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David McK (3425 KP) rated Superman II (1981) in Movies

Mar 11, 2023  
Superman II (1981)
Superman II (1981)
1981 | Action, Sci-Fi
9
7.6 (26 Ratings)
Movie Rating Watch
KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!
Straight sequel (as in, referencing the events of the first and building on it) to the 1978 Christopher Reeve original, and there's a reason why this, for many, is held up as one of the best Superhero sequels (and Reeves as one of the best actors to portray Clarke Kent/Superman).

This is the one with (Terence Stamps version of) Zod and his fellow Krypotonian criminals - exiled to the Phantom Zone during the start of the first movie - released from captivity by an explosion in space and landing on earth to rule, just as Lois (finally) uncovers Clarke's real identity and travels with him to his Fortress of Solitude (the ramifications of which are felt in 206's Superman Returns) where he makes the decision to give up his powers and live as a mortal.

Things being what they are, this is a decision he comes to regret and has to travel back - alone - to regain his powers in order to defeat Zod and co, leading to a climactic battle in Metropolis and - later - back at that fortress of solititude.

You do have to wonder, though, how come Superman has powers here never seen or heard of again ...
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Salt (2010) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019  
Salt (2010)
Salt (2010)
2010 | Action, Mystery
6
6.5 (15 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Angelina Jolie, as Agent Evelyn Salt, plays the sexy spy role well, but the charm she displayed in Mr. and Mrs Smith isn’t present here at all. This is unfortunate because her emotional ties to the rest of the cast are integral to the plot. As seen in the trailers, Salt is a CIA agent who is accused by a defector of being a Russian spy. Salt is forced to run and uses her training and skills to evade capture while trying to prove her innocence.

Her years of experience as a covert operative are supposed to make viewers believe that this slight woman can take down ayone, but some of her fight scenes expected too much benefit of the doubt from the audience, and didn’t feel real. It wasn’t very convincing having such a thin woman carry on in a full fight scene with heavier built men. Despite harsh sound effects and fast camera edits, it honestly didn’t look like she was hitting the baddies hard enough to hurt, let alone knock them out.

Salt has some great twists and turns that kept me entertained and guessing, but that wasn’t enough to keep the whole movie afloat. Before long, these twists began to feel forced, and because I was snapped out of the movie several times after realizing how confused I was, it began to be aggravating to wait for the film to give the audience its bearings again. Phillip Noyce, who also directed the 1997 Val Kilmer spy film The Saint could have imbued the movie with subtle foreshadowing, or at least some foreshadowing as it was nonexistent.

Liev Schreiber, playing Salt’s trusted colleague, did a great job. His imposing yet friendly and sly demeanor fit his part very well. Chiwetel Ejiofor did a good job as well, but his role as another fellow agent was too small. It needed to be bigger for him to really shine. After watching him in Talk to Me, I believe him to be a headline star who needs more screen time to show what he’s capable of. In this smaller role, he does the job effectively, but left me wanting to see more of him.

The special effects were effective and not distracting except for one particular “walk away from the camera during an explosion” moment. It’s not that it was cliche, it’s that any explosion (at that distance, in that environment) would knock someone unconscious. There’s pushing the boundaries of realism for artistic effect, and then there’s that step that’s one step too far.

Overall, the film was enjoyable, but I had higher hopes for this movie. If you’re looking for action with twists, this movie has them in spades.
  
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Dani (4 KP) rated The Umbrella Academy in TV

Mar 7, 2019  
The Umbrella Academy
The Umbrella Academy
2018 | Action, Fantasy
9
8.4 (125 Ratings)
TV Show Rating Watch
Contains spoilers, click to show
I must admit that I was not too drawn into this when I had seen the trailer. However more and more of my friends and family had started to watch this and their enthusiasm made me give this a go. I did not regret it! I found myself invested and entertained after only one episode.

The characters are distinct and unpredictable. My friends and I each have different favourite characters, which demonstrates the diversity of the characters offer. They are also flawed and this makes them relatable.

I like the unique plot and that the side characters are just as engaging as the main ones. I am definitely recommending this to anyone who will listen and I am eager for season two.

I will say, the only thing that set my teeth on edge was the treatment of Vanya. The family neglected and effectively emotionally abused her. This does not excuse her actions at the end of the show but rather irritated me when they got to swoop in and act like heroes for intervening in the explosion that they set in motion. I am guessing that this will be addressing in the second season however, and the fact that I am invested enough in the show that this annoys me, tells me that this is definitely done well.