Kaka

It sounds unbelievable, but The Rock has a talent for comedy, some of his lines are delectable. Unfortunately, the film itself is somehow off from beginning to end. The same goes for the technical aspect, which is quite a major mistake for the 21st century. There is nothing here that would captivate you, and so, there’s not much to be entertained by, you will be hopelessly bored even during the opening credits.

It is important not to expect a gripping espionage ride, but rather a lightly sarcastic thriller with a sharply eloquent Russell Crowe and an unremarkable Ben Affleck, again. While watching, I had a feeling that I’d already seen hundreds of films like this, and it is quite possibly true. I recommend it more to fans of the investigative subgenre, the uninitiated will not enjoy it, they will be bored.

Abrams's directing style and mise-en-scène construction is at the very least grandiose. What I admired in MI3 is also here, and once again there’s plenty to look at. Monstrous shots of the whole scenery, camera swoops, and monumentality complemented by a fast-paced and entertaining story is an excellent and powerful combination. Unfortunately, I'm not a Star Trek fan, so some things somehow escaped me. Nevertheless, I dare say that as a standalone Star Trek film, it can work quite well. Some plot twists were on the edge of acceptability, but in terms of drive, action, and entertainment, it's top-notch. No bullshit and absolutely uncompromising, just as we expect from Abrams.

A quite pleasant affair, that is, if you overlook the simplicity and straightforwardness of the story, which banal, leading again to an “American dream” conclusion. However, Channing Tatum is surprisingly good as the protagonist, who with his honesty stands out quite skillfully from the ranks of brainless tough guys, and he is excellently complemented by Terrence Howard and Zulay Henao. The portrayal of their relationship is superb. Although it is not a groundbreaking work, it is an undemanding and heartfelt one-off. After a while, you will forget about it, but you will definitely not be disgusted.

Surprisingly better and more compact than the first part. Ron Howard finally understood that a cute Audrey Tautou and dodgy action scenes won't improve the story better and started relying on other things. For example, an agile script that piles one puzzle on top of another with fairly entertaining and dynamic sequences, and a fantastic (again) Hans Zimmer, who delivers uncompromising bite to the entire piece. He might have composed the same thing for the eighteenth time, but it still sounds beautiful. It sounds unbelievable, even in those few miniature action passages, Howard surprisingly toughened up. It's still a wimpy, predictable, and conflict-free Hollywood shitshow, but at least this was bearable.

Revolutionary in its devilish directorial style and overall concept, above average in action scenes and rawness, average in visual effects and technical execution, below average in the idea and concept of the script. Just what was expected. But it is very enjoyable entertainment.

Brian Helgeland's work is by far the most exciting. In a minimum of space, he builds an excellent script with a bunch of thrilling dialogues and explosive exchanges of opinions and ideas between the protagonists. Denzel Washington is one of the most talented actors of our time, and John Travolta really enjoys playing villains. Fortunately, there’s no lack of dynamics and drive, and just when it seems that everything is getting too tangled and the film is losing its initial drive, Tony Scott switches to another gear. Of course, the unmistakable visuals are not missing. A simple but well-made bite-sized treat.

A relatively low-budget spy flick in a fast style, with a rather raw and minimalist execution and likeable main characters. It lacks the typical American grandeur, filters, and glitz, but on the other hand, we get great shootouts that in a way are very inventive. The talking parts are not as interesting, but, the fluff is necessary here as well. Respectably mastered craftsmanship.

A one-off, but very entertaining. The very simple script is handled in an interesting way, the cold realities are excellent, and the main characters are believable. Although it somewhat borrows from various elements of films from the past decade, it still works well, and Mickey Rourke is cool even though he looks like an Indian.

A boring mix of romance and breathtaking mountain scenery (more interesting first part) with a disjointed action adventure (boring second part) and a typically grandiose climax. As a prequel to a famous franchise, it's decent, but as a standalone action piece, it's very mishandled. Hugh Jackman has charisma, but his character is not sufficiently well-written, the action is confusing, computer-generated, and dull. The antagonists are solid, but the final over-the-top action set-piece follows a beaten path that no longer entertains me.