Movie reviews of Craig McKenzie

A thought provoking science fiction story with a compelling central concept, engaging characters, striking visuals and a really natural way of presenting the necessary information. Review

An entertaining film that boasts a talented cast, clearly laid out character arcs, genuinely heartfelt moments and entertaining performances. Review

A solid follow-up that excels in its characterisation, overall visual aesthetic and the way it tackles certain themes but fails to captivate in terms of action and has too much going on to be entirely coherent. Review

An excellent film that has a lot to say about life, purpose and growth with a stunning visual aesthetic, strong characterisation and full to bursting with creativity in all areas. Review

A visually stunning, narratively complex and meaningful exploration of friendship, support and finding a balance in a divided world. Review

A strong script supports their performances with wonderfully crafted characters and meaningful moments that create a fluid sense of the relationship. Review

A technically impressive yet hollow viewing experience overflowing with creativity but lacking in engaging characterisation. Review

An engaging and intimate character driven portrayal of emerging Mutant abilities as a metaphor for transitioning into adulthood. Danielle Moonstar is an engaging protagonist with a compelling perspective and is played really well by Blu Hunt. Review

A competently produced and entertaining adaptation of an iconic video game character. Review

The film boasts excellent leading performances and a competent exploration of the issue at hand but suffers from detailing too many perspectives meaning that it is overall lacking in detail. Review

A heart-warming coming of age story with a strong message about assumptions and tolerance that boasts excellent performances. Review

An unsatisfying conclusion to the Skywalker Saga with messy plotting, misplaced humour and tedious subplots that does a disservice to what once was a thriving vibrant franchise therefore securing J.J. Abrams title as The Master of Mediocrity. Review

It Chapter Two is a decent enough follow-up to its predecessor, but unfortunately not one that lives up to its potential, nor reaches the heights of primal dread previously induced. Review

A well put together and beautifully shot character driven story that delivers a compelling take on the titular Robert the Bruce through the eyes of others. Review

An excellent Spider-Man film that strikes the right balance between the characters and the superhero action while providing a strong arc for Peter Parker to follow. Review

A moving, expertly constructed character driven experience with a strong central dynamic and a really compelling story. Review

An entertaining and well acted comedic take on a hostage narrative that doesn’t entirely achieve what it sets out to do. Ethan Hawke delivers an engaging and energetic performance as the lead that combines nicely with the comedic take on the situation. Review

A charming and amusing unconventional romance with an excellent setup, endearing characters and a showstopping Cello sequence. Review

An entertaining, hilarious and memorable start to the 73rd Edinburgh International Film Festival. The lead actors do an excellent job carrying the film with strong performances and excellent comedic timing... Review

A charmless, passionless chore bereft of energy and originality that fails to justify its own existence. There is no reason to watch this version when the animated original already exists as it does broadly the same things except worse and has a longer running time. Review

An entertaining and well put together cinematic experience that excels at world building while doing right by fans of the franchise. Review

A joyless slog that suffers from a huge lack of focus ending the long standing X-Men film franchise on a whimper. Review

A beautifully crafted and immensely entertaining experiences that cements this franchise among the gold standard of western produced action cinema. Review

An incredible cinematic experience that delivers a satisfying finale to 22 films worth of build-up. It uses its long runtime well, delivers powerful character moments and strong fan service while delivering on the promise of an epic conclusion to everything that had come before. Review