a superb tale of self-belief, staying grounded, and learning as much from any failures as you learn from victories.

The first developed script from writer Zach Baylin, it's easy to see why this would appeal to his sensibilities (especially when he has followed it up with a couple of other standard, and enjoyable, sport movies). There's everything you need in place for a story told within this sub-genre, and you have an idiosyncratic and flawed character in Richard. Director Reinaldo Marcus Green has half the work done from him by the time the cast is in place, and some more of the work done by editor Pamela Martin (because you have to love those transitions that show time passing from the time a tennis ball is thrown up into the air to the time it is forcefully hit over the net). That's not to take away from how he handles the material. He does a very good job, and I am just saying that getting all of the right people in the right positions is a big part of that job.

Smith is very good in the main role, although it's hard to decide whether it's a truly great performance or just something that seems better because of how far removed it is from most of his other onscreen work. Both Singleton and Sidney are excellent as the young Williams sisters, convincing on and off the tennis court, and Aunjanue Ellis does very good work as Oracene Williams, the wife/mother who supports her family at every turn, but also knows when her husband needs to have his perspective changed after too much time spent with his eyes on a distant prize while he makes decisions that start to require a bit more thought and diplomacy. Tony Goldwyn and Jon Bernthal are two main coaches who do their bit to help progress the careers of the sisters, and both give equally good performances (Bernthal particularly enjoyable playing someone much more acquiescent and passive than he usually does), and a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces pop in to play businessmen, sponsors, spectators, and tennis players (John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Jennifer Capriati, and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario being the other main pros shown).

Despite what works against this, as mentioned in the first paragraph, there are many positives that make it worth your time, not least of which is the feeling of jubilation and satisfaction as some of the end credits are interspersed with real-life footage of the Williams sisters and impressive stats about their sporting achievements. Whether you agree with the main character or not, the successful end result is impossible to deny. And that makes this another underdog story that is impossible not to appreciate and enjoy.

8/10 

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Men In Black II (2002)

Another day, another chance to revisit a film that I think was always given a bit too hard a time when it was first released. Men In Black II is a lot of fun. It’s as well-paced and inventive as the first movie. The returning players are still great in their roles. It just isn’t as good as the hugely successful original.

A new baddie has landed on Earth (Serleena, played by Lara Flynn Boyle), looking to get their hands on something that was hidden away years ago by Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones). Unfortunately, Agent Kay had his mind wiped when he chose to retire from the MIB organisation, which makes things tricky when Agent Jay (Will Smith) has to bring him back “into the office”. Can they protect the valuable asset that Serleena is seeking? Can they even find the damn thing in time?

Written by Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro, in place of Ed Solomon, and with Barry Sonnenfeld back in the director’s chair, Men In Black II doesn’t feel very far removed from its predecessor. There are one or two scenes that spend a bit too much time being too earnest and unfunny, but they are few and far between. Overall, this is a pretty great sequel, full of both new gags and gags that call back to lines and moments in the first film. The visual style is just as cool and slick throughout, and Danny Elfman once again delivers with his music (I think his main theme for this movie series holds up as some of his best work). Sonnenfeld keeps perfect control over everything, or at least makes it seem that way, and every extra detail, in the plot or production design, feels well-considered and relevant.

Although their roles have changed somewhat, Smith and Jones still make a great central pairing. The former remains cocky and ready to deliver witty lines, the latter still retains an air of exasperation around his well-worn face. Boyle is fun in the role of Serleena, an alien dominatrix with their tendrils whipping whoever doesn’t give them the right answers to their questions, and Johnny Knoxville is . . . well, look, I like Johnny Knoxville, but his character is the weak link there, a two-headed creation given too many chances to fool around in a way that isn’t on a par with the rest of the humour in the film. Rosario Dawson is a worthy addition to the cast, playing a murder witness named Laura who somehow avoids having her memory wiped, and there’s a typically great little turn from Patrick Warburton at the start of the movie. Rip Torn, Frank The Pug, and Tony Shalhoub all make welcome returns, as do the odd little “worm guys” (CG creations who all perk up when Dawson is introduced to them), and there are some fun cameos to keep your eyes peeled for.

The first film set a very high bar when it comes to blockbuster sci-fi comedy, and it holds up as a brilliant slice of modern mainstream cinema, but I remain convinced that this is a worthy sequel. It’s smart, it’s funny, it hits similar main beats. It just isn’t the first film, and I think those judging it too harshly on that basis are being a tad unfair. Although you can deduct an extra point or two from my rating if you REALLY can’t stand Frank The Pug. I have somehow grown to enjoy his screentime a bit more than I used to, but I can see how he could hurt the viewing experience.

7/10

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Prime Time: Wild Wild West (1999)

When Wild Wild West was first released, I wasn’t familiar with the TV show it was based on. I just got excited at the prospect of another blockbuster comedy pairing up director Barry Sonnenfeld with Will Smith. I also liked Kevin Kline, a LOT, Kenneth Branagh, and any decent-sized role for Salma Hayek. That excitement may be long gone now, it started to dissipate during my first viewing of the movie, but little else has changed. I am still unfamiliar with the TV show this was based on, and I still like the main cast assembled for it.

Smith plays James West, a skilled and sharp-shooting special agent who ends up partnered with Agent Artemus Gordon (Kline). Gordon prefers to use inventions and disguises to help him achieve his aims, while West prefers a much more direct approach. Both men have to work together as they try to apprehend the devious Dr. Arliss Loveless (Branagh), a man who lost his legs during wartime, but makes up for that handicap with a number of inventions, from a “super-charged” wheelchair to a huge mecha-spider vehicle, that give him an advantage over his enemies. Oh and Salma Hayek plays Rita Escobar, a women who ends up accompanying West and Gordon for part of their journey.

Arguably most famous nowadays for featuring a creation mentioned in a Kevin Smith anecdote (one of the producers on this movie REALLY had a hankering for a giant spider to feature as a third act menace), Wild Wild West is a real oddity. Some of the comedy works, some of the action is nicely put together, and the steampunk element provides some cool visuals, but the very essence of the film seems to work against the charisma of all of the leads.

Smith constantly feels as if he is cosplaying, too cool to play his cowboy in a more straightforward way, Branagh does too much moustache-twirling while murdering his attempt at an American accent, and Kline doesn’t get enough moments to shine, which is even more annoying when you have scenes that fleetingly show just how funny he can be. Hayek is given no real arc, the movie would work just as well without her (although I, for one, am glad she is in it), while there is more care and attention given to supporting turns from Ted Levine, Musetta Vander, and Bai Ling.

There are, as expected, numerous writers credited with the end result here. You get the names of the people who delivered the TV show concept, but you also get S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock (originators of a certain graboid hit), who then claim that their original screenplay was severely reworked by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (who only had a couple of other movie writing credits before this, but one of those was Who Framed Roger Rabbit). Whoever was most responsible for it, the end result is a mess, and Somnenfeld is unable to improve it.

The direction is competent, but weighed down by the script. There’s no decision to make someone a straight man, which just leads to the laughs being spread thinner amongst everyone (including Branagh), and thereby ever any real sense of danger. This is a romp, nothing more, and that in itself isn’t a terrible thing. It just also happens to have a few dull patches throughout the runtime, an inability to have more fun with the clash between the traditional Western ways and the technology available to the characters, and even the Elmer Bernstein score can’t help. At least you get to hear the funky Will Smith theme song over the closing credits.

Wild Wild West is a mess, but it is one I feel the need to check in on at least once a decade or so. I always suspect that I am misremembering it, that I like it more than most people. I’m not misremembering it, and I don’t. Although I might be a bit more generous to it than most.

4/10

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Bad Boys For Life (2020)

I went to see Bad Boys in the cinema when it first came out. That was twenty five bloody years ago. It was great fun. The film itself didn't do anything new, not really, but it worked so well because of the pairing of stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, as well as some great supporting players. I cannot recall when I first saw the second movie. Taking things up a level, it was a bombastic and entertaining flick, making the two movies a great double-bill. But nobody seemed to be crying out for a third, especially this far down the line. Well, nobody except maybe Martin Lawrence (who seemed to pretty much disappear after a number of star vehicles that showed how he worked best when paired up alongside someone more talented).

Life is pretty much the same for Miami detectives Mike Lowery (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence). The former is still a cool ladies man, the latter is settling more and more into the content family life he hopes to embrace fully when he retires. Everything changes for them, however, when a mother (Kate del Castillo) sends her son (Jacob Scipio) on a mission to target and kill a number of people she has a vendetta against, including Lowery, who is to be left until last, after he has watched the others die.

It may no longer be Michael Bay at the helm (nice cameo though), but this has a touch of his style here and there to ensure that this third instalment fits perfectly alongside the others. You get plenty of shots that feel almost filtered directly through the Miami sunshine, you get at least one "Bad Boys" shot (you know the one, camera looking up at the main characters, moving around them as they grit their teeth and silently agree that shit just got real), and the action isn't afraid to pile up the bodies while anything flammable gets ready to explode. There's nothing here quite as over the top as the action set-pieces in Bad Boys 2, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Every main sequence is very well put together, and the finale delivers something very satisfying.

Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah do a great job of working the familiar elements into something both entertainingly familiar and yet also fresh enough to make it worth your time. The script, by Chris Bremner, Peter Craig, and Joe Carnahan, has the blend of action and humour you expect, and also brings in a main story strand that forces the main characters to rethink their whole approach to things.

Smith and Lawrence slip very easily back into their rapport, with both bringing out the best in one another, and a number of actors return from the previous two movies, not least of which is the great Joe Pantoliano as the put-upon Captain. There's a new team tasked with working the main case, headed up by Paola Núñez, and featuring Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, and Charles Melton. All of them do well alongside the more seasoned stars. Scipio is a very believable threat at all times, and Del Castillo is a scarily single-minded mastermind behind the death and destruction.

Some people really LOVE the Bad Boys movies, and I'm not sure if they will enjoy this one as much as I did. I have tended to like them all about the same, each one has strengths and weaknesses, and this allows it to now be a superb action comedy trilogy. Will they go for a fourth one? Possibly. Will I watch it, despite reservations? Definitely. Whatcha gonna do?

7/10

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Aladdin (2019)

As Disney continues to remake/repackage their hits to make more money off them, I end up eventually giving in and watching them. All while wondering how bad things can get. Aladdin is arguably the most egregious example yet of the Disney approach of eating their own tail for the sake of the almighty dollar.

Strangely enough, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Jungle Book, mainly because it had familiarity to it without slavishly copying every moment from the animated original (which is a firm favourite of mine). I also enjoyed Dumbo more than many others. I didn't LOVE it, but I didn't hate it, as expected. It was never going to equal the original, but it had a good cast and some nice moments. I've not watched most of the others yet, and I won't take up time and space here to once again rant about why The Lion King is not a live-action remake.

And here's Aladdin, a film I had avoided for some time. The original was, as far as I recall, the film that gave Disney a shot in the arm, and also showed a-list stars who good a career move it could be to get involved with something animated (Robin Williams being the scene-stealing genie). So, despite them already remaking some big names, this always felt like a bigger risk.

And it is absolutely terrible. Terrible. It's one of the worst mainstream blockbusters I have seen in the past decade.

The story is exactly the same. You have Aladdin (Mena Massoud), a streetwise lad who survives thanks to his wit and fast hands, and in some of the early scenes he meets an incognito Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott). Aladdin then ends up in possession of a magical lamp that houses a genie (Will Smith), using it to make him into a prince, much to the suspicion of the cunning Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), the advisor to the Sultan with designs on his own path to ultimate power.

There are a few things that work here. A magic carpet being one, a monkey being the other, and the winning performances of Scott and Nasim Pedrad (playing Dalia, the handmaiden, I guess you could say, to Princess Jasmine). That's about it.

Smith tries hard in the role of the genie, it's just a shame that they kept laying CGI over him, even during some of the smaller moments where it wasn't needed. And, with no offence intended to him, he's just no Robin Williams. Williams brought a manic energy and bottled lunacy to the role that I can't imagine anyone else equalling, and Smith doesn't come close.

He's better than some of the other cast members though. Massoud is about as bland as can be, and Kenzari is terrible in the role of Jafar, not once feeling like a threat until it is required for the last 20 minutes or so.

The direction from Guy Ritchie is probably his worst work to date, which didn't stop this from being a massive financial success, and crediting the script to both him and John August seems to imply enough diversion from the original screenplay that isn't there. You get a different framing device for the main tale, that's about it. The rest is almost exactly as you remember it from the original movie, except not half as good.

If you ever manage to find a magic lamp with a genie in it, just give me one of your wishes, please. And I can wish that I'd never wasted my time on this.

3/10

I also wish for coffee sometimes.

Ani-MAY-tion: Shark Tale (2004)

An animated film that mixes elements of the classic "Jack The Giant Killer" tale and numerous aquatic puns and gags, Shark Tale doesn't reach greatness in any individual aspect, but the silly jokes and excellent voice cast make it a fun way to pass some time.

Will Smith is the voice of Oscar, a small fish that dreams of big things. He works in a whale washing business, employed by a puffer fish named Sykes (Martin Scorsese). So preoccupied is Oscar with his dreams, he is oblivious to the fact that another employee, Angie (Renée Zellweger), seems quite smitten with him. Meanwhile, a mob boss shark (voiced by Robert De Niro) is struggling to get his youngest son, Lenny (Jack Black), to think and act like a proper shark. All of these characters are about to collide as Oscar turns his fortunes around after a major incident involving his close proximity to a dangerous shark that ends up dead.

It's hard not to see a couple films from this time as cynical attempts to grab some of that Finding Nemo money. You had this film and you had The Reef AKA Shark Bait (2006), and neither of them managed to be as good as the Pixar film that seemed to birth them. Thankfully, however, this is closer to the first movie than it is to the later one, which is just cheap (at least it certainly looks cheap), lazy and visually ugly.

That's not to say that directors Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron, and Rob Letterman do much to garner praise here. The visuals are fine throughout, although sometimes it can be easy to forget that things are set under the sea (despite all of the main characters being fish), and the script, co-written by Letterman and Michael J. Wilson, is simple and amusing, keeping everything bright and lively for the intended younger viewers.

But the cast is where the movie shines. Smith is in fine form, all smiles and cockiness even as he looks to move further and further out of his depth, no pun intended. Zellweger is a sweet friend/potential romance, even if her character doesn't get to do much beyond helping Oscar and making heart-eyes at him. Scorsese and De Niro are both wonderful, their voices fitting their very different characters nicely, and their every interaction a treat for film fans. Black is a bit weak in his role, as is Angelina Jolie, also suffering from the fact that her character is shallow and only interested in someone with plenty of money, but the other people lending their voices to the proceedings include Michael Imperioli, Peter Falk, Ziggy Marley, Doug E. Doug, Vincent Pastore, and one or two others you should enjoy.

You'll probably never prioritise this in your viewing schedule unless you have little ones to entertain but you could do a lot worse. It has a decent soundtrack, plenty of colour, and one silly little gag involving a hammerhead shark and a piece of cutlery that makes me laugh heartily every time I see it.

6/10

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Bright (2017)

People have been rushing to call Bright one of the worst films of 2017. It's not. It's not even the worst thing that Netflix have done. Not by a long shot. It's not even the worst thing that director David Ayer has done. People have also been rushing to call this out as a reworking of Alien Nation. Okay, that's a bit harder to deny. Essentially a blend of Alien Nation, Training Day, and World Of Warcraft, this is a messy, fun film. It gets a number of things wrong, but also gets quite a bit right.

Will Smith plays a cop named Daryl Ward, unhappy because he's been paired up with an orc (Jakoby, played by Joel Edgerton). He's also unhappy because he's about to go back into service after recovering from a gunshot wound, a wound perpetrated by a criminal that he believes his unwanted partner let go free. That has to be pushed to the bottom of his list of priorities, however, when the pair find themselves getting their hands on a magical artefact that lots of people are willing to kill for.

What works well here? Well, if you buy into the main conceit (life going on as usual in a world that happens to also have elves, orcs, fairies, etc living alongside humans), most of it. I am pleased to see that, with this and Suicide Squad, Ayer has convinced Smith to once again spend some time in roles that work well with his charisma and cockiness. He isn't stretching himself here but he's suited to the role. Edgerton is even better, despite working through a load of make up that makes him unrecognisable. The world that the two inhabit is nicely realised, with a lot of minor details and casual snippets of dialogue helping to flesh things out. There are also some really good action beats. Perhaps not as many as it needs, but the set-pieces are very well done.

What doesn't work? Well, the script by Max Landis seems eager to throw as much into the pot as possible, which is especially obvious in a few opening scenes that overstay their welcome before the film starts to find its feet. There's also one major moment that is lifted almost completely from Training Day. It felt like a bit of a push then, it feels even more implausible here.

And you also have a supporting cast that feels largely wasted. Noomi Rapace has a good presence, she's the main villain of the piece, but it would have been nice to see her pop up for more than just a few scenes in the second half of the film. As for the other police officers we see here and there, none of them make an impression, even when involved in some pretty major scenes.

If you like Ayer movies then you should like this. Despite the characters and plot incorporating a number of fantastical elements, this is typical of his kind of stuff. Of course, some people may not enjoy his sensibilities being mixed up with orcs and elves and the like. I found it worked surprisingly well. I am already looking forward to the sequel - Fantastic Beasts And How To F**k Them Up.

7/10

Bright is on Netflix. Other David Ayer movies are available here (UK) and here (USA)

The Fresh Prince After Earth.

 

  Everybody sing along now. 

"Now this is a story all about how
My spaceship got flipped, turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you how I survived a crash in an atmosphere with no air.

With M. Night Shyamalan and my kid
I used a studio as a playground and hit the skids
Writing and producing and picking the cast
Hoping that audiences will remember hits from my past
But really this movie, it's quite simply no good
It won't run for long in the cinema in your neighborhood
It's got no decent fights and it won't leave you scared
It's a shame that even the director obviously didn't care.

As the opening weekend came nearer and nearer
Instead of fresh, Rotten Tomato critics made their disdain clearer
If anything I could say that this was an attack
On my kid, on me, on a director who's now a hack.

I pulled out of the limelight after the weekend was done
Well, me and Jaden had already had our fun
Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
My family was paid and I didn't have to care"