2021 Top 20

A new year has rolled in and I eagerly await what cinematic wonders are in store for the next 12 months. But before I check out a 2022 flick, it’s time for me to cast an eye back on the twenty movies I most enjoyed from 2021; a year with madness still happening around the world which severely impacted cinemas and yet multiplexes and home entertainment options were no less abundant with fantastic features to digest.

Honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut of my final 20 are – The Night House, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Vivo, King Richard, Blue Bayou, Ride the Eagle, Nomadland and The Power of the Dog.

20. FREAKY

A wickedly fun body-swap horror with bloody thrills and laughs throughout.

19. THE SPARKS BROTHERS

A fascinating delve into a catalogue of musical icons; admittedly ones I knew next to zero about. Now I call myself a massive fan of their work.

18. LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

Another directorial appearance from Edgar Wright and one that with the writing aide of Krysty Wilson-Cairns boasts a timely and time-hoppy tale of abuse and stylish horror.

17. THE SUICIDE SQUAD

This is not a mess and doesn’t star Jared Leto, so therefore it already excels in every conceivable way.

16. THE FATHER

An emotional film cleverly using changes of scene and set to mirror the fragile state of a sensational Anthony Hopkins.

15. BELLE

Wow is a word that doesn’t sum up how beautiful and brilliant this anime is. Tech and romance blend in stupendous fashion.

14. MINARI

A story of family and finding a place. Lovely. Uplifting. Heartfelt. 

13. BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR

Zany, colourful and a truly bonkers yet engrossing comedy. Plus a serenade for a seagull!

12. PALM SPRINGS

A time-loop comedy/drama with every actor trapped in this bubble performing to their peak. Such a film that won’t exhaust watching it over and over and over…and over again.

11. ANOTHER ROUND

Vinterberg and Mikkelsen are a dream director/actor combo in this joyous and sometimes bleak look on the influence of alcohol on a bunch of teachers. The final scene is worth the Oscar win alone.

10. ANNETTE

If you can’t buy into the wooden puppet baby then this bizarre musical isn’t for you. But for me, everything from the operatic-synth styles of The Sparks’ tracklist and the theatrical direction had me hooked.

9. IN THE HEIGHTS

The second musical to show-up in my top ten and one bursting with summery goodness, quick lyricism and visual flair.

8. SOUND OF METAL

Riz Ahmed is a blistering force here. The utilisation of sound, or lack of is exquisitely presented and Paul Raci has a superb supporting role.

7. BO BURNHAM: INSIDE

I will argue this is a film and not a TV movie special, because genius songwriter and funnyman Bo Burnham blended light and projections to showcase a witty selection of songs which encapsulate the dizzying downside of lockdown.

6. SPENCER

Kristen Stewart hits a career best carrying the mannerisms and fragility of Princess Diana. The mixture of possible reality and the exaggerated sense of place, motherhood and vulnerability are a wonder.

5. DUNE

Having known nothing about the original film or the source material, this big-screen worthy release sets up a world and characters to newbies and I’m sure fans alike with coherence and cinematic grandeur.

4. THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES

I implore everyone to check out this energetic animation on Netflix. The mix of cartoon styles are magnificent, the story is non-stop but never tiresome or stupid.

3. WEST SIDE STORY

Steven Spielberg exhibits a gorgeous sweeping musical update. This is as good as the original and may very well be better. Rachel Zegler is a staggeringly brilliant debut too. 

2. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Marvel weave a web of friendship, love, responsibility and nostalgic treats to cement their newest cinematic universe as the best superhero film of the year.

1. NO TIME TO DIE

One of the very first cinematic casualties hit by COVID, yet the extended push back was truly worth the wait. Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond is his best turn yet and the best performance of 007 ever. The spy series incorporates characteristics and styles not seen before, the brief yet explosive fun of Ana de Armas, the faint flicker of horror vibes and an epic wrap-up to the 6th iteration of Bond make for an excellent list-topping flick.

F9 (2021)

Start your engines….and switch off your brains.

 

After being delayed for over a year, the juggernaut franchise that is ‘Fast and Furious’ finally screeches into cinemas, and whatever can be said about the increasingly insane nature of these films, there’s no quibbling that the sights and sounds of Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and company make for some dizzying delight on the big screen.

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

The titular Raya with the titular last dragon Sisu.

Oh cinema! How I have missed thee.

2020 Twenty

It would be a gigantic understatement to say that it has been a strange year for all of us and a worrying time for cinemas, but even amongst a globe-spreading pandemic and lockdowns film has proved to be just as brilliant as ever, with the chance for smaller indie movies and otherwise overlooked straight-to-streaming features standing strong, as the usual Marvel outings faded into future release dates.

It’s also the truth for me to say that the sad fact of cinemas shutting meant the thrill and immersion of films haven’t been quite the same and I’ve watched less new movies than usual but it was still a tough job whittling a list together of my top choices from 2020. So, without further ado…..

20. THE PLATFORM

Released onto Netflix slap bang on the date of isolation within the UK, this Spanish horror-thriller is a truly great commentary on class and separation that may have benefited from its timing to real world events. The concept is simple but expertly carried out and from start to whooshing end, there is a unshakable sense of tension.

19. SPREE

Granted this film may leave some with a bad taste in the mouth and it has crass, over-violent moments but the mixing of social media terror and an unstoppable force of charm and nastiness from ‘Stranger Things’ actor Joe Keery makes this a bloody, bloody good ride.

18. THE CALL

Another Netflix entry now and this one originates from South Korea. The plot is a timey-wimey rollercoaster of suspense and past against future. It’s a thriller with incredibly smart bones and two strong women leading the story, only connected by a phone.

17. BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

Over to Amazon now, where Sacha Baron Cohen once again dons his drab suit as Kazakhstani reporter Borat. This time around he has a 15 year old daughter in tow, played by Maria Bakalova; a newcomer who is sweet, funny and extremely brave and weirdly deserves awards attention for her role. The film is aided by its ties to COVID times and the always amusing yet concerning antics of ignorant Americans.

16. TENET

Christopher Nolan fought tooth, nail and pandemic protocols to have his newest feature get the big screen treatment, and whilst it is his most disappointing film there is bundles of fun to be had if you don’t try and understand the complexity of the plot; one that could and should have been simpler. However Kenneth Branagh is a delightfully smarmy baddie, John David Washington is a perfect Protagonist and the inversion of time gives you plenty to marvel at.

15. UNHINGED

Some might think I’ve lost the plot placing this balls-to-the-wall movie ahead of ‘Tenet’, but for its sheer conviction of car terror and achieving its goals of gleeful smash and crash it has to outdo Nolan. Russell Crowe is on sweaty form as a big, bulky menace tearing down the highways. Perhaps it helped that this was a film seen very close after exiting a 3-month lockdown but it suits the big screen and loud speakers perfectly.

14. SAINT MAUD

Not the horror you’d expect but a horror of bleak loneliness and seaside testing of faith. This debut from director Rose Glass is a haunting turn and if you’re not squirming at the actions of a sensational Morfydd Clark, then you’re swept away by the storytelling and soul-saving beauty/nightmare of an atmosphere that will stay with you.

13. DA 5 BLOODS

Spike Lee blasts onto Netflix with a tale of Vietnam veterans and that bond between 4 Black ex-soldiers who hope to find a fallen friend’s body. The unearthing of gold shows fractures and ever-changing dynamics in the group and Lee directs between the present and past with confidence, flair and a touch of heart to ensure you truly engage with the characters. Special mention has to go to Delroy Lindo as Paul, a role of blistering talent.

12. BLACK BEAR

A film about writing, so this was always going to grab my attention but the story of two parts speaks for itself and you’ll find yourself totally taken in by the cabin location of fact and fiction boiling together. Available digitally on demand, this is a brain-bending wonder showcasing Aubrey Plaza as a top-level actor with a hopeful shot at nominations.

11. ONWARD

Pixar have a mostly solid track record and this March released fantasy outing proved to be another fresh tick in the box. The brotherly adventure is fun and emotional, pulled by their drive to bring their father back one last time. The soaring elements of unicorns and magic are colourful and help build a fully realised world but once again it’s the beating pulse of a Pixar heart that has you invested…and maybe welling up.

10. OVER THE MOON

Into the Top Ten and Netflix strike gold once more with this absolutely gorgeous musical filled animation. ‘Over the Moon’ is part produced in China and America and focuses on the growing sibling connection between Fei Fei and Chin, a bond elevated ever further by a visit to the moon. There are plenty of catchy songs, endless streams of stunning visuals and colour and a emotive core of step-sibling acceptance that shows Disney and Pixar this film shouldn’t be messed with.

9. BIRDS OF PREY

Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief as Jared Leto’s Joker, aka the worse incarnation of the character is pushed out of action to let the revelry and sass of Harley Quinn tell her own break-up story. Margot Robbie is the absolute catch for the crime-loving character; her smirks, looks to camera or general voice-over narration throw you into a carnival chute of glitter and chaos. DC has never looked so fun.

8. JOJO RABBIT

Stateside audiences may have had the typical earlier advantage of seeing this film before 2020 began, but for us in the UK we got to see Taika Waititi’s funny influence on Nazi Germany, in a time that seems long ago. The way Waititi mixes the wit and satire of a war-torn land with upset and ultimately dancing hope is a lovely feat.

7. JUST MERCY

An overlooked film that should have been in contention for awards glory aside from a nomination for the ever splendid Jamie Foxx. The resonance of what has happened many times over and what civil unrest was due to come not long after its release makes the message of inequality and persecution that much tougher to swallow. Michael B Jordan is a fantastic presence in this film; a man filled with desire to do the right thing and prove the innocence of others.

6. WAVES

This is an absolutely gorgeous and sometimes heart-shattering A24 film. The idea of toxic, destructive behaviour leads the first two portions of the film with rich neon acting like a nightmare of bright warning to the world we’re seeing. The third act becomes the calm after the storm as we follow another character, in a chance of restoring hope. The filmmaking possesses a beautiful fluid touch and all the way through there is an engagement to the turbulence we’ve witnessed by our connection to the family.

5. HIS HOUSE

Sound the Netflix chime again, we’re back with another streamer and another horror from a debut director. Remi Weekes makes his first full length feature and it’s a staggeringly effective plot of the terrors hiding among the shadows of your past. The story follows two South Sudan refugees who move to a new house, one that is unidentifiable to any part of Britain and it’s here in this run down space that the visions of their actions plague their minds in different ways.

4. THE INVISIBLE MAN

A lot of the time it’s what you cannot see that is scarier than what you can. Leigh Whannell takes that premise and runs with it to such chilling extremities that you feel almost permanently on-edge. Then there’s the overbearing presence of violent masculinity and gaslighting that amp up the tensions, throw in a sublime performance from Elisabeth Moss and you’ve got yourself a horror with an intelligent, dark spin on relationships.

3. 1917

Two soldiers on a mission to deliver hugely important strategic news becomes a trek you can’t take your eyes off. You become so interpolated by the WW1 surroundings thanks to the style of the story. It’s filmed in one take (at least the majority of it is) and George McKay leads the charge in exhilarating conditions that remind you how terrifying the reality of soldiers’ circumstances were. The film is brutal and often beautiful with Roger Deakins providing the most stunning of choregraphed sequences.

2. PARASITE

My Top 2 for 2020 are interchangeable…honestly both grabbed my attention and interest in different yet outstanding ways. Bong Joon Ho triumphed at the Academy Awards and gave 2020 probably some of the only good moments by collecting his trophies, mostly because he deserved it for his ingenious writing and directing of two families and creating rich tapestry of schemes, secrets and shock. ‘Parasite’ is a near-masterpiece of gripping tension, black humour and clever storytelling.

1. HOST

‘Host’ is one of the finest and niftiest horrors I’ve seen in a long, long time. Unlike the usual poltergeist scares, this short 50 minute frightener delivers screams and shocks from its built in dynamic of laptop terror. Filmed during quarantine and made to appear as a Zoom call, this is a séance which plays with comic moments but turns alarmingly jumpy, made all the more unsettling because of its computer visuals. I swore and leapt out of my skin on more than one occasion and feel like anyone watching this should prepare to sprinkle holy water upon their TV or laptop to save themselves.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Poster for ‘Wonder Woman 1984’. Out now in the UK

The DC Universe whips back into gear onto the big screen, and shall soon be beamed onto HBO Max. It’s a big…and long, full movie following the brave, super actions of Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman in a time far from WW2, but closer to globe-dividing tensions than she wishes for. 

Diana (Gal Gadot) is saving days and lives in 80’s Washington and works within the Smithsonian Institute. It’s here where she crosses paths with both an overlooked Barbara Minverva (Kristen Wiig) and a seemingly pointless artefact, that takes the attention of charismatic oil businessman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal). It doesn’t take long for this rocky museum item to show its true power and set off a damaging course of events for Wonder Woman to desperately try and fix.

Wonder Woman swiftly dealing with crooks in a 1980s mall

The mud and grit of World War 2 has been replaced by the garish sights and sounds of mid-80’s malls and music, yet the danger of a new world war upon the horizon is teasing Diana; a bleak series of greed-fuelled desires making all of Earth a battle zone. This element of doom and gloom is elevated thanks to the nostalgic glee of 80s fashion and fun but gladly the cheesiness of a dressing up montage and fish-out-of-water tropes don’t totally overshadow the epic moments building throughout the narrative.

Sure, a certain item that kicks off all the trouble is a cliched way of lassoing in ways of origin stories and screams like the most cack-handed manner to see a character return from the apparent dead, but the notion of dreams blends into a realm of dark truths and eventually bleeds out like a fatal flesh wound of mass destruction and civil unrest on a scale like never before. It’s also a tool to the plot that hands Pedro Pascal a brilliant opportunity to smear up the sleaze and power-hungry aspect with great 80’s d-bag hair.

Along the way there are spots of ropey CGI and sadly, like in the 2017 debut of Gadot as the Amazonian warrior; the film falls into the jaws of a near-final sequence that bombards the audience with too much CGI. The progress of a frankly excellent Kristen Wiig is almost ruined by her new look; a messy fur-ball of graphics making the SNL alum looking like a ‘Cats’ (2019) dropout. Honestly, a cool practical costume to highlight her ferocious change would have been much more exciting to see against the golden skills of Wonder Woman.

The film does soar to bigger heights this time around and truly suits the big screen treatment. Hans Zimmer provides an epic score that rattles through you, an opening scene among the female crowds of Themyscira pulses like an Olympics trial dialled to twenty and Chris Pine enjoys himself in a similar way to that of Buddy the Elf seeing a new land. There isn’t the grand spectacle of Wonder Woman breaching the top into No Mans Land but there are still explosive action set pieces to enjoy, even if the heart isn’t as strong as before. This time it’s the question of truth that leads the way and the truth is that ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ is a heroic sequel that mixes colour and chaos with the rewarding pleasure of escapism.

6.5/10

The New Mutants (2020)

It’s definitely been a long and winding road to get to this point. This apparent and likely finale to the ‘X-Men’ series has battled through delays of all kinds and 3 years later, is it a film worthy of the wait?

After a freak snowstorm, Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt) wakes up in a facility looked over by Dr. Reyes (Alice Braga). Dani comes to realise she’s not alone in this place and shares freakishly powerful abilities with four other young mutants who are being cared for and monitored, mostly to help them control their newly found gifts. However, Dani might have brought along a demonic ability that needs to see them work as one.

Whether or not you’re a comic-book fan, the ‘X-Men‘ universe is rife with eclectic characters and seeing a younger cluster of mutants in a darker setting makes for exciting reading on the page. When it is transported to the screen is frustratingly when the spicy expectation of a cool superhero horror fails. It would have been neat to see the comic-book movie world mauled with horror tones, but in a similar way to ‘Brightburn’ the mix doesn’t work and produces something with less impact than desired.

On top of this lacklustre horror element is the often exposition-heavy script, which seems even more forced considering the four other teenagers would surely have asked each other the screenplay’s questions in the time they’ve shared before Dani rocks up. There’s also a speedy, cliched way the movie builds a budding romance between two of the characters and you can see the finale a mile off. A film of distant youths needing to work together is so-so here and no less predictable than every hundred other times it’s been done.

The demons might not be scary and the CGI isn’t that well honed but there’s some nifty ideas amongst the ‘Shutter Island’ environment, which makes the domed cage of their own lockdown a chilling place. The creepiest figure isn’t the climactic creature but slender men like the Silence in ‘Doctor Who’, albeit these nightmarish people have wider, toothier grins.

Charlie Heaton dons a Southern drawl but doesn’t stand out, but he’s not lost to the shadows like boring Brazilian playboy Henry Zaga as Roberto. It’s a shame too that the film debut of Blu Hunt sees her turn as good but not amazing. She leads us into the confined world of dark powers but it’s Maisie Williams is almost the star of the show with a Scottish accent and furry complexion with love and loyalty on the cards, played with convincing charm. Anya Taylor-Joy is the real delight though, as she seems to be having fun in a film she knows isn’t good. The Russian accent, the purple puppet companion and her bunched horns of hair equal a devilish creation.

‘The New Mutants’ is nothing new and maybe some will say it should have carried on facing indefinite delays for all time but there are engaging moments and shady qualities to hook onto.

5/10

Tenet (2020)

Well, obviously there is a lot to be said about this movie, not just in terms of the filmmaking and story, but the circumstances of its cinematic arrival and director Christopher Nolan’s adamant stance to have it be the first big screen release post-lockdown. Pandemic pain aside, is Nolan’s latest a time-bending gem or a film best set to snooze?

After a rollicking siege at a Ukrainian opera house, an agent (John David Washington) comes to find out bits and pieces of a technology which can manipulate time. Cue a James Bond like hop, skip and bungee-jump across the world as he works with Neil (Robert Pattinson) and Kat (Elizabeth Debicki) to try and stop the “Tenet” tech being used by the wrong people.

When you utter the word Nolan you conjure up images of blockbuster visuals with intelligence and ‘Tenet’ does fall into that category, like a time-orientated ‘Inception’ with many plot strands and deep ideas filling the runtime. There is no denying that the look of this big, big movie are impressive. The opening set-piece is an exquisite step into the world of the story, plus other action moments get their deserved cinematic outing. All of this should have audiences enjoying the marvel of big-screen thrills once again but the narrative can be a head-scratching jumble.

One of the most staggering problems with this film is the sound. Christopher Nolan adores IMAX and ear-shredding levels of noise, but he seems to forget that it shouldn’t take precedence over the importance of dialogue; especially with a plot this filled with sci-fi intricacies. It’s hard to get immersed in the fun of the fair because you struggle to hear what’s being said or generally don’t have the foggiest notion what is happening.

Perhaps this is the director being; getting audiences back in for repeat views but the film basically being about stopping a timey-wimey device falling into bad hands could have been easier to follow. Cut back on the expositional chatter which somehow still doesn’t clue you in 100%, fix the sound mixing and be less convoluted. There’s no need to dumb down and be Michael Bay levels of blockbuster but if you’re hard-pressed to keep track of the film, thanks to blaring sound and plot progressions then it’s easy to clock out.

There’s likely plenty of people who will love the film. People who’ll be on board with every complexity of the story and if you just go along with it then fair enough. The film is by no means a waste of time though. The acting is impeccable; John David Washington is a suave and convincingly adept spy figure. Pattinson has some of the best lines to speak and Debicki is a great figure of intellect, fear and fury.  Ludwig Goransson provides an exceptional score which will no doubt in Oscar contention, as will the beautiful and well choreographed work of cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema.

‘Tenet’ ticks along nicely and you’ll flit in and out of total enthralment of a smart, but sadly not perfectly executed Christopher Nolan outing.

6.5/10

Spree (2020)

Screeching out of 1980’s Hawkins, and slap bang into the whirlwind of our digital era is Joe Keery, on blistering form as a wannabe online personality. It’s fair to say that ‘Spree’s message of how damaging the crave of validation can be on the nose and skimming the surface instead of burying deeper, but does that lose this film a like and follow?

Kurt Kunkle (Keery) has grown up dreaming to be famous on the internet but has never amassed more than double figure numbers for his videos. Now taking on a job as a Spree driver he comes up with a plan dubbed “The Lesson” which he hopes will see viewers flock to his brand but darker and darker actions are taken by Kurt as he amps up the desire to reach more followers.

This black comedy spins wildly into horror before you really know it. At the beginning you sense there’s something off about Kurt, but he’s sad and pathetic and you kind of root for his sense of fame, which only goes to make our engagement in his life regrettable; as the young man veers into a maniacal state we too veer uncomfortably into bloody terrain.

Statements like being annoyed at non-uniformity in landscape or portrait videos or homeless people not being known by the wider world, firmly show the obsessive personality of Kurt. Of course the road he takes is a screaming ride of death but this exaggerated terror is not a million miles away from what we see online. It’s this critique of social media as a whole that can be viewed as correct but also shallow.

The film whacks a mega-fist at the life of social media stardom and the problem of that mostly vapid like-for-like world. This message stretches beyond breaking point and keeps on going, there’s also a moment in the movie where you vaguely feel tired of the rampage but a horror house climax hits with jumpy moments to lure you back in, I guess nicely mirroring the similar pull of our apps. So then what some may call a weak, shallow nature in ‘Spree’ and its digital damning others can argue as perfectly apt for the hollow landscape of being an internet celebrity.

Scarier than the 24 hours of carnage planned by Kurt is the reality that we’re having to grow up in a world where some people feel that not gaining hearts or retweets is a curse. The influencer plague has spread far and wide and Kurt is not too distant from the empty-headed douchebaggery of Jake and Logan Paul. That’s why this film works well because it is a debauched descent into an onslaught of cameras and comments we’ve all seen many times.

Joe Keery is a demonic eyed bundle of enthusiasm, pushing anger away from the usual tropes of rage but into more concerning acts of normality. This lesson plan is just a jaunt for him and Keery possesses a sly smile as if to show how much he’s having fun both as Kurt and an actor. We’re fully on this trip with him and you might possibly question your backseat acceptance, as we watch a messed up night wrapped up in shiny entertainment.

‘Spree’ psychotically highlights how fame can come off the back of a good or bad voice, it doesn’t matter as long as your voice is loud enough. It isn’t anything new about social media but the balance of evil and charm within Joe Keery gives the film solid status.

7/10 

Unhinged (2020)

Revving past the rotating stop sign of COVID-19 theatrical releases is this breakneck thriller directed by Derrick Borte. The notion of angsty drivers and bad car etiquette is slammed to near breaking point in a film that definitely suits the big screen experience.

Rachel (Caren Pistorius) is frequently tardy to client bookings and her son’s school run and one such morning she winds up honking her horn at the wrong driver. The Man (Russell Crowe) behind the steering wheel has completely snapped and after an explosive opening, we see him seek revenge against Rachel no matter the cost.

If like me, anytime a movie character is driving and begins to look elsewhere or hold a conversation, you start fearing any and all imminent scrapes or deathly pile-ups, this film will set your heart rate to stratospheric levels. ‘Unhinged’ is certainly a loud blast to crash back into cinemas after a long time silent and the vehicle-heavy setting is enough to bring palpitations to anyone who expects the worst when scenes are on the road.

Screeching brakes and burning rubber ring out of the speakers and pelt into the audience’s bloodstream, creating a near 100% anxiety ridden wave of car-ography that will have some watching wishing cinema screens came with seatbelts included to buckle up and hold on for dear life with. And, well if you’re not on edge at any point in this flick then you’re someone likely to have experienced or started road rage of a far worse situation and others should worry about your bumper-crawling ways!

The Man is filled with a nasty beast of anger and like a beast he stalks his prey across a concrete savanna; mauling and ripping apart any grazing cars in his vicinity. Russell Crowe plays this character with gusto, of which some would say is hammy but I call a shlocky snarling, scowling figure of sweat and ferocity owning the freeways and side streets in any chance to wreak bloody vengeance. Caren Pistorius, like Lohman in ‘Drag me to Hell’ is firmly put through the ringer as she speeds desperately around New Orleans in a frenzied manner and the performance is one that really pulls you into the needed heart of a story that would otherwise be teeming with rage and testosterone.

‘Unhinged‘ rarely takes its foot off the brake, with each skid of a car or thwack of a heavy punch leading right into the next nail-biting, teeth-grinding moment of brutality. The anticipation of something bad about to happen is thick, as if always on the sidelines waiting for its next chance to ram into the narrative. Granted this is not a stellar film and won’t win awards for subtlety but I’m positive it hits the green light for future cult B movie favourite.

If you want a big screen experience that ticks the boxes of spills, thrills and loud and proud tension then you can’t do any wrong by heading along to see this blast of a movie.

7/10

Bloodshot (2020)

This film, based on a comic book of the same name, was one of the last newly released cinematic features before the big C-word closed down multiplexes and countries the world over. After a long spell of self-isolation and too much TV and baking, would ‘Bloodshot’ be a movie worth my venturing back to a cinema for?

U.S Marine man Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) has received many scars from his line of duty but always fulfils his promise to come home to his wife. However a tragedy leads him on a destructive course of revenge led by cybernetic CEO Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce), as his bloodstream has been turned into a hotbed of nanite technology making him super strong and quick to heal.

‘Bloodshot’ sure won’t win any prizes for originality or being smart enough to keep audiences on the wrong-foot but there just enough moments that assist a scraping of enjoyment to it all. Perhaps one half of the writing team being Jeff Wadlow provides reason for a shaky screenplay, but gladly it’s not worse than the likes of ‘Fantasy Island’ or ‘Truth or Dare’, what is worse however is the other half of the duo being Eric Heisserer who himself seems to be placed in some induced state and forced to do this. That’s the only excuse I can think of for someone who wrote the film screenplay for ‘Arrival’ and now this.

It’ll be no surprise to anyone that the movie comes from some producers of ‘The Fast and Furious’ franchise because this supposed comic-book superhero flick feels like a dud half-sibling of that speedy car/heist saga. Diesel shedding his Marine gear in the beginning to reveal his trusty white vest would leave plenty thinking Dom Toretto has become a fully-fledged super-fighter in his days off from racing souped up vehicles.

The character of Ray Garrison doesn’t need much in the way of acting so Vin is the right guy for the job; punching his way through problems and peppering the dialogue with his trademark gravelly voice. There’s only so much of this cliche you can take and the film pushes that to near breaking point but the likes of a slick ‘Iron Man 3‘-esque turn from Guy Pearce and a soft yet kicky presence from Eiza Gonzalez help distract from the brain-dead fast and furious nature this body-dropping movie becomes.

In terms of action, there are definitely highs and lows and not all of the sequences are tampered with the excessive CGI button. There is most definitely a good burst of adrenaline through the majority of the runtime and even if it’s all dumb, it is dumb fun. Lamorne Morris from ‘New Girl’ stardom brings the funny plus the Dick van Dyke approach of British accent work. The scenes are pacy and a barrage of extreme revenge seeking lights the way like some angry flare.

‘Bloodshot’ might not be the choice for you if you’re hoping for a fantastic fix of action but if, like me you haven’t been to a cinema for what feels like an entire year, then this is an acceptable feast of carnage that whets the post-lockdown appetite.

5/10