Movie reviews of Craig McKenzie

A compelling take on the Dark Knight with an excellent visual aesthetic and a strong take on Lovecraftian horror that will leave a lasting impression. Review

A fun and visually stunning superhero outing with excellent production design, creative set pieces and an abundance of charm. Review

An infectiously fun time at the movies that is impressively constructed, endlessly entertaining and visually vibrant with engaging instantly memorable characters. Review

A very poor entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a sloppy script and ugly visuals that definitely doesn’t qualify as a “must-see” cinematic event. Review

Teen Wolf: The Movie is an utterly unnecessary revisit that plays like glorified fan fiction, managing to forget everything that made the TV series such a success in the first place. Review

A well-directed mid-budget action movie with excellent pacing, a variety of entertaining set pieces and a capable lead in Gerard Butler that succeeds far more than it doesn’t. Review

Exploited had the potential to be a compelling exploration into how the digital age has made stalking and harassment even easier for its perpetrators, or a traditional slasher augmented by the use of contemporary technology. Review

A must-see for its technical accomplishments but has very little beneath the surface. The opening of the film impressively establishes a baseline for the Sully family that enhances the notion that they are outsiders when they have to learn the ways of the Metkayina. Review

Nutcracker Massacre is an admirable effort to craft a festive horror with limited resources and manages to do quite a bit with very little. Review

Goodbye, Don Glees! will feel familiar to anyone even vaguely familiar with the themes of coming-of-age movies, but its trio of relatable teens and the sincerity of their emotional intensity quickly becomes hypnotic, as it tells a tale of overwrought sentimentality that defies you to claim it doesn’t resonate with you in a deep and powerful way. ... Review

A fascinating yet clunky viewing experience that feels in conflict with itself about what it wants to be but features a strong exploration of grief, stunning visuals and excellent characterisation. Review

Black Adam is not without its merits or potential but it fails to be more than the sum of its parts and ends up as a slog that buries what potential it has under relentless white noise. Review

An excellent and beautiful looking animated entry into the DC universe with a strong central relationship, lots of relatable ideas and clear love for the source material. Review

Werewolf by Night might only have been made as a seasonal experiment, but demonstrates the skill with which new ideas and concepts can be can realised. Review

Hellraiser is a relentlessly tense and increasingly chilling thrill ride, anchored around engaging lead performances along with welcome additions to series lore. It stands beside the best of the saga and excels as a standalone entry while also setting itself up for continuation. Review

While not exciting or tense enough to truly be the thriller it’s classified as, Black Mail is nevertheless an engaging exploration into how pervasive is cybercrime in the modern day, how easily it can be deployed on the unsuspecting, and how quickly it can destroy its victims’ lives. Review

An excellent comedically charged slasher film with a stunning leading performance, impressive depth and clever flourishes that help it stand out among its peers. Review

A tight and efficiently constructed vertiginous and claustrophobic experience that wonderfully exploits the innate terror of being trapped at a very high height. Review

A fascinating, stylish and remarkable film with an eye on the future through exploration of the past. Review

An excellent entry into the Predator canon with an outstanding leading performance, a masterful command of visual storytelling, stunning attention to detail and well-delivered terror. Naru is an excellent character wonderfully performed by Amber Midthunder who constantly impresses in her physicality and line delivery. Review

A fascinating and moving character-driven story bustling with creativity and compelling ideas presented in a visually stunning way. Sam is an excellent point-of-view character wonderfully performed by Eva Noblezada. Review

An infectiously charming and visually impressive superhero story with strong characters and a lot of care put into every aspect. Review

Another strong animated DC movie with an excellent central character arc, powerful vocal performances and stunning animation. Review

A fun and visually stunning entry into the ever-growing MCU that has a strong grasp of theme, great characters and an excellent sense of humour. Review