Tag: Action

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Movie Review

Arena Wars (2024) Movie Review

Arena Wars – Movie Review

Arena Wars - A gripping movie review that takes you into the heart of the world's deadliest sporting event. Can convicted criminals survive and win their freedom?

Director: Brandon Slagle

Writer: Brandon Slagle (Screenplay)

Writer: Michael Mahal, Sonny Mahal (Story)

Cast

Plot: In 2045 convicted criminals are given the opportunity to compete on the world’s televised sporting event, Arena Wars. They must survive 7 rooms and 7 of the most vicious killers in the country. If they win, they regain their freedom.

Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Arena Wars starts as the charismatic hosts Samson (Madsen) and Moses (Donavan) introduce the latest show. The contestants are convicted criminals who are allowed to compete for their freedom by defeating 7 of the deadliest killers in the country.

The killers include Calypso, Cutie Pie, Master Blaster, Mister Smiles, Nero, Counter-Strike and Meat Wagon. Meanwhile, the contestants include Luke Bender (Wells), and a group of others. Now, they face no escape other than to fight against the killers to survive for the audience’s entertainment.  

Verdict on Arena Wars

Arena Wars is an action thriller following a former marine and a group of convicts placed on TV shows where convicts fight against serial killers. He must lead the group through the challenge while learning more about the corruption in the system.

This movie could easily be compared to ‘Running Man’ with the idea of convicts fighting past glamourized killers. It even puts an innocent man front and centre of the latest game. The host of colourful killers and convicts makes this an entertaining watch. One you never need to take too seriously and continues to poke fun at the need for extreme television. The movie does have one weakness and one factor holding it back from being epic and that is the lack of flair from the leading contestant. Otherwise, you can have a lot of fun watching this movie.

Where to Watch

Release Date – June 25th, 2024 through Gravitas Ventures.

Final Thoughts –Arena Wars is an entertaining all-out action movie.

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Movie Review

Bionic (2024) Movie Review

Bionic – Movie Review

Discover the plot of the movie Bionic: Maria, an aspiring athlete, challenges her sister in the world of Paralympic sports filled with crime and violence.

Director: Afonso Poyart

Writer: Josefina Trotta (Screenplay)

Cast

  • Kagga Jayson (Furiosa)
  • Jessica Cores
  • Bruno Gagliasso (Santo)
  • Gabz
  • Christian Malheiros (7 Prisoners)
  • Miguel Falabella (Novela)

Plot: When the progress of robotics makes Paralympic athletes the new sports stars, Maria dreams of competing against her sister. For that, she will have to enter a world of crime and violence.

Runtime: 1 Hour 50 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Bionic starts as we meet Maria (Cores) an aspiring athlete who finds her sister taking her spotlight. In a world where Paralympians have become megastars due to the new robotic limbs. Maria’s sister has one of these legs and takes home the gold medal, leaving Maria questioning her place in the sports world.

When Maria meets a shady underground group, she gets an opportunity to become bionic too. They run an operation that offers aspiring athletes to remove a body part to become bionic and enter the Paralympics.

Verdict on Bionic

Bionic is an action sci-fi thriller following a once aspiring athlete who turns to robotics to chase her dream. However, the people she turns to demand she helps them with crimes and she finds herself drawn into a criminal world she can’t escape.

This movie looks into a future world where robotic can enhance Paralympians to become the star of athletics. It shows how far people would go to make this happen and the dangers that come with entering this world. There is a healthy competition between the sisters who want to be the best, even if one was natural disabled. Otherwise, this feels like many other crime movies where somebody gets drawn in for something much bigger. It does have plenty of interest and keeps us wanting to see where things will go next.

Where to Watch

Bionic is available on Netflix now.

Final Thoughts – Bionic is a great thriller, using a future that could change sports.

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Movie Review

Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire (2024) Movie Review

Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire – Movie Review

Get the inside scoop on Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire, a gritty crime comedy-drama based on real events in South London.

Director: Michael Head (The Last Heist)

Writer: Michael Head (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A gritty comedy-drama based on real events. Bermondsey Tales: Fall Of The Roman Empire tells the story of South London crime family The Roman’s as infighting, cozzers and rival firms put everything they have worked for at risk.

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire starts as we meet firm member Henry (Head). He is trying to make connections with the higher ups including Skats (Ford) and Edgar (Harper). Henry believes he is running the firm, while the rest let him do his thing, while they complete the business themselves.

As the firm gets caught up in business, Henry finds himself dealing with infighting. All leading to the members getting involved in a series of unfortunate events.

Verdict on Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire

Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire is a crime comedy following the everyday activities within a Firm. It follows the inner fighting for control leading to backstabbing and all sorts of shenanigans.

This is a crime story that revolves around a large number of Firm members. It makes it harder to follow due to the pure number of characters and certain typical cockney slang. This ends up falling flat, as we can’t invest in who the story is mainly about. While the firm never feels more than a group of shouting drunks looking for a fight.

Final Thoughts – Bermondsey Tales: Fall of the Roman Empire is a flat British gangster film.

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Movie Review

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) Movie Review

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Movie Review

Uncover the secrets of Furiosa's past in this gripping movie review. Follow her path from capture to rebellion and witness the evolution of a fearless warrior.

Director: George Miller

Writer: George Miller, Nick Lathouris (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: The origin story of renegade warrior Furiosa before her encounter and teamup with Mad Max.

Runtime: 2 Hours 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga starts when a young Furiosa (Browne) clashes with Dr Dementus (Hemsworth) and his gang. She is captured and forced to watch their reign of terror. Dr Dementus learns of Immortan Joe’s (Hulme) Citadel and sets his sights on taking it. However, he ends up trading Furiosa as he takes over the Gastown.

Here, we watch Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) grow up and become a fierce warrior who teams up with Praetorian Jack (Burke). The two find themselves in the middle of a war for control and the legacy of Furiosa begins.

Verdict on Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the massive action prequel to the exceptional Fury Road. It follows Furiosa’s journey from childhood to becoming one of the most important members of Immortan Joe’s team. However, it is a journey that isn’t as simple as it seems.

This time we cover a lot more time than the last movie, as we see the story broken into chapters. Each chapter puts her in a different position as she learns to adapt to the various situations. The action sequences are a star in their own right, with some of the most extraordinary sequences. It continues to build on the wacky ideas which only gives the movie more to enjoy. We get brilliant performances and a world creation which goes unmatched. However, the one strange thing about this movie comes from the end credits. For some reason, they show the major moments from Fury Road, so if you haven’t seen it, most of that movie would be spoiled.

Final Thoughts – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a jaw-dropping, thrill riding experience.

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Movie Review

Atlas (2024) Movie Review

Atlas – Movie Review

Read the movie review of Atlas: A captivating sci-fi thriller directed by Brad Peyton starring Jennifer Lopez and Simu Liu.

Director: Brad Peyton

Writer: Leo Sardarian, Aron Eli Coleite (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: In a bleak-sounding future, an A.I. soldier has determined that the only way to end war is to end humanity.

Runtime: 1 Hour 58 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Atlas starts in the aftermath of an A.I. attack on humanity led by Harlan Shepherd (Liu). 28 years later another attack happened, and Atlas (Lopez) must lead the investigation into the latest A.I. attack. Atlas gets recruited by General Jake Boothe (Strong) to lead an attack on Harlan. She is joined by Colonel Elias Banks (Brown) who isn’t happy having her around.

However, upon reaching the planet, the ship comes under attack, leaving Atlas to learn a new system. She is trapped inside a military suit on a planet she doesn’t know. Atlas must find the rescue pod to get home, even if it leads to her learning the truth.

Verdict on Atlas

Atlas is a sci-fi action movie following a specialist A.I. analyst who must lead a mission to stop an A.I. terrorist. She must travel to a new planet where they are hiding out preparing for their latest attack. However, the mission becomes a lot more dangerous than she planned for.

This movie brings back the over-the-top sci-fi movie with a bang. It uses a story that could one day become a reality in the way A.I. could be used. However, the movie spends too long following only Atlas and not enough time on the A.I. motivation. It does everything you would expect, without doing anything new. Even if the special effects are great with the mech that Atlas operates in. There is a weird feeling that this wants to bring a new Terminator-like presence to the screen, but it struggles to do that.

Where to Watch

Atlas is available on Netflix now.

Final Thoughts –Atlas is an entertaining sci-fi action movie, without bringing anything new to the table.

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Movie Review

You Can’t Run Forever (2024) Movie Review

You Can’t Run Forever – Movie Review

Read our in-depth review of 'You Can't Run Forever'. Find out how this suspenseful movie explores the story of a teenage girl hunted by a sociopath.

Director: Michelle Schumacher

Writer: Carolyn Carpenter, Michelle Schumacher (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A teenage girl suffering from anxiety due to a tragic event from her past finds herself hunted through the woods by a sociopath on a murderous rampage.

Runtime: 1 Hour 42 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: You Can’t Run Forever starts when a sociopath Wade (Simmons) arrives in an isolated community. He arrives and starts going on a rampage. Unsuspecting family Miranda (Anaya) and stepdad Eddie (Leech) become the latest victims.

However, Miranda escapes and a chase starts through the woodland area. Deputy Mordan (Velez) must track down the suspect and the body count keeps piling up. Can Miranda escape and deal with her past traumas and anxiety before the sociopath catches her?

Verdict on You Can’t Run Forever

You Can’t Run Forever is an action thriller following a teenage girl who goes on the run after a sociopath comes to her town. They race through the woodland area, as the body count increases. However, the question about his motivation becomes the talk of the town.

This movie is a tense chase sequence through a woodland area. It has a teenager needing to deal with her own traumas and anxiety, while the relentless cold-hearted killer hunting her down. On the core, this works extremely well to keep us on the edge of our seats. However, diving into a lot of the police and friends joining a rescue missing feels more like a bit of filler and we don’t achieve too much from what we see. J.K. Simmons is excellent as the sociopath who looks like he is just having a bad day as his character goes on his rampage. There is plenty of tension used throughout the movie and the story does a great job of covering up questionable decisions.

Where to Watch

You Can’t Run Forever is available on Digital Platforms and DVD 27 May. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.

Final Thoughts – You Can’t Run Forever is an edge-of-your-seat thriller.

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Movie Review

Morris Men (2022) Movie Review

Morris Men – Movie Review

Find out about the thrilling movie 'Morris Men' - a tale of crime, corruption, and the surprising solution found in the form of the local Morris dancing club.

Director: Gregg Masuak

Writer: DB Morgan (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: When a seaside town is gripped in a vice of drug fuelled corruption, sometimes the only solution is to book a dance with the Morris Men.

Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Morris Men starts as a small seaside town that has seen crime rise to dangerous levels due to drug-fuelled corruption. Tommy Martin (Chambers) returns to his home town to see his childhood sweetheart Sally (Anderson). It leads to Tommy joining the local Morris dancing club.

However, Tommy isn’t prepared to learn what the club is really a front for. He finds himself facing a secret society that puts pressure on people and is filled with deadly members. Tommy must even join forces or fight back against, but how far will be go for the woman he loves?

Verdict on Morris Men

Morris Men is an action thriller following a man returning to a seaside town to visit his childhood sweetheart. However, he ends up joining a local Morris dancing club, with a bigger secret. All this leads to him joining the battle to control the drug problem swamping the town.

This movie takes the small-town crime problem and dives into one person trying it take it down. It uses an unusual cover for the crime world, with Morris Dancing Club. This decision is entertaining and works for something outside the normal. When it comes to the more secret society, it proves you never know the front for social clubs. While most of the story unfolds as you would expect, it still manages to keep a few secrets up its sleeve. For a small-town crime movie, this entertains, and the fans of the sub-genre will keep you entertained.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts – Morris Men is an entertaining small-town crime movie.

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ABC Film Challenge

The Swordsman (2020) Movie Recommendation

The Swordsman – ABC Film Challenge – World Cinema – Q (Qing Dynasty) – The Swordsman – Movie Recommendation

Swordsman

Director: Jae-Hoon Choi

Writer: Jae-Hoon Choi (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: Three different swordsmen — a swordsman who is going blind, the best swordsman in Joseon Dynasty, and the best swordsman in Qing Dynasty who aspires to be the best even in the Joseon Dynasty — meet each other for their own reasons.

Runtime: 1 Hour 41 Minutes

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Movie Review

Operation Ragnarök (2018) Movie Review

Operation Ragnarök – Movie Review

Discover the thrilling Swedish movie Operation Ragnarök. See how the town residents must survive a viral outbreak and the terrifying creatures it unleashes.

ABC Film Challenge – World Cinema – Operation Ragnarok

Director: Fredrik Hiller (Beowulf)

Writer: Fredrik Hiller (Screenplay)

Cast

Plot: A town in the south of Sweden is isolated after a viral outbreak. The Swedes and immigrants still inside must band together to survive the onslaught.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Operation Ragnarök starts when an incident on a military submarine unleashes a terrifying creature on a small Swedish town. It sees the residents infected with something that fills them with rage, attacking the non-infected. The military puts a quarantine on the town, as they look to contain the incident.

Meanwhile, Nils (Malmsjo) must find a safe route out of town, as he is joined by other survivors. They must face a series of threats as the military presence struggles to maintain control of the situation.

Verdict on Operation Ragnarök

Operation Ragnarök is an action horror following a group of survivors who are attempting to find safety after an infection spread in their town. It turns people into ravenous creatures and the military is trying to cover up the situation.

This movie brings a mixture of zombie ideas to the infected weaponised society. While it isn’t a pure zombie movie, it shows that biowarfare can create bigger problems. It is nonstop with the action and does pose a bigger question of military involvement in containment breaches. However, the effects are not the best, relying on the noises being made over the actual visual of the infected. All while there is a deeper message about accepting everyone in a town, no matter what their background.

Where to Watch

JustWatch

Final Thoughts –Operation Ragnarök is a solid chaotic action horror movie.