Action
Jurassic World Rebirth Review
If you grew up in the ’90s, Jurassic Park (1993) probably left eternal claw marks on you. Maybe you saw it at the cinema, maybe you wore out your VHS tape at home—but either way, you likely remember the awe of that brachiosaurus rising up, like you were right there in the Jeep, and the sheer terror of raptors stalking through the kitchen. Directed by Gareth Edwards and co-written by David Koepp (w...
F1 Review
F1: The Movie has started revving its engine, ready to race into cinemas this week. With director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) and legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) behind the wheel, F1 fans are hoping this film will cross the finish line in first place – encapsulating all the drama and spectacle they come to expect from Formula 1, while paying ...
Ballerina Review
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina is the latest chapter in the ever-expanding John Wick universe. The action/thriller stars Ana De Armas as freshly trained assassin Eve Macarro, who sets out on an epic revenge mission after the murder of her father. Fans of the action franchise, like myself, are hoping that this new assassin, Eve, can proudly stand tall next to the legendary Baba Yaga himself...
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Review
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is the latest and (supposedly) final entry in the long-running espionage film series, with an impressive and lengthy run that spans almost 30 years. Tom Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie and crew are all hoping to go out with a bang! Before heading into Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, I sat and watched the entire Mission: Impossible f...
The Accountant 2 Review
After nearly a decade of waiting, the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s The Accountant has finally arrived. Director Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant) brings back all the familiar faces in this action-packed follow-up to the original, hoping to up the stakes whilst keeping true to what made the 2016 action thriller so popular. I’m a massive fan of The Accountant (2016). Its slick, gritty and bruta...
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Review
Jeff Fowler and his familiar fast band of hyperactive heroes return to Aussie cinemas this boxing day, with Sonic The Hedgehog 3. A surprisingly decent animated action flick with enough juice to please everyone. Some mild spoilers to follow. Don’t worry if you’ve missed the first and second entries in this franchise, adapted from the Sega video game series. The story opens with enough information ...
Gladiator II Review
Ridley Scott marks his return to Ancient Rome with Gladiator II – twenty four years after the release of his Oscar-winning Gladiator (2000). With a plot following directly on from the 2000 epic, Scott provides a sequel aiming to captivate a new generation of moviegoers – while hoping to live up to the high standards set by its predecessor. Having rewatched Gladiator in preparation for ...
Venom: The Last Dance Review
This is not your average superhero movie, this is not trying to be. This is violent, this is cringe, this is silly, this is fun. This is Venom. Hinted to be this iteration of Venom’s last hurrah, Venom: The Last Dance is co-written by director Kelly Marcel and lead actor Tom Hardy. Marcel has been the lead writer for the past two Venom movies and she maintains the same incredibly unique tone whil...
Hellboy: The Crooked Man Review
As a keen fan of the Hellboy films, I was thrilled when I heard that the franchise was getting another instalment with Hellboy: The Crooked Man. My excitement compounded with the news that the plot of the film was lifted directly from the Dark Horse Comic books by Mike Mignola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Christopher Golden and director Brian Taylor. Surely this delightfully detailed folk-hor...
Transformers One Review
While audiences might be approaching the release of Transformers One with trepidation, after being burnt out by the repetitive trend of more explosions than plot in recent films from the franchise, however like the Transformers slogan, there is definitely more than meets the eye with this film. Welcome to the origin story of our favourite arch nemeses, Optimus Prime and Megatron. From the outset ...
Ka Whawhai Tonu Review
Struggle without End. Director Mike Jonathan (Cinematographer, The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari) recreates the historic battle of Ōrākau Pā, Aotearoa,1864. Where local Maori tribes unite in a last stand against Colonial forces’ ongoing confiscation of land, desecration and general campaign of violent disrespect. Ka Whawhai Tonu is predictably grim in its presentation of Maori strength and s...
Twisters Review
Twisters lands in Australian cinemas this week, nearly 30 years after the previous instalment in the Universal Studios franchise. Here’s hoping that this new film isn’t just a nostalgic trip down memory lane, but instead a worthy successor to its blockbuster predecessor. My experience with the original Twisters is pretty minimal. I saw the film years ago when I was young, but I didn...