Krampus (2015)

Be careful what you wish for this Christmas, It may just come true....

An extended family is forced to spend the Christmas break together. Things start badly with a lot of infighting, but when the youngest member of the family destroys his wish list for Santa Clause and stops believing in Christmas, it awakens an ancient being...

A paralyzing snow storm is the perfect setting for the family to discover the true meaning of the festive season. If they can work together, they may just be able to defeat a being, Hell-bent on ruining their Christmas

 A perfect comedic-horror romp, just in time for the holidays. Dark enough to frighten the kids, but comedic enough to allow adults to nervously laugh at things which go bump in the night.

It is a very hard task to mix horror and comedy and make it credible and this movie, fails to really achieve this. The cast; led by easily recognized comedy actor Adam Scott (Tony Engel) - Whose last outing was a very creditable showing the dramatic "Black Mass", he now returns to his favourite genre and although he does well, a more serious role, does seem to suit him better.

Australian actress Toni Collette, does well as "Sara Engel", the long suffering wife of Adam Scott, giving a convincing performance, as the stressed host of a large family holiday gathering.The true star of the show comes in the familiar form of  Conchata Ferrell (Better known to the world as "Berta" from 9 seasons of Two and a Half Men) - Pretty much reprises her role as the very comical "Aunt Dorothy".

Twelve year old Emjay Anthony takes on the biggest role of his young career with the semi-lead as "Max Engel". His disbelief in Santa Clause, starts all of the trouble and he does really well throughout. Austrian actress Krista Stadler, deserves a strong mention for her role as "Omi". Her wise words seemingly going unheeded as the story unfolds, but the rest of the cast learns to listen to her by the end.

The special effects team are the ones who deserve highest praise on this one, creating some very interesting, if somewhat unbelievable festively themed monsters to antagonize the family. This was an enjoyable film throughout, although I found it hard to take seriously with a well known comedian in the lead role.

5.5/10

Elysium (2013)

In the future, an exclusive world will be the ultimate destination; but only those brave enough will ever make it there...

In the distant future, the super rich have created a world for themselves in nearby space, called Elysium, where there is never any illness, violence or sadness. The rest of the people on earth are left to fend for themselves with little access to medical care and living in slum conditions.

When "Max" is struck down by radiation poisoning after an accident at work, he knows his only way to survive is to access the medical scanners only present on Elysium. He has to bypass the security fields and make his way to the promised land without being shot down in the process. When he robs and murders an important man in his quest to reach Elysium, he comes face to face with a force who has sworn to protect the elitist way life, no matter the results...

South African director, Neill Blomkamp, returns to the big screen for the first time since his epic debut in "District 9" with a film which feels remarkably similar, but covers a far different terrain. His style is courageous and daring, but very entertaining no less, but the film could almost be a big brother to his first effort. It will be good to see what his next film does, as he needs a change of scenery.

Matt Damon takes the lead role as "Max" a former child of the street, whose lifes goal it is to reach Elysium. His portrayal is gritty, yet surprisingly sensitive and he does well in a challenging role. It is a good outing to follow his recent showing in "Behind the Candelabra", but the role did not come close to testing his talents.

Jodie Foster returns to the big screen for the first time since her stunning role in "Carnage" of 2011, with a decent showing as Head of Elysium security "Delacourt". She gives a stylish performance, with the only detracting factor being that her accent seems to be all over the place. She starts off French, the moves to English, American and in one scene even takes on a South African twang. Despite that it is good to see her back on the screen in this convincing role.

The star of "District 9" Sharlto Copley, plays almost the exact same character as the one which shot him to stardom, but this time seems a bit darker, and if anything, a LOT more crazy in his portrayal of "Kruger". His performance is superb, and along with Brandon Auret and Josh Blacker they make very motley crew of South African mercenaries. This is a good showing from Copley, but it would be very interesting to see this actor do a non military role.

Alice Braga gives a quite good showing as "Frey", this Brazilian actress showing that she is not only beautiful, but also rather adept in a number of different genres. She shows a far more caring side to her talents as a doctor and a mother in this one, and I look forward to seeing her next movie performance.

William Fichtner can seemingly not stop making good films. Following up his great role as "Butch Cavendish" in "The Lone Ranger", with another stunning performance as businessman "John Carlyle". He takes care of the dirty business, about which the citizens of "Elysium" do not want to know. This is a challenging role, which he manages with ease.

The film is decent stand alone effort, but with an almost identical setting and a few of the same actors, it is bound to draw comparisons to "District 9". It is enjoyable, but does drag a little in the middle. There is a fair amount of violence and bad language, so probably not one for the entire family, but a good way to spend an evening.

6/10

The Impossible (2013)

The true story of a young family, torn apart by the tsunami which hit Thailand in 2004.

Based on a the harrowing yet triumphant story of courage and survival of a Spanish family who were victims of the tsunami which hit South East Asia on Boxing day of 2004. The adventure follows the lives of five members of the "Bennet" family, torn asunder by the might of the unexpected waves and how they come to terms with not only the thought of losing each other, but risking their very lives in order to find the people they value most.

Director Juan Antonio Bayona switches to English for the first time in his nine film career and delivers one of the finest films of 2012/13. His retelling of the harrowing ordeals faced by so many tourists and locals in Thailand on Boxing day 2004 and the days which followed is horrific, but alarmingly real, and gives the average audience member a true sense of what it must have been like to experience this ultimate natural phenomenon. His direction is superb and it is truly disappointing that he was not giving more award nominations for this fantastic film. There are sure to be many good things to come from this talented Spaniard in the future.

English born Naomi Watts, gives what is quite easily the best performance of her career in this film, and is more than deserving of her Best Actress Oscar nomination, the second of her career, after getting the nod in 2004 for "21 Grams". Her role as "Maria" is inspiring and spectacular and gives you a true, heartfelt idea of what it was like to go through this tragedy. Her range of emotions is fantastic and the raw determination that her character shows throughout is remarkably inspirational. One of the finest performances I have seen in a long time, and in with a very good chance of walking away with an Oscar.

Ewan McGregor gives a very decent performance as "Henry", playing his emotional role well and bringing a lot of the more tender moments to this moving film. He continues in the fine vein, which have seen him deliver, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" and "Haywire" in the past year. His interaction with his family is convincing and he plays an integral part in making this film as good as it is.

The most pleasant surprise in this great film is the performance given by the sixteen year old Tom Holland in the role of "Lucas". This youngster gives a showing, you would expect of actors with more than 20 years experience, drawing on all of his extensive talent to ride out triumphantly on the emotional roller-coaster that is this movie. One can only hope that this is just the start of his career and that the various "best young actor" and "best newcomer" awards will continue to rain down on him. He is an exciting talent and I cannot wait for his next feature film. His role is a real treat for each member of the audience.

Samuel Joslin and and Oaklee Pendergast also give stirring performances as the young "Simon" and "Thomas", adding to the emotional angst that keeps the film at fever pitch throughout. Expect big things from both of these talented youngsters in the next five to ten years.

This film is brutal in its intensity, and incredibly real. There are many times throughout the 114 minutes of this epic, where you really do feel as if you are going through this disaster with those who suffered it first hand. The cinematography is fantastic, the setting is brilliant and the realism, often makes you want to turn away from the sheer force that is mother nature. Make sure you watch this one from start to finish.

For me, the best film I have seen in 2013

8.5/10

Lockout

A man wrongly convicted of being a traitor against the United States, is given an opportunity for a reprieve by taking on a suicide mission to a prison in space!

When the daughter of the President of the United States is kidnapped while on a visit to a maximum security prison in space, it is decided that only one man on earth can possibly save her. The problem is that he has no wish as all to take on the suicide mission, nor does he care much for the political views of the man running the country.

Once his mind is made up for him, he has to break into the most dangerous prison in the galaxy, make his way past 300 of the worst criminals in history and rescue the young woman, all before the dangerous men discover exactly who they have in their hands. If the unwilling hero is able to make it there and back intact, he may just have his wrongful death sentence overturned.

Australian actor Guy Pierce has done a number of very decent films in his career, especially in recent years, but this one, although decent, does not come anywhere do the sort of quality he usually delivers. His portrayal of the the rather familiar, "Snow", is fairly good, but one cannot help but compare him to the rather more famous character of "Snake Plissken".

Directors James Mather and Stephen St Leger, who also wrote the screenplay, did their very best to disguise the fact that this "original" script just happened to be a cross between "Escape from New York", "Con Air" and any random space film you can think of. Given these facts, they did do quite a decent job and if you had not seen these films, it would have been a very good stand alone project. The film is fast paced, action packed, and even has the odd good one liner thrown in for good measure.

Big screen newcomer Maggie Grace takes the leading female role in this film, playing the role of "Emilie Warnock" and gives a very decent showing, taking to action like a very attractive duck to water. Look out for more from this fairly talented actress. Joseph Gilgun, continues his vein of playing criminals, with a truly superb performance as the completely insane "Hydell". He is the true highlight of this movie, and could well have done with playing a far bigger role in this one. He is a character you will want to hate, but somehow end up feeling sympathy for.

This movie is nothing special, but is worth the cost of the ticket and the popcorn. It will certainly be better on the big screen, and the special effects are a joy to behold at times. This will keep the action fans happy and a number of sci-fi fans entertained too. It's not going to win any awards, but will help you kill two hours on a Sunday afternoon

5.5/10

TED

When 8 year old John Bennett wishes for his teddy-bear and best friend to be real one Christmas Eve he has no idea that his wish will come true, nor that his best friend will still be with him 25 years down the line and making his entire life, a nightmare.

When his long time girlfriend gives John an ultimatum of getting rid of "Ted" he asks his best friend to move out, but finds it very difficult to move on with his life.  When "Ted" is kidnapped by a lunatic stalker, its left up to "John" and girlfriend "Lori" to save the day and try to return to the "normal" life the three of them have enjoyed for so long.

Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis team up for the first time in a film, whose trailers promised filth and superb comedy from the start and delivered this in full. Throw in  a foul mouthed Teddy-bear played by Seth Mcfarlane (The voice of Peter Griffin in Family Guy) and you have the ingredients for a truly enjoyable comedy romp, which although frightfully funny, also delivers a very decent message.

The combination of Wahlberg as "John" and Kunis as "Lori" is a wonderful pairing, bringing some true romantic chemistry to the film, while, although some might think Seth Mcfarlane uses the exact same voice that made him face to portray "Ted", this character is different, and possibly quite a bit more enjoyable than his "Family Guy" delivery.

Mark Wahlberg, returns to the big screen for the first time since his very decent showing in "Contraband", bringing a more light-hearted character, which many male members of the audience could identify with. His portrayal of "John" is decent and convincing and you find yourself feeling rather sorry for him, despite him getting himself into a lot of his own messes.

Mila Kunis once again delivers a great showing as the largely ignored "Lori". She also comes back to the big screen after a short absence, with her first showing since "Friends with Benefits" alongside Justin Timberlake. Although her character is not particularly likeable, she still does a good job and continues to build a rather decent movie career. It should be interesting to see where she goes in the next few years as she seeks out more challenging roles.

Little known, Jessica Barth does well as "Tami-Lynn", the romantic interest for "Ted". This stunning actress has spent most of her time on TV, but hopefully this will be her stepping stone into films, as she shows good potential. Also keep an eye out for Patrick Stewart, Norah Jones and the one and only "Flash Gordon", acting legend, Sam J Jones.

Ted is an enjoyable comedic romp, with just the right amount of romantic good feeling thrown in. The humour is adult and most certainly not for those who are easily shocked, but this is a must for all of those who enjoy the likes of "Family Guy", "South Park" and "American Dad". It certainly is worth a go, and well worth the time you spend watching this one.

7/10

Point Break (1991)

A former college football superstar turned FBI secret agent is sent to hunt down a group of bank robbers.

A washed up veteran and an up and coming FBI rookie, looking to make a name for himself are thrown together by their domineering captain in order to catch a group of bank robbers known as the "Ex Presidents" because of the masks they wear during their heists.

In order to infiltrate the gang, "Agent Johnny Utah" is forced to learn how to surf and has to live the life of the men he is tracking. His partner "Pappas" has to change his views on a few things as together the agents on the complete opposite of the spectrum learn to work together. "Utah" has to come to terms with his feelings for "Tyler" and decide where exactly his allegiances lie as he tries to bring down the men intent on ending his career, permanently.

Keanu Reeves heads up the fairly well known cast in what has become a cult classic amongst surfers and film fans, playing the role of former college football legend "Johnny Utah" who joined the FBI after blowing out his knee in a championship game. He gives a respectable performance, but it clear that he certainly improved as he got older. His facial expressions (concerned look which he seems to perpetually wear) is a touch boring in places, but he fits in well with the whole surfing lifestyle you find it easy to root for his gun-ho attitude to things.

Hollywood veteran Gary Busey does well as the abrasive, yet somewhat pathetic, "Agent Pappas", written off by his superiors for his whacky ideas, but a lot smarter than people give him credit for. His character is convincing and likeable. Legendary Patrick Swayze is perfect in the role of philosophical surfer "Bodhi", always in search of the perfect wave, but taken to robbing banks in his spare time. His performance is almost personal, as if he truly believes what he is sprouting, but, probably one of his finest roles. He is a bad guy you cannot really dislike, instead, respect for his rugged determination.

Little known Lori Petty, gives a passable showing as "Tyler" in what was probably her second biggest role behind 1995's "Tank Girl". Although a lead role, you sort of get the feeling that she is a bit part player, her acting talents never really coming to the fore. John C McGinley who went on to super stardom as "Doctor Cox in Scrubs" gives yet another superb performance as "Captain Ben Harp", a hard assed ball breaker as only this man can do. He is one of the highlights of the film.

Keep an eye out for a cameo from Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chilly Peppers who does a fairly decent job in the role of "Tone". The film is very watchable indeed, with some truly spectacular cinematography of the surf and the men who try to master it. The action is intense and the story is well paced, certainly worth the two hours you spend watching it.

6.5/10

Piranha 3DD

It's not yet time to go back into the water....

Everybody thought that the outbreak of killer piranha's at Lake Victoria had been contained and they would never see the horde of pre-historic killer again, but when a new water park opens up ahead of Spring Break, the owners get more than they bargained for.

Between a mad scientist, a crooked cop, an amputee with a shotgun, a celebrity lifeguard and rather crooked park owner, it's difficult to see anybody getting out of this one alive.

The trailer for this film did not promise very much and that is exactly what it delivered. It had some big names (or at least formerly big names) as drawing cards, a fair amount of nudity, some decent special effects of the piranha's and a good few laughs, but there is nothing really concrete to hold this train smash together.

Danielle Panabaker (She of "The Crazies" and "Friday the 13th") fame takes the lead in this one as marine biology student and part owner of a water park, "Maddy". The role is not particularly challenging but she does better than most in this film to somewhat hold up the script. David Koechner brings one of the familiar faces to the screen in the role of "Chet" the corrupt and rather smarmy co-owner of the water park. He is a character you will truly learn to hate and applaud when he reaches his untimely end.

"Baywatch" and "Knightrider" legend David Hasselhoff is the glue which holds this film together and makes the audience wonder, just how much acting he is doing in this film, portraying an egotistical, womanizer who looks down on all of those around him. His one liners are superb and bring some really good comedy value to the film, but it still lacks substance. "Back to the Future" hero Christopher Lloyd almost reprises his role in the iconic trilogy, playing marine scientist "Mr Goodman", his wild eyes and broken speech bring a fair bit of comedy value to the role and his time on screen is enjoyable.

Ving Rhames  reprises his role of "Deputy Fallon" from the 2010 version of "Piranha", his one legged, shotgun wielding character is decent value for his five minutes on screen, adding even more gore to this fest of horror. Gary Bussy is on screen for less than a minute in this one, as "Clayton", but he gives a valuable showing and the director would have done really well to have him on for a lot longer than this short cameo.

If you are up for gore, blatant nudity, bad script and some decent underwater filming with good fishy special effects, then this is the film for you. This movie should be seen by all horror fans, but be warned there is not much to be scared of here. The wounds inflicted by the fish are almost comedic in their effect, but the final scene, despite being harsh, has to be the highlight of the movie, also keep and eye out for the DD's

3.5/10

Chernobyl Diaries

In a deserted town, nobody can hear you scream....

A group of American, British and Nordic students, bored with their travels in Europe, decide to stop in the Ukraine and while there take in some "Extreme tourism", by visiting the city of Chernobyl. Their guide "Uri", manages to bypass the guards at the entrance to the restricted areas, taking the six tourists into the neighbouring deserted town of Pripyat.

Once in the silent town their guide allows the tourists to walk around and take photos, also encountering a rather large and rampant hungry, brown bear, but also very aware that he should not keep them there after dark.

On returning to their van they discover that the starter motor leads have been gnawed away and they are forced to spend the night in the deserted town. When "Uri" is killed by an unknown life form it is up to the group of young tourists to survive against whatever or whoever is left in the town that is meant to contain no living souls. If they can survive the night, and can stay away from reactor four at Chernobyl, they might just make it out alive...

This film basically does what it sets out to do. It makes you jump in places and provides you with a slightly above average thriller. The story has the potential to be really gripping, and keeps the audience well occupied for the first 40 minutes of the film. Sadly it goes downhill after that and fizzles out, except for a nice surprise at the very end.

The film is described as a horror by the production house, but should be classed as a bit more of a soft thriller, with the audience never really feeling truly scared at any point during the film. I wish director Bradley Parker had done more with this script, it was so promising and started off as something really good.

Little known Dimitri Diatchenko moves away from the video games and tv series which have been his bread and butter and makes a very decent visit to the big screen as the "Extreme Tourist guide, Uri". He is convincing and keeps the story going along nicely until meeting an untimely end. It would have been good to have him on screen for a far longer time.

Singer/Songwriter and now actor Jesse McCarntney, does a reasonably good job as "Chris" and might look to take on more challenging roles as he looks to break into the acting world. He does a good job and I look forward to seeing more of this talented young man. Jonathan Sadowski, does fairly well as his wayward older brother "Paul", while Olivia Dudley and Devin Kelley, give decent showings as the rest of the party.

The film doesn't drag, but also doesn't excite, chugging along at a pace that won't keep you on the edge of your seat, but will keep you interested, if not enthralled. Worth a watch, but don't put it top of your list.

5/10

The Guard

A small town Irish policeman gets mixed up in an FBI Investigation and has to work side by side with one of its best agents...

A confrontational Irish policeman, who runs his small police force like he would his own kingdom, is forced to work with one of the best agents from the FBI. After a drug related murder in a small seaside town, the FBI drug agency sends one of their finest men to try and crack a smuggling ring which is trying to sneak a $500 million cache under the noses of the Irish police.

The Agent, "Wendell Everitt" has to come to terms with the locals not co-operating, or even speaking his language; the police, either not able or willing to help him and also a bunch of homicidal  maniacs trying to send him back to the US in a coffin.

The international criminals have no problem killing anybody who gets in their way. It's left up to "Sergeant Gerry Boyle" to put aside the fact that his elderly mother is on her deathbed, and half of the IRA wants to kill him; to make sure that the biggest drug deal in Irish history, doesn't happen.

A laugh out loud comedy that makes you try to stifle the giggles at things you really should not find funny, but also a serious story, with some very mature themes, but a true pleasure to watch. There are none of the bells and whistles or special effects that most films these days seem to rely on; just good old fashioned script writing and some very decent acting.

Irish actor Brenden Gleeson plays the lead role of "Sergeant Gerry Boyle", this superb actor giving one of his finest showings in a long time, as a pig headed, slightly racist and extremely opinionated small town policeman. Gleeson calls it as he sees it and has his own special way of policing, some might find it illegal, but it seems to work for him. He is sincere and genuine, but at the same time has some truly classic, comical lines that string scenes together, superbly.

Kansas City born Don Cheadle gives a fantastic performance as "FBI Agent Wendell Everett", a highly born and highly intelligent man who sees this case as a big stepping stone in his career. He works perfectly in conjunction with Gleeson and does a phenomenal job of keeping the film racing along.

Liam Cunningham does an awesome job in the role of "Francis Sheehy-Skelfington", a dastardly criminal, who is willing to go to ruthless ends to ensure that his enormous deal goes properly. Mark Strong gives yet another excellent performance as the ringleader "Clive Cornell", trying to make sense of all the things going wrong. Slovenian born Katarina Cas gives a decent performance as "Gabriela McBride" in her first big screen role. Keep an eye out for this talented beauty in the future.


The film is incredibly funny, yet moving and emotive at the same time, with an action packed and mystical ending. It may offend, in fact there is a good chance that it will, but the film works well, with good pace and enough blazing battles to keep most fans happy. I really enjoyed this film and it is well worth the time you spend watching it.

7/10

Haywire

A female killing machine is double crossed and swears vengeance against her employers.

When female super soldier "Mallory Kane" is double crossed by unknown sources, she goes after the men who have made her life a living nightmare. She has to first figure out who the people are who are trying to kill her and make her way back to the USA to put this menace to an end.

In a world of back stabbing, counter intelligence, where you cannot even trust the people who claim to love and care for you, it is difficult to be able to establish who is trying to get rid of you. When she gets back to the US, she is thrown into not only a political struggle, but also an emotional one, trying her utmost that the only man she has ever loved would want to get rid of her.

Using all of her extensive skills, "Mallory" has to track down the people trying to kill her and turn the tables on them, if she is ever to gain revenge on her employer and save the life of her father.

American director Steven Soderbergh, has made some truly incredible films in his career, but seems to have forgotten to read the brief when making this film. For starters he chose to use mixed martial artist turned actress Gina Carano as the lead in this film. Her portrayal of "Mallory Kane", although very good technically, the fighting scenes being truly amazing, does still not make up for her complete lack of acting talent. She does well on the physical side of the role, but her delivery of lines and attempt at emotion are truly sad to behold.

Thankfully she has a cast behind her which any Hollywood director worth their salt would drool over. Ewan Mcgregor does well as the devious "Kenneth", the ex love interest of the lead character, but it is still difficult to get used to him with an American accent. He takes a step down from his last outing in "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" and not even his extraordinary talents can make this one any brighter.

Acting legend Michael Douglas, does a decent job as the government stooge, "Coblenz", while fellow theatrical genius Antonio Banderas delivers a decent showing as the blood-thirsty "Rodriguez". Sadly neither of these fine actors can make up for a strangely flat script. Channing Tatum, the flavour of the month at the moment, gives yet another very decent performance as "Aaron", adding yet more weight to his struggle to be taken seriously as a good actor, and not a piece of eye candy. He has done a few very good films lately and long may this continue

Michael Fassbender makes a fleeting showing in this one, his performance is violent, but he does a lot better than his most recent showing in "Shame". His role as "Paul" is convincing and made me think that he might make a rather good "James Bond" in the coming years

The action in this film is probably the only true saving grace. The story is disjointed and slow, and takes a long time to really reach a climax. I went in expecting so much more of this film and was grossly disappointed. Fight fans should enjoy this one, but serious film followers will not be impressed

4/10

Silent House

A girl is trapped inside of her holiday home while an unknown stranger hunts down her father, uncle and her...

A teenage girl, her father and uncle, decide to sell their family holiday house, but decide to do the place up before putting it on the market. With no power in the house it can be a fairly scary place, especially for the jumpy "Sarah". She finds her father knocked out and then the faceless attacker turns his venom on her, chasing the young lady around the house which holds so many happy memories for her.

To add to this, she keeps having visions of a little girl, enduring horrible things and the memories of her life in the house keep flashing through her mind. She meets a child hood friend, of whom, she has no recollection and also keeps finding pictures of a little girl strewn all over the house. As the power in the old building keeps going on and off the person chasing her gets more frantic and images she keeps seeing get more and more frightening. But how much of what she is seeing is real, and how much is just her overactive imagination...

Elizabeth Olsen (The younger sister of the rather more famous, Mary-Kate and Ashley) makes her big screen debut in this wannabee thriller and shows that she has even less acting talent than her older siblings and is one of the worst movies I have seen this year.

She spends 88 minutes, panting, screaming, crying, smudging her makeup and trying her best to save a script, which has maybe 5 minutes of decent writing in it. The story is flat, but for five minutes towards the end where they roll out the reasoning for all the goings on and then end the film, in the most random way possible.

The action is slow, and the thriller element of the film, had the audience actually laughing out loud in places, not really what the directors were going for. There is no real suspense, and although the film deals with a really serious issue, the writers failed to convey this throughout. The finale makes you sit up and take notice, but with such a lame plot beforehand it is hard to grasp the gravity of what the story is really about.

Adam Trese is poor as "John", while Eric Sheffer Stevens, may want to do a few more TV movies before returning to the big screen, (He certainly needs the practice). Julia Taylor Ross is the only one bright light in this complete let down, giving a decent showing as "Sophia", despite only being on screen for a very short time. Maybe the director should have given her more of a role and she might just have saved this film. Keep an eye out for this actress, she could go places.

It seemed that the director was more interested in cleavage shots of Elizabeth Olsen (there are plenty of these), than her actual acting talents. The filming of this is sketchy at best, zooming in and out at will and also battling to stay in focus. If you have 90 minutes of your life to lose, and absolutely nothing else to watch, then this film, might be for you. If not, don't bother.

3.5/10

Act of Valor

An international terrorist finds a way to infiltrate the USA and a group of Navy Seals has to stop him.

A group of Navy Seals are tasked with the almost impossible chore of protecting the USA from an international terrorist who is set on their destruction. A Ukranian drug dealing billionaire decides to back the terrorist cell fronted by one of his childhood friends. Together they develop a number of suicide vests which cannot be picked up by airport security machines.

This would give them the chance to attack the country at whichever port they decide on and the USA would have absolutely no way of being able to track their movements. A group of experienced Navy Seals, who stumble upon these activities quite by accident, are thrown into the fray, needing to stop the suicide bombers before they can release their deadly packages.

They use all of the ultra modern technologies available to aide them in their quest to stop the terrorists, all the time, trying to stay alive, while some of the most deadly men on the planet are trying to keep them from returning to their families who love them.

This film originally started life as a short recruitment film for the US Army and Navy and it was decided that this was so good that it should be made into a full length movie. I am not sure who decided this, but they made the wrong choice. The movie plays out as a combination of a recruitment film, a documentary of sorts and a a realllly long intro video for "Call of Duty, Black Ops". All of which might have been good things, but together they are certainly not.

Taking the risky venture of using real active Navy Seals as the stars of this film, did not pay off. These men are true heroes, but sadly, despite all of their fine acts of heroism in the service of their country, they are not actors. Giving them emotional lines and scenes to perform was not the finest of ideas,and the actors which co-directors Mike Mccoy and Scott Waugh DID find, were sadly, not up to the task either.

Jason Cottle takes the role of Russian terrorist Abu Shabal, in his first major film since "Wedding Singer" in 1998, but sadly is neither convincing nor plausible. His performance is weak and the film needed a far stronger actor to carry it. Ukranian born Alex Veadov, gives a fair showing as billionaire drug pin "Christo", but should probably stick to the computer games voice roles which has paid the rent for the past few years. The beautiful Roselyn Sanchez is a nice distraction as CIA agent "Lisa Morales" and it should be interesting to see her in more serious roles going forward.

Even if you are a fan of war films, or a hard core first person shooter fan, you will still have trouble digesting this film as anything but an experiment. The script is weak and the action not too convincing. It will more than likely do well as a recruitment film, but for serious movie goers, steer clear of this one.

3.5/10

Safe

When the underworld and police force of an entire city rush to track down a little girl who can remember insanely large, numbers, only one man can save her...

When a young Chinese girl, renowned for her ability to be able to remember incredibly large numbers is taken by a gang from her mother and brought to America, they intend to use her for their own nefarious purposes. Once she escapes their clutches and is the only one who knows a combination for a fortune, she becomes the most sought after commodity in New York. With gangs of various ethnic origins and also the entire police force and corrupt politicians after her, there is only one man who can protect her. A washed up ex cop who has taken to drinking and living rough!

Jason Statham is not particularly known for his ability to make deep and emotive films, but in Safe, he does deliver a rather pleasant surprise. Do not fret, there is still a body count that would make Jeffery Dalmer blush, but with it comes a softer side to the man who has brought us such horrors as "The Transporter,1,2 and 3 and also Expendables", but maybe, just maybe, this time he has turned the corner

For all the hard core Statham fans out there, don't worry, he still kicks ass and takes names, but there appears to be a softer side to the man, if only in small doses. Who knows, we may see some more serious roles from this action hero, probably interspersed liberally with what he does best, but it is promising.

Catherine Chan, in her first big screen outing, plays a superb role as the talented "Mei", looking suitably terrified as the action continues relentlessly around her, but delivering her lines in a believable and mature way, which belies her youth. She compliments Statham brilliantly, and I would not be surprised to see these two paired again.

Reggie Lee follows up his role in "Crazy, Stupid Love", with a very decent showing as "Quan Chang", trying to be a fatherly figure to "Mei", while maintaining his menacing character in the New York underworld. Screen legend James Hong, gives a superb performance as "Han Jiao", the cunning and malicious leader of the Chinese Gangs. You almost got the feeling as though this role we written for him.

Robert John Burke delivers a sterling performance as the corrupt "Captain Wolf", while Chris Sarondon, quite easily steals the show as the extremely nasty, New York City Mayor.

Expect tons of action, as you would with any Statham film, but this one feels as though it has more than his usual fare. Certainly worth the watch and should be enjoyed by those who are not usually fans of his films.A very decent film.

7/10

Seeking Justice

When a secret society solves a problem for Will Gerard after his wife is brutally raped, all he has to do is owe them a favour, but will his life be worth living if he is ever able to repay his debt?

After the horrific rape of his wife Laura; Will Gerard (Nicholas Cage) is approached by the head of a secret society who takes justice into their own hands, solving problems within the community, and asking only a small favour in return from the people they help in the future. In a moment of weakness and raw emotion he agrees to allow the society to "deal" with the rapist, and then forgets about the debt he owes. When they come calling a few months later his life is thrown into downward spiral of ongoing nightmares as he strives to discover the truth behind what he has gotten himself into.

After putting out what many consider to be the worst spate of films of his career (Bad Luitenant, Drive Angry, Safe House), Nicholas Cage has actually come up with a half decent script. Sadly his acting talents have not followed him, but the story does support his abilities this time and Seeking Justice actually comes across as a decent film.

The concept of the film is one full of potential, and director Roger Donaldson, does a very good job to keep the pace, upbeat and leaves the audience guessing for much of the piece. The highlight for me came in the form of ex Neighbours regular Guy Pierce, who now seems to have completely shed his Australian accent and really settled into a fine Hollywood acting career.

Pierce plays the role of "Simon", the deranged head of the vigilantly group, responsible for dealing with the man who raped Gerard's wife "Laura". His performance is superb, almost as though Pierce was born to play a complete sociopath. He brings conviction and a believability  to the role, which makes the viewer want to despise him, but deep down, keeps you supporting his crazy cause. January Jones gives a decent performance as "Laura Gerard", bringing some much needed emotion to the film, and will hopefully continue in these more serious roles, as she may have some potential there.

Fairly unknown Harold Perrineau, gives a very good performance as "Gerard's" best friend, "Jimmy", in his first mainstream film role since 28 Weeks later, his character being one the audience will love to hate, but struggle to fully understand. Xander Berkley gives a great showing as the mysterious Lieutenant Durgan, in  his first major outing since playing "Detective Gigante" in "Kick Ass", a lovable character, who keeps you guessing until the very end.

This film is well worth a watch and may well, return some of the legions fans that Nicholas Cage has managed to drive away in the past 3 years. Certainly worth your entrance fee.

6.5/10 

Battleship 3D

Hugely hyped, massive budget, and seemingly taking another stab at a genre which seems to have been done to death, could this latest blockbuster live up to the likes of Independence Day?

After many years of trying to contact life in the universe, one returns, but they are not the friendly fluffy alien life forms that everybody at NASA was hoping for. An exploratory force lands just off the coast of Hawaii in the middle of a session of war games between a number of the worlds best navy's. The invading force places a force field around the a few of the battle ships which blocks all craft from outside from attacking their position. The fate of the world lies in the hands of the men and women on one remaining battleship and its impulsive and brash commander.

When all of their systems seem useless against the alien force, the crew have to put aside their differences and use all of their natural maritime skills and wits to try to overcome the ultimate enemy.

It was hard not to expect Battleship not to be a repeat of the likes of Independence Day, Contact, or many other similar films we have been subjected to over the years from Hollywood, but this one actually was a pleasant surprise. The action was immense, the body count brutal, but all in all a very decent watch despite the length of the film.

As with this genre you expect over the top animation, giant battles and aliens conjured up from the depths of some whacky writers mind and this one, has all of those in heaps. What it also has, is a really decent story line, some excellent acting from some fairly unknown players, and even a one liner or two which had the audience in stitches. Throw in some massively, over the top American nationalism, a hugely unrealistic final battle and you have the makings of a very enjoyable two hour romp.

Canadian, Taylor Kitsch continues his fine run in 2012 following up his leading role in Disney's overpriced epic "John Carter" with his uptake of "Lieutenant Alex Hopper", a trouble making Navy officer who joined the core to stay out of prison.  Kitsch, gives a very decent performance and does a fine job of annoying Liam Neeson who gives a strong showing as Admiral Shane, leader of the American fleet. The fact that Kitsch wants to marry the Admirals daughter, played by former model Brooklyn Decker. Following her performance in 2011's "Just go with it", Decker shows, that although her acting abilities are improving, she still has a long way to go before she can be considered a serious actress and not just a former model.

Conversely Pop sensation Rihanna shows that she is certainly more than a one trick pony, with a superb and convincing performance as the plucky "Raikes". I hope that we will see a lot more of her acting talent in the years to come. Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano gives probably the best performance of the film in his roleas Captain Yugi Nagata, the mortal enemy of Hopper. The continued rivalry throughout the film is an enjoyable aside from the continual action that makes this film as good as it is.

Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard gives a convincing showing as the older brother to Hopper, creating a good family bond when needed. The ending takes a lot of believing, but a very good film and well worth a trip to the cinema. Even the 3D works fairly well.

7/10