EMERGENCY Starring: RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, Sebastian Chacon, Sabrina Carpenter, Maddie Nichols, Madison Thompson, and Diego Abraham Director: Carey Williams AMARÚ Director Carey Williams’ short-film-turned-full-length-feature Emergency has an apt handle on making the hyperbolic seem realistic in this Jordan Peele-esque, college-based thriller that is comparable to Superbad and Booksmart . Hilarious at the right moments and heavy when needed, Emergency will have you gripping your seat in laughter and anxiety from start to finish. The plot’s deftly written antics are even more elevated in the hands of the brilliant RJ Cyler and Donald Elise Watkins. Their earnest friendship makes the laughs heartier, the thrills tenser, and puts Emergency on the list of 2022’s best. NICK Emergency is a film more people should be talking about. As a white male, the film’s central conflict would certainly be a difficult situation, but director Carey Williams does a great job of showing just how different and fearful the same scenario would be for a black male. There are some pacing issues and the humour doesn’t always land quite as well as the hysterical opening, but the performances of RJ Cyler and Donald Elise Watkins carry you through the rough spots. This feels like a Jordan Peele film, and given his output, that should be seen as quite the compliment to Mr. Williams. JOSEPH Emergency is a bizarre blend of comedy and thriller, and while it can seem tonally scattered at times, it’s nevertheless intriguing. The main trio of the story have a similar dynamic to the trio of Superbad , with Donald Elise Watkins and RJ Cyler giving particularly stand out performances. There are humorous moments, but there also is an ever present threat hanging over the characters’ heads that makes the comedy feel weird. While the film may never find the balance in tone, it perfectly executes its social commentary and ends on a strong, haunting note.

GLADIATOR II Starring: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington Director: Ridley Scott NICK With the way that Gladiator ended, Gladiator II is here to offer another shot at the redemption of Rome – its Rocky II , so to speak – and does so admirably. There are some challenges, mainly a bland score and a miscast Paul Mescal, but the latter is merely a case of the wrong man for the job rather than a bad performance. Plus, it’s evened out by a supremely interesting and magnetic Denzel Washington performance. Is it as good as the original? Not quite. But, it’s a worthy successor and has me invested in a continuation of a franchise I had long closed the book on. ADRIANO In what’s a massive step-down from the first, Gladiator II is... another Ridley Scott movie. From a production standpoint, it's well put together, with excellent set pieces, and the coliseum sequences are sick, even if it mostly ditches the first film’s viciousness for silliness. Plus, Denzel Washington having the time of his life means me having the time of my life. However, the script has none of the first film's heart, the story failed to capture my interest, Paul Mescal is miscast, and overall, the movie just felt thematically dull. So, for the most part, I was not entertained. KATIE Gladiator II is everything I hoped it would be. Stuffed with ludicrous spectacle, bloodthirsty violence, non-stop thrilling action, incredible performances, and compelling political themes, there is no denying its outrageous entertainment value. It strikes the perfect balance between melodrama and almost-camp in its extravagance, and whilst the script doesn’t quite achieve the dramatic impact of its predecessor, the performances make up for it. Paul Mescal uses his subtle emotional intensity that helps him thrive in smaller roles to elevate his otherwise brutish character, and Denzel Washington relishes each line in a scene stealing performance. AMARÚ Ridley Scott clearly has zero qualms about what others think, because with Gladiator II , he chose to follow up the award-winning original with a blockbuster that’s more epic, if less prestigious, than the Best Picture winner. Scott basks in Roman lavishness, utilizing grandiose dialogue, Harry Gregson-Williams’ booming score, and a melodramatic screenplay as vehicles for each impressively executed set piece. Pieces driven by a naturally heroic Paul Mescal, and an utterly delicious Denzel Washington. There’s no doubt the film is missing its predecessor’s weight, but Scott packs it with ambitious style, and dammit if I wasn’t entertained. PAIGE The gods have spoken, calling Gladiator II a solid and adrenaline-fueled sequel. Although its emotional beats may not be as strong as its predecessor’s, the action is certainly next level. This sword-and-sandals epic is more brutal and bloodier than the original, proving that director Ridley Scott is still capable of creating grand spectacles. While I do wish Paul Mescal’s character had more to do than just feeling like a plot device, his and the rest of the cast's performances are still great, so I believe most will find the film as entertaining as I did. PRESTON “Artificial” is the best word to describe Gladiator II . Everything from the extras constantly fist-pumping in the background to the Praetorian guard turning their bows on the crowd feels unreal and laughable, not to mention the f’ing sharks! Denzel Washington is an amazing actor, of course, but why is he here?! His unaccented speech and mannerisms are all wrong. I mean, “hose him down” is an actual phrase he uses in the film. The "creative license" defense is inexcusable since the original is used as a touchstone throughout. The historical inaccuracies, hollow storyline, uninspired writing, terrible casting, and unnecessary length make for a summarily disappointing experience. QUENTIN Gladiator II feels like someone asked Ridley Scott to remake his Oscar-winning original, but in the style of Troy or Oliver Stone's Alexander . Gone is the prestige and gravitas in exchange for campy ridiculousness and a rushed storyline. On top of that, it doesn’t seem like there was any consensus amongst the cast as to what kind of movie this is supposed to be. Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn are chewing all the B-movie scenery while Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal are taking everything very seriously. Perhaps I would be more forgiving if it didn’t have the Gladiator legacy attached to it, but ehhhh.

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, and Leslie Uggams Director: Shawn Levy NICK My biggest fear going to Deadpool & Wolverine was that it would tarnish the legacy of Logan , a film I consider the greatest superhero film of all time. Thankfully, it doesn't. It respects what came before it while also trying to build something new, and it does so in a way that only Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) can: with gratuitous violence, foul language, and a cavalcade of cameos. There are some jokes that miss, and the fourth wall gets a little schticky, but Reynolds and Hugh Jackman make up for all of that. Jackman, in particular, is fantastic, reminding us just how synonymous he is with Wolverine. ADRIANO Deadpool & Wolverine is the cinematic equivalent of a baby’s mobile. There's fun to be had, and I did laugh more than I expected, but a lot of this film is just an ugly-looking waste whose only purpose is to force No Way Home -style applause out of audiences. Any attempt at effective character writing is poor (they got close with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, in fairness), the film's action is weightless, the humour is repetitive, and the story is nonsense. For many, this'll be exactly what the doctor ordered, but for me, my fun peaked at the opening sequence. QUENTIN For Marvel fans, Deadpool & Wolverine has just about everything they could ask for: violent action, killer cameos, laugh-out-loud jokes, on-point character portrayals, and deep-cut Easter Eggs, all while paying a surprisingly loving tribute to the 20th Century Fox era of superhero movies. It’s probably the best and most rewatchable Marvel movie since Endgame . If I take my Marvel-bias hat off for a second, though…it’s a bit too long, mostly due to the abundance of exposition necessary to make the crossover work (such as it does), and Ryan Reynolds’ schtick can wear just a tad thin. Only you know if you’re a hat-on or hat-off person. AMARÚ Deadpool & Wolverine is a hilarious love letter to 25+ years of Marvel fandom that takes itself as seriously as Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) takes moments of silence. The expositional setup is clunky, and I don’t need Shawn Levy to direct any more big MCU fight scenes, but from its absolutely pitch-perfect opening credits to every (rightfully) gratuitous cameo, this film is the blockbuster hit that a couple of this year’s legacy sequels wanted to be. Naturally, though, it’s Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s chemistry that shines the brightest, proving that the title is spot on about what you came here to see. KATIE Deadpool & Wolverine delivers everything the fans want and more, from gratuitous violence and trashy humour to plenty of cameos and winking at the camera. Yes, the CGI effects and visuals are inconsistent, and the inconsequential plot is secondary to the fourth-wall breaking, F-bombs, and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) budding relationship; however, I laughed a lot more than I predicted, and any issues I had were quickly pacified by a self-conscious joke and Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s undeniable chemistry. The film is essentially two hours of fan service, but I still had a great time. PRESTON For lovers of Marvel's cinematic universe, superhero comics, cartoons, television series and all other things of the ilk, Deadpool & Wolverine can be safely regarded as straight-up nerd porn. I, being a fan, found entertainment there, but will always place a higher value on the crushing sarcasm and dark humor that Ryan Reynolds, once again, delivers with expert precision. Although, even for me, some of the jokes eventually stale from overuse as the film goes too far for too long. No matter the length, I recommend staying all the way through the credits for one very satisfying final scene. SHADAN Once my most anticipated movies of every year, MCU films have become a pop culture chore lately. Perhaps the key to enjoying their offerings now is low expectations, but I can’t deny I had an absolute blast with Deadpool & Wolverine . Yes, it’s pure fan service, and it relies too heavily on cameos; I’m also willing to overlook the thin plot because I gave myself over to the silliness for two hours and received plenty of laughs and fun surprises in return. I found the 2000s-era, 20th Century Fox nostalgia sweet and surprisingly effective, making this my favorite of the Deadpool trilogy.

DON'T WORRY DARLING Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll, and KiKi Layne Director: Olivia Wilde JACOB Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling doesn’t really work, but not for lack of trying. The film often kindles intrigue, and the first act promises a wild ride to come; however, about halfway into act two, the movie sort of conceptually stalls out, failing to execute its premise to its full potential. While Florence Pugh is as great as ever, the rest of it doesn’t really hold together the way it hopes to, and the third act twist undoes most of the good will the film worked to build. That said, the cinematography, production, and costume designs are quite beautiful sights. QUENTIN Given the scandal and negative buzz, Don’t Worry Darling presents an interesting case. Although not perfect, it’s still enjoyable. First off, the production design - from the clothes to the houses to the cars - is breathtakingly gorgeous. I want to live in this 1950s oasis. Plus, the mystery stays engaging enough despite getting a bit too lost in itself. Perhaps it favors atmosphere over story, but I appreciated the dark The Stepford Wives meets The Truman Show vibe. All that said, the real question is: Did I like it more than I should have because I expected a disaster? Or is it genuinely pretty decent? Hard to say. PAIGE Well, darling, you might want to worry because this high concept thriller falls short on its themes. Don’t get me wrong, Don’t Worry Darling is visually stunning, and Florence Pugh gives an outstanding performance, but the flick barely breaks the surface. It seems to focus more on its style than its substance. I quite enjoyed the twist, which I didn’t see coming, but it felt like the script took so long to build the concept of the story, that it should’ve taken the time to explore it once it got there. In the end, the film left me with more questions than answers. ADRIANO I loved Don’t Worry Darling until I didn’t. The first two acts had me in the palm of its hand, captivating me with its mystery, before the third act completely lost me. Overall, director Olivia Wilde created a film that is entertaining in the early going, especially with all the crafts working flawlessly, and the entire cast, led wonderfully by Florence Pugh, is amazing (with one exception, you know which one). But there aren’t payoffs to a lot of what was set up, and the answers we do get are just straight-up bad. I found myself mainly disappointed here.

THE LONG WALK Starring: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Ben Wang, Tut Nyuot, Garrett Wareing, Charlie Plummer, Joshua Odjick, Mark Hamill, and Judy Greer Director: Francis Lawrence NICK The Long Walk is the first novel Stephen King ever wrote, and it might be among the best and most visceral film adaptations of his work. A departure from some of King’s more traditional horror, this is a story about brotherhood, camaraderie, and war. The reason this film works so well is the way it’s steeped in honesty and humanity. You’re instantly invested in the lives of many of the walk’s participants, especially Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson’s characters, and, most importantly, the killings are never glorified. Yes, Mark Hamill can be a little too cartoony, but otherwise this is a triumph. AMARÚ The Long Walk is a fever dream narrated by a voice you’d expect to hear in such a delirious state. Mark Hamill’s hyperbolic tones are a perfect sensationalistic backdrop to this darkly beautiful, if far from subtle, film about moments: heartfelt moments with friends, harrowing moments of death, and all those in between when confronted with the absurdist moments of fractured societies. Amongst it all are two of the best young actors working today, a warmly sincere Cooper Hoffman and the absolute powerhouse that is David Jonsson. Their performances, atop a killer ensemble, make the somewhat overdramatic, hammered-home messaging an afterthought to its genuinely dynamic emotion. PAIGE While The Long Walk is a bleak and daunting thrill ride (or shall I say thrill walk?), I walked away surprisingly moved and captivated by its sincerity and emotional depth. The story is a bit tedious and predictable, but the tender moments we get with this stellar ensemble, led by David Jonsson and Cooper Hoffman, elevate the experience to the next level. Director Francis Lawrence and writer JT Mollner clearly made every moment count, and despite the emotional journey these characters endure, it’s the bonds they make along the way that make this story stick with you. The Long Walk is yet another Stephen King adaptation worth seeing on the big screen. ROBERT When kids are battling for survival within a contest sponsored by a militaristic government in a dystopian future, who better to deliver it than the man responsible for helming most of the cinematic Hunger Games ? Francis Lawrence was made to bring The Long Walk to the big screen, doing so with a cast of boys hardened in a dreary world like Stand by Me or It . The standout is David Jonsson, who always seems in control yet never confident, but everyone coalesces well and exudes a great balance of push and pull with each other. Make sure you run, not walk, to catch this one. ADRIANO It's hard not to find parallels to Trump 2.0 in The Long Walk . And perhaps I'm putting that on the film even if it wasn't intentional, but it did give it an extra weight. It also made the ending feel off. Yet and still, it had me contemplating, which I think is a success in and of itself. Aside from the politics, I was swept up in the character writing and intense brotherly horror, reaffirming Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson as two of our best young actors. This movie had no right to be as good as it was.

ARCADIAN Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, and Sadie Soverall Director: Benjamin Brewer KATIE I had not seen any trailers or even read the synopsis of Arcadian before watching it, I just knew Nicolas Cage was in it, which is good enough for me. That said, I am so glad that I went into this nerve-racking post-apocalyptic thriller blind. Whilst Cage, playing Paul, definitely has his moments to shine, I was more impressed by the young cast, not to mention surprised by a creative creature design that truly is the stuff of nightmares. The monsters are so well utilised towards making a film that is genuinely scary, with quietly chilling moments as well as full-on creature-feature carnage. QUENTIN As far as A Quiet Place ripoffs go, Arcadian is a flawed but entertaining enough B-level addition to the genre that features frighteningly terrific creature design and fairly solid performances. However, the pacing and direction leave something to be desired. The almost handheld-style camerawork and extremely poor lighting often make it difficult to see what is happening on screen. That aside, the slow-burn story generally works, especially the dynamic between Paul (Nicolas Cage, who isn’t given much to do) and his sons (Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins), despite, at times, being undermined by the teenagers making typically dumb teenager-y decisions. Genre fans likely will be satisfied. PAIGE Arcadian is a grounded post-apocalyptic film with a horrifying and inventive monster design that is strikingly similar to A Quiet Place . While this creature feature is a thrilling watch, there’s not much to chew on when it comes to story. The movie really only succeeds because of the genuine family dynamic between the three leads (Nicolas Cage, Jaedan Martell, and Maxwell Jenkins) because it lacks the world-building element necessary to give the narrative a well-rounded context. All in all, it's a straightforward yet suspenseful movie that just leans too far toward mystery for its own benefit.

BOYS GO TO JUPITER Starring: Julian Glander, Janeane Garofalo, Tavi Gevinson, Elsie Fisher, Grace Kuhlenschmidt, Julio Torres, Joe Pera, Miya Folick, Sarah Sherman, Cole Escola, Max Wittert, Chris Fleming, Eva Victor, River L. Ramirez, and Demi Adejuyigbe Director: Julian Glander BODE The one thing undeniable about Boys Go to Jupiter is that you won’t see much like it this year. Julian Glander’s debut feature captures teenage isolation, as well as the monotony of “grindset” culture, with a good amount of idiosyncratic charm and subtle melancholy. It’s made all the more unique with its plasticine-looking 3D animation (created entirely with Blender), unexpected musical numbers, and eccentric voice work from a surprisingly large cast. I do wish it meandered less in the back half and that its ending left more of an impact, but this is overall still worth a watch. ADRIANO Boys Go to Jupiter is a strange experiment that, if I overheard someone saying they hated it, I'd partially understand why. As for me, despite its cookiness, I was bizarrely endeared. The animation is not “good” in the traditional sense, but the colours and personality worked for me. Narratively, it's mostly just a series of bits taped together to form a story, but the appeal of the film is primarily vibes. And in terms of vibes, it delivers with sincerity. Again, this isn't a slam dunk, but I found it enjoyable.

VINCENT MUST DIE Starring: Karim Leklou and Vimala Pons Director: Stéphan Castang This film has been reviewed by Nick and Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival. NICK The premise of Vincent Must Die had my attention because of the different directions it could go. Would it be horror? Comedy? Drama? Romance? The answer is a little bit of everything. Following Vincent (Karim Leklou), an unsuspecting man navigating his way through a world trying to kill him, makes for a fun time (especially when children are involved). Unfortunately, it feels like director Stéphan Castang didn’t know how to end the film as it lands a little flat. I enjoyed it, but I’d love to see an English remake with a little more money behind it and a revamped ending. QUENTIN As simple as Vincent Must Die ’s premise is, it could have been a great action horror movie like Mayhem . However, it plays things too slowly to be truly engaging (think a far less creepy and less good It Follows ). It certainly starts strong enough, but it eventually turns into a potentially doomed romance tale, which kills the momentum. Also, and maybe I’m being nitpicky, but it never explains its own rules, so the viewers are often as confused as Vincent (Karim Leklou). Maybe that’s the point? Either way, there is a good movie here somewhere, but this version of it lost me about midway through.

VIOLENT NIGHT Starring: David Harbour, Beverly D’Angelo, John Leguizamo, Cam Gigandet, Edi Patterson, Brendan Fletcher, Alex Hassell, Mike Dopud, Mitra Suri, Alexis Louder, Alexander Elliot, and Leah Brady Director: Tommy Wirkola AMARÚ Violent Night is an instant Christmas f***in’ classic. Director Tommy Wirkola put together a romping Family-Action-Christmas movie, intersecting violent brutality, heartwarming joy, hilariously campy comedy, and a pitch-perfect cast. While young Leah Brady (Trudy) holds the heart of the film, the battle between David Harbour (Santa) and John Leguizamo (Mr. Scrooge) is every bit as entertaining as you’d hope. The entire cast is having a blast, the script pays homage to multiple Christmas staples, and Dominic Lewis’ score perfectly sets the mood for the most fun you’ll have in theaters this year. JTE Violent Night delivers exactly what it promises, even if it takes a while to get there. This Christmas comedy is part Die Hard , part Home Alone , and part one of those films where a dysfunctional family gathers for the holidays, but David Harbour elevates it all as a grumpy Santa who rediscovers the meaning of Christmas through bloody mayhem. Also joining Harbour is a great comedic supporting cast that includes John Leguizamo, Edi Patterson, and Beverly D'Angelo. Violent Night may take its time getting to the promised violence, but when it does, it's wholly satisfying. QUENTIN Pure and simple, Violent Night and its mid-90s action sensibilities are a ton of fun. The story isn’t perfect, leaving some of the more interesting bits unexplored, and it’s not particularly original either, borrowing heavily from Christmas classics like Home Alone and Die Hard . Still though, David Harbour is clearly having a blast, and the jolts of energy he provides with each Christmas pun and bloody action scene are infectious. I can easily see this becoming a holiday tradition for me, pairing extremely well as the action complement to Bad Santa . JACOB It has its moments of mayhem and fun, but overall, Violent Night simply can’t compete with John Wick -style action films like Nobody or Atomic Blonde . It’s nowhere near disaster territory, but apart from David Harbour and John Leguizamo, no one in the film seems to be having all that much fun. The film’s script is weak enough for the action scenes to shine, but not strong enough for the viewer to ever care why they’re happening. One-dimensional characters and often terrible dialogue pepper the film throughout, so any time the Santa-action stops, the film slows down to a sludge-like crawl. ADRIANO Ho-ho-holy crap! Violent Night is a film that takes two of my wildly contradicting loves and puts them together: Christmas and hard-R action. The result is a yuletide blast full of gore and fun. While some of the deeper goals aren’t always accomplished in its writing, it does succeed in accomplishing its core objective of creating a hyper-violent action film filled with the holiday spirit. Couple that with David Harbour having the time of his life playing a grizzled Santa Clause and plenty of laughter, and you got yourself an unhinged Christmas blast.

THE SEA BEAST Starring: Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Jim Carter, Doon Mackichan, and Dan Stevens Director: Chris Williams JOSEPH The Sea Beast is a film split in two. The first half is a bit generic, borrowing heavily from other stories, namely How to Train Your Dragon , but the second half is great! It’s so great, in fact, that even the visuals seem to improve with the storytelling. While the color palette is brilliant, some of the textures are lacking; that doesn’t stop some scenes from being truly beautiful, though. The characters are likable, the world is intriguing, and the ultimate message is bold and relevant. I only wish the first half felt more interesting and necessary to the plot. QUENTIN As far as story and vocal performances go, The Sea Beast isn’t anything special. It’s basically a variation of King Kong , with a smidge too much sappiness and a very preachy ending. That said, it’s still a swashbuckling good time, and it’s worth watching if for no other reason than the animation. It looks absolutely incredible, putting Pixar to shame with sequences so realistic that they genuinely look live action. It might be the best animation I’ve seen since Into the Spider-verse , and it’s wild to me that no one is really talking about it. Netflix Animation took a major step forward with this one.

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER Starring: Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Dominique Thorne, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Cole, Martin Freeman, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus Director: Ryan Coogler AMARÚ Wakanda Forever is an emotional film carrying a lot of weight, and director Ryan Coogler adeptly balances that weight on his shoulders. He delicately crafts an intimate story about grief while still delivering timely humor and great action, allowing for some messy “studio” sections of the 180-minute runtime to feel less hollow. Propelled by devastatingly powerful performances from returning stars Angela Bassett (Ramonda), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia) and Danai Gurira (Okoye), not to mention stand-out newcomers Tenoch Huerta (Namor) and Dominique Thorne (Riri Williams), Wakanda Forever thrives off its palpable passion both in front of and behind the camera. QUENTIN For context, I think Black Panther is merely a slightly-better-than-average MCU movie. With that in mind, the individual moments I enjoyed in Wakanda Forever are better than the ones I enjoyed in Black Panther ; however, the latter works better as a movie-watching experience. Honestly, given the circumstances, it’s impressive that Wakanda Forever works as well as it does, but it has issues. Mostly, it tries to do too much by essentially tackling three origin stories while touching on similar themes as its predecessor, making it feel like an overlong (minor) retread. Still, typical MCU-quality action and poignant moments paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman keep it engaging. NICK With the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman, the big question was going to be “who will now take up the mantle of Black Panther?” But, really, who cares? Because this is the Angela Bassett show. Her strong and composed performance is the heart of this film, along with some poignant tributes to Boseman and his character. Beyond that, however, this is yet another middle of the pack Phase Four entry. Yes, there are some great action sequences, but this feels less cohesive and fleshed out than the first one, which is unacceptable given this film’s nearly three hour runtime. The late Boseman is missed. JACOB The Black Panther sequel is here, and, as can happen with sequels of this nature, it can’t quite live up to the legacy of its predecessor, nor the star-shaped hole at its center. Wakanda Forever pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman in more than one emotional form, and it has a lot of things to like throughout; however, its structure is overlong and somewhat messy in the first act, especially in the editing. It gets better as it goes along though, and Tenoch Huerta’s performance as Namor establishes a formidable MCU villain as Ryan Coogler once more thematically addresses colonization.

PLAY DIRTY Starring: Mark Wahlberg, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Chukwudi Iwuji, Nat Wolff, Gretchen Mol, Thomas Jane, Hemky Madera, Alejandro Edda, Claire Lovering, Chai Hansen, and Tony Shalhoub Director: Shane Black ADRIANO After The Predator , I was hoping to see a return to form from director/co-writer Shane Black. On paper, Play Dirty appears to be exactly that, with its style of crime comedy hijinks, some of which are present here; however, something crucial is missing: Black's personality. As much humour and action as there is, there's a stylistic void here, and the film winds up being dull as a result, with Mark Wahlberg looking half asleep in every scene, which certainly does not help. This isn't an awful movie - in fact, it's just inoffensively bad - but that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed. ROBERT You may be unaware, but Play Dirty is the seventh iteration of the character Parker being portrayed on film, with notable actors like Robert Duvall, Mel Gibson, and Jason Statham previously playing the professional robber. Unfortunately, despite Mark Wahlberg’s history in films like The Italian Job and Contraband playing a master thief, it is a poor fit this time. Shane Black is at his best when he's not pigeonholed by existing IP and getting to craft his own world and dialogue. This seems like he was neutered. Play Dirty is too long, and the CGI is atrocious; it shouldn't steal a minute of your time.