Movie Reviews - April 2018

Next chunk of movie reviews from my list on IMDB, still working on a fairly large backlog. Here’s the post where I explain how I rate movies.

There Will Be Spoilers.

• Prometheus 6/10 - This one’s a bit mixed up in my head with Alien: Covenant that I watched much more recently. I vaguely remember this as being not horrible, with reasonable acting and effects, but having a lot of kindof stupid behavior going on. One issue was definitely the “taking helmets off in alien environments” trope that aflicts the vast majority of alien encounter stories, and is certainly a major plot point here. I am glad they continued the Alien franchise, though they could put more effort into the writing.
• Independence Day: Resurgence 3/10 - I remember this being real bad, especially the ending portion. The original movie was not high art, but I found it a fun Sci Fi romp that didn’t take itself too seriously and was consistently entertaining – I gave it a 7/10. But it didn’t need a sequel, and particularly it didn’t need this sequel. Many people involved had their talents wasted.
• X-Men: Apocalypse 6/10 - It’s X-Men, so of course I will watch it, and am more likely to treat it favourably. I generally enjoyed all the acting and effects, but the plot was not very well done. Apocalypse could have had a lot more interesting backstory, we really have no idea what his motivations are. And the Jean Grey deus ex machina ending was momentarily entertaining but unsatifying in the overall plot arc of the movie. Hopefully they can do better in the extremely telegraphed upcoming Phoenix movie.
• Jason Bourne 6/10 - Fun action and romping espionage, but nothing particularly new or different. If you’ve watched earlier Bourne movies you know what to expect.
• Suicide Squad 6/10 - This was an OK implemenation of Suicide Squad as a movie. It could’ve been much better, and could’ve been much worse. Wil Smith’s Deadshot was meh and I would’ve preferred a less well-known actor who wasn’t just being “Wil Smith as Deadshot”. Margot Robbie was excellent as Harley Quinn, I hope for a reprise. I have a general dislike for Jared Leto in everything I’ve seen him in, and I really could’ve done without him appearing as The Joker in this movie. He didn’t add anything, and his performance dragged down the rest of the movie. Everyone else was good. The plot was kinda meh, but the action was good, and character interactions were good. So, yeah, 6/10.
• Arrival 7/10 - I like a well done slow-moving sci fi movie as much as I do a fast-paced one. This one was definitely slow, and generally well done, but looking back it the overall sense I get is that the writer was really impressed with the story twist. I mean, it’s a pretty good twist, but seemed like peripheral details felt a bit flat or forced and could’ve had some more attention. And maybe it’s just me, but Amy Adams is starting to feel like “Amy Adams performing X role” instad of the character being forefront. Is it just me?
• Assassin’s Creed 6/10 - Caveat that I have never played more than maybe an hour or two of any Assassin’s Creed game, but I have spent a fair amount of time watching my daughter play several of them. So I have a good general idea of the story, characters, etc. This was a fun movie, good effects, but the storyline felt flat even when compared to some of the games. And to a certain extent I think it got a bit caught up in it’s own mythos when it could’ve just aimed to tell a straight forward Assassin’s Creed story.
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 7/10 - It’s Harry Potter without the Harry Potter! Generally entertaining, though it’s the supporting characters’ relationships that are most interesting and that still stick with me, not the over-the-top magical exploits of the protagonists. I didn’t really care about Newt or his antics, and I’m not really sure if I was supposed to. I’ll watch the upcoming sequel, but most likely not in a theatre.
• Underworld: Blood Wars4/10 - This series is a bit of a guilty pleasure, it’s always bad, and I know it’s going to be bad, but I keep watching them anyway. I suppose it’s my more action and less mopey version of Twilight. Yay vampires and werewolves and combinations thereof all fighting each other! But it’s really not that good.
• Star Trek: Beyond 6/10 - OK, I like Star Trek – I’m not rabid about it, but I enjoy watching. My favourite series is DS9 because multi-season spiritual story arc for the win. I generally like the new Star Trek universe, it’s a bit too lens flarey and in your face, but that’s par for the course these days and I can deal with it. But you put Idris Elba in full prosthetic alien gear and I have to wonder what the hell you’re thinking. It’s Idris freaking Elba - look, I’m a mostly straight guy and even I can tell you he’s gorgeous. You could make him just a bit alien like the Sofia Boutella’s character in this very movie, or his Heimdal character in the Thor movies. He can help your cast be less mostly-White, why cover that up? Did you not want the bad guy to be Black? (that seems kinda racist? I could be wrong) Maybe the main cast didn’t want to be upstaged? (mind bloggles) Anyway, the movie loses a few points for that stupidity, and the rest for just generally being too over the top and unbelievable for even a Star Trek movie. But yes, it certainly does have good special effects, and I can’t deny it’s fun.

(Note: seems somehow this page disappeared from my blog? I had to recreate it from Google cache. So weird, I blame the Ghost mobile and/or desktop apps)