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Gangs of London (2020)
A rip-roaring ride
Provided you can suspend disbelief and accept the credibility of a series of multi-body massacres throughout this bloody, violent tale, just sit back and hang on for the ride. Characterisation is good, as is the acting, and the storyline is complex, with a convoluted plot of loyalties and betrayals which keep you guessing all the way through. Whichever of the gangs you are dealing with, these are a bunch of cold-blooded, amoral and in some case downright psychotic criminals who will literally stop at nothing to get what they want. The only missing element in all this carnage is the minimal visual involvement of any agency of the law, which does take some swallowing, given the massive, gratuitously violent criminality involved. Other than that, top notch entertainment, but definitely not for the squeamish.
Mudosilmugwan (2024)
A Strange Mixture, but worth a watch
As paedophilia is a central issue in this Korean martial arts flick, I find the levity and some of the attempts at comedy most inappropriate. The action scenes are very well choreographed, and yes, without giving too much away the perverts are eventually brought to justice after a few knock-backs, including the odd fatality involving the loss of a law enforcer. So it comes across as a strange mixture, including, as it does, scenes of sexual assault, along with light-hearted banter between young friends. It seems that it can't quite make its mind up what it wants to be, and in my opinion, would have been a much more solid offering if it had been presented as either a serious, dramatic commentary on child abuse, or a less controversial martial arts flick with a more general focus on criminality. It does neither, so leaves me as a viewer feeling uncomfortable with the rather shallow, unconvincing message it delivers.
Vikings: Valhalla (2022)
Well worth a watch
Although I thoroughly enjoyed Series 3 of Vikings Valahalla, and found it a significant improvement on Series 2, the ending left so many loose ends, that I suspect that despite current denials, some sort of follow up may appear. With William of Normandy, Harold Hardrada, and the soon to be King Harold of England still very much in the mix, a plot which leads to battles at both Stamford Bridge and Hastings would seem to be a much more satisfying conclusion, as it would in effect have drawn a line under "the Viking age". Yes, the extended timeline would have written out some of the major characters purely based on age, but a very strong plotline would still have been possible as current child personalities mature and take their place in monumental historic events. We shall see.
Those About to Die (2024)
Worth a watch
Despite the epic scenes, some of the CGI comes across as just a bit clunky. Clunky is also a good description for some of the acting, and I'm rather surprised to see Anthony Hopkins headlining this sword and sandals tale. I've seen him in so many other, better movies, and far better supported. I also found the rather narrow focus on the games and the arena rather limiting, bearing in mind all the other highly significant events which were taking place during Vespasian's time. If you want a rather undemanding watch, with some unconvincing characterisation and a wandering plot , you won't be disappointed, but don't expect it to come up to the standard of the many quality offerings about ancient Roman history which are out there. Distinctly average.
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Missed Opportunity
The premise of this movie is a bereaved Husband and Father seeking vengeance for the cold-blooded murder of his wife and young daughter in a burglary gone wrong. His sense of injustice is magnified when arguably the main perpetrator benefits from a plea bargain and is jailed for a bare 3 years. So once again, justice falls short, and Gerard Butler, the "law abiding citizen", becomes the determined vigilante looking for revenge. As the plot unfolds, and increasingly complex and unlikely scenarios lead to a climbing body count, our ability to suspend disbelief is stretched to ridiculous lengths. Not content with that, when Butler is finally imprisoned and manages to continue his campaign from within his cell, it all then becomes even more ludicrous... particularly the ending... which I won't go into. All just a bit silly, I'm afraid.
Sword of Vengeance (2015)
Don't expect too much
Just about worth a watch on a rainy afternoon, but don't get your hopes up. Very limited characterisation, sparse and rather hammy dialogue, so the only aspects that saves this production from media oblivion is that the fight scenes are well-orchestrated, the special effects good, and the cinematography is well done. Very much a mediaeval take on the spaghetti western/ samurai movie genre, in which, like Clint, the hero often wears a cape and says little or nothing throughout the film. Glad I was able to watch this for free on Amazon prime, as I certainly wouldn't have wanted to pay good money for a viewing.
Big Game (2014)
Missed opportunity
This film could have been so much better, but it fell into the frequently repeated trap of stretching credibility way beyond reasonable grounds. I'm quite prepared to suspend disbelief in the name of poetic license, but the numerous miraculous escapes from near death situations quickly became too much for me. You expect that sort of thing from computer games, where characters such as Drake and Croft have the agility and acrobatic skills of apes, but not from a movie which doesn't involve superheroes. The acting was good,and the characters were quite well drawn, plus the cinematography, scenery and special effects were top notch, but all were undermined by the rather silly approach to what was survivable and what wasn't. A missed opportunity, which could have been so much better.
Eight for Silver (2021)
Not just your average werewolf movie
I was pleasantly surprised by this little-known example in the genre of the werewolf movie. There is very little in the way of transformation scenes, or indeed in any depiction on screen of the beast itself, but this is more than made up for by a strong, macabre story line, convincing characterisation, and excellent cinematography. Apparently the tale is based on an eighteenth century "loup-garoux" legend, but it transfers well to a more modern setting, which begins and concludes in the years around the first world war, although its roots are in the late 19th century , originating with an atrocity committed by the local land baron against the Romany community, hence the origin of "the curse". Well worth a watch.
Kill Kane (2016)
I've seen worse
I don't understand the numerous, scathing one star reviews here, as quite frankly, this low budget British made movie, shot in a mere 9 days, largely in the Swansea area, is at least worth a watch. OK, it's formulaic and predictable, and some of the acting could have been better, but one star? Really? The musical soundtrack is also OK. Yes, there are most definitely better Vinnie Jones films out there, but he does seem to be typecast not on;y as the cockney hard man, but also often as the avenging, dark force, seeking retribution for crimes against family and friends. So no surprises, as it's a bit more of the same, just in a rather lower key to some of his former "hits". So an averagely watchable verdict from me. I give it 5 out of 10.
Aces 'N' Eights (2008)
Unecessarily violent horse opera
Far too much concentration on a relentless series of bloody, sadistic atrocities, committed by pantomime villains, against stock character, seemingly helpless farmers who are trying to resist a railroad land- grab. Even Borgnine, Boxleitner and Van Dien fail to lift this beyond the hackneyed, mundane and largely predictable horse opera which it patently is. Character development is shallow and unresolved, and the limited dialogue also limits any engaging plot development. Even the slight twist at the end, as regards the ultimate demise of the chief "badhat" comes across as a desperate, but ineffective ploy to at least try to depart from total predictability. Just about worth a watch on a rainy afternoon, but not if you've anything even remotely more interesting to do... which would not be hard to find.
Crucible of the Vampire (2019)
Just about worth a watch
If this film had ever decided what it wanted to be, it might have got somewhere. Vampire tale, ghost story, mystery thriller, cult story? Who knows. I also found the acting and dialogue rather wooden and unconvincing at times, and character and relational development never really got anywhere, with the result that the whole was rather unconvincing. I would imagine that the only actor in it with any viable street cred, i.e. Neil Morrissey, will not see it as one of his finer forays into cinematic art. There are also far too many nods to other, more worthy offerings from, for example, Hammer Horror, but this film is just not in the same class. Also a rather slow burner, although both the action and the bloodletting did accelerate somewhat in the final quarter of an hour or so. All in all, I felt that this a rather amateurish production, although to be fair, it did just about hold my interest enough nfor me to watch it through to the end.
Bloodlands (2021)
Disappointing
I managed to watch three of the six episodes of this story before the sheer implausibility of the storyline defeated me, and I gave up. I'm quite prepared to suspend disbelief, but this was a bridge too far for me. I've enjoyed James Nesbitt's performance in other productions, but this one was certainly not one of his best. Yes, he was probably constrained by the dodgy plot line, but there was far too much reliance on "meaningful", cold-eyed stares, and shifty sideways glances. Also, the repeated reliance on ineffective surveillance allowing the villains to obtain easy access to their victims was most unconvincing. Characterisation was shallow throughout, and I found it difficult to engage with any of the prime movers. If there is ever a series three, which the largely unresolved and unsatisfactory ending left as a possibility, I won't be watching it.
Bloodlands (2022)
Implausible
I managed to watch three of the six episodes of this series until the sheer implausibility of the story got too much for me, and I gave up. I'm quite prepared to suspend disbelief to a certain extent, but this was a bridge too far for me. Too many plot holes, and an over reliance on ineffective surveillance allowing villains to get close to their targets. I was also disappointed with Nesbitt's performance, and his reliance on so-called meaningful stares or shifty, sideways glances. Characterisation was quite shallow, and I never managed to really engage with any of the prime movers. If there is ever a series 3, which the unconvincing ending certainly left open, I won't be watching it.
A Town Like Alice (1956)
A Great Movie with Timeless Appeal
Superb characterisation, and outstanding performances from the two leads, Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna, which portrays the dreadful fate of those who were captured by the invading Japanese in Malaya and Singapore. The clash between the two cultures is convincingly highlighted, in this tale of survival against all the odds. Well worth a watch, or in my case a repeat watch.
One minor historical "goof".. the Army truck which transports the escaping colonials to the place where they are eventually captured has a large, five-pointed white star painted on its bonnet. Singapore fell in February 1942. The white star was first introduced on American vehicles in August 1942, and was not widely used on all Allied vehicles until 1943.
Britannia (2017)
Enjoyable Hokum
Come on all you Ancient History nerds... lighten up. This series doesn't pretend to be even mildly historically accurate. Surely the Donovan "Hurdy Gurdy Man" theme tune is a bit of a giveaway? Beautifully filmed, and with strong performances from many leading actors, characterisation is well-defined, and this is no mere sword and sandals battle-fest, although there is certainly enough gore for those who are that way inclined. So sit back and enjoy it. Personally, I can't wait for series 2. :-)