Raydio Reviews

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Entertaining flight scenes, but little else

[6/10 · 28 August 2022]

I had high expectations for "Top Gun Maverick", considering the hype and an IMDB rating of 8.5. But it became all too apparent within the first few minutes of the opening scenes, that this "new" film was basically a rehash of the original Top Gun, with updated aircraft and a lot more focus on Tom Cruise. The dialogue was mostly average, and often cringeworthy, and very cliched. But it's not all bad news either. The fighter jet scenes are nothing short of exhilarating, and you can see that a lot of effort went into filming them. Sound effects of the jets in action add to the immersive experience of this film. All in all though, I came away with the sense that I'd pretty much seen it all before (I just re-watched the original with my daughter before watching the new film), and the outcome was ever so predictable. I have no idea why this film is currently rated as the 58th greatest movie of all time. That's an insult to some truly exceptional films which are ranked well below this one. For a film to be ranked in the Top100 of all time I think it needs to be more than a mere 2-hour entertaining diversion, it really needs a solid script, engaging characters, and a story that that we might still be thinking about long after the hype dies down.

Army of the Dead (2021)

Fantastic Zombie Film

[9/10 · 21 May 2021]

I just finished watching "Army of the Dead" and I loved it. For me this movie had all the elements I want in a great Zombie flick - interesting characters, decent acting, a good script, loads of blood and gore, excitement and FUN. Best of all it had loads of excellent zombies! All those who come to a zombie film expecting an Academy Award winning script or Shakespearean acting are being unrealistic. This is a zombie movie, and it delivers in spades! For me, "Army of the dead" was up there with, "Train to Busan". Don't believe the 1 star ratings, if you love a good zombie film, watch it for yourself. 9/10.

8 Days (2019)

Bingeworthy series, let down by climax

[7/10 · 2 April 2021]

I really enjoyed "8 Days". From the first episode the story pulls you in with interesting characters (albeit mostly unworthy of survival), and the eager anticipation of who will survive the impending holocaust. I felt the pacing was pretty good, good enough for me to watch all 8 episodes in 2 days! Yes, there were quite a few silly inconsistencies, and some completely unrealistic things going on if the end of the world is nigh. Still, the series holds you in suspense and makes you think about what you might do in a similar scenario. I did feel that the climax was a bit of a let down. I mean where's the KABOOM! No devastation, no CGI destruction, NADA. Maybe they're saving that for episode one of the second season - I hope so.

Watch it on a rainy weekend.

The Equalizer (2014)

Denzel does what he does best...

[8/10 · 12 December 2014]

I really enjoyed "The Equalizer". Denzel gives a fine performance as the cool-as-ice professional who sorts out the bad guys, and "equalizes" the equation. It's a role we've seen him do before in "Man on Fire", and he gives a seasoned performance again here. The action was well paced, and the story built nicely to a satisfying climax. Certainly the story was somewhat predictable, with the final outcome all but inevitable, but if you like films where good triumphs over evil, and does so violently (ala "Taken (2008)", "Leon: The Professional (1994)), then this film will not disappoint. My only real criticism, and this is really nit-picking, was the song during the final credits. I'll say up front that I'm not an Eminem fan, but I found the lyrics distasteful and "singing"irritating. Just my opinion, but it left an unfortunate final impression. 8/10

I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)

Shocking, brutal, disturbing

[2/10 · 24 September 2013]

In a world already full of violence and hatred do we really need a film like this? If you're reading this then you probably already have some idea what this film entails namely rape, torture, murder and sadism, all depicted in excruciating depth. Make no mistake, this is a sick, sadistic movie.

While I am all for freedom of speech and expression, I feel that sometimes society needs to be protected from the excesses of depravity which form and fester at the fringes of humanity. This film, while arguably well acted, crosses boundaries which should never be crossed. I have rated well over a thousand films in my 14 years as an IMDb member, both good and bad, but this for me was the most disturbing, vial and reprehensible imagery I've seen to date. If you have the least bit of sensitivity towards the suffering of other human beings I urge you to look elsewhere.

No Vacancy (2012)

Sick of these sort of movies

[2/10 · 13 February 2013]

Maybe I'm just getting old, but really, do we need another film about people being murdered in various "inventive" ways? What value does a movie such as this add to our society? "The Helpers" is another of the "Saw" type of film, where people are victimised, traumatised and eventually killed. While clearly there is a place for many different types of movies to appeal to different people, I feel this type of film simply panders to twisted individuals who get off on seeing others suffer. If that sounds like your kind of movie, then go ahead and watch, otherwise I would suggest as a MUCH better alternative, "In Cold Blood [1967]", a well acted and gripping tale, which while shocking in its own right, is not gratuitous.

Alien Origin (2012 Video)

What would you do if you had 88 minutes of extra life to live?

[1/10 · 21 October 2012]

I really knew nothing about "Alien Origin" before sitting down to watch it, other than the title. After the first couple of minutes I thought this was going to be a "Predator" copy. Nothing could be further from the truth!

After watching "Alien Origin" I'm left to wonder what was the point of this film? Was it to see how much boredom a human being can tolerate? Perhaps there's a subliminal message embedded in the film urging viewers to eat more vegetables? It certainly wasn't to entertain the audience with an engrossing tale and engaging dialog.

I would love to hear the director being interviewed about his reasons for making this film, I'd imagine the conversation would go something like this;

Interviewer: "Well Mark perhaps you could tell our viewers what inspired you to create Alien Origin?"

Mark Atkins: "Actually, my sole purpose in creating this film was to see just how much life I could suck out of people - end of story."

Interviewer: "That's a bit callous isn't it Mark, after all life is short."

Mark Atkins: "Ehh, It's just what I do."

Please, do not waste your precious life watching this film. If you really have 88 minutes to spare, why not clean out the garage, start working on last year's tax return, or better still, visit your sick Aunt Mabel, all of which would be infinitely more entertaining.

1/10

The Courier (2012)

Utter Garbage

[2/10 · 24 March 2012]

What's truly amazing to me is that in these days of post-GFC fiscal austerity, a film such as this can still attract funding. Seriously, either the tax write-offs must be very attractive, or there are some considerably wealthy individuals who are just desperate to proclaim, "I'm making a movie" to their friends.

"The Courier" has so many flaws it's hard to know where to begin. Firstly, the story itself is woeful. It's a painful mishmash of assassins, FBI agents, Elvis-impersonating arch villains, and the obligatory female tag-along love interest. Add to that the father figure, who like some bad impression of Huggy-bear, seems to know everything and everyone that's happening on the street and, well...you're starting to get the picture.

It's as if the writers were working from a "Scriptwriting for Dummies" book.

Then there are the many obvious technical mistakes, such as a woman hostage falling from a great height while bound only by her wrists, and seemingly not suffering any ill effects when the rope breaks her fall. I would have thought having both shoulders dislocated might result in at least mild discomfort! Then there was the protagonist with a clearly unloaded revolver which fires bullets in the next scene. Perhaps the two killers who captured and tortured him, loaded it while he was unconscious in the bathtub? And what about the ease with which the hero and his girl accomplice borrow an aircraft, not once, but twice, and land it in St.Louis and Las Vegas. Did they even bother to lodge a flight plan?

I was especially amused by the hero's uncanny ability to instantly hack any computer in order to locate just the info he was looking for. I mean why bother being a high-risk delivery man, which is clearly not paying off too well for him, when he could have a highly lucrative career working for Google?

I could go on, but I feel the less said about this movie the better. Suffice to say that of 968 films I've rated on IMDb, "The Courier" ranks as number 3 in my all-time worst list, only bested by "Little Nicky", and "2001, A Space Travesty".

Regrettably one or two decent actors took part in this disaster, so it's clear that work is hard to come by in tinsel town these days. Their valiant efforts are the only reason this film didn't get 1 star. Definitely one to avoid. 2/10

Insidious (I) (2010)

Less than stellar

[7/10 · 30 June 2011]

I am a big fan of horror films, and have seen many over the years. I had heard good things about Insidious before sitting down to watch it, so I did have slightly high expectations going in. I must admit, the first half of the film was reasonably effective and did a good job of setting the scene for some decent scares. Yes, elements of the story have mostly been seen before, but I was still enjoying the movie. Unfortunately the story started to get rather silly during the second half, and the whole "astral travel" thing left me a little disappointed. However the worst feature of this film for me were the ghosts themselves - they just weren't that scary. I mean from the Darth Maul look- alike to the ugly bride with a seriously bad makeup job, I was not so much scared as I was amused. I almost laughed out loud. Not good. For a film that held such initial promise, I was left shaking my head when the credits finally rolled. Not the worst horror film by a long stretch, but it could (and should) have been so much better. If you are after an effective scary film may I suggest any of the following; The Exorcist, The Grudge, The Changeling (George C Scott), The Others or The Descent. 7/10

The Hot Chick (2002)

VERY average...

[5/10 · 25 November 2004]

I rented this film primarily because I wanted to see Anna Faris and Rachel McAdams in something other than Scary Movie or Mean Girls. As soon as I saw this was a Happy Madison production... well I knew it wasn't going to be an epic. The storyline, which has been done many times, was for the most part pretty senseless, and I was especially disappointed that Rachel McAdams' character was left out of most of the film until the end.

There were funny moments, but they were few and far between for me, and the appearance of Adam Sandler only made things worse. Major cringe factor! Note to Adam - stay out of your productions, unless your sole purpose is to kill off any spark of humour. 5/10

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Heavy on eye candy, light on substance

[7/10 · 18 May 2003]

Those expecting to be "blown away" by "Matrix Reloaded" may be a bit disappointed by this hugely hyped sequel. I came away feeling that the major focus was on style and effects, rather than substance. While there is no doubting that the computer gurus earned their keep on this film, I felt the fight sequences were far too numerous and too lengthy, almost to the point of tedium. Importantly, the element which made the original "Matrix" so memorable, the incredible concept of a computer generated world in which we are all prisoners, was not well expanded upon in MR. Instead the storyline seems convoluted and needlessly complicated, and the depictions of Zion altogether too superficial. While I accept that the first priority of any film is to entertain it's audience, I think the directors got carried away with the action side of things, and once the credits began to roll (to a hugely annoying thrash music soundtrack), the overall sense I was left with is disappointment at what could have been a great film. In summary, the brothers Wachowski have failed to capitalize on the greatest strength of the original film, it's marvelous story, opting instead to concentrate on special effects, super-hero style costumes and episodic fight sequences. Disappointing. I certainly won't be queuing up to see the next installment. 7/10.

The Color of War (2001– )

A valuable illustration of the horrors of war

[3 February 2003]

As someone with more than a passing interest in the history of WWII, I found this series to be a worthwhile addition to the vast(and growing) library of documentaries covering this dark period of man's history. Though "The Color of War" lacks the depth and breadth of "The World at War", which for me remains THE definitive documentary of the war, the valuable color film elements seen in this series certainly add a new dimension. There's little doubt that seeing the events of the war in the Pacific in gruesome detail makes it somehow more real than watching grainy black and white footage. Additionally during numerous sequences, letters from various servicemen and women who lived through the war are read over the accompanying footage. The anguish and sense of loss, grief and despair are inescapable, and give one a real sense of what it was like to cope with the situations these people found themselves in. It's important to note that this documentary is very graphic, and therefore should only be viewed by mature audiences. However, I for one think it's important that documentaries of this kind continue to be shown, lest future generations forget the sacrifices which were made by so many, and also to highlight the serious consequences of war. If you haven't seen "The Color of War", or it's U.S. namesake "WWII, The Lost Color Archives", then I thoroughly recommend you take the opportunity to do so. 8/10

2001: A Space Travesty (2000)

In a word... GHASTLY!!

[1/10 · 29 November 2002]

There's not much to say about this pathetic attempt at a comedy, other than that it was TOTALLY unfunny. I don't want to add any sense of credibility to this film by writing a lengthy review - "2001 - AST" does not merit my time. I've seen a huge number of films in my time, and perhaps with the exception of "Little Nicky", this is the worst film I've ever seen, period! About as enjoyable as Haemorrhoids. 1/10

They Crawl (2001)

They... Suck

[4/10 · 3 September 2002]

The only way I got through this movie was by watching it with my brothers, continuously adding our own humorous commentary over the dialog. There are so many "also-ran" actors in this film it began to resemble a Burgess Meredith re-union party. Oh, and what is the deal with Mickey Rourke? He appears in one scene, and leaves the viewer aghast at his silly antics. I mean, was there a point to him knocking that door off it's hinges? Surely it's a bad sign for a film when the producers rely on Mr.Rourke for his "star power" to pull in the crowds. One can only ponder what next for Mickey, perhaps a starring role in Ishtar II? About the only redeeming feature of this film, were the sporadic CG cockroach attacks, and even they left much to be desired. Avoid this film unless you enjoy boredom, or simply need evidence of how far Mickey Rourke has sunk. 4/10

Rose Red (2002)

Too long

[5/10 · 9 August 2002]

"Rose Red" bears much in common with films like "The Haunting" and "The Legend Of Hell House". There were some good elements in this mini series, such as the initial establishment of the characters, but I personally found the film way too long. In some respects "Rose Red" suffered from the same over indulgence as "Storm Of The Century", namely a good idea padded out with at least an extra hour of extraneous footage. Both these Steven King series could have done with a good pruning. I found the acting in "Rose Red" was somewhat patchy, though there were good performances by Nancy Travis, in the lead role, and also Matt Ross as the slimy Emery Waterman. Sadly, there was a fair degree of predictability in many segments, as well as over use of creature effects. When will some people learn that what you don't see is often scarier than what you do! Worth a watch if you have a lazy 4 hours to kill. 5/10

Manilow Live! (2000 Video)

Pure entertainment

[9/10 · 21 July 2002]

For those of us who grew up during the 70's, Barry Manilow and his music were a big part of our lives. It's true that Barry's music doesn't appeal to everyone. Over the years he's had to contend with critics who labelled his music as trite, and some in the public who simply wanted to brand anyone admitting to being a Barry fan as "uncool". Fan's of Barry Manilow will love this DVD. "Manilow Live!", features most of Barry's best known and loved songs. The backing musicians and orchestra do an excellent job, with many of the live productions here sounding as good as, or better than their studio counterparts. Music aside, the best part of this film/documentary is watching this talented performer. It's hard not to be impressed by the showmanship, energy and honesty that Barry brings to his live performances. Watching the expression on his face during "All the time" and "Even now", it's easy to see the very real depth of emotion that Barry feels about the lyrics he's singing. Considering the countless times he's performed these songs on stage, it's amazing that he is still able to convey such a genuine passion in his work. If you've never heard of Barry Manilow, I invite you to give it a try. Perhaps like me, you'll come away incredibly well entertained by a man who remains one of the best showmen in the business. 9/10

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Not a work of art... but entertaining

[8/10 · 13 July 2002]

I had no expectations prior to seeing "Jeepers Creepers", as no one I knew had seen it before. I watched it with my brother, and at the conclusion we both agreed, this was not a great movie - but it was quite entertaining with one major proviso...don't take the plot too seriously. Let's face it, in most of these sort of horror films, the main characters seem to be so incredibly stupid, it should come as no surprise to anyone that they react to situations in completely illogical and often suicidal ways. Ok, so no rational person would allow themselves to be dangled down a seriously dark and deep drainpipe because someone "might need our help". A rational person would just find a nearby farm with a phone and call the cops. The makeup in this movie was a mixed bag. The Creep I thought was pretty well done - he looked downright nasty. The corpses we see close up looked more like wax dummies - not good! All in all though, the main factor in rating a movie for me is entertainment value, and I enjoyed the film, despite the plot holes. I recommend giving "Jeepers Creepers" a try. 7/10

Silhouettes of the Desert (2000)

A fascinating glimpse into the life of a camel

[6/10 · 14 December 2001]

I must admit that before watching this film my knowledge of Camels was largely influenced by such films as "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Mummy". In most films, including animated Disney features, Camels don't come off too well, often appearing as dumb, smelly and generally obnoxious creatures. "Silhouettes of the Desert" helps to alter some of these misconceptions.

Through the careful lens of filmaker David Curl, we follow the life of a camel he named Aramu, from birth through to young adulthood. It's a journey fraught with danger, harsh environments, and death - but also beauty. The most surprising feature of SOTD for me, is that it's filmed not in the Middle East, but in Australia, where according to the films' researcher there now live some 250,000 wild camels. An amazing and unexpected statistic.

Like most animal documentaries, the films sound elements are supported by a musical score designed to heighten the overall experience. Certainly, I thought that this soundtrack was excellent, so much so, that it was hard to be unmoved by the experience.

If you have the opportunity to see "Silhouettes of the Desert", I think you'll find it an interesting, entertaining and touching film, which may even change your opinion of these much maligned animals. 7/10

Little Nicky (2000)

Appalling dreck

[1/10 · 30 November 2001]

As a big fan of movies in general, and comedies in particular, I was EXTREMELY disappointed, even slightly offended, by this dreadful piece of garbage. Of all the films I've thus far rated on the IMDB, "Little Nicky" now holds pride of place as the worst film to date. Whatever possessed such fine talent as Harvey Keitel and Reese Witherspoon to stoop so low as to involve themselves with this horrid mess? And Rhys Ifans, after such a memorable, and genuinely funny performance in "Notting Hill" - shame on you! In fact shame on everyone involved in this mind numbing, boring, tasteless, waste of celluloid. If ever we needed proof that Adam Sandler's star has fallen big-time, then this is surely it. I truly enjoyed "The Wedding Singer" and "Happy Gilmore", but then, those movies were actually funny! "Little Nicky", unlike "Plan 9 From Outer Space", isn't even unintentionally funny. My advice to those folks involved in the creation of this trash, perhaps it's time to consider a new career, in say, waste management. 1/10

The Woman in Black (1989 TV Movie)

All the elements to make a great horror movie, but...

[6/10 · 17 September 2001]

After reading the many reviews about this film, I didn't hesitate to order a copy, even though the price in Australian dollars was pretty steep. It was certainly a rare event to find a film that I hadn't seen, and which engendered such eager anticipation. And so it was that along with my two brothers, we sat in a pitch black room to watch, and hopefully be terrified by, "The Woman In Black". Rather than go into detail about this film, let me simply say that I was quite disappointed. Yes, this film has some good elements about it. The settings are wonderful, the historical detail is impressive, and the acting is also above par. So what went wrong? Perhaps after reading all the reviews about how truly terrifying this film is meant to be, my expectations were far too high. While there are a few decent scares, overall I didn't come away all that impressed. I must also add that the DVD image quality was less than stellar, which also detracted from the overall experience. "The Woman In Black" is worth a watch, as long as you don't expect too much. I would recommend as alternates, the truly scary 1980 film "The Changeling" or even the more recent "Stir of Echoes (1999)". Score 6/10

Fear (1996)

Surprisingly entertaining, despite the negative reviews

[8/10 · 17 August 2001]

The story behind the film "Fear" is nothing new. Obsessive love leading to dangerous fatal attraction. But I'm not ashamed to say that I really enjoyed watching this movie. To be sure, there were the typical cliches (did anyone not know that the security guard was SO dead!). However, the action in the film keeps things moving along at a steady pace, and the tension builds towards the reasonably satisfying climax. Performances by the lead characters were generally quite good. I found Mark Wahlbergs character to be quite convincing and quite menacing, though I agree he would certainly benefit from some speech coaching. The two young female leads, Reese Witherspoon and Alyssa Milano, did a good job playing the victims, and certainly add value to the film for their attractiveness alone. The standout performance for me was that of William L. Petersen as the father. Most of his actions/reactions rang true to me. Was "Fear" a great movie? Not really. Was it a good, satisfying and ultimately entertaining way to spend 97 minutes? Yes indeed. Even my wife stayed awake till the end, and that's worth an 8/10 alone.

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Entertaining but...

[7/10 · 6 July 2001]

I hadn't watched "Planet of the Apes" for a very long while. With the impending release of the 2001 version of the film, I decided to take another look at this old classic.

I think anyone who hasn't seen "Planet of the Apes", will enjoy this film. The premise of future earth being dominated by "intelligent" apes makes for an interesting story. Coupled to this, are some excellent locations, decent performances and a neat ending.

If, however you were looking for a scientifically rational, well scripted epic, better look elsewhere. "Planet of the Apes" script is filled with more holes than a swiss cheese.

I was wondering why anyone would send a character like "Taylor" on a space mission. Was he supposed to be an astronaut? a scientist? or just a big boorish bully-boy. As the three scientists explore their new planet home, what do they do when they finally come across the first sign of life (a bush). They dig it up of course! I was also amazed at how nonchalant they all were when they came across the ape totems. I would expect an intelligent person, upon confirming the existence of other intelligent life, would display some appropriate measure of surprise and wonder (even fear).

But it was all taken in stride by the characters in this film. Disappointing and unrealistic.

There are many more anomalies, which spoilt the experience for me. More often than not, I found myself laughing while watching, and I don't think this was the intended response the director was looking for.

"Planet of the Apes" is a light-weight enjoyable, entertaining film. Just don't think about it too deeply.

7/10

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Another video game movie that falls short of the mark

[6/10 · 22 June 2001]

It's never a good sign to be looking at your watch during a movie, but that's what I was doing about an hour and a bit into "Tomb Raider". I won't go as far as saying this was a bad film, it's just that I found the storyline to be predictably convoluted (memories of "X-men"). There were of course, the obligatory big explosions, gun fights, Samurai type fight sequences one would expect, but it all seemed to have been done so many times before, giving me the impression that the film was a lot longer than it actually was.

I was also hoping for a lot more humour than was delivered. In fact I found the whole experience to be somewhat by the numbers. It was very hard to feel any real sympathy for the characters in this film.

Ok, I know it's only meant to be a bit of escapist fun, but I can't help but feel that the producers knew they were on to a winner anyway, and didn't bother to put any real effort into breathing life into the character of 'Lara'. A bit disappointing really, given the hype that preceded this film.

Despite the shallow script, for me there's no doubting that Angelina Jolie made the perfect 'Lara Croft'. I tried hard to think of another young actress who could play the part any better - but I don't think anyone else could. Bravo to the casting director!

"Tomb Raider" will appeal to a great many fans of the game, and undoubtedly, the casting of Angelina Jolie will more than fulfill the expectations of the target teenage audience.

6/10

X-Men (2000)

Still waiting for the payoff

[6/10 · 19 January 2001]

Let me say up front, that I'm not a devotee of the X-Men comic book series, and knew very little about the story prior to watching the film. However, I was anxious to see "X-Men" the movie, as it had received a lot of publicity during it's theatrical release, and the trailers for it looked enticing. After watching the movie on DVD, I was impressed with the special effects, and the surround sound employed, but the story left much to be desired. The idea of a race of mutants living amongst us, and possessing extraordinary powers has a lot of potential. I felt however, that a much of that potential was wasted by the seemingly lacklustre story. It certainly seemed as though the premise of this film was simply to introduce the characters and then create the setting for a (hopefully better) sequel. For me, the lack of resolution in this movie, made it seem too much like a 'part1', rather than a movie capable of standing on it's own merits. Watch it and see for yourself. Definitely worth a look on a rainy Saturday, if only for the FX.

5/10

Loser (2000)

The title should have been a clue...

[4/10 · 12 January 2001]

All the time I sat watching "Loser" at home with some friends, I kept thinking to myself, "it's got to get funny sooner or later". Much to my disappointment, it never did. For me, there really isn't much to recommend this film. Ok, it did have Mena Suvari there to adorn the screen (thank goodness for small mercies!), but the dialog was conventional, and the story itself, was oh-so average. The sign of any decent comedy, is a room filled with the laughter of the audience. Instead there was only the occasional, slightly embarrassed, throat clearing - surely not a good sign.

There were at least a couple of saving graces. The producer didn't stoop to lowly 'gross out' gags, and there was no gratuitous profanity to speak of.

The bottom line is , if you're after a good laugh, look elsewhere. My pick of the current crop is "Meet the parents".

4/10