I realize there’s a good chance the new poster for “Kraven the Hunter” won’t leave much of an impression on some of you out there. But in addition to simply looking cool, it features a pretty nice callback for old-school comics fan. The new film from director J.C. Chandor gives the character (who made his comic book debut in 1964’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” #15) a blood-soaked origin story that could (if done right) translate well to the screen. Whether it does or not is yet to be seen. But as for the poster…it really clicks. What do you think?
DIRECTOR – J.C. Chandor
WRITER – Art Marcum, Matt Hollowway, Richard Wenk
STARRING – Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Russell Crowe, Alessandro Nivola, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbott
Is it a superhero movie or a supervillain movie? I really hope the latter but who knows with the current state to the superhero genre. Either way “Kraven the Hunter” has a chance to be something pretty cool. Yes I know it comes from the Sony Pictures branch of the Marvel movie machine. But there’s some really good talent behind this one. And Kraven is a fascinating character who could drive a great story if told right. The newly released trailer leaves me hopeful.
The film is directed by J.C. Chandor (“A Most Violent Year”, “Margin Call”) and stars a well-cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular big-game hunter and Spider-Man antagonist. Joining Taylor-Johnson is Ariana DeBose, Russell Crowe, Alessandro Nivola, and Christopher Abbott. The trailer pulls no punches and Chandor is clearly going for a more violent and bloody origin story. It’s an approach that definitely fits the Kraven character. As with the other Sony movies it’ll all come down to the writing.
“Kraven the Hunter” premieres October 6th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.
This is hardly breaking news, but when it comes to watching “The Flash” Ezra Miller poses the biggest challenge. The crimes and overall bizarre conduct of the film’s troubled star soaked up entertainment headlines and understandably has left bad tastes in the mouths of many moviegoers. Therefore it’s equally understandable if people find themselves struggling with the old ‘art over the artist’ dilemma. I tend to look past it mainly by considering all the other talented people who poured their blood, sweat, and tears into making their movie.
Still it’s a realistic predicament Warner Bros. and DC Studios are facing. And it’s a shame because Miller is actually quite good playing two versions of the same character from different timelines. While not everything in the dueling performances land, particularly with the younger Barry we encounter (more on that in a second), Miller captures and conveys elements of both characters that highlight their similarities and differences. It’s a challenging task but Miller pulls it off.
“The Flash” is the 13th installment in the DC Extended Universe and a film that (kinda) sets up the transition to James Gunn’s rebooted DCU. Personally I’ve really enjoyed the DCEU model and it’s sad to see it going away (it wraps up later this year with “Blue Beetle” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”). With both its hits and misses, the DCEU produced a cool variety of films that could be crazy and audacious, that could take some wild swings, that wasn’t afraid to feature darker tones, and that gave us truly larger-than-life heroes and villains.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
With “The Flash” director Andy Muschietti and screenwriter Christina Hodson have made a movie that not only celebrates the DCEU, but also the screen history of several characters that many of us truly love. The film is full of terrific fan moments and the cameos alone will bring smiles to many faces. I promise, there are things packed in it that you’ll never see coming. I ate it up.
But there’s also a genuinely heartfelt and tragic story at its center – a story of grief and loss and one awkward and lonely young man’s struggle to cope. This is where the movie’s biggest surprises lie. Among the waves of superhero action, big set pieces, and often dazzling special effects, Muschietti and Hodson center their film on a tender and deeply human story that resonated far more than I ever expected it to.
When not answering calls to duty as a member of the Justice League, Barry Allen (Miller) works as a low-rung forensic scientist in Central City. Life has been hard for the lonely and anxious Barry. His mother, Nora (Maribel Verdú) was murdered and his father, Henry (Ron Livingston) is in prison after being falsely accused of killing her. “I lost my mom to a tragedy and lost my dad to the criminal justice system.”
During a moment of overwhelming sorrow Barry runs with such fury that he accidentally travels back in time. Barry returns to his present day where he poses to himself a question: what if he could go back in time and prevent his mother’s death? After helping Batman thwart a heist gone wrong (in a rousing, fun, and funny early action sequence), Barry tells Bruce (Ben Affleck) about his discovery. Bruce promptly warns him of the dangers of tinkering with time.
But Barry, driven by the sincerest of emotions, disregards his mentor’s warnings and travels back to the day his mother is killed. As non-invasively as possible Barry saves his mother and heads back to his time. But on the way he’s knocked out of the SpeedForce and into and alternate 2013 where he encounters his naive and immature 18-year-old self. Barry discovers that he has arrived on the very day that his 18-year-old self is to first get his powers. It’s also the day that the evil General Zod (Michael Shannon) arrives to invade Earth.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Understanding the death and destruction Zod brings, elder Barry sets out to form the Justice League with 2013 Barry following along. But he quickly learns this is a much different Earth – one with no Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, or Cyborg. He does find an old hermit Batman, retired and holed up in what remains of Wayne Manor. But it’s not his caped crusader. This Bruce Wayne is none other than Michael Keaton, reprising the role he played in the 1989 and 1992 Batman films. He also meets a Kryptonian named Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl (Sasha Calle) who he must convince to join their fight against Zod and his legion.
There’s so much else that’s better left unsaid including numerous nods to the past and (possibly) a few hints about the future. Fellow fans of DC, its history, and its characters will love some of the places the movie goes. And while we’re currently experiencing an over-saturation of multiverse movies in the superhero space, this one manages to feel surprisingly intimate and self-contained (at least to a degree).
There’s plenty more I could say. I appreciated its self-referential style, the well-timed laughs, the good pacing, the open-armed embrace of nostalgia, the way it left a big smile on my face. Seeing Keaton back in the cape and the cowl was an absolute delight and Calle makes for a great Supergirl. And I won’t mention the other faces that pop up at the most unexpected times. All of it makes the movie’s handful of hiccups and annoyances easy to look past. It turns out to be another entry that reminds me of why I already miss the DCEU. “The Flash” is out now in theaters.
In 2020 Marvel alumni the Russo brothers and Chris Hemsworth teamed up to make “Extraction”, a no-holds-barred old-school action flick. The results were pretty great. Now Netflix has brought back all the key players for “Extraction 2”, a bigger sequel in nearly every possible way yet one that doesn’t lose sight of what made its predecessor work. Sam Hargrave returns to direct with Joe Russo writing the script which is taken from a story he conceived with his brother Anthony and Andre Parks.
The first film ended with several lingering questions. If you remember the story’s protagonist, former SAS operator turned black-ops mercenary Tyler Rake (Hemsworth), was seriously wounded while on a mission in Bangladesh. After falling off a bridge and plunging into the muddy river below we’re left wondering if he was dead? A blurry final shot hints that he may have survived.
“Extraction 2” makes it clear he did indeed survive. It opens with Tyler’s body being retrieved and rushed to a hospital in Dubai where he lays in a coma for several weeks, his close friend and fellow mercenary Nik Kahn (Golshifteh Farahani) by his side. After waking up he undergoes a rigorous rehab just to be able to walk again. Once discharged Nik sets him up in a remote cabin in Austria where he can live off the grid and have a quiet retirement. Yeah right.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
One day Tyler is paid a surprise visit by a mystery man played by none other than Idris Elba. The man tells of a mission that requires someone with Tyler’s special (and quite lethal) skill set. Tyler is quick to decline. At least until he hears who sent the man – his ex-wife Mia (Olga Kurylenko). And that changes everything.
It turns out Mia’s sister Ketevan (Tinatin Dalakishvili) is stuck in an abusive marriage with a powerful Georgian gangster, Davit Radiani (Tornike Bziava). He’s incarcerated in a savage Georgian prison but has used his power and influence to have Ketevan and their two children locked up with him. Realizing she has to get her kids out, Ketevan reaches out to her sister for help. Upon hearing the story Tyler immediately accepts. Nik quickly joins in along with her brother, Yaz (Adam Bessa).
Action movie fans will love where things go from there. It starts with Hargrave and company putting together a lengthy and elaborately staged prison break-in and breakout sequence. It utilizes numerous crazy visual techniques and unquestionably expensive practical effects. It’s incredibly immersive despite the sheer craftsmanship sometimes pulling the spotlight away from the story being told. Who cares – it’s an exhilarating initiation into the film’s style of action.
From there things only ratchet up as Tyler, Nik, and Yaz take Ketevan and her children on the run from the film’s true antagonist, Davit’s cold ruthless big brother Zurab (Tornike Gogrichiani). Zurab has ran the family business while his brother has been in the clink, smuggling drugs and weapons to build a militarized criminal empire he calls the Nagazi. With seemingly endless resources at his disposal, Zurab has the means and the maniacal drive to hunt Tyler and his his sister-in-law wherever they go (which is precisely what he does).
Image Courtesy of Netflix
While action is the main dish, Russo’s script does seek to dig a little deeper into Tyler’s pained personal history which was expressed in the first film but never really explored. There’s not a lot of time spent on it here, but what we get adds a welcomed human layer to Tyler. It’s a nice touch that brings the occasional break from the otherwise non-stop bullet-firing, bone-cracking, and blood-letting.
Then there’s Hemsworth who gives another tough and soulful performance which is a nice departure from his work as the bumbling God of Thunder in the MCU. Hemsworth is a well-rounded actor who has the grit and physicality for a role like this. He also has a natural charisma and an inherent likability that makes him and his character easy to root for. As for Farahani, she makes for a terrific foil and deserves her own spin-off movie.
To be clear, there’s not much in “Extraction 2” we haven’t seen before. But when you hone in on the action, choreography, and stunt work there aren’t many recent movies that have done it better. The painstakingly polished and furiously detailed set pieces are the film’s bread and butter, and it’s hard not to appreciate the amount of craft it took to pull some of this stuff off. All in all, count this as a sure-fire hit for Netflix. “Extraction” premieres today on Netflix.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced the upcoming release of “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant”. This riveting and engaging military action thriller reveals a different side of Ritchie with the filmmaker showing a patience and focus that makes this story both exciting and deeply human. There’s a visceral realism that captures the intensity and chaos of actual combat. Yet Ritchie never takes its eyes off the characters. Too many people missed it in theaters. Now is your chance to see and own it. You can read my full review of the film HERE.
The new Blu-ray combo pack of “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” will release on June 20th, 2023. See below for a full synopsis and breakdown of the bonus features.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:
Year: 2023
Runtime: 123 Minutes
Director: Guy Ritchie
Screenwriter: Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Antony Starr, Alexander Ludwig, Bobby Schofield, Emily Beecham and Jonny Lee Miller
Rating: R (violence, language throughout and brief drug content)
ABOUT THE FILM
“Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” stars Jake Gyllenhaal (Ambulance, Spider-Man: Far from Home), Dar Salim (Game of Thrones), Antony Starr (The Boys), Alexander Ludwig (Bad Boys for Life, Vikings), Bobby Schofield (Cherry), Emily Beecham (Cruella) and Jonny Lee Miller (T2 Trainspotting).
“Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” follows US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley’s life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down.
Based on the 1973 short story of the same name by Stephen King, “The Boogeyman” comes from director Rob Savage and the screenwriting trio of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (the duo who penned “The Quiet Place”) and Mark Heyman. While they’re definitely not reinventing the wheel here, there’s a certain well-made old-school chiller quality to this new horror entry. And it offers up some good counter programming for those not interested in the latest superhero Spider-Man multiverse extravaganza that grabbed most of the attention last weekend.
Grief and loss continue to be among the most prominent themes in movies today. They certainly play a big part in “The Boogeyman”. High schooler Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and her kid sister Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair) are struggling to adjust following the recent death of their mother. Suffocating under his own sorrow, their grieving father Will (Chris Messina) has locked up his feelings and refused to talk about the accident that took his wife’s life. Understandably it has put a strain on his relationship with his daughters.
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
As the girls prepare for their first day back at school in a month, Sadie has an especially tough time (it’s all the more understandable once we meet her pathetic excuse for “friends”). Meanwhile Will, a therapist working from home, has continued to see patients. After getting the girls to school he returns to his office and is surprised by a troubled man named Lester Billings (David Dastmalchian) who is desperate to speak to him.
Will sits Lester down and puts on his therapist cap. The conversation that follows is arguably the film’s creepiest sequence. Lester explains he’s suspected of murdering his three young children but denies it. Instead he hands Will a crude drawing of a sinister looking monster he clams is responsible. “It’s the thing that comes for your kids when you’re not paying attention,” he says in a strangely pointed manner.
I won’t spoil where things go from there, but Will and Lester’s meeting doesn’t end on a good note. Even worse, soon the monster pays their home a visit. Of course it only comes out at night and it begins by terrorizing young Sawyer (don’t ask me why). Blair was a hit playing young Princess Leia in Disney’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series and she’s really good here.
The same can be said for Thatcher playing the older sister forced to take on an almost parental role. Sadie doesn’t buy Sawyer’s claims at first. But soon she too comes face-to-face with the malevolent creature. And with her father in such a disconnected state, she takes it upon herself to protect her kid sister and find out why the monster has chose their family to terrorize.
There are a lot of heavy themes being explored and the numerous metaphors are impossible to miss. That’s especially true during the big ending where it’s hard to tell if the filmmakers are even trying to hide their overarching message. Still the metaphors and message are effective. Unfortunately they also make things predictable. Perhaps it’s the inescapable result of seeing so many horror movies plow similar ground, but once you get a grip on what the filmmakers are after it’s pretty easy to tell where they are heading.
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
As for the horror stuff, we get some some good atmosphere, a few well-executed scares, and a cool creature design. At the same time Savage leans a little too much on the genre’s more well-worn tropes. Loud bangs, creepy voices, creaking doors, noises in the walls – it’s all there. He does some interesting things with light and shadows, but even that starts to feel too familiar.
When considered together it’s these nagging issues that eventually cause the movie to sputter despite the best efforts of those in front of and behind the camera. For the most part it still accomplishes what it sets out to do. But the overall impression that “we’ve seen all this before” stymies much of the suspense and leaves the film feeling like pretty standard horror movie fare. Well-intended and mildly successful, but standard nonetheless. “The Boogeyman” is in theaters now.”
Keith & the Movies 