Movie Review - 28 Years Later

Director: Danny Boyle
Genre: Horror
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams
 
Description: A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When on of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.
 
Review: “28 Years Later” is the long-awaited sequel to “28 Days Later” (2002) and “28 Weeks Later” (2007). In my opinion, “28 Days Later” is one of the scariest films ever; ending up in a world like that is a nightmare. In “28 Years Later” we meet a group of survivors of the virus, who have started a civilization on a small island, that can only be reached at low tide.

The tension is there, the atmosphere is oppressive and brutal. And it is again terrifying. The performances are really strong. Jody Comer and Ralph Fiennes stand out, but it’s the young Alfie Williams that really impresses. He has a difficult role to play and he does it very well.

“28 Years Later” is a really good film, although very gory as well. Not for the faint of heart. It’s definitely not as good as “28 Days Later”, but I think it reached the same level as “28 Weeks Later”. Solid horror film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Nosferatu

Genre: Fantasy/ Horror/ Mystery
Runtime: 132 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney
 
Description: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) and the terrifying vampire (Bill Skarsgård) infatuated with her, causing untold horror in it awake.
 
Review: The 1922 “Nosferatu” by F.W. Murnau is an illicit adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. It’s a chilling masterpiece that overambitious directors had better stay away from when thinking of a remake. Especially after all the countless Dracula films adaptations that add little to nothing to the original story. But director Robert Eggers has proven with movies such as “The Witch”, “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman” that he can do something and has a unique vision. “Nosferatu” is a story that was made for him and the result is worth watching.

The 1922 “Nosferatu” is a silent film that terrified audience at the time. Eggers stays away from the theatrical and operatic style that many vampire movies often use. He does not hide away his admiration for Murnau’s original. But he uses his own style and made a unique and personal work with an original approach.

The story broadly follow that of the classic. In 1838, Thomas Hutter must leave his young bride Ellen behind in Wisborg, Germany, and travel to Transylvania. He must personally hand over the purchase papers of an old property to the buyer, the mysterious Count Orlok. Too late, Thomas realizes that his host is a vampire who harbors an all-consuming love for Ellen. Orlok sails a doomed ship to Wisborg to claim his bride.

Probably the biggest change that Eggers made, is Orlok’s look. Max Schreck was a bald-headed vampire with sharp rabbit-like teeth. What stands out most about Bill Skarsgård as Orlok, is the thick moustache. In the first half of the film, Eggers leaves him mostly in the shadows, but in the second half you see him in more detail.

Eggers uses a monochromatic look, with sometimes scenes fully in black an white. This fits the atmosphere and also Egger’s style. The camera work is excellent. It’s panning, where is doesn’t feel like it’s spinning nor is it stationary.

“Nosferatu” is not a nail-biter, but it is very scary. But the terror is more in the portrayal of the characters, the atmosphere and the way it’s filmed. The shadow especially impressed me and was very creepy. Performances by Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe and Nicholas Hoult are really strong, but it’s Lily-Rose Depp who really delivers a stellar performance.

If you are familiar with Robert Eggers’ previous work and those were not your cup of tea, “Nosferatu” will probably not be for you. If you’re a fan of his style and type of storytelling, you will love this too. Just beware of the gore that is coming.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - The Fall Guy

Director: David Leitch
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Winston Duke, Teresa Palmer
 
Description: A down-and-out stuntman (Ryan Gosling) must find the missing star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) of his ex-girlfriend’s (Emily Blunt) blockbuster film.  

Review: The profession of stuntman is often undervalued in Hollywood. It’s a pretty thankless role, because no one knows who you are and the actors take all the credit. So, it’s high time the stuntman is put in the spotlight.

Director David Leitch pays an homage to the many anonymous stunt people. We meet stuntman Colt Seavers. For years, he has been working as the regular stuntman for movie star Tom Ryder. Colt understands his craft and has a romance with camerawoman Jody Moreno. When Colt performs a new stunt on set in which he has to fall of a tall building, things go wrong. He breaks his back and realizes he has to retire from the stunt business. He also stops talking to Jody. When a year and a half later, he is contacted by producer Gail, Colt hesitates. But when he finds out that it’s Jody who is directing the movie, he decides to make a comeback.

“The Fall Guy” is an entertaining and visually stunning action flick. It’s pretty obvious that director David Leitch previously made “Deadpool 2” and “Bullet Train”. The same type of humor. Which I enjoyed. The film is, sadly, fairly predictable. The chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt is really strong and I loved both actors in this film.

“The Fall Guy” is a great time, but it’s also a bit forgettable in the end.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Bullet Train

Director: David Leitch
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Thriller
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Logan Lerman, Zazie Beetz
 
Description: Five assassins aboard a swiftly-moving bullet train find out that their missions have something in common.

Review: After a small role in “The Lost City”, Brad Pitt is back in a lead role. In a so-called bullet train flying through Japan at high speeds, much more is going on than meets the eye.

Assassin Ladybug is given a seemingly simply assignment: steal a suitcase on a Japanese bullet train and get off with it at the next stop. Everything seems to be going smoothly, until Ladybug finds out that he is not the only hitman sent aboard the train with an assignment.  

“Bullet Train” is a highly entertainment film with not a dull moment in it. Besides the amazing action scenes it contains, in colorful neon lights of modern Japan, the actors get every chance to shine in a film that actually takes place almost entirely in one location. And aside from all the spectacle, the actors especially shine in the conversations their characters have with each other. Brad Pitt infuses his character with a genuine amazement at everything, while as a reborn person he clearly forgets what industry he works in. Tangerine and Lemon make a delightful duo, while Prince makes everything to her liking.

The action and humor that alternate at a high pace make the film a cinematic ride to be fully enjoyed. Towards the end, it doesn’t quite manage to maintain that perfect pace, but that’s forgivable.

“Bullet Train” is a ride you won’t soon forget. The combination of humor and action works perfectly. The great action scenes and delightful conversations follow each other at a good pace. And the cast manages to hold your attention. With Brad Pitt as the stand-out. A movie I didn’t expect to love as much as I did.

Rating: 4,5/ 5 

Movie Review - Tenet

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 150 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Clémence Poésy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Caine

Description: Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the wntire world, a Protagonist (John David Washington) journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.

Review: That Christopher Nolan would one day make a film about time travel was of course a matter of time (no pun intended). When early in “Tenet” a simple clock is turned back an hour, it seems like a conscious wink from the always time juggling filmmaker. But you can also see it as an indication that the time travel rules used will be a bit more complex than turning back the clock. The general gimmick is presented relatively quickly: a reversed experience of time. Since Nolan’s oeuvre can be summarized as an intellectual puzzle of macho subjects, we should not be surprised that this concept is explained by a means of a pistol: as a shot, bullets are not fired, but go back into the firearm. But this technology also appears to be applicable to people, with all its complications.
Now Christopher Nolan is far from being the first to use such a narrative element. Tenet are consistently in reverse mode. In their own experience they do everything normal, but anyone who moves forward in time sees them walking backwards and hears them talking backwards (lost me yet?).
“Tenet” is in everything a pure Nolan film: a grand action spectacle about well-dressed men who deal with serious matters, seasoned with bombastic music and well-crafted stunts, wrapped up in a complex puzzle. But while Nolan still managed to put all these elements perfectly to his hand in “Inception”, this time he may have overplayed his hand a little. This way, the difficulty has been increased to such an extent that after a while t becomes difficult to connect al the plot points. The time travel aspect would suffice for a complex narrative, but “Tenet” has been set up as a spy thriller full of shadowy players and double agendas, which doesn’t exactly make it easier to understand. A war between the present and the future? Such ambition compels admiration, but it’s likely that the viewers gradually loses sight of exactly what’s at stake.  
The film becomes a lot easier to watch when the spy plot is released slightly and is used more on the time travel elements. The it turns out that the complexity is not much greater than that of a time travel movie “Déjà Vu”. Although Nolan makes sure that the viewers will have to keep puzzling until the end.

The film has some amazing scenes, like a car chase scene or a fight scene between two people who experience each time in a different way.
You might say that Nolan was over-ambitious and over-complicated this film. For me, the complexity of the film is reason enough to rewatch “Tenet” someday, because I really want to fully understand this film. It’s a beautiful looking movie, with a formula that is starting to show some cracks, but even a Nolan film that isn’t perfect, is still worth watching.

Rating: 4 / 5

10s Movie Review - Kick-Ass 2

Director: Jeff Wadlow
Genre: Action/ Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Jim Carrey, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Iain Glen, Donald Faison, Morris Chestnut, John Leguizamo, Lindy Booth, Yancy Butler, Daniel Kaluuya

Description: Following Kick-Ass' (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) heroics, other citizens are inspired to become masked crusaders. But Red Mist (Christoph Mintz-Plasse) leads his own group of evil supervillains to get revenge, kill Kick-Ass and destroy everything he stands for

Review: The superhero film has made big developments over the past years. In the early days, it was cool enough to put on a flashy costume and impress the viewers with muscles. But nowadays it has to be more realistic, more emotional and deeper. Marvel and DC still crack out films each year, not all just as successful. So when in 2010 Kick-Ass came to theaters, it was a breath of fresh air. Antiheroes, everyday heroes becoming superheroes. It was such a huge success, that a sequel was something you could expect. It never lives up to its original, but it’s still a good film.
Matthew Vaughn directed the first and I think it’s a good thing that he didn’t make a sequel right after the first film. “Kick-Ass 2” is directed by Jeff Wadlow and the characters had time to grow and find their way. Mindy Macready, alias Hit-Girl and the scene steals of the first film, tries to live a normal life after her superhero dad Big Daddy died. Her guardian Marcus thinks she is leaving a normal teenage life, but secretly she is fighting crime with her partner Kick-Ass, for his friends know as Dave Lizewski. Dave also still manages to stay under the radar and no one knows he is Kick-Ass. In the meantime, rich kid Chris D’Amico wants revenge for his father’s death. And he tries a new alter-ego: The Mother Fucker. This way he wants to teach Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl a lesson.
Kick-Ass and The Mother Fucker each get a group of fellow superhero-wanabees together. Kick-Ass’ team is led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (a fun and unrecognizable role by Jim Carrey).
Where “Kick-Ass” scores the most points: Action and verbal. The action is fantastic, with one scene in (and on) a van as the highlight. And the dialogues are great! Like the firs film, Chloë Grace Moretz steals the show as Hit-Girl. I know everyone loves this character more than the actual title character.
There are some poop and vomit jokes that I didn’t really appreciate here, but thank goodness that’s just a few minutes of the film.
“Kick-Ass” is a bit of the same here and there, but it’s very entertaining and Hit-Girl still has it.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 168: Nocturnal Animals

Director: Tom Ford
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 117 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon, Isla Fisher, Laura Linney, Armie Hammer, Michael Sheen, Andrea Riseborough

Description: An art gallery owner (Amy Adams) is haunted by her ex-husband's (Jake Gyllenhaal) novel, a violent thriller she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale.

Review: Fashion designer Tom Ford proved with his film debut, “A Single Man”, that he isn’t only good with a needle and a sketchbook. The film was a masterpiece, not only from esthetic perspective. But also the themes and the characters were delicate and had depth. Ford took his time to direct his second film. “Nocturnal Animals” also focusses on relationships, regret and nostalgia to old romance. But it’s completely different movie.
At first sight it looks like art gallery owner Susan Morrow has it all. A good job, a beautiful house and a loving and handsome husband. But nothing is as it seems. Financially she isn’t doing well and she is estranged from her husband Hutton, who cheats on her while on a business trip. When Susan gets a message from her ex-husband Edward and he sends her a manuscript of his novel, she starts looking back on the life she once had. Susan left Edward for Hutton and hasn’t seen him in nineteen years. In Edwards’book, he tells the story of Tony Hastings and his family who are harassed by a group of criminials, while on the road. While Susan reads this story, she remember the life she had with Edward.
The story lines couldn’t be any different, but also have an emotional connection. Susan’s is more introvert and has a lot of thought in it. While Tony’s is extravert and explicit. Surprisingly enough, there is a perfect balance between those storylines. Tony is on a mission and has to find peace, while Susan has urges and desire but doesn’t show it.
Again Tom Ford manages to tell an esthetic story, but also enters the soul of the characters and the audience. Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal (the last has a double role) are both very strong in “Nocturnal Animals”. Michael Shannon is also worth mentioning. Aaron Taylory-Johnson plays one of the worst characters I’ve seen in a long time, what a terrible person. Great performance as well.
“Nocturnal Animals” is a film that gets under your skin.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 53: Avengers: Age of Ultron

Director: Joss Whedon

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure

Runtime: 141 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans,Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johannson, Jeremy Renner, James SPader, Samuel L. Jackson, Coby Smulders, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Stellan Skarsgard, Claudia Kim, Thomas Kretschmann, Andy Serkis, Linda Cardellini

Description: When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and it is up to the Avengers to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans.

Review: “The Avengers” was a huge success. A grand, funny, lively superhero movie with colorful characters. It was unique and exciting to see all those larger-than-life characters together in one film. And now they are back in “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, to save the world again. Will Joss Whedon succeed again? In two words: hell yeah!

We get the same ingredients: Tony Stark/ Iron Man makes sharp remarks, Steve Rogers/ Captain America tries to do everything by the book, Thor is the macho who as a God feels more majestic then the rest, Bruce Banner/ Hulk tries to control his anger and Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow is the kick-ass chick of the group. A well-known formula with the perfect actors to play the roles. The action is out of control: fighting, flying, demolishing, lots of spectacular action scenes. The opening scene was so amazing, you are right in the middle of it all. And that action is combined very well with comedy.

The introduction of the villain, the titular Ultron voiced by James Spader, is fascinating. He is a pretty scary villain and powerful. Spader does a great job voicing the character.

Joss Whedon gave some of the characters, that don’t have standalone films yet, a bigger role then the first movie. We get to know Clint Barton/ Hawkeye a bit better and he also has some good one-liners. Black Widow doesn’t only get more physical scenes, but also gets more depth. Her connection with Bruce Banner also gets more depth. Do we need a love arch in this action packed movie? Why not, it’s only minor.

New characters Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch add, besides new cool superpowers, also an interesting dramatic and moral component to the story. They could have used a bit more depth.

With this many characters in one movie, it’s a challenge to not make it superficial or let one character overshadow another character. Whedon managed to give each character a development, more depth or a memorable moment.

“Avengers”Age of Ultron” is highly enjoyable movie. A perfect cast, a huge amount of action, fun humor. I could think of a lot of worse thing to do in 141 minutes.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 63: Godzilla

Director: Gareth Edwards

Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure

Runtime: 123 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Elisabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Straitharn, Richard T. Jones

Description: The world's most famous monster is pitted against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Review: The Japanese movie monster is already sixty-years old. His debut in 1954 is one of the highlights in cinema history. In 1998 the Americans made a movie about this beast, but it wasn’t very memorable. A reboot was very welcome.

Director Gareth Edwards made such an impression with his low-budget “Monsters”, that they trusted him with this task as well. By adding names like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche to the castlist, the expectations were high. But in a movie called “Godzilla” there is only one star.

While a gigantic fossil is found in the Philippines, a nuclear reactor in Japan is damaged by unknown causes. This leads to a disaster for scientist Joe Brody and his family. Fifteen years later Joe is still trying to explain the happening and asks his son Ford for help. What they discover next is unexpected.

After an engrossing opening, where Bryan Cranston steals the show, director Gareth Edwards intentionally stalls the big entrance of the main star. It’s a risky strategy, but totally worth the wait. When we finally get to see Godzilla, it’s just jawdropping. This is definitely a movie that you experience better and to the fullest while watching it on the big screen. The climax and final fight scene is the absolute highlight of the film. I almost started clapping, that’s how amazed I was. I also liked the role they gave Godzilla in the film, as the protector of mankind. That’s how you can see Edwards is a fan of the original. He stays very close to that story.

“Godzilla” is a treat and finally gets the movie it deserves. Everything shows that Edwards made this movie with a lot of love for the original. I absolutely loved this movie!

Rating: 4,5 / 5