Tag Archives: Blockbuster
Review in Brief: Kong: Skull Island (2017)
KONG: SKULL ISLAND is what it is, and what it is is a big, dumb monster brawl. The just-post-Vietnam War setting is just window dressing to the standard, laboured story setup. While the creatures are impressively realised, clearly nobody has … Continue reading
Review: Wonder Woman (2017)
Through my own astonishing poor planning and lack of research, I’ve now seen WONDER WOMAN twice in the cinema, both times with subtitles. Luckily for me the film is compelling enough that I was drawn in and didn’t notice after … Continue reading
Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Expectations can be a powerful thing. Nobody expected GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY to turn out quite as well as it did three years ago. And yet the batty space-opera starring Marvel Comics D-List characters and directed by the guy who … Continue reading
5 Years On: The Avengers (2012)
In 2012 it finally arrived – the blockbuster to end all blockbusters (as if). There was so much riding on THE AVENGERS, so many moving parts and so many things that could have gone wrong. Thankfully they didn’t, and it … Continue reading
Looking Back and Looking Forward: 2016, Part 1
2016 has been a terrible year in the multiplexes, not to mention a particularly black one for art and entertainment in general. Blockbusters have rarely been so lacklustre or downright awful. Mercifully the indie film scene has had a far … Continue reading
Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Was the emotionally bereft GODZILLA remake just a blip for Gareth Edwards? Thankfully yes it was. There is more genuine humanity, imagination and enjoyment to ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY than there was not only in the ill-advised giant … Continue reading
Review: Doctor Strange (2016)
The problem with Marvel is that a lot of their characters have the same origin story. “Arrogant prig becomes selfless hero” is almost as commonplace as DC’s “Death of family gives hero guilt-driven purpose”. Stephen Strange’s story may not be … Continue reading
Review: Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Just a few tweaks is all it takes. The simple act of splitting up the crew and making them think their way around impossible situations keeps the plot of STAR TREK BEYOND loose and fun. The script co-written by Simon … Continue reading
Review: Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)
I wanted Roland Emmerich to bring his unique brand of big, dumb action back to the big screen in 2016. By golly does he deliver it with INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE. He also brings painful scripting (courtesy of four writers, no … Continue reading
SSP Thinks Film 