Tag: Action Drama

REVIEW: Long live the ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’

It’s hard to imagine the current run of “Planet of the Apes” continuing on without Caesar, but director Wes Ball’s latest film in the series is a fitting follow-up to the 2010s trilogy.

“Kingdom” takes place several generations after Caesar’s death. Humans are now primitive and scarce, while the apes have built up small villages, one of them being home to the protagonist, Noa (Owen Teague). Led by Noa’s father, the clan built a peaceful society around training falcons.

The peace of Noa’s village is shattered, though, when it’s raided by another ape kingdom set on conquest. Injured in the battle, Noa awakens to find his village destroyed and residents taken hostage. From there, Noa sets out on a quest to rescue those imprisoned and gets an unlikely ally along the way.

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REVIEW: ‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners’ is a solid Neeson entry

Another movie has arrived in theaters with a poster showing Liam Neeson holding a gun. There’s been quite a few of these over the years, but few quite as somber.

“Land of Saints and Sinners” is set in Ireland during the Troubles, but most of the movie takes place away from the conflict. Instead, the location is a coastal village where humble, friendly bookseller Finbar Murphy (Neeson) resides. What he hides from the town, though, is that he’s also an experienced hitman.

However, it’s part of his life he’s ready to be done with. That is until the conflict arrives in the village when a group of IRA members go there to lay low after a bombing. While there, one of them commits a crime against one of the residents, and, as he’s grown to love the village, Finbar decides to take action.

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REVIEW: ‘Knox Goes Away’ is a strong creative effort from Keaton

A moody drama with Michael Keaton playing a hitman? Sure, sign me up.

In addition to starring as the lead character, Keaton also directed “Knox Goes Away.” In the film,  John Knox is a contract killer who’s been dealing with memory loss. When he meets with a doctor, Knox is diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia that will give him only weeks to live.

Without much time left, Knox starts making arrangements to pass on all of his money to his estranged family. However, the plan becomes complicated when his son Miles (James Marsden) shows up one night asking for help in covering up a crime.

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REVIEW: Latest ‘Equalizer’ offers adequate entertainment

Antoine Fuqua made the “Equalizer” trilogy. I watched the “Equalizer” trilogy. I guess the situation has been… equalized.

So sorry about that.

Denzel Washington returns as Robert McCall in “The Equalizer 3.” This time around, the semi-retired super agent finds himself wrapping up the takedown of a crime syndicate based in Sicily. While he’s successful in his bloody endeavor, he does get himself injured with a shot to the back. Eventually, as he’s leaving the area he falls unconscious.

Fortunately, he’s rescued by a passerby who takes McCall to a doctor in a small coastal village. The doctor cleans Robert’s wounds and helps him recover. During his time there, Robert finds peace in the charming town, but is troubled by the occasional presence of mafia members who harass local business owners.

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REVIEW: ‘Avatar’ sequel is always great to look at, but not always engaging

After more than a decade of waiting, director James Cameron has brought audiences back to the moon of Pandora.

Just as time passed here on Earth, so too did it there. The film picks up with Jake (Sam Worthington) now living as a Na’vi, raising four children with his partner Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). Their children include Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), Kiri (Sigourney Weaver) and Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss).

Jake and Neytiri are trying their best to raise their children in peace but that is shattered by new military forces from Earth looking for revenge after what happened in part 1. Knowing they are targets in particular, Jake and Neytiri flee to live in asylum among the Na’vi ocean tribes. However, the enemy is still out there, including an old foe who returns. Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Avatar’ sequel is always great to look at, but not always engaging”

REVIEW: Maverick’s new mission in ‘Top Gun’ sequel is worth seeing

In the past 20 years, sequels have been made to 80s franchises like “Rambo,” “Rocky,” “Die Hard” and “Indiana Jones.”

It just feels right that “Top Gun” joins the club.

“Maverick” follows the titular character (Tom Cruise) as he enters what looks to be the last stage of his career. Rather than move on to other ranks and jobs, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell has remained a captain in the United States Navy, with the decision based on his love of being a pilot.

At the request of Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer), Maverick is taken off his current assignment as a test pilot for new aircraft and placed back in San Diego at Top Gun. He was chosen because he’s the only pilot with enough experience to train the top aviators in the country for a dangerous, nearly impossible mission. The situation is complicated by Maverick’s guilt, though, as his late wingman’s son Bradley (Miles Teller) is one of the pilots he intends to train.

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