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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019 (Updated Jun 10, 2019)
More DC than Marvel
Bryan Singer’s return to the X-Men franchise comes at the perfect time both for the series and its director.
After last year’s poorly executed Jack the Giant Slayer, Singer needed to come back to home turf and after a string of irritating X-Men films, including the entertaining but soulless X-Men: The Last Stand and the downright offensive Wolverine origins story, it seems the superhero series needed to do the same.
But can a re-partnering 11 years after the brilliant X2 restore the magic of one of Marvel’s best comics?
Partially is the answer here. Singer restores the cinematic flair and sparkle of the series and brings back a lot of old faces but forgets a lot of the fun in the process.
x-men-days-of-future-past-character-poster-01.jpgDays of Future Past is set in a dystopian future as a war between mutants and humans continues to rage. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Storm (Halle Berry) and many other fan favourites return to the series after being absent for some time. We follow these characters as they try to escape the sentinels; an army of robots impressively rendered in CGI designed to kill any mutant on sight, friend or foe.
The only way to stop the war is to send a mutant back to 1973 when the sentinel program was put in motion. Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is the chosen one and remains the lead character throughout the film.
Back in 1973, the mutants from X-Men First Class are blissfully unaware of what lies in store for them, though they still have their own personal battles to deal with.
As the film progresses, it becomes painfully obvious that this is very much a “First Class” era film. James McAvoy’s impressive take on the young Charles Xavier returns, as does Michael Fassbender’s Magneto.
However, only Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique makes a lasting impact amongst the 1973 era mutants. You can see the pain and torment etched onto her face throughout theJennifer-Lawrence-mystique film and as in The Hunger Games she steals focus from everyone around her. Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage also joins the cast as the film’s primary antagonist Bolivar Trask and is a real joy to watch. His character is understated in every way, but he remains an iconic presence throughout.
However, as impressive as the set pieces and acting performances are, it is in the future where we wish to see more. The ‘classic’ characters are barely given any screen time which is a real shame and the real mutant cost of the war is glossed over entirely. The special effects are genuinely very good. Each of the action sequences is well choreographed and the CGI is great, especially the rendering on the future sentinels which can adapt to seek a mutant’s power – no matter what it is.
Unfortunately, the fun factor is completely lost as Singer ramps up the tension and the death toll. In fact, only one character provides the humour and that is Evan Peters’ portrayal of Quicksilver who is only on screen for 15 minutes.
Overall, X-Men: Days of Future Past is definitely the best film of the series and thankfully does away with the atrocities that have been committed previously in the franchise. However, it feels like Singer was trying so hard to repair his predecessor’s mistakes, he forgot some of the key elements of a Marvel superhero film in the process – this is more DC than Marvel.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/06/01/x-men-days-of-future-past-review/
After last year’s poorly executed Jack the Giant Slayer, Singer needed to come back to home turf and after a string of irritating X-Men films, including the entertaining but soulless X-Men: The Last Stand and the downright offensive Wolverine origins story, it seems the superhero series needed to do the same.
But can a re-partnering 11 years after the brilliant X2 restore the magic of one of Marvel’s best comics?
Partially is the answer here. Singer restores the cinematic flair and sparkle of the series and brings back a lot of old faces but forgets a lot of the fun in the process.
x-men-days-of-future-past-character-poster-01.jpgDays of Future Past is set in a dystopian future as a war between mutants and humans continues to rage. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Storm (Halle Berry) and many other fan favourites return to the series after being absent for some time. We follow these characters as they try to escape the sentinels; an army of robots impressively rendered in CGI designed to kill any mutant on sight, friend or foe.
The only way to stop the war is to send a mutant back to 1973 when the sentinel program was put in motion. Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is the chosen one and remains the lead character throughout the film.
Back in 1973, the mutants from X-Men First Class are blissfully unaware of what lies in store for them, though they still have their own personal battles to deal with.
As the film progresses, it becomes painfully obvious that this is very much a “First Class” era film. James McAvoy’s impressive take on the young Charles Xavier returns, as does Michael Fassbender’s Magneto.
However, only Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique makes a lasting impact amongst the 1973 era mutants. You can see the pain and torment etched onto her face throughout theJennifer-Lawrence-mystique film and as in The Hunger Games she steals focus from everyone around her. Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage also joins the cast as the film’s primary antagonist Bolivar Trask and is a real joy to watch. His character is understated in every way, but he remains an iconic presence throughout.
However, as impressive as the set pieces and acting performances are, it is in the future where we wish to see more. The ‘classic’ characters are barely given any screen time which is a real shame and the real mutant cost of the war is glossed over entirely. The special effects are genuinely very good. Each of the action sequences is well choreographed and the CGI is great, especially the rendering on the future sentinels which can adapt to seek a mutant’s power – no matter what it is.
Unfortunately, the fun factor is completely lost as Singer ramps up the tension and the death toll. In fact, only one character provides the humour and that is Evan Peters’ portrayal of Quicksilver who is only on screen for 15 minutes.
Overall, X-Men: Days of Future Past is definitely the best film of the series and thankfully does away with the atrocities that have been committed previously in the franchise. However, it feels like Singer was trying so hard to repair his predecessor’s mistakes, he forgot some of the key elements of a Marvel superhero film in the process – this is more DC than Marvel.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/06/01/x-men-days-of-future-past-review/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Captain America: Civil War (2016) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Mini Avengers, Assemble
Is anyone else getting bored of superhero films? Nope? Just me then. We’re not even halfway through 2016 and there have been three of them. In February, there was Deadpool, a film that despite all the odds, turned out to be smashing – despite its generic finale.
Then, DC tried to compete with Marvel in March with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It was fine, if far too long and lacking in any real drama. Now, Marvel is back with Captain America: Civil War. But can it break the superhero tedium that has started to settle in?
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is back and he is not happy. The titular hero, and the rest of our beloved Avengers clan, are asked to sign up to a UN treaty, designed to reign in their unsupervised power after a dramatic and deadly battle against terrorists in Nigeria. It turns out the Avengers lost the PR war and countries across the globe want blood – well them to back off a little at least.
Most of the fan favourites return in Civil War, with Robert Downey Jr proving once again why he was cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man all those years ago. He is a commanding presence and brings to the table some of the best one-liners outside a fully-fledged Iron Man film.
Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Paul Bettany (Vision) all return and despite the increasing number of characters all make their presence felt throughout the course of the film – something Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to do.
However, the film belongs to the characters that join the film and the Marvel Universe. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes a truly exceptional appearance and features in Civil War’s most memorable scene – a brilliantly choreographed battle between two sides in a deserted airport.
And, the long-awaited “homecoming” of Spider-Man to the MCU is thankfully worth the wait. He’s been teased in the trailers and I’m pleased to say his screen-time is far greater than anyone could have imagined. Young Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker may need some time to settle in, we have a Spider-Man reboot to look forward to in 2018, but he makes a cracking first impression.
So, with all those characters it’s fair to say that Civil War should be renamed “Mini Avengers Assemble” as there’s far more at stake here than a simple Captain America movie. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have created the film that Age of Ultron should have been and it’s a slight disservice to their incredible work that the film isn’t labelled as a full Avengers feature, despite the lack of Thor and Hulk.
The action is beautifully filmed and the locations are fabulous. From Africa to America and from Germany to London, nearly every inch of the world is touched upon in some way – yet it doesn’t feel disjointed.
But what makes Civil War stand out from all the rest is its human side. This isn’t a superhero movie that ends in a climactic battle against a faceless army, it explores the human impact of our characters’ actions and the emotion radiates from its heart.
Yes, it’s 20 minutes too long but apart from that, I can’t think of a bad word to say. It has reinvigorated a genre that was starting to turn a little stale. Bringing together a set of characters that against all the odds gel together so well makes it feel as fresh as Iron Man did way back in 2008.
If this is the magic the Russo brothers can work at Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War should be something truly special indeed. X-Men: Apocalypse, you have your work cut out.
Oh, and wait right up until the end credits for something very special indeed.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/05/01/mini-avengers-assemble-captain-america-civil-war-review/
Then, DC tried to compete with Marvel in March with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It was fine, if far too long and lacking in any real drama. Now, Marvel is back with Captain America: Civil War. But can it break the superhero tedium that has started to settle in?
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is back and he is not happy. The titular hero, and the rest of our beloved Avengers clan, are asked to sign up to a UN treaty, designed to reign in their unsupervised power after a dramatic and deadly battle against terrorists in Nigeria. It turns out the Avengers lost the PR war and countries across the globe want blood – well them to back off a little at least.
Most of the fan favourites return in Civil War, with Robert Downey Jr proving once again why he was cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man all those years ago. He is a commanding presence and brings to the table some of the best one-liners outside a fully-fledged Iron Man film.
Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Paul Bettany (Vision) all return and despite the increasing number of characters all make their presence felt throughout the course of the film – something Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to do.
However, the film belongs to the characters that join the film and the Marvel Universe. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes a truly exceptional appearance and features in Civil War’s most memorable scene – a brilliantly choreographed battle between two sides in a deserted airport.
And, the long-awaited “homecoming” of Spider-Man to the MCU is thankfully worth the wait. He’s been teased in the trailers and I’m pleased to say his screen-time is far greater than anyone could have imagined. Young Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker may need some time to settle in, we have a Spider-Man reboot to look forward to in 2018, but he makes a cracking first impression.
So, with all those characters it’s fair to say that Civil War should be renamed “Mini Avengers Assemble” as there’s far more at stake here than a simple Captain America movie. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have created the film that Age of Ultron should have been and it’s a slight disservice to their incredible work that the film isn’t labelled as a full Avengers feature, despite the lack of Thor and Hulk.
The action is beautifully filmed and the locations are fabulous. From Africa to America and from Germany to London, nearly every inch of the world is touched upon in some way – yet it doesn’t feel disjointed.
But what makes Civil War stand out from all the rest is its human side. This isn’t a superhero movie that ends in a climactic battle against a faceless army, it explores the human impact of our characters’ actions and the emotion radiates from its heart.
Yes, it’s 20 minutes too long but apart from that, I can’t think of a bad word to say. It has reinvigorated a genre that was starting to turn a little stale. Bringing together a set of characters that against all the odds gel together so well makes it feel as fresh as Iron Man did way back in 2008.
If this is the magic the Russo brothers can work at Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War should be something truly special indeed. X-Men: Apocalypse, you have your work cut out.
Oh, and wait right up until the end credits for something very special indeed.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/05/01/mini-avengers-assemble-captain-america-civil-war-review/
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Watch out pixar
Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon was an example of setting your expectations low and coming out pleasantly surprised. The first film proved that the studio could create animated masterpieces and it left audiences across the globe hooked.
However, expectation has never been higher for its sequel, How to Train Your Dragon 2, but does it soar to the dizzying heights of its predecessor?
Thankfully the answer is a resounding yes. From beautiful animated dragons to breathtaking aerial-bound sequences, this sequel just about surpasses the original in every way.
Following on five years after events in the first film, Dragon 2 follows a 20-year-old Hiccup, voiced wonderfully by Jay Baruchel, and his sidekick Toothless in their home town of Berk as the residents come to terms with living peacefully alongside dragons.
Being Hiccup, he is naturally curious to learn about a legendary ‘dragon master’ who can enslave the beasts to form an army and sets out to persuade him to care for the animals like the villagers. This plot point is sidetracked from the outset however as we are introduced to Valka – Hiccup’s long lost mother, voiced by a rather miscast Cate Blanchett.
The bond between Hiccup and Toothless has grown massively in the five year break between films and this makes them even more enjoyable to watch. Yes, each of the villagers has their own dragon to look after, but it is the relationship between the two primary characters which we really care about the most.
Feline similarities in Toothless will not go unnoticed, his cat-like qualities give him an air of cuteness that you wouldn’t expect to come from such a menacing and ultimately deadly creature, and it is testament to Dreamworks that they have managed to craft such a personality for a character that never speaks.
The animation is also absolutely stunning, from the crystal waters of the sea around Berk to the people and dragons themselves, everything has been given an upgrade after the first film’s success and the battle scenes are beautiful in their simplicity – there’s no worrying about losing track of characters here.
However, it’s not all smoke and mirrors, the story has real meaning. Family values are explored, the way to treat animals is also looked at brieflyrs_634x1024-140205120546-634.cate-blanchett-bp.cm.2514 and ultimately, this is about one young man’s journey to maturity.
Unfortunately, the vocal performance of Cate Blanchett detracts somewhat from the overall magic. Her peculiar Scottish accent, which travels all over Europe by the time the end credits roll, is of particular annoyance and it’s a better film when she is not playing a central part. This is a shame as the realisation that Hiccup’s mother isn’t dead should be one of great consequence, but Blanchett’s strange acting hampers the scenes.
How to Train Your Dragon is to Dreamworks what WALL-E is to Pixar, each film is one of, if not the best animated feature from either studio and Dragon 2 follows that trend. It is the rare sequel that is superior to the first film – a la Spider-Man 2.
It’s an emotional rollercoaster too, and in some places very dark, possibly too much for children, but for teenagers and adults alike, there is something to enjoy here. From the engaging plot to the mesmerising soundtrack.
Overall, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a fine film, helped along the way by some incredible animation, amazingly deep characters and a meaningful story. Only a poor showing by Cate Blanchett stops it achieving perfection.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/07/16/watch-out-pixar-how-to-train-your-dragon-2-review/
However, expectation has never been higher for its sequel, How to Train Your Dragon 2, but does it soar to the dizzying heights of its predecessor?
Thankfully the answer is a resounding yes. From beautiful animated dragons to breathtaking aerial-bound sequences, this sequel just about surpasses the original in every way.
Following on five years after events in the first film, Dragon 2 follows a 20-year-old Hiccup, voiced wonderfully by Jay Baruchel, and his sidekick Toothless in their home town of Berk as the residents come to terms with living peacefully alongside dragons.
Being Hiccup, he is naturally curious to learn about a legendary ‘dragon master’ who can enslave the beasts to form an army and sets out to persuade him to care for the animals like the villagers. This plot point is sidetracked from the outset however as we are introduced to Valka – Hiccup’s long lost mother, voiced by a rather miscast Cate Blanchett.
The bond between Hiccup and Toothless has grown massively in the five year break between films and this makes them even more enjoyable to watch. Yes, each of the villagers has their own dragon to look after, but it is the relationship between the two primary characters which we really care about the most.
Feline similarities in Toothless will not go unnoticed, his cat-like qualities give him an air of cuteness that you wouldn’t expect to come from such a menacing and ultimately deadly creature, and it is testament to Dreamworks that they have managed to craft such a personality for a character that never speaks.
The animation is also absolutely stunning, from the crystal waters of the sea around Berk to the people and dragons themselves, everything has been given an upgrade after the first film’s success and the battle scenes are beautiful in their simplicity – there’s no worrying about losing track of characters here.
However, it’s not all smoke and mirrors, the story has real meaning. Family values are explored, the way to treat animals is also looked at brieflyrs_634x1024-140205120546-634.cate-blanchett-bp.cm.2514 and ultimately, this is about one young man’s journey to maturity.
Unfortunately, the vocal performance of Cate Blanchett detracts somewhat from the overall magic. Her peculiar Scottish accent, which travels all over Europe by the time the end credits roll, is of particular annoyance and it’s a better film when she is not playing a central part. This is a shame as the realisation that Hiccup’s mother isn’t dead should be one of great consequence, but Blanchett’s strange acting hampers the scenes.
How to Train Your Dragon is to Dreamworks what WALL-E is to Pixar, each film is one of, if not the best animated feature from either studio and Dragon 2 follows that trend. It is the rare sequel that is superior to the first film – a la Spider-Man 2.
It’s an emotional rollercoaster too, and in some places very dark, possibly too much for children, but for teenagers and adults alike, there is something to enjoy here. From the engaging plot to the mesmerising soundtrack.
Overall, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is a fine film, helped along the way by some incredible animation, amazingly deep characters and a meaningful story. Only a poor showing by Cate Blanchett stops it achieving perfection.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/07/16/watch-out-pixar-how-to-train-your-dragon-2-review/
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Purple Hearts in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book <i>Purple Hearts</i>. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, <i>Purple Hearts</i>, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
<i>Purple Hearts</i> is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
An epic tale of a reimagined World War II comes to an explosive end in this third and final book <i>Purple Hearts</i>. Michael Grant created an alternative history in which women were allowed to enter the army and fight alongside the men on the front lines in Europe. Having earned accolades, promotions and the right to go home to America at the conclusion of the previous book, Rio, Frangie and Rainy decide to stay for the remains of the war. It is 6th June 1944, and the battle on the sands of Omaha Beach is about to begin – D-Day.
The story rushes into the horrors of the D-Day landings where Rio, now a Sergeant, is leading her platoon through the treacherous battleground, whilst Frangie, the medic, tries to patch up fallen comrades. The author teases the reader with the introduction of new characters who promptly get killed during this fateful day and battles further along the line. There is no sugar coating the horrific experience of soldiers and civilians, regardless of whether the scenes are fictionalized or not.
The difficulty with writing a work of fiction about the final years of World War II is that the majority of readers will already know the facts. Therefore, it was impossible for Grant to compose a drastic alternative history. Despite the inclusion of women soldiers, the main events occur exactly as they did in reality, beginning with D-Day before moving on to Liberated France, the Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and, eventually, VE Day.
The three main characters have undergone complete transformations since the beginning of book one. No longer are they the innocent girls mocked for the belief they could be as strong as male soldiers. As horror after horror unfolds, readers are left with only the hope that these three survive.
Throughout book one and two, the narrative was interspersed with a commentary from an anonymous female soldier in a bed at the 107th evacuee hospital in Würzburg, Germany. As promised at the beginning of the series, readers finally find out which character this nameless voice belongs to, although it is dragged out until the final pages of the book.
The title, <i>Purple Hearts</i>, refers to the medal earned by soldiers injured in battle. Rio, Frangie and Rainy have each received one, along with a few other characters. Unfortunately, many are killed in the battles, some who have been in the story from the start, making this an extremely shocking book. It goes to show how dangerous war is and the brutality WWII soldiers experienced. It is a surprise that as many survived as they did.
Although at this point the main focus of the story is the war, there is still the underlying theme of equality, both for women and for black people. Frangie provides the insight into the segregation of blacks, being assigned to black-only patrols and having white patients refuse to be treated by her. However, as the war gets more violent, these lines get blurred until it is (mostly) no longer important the colour of a soldier or medic’s skin.
<i>Purple Hearts</i> is a brilliant end to a challenging series. Readers become invested in the characters and are drawn into a story that is so true to form that it is easy to forget that women did not actually take part in the fighting. Evidently well researched, Michael Grant has penned a series that educates whilst it entertains, opening readers’ eyes to the truth about war. This is nothing like a textbook full of facts and figures, it is a moving, personal (forget the fictional bit) account of what WWII was really like. Written with young adults in mind, this is a great series for both teens and older readers.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Rage 2 in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
In 2010 Bethesda released RAGE. The game was the next step in the Id Shooters as it combined the combat the company was known for with a story, outdoor locales, customization, and vehicle combat and racing. As if that was not enough; the game featured a large Post-Apocalypse world, tons of enemies, and several side missions.
The game was so large that it took several discs to contain the game and I remember our review unit arriving extra early so we had time to load the large game so we could be ready to play when it went online.
Nine years later we finally get the sequel as RAGE 2 has arrived from Avalanche Studios. The game picks up 20 years after the first game as players take on the character of Walker; a first generation offspring from the original Ark survivors.
After a deadly attack by the evil General Cross and his army of Mutants; Walker takes on the role as the last of the Rangers and travels the Wastelands to find new Ranger tech, make allies, gather loot, and fight Bandits, Mutants, and other enemies that arise.
Walker has a nice arsenal of pistols, Shotguns, Machine Guns, Rocket Launchers, Grenades, and his deadly Wingstick as well as a series of Nanotech powered abilities which can be improved and gained over time.
There are various towns for players to advance the main mission as well as gain side missions, trade, buy, and increase their vehicle and weapon abilities.
Players will need all this and more as the enemies are numerous and deadly. Just driving between two points on a mission can lead to roving bands and convoys attacking you; not to mention Road Blocks and other Bandit Dens that arise.
The game deftly combines first person combat and vehicle combat and offers some very fine graphics which really lead to the immersion. One issue I had is that some missions seem more like a back and forth between two points versus some of the more cohesive moments on other missions.
The NPC characters do not do as much as some may like as you will pretty much be a Lone Wolf but you will be able to chat with characters to advance the story and get side missions.
The game does require players to win a race in order to advance the story and it took many tries including some frustrating second place finishes before I was able to cross the Finish Line first ahead of the pack.
The game provides plenty of gameplay as I put in over 20 hours on it and there are still some areas I can wander to clean up but with DLC and new content coming; I am looking forward to seeing what is to come. I also look forward to fully loading out my vehicles and weapons as the three main weapons I have are amazing and I would love to see what the full loadout can do.
I was a bit disappointed over the lack of Multiplayer as it was included in the first game and I had hoped we would be able to get both vehicle and FPS combat this time out or at the least a Co-Op mode.
The music and sound effects are good although they can drop or fade now and then but this has become better with a recent patch.
RAGE 2 provided plenty of immersive entertainment and was a very entertaining and engaging game despite some frustrations along the way. The game clearly indicates more is coming to the story and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
http://sknr.net/2019/06/07/rage-2/
The game was so large that it took several discs to contain the game and I remember our review unit arriving extra early so we had time to load the large game so we could be ready to play when it went online.
Nine years later we finally get the sequel as RAGE 2 has arrived from Avalanche Studios. The game picks up 20 years after the first game as players take on the character of Walker; a first generation offspring from the original Ark survivors.
After a deadly attack by the evil General Cross and his army of Mutants; Walker takes on the role as the last of the Rangers and travels the Wastelands to find new Ranger tech, make allies, gather loot, and fight Bandits, Mutants, and other enemies that arise.
Walker has a nice arsenal of pistols, Shotguns, Machine Guns, Rocket Launchers, Grenades, and his deadly Wingstick as well as a series of Nanotech powered abilities which can be improved and gained over time.
There are various towns for players to advance the main mission as well as gain side missions, trade, buy, and increase their vehicle and weapon abilities.
Players will need all this and more as the enemies are numerous and deadly. Just driving between two points on a mission can lead to roving bands and convoys attacking you; not to mention Road Blocks and other Bandit Dens that arise.
The game deftly combines first person combat and vehicle combat and offers some very fine graphics which really lead to the immersion. One issue I had is that some missions seem more like a back and forth between two points versus some of the more cohesive moments on other missions.
The NPC characters do not do as much as some may like as you will pretty much be a Lone Wolf but you will be able to chat with characters to advance the story and get side missions.
The game does require players to win a race in order to advance the story and it took many tries including some frustrating second place finishes before I was able to cross the Finish Line first ahead of the pack.
The game provides plenty of gameplay as I put in over 20 hours on it and there are still some areas I can wander to clean up but with DLC and new content coming; I am looking forward to seeing what is to come. I also look forward to fully loading out my vehicles and weapons as the three main weapons I have are amazing and I would love to see what the full loadout can do.
I was a bit disappointed over the lack of Multiplayer as it was included in the first game and I had hoped we would be able to get both vehicle and FPS combat this time out or at the least a Co-Op mode.
The music and sound effects are good although they can drop or fade now and then but this has become better with a recent patch.
RAGE 2 provided plenty of immersive entertainment and was a very entertaining and engaging game despite some frustrations along the way. The game clearly indicates more is coming to the story and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
http://sknr.net/2019/06/07/rage-2/
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Black Dynamite (2009) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
After his brother is killed, Black Dynamite decides to take matters into his own hands. Just who is Black Dynamite? He's an action legend, a one-man army, and anyone who gets on his bad side is going to wind up dead. Other than struggling with trying to figure out who's responsible for his brother's death, Black Dynamite also has other matters to attend to. There's that new smack being distributed on the street that's even somehow reaching the orphans at the local orphanage and there's something screwy about that Anaconda malt liquor that just doesn't sit well with him. Black Dynamite will do whatever it takes to find out who killed his brother and clean up the streets even if it means going all the way to the Honky House.
Black Dynamite has quite a reputation as just about every article or review that mentioned the film gave it high praise. Is it possible for a film to be incredible while paying homage to the films that inspired it? Sure it is. Directors like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez make a living doing just that. With Black Dynamite, however, you may not know what to expect. Expect it to parody the blaxploitation films from the 70s, pay homage to classic kung fu films, have ridiculous dialogue, a storyline that hilariously doesn't make sense, and have a funky soundtrack with lyrics that are just as awesome as the rest of the film.
Michael Jai White is really the selling point of the film since he is Black Dynamite and you're with him the entire film. I hadn't seen much of White's work before this, but I'm definitely wanting to see more now. His fight scenes are top notch and from what I could tell, it looked like he did the majority of his own stunts. The word I've been hearing is that he's a fairly impressive actor overall, but has just never really picked the right roles and never really broke into the mainstream. Maybe after playing Gambol in The Dark Knight helped him out a bit because he definitely has a bright future as not only an action star, but an actor as well. Other than his superb martial arts work, White's comedic timing is also really important in a film like this and it really pays off. There's a scene where a boom mic is noticeably in the shot while Black Dynamite is giving a big speech. He draws attention to it by repeatedly glaring at the mic throughout the scene, but doesn't miss a beat of the dialogue. Ridiculous scenes like that were crucial in the overall enjoyment factor of the film.
The dialogue is laugh out loud funny at times. There's a scene where the CIA show up at Black Dynamite's house and Agent O'Leary says to Black Dynamite, "We heard about your brother's death and we don't want you running around turning the streets into rivers of blood." Black Dynamite responds with, "Then tell me who did it and I'll just leave a puddle." The storyline is just as absurd, as well. Other than the film missing scenes that were shown in the trailer and things not fully being resolved with Vincent "The Don" Rafelli, the scene where Black Dynamite and his crew figure out what Anaconda malt liquor's true purpose is is both hilariously long-winded and confusing.
Black Dynamite may not be for everyone, but it will be hilariously awesome for most who actually get to see it. The film somehow manages to blend comedy as absurd and ridiculous as films like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or Zoolander and have hard hitting action scenes that are noticeably a tribute to classic Bruce Lee films. This blaxploitation parody comes highly recommended, can you dig it?
Black Dynamite has quite a reputation as just about every article or review that mentioned the film gave it high praise. Is it possible for a film to be incredible while paying homage to the films that inspired it? Sure it is. Directors like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez make a living doing just that. With Black Dynamite, however, you may not know what to expect. Expect it to parody the blaxploitation films from the 70s, pay homage to classic kung fu films, have ridiculous dialogue, a storyline that hilariously doesn't make sense, and have a funky soundtrack with lyrics that are just as awesome as the rest of the film.
Michael Jai White is really the selling point of the film since he is Black Dynamite and you're with him the entire film. I hadn't seen much of White's work before this, but I'm definitely wanting to see more now. His fight scenes are top notch and from what I could tell, it looked like he did the majority of his own stunts. The word I've been hearing is that he's a fairly impressive actor overall, but has just never really picked the right roles and never really broke into the mainstream. Maybe after playing Gambol in The Dark Knight helped him out a bit because he definitely has a bright future as not only an action star, but an actor as well. Other than his superb martial arts work, White's comedic timing is also really important in a film like this and it really pays off. There's a scene where a boom mic is noticeably in the shot while Black Dynamite is giving a big speech. He draws attention to it by repeatedly glaring at the mic throughout the scene, but doesn't miss a beat of the dialogue. Ridiculous scenes like that were crucial in the overall enjoyment factor of the film.
The dialogue is laugh out loud funny at times. There's a scene where the CIA show up at Black Dynamite's house and Agent O'Leary says to Black Dynamite, "We heard about your brother's death and we don't want you running around turning the streets into rivers of blood." Black Dynamite responds with, "Then tell me who did it and I'll just leave a puddle." The storyline is just as absurd, as well. Other than the film missing scenes that were shown in the trailer and things not fully being resolved with Vincent "The Don" Rafelli, the scene where Black Dynamite and his crew figure out what Anaconda malt liquor's true purpose is is both hilariously long-winded and confusing.
Black Dynamite may not be for everyone, but it will be hilariously awesome for most who actually get to see it. The film somehow manages to blend comedy as absurd and ridiculous as films like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or Zoolander and have hard hitting action scenes that are noticeably a tribute to classic Bruce Lee films. This blaxploitation parody comes highly recommended, can you dig it?
Ross (3284 KP) rated Killer Dungeon (Euphoria Online Book 3) in Books
Jan 4, 2019
So much of the previous books is lost (3 more)
Sudden epic scope creep
Loose ends
deus ex machina abounds
I am (slightly) disappoint
I loved the first two books in this trilogy. The narrative was so detailed and descriptive that you truly lived the action along with the protagonist, you felt every blow, you were part of every strategy, you celebrated every unlikely victory. We knew we were in an epic online world that we hadn't explored yet but were happy with the dangerous little corner we knew inside out.
The book starts off with Chris, low-ranked newbie with a knack for strategy, being the new leader/castellan of Castle Winter, charged with defending, repairing and upgrading the castle, caring for its inhabitants, fending off the nearby army of the undead and still trying to discover the hidden treasure in the dungeon.
This change in his status obviously precipitated a change in focus for him, which is understandable - a castellan with all these responsibilities can't still go off exploring. But this started to feel like those boring aspects of games like the Witcher/Red Dead Redemption where you have to go shopping, play card games, train a horse, collect herbs etc and was relatively dull.
While a raft of super-strength gamers try to tackle the seemingly unbeatable Dungeon, Chris decides he needs to buy goods and services in-game with the help of the deus-ex style pot of money he suddenly inherits. He is taken to explore some of the online world in order to do so. This is where I started to lose interest, as the shopping and political aspects of the world and narrative now takes over, when all you want to do is get into that dungeon (you know, the one mentioned in the title of the book) with the rest of the true gamers.
In all the dungeon is just sort of solved. It just happens. We are treated to a re-telling of the action from some of those gamers but this was totally unsatisfactory. Three perilous rooms are in that dungeon and we get to see next to none of the action in solving them.
There is something of a race against time as Chris has a deadline looming to find the treasure hidden in the dungeon to deliver to the lord of the undead. This adds to the thrill somewhat but then the genre-required conspiracy starts to grow (the game was designed by the all-powerful AI to help save mankind from itself), and then the book loses a lot of its original charm for me.
I loved this trilogy, but can't help but feel Tucker had designed a massive world for the story to take place in, and suddenly realised two books in that he hadn't explored any of it (the first two books were very narrow in scope considering the size of the online world but did not suffer for that) and was nearing the end of the three books he had planned. In my view this story had at least another two or three books in it, I would have loved to have seen the dungeon rooms solved in the same detailed manner as the puzzles in the first two books, and would have liked a lot less metaphysical elephant-god mumbo jumbo. I can't help but feel Tucker realised he had set himself up with unsolvable situations and a character who couldn't really put himself in those positions.
In short: Great story, rushed ending ("sod it, say everyone else does the hard work and then an elephant god solves the unsolvable")
The book starts off with Chris, low-ranked newbie with a knack for strategy, being the new leader/castellan of Castle Winter, charged with defending, repairing and upgrading the castle, caring for its inhabitants, fending off the nearby army of the undead and still trying to discover the hidden treasure in the dungeon.
This change in his status obviously precipitated a change in focus for him, which is understandable - a castellan with all these responsibilities can't still go off exploring. But this started to feel like those boring aspects of games like the Witcher/Red Dead Redemption where you have to go shopping, play card games, train a horse, collect herbs etc and was relatively dull.
While a raft of super-strength gamers try to tackle the seemingly unbeatable Dungeon, Chris decides he needs to buy goods and services in-game with the help of the deus-ex style pot of money he suddenly inherits. He is taken to explore some of the online world in order to do so. This is where I started to lose interest, as the shopping and political aspects of the world and narrative now takes over, when all you want to do is get into that dungeon (you know, the one mentioned in the title of the book) with the rest of the true gamers.
In all the dungeon is just sort of solved. It just happens. We are treated to a re-telling of the action from some of those gamers but this was totally unsatisfactory. Three perilous rooms are in that dungeon and we get to see next to none of the action in solving them.
There is something of a race against time as Chris has a deadline looming to find the treasure hidden in the dungeon to deliver to the lord of the undead. This adds to the thrill somewhat but then the genre-required conspiracy starts to grow (the game was designed by the all-powerful AI to help save mankind from itself), and then the book loses a lot of its original charm for me.
I loved this trilogy, but can't help but feel Tucker had designed a massive world for the story to take place in, and suddenly realised two books in that he hadn't explored any of it (the first two books were very narrow in scope considering the size of the online world but did not suffer for that) and was nearing the end of the three books he had planned. In my view this story had at least another two or three books in it, I would have loved to have seen the dungeon rooms solved in the same detailed manner as the puzzles in the first two books, and would have liked a lot less metaphysical elephant-god mumbo jumbo. I can't help but feel Tucker realised he had set himself up with unsolvable situations and a character who couldn't really put himself in those positions.
In short: Great story, rushed ending ("sod it, say everyone else does the hard work and then an elephant god solves the unsolvable")
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Push (2009) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Inside a secure facility a woman named Kira (Camilla Belle), is about to be injected with an experimental drug that will soon set a chain of events into motion that will turn Hong Kong into a battleground. The facility is operated by the ultra secret agency known as “The Division” who are tasked with locating, controlling, training, and at times, eliminating those who possess psychic abilities as they endeavor to create an army of highly trained specialists with psychic abilities.
In the new action film “Push”, Chris Evans stars as Nick Grant, a man who has tried to keep a low profile after seeing his father murdered by Division ten years earlier. Nick has taken refuge in Hong Kong in an effort to stay away from Division as he has no desire to get involved with their or for that matter, anyone’s agenda or cause.
Nick has become indebted to several local thugs due to his gambling, and his inability to fully use his psychic ability to move objects with his mind and when Division arrives looking for a runaway, Nick is eager to get out of town before he gets dragged into the conflict.
Shortly after the Division agents leave his home, Nick is visited by a young girl named Cassie (Dakota Fanning), who informs him that they need to work with one another to earn 6 million dollars and save themselves. While Nick is hesitant, he remembers that is late father told him a young girl would one day give him a flower and when she comes, he must do as she says.
Before long, Nick and Cassie are attacked by a local gang who like Cassie and Nick are able to use psychic abilities. After a narrow escape, Nick learns that Cassie is able to see the future and she has learned that the woman that Division is seeking is vital as she has stolen a valuable drug that they need to enhance the psychic abilities of those they inject. They fact that the drug has proven fatal to everyone injected aside from Kira and would command a huge price has Division, Nick, Cassie, and the local gang scrambling to locate Kira. Cassie has also informed Nick that she sees both Nick and her dying as a result of their involvement and must find a way to change their fates.
As if matters were not complicated enough, leading the Division search is Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou), the same man behind the death of Nick’s father. Carver will stop at nothing to retrieve Kira and the missing drug, and he and his dangerous minions do not care how many people die along the way.
“Push” is an interesting film that puts the focus on the characters rather than FX. While there is action in the film, it does not dominate the film. The neon and crowded streets of Hong Kong serve as a perfect backdrop to the film and the strong work by Evans and Fanning make them a winning combination as does the interesting premise of the film. While the film does lose some of its pacing along the way as it seems unsure if it wants to be an all out action flick, or a drama, the film rebounds and provides a conclusion which is an obvious lead for a sequel.
While some people have commented to me that the movies seems like a rip off of Heroes, I found it to be fresher and more entertaining than the show, which in my opinion has be coasting since the spectacular first 12 episodes.
In the end, “Push” has just enough action and originality to combine with the charismatic and interesting cast to make an enjoyable movie experience.
In the new action film “Push”, Chris Evans stars as Nick Grant, a man who has tried to keep a low profile after seeing his father murdered by Division ten years earlier. Nick has taken refuge in Hong Kong in an effort to stay away from Division as he has no desire to get involved with their or for that matter, anyone’s agenda or cause.
Nick has become indebted to several local thugs due to his gambling, and his inability to fully use his psychic ability to move objects with his mind and when Division arrives looking for a runaway, Nick is eager to get out of town before he gets dragged into the conflict.
Shortly after the Division agents leave his home, Nick is visited by a young girl named Cassie (Dakota Fanning), who informs him that they need to work with one another to earn 6 million dollars and save themselves. While Nick is hesitant, he remembers that is late father told him a young girl would one day give him a flower and when she comes, he must do as she says.
Before long, Nick and Cassie are attacked by a local gang who like Cassie and Nick are able to use psychic abilities. After a narrow escape, Nick learns that Cassie is able to see the future and she has learned that the woman that Division is seeking is vital as she has stolen a valuable drug that they need to enhance the psychic abilities of those they inject. They fact that the drug has proven fatal to everyone injected aside from Kira and would command a huge price has Division, Nick, Cassie, and the local gang scrambling to locate Kira. Cassie has also informed Nick that she sees both Nick and her dying as a result of their involvement and must find a way to change their fates.
As if matters were not complicated enough, leading the Division search is Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou), the same man behind the death of Nick’s father. Carver will stop at nothing to retrieve Kira and the missing drug, and he and his dangerous minions do not care how many people die along the way.
“Push” is an interesting film that puts the focus on the characters rather than FX. While there is action in the film, it does not dominate the film. The neon and crowded streets of Hong Kong serve as a perfect backdrop to the film and the strong work by Evans and Fanning make them a winning combination as does the interesting premise of the film. While the film does lose some of its pacing along the way as it seems unsure if it wants to be an all out action flick, or a drama, the film rebounds and provides a conclusion which is an obvious lead for a sequel.
While some people have commented to me that the movies seems like a rip off of Heroes, I found it to be fresher and more entertaining than the show, which in my opinion has be coasting since the spectacular first 12 episodes.
In the end, “Push” has just enough action and originality to combine with the charismatic and interesting cast to make an enjoyable movie experience.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Thor: The Dark World (2013) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: Thor: The Dark World starts as Thor (Hemsworth) must restore the power in Asgard after Loki’s (Hiddleston) actions, this has made him in the position he should be, waiting to take over his father Odin’s (Hopkins) role. Meanwhile on Earth Jane (Portman) is trying to move with her life, but in London she discovers an unusual series of events which ends up taking her to Elf world.
When Jane becomes cursed, Thor takes her to Asgard to find a cure, which gives Malekith (Eccleston) a chance to lead his army back into combat so he can return the universe back to darkness. Thor must turn to Loki t help him defeat Malekith and save the universe.
Thoughts on Thor: The Dark World
Characters – Thor is once again preparing to take his throne in Asgard, he has restored faith in the nine realms, but he still misses Jane. When she becomes cursed, he returns to Earth to save her, which only brings back an ancient enemy to the Asgardians in the Dark Elves, he must disobey his father once again to end the threat and save the woman he loves. Jane is trying to get on with her life now, her research has taken her to London where she is trying to get over Thor, her investigation sees her cursed and taken to Asgard to learn about Thor’s home world. Loki is locked up for his actions, after his mother is murdered, Thor turns to him for help to get vengeance. Malekith is the leader of the Dark Elves, he has waited for his chance to bring the universe into darkness once again, killing Frigga the mother of Thor.
Performances – Chris Hemsworth continues to make Thor one of the most entertaining character in the universe. Natalie Portman was known to not be interested in being in the film, it does show in her performance which does disappoint. Tom Hiddleston brings another dimension to his character here which is only going to make him a more loved character. Christopher Eccleston does give us a basic villain, one that is only after power and is mostly under make up, making his performance harder to judge.
Story – The story here follows Thor on his latest adventure, one where he must face an ancient enemy who wants to put the universe into darkness, while finally returning to Jane who has become cursed by the Dark Elves magic. This is another sequel that does address the previous films in the franchise by showing the hints the Thor and Loki could still rebuild their bond even after what Loki has done, we address forbidden relationships between Thor and Jane, have a villain that is obsessed with power, though isn’t the most three-dimensional and see Thor needing to learn more about his responsibilities as a potential king. This is everything you would expect a sequel to be in this universe.
Action/Fantasy – The action involved in this film is mostly big CGI chases sequences between spacecrafts, we do get Thor doing the hammer routine which works well enough for the film. the fantasy side of the film continues to build on the idea that the worlds above have been fighting longer than people could imagine with fresh enemies waiting in the shadows.
Settings – The film uses Asgard, the home world of the Dark Elves and London as the main settings, each has its own action sequences which also shows what Thor is fighting for.
Special Effects – The effects are not as strong as previous films, but we do get some very impressive scenes none the less, the certain moments of weakness do hold the marks up though,
Scene of the Movie – London battle.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The villain isn’t as interesting as previous ones.
Final Thoughts – This is still an entertaining sequel, it might not be as strong as some of the previous films, but it entertains throughout.
Overall: Fantasy Filled Sequel.
When Jane becomes cursed, Thor takes her to Asgard to find a cure, which gives Malekith (Eccleston) a chance to lead his army back into combat so he can return the universe back to darkness. Thor must turn to Loki t help him defeat Malekith and save the universe.
Thoughts on Thor: The Dark World
Characters – Thor is once again preparing to take his throne in Asgard, he has restored faith in the nine realms, but he still misses Jane. When she becomes cursed, he returns to Earth to save her, which only brings back an ancient enemy to the Asgardians in the Dark Elves, he must disobey his father once again to end the threat and save the woman he loves. Jane is trying to get on with her life now, her research has taken her to London where she is trying to get over Thor, her investigation sees her cursed and taken to Asgard to learn about Thor’s home world. Loki is locked up for his actions, after his mother is murdered, Thor turns to him for help to get vengeance. Malekith is the leader of the Dark Elves, he has waited for his chance to bring the universe into darkness once again, killing Frigga the mother of Thor.
Performances – Chris Hemsworth continues to make Thor one of the most entertaining character in the universe. Natalie Portman was known to not be interested in being in the film, it does show in her performance which does disappoint. Tom Hiddleston brings another dimension to his character here which is only going to make him a more loved character. Christopher Eccleston does give us a basic villain, one that is only after power and is mostly under make up, making his performance harder to judge.
Story – The story here follows Thor on his latest adventure, one where he must face an ancient enemy who wants to put the universe into darkness, while finally returning to Jane who has become cursed by the Dark Elves magic. This is another sequel that does address the previous films in the franchise by showing the hints the Thor and Loki could still rebuild their bond even after what Loki has done, we address forbidden relationships between Thor and Jane, have a villain that is obsessed with power, though isn’t the most three-dimensional and see Thor needing to learn more about his responsibilities as a potential king. This is everything you would expect a sequel to be in this universe.
Action/Fantasy – The action involved in this film is mostly big CGI chases sequences between spacecrafts, we do get Thor doing the hammer routine which works well enough for the film. the fantasy side of the film continues to build on the idea that the worlds above have been fighting longer than people could imagine with fresh enemies waiting in the shadows.
Settings – The film uses Asgard, the home world of the Dark Elves and London as the main settings, each has its own action sequences which also shows what Thor is fighting for.
Special Effects – The effects are not as strong as previous films, but we do get some very impressive scenes none the less, the certain moments of weakness do hold the marks up though,
Scene of the Movie – London battle.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The villain isn’t as interesting as previous ones.
Final Thoughts – This is still an entertaining sequel, it might not be as strong as some of the previous films, but it entertains throughout.
Overall: Fantasy Filled Sequel.
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Black Hole (1979) in Movies
Nov 22, 2019
Thoughts on The Black Hole
Characters – Dr Hans Reinhardt has been living on this ship alone for years, he has perfected energy harvesting which could help Earth, but has spent his time waiting on the edge of a black hole for somebody to find him, so he can continue to build his army and have witnesses to his desire to travel through one, he is welcoming to guest, while he speech could make him come off like a cult leader, always looking to recruit. Dr Alex Durant is one of the crew that is willing to listen to science over anything else, he quickly starts to see the positives in Hans’ plan looking to accept the idea he has created hoping to remain with him on the ship. Captain Dan Holland is quick to start looking around the ship, learning things aren’t always what they seem, he does what he can to make it look like the crew are following the instructions, but is always looking for the quickest way to safely get his crew off the ship. Charles Pizer is the weapons expert, he isn’t afraid to run into a battle, but he could find himself getting in trouble more often than not. Dr Kate McCrae has seen her father vanish off this ship, she has a connection with the robot which makes her valuable when it comes to dealing with situations that arise. Harry Booth is the engineer who has been worried about everything on board for too long, now he will cause the panic when he doesn’t need to. Vincent is the robot that is always going to help his crew, he isn’t scared of getting into confrontation.
Performances – Maximilian Schell in the lead villainous role does help us believe he can control people on everything in his genius mind. Anthony Perkins does well making see how easily somebody can turn to believe everything. Robert Forster does make for a great captain through the film, while the rest of the cast all work well with each other.
Story – The story here follows a research space travelling crew that discover a block hole and a ship on the edge, only to learn that the man living on the ship is the only one on the ship and he has bigger plans for his genius idea. This is a story that plays into the ideas of space travel that could see a black hole being one of the biggest problems. We see how one person could become made with power and how other could be torn between following him or escaping from him, leading to the crew needing to try and escape before they become his latest victims. This is one that could be something truly special and for the time it most likely was, but we have seen it done so many times through the years and is much better.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action is typical sci-fi action, we have laser guns, explosions and destruction on the ship, it isn’t anything overly fancy, but does what it needs to.
Settings – The film is set on the spaceship which shows the wide corridors and rooms that would be important to long distance space travel.
Special Effects – The effects in the film would have been great for the time, while some of the effects might have dated, they still get the peril over when the meteor strikes.
Scene of the Movie – The Meteor roll.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Harry’s decision.
Final Thoughts – This is a sci-fi film that could have been the first of its type, it opened us up to an idea that could be faced by many if they went into space one day, even if the story seems to have been used a lot more in the future.
Overall: Ground Breaking Sci-Fi.
Rating
Characters – Dr Hans Reinhardt has been living on this ship alone for years, he has perfected energy harvesting which could help Earth, but has spent his time waiting on the edge of a black hole for somebody to find him, so he can continue to build his army and have witnesses to his desire to travel through one, he is welcoming to guest, while he speech could make him come off like a cult leader, always looking to recruit. Dr Alex Durant is one of the crew that is willing to listen to science over anything else, he quickly starts to see the positives in Hans’ plan looking to accept the idea he has created hoping to remain with him on the ship. Captain Dan Holland is quick to start looking around the ship, learning things aren’t always what they seem, he does what he can to make it look like the crew are following the instructions, but is always looking for the quickest way to safely get his crew off the ship. Charles Pizer is the weapons expert, he isn’t afraid to run into a battle, but he could find himself getting in trouble more often than not. Dr Kate McCrae has seen her father vanish off this ship, she has a connection with the robot which makes her valuable when it comes to dealing with situations that arise. Harry Booth is the engineer who has been worried about everything on board for too long, now he will cause the panic when he doesn’t need to. Vincent is the robot that is always going to help his crew, he isn’t scared of getting into confrontation.
Performances – Maximilian Schell in the lead villainous role does help us believe he can control people on everything in his genius mind. Anthony Perkins does well making see how easily somebody can turn to believe everything. Robert Forster does make for a great captain through the film, while the rest of the cast all work well with each other.
Story – The story here follows a research space travelling crew that discover a block hole and a ship on the edge, only to learn that the man living on the ship is the only one on the ship and he has bigger plans for his genius idea. This is a story that plays into the ideas of space travel that could see a black hole being one of the biggest problems. We see how one person could become made with power and how other could be torn between following him or escaping from him, leading to the crew needing to try and escape before they become his latest victims. This is one that could be something truly special and for the time it most likely was, but we have seen it done so many times through the years and is much better.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action is typical sci-fi action, we have laser guns, explosions and destruction on the ship, it isn’t anything overly fancy, but does what it needs to.
Settings – The film is set on the spaceship which shows the wide corridors and rooms that would be important to long distance space travel.
Special Effects – The effects in the film would have been great for the time, while some of the effects might have dated, they still get the peril over when the meteor strikes.
Scene of the Movie – The Meteor roll.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Harry’s decision.
Final Thoughts – This is a sci-fi film that could have been the first of its type, it opened us up to an idea that could be faced by many if they went into space one day, even if the story seems to have been used a lot more in the future.
Overall: Ground Breaking Sci-Fi.
Rating