MOVIE REVIEW: CREED III

 

Still dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed is thriving in his career and family life. When Damian, a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces after serving time in prison, he's eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian -- a fighter who has nothing to lose.

Director: Michael B. Jordan

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Jonathan Majors, Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu, Phylicia Rashad

Release Date: March 3, 2023

Genre: Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for intense sports action, violence and some strong language.

Runtime: 1h 56m

Review:

Creed III is an energetic passing of the torch from Sylvester Stallone to Michael B. Jordan as he moves front and center in the franchise. Jordan takes the reins in the director's chair and shows off an impressive eye throughout.  His direction gives the film a tangible sense of immediacy and energy that makes Stallone's absence almost an afterthought.  Jordan guides the film with a self assured confidence that's readily apparent and engaging from the start which makes this work far better than it should.  The plot also offers an interesting twist on the usual formula by delivering an antagonist who plays like Mike Tyson by way of Cape Fear.  Jonathan Majors plays the role with a simmering anger and resentment lingering under his smiles and brutish physique.  Majors is able to give the character far more depth and pathos than what's written on the page and in doing so makes him the most interesting performer onscreen.  That's not to take away anything from Michael B. Jordan who delivers a more season take on his character in this third round.  The film pops when they both share the screen with a special kind of energy that's a product of their chemistry together.  Their energy is strong enough that it nearly drowns out the supporting players with Tessa Thompson being the only one who leaves a noticeable mark with a measured and loving turn.  Ultimately, it's a showcase for its two stars as the story runs through a variety of themes in its run up to the final showdown.  There are still the usual tropes as we get a rather rousing training montage and expertly crafted fight sequences which convey the ferocity of the matches.  Jordan does use a few flourishes during the final sequence to deliver something different, almost mystical as a chance of pace.  Creed III is a solid display filmmaking especially since it makes you overlook the fact that everything plays out in an entirely predictable manner and ties it up with a particularly tidy bow.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Creed II & Robin Hood 2018

Dearest Blog: The busy holiday weekend having left no time for the cinema (!!), yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a Monday-afternoon screening of Creed II and Robin Hood 2018.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know or guess from the trailers.

First up: Creed II.

Apollo Creed's son looks to write a new ending to the Creed/Drago story.

The second Creed installment is another solid film that maybe follows the Rocky formula just a little too closely. I didn't love it less for playing out exactly as I expected, but getting there did seem a bit more tedious than last time.

Creed II's chief positive is its strong leads. Michael B. Jordan is brilliant in a title role that provides a perfect showcase for his talent. Sylvester Stallone wears Rocky Balboa like a comfortable old sweater, and his turn as the aging champ is once again sincere and a little bit heartbreaking. Creed II lays on the nostalgia, with heavy references and flashbacks to the tragic, three-decades-past match between the elder Creed and the elder Drago. There are the requisite training montages and brutal, well-choreographed boxing matches, with plenty of Agonizing Over Big Decisions for flexing those acting muscles. The movie doesn't hold many surprises, and--at two hours plus--it certainly could have used a trim, but none of that keeps it from being a great bit of feel-good holiday fare.

Creed II clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality."

If Creed II is guilty of sticking too close to a formula, well, at least it's a good one.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Creed II gets seven and a half.

Next on yesterday's agenda: Robin Hood 2018.

A new take on an old legend.

Dear reader(s), I'ma be straight with ya: Like the Three Musketeers, Robin Hood is a story that, no matter how often or how badly you tell it, I'm going to fall for it every time. Every. Damn. Time. I am delighted to report that the streak continues with Robin Hood 2018.

Now...that is not to say this movie is not idiotic, because--oh!--it most certainly is. Rather, it is so willfully idiotic that, sans unrealistic expectations, you can't help but enjoy it, so...let's get started with why.

How about Taron Edgerton? Edgerton is a solid actor and a magnetic leading man, an outstanding fit for the action-hero mold. He's young, he's great, and he's only going to get better. Punching well below his weight class, Ben Mendelsohn chews the scenery with relish. Jamie Foxx is mostly over the top as well, though he does get one terrific speech to remind you he's got an Oscar. Fellow Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, on the other hand, is sadly wasted. Action sequences are ridiculous, exciting, and well placed. The film doesn't slow down often, but it never feels like one endless fight either. Joseph Trapanese's score had me from note one. Like last year's King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the most recent BBC television version of Robin Hood (not-so-affectionately dubbed "Robin Hoodie" by critics), Robin Hood 2018 makes no pretense of authenticity, instead it's all perky bosoms and perfect dental work. Accents are all over the place, inappropriately modern touches are everywhere (midriff top, anyone?), some of the dialogue is so pitiful it actually hurts to listen to it, annnnnnnd...none of that is a complaint. For two hours, I didn’t stop smiling.

Robin Hood 2018 runs 116 minutes and is rated PG13 for, "extended sequences of violence and action, and some suggestive references."

Robin Hood 2018 is striking out at the box office, but it's a home run for me!

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Robin Hood 2018 gets eight.

Fangirl points: Let's hear it for Jamie Dornan speaking with his real Irish accent! *swoon*

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: CREED 2

In 1985, Russian boxer Ivan Drago killed former U.S. champion Apollo Creed in a tragic match that stunned the world. Against the wishes of trainer Rocky Balboa, Apollo's son Adonis Johnson accepts a challenge from Drago's son -- another dangerous fighter. Under guidance from Rocky, Adonis trains for the showdown of his life -- a date with destiny that soon becomes his obsession. Now, Johnson and Balboa must confront their shared legacy as the past comes back to haunt each man.

Director: Steven Caple Jr.

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad

Release Date: November 21, 2018

Genres: Drama, Sport

Rated PG-13 for sports action violence, language, and a scene of sensuality

Runtime: 2h 10 min

Review:

Creed 2 is a well acted and directed sequel that delivers what people expect from the Rocky films even though there’s a strict adherence to the tired and true tropes and beats.  Steven Caple Jr. does solid work stepping in for Ryan Coogler who brought the franchise back to life.  Caple Jr. gives his film enough artful touches to give it a distinctive feel which makes some of the more predictable moments easier to sit through.  The biggest thing this sequel has going for it is its cast lead by the incredibly charismatic Michael B. Jordan.  Jordan’s profile has risen quiet a bit since the first film came out and it’s well earned.  He feels much more comfortable in the roles and explores other aspects of the character’s psyche.  Tessa Thompson is just as comfortable this go around which leaves us with an incredibly watchable on screen couple.  The heart and soul of these films is still Sylvester Stallone this remains true here even though his role is limited.  Bringing back one of Rocky’s most iconic adversaries could have been a major misstep but luckily it’s handled nicely.  It’s an interesting turn that expands on what was, and still is, a cartoonish type of character.  Some of the Drago story threads still come off as a bit silly but the story really does an impressive job of adding some interesting depth to Drago.  Creed 2 isn’t quiet as impressive as Creed but it more than holds its own in the Rocky ring.

B

Cindy Prasick's Reviews of Early Man & Black Panther

Dearest Blog: After a two-week hiatus, yesterday it was back to Marquee Cinemas for what I thought was a promising pair: Early Man and Black Panther.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First up: Early Man.

The fate of a pre-historic tribe rests on a soccer game. Yes, you read that right.

Well, dear reader(s), it hurts me to say it, but Early Man just plain stinks. I wanted the wacky premise to be as funny as it sounds. I wanted the voice cast to be as amazing as it looks on paper. I wanted to love this movie, and I had every reason to believe I would, but it didn’t give me a chance.

Early Man is populated with forgettable characters who lack any charm.  The premise is improbable enough that it could have been hilarious, but instead it's just idiotic. The film doesn't even run a full hour and a half, but I lost count of the number of times I nearly nodded off. I can't imagine Early Man holding anyone's attention, nevermind the young audience at which it is directed. The few good laughs don't half make it worth your time.

Early Man clocks in at 89 minutes and is rated PG for "rude humor and some action."

If you were thinking of seeing Early Man, I'd suggest you save your money and watch Wallace & Gromit again instead. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Early Man gets three, including one bonus Weasley for having an actual Weasley (Mark Williams) among the cast.

Fangirl points: Richard Ayoade!

Next on my agenda, Black Panther.

Following the death of his father, new challenges face T'Challa both as king of Wakanda and as the Black Panther.

My usual disclaimer: I'm a DC girl through and through, so generally I find Marvel product enjoyable but forgettable. My notable exception has been Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but now I have two exceptions.

You. Guys. Black Panther is SO good. Other than being just a hair too long, it gets everything right. Chadwick Boseman carries the mammoth blockbuster with all the ease of the best A-lister. He's been so good so often it shouldn't be a surprise, but this is a very, VERY large stage and he owns it. His supporting cast is extraordinary to a person, with special mention to Danai Gurira--often the only watchable thing about the Walking Dead--and the always-remarkable Andy Serkis. The film boasts striking visuals with nifty tech, solid effects, majestic costumes, and glorious scenery. The humor is spot-on, never Iron Man-forced; in fact, one of the best things about Black Panther is the lack of intrusion by the other Avengers. The film reflects and respects African culture without so much as a hint of patronizing, and does an incredible job of planting everyone on equal footing. Characters in Black Panther aren't written to do things just because they're black or white, male or female; they're complicated people with complicated feelings and motives. The film bears important messages about our obligations to one another and those commitments that don't change with circumstances or our feelings. Black Panther has plenty of action, smart performances, layered interpersonal connections, and even a touch of romance, a little something for everyone.

Black Panther runs 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture."

Black Panther is that rare Marvel offering that is truly something special. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Black Panther gets nine.

Fangirl points: Don't wanna spoil anything but STICK AROUND FOR THE SECOND POST-CREDITS SCENE!

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: BLACK PANTHER

After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T'Challa's mettle as king -- and as Black Panther -- gets tested when he's drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis

Release Date: Feb 16, 2018

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture

Runtime: 2h 14 min

Review:

Black Panther is a bit of a watershed moment for Marvel films for a variety of reasons.  First and foremost, the cast and director are primarily people of color and it carries over on screen.  The film has a decidedly strong theme of African Heritage running throughout all within the trapping of a superhero story.  Ryan Coogler does an impressive job of giving his film a visual distinctiveness that’s missing from most of Marvel entries.  As such, Black Panther has a strong identity and it uses it to its advantage by telling an emotionally engaging and thoughtful story.  Chadwich Boseman leads the film with an easy charisma that’s hard to resist.  Boseman has an effortless way about himself all the while maintaining a sense of nobility in T’Challa.  The supporting cast is probably one of the best assembled for any of the Marvel movies.  Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and Martin Freeman all leave lasting impressions on the film.  Their characters aren’t simply throwaway supporting players but instead feel like well rounded characters equal to the lead.  Michael B. Jordan makes for a fine villain.  He’s a strong counterpart to Boseman’s T’Challa in every manner of speaking.  The character’s motivations actually make sense and pose some interesting questions.  Unfortunately, the film doesn’t spend nearly the amount of time it should fleshing him out which could have made him iconic.  It’s a minor issue compared to the whole.  Black Panther, much like last year’s Wonder Woman, elevates the super hero genre and forces future entries to raise their game.   

A

MOVIE REVIEW: CREED

Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa. Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) down and asks him to be his trainer. Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend. Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring. With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title...but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Ritchie Coster

Release Date: Nov 25, 2015

Rated PG-13 Violence, Some Sensuality and Language

Runtime: 2 hr. 13 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

Ryan Coogler’s Creed is one of the rare sports films that works for an actual sports fan.  It’s structure is very similar to the past Rocky movies and there isn’t much surprise about what goes down during it’s somewhat extended runtime.  Still it works on various levels because of some excellent direction and strong performances from Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone.  Coogler pulls off an effective redux of the original Rocky story that’s engaging enough to keep everyone engaged throughout.  It’s clear that Coogler is a big fan of the original film and it come through the screen.  Michael B. Jordan is focused and believable as the upcoming boxing trying to make a name for himself.  The real surprise though is Stallone who delivers one of his best performances in years.  It’s been so long since Stallone has fallen into a parody of himself that it’s easy to forget that he was a capable actor at one point.  Stallone’s work is heartfelt and reflective.  He and Jordan share some solid chemistry together making it easy to care about their journey.  Creed isn’t a perfect film though.  The structure is very well worn and characters seem to appear and disappear regularly with Phylicia Rashad left acting alone reacting to a TV.  Its far from a fatal flaw but it does feel like a missed opportunity to expand on certain relationships and characters.  As a boxing fan, nothing takes me out of a film quicker than staged fights that instantly feel inauthentic.  It’s a difficult thing to pull off because of the nature of the sport but Creed does an excellent job of pulling off the illusion for the most part, there’s rarely that much chatting between rounds from the fighters.  As a whole though, Creed finds the essence of the original film which isn’t a small feat considering this is 7^th entry in the long running franchise.  

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Victor Frankenstein & Creed

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Thanks to my employer's generous early dismissal yesterday, I got an early start on the holiday weekend at Marquee Cinemas. 

 

Hollywood owed me an apology for those two stinkers last weekend, and I'm pleased to report they couldn't better have made up for it than with Victor Frankenstein and Creed. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 

First on my agenda: Victor Frankenstein, a new twist on an oft-told tale. Victor Frankenstein is much more a story of man than monster, a sort of "origins" movie, told from the perspective of Frankenstein's young associate, Igor. Daniel Radcliffe effectively continues to distance himself from his Harry Potter days, running the physical and emotional gamut as Igor. He is fantastic! James McAvoy brings the crazy to his entertaining portrayal the (in)famous Victor Frankenstein, perpetual frantic motion and spit. (Seriously, had this been filmed in California, they'd no longer have a drought problem.) 

 

The movie boasts lovely costumes and set design, a healthy dose of humor, some groovy effects, the expectedly-high gross-out factor...annnnnd...for as much as we see of him, the Monster looks terrific. 

 

Victor Frankenstein runs a quick 109 minutes and is rated PG13 for "macabre images, violence, and a sequence of destruction." As with any re-imagining of a classic, Victor Frankenstein won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I kinda loved it. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Victor Frankenstein gets seven. 

 

Next on the docket, the latest installment in the Rocky saga: Creed. An aging Rocky Balboa reluctantly signs on to train the young son of his friend and former rival Apollo Creed. 

 

It's a holiday weekend in the US and I'm sure everyone's busy with family and friends and shopping, but as a self-decreed Internet authority, I must insist you MAKE TIME TO GET OUT AND SEE THIS MOVIE. 

 

Michael B. Jordan is amazing as the young Creed--so good you'll have no choice but to forgive that last Fantastic Four movie!--and Sylvester Stallone is as reliable as you'd expect as the reluctant mentor. 

 

I'm sure he could play Rocky in his sleep by now, yet he's no less effective, sympathetic, or heartbreaking for it. Creed moves at a good clip, despite a runtime that's a tad longer than it needs to be. 

 

The boxing action is well executed--and thus a bit much for the non-enthusiast--and the story is extremely well crafted. If the movie is a tad hokey at times, it's so much more genuine and emotional and inspirational, with just enough of the right kind of humor at the right times. 

 

The Liverpudlian baddie is so broadly drawn I half-expected his walkup music to be Love Me Do, but that's a tiny quibble with what's overall a really-extra-super-great movie. (Also his handler is Dwalin from the Hobbit, so...POINTS!) Creed clocks in at 133 minutes and is rated PG13 for "violence, language, and some sensuality." 

 

Creed will leave you feeling like Judd Nelson at the end of The Breakfast Club. It is everything I love about movies. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Creed gets eight. Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Ricki & the Flash and Fantastic 4

Dearest Blog: This weekend, my local cinema happened to get all four new wide-releases, so I had the unusual luxury of choosing among all of them.

The presence of Sebastian Stan made Ricki & the Flash my must-see, and the schedule dictated Fantastic Four wrap up the double-bill.

Spoiler level here will be mild, limited to trailer reveals.

Following a couple weekends that gave me a couple of my favorite guys (Jake Gyllenhaal and Jeremy Renner) in a couple of pretty great movies (Southpaw and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation), I suppose I was due for a letdown. Boy did I get it.

First on Saturday's agenda: Ricki & the Flash.

Having long ago left her family to follow dreams of rock stardom, a middle-aged woman returns home to comfort her newly-dumped daughter.

In the interest of full and fair disclosure, I'll admit I hate movies like Ricki & the Flash, and, were it not for Sebastian Stan's presence, I wouldn't have seen it for a million dollars. That being said, if it were a good movie, it would have won me over, and I'm sure my tone is already telling you, dear reader(s), it did not.

Ricki & the Flash is cliched and predictable. The characters are paper thin, not one has any depth or ever, once, does a single thing that isn't exactly what you'd have expected him/her to do. There are a few genuinely funny moments, but the "humor' is mostly awkward and occasionally vaguely racist in a way that's meant to flesh out a character but instead just left me mildly uncomfortable. Even the mostly-decent classic rock soundtrack is handicapped by ho-hum performances. Not being a "musical," per se, where the plot is actually advanced by the songs, the movie would have been better served by brief clips of the band onstage, rather than the excruciating full numbers to which we're repeatedly subjected.

Meryl Streep is a goddess, and if there's a movie fan out there who'll dispute that, well, it's not this one. She manages to bring *something* to Ricki, a character that's otherwise blandly unlikeable and uninteresting. She's especially effective portraying the depressing physical realities of middle age on a person who's mentally only ever going to be a teenager.

Once again, someone has grossly overestimated Streep's appeal as a singer, but her fantastic screen presence makes that easy enough to forgive. It's hard to watch Streep's real-life daughter Mamie Gummer wallow through the movie, and I couldn't honestly say whether the blame falls on actress or character, since Gummer is pretty hard to watch in everything.

The good news is the rest of the supporting cast is terrific, if underused. As Ricki's long-suffering guitarist and beau, Rick Springfield does well in the movie's most thankless role, though he strangely looks ready to burst into tears the entire time. Sebastian Stan is great in his two minutes of screen time, for the first time in his entire career, playing the NON-problematic son of a messed up family. Go Sebastian! Finally, Audra McDonald is as glorious as always as the woman who stepped in to clean up the mess Ricki left behind when she set off to become a rock star.

It has to be one of cinema's worst crimes against humanity to have McDonald, one of the world's greatest singers, appear in a movie about a singer, yet not sing a note. Even Stan and Gummer get to sing a few lines, for Pete's sake!!

Ricki & the Flash runs 101 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material, brief drug content, sexuality, and language."

A shameful waste of a solid cast, of a possible nine Weasleys, Ricki & the Flash gets four.

Next on the docket, the most recent screen rendering of Fantastic 4.

In an experiment gone wrong, four young college students find themselves physically altered and must use their new powers to save the planet.

Sound familiar? I know, right?? If there's one thing I hope Hollywood has learned from Fantastic 4's dismal reception, it's that we, genre and general fans alike, are tired of origins stories. Everyone knows why Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker are so sad on Fathers' Day, JUST MOVE ON. While that's far from the only reason people aren't flocking to see this humdrum version of some fairly humdrum heroes, it's got to be one of them.

Dear reader(s), you may count me among those who didn't mind 2005's Fantastic 4, nor its 2007 sequel. They aren't special movies, but they're fun enough. The problem with the latest F4 is that it's no fun at all. It would be misleading to call the movie a slow starter, because that would imply that, at some point, it picks up. It is, in fact, a slow starter, a slow middler, and a slow finisher. The only way to mark the passage of time at all is to note the differences in Miles Teller's acne spots.

The movie is dark, not so much in tone as in appearance, and at times it's difficult to tell what's going on at all. Jamie Bell, a fine actor (for my money, the best of the principal cast) is completely wasted, and, of those who get decent screentime, only Michael B. Jordan manages to be even half-watchable. Teller and Kate Mara are phoning it in, clearly as bored with the proceedings as the few of us who have bothered seeing the movie this weekend. The CGI ranges from just okay to laughably bad, inexcusable for a would-be summer blockbuster. It's not hard to see why Hollywood left this one in the landfill of August releases.

Fantastic 4 clocks in at 100 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi action violence, and language."

Trust me when I tell you, "fantastic" is not the "F" word you'll be saying if you waste your hard-earned dollars on this.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Fantastic 4 gets three.

Until next time..

 Rick Springfield: Four decades of being hot enough to make mediocre movies worth the price of admission!

MOVIE REVIEW: FANTASTIC FOUR

Brilliant scientist Reed Richards builds a device that allows users to teleport to an alternate dimension, but an experiment involving it goes wrong and leaves him and his three teammates with unusual superpowers. The quartet are then forced to work together to battle an enemy from their past. This reboot of the iconic Marvel superhero team stars Miles Teller as Richards (who becomes Mr. Fantastic, able to bend and stretch his body into impossible shapes), Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch, whose body can erupt in flames), Kate Mara as Sue Storm (aka the Invisible Woman -- no explanation needed), and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm (who is transformed into the rock monster known as The Thing). Directed by Josh Trank. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Josh Trank

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell

Release Date: Aug 07, 2015

Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Action Violence and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

There were two famously troubled productions hitting the screen this summer.  Antman ended up surprising mostly everyone including myself but the reboot of Fantastic Four fails in every way that film succeeded.  A morose joyless experience from start to finish, Josh Trank’s film hits all the typical origin story beats but never brings anything new to the table.  It’s ultimately a plodding mess of a film that never coalesces into anything nearing fun or entertaining.  It’s a shame because there’s a capable cast of actors on hand.  Unfortunately, they don’t share a shred of chemistry together.  Each of them delivers their lines with a robotic sense of inevitably and disinterest.  Perhaps if the script wasn’t a hackneyed retread of things we’ve all seen before they’d be more interested in their performances.  At a little over an hour and half, the film drags on to it’s inevitable conclusion which doesn’t deliver much satisfaction either since the villain is about as silly looking as they come.  Your mind might start to wander, even making wonder if those original FF4 films were really that bad right before you remember that The Incredibles is still the best FF4 film around.

D