Tuner (2026) Film Review

A talented piano tuner who suffers from hyperacusis discovers an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down

Tuner is directed by Daniel Roher which is his first narrative film.

When it comes to bringing in all sorts of different type of styles, Tuner really delivers on that front. What may seem like a very typical crime thriller on the surface actually ends up being a whole lot more investing, captivating and is able to differentiate itself from a crowded genre.

Leo Woodall really impresses here, not only is he able to capture the film’s thrilling atmosphere but he’s also able to completely adapt to the film’s more light hearted atmosphere when we get some romance between Leo Woodall and Havana Rose Liu. In a lot of cases film’s like this would not be able to juggle two very different atmospheres however the film is able to do this simply because it’s well paced and fits everything in like a glove. Which gives Woodall the opening to deliver the performance required, he’s able to show a level of skill here that is not only fun but investing.

Havana Rose Liu is also quite fantastic here as well, she gives this proud and spirited performance plus her chemistry with Woodall is honestly the film’s best moments. There is this natural like feeling that connects Niki White (played by Leo Woodall) and Ruthie Waymon (played by Havana Rose Liu) one of the film’s best moments is when they are simply talking about life goals, it’s a quite beautiful moment that really brings the film together and really shows the talent of Woodall and Liu incredibly well.

The writing is quite strong here, there’s a lot of character moments that work and just have this natural feel that the viewer can connect with. There are a few hiccups plot wise during the film’s third act however that is truly not enough to stop it from being quite investing. The story also might not be anything new, but it’s how the film goes about executing it is what makes this one stand tall.

The technical aspects are truly fantastic, the sound design is effective and turns several scenes into giant paintings that the viewer explores with their eyes and ears. The editing is snappy and quickly brings the viewer into the experience, it helps keep the pacing in line and as a result feels like a quick watch (in this case that’s a very good.)

Overall Tuner is a quite effective crime thriller that takes a plot that would be otherwise a bit forgettable and manages to turn into something investing and thrilling. The film does cross some familiar territory but the execution is effective enough to bring this one to the finish line.

Tuner is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

I Want Your Sex (2026) Film Review

When fresh-faced Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) lands an exciting job for renowned artist, icon and provocateur Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), his fantasies come true as Erika taps him to become her sexual muse.

I Want Your Sex is directed by Gregg Araki director of Mysterious Skin (2004), Nowhere (1997), The Living End (1992), Three Bewildered People In The Night (1987), White Bird In A Blizzard and a few others.

Gregg Araki makes his return and it was definitely worth the wait, Araki mostly sticks with what he does best when it comes to his filmmaking style. However he also brings a bit more to make the experience differentiate itself from the rest of his work. You also have some very committed performances as well as this commentary on sex and how often people see it merely as performance rather than expression. All of this together creates such a fun and investing time.

The performances are why this film works as well as it does, Cooper Hoffman does such a fantastic job of playing this submissive goof and truly works well with the rest of the cast. His commitment to the role is truly phenomenal and really does bring this sense of passion to his performance. Olivia Wilde is just as fantastic, right from the beginning of the film she automatically commands the screen with so much confidence and sharpness that really brings her performance together. It’s definitely a unique performance from Wilde which truly works due to the commitment she has to the role.

But together, Hoffman and Wilde truly elevate the film’s material. There are comedic moments and serious ones that the two really bounce off of perfectly. The two personalities of their characters makes for very entertaining moments that bring this natural chemistry that really gives the film the atmosphere it needs to truly shine.

The supporting cast is also quite great, Chase Sui Wonders is great and works well with Hoffman, Charli xcx has a small yet genuinely funny performance and Mason Gooding gives what is perhaps his best performance of his career thus far. This is the first time where Gooding actually manages to bring something a bit more to his performance and while he does not really play an incredibly important part here. There is something about his performance that feels genuine here, plus he works well with Hoffman and manages to bring in a few laughs.

The film’s writing is quite clever, admittedly there’s a few predictable moments. But the film makes up for it with its commentary on sex and how some people see it as performance rather than expression as I mentioned before. It’s very well done and gives Erika Tracey (played by Olivia Wilde) and Elliot (played by Cooper Hoffman) some strong character writing that almost feels like this compare and contrast situation that is pretty well done.

Something Araki does tap into is the modern youth’s outlook on sex and relationships as well. There is a lot of nuances here that Araki points out especially a scene that is earlier on in the film where Erika and Elliot have a brief but interesting conversation. There’s a lot of nuances of just growing up in general no matter what generation you are from, it’s very well done and really shows how much thought is put into what Araki is saying rather than just barging into an argument with no knowledge of the subject.

Overall I Want Your Sex is a very campy yet strong film that is a whole lot of fun. The amount of commitment and passion put into this film can be felt through the screen. This one might not be explosive as some of Araki’s previous work, but it still has what makes Araki such an excellent director.

I Want Your Sex releases tomorrow in theaters.

9/10 A

Disclosure Day (2026) Film Review

A TV meteorologist (Blunt) starts speaking in alien languages and understanding people’s life stories, drawing the attention of a cybersecurity analyst (O’Connor) who has evidence of an alien cover-up. They team up to reveal the truth to the world while evading a powerful corporation trying to stop them.

Disclosure Day is directed by Steven Spielberg (do I really need to say what he’s directed I think you get the picture.)

Steven Spielberg is back and while Disclosure Day does have a bit of a rough start the film does quickly gets on its feet and makes a beeline for the finish line during the second half of the film.

The performances are all around quite great, Josh O’Connor gives a restrained yet investing performance even if this is not one of his best. Colman Domingo’s performance mainly works here because of his charisma and we do get some moments from his character Hugo Wakefield towards the end that are quite great. Courtney Grace who actually is a former TV news reporter gives an incredibly surprising performance during the film’s final moments, it’s by far the film’s most noteworthy moment and everything she needed to do here she not only did it but made it look like a breeze.

But by far the best performance of the film has to be Emily Blunt, it’s one of those performances where you can absolutely argue that it could be a career best. She commands the screen at every moment and brings intelligence, vulnerability as well as determination to her role and the film itself. She is also able to give the film this strong emotional core, this is something the film absolutely needed at certain points in the story and luckily Blunt was there to really help push the film. Even during the film’s more weaker moments when it comes to the script, Blunt is able to elevate the material just by being there to help keep the scene in question on its legs. Blunt gives one of the best performances so far this year and her character Margaret Fairchild has this level of relatability that you can easily connect to as the viewer.

As I said before, the film does have a rough start. It’s not that the first half is anything bad, in fact there are plenty of moments during the first half that are quite great. There is a bit of repetitiveness and goes on for a bit too long. The first half is also just a lot weaker when you compare it to the second half where things really start to kick into high gear. A lot of the elements that you know in love from Spielberg start to show up, the main one being cinema magic and wonder. Especially with the film’s genuinely beautiful ending that does leave the viewer with a lot of questions.

John Williams’ score is well done throughout and brings the sense of movie wonder like he always does, it’s especially noticeable during the second half of the film where we get these quiet moments to really take in what is taking place. The emotion of Williams’ score is also here and really brings the whole package together in the end.

Finally there is the film’s ending which does strike up a ton of conversations and questions, but ultimately I do think the film’s theme of empathy mixed with these final moments really displays this film’s heart. The whole inspiring belief of this truth is done wonderfully especially when you have the earlier mentioned performance from Courtney Grace. The film also really does capture a lot of why we love film so much, there’s this awe-inspiring experience in this film that is done in such a beautiful way. It leaves an impact on the viewer and as mentioned earlier really makes you ask questions and think about those final moments.

Overall Disclosure Day might be predictable in some areas and the first half might not be the best. But I do think the film ultimately sticks the landing and is able to deliver a satisfying and beautiful experience to the viewer.

Disclosure Day is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Rose Of Nevada (2026) Film Review

Mysterious boat returns to a village 30 years after vanishing. Two men join its crew hoping for better fortune. After one voyage, they find themselves transported back in time, mistaken for the original crew.

Rose Of Nevada is directed by Mark Jenkin director of The Midnight Drives (2007), Bait (2019), Enys Men (2022) and a few others.

Rose Of Nevada is a film where if I had to describe it in one word it would be mystery, because 90% of the time you are not quite sure what is exactly going on here and not in the bad sort of way. The film’s world has this atmosphere attached to it that really compliments the full theming as well, when you combine that with excellent performances and Mark Jenkin’s clever direction. You end up with an experience that you are not going to forget anytime soon.

The performances from George MacKay and Callum Turner are really strong and lure you into the film, I also do love the compare and contrast element going on here with their characters. Nick (played by MacKay) notices that time is being moved backwards, while Liam (played by Turner) embraces the time change almost as sort of way to go against it or challenge it.

The time travel element is incredibly well done here, the whole idea of a ship that was thought to be lost just appears ones day is the sort of story that you would tell your friends around a campfire. The film’s atmosphere compliments this as well, its oozing with this haunting feel that really makes you wonder where did this ship go? What did this ship see? It’s the many questions like these that we don’t really get an answer to but that is perhaps the most haunting part of it all, it’s such a brilliant way to really tie this into a ghost story and truly make the whole story stand on its own.

The whole 16mm look is absolutely fantastic, it brings its own sense of character into the mix and has this haunting version of nostalgia attached to it that really makes this film’s atmosphere all the more haunting. Mark Jenkin’s cinematography has so much detail going on here as well. It paints this haunting picture of going backwards in time that nobody can really do anything about because the source of it is unknown.

Finally there’s the direction from Mark Jenkin who does such a fantastic job of painting a town with no way forward and can only really look back, some people accept it while others who have something to live for do not. It’s especially haunting since as I mentioned earlier the reason why this is happening is not explained and it traps you in this fear of the unknown territory, how far back are the characters going to go in time? What are they going to witness? Those are questions that are entirely up for the viewer to decide and think about.

Overall Rose Of Nevada is a really strong film, it may take a little bit to get going. But once it does it leaves an impact on the viewer and gives you several questions to think about. I do think that if you plan on watching this film you should go in knowing as little as possible.

Rose Of Nevada is currently in theaters.

8/10 B+

Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026) Film Review

Through unlikely bonds formed during night shifts at a local aquarium, Tova, an elderly widow, learns of a life-changing discovery that may bring her joy and wonder once again.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is directed by Olivia Newman director of First Match (2018) and Where the Crawdads Sing (2022).

Going into Remarkably Bright Creatures I knew very little, all that I knew was Sally Field and Lewis Pullman were in the cast. On the surface this might seem like a very nothing special about it Netflix movie that involves an Octopus. Surprisingly enough however there is a whole lot more going on here and when you combine that with some strong performances and actually well written dialogue, you have yourself something to really sink your teeth into.

What is mainly holding this film together is the cast, Sally Field who plays Tova is just so endearing and lovely, her chemistry with Lewis Pullman is genuinely charming and by her own she is just such a brilliant actress. Sally Field has always been fantastic and that continues to show here, she is the heart of the film and due to her beautiful personality and charisma it naturally works and brings the viewer into the film.

Lewis Pullman is also quite fantastic here, Pullman is an actor who has been quickly becoming more and more of a star and his performance here continues to show why that is. Seeing his character Cameron slowly have this friendship with Tova is truly beautiful and really fits into the film’s whole theme of making connections in all sorts of places and those connections can lead us to places we never could imagine. It’s truly beautiful and the character work (even if there are parts of it that does feel a bit incomplete) for Cameron plus how Pullman executes it with his dialogue and acting is truly fascinating.

Finally there is Alfred Molina who voices Marcellus the octopus, much like how one of Netflix’s other films Spaceman (2023) had Hanuš an empathic spider played by Paul Dano. Remarkably Bright Creatures has Alfred Molina voice an octopus who observes the connection between Tova and Cameron plus solidifies it. Molina does such a fantastic job here whether it was intentional or not that he was cast since he played Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 (2004). The scenes we get of Marcellus talking to the viewer or about what is currently happening are truly fascinating and it mainly just comes down to Molina’s tone and how he really executes the dialogue. There are moments that actually did make me tear up quite a bit as well.

The film’s script is shockingly strong, as mentioned before we get the whole theme of connections and where they can take us. It’s beautifully done in this very natural way that you can very easily tell the cast and crew poured their heart into, there is a mix of sad, dramatic and genuinely funny moments that really bring the whole film together in the end. I definitely think a few more scenes with Marcellus would have made the narrative a bit stronger, but from what’s presented with the script it’s quite strong.

Olivia Newman’s direction is incredibly charming and really brings the whole film together in a nice little bow, the film is a very human story about connections and Newman does such a fantastic job of capturing this feeling especially when combined with the atmosphere. The film can be a bit predictable at times but that is not nearly enough to stop it from being genuinely charming.

Overall Remarkably Bright Creatures is a very solid film that has strong performances from Field, Pullman and Molina plus beautiful direction from Newman to back it up. The theme of connection is well executed and the film is just a blast to watch, give this one a go if you haven’t.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is available on Netflix.

8/10 B+

The Death Of Robin Hood (2026) Film Review

Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.

The Death Of Robin Hood is directed by Michael Sarnoski director of Pig (2021) and A Quiet Place: Day One (2024).

The Death Of Robin Hood goes for a much darker yet balanced approach to the story of Robin Hood, Sarnoski does a quite fascinating job of commenting on the light and dark of a figure and the toll it takes on them. The character writing might not be at its full potential, but I do think with what is presented and how well Sarnoski paints this world makes the film all the more worth experiencing.

Right off the bat Hugh Jackman gives yet another strong performance, there are some similar traits to Logan in Logan (2017) a figure who is at their last moments and thinking about everything they have come across in life plus how it affected them. Jackman’s version of Robin Hood is luckily not just him doing a repeat with Logan, we get this picture of a man who carries the scars of violence with him. Jackman does a tremendous job of showcasing this with tons of quiet moments as well as painful ones that reflect in his mind. This isn’t so much as a hero’s journey and more so a path of facing the violence you caused during your last moments of life.

Jodi Comer as Sister Brigid is quite strong here as well, we don’t get that much character writing for her sadly. But what we do get is a grounded and restrained performance that works well with Jackman. Her performance here definitely elevates the material in some areas where the film definitely needed it most.

Murray Bartlett as The Leper is quite an intriguing performance, The Leper is covered in bandages yet from the little we see of his face he instantly draws you in. He compliments the atmosphere incredibly well just by his presence alone, he’s one of those characters where even if we do get basic information about him. We still wonder what his complete story is, Bartlett does a fascinating job with his dialogue and interactions with the rest of the cast as well.

The first 40 or so minutes of the film is quite brutal, it’s clear that for this portion of the film it wants to focus on painting this raw, dirty and quite dangerous world. The violence here is shown in this quite unsettling way, we can also see this from the cinematography from cinematographer Pat Scola who pays extra attention to the detail and makes sure to highlight well. When you combine this with the performances of the film plus its dark atmosphere you do get some quite haunting results.

The film’s greatest weakness is it’s character writing, which is a bit shocking to me since Sarnoski did such an excellent job with his previous two films Pig (2021) and A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) especially in the character writing department. But here a lot is either not really elaborated on or just forgotten, Sister Brigid seems like she was supposed to be far more important but is restricted to rather surface level character writing. I understand that the focus is Robin Hood, but there is a ton of moments here where you wish you were seeing more meat on the character writing from the other characters.

Despite the character writing however, I do think The Death Of Robin Hood sticks the landing. It really comes down to Sarnoski’s more raw and brutal approach along with Hugh Jackman’s excellent performance as Robin Hood. It does a solid job of painting this road of guilt and reflection of violence you caused. Very strong film that I recommend giving a go!

The Death Of Robin Hood is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Girls Like Girls (2026) Film Review

Coley, 17, from rural Oregon, navigates intimacy after her mother’s passing. Meeting Sonya sparks new feelings, but self-doubt hinders their connection. Sonya, unfamiliar with dating girls, is uncertain. They learn to embrace emotions.

Girls Like Girls is directed by Hayley Kiyoko which is her directorial debut.

Girls Like Girls is a film that’s based off of Kiyoko’s song and music video of the same name. While at times you can definitely feel the music video element here, for the most part the film ends up being a quite solid coming of age film that truly does have a lot of heart due to how well acted and written it is.

Maya da Costa gives a strong debut performance, she brings her character Coley to life and captures all of the awkwardness and struggle to figure out who you really are and what you want in life. The little moments of Coley trying to figure out what to say or how to react to certain situations feels all too real due to her performance and commitment. Myra Molloy as Sonya is also quite strong here as well, she has excellent chemistry with da Costa and the scenes of the two are the film’s strongest moments. Seeing the bond between them form over the course of the movie does actually feel quite natural (with some liberties taken.)

Some of the film’s strongest writing comes from Coley slowly starts to develop romantic interest in Sonya who recuperates those feelings at first but then gives mixed signals due the possible consequences of hurting the dynamic of the two as friends. This is explored quite well and surprisingly natural, yes some of the dialogue can be a bit on the awkward side but I actually do think the film manages to compliment on that awkwardness and make it work.

The rest of the film is quite solid, the film’s atmosphere does give this nostalgic type of feel of moving to a brand new town as a kid and having to meet new people and explore the world around you. This compliments Coley’s story quite well and brings this focus on the bonds she makes and the world around her.

The film ends with ambiguity but one thing worth noting is the film does have a post credit scene showing a clear answer to the status of Coley and Sonya’s relationship. It’s a little puzzling as to why the movie decided to end on ambiguity but then immediately clear that up, this does not necessarily hurt the movie all that much. It was just sort of a very odd choice.

Overall Girls Like Girls is quite straightforward, It’s material is elevated due to the performances from da Costa and Molloy plus the film’s genuine and natural feel of capturing how teenagers act and talk towards one another. It’s unclear whether or not director Hayley Kiyoko is going to continue exploring with film, but it would definitely be interesting to see what her sophomore feature would look like.

Girls Like Girls is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Motor City (2026) Film Review

In 1970s Detroit, John Miller falls for a local gangster’s girl. In retaliation, the gangster enacts a frame job to send the innocent man to prison. Life ruined, Miller plots a revenge campaign against the man who took his girl away.

Motor City is directed by Potsy Ponciroli director of Old Henry (2021) and Greedy People (2024).

Motor City is an interesting one when it comes to its style, the whole idea here is it’s a very 70s pulp style revenge thriller but with very little dialogue. While it might not be anything mind blowing, it does take what normally would be an average action thriller and turns into something decently interesting and a fun time.

Alan Ritchson gives a great performance here, due to having barely any dialogue, Ritchson in most scenes has to use his body language to tell the story and he does that quite well. He’s in his element and his familiarity with the action thriller genre absolutely comes into play here, I have not seen that much of Ritchson’s work but this was genuinely a great showing from him. Ben Fosters plays the slimy antagonist Reynolds who is quite effective, Shailene Woodley is pretty solid here as well although definitely lacking in the character department.

The film heavily relies on its visual language and needle drops to tell the story and while the latter can be a bit to on the nose, I do think combined together they both do a great job of telling the story. Especially when you combine this with cinematographer John Matysiak’s camerawork, there is one scene in particular that is not only well choreographed but it’s shot incredibly well.

The atmosphere of the film is thrilling, brutal and has this very 70s feel that you can’t help but be transported into, the music does such a great job of complimenting everything around it especially the atmosphere and the brutality of the film. While the story is admittedly pretty predictable, everything else really brings the viewer along for the ride and completely makes up for it.

Overall Motor City might not be anything exactly new plot wise, but it’s still a fun time that is elevated by the film’s technical aspects and the performances!

Motor City releases tomorrow in theaters.

7/10 B

The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) Film Review

Din Djarin and Grogu work for the New Republic to track down scattered Imperial warlords, taking on a mission to rescue Rotta the Hutt.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is directed by Jon Favreau director of Elf (2003), Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Chef (2014), The Jungle Book (2016), The Lion King (2019) and a few others. The film serves as a continuation of the Disney+ television series The Mandalorian (2019-2023).

What happens when you take a television series and desperately try to adapt it into a film? You get something like The Mandalorian and Grogu a movie that is quite bafflingly bad. Which is a huge shame because the show (for the most part) is pretty great, the first season is quite excellent, the second season definitely has its flaws (the endless amount of cameos got really ridiculous) but for the most part retains what made the first season so great. Then you have the third season where it’s nothing but a bunch of side missions squished together in a limited amount of episodes.

Originally a fourth season was going to be made but Lucasfilm decided to prioritize a film which is what we now have. That clearly shows here because between the whole “and then this happened” storytelling, the nonexistent character writing and the incredibly small scale that does not benefit the movie at all. The whole experience devolves into a gigantic mess that nobody figured to clean up.

The acting here is really nothing special at all, Pedro Pascal as usual does a solid job as Din Djarin/The Mandalorian, Steve Blum voices Zeb (a character from Star Wars Rebels) what is kind of neat is he is reprising his role, for the limited amount of screen time he gets he does a decent job. Martin Scorsese makes a brief appearance (weird how this is the third movie released this year where this happened) he is one of the movie’s better parts but once again only appears briefly. Finally there is Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, the son of Jabba the Hutt. Which I will say he does not give a bad performance it’s just a very cursed and jarring one that you wouldn’t be blamed if you thought it was terrible.

The only other positive I can really give this movie is the score from Ludwig Göransson, this might be his weakest work, however it’s still decently effective and is the only thing here that even attempts to try and bring back the glorious scale we are all used to in Star Wars films.

The main problem here that kills this movie on arrival is the storytelling, the style of storytelling here is the exact same that was done with the third season which as I said earlier was the whole “and then this happened” style. You could maybe make an argument that should get a pass for a television series (even though I would disagree because again limited amount of episodes) but for a theatrical released movie? Absolutely not, due to this it’s dreadfully paced and truly does feel like they had next to no idea what they wanted to do here so they just threw a bunch of ideas at the wall to see what sticks.

The action scenes are bland and don’t give the movie this large in scale feel like the rest of the Star Wars movies, I’m not saying small scale is bad (far from it) but when it’s painfully obvious that this is something that should have been put on streaming as some sort of special that’s when you cross a line. The action scenes just have very little power to them and not the fun or thrilling excitement, Attack Of The Clones (2002) for all its faults at least had strong action scenes that brought the viewer into the experience. None of the action scenes in The Mandalorian and Grogu even attempt to engage with the viewer, it all feels soulless and has this very “rushed out the door” type of feel.

I really don’t know what else to really say here, The Mandalorian and Grogu should not have been a theatrical release, if this were just a special they put on Disney+ then that would have probably been fine. It still would have been bad, but at the very least it would be understandable of why it’s presented the way it is. This is hands down the worst Star Wars movie to date, at least the previously mentioned Attack Of The Clones (2002) had good action scenes and The Rise Of Skywalker (2019) had decent enough acting. This is just a complete and total mess that never recovers.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is available on all VOD platforms.

3/10 D-

Mortal Kombat II (2026) Film Review

The fan favorite champions — now joined by Johnny Cage himself — are pitted against one another in the ultimate battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Mortal Kombat II is directed by Simon McQuoid director of Mortal Kombat (2021). The film serves as a sequel to Mortal Kombat (2021) and is the fourth installment in the Mortal Kombat film series.

Mortal Kombat (2021) is one of those movies where I really liked it at the time it was released, but slowly it got worse and worse for me. I can definitely still say that I enjoy it, but there were definitely glaring issues that could easily be fixed. Luckily Mortal Kombat II gives some answers to those issues, while it is not perfect and definitely has room for improvement. I do think Mortal Kombat II sets out to capture a lot of the spirit of the video game franchise and does quite a great job at doing so, which leads to a pretty fun time that any fan will be satisfied with.

For starters a main criticism with the previous movie was the very odd choice to make the focus on Cole Young, a character who was made entirely from the movie. Well this movie fixes that by not having him as the focus (he’s still in the movie but now as a side character), the focus now is Johnny Cage played by Karl Urban who really knocks it out of the park. The moment Urban appears on screen you can just feel how much he captures Johnny Cage as a character, his reactions to the ridiculous nonsense that is going on actually got a few laughs out of me. Plus I think making Cage the focus was a very clever move, he’s basically an audience surrogate which means we basically go on this journey with him. It adds a little bit more of a connection between the viewer and the film, I know that might sound a bit silly to say about a Mortal Kombat movie but it strangely works.

The rest of the characters are quite great here as well, Kitana, Sonya Blade, Kano, Liu Kang, Jax, Jade, Shang Tsung, Lord Raiden and many others appear. Josh Lawson who was arguably the best part of the previous film returns as Kano and is just as effective and hilarious. Adeline Rudolph as Kitana and Tati Gabrielle as Jade are newcomers who do a great job in their respective roles. I do like the film also focusing on Kitana as well even if the character writing is not absolutely perfect, there is at least understanding of what makes these characters such as Kitana interesting to the viewer. The cast overall does a really solid job here and easily made this such an entertaining ride.

The nonstop action scenes are also quite fantastic, this time around the film is very self aware as it does make little references to modern action films and the things that fans expect mainly the whole John Wick type of action (stabbing so many people brutally with a pencil.) Which the film actually delivers on these references and manages to make them funny. The film is luckily not so self aware to the point where it becomes obnoxious and where it refuses to have fun with itself, it’s just the right amount to really draw in the viewer due to the thought of “where is it going with this?”

As far as story goes, this is very standard Mortal Kombat and that’s no where near a bad thing. If anything the film benefits from this, the film knows exactly what it wants to be and does not pretend it’s something else. It’s a film that wants to entertain the viewer throughout the experience and it mostly succeeds in the end due to just how fast paced it really is along with the cast and atmosphere.

Overall Mortal Kombat II is a much needed improvement from the previous film, there was definitely a lot more determination to really capture the spirit of the video game franchise and the end result is quite a fun time!

Mortal Kombat II is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B