Movie reviews of The Massie Twins

Though the script is chirpy and intermittently clever, layered with chases and action and violence, the lead character is a major weak spot. Review

By the end of it all – and what a rough, inconsequential ending it is – it’s evident that the filmmakers have no idea what to do with these characters and their super-antihero capabilities. Review

Younger generations will surely enjoy the stabs at updated political and social correctness, while longtime fans will pick up on the various nods, connections, and revelations that tie into the larger Bond universe, but there are simply too many needless subplots, characters, and simultaneous missions going on, diluting any sense of excitement. Review

An assassin with a moral code and an uncommon sense of compassion aren’t new, particularly when combined with modern gangsters and the authorities closing in – authorities led by a rather sporting cop. But Woo’s attention to graphic details, his insistence on excessiveness, and his skill with action sequences make this adventure an uncommonly severe and tense ordeal. Review

But the film refuses to be so simple as to merely have Daniel guide Lucy in the right direction; his sacrifice leads to a potent revelation – one tragically mature and unexpected for this otherwise mirthful fantasy. Review

With a spectacular sense of adventure, plenty of romantic complications, and a classic beauty-and-the-beast scenario, this particular adaptation of Victor Hugo’s immortal tale is one of the best. Review

Much of the film feels as if an excuse for the cast to surf and skydive – a curious combination of daredevilry. But seeing Reeves play a vastly different character than usual is refreshing; he’s intermittently convincing as an action hero, even if his emotions don’t quite land. Review

After the last theatrical chapter, it should have been clear that something about the formula needed to change, yet the filmmakers have insisted upon preserving the abundance of unnecessary supporting roles, the repetition of Superman’s solutions to unimpressively destructive forces, and special-effects-heavy action sequences for which the available technology struggles to present sufficient visual excitement. Review

The unhurried nonchalance and open-ended storytelling are aggravating, while the lack of adventure is deafening. Review

Most of all, it’s the main characters and their relationships (and performances) that are most rewarding, even if the finale mostly sacrifices sentimental satisfaction for sobering realism and incredibly unbelievable timing... Review

It’s still obvious who will come out on top; while borrowing sequences from The Terminator and Assault on Precinct 13 and a wealth of other cop thrillers, this film fails to introduce anything remotely fresh. Review

The pacing is exceptionally well executed, keeping up a speedy momentum, leaving very few moments for lulls. Comic relief does surface – primarily from Betty White as a formidable homeowner and from Mark Rolston as a whiny police officer – but the attention to action and stunts is consistent. Review

The mood and atmosphere tend to win out over the sillier concepts, building up macabre moments, unsettling imagery, disquieting acts of violence, and bloody deaths that make the overall effort unexpectedly entertaining. Review

As the film progresses, it’s not Shang-Chi and the various supporting characters that are unamusing, nor is it the ludicrous action shots or the vehicle chases overloaded with computer imagery; it’s the legend of the ten rings, brimming with meaningless, devised-on-the-spot lore, that really bores. Review

It gets too repetitive too quickly, especially when detailed explanations arrive in the form of flashbacks, hampering the pacing – or when answers never turn up at all, such as the purpose and power of the seemingly metaphorical fizzy beverage. Nevertheless, Cage takes the pervasive silliness seriously, embracing the opportunity to wreak havoc in ever goofier, bloodier ways. Review

This tedious exercise in unvarying repetition continuously struggles to justify its own existence; telling the same tale again and again simply doesn’t translate to much entertainment value. Review

Despite the fact that few things here are completely fresh, while conflicts are flimsy and the resolution is predictable, the pacing is fast, the gags are blithe, and there’s something unexpectedly enjoyable about this brand of bonding, unlikely collaborations, and easygoing personas. Review

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the basic lack of meaningful characters; no one here is really worth caring about, nor are they developed in a manner that moves them beyond mere victims to be butchered for an ogling camera. Review

Miami Connection” isn’t merely bad. It’s so deficient in every moviemaking aspect that it’s routinely hilarious; it’s one of those unimaginably shabby productions that is so dreadful that it provides constant amusement as it finds new ways to be lousy. Review

As it pulls pieces from countless other properties for its spoofing, it tends to run into two major problems, however: derivation from movies that are already largely comical, and missed opportunities for parody when high-octane action grows too sincere. Review

At least the overarching theme of humankind’s contributions to planetary annihilation grows increasingly more relevant throughout the years; the CG and tech sequences may age poorly, but the message remains potent. Review

None of it will likely stand the test of time, but it’s quite amusing in the moment. Review

Every poignant sequence is frustratingly dampened by pervasive eeriness or editing eccentricities, as if Carax insists upon preventing audiences from appreciating even a single moment of unadulterated human pathos. Review

A good portion of the film resembles My Fair Lady, as Vinka steadily discards her severe demeanor and masculine garb for warmer smiles and lacy undergarments, while also exhibiting a Ninotchka flavor, though its occasional derivative qualities don’t help it feel any less muddled or insipid. Review