The fourth instalment of the increasing bloated and mishandled Alien franchise was released in 1997. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Alien: Resurrection took the franchise in a drastic new direction after the critical mauling that Alien3 received and under the Frenchmen's gaze became a much comic take on the Alien Universe. A great deal of this humour comes from a script penned … [Read more...]
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) review by That Film Brat
After the ridiculous success of Resident Evil at the box office, the studio green-lit a sequel and injected a bit more money into it this time ($45 million versus Resident Evil's $30 million). Paul W. S. Anderson decided not to stay on as director, but instead wrote the script and produced the film. And thank god. Resident Evil: Apocalypse improves on the first film in almost … [Read more...]
Men in Black III (2012) review by That Film Guy
Ten years after the release of the previous installment, direct Barry Sonnenfeld and stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones return for Men in Black III. Mired in a controversial production cycle ever since being announced in 2009, Men in Black III uses an idea of Smith's to have his Agent J travel back in time to the 1960s to meet a younger version of Jones' Agent K. … [Read more...]
Iron Sky (2012, Finland) review by That Art House Guy
Two words: Space Nazis. And now a question: How do you feel about the concept of a movie based around Space Nazis? If you're thinking ˜yes, Space Nazis “ yes, that sounds like the epitome of stupid but fun', you'll probably like Iron Sky just fine. If you're thinking ˜Space Nazis? How patently absurd “ no good can come of such an endeavour,' I'm afraid Iron Sky is not the … [Read more...]
Men in Black II (2002) review by That Film Guy
With the original Men in Black such a roaring success both commercially and critically it was only a matter of time until a sequel hit the screens and that matter of time was five years. Men in Black II, released in 2002 reunited director Barry Sonnenfeld and lead actors Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as agents J and K, members of the secret agency known as The Men in Black. … [Read more...]
Men in Black (1997) review by That Film Guy
In 1997 director Barry Sonnenfeld, fresh off the success of adapting the classic TV shot The Addams Family, turned his attentions to the world of comic books and a little known title called The Men in Black. Casting Hollywood A-listers Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as the central duo paid dividends as their natural on-screen chemistry helped propel Men in Black to a box office … [Read more...]
Children of Men (2006) review by That Film Guy
Dystopian futures are one of the most well-realised forms of science fiction in literature and film. From George Orwell's iconic 1984 all the way to films like The Road Warrior, the idea that we, as a species will inevitably destroy our own civilisation have fascinated and engaged us for decades. In 2006 Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, fresh off dragging Harry Potter and the … [Read more...]
Stargate (1994) review by That Film Guy
It is now common place for successful television shows to be given an outing on the big screen. Everything from The Inbetweeners to On the Buses have seen their small screen characters taking on the silver screen, all with varying quality. Rarer to find however is feature films that have forgone a sequel and instead moved the narrative onto television. The most successful of … [Read more...]
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) review by That Film Guy
When James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger collaborated on The Terminator in 1984 they created a franchise that has run for over two decades. The most successful both critically and commercially of the franchise is its immediate sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which reverses the role of Arnie's character from killing machine to protector of a young John Connor (Edward … [Read more...]
Predators (2010) review by That Film Guy
After one sequel and two spin-off films, the eponymous Predator was brought back to the silver screen by Robert Rodriguez in 2010 in Predators. Pitched as the true sequel, and ignoring the events of Predator 2, Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, Predators takes the franchise back to the jungle atmosphere of the original and cleverly uses the ˜slasher horror' … [Read more...]