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stampede187
Reviews
Hellboy (2019)
Faithful to the comics
Faithful to the comics, cannot wait for more BPRD action. Anyone who became a fan through the comics knows that this is a film Mike Mignola will be proud of. Yes, its lots of small stories crammed together, moving quickly between weird locations with a diversity of monsters, great fighting, lots of humour and a team of paranormal investigators that have their own flaws, but always pull through and are inherently good. AMAZING job. Just what the film should be!
Go and read the comics, then re-watch if you thought it bad..... cannot wait for more!!!!
Luke Cage (2016)
What???
The current rating is 7.3......HOW!!! Who has fiddled this rating?
This show was terrible. Such a weak show in comparison to those around it.
Just, how???
Toxic Apocalypse (2016)
Fantastic low budget Action/Sci-Fi/Thriller!!
Low budget indie film that really delivers!! OK, so cast talent is a little lacking, but a great performance by Ron Hamill as 'Mr. Marcais', with a few fabulous characters dotted throughout.
Hilarious concept, fast paced, lots of action and a decent script. If you just go into it wanting a laugh, and you appreciate their limitations, you'll enjoy this gem.
Was it Oscar worthy? No, but don't forget that even Peter Jackson started out with low budget films like 'Bad Taste'. 10 out of 10 for effort, and 9 out of 10 overall for me.
Looking forward to more from the Hamill's!!
Man on Fire (2004)
Denzel and Dakota are truly outstanding
Sensational. Friendship, love, action, suspense, drama, no holds barred revenge.... this film covers all bases and is a must to watch, especially for Denzel and thriller fans. The film slowly builds from a remarkable bond of friendship, into an adrenaline filled treat.
The main thing in the way of a 10/10 for me was some editing during certain key moments in the film, which luckily take little from the overall entertainment value. There are many twists and turns in the film, some of which are surprising; although some were predictable and there were several loose ends needing to be tied up, such as the fate of the helpful reporter.
These minor gripes can easily be overlooked to enjoy a truly astonishing film.
Virtuosity (1995)
Russell makes an average story much worse....
I would have been happy to give this sci-fi a 6 for creating a gloriously cheesy 90's flick. It is a cross between the Thirteenth Floor and Demolition Man - both of which I found really fun to watch.
Unfortunately, the script was lacking and, with the exception of Denzel, the acting was middling at best. Russell unfortunately ruined what should have been the main focus of attention in this film by hideously overacting the VR serial killers persona. You might say he killed the killers character off himself even before the film had reached the 5 minute mark.
Worth a watch only if you are a fan of 80/90's cheesy sci-fi.
As Above, So Below (2014)
Quite a journey... abandon all hope those who enter here!!!
This film is fantastic; an epic journey through hell to purgatory and back again. It is filled with mythology, history, adventure, faith, demons, torture, religious awakenings & the repentance of sins. I feel that anyone would enjoy this film if you like spooky, creepy horrors that make you think, as opposed to simply a blood and gore slasher.
Although this film can be well enjoyed with no prior knowledge of revelations in the bible, if you have questions or are confused regarding the plot and ending, please, please go and have a read and then return for a second showing with new eyes!!! Reading revelations(even the 'for dummies' guides or similar) will help your understanding. I highly recommend reading Dante's Inferno/Purgatory/Paradise series and Milton's A Paradise Lost..... plenty of websites with short, summarised details.
In these texts, on being banished from heaven, Lucifer vows to oppose all of God's creation and laws. This would explain the 'backwards' element to the film after entering Hell's Gate (as above, so below). The general random demons dotted around are definitely part of Hell, as are the loud noises and visions, intended to torture. In the Catholic faith it is believed that personal sin is paramount for your fate following death, and that those with a heavy burden of sins are destined for Hell and damnation. There is, however, the possibility to redeem yourself by repenting your sins. In purgatory are the souls of those who have either committed lesser sins or have guilt, or have not followed the correct path during life. They then have the chance to repent sin, allowing them to enter paradise (heaven).
As an example, Papillon was still denying his guilt/sin for his involvement in a man dying in a burning car right until the end. This failed opportunity to repent sealed his fate in hell, whereas when Scarlett see's her father she repents her sin and acknowledges her guilt and sin surrounding his suicide, making him disappear and allow her to proceed. Zed and George also repent on being faced with their own sins, after which a leap of faith allows them to continue and be allowed to enter paradise.
So are they dead at the end? no; I believe they return to Paris as they cannot yet enter paradise until they die. They have had a journey through hell and purgatory, been absolved of their sins and have most probably assured their entry into heaven following death in the absence of future sin. The relevance of the philosophers stone to me is having faith in a higher power, and having hope of redemption. There are many other subtle references to revelations that make the film worth revisiting.
I rarely score a film a 10, however, taking into account the story, fantastic camera work, acting and a modest budget of $5 million, it really is worth it. If you enjoyed this film, then 'Jacob's Ladder' and 'Descent' should also be right up your alley :-)
RoboCop (2014)
I will buy that for a dollar!! It was "Sweeeet mmmm, mmm, mm"
I was sceptical at first, and as a huge fan of the original I felt it was far too soon for a reboot of such an excellent 80's classic.
However, it was a great action film with all the required violence expected with Robocop, which also provided an interesting storyline adaptation. On the whole it was exciting, exhilarating and lots of fun.
So, yes, the general premise was similar to the original, and they 'attempted' to add some iconic moments/lines which weren't always well conveyed or well timed. But, if they hadn't made reference to the original it would have been slated for ignoring it. I simply cannot understand why some fans of the original were so upset with this update of the story.... it HAD to be updated on many levels to compete in todays market.
The majority of the cast impressed, although Michael Keaton let himself down and wasn't nearly vindictive enough for the head of OCP (a shame, as I am a fan of Michael).
Samuel L. Jackson, however, provided a sterling performance as Pat Novak, the host of a highly biased current affairs show; biased in favour of Omnicorp Security, and most probably paid off by them too. This was a very good attempt at providing some of the needed satire so fondly remembered from the original.
As a fan of Cyberpunk films in general, I would still place this highly on the list in that genre. It still provides all the main elements: the not too distant future, technological advancement/dependence, social order issues and of course a highly influential mega-corporation in Omnicorp/OCP.
If you are sceptical as I was, loosen your grasp on the past a little and give it a go as you may be pleasantly surprised.