Change Your Image
amblertom
Reviews
Hannibal (2013)
Original, visually stunning, with a poetic if not flawed script
The first two series are great. The last one is a let down and rushed. Should have finished on the last episode of season 2, that would have been perfect. Mads Mickleson is superb as Hannible. Far less hammed up than Hopkins version in the movie. It takes a while to get into the characters amongst all the gore in the first few episodes so stick with it. Season 2 excels. Then for some reason they introduce 2 more serial killers in Mason Verger and the Red Dragon. Both of whom are ridiculously over the top characters that actually spoil the serious drama. I thought the acting of the Verger character was terrible. I couldn't take it seriously. Not surprised it self destructed and failed to get a 4th series, but the first 2 were well worth the effort.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
Cliched ridden blockbuster
It had the makings of a decent action thriller, with no mean budget, but it delivered one dimensional characters that were just too unbelievable. The two villains were a joke! They were so awful, yet wooden, it just didn't wash. And the story line seemed secondary to the more interesting tension and visuals of the wildfire. If it had simply been a thriller based of man versus fire it might have succeeded.
Angelina Jolie is also unbelievable. With a pretty poor script to work with, her tough lady image was weak. I find it strange when a movie quite clearly has a decent budget and some decent actors to work with but puts so little effort goes into character development or story line.
Better Call Saul (2015)
Potential for greatness but falls short
I loved Breaking Bad... so this was highly anticipating this and it started well. Superb acting, brilliant script and well shot. Character driven and with the twin track story line it built up well. However, as with so many series, it ran out of steam and I felt the story line started repeating itself, with too many filler episodes. The cartel story line became boring and Sauls legal journey didn't seem to be going anywhere. I wanted to keep loving it but I'm afraid after series 3 I started to get bored.
It should have wrapped up the whole thing within 3 series as it didn't have substance to carry it beyond that. Mikes character also wasn't explored enough, so I didn't few I knew him any better even towards the end.
The Control Room (2022)
Totally annoying
The basic precedence is ok but it soon gets ridiculous. The main protagonists' decision making is stupid. And more annoying is the fact that whatever the back story between the main guy and Sam was, we don't get told, whilst everyone else on screen seems to know and is reacting to it. I can deal with that for a while but it got annoying that we are not told what's happened between them. Whilst it is pacey I found myself bored. Overrated.
Ojing-eo geim (2021)
Addictive original film making
Incredibly original and risky tv and not for the faint hearted. Dark, outrageous and ridiculously addictive. The only annoying thing was the terrible acting from the VIP Western actors. A real oversight on the casting but apart from that a great rollercoaster ride.
Mojave (2015)
Good in theory not on film
Interesting idea and had all the ingredients for a tense thriller but I'm afraid I was bored. Main issue was I struggled to like or care about the main protagonist, who lacked charisma or anything interesting to say. The script was bad and as for his decision making in the desert... Just annoying. The quiet slow start actually irritated me and I will have to admit I switched off after 60 min. Life is too short with so many other movies to check out. Its irrelevant if it picked up after that as it doesn't justify the first hour that I will never get back!
The Bike Thief (2020)
Way to slow
I wanted to like it but didn't get passed 50min.... Too bored.. Call me a philistine but at least I got to 50min 🙄. Characters lacked any depth or reason to keep watching. Did any of it matter?
Walking Out (2017)
Nice cinematography...but a little slow
All the ingredients to attract me to it in the first place, wilderness, great scenery, father/son adventure, grizzly bears...etc. The acting was good and the plot basic, although if told the right way that wouldn't have mattered, but it sagged too much in the middle. It plodded along without enough drama. I'm afraid I sinfully skipped forward 20mins as i could see the pattern ahead and wanted to get there quicker! Maybe I'm just impatient or maybe that says it all. But a shame, as it had potential to be better.
Into the Storm (2014)
Predictable but entertaining
Simple. Action sequences were very good which is why I watched it as I love storms, but the dialogue in between awful, so I ended up forwarding to the good bits by the end. No decent character development.... Which I kind of anticipated so once confirmed it was just a case of watching the tornado action lol.
Knives Out (2019)
Good old fashioned story telling
Ha. What a blast. Good old fashioned who dunnit. Nothing to complicated or over done, but we'll paced, amusing and well plotted. Daniel Craigs accent is utterly rediculous but eventually you get used to it, and of course he is always good value. So all in all very entertaining.
Into the Grizzly Maze (2015)
Popcorn killer bear movie
Ok so its entertaining in parts and trundles along at a reasonable pace. The script is non existent really, just a generically crafted Hollywood formula, lacking the injection of wit that some benefit from. The characters are again fairly generic, good looking yet dull, apart from Billy Bob Thornton who provides us with a more eccentric and amusing personality. The bear action is quite well done and very much needed in order to hold the attention, but overall its a popcorn killer bear movie and nothing more. If anyone likes killer bears and something more substantial I would recommend The Edge with Anthony Hopkins. Its a worthy thriller!
The Boat (2018)
Hard slog with little reward
Its brave to make a film with no script and one actor. OK so the budget is minimal but you really need one hell of a director and an actor that can carry the film throughout...with screen presence. Unfortunately we have neither in this film. The protagonist is more wooden than the boat he's in and the director failed to make the story of any real interest really, it never picks up pace. The actor doesn't help as I couldn't care less what happened to him too be honest. The boat had the most charisma. The only mystery in this film is how it got made in the first place.
La nuit a dévoré le monde (2018)
boring! could've been good.
Another take on the zombie apocalypse - which I was completely open minded too, but this trod over old ground when it had the chance be creative and different. Along with that - the film plodded along painfully slowly never emerging from its own self indulgence. I stuck with it, but should have followed my gut and dropped out at 40 mins.
Den of Thieves (2018)
Light hearted thriller if not predictable
Again a half decent attempt at something a little different but succumbs to the same old problem of poor character development. What could have been a good thriller had the leads been a mix of real personalities but instead we get the same old American macho meatheads that basically mean I couldn't care less who gets killed. With Butler's lead the worst of the bunch. A decent yarn for a night in.
Triple Frontier (2019)
A good action film spoilt by dumb characters!
This film does what it says on the tin in that it's a good action film, nicely shot in some great locations - with what should be a good old fashioned action romp. What lets it down badly is the dated, cloned all American characters that have about as much personality as the cans of cold supermarket beers they like to drink. From the off I am not remotely warmed to any of them so the film fails to connect on any emotional level. Whilst entertaining in parts it doesn't enable itself to lift out of the bog standard drivel ...perpetuated by a bland and forgetful script. Some real characters and a bit more humour in the narrative would have given this the injection it needed. Shame.