TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews: Action

Showing posts with label Action. Show all posts

Friday, May 9, 2025

Review: Marvel's "THUNDERBOLTS*" Wants to Be "The New Avengers" So Badly

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 of 2025 (No. 2027) by Leroy Douresseaux

Thunderbolts* (2025)

Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for strong violence, language, thematic elements, and some suggestive and drug references

DIRECTOR: Jake Schreier

WRITERS: Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo (based upon the Marvel Comics)

PRODUCER: Kevin Feige

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Andrew Droz Palermo (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: Angela M. Catanzaro and Harry Yoon

COMPOSER: Son Lux (Ryan Lott, Rafiq Bhatia, Ian Chang)

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and DRAMA

Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen, Geraldine Viswanathan, Olga Kurylenko, and Wendell Pierce

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

--Thunderbolts* is very entertaining. It fights a lot and talks a lot.

--The film's main character is really Yelena Belova. It would have been a better film with Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier as the lead, but Florence Pugh is quite good as Yelena

--Entertainment value aside, Thunderbolts* is Marvel Studios' least interesting team movie

Thunderbolts* is a 2025 American superhero fantasy film and action movie directed by Jake Schreier and produced by Marvel Studios. It is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film features Marvel Comics' “Thunderbolts,” an antihero and super-villain superhero team created by writer Kurt Busiek and artist Mark Bagley that first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 (cover dated: January 1997). Thunderbolts* the movie focuses on an unconventional team of antiheroes that takes on a conniving CIA official and a dangerous super-being while confronting their own dark pasts.

Thunderbolts* opens in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) destroys an O.X.E. Group laboratory on behalf of CIA director, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Valentina is facing a Congressional committee that wants to impeach her in order to have her removed as CIA director, so she is having to conceal all her illicit programs. One of those programs in need of concealment is the O.X.E. Group's “Sentry” project, which involves experimentation on humans in order to develop a superhuman.

Valentina dispatches Yelena to a remote O.X.E. facility on a mission to destroy sensitive materials. After entering the facility, however, Yelena discovers that she is not alone. John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) are also there, under the pretense of a mission. The real reason all of them are in the facility is so that Valentina can have them and any incriminating evidence against her be destroyed simultaneously. Another of this mission's surprises is the sudden appearance of a mysterious man named “Bob” (Lewis Pullman).

Now, Yelena and this bunch of reprobates embark on mission to punish Valentina, and they are joined by Yelena's father, Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). They gather in New York City for a showdown, but there are wildcards. Who is “Sentry?” And what is “Void?”

Thunderbolts* is like a sequel, of sorts, to the 2021 Marvel Studios film, Black Widow. It also references such previous Marvel Studios films as Marvel's The Avengers (2012) and the recent Captain America: Brave New World (2025), and also the Disney+ television series, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021), to name a few.

At the center of Thunderbolts* is Yelena Belova, and the good thing is that the actress playing the character, Florence Pugh, is quite good. Pugh gives Yelena gravitas, and I find myself believing almost everything about the character. That said I would have preferred Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes a.k.a. “The Winter Soldier” as the “magnetic center” of Thunderbolts*, but I guess the character has already had plenty of time to showcase himself in previous Marvel Studios productions.

Beyond those two characters, I found myself bored with Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina, although I am a long time fan of Louis-Dreyfus because of her role in the former NBC sitcom, “Seinfeld.” I like actor David Harbour as “Red Guardian,” but the character is a bit overwrought, while Hannah John-Kamen is overly wasted as “Ghost.” Geraldine Viswanathan is very nice in the supporting role of Mel, Valentina's assistant. Lewis Pullman, who seems very skilled at creating a new personality for each acting role he takes on, is very, very good as “Bob.” Marvel Studios would do well not to waste the potential of what Pullman can bring to the MCU.

All that said, Thunderbolts* is my least favorite MCU team movie. Don't get me wrong. It is a very entertaining film because director Jake Schreier makes the most of an offbeat screenplay and of the work of the film editors, cinematographers, and other collaborators. The result is that they deliver a movie that is surprisingly humorous and is often laugh-out-loud funny.

I don't buy all the depression and battling-personal-demons melodrama of the film's story. It is often overdone, contrived, and tedious enough to drag down the moments when that does feel genuine. There is enough enjoyment in Thunderbolts* to make me give it a relatively high rating. If this movie were made by most other film studios, however, I would give it a lower rating.

[Thunderbolts* has an extra scene in the middle of the credits and one at the end of the credits.]

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, May 9, 2025

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Sunday, April 27, 2025

Review: Prime Video's "WITHOUT REMORSE" is a Michael B. Jordan Showcase

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 of 2025 (No. 2026) by Leroy Douresseaux

Without Remorse (2021)

Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)

Rating: MPA – R for violence

DIRECTOR: Stefano Sollima

WRITERS: Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples; from a screen story by Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples (based on the novel by Tom Clancy)

PRODUCERS: Michael B. Jordan, Josh Appelbaum, Akiva Goldsman, and Andre Nemec

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Philippe Rousselot (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Matthew Newman

COMPOSER: Jon Thor Birgisson

ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Lauren London, Jacob Scipio, Todd Lasance, Jack Kesy, Lucy Russell, Brett Gelman, Colman Domingo, and Guy Pearce

Without Remorse is a 2021 American action and military thriller directed by Stefano Sollima and starring Michael B. Jordan, who is one of this film's producer. Also known as Tom Clancy's Without Remorse, the film is loosely based on the 1993 novel, Without Remorse, from author Tom Clancy (1947-2013). Without Remorse was originally produced by Paramount Pictures, which was set to release it. After some delays, Amazon Studios acquired the film and released it as a “Prime Video” original on April 30, 2021. Without Remorse the movie focuses on a Navy SEAL who seeks to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.

Without Remorse opens in Aleppo, Syria and introduces Senior Chief Petty Officer John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan). He is a member of a U.S. Navy SEALs team on a mission to rescue a CIA operative taken hostage by a para-military group. The situation escalates as the SEALs discover that the captors are actually Russian military, and Kelly becomes suspicious of CIA Agent Robert Ritter (Jamie Bell), who led this rescue mission.

Three months later, Kelly is living in Washington D.C. with his pregnant wife, Pam (Lauren London), when Russian FSB operatives invade their home and kill Pam and their unborn child. The attack is part of a series of attacks on members of the SEAL team that took part in the Aleppo mission. With the blessing of his SEAL team leader, Lt. Commander Karen Greer (Jodie Turner-Smith), and Secretary of Defense Thomas Clay (Guy Pearce), Kelly joins a mission led by Greer and Ritter to Murmansk, Russia. There, Kelly hopes to avenge his wife, but he is about to discover that he is really just a pawn in a wide-ranging conspiracy that may lead to a war between the U.S. and Russia.

The late Tom Clancy was a prolific author of military-style action adventures and thrillers. I have not read any of his books, although I actually had or have copies of a few of them. Of the six feature films adapted from Clancy's work, I have previously watched and reviewed three: The Hunt for Red October (1990), Clear and Present Danger (1994), and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014). I saw Patriot Games when it was originally released to theaters back in 1992, but I have never reviewed it. Concerning Without Remorse, I would put it behind Clear and Present Danger, which is one of my all time favorite films (as well as being a favorite of my late mother's), and The Hunt for Red October, which has stood strong over the years.

Without Remorse has a riveting battle scenes and shoot outs. Sometimes, I felt as if I was also there in the film ducking certain death and bullets. Without Remorse's director Stefano Sollima makes excellent use of his film editor, sound team, and stunt performers. I am surprised that the intense and gripping action did not earn Without Remorse better reviews than it received.

There are reasons for that. The film's labyrinth of conspiracies ties the film's narratives in knots and confuses things. Sometimes, I had trouble keeping up with all the Russian bad guys and how they fit in as threats to the U.S. and to the Navy SEALs. Kelly's quest for vengeance and his relationship with Lt. Commander Greer have depth and weight, but most of the other characters are more espionage and military adventure stereotypes than they are full-formed and interesting characters.

Truthfully, I mainly wanted to catch up on my Michael B. Jordan films in the wake of seeing him star in director Ryan Coogler's incredible recent film, Sinners. Its imperfections aside, I really enjoyed Without Remorse and found it to be a very good and very entertaining film in a number of ways. I look forward to the planned sequel.

B+

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, April 27, 2025

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Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Review: Prime Video's "G20" Showcases Viola Davis and Black Excellence

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 16 of 2025 (No. 2022) by Leroy Douresseaux

G20 (2025)

Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)

MPA – R for violence throughout

DIRECTOR: Patricia Riggen

WRITERS: Caitlin Parrish & Erica Weiss and Logan Miller & Noah Miller; from a story by Logan Miller & Noah Miller

PRODUCERS: Viola Davis, Andrew Lazar, and Julius Tennon

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Checco Varese (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: Doc Crotzer and Emma E. Hickox

COMPOSER: Joseph Trapanese

ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Viola Davis, Anthony Anderson, Ramon Rodriguez, Marsai Martin, Christopher Farrar, Antony Starr, Douglas Hodge, Elizabeth Marvel, Sabrina Impacciatore, MeeWha Alana Lee, John Hoogenakker, Julius Tennon, Theo Bongani Ndyalvane, Noxolo Diamini, and Clark Gregg

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

-- I would call G20 a standard straight-to-streaming action movie, but Viola Davis makes this fast food hamburger almost seem like “USDA Prime Beef.”

-- G20 is hugely enjoyable, and it will keep you glued to your seats, dear readers, from beginning to end

--Yeah, I liked it enough to hope for a sequel

G20 is a 2025 action-thriller from director Patricia Riggen and starring Viola Davis, who is also one of the film's producers. The film is an Amazon “Prime Video Original” and debuted on the Prime Video streaming service, Thursday, April 10, 2025. In G20, the African-American female President of the United States battles a gang of white cryptocurrency terrorists after they take over the G20 summit she is hosting in South Africa.

G20 opens in Budapest, Hungary. There, former Australian Special Forces Corporal Edward Rutledge (Antony Starr) and his mercenaries are stalking a young woman. They are determined to acquire a $70 million cryptocurrency wallet in her possession.

Meanwhile, at the White House in Washington D.C., U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Viola Davis) is having some family melodrama. She may be President of the United States and an Army veteran of the Iraq War, but she is publicly embarrassed by the rebellious antics of her daughter, Serena (Marsai Martin), who has recently escaped from the White House without the Secret Service noticing.

President Sutton and her husband, the “First Gentleman” Derek (Anthony Anderson), decide that it is wisest to bring Serena and her brother, their son Demetrius (Christopher Farrar), with them to Capetown, South Africa for the G20 Summit of world leaders. However, waiting for them at the heavily fortified Grand Diamot hotel is Corporal Rutledge and his team of terrorists, ready to seize control of the summit and bring down the world economy as we know it. Soon, it will be up to President Sutton, Derek, Serena, Demetrius, and Special Agent Manny Ruiz (Ramon Rodriguez) to save themselves and the Summit's attendees and to stop Rutledge and his diabolical plot to burn down the world as we know it.

During the last year or so, I have seen a few star-studded, streaming original action movies, such as Prime Video's Role Play (2024) and Netflix's The Union (2024) and the recent Back in Action (2025). I have avoided most streaming action movies, but I have noticed something about the ones I have seen. They are a family and friends affair. Husbands and wives, children, and friends come together to stop the high-tech bad guys. In a way, they are like the 2004 kiddie action flick, Catch That Kid, which you probably don't remember starred a pre-Twilight Kristen Stewart.

Anyway, G20 has lots of violent gun play, and I would dare to guess that more characters were killed in it than in most spy and espionage movies. That's because G20 is a kind of hybrid military-themed movie about terrorism, except that the lead is a Black female President of the United States. She is the star and she does the most killing, and while her Black husband and their two Black children also fight the bad guys, only she uses firearms and military-style weapons to kill the bad guys.

I found G20 thoroughly enjoyable, and I enjoyed watching Viola Davis' President Sutton kill the bad guys. She is one of the few actresses that could take President Sutton and make her both a solid dramatic character and a heavy weight action hero. I also like that the most of film's biggest heroes are black and brown people. Viola Davis, Anthony Anderson, Ramon Rodriguez, Marsai Martin, Christopher Farrar, Theo Bongani Ndyalvane and Noxolo Diamini show out for real. Douglas Hodge, Sabrina Impacciatore, and MeeWha Alana Lee also do the damn thing. Even Antony Starr deftly chews up the screen as the overheated villain, Corporal Rutledge.

Amazon MGM Studios, I want a sequel. I heartily recommend G20 for its pure entertainment value and for making a violent, R-rated action movie seem like family entertainment. This is one time that I can say that a direct-to-streaming action movie is as good as most of the flashy action movies that get theatrical releases. Best of all, G20 lets Viola David act like an O.G.

B+

7 of 10

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

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Thursday, March 27, 2025

Review: "THE BEEKEEPER" Swarms with Vicarious Vigilante Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 of 2025 (No. 2019) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Beekeeper (2024)

Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)

MPA – R for strong violence throughout, pervasive language, some sexual references and drug use.

DIRECTOR: David Ayer

WRITER: Kurt Wimmer

PRODUCERS: David Ayer, Jason Statham, Bill Block, Chris Long, and Kurt Wimmer

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gabriel Beristain (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Geoffrey O'Brien

COMPOSERS: Jared Michael Fry and David Sardy

ACTION/CRIME

Starring: Jason Statham, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Bobby Naderi, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, David Witts, Michael Epp, Taylor James, Jemma Redgrave, Minnie Driver, Don Gilet, Dan Li, Derek Siow, and Phylicia Rashad

The Beekeeper is a 2024 American vigilante action-thriller from director David Ayer and writer Kurt Wimmer. Starring Jason Statham, the film follows an assassin who sets out for revenge after his kindhearted landlady falls victim to a phishing scam.

The Beekeeper opens in rural Massachusetts. There, Adam Clay (Jason Statham) is a quiet beekeeper who rents land and barn space from retired school teacher, Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad). The two have a warm relationship. Eloise also manages a children's charity and watches over her retirement funds. However, Eloise falls victim to a phishing and hacking scam operated by a call center, “United Data Group.” The lead hacker, Boyd Garnett (David Witts), tricks Eloise into giving him access to her computer, whereupon he drains it of all her life savings and of the two million dollars she manages for the charity. Eloise is devastated and tragedy strikes.

In response, Adam sets out on a mission of revenge. He heads to Boston to confront Derek Danforth (Josh Hutcherson), the owner of “Nine Star United,” the company behind United Data Group. Danforth, however, is very well connected, so well connected that it is impossible to imagine. Soon, Adam Clay is taking on the FBI Boston field office, S.W.A.T., and hired mercenaries. How can one man take on all that? Well, Adam Clay, the beekeeper, is also an former assassin and operative of the type known as a “Beekeeper.”

If you enjoyed the 2014 Denzel Washington revenge vehicle, The Equalizer, and its sequels, and the 2014 Keanu Reeves revenge vehicle, John Wick, and its sequels, you will likely enjoy The Beekeeper. First, it's one of the better movies from the filmography of director David Ayer (Suicide Squad). Secondly, it is one of the better movies written by Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium).

Third, it's Jason Statham, and if you are a fan of his (and I am), then The Beekeeper shows that he has not lost his sting... his punch... his kick... or his firearm and bladed weapon skills. Plus, the allegorical and symbolic nature of Adam Clay as both a beekeeper and as a “Beekeeper” are quite clever and genuinely connected. I don't want to say more because I find this movie's plot and plot points easy to spoil, but I can say that it is a blast to watch. Even if you are not the biggest Statham fans, dear readers, I believe that you will enjoy – to some extent – this tightly composed and cheerfully violent movie. I can say that anyone who gets in the way of Statham's Adam Clay – good guy or bad guy – is put in a world of pain.

The rest of the performances are okay. The other characters are merely there to be acted upon by Adam Clay. Still, Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune) and Oscar-nominee Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) are sadly wasted in this film. I really only watched The Beekeeper in preparation for Statham's new film with David Ayer (as of this writing), the ridiculously titled, A Working Man, which I may or may not see during its theatrical release. Still, I am glad that I stopped putting off seeing The Beekeeper because it is a hugely entertaining action movie. It floats like a butterfly and stings like a demonic bee.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Thursday, March 27, 2025

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Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Review: "ULTRAVIOLET" is Mostly Misspent Potential

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 164 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Ultraviolet (2006)

Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violent action throughout, partial nudity, and language

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Kurt Wimmer

PRODUCERS: John Badecchi and Lucas Foster

CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Arthur Wong Ngok Tai and Jimmy Wong

EDITOR: William Yeh

COMPOSER: Klaus Badelt

SCI-FI/ACTION and MARTIAL ARTS/MYSTERY

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Cameron Bright, Nick Chinlund, Sebastien Andrieu, Ida Martin, and William Fichtner

Ultraviolet is a 2006 American science fiction action film from writer-director Kurt Wimmer. The film focuses on a woman infected with a virus that gives her superhuman and vampire-like powers who has to protect a boy thought to carry antigens that would destroy others like her.

Ultraviolet opens in the late 21st century. The Hemoglophagic Virus has infected the human population – a disease causing symptoms that many associate with vampires. Those afflicted gain enhanced intelligence, fantastic stamina, and lightning-fast speed (like the vampires in Blade). The world is divided into those who don’t have it (normal humans), and those who do (called “hemophages”).

The government, led by the powerful scientist, Vicecardinum Ferdinand Daxus (Nick Chinlund), hunts hemophages in hopes of wiping them out. One woman, a highly-skilled hemophage warrior named Violet Song jat Shariff (Milla Jovovich), infiltrates a governmental research station. Violet steals a case containing a secret weapon that will reportedly wipe out the infected. However, Violet finds herself on the run and protecting a mysterious child, called “Six” (Cameron Bright), who may or may not be infected with a virus dangerous to hemophages. Now, Daxus and his entire military force is out to get her and the child.

From writer/director Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium), Ultraviolet is non-interactive entertainment (a movie) trying to act like interactive entertainment (a videogame). Awash in bright colors (computer-generated neon), the film looks like a comic book, especially when Milla Jovovich poses – standing still and trying to look badass before she begins a fight sequence. It’s the only time her performance can be said to be anything near good. Most of the time, she is so dreadful that it’s impossible to believe that she’s been acting for nearly two decades.

Ultraviolet has a lot of potential, but ultimately it’s just a poorly developed and disastrously executed movie that a computer made all gooey with color and the filmmakers filled with an electronics expo full of fancy gadgets.

3 of 10

C-

★½ out of 4 stars

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Edited: Monday, March 24, 2025

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Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Review: First "HELLBOY" Film Still Dances with the Devil

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Hellboy (2004)

Running time: 122 minutes (2 hours, 2 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images

DIRECTOR: Guillermo del Toro

WRITERS: Guillermo del Toro; from screen story by Peter Briggs & Guillermo del Toro (based upon the comic book by Mike Mignola)

PRODUCERS: Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, and Mike Richardson

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro

EDITOR: Peter Amundson

COMPOSER: Marco Beltrami

HORROR/ACTION/ADVENTURE and SCI/FANTASY

Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Karel Roden, Rupert Evans, John Hurt, Corey Johnson, Doug Jones, Brian Caspe, James Babson, Biddy Hodson, Jim Howick, Kevin Trainor, and (voice) David Hyde Pierce

Hellboy is a 2004 American superhero and horror-fantasy film from director Guillermo del Toro. The film is based upon the Hellboy comic book franchise and character created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. Hellboy the movie focuses on a demon who becomes a defender against the forces of darkness after being conjured by the Nazis as an infant.

Mike Mignola’s titular character of his wonderful Hellboy comic books comes to life in director Guillermo del Toro’s colorful and well-dressed B-movie, Hellboy. This horror/action flick is dry, slow, and even the action is deadpan, although there are a few funny and genuinely scary moments. Now, I can describe a plethora of movies as having “a few good moments,” but this movie does have quite a few.

The film begins late in World War II. A young scientist, Trevor “Broom” Bruttenholm (Kevin Trainor) and a squad of Allied soldiers come upon a group of Nazi kooks. The kooks include the Russian mystic, Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden), in the midst of a ritual to summon a group of big bow wow evil gods. The Allies stop the evil that is coming “from the other side,” but something does slip through – a little demon kid they name Hellboy.

Sixty years later, Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is now an adult, having been raised by Trevor Bruttenholm (John Hurt). Hellboy is the main man/strongman for "The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense," which is a group fighting the good fight against all manner of bogeymen and boogens. Our entry into this dark world of supernatural special operations is an FBI newbie, John Myers (Rupert Evans). Myers comes just in time, as Rasputin and his gang of uglies are back to finish what they started six decades earlier.

Hellboy is a pleasant diversion, and it certainly is pretty to look at, featuring colorful art direction, set decoration, and makeup. Hellboy looks a lot like Guillermo del Toro’s last film, Blade II, but whereas the latter had a dark atmosphere and a convincing, unbroken line of suspense, Hellboy is flat and too long to be as flat as it is. Perlman is, at times, almost D.O.A. as the title character, and then, quite lively at other times. I don’t think Perlman's interpretation of Hellboy really fits the comic book original version of the character. The four color Hellboy is more humble and earthy, whereas Perlman’s creation often comes across as a cocky, uncouth roughneck.

Hellboy has excellent production values. It is a great looking film, from its set and environments to its costumes and hair and make-up that transform actors into a menagerie of inventive and imaginative characters. Still,I don't think audiences have to see Hellboy in a theater; they can save it for a rental.

5 of 10

B-

★★½ out of 4 stars

EDITED: Saturday, March 1, 2025

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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Review: "VENOM: THE LAST DANCE" Has a Death Wish

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 10 of 2025 (No. 2016) by Leroy Douresseaux

Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

Running time: 110 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images and strong language

DIRECTOR: Kelly Marcel

WRITERS: Kelly Marcel; from a story by Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy (based on the Marvel Comics)

PRODUCERS: Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Matt Tolmach, Tom Hardy, Kelly Marcel, and Hutch Parker

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Fabian Wagner (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Mark Sanger

COMPOSER: Dan Deacon

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION

Starring: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Alanna Ubach, Hala Finley, Dash McCloud, Cristo Fernandez, Jared Abrahamson, Jack Brady, Reid Scott, and Andy Serkis

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

Venom: The Last Dance is the least of the three films in this series in terms of quality.

The entire point of the movie seems to be to end the series as soon as possible, so it is strictly for fans of this series

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Venom: The Last Dance is a 2024 superhero fantasy-action film directed by Kelly Marcel. The film is based on the Marvel Comics super-villain/anti-hero characters, Eddie Brock/Venom. Several comic book writers, artists, and editors contributed in the development of this duo, and artist Todd McFarlane and writer David Michelinie are the creators of Venom. This is also the third entry in the Venom film series. In Venom: The Last Dance, Eddie Brock and Venom are on the run from both an alien monster and a mysterious military officer, and they may be forced to break up their symbiotic partnership.

Venom: The Last Dance opens on Klyntar, the home world of the symbiotes. Knull (Andy Serkis), the creator of the symbiotes, seeks a way to escape the prison made for him by his rebellious creations. To that end, he has discovered a key – some thing called a “Codex” – that will free him. What and where is the codex?

Well, it is on Earth, and the Codex exists because of the relationship between the symbiote, Venom, and his human host, the former investigative reporter, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy). They have just returned to Earth after their short stay in the multiverse (as seen in 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home) and has landed in the Mexico of their own Earth. While there, Eddie and Venom learn that Eddie is being blamed for the death of Detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham).

Mulligan is not dead. He was infected by a symbiote (as seen in 2021's Venom: Let There Be Carnage). He has been imprisoned in an underground facility at “Area 55” (which is beneath “Area 51”), and is being held in captivity by the “Imperium Program.” There, Mulligan and his symbiote are under the watchful gazes of Imperium scientist, Dr. Teddy Paine (Juno Temple), and the Imperium's military commander, General Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

Eddie and Venom are headed for New York City in a bid to clear Eddie's name, unaware that General Strickland is hunting them. The duo, however, is soon made aware of an even more dangerous hunter. Knull has sent a creature known as a “Xenophage” to capture the Codex within Eddie and Venom. Now, a year into their symbiotic relationship, Eddie Brock and Venom may have to make a most devastating and heart-wrenching decision in order to save the Earth and at least one of their lives.

Venom: The Last Dance is the fifth film in “Sony's Spider-Man Universe” line of films. It follows Venom (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), Morbius (2022), and Madame Web (2024). The Last Dance arrived in movie theaters a little more than a month before the series' sixth film, Kraven the Hunter (2024). This film series stars characters and properties commonly associated with Marvel Comics' character, Spider-Man. Sadly, media reports indicate that Kraven the Hunter will be the last entry in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.

Anyway, just before the halfway mark in Venom: The Last Dance, the Venom symbiote enters a horse, and “venomizes” it, creating a “Venom horse.” The sequence featuring Venom as a horse, which becomes a wild ride across the desert with Eddie on its back, is probably the liveliest moment in this movie. Venom does not venomize any more animals the rest of the way, but strangely, the beginning of the film's end-credits is a montage of venomized animals, everything from insects and birds to mammals and amphibians. A Venom movie featuring the Venom symbiote venomizing countless different insects and animals?! – now, that would be a Venom movie I'd love and a lot of people would watch. Sadly, that is what we get in Venom: The Last Dance.

Yes, there are some genuine character moments – such as Eddie/Venom's relationship with the Moon family – but even that is overwhelmed by Venom: The Last Dance's need to end. Yes, this isn't so much a movie as it is an execution or suicide pact. Venom is a trilogy and Venom: The Last Dance must be the end of it: that's what this movie feels like – a race to the end.

I found myself unable to really enjoy this movie. I really didn't connect with the film's best action scenes, and there were a few really good ones. Also, I feel like the Knull subplot was woefully underutilized. There are some good moments here, and by the end of the film, I thought the good things had been downplayed in favor of this movie's fatalistic mood. Ultimately, I think Venom: The Last Dance is only for fans of the series who will want to see it through to the end.

5 of 10

C+

★★½ out of 4 stars out of 4 stars

[This film has one mid-credits scene and one scene that occurs at the end of the credits.]

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Friday, February 14, 2025

Review: "CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD" Explodes with Intensity

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 of 2025 (No. 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some strong language

DIRECTOR: Julius Onah

WRITERS: Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman & Dalan Musson, and Julius Onah & Peter Glanz; from a story by Rob Edwards and Malcolm Spellman & Dalan Musson (based on the Marvel Comics)

PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige and Nate Moore

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Kramer Morgenthau (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: Madeleine Gavin and Matthew Schmidt

COMPOSER: Laura Karpman

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/DRAMA and SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Xosha Roquemore, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, William Mark McCullough, and Takehiro Hira with Liv Tyler and Sebastian Stan

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

--Captain America: Brave New World is the subject of a social media smear campaign, but it is one of the best superheroes movies of the 2020s, and it is probably the best action movie of the decade

--The cast is dynamite. Not only does Anthony Mackie light up the screen as Sam Wilson/Captain America, but Harrison Ford also tears up the screen the way a Hollywood legend and icon should

--The supporting cast of Captain America: Brave New World is excellent, and the actors help make this film a rampaging good time at the movies

Captain America: Brave New World is a 2025 superhero and action film from Marvel Studios and directed by Julius Onah. The film focuses on the character, “Sam Wilson,” as the superhero, “Captain America.” Sam Wilson is a Marvel Comics character that was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan and that first appeared in Captain America #117 (cover dated: September 1969). Captain America is a Marvel Comics character that was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and that first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (December 1940).

This film is the fourth film in the Captain America film series and also the 35th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In Captain America: Brave New World, Captain America must discover the identity of the mastermind behind a plan to launch the United States into a global war over access to an amazing new metal alloy.

Captain America: Brave New World focuses on Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who is still early in his tenure as the superhero, Captain America, replacing his friend, the original Captain America, Steve Rogers. Wilson was once the superhero, “The Falcon,” and now, that mantle belongs to his partner, U.S. Air Force First Lt. Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez). Captain America and the Falcon begin the film on a mission in Oaxaca, Mexico where they take on the “Serpent Society” and its leader, Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito), in a bid to intercept the sale of a canister of “Adamantium.”

Adamantium is the new metal alloy that was discovered on the “Celestial Island,” located in the Indian Ocean. Celestial Island is really the gigantic carcass of the “Celestial Tiamut,” whose emergence was stopped by the Eternals (as seen in the 2021 film, Eternals). The U.S., Japan, and India are vying to mine adamantium, and to that end, the three countries are working on a treaty that would create the infrastructure in which the three nations would share control of the island.

The current President of the United States, Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), formerly known as General “Thunderbolt” Ross, asks Sam to be the face of the adamantium treaty as Captain America. President Ross also wants Sam to join him in a plan to reform the superhero group, “The Avengers.” However, the announcement of the treaty is interrupted by an assassination attempt. Now, Sam's friend and mentor, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), the Korean War veteran and once-imprisoned “super soldier,” is once again imprisoned because of the incident.

Despite a growing rift with President Ross, Sam decides to investigate the assassination attempt, and Joaquin joins him. Shadowing them is a former “Black Widow,” the Israeli Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), but even she can't stop Captain America and the Falcon from discovering the mystery of a man named Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson). Can Sam Wilson stop a global war, and can Captain America really take on the creature known as the “Red Hulk.”

Captain America: Brave New World is the subject of an intense online and social media smear campaign. When you, dear readers, come across someone using the word, “woke,” to describe it, you should know that in the context of this film, “woke” is Confederate pig Latin for the name “Anthony Mackie.” People who complain that the story and/or the script are not good are against the film because of their grievances concerning an African-American actor, Antony Mackie, taking on the role of Captain America. With that said...

Captain America: Brave New World ties into some other Marvel Studios productions. Obviously, this film's “Celestial Island” subplot is related to events depicted in the 2021 film, Eternals. The Disney+/Marvel Studios series, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” (2021) is a prologue to Brave New World. Surprisingly, Brave New World acts as a sort of sequel to the second film in the MCU, 2008's The Incredible Hulk. There are also references to numerous other MCU films.

Captain America: Brave New World is a superb superhero movie and great action film. Director Julius Onah has helmed a film that is a rampaging good time at the movies, doing this in spite of delays and reshoots. He should take pride in making a Captain America film that is as good as or better than the previous three films in the series. The action is great, and the conspiracy at the heart of the story is intense and shockingly personal. The character drama is surprisingly potent and is both complex and complicated. Plus, the Captain America vs. Red Hulk battle in the film's last act fell on me like a tree; it is so intense that for a moment I wished I was wearing an adult diaper while watching it.

With Captain America: Brave New World, Anthony Mackie not only proves that he is a true Marvel leading man who can carry a MCU film, but he also proves that he is a Hollywood leading man. In subtle ways, his performance and speeches clearly define that which Mackie fights in the real world and Sam Wilson fights in his world. Watching Mackie chop up this movie with his dramatic chops, I realized that it was long overdue that he lead a Marvel film.

I must also admit that Harrison Ford brings down the thunder in his role as President Thaddeus Ross, a.k.a. “Thunderbolt” Ross. Ford dominates his scenes so much that only Mackie can really match him in Captain America: Brave New World. Seeing Ford here reminds me of what a find dramatic actor he is and how he has always been fun in action movies.

Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, and Xosha Roquemore also deliver solid turns in their respective supporting roles. They deserve to pop up in the MCU again, many more times. I guess it is obvious that I am still buzzing from seeing Captain America: Brave New World last night (Thursday, February 13th). I had not expected much from this film because I had listened to too much of the propaganda. I love being wrong in these instance. Captain America: Brave New World is going to be my favorite film of 2025 for awhile, dear readers, and I heartily recommend it to you.

9 of 10

A+

Friday, February 14, 2025

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Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Review: "AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM" is Water-Logged Entertainment

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 of 2025 (No. 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some language

DIRECTOR: James Wan

WRITERS: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick; from a story by James Wan and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick & Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa'a Sibbett (based on the character created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger and appearing in DC Comics)

PRODUCERS: James Wan, Rob Cowan, and Peter Safran

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Don Burgess

EDITOR: Kirk M. Morri

COMPOSER: Rupert Gregson-Williams

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/SCI-FI and ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Amber Heard, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Randall Park, Jani Zhao, Indya Moore, and Nicole Kidman with the voices of Martin Short, John Rhys-Davies, and Pilou Asbaek

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a 2023 superhero, action-adventure and science fiction-fantasy film from director James Wan. It is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, Aquaman, and it is also the 15th and final installment of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film is based on the DC Comics character, Aquaman, that was created by artist Paul Norris and editor Mort Weisinger and first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 (cover dated: November 1941). In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Black Manta forges a deal with a mysterious evil from Atlantis' past, forcing Aquaman to forge an alliance with his imprisoned brother in order to save Atlantis.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom opens four years after Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) became King of Atlantis and married Mera (Amber Heard). They are now parents to a son, Arthur Jr. Aquaman splits his life between land and sea, strengthening his bond with his father, Thomas Curry (Temuera Morrison), and getting wise advice about being a father from him. However, splitting time between his life on land and his life as the ruler of Atlantis has led to clashes with the High Council of the Seven Kingdoms.

Meanwhile, David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) continues to seek revenge against Aquaman for the death of his father (as seen in Aquaman). With the help of marine biologist, Stephen Shin (Randall Park), Kane finds a mysterious artifact, “the Black Trident.” As soon Kane touches the trident, it possesses him and connects his mind to the mysterious Kordax, the undead king of the lost undersea kingdom of Necrus. Soon, Kane, at Kordax's command, is poisoning the surface world with an element known as “Orichalcum.”

Aquaman's mother, Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), the former queen of Atlantis, implores him to seek the help of his imprisoned brother, Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson), the deposed King of Atlantis in order to stop Kane. But can Aquaman trust Orm, who tried to kill him and whom he removed from the throne of Atlantis?

While watching the original film, Aquaman, I could not help but notice that many of its story points and plot elements were glaringly similar to those found in Marvel Studios' Black Panther, which debuted earlier in the same year, 2018, that Aquaman hit theaters. I also find Black Panther elements in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but none as pronounced as in the first film. I also believe that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is strongly influenced by the Star Wars “prequel” films, especially Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

That said, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is like the first film – a grand, old-fashioned, action-adventure fantasy film. The sequel is quite entertaining, but not as solidly entertaining as the first film.

The plot, narrative, and character drama in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom seem forced when they are not being over-the-top, and are lacking in genuine emotion and feeling when they not being forced and over-the-top. Director James Wan and his co-writers emphasize sound and fury. It is as if they believe that the more CGI, action scenes, explosions, subplots, and weird-looking things they throw on the screen the less likely that the audience will realize how ungainly this film is. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom isn't cinematic art; it's merely corporate entertainment product, and unlike the first time, Warner Bros. Pictures didn't as lucky with the sequel.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom treads water just not to be mediocre. I will admit that its production values and special visual effects all look quite good. Visually, the film is sumptuous even if the drama is rickety. And as I write this, I am just remembering that I like the film score, although I am sure that I have heard parts of it in another film.

Also, I admire that Jason Momoa throws himself into this film, doing his best to make it seem like the most fun he and the audience could ever have in a superhero movie. Unfortunately, it was the Aquaman movie before Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom that was really fun.

B-

5 of 10

★★½ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

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Saturday, January 25, 2025

Review: Netflix's "BACK IN ACTION" Finds Fun in Spy Parents

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 of 2025 (No. 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

Back in Action (2025)

Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)

MPA – PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and strong language, and brief teen partying

DIRECTOR: Seth Gordon

WRITERS: Seth Gordon and Brendan O'Brien

PRODUCERS: Beau Bauman, Peter Chernin, Seth Gordon, Sharla Sumpter-Bridgett, and Jenno Topping

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ken Sang (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Peter S. Elliot

COMPOSER: Christopher Lennertz

ACTION/COMEDY/SPY

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, Kyle Chandler, Glenn Close, Jamie Demetriou, Andrew Scott, Fola Evans-Akingbola, and Robert Besta

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

Back in Action is no “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” but it is an entertaining action-comedy and spy movie.

Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz work well together, well enough to make me look forward to a sequel.

Back in Action is a 2025 American action-comedy and spy film from director Seth Gordon. The film is a “Netflix Original” and began streaming on Netflix, January 17, 2025. Back in Action focuses on a husband and wife who were once CIA spies and now find themselves pulled back into the espionage game after their secrets are exposed.

Back in Action introduces the Reynolds family: wife, Emily (Cameron Diaz); husband, Matt (Jamie Foxx); daughter, Alice (McKenna Roberts); and son, Leo (Rylan Jackson). They are living the quiet suburban life until Matt and Emily's old lives intrude. You see, Matt and Emily were once “QRN” – “quick reactionary nonofficial” covert operatives for the CIA. Fifteen years ago, they were involved in a mission to capture the “ICS key” from the Polish terrorist, Balthazar Gor (Robert Besta). The mission goes bad, and Matt and Emily decide to quit the spy business and start a family.

In the present, Gor's gang of Belarusian terrorists, “the Volka,” launch an attack on Matt and Emily, who pick up their kids from school and go on the run. They head to England where they will reunite with Emily's estranged mother, Ginny Curtis (Glenn Close), a former MI6 agency head. However, a current MI6 agent, Baron Andrews (Andrew Scott), is waiting for them. Also awaiting Matt and Emily are their past and the people who will do anything to get “the Key.”

Back in Action is the fourth “Netflix Original” in which Jamie Foxx has starred (as far as I can tell), following Project Power (2020), Day Shift (2022), and They Cloned Tyrone (2023). For some reason, I felt as if I had to see Day Shift before I watched Back in Action, which I did a few days earlier. Day Shift is not great, but it is entertaining.

I can say the same about Back in Action. It isn't in the same league as 2002's Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which saw Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play husband and wife who each worked for rival assassination firm. If you took Mr. and Mrs. Smith and mixed it with Spy Kids (2001), you might get something close to Back in Action.

I can honestly say that I enjoyed Back in Action. As a domestic comedy, it is genuinely funny, and Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx play off each other quite well. As a spy movie, Back in Action offers a lot of slick, attention grabbing car chases, fight scenes, shoot-outs, and an extended plane crash that kept me glued to the screen. The family dynamic works pretty well, although I must admit that Glenn Close seems a bit odd as a spy who is the mother of another spy.

That's all I have to say. Back in Action is not great, but it is the kind of star-driven above-average event movie that Netflix regularly offers. Such movies are how they make us feel that our Netflix subscription is worth keeping active.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

Saturday, January 25, 2025

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Monday, January 20, 2025

Review: Netflix's "DAY SHIFT" is More Action-Comedy Than Vampire Horror

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 of 2025 (No. 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Day Shift (2022)

Running time: 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)

MPA – R for strong violence and gore, and language

DIRECTOR: J. J. Perry

WRITERS: Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten; from a story by Tyler Tice

PRODUCERS: Shaun Redick, Yvette Yates Redick, Jason Spitz, and Chad Stahelski

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Toby Oliver (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Paul Harb

COMPOSER: Tyler Bates

ACTION/COMEDY/HORROR

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Meagan Good, Karla Souza, Steve Howey, Scott Adkins, Oliver Masucci, Eric Lange, Peter Stormare, Zion Broadnax, and Snoop Dogg

Day Shift is a 2022 American action-comedy and vampire horror film from director J. J. Perry. The film is a “Netflix Original” and began streaming on Netflix, August 12, 2022. The film focuses on a hard-working, blue-collar dad who uses his pool-cleaning service as a front for the true source of his income – hunting and killing vampires.

Day Shift introduces Bud Jablonski (Jamie Foxx). He is the blue-collar dad of Paige (Zion Broadnax), the daughter he shares with his ex-wife, Jocelyn Jablonski (Meagan Good). On the surface, Bud is a hardworking man who runs a pool-cleaning service, “Valley Pool Services,” in San Fernando Valley, California. Bud really hunts and kills vampires in the Valley under the guise of being a pool cleaner. Every time he kills a vampire, which is very difficult, Bud collects their fangs and sells them to a pawnbroker, Troy (Peter Stormare).

However, killing vampires isn't quite earning him the income he needs, so Bud decides to return to “the Union.” That would be the “Hunters Union,” from which he was expelled. He turns to his close friend, the very successful vampire hunter, John Dante Eliott a.k.a. “Big J” or “Big John,” for help. John is able to get Bud provisionally reinstated, but union boss, Ralph Seeger (Eric Lange), won't let Bud work the “Night Shift,” which yields the most profitable vampire kills.

Instead, Bud must work the “Day Shift,” which he was already doing on his own. In addition, Bud is forced to partner-up with Seth (Dave Franco), a young union supervisor. If that were not bad enough, Bud has been targeted for revenge by Audrey (Karla Souza), an ambitious vampire who plans to take over San Fernando Valley where she poses as a real estate agent.

I was familiar with the mixed reviews that Day Shift received, and I had been putting off watching it. However, I am about to watch the latest Jamie Foxx “Netflix Original” movie, Back in Action (2025), in which he costars with Cameron Diaz. Back in Action is the fourth “Netflix Original” in which Foxx has starred (as far as I can tell), following Project Power (2020), They Cloned Tyrone (2023), and Day Shift. For some reason, I feel as if I had to see Day Shift before I watch Back in Action. Go figure.

Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten are credited with the screenplay, but apparently Tice is the originator. Tice's creation is more action-comedy than it is vampire movie, but I do recognize elements that are borrowed or are at least are similar to that of numerous vampire films. As I watched Day Shift, I found that parts of it made me think of Blacula (1972), The Lost Boys (1987), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Daybreakers (2010), and Priest (2011), to name a few. Of course, no movie featuring vampires hunters and their prey could escape the shadow of the Blade film series, and this movie seems inspired by Blade (1998), Blade II (2002), and Blade: Trinity (2004). Also, Day Shift is obviously rubbing up against Men in Black (1997) and its sequels.

Day Shift's premise is indeed a garbage soup made out of a bunch of leftover ingredients, and the fact that it throws in so many ideas makes it almost seem original... almost. Still, as garbage soup films go, Day Shift is quite tasty. It is more action-comedy than vampire-horror, and director J. J. Perry (in his directorial debut) gets the most out of his film editor, Paul Harb. When Day Shift is moving because of extended, multi-player fight scenes or through its one extended car-truck-motorcycle chase, Day Shift pops the way action movie junkies want their action movies to pop.

The best thing a popcorn entertainment action movie can do is have a star as its hero or as its villain. Day Shift has the Oscar-winning actor, Jamie Foxx (Ray), as its star, and Foxx is the one who gives this film any credibility that hit has. Yes, Dave Franco does a nice turn as Seth, the reluctant sidekick, and any comedy that manages to snag Snoop Dogg is very lucky. However, Foxx willingly buys into this film's goofiness, and the professionalism of his performance keeps Day Shift from seeming like the vampire equivalent of one of those Sharknado movies.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

Monday, January 20, 2025

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Thursday, January 16, 2025

Review: John Carpenter's "VAMPIRES" is Still Fun (Happy B'day, John Carpenter)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 36 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998)

Running time: 108 minutes (1 hour, 48 minutes)

MPAA – R for strong violence, and gore, language, and sexuality

DIRECTOR: John Carpenter

WRITER: Don Jakoby (based upon the novel by John Steakley)

PRODUCER: Sandy King

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gary B. Kibbe (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Edward A. Warschilka

COMPOSER: John Carpenter

HORROR/FANTASY and ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Maximilian Schell, and Tim Guinee

Vampires (also known as John Carpenter's Vampires) is a 1998 American action, neo-Western, and vampire horror film from director John Carpenter. It was adapted from the 1990 horror novel, Vampire$, by author John Steakley. Vampires the movie focuses on an caustic vampire slayer who must track down the vampire master that ambushed and destroyed his team of slayers before the creature can find a relic that will allow it to walk in sunlight.

John Carpenter's Vampires introduces Jack Crow (James Woods), a vampire hunter for the Catholic Church. He leads his "Team Crow," a band of roughnecks and mercenary types who hunt and kill vampires. They destroy a nest of goons (vampires) in rural New Mexico, but Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith), a 600-year old master vampire, ambushes and massacres Team Crow during their victory celebration at a small motel.

Only Crow and his assistant, Montoya (Daniel Baldwin), survive, but Crow ignores the Vatican’s demands that he reform his team. Crow, Montoya, and Father Adam Guiteau (Tim Guinee), a young priest, with tagalong Katrina (Sheryl Lee), a survivor of Valek’s attack, pursue the master vampire through the high deserts that ends in a confrontation to stop Valek from becoming unbeatable.

John Carpenter’s Vampires is a fun action horror flick that rises above being straight-to-video material in large measure because of James Woods hilarious and over-the-top performance as Jack Crow. Crow curses like a pack of sailors, and won’t even spare holy men his vulgar tirades. He beats priests and asks them inappropriate questions about their anatomies and lusts. Woods’ performance is the one thing that entertains even detractors of Vampires.

The film is gory and action-packed, but a little light on genuine scares. It has the charming qualities that make Carpenter’s film fun and unique – pulp storytelling, weird science, and the strange blend of real myth, lore, and culture spun from his fertile imagination. While the characters here, other than Crow, don’t match up to some of Carpenter’s memorable creations from his earlier films, they’re adequate. Vampires is a fun spin on the American pop culture version of vampires, and worth a viewing.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

March 19, 2005

EDITED: Sunday, January 5, 2025

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Friday, January 10, 2025

Review: First "DEN OF THIEVES" Brought the Heat, Man

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 3 of 2025 (No. 2009) by Leroy Douresseaux

Den of Thieves (2018)

Running time: 140 minutes (2 hours, 20 minutes)

MPAA – PG-13 for violence, language and some sexuality/nudity

DIRECTOR: Christian Gudegast

WRITERS: Christian Gudegast; from a story by Christian Gudegast and Paul Scheuring

PRODUCERS: Gerard Butler, Mark Canton, Alan Siegel, and Tucker Tooley

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stephen F. Windon (D.o.P.)

EDITORS: David S. Cox, Joel Cox, and Nathan Godley

COMPOSER: Cliff Martinez

ACTION/CRIME/DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O'Shea Jackon, Jr., Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Maurice Compte, Brian Van Holt, Evan Jones, Mo McRae, Kaiwi Lyman, Dawn Olivieri, Cooper Andrews, Jermaine Rivers, and Eric Braedon

Den of Thieves is a 2018 American action thriller, crime drama, and heist film from writer-director Christian Gudegast. Den of Thieves focuses on the clash between an elite unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and a very successful bank robbery crew.

Den of Thieves opens at night and informs the viewer that Los Angeles, California is the “bank robbery capital of the world.” In the city, there are 2400 bank robberies a year; 44 per week; 9 committed every day, which comes to about 1 every 48 minutes. That same night, Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber) leads a team of fellow ex-MARSOC Marines (United States Marines Special Operations Command) to hijack an armored truck that stops at a donut shop. The ensuing shootout leaves several people dead, including one of Merrimen's crew.

Responding to the incident is Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Detective Nick “Big Nick” O'Brien (Gerard Butler) and his “Major Crimes Unit” team. O'Brien and his team have Merrimen as their lead suspect in hijacking. O'Brien and his crew are a “clique” or what is known as a “deputy gang.” Acting like gang members, O'Brien and his crew kidnap Donnie Wilson (O'Shea Jackson, Jr.), an ex-marine who has been associated with Merrimen in the past, in order to coerce info on Wilson's alleged current association with Merrimen.

As his personal life falls apart, O'Brien gets more involved with Merrimen and his crew, even becoming more confrontational. When Merriment targets the Federal Reserve Bank – Los Angeles Branch for a seemingly impossible heist, O'Brien finds himself in a complicated game of cat and mouse. However, the reality of who is the cat and who are the mice is ever shifting.

I did not know that the Den of Thieves movie existed until I saw a commercial for its upcoming sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025), about two weeks ago (as of this writing). I decided to watch the first film and found it on the “Max” streaming service. It was not long into watching the film that I realized how much it heavily resembles director Michael Mann's classic heist film, Heat (1995). One of the stars of Heat was the late actor, Tom Sizemore (1961-2023), and for some reason, Den of Thieves made me think of a short-lived television series in which Sizemore starred. That would be “Robbery Homicide Division” (CBS, September 2002 to April 2023), for which Mann was also an executive producer. [I really liked that show, by the way, and was sad when it was canceled.] However, “Robbery Homicide Division” focused on the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), rather than the L.A Sheriff's Department (LASD).

Den of Thieves is a very entertaining film, and will likely delight fans of Los Angeles-set crime films (although the film was actually mostly shot in and around Atlanta, Georgia). However, Den of Thieves' story and concept, which was created by writer-director Christian Gudegast and his now former partner, Paul Scheuring, would have been put to better use for a television series. Den of Thieves is filled with characters that have interesting back stories, but the film only shows us glimpses of that – mostly concerning Gerard Butler's Nick O'Brien.

For the most part, the Den of Thieves' character writing relies on types rather than on depicting fully developed characters. I can also say that the film's actors pretty much give one-note performances. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson's Enson Levoux has one great moment, one good moment, and mostly one-note moments the rest of the time. Evan Jones' striking facial features with the help of the Den of Thieves' hair and make-up team saves his one-note character, “Bosco.” By the end of the film, the viewer might realize that O'Shea Jackson, Jr.'s Donnie Wilson is a missed opportunity.

That said – I enjoyed the hell out of Den of Thieves, which makes me think that Hollywood never really maximized the rip-off potential of Michael Mann's Heat. Den of Thieves is engaging, and the big shoot-outs are a blast to watch. This film is alluring in what its potential offers – even in the times that it does not deliver on that potential. It is a good film made very good by its last act, which is full of twists and turns, surprises, and shocking reveals. I am not sure that I will see its sequel in a movie theater, but I will very likely re-watch Den of Thieves in the future.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

Friday, January 10, 2025

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Saturday, December 21, 2024

Review: "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3" Finds Jim Carrey Going Super-Sonic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 59 of 2024 (No. 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)

MPA – PG for action, some violence, rude humor, thematic elements and mild language.

DIRECTOR: Jeff Fowler

WRITERS: Pat Casey & Josh Miller and John Whittington; based on a story by Pat Casey & Josh Miller (based on the Sega video game)

PRODUCERS: Toby Ascher, Neal H. Moritz, Toru Nakahara, and Hitoshi Okuno

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Brandon Trost (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Al LeVine

COMPOSER: Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL)

FANTASY/FAMILY and ACTION/ADVENTURE/COMEDY

Starring: Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Lee Majdoub, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, Adam Pally, Krysten Ritter, Alyla Browne, and Tom Butler; (voices) Ben Schwartz, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:

Jim Carrey makes “Sonic and the Hedgehog 3” the best film of the series by making it his personal showcase. He gives this film dramatic and comedic depth that I was not expecting; he gifts it the best of him.

This is still a Sonic the Hedgehog film, and once again voice actor Ben Schwartz brings Sonic to life in a way that makes him feel like a real-life character instead of being nothing more than one more special effect.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is dynamic and engaging in a way that makes it a family film which can impress adults as much as it entertains the kids.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 2024 action-adventure, fantasy and comedy film from director Jeff Fowler. The film is based on the Sega Corporation's video game series and media franchise which began with the 1991 “Sega Genesis” game, Sonic the Hedgehog. The film is also the third entry in Sonic the Hedgehog film series. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finds Sonic and his family taking on two powerful new adversaries, including one with a shocking connection to an old enemy.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 finds Sonic the Hedgehog (voice of Ben Schwartz) celebrating the anniversary of his arrival on Earth with his adopted parents, Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter). Also celebrating are the two newest members of the family, Knuckles the Echidna (voice of Idris Elba) and Miles “Tails” Prower (voice of Colleen O'Shaughnessey). Together, Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails form “Team Sonic.”

However, while Sonic and family are celebrating, they don't know that trouble is brewing. In Tokyo Bay is a secret prison run by the “Guardian Units of Nations” (G.U.N.), the military of Earth's government. For decades, they have been holding an alien prisoner. He is Shadow the Hedgehog (voice of Keanu Reeves), an anthropomorphic hedgehog like Sonic.

Now, Shadow has joined forces with the man who freed him, a mysterious scientist who has been stealing tech from Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey), Sonic's enemy. That forces Robotnik to unite with “Team Sonic” in order to stop Shadow and his mysterious benefactor's mission of revenge against the Earth and mankind. But can Sonic and his family really trust Robotnik?

Back in 2022, I saw Sonic the Hedgehog 2 because my niece asked to me to take her to the theater to see it. A few days ago, I saw the first film, Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), for the first time (via Prime Video). It got me in the mood for the new film, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, because, once again, my niece wanted me to take her to the theater to see it.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the best of the series mainly because Jim Carrey, in a dual role, gives one of his best performances in recent years. In the first two films, Carrey relied on his familiar over-the-top shtick and shenanigans. In this new film, Carrey unleashes the breath and length of his talent as a performer and actor. In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Carrey is peak 1990s Carrey, and if this were not a Sonic the Hedgehog movie, he would be getting movie awards season notice for his performance in this film. And this film is all the better for what Carrey does.

Once again, voice performer Colleen O'Shaughnessey makes Tails seem like both an innocent kid and a veteran tech expert. In the second film, Idris Elba used his voice acting skills to make Knuckles a tough guy, but here, he gets a chance to brings some gravitas to the character. As usual, Ben Schwartz brings Sonic to life as a fully developed film character and makes Sonic's doubts and dilemmas seem genuine. Schwartz delivers exuberance and drama in his voice performance as Sonic.

Director Jeff Fowler shows that he can play in the big leagues of giant, event action films after directing the bouncy and pleasant first two films. Fowler and his cohorts take the Sonic film franchise from a special effects fun fest to an action-adventure movie with more on the line than eye-popping visual effects (VFX), although there is plenty of that.

So after saying all that, it is obvious that I like Sonic the Hedgehog 3. It is not perfect, and this film is obviously not for certain audiences. It's not really for me, but still, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 manages to surprise and entertain me. And my niece was crazy about it.

7 of 10

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

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