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NerdGeek (155 KP) rated Skyscraper (2018) in Movies
Jul 28, 2018
Very little bad language (2 more)
Awesome action sequences
Dwayne Johnson
Still not appropriate for kids....but close
Oh. Am. Gee. I knew I wanted to see this movie cuz I knew it would be good. Had no clue it would be as good as it was. Knowing who the bad guys are in no way takes away from the film. I did have a couple places where I had to close my eyes. The ground just looked a little too far away. I'm not afraid of heights at all, so if you are, be warned: this movie will test those fears.
Bottom line: see this movie! You'll be glad you did!!!
Bottom line: see this movie! You'll be glad you did!!!
Rodney Barnes (472 KP) rated Rampage (2018) in Movies
Jan 29, 2020 (Updated Jan 29, 2020)
Pleasant Surprise
I spent a lot of quarters in the arcade on the game Rampage. When I saw it was going to be a movie, of course I am going to go and see it. I really liked the way they did the story. While this movie wasn't the best, I still enjoyed it very much. Dwayne Johnson delivers another good performance. The main antagonist were hard to take seriously. I felt the strike team was more ominous than they were. If you loved the game like I did and looking for a good time, you will enjoy this movie.
David McK (3188 KP) rated Rampage (2018) in Movies
Jun 28, 2020
The tagline, I believe, for this read something like "Big meets Bigger"
It could just as easily have read "Dumb meets Dumber"
Actually, now that I think about it: that's probably unfair: there's nothing dumb about knowing your audience!
(Loosely) based on the old 1980s arcade game of the same name, this sees Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson playing primatologist Davis Okoye, who - for plot reasons - gets caught up in what (essentially) amounts to a Monster showdown in downtown Chicago, with the monsters scaling tall building and destroying half the city in the process while the military vainly tries to stop them.
You know, just like the coin-up?
Basically, this a B-movie writ large, and knows it!
It could just as easily have read "Dumb meets Dumber"
Actually, now that I think about it: that's probably unfair: there's nothing dumb about knowing your audience!
(Loosely) based on the old 1980s arcade game of the same name, this sees Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson playing primatologist Davis Okoye, who - for plot reasons - gets caught up in what (essentially) amounts to a Monster showdown in downtown Chicago, with the monsters scaling tall building and destroying half the city in the process while the military vainly tries to stop them.
You know, just like the coin-up?
Basically, this a B-movie writ large, and knows it!
David McK (3188 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Jul 31, 2021
OK, I now have a new bar set for complete over the top ridiculousness in this spin off from the Fast and Furious movies (as an aside, I remember when they actually used to be about illegal street racing).
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham (Hobbs and Shaw respectively) reprise their roles from the later F&F films, here reluctantly teaming up in a plot that also involves Idris Elba's cyborg soldier (who even goes so far as to call himself a Black Superman at one point) and Shaw's sister Hattie, who has been framed for stealing a deadly virus.
Over the top? Absolutely.
(but the cast all seem to be having great fun)
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham (Hobbs and Shaw respectively) reprise their roles from the later F&F films, here reluctantly teaming up in a plot that also involves Idris Elba's cyborg soldier (who even goes so far as to call himself a Black Superman at one point) and Shaw's sister Hattie, who has been framed for stealing a deadly virus.
Over the top? Absolutely.
(but the cast all seem to be having great fun)
David McK (3188 KP) rated Moana (2016) in Movies
Jun 9, 2020
Typical Disney musical adventure, with Moana of the title the daughter of a Polynesia chieftain who sets off on a quest across the ocean waves in search of the demigod Maui (voiced by none other than Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) in order to convince him to return stolen property to lift a curse.
The big draw is, of course, The Rock (to give him his wrestling name), whose character initially starts out as unlikeable before. by the end of the movie, not being as bad as originally thought.
I also had to chuckle at the "Daughter of a chieftain. Cute animal sidekick. You're a Princess" (to paraphrase somewhat) line that he came out with!
The big draw is, of course, The Rock (to give him his wrestling name), whose character initially starts out as unlikeable before. by the end of the movie, not being as bad as originally thought.
I also had to chuckle at the "Daughter of a chieftain. Cute animal sidekick. You're a Princess" (to paraphrase somewhat) line that he came out with!
Benedick Lewis (3001 KP) rated Skyscraper (2018) in Movies
Jul 16, 2018
Straightforward plot (2 more)
Repetitious action
Poor script
High concept turned searching for a title
Skyscraper believe it or not features a building that is a skyscraper in it. This poor opening to this review reflects the poor standard this film has.
Dwayne Johnson is a family man who, 10 years after a botched mission that results in him losing his leg, works as a security consultant to highlight any dangers in the pearl, the building in Hong Kong considered the tallest in the world. Johnson is set up and the building is set alight, with Johnson’s family in it. He naturally goes to the rescue and the terrorists who have taken control of the building decide to use this to their advantage.
It had potential. Some out of the box thinking could have turned this film within its genre confines on its head but it doesn’t taken the opportunity and the result is a rather standard affair.
It is neither Johnson or the director’s, Rawson Marshall Thurber, finest hour nor can it be seen as a guilty pleasure film. That said, let’s hope the filmmakers learn their lesson from it and make better films in the future.
Dwayne Johnson is a family man who, 10 years after a botched mission that results in him losing his leg, works as a security consultant to highlight any dangers in the pearl, the building in Hong Kong considered the tallest in the world. Johnson is set up and the building is set alight, with Johnson’s family in it. He naturally goes to the rescue and the terrorists who have taken control of the building decide to use this to their advantage.
It had potential. Some out of the box thinking could have turned this film within its genre confines on its head but it doesn’t taken the opportunity and the result is a rather standard affair.
It is neither Johnson or the director’s, Rawson Marshall Thurber, finest hour nor can it be seen as a guilty pleasure film. That said, let’s hope the filmmakers learn their lesson from it and make better films in the future.
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Hercules (2014) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Dwayne “no longer the Rock” Johnson shares his acting skills with the world again.
Action star, sure; drama star, not so much.
In this graphic novel adaptation Hercules is made out to be a questionable
demi-god. With a spectacular retelling of his legendary labors, the story begins
showing Hercules as a sword-for-hire. His band of mercenaries helps him use the fame
to intimidate enemies and garner business.
Haunted by his past, the loss of Alcmene and 3 children, Hercules is offered his
weight in gold to save a kingdom from a tyrant.
Hercules sets off on his quest, hoping soon to be done with it all and retire on a
remote island to live out his days.
This star studded cast lends some great acting skill, Johnson withstanding, to the
big screen. The action will entertain, and the humor will grant a chuckle.
I found the story compelling, but I also feel like humor and the main actor were
Worth seeing but probably better suited for an at-home viewing.
Action star, sure; drama star, not so much.
In this graphic novel adaptation Hercules is made out to be a questionable
demi-god. With a spectacular retelling of his legendary labors, the story begins
showing Hercules as a sword-for-hire. His band of mercenaries helps him use the fame
to intimidate enemies and garner business.
Haunted by his past, the loss of Alcmene and 3 children, Hercules is offered his
weight in gold to save a kingdom from a tyrant.
Hercules sets off on his quest, hoping soon to be done with it all and retire on a
remote island to live out his days.
This star studded cast lends some great acting skill, Johnson withstanding, to the
big screen. The action will entertain, and the humor will grant a chuckle.
I found the story compelling, but I also feel like humor and the main actor were
Worth seeing but probably better suited for an at-home viewing.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Fighting with My Family (2019) in Movies
Feb 28, 2019
Heavily fictionalised women's-entertainment-wrestling biopic is kept very watchable by solid if familiar structure and a clutch of strong performances. Not really the pure comedy that the trailer suggests it may be; the more serious strands of the plot are surprisingly effective - not really the Dwayne Johnson movie that the publicity material also implies, as a high percentage of his on-screen contribution is in the trailer.
Works pretty well as a sports movie, hitting all the right beats; tries to fudge the fact that entertainment-wrestling isn't strictly speaking sport (i.e., the results of the matches are scripted), not especially successfully. Fun to watch anyway; Florence Pugh carries the movie effortlessly and doesn't even need to go into high gear to do so.
Works pretty well as a sports movie, hitting all the right beats; tries to fudge the fact that entertainment-wrestling isn't strictly speaking sport (i.e., the results of the matches are scripted), not especially successfully. Fun to watch anyway; Florence Pugh carries the movie effortlessly and doesn't even need to go into high gear to do so.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Rampage (2018) in Movies
Jan 20, 2019 (Updated Jan 20, 2019)
Riotously silly computer game adaptation, as magic DNA jollop falls out of the sky and turns animals into giant, aggressive monsters; one of them happens to be genial Dwayne Johnson's pet gorilla, so there's bound to be trouble.
One of those films where everyone is in on the joke - doesn't bear much resemblance to the original game, but works pretty well as a piece of nonsense anyway. Johnson is a reassuring presence in the middle of it all, and the film does a surprisingly good job of catching some of the essence of the classic Japanese monster movies which obviously inspired it. Probably not going to win any of the major Oscars but still good fun while it's in front of you.
One of those films where everyone is in on the joke - doesn't bear much resemblance to the original game, but works pretty well as a piece of nonsense anyway. Johnson is a reassuring presence in the middle of it all, and the film does a surprisingly good job of catching some of the essence of the classic Japanese monster movies which obviously inspired it. Probably not going to win any of the major Oscars but still good fun while it's in front of you.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Aug 2, 2019 (Updated Aug 2, 2019)
Head-bangingly silly action movie, but knowingly so; Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham squabble, drive very quickly and crossly, and crack heads all over the world while trying to stop Idris Elba from getting his hands on an apocalyptic McGuffin. Tip-top action choreography and a knowing sense of its own ridiculousness keep proceedings very engaging.
The subtext and character bits are perhaps a bit too perfunctory for the film to really fly, and there's a laborious comic relief turn from Kevin Hart which feels rather crow-barred in, but this ticks all the action and buddy movie boxes in lavish style. Features a cameo from Helen Mirren and Idris Elba being head-butted in slow motion, so surely there's something for everyone here.
The subtext and character bits are perhaps a bit too perfunctory for the film to really fly, and there's a laborious comic relief turn from Kevin Hart which feels rather crow-barred in, but this ticks all the action and buddy movie boxes in lavish style. Features a cameo from Helen Mirren and Idris Elba being head-butted in slow motion, so surely there's something for everyone here.