georgeszaslavsky Reviews

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2024– )

Not really what was the original, Law & Order Criminal Intent, an ok start but needs better story plots and better actors

[6/10 · 23 February 2024]

Not really what was Law & Order Criminal Intent which happened in New York with actors of way much higher caliber like Vincent Donofrio, Kathryn Herbe,Chris Noth, Jeff Goldblum, Courtney B Vance, Jamey Sheridan and Saffron Burrows. The first episode was ok but not really comparable to the original Law & Order Criminal Intent. Vincent Donofrio and Kathryn Herbe truely excelled in their roles of Goren and Ames, the actors Aden Young who play Graff and Bateman are not up to Vincent Donofrio's and Kathryn Herbe's levels. Will give it another shot but still, not always spin offs are better than the original series ,execption made of law & order SVU running its 25th season.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

A truely awesome blockbuster and perhaps better than the original

[10/10 · 25 May 2022]

I saw the very first TopGun36 years ago which is considered by now a classic. At the end of the original Top Gun , Stinger says to Maverick: How's it feel to be on the front page of every newspaper in the English-speaking world, even though the other side denies the incident? Congratulations.

Stinger: They gave you your choice of duty, son. Where do you think you want to go?

Maverick: I thought of being an instructor, sir.

Stinger: Top Gun?

Maverick: Yes, sir.

Stinger: God help us.

So here is Maverick back as a pilot instructor at Top Gun. I was very pleased to see Iceman in the film and the scene between Maverick and Ice was touching. The new pilots played by new such as actors Lewis Pullman, Monica Barbaro, Glenn Powell, Miles Teller and Jay Ellis, were very interesting and rich characters. The most interesting among was Bradley "Rooster" Brashaw who is the son of Nick "Goose" Bradshaw and there is even a flashback in the film where Maverick remembers what happens when "Goose" dies in his arms."Rooster" considered "Maverick" as responsible of the death of his father but at the end in the last fighting scene "Maverick" saves him and then "Rooster" saves "Mavrick" when Mav's plane is downed before his is downed. Both will fly back and return to their aircraft carreer on a old F14A Tomcat which brings more magic to the film, since during most of the film and since 2006 the Navy flies exclusively on EF/18A Super Hornet andwhen the the first Top Gun was filmed back in 1986 , the Navy was flying the Tomcat and "Goose" was "Maverick" 's RIO. The flight and combat scenes were truely outstanding, intense and realistic. At the beginning of the film, Maverick also flies a prototype which is the sucessor of the lockeed SR71, the SR72 at mach10.2 but then ejects because the plane is uncontrollable. Tom Cruise brings an incredible performance as an actor and a director. He really outdid himself in this movie. Specially mention to Jennifer Conelly who plays Penny who is not missing to evoke or making us remember the original character played by Kelly Mc Gillis back then. Finally, a special mention to Jon Hamm which I loved as Don Draper in Madmen, but who here plays a very jealous and envious admiral of Maverick's unbelievable and top level know how. I highly recommend this movie.

Wiseguy (1996 TV Movie)

A good follow up from the TV serie

[10/10 · 6 March 2022]

If you ever watched the TV series Wiseguy in the mid 80's early 90's , which was a huge hit this TV movie is worth to watch.

It was sadly Ken Wahl's last movie due a bad accident. Which is a shame because he was very well talented actor wo played the character of Vinnie Terranova very well. The movie has all the ingredients of the classic Wiseguy TV series.

If you are a fan of Ken Wahl and the Wiseguy series, this is definitely a must watch.

Copshop (2021)

great fun for a fast paced thriller

[8/10 · 11 January 2022]

If you are fan of Gerard Buttler and fast paced action with an interesting plot and a very interesting and intense gunfights then this movie is right for you. The characters are pretty interesting and the end is what you would not expect but it delivers.

Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022)

1 good reboot and closure for the dexter character

[9/10 · 9 January 2022]

The season starts by the check up control by Jim Lindsay aka Dexter by Chief Angela Bishop. Jim fells in love with the Chief and gets into a relationship. Jim works at a gunshop and a hunting store. One day, the son of a serial KillerKurt Kaldwell orders him a rifle. Dexter discovers that several murders of several women happened within this town. One day the son of Kurt Kaldwell, kill Dexter's white deer, Dexter kills him for not only his white Deer but for murdering women. Then Dexter's place is behing investigated. Dexter decides to get rid of the body and burn it. One day his Harrison decides to coem to town and discover who his father was. The relation is diffcult between them as after. Molly Park an investigative Journalist investigated the bay harbor butcher and goes to Angela to tell her about her theory about it. Also Kurt Caldwell is befriending Dexter son's Harrison in order to trap him later. Harrison reads and listen to Molly Park's blog about the Bay Harbor butcher and it is where he discovers that Jim is Dexter. During this times Kurt often promised food and shleter to girls with no where to sleep and eat ,then trapped them in a room where when he released them from this room, he would shoot them and put them in boxes as his trophies. In one of the episodes Dexter gets rid of a drug dealer by syringing him with drugs because his son was drugged. Angela digs deeper into the bay harbor butcher and contacts Angel Bastita regarding the bay Harbor Butcher. One day Dexter is kidnapped by Kurt Caldwell's men who hunts him across the woods but Kurt's man gets killed by Dexter, Kurt's man before his said that Kurt was willing to kill Harrison. Harrison was lured into a trap by Kurt who wanted to shoot him but luckily Dexter saved Harrison. After that Dexter vows to kill Kurt in front of Harrison . Kurt is Killed in front and before is reminded by Dexter all the women he has killed. The body of Kurt is then cut to pieces and burnt. Angela arrests Dexter in front of her son for murder and shows him proof that he is the bay harbor butcher, Dexter denies. Dexter finds a ruse to escape prison by killing Logan, he also tells Angela where all the dead bodies were stockpiled by Kurt. Angela discovers in shock teh gruesome collection of trophies that Kurt had but also that Molly was killed by Kurt . Dexter calls his son in order to arrange his escape from Iron Lake, then at the end his son blames him for all what happened and he shoots him in the heart. Then Angela finds Harrison who has killed his father, she lets him go free. Harrison drives out Iron Lake, while several police cars drive into Iron lake. It marks teh end of the season 1 Dexter New Blood. I don't see Jack Alcott taking the main character of dexter, I think unlike the past Dexter it is a one season. Season but with which characters, I think that without Michael C Hall, it won't be the same.

Dexter (2006–2013)

Your atypical crime series with a very atypical hero

[9/10 · 28 December 2021]

Dexter got me started 7 years ago and I stopped at season 4. I continued and watched the 4 remaining seasons on dvd. Dexter is a blood spatter analyst at the Miami Dade Police Departement where his sister Debra Morgan works as a cop. His dad Harry was a former Miami Dade Police Department Cop who taught him the code or how to kill someone while covering his track and not getting caught. Dexter's role is getting rid of criminals who slipped of the cracks from the justice system and get rid of them permanently. In the 7th season, Lieutenant Maria Laguerta suspects Dexter of being the bay Harbor butcher whiel releasing Dexter's mother killer and luring him into a trap. Debra kills Laguerta in order to defend Dexter and Dexter kills his mother's killer by manipulating evidence. Since that event Debra will know forever the Dark passenger from her brother. Also during the 7th season, Dexter fells in love with a female serial killer Hannah Mc Kay who was apprehended and then escaped. The 8th and last season was perhaps the most sad because Evelyn Vogel who has been a close friend of Dexter's father gets her throat slit by her own son Oliver Saxon (Brain Surgeon and Dr Vogel's mad son) who also killed many people in that season , Saxon while being arrested stabs a marshal and kills Dexter's sister with a gunshot. Dexter vowing to get rid off of Saxon , stabs him with a pen in the jugular and when fighting him in a prison interrogation room, the death of Oliver Saxon is ruled as self defense . During the most episode of season 8 Hannah makes also the rerurn of Mc Kay whom he felled in love returned to Miami. Dexter helps Hannah to escape Miami with Dexter's son Harrison. Dexter feels a lot of grief and blames himself for his sister's death and for al lwhat happened. After the Tornado hits Miami, a part of Dexter's boat slice of Life is found in the water but with zero traces of Dexter. Then 2 minutes later Dexter is shown alive and well doing the job of a lorry driver , then Dexter enters in a room, sits and thinks, then the final episode ends. The cast is solid from season till the end eve, if season 8 is somewhat less good than the other, Dexter is a very entertaining series. I can only recommend it.

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

A mererly reboot of the 1st Matrix

[5/10 · 27 December 2021]

A failed attempt to revive the success of the Matrix franchise. A lot of flashbacks fro mthe first Matrix but some characters such as Morpheus and Agent Smith when they are played by their original actors are completely ruining the plot and the atmosphere of the film. The fight scenes are ok but we are very far from the wonderful chroegraphed scenes from the 1st one The plot leaves a lot to be desired, I expected a whole lot more from this movie. The dialogues are not as good as in the first Matrix.

Spiral (2021)

Not as good as the previous movies

[3/10 · 24 July 2021]

As much as I liked saw and its sequel. This one had a bad cast, not so believable plot and several inconsistencies. Christ Rock and crime movies don't match together. As much there is gore in this one , there are several elements that don't make it as good nor as believable as the previou saw movies. I don't recommend to watch it if you are a fan of the saw movies.

Nobody (I) (2021)

quite and surprising and fast paced action movie

[9/10 · 13 June 2021]

This was the first time I saw a movie with Bob Odenkirk but what a great suprise it was. The Story and the plot were solid and the action was faced. The story beings as a man is being robbed in his house of his watch. Then he finds the perpetrators and force them to give his watch back. Then at one he takes bus and fights thugs which are part of russian mob and send them to hospital. The main character is former retired FBI official working as a seller in manufacturing plant but keep a liasion with a FBI agent. He is taking care of his dad living in a nursing home. When Yulian learns that his boys were sent to hospital by one men he sends his henchmen to kill Hutch Mansell. Hutch kills his agressors and make his family move away in order to protect them. Yulian the russian mob guy sends henchmen to kill Hutch's father, but Hutch father's plaed brilliantly by Christopher Loyd kills both of his agressor with a sawed off 12ga shotgun. Later in the film, Hutch kills the money laundering plant an 80% of the men of Yulian. The enf of the movie is a car chase followed by a violent gunfight like a mix of Die Hard and Max Payne. Outstanding performance from Bob Odenkirk and Christopher Loyd are definitely what make this movie so enjoyable and fun to watch.

Wrath of Man (2021)

another great guy ritchie movie

[10/10 · 13 June 2021]

I already saw the convoyeur back then went it went on the screens back then in 2004. But despite it was based on another level, Wrath of Man takes it to another much better level. More gritty, more dark and far more intense. Statham is not as talkative as he usually is but his dialogue is efficient and staightforward and his one liners are pretty outstanding.

Outstanding performance from Scott Eastwood as a villain. Also pretty impressive performance from Holt Mc Canally .The movie is a pretty grim heist/family loss and vengeance movie. The subplots are cleverly placed and the action fast paced. The result is a solid thriller with a nice vengeance ending. If you are a fan of Guy Ritchie and Statham work, this movie doesn't disappoint.

Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)

Outstanding finale and great martial arts film

[10/10 · 24 December 2019]

Perhaps the best chapter of the saga, where we can see master IP Man aging but still managing to defeat his opponent even if wounded severely. It is also a difference between two martial arts Win Chun Kung Fu and Karate. The film itself describes the racism and the bigotry of America of the 50's against immigrants too, also it also shows the strong relationship between IP Man and his son, a particular mention goes to the actor who plays Bruce Lee and who bears a striking resemblance with him but who also fights very spectacularly and beats a guy who wanted to challenge him. Donnie Yen is a spectacular martial artist, ditto for Scott Adkins (known from his role of Yuri Boyka in Undispited 2, 3 and 4). The finale scene was spectacular. I am giving it a 10/10 because the film delivers a strong message against prejudice but also because it was a thrilling and touching movie as well. Go watch it, you will not regret it.

Rambo: Last Blood (2019)

very fast paced and excellent moving action movie

[10/10 · 28 September 2019]

This is the perhaps the best rambo along with the first one. After having a girl that he considered as his daughter raped, drugged and hurt with stab wound by a gang of mexican cartels specilized in prostitution ring and human trafficking and who finally dies in his arm when returning home. Rambo decides to exact his revenge and kill every one of the gang members responsible of the death of the girl he loved. The action scenes are intense, gory and the key world in this rambo is revenge and rage when Rambo lost someone he loved and who he cared so much about. Rambo is badly hurt with bullet wound and dies while sitting peacefully in a rocking chair. A great action movie and definitely a very worthy and one of the best Rambos from the whole series. Go see it , you won't regret it

Bosch (2014–2021)

A brilliant solid crime series well adpated from the Michael Connolly novels

[10/10 · 3 August 2019]

I was stunned and very enthusiastic when I discovered this crime series. Not only it is a great adaptation of the Michael Connelly novels but the cast, the plots of the episodes is an absolute solid 10. I have watched all the five seasons in row. The seasons keep better and better over time. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to watch an awesome and very well made crime serie.

Mayans M.C. (2018–2023)

Slightly different from SOA but very addictive and more dark

[9/10 · 3 February 2019]

I was a huge fan of SOA, but this show despite being different got me addicted. You will find some similarities between SOA and see sometimes in the episodes members of SOA meeting Mayans. The cast is solid especially with Edward James Olmos which was already a star back in the 80's with Miami Vice, Michael Irby a star of the Unit,Dany Pino from Law & Order SVU, Michael Ornstein from SOA and Ray Mc Kinnon from SOA. Some of the SOA cast is here such as Chucky and Lincoln Potter who plays now an attorney. The main character is Ezekiel EZ Reyes who is a prospect but who has to care about his future and his family. The first season despite a slow start was very tense and gritty from episode 3 till episode 10. I highly recommend this show

The Following (2013–2015)

unusual and fast pacing

[9/10 · 2 February 2019]

Perhaps one of the very best thriller series and one of the best roles of Kevin Bacon tracking serial killers and cults before becoming a fugitive himself. The cast was brilliant and James Purefoy was brilliant too. I recommend this great show.

Chicago P.D. (2014– )

top notch TV show by Dick Wolf. Gritty, dark, violent and real, a good description of today's Chicago

[9/10 · 2 February 2019]

One of the very best cop shows made by Dick Wolf. The whole cast is top whether it comes to the actors and the characters they represent. Chicago in the real life is riddled and plagued by crime with thugs, ghetto gang bangers, drug pushers, pimps, gang wars, mafia and political subplots. The TV show describes it well and often the episodes are intense. Voigt and his crew goes off the book to solve crimes and Voigt uses questionnable methods to get what he wants. He even traps Denny Woods the conspirator of Olinsky's murder behind bars in a very subtle way at the end of the season 5. Tracy Spiridakos was a very nice surprise when she joined the show, cute chick too. I recommend this great show with likeable and very good actors.

FBI (2018– )

Could be much better but the blandness of characters kills the show

[6/10 · 2 February 2019]

Unfortunately unlike other Dick Wolf series like Law & Order SVU and Chicago PD, the main characters are bland and not enough tense, not enough realistic and not enough punchy.Missy Peregrym is no Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order or Marina Squerciati from Chicago PD.Zeeko Zaki despite being a promising actor isn't up to the level of Steven Cavanino of Law &Order SVU or John Patrick Fluger or Jesse Lee Sofer from Chicago PD.I remember Jeremy Sisto from the last seasons of Law & Order, ok actor but he will never be comparable to Jesse L Martin and Jerry Orbach. Yet in this series, he yells like a madman working at the New York exchange. The situation described in the episodes could be real but it lacks the punch, the violence and the action of Chicago PD or Law & Order SVU. Special mention to Sela Ward which used to be a star of CSI NY, her character is bland and quite useless. I hope that the next episodes will be of much better quality. Law & Order lasted 20 years not without reason.

Ironside (1967–1975)

An Iconic, timeless and classic cop series. Collier Young's masterpiece

[9/10 · 4 July 2017]

I have discovered back then Ironside when I was a child. I must have seen one or two seasons back then. Some months ago, I had an opportunity to buy the seasons on DVD, this is what I did and I watched all the 8 seasons. Raymon Burr's acting in Ironside is far superior than in Perry Meason. Ironside various episode featured and treated about civil rights problems, mob syndicates, political bribes, murder for hire and the Vietnam war. We will see evolve Mark Sanger', first Ironside's aid then becoming a cop and an attorney, also during the first four seasons the female officer was Eve Whitfield which I liked more than her successor Fran Belding. Some great guest stars like Joseph Campanella, Gary Collins, Vera Miles, Johnny Seven,Richard Anderson, William Shatner, Bill Bixby, David Carradine to name a few appeared in several episode. What was pleasing in Ironside was the use of rethorics and the way of leading an investigation. The plots in the different episodes were cleverly thought and the action was there. I recommend this series which is iconic and classic.

Ironside (1967 TV Movie)

the introduction to the cult series of collier young

[9/10 · 4 July 2017]

After being shot and left for dead near his house,Chief Ironside learns that he would never be able to walk again. He then decides to be a specific consultant fighting crime with his own team of handpicked assistants and policemen including Eve Whitfield and Sergent Brown. He will also introduce Mark Sanger to his team despite Mark dislikes cops and is reluctant. Ironside will discover and find who shoot him and left him paralyzed for the rest of his life. The action and the subplots were superb. Plus the filming on various the locations was done superbly. I recommend this film as a necessary introduction to the Ironside TV series.

Strike Back (2010–2020)

Fast paced, solid awesome action series about a special counter terrorism division of the MI6

[9/10 · 4 July 2017]

I discovered Strike Back then in 2011 when it could be watched on public channel from seasons 1 to 5. The season 1 wasn't as fast paced and so great the other four other seasons. The main protagonists during the 5 seasons are Sgt Michael Stonebridge, Sgt Damien Scott, Sgt Julia Richmond and some of the main characters are Major Sinclair died in the third season, Major Dalton died in the 4th season and Lt Col Philip Locke died in the 5th season. The action is fast paced and the plots are cleverly thought. The degree and the violence of gore is high in the scenes and the sex scenes are uncensored. Michael Stonebridge has the typical British phlegm and is almost insensitive when a chick charms him unlike his partner Damien Scott already engages a sexual relationship when a female agent or a chick charms him. Scott would be what we call politely a male slut.I guess that is because of the history of the character and what he had to endure in his past, make of him to have this flirty attitude and have a pleasure to escape the reality and the horror of war by short moments of happiness with women. The 5th season was the most intense and the most sad because, Julia Richmond and Philip Locke who were Scott and Stonebridge most loyal and faithful back ups die being killed by enemy fire. All the actors were brilliant and awesome in their roles, even the actors playing bad guys were doing their job very well.I highly recommend this series which is a step ahead of the Unit.

Lethal Weapon (2016–2019)

fun and interesting to watch

[9/10 · 5 May 2017]

I have seen all the lethal weapons movies with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, this adapted TV series is very fun and interesting to watch. It is also respecting the story of what made the success of the 4 movies. The actors are good and the episodes plots are interesting and solid. Some lethal weapon humor is also at the menu. I watched the three first episodes yesterday and was surprised of how good it was. Go for it and watch it, you won't be disappointed.

The Accountant (2016)

clever and very interesting movie

[9/10 · 3 May 2017]

I have watched this movie. It surprised me on many levels. It treated about a clever kid who because of his autism and his rigid education became one of the most efficient "accountant" for world's most criminal and nefarious organizations. Ben Affleck in this role really outdid himself. JK Simmons ,John Lightow, Anna Kendrick and Jon Bernthal played their roles very well. The movie also treats about another subject that family is everything

Kickboxer: Vengeance (2016)

Interesting and very watchable but not stellar

[8/10 · 2 May 2017]

It is not a bad movie in the sense of the whole meaning. But I would have preferred to see a guy like Scott Adkins having the main role. The choreography and the story line are fine but the problem with Alain Moussi is that when fighting Bautista , he doesn't give the will to use full force. Van Damme saves the goods by his fighting scenes with Moussi. The fight scenes between Bautista an Moussi are well choreographed.Watchable and enjoyable but not on par with the original

True Justice (2010–2012)

Solid action TV series not for the faint hearted

[9/10 · 9 March 2017]

I didn't have the chance to watch the TV series when it was on TV, so I bought it on DVD. First of all, the cast whether it concerns the first or the second season is solid and the acting is excellent. I have also discovered some Canadian as well as American actors and actress that I have never heard of before. The series tells the story in the first season about Elijah Kane former CIA and black ops agent who is now a member of the SIU (special intervention unit) of the Seattle PD.His team is composed of Mason, Radner, Juliet and Sarah who among the episodes catch and kill bad guys (drug dealers, Nazis, gang members, mafiosis, scum).Nicolai, one of the guys Kane caught will be the trigger of the attack on Kane's precinct at the end of the season 1 killing two of his best friends and partners Juliet and Radner.At the beginning of the season 2, we see Kane bury his friends and retiring from the police, in order to go undercover for the CIA and work with Marcus Mitchell, who will later be proved to be a sell out and to have betrayed Kane.He forms a new team with Sarah, Simms, Garcia and Finch with the help of his friend Castillo who recruited the last two members for him. Mason will get killed in the beginning of season2 by the ghost. Over the episodes in season 2, Kane kills the cuts outs and the expendables who might threaten him and his team, he also tracks who was at the head on the hit of his older team and discovers that Marcus was compromised and deals with another former army man called Lynch who wanted to steal a nuclear device.The end of the season 2 is sad because Castillo, one of Kane's oldest friends is critically wounded, Simms and Sarah wounded too, Garcia and the Russian female operative got arrested.And Kane says in his talkie walkie: "Operation went sideways. We got compromised." The fighting scenes are quite spectacular and for his age, Steven Seagal is in great shape, though his fighting style is very different from the one used by Van Damme, Scott Adkins, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li but it is always enjoyable to see. The shooting scenes are also well done. There is not a single shooting and killing bad guys scene where Steven Seagal hasn't a 1911 pistol. I think this series deserves a second chance because it has a lot of potential and it is completely different. Watching on DVD is what I can recommend.

Detective Malone (1991)

absolutely awful to watch

[4/10 · 4 February 2014]

This film should never have been made. It has a lot of scenes from Black cobra1 and 2 and it doesn't make any sense. The leader of the bikers was supposed to be dead and now he is back with his crew in the role of djihadists. We also see the well remembered scene of the phone call where the Iranian Doctor speaks with someone but in Black Cobra2, he was killed, so that didn't make any sense to put him back. Third scene is the home of Malone which was invaded in the first black cobra by a biker member, we see the same scene here but with the bad guy playing the role of djihadist, again another non sense. And the final scene where the djihadist leader seen as the biker leader in black cobra1 confronts Malone's colleague, wasn't he supposed to be dead in the end of Black Cobra 1?Do not watch it, it is a terrible movie, 4 out of 10