criscal Reviews

Civil War (2024)

Apocalyptic roadtrip to an expectable end

[6/10 · 30 April 2024]

I frankly don't know what the message of this movie is supposed to be. War is bad? That message is gone with the wind i.e. Dated. US society polarized enough to have people go at each other's throat - you would have to be blind to not have noticed that big parts of society live in different perception of reality. The movie avoids to take any political stand. The president's party affiliation is never mentioned and western forces being comprised of California and Texas is made to avoid direct correlation to current politics. Also it is not put out how the situation escalated in the first place before the president did what he did, even if we can assume that a Trump would definitely be able to order these things. It is not explained how public order has broken down offside the battlefield. So we as audience are put there knowing even less than the average American in that movie.

I have no idea what the movie is to evoke in the audience other than discussion of broken premises. The production value of the movie is comparatively low - some cheap CGI here, some national guard footage there ? The sound design is nasty for making the gunshots very loud and to have inappropriate songs after grim scenes.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Cinematic masterpiece with gaps for the uninitiated

[7/10 · 30 March 2024]

The problem is that the book is like 900 pages long i.e. Easily the length of 3-4 average SF books and making each book of the series a season of various length would have been a better choice. There are just too many characters and even though the movie tries to reduce the number of characters that are focused upon, it seems that only Javier Bardem as Stilgar is permitted to shine. A total disappointment is Austin Butler as Feydt, who can only squeeze out two facial expressions, maybe three looking mostly like borderline feeble minded. There are scenes that appear superfluous like finding certain weapons, while other scenes seem to fall out of the blue with explanation or transition missing.

Also, the movie never explains how the Fremen get their high-tech or why some warmongering house like the Harkonnen or the imperator are so pretty bad at warfare or putting the planet under an effective siege with the perfect control of transportation possible.

Shot Caller (2017)

Could have been more

[6/10 · 11 March 2024]

The ingredients were there - competent cast, decent director, classic camera - except for the substandard script.

At the start, we see the main character leaving prison and being probably a member of a gang given the tattoos - something like the aryan nation. Then we see flashbacks - nicely not requiring any different color or anything to color - because of the lack of beard in his former life. He is in prison because he caused an accident as driver having had alcohol, causing the death of a friend.

The initial prison sentence seems very harsh, consdering his white vest concerning crimes. What the script does not deliver, is the answer to the crucial question, why he is ready to kill a person with his own hands. It takes quite something or a psychopath to be ready for this. Since he is also portrayed as a loving father, it is probably not the psychopath.

Death and Other Details (2024)

Agatha Christie vibes that are not cashed in

[5/10 · 7 March 2024]

The motive for the first murder is very weak. We are made to believe that the assistent of the detective has gotten his hands on pictures from all the ship's staff and actually had a good reason for that. After all, they could not have possibly been involved with the murder of the lead character's mother. So what, if he has recognized the villain as unregistered member of the crew? She could have jumped in last minute to replace somebody else - happens all the time. She could have made an appearance still as interpol inspector - which do not exist, btw - and claim that there were threats to the life and that she was undercover.

The first murder's sole purpose is to make the main character rebel against her mother.

All during this lengthy show there are way too many flashbacks and the most important with the car explosion, we are to believe that this gruesome scene is not memorized well and the main character fabricated her mother being in the car during the explosion.

There are unnecessary raunchy scenes and the problem is that there is basically no chemistry between any character in these scenes.

Also it does not make sense for the villain to have the server farm on the ship. It would as easily be possible to hack into servers and set them up all over the world. Also these server farms need technicians that we never see. The whole purpose for this server farm is to indicate that the ship's owner is in it and to have evidence that can be taken away during a life and death situation where only a helicopter is supposedly available and the ship is sinking.

Also, it is not made clear, how the families were made to conduct their business on the ship and why the villain would sink the server farm instead of getting the meeting subverted somewhere else.

And the list could go on and on.

Black and Blue (I) (2019)

Good cast, but conventional story

[6/10 · 13 February 2024]

The movie tries to touch the subject of police brutality and mostly black people being the victim of it and the difficult situation that black members of the police force are in because of this.

The core of the movie, though, is a very conventional manhunt. The hero of the story is a young black rookie, who gets to witness the execution of "civilians" by members of the police force. Since she has recorded it with the police camera that for some weird reason only she seems to wear, the corrupt members of police have to get hold of the camera and so the obligatory manhunt begins. The villain of the story does a gob with how he directs the manhunt, but his presence could be a bit more menacing.

The movie as such is entertaining enough to not consider it waste of time.

The Marvels (2023)

Disjointed and uneventful

[5/10 · 13 February 2024]

The script for this movie really lacks. The idea that the Marvels get "entangled" leads to some funny moment, but gets stale pretty quickly.

The biggest problem for the movie is that the villain lacks by writing and by casting. Like Thanos, the villain has reasonable motive, but frankly, you don't need an ulterior motive for the villain, when a selfish one does just fine. There is no outsmarting the heroes and for some odd reason the heroes always know which target is next.

Another problem is that no hero in herself is given time and script to be presented in a way that the audience could be interested in them. Ms. Marvel has the additional problem that she has to be the fangirl all through the movie, making Jar Jar Binks look like a chill character in comparison.

A Murder at the End of the World (2023)

Enjoyable, great cast, great cinematography, great score, awful writing

[8/10 · 11 January 2024]

Maybe the series is just too long with 7 episodes and expectations are too high in the last episode, when the murderer is finally revealed. The resolution of the murder puzzle is a bit sudden strike of a genius and doesn't feel as natural as in the Agatha Christie crime stories. The writing also does not do a good job of developing the main character or any character during the show. We only get to know glimpses of characters. Even the main character we only get to learn that she loves riddles - not really original, doesn't stop biting into a murder mystery - stapel food in crime stories, grew up in morgues and knows how bodies from crime scenes are examined and got some fashionable ADHS. But there is nothing during the show that really requires her to have her background to come to the conclusions she draws.

Killing Eve (2018–2022)

Breaks down in the final season, questionable casting

[8/10 · 6 December 2023]

The casting is very well done with unfortunately the main character - Eve - being a mismatch with Sandra Oh. Her acting is absolutely not to be faulted and is impressive, but she just doesn't look like anything that Villanelle would take interest in, starting, but not limited to, with the age gap of over 15 years.

The first two seasons are entertaining in a great way and the third season as well. The last season, unfortunately, feels disjointed and all over the place, no planned out story visible, crowned by an unsatisfying ending that leaves options for another season, should circumstances change favourably.

The soundtrack was very nice, as a side-remark.

About Fate (2022)

Real chemistry

[8/10 · 27 July 2023]

What makes a RomCom rise or fall is the chemistry between the two lead actors and definitely, they both presented a good chemistry between their characters. Thomas Mann is not a photogenic actor, but I guess he might have been cast of both budget and being more relatable and he gives his lead with a bit of goofy charm. Emma Roberts I like to see in movies as she has the quirky charm and that mix of great looking, but still being relatable as that girl next door.

I have read that the movie is a sort of remake of a soviet classic, but I guess they could have put the exes of both leads together later towards the end of the movie - they kind of deserved each other.

Poker Face (2023– )

Enjoyable mix of "Colombo", "Lie to Me" and "The Fugitive"

[8/10 · 16 June 2023]

There are some nice twists in the show on how the perpetrators are getting caught or made to pay for their crimes. This doesn't come as a surprise, since Rian Johnson is involved in the production. What I also enjoy is the use of many former A-list actors like Nick Nolte in a role that brings up the magic of Ray Harryhausen. I already liked the main actress a lot in "Russian Doll" and that made me watch the show in the first place. I haven't regretted it so far and I hope that there will be more seasons. I guess it is good that Netflix isn't running the show, otherwise this might have been the last season.

The Villains of Valley View (2022– )

Script falls short

[4/10 · 14 April 2023]

The acting is ok for a TV show, but it doesn't stand out either. The idea of a family of super villains having to hide from the law and the fellow villains is an ok and interesting concept. The script falls short of delivering a joke that doesn't feel like it hasn't be brought already in a couple of other TV shows before. The character setup seems to be mostly ok with the oldest son wanting to blend in, the daughter fighting with being a villain/bitch and the father being an evil genius. That is good for creating situations later in the show. The mother's character feels lackluster in design and the youngest kid does not have any characteristic than trying out his new superpower.

I personally can't see this show getting another season.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Most entertaining fantasy movie in a long time

[10/10 · 11 April 2023]

The script has a lot of situational comedy and smooth remarks, making it light hearted fun. The visuals are great, so the illusion of a fantasy world is not destroyed like in the first attempt of a D&D movie. The fighting scenes are well choreographed as well, so the movie feels like a well-rounded package. My favourite hero was the Tiefling druid Doric, but overall, the cast was really well selected. Not telling too much, but the graveyard scene is my favourite scene of the movie.

The setting for the movie is taken from the "Sword Coast" with all the cities like Neverwinter. Since I am not an avid D&D player, I can't tell how accurate that world is portrayed. The strongest tabletop game - as D&D is - came from the haphazard group of heroes that had to team up in this adventure. Fortunately, there is no narrator trying to create that dungeon master feeling.

If there is a sequel, count me all in.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Polished pile of dinosaur dump

[4/10 · 10 March 2023]

It is so polished looking that it almost makes sense that the CEO of Biosyn - typo of Biosin, I guess - looks so much like Tim Cook of Apple. The movie is long and feels long and it seems that they made it that long in order to be able to show all kinds of dinosaurs. Less is more, I would say. The acting is a mixed bag, I would say, with Chris Pratt being the weakest link. But it doesn't beat the bad quality of the script. While the original Jurassic Park based on the book by Michael Crichton was science with some fiction, this movie is just fiction in so many aspects - starting with dinosaurs being comfortable in winter or having spread to other continents supposedly.

F9: The Fast Saga (2021)

The Dumb and the Dumber

[4/10 · 14 February 2023]

If you watch this, then you ar ein for cars, guns and action. Anything else is ridiculous in writing. Also the times of real stunts has gone for a few installments already and are replaced by computer FX.

Since I needed some filler from AI: What the movie is not: "From start to finish, this movie kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot was gripping and the characters were portrayed with such depth and emotion that I found myself fully invested in their journeys. The stunning cinematography and skillful direction brought the story to life, leaving me in awe. Overall, this film is a must-see for anyone who loves a great story and masterful filmmaking."

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Technically top notch and entertaining

[7/10 · 26 January 2023]

This new movie looked more crisp and cleaner than I remembered the first movie to be, which was already the best 3D movie at its time. Small nitpicking is that the fires in the movie looked very artificial. The movie is pretty long with over 3 hours run-time, but honestly, it didn't feel like that and there was no reason to feel bored. The weakest part is again the script, which is far from being original and having had 5 authors named for it surely didn't help. Also borderline pesky was Sam Worthington rambling on and on about family values with a lot of repeat. The movie paints again the story of greedy corprorates invading a paradise like moon. The movie itself is not a big concluding movie, but preparing for the next movies coming after it.

The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

Stellar Bale, good cinematography, but ...

[6/10 · 8 January 2023]

The writing has a big problem. I can't go into the detail without spoiling, but the resolution of the murder mystery depends on things that might work in real life, but are not credible in fiction.

The pacing of the movie might be too slow for quite some people, but it was ok for me. The directing/acting for Poe made him a very annoying sidekick, which might do Poe justice - I have no idea - but usually characters are smoothened for movies when they are supposed to be heroes.

What is totally missing from the movie is West Point. There is hardly any insight into the institution and I feel that it should have mattered more to the story.

The Recruit (2022– )

Fun spy flick

[8/10 · 28 December 2022]

This spy series was a lot of entertainment for me so far. The introduction is quick - a lawyer brand new to the CIA is getting the newbie job of going through the letters sent to the CIA and filter out the nut jobs from the real threats. An inmate in a women's prison is threatening to expose all kinds of secrets and he finds out that this is the real deal and that the woman knows more than anbyody outside the CIA should know. Being is a hard-working and smart guy he soon finds out that this is just the beginning.

The series combines conventional thriller material with a lot of things to laugh about. The workplace at the CIA is exaggerated and everybody is paranoid, suspecting others of sabotage. The legal department, where the main character works, desparately tries to not know anything with witnesses in person or in writing around. This is garnered with many quirky characters. A running gag is that the main character keeps getting his suits ruined.

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

Homo Homini Lupus

[8/10 · 11 December 2022]

If you will, this is a very long version of a "Lord of the Flies" or just Thomas Hobbes' view of human nature. Once the order of society is gone, the full aggressive nature of humans is coming out in a fight for survival in face of a constant threat - the zombies. This constant threat is also driving to a constant change in the cast, as characters die even more often than in GoT. The show fizzles out towards the end, as humans seems to go down the way of triablism and back into medieval equipment. So the biggest threat in this post-apocalyptic world are not the zombies, but the other humans and new faces are often treaten with distrust, rather than with happiness about some other survivor.

Inside Man (II) (2022)

A series of implausible events

[5/10 · 24 November 2022]

There can be funny british movies with too many accidents to happen to explain to the police - actually some british one as well - "A Film with me in it" from 2008. In my opinion it just works better as a comedy than as a drama. If the series was way shorter, it might work as funny teachable show on not to look at USB sticks with unknown origin. The only thing going for the show is the excellent cast - first and foremost Stanley Tucci and David Tennant, but also the actress playing "Janice" and whom I remember as Dr. Van Helsing from the recent Dracula feature on Netflix. Unfortunately the script can't follow up to that.

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Not as faithful as the 1930 version

[4/10 · 28 October 2022]

The only thing going for this movie is the cast of good German actors. Unfortunately, the whole movie feels disrupted and torn apart. Some key scenes of the first dramatization make a weak copy-cat appearance with the teacher's speech yet the best. The movie tries to add a politics layer on top, which is not helping the message about the horrors and solitude of the soldier in the trenches of WWI and the feeling of not fitting in into society anymore. Also the story is needlessly changed with made up scenes not in the book and some even not covered by historic events. Even the German title of the book isn't working anymore as the end is changed. Disappointing result. Better watch the first movie.

Rosaline (2022)

Was fun, but could have been more

[7/10 · 19 October 2022]

The character of Rosaline is actually not an invention of the filmmakers. As in the play, she is Juliet's cousin and Romeo's prior love and in hope of meeting Rosaline, Romeo is going to the masquerade ball, where he meets Juliet. The main actors are quite likable, the idea is principally pretty good with telling the "real" story, mixing it up a bit with "The Taming of the Shrew" and a bit of flair of Shakespeare in Love. Despite the historical looking outfit and the nice locations - seems to have been shot in and around San Gimigiano - it feels like a highschool romance comedy. The script execution is not quite that well done and many jokes fall just flat. I would have liked it better, if a lot of the silly jokes would have been just removed from the script and more effort had been put into the verbal sparring between Rosaline and her counterpart.

Blonde (2022)

Could have been more

[6/10 · 30 September 2022]

One of the bigger problems is that this movie is not based on the real person, but on a book that fictionalizes her inner life - it is very far from a biopic. So it has nothing to do with the real person behind Marilyn either and takes liberties left and right. Ana de Armas gives her everything to the role and the cast in general is pretty good. Also the cinematography is great, but it varies a lot from normal material to black & white to apocalyptic pictures and back to glossy pictures, so together with the many time jumps it can't give the movie any structure. What also seems a bit problematic is that Marylin often looks like a deer starring in the headlights of a car and reiterating the old story of poor famous/rich woman.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022– )

Almost mediocre

[4/10 · 21 September 2022]

Yes, Amazon spent most of the money for the rights, then another big chunk went into CGI, so it is definitely looking way better than the average TV show - but was getting money-pinching when casting actors and hiring scriptwriters. Admittedly, it is hard to write a prequel. People that are alive in the sequel - like Elrond and Galadriel - can't die and therefore you will never be afraid about them being safe. So usually you have to show some character development. Elrond is portrayed as some smooth talking diplomat and Galadriel as a warrior, which is definitely not the impression you get in "Lord of the Rings". It feels odd though that people who have lived for thousands of years would still do a character development. I did not know any of the actors, so they wanted to keep the budget for them pretty low and it shows. The pacing is also a bit slow to my taste.

The Sandman (2022– )

Liked the Comcis

[8/10 · 6 August 2022]

I really liked the comics back then, when they were published. I haven't read them again since, so I forgot most of the things and so also the story for the first season, if it was ever put into the comics. The show is visually stunning and I like the look. The one thing that was probably cut though for budget reasons was that Morpheus should have way more impact on the dreamworld wherever he goes and visually influence it. That wasn't a major point for me. The lead actor was well chosen, even with the hairdo making me wonder when he would sing songs from the Cure. I don't like the actor for the main villain - the Corinthian - so it was good, that he was the villain, but he more a psychopath than a true evil.

What most people might have a problem with was the slow pace the first season had. I personally didn't mind stories like the human Morpheus was meeting in that pub every 100 years. It added to that existential feel of the show.

While I personally don't like the recent gender swapping in respect to source material - I mean, why not invent awesome material yourself rather than say make a show called "Pippin Longstocking" - it was moderately done so in the show that it didn't hurt personally speaking. What I found a bit sad was that they turned Death from the little Goth chick to some black woman. But I found it worse that she had not so much screen time at all.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.

The Flight Attendant (2020–2022)

First season super, 2nd season meh

[8/10 · 31 July 2022]

The premise of the first season is that the main character spends the night with a charming guy just to wake up in a bloody bad with her love stabbed to death next to her. Her being an alcoholic doesn't help. Instead of talking with herself, she discusses the murder case with the dead lover, which got a unique appeal. The main stylistic methods of the movie are 70ties style line-up with images of 2-3 cameras sharing the screen. Production value seems to be alright, especially in the 2nd season with a lot of CGI required to make herself discuss with other sides of her. I found the main actress to be bland and replacable in TBBT, but being a flight attendant fits her nicely.

The writing of the 2nd season lacks unfortunately. There are too many things mixed in and the the build up of the climax falls a bit flat.