I am only basing my review on the film--not the video game, since MoviePhat doesn’t do video games. I really enjoyed Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse, but the latest addition I didn't like too much. The action sequences are fantastic!!! Milla Jovovich as Alice is a take charge, kick-butt babe. She is the best thing about the series. The villain who can’t die Shawn Roberts (Edge of Darkness) as Albert Wesker is excellent, and Boris Kodjoe, the handsome black guy in the upcoming TV show Undercovers is good as former basketball player, now leader of the survivors in Los Angeles.
The RE4 plot is simply, Alice is searching for survivors and trying to find the ‘promised land’ called Arcadia in Alaska. I just couldn’t get into it, and that is surprising. The 3D doesn’t help or hurt the franchise. If you love the movie series--watch it, but if you don’t want to pay extra for 3D, wait for Blu-ray or DVD. I hear there will be a Resident Evil 5!!!
ACTIONHOUNDS I GOT ANOTHER FOR YA!!! WOLF, WOLF, WOLF!!! This movie has everything exploitation---blood, babes and action!!! Based on a fake trailer from “Grindhouse” Machete is now a great kick-ass movie. The story is about a federal agent Machete (Danny Trejo), determined to take down Torrez (Steven Segal, who is very good being bad), a gangster. But instead Torrez kills his wife and child. He tries to kill our hero, but Machete won’t stay dead.
He comes a few years later as a non-immigrant day laborer and he gets paid to kill Senator McLaughlin (Robert DeNiro) by Booth (played by Jeff Fahey), McLaughlin’s right hand man(he is greedy, power mad, and lusts for his own daughter) but he is set up!! I saw this movie because of Alex Jones (infowars.com and prisonplanet.com), who thinks it will start a race war because of the unpopular immigrant laws in Arizona. I can see why he is upset!!! They make the Mexicans look like scum yet saintly, and the evil people in power are white, just like in the blaxploitation movies. I hope they make more 'mexploitation' movies like this!!. It is very entertaining!!
Danny Trejo is UGLY, but he is a BAD-ASS!!! The ladies---sexy Jessica Alba is good, but Michelle Rodriguez steals the show as Luz aka She’. Pretty, and pretty tough. Lindsay Lohan is good playing a partying slut. For the guys' information, she goes topless, and some Latina actresses are nude!! Should you see it? If you like excessive violence yes-if not wait for Blu-Ray and DVD.
PIRANHA 3D Horror/Suspense/SCI-FICTION
This movie is true exploitation!!! It has blood, boobs and a monster what needs killing!! Plot is not really important but here it goes. It is Spring Break (for a movie released in late summer???) and the college kids go wild!! Sand, surf and sun abound, but what they don’t know is that a small earthquake hits and opens the lake floor, it brings out small, verrry hungry piranhas. As I said, plot is not essential here. The movie is short, but if you enjoy tons of blood you can’t wait to see the flesh eating fish chomp on the oversexed college students!!
I am trying to figure out why talented stars like Elisabeth Shue, (Leaving Las Vegas, Hollow Man), Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible movie) and Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws) are in this!! Jerry O’Connell as a coked up, annoying director got what he deserves, and the piranhas have more taste than the director Alexandre Aja has. It is a funny, gross gore scene, trust me. The 3D effect doesn’t really help the flick much. James (Avatar) Cameron did a sequel to Piranha--1978 titled Piranha 2. Should you see it? Only if you like creatures in the water. It is a better-grade Saturday night 'Syfy' movie.
Simply stated story--Evelyn Salt (Angelia Jolie) is a CIA agent married to a good man, and has a dog. She is about to celebrate her anniversary when a defector tells her that she is a Russian spy and she is supposed to kill the Russian president when he comes to New York. The people she trusts don’t trust her in an instant, and she has to prove her innocence and stop the assassination. The action sequences are fantastic!!
Angelina Jolie is amazing. She can take a beating and give one as well. She is a very good actress, but when it comes to action movies--she is the BEST. Producers should pair Ms. Jolie and Michelle Rodriguez (Machete) in a female buddy action movie, because these women can pull it off. Liv Schreiber as her friend and boss Ted Winter gives a good performance. The amazing Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Four Brothers) is very good trying to capture Salt at all costs, but knows something is not quite right. I do hope there is a sequel and I hope Ms. Jolie keeps doing action movies.
PREDATORS ACTION/ADVENTURE/SCI-FI
This film is more of an official sequel to the original, than the film Predator 2 made in 1990. It stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody and in this year, Slice as Royce unwillingly become leaders of a bunch of killers, mercenaries and convicts trapped on an island where they are hunted by-–you guessed it--Predators!!! That is basically the story, but it is very action packed and suspenseful. It is amazing how the aliens know the group’s weaknesses and take them out one by one.
People, it is a ‘body count’ movie, which simply means actors are there to be killed off by the monster or slasher to keep the movie going. The cast is very good--Topher Grace (70’s Show and Spiderman 3), Alice Braga (Repo Men) Laurence Fishburne (CSI, Matrix movies), and Danny Trejo (Machete). I don’t know why it didn’t make money--it was very good. Maybe it took too long to make. Watch it when it comes out on Blu-Ray and DVD.
ACTION HOUNDS REJOICE!!!! The Expendables are finally here!!! It has the best all-star action guys you can name!!! A band of mercenaries lead by Barney Ross (!?)(Sylvester Stallone), and his second in command Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) take an assignment by Church (Bruce Willis) to take down a small country in South America and its dictator General Garza (David Zayas)who is really controlled by James Monroe(Eric Roberts).
Plot, dialogue and acting is not the reason to see this movie, it is the action stars of the 80’s 90’s along with wrestling and UFC. Lots of action, lots of kills and lots of big explosions!!! The big three--Schwarzenegger, Willis and Stallone is funny but too brief. The late Brittany Murphy was supposed to be in the movie, but they cut her scenes out. The two females in the movie are Charisma Carpenter (Angel) and Gisele Itie (popular novella actress in Mexico and Brazil).
My only gripe was, I couldn’t see the brutal fights (it was at night) and they needed to be longer!!! This is for guys, girls who love macho men and action and violence, period! Not for kids, not for people who hate violence not for women who like chick flicks. See it in the theaters, see it on Blu-ray and DVD--just see it!!!
I only watched this movie because wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin was in it. He plays John Brickner, an ex-con got out of prison early because the wife of who he killed begged the parole board. She wants him to save her daughter who needs a heart transplant –the insurance bill is costly and Medicaid rejected her so he does underground fighting for a living. It is surprising for a b-movie to have such seriousness for everyone is damage or in debt!! Stone Cold Steve Austin is not the best actor in the world but he’s got a presence!!! He is much laid back compared to his wrestling persona. I can’t wait for the movie ‘Expendables’ to come out later this year-August to be exact. Everyone is very good including Reno (Walter Goggin in the series The Shield and Justified) Frankie (Smallville as Supergirl and updated series V) . They make a very odd loving pair.
PERCY JACKSON &THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTING THIEF FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE
This movie is based on the books by (Rick Riodan). I didn’t know the book existed so I did not read it but you should read before you see the movie for the novel gives more insight. It is a summer blockbuster that was release in February and now release on DVD. It is very well made. I am surprised. All the special effects movies I thought it was another one. Mythology and modern world collide as Percy Jackson(new comer Logan Lerman) has just found out he is a demigod and his father is Poseidon (Kevin McKidd, Journeyman). Zeus (usual bad guy Sean Bean) wants his lightning bolt back or hell on earth as result.
At a school for demigods only he meets pretty Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) daughter of Athena and his protector and comic relief Grover(Brandon T. Jackson). Percy goes on a quest to save his mother Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener-know for independents movies) from Hades (Steven Coogan). Uma Thurman (Kill Bill) is amazing as Medusa!!! It is delightful and it should have been release in the summer but the studio didn’t think it would do well. The cast old and new are fantastic. Director Chris Columbus who directed the first Harry Potter movies is very good at fantasy movies. He should have done “Clash of the Titans.” They will be comparing the two in the future. If you are into mythology and fantasy movies YES see this movie!!!
BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD ANIMATION
First, let me say this is not for kids!!! It is very, very violent!!! It is about Batman with a new villain named Red Hood who is taking over crime by killing one crime boss at a time. Batman is not voiced by Kevin Conroy but Bruce Greenwood (seen in Star Trek-2009) all the voice actors are good but Wade Williams and John Di Maggio Black Mask and Joker are outstanding!! Both are power mad, funny criminals. It is not that long but it says quite a lot. You should see when it arrives on Blu-ray and DVD. Warner Brother’s animation movies are getting better with each film.
