Quickie sequels are not a strange concept to 21st-century audiences, with studios routinely forcing follow-ups to successful movies within a year or two of their predecessor. But 1933's The Son of Kong was developed, filmed and released in the same year as the enormously successful King Kong, hitting cinemas a mere nine months after its iconic predecessor. RKO Radio Pictures wanted to release the sequel in time for Christmas, bringing back directors Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper, screenwriter Ruth Rose, composer Max Steiner and several others to accomplish the seemingly impossible within a six-month production period. With a few familiar faces also returning, The Son of Kong is fascinating from a historical perspective and is worth watching for its minor highlights, but it pales in comparison to the highly influential King Kong.


A month after Kong fell to his death from the Empire State Building following his destructive rampage through the city, Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) faces numerous lawsuits and is on the verge of indictment by a grand jury. Escaping prosecution, Denham leaves New York City aboard the Venture, which is still under the command of Captain Englehorn (Frank Reicher), who also fears legal action against him if he stays. After failing to make much money moving cargo around Asia, Denham and Englehorn arrive at the port of Dakang, where they encounter Nils Helstrom (John Marston), the Norwegian captain who initially sold Denham the map to Skull Island. Helstrom convinces Denham and Englehorn that there is a treasure on Skull Island they can retrieve together, but this is only a ploy to dupe the men to take him away from Dakang to prevent his prosecution for the death of Mr. Petersen (Clarence Wilson). The voyage soon gains a stowaway in Petersen's daughter, Hilda (Helen Mack), who winds up accompanying Denham, Englehorn, Helstrom and the ship's cook (Victor Wong) when the crew of the Venture stage a mutiny. The group soon arrive on the shores of Skull Island, where they encounter a large albino gorilla who, presumably, is Kong's son.

Screenwriter Ruth Rose (who co-wrote King Kong and was married to Ernest B. Schoedsack) knew the sequel had no chance of equalling the first film, let alone surpassing it, and instead concentrated on making it funnier. The Son of Kong is knowingly goofy and tongue-in-cheek, with the characters even finding Kong's son within minutes of landing on the island, a laughable notion after the ape was nowhere to be seen in the original picture. Beyond Denham landing his boat a bit further up the island, the script offers no explanation about where Little Kong was hiding during the first film's events. Indeed, Rose's script knowingly leans into the goofiness, never even trying to recapture the emotional core or heart of King Kong. In one scene, Little Kong scratches his head and shrugs at the camera, seemingly breaking the fourth wall, which reflects the non-serious tone. Little Kong also acts embarrassed when he sees Denham and Hilda kissing, and the scene of the pair bandaging the ape's finger is more amusing than touching. Furthermore, the storytelling is less assured than the first picture, with The Son of Kong struggling to maintain interest in the lead-up to the return to Skull Island. However, the screenplay does contain some fascinating ideas, including the Skull Island natives blaming Denham for Kong destroying their village and making it clear that he is not welcome.


Willis H. O'Brien returned to oversee the stop-motion animation for this sequel, though traumatic personal circumstances and frustrations with Cooper and Schoedsack reduced his involvement, as the animator seldom showed up for work. In his stead, Buzz Gibson (O'Brien's assistant on King Kong) finished the animation. Especially due to the time constraints, The Son of Kong features significantly fewer special effects sequences than its predecessor, with the characters arriving on Skull Island at the 40-minute mark of the 70-minute picture. Planned sequences were abandoned, including a dinosaur stampede during the climactic cyclone/earthquake on Skull Island that never made it past the scripting stage. Schoedsack was the sole director for The Son of Kong, as Cooper lost interest in the project after finding out about the reduced budget (less than half of King Kong's budget) and fast turnaround time, instead serving as an executive producer.

Despite the accelerated production schedule, the special effects throughout The Son of Kong remain impressive for the most part, with the crew once again using matte paintings, miniatures and rear-screen projection to portray Skull Island and integrate the live-action actors with the animated creatures. Notable set pieces include a large Styracosaurus chasing a group of characters into a cave and a prehistoric cave bear fighting Little Kong. Although these scenes display an unnerving edge with the ferocious roars of the creatures, the picture's goofiness also shines through, with Steiner's intense music turning to something more playful as Little Kong bumps his head on some rocks during the scuttle. To distinguish Little Kong (or "Kiko") from his father, the ape is albino with white fur and is understandably smaller than King Kong. Little Kong's armature is actually a repurposed Kong puppet from the original film.


Despite RKO's desperate attempt to recapture King Kong's commercial success by striking while the iron was hot, The Son of Kong was only a moderate success, grossing a bit over twice its budget and not coming close to replicating the box office earnings of its predecessor. One supposes that the comparatively underwhelming commercial performance dissuaded RKO from pursuing any further sequels, with the King Kong franchise subsequently lying dormant until Toho used the character in the 1960s and Dino De Laurentiis produced a King Kong remake in 1976. Without ever coming close to the heights of its predecessor, The Son of Kong is a watchable epilogue that remains a competent showcase for the era's groundbreaking stop-motion special effects. Just skip past the first 40 minutes and start watching when the characters reach Skull Island. It feels like half-hearted leftovers, but at least it's sometimes fun. Interestingly, Robert Armstrong reportedly preferred The Son of Kong over the original film because the sequel focuses more on Denham, with the film director becoming the story's protagonist and receiving a happy ending in which he gets the girl. It is doubtful any viewers will share his opinion.

6.1/10

Despite The Inbetweeners creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris designing and intending 2011's The Inbetweeners Movie to serve as a theatrical finale for the beloved television show, the immense commercial success immediately prompted sequel talks. Beesley and Morris return to oversee the screenplay again, though this time they take over directorial duties from veteran The Inbetweeners director Ben Palmer (who was busy with 2015's Man Up). 2014's The Inbetweeners 2 takes the quartet of eponymous British horndogs to Australia, where they find themselves in awkward situations at nightclubs, hostels, water parks and even the outback, encountering all sorts of local Aussie icons during their travels, including backpackers and bogans. Despite containing isolated comedic highlights, The Inbetweeners 2 is more hit-and-miss than its predecessor, with an uneven narrative flow and a lack of heart. The magic of The Inbetweeners is noticeably starting to fade.


Picking up an undisclosed amount of time after The Inbetweeners Movie, this sequel checks in with Will (Simon Bird) and Simon (Joe Thomas), who are studying at University, while Neil (Blake Harrison) works in a bank and Jay (James Buckley) is living in Australia for a gap year. Three of the boys are single again, while Jay is intensely unhappy in his relationship with the obsessive and abusive Lucy (Tamla Kari). After Jay sends an email bragging about his successes in the land Down Under, his three friends decide to fly to Sydney for a visit. Although Jay was lying and exaggerating about his lifestyle, the boys set out to make the most of their time together in Australia. After Will reunites with a former private school friend, the attractive Katie (Emily Berrington), the four lads begin their holiday with a trip to Byron Bay, sparking a series of misadventures that eventually lead them to the Australian Outback.

Since The Inbetweeners 2 involves Will, Simon and Neil taking up Jay's offer to visit him despite his outlandish, clearly unbelievable claims about his exploits in Australia, the story contains shades of the episode The Caravan Club, though the results are far less successful. By necessity, The Inbetweeners 2 rolls back the happy ending of The Inbetweeners Movie, with things not having worked out between the boys and their respective girlfriends. The development may not sit right for fans, especially those wanting a happy and definitive ending for the boys. Lucy's character assassination is likewise an uneasy development, turning the affectionate and endearing character from the first movie into a cheating psycho. The dynamic never yields meaty laughs, making it feel all the more unnecessary.


Despite its flaws, Beesley and Morris thankfully devise several memorable comedic set pieces for The Inbetweeners 2, consistently pushing the boundaries with scenes involving poo, urine, vomit, and all manner of vulgar language. The Splash Planet sequence is the movie's comedic highlight, feeling like classic Inbetweeners through and through, including the side-splitting use of Adagio in G Minor. The picture is at its strongest during the first two acts, as the pacing is mostly brisk, and the flick recaptures the magical spark of the series and previous movie, delivering laughs with relative ease. Beesley and Morris still understand what makes The Inbetweeners funny, allowing Jay to go nuts with his crude dialogue while awkward situations abound, especially as Will continually gets into trouble. The script also pokes fun at things like expensive mobile phone charges while overseas. However, the laughs are distinctly more intermittent than previous Inbetweeners outings, with only a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments. More pertinently, the film is less successful once it transitions to the Australian Outback during the third act, as the pacing grinds to an unmistakable halt and the sense of fun wanes.

The Inbetweeners 2 takes advantage of shooting in Australia, showing off picturesque locations in Circular Quay, Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, and the expansive Australian Outback. (Reportedly, the directors considered filming in South Africa, but this thankfully did not come to pass. The authenticity of the Australian locations greatly contributes to the charm.) With the film retaining cinematographer Ben Wheeler (who shot The Inbetweeners Movie and several episodes of the original series), the visuals carry an appropriate cinematic gloss to ensure it does not look like a glorified television movie. There are fun visual flourishes at times, such as a single-shot tour of Jay's (fictitious, fantastical) Australian lifestyle and the shadowy opening credits featuring some of the boys in Harry Potter outfits. The actors give it their all, with the four boys slipping back into their infamous roles effortlessly. Simon Bird again provides voiceover throughout the movie, and the cast features several returning performers from the original series, including Belinda Stewart-Wilson as Will's mother and the inimitable David Schaal as Jay's outspoken father. Also joining the cast is recognisable Australian actor David Field (Chopper, Gettin' Square), who's hilarious as Jay's Uncle Bryan, bringing an authentic Aussie flavour to the character. Another top-notch addition is Anthony Simcoe, who steals the show despite appearing only briefly towards the end of the film as a foul-mouthed outback farmer.


Presumably concluding The Inbetweeners for good (such crude, offensive content would probably not fly anymore), The Inbetweeners 2 does not devise a stereotypically happy ending for the boys. The conclusion is optimistic, but they all remain single, though this ending feels more in keeping with the show's modus operandi. It is a shame that The Inbetweeners 2 is such a mixed bag, particularly considering how much material was excised to craft the movie's final 92-minute runtime (the Blu-ray contains 35 minutes of deleted scenes). There is just enough here to justify watching it at least once, but it is not as rewatchable as the preceding film.

6.2/10

Indescribably touching and almost unbearably poignant, 2024's Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story chronicles the life of Superman actor Christopher Reeve from his early career all the way through to the horseback riding accident that changed everything. Using archival recordings from Reeve's audiobooks, the documentary allows the actor to narrate his own life, providing insight into his personal life and philosophies, interspersed with fascinating home video footage showing the actor at his most natural and comfortable. Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, along with editor and co-writer Otto Burnham, create a comprehensive picture of Reeve's life in a non-linear fashion, using newly filmed interviews as well as archival film clips, photographs, interviews, talk show excerpts, and news broadcasts. Super/Man delivers ample content during its brisk 104-minute duration, never lingering too long while covering topics and segments in sufficient detail.


The production of 1978's Superman understandably receives the most attention, covering the search for someone to play the role, screen-testing Reeve, and key points throughout the production, such as the hero's first flight. Archival footage of the late Richard Donner meaningfully enhances these segments. Understandably, the documentary also heavily concentrates on Reeve's horseriding accident and what happened afterwards. With Reeve enduring a high-level spinal cord injury, the actor pondered his mortality and desired to end his life before his wife, Dana Reeve, reassured him, which gave him the strength to persevere. Super/Man explores the logistics of Reeve's expensive medical care that required 24-hour nursing care and highlights the support he received as Hollywood rallied around him.

Bonhôte and Ettedgui interview a range of participants, including all three of Reeve's children (Matthew, Will, and Alexandra) and key figures in the actor's life, from actors (such as Jeff Daniels, Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon) to family, Superman producer Pierre Spengler, and more. The documentary includes archival footage of Robin Williams, who lived with Reeve during his early career when they both studied at Julliard School in New York City and was among his closest friends. Williams gives the documentary valuable moments of humour and levity, and it renders the footage of the distraught actor at Reeve's funeral even more heartwrenching. Perhaps the documentary leaves a few stones unturned (Reeve's Superman co-star, the late Margot Kidder, is not even mentioned despite being a close friend of his), but this is a minor quibble.


Instead of blind worship or a vanilla recount of the performer's life, Super/Man does touch upon his shortcomings, including the disintegration of his relationship with Gae Exton (the mother of two of his first children), whom he did not want to marry, and his perspective on people with disabilities before the accident. The lowest points of Reeve's career are covered, including the legendarily maligned Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, and it is fascinating to see the actor returning to acting and trying his hand at directing films after his paralysis. The documentary also delves into the actor's activism, as Reeve started the Christopher Reeve Foundation (later the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation) in the mid-1990s to raise money for stem cell research and explore cures for spinal cord injuries. Despite the foregone conclusion of Reeve's tragic death in 2004, the feature still leaves you hoping that Reeve will overcome his spinal injury and walk again, especially as he showed improvement later in his life with the ability to move one of his fingers.

After spending significant time watching Reeve in his personal and professional life, the actor's inevitable passing is overwhelmingly emotional. Although basic details of Reeve's death are available on websites like Wikipedia, it is incredibly affecting to hear the story firsthand from his children, who add immediacy and depth to their recount of what happened. But the story does not end there, with Super/Man also covering Dana's passing less than two years later. Despite the headiness of this material, the picture ends on an uplifting note, underscoring Reeve's legacy with the continuing work of his foundation and incorporating one last voiceover as the late actor speaks about his definition of the term "hero." Technically the first production from the newly established DC Studios, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is an incredible documentary and one of 2024's best movies.

9.2/10

It is a challenging time to be a J.R.R. Tolkien fan, with Amazon's streaming series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power coming across as poor, lifeless fanfiction that grossly mishandles the lore, showing no respect or reverence for the acclaimed source material. Competing with Amazon, 2024's The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim ostensibly ticks all the boxes to win back lapsed fans due to the involvement of Wētā Workshop as well as Lord of the Rings screenwriter Philippa Boyens, with the prequel adapting material from Tolkien's extensive appendices. (Peter Jackson's name is attached as an executive producer, but this is merely tokenistic; he only joined a few months before the film's release.) But instead of a lavish theatrical event worthy of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, The War of the Rohirrim - with a meagre $30 million budget - solely exists for New Line to retain the film rights to Tolkien's work, and it often feels like corporatised content. Furthermore, switching from live-action to animation is a shaky proposition, and the resulting picture looks and feels more like a straight-to-video animated movie (like the company's animated DC productions) than a grand theatrical event.


Taking place nearly 200 years before the War of the Ring, The War of the Rohirrim is the story of Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), the legendary king of Rohan. Helm has two sons, Haleth (Benjamin Wainwright) and Hama (Yazdan Qafouri), while his daughter, Héra (Gaia Wise), is rebellious and adventurous. Freca (Shaun Dooley), a Dunlending lord, visits Rohan's great hall to forcefully request that Héra marry Freca's son, Wulf (Luca Pasqualino). However, Héra is wholly uninterested in marrying Wulf, and Helm insults Freca, leading to a fight outside the hall that results in Freca's death from a single punch. Wulf vows revenge, departing Rohan for years and becoming the High Lord of the Dunlendings, a tribe of Wildmen who live on the plains of Dunlend. After Wulf invades Rohan, Héra evacuates the city, leading the people of Edoras to the stronghold of the Hornburg, where they intend to make their last stand against the Dunlendings.

Turning to the appendices to explore more stories within Middle-earth, the four credited screenwriters (Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, Arty Papageorgiou, and Boyens's daughter, Phoebe Gittins) expand mere ideas into a complete narrative, moving away from Frodo, Bilbo and the One Ring to explore Rohan's past. The War of the Rohirrim is at its best during the first twenty minutes or so, with the screenplay closely adhering to the material from the appendices, down to Helm insulting Freca's weight. The first act also establishes how Helm earns his "Hammerhand" nickname in a highly badass moment, and Cox's vocal performance is exceptional, bringing regalness and authority to Rohan's great ruler. Unfortunately, the movie does not concentrate enough on Helm, relegating him to a supporting character in his own story. There are memorable highlights when Helm engages in combat, but the picture glosses over one particularly crucial moment in the third act, abruptly cutting to the aftermath of what should be a stirring extended battle featuring the legendary king fighting scores of Dunlendings.


The screenplay strives to recreate the style of dialogue from Tolkien's novels and the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, but this sometimes results in the movie straight-up copying dialogue ("His eye will be fixed on me") or conspicuously rewording iconic lines ("We will paint the dawn red"). The recycled dialogue is obvious to the point of distraction for die-hard fans of the trilogy. Additionally, The War of the Rohirrim's storytelling lacks gravitas, with the pace slowing down tremendously during the second half, making the 134-minute runtime sometimes feel like a slog. Unfortunately, Héra is not a sufficiently compelling protagonist, and it makes no sense for her to be smarter than the battle-hardened male warriors surrounding her. Plus, the narration positing that the old songs exclude Héra makes no logical sense as she is the narrative's key driving force, achieving more than her father. There is a groan-worthy, uneasy implication that Héra's gender resulted in her exclusion from tales and songs despite Middle-earth stories featuring numerous female characters (Elwing, Lúthien, Tar-Ancalimë, Aredhel, and so on).

Thankfully, pieces of The War of the Rohirrim do work, including the characters spreading rumours about Helm becoming a supernatural being and the climactic siege of the Hornburg. The picture connects to the Lord of the Rings trilogy with little touches that fans will appreciate, such as including two orcs (voiced by Billy Boyd and Dominic Monahan) searching for rings under orders from Mordor. Saruman the White also appears in a brief cameo, with the team using an archival recording of Christopher Lee's distinctive voice. Miranda Otto is another significant connection to the trilogy; her inclusion is among the movie's biggest assets. The narration is wonderfully poetic and involving, with Otto providing a spirited and involving vocal performance. Fortunately, the rest of the voice cast gives it their all, with British actor Luca Pasqualino giving Wulf an effective villainous edge while Gaia Wise is an engaging Héra. The material and pacing do not always serve the performers, but the cast makes a positive impression nevertheless.


The visual design of The War of the Rohirrim is striking, as the picture faithfully recreates locations, sets, creatures and costumes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy (old Wētā models were even used for reference), making it all the more disappointing that the movie is not live-action. However, the animated characters are not as successful, with the animation alternating between serviceable and extremely slipshod. The characters were brought to life through motion capture instead of rotoscoping, but character movements in some scenes look alarmingly unnatural and stiff. More than 60 companies worked on the animation to complete the picture on time, making the mixed quality somewhat unsurprising. Despite the release date delays ostensibly implying the filmmakers wanted the time to execute the film to the highest standard, it still looks incomplete at times, though it still does deliver some awe-inspiring visuals at times. Although the battles are not on the same level as the Peter Jackson films, director Kenji Kamiyama (Blade Runner: Black Lotus, Star Wars: Visions) executes a few fluid and exciting action beats, and it is undeniably thrilling to see Rohirrim soldiers battling the Dunlendings. However, even though the music by Stephen Gallagher (who was the music editor for the Hobbit trilogy) occasionally works, it, for the most part, sounds like a pale, uninspiring imitation of Howard Score's iconic compositions from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Hoping to cash in on the popularity of the still-popular Lord of the Rings films, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim amounts to a mishmash of popular elements from the original trilogy, from a Rohirrim charge (complete with dialogue mirroring what Théoden said during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields) to a siege of Helm's Deep and the inclusion of familiar Middle-earth creatures, such as mûmakil, the eagles, Crebain from Dunlend, and a Watcher in the Water. However, although the prequel fills in some gaps and delivers a few worthwhile sequences, especially when revisiting familiar locations, it does not coalesce into a satisfying or emotionally stimulating whole, resulting in an uneven 134 minutes that struggles to maintain interest. For a movie about battle, it lacks urgency. The movie is simultaneously not as bad as fans might have feared, but it is not the masterpiece it had the potential to be.

6.0/10

For all intents and purposes, 2002's The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course should not work, and the film's predominantly harsh critical reception reflects this notion. However, through an agreeable combination of its early-2000s charm and good-natured tone, the film works marvellously and has only improved with time. Collision Course is a feature-length expansion of Steve Irwin's The Crocodile Hunter television series, with director John Stainton (in his feature-film debut) creating the picture by mixing documentary-style segments with an incredibly goofy, broad narrative involving cartoon villains and CIA agents. The picture leans into its inherent ridiculousness, allowing the one-of-a-kind, wildlife-loving titular showman to engage in his trademark shtick, creating comedy with ease. The result is lightweight, enjoyable fun. Although imperfect, it is a joy to watch a movie of this ilk that does not take itself too seriously and relishes in delivering tongue-in-cheek entertainment.


When a satellite in space blows up, it sends a beacon hurtling towards Australia, where it winds up in the mouth of an enormous saltwater crocodile. Afraid that the beacon will fall into the wrong hands, the CIA dispatches two agents, Robert (Lachy Hulme) and Vaugn (Kenneth Ransom), to retrieve it. The crocodile in question lives near a cattle station owner named Brozzie (Magda Szubanski), who wants to kill the animal because it is eating her livestock. Her intentions bring her to the attention of the Department of Fauna and Fisheries, who dispatch Sam (David Wenham) to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, the Crocodile Hunter (a.k.a. Steve Irwin) and his wife, Terri Irwin (who plays herself), are busy filming their television show in Queensland when Sam hires them to relocate the crocodile away from Brozzie's property. When Steve and Terri encounter the CIA agents, the wildlife conservationists immediately mistake them for poachers and try to prevent the pair from catching or killing the crocodile.

Irwin was an educator and a conservationist, making it unsurprising that The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course also lets its star discuss the importance of wildlife conservation and the need to understand that animals are a crucial part of our ecosystem. It adds a meaningful message to the silliness without bogging the production down. The documentary segments throughout the film are unscripted, as Stainton allowed the titular Crocodile Hunter to interact with the animals they encountered during filming and say whatever felt natural. As a result, there are no animatronic or digital animals - all the wildlife footage is authentic and showcases real crocodiles, snakes, spiders, and lizards. Indeed, all scenes of Steve wrestling dangerous, lethal saltwater crocodiles for relocation are genuine. The only issue with these scenes is the almost never-ending hissing sounds, which make the animals sound more aggressive despite appearing placid. The snakes are the worst offenders in this regard, as snakes rarely hiss, while the crocodiles sound more like alligators. The overly dramatic sound effects contradict the otherwise naturalistic approach to these scenes.


Although Irwin cameoed in Dr. Dolittle 2 and lent his voice to Happy Feet, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course is his first and only time taking the lead role in a feature film. With Stainton allowing Irwin to adlib consistently, even while performing alongside other actors during "scripted" scenes, the late Crocodile Hunter is a hoot here, and his premature death renders the production all the more cherished and appreciated. Other members of the Irwin family also appear, including the similarly charming Terri as well as Steve's beloved dog, Sui, while Bindi (the couple's daughter) features in archival footage at the end of the flick. Collision Course also features recognisable Australian actors in minor roles, including Kath and Kim's Magda Szubanski, as well as David Wenham, who was fresh from filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Despite the screenplay's absurdity, the actors never appear to be in on the joke, nor do they knowingly wink at the camera while desperately trying to generate comedy. Instead, they all commit to the material and their characters, though the performances are not exactly nuanced. Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show) even makes an uncredited, amusing appearance as U.S. President George W. Bush.

Those who enjoy simplistic Australian comedies from the '90s and 2000s (think Kangaroo Jack) should have a good time with The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, with its deliberately broad sense of humour and cartoonish sense of reality. Plus, with Stainton shooting the movie on celluloid instead of digital video (even the documentary segments were shot on 35mm, though they are presented in a different aspect ratio), it holds up over twenty years later and looks like a proper film instead of a cheap television movie. Collision Course is fun, clean entertainment for children and adults, delivering easygoing laughs with ease. It is not exactly memorable, but it's undeniably enjoyable while it lasts, and it has significant replay value. Additionally, the end credits feature an endearing montage of camcorder footage showcasing the Crocodile Hunter being his usual goofy self with animals, family members and coworkers (set to the Baha Men's Crocodile Rock). It's a fun way to close the movie, and the montage is now unexpectedly poignant after Irwin's passing.

6.3/10

Netflix Christmas movies are not uncommon, but most of the streamer's festive offerings amount to unambitious, formulaic romantic comedies that often feature outlandish premises (Hot Frosty, The Knight Before Christmas). However, 2024's Carry-On is an entirely different beast. An intense action-thriller from director Jaume Collet-Serra (Run All Night, Unknown), this Christmas movie is spiritually closer to Die Hard than a Hallmark Original, favouring fights and thrills over saccharine and sentiment. It's not groundbreaking or revolutionary, but Carry-On is an entertaining, sharply scripted old-fashioned thriller, and its Yuletide setting - which more or less amounts to window dressing to raise the stakes - makes it refreshing Christmas counterprogramming in a sea of festive rom-coms.


On Christmas Eve, the TSA team at Los Angeles International Airport prepare for a hellacious shift, gearing up to process 200,000 impatient, anxious holiday travellers. Needing the money with a baby on the way, Ethan (Taron Egerton) and his girlfriend, an airline operations manager named Nora (Sofia Carson), agree to work the shift. After previously failing to gain entrance to the police academy, Ethan aspires to get a promotion after years of underperforming to ensure he can provide for his family. Choosing a crucial day to prove himself, Ethan secures a spot managing a baggage-scanning lane, but his shift takes an unexpected turn when a traveller gives him an earbud. After receiving a text instructing him to place it into his ear, Ethan hears the voice of a ruthless freelance mercenary known as the Traveler (Jason Bateman). The Traveler needs a specific bag containing a deadly weapon to pass through Ethan's scanning lane, or his accomplice will execute Nora. With the Traveler's accomplice sharply watching Ethan's every move on the surveillance cameras to ensure he does not attempt to contact the authorities, Ethan has little choice but to comply. Meanwhile, the terrorist activities catch the attention of the LAPD, with Detective Elena Cole (Danielle Deadwyler) contacting the Department of Homeland Security over concerns of an impending attack involving a lethal gas.

Collet-Serra works best with more grounded material, as his CGI-laden blockbusters like The Jungle Cruise and Black Adam suffered from dull storytelling. Working within the confines of a single location for most of the movie, the director ratchets up the white-knuckle tension from the beginning, establishing the stakes and making it clear that the Traveler is not afraid to go through with his threats. Egerton and Bateman are superb, with Egerton convincingly swallowing his native British accent to play an American. Able to sell vulnerability, intense paranoia and confidence, Egerton is a terrific leading man. However, Bateman is the standout, playing against type as the picture's sadistic antagonist. With large sections of the movie involving dialogue between the pair, it is fortunate that both performers are naturalistic and compelling, carrying the material and perpetually maintaining interest. Additionally, thrillers of this ilk commonly involve dumb character decisions, but the screenplay by T.J. Fixman (2016's Ratchet & Clank) treats Ethan as resourceful and intelligent, making increasingly clever decisions to try and thwart the terrorist plot. Unfortunately for him, the Traveler is always one step ahead of him.


After concentrating on tense interplay and near-misses for the picture's first two acts, the final third switches into action mode, with Ethan running and fighting for his life to save Nora and prevent the weapon's detonation. Admittedly, the picture feels more noticeably Hollywood as the finale approaches, particularly with Ethan disarming and escaping from Detective Cole in the pursuit of his goal, or the young TSA officer entering a plane already in motion on the runway. However, Collet-Serra's robust execution of the material ensures it remains compelling and entertaining, especially with the director using practical effects whenever possible instead of CGI excess. It may be silly, but it looks believable. The only scene threatening the picture's plausible aesthetic is a fight between two characters in a fast-moving vehicle along a motorway. It's an exciting action beat that unfolds in a single shot and even features Wham!'s iconic song Last Christmas, but the digital effects do not entirely sell the illusion.

Comparisons to Die Hard 2 are inevitable due to the airport setting at Christmastime, though Carry-On is more of a thriller than an action blockbuster, favouring a more intimate scale. With a terrific cast, clever scripting, and competent technical execution, the film is entertaining and gripping, and it has strong replay value. Debates will continue to rage on every year about whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie (it definitely is), and one could certainly imagine loading up Carry-On during the festive season after watching Bruce Willis drop Hans Gruber from the top of the Nakitomi Tower.

7.7/10

From a serious critical perspective, 2024's Red One is not a particularly good movie. Written by long-time Fast & Furious scribe Chris Morgan and directed by Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), it represents everything wrong with contemporary blockbusters: it is ridiculously expensive (carrying a reported $250 million price tag), contains expensive superstars, is too long at a hefty two hours, is full of excessive digital effects, and is not especially original or witty. In short, it is another extravagant Big Dumb Blockbuster(TM) destined to divide critics and audiences, as reflected in the harsh critical reaction, while movie-goers have been more receptive to the picture's visual excess and entertaining action sequences. Certainly, Red One is challenging to defend beyond simplistic guilty pleasure, as there are no life-affirming messages or meaningful character arcs, nor does it provide heart or emotion. However, it does deliver unbridled spectacle, with Kasdan understanding precisely the type of movie that Red One is and avoiding the pitfalls usually associated with braindead blockbusters like Michael Bay's Transformers flicks. Thus, this tongue-in-cheek, Marvel-esque reimagining of the Santa Claus myth and the North Pole is genuinely entertaining and pitched at the right tone, making it fun festive viewing for those in the right mindset.


In the North Pole, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson) is the commander of ELF (Enforcement Logistics and Fortification), a security detail for Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons), providing protection as Father Christmas carries out his annual duties. After over five hundred years with ELF, Callum prepares to retire due to his growing disillusionment with humanity as the Naughty List continues to grow, but he agrees to serve Santa for one last Christmas. Mere days before December 25th, a black ops unit infiltrates the North Pole and abducts Santa, prompting the response of a clandestine military organisation known as M.O.R.A. (Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority), headed by Director Zoe Harlow (Lucy Lui). Discovering that the North Pole's location was compromised by a talented hacker (and notorious naughty lister) named Jack O'Malley (Chris Evans), Zoe's team tracks him down for questioning. With Jack unaware of his client's identity, he and Callum reluctantly team up to find out who kidnapped Santa and where Father Christmas is being held captive. The trail leads them to the Christmas witch, Grýla (Kiernan Shipka), who wants to punish everybody she deems worthy of the Naughty List, sparking a race against time to save the festive season.

Red One is another Christmas movie to portray a badass Santa in an action movie setting, following the likes of 2020's Fatman and 2022's Violent Night. However, Kasdan's vision is decidedly more family-friendly, with the picture carrying a PG-13 rating for maximum box office returns. (Ironically, the film was a massive bomb regardless.) Although Morgan's screenplay displays creativity in its intriguing vision of the North Pole and Santa's operations, it deploys eye-rolling story clichés by the dozen, with Jack portrayed as an absentee father (whose son becomes a target) while Callum prepares to leave Santa's crew after five centuries (but the events of the story might change his mind). Although the characters do change throughout the narrative, everything seems so perfunctory and formulaic instead of uplifting or emotionally impactful. Still, Evans is deliciously engaging as the cynical black-hat hacker, and Callum is a good fit for Johnson's deadpan brand of action hero. They are an enjoyable screen pairing, while a ripped J.K. Simmons offers a fun take on jolly old Saint Nick, and Kristofer Hivju (Tormund from Game of Thrones) is an authoritative and intimidating Krampus. Kiernan Shipka is less successful as Grýla, struggling to create a memorably villainous antagonist.


To the credit of Kasdan and cinematographer Dan Mindel (a regular J.J. Abrams collaborator), the action is smooth and easily comprehensible, without any headache-inducing shaky cam to turn the battles into indecipherable blurs. Red One is at its best when Kasdan leans into the material's inherent cheesiness and absurdity, from Santa lifting heavy weights to Callum removing a snowman henchman's carrot nose to defeat it. The flick goes bonkers with colourful mythological characters, including an anthropomorphic polar bear (played by Puerto Rican actor Reinaldo Faberlle), bulky snowmen henchmen, dog monsters, Krampus and his hellish minions, and even the Headless Horseman. Although Kasdan executes most of the creatures with motion capture and digital effects, Krampus is a miraculous, practically realised creation, with prosthetics convincingly bringing the character to life. However, the CGI excess sometimes gets a bit much, robbing set pieces of tension as the superpowered Callum never seems to be in danger, making several sequences seem like rote recreations of the pre-production previz. In other words, the action has no spontaneity, rendering it enjoyable but hollow. In scenes like Callum's initial pursuit of Grýla's minions at the North Pole, Red One looks more like a video game.

Falling short of becoming an instant holiday classic, Red One will probably play best for teenagers and young adults who enjoy CGI-laden blockbusters of this ilk, especially if comic book movies appeal to them. More discerning viewers unable to take the picture in its intended spirit will have less fun. Defending the movie is not to imply that 21st-century audiences do not deserve more thoughtful blockbusters, but at least Red One is a technically proficient ride with a mostly fun cast, and it is undeniably unique in the realm of Christmas movies, providing a welcome reprieve from the hundreds of trashy Yuletide rom-coms that invade streamers on an annual basis.

6.6/10