Another limp entry in the ever-weakening Marvel Cinematic Universe, 2025's Captain America: Brave New World is a jumbled hodgepodge of story ideas and concepts, lacking a unifying or coherent narrative that ties everything together. In other words, it bears all the hallmarks of a troubled production, as the movie underwent extensive reshoots, hasty rewriting, and last-minute re-editing in a desperate attempt to salvage the ridiculously expensive blockbuster after an endless succession of poor test screenings. Rewrites and reshoots are not necessarily a bad thing, but the foundation of Captain America: Brave New World is incredibly shaky, making it borderline impossible to salvage. Despite the potential for this to be another intriguing political thriller reminiscent of 2014's superlative Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it's another swing and miss, with director Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) struggling to pull together the jumbled narrative strands to create an engaging or fascinating viewing experience.


Five months after winning the U.S. Election, President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) sends Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) and Joaquin Torres/Falcon (Danny Ramirez) into Mexico to stop Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) from selling stolen items. The mission is a success despite Sidewinder escaping, with Sam bringing back a canister of adamantium collected from Celestial Island. Ross hopes to unite world leaders by proposing a treaty to control the worldwide mining and distribution of adamantium, and he invites Sam and Joaquin to a White House summit. Also joining the pair is Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who attempts to assassinate President Ross but denies any knowledge of the incident. Sam seeks to clear Isaiah's name, working alongside Joaquin while also receiving assistance from Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), a former Israeli Black Widow who now works as Ross's security advisor. With a war looming between the U.S. and Japan over Celestial Island, Sam uncovers a conspiracy masterminded by Dr. Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), whose grand plan involves ruining Ross's reputation.

Instead of building upon the previous Captain America movies, this fourth instalment is a follow-up to two of the most forgettable and disliked entries to the MCU: The Incredible Hulk and Eternals. It also vaguely follows on from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but the Disney+ series feels startlingly inessential in the grand scheme of the franchise, aside from introducing Isaiah Bradley, whose presence here feels incidental. If you do not remember The Incredible Hulk, Eternals or The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, do not fret - the movie perfunctorily reveals all relevant information, with the script going heavy on exposition. The first half-hour recaps everything we already know, from Isaiah's hatred of the U.S. government (remember, they imprisoned and experimented on him!) and Ross's cruel reputation to the massive Celestial hand that emerged during Eternals.


Perhaps the movie's greatest sin is how it completely ruins the movie's emotional core. Throughout the picture, Ross speaks about wanting to reconcile with his daughter, Betty (Liv Tyler), and go for a walk with her. But during the perfect moment to bring her into the story, when Ross turns into Red Hulk and wreaks havoc around Washington D.C. (Red Hulk was all over the marketing, it's not a fucking spoiler), she remains absent. As a result, the movie ruins the opportunity for a poignant denouement; instead, Sam delivers a pretentious speech to talk Ross down, reminiscent of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's heavily ridiculed, god-awful ending. Speaking of Red Hulk, despite his prominence in the marketing materials, Ross only transforms in the final ten minutes of the picture, and the "twist" that reveals how gamma radiation entered Ross's body is utterly risible.

Captain America: Brave New World recycles ideas from Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, and it is clear that director Julius Onah wanted to make a grounded espionage thriller influenced by the Russo Brothers. However, it is all for naught without an intelligent screenplay foundation, and the inclusion of the Red Hulk contradicts the gritty tone. The notion that Sam could fight Red Hulk in close combat is not even remotely believable - not even Steve Rogers, with the Super Soldier Serum, could fight the Hulk, and Tony Stark needed an elaborate Hulkbuster suit in Avengers: Age of Ultron to give him any chance. There's no getting around the fact that Captain America: Brave New World feels like three movies awkwardly combined into one dissonant whole, with throwaway plot elements like Giancarlo Esposito's Sidewinder, who appears in only three scenes and has no bearing on the jumbled central narrative. Characters were added (Sidewinder), removed (Seth Rollins as a member of the Serpent Society), or changed (Ruth Bat-Seraph, who no longer wears a Sabra costume in the final film) during post-production, which reflects the narrative's lack of cohesion.


The pacing and editing of Captain America: Brave New World are choppy as hell, which reflects the extensive post-production tinkering to make the film as short and palatable as possible. Even though the movie runs just under 110 minutes before the credits, it feels two and a half hours long. Captain America: Brave New World also tones down the incendiary political dialogue compared to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, even though it feels like Disney and Marvel opted to trim such content during the editing process. Alas, the poor quality of the special effects is further evidence of the constant re-jigging. Like countless other recent MCU projects, the digital effects are phoney and obvious, from fake-looking CGI backdrops to a Red Hulk that looks considerably less convincing than the Hulk in 2012's The Avengers. To the movie's credit, the basic production qualities are otherwise fine, from the slick photography to the tense score. Additionally, several of the action sequences are perfectly serviceable as Sam engages targets in close combat, including a tense showdown with Sidewinder. The camp value of the Red Hulk sequence also enhances the film's entertainment value in an ironic scene.

Anthony Mackie is perfectly likable and charming as Sam Wilson, and he was the perfect sidekick for Chris Evans's Steve Rogers. But reducing Captain America to a mere mantle is an ill-considered mistake, and the script can never get to the heart of who Sam Wilson is. Plus, Captain America: Brave New World spends too much time trying to drive home the message that Sam is Captain America, which feels like an unnecessary thematic retread of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Frankly, Mackie deserves better than this slipshod material. Meanwhile, although Harrison Ford is a fantastic actor, his interpretation of Ross feels like an entirely different character, with Ford seemingly phoning this one in for a big bag of Marvel cash (to paraphrase Deadpool). Also in the cast is Danny Ramirez, who returns as Sam's quippy sidekick, Joaquin Torres. Unfortunately, Ramirez fails to make much of an impression, as he feels redundant to the story. Whereas Steve Rogers recruited Sam out of necessity in The Winter Soldier, Joaquin is simply there for the sake of having a sidekick.


The supporting cast of Captain America: Brave New World is underwhelming, especially compared to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which had Baron Zemo and John Walker. This sequel even forgets about Sharon Carter despite the show's post-credits scene positioning her as a villain. Onah instead stuffs the movie with uninteresting new characters that do not receive a sufficient introduction. The most glaring example is Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph, who the movie positions as a Black Widow surrogate, but without the necessary development or backstory to make us care. Furthermore, although it's fun to see Tim Blake Nelson return to the MCU, and the actor gives it his all, there's no getting around his goofy look: he resembles a stick of broccoli. The movie wants the return of Nelson's Samuel Sterns to be a memorable mic-drop moment, but the reveal lacks weight and significance. After all, Sterns only appeared once previously in The Incredible Hulk, which came out in 2008. The marketing also spoiled the twist.

Marvel scored a rare win in 2024 with their sole theatrical release, the incredibly profitable Deadpool and Wolverine, which knowingly poked fun at the poor quality of recent MCU titles. Alas, with Captain America: Brave New World, the MCU is back in the doldrums, though it is, at least, marginally better than The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Despite a few entertaining action set pieces and some intriguing ideas, it's difficult to care about this story, which feels too disconnected from the previous Captain America movies despite being an ostensible sequel. One can only imagine an alternate version of this picture with Steve Rogers instead of Isaiah Bradley. Captain America: Brave New World is, quite simply, a wasted opportunity - a passionless blockbuster that exemplifies the qualities many of the MCU's critics always associate with the long-running franchise.

4.7/10

Those familiar with Jason Statham's regular cinematic output should know what to expect from 2025's A Working Man, which reunites the action star with director David Ayer (The Beekeeper) and screenwriter Sylvester Stallone (Homefront). With Ayer and Stallone serving as producers (alongside Statham) and collaborating on the screenplay, A Working Man is an adaptation of Chuck Dixon's 2014 novel Levon's Trade, and it's easy to see why the creative team perceived the source material as perfect fodder for a Jason Statham vehicle since it hits all the expected story and character beats. After all, Statham here plays yet another former soldier with deadly combat skills who tries to pursue a more peaceful life, but circumstances force him to go on a killing spree. It's nothing original, but movies of this ilk are all about the execution, and Ayer delivers the goods in spades - vicious action scenes, colourful characters, detestable villains, and plenty of Statham badassery.


A former Royal Marine Commando, Levon Cade (Jason Statham) now works as a construction foreman in Chicago for Joe Garcia (Michael Peña) and his wife, Carla (Noemi Gonzalez). When Joe and Carla's daughter, Jenny (Arianna Rivas), goes out for a night of celebration and drinking with her friends, she fails to return, and her parents immediately spring into action. With Joe and Carla believing the police will not conduct a sufficient investigation in time, they beg Levon to step in and bring her home. After consulting with blind fellow ex-soldier and good friend Gunny (David Harbour), Levon starts searching for Jenny and comes to discover that Russian gangsters kidnapped her as part of a human trafficking operation. Thus begins a brutal mission as Levon starts killing his way through Bratva members while hunting for Jenny, who remains at the mercy of her captors, Viper (Emmett J. Scanlan) and Artemis (Eve Mauro). Also in the mix is Dimi (Maximilian Osinski), who oversees the human trafficking.

As with many of Statham's other action movies, he plays a force of nature instead of a well-rounded character, reminiscent of the iconic, invulnerable one-man army heroes of the 1980s. It never feels like Levon is in genuine danger as he maintains control over every situation, and the fun lies in the creative ways he dispatches his victims, including drowning and even a Bluetooth device to assist with aiming at henchmen without leaving cover. The badassery is inherently humorous, and there are further goofy moments to break up the violence, such as a scene of Levon punching Wolo (Jason Flemyng) in the face before toasting a bagel to eat during his interrogation. "Hope you don't mind," he says. "I was hungry."


Statham can play this type of role in his sleep, and the British superstar remains a grizzled, engaging, and physically capable action hero despite now being in his mid-50s. The script never stretches his acting abilities, but neither does Statham feel false or forced. Unlike some of the old-school action stars (Van Damme, Steven Seagal), Statham can actually act - he's convincing in both dramatic and action scenes, and it's easy to understand why audiences continue to show up for him. Meanwhile, David Harbour is an excellent fit for the role of Levon's former gunnery sergeant, who now assists by providing weaponry, firepower, and advice. Also noteworthy is Jason Flemyng, who, like Statham, featured in several early Guy Ritchie movies and even appeared in Transporter 2 alongside The Stath. The supporting cast mostly comprises unknown actors, but Arianna Rivas makes a great impression as the spunky, fiery Jenny, ensuring the role does not amount to a useless kidnap victim.

A Working Man carries the hallmarks of a Stallone screenplay in all the right ways, from efficient character development that does not feel perfunctory to sharp dialogue that is more intriguing than the usual tone-deaf chatter that action flicks typically include. There are badass exchanges, and the picture even has a bit of heart, with Levon trying to protect his daughter (Isla Gie) while fighting for custody. Ayer's directorial contributions also significantly benefit the movie, as the filmmaker makes the most of the modest $40 million budget to stage some spectacular action set pieces. Thankfully, like The Beekeeper, A Working Man is an R-rated action fiesta, and Ayer enjoys staging creative, destructive, and hard-hitting bloodletting as Statham racks up an impressive body count. With the mobster villains lacking in nuance and redeeming characteristics, they are easy to detest, and it is even easier to cheer on Statham as he dispatches them without mercy. Statham convincingly handles the fisticuffs and the shootouts, with Ayer varying the action to prevent the set pieces from becoming too repetitive. Ayer also imbues the flick with more gravitas than a straight-to-video cheapie - it does not feel like low-budget slop.


With a running time of nearly two hours, A Working Man is a bit long for what it is, and the scripting is not entirely airtight. Most confusing is the ostensible decision to contact the police about Jenny's disappearance after an entire weekend of her being missing, and her friends apparently did not care about getting her home safely. Although A Working Man does not reach the heights of Statham's best movies (2021's Wrath of Man is a career high point), it remains a highly entertaining and satisfying B-movie that should satiate genre fans as long as they don't expect anything groundbreaking. Like The Beekeeper, there is potential for a franchise, especially since there are a dozen Levon Cade novels, though it is unclear how much time Ayer and Statham will have to pursue any sequels.

6.9/10

Despite my misgivings about 2025's Snow White, I avoided joining the online dogpiling because I wanted to give Disney's latest live-action remake a chance. After all, the House of Mouse blew $300 million making this fucking thing, surely it can't be that bad? But let's not mince words here: Snow White is godawful. This live-action update of 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney's beloved first animated feature film) is a meandering, soulless disaster without any joy, whimsy or sense of fun. It epitomises passionless, commercial studio filmmaking, dutifully fulfilling diversity quotas while altering the original story to make it more friendly for the eternally offended. With a script credited to Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train), the movie feels afraid to commit to the story with genuine sincerity, and it is a genuine slog when it should be a lighthearted musical fantasy.


Born into royalty, Snow White (Rachel Zegler) loses her mother at a young age, and her father hastily remarries but soon goes missing. With nobody to stop her, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot) assumes the throne, leaving her subjects starving and destitute while turning Snow White into a scullery maid. The Evil Queen keeps Snow White imprisoned in the castle, but the kindly princess has a chance encounter with a thief, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who breaks into the castle to take food, and she helps him escape. Even though the Magic Mirror assuages the Evil Queen by naming her the "fairest one of all," Snow White's beauty eventually usurps her, angering the tyrannical ruler. The Evil Queen orders the Huntsman (Ansu Kabia) to kill Snow White, but he finds her beauty irresistible and instead urges her to flee into the forest. Snow White soon finds herself in a secluded cottage with seven diamond-mining dwarfs, and she reunites with Jonathan, who leads a group of bandits. While the Evil Queen tries to enact her plan to kill Snow White, the princess seeks to reclaim her kingdom and rule with fairness.

The world of Snow White looks plasticine and artificial, with a distracting digital gloss that constantly reminds us that nothing is real. Instead of being tactile and believable, the visuals look even more cartoonish than the original 1937 movie, and there is no interesting aesthetic stylisation to compensate for the cheap CGI slop that appears all over the screen. It is baffling that Disney started their live-action remake trend with Kenneth Branagh's excellent Cinderella - which was shot on 35mm film, looked real and featured cute, whimsical creatures - before moving backwards in terms of visual aesthetics.


There is no getting past the dreadful digital dwarfs here, which look like pure nightmare fuel. The decision to create digital dwarfs instead of casting actual actors is indefensible, and little people have every right to protest the production. The dwarfs here completely lack personality, making them utterly indistinguishable from one another. Plus, with the script shoving in a group of bandits to accompany the seven dwarfs, none of the ensemble make an impression. Popular cinematic myth has it that the movie's 12-month release date delay was to add the dwarfs, as the seven diverse bandits originally filled their roles in the story. This rumour seems plausible as there is no reason for the dwarfs and the bandits to coexist in this overcrowded ensemble. Heck, in 2012's Mirror Mirror, the characters referred to the dwarfs as bandits.

The 1937 film has a threadbare narrative that feels stretched thin despite its relatively short 80-minute runtime. This Snow White retains the same structure but beefs up the story to an interminable 109 minutes without adding anything meaningful or substantive. The first 15-20 minutes of this remake drag out the backstory that the animated movie covered in its first few minutes, and the exposition here feels like pure homework. The narrative does not organically flow from one event to the next, with the structure feeling messy and disorganised, a clear reflection of the extensive reshoots that occurred nearly two years after principal photography wrapped. Indeed, Snow White feels like a patchwork of ideas, halfheartedly incorporating recognisable beats from the original animated film without nailing the heart and soul of the original story. The songs were a big part of the 1937 picture, but the musical numbers in this Snow White amount to lifeless padding. The songs feel like the work of AI and autotune, and they never meaningfully advance the story or function as character development.


One must feel sorry for director Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer), who clearly relinquished all creative control to the Disney executives and merely serves as a puppet for their constantly changing, politically motivated desires. None of the dramatic scenes are engaging, there is no humanity to the story, and it is impossible to care about anything that happens. Gal Gadot is woefully miscast as the Evil Queen, sometimes rendering her dialogue unintentionally comical (she sometimes sounds like Scooby-Doo). Meanwhile, Rachel Zegler dials back the poisonous arrogance and obnoxiousness of her press appearances to play a noticeably bland take on Snow White. Zegler's performance lacks emotional depth and humanity, and she cannot portray believable fear when the Huntsman tries to kill her. The rest of the cast are outright forgettable, from the generic dwarf voices to an incredibly nondescript Andrew Burnap as Snow White's love interest who's named, um, Jonathan.

For a movie that spent nearly three years in post-production and expended enough money to feed and house the homeless for decades, there is no excuse for Snow White's vast shortcomings. The songs are forgettable and flat, the visuals are hideously off-putting, the acting is atrocious, the digital dwarfs and animals look phoney and nightmarish, and there is no sense of pace. Snow White is one of the most hated movies in internet history, obtaining an unimaginably poor IMDb rating (1.6/10 as of April 2025) and prompting scores of negative reviews and social media posts. Frankly, the film deserves everything it gets.

1.9/10

Bosch & Rockit is an enjoyable, visually striking Australian coming-of-age picture that deserves a wider audience. It is the feature film debut of Australian filmmaker Tyler Atkins, who served as director, writer, and producer after years of minor film and television credits (and winning The Amazing Race Australia in 2011). An autobiographical tale, Atkins based the screenplay on his experiences growing up on the Gold Coast with a drug-addicted father, an absent mother, and a passion for surfing, as the director believes the ocean saved his life. The resulting story is powerful and moving, a compelling and technically proficient motion picture about a teenager wanting to find a family while using the ocean to escape the harsh realities of his life. With no studios willing to back the project, Bosch & Rockit (or Ocean Boy, as it is also called) was a privately-funded independent feature, and it is a rare win for the Australian film industry.


Bosch (Luke Hemsworth) runs an illegal marijuana farm on a beach community along the NSW North Coast and often neglects his responsibilities as a parent, leaving teenage son Rockit (Rasmus King) to his own devices. Rockit loves to surf, finding solace in the waves as he grapples with his dysfunctional home life and academic problems at school. When a bushfire reveals Bosch's weed farm and makes him a person of interest to police, he promptly takes Rockit and hits the road, heading for Byron Bay to hide out while telling his son they're on holiday. Bosch and Rockit begin carving out a life for themselves in Byron Bay, with Bosch meeting the kindly Deb (Isabel Lucas) while Rockit bonds with the endearing young Ash-Ash (Savannah La Rain). Unfortunately, corrupt police officers are also looking for Bosch and hope to reach him first, threatening the pair's newfound stability.

It is easy to care about Rockit from the movie's early stages thanks to the enormously effective performance from newcomer Rasmus King (15 years old during shooting), a professional surfer who shows miraculous acting instincts that make him a perfect fit for the production. With Atkins shooting the film chronologically, King appears to grow and mature as the story progresses, and his innocence continues to fade. Bosch & Rockit touches on weighty issues, with Rockit experiencing bullying as he grapples with his intellectual shortcomings while wanting to become a better student. Childhood neglect is another of the script's heavy thematic undercurrents, as Bosch is often unprepared to make time for his son, while Rockit's mother does not want to take care of him, leaving Rockit to raise himself (which reflects Atkins's own experiences).


Despite the youthful Rockit at the centre of the story, Bosch & Rockit is not a children's movie. Although the story could be ideal fodder for school studies with its relatable themes, the excessive profanity means this movie earns its MA15+ rating in Australia. However, the swearing does not feel gratuitous; instead, the dialogue feels true to the characters. After all, Australians talk like this in everyday life. Bosch & Rockit is full of humorous banter that features profanity (neither Bosch nor Rockit is shy about using the dreaded c-word) and amusing Aussie slang (including "rockspider" and "grommet"), and the terrific cast gives convincing life to the colourful characters. Luke Hemsworth (brother of Chris and Liam) is enormously convincing as the inadequate and insecure father, while Isabel Lucas makes a fantastic impression as an appealing woman who enters Bosch's life. Another standout is young Savannah La Rain as Ash-Ash. It is easy to understand why Rockit is immediately drawn to her.

Although Atkins and his crew shot Bosch & Rockit during the COVID-19 pandemic, the picture bears no signs of a lockdown-affected production. Australian cinema is not exactly well-known for pleasing aesthetics, but Bosch & Rockit is notable for its slick visual delights that belie the meagre budget. The extraordinary digital cinematography by the experienced Ben Nott (Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan, Predestination) beautifully captures the NSW North Coast, ensuring nobody will mistake the movie for a cheap television production or soap opera. The attention to period detail is also impressive, with the story taking place at an indeterminate time in the late 1990s before smartphones and tablets. Bosch & Rockit looks incredibly cinematic, and Atkins understands the fundamental filmmaking rule of "show, don't tell" to effectively establish character traits and relationships. Atkins favours mood and atmosphere over intricate plotting, staging vignettes as Rockit navigates his troubled life with its tremendous ups and heartbreaking downs. Luckily, the editing by industry veteran Scott Gray (The Boys Are Back) is smooth and confident, setting and maintaining an agreeable pace that ensures the picture does not devolve into tedium. Shrewd soundtrack choices further elevate the movie, including Dragon's "Are You Old Enough?" and The Living End's "Prisoner of Society," while Brian Cachia's original score perfectly sets the mood.


Admittedly, Bosch & Rockit begins to wear out its welcome in the final act, with Atkins seemingly unsure how to end the story with all of its dramatic baggage, presumably reflecting the reality of his own troubled upbringing. There are other tiny imperfections - such as unconvincing digital flames and banknotes that look too stiff - but the flaws are minor. Wisely, Atkins avoids a conventionally happy ending, even refusing to follow through with a romantic subplot that could have ended in the titular characters living a more regular and stable life. Instead, Bosch & Rockit closes on a satisfying note of optimism, even if the dialogue in the final scene is a tad cheesy. Atkins gets far more right than wrong in Bosch & Rockit, creating a hidden gem of a debut feature that is among the best Australian movies of the decade.

7.9/10

Moana 2 feels like soulless, assembly-line, commercially-focused, corporatised content that only exists for maximum box office dollars instead of a desire to tell a worthwhile story. This follow-up to 2016's endearing Moana started life as a Disney+ miniseries, but the House of Mouse changed course in early 2024 to rapidly rework the project as a theatrical sequel with barely nine months until release. The resultant picture feels like a lacklustre succession of simplistic vignettes that lack a cohesive through-line and, more importantly, are devoid of emotion and meaningful character arcs. Television and film are two different mediums, and merely smashing together a collection of TV episodes does not create an engaging or emotionally satisfying feature film. Let's put it like this: the Dug Days show on Disney+ is a fun and sometimes emotional continuation of Pixar's Up, but simply joining the episodes would not result in a dramatically successful big-screen Up sequel - it only works as a short-form TV show.


Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) still lives on her island nation of Motunui, and she spends her time exploring other islands in the hope of finding other communities and people connected to the ocean. When one of her ancestors visits her in a vision, Moana learns about the island of Motufetu, which connected all the islands across the sea but was sunk by the vengeful storm god Nalo. Additionally, Moana's ancestor warns that unless she can find a way to raise Motufetu from the depths, everyone in Motunui will go extinct. Moana sets off with a selection of crewmates, along with her pet pig and rooster, Pua and Heihei (once again voiced by Alan Tudyk, who continues to provide lively clucking), to save their island community. Of course, Moana eventually reunites with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who happily helps his old friend complete her quest.

Although the screenplay is credited to Jared Bush (who wrote Moana) and co-director Dana Ledoux Miller (a TV writer whose credits include, um, Thai Cave Rescue and Kevin Can F**k Himself), everything about Moana 2 feels like the work of AI. The dialogue is generic and witness, the characters are hollow and meaningless (I cannot name any of Moana's crewmates), and the songs are thoroughly unmemorable. With Lin-Manuel Miranda not returning as the sequel's songwriter, the musical numbers here fail to make an impact, and you will forget about each song before it has even finished. The songs should be catchy and move the story forward by contributing insights into the characters or the story, but the musical numbers here only slow down the story's momentum and pad out the feature's 100-minute running time.


Revealing its origins as a television show, Moana 2's narrative feels jarringly episodic, and the quest is not compelling enough despite what's at stake. Not helping matters is the lack of a proper antagonist - heck, the bat lady known as Matangi (Awhimai Fraser) even disappears in the third act after the story establishes her as someone who's apparently important. Plus, Moana and Maui are just there on the screen, with Disney hoping their mere existence will put bums in seats (and, alas, the $1 billion box office haul proved them right), but they do not change or learn meaningful lessons, and Maui's contributions to the story are so minor that he feels heartbreakingly interchangeable instead of essential. For a character so iconic (Johnson is even playing the role in live-action), it is depressing that Maui does not have a single memorable scene or line of dialogue. The voice cast gives it their all, with Cravalho (reprising her role from the first movie) giving spunk and personality to Moana while competently handling the singing. The songs might be unremarkable, but Cravalho's singing voice is lovely. Meanwhile, Johnson makes very little impact here, which is all the more surprising considering his notorious ego that normally hijacks every project to make his character the primary focus.

Animation for a major, big-budget studio release should not look this cheap. Moana 2 was the first animated feature to be animated and produced at Disney's new production facility in Vancouver, which was only established to churn out budget-friendly content for Disney+. Although the texturing on backgrounds and fabric looks sufficient, and there are some visually striking moments in the third act, the movement looks slightly off, particularly the mouth movements that look like the work of AI algorithms. Facial expressions also look a tad strange. Disney admitted to using AI in the animation process, touting it as a way to revolutionise how animated movies are made, though the extent of AI usage remains a mystery as the wording in press materials is deliberately vague. If Moana 2 remained a streaming show, the animation would look adequate, but there is no reason for a $150 million theatrical feature to lack the visual "wow" factor that animated movies should achieve. A theatrical sequel should not look like a visual downgrade from its predecessor...especially with an eight-year gap between pictures.


The only aspect of Moana 2 with any passion behind it is the portrayal of Polynesian culture, as the filmmakers conducted extensive research into the cultural history and traditions of the Pacific Islands during the film's development. Anthropologists and historians contributed to the picture, and the research provided a foundation for the story. The filmmakers reportedly listened to the experts, using their insights to fine-tune the story and ensure an accurate and authentic depiction of the Western and Eastern Polynesian cultural nuances. Keeping all this in mind makes the disappointment of Moana 2 sting all the more, though at least the original Moana authentically represents Polynesian culture while also being a genuinely good movie. There are some interesting ideas in Moana 2, and some isolated scenes stand out (Heihei's antics are amusing, and the return of a fan-favourite character during the mid-credits scene is a hoot), but there is no reason for the movie to be so dull and lacklustre. I wanted more of Moana after seeing the first movie, but the set-up for Moana 3 at the end of this sequel left me unmoved and unexcited. Unfussy children might enjoy the flashy colours and cute characters of Moana 2, but they deserve better - check out Inside Out 2 or The Wild Robot instead.

4.9/10

A survival horror movie like 2024's Never Let Go needs a strong emotional core and engaging central characters to succeed. John Krasinski's A Quiet Place remains a standout genre offering because of its compelling characters and sharp writing, which make it easy to become invested in what transpires. Unfortunately, despite Never Let Go's intriguing and creative premise, the movie falls short of its potential because it is difficult to care about the characters or their plight. With Alexandre Aja (High Tension, 2006's The Hills Have Eyes) at the helm, the picture is exceedingly grim in tone and execution, as the director refuses to lighten the mood with shrewd moments of humour and levity, and there is no emotional hook. As a result, it's an uninvolving exercise in striking horror visuals that cannot sustain its leaden 100-minute running time.


Momma (Halle Berry) lives in a secluded cabin in a large forest with her two sons, Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins). According to Momma, a sinister supernatural entity known as "The Evil" has spread across the world and wiped out humanity, and they are the only survivors. If the Evil touches you, you "go bad" and harm others. Momma and her boys venture into the forest daily to forage for whatever food they can, from frogs to tree bark, and they remain connected to their cabin with a rope that keeps them safe from the Evil. The boys must also recite a chant when re-entering the cabin to keep the Evil away. Momma is the only one who can see the Evil, and the force continually taunts her with supernatural visions of dead loved ones, fuelling the matriarch's obsession with keeping her boys safe. However, Nolan grows curious about the situation, wondering if Momma is telling the truth as he begins untying himself from the rope to see what happens. Although Nolan suspects Momma is lying, Samuel remains devoted to her teachings, convinced that the danger is real.

It is clear that screenwriters KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby (who have a few minor credits to their name) were thinking about franchise potential from the get-go, and Berry has already confirmed that story ideas for sequels and prequels have been written. Never Let Go vaguely defines the Evil in broad strokes as the story unfolds from the perspective of the two children, who seem equally unsure about the entity's capabilities and need to trust their mother's word about its existence. To the film's credit, it becomes more compelling in the final act as the question lingers about whether Evil actually exists and if Momma is telling the truth as Nolan begins pushing the boundaries. However, it closes with a confusing and surprisingly unexciting climax full of trite moments as Aja tries to make us question what's real and what isn't. The only question I kept asking myself was, "Who cares?"


There is no denying Halle Berry's commitment to the film, as she disappears into the character of Momma and is hardly recognisable. The problem is that she is so relentlessly depressive and dour, without a hint of charisma to make her feel human. Although such a character can work in a supporting capacity, she is a wholly uninteresting main character. Since the story is more about the children struggling to survive and learn more about the Evil, they should pick up the slack and give us a reason to care, but unfortunately, they are wholly interchangeable. Again, there is nothing inherently wrong with the performances by newcomers Percy Daggs IV or Anthony B. Jenkins, but the lack of personality - a flaw seemingly imparted by the screenplay - results in hollow, one-note plot ciphers instead of interesting characters.

Aja's execution of the material is state-of-the-art, from the lush locations and Maxime Alexandre's slick cinematography to the unnerving creature design and thick sense of atmosphere. The only technical drawback is the unconvincing CGI flames, but this is not hugely problematic. Unfortunately, this is all mere window dressing that cannot compensate for the script's glaring shortcomings, and the pacing is highly lackadaisical, with too many scenes that do not contribute meaningful information or develop the characters. Aja is in arthouse mode here, striving to create an "elevated" horror movie in the A24 mould (down to folklore links), but such an approach denies any B-grade thrills that might have made the flick more entertaining. In short, Never Let Go is a maddening chore to sit through, with Aja only occasionally enlivening the material with creepy or sinister moments but never managing to make us care.

4.0/10

Over twenty years after the events of 2003's Gettin' Square left the authorities assuming that Johnny 'Spit' Spitieri (David Wenham) is deceased, the international fugitive returns to his home country of Australia on a fraudulent passport. Border officials promptly detain Spit and attempt to ascertain his true identity, sending him to an Immigration Detention Centre along with a few refugees seeking Australian residency. Spit's return immediately catches the attention of corrupt policeman Arnie DeViers (David Field) and career criminal Chicka Martin (Gary Sweet), who recognise that Spit could send them both to prison if he decides to testify against them. Similarly, investigators at the Criminal Investigation Commission (CIC) see Spit's resurgence as an opportunity to reopen their old investigation and finally convict DeViers for his corrupt conduct. While DeViers and Chicka try to orchestrate Spit's demise through their inside connections, the hapless ex-con makes new friends in the detention centre, including a refugee named Jihad (Arlo Green), and he tries to conduct English lessons.


Legacy sequels are a tricky proposition, especially for a cult item like Gettin' Square that seemingly did not leave much room for a follow-up. However, returning screenwriter Chris Nyst and director Jonathan Teplitzky find fertile narrative ground by switching the focus to the titular Spit and delving into unfinished business from the first movie. Promoting a scene-stealing supporting character to the protagonist is also tricky, but the creative decision feels sufficiently motivated, and Spit benefits from fantastic writing and a sharp sense of humour. Let's not mince words here: this is a very, very funny movie that made me laugh out loud frequently and heartily. Teplitzky hits the ground running with Spit shamelessly shoplifting at an airport before his capture and interrogation, and the belly laughs scarcely stop throughout the picture's brisk 100-minute duration. It is hilarious to watch Spit try to teach English to refugees despite his tenuous (heavily bogan-esque) grasp of the language (and spelling), while Spit's interactions with border officials and investigators are equally side-splitting. Spit is the most consistently funny Australian comedy in a long time (perhaps since Kenny in 2006), and the volume of gags puts most of Hollywood's recent comedic output to shame. Happily, the humour is also genuinely witty and seemingly effortless, and it never feels like the actors are wildly improvising or simply mugging the camera for laughs.

Although Spit deals with criminals, it is a change of pace compared to Gettin' Square. Instead of a humorous heist picture, this follow-up focuses on Spit as he navigates detention and deals with personal issues, including his little sister, Julie (Sofya Gollan), and young nephew. Despite a considerable part of the narrative occurring in a detention centre and following refugees, Spit is not a political movie. Instead, it is a movie about Australian values, particularly mateship and the right to a fair go, and Wenham's non-judgemental Spit is the perfect vehicle to reinforce these messages without devolving into controversy or divisiveness. Additionally, the subplot about Spit's sister and nephew gives the former drug addict a renewed sense of purpose, and the material complements the humorous set pieces with genuine heart.


Despite the two-decade gap, Spit brings back most of the creative team from Gettin' Square, including producer Trish Lake, cinematographer Garry Phillips, production designer Nicholas McCallum, and make-up artist Tess Natoli, among others. Director Teplitzky brings the same infectiously enjoyable energy to Spit, including shrewd use of music to drive the proceedings and create memorable set pieces. (Like Gettin' Square, this sequel opens with a montage.) Teplitzky makes the most of a modest budget, shooting in and around the Gold Coast and even using some original sets from the first movie. Most interestingly, instead of filming at an actual detention centre, the production shot at a Queensland quarantine centre that was purpose-built during the COVID-19 pandemic to house returning citizens, but it was hardly used.

Several Gettin' Square cast members return here, each with an important and organic part to play in this story. Front and centre is the iconic Wenham, who's exceptional as Spit, effortlessly slipping back into the role of an uncivilised bogan wearing thongs and eccentric clothes (including a pair of maternity jeans that Wenham himself sourced from a charity shop in London). The schtick does not get old, with Wenham's distinct voice and body language remaining a constant source of amusement. His dialogue is frequently funny, while Wenham also delivers a few memorable moments of physical comedy, such as an erratic dance that is intercut with CIC investigator Niall Toole (David Roberts) reading Spit's 2003 arrest warrant. Teplitzky eventually brings Spit back to the courtroom, where he fixates on minor details yet again, stalling proceedings until his grievances are acceptably resolved. The scene is a fun callback to the memorable courtroom scenes in Gettin' Square ("Excuse me, who's paying for my bus fare today?"), but it thankfully does not feel forced or gratuitous. Other returning actors include Aussie acting veteran David Field, who is still as despicable as ever as DeViers, and Helen Thomson, who scores a few laughs as the now-widowed Marion Barrington. Some notable absences include Avatar star Sam Worthington (he was probably busy filming the sixteen sequels), while Timothy Spall's role of the now-deceased Darren 'Dabba' Barrington only features in photographs.


Despite its connections to its predecessor, you can still watch Spit without having seen Gettin' Square, as this movie confidently stands on its own as a satisfying, heartfelt comedy. However, fans of Gettin' Square will, of course, get the most out of Spit since it is a fun reunion with several colourful returning characters. Spit is also an enormously charming win for the Australian film industry. At a Q&A following a preview screening of the movie at Sydney's Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, director Teplitzky emphasised that he and Wenham would like to see more people supporting the industry by going to the cinema. Although Spit is a lightweight comedy that may not look like the type of movie that demands the big screen experience, it is worth seeing in a cinema with like-minded film-goers. Indeed, the picture is a side-splitting crowd-pleaser guaranteed to become a cherished cult favourite like its predecessor.

7.9/10

Illumination and Universal Pictures continue to make a lot of money from the Despicable Me franchise, branching out into Minion-centric prequels, a web series, short films, video games, a holiday special and even a theme park attraction. Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly difficult to care about the movies after 2013's disappointing Despicable Me 2 and the equally forgettable Despicable Me 3. Unsurprisingly, 2024's Despicable Me 4 fails to revivify the series, but not because it feels like a lazy cash grab. On the contrary, the screenplay (by Mike White and franchise veteran Ken Daurio) bursts with intriguing ideas, expanding the lore and introducing several potentially fascinating plot threads, but there is simply too much going on here. With the script devising individual adventures for the central characters, directors Chris Renaud (who co-directed the first two flicks but only produced the third movie) and Patrick Delage tackle numerous plotlines without fully exploring or meaningfully connecting them within a coherent narrative.


A devoted family man and a diligent agent for the Anti-Villain League, Gru (Steve Carell) attends a reunion at his alma mater, Lycée Pas Bon, where he encounters his former class rival, Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell). Maxime holds a longstanding grudge against Gru and has turned himself into a cockroach hybrid with superpowers, but the AVL promptly arrest him, thwarting his plans for world domination. But when Maxime escapes from prison with the assistance of his girlfriend, Valentina (Sofia Vergara), he develops a weapon that transforms people into cockroach hybrids and turns his attention towards getting revenge on Gru. As a precaution, Gru and his family - including wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig), newborn son Gru Jr. (Tara Strong), and adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Madison Polan, the third actress to play this role) - enter witness protection. As Maxime tries to find the family, they have their own troubles adjusting to life in the suburbs, with young neighbour Polly (Joey King) recognising Gru and blackmailing him into helping her with a heist.

Introducing the Mega Minions (a focal point of marketing) is one of the most promising developments here, with the AVL turning a few of the little yellow guys into superheroes. However, the movie does virtually nothing with the superpowered Minions aside from an irrelevant, though admittedly funny, sequence during which they fail to save a city and cause ample collateral damage, allowing the creative team to parody superhero cinema. But the most interesting aspect of Despicable Me 4 is the Lycée Pas Bon school, which is hidden away in the mountains and is essentially Hogwarts for aspiring supervillains, but again, the script does nothing with it. Instead, the school only serves as the backdrop for a heist set piece that also introduces the principal, Übelschlecht (director Chris Renaud), who has a high-tech wheelchair and is determined to prevent anybody from stealing the school's beloved honey badger mascot.


Properly investing in the story of Despicable Me 4 is impossible since the film consistently and erratically switches between plot threads, including Agnes questioning the morality of lying about her identity, Gru bonding with his newborn son, Lucy trying her hand at hairdressing, Maxime trying to get revenge on Gru for stealing his talent show act in the ninth grade, and more. These ideas deserve proper development, but the movie haphazardly glosses over everything, with too many characters vying for screen time. In theory, the way the directors breeze through everything over the feature's 95-minute runtime should, at least, result in fast pacing, but the lack of coherency and emotional resonance makes this sequel feel strangely leaden and unengaging. As a result, the experience feels aloof, and the directors keep us at arm's length. The sharp narrative focus of the original movie is sorely missed here.

The most expensive Despicable Me instalment to date, this fourth picture is expectedly visually lavish, but fluid and attractive animation is the absolute bare minimum at this point, especially with the mindboggling advances in animation techniques in the fourteen years since the first movie. Nevertheless, Despicable Me 4 does have its moments of ingenious invention, with amusing Minion antics as they continue to fulfil as many jobs as possible, while Gru needs to use his baby supplies to pull off a heist after mixing up his bags. However, several scenes fall flat, including an uninspired tennis match between Gru, Lucy and Poppy's wealthy parents, complete with a Minion umpire. Plus, the script lacks the side-splitting dark humour of the first movie. Sure, Gru no longer has a mean streak after becoming a father, but there are other villains here. On a more positive note, Despicable Me 4 brings back composer Heitor Pereira and musician Pharrell Williams, the latter of whom contributes another original song destined for endless radio air time: the incredibly catchy "Double Life." The jaunty music is still infectiously enjoyable.


Despicable Me 4 brings back most of the original cast, from Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig as Gru and Lucy to Steve Coogan as the AVL's retired director, Silas Ramsbottom. With seven years separating the third Despicable Me and this fourth picture, a new actress takes over to voice Agnes, who seemingly never gets older (neither do Margo or Edith, for that matter). Romesh Ranganathan also takes over from Russell Brand to play Dr. Nefario in a tiny cameo appearance. The most notable newcomer here is Will Ferrell, who plays the villainous Maxime. It is surprising that it took so long for Carell's Anchorman co-star to join the Despicable Me franchise, and Ferrell refuses to phone it in; instead, he goes for broke with manic, over-the-top energy. Unfortunately, with Despicable Me 4 trying to do too much, Maxime fails to make much of an impression with limited screen time, making the character feel tragically forgettable. Other actors join the fray, including Joey King and Sofia Vergara, but their appearances do not amount to much.

Despicable Me 4 is bursting with potential, particularly as the key ideas behind the movie will appeal to long-time fans of the series: more Minion antics, a colourful bad guy, a school for supervillains, and Gru engaging in villainous escapades while trying to maintain a healthy family life. However, the resulting sequel is a jumbled, discordant mess that lacks narrative cohesion and never coalesces into a compelling story. Despite the occasional comedic highlights, Despicable Me 4 is an enormous disappointment; another disposable, forgettable sequel that fails to recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the 2010 picture that spawned one of the most lucrative animated franchises in history. The law of diminishing returns is in full effect here, with this instalment easily the weakest in the ever-growing franchise so far.

5.4/10