Revenge fuels “The Unholy Trinity”, a new Western from Australian director Richard Gray. Set high in the scenic Montana Territory during the late winter of 1988, “The Unholy Trinity” takes place in and around the small town of Trinity. Its story (written for the screen by Lee Zachariah) follows a number of characters driven by their own personal vengeances and the upright local lawman trying to keep order among the growing chaos.

Sadly, Westerns have had a tougher time resonating with modern audiences, especially Westerns that might fall into the more traditional category. In many ways “The Unholy Trinity” is very much a traditional Western, embracing an assortment of familiar tropes, character types, and themes. Its story doesn’t break new ground or reshape the genre. Yet the storytelling is solid and efficient. And there is enough mystery and intrigue to keep us involved.

Gray leans on the star wattage of Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson. Both deliver the kind of sturdy performances you would expect in portraying two dramatically different characters. But it’s actor Brandon Lessard who begins as the centerpiece. He plays Henry Broadway, a young man who is intent on avenging the death of his father (Tim Daly). Henry’s father was imprisoned and executed after he was framed by Saul Butler, the corrupt sheriff of a small Montana town called Trinity.

Henry travels to Trinity where he plans to spread his father’s ashes and kill the town’s sheriff. But those plans hit a snag when he arrives and discovers that Saul Butler is dead and buried. Butler’s trigger-happy war buddy Gideon (Gianni Capaldi) believes he was murdered by a young Blackfoot woman (Q’orianka Kilcher) hiding out in a nearby grove. Gideon wants revenge which he masks as a call for justice. But the new sheriff, Gabriel Dove (Brosnan) refuses to act without proof of guilt.

Through a near fatal misunderstanding, Henry is introduced to Gabriel who has sympathy for the boy. But Henry’s stay in Trinity is complicated after he kills a local thug in self-defense, making him the target of the hombre’s revenge-obsessed brothers. Henry escapes from the town with the help of a former slave who goes by Saint Christopher (Jackson). The mysterious Christopher claims to have once ran with Henry’s father. But his motivations are unclear and his intentions are even murkier.

As the story plays out we’re treated to shifting allegiances and unexpected alliances. And there are several decent plot twists that keep things interesting. The action we get is decent, especially during the inevitable final showdown. But the shootouts are not the movie’s chief focus. Gray and Zachariah are more interested in unfolding the characters through their ever-changing circumstances. Some fare better than others, but overall it makes for a mostly entertaining feature set firmly within a classic Western framework.

“The Unholy Trinity” may not change the minds of those with no affection for Westerns. But it’s plenty appetizing for those hungry for more from the nearly forsaken genre. From start to finish, the movie plays out much as you would expect, and for some that seemingly lack of originality may hold it back. But its classic style, which may be viewed as a weakness to some, may be seen as a strength to others. And that will make “The Unholy Trinity” a welcomed treat for genre fans. “The Unholy Trinity” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

I’ve never played the video game “Until Dawn”, a popular survival horror title that released on PlayStation in 2015. “Until Dawn” was an interactive experience that stood apart for its healthy amount of exploration and butterfly effect gameplay system. The game was received well by critics and would become a surprise sleeper hit for Sony Computer Entertainment.

While it’s well documented that video games haven’t had the best track record when it comes to translating to the big screen, director David F. Sandberg gives it another shot with “Until Dawn”. Co-written by Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler, the story follows Clover (Ella Rubin), a troubled young woman still struggling after the death of her mother and the mysterious disappearance of her sister Melanie (Maia Mitchell) one year earlier.

Accompanied by her friends Max (Michael Cimino), Nina (Odessa A’zion), Megan (Ji-young Yoo), and Abe (Belmont Cameli), Clover goes on a road trip to the remote Glore Valley where her sister was last seen. Their hopes are to find clues to Melanie’s whereabouts by retracing her last known steps. They start by stopping at a country mercantile where the owner (played by the always interesting Peter Stormare) informs Clover that many folks have gone missing in the area, especially further up the road. So of course that’s where the five friends go, setting the stage for the horror that follows.

They drive deeper into the valley through a heavy downpour until they arrive at an isolated welcome center where things are noticeably off. For starters, heavy rain forms a circle around the manor and not a drop falls within it. Things only get weirder after the group goes inside to wait out the storm. Abe discovers a bulletin board covered in missing person flyers; Nina finds a guest book where visitors’ names are written multiple times in a row; Megan starts hearing warnings from unknown spirits.

But Sandberg doesn’t waste much time setting up the story. Instead he gets right to the carnage as a masked Vorhees-esque psychopath shows up and picks off the five one savage kill at a time. But to their surprise, all five come back to life only to die again in a different yet equally gruesome way. And that’s the story’s gimmick which unfortunately grows stale a little too quick. The group is caught in an endless time loop where they encounter a new horror with each reset. And each reset takes more of a toll on each of them.

Clover, Max, Nina, Abe, and Megan eventually figure out their dilemma and must survive until dawn if they’re going to escape. They learn it all with little mystery and even less intrigue. Instead the movie focuses more on the next wave of carnage which admittedly can be pretty entertaining. The use of mostly practical effects make the deaths especially fun. And you can’t help but to enjoy watching the filmmakers go down the horror movie checklist (masked psychos, a haunted house, supernatural possession, creepy dolls, clowns, etc. – they’re all here). We even get a sprinkling of genuinely funny dialogue although I’m not sure its always intentional.

But “Until Dawn” is hampered by a few too many weak spots that keep it from gelling into the killer horror experience it teases. The world’s rules don’t always make sense and things get especially muddled in the final act. But its biggest issue may be with the paper-thin characters. We have the troubled protagonist, her insecure ex, a lunkheaded psych major, a spirit dabbler, and a relationship hopper. Outside of those brief descriptors, none of the characters are fleshed out enough for us to care about them. Ultimately that makes watching their evisceration a little less interesting. “Until Dawn” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry play old flames rekindling their relationship through the most ordinary of means – by entering the covert world of global espionage. That’s the gist of “The Union”, a new Netflix action-comedy that plays like a rehash of countless other film’s of its type. It’s a movie that is so by the numbers you’ll struggle to find anything that feels remotely inspired. And that’s a shame because there is some good talent attached to it.

“The Union” is directed Julian Farino who works from a script by Joe Barton and David Guggenheim. Their story follows a pretty conventional path, never veering anywhere close to originality either with its premise or its characters. Everything feels old hat and borrowed which leaves the audience with nothing to latch onto and certainly nothing to take with them. Yet it’s never boring…so there’s that.

Mike (Wahlberg) is a New Jersey construction worker and an all-around everyday guy. One evening his old high school girlfriend, Roxanne (Berry) walks into his favorite bar. The two haven’t seen in other in years and they immediately begin reminiscing about old times. They even go to one of their old hangouts overlooking the city. And that’s where Roxanne jabs Mike with a tranquilizer that knocks him out. Talk about escalating quickly.

Mike eventually wakes up in London where Roxanne reveals she is a member of a clandestine organization known as (you guessed it) The Union. She introduces him to Tom Brennan (J.K. Simmons), the head of The Union who spends most of his screen time spitting out cheesy lines meant to sound witty. We learn that Roxanne’s entire team was killed and vital intelligence stolen. To retrieve it, The Union needs someone with no history – a nobody. No lifetime commitment required, just one operation and then Mike can go home (so much for clandestine).

Mike agrees to help and after one swift training montage he’s suddenly qualified for the mission. He and Roxanne will need to track down the location where the intel is being auctioned off. But they quickly learn other people are after it too. This leads to the bulk of the movie’s action as the field-tested Roxanne and the newbie Mike fend off a number of generic bad guys. And of course we get a little romantic tension along the way.

The filmmakers throw us a couple of second half twists but neither move the needle. And even they are ideas copied and pasted from other movies. Other possible story angles pop up but never amount to much. Instead the movie keeps chugging down the most routine of routes. Even with its flaws, Wahlberg and Berry bounce off each other pretty well. There are some witty lines and some decent spurts of action. But finding much past that can be a chore, even for the most forgiving moviegoers. “The Union” is streaming now on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

I admit, the general premise of the new French film “Under Paris” is utterly absurd. A man-eating shark loose in the Seine River terrorizing the “City of Light” kinda speaks for itself. But if you have read my reviews for any amount of time you probably know I have a soft spot movies like this. Whether silly, serious, or both, I’m usually onboard when filmmakers deliver on what they’re going for. And such is the case with “Under Paris”.

Shark movies have become a horror sub-genre all their own, and frankly speaking, most of the recent ones have been pretty bad. But “Under Paris” is a nice surprise. Directed by Xavier Gens and starring the always compelling Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo, the movie makes a number of smart choices that keep it above water. The movie plays it straight and you’ll never find any winking or side-eyes towards the audience. At the same time, Gens’ love for genre is impossible to miss and he lets loose with some wild and gnarly shark kills that are a lot of fun.

In a prologue we’re introduced to Sophia Assalas (Bejo), an oceanographer who specializes in marine ecosystems. She and her team have been studying the rapid growth of a female shark they’ve named Lilith near a huge garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean. But their research expedition takes a tragic turn when Lilith attacks. Sophia ends up loosing her entire crew including her husband Chris (Yannick Choirat).

Three years pass and a still grieving Sophia is now giving tours at a Paris aquarium. On her way home she’s approached by 20-year-old Mika (Léa Léviant), the idealistic leader of the Save Our Seas Collective, an underground organization of young environmentalists inspired by Sophia’s work. Mika informs Sophia that her group has been monitoring Lilith via an old tracking beacon once used by Sophia and her team. And that’s where things get interesting.

It turns out Mika and company claim to have spotted the now enormous Lilith in the Seine River. Sophia doesn’t believe it at first. But after she dusts off her old tracking equipment and sees it for herself, she realizes Mika is right. From there Gens begins building the obvious stakes. To help, he introduces a few key supporting characters including a skeptical Sergeant with the Paris River Police, Adil Faez (Nassim Lyes). Then there is the haughty Paris mayor (Anne Marivin) who is far more interested in the fast-approaching city triathlon than any potential shark threat (she’s a comical callback to Murray Hamilton’s Mayor Larry Vaughn from “Jaws”).

Some of what follows is pretty predictable. Several people make some really bad choices. Those in power don’t listen to the experts until it’s too late. And it all inevitably leads to a plenty of blood and body parts. But the movie has its share of surprises. Some are absolutely preposterous (but in a wildly entertaining way) and require you to just chuckle and go with it. Others catch us off-guard and send the story in some unexpected directions, especially in the gleefully gonzo second half. Eventually everything culminates in an ending that I really appreciated for reasons I won’t spoil.

I don’t want to exaggerate and herald “Under Paris” as some must-see classic. But boy is it fun, especially for those who get onboard and stay in the right frame of mind. DP Nicolas Massart offers up some eye-catching Paris scenery to go with the harrowing underwater shots. Meanwhile the digital effects team have a field day serving up a hearty helping of shark action and human carnage. And sturdy performances from Bejo and Lyes keep us invested regardless of how silly or hammy things may sometimes get. “Under Paris” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

In the new romantic comedy “Upgraded”, yet another unexpected meet-cute leads to a silly and sappy romance. But as always there’s that one hurdle that threatens to keep our love-struck couple apart. Will it? Well what do you think? Does it ever? Such is the case in this by-the-book yet mildly entertaining romcom that gets by on the pure energy of its cast. Just don’t expect much beyond that.

What really stands out is that the romance is (by far) the least interesting thing about “Upgraded”. You can actually see the blueprint for a good art-world comedy and the movie certainly has the cast for it. But the wedged-in romance drags the movie down mainly because there’s nothing remotely fresh or original about it. It’s riddled with clichés and conveniences that takes away from the much more entertaining workplace stuff.

Camila Mendes plays Ana Santos, a down-on-her-luck New Yorker with high hopes of working in the art world. Despite having a Masters Degree in Art History, Ana hasn’t been able to get her foot in the door. She’s knee-deep in debt and has been living with her sister Vivian (Aimee Carrero) and brother-in-law Ronnie (Andrew Schulz). She’s interning at a high-end art gallery ran by the highly revered Claire DuPont (a scene-stealing Marisa Tomei), an art broker described by one character as a “psychopathic perfectionist”. The label fits.

A recommendation from Claire would go a long way in helping Ana realize her dream and she gets her chance to impress when she’s invited to accompany Claire and her entourage to London for an auction. But Claire’s two insufferably snobbish assistants, Suzette (Rachel Matthews) and Renee (Fola Evans-Akingbola) begin sabotaging Ana’s opportunity starting with booking her on a delayed economy flight. Suzette and Renee have some funny moments and are something akin to Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters.

But wouldn’t you know it, a little sympathy (and some narrative convenience) sees Ana upgraded to first class where she is seated next to a hunky and rich British advertising executive named William (Archie Renaux). Of course the two hit it off and sparks soon fly. A few little white lies later and Ana has William thinking she is her gallery’s art director. As you can probably guess her fibs get her in deeper, especially after William introduces her to his highfalutin mother Catherine (a spot-on Lena Olin).

Written by the trio of Christine Lenig, Justin Matthews, and Luke Spencer Roberts, the story splits into two parts that inevitably collide. One part is quite good and follows an ambitious Ana comically working through an array of obstacles thrown her way by her threatened co-workers. But again, its the other part that’s unimaginative and tiresome. The romantic angle is patently conventional leading to an ending so glaringly and shamelessly predictable that you can’t help but roll your eyes.

Carlson Young directs and shows herself to be more than capable behind the camera. She makes a number of good choices when it comes to pacing and knowing when to rely on her actors. But she’s handcuffed to a script that is constantly pulling her away from the better material. It’s a shame because there are things to like about “Upgraded”. Unfortunately it’s too devoted to an overused formula to really stand out on its own. “Upgraded” is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

A clear front-runner for the most self-aware movie of 2022 has to be the ridiculously (yet hilariously) titled “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”. Perhaps best described as a Nicolas Cage satire starring Nicolas Cage, this unashamedly gonzo cocktail sees the 58-year-old Hollywood enigma having a field day poking fun at his own strange and impossible-to-define movie career. At least for the first half of the movie where it milks all it can out of its central conceit. After that we’re left with a pretty by-the-numbers second half. And ‘by-the-numbers’ was the last thing I expected from this movie.

You could say “Unbearable Weight” is the ultimate cash-in for an actor often cited for his many cash-in performances. But in many ways Nicolas Cage has transcended any and all labels. Sure he has starred in a ton of low budget, straight to VOD schlock. But then he’ll surprise us with an out-of-the-blue performance that reminds us that he’s an Academy Award winning actor. But what endears him most to audiences is how openly he embraces the mythos surrounding his four decade-long career. Nothing shows that clearer than this movie.

The problem is “Unbearable Weight” expends all of its wacky creative energy in its first half. This is when the movie is at its funniest, lampooning Nicholas Cage’s peculiar claim to stardom. And Cage is 110% in on the joke which is what makes is so fun. But it reaches a point where the humor dries up and the semi-serious turn it takes in the second half just doesn’t have the pull or the allure of the earlier nuttiness.

Directed by Tom Gormican, the movie opens with Cage riding through Los Angeles in his classic black Ferrari with Credence blasting through his speakers. He looks on top of the world, but the truth is quite different. His obsession with his work has driven a wedge between him and his daughter Addy (Lily Sheen) and his ex-wife Olivia (Sharon Horgan) has had enough. To make matters worse, he’s lost out on the “role of a lifetime” and the only gig his agent (Neil Patrick Harris) can muster is an appearance at a birthday party for a billionaire superfan named Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal).

Despite its $1 million payout, Nic turns down the party to wait for more serious offers befitting a thespian of his ‘massive talent’. But he ends up accepting the gig after he’s locked out of his hotel suite for racking up a $600,000. Disgruntled and dejected, Nic vows to retire from acting once he’s back home.

He arrives at Javi’s mediterranean island villa and meets his host who is charming, a bit starstruck, and even a little creepy. It turns out he wants to make a movie with the legendary Nicolas Cage. Nic finds the whole thing a little weird, but he and Javi form a creative bond that neither was expecting. Before long Nic is second guessing his decision to quit acting. But those good vibes start to sour after Nic is secretly approached by two generic and consistently unfunny CIA operatives played by Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish. They claim Javi is the head of a global arms cartel and is responsible for kidnapping a Catalonian president’s daughter.

Suddenly Nic Cage is caught in-between a dangerous crime family and the US government. It sounds like pure craziness, and to the film’s credit it starts that way. We get scenes playing off of that signature Cage madness. And the absurdity of Nic and Javi’s friendship (culminating in a pretty hilarious acid trip sequence) is just what is advertises. But then the movie becomes something I was never expecting – conventional. The last 30 minutes or so turns into a fairly flat buddy action movie with a little family drama thrown in on the side. It’s such a jarring departure from what made the first half entertaining.

So “Unbearable Weight” truly is a tale of two movies with one being significantly better than the other. There are good moments of unhinged zaniness, cool throwback mentions of past Cage movies like “Face/Off”, “Gone in 60 Seconds”, “National Treasure” and even “Guarding Tess”, and a really good meta performance of Cage playing Cage. But sadly it’s shortcomings even things out. The dialogue can be hysterical one minute and pointlessly crass the next. The entire CIA angle feels like a wasted opportunity. And in the final act things turn surprisingly dull. It’s unfortunate but also kinda fitting for a fascinating career that has quite literally been all over the map. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Success” is out now in theaters.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS