Terminator: Dark Fate Film Review

Directed by Tim Miller

Starring: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis

Rated R for violence throughout, language and brief nudity

It is unfortunate to say that the Terminator series has had more flops than hits. “The Terminator” first premiered in 1984 to positive reviews. Years later, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day’ was released to high praise and some state it is one of the best action films of all time. But ever since “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machine” was released, the series has gone downhill, mostly because James Cameron, the director of the first two films, was largely absent from the films going forward. But Cameron has returned back to the series, as a producer, but does that mean that “Terminator: Dark Fate” has returned to its former glory?

“Terminator: Dark Fate” is the continuing saga of the “Terminator” series. In this installment, Grace (played by Mackenzie Davis) is sent back to time to protect Dani (played by Natalia Reyes) from REV-9 (played by Gabriel Luna). The REV-9 is also sent back in time but to kill Dani. Grace and Dani are also joined by Sarah Connor and T-800, (played by Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, respectively).

If the story of “Terminator: Dark Fate” sounds very similar to “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”, that’s because it is a carbon copy of the “Terminator 2”. The first twenty minutes of the film are almost identical to “Terminator 2” and it’s buildup at the mall. Not to mention that the story is just a re-write of the second film, but the story just ignores the entire film of “Terminator 2”. Without giving out any spoilers, but the first five minute of “Dark Fate” throws away the entire film of “Terminator 2”. Not only is this sloppy done, but this bold choice in the film made fans of the series angry. I was baffled of why this decision was done as well, it adds no context to the story being told. The terrible decision to rewrite “Terminator 2” into “Dark Fate” and making a bold decision in the first five minutes in the film makes the story poorly written.

Fortunately the actors of the film are a saving grace in the film (no pun intended). Going into the film, I was skeptical of the new characters being introduced. But to my surprise, the new characters are quite enjoyable. Gabriel Luna as the new Terminator is actually quite menacing and an actual threat to the characters. His character has the capability of splitting into two forms and it was enjoyable to see all the characters fight off these forms. Dani and Mackenzie’s story line was okay to see, the actors in the roles are done well.

Being a big fan of “Terminator 2”, I very much enjoyed seeing Linda Hamilton back as Sarah Connor. Hamilton played the role of Conner as she did in “Terminator 2”. The same goes for Schwarzenegger as the T-800. Although in the first two films, the Terminator was unable to feel emotions. But somehow, now he is able to feel something as close to emotions. It is just boggles me of how the excuse was made up of why he feel certain things. But in the end, it all comes down the screenplay. The screenplay feels like a cheap attempt to not only shock the audience, but it needs to rely on the past films to make this film work. The film would have been a return to form if it were not for the screenplay.

“Terminator: Dark Fate” is ultimately a film that yield mixed results. The actors do a fantastic job as their respective roles and the action is fun to view, but the story is executed sloppy. The foundations of any film is the story and if the story cannot stand on its own, then the film will fail as well. “Terminator: Dark Fates” proves that James Cameron was not the missing puzzle to the piece, but instead a step in the wrong direction.

2.5/4

Ad Astra Film Review

Directed by James Gray

Starring: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga

Rated PG-13 for some violence and bloody images, and for brief strong language

“2001: A Space Odyssey” meets “Apocalypse Now”. In the near future, humans are still set to find intelligent life outside the Solar System. They have colonized Mars and the Moon are set to move forward. But when a surge hits the Earth and threatens our planet, Major Roy McBride (played by Brad Pitt) is set to the edge of the Solar System to find his father, Clifford McBride (played by Tommy Lee Jones), who is the key to the survival of Earth.

“Ad Astra” is a beautiful movie to the eyes. The visual effects are extremely well done and it has to be as the majority of the film takes place in space. There were numerous shots of beauty being shown on the screen. From the outer atmosphere of Earth to the rings of Neptune, the visuals shine in a way I have not seen on film. In addition to the visuals, the cinematography is also a standout. Hoyte van Hoytema does the camera work here and it is beautifully shot. So many shots are reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey from the colors to the futuristic technology. Finally, the sounds of the film were so different than the rest of sci-fi films. The opening scene of the film features an explosion, which sounds so different. The typical sci fi film has the same explosion sound effects that we are so used to. Not only the visuals, but the sounds of the film elevate the film to realism.

Brad Pitt has a very limited role but does an exceptional job with the role he has. The acting is not done by the words he says, but the emotions in his face. In particular, the scene where Pitt’s character, Roy McBride, has to convey a message to his father. The emotions and tear that run on McBride’s face says it all. It shows sadness, along with a longing for the past. Along with Pitt, the supporting cast of Donald Sutherland, Ruth Negga, and Tommy Lee Jones shine with the limited role their have. Unfortuantely they are only shown on screen for about ten to fifteen minutes each and don’t share enough screen time. It is understandable that McBride is the main character, but I would love to seen more of the supporting characters.

“Ad Astra” is a visual spectale that has to be seen on the big screen. The visual effects, along with the sound mixing, acting, and cinematography is what makes “Ad Astra” stand out from other sci fi films. As Oscar season quickly approaches, my hopes are that we see “Ad Astra” get a few technical nominations for the fantastic work behind the camera. This is a must see.

3.5/4

The Peanut Butter Falcon Film Review

Directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz

Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottagen

Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language throughout, some violence and smoking

“The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a comedy-drama starring Shia LeBeouf and Zack Gottagen as two young men running away from their problems to find comfort in another place. LeBeouf plays Tyler, a young fisher, who is still haunted of the memory of his brother passing away, running away to Florida. Gottagen plays Zak, a young man with down syndrome who is escaping his home in a retirement home to chase his dream of becoming a wrestler. All this while two men and Zak’s friend, Eleanor, tries to find the pair.

The best way to describe to this film is sweet and heartwarming. The main leads of LeBeouf and Gottagen have incredible chemistry, I am almost certain that the pair are friends in real life. Gottagen plays Zak as a wonderful character who is destined to go to the wrestling school in a video he has watched so many times. Zak realizes he is young and full of energy and won’t let down syndrome get in the way of that. I certainly appreciate the type of character Zak is, every moment he graces the screen, it was a pleasure to watch.

On the other hand, LeBeouf’s Tyler is a man who is running away from his problems and wants to start anew in Florida. Tyler had just recently been laid off from work and the memory of his brother dying is still fresh in his mind. But when Tyler meets Zak, he is almost reminded of his brother and almost sees Zak as a brother. It is the smart writing that creates this incredible chemistry between the pair. Not once when I was watching this film did I feel like I saw two actors on screen play characters. I saw two friends who were on an adventure.

Coming into this film, I did not know what to expect. I read great reviews of the film, but that does not mean that I will enjoy the film as well. But when I left the theater, I was surprised how much enjoyment I had. For most films, there is a section where things begin to slow down and pacing falls flat. I never got bored or felt that things were slowing down. Each scene of the film was well paced and very humorous, when it needed to be.

The rest of the cast are top notch. Dakota Johnson, who plays Zak’s caretaker, plays her role very well. Every moment she is on screen, especially the last act, she has fun with the role. She was a joy to watch and this role proves that Johnson is capable of acting. John Hawkes is also in the film but his role is very limited. I was surprised to see Bruce Dern and Thomas Haden Church in the film as well. Both actors play their respective roles with much charm, both actors have great scenes with Gottsagen. In addition to the great cast, there is a fun little cameo that most wrestling fans will admire. But in short, there is not a false note in the cast.

“The Peanut Butter Falcon” was a shock to me. I did not realize how much I would have fun I would have with this film. It’s a shame that this film will not reach the masses but it certainty deserves to be viewed. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a humorous and touching film with exceptional casting, that certainly deserves to be viewed.

4/4

It Chapter 2 Film Review

Directed by Andy Muschietti

Starring: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader

Rated R for disturbing violent content and bloody images throughout, pervasive language, and some crude sexual material

Two years after the original “It” film was released, we finally get the second half of Stephen King’s novel. “It” is terrifying, suspenseful, and funny in all the right ways, but with flaws within the film. “It Chapter 2” is the sequel of “It”, both based of the novel, the novel being divided into two parts. In “It Chapter 2”, the “Losers Club”, reunite 27 years later after the events of the first film, to defeat Pennywise, a human eating clown, once again.

The selling point of “It Chapter 2” is the Losers Club all grown up and shown as adults, in particular Bill Hader and Isaiah Mustafa. Both actors portray two totally different characters who fear Pennywise and are set to defeat him. Hader plays Richie, a stand up comic who uses comedy throughout the film to ease the tension and fear of Pennywise. Hader is funny when he needs to and very emotional as well. The final scenes of Hader being emotional is sold so well that it takes you out of the film and makes you believe the emotions coming out of Hader. Mustafa, on the other hand, plays Mike, a character who is set and obsessed with Pennywise. Mustafa plays Mike as a bit crazy who can’t seem to let go of the past, while all his former friends have seem to let go of the past and moved on with their lives. Both Hader and Mustafa are the highlights in the cast, in my opinion. Not to say that the other adults are good but these two stand out from the cast.

“It Chapter 2” shows how all horror films should be done. The film does not rely on cheap jump scare, but instead it builds upon suspense. For instance, the Chinese restaurant was not only a heartwarming scene but terrifying and suspenseful. The reason why this scene is sold so well is because all the characters get ominous fortunate cookies, therefore foreshadowing something dark yet to come. There are many scenes such as these, where the tension is built only for the horror elements to be revealed.

Many critics have pointed out the excessive run time of the film, as the film is over two and a half hours. There is nothing wrong when a film has an excessive run time, but those films have each scene feel important and relevant. The problem that “It 2” has is that there are many scenes that either run too long or feel irrelevant. In the film, it is revealed that Bowers, the bully from the first film, was place in a mental institution only for for him to break out with a dead corpse. Bowers is set to kill the Losers Club but this side plot is just wasted. For starters, this is shown in the beginning of the film and feels forgotten after it is shown. Once this plot point is shown again, it feels tacked on, as if the director almost forgot about this side plot. With this film being very long, it would have helped to cut this plot point. It may have been included in the original Stephen King but when a book is translated to a film, many plot points have to be cut out.

Towards the second act of the film, the Losers Club separate and find their own version of It. This part of the film feels dragged out and certainly feels long. We see the majority of the characters enter an old building only for something to terrorize the characters. It is understood that “It” was formerly a book and these scenes may have been in the book. But screenwriters do have to understand that not everything that is included in the book has to be on the big screen. If these scenes needed to be shown, then it would have been best that only one character being terrorize and remembering the past, not multiple characters.

I certainly had much enjoyment with “It Chapter 2”, it certainly has many scares that actually got me jumping out of my seat. Pennywise is a horrifying clown that proves why people should be afraid of clowns. “It Chapter 2” is not only frightening, but it is heartwarming and hilarious due to in part of the characters and the actors portraying them. If only the film had more scenes left on the cutting room floor, “It Chapter 2” would have been the perfect sequel to the original “It”.

3/4

Ready or Not Film Review

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Starring: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien

Rated R for violence, bloody images, language throughout, and some drug use

“Ready or Not” stars Samara Weaving as a new bride, Grace, who is trying to be accepted to her husband’s new family. Grace, on her wedding night, must play hide and seek but the game become deadly as her husband’s family tries to kill her, as a ritual cult. In all it’s gory fashion, we see the deadly game of hide and seek.

“Ready or Not” is an horror/suspense comedic film that is surprisingly a good time. From the beginning, we get to meet Grace as a kind hearted person who is not marrying her husband for money but for love. The film does a well job explaining how Grace does not come from a wealthy family and shows her as an outcast compared to the wealthy family she is marrying into. This is in part of the job done by Samara Weaving, who has done a fair job portraying a new bride who is being hunted down. The pain and suffering Grace goes through is sold extremely well by Samara Weaving. The rest of the cast are amusing as well, in part because their roles are more of a comedic roles. Kristan Bruun is the standout of the family as Fitch, who always has a quick line or something comedic to say. Unfortunately his role is very limited, I would have loved for his character to get more of a role in the film.

As mentioned before, the film takes a comedic role as supposed to a horror film. “Ready or Not” quite honestly would have worked perfectly as a horror film. It has all the horror film elements, murder, haunted mansion, and cult rituals. But the had directors chose to take a comedic role due to the ending, which is ridiculously bad. In fact, the entire third act is where things fall apart. For instance, we get one character who instantly changes to the villain’s side. I found that switch so out of place, considering how this person’s character throughout the film was set on the goal of not becoming the villain. I could understand the sudden switch, but in the end, it was a waste of character development. After we see the switch, multiple characters die in a gory fashion. Was it fun to watch? Yes, but it was very unbelievable, it threw the entire film off. The entire film was grounded in reality but the last five minutes threw that out the window.

I would have preferred to seen “Ready or Not” as a pure horror film as a new bride trying to escape her husband’s family from death. I am in no way trying to dismiss the film or it’s comedy, because the film is actually worth seeing and the comedy is hilarious when done right. It just that I would have chosen a different route if I were one of the directors of the film. But “Ready or Not” is an entertaining horror comedy that does have its fair share of issues, but the entertaining value overshadows the flaws of the film.

3/4

47 Meters Down: Uncaged Film Review

Directed by Johannes Roberts

Starring: Sophie Nelisse, Corinne Foxx, Brianne Tju

Rated PG-13 for creature related violence and terror, some bloody images and brief rude gestures

The great Alfred Hitchcock once explained the difference between surprise and suspense. “Let’s suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, “Boom!” There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o’clock and there is a clock in the decor.” “47 Meters Down: Uncaged” features multiple scenes of cheap surprises, director Johannes Roberts has no knowledge on how to make a scene suspenseful. There are many instances where a scene could be suspenseful, instead Roberts goes in for the typical jump scares. The question of why suspense is not displayed in a film like this lingers throughout the film, along with other questions such “how in the world does a shark get inside a cavernous lake” or “why does this film exist?”

“47 Meters Down: Uncaged” is the sequel to the first “47 Meters Down” in which a group of teenage girls go scuba diving under a lake, in a cave, only to find a blind shark hunting the girls down. Now the girls are against time as they try to escape the shark and exit the lake. This film is marketed as a sequel to the first “47 Meters Down”, yet it has no connections to the first film. I have a feeling that this film was written under a different title but the studio forced the writer to change the title to have it connected to the successful original film.

Normally I try to find the positives in films, regardless of the quality. Unfortunately I cannot find any redeeming quality in this terrible film. The film itself is quite hilarious, but not intentionally. This film features some of the most dumbest characters I’ve seen on film. Spoiler alert, but most of the characters die in the film and they deserve it. The film does not make any of the characters sympathetic so when a character bites the dust, the audience does not care. The beginning of the film has one of the most boring title sequence put on film. I normally don’t skip or get bored of a title sequence in films, but the filmmakers put thought and care into these. Whether they feature great visuals such as “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” or great music such as “The Hateful Eight” or even both, such as “Goldfinger”, a title sequence has to have one or the other to make it standout. But the title sequence is lackluster as previews the film as another dull film. It may sound like nit picking to point out the opening credits but the opening credits here are just insulting to exceptional opening credits.

After the credits, the audience sees a slow motion shot of a girl falling down the pool. The slow motion is shown constantly throughout the film and it annoys me. It adds nothing to the film and makes the editing so choppy. In regards to the editing, in the third act , our main heroes must swim back where they came from and go to the sea, where they can escape the sharks. When they group goes back swimming, we get a cool shot of the girls swimming with eerie sounds a red light flashing. But immediately the flashing stops and suddenly the group is in a whirlpool. I was so confused on how the group arrived at the current indicating that they are near the sea. How is that the group have trouble throughout the film but arrive at the edge of the sea with no issue? I have a feeling that the editor of the film cut a scene to keep the run time down. But the film is an hour and a half, so a long run time is no issue.

Other issues that hurt the film is the slow paced scenes in multiple scenes. It takes about thirty minutes before the group goes into the cave. Some of the acting leaves a bad taste as well. Nia Long plays the mother of the two characters, yet she has little emotion and acts like she is only there for a paycheck. I don’t blame her as well as her role feels more of a cameo. I’m sure it was an easy paycheck for her along with the other actors.

If “47 Meters Down: Uncaged” was featured on the SyFy channel or on Netfilx, I would have dismissed the film as a cheesy, run of your mill shark film. Instead it is a film that is shown in a theater, in which audiences have to pay about $10 to watch this. As I prepare to give this film a 1/4, I feel as that rating itself is way too lenient. “47 Meters Down: Uncaged” is poorly directed, edited, and acted film that has little to no value.

1/4

Good Boys Film Review

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky

Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon

Rated R for strong crude sexual content, drug and alcohol material, and language throughout – all involving tweens

“Good Boys” is a film that is not meant for everyone. If you saw the redband trailer for the film, you would have known that this is a very raunchy film. But the redband trailer did not do the film justice as the trailer omits the best parts. “Good Boys” is a coming of age comedy starring three tweens, (Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, and Brady Noon) are set to go to a kissing party to prove themselves to the “cool kids”. But there are roadblocks preventing the middle schoolers from attending the party, the three tweens must clear those obstacles in order to attend the party.

“Good Boys” is a very hilarious comedy with three great leads. Tremblay, Williams, and Noon have the task of reading off lines that are written by adults and making it sound natural. Keith L. William is the funniest of the trio, as a down to Earth tween who is in the middle of his parents divorcing and wanting to do good at the same time. He has the funniest lines throughout the film, there was never a moment where I grew tired of his character. Keith L. Williams is the standout in the film and hopefully we see Williams in more comedies as time goes on.

The one thing that is holding this film back is towards the end of the film. In this scene, the trio have a disagreement and leave a park crying. It is meant to show the emotional side of the film. This a trope that is often shown in film and it is done to death. There was nothing that added to this scene and we all know that the trio would end up together. It is only done to make the film’s run time longer than it is, I wished this scene would have been cut. What I did enjoy was the aspect of the possibility that the trio would slowly drift apart. This is done very well as we see the trio go on the separate paths and meeting up from time to time. This is of course something all friends go through in school and is rarely shown in coming of age comedies. For that, I enjoyed exploring a concept that is not often shown.

The best way to describe this film is “Superbad” meets “Booksmart”. Both are great comedies (with the latter being severely underrated) that share the same plot elements. If anyone is a fan of any of those film, then “Good Boys” would suit you very well.

Overall, “Good Boys” is a straight forward comedy that you will or will not enjoy. If you thought the redband trailer for the film, then you will have laughs for the film, if the trailer did nothing for you, then you are better off skipping the film. “Good Boys” is a hilarious and heart warming comedy that I had a pleasant time with and I am sure other movie goers will have a pleasant time with as well.

3/4

The Farewell Film Review

Directed by Lulu Wang

Starring: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin

Rated PG for thematic material, brief language and some smoking

“The Farewell” is the sophomore effort from writer and director Lulu Wang. “The Farewell” centers around Billi (played by Awkwafina), an Asian American who returns home to China after learning that her grandmother has lung cancer and only has months to live. But the grandmother does not know of the diagnosis as the family is keeping the news from her as it is a Chinese custom.

The majority of “The Farewell” takes place in China. Director Lulu Wang does an exceptional job of showcasing China and her beauties. There are multiple moments in the film where we get to see China’s culture and customs. It was refreshing to see another country’s culture by a person who has actually been to that country. For that, the audience gets to feel as if they are taking a field trip to a new country. The foods, the rituals, the interior of a Chinese home are all presented in the film in a beautiful way and I applaud director Lulu Wang for bringing those beauties to American audiences. The music in the film is also presented very well. The score is elevates the film to make the audience feel as if they are actually in China.

The screenplay is written short and sweet and to the point. There is a mixture of comedy and drama and when the scene calls for comedy, there are actually genuine funny moments. The banter and interactions between Billi and her grandmother made me laugh and reminded me of my relationship with my own grandmother. The drama in the film is very compelling as it deals with a very serious question that the film indirectly asks. Would you want to know when and how much time you have left before you pass away? That questions follows the characters throughout the film as the characters grapple by the fact that there is a death in the family coming but that person does not even know it. As the characters think throughout the film as to whether to tell the grandmother, the audiences start to think of what they would do in that situation.

Most audiences will unfortunately think that this film is a slow burn but it’s far from it. This is a film that is meant to make the audience think and look in awe of the Chinese culture. The film’s main star, Awkwafina delivers her strongest performance yet, as the granddaughter who thinks keeping the secret is wrong. She is faced with the moral dilemma of revealing the truth along with her emotions on full display for the audience to see. Credit should be also given to the grandmother, Nai Nai (played by Zhao Shuzhen), as she is a typical grandmother who wants what’s best for her children and grandchildren. The final shot of the grandmother is of course very heart wrenching, and of course Zhao Shuzhen sells the performance.

The best part of “The Farewell” is that this is a family film that all families can relate to. “The Farewell” captures the majestic beauties of China and the emotional feeling of having to say goodbye all while never getting dull and always keeping the audiences engaged. “The Farewell” will of course not win all audiences but this is a delightful little film that will a majority of audiences will love.

3.5/4

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw Film Review

Directed by David Letich

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba

Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action and violence, suggestive material and some strong language

It’s funny to think how much the Fast and Furious series has evolved from its original format. The original Fast and Furious film that premiered in 2001 was a crime action film that centered around street racing. Slowly as time went on, the films went on to be more ridiculous than its predecessors. We eventually reach the point that the film series has produced a spin off film, which has nothing to do with street racing but feels more like a parody of a spy film. Despite this, the spin off, “Hobbs & Shaw” is an enjoyable film with two hours of pure entertainment.

“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” is the 9th film in the Fast & Furious series and the first spin off of the series. The film has series regulars Luke Hobbs( played by Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (played by Jason Statham) team up in order to prevent a virus being released to the public by a superhuman former MI6 agent (played by Idris Elba) .

Off the bat, “Hobbs and Shaw” is a ridiculously fun film. In that I mean that 50% of the film is ridiculous and 50% of the film is fun. There are multiple moments where you question the physics of the film such as how in the world can Dwayne Johnson fall on top of a car and walk up and fight as if nothing happened. This entire review could be criticism of the ridiculous moments of the film but the film knows that it’s ridiculous. This is a film series that went street racing to saving the world, James Bond style, so it’s has already been building up to this. The film works best when the audience turns off their mind and view the film as a action blockbuster.

But because the audience can turn off their mind and accept the film as a fun action film, some of the writing is cringe worthy. It’s embarrassing that a great actor such as Idris Elba is reduced to a generic villain who is reading off lines that feels like it was written by a 7 year old. Also in regards to the script, some of the scenes feel too long, more specifically the two cameos in the film. I understand that director David Leitch has gotten two great cameos that will certainly surprise the audiences but there was a sense that the cameos kept lingering. As much as I enjoyed the cameos, the cameos were getting unfunny a minute into the scene. In addition, this may be a minor nitpick, but the film abruptly ends while more exposition is given in the credits. The ending just felt so rushed and as if the director had to quickly cut the ending before a deadline. This aspect felt so lazy and left a bad taste in my mouth when I walked out of the theater.

In regards to the villain, played by Idris Elba, I certainly wished more was given to Elba as supposed your run of the mill villain. His role as the villain is forgettable as truth be told, I didn’t even know the name of the character until researching the film. The same goes to the sister of Shaw. Although Vanessa Kirby plays a tough bad ass, it feels like something we have seen before in multiple films. But as much I have multiple complaints of the film, the action is still enjoyable. The visual effects are still eye pleasing. In particular, the stand out action sequence is the chase in London.

As much I have multiple complaints of the film, there is still much enjoyment in the film. This is an action film that features a villain who can flip over a car with no issue. It knows that what exactly what it is, which is a fun action flick with mindless action. Audiences can certainly appreciate “Hobbs & Shaw” if they don’t overthink the film. So in other words, “Hobbs and Shaw” fits perfectly with the rest of the “Fast & Furious” films.

2/4

Spider-Man: Far From Home Film Review

Directed by Jon Watts

Starring: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments

Spider-Man: Far From Home directly follows the events after Avengers: Endgame. So if any viewer has not seen Endgame and is coming into Far From Home without seeing the previous Marvel film would confuse the viewer. But considering that Endgame is the second highest grossing film of all time, its hard to find one viewer who has yet to seen Endgame. With the events that proceed Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home is a wonderful addition to the MCU.

Spider-Man: Far From Home is the 23rd MCU film and newest addition to the Spider-Man series. Peter Parker/ Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland) goes to Europe with his classmates for a vacation. His vacation is suddenly cut short by Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) who needs Spider-Man to help save the world with Mysterio (played by Jake Gyllenhaal).

Spider-Man is a story that has told multiple times throughout the years. The first Spider-Man film that came out in 2002 with Tobey Maguire tells the origin story with Uncle Ben and MJ as his love interest. The Amazing Spider-Man with Andrew Garfield told the same origin story with the exception of MJ being replaced with Gwen Stacey. But ever since Tom Holland has stepped into the role, we have yet to see the origin story or Uncle Ben. I give props to the current series not giving us the origin story since we have seen in multiple times. But I also think the reason being that we have yet to see or hear the mention of Uncle Ben is because Tony Stark is Uncle Ben. Stark is certainly a father figure to Parker who passed away. Stark’s death certainly has a toll on Parker that carries with him throughout the film. I enjoy that we don’t have to see the traditional Uncle Ben story arc, but instead the story arc is swapped out for one character for another.

Both Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal as Spider-Man and Mysterio, respectively, are a joy whenever they are present on the screen. Holland’s acting as Spider-Man has progressed since we first saw him in Captain America: Civil War. There are multiple scenes where Holland acts emotional due to Stark passing in the previous MCU film. On the other hand, Gyllenhaal proves why he is a great actor. Without giving any spoilers, Gyllenhaal certainly has fun as Mysterio in the second half of the film. In addition to both Holland and Gyllenhaal, Zendaya as MJ breaks away from the traditional MJ character we have seen in previous films. MJ is a totally different character from audiences are used to, it is also refreshing having one character arc being different than we were expecting.

The biggest problem with Far From Home is the first half of the film feels slow. Not that the film is not to par but there are certainly scenes that could have been left in the cutting room floor. It is not until we see the reveal of one character does the film actually pick up. The reason for this is because we now know the actual streaks and serious danger the other characters are in. And of course, the reveal in the half way point of the film was very predictable, for me at least. The moment I saw the trailer for the film, I knew how the film would play out. To keep it short and simple, I felt like I was watching The Incredibles (2004).

Nevertheless, Spider-Man: Far From Home is fun and exciting that audiences will enjoy. Although the first half of the film moves on at a slow pace, the second half is great that ends with a jaw dropping cameo that fans of the series will enjoy. I highly recommend to view Far From Home, casual viewers and fans of the series will certainly have a blast with this one.

3/4