My Takeaways - MOVIES

PROS: Denzel Washington is as charismatic as ever in his role as a police officer. He steals almost every scene and comes off as really "human", where the line between person and character are very loose. The supporting cast give good performances as well, including every person that gets possessed by Azazel, having their personality and demeanor immediately change into the Azazel persona. The premise is intriguing and reminiscent of those old mystery-thriller comics like Jason Brice. I think the idea of Azazel or the Devil possessing people and making them commit murders has been done before, however i don't think any other movie has done it in this way, where the movie remains grounded in reality for the entirety of its runtime as well as waiting for the halfway point before doing the big reveal. The score is haunting and quite unique. There seemed to be distorted metallic noises incorporated into the soundtrack, which only added to the tension in certain scenes.

CONS: There are a few things i noticed that made me go "eh", but none of the elements i'll mention were enough to hinder my enjoyment of the film. The cinematography for Azazel's perspective was kind of annoying at times, since it went on for too long in certain scenes. There were also 2 instances where Azazel reveals himself to Hobbes in the bodies of many people, yet they really kind of went on for too long as well? Thats it!

PROS: Denzel Washington is as charismatic as ever in his role as a police officer. He steals almost every scene and comes off as really "human", where the line between person and character are very loose. The supporting cast give good performances as well, including every person that gets possessed by Azazel, having their personality and demeanor immediately change into the Azazel persona. The premise is intriguing and reminiscent of those old mystery-thriller comics like Jason Brice. I think the idea of Azazel or the Devil possessing people and making them commit murders has been done before, however i don't think any other movie has done it in this way, where the movie remains grounded in reality for the entirety of its runtime as well as waiting for the halfway point before doing the big reveal. The score is haunting and quite unique. There seemed to be distorted metallic noises incorporated into the soundtrack, which only added to the tension in certain scenes.

CONS: There are a few things i noticed that made me go "eh", but none of the elements i'll mention were enough to hinder my enjoyment of the film. The cinematography for Azazel's perspective was kind of annoying at times, since it went on for too long in certain scenes. There were also 2 instances where Azazel reveals himself to Hobbes in the bodies of many people, yet they really kind of went on for too long as well? Thats it!

PROS: The CGI, for the most part, holds up. It seems to me like there was a particular person either working on certain shots or acting as supervisor of said shots, but it's somewhat jarring since there'll be scenes where stuff is happening with no real hype, then it cuts to a sequence that absolutely BLOWS YOU AWAY, then back to mediocrity. I enjoyed the fact that there was obvious interest in respecting Peruvian culture, and i actually liked the fact that they went through the trouble of going to Peru rather than Mexico, which seems to be overused as a generic "awesome yet generic old Latino civilization place". I ended up liking the actor playing the main character, as well as a couple scenes where instead of being droopy and moody he actually looks for ways to fix the situation. Mirage was also a pretty cool character, but i feel like he's notable simply because...he has more character than the rest of the Autobots, who are just (for a major part of the movie) useless chunks of metal who get powerups when the script needs them to.

CONS: The screenplay is abysmal. The entire movie relies on the audience relating with the characters and feeling for them, which i could not. The conversations were shallow, and there wasn't a single emotional beat which didn't feel like...an obligatory emotional beat. The tension and stakes are laughable, since (SPOILER) the Autobots get their asses whooped by Scourge & Co. at the beginning, go through no training whatsoever, get whooped again and again until the script decides they're OP all of a sudden. The Maximals have transformations which greatly increases their fighting skill AND provides them with weapons, yet they only transform in the last moments of the film. I understand that "character moments" are awesome to look at, but when those exact characters keep urging how important it is that they don't fail, it kind of seems redundant that they hold back even when they failed. The villains, on their end, are forgettable. Scourge has a little gimmick with taking dead transformer's "logos" after killing them, but it really isn't enough to redeem how EMPTY he feels. I could go on and on about it, but i'll move on. The action was...weird, if i can call it that. It seemed to me like this movie was too much spectacle for no actual progression. When Optimus fights, it's like watching an old man try to bust a move like he was back in his 20s. The 1 on 1 fights are boring due to their choreography and cinematography. Like, you can feel that they're SUPPOSED to work, but it just feels so...empty. It would be something else if the action was actually awesome, but apart from 2 distinct moments (shorter than 10sec) where i went "woah that's neat", there really isn't much to them. I ABSOLUTELY HATED the Bumblebee one-liners in this movie. They were such obvious member-berries that they just (for me) RUINED every moment in which they were used.

PROS: The CGI, for the most part, holds up. It seems to me like there was a particular person either working on certain shots or acting as supervisor of said shots, but it's somewhat jarring since there'll be scenes where stuff is happening with no real hype, then it cuts to a sequence that absolutely BLOWS YOU AWAY, then back to mediocrity. I enjoyed the fact that there was obvious interest in respecting Peruvian culture, and i actually liked the fact that they went through the trouble of going to Peru rather than Mexico, which seems to be overused as a generic "awesome yet generic old Latino civilization place". I ended up liking the actor playing the main character, as well as a couple scenes where instead of being droopy and moody he actually looks for ways to fix the situation. Mirage was also a pretty cool character, but i feel like he's notable simply because...he has more character than the rest of the Autobots, who are just (for a major part of the movie) useless chunks of metal who get powerups when the script needs them to.

CONS: The screenplay is abysmal. The entire movie relies on the audience relating with the characters and feeling for them, which i could not. The conversations were shallow, and there wasn't a single emotional beat which didn't feel like...an obligatory emotional beat. The tension and stakes are laughable, since (SPOILER) the Autobots get their asses whooped by Scourge & Co. at the beginning, go through no training whatsoever, get whooped again and again until the script decides they're OP all of a sudden. The Maximals have transformations which greatly increases their fighting skill AND provides them with weapons, yet they only transform in the last moments of the film. I understand that "character moments" are awesome to look at, but when those exact characters keep urging how important it is that they don't fail, it kind of seems redundant that they hold back even when they failed. The villains, on their end, are forgettable. Scourge has a little gimmick with taking dead transformer's "logos" after killing them, but it really isn't enough to redeem how EMPTY he feels. I could go on and on about it, but i'll move on. The action was...weird, if i can call it that. It seemed to me like this movie was too much spectacle for no actual progression. When Optimus fights, it's like watching an old man try to bust a move like he was back in his 20s. The 1 on 1 fights are boring due to their choreography and cinematography. Like, you can feel that they're SUPPOSED to work, but it just feels so...empty. It would be something else if the action was actually awesome, but apart from 2 distinct moments (shorter than 10sec) where i went "woah that's neat", there really isn't much to them. I ABSOLUTELY HATED the Bumblebee one-liners in this movie. They were such obvious member-berries that they just (for me) RUINED every moment in which they were used.

PROS: As mentioned beforehand, Cena and Chan carry the quiet moments enough to make us care for their characters (although VERY superficially) and Cena in particular is given more time to connect with background characters. The acting is...fine? Their respective roles don't allow for the stars of the movie to really shine in one way or another, although Chan is given an early scene in the movie where his acting is remarkable.

CONS: Where do i begin? While i did state that Cena and Chan's chemistry is what's holding this movie together, it really does so with the skin of its teeth. The script starts with an interesting premise, yet almost everything is abandoned for a generic heist plot. It really seems like the script is betting everything on Cena and Chan's performance, to the point where some scenes (obviously being written in order to make both actors' characters shine) are SO STUPID, the only thing keeping me from cringing was both men's dedication to making the scenes work. They really didn't, but the effort is commendable. The villain is basically non-existent. We're given an early scene where we're supposed to think he's a good guy, but the next time we see him he's fully embraced his evil ways, which breaks Cena's character motivation since it is directly connected to the villain's..."non-villain" persona? As a matter of fact, pretty much any other character in the movie is forgettable, all except for ONE henchman and it's solely due to Cena having a couple jokes at his expense. He does end up being wasted in a ridiculously silly fight with Jackie, which even for Chan standards i found really uninventive and too long. The CGI is absolutely ABYSMAL like the green screen is PAINFULLY noticeable in more than half of the movie, the color grading is like if Star Wars TFA and Mad Max FR had a deformed baby. Seriously the desert shots are ridiculously cheap. The camerawork is, for the most part, uninteresting. There are a few moments where they used smaller cameras to try to get interesting angles, but the drop in framerate and quality is too noticeable to commend the risk taken. The soundtrack is painfully generic, with no particular piece of music standing out in any way. The plot is as weak as the script, to the point where characters conveniently forget information SITTING IN FRONT OF THEM only to justify an ulterior moment when another character thinks of the thing they didn't think of. Worst of all (imo) the choreography is BORING and UNINSPIRED. There are 2 moments total where i went "whoa", and they were both Cena moments (they also decided to give him superstrength?). Apart from those two instances, every other action scene either loses its purpose in the following scene or is very hard to follow with quick edits and that ugly color grading. There were no interesting set pieces, apart from that one moment where Cena has to dodge a falling tower, which seems like it was done practically.

PROS: As mentioned beforehand, Cena and Chan carry the quiet moments enough to make us care for their characters (although VERY superficially) and Cena in particular is given more time to connect with background characters. The acting is...fine? Their respective roles don't allow for the stars of the movie to really shine in one way or another, although Chan is given an early scene in the movie where his acting is remarkable.

CONS: Where do i begin? While i did state that Cena and Chan's chemistry is what's holding this movie together, it really does so with the skin of its teeth. The script starts with an interesting premise, yet almost everything is abandoned for a generic heist plot. It really seems like the script is betting everything on Cena and Chan's performance, to the point where some scenes (obviously being written in order to make both actors' characters shine) are SO STUPID, the only thing keeping me from cringing was both men's dedication to making the scenes work. They really didn't, but the effort is commendable. The villain is basically non-existent. We're given an early scene where we're supposed to think he's a good guy, but the next time we see him he's fully embraced his evil ways, which breaks Cena's character motivation since it is directly connected to the villain's..."non-villain" persona? As a matter of fact, pretty much any other character in the movie is forgettable, all except for ONE henchman and it's solely due to Cena having a couple jokes at his expense. He does end up being wasted in a ridiculously silly fight with Jackie, which even for Chan standards i found really uninventive and too long. The CGI is absolutely ABYSMAL like the green screen is PAINFULLY noticeable in more than half of the movie, the color grading is like if Star Wars TFA and Mad Max FR had a deformed baby. Seriously the desert shots are ridiculously cheap. The camerawork is, for the most part, uninteresting. There are a few moments where they used smaller cameras to try to get interesting angles, but the drop in framerate and quality is too noticeable to commend the risk taken. The soundtrack is painfully generic, with no particular piece of music standing out in any way. The plot is as weak as the script, to the point where characters conveniently forget information SITTING IN FRONT OF THEM only to justify an ulterior moment when another character thinks of the thing they didn't think of. Worst of all (imo) the choreography is BORING and UNINSPIRED. There are 2 moments total where i went "whoa", and they were both Cena moments (they also decided to give him superstrength?). Apart from those two instances, every other action scene either loses its purpose in the following scene or is very hard to follow with quick edits and that ugly color grading. There were no interesting set pieces, apart from that one moment where Cena has to dodge a falling tower, which seems like it was done practically.

PROS: Most of the movie elements would belong in this category. The cinematography, production, costume design, acting, script and soundtrack are all on point to offer a deeply immersive experience. Thematically speaking, the beginning of this movie spurred the question "why did Nolan choose Oppenheimer?" in my mind. I read nothing about Nolan's interest in Oppenheimer, yet the beginning of the film, as well as later sequences, gives the idea that Nolan himself connected deeply with Oppenheimer's character to the extent where the movie, while remaining an Oppenheimer biopic, also feels like Nolan is deconstructing himself. There are thematic elements regarding that perspective that i found were very similar to themes explored in Asteroid City. When i say that this movie was the most Nolan of the Nolan films, it's certainly due to his usual temporally scattered story structure. The movie aggressively time skips and shifts perspectives RELENTLESSLY...which makes it even more impressive that Nolan managed to make the time skipping seamless and easy to follow. Structurally, i'd say this is one of Nolan's most complex films, i would even say on Memento level. There are too many positives to say about this movie, so i'll just say go watch it and see for yourself.

CONS: Not much here, but there were a few (imo) weaker elements which i found could have been better had it not been for Nolan's obstinance of doing things a certain way. The first element that comes to mind is the first sex scene with Cillian and Florence Pugh's characters. The scene really felt...out of place and even obligatory in a way. It makes me think that Nolan doesn't really "know" how to write sex scenes, since this scene is essentially pointless. I understand that its purpose was to show Oppenheimer's womanizer side, yet the scarce chemistry (while being intentional) between the actors during the scene just feels jarring, and the inclusion of the staple Bhagavad Gita quote said by Oppenheimer during the scene felt laughable. The other main complaint i have, and this one is kind of a petty one, is that the nuclear explosion shown during the Trinity test sequence...is just a very big conventional explosion. I understand that Nolan was restricted in what he could do due to his insistence for using practical effects, but i honestly think that if proper CGI was used to make a more accurate replica of what a nuclear explosion would look like in that instance, it would have hit a little harder in relation to the type of weapon of mass destruction they had just built. Gas/fuel-based explosions have a very distinct look, which is very obvious if you've watched a lot of different types of explosions, and to me, seeing a gas explosion took me out for a second as i was expecting something more...poignant. That being said, the sequence itself is beautifully done and had me completely hooked.

PROS: Most of the movie elements would belong in this category. The cinematography, production, costume design, acting, script and soundtrack are all on point to offer a deeply immersive experience. Thematically speaking, the beginning of this movie spurred the question "why did Nolan choose Oppenheimer?" in my mind. I read nothing about Nolan's interest in Oppenheimer, yet the beginning of the film, as well as later sequences, gives the idea that Nolan himself connected deeply with Oppenheimer's character to the extent where the movie, while remaining an Oppenheimer biopic, also feels like Nolan is deconstructing himself. There are thematic elements regarding that perspective that i found were very similar to themes explored in Asteroid City. When i say that this movie was the most Nolan of the Nolan films, it's certainly due to his usual temporally scattered story structure. The movie aggressively time skips and shifts perspectives RELENTLESSLY...which makes it even more impressive that Nolan managed to make the time skipping seamless and easy to follow. Structurally, i'd say this is one of Nolan's most complex films, i would even say on Memento level. There are too many positives to say about this movie, so i'll just say go watch it and see for yourself.

CONS: Not much here, but there were a few (imo) weaker elements which i found could have been better had it not been for Nolan's obstinance of doing things a certain way. The first element that comes to mind is the first sex scene with Cillian and Florence Pugh's characters. The scene really felt...out of place and even obligatory in a way. It makes me think that Nolan doesn't really "know" how to write sex scenes, since this scene is essentially pointless. I understand that its purpose was to show Oppenheimer's womanizer side, yet the scarce chemistry (while being intentional) between the actors during the scene just feels jarring, and the inclusion of the staple Bhagavad Gita quote said by Oppenheimer during the scene felt laughable. The other main complaint i have, and this one is kind of a petty one, is that the nuclear explosion shown during the Trinity test sequence...is just a very big conventional explosion. I understand that Nolan was restricted in what he could do due to his insistence for using practical effects, but i honestly think that if proper CGI was used to make a more accurate replica of what a nuclear explosion would look like in that instance, it would have hit a little harder in relation to the type of weapon of mass destruction they had just built. Gas/fuel-based explosions have a very distinct look, which is very obvious if you've watched a lot of different types of explosions, and to me, seeing a gas explosion took me out for a second as i was expecting something more...poignant. That being said, the sequence itself is beautifully done and had me completely hooked.

PROS: The premise is actually insanely good imo. The idea of having psychics who can put you in a trance-like state where nothing you see is real in order to extract information is really creative and can lead to some interesting developments. The story in itself was pretty solid as well, and the way it was told can lead to a satisfactory ending. William Fichtner is charismatic without trying and is definitely the one with the most convincing performance...which just says a lot about the others. Most of the things this movie implements which could be considered "positive" are mostly good on paper, except for the few scenes where characters realize they are in a construct. Apart from that, most of the movie and the way it's executed are what drag it down.

CONS: First and foremost, the acting is horrendous. I think the movie realized this and tried to play it off as being intentional, but it's apparent that the actors are not trying their best. Affleck in particular gives his most unconvincing performance since Whedon's justice league. I did not believe, for a second, that Affleck was the character he portrayed, as his disinterest shows in his performance. The other characters are equally uninteresting and empty, devoid of personality in order to discard them easily. The cinematography is nice when there's no action. Nothing fancy, yet the editing can be jarring at moments. The color-grading is especially ugly, making me wonder why they chose to go for it as their look.

PROS: The premise is actually insanely good imo. The idea of having psychics who can put you in a trance-like state where nothing you see is real in order to extract information is really creative and can lead to some interesting developments. The story in itself was pretty solid as well, and the way it was told can lead to a satisfactory ending. William Fichtner is charismatic without trying and is definitely the one with the most convincing performance...which just says a lot about the others. Most of the things this movie implements which could be considered "positive" are mostly good on paper, except for the few scenes where characters realize they are in a construct. Apart from that, most of the movie and the way it's executed are what drag it down.

CONS: First and foremost, the acting is horrendous. I think the movie realized this and tried to play it off as being intentional, but it's apparent that the actors are not trying their best. Affleck in particular gives his most unconvincing performance since Whedon's justice league. I did not believe, for a second, that Affleck was the character he portrayed, as his disinterest shows in his performance. The other characters are equally uninteresting and empty, devoid of personality in order to discard them easily. The cinematography is nice when there's no action. Nothing fancy, yet the editing can be jarring at moments. The color-grading is especially ugly, making me wonder why they chose to go for it as their look.

PROS: Okay, now that that's out of the way, Death Reckoning Part 1 made a decision that instantly furthered my enjoyment of the film. They actually (finally) killed off Rebecca Ferguson! Apart from that, i found the opening to be intriguing, tense and really good at setting up the MacGuffin. The villain is charismatic and has a couple lines in the movie that made me audibly go "damn that's cold" in the theater. The henchmen are great...until the plot needs them to spew info or be absolute morons. The action is fantastic, cinematic and exhilarating. The CGI (for my part) was noticeable at times, but not "bad" enough to take you out of the film. The script itself had to juggle some very exposition-heavy dialogue as well as having to explain certain technological jargon, and i think that, for the most part, it did its job splendidly.

CONS: There were a few things that, i think, made the movie lose a couple points: most notable are the new female side character and the second half of two action sequences. Let's start with the side character. Her connection to Ethan is EXTREMELY superficial, she has little to no personality other than the very brief background we're given of her, which in turn only serves to tell the audience that "she got skillz". The reason why i think it hinders the movie is because later on, there is the action sequence in the train where things happen, leading to (imma make this quick, promise) Ethan and Grace (character's name) to have...what the script would have described as an emotional moment, only it doesn't work, since their connection/relationship/friendship has barely been developed throughout the movie. Concerning the 2nd half of certain action scenes, i did feel that they went on for a bit too long, as it just started feeling like "stuff was happening" on-screen, yet no progress was being made story-wise. I felt this way at 2 specific instances, yet ill refrain from naming them, you'll have to see for yourself if it is that noticeable. Other than that, i felt there was only one emotional beat in the entire movie that worked for me, despite there being more than one emotional moment. Other than that, there are a few more nitpicks that started forming after the movie was over, but due to its fast-paced action and relentless story, i don't think they affect the film as you're watching it.

PROS: Okay, now that that's out of the way, Death Reckoning Part 1 made a decision that instantly furthered my enjoyment of the film. They actually (finally) killed off Rebecca Ferguson! Apart from that, i found the opening to be intriguing, tense and really good at setting up the MacGuffin. The villain is charismatic and has a couple lines in the movie that made me audibly go "damn that's cold" in the theater. The henchmen are great...until the plot needs them to spew info or be absolute morons. The action is fantastic, cinematic and exhilarating. The CGI (for my part) was noticeable at times, but not "bad" enough to take you out of the film. The script itself had to juggle some very exposition-heavy dialogue as well as having to explain certain technological jargon, and i think that, for the most part, it did its job splendidly.

CONS: There were a few things that, i think, made the movie lose a couple points: most notable are the new female side character and the second half of two action sequences. Let's start with the side character. Her connection to Ethan is EXTREMELY superficial, she has little to no personality other than the very brief background we're given of her, which in turn only serves to tell the audience that "she got skillz". The reason why i think it hinders the movie is because later on, there is the action sequence in the train where things happen, leading to (imma make this quick, promise) Ethan and Grace (character's name) to have...what the script would have described as an emotional moment, only it doesn't work, since their connection/relationship/friendship has barely been developed throughout the movie. Concerning the 2nd half of certain action scenes, i did feel that they went on for a bit too long, as it just started feeling like "stuff was happening" on-screen, yet no progress was being made story-wise. I felt this way at 2 specific instances, yet ill refrain from naming them, you'll have to see for yourself if it is that noticeable. Other than that, i felt there was only one emotional beat in the entire movie that worked for me, despite there being more than one emotional moment. Other than that, there are a few more nitpicks that started forming after the movie was over, but due to its fast-paced action and relentless story, i don't think they affect the film as you're watching it.

PROS: Although, the costume and set designs were flawless. Where creativity lacked in the script, it shows in the design of the sets and costumes. Amazing job. CGI for the most part is enjoyable as well, especially the scenes where characters experience the time-rewinding effect. That about covers it.

CONS: There's no escaping it, most of this movie could fit in this segment, not because of the overall quality of the film, but due to its colossal waste of potential. The cast is FILLED with talented actors, Prince Dastan is played by Jake Gyllenhaal ffs, the antagonist is played by SIR Ben Kingsley, there's also Gemma Arterton (Mommy), Alfred Molina (ngl i did not realize he was in the movie until this very moment) and Toby Kebbell!! Like how can you have a production with all these names and still end up with a JOKE of a story, a script so weak the movie should've just been called Exposition: The Movie, side characters so bland you forget everyone's name...okay i gotta calm down, one step at a time. The characters are HUSKS. They are some of the DRIEST and EMPTIEST characters i've seen in a long time. If it weren't for some actors' innate charisma, everyone in this movie would be an unlikeable, altruistic piece of shit. It seems characters in this movie are written in a way so that they don't think of the repercussions their actions will have on...anything or anyone, for that matter. The dialogue between Dastan and Tamila is boring, dry and so incredibly generic it's almost endearing...like roadkill. Molina's character is the oddest choice for a comic relief since Jar-Jar Binks. He's supposed to be a friendly bazaar owner (or sum like that) who helps Dastan in his quest, but i have the say: the choice of comedy leaves me perplexed. For a movie happening around the 9th Century AD, he sure does make a lot of modern political jokes, which when viewed in context make little to no sense. The plot is inexistent. Seriously, the movie is so lost and nonsensical in any given sequence that, literally after any action sequence, we get a scene of Dastan and Tamila where Dastan SAYS, WORD FOR WORD, what the plot is. There is a subplot concerning the actual antagonist of the film, where it is later revealed to be Ben Kingsley's character. Prince Dastan however, in all his majesty, came to that conclusion before any other could...but he makes such leaps in logic that it would actually be impossible for even Sherlock ****ing Holmes to deduce that much. There are so many conveniences and contrivances in order to make the plot happen that if we stop at any second to figure out how our characters got in the position they are in, we'd be left scratching our heads. Visually, the movie has no style whatsoever. It feels like if a live-action Aladdin adaption with a generic fantasy plot got pregnant from a gangbang with Assassin's Creed, Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. Like, so many elements in this movie have NOTHING to do with each other, it just gets confusing. WORSE YET, there are INTEGRAL elements in the movie which bring NOTHING to the story overall. The main MacGuffin of the story is the Dagger (no mystic name or anything, it's just a Dagger that's not even sharp) with which characters can stop and rewind time by a minute. It's so FRUSTRATING then, that it's actually not used for ANY major event in the movie other than for a disappointing finale. The MacGuffins of the movie are clearly there in order to attach the movie to its IP, but the work is so MEDIOCRE that it serves no purpose whatsoever. We don't even get an explanation as to what Nizam's motivation was (other than Dastan's suspicion) to try and get the MacGuffin, we get no explanation as to how he even became aware of its existence, given that it's supposed to be a highly secret item, Dastan's non-royal upbringing serves literally no purpose whatsoever, Tus is an incoherent character who dies needlessly (and hilariously, might i add) at the end, as is his brother Garsiv. Their deaths were supposed to be emotional beats, but they happen to be the funniest moments in the film. The sheer size of this segment should serve as indication for how upset this movie made me upon rewatch. I'll finish the segment by adding that the music is unremarkable, the camerawork is mediocre at best, the editing is chaotic and too shaky and quickly cut in the action sequences. THE ENDING IS ATROCIOUS OH MY GOD.

PROS: Although, the costume and set designs were flawless. Where creativity lacked in the script, it shows in the design of the sets and costumes. Amazing job. CGI for the most part is enjoyable as well, especially the scenes where characters experience the time-rewinding effect. That about covers it.

CONS: There's no escaping it, most of this movie could fit in this segment, not because of the overall quality of the film, but due to its colossal waste of potential. The cast is FILLED with talented actors, Prince Dastan is played by Jake Gyllenhaal ffs, the antagonist is played by SIR Ben Kingsley, there's also Gemma Arterton (Mommy), Alfred Molina (ngl i did not realize he was in the movie until this very moment) and Toby Kebbell!! Like how can you have a production with all these names and still end up with a JOKE of a story, a script so weak the movie should've just been called Exposition: The Movie, side characters so bland you forget everyone's name...okay i gotta calm down, one step at a time. The characters are HUSKS. They are some of the DRIEST and EMPTIEST characters i've seen in a long time. If it weren't for some actors' innate charisma, everyone in this movie would be an unlikeable, altruistic piece of shit. It seems characters in this movie are written in a way so that they don't think of the repercussions their actions will have on...anything or anyone, for that matter. The dialogue between Dastan and Tamila is boring, dry and so incredibly generic it's almost endearing...like roadkill. Molina's character is the oddest choice for a comic relief since Jar-Jar Binks. He's supposed to be a friendly bazaar owner (or sum like that) who helps Dastan in his quest, but i have the say: the choice of comedy leaves me perplexed. For a movie happening around the 9th Century AD, he sure does make a lot of modern political jokes, which when viewed in context make little to no sense. The plot is inexistent. Seriously, the movie is so lost and nonsensical in any given sequence that, literally after any action sequence, we get a scene of Dastan and Tamila where Dastan SAYS, WORD FOR WORD, what the plot is. There is a subplot concerning the actual antagonist of the film, where it is later revealed to be Ben Kingsley's character. Prince Dastan however, in all his majesty, came to that conclusion before any other could...but he makes such leaps in logic that it would actually be impossible for even Sherlock ****ing Holmes to deduce that much. There are so many conveniences and contrivances in order to make the plot happen that if we stop at any second to figure out how our characters got in the position they are in, we'd be left scratching our heads. Visually, the movie has no style whatsoever. It feels like if a live-action Aladdin adaption with a generic fantasy plot got pregnant from a gangbang with Assassin's Creed, Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. Like, so many elements in this movie have NOTHING to do with each other, it just gets confusing. WORSE YET, there are INTEGRAL elements in the movie which bring NOTHING to the story overall. The main MacGuffin of the story is the Dagger (no mystic name or anything, it's just a Dagger that's not even sharp) with which characters can stop and rewind time by a minute. It's so FRUSTRATING then, that it's actually not used for ANY major event in the movie other than for a disappointing finale. The MacGuffins of the movie are clearly there in order to attach the movie to its IP, but the work is so MEDIOCRE that it serves no purpose whatsoever. We don't even get an explanation as to what Nizam's motivation was (other than Dastan's suspicion) to try and get the MacGuffin, we get no explanation as to how he even became aware of its existence, given that it's supposed to be a highly secret item, Dastan's non-royal upbringing serves literally no purpose whatsoever, Tus is an incoherent character who dies needlessly (and hilariously, might i add) at the end, as is his brother Garsiv. Their deaths were supposed to be emotional beats, but they happen to be the funniest moments in the film. The sheer size of this segment should serve as indication for how upset this movie made me upon rewatch. I'll finish the segment by adding that the music is unremarkable, the camerawork is mediocre at best, the editing is chaotic and too shaky and quickly cut in the action sequences. THE ENDING IS ATROCIOUS OH MY GOD.

PROS: Imma get it out of the way now: the animation is some of the best i've ever seen in any animated movie ever. It's like if Otomo saw the finished product of the Akira movie and decided to do it again, but this time on steroids. I literally paused it almost constantly just to admire the level of detail in the backgrounds and the seamless transitions from background plate to animated plate is just exquisite. Character design is on point, as is the architecture and locations shown. The story takes place in 1866 in Victorian England, therefore many of the backgrounds are either recreations of or were inspired by the real-life look those places would have had in those years. For one, the recreation of the Crystal Palace is absolutely beautiful, as are many of the sky-centered backgrounds. There are so many things in the movie that appear for a few shots or frames, but upon further inspection reveal so much insane detail that it just adds to the technical prowess of the film. The film has a very ambitious plot, with many allegories and metaphors that, when looked at in tandem with current events and current sociopolitics, become very interesting and do bring about interesting conversations. There is a special shoutout i want to give to the engineering in this movie. Steamboy has a distinctive light-steampunk style, which means lots of moving parts and intersecting pieces. All the sequences where they showed engine parts were phenomenal to look at. Character-wise, they are more than plot-advancing pieces, as there is an effort felt throughout the movie to try and give them more personality and character. Some exposition scenes are actually carried by the relation/tension between characters, which makes for a less-boring watch than some very exposition-heavy media. The cinematography blew me away. For an anime movie, this felt very "movie-like" in terms of the angles used, the editing and emotional beats. Steamboy really feels like it could be a live-action movie, shot-for-shot in how similar it is to "traditional live-action" rather than other anime media.

CONS: There are a few elements which i think dragged the movie down in certain places. First off, the movie has certain pacing issues. There are a few sequences where the music indicates that things should be moving very quickly, yet the characters seem to take their time. I think that's mainly due to the fact that it is animated, since the animation tends to slow down (in certain instances) due to the techniques used. It isn't as jarring as the movie's third act, however. This film seems to have 2 third acts, which makes the movie start to drag near the end. The soundtrack is mostly unremarkable, except for a few moments where it swells up and gives the sequence an epic air to it.

PROS: Imma get it out of the way now: the animation is some of the best i've ever seen in any animated movie ever. It's like if Otomo saw the finished product of the Akira movie and decided to do it again, but this time on steroids. I literally paused it almost constantly just to admire the level of detail in the backgrounds and the seamless transitions from background plate to animated plate is just exquisite. Character design is on point, as is the architecture and locations shown. The story takes place in 1866 in Victorian England, therefore many of the backgrounds are either recreations of or were inspired by the real-life look those places would have had in those years. For one, the recreation of the Crystal Palace is absolutely beautiful, as are many of the sky-centered backgrounds. There are so many things in the movie that appear for a few shots or frames, but upon further inspection reveal so much insane detail that it just adds to the technical prowess of the film. The film has a very ambitious plot, with many allegories and metaphors that, when looked at in tandem with current events and current sociopolitics, become very interesting and do bring about interesting conversations. There is a special shoutout i want to give to the engineering in this movie. Steamboy has a distinctive light-steampunk style, which means lots of moving parts and intersecting pieces. All the sequences where they showed engine parts were phenomenal to look at. Character-wise, they are more than plot-advancing pieces, as there is an effort felt throughout the movie to try and give them more personality and character. Some exposition scenes are actually carried by the relation/tension between characters, which makes for a less-boring watch than some very exposition-heavy media. The cinematography blew me away. For an anime movie, this felt very "movie-like" in terms of the angles used, the editing and emotional beats. Steamboy really feels like it could be a live-action movie, shot-for-shot in how similar it is to "traditional live-action" rather than other anime media.

CONS: There are a few elements which i think dragged the movie down in certain places. First off, the movie has certain pacing issues. There are a few sequences where the music indicates that things should be moving very quickly, yet the characters seem to take their time. I think that's mainly due to the fact that it is animated, since the animation tends to slow down (in certain instances) due to the techniques used. It isn't as jarring as the movie's third act, however. This film seems to have 2 third acts, which makes the movie start to drag near the end. The soundtrack is mostly unremarkable, except for a few moments where it swells up and gives the sequence an epic air to it.

PROS: Let's start with the easy part. CGI is solid for a 2011 movie. visuals are great, creature design is decent, and costumes are on point. Cinematography is decent and the acting is mostly decent as well.

CONS: This movie has no soul. First of all, the story is as predictable as the dialogue, which is unbearably flat and uninspired. There were a few interesting elements such as the protagonist having amnesia (which could have been used better than to simply frame the story), the fact that the aliens are just scouts who serve a greater purpose, but none of those elements are really explored or given justice, to the point where they don't really feel like having a purpose. FFS the lady character (i don't remember the actress' name and cannot be bothered to look it up) happens to be a ****ING ALIEN WITH INFORMATION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SUPER USEFUL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE, BUT DECIDES DO JUST KEEP IT TO HERSELF BECAUSE...REASONS????? Speaking of the amnesia element, it actually adds little to the story other than to create artificial suspense, as it ends up being cured, and i am not joking, by native American potion because OoOoOo NaTiVeS mAgIc, like what the ****?!? The characters in this movie are pointless, stupid and unbearable. Apart from the main characters, none of the others have agency of their own, and always need to have a main character tell them how to act or what to do. Also, EVERYONE IS SO UNLIKEABLE. All of a sudden people forget they have grudges against others or simply have character-breaking scenes where they act in ways that are just...incomprehensible (to put it mildly). The titular aliens are glorified plot devices, showing up at random, or whenever our main characters are in a pinch. why? well, so they can dispatch whoever is trying to harm our HeRoEs so the story can keep going. It starts getting so predictable you can just tell when they're gonna appear next, robbing the audience of any type of suspense. The entire reason for them being on earth in the first place is...stupid, just stupid. You're telling me gold is only found on earth??? of all the planets on the solar system earth really HAD to be the one with the most amounts of gold? The more the movie progresses, the more unbelievable it starts to feel that NOBODY even knew these things were real or had even caught a glimpse of them. We are told by Exposition Machine (the woman) that they don't see well during daylight, yet they fly perfectly fine, can capture people with ease and even attack and kill many people in the third act...which happens during daytime. I could go on and on but, just like while watching the movie, i just want to finish this so i can forget about this waste of a concept, talent, money and time.

PROS: Let's start with the easy part. CGI is solid for a 2011 movie. visuals are great, creature design is decent, and costumes are on point. Cinematography is decent and the acting is mostly decent as well.

CONS: This movie has no soul. First of all, the story is as predictable as the dialogue, which is unbearably flat and uninspired. There were a few interesting elements such as the protagonist having amnesia (which could have been used better than to simply frame the story), the fact that the aliens are just scouts who serve a greater purpose, but none of those elements are really explored or given justice, to the point where they don't really feel like having a purpose. FFS the lady character (i don't remember the actress' name and cannot be bothered to look it up) happens to be a ****ING ALIEN WITH INFORMATION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SUPER USEFUL SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE, BUT DECIDES DO JUST KEEP IT TO HERSELF BECAUSE...REASONS????? Speaking of the amnesia element, it actually adds little to the story other than to create artificial suspense, as it ends up being cured, and i am not joking, by native American potion because OoOoOo NaTiVeS mAgIc, like what the ****?!? The characters in this movie are pointless, stupid and unbearable. Apart from the main characters, none of the others have agency of their own, and always need to have a main character tell them how to act or what to do. Also, EVERYONE IS SO UNLIKEABLE. All of a sudden people forget they have grudges against others or simply have character-breaking scenes where they act in ways that are just...incomprehensible (to put it mildly). The titular aliens are glorified plot devices, showing up at random, or whenever our main characters are in a pinch. why? well, so they can dispatch whoever is trying to harm our HeRoEs so the story can keep going. It starts getting so predictable you can just tell when they're gonna appear next, robbing the audience of any type of suspense. The entire reason for them being on earth in the first place is...stupid, just stupid. You're telling me gold is only found on earth??? of all the planets on the solar system earth really HAD to be the one with the most amounts of gold? The more the movie progresses, the more unbelievable it starts to feel that NOBODY even knew these things were real or had even caught a glimpse of them. We are told by Exposition Machine (the woman) that they don't see well during daylight, yet they fly perfectly fine, can capture people with ease and even attack and kill many people in the third act...which happens during daytime. I could go on and on but, just like while watching the movie, i just want to finish this so i can forget about this waste of a concept, talent, money and time.

PROS: To be honest, the actors do a good enough job and are, for most of the runtime, straightforward in their roles, which they take very seriously. The costumes, makeup and set designs are all on point, as well as some visuals throughout the movie. Some sequences are visually stunning with the framing and contrast between light and dark, as are the short sequences with religious symbolism. The soundtrack is surprising as it does stand out in certain parts of the movie due to its quality.

CONS: I need to get this off my chest: THE MOVIE IS SO DAMN DARK. I saw this movie in the theater and was still struggling to see what was going on in certain scenes. I mean from the introduction till the end the movie is hard to see, even in environments where light should be present (be it through windows or electrical lamps) the rooms remain unbelievably dark. i understand that a darker environment can be utilized for mood and to create stress, but it doesn't really work if you can barely see anything. The characters are poorly written, having them make stupid decisions in moments where they should be acting otherwise based on how they were portrayed earlier. An example of this is after the headmaster of the school gets killed by Valak, everyone just...stays at the school? Even worse, the following scene sees Sophie's mother talking to Maurice and has her completely dismissive of the fact that SHE DOESNT KNOW WHERE HER DAUGHTER IS. FFS A PERSON JUST DIED IN MYSTERIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, HOW CAN YOU BE SO CAREFREE?? Many of the stupid actions taken by the characters in this movie can be attributed to "furthering the plot", as the movie also relies heavily (and i mean HEAVILY) on exposition to let the audience know what is happening and where we're going next. Plot armor is given to any character having more than 3 scenes, with the only casualties being the priest in the introduction, the headmistress, and other priests killed offscreen. This absence of stakes took me out of the film as i wasn't really given reasons to care for anyone once shit starts to go down, but also because there are simply too many characters being handled at once. Valak sucks in this movie, as their entire purpose in this film is to find a new holy relic which "would be of unknown consequences were it to fall to the hands of a demon", yet when Valak does end up in possession of the relic (through a hilarious fake out), they don't actually pose more of a threat than when they did not have it. As a matter of fact, they somehow become even weaker (which is something i think the movie is unaware it did). The ending is absolute dogshit. Such an anticlimactic ending was the one element of the movie which i did not see coming. The movie then ends abruptly, with jarring continuity errors which lead me to believe that the ending was changed from its original one.

PROS: To be honest, the actors do a good enough job and are, for most of the runtime, straightforward in their roles, which they take very seriously. The costumes, makeup and set designs are all on point, as well as some visuals throughout the movie. Some sequences are visually stunning with the framing and contrast between light and dark, as are the short sequences with religious symbolism. The soundtrack is surprising as it does stand out in certain parts of the movie due to its quality.

CONS: I need to get this off my chest: THE MOVIE IS SO DAMN DARK. I saw this movie in the theater and was still struggling to see what was going on in certain scenes. I mean from the introduction till the end the movie is hard to see, even in environments where light should be present (be it through windows or electrical lamps) the rooms remain unbelievably dark. i understand that a darker environment can be utilized for mood and to create stress, but it doesn't really work if you can barely see anything. The characters are poorly written, having them make stupid decisions in moments where they should be acting otherwise based on how they were portrayed earlier. An example of this is after the headmaster of the school gets killed by Valak, everyone just...stays at the school? Even worse, the following scene sees Sophie's mother talking to Maurice and has her completely dismissive of the fact that SHE DOESNT KNOW WHERE HER DAUGHTER IS. FFS A PERSON JUST DIED IN MYSTERIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, HOW CAN YOU BE SO CAREFREE?? Many of the stupid actions taken by the characters in this movie can be attributed to "furthering the plot", as the movie also relies heavily (and i mean HEAVILY) on exposition to let the audience know what is happening and where we're going next. Plot armor is given to any character having more than 3 scenes, with the only casualties being the priest in the introduction, the headmistress, and other priests killed offscreen. This absence of stakes took me out of the film as i wasn't really given reasons to care for anyone once shit starts to go down, but also because there are simply too many characters being handled at once. Valak sucks in this movie, as their entire purpose in this film is to find a new holy relic which "would be of unknown consequences were it to fall to the hands of a demon", yet when Valak does end up in possession of the relic (through a hilarious fake out), they don't actually pose more of a threat than when they did not have it. As a matter of fact, they somehow become even weaker (which is something i think the movie is unaware it did). The ending is absolute dogshit. Such an anticlimactic ending was the one element of the movie which i did not see coming. The movie then ends abruptly, with jarring continuity errors which lead me to believe that the ending was changed from its original one.

PROS: I didn't feel like the acting was necessarily bad since the actors do a good enough job with the material they are given. It isn't anything spectacular, but far from being bad. The scenes involving possessed characters were what i'd call the hallmark of the movie, as all the actors' skills seem to be exploited to their full potential. The Philippou siblings' sense of direction and visual storytelling definitely isn't anything to scoff at, as, for a first feature film they seem to have a very good grasp on what they want to do and how they want their movie to look. The movie felt thought-out, despite its later flaws (which we will get into shortly), which was a welcome surprise. The cinematography is one aspect of the movie i have absolutely no complaints about. This movie is GORGEOUS, with incredible use of shadows and darker lightning, while also having a color-grading which adds to the eerie nature of the supernatural aspect. Speaking of which, the makeup for the possession scenes was impeccable, having it slowly progress as the possessions start to last longer was a very nice touch. Another thing i really enjoyed was the fact that from the very beginning, there is no ambiguity about the existence of spirits. We're really thrown into the universe and i think it really adds to the immersion. There are some thematics i caught which, intentional or not, added to the experience. There is a recurring element of "not being able to let go", be it phones, the hand, past relationships or dead loved ones.

CONS: While the movie does have a very effective and enticing opening, it slowly falls into mediocrity once its characters start being explored. I found the characters incredibly shallow and the attempts at making them more complex fell short. Having characters be emotional does not make them any more complex if all they do is feel bad for a reason that's always repeated. I had a hard time caring for the characters, especially the main lead. The decisions she makes are baffling and mostly just dumb. I mean girl, you know you're talking to spirits and get told they might just be playing you, WHY DO YOU STILL BELIEVE EVERY WORD THEY SAY TO YOU?? By the halfway point the movie started dragging a bit and imo started losing its focus as well. Characters get re-introduced just to spill some exposition...which ends up not really going anywhere? Seeing how Mia primarily gets her info from being manipulated, it really makes their choice to revisit characters jarring. Now let's talk about what really pissed me off: the ending. I'm not kidding, the movie ended, and it took me a minute to process it actually did. I say that not in a positive way. The last 10min just feel like a speedrun. To me, it felt like the directors had an idea for an ending but didn't really know how to get there, so they came up with a convoluted ending too ambitious that, ultimately, is understandable but confusing. It's also incredibly anticlimactic, since it seemingly comes out of nowhere. Perhaps upon rewatching it could be a more enjoyable watch, but it really was an unpleasant surprise.

PROS: I didn't feel like the acting was necessarily bad since the actors do a good enough job with the material they are given. It isn't anything spectacular, but far from being bad. The scenes involving possessed characters were what i'd call the hallmark of the movie, as all the actors' skills seem to be exploited to their full potential. The Philippou siblings' sense of direction and visual storytelling definitely isn't anything to scoff at, as, for a first feature film they seem to have a very good grasp on what they want to do and how they want their movie to look. The movie felt thought-out, despite its later flaws (which we will get into shortly), which was a welcome surprise. The cinematography is one aspect of the movie i have absolutely no complaints about. This movie is GORGEOUS, with incredible use of shadows and darker lightning, while also having a color-grading which adds to the eerie nature of the supernatural aspect. Speaking of which, the makeup for the possession scenes was impeccable, having it slowly progress as the possessions start to last longer was a very nice touch. Another thing i really enjoyed was the fact that from the very beginning, there is no ambiguity about the existence of spirits. We're really thrown into the universe and i think it really adds to the immersion. There are some thematics i caught which, intentional or not, added to the experience. There is a recurring element of "not being able to let go", be it phones, the hand, past relationships or dead loved ones.

CONS: While the movie does have a very effective and enticing opening, it slowly falls into mediocrity once its characters start being explored. I found the characters incredibly shallow and the attempts at making them more complex fell short. Having characters be emotional does not make them any more complex if all they do is feel bad for a reason that's always repeated. I had a hard time caring for the characters, especially the main lead. The decisions she makes are baffling and mostly just dumb. I mean girl, you know you're talking to spirits and get told they might just be playing you, WHY DO YOU STILL BELIEVE EVERY WORD THEY SAY TO YOU?? By the halfway point the movie started dragging a bit and imo started losing its focus as well. Characters get re-introduced just to spill some exposition...which ends up not really going anywhere? Seeing how Mia primarily gets her info from being manipulated, it really makes their choice to revisit characters jarring. Now let's talk about what really pissed me off: the ending. I'm not kidding, the movie ended, and it took me a minute to process it actually did. I say that not in a positive way. The last 10min just feel like a speedrun. To me, it felt like the directors had an idea for an ending but didn't really know how to get there, so they came up with a convoluted ending too ambitious that, ultimately, is understandable but confusing. It's also incredibly anticlimactic, since it seemingly comes out of nowhere. Perhaps upon rewatching it could be a more enjoyable watch, but it really was an unpleasant surprise.

- the idea that the "people's elected representative" seems to be in cahoots with the Turks as to how the "war" is going and how it's going to end
- the idea that the populace is actually unaware of the reason for the conflict that's changing their very lives
- the fact that, even the elements which are closest to reality are actually nonsensical, like when the representative says to "throw out the actors and the Baron" because they're supposedly looking to escape. To me it felt like a jab at how it isn't the actions that cause problems but the perception of how it affects the state/country.
- the final sequence where the representative orders the soldiers to open fire a horde of civilians, which felt very Napoleon-esque
- the idea that stories/imagination/fantasy/belief can ultimately defeat the fears keeping the people prisoners in an authoritarian setting

- the idea that the "people's elected representative" seems to be in cahoots with the Turks as to how the "war" is going and how it's going to end
- the idea that the populace is actually unaware of the reason for the conflict that's changing their very lives
- the fact that, even the elements which are closest to reality are actually nonsensical, like when the representative says to "throw out the actors and the Baron" because they're supposedly looking to escape. To me it felt like a jab at how it isn't the actions that cause problems but the perception of how it affects the state/country.
- the final sequence where the representative orders the soldiers to open fire a horde of civilians, which felt very Napoleon-esque
- the idea that stories/imagination/fantasy/belief can ultimately defeat the fears keeping the people prisoners in an authoritarian setting