Ballerina (2025) Film Review

Trained in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma, Eve Macarro takes on an army of killers as she seeks revenge against those responsible for the death of her father.

Ballerina is directed by Len Wiseman director of Underworld (2003), Underworld: Evolution (2006), Live Free or Die Hard (2007) and Total Recall (2012). Ballerina is the fifth installment in the John Wick franchise, the film takes place between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023).

The John Wick franchise has proven to be quite a strong series of films, you always know what you are going to get with these films and they always deliver. Ballerina does not really do anything new in terms of world building or character writing (outside of Eve Macarro of course) but the film still manages to bring the atmosphere, action and electrifying energy of the franchise.

Ana de Armas fits perfectly in the world of the franchise, there’s some scenes (mostly at the beginning) that heavily rely on her performance and due to her fitting so well and her ability to have this fury behind her eyes they work. She’s able to connect with Eve Macarro very quickly of course the action filled moments are fantastic which Armas did most of her own stunts, but the character moments are also quite well done. There is not anything groundbreaking going on here with the character moments, but they still have just enough power and this dark atmospheric energy that makes them interesting. Armas’s performance alone keeps these moments afloat and ends up fully connecting with the film’s universe.

The rest of the performances are great, although there is not a whole lot to the characters it’s still quite neat to see them involved. Keanu Reeves is of course great to see as John Wick and Norman Reedus is quite fun for the short amount of time he is in the film. The late Lance Reddick also makes his final appearance in the franchise which is admittedly very sad to see (even if it’s a very brief appearance.)

The action scenes combined with the cinematography are absolutely well done, as I said before Ana de Armas did mostly her own stunts which is quite impressive given the action scenes that are in this film. The film’s use of a flamethrower is both jaw dropping but also quite suspenseful as well, it adds to the action filled chaos of the third act which keeps up the momentum of what the other films of the franchise brought with their third acts. The fight choreography is just as great as well, it’s up close and you feel the impact and movement of the camera. It’s fast editing combined with the film’s typical brutal action makes for some quite exciting scenes that truly do deliver and never fail to keep the viewer entertained.

Finally there’s the writing, while there is not anything new going on here. That does not make the film bad, the first act is admittedly a bit on the rough side at times. However the film quickly picks up and becomes a very entertaining ride from beginning to end. The character writing for Eve Macarro is strong enough to keep the film going and the atmosphere is able to do a lot of the talking during certain moments.

If you are a fan of the John Wick series you will love Ballerina it’s an incredibly fun film that knows what it wants to be and accomplishes that quite well!

Ballerina is currently in theaters!

9/10 A

Predator: Killer Of Killers (2025) Film Review

A Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan, and a World War II pilot encounter a fierce intergalactic hunter.

Predator: Killer Of Killers is directed by Dan Trachtenberg director of 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and Prey (2022). Predator: Killer Of Killers is the sixth film and the eighth installment of the Predator franchise.

After Prey (2022) was released with large amounts of praise, there was no doubt that there would be another Predator film, first they announced Predator: Badlands which releases later this year in November. Predator Killer Of Killers was a secret film that Trachtenberg was working on and the film further shows that Trachtenberg is doing truly creative and exciting things with the Predator franchise.

The first thing you will notice is how beautifully animated the film really is, I could go on for hours of how wonderfully done each and every scene really is. The amount of attention to detail helps build each and every scene, the characters are expressive and finally we have action scenes which in a lot of ways do have this Saturday morning cartoon feel but not in a bad way. The action scenes do such a great job of moving this film along at such a nice pace that compliments the atmosphere which manage to be dark, fun and tense at the same time.

The characters are simple yet effective, there is not any groundbreaking character writing here. But that ultimately does not hurt the film since the characters work just fine on their own. Ursa, Kenji and John J. Torres all get their own segment which ultimately leads up the final segment of the film. Their stories are admittedly a bit of the same in terms of what exactly happens (which is why I chose not to talk about each segment individually), with that being said it is simply very neat to see the predator travel through different periods of time and combine that with some really strong action scenes. Plus there are some genuine moments here where you do want to see the main three character’s loved ones survive.

The final segment is especially really strong, a giant colosseum battle that is so pleasing to watch. The buildup the film has been setting up pays off incredibly well and goes all out, it helps that we also got some pretty effective world building that I do hope we get to see in future films. There is a lot going on during this giant battle that is filled to the brim with fun character moments, the predators speaking in their native language and of course more beautifully done scenes thanks to the animation.

Overall Predator: Killer Of Killers is a lot of fun and one of the best installments of the franchise, it is filled to the brim with creativity even when some segments result in the same outcome that ultimately does not hurt the film as the film is beautifully made, written and executed.

Predator: Killer Of Killers is available on Hulu!

9/10 A

Thunderbolts (2025) Film Review

Ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes — Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker — embarks on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

Thunderbolts is directed by Jake Schreier director of Robot & Frank (2012) and Paper Towns (2015). Thunderbolts is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

To say Thunderbolts is a breath of fresh air for the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be a huge understatement, a lot of the flaws to some of the more recent installments of the universe are not present here. Instead we get a lot of genuinely beautiful moments mixed with the film tackling some themes that might not exactly be groundbreaking in execution but the way the film goes about executing them is quite great. Combine that with some really strong acting, action scenes and engaging dialogue and you have yourself one of the best installments to the MCU in quite a while.

The performances are all fantastic across the board, everyone here gets a chance to shine even when some have very limited time on screening. Florence Pugh is one of the major standouts, she carries a lot of the dramatic weight of the film and puts so much passion and power into Yelena as a character. The character moments we get from her is quite beautiful and even heartbreaking at times, there are moments here that actually make the viewer tear up a bit, Pugh is a powerhouse actress as I’ve said in the past and here is no exception. She’s able to really build this whole different look to Yelena that are different from her past appearances while also complimenting them as well, Pugh is also able to have this wonderful balance between her dramatic moments and her comedic ones. The humor is actually quite hilarious here so Pugh is able to take advantage of it and work her magic, lastly the action scenes with Pugh are fantastic and always a treat to watch due to how committed she really is.

Lewis Pullman who plays Bob or Sentry/Void is the other major standout, he delivers this complex and sympathetic character who is constantly at war with himself. At first he may not seem like much but as the film goes on we see the character building in action which quickly pushes Pullman to one of the film’s best assets, this where the theme of mental health kicks in and it is very well integrated into Bob’s character arc. There’s one particular moment that is a highlights this incredibly well, Pullman just overall gives a fantastic performance that is truly beautifully done. Much like Pugh, he’s able to have this balance of dramatic and comedic moments. The timing is especially well done and his facial acting combined with his character clearly struggling gets the viewer more and more invested as it goes on.

Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen and David Harbour are all quite great, they all work incredibly well together. The banter between them is fun and the team chemistry is filled to the brim with charm, even if some get more bigger moments than others you still are invested in these characters. All of their personalities all blend together very nicely and have this genuine connection, it helps that the writing actually does help build these characters.

Speaking of which the script from Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo is truly fascinating here, not only is it a very fun time with humor that is genuinely fun. But there is a lot of dramatic moments that help push these characters, these moments help build them into something the viewer can connect with and there’s a lot of successful moments like these throughout the film. The theme of mental health although not exactly groundbreaking (as I said before) still feels like it’s coming from a place of honesty and shows what people can go through when they are at war with themselves (obviously in a more comic book way with giant voids but you get the point.)

The action scenes are incredibly well done, they are very well detailed the stunt team seriously knocks it out of the park here with quite honestly some of the best we have seen from the MCU. The cinematography from cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo is beautifully done, pays a lot of attention detail and has this large in scale feel that really captures the world of the film. It is the epic massive beast of a picture that is striking and lets the viewer look around at many given opportunities.

Overall Thunderbolts is a huge step in the right direction for the MCU, the film has a lot of the spirit of what made the Guardians Of The Galaxy films so great and even does it’s own thing as well. Even apart from the MCU (the film does not really have any easter eggs) the film is still fantastic and is just an overall excellent film that is both fun and filled to the brim with heart.

Thunderbolts is currently in theaters

10/10 A+

Tribeca Film Review: How To Train Your Dragon (2025)

On the rugged isle of Berk, a Viking boy named Hiccup defies centuries of tradition by befriending a dragon named Toothless. However, when an ancient threat emerges that endangers both species, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.

Tribeca Review

How To Train Your Dragon is directed by Dean DeBlois director of the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy and Lilo & Stitch (2002) along with Chris Sanders.

The How To Train Your Dragon films are incredible and are a prime example of a series that really focused on introducing new elements with each installment and figuring out ways to get better and better. Each one has something unique to them which truly makes them special and well remembered. To say that a live action film for the first film is an odd choice would be understatement, even though the clear reason as to why is money. Despite that however this one manages to be one of the far better live action remakes and I really have to attribute that to DeBlois being in the director’s chair because he did quite a splendid job here.

The performances work very well, Mason Thames does a great job as Hiccup. He had a lot to carry on his shoulders but he manages to really put his own energy into the character, he’s not trying to do an impression of Jay Baruchel. He’s doing his own thing while also being faithful to what makes Hiccup such a great character. The bond between him and Toothless is something the film is able to capture quite well and really does bring a smile on your face, it’s mainly thanks to Thames’s performance that really holds these memorable moments together.

Nico Parker as Astrid is quite great, much of what I said about Thames making Hiccup his own can be applied here with Parker making Astrid her own. It helps that the chemistry between the two is genuinely adorable and their acting bounces off of each other very well. Gerard Butler reprises his role as Stoick and much like in the original film does really well, the father-son dynamic is strong and translates well. Nick Frost as Gobbet is different yet it’s welcome, he actually does have some genuinely funny lines here that worked.

When it comes to a technical aspect the film is excellent, the cinematography is genuinely beautiful and the film is undeniably very well made. Combined with the location you do get this sense of adventure and wonder that the original film had and that’s felt throughout film. This is something that a lot of other live action remakes tend to miss so it is refreshing to see one of these films actually look beautiful as well as managing to capture the spirit of the source material, some might say “that’s the bare minimum they should all be doing that” and that is not necessarily wrong but seeing how a majority of them have completely opted to not do that I say this is kind of shocking,

With all of that being said at the end of the day this is very much a shot for shot live action remake with small differences in between. Even though it’s a faithful one and admittedly a pretty well directed one, it does not really do anything that the original film did not do. The original film is far and away a better film simply because the emotional impact is far more present in that film than it is here, while there are touching moments here that can get the viewer to connect with these characters all over again. Seeing the same film again but in live action does not quite strike up the emotional impact.

Overall How To Train Your Dragon is still a fun time, if you liked the original film you will probably get a lot out of this one. Just don’t go in expecting anything different because you will not get that here. This is a film I will probably never go back to, but I would be lying if I said I did not have a decent time with this one.

How To Train Your Dragon releases tomorrow in theaters.

7/10 B

Fountain Of Youth (2025) Film Review

Two estranged siblings partner on a global heist to find the mythological Fountain of Youth. They must use their knowledge of history to follow clues on an adventure that will change their lives and possibly lead to immortality.

Fountain Of Youth is directed by Guy Richie director of Snatch (2000), Sherlock Holmes (2009), Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011), Aladdin (2019), Wrath Of Man (2021), The Covenant (2023), The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) and a few others.

Fountain Of Youth is basically if you took National Treasure and Indiana Jones but made them both incredibly dull. This movie is a straight to streaming film and it’s one of those cases where you can really feel that, sure the movie might look big and scale and the filming is actually quite decent at times. But it really does end up being a shrunken down version of better films.

The performances are fine enough, nobody here really does anything noteworthy which is a bit of a disappointment because you have John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González and Stanley Tucci (who is very underused) all in the same movie yet all their performances are either forgettable or are not impressive. It does not help that Krasinski and Portman have zero chemistry, sure there’s a few decent moments of dialogue but the chemistry feels like dead air right from the start.

The action scenes I will say provided some surprisingly entertaining moments, they are not anything mind blowing but they are at the very least fun enough. Christopher Benstead’s score is also pretty solid as well, it definitely gives off the feel of an adventure and manages to capture this adventurous atmosphere that actually does a lot of the heavy lifting in the atmosphere department.

The writing is what kills this movie, there’s just not a whole lot going on here narratively, it’s all very predictable and goes on for way too long. The “twist” the movie tries to say is a surprise reveal is incredibly predictable and narratively is incredibly ridiculous, it’s odd because the first half of the movie is not that bad. It’s when the movie becomes an unimaginative version of National Treasure and Indiana Jones it really falls off a cliff and never recovers.

There is not much more to say about Fountain Of Youth, outside of some decent actions, a solid score and fine enough acting you are not going to get much else out of this one.

Fountain Of Youth is available on Apple TV+

4/10 D+

Sinners (2025) Film Review

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their Mississippi hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Sinners is directed by Ryan Coogler director of Fruitvale Station (2013), Creed (2015), Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Ryan Coogler is one of those directors that I always look forward to see what he has to say with his films, which is why I was incredibly excited to see Coogler tackle the horror genre with Sinners but not only does he do such a great job with the genre but he also nails tons of themes as well as other genres such as thriller, a bit of crime, action, drama and even some period piece western type of feel that transports you back to parts of the classic cinema era.

To start with the performances are all top notch, everyone here is really bringing it their all. Michael B. Jordan throughout his career has shown how much he’s grown as an actor and here feels like the end result of that. Jordan gives a fantastic dual performance as Elijah “Smoke” Moore and Elias “Stack” Moore twin brothers who return to their hometown to start a juke joint for the town. Jordan is able to give both these brothers different personalities and really make them fun characters, the back and forth between the two is natural and Michael B. Jordan’s charisma as an actor is present throughout the film. He completely fits the atmosphere and pours so much power and energy into the performance, it’s by far one of the most striking performances of the year that completely feels natural from beginning to end.

Miles Caton gives an unbelievable debut performance, not only is his acting filled with passion but his singing voice is one of the film’s highlights. There’s a theme of music going on here and how it brings people together and how powerful it can be. Caton’s singing voice does just that and delivers one of the film’s best moments that is incredibly memorable (his singing voice really gave me chills at times) he also works so well with the rest of the cast and truly delivers a breakout performance that is absolutely going to put him into stardom.

Hailee Steinfeld gives one of the best performances of her career, she may not be in the film incredibly long but much like everyone else in the film she goes all out here, Jack O’Connell is given one scene in particular that’s a lot of fun, his singing voice matches the atmosphere of the scene taking place and he truly makes for such an excellent villain. Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Miller and Delroy Lindo are all fantastic here. Miller and Lindo provide some great comedic moments while Mosaku’s bond with Jordan is genuinely touching and her character Annie is very well written!

As I said one of the themes at play here is music and that is shown with a certain moment that I won’t spoil, but just know it’s one of the many moments where you see how powerful Ryan Coogler is as a director. It’s a very well done scene that kind of feels like the the heart of the film and I mean that when it comes to importance, it’s a look of just how grand in scale this film really is and as well as how beautiful done the film itself is.

The direction from Ryan Coogler is top notch, this is quite possibly the best direction of his career which is really saying something. He combines so many different types of genres together and they all fit naturally, this just isn’t another vampire film, it takes the idea of vampires and does something unique with it. You have the thriller, drama, action and some western elements thrown in here that all blend together to create a beautiful fun ride from beginning to end.

Overall Sinners is a brilliant film, from the cast, to the direction, to the large in scale feel. Sinners has everything that makes for a fantastic blockbuster and hands down my favorite film so far this year.

Sinners is available in theaters.

10/10 A+

Quick Review: Fear Below (2025)

After crashing their van of stolen gold into a river, ruthless gangsters hire desperate divers to retrieve it. But as a relentless bull shark hunts them below, they soon realize the greater threat may be waiting above the surface.

Fear Below is directed by Matthew Holmes director of The Biscuit Effect (2005), Twin Rivers (2007), The Legend Of Ben Hall (2017) and The Cost (2022)

Going into Fear Below I was expecting just another shark movie that would be forgettable almost immediately. While the movie is not perfect, Fear Below manages to differentiate itself from the very crowded shark movie genre.

The performances are nothing particularly special here, but they get the job done. They do well with the atmosphere that’s presented here, as far as characters go they have a bit more going than some others within this same genre. Hermione Corfield is the standout here.

I do like that the setting is 1940s Australia which is something we don’t usually get with these types of films, considering how low the budget was the movie does a pretty solid job of recreating the atmosphere of 1940s Australia. Between the weather and the bugs buzzing you can tell they did not just want to settle with the bare minimum

The main criticism comes from the editing which can be a bit choppy at times and the movie does get a bit repetitive towards the end, having that said the movie is still decently fun. If you are a fan of shark movies check this one out!

Fear Below is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

Havoc (2025) Film Review

After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through the criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son, unravelling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city.

Havoc is directed by Gareth Evans director of Footsteps (2006), Merantau (2009), The Raid (2011), The Raid (2014) and Apostle (2018)

Havoc is a film I have been waiting to watch for a couple years now and unfortunately it’s a bit of a disappointment. While the action scenes are spectacular and Evans manages to recapture what made The Raid as it was when it comes to the atmosphere and action scenes. However it’s the character writing and story that really bring this one down quite a lot.

The performances aren’t bad here, Tom Hardy gives a solid performance as does everyone else. The problem here as I said before is the character writing is severely lacking, there’s no character drama that brings the viewer in. None of it is interesting enough to make the viewer connect with these characters, it’s unfortunate because I do think the performances from everyone is not bad, without strong writing these characters are stuck in limbo unfortunately. Hardy’s character is a badass sure but what else?

It goes without saying but the action scenes are very neat, Havoc is definitely a case of a movie trading in story with action scenes and at times it works fine enough. There is a few in particular that are quite spectacular which really makes you admire the choreography, filming and atmosphere that went into these scenes. The atmosphere really syncs perfectly with the action scenes, giving this giant scale of thrills where anything can happen. It almost feels like a first- person shooter video game (without the POV of course), it’s so much fun and really shows that Gareth Evans really knows his stuff when it comes to action and how to build thrilling action scenes.

The movie does take a bit of time to get going which unfortunately puts you through the story, while the story isn’t necessarily terrible. It’s quite generic as action thrillers go it’s very one note and does not offer anything new to a very crowded genre, however you could absolutely do far worse and at the very least you get some decent acting out of it.

Havoc might not have a whole lot going on story wise but it’s hard to ignore how great the action scenes and atmosphere really are, Gareth Evans is able to push the film just a bit above the finish line to make it work. The movie is a huge step down from Evans’s previous work but I still would not call this one bad. If you don’t care for story and just want really strong action scenes and a thrilling atmosphere this one is definitely for you, I actually recommend checking this one out!

Havoc is available on Netflix.

6/10 C+

A Working Man (2025) Film Review

Levon Cade left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life of working construction. However, when human traffickers kidnap his boss’s daughter, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.

A Working Man is directed by David Ayer director of Harsh Times (2005), Street Kings (2008), End Of Watch (2012), Sabotage (2014), Fury (2014), Suicide Squad (2016), Bright (2017), The Tax Collector (2020) and The Beekeeper (2024)

A Working Man is essentially the yearly Jason Statham action film, there is nothing going on here that really differentiates it from Statham’s other films. With that being said I do not think this is quite as bad as some people are making it out to be, but I still would not call it a great movie.

The acting is about what you expect, Jason Statham does a pretty decent job here and actually does have a few moments where his charisma as an actor actually shines. There’s a few touching scenes that are just enough to get you into some parts of the story, the rest of the cast are fine enough here. Nobody really lands a memorable performance, I like Michael Peña fine enough (although he doesn’t do that much) as Joe Garcia who is a father that desperately wants his daughter back. It’s very much the Jason Statham show as it usually is with these movies and honestly there’s nothing really wrong with that.

The action scenes were solid, they were decently brutal and had this 80s and 90s feel going on that actually worked in some cases particularly during the last bit of the movie. There really is not anything mind blowing going on here, but the action scenes are admittedly satisfying especially in the context of the story with Levon Cade (played by Jason Statham) hunting down human traffickers which combined with the brutal style of the action scenes does make it work.

If you are going into this one expecting the atmosphere of The Beekeeper (2024) then you are going to be incredibly disappointed. Whereas The Beekeeper (2024) did not take itself seriously and was pretty self aware about it as well, A Working Man takes itself incredibly seriously which I guess is not surprising given that the story here is that Statham is hunting down human traffickers. While yes there are some unintentional moments that you could consider a laugh those are very far and few in between.

The writing is ultimately what hurts the movie the most, while it is neat to see Statham hunt down a bunch of human traffickers. The journey to get to those great action scenes is a bumpy one, the characters really do not have a whole lot going on at all. The story itself is partly a Taken (2008) clone only without a lot of the atmosphere that made it so great, the script from David Ayer and Sylvester Stallone also lacks the meat of the story. Every once and a while you will get some moments that at least have some sort of depth (that’s being generous), but much like a lot of this movie that’s far and few in between.

Overall A Working Man is going to satisfy die hard Jason Statham fans, for everyone else this is a movie you are more than likely going to immediately forget about after watching.

A Working Man is available on all VOD platforms.

4/10 D+

G20 (2025) Film Review

When terrorists take over the G20 summit, US President Danielle Sutton uses her governing and military experience to defend her family, fellow leaders, and the world.

G20 is directed by Patricia Riggen director of Under The Same Moon (2007), Lemonade Mouth (2011), Girl in Progress (2012), The 33 (2015) and Miracles From Heaven (2016)

I will give G20 this, it’s not as bad as expected and that’s mainly due to Viola Davis carrying this movie to the finish line. There’s some decent moments every now and then but ultimately this is just yet another Die Hard (1988) clone mixed with Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down (2013)

The performances are not bad here, in fact they are probably the best thing the movie has going for it. Viola Davis gives a great performance that really keeps the movie rolling along, her role here as Danielle Sutton the U.S. President might not be one of her excellent roles. But it’s clear that Davis tried with what she could with such a generic script, Anthony Anderson is pretty decent here as well although much like Davis really can’t fully flesh out the role due to the script.

Unfortunately what kills G20 almost immediately is the script, it’s a very basic Die Hard (1988) knock off that is not doing anything new or even exciting. There are some nice bits between the Sutton family but they are so far and few in between that it fails to get the viewer to engage with their bond. The lack of the emotional bond between the family is due to a lot of underdeveloped characters leading to a lot of one-dimensional characters who are only really there as plot devices or walking and talking cliches.

The action scenes are not terrible but they lack a lot of passion and very much feel like they were slapped together at the last minute, the movie’s focus on throwing in as many buzzwords such as AI and cryptocurrency into the plot without even exploring them is incredibly obnoxious and does not lead into anything investing. It’s all incredibly surface level discussion that really does not add to anything and the end result is an uninspired take on the political action genre.

There really is not much more to say about G20 despite Viola Davis trying her hardest to really keep this one afloat, the movie sinks itself for being way too cliched and offering nothing new to the genre. This is once again another example of release date fodder.

G20 is available on Amazon Prime Video.

4/10 D+