Reviews by PvtCaboose91

The directorial debut for veteran martial artist and actor Bren Foster, 2024's Life After Fighting is undeniably the best Australian martial arts movie in history, and it deserves wide recognition from global action buffs. Taking visible inspiration from seminal films like The Raid and John Wick with traces of Bruce Lee (think The Big Boss, Foster delivers thrilling, proficiently-staged action and a thoughtful story worth caring about, ensuring this is far more than just another humdrum, unremarkable action cheapie. Do not dismiss Life After Fighting as a nasty direct-to-video distraction; the movie confidently stands toe-to-toe with some of the genre's best offerings, representing a watershed moment for Australian action cinema. It is more thrilling, poignant and engaging than most big-budget blockbusters, making it all the more disappointing that it only received a limited theatrical release in Australia while going straight to streaming in other territories.


A retired martial artist, Alex (Bren Foster) now spends his time running and operating a fighting school, hoping to leave professional bouts behind him after multiple surgeries. Working alongside Julie (Annabelle Stephenson), Alex caters to various ages and abilities, which leads single mother Samantha (Cassie Howarth) to enrol her young son, Terry (Anthony Nassif), at the training centre. Alex and Samantha immediately hit it off, much to the ire of her ex-husband, Victor (Luke Ford). While Victor tries to intimidate Alex by sending hired muscle to disrupt the school, Julie's two daughters go missing in an apparent kidnapping, sparking a frantic search. Discovering that the abduction is linked to an international child trafficking operation, Alex is forced into a desperate battle for survival.

Life After Fighting does not live or die by its action sequences, as Foster understands the value of storytelling and characterisation to supplement the spectacle. The picture clocks in at a hefty 126 minutes, with most of the hardcore action scenes occurring during the third act. Foster demands patience as he develops the characters and establishes the stakes, ensuring sufficient emotional investment in the story before Alex goes toe-to-toe with multiple combatants in his school during the extended climax. The most significant plot detour involves a fellow martial artist, Arrio Gomez (Eddie Arrazola, who featured in the TV show The Last Ship alongside Foster), who endlessly tries to goad Alex into fighting him. Although ostensibly unnecessary, it successfully adds more dimension to Alex's character without detracting focus from the narrative, and it provides an excellent opportunity to show off the incredible fighting prowess of Foster and Arrazola. Miraculously, the dramatic build-up throughout Life After Fighting is never boring or dull, which is a testament to Foster's directorial capabilities, Paul Black's effective editing, and the terrific casting. Admittedly, the narrative's rudimentary components are not exactly original, and there are script contrivances to pave the way for the spectacular action-packed climax, but this hardly matters when the execution is so robust.


Once the climax arrives, it is a godsend for fans of violent martial arts cinema. Foster permits glimpses at Alex's fighting mastery throughout the feature's first two acts, but the climactic showdown lets him use lethal force against his opponents, resulting in a blast of exhilarating, adrenaline-pumping fun. There is no digital trickery here, nor is the footage sped up - the fights are all 100% real, with Foster and his experienced stunt team engaging in vicious, bone-breaking choreography that will impress even the most jaded movie-watchers. The brawls look visceral and authentic, making one wonder how many bruises and injuries the stunt team sustained during the shoot. Although Shane Parsons's slick cinematography is slightly shaky, the handheld approach successfully amplifies the intensity of the skirmishes without devolving into a routine of headache-inducing shaky cam or incoherent editing. (Such techniques are normally used to mask shoddy choreography, but Foster does not need to worry about this.) With filming at Foster's own martial arts school presumably saving on location costs, the movie delivers maximum bang on a small budget, never looking cheap or feeling constricted in terms of scope.

In addition to proving himself a fantastic screenwriter and filmmaker, Foster flexes rock-solid acting acumen here, demonstrating his competency as a dramatic performer to complement his exceptional fighting abilities. Foster is instantly likeable and brings convincing gravitas to the role, allowing the dramatic material to flourish between the action scenes. Foster has appeared as a supporting character in various films up until now (including two pictures with Steven Seagal), but Life After Fighting shows he has what it takes to be a bona fide action star. Alongside him, Cassie Howarth (late of Home and Away) provides outstanding eye candy and dramatic intensity, bringing an emotional depth to the character that is rarely seen in action movies. Annabelle Stephenson further contributes to the movie's emotional core, resulting in some almost unbearably heart-wrenching and harrowing scenes. Meanwhile, Luke Ford (Animal Kingdom, The Black Balloon) nails the role of the villainous Victor, creating an antagonistic character that is easy to despise from the very first frame, making it all the more satisfying to see him receive his comeuppance during the climax. Ford is virtually unrecognisable here - it is difficult to believe he is the same actor who played Alex O'Connell in 2008's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which reflects the effectiveness of Ford's performance.


Life After Fighting tackles weighty themes like human trafficking and child kidnapping, with the movie's optimistic conclusion fundamentally representing a wish-fulfilment fantasy. However, the story does not feel exploitative or disrespectful, as Foster handles the subject matter with appropriate tact, adding harrowing emotional undercurrents that result in edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckle intensity. Life After Fighting is a brilliant directorial debut for Foster, and one can only imagine what he could deliver with a bigger budget and more resources - and, hell, it would be fun to see him team up with someone like Scott Adkins. If you like action flicks, do not miss this movie!!

7.7/10

A semi-fictitious World War II tale based on recently declassified documents, 2024's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is one of those can't-miss dream projects, and it also represents a godsend for old-school action fans. With a charming ensemble cast and Guy Ritchie at the helm, the movie concerns a real-life team of British military commandos who covertly operated behind enemy lines during WWII to kill Nazis, and one of the key members was reportedly Ian Fleming's inspiration for the character of James Bond. Instead of a stodgy historical retelling that feels like a glorified television movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a wonderfully stylised, ultraviolent auteur effort that feels more like Sisu or Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds than a drab history lesson. It's Ritchie's most purely enjoyable endeavour since 2015's The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and although it is not deep or sophisticated, it is a proficient and enthralling ride, and the picture's incredible sense of energy rarely falters.


In 1941, Nazi Germany is gaining momentum in their attempt to conquer Europe, with submarines consistently disrupting the United Kingdom's supply lines by sinking their ships. Brigadier Colin Gubbins (Cary Elwes), a.k.a. "M," prepares an unofficial, black-ops sabotage mission known as Operation Postmaster, which aims to destroy an Italian supply ship and two accompanying tugboats that service, arm, and resupply Nazi U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. With the indirect support of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear), M and Naval Intelligence Officer Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox) enlist Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill) to assemble a team of commandos capable of executing the operation. Setting off on a Swedish fishing trawler, Gus joins Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson), Freddy Alvarez (Henry Golding), and Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), who first rescue fellow comrade Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer) before changing course to the Spanish island of Fernando Po. Meanwhile, British agents Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González) and Richard Heron (Babs Olusanmokun) assist the operation on land by distracting Nazi commander Heinrich Luhr (Til Schweiger).

Several of the narrative's broad strokes are true, as the titular squad did carry out a mission known as Operation Postmaster, but viewers should not consider The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare an accurate account of history. It's a light-hearted, entertaining men-on-a-mission adventure, and Ritchie crams the picture with sharp, witty dialogue, stylish visuals, and riveting action sequences, and there is no weighty pretence to threaten the sense of fun. Indeed, Ritchie is content to make a straightforward action thriller with a splash of espionage, and he knows exactly what the target audience desires. Although Gus's band of ruffians represents the story's key focus, the movie also concentrates on Marjorie and Heron's spy antics and the political machinations on British soil as Churchill, M and Fleming coordinate the operation while maintaining utmost secrecy. Admittedly, Marjorie and Heron's activities are not as involving or fascinating, with the rip-roaring pace occasionally lagging when Ritchie cuts to the pair. However, this is a minor shortcoming.


Ritchie dialled back his recognisable filmmaking tendencies for his recent cinematic output (Wrath of Man, Operation Fortune, The Covenant), instead favouring a more traditional and mainstream approach, but The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare looks and feels like a Guy Ritchie movie through and through. Ritchie's distinct stylistic touches are on full display throughout the picture, with creative editorial choices and a flavoursome, jazzy, spaghetti western-esque original score by Christopher Benstead (The Gentlemen). Ritchie makes the most of the generous but not overwhelming $60 million budget, adding ample globe-trotting scope to the endeavour, ensuring the picture is lively and slick instead of uninteresting or low-budget. Although Ritchie uses convincing digital effects for bigger sequences involving ships, he mainly relies on practical sets and locations, while Ed Wild's cinematography is slick and eye-catching, resulting in an agreeable aesthetic. Additionally, the shootouts are incredibly entertaining, with Ritchie embracing the adult-friendly R rating and never pulling punches, but there is no sense of nihilism or cruelty to the violence as the tone remains agreeably light despite the immense body count. Ritchie arms the squad with a variety of weapons and quirks, with Anders rapidly dispatching Nazis using a bow and arrow while Gus takes whatever things he desires, including expensive cigars or the coat of a deceased Nazi officer.

Without enough time to properly develop each member of the ensemble, viewer interest in the characters fundamentally lives or dies by the casting, and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a smashing success in this respect. The performers are endlessly charming, and each actor creates a distinct character, making it easy to tell them apart, even if names do not always stick. The perpetually reliable Henry Cavill once again demonstrates why he needs to be in more movies, emanating boundless charisma as the team's dashing leader. Embracing his native British accent, Cavill is brilliant as the Bond-esque Gus - the Bond producers undeniably missed a trick by not casting him as the iconic spy. But the scene-stealer is Alan Ritchson (from Amazon's Reacher TV show), who's larger-than-life and incredibly entertaining as a Danish naval officer, delivering ample laughs and highlights with his boundless comedic energy. The accent errs on the cartoonish side, but it feels in keeping with the picture's infectiously enjoyable tone. Also of note is Cary Elwes, who brings tremendous charm and gravitas to the role of Brigadier Gubbins, making him an obvious pick if the role of M is recast in future James Bond pictures. Meanwhile, as the brutal Nazi commander, Til Schweiger (who was in Inglourious Basterds) is in full Bond villain mode here to contrast against Cavill's suave Bond-esque performance. All the other actors confidently hit their marks, with Rory Kinnear turning in a hugely effective performance as Winston Churchill while Freddie Fox makes for a debonair and engaging Ian Fleming.


It never feels like any of the commandos are in genuine danger since they dispatch Nazis with sharp efficiency and precision, but the climax is sufficiently intense as the team completes the raid on Fernando Po while enemy soldiers and officers mingle nearby, leading to a narrow escape. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is another convincing win for Guy Ritchie, who delivers a rousing historical action adventure with cheeky wit and an irresistible, slick aesthetic, striking the perfect tone between mischievous and gritty. With studios consistently flooding the cinematic marketplace with big-budget blockbusters and comic-book adaptations, old-fashioned action films are all the more refreshing in 2024, especially when the execution is as terrific as this. A follow-up would be incredibly enticing, though the disappointing box office might spell death to any sequel plans, rendering this a delightful one-off that will probably develop into a fondly-remembered cult classic, much like Ritchie's The Man from U.N.C.L.E..

8.2/10

A standalone sequel that lives up to and exceeds all reasonable expectations, 2024's Twisters is a superb summer blockbuster and a cracking old-fashioned disaster film in every sense of the word. Twister was a massive success in 1996, grossing nearly $500 million at the worldwide box office, spurring years of sequel talks, with the late Bill Paxton even working with James Cameron to develop a 3D follow-up at one stage. Nearly thirty years later, Twisters finally arrives with a new ensemble cast and a new creative team, including a fresh director in Lee Isaac Chung (2020's Minari), though Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg return to oversee the picture as producers. Although not revolutionary from a narrative or technical perspective, Twisters is a proficient ride from start to finish, providing sensational thrills and a collection of characters worth caring about, and it does not insult viewer intelligence. In short, it's a mainstream-friendly summer blockbuster done correctly.


While pursuing a research grant, Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) takes her team to Oklahoma to find tornadoes and obtain data using the device "Dorothy V." But a dire underestimation results in tragedy, and not all of Kate's colleagues manage to escape a destructive E5-5 tornado. In the aftermath, Kate gives up her storm-chasing activities and moves to New York City for a more relaxed life. Five years later, Kate's old friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos), convinces her to return to the open plains of Oklahoma during a particularly devastating storm season as a new opportunity to gather tornado data could save countless lives. But they are not the only storm-chasers in the region - competing teams are also on the scene, including social media superstar Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), who quickly takes a shining to Kate. With Oklahoma's storm season intensifying and millions of lives at risk, Kate and Tyler begin changing their approach, working together to find a way to stop tornadoes in their tracks before they decimate towns or cities.

With a story developed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Tron: Legacy) and a screenplay by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant, The Midnight Sky), Twisters finds fertile narrative ground and takes full advantage of the contemporary setting. The movie touches upon advances in tornado monitoring technology and satirises social media personalities who engage in storm-chasing purely for likes and views. Links with the original film are tenuous, as there are no returning characters or explicit connections beyond the appearance of a "Dorothy" research device in the opening sequence. This approach is a smart way forward, particularly with the passing of Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman, though early reports suggested that Helen Hunt might return and the story would concentrate on her character's daughter. Admittedly, Twisters is overly predictable at times, even incorporating familiar beats from the original movie (a tornado-related tragedy in the opening sequence, rival storm chasers, mistakes while gathering data during storms, a storm hitting during leisure time, a visit home, a massive scientific gamble during the climax), but Chung's execution elevates the material, with a strong sense of pacing and almost unbearable tension at times. Furthermore, the script grounds the narrative in humanity and emotion, with Kate's immense loss weighing heavily on her psyche as she consistently fears the consequences of any potential future failures. This angle provides compelling dramatic heft.


Unlike most contemporary blockbusters, Twisters looks genuinely real instead of hyperreal. Chung and cinematographer Dan Mindel (a frequent J.J. Abrams collaborator) pay respect to the original movie by shooting on location in Oklahoma and capturing the picture on 35mm film, resulting in a natural aesthetic that filmmakers cannot replicate on soundstages with crisp digital photography. ILM's state-of-the-art computer-generated imagery throughout Twisters is seamless, which is a testament to Chung's direction and his superb staging of the tornado sequences. Indeed, Chung still relies on intricate sets, authentic locations, and practical wind and rain machines, while flawless digital trickery enhances the illusion and provides the titular twisters. Chung's inexperience with major blockbusters is not obvious (aside from an episode of The Mandalorian, he has only directed small-scale dramas), as the director excels at staging intense action sequences with the confidence of a genre veteran. The set pieces are riveting and look spectacular on the big screen, with Chung concentrating on the characters amid the chaos instead of pure CGI overload, while one night-time tornado encounter is particularly terrifying because the twister is not always visible. Benjamin Wallfisch's original score augments the picture's intensity, while the atmospheric and deafening sound design convincingly places viewers in the thick of the tornado action. The technical presentation of Twisters is immaculate, delivering the type of immersive visuals that blockbusters should deliver in 2024 (but scarcely do).

Thanks to shrewd casting, the ensemble is immediately likeable from the first frame, and it's easy to become invested in these characters as they chase tornadoes and fight for survival. Like 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, the actors are sufficiently diverse, but the diversity does not feel forced or politically motivated; instead, it works. Following her appearances in movies like Fresh and Where the Crawdads Sing in 2022, Daisy Edgar-Jones shows she has what it takes to be an action heroine here, capably handling the dramatic material and the intense set pieces with utmost confidence. Edgar-Jones is genuinely endearing and feels wholly human, making for a relatable protagonist who is easy to latch onto. Meanwhile, Glen Powell continues to demonstrate his tremendous movie-star charisma here, with Twisters representing another impressive addition to his filmography after the likes of Top Gun: Maverick, Devotion and Netflix's Hit Man. Powell has been going from strength to strength since Maverick in 2022, and it is refreshing to see Hollywood pushing an up-and-coming performer who actually deserves major opportunities. The rest of the ensemble is equally strong, with Anthony Ramos and future Superman David Corenswet making a positive impression.


Movie-goers frequently approach legacy sequels - and contemporary blockbusters in general - with understandable ambivalence due to Hollywood's current status quo and spotty track record. However, Twisters is a rare win, representing a respectful and reverent follow-up to a beloved '90s classic and a compelling, intense, heartfelt blockbuster that confidently stands alone.

8.1/10

After thirty years of cancelled start dates, rewrites, scrapped scripts, development hell, changing directors, and a television show that never passed the pilot stage, Netflix has finally delivered a fourth Beverly Hills Cop picture unto movie-goers. Despite a rocky outlook, especially considering 2021's enormously disappointing Coming 2 America and the generally mixed results for legacy sequels, 2024's Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F exceeds all reasonable expectations - it's far better than the atrocious third entry and is not far behind the first two films. With a new director in Australian filmmaker Mark Molloy (making his feature-film debut), this fourth Beverly Hills Cop flick is a respectful and reverent continuation, making for an enormously entertaining legacy sequel that does not disgrace the franchise or characters. With Eddie Murphy and the legendary Jerry Bruckheimer serving as producers, this follow-up does not feel like a cynical cash grab; instead, it's a delightful new instalment that ensures the franchise receives a more dignified conclusion than the awful third movie. After all, Murphy made it clear he would only proceed with another Beverly Hills Cop with the right script.


Still working as a dedicated detective for the Detroit Police Department, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) continues to cause havoc as he endeavours to protect the streets, much to the agitation and anxiety of Deputy Chief Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser). In Beverly Hills, Axel's old friend Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) is now a private investigator after quitting the police force, and he works alongside Axel's estranged daughter, Jane (Taylour Paige), a defence attorney determined to free a man who was framed for murdering an undercover cop. After criminals threaten Jane's life, Axel travels to Beverly Hills and soon catches the attention of local law enforcement, including Captain Cade Grant (Kevin Bacon) and Chief John Taggart (John Ashton). With Rosewood now missing, Foley teams up with Jane and Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to unravel a conspiracy involving police corruption.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is the franchise's longest instalment to date with a runtime approaching two hours, and Molloy treats the story with the sincerity it deserves, concentrating on investigative procedure while Foley deals with incredulous superiors. Stakes are still at play, and the humour does not feel forced; it is an action film, first and foremost, and the laughs emerge organically from the characters bantering and joking. However, the movie noticeably drags during the second act, with the story taking too many investigative detours to arrive at its destination. Additionally, applying the overused "absent father" trope to Foley is the biggest downfall of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, as it represents another iconic action hero to receive this treatment (after John McClane, Mike Lowry and Indiana Jones). Although included to add heart to the film, every beat of their relationship is predictable and trite, from Jane's refusal to speak to Foley in the first instance to the pair eventually bonding before they fall out and go through a heartwarming third-act resolution.


With each sequel, the concept of Foley returning to Beverly Hills to secretly investigate another case continues to stretch credulity, but Bad Boys: Ride or Die scribe Will Beall (along with credited co-writers Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten) cooks up a surprisingly logical and compelling reason to justify Foley's antics. Furthermore, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F feels more like a natural, effortless continuation of the series than a desperate, soulless attempt to recapture the magic. The sequel's reverence for the original movies is palpable from the first frame, resurrecting the classic title font and with Glenn Frey's The Heat Is On playing over the opening credits. Further recognisable songs from the series also appear, including Shakedown and Neutron Dance, augmenting the sense of fun and nostalgia. Additionally, whereas the soundtrack for Beverly Hills Cop III was genuinely grating and butchered many of Harold Faltermeyer's original motifs, Axel F composer Lorne Balfe devises a satisfying, synth-infused score that retains the spirit of its predecessors.

Reports place the movie's budget at a staggering $150 million, more than double the third movie's $70 million budget and more than ten times the original film's $13 million price tag. Fortunately, the movie looks enormously theatrical and slick instead of drab or low-budget, with Molloy (replacing disgraced director Brett Ratner, who was attached to the project for years) putting the funds to good use. Molloy acquits himself admirably with the action sequences, staging fun vehicular pursuits (including an early chase through the streets of Detroit and a standout helicopter set piece) and more traditional shootouts. The gun battles are nothing spectacular from a visual standpoint, as there are no inventive flourishes or camera movements (this is more apparent after viewing the more inventive Bad Boys: Ride or Die), but they are perfectly entertaining thanks to the sturdy, old-school cinematography and competent staging, with the filmmaking approach appearing reminiscent of the earlier movies. The only problematic aesthetic change is the use of computer-generated muzzle flashes and blood, which looks all too obvious and harms the visceral impact of the action sequences. There is no getting around the fact that practical blood squibs, as glimpsed in the original films, look far superior to phoney digital blood sprays.


Murphy slips back into the role of Axel Foley with glee and enthusiasm, smoothly recapturing the character's spirit from the first two instalments. (The character in Beverly Hills Cop III was Axel in name only.) Despite now being in his 60s, Murphy looks fantastic and proves he still has immense comedic chops, with his improvisational instincts remaining second to none. There is genuine snap to the back-and-forth between Foley and every other character; it's a joy to watch Foley and Rosewood interacting once again, and it's equally hysterical watching Foley deal with a tenacious meter maid. Foley continues to bullshit his way through various situations with hilarious results, and, luckily, Jane does not overshadow him. Axel F brings back several recognisable faces, including Bronson Pinchot as the iconic Serge, but none of the returns feel contrived or illogical; on the contrary, the inclusion of each legacy character feels organic to the story. Moreover, the characters all get their time to shine, with Molloy not leaving any key players on the sidelines. The new players also make a great impression, with newcomer Taylour Paige as Foley's daughter, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes for a terrific straight-man foil for Murphy and comes across as a believable detective. Meanwhile, instead of a generic or forgettable bad guy, Kevin Bacon brings a recognisable face to the proceedings and fills the role with relish.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is both a better-than-expected legacy sequel and one of the most enjoyable action comedies of the year, delivering rock-solid set pieces and ample belly laughs with Murphy back at the top of his game. It easily surpasses the latter-day Die Hard sequels, it is more entertaining and rewatchable than last year's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and it is on par with the recent Bad Boys follow-ups. Despite its pacing lulls and script shortcomings, this fourth Beverly Hills Cop picture deserves your attention, especially for fans of Murphy and the franchise in general. The notion of another sequel is now legitimately exciting.

7.3/10

Released sixteen years after the iconic horror classic An American Werewolf in London, 1997's An American Werewolf in Paris is a standalone sequel with a new cast and crew and no obvious link to its predecessor. Although director Anthony Waller avoids simply rehashing the 1981 picture and actually introduces a variety of intriguing ideas, it's all for naught - An American Werewolf in Paris is a bust from start to finish, suffering from dreadful digital effects, sloppy craftsmanship, (mostly) bland actors and, most dishearteningly, a lack of actual horror.


Travelling to Paris as part of a European "daredevil tour," obnoxious American tourists Andy (Tom Everett Scott), Brad (Vince Vieluf), and Chris (Phil Buckman) look to enjoy the city's cultural landmarks, heading to the Eiffel Tower with a bungee cord after the sun goes down. However, before they can perform their planned jump, they witness Serafine (Julie Delpy) preparing to commit suicide by leaping off the tower. Andy intervenes and saves her, but Serafine disappears into the night, unwilling to thank the boys for their efforts. Instantly smitten, Andy tracks down Serafine and tries to win her affection, unwilling to take "no" for an answer. Andy's relentless pursuit of Serafine leads to the trio discovering a secret underground society of werewolves who use a serum to transform themselves at any time, regardless of the moon.

Although John Landis initially began developing an organic sequel with returning characters in the early 1990s, the studio rejected the idea, prompting the director to quit the project. After going through several screenwriters, the film eventually headed towards production with a script by Tim Burns and Tom Stern, who previously worked on the 1993 comedy film Freaked and the MTV sketch comedy show The Idiot Box. Even after enduring many rewrites, both credited (director Anthony Waller) and uncredited (Larry Brothers, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade), the resultant film is astonishingly slipshod, with cheap comedy and uninteresting characters spoiling the story's promising ideas. The film's early stages feel like a typical '90s teen comedy, as one could easily imagine the central trio appearing in an American Pie film, and the gags (including Andy chewing a condom) are dishearteningly low-brow and ineffective. Waller furthers the '90s atmosphere by filling the movie with era-specific music, including songs by Caroline's Spine, Fastball and Smash Mouth.


Waller made his directorial debut with the well-received horror film Mute Witness in 1995, but An American Werewolf in Paris comes up astonishingly short in terms of scares and atmosphere. Unfortunately, there is no getting past the woeful digital effects. An American Werewolf in London relied on Rick Baker's exceptional make-up effects and prosthetics, while John Landis used creative lighting and editing to create the horror. Although the early stages of An American Werewolf in Paris show promise by using a less-is-more approach, including an unnerving opening attack sequence that editor Peter R. Adam intercuts with an orchestra, all suspense and horror disappear when Waller brings the digitally-created creatures to the foreground. Additionally, werewolf point-of-view shots contribute to the suspense in the picture's early stages, but the shots soon become overused. The animatronic werewolves and practical effects are solid, but the computer-generated werewolves never look remotely convincing even for a single frame, as the special effects are unbelievably terrible and phoney even by '90s standards (The Lost World: Jurassic Park was released in the same year). Plus, the compositing is equally unconvincing, with bungee jumps off the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty looking rough and unfinished. The reported $25 million budget is genuinely baffling, as the flick looks closer to a straight-to-video cheapie or a bad TV movie than a glorious theatrical feature. Indeed, there is no visual flair.

Fresh from the Tom Hanks-directed musical hit That Thing You Do!, Tom Everett Scott is entirely bereft of charm here, coming across as a bland and uninteresting leading man. Likewise, his co-stars - Vince Vieluf and Phil Buckman - fail to make much of an impression, coming across as generic and unlikeable. However, it's hard to imagine any actors executing some of this material gracefully, with the script including bizarre scenes of Andy seeing visions of deceased people. Meanwhile, acclaimed French actress Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise) only agreed to play Serafine for the money, and she confidently out-acts all of the other performers. Treating the material with utmost sincerity, Delpy is magnetic, spirited and innately human, creating a character that is easy to like and latch onto, which makes her co-stars look even worse.


There are minor highlights throughout An American Werewolf in Paris, particularly with the grisly, R-rated attack scenes that can be enjoyed as campy, mindless entertainment (the climactic train attack is entertaining enough). However, the film fails to gel as a whole, with Waller never coming close to matching the brilliance of Landis's landmark original film. An American Werewolf in Paris fails as both a comedy and a horror film since it's not scary or funny, which is incredibly disheartening considering the potential for a sequel to An American Werewolf in London.

3.9/10

Hollywood's fascination with assassins dates back many decades, with notable films like 1942's This Gun for Hire and 2004's Collateral depicting the cliché notion of suave hitmen who carry out murders-for-hire. Although 2023's Hit Man ostensibly looks like another unremarkable movie about a charming assassin who skilfully plies his trade, director/co-writer Richard Linklater has something more intriguing in mind, concocting a fascinating subversion of the genre. Taking inspiration from a 2001 Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth (who also co-wrote 2011's Bernie with Linklater), Hit Man ridicules and debunks the myth of the conventional Hollywood hitman with sharp, knowing wit. It's Linklater's most commercially-friendly film since the era of pictures like 2003's School of Rock and 2005's Bad News Bears, but it, fortunately, retains his filmmaking strengths in spades, as it features well-drawn characterisations, delightful humour and proficient filmmaking across the board. With audiences consistently lamenting Hollywood's lack of originality, Hit Man is the type of fresh, innovative entertainment for adults we rarely see.


Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a psychology and philosophy professor at the University of New Orleans. He appears extremely humdrum in other aspects of his life, from his questionable fashion to his two cats and choice of car. However, due to his technological expertise, Johnson also works undercover for the New Orleans Police Department to assist in sting operations by providing hidden microphones, working alongside Claudette (Retta) and Phil (Sanjay Rao). A fellow cop, Jasper (Austin Amelio), plays a fake hitman during these operations, working to elicit confessions from people while his colleagues listen to and record the interactions. When the department abruptly suspends Jasper, they need a last-minute replacement to take his place, with Claudette convincing the hesitant Johnson to step in. Despite his initial misgivings, Johnson is a natural, capably coaxing confessions from his "customers" while creating unique hitman personas for each meeting. However, he changes his approach when a woman named Madison (Adria Arjona) attempts to hire him to kill her abusive husband, Ray (Evan Holtzman). Finding her attractive and charming, Johnson - under the guise of "Ron" - convinces her to leave her husband instead and restart her life. Soon, Madison reconnects with "Ron," and they begin a sexual relationship while Johnson tries to keep the situation a secret.

Linklater and Powell's screenplay deviates from Johnson's real-life escapades; Hit Man is merely inspired by the true story and is not a faithful beat-by-beat replay of the man's life. Although Johnson once talked a woman out of hiring an assassin to kill her abusive boyfriend, the romance with Madison is fictitious; Linklater and Powell use the woman's story as a jumping-off point. Thankfully, the duo concoct a dramatically satisfying and enthralling story, with the feature observing Johnson as his transformation into "Ron" begins to bleed into his personal life, improving his confidence and teaching. Despite its title and subject matter, Hit Man is not an action film, and it is surprisingly non-violent, with Linklater instead creating thrills through the various sticky situations that Johnson attempts to navigate. Additionally, the screenplay touches on the moralistic aspect of Johnson's sting operations, with scenes showing the courtroom aftermath of various arrests, not all of which result in a conviction.


Linklater keeps Hit Man light on its feet, imbuing the feature with extraordinary energy and a snappy pace, with the narrative never losing momentum despite the two-hour runtime. The picture looks slick and colourful, while Graham Reynolds's terrific original score adds further flavour, with Linklater making the most of the meagre budget. Gary Johnson is the juicy character of a lifetime for Powell, who co-wrote the script primarily to create such a role for himself. The up-and-coming star is note-perfect here, with the movie allowing him to play a variety of characters as Johnson adopts different disguises and personas for each operation, including a hysterical Patrick Bateman impression. Powell's charisma is off the charts here, showing a type of old-school Hollywood magnetism that should make him an even more desirable leading man. Powell worked with Linklater on Everybody Wants Some!! in 2016 and 2022's Apollo 10 1/2 before the actor's star-making turn in Top Gun: Maverick, making it all the more satisfying to see him reunite with the director after gaining significant profile. Meanwhile, Adria Arjona is fantastic here, playing Madison as an old-fashioned noir-ish femme fatale. Powell and Arjona share exceptional chemistry, and their pairing is one of the key reasons why Hit Man works. A charismatic supporting cast surrounds the two, with Parks and Recreation alumni Retta bringing genuine personality to her character, while Sanjay Rao also makes a fantastic impression.

Parts of Hit Man's story feel familiar, but the script gives the story genuine dimension and substance, allowing the film to soar. Linklater furthers his cinematic interest in self and identity here, with Johnson believing that social roles shape our identity and that people can change their personalities through determination and practice. One of the year's most pleasing surprises so far, Hit Man succeeds thanks to great writing, great actors and great filmmaking. Linklater executes an intriguing, original premise with sparkling wit and engaging characters, resulting in a slick, funny, sexy and captivating ride that far exceeds the usual standard for braindead blockbusters.

7.9/10

With a screenplay by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull) and Heywood Gould (The Boys from Brazil), Rolling Thunder is a rock-solid '70s vigilante action-thriller that deserves more respect and attention. Like most notable '70s thrillers, Rolling Thunder does require patience as the film steadily builds, with director John Flynn (Best Seller, Lock Up) showing more interest in character drama than outright action. The film succeeds thanks to the excellent performances, fascinating characters, absorbing dialogue, and gripping moments of violence, with Flynn ensuring the picture is a consistently enthralling sit between the shootouts. Indeed, it is not merely a cheap exploitation movie, nor does it feel like another worthless Death Wish knockoff - in fact, it confidently surpasses the landmark Charles Bronson classic. Unsurprisingly, Rolling Thunder ranks among Quentin Tarantino's favourite movies and is one of his major cinematic influences.


In 1973, U.S. Air Force Major Charlie Rane (William Devane) returns to his hometown of San Antonio, along with a few of his fellow soldiers, including Master Sergeant Johnny Vohden (Tommy Lee Jones). Rane spent seven years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Hanoi, and his Texas home is no longer the same: his son (Jordan Gerler) does not remember him, while his wife (Lisa Blake Richards) is now engaged to a local policeman (Lawrason Driscoll) with no plans to call off the wedding. With no choice but to stoically accept his wife's decision, he concentrates on building a meaningful relationship with his son while a Texan belle named Linda (Linda Haynes) begins making advances towards him. At Rane's homecoming ceremony, he receives a Cadillac and a case of silver dollars, but this gift makes him a target for a group of border outlaws. During a home invasion, The Texan (James Best), Automatic Slim (Luke Askew), T-Bird (Charles Escamilla), and Melio (Pete Ortega) steal the silver dollars and shoot Rane's family, leaving them for dead. Although Rane survives, he refuses to cooperate with law enforcement because he wants to hunt the gang down personally by following them into Mexico, and he enlists Vohden's help to dole out justice.

The Vietnam War angle is glorified window dressing, as the story is not actually about Rane's POW traumas or the impact of his experiences while readjusting to life back in Texas. However, it does give Rane and Vohden tangible character depth, as both are mentally withdrawn and weary with ostensibly little to live for, and their decision to risk their lives in the climactic shootout seems blasé since they feel they have nothing to lose. Additionally, Rane's family life - with an unfaithful wife and a son who does not remember him - viscerally reflects the experiences of Vietnam War veterans, while his flashbacks to his torture in Hanoi during the home invasion add an interesting angle to the sequence. The thematic relevance elevates Rolling Thunder above the ordinary, with excellent performances across the board contributing to the movie's power. Gould's rewrites of Schrader's original screenplay added monologues and more characterisation for Rane, though many of the monologues were cut, with Devane instead opting for a terse, stoic performance reminiscent of Steve McQueen. Devane is superb here, saying more with expressions than words as he looks calm despite palpable anger and frustration boiling inside. Meanwhile, Jones (who appears uncharacteristically young here) is equally terrific, with both actors capably demonstrating the mental scars of their Vietnam experience.


Flynn takes his time in the picture's first act, dedicating the initial half-hour to pure drama and character development as Rane arrives home and begins readjusting before the violence breaks out. Although the home invasion is not shocking by modern standards, the sequence disturbed test audiences, with 20th Century Fox losing the distribution rights after insisting on re-editing to soften the film's impact. Maintaining Flynn's vision is critical to Rolling Thunder's success as it feels like the work of a genuine auteur instead of a diluted, mainstream studio product. Flynn orchestrates the action with a sure hand, never holding back in depicting graphic violence but ensuring the movie does not feel sadistic or mean-spirited. The stylish cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth (Blade Runner) is consistently eye-catching, with the lighting and composition making the most of the dingy, dimly-lit locations. Indeed, Rolling Thunder does not look like a cheap or nasty straight-to-video action offering, as it exhibits incredible visual gravitas that belies the meagre $2 million budget. The climax is eerily similar to Taxi Driver, with both films involving a brutal shootout at a brothel. However, character motivations differ despite Charlie Rane and Travis Bickle being Vietnam War veterans.

At its heart, Rolling Thunder is a pure vigilante film that follows a formulaic structure, with a wronged man hunting down the people responsible for his family's death. However, it is also a tragic story about a man who tries to do the right thing by serving his country but winds up losing everything he holds dear, which resonates after the film concludes. Furthermore, the first-rate execution ensures the movie is more memorable than more standard-order action flicks, with a traumatised Vietnam veteran as the central character and competent filmmaking across the board. It does not carry the same thematic poignancy as 1982's First Blood, but it's still a classic manly movie with plenty to recommend. Those who enjoy films like Death Wish and Taxi Driver should seek this one out.

7.8/10

Finding a worthwhile shark movie in a veritable ocean of forgettable and underwhelming titles is increasingly difficult, but 2024's Under Paris confidently emerges as the best shark film offering since The Shallows in 2016. A French creature feature from director Xavier Gens (Gangs of London, Lupin), Under Paris is an environmentally-minded shark movie with messages about the impacts of climate change, but it thankfully does not neglect the key things that genre aficionados crave in these types of flicks: vicious violence and shark action. The screenplay by Yaël Langmann and Olivier Torres is not original, but the Paris setting makes the story feel somewhat fresh, and Gens gets plenty of mileage from the intense set pieces as man-eating predators feed on hapless Parisians. Supported by a generous budget and an adult-friendly rating that permits graphic bloodletting, the movie delivers what it promises on the tin. It's not perfect, but Under Paris is a fun ride that holds up during rewatches.


A French scientist, Sophia (Bérénice Bejo) and her team study mako sharks to observe the effects of ocean pollution, keeping tabs on one particular shark named Lilith by implanting a tracker. However, during one seemingly routine expedition, a group of sharks eat several members of Sophia's research team, including her husband, leaving her traumatised and reeling from the experience. Years later, Lilith's tracker indicates that she now resides in Paris's Seine River, with activists Mika (Lea Leviant) and Ben (Nagisa Morimoto) informing Sophia of the unexpected development. Paris is days away from hosting the World Triathlon Championships in the Seine, and the city's mayor (Anne Marivin) refuses to accept there is any significant cause for concern, let alone cancel the event. Teaming up with a local river commander, Adil (Nassim Lyes), Sophia finds herself in a tricky situation, with Mika and Ben hoping to safely return Lilith to the ocean while the police want to destroy the predator in the name of public safety.

With a relatively beefy 103-minute running time, Gens dedicates much of the relatively sedate first half to build up and anticipation, with characters mostly observing Lilith through her digital tracker as she moves through Paris waterways. But all hell breaks loose at the halfway mark, with an insane feeding frenzy paving the way for a fast-paced, carnage-filled second half. Insistence on realism frequently hampers contemporary shark movies, with low body counts (only one death occurs in 2022's The Reef: Stalked) and a refusal to cut loose, but Under Paris avoids these shortcomings. Gens does not wink at the audience, but he embraces the B-movie spirit of the material, delivering competent set pieces with plenty of bite and embracing the R rating with gusto. Big-budget shark movies are rare, but R-rated big-budget shark films are even rarer, with the two Meg movies to date suffering from PG-13 sanitisation. Fortunately, Gens does not hold back here; he unleashes Lilith and her countless babies as they chew their way through numerous victims, with attacks ranging from the more unnerving (sharks quickly pulling someone underwater in a pool of blood) to the ludicrous (jumping several feet into the air with a swimmer in their mouth). Under Paris is more of an action flick than a horror movie, with Gens favouring the schlocky over the scary, even depicting armed militia fighting sharks during the climax.


Gens pays homage to classic shark movies, with yellow net floats signifying Lilith's position in the water (reminiscent of the yellow barrels in Jaws) and two sharks ripping a victim apart, which evokes memories of Samuel L. Jackson's memorable death scene in Deep Blue Sea. Fortunately, Under Paris carries more visual chutzpah than standard-order direct-to-video shark movies, with slick, stylish cinematography, impressive scope, and surprisingly convincing digital effects. The sharks are not always photorealistic, with the computer-generated man-eaters occasionally looking goofy and cartoonish (especially during slow-motion shots as they leap out of the water), but the illusion is good enough for the most part, and it illustrates how much shark CGI has progressed since Deep Blue Sea in 1998. With cinematographer Nicolas Massart (Lupin) capturing the action using digital cameras instead of celluloid, Under Paris carries a hyperrealistic aesthetic, and your mileage may vary depending on your tolerance for slick contemporary visuals.

The characters in Under Paris are not immune from acts of stupidity, with one egregiously idiotic character causing her own demise by trusting Lilith in one of the movie's most memorable kill scenes. Additionally, the mayor refusing to cancel the triathlon (another ostensible Jaws homage, particularly with gunmen on boats nearby to protect the swimmers) also seems ridiculous, but the contrivances at least result in satisfying carnage. Under Paris does not feature any big stars by Hollywood standards, though the French-speaking actors are notable in their native country. Luckily, the performers are surprisingly strong here, with Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Nassim Lyes making the biggest impression as the two leads. Bejo brings believable gravitas and intensity to her role, ensuring she comes across as a properly fleshed-out character instead of a mere caricature.


Gens increasingly ups the ante during the intense lead-up to the climax, refusing to hold back as the sharks eat key characters and make a meal of the dozens of triathletes. Even though it appears that the situation cannot get worse, Gens pulls the carpet out from underneath us once again, leading to an unexpectedly cataclysmic ending that stands as one of the most memorable and dire in shark movie history. Despite its occasionally preachy messages about climate change, Under Paris is a dopey movie by design, asking viewers to accept silly moments and the central premise of these sharks wanting to attack humans, but that's par for the course in this subgenre. What matters is that, aside from the slow-going first half, the movie delivers satisfying shark action in spades. Like 2023's Godzilla: Minus One, Under Paris is a foreign production that effortlessly surpasses Hollywood's latest blockbuster output, showing how to do such a genre movie correctly.

7.1/10

Another HBO television film (co-produced by BBC Films) that recounts true events, 2001's Conspiracy presents a dramatisation of the notorious 1942 Wannsee Conference. In January 1942, in a wealthy district outside of Berlin, fifteen Nazi officials held a conference to determine how to achieve "a complete solution" to the "Jewish question." At this point, the United States had entered the Second World War, and German defeat was possible, throwing Hitler's thousand-year regime into doubt. Reich Security Main Office Chief Reinhard Heydrich (Kenneth Branagh) served as the conference's Chair, leading the discussion to address a directive from Hermann Göring to ensure a Jewish-free society in Germany and their occupied territories. Accompanied by high-ranking members from all areas of the Nazi government, Heydrich ultimately introduces the notion of the "Final Solution" to the Jewish question: the wholesale extermination of European Jews in gas chambers.


Scripted by veteran writer and playwright Loring Mandel, Conspiracy is not the first motion picture portrayal of the Wannsee Conference, as the 1984 German telemovie Die Wannseekonferenz (a.k.a. The Wannsee Conference), previously depicted the events. However, Conspiracy is the first and only English-language dramatisation of the conference. Indeed, the German characters speak only in English throughout the film, and it is crucial to accept this to become adequately invested in the story. Thankfully, with the production exhibiting a high level of aesthetic authenticity and containing an ensemble of superb actors delivering captivating dialogue, it is easy to accept the English-speaking characters. The only surviving documentation of the conference provided the basis for Mandel's screenplay, though the producers sought additional research and records (including memos, trial transcripts, and speeches) during pre-production. Gaps in the historical record required dramatic interpretation, but the resulting film is highly effective; it is an unnerving, bone-chilling recount that never reeks of Hollywoodisation or sensationalism.

Cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt (Lethal Weapon, The Pelican Brief) captured Conspiracy on 16mm film, resulting in an appreciable sense of visual authenticity and gravitas that belies its made-for-TV origins. Filming on 16mm instead of 35mm was necessitated by the creative decision to shoot the main conference sequence in long takes, with the actors delivering up to twenty pages of dialogue at a time. Thankfully, Goldblatt keeps the proceedings interesting with his cinematographic compositions; the camera never remains static as each shot exhibits movement, no matter how subtle, from typical pans and tilts to slight handheld jerkiness. Fortunately, the camera is never distractingly shaky, and the handheld photography adds a sense of immediacy that enhances the sublime pacing. Director Frank Pierson (writer of Cool Hand Luke and Dog Day Afternoon) and editor Peter Zinner create a fluid, spellbinding rhythm, never dwelling on shots for too long while also ensuring the cutting is never choppy or distractingly rapid-fire. Furthermore, aside from a short musical interlude at the end, there is no music throughout the film, as Pierson relies on the performances, editing and cinematography to maintain interest. In short, Conspiracy is a masterclass on creating an engaging movie that takes place in a single location.


The production's commitment to historical authenticity is commendable, with everything from the uniforms to the set design looking wholly convincing. Director Pierson even staged exterior scenes at the villa where the actual conference took place, and the meeting room represents a faithful recreation of how it looked at the time of the Wannsee Conference. The actors are another high point, with Pierson extracting nuanced performances from the talented ensemble. Although the notion of playing Heydrich was incredibly unsettling for Kenneth Branagh, his performance is nevertheless immaculate, showing a laudable dedication to portraying this horrific SS Officer. Branagh's portrayal of Heydrich appears emotionally detached from the talking points, showing a chilling lack of compunction or remorse while suggesting the genocidal extinction of an entire race. Branagh confidently drives the film with his performance, ensuring that Conspiracy works as well as it does. Other recognisable performers fill the ensemble, with Stanley Tucci, Colin Firth, Ian McNeice and Kevin McNally all making an outstanding impression as members of the Nazi party. (Tom Hiddleston, the future Loki, even has a small background role in his feature film debut.) Tucci is the only American actor here, though he espouses a British accent to match his co-stars. Even though it is difficult to recall names (especially since the names are German), the characters are distinct in appearance and personality, ensuring that you will not become confused about who's who.

With its top-notch ensemble cast, excellent writing, and superb technical presentation, Conspiracy is another magnificent production that demonstrates why HBO television films command a higher level of esteem than their lower-budgeted counterparts. Although the film boils down to a 90-minute conversation as characters discuss unseen events, it's incredibly gripping and disturbing, and it will stay with you for a long time.

9.2/10