A discharged veteran with money problems reluctantly takes on a private contracting job. Terse thriller with action elements: the cast’s good, the action is handled in a no-nonsense manner, and there’s a pleasing downbeat tone. No surprises, but a decent programmer with subtext about post-military lives.
Here’s the trailer.
Attacks on Starfleet propel Kirk and crew into a manhunt in Klingon territory. Second of the alt-timeline reboot film series works fine as a pacy SF adventure with plenty of comedy to counterpoint the action, though struggles – as before – with its villainy and a need to over-reference its predecessors. A third movie followed.
Here’s the trailer.
Robert the Bruce rebels against Edward I. Straightforward historical action drama in the Braveheart mould, with plenty of detail, production values aplenty and some gusto in the playing. Blood, mud and a trebuchet/mangonel device.
A veteran train driver and a rookie conductor try to stop a runaway freight train. A splendid rendition of a hoary B-movie premise; Unstoppable does everything right in its handling of the subject matter. Tony Scott’s last movie is a kinetic blast throughout.
The Enterprise crew assembles and fights a renegade Romulan across two generations. Slick and funny on the surface, though with an awkward backstory (alt-timelines and time-travel), this franchise reboot delivers acceptably with a well-cast crew.
The Enterprise is destroyed by an alien race seeking a device that will allow them to attack the Federation. A pacy, light, though ultimately disposable third instalment of the alt-timeline Kirk adventures. Feels like an expanded TV episode; not altogether a criticism.
An Amazon princess journeys to the outside world to defeat the God of War. Superior superhero origin story, benefitting from freshness of its lead character, a generally light touch, and a well-realised World War 1 period setting.
255 Review 