Tag: Action

REVIEW: Like Its Predecessors, Final ‘Resident Evil’ Film Is A Convoluted Mess Offering Little Entertainment

“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” is supposedly the last picture in this franchise and hopefully that will remain the case.

The picture takes place after its 2012 predecessor, which ended with the premise that the final chapter would be a full defense of Washington D.C. from zombies. Like most “Resident Evil” movies, though, “The Final Chapter” completely disregards a previous film’s cliffhanger and through a bit of exposition the main character Alice is sent on a completely different adventure.

This time around, Alice (Milla Jovovich) has to make her way to Racoon City, the site of the second movie in the franchise, and find a cure for the dreaded virus that has turned nearly the entire population into zombies.

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REVIEW: Despite A Poor Main Character, ‘Patriots Day’ Remains A Compelling Cinematic Look At A Horrific Moment

Director Peter Berg takes audiences behind the scenes of the Boston Marathon bombing from multiple viewpoints in “Patriots Day.”

While the picture does explore many of the people who were at the bombing and its immediate aftermath, such as Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), the film largely takes place through the eyes of Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg).

Saunders, who’s a fictional character made to represent Boston police officers, is a sergeant with the department and much of his story revolves around tracking down the two terrorists responsible.

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REVIEW: From Story To Characters, ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Misses The Mark

The formula to make a good video game movie still hasn’t been discovered yet.

“Assassin’s Creed,” based on the gaming franchise of the same name, follows the character Cal Lynch (Michael Fassbender). After a brief flashback, Lynch’s story starts on death row where he gets lethal injection. Instead of dying, though, Lynch instead wakes up in a scientific facility run by a Templar organization.

Upon waking up, Lynch meets a scientist named Sofia (Marion Cotillard) who’s working for the Templars to discover the location of a precious, world-changing artifact. To do so, she hooks up Lynch to a machine where he can look at and interact with the memories of his ancestor, who was a member of an assassin society.

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REVIEW: ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Is An Intense, Gripping War Drama

“Hacksaw Ridge,” a movie that tells the story of a conscientious objector during World War II. The character, Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield) refuses to use a firearm, regardless of the situation. “Ridge” is a powerful war drama that offers a look into a man’s conviction. Even under immense pressure, Doss never uses a firearm and Garfield sells this aspect very well.

What’s built in the first half pays off in the second. Doss’ hard-lined refusal to use a firearm, but ever present desire to serve his country in any way he can, is put to the test in immense ways. The wartime sequences of the film are especially intense, showing both the horrors of war and Doss’ continued resolve.

REVIEW: Marvel Delivers Visually Stunning Picture With ‘Doctor Strange’

Marvel Studios took a break from some Avengers drama and instead offered up some magical fun in their latest picture.

As one would guess, “Doctor Strange” follows the story of the titular character played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Dr. Stephen Strange is a confident, cocky and at times egotistical medical expert whose life is just about perfect. However, that changes when he gets in a terrible car accident that wipes out the use of his hands.

Now a shell of his former self, Strange seeks out ways to recover and in doing so, learns about a mystical art that can help him regain his strength. By following that path, though, Strange finds himself caught in a struggle he couldn’t have imagined.

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REVIEW: Not A Western Classic, But “Magnificent Seven” Is A Fun Shoot ’Em Up

It’s a “Training Day” reunion in this western remake, with Director Antoine Fuqua teaming up with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke once again.

This edition of “The Magnificent Seven” follows the same formula as the 1960 picture as well as the 1954 movie “Seven Samurai.” Denzel Washington plays a lawman named Chisolm who’s convinced to help a small town that’s being terrorized by a mine owner. To help him hold off the nefarious Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), Chisolm recruits six other gunfighters and western frontiersmen to join the battle.

The movie goes on to explore the ragtag group of outlaws meeting up, helping the town prepare for the upcoming combat and learning to work together for the single cause.

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REVIEW: “The Mechanic’ Franchise Didn’t Need A Resurrection

Arthur Bishop has returned for some more assassination attempts, albeit being more reluctant this time around.

In this follow-up to the 2011 picture, “The Mechanic Resurrection” carries on the story of Bishop (Jason Statham) who now lives in isolation in Brazil.

His peace is shattered, though, when he’s forced into a job by an old nemesis named Crain (Sam Hazeldine). The main reason why he’s forced to do more assassinations is because Crain is holding Bishop’s new girlfriend Gina (Jessica Alba) hostage.

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REVIEW: New ‘Bourne’ Doesn’t Live Up To Original Trilogy

Move over Jeremy Renner, Matt Damon is back in the franchise again.

“Jason Bourne” once again follows the titular character, played by Damon, who’s now gone off the grid since the events of 2007’s “The Bourne Ultimatum.” While being out of the government’s eye, though, he still doesn’t find much peace, as he spends most of his days in street fights.

His life out of the espionage world is cut short, though, when a woman from his past, Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) informs him more about who he was before he became Bourne and that the government is starting a dangerous new program. This encounter puts Bourne back on the map, and subsequently, back on the run.

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REVIEW: Sitting Through The Latest ‘Tarzan’ Adventure Is A Chore

There are certain flaws that can be overlooked or minimized in a summer action picture as long as it can be entertaining. “The Legend of Tarzan” isn’t one of those movies. On top of all of the other problems with this thing, it’s downright boring.

The film follows Tarzan’s life after his time growing up in the jungle. Now going by John Clayton, Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) is a well dressed, affluent individual living in London with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie). He’s asked to return to Africa, though, by an American named George Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) who’s investigating a case of slavery.

Subsequently, this trip also makes Tarzan the target of a man named Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz), who needs to capture the legendary man of the jungle to be used as leverage in a nefarious plot.

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REVIEW: ‘The Shallows’ Is A Thrilling Story Of Survival

It might not make you afraid to go in the water, but it will entertain the hell out of you at the theater.

“The Shallows,” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra who previously helmed Liam Neeson thrillers “Unknown” and “Non-Stop” tells the story of Nancy. Played by Blake Lively, Nancy is a young woman who has taken time out of her pursuit of a medical degree to ride the waves at a secluded beach. The location the film takes place at is special to her, since her mother surfed at the same beach years ago.

After a full day of surfing, though, Nancy soon finds herself in a feeding ground of a great white shark and her only salvation away from the shore is a small rock formation. This means she is left to discover some way of getting to safety while being secluded.

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