RETRO REVIEW: “Commando” (1985)

May 29, 2026 by Keith Garlington

On the front-end of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s near fifty-year acting career, after he had established himself in two Conan movies and took the world by storm in “The Terminator”, he released “Commando”. It was his first starring role (minus the docudrama “Pumping Iron”) that wasn’t science fiction or sword-and-sorcery. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t an element of modern day fantasy to it. It was pure over-the-top 1980s popcorn action that audiences flocked to and that I still adore today.

“Commando” would be the biggest hit for director Mark L. Lester. It was one of several for screenwriter Steven Edward de Souza whose high-profile action resume also includes the first two Die Hard films, “The Running Man”, and “48 Hrs.” (yes, there’s also “Hudson Hawk”, but we’ll save that for a later Retro Review). Together they took a story idea conceived by Jeph Loeb for Kiss bassist Gene Simmons (!!) and retailored it for Schwarzenegger’s obvious strengths.

In 1985, Schwarzenegger was at his physical peak, and Lester utilized it to a near comical effect. From the early shots of Arnie quite literally carrying a tree, to him running onto the beach in a tiny Speedo, Schwarzenegger was a formidable specimen. Yet what really drew him to the role was the opportunity to play a father. Sure, he’s also a one-man killing machine who can fling an occupied phone booth and roll over sports cars with his bare hands. But the role allowed him to show a human side which he appreciated.

**Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios**

Schwarzenegger plays John Matrix (the perfect 80s action movie name), a retired Army colonel who has left his life in the Special Forces to raise his young daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). Together they live a quiet and happy life in their remote rustic home in the mountains of upstate California. But their idyllic and slightly cheesy existence is interrupted when Matrix is visited by his former commander, General Franklin Kirby (James Olson), who warns him that members of his former unit have been systematically murdered.

With Kirby barely out of sight, Matrix’s home is attacked by mercenaries who kidnap him and his daughter. The man behind it all is General Arius (Dan Hedaya), a former South American despot who wants Matrix to kill his small country’s president so he can retake power. With the help of Matrix’s maniacal former squad-mate Bennett (Vernon Wells), Arius transports Jenny to his fortified island compound, using her as leverage to keep Matrix in line.

Accompanied by one of Arius’ henchmen, Matrix is put on a commercial plane bound for South America and his presidential target. But he gives the goon the slip (via a cracked neck) and hops off the plane just as it’s taking off. That leaves him with eleven hours until the plane lands and Arius is alerted that he isn’t onboard. And he will need every minute of those eleven hours to locate Arius’ compound and to make his way there to save his daughter.

After its fast and violent setup, “Commando” settles into an interesting rhythm as Matrix begins piecing together a trail of clues that he hopes will lead him to Jenny. It’s here that the supporting cast gets even better. Matrix finds an ally in a reluctant flight attendant named Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) who adds some levity while still getting in way over her head. We also get a couple of terrific heavies including the delightfully slimy Sully (David Patrick Kelly) and the intense and menacing Cooke (the great Bill Duke).

“Commando” is an action movie through and through. But Lester and de Souza leave plenty of room for laughs. Admittedly some are unintentional and have even grown endearing over the years. But others can be organically funny – none better than the many one-liners. “He’s dead tired.”, “I lied.”, “I let him go.” – just some of the deliberately goofy bits that remain memorable after all these years.

But it all does come back to the action which we get in spades during the film’s final twenty minutes. That’s when Matrix and his arsenal of machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, shotguns, sawblades, pitchforks, and claymores tears through Arius’ army of fodder to the audience’s delight. It’s non-stop carnage with a body count topping one hundred, yet its a wonderfully fitting finish for a movie that does a good job building up to its inevitable end.

“Commando” is a certainly a movie of its time. But is says something that it’s still revered by so many today. As I said, it’s pure popcorn entertainment that fans love for its artery-clogging cheese just as much as its wild over-the-top action. And it was the perfect vehicle for the fairly fresh Arnold Schwarzenegger who would immediately follow the film with hits like “Predator”, “The Running Man”, “Total Recall” and so many more.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Character Posters Drop for “Masters of the Universe”

May 28, 2026 by Keith Garlington

I’ll be perfectly honest, I don’t know what to expect from the upcoming “Masters of the Universe”. I’m simply not sure what kind of demand there is for a movie based on a 1980s animated series and Mattel toy line. Yes I know there have been several animated revivals over the last forty years. But most remember it from its 80s heyday that saw the franchise make the jump from comics to television, and even spawn a not-so-great 1987 feature film starring Dolph Lundgren. But in 2026? I don’t know.

But hats off to Amazon MGM Studios for rolling the dice and bringing a “Masters of the Universe” to the big screen. And they aren’t taking the cheap route. The movie is said to have a $200 million production budget, and director Travis Knight has put together a rather compelling cast that includes Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Camila Mendes, Morena Baccarin, Kristen Wiig, James Purefoy, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson.

In the end, my curiosity is more than enough to lead me to the theater, mainly as a fan of classic sword-and-sorcery films rather than the franchise itself. And the promotion for the film has been fun. Case in point – the eighteen (yes, EIGHTEEN) cool character posters that have been dropped ahead of the film’s June 5th release. Check them out below and let me know what you think. Also, how excited are you to see a new big screen adaptation of “Masters of the Universe”?

REVIEW: “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” (2026)

May 22, 2026 by Keith Garlington

It has been seven years since a new Star Wars film has hit the big screen. For fans of the franchise, it has been a long and agonizing wait (please pardon the drama). Yet there has been no shortage of new canonical Star Wars content for us to consume via streaming. Since the franchise’s last feature film hit theaters, there has been ten live-action seasons and nearly as many animated offerings on the Disney+ platform. Still, there’s nothing quite like Star Wars on the big screen.

For this decades-long Star Wars fan, Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian” remains among the best of the live-action streaming series. Spanning 24 episodes over three seasons, the show plays like a space western set during a turbulent time on the Star Wars timeline. The first season was a terrific table-setter and the second season was an equally impressive follow-up. And while the third season dove more into Mandalorian lore than some wanted, it was still a worthwhile continuation.

The show’s story began five years after the events of “Return of the Jedi” and followed a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) who becomes the protector and father-figure to a Force-sensitive child named Grogu (aka “Baby Yoda”). The series was firmly planted in the Star Wars galaxy, yet it’s the relationship that Din and Grogu forged that formed the heart of its story. And now their journey continues on the big screen with the simply titled “The Mandalorian and Grogu”.

Favreau directs from a script he co-wrote with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor. Together they have created a pulpy throwback space adventure that entertains with its bigger, grander spectacle yet flows naturally from the intimacy of its small screen predecessor. Even more, while it’s nicely rooted in Star Wars canon, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” doesn’t require a degree in Star Wars-ology to know what’s going on. Obviously it will speak more to seasoned fans. But anyone can watch, catch on, and enjoy.

Predictably, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” has already faced negativity from many of the usual naysayers. But for those able to toss aside unreasonable expectations and trendy disillusionment, Favreau and company have delivered a rip-roaring Star Wars adventure reminiscent of the old space serials that inspired George Lucas nearly 50 years ago. It tells an incredibly fun and mostly self-contained story that really gets to the heart of what so many of us love about the eponymous duo.

After the fall of the Galactic Empire, a remnant of loyalists threaten the stability of the galaxy. A shadow council made up of ex-Imperial warlords operate in the lawless Outer Rim, secretly plotting to rebuild the Empire. To quell their efforts, the fledgling New Republic enlist Din (a returning Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu to hunt them down one by one. It’s dangerous work, but it’s something Din knows and does well.

After taking out a target in an exhilarating action-filled opening, Din returns to base where he is approached by Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver), a top pilot during the Rebellion now serving as a commanding officer for the New Republic. She tasks him with a new mission – apprehend Imperial warlord Janu Coin (Jonny Coyne). But in order to find his location, Din will have to do a job for the Hutt twins, the leaders of the crime syndicate once ran by the late Jabba the Hutt.

The twins want Din to rescue Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), the only surviving heir of Jabba who is being held captive on the planet Shakari. But Din and Grogu learn the hard way that there is more to their mission than meets the eye. And when things get “messy”, our heroes find themselves at odds with the Hutt twins who have their own shady self-interests and ulterior movies in play.

From its opening moments, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” makes its intentions very clear. It’s every bit of a Star Wars movie, with its threatening worlds, its array of cool creatures, and a plethora of details that fans will recognize throughout. At the same time, the story is more about the personal stakes rather than galaxy-wide peril. Much like the show, it keeps Din and Grogu’s relationship front and center which adds plenty of heart to the pulse-pounding action.

As far as visuals, Favreau weaves an eye-popping tapestry of practical sets, digital effects, and amazing puppetry in bringing his adventure to life. It’s especially impressive on the big screen, whether it’s massive Imperial walkers, ferocious arena fights, or the scene-stealing Anzellan droidsmiths. And it’s all accompanied by the lavishly scored music of Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson. He turns out to be one of the film’s biggest standouts.

Again, throw aside the absurd expectations, the exaggerated doomsdaying, and the ‘hate for clicks’ online noise and you’ll find a movie that’s not as far removed from George Lucas’ original vision as you may think. Some have harshly judged the film as “inconsequential”. But Favreau is clearly aiming for something more intimate, with situations that are never “inconsequential” for the characters. And Star Wars has already shown that not every story needs to be on a galactic scale. It’s true that your mileage may vary depending on your affection for the two lead characters. But again, anyone can jump in, buckle up, and enjoy this equally exciting and charming old-school space adventure.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Remarkably Bright Creatures” (2026)

May 19, 2026 by Keith Garlington

Adapted from Shelby Van Pelt’s 2022 best-selling novel of the same name, “Remarkably Bright Creatures” is a heartwarming drama that’s not made for the more cynically minded. It’s an earnest and empathetic tearjerker, yet one with enough restraint to make its handful of cliches easier to digest. Most importantly, it never loses sight of the humanity at the core of its story. And that’s what makes the film resonate.

Director Olivia Newman, who also co-wrote the screenplay with John Whittington, gives ample time to the book’s central themes of tragedy, grief, aging, isolation, etc. And she does so through the unconventional pairing of 79-year-old Sally Field and 33-year-old Lewis Pullman. Both give emotionally rich and textured performances in bringing to life two broken people who find solace in each other and one deeply empathetic Pacific octopus.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” gives an especially touching role to Sally Field. She plays Tova Sullivan, a withdrawn widow working as the overnight cleaning lady at an aquarium in the small fictional town of Sowell Bay, Washington. Tova is still struggling from the deaths of her beloved son Eric thirty years earlier, and more recently her husband Will. Rather than lean on the local townsfolk who clearly care for her, Tova only shares her heart with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus voiced by Alfred Molina who serves as the film’s wise and witty narrator.

The similarities between Tova and Marcellus are many. Both are elderly. Both can be a little cantankerous. Both are lonely. And both face their own sense of captivity, with Marcellus longing to be out of his tank and back in the ocean before he dies, and Tova facing a big decision on whether to sell her family home and move into a senior care facility. The two form a sad yet heartwarming bond that takes an unexpected turn after another person enters both of their worlds.

Cameron (Lewis Pullman) is passing through Sowell Bay when his beat-up van, which also serves as his home, breaks down in the middle of town. With no money to pay for the repairs, Cameron gets a part-time job at the aquarium filling in for Tova after she takes a fall. But ever the perfectionist, Tova immediately takes issue with Cameron’s methods. “There’s a right way and a wrong way to do things,” she preaches with the conviction of an evangelist.

At first the two seem utterly incompatible. But over time a connection is formed between them as Tova sees reminders of her son in Cameron. But we learn there is more to Cameron than just some drifter passing through. We discover he has his own painful past and has come to the area for a very specific reason. But his fateful meeting with Tova opens the door to lives both of them had given up on. But carrying so much pain through that door proves difficult.

While Tova and Cameron are terrific centerpieces, Newman surrounds them with a host of entertaining supporting characters. Colm Meaney plays a kindly general store owner Ethan who has eyes for Tova. Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, and Beth Grant are a lot of fun playing members of Tova’s knitting group. Sofia Black-D’Elia’s plays Avery, a paddle board shop owner who instantly catches Cameron’s attention. And of course there’s Alfred Molina, whose soothingly voiced observations range from keenly perceptive to bitingly funny.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is almost certain to find resistance from those with an aversion to warm and tender dramas. But for everyone else, it’s a film that will pull at your heartstrings but with an emotional honesty that is hard to deny. Yes, it tries to weave together a few too many story threads and the way things play out are…convenient. Yet Newman delivers a film adaptation that’s full of charm, warmth, and hope. And it features a delightful Sally Field performance that will bring a tear to your eye and put a smile on your face.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Obsession” (2026)

May 18, 2026 by Keith Garlington

After premiering nearly eight months ago at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, the well-received “Obsession” is now getting it official release. It’s the sophomore effort from 26-year-old filmmaker Curry Barker who was recently announced to be writing and directing a new reimagining of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” for A24. That came as a surprise to many of us. But after seeing what he does in “Obsession”, it makes sense.

In the film Michael Johnston plays Baron “Bear” Bailey, a timid and insecure twentysomething who has developed feelings for his childhood friend and record store co-worker Nikki (Inde Navarrette). Bear is trying to work up the courage to finally tell Nikki how he feels. He seeks advice from their mutual friend Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) while remaining oblivious to the obvious affections of their other mutual friend Sarah (Megan Lawless).

After failing once again to express his love to Nikki, Bear stops by a novelty shop to buy her a gift. There he finds and buys a cheap wooden trinket called the “One Wish Willow”. More out of frustration than expectation, Bear follows the instructions on the box and wishes that Nikki loved him more than anything else in the world. To his shock, his wish comes true and Nikki instantly falls in love with him.

Their new romantic relationship seemingly starts great despite the suspicions of Ian and Sarah. But over time, Nikki starts to crack. Her adoring love turns into an unhinged obsession marked by psychotic episodes, violent mood swings, and uncontrolled jealousy. And things only get worse from there as Barker offers a dark, twisted, and satisfyingly gory examination of autonomy and codependency.

“Obsession” has its shocking moments, with some being gruesome enough to nearly earn the film an NC-17 rating. But the real terror comes in Navarrette’s chilling performance and in Barker’s unnerving use of sound. Blood-curdling screams and loud bangs offer jolts that are more than simply jump-scares. They’re authentic within the story and keep us on edge. Meanwhile Navarrette nails an incredibly demanding role that asks her to run the gamut of emotional extremes, often changing on a dime. She’s genuinely and shrewdly unsettling.

Sadly not everything in “Obsession” hits its mark. While Nikki is as captivating as she is frightening, Bear ends up stuck in one gear. He stays in shocked mode for nearly the duration, only occasionally showing another side of himself. Also, practically nothing is told about what’s behind it all. We never know the true source (is it magic, is it supernatural, is it something else?) and the rules seem plucked out of thin air. Thematically it’s not a big deal as Barker is far more interested in ideas of agency, attachment, etc. But narratively it leaves holes that I wish had been filled.

Still, it’s not easy to find fresh and original premises in the well-traveled horror genre. We get one with “Obsession”. It marks the emergence of Curry Barker, an exciting new voice with a big future. And for many of us, it introduces Inde Navarrette, an impressive young actress who fully deserves the praise she has been getting. Both energize what is a wickedly clever cautionary chiller that may stumble in spots yet plows some exciting new ground in horror.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “In the Grey” (2026)

May 16, 2026 by Keith Garlington

Three very pretty people team up to get back a fortune owed by a ruthless despot in Guy Ritchie’s “In the Grey”. It’s a sleek and straightforward action-thriller laced with big set pieces, snappy dialogue, and a nonsense approach to storytelling. And did I mention three very pretty people? Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González form the film’s central trio and clearly have a ball with Ritchie’s signature energy and swagger.

Despite hardly any promotion, “In the Grey” is a consistently fun throwback action film that deserves an audience. Ritchie never hides his intentions. His latest is a kinetically-paced heist movie that slow-builds to a big action payoff. And it openly leans on the charms, good looks, and sharp chemistry of its three leads. It’s a pretty simply formula that Ritchie knows well, and here he mostly gets it right.

The storytelling unfolds with a near procedural precision, directly moving us from point to point with hardly any downtime for such things as character development or relationship building. The movie is nearly as all-business as its characters, finding room for the occasional dry banter until it’s time for its trio to go to work. The simplicity is almost endearing even if it does approach formulaic. As for me, I enjoyed Ritchie’s unapologetic matter-of-fact approach.

**Image Courtesy of Black Bear Pictures**

The world of “In the Grey” is full of attorneys, bankers, investors, mercenaries, and tyrants. It’s where we meet the cunning and commanding Rachel Wild (a fabulous González), a lawyer who aggressively recovers money from shady borrowers and returns it to the equally shady financial firms who loaned it. Rachel is hired by Bobby Sheen (Rosamund Pike), a reluctant but desperate banking executive trying to avoid her boss’s wrath by retrieving $1 billion owed by a powerful crime boss named Manny Salazar (Carlos Bardem). The problem is Salazar has already killed one of Bobby’s lawyers who dared to try and collect.

Rachel is good at her job because she works within that small grey area between legal and illegal. And it helps that she has two loyal and capable extraction experts by her side, Sid (Cavill) and Bronco (Gyllenhaal). Individually they have unique specialties; together they are a highly efficient and lethal duo aided by their small team of operatives. As for Salazar, he lives lavishly on an island he owns, protected by a private army and a corrupt police department who are on his payroll.

Rachel gets Salazar’s attention by slickly, meticulously, and covertly seizing his assets, freezing his accounts, and ultimately costing him millions of dollars. It earns her an invite to Salazar’s island to hammer out a deal. Sid and Bronco accompany her as protection and are more than capable of keeping her safe. But they’re more concerned about the extraction if things heat up. And as you can guess, things definitely heat up leading to an action-packed second half marked by one unexpected swerve that really raises the stakes.

The film’s three stars have all worked with Ritchie before and they effortlessly slide into the skins of the characters he has created. We can only speculate about the depths of Rachel, Sid, and Bronco’s relationships. That’s because they are consummate professionals with a near robotic focus on the job at hand. They occasionally break their intensity with a bit of humor or a concerned word that may point to closer bonds. But their affections mainly lie with their work, as seen in their extensive planning, detailed coordination, obsessive preparation, and pinpoint execution.

Of course the savvy Ritchie is no stranger to big action. It takes some time getting to it with the surprisingly dense exposition-filled stage-setting. But once it comes, it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a veritable buffet of tense shootouts and thrilling vehicle chases, marked by big explosions and an even bigger body count. Meanwhile the costume design is as eye-popping as the set pieces. As I said, these are very pretty people and Ritchie looks to his favorite designer, Loulou Bontemps to ensure they’re well dressed for the every occasion.

“In the Grey” is a wildly entertaining action caper that mixes a Soderberghian style of storytelling with Guy Ritchie’s visual panache. It hearkens back to older action films yet has an exhilarating verve all its own. With such a laser focus, the film does leave you wishing for more between the three main characters themselves. But Ritchie knows what he’s after, and he locks in and delivers. Gyllenhaal and Cavill are rock-solid fits, but it’s an especially great role for González who ends up stealing the show. And what a fun show it is.