Tag: Action

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Movie Review

The Mummy Returns (2001)

Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Dwayne Johnson, Freddie Boath, Patricia Velasquez, Alun Armstrong, Adewale Akinnuoye-Adbaje, Shaun Parkes

This time we start even further back in ancient Egypt with the Scorpion King (Dwayne Johnson) as a warrior who is about to loses a war and is exiled to the desert, on the brink off death he make a deal with Anubis to defeat all his foes, Anubis accepts and sends an unbeatable army who conquer all. After this the Scorpion King is taken in to a bracelet where he must wait to be awaken when someone puts on his bracelet.

Almost forgotten from history Evy (Rachel Weisz) Rick (Brendan Fraser) and their son Alex (Freddie Boath) locate the Scorpion King’s bracelet better known as Bracelet of Anubis are return to the rather posh mansion where they meet Jonathan (John Hannah) pretend to be Rick to impress a woman. Back in another part of Egypt an expedition to Hamanutra to recover the remains of Imhetop (Aronld Vosloo) lead by Baltus Hafez (Alun Armstrong) a curator at the London museum and Meela Nais (Patricia Velasquez) who seems to know too much information. After locating the body and the book of the dead they head back to London to steal the bracelet of Anubis from the O’Connell’s.

Alex trying to hide that he opened the case with the bracelet put its on and is shown a location. Lock-Nah (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and his men kidnap Evy and steal the case of the bracelet of Anubis leaving Rick, John, Alex and Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr) to go and save her. As we learn some of the consequences of Alex putting on the bracelet just the apocalypse this time.

After Baltus Hafez, Meela Nais and Lock-Nah bring Imhotep back to life and he in return brings some mummies back to life to kill Rick and Ardeth Bay for saving Evy, we have a great chase through London in double Decker bus fighting these mummies before Lock-Nah kidnaps Alex after figuring out he has the bracelet and they head off back to Egypt. Rock. Evy and Arbeth bay follow and with the help of an old buddy of Rick’s Izzy (Shaun Parkes) they race across Egypt to find their son and save the world again by stopping the Scorpion King and his army rising from the dead.

We get a lot more reincarnation back story learning how some characters are more important to each other than the original lead us to believe. With some stunning landscapes this is one sequel that could actually be considered better than the original. Also having back story between Lock-Nah and Ardeth Bay gives scenes with the two of them have a nice added tension.

As an action adventure fan i would consider this one of my favourites knowing nearly all the lines shows how many times i have watched this movie with incredible re watch value. Strong story line gives all watching something to keep them interested but you may need to check out The Mummy (1999) to understand all relationships fully.

My overall rating is 95%

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Movie Review

The Mummy (1999)

Director; Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin j. O’Connor, Oded Fehr, Jonathan Hyde, Erick Avari, Omid Djalili, Patricia Velasquez

Starting in ancient Egypt High Priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) has a forbidden love with the Pharaoh’s mistress Anck Su Namun (Patricia Velasquez) only for Imhotep to run and Anck Su Namun to kill the Pharaoh and then herself. The Pharaoh’s bodyguards Capture Imhotep and his soldiers and puts them to death leaving the most gruesome death for Imhotep himself the Hom-Dai mummified alive.

We are now in the 1920s at the same spot Hamunaptra the city of the dead. There is a war battle going on with Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) and Beni (Kevin J. O’Connor) Rick and Beni’s side get over powered and Beni runs and hides leaving rick for dead only for the sand to shape into a face and scare the other side away. Looking over Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr) and his guardians on the city leave Rick for the desert to finish off.

Fast forward a few more years and we meet Evy (Rachel Weisz) an over qualified Liberian working in Cairo. Her Brother Jonathan (John Hannah) brings her a map to Hamunaptra and asks the curator (Erick Avari) to set out s mission to explore the area only to burn the map and rubbish the idea. They go to the jail where Rick is being held and negotiate his release with the warden (Omid Djalili).

The team now set off on the expedition only to discover there is a rival expedition guided by Beni. Racing to Hamunaptra the both start digging in separate areas both making different discoveries and after accidentally raise Imhotep and they face a race against time to stop Imhotep from taking over the world.

This is a very much like the Indiana Jones movies full of action and one liners. Brendan Fraser is great as the reluctant hero with the support role giving used for vitals lines and parts of the movie you will remember for when you watch the movie second time you will know the lines coming.

The special effects are what makes this movie special with Imhotep not being full human when first bought back to life and going through the regeneration process. solid story that will keep audience involved from start to finish.

My rating a great action adventure movie 92%

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Movie Review

Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Director: F. Gary Gray
Starring; Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb, Michael Irby, Gregory Itzin, Regina Hall, Emerald-Angel Young, Christian Stolte, Annie Corley, Richard Portnow, Viola Davis, Josh Stewart

While simply looking after his daughter and getting ready for the family meal a door bell rings and Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) answers the door only to get attacking by two men restrained and beaten the men move into the house killing his wife and young daughter. Clarence Darby (Christian Stolte) and Rupert Ames (Josh Stewart) are caught and taken to a trial. Hot shot lawyer Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) is offered a deal which gives him his guarantee success rate which is all that matters to him. This deal with Clarence means Rupert is put to death while he goes free after three years in jail. Clyde is less than impressed but has little choice but to accept.

Ten years down the line Rupert Ames is about to be executed and Nick and his mentor Jonas Cantrell (Bruce McGill) and his new apprentice Sarah Lowell (Leslie Bibb) all go to view, only something goes wrong leading to a less human death for Ames. The police go after Clarence thinking he might know or be involved in the crime only for him to be given an escape by a mystery police man who turned out to be Clyde. Clyde ends up butchering Clarence and filming it.

Police then arrest Clyde Nick questions Clyde only for Clyde to use a play on words to sound guilty but never actually admitting anything. The Tape Clyde filmed was sent to Nicks Family his wife Kelly (Regina Hall) and daughter Denise (Emerald-Angel Young) who watch it only for the tape to reveal no image of the murderer. On to the bail hearing where Clyde gets Judge Laura Burch (Annie Corley) to grant bail with legal material he has learnt himself. Only to laugh and shove it in her face question how they can let someone accused of murder free.

Clyde is now in jail waiting for trial but starts offering deals to Nick if these deals are not met people involved in the original case will die, will Nick continue to take the deals or not? who will be the ones to suffer for Nick’s pride and Clyde revenge.

The Story will keep you on the edge of your seat and also keep you question who to cheer for as Nick is by the book not getting hands dirty guy while Clyde is trying to bring the justice system down so there are no more deals. I personally cheer for Clyde as his character sums up the feeling anyone who had something similar happen to them would drive them to the edge.

My overall rating is a perfect action thriller 93%

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Movie Review

Twelve Rounds (2009)

Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: John Cena, Aidan Gillen, Ashley Scott, Steve Harris, Brian White, Gonzalo Menendez, Taylor Cole, Kyle Russell-Clements

Starting out with the FBI trying to catch Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen) an international arms salesman which goes wrong, Miles and his girlfriend Erica (Taylor Cole) are having a steady get away when they just happen to stop next to a patrol car. In this patrol car are Danny Fisher (John Cena) and his partner Hank Carver (Brian White) and the two go for a routine pull over which also goes wrong leaving Hank Shot and the patrol car totalled. Danny sets out on foot to catch the car cutting through houses and gardens, After a few blocks he catches up only for disaster to strike Erica is killed in an accident leaving Miles swearing revenge.

One year later Danny and Hank are now detectives after capturing Miles. Thinking this will be just another day Danny and his wife Molly (Ashley Scott) set out on their ways Molly catches the ferry to work, when Danny gets a phone call not just any phone call it is Miles. Miles ends up blowing up their house and capturing Molly forcing Danny to go twelve rounds against him completing tasks ranging from stopping a street tram with no brakes to jumping out of a twenty storey building. Danny, Hank and two FBI agents George Aiken (Steve Harris), Ray Santiago (Gonzalo Menendez) all set out to stop what called be city wide destruction.

Director Renny Harlin credits include Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger and Deep Blue Sea. Twelve Rounds really follows this movies up nicely with endless edge of the seat action. John Cena lacks any real acting ability but really lives up to the term action star and is actually believable as a cop pushed to the limit to save his wife. Aidan Gillan also shines as a almost psychopathic villain who has nothing to learn and a very good plan set out.

As Story this is over the top but is very watchable to anyone who is a fan of an all out action movie, with very little to really think about storyline wise you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully people can look pasted the fact John Cena is a wrestler and look at him as an action star because he could well become a good one.

My Overall Rating for this movie is a solid 84%

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Movie Review

Watchmen (2009)

Director: Zack Synder

Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Stephen McHattie,

The year is 1985 but this isn’t the world we lived through. Costume Vigilantes have been closed down by the government, but after the death of the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) the team is reunited trying to solve the murder of their former partner. As the plot thickens a bigger and more shocking plan is underway.

Told from Rorcshach (Jackie Earle Haley) diaries looking back at how the team was and looking at the new team learning origins and specialist abilities of all members. The original team included The Comedian, Silk Spectre (Carla Gugino), Night Owl (Stephen McHattie), Moloch (Matt Frewer) and Dr Manhattan (Billy Crudup). While the new team include the original names of Silk Spectre ll (Malin Akerman) Night Owl ll (Patrick Wilson), Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) and still Dr Manhattan.

Rorcshach is the main investigator believing there is a bigger plot and that someone really is out to kill the original Watchmen each twist and turn keeps you guessing on what really is happening and the love triangle between Dr Manhatten, Night Owl ll and Silk Spectre ll shows how human this heroes are too.

Based on a graphic novel and one the most popular at that director Zack Snyder delivers an absolute masterpiece that will keep you coming back to watch again and again. Visually this movie delivers whether its the alternate New York, Mars or whether the next scene takes you. the storyline is brilliant and goes against ever superhero movie you may have seen before. Each over the top fight sequences doesn’t shy away from any limits be it taken on run of the mill criminals or fighting the enemy.

Overall i would say this is the best graphic novel to movie adaptations and a must see 94%

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Movie Review

2012 (2009)

Director:  Roland Emmerich

Starring:John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Thomas McCarthy, Woody Harrleson, Danny Glover, Liam James, Stephen McHattie

Based on Mayan superstition this is the end of the world, now how do man survive this?

First off Dr Adrien Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and one of his associates discover the world is overheating from the inside due to solar flares. so he gets a solution to the end of the world started up with governments all around the world. Now in 2012 things start to accelerate and time is running out.

Meanwhile a struggling divorced writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) gets a weekend camping with his two children. He takes them down to Yellowstone only to find out the Lake has nearly all gone and after approaching the army take them back to a base. Here he meets Dr Helmsley a fan and sounding like his only fan of his book. After the chatty chatty big fan speech the family get escorted of the land back tot he camp area. After arriving conspiracy nut Charlie Frost (Woody Harrleson) asks what is there and tells Jackson what he believes to be happening, Jackson just assumes he is crazy and ignores his warnings.

After dropping his kids back home he goes to his day job as a limo driver only to discover that Charlie might be making some sense, he rushes back to the house and get his kids ex wife and boyfriend. now we have one of the most amazing over the top car chase action sequences ever with a limo driving through town avoiding everything possible making it to an airport and fly away to safety for now.

After flying to the Yellowstone abandoned army base to refuel Jackson goes in search of Charlie. After finding him on top of a mountain over looking Yellowstone he learns of the crafts for safety or future of mankind, now for the next chase against nature this time in a camper van with a volcanic cloud after them,

Flying of to the next airport Jackson meets his employer who needs an extra pilot for the trip to China where the vessels are kept, after yet another over the top action sequence they are left to fend for themselves in the middle of the mountains of China, meeting a family who has worked on vessels and created a plan to sneak on a vessel.

Roland Emmerich follows up action blockbuster like Independence day, Godzilla and Day after tomorrow with another action blockbuster and he sure dose like destroying America in his movies.

This is a truly epic survival adventure if not very hard to believe it is full of cliche and cheesy one liners and overall just a good fun movie to watch, he throws up the question ‘what would we do in this situation?’ and puts out how money can buy you safety.

Overall i would give it an 82% as it keeps you holing onto what will happen next.

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Movie Review

Red (2010)

Retired and Extremely Dangerous that is Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) Marvin Boggs ( John Malkovich) Victoria (Helen Mirren) and Joe Matherson (Morgan Freeman) these characters are trying to figure out why the C.I.A after trying to kill them. Being lead by William Cooper (Karl Urban) our veterans play a game of cat and mouse which slowly unfolds the reasons for the hunt down by the C.I.A.

Full of lots of action sequences and one liners and a storyline that keeps you interested all the way through. Brucie does what he does best, John Malkovich shines as the one who has lost his mind and Karl Urban does a very good job as the government guy.

with all the twists and turns this movie is one for all action movie fans i will give it a solid 82%

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Movie Review

G.I Joe The rise of Cobra (2009)

Director:Stephen Sommers

Starring: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Sienna Miller, Byung-hun Lee, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rachel Nicholls, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Said Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid

From the director of ‘the mummy’, ‘the mummy returns’ and ‘van helsing’ Stephen Sommers brings us G.I Joe the rise of cobra. first of i have no idea any back story of an G.I Joe so all the characters i talk about are new to me.

We start of learning how Mccullen family traded weapons to both sides on war and getting caught and having to wear a mask for the rest of his life. fast forward to ‘the near future’ we see James MCcullen (Christopher Eccleston) owner of MCcullen Enterprise who develop weapons and they have now created a nano byte weapon capable of eating through metal. Leaving his weapons in the hands of a team of elite marines to deliver lead by Captain Duke Hause (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans). The convoy comes under attacking by a team lead by The Baroness (Sienna Miller) using weapons they are unfamiliar with, Duke and Ripcord try to fight back only to be saved by the Joes Heavy Duty, Scarlett, Breaker and Snake Eyes.

After returning with the Joes to the base meeting General Abernathy (Dennis Quaid) the pass over the weapons after communication with MCcullen. Duke and Ripcord request to join the Joes and they were once scouted before they give them a chance cue the montage of the training program.

On the other side of the fence we learn that MCcullen actually organised the attack on the convoy. He and the mysterious Doctor (Joseph Gordon Levitt) have created super soldiers who know no fear. Along with the Baroness he has Storm Shadow and Zartan in his villain squad. The team attacks the Joes base stealing the weapons.

In there investigation into the Baroness who also happens to be Duke ex-fiancee the Joes stumble upon the team and of we go with a high speed chase through Paris.

overall this is a fun movie with some very well used flashbacks connection between Duke and Baroness also Storm Shadow and Snake eyes. yes this is an over the top action movie but it also doesn’t lose the viewer due to something always going on. filled with simple one liners you get the Stephen Sommers feel from start to finish.

My score will be 93%

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Movie Review

Armageddon (1998)

Directed by Michael Bay

Written by J.J Abrams

Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Stormare, Ken Campbell, Jessica Steen, Keith David, Chris Ellis, Jason Issacs

this movie is about an Asteroid the size of Texas coming to collide with Earth. This is an all out action blockbuster.

Starting with a normal day in New York city only for small asteroid pieces come crashing down destroying buildings having people running scared.

NASA later discover the asteroid the global killer coming towards Earth, so with all the resources they set out to find the best way to solve this rather large problem. lead by Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) and some of the smartest people on Earth, the best option is to land and drill into the asteroid and planet a nuclear bomb, simple. Now they find the best driller on Earth.

Meet Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his crew Chick (Will Patton) Rock hound (Steve Buscemi) Oscar (Owen Wilson) Bear (Michael Clarke Duncan) Max (Ken Campbell) and finally AJ (Ben Affleck) who is secretly seeing Harry daughter Grace (Liv Tyler). These men are chosen to go into space with astronauts Colonel Willie Sharpe (William Fitchner) and Co-Pilot Jennifer Watts. now with a montage we see the astronauts training and their last night on Earth.

Having to Dock with Russian space station and meeting Lev Andropov (Peter Stormore) we get another action scene before they go off into there main mission.

Brucie shines in the lead role, billy bob is great as the grounded determined head of NASA. Steve Buscemi as rock hound steals nearly every scene he is in. Mr Bay delivers a masterpiece in action movies. filled with happiness and laughter, but this will leave most people in tears at the end with one of the saddest endings there is out there. But it America that’s wins or becomes the hero nation as it often becomes over these end of the world movies.

Overall this movie gets a solid 96%