A bodyguard is assigned to protect the wayward daughter of an embattled corporate executive. Smart, tight little thriller with a focus on relationships as well as on low-key but still effective action, marking out the director as one to watch.
Month: January 2019
The Predator (2018, dir. Shane Black)
A special forces sniper has his son targeted by extraterrestrials. Odd belated series continuation with some awkward and distasteful ideas and no sense of clarity about its reason to exist. Some neat moments and in-jokes, but this is a disappointing and contrived mess nevertheless.
Want another review? Here’s Xussia’s.
The Untouchables (1987, Dir. Brian De Palma)
Super stylised gangster film set during prohibition. A very strong ensemble cast chews though a tight script with relish and Connery is ‘outshtanding’. Always worth your time.
Mile 22 (2018, dir. Peter Berg)
An elite anti-terrorist squad battles to get an asset across a hostile city. Clunky actioner mistaking thuggishness for badassdom; unlikeable characters don’t help, and the wasting of Uko Iwais is nigh unforgivable. Fourth and least of the Berg/Wahlberg flicks to date.
The Last Days [AKA Los Ultimas Dias](2014, dir. David Pastor & Alex Pastor)
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After an apocalyptic event, two mismatched co-workers battle across Barcelona’s tunnel system to find their families. Deft and imaginative thriller, with an emphasis on character and humanity as much as on action. Plenty of good stuff to be found here. Recommended.
The Black Hole (1979, Dir. Gary Nelson)
Disney Star Wars inspired film where an earthbound crew find a lost spaceship near a black hole. Much to like here but a dull script and a cryptic ending leave it wanting.
Star Trek: First Contact (1996, dir. Jonathan Frakes)
Picard and crew time-travel to mid-21st century Earth to ensure the Borg do not disrupt human space development. Action-centric first full feature for the Next Generation crew; this series continuation does a lot of stuff right, though there’s a lot of fan-service here.
The Bye Bye Man (2017, dir. Stacy Title)
Three students resurrect a fatal curse which can be spread like a virus. Initially intriguing jumpscare horror that falls apart under the weight of its convoluted (albeit new) origin myth, and through story inconsistencies.
A Quiet Place (2018, dir. John Krasinski)
A family hides in silence from marauding sound-sensitive monsters. Smart post-apocalyptic siege movie, maximising the potential of its gotta-keep-quiet premise, with effective shocks, good performances and a focus on suspense throughout.
Want another review? Here’s Xussia’s take.
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018, dir. Peyton Reed)
Lang, Hank Pym and Lana re-team, this time to find Pym’s wife, long thought lost in the quantum realm. Superior Marvel adventure, all the better for its modest scale, humour, and invention in blending 3D, action and the conceit of the size-changing tech.
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