Knuckles (Miniseries) review

KNUCKLES: 

SONIC MOVIE SPIN-OFF SERIES NEEDS A STRONGER PUNCH! 

By Nico Beland

Series Review: ** ½ out of 4

PARAMOUNT+ AND SEGA

Knuckles the Echidna in…Knuckles

 

            The super strong but not very bright space echidna makes a splash (or rather punch) in Knuckles, the new Paramount+ miniseries and spin-off of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series based on the Sega video game franchise of the same name. The Knuckles character made his big screen debut in 2022’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 voiced brilliantly by Idris Elba (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, The Suicide Squad) and was a massive standout in the movie. 

            I guess it makes sense to give Knuckles his very own show since he already had a spin-off comic book line from Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog series as well as a game on the Sega 32X, Knuckles Chaotix but let’s not get into that. The miniseries looked promising from the marketing and given that I enjoyed the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movies and eagerly await Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s release this December, of course I was going to watch Knuckles when it came out.

            So, how’s the echidna’s first adventure without the hedgehog or two-tailed fox? It’s fine, I guess. 

            I don’t think this is a terrible show as there are plenty of fun moments and the dynamic between Knuckles and Adam Pally (Assassination of a High School President, Taking Woodstock, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life) reprising his role from the Sonic movies as Tom’s dim-witted deputy sheriff friend, Wade is quite entertaining. But for a show about a character this badass and interesting, it left me feeling kind of empty. 

            The series is set after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and follows Knuckles the Echidna (voiced again by Elba) struggling to adjust to life on Earth and sets out to find an apprentice. That apprentice turns out to be the dim-witted deputy sheriff of Green Hills, Wade Whipple and begins to train him in the ways of the Echidna warriors to help him prepare for a bowling tournament in Reno, Nevada where his estranged father (Cary Elwes-The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Twister) is participating in (So, very much like the first Sonic movie it’s a road trip but replace Sonic and James Marsden with Knuckles and Adam Pally). 

            Along the way, this unlikely duo encounters corrupt G.U.N. agents, Mason (Kid Cudi-Don’t Look Up, X trilogy, Trolls Band Together; who also performed the end credits song for Sonic the Hedgehog 2) and Willoughby (Ellie Taylor-The Lodge, The Mash Report, Ted Lasso) out to get Knuckles’ power, a bounty hunter with a hat that would look really good on an echidna known as Jack Sinclair (Julian Barratt-The Mighty Boosh, Flowers, Bloods), the ghost of the echidna tribe leader, Pachacamac (voiced by Christopher Lloyd-Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Addams Family (1991 movies)), a diabolical former lackey of Dr. Robotnik known as The Buyer (Rory McCann-Hot Fuzz, Game of Thrones, Jumanji: The Next Level), and probably the most frightening guests during their quest Wade’s mother, Wendy (Stockard Channing-Six Degrees of Separation, The First Wives Club, The West Wing) and FBI agent sister, Wanda (Edi Patterson-We Bare Bears, Knives Out, Violent Night). 

            The series also stars Rob Huebel (Childrens Hospital, I Love You, Man, The Descendants) and Paul Scheer (The Onion Movie, NTSF:SD:SUV::, The Disaster Artist) as ESPN commentators Dylan Beagleton and Gary N. Sinclair, and features guest appearances by Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation, DuckTales (2017), Renfield) reprising his role as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog, Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Digimon, Danny Phantom, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes) reprising her role as the voice of Miles “Tails” Prower, and Tika Sumpter (Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, Ride Along 1 and 2, Get On Up) reprising her role as Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails’ adoptive mother Maddie Wachowski. 

            Overall, Knuckles may serve as a passable diversion from the Sonic movies and time killer for Sonic 3’s release, but as someone who grew up with this character (and the Sonic franchise in general) this echidna deserved better for his solo miniseries debut. Whether in video games, other shows, comic books, and even what was shown in the second movie, Knuckles is and always has been a fascinating character with enough interesting traits and storylines that could have made for an engaging miniseries or even his own series of movies. 

            Instead, the series makes the boneheaded decision of pushing the thing the show is named after off to the side and heavily focuses on the human characters, particularly Wade because that worked so well with most of Paramount’s Transformers movies. When Wade and Knuckles are together, it’s fun and they do have a likable chemistry throughout the six episodes with one being all serious and mighty and the other is a bumbling doofus, but about halfway through Knuckles becomes less and less significant with Wade practically hijacking much of the story similar to the fake wedding subplot from Sonic 2. 

            If the show was called Knuckles and Wade, I would have been fine with this and Adam Pally is clearly giving his all. But because the series is called Knuckles and given the potential that character alone has, it’s a very disappointing decision and a big slap in the face to some great lore. 

            It’s a shame because the first two episodes started off very strong and I was thoroughly invested in what was happening (While also geeking out over the Sonic references). But then by Episode 3 it started to go downhill with the introduction of Wade’s sister who constantly tries to talk tough like she’s in an action movie, making wise-ass remarks and quips about the current situations and it gets old really fast. I’ve only seen Edi Patterson in a few other things and I don’t have anything against the actress herself, but her character is probably the worst female supporting character I’ve seen since Kat Dennings’ Darcy in the MCU.

            The fourth episode however (which was a rock opera episode involving Wade learning how to unlock his inner strength), was so completely bonkers and insane that I kind of loved it. Things finally did pick up again in the last two episodes and did lead to a fun climax with Knuckles and Wade fighting The Buyer inside a robot suit that reminded me of The Rhino from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. 

            The animation on Knuckles is amazing and about on par with how he looked in the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie and despite his very cartoony appearance, it really does look like he’s actually there interacting with real people and objects. The CGI also compliments the action scenes because when Knuckles is in battle in this show, it’s some of the coolest action you’ll ever see in a form of Sonic media. 

            While a lot of the humor felt like leftover Adam Sandler jokes (And believe me, there is a ton of cringy jokes here!), there were some moments in the show where I laughed quite a bit. The scene in the first episode where Knuckles builds his own throne out of what’s in Maddie’s dining room and challenging people to fight for it to the point of kidnapping is great and a line where Wade takes Knuckles to his “Battlefield” only to discover it’s a bowling alley and he says, “This isn’t a battlefield, this is a playground for adult idiots!” I ugly laughed when he said that. 

            I also found the villains to be pretty weak and a huge downgrade from Jim Carrey’s manic portrayal of Dr. Robotnik in the Sonic movies. Honestly, the concepts of these villains are fine and the actors give decent performances, but because of the show’s unfocused narrative and how the series is paced it doesn’t really give them much time to shine. 

            Sadly, the Knuckles miniseries is a mixed bag for me despite enjoying a lot of elements in it. It’s not a terrible show and I’ll likely revisit it again closer to when Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hits theaters later this year, but a series based on this character needed a stronger punch and less filler and awkward humor, glide on in and judge for yourself. 

Boy Kills World review

BOY KILLS WORLD: 

A BLOODY BILL SKARSGÅRD ACTION MOVIE WITH AN INNER MOLOGUE BY COACH MCGUIRK? THIS IS WHAT CINEMA WAS MADE FOR!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

LIONSGATE AND ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

Bill Skarsgård in Boy Kills World

 

            No, this is not the R-rated reboot of Boy Meets World where Will Friedle’s Eric Matthews goes on a bloody manhunt…sadly! Instead, Bill Skarsgård (It: Chapters 1 and 2, John Wick: Chapter 4, The Crow (2024)) as a deaf martial artist kills a bunch of criminals to avenge his family’s death with a hilarious inner voice from H. Jon Benjamin (Home Movies, Archer, Bob’s Burgers) in the new action film, Boy Kills World which is the directorial debut of Moritz Mohr and is produced by Sam Raimi (Evil Dead franchise, Darkman, Spider-Man trilogy). 

            Ever since I heard about H. Jon Benjamin’s involvement, I was immediately onboard for this movie as I think he has one of the funniest voices in animation. So, to hear that his voice is being utilized for live-action (And an over-the-top, bloodbath action movie at that) was an instant sell for me. 

            Upon seeing it…yeah, this movie’s f*cking great, screw the professional critics and mixed Rotten Tomatoesscore. I had a blast watching it, laughing along with H. Jon Benjamin’s voice, basking in the blood-drenched carnage during the action, and best of all I was invested in the story and character’s journey. 

            The film follows an unnamed protagonist simply known as Boy (Skarsgård) who lives in a city ruled by the Van Der Koy family that once a year hosts an event known as The Culling where they pick 12 people from the city and kill them on live television, Boy’s family happened to be some of those unfortunate souls when he literally was only a boy and rendered him deaf-mute during the attack. 

            Now with an inner voice derived from a childhood video game (voiced by Benjamin), the ghost of his deceased sister by his side, and martial-arts training by a Shaman (Yayan Ruhian-The Raid 1 and 2, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Beyond Skyline), Boy becomes a fierce killing machine and begins his campaign of vengeance against the Van Der Koy family and their matriarch, Hilda (Famke Janessen-GoldenEye, X-Men franchise, Taken trilogy) for murdering his family. Bullets, blood, and bodies fly as Boy slaughters through hundreds of Van Der Koy enforcers in order to bring this ruthless family down, avenge his family, and end The Culling for good. 

            The film also stars Jessica Rothe (Wolves, La La Land, Happy Death Day 1 and 2) as enforcer June 27, Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey, Non-Stop, The Gentlemen) as Melanie Van Der Koy, Brett Gelman (Stranger Things, Fleabag, Strays) as Gideon Van Der Koy, Isaiah Mustafa (Horrible Bosses, Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, It: Chapter Two) as Benny, Andrew Koji (Warrior, Snake Eyes, Bullet Train) as Basho, Sharlto Copley (District 9,Elysium, Chappie) as Glen Van Der Koy, and François Chau (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, Lost, The Expanse) as Shaman’s voice. 

            Overall, Boy Kills World is pure, blood-soaked madness with hilarious commentary by Coach McGuirk, Sterling Archer, and Bob Belcher throughout…and I love it because of that. The action is very kinetic and energized with satisfyingly brutal hits and similar to The Raid movies, each action scene builds on top of one another, getting bigger and bigger, and culminating in a glorious shower of blood and bodies. 

            It’s one of those action movies that utilizes shaky-cams without being distracting, at least for me. I personally prefer sweeping camera shots or continuous shots in my action scenes, but the shakiness did help enhance the intensity of what was going on and I was able to make it out. 

            Bill Skarsgård is magnificent here and unlike his other roles, he can only act with his facial expressions and body movements and he does it with such ease. Even if you took H. Jon Benjamin’s voice out, I would still be able to know what kind of person he is and understand what’s going on in his head, easily one of my favorite performances of his. 

            H. Jon Benjamin’s voice as the inner monologue is hilarious which you should probably know by this point because I’m constantly bringing it up and praising it throughout this review. He’s the one who provides most of the laughs in the movie and hearing his voice accompanied with these gruesome and violent action scenes is glorious and might even give Quentin Tarantino’s dark humor a run for its money, I was laughing constantly at just about everything he said in the film and now I want him to voice every action movie character from this point on. 

            I also found the story, while predictable in certain areas very engaging and there were times where I didn’t know where it was going. Specifically, during the climax where Boy realizes what actually happened to him and it was something I didn’t see coming during my viewing. 

            I will admit some of the side characters aren’t quite as memorable as Boy, but a good chunk of them manage to be endearing enough and I did enjoy their chemistry with Boy. I mean, when you have a movie where H. Jon Benjamin voices an inner monologue for a deaf man out for blood, it’s rather difficult to have equally strong supporting characters. 

            Boy Kills World is a gloriously brutal and hilarious action-comedy with over-the-top kills, outrageously funny dialogue from H. Jon Benjamin on top of a brilliantly cast Bill Skarsgård, and even a surprisingly compelling story with some heart. It also just makes you want to binge Home Movies, Archer, and Bob’s Burgers after watching it as well as the Family Guy and The Venture Bros. episodes featuring his voice…and I am perfectly okay with that. 

Challengers review

CHALLENGERS: 

ZENDAYA MAKES A SIZZLING SWING IN THIS SPORTS FLICK! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

MGM

Zendaya in Challengers

 

            Zendaya (Spider-Man franchise, Euphoria, Dune: Parts 1 and 2) takes to the tennis court in Challengers, the new film from Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, Bones and All). Saying I’ve seen the trailer for this movie would be an understatement because I watched it before several films this year and every time I thought the same thing “Yeah, this looks like it could be a good movie”. 

            Aside from Call Me By Your Name, I haven’t seen much of Gudagnino’s filmography, but given how Zendaya is making bank this year thanks to Dune: Part Two’s success and that she’s a brilliant actress, I was interested in seeing this movie. Coming out of the movie, I have to say Challengers pretty much exceeded my expectations on just about every level and the trailers didn’t really do this film justice after seeing it. 

            The film follows Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Tashi is married to a champion on a losing streak named Art Donaldson (Mike Faist-West Side Story (2021), Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game, The Bikeriders) and her method for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend, Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor-Florence Foster Jenkins, The Crown, Emma (2020)). 

            Overall, Challengers is one of the boldest and most kinetic romantic dramas I’ve seen in a while and a perfect example of a love triangle movie that works all the way through. I should make this clear, this film is told in a non-linear way and often time jumps at various points of the movie so don’t be turning your brain off during this viewing. 

            The movie constantly jumps between past, present, and future to tell its story and through these flashbacks and flash-forwards you find out more about these characters. I never felt lost or bored because of the non-linear storytelling, but I can see this upsetting those looking for a simple tennis-themed erotic drama, Basic Instinct on the Tennis Court this is not. 

            The film also touches on heavy themes like toxic relationships and doesn’t really present any of its core characters as particularly likable. It is essentially a love triangle between three very complicated and flawed people who would probably be better off if they had never met. 

There is no clear hero and no clear villain as you’re often switching sides over the course of the film between the protagonists. It also explores what happens when a relationship is based on a career and the other person in said relationship is losing interest in it as Zendaya’s Tashi is extremely passionate about tennis and cares about the sport more than anything else so what happens to the relationship if tennis is no longer the driving point of it? 

 

All of that makes for a thoroughly fascinating and engaging story about the dangers of having a relationship built on a career told in a brilliant and effective way. What really makes the film come alive is the performances by our three leads. 

I’ve always admired Zendaya as an actress ever since I saw her in the current Spider-Man movies, but with this and Dune: Part Two, 2024 has been the year of Zendaya really showing what she’s capable of because she is incredible here and unapologetically ruthless as Tashi. Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist are also huge standouts and essentially polar opposites from one another with O’Connor’s Patrick having talent but no love for the game anymore while Faist’s Art respecting the sport and is more mentally stable than Patrick, both characters work off each other wonderfully and have very strong chemistry with Zendaya’s Tashi in a bizarre love triangle relationship. 

The tennis sequences are very well-shot and edited, each different from the last including long shots of tennis matches or other times the camera will be from the perspective of the ball as it’s being hit back and forth as if the audience is getting whacked by tennis rackets. Luca Guadagnino effectively managed to make simple games of tennis epic and exciting with powerful sound and aggressive techno-style musical score from The Social Network’s Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. 

However, what’s extremely clever about the use of the intense techno score is that it often accompanies the tennis matches and scenes where the characters argue. So, in a way a toxic or complicated relationship with a lot of arguments is like a game of tennis going back and forth which definitely leaves the audience with something to think about afterwards. 

Challengers is one of the biggest surprises I had all year and among the best films I’ve seen so far in 2024. It’s a riveting psychological study about relationships, love triangles, and tennis with fascinating characters and phenomenal performances that is worth swinging your racket for. 

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare review

THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE: 

GUY RITCHIE CRAFTS AN ENTERTAINING WWII SPY COMEDY! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

LIONSGATE

Henry Cavill, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Alan Ritchson in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

 

            Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes 1 and 2, The Gentlemen) does The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in World War II (Even right down to having the same lead actor in both films) in his new spy comedy, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. For the most part, I’ve enjoyed much of Guy Ritchie’s filmography and even when a film of his doesn’t quite stick the landing (I personally did not care for his King Arthur movie nor his Aladdin remake that much), he puts a lot of passion in what he’s bringing to the screen and delivers something that will at least be somewhat entertaining. 

            The movie looked promising by the trailer; a fun but probably not historically accurate spy comedy set in World War II with a ragtag cast of characters fighting Nazis. Sort of like what Quentin Tarantino did for Inglourious Basterdsit seemed which I was down for. 

            So, now that I’ve seen the movie how does this movie hold up in comparison to Ritchie’s other work? It’s good. 

            I will say, it’s one of Ritchie’s weaker efforts and definitely pales in comparison to Snatch, the first Sherlock Holmes, The Gentlemen, and even The Man from U.N.C.L.E. but it’s still a well-directed and enjoyable film regardless with charismatic performances by the cast, witty dialogue, and satisfyingly gritty violence against Nazis. 

            The film tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during World War II by UK Prime Minister, Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials consisting of Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill-DC Extended Universe, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Argylle), Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González-Baby Driver, Godzilla VS Kong, Ambulance), Anders Lassen (Alan Ritchson-The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014 movies), Fast X), Freddy Alvarez (Henry Golding-Crazy Rich Asians, A Simple Favor, The Gentlemen), Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer-I Am Number Four, In Time, Magic Mike), Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, The Woman King, Picture This), and even author Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox-The Three Musketeers (2011), Victor Frankenstein, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) who would eventually write the James Bond novels, under direction from Brigander Gubbins ‘M’ (Cary Elwes-The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Saw). The team goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques ultimately changing the course of the war and laying the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare. 

            The film also stars Babs Olusanmokun (Wrath of Man, Dune: Parts 1 and 2, The Book of Clarence) as Mr. Heron, Til Schweiger (The Replacement Killers, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, King Arthur (2004)) as Heinrich Luhr, Henrique Zaga (Teen Wolf, The Stand, The New Mutants) as Captain Binea, Rory Kinnear (James Bondfranchise, The Imitation Game, Men) as Winston Churchill, and Danny Sapani (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Black Panther 1 and 2, Halo) as Kambili Kalu. 

            Overall, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare probably won’t become a new Guy Ritchie classic, but I had a fun time with this movie. As already mentioned, I doubt this movie is historically accurate so I won’t even try to compare it to what realistically happened and will judge it as a film. 

It is neat to see Guy Ritchie deliver a movie based on a true story in World War II and still give it his signature directing style with old-fashioned movie text fonts, humorous dialogue between characters, and moments of intense violence. All the action scenes are well staged and get your adrenaline pumping with Nazis getting gunned down, stabbed, shot with bows and arrows, and mowed down with an axe left and right, what’s not to love? 

The characters are also very entertaining and have this lovable energy and charisma throughout. While I don’t think these guys leave nearly as big an impact as Brad Pitt’s Lt. Aldo Raine and the Basterds, I was invested in each of their storylines and laughing with them along the way. 

It seemed like the cast really enjoyed working on this movie because nobody is phoning their performances in (Not even the side characters or Nazis) and they’re all having a ball breathing life into these characters. Til Schweiger in particular is great as this cartoonishly evil Nazi leader who is just as charming as he is diabolical, not exactly Christoph Waltz Hans Landa level but still an entertaining, scenery-chewing antagonist that you love to see get his comeuppance in the end. 

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare doesn’t do anything groundbreaking nor does it give a new perspective on World War II, it’s just an entertaining popcorn movie that effectively brings a declassified WWII story to the screen. If you’re looking for a movie along the lines of Inglourious Basterds, this ain’t a bad one to check out. 

Abigail review

ABIGAIL: 

A DELIGHTFULLY KOOKY VAMPIRE BALLET! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Alisha Weir in Abigail

 

            A group of criminals kidnap a young ballet dancer who turns out to be a vampire in Abigail, the latest film from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (V/H/S, Ready or Not, Scream 5 and 6) and loosely based on the 1936 Universal Classic Monsters movie, Dracula’s Daughter. I was onboard for this movie the moment I saw the trailer and it also helps I was already a fan of Olpin and Gillett’s work with Ready or Not being among my favorite films of 2019 and I praised the fifth and sixth installments of the Scream franchise as worthy successors to the classic Wes Craven originals. 

            So, I was very much looking forward to their vampire ballerina movie…and this was so far the most fun I had all year. This is a film that embraces the absurdity of its premise and effectively blends scares and laughs without ever becoming a farce. 

            The film follows a group of criminals who kidnap a young girl named Abigail (Alisha Weir-Matilda the Musical, Wicked Little Letters), the daughter of a powerful underworld figure within New York City and bring her to a seclusive mansion upstate until they receive money from her father. But this simple kidnapping quickly turns into a nightmare when it’s revealed Abigail is actually a vampire and begins to axe off the criminals one by one with no way to escape. 

            The group will need to pull their resources to fend off this bloodthirsty monster that puts Nina from Black Swanto shame if they want to get out of this mansion alive. 

            The film also stars Melissa Barrera (Club de Cuervos, In the Heights, Scream 5 and 6) as Joey, Dan Stevens (A Walk Among the Tombstones, Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Boy and the Heron) as Frank, Will Catlett (Black Lightning) as Rickles, Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Lisa Frankenstein) as Sammy, Kevin Durand (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Noah, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) as Peter, Angus Cloud (Euphoria, North Hollywood, The Line) in his final film role as Dean, and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, The Mandalorian, MaXXXine) as Lambert. 

            Overall, Abigail is a blood-drenched ballet of horror fun at its finest and further cements Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett as some of the best modern horror filmmakers working today. Some of my favorite horror movies are the ones that take these abstract and crazy ideas and bring them to the screen in wildly entertaining ways like The Cabin in the Woods, Get Out, and the already mentioned Ready or Not, this is no exception. 

            It probably won’t keep people up at night since a lot of this movie has a darkly comedic tone, but it’s all done exceptionally well and the creepy moments it does have are genuinely effective. The scenes where Abigail is dancing set to creepy variations of the Swan Lake music do a superb job at building up to the big vampire kills which are nice and gory, by the way. 

            You got your classic bloody vampire bites but then you also have characters explode into puddles of blood which are very reminiscent to the ending of Ready or Not. The film also plays around with the whole “If you get bit by a vampire, you become a vampire” trope where Abigail essentially controls people’s bodies after she bites them which I found very clever, suspenseful, and even funny at times. 

            Despite this seeming like a movie that gives exactly what it advertises, there were times where I didn’t know where the plot was going and was legitimately surprised as it progressed. Whether it’s Abigail’s story, subplots involving the criminals, or just a well-executed plot twist, I was thoroughly invested from start to finish. 

            The performances are stellar especially Alisha Weir as the titular ballerina vampire, I haven’t seen Weir’s other projects but she is magnificent in this movie as she seamlessly shifts between innocent and monstrous and is clearly enjoying every delicious moment of it with the best example being the scene where she’s locked in a cage and talking with the kidnappers. Melissa Barrera is also a standout as Joey, the only person in the group with a conscious as she’s doing all this to provide for her son which helps give the film some emotional weight amongst the blood-soaked carnage and dancing. 

            Even the other criminals who have stock character tropes are memorable because they’re so funny and have interesting storylines themselves. I’m sure it would have been very easy just to make everyone else one-note tools who are just there to die, everyone manages to leave an impression in this film. 

            Most of the comedy comes from the criminals reacting to what’s happening in the mansion, their banter, and the over-the-top deaths. One of my favorite bits is when they’re gathering supplies to kill a vampire and Kathryn Newton brings a bag of garlic only to discover it’s actually filled with onions to which someone calls her out on it, that had me laughing hard as well as lines like “VAMPIRE ON MY ASS!” and “I f*cking hate ballet!”. 

            If you’re looking for a horror movie that embraces the absurdity of its premise and delivers a fun, bloody, and wildly entertaining ride, you won’t be disappointed by Abigail. It also goes to show that when Blumhouse drops the ball with Night Swim and Imaginary, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett can bring a horror experience that actually is worth checking out and I eagerly await what this directing duo does next. 

Civil War review

CIVIL WAR: 

ALEX GARLAND CRAFTS A HAUNTING AND UNSETTLING WAR! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

A24

God Bless America in Civil War

 

            Writer-director Alex Garland (Ex-Machina, Annihilation, Men) does the arthouse equivalent of The Purge in Civil War, his latest directorial effort following the mindf*ck that was Men from 2022. I apologize to Marvel fans, there is zero Captain America fighting Iron Man throughout the entirety of this picture so don’t be going in expecting that. 

            Alex Garland is a fascinating filmmaker to me and while some of his efforts can be hit-or-miss, you’re almost guaranteed to get an unconventional, creepy, and at times bizarre experience. Which probably makes this his most realistic movie in his filmography so far and even with that knowledge, Civil War is a disturbing and hauntingly relevant film that’s incredibly hard to watch and leaves a lasting impression upon exiting the theater. 

            The film is set in a dystopian United States of America and follows a team of military-embedded journalists consisting of war photojournalist Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst-Spider-Man trilogy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Midnight Special), her colleague Joel (Wagner Moura-Elysium, Wasp Network, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), and aspiring photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny-On the Basis of Sex, Priscilla, Alien: Romulus) traveling across the country during a rapidly-escalating second civil war in order to reach Washington D.C. before rebel factions descend upon the White House. 

            The film also stars Stephen McKinley Henderson (Lady Bird, Dune (2021), Beau is Afraid) as veteran journalist and Lee’s mentor Sammy, Nick Offerman (Sin City, 21/22 Jump Street, Dumb Money) as the President of the United States, Sonoya Mizuno (Ex-Machina, Beauty and the Beast (2017), Crazy Rich Asians) as Anya, Jefferson White (Blindspot, Yellowstone, Chicago P.D.) as Dave, Nelson Lee (Ahsoka, Stargirl, Mulan (2020)) as Tony, Juani Feliz (Canal Street, Harlem) as Secret Service Agent Joy Butler, and Jesse Plemons (Black Mass, The Irishman, Killers of the Flower Moon) as an unnamed ultranationalist militiaman. 

            Overall, Civil War probably won’t leave as big an impact as something like the Purge movies or Joker as there are some flaws surrounding its social commentary, but it’s still an excellently crafted, thoroughly engaging and suspenseful dystopian thriller that will lead to fascinating conversations when it ends and Garland’s best film since Annihilation. This is also a movie that benefits seeing it in a theater with very loud sound like IMAX, Dolby, etc. because it really sounds like you’re in the middle of all this anarchy and chaos, you feel every gunshot, crash, and explosion during the film so definitely take advantage of the premium formats at your local theater because it sounds incredible. 

            The war scenes are unapologetically graphic and heart-pounding like grotesque shots of dead bodies, footage of riots and police brutality, a brilliantly suspenseful sequence involving Jesse Plemons asking the protagonists at gunpoint what states they’re from, and an intense and exhilarating final act. Despite being better known for smaller projects and this is technically an arthouse film, Garland knows how to make this film feel big without going full effects-driven blockbuster extravaganza. 

            The characters are where the movie shines particularly the three journalists, Kirsten Dunst who I just saw on the big screen a couple days ago with the Spider-Man re-release is excellent here and has strong colleague chemistry with Wagner Moura and even a kind of sort of parent/child dynamic with the young Cailee Spaeny. Speaking of which, Spaeny hot off of Priscilla is a standout as an aspiring photographer who tags along with Dunst and Moura who is essentially the audience’s surrogate into the film as she’s witnessing all of this for the first time, not to mention she allows some time to have fun amidst these dire times. 

They aren’t the most complex of protagonists but they’re the most human and relatable in this chaotic world so it works. At various points of the film, I was reminded of characters from The Purge: Anarchy/Election Year and even Mad Max: Fury Road where you can still have a world of anarchy and mayhem while still having characters the audience can connect with and get behind on their journeys. 

What keeps the movie from being perfect for me is how its social commentary is handled, I’m not saying it’s done badly as it does bring up a lot of relevant sociopolitical themes that are happening on our planet regardless of country and should be discussed. The film doesn’t really dive into the titular civil war or showed the events that led to it nor does it have much of a resolution at the end, it just kind of jumps the audience in the middle of the civil war against a corrupt government. 

For as over-the-top as the Purge movies can get at least those movies had a better understanding of the message it was trying to get across and knew how to execute it. Here, it mostly reinstates what’s commonly known in this divisive country we live in and doesn’t really try to go beyond that. 

Still, I was on the edge of my seat with Civil War and my eyes were glued to the screen from start to finish. I can’t guarantee it’ll have the same effect on you as it did for me, but that’s more than enough reason to experience this heavy and disturbing reminder of what our country might become if we don’t put in the effort to make a big change and judge for yourself.  

The First Omen review

THE FIRST OMEN: 

A GENUINELY FRIGHTENING ORIGIN! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Nell Tiger Free makes a nightmare in The First Omen

 

            A young woman discovers a horrific conspiracy at a church in Rome in The First Omen, the latest installment of the Omen film series and a prequel to the 1976 Richard Donner horror classic. I actually just watched all the previous Omen movies (With the exception of the TV film, Omen IV: The Awakening) for the first time in preparation for this review and I have to say I was quite impressed by most of them. 

            While there have been tons of films over the years about demonic and evil children, The Omen (1976) was unique by having the antichrist child himself, Damien be seemingly oblivious to his actions rather than him just acting evil from the start. Not to mention the story is very engaging, the mystery is fascinating, the performances all-around are excellent with Gregory Peck and Harvey Spencer Stephens being the biggest standouts. 

            The 1978 sequel, Damien – Omen II I also found myself enjoying with it revolving around a 12-year-old Damien slowly understanding his demonic abilities and eventually accepting his role as the antichrist. While I’ll admit 1981’s Omen III: The Final Conflict was the weakest of the original films and has an uneven narrative, even that movie is entertaining with a pre-Jurassic Park Sam Neill portraying an adult Damien and hamming it up like crazy…The Omen (2006) remake is awful and one of the most soulless horror remakes I’ve ever seen despite a decent cast. 

            Now we have this prequel from Arkasha Stevenson (Channel Zero, Legion, Briarpatch) in her feature film directorial debut depicting the events that happened before the original film and released shortly after another horror movie that explores female body autonomy with Immaculate. I didn’t see Immaculate so I won’t be doing any comparisons to it and will be talking about this film on its own. 

            After seeing it, I have to say not only is this a solid Omen movie but it might even be the best since the original. It’s a thoroughly creepy and disturbing film with an intriguing plot that leaves you wondering where it’s going and the acting is great throughout, this film succeeds where The Exorcist: Believer failed. 

            The film is set in 1971 and follows Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free-Game of Thrones, Servant, Wonderwell), a young woman from America who is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to a church. While there she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own religion and uncover a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. 

            The film also stars Sônia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman, Angel Eyes, Wonder) as Sister Silvia, Ralph Ineson (Harry Potter franchise, The Witch, The Creator) as Father Brennan, Bill Nighy (Underworld franchise, Shaun of the Dead, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3) as Cardinal Lawrence, Tawfeek Barhom (A Borrowed Identity, Worlds Apart, The Rhythm Section) as Father Gabriel, and Charles Dance (Underworld 4 and 5, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, The King’s Man) as Father Harris. 

            Overall, The First Omen makes up for the sins of the past (The Omen (2006)) by delivering (No pun intended) a fresh, frightening, and engrossing look at the events leading up to the birth of Damien that plays squarely on the franchise’s strengths. Where the 2006 remake was an uninspired beat-by-beat rehash of the original with cheap jump scares added in, this goes back to the more atmospheric nature of the earlier films and relying heavily on suspense, creepy visuals, moments of grotesque imagery, and music and sound design with an occasional jump scare. 

            There is one particular jump scare towards the climax that was very effective because of how well built-up it was. I’d rather not spoil it and if you’ve seen the movie you know what I’m talking about. 

            I’m not a fan of jump scares in horror films mostly when they aren’t executed well, but the few times jump scares are utilized here they stick the landing and used sparingly. The rest of the scares come from its music score, disturbing themes, creepy environments, and use of practical effects. 

The birthing scene in particular is incredibly unsettling and hard to watch with little to no CGI used which gives more of a horrifying impact as it’s happening. There is also another sequence where a character gets possessed in one continuous shot of the person cracking their own limbs and making sickening noises, it’s a common trope in scary films but this is one of the most brilliantly shot, acted, and edited variations of this cliché. 

I was also very invested in how the film views the Catholic church and that it explores the idea of two versions of Christianity with one being about the lessons God teaches and doing good and the other focusing on doing horrible acts in the name of God. This is a work of fiction, but it really does make you think about religion and the effects it has on the world both positively and negatively without being preachy. 

I’m not familiar with much of Nell Tiger Free’s work, but I thought she was fantastic as Margaret and found her easily relatable and compelling throughout the film. She’s not this chosen hero/villain character who finds her calling to fulfill her destiny, she’s an everyday woman and nun-in-training who ends up in the middle of this dastardly plan in the church and often feels like audience’s surrogate to what they’re seeing onscreen, definitely a great modern horror movie protagonist that I could get behind during the terrors. 

The First Omen is a horror prequel that honors its predecessors without being fueled on nostalgia bait and gives a shocking and unsettling experience in its own right. It honestly makes you forget this was the same year Night Swim and Imaginary came out. 

But one question still remains, can this also work as a prequel to the South Park episode, Damien?  

Monkey Man review

MONKEY MAN: 

DEV PATEL GOES BLOODY BANANAS IN DIRECTORIAL DEBUT! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Dev Patel in Monkey Man

 

            Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, The Green Knight) sits in the director’s chair while wearing a monkey mask in Monkey Man, an action thriller film starring and directed by Patel in his directorial debut and produced by Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us, Nope) under his Monkeypaw Productions studio (Yes, Monkeypaw produced Monkey Man!). I was onboard for this movie immediately after seeing the trailer which essentially made it look like an Indian John Wick-type action movie with Dev Patel kicking ass in brutal ways. 

            Well, after seeing it I can certainly say Monkey Man has elements of that but there’s a lot more to it than just an over-the-top action flick. This takes a more mythological approach surrounding the Monkey Man character and focuses a lot on sociopolitical commentary as the fuel of its revenge story…and I very much enjoyed this film. 

            I wouldn’t call it the next John Wick or Raid, but I was thoroughly engrossed in the Monkey Man’s journey for vengeance and justice and invested in the character as well as some of the side characters he interacts with. A lot of that is because of Patel’s stellar performance which pretty much carries the entire film, but more on that later. 

            The film follows an unnamed protagonist commonly referred to as Kid (Patel) who ekes out a meager leaving in an underground fight club where he is beaten night after night while wearing a gorilla mask by other popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid finds a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite in a quest for vengeance against the men who took everything from him. 

            The film also stars Sharlto Copley (District 9, Elysium, Chappie) as Tiger, Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm) as Alphonso, Vipin Sharma (Taare Zameen Par, Gangs of Wasseypur, Kick) as Alpha, Sikander Kher (Game, Players, The Zoya Factor) as Rana Singh, Sobhita Dhulipala (Chef (2017), The Body, Ghost Stories) as Sita, Ashwini Kalsekar (Speed (2007), Simmba, Merry Christmas) in her English-language debut as Queenie Kapoor, and Makarand Deshpande (Jungle, Junglee, Sadak 2) as Baba Shakti. 

            Overall, Monkey Man may not be the action-packed powerhouse the trailer is suggesting, but through strong storytelling, brilliant acting, and fascinating themes and ideas being explored, it makes for an effective and thoroughly entertaining film that blends thought-provoking social commentary with over-the-top fight choreography and an impressive directorial debut from Patel. 

            My knowledge of India’s crime world and how it works is paper thin, but I thought this movie did an exceptional job conveying themes of corrupt law enforcements and criminal organizations that practically run the country that is entertaining but also makes you think about how it’s affecting the real world. You can tell Dev Patel really cared about what he was bringing to the screen especially with all the injuries he faced behind-the-scenes while making it and the work shows. 

            This is an unapologetically brutal assault on the senses and not just in terms of violence but how the film is shot and edited from the gritty production design to the use of shaky-cams during fights, the latter can be seen as either a strength or weakness. The action is very energized and well-choreographed that’s also reminiscent of John Wick or other high-octane modern action films, but it also utilizes a lot of shaky-cams as previously mentioned. 

            I’m not usually one for shaky-cam usage during action scenes because I feel it often distracts from what’s being shown onscreen and can even come off as nauseating if not done correctly (Just look at early-mid 2000s Michael Bay and you’ll know what I mean). The shaky-cam didn’t bother me that much in this because it does help highlight the gritty and grisly tone of the story though I won’t lie and say there weren’t moments where I wished I could see what was happening better. 

            Much like when Keanu Reeves first played John Wick, Dev Patel gives one of his best performances here and often doesn’t require a lot of dialogue to convey what he’s going through. You can just look at his facial expressions and you immediately get an idea of what this character is like and what his deal is. 

            Again, like John Wick I appreciate how Patel gives this badass action vigilante a human and relatable side with him suffering childhood trauma after his mother was killed by a group of corrupt leaders as the driving point for his vengeful manhunt. It may not be nearly as much of a novelty as watching Keanu Reeves get revenge on the people who killed his dog, but there is still an emotional core to the titular character’s motives that make it satisfying when he finally goes through with it. 

            I don’t know what else to say, Monkey Man is a really solid action thriller that suggests a bright directing future for Dev Patel. I can’t promise something along the lines of John Wick, The Raid, or any of the earlier John Woo action films, but if you’re looking for a movie with exciting action with a captivating story and equally compelling protagonist to boot, put your monkey mask on and happy hunting.