Movie review: Bloodshot

 After being killed, combat soldier Ray is resurrected by the RST corporation as the superhero Bloodshot. His blood replaced with nanites, Ray is nearly unstoppable and able to heal instantly. But RST still has control of his mind leading Ray to question reality.

Vin Diesel (Bloodshot), Eiza Gonzalez (KT), Sam Heughan (Dalton), Toby Kebbell (Axe), Talulah Riley (Gina), Lamorne Morris (Wigans), Guy Pearce (Harting), Johannes Johannesson (Baris), Alex Hernandez (Tibbs).

Bloodshot begins with the death of Ray and quickly after, his resurrection as Bloodshot. Brought back to life by RST and Harting, they retain control over his brain, resetting Ray after each mission. As Ray begins to question reality he focuses his new abilities on finding the truth where his new strength and ability to heal instantly prove him a formidable adversary. Much of the story moves along at a quick pace with plenty of action through the end.

Acting was okay with Diesel delivering his usual, but starting to show his age. Gonzalez was an enjoyable choice, did fairly well, and seemed to work well with others. Heughan was a perfectly annoying jerk, and Pearce delivered his shifty doctor role nicely. Morris was a great addition, bringing some much needed levity. The remainder of the cast was good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were reasonably well done with heavy VFX integration. Effects, physical and CGI, were pretty good with only a few overdone scenes that felt out of place. Dialogue was decent and moved things along fairly well. Sound and soundtrack are enjoyable.

With some sexuality, plenty of violence and gore, foul language, potentially disturbing scenes, save this for teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 9.15.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Comic Books and Superheroes, Sci-fi & Fantasy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Vacation Friends

 Marcus and Emily meet another couple on vacation in Mexico and quickly become friends, but the relationship becomes strange and awkward when they return home.

Lil Howery (Marcus), Yvonne Orji (Emily), John Cena (Ron), Meredith Hagner (Kyla), Robert Wisdom (Harold), Lynn Whitfield (Suzanne), Andrew Bachelor (Gabe), Tawny Newsome (Brooke), Barry Rothbart (Darren).

Vacation Friends begins with Marcus and Emily heading to Mexico for a much needed vacation. Within the first 10 minutes character introductions are mostly complete, plot setup achieved, the two couples have met, and the plot begins to unroll. From there the film is an active adventure as conservative Marcus and Emily are exposed to adventure and thrills by Ron and Kyla, their new friends. The film finally finishes with a Happy Ever After ending that is easily seen coming.

Acting was good with Howery and Orji delivering well and seeming to work well with others. Cena and Hagner were perfectly cast, fit their roles wonderfully, and delivered well. The remainder of the supporting cast added some depth and did well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are all well done with good use of natural scenery and a solid, realistic feel. Action and effects are fun and fitting. Dialogue is good with some nice humor and good movement. Sound and soundtrack are solid.

Vacation Friends is a fun, fairly fast moving comedy adventure that focuses on the fun first. With some decent laughs and fun storyline, those who enjoy light comedy should enjoy this one.

With some mild sexuality and foul language, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 9.13.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Voyeurs

 

When young couple Pippa and Thomas move into their dream apartment, they quickly realize they can see into their neighbors apartment across the street. Shortly after they realize the neighbors are frequently intimate and hardly shy, leading their curiosity into obsession.

Sydney Sweeney (Pippa), Justice Smith (Thomas), Ben Hardy (Seb), Natasha Bordizzo (Julia), Katharine So (Ari), Cameo Adele (Joni), Jean Yoon (Dr. Sato), Cait Alexander (Sam), Blessing Adedijo (Mere).

The Voyeurs begins innocently enough as Pippa and Thomas finally join their lives together, moving into their dream apartment. Almost as quickly, they realize they can easily see into the neighbors apartment across the street and the neighbors are not shy with their intimate activities. Before long, curiosity turns to obsession with Pippa and Thomas injecting themselves into their neighbors lives. From there the film is an interesting cat-and-mouse adventure with some great twists and tension.

Acting was good with Sweeney and Smith both delivering well. Hardy was interesting but really not likeable. Bordizzo was solid and enjoyable. So, Adele, and the reminder of the supporting cast were good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were solid with good variety and a realistic feel. Physical effects were good and fit the film nicely. Dialogue was enjoyable with nice depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are fitting.

The Voyeurs is an enjoyable, interesting, and entertaining film that blends intimacy with drama, mystery, and thrills along with a plot twist or two that add nice depth. Those who enjoy intense drama or unusual mysteries should enjoy this one.

With plenty of sexuality some of which is fairly graphic, nudity, adult situations, foul language, mild violence and gore, save this one for adults and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 9.13.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Erotic Thriller, Young Adult

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Attack the Block

 

When hostile alien monsters invade an inner city housing project in London a teen gang steps up to protect the tower block and their home. As the battle escalates, unlikely alliances are made in hopes of defeating the alien invaders.

John Boyega (Moses), Jodie Whittaker (Sam), Alex Esmail (Pest), Leeon Jones (Jerome), Franz Drameh (Dennis), Simon Howard (Biggz), Maggie McCarthy (Margaret), Danielle Vitalis (Tia), Jumayn Hunter (Hi-Hatz).

Attack the Block begins with some character introductions that also serve as plot setup and paint the setting for us. The aliens quickly arrive and engage with a teen gang living in a London tower block, and the gang quickly digs in to protect their home. From there the film is a fast and somewhat funny action adventure flick that moves long at a good pace without taking itself too seriously.

Acting was okay with Boyega delivering reasonably well. Whittaker delivered nicely and actually fit the film fairly well. Esmail, Jones, Howard, and the remainder of the supporting cast were reasonably good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were decent though a lot of darker scenes were challenging. VFX and creature effects were interesting and the film actually found a way to have alien monsters we could see without being able to see the alien monsters. Dialogue was okay and moved things along. Sound and soundtrack are fairly well done.

In the end Attack the Block is a fairly enjoyable sci-fi action adventure film with good technical work, acting, and a story that moves along well. Teens will likely enjoy this the most.

With a couple bits of mild sexuality, plenty of violence and gore, foul language, and potentially disturbing images, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2011
Reviewed: 9.13.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Aliens

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Grudge (2020)

 This sequel to the 2004 film with the same name continues following the story of a house cursed by an angry spirit that will hunt and kill anyone who enters.

Tara Westwood (Fiona), Junko Bailer (Ghost), David Brown (Sam), Andrea Riseborough (Muldoon), Demian Bichir (Goodman), Joel Garland (Greco), Lin Shaye (Faith), John Cho (Peter), Betty Gilpin (Nina).

After a young mother murders her family in her own home, Detective Muldoon investigates and finds the house is cursed by an angry spirit who hunts and brutally kills anyone who enters. Instead of solving a crime, Muldoon finds herself struggling to save her own life and that of her son as the relentless ghost now hunts them.

Acting was okay with Riseborough and Bichir delivering reasonably well. Bailer was solid, and Shaye delivered her usual. Cho was well cast and fit his role nicely. The remainder of the supporting cast was good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds all have a solid realistic feel and fit the film well. Action scenes and VFX were blended well and managed nicely. Dialogue was okay but could have used a bit more depth. Sound and soundtrack were somewhat lethargic.

The Grudge (2020) tries hard to extend the storyline from the original film with some related events and characters, but in the end the effort feels flimsy. Storyline aside, this version just never developed the energy of the original, even when relying on events and characters from the original film. A few surprise scares, but nowhere near the tension of the original.

With violence, gore, foul language, and disturbing images, save The Grudge (2020) for older teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 9.8.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Supernatural Horror, Thriller, Psychological Thriller

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Take Shelter

When Curtis begins having apocalyptic visions, he decides to build out the storm shelter in his back yard to protect his wife and deaf daughter. As the visions progress, he questions if it is him they need protecting from.

Michael Shannon (Curtis), Jessica Chastain (Samantha), Shea Whigham (Dewart), Tova Stewart (Hannah), Katy Mixon (Nat), Robert Longstreet (Jim), Ron Kennard (Russell), Scott Knisley (Lewis).

Take Shelter begins well enough with some character introductions and setup. The plot takes a while to show up as Curtis begins having unusual visions with growing intensity. Convinced a major storm is coming, he builds out the shelter in his back yard. While doing so, we learn more about his past and Curtis begins to question his sanity. The film feels like it wraps with multiple endings, none of which completely fit.

Shannon delivered very well in Take Shelter with a solid emotional performance. Chastain also did nicely with good fit and delivery. Whigham delivered as usual, and the remainder of the cast supported well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were all well done with a solid feel and nice use of background scenery. Physical and visual effects had good detail and fit for the film. Dialogue could have used a bit more but was okay. Sound and soundtrack were mild.

Overall acting by Shannon, if you are a fan, is the most entertaining part of this film. The film felt like it lacked energy and character engagement.

With some graphic violence, gore, and foul language, save this for older teens and above.

Released: 2011
Reviewed: 8.25.21
Star rating: 2 out of 3
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Indie Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel
 

Movie review: Jolt

 Lindy has an impulse control disorder resulting in strong rage and homicidal urges which she controls using an electrode system to shock herself. But when the new love of her life is murdered the electrodes come off.

Kate Beckinsale (Lindy), Jai Courtney (Justin), Stanley Tucci (Dr. Muchin), Bobby Cannavale (Vicars), Laverne Cox (Nevin), Gregory (Curtis), Ori Pfeffer (Delacroix), David Bradley (Fizel), Susan Sarandon (Woman).

Jolt begins with a bit of humor alongside character introductions and setup. Lindy now in love with new guy who is promptly murdered, the film turns a bit darker. As Lindy forgoes electricity in favor of action, the energy ratchets up a notch and things get slightly more interesting as the storyline gains depth. The film wraps with an unusual ending that seems to try and tie up loose ends, or setup for a sequel.

Beckinsale was decent in this one in a role that seemed to fit her pretty well. Courtney was also well cast and delivered solidly, as did Tucci in a lighter role. Cannavale was good as always, and the remainder of the cast supported well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were good, including darker scenes of which there are plenty. Action was well managed, as were visual effects. Dialogue was good but it would have been enjoyable for the humor to continue throughout the film. Sound and soundtrack are nicely done.

While Jolt is unlikely to win any awards, it is a light action thriller that moves along at a decent pace. Acting is reasonably good, as is technical work, and the plot has just enough depth. Those who enjoy milder action violence should enjoy this one.

The film has some sexuality, quite a bit of violence, and plenty of foul language so save it for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 8.25.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Thriller, Action & Adventure

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel